Chapter 11: Family Disputes
In the realm of the Gods. Taranis was back in the room of Fates, exhausted after searching through every realm in the universe for Arianrhod. He fiddles with the strands of his robes that resemble the gray skies that match his emotions. The golden pool in front of him fizzles and glows as another scripture appears. He sighs heavily as the scripture arrives.
"Oh dear… So many things have changed since her disappearance, I need to find her before-"
Suddenly a bright eagle flies in the room through the doors, hovering gracefully before him.
"Taranis, you have been summoned by the great one. He has concerns regarding your recent actions. You must present yourself to him immediately after receiving this message." The eagle spoke, before fizzling into nothing once he was finished with his task. Taranis was immediately filled with dread, as if the elixir in his stomach had suddenly spoiled.
"Oh no…" Taranis mumbled silently.
Walking through the tall white halls, with every step Taranis' legs felt heavier and heavier. Every inch of his body screamed for him to turn around and leave. But he knew better than to listen to his fears lest he risk oblivion for being disrespectful. He stops before two tall, arched, golden doors. Placing his palm on the door, the silver vines carved into the door began to move and crowd his palm. Taranis winces as the thorns of the silver vines cut his palm open, golden liquid oozes out from his hand and into the door. As his palm immediately heals itself, the two doors glowed bright and vibrated as if they were accepting his small offering. They slowly open to reveal a wide and long throne room, bright white light pooling into the room from behind the throne. A large golden throne sits in the middle of smaller thrones on both sides, two on the golden throne's right and three on its left. However the first small throne on the right was colored a glowing silver and was larger than the other three, it also had more beautiful and intricate carvings of all the phases of the moon and stars.
'Arianrhod… look at the trouble you've brought to me." Taranis thought inwardly, as he eyed Arianrhod's silver throne.
Stopping at the steps before the golden throne, Taranis kneels before it, bowing his head low with his eyes on the marble floor.
"You've summoned me? Oh great, Beli Mawr." Taranis greets, as the white light behind the thrones moves.
Turning around to face Taranis was Beli Mawr, the great God of the sun and light. He was taller and larger than the rest of the Gods, Taranis could barely reach Beli Mawr's knees. His cloak, which was as bright as the sun had completely covered the dark windows that were actually showing the infinite stars of the universe. As he walked, the floor beneath his feat glowed bright before receding into it's normal marble color again. Beli Mawr sat on his throne, eyeing Taranis' kneeling form and with a calm, booming, and echoing voice spoke.
"Taranis, I hear that you have been scouring the realms for infinity knows what… Tell me, where is Arianrhod this time?" Beli Mawr asks, Taranis could feel Beli Mawr's scorching gaze on his head, Taranis couldn't lie.
"Arianrhod has… disappeared." Taranis said, bowing his head even lower.
"I am aware she has disappeared, Taranis. What I wish to know…" Beli Mawr sat upright in his throne. "Is her whereabouts… What happened?" Beli Mawr asked.
"She has traveled to one of the many mortal realms in the universe to try and change the fate of the magical mortal she had recently became fond of. " Taranis explained, his mouth felt so dry it was like a desert had spawned on his tongue. There was a long pause before Beli Mawr spoke again, clearly disappointed with Taranis.
"Had I not specifically instructed that she be kept from the Room of Fates? You, Taranis, hold complete access to whoever goes in and out of the room, do you not?" Beli Mawr asked, his voice turning deeper as he spoke. Taranis swallowed dryly.
"My apologies, great Beli Mawr. I pitied her in her plight to see the mortal she was fond of for one last time… I did not expect for her to take such sudden and unexpected actions-" Taranis tried to explain.
"Lies." Beli Mawr interjected, Taranis immediately held his tongue. "Of course you knew, although I won't hold it against you… I am aware Arianhod has her ways of charming even the most stubborn man. If she couldn't have charmed her way through you, then I doubt she truly is my daughter." Beli Mawr said, leaning back into his throne again. "Have you tried searching for her?" Beli Mawr asked.
"Yes, great Beli Mawr, I have tried earnestly. But I have lost sight of her, she has hidden herself among the numerous timelines in the universe within countless different dimensions… I am unsure as to which one she has hidden herself in." Taranis explained honestly.
"Have you checked each and every timeline?" Beli Mawr asked, making sure that Taranis spared no effort from finding her.
"I have... and yet I cannot find her." Taranis admitted.
Beli Mawr placed a hand on his fiery beard and began to stroke it as if the flames were nothing.
"Hmmmm… She has turned herself into mortal." Beli Mawr hummed. "Yet she cannot hide forever, retaining a human form for so long takes large amount of power even for Gods. It would be like trying to build a wall over a tsunami. This only further proves that she is my daughter." Beli Mawr chuckles, but almost immediately did his voice turn dark and the room swarmed with a blazing heat. "But without regular sustenance of elixir from sap of the Life Tree, her powers will grow immensely weak. Her deity form hidden beneath that body of flesh will demand for sustenance, it will give her an unquenchable hunger like no other." Beli Mawr said, continuing to stroke his beard as if thinking of what to do, when suddenly the doors slowly opened and four Gods entered the room.
"Father, do forgive us for eavesdropping. But it would seem that sister is giving you a hard time yet again, yes?" Spoke the God with a golden helmet, holding a large heavy spear that matched his armor. He walked as if he were leading the rest of the Gods behind him.
"That is correct, Caswallawn. Her fondness for the mortal boy from previous passing has made her reckless and she is currently missing and intends to change the course of the Wheel of Fate." Beli Mawr said, as he observed closely the reactions of his sons whose eyes were hungry for his validation.
Caswallawn, the God of war, dropped the butt of his spear onto the floor with a loud clang. Kneeling on his knees and taking his helmet off in respect to his father. He was followed by his three brothers. Afallach, God of the Otherworld and judgement. Lludd and Llefelys, the twins of plagues.
"Allow us to find her father and bring her to you." Caswallawn said, his tone righteous and confident. But Beli Mawr's stoic features remain still as ever.
"You promise this and yet eons ago you couldn't even defeat her in your previous confrontations… What makes you think you can drag her to me?" Beli Mawr asks, clearly unmoved by his sons' promises. But Caswallawn only smirked devilishly at his father, as he was reminded of their past loss against Arianrhod.
"Times have changed, father. Humiliation has made us stronger." Caswallawn said through gritted teeth, simultaneously Afallach, Lludd, and Llefelys' heads rose in agreement to Caswallawn's words.
"Hmmm… fine. If you prove yourselves worthy I shall raise the shame she had rightfully placed upon your names in accordance to her previous winnings against you four." Beli Mawr waved a hand to dismiss his sons. "You may go."
"Glory upon the Sun of all realms." Caswallawn and his brothers greeted their father simultaneously.
The four Gods stood up excitedly and immediately flew out of the room in different forms. Caswallawn was a ball of light, colored orange and red. Afallach was a black mist, while Lludd and Llefelys turned into flocks of crows.
Taranis, who remained kneeling before Beli Mawr, had beads of sweat dripping off his forehead. Not because of the heat emanating off of Beli Mawr, but because of the four siblings involvement with the hunt for Arianrhod.
"You look as if you wish to say something, Taranis? You may lift your head." Beli Mawr asked, as if he knew exactly what Taranis was thinking about.
"My lord… I do not think it is wise to send your four sons to search for their sister. I promise that I will-" Taranis tried to convince Beli Mawr to change his mind. But Beli Mawr lifted a hand to silence Taranis.
"You've already proven to me that Arianrhod is too much for you to handle alone. If you truly wish for her to be found as God of the Wheel, then you will learn to understand my decisions." Beli Mawr said, but Taranis was still unsettled.
"But my lord… the hatred in their hearts will cloud them from sparing Arianrhod if their meeting will become heated. Their confrontation could lead to even worse results for the Wheel more than what Arianrhod has already created in the mortal realm." Taranis explained, but Beli Mawr only chuckled at him. Placing his cheek to rest on his hand, Beli Mawr gazes into Taranis' eyes.
"And what makes you think that she will spare them?" Beli Mawr said, causing Taranis to stiffen in fear. "Do not worry, Taranis. I've heard a little sibling rivalry is healthy for children." Beli Mawr smirked, lifting a hand to dismiss Taranis. "You may now take your leave."
"Glory upon the Sun of all realms." Taranis hesitantly greeted, before walking away from the throne room.
Once the large doors closed behind him, Taranis sprinted towards the Room of Fates.
'I have to find her before they do. If I don't… They never promised Beli Mawr that she would be brought back in one piece.' Taranis inwardly thought as he barged into the Room of Fates, sending scrolls toppling over out of shelves and over tables.
"I must have missed a timeline." Taranis muttered, looking over the golden pool. "If there's one thing those children don't have, it's having access to the backbone of the universe." Taking out a bottle of green liquid from his robe, he pops the cork open and downs the liquid in one gulp. Taranis' throat and his chest felt like they were burning but that's how he knew the potion was working.
"With this I will be able to keep my mind intact, if I don't focus the Life Tree will throw my consciousness out into the essence of the universe and scatter it throughout the many planes." Taranis tried to steady his rapid breathing and calm himself, he was shaking. "'Like a water droplet falling into a vast ocean'… If I'm not careful… I can forget about being a God, much less reincarnation." Taranis swallowed the knot in his throat as he stared at the gold liquid before him. Gaining enough courage, he allows himself to fall face first into the pool. Taranis felt like he was falling infinitely, fighting within his mind to keep himself from disintegrating into the infinite thoughts and souls of the world. The potion did little to no help for him.
'What is my name? What am I doing here? Who am I?' Taranis tried to remember, but even that was already a difficult task. As he searched what little remained of his mind, his thoughts miraculously pulls out a memory of Arianrhod. She was laughing at him after she threw the Orb of All Sight for him to catch, Taranis barely caught it.
'Quick reflexes, Taranis!' Arianrhod said in between fits of laughter.
Taranis suddenly felt his mind become whole again.
"I am Taranis. God of the wheel and sky, the overseer of fates. I am here to search for Arianrhod." Taranis felt like he had screamed the words in his head. Suddenly he saw a silver line before him, he held out his hands trying to reach out as much as he could. Finally after much difficulty, he grasped it.
While Taranis was travelling through the universe's DNA, the four brothers where busy speeding through dimensions.
"Brother…" Afallach called out to Caswallawn. "If Taranis could not find Arianrhod… Then how sure are you that we will be able to find her?" Afallach asked, the ball of black mist morphing into the shape of his face.
"I have the same concern brother." Llefelys asks as well, turning to Caswallawn. His crows taking shape into only the upper half of his body.
"Concurred." Lludd said, agreeing with his brother's concerns. His crows only revealing his face.
"When Arianrhod was kicked out of the Room of Fates, I took a peak from Taranis' scrolls about the mortal she was so interested in. If I know Arianrhod well enough, then I'm sure that her stubbornness will be her downfall." Caswallawn said, putting more speed into his flight for the next dimension. "If she really has taken a liking to her new pet, then for sure she will give everything within her powers to change his fate." The bright orange ball took shape, revealing Caswallan with a wicked sneer on his face. "Unlike that Merlin kid, this mortal has always been meant to die an unjust death. Changing such a fate would leave crumbs of carnage. These crumbs will reveal her to us soon."
Arianrhod suddenly sat upright in her seat, her head swerved around the classroom as if she was looking for someone.
"What's wrong, Iris?" Severus asked, whispering to the silver haired girl while trying to listen to their DADA professor ramble on about protective enchantments.
Arianrhod aka Iris, leaned back on her desk, trying to shake of the sudden chills she felt.
"It's nothing, I thought I heard someone call out my name." Iris said, trying to convince not only Severus but also herself.
Severus thought nothing of it and continued to listen to their DADA professor, but he couldn't deny that he was already beginning to feel bored out of his mind.
'I already know all of this.' He thought inwardly, not even bothering to write down notes anymore since he knew everything by heart and experience. Lily on the other hand, sitting on the desks to his right, was jotting down everything their professor said.
'Anymore faster and the parchment will catch on fire.' Severus chuckled to himself, he didn't know for how long he was staring at Lily but it was probably long enough for his professor to call for his attention.
"Mister Snape, seeing as though you are not taking down notes I assume that you know the topic we are discussing. Would you please demonstrate to the whole class how to properly cast a shield charm?" Professor Adelheid Merrythought sarcastically said, gesturing for the space next to her.
The rest of his classmates snickered, but Severus was not one for games. To everyone's surprise he stood up and walked towards the front of the class next to Professor Merrythought. Who watched him with sharp eyes, as he began his incantation. He did not try and cast the spell wordlessly, he didn't want to draw anymore attention to himself. Everyone continued to snicker, especially the marauders who were sitting at the back. Professor Merrythought nodded her head at Severus in approval.
"Impressive, you were able to cast it without saying it incorrectly." She said, walking around Severus as if she were inspecting his shield charm despite it being completely invisible. "But will it hold?" Merrythought asked.
Severus' guard was immediately up but Merrythought was quick. She suddenly blasted a hex at Severus whose shield charm held its ground. But that wasn't enough for Merrythought, she threw jinxes and hexes at Severus from every corner.
'She's fast.' Severus thought inwardly, as he continued to shield himself.
Everyone stared in awe as they watched their DADA professor try and break Severus' shield charm. But despite the years of experience Severus had within him he still found it difficult to maintain the shield charm against his Professor, Adelheid Merrythought was indeed strong. Finally, Merrythought had blasted a jinx strong enough to burst through Severus' shield charm. It had barely missed Severus by a hair. While Severus was upset that his shield charm didn't hold long enough, Merrythought was smiling at him.
"Brilliant." Were the only words that Merrythought was able to breathe out of her mouth.
Approaching Severus, she grasped him by the shoulders. "Severus, you've shown me great promise despite your shield breaking after a while. But that was still a marvelous shield for someone your age and for proving me wrong, that's five points to Slytherin." She pats him on the back and sends him back to his desk. "You may continue staring at miss Evans if you wish." Merrythought added, causing Severus' ears to turn red.
While Lily choked in her own spit in regards to what their professor said. Iris on the other hand snickered in her desk. Severus was too shy to look at Lily on his way to his desk. But as soon as he plopped down on his seat, Iris had practically been wheezing trying to keep in her laughter. Severus lightly punched Iris' shoulder.
His classmates would have snickered at him too if it were not for Merrythought's praise for Severus. It was widely known that gaining praise from the descendant of the famous Galatea Merrythought was as difficult as trying to achieve an 'Outstanding' for all subjects in the N.E.W.T.s exams. This was a new level of superiority that Severus never even knew he had unlocked, as well as a deeper level of rivalry for a brown haired Gryffindor.
After DADA class, Severus had Ancient Runes for his next class while Lily and Iris had Herbology together. Although the relationship between the two girls was still very rocky, they still decided to go together since none of Lily's friends were taking Herbology at this hour. The two girls went to the greenhouses while Severus went the opposite way towards the 6th floor. After overcoming the embarrassment he felt back in DADA class, Severus had only then realized what he had accomplished from Merrythought's praise.
"Merlin, she said I was good. I'm on a roll here, this never happened in the previous timelines." Severus muttered to himself.
While he was walking with a slight skip in his steps in delight. He suddenly felt warm air on the back of his neck, making the hairs on his neck stiffen. He quickly swerved his head to look behind him, but he saw nothing. He stared hard at the empty hall, while his fingers traveled to his pocket and began to thumb his wand. With no sign of movement after a long while, Severus thought that it must have been one of the school's ghost that had passed by him and he didn't even notice. The school bell chimed for the first warning that classes will start soon and Severus immediately bolted out of the hall to catch up to the 6th floor before the final bell.
When Severus left the hall completely out of sight. Taking off the invisibility cloak, James, Sirius, and Peter let off a huge sigh in relief.
"Merlin's bloody balls…" James sighed.
"That was terrifying." Quivered Peter.
"I almost shat bricks when he turned around. I told you not to breathe too loud Wormtail!" Sirius said, wiping off beads of sweat from his forehead.
"Couldn't help it, it was hot in there with us three together and I was nervous." Peter excused, his uniform already covered in sweat.
"Bugger… and we were so close too." James said, tsking and kicking his heel on the floor.
"Prongs maybe we shouldn't be doing this. I hate lying to Moony." Sirius said, in a pleading voice to James.
"No way… Snivellus is on a high horse right now. Didn't you see the smug look on his face and hear what he said? We've got to bring the git down a peg or two." James said, sneering as he spoke. While Peter mindlessly agreed with James nodding his head.
"What did he mean about timelines anyway?" Sirius asked.
"Hell if I know, must be one of his lunatic ramblings again." James said.
"But Prongs, I'm serious. If Moony finds out-" Sirius tried to persuade James again.
"What Moony won't know won't kill him." James finished.
Sirius sighed in defeat, he gave up on trying to convince James and Peter. He decided to let go and have fun instead.
"Alright, alright… I'll throw my towel in. But are we seriously going to just keep jinxing him in hallways? We've been doing that for months, and much more less now that Iris is around him all the time." Sirius asked James.
"Do you have a better idea?" James asked sarcastically while rolling his eyes, but Sirius chuckled at him making both James and Peter to turn to Sirius.
"I heard Slughorn's got a Halloween party coming up soon. Maybe we can shake it up a bit?" Sirius suggested.
"But only Moony's part of the Slug Club." Peter piped up.
"Yes… But I heard it's going to be a 'costume' party." Sirius elaborated, this brought a smirk to both James and Sirius' lips. While Peter looked at both of them confused.
"Wow, must be exciting… Too bad we can't go though." Peter said, with disappointment in his voice. Sirius slapped the back of Peter's head.
"You dunderhead, we're getting in through costumes. No one's gonna notice us. It's the perfect place to bring Severus down a peg." Sirius explained.
Peter still looked confused until his eyes slowly began to grow wide, finally processing the whole thing.
"Oohhhh…" Peter said. While James and Sirius sighed at him.
Unbeknownst to the three boys, they had been conversing the entire time under a gargoyle who had witnessed and heard the whole conversation.
After Herbology class, while Iris was walking down the corridor towards the Gryffindor tower a gargoyle had called out to her.
"Great mistress, I bring news." The gargoyle said, greeting Iris with a his stone body chinking as he moved.
"What is it? It best be worth my time." Iris said, flicking her wrists to stop time so that no one can walk in on the two's conversation.
"A ploy has been overheard by one of our own against the raven haired one." The gargoyle said, completely taking hold of Iris' attention.
"A ploy against Severus? Who planned it?" Iris further asked.
"We gargoyles do not remember names. But faces, yes. One was of black hair with hazel eyes wearing apparatus for his sight, very boisterous and proud. He wears the same colors as the mistress." The gargoyle described.
"James Potter, I see... Anyone else with him?" Iris asked.
"Yes, one was scrawny, pale and grubby like mouse. The other, hair wild and black with grey eyes. He snarl like dog." The gargoyle tried his best to describe the rest.
"Peter and Sirius, why am I not surprised?" Iris said, chuckling to herself. "What are they planning."
The gargoyle then further explained what was passed unto him by his kin. As the conversation grew longer, Iris' smirk grew wider.
"You and your kin have done your mistress great service. Continue keeping a sharp ear and watchful eye." Iris said in approving voice. This made the gargoyle feel very proud of himself before returning to his usual stance, while Iris continued time again. As she walked the halls and passed other students, she was thinking of what to do in regards to the three boy's plans.
"Well... Viper did say he wanted to see a spectacle similar to what happened back at the Malfoy manor again. I didn't expect it to be so soon." Iris said, a psychotic smirk on her lips. Clearly indicating her excitement for the Halloween party.