A/N: See my profile for my new updating schedule.
Lady Pendragon is a canon character, however she is very OOC. When you see her later with Harry, she is much more comfortable and more canon-like, but she is still nothing like her canon version. Also, I have had one dm guess, not it is not Bellatrix. This character will also not root for blood purity, although she will go for toujours pur, in a way. Purity of magic, not blood. She is not an OC, and she is also much younger (linearly) than she looks. Rowling gave us two nice little plot holes to make use of. One, time isn't linear, but as we see with Hermione, she would have been 16 or even 17 by book 4, but she still looks and has the trace of one who is 14. Therefore we must assume that even if her consciousness lived for 6 hours in the space of 3 linear ones, for her body, it is as if she lived only 3 hours. I am making use of this. The second is that she placed no limits of the ability of metamorphs. No, when The Lady is shown in this chapter it is actually her. Furthermore, I know in canon this character did not have all the abilities mentioned, but this is fanfic, so i will think up an explanation in later chapters if necessary. And yes, the symbols and colors used here are symbolic and on purpose. I know sometimes it seems randomm, but if a color was not necessary I wouldn't mention it at all in the first place.
Ron Weasley was nervous. He has survived the snake pit so far for the last twelve hours. It did help that Nymphadora Black decided to inform the house that under no circumstances was her pseudo little brother and his yearmates to get hazed. That and his natural talent for strategy games had been discovered. When he beat Cassius Warrington at a Chess Duel, as wanded duels with first years fell under the hazing category, Marcus Flint, chaser and captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team had haughtily informed him of Slytherin's need for a quidditch team strategist. And boy, would Ron like that. Youngest member of a Quidditch team in a century. And Merlin would Charlie love to hear about that.
Now, however, was time for their first class of the day. And it was time for double potions with the frightening Professor Snape. Ron recalled the conversation the two Blacks had had in the common room, right in front of the fireplace. And of course everyone listened in. Right in front of Slytherin's main fireplace was a couch that was the pseudo throne of the room, and of course the Blacks had the first night. Every single Black to pass through Hogwarts had done so. Even the non-Slytherins had some way into the common room, because even Sirius Black, the infamous White Sheep of the Black family had been sitting on that couch his first night in the castle.
The conversation was enlightening for many.
Nymphadora Black had finished up a letter, and turned to the boy she referred to as her younger brother, though nobody knew based on appearances, as she was a known metamorph. "Harry, you do know how to deal with that bastard of a potions master? Or did father yet again forget to inform you about Snivellus?"
"The one whose nose has been broken more times than Dumbledick's? Oh, and according to Mum, because since when have Dad or Aut Andi ever followed rules, young ladies of proper upbringing are not to use such foul language where others may hear" He finished in a high pitched voice that could only be an imitation of the infamous Bellatrix Black, who was more feared than a herd of dementors.
"Oh, sod off. I'll talk how I want. This isn't a ball, and it's nott like anyone who's actually that important yet is listening in"
"And yet the whole of Slytherin house just heard you, loud and clear."
"Anyways, before I turn into dad and get sidetracked again, there are a few simple steps to dealing with the disgustingly foul greasy bat who is unfortunately our head of house. No wonder sas wanted you to go to Gryffindor. Anyways, it's very simple, so listen close."
"Go on…"
"Step one, he has no power over you. Step two, if he insists, remind him of one of the following. One, he has a blood feud with House Potter, and by association, House Black for delivering to Riddle, sorry Lord Voldemort,'' she pronounced in a freakishly high and ridiculing tone that reminded many of ministry employee Dolores Umbridge. Absolutely nobody, including her employee, even her father, liked her. "The information that killed the last Lord and Lady Potter. Therefore he has a blood feud with house BLack since House Potter was absorbed into house Black. Two, remind him of how sorry you feel that father never did succeed in feeding him to a werewolf. Maybe we should make it a tradition, like maybe post-owls if your patience can survive that long. Three, what happens in the common room stays in the common room due to ancient parselwards, and that includes a foiled duel to the death, even with family magic included. Because he's a half-blood bastard to the absolutely-nobody-cares-about-it House of Prince, which tried to make itself feel superior by imitating the title of a third in line for the muggle throne. So really, he would be dead, legally. Four, we could always get him sent to Azkaban, really just distract Fumbledore for a day, aunt Amy, sorry Head of the DMLE Amelia Georgina Bones has been trying to get him locked up for over a decade. Five, he attempted line theft on House potter by trying to rape your first mother, Lilian Evans Potter in a death eater raid, and as soon as the law allowing Department of Msteries verified memories to eb admissible in court, even if the creator of the memories is no longer alive, he'll be chucked in Azakaban. Hopefully we won't have to deal with him for more than a year. And if all that doesn't work, just remind him Lady Pendragon was one step from declaring him a persona non grata in England, after getting a blood feud on him. Now that would be fun."
"Nymmie, I told you my adoptive sister is not for hire to get rid of annoying teachers. You know she has much more important things to do."
"Yes, ye," Nymphadora grumbled. ""Anyways, if Snivellus bothers you, get cousin Drakie-poo to sic his father on him. The one thing Lucy Mafloy is good for is his iron hold on the board of governors. Also, you owe me a favor."
"Fuck, not that again. Fine."
"You're going to make an over-dramatic claim of Heirdom as soon as Professor Longbeard gets annoying. All out, you better get those violet side effects scheduled." That was particularly curious, as everyone knew who was meant ,yet it was also very insulting. Longbeard was a nickname for a fictional Dark Lord in a series of very popular fictional stories that started getting written about when Millicent Bagnold started her time as minister, and had been continued with a new book every year since.
"She's never going to let me."
"You better."
"Fine, but what's the checkmate in dealing with Snivellus? I know there is one, Father told me before he got sidetracked."
"Ah, yes. One simple little charm. It's been doing masterpieces for decades. The first time it got snivellus to stop stalking your mother so aggressively, the second time it stopped him altogether, the third it got me a free pass from potions for as long as I live, and next time hopefully it will do the same to you. Oh, and as for potions, Father got old Slughorn to come up to the castle and teach me potions, though really I think he'll be the anyone for his little potions slug club tutoring. If he finds out your birth name… you can probably get potions and defense tutoring for your entire grade level. And even if Slughorn looks like a humanoid slug, boy can he teach defense."
Hydrus grumbled. "You're getting sidetracked again. Like father, like daughter." He then sighed, turned to her, and said straight into her ear. "What is the spell?"
She glared at him. "Yes, of course. The incantaion's levicorpus, and it just lifts a person up by their ankle, though you might want to turn away, because after all these years I'm not sure snivellus applies sticking charms to his robes like any sane person. Anyways, I think the spell works differently for greasy dungeon bats, because it acts more like a dementor for this one."
And that was the end of the conversation. Ron had gone back to his chess station, an area in the slytherin common room with a permanent set of wizard's chess that the house champion always sat at, there was desk space as well, and would do their work while waiting for challengers.
Now, however, it was time for potions. Potions with Gryffindor. The filed into the room, booth houses on opposite sides. The gryffindors glaring at Harry Pott- Hydrus Black. Their eyes were clearly stating 'how dare the savior of the wizarding world go into Slytherin?' but he was ignoring them. Ron was just thankful they were not thinking the same about him, the sixth Weasley brother.
As they were sitting down, Snape the doors to the room slammed open and Snape stalked in, looking very menacing. Except the doors slammed right back in the opposite direction with the same force, right into Snape's face. The doors opened again, slower this time, and Snape walked into a room of Slytherin and Gryffinor first years laughing about the same thing. Namely him.
He stalked up to the front of the room, looking in everyone's eyes on the way there. The gryffindor's minds were open doors, as usual. Nothing interesting in there except feelings of betrayal that Potter and Weasley hadn't gone to Gryffindor. Why he was cursed with a Wealsey in his house, in the same year as a potten no less, he didn't know. It was enough that a girl raised by Sirius, Andromeda, and Bellatrix Black was in his house already. Filthy mongrel black spawn. What was next, the mangy wolf would manage to reproduce as well? Pettigrew was the only reasonable one of the four. What Snape did not know was that Remus Lupin was, in fact, well on his way to having his own little pups. The double wedding of the two remaining marauders scheduled for the first week of november should be proof of that.
Snape goot to the front of the class. Surprisingly, not a single Slytherin had an open mind. Not even Weasley. Of course it wasn't Wealsye's fault, but rather the 'what happens in the slytherin common room stays in the slytherin common room', which was tied to a parselward Hydrus had activated the night before.
Snape continued as he had planned.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making. As there is a little foolish wand waving in here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching thee mind, ensnaring the senses. . . . I can teach you to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as i usually have to teach."
Snape turned to glare across the room. Oh, how he would hate this class. Lucius' son wasn't in Slytherin, and the rest of these dunderheads would be completely useless.
"Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
"The draught of Living death, professor, though that would not be the optimal way to brew it. My Aunt Cassiopeia's book, used in beauxbatons, states that if the sophorous bean is added earlier in the process and with a knife with canadian silver, instead of the usual german silver, it is much more effective and takes only thirty two minutes to brew. Furthermore, if brewed without the miniature violet dragon eyes, it turns into a particularly volatile potion, don't you think so, professor?"
Snape was quaking in his spot at the perfectly executed innocent facade. This boy had met, and was entirely familiar with Cassiopeia Black, the world's Queen of Blackmail. She had something on everybody, and though she claimed to be an amauer potions maker, everyone knew she trained under the Flamels, and as she was in perfect health at the ripe age of a hundred and fourteen, there were always rumors that she got a philosopher's stone from the Flamels. Furthermore, though Snape had tried to keep up his evil potions master facade, he was too good of an actor for only one mask. He was a death eater sadist and he knew it. However, on top of that, heh a his repentant man in love with lily evans, the one that dumbledore saw through to, and on top of that he had his evil potions master mask. He had meant to sound like the topmost mask, while letting his second peek through. Snape may be a horrible person, but he was a damn good actor according to himself. So while his first mask asked a post-owls sixth year question, his second coded into flower language that he still mourned lily evans, as asphodel is a type of lily meaning 'My regrets follow you to the grave' and wormwood means 'absence' and also typically symbolised bitter sorrow. Meanwhile, his third mask was quaking in his boots at the boy's response. Violet eyes of a dragon, betrayed. He would not remember it. No. He did. As he was trying to figure out his own fear, Hydrus' eyes glowed violet for a split second, and Snape fainted, thrust into his own memory.
Aberforth Dumbledore had let him come to an initiation meeting for this new lady that was rising. Lady Pendragon she called herself Oh Snape knew he would eb playing double agent again, but he had missed the old days of muggle torture with his fellow death eaters, while getting away with it all on Dumbledore's word.
They were portkeyed to a large hall, on a golden throne a figure, seeingly feminine, cloaked and hooded in a violet acromantula silk cloak (and acromantula silk cost a hundred galleons a yard for a reason, acromantulas were impossible hard to tame, most of England's came from one Rubeus Hagrid, the money enabling many of his insane and often illegal pets).
The figure was lounging across the throne, when Aberforth entered, Severus following, the figure moved to sit upright and then stand up from the throne. She moved with a lyrical grace, and her melodic voice hissed, and there was a flash of violet light behind Aberforth's left ear, and wards settled in around the room. She spoke in english, still with the same melodic sibilant voice, "Aberforth Dumbledore, I thought I told you that your brother's little death eater toy has no place here, especially amongst my Wyverns."
Aberforth was on his knees, and tried to explain, "My Lady, I interrogated him under veritaserum, he wishes to join and will be loyal."
He looked into her hood, and two violet orbs started glowing from inside. "You idiot," she spat. Her hand waved from her right sleeve, immobilizing Snape, all his emergency portkeys piled at her feet, along with his main and two backup wands, hiss armband that has a non stop drip of anti-veritaserum potion, his own creation, told to none, as well as his active communication mirror linked to Albus Dumbledore, and locating stone, that Fawkes could flash to, no matter what wards. Even Voldemort had not discovered even half of those items, much less the DMLE. Severus Snape was officially afraid. "This man is infamous amongst certain circles for being the only person to spy on both Riddle and your brother and survive relatively unscathed." She lifted up the wristband. Snape paled even further. "If he did not just attempt to spy on me, I would be impressed. Anti-veritaserum potion, enough here for another several years. I think I'll keep this. I owe Cassiopeia Black a small favor, maybe I'll let her experiment to recreate it. As for you, Severus Snape, you have three choices. You can join me, but I will interrogate you without that bracelet, and I don't want to see a single occlumency shield. You will then receive my mark and become a Wyvern Lieutenant." Aberforth gasped in surprise at that. The ranks of the lady were extremely organized. The Wyverns were her inconspicuous information gatherers. The only other Wyvern Lieutenants he knew of were Tom of the Leaky Cauldron who he reported to, who then reported to The Lady, and Rita Skeeter, who could find out anything. It took years to become one, and The Lady was offering it to Snape without him even being marked. He must have really impressed her. "Your second choice is to stand against me, permanently. Why then I might even allow Black to declare a blood feud against you, he's been wanting to for years. And I doubt the former Madame Lestrange has forgotten what fun she used to have fromm torture, which is completely legal under blood feus laws even Albus can't repeal. I'll even let you have ten minutes talking to your dear light lord, I think I'll enjoy a challenge, though it really won't be, with the amount of dirt I have on him." Snape shook his head. He had avoided House Black completely for years since Sirius Black became Head of House three years after Voldemort's fall, precisely for that reason. Nearly being led to a werewolf once was enough, even if he knew it was his fault, he knew exactly what he was going to meet. "And your third choice. You tell Albus Dumbledore nothing. I will let you walk free unless you stand against me or mine again. There are secrecy wards up here anyways." Snape gladly took the third option. Before he was portkeyed back out by the wards, The Lady called out, "Snape, the first option will be open as long as you don't take the second." He was then booted out, only his main wand following. As he left, he saw her turn to Aberforth Dumbledore, and he felt sorry for the old man, though he was thankful when he heard the next day that Aberforth Dumbledore was still fine the next day, no evidence of cruciatus exposure, and still breathing. However, it was only after he left and watched it all in a pensieve did he realize that The Lady was obviously holding in her power, yet still had a magnificent aura that did not feel dark or light, but distinctly purple and dragon-like.
A minute after he fainted, Severus Snape awoke in his potions class. He awoke to Potter telling his classmates, "It's been a minute and the professor isn't awake yet. I doubt we need to stay in class. The class filed out as quickly as they could, only Potter staying back.
Snape was awake by this point, he looked into Potter's eyes that looked nothing like Lily's. "Snivellus, I thought I should warn you. I am not Dumbledore's little pet Harry Potter. I am Hydrus Sirius Black through magical adoption, and Arthur Ambrosius Pendragon through blood brother ritual." He smiled evilly, nothing like his old innocent expression. Then his emerald eyes glowed the color of the killing curse as he pushed magic into them. "And unlike my adoptive sister and Lady, I do not forgive and forget. And the Dark Lord shall mark him as his equal but he shall have power the Dark Lord knows not, remember Snivellus? You got my first parents killed by giving a dark lord a prophecy, and sentenced me to three years of hell by giving a light lord the location of Petunia Evans Dursley. I do not forgive, and i most certainly do not forget." he then hissed in parseltongue, and Severus Snape felt the effects of the dreaded Levicorpus charm take effect on him, and also transport him, hanging by on ankle, right in the entrance hall of the castle. He would only come down in time for dinner, and Hydrus Sirius would follow in his elder sister's footsteps and not take another class from hogwarts' resident potions master.
The writing was on the wall and Severus Snape had finally realized one thing. He had bitten off more than he could chew.