Chapter 5
Dumbledore frowned as he looked around Snape's empty room. There was nothing left in the quarters. There were no potions texts, no bottles of strange liquids, and no pickled animals. It was as if every sign of Severus Snape had been wiped from Hogwarts, but where could he have gone?
"Severus," he called. He hadn't expected an answer and he didn't receive one. His voice echoed around the room as if he'd yelled into a dark cave. He shuddered at the thought. He drew his wand and waved it through the air. The room glowed with a soothing blue light.
Dumbledore's frown deepened. That spell should've told him if there were any signs of violence in the area, but according to the spell, there was nothing here. Had Snape decided to leave? Had he just picked up stakes and left Hogwarts? But then, why didn't he come to see him. After all, he was the Headmaster. If Snape wanted to leave, Dumbledore could've given him a glowing reference for any new job he wished to pursue.
What was he going to do now? He needed a potions professor for the remainder of the year and he couldn't afford to be picky. Reaching into his robes, he drew out a watch with twelve hands and nine planets circling around it's face. Looking at the time, he swore softly before tucking the watch back into his robes.
He needed to get back to his office. Lilith and her spawn would be there for the abominations sorting soon. He paused at the door, glancing back at the empty room.
For just a moment, he thought he saw a figure lurking in a corner, watching him. He murmured a word, the tip of his wand suddenly blazed with light. The light revealed nothing in the room. Regardless, he no longer felt safe in this place anymore. He left the room, not quite running.
**HPS**
Lilith's eyes stopped glowing and she settled back into her chair smiling faintly. Everything was going to plan. Dumbledore had no clue where Snape had gone. Now, all she had to do was find a way to be hired as the potions professor, but she would have to be careful. Dumbledore would already be very suspicious. She did not want to give him any more excuses to attempt to banish her from Hogwarts. It wouldn't work of course, but why cause any more problems for herself than strictly necessary?"
"Mum?" Harry asked, drawing her attention away from her musings.
Lilith glanced at him. "Hmm?"
"You alright?"
"Fine," Lilith said shortly.
Harry shifted on the wooden chair he sat on. "Remind me why we are here?"
"Because we have to stay at Bloody Hogwarts for the Bloody tournament. Besides, you need to get more friends your own age."
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Because I don't want you to be a psychopath."
Harry sniffed loudly. He glared around Dumbledore's office. Several whizzing and whirring instruments sat on spindly tables around the room. Puffs of multi-colored smoke came from the various gadgets. Large bookshelves lined the back wall stretching from floor to ceiling. The shelves were packed with various large leather-bound books. His eyes fell on the empty perch near the door.
"What do you think that's for?"
Lilith glanced from a book she'd taken from the shelf and grimaced. "Dumbledore must have had a phoenix at one point."
"I thought a phoenix never left their bonded once they'd chosen one?"
"Not unless their bonded falls away from the light."
"The light?" Harry asked.
"Basically pacifism," Lilith said. They do not believe in killing even in self-defense."
"But what happens if your enemies keep getting back up?"
"According to the light, you keep knocking them back out."
Before Harry could say another word, the door swung open and Dumbledore strode in. He froze as he saw Harry and Lilith sitting there."
"How did you get in here?" he asked, his voice flat. His face was void of any expression.
Lilith smiled. "I can go anywhere," she said cheerfully. "Hogwarts wards are nothing to me."
Dumbledore sighed and flopped into the chair behind his desk. "I would say I'm surprised, but that would be a lie."
"No need to be so disappointed Albus," Lilith said chidingly. "You wanted my boy here."
"I know, but I never expected you to break into my office. Besides, it is tradition for the champions to stay at Hogwarts."
"Tradition," Lilith said her lip curling. "Tradition has caused your bloody society to be so inbred I'm surprised you don't have three eyes."
Dumbledore winced. "Potions can fix most things," he muttered.
"What?" Lilith said.
"Anyway," Dumbledore said loudly. "Shall we get on with the sorting?"
"Fine," Lilith said.
Dumbledore stood and strode to a shelf where a battered wizard's hat had been placed. The point of the hat was bent so far it couldn't be straightened anymore. Ragged rips and tears scored the hat. A large rip near the brim opened like a mouth.
"What do you want Albus?" the hat said in a soft voice. The voice couldn't be identified as male or female. It was warm, charming, and held an upper-class British accent as if it'd been to the best finishing schools.
"There is someone here that needs to be sorted."
The hat snorted; which was a quite impressive feat considering it didn't have a nose or a mouth. "Been a long time since I've needed to sort a student that just showed up."
The hat straightened its crumpled point and gave the impression that it was looking around the room. "Ah," it said. "Lady Lilith, good to see you again. How longs it been? Six hundred years?"
"Around five hundred actually," Lilith said. "How have you been hat?"
"Bored," the hat drawled. "Nothing exciting happens anymore."
"You've dealt with two world wars," Lilith said.
"Yes, but that was the Muggle world and even the wars of the Wizarding world haven't affected me."
"You know the hat," Dumbledore said blinking in surprise.
"Oh yes," Lilith said. "That hat was some of Godric's best work."
"I thank you Milady," the hat said. "Shall we sort your child?"
"Let's," Lilith said.
"I still don't see why I need to be sorted," Harry said speaking for the first time. "I mean I'm not even participating in this bloody tournament for Hogwarts. I'm participating for my home.
"It would still do you good to be around other children your own age. Don't worry son, we won't be staying passed this year, but if we are to stay here, I want you to be able to fit in as easily as possible." She gave him a significant look. Harry heard her voice in his mind.
'Think of the people we could turn to our cause. Think of all those that the Wizarding world as abandoned. We could increase our number drastically, but you have to join the students. You have to be willing to search out those that are disillusioned with the magical community.'
"Fine," Harry said allowed. "I still don't like it."
"Didn't say you had to like it," Lilith said calmly. She glanced at the hat. "If you would hat?"
The hat made a wriggling motion similar to a shrug. "He'll have to put me on."
Harry walked over and lifting the hat, slowly lowered it on to his head.
**HPS**
It was dark inside the hat, but Harry could sense a presence. It wasn't exactly alive, but it was aware.
'Interesting,' the hat murmured.
Harry jumped as he heard the hat in his mind. 'What's happening,' he thought back.
'I can see into your thoughts. Please, do not try and stop me, it won't work. Now, let us see what you have here.'
Harry expected to feel something, but there was nothing. 'I see,' the hat said.
'What?' Harry thought.
'You're planning to cause an uprising of your brethren. Relax, I shall not tell the Headmaster. If I couldn't be trusted to keep the things I see in someone's head a secret then I'd be useless."
Harry tried to keep the frown off his face. 'Are you saying you don't care?'
'Not exactly,' the hat said. 'My job is to sort students, not be a counselor or a bloody angel on your shoulder. SO long as Hogwarts is not threatened, I'm cool with it. And even if it was, there's nothing I could do. I can't speak of what I see in a student's head no matter how much I want to on occasion. Besides, the Wizarding world has become too corrupt and from what I'm seeing in the minds of the muggle-born witches and wizards I've sorted, the Muggle world isn't much better."
'SO where do I go?'
"You are definitely ambitious,' the hat said in his mind. "Slytherin," it said allowed.
**HPS**
"Slytherin," Dumbledore said. "Are you sure hat?"
"Yes," the hat said in a clipped tone. "He'll make friends there."
"But he's…" Dumbledore began.
"Not human," the hat finished. "I am aware of that, but you never did pay enough attention to that house. There are those that needed your help that you ignored. While some have been prejudiced based on purity of blood, you have been prejudiced because of the house they have been sorted into."
Dumbledore winced. "I, well, that's…" he stopped. He had no idea what to say. "Anyway, shall I show you where the Slytherin common room is?"
"That would be good," Lilith said.
**HPS**
As Dumbledore led the way through the halls of Hogwarts, his head held high. He didn't look back at Harry or Lilith acting as if they weren't even there. Along the way, Harry looked around, curious to see what wonders existed in Hogwarts.
Magic saturated the air, tingling in his lungs with every breath. He could see portraits talking to each other and staring at the three of them as they passed. The stairs seemed to move as they walked down them and Dumbledore had to speak to certain doors so they could get through. Harry glanced at his Mother.
"Those portraits," he began. "There is no soul in them."
"No," Lilith said sadly. "They are just shadows of the people that have gone before. A painting given the personality and memories of the person it represents."
"Why are they here?"
"Keepers of knowledge," Lilith answered. "The same reason the ghosts are here really."
Dumbledore stopped abruptly, staring at a stone wall in the dungeons. The wall had no distinguishing feature. It was just a dead end.
"Let me see," he mumbled to himself. "Nobility," he said loudly.
The stone wall split apart, revealing a room beyond.
As they stepped inside, a plane-faced girl with lank blond hair and faintly glowing blue eyes looked up. "Headmaster?" she said sounding surprised.
"Ms. Greengrass," Dumbledore said. "Why aren't you in class?"
Daphne shrugged. "I was supposed to have a meeting with Professor Snape about changing one of my electives, but he never showed up." She glanced at Harry curiously. "Who is this?"
"This is Harry," Dumbledore said. "He will be joining you in Slytherin house."
Daphne's lips twitched as she looked at Harry. "Hello," she said.
"Hello," Harry said gazing at the girl.
"I'll leave you to get acquainted," Lilith said.
As she and Dumbledore left the room, Dumbledore turned to her. "We need to talk."
**HPS**
Lilith entered Dumbledore's office to see a man standing beside the door. He was tall with white blond hair, grey eyes, and a constant smirk on his thin mouth. He exuded an air of entitled nobility. In his right hand, he held a cane with a long-curved handle. He inclined his head to Dumbledore mockingly.
"Albus," he said. "Why have you called the board of governors here?"
"Lucius," Dumbledore said grimacing slightly. "I was under the impression that the board of governors included all twelve members, not just you."
"For a sudden meeting, you are fortunate that even one of us could show up. Now, what is so important? I do not have all day."
"Severus Snape has gone missing."
"Missing?" Lucius said arching a single eyebrow. "How do you know he is missing?"
"Because all of his belongings have been cleared out," Dumbledore said. "even his potions classroom has been emptied. His office is bare. It is as if someone attempted to wipe all traces of him from Hogwarts."
"I see," Lucius said. "Have you called the DMLE?"
"That will not be necessary," Lilith said.
"Both men turned to look at her. Her eyes were glowing orange again. "You do not want to call the DMLE," she said. "You both want to do more investigating yourself. You would hate to call the DMLE in if nothing is wrong. It would be a waste of time and resources."
Lilith's eyes stopped glowing. Both men turned back to face each other.
"So, it is agreed?" Lucius said. "We will search the school this evening. Perhaps Severus is somewhere preparing a dangerous potion. I would hate to call the DMLE in on a false alarm."
"Yes," Dumbledore said. "If we cannot find him, then we will report to the DMLE."
"Good," Lucius said. "Can you take care of the potions class for the day?"
"I believe so," Dumbledore said.
"I shall see you this evening then," Lucius bowed formally to the Headmaster before striding from the room.
Dumbledore blinked at Lilith. "I don't know why I called you here," he said. "Oh well, you may return to your quarters if you like."
Lilith stood and turned toward the door. "Albus, if we can't find Severus, I would be happy to take over the potions teaching position for this year.
Dumbledore smiled at her, his blue eyes twinkling very faintly. "Hopefully that will not be necessary, but if it is, that would be most kind."
Lilith smiled back at the old man before leaving the room. As she walked, she reflected that perhaps she'd been too hasty in disposing of Snape's body. She would need to create a new one and make sure his death was sufficiently explained.
**HPS**
Lucius Malfoy entered his opulent study and closed the door behind him. Brushing his white blond hair out of his face, he scanned the room suspiciously. His grey eyes narrowed as they fell on the life-sized statue of a man in the corner.
The statue was around six feet tall fashioned from a single piece of blue veined marble. Paints had been used to give color to the white marble. It was in the shape of a handsome man wearing a set of black robes. His long black hair fell to his shoulders and his lips were pulled back in a grim smile. In his right hand, he held a wand. Each detail had been lovingly carved. Lucius could see each strand of hair, every line in the face; he could even see gleaming white teeth behind the statues lips. Its eyes were two glowing rubies that seemed to follow Lucius around the room no matter where he went. He shuddered, trying to look away from the statue, but he couldn't.
Suddenly, color flushed into the statues form. The marble took on the warm hew of living flesh. The statue's smile faded, the mouth lolling open with a grinding sound.
"Lucius," the statue spoke in a rasping whisper as if it's words had to travel an impossible distance to reach his ears. "What news do you bring me?"
Lucius bowed deeply. "Milord, Severus has gone missing."
"Missing," the statue rasped. "How do you know? What has happened? Has he been murdered?"
"I do not know Milord," Lucius said. "Dumbledore has just informed the board of Governors of his disappearance."
"Interesting," the statue whispered.
"See what you can find out," it ordered.
"As you wish milord," Lucius turned to leave the room, but the statue's voice stopped him.
"Oh, and Lucius, don't fail me."
Lucius glanced back at the statue and nodded solemnly. "Yes milord," he said quietly. He watched as the color faded from the statue again, leaving it appearing as a normal piece of marble.
