,"

Chapter 10

"You know," Lilith said conversationally. "It feels better without those creatures breathing down our necks."

Dumbledore frowned. "Harry slew an entire magical species."

Lilith glared at him. "They were dementors," she said slowly. "They were soul sucking demons that not even I wanted anything to do with. Trust me, I may have created the supernatural races of the world, but those things have no soul."

Harry, who had been silent up until this point, snapped out of his thoughts. The orange glow that had suffused his eyes faded as he glanced at his Mother. "He's gone," he said fiercely.

"Gone?" Lilith asked. "Who are you talking about son?"

"Pettigrew," Harry growled. "He's not here."

"What?" Lilith snapped turning to stare at Dumbledore. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Dumbledore stumbled backward; his eyes wide with shock. "He's gone," he whispered, "but that's impossible."

"Why is that impossible?" Lilith said.

"Because his cell was warded by all the unspeakables. There was even anti-animagus runes carved into the walls of the cell."

Harry strode down the corridor and walked into one particular cell. Looking around, he saw that the sigils that had been carved into the walls no longer blazed with power.

Dumbledore spoke from right behind Harry. "You not only stripped the magic from the prisoners, but you drained the magic from Azkaban."

Harry ran a finger along the ragged blanket lying against one wall. "Look," he said holding up his finger. "This blanket has dust on it. He left a long time ago."

Dumbledore turned to Lilith. "What did Pettigrew turn into?"

"A rat," Lilith said.

Dumbledore's eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "Considering some of the things that swim around this island, the odds of a rat being able to make it to the mainland is highly unlikely."

"Unless he had help," Lilith said.

"But who would free Pettigrew," Harry asked. "And why? I mean Peter was pretty much a failure in all the ways that mattered. He was a mediocre wizard and a traitorous friend."

"Both are true," Lilith said. "But he was good at getting into places where he shouldn't be. He was a better sneak than anyone I've known. As far as his magic goes, he could've been so much more than he was. He was just…" Lilith paused as if searching for the right words. "Peter had low self-esteem. He didn't think he was good at magic and so he wasn't."

"Is anyone else missing from the prison?" Lilith asked.

"No, all the other cells were still locked." Harry responded. "Somehow they managed to hide Peter's escape from the warden."

"Then the dementors were already going to betray us all," Dumbledore said tiredly.

"Which means someone has made contact with them," Lilith said. "Someone that they feel is strong enough to give them what they want."

"Voldemort," Dumbledore said tonelessly.

"Perhaps," Lilith said. "I thought Harry had destroyed him, but I have been wrong before."

"But how would he get followers," Harry said. "I was just a newborn when I destroyed his body. No matter how powerful he becomes, he'll still have to overcome that image."

"We'll have to think on that," Lilith said. "For now, let's see what we can find out about these prisoners."

**HPS**

"Did you know about that?" Lilith asked as they sat in Dumbledore's office.

"That a third of the prisoners were kissed and their bodies were left in Azkaban because they disagreed with Fudge? No Lilith, I have to say I knew nothing about that."

"Will St. Mungo's take care of them?" Lilith asked worriedly.

"St. Mungo's will be better for them than here would be. I cannot comprehend the trauma having one's soul ripped from their body would cause." Dumbledore gave Lilith a curious look. "Why do you care? You aren't human and they are. As a matter-of-fact, most of them would probably have advocated for your death."

"There still people," Lilith said. "Helping them is the right thing to do."

Dumbledore nodded, seeming to accept that for the moment. He glanced at the clock and sighed. "It's after midnight. We need to get to bed."

"What about the remaining prisoners?" Harry asked.

"Without their magic they will be trapped in Azkaban until someone comes to get them."

Lilith shrugged. "Most of them had the dark mark or committed some other crime. We probably should've just drained the rest of their lifeforces. It would've been kinder."

Dumbledore winced. "They deserve a chance to be redeemed."

"I'm all for helping the innocent," Lilith said. "I'm not for letting murderers and rapists go free."

"You committed horrible crimes," Dumbledore pointed out.

"And I was punished," Lilith said. "The only reason I walk the earth again is because of you."

Dumbledore frowned. "You murdered," he persisted.

"Murdered is debatable," Lilith said. "Did I kill, yes. Did I slay the innocent? I guess that depends on your definition of innocent. The worst thing I ever did was steal babies, but I like to think those days are behind me," she grinned at Harry.

"You mention stealing a woman's child so casually. Have you no remorse?"

"In my previous form I couldn't bare a child of my own, so I took what I wanted. "I never claimed to be a saint. I was a right bitch I admit that, but in my defense, those children were sickly. They would've died had I not taken them."

"That still gave you no right to steal someone's child. Be honest, you did not steal the child for altruistic reasons. You stole them because you wanted a baby and you couldn't have one."

"Guilty," Lilith said. "If those peasants were alive, I'd apologize to them for what I did, but I will not apologize to you for my sins against someone that lived centuries before you were born."

"You owe their families recompense."

"If they were alive, I'd owe the people recompense. I owe their families nothing. There bloodlines continue to exist, that is the best I can offer those that lived thousands of years ago."

"Look," Harry said. "We keep arguing about things that cannot be changed. Dumbledore let it go. You hold something that you know nothing about against my Mother. Stop bringing it up, you'll just have to agree to disagree." He stood. "I'm going to bed. If you two want to sit here and argue, be my guest."

Lilith stood. "Come on, you can sleep in my quarters tonight. I'd like to keep you close."

Turning, the two beings left the office.

Dumbledore stared at the door after they'd left. "Every time I think you might be a little bit human; you do something to prove me wrong."

**HPS**

Demon at Hogwarts:

By Rita Skeeter

Yes, dear readers, you read that right. Albus Dumbledore has allowed a fiend from the underworld into the hallowed halls of Hogwarts.

This reporter has received this information from one of the Hogwarts students. This student, whose name shall remain anonymous to protect them from the demon's wrath, says that the demon is none other than Lily Potter ne Evans.

Many of you may remember that Lily Evans gave birth to the baby that ended the Dark Lord Voldemort as soon as he was born. It is this reporter's opinion that there is no doubt that demonic magic was used to end the evilest Dark wizard in a century.

As many answers as this revelation brings to light, we still have many questions. For one, does the ministry know of Lily Evans demonic status? Also, what do they intend to do about this situation?

The disturbing information does not end there. Lilith has enrolled her son into Hogwarts. That's right dear reader. I was shocked when I discovered a demon spawn in Hogwarts. Are we going to allow this thing to corrupt our children? All good and decent Wizarding folk must stand up and make their voices heard.

We must make our voices heard. If the Ministry will not do what is necessary, then we will.

**HPC**

Harry lowered the paper and glanced around at the suddenly quiet hall. Everyone was staring at him.

"I'm not a demon," Harry said angrily. "Go ahead, throw Holy water on me. Anyone wants to perform an exorcism, go for it."

Dumbledore stood. "Harry is right. He is not a demon."

"Of course, you would say that wouldn't you Muggle lover," Draco Malfoy said.

"Malfoy," Harry growled his eyes beginning to flicker with orange light. "It was you wasn't it?"

"What if it was," Malfoy said. "You can't prove me wrong."

"That is Slander," Lily said rising to her feet.

"SO, what," Malfoy said. "What can you do. My father will not stand for me being threatened like your son did to me."

"So, this is because I defended Daphne?" Harry asked.

"You interfered in my houses business."

"No," Daphne said standing up. "You were trying to threaten me into being your concubine."

"Stay out of this," Malfoy snarled.

"Enough," Dumbledore thundered. He turned to fix Malfoy with an icy stare. "Why have you done this? Is it really to satisfy a school boy grudge?"

"No one makes a fool of me," Malfoy sneered. Quicker than anyone could react, he drew his wand and fired off a spell. The silver light flew straight at Harry. He stepped to the side and the spell grazed his cheek leaving a deep gash behind. Blood ran down Harry's face, staining the shirt he wore.

Harry raised his left hand, palm out. A golden shield sprang into being, surrounding Harry in a dome of light.

A bolt of red light flew passed Harry's head and he watched as Malfoy crumpled to the ground. Turning, he stared at Dumbledore who had his wand raised.

"Mr. Potter, are you alright?"

Harry nodded. The gash on the side of his face was already closing. "Good," Dumbledore said. He turned to the staff table. "Is Harry's heritage going to be a problem?"

The staff looked at each other. McGonagall stood. "I think I speak for all of us when I say that we don't care who or what his Mother is. Mr. Potter has been an excellent student." She glanced at Lily. "I would like to hear your story."

"I will be happy to explain everything," Lily said. She looked at Dumbledore. "So long as you are there."

"What?" Dumbledore said. "Why would you want that?"

"Because you and I need to bury the hatchet."

Dumbledore looked blank. "What?"

"It means we need to settle things."

Dumbledore nodded. "Fair enough."

**HPS**

"How do we know that the boy didn't provoke him?" Lucius said gripping his cane tightly.

"Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said. "He attacked Harry Potter in the Great hall in front of everyone."

"How do you know that he didn't use some dark magic to make you see what you thought you saw."

Dumbledore took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Harry was sitting at the table eating his breakfast. Malfoy started this problem."

"So, you will expel my son?"

"Your son used dark magic against Harry."

"And yet the boy isn't injured at all."

Dumbledore winced.

"It appears you are just singling out my son because he is a pure blood. It is well known that you favor the Muggle-born. Your Mother was one after all, so do you hate purebloods so much that you would expel one from Hogwarts."

"The entire hall saw him attack Harry."

"The entire hall saw what the hell spawn wanted them to see. You know Dumbledore, this is your problem. You always favor the Muggle-borns at the expense of those that try and preserve pureblood traditions."

Dumbledore could feel the frustration building. It wasn't lost on him that in most circumstances he would be agreeing with Malfoy. That thought stopped him cold. Had he really been so prejudiced as to judge someone without getting to know them? Had he pushed Lilith away all these years because of baseless suspicions?"

"Fine," Dumbledore said dazedly. "I will allow Mr. Malfoy to stay in Hogwarts."

Lucius Malfoy smirked, loosening his grip on his cane. "Fine," he said turning for the door. "Do try and remember that I'm a busy man Albus and don't try and call me for frivolous reasons."

**HPS**

Lucius met Draco outside the office. As he closed the door, he looked at his son and sighed. "A little more direct than I was hoping for, but you got it?"

Draco passed a small vial of dark red liquid over to his Father. "He may only be half human, but he bleeds just as easy as the rest of us."

Lucius took the vial carefully and tucked it in his robes. "You've done well," he said. "Now we are on the first step to restoring our master."

"The first step?" Draco asked.

"Yes," Lucius said. "Keep me informed of the happenings here and stay out of trouble. "Do not draw any attention to yourself."

"Yes Father," Malfoy said sulkily.

**HPS**

Lucius entered the room piled high with junk. Striding to the back of the room, he opened a blackened cabinet.

"There it is," he said as he fished out a crystal. The long narrow crystal pulsed with power. It was unpleasantly warm to the touch. He tucked it into his robes and wiped his hand on his robes. He needed to get back to his master.

**HPS**

Dumbledore lay his head on his desk, feeling tears run down into his beard. "How much damage had he done by pressuring Lilith? Was there anyway he could redeem himself? After all these years of trying to see the best in people, he'd fallen into his own trap.

"I was a fool," he whispered. "A bloody fool."

He had to make this right. He had to somehow make amends with Lilith. The first thing he had to do was confess to her what he'd done. He shuddered to think what her reaction would be to that news, but it had to be done.

Sighing, he summoned a House elf and sent it to find Lilith.

**HPS**

"If he were in any real danger, I would've killed you," Lilith said coldly.

"And I would've deserved it," Dumbledore said. "I was out of line. Between the two of us, I have been the monster all these years."

Lilith nodded. "Yes, you have."

"Can you ever forgive me?" Dumbledore asked.

"I never really hated you," Lilith said. "I found you to be an annoyance more than anything. You do realize I won't be trusting you any time soon?"

"I know," Dumbledore said. "I don't blame you." He looked at her. "Just so there are no hard feelings between us, you did kill Severus didn't you?"

"Yes," Lilith said. "He was a monster. He was a murderer and a sadist. He enjoyed taking out his anger and frustration on children and he was never going to change."

Dumbledore wanted to object, but he thought about how Snape had treated his students all these years. "I should've fired him long ago."

"Yes," Lilith said.

"I thought he could be redeemed."

"And in another vocation, he might have, but to be honest, I don't think that was possible. Severus Snape took out all his anger and frustration with the world on those around him. He had to be willing to acknowledge his mistakes and move on from the past before he could even begin to change."

Dumbledore nodded reluctantly. "He was loyal."

"Only because there was no one else to serve."

"What will you do now?" Dumbledore asked.

"I need to go and check on those that had their souls sucked out by the dementors. They are my responsibility."

Dumbledore stood. "I'll come with you," he said. "It will break up the monotony of my day."

"Good," Lilith said extending a hand. "Let's go."

As he took her hand, Dumbledore felt the floor fall away. Before he could fall, he was standing on solid ground again. Just like that, they were somewhere else."