Power of the Prince Lineage

SeverusxLily & Children

Rated T

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters from the franchise. That honor belongs to JK Rowling

Power of the Prince Lineage

Chapter 16: Natural Born Parselmouth & Locating Slytherin's Locket

Eileen groaned as she felt a gentle hand stroking her hair. Slowly opening her eyes she blurrily looked up and saw familiar red hair and green eyes looking down at her. Moving in her bed a little she blinked slowly and softly said, "Mummy?"

"I'm here, darling," Lily said with a smile, helping her daughter to sit up a little in her bed. She adjusted her pillow behind her before conjuring another and placing it behind her as well. Once Eileen seemed to be comfortable she asked, "How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts," Eileen admitted moving some of her hair out of her face.

Lily nodded and reached over to the table next to Eileen's four poster bed in the Ravenclaw First Year Girl's Dormitory and grabbed the phial of Pain Relieving Potion Severus had made for her. Uncorking it she gave it to the dark haired girl, Eileen taking it and drinking the potion. Once she was done she passed the empty phial back to her mother and leant back against her pillows with a sigh. Looking up at her mother she asked, "How long have I been asleep?"

"It's a little after dinner so all day, but I'm sure we can get you something to eat if you're hungry," the red haired woman answered.

"I'm sure I've missed a whole ton of work. Professor McGonagall isn't going to like that."

"Don't worry, I'll talk to Minerva and let her know you were ill." Lily stroked through her daughter's dark brown, almost black hair before summoning a hair brush and began brushing through it. Once it was tamed she tied it into a long braid and secured it before gently draping it over Eileen's shoulder. Eileen smiled up at her mother, black eyes shining causing Lily to smile as well. The smile however fell as Lily looked at her only daughter concerned. "Eileen, I spoke with Muirrean today after she, Severus, and Roderick informed me about what you did. It's an amazing feat for a twelve year old. You used some very powerful magic, but that is what concerns me."

Eileen frowned in confusion and asked, "You're concerned that I'm learning to use powerful magic?"

Lily shook her head and said, "What I mean is that I'm afraid that you are going to end up hurting yourself or something worse that could happen to you. Muirrean told me the risks of Apparating through visions like you did. She told me it can cause a Seer to go blind and even fall into a coma. She herself admitted she fell into one doing it."

"But I didn't."

"But you could have. Eileen, it's dangerous and I don't want you doing it anymore. I understand you did it for a good reason and were planning on doing it again, but I ask you to please listen to me and not do it again. I won't risk losing you, Eileen; not you or any of your brothers."

Eileen looked down into her lap before nodding slowly. She understood her mother was just concerned about her wellbeing, but she was doing it to help Harry. She and her brothers were going to help Harry anyway they could, especially with the capturing of Horcruxes. However her mother was more concerned about something happening to her because she was unconscious for a whole day after retrieving a Horcrux. She couldn't promise to not do it again, but she promised she would be careful and told her mother as such and that she wouldn't budge from that decision. Lily frowned, hating how stubborn her daughter was—just like her father, as well as herself—but nodded nonetheless.

A few minutes later as they were eating a small dinner of roast chicken, boiled potatoes, and creamed spinach, Eileen was telling Lily about her classes and how she was wondering whether or not Ravenclaw House would win the House Cup, seeing as Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Gryffindor were all tied at the moment. Lily laughed and told her that whichever House won this year, she'd be proud no matter what. Eileen took a sip of Pumpkin Juice before a thought suddenly occurred to her.

"Mummy, does Toby and Rod know about me?" Eileen asked Lily.

Lily nodded and answered, "Yes, they know. Your father saw no reason to keep the truth from them. Actually, using the information you gave Severus about the location of some Horcruxes, your brothers actually went and found one."

"Really?! Which one?"

"Ravenclaw's Lost Diadem. The tiara you saw. It was hidden in the Come and Go Room here."

Eileen frowned and asked, "The Come and Go Room?" At Lily's nod she continued. "I've never heard of it. It doesn't exist."

Her mother giggled and nodded. "It does, but it only appears when it is needed. Thus, it is called the Come and Go Room. I've actually heard a few students around here call it the Room of Requirement. But yes, Roderick and Tobias found it. But Roderick seemed troubled when they returned with it and handed it to Severus. He requested to speak to your great-grandfather this evening either during or after dinner." Lily took a sip of her Gillywater. "I suppose they are talking now in your father's personal quarters as we speak."

Eileen nodded slowly, wondering what could have happened for her brother to request to speak to his namesake. Whatever it was, she was sure he'd tell her in the morning at breakfast. For the time being, she was going to enjoy her time with her mother before she had to leave.

Roderick listened to his great-grandson tell him about what had happened when he and Tobias went looking for the Horcrux that was Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem. He was surprised to hear that Tobias had almost put the thing on his head after it somehow called out to him. However he was even more surprised to hear that Roderick had heard it not only whispering, but hissing and furthermore understood what it had been saying. Brown eyes met his black ones as his namesake asked, "Do you know what it means, daideo?"

"Yes, I do," Roderick answered slowly.

The younger Roderick looked expectantly at his great-grandfather's portrait waiting for him to speak. When he didn't he asked a little impatiently, "Well? What does it mean?"

"It means that you can understand the language of serpents, otherwise known as Parseltongue."

"Parseltongue?" Roderick wasn't sure he had heard the term before.

The man in the portrait nodded. "Yes, Parseltongue. A person who can speak it is known as a Parselmouth. Being able to speak Parseltongue is always hereditary and is an uncommon trait. Parselmouths are direct descendents of Salazar Slytherin himself as he too was a Parselmouth. However Herpo the Foul was not a descendent and yet he could speak it as well. It is well known and suspected it was because of his involvement with the Dark Arts. Being a Parelmouth is seen as something horrible and associated with Dark Magic, but not all Parselmouths are bad people. However, the well known ones however are bad people, and thus its reputation for being something evil."

Roderick frowned in confusion. "But I'm not a descendent of Slytherin. You're not a descendent of Slytherin."

"I know, and that is why what you have told me perplexes me." Roderick stares at his great-grandson curiously. "I have never heard of a natural born Parselmouth that wasn't a descent of Slytherin outside of Herpo the Foul, especially one within the Prince family. Roderick tell me, can you speak it?"

"What?"

"Speak Parseltongue. You can understand it based on what you have told me, but can you speak it?"

Shrugging Roderick answered, "I don't know, I've never tried."

"Tried what?" Severus asked as he walked into her personal quarters. He walked over to stand next to his son and looked at his grandfather. "What is it that Roderick hasn't tried, daideo?"

"Speaking Parselmouth."

Severus frowned in puzzlement. "Why would he do that?"

Roderick looked up at his father and said, "Because I can understand it."

"…Why?"

The First Year Slytherin took a deep breath and explained once again to his father about what had happened in the Come and Go Room. Earlier when he had given him the diadem, he didn't tell him what had really happened. But now he had to and he wondered while telling him would he get in trouble for withholding the discovery until now. Once he was finished, he waited almost anxiously for what his father was going to say as he looked into unreadable black eyes. After a while Severus hummed and said, "Well, if he really is a natural born Parselmouth, we should test that theory."

"How?"

"By opening the Chamber-"

"No, absolutely not," Roderick cut in, glaring at his grandson from his portrait. "Don't you dare send Roderick down there to face off against that slithering beast."

Severus blinked before saying, "I was just going to say open the Chamber of Secrets entrance. He doesn't have to actually go inside."

"Actually, I'd rather just talk to a snake," Roderick cut in. "Like I used to talk to the ones in Aunt Petunia's garden. They are so nice and always tell me about their adventures whenever we don't visit. One told me Uncle Sirius tried to kill one of them when Aunt Petunia saw it and ran to get him under her rose bushes."

Severus and his grandfather just stared at the boy before looking at each other and saying simultaneously, "He's a Parselmouth."

Roderick blinked and said, "Okay, I'm a Parselmouth and can apparently speak Parseltongue. But how? And why? If there are no descendents of Salazar Slytherin within the Prince family, then how is it that I am able to be the only one to be able to talk Parseltongue naturally?"

"I don't know son, but I'll research the family archives and other records to see if I can discover the reason why," Severus told him, placing his hand on his shoulder. "But it might take some time though, especially with Harry going into the final task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament at the end of the week. Now you go back to Slytherin Dungeon for the time being and we will regroup about this later."

The boy nodded and bid his father and great-grandfather 'goodnight' before leaving Severus' personal quarters. Once he was gone Severus ran his hand through his hair before saying, "I can't believe it. My son is a natural born Parselmouth."

Roderick nodded thinking of his namesake before saying, "Harry has somehow been thrown into the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Eibhlin has been having a large amount of visions and has learned to travel through them, and now Roderick has been discovered to be a Parselmouth. I'm almost expecting something to happen to Tobias by this point."

"Daideo, please don't say that. Lily and I worry about our children enough as it is."

"I apologize, Severus. But now that you have two of Voldemort's Horcruxes and have destroyed one already, what will you do to retrieve the other three?"

"I'm not sure. Eileen can't seem to tell where the other three are and is too magically drained at the moment to try and travel through her visions to get them. Also, she mentioned one was a snake and that one might be harder to get to."

Roderick nodded before saying, "Roderick may come in handy for that one."

The Potions Master frowned, not so sure he would, especially if the snake was the Dark Lord's and contained a piece of his soul. There was still the locket and ring to get, though. Before he could speak again, the entrance of his quarters opened and Lily walked inside. Walking over to her husband she said with wide green eyes, "Severus, Eileen says she believes she knows where another Horcrux is."

"Really?" Severus asked.

"Yes, she had vision while I was up in Ravenclaw Tower with her and said she Saw a locket. But she said the locket was held by a hunched over, old House Elf. The House Elf apparently spoke as well."

"What did it say?"

"She said it said, and I quote, 'Kreacher still protects locket, Master Regulus.' Sev, the only Regulus we know is Sirius' brother, and he went missing a long time ago."

Severus' black eyes widened before closing, his mind instantly supplying the truth of what happened to his friend. Regulus had gone missing two years before the Dark Lord tried to kill Harry after telling him he had something important to do. He also had him promise to not give the Dark Lord his allegiance anymore before leaving. It was clear to him, as it probably had been over a decade ago but was in denial about it, that Regulus dead. But if he had given Kreacher the locket before he died, then that meant he had discovered it was a Horcrux and was planning on trying to stop the Dark Lord.

Grabbing Lily's hand he said, "We need to go see Sirius right now."

Lily nodded and allowed Severus to pull her over to his fireplace, grabbing Floo Powder as they stepped in. Dropping it she called out, "Petunia and Sirius' house!" And in a swarm of green flames, they were gone through the Floo Network.

The Black family was busy watching a hilarious little show on the television, enjoying some quality family time. Right when the show went to commercial, the Floo roared and Severus and Lily stepped out of the fireplace. Petunia stood from the sofa and smiled saying, "Hello Lily, Severus."

"Hi Tuney," Lily responded with a smile before suddenly being run into in a big hug by Kurt. Laughing she greeted, "Hello Kurt."

"Aunt Lily!" Kurt exclaimed happily.

"Hi, Aunt Lily," Dudley greeted as he got up from the floor and went to hug his aunt as well.

Sirius stood and went to hug his sister-in-law before saying, "Lily! It's good to see you!" He then looked at Severus. "It's sometimes good to see you, Snape."

"I wish I could think the same, Black," Severus replied, causing his wife and her sister to roll their eyes. The antics of their husbands would never change, even if there wasn't any more bad blood between them; well, not too much bad blood.

Petunia smiled and asked, "So what brings you two here this evening? Just as casual visit, or do you need something? Lily, is Roderick still spending time with that girl?"

Severus raised an eyebrow and asked his wife, "What girl?"

Lily waved his question off before answering Petunia saying, "Actually, we need to talk to Sirius."

"What is it?" Sirius asked.

Severus and Lily looked at each other before Severus nodded, silently telling Lily to let him know. Lily nodded in return before turning back to face Sirius. Looking into his grey eyes she said, "Well to start, we know what happened to your brother so many years ago."

"Regulus? I just thought he went missing. Is he alright?"

"He…he died, Sirius."

Grey eyes widened in shock at hearing that his little brother had not just gone missing, but had died over ten years ago. The news so shocking to him—though honestly, he should have suspected it—he sank down to sit on sofa. Petunia walked over to her husband and sat next to him, rubbing his arm comfortingly. She turned her blue eyes to her children before saying, "Kurt, Dudley, go upstairs for right now."

Dudley nodded and grabbed his brother's hand before moving towards the stairs, the two of them ascending them to leave their parents and aunt and uncle alone. When it was apparent they were alone, Sirius asked, "How? How did he die?"

"We don't know for sure, but he did trying to do a good thing," Lily replied as she sat on the other side of her brother-in-law.

"But what was he trying to do?"

Severus stepped up in front of Sirius and spoke in a tone that was very similar—if not the exact same—to the one he used when he was teaching. Silently clearing his throat he said, "Eileen as you know is a Seer. She has been having visions of Horcruxes, six of them and they all belong to the Dark Lord. Lucius and I believe he is on his way to return soon and thus are helping Eileen to collect them."

"Horcruxes?" Sirius looked completely incredulous.

"Yes, and Eileen has shared with me what they are. We've already got three, one of which Lucius and I have destroyed. We want to collect them all and destroy them all at once, though one may be harder to obtain."

"Which leads us to locating the one that Regulus discovered and took," Lily added in. "Eileen had a vision of an old House Elf holding the Horcrux your brother found, saying that he was still protecting it as Regulus had asked."

Sirius frowned before saying, "It must be Kreacher. Reg always did have a soft spot for that wretched elf."

Petunia looked at her sister and her husband and said, "So this Horcrux thing is located in Sirius' family home."

Severus nodded and replied, "Yes, it very well may be if his family House Elf still has it. Therefore, we need to go there and retrieve it."

"And what exactly is the Horcrux?"

"Slytherin's Locket. It seems the Dark Lord has created his Horcruxes using items of great importance or significance. The one Lucius and I destroyed was his diary, and the two that the triplets got were Ravenclaw's Diadem and Hufflepuff's Cup. It's no surprise that he created one with Slytherin's Locket. As for the other two, I'm not sure."

Sirius looked at his wife before saying, "Petunia, you know I don't want to go back to Grimmauld Place. The last time we were there I introduced you to my mother and she spoke awfully to and about you. I swore I'd never go back unless she accepted you as my wife and the love of my life and apologized to you."

The blonde woman smiled softly and stroked Sirius' wavy black hair before saying, "I know, but this is important. Can't you put your animosity to your family aside and go back home at least long enough to properly locate and retrieve this locket? And you know I don't care what Lady Black thinks. Besides, she's just a portrait now, so there isn't much she can do."

Lily and Severus watched the couple in front of them as Sirius contemplated Petunia's words. After a while Sirius sighed and said, "Alright, we'll go. But only long enough to get that damn locket."

He gave Petunia a kiss telling her he'd be back later before following Severus and Lily out of the front door. Once they were all outside and past the wards Sirius had put up around the house, Sirius grabbed Lily and Severus' shoulders and Side-Apparated them to Grimmauld Place, all three of them intent on getting Slytherin's Locket. However Sirius knew it might be difficult, considering the ornery little creature that was in possession of it wasn't particularly fond of him.