Disclaimer-Harry Potter is a franchise owned by J. . I do not, in any way, own the characters, places, movies, books, etc….. The Ocs, however, are my characters. There are families whose surname is Maurya, but I'm not using any of them as a character. So all Oc characters and NAMES would be my own creation. Any character resembling any person living or dead is entirely a coincidence.
CHAPTER IX
There was silence as Voldemort sat at the head of the table, the seat that was usually designated to the Head of the house.
He picked up his fork and started eating the scrumptious dinner that the elves that presented in front of them today. It was all grand, of course- with twelve different courses and twelve different wines to complement the food. He had to admit to himself that his hosts always put up a huge show for absolutely anything and everything.
But he couldn't care less. He was satisfied; well, as satisfied as he could be at the moment.
He sat in his seat quietly, thinking about his plans for now. Everything was under control- well, almost. That moronic minister of magic, Fudge, was well under Lucius' grasp, Rookwood was keeping a watch on the department of mysteries, Yaxley was his eyes and ears in the Department of Magical Law enforcement, Severus was his spy against the Order and Dumbledore, and he had a few people loyal to him in the Auror office. Everything was going well, except for one thing.
Harry Potter.
Voldemort snarled just at the thought of the scrawny little fifteen-year-old boy with that damned scar on his forehead. He thought about his latest encounter with that brat earlier this May, when that boy, Diggory, had accompanied him to the graveyard. He hadn't expected two of his most idiotic supporters to actually go far enough to bring him back to life without any of his servants' help. He had regretted about ordering Diggory's death, but he shrugged it off.
Necessary. It was necessary to kill the spare…
He thought about the latest news that Severus had given him. Harry Potter was presently kept under safety by Dumbledore and his minions. The Malfoy kid and his mother had apparently spotted the kid and his cohorts in the Diagon Alley. And, to his dismay and anger, the Maurya heiresses were also with those three. It was humiliating enough that the Mauryas had rejected his offer of 'safety and glory', but their answer was to go 'fuck himself'. He was barely able to control himself from destroying the whole Malfoy Manor in rage.
Oh, I'll make them regret rejecting MY offer… I'll make them regret that they defied ME, the greatest dark lord of all time!
Pushing the plans of revenge to the back of his mind, his thoughts turned to his Potions master. He couldn't help but find the young man an enigma.
He had always been a bit of an enigma to himself and to the others. It seemed that he always wore a mask during meetings and spoke only when he was ordered to submit his reports. Otherwise, one wouldn't hear a peep from him.
HE remembered how he had come to his summons about two hours later than everyone. He remembered how he had told him his reasons for such a delay, how he was surrounded by a crowd of people, the Aurors, the staff members and how he wasn't able to sneak away. HE remembered the punishment HE had given him, two full hours of the Cruciatus, with only half a minute of relaxation, twice. The punishment then drifted to getting out everything that happened through Legilimens. The thought of the stoic Potions Master straining and withering on the floor as HE wreaked havoc in his calm and orderly mind sent a thrill of satisfaction and pleasure through HIS body. He still was going strong. But what was admirably annoying, was the fact that he didn't let out a noise, even when pain had been excruciating and almost maddening. HE clenched his jaw for a second, but then swatted the thought of the punishment away, like it were a mere fly.
That man must be grateful that I gave him another chance, after all the punishments and his lame excuses…
The Slytherin alumni had done his best to be in his favor since then. He gave him all the information that he required about Dumbledore, about his closest minions and his plans. The Slytherin head had been up to his expectations as usual. But then, he informed HIM that he had no idea how the dotty old man had got a hold of the Maurya heiresses, nor did he know where they were at that moment.
HIS thoughts then shifted towards the ultimate plan that HE had been planning since the mid-94 when HE barely had a functional body. HE knew what HE wanted and HE would do absolutely anything to make the plan come to fruition.
All I require are servants placed in their positions and the correct time to strike… timing is everything… And then, not even Dumbledore or his Brat-who-lived would be able to stop me… Then, the world would finally be mine…
That brought an evil smile to HIS face, but HE composed himself in time. HE didn't want anyone to know that HE was planning something.
All in good time… all in good time…
"Lucius, I expect everything to be ready for tonight's meeting," He murmured to the man sitting beside him.
"Of course, My Lord," Lucius murmured, sitting back into his seat and resuming his dinner as HE stood up suddenly and walked out of the dining room.
His day had made him moody as ever, and sleepless nights caught up with him as he thought of his life, or what had become of his life.
He thought of what HE was planning- another War on the Wizarding world. The second war in the Wizarding world. He had a feeling that it would be greater than before. The last time the War had ended, he was almost in the Azkaban, had lost his friends and comrades and nearly drowned his family in shame and scandal. This time, he was sure his Lord had thought of something huge and grand.
What he wasn't sure of was he and his family's place in the 'new world' that he was apparently planning to create.
It wasn't a secret in the Inner Circle that right now, he was his Lord's most trusted man. After all, he had firmly poisoned the minister's mind about Dumbledore and Potter and as a result, Fudge was in his pocket. Well, more than he was before. He was able to influence the man into doing anything against Dumbledore. But he knew that his position won't last long. He remembered his punishment from the Dark Lord when he had returned that day in the Graveyard. The anger in his blood-red eyes as he turned to look at him. He could still feel the effects of the Cruciatus curse on him and break into a cold sweat.
It wasn't as though he hadn't been tortured before, but that had been years ago. He had been a young man then, married to the beautiful Narcissa Black and expecting Draco.
The thought of the past made him glance at his family. He was sure he could handle the Dark Lord himself, but he was worried about Narcissa and Draco. Or, better yet, worried of the fact that they shared a roof with the most dangerous Dark Lord of all time.
Narcissa often spoke of times when the Dark Lord had sniped or snarled at her, even had his wand pointed at her once. When she had told him the news in front of everyone that she had conversed with the Maurya Heiresses, she was demanded to relay every single bit of conversation and when she hesitated, HE had the audacity to slap her face! He had felt a stab of anger then, but he couldn't do a thing but watch. That was the single most humiliating thing in his life, watching his wife get hit by HIM. But what was worse was the fact that he didn't even raise a finger to stop it.
Draco was now under greater threat, being directly under HIS nose. Sooner or later, Draco would be demanded to have his arm branded and join the inner circle. That was his greatest worry. His son becoming haunted by the darkness that was currently preying on him. He knew that if he refused, then neither he nor his family would be spared. And if he ever gave him up to join the inner circle, then he would lose him forever. Draco would blame him for ruining his life and giving him up to cater to the whims of a megalomaniac, and Narcissa would never forgive him for putting Draco's life in jeopardy. His life would be over.
No, he reminded himself firmly, that wouldn't happen! At least, not yet. I still have time… a little time… I have to ensure their safety... and I will… I will if it is the last thing I must do…
At that slightly optimistic note, he went back to his dinner, returning a small smile to his wife, who sat across from him.
Severus Snape sat, leaning back against his chair in his office. It was eight in the morning and he was awake since nearly four o'clock in the morning, when he had decided that he'd rather be awake than confront his dreams. The unusually early morning made him grumpier than ever. The walk through the dark forest did nothing to change his sullen mood or distract him from his thoughts.
I hate mornings… especially when it reminds me of the situation I am in…
His sheet of parchment on his desk was left untouched, with his quill at the side. He was preoccupied with the most recent Death Eater meeting he had attended, just a few days ago.
Flashback-
Severus sat in his seat in the meeting room at the Malfoy Manor, right between Lucius and Yaxley, the latter looking at him with distaste. Severus gave him back the same look. Yaxley had been one of his first bullies inside the Slytherin common room, but he stopped immediately after he gave him back as good as he got. By the end of it, Slughorn had given detention to both him and his senior, but he had humiliated Yaxley in public. The older man couldn't let go of the incident that easily, not now, after so many years of working with him. Severus turned his head to HIM, completely ignoring the man beside him.
"My servants have all arrived, I see," HE said softly.
The table grew quiet as everyone turned their attention to HIM, listening raptly.
"I expect everything is going as well as the last time," HE said, looking at the four men sitting beside him expectantly. The four men nodded at him collectively.
"Severus. Tell us, what is the situation in the Order?"
"My Lord, they are still struggling to make a deal with the other magical creatures. Hagrid has not been in contact for a while, Lupin is clearly unsuccessful with the werewolf pack and Black is growing agitated day by day."
"Hmm," HE mused, "Is there any news on Potter?"
"He is slowly growing agitated that no one wants to involve him in the war. Black tells him of a few things every now and then, but he never fails to throw a temper tantrum every day," He said dryly. HE chuckled, before suddenly growing silent.
"It has been called to my attention by Lady Malfoy that the Maurya heiresses have been spotted with Potter and his cohorts," HE growled, his eyes shining with hate and rage, but the rest of his face was eerily calm. Severus perked up suddenly but kept his mind blank. On the outside, he looked at HIM calmly, while on the inside, a storm of emotions was raging behind his shields.
"So, the Mauryas have made their decision. They have chosen a side," HE murmured softly. The room was filled with tension and ominous silence.
Then, he looked up and screamed in anger, the magic coming from him and destroying the whole table. The others stood up quickly and shielded themselves from the debris and pieces of wood flying around them. They looked at HIM warily. The Dark Lord was taking deep, harsh breaths to reign in his anger, but to no avail.
"They dared to defy ME?! I'll teach them to refuse my offer! I'll make them regret rejecting my offer! I'll kill them! I'll kill them slowly, painfully! And when I'm done with them, they'd wish they hadn't refused me!"
-End Flashback
Severus felt a multitude of emotions coursing through his head- anger at himself and Raman for allowing the girls to join Hogwarts, fear for the Elder Mauryas, because now, they were in greater danger than ever, and doubtful of the twins' safety while they're here.
This is very grave indeed… before, Vikram and Sarakshi just had the threat of being followed, but now, it is the threat to their life! Dammit!
And on top of that, he had a sinking feeling that HE was planning something big. He had briefly discussed recruiting some foreign dignitaries and people who were loyal to him. It could be that he wanted to increase his numbers, but knowing HIM, he wouldn't begin a conversation without having ulterior motives.
Why the foreign dignitaries suddenly? What is he planning? As far as I know of his plans, he simply wants control of Wizarding Britain…
He sighed and rubbed his face tiredly.
It's not even nearing noon, and I just feel so fucking tired…
But what he was angrier about was Dumbledore's ignorance in the latest order meeting. Everything was as it was. Hagrid hadn't contacted at all these few weeks, which made Dumbledore more and more concerned, Lupin's mission was clearly a fail, the Aurors had nothing useful to report and on top of that, Black threw a huge temper tantrum about not being able to do anything but sit in the dreary house. The only good news was that Potter was finally able to control his emotions and not throw a tantrum all the time. But apart from being concerned for Hagrid, he was as calm as you please. Severus refrained from telling him about the threat on his in-laws. That was his personal matter and Dumbledore had no business knowing it.
Thinking about the war brought out his concerns about the twins. He knew that they were under threat here, what with being in Hogwarts for the entire year. But if he backed out and sent the twins back to India now, then they would be under the threat of being killed.
At least here, they would be watched on by me and the other professors'… and they're more than capable of defending themselves…
And if there is ever a time when the kids are in danger, I'll not hesitate to send them to one of the secret locations I've kept ready, just in case…
The thought of the girls brought back the birthday they celebrated here. He knew the girls would love his choice of gifts; they always did, he noted smugly. He had spotted the watches on their wrists the next day. He knew they would cherish the gift as much as possible.
Well, they've grown up… from those little toerags who used to get up to something or the other to these fine, young ladies, they've made quite the journey…
With a smirk, he remembered their fourth birthday, when they had decided amongst themselves to sneak into the kitchens during the nighttime to bake their own cakes and surprise him and Amisha. They managed to sneak off to the kitchens, but instead of 'baking', they decided it would be more amusing to throw white flour on each other. By the time Amisha found them in the kitchen at twelve in the morning, they had made a mess of the whole kitchen. He chuckled to himself as he remembered Amisha's priceless expression. At that time, both of them got really angry and had given the twins a sound scolding and made them stand in the corner for nearly half an hour while they cleaned up the kitchen. Since it was, technically, their birthday, they decided to forgive them. That birthday was, undeniably, one of the most memorable birthdays they ever had. Amisha had a laugh about it with Kaira afterward.
He sighed as he thought of her.
She would've been proud of them… I'm sure of it…
He blinked back to reality and picked up his quill again, determined to finish his timetable before anyone else in the staff.
The Great hall of Hogwarts seemed too quiet without the bustle of its students. Instead of four long rows, there was a single row going across the center of the hall where all the professors sat. The professors spoke to one another quietly about their holidays, the timetables and the news from the Prophet.
"This is utter rubbish!" Hooch muttered, gritting her teeth, "Can't the Prophet post something that is remotely interesting and relevant to the people? 'Fudge voted wizard of the year'? Seriously?"
"Well, you really can't judge the choices of those voters, Rolanda," Minerva replied, sipping her tea.
"I can if the man is Fudge," Hooch retorted, crossing her arms.
"Don't let Umbridge hear you, Ro," Aurora said from beside the Coach.
"Yes. I hear she's his favorites. One he trusts the most," Fillius commented.
"Yes, of course. That's the reason he sent her to be the new Professor for DADA," Rolanda muttered in derision, sneering in a way that would've made Severus proud.
"Hem-hem," came the pretentious throat-clearing that made all of them suppress a tired groan. They didn't even turn their heads to see who it was. They knew. It was Undersecretary Dolores Umbridge, clad in her pink outer robes, pink cardigan, pink dress, pink shoes, hair styled in a way that only made her look more ridiculous and a huge black bow perched on her head. She looked absolutely hideous, with her huge, chubby toad-like face, bulging, baby blue eyes, a small neck and flabby chin. She looked no more than 4'9.
"Merlin why?" Minerva muttered to herself as she all but snatched a piece of sandwich from her plate.
"Good afternoon, professors," She greeted everyone in a high-pitched, squeaky voice. No one answered her, instead pointedly ignoring her and focusing on their meals.
They had decided to give the silent treatment to the decidedly unwelcome professor, who had made it quite clear what she had wanted on her first day. They knew her since school when she was sorted into Slytherin. A half-blood, father a wizard, mother a muggle, having been influenced by her father to shun her family, her ideologies came from him, mostly. Her callous deeds and speeches against all things 'impure' restated their beliefs. Dolores Umbridge wasn't the sort of woman who should be given a school job, especially one in Hogwarts.
Dumbledore sat back in his seat and sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly as he put his quill down.
I feel I deserve a little bit of break… after all, it is a rare occurrence that I am able to complete the checklists for the school students in a matter of two days…
Almost immediately, his mind diverted to the children under his care this year. He knew that with his strained relationship with Cornelius, there would certainly be a time when he would be forced to resign or simply arrested for his 'radical' notions and for 'trying to usurp the position of the Minister of Magic'. But he was certain that if a time like that ever did come, the other professors would be there to handle Umbridge and the school together. He had complete faith in the four heads of houses and their ability to handle without him with few hiccups.
Though, all of this makes for quite a memorable year of Hogwarts…
At the thought of the heads of house, his mind diverted to Severus.
Ah, Severus… He thought, breathing deeply, you've always been a very intriguing child, ever since I started hearing of you from your professors… quiet, but brilliant… a Half-blood Slytherin, not worth a second glance… I had rather thought you would end up being one of Voldemort's low-class followers since that was prevalent with the Halfblood wizards in Slytherin at the time… but, you, you were different… befriending a Gryffindor, a Muggle-born girl, no less, of your own year… going against the unspoken rules of your house… yes, you were very fascinating… then, just when you were getting slightly pulled to the dark side, you change, for the better… and then you went along to a meeting with Tom… I still remember your face when you had blurted out everything to me weeks after attending that meeting… terrified, disgusted, you had realized what HE was really like… I could've made you a spy in the Slytherin dorms, had your mother not got you out of school and away from Britain, by what Lily told me…
I had never thought I would see you again, until I had attended your mother's funeral… it was rather sad, now that I remember… killed during a Death Eater incursion in Diagon Alley… He sighed, shaking his head as he thought of it. What a waste of life... I remember your face… shocked and broken, as if you could hardly believe she's gone… The funeral was quiet, and it was sad… but what I remember was the rage in your eyes when I told you how she died… it was then, that I realized, that I still have a chance of placing you as my spy…
You were very efficient with your tasks… keeping a secret about your identity, from both the Order and the Inner circle… I was actually, rather shocked that you were able to get a hold of a position in the inner circle… then, the basic Order tasks, brewing Potions for the Order, brewing Potions for the Death Eaters, teaching at Hogwarts… you established yourself quite thoroughly here… a young Professor, a Potions Master, a Spy… but what I didn't know, is that you were married, and were about to become a father… now that I think about it, I do remember reading an exclusive article about Heiress Maurya spotted in the Diagon Alley and in Muggle London with a noticeable bump… well, now I know why she was actually here…
You left after the war… I can understand why you did so… being humiliated and thrown into Azkaban when you actually were an integral part of this war… I know I would've done the same when I was your age… but, you didn't leave because of the reasons I thought… you left to spend your life with your family… I must say, you were quite efficient, keeping your secrets as close as possible… I'm almost proud of you… It was quite an incredulous few days after your greatest secret came into light this May… I could hardly believe it… but, I got used to this fact… and now that I had time to think about it, I find that my plans for you must change… I had thought that I can send you to missions which, in the worst scenario, could result in a painful and long-drawn death for you… but now, you have two fifteen-year-old girls to care for… if I send you on dangerous missions NOW, and if something happens to you... then, I would have not only two volatile fifteen-year-old teenagers but the entire Maurya family behind my life…
Albus sighed tiredly.
Well, I hardly know whether to feel good about the fact that you have someone waiting for you out there or regret the fact that I can't send you to life-threatening missions on a whim now… your daughters would certainly be the first to skin me alive…
His thoughts then drifted to the fifteen-year-old girls presently staying in the Grimmauld place.
I can openly admit to the fact that they are rather good… though they have their flaws, they are good at what they do… knowing Occlumency at such a young age… that is a feat in itself… They are quite different from their father- brighter, cheekier and more light-hearted… yet, I see their father in them, the slight grouchy attitude... the sense of humor both of them have and those retorts they throw at the others cracks me up sometimes… they definitely get the conscientious attitude from their father… but there's a gentleness in them, a fire in their eyes, the way they walk, the way they look and joke around and bicker with each other in a way that is not Severus… through them, I can clearly see how their mother must have been like… Heiress Maurya, I can clearly see the kind of fire and determination and guts she must have had that caught Severus' attention…
Well, the girls have been useful to the others right now, but I can see that Severus is too protective of them… it is a feat in itself that he agreed to let them continue their education here at Hogwarts… it would be beneficial, for both Severus and me… they can be protectors for young Harry… protectors and his allies when the time came for it… although, there are drawbacks to this as well now… if I send these two to any missions with Harry, and if they get hurt… I can only imagine what Severus would have in store for me…
He sighed tiredly and slumped against his chair.
This is becoming a tiresome business… I must take a break from the work…
Molly stood silently, whipping the pancake batter to make a hearty breakfast for everyone residing in the Grimmauld Place. She thought about what Arthur had told her as they lay in their bed yesterday. Percy had caused a huge commotion in the Muggle artifacts department, claiming how, in all his life, he had been shunned and pushed away by both his parents and how they had made his life difficult by supporting Dumbledore. He just went on saying such horrible things to his own father, while he just stood there, looking shocked and traumatized by his son's words. They didn't tell anything to their kids. They knew how much they would retaliate against their brother. Her family wouldn't ever be the same ever again.
She blinked back tears and quickly turned her attention to the rest of the brood. It was the twins' last year. Sometimes, she just couldn't believe that they were her little boys who used to drive her bonkers with their mischief and cheeky antics. But she worried herself to death when it came to them. They weren't the brilliant students like her eldest three sons were. The number of complaint letters she got from Minerva about their behavior and conduct was countless. Their grades in Potions was the best, Charms and Transfiguration were above average at best, DADA changed depending on the Professors Dumbledore hired (so, they were on the average). She knew that if they applied themselves properly, they would be able to get a decent job in the ministry. But instead, much to her horror, she found out that they weren't interested in the ministry jobs. They were more invested in the idea of opening a joke shop. A joke shop! Of all the career options they have in front of them, they choose…that.
Well, I won't let that happen! They need proper jobs! Not silly jobs… like opening a joke shop, of all things! Oh, the horror!
Her thoughts turned to her youngest two kids- Ron and Ginny. She couldn't be any more proud of her youngest children than she already was. Her little Ronnie was to be a prefect, just like his three elder brothers! She knew that once given responsibility, Ron could shine like the others!
He just has to work hard with his studies and prefect duties… I'm sure he'll make us proud…
Then, her thoughts turned to Ginny. Her beautiful, sweet Ginny. Already one of the most brilliant students of her year. All professors were fond of her little Ginny, even Severus respected her enough not to snarl or pass snarky comments at her, and that is a huge feat in itself. Though now, Molly suspected that behavior was due to the fact that he had daughters of his own. But, Molly noticed that her interest in Harry was waning. In fact, now that she thought of it carefully, she realized that her interest in Harry had been waning since near the end of the third year.
Maybe the interest and crush on him faded when she saw what he was like up close? He's a good boy, but she must have been able to spend some time with him and learn what he's like, as a person and not as the hero everyone thinks… only time will tell…
But for now, Molly thought to herself, Think about breakfast for the others…
Sirius and Remus sat in the library quietly, pouring over the books for a final time before going for breakfast. After all, they were given a reprieve from the usual Order tasks they were normally given by Dumbledore. And what was better than teaching spells to young teenagers, one of which was their Godson?
Remus leaned his head against the headrest of the armchair and sighed as he got lost in thought.
This is all going very well… I am getting a chance to live my dream of being a professor like I was in Harry's third year… he's a talented young man, just like his parents… Oh James, Lily, if only you could see how much your son represents the two of you… You both would've been so proud of him…
His friends aren't bad either… Hermione is quite good with her theory, but she needs to practice applying it better in the practical aspects… if she's able to do it, then she'll be one of the most formidable witches ever… She has already started to improve… She just needs to understand that learning and keeping the theory in mind is great, but it is the practical matter that becomes important in our lives…
Ginevra is quite easily, in a league of her own… she can use some really vicious spells to win a duel… plus, she's quite practical, like her father, which helps her keep calm in all sorts of situations… she just needs to boost her confidence a little, get out of the shadows of her brothers… then, no one can stop her…
Ronald… the youngest Weasley boy… he's quite good with his wand, but his dueling skills need more practice… a little bit more practice with spells and he would be as good as Harry… also, he needs to learn to become someone more than Harry's best friend, create his own identity… he's made prefect this year… if he works hard enough in his position, then he can form his identity perfectly…
Fred and George, and, as for a matter of fact, Anusha and Anya, these twins form a perfect team… one shoots, while the other protects… it's as if their minds are connected in some way… they might as well be… though all that is good enough, but there might be situations where any of those twins aren't always going to be together… I just can't take out of my mind that one time that Anusha was paired with Ron and Anya with Hermione… that was quite the disastrous session, that ended with all four of them being thrown back by their own spells…they need to learn to coordinate with others as well… it is going to be slightly difficult for them, but I believe they can do it…
A snore from across him snapped Remus out of his thoughts. He blinked to see Sirius slumped in his armchair, fast asleep. He had a thin line of drool dripping down his mouth. Remus sighed exasperatedly as he smiled.
Well, at least one of us is resting slightly easy…
The room was silent as the Weasley twins told the others what they had overheard from their parents.
"Our brother, Percy, went to the Department of Muggle artifacts, to confront dad and abuse him and the whole family," Fred began, snarling slightly.
"What?!" The others, except the twins, exclaimed.
"You guys have another brother?" Anusha asked curiously.
"Yes. He's the third eldest in our family. And a total prick if we've ever seen one," George said, sneering.
"What happened?" Anya asked confusedly.
"Basically, because he wanted to lick the asses of the ministry, he disowned us the moment he learned that we were supporting Dumbledore and his notions about You-know-who returning. Since then, he publicly denounced the family, picked up fights with father, and gave up slightly sensitive information to the press," Fred spoke up angrily.
"Nothing our eldest brothers said to him worked. He just walked away from all of us, from mom, from dad. After everything they did for him, for all of us, he just walked off to live a 'perfect life' with his precious ministry!" George exclaimed.
"That's why we don't want to join the ministry! We know that we can apply ourselves, but it's not about what our interests are this time. This time, it is about loyalty to our family! He wasn't loyal to us! The ministry isn't loyal to families like ours! Why should we show loyalty to it when all it does is turn their backs on us every time?" Fred questioned to the whole room in general. The others were silent, agreeing with their point of view.
"I get your point, boys. But thinking about such things with anger isn't always the solution, you know," Hermione said gently.
"Well, this time, it is," the twins said together.
"What do you guys want to do, then?" Anya asked curiously. The Weasley twins shared a look and smirked at the others. Anusha noticed Harry smile slightly and raised an eyebrow.
Anusha leaned in and whispered in his ears quietly, "You know what it is, right?"
Harry glanced to his side and nodded slightly.
"Yes, I do. In fact, I sponsored their work," Harry responded quietly. Anusha smirked at him and leaned back.
"Are you ready for it?" Fred asked, waggling his eyebrows.
"Oh, out with it Weasley!" Anya exclaimed.
"We're opening a joke shop!" The boys announced together.
"What?!" Everyone, except Harry, exclaimed. Ginny and Hermione looked at them disbelievingly, while Ron had stars in his eyes as he looked at his brothers. Anusha turned her head to Harry.
"Seriously?!" She asked with a deadpan expression. Harry shrugged.
"What? They're good at what they do. Of course, I sponsored them," He responded, smirking at her. The twins shared a look before shrugging.
"Good career option for you two. You both can be good businessmen if you both get enough practice on negotiation," Anusha said.
"Well, that's not a bad idea. Besides, that can get us free pranking stuff anytime," Anya said, smirking at them.
"Oh, you would! You guys would just tell us when you need it and we'll send them to you!" George said, bowing his head at them in a grand gesture.
Harsh leaned back and sighed as he kept his quill down.
This part's done as well… I'm almost at the end of the challenge I kept for myself…
He thought of his life and everything that happened in the past few months. Before the end of April, he had a set plan for his life. Complete his private schooling, work for the medical exams, and work under a Ministry appointed Healer's training program, become a Healer and fulfill his dreams.
But everything changed. Everything on that fateful day changed. His parents' death changed everything in him. He had somewhat lost his focus from almost everything in life. His only focus was on his studies. All he wanted to do was distract himself from the pain he felt and he almost succeeded. Well, almost. His books, his knowledge couldn't provide him with a distraction in his sleep. Nightmares plagued him. Nightmares about that same day, repeating again and again and again…
If it weren't for Raman, he would've been in a very different and a darker state of mind right now. He had him to thank for keeping him out of it. And also, it was Raman who got him closer to his dream. He knew that by going to Hogwarts and being under an apprenticeship program under Madame Pomfrey, he would be able to work under a Healer just after finishing his schooling, and he would be a Healer himself in no time.
His mind then wandered to the teenagers he met in the Diagon Alley. He had heard of Harry Potter and his friends, but he didn't really care about his status and dismissed his stories. He had thought that he would be some arrogant, showoff who would rave on about his status all the time. But the scrawny, average-height fifteen-year-old defied his expectations completely. He was nothing but polite, quiet and, by all standards, an average, normal fifteen-year-old having fun with his two friends. The girl, Hermione, seemed really intelligent but bossy. The boy Ron, on the other hand, seemed the total opposite of her- relaxed, fun-loving and totally stupid sometimes.
But his mind lingered on Raman's nieces- the Maurya twins. The heiresses of one of the oldest families in the world. No wonder that blonde boy got so scared of them. They had a higher social standing than anyone else in that country, except for the Princes, another Royale 15 family. They seemed really nice, not like those kinds of people wanting to pull ranks on anyone unless they had to. Both girls looked nearly the same, but they had their differences as well. Anya, for instance, seemed slightly more energetic than her twin, who was slightly more controlled than Anya. But both of them had great personalities, completing each other in every way.
He had always felt uncomfortable talking to others because they tended to turn snobbish and always tried using him when they learned how he was like. But this group of teenagers… they didn't make him feel the same way as before. Every one of them, especially Anya, kept him comfortable enough, acknowledging him, listening to his statements and comments, and involving him in the conversation as well. For the first time, he felt… nice, interacting with people of his age group. He smiled slightly as he thought of what Anya had said to him when they parted.
"Again, thanks for giving me the book! I'll see you in the express, yeah?"
It was the first time he felt… wanted. Involved. He felt good.
Ma would've been thrilled that I finally made some friends… Papa would've been proud as well…
Just the thought of his parents made him blink back tears.
I just miss you two so much… He thought, feeling his cheeks growing wet with tears. He silently wiped them and took a deep breath to control himself. He slumped back against the chair, tipping his head back to stare at the ceiling, suddenly feeling his energy and slight happiness draining away and instead, his chest was filled with sadness and dull, throbbing pain.
He felt the wind coming from the window caress his face gently, making him close his eyes and imagine his mother caressing his face lovingly.
I miss you so much Ma…
Oh, my sweetheart… He heard his mother's whisper, It's going to be alright, I promise you…
Why did you and Papa have to go? I feel so alone…
Oh, my darling, you're never alone… I'm always there, in your heart… I'm always there… always…
"Ma," He murmured, a tear slipping down from his closed eyes as he drifted off to a nap.
Sighing, Raman stepped out of the room, wiping off the slight moisture from his eyes as he cleared his throat.
Abhimanyu, I promise you, whatever happens, I'll keep your son safe… he's under my care now…
September the 1st couldn't come upon them fast enough. It was a busy morning where the whole household shook with Molly's shouts, Ron, the Weasley twins' and Harry's groans as they were woken up early. Molly had them personally check their trunks and if they were packed and ready, only then did she allow them to come down for breakfast.
Everyone was finally down for breakfast. Molly decided to keep it simple and made them eggs and blueberry pancakes. As they ate their breakfast silently, Ginny glanced at the twins silently and looked away as one of them made contact with her. Anusha frowned confusedly.
"Ginny? Is something the problem?" Anusha asked curiously, as she kept her cutlery down.
The youngest Weasley's eyes widened as she looked down on her plate, shaking her head.
"N-no, it's nothing," She said, too quickly, which made the girls frown at her suspiciously. Looking at their expressions made all the teenagers in the room shiver.
"I'll never get used to them making the same expressions as their father," Ron muttered to Harry and Hermione, who nodded in agreement.
"Don't lie to us, Ginny. You can tell us," Anya encouraged her.
Ginny opened her mouth once, before closing it and taking a deep breath.
"I'm sorry. I know it must be… a difficult subject for you two, but… could you tell us what happened to your mom?"
The twins' expressions turned blank for a few long moments as they stared at Ginny for a long time. There was an awkward silence on the table. The adults looked at the twins, suddenly wary of their reaction.
The twins looked down their plate for a few long moments, before looking up and nodding to each other.
"She…. She was murdered. Five years ago," Anusha began, folding her hands on her lap and keeping an iron grip on her occlumency shields to keep her emotions under control.
"Why? Who would dare to kill the heiress of a Royale 15 family?" Sirius asked confusedly.
"There was this man, Rajeev Ballard. Our mother suspected that he was causing a lot of death and destruction of families. She had researched on him for nearly a year, before stumbling across evidence that he was involved in the trafficking of Occamy shells, addictive Potions, and women through various muggle routes and networks. When she was sure of his crimes, she decided to just send the evidence to the Auror department of the Indian Ministry of Magic," Anusha explained, her voice quiet and controlled.
"But what she didn't realize was that that man had easily infiltrated the Auror department through bribery. One of the senior Aurors, who was working under him, had caught hold of the file first and destroyed it. He then went to him and told him of the incident, which made him decide to get her killed. They lured her out under the pretense of a meeting with the Auror and captured her," Anya continued, not looking at anyone.
"On our side, she had been missing for almost three days. All of us had searched for her everywhere. Papa had come back on the second day and had helped in the search as well. After almost a week, they stumbled upon a burnt building near the dockyard where they found her. Or, they found her remains," Anusha bit out, gulping the lump in her throat and breathing in deeply.
"The reports showed signs of torture and a head injury that would've rendered her unconscious. They then lit the whole building up," Anya said, her lower lip quivering slightly.
"You saw the reports?" Remus asked concernedly.
"Found them in Nana's study. We were looking for one of his muggle encyclopedias and instead, we found one of the files," Anusha answered, her eyes red and wet. But she didn't let one tear fall.
"Anyways, her funeral took place after a week of finding her remains. All of us were in a trance, especially Papa. Then, suddenly, one day, out of the blue, Raman Mama came rushing into the room and told Nana that they found out who her killer was. Papa came in almost immediately with a file in his hand. He told us that he had found a file on him and his crimes and a handwritten letter from Ma, stating that this was a copy of the files she had sent to the Auror department. If the evidence somehow 'disappeared' from the department, they were to be given to the Head of Department of Law Enforcement, Ajay Sharma," Anya continued.
"The rest is history. Raman Mama had wanted to make him suffer badly. In fact, even Papa and Nana wanted the same, but for once, they ignored their desire and simply sent it up to Mr. Sharma. He saw the files. There was enough evidence to get him arrested and shipped to one of the worst jails of the Indian subcontinent. The Aurors caught him red-handed at finalizing a deal to sell an erumpent to a foreigner. He was arrested and in the custody of the Aurors. But that man was so confident that he could get out of it scot-free," Anusha spoke up after a few moments of silence.
"There was already a case going on against him, but it wasn't strong enough. Those files and his deal of selling an erumpent was all they had needed to get him behind the bars and in the same place, he had sent many others. We got the news of his death a few weeks later," Anya finished, leaning back against her seat, her appetite suddenly lost. Everyone stared at the twins as they stared at their plates sullenly. The pain and sadness in their eyes were apparent.
"Well," Molly spoke up after a few minutes of silence, "We're against a schedule dearies! Come on now!" She said gently, ushering all the teenagers out of the hall, gently patting both twins on their back as they passed her. They looked at her and nodded gratefully.
For this time, it was Tonks and Mad-eye accompanying them. Sirius came along as well, in his animagus form, a dog, which had surprised and amused the hell out of the twins.
"I should've known," Anusha said, smirking cheekily as she knelt down to pet his fur.
"I couldn't have imagined him being any other animal other than a dog!" Anya said, chuckling to herself. Sirius the dog whined quietly, his tail waggling a little as he licked Anusha on the face.
"Hey! Don't do that!" Anusha squealed, standing back up and cleaning her cheek with a handkerchief.
Half an hour later, the twins, along with the trio and the other Weasleys, had reached the King's Cross station.
Everyone had unloaded their things, they went in. Attention was on them for a little while because of Mad-eye, but it soon turned to normal. Harry and Snuffles soon got inside the empty waiting hall to say their own goodbyes to each other. The others went ahead with Tonks, while Mad-eye waited outside the waiting room.
They all finally reached platform Nine.
"There's your uncle!" Ron said, spotting him. The others looked in the direction to see Raman and Harsh coming towards them.
Tonks' eyes widened as she saw a six-foot tall man with tanned skin, sharp, chiseled features, pale yellow-green eyes and thin lips. He wore a white shirt with a waistcoat and a dark blue jacket thrown on top with the same colored trousers.
Harsh's eyes went straight to Anya, who smiled at him slightly. He smiled back, nodding at her and then everyone in general as he walked to them.
"Hello," He greeted them all quietly, feeling slightly uncomfortable as he spotted another set of twins and a redheaded girl with them.
"Hello! These three are Ron's siblings! These twins are Fred and George and that's Ginny!" Anusha said, gesturing to them. She nodded and shook hands with them all.
"Hello," He murmured, standing quietly.
Tonks' full attention was on the twins' uncle.
"Wow," She uttered, her mouth hanging open. The teenagers shared an amused look with each other.
"Mrs. Weasley, Good morning," their Mama greeted Molly with a smile.
"Good morning to you too, Mr. Acharya!"
Tonks looked at Molly dreamily, expecting her to introduce them as well. Molly shook her head at her with fond exasperation.
"And this is-"
"Dora," Tonks practically sighed at him, making him raise his eyebrows slightly at her.
"-Nymphadora Tonks," Molly cut in, making Tonks glare at her, before smiling at Raman. He offered his hand for a shake. She shook it vigorously, feeling the huge hand engulf hers completely.
I can only imagine what those hands can do… She thought dreamily, her hair turning a slightly fiery red at the wild thought as she went on shaking his hand. The girls were laughing to themselves quietly at their Mama's slightly exasperated expression.
"Excuse me?" Raman prompted, breaking her out of her spell. She blinked back to reality, clearing her throat and pulling her hand away.
"Are you alright, Ms. Tonks?"
"Oh, please, do call me Dora. Or Tonks. Anything is fine," The Metamorphous said, her hair turning slightly pink again, which again prompted him to raise his eyebrows.
"O-Okay, Tonks," He said, trying out the name.
Just then, Harry walked up to them, having said his goodbyes to Sirius.
"Hello, Harsh, Raman," He said, shaking hands with both of them with a small smile.
"Hello Harry," Harsh responded to him, nodding at him.
"Come on guys! We need to take the seats as well," Ginny urged, gesturing to her watch.
"Oh, yes! Would you look at the time! Come now, everyone! Line up!" Molly said. The teenagers all formed a group and stood in front of a wall right in between the platforms Nine and Ten. The girls, Raman and Harsh looked at Molly confusedly. She simply smiled at them.
"This is the entrance of Platform 9 ," Molly announced. The twins' eyes widened and they looked at the wall in front of them. They looked at her again.
"Well, all you have to do is walk straight into the wall. It's a doorway to platform 9 ," She explained to them.
"Oh," the girls uttered.
"Let the others go first. See how they do it," Molly said, gesturing the other teenagers to walk into the platform. First was Harry, who simply walked into the wall and went inside it. The girls, Harsh and Raman's eyes widened in understanding.
"Now, go along!" Molly said as everyone had gone off.
They nodded. The twins went first, walking into the wall, closing their eyes as they did. They felt the barrier give way gently and they opened their eyes to find themselves on the other side with the trio, Fred, George, and Ginny. The girls looked back at the wall and smirked.
"Now that is a really good piece of magic," Anya said, smirking to herself.
"It is indeed," Anusha said, looking around with interest.
Harsh came in, along with Raman and finally, Molly, with Mad-eye and Tonks. They walked around the wall to see the platform filled with loads of people, mostly students, with their parents.
"Come along now! It's almost time! Get your trunks in the train," Molly said, walking through the crowd briskly. The teens nodded and found the porter near the baggage carriage. They gave their things to him and he loaded them into the carriage. The twins decided to keep their owl, Athena, with them for the rest of the ride. Harsh decided to keep his eagle-owl, Aeolus, with him.
Just as Molly had predicted, the stationmaster blew his whistle, shouting 'All aboard!'. It was time to say their goodbyes to them.
"Now, if you think you need something, anything, just write for it, I'll send it, okay?" Molly said as she hugged Ginny.
"Alright, Mum!"
Harsh turned to his guardian, who smirked at him, before shaking his hand.
"Alright kid, take care. I'll probably see you during Christmas. Maybe even come and visit you at Hogwarts! How does that sound?"
Harsh blinked and smiled back as he shook hands with the older man.
"That sounds good, Raman. I'll write when it's feasible for me," Harsh responded, nodding to him.
Raman felt his eyes sting slightly. He had grown fond of his ward in this short time and was sad to see him go.
"Come here, kid," Raman murmured suddenly, giving over the urge and hugged him tightly. Harsh hugged him back just as tightly, leaning his head heavily against Raman's shoulder, the warmth calming him slightly. Raman patted him on the back and pulled away reluctantly.
"Take care Harsh," He said, patting his cheek in a fatherly gesture.
"You too, Raman," Harsh responded, smiling at him.
The girls smiled as they watched their Mama interact with Harsh. It was clear that they had grown comfortable with one another and it was difficult for them to handle their emotions.
They heard Molly clear her throat and looked to her. She had said her goodbyes to all of them and was now standing in front of them with a slightly sad smile on her face. The girls smiled back at her.
"You both take care, okay? Don't hesitate to write to me if you want to talk, or want to let something out. I understand how things are for girls your age. I understand that you have your father there to help you, but some things are only to be between females. And also, since it is your first time in a boarding school, if there is anything that you both want, don't hesitate to owl me, okay?" She said, pulling Anya into a tight hug first. Anya returned the hug with a chuckle, feeling comfortable and safe in the warm hug. She pulled away gently with a smile which was returned by the woman. It saddened Anya to leave the motherly Weasley Matriarch. Anya squeezed Molly's hand gently and stepped away.
Molly then turned Anusha, who stepped to wrap her arms around her tightly, an action which was returned with equal fervor. The fifteen-year-old leaned her head against the older woman's shoulder for a few moments, finding comfort in the embrace as she suddenly remembered her Ma. She closed her eyes shut briefly, committing the hug to her memory. She pulled back gently after a few minutes, smiling brightly at the Weasley Matriarch, who touched her cheek briefly and stepped away.
"We'll see you again at Christmas again, so don't get all teary eyed and sloppy. And remember CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Moody snapped from behind Molly. The twins chuckled. Molly rolled her eyes exasperatedly. Trust Moody to ruin the emotional moment.
Next was Tonks, who shook hands with them and wished them luck.
"It sure is going to be quiet without you kids there! Take care of yourselves, okay? If there are boy issues, or even girl issues, you can talk to me, okay?" Tonks said, before leaning in close to the twins, who raised an eyebrow at her.
"Can I make a move on your hot uncle?" She whispered, waggling her eyebrows. The girls nearly burst out laughing but controlled themselves.
"Your decision, Tonks," Anusha started.
"He won't refuse," Anya added.
"But, the problem is," Anusha continued.
"He's kind of having a very complicated situation going on," Anya explained to her quietly.
"Is it a girl situation?"
"Kind of. He's still hung up on her," Anusha said softly. Tonks sighed and smiled at them.
"Alright. I'll keep that in mind. After all, having him as an acquaintance won't hurt," Tonks said, winking at them.
"Sorry, Tonks," Anya said, looking slightly guilty. Tonks shook her head at them.
"Hey, it's alright! Don't worry! I'll find another way to pass my time!" She said, hugging each of them once and stepping back.
"Well, I guess I'll see y'all during the hols'!" Tonks said, waving at them as she stepped back and turned to find her face nearly pressed against Raman's chest. She froze on the spot, suddenly forgetting to step back. He looked down at her, his face scrunched up in confusion. He coughed politely to snap her from her daze.
"A-apologies…" She said, looking highly embarrassed as she stepped away from him, stumbling and nearly falling down, only to be caught by Raman, who grabbed her by the upper arms and pulled her up slightly. The girls collectively face-palmed.
"Tonks," Harry muttered, shaking his head at her.
"Sorry," Tonks mumbled, her face bright red. He loosened his grip on her arms and she pulled away slightly to walk to her mentor Moody, who just shook his head at her.
"Go on now! Take your seats quickly!" Molly urged them. They nodded to her and boarded the train. As they stepped onto the train, they found a compartment just a few compartments away from the door which was empty and entered there. As they settled down on the berths, the train started moving.
"So long kids!" Tonks said, waving at them.
"Be careful!" Raman said loudly.
"Study hard!" Molly shouted.
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Moody's voice could be heard by everyone.
"Alastor!" Molly snapped, much to the amusement of the teens. They waved at the adults till they were mere specks.
Anusha sighed as she leaned back against her seat next to the window.
Well, this is so not what I had expected for the end of holidays… This is going to be quite the adventure... the adventure of a lifetime…