A/N: I hope this chapter dispels all questions, I tried to make it as informative as possible. Also, I have not replied to reviews within the last two chapters. This is because I did not want to give anything away. If you still have any questions after this chapter either review or e-mail me at Raven Haired Moon at aol . com (Remove the spaces, and insert the at symbol)
The Goddess, all he remembered were Hermione's words about the goddess. "I have to do this, so the goddess can live, and Voldemort dies. Once and for all. So we, and people like us, can live without fear."
He felt the flesh begin to give under his clenched hands. He saw red, and could feel the girl struggling under his grasp. When people came too near, he would blast them back. Semele choked out the word "Dad!" before her own power lashed out, and sent him flying backwards. "What did I ever do?"
"WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE?!?" He spat out, and didn't give her another second before seizing her wrist. He led her through the doorway, and by that time she stumbled, but he didn't stop, which left him dragging her to the bedroom.
"THIS IS WHAT YOU DID! LOOK AT YOUR MOTHER!" He screamed.
Semele sunk to her knees with her head in her hands, after looking at her mother.. The rest of his children took this time to flood into the bedroom, while the couples stood in the hallway. The girls were both on the floor, as was Cairo, though Pyralis was standing offering his support to his two sisters. He looked up at his father with a glare. Then at the people in the hall.
He clenched his jaw, then spoke. "Why don't we figure out what happened and try to fix it, as opposed to pointing fingers?" He said in a deadly calm voice.
"Fine." Snape said with the same calm vehemence.
They walked into the living room, and sat down. The children sat on a couch with Sem on Pyralis' lap.
He was rubbing between her shoulders, making soothing noises.
He remembered a snippit of a conversation hermione had had with him.
The children must be born so Semele can contain the essence of the Goddess. Then they must be grow up to challenge the fates to prove Voldemort deceptive.
"Well. What happened before all of this." Pyralis asked. "I don't see how we could have done anything to her."
"You killed her when you were born." Snape finally spat, although this was directed at Semele.
"How is that, when we've all grown up knowing her kind smile? How is that when we all remember her for her bushy hair, and thoughtfulness? How is it we remember cold nights with hot tea, and hot summers with lemonade?" Naiya screeched.
"You were born an hour ago!" Snape said.
"What?" Cairo spoke up, looking confused.
"Why don't we start with why this happened." Albus said, no longer content to let the family scream, without his familiar twinkle.
"She said it happened because we didn't condemn Voldemort, by leaving his essence with the fates, he began to convince and plan." something snapped together like pieces of a puzzle. "He convinced the fates that Hermione had killed The Goddess, their sister, and that in fact all muggleborns were a threat to them. He convinced them that the Goddess was a fake, and they planned to kill her. The Goddess needed a body for her essence before they did, hence, why she gave Hermione the potion to expedite her pregnancy, and labor. She chose Semele and said she would have to to go up against the fates, and convince them by flowing through the veil that The Goddess still lived. Then tell them of Voldemort's actual intentions. " He said it all slowly, knowing it was the truth, but wondering where it had come from. He then told them of the potions.
"So from then came a modified aging potion." Dumbledore concluded.
"But we remember her, and have a past with her in it."
"I can only imagine the potions given to you were from 'the goddess' and she obtained the memories you would've had if the last set of twins were born when they were due." Albus said looking thoughtful.
"I've been to the fates, or at least I was in my memories, and I know how to get through." Semele said softly. Pyralis nodded, at that Snape seemed surprised.
"I can get there too. She brought me once, and one of them liked my 'flavor' of magic." Pyralis said, and Cairo shuddered.
Semele looked directly at Severus, she had a look of pure hatred on her face, though he felt as though she wasn't directing it at him. "You were wrong in blaming me. It was them. I know it was them who killed Mum." She flinched when she said this, but she didn't stop. "I know how to get them to change their minds. They did it out of love for their sister. If I'm threatening to kill myself they would listen. If I intentionally take my life, there would be no one to hold the essence. They would be the cause of losing their sister." She was pleading with her father to listen, to trust her.
Severus looked at the girl, and despite the hair, she looked exactly like Hermione with his skin tone. He knew he would have to trust her, although, he needed a way... he knew what he had to do.
"I will do it under one condition. Let me see your memories."
She nodded and moved so she was kneeling in front of him. Soon he found himself hurtling through memories, of exactly as they said, Hermione smiling, small worry lines on her face. Hot tea discussing dates, lemonade at a river in the middle of the summer. Then they changed, and it was him. Walking with them through a park, holding Hermione's hand trailing their four children. She looked at him and smiled. He smiled back, then the child called his name, and asked what they were going to do about their seventh birthdays. He saw himself holding Pyralis on his shoulders, and Naiya scowling making everyone laugh. Abruptly he was pulled out of the memories.
"We'll have time for more later." She said with conviction. "We need to go, there is a window of opportunity for this even with the Fate's powers." she shivered at the thought.
"Then we must leave." Snape said while getting up.
"I can bring all of us in there, but we still have to actually find them." She turned to Severus, "Do not look them in the eyes."
"Why?" He asked.
"They are the mirage of absolute beauty. They trick you into staying, simply they are bored, and will enrapture you. I've had to pull people out of their clutches before." she said this with a pointed glance at Pyralis.
"Fine." Severus agreed, as Pyralis shuddered again.
"I wonder if that is why I've never felt compelled towards them." She mused.
"I would say it's because you were a girl." Severus said plainly.
"Didn't stop Naiya." Semele said while shrugging her shoulders, Naiya blushed.
He looked incredulously at the girls. He was brought out of his stupor as Semele was trying to use magic on him.
"What are you doing?" Snape snapped while pushing away her wand.
"Rule number two tempt the fates. No pun intended, meaning dress provocatively. They are more inclined to give you what you want, so they'll get a return visit."
"Oh." Was all Severus could muster, he figured they knew what they were talking about, although, he was less then pleased when they gave him a red silk 'button up' shirt, tight leather pants, and black knee high boots. After complaining he wouldn't be able to get them on he was given a glare that could shoot daggers.
Both girls turned around, then Semele's hand shot back, he was promptly naked, then clothed in the ridiculous ensemble. His prior assessment of a button up shirt was proved false, when the buttons seemed to stop around about seven inches from his collar bone. The boots had a discreet heel, and were proven to be... actually very comfortable.
The pants were downright ridiculous, and clung to every part of his lower body.
He turned around to see his sons dressed in the same manor. Though he couldn't complain about it once he saw the girls. Naiya had finally won the fight on her clothes and was wearing a tight royal blue silk belly shirt, with a short black miniskirt, and clear heels. Semele however looked dangerous. She had knife sheaths on her wrist, with a black leather bra constricting her chest to the point of almost spilling out. That was all she wore on the top.
A short, short black leather skirt gave about an inch of thigh before black boots took over. She stalked over to them, then conjured a whip. "Even Voldemort can be tempted at the hands of a Goddess," was all she said on the matter, "Ready?" She asked. She had spelled herself to have dark smoky eyes, and ruby lips. Her sister had natural makeup although the boys each had eyeliner on.
"Yes." Severus said while trying to figure out if he could put on underwear without Semele noticing, as she seemed to be running the show. Cairo looked at him and as if he was reading his mind, gave a small sad smile and shook his head.
With that they all followed Semele. She placed a Do-not-notice-me spell on all of them, before they walked out of his personal chambers, towards the entrance hall.
"Where are we going?" Snape asked.
"To the gates, it's like apparartion. You can't apparate on Hogwarts' grounds."
With that they walked. In Severus' opinion, dressed as if they came out of a trashy wet dream catalog, well those four at least.
As soon as they got up to the gates, they opened, and they all stepped out. Each grabbing onto another's hand until they formed a circle. Soon, he felt the familiar tug, of apparartion, and then they were in a room of all white marble. There were three women and one male, awaiting their arrival. All were sitting on pillows, and watching them walk, the whole falsified calm reminded him of a snake. He noticed his children had taken on an ethereal glow that exceeded that of the three women. He saw the looks of shock. The male he recognized as an early Tom Riddle.
"What are you doing here."
Severus stepped forward, preparing to speak, but Semele beat him to it.
"I invoke the power of the blood bonds." She said in a commanding voice, it seemed at that moment all the power in the room was focused on her, and waiting to deny her.
She took a knife from her sheath and slowly drew it across her palm. Soon blood welled up from the cut, and she bent down and placed it upon the marble. Soon the power did the unexpected, and she acted as a focus.
"Tsk, tsk. Sisters, I thought you had better senses than that. Actually trusting a male?" Semele said, in a voice that did not match her own, as she walked up to the fates.
"Semele?" One of the fates asked, sounding skeptical.
"In the flesh. Though, not by any of your help!" she spat out
Severus watched as Semele smack one of the fates, though they all held their faces as if she smack each of them. Then she went to stand in front of Tom. She looked dangerous.
"Hmmm... Tom. Remember me?" She said in a purr. He didn't say anything. "Sisters, obviously he's lied to you, what do we do to people who lie?" The sisters looked reluctant, but a surge of energy later, there were only ashes left in the place where he was.
"Killing Hermione was a very Big mistake. Although, I believe none of you plan to rectify the situation?"
This brought a chorus of "No" and "It's against the rules".
Semele Slowly brought the knife she was holding to her wrist. "You do realize, I have the power in this family. I am the only reason you have not been replaced, as it should be, every hundred years. If I die you will no longer rule, and then something gets to decide whether you go to purgatory. You will do as I say, or you'll be hoping killing my pet is not enough to send you to hell." She said the last word in a sing song voice.
"Semele!"
Slowly she started cutting her wrist a deep cut that started bleeding almost immediately. "Oh, lets make this more interesting, shall we?" Soon the room was full of women. "What's the matter, scared of a little competition?" Semele said with all the loathing she was feeling, and the knife stationary, still embedded in her arm.
"Fine!" and "We'll do it!" sprung out from the front of the room. A faint pop emitted.
"A promise from the Fates." Semele smirked, with a hint of malice. She took the knife out of her arm, and blew on it. The blood took the form of sand, flowing of her arm, and the cut closed. "I will not see you again." She muttered over her shoulder as everyone followed her lead, and grasped each other's hands.
"Everyone?" She said in the voice she had earlier. Snape gaped at her. She gave him a small smile, and mouthed the word 'later'. He nodded, closed his eyed, and then he felt the same pull as before. Landing at the front gates of Hogwarts.
They all immediately started running to the school. Not realizing exactly what they were wearing.