Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything what you can recognize from the books. I do however own the plot of this story but I don't have profits because of it unless you count improving my English as a profit.
Preview: Entitled as 'Let's Make Snape's Life Miserable Day' where our dear spy reveals bits and pieces about himself and Mirzam to certain someone while the kids comment on what they heard from Regulus. Next day Harry meets Mirzam and they have a very long talk about a lot of things while Regulus considers committing a murder on a certain spy. A very emotional chapter which pushes several plots into a view. Pettigrew isn't caught - still - through a certain someone has a great idea where to look for him.
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So read, enjoy and review (because I love to read your criticism and as long as you are logged in or I have your email I'm answering to your questions).
Thanks for such welcoming reviews.
Chapter six: Of Irises.
Stupid fucking idiot damn it! Severus felt very inclined to skin off the idiot who had created the blasted tradition of Slytherin sharing their Potions lessons together with Gryffindor. However he was aware that it was very old tradition and supposedly there was a curse placed on it because no one through the years dared to change it, therefore skinning off Regulus who prepared class schedules for this term was rather pointless. On the other hand Regulus deserved at least a good kick in the shin for putting the third years from Slytherin and Gryffindor on the first doubles lesson on Monday morning. Damn the Weasley twins.
He had went to his today lessons after a sleepless night and with Mirzam's weakened state looming over his mind he was even more harsh to his students than usual. The same thing make him less aware of his surroundings once his classes had ended and that's how he found himself in hospital wing missing bones in his lower body. Poppy despite her brilliance had told him that with so extended damage she won't let him leave the hospital wing before Wednesday evening therefore someone needed to take over his lessons and there was only one person who was able to do that aside Headmaster who had already packed schedule for next two days. Plus someone needed to make sure that Mirzam was given her potions. She could miss one dose, two at the most but at least in the evening tomorrow she should be given her potions to not weaken her state and Severus wouldn't be able to leave until day after tomorrow, therefore Regulus needed to be told about her too.
Finally the damned cat peeked into hospital wing and upon seeing him he flinched.
"Who had done it to you?" Regulus asked as he approached Severus's bed.
"Headmaster is viewing the memory of the event but I presume that it were that infernal Weasley duo. Don't worry I will be as good as new at Wednesday evening but until then you have to turn into the Great Bat of the Dungeons," Severus muttered sourly.
"With or without Polyjuice Potion?" Regulus asked ironically.
"Seeing that Charity will be covering your own lessons I say without it," Severus snorted. "Make sure that the devils are punished accordingly, you know Albus."
Regulus nodded quickly.
"There is something else which you need to know," Severus said quietly. "Set up the wards around us."
Regulus did what he had told him.
"I had found Mirzam Verascez, alive," Severus whispered. "But she is in very weakened state and I'm not risking taking her to Poppy. It's not that I don't trust her with her life but there are few things which I need to take care of before I will announce her come back to wizarding world. Right now telling would do more harm than good, understand?" he asked sternly. "She is in my rooms, bedroom to the exact. She is in Healing Coma but she needs to be given her potions. I had the doses for today and tomorrow morning set on my desk in my lab. In the stores there are few remaining doses though you are going to prepare nutrition potion for Wednesday because what remains from there isn't going to last until I will be able to prepare it myself."
"Can you at least explain me how you managed to find her?" Regulus asked pensively.
"Came back later and I will. Remember to prepare nutrition potion," Severus shook his head.
"Fine," Regulus shrugged. "Anything else?"
"Kill the Weasley twins for me," Severus snorted.
After supper the first years from Slytherin had all gathered in boys' dormitory after firmly locking the door. Hermione was sitting cross-legged next to Harry who was lying on his stomach on the bed with his head turned in the direction of the centre of the room. Sally-Anne and Neville were sitting cross-legged on Neville's bed. Draco was sitting on the floor in front of his bed with his legs propped on the fireplace while Pansy was lying on her stomach on his bed. Daphne and Theodore were sitting cross-legged on his bed. Millicent and Victor were sitting on Victor's bed with their feet dangling from the edge of the bed. Lilith and Gregory were lying on their stomachs on his bed. Tracey and Blaise were sitting with their backs leaning against the posters of his bed.
"Do you think that he was trying to fool us, Lemeraude I mean?" asked Victor.
"He still didn't told us what had happened to him," Pansy pointed out. "We know what caused the change of colours but aside that he still remains an enigma."
"Dumbledore trusts him," Neville pointed out. "Therefore he is aware of the situation."
"Plus he could expel us but he didn't," Sally-Anne added.
"I think that he didn't expelled us for a good reason," said Daphne. "Remember what he had told us about choices. If we were expelled where it would leave us?"
"At home," Draco muttered. "Under influence of our parents, and with the possibility of second war raising in very shitty predicament."
"Exactly," said Theodore. "I think that he is right about most things he had said today anyway. Who wants to die for You-Know-Who?"
"Count me out," Draco muttered. "Though I found dubious what he had said about Muggles and pure-blood ideology."
"It was scientifically proven," Hermione huffed.
"By Muggles," Draco huffed back.
"Then prove Lemeraude wrong," Hermione muttered. "Prove to him that inbreeding between pure-blood families isn't dangerous to them."
"You dare me?" Draco snorted.
"Yes I do," Hermione growled. "Do that assignment of his."
"I will do it," said Theodore. "I think that it is logical you know. Did you heard what had happened to the Gaunts or Hunters?"
"What?" asked Draco.
"Both families faced extinction but not before the last members of their families went mad. Most of the last members had died in Azkaban from what I know," Theodore had said grimly.
Victor and Gregory looked at each other nervously.
"Speaking about inbreeding …" started Blaise.
"Mine mother was an orphan whose parents were killed in a explosion. My grandfather had adopted her. As far as I know even if by law they were siblings there is no blood relation between them, at least close blood relation," said Gregory nervously.
"Same there, though my mother is fourth cousin to my dad," Victor added. "What about you?"
"Half-blood," Tracey shrugged. "My father had fallen in love with Muggle-born witch from Beauxbatons. Nothing my grandfather had said about it didn't made dad change his mind so after few years of quarrelling he finally gave up on that issue especially after he fell in love with mum's cooking. Says that there isn't a house-elf which can prepare better than my mum."
"Pure-blood," Daphne admitted. "My mother is French too. No blood relations between my mum and dad. That one I know for sure."
"Same there," Theodore nodded. "Though my mother was from Spain."
"My father was from Egypt with Italian bloodline," Blaise added.
"Malfoys are purely French except last three generations," Draco said pensively.
"Irish-British," said Lilith. "No blood relations between both families as far as I'm aware of."
"Irish-British-Dutch," Pansy added. "Both my parents were half-Dutch through their mothers but as far as I know they weren't related, at least not very closely."
"My great-grandfather was born in Australia but the family is strictly British. No close blood relations between my parents," added Millicent.
"Pure-blood too. Clear of very close relations between the families," added Neville.
"Muggle-born," Sally-Anne said simply.
"Same there," Hermione added.
"Half-blood, Lemeraude may know more about possible relations in my father's family," Harry shrugged.
"Let's assume that we are relatively safe," said Draco. "Now what?"
"Now was the question: are you willing to die for You-Know-Who?" Theodore said simply.
"I'm not. I'm Malfoy and hence I'm a control freak but there are other ways to achieve that," Draco shrugged.
"Like doing something productive," Hermione supplied. "I think that it was what Lemeraude meant by saying that there are certain ways to ensure immortality."
"How is that?" asked Gregory.
"Well," Hermione sighed. "You can become a world renowned Master in a field of your choosing and discover something new in said field which may give you the possibility of naming your discovery after you, especially if said discovery will be something very important."
"Like a cure to lycanthropy?" mumbled Theodore.
"For example," Hermione nodded.
"I like it," Theodore sighed dreamily.
"Or a curse for post-Cruciatus trauma," Neville added dreamily.
"You can also be a damnably good Quidditch player," said Draco.
"Or you can be the first person to create a television in wizarding world. You will be the first therefore your name has to go to a history," added Sally-Anne.
"How good is that one?" Draco asked sceptically.
"In Muggle world people who owe TV stations are filthy rich though the issue is old there so their names aren't well known," Sally-Anne explained.
"Interesting. Is it influential?" Draco asked.
"Even too much," Hermione muttered.
"What about the rest of you? Any ideas for the future?" Draco asked curiously. "Granger?"
"Ancient Runes sounds fascinating judging from what Lemeraude had told us," Hermione said dreamily. "I think that this is a field when a lot remained to be discovered."
"My brother had told about Curse Breaking and I found it fascinating, he works for Gringotts branch in China. Took me there for vacation after I got my letter," said Sally-Anne with a dreamy smile on her face.
"I was always fascinate with fashion," said Pansy.
"I like drawing," said Lilith. "I'm not ideal but I would love to become a real artist some day."
"A journalist or a writer," said Daphne happily.
"Wizarding architecture," added Blaise.
"Historian or a librarian," said Tracey.
"Healing or Potion Mastery," said Theodore.
"Healing too," added Neville.
"I would love to have a job which has something to do with the animals," said Victor.
"Manufacturing brooms," said Gregory.
"I like arranging interiors," said Millicent.
All eyes had landed on Harry.
"No idea," he mumbled sheepishly.
"After today it is obvious," Draco rolled his eyes. "Seeker who will quickly play national Quidditch Team. Don't you dare to waste your talent on anything else. You knew whom you had beat today."
"He teaches Ancient Runes it isn't like he has a lot of time for flying," Harry said defensively. "Perhaps he was out of shape for a while."
"After these neck-breaking stunts you both had pulled in the air, I rather doubt so," Draco snorted.
"We are eleven," said Theodore. "We still have at least a year and half before we will need to decide which elective subjects we are going to take."
"Point taken," Blaise yawned. "Speaking about time, isn't it the highest time to go to bed? We have Charms tomorrow."
"Don't forget about History of Magic," added Tracey.
Regulus went to Severus's rooms as quickly as his legs were able to carry him without breaking into running. Mirzam Verascez was alive. Dear Mimi was alive. Even when he was still enchanted by the Dark Lord he took genuinely liking of the girl. Sure she was beating his ass at Quidditch Pitch but he had a chance to see past her Quidditch abilities and see real Mirzam.
In his third year when he signed himself into Ancient Runes, Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures he was already a full time seeker of Slytherin Quidditch team and hard training which Guaxhall – Merlin bless his poor soul – subjected whole team to made every single member of it failing behind with their studies. With Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures he could manage as well with regular subjects where thanks to father he had upper knowledge and by cutting out two hours of sleep every night he managed to stay on the top of his classes.
But Ancient Runes were his Achilles' heel so to speak. No one in the family had ever taken it, aside from Sirius but his relationship with Sirius wasn't great around that time either. He even seriously considered dropping Ancient Runes after third year but his Black pride wouldn't allow it. There was never a Black who dropped the subject their picked willingly. Therefore Professor Wilhelmina Turner – let Merlin have mercy upon her poor soul – had appointed him a neutral coach, a Ravenclaw fourth year who was on the top of that class, namely Mirzam Verascez.
Under Mirzam's watchful eye he developed a new obsession named Ancient Runes. She encouraged him to learn new things about the subject, search the books about Ancient languages and coached him so well that he could fairly admit that he could sit his N.E. from Ancient Runes by the time he was supposed to take his O.W.L.s. During their weekend studies he learned more about the young woman behind the facade of marvellous seeker and brilliant reader of Ancient Runes.
Real Mirzam Verascez was calm, controlled, with sharp tongue – thought not as sharp as Severus's – and the most beautiful eyes he ever seen. As far as he knew there was no one who had eyes as violet as hers were. By his fourth year he grudgingly admitted to himself that he had a mammoth crush on her but she let him down easily and at one of their meetings she had brought Hermione Night, a fellow Ravenclaw whom she was coaching in Ancient Runes too. But even with passing time Mirzam still had a part of his heart thought the crush had drifted away, with passing time Mimi wormed hers way in his heart as someone he would have love to have as a sister.
He was glad that he managed to get away from spending Christmas with the family at Hogwarts because it was his Prefect duties which made him patrol Astronomy Tower the same night when Mirzam decided to slit her wrists. As well as he could he stopped the bleeding and forgetting that he was a wizard with a wand able to cast the spells he carried her all the way to hospital wing in his arms and spent better part of the night at hers side until – Merlin only knows how – Sirius got into hospital wing and didn't left her bedside until Poppy had kicked him out.
Sirius was also the reason why he quickly got over his crush. He was fascinated with Mirzam but Sirius was head over the heels in love with her and it was the only time when Regulus's pride decided to retreat and make a space for his older brother.
Mirzam's death hit him hard, especially when he managed to learn that she had died on the same day and probably the same time as his Hermione did. In a matter of one fucking Christmas Eve he lost almost everybody he cared for, except his brother. Mirzam's death had changed Sirius. Always loud and obnoxious, hot headed and rash Sirius suddenly turned into quiet, logical and grim young man, like the light of his life had vanished with Mirzam.
There had to be something between them, Regulus was sure of that even if Sirius didn't talked about it with James or Lily. For the Potters he somehow managed to keep the facade of the old Sirius as long as Mirzam's name wasn't mentioned.
Regulus's had a hunch, the one he never had a chance to prove, that Mirzam was expecting Sirius's child when she had died so Sirius didn't only lost the girl he loved but his child too. It was in the way Sirius's eyes always followed Harry around. It was his attachment to Harry, he was the only one patient enough to spend whole night with crying Harry in his arms when Harry was teething and turned into little terror. There was also the nickname Sirius always used to call Harry when all others beside Regulus – about whom Sirius didn't knew – were out of the earshot: little Padfoot.
Psychologically these little hints suited the behaviour of a man who had lost his own child, speaking from self-experience of course. Regulus too, only allowed Harry to see past the facade of his animal self. There were times where he, haunted by his insomnia, had put James and Lily under mild sleeping charm and spent the night at Harry's side: feeding the kid, changing his diapers and putting him to sleep. Of course he had to be careful to don't do it very often because then James and Lily would become suspicious. That was until Sirius out of his paranoia didn't practically had moved into Godric's Hollow. Regulus didn't really want to know what could happen if they had run into each other over Harry's crib.
Lost in his thoughts he entered Severus's bedroom and there in the middle of it he had found Mirzam. She looked so vulnerable, so fragile that even when his heart leapt in his chest to go to her and grab her hand to make sure that she was indeed there, solid, alive he still hadn't enough of courage to do it.
He approached the bed slowly and looked down at her. Past twelve years hadn't been kind to her and the air around her practically was screamed with psychological torture.
Gathering remaining Gryffindor courage which had sent him into that damned cave he sat down gingerly on the bed and touched her wild and tangled hair with his left hand.
"Mirzam," he whispered just to hear her name.
Her eyes fluttered slightly and he cursed himself. She should still be asleep under the effects of Healing Coma.
"Sirius?" she whispered weakly as she opened her eyes.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fucking. Fuckety. Fuck.
"No," he whispered and he suddenly found that his voice was raspy. "It's me. Regulus."
She gingerly sat up on the bed and slowly lifted her left hand to touch his face.
"It is you," she whispered. "But where is Sirius?"
Severus Tobias Snape you are so fucking dead once I'm done with you, Regulus thought frantically.
"He can't come Mirzam, yet," Regulus whispered hating himself. "But one day he will, I promise."
"What happened?" Mirzam asked alarmed.
"Lie back," Regulus said quietly. "I will give you your potions, except the sleeping one and then I'm going to tell you."
Mirzam lied back on the bed but her eyes send him clear massage: you will talk or I will fucking kill you.
Regulus hurried into Severus's lab hoping that the bat had a calming draught stored there too. Thankfully he did and two minutes later after swallowing eight different potions, except the one which would send her to sleep again Mirzam was sitting on the bed and staring at Regulus with her best Auror glare.
"After you died," Regulus said quickly. "Sirius was heartbroken. For me it was clear that something was wrong with him and that he didn't took your death very well. Anyway around that time the problems with the Potters had started…"
He talked everything he remembered about Sirius, Harry and the Potters. He didn't said anything about himself yet but he knew that subject will eventually come around in a moment because Mirzam wasn't a Ravenclaw for nothing. It was also a good thing that he had given her calming draught because when he told her about Sirius landing in Azkaban she burst in tears and it took him half of hour to calm her down. After she calmed down she pointed out the hole in his explanations and then he told her about everything which had happened to him, omitting the subject of Horcruxes, she was already shocked enough to not drop that subject on her poor head. Once again she burst in tears and clung to him for a dear life. This time around it took him forty-five minutes to calm her down before he finally feed her with sleeping draught.
Originally he planned to catch some sleep tonight but after seeing Mirzam he spent whole night at patrolling looking for Pettigrew.
He didn't found the rat and after feeding Mirzam with her potions he had went to the Great Hall for breakfast in a very shitty mood.
"Scrambled eggs?" asked Charity kindly, she slipped into Severus's chair.
"No, thank you, Charity," he answered harsher than he intended to. "I will manage on a toast and pumpkin juice."
"Fine then," she said and she grabbed four pieces of toast and draped them in a tissue. "Get up. We still have half of hour to spare before classes and you look like someone who has a lot to talk about."
He shrugged but followed her to his rooms nevertheless. She sat down on the couch as he flopped down on the rug in front of it.
"Talk," Charity said briskly.
"I didn't slept last night," he answered with a sigh.
"Nightmares?" she asked in concerned voice.
"No, possible rodent infestation," he shrugged. "I found nothing, yet again."
"But it isn't everything which is eating you," Charity stated.
"I found Mirzam Verascez, alive," he sighed heavily. "Severus had brought her to Hogwarts, didn't got a full story how but I will fix it during the lunch. She is in horrible state both physically and psychologically and the bat left me with the task of explaining the whole situation with Sirius to her. I feel like shit. I want to slip under a rock and die."
"She can help you, you know," Charity pointed out pensively. "You said that these two were on an item so aside from the Potters Mirzam had to know Sirius best. Maybe he had mentioned to her something about Pettigrew."
"I don't see how it is going to help unless Sirius gave her full family history about his friends," Regulus shrugged.
"Won't hurt to ask her about it, you know. Perhaps he did, perhaps he didn't. At least you will know," Charity said calmly.
"Please kill me now," he moaned. "I have second years, fifth year Slytherin and Gryffindor and seventh years to teach and all I can think about is what happened to Mimi. This is going to be a shitty day."
"I have last lesson of the day before dinner. I can check upon Mirzam if you want," Charity said calmly.
"Can you stay with her until I get there?" he asked hopefully. "She is in Healing Coma but the potion will start wearing of before dinner. I would feel much better if someone was down there with her."
"Granted," Charity give him small smile and she knelt down over him. "I will watch her," she said and she kissed him gently on the lips.
"You are the best," he mumbled. "I love you."
She raised left eyebrow questioningly.
"Seriously," he added and he raised his head to kiss her.
Severus hardly slept during the night expecting the attack of the fury which went under the name of Regulus Black in the early hours of the day. The fury however didn't came before breakfast and seeing that Regulus always took his responsibilities seriously he wasn't going to appear in hospital wing until lunch.
As predicted, five minutes after the bell which called the students to the Great Hall for lunch Regulus stormed into the room looking likes something had mauled him during the night.
"You are going to talk, now," Regulus huffed in irritation as he sat down on the chair by Severus's bed after casting privacy charms around the area.
So Severus did at least the part he wanted Regulus to know right now, the part about finding her in Bedlam. But he knew the damned cat too well so he didn't fooled himself that the question about his mind link with Mirzam wasn't going to come around at some point of time. Though he hoped against hope for an attack of amnesia concerning that particular part. He wasn't prepared to talk about it, yet … maybe ever. He hated himself.
Charity Anne Burbage always prided herself as a woman who was hardly scared of unusual situations. Her life wasn't a clear patch but a rocky road. She beat one of the Death Eaters into a bloody pulp when the fucker dared to attack her mother and only a small scar on her left foot was remaining after that accident, the Death Eater had looked much, much worse.
Being a Ravenclaw, therefore logical and practical she slipped into the kitchen and told one of the house-elves to send a weak broth to Severus's rooms together with a weak tea and bread. Deciding that summer assignments could wait for grading she dropped them in her office and went down to Severus's rooms. She only had been there twice in her life. Once when she was still a student and Severus was teaching for his first year: she blew up her cauldron because Duncan, the git from Slytherin had dropped something into it but Severus assumed that she was the one to blame. After huge row which resulted in the fact that she got month worth detention after Madam Pomfrey cleared both her and Severus. The second time she came there was when she came to teach seven years ago and tradition required every other teacher to have a drink with her. Severus was last one to ask her to come while Regulus was the first.
The factor of Regulus was also strong motivation to check upon Mirzam. Over the years he dropped small hints about himself, though he perhaps was hardly aware of that but once or twice he mentioned a woman, not by her name of course, whom he loved as a sister he never had. The only thing he said about her was that she was good flyer and the way he spoke of Mirzam yesterday, with such gentleness and affection it was clear that it was Mirzam.
As for Mirzam Verascez herself she hardly knew the girl, seeing that Mirzam was fifth year by the time Charity came to Hogwarts. But still she knew Mirzam well enough to benefit from her coaching in Ancient Runes and she could see from where Regulus's concern about her was coming. Once you saw beyond Quidditch player and Ancient Runes facade Mirzam was someone who just fit. Not to mention Mirzam's prefect duties, all Charity's classmates who were homesick (Charity too) learned to appreciate Mirzam and her always helping attitude. There wasn't a first year whom she send away without help or at least advice that's why all of students who benefited from her gentleness were shocked to learn that during the Christmas break Mirzam had ended in hospital wing and the rumour had it that she had slit her wrists.
Charity personally had been terrified and at some point of time she had wondered what pushed Mirzam with whom Charity had so much in common into an attempt of trying to end her life. That was one of the questions she longed to ask Mirzam but her Ravenclaw curiosity on that subject could be satisfied later, first and foremost was learning what Mirzam knew about Peter Pettigrew and making sure that she made fully recovery.
When she stepped into the room she was surprised to see that Mirzam was wide awake.
"You look familiar," Mirzam said as she narrowed her eyes.
Something is wrong with her eyes, Charity noted. Short-sighted definitely.
"My name is Charity Burbage," Charity introduced herself. "I teach Muggle Studies at Hogwarts. Regulus had wanted to have someone with you."
"Charby," Mirzam said and Charity saw small smile tugging her lips. "Let me guess, Reggie is worried sick that I'm going to do something stupid like running away and breaking into Azkaban?"
"Actually he is more worried about your health than running away part, though if I know him he is going to have an epiphany," she looked at her watch. "Right about now."
"Don't worry about running away part," Mirzam sighed. "I feel like one good hex could finish me off. Did he…" she started but didn't finished.
"Told me about Pettigrew?" Charity finished as she sat down on the bed. "Yes, he did."
"I have been awake since around lunchtime and I have been thinking about it, Charity," Mirzam admitted.
"You can talk after you eat," Charity interrupted her. "Broth and weak tea with bread."
"You are channelling Madam Pomfrey you know?" Mirzam chuckled weakly.
After Mirzam ate the bowl of broth and nipped small piece of bread Charity had brought with her Charity managed to talk her into having a bath. She send one of the house-elves to collect her spare clothes before she helped Mirzam with bathing. After the bath and few attempts to do something about Mirzam's wild mane they finally decided that cutting the hair short was the best option.
Once Mirzam returned into freshly changed bed and Charity burned down Mirzam's hair in the fireplace (never leave ingredients for Polyjuice Potion laying around Ms Burbage!) both women settled to talk.
Charity asked her question about Pettigrew and Mirzam for few moments remained silent.
"There is a family to whom he could went," she finally admitted slowly and carefully. "Though it's just assumptions."
"Go ahead," Charity said quickly.
"I remember that once Sirius had told me that he was in distant family relations with all his friends except Remus Lupin. James was his cousin through his mother's line or something and Pettigrew…" Mirzam fell silent as if she was trying to remember something. "He was distantly related to the Prewetts, Sirius was related to them through marriage of his aunt I think. Once or twice they had meet on the gatherings of Prewett family. There was a cousin of Pettigrew's whom Pettigrew seemed to like, I think that her name was Molly, later she had married a Weasley, Arthur I think and that was the last thing I heard about that matter since Sirius always despised Molly and trust me that his feelings were returned," Mirzam said pensively.
"That's better than what we have, which is nothing," Charity admitted truthfully.
"It's just assumptions," Mirzam shook her head. "Though if I was Pettigrew I would have used Molly's house as a hiding spot. She is one of these … how we are calling them? Beats me, Muggles refer to them as women who have more children than money to feed them."
"My mother always called them women who would only benefit from Sex-Ed," Charity replied. "Lots of kids means that you don't pay close attention to many things beside said children, right?"
"I would check that out," Mirzam nodded slowly. "Though don't expect a miracle, I could be wrong. My bloodstream is full of Muggle psychotropic crap and it dulls my brain."
"How did you managed to get that?" Charity asked tentatively.
"I spent last twelve years in Bedlam, special security cell because I was violent with no chance to recover," Mirzam said and she shuddered.
"How did you get there?" Charity asked before her mind caught up with her mouth.
"That's a long story," Mirzam sighed. "Long and scary."
"If it will make you feel better to talk about it then go ahead," Charity said quickly.
"It happened on 23rd December 1979. I left the house earlier than Sirius, went to work. I should have apprated but I always liked London in early hours of the day. I was walking down the street when someone had stunned me from behind," Mirzam shuddered. "I woke up in a place I couldn't identify. I was bound and my robes were torn … I think that it was the first time they raped me. It seemed ages … that torture. They were three of them but I only saw two raping me, the third one was standing by the door. Finally they got bored and they told the watcher to finish me off. He used some kind of spell on me … Sectumsempra and the next thing I knew that I was bleeding like a slaughtered pig … I was pregnant … seventh week … it was a boy … Sirius was so excited … He dumped me near a muggle village before I lost consciousness. By some sort of a damned miracle I was found by muggles … they managed to save me but as you saw I still have scars to prove it. They saved my life but I lost my baby … later I learned that bleeding was so bad that they had to remove my uterus … I won't be able to have children ever again. Anyway I was delirious, I had been talking about things I shouldn't have … one way ticket to Bedlam and my violent reactions to that place didn't helped either," Mirzam explained and her voice remained strangely calm despite the horror she had been through.
"Did you knew who had captured you?" Charity asked timdly.
"Dolohov, Rosier and…" she paused there. "Severus Snape. He was the one who dumped me in the forest."
At that Charity officially saw red. That fucking asshole had done it to Mirzam…
"Severus fucking Tobias Snape. Once I will be done with you, you will be missing more than legs," Charity growled and she scrambled in the direction of the doorway.
She didn't had a chance to reach it because suddenly she found herself in Full Body Bind with her face down to the floor. It was then when she realised that her wand was laying on the bed within Mirzam's reach.
Mirzam was panting like he just run a mile, in her current state. Charity heard a thump, as if Mirzam fell from the bed and she internally screamed. She was stuck and Merlin only knew how spell-casting had affected Mirzam.
Idiot, fucking, idiot, she thought to herself.
It seemed that eternity had passed before Charity heard scrambling on the floor as if Mirzam was crawling to her. Finally she was pushed with her back to the floor. Mirzam swayed and lied down on the floor. For a long moment the only sound in the room was Mirzam's heavy pants.
"Too much," Mirzam gasped out. "It's too fucking much and too fucking soon."
Charity could only guess what Mirzam had meant and even then she wasn't one hundred percent sure.
"Don't kill him," Mirzam said after a while and her breath was back under control. "Not before I have a chance to talk to him in person. He saved me from that place and he brought me here to recover. I'm weak but I can see remorse for his actions."
If Charity could shake her head she would do it. Dumbledore might trust Severus Snape and believe that he changed his colours but Charity did not. He should be punished what he had done to Mirzam.
She heard Mirzam crawling in the direction of the door and when they shut behind her Charity realised that she was disabled and alone.
After seeing Regulus after lunch Severus hardly expected any visitors that's why he was surprised when agitated Charity Burbage entered the room. She looked like she had a sleepless night behind her. She was walking painfully slowly and her left leg had slight limp.
"Severus," she said and she sat down.
She pulled out her wand and dropped it in Severus's lap. He looked at her surprised.
"Cast privacy shields," Charity said quietly.
That was when an epiphany struck him. It wasn't Charity, it was Mirzam.
"You shouldn't be out of the bed. In fact you are supposed to be sleeping," Severus said quickly and he shook his head.
"We are going to talk now before real Charity is going to storm here and kill you," Mirzam said weakly.
Severus quickly cast the charms around the bed.
"Do you regret it?" Mirzam asked quietly.
"Almost every single day," Severus admitted. "For many reasons, too many to count," he added quietly. "But in a way, knowing what happened later for your own sake I don't know if I truly regret it, there are moments when I do and there are moments when I don't. I'm truly, deeply sorry for taking away your child and being responsible for your state of health."
"Explain," Mirzam sighed heavily.
"You were what, around seventh week pregnant?" he whispered.
She nodded.
"Your child could have been the child of the prophecy if it lived. The Dark Lord was mad about it. A half-blood child carried more danger to him than any other. If your child had lived it could be born around the time prophecy states. The Dark Lord had found Black more appealing than Potter…" Severus whispered.
"So if nothing had happened back then…"
"He would go after you first, Mirzam. You, Black and your child. In a way what had happened had saved your life and Black's," Severus said quietly.
"Only to land in madhouse," Mirzam snorted.
"Did Regulus talked with you about what had happened after you ended in Bedlam?" he asked calmly.
"Bits and pieces," she shrugged.
"Did he told you about the Potters?" Severus asked again.
"He did. What they have to do with us?" she asked.
"Then tell me, would you step in front killing curse willingly to save your child?" he asked sternly.
"I would," she whispered.
"Then possibly you would have saved your son's life, possibly. But Black didn't had a family he could trust and you hardly had decent family left. Everything which happened to the Potters would have happen to you and Black and your son. You should see Harry Potter before you fully decide to judge me and imagine that in his place was your son. Would you be able to live with that?"
Mirzam didn't answered she just snatched her wand and left hospital wing leaving Severus alone with his thoughts.
After History of Magic and dinner Harry decided to wander away from his classmates and spent some time with his thoughts. He went outside and seated himself under a tree next close to the lake.
He really should start looking for a career in wizarding world. Something great and satisfying. His thoughts came back to his early childhood dream, being a policeman. But did wizards have some magical equivalent of policemen?
"You shouldn't be alone out there, Harry," a weak feminine voice reached his ears and he looked in that direction.
It was a woman in white turtleneck, clad in blue jeans and heavy boots. Her jet-black hair were cut shortly. Her skin was shallow and her face looked like face of someone who suffered a lot in life. But her eyes were full of warmth and had unusual violet colour. She was moving gingerly, slightly limping with her left leg.
"Hello," Harry said nervously. "Are you one of the Professors, miss?"
The witch smiled slowly and she sat down next to him on the grass.
She extended her hand and said warmly, "My name is Mirzam Verascez and I was your godfather's girlfriend."
"His almost wife?" Harry blurted out before his mind caught up with his mouth. "Lemeraude talked about you."
"You can say so," she gave him small smile.
"Did you…" Harry started feeling slightly suspicious that despite hers closeness to his godfather the woman didn't … cared about him? Believed him to be the traitor?
It was slightly confusing.
"I only learned about what had happened to Sirius yesterday. It was quite a shock," she admitted quietly. "A morbid irony."
"Of what?" Harry asked curiously.
"That we had found ourselves in places which reeks with insanity, innocent. Believing that someone we loved dearly was dead," she whispered. "But I think that I was luckier, you know. At least I didn't had the Dementors guarding my prison cell."
"You were in prison?" Harry mumbled uncomfortably.
"Not prison, but relatively close. Bedlam," she shrugged. "A madhouse. I was delirious when Muggle doctors reviewed me, kept mumbling about magic. Something in drugs I got made me slightly off. I kept talking and I had very violent reaction to everything which was going around. Before I realised what had happened I was locked in top security room in Bedlam. Someone should really write something about how psychotropic drugs affects ones magic. If it wasn't for that I could have apparated away from there after recovering from my injuries. Took me years to make a connection between both."
"How long you were there?" Harry gulped.
"Nearly twelve years with my worst memories and greatest fears for companions. It was scary," she whispered. "Azkaban doesn't needs the Dementors to make people insane. A caged person falls into insanity despite the lack of presence of these foul creatures. They are really creepy and I avoided trips to Azkaban as best as I could."
"Why you were visiting Azkaban?" Harry asked timidly.
"Before that madness had started and everything went wrong I was an Auror, a dark wizards catcher, so was Sirius. We made quite a pair and we worked great in tandem," she said and a small smile made its way on her lips.
"Like a policemen?" asked Harry curiously.
"Wizarding equivalent of policemen," she nodded. "I forgot that you were Muggle-raised. I'm truly sorry about your parents. I didn't knew them as well as Sirius did but your mother was one of the kindest women I ever meet," she gave him small smile but he saw sadness in her eyes. "Your father was a trouble-maker, so was Sirius. Sometimes they got a bit out of control but your mother even before they started dating had good effect on your father. Sirius often laughed from him that James was completely henpecked. A bit hypocritical coming from a man who reacted to an order 'down boy'," she chuckled softly but her chuckles turned into coughing fit.
Harry was very alarmed at that.
"Don't …" she coughed. "Worry. I'm still not well but I feel better now," she reassured him when her coughs had died down.
"I think that you should see the nurse," Harry objected. "You are limping."
"Drug induced infraction," she mumbled.
"What?" Harry asked nervously.
"Muscle failure," she sighed. "Something like a heart attack but not in the heart. Stupid bitch of a nurse gave me that when she injected wrong medicine. There was a cloth which cut out the blood from that muscle. Thankfully the doctors found it relatively quickly and that saved my leg from getting cut out but not fast enough for me to keep fully working leg. I managed to learn how to walk without a walking stick, they thought if I had one I could do something … stupid," she explained and she grimaced.
"Can our, wizarding medicine, fix that?" Harry asked carefully.
"I don't know, not really," she said pensively. "It had been seven years and the worst damage was already done. Had I been found few weeks after infraction then maybe I would have a chance to have fully working leg again but now … Maybe there are potions and spells to improve its state but I don't think that full recovery is possible," she shrugged.
"Are you hurting now?" Harry asked concerned.
"Aside from small headache induced by the army of potions I'm supposed to take I feel relatively fine," she gave him small smile.
"And your leg?" Harry asked.
"It doesn't hurts now. Hadn't been hurting for quite some time," she said simply. "It's just lazier than the other leg. So what troubles you young man?" she changed the subject. "You are very pensive and that's not a common look you see on first years."
"I'm thinking about my future," Harry admitted. "What I'm going to do when I get older?"
There was also one fear he had. Coming back to the Dursleys. Sure they plainly ignored his existence since Hagrid showed up but who knows what may happen next.
"There is something else," she said quietly.
"I don't want to come back to my relatives," Harry blurted out. "I fear coming back there."
"Oh," she mumbled. "Do they hate magic?"
"Yes," Harry admitted.
"Were you punished for accidental magic?" she asked in concern.
Harry nodded slowly.
"Not enough of food? Locked in small and dark space? Beatings?" she asked.
"How did you know?" Harry asked surprised.
"I know that type," she said grimly. "Plus your appearance is dead gave away of physical and mental abuse for a trained eye. You are smaller than average first year student and skinny, that says periodical denial of food or at least not getting enough of food which a child your age should get. Plus you are wiry and move quickly, that's something you learn when you know that you have to avoid getting hit. It's an instinct one gets when the beatings are often and coming in short periods of time. And locked in dark and small space is a hazard guess."
"But a true one," Harry mumbled. "I lived in a cupboard under the stairs until the Dursleys got scared when the first letter had arrived. It was addressed to a cupboard under the stairs. How did you knew that?"
"Birds of a feather," she mumbled. "I can spot abused child quicker than average person, not because I'm an Auror but because I was abused child myself. Takes one to know one, Harry."
"Your parents?" Harry asked timidly.
"No," she shook her head. "My grandparents. I had a younger sister, she was very sick child. I was five when she was one year old and was diagnosed with cancer. My parents sent me off to my maternal grandparents. I lived there until I was eleven, the spring of that year. They were real bastards, both of them though my grandmother was worse than grandfather. She was exceptional bitch, obsessively religious and a granddaughter around whom weird things were happening was a devil reincarnated, she tried to beat it out and when it didn't worked she went further. Lack of enough food, dark and small spaces, I was afraid of them…" she explained grimly.
"Did your parents had knew about it?" Harry gulped.
"They didn't," she shook her head. "I thought that they wouldn't believe me and by the time I worked my courage to talk about it with them it was already too late, they had died when I was twelve, car crash. I learned in the court that I could do two things, go to live with my only living relatives, my grandparents or go to orphanage. I chose orphanage, seemed a better place than that hell. I never regretted that decision."
"Do I have something to say about it, the abuse? Is there someone who will care?" Harry asked.
"Severus, your head of the House. As I said takes one to know one. Adults who were abused when they were children can easily find another child like them in the crowd. Then it is School Board of Governors and Headmaster though I advise taking the matter straight to Board of Governors after talking with Severus. When Sirius is freed he is going to raise a hell when he learns how you were treated. He has legal qualms to do that, you know, he is yours godfather," she explained.
"What about you?" Harry asked curiously.
"Technically I'm dead but even once that small issue is going to be fixed I would be one amongst thousands of people who would want to take you. Without Sirius with me I can't do much except offering a willing ear to listen and my assistance whenever you require it," she said seriously.
"Why people would want to take me?" Harry asked.
"Because you are Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, the Saviour of Wizarding World. Everybody would want to have you in their family," she said simply.
"Would you, and Sirius?" Harry asked timidly. "Do you see what they see?"
"I see Harry, an abused child who deserves to have a proper home, with proper guardians who will always support you and be there for you. Sirius and I can create you that home, a stable … reasonably stable environment where you can grow up with people who will always care for you, your well-being and safety," she said quietly as she wrapped her right arm around his shoulders and brought him closer to her side. "One can never take place of someone's parents and one can never replace lost child but for us you will be like our second son."
"What happened to him?" Harry asked timidly.
"He died before he was born. He didn't survived that madness which had happened to me. I'm unable to have a child on my own but I always wanted to have family, so did Sirius. After being bedridden for quite some time I'd a lot of it to think about future and while it still pains me to know that I will never have a child of my own blood I know that blood isn't important, Harry. What really is," she laid her left hand on his heart, "is there. I want you to have happy childhood and that's what every mother and father wants for their child. Nothing will replace your parents and I know it but we would do everything to be the second best to them. If you allow it."
Harry felt warmth spreading in his chest, that was what he yearned for all his childhood. Someone who would care for him, a real family.
"Can we have cat? And a dog? And a place when one can fly safely?" Harry blurted out.
"A cat, a dog, Quidditch Pitch and I think that if you wanted to Sirius will find a way to smuggle a dragon for you thought for safety reasons I will put an end on this one," she chuckled warmly.
"I don't want a dragon," Harry snickered. "Though I would love to have a horse and a bike, I always wanted to learn how to ride them," he admitted.
"Sirius had a motorbike so if he has something to say about it you are going to learn how to ride that too. An infernal device it was," she said fondly. "Idiot charmed it to fly but when he went to fly on it for the first time he forgot about breaking charm and ended in a nice patch of nettle. Kept scratching until he turned himself into a nice shade of Gryffindor red. It took me hours to fix him," she snickered.
"You were the one with the brain in that relationship, weren't you?" Harry asked jokingly.
"I was the one who thought before acting on impulse, though for a Ravenclaw I was rather impulsive person but not as bad as Sirius always was. He was the one to rush headfirst into cross-fire without strategy," she chuckled.
"Where are you staying at Hogwarts?" Harry asked curiously.
"For now in Severus's quarters though I would love to have more sun in my surroundings so I'm going to use a hidden room on the ground floor once he is out from hospital wing later. One can be hiding at Hogwarts very well, especially if their presence is going unnoticed, that's until I recover enough to deal with that dead woman crap," she explained.
"How many people know that you are here?" Harry asked.
"Severus, Lemeraude, Charity Burbage. Maybe Dumbledore," she shrugged. "Speaking about I think that Lemeraude had already found Charity in a Full Body Bind and it is the highest time to come back to the dungeons before they will start running around the castle looking for me," she chuckled.
"Will you be fine?" Harry asked concerned.
"I will," she gave him small smile and gave him firm one armed hug. "You will see me around again, if I have something to say about it. Now go back into the castle I will follow you in a moment.
After the end of the lessons Regulus had went straight into Severus's quarters. He checked the living-room and lab first but found it empty. When he opened the door to the bedroom a sense of dread had filled him, the bed was empty, the bathroom door was open and there was no sound coming from there.
He scanned the floor and almost got a heart attack when he spotted Charity lying in full Body Bind on the floor. He quickly reversed the spell.
"Snape," Charity muttered. "She went to see that bastard, I'm sure of it."
"Why?" Regulus asked surprised as he helped her sit up.
He listened to Charity's story about Mirzam's past and soon he found himself fighting two urges. One was going to hospital wing and murdering Severus Snape on the spot and the other was to find Mirzam first and listen to what she thought about that matter.
"We have to do something about it, Regulus," said Charity fiercely.
"The choice isn't ours to make, Charity," Regulus sighed, finally deciding what to do next. "The choice belongs to Mirzam …" he paused. "And I trust her judgement on that," there, he said it.
"Glad to hear that my opinion matters to some people," he heard a weak snort coming from behind. "What had happened in the past is between me and Severus Snape and I will deal with it on my own," Mirzam said firmly.
"How can you say that!?" Charity yelped.
The only answer they had received was Mirzam rolling up the sleeves of her turtleneck high enough to show her wrists to them.
Regulus knew that many thing remained unsaid and until Mirzam would really want to talk about them they will remain this way.
Wednesday's early evening was shaping quite nicely to Harry. He quickly had done his homework from DADA, Transfiguration and Herbology and spend some time at reading next chapter for History of Magic. When most of his classmates had finished their homework they had scattered around the common room. Hermione ended in a chess match with Draco aided by Pansy and Daphne but judging from the looks Hermione was going to lose miserably that one.
After Harry realised that no one was paying attention to him he left the common room to see Mirzam. He didn't had found her at Snape's office so he went outside. He was halfway around the lake by the time he spotted her seated on the grass. She was leaning with her back against young breech, her good leg was bend in the knee while her bad leg was lying vertically on the ground.
"Too much noise?" she asked with a small smile. "Hogwarts can be very overwhelming for first year students."
"Did you were taught by Professor Sprout?" Harry asked bluntly.
"For not very long," Mirzam replied. "Though she was always a fair teacher to everyone, almost everyone."
"What falls in the category of almost?" Harry asked as he sat on the ground next to her.
"A few things. One related to sex but I don't think that it is an issue with you," Mirzam answered.
"She is afraid of sex?" Harry asked surprised.
Mirzam chuckled lightly before she said, "Not sex itself. Professor McGonagall can be a definition of the word strict but she isn't that strict as Professor Sprout ever was to certain people. Hogwarts despite world renowned reputation had few shares of sexual scandals in the past, mostly teacher-student relationships with or without consent on both parts. Again, birds of a feather."
"Huh?" Harry mumbled.
"The word has it that once Pomona Sprout was young witch and was attending Hogwarts she fell in love with her Head of the House. He shrugged the whole thing off but after three months he had to leave Hogwarts because he was caught in bed with her. She has some sort of a radar of discovering people with 'supposedly' similar problem to hers, supposedly in her opinion," Mirzam said sourly. "She can find physical and psychological abuse within days but when it comes to sexual abuse she always claims that the blame was on the student, not the teacher. Birds of a feather as I said."
Something had clicked in Harry's brain, like a piece of puzzle finding matching part.
"You were sexually abused," he mumbled.
"In my sixth year," Mirzam nodded. "I had rather dubious privilege of catching an eye of our perverted Defence Against Dark Arts teacher. Twisted fucker!" she snorted. "But a fucker with a lot of power and if I valued my life and future I had to do what he wanted to do with me. It was sick, really sick. I felt dirty, ashamed of myself. When things had became too much I did something which made him stop going after me."
"What?" Harry asked timidly.
"I slit my wrists. I preferred death than living in shame. If it wasn't for Regulus we wouldn't be having this conversation, he was the one who had found me," Mirzam said grimly.
"How did you cope with it?" Harry asked quietly.
"I didn't," Mirzam shrugged. "Not properly," she suddenly snickered maniacally. "But once I recovered from blood loss I realised that trying to get myself killed because of that fucker was a very stupid thing to do, I didn't wanted to give him a pleasure of thinking that he managed to destroy me," she added simply. "Meeting Mr Black only proved me that point."
"Sirius?" Harry asked curiously.
"Nope," Mirzam chuckled. "Their dad or at least I assumed that it was him but … The resemblance was uncanny. Both of his sons had strongly resembled him, Harry but Regulus had his mother's eyes. I know only bits and pieces about him because Sirius had always been quiet about his family."
"Lemeraude's reaction to them proves that they weren't the nicest people in the world," Harry sighed.
"Their mother wasn't," Mirzam nodded. "If wizarding world had something like mastery in being a bitch she would not only be the Mistress Bitch but also the leading member of the Bitches Society."
"What about Mr Black?" asked Harry curiously.
"He was more like Regulus I remember from school. Calm, controlled, very intelligent and once you got him into a discussion about certain subjects you just couldn't shut him up," Mirzam smiled fondly.
"Where did you meet him?" Harry asked curiously.
"A visit in Covehithe when I was seventeen. Straight after the school term had ended. I got my apparition licence and I was randomly popping around British countryside. Two days into the holidays I landed myself in Covehithe and I loved the place, it was really beautiful village back then. I stayed for the night. I was sitting by the coast and watching the sea when I heard someone approaching. We talked a bit, about everything, from landscape to politics which got us into shouting match about certain views on blood purity. It got a bit chilly so we went inside the nearest pub for a beer and we talked some more. I was always under impression that he was withholding something, some piece of knowledge. We never introduced ourselves so I'm not one hundred percent sure that it was him. I've meet him later several times in dubious circumstances…" she paused there. "There was something which had intrigued me. Something about a curse … but for the life of me I can't remember what it exactly was. Doesn't matter, I will ask him next time I see him," she added after a moment.
"I'm afraid that you won't ask him," Harry said gently. "From what I heard, he is dead. Killed himself not long after Regulus … But maybe his father will tell you something about it. He was supposed to inform professor Snape or Lemeraude about the outcome of the meeting."
"What kind of meeting?" Mirzam asked curiously.
"The one concerning young Harry, here," said familiar voice and as Harry whirled his head around he saw smiling Mr Black. "Hello Harry. Would you introduce me to your lovely companion?"
Harry nodded and he stood up, "Mr Black, this is Mirzam Verascez, she was Sirius's girlfriend or fiancee … err didn't asked exactly."
"I believe that the world wife is the most appropriate in present circumstances," said Mr Black with a small smile.
"We weren't married Mr Black … not that we didn't planned to …" Mirzam mumbled nervously.
"Were you pregnant with his child?" Mr Black asked simply.
"Well …" Mirzam breathed out. "Yes."
"Then in the eyes of the bonding spells in the family you are his wife. Which makes Harry's case a lot more interesting," Mr Black said briskly.
Harry got a feeling that whatever the man was planning it was something no one who had been included would never forget.
Awaiting criticism - like always. I'm replying as long as you leave me your email or you log in while reviewing. Bring my ego down ;)
Sniffy's random ramblings:
A very Mirzam chapter. The reaction of all people involved in this chapter was important to the plot. Pettigrew still wasn't found but at least they know where to look for him. Very important is the fact that Mirzam had been found before Sirius would be freed (hint right above).
