SLYTHERIN TRINITY
LADY SHINIGAMI
DISCLAIMER: DUH
CHAPTER 2
"Excuse me?"
"Your hearing is fine, Severus. I love Harry Potter. It's crazy, I know, but for the first time if fifty years, I am sane, and I see clearly." Voldemort grinned, and his grin wasn't maniacal, but... normal.
"This seems genuine; the wings are proof of that, but the boy may not believe you. You've been his enemy for all of his life," Severus said, finding his voice of reason. "What's to say that he'll even want you?"
"True, but I'll work on that. Not sure how, or even what I mean by that, but time will tell. Now Severus, it's your turn to share." His grin grew as Severus heaved a small sigh.
"Yes... well. Lately, whenever I saw Potter at the school, I noticed several changes about him. He is no longer a carbon copy of James Potter, and he hasn't been for some time. Almost everyone who meets him sees James, and they, myself included, forget about his mother Lily. She was my best friend in school, starting our fourth year. I was supposed to tutor her in Potions while she helped me with Charms. No one could hate Lily, and soon we became friends. Soon, we couldn't keep anything from the other, and I even helped her hook up with James. She knew everything about me."
Severus stirred in his seat, reaching for a potion that would heal the remainder of Harry's bruises. "You remember that raid in which several women were kidnapped?" Voldemort cringed and nodded, and Severus removed the life-changing letter that Lily Potter had written to him. He silently gave the letter to the Dark Lord to read for himself.
A few minutes later, Voldemort returned the letter to Severus, glancing at Harry. He shrugged. "Well, that does explain the boy's Slytherin side."
"That's all you have to say?"
Voldemort nodded. "Yes. I could ask what you mean to do, now that the truth is revealed."
"Well, the answer to that is obvious," Severus said hotly. "I will do as Lily has asked of me, and I will take care of my son. I have been wrong about a great many things, and I have behaved in a ludicrous manner, especially where the boy was concerned. Due to this much needed, and greatly appreciated reminder from Lily, I can clearly see the error of my ways."
Voldemort smiled. "And I wonder how our Slytherin-minded Gryffindor will react to all this. It's mind-boggling, really. I mean, first the insane dark wizard, who's been after his life for a long time, saved his life, and I don't wish to kill him anymore, either, but off topic, and secondly, his Potions Master is, in all truth, his father. What is Harry going to think? Or, should I say 'Rhaegal'?"
Severus shook his head. "No. While Rhaegal Snape is his true name, he will remain as Harry Potter until he can accept his true parentage. And to think, even in her last letter to me, Lily still maintained to me that I am her friend. She doesn't blame me for what happened on that raid."
"Then she was a good friend. By the way, does Dumbledore know about any of this?" Voldemort asked.
Severus sighed and rolled his eyes. "No. In fact, he seems content to assume that the boy is dead, until I can prove otherwise. His usual concern for his Golden Boy is lacking, it seems."
Voldemort stared laughing quietly. He calmed down at the Potions Master's questioning glare. "That fool is truly an idiot, and he must have heard something to change his mind about the boy. Old age must addling his mind, and it's about bloody time!"
Both wizards froze as a soft chuckle was heard. Glancing at the prone teen, they saw a ghost of a smile on his face, although Harry was trying to hide it.
"How long do you think he's been awake?"
"Oh, I'd say long enough, Severus."
"He should be out cold, in a healing coma. The potions I gave him were laced with sleeping draughts." Severus stared at Harry, perplexed.
"Then you should know that I've become immune to sleeping draughts, and thus they wake me up, if anything. And I heard everything." Harry's words were faint, but clear. "I'm very open-minded about everything since my near-death experience, sir."
"You shouldn't talk; your vocal cords were nearly destroyed, and haven't yet had nearly enough time to heal," Severus said, as he started rubbing a thick potion on Harry's injured throat.
"So when has that ever stopped me?"
Severus shrugged. "Good point. Nonetheless, you shouldn't bee talking now, and don't you even think of moving from that bed for at least the next couple of weeks, am I understood?"
"Ah, the momma bear in action," Voldemort said fondly, laughing as the other two wizards in the room glared at him, the looks identical. "Your glares are the same, you know. It doesn't help the effect." He smirked, as the twin looks darkened.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Different topic; what happens now?"
"I don't know."
"Thanks, tips. That was very helpful."
"Okay, enough. Harry, you will rest and recover from your injuries, and that means absolutely no moving from that bed unless I say otherwise. My Lord, you may do whatever you please, of course. I will go back to the castle soon, where I shall report to Dumbledore that you are very much alive, Harry, and depending on his reaction and possible orders, Voldemort and I can discuss where we can go from there. And no objections, Harry!" Severus said, cutting off the teen's protest nearly before it started. Voldemort smiled as the youngest wizard of the three of them glowered indignantly.
"Now, now, little one, such a look does not become you, and Severus, I believe that you should be going. I'll make certain that Harry gets all the rest he needs." At the Potions Master's dubious expression, the Dark Lord smiled. "You can trust me. Or at least give me a chance to prove my restored sanity."
Severus regarded him for a moment, glancing at Harry before nodding once. "All right. I will be back in a few days. There should be enough potions to last at least a week, and use only what is necessary," he paused, and removed Lily's letter from his robes. He set the yellowed parchment on the bedside table that stood next to Harry's bed. "Get some sleep; you need it. When you wake up, you may this."
Then he was gone, his black robes trailing behind him like a bat.
"I must learn how he does that, there's a spell to it, I'm sure," Voldemort said in an off-hand way. Harry smiled briefly. "But enough of that. You do need your sleep, so you might as well. I'll be right here should you need anything, so trust me."
Harry nodded, thinking about how charming Voldemort could be, but he couldn't move any further. He yawned suddenly, eyelids drooping as his body finally shut down. He relaxed completely as sleep overcame him. Voldemort smiled fondly as he marveled at the sudden innocence that graced the teen's features.
"Good night, little one, and... sweet dreams." The Dark Lord extinguished the candles, sending the room into almost complete darkness, illuminated only by the light of the moon dancing through the open window.
Severus' footsteps echoed harshly in the corridor leading to Dumbledore's office. The sounds made him almost nervous, but he hid it well. He was uneasy about facing the powerful wizard, his unease stemming from the knowledge of his son's health, the changed Dark Lord, and the major changes to his life as of recently. Absently, he kept his barriers up, keeping his mind, and it's secrets, hidden behind a wall of icy fire.
No one could get past his mental barriers.
Releasing a stiff breath, pausing at the stone gargoyle guardian leading to Dumbledore's office, Severus uttered the password, and climbed the stairs two at a time.
"Oh, hello, Severus. I wasn't expecting you." Dumbledore said as a greeting. "What brings you here at this late hour?"
"I have confirmed that Potter is safe in the Dark Lord's presence, in Riddle Manor. The Dark Lord has not harmed the boy any further than he already is, and wishes for me to heal the boy."
"And why would that be?"
"Potter was severely abused in that muggle household, almost to the point of death! I told you this! In fact, those muggles were happy, proud even, to have caused Potter so much agony, just because the boy is a wizard!" Severus exclaimed, his emotions getting the better of him. "Why don't you care?"
Dumbledore looked at him a moment, his demeanor suddenly colder, his gaze thoughtful. "This is a war, Severus. I have figured out a way to end it without the boy. I do not have time to worry over every single student that attends this school, despite their problems outside of this school. I don't need him anymore."
He left Severus standing there, perfectly calm as he retreated to a private room within the depths of his office. After a moment to compose himself, the Potions Master left the Headmaster's office, his trust in the old wizard shattered. As he made his way down to his dungeon chambers, he longed to see his son again, but it was far too soon, and he would have to wait, at least for a few days.
Inside his rooms, he collapsed into his favorite chair by the fire and summoned a bottle of the strongest Firewhiskey he had, intent on drinking himself into oblivion, at least for a day or so. He sighed, wondering how Harry was doing. He raised the bottle to his lips and drank.
Severus came to as someone was helping him out of his favorite chair. His head throbbed and ached, and every movement caused his stomach to lurch. He did not recall exactly how much he had had to drink the night before, nor did he have any idea as to how much time had passed since he'd passed out. He groaned as his memories slowly returned to him.
"Come on; let's get you cleaned up," said a quiet voice, a voice very familiar to Severus. "Then if you want to talk, we'll talk." It was a silent order.
"I'm fine, werewolf," he retorted, but his aching head betrayed him as it throbbed with every word, causing him to groan. Again.
"A shower will do you good, Severus, and no, you're not fine." Remus Lupin gently but firmly led him into the bathroom. Severus was in no mood to resist.
Remus gently helped Severus into the shower, knowing that the slightly cool water would help to sober the man. He briefly wondered what had caused Severus' bout of drinking the previous night. It must have been something big for the Potions Master to drink himself completely shit-faced.
He watched out of the corner of his eye as Severus slumped down into a corner of the shower, the water cascading down his pale white skin. He sighed as he folded the other wizard's clothes. Severus' scent had been a little worrisome and slightly disturbing; his Lycan sense of smell had picked up Harry's scent- and his blood- all over the Potions Master, along with Voldemort's scent. He desperately wanted to ask Severus about his cub, but he knew he would have to wait.
Severus sobered quickly beneath the water, and he had caught the worried look on the werewolf's face, knowing exactly what the problem was. Slowly, as his pounding headache receded, he stood up, facing Remus with no sense of modesty.
"You're worried about Harry, right?"
His question seemed to startle the Lycan. Remus nodded quickly. "Yes. He's hurt; I can smell it on you."
"And you've probably scented the Dark Lord as well. I'll explain all I know when I have some clean clothes." Remus took the hint as it was and passed a towel and a bathrobe to him as he turned off the shower.
Remus retreated to the living room, taking a seat by the dying fire, stoking it to life again as he waited patiently for Severus to be done.
Fortunately, he didn't have long to wait and Severus came and sat opposite of Remus, staring into the fire as he tried to figure out how to begin. After a moment, he sighed.
"Remus, Harry is my son."
Remus blinked. "Excuse me?"
Severus fidgeted, slightly nervous and flustered. "There was a raid years ago, and I was forced to... but Lily, she understood, and wrote to me, explaining it all, and... Harry is my son. After I found out, I discovered that the boy has been abused by his muggle relatives, almost to death, and had been rescued by the Dark Lord."
Remus was really surprised about that. "Really? Do you know why?"
"Voldemort had a vision that restored his sanity, and now he claims to love Harry; that the lines love and hate had been greatly blurred during his insanity, but that he now sees clearly." It was clear that Severus didn't know what to think about this... revelation.
"And what of Harry?"
"He's doing well, considering. Almost seems too easy the way he's accepting things. I believe he said his near-death experience was enlightening, or something of the sort." Severus shrugged.
"And what drove you to drink yourself pissed?"
Severus snorted with derision, a sardonic smirk marring his features. "That fool Dumbledore. He doesn't care about Harry anymore; doesn't think he's important at all. Claimed him as good as dead when I reported that he was missing from his relatives' home. Said he found a way around the Prophecy and that he didn't need Harry anymore. Dumbledore tossed my son to the side." He glowered darkly into the fire.
The wolf raged within him as Remus fought to control his anger. Harry was a member of his pack, his family, the wolf said, the cub of the pack, the most valued member. Harry was nearly all that remained of his pack, which had already been decimated with the deaths of Lily, James, and now, Sirius. There wasn't much left of pack, and Remus was damned if he was going to let anything happen to his pup.
His amber eyes glowed eerily. "Can I see my cub?"
Severus glanced at him sharply, wanting to shy away from those wolfish amber eyes. "Your 'cub'?" He asked slowly.
Remus nodded. "Yes. The wolf believes Harry is the cub of my small pack, and I agree. I suppose that you are now my pack brother. You can even be the Alpha male. The wolf isn't interested."
Severus didn't know what to think. "I don't know what to say, Remus. I guess... it's an honor, thank you."
"Can I see my cub?"
The Potions Master nodded quickly. "I hadn't planned on going back for another couple of days, but I can take you to Harry whenever you would like, I suppose."
Remus shrugged, stoking the fire a bit. "Whenever. But first, do you plan on revealing Harry's true parentage?"
"No, not yet," Severus said immediately. "Perhaps when Harry accepts his true name, but we shall see with time. Also, there is something else you should probably know about Voldemort. Along with his vision and restored sanity, the Dark Lord now has black wings, like those of a fallen angel, which he keeps concealed beneath a thick cloak."
Remus leaned back in his chair, a pensive look settling on his face. "Again, that's interesting. Well, if you don't plan on revealing Harry's parentage any time soon, perhaps we can come up with something for him. Is he changing physically?"
"Yes. He's taller, maybe as tall as me now; he's leaner, not just from the abuse and malnutrition, and his face is changing. The shape of his eyes is shifting a bit, and his facial structure is sharper, more angular. He has Lily's nose, fortunately." Severus slumped further into his seat, looking annoyed. "What are you planning?"
Remus shook his head. "Nothing yet."
"Yet?"
"I'll have to see him first, before I can come up with any definite course of action. Does he look more like Lily now? Sounds like it a bit."
Severus gave a small, small smile. "Yes, he looks quite a lot like his mother now. He's firmly broken away from being James' 'miniature clone'."
Remus snorted, amber eyes dancing a bit. "Good, because Harry was always too small. Also, it might give me an idea for a suitable cover."
"Oh? Do tell."
"Well, we could say that Harry is finally growing into the wizard he is. He was supposed to have a growth spurt soon, anyhow. He could simply claim that he only growing into his features, including his mother's features, which would make sense anyway." Remus paused, glancing at the Potions Master across from him. "Can we go see him now?"
Severus sighed and stood from his chair. "Of course. Just allow me to grab an extra set of work robes. The Dark Lord has an impressive Potions lab, and I will not ignore my calling just because of the situation."
Remus chuckled, standing as well. "Of course."
Severus was gone from the room and back again in moments, quickly tossing in a pinch of Floo powder into the fireplace, calling out, "Riddle Manor!" before disappearing into the emerald flames. Remus followed his lead, leaving the rooms they'd just left in silence.