AN: hello! I am rewriting this chapter and just to let you know, right after my birthday I got a cold. I am so tired even though it is only 2 in the afternoon. Colds suck. I shall be updating all of my stories all though the hols including Christmas since it is getting easier for me. Sorry for taking so long but again I got sick but I still went and saw my family…oh well. God my head hurts. Sorry if there are a lot of bugs. Just can't seem to stay awake. Also I have a challenge I want to throw out there.
Challenge: Harry is captured by death eaters and the light has lost. Somehow he goes back in time to right before the marauder's 1st year. He befriends them (harry is 11 or was turned back to 11) he must be a marauder and one of the marauders (not peter) must fall in love with him along with Snape or Lucius. Has to be SLASH of some kind
Death looked down on the boy who he had chosen. The boy was sleeping, peacefully enjoying the dream he was sending to the odd human. He moved his hand, bone like fingers peaked out of the sleeve and ran down the face before him. The frayed ends of his cloak moved over the boy's eyes and stayed there when he rested his hand above the boy's eyes for a moment.
"James Potter was no fool. I spit on the name as I do to your ancestors for stealing from me boy, but you are mine just as much as you are James. You shall be my prince. Shall you meet my followers, the gifts will come to light, and then you will be able to claim me child."
He placed two fingers over each eyelid and pressed down. Like liquid, the skin boiled and popped, moving as if alive. The boy thrashed, limbs flailing trying to find relief. Screams tore out of the boy's throat long and load until only hoarse cracks came out he watched as the boy was forced to swallow enough saliva for it to become possible for the screaming to begin once again. Thumps of running feet could be heard along with yells for help and soon the door was throw open violently, smashing into the wall and death was faced with the red head.
Death looked on bored as he took in the sight before him. The freckled boy sat there huffing, hair wild, matching his eyes. Behind him, was a brown haired girl with a similar look on her face. Others crowded behind them trying to get a better look at the boy before him.
Invisible to everyone awake in the room, death left swiftly and with a parting hiss towards his ward, he was gone.
"Strings connect us, usually we only have one, if that. But you have many, be wary my child. I have kissed you and it is as it should be. I shall leave for now, merry met and merry part." Hissed the dark presence in Harry's mind. The words lingered in his head as the presence left his mind. Feeling tugs at his hand in every which way he looked down only to see a large vary of strings tied to his fingers. The only ribbon was tied around his left forearm, the ribbon tightly grasped all of his attention. He reached down towards the black band only to be filled with dread as what it could mean. Before he could guess and let his doubt settle in, he was shaken awake; letting the memory of the dream fade into nothing.
"Mate! You're awake! You were yelling up a storm, what happened? Was it that bastard?" worry laced Ron's voice and face.
Shaking his head saying no, Harry began explaining about a dark feeling and blank dreams but nothing very concerning.
"If you say so mate." Ron gave him one more look, and then flopped down onto the bed, lazily shooing away the gossipers still hanging around the doorframe.
"I'm just gonna sleep here tonight 'kay?" Harry just chuckled at his lazy friend and settled into the arms of sleep once again.
A few days after the incident at night, Harry was back in his room trying to understand why he got nauseous when he walked into the defense classroom. There was nothing really new or different from the other days when he walked into the room; the boggart was there though, probably the time for the younger years to learn about the evil little buggers.
Lifting his head from his knees, he caught sight of his trunk. Cringing away from the offending box, he tried to move onto happier thoughts but his mind was already running to the darker memories that floated around in his head.
Harry sat in the red velvet chair slumped and staring at the goblin like he was a slug that got smashed under his shoe. "What are you trying to say? That they gave me their souls? That dying for me wasn't enough, that they had to forsaken their chance to pass on so I would be safe? Did Dumbledore put them up to this? If that man did I will never forgive him…"
The goblin cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable.
"Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin did move on as you put it. Do not worry Mr. Potter."
He just glared at the goblin. "Explain."
Sighing the goblin did as the distraught teen wished.
"The previously mentioned deceased men have left you their animagus forms of Padfoot and Moony, to take their place and protect you. An animagus is a part of ones soul and it is true that the residing main soul is unchanged and has control when they change form into an animal, but after a while, the animal or other half will become independent and survive on itself instead of the main soul. For example, have Mr. Black or Mr. Lupin ever refer to their animagus forms as separate beings?"
Harry nodded and waited for a explanation again.
"They do that because when they are their animagus, they gain another set of instincts and or brain wavelength. The basically gain another voice, another person in their head. The longer you are an animagus or a werewolf like Mr. Lupin, the more the other half becomes a part of you and it doesn't seem separate from the main soul."
He sat there thinking. After a few minutes he nodded his thanks and left the goblin quietly closing the door behind him.
After following his memories, he felt driven. Reaching for the trunk, he pulled it close to him and reached down pushing the clothes and sweaters he gained throughout the years by Mrs. Weasely around, looking for the tab that would pull up the bottom and show him the hidden compartment that contained a photo album and the two vials he would protect with his life.
Carefully cradling the vials in his hands, he quickly left the dorm and down the spiraling stairs, about to leave Gryffindor tower when he passed a hanging painting of Hogsmeade and thought of all of the hidden passageways the school had. But to make sure, he gave the castle his magic and with a little nudge from Hogwarts, Harry was in Hogsmeade.
Quickly figuring out the likeness that he would find a tattoo parlor so close to the school, he slipped into a store and swiped some floo powder and muttered a quick Diagon Alley, only to fall on his arse in Knockturn Alley.
Standing up and dusting off his robes, he noticed the Gryffindor badge and colors on them and fumbling for his wand, he transfigured them into plain black robes.
Wandering down the alleyway, Harry kept sharp eyes on the shadows and cloaked figures stalking down the street. He turned down a smaller alley and took one more step, but instead of moving forward, he met a warm body pressed to his.
"Ah, sorry." He tried to run when he heard the familiar drawl of the potions master.
"Mr. Potter, pray tell why you are out of class? Do you think that you are so above everyone else that you get special privileges? I assure you that you do not. Now, kindly tell me why you are clearly breaking the rules. If I do not hear a good reason Flitch shall be the least of your problems. Well, Mr. Potter?"
Swallowing, Harry tried to get the blunt of the man's ire off of himself by asking a question.
"I could ask the same of you professor, why are you not in class teaching?" Snape glared at him, wrapping a hand around his arm and pulling him along. Digging his heels in, he begged for the man to let him go, to stop, to just listen.
"Why should I Potter? You do not answer my questions and you mock me right in my face. Why should I stop, just listen or let you go?"
"Fine! Fine, I'll tell you what you want! Just stop!" Snape opened his mouth to show a cruel grin.
"Very well, begin." Ordered to do so, Harry began telling his story and where he wished to go.
"I got permission from Hogwarts! How else would I have been able to go?" he hoped the professor would by his excuse but he knew it was futile to try.
Sneering at Harry, Snape just said very well and started to drag Harry off somewhere.
"Um, sir, may I ask where we are going?" he tried to sound as little as possible.
"If you wish to ruin your life by getting tattoos I shall not stop you Potter. But when we get back you shall be serving detention with me. Understand?" he just grounded out a 'yes sir' that to him sounded a lot like 'greasy git'.
Soon they found themselves in front of a piercing place called Newly Nicks, every needle need. Swallowing once again, Harry timidly spoke up.
"Sir? What is this place?" the store windows were dark and had needles hanging from chains and pictures of grotesque tattoos in the windows along with photos of every piercing they offered. He was scared.
"I thought the name spoke for itself. But if you are that much of a dunderhead, this is a part time tattoo parlor Mr. Potter."
Not bothering to answer, he pushed the door open and walked closely behind Snape. Oddly enough, the inside wasn't quite so scary as the dark window displays. It was Knockturn Alley; maybe it was for show only? He was rethinking when a heavy man came out from the back room with blood on his hands and sunglasses over his eyes along with tattoos and piercings on every available surface of the man's face.
"What can I do for ya?" the voice was chopped and muffled as the big bulky man ruffled through papers behind a desk.
Snape saved him the trouble of answering. "Soul ink. The live kind."
"You some kind of dementor wanna be? Got an odd fetish for live people on your skin or something?" the scary man asked.
Snape quirked an eyebrow in amusement. "Not me, this brat here though I have no idea. Most likely." Harry shoved an elbow in Snape's direction and got a hissed threat and a smack on the back of the head in retaliation.
The man looked at the odd couple that walked into his shop and laughed quietly in amusement.
"All right odd child. What do you want? And where?" the child didn't answer. He reached over to the child and put his arm around the kid's shoulders, leading him to the back room where he stored the ink. Although the scowling man with the child said soul ink, it was a difficult process if that was the truth and he would have to bring the kid with him. Much like how the wand chooses the wizard, if it was a big enough job and required special ink, the customer's magic will draw the right ink to them.
They entered the completely black room, candles the only source of light. Turning to the huge man next to him, Harry waited to see what happened next.
"Go on, stand and let your magic free while thinking of the reason you came to my shop." Harry felt strong hands push him forward. Stumbling slightly, he closed his eyes and let go of the weight of having to keep his magic in.
Magic flowed around the room, the flames jumped up and arched towards him, drawn in by the raw magic surrounding him. The air became heavier, damper and the pressure escalated, pushing down the occupants in the room. He paid no notice to it however; the air around him was whipping his hair back and forth, making him feel like he was floating. The shelves rattled and groaned, protesting being moved so quickly by the tremendous amount of magic.
Harry started to think of every time he saw Sirius, every word exchanged, the friendly touches, of Remus and his kind words and strong nature, of their importance they held and still had in his life, how he wanted to be closer to them, to have them next to him once again; calling his name, musing his hair up affectionately, the long talks under the stars, the secrets passed between them…the running with Padfoot and the longing to meet Moony, to run with them, to play and jest with the animals that had protected him. Wanting to have known he could have access his wolf when Remus or Sirius was alive so they could be together on the full moons. He….he wanted them back. Suddenly one other black vial, much like the two in his pockets, flied into his crossed arms, much like an over powered accio.
Right after a new vial floated gently into his now open arms.
He turned around to see a stunned potions master and a speechless tattoo artist staring at him.
"What? Did I do something wrong?" he asked taken aback at the reactions he was getting by the two men in front of him.
Severus Snape was sitting quietly in the reception room, inspecting the scary looking place. The window displays were miss leading he decided as he looked around the clean white and gray room. It reminded him of the muggle hospitals, all whites, grays, and tans; sterilized over and over until you could smell it when you walked in, much like how there seemed to be a pressure from all of the patients in one waiting area. It was so much unlike his dungeons. But unlike the muggle hospitals, the place seemed to have class. A well-placed decoration or chair and the room seemed well received, seeming like it could inhabit a human. After inspecting the room, he thought of the tattoo artist's decision to let the magic and feelings drive the choosing of the ink. He was never wrong with the boy before and he very well wouldn't have messed up on this. How absurd the notion was! He, not knowing what a Potter was like? Humph!
He was just about to rant when he felt a surge of magic so strong and pure with the underline of dark strength; it was addicting. Moving without conscious thought, he ended up at a dark room and in the middle was Potter surrounded by the elements, he himself was being pushed down by the increased water and air pressure in the room; sweating up a storm from the now blazing fire from the candles, he watched as another soul vial flew out landing in Harry's hands and predictably, the Soul ink floated towards the boy. When he saw the boy turning around, he couldn't help but notice the awed look in his eyes as he automatically called his magic back In, making Severus want to yell out in protest, wanting to feel that rush once again. Even with the display over, he couldn't seem to get a grip over his facial muscles; they wanted to stay slack.
Harry looked over at the two men and cleared his throat wondering if he did something wrong.
"Was that bad? Was I not supposed to do that?" the men snapped out of their shocked states and quickly straightening their clothes and assured the fretting boy that he did nothing wrong.
"No, you did nothing wrong, we are just surprised that you needed another soul to help anchor the tattoos." The man was easily speaking for both of them and Snape let him, he just stared at the Potter child and wondered if it might be possible that the child in front of him could actually have a chance at killing the dark lord.
"Well okay then. So, what's next?" he tilted his head to the side while a relieved smile stretched across his face.
He was moved into a different room that had a reclining chair, needles and brushes all over. Snape didn't even try to cover up his interest and jut followed the duo into the room and sat in one of the chairs against the wall.
He looked at the tall man to see what he should do now. The man waved his arm in a sign for Harry to take a seat. Sitting down he closed his eyes when a light right above his head shone in his eyes. Getting used to the light, he relaxed into the chair and opened his eyes only to see the man had an amused smile on his face. Getting tired of thinking of him as the man, he asked for his name.
"Dude! Sorry I forgot. Name's John. John Dwire. So, what's your guy's?" Snape and he both said their names and soon the introductions were over and he was asked even more questions.
"Where do you want the tattoos?" but before he answered that question he needed a few of his own answered.
"Um, before that can I ask whose soul is in that vial?" he knew he had a creeped out expression on his face. He saw understanding come over John's face.
"Oh, no. He's not dead if that's what you're really wondering. He wasn't a registered animagi and so, one way to get rid of the ability is to give it away to people like me. It doesn't mean he won't be able to transform, it just means it will be like for him, to know how to become one but not actually be one for no one would have proof he was one. It's like obliterating a memory out of someone's mind but they get it back, only slightly different, for they have lived with a fake memory instead of the original. And if he does decide to be an animagi again, it won't leave you; he will just have the exact same one on you for his alternate form. That's all."
Slightly settled, he asked the question he was dying to ask.
"Whose is it?" he bit his lip waiting for the answer.
"Mmm…Lucius Malfoy's. Now, where do you want them?" God, how messed up would this trip get? Souls, Snape, tattoos, and now Lucius Malfoy? It wasn't the first strange thing in his life and like the rest, he reacted the same by just going with the flow.
Holding up Sirius' vial he spoke. "I want this one on my left forearm, and I would like the tail to curl up my bicep please. This one," he held up Remus' "I would like on the whole expanse of my back." And finally fingering the last vial, he suddenly shoved his pants low, showing the v he got from playing quidditch. "I want this one here." He pointed to the right side of his lower body.
He ignored the disapproving glare Snape gave him and laughed when John fanned himself and pretended to swoon.
"Damn boy, what the hell do you do? Exercise every minute of the day?" He eyed Harry's flat and hard abs and fit body. Giving a low whistle, he cackled when Harry flushed in embarrassment.
"Please do not inflate his already huge ego." Drawled Snape. John turned around and sent a glare at the man's way before placing all of his attention on Harry once more.
He continued the procedure, dabbing cold liquid on the front side of Harry where he wanted to be marked with a enhanced alcohol mixture, he spelled the souls out of their vials and started the base of the binding of them to the boy's body. He picked up the muggle looking needle gun that had ruins written all over them and started to chant as he let the soul guide his hand. Soon he was done with the two tattoos on the front and placed a pillow under Harry and then asked him to flip over. Once Harry was settled, the irritated skin pressed to cool silk, he began the process all over again but with a bigger area to cover.
Snape watched fascinated with the process. The magic felt tangible in the room, like he could reach out and touch it. The feelings of love and protection flew out freely over the room. Only making the painful truth that he would never have those emotions expressed for him all he more clear. The truth made him depressed and even more irritable. He was only stopped from drowning in self-loathing by the feeling of interest and faked indifference, most likely coming from Lucius' animagus.
Soon it was over and with one more spell to ease irritation, Harry was ready to go. But he opened his mouth and blurted out words he thought would never come out of his mouth.
"Can I get some piercing also? With charms on them of course." John just chuckled.
"Of course you can." The boy wonder kept surprising Snape today. He could of gotten up and left but unlike the tattoos, the piercings would cause some type of pain to Harry and so he stayed.
"Where would you like them?" Harry thought for a minute and then smiled brightly and started to point out where.
"I would like a chain with two crossing moons in this ear with protection charms on them," he said while pointing to his left ear. A mark was made in the middle of his ear lobe with sharpie, and pointing to the opposite spot in his right ear, "I would like a simple black stone here." Pointing slightly above, he requested three thin and small hoops be up the side of his ear. Switching to his other ear after all of the markings were done, he requested only two small hoops that would be placed in the middle of the two on his opposite ear. But he wasn't done. Opening his mouth, he grabbed lose to the beginning of his tongue, not to far in and said the best he could, "One deep jade ball here please. All with different charms on them. you pick."
John just smiled and nodded his head. The little kitten in front of him wasn't as much as a weak kitten as he thought. He chanced a glance behind himself and saw Snape had a contemplating expression on his face, he smiled knowingly, Snape was thinking the same as him.
"You better brace yourself kitten, it's gonna sting."
"I'm no kitten, do your worst." The words seemed growled like he just offended a dog. But after he got the needles out he was going to use, Harry changed his tune. "But thanks for the warning." Smiling evilly, he advanced on the boy. Not a kitten my ass!
Making as little movement and sounds as possible, Harry dealt with the pain the needles gave him with few difficulties, only whimpering for a few seconds. After the piercings were in and dabbed with disinfectant, Snape and Harry left the shop.
Walking next to Snape was a quiet affair, the only words the had exchanged since they left the shop were those of future detentions. But the quiet was broken soon enough.
"I must say I am surprised Mr. potter." He glanced down at the boy discreetly.
"By what professor? The tattoos or the piercings?" Snape gave a nod to show Harry he was listening.
"Both. But mostly the piercings." Harry nodded in understanding but didn't reply. The walk and flooing back to Hogwarts was once again filled with silence. They flooed to Snape's personal quarters.
"I trust I will not be seeing you again outside the castle walls and to make sure, you are Banned from Hogsmeade trips for the month Mr. Potter. Now, do not let anyone see you when you leave. Understood?" harry nodded his head and strode over to the door and stepped out of the portal. Looking around quickly, he memorized the place and left the hall quickly and swiftly, avoiding the rush of students.
Later when he snuck off to the Shrieking Shack, he gave everyone a surprise with the piercings. He almost told them about the tattoos but it seemed to personal to tell them and so kept it to himself. It felt wrong to hide things from his friends and family but it felt right to hold the information back. Not to mention happy that he had at least one secret that was his alone. They sat there talking about what happened with Snape and how he found John funny and how he felt silly about how he acted around him.
"Don't be! I would have been scared shitless if that greasy git dragged me some where down a dark alley, Knockturn no less! And if I saw that place and met this John character I would have pissed my pants." With a nod that finalized what he just said, Ron turned redder than his hair when Harry and Marcus started to laugh and soon Hermione joined in.
"Hey! What's so funny?" Ron got defensive and Harry couldn't help but put an arm around him when Ron started to pout.
"Mate, just think over your words okay? And remember we are all laughing with you, even though you haven't caught up yet. Okay?" Ron just nodded and sat with a concentrated look on his face that was once again taken over by a huge blush that conquered his whole face.
"God, that was bad!" burying his head in his hands, Ron was surprised when Harry patted his back and said, "That's nothing. I pulled down my pants in front of Snape accidentally today."
Laughter was heard all around and when Harry looked at Ron, he saw that he was laughing again. Nudging him in the arm, Ron looked at him with a huge smile on his face.
"Thanks mate, you're the best."
"Guilty as charged." Ron snorted. They both shared a grin.
He wasn't prepared what would happen in just a few days.
REVIEW! AN: next time, Harry gets sent back! Anyway, you better review!