ONE WAY OR ANOTHER
-CHAPTER EIGHT-
BETA: Green eyes
INFO: www. live journal. com /users /draycious
CHECK OUT: The sun goes down.
"You do know me," Remus said, his voice held a pleading tone to it and it was clear to everyone he was hurt by the open display of distrust Raven showed him. Raven shook his head and the werewolf winced. Albus took in the scene before him and decided to interfere before things got any worse.
"Harry... Raven. Come here," Albus said. Raven walked over to the older man and stood by his side. Albus reached out a hand touched him gently on the arm. Raven's reactions were more drastic this time. He hit the hand with a blocking movement and took a defensive position, his body facing his so called 'attacker'. The thing with the truth potion was that it also revealed a person's true actions, sometimes you want to laugh but hold it in, the potion made you unable to suppress it. Raven narrowed his eyes and kept them trained on Albus. He looked at the old man, suspicion written clearly across his face.
"Back off!" Raven growled in warning. Albus held up his hands and backed away slowly to show him he meant no harm. The constant twinkle that shone Albus's eyes was long gone.
"Severus, give it a try," Albus said in a low voice. He had decided to treat Harry liked an injured animal. He showed all the traits a wild animal showed when captured or injured.
"But I-No!" Severus spluttered in protest, watching Raven with undisguised distain and horror.
Albus put an old wrinkled hand on Severus's shoulder. "Please, my dear boy," Albus pleaded. Severus stood up reluctantly and reached out to touch Raven slowly. Raven backed away slightly and looked at him reservedly. He wasn't sure what to expect from Snape.
"I won't hurt you," Severus spoke quietly, his eyes fixed on Raven. His voice was surprisingly gentle, and it came as a shock to all those who knew Snape.
Raven snorted at him and flexed his hands. "I know that. You can't hurt me, I'm superior to you. I'm not afraid of you. I just don't like you touching me." Raven spat at the man. Blade stood up slowly and put his arms around Raven from behind. Instead of backing away or defending himself in any way, Raven relaxed and leaned into the strong arms holding him while looking at the others defiantly.
"Why do you let him hold you?" Fudge asked with a slight trace of hopelessness in his voice. He really didn't understand this new Harry Potter. Nothing he ever did was expected, nor could it be explained with normal and clear sense.
Raven shrugged lightly. "I trust him. He's my best friend," said Raven, not taking any notice of Ron's sour face.
"Why don't you trust us, those whom you have known for many years now?" Albus asked spreading his arms out in a gesture that motioned to the others in the room.
"I've got my reasons," Raven said mysteriously. He was sure many would read into that, but he found that he didn't care what the others thought.
"May I hug you?" Remus asked unexpectedly. Raven studied him quietly for a while.
"You may," he said at last. He was still on his guard when Remus came near him again. As soon Blade had let him go Lupin reached forward hugged the boy. Raven didn't return the embrace, but neither did he move out of the way.
"Why do you let Remus Lupin hug you?" Fudge asked.
"Because I like Remus and he asked." Liking someone and trusting them wasn't the same thing, those two emotions could be treated separately, even if it was sometimes hard to do so. Those two emotions usually went into each other, and made it nearly impossible to separate them.
"May I give you a hug as well?" Albus asked and took a few steps closer. Raven immediately glared at him. The man would just do himself and everyone else a favor if he simply sat down in a chair and shut up.
"No you may not!" Raven said at once. What did they think he was, a living teddy bear ready give people hugs left and right? A lot of people asked for a hug but he declined each time.
"May I?" Severus finally asked without anyone telling him to ask for it. Many people stared openly at Snape but he didn't seem to care. He had a sort of a new light on his face now. Raven couldn't help but wonder what was going on inside Snape's head. He couldn't decide whether it was something positive or not.
Raven thought about Snape's request. It couldn't hurt...
"You may do so," he said slowly. "Even if I don't like you, you're still my father," he explained. Severus hugged him unexpectedly hard. For quite a long time too. Perhaps Snape wasn't used to hugs; after all, no one wanted to be near the man.
"You may not like me but you still let me hug you," Severus said when he let go.
"You're my father," Raven simply repeated.
Raven had a short break where he had something to drink. Five minutes later the never ending questioning session continued.
"What is it on your shoulder? It looks like a big brown spot!" said Fudge, unable to hold his curiosity any longer. The Minister had his hands folded behind his back and was pacing back and forth in front of Raven who was now seated in a chair.
"It's a glamour spell," Raven offered as information.
Fudge drew out his wand; a long and thin dark colored wood. Raven thought it was an odd contrast since the minister himself wasn't very tall. He shrugged; perhaps the man had tried to make himself more important looking with a large wand. "Finite Incantum!" Fudge exclaimed, his wand pointed at the spot on Ravens shoulder.
Those who were seated up the front near Raven gasped when they saw his tattoo. Those who couldn't quite see craned their necks in an attempt to get a better view.
"Look at that! Amazing!" Raven had a tattoo with the face of a vampire with glowing green eyes - oddly enough it was illustrated as himself. It was wonderfully drawn and looked just like somebody had planted a photograph on his skin.
"Who is that?" Fudge asked. He seemed to want to touch it but Raven simply glared at him and Fudge thought the better of it in a hurry.
"Raven," he answered.
"Who is Raven?" said Fudge uneasily, he suspected the answer already.
"I am."
"Are you a vampire?" asked Fudge, fear in his eyes. Raven supposed it would be very inconvenient for the Ministry if their savior turned out to be a vampire. The politics would go to hell, and the Ministry would be forced to either welcome the vampires to the society or condemn their savior.
"Not really," he replied nonchalantly.
Fudge raised his eyebrows and went back to pacing while asking questions. "What does that suppose to mean? Either you are or you're not. Explain yourself!" Fudge demanded.
"Don't tell him that!" Blade cut in hurriedly. Fudge twirled around on Blade. It didn't look half as impressive as it did when Snape worked the trick.
"Why do you stop him of answering all the INTERESTING questions?" Fudge bellowed at Blade and shook in fury.
"Because it's way too interesting for you to handle, Minister." Blade sneered.
"Good answer," said Raven happily. He liked it when someone defied the Minister or ridiculed him.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" Fudge asked Raven once he had calmed down a little and drunk a few mouthfuls of water.
Raven shook his head in denial. "No but I have a fuck partner that I use to meet up with quite often," he offered happily and Blade laughed. "Shut up Blade! You know that I can't help but answer! Besides, I may tell them about your special friend if you're not careful!" he threatened.
"Actually, it's all that funny!" Blade said in a hurry and Raven smirked knowingly at him. He knew Blade would back off with that threat. Blade was a very private person and didn't want the whole world to know certain things about him. It was how he had been raised.
"One last question, exactly how did Sirius Black die?" Fudge asked Raven and ignored the earlier drabbles. Raven grimaced. He would rather not have had that reminder. He didn't think it was any of the Ministry's business anyway. They had always condemned Sirius.
"Ask Albus," he said instead since he honestly didn't want to answer the question.
The hearing was declared ended and Raven was given the antidote. He was in a bad mood after it was over but he was happy the respect of him was no less than before. That meant he had lost no dignity because of the truth serum.
"What do you want us to call you now?" Albus asked him.
"Raven!" he said at once. Snape opened his mouth but closed it after being the receiver of a nasty look from Raven.
"That's it then. Prefects, lead your first years to the common rooms!" Raven yelled.
The whole hall was set in motion. Raven was about to go as well, but was stopped.
"Raven, Blade, please come with me," Albus said to them. They followed Albus out from the hall, McGonagall, Lupin and Snape following silently behind..
"Can we use your chambers Severus?" Albus asked. Severus glanced over at Lupin and Minerva with a sour look but when his eyes met Raven's he agreed to it. The way up to the Headmasters office was long despite all the shortcuts and Snape's place would be a more convenient place to walk to.
"Blade, how old are you?" Minerva asked and provided some small talk as they walked to Snape's quarters.
"I'm 23." Blade walked next to Raven, sharing a look with his friend at the question. Both of them were bored and wanted to be alone, but they weren't able to, not yet.
"What's your last name?" Snape asked.
"That is a secret," Blade said with a charming smile. Snape didn't seem overly charmed by it, but the others smiled anyways.
"Call him Blood," Raven offered.
"Is that his name?" Albus asked surprised. Raven gave him a little shrug.
"I'm not telling you! Hey Blade, down those stairs!" Raven said quickly to Blade before he could take off in the wrong direction. "Ash to ash, dust to dust," Raven murmured when he walked down the stairs and trailed a hand on the cold stone wall. He suddenly stopped. "Bored now!" Raven announced.
"Just pretend you're having fun," Blade said like a mother would to her child. He was used to Raven acting out every once in a while.
"I said... BORED NOW!" he yelled and caused the four teachers (well one ex and one headmaster) to jump and take a step back in surprise. Raven was acting insane and the others didn't know what caused it. They had never witnessed him quite like this before. Raven liked to mess with peoples heads, and act strangely so they got something to talk and think about for weeks afterward.
"Raven!" said Blade sharply. Raven hissed to him like a snake.
"I want to go see Master...NOW!" he said strongly. They stared at him. It looked like he had a setback in age or something. Snape furrowed his eyebrows, it could be an act, but for what purpose?
"Later," Blade said dismissively but Raven would have none of it. He stamped his foot and literally threw a tantrum. On the inside he was laughing at the teachers crestfallen and stupefied looks.
"NOW!" The teachers watched passively. They weren't sure what was happening, but Blade seemed to know so they let him take care of it for now.
"LATER AND THAT'S FINAL!" Blade yelled. Raven pouted. He sulked all the way to Snape's chambers. The other teachers walked in an uncomfortable silence, not knowing what to make of the situation before them. They had a feeling they were supposed to just let it go.
"Stop acting out, you're scaring your teachers," Blade hissed in his ear when they stopped and waited for Severus to give the password to his chambers.
"Are you included?" he asked and grinned when no one was watching them.
"No!" Blade gave him a dirty look.
"Well, you said my teachers and that's what you are. My teacher!"
"I don't know what you're playing at," said Blade confused when he tried to figure Raven out.
"Neither do I. I guess I'm just tired. I'll behave from now on, I promise."
"Good."
Raven turned his attention unto the room he had just stepped into.
"Dad, you're a slob! Who could have known? You always keep your classroom so neat!" Raven said giggling as he looked around the room. The living room they stood in was a total mess. Severus' clothes were spread all over the floor, they looked like they had been thrown there, which was probably the case. A black pair of underwear were hanging down from a lamp in the ceiling and a sock was dangling from a bookshelf. A couple of dirty dishes lay on the floor underneath a coffee table in front of the sofa. Even empty beer cans littered around the room in various places.
"Severus…" Albus said almost speechless. "I thought I told you to get a house elf down here yesterday."
"That would be needed," Blade said looking around with distaste. Snape glared at him.
"I did have a house elf here!" Severus said in a defensive voice. Clearly they had been through this before, and Severus was very protective of his quarters.
"And the house elf cleaned it all up?" asked Minerva as she looked around. She was hiding her amusement with her stern voice.
"Yes," Snape said with a sneer and crossed his arms defiantly.
Albus looked at him faintly. "Oh dear. I've told you so many times to put stuff where they rightfully belong Severus! Just like you do in your classroom." Albus shook his head sadly when he looked around. "Just look at all this, can you believe this room was completely clean yesterday after the house elf had been here?" Albus asked Raven who shook his head.
"It is the students he puts in detention who is keeping the classroom clean for him!" Raven said teasingly, intending for it to be a joke, but Severus looked honestly ashamed so Raven realized with much surprise, that Severus actually did indeed hand out detentions because he wanted the students to clean for him.
"There's a lot we don't know about him," Blade murmured to him when he too understood. Dumbledore pulled out his wand and banished the mess in a mere flick.
"There! Now let's have a seat!" he said happily and plopped down in the now visible armchair.
Remus and Severus competed to sit down next to Raven. Blade coincidently just so happened to move to another armchair so both adults could sit next to Raven. Remus laid an arm around Raven's shoulders and Severus hurriedly copied that movement. Raven frowned. He felt a bit uneasy but he pushed the feeling down and sat still, even if the current position felt uncomnfortable.
"Why are we here?" Blade asked.
"I believe that there are many things to discuss. Like the Dursley's, what happened this past summer, Severus's relation to Raven, Remus and Peter Pettigrew."
"You already know about that," said Raven slowly.
"Not the details. I must say I'm surprised you abandoned the Dursley's now when you know their purpose. It's blood magic, Raven. It's important," Dumbledore said looking at Raven over the rim his glasses. It was a stern look and it pissed Raven off. Dumbledore had no right to preach about what he could and couldn't do.
"Sod the frigging blood magic! I don't give a fuck!" He snarled angrily. That kind of blood magic had ruined his childhood. He'd be damned if he let it rule his life anymore.
"But-"
"No buts. I've made up my mind." Raven was very firm in his beliefs, and somehow Dumbledore realized that so he relented.
"Very well then. What do you plan to do with Severus?"
"Nothing," he answered truthfully.
Severus looked at him imploringly. "Why not?" Severus asked him. Raven didn't know what Snape was playing at. Only a few hours earlier Snape had hated him, and now he was up to something he didn't quite understand. Maybe it had to do with pride and prestige, Snape was competing with Lupin over him. Or perhaps Snape saw this as his chance to make further assurances that he wouldn't end up in Azkaban, being Harry Potter's father surely had some integrity and status.
"I made it clear why not, didn't I? I don't like you, you hate me."
Snape sat on the edge of the sofa, turned to him. It was impossible to avoid eye contact.
"I don't hate you! I never did. I only disliked you because you were James's son and I liked your mother and I liked you, but I didn't want to like you because you were James's child. So I pretended to hate you and that made it so much easier for me to be around you, but now when you're mine I don't have to pretend any longer, so I won't. I want you to give me a chance and start all over," said Severus in one breath and Raven blinked. He had never ever heard Snape talk that much in such a short time before. If he didn't know any better he'd swear the man was rambling.
"No, I will not allow that Severus!" Remus protested in an upset voice. Remus usually wanted to believe there was something good in everyone, but this time he turned against Snape.
"You have no say in the matter," Severus shot back at Remus.
"Yes I do! I won't accept it! Raven's custody went to me after Sirius passed away and I. WANT. HIM!" Raven had spaced out and left the two old enemies to fight about him over his head, for each word spoken they held him tighter. Thoughts were spinning around in his head, Sirius, the Dursley's, all the recent events that provided some sort of distress. Vicious and vile visions from Voldemort... He remembered one in particular.
Voldemort had punished Bellatrix Lestrange. He laughed out loud at the memory but didn't notice that the fight stopped at the sound of his cold laugh. Voldemort had humiliated her, kicked her around, used her in front of everyone... and he brought her pain, intense pain. Crucio. She had screamed and screamed and screamed, until she passed out with blood dripping from her mouth. And he had felt the pain. He liked it, he enjoyed it, craved it, every minute of it. He hated her that much. He felt her pain…
Unaware of it he was now screaming. He began to feel the pain for real, right in that moment. Every bone and every organ was on fire. He burned from inside. He screamed louder when it felt like his organs were melting. What was happening to him?
Remus and Severus tried to talk to him and hold him but he shook too much. Somehow he had ended up on the cold stone floor. He was convulsing and felt the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. He spat out a mouthful of blood on the floor but yet it came more. It dripped from his mouth as he continued to scream. By now Remus and Severus were in hysterics, Albus close after. Blade was calmer and tried to hold his head down. He tried to control the situation. Snape calmed down a little, and helped hold his convulsing body. Blade forced Raven's head up so their eyes met.
"Raven! RAVEN!" he was looking directly into Blade's dark green eyes. He was released from the memory of the torture. With a groan he relaxed his body and let himself be held by Blade.
"What happened?" Blade asked when he was sure that he was back to reality.
"Lost in memory," he croaked.
"What? How can a memory hurt him like this? Is he Okay?" Remus asked wildly. Severus hugged Raven from behind. Snape was very rarely this upset over anything, but this was his own son on the floor. His own son in pain.
Blade looked at him searchingly. "He's alright at the moment," he finally decided. "It's possible because it was a memory of a vision. It affects him in a destructive way," Blade explained. "Raven's situation is unique, because the pain Voldemort inflicts on his victims is reflected thought the scar and thus it affects Raven as well. The pain is sometimes still stored in the connection, and if Raven unconsciously concentrates on the bond between him and Voldemort, the remaining hurtful magic can be released and he'll be affected by it."
"So the pain is actually dark magic which has remained halfway through the connection?" Remus clarified and Blade nodded.
"I'll teach you occlumency," Snape whispered in Raven's ear.
"Thanks."
"Don't thank me. That was one of the scariest things I have ever witnessed within Hogwarts!" Snape whispered in a thick voice. He didn't mention what he had witnessed outside Hogwarts. Raven was sure Snape had seen more than any other man, since he was a death eater, and he had also been one during the time Voldemort first rose to power. The golden era of Voldemort, as he liked to call it in his head. It must have felt powerful to be a death eater in Voldemort's inner circle and watch as he grow more and more powerful for each day. It was another thing this time around; nothing with Voldemort was new or mighty. He was simply reconstructing what he had done the last time, and it didn't even go that well. The glory of Voldemort and the death eaters had been ruined since the last time. Raven had to admit that he was quite fascinated by how Voldemort had managed to go from Tom Riddle to Voldemort, during the first Era. Yet he now thought Voldemort had turned into something nasty and disgraceful. Nothing Voldemort could do would ever be as great like the first time.
Raven closed his eyes. He couldn't think about that now.
"How do you feel?" Blade asked.
"It hurts," he whispered. Blade nodded in sympathy and turned to Snape.
"Severus, where do you keep the potions taking care of the remaining effects Crucio and burned bones?" Blade asked.
"In the bathroom," Snape said and pointed at the general direction.
"I'll get some." Remus sat down flat on his ass on the floor and held Raven's hand while Blade was gone.
"Are you going to be alright?" he asked hesitantly and it was clear he wasn't thinking fully yet. How should Raven know ether he would be alright or not? He decided to calm them down a bit, seeing as it was needed.
"Yes. It has happened before," Raven said and coughed violently. More blood oozed out from his mouth. Severus touched it softly. He was looking at the blood strained fingers with horrified fascination. Then he looked at Raven with wide black eyes.
"You are seriously hurt Raven! We need to get you to St Mungo's!" It seemed like he just now realized how severe the situation actually was. Blood coming from the mouth was never a good sign. It usually indicated internal bleeding or an injured lung. Fear was evident in Snape's voice.
"No I'm fine," Raven tried to tell him but it didn't work that well because right after his protest he coughed up even more blood. He felt terrible.
"No you're not fine! You're my son, you're hurt and I'm not going to loose you now! You're going!" Severus sneered. That was his way on reacting to the situation. He saw those sorts of things almost everyday as a death eater but it is always different when it is your own child or family member/friend that was hurt. That's when it becomes hard to think rationally. Before Raven could say anything Remus spoke.
"I agree with Severus. An expert needs to check on you."
"Blade... tell them," he said weakly when Blade returned from the bathroom with the correct bottles in his hands. Blade looked down on him, and then glanced at the bottles in his hands. He shook his head.
"I think it would be beneficial for you to go Raven!" he said slowly and turned to the others. "Perhaps we shouldn't give him any potions now and leave it up to the hospital?" Blade asked and bit his lip. Snape nodded to him.
"Good idea. I'll carry him. We'll go by floo. The powder is in the black book on the mantel piece," Snape said and indicated his head towards the open fire. Blade opened the hollow book whistled in appreciation as Raven was lifted up off of the ground and placed in Severus's arms. Even that careful movement hurt like hell.
"Floo in a book. That's a new one!" Blade exclaimed and threw the green floo powder in the fire.
"St Mungo's hospital!" Severus yelled and stepped through. Raven closed his eyes when they began to spin around and Severus held him closer to his body.
"I'm gonna be sick!" Raven groaned and got some soot in his mouth for his efforts.
"Just hold on!" said Severus soothingly. They were thrown out from the fire. Severus landed on his feet with Raven in a firm grip. He was always so graceful, Raven thought jealously. He tried to keep his mind on simple things instead of the pain.
"We need help right now!" Snape yelled to an emergency service. There was always a service right next to the fireplaces in case of an emergency of life and death. They came immediately and laid him on a bed and began to roll away with him. The motions only made him even more nauseous. Someone ran a wand over him and checked his injuries. Remus, Blade, Severus and Albus ran beside him. Voices began to fade in and out but he heard the basics.
"What's the diagnosis?" One of the doctors asked, or so he thought. He couldn't recognize the voice.
"Serious damage on the liver, one broken arm, two broken ribs, Crucio effects, blood in his lunges, internal bleeding in the stomach..." Someone else answered.
"What's his name?" another doctor asked. Of course they didn't recognize him as Harry Potter. He looked very different now from what he had before. Everyone answered at the same time.
"Cercis Snape," said Severus.
"Harry Potter," said Remus.
"Raven Potter," said Albus.
"Raven Blood," said Blade.
"HARRY POTTER!" a nurse screamed. That name was a real catch on and people nearby stared at them with wide eyes. Many curious people strained their necks to get a better look. Snape sneered at them the best he could as they ran past doctors, visitors and patients alike so they could get to an operation table. More people were coming to their aid because Harry Potter was important. They took Raven to an emergency operation room. His company was forced to wait outside. The doors slammed shut and Raven was alone in the doctor's mercy.
"We need to stop the internal bleeding, get rid of the blood in the lunges and fix the damage of the liver, NOW! Or we'll loose him. I can't believe he is still conscious," said a doctor who also muttered a spell and Raven knew no more.