ONE WAY OR ANOTHER
-CHAPTER NINETEEN-
BETA:tammy
INFO: www. livejournal. com /users/ draycious
LINK: http//hp. adultfanfiction. net /story.p hp?no 600007596
Severus Snape was trembling wildly there he sat on the floor. With a shaky hand he tried to massage his forehead to get rid of all the white spots dancing in front of his vision. It was just too much for him with all the new and confusing information about warriors and Dracula and what not coming in a neat package all at once.
The worst part was that his son was in the middle of it, and as he now understood, one of the leaders.
Cercis had vanquished the Dark Lord and because of that Snape was in a great deal of pain because his dark mark had disappeared in the same process, and that hurt like hell.
The battle was over and every one of the fighters gathered in the very much-overcrowded Great Hall of Hogwarts while the Ministry took care of the bodies outside. They had arrived first when everything was over, and was no doubt trying to take credit for the victory, but Raven and his crew would have none of that. This was their battle, and therefore their glory and credit. No one on Raven's side had actually died since they were already undead and the Death Eaters never figured out what they were. It hadn't yet sunk in on people that Voldemort was dead and now gone forever. Some sort of melancholy atmosphere had taken over, and people didn't speak much with each other. It had been a shocking discovery to hear they would be attacked, and then soon after watching the whole battle. Raven had been very busy organizing things with the vampires and had yet to meet his father.
"Narcissa," Raven shouted out to the woman who had only just arrived. She came over to him and hugged him.
"Are you up to do some singing?" he asked her. It was a vampire tradition to sing after a victory in battle, and Raven felt like he needed to follow that tradition right now.
"Sure," she said and nodded. She had prepared for something like this, being married with Lucius had always meant that she was in close contact with the vampires and knew their ways.
While everyone else was busy Raven made a scene out of the head table. He played guitar along with Midnight, and it was by no means anything corny or something like that. They were just a couple of people on stage making their tribute to everyone who had assisted and participated in the battle. Lucius was the drummer much to everyone's surprise. Fire played bass and Blade played keyboard and piano. Scarce's wife sang along with Narcissa since they knew each other well. People quit their low murmurs and listened to them.
It could have been the end of hope
The lost of the remaining innocence
Death holds no glory
When it isn't justified
Dark angels took over the sky
Death knocked on our doors
Dark was the day when everything was lost
Forever their lives shall be stuck in darkness
Forgiveness is not easily given
And even less easy to accept
Now we reach out our hand
In an act of peace
To forever assure those who is left
It will never happen again
We came we won
Our victory
Forever united through dark and lighter times
No one will ever break our blood bonds
(Pure Black, 2006)
It was a dark song but Raven saw no reason for playing a happy and light song just because they had won the war. This song was a traditional one to pay respect for those who died, even if it was the enemy. Lives are worth more than anything on earth, and everyone had to pay respect and keep that in mind. Pointless killing was something frowned upon, even in the vampire society. No one should be allowed to take a life, unless necessarily. Raven loved the darker and perhaps slightly morose songs, and so did everyone who felt at least some kind of attraction towards the darker side of life as well as darker themes. It didn't matter if it was about movies, sex, music or books- they still meant something just as good as perhaps a book about children.
They ended their tribute song with the out dying tones of the guitars and slowly people began to clap their hands. The crowd hadn't expected anything like this to happen since most people weren't aware of the traditions, but they appeared to like it. Raven bowed and went of stage together with the others. He was happy that it was over and he didn't have to worry about Voldemort any longer. He had no worries now; except for one special person still inside Malfoy manor…
"Cercis, oh my god!" his father said when he had finally pushed through the crowd and hugged him tightly.
"'Lo Dad," he said almost shyly. He didn't know how to act now. Raven was startled to see real tears glistering in his father's eyes.
"Dad?" he whispered.
"It's nothing. Don't worry about it. I'm just happy!" his father assured him and hurriedly drew his sleeves over his eyes and dried his tears. Raven was quite sure that Snape didn't much care about reputation for the moment, but Snape wasn't a man who easily showed emotions and even less tears. Remus managed to make his way over to them as well. How he managed that was beyond Raven since almost everyone was stepping on each other's toes all the time. The Hall wasn't designed to fit this many people all at once.
"My cub!" he said and yanked him out of Severus' arms and into his own instead.
"Oomph!" Raven got out when he hit Remus' chest and the air was squeezed out of his lungs.
"Sorry cub," Remus said with humor and kissed his forehead. Snape said nothing but stepped a bit closer if possible. Raven looked over Remus' shoulder just in time to see Fudge climb up on a table and clap his hands for attention. Once everyone had realized the Minister was trying to tell them something, they stood still and listened.
"I am proud to be able and welcome back two persons, who have been trapped inside a veil in the Ministry for many years," Fudge started and Raven looked over at Blade confused. They hadn't known that someone else who wasn't supposed to be in the veil was there when they had operated their business there! Or else they would have helped those persons out of the veil as well.
"Those two persons are James and Lily Potter!" Raven gasped and took a several steps backwards and out of Remus' arms when the two Potter's walked towards him with tentative smiles on their faces.
"Blade!" he said in a whisper. "BLADE!" he yelled in all his might when his 'parents' kept getting nearer. He felt his heart start to beat wildly and his hands go clammy. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew he was panicking for no reason, but he couldn't stop his reaction. Blade ran over to him and didn't care that he made some people fall in his wake. He stood behind Raven's back with his arms protectively lying around him. He guided him through his attack with a firm and confident voice. Remus' actions were the most surprising.
"Raven is mine!" he growled and stepped in front of Raven, effectively blocking the Potter's way to him.
"Remus?" James asked confused. What he saw was an older version of his friend. Severus was standing behind Raven with a hand on his shoulder. He too wouldn't let anyone come near, and even less of a chance that he would let his old enemy come through. Lily and James looked back and forth over them with confused looks.
"What's going on and who's Raven?" Lily asked finally.
"I am," said Raven.
"Why do you say that Raven, Harry, our son, is yours Remus? And why the hell does Snivellus touch him?" James asked angrily. He didn't know what was going on, he didn't like it and he wanted all the answers at once.
"Because I am his father;" Severus said. James laughed when he heard and Lily looked seriously confused. James glanced at Lily when she didn't laugh.
"What are you talking about?" James asked and hid his hesitation and uncertainness behind anger. All his laugher had vanquished. He like everybody else wanted to make thing go back to normal.
"I am his father. How I am, I don't know. It seems like Cercis knows through..." Severus said and looked at him. Raven cleared his throat. He had calmed down enough to be able top explain everything.
"When Blade took me to USA I met Scarce. He is the Minister of the Ministry of the United States. He told me that Severus was my father. I didn't believe him so he offered me some proof. First we did a family tree potion. Then he showed me memories from Lucius Malfoy…" he paused and took a deep breath. This would be hard to explain, and it would hit those people involved hard. "About 17 years ago Voldemort ordered Severus to capture Lily Evans when Voldemort spotted her walking by their meeting place. Severus had no choice but to rape Lily in order to save both their lives... Voldemort hoped to get an heir of Severus because he regarded Severus as a very powerful and valuable follower, and he counted on his heirs being the same... Lucius Malfoy was a spy and modified both Lily and Severus' memories to keep the unborn child, me, safe. When it was time for my birth he snuck into the hospital and charmed me to look exactly like James Potter. Lily never suspected a thing and she truly though that I was James' child. Lucius put up James as my secret adoptive father, he did tell Lily the truth and she gave me a name as the Snape heir before Lucius oblivated her of the memory once again and the truth wasn't shown until now, 16 years later. Voldemort also thought that Severus' attempt to get a child with Lily was a failure because I looked so much like James." People were stunned when he finished, and he expected nothing less. He knew exactly how they felt, since he had been in that very same position a couple of months previous. He just hoped everyone would understand Lucius actions just as well as he did, and not blame the man for anything.