I present to you chapter Three of this very odd Harry Potter AU, I'm warning you. This gets really weird and then it goes back to normal only to get weirder. Also give a huge round of applause for my Co-Author and newly crowned partner in crime: Evanescent Penumbra, most of this chapter is the marvelous work of this awesome person.
I hope you enjoy this chapter and the madness in it plus the chaos that is to come after! So yes, I said that I was writing this to stop the meaningless deaths JKR brought to her characters but, well, I don't know how to explain myself or if I have to. Its sad, underhanded and sneaky but I'm a Slytherin and I sort of hate that I did this but yeah. Just read on and you might get it.
What to expect: Remus, Sirius, The Boy Who Lived To Never Be Normal (also known as Harry), Special guest 1 & 2, Spoilers, Familiar, New Character, Snape, Insanity and possibly clichés.
Discliamer: I own nothing and neither does Penumbra, this is a fan fiction and we make no money by writing this. J.K. Rowling, Scholastics, Bloomsbury and Warner Bros. own Harry Potter and all the characters from that series. The OCs present in this chapter and the rest of this Fanfic are of our (Faded Electric and Evanescent Penumbra) creation but based on J.K. Rowling's work of art, Harry Potter. We gain no profit from this. This is only done for fun and for others to enjoy freely.
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Chapter 3: Bad Reputation
In his unconscious state, Harry dreamed. He stood in a forest and regardless of how much he walked he didn't seem to reach the tree line. It was different from the Forbidden Forest around the school. Unlike any other dream he could feel every muscle as he moved and became tired after a while, seeing no harm he sat down.
The clover tickled his feet as he sat cross-legged, running a hand through it he noticed the clover was mouse eared. He glowered at it and the leaves multiplied into common three leafed clover. The supple leaflets cool and soothed his exalted body, the memories of what happened in the headmaster's office are still fresh but he can see them much cleared now. The confused look on their faced when they come up behind Snape, how the Head of House puts himself directly before them at the sigh of so many people gathered in the room. How Sophia and Jack reacted to Remus, cautious and then acceptant enough to let him protect them from the shards of metal and glass. How they had raised their wands as the Floo flared and took everyone by surprise, the way Sophie had stepped in front Jack and lowered her wand a few seconds after Jack once Remus showed that Moody, Shaklebolt and Tonks were safe. He couldn't help but notice that out of everyone in the room they had reacted in an alert and nearly automatic fashion.
When he, his magic, made everything burst she tucked Jack under her and Remus had covered them both. The Weasley's all gathered around the youngest members and the Aurors and teachers shielded them but not as much as the Slytherins and Remus did. The others stood while those three crouched and dog piled like a bomb had gone off. Remus' behavior was tainted by war and the Slytherins, well maybe it had something to do with the twin's pranking or the fact that there dorms were the most dangerous in the school. Sophia and Jack moved quick and with practiced easy, like a pack of wolves more than the siblings they presented themselves as.
He thought about the way they went missing and Jack's monthly visits to the hospital wing as he traced patterns in the clover, staring at the gnarled branched of a holly bush. A wolf howled in the distance and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Senses awoke as he remembered watching Remus transform into a werewolf. Then the proverbial light bulb flickered on. "Jack's a werewolf. Sophia is helping him some how." He whispered to himself. "Wonder if she's an animagus, like Siri and Dad." He went silent, trying to gauge what kind of animal the black haired girl might be. From what he had seen, people became an animal related to the personality.
His father had become a stag. From what he had heard and learned, like a stag his father watched over his herd of friends and went head first into fighting away enemies. He had been relentless in bullying Snape because he knew the professor liked the same girl he did. He gored the rival buck to win the doe, and in the end his pranks and bullying had done it. Sirius was a Labrador mutt. Playful, careless, a relentless hunter, and stubborn, once they found prey they didn't let up until it was claimed. He had bullied Snape until it was too much, Harry hated that but understood his Godfather had been an idiot in his teenage years and still hadn't grown up that much. The love in his heart was almost never ending and he was as loyal as they came or even more so. Pettigrew was a rat, doing anything to make the cut and lived under the rest to gather the scraps and gorge. Doing unspeakable things to get a full belly and plague the world with his lot, a sneak and turncoat like no other.
But what animal could Pierce be? Well she was playful; he remembered that much from their brief but deep friendship long ago. Always made sure he ate until his stomach nearly burst and guarded him against Dudley once when they were discovered in the park. She had all but growled at his cousin, stance nearly predatory and ready to pounce. She loved to run around and play in the grass, barking laughter filled the air as he would jump on her and they'd scrap playfully among the tall blades. He remembered her cocking her head to the side when confused or if she spotted a bug in the green and crawl in an almost animalistic way to pounce until she caught it. She was also loyal and cunning, she protected and cared for others. As vicious and quick as the best of Slytherin but she moved for strategy, hunting for a win and pouncing at the right moment. She could be some kind of big cat, maybe a lynx or snow leopard? His musings were interrupted by a faint rustle as something moved though the clover and out of the holly bush.
The creature was barely visible among the clover with its green-blue scales shimmering in the moonlight. A foot long serpent looked his way and stared curiously.
"May your hunt be fruitful, little one." He hissed, strange how some things translated in Parslemouth.
The snake's eyes widened, if that were possible, and it raised its head off the round. "Thou speakest our tongue, human?" she said, intrigued and eager. "Strange, the only speaker said to live is blackened in his magicks whilst Thou form shines brighter than stars, sibling." It inched closer but remained fair enough to scurry away should the human try and cause it harm.
"I can speak with you; the other speaker tried to kill me and he made a mistake." He moved his hair back and let the snake his legendary scare. The snake wriggled closer and climber up his arm to inspect the scar, she flicked her tongue at it and hissed baring her fangs but careful that her venom didn't spill. Finding a spot on Harry's shoulder it settled and flicked her tongue at his cheek.
"Thou art lucky sibling, though the black magicks are not responsible for your gift." When Harry eyed her curiously she nodded her head. "It must have been long ago but thee have some of Slytherin's blood, the vile speaker's tainting of thee only awakened the gift." She nuzzled his cheek and rubbed under his chin one her way to his opposite shoulder. "Thou art my kin for that, sibling."
Harry chuckled as she tickled him; her behavior was unlike any other snake he had seen. "Do all snakes act like this?" he asked her jokingly. She seemed to know a lot and he took a gamble. "And what is this place, it doesn't feel like a dream."
"I am a magical snake, cousin to Basilisks. Thine kind call us Lux Aqua serpents, we seek light and warmth in all its form and can swim as well as climb trees were we live and can get to the sun better. Owls dare not hunt us as we help them hunt for rats and mice." She spoke of the animal and flicked her tongue, Harry though if she were human she would be licking her lips like he did at the mention of treacle tart. "We are quite different to normal snakes, which are anti-social at best; we are more like dogs in that sense." She paused and rubbed her head on his cheek "we like to cuddle."
Harry chuckled and began to stroke her back subconsciously and she settled once more on his shoulder, her tail clung to his neck for balance. "This is the world of dreams and spirits; it is accessed by those who sleep after witnessing death or darkness. Those who wish for peace or knowledge of things not informed of, something like a prophetic trance." She wriggled further into the air and met him face to face, "Hath Thee seen someone pass, sibling? My condolences if they were close to Thee and may they find peace." She nuzzled his cheek again and flicked her tongue against his skin.
"Thank you, I think he was the father of one of my friends. Two men were attacked, both fathers of different friends. One died and the other is hurt, I hope they find him in time." He looked down at the clover and debated if he should tell his newest friend of who did the deed and decided he should, if just to learn more about what type of snake Nagini was. "Another snake did it, she's the size of an adult boa and her scales are grayish green. She struck them down and cut their skin open in very deep cuts with her fangs, I think she injected venom in every bite. Her name is Nagini, have you heard of her?" He directed his gaze to the little snake on his shoulder and observed as she went rigid, her head and neck suspended in thin air.
"She is of a different kind than I, brother. Was she taken as a familiar by the vile speaker? It sounds like something he would send her to." The snake looked down, ashamed and Harry found out that she did in fact have eyelids, two sets of them, and the inner set wound cover her golden eyes whenever she looked at him while the outer would blink like a human's.
"I have never met her but her kind are fierce warriors and have the peculiar trait to care for their hatchlings until they are grown, my kind does the same and we are both peaceful, only killing to feed and defend." He saw her inner eyelids slide over her golden orbs as she turned to look at him. "I apologize on behalf of my species that thy friends and their sires were harmed, we regret Thou were subjected to view such a horror." Her features looked sorrowful and he knew the apology was heartfelt, he could feel it coming off in waves much like he had felt the thrill of killing, pain of having him view it and the regret that it was a human from Nagini.
"You don't have to; I could feel that she didn't want to do it." At the confused look from the serpent he chose to clarify, the female obviously didn't favor Voldemort and was drawn to light magic. "I could see and feel as if I shared her mind. She liked the killing because he hadn't hunted recently and it would make her master happy but she hated that I had to witness it and that it was someone I care for." The serpent blinked at him and Harry felt something niggling at his mind, a doubt he wanted to get rid off.
"That is most peculiar, Brother." She gasped and Harry remembered what he had been curious about.
"She called me that too, she called me her sibling." Harry paused and then asked "Do you think she knew I could speak Parsle?" The serpent nodded and Harry felt a shiver run up his snipe.
"It is the only way she could have communicated with Thee. Any serpent who senses Thine scent or speak with you will know of the Great Speaker's blood in Thine veins as much as the blood of Thy sire and their sires obscure it. It is there and we can smell it." Harry felt like running all of a sudden, Nagini would know and she would tell Voldemort.
"Do you mean Salazar Slytherin by Great Speaker? Voldemort was Slytherin's heir, that's why he has Nagini as a familiar. He wants to copy him by having a snake familiar." The serpent nodded enthusiastically at his question and then stilled, seeming to grimace at the mention of Voldemort and Nagini.
"Master Slytherin was a wizard of light and the Great Protector, a Basilisk, took raising him after his barer and sire died in a fire. He was but a hatchling when she found him. The Great One lived with her deadly eyes closed until he was old enough to fashion a magical hood for her that would permit her to look at him and others without hurting them." She couldn't help the love and awe in her voice as she spoke of the legendary wizard and his adoptive mother. "He kept her at his side until his death; her duty was to protect the children taught at the school he and his friends founded. The Great One became the Protector and lived in a chamber of her own where she would keep the young ones safe from those who wished to harm them and she loved all of them equally regardless of their blood though her nestling had not the patience for them."
"But Slytherin was said to hate muggleborns with a passion, he didn't think of them as wizards or witched. I don't think he would want them protected and least of all by his mum. He was a dark wizard according to the books." Harry had heard of children lost in forests who had been raised by wolves so the idea of Slytherin being taking in by a magical snake didn't surprise him much.
"He was not dark! He didn't have patience with them, as the muggles only taught the wealthy to read and to be as clean and healthy as wizards and witches did. He also feared they would start war by seeking revenge on their muggle families who thought them heathens for their magic." Her voice was firm and Harry thought that if she had been human she would have bellowed the first part, she looked affronted. "The feud between Gryffindor and Slytherin began when Salazar and Gryffindor fought. Slytherin had tried to get dragon's blood and Gryffindor nearly died defending him from the angered beast"
She paused shaking her head, clearly disapproving of the legendary foolhardy courage of Gryffindors. "Slytherin reprimanded him with words so sever that everyone though they hated each other and that the Great Speaker was embarrassed that chivalrous Gryffindor had to save his scales. After that he left and but returned disguised with a potion to be female, everyone thought him dark because he did not fear to learn of dark magicks to better defend the hatchlings and they would not accept him back. Only we snakes speak of it, none but we believe this to be true because we know to that we must learn from the past to not repeat it." She moved to Harry's ear and he could hear her snicker. "Master Godric was marveled by the witches wit and charm; he fell in love with her unknowing. Mistress Ravenclaw was said to snicker and tease him, many think she saw through the disguise as thorough as it was."
Harry blushed and nearly burst from laughter, only a Slytherin would be that cunning and only Gryffindors would react that way. "Did they have any children?" He snickered. "That would be a riot." The snake laughed with him in quiet hisses.
"Alas they did not, Slytherin died at the hands of a muggle knight though other muggles tried to stop him. He, then a she, had saved the life of their children from a rouge serpent that had bitten them." She hissed in disdain, "The muggle knight thought had set the snake on them and their parents, who he thought were under a wicked spell to think him the enemy and the witch a friend."
"And then all Slytherins started to hate muggles and muggleborns by association." Harry finished with a nod. "I never caught your name."
"I am Masheed, sibling. If Thou doubt my intention then simply find the meaning of my name. I do not fault thee if thy do not believe me. I commend Thee for that; it shows true wit and self-preservation." At Harry's skeptical look she added. "It is not a bad thing, if you die in a battle were Thy art outmatched it is best to live and fight another day."
"I'll look it up because I'm curious, I'm Harry Potter." He didn't doubt the snake was a good one and he wondered if they would ever meet outside of this dream world. "Will I ever see you again?" he could feel himself coming out of the dream and knew that he couldn't stay here forever. The air around them grew colder and the stars seemed to fade. He glanced at Masheed and found her positioned to strike and hissing in the direction of a clearing.
Six hooded figures in shades of black and grey hovered there and one by one, they inched closer. Marble white hands of the closets one reached out towards them, those hands were haunting in their familiarity and Harry felt his scar prickle as pain seeped into his head. He stood and took a few steps back, his wand already in his hand and he shot 'defindo' and 'reducto' at the wraiths. Masheed secured herself, wrapping around Harry's left arm. The wraiths would wave them away with a hand and cackle maddeningly.
Nothing he through at them seemed to work, Stupefy would freeze them for less than a minute and then they would growl only to continue their advance. One of them was close enough to lunge for him and Harry ran, he could hear them close by hunting him down like wolves on a buck. He ran as fast as he could, clutching Masheed to make sure she didn't fall. One thing ran through his head 'Die in dreams and you die in the waking world.' An idea hit him and he whispered to Masheed. "Try to wake up, they can't follow us there." He urged her 'I hope' he thought but dare not convey his worry. The light breeze became a furious wind and shook many leaves from their branches as the trees hissed at the presence of such foul spirits.
The serpent felt his worry and doubt, his fear and helplessness. She tried to convey feelings of warmth and safety; she knew that they would not wake, not yet. "We can't until what we need to know is seen, brother." Her world spun as Harry tripped on a tree root covered by moss and vines. Her sibling's hands cradled her close to his chest, they were callused and scarred from knives but they were warm and soft enough to handle her tender form and smooth scales. She heard his frantic heart beating as strong as her own; she could sense his warmth and smell his skin. It felt like home. Everything else here lacked reality and he was her only anchor to the real world, he felt right.
Harry's first instinct was to put his hands in front of him but Masheed rang to the forefront of his mind and he hugged her to him in his hands, making sure to keep enough space were the small snake wouldn't be jostled from the impacted. Her tiny and slender form was pressed lightly on his chest and he could only think of keeping her safe as they fell, he could feel every scale and the wrings of tough skin on her belly. It felt like minutes instead of seconds. He snapped out of it and rolled to his side so his back met the ground instead of his face and the makeshift cave of his hands where Masheed was secured.
The wraiths crept closer, each of them with a cackle in different pitches but with the same voice, he could feel their magic drench the area near them. A black sludge bubbled from the ground in a small puddle and the plant life around them died and rotted. The green around them seemed brighter and some flowers even bloomed in the bushes around them. A rustle alerted Harry and he fumbled for his wand, when he found it and pointed it towards the wraiths he was met with the back of a man.
The man was in black leather pants and boots, standing with his legs braced and arms extended. A deep green robe with gold embroidery and a slit to the waist was clung to his strong body and billowed in the wind. His long dark tresses were lose and whipping around him in the gale. His deep and rich voice boomed in glen around him as he faced the six wraiths. "You shall not harm the living!" he commanded, the wand in his hand was flicked in a well practiced move and a shield was conjured. "I forswear thee as my heir! For you are naught but product of prejudice, foolish hatred, lies and rape. Bringing nothing but death and destruction to my school and home, you are a disgrace to my name."
He paused and the wraiths tried to break the shield with a black smoke like spell, the man knocked them back with a wave of his hand. To Harry it looked a lot that magic was whipped at the hooded ghosts with a backhanded slap. "You, disgusting murderer, are not my heir and never shall wield the power of my magic and blood. Never again shall you call upon them." His voice was filled with hatred for the wraiths, his once had been children.
"With witness in form of dead and living spirits and before the Goddess herself, I disown you." His venomous voice was full of satisfaction as he said this. The air around them became heavy and Harry could feel something shift, a golden hue claimed the silvery moonlight shine on the leaves and the shield, the wraiths screeched and cowered. The wizard wasn't done with them. "I name as my only heir, the descendent of my unclaimed child, the Vanguard of Gryffindor; Adhara the Fair." His voice rang through the forest and wolves howled in the distance, giving their approval. The silvery shield glowed until Harry was forced to squint and he could barely make out the dark forms hastily making a retreat.
He was still blinking away the foggy blindness from the light when a hand was offered to him. It took him a second to see the sun kissed hand being offered and he clasped it tightly as he was hauled to his feet with Masheed clutched carefully against his chest. For a moment he was reminded of Cedric helping him up in maze and how he had looked down at his feet only now he was checking on the small snake in his hand. She flicked his tongue at him fondly and seemed to smile. "Thanks." He said out of breath and raised his head to meet light colored eyes, he couldn't quit pin them down. They were a cross between silver, the lightest blue, and even lilac.
"Nothing of it, Harry. Such a young boy should not have to defend himself from such monsters; it is unfortunate that you have dealt with the likes of them too often and at a younger age." His voice was nothing like it had been just seconds ago. It was warm and soothing, an air light soprano. It matched his face, strong jaw and sharp but smooth cheekbones and bright almond shaped eyes. His full but thin bowed lips curved into a smile. The man before him regarded him as an equal as he did not look down at him from his upturned nose. He looked charming and witty, warm and even fatherly. "I am Salazar, it is only fitting you know my name as I know yours." He said with a warm chuckle and his smile made dimples on his lively cheeks.
Masheed wriggled excitedly to Harry's shoulder and extender herself towards the man, tasting the air before him. "'Tis the Great Speaker himself! An honor to meet you, sir! I am Masheed of the Lux Aqua, friend of Harry's." she hissed and bowed her head; Harry watched her and notice the small crown of golden spikes he hadn't seen before.
"And it's a pleasure to meet you, Masheed." The founder inclined his head in acknowledgment and Harry thought is she were human Masheed would blush and swoon. She only dipped slightly and Harry raised his hand to catch her. She slithered to the safety of the offered hand, wrapping her tail around his wrist.
"I would love to speak more with both of you, but the spirits passed can not stay for long with those of living without summoning the temptation of joining us." He had his hand on Harry's shoulder and gave a small comforting squeeze. "Promise me you'll try and find her, Adhara's child. I made the horrible mistake of not acknowledging her as my own in my foolish youth, she has forgiven me but I can not rest well knowing her children do not have the protection of my magic and blood to help them in these troubled times. We are not aloud to interfere in the land of living." He looked off into the clearing where a strawberry blond woman in a bluish lavender robe with silver embroidery and eyes just like the founder's was looking at them with a fond smile.
"Ask your godfather about her or the paintings in the library, they should know of her or a book." Harry was surprised when the founder pulled him close in a hug and kissed the top of his head. "Tell Sirius I'm overly proud of him," he pulled Harry away for a moment and gave him a knowing smirk and a hearty chuckle when the teen looked confused. "He forswore my house because of his wretched kin, I know. Those after my time twisted the meaning of my manifesto and the traits of my house. He honors the ones I set, in my eyes he is a true Slytherin, a growling serpent as it were." He said with a laugh and his bright gaze became loving and warm. "And so are your parents, we're all proud of both of you and Remus."
The man wrapped him a hug again. "I'm so proud of you." Harry looked up at Slytherin when he released him from the hug but kept his hand on Harry's shoulders. "Yes I know you were almost in my house, you do possess the qualities I looked for in my students. Godric is so proud of you with all you've done already; he was ecstatic when you proved yourself his heir." At Harry's astonished look the founder added. "Only a true Gryffindor could summon the sword out of the hat, Harry." He quoted the Headmaster and Harry didn't know how he hadn't noticed that earlier. He pulled him in for a third hug and Harry hugged him back this time.
When Slytherin finally detached himself from the boy his eyes were a little wet and his nose was slightly pink. "I have to go but please remember to seek out my rightful heir, find them for me. They'll know who they are once you present yourself and Godric's heir." He moved toward the woman who bowed her head to Harry and Harry bowed his head in greeting.
"Wait." He called out as the two were about to turn and walk away. "Tell my parents I miss them; say hello for me until it's my turn to see them." His voice nearly broke when he mentioned missing them. He did and he had very few memories of them but he loved them with all his heart and it ached every time he thought of them. But it was a warm ache, a fond one.
The woman smiled and it struck Harry how much she looked like the founder. "That must be Adhara." He thought and committed her appearance to memory.
Salazar nodded and called over the sudden breeze "I will, Harry! Good luck and tell the twins to stop pranking my house and get rid of that toad!" A swirl of leaves surrounded them as they disappeared behind a yew tree.
Harry felt something soft behind his head and noticed a drowsy feeling take over him, the forest became fuzzy and he looked down towards Masheed. The snake had curled up in his hand. "How can I find you after we wake up, Masheed?" he said with yawn.
The sleepy snake looked up at him. "We'll seek each other out. I can't be that far away if I can touch thee. Living spirits can't touch if they're separated by miles. Doth thou have lavender and aconite in thine garden?" Her eyes drooped and she said sleepily. "I live in a garden among lavender and aconite were a grumpy old house elf hides wine. He's really ugly and says mean things about his master and two red hair children who look the same and do mischief." She yawned and he heard her jaw crack, it separated and settled back into place. "I am waking, sibling, Fairfarren."
Her worlds were whispered echoes as Harry felt bed he was on materialize; he had dreamed something but couldn't remember much of it. There had been something really good and something really strange, a promise and dementors who were scared off by a man. His blurry eyesight brought him to Grimmauld Place; the faint smell of lavender greeted him back to the world of the living. Lavender? He frowned and stared at the ceiling, soft snores came from a chair next to his bed and he turned drowsily to find Remus Lupin sitting in a comfy chair and deeply asleep. The man looked haggard; the full moon must have passed recently. The fleshy scratches on his cheek were new. Harry hoped he had had Wolf's bane to help him through. Wolfs bane, otherwise know as monkshood and aconite.
With a jolt he was out of the bed, he barely heard Lupin call after him when he made it to the door. As he ran out of the room on unsteady feet when a wave of nausea hit him, the rush of blood being sloshed about in his body, Harry stopped before the stairs to steady himself and took the steps two at a time. Kreature had to pop out of his path to a step behind him mumbling to himself loud enough for others to hear. "Shut up Kreature! There is a snake out there in the snow." Harry ignored how the house elf nearly fell over with glee that the vanguard of the light was going to rescue one of the great Slytherin's favored beasts. The elf had to pop out again as Lupin followed Harry who had already made it to the dining room and he was out the door in a second, eyes trained of the snow dusted lavender bushes and mixed with aconite.
"Masheed?" he hissed towards the bushes. "Masheed wake up. I'm here to bring you inside where its warm. Are you here sister?" a familiar rustle directed his eyes towards a small whole near to root of an aconite bush. He kneeled in the snow and his thin pajamas instantly sucked up the frozen water but it was worth it as a spear shaped head peeked through the bush and sleepy golden eyes greeted his hopeful verdant pools.
"Brother!" The snake wriggled out of her den and into the palm of Harry's hand, the owner of said palm quickly brought her to his chest. Keeping the snake shielded from the cold and giving her some body warmth.
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A shadow moved through the halls, nearly silent footfalls betraying nothing as it moved swiftly down the castle. A flicker of billowing black was all that told of Severus Snape rounding the corner of a hallway on the second floor. It wasn't his night to do round but he could not find sleep.
The things the boy saw, it made him restless. Severus Snape never got anxious, no, despite what others might say. Tonight he was very close to that, not a cup of his peppermint tea with a slice of the school's delectable double chocolate cake nor a tumbler of Firewhiskey soothed his nerves. He dare not try a potion as the risk of being summoned was coming closer on the horizon. Thank Merlin his wards had gone off when two of his Slytherins had ventured from the dorms or he might have been caught asleep by Minerva. Now the two pranksters were with the Potter brat at that fleabag's hidey hole. He almost regretted the detention he had given them, but it would serve as a constant once their world went arse over teacup.
A familiar sound caught his attention and he turned towards the girl's lavatory, the one haunted by that irritating voyager of a Hufflepuff, Moaning Myrtle. With a quick wave of his hand the Professor silenced the hinges and peeked in. He was met with the sight of a young man, fifth year with his luck, sitting before a potions set up. The sound was revealed to be the flicker and roar of a burner under a small cauldron. The pale complexion and black straight hair told him it was one of his serpents, the familiar bedclothes confirmed the thought. With a glance at the youth's wand and the brief sighting of a scarred cheek the Potion's Master approached him.
He stood behind the teen and drawled out, "Mr. Nior, would you mind explaining your absence from your dormitory?" disappointment clear in his voice and he continued, not giving the child a chance to answer just yet.
"Make it a good one and you'll save our house a considerable amount of points as, at least, one detention is inevitable." His voice was laced with kindness and dark humor. A note of caring spoke of the pride he felt at the teen's reason for being out of bed and his work ethic on his nocturnal brewing.
"I think you know why, sir," The boy smirked, his heterochromatic eyes twinkling. Snape had to hold back an eye roll at seeing the hint of mischief in the mismatched red and blue eyes.
"Of course, but you know as well as I do, Mr. Noir, that the school provides you with a perfectly suitable blood replacement." Snape drawled, looking at the bubbling liquid in the cauldron that perfectly resembled what it mimicked.
"Professor, you know I'm not a full vampire because the dimwits that turned me forgot to, you know, kill me after they bit me and exchanged out blood. And I don't know what it is, but the school 'blood' tastes like...well I can't exactly describe it, but it's hardly pleasant." Snape raised an eyebrow. It wasn't like Sebastian to speak so much.
"While your excuse is a good one, you know I can't let you off easy just because you're one of my Snakes?" It was phrased as a question, but Snape knew the boy would see it for what it was.
"Of course, sir." The boy responded with yet another playful smirk, which stretched the five, black horizontal scars over the boy's cheek into a slight curve. No one knew how he got the scars, aside from maybe Malfoy.
"Next time, Sebastian, you will come to my office and we'll brew in my private labs. You'll be there after the winter holidays with two of you housemates. They have an equally challenging potion to brew." The fact that he ran into so few students like this one spurred him to help further. His charges trusted him with their secrets and some with their very lives. "My door is always open after classes." he gave a rare smile and sat down next to the child, crossing his legs with his robe folding around him in a pitch black nest like a bat's folded wings.
"I've noticed you've changed the measure of orange for the vitamin C and have changed pig's blood to duck. Your reasoning?" he said not looking at the teen as he quizzically eyes the ginger lying near by. The boy was better at brewing than his efforts in class suggested.
Sebastian was silent for a moment as he debated on whether or not he should tell his head of house about the adjustments to the potion. He stirred for a few seconds more before answering. "I-I used duck blood because of convenience. They were, you know, sitting on the lake. I increased the vitamin C because I have a bad immune system. Sir." Sebastian really hoped his head of house didn't ask why.
Snape looked at the boy, his sallow features betraying nothing, and read his body language. Nior was holding back. "Very well."
He wouldn't push deeper, not now at least. Many wouldn't see it at first glance but his students struck and bit in preemptive self defense. Knowing full well that if they didn't act first others would strike to wound them first, or so they knew by experience.
"You'll find the taste much milder than the supplied potion and it should work better at healing and supplying energy then the dish water St. Mungos calls a blood substitute." He spoke the last part with venom on his tongue. Severus Snape wasn't known to be a caring man, but Circe why in any one's mind did such a place doll out such a mediocre brew?
He sighed knowing the teen must have felt or at least seen his anger, not wanting to spook this elusive snake into closing up, he clarified. "Sebastian, places like those are run by halfwits and idiots. Most can't brew a simple cure for boils without ruining the first three batches." He directed his warm gaze to the child, it was one he used with only one other fifth year.
"You're efforts are commendable. I know what its like to struggle with something this oppressive and the stigma of it." His lips quirked in a smile as he watched the boy stir, he was nervous and guarded, memories flooded his mind and despite his usually detached nature he found himself wanting to help the youth. "Should you ever need something or someone to speak with, you can confide in me. I hope you know not even that sociopath harpy in pink can stop me."
Sebastian snorted and quickly threw a hand to his face to stifle any further giggling.
"Thank you sir, it's just that-" He cut himself off and internally cursed himself for letting his mouth run away from him. Snape's silence was enough to tell the boy that he was expected to continue, and so with hesitance he did. "I never wanted to be a vampire, or whatever the hell kind of mix of vampire and wizard I am. They just-they came into our house one day looking for Harry and my father..." Sebastian trailed off, ducking his head to hide the wetness that was building in his eyes as he pretended to focus on the potion again.
He felt his professor's eyes burning holes into the side of his head and wanted to continue, but his throat felt choked and his eyes were stinging and he couldn't bring himself to speak. Instead he let loose a wet cough that almost certainly revealed the fact that he was crying.
"I don't complain. I'm-I'm not like that." Sebastian said after a moment of wiping his eyes. "And I don't know what would have happened if my father hadn't handed me over to the vampires, but I know Harry wouldn't be here...so I mean, it was me or Harry and the world needs Harry more than me. But sometimes it just bloody sucks" Sebastian's frown was wiped away when an amused grunt escaped him mouth. "No pun intended."
Snape couldn't help the benign smirk from forming at the teens stifled laughter. He quirked a brow when the boy suddenly stopped in mid sentence and made a face he knew all too well on his own features. He looked at him intently, trying to convey that he would not be judged.
"Your burden, much like Potter's, is of life and death consequences, child." he reached out and grabbed the boys arm and turned him so they were face to face.
"It is unbelievably brave that you continue as you do when others would have opted out or given into the bloodlust." he paused for a while to move some wayward hair out of the child's, no, young man's face and ran his thumb across the inked scars. "Never forget, Slytherins are known for our determination and we live in shadows. We know true poison and darkness, it's made us strong because we know it intimately and how to fight it." He moved his hand to tilt the young man's chin up, make sure his head was held high. "Sebastian, you are too strong and stubborn for the choices of others to darken you. The fact that you put a boy you never met before your own life proves that it never will."
A thoughtful looked over came his face and his frowning lip twitched into a smirk. He removed his hold on the youth and turned off the burner, with a flick of his wand the potion was cooled enough to drink. He ladled a dose into a glass as he spoke. "Our house seemed to be in a shortage of people like ourselves. We are a very small number but we always guard each other." The potion's master handed the glass to his student, "Unfortunately, when such Slytherins band together they are prone to indulging in our legendary propensity for mischief." He looked back at Sebastian with a raised brow, "perhaps you can remedy that?"
He knew it might be a catastrophe and the school might be plunged into an era with more chaos than his own school days. After all, while Pierce and Corbeau were consummate pranksters they kept well out of sight. Most of their mischievous deeds remained in anonymity or were gifted to the Weasley twins.
He knew his professor was trying to make him feel better, and it felt good to know that someone actually cared about him and understood that while he hated being a vampire, he was okay with what he had to give up. He remembered the first time he saw the older man he was intrigued instead of terrified like a majority of the other first years. Maybe it was because he could tell the older man was powerful and wise and most definitely more than he seemed.
Now in his fifth year that turned out to be true, even if he didn't know all of it. He certainly knew that his head of house was a good man. He could count on one hand the number of people who accepted him for who he was, and Snape was one of them. For the first time in what felt like forever, Sebastian genuinely smiled.
"Be careful what you wish for." He grinned slyly, eyeing the potions master out of the corner of his eye as he grabbed the offered glass of 'blood' and took a drink. He set the cup down and cleaned up his potions supplies with a quick flick of his wrist; it was the only wandless magic he knew, but it was useful.
Once done he looked up so that he was just barely making eye contact with his professor. "My idiotic twin is the good one, the smart one, the funny one, the Gryffindor. Being the only Slytherin in the Noir line, ever, makes one very used to both pulling and avoiding pranks...and hexes and curses."
He picked up the glass of blood again and finished it off before setting it down with a clink on the stone floor.
Severus couldn't help the smirk and the flicker of joy that invaded him, perhaps he had set of an age of pranks worse the Marauders' but at least it was from his own house. Once word reached Lupin and Black they would be shocked and dismayed that Slytherins had stolen their mischief majesties crown.
"I always am careful, Sebastian." He stood and spelled the remaining supplies into the now cold cauldron. He held out a hand for youth and grinned fondly when the student took it. Once the youth was standing he subconsciously let a wave of magic rush over them, straightening out the wrinkle in his clothes and removing the dust from the fabric.
"You might find your detention to be anything but, in fact you could leave with a friend or two." he made to
open the door and stopped. He turned around briskly and narrowed his eyes slightly, taking a few steps towards Sebastian. "What is your view on werewolves?"
Sebastian took a few steps back and looked at the older man with confusion in his eyes. "I don't know. I mean, we're supposed to hate each other, but that's more taught than instinctual, I think. I've never met one, but they face the same problem as vampires; a few bad ones make every single one of them bad in the eyes of the average wizard." Sebastian murmured, looking pointedly at Snape, so that the older man would know that he wasn't the 'average wizard'. "Why?"
Karma had placed a wolf among his snakes and he would not dare make the same mistake he made with Lupin, the boy had come to him to plead that he taught him how to properly brew a Wolf's bane potion. For his father he had said, the potion was actually for him and he did not want to be a burden on anyone so brewing it himself would stop him needing his friend from doing it. However said friend did it out of altruism and said it was not a burden to her in the least.
"Seeing your commendable effort, I wish to teach you how to properly brew my own adaptation to it. I know a few wolfs and its a challenging brew. If you are not hostile to them, I think you might enjoy the challenge."
It stung to lie to his student especially one who had seen so much pain and fate had cheated, but the flickers of remorse that ignited in him at revealing the more rational of the Marauders was quite latent. He would not put his snake though it, even if Sebastian would keep it to himself. No, that was the other student's choice and he would not make a spectacle of him.
Sebastian took a moment to consider the offer. He had plenty of free time to work on the potion because school work never took him too long. The only real problem would be needing to keep his guard up more often. Whenever he was alone he was fine, but with people...well you could never trust them.
Deciding he could manage it, he looked into the obsidian eyes of his professor and said with a small smile gracing his lips, "I'm always up for a challenge. When do we start?"
"We will start the day after your detention with your housemates. If they make a passable potion of their own then they might join us, they have a particular interest in distributing Wolf's bane under an affordable price." He finish the phase with a look of fake astonishment, brows slightly raised and lips parted. "Quite the Hufflepuff gesture, don't you think?" the Slytherin drawled with an amused smirk.
"You shouldn't worry about them. I think you'll find them to be-" he thought out the right words, not wanting to betray anything but plant some sense of comfort and safety in the youth's mind. "Kindred spirits of yours, they have been at the mercy of fate's cruel hand in a similar manner to the best of us."
Severus left no room for argument as he swiftly pulled the door open and motioned for the boy to follow him.
Sebastian followed his teacher out the door and remained silent as he debated his next words. He watched his teachers robes billow in a nonexistent wind and wondered who the kids he was speaking of were. He knew them, of course, but he didn't know who they were. It definitely wasn't Pansy or Millicent. It could be Sophie, but he didn't talk to her much. Draco would have told him if something was up...or of he got a detention. Maybe it was Nott, but Theo didn't seem anymore suspicious than usual.
Sebastian was definitely intrigued. "I think I would like to know who they are." It wasn't phrased as a question, but it was clear that he wanted answers. Not that he really expected the potions master to respond with more than an ambiguous statement.
"I'm sure you would, but that remains a surprise." He said with rueful smirk. A glance at the young student reminded him that he could very well be orchestrating the ruin of the castle.
"I can't help but this I've put together a Slytherin versus Gryffindor prank war, oh the countless casualties that will ensue." there was nothing even close to remorse in his voice, just pure sardonic joy.
"Just don't get caught, you are a Slytherin. You eat those 'quiet as a mouse' types for breakfast." As they reached the dungeons Snape spoke in a whisper, "If asked about me encouraging you three, should anything come of detention, I said nothing." He felt almost giddy with the idea of Minerva losing her glacial calm when her tower exploded in what ever manner of pranks might ensue. Take that James Potter.
Sebastian smiled when he heard the gleeful tone in the potion master's voice and smirked when he realized that he was being given full permission to prank the Gryffindors.
Even though pranking the Gryffindors wasn't his main goal. His main goal was to prank his brother, who happened to be in Gryffindor. Damien was a bad person, and he had heard Harry and his red-headed friend Ron talking about how obnoxious he was. But Damien wasn't just obnoxious; he was cruel and arrogant too.
When they were kids, their parents would take them to balls and Ministry events, given the Noir position in the Wizarding world. Damien would always pull some stupid stunt and Sebastian would be blamed for it. It was Damien's word over his, and his parents never liked him anyway, even before he was a vampire.
Sebastian frowned. "I can hide forever and no one would notice I was ever gone. No one will catch me."
They were reaching the entrance to the Slytherin dorms. "Ah, but there is the flaw. It's not about being found instead its about being found out." The potion master drawled the instinct to instruct he had developed as a professor crept up on him and took over. "It's not about hiding away, but hiding in plain sight."
An archway between two suits of armor opened up as they shifted from guarding to a resting position. He cocked his head to side motioning for the stairs to the boy's dorms. "Its a little early but if you would like a potion's master apprenticeship, you could escape Christmas with your miserable relatives." He paused and gave a smirk. "That is if detention bears any result."
Sebastian gained a thoughtful expression at his professor's words. "My lack of presence is almost embarrassing sir. I can hide in plain sight by just being myself." He grinned a little to himself. He used to be annoyed that no body noticed him; that he was the epitome of 'wallflower', but now that he was in Slytherin it was starting to become more of an asset. "But anyway, if I get along with the mystery duo in detention, then I can apprentice under you?"
Sebastian's eyes were bright as he thought of what he could learn. That's another thing that separated him from his twin; he actually liked learning. Next to Hermione he was one of the brightest wizards in their year. He was just quieter about it, but that's just part of being Slytherin.
He watched his professor from under his bangs as he waited for an answer.
"Presence is overvalued; being noticed by everyone means nothing. Being seen by those you wish to see you, on the other hand, is all you need." He ushered to boy into common room and he was sure he saw Pansy Parkinson rush down the girls dormitory stairs like the devil was chasing her.
"Whether you get along with them or not is of no consequence." Snape looked down his nose at the dhampir child. His 'Scary strict Professor' mask slipping on effortlessly. He sat down on the darker of the velvet upholstered green armchairs and rubbed his temples, the mess that would come if Sebastian and his apprentice didn't get along even civilly. He hoped he wasn't making a mistake.
"It will make things easier on me as one of them already holds an apprenticeship. Your access to my teachings is only dependant on how you work in close proximity with them. Should you choose to befriend them or not doesn't matter to me." The last part was a lie, one of the biggest he had told a student.
Of course it mattered to him, these three would possibly lead and guard the rest of the Slytherins should war come. They would keep them in the light and safe from their twisted families.
Sebastian grinned. Starting an apprenticeship wasn't all that uncommon, but to possibly be starting one under the greatest Potion's Master in Europe was definitely not something one got the chance to do often. His grin shifted into a small smile and then faded into his trademark frown. "I really do hope I get along with them, whoever they are." He paused and eyed his professor with a jokingly accusatory expression resting on his sharp features.
"I don't have many friends apart from Draco, but he's friends with everyone and I wouldn't take that away from him...but it would be nice to have someone to spend time with when he's not around."
Sebastian blinked and tried to get over how pathetic he just sounded. His professor didn't seem to care, but he did. He was a pureblood wizard from one of the most powerful Light families in the Wizarding World and here he was spilling his guts to a teacher and acting like a pathetic, lonely, mess who couldn't hold himself together. His jaw tightened as he ground his teeth together. He was a freak, but he was a proud one.
Snape could sense the worry, "As I said, you'll find them to be kindred spirits." He tried to convey warmth and security, something he felt would be completely lost to him should he had not known what was going on through this teen's head.
"I only had one friend during my school days, we drifted apart." He stopped himself before he said too much and then started to let that seed he had planted germinate and let limbs grow.
"Draco can be a good friend but he will be pressured, with how things are lining up. It's important that you don't judge him and introduce him to new friends, some that might help him later on." He shouldn't be saying these things but it was something they needed to know, Draco was already on the short list for a Dark Mark and so was Sophia but she would declare where she stood soon enough and make herself a target with how well he knew her.
"It's best to have few but trustworthy friends than to surround yourself with enemies, Sebastian."
"I know that, Sir. And I know how tough things are for Draco, what with his parents and the war and everything." Sebastian paused and contemplated speaking more, but in the end decided to go to bed. "I think I should go to sleep now. I wouldn't want to blow something up in potions tomorrow." He walked up to the dorm before Snape could get another word in. He saw once he had closed the door that Theo and Blaise were still up doing homework. They gave him a slight nod as he walked towards his own bunk.
Once he sat down on the soft comforter covering his springy bed, he scanned the room and saw that Draco, Crabbe and Goyle were asleep. He smiled at the peaceful look on Draco's face; he never seemed that relaxed when he was awake. Corbeau's curtains were closed, but he had to assume his classmate was asleep.
He lay down and closed his curtains with a quick spell, before placing his wand in the holster he had strapped to the top of his bed. He lay his head down on the pillow and willed sleep to come, but it evaded him. This wasn't new, of course. He hadn't really been able to sleep like a human since he had been turned when he was ten. Or sort of turned, as was the case.
Now he usually just let his eyes fall closed and passes out, but even that wasn't working tonight. Instead of lying there listlessly he decided to think back on what awaited him in the days to come.
The detention was on the forefront of his mind. Detention wasn't new to him, not by a long shot, but this would be the first one he served with someone other than Draco.
He thought back on his previous guess as to who he was serving the detention with. Both students were obviously in Snape's good graces, which meant that they were definitely Slytherin's. They were also fifth years. Sophie Pierce was his first guess for the girls, only because the other girls in their year were whacked up in the head. But that's assuming that one of the students was a girl. The only real candidates for the boys would be Blaise, Theo or Jack because Goyle and Crabbe were morons and Draco would've told him if he got detention.
While he wasn't close to Blaise, he was fairly certain the darker skinned male never got detention. Theo got detention frequently as did Jack, so it has to be one of those two.
He thought back on what he knew of the people he suspected. Jack and Sophie were always together, so going by that logic, it would have to be them. But what did Snape think he had in common with the Gryffindor-ish Slytherin and her snarky partner?
He fell asleep thinking about all he knew of the duo.
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He walked back inside as he chatted with his new friend. She snuggled against his chest and listened to his heart beat. Harry felt the same wave of magic from his dream wash over the both of them and when Masheed opened her eyes to look at him quizzically he saw her eyes glow. Not in a sense of emotion but an actual light shining from them. The Boy Lived So Far felt himself smile, not the half hearted upturn of lips that had been his usual upside down frown for a while now but an actual smile. He felt it in his heart and he petted her head, she met his hand eagerly and nuzzled it. She turned to peak through his fingers at a man in the door way.
"Who is this, brother? Is this Thine sire?" she asked and slithered over his thumb to peak at Lupin.
"He was a friend of my sire's, nearly brothers but from different families." He told her and out of the corner of his eye he saw Lupin's eyes grow wide and to his right the crashing splash of a dropped teacup was heard.
He looked up and saw Sirius blinking at him.
"And him? Is he another of Thine sire's hunt brothers?" she peaked between his pinky and ring finger, like she was trying to hide from potential threats in the limited cover offered by his hand. Masheed was nearly reached his second knuckle when she was curdled up like she was now.
"Yes and he is my godfather." He saw she still hid like a small child hid behind their parents and chuckled. "Don't worry, they won't hurt you. They're just surprised."
She poked her head through his pinky and ring finger and curiously flicked her tongue at Sirius. If she had human skin Harry thought she would blush as she shyly ducked away and slithered up his chest and around his neck to peek at Sirius from behind his hair. Harry had been growing it out since fourth year, not that it had grown much but it nearly reached his shoulders.
"Harry." Sirius said after he recovered from seeing his godson speak parsletongue and bring a snake in, a snake he appeared to be chatting quite comfortably with. Remus had busied himself making coffee and while it was brewing he searched the liquor cabinet for something strong. It was only ten in the morning but they would need it, at least anyone who came in would see them drinking coffee. Sirius' voice was curious and slightly apprehensive but demanding and explanation, like the rug had just been ripped out from under him and there was huge hole in the floorboards for about five floors consecutively and he was asking his mischievous son if he knew how that happened but without any anger in his voice.
"Right" he said, sitting down at the table and placing Masheed in his hand, holding her to his chest again to fight off the cold of the dining room. A small hiss of thanks made him smile.
"I can speak parsle, I've known since second year. Draco Malfoy summoned a cobra at dueling club and it wanted to attack a kind and I sort of told it not to." He paused and left out how everyone had thought he was egging it on to bite the student it had set its sights on.
"That kind of saved Ginny and Ron's hide back then. That year I killed a Basilisk and only just found out that Voldemort had brainwashed it into think the castle was under siege when he was there and managed to do it again with a memory of him from a journal." Masheed hissed quietly to him that she didn't fault him, he didn't know and that vile speaker was no longer able to control its kin should there be any Slytherin bonded with. It assuaged Harry's guilt a little. "Fawks saved mine."
He stopped for a while and added sugar to his coffee and some cream, Lupin added a small measure of amber liquor and then added a larger shot to his and Sirius' coffee.
"After I passed out I dreamed and I fell into a place that was the realm of dreams and spirits." He stopped to remember the promise he had made and resolved he needed to find the decent of Adhara, maybe Sirius would now something. Sirius, he had to give him Slytherin's message.
"I was in a forest alone for a while and thought about everything that happened in the Headmaster's office." He felt bad about it but not as sorry as he should. People could have gotten hurt but that was just about it, there was no remorse for the Headmaster's broken trinkets. "I think Jack's a werewolf and Sophia could be an animagus." He said to the room in general and pressed on.
"Then I saw Masheed coming out a bush and she told me were we where, she knows a lot about Slytherin. The whole muggleborn hatred thing got twisted by time, the basilisk was apparently his adoptive mother and she protected all the students regardless of blood status." He wished he had tried to talk to the great serpent instead of taking Voldemort's word for it.
Sirius nearly chocked on his coffee and Remus set his down with a thoughtful look on his face.
"We'll that makes sense, I heard Beaubateux keeps dragons for the safety of the school and Drumstrang students are trained to sword fight and such." He took a sip of his coffee and Sirius looked at him then he stared at the liquor cabinet as if it the middle draw held the answers to the universe.
"We kept a freaking Basilisk." He finally said and righted his head, a smirk curved his mustache and he let out a sigh before picking up his coffee. "That place never stops surprising us, does it Moony?" He chuckled and Remus nodded after swallowing a scalding mouthful of liquid. "But how is it you can speak with your little friend?" He turned to Harry who shifted uncomfortably.
"I think some of Voldemort's powers sort of slipped though that night and mingled with my magic." He shivered and a grimace set itself on his lips. Masheed chided at him that that vile speaker's magicks had nothing to do with his, she could feel it. It came from Harry's core not his scar.
"Masheed thinks it's something I can do and Voldy had no say in it. She says is from my core and not my scar." She nodded her head definitively and Harry chuckled. She was one of the few who didn't think everything he did was because of his bloody scar.
"So James or Lily had some Slytherin blood in there somewhere?" Sirius rubbed his face and extended a hand towards Masheed cautiously. The little snake slithered out of Harry's hand to taste the air and his godfather's hand, once she deemed it safe she nuzzled Sirius' calloused fingers. His godfather chuckled and stroked her head.
"Sirius." Harry was a little nervous at what the message he had to relay. "I was about to wake up but some things tried to get at us. Then I met him, he chased them away and said that they weren't his heir and disowned them. I think those things, they looked like dementors, and they looked like Voldemort only ghostly."
His godfather's eyes went a little wide and he threw a glance at Remus, who quickly warded the dining room. "How many were they?" he asked and Harry knew he had just said something that the Order didn't want him to know.
"Six, wraiths I think. But he chased them away and disowned them. He told me find his rightful heir, the Vanguard of Gryffindor." He couldn't bring himself to say it but his godfather's face should that his curiosity was peeked. Harry stole himself away for a second.
"He says that he's proud of you and Remus, so are mum and dad." Remus's gave him the little push he needed and Harry felt himself able to share the founder's message. "Salazar Slytherin, he disowned the wraiths and gave me that message. To tell you he's really proud of you two and so are Mum and Dad."
Sirius looked at him odd and made to speak but Harry stopped him. "I know, you're a Gryffindor though and through." His godfather nodded and Masheed slithered into the bread basket that was filled with freshly back bread cover by a kitchen towel. "But he said that in his eyes you were a true Slytherin, that your family followed the twisted and warped version of his house."
Harry couldn't explain how he knew it wasn't a simple dream or Voldemort sending him some strange vision. If that was Voldemort's idea of a trap then the old snake faced git must be on an acid trip. Sirius agreed with a laugh and Remus just shook his head. Something told Harry that there was some history between the two and fun things teenagers and twenty year olds did in the seventies.
"Sirius," he looked down at the dregs of his coffee, the whiskey Remus added warmed his frozen limbs and gave him a little bit of courage. He hated to ask his godfather about his family. "Have you ever heard of Adhara the fair?"
Harry thought he had made a mistake when his godfather's smile disappeared but Sirius grabbed his hand and a grin that crinkled the skin around his eyes warmed the teen. "She is and was my hero when I lived here." He said as he led his godson to the Black family library. Remus followed closely behinds with a warm mug of tea clutched in his hands. Sirius had blabbed on and on during their Hogwarts years about a fair maiden in a book at his family library who was a Slytherin but left her family in favor of Gryffindors and all the fun adventures she had while protecting her friends and their children.
He wanted to see this book himself and immerse himself in its pages by the fire place while he waited for the Weasleys to arrive for a an update on Arthur, it had been a close one. Jonathan Corbeau hadn't made it and his son was currently sleeping off a long night after identifying his father's corpse. Remus had done his best to sooth the boy, the wolf inside of him had clung to the child and urged him to staunch the wound in the boy's heart.
It told him that the cub needed all four of them. When he had asked who the other two were, he was sure the wolf had meant Sirius and him as one half of the four, it simply answer that Padfoot and he would be just as needed to get the cub through the approaching full moon. The cub's pack sibling wasn't around and might not be able to help the cub through the moon and they both knew what death of a loved one did to young cubs.
Remus had stopped dead on the steps, he had tucked the boy in and was about to have a drink with Moody and Pads when the wolf made his remember the boy's scent. Remus had ignored it, he thought it was his own but it had been the boy. Either they had the same sire or he hadn't locked himself up properly one night.
Moony growled at him, the cub was not of his making. Remus had locked himself up so well he had electrocuted himself and blacked out when the kick from the door smacked him into a wall. "For shame, Remus." Moony said "We are not monsters, just a little on the hairy side as Sirius points out. Repeatedly."
Remus chuckled to himself and just walked down the rest of the steps that night, with a spring in his step. He had a cub to care for and a flurry of feelings rose with in him, some feelings he hadn't felt since he first held Harry. Maybe one day he'd have a child of his own, he would adore his cub as much as he loved Harry and want to keep it safe as much as he did the cub upstairs.
Moony made a noise between a playful growl and 'aw' in the back of his head and Remus told him to sod off, a faint blush on his cheeks. Now looking at Harry and Sirius he couldn't imagine anything else he wanted more, he wished someone would dare to fall for him and grant him the honor of becoming a father. Harry wouldn't mind a godson or goddaughter to look after on the full moon, would he?
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So there you have it. Chapter three of this insanely complicated story.
All hail my wonderful co-author Evanescent Penumbra. Sebastian Noir is a cutie, isn't he?
Fun fact: Adhara is the second brightest star in the Canis Majoris constellation. Its main and brightest star is Sirius.
Christmas break is slightly delayed because I love to write nasty evil characters and Umbridge is too temping. Also we get more Noir and I'm sorry if you think Harry's dream is too much but he is the Boy Who Lived To Not Experience Anything Normally. He can't even be normally unconscious like the rest of us. I promise you will get to meet Jack Corbeau in the next chapter, he is a total sweetheart and a complete arse all in one. I love him to bits.
Reviews are very much welcome and encouraged.
Next stop: Defense Class.