Chapter 11

He was just sleeping, thank Merlin. When Severus had fainted I thought something had gone wrong with the spell. It was new. Not that new, but new enough that I still didn't know every fault. Thankfully, he sleep fainted. The git was even snoring lightly. I suppose it should have been expected. His memories had basically bombarded his brain. Not all of them were good ones either...boy was he gonna need a good day of sleep to recover. I think I'll just hide for the duration of that recovery and a day. Side-step some of the explosives, not to worry though. I was taking Harry with me.

I was barely two feet to the door when Miones soft voice stopped me better than any sonorus could.

"Where do you think your going? Don't you have a few questions to answer...you wouldn't be trying to escape, now would you?" Oh, but that smile could single-handedly win the best horror film. Seriously, she was supposed to be Theos clone. NOT Pansys. I immediately employed my best who-me-I'm-just-so-fudgetasticly-innocent look, complete with a healthy dose of humility. You can never have too much humility with friends the likes of Pansy and Hermione. It makes life so much easier.

"ME. Of course not. I'm highly offended you'd even think such a thing. I was simply trying to make a quick break for the kitchen. After all, such a great singer deserves some form of reward. And as it is, I happen to have one of the BEST rewards mankind has ever created. FUDGE." It wasn't an exact lie.I was going to get the fudge BEFORE I made a break for my room. Can't leave gifts like that just hanging around where everyone can find them. The Weaslette already proved to be an avid gold-digger. I couldn't bear to think what she'd do to my fudge if she were to get her grubby hands on it. It's worth more than galleons.

What were the questions again?

I once again, said my thoughts aloud. I got to stop doing that. It was getting ridiculous. It even lost its funny. I have no use for quirks without funny! On the other hand...Harry might like this quirk and I haven't exactly been able to get rid of it before. Oh well, I was way too lazy to get rid of it anyway.

"Hmm...Glamors?" Why did I feel like I was being interrogated? Was it supposed to feel like an interrogation? I need a lawyer.

"Sevs secret." It was up to Sev to decide if he wanted to tell them. It was to personal for anything else.

"Okay, but can you atleast tell us if any other slytherin has glamors? And...why?" It took a heck of a long time for such a small question. But, she did stumble on one of the most important ones. I was completely serious when I answered and I was pretty sure even the Weasel picked up on it.

"It's complicated...Honestly, when you think snake, you think deception. That's not entirely wrong. It doesn't mean we're evil, but the majority of slytherin has glamors. Be it hiding beauty, marks, or talent. Thing is; We rely on ourselves. Always have, as far as we could tell. Its not exactly like anyone else was willing to help us. They won't even give us a chance; too convinced that a green robe automatically equals evil. Sure, There's the odd one or two that actually fits your perception of a snake but, the rest." I shrugged. "We just want to live. Glamors help with that. And before you ask any other questions relating to this, don't. Just don't. It's personal and each glamor comes with a story. Most aren't exactly fairytales. Nor do they end with happy endings." I couldn't stop my eyes from clouding on the last bit. Alot of them were like that. Fankly, I was the only one with a remotely happy story and it still included the odd beating or two, or three. Or... you get the picture. As the slowly-becoming-broken-record says, 'its complicated'. "Don't dig into holes you have no business being in."

No one spoke and I almost felt bad when I saw tne look on Miones face. It had to be said though. Somethings were better left forgotten and only those concerned have the authority to tell certain tales. I take my place as the slytherin royalty very seriously. I was the only constant. The only one EVERY snake trusts. I would never betray that. Not for anything.

"I'm sorry." She sounded so hurt. I felt bad.

"Don't be. I'm sorry I was so harsh. I just take my position seriously. There is a reason they call me the snake prince. It's not because of my name Mione. They trust me and I won't betray that just to satisfy your curiosity. You didn't do anything wrong ,though. You just stumbled on one of slytherins sacred secrets. It will cause many problems, and a few lives, if that information gets in the wrong hands. Many of our secrets will. Keep that in mind when your dealing with a snake."

"...Alright, I will, I'm still sorry though." My lips twiched.

"I know."

"Alrighty then, is now a good time to tell us exactly how you got in here; because that still confuses me. Last time I checked Number Twleve Grimmauld Place was still under the fidelius." Ron really did have a one track mind. And to think, HE was the strategist of the reckless trio.

...I said that out loud didn't I? Merlin, but I wonder if there's a spell that can help with this.

"Reckless Trio? " Why did Harry have to sound so curious? So amused. They WERE reckless, to the point of stupidity.

"Strategist?" Typical, that's all that Ron Weasley would hear.

"HE?" Yes, Hermione. Just because she was great in a library, didn't give her the skills to play chess. Textbook smarts is worlds away from strategy. Text book smarts rely on facts that are already given or found. Strategy needs a mind able to broaden his/her horizons. He/she has to be able to think the impossible to create a plan worthy of playing. Kinda like taking a piece of ice and making a sculpture. You don't win chess by playing by the book. And, the best sculptures aren't made by following an instruction manual.

"HEY, can we get back on track?" Ron finally got out of his I'm-awsome fantasy. It was kinda embarrassing to realize you were staring off into space. it was even more embarrassing to have the Weasel, of all people to break you out of it.

"Huh, yeah alright..." He stared at me and I wondered how long I could make him wait. I was bored, don't judge me.

"House. Fidelius. How'd you get in here?" He finally snapped. Was it so bad that it amused me? I smirked; giving an innocent look when he scowled. I answered before he could explode. Honestly, red-heads are explosives given humanity.

"This is the black manor. did you seriously think I wouldn't know about it?"

Sirius rolled his eyes, giving me a look that clearly asked 'can I just tell them and skip the bullsit?' What could I do but shrug and nod my head. I certainly wasn't willing to explain. This was getting too boring. I needed some fudge. One look at Mione had me crawling into Harrys lap and sighing in resignation. I was glad I put some minor shock-the-magic-out-of-all-with-ill-intention hexes before the concert started. Sirius better make the explanation snappy, they don't want to see me in a fudge withdrawal.

"Harry, remember when I told you that I figured out my animagus could keep the dementors at bay and help me escape? I told you that was the only thing I could tell you, because it was too hard too talk about." I felt him nod his head, his hair tickling my neck. "Well, I lied. I was in no shape to think about that let alone what it could do. My thoughts were only filled on my failure. My hate. I wanted to kill peter. I wanted to see you and hold you. I wanted to take care of you. Honestly, I completely forgot about my animagus form. Over time, I felt betrayed. Not one of my so-called friends came to visit me. Not one of them believed in me. They didn't care enough to even give me a trial. About seven years ago, that changed. A little blond boy had come and actually managed to sneak in a dementor infested JAIL. An eight year old boy...I didn't know if he was intelligently insane or just a hallucination. He talked sense into me and helped keep me sane. I found out he had come because he heard about me from his mum. Said I was brave and he wished he could be that courageous. Overtime we became friends I gave him the location of Grimmauld to use as he so wished. I gave advice and stories of my past and godson. I taught him to become an animagus. In turn, he visited me atleast once every month. He searched and searched and found out ways to keep the dementors at bay. He kept me in the loop on my godson and when I saw peter in the newspaper, He did all he could to help me escape. That boy, that eight year old psychotic genius was my nephew. Draco Malfoy." That wasn't snappy. That was the complete opposite of snappy.

There was only silence. Ron looked like a fish out of water; He was gaping so much. Hermione didn't even blink. I think she was in a state of shock. Harry...well, Harry just looked like he thought as much. Like he already guessed it was something like that. Though how he could've guessed is beyond me. Unless someone told him a few things and he managed to deduce the truth.;.;far-fetched but he IS Harry. The enigma with the luck of the leprechauns. I just laughed.

"It's not that impossible. Honestly, haven't we established that you don't know me as well as you thought you did." They stared at me.

"Ok, this is an entirely new category. Mistaking you for a git when you were just posing a front is one thing. What Sirius described was basically a...a..superhero. I was barely getting used to the idea that you weren't a bonefide git." And they call me dramatic. Maybe they should give my trophy to Ron...On second thought, I'm not into sharing. He can get his own trophy. We ignored Rons mumbling.

"So that explains how you got in here, but why was walburga so afraid of you." Ahhh, but Mione sure asks the best questions.

"Well, lets just say that Grim-um-something-ald was a snake base for the longest tiime. Since I started visiting Snuffles all those years ago really. What did you expect us to do? Let her get away with killing our ear drums and disrespecting us." Harry just stared and even Mione looked at me in a disbeilef gesture.

"Okayyy! So we might have came up with that particular game after much research and a dangerous sense of boredom. Its not our fault you order people took the joy out of our sanctuary. And we did make a pact to only punish when she deserves it." They goggled. What, what did I say?

"You were there when the order was?!" Oh yeah, I did forget to mention that; didn't I.

"Who do think it was that kept pranking people? The Weasley twins can only do so much, you know." We all turned our heads to see Severus leaning against the doorway, an eyebrow arched in perfect precision. I mentally winced. I forgot he had a higher than normal healing ability. Comes with the shape-shifter gift.

"Its not my fault. We would have been content to only stay in the catacombs. But, There was always someone in the kitchen, blocking the entrance. It didn't help that they were hogging all the food. That cat obsessed hag even had the nerve to try and steal my fudge! My. Fudge. It was only natural that I retaliate. And really, she only had to stay in mungos for, like a day. It was instinct." Besides, we only pranked becuse we could. It wasn't easy to find entertainment in a house where you could no longer freely roam about. We were bored, but they didn't need to know that.

Sev hummed. "Prophecy?...never mind, I'll ask Luna. I need to talk to her about some things anyway. I wont tell you about what knowledge I gained because I will only explain it once. You ALL need to be included so we have to find your brothers and sisters. Unfortunately, I was only able to see where Theo went. I passed out after that. He got a pensive look that I absolutely hated. Twins could really only refer to Aleta and Arella. Greg and Vincent weren't that similar to think of them like that. They were more the fraternal type twins, anyway. Too independent to be considered twins yet too close to not become twins during the adoption. Besides, Maha had a warped sense of humor.

"Who took them?" He blinked and scowled.

"Thier father." I paled. That wasn't good. Not good at all. I had already tried to call oir parents, just to see if they had them. They didn't answer and a search had turned up dead. They were all missing. Even Lucius disappeared. Narcissa wasn't any help, I found her in intensive care at St. Mungos, someone had put her under a fairytale curse. Only father was able to lift it now and he was also nowhere to be found. We had nowhere else to look. The Greengrass family had too many estates and in too many places to check. Unbalanced or not, thier father wouldn't be so stupid as to put them somewhere I can easily free them either. Not to mention there was a reason Tori and Daph ran away from home in the first place. We needed help. We needed intel and ruthlessness. We needed someone who knew about any and all purebloods. Someone who wasn't neutral but not for Voldedork or Dumbles either. One look at Sev said he knew what I was thinking. He didn't like it but we had no choice. We needed The Gypsy.

"Well, we better get some rest. We have a train to catch in two days."