A/N: It's been a long time since I've updated this story and I am really sorry for neglecting it. I would also like to apologize to all those who reviewed and didn't get my answer, but I thought you guys would appreciate a new chapter more than some empty promises, so I worked on it instead.
Enjoy!
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"...English..."
"...Bulgarian..."
'...thoughts...'
...Flashbacks and letters...
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Lightning and Thunder
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August 28th, 1993.
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Andrei found himself walking aimlessly in the garden, thinking about his friends. Alvin and Maarika were the only ones he heard from during summer, while Valentin and Rolf never answered his letters.
He entered the Manor still deep in his thoughts and moved on towards the basement and his dad's lab. Brewing always helped him clear his mind. He hoped Severus wouldn't be there. The man was edgy since Black escaped from prison and while he tried to hide it in Andrei's company, he always knew it was in the back of his mind. Once he came closer to the heavy lab door he noticed it was slightly ajar, signifying that his father was inside, he never left that door opened if he wasn't. He was even more surprised when he heard two voices inside.
He neared the door on his tiptoes and finally recognized the other voice belonged to Alexander. He was supposed to come and take Andrei back to school but that was supposed to be on September first, which was in four days. Andrei hasn't even packed his things yet. He also didn't expect to leave his dad so soon and even though a summer was pretty dull he felt sorry he had to go.
"I don't know anymore, Sev. First it's just Yaxley, then that Lisovskii kid, then Black escaped and now this… I don't know if I can believe it's all just a big coincidence anymore."
"He had a lot of enemies, Alex. Anyone could have killed him. There is still no reason to believe it's all connected."
Alex huffed in annoyance. "But you do? Severus, I feel like I am going mad. It's like the pieces are there but I just can't get the big picture!" he fumed.
Severus nodded, but he had a faraway look to him. Andrei moved away from the door so he wouldn't be seen but still stood there listening. Someone died. He realized that much and wondered what happened.
"I do have a theory. I thought about this ever since Lisovskii attacked Andrei."
For a few moments all that could be heard was Alexander's deep breaths.
"And it didn't occur to you to share it with me at least?"
"It was farfetched at the time. Now it might make more sense. "
"Well? Perhaps you'd like to elaborate, because I certainly can't explain any of it." Alex interrupted.
"If you let me talk I will." Severus gritted his teeth." As I was saying, it all started with Lisovskii attacking Andrei/ Andrei said the boy was asking for his phoenix. A dark phoenix."
"I know. You think it's something about Hoof?" Andrei couldn't see it but Severus glared at him in annoyance. He impatiently nodded.
" Lisovskii Senior is a Potions Master. Other than myself he was the only one Dark Lord would go to for potions. So it would make sense if he needed ingredients from the Dark phoenix. They are illegal, but I doubt that would have stopped Lisovskii. Those ingredients are extremely rare and not commonly used." Severus stopped talking and Andrei wondered if he was wondering how to better explain it to Alex who knew nothing about potions. "One of a few potions that use such ingredients is a regenerative potion. I believe it was not used since the middle ages. The potency of other potions with the same purpose doesn't even come close to this one. The reason for that are the tears of Dark phoenix."
"I thought Dark Phoenix tears are just a legend. I never saw Hoof shed a single tear, not even when Andrei was hurt."
"They don't cry. Their glands are underdeveloped so they never cry, but they do have them. It is necessary to extract the glands to gather its tears, which is also against the law."
Andrei thought for a second about that happening to Hoof and swallowed the bile rising in his throat. Alexander was completely silent this time.
"Now, as you have probably guessed, with Dark Lords body and a potion that powerful, bringing him back wouldn't be a problem."
Alex's voice sounded strained when he spoke. "So they are trying to bring him back. Do you think they now where his body is?"
Andrei felt chills run down his spine. He remembered the last day of school and couldn't breathe. If he withheld something important from Alex and Severus and something happened… well. He didn't think he would be able to live with it. At that moment he decided to come forward with it; Viktor's career and Quidditch be damned. He pushed the door open and bounced to Alex.
"Hey, Alex! I wasn't expecting you yet!"
Alex was a bit shocked to see him and shaken from his newfound knowledge but spread his arms just in time to catch Andrei in his embrace.
"Andi! What are you doing here? Sev said you went to get some air?"
"Came back and heard you talking." He mumbled, still snuggling into Alex' shirt.
Alex pulled him away a bit so he could see his face, but Andrei seemed to suddenly develop a strong interest for his feet. Alex figured what this must be about and one look at Severus told him he should speak before his friend had a chance to yell.
"Andrei, how long have you been listening?"
"Since you said someone died." He whispered, chancing a look at him.
Alex nodded but his face was grim. He turned to Severus. "He does have a right to know. It could happen again, he should know why they wanted Hoof in a first place."
Before Andrei could speak Severus objected. "Lisovskii is dead leaving no one capable enough to brew that potion, so it is highly unlikely it would happen again."
"Lisovskii is dead? What happened?"
"A potions accident they said. It's debatable." Alex answered readily.
"Why would someone kill him?"
Alexander regarded Severus for a moment but decided against his advice. After all, this way he would at least have a piece of mind that Andrei wouldn't be running into something completely unprepared.
"He approached me during Viktor's quidditch match. I refused to talk to him and two days later I was told he was dead. As for why, I don't know yet."
But Andrei has long ago learned to read his expressions. The lines that marred his face were a clear sign of fear that Alex failed to conceal, or perhaps didn't even have an intention to. He thought back to the conversation he just witnessed.
"It had something to do with Voldemort? Perhaps because he failed to finish a potion that would bring Voldemort back?"
"I just don't know. He did seem pretty desperate that day. He probably realized how deep the hole he dug himself into really was. I believe he may have wanted a way out. "
Andrei thought about how far could have Lisovskii come in his plans before death stopped him. He didn't get Hoof's tears, so he couldn't make that potion. And why would someone kill him? Perhaps they found another way to bring Voldemort back and Lisovskii just wasn't needed anymore. "Do you think He might come back?"
"Voldemort? Yes, and unfortunately it might be sooner rather than later."
Suddenly the importance of that 'ball induced vision' had hit Andrei like a rock. At the time he convinced himself Viktor was right and Konstantinov was trying to scare him rather than announce Voldemort's return. Now that hope was slowly crumbling in his head.
"There might be something I forgot to tell you." Andrei tried tentatively.
"And what might that be?" Severus asked before Alex could step in, his patience wearing thin.
Andrei took a deep breath, straightened his back and retold everything that happened that day, leaving out his conversation with Viktor. No use for them both to get in trouble.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." He said looking from Alex who was leaning on the solid table to Severus whose back was turned and it seemed like he's been staring at the wall since Andrei mentioned Konstantinov. This moment kind of reminded him of a thunderstorm. When the lightning strikes everything is clear and amazing in its bright light, but then comes that horrible crashing sound which used to make him run to Viktor's room to the safety of his brother's arms.
Alexander's face morphed into a worried frown. He noticed Andrei didn't know what to believe about this anymore, and he himself was getting tired of all the obstacles that appeared in their lives. He was about to ask Severus what he thought about it all when the other man's voice cracked through the air as a whip.
"Damn! You raised an oblivious arrogant fool, Alexander! Of all the moronic things he mentioned this summer one would have thought this would at least be among those! You should have bloody told us right away!"
Andrei stiffened at his spot in the middle of the lab. He felt like gripping something, anything just to stop fidgeting under his dad's disappointed glare, but he was in the clear space with no lab tables or shelves around him. He felt strangely exposed to the anger that swooped down at him, but chose not to give Severus the satisfaction of seeing that. Not this time.
Alexander fortunately seemed to pick up on his rigid state "Severus, he already feels guilty for not telling us, there's no need…"
"No need! A man died, Alexander!" He turned back to Andrei, "Do you even know what he did when he chose to play hero? This is not some childish game! Lives are at stake! A life could have been saved if only he told us sooner instead of being a stupid self-absorbed Gryffindor like that bloody bastard who sired him!"
"That's enough, Severus!" Alexander was ready to use his wand against him if he didn't shut up right away. He walked swiftly towards Andrei who just stood taking it all in. He was about to pull the boy towards him when Andrei avoided his hands and stepped around him so he was face to face to enraged Severus.
Alexander thought the boy would be distressed or shocked, but Andrei's face seemed void of all emotion, and that frightened him. Never has he seen that boy emotionless before, he would always wear his heart on his sleeve.
"If you believe that man would still be alive if you knew about this then you only have yourself to blame. If you didn't hold secrets from me I would have known I was supposed to tell you. And if you are so fast to pass judgment or blame me for someone's death it makes me wonder if that Gryffindor you just mentioned was really as horrible as you always said he was."
Alexander could only watch as Severus' palm connected to Andrei's face. He stood in morbid fascination, unable to move or say anything, but Andrei kept on surprising him when he raised his eyes back to Severus.
"If that was the best answer you could come up with then I guess he wasn't." he turned and Alexander could see a red handprint across his face, but his blue eyes seemed as calm as ever. He watched him walk to the door where he stopped and turned around. The steely glare he directed at Severus proved he had no intention of running away like the child Alexander expected him to be.
"I don't know what he did to end up in Azkaban but in my mind raising a hand against your own child puts you in the cell right next to his."
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Once Andrei was in his room he started packing his things. He was still on autopilot. He didn't think about what happened and it kept him going without spilling a tear. He reached for a picture on his bedside table. It was the one of his dad holding him. He decided against packing it and turned instead to the sweatshirt lying on the chair next to it. Once he packed the last pair of socks he took his trunk and dragged it downstairs where he settled on couch to wait for Alexander.
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Severus didn't pay attention to a murderous look Alexander was throwing him. His eyes were still on the spot where Andrei stood just a moment before, his words still replaying in his mind.
"What is the matter with you?" Alexander asked incredulously when his voice finally returned to him. "You practically accused him of killing that bastard!" he took a deep breath to calm himself but his hands were still shaking. "Are you insane? He is a child, Severus. And how in the world was what he said supposed to stop Lisovskii's murder?" Alexander watched his friend like he has grown another head. He couldn't figure out what Severs was thinking and it frustrated him.
Severus on the other hand turned to him as if he didn't know Alexander was still in the room. He focused on the question hoping it would justify some of his words if not actions. His voice was raspy and he explained in deliberately slow manner.
"Anatolii Konstantinov was Lisovski's nephew. That ball Konstantinov threw at Andrei was like a false memory. If you recall it was Lisovskii's specialty during the war. It was a message that was supposed to find its way to you, Alex. He wanted you to know something. He wanted out. He also figured if you knew about that incident you would come to him and he would be able to talk to you without making people suspicious. When that didn't work he went to a quidditch match. Someone must have seen him talk to you and decided it was too big a risk to keep him alive, regardless of his worth as a potion master."
Alexander saw Severus might be right, but the way he treated his son was inexcusable.
"You had no right to talk to him like that. He is eleven Severus, and he couldn't have known this would have mattered at all. To him it was a trick his friend tried to play on him!"
While Severus thought about what he was supposed to say to that Alexander replayed everything n his mind, trying to come to grips with it.
"You hit him…" …and he expected it. He whispered, only just realizing it. "Have you done it before?"
When Severus still didn't answer Alexander draw his own conclusions and gripped the table that was still supporting him so hard he thought it might dent. "And I sent him to you. He didn't want it and I still made him go."
Severus snapped out of his thoughts at this.
"Never! I swear to you Alex I never … before this… We had our misunderstandings, but…"
Alexander didn't want to hear any more of his lousy apologies if he even meant them to be that.
"You mentioned something about me raising an oblivious fool? If that is what you really think than you never knew him at all. But what scares me the most, Severus, is that the person you have created in just a matter of moments I didn't recognize either."
Alexander walked out without a glance back at his stunned friend.
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The first thing Alexander saw when he noticed his son sitting in the living room was a huge bruise forming on his face. He winced blaming himself for not reacting sooner. He wondered if Andrei would blame him too.
Andrei stood up and turned to him. "I'm ready."
Alexander then noticed his trunk. He didn't originally come to take Andrei back home; he just needed to speak to Severus. Of course he couldn't expect Andrei to stay after everything that happened, so he nodded, unable to come up with any other intelligent response.
"Are we going to the airport?"
"No, I didn't book a ticket." He started to wonder how he would get Andrei back home unnoticed. He couldn't leave him alone with Severus to go to the airport, and he couldn't drag him along around London if there was no flight scheduled for today.
"Floo?"
"I don't think so. It can be monitored."
"It doesn't matter. I think Dumbledore knows I'm here."
Alexander frowned at him demanding an explanation. "Long story. Severus probably told him some lie about me, so don't worry."
"Floo it is then. I'll take your trunk." Alexander swished his wand and the trunk was levitating behind him as Andrei took a handful of powder from the mantelpiece. He threw it in fire and announcing his destination disappeared in green flames.
Alexander turned around when he hurt soft footsteps behind him. Severus looked at him from the top of the stairs. Alexander realizing there was no need of notifying him of their leave followed his son.
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Severus entered Andrei's bare bedroom. Everything was exactly as it was before Andrei arrived this summer, except for a small picture frame sitting on a bedside table. Without his usual grace he sat heavily on the neatly made bed and took the picture in both hands.
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Severus kissed his head gently, reassuring him he was there to stay. Andrei raised his head, trying to convince himself of that.
"You have that look again." Andrei said, a wide smile adoring his face.
"And what look would that be, young man?"
Andrei reached past him for the photograph and showed it to him.
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"I missed you dad."
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Drowning in memories, Severus curled up on the bad clinging to that photograph and for the first time in ten years allowed his tears to fall.