Chapter 3: Reunion
"Lily had her memories altered by our cousin, the same cousin that is in hiding with … with Harry's … sisters." Petunia said with a mildly pinched yet apprehensive look on her face.
"Harry has sisters?" Severus asked in a low ragged tone that bordered both fury and heartbreak. He stared at Petunia in growing anguish and horror at what she told him next.
"Yes. His twin sister's name is Elliane Phoenix, and his half-sister's name is Pandora Slytherin-Corvinus. Neither one is a Potter. Right as Harry was weaned, Lily went to Diagon Alley while under a glamour. She was going to go to an apothecary in Knockturn Alley to trade Fae Wing dust for an extremely powerful contraception potion. A group of Death Eaters managed to capture her before she was able to go into the store. They took her to their leader. He personally tortured and raped her for weeks. When he'd had his fill of her he had her thrown into a fairy ring. While there she was healed and once they discovered she was with child Selene kept her there for the duration of the pregnancy. She was escorted back in time to the muggle world just in time to give birth at a muggle hospital. I … I was there, as was our cousin Perseus. A darkling showed up with a newborn child just after Pandora was born. Lily then named both girls. She named the babe that Hawk brought, Elliane Phoenix, after your mother and herself. The one she had just birthed she named Pandora Slytherin-Corvinus. She sent the girls away with Perseus … Hawk approved. She then went back to Selene and was healed. I can only guess that she was then returned to Potter the moment she had originally been captured."
"W-wait … d-did you say Hawk?"
"Yes, why?"
"He gave our marriage his blessing. If he had Elliane then she is what he collected as his due. Why would he then hand her over to Perseus?"
"Perseus is half Corvinus and half elf. He taught Potions and Healing Arts at Karpatii Academy in the United States. I don't know if he still teaches there though. For all I know he could be either living with one of the Immortal Clans or in Elfhaven."
"Oh. Earlier this morning Selene summoned me to her and had me retrieve two of her descendants from Elfhaven. I … I very nearly refused. I still miss Lily so much. But I did do as she bade me. I … wait a minute … Li … Petunia; since Lily was part Elf when she died she would have been resurrected in Elfhaven right?"
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
"That means Lily isn't truly dead. I must return to Selene. I think Lilly was one of the women I sent to the Fae Realm from Elfhaven."
"Severus! You can't just jump into a fairy ring! You'll die!"
"No I won't. When Lily took me to Selene to get her blessing on our union Selene changed me. I am now considered one of hers. I shall be fine."
"What exactly happened when she changed you?"
"I can't say exactly. But if you have a pensieve I can show you."
Petunia then summoned a house elf and had a pensieve brought to them. Severus extracted a memory and placed it in the pensieve. He joined Petunia and the boys in watching the memory.
A young woman stepped out of the line of trees and called to them.
"Lily! It has been too long! So is this your young man? He is a fine specimen. Does he know where we are headed to?"
"Nayeli! It is good to see you! No I haven't yet told him where we are going. Severus, this is my cousin Nayeli, she will be going with us to visit my great-great-great grandmother. Nayeli, this is Severus Snape my fiancé."
"It is good to meet such a beautiful cousin of my Lily's. I hope I don't embarrass either of you too much."
"Merry Meet Severus Snape. May your days be long upon this earth. You aren't too bad looking yourself. As for embarrassing us, well my advice is to be sincere and honest with your actions and words. For those who are dishonest in any way are not suffered lightly."
"Nayeli, what have you brought to ensure he is not …"
"I have a bit of rope I traded for at the border of Elfhaven."
"Good. How will you be securing us?"
"I shall tether your wrists together."
"Okay, Severus hold out your right wrist so that Nayeli can tie us together."
"Why must we be tethered?"
"We are going to another realm, by way of a fairy ring. I shall be fine because of my Fae blood. You on the other hand have no Fae in you, so if you are not secured to me any Fae creature has the authority to claim you."
"How is a rope supposed to protect me?"
"Elfhaven rope is made from unicorn hair, Acromandela silk and small amounts of iron. Iron is toxic to Fae creatures. So they won't dare try to untie you."
"Tie us up Nayeli."
Nayeli smiled as she tied them together.
"I must ask, do either of you have any weapons on you?"
"Only my wand, Severus do you have anything?"
"Um, I have my wand and an ivory handled obsidian dagger that is a gift for my grandmother in a dragon hide sheath that is tucked into my cloak."
"That's fine. Follow me, the ring is just past the tree line. We must go before the sun is fully up."
Lily and Severus followed Nayeli to the circle of mushrooms and held hands as they leapt into the middle of it.
They appeared in a circle of stone pillars not unlike those at Stonehenge. Severus looked around in wonder. Fairies, fawns, brownies, pixies sylphs, dryads and nymphs surrounded them. Beyond the Fae creatures were meadows of herbs, flowers and different fungi. The trees were gigantic. He looked up expecting to see a sun lit sky. Instead it was like looking into the heart of the cosmos. The planets and stars looked as if he could reach out and touch them. When he focused on the constellations they appeared to be real.
He glanced at Lily and smiled at her beauty. She had huge wings shaped similar to those of a butterfly. They were iridescent and the coloring was like the finest fire opals. Her dress was pale silver and flowed in the breeze like ribbons of light.
He paid more attention to the creatures surrounding them, and was quickly filled with terror at what he heard them saying.
"The male looks strong and young too. He's ripe with young magic. He'll make a good pet or meal. Nayeli what would you trade got the human male?"
Nayeli threw back her head laughing. "Sorry folks, this one belongs to Lily. They're here to visit the queen and get her blessing on their union. I doubt she would be willing to trade him"
'Such rotten luck, well maybe the next one."
Lily picked up a bowl and handed it to Severus. She turned around and rubbed her wings together. Dust filled the bowl. Once it was about half full she stopped, took the bowl back and proceeded to sprinkle the contents onto Severus.
"Think happy thoughts Severus."
"What? Why?"
"Do you remember the muggle fairy tale Peter Pan?"
"Yeah."
"Well, it was a true story. Think happy thoughts."
"Are you saying this is Never Never Land?"
"That is one of the names for it."
"Okay. Happy thoughts coming up."
Within seconds Severus was floating in midair. Lily grabbed his hand and they flew off into the wood. After about two hours of flight time they came upon a clearing. In the center was an elaborate throne. On it sat a woman that looked like a blond blue-eyed version of Lily. Lily dropped to one knee and bowed her head. Severus quickly followed suit.
"Lily my sweet. Have you brought me a new toy?"
"No Grandmother. This is my fiancé Severus."
"You intend to marry without my authorization?"
"No. We have come to ask for your blessing. I wish to avoid what my mother has planned for me."
"What plans?"
"She tied me into a marriage contract at birth to a Darkling by the name of Hawk. I have met him and already I despise him. He dislikes me too."
"You want my blessing to get married? Convince me."
"My name is Lillian Arial Simone Evans. My mother is Tatiana Zhar-Ptitsa; her father is Alvin Zhar-Ptitsa, your son. I know my soul is what completes Severus just as his soul completes me. I am willing to forfeit all of my magics if that is what it takes to marry him."
The woman turned and looked expectantly at Severus.
"Please give us your blessing. I too would give up everything. She is my reason for living. I do not want to live without her.
"Do you think that is enough?"
"I give you my word that I shall never willingly harm her for she is more precious than my own soul. I vow on my soul to protect Lily and all of her offspring with all that I am and should I fail I pledge myself to you as what you would have me for the rest of time.
"Do not make vows you cannot keep human."
Severus pulled out the knife and slashed his wrists open. As his blood poured to the ground he spoke.
"On my very blood I give you my word that I will keep Lily and her descendants above my own life"
"Very well, I claim you life's blood. Every last drop."
Lily watched in horror as Severus's blood proceeded to stain the ground. As it came to a stop Her grandmother cut her wrist open and brought it to his mouth.
"Drink Severus and you shall receive my blessing."
Severus drank until he was stopped. Within a minute or two Severus went into convulsions. Foam spilled out of his mouth.
The scene changed. Severus awoke to find himself on a bed dressed in a clean tunic. Selene smiled at him and gestured at him to join her at a small table.
"Severus, in doing what I did to you, you were changed on a genetic level. You are now half wizard and half Fae. You will be able to come and go from this realm as you please. Be mindful that I shall occasionally summon you when I have need of your services. I understand that at some point in your future you shall be forced to side with those that shall give you nothing but heartache. I understand and do not condemn the lengths you will go to, to heal your heart and soul. When you come to the point where there is a spark of hope in the depths of hell come to me with the woman and the four children."
"What do you mean?"
"You shall understand when it is time. Now enough of this talk. Let us join Lily so that I may bless your joining."
Once they all were back in the real world Petunia hugged Severus.
"I suggest we visit my relatives to see if Perseus is with them."
"How do we get there?"
"We go by plane. They do not live in the United Kingdom. I am oath bound to never speak of their locations. I am allowed to bring you though. Shall we go tomorrow morning?"
"Why not go now?"
"We need to get you packed. I do believe that you shall want to have more clothing and some of your belongings?"
"Yes you are right. Tomorrow morning it is then. In the meantime, Harry would you like to spend the day with me? So that we can get to know each other?"
"Sure thing, may I call you dad?"
"Yes. I'd like that."
So Harry and Severus spent all of that day and even that night together discussing their lives and interests. That next morning Harry turned to his father and made a startling request of him.
"Dad, I would like you to join me in my mind. I have some concerns about some things I came across while practicing Occlumancy."
"Are you sure about this?"
"Yes."
"Very well, Legilimens."
Severus found himself in what looked to be Gringotts. He was facing a wall that had what looked to be a million doors. Each held a complex slide puzzle lock. Next to him was his son. Harry smiled up at him and led him to a door. All the tiles of the slide puzzle were blank. Harry reached out and instead of sliding any of them around he pulled one out and flipped it over and replaced it where it had come from. Once that was done the lock clicked open and the door vanished. Just inside the archway was a cart like those used at the real Gringotts. They climbed in and once they took hold of the rail the cart took off.
Severus was getting more and more nauseated and his equilibrium was spinning the faster and deeper into the confusing labyrinth of catacombs of Harry's mind. He was about to withdraw from Harry when the cart came to an abrupt halt in front of two vaults. One was a molten gold seamless vault encompassed on all sides with a blinding white light made from pure goodness.
The other was black like it had been burned by a magical fire. It looked to be silver.
"Dad you need to touch it. Tell me what it is made of and what is protecting you from its contents."
Severus placed his hand against it and jerked his hand back as blood that burned and raged with lost lives erupted around the vault. Thru the bloody flames he saw that the vault was actually a sphere made of silver.
"You won't get hurt by the flames dad. You are not the one that murdered my mother."
"Harry, what in the name of Merlin are the flames made of? When they covered my hands I swear I could feel and hear the cries of what I don't know."
"They are made from the blood of all the innocents that died at the hands of the one that did kill my mother. Or at least what part of me I consider to be that. You are probably hearing their anger at the pain and anguish that the ones that they left behind are left with."
"What is the silver sphere made from?"
"The prison is made from the sacrificed lives of my mum & James."
"What do you mean by prison?" Severus asked.
"When I was sorting through my memories I realized that I was not alone in my own head. In a corner of my mind was a dark shadow, hate and disease were rolling off of it. I managed to force the parasite into the sphere where it became trapped and isolated. In effect the sphere is now its prison."
"PARASITE? How do you mean that?" Severus asked in an alarmed voice.
"My worst memory will explain it. But I don't want to relive that here. I'm afraid that it would release the parasite. If you show me how to extract a memory to view in a pensieve I'll let you view it."
"I can do that. Should we leave now?"
"No. I'd like you to check out the other vault."
Severus stepped close to the golden vault and in doing so he stepped into the light that surrounded it. He felt the light pulsing through his entire soul and washing away any negative parts leaving peace and goodness in its wake.
"Well I would say the light is pure positive energy."
"Yes, now what is the vault made from?"
Severus placed his hand on the vault and he felt so much pure love surge into him and ease the empty aching caverns of his broken heart that he fell to his knees.
"It's made from love."
"The love of my entire family all the way back to the beginning of time. Do you want to see what it's like inside this vault?"
"I might as well, how do we get inside? I do not see a way in." Severus said as he examined the entire outside of the vault.
As he held out his hand to his father Harry beamed and with a snicker said, "You must have no harmful intentions and must be invited in and accompanied by me."
Severus smiled from ear to ear as he gladly took his son's hand and allowed him to lead him into the vault.
Once in the vault Severus found himself in a garden. The sun was shining down and warming him to his bones. There were trees and flowers everywhere. Most of them were in the early stages of growing. One tree however was massive. It was a weeping willow.
"Ah, you've found Privet Drive."
"Privet Drive?"
"Uncle Vernon was not a nice man. He used to hurt us, a lot. He forced me to live in the cupboard under the stairs. He wouldn't let Aunt Petunia help me. That tree is the entire time I lived there. I hope that as time goes by the tree will not be as massive. I hope that the sharpness of that place will dull and fade in time."
"Where exactly do you have your memories hidden?"
"Everything inside this vault is made of memories. They are hidden in plain sight."
"This is incredible Harry. You've done a wonderful job in here but I have a question about the wall of doors I encountered when I entered your mind."
"Okay, what's your question?"
"Does each door lead to a different place?"
"No. The door we took is the only one that leads here. All the others are distractions and exits. They'll just dump you back into your own mind with massive physical and mental side effects from trying to break into my mind. Once we leave here and are back to the foyer of my mind the doors will vanish and reappear in a different order."
"Sounds like a smart thing to have?" What made you think of that?"
"It just popped into my head."
"Well, let's go."
They then climbed back on the cart and it spun in circles so fast that everything was a blur. Once it slowed to a halt and they stepped off and back through the archway the door reappeared and then vanished. The doors reappeared except that now they were shaped differently and had strange writing on them.
Severus turned and found himself blinking and feeling a massive muscle spasm in his back.
"Are we out of your mind Harry?"
"Yeah."
Severus proceeded to teach Harry how to extract a memory and place it in a pensieve. Once he was comfortable Harry carefully extracted a memory and put it in the stone bowl. He motioned for Severus to view the memory.
Severus was horrified at what he found in the pensieve. He not only saw the memory but felt the accompanying emotions.
He was happy and enraged at the same time. He finally could rid himself of the only threat to his plans for conquering the world. They had thought they could hide from him. He raised his wand and blew open the door. A man shouted at a woman to run as he foolishly tried to stop him. Raising his wand again he growled out 'Avada Kedavra'. The man dropped dead. He marched up the stairs and blew open the only closed door. The filthy mudblood jumped in between him and his target. He narrowed his eyes as she pleaded with him.
"Not Harry!"
"Move."
"No. Not Harry. Kill me instead. Please, not my Harry."
"Move aside woman."
"Never. I won't let you kill Harry."
"There is no need for you to die woman. MOVE OUT OF MY WAY!"
"No."
"I SAID MOVE WOMAN."
"No. You will never kill anyone I love ever again, especially not my son or his father."
"He's already dead downstairs you silly girl now MOVE!"
"You might have killed the oaf downstairs but you'll not kill my husband or our precious little boy. If you want to get to them you'll have to do it over my dead body!"
"So be it. Avada Kedavra"
Suddenly he was looking through the boys eyes as his very own body was destroyed at the same time part of the wall behind the dead woman was blown out. In horror he saw his own ghostly form flee out into the night.
Severus fell to the floor and vomited. He looked up at his son in horror.
"You … you found that … in with your memories?"
"Yes. I don't think it isn't mine. I believe it belongs to the parasite I trapped in the sphere. It was the only one I wanted to see. There are a lot more. It's almost like the parasite is a whole different person than I am. Is that possible dad?"
"I … I don't know son. If that is the case I know exactly who that parasite is. I'll look for a way to find out and remove him without harming you. I will never stop until you are safe Harry, I promise."
"Thanks dad. Can you end the glamour? I'd rather not continue to look like James."
"I can definitely do that. Finite Incanteum."
Severus looked on in delight as what was left of the glamour dissolved and he was looking at a boy that looked like him. Except for the eyes. They were Lily's. He pulled Harry into a hug.
"I see you two are still awake. Care to come eat breakfast?" Petunia said as she softly smiled at the embracing figures of her nephew and brother-in-law.
"Food!" Harry crowed as he squirmed out of his father's grasp and darted out of the room in a full sprint.
"I guess he's hungry." Severus said with a chuckle.
"Severus, did Harry tell you about Vernon?"
"He mentioned that Vernon used to hurt the three of you."
"H … He used to beat us bloody. He'd regularly rape me. I am glad he's dead. I tried to protect Harry, but Vernon ordered me to never interfere with his treatment of Harry and Dudley. He laid down rules. He never knew I am a witch. So I was able to wandlessly heal what I could of Harry's injuries. I would sneak him food when I could. I hate myself for allowing the word 'obey' in the vows." Petunia said as sobs wracked her body.
"I know. I understand Petunia. Please don't blame yourself. You are free now. You can make it up to him now." Severus said as he gave her a hug. "So what's for breakfast?"
Petunia laughed as she wiped tears off of her face. She walked side by side with Severus to the kitchen.
"Severus, you should know, P … P … damn it! Sirius wasn't their secret keeper. Neither was Remus. It was the other one."
"James sold himself and Lily out?"
"Nov… THE OTHER ONE … did it."
"Who are you talking about?"
"That other bastard that hung with them during school. I can't say his name. James put a permanent hex on me that makes it impossible for me to say that fat little rat's name."
"Who… Do you mean to tell me that Pettigrew was their secret keeper?"
Petunia nodded enthusiastically.
"Why didn't that come out at Black's trial?"
"He never got a trial Severus. They just assumed he had been the secret keeper."
"Bloody hell. That means he is imprisoned illegally. Damn. Do I have enough time to visit the Ministry Of Magic before we leave?"
"Yes. The flight doesn't leave until 8 o'clock tonight."
"Good."
The two adults joined the boys in the kitchen for breakfast. Once they were finished eating everyone showered and got ready. They then went to the M.O.M. Once they got to the Head of Magical Law Enforcement's office they waited to be seen. Surprisingly they were ushered in pretty quickly.
"Good morning, I am Amelia Bones, Head Auror. My receptionist said you needed to file a complaint about one of our inmates at Azkaban. What in particular seems to be the problem?"
Petunia spoke first.
"Do you remember the man that was thrown into Azkaban for betraying James Potter's hide out and for the mass murder of 12 muggles?"
"Of course. Sirius Black. What's the complaint?"
"He never got a trial. I just a few days ago was released from vows that held me from coming forward earlier."
"So you are a witness?"
"Yes."
"What kind of vows kept you from coming forward?"
"Muggle marriage vows."
"Muggles don't have magic."
"No they don't, but you see, I'm a witch. I married a muggle and I was stupid enough to vow to 'obey' my husband. Once he found out about the Magical world he forbade me from having anything to do with this world. He just recently passed away so I am now able to come forward."
"What information do you have?"
"Well, you see, I am a relative of Lily's and have watched her son grow up. I know James named Sirius as Harry's god-father. I was there when the Fidelius was performed. While I can't tell you who is the secret keeper I can tell you who is not the secret keeper."
"Well…?"
"I'll only say if I can say it during his trial so that the entire Wizengamot and Reporters can bear witness. Any wizard that is a charms master can verify what I say."
"Seems fair enough to me. Let me see the criminal trial schedule. Well, we can have it this afternoon at 2 o'clock."
"That will have to do. I can reschedule my travel plans."
"The trial will be held in Court Room 10. Be here at 1 o'clock and I'll escort you down."
"That sounds good. See you then." Petunia said before getting up and leaving.
