A Snake in the Nest, Chapter Three
A.N. I noticed that the last two chapters are missing the breakers in between scenes. They're all there in the document, and no amount of resubmitting seems to bring them back. So until I can work it out, it might be hard to read… Tell me if you're having troubles, kay?
On another note, I would really like to hear back from you on the favorite character thing. So far I have two answers.
Remus sat them down around the table, sighing. The photo of them all in the Common Room was face-up on the table, and from the corner of his eye, Remus can see the card game, repeated over and over again while Sirius laughs.
"I suppose you're wondering why I didn't tell you I knew your parents, correct?" He speaks directly to Harry. The three +Anima wonder how it had never come up in conversation before; they'd known for a while.
Harry nods, and Remus sighs. Ron watches them carefully, keeping an eye on Scabbers, who was eying the photo in a worrying fashion.
"I'll start at the beginning, I suppose.
"I met your father on the train ride to Hogwarts. We were in the same dorm, along with Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black." He pointed then out as he spoke, and Harry looked back at the picture once again, taking in the smiling faces.
"Your mother was in our year and house as well. We became friends when I needed notes for some days I'd missed. None of my dorm-mates ever took notes." He smiled a bit as he said this.
"I won't bore you with school stories right now. We graduated from Hogwarts, and immediately joined the war against Voldemort. James and Lily, meanwhile, found the time to get married, and have you.
"When you were born, Harry, your mother went into… retirement, as it were. She helped with healings more than fighting. James slowly pulled back as it became evident that someone was targeting you three.
"We knew there was a traitor, someone who was giving information on your parents' whereabouts. The only people close enough to get that kind of knowledge were myself, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and Dumbledore himself.
"We began to mistrust each other. I fell under suspicion because I was on missions for Dumbledore that I was forbidden to speak of. A few I even wiped from my memory to keep it all safe. The others believed I was a Death Eater.
"It came out, though I don't know how, that Voldemort himself was after James and Lily. They performed a charm that puts the secret of their home within a person. As long as that person never says where it is, no-one can ever find it. They are called the Secret-Keeper." Harry stared, transfixed, as Remus spoke. He'd never heard any of this. Ron knew that the war had torn people apart (he'd lost two uncles in it, though he didn't remember them), but this story seemed worse than the norm.
"Sirius Black became their Secret Keeper. And…" he sighed, closing his eyes as if to ward off the memories of the event.
"And on Halloween, James and Lily were killed, and you, Harry, gained your scar and were sent to the Dursley's." Harry's eyes grew round.
"You mean… he was… the traitor?" Remus nodded, now looking at the photo that still lay on the table. Sirius still grinning at the camera-man. (It had been Frank Longbottom)
"Yes. A few days later, while he was running from the Aurors; dark wizard catchers, Harry. Anyway, he was found. Not by the squad hunting him, but by Peter.
"He killed Peter, and blew up the street with thirteen Muggles as casualties. He's in Azkaban now, with a good portion of the family we all thought he had managed to escape from." Remus stared at the picture for a long time, lost in thought, before looking back up, a faint note of pleading in his face.
"I didn't tell you because the was a horrible time. It tore people apart. I didn't feel you should be burdened with it. Besides…" he cracked a small smile.
"I doubt you would be happy knowing someone had a fairly valid claim on adopting you, and left you with the Dursley's." Harry jumped a bit.
"What?" Cooro, who had been staring out the window for most of the story, twitched and looked up from the staring contest he'd been having with Senri outside. Senri took this as a win and made his way to the door.
"You mean you could've taken me out of there, and you didn't?" He was shocked. He'd grown up thinking no-one cared enough, and now here was this man who did. He obviously didn't mind kids, judging by the four in the house already.
Remus, meanwhile, was trying to hide a smile, seeing Harry act like James for the first time. He was rather mature for his age; more like Lily.
"I said I had a claim, not that I could've. Dumbledore was rather adamant you remain with you aunt and the blood protection. The ministry already dislikes me, because of my pushing for certain pieces of legislation, as well as a few other things, so I had no support anywhere. Added to that, I wasn't in the country for quite a while. I was helping clean out nests of Death Eaters, and traveled as a Curse Breaker for a while." Husky glanced at the door where Senri had slipped in, then over at Remus.
He'd left out that he was a werewolf. Husky caught Remus' eye with a significant glance at the moon outside. In response, Remus nodded slightly at Ron, who was still trying to keep Scabbers away from the photo.
Harry was silent for a long time, mulling over all the information. Dumbledore had said something of the blood protection, he knew, so it made sense. If Dumbledore didn't want something to happen, Harry got the feeling the Ministry wouldn't help whoever opposed him. Finally, he nodded, and Remus sagged with relief.
"Well, that was overlong and depressing. Who would care for a mug of hot chocolate?" All of them looked up at that, eager. He laughed and went to make them.
Nana was watching the photo carefully. The scene repeated over and over, with the cards exploding in Peter's face over and over, but something was strange about their faces. She looked closely at who she assumed was Sirius Black, and finally realized what it was.
Even though he was laughing at the scene, pure mirth on his face, his eyes were… sad. No, more than that… Utterly defeated. Abruptly, they trained themselves on her. Then at Peter, then Scabbers. Then back to her. And again and again. She tried to sort out what they were trying to convey, but it wasn't coming. She shook her head, and he seemed to sigh even as his face turned back to roar with laugher once again. It occurred to her that she was trying to find meaning behind what a picture showed, and scoffed at herself, looking up as hot chocolate was handed around.
Cooro began to lift his mug to his lips, knowing it was already cool enough to drink, then paused. He stood, and as they all turned to look at him, he raised it up in the air.
"I propose a toast. To the real heroes of a war; the ones who never came home." Slowly, everyone raised their mugs as well.
"To the heroes." And they drank. And somehow, that simple action made them all feel just a tiny bit better. Even so, Nana hoped she wouldn't ever have to go through what these people had.
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It was early when Cooro woke up, and he lay still for a while, mulling over what they'd heard last night. Finally, he shook his head. War was complicated; he couldn't imagine anything that would make him doubt his friends.
He got up, heading downstairs to the kitchen. The sun hadn't even risen, and he was using his night vision to make his way through the room. In one hand, he was carrying his famous potion, in the other was a bag of feathers, stones and plants he'd been collecting while they were there. They smelled nice, so he'd taken bits and pieces.
He was walking to the table when a voice from behind him called his name, far too loudly for this early. He jumped wildly, turning around and stumbling into a chair. Too late he realized the potion and plants had smashed and landed on the table, where the photo still lay innocently.
As they hit, the potion reacted to the various things he'd had, turning an odd shade of blue and giving off a nasty fume. Quickly, he went to get a towel, nearly crashing into the owner of the voice, now identified as Husky. He tried to wipe up the potion, wincing as it seemed to congeal on the rag he was using.
He'd gotten most of it when Husky managed to get the lights on, grabbing another rag and helping clean up the rest. The photo was now black, with a streak of color going through now and again. Cooro winced, as did Husky. He looked at it closely, and winced again. There was another picture that they hadn't noticed, stuck to the back. Now they'd never know what it had been. Hopefully unimportant, but still…
"What was that?" Husky asked, looking at Cooro in faint confusion.
"I don't know. My wing potion and some things I've been collecting." He looked at the towels that they both held, wincing as he saw they were nearly solid with the gelatinous mixture.
"Come on, let's get rid of these. I don't think they can be saved." They both left to find a rubbish bin that wouldn't let the stench out if they were there for a while. The photo glowed faintly as the lights were turned off.
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Sirius looked up as the lights went on, before all went dark. Something was spreading, not just on the outside, but into the photo, and he tried to retreat to one upstairs, only to be pulled back as the blue goop clung to his leg. The others seemed in a similar predicament, though he saw that it was ignoring Peter's lifeless body.
The last thing he saw before all was completely extinguished was Remus' scared eyes catching his.
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Sirius shoots up in his bed, blinking into the light in confusion. For a moment, he is confused, before remembering where he is. Azkaban. For a crime he didn't commit. He lays back, remembering his dream.
They'd been in the Common Room, playing Exploding Snap. Peter had the cards blowing in his face, and he was laughing. He remembered in his dream it had felt boring, like he'd seen it all before.
Then, a strange blue goo had oozed in from… somewhere, and it had covered them all. He'd watched as they all were covered with it, and it had all gone dark.
He shook his head. It was just a dream.
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Remus wakes up, wincing at the horrible smell leaking into the room. He sits up, glancing at the corner of the room as he does so. There, in a large box and covered in dust, were the last surviving photos of the Marauders. Harry had some, more than he'd thought Vernon and Petunia would keep, but they mainly featured Lily.
Also within the box are other things he'd never admit to keeping; prototypes of the Marauder's Map, detention slips, notes from pranks and love letters, both sent and hidden. He'd gone through to find some for Harry when he realized he couldn't part with them. He'd sent some to Hagrid, of course, but these… these were the last of the four of them, back before the war ruined them all.
He would show him, though. There was no harm in that. He'd leave out the Animagaus bit for now, though. There were a few things Harry could wait to learn, and his lycanthropy was one of them.
He walked over to the box, and pulled out one of his favorites. It was of Sirius and himself, and in that one they ended up wrestling over a chocolate bar. Lily had to break them up, and that was when the camera had flashed, surprising them all. James had grinned sheepishly at them as he put it away.
When he pulled it out, however, he found that all the occupants were asleep.
Yes, it's shorter than normal, but I want to save some fun for myself in a few days. That, and I want to get this up now, and I can't stay awake anymore.
By the way, the voting so far stands as thus:
Fred/ George: 1
Scabbers (NOT Pettigrew): 1
Luna Lovegood: 1
Thanks to those who voted, and I hope the rest of you will join; I'm still counting!