Unicorn Blood

That evening Draco came to Severus's office for his appointment. Inus was sitting on the sofa and Severus was in his chair behind his table, looking very much the professor in charge.

Draco came in the room and walked in front of of Severus's desk, blocking Inus's view of Severus. "I'm here. What do you want?"

Severus said in a stern voice. "Mr. Malfoy, is that the proper way to address a house parent?"

"Professor Snape, why did you call me to your office?" Draco sat on a chair then leaned forward with his hands on the armrests.

"Last night, I treated you like a child although you're old enough to know the truth," explained Severus. "What is said here can't leave this office. I especially don't want you telling your mother."

"What about him?" Draco stared at Inus.

"He already knows," said Severus.

"You-Know-Who has my father in a box and is using Polyjuice Potion," Draco guessed.

"I wish it was that simple." Severus looked at Inus.

Inus wasn't going to let Severus off the hook that easy.

"What are you looking at, Potter?" Draco had slipped and called him Potter like when they were classmates since he must have been too anger to remember calling Professor Quirrell Harry was his newest taunt.

"Professor Quirrell is the Defence Against Dark Arts teacher," said Severus. "This is more his venue."

"Mr. Malfoy, there is no gentle way to say this. Your father is possessed by a spirit. Your father's soul is still in his body. When Severus and I met him, he appeared to have willingly gave control to this spirit." Inus swallowed hard. "That may have changed."

"Potter, why didn't you tell me last night?" asked Draco.

"We never been friends and you wanted to talk to Professor Snape." Inus folded his hands on his lap.

"If you didn't sit with the Weasel on the train, we could have been best mates," Draco said. "You made your bed."

Severus gave Draco an eyeful. His mind was saying that is no way to address Professor Quirrell or any other professor.

Inus looked at his wrist where the skin graft met the burn scars. "I wouldn't change a thing. If I hadn't gone through the trapdoor, Lord Voldemort would be alive and immortal, not relying on people like your father to let him share their bodies."

"Dumbledore would have been forced to fight his own battle," said Draco.

"He doesn't fight them now." Inus's focus shifted from his wrist to his hands. "I can't fight in his steed."

"Even if you believe in the Dark Lord's cause, you can't believe he's the creature for the task," Draco said in a near shout. "He has my father under his power."

"I don't." Inus was referring to believing in the Dark Lord's cause. Putting his hands to his head, he pressed his thick hair against the face-shaped scars. "I can't keep him from re-entering me. All I can do is hope I'm strong enough to push him out."

"He's in my father," cried Draco.

"You better hope your father hasn't drank unicorn blood," said Inus. "It seals the bond."

"My father is no virgin," shouted Draco.

Inus was relieved Severus put a privacy shield on the office. Draco's voice could have carried to the common room, otherwise.

"You look too much like your father to be anyone else's child," said Severus. "Inus wasn't implying you weren't your father's son. Someone else can collect the blood. Your father only needs to drink it."

Draco looked at his lap.

"You and Pansy on the night of the Yule Ball," said Severus.

"Goyle and Crabbe," said Draco, implying they were virgins, not that they were doing each other.

Still holding his head in his hands, Inus rested his head against his hands, not wanting to say they could be doing each other. He would try this once to be a dignified professor and not a fifteen year old boy.

"What about my mother?' asked Draco.

"Your father won't let the Dark Lord harm her," Inus said.

"My father is under his power." Draco's face was bright red. All his blood seemed to be flowing to his usually pale face as he seemed to get angrier by the second.

"No," Inus said in a soft, hopefully, calming voice. He had gone from holding his head to leaning against his hands. "The Dark Lord only has as much power as your father allows him. Your father isn't the type of man to fall for his lies of power and greatness."

"You fell for the lies," said Draco.

"No, I saw the Stone as my key to immortality. With the Stone, I could have freed myself from Lord Voldemort, and -" Inus stopped talking since he knew he sounded as arrogant as the portrait.

Draco said, "Potter, you really remember being Professor Quirrell."

Inus moved his hands to his temples, returned to holding his head and nodded.

After getting up from his seat, Draco sat beside Inus and put a hand on his shoulder. "Potter, You-Know-Who pushed you out of your body. How can you be so sure my father has control?"

"Because he's still inside his body." Inus had a feeling that for a brief second Draco's father had looked at him. "Lord Voldemort would push him out if he could. He'll kill anyone that gets in his way. He uses Unforgivables on his Death Eaters. Don't think your father is immune."

Severus walked over to Inus and hugged him. "You're alive. It's over."

"It's isn't over," Inus wrapped his arms around Severus. "I'm only alive because Professor Quirrell's heart gave out and my spirit mistook his body for mine. Draco's father is in trouble and I can't help him."

Severus stopped hugging Inus and patted Draco on the shoulder. "I'll do what I can to help your father. You be strong for him. You can cry here where the other boys can't hear."

Draco stood up. "Thank you. Professor Snape, I won't say a word to my mother. However, can I suggest that she visit Aunt Andromeda until Dad is acting more like himself?"

"If you do it discreetly. You can't let on you know." Severus released the privacy screen on the door. "Good luck."

"Thanks for trusting me with the truth." said Draco.

"You're growing up." After Draco left the house parents' office, Severus said, "You can help. We can find the horcruxes and destroy them."

"We know he had six all together, but we don't know how many were already destroyed. The least he can have is two: the one inside Lucius and the one keeping him bound to earth. Or all six remain," said Inus.

"We destroy one; it's one less," Severus agreed. "He splits himself further while in Lucius he loses his hold on Lucius, so he can't make more."

xxxx

Inus went over to see his doppelg nger after Severus fell asleep. Now Severus was sleeping like a baby and he was the one with insomnia. Inus left the portrait on the wall this time.

"Harry, you have real friends to visit," said the portrait. "Why visit me?"

"You need a friend," said Inus.

"Seeing you angered me at first, but I now see you as this dark-haired boy on crutches," said the portrait. "You're definitely not me."

"Dumbledore is angry that I remember being you. He feels Severus and I upset the balance of nature when we probed into your memories. I feel that we restored it. Before my tea leaves only showed the grim and, now, I get a different readings. I spoke to Sibyll about it and she believes that Severus and I restored order."

"You're Harry Potter, the boy who lived. I'm Lord Voldemort's puppet. Why would you want my life?"

"It's the only life I have." Inus looked at the tiled floor. "Sirius and Remus are always talking about their Hogwarts days. The nurses told me that wizards live a long time and sixteen years are a drop in a bucket, but I wanted to remember growing up."

"Teenagers are miserable. You're better off not remembering."

"I wasn't a fourteen year old boy and I didn't have the life experience to act thirty. Severus would kiss me and run away ashamed. I knew the memories were inside me because I was relearning everything you knew."

"Harry, you aren't me."

"No, you're you and I'm me. You're now a portrait, instead of in Hell, so you should be happy to be here."

"I could have been in Heaven."

"I doubt that was the case. There are sins other than sins of the flesh. It doesn't matter now. Good people have portraits done and they don't complain about missing Heaven."

The portrait smiled slightly. "You wanted to remember for social reasons."

"The other students couldn't understand my interest in Severus and laughed when I danced with Sibyll. I was old in their eyes and I couldn't relate to people my physical age since I didn't have the memories. I didn't want to be a boy in a man's body."

"That makes some sense."

"I feel I did the right thing opening up your memories. I feel that the gods are pleased with this. I get direction in my runes now. It's nice to know that there is meaning in my life."

"You should be talking to Sibyll about these things. I never put much stock in Divination." Quirinus shook his head. "All that looking for signs, mile markers and signals from beyond."

"I spoke to her all summer. Dumbledore is never around, which I don't mind since I don't care for the man (I tolerate him because he pays my salary), and Rube was on his honeymoon. Rube is now in France with his bride. I wish him every good fortune, but I miss him. So in the summer it was pretty much Sibyll, Severus and I. Argus and Irma only have eyes for each other which is good because no one else would look at them."
Quirinus winced. "I don't need the images."

"Arg, beat me, whip me," Inus said in a high pitched whine then he shook his shoulders. Irma and Argus were not only ugly but ill-kept.

"Does he still keep the manacles polished?"

"Really and waiting for Britain to change its laws on corporal punishment."

Quirinus smiled, again. "Harry, I'm beginning to enjoy your visits."

"I have to see your face in the mirror, so I couldn't hate you. After I was acquitted because of the amnesia, I thought your mother would kick me out after I told her who I was. Instead, she accepted me as her son and told me I couldn't fight my biology." Inus yawned. "I should be getting back." He yawned, again. "Good night, Quirinus."

"Good night, Harry."

Inus squeezed his crutch grip. "Long walk. I visit Sibyll's tower by broom. No good broom routes to the third floor corridor."

"Wait a second. You haven't answered my question. Why be me? Remus's trick map told everyone you were Potter. You could have returned to your life."

"You're under the mistaken belief that I had a life to return to. Sure, my godfather would have taken me in for the summers. Before my godfather was released from prison, my aunt and uncle had custody. My aunt hid me in a cupboard under the stairs to keep me safe from a very real monster. She never wanted me, but I was her late sister's son, so she made due." Inus smiled. "Your mother took me in, called me son. I never had a mum before. I would face all the dementors in Azkaban for a mum."

Quirinus smiled, too.

"I couldn't deny her in court," explained Inus.

"Harry, thank you. My mum is a special lady. She's lucky to have you for a son."

"May I go now?"

"I'm not keeping you," said the portrait. "Visit any time."