The Second Chance
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything of Harry Potter. This story is inspired by Kurinoone's awesome story 'The Darkness Within', which was inspired by Project Dark Overlord's wonderful fic- 'A Shattered Prophesy'.
Thanks SO much to those who reviewed in the last chapter: Draco, Jessica, Jaffaninja, Lauraw18, Phoenixx Rising, Ash- Bookworm 113, rainydayluver, . , G, coolchickdiv, kimco96, Kurinoone's fan, Reader, v1cky84, Jayjaypotter13, LadyGriffin17, BlueWater5, Raawr, Oirasse, Sushi, Kurinoone, Biaa Black Potter, HazelMidnight20918 and Tom Kristal, your reviews were so wonderful I really couldn't have done without them! This chapter is dedicated specially to you, my faithful reviewers! :D
Chapter 15: Unfitting Puzzles
James had been beside himself with guilt and worry since the day he lost his best friend to the Death- Eaters during Greville Town's raid. Fear stabbed his heart constantly, reminding him of his faults. He shouldn't have used Sirius as a bait as well; he should have done it himself! And he shouldn't have left Sirius to raise the barrier to protect the Muggle town all alone, he should have helped; Sirius would not have been weak to the point of collasping due to the sheer strength of his shield.
But no, all the great James Potter managed to achieve was to hurt, and possibly aggravate Sirius' injuries during the last moments before James was transported back to Potter Manor, reasonably unscathed, yet broken inside, due to the merciless blade of guilt.
It had been a day. 20 hours since the raid, to be precise. But James was still sitting there, by the hearth rug, constantly alert, hoping of news from the Order or the Ministry that might lead to a way of him being able to bring back Sirius Black.
Then, inevitably, the black hawk they had seen once before arrived at the window.
There was no one else in the living room, only James, and the thoughts that haunted his mind. Lily was still in the kitchen, trying to cook up a meal that would tease her husband's appetite, although her previous attempts were futile. It reminded Lily of when she had been trying to get her first son, Harry, to eat something. James was just as equally stubborn.
She, though with unshed tears glistening in her eyes, had tried to comfort her husband, but he was a Marauder, and he wouldn't forgive himself, nor did he ever give up hope.
And that was the card the Dark Lord had been all too eager to play.
The large black bird soared through the window, and landed lightly right before James, depositing a ragged piece of parchment in James' lap. Already knowing what was coming, James lifted the parchment warily, his eyes still trained on the bird.
"Come to Greville Hill at midnight tonight, alone. You should know better than to refuse me."
The black hawk continued glaring at James, its amber eyes reminding James of the ruby red ones owned by its master; before it flew away, like a fading memory of a nightmare.
And as Lily came out of the kitchen, holding a large freshly baked bacon and egg pie, James put on a smile, and went forwards to help her lay it on the table, his right hand slipping the small note secretly into his pocket.
Kit was not in a good mood that day.
He had woke up at the ungodly hour of a quarter to five in the morning due to the sudden sharp pain in his scar, which was caused, unbeknowst to him, by Ollivander, who had managed to anger the Dark Lord after insisting he was powerless to make a wand for an owner in which he was not allowed to see, nor test said person's aura. It became more and more unbearable until the point it started to bleed, red seeping through his fingers rapidly.
Cursing under his breath, Kit used one hand to flip his trunk open, and wandlessly revealed a secret compartment. There were twenty vials of various Potions aligned neatly in the trunk. Quickly, Kit selected a pain- relief and blood- clotting potion, before uncorking both vials and downing them in one go. The pain had lessened, if only by a little, but at least he could now think clearly, and his scar was no longer bleeding.
Not wanting to experience more migraines due to downing too much potions on an empty stomach, Kit siphoned the blood off his face using magic, and grudgingly made his way down to the Great Hall, wondering if the House Elves had already prepared breakfast.
He walked silently, only sticking to the shadows, his keen blue eyes roving around the dark corridor. No one else was in sight.
Upon reaching the Great Hall, however, Kit, to his surprise, found himself looking at five House- Elves, who were busy laying out the table, and one other House Elf actually talking to one of the students. On closer inspection, Kit realized that the student was actually a Gryffindor girl- and more accurately, Ginevra Weasley.
Well, he never expected her to be an early- riser.
The House- Elf whom she was speaking to realized Kit's presence first. It stopped in mid- speech, colour tinging its cheeks, before backing away hurriedly. The chatter of the rest of the House Elves faded away gradually, and seven pairs of eyes fell onto Kit.
The Weasley girl, Ginevra, turned around, looking surprised and a bit wary, before relaxing as Kit stepped out of the shadows.
"Good morning, Kit," she said brightly. "I knew you were one to wake early, but I never imagined your waking hours to be this ungodly."
"It's more of a surprise for me to find you here," Kit replied with a small polite smile he commonly associated with the rest of the Hogwarts population whom he didn't know so well. "After all, you and Ron never seem to wake up before nine."
Ginny half- laughed, half- pouted. "We're not that bad," she said, before turning around to face the other House Elves, who were still frozen to the spot, unsure if it were manners to Disapparate before greeting the newcomer- Kit.
Smiling gently, she tugged one of the House Elves forwards- the one she had been speaking to previously, and told Kit, "This is my friend Winky. She has been here for two years, ever since the Triwizard Tournament."
Kit had to hide his expression of disgust and incredubility as Ginny introduced the filthy, pathetic creature before her as 'she'. But he nodded politely and put on a smile, as though it were the most common thing to have a House Elf as a friend, and held out a hand, though he loathed himself for doing it.
"A pleasure to meet you, Winky. I am Kit Mason."
Harry would have been taken aback by the eerie resemblance between his glamoured self and Tom Riddle Jr. had he seen his own reflection then; their charming smiles were just too identical to slip by unnoticed.
Timidly, Winky shuffled forwards, after being prompted by Ginny, though she did not take the proferred hand, but bowed to Kit so low, her nose nearly touched the ground.
"The pleasure is all mine, sir," she squeaked.
"Now, there is no need for that," Kit gestured for her to get up, using the excuse to withdraw his hand with a barely concealed air of relief.
"See? I told you that nobody thinks House Elves are of lower status than wizards," Ginny told Winky with a grin, before adding an afterthought, "except for some big- headed pureblood Slytherins, but ignore them."
Winky looked up timidly, blushing. "Is Kit Mason sir like Miss Weasley and Miss Granger, then? Does Kit Mason sir regard all House Elves as... equals," the last part was whispered.
Kit smiled charmingly. "Of course, Miss Winky. Why should you be any different from us wizards, or as the goblins call it... wand- carriers? We are all magical, but mortal beings. We have much in common. Status should not exist in the magical world, as we are all equals."
Ginny flashed Kit a thumbs- up as Winky blushed even harder and looked at the floor, and the other House- Elves shifted uncomfortably in the background, before choosing to Disapparate as quietly as they could, so no one would notice.
"K-Kit Mason sir, sir is too kind," Winky mumbled and stammered, her face growing redder and redder with each word. "H-House Elves, we live to serve wizards, it is our duty, tis the Sole Living Purpose..."
"Indeed," said Kit, "and it is time Wizards learnt from your noble kind."
Winky flushed even harder, if that was possible, and Kit spoke up kindly before Ginny could, "I hope I have not made you feel uncomfortable, Miss Winky. That was not my intention, and I apologise if I have made you feel so. Now, I shall waste no more of your valuable time. Please do send my regards to the other House- Elves, and thank you for laying out breakfast for us. It is much appreciated."
This overwhelming and smoothly delivered flattery left a red Winky with no choice but to stammer her thanks and quickly Disapparate from their sight. For a moment, there was silence, before Ginny caught Kit's eye and began to laugh.
"You sounded as though you were delivering a speech," she said, as they sat down together at the Gryffindor table, helping themselves to the magically heated food. "I've never seen Winky look so flustered."
Kit quirked an innocent smile, suddenly adopting very much to Tom Riddle Junior's expressions. "I assure you, those words were from my very heart."
That just made Ginny laugh, before she helped herself to more French toast.
A sudden stabbing pain in his forehead and a wave of dizziness overcame Kit, and it reminded him of his downing Potions on an empty stomach. Not wanting his headache to worsen, he quickly helped himself to some porridge, ignoring the large dollop of honey in the porridge bowl. It might have been a trait inherited from Voldemort, but he did not like sweet food much.
"That's got to be completely tasteless," commented Ginny as Kit finished his porridge, leaving the honey untouched.
Kit merely shrugged in reply. "I don't like sweet things."
"One of my friends used to be just like you," she said, her tone suddenly a bit softer, before she turned away and reached out for some bacon.
"Would you like some?" she said, brandishing a spoonful of scrambled eggs in Kit's direction. Kit accepted it with thanks distractedly, his mind elsewhere.
He suddenly thought he might know the 'friend' Ginny spoke of. Hopefully it wasn't who he thought it was, or it would just mean that he had to improve his acting skills to avoid suspicion...
Did that mean he had to fake his likes and dislikes as well?
At that thought, he deliberately reached for some oily fries, and upended plenty of barbeque sauce on it, before dropping his fork and starting to eat with his hands. Ginny eyed him in amusement.
"Sometimes you really remind me of Ron."
Kit didn't know whether to feel pleased or insulted.
It turned out, after hearing the conversation during breakfast, that Damien was actually still having a dilemma on who to pick as his duelling partner that evening, and that Damien had merely eyed Kit just to annoy Kit and give a false impression that he would be choosing the transfer student as his partner.
At first, Damien had been certain about his choice of choosing Hermione as his partner- they had trained together a few times before, under Harry's supervision. But as Ron, ever the chess- master pointed out, Gryffindor would be against Slytherin tonight, and the latter house had a reputation of using dark spells, in which Hermione's wide range of knowledge of various handy spells wouldn't come into much use. Neville was out of the question, as Damien never really liked the boy, but Kit... well, the transfer student was nice to annoy.
And Damien wasn't still sore about being caught talking to 'his snowy'!
Ron kept on insisting that Damien should choose Kit as his partner, as Kit was well- known for his strong shield and lightning fast reflexes, ever since the Defense lesson only yesterday. But Kit had adamantly refused, but not without hesitation. He liked duels and challenges, that much Ron did know.
In the end, Ron made Damien ask Kit himself. "It will show more sincerity on your behalf, instead of me being the go- between," he reasoned.
Grudgingly, Damien had obliged. He sidled up to the transfer student who promptly ignored him, then slid neatly into the seat beside Kit.
He didn't much like the idea of asking Kit to be his duelling partner- it sounded as though he were asking for the elder Gryffindor's help, which he'd rather starve for a day than do, but Ron's theorizing was just too logical to ignore. It didn't help that Hermione supported Ron whole- heartedly.
Kit continued to ignore the younger boy.
Gritting his teeth and plastering a bright smile, (and assuring himself he was only asking Kit to annoy the boy), Damien said, "Would you like to be my duelling partner tonight?"
The words had barely left his tongue before Damien cringed inwardly at how much it sounded like "Would you like to be my dancing partner tonight?". Kit, too, apparently had the same train of thought, for he smirk made its way to his face, and Damien felt the overwhelming urge to wipe it off.
"Well, answer me," Damien snapped. "I need to make a decision, and fast."
"Why are you asking me, Potter?" Kit said, smiling sweetly. "Surely you have better friends-"
"Well, I want to annoy you!" Damien cut across, imitating Kit's smile to perfection.
"Then thank you, but no thanks. I'm not wasting my evening just to be a source of entertainment," Kit said briskly, his tone final as he got up.
"Hey!" Damien said, before jumping out of his seat and following Harry out of the Hall, talking non- stop as he walked backwards, all the while trying to keep up with Kit as well.
"Go choose someone else," Kit said irritably. "And for goodness' sake stop bothering me. You really do know how to hold a grudge, don't you?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" said Damien indignantly.
"Well, clearly, you're still sore about being caught talking to your snowy, that's why you're still trying to annoy and get back at me."
"For goodness' sake!" spluttered Damien. "I- am NOT!"
Kit's insides soared with triumph at the youngest Potter's annoyance. "Whatever you say."
He turned to walk down a deserted corridor, which was a long walk, but would eventually lead to the library... providing the staircases cooperated. But he could always make them. At least, he could try...
"Look, this has nothing to do with Hedwig," Damien began again. "All you need to do is-"
"-forget it," Kit cut across him in a sing- song voice, smirking as he did so. "You won't be getting your way this time."
Damien was exasperated and beyond irritated. "Can't you just listen-"
"- I refuse," Kit interrupted again, knowing all too well that he was serving to annoy the younger wizard further. "Do you seriously think I'd be idiotic enough to agree entertain you for the entire evening when I have much better things to be focusing on-"
"I'm asking you this because I want Gryffindor to win!" Damien's voice rose, loud, over Kit's.
The elder boy stopped, looking at Damien weirdly.
Damien's face was red, possibly because he was tired of keeping up with Kit's quick strides and chattering non- stop at the same time.
"Let me get this straight," Kit said with a condescending tone, "You think that I am the best chance you have of winning."
"Yes, but just because Ron says so," Damien admitted, though he felt the need to add the last part just so not to inflate Kit's ego.
"And I think Ron has misjudged my abilities," Kit said evenly.
Damien suddenly wondered if Kit was psychotic- he certainly had alter personalities. One moment he was smirking with an inflated ego, the next moment he was serious and humbling his abilities.
"Well, I trust Ron, even though I don't really trust you, and if he says you're the best chance of us winning, then I want you as my duelling partner," Damien reasoned everything out, not letting Kit having the possible chance of gloating if he chose to. But hoping Kit would change his mind, Damien felt obliged to add, "Though it seems that it is a fact that your shield is remarkably strong."
"So basically you want me up there to protect your sorry behind constantly," Kit said, with a hint of laughter in his voice.
"You'd better hope it's not the other way round," snapped back Damien.
"I assure you, it won't be... but there is a condition," Kit said, his eyes quite suddenly a shade darker, though Damien merely attributed it to the shadows.
"What's that?" Damien said, warily.
"I refuse to lose to the Slytherins, especially not on my first week at Hogwarts," Kit said, his smile sly in a dangerous yet familiar sort of way. "I need to know what you are actually capable of, your strengths and weaknesses, so we can coordinate better."
Damien eyed him with a raised eyebrow. "You really care a lot about appearances, huh? First Transfiguration and now this."
Kit raised his eyebrow in return. "Enlighten me. Was I misguided to think that you felt the same way?"
"I want to beat the slimy Slytherins more than you do!" said Damien at once, with barely hidden indignance. "What time do you have in mind? The duel starts directly after dinner."
"Then we'll just have to skip dinner," said Kit with a shrug.
"What?" moaned Damien. "That's a heavy price to pay. I can't perform well on an empty stomach."
"Something light, then," Kit relented. "Do you have an appropriate place in mind?"
Damien thought for a moment before replying. "There's a room, it's called the Room of Requirement, on the seventh floor. I'll take you up there after your last class this evening."
"Perfect," said Kit with a smile. "See you, then."
He slung his back over his shoulder, pleased, as he walked away towards the library, leaving a seemingly excited Damien behind.
Finally, he would be able to find out the truth...
That evening approached slowly, with Damien getting increasingly edgy towards the evening. Truth to be told, he was interested to witness for himself how skilled Kit was at duelling, as all he had ever heard were stories told by Ron or the other Gryffindors about how good Kit was at Defense, considering he was only a transfer student from a school unheard before, and was maybe just as good as Neville himself.
Damien thought his standards were considered pretty good against his fellow classmates, but then again, Rosier Jr. had always been his main rival, and Damien secretly thought he was a pretty tough opponent to beat. The Slytherin was deadly fast, just like a snake. And Damien would be duelling against another Seventh- Year Slytherin as well, though presumably Kit was going to deal with the more experienced dueller, whoever Rosier may choose.
Hopefully it would be Crabbe... surely that big bloke shouldn't pose much of a threat.
The youngest Potter had removed the Layhoo Jisteen from his neck earlier that morning, stowing it into the secret compartment of his trunk under his bed. However, the sudden absence of the heavy but comfortable weight around his neck left Damien with a feeling of extreme unease, especially as he recalled Harry's words and his elder brother's warnings about removing the stone. But any other second misgivings were conveniently forgotten as all his fellow Gryffindors wished him luck and gave him tips on winning the duel later.
As a result of wondering about every possible outcome of the duel that evening, Damien failed to pay attention in class, which resulted in extra homework by both Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall. However, even the large pile of homework and facing the possible prospect of detention could stop Damien's mind from wandering.
When evening finally came, Damien hurriedly walked back from Herbology and made his way to the Gryffindor Common Room to meet Kit, pausing only to snag a piece of toast from their table as he left the Great Hall. It did not slip his notice that Rosier was not at the Slytherin table either,and he was starting to feel anxious. He had to win this duel, especially in front of Kit, especially especially against Slytherin!
With these thoughts, a preoccupied Damien made his way up the stairs, barely acknowledging the friendly thumps, encouraging words and questions the Gryffindors, regardless of age, hurled at him. All of them wanted to win, just as badly as the Slytherins did.
When he finally arrived at the Gryffindor Common Room, Damien found that Kit was already there, lounging in one of the sofas, looking for some reason, more... serious, and subdued, than Damien had ever seen him before. On seeing the younger wizard enter, Kit looked up.
"You're late," he said, his voice quiet, very much unlike the time Damien had tried persuading Kit to be his partner in the Duelling Club.
Damien checked his watch and scowled. "By only three minutes!" he said indignantly.
The barest hint of a smirk crossed Kit's features. "It still doesn't change the fact." He got up and walked towards the door. "Lead the way then, Potter. To the Room of Requirement."
Damien scowled for the second time in a minute, before reluctantly agreeing to do so. He never liked taking orders. And Kit's somewhat bossy and irritating manner was not helping one bit. But that would be the usual Kit, the one that was unknowingly drawn into Damien's bicker over pointless things. This Kit somehow seemed more... foreign, than the one he had met four days ago.
Briefly, Damien felt a bit startled. To think it had only been four days ago! It felt like ages... or maybe two weeks, since Hogwarts had reopened.
"Are you going to lead the way or are you going to stand there and scratch your head until the duel begins?" snapped Kit irritably to his right.
Damien's reverie promptly shattered into a thousand pieces. "Well, you wouldn't need me to show the way if you had read Hogwarts; A History properly before coming, would you, new boy?" Damien retorted testily, though he knew what he said was far from the truth. The Room of Requirement was never clearly stated to exist in Hogwarts by Bathilda Bagshot; there was only a vague description of it, and needless to say, the location of the Room was not written in the book.
Kit seemed to know that fact because he replied, "Just so you know, I've read the entire book before and there is not a single mention of the Room of Requirement in it, unless you're referring to the Room of Now and Then. And even that was only a mild description."
"Now don't you just sound like Hermione," muttered Damien as they continued their way past the Third- Floor corridor.
Kit followed Damien past many unused classrooms, up flights of stairs, all the while fingering his wand slightly, unsure whether he was prepared for what he was about to do. His father had vehemently denied him the truth, and had forbidden him to seek it any longer, but this was something even his father could never understand; it was his right to know what had happened; it was his memories, and therefore he had every right to claim them back.
They finally arrived at a blank wall in the Seventh- Floor corridor, Damien pausing and closing his eyes, presumably to concentrate on making the room suit his needs.
A few minutes ticked past silently, before a door suddenly materialized before them. Damien seemed unaware of that fact, and continued pacing up and down, until Kit nudged the boy; albeilt a little too hard. The youngest Potter nearly fell over, and glared up at Kit as fiercely as he could.
Of course it had no whatsoever effect on the Dark Prince who had grew up under Voldemort. Kit merely smirked and turned the handles of the door, letting them both inside. Damien hastened to follow, and once both of them were in, the door vanished behind them, as though it had never been.
"It's a cool room, isn't it?" Damien seemed to have forgotten his previous annoyance at Kit, and seemed to be admiring every angle of the room, though Kit didn't see a single object that deserved his admiration. "Me and Ron discovered it back in my Second- Year. We were wandering about at night when Filch nearly caught us... and we started to run. I don't know which of us did it, but we were both thinking of a place to hide when the door suddenly materialized before us."
Damien stopped as he noticed Kit's silence. This was somewhat weird of Kit, as Damien had expected a snappy retort to 'shut up now' by then. But Kit was merely looking at him, his face emotionless, causing a small chill to crawl up Damien's spine.
"What's wrong with you?" the youngest Potter frowned, scrutinising the elder boy. "I thought you would have shouted at me to shut up by now... or are you really nervous about the duel?"
Kit snorted, his old self for the moment. "As if."
That made Damien grin, as though he had confirmed the fact.
"Is this room sound- proof?" Kit asked, strolling around casually, as though taking in his surroundings. There was nothing in the room except two comfortable- looking sofas placed in two opposite corners, and a thick red carpet on the floor.
"Yes it is," Damien confirmed. "I was very specific about it... this room is completely sound- proof, fire- proof and intruder- proof... if that's a word. No one can enter this room or see this room without either you or me allowing it."
"Good. Thank you."
And Kit spun round, a jet of red light thundering out of his wand, towards Damien.
Damien, on his part, managed to draw his wand and fire a Stunner fast enough, thanks to the many unexpected and grueling training he had to endure when Harry had been training him. However, Kit had send three jets of red light speeding in his direction, therefore taking no chances. The youngest Potter failed to avoid two of them. He could only stumble backwards, as though disbelieving, before slumping, unconscious to the ground.
Kit stepped neatly out of the way of Damien's Stunner, mildly impressed by the apparently clumsy Gryffindor's reflexes. He watched as Damien's disbelieving eyes widened, before the younger wizard blacked out completely, falling forwards like a puppet without a string.
Quickly, Kit stepped forwards, tilting Damien's head backwards before producing a vial of colourless liquid, seemingly from thin air. He dripped three drops of Veritaserum onto the Gryffindor's tongue, before forcing the younger boy to swallow it.
It was a disorientated and half- conscious Damien that came to, some three minutes later, his eyes surveying the scene before him. His eyes widened, if only slightly, when Kit approached him, his eyes now unmistakably dark and dangerous.
Kit stood before Damien for a while, before crouching down, like a predator, causing Damien to flinch slightly, but he was powerless to do anything but lie there, completely defenseless. His mind was a complete whirl, his brain numbed- he couldn't think!- but deep inside Damien could feel fear clawing at his heart. He couldn't move his legs; hands… he couldn't even feel his limbs.
"I have questions for you," Kit started, his eyes dark and penetrating, boring holes into Damien's half- closed ones. "A year ago, how was Harry Potter captured by the Order?"
The youngest Potter's heart was hammering wildly, but there was nothing he could do; he couldn't even control his mouth. The words were spat out much against his will, despite his fear and uncertainty about Kit's true identity…
"The Order laid a false trap… my dad caught him."
His words were slurred, his breath coming in fast gasps, but he was completely helpless. Kit smiled, one dark and dangerous, that Damien would have flinched if he could.
"What happened after he was captured?" Kit asked the second question.
Once again, the words were forced out against his will…
"H-Harry was imprisoned in the Headquarters, after they removed his mask... and revealed his true identity."
"Tell me everything," Kit ordered, a steely glint in his eye. "Leave out no details. I want to know everything that happened after Harry was caught last year…"
Kit flicked his wand, and suddenly the words were tumbling out, beyond Damien's control.
"Dad and mum told me Harry hated them in particular, though they did not know why. They never told me of his existence, until the second day after they found Harry. But they wouldn't let me see him.
"I begged them, hard, because I wanted to meet my elder brother, but they wouldn't relent. So one day, I snuck into the Headquarters under my dad's Invisibility Cloak, and found him. I never doubted his identity the moment I saw Harry… he looked exactly like my father, except he had mum's green eyes... He wasn't the ideal elder brother in my dreams, but he was better than what I imagined. Dad and mum were really mad when they found out what I'd done… they seemed to think that Harry was dangerous, and I shouldn't be by his side.
"Then Professor Dumbledore had an idea, to send Harry to Hogwarts, and give him a chance to mix in with students his own age. Harry was very angry at first, when he came to school. He broke Ron's wrist, and called Hermione a filthy name… at first I was furious at him for hurting my friends, but then, slowly, he started to change.
"It first started when he saved Ginny during Quidditch Tryouts... and I had my first game of racing on broomsticks with Harry. He was a great flyer…"
"Who placed the Imperius Curse on Harry? When did he start acting differently?" Kit persisted, as he continued following the story, with increasing unease and uncomprehension.
Damien paused. "Harry was never placed under the Imperius Curse. We got on together gradually, and he managed to save all our lives, including Ron, Hermione and Ginny during a Daywalker attack at Hogsmeade, though it nearly cost him his own. He got really hurt at that time.
"Then one day, Harry tried to kill Dad. I never really knew why he hated dad so much, then. He tried to frame Uncle Siri for the crime after pushing Dad off a cliff. Luckily I found out, and sabotaged his plan… but Professor Dumbledore said Harry had to go to Azkaban for it.
"I couldn't let my elder brother suffer like that, for the rest of his life, no matter what he had done. I kept telling myself he'd been brainwashed by Voldemort, and that he wasn't really evil. He saved many lives, after all. Then, suddenly, just as Professor Dumbledore left Harry tied up, alone, many Death- Eaters appeared outside, within the school grounds. They had broken through Hogwarts' barriers to snatch Harry back to Voldemort's side. But Harry couldn't escape, and if he didn't... he was going to be handed over to the Dementors, to perform the Kiss...I just couldn't see him suffer like that, after all he did for me… I snuck back into the room, and let him go."
Suddenly, there was a loud hammering outside the door. Kit's head snapped up, though he knew that no one could hear them from outside.
"Damy? Kit!"
It was Ron's voice, pounding on the invisible door. "We know you're in there, so come out already! The duel's beginning in five minutes!"
Kit cursed under his breath as he checked his timepiece. It was true. And he still had yet so much to find out…
Damien, still under the spell, kept on talking. "Then I watched as Harry ran outside, and the Death- Eaters reached him. I watched him as he took Bellatrix Lestrange's hand and Disapparated…"
Kit froze, his eyes darting to the semi- conscious Gryffindor in front of him. "What?"
Outside, Ron kept on pounding loudly on the door, with both fists. "Get out of here, both of you! You're going to be late!"
Damien nodded, his eyelids drooping… "Bellatrix… Harry views her as family. He was very protective of her… he was devastated when the Dark Lord killed her, to get back at him."
Silence rang in the room, Kit stumbling backwards a little, his eyes regarding Damien in shock. "It can't be."
"Someone caught a snapshot of it… Harry and Bellatrix Disapparating were all over the papers the very next day…" Damien started to choke, his senses slowly regaining as he fought the Veritaserum, trying hard to clear his head. Outside, Ron and Hermione called out again, their bellows getting increasingly louder.
Kit was torn between decisions. He hadn't got what he wanted to know; he couldn't give it up just then! There might never be a chance like this anymore, and his worst fears had been confirmed; his father's story did not fit Damien's, and now he was torn between which was true and false, torn between countless questions.
Still he watched, as Damien choked and writhed on the floor, the younger boy's hands scrabbling and pulling at his hair, trying to fight Kit's charm. Clearly, it was already beginning to wear, as the youngest Potter was able to move now. The locking charm wasn't supposed to last more than ten minutes anyway.
Reluctantly, and fighting against the strong instinct to immobilize Damien and interrogate the boy again, Kit released the younger boy from his charm totally. For a moment, Damien coughed, then tried to push himself up, before freezing. Hazel eyes snapped up to meet Kit's black eyes. Damien started backwards, his breathing ragged, before he heard Ron and Hermione's cries outside the door, and a glint; an idea sparked in his eyes…
Kit blinked, and the moment the black faded away, the colour of his eyes changed, to be replaced by-
Green. Bright emerald, the painfully familiar shade he could recognize anywhere…
Damien's eyes stared wide, fearful and disbelieving, so many emotions chasing across his face; hurt, pain and most of all, just plain disbelief. Kit must have felt the glamour fade, and in the next second, he had raised his wand at Damien, and uttered a spell.
"Obliviate."
Damien couldn't have dodged even if he wanted to; they were at too close proximity to do anything but to lie there and absorb it. But he managed a strangled cry, out of sheer terror, "No!" , the cry somehow tugging Kit- Harry's – heart, at what he had done to the boy, when Damien Potter had never done him any harm…
"Damy! Damy! Kit!"
Shouts on the other side of the door rose Kit. He flicked his wand twice, then strode towards the door of the Room. Somewhere behind him, Damien stirred on the floor, wiping sweat from his brow and rubbing his head ruefully.
When Damien's vision slowly cleared, he saw his two best friends stand over him, and suddenly he felt an overwhelming rush of relief, before stilling slightly as Kit came into view.
What had happened? Why was he on the floor? All he remembered was entering the Room, talking to Kit, and then-…
"So, how much training did you guys do?" Ron asked as he pulled a dazed Damien to his feet.
Damien merely shook his head, his thoughts a whirl; he felt completely disorientated.
Kit, however, replied in his stead, "Not much. I decided to use the element of surprise to attack Potter, which I succeeded, but he managed to cast a Stunner at me the moment just before he crumpled. I only just woke up minutes ago… before Damien, obviously. Which proves that the strength of my spell is stronger."
Now that did sound familiar. Damien could recall it happening all right, the red jet of light rushing towards him even as he raised his wand. But why did something feel… amiss? Why was there a sudden feeling of fear and uncertainty he had towards Kit?
There had been something important… something in the back of his mind…
…yet he could not remember…
Ron linked his arm through Damien's, laughing as he steered Damien out of the room. "Poor Damy, he still seems a bit disorientated. Just what did you hit him with?"
Damien brushed back his bangs, before turning around to look at Kit, his eyes betraying his insecurity. Kit merely looked calmly back and shrugged.
"It was just a Stunner." He came forward and scrutinized Damien for a while, staring down the youngest Potter, before breaking into a small smile. "I never expected you to be this strong… but I know I'll look forward to dueling alongside you."
Kit laid his hand on Damien's shoulder lightly, his eyes piercing, as he met Damien's hazel- eyed glare, before he smirked and walked away, towards the Great Hall, where the Dueling Club would be commencing anytime now.
Damien could only trudge behind and follow, his eyes all the while trained on the retreating back of Kit Mason.
A/N: Thanks so much for reading! I hope you liked the suspense in this chapter... things are starting to build up now. Originally I thought this chapter was too short and was going to write more, but then I noticed the word count- almost 6,500 words! Well, that's pretty long by my standards.
Hope you liked the update! Who saw the interrogation coming? It was pretty obvious, was it? Next chapter will be about the duel... *evil grins*
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Epsilon Scorpii