A/N: You won't believe how many times I've written and rewritten this chapter. I'm still not completely satisfied by it, but I hope that you guys like it!

Image Song: Lugia's Song from Pokémon the Movie: 2000 (known in Japan as Revelation Lugia). If you imagine this during the whole Missus scene, it helps a ton. =)

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter OR the Image Song. Just my OCs.

If Only You Knew

Written by Fenikkusu

Chapter 8: In Memoriam (In Remembrance)

True to Vincent's thoughts, he did receive hell for using magic and passing out during class. He was surprised, though, at how Professor Tamiya treated his former Magister. Vincent wrung the sheet of the spare bed Professor Tamiya provided for him while she scolded Keiichi.

"I cannot believe you! Both of you!" Professor Tamiya screamed. She entangled her hands in her hair, pulling out a few strands. "You," she continued, pointing at Keiichi who leaned unwavering against the doorframe, "should know better than to ask for a full strength demonstration!" Blazing golden irises turned to Vincent next. "And you should know better than to follow such a-a… such a stupid order! Honestly!"

Done with her rant, Professor Tamiya slumped into the plush chair sitting next to the bed. Her pale hands came to rub circles on her temples. It was then that Vincent noticed the large white bangs framing the woman's face. He frowned; she looked far too young to have that much stress.

Vincent gulped and choked out a weak, "Sorry, ma'am."

Her reply was a deep, exasperated sigh. "If you really are sorry, then stay—in—bed. Okay?"

"But!" Vincent protested verbally, although his body protested the sudden shout. "My meeting with Headmaster Snape—!"

"Has been postponed." At the new voice, both Vincent and Professor Tamiya turned to the doorway. Amun walked into the room, blood splattered across his Hogwarts uniform. His crimson gaze caught Vincent's hazel one. "You need not worry. The blood is not the Headmaster's." He turned his eyes to the healer. "Tamiya-sensei, Draco and Akefia have been injured. Thankfully their wounds are not lasting; Headmaster Snape is brewing potions as we speak."

Professor Tamiya frowned and stood. She swayed a bit on her feet but made a move to walk out of the room. The movement ultimately failed as a Keiichi thrust his arm across the exit. He shook his head saying, "You need to rest for tomorrow, Tamiya-sensei."

"Look," Professor Tamiya hissed, "I'm not in the mood to deal with this. There are students who need my help."

"No," was the firm response. "You're already overworking yourself, and Madam Pomfrey is here for a reason. Did Amun not just say that the Headmaster is taking care of the situation?" Keiichi removed his arm, his stern gaze keeping the woman in place. "If you overwork yourself, you will be in no condition to perform the Missus ceremony tomorrow."

Professor Tamiya was waging an internal war against herself. For a moment she looked like she was going to strangle the other teacher. Another few seconds had her look like a kicked puppy. "All right, Tough-Guy," she finally resigned after a few moments of thought. "Can I go now? I'll take it easy." Professor Tamiya swept out of the room with Amun following suit.

Once the two were gone, Keiichi took the seat next to Vincent. "I swear, you children will be the end of me. I can only imagine what those two Slytherins got themselves into."

Vincent had never seen his Magister look so… old. "Are… will you be all right?"

"Sometimes I wonder what I have gotten myself into, but that is aside the point. How are you truly feeling, Vincent?"

Vincent flexed his right hand which still tingled from the demonstration a few hours ago. To his knowledge, he was brought into Professor Tamiya's private healing chambers by Amun soon after he had passed out in class. "Exhausted. I'm not about to try that again anytime soon."

Keiichi hummed. "We should hope not, but you do have a tendency to attract trouble, Vincent." He chuckled briefly before leaning back in his chair. "For both of our sakes, please do try and refrain yourself."

A huff. "It's easier said than done, you know."

Another chuckle. "Yes, I do suppose that is the case. Either way, it is best if you sleep while you can. Do try and not let the recent revelations disturb your rest. Amun assured us that the Headmaster is taking care of the situation."

Vincent couldn't help but worry though. "But…"

"Draco and Akefia will be fine. They are Slytherins," Keiichi reiterated. "They will survive. I doubt the injuries they sustained will be permanent, especially if Severus is involved."

"But the amount of blood—!" Vincent tried to argue.

"The human body produces much more than that, I assure you. I could smell blood replenishing potions on Amun's robes. Now will you quit your incessant worrying?" Keiichi scolded. He shook his head again. "Some things will never change, no matter what kind of identity you undertake. Your heart, Vincent… it is both your greatest strength and weakness."

"What?" He gulped at a long ebony wand suddenly pointed right between his eyes.

"Somni (sleep)." In an instant, Vincent's world blacked out.

Cold moonlight beat down upon his face. Harry opened his eyes to a small room. All he could see were thick wooden bars surrounding him. Vincent choked and tried to move to no avail. Why can't I move? The panic continued to build in his chest, and he tried to scream, but that only came out as a cry. Someone get me out of here!

Footsteps echoed from his left. "Oh sweetheart, what's wrong?" a soft feminine voice whispered. Vincent's eyes widened as a woman with long red hair came into view. There was no mistaking her emerald irises. Mum? Arms came around Vincent and pulled him into a tight embrace. Vincent found himself cocooned against the woman's chest. A soft hand ran up and down his back, attempting to calm him down. Eventually Vincent's cries became soft sniffles.

There was a shift in his mother's grip which now had Vincent staring up into her face. He had never seen her so relaxed before. He'd only seen the wide grins in her pictures, not this small contented smile. She used her free hand to tussle his hair lightly. Was this what it felt like to be cherished? A part of Vincent told him that he was too old for such sentimentalities. However, since he never received such love growing up… he could afford this small bit. Vincent blinked owlishly up at her, causing his mother to laugh.

"You're not going back to sleep anytime soon, are you?" Lily asked. It wasn't as if she expected an answer, but Vincent sorely wished he could. Lily grabbed a light blue blanket from the crib before settling in a rocking chair. She wrapped Vincent up and settled back. Vincent internally cursed as he began to feel sleepy. "Are you waiting for your daddy to come back from his mission? We've been over this already, sweetheart. I don't even know when he's supposed to get back."

Lily sighed deeply, and that's when Vincent noticed the faint eyebags on her face. "You're just as worried as me, aren't you?" She leaned down and placed a kiss on his forehead. "I wish… I wish we didn't have to go through all of this. Your father is a brave man, a very brave man. Every mission he comes back worse than before; more tired, more scarred, more broken. He says coming home to us erases all of the damage, but we know much better than that. If only—"

A familiar scent filled Vincent's nostrils: sandalwood, herbs, blood, and the scent of darkness. "Dada!" Vincent exclaimed before he knew what was coming out of his mouth. Lily's head snapped up, and Vincent followed her gaze to the doorway. A tired figure leaned against the doorframe obscured in shadow. Lily immediately stood and made to put Vincent back in his crib. However, the boy's frustrated cries prevented her from doing so. Vincent felt his arms reach out toward the man.

Why isn't he becoming as clear as mum? Vincent asked himself as he was carried toward his father. Lily used her free hand to check his father for any head injuries. It was then that he was brought into his father's shaking arms. He was held as if this was the last time they would ever be with each other. Just the thought brought tears to Vincent's eyes. They fell as huge droplets rolling down his face. A calloused thumb wiped his tears away as his mother tried to shush him.

"That madman will be stopped," his father growled out. "I will do everything in my power to protect both of you. I swear it."

Headmaster Snape resisted the urge to smack his face into a wall. He knew very well when the position was assigned to him that he would have to deal with his former colleagues, and he tried to stall as long as he could. He had just spent the last few hours brewing sensitive potions, and his mood wasn't much prepared for this. But with it being the first day of Harry Potter's memorial, there was a mandatory staff meeting. The Headmaster opened his eyes and glanced over his employees sitting in front of him.

He cleared his throat. "Thank you all for attending this first staff meeting for the year. As today is the Missus ceremony for the Boy-Who-Lived's soul, we must make note of a few things." Snape turned to Minerva. "I trust you can control your overemotional lions?"

The woman snorted. "Asking for full control is impossible, but I'll intervene as much as I can."

Snape nodded. "Good. Now I have been recently informed that the area in which the ceremony will be performed needs to be purified. This requires the use of the Founders' items, which I hope that the Heads of House have kept nearby?" Murmurs broke out among the teachers. Flitwick, Sprout, and McGonagall shared a glance.

"Using Elemental magic? Hasn't Hogwarts been plagued with enough Dark magic?" Slughorn hissed. He opened his mouth to continue but no words came out. A confused expression crossed his face as he tried again with the same result. The Headmaster turned his gaze to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who leaned back in the farthest seat, wand pointed at Slughorn.

"It is prejudice like that which makes Slytherin's daggers reject you," Professor Sakurai drawled, lazily drawing his wand in a circle. "If you disagree, at least do so respectfully. You need not be here. We have no time to hear your pompous bigotry." A jerk of the wand and a finite ended the silencing spell.

Took the words right out of my mouth, Snape realized. He glared at the other Potion's Master. "Hogwarts herself was built on such magic, Horace. I see it only fitting for Elemental magic to once again be used on these grounds." Murmurs of protest began to circulate. Snape pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose and muttered beneath his breath. It is useless to argue with those who refuse to see reason. "The students will need to be led out to the ceremony site in a few hours," the Headmaster continued. "Heads of House should escort their respected students. The castle should be empty, as I am not completely sure how the Missus ceremony will affect the wards. You are all dismissed."

Snape paid no heed to the whispers or the rush of feet signaling that most people had left, choosing instead to unsheathe the two daggers at his hips. They were both crafted from the finest silver and emeralds. Their blades curved at precise angles with just enough of a jagged edge to cleanly slice into any material. The emeralds encased in the hilts gleamed as they sensed his uneasiness.

The newest Defense Against the Dark Arts professor stepped up behind him. Keiichi, too, looked intently at Slytherin's daggers. After a few moments he looked to Snape. "Are you sure you wish to go through with the ritual? You do realize there may be adverse consequences for you."

From instinct Snape brought his hand to his left forearm where the Dark Mark lay dormant underneath his long sleeved shirt. A frown crossed his face; the news of the Carrows' deaths would not hold lightly with the Dark Lord. He would find out soon, if he had not already. Snape gave his forearm a squeeze. He wouldn't allow a call from the Dark Lord to ruin this. It had been over two decades since he had received the mark, and the dark magic had interwoven with his own; perhaps that was what the DADA teacher was worried about.

"It is a risk I shall have to take," the Headmaster finally replied. "This is the least I can do for Potter."

Keiichi huffed and stood straight. "For Potter, you say. I find that hard to believe, Severus. Was he not the clone of your childhood enemy James? You spoke to me of your dislike before." He walked to the staff room's door. "Before you enter the ritual, make sure your priorities are straight. The Missus reveals the truth to all those who participate. It would be best if you believe the truth yourself before it is forced before you." With that the man left with a swish of his cloak.

The truth? Snape resheathed the daggers. Of course he was doing this for Potter. However small, the protection from this ritual should aid his soul. A nagging part of his brain asked himself just why he had protected Potter all of these years.

Early morning sunlight continued to spill into the room, bringing Snape's attention to the window. A single white flower sat in a pot, seeming to stare at the Headmaster. Lily…

Vincent carefully opened his eyes to sunlight streaming through the hospital wing's high windows. The dream touched the edge of his consciousness, but he couldn't point out any details. What he could remember was comprised of feelings: comfort, warmth, love. Although it was a dream, those feelings felt too real to be merely made up. It's like I was the most precious person to someone. Could that have been a memory?

A voice interrupted his thoughts. "It's all right, Madam Pomfrey. I'll take it from here. He should be waking in a few moments, anyways." A murmur of discontent. "Madam, you know I'm not insulting you! We both know that these wounds are not physical ones." A sigh followed by footsteps signaled that the matron had left.

Vincent turned his head to the side to see one of the new professors. Professor Tamiya wore a long, flowing white dress with angel sleeves. Bells were strung throughout her hair, and gold followed the edges of the gown in an ornate pattern. She sat in a chair next to his bed, wringing out a white washcloth in a bowl on his nightstand.

Seeing Vincent awake, she smiled. "Hello there!" Professor Tamiya reached over to feel his forehead with the back of her hand. "Not as feverish as before. That's good. Can you try to sit up for me? Slowly, now." At the gentle incitement, the teen did. He felt a little dizzy at the movement, but Professor Tamiya said it was normal after what had happened. She handed him a potion, explaining, "This is similar to Pepperup Potion in the sense that it will relieve you of your exhaustion. You might feel a bit—what's the word—tingly after you drink it, but don't worry about it, okay?"

Although he eyed the vial warily, Vincent gulped the multicolored potion down. The aftertaste of peppermint caught him by surprise, as he was expecting one of the more foul concoctions he was used to receiving for injuries. As foretold, a zap of magic ran through the teenager leaving him tingling. "Woah," Vincent said, blinking many times. "You were right about that. It's like I never lost that energy from yesterday. What is that stuff?"

"That's something you should never rely upon, which is why you should take it easy," Professor Tamiya replied in a curt tone. "Now up you go! Everyone's outside at Harry Potter's memorial, and it's almost time for the Missus ceremony."

Vincent's eyebrows furrowed as he got out of bed. While pulling on his robe, he thought, Right, it's Harry Potter weekend. He thought of his friends and whatever else he left behind when the professor led the way out of the hospital wing.

"I'd like to ask you something, Vincent," Professor Tamiya asked as they walked through the unusually empty Hogwarts hallways. She glanced at the teen from the corner of her eye. "Has your Magister taught you about the origins of Elemental Magic?" After thinking a bit on it, Vincent shook his head in the negative. "The four Founders were renowned Elementals, that they were. Even without reading Hogwarts: A History, you should know that."

Vincent froze. Wait, how did she know I didn't?

At his expression, Professor Tamiya laughed. "I might be assuming wrongly, but the expression on your face tells me that you never read it. Trust me, no one has. Well, actually, just a few of us. Just a few."

"I knew that there were elements associated with each house, but I didn't know that they were Elementals themselves, professor," was the answer.

They stepped out onto the Hogwarts grounds, greeted by the sun. A gust of wind rustled their clothes and the bells entwined in Professor Tamiya's hair. Vincent blinked as they began to walk to a portion of the grounds which Vincent had never explored before. He couldn't help but feel a bit surprised; although he'd gone to Hogwarts for six years, he'd never been to this area.

"That's something that you'll need to learn then," Professor Tamiya pondered aloud. "The Missus ceremony taps into the latent Elemental energy of the school. Where we're heading to is a place where that energy is the most powerful. You following?" Vincent nodded. "Good, good!"

At the top of a nearby hill, Vincent stopped and stared. There, in the middle of the valley, sat a large cherry tree. Pink and white blossoms dotted the branches and swayed in the gentle breeze. The petals littered the ground about the trunk in a circle. A mass of black gathered just beyond the tree, spreading in every which direction. From the looks of it, the whole school—and then some—was present.

Vincent's face fell. But just how many of them actually care?

"Hey," the woman asked, leaning forward to catch Vincent's gaze. "You okay?"

He blinked as he was poked in the side. Vincent jumped up and out of his thoughts. "Oh. Sorry, professor."

For the first time, Vincent saw a hint of a frown on Professor Tamiya's face. "Your last name is Evans, right?" A nod. The smile returned as the woman stood straight. "Lily Evans was a good friend of mine back when I went to Hogwarts, that she was!"

"Y-You knew her?" Vincent asked, eyes wide.

"Yup! She and I were rivals in a sense. We'd always try to outdo each other in all of our classes together."

Everyone knew about James Potter, but few knew about Lily. Or maybe, at least, they didn't bother saying much about her. "Would… would you tell me more about her?"

"Of course!" Professor Tamiya exclaimed. "But there's someone who knows a lot more about her than I do." She motioned for him to continue walking aside her. "Why don't you ask the Headmaster? He was much, much closer to her than I could ever hope for."

"But—" Vincent cut himself off. Vincent wouldn't know about Snape's worst memory. "Hasn't it been a long time since she died?"

He struggled not to squirm beneath the particular gaze he received from Professor Tamiya at that. Why did she keep on trying to analyze him? Did he mess up already? "The Headmaster…" Professor Tamiya trailed after a few moments, "cared very much for Lily. She was his everything." A hint of sorrow accompanied her words. "Even after she was murdered by that mad man, his love for her only grew. He did his best to protect her son, even though his father was his worst enemy." Professor Tamiya sighed and shook her head. "I don't expect you to understand how hard that was for him."

Vincent couldn't say anything to that. He scanned the crowd instead, spotting his old friends in the front. His heart clenched at the possibility of never becoming their friends again. It would be too great of a risk if they found out who I was. His breath caught in his throat as Hermione sobbed and buried her head in Ron's neck. Vincent opened his mouth to say something… anything… when he felt a gentle touch to his arm.

Golden eyes seemed to peer into his soul. The gaze faintly reminded him of Legilimency, but there was no probing against his now-natural Occulmency shields. They were nothing to brag about, but Vincent could confidently say that he could at least detect mental attacks and defend himself to an extent. What is she looking for?

The sound of footsteps made Vincent turn around. Keiichi stood there, crossing his arms. "Harassing my former student, Tamiya-san?"

"I wouldn't call it harassing," she retorted, placing a hand on her hip. "A Healer is allowed to look into her patent's eyes, no?"

Keiichi sighed and shook his head. "Remember, you were the one who said Vincent is not to use his magic."

Professor Tamiya placed a hand on Vincent's shoulder. "Don't you dare worry!" She pressed a finger atop his heart. "Your Magister taught you that Elemental Magic stems from three places: the mind, the soul, and the heart. The Missus ceremony originates from the heart, you see." The sorceress winked. "You'll just need to follow what your heart tells you to do. Your Inner Magic won't be used... You'll see! I'll take care of all the magical business." She removed her hand to look at Keiichi. "Any sign of our dear Headmaster?"

"Everyone is waiting for you, Tamiya-san," Keiichi replied.

"Oh goodie! I'm ready when you guys are." The sorceress led Vincent and Keiichi toward the cherry tree. People turned to look at the three of them in surprise. When they came to about ten meters from the cherry tree, an invisible barrier stopped them. Vincent wouldn't be surprised if this was a similar spell to the one used on the Goblet of Fire. The magic was much stronger, though. Instead of a blue circle, a thin layer of white covered a circular area around the blooming tree.

Bells rang throughout the grounds, silence following suit. A gust of wind ruffled the clothes of all the students. With that wind, the scent of lilies wafted through the area. When he saw Professor Tamiya take off her shoes, he did as well. However, he was stopped from entering when Keiichi grabbed his shoulder. Looking back, Vincent saw the man shake his head.

The woman spoke to two teenagers inside the ward. They looked just like Amun and Akefia, but there was something different about them, something… lighter. One held a violin while the other sat in front of a piano. Ending her conversation with them, the woman used a sonorous spell upon herself. "I welcome you to the Missus ceremony for Harry Potter," she began. Professor Tamiya seemed to float to the front of the cherry tree, as her feet barely brushed the ground.

"The Missus ceremony is an ancient ritual used to aid the souls of the departed," she continued. "Unfortunately, not all souls can find their way to heaven alone. I will be playing the role of the Dux (leader) for today's ritual. Some of you may be wondering what exactly will occur. As the word missus is a variant on the word 'send' in Latin, I figure this will be simple to put together."

Professor Tamiya smiled at the crowd and whispered, "Please pray for Harry's soul." She extended her right arm out from her side, glittering white magic trailing behind. Once the movement stopped the magic gathered together, materializing into a long golden staff. Atop the staff was some kind of multifaceted crystal in the shape of a star. The gold reflected the sunlight in all directions and cast rays of white from the center of the circle to its edges. Four distinct, congruent pieces appeared with a specific rune carved in a smaller circle in each piece.

"I call upon the Founders and their Elements for their aid," Professor Tamiya chanted, eyes drifting shut, "to Send one of your own to the eternal realm which lies above. I summon the spirit of Hufflepuff, the Earth Badger." One rune glowed a bright yellow and released a spectral badger outlined in the same color. It poked its nose into the air and sniffed before locking its eyes with Professor Tamiya. The badger tapped its back paws on the ground when it sat on its haunches, and the earth trembled. Immediately a plateau of solid earth lifted its form so it stood on eye-level with the sorceress.

She pointed her staff to the piece opposite of it. "I summon the spirit of Ravenclaw, the Wind Raven." A different rune appeared in a blazing aura of neon blue. From the wisps formed a spectral bird roughly the same size as the badger. It cawed aloud, and when it flapped its wings an abnormal amount of wind rustled the grass. The raven seemed to float upon invisible gusts which also kept it level with the sorceress.

To another empty wedge, "I summon the spirit of Slytherin, the Water Serpent." A silver light slowly circled its respective runes. A long, sinuous body formed from the magic, coiling into itself. The spirit raised its large head and stared at the woman. It appeared to be the size of an anaconda. Its tongue flickered out to taste the air.

"I summon the spirit of Gryffindor, the Fire Lion, the Founder of the House to which the departed belonged." With an arch of her staff to the sky, a pillar of fire erupted from the final section. Most of the students closest to the ritual circle shrieked at the sudden explosion, jumping back. Vincent was the only one left standing and staring at the fiery magic which created a huge lion. Gryffindor's spirit prowled around in a circle, tossing its great head back and forth. It nodded to the other three animals, though its gaze lingered on the snake immediately opposite of him.

In contrast to contrary belief, there was no malice found in the lion's eyes. Instead respect filled the ruby irises of the lion as it bowed to its opposite. Also to many people's surprise, the snake returned the gesture. No one dared to gossip now, but many questions would arise after the ceremony. Why were Gryffindor and Slytherin so civil to each other when their houses had such animosity between them?

The Dux opened her eyes, but Vincent knew that something other than the teacher was in charge here. The ethereal glow in Professor Tamiya's eyes was subtle, but Vincent could recognize the Light Aura a mile away. Glancing over, he found Amun and Akefia, looking just as interested.

"I now call the Heads of House forward, bearing the weapons of each Founder," Professor Tamiya intoned. First Professor Sprout walked into the circle, her arms covered in some sort of golden gauntlets. Topaz jewels rimmed the edges and knuckles. She bowed to both the badger spirit and to Professor Tamiya, standing at the edge of Hufflepuff's area.

The next to come forward was Professor Flitwick, wielding some sort of navy-colored scepter. Aquamarines lined the cage at the top housing a ball of neon blue energy the same color as Ravenclaw's. He bowed to both Ravenclaw and Professor Tamiya before standing at the edge of Ravenclaw's area.

There were whistles and applause as the third person appeared. Headmaster Snape, not Professor Slughorn, walked into the white area. He clutched two daggers in his hands. The hilts were decorated with emeralds, and the curved blades looked to be made of silver. He nodded to the spirit of Slytherin and bowed with one arm to Professor Tamiya.

The last to arrive was Professor McGonagall. She wielded the sword of Gryffindor in her hands. The rubies decorating the hilt gleamed in the multitude of lights. Professor McGonagall and Gryffindor's spirit also shared a glance, much like the Headmaster and Slytherin's spirit did. She was the last to bow to the woman in the middle.

"I ask thee, the Heads of House of Hogwarts, representatives of the Founders themselves, to help me cleanse this area of all dark magic," Professor Tamiya continued. She stood her staff in the center of the circle, allowing it to float by itself. Taking a few steps back, she waited for the other professors' responses.

All at once the Heads of House thrust their weapons into a ground. A plethora of bright lights assaulted everyone's vision. When they cleared, the spirits representing each house were gone. The Heads of House looked like they were about to collapse on their feet. Each one of them clenched their eyes shut and took deep breaths. Headmaster Snape, especially, clutched his left forearm within a vice-like grip. His eyes were tightly clenched shut, and light tremors wracked his form. The white sheen in the purifying area had dimmed. It seemed as if the staff had gathered the power, the light surrounding it nearly tangible. Vincent saw Professor Tamiya take a deep breath before reaching out and grabbing the staff with her left hand.

Immediately music began to play. Vincent turned to see the two teenagers inside with their eyes closed, completely engrossing themselves in the music. They too were wrapped in the light which encompassed the professor. A step forward and the woman began to dance leaving patterns of light in her wake. Professor Tamiya said this was a variation on Elemental magic which stemmed from the heart. Vincent looked down to the fist that had curled on his chest. When did that happen? A sense of calm washed over him as the music and dance continued. Is that why I feel so relaxed?

The white light swirled about the circular ward, blinding all of those inside. The students standing nearest to the circle shielded their eyes. All except Vincent, however. The Elemental took a step forward and immediately felt a rush of power. Vincent choked and was rooted in place. Magic encased not only his body but his soul, and the sheer amount of it sent his mind reeling. As Vincent gasped for air, the streams of light twirled around him.

Vincent was slowly urged forward. It was with great effort that he moved, the ceremony's magic relenting its hold on him only slightly. Quiet words and prayers invigorated him. They swept through his body through his bones and settled in his inmost being. The positive magic energized Vincent to a level he had never achieved by himself. The contrast between that and the hurricane of light happening around him confused Vincent to no end. He stumbled to the middle circle, dropping to his knees.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

He whirled around when everything suddenly stopped. An apparition stood in the middle of the circle, looking to be created from the ceremony's wild magic. It was a young woman dressed in a white dress with curly red hair spilling over her shoulders. Two transparent wings fluttered of their own accord behind her.

Mum? Vincent thought. Words refused to come out of his mouth, so he was left gaping at the spirit.

She smiled gently, and suddenly Vincent realized while everyone spoke so highly of it. Her smile could dispel anything negative. Lily took a few steps forward and knelt in front of Vincent. Her hands cradled Vincent's face as she pressed a kiss to his hidden scar. "I'm so proud of you," Lily whispered. She took a step back and opened her arms wide. "Don't you realize how much you are loved?"

Vincent followed the arc of her hands and saw each person outside the circle illuminated in different shades of light. Their sobs and sniffles tore at his heart, as if those sounds overcame all else. But dothey truly care? I don't even know most of the people here. As if sensing his distress, Lily's apparition pointed over to Ron and Hermione. By this time both of them had fallen to the ground. Hermione looked to be screaming and struggling whereas Ron's tears fell silently.

"Love works in mysterious ways," Lily whispered, turning back to her son. "You're right assuming that some of the love here is… superficial. However, that does not stop this massive crowd from caring for you, whether that care is for the Boy-Who-Lived's image or for Harry Potter." She paused, kneeling in front of Vincent once more. "There is a reason why your life was spared from the Hellfyre, sweetheart. Remember, love is the key to defeating that monster."

The music stopped.

Both Vincent and Lily looked to the only other person in the center circle with them. Professor Tamiya smiled at the pair. With her free hand she placed a finger on her lips and then crossed it over her heart. At that Lily smiled and stepped away from Vincent. The teen reached out for his mother… and his hand went straight through her white robes. Instead Vincent clutched his hand into the dirt, the grime digging its way under his fingernails.

Why? Why after all this time you're here, and I can't even touch you?! Vincent thought angrily, sparks of lightning singeing the ground beneath his hands. I can't even speak to you! His expression pleaded for Lily to stay.

Lily and Professor Tamiya nodded to each other. The Light Elemental slowly raised her staff to the sky, and the streams of light once swirling around them stopped. Runes had gathered at the top of the staff. "I pray," Professor Tamiya said softly, eyes upon the sky, "that your soul finds its purpose, Harry Potter." In a louder voice she continued. "Please accept the prayers of those who have come here today as well as those who are only here in spirit. Use this Light as a beacon of hope and guide your child's soul to the realm above." A beam of light exploded from the top of her staff into the sky, separating clouds. It seemed to go on forever, thinning the higher it went.

"And so it concludes," the Professor intoned, striking the bottom of her staff against the ground. A wave of light was released, scattering the spirits and auras summoned into tiny particles. The beam of light also dissipated leaving only the blossoms of the cherry tree lit. Professor Tamiya smiled at the crowds before saying, "You may all come to pay your respects to Mister Potter now. The ceremony was a success thanks to your fervent prayers for him." She bowed and stepped away towards her apprentices.

As Vincent slowly stumbled to his feet, he glanced around. The Heads of House seemed to have gotten their own bearings after that final blast. McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout glanced over him but quickly turned to their own houses in order to get them in order to see the memorial. Feeling eyes upon him Vincent turned around to lock gazes with the Headmaster.

Vincent noticed that Headmaster Snape's gaze was full of questions. His gut told him, though, that they weren't only about the ceremony which just finished. That gaze had been on him ever since they 'first met' during the Sorting. Vincent slowly walked over to the Headmaster, trying not to stare at the way the Headmaster clutched at his left forearm.

"Mister Evans," the Headmaster began slowly, "I apologize for missing our meeting yesterday. There was an emergency with a few of the students."

"That's okay," Vincent answered. "Amun told me that the Slytherins needed your help. They're good now, right?"

A nod. "I wished to ask you about what happened the other day. Here, however, may not be the proper place to be talking about such." The Headmaster frowned as he saw the students run up to the memorial behind them. Among the tears there were flowers, chocolates, and all kinds of gifts thrown around. "Monday evening, after classes, perhaps we could meet in my office."

"That'll work," Vincent replied. "This weekend's all for Harry Potter. I won't interfere with that." With his eyes still on the memorial, he left Snape to blend back into the crowd.

He tried his best not to think of the ceremony and the feelings it brought forth.

Snape watched as Vincent disappeared into the sea of black. As much as he did want to talk to the young Elemental, he knew very well that they could be overheard. If the Dark Lord were to learn that the boy had such immense power… He shook his head; he didn't even want to think about it.

What was he even doing in the center of the ritual? Snape made a mental note to ask Kiseki later, not that he expected a straight response from her. Did this mean he was truly related to Potter? A distant cousin perhaps? If so, why hadn't he heard anything about him from… anyone, really? It almost was as if he appeared from nowhere… Then again, it would have been a good idea to hide any relation from the Potters. Snape frowned. There was still something suspicious about Vincent.

Instead of dwelling on the new student, the Headmaster stepped to the side, allowing the rest of the school to grieve. The first group at the memorial was that of Potter's closest friends. Granger collapsed in front of Potter's picture, muttering apologies. Her bushy hair became even more unkempt lately, if that was even possible. The Weasley boy stood next to her like a rock, and he had his own words to say in a calmer voice. Molly Weasley and the rest of her brood were close behind.

He dully noted that Lupin was nowhere to be found. Perhaps it was too dangerous for him to be here due to his werewolf status. Snape continued to watch and spotted various members of the Order paying their respects to the Boy-Who-Lived. Boy-Who-Died, now, the Headmaster grimly thought.

Did he feel guilty? Yes, a part of him definitely did. He and Draco's exit could have been much better last year. It didn't help that Potter's last words from him were filled with hate. Snape didn't expect anything less from the boy. Knowing that he couldn't explain the reason for his seemingly irrational hate for Potter to his face left an empty feeling.

Once the crowd left, Headmaster Snape turned his attention to the memorial. He sneered at the sheer amount of roses littering the ground. "Disgusting." With a wave of his wand, the roses tied themselves together into simple bouquets.

He knelt on one knee in front of the marble. It was clean and simple, probably the complete opposite of what the boy wanted. "I… My dislike of you—no, my hate for you—was not entirely what it seemed to be. I admit that I was blinded by my prejudice against your father," Severus began, his mouth dry. "The weeks since your demise have been… enlightening. I didn't save your hide year after year to have you perish in a fire.

"I have my own reasons to believe it was foul play." He clenched his right fist. "I wasn't able to protect you, but I'm making a new promise to both you and Lily. I swear that I will bring your murderers to light. They will get what they deserve, and if the punishment must come from me, so be it." Snape stood up before pointing his wand at the picture. "Finite Incantatem."

What was apparently empty space melded away to reveal a single, withered lily. Snape shook his head and put his wand away. Instead he only held an empty palm upwards. "Cum aqua renovo (I renew with water)." A sphere of water appeared above the Headmaster's palm, and a quick flick of a wrist sent it spiraling at the lily.

The water melted against the petals and immediately revived the poor flower. "Rest in peace, Harry Potter." The Headmaster turned around and walked away.