Disclaimer: See first chapter
Warning: Having tried the 'fix' it still may be subpar to some reader's refined tastes
Utmost thanks for the supporters and readers of this terrible fic and its writer
The dinner table is already full when they arrived. Sebastian spied the suspicious Professor talking with the flower-clad eyesore. Dolores Umbridge always has favored blondes a small pity on his part.
Back when they were students, Lucius had asked him for a weekly supply of anti-dolly potions. A conction that ensures that she cannot be within a meter radius of the wearer else she suffers from the worst allergic reaction possible.
That had been the first time he had been able to earn his keep and he had used it wisely investing in more advanced books and ingredients thus giving him an advantage over others of his year and above.
Creating the potions also brought his talent to the attention of the knights of Walpurgis that will be later known as death eaters.
He sat in his unofficially appointed seat between the young Weasley and Granger not minding the heated stare given off by the boy and nodding at appropriate intervals at the other's chatter.
He looked at the teacher's table watching the despicable woman try to wrap her arms discreetly with the new potions master. His eyes flashed alarm for a moment before regaining his cool composure.
"What were you doing with the new professor?" Potter asked from the other side of the table
"Having tea" he answered wincing at his terribly sweet juice if his companions tasted it they were not complaining.
"Was he as dreamy as he sounds?" Ginny Weasley asked suddenly interested in his words
"If you meant was he tall, polite and has a suspicious way of smiling... then yes" He answered finishing up his meal.
"That confirms it" She squealed with the girl beside her who also gushed about the young professor
"Disgusting" he drawled under his breath "Now if you will excuse me..." He said standing up "I will have my leave to continue with my study"
"Swot" Hermione called from the table
He raised an eyebrow "talk about pot calling the kettle black"
He gave a curt nod to the group before striding out
Sebastian watched the new potions master in his quarter's nothing suspicious was done yet. The blonde professor was dusting his robes attentively as if looking for minute traces of dirt to appear any moment.
Sebastian turned his head looking for notes or anything that could be used as an identifier in the professor's desk
"I am afraid Mr. Prince that you have to learn to be more... inconspicuous in watching me" a voice said behind him hot breath touching his ears
He grasped. He had not noticed the man move "Pardon Professor Farfade for my impertinence and curiosity"
"Yes you are so was most students but only you have the gall to try and stalk me in my chambers" The professor answered walking around him in a circle
"I was lost and followed you hoping you can summon a house elf to accompany me to the right way" He tried another tactic hoping the pitiful child act will work or at least give him time to think
"So you say" the professor mocked "What about I make you a deal mmh? You tell me what you found about me and I will give you what you need. What do you say?" he offered
"I don't understand sir"
"Quit playing me for a fool and listen. I know you are investigating about me so why not gain something in the side?"
"I'll have my leave now sir"
"Take care boy and don't let the dungeon bat chase you out!" the mysterious potions master yelled after him
Sebastian walked out of the dungeons as quickly as he dared taking hidden passages and dark hallways till he reached the Gryffindor tower
In his table were a covered dish and a note. A quick revelio did not show any hidden surprises so he opened the cover to show a generous serving of tiramisu. He took the note and read
Because you didn't eat your desert I took the liberty of having some delivered
He scrunched his head and fed some to the cat familiar of one of his bunkmates. Seeing no adverse reaction, he took a tentative bite and then another languishing at the smooth coffee taste that was one of his guilty pleasures.
He was awoken by a muffled scream in the middle of the night being the dungeon bat and head of the rule breaking Slytherins has its merits of being the first one to wake in any sign of distress. Giving a cursory glance he had deducted that it was not from his bunkmates and rushed towards the next one.
He saw Harry Potter in a fetal position being shaken by his friends.
"What happened?" He asked as he entered the circle
"He won't wake up we tried everything" Seamus answered his eyes betraying his terror
"Indeed," Sebastian said seeing the wet spot beside the boy's head probably from one of the ways they have tried
Is this the first time? He asked checking the boy's pulse that is bordering erratic. If his pulse did not steady he could die of heart attack
"He had been complaining about his scar hurting and recurring nightmares lately" Ron answered
"Very well step back!" he said and the others reluctantly did with some pushing
"Legilimens" he chants pointing his wand to the screaming boy's head seeing the disturbing images that plagued the young Potter
A muggle family was attacked in their home just as they were having dinner. It was the Mother first who opened the door. Harry was seeing himself holding her down as the other death eaters ravaged the two children with Bellatrix Lestrange calling dibs on the oldest. The mother was made to watch as her husband was tortured by another three. His body contorting in unnatural angles as hex after hex was thrown into him.
"Potter this is not you!" Sebastian screamed from inside the boy's head but his voice was drowned by the tortured screaming
Harry now released the mother and was joined by two others. They started throwing hexes on her. Harry involuntarily raised his hand and started saying the torture curse "Cru-"
"Stop it this instant" Sebastian ordered icily throwing harry off "Wake up Potter"
Harry awoke gasping for air clutching anything his hands can reach as if looking for reality to ground him.
"Are you alright?" Ron asked his friend but Sebastian did not hear the answer as he strode out of the dorm. He has could use some firewhisky now.
The next morning found him in a similarly foul mood whether it was the lack of sleep or due to the disturbing vision he saw it was not clear.
"Hey umm... thanks for last night," Harry said shyly looking at his plate and absentmindedly playing with his food.
Sebastian just nodded in acknowledgment not bothering to answer the questioning looks of the females in the group it is not his place to divulge such information.
"What happened last night?" Hermione asked looking at the dark circles under their eyes.
"Nightmares" Harry admitted. His eyes looking everywhere but in hers wishing for a change of topic.
Seamus, Neville, and Ron chose the moment to appear.
"Have you seen him last night? It was like a Knight had come to rescue our damsel here" Ron said as he noisily ate from his overflowing plate pointing a crispy bacon strip at harry before eating it.
"A black knight. The lone soldier; bravest of the legion" Seamus declared remembering their muggle studies professor who was still stuck in middle ages
"Not really he was wearing gray pajamas" Neville corrected
"Besides the point" Seamus countered "what do you say madam dame?" he asked harry who was sitting silently at the corner
"Stop!" Harry's eyes are livid as he stood up "Stop talking about it!" he didn't wait for the others and walked out of the table
After his outburst, the three continued bickering flinging bits of bread and cheese to each other. Sebastian rose from the table and excused himself getting out of the firing line of Neville's sloppy aim
He strode out towards the hidden passages of the castle to confuse anyone who may follow. Being subjected to potion acids that cause third-degree burns within contact with sunlight had made him proficient in the art of hiding in the shadows. A talent honed by his other master.
He is a man on a mission and his current one is keeping Lily's son from the mental ward in St. Mungo's where he could be plucked anytime by the dark lord.
"Hey!" Hermione called him out in the middle of the second hidden stairway "where are you going?"
If she was another Gryffindor say, Ginny Weasley, he could just obliviate her and she would be none the wiser but as it was, the muggle-born is just too smart for her own good and would probably know if her memory is tampered.
"I saw a man here the other day he entered through some wall and I thought I saw him take some dreamless potions from a shelf. I'm not sure though is there a vampire in the school?"
"No why?"
"Well, it could be a sunburn concentrate he was pasty you know. Come let's get out of here before they search for us" he invited and got out of the staircase not bothering to wait for her
McGonagall is looking much more stressed than usual. Her usual stiff demeanor was much stiffer and an unusual scowl marred her features
Vanishing snails could only do so much for her disposition even if most of the class succeeded
"Whatever could have happened?" Ron asked as she observed the elderly professor walking about.
"I don't know but something tells me it's not good" Sebastian answered as he picked up the half visible snail Ron had been working on from the floor and put it back in his desk
The next classes were also of the same tune with the professors barely hiding their upset. Sebastian saw the looks they gave each other in passing when they thought no one was looking. The other students may have dismissed it as a professional courtesy but he knew it was something else.
The teachers were forming alliances with each other. Minerva, Filius, and Trelawney were of course banded with each other. Some like Madam Hooch were trying to stay afloat neutrally while others were deferring the options.
It was mid noon and as most first years or in his case; new entrants, Sebastian was assessed by his ability on the broom. Madam Hooch had always teased him for his dislike of the flying monstrosity that is to be placed between the legs. It was not that he hated flying; he actually found it soothing but it was that he hated being scrutinized like a pig in the market.
Madam Hooch gave him basic instructions on handling the broom as the other first years have been allowed to fly albeit at a limited height.
"When I signal say up!" Madam Hooch instructed blowing her whistle even though it is a one-one session
The magically enhanced shrill sound caused his ears to ring and also served as an incentive to get it right the first time.
"Up" he commanded and the broom rose to his awaiting hand.
He did not need to say the words but appearing normal has its cost. Be it unnecessary words or foolish wand waving
"Now mount it like this" the professor instructed mounting her broom and waiting for him to follow the example.
He grasped the broom awkwardly. His usual stance that he had adapted to his thin, malnourished body while growing up would surely be noticed and corrected by the lady
"Now launch yourself like this" she instructed as she demonstrated the lift off
It was nearly dinner when madam hooch had let him go. Gathering his wand and broom, he looked around at the almost empty field. Only the quidditch players who have to practice for the games stayed at this hour and not all of them do. He did not know what to make of Madam Hooch when she looked at him contemplatively.
On many occasions, the woman had been too observant and saw through his words even when he was a student. He secretly thinks that other than the headmaster it was the quidditch professor that knows for sure that he is a death eater.
He watched Harry and Ron practicing. From his seat by the pitch, everything seemed normal he could almost imagine that it was a dream.
He waited a few more minutes before the two came down to sup. It is uncommon experiences to have friends welcome him in the table or anyone for that matter that is neither a house elf nor a reluctant host. His mother used to do that when he was at school breaks but stopped as he rebuffed her offers when he started coming home late doing odd jobs to support her medications a good lot that did. He really missed a lot by being forced to grow up fast
He looked at the headmaster who looked like a deflated version of his jolly self. Sebastian wondered not for the first time how the elderly wizard was coping with the ministry's pressure
That night was one of the many nights when the students are milling around the halls; filch was tasked to put up a new decree from the ministry of magic and naturally, the students gathered around to read it
The dastardly Umbridge was appointed as High Inquisitor of Hogwarts by Ministry decree number 23. Virtually allowing the woman to go decide on the fates of the staff and students as a whole. Including giving access through everyone's belongings and timetables
It was not only restricting students from participating in whatever activities they deem worthy of their time; It also prevented other staff from going out of school without written permission from Umbridge herself detailing the nature of the excursion.
The teachers were suddenly called by panicking students. There is a fire in the Gryffindor tower. Sebastian quickly ran towards it. It was a magical fire and it will not stop until it burnt its target and whatever that got in the way. The notes he had spent many nights working for were inside. He wanted to break the magical barrier that the professors constructed and rescue his work but he knew that would cause more trouble.
It was two hours later when they were cleared to enter. His dorm and the one next to it seem to be the target. His mattress and two others were burned leaving a dark mass of charred feathers. Even their trunks did not escape. Only a small part of his work had survived but he was lucky his clothes could be mended. The others lost everything in their trunk.
Harry and Ron had lost some items to the fire but in general were not really affected by the loss. Ron assured him that it was only pranking items.
"You could sleep with us." Seamus offered
"There is no spare bed." Sebastian answered looking around at the full dorm
"We could share." Harry offered "right Ron?"
"It is our pleasure." Ron said "Night prince" he added jumping to Harry's bed
Sebastian sighed the day had been tiring but it gained him no additional insight on both Harry's nightmares and his own predicament
How long has it been? Days no- a week at most and Umbridge had already replaced him or at least he thinks she did. The headmaster in his scheming ways never revealed anything to him. It was his role as the spy to give information and not the other way around.
He needed a joint or at least a cup of alcohol but woe is to him as he is by wizarding standards still a minor.