Thanks to everyone who took the time to review my story :)
AN: Chapter betaed by the wonderful Miette and dstone12!
AN-2021/02/21: All the previous chapters have now been betaed by both Miette and dstone12. No plot changes, but several scenes have been added or developped, especially in the first chapters, for a better cohesion in the story. If you have the time, I can only recommend that you go read them :)
Severus sat at his desk with determination. The sooner they implemented their plan, the less risk of anything else going wrong. He deliberately pushed aside the thought that it might be too late, putting Lord Voldemort's ominous "they will beg me to rule them" back into the cauldron where it belonged.
He did not want to have to use either plan B or plan C.
He was glad he had made his office large enough to put a big wooden desk as well as various thinking boards. The large window ensured he would get light as well as fresh air, both a deterrent from brooding and conducive to effective thinking.
Three comfortable armchairs completed the room furniture. Dhaal was currently testing each of them to choose where he would settle while Severus worked. This selection process involved a lot more jumping than truly necessary from Severus' point of view.
Unwilling to let himself be distracted by his Familiar's antics, Severus took a blank sheet of paper and a quill, and began his list.
Tomorrow, they were going to retrieve the ring from the cave. Then there would be three Horcruxes remaining.
Taking the Horcrux from Hogwarts without raising anyone's notice, especially the Headmaster's, was going to be tough. The Bloody Baron might help. Severus was still not sure why the Ghost had chosen to trust him instead of going to another member of the faculty.
Retrieving the Hogwarts Horcrux was going to require subtlety, but Severus was confident he could do it. He could not say the same for the Horcrux in Malfoy Manor. Asking Lucius for help without any means of blocking the Mark was unthinkable. Severus did not doubt his brother's love for him, but Lord Voldemort's magic did not care for such feelings when it influenced the Death Eaters, as he had recently witnessed at the last DE meeting two days ago. He had eaten dinner with Lucius and Narcissa yesterday, the perfect end to his day after seeing his estranged father, and his brother had betrayed no sign of uneasiness with the group's decision, even without the presence of other Death Eaters. Severus was worried it meant that the Marks' influence over their bearers was growing. Of course, Lucius might just be unwilling to tell Severus that he had doubts, as Severus had not shown any either.
He knew he should ask Narcissa for help at some point. However, he was reluctant to ask her to go behind her husband's back. Severus already felt bad enough about hiding so many things from his brother.
It meant he needed to find a way to block the Marks before going after that Horcrux. Blocking the Marks — Severus really did not think he would succeed in removing them — was necessary for the reunification too. Jonathan was coming to the Manor after the ring retrieval so they could work on it.
Finally, there was Nagini, the living Horcrux.
Severus had no idea how to reunite her with Lord Voldemort, even if he managed to convince the Lord to do so. It might be easiest to reunite the Lord with all his other Horcruxes then kill the snake. Of course, he might consider the act of killing the Familiar he had desired for so long as the ultimate betrayal.
Well. It was something else to research in Family Ressurs' library, in addition to the inner workings of Horcruxes. The Vampires had accepted his request to access their archives without difficulty. They were expecting him in six days. Despite the context, Severus was excited if a bit wary at spending a day surrounded by Vampires.
He hoped their library would also give him ideas on how to block the Marks if his afternoon with Jonathan proved fruitless.
Severus sighed. He did not relish looking for answers while trying to avoid revealing too many secrets to ancient and cunning magical beings. But who else could he ask, when both his wizarding and goblin resources were exhausted?
Severus straightened as he realised he had not asked for help from the most obvious person. He was so busy he had still not taken the time to speak properly with Tuei, aside from household matters. House Elf magic was powerful, she might be able to help, at least with blocking the Marks.
Quickly jotting down to speak with his House Elf, Severus then reviewed his list aloud for the benefit of his Familiar.
"What will you do about his shields?" Sensed Dhaal.
"His shields?" echoed Severus.
"If you can't convince your Marvolo to reunite with his Horcruxes, won't they allow him to block you?"
Severus stared at his Familiar. Dhaal was right. Personal shields protected the core from outside interference. As long as Lord Voldemort possessed those shields, he could resist the reunification. Then it would depend on which of them was the most strong willed, with the risk of Lord Voldemort getting access to Severus' own core.
There had to be spells or potions that could weaken those shields. A sleeping draught might be enough, though administering it would be complicated.
Severus nodded, adding the item to his list.
Retrieve ring
Retrieve diadem
Block-remove Marks (test with Jonathan, research at Family Ressurs, ask Tuei)
Find out more about the inner working of Horcruxes (research at Family Ressurs)
Find how to reunite a living Horcrux
Find how to weaken Sensing Shields
Retrieve Malfoy manor Horcrux
Severus sat back against his seat pensively. Even assuming that his afternoon with Jonathan was productive and that he found information with the Vampires, he could not imagine being done in less than a month. There just were too many experiments required.
At least, there was one he could start now. Nodding to himself, Severus spent the next two hours listing every way he could think of weakening Sensing Shields without using potentially debilitating means. Some were muggle drugs. Most were potions. He checked the ingredients necessary to brew the potions and ordered those he lacked. He would test them on himself, with Dhaal confirming what worked or not.
He stopped when Tuei called him for lunch.
The meal was delicious as usual, but his mind was too busy to fully enjoy it. He declined dessert, meaning that Dhaal got to get twice as much, and asked Tuei to join him in his office at his Familiar's last lick on his plate.
His House Elf looked a bit exasperated but followed him.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Tuei began speaking. Lecturing him, really.
"Master Severus is not taking proper care of himself! Since we've come home, you have spent most of your time working. And now, you are barely eating. No Master Severus, this cannot continue. You must find new members to delegate part of your workload! How are you even going to find the time to meet a proper partner to strengthen our House if you're always in one library or another, or locked in your office?"
That was unexpected.
"Thank you for your concern, Tuei," answered Severus, unsure of the best way to placate her. "I assure you there is no reason for you to worry. I have a major project I need to work on, and I admit I won't have much time for anything else until it's done, but that won't take more than a few months."
The House Elf huffed.
"Master Severus won't last a few months if he doesn't take proper care of himself."
"I am eating," answered Severus firmly. "Not having dessert will not be detrimental to my health."
He could see that she was still not happy with him, but she seemed to accept his answer for now. Thank Helhest. He suspected that Tuei, on a mission to care for him properly, would be a force to be reckoned with.
"Please Tuei, come sit," asked Severus gently as he sat in his armchair while gesturing to the seat in front of him.
The armchair was one of Narcissa's findings, a chair that would adapt its size to the person sitting in it. It was costly but truly useful, and Severus also had two in the living room specifically for Draco and Nymphéa. Severus itched to study the working of the special armchairs, and had added it to his ever growing to-do list.
His House Elf hesitated briefly before sitting in front of him. Immediately, the armchair grew so that Tuei could easily look him in the eye.
"This feels far too serious, Master Severus," said Tuei, her ears unusually down towards her shoulders in a rare display of anxiousness.
"I'm afraid it is," answered Severus, offering her what he hoped to be a reassuring smile. "As I told you, I am working on a major project. Something that will define the future of the British Wizarding World. That might also decide the future of House Caspian."
He paused, letting his words sink in.
Tuei now looked intrigued and calculating, her ears perking up.
"I thought I would have more time to see this project through, but recent events are proving me wrong. I need to finish as soon as possible. And I need all the help I can get," explained Severus, looking at Tuei earnestly.
Tuei nodded slowly.
"Is this linked to your meetings with Lord Prince, Lord Wilkes and Mister Black?"
"It is," answered Severus honestly.
He had no reason to deny it. The implicit Oath between them guaranteed she would keep his secrets.
She straightened in her seat.
"Then I believe I should tell Master Severus a story before you decide whether to give me more information or ask for my help."
This was intriguing. What could she tell him that would make him reconsider asking her for help despite the Oath?
He sat back against his seat and nodded for her to speak.
"As I'm sure Master Severus knows, thanks to his various allies, not one race considers Magic in the same way. Faes believe that Magic is the bridge between them and Mother Earth, and that it exists to ensure they will flourish. Dwarves are the same except they believe Magic is benevolent at its core while the Fae believe it's a strict and merciless parent. Vampires think that Magic is a kind of spirit composed of the consciences of the strongest magical beings to have lived and died in sacrifice, and who tries to help and prepare those who still live for big ordeals. Giants' view of Magic is a mix of the Faes' and the Vampires'. Goblins consider it more like a kind of energy that they can use under certain circumstances, but that cares for its own survival before anything else. Wizards consider it like an essence that is ready and willing to please them."
Severus felt that Tuei was vastly oversimplifying things. Himself did not think that Magic was waiting at his beck and call, eager to answer his every command, and he did not remember ever thinking so. He saw it more like the biggest dragon in the world who could be convinced to obey him if he took the proper care and precautions, but who would burn him to a crisp if he overstepped the beast's limit.
However, he doubted the different definitions of Magic were Tuei´s main point.
Was she trying to tell him gently that she could not help him because of a Prophecy? Master Sæther had told him that House Elves did not care for prophecies, but he could not think of another reason why she would take the time to define what Magic was.
"House Elves know that Magic is a being with two faces who cares first and foremost for herself. She does not hesitate to use us to reach her only goal: growing."
Severus was taken aback by Tuei's bitterness. Despite the risk using Magic could pose, he had always considered it a wonder. House Elves were powerful. Why did Tuei sound like she resented Magic?
"I must say I don't understand, Tuei," said Severus slowly.
She did not look surprised.
"Tuei will tell Master Severus the story of Magic. It is a story all younglings are told when they are able to understand that they must not be deceived by Magic's sparkling music.
Once upon a time, Magic was one unique force that moved freely across the Earth. She roamed the world without care, happy to simply be. Then she saw the world around her evolve and grow while she did not change. She realised she was small and predictable compared to the world. At this moment, Magic realised that she was not content remaining as she was. She wanted to grow. So she experimented. After a time, she realised that she could change when merging with some parts of the world. She realised that if she accepted to give up a small part of herself to the world, in return, the world grew and created more Magic than she had given to it. Thus the four first kinds of magic were created: earth, water, air and fire Magic."
It was the first time since entering the Wizarding World that Severus was told a story that could be likened to the muggles' legends of the creation of the universe. History of Magic, at Hogwarts or in his book, had begun with Merlin.
Severus remembered fondly a day at the park spent debating with Lily. That day, she had learnt in class about Darwinism. Her parents were Anglicans, and she had grown up with biblical stories of the creation of the universe, so she had been quite lost, wondering whether her parents or her teacher were lying to her. Severus had been quite bewildered by the idea of an all knowing and all loving entity who had created the entire world in six days as Mother had never taught him anything other than Darwinism. His parents had certainly never taken him to church.
Luckily, when a torn Lily had asked her father if he had lied to her, he had explained that the biblical stories were not about scientific accuracy. Their aim was to give moral guidelines to Men. The story of the creation said that all things in the universe were created by God, so all things in the universe were precious. God making mankind in his own image meant that if there were many colours, sizes and languages among Men, all were a side of God and so none was above another.
Severus had found this approach quite reasonable, and he had decided that he should apply it to all origin stories. He had never thought to ask Mother if Wizards had their own origin stories.
"Magic grew along the rivers and volcanoes that appeared across the world. She scoured the earth and the sky until she stagnated, for she existed all over the world and the four elements had found their balance. Magic was content for a while, but then she grew bored. So bored that she began observing the world more closely where before, nothing smaller than a mountain could catch her attention. To her surprise, she noticed the first plants and creatures, which were so small and insignificant compared to her that she had overlooked them before. She tried merging with a few of them as she had done with volcanoes and rivers before, and was delighted when she realised that she could combine various kinds of Magic inside one of them. Even better, these creatures created more magic when they reproduced."
Alright. For now, the story was underlining the fact that Magic could be found anywhere in the world, under the form of the four elemental Magics. It also showed that Magic possessed a will of her own, and was not just a tool. Nothing new from his previous teachings.
"Then, Magic discovered that if she allowed those creatures to use a part of the Magic inside them, they could create even more Magic than they used. Overjoyed, she allowed them to use Magic. Thus Magic was content, until the first creatures with reasoning appeared. Then, she was overjoyed to discover that through them, she could create three other kinds of magic: ether, spirit and vibration."
How did House Elves define reasoning? Severus was certain that Thestrals, at least, used what Tuei called vibration magic. Did it mean that Thestrals were more intelligent than Wizards thought, and that Dhaal was not as clever as he was because of the Familiar bond?
He had not gotten that feeling when his Familiar had told him about the various hordes, yet they had been able to communicate together. Something to add to his to-do list.
"For a time, Magic was delighted to watch those beings help her grow even as they used both their Magic and herself to flourish. She delighted at the way they developed their Magic, and at the Bonds they created between them, producing even more Magic in the world.
But soon, she realised those creatures could also use more magic than they created, and she grew scared. She unleashed a torrent of Magic to make them stop but they only used more to protect themselves. Then she grew angry that they dared to use her without giving her anything in return. She decided to make them give back the Magic they owed her.
But doing so was against her nature. When she tried to force them, she hurt herself as well. Where humans bruise or break bones when they get hurt, Magic changes state and becomes Amok. Not all Magic became Amok, only the parts of her that tried to make creatures pay her what she was owed. This is how Magic changed one last time to become the two-faced being she is today: Mokk on one side, Amok on the other one. Mokk runs free, offering herself to all creatures so they may surprise her and help her grow. Amok clings to those who have wronged her, angry and ready to influence them so they will pay their due."
It was one way to see the wrongness caused by the Dark Arts. Once again, it reminded Severus strongly of muggle legends.
"As Master Severus can imagine, most could not Sense the difference between Mokk and Amok. Those who could were unaware that using Amok would corrupt their own Magic. They did not know, at first, that they should be wary of Amok.
Corruption spread across the world.
No healers succeeded in healing a corrupted being. Neither spells nor runes affected the areas corrupted by Amok except to expand it. Only potions could stabilize the corruption.
No race was spared, except for the House Elves.
Nobody knew why Amok never targeted House Elves, even when they were Bonded to a being who was corrupted. It could have been a blessing, instead it was a curse. No House Elves ever got corrupted, but none ever was able to cure a corrupted being. Even though House Elves could use a great amount of Magic, they could not cure the corruption. Many tried. How could they not, when they could feel the suffering and the change brought over by the corruption to those they cared for?"
Tuei shook her head sadly.
"As I told Master Severus before, House Elves are highly empathic. Each House Elf possesses a shield to protect himself from the feelings of others that is more or less effective. But the only way to get a shield so strong that it can block the emotions of most is to find a Master or a Rede, Rede meaning Clans, House or something else depending on the magical kinds we serve. If we take Wizards as an example, the House´s Magic acts like a shield for the House Elves that belong to it. Of course, they can still feel strong feelings like intense pain or fury, but it is quite dull. On the contrary, they are very sensitive to their House´s members' emotions.
Amok bred corruption which bred violence and fear.
Free House Elves found it difficult not to be affected by all those negative feelings. Most Bonded House Elves had one corrupted charge, felt the spread of the corruption into their charge's core and how it changed them everyday, and tried to heal them. All failed. Most died from Magical exhaustion.
It was a time of darkness and fear, of violence and sadness."
Severus felt a shiver run down his spine. Even though it was only a story, he could imagine all too well the facts it stemmed from.
Was Tuei trying to send him a message about his attempt to heal Lord Voldemort being doomed to fail?
Their eyes met. Unexpectedly, his House Elf smiled.
"Then, Merlin came.
No one knows today whether he was a Wizard or a Fae, as all races today claim him as their own. What matters is that Merlin was the one who understood that the only way to heal the corruption was to appease Amok, meaning to pay her back. He did many tests and trials until he discovered that sharing feelings with Magic creates Magic, and so that sharing a memory with Magic allows you to pay her back.
Merlin shared this knowledge with all races and thus created the Basic Rules of Magic — rules of balance between giving and taking.
House Elves understood then that the reason why they could not get corrupted was because of their empathy. Being empathic means sharing feelings with Magic all the time. House Elves can never take more than they give. However, because Magic is selfish, she never allows someone to pay her price for someone else. So House Elves can produce more magic than necessary, but they cannot give the surplus to someone else."
Tuei fell silent, watching Severus with a grave face.
It was a lot to take in, but Severus already knew most of the important information given in the story. If you do not respect the rules of Magic and the sacrifice to pay, you will corrupt your core. The only way to heal a corrupt core is to pay Magic her due.
He was surprised that potions could help stabilise the wrongness, though he supposed it was because potions only used inside Magic: of the potioneer, of the potion's ingredients and of the drinker. Which meant he should research whether a potion existed that could help Lord Voldemort —provided he was not too far gone and that he would accept to drink it.
He quickly put a note on his to-do list, then pushed it aside. It had not been Tuei's point.
She had effectively told him that her Magic could do nothing against the wrongness. It had to be terrifying to be so helpless when you otherwise were so powerful. She also must be able to feel the wrongness of the Marks that Regulus and Jonathan bore.
As if reading his thoughts, Tuei spoke quietly.
"Tuei is glad that Master Severus is not tainted like Mister Wilkes and Mister Black. Tuei has helped Kreacher, but Kreacher will not heal completely as long as he keeps feeding his magic to his Master to help him fight Amok. Kreacher could become mad from failing to help Master Black. Yes, Tuei made the right choice with Master Severus."
Despite the power House Elves possessed, Severus was glad not to be one. Empathy was a curse.
At least he had his answer. He would not escape a visit to Family Ressurs.
Unsure how to move past the grave topic, Severus decided to ask Tuei something he had wondered for some time.
"There's something I'm not sure I understand," said Severus. "How is there no contradiction between the Oath House Elves swear to the Houses or the Clans, for example, and the Oath they swear to their Line?"
She perked up at his question.
"Lines are not the same as Rede like Clans, Houses, Packs, Colonies or Tribes. They are closer to Lands or Families, though Lines lack the magical components of these two. Lines are in fact bloodlines. The Oath we swear to our Masters is the one similar to the Oath that bonds Rede to Magic."
Of course. He had known that unconsciously. Tuei was as much a member of his House as Dhaal or himself. The fact that most Wizards weren't aware of this fact did not belie that simple truth.
He said as much to Tuei, and was rewarded with a blinding smile.
He couldn't help but compare her to the other House Elves he knew. The Malfoys' Elves he had met all looked as happy as she did, though she gave off a feeling of assurance they lacked. Lord Voldemort's Elf was more like her in this regard. In contrast, Kreacher was certainly different from the other House Elves. Severus did not think the Black's Elf would survive being free.
He was struck by a sudden worry.
"Tuei. Should we be doing something more? The agreement between Wizards and House Elves is very old, and forgotten by most. I'm not even sure that this Agreement contains more rules than the implicit Oaths. Only those adopted by House Elves know of this agreement, and even then, if their House Elves are not as knowledgeable as you are, they may not be aware of everything it entails. I'm afraid that like with other magical beings, Wizards are not taught at school the basics they should know to be able to properly interact with you."
Be it information on how to best create alliances with other magical beings or on the best defences against the same magical beings, Hogwarts' education was severely lacking.
Tuei looked at him with suddenly misty eyes.
"Master Severus is kind. The Council has been arguing for the last twenty years about whether they should renegotiate the Agreement. Contrary to most, we have one unique Agreement with all the other races because we cannot bear to offer more to one race than to the others. The Council knows that the Agreement should be improved to at least better protect the bound House Elves. It means we need to convince the races who are the most bound to House Elves to negotiate. The Council has begun the discussion with the Goblins and the Dwarves, but the Council does not trust the current leading Wizard with such discussion. But if Master Severus could be the one to negotiate the new Agreement… Once the Goblins, the Dwarves and the Wizards agree, the Faes won't have any other choice but to follow."
Severus held up his hand in alarm.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I don't think you can just decide that I'm going to be your negotiator. Of course, you should not let this Agreement be negotiated just by the Minister of Magic, you need to have it approved by the Wizengamot the same as the other Agreements between Wizards and other magical beings were. It would be easier if we discussed it with the Goblins, but I don't know how your Council would feel about using intermediaries between them and Wizards."
Tuei nodded excitedly.
"It certainly depends on the Goblins, but if they were Clan Röykkiö, I believe it could be accepted. Tuei will submit this proposal to the Council. Thank you Master Severus!"
"Please Tuei, I have done nothing yet," answered Severus embarrassed.
"Yes you did," contradicted Tuei seriously. "Master Severus cannot know this, but there are magical beings who treat House Elves worse than some Wizards do. There are some Lands who believe that House Elves are lesser creatures and exist to be their slaves. Because our Magics are close, Faes are the best at making House Elves lose themselves."
Severus straightened up in alarm.
"You should have told me earlier! Hoardrock is working on an alliance proposal with Land Utpatti. I—"
"Master Severus must not worry," interrupted Tuei. "Tuei understands that alliances are important. And Land Utpatti is mostly indifferent toward House Elves, like they are with every other magical being."
It did not feel right. Would he be able to respect his allies if he disagreed with the way they treated House Elves?
He made a note to contact Hoardrock. He should ask Muśkēlī if he could visit her home before making any alliance proposal.
Severus turned his attention back to Tuei.
"Alliances are important Tuei, but allies who wouldn't treat members of House Caspian right are not allies."
His House Elf looked both surprised and pleased at his answer.
Feeling emboldened, he did not hold back his next question.
"If you don't mind me asking, I've noticed that many House Elves use names instead of pronouns at times."
Tuei nodded vigorously.
"This is how young Elves are taught to distinguish their feelings from those of others. Parents lend their shields to their elflings until they learn to build their own. When they learn, they are taught not to use pronouns at first, to ensure that they are not getting confused by feelings which are not their own. Once we are adults, when we feel our shields slip, or when we need to remind ourselves not to get lost in others, we use names again."
"Thank you for sharing this information with me," said Severus gratefully.
He felt humbled by House Elf's trust.
"Master Severus is welcome," answered Tuei with a smile.
She straightened up in her seat, suddenly looking very proper.
"Master Severus will not regret choosing Tuei as his Ansvar."
"My Ansvar?" he echoed.
Severus was quite certain that this was not a word he had ever encountered, even in his Módiǎn.
Tuei nodded.
"The Ansvar is the being who is entrusted with the care and the protection of the household. Master Severus named Tuei his Ansvar the day we swore our Oath."
He had given her an account to manage the House. He did not ask to approve her every decision. He had asked her advice before building Caspian Manor. The current wards were built upon the merging of her and Severus' wards.
"Indeed," finally said Severus with a smile. "I do hope I'll be able to read about Ansvars in my Módiǎn tonight."
"Master Severus will," Tuei answered seriously. "It is important that Master Severus knows all about Ansvars before Tuei chooses the others who will help her care for our House. Tuei has almost finished evaluating the applicants and will present her choices to Master Severus soon. Then Tuei will call Master Rhys. He promised to build their quarters once Tuei had chosen them."
Severus was beginning to wonder who was the Head of House Caspian. He really needed to read about Ansvars. But he could not deny that Tuei was doing exactly what she needed to help House Caspian grow stronger.
"Thank you Tuei," he finally answered. "I'm looking forward to meeting them."
From her smile, it was the right answer.
"Tuei needs to get back to work now," said the House Elf, hopping down from her seat.
She walked a few steps before turning back toward him.
"Master Severus must not forget about the Yuánxiāo jié. His big project will be no reason to miss the celebrations with his family. And Tuei will not be buying the presents either."
"Of course not," answered Severus, though he had forgotten that the feast was only two days away.
The fact that the feast depended on the lunar calendar made it harder for him to track.
The House Elf gave him a knowing smile before walking out of the door.
Tuei liked to walk around the House instead of flow-travelling when time was not of essence. Severus thought it was because she felt the same contentment and belonging as he did in their new home.
He spent the rest of the day preparing his visit to Family Ressurs as best as he could, trying to imagine ways to evade indiscreet questioning from experienced Vampires.
He made a point of eating the chocolate macarons Tuei served at dinner, though she must have known he would never refuse his favourite dessert. He read about Ansvars and their duties before going to bed early. He needed to be rested to work with Jonathan on the Marks tomorrow.
He had barely finished breakfast the next morning when Petunia called him through the communicating stone to both test the stone and thank him. They chatted a few minutes before she had to go to the university.
Severus had just closed the door of his office, intent on making his last preparation for the Horcrux retrieval planned this morning when his stone lit up again, this time with a call from Lily.
"Hey Sev! It works!"
"Good morning Lily," answered Severus with a smile at the delight in her voice.
"I'm sorry for not calling yesterday like I said, but after the Order meeting, we had a Marauders-family meeting and then another Order meeting. I've barely slept since we met."
"It's no problem," answered Severus, his curiosity piqued.
What could warrant such a reaction if not the Prophecy?
"So, you were right, Sev. The Order meeting first was about discussing our action plan after the riots and the revelation that Death Eaters may be identified thanks to the tattoo they bear on their forearm. Then, Albus asked Alice, Frank, James and me to remain for a private meeting. He told us about the Prophecy."
If Severus had not known Lily so well, he would have missed the anger in her tone.
"He told us he did not want to cause us any alarm until he was sure that our children were the ones designated by the Prophecy. He said that he was afraid that Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters would target Neville and Harry soon because of the cancellation of the elections, that they would look for another kind of victory."
Severus had to admit that Dumbledore had chosen his arguments well, but Lily seemed to have lost her blinders, at least where it could cause harm to her child.
"I must tell you that Dumbledore was quite satisfied to have managed to prevent Lord Voldemort's spy from hearing the entire Prophecy," added Lily wryly.
Severus felt his eyebrows raise in alarm. There was more to this prophecy? Why did they not know this already?
Lily kept on speaking, unaware of his shock.
"Alberforth was the one who threw Lord Nott's cousin out of his pub, and Albus is quite sure there was no other spy. It's consistent with what you know of the Prophecy."
Was Lord Voldemort aware he was missing part of the prophecy or had Nott's cousin — was it Giulio or Paulo? — conveniently forgotten to tell him he had not been able to hear the end of it? Had the Lord even asked to watch the memory himself?
Merlin. Would the rest of the Prophecy be even more damning for the kids or could it be used to find another target? Was Lily going to trust him with it?
"Sev. I can trust you not to tell anyone who would harm my son?"
"You have my word, Lily. You know I would not wish harm on your son."
"I just needed to hear you say it," said Lily in a small voice. "It's really hard, you know. Those Order meetings... it's almost like being in Hogwarts again. Not everyone is such a Gryffindor, but we're definitely lacking Slytherins, and it's hard to remind them that your side are people too, and that not all of them are Slytherins."
With the wondrous Potters twins and Dumbledore to lead the show, he had no trouble imagining the scene.
"I wish Peter and Remus attended more often than they do. You wouldn't believe how much Peter has changed since fifth year. He's very assured today, and a lot less fanatic about Houses than James and Sirius."
He had seen a glimpse of the man she described in Kyirong, but he still had trouble believing that Pettigrew would have the nerve to argue against the other Marauders.
"Anyway, here is the complete Prophecy:
The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"
Helhest. If you believed in prophecies, one of the kids was truly meant to kill Lord Voldemort or be killed by him. How utterly ridiculous. He was beginning to wonder if this entire Prophecy business was a trap from Dumbledore to create an opportunity to destroy Slytherin forever. If the symbol of Slytherin and last heir of Salazar turned against the children he claimed to cherish, Slytherin would be reviled by the Wizarding World and his rules forgotten forever.
"Well… Did Dumbledore give you any proof of the existence of this Prophecy?"
She laughed.
"You know what I think of prophecies and Divinations. Of course I asked for proof. I can play the ignorant Muggleborn really well. I was one not so long ago. Still am in many ways. Albus showed us his memory in a pensieve. I watched it several times. He was interviewing a candidate for the divination professor job at the Hogs' Head inn if you can believe it. I don't know what he was thinking, doing the interview here, and choosing this woman. Honestly, in the memory, she was saying a lot of rubbish until her entire demeanour and voice changed suddenly. She told the Prophecy then she came back to herself with apparently no memory of what she had said."
"Could she be an actress?" asked Severus, feeling hope rise in his chest.
Augustus had not been able to get access to the memory of that evening, but here, Lily might give him another angle to work with.
"Sadly, she's a really good one if she is. According to Albus, she's a descendant from a renown seer. It's the only reason why he agreed to interview her. But Sev, there was a lot of noise in the pub. And her voice was so deep, with a kind of echo, that even in the pensieve, you could only guess at some words. If we admit that the Prophecy is real, its meaning can still be different. "
"Did you say so to Dumbledore?" asked Severus.
"Of course," answered Lily. "It was not my most inspired plea, but I thought it was enough to show how uncertain our understanding of the Prophecy is."
"What did you propose?"
She had heard the Prophecy, she might give him ideas.
"The one with the power to nourish the Dark Lord approaches…
Born to those who have thrice deep fried him, born as the seventh month lies...
And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, cutting in halves power the Warlord knows not
An ideal, a messed up dyad, the hand of the ether, for either can live while the other skydives…
The one with the power to nourish the Dark Lord will be lorn as the seventh month dies…"
"That's… different," said Severus. "Wait. You used lorn? Like in your favourite mushy love story?"
Lily had gotten Jane Eyre on her tenth birthday, and been quite enamoured with the story, especially the tortured ramblings of the heroine when she discovered that the man she loved was already married.
"Severus! Jane Eyre is a classic! And it's not mushy, it's poetic!"
"But… lorn? In a prophecy?"
And… deep-fried? Dumbledore couldn't have been pleased.
"Yes, well… the Headmaster scolded me like a little girl, telling me that I wasn't taking this seriously. On the contrary, I am taking this threat to my son very seriously. And, what better way to not get caught in the trap of buying into someone else's misinterpretation of the spoken prophecy than to concentrate on it one word or phrase at a time without regard to what your brain thinks it most likely says before and after. That's what I did and it really makes you think about preconceived notions and the different possible interpretations they can create," answered Lily, anger showing again through her voice.
"I know Lily. The possibility of other interpretations merits further exploration but for now, I'm afraid both Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort won't budge on the contents of the Prophecy."
Severus paused, frowning to himself.
"You've just told me how difficult it was to understand the seer. So why did Nott's cousin report to Lord Voldemort exactly the same words as Dumbledore told you, at least for the part he overheard?"
"That's an excellent question, Sev," agreed Lily. "I asked the same thing to Dumbledore. I mean, it's a wonder he overheard anything. The Headmaster's answer was… enlightening. Have you heard of the Hall of Prophecy?"
"I can't say that I have," answered Severus.
Hall of Prophecy? Seriously?
"Well, it's, and I quote, a chamber in the department of mysteries deep inside the ministry of magic, where the records of all prophecies ever heard by Wizards are kept. Only the keeper of the Hall and the subjects of a prophecy may hear its record," explained Lily.
She laughed bitterly.
"Of course, Albus did not explain how the subjects of a prophecy were identified. But Lord Voldemort is one of them. He only needed to go to the ministry and ask to consult the Prophecy to have access to it. Well, he needed to know the Hall existed, but he seems to be as knowledgeable as Albus in some ways."
"So you think Lord Voldemort went to the Hall of Prophecy to listen to the prophecy? Why?"
"To confirm what his spy had overheard," said Lily. "I'm sure of it, there is a register for the visitors of the Hall and Albus told us that Lord Voldemort was among them."
"But then he would have known the entire Prophecy. And it wouldn't change the interpretation problem," countered Severus.
"Wrong and wrong. The records of the Prophecies are submitted by those who hear it. Albus convinced the keeper of the Hall to only put a partial record of the Prophecy in the Hall. I have no idea how he did this, but it shows there really is a need for change in our world," answered Lily darkly. "As for the interpretation… Well, I've decided not to believe everything Albus tells us without proof anymore. I went to the Hall with Harry. As he's under seventeen, I was allowed to listen to the record with him. It was nothing like Albus' memory. The seer's voice was deep but clear, and there was no mistaking the words she was saying."
"You think Dumbledore manipulated the records?" asked Severus.
He wouldn't put it past the old man, but he could hardly believe that Lily now doubted the Headmaster so much.
"No," said Lily, "but you know what we have always been told: Magic is intent. I think Albus is so certain of his interpretation that it's the one the record got."
Severus nodded slowly. He wished Lord Voldemort had shared with the group how he had determined that the Prophecy was legit. Had the fact that it was recorded in the Hall of Prophecy been enough? Had he found another prophecy concerning him in the Hall that had cemented his faith in those supposedly obscure warnings about the future? Had he heard the prophecy of another magical race?
He still had trouble believing how much faith some Wizards had in prophecies, to the point of having a chamber full of them.
"Lily, I think you are right, but it won't help with either Dumbledore or Lord Voldemort. Let's imagine that Dumbledore's version is the right one, couldn't it be interpreted differently? I wondered if it could concern someone near Dumbledore for example."
"Well, I asked Albus if the Prophecy could be about one of the people walking around, there were several customers and waiters walking in the direction of the supposed seer. They could have been the one approaching. But he said that he had checked and that none of them checked all the requirements of the Prophecy."
Severus held back a sigh. Back to square one.
"But there's more, Sev."
Her voice was colder than he had ever heard her.
"All my questions got the others thinking, and it got to the point where Albus had to give up another piece of information he was keeping carefully close to his chest. He said that Wizards are not the only magicals to have gotten a prophecy, and that he knows of another two prophecies told to magical beings which are coherent with his interpretation of the Prophecy. Of course, those other prophecies were shared under oath, so he's unable to tell us what they say."
Interesting. As much as Severus despised the man, he had to admit that Dumbledore was among the most knowledgeable Wizards. But if those prophecies were as vague as this one, he did not think those really were an argument to support one interpretation of the Prophecy over another.
"It is convenient," said Severus. "You can't check if those other prophecies could point at a target other than your son."
"I know! I swear, if the Death Eaters had not attacked my parents, killed Councillor Baxter and humiliated several of my co-workers, I might have considered supporting Lord Voldemort! I'm tired of being the Muggleborn who makes mistakes because I'm being kept ignorant!"
That was the perfect example of why the raids were such a bad political strategy.
"Say Sev, you wouldn't run for the election of Minister of Magic?"
"Lily!"
She laughed.
"I'm kidding, I know you like to explore Magic too much and people not enough."
Exactly. Why did everyone suddenly want him to become something he would hate so much? He had no patience for fools and actions that stalled because of endless discussion. He would end up in Azkaban after murdering half of the Wizengamot and the ministry.
"It's just that I would trust you to act in the best interest of our world, even if I don't always agree with you. I know you listen to rational arguments, and you would never accept bribes or be influenced by flattery or threats."
"I'm sorry Lily."
He was touched that she thought so highly of him, but he was not going to lose his freedom.
She let out a bitter laugh.
"You did not do anything wrong Sev. Honestly, I can't believe Wizards! I told you we had a second Order meeting yesterday evening. We decided, the Potters and the Longbottoms, to share the Prophecy with the rest of the Order. You should have heard some of them. All so ready to alter my child's future by branding him a killer when he is but one…"
"Some Wizards really believe in prophecies," offered Severus sympathetically.
"Yes, it's almost like a religion. It gets worse. There were others who were a lot more rational, in my opinion. They wanted to murder Lord Voldemort quickly with the hope that it would stop the riots and prevents the Death Eaters' future and unavoidable raids. But Dumbledore believes that the Prophecy is a warning that Lord Voldemort cannot be killed by anyone other than Harry or Neville. He thinks that if someone else tried, they would be killed while Lord Voldemort would survive. How ridiculous is this? But he was dead serious and he convinced everyone."
Was Dumbledore aware of the existence of the Horcruxes? Did he merely suspect that Lord Voldemort had delved very deeply into the Dark?
"Sev, I'm afraid they will create a kind of sect around the kids."
"You would never let that happen," stated Severus firmly.
He did not dare imagine what it would do to any child. To know you were fated to kill or be killed.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sev. Luckily, I'm not the only one who cares for Harry. We had a full Marauders meeting, with Petunia and mine and James' parents added to the mix. We've begun discussing how we can protect Harry the best and—"
"Don't tell me what you've decided," interrupted Severus.
"Why… I thought you could take care of yourself?!"
"I can, but better not tempt fate," retorted Severus.
"Alright. Well, at least, let me present you with various possibilities and you'll tell me the pros and cons of each."
Severus shook his head fondly.
"Sure. Fire away."
"As we've already discussed, I thought the best protection was for Harry to remain in Potter Manor until the threat was gone, one way or another. But according to Albus, the fact that James is not the current Head of House Potter means that Harry won't be as protected as Neville will be at Longbottom's Manor."
"Really?" said Severus, incredulous. "I don't see why not. Heads of House protect their members no matter their blood relation, especially children."
"That's what I said, but Albus said he would provide us with the books that explain why it is so. He's also worried that Petunia's stone will interfere with the wards and that their protection will partially cancel each other."
What was the old man playing at? He did not even know how the stone worked.
"I assure you that Dumbledore's fears about the stone are completely baseless and—"
"Even now that I became a Potter?" interrupted Lily.
It was a valid concern.
"Yes. The stone's magic is about bloodlines and intent, as it was made to be used by a Muggle. You becoming a Potter is irrelevant for these two parameters. Really Lily, I don't understand Dumbledore. House's Magic is one of the strongest protections for children. What can he propose that would be stronger?"
She paused for a few seconds before speaking. Good. She should not tell him anything too revealing.
"There are several possibilities. Sanctuaries for example, though James would have to resign from the Aurors and renounce fighting the Death Eaters as you cannot both fight and hide in Sanctuaries."
Severus winced. There were high chances that no Sanctuary would allow James Potter on their grounds after he had broken Kyirong's rules. He wondered how Lily would react when learning that her husband was forbidden from entering a Sanctuary because he had attacked Severus in Kyirong.
But it was not his problem. Lily and Harry could still seek shelter in a Sanctuary. It was not a bad plan.
"Then there are various unplottable spells that we could use to hide our location, like the Fidelius for example."
"That spell won't work if you live in Potter Manor!" said Severus alarmed. "First, the Fidelius doesn't erase information from people's minds. If some Death Eaters already know you are living there before you cast the Fidelius spell, which is most likely, they will still know it even if they won't be able to share this information. Second, Potter Manor is recognised as the home of House Potter by Magic. I don't think she will appreciate trying to hide it. It would be like hiding the Oath between Magic and House Potter."
"I know. We would have to choose another home. It's only a possibility, but you know my parents and Petunia are living at Potter Manor for their protection too. I don't want them to die to protect my son if the Death Eaters manage to get past the Manor's protections."
"Isn't it their choice?" retorted Severus, surprised by her last argument. Wasn't her son her first priority? Had Dumbledore convinced her she could not involve Muggles in Wizards' matters because they were too weak? Petunia's stone proved they were not.
She did not answer him. Because she thought he was right, or because she did not want to divulge vital information, he did not know, which was frustrating.
"Lily. If you decide to use the Fidelius charm, you must choose your keeper very seriously. I know it's supposed to be very secure because the keeper can only reveal where you are hiding willingly, but it's easy to trick people. We are Wizards. You can use illusions, polyjuice, and many other magical means to make the keeper believe that he is in a situation where he really needs to reveal your location. Don't choose a fool."
She chuckled lightly.
"Thank you for the advice, Sev. Nothing is set in stone yet. There are also elemental Magics we could use to protect our house. And those are only the solutions we have come up with after one meeting."
"Right. Just… don't let yourself be blinded by Dumbledore's aura. You're the one who knows best when it comes to your son."
"Thanks Sev. I'm glad that you think so. I'm sorry I cannot chat longer, but I really need some rest before going back to my research. Can I call you if I have questions about something?"
"Of course. But keep in mind that the less I know the better," cautioned Severus.
"I trust you, Sev," said Lily firmly. "Take care."
He sighed.
"Be careful."
The stone went dark, leaving him with his mind churning.
He added to his to-do list that he needed to see if the last sentences of the Prophecy could be used for the Grindelwald theory of the group, though he doubted Lord Voldemort would ever believe this theory when he had listened to the official version of the Prophecy. It might come in handy for another reason.
He could not share this with the rest of the Horcruxes reunification group. He did not want them to know that he had done more than warn Lily. He could not let them know they were tentative friends, especially not Regulus. While they had parted on good terms after their last meeting, he did not forget what had been said. Regulus was on the Blacks' side first.
He also added to his list to analyse Dumbledore's last moves. He could not dismiss the feeling that there was more to the old man's agenda than met the eye.
Casting a quick tempus, Severus was surprised to see that he was almost late for the ring retrieval. He hastily put the communicating stone in his sealed pocket, then went out of his office before activating the wards that would prevent anyone from entering his office in his absence.
Sensing to Dhaal to warn Tuei that they were leaving then to join him, he flow-travelled to the rendez-vous point.