Scion of Sorcery, Dimensions of Destiny
Disclaimers: SEE FIRST CHAPTER
Review Answers:
Jostanos: Who says it's not the same dragon? Remember, this is a world with magical relics and enchantments and spells that can replicate things, dear faithful spy;
WhiteElfElder: Umbridge sings? And now I'll never sleep again;
Dennisud: Magneto or were you imagining Ian McKellen as Rameses? Either way; thanks for the review;
"Very good…now, tell me: who dared to send you a missive, saying that Harrison had broken any rules or laws, thereby making all this happen in the first place? Tell me and you'll be free to go…albeit with all office ranks and titles stripped and you exiled from these shores; a suitable form of compensation for threatening accords that have existed for nearly 300 years, wouldn't you agree, Madam Bones?"
Umbridge screamed it for all to hear.
"SEVERUS SNAPE!"
A raw blast of magic filled the chamber.
When the Aurors, Amelia and Rameses turned to the source, Rameses' eyes widened when he saw the throne had been incinerated.
And Harry was gone.
"Shit!" snapped Rameses, looking now to Amelia and her Aurors, "I'm sending you to Hogwarts: be quick or you might have to risk the Accords yourself…and worse! Oh, and apologies if this alarms you, but there's no time for explanations: do it, my old friend."
Phase One: Potter-Strange?
Chapter 13: Everybody Gets One
'D, T, P, T, T, T…Merlin's beard: why isn't there such a thing as Double-D or Double-T for these dunderheads? They all deserve it, and more.'
This was the self-amused thought that crossed Severus Snape's mind as he swiped another poor, failing grade across yet another piss-poor excuse for Potions homework, a small part of him feeling smug at how it was his fifth-year Gryffindor class who were paying the price, not to mention those dunces in Hufflepuff.
Naturally, he would save the best grades for his seven years' worth of Slytherins…
Well, except for Potter!
It didn't matter what he called himself, now he would either be kissed by a Dementor – the only creatures who'd willingly kiss any Potter – or thrown through the Veil for using Dark, Forbidden Magic on him.
SoS
Ah, what a stroke of genius he had made.
Sending Umbridge a warning that a dangerous criminal had returned to their shores, threatening Lucius' son – as well as other pureblood heirs in Slytherin, though invoking Lucius' name would be enough to get her there before you could say Quidditch – as well as assaulting him in front of so many witnesses, using compulsions and, possibly, even a wandless Imperius to make it look like nobody had seen him – after all, what else could explain how nobody noticed his torture? Potters didn't have such weird powers; they were show-offs, end of story – and, on top of all that, saying that this monster was threatening the peace and harmony of the Ministry with his notions of grandeur had been a move worthy of Salazar himself.
Finally, he would never have to look at any Potter's face, least of all anyone who was an obviously love-potion-induced result of that same criminal raping his precious Lily, warping her mind so that she wouldn't do the right thing and step aside, instead choosing to let herself be killed.
Obviously, that was Potter's fault; a final fuck you to Severus.
Well, now Severus Snape would have the last laugh.
By now, after his supposedly-willing surrender outside, while that Asian nobody had been put in charge of that thing that stalked Potter as much as Black, Lupin and Wormtail had done, Potter was in the Ministry's hands.
And, right now, he was likely filling a Dementor's belly.
Pity the poor Dementor…
SoS
But that didn't matter, Severus was, at long last…
KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!
Suddenly, Severus' moment of peace, self-vindication and amusement at how easily it had been to not only fool Potter, but damn the little bastard who'd stolen dear, sweet Lily from him was cut off by the sound of knocking.
KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!
Four knocks, in point of fact.
All of which were coming from the door to his classroom, making Severus scowl as he eyed his timetable, making note of how this was meant to be one of the few times he didn't have to deal with dunderheads and nuisances – or his obviously-talented Slytherins – before he was meant to go and join the rest of the rabble for lunch.
KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!
On the third string of knocks, Severus finally set down his quill, a small part of him chuckling to himself as he realised that it had to be one of his Slytherins, if not his godson, most-likely here to say they wanted some extra help with their homework, or a hint on the next test he was going to give to humiliate mongrels like the Weasley brats or, better, the Longbottom Squibling even more than he already did.
Maybe he'd even find a way to make that fangirl of Potter's leave, so nobody would be able to ruin his day.
KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!
"Come in."
The door opened and Severus looked up…
And his blood ran colder than cold at the sight that walked in through the classroom door.
It wasn't a Slytherin looking for an insider's view on their next assignment…
It wasn't even Draco, here to congratulate him on such a Slytherin-worthy move, whilst delivering the message from his Father that said the Potter Nightmare was over and the Potter brat was what all Potters deserved to be – namely dead and gone from Snape's life forever.
It wasn't even a student, to be specific.
"Hello, Snivellus," sneered a raven-haired, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed young man, his warrior-like visage broken, currently replaced by an air of smugness as he walked in, alongside a scarlet-haired nightmare who was clinging to his arm with genuine love, affection and delight in her beautiful green eyes that looked up at her companion with fondness as she tittered softly.
"Now James, is that any way to speak to our old partner-in-crime and dearest of dearly-trusted friends in the Order? Sorry, Severus; you know what a big kid he is inside," laughed the redhead, her voice cutting through Severus worse than Sectumsempra as he saw the two lean against the desks straight in front of him, before the darker-haired man shrugged dismissively.
"What can I say, Lily? Old habits die hard…"
"No…" gasped Severus, looking past the two figures before him, alias one Lily Alexandra Potter nee Evans, as well as James Charles Potter, both of whom looked at him in abject curiosity. "It…it's not possible: you…you're dead! Both of you!"
"Are you sure, Snivellus?" asked James curiously, clicking his tongue as he looked down at his body, "I mean, I'm sure being dead means you're not flesh-and-blood…shall we test that theory? Here…tell me: do you feel this?"
Suddenly, James' fist collided with Severus' left cheek, earning an alarmed look from the Potions Master, before Lily sighed with disappointment and disbelief in her face, "Oh, how many times must I tell you, James, my love? Don't hurt Severus. He's everything that matters here…or, if you have to…make sure his cheeks match in colour…you know, like this."
Suddenly, Severus gasped when Lily's hand collided with his right cheek, her nails cutting into his skin, leaving small, but no-less-real scratch marks that threatened to bleed red blood as he looked up at Lily, who shrugged with a look of apparent apology in her eyes as she patted the scratched cheek with a derogatory air about her, "There…that's much better; of course, you remember the last time I smacked you this hard, don't you, Severus? I believe it was out by the Bowtruckle tree, after James, Sirius, Remus and Peter had a little post-exam fun at your expense. All right, it was a little bit naughty, but, hey, they were kids! What was your excuse when you did what you did…and said what you said?"
"Lily…no…I…I saw you…your bodies…" gasped Severus, horror crossing his face as he looked from Lily to James. "I…I stepped over you…your corpse, Potter! I…I held Lily in…in my arms…"
"I know; I was watching," laughed James, while Lily visibly cringed as she buried her head against her husband's side, "Not only did you gross us both out for life, namely by reminding me why we call you Snivellus…I mean, you even had snot running down over Lily…well, the other Lily…"
"W-w-w-what?" asked Severus, earning a soft laugh from Lily as she patted James.
"I'm sorry," chuckled the redhead, shaking her head as she asked, "But do you honestly believe we'd let that nappy-soiling big baby, Voldemort, come after my special little guy, break in so easily to a home that is owned by my lovely, perfect husband, who is so open with his heart, he even forgave me for something I had no control over…"
"When…when that monster put you under a love potion!" exclaimed Severus, earning a roar of laughter from James.
"Is…is that what you tell yourself, Snivellus Greasy?" asked James, flicking a very familiar-looking mahogany wand at the Head of Slytherin.
Suddenly, Severus' eyes widened in alarm as he was forced into a position that he had always vowed he would never be put into again, least of all by weak little scum like Potter, Black or Lupin.
Namely the one that had him suspended upside-down by his ankles, his robes billowing about his greasy head helplessly as he flailed like a fish on a hook at the mercy – or lack thereof – of James Potter, who held him there with a cold, sinister smile as he asked, "Ah…memories; hope you don't mind me taking a trip down memory lane, Snivellus…or you, my Red Angel?"
"Actually, the sight of history repeating itself is making me a little…hot under the collar, Prongs," chuckled Lily, kissing James on his neckline as she added, "Maybe it's high time we put right the wrongs of the world and give my beautiful boy, and your adoptive son and heir, the little brother or sister we never got to give him before we faked our deaths!"
"What?" asked Severus, before he gasped when James lowered his wand, causing Severus to hit the table where he'd been doing his marking.
If there was going to be any proof that all this was real, it was the snapping pain that tore through Severus' left shoulder as he landed on it, heavily fracturing the bone, causing him to scream in terror…
Though not before a blast from Lily's willow wand fused Severus' lips closed in what he recognised as the Oscausi Hex, leaving him squealing in terror, if not sheer disbelief and alarm, as Lily shook her head, "Sorry, Severus; I know we used to be friends, but…well, what can I say? After what you said, and how you went on to make it worse by doing everything you did, and claiming to turn good just because your one-third Master was coming for my special little guy…I guess I'm numb to your pain now, so, do me a favour, will you, my Half-Blood Prince? Eyes open, mouth closed."
"Meanwhile," sighed James, flicking his wand again, transfiguring the quills near Severus into thick, blood-red ropes, which he wrapped around Severus' body as he asked, "How else shall I make things worse for you, Snivellus? I mean, here you are, living large and in charge off of our so-called deaths, claiming you actually loved Lily and hope to honour her memory, but…first chance you get, what's this we hear?"
"You set up my son to die," said Lily, earning a horrified shake of the head from Severus, "And not just because of what you did to turn spy in the first place, I don't hesitate to add. You throw him to that cotton-candy-coloured cockroach, all on the basis of his incredibly-talented powers making you out to be what you are; a powerless, helpless little boy who is still flailing with his arms while my darling husband, Harry's amazing godfather, not to mention his good-natured honorary Uncle all make you piss your pants because you can't fight back…"
Severus wriggled and flailed again, but before he could do anything more, James scoffed as he asked, "What? Expecting Albus to come and pull your greasy hide out of the fire, again, Snivvie? Sorry, but this time, your ass is mine! And, to prove it…hmm…Lily-flower: how is it you pronounce that spell he so adored using as a wussy wittle Death Eater?"
"Like this, my love," said Lily, raising her wand and aiming it right at Severus, who paled in terror and even voided his bowels when he heard it fly from the lips of his beloved.
"Sec-tum-sem-pra!"
A second, more-agonising, scream of pure, unadulterated horror tore out of Severus as he felt his hand – his wand hand, at that – fly off the cuff, where it soared through the air before, with a flick from James' wand, it turned into a flock of butterflies, all of which flew around the room like a bunch of headless chickens.
"Right, cheers, honey," agreed James, aiming his wand at Snape again before he added, "So, Snivvie; all together now…Sectumsempra!"
This time, Severus' screams heightened when he felt his abdomen being slashed open, leaving deep, bloody gouges running across his stomach – which, ironically, then began to bleed yellow bile, turning him into a real yellow-bellied man – and narrowly missing his heart as he was forced to look up into the eyes of Lily and James, the lesser of whom scowled in disgust as she looked at the ruined man before her.
"Just think, you pathetic, worthless insect," growled the redhead, now advancing on the bleeding, wounded Snape as she growled in a tone that, again, he hadn't heard since he'd called her what he had done – all because of the thing next to her, as Severus knew.
James, meanwhile, joined Lily as she advanced on the wounded wizard, while Lily scoffed, "All this could have been avoided; all this could have been put behind us…James and I…along with Harry and, yes, maybe even Stephen and that lovely Muggle wife of his…we could have had a real hope, rather than having to leave my baby with his Father, who I gave myself and conceived our son with…willingly, I might add."
"Kind of helps you two were brought together by the whims of magic that even Stephen is still trying to figure out nearly twelve years later, Lils," said James, earning a nod from Lily whom, to Severus' horror, then began kissing her husband again, even letting him rest her body against the desk in front of Severus as they both glared at the bloody Potions Master.
"But," added James, licking his tongue over Lily's neckline as he explained, "Whatever the truth, here's a dose of reality for you, Snivellus; me, Lily, Harry…we were better without you…we were happier without you…"
"It's true," sighed Lily, stroking James' hand across her bare stomach, which Severus then noticed – though he couldn't begin to explain how it had happened…mostly because his mind was more-focused on the torture he felt oozing out of his yellowed belly – was now exposed to the elements, as was the rest of her body, as she scoffed before she shook her head.
"Who could ever love you, Severus Tobias Snape, when compared to James Potter…what, exactly, are you, compared to a great man, a warrior, a hero and a top-class Auror, Lord of his Household and even willing to forgive my unexplained tryst with Stephen? Let's face it, Sev…what are you compared to both the King of the Marauders…and the Sorcerer Supreme?"
"No…Lily…I…I did it…I did it for…for you," rasped Severus, trying to move closer to Lily, while James was now almost naked as he wrapped his arms around Lily's body, earning a moan of contentment from the redhead.
"Silly little Snivvie," sneered James, again licking at a spot on his wife's neckline. "You did it for yourself…I mean come on; you were nothing. A silly little stalker who latched onto the first nice girl who smiled at him. And that's how you do it, you know? You let one of them go, but that's nothing new. Every now and then, for a reason driven by selfish desire, or the teeny-tiny little thing between your legs, there's always a little victim who is spared because she smiled…cause he's got freckles…or cause they begged! And that's how you live with yourself. That's how you slaughter so many people; because once in a while, on a whim, if the wind's in the right direction…you happen to be kind."
"But your act wasn't kindness," argued Lily, leaning forwards on the desk, earning a horrified look from Severus as he realised what was about to happen – and how, again, he was powerless to stop it. "You begged your snake-faced freak of a so-called master to spare me…not because you were feeling kind, but because you wanted me, Sev; you needed me to give your silly little life purpose…and you were even willing to make it so I would stand over my ex-husband's grave while you and I added another grease-pit to the world…"
"You…you are mine…"
"No, Snivellus," growled James, drawing his wand again before he aimed it at the Potions Master, his eyes briefly flashing green.
"It is you…who are mine! And this time, nobody can…or will…be coming to save your backstabbing, hypocritical, family-murdering hide!"
The wand lit up…
SoS
"Don't do it."
Suddenly, Severus blanched, his eyes wider than wide as, suddenly, without any explanation whatsoever, Lily and James vanished, as did Snape's wounds, although, to his alarm, the bands holding him in place remained, albeit wrapping him up in gold, oddly-familiar-coloured magical energy.
As he looked up, tears flowing freely down his cheeks while his heart felt like it had been stamped on, frapped and left in a shredder that would refuse to let him slip through to the other side, the Head of Slytherin's eyes widened with renewed alarm, if not horror, when he saw none other than Harry Strange standing…no…hovering before him, his raven-black hair, his robes and even his own tears billowing freely around him – his tears were flying from his face, sparkling in the air around him as they were caught in his magic – as he glared daggers full of promises of murderous vengeance and retribution at the white-faced, beyond-horrified-looking Potions Master.
As Severus looked into the beyond-pissed expression of the Junior Sorcerer Supreme, his eyes widened further when he saw who it was that had, apparently, shattered the…the…whatever that was that…that Severus had…had heard, felt and…and been unable to fight back against.
Sirius Orion Black, hands raised as he stood not behind Potter, but in front of him, between Harry and Severus, his eyes never leaving those of his godson as he looked up at the flying boy with pleas of hope in his gaze.
As well as Black, Severus saw some damn shapeshifting freak who was an ex-Puff – and just as big a dunce as the whole house combined, even if only because she couldn't control her abnormality – as well as Moody, Shacklebolt and Amelia Bones herself, the latter of whom was patting the shifter on her shoulder with apparent pride, if not relief.
Harry, however, growled in a voice that sang with magic as he snarled, "How…how can you defend him? After…after what he did? To…to your best friends? To my family? What he tried to do to me? To this country?"
"I'm not defending him, pup," argued Sirius, keeping his hands free and clear, while he also snapped his head around, glaring daggers of his own at Snape as he hissed, "I'm defending you…and the parts of you that I know will never stop caring about your Mum and Dad…and I mean that in both the cases of Lily and James and the Doctors Strange, all of whom love you, and always will, no matter who you are, no matter what you decide to become…and no matter what anyone may say or do."
"Sirius…" growled Harry, magic crackling around him while Severus also blanched when he saw those accursed eyes – 'Those are her eyes! How dare he have her eyes after what he did to her…what he MADE her do,' as Severus thought – shining like wildfire, glistening with tears that became lost in his magic as he looked to his godfather.
"He…he's the reason they…they're dead…"
"I believe you," said Sirius, shaking his head as he added, "Thank Merlin Tonks got to me just in time, Harry; I know your Dad could be here. I also know the Great Archmage himself could have gotten here too, but I'm the one she got to try and reach you before you went over the line and that's something I can't…I won't let you do, pup, whether I'm allowed to be the honorary family I hope to be or whether I'm just like the Avengers. A friend, an ally and just someone who can be here if you decide to let me be."
Here, Sirius looked again at Snape, "I refuse to let you cross that line…because of this slime!"
Severus tried to speak, but his lips had been fused together – apparently, that was real, not that Snape believed Potter could do such a thing.
Sirius, meanwhile, looked to his godson again, "I know what nearly happened, Harry; I know what that idiot, Fudge, nearly cost everyone here, all on the whim of this arrogant, lazy, feckless Death Eater…but you can't let your anger control you. You can't allow his pig-headed snivelling-ness to be what pushes you past that point…because, being…well, you…I think it'll be impossible for you, or anyone else, to come back from."
"Listen to him, lad," said Alastor, keeping his distance, while even he took a step back at the glare Harry sent him, his green eyes sparking up as he stared at those who'd joined him and Sirius. "I knew James…I trained him; he was the finest, most neutral-minded warrior I could have ever hoped to put through his paces. Even Black couldn't keep up with him, and he's a member of a powerful family too; James didn't believe in vengeance in any form, not even for lowly mutts like Snape. And I know, as Stephen's son…as Nick's honorary family member…even as James' blood-adoptive heir…I know that same wish…that same target; it's in you now, Harry Strange."
"What was it you said?" asked Sirius, moving towards Harry as he reached up, taking hold of the boy's hand, again forcing Harry to look into his godfather's eyes as Sirius smiled sadly.
"At the grave," continued the Black Lord, his own tears now showing through as he asked, "What was it you said to Lily and James? About what you want to do after merging the Strange name with the Potter one?"
A solemn, but still-enraged look flashed across Harry's face as he hissed through clenched teeth;
"I…I will do everything in…in my power to ensure the…the legacy of the Potter Family will be forever joined in heroism and…and honour…"
"And honour is in justice, not vengeance, Master Strange," said a new voice, earning an alarmed look from Severus as he saw Albus, Minerva, Pomona and, most-importantly, Filius now joining the group at the door, the goblin-blooded Professor being the one who spoke as he saw Harry look down at him.
"I've heard the rumours of what happened in your lesson," explained Filius, now glaring at Snape himself as he added, "And, from the sounds of it, despite what you stupidly claim in invoking powers beyond your narrow-minded comprehension, Snape, I would daresay Master Strange showed honour in spades, doing what he did to you…the evidence of which is stamped on that cheek of yours."
The scar Harry had left in the Mirror Dimension suddenly glowed white-hot, as though reminding Severus of the fact, while Filius looked up at Harry as he continued, "But now, thanks to hubris, lies and everything that people like him try and encourage, Master Strange, your sleeping dragon is tickled…and look at what you're becoming. An angel of vengeance…a force that no wand nor words can reach…"
"An Avenger…but not one that you want to be, meaning a member of the armour and hammer group," said Sirius, earning a soft, distorted-sounding laugh from Harry as he looked down at his godfather, who winked. "Remember, kiddo: some of us know who Stark is…not to mention his friend with the stormy temper…and the not-so-jolly-green giant."
"The point is," added Sirius, now keeping his hands up as he turned fully to the still-muzzled Snape, "Harry doesn't have to waste his rage or his wrath on you, Snivellus; you see, unlike Filius, I know what happened that morning and I know that, like James and, yes, even like Lily…their boy, my pup, Stephen's son…he showed you mercy!"
"By being what I choose to be," said Harry, while the magical field he seemed to have conjured up now lowered and faded away, leaving him to land on the ground, where he almost fell into Sirius' embrace.
Almost being the key word to be used there as, at that moment, Mana flashed into the room, holding up her little one as best as she could, her body grown to full size as she held him against her body, while her eyes were full of fury as she glared at Snape with nothing short of raw hatred and fire in her mental voice.
'My little one showed you mercy! He gave you a chance…which, as a spirit of the Great Mother, I am telling you, Greasy Murderer: it is something you do not deserve from anybody! Not his Father, adoptive or birth; not his Mother, same answers; not even his non-magical associates. You are, and always will be a lowly, pathetic insect that, even if you changed into it and scuttled about on your belly, I would not force myself to choke down even if I were starving!'
"I wouldn't let you, girl," said Harry, petting Mana softly, while he sniffled. "Sorry if you thought I was blocking you…"
'Your honorary sister told me to let you handle it,' said Mana, glaring at Dumbledore, who shrank back before the full-sized thunderbird's stormy glare. 'Be thankful, selfishly-driven old goat: had I been able to intercept my little one, your precious school would have sunk a whole level lower into the earth, as I would have wiped out everything on this floor to smite this traitor, who not only betrays his own so-called redemption. He also betrays one to whom he owes his life! And that, I can tell you, is a crime that no true child of the Mistress can allow…but do not allow that debt to blacken your soul, little one…remember, we are trying to defy that ill fate.'
"What does she mean by that?" asked Filius, earning a slow, sad shake of the head from Harry.
"Nothing I'm willing to discuss…not while some people are here," said Harry, looking up at Mana, who nuzzled him softly, before he looked back to Severus, who was still scowling loathsomely as he saw Harry step forwards, albeit on shaky legs, as he stared down the Potions Master.
"But what I am going to do…is not what I wanted to do; I may have said I would have to dishonour their memories, but I refuse to let some cucked little bitch, who makes me think of the thing between Wolverine, Jean and Cyclops, but with a lot less pride or openness to accept defeat and let it go for the sake of friendship and alliance; I refuse to let you win, Snivellus."
Here, he indicated Filius, "Professor Flitwick is right: I did give you one chance and, as much as Mana or Sirius might disagree, it's the same number of chances that he gave you…"
He gestured to Dumbledore as he said this, but Harry wasn't done, "And it was you who chose to burn that chance up and let yourself believe you could do whatever you wanted, probably because you hold the truth of the prophecy, probably because you think you can use my heart against me and show me some bull-crap memories proving you loved my Mother…because I'm telling you, Snivellus: you didn't love her…you just fixated on her to the exclusion of all else. Some might call that psychotic, and they're right, but, as I'd imagine a Muggle's illegitimate bastard would know, in the world we live in sometimes, Snape, they call that attachment disorder!"
Snape thrashed violently, but Harry shook his head, "Don't bother fighting my magic this time, you smarmy git; I made extra-sure there was no escape. As for how I know everything I made you see in my Illusionary Assault, courtesy of my real powers, I might add, I found out, from a gift left to me by my Mother, I don't hesitate to add. I found out my power over mental skills had evolved, allowing me to practice and, over time, master the art of mind reading!"
"Of course," whispered Sirius, while Harry shrugged dismissively.
"Call it Telepathy, call it Legilimency…call it Cold Reading if you want; I don't care. The point is, I vowed never to use it without permission, much like another of my teachers taught me, because of what it can do…but after what you did…what you deluded yourself into thinking because your fellow usurpers of magic screw this world over time-and-time again…I didn't care! Even less when I saw how you stupidly deluded yourself into thinking that, just because you begged that psychopath to spare her, he might actually listen…and so might she."
Severus' eyes burned with fire and fury as he pushed against the bonds, but they didn't budge.
Harry, however, got right up in Snape's face as he hissed, "I am her son, you heartless, selfish son of a drugged-up whore! Her baby! And she was my Mother, my whole world at that moment in time! Did you honestly believe she'd let Snake Face kill her only son while she was made to stand there and watch? What next, Snivellus? She'd come running to your loving arms and you'd have ugly, shit-faced babies who also delude over others: had she learned what you did, she would have castrated you, the Muggle way, and then left you a bloody smear on the pavement!"
"Mmmph-mffmm-mmmfffmmm-mmmfphmm!" (She would have known why!)
"No…she wouldn't," growled Harry, stepping back before he drew in a deep, shaky breath as he explained, "But I hope…I pray that, wherever she is now, whatever corner of Paradise she's in, she…she's looking now…and understands that I tried…"
"I'm sure she would," said a soft male voice, earning gasps from the Hogwarts contingency as Stephen stepped into the room; to Sirius' shock, but also relief, the Sorcerer Supreme was accompanied by Christine, who ran to Harry, though not before Sirius shook his head, holding out a hand to stop her from laying her hands on her child.
"Let him do this…then console him," said Sirius, looking now to Stephen as he added, "I'm guessing you're able to walk freely around the country again then, eh, Doctor?"
"Indeed I am, Sirius Black," said Stephen, looking once to Albus as he added, "And so is my wife, despite your pathetically-naive nation's attempts to undermine her as a No-Maj."
Suffice to say that particular revelation left Minerva and Pomona shocked, but Sirius and Filius both gave them warning looks as though they knew what the British wizards were thinking of doing to the American non-magical doctor.
Stephen, meanwhile, held Christine's hand as he addressed his still-annoyed son, "I know what you may be thinking of doing, Harry, but kindly remember that Rameses himself forbade anyone, except me from using that particular technique."
"Then please do it, Dad," said Harry, looking back over his shoulder as he explained, "I'll do anything to repay you for doing it, but, before you do, there's something I am able to do, and I'm going to do it."
A look from Christine confirmed that Stephen was indeed going to do what he was advising Harry not to do.
Harry, meanwhile, looked back to Snape as he hissed, "I'd say I'm sorry…but, at the end of the day, you are the reason Snake Face went after them, so, trust me, spy: you deserve much worse than this…but I'm not you or your boss…so…"
Taking a step back, Harry clasped the rings he wore around his neck – the sight of which left Snape alarmed, if not speechless – while Harry drew in a deep, shaky breath as he spoke in a clear, very powerful voice.
"As Heir Apparent to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, soon-to-be House Strange, I, Harry James Stephen Strange, claim the life-debt owed by one Severus Tobias Snape, to my predecessor and Lord-Father, James Charles Potter: under the debt, I erase all knowledge of magic, of the magical world and nations of Earth, of all studies, memories and experiences had by Severus Tobias Snape. Furthermore, I remove all good thoughts, memories and dreams of the woman known to Severus Tobias Snape as Lily Alexandra Evans, leaving only Nightmares!"
Severus' robes suddenly turned a nasty, dark shade as he heard Harry's decree.
"With these words, I erase Severus Tobias Snape from all magical records, magical studies, magical talents and accolades: I remove from him all notions of magic, leaving nothing, but the darkness of his Muggle-raised life to haunt him to his dying day. As far as Magic may be concerned, he has never existed! So mote it be!"
"So mote it be," repeated Sirius, Stephen, Filius and – albeit reluctantly, and with no small amount of sorrow in his voice – Albus, all of whom watched as a bright, white light filled the classroom, similar to the flash of a powerful Obliviate spell.
As Severus felt his magic, and magical experiences, being ripped from him, he barely caught sight of a flash of red cloth rushing forwards, before a powerful, very painful draining effect took hold of the dark-haired man.
All he saw as unconsciousness rushed up to claim him was a pair of green eyes…
SoS
"Now, you can go to him, Doctor Strange."
Christine would have probably ripped Sirius' arms off had he tried to stop her reaching her beloved child, who finally let himself fall into the loving embrace of another, Mana now shrunken down again as she too comforted her little one.
Stephen, meanwhile, opened a Sling Portal, though he kept his eyes closed, neither knowing nor caring where Snape's unconscious body was dropped, just as long as he never had to look at his son's tormentor, and the second-biggest hypocrite – behind her, anyway – he'd ever had the misfortune to meet ever again.
Once Snape was gone, Stephen turned to Albus, who gulped hard as he saw Stephen shake his head.
"And you wonder why we won't trust you, Albus Dumbledore: fortunately, Rameses has found a way to ensure information is compartmentalised and left to the truly capable to handle it."
"How?" asked Amelia, earning a small smile from Stephen.
"Well that's the gift he's offering to you, Madam Bones," answered the Sorcerer Supreme, gently teasing his son's hair between his fingers as Harry was held and comforted by his Mother and Father-both.
"As I am now both a free man and the Father to a Wixen of Albion, Rameses wishes to appoint you as the official Ministry Liaison between Albion's so-called authorities and the Masters of the Mystic Arts; in return, though I'm not allowing him to explore such options just yet, but in return for your new post, I will allow Harry to offer teachings in our arts to your niece, as well as any others he may deem able to handle it, at which point, those children will also be protected by the Washington Accords and answer to you directly, as well as Rameses and I, of course."
Amelia was speechless, though while she wrestled with that thought, Stephen chuckled as he added, "And if you can accept, there's something I'd also like to offer, which will need your expertise and seal, Madam Ambassador."
"And…what might that be?" asked Amelia warily, noticing the glimmer of amusement that filled Stephen's eyes as he nodded to his wife.
"Well, it seems Hogwarts is going to need a new Potions Professor and, although she's not your kind of magic user, I can honestly say that one Doctor Christine Palmer-Strange is, without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest Potions Mistress that we have among the Masters."
The only one who seemed to be more than just amused, if not in agreement with that, was the heavily-relieved young sorcerer in one Doctor Strange – Palmer-Strange's – arms.
SoS
"Sssomething…iss…wrong…"
Quirinus Quirrell trembled in fear as he felt the displeasure of his Master whisper through his mind, accompanied by the telltale stings of pain and fear that he'd had ever since inviting the Dark Lord into his body.
"I-I-I don't…I d-d-don't know w-w-what…M-M-Master…"
"I ssensse…a broken connection…" hissed what remained of the Dark Lord Voldemort, his voice tinged with rage. "One of our friendsss…they have fallen…gone into…ephemera…but why…"
"C-c-could it be…be Potter?" asked Quirrell.
"Perhapssss…" replied Voldemort, chuckling softly as he directed his will to his foolhardy vessel.
"Perhapsss…Quirinusss…it iss time to…contact…our associate…but first…I need…blood…"
Phase One has ended – and personally, that last scene actually felt like a post-credits sting to me; what do you think?
Who is the Dark Lord's associate and what does the parasitic zombie know about our young sorcerer?
Also, HUH? A No-Maj/Muggle is going to be at Hogwarts?
Oh boy, talk about the adventure just beginning…still, what's next for Harry Strange?
Keep Reading to Find Out
Next Chapter: Phase Two begins and Harry must contend with questions about his so-called trial, as well as the changes at Hogwarts, including, but not limited to a new professor and potential new allies…as well as enemies;
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