A Tale of Two Hogwarts

[Demonic Neko]

Thorne and Deanna walked in silence once more as they made their way towards Hogwarts. He was still brooding over thoughts of Raven and his family. He wished he hadn't seen his mother or brother at all.. It would have been better if everyone concerned if he and Raven had stayed in Japan.. They had been happy there for a while.. but then everything changed. Thorne guessed that fate was determined to prevent him and Raven from ever being truly happy.. He growled.. This was taking to long. Thorne turned and waited for Deanna to catch up.

you are to slow. he hissed.

"Well I have two legs not four," muttered irritably, "How do you expect me to go any faster?"

Thorne lowered his body close to the ground. get on my back. it'll be much quicker.

She looked at him skeptically. He rolled his eyes and huffed in frustration. just get on.. i promise i won't drop you.

Deanna gingerly crawled onto his back and held tightly to handfuls of fur.

hold on tight, this is gonna be a bumpy ride.. he bound off into the night towards Voldemort's castle, as Deanna clung on to him for dear life.

* * * * * * * * *

As Thorne bounded through the woods, drawing ever nearer to Hogwarts, the smell of humans became thick in his nostrils.. There was a naggingly familiar scent, but his brain balked at the images it conjured. He slowed down and began stalking, coming closer to that scent.. He heard the sound of humans talking. He crept slowly and silently, until he could see what was going on. His eyes widened by the impossible sight before him.

raven..?!?

"Since you did so well at the tournament today, Severus, I feel you've earned the right to dispose of this little turncoat..."

“Me sir?” asked Snape, catching himself mid-sentence and trying to cover it by sounding ‘honored’ instead of horrified.

Voldemort opened his mouth to answer, but a voice from the darkness interrupted him.

“Crucio!” A jet of bright red sparks erupted from a wand, illuminating it’s owners face briefly. It was Harry Potter.

Draco’s back arched as the curse hit him and a scream like a live cat being put through a meat grinder rent the air. Snape shuddered.

“How could you!” Harry’s voice howled, sounding as if he was in almost as much pain as Draco. Harry lifted the curse so Draco could answer him, but Draco immediately wretched on the ground in front of him and couldn’t answer. Harry became frustrated and, abandoning his wand, began to kick Draco’s prone form, “I thought we were friends!” he shouted angrily as he landed blow after blow. No one did anything to stop his assault.

“Now, now Harry. Temper, temper.” Voldemort said silkily and Harry stopped raining blows on Draco. Harry gave Voldemort a look that no one else would have dared give him and stormed off towards the castle, periodically making smoking holes in the trees he passed.

“Stand him up,” Voldemort said. Lucius ran forward, (to prove his loyalty, Snape surmised) and hauled his son up by his hair, Bellatrix came over and helped hold him up.

“Well Inspector?” Voldemort turned to Snape, a very suspicious look in his eyes. Had he really caught his reluctance to kill them? He wouldn’t put it past him.

His mind thought madly for a way out of this situation, nothing presented itself and all eyes were on him, Lucius shifted his grasp on his son and told him with disgust dripping from his voice to get a move on.

“Well?” Voldemort said testily.

Snape turned to Lockhart and walked slowly but purposefully towards him. For the first time in his life, he felt sorry for Lockhart. Even if it wasn’t ‘his’ Lockhart.

Their eyes locked briefly and a sort of silent understanding passed through. I don’t blame you. it said. Snape drew the blade across Lockhart’s neck and clear Forget-Me-Not blue eyes dimmed and became lifeless.

Raven used every ounce of self-control to stay calmly in place as Snape drew the dagger across Lockhart's neck. Her nostrils flared slightly as the scent of the blood filled the air.

Snape turned his attention to Draco, whose eyes were locked on the terrible bloodied blade that Snape held. Tears flowed freely down his face and he was shaking violently. Snape avoided looking at his scared visage.

When Raven saw him head over to Draco, she almost lost her composure. 'He can't kill him.. He's just a boy,' she thought to herself, but the angry voice of the beast inside her was more pragmatic about the situation. 'Snape has no choice about it.. If he refuses, all of what we went through in this place was for nothing.'

Snape brought the blade to rest on Draco’s neck and Draco shrank away from it and let out a whimper. Time seemed to slow as he steeled himself. He closed his eyes and got ready to repeat the bloody act when a sharp pain in his hand made the blade fall from his hand. He looked and found another knife buried deep into the flesh of his hand. He looked around for where it had come from.

It was Deanna.

He stared at her, both alarmed and relieved at her sudden appearance. He pulled the sharp blade out of his hand. “Not this time, vampire.” She whipped out her hand and grabbed him by his collar, and pulled him toward her forcefully, and hit him, hard.

For a moment, he saw stars as he staggered backwards, “Looks like you’re harder to kill than I thought…” he snarled breathlessly regaining balance. He was torn between dropping his ruse, for fear that Deanna had somehow thought he’d really turned evil, and not blowing his cover. Both options were not very appealing.

Deanna kept an emotionless expression on her face. “You know what they say, can’t keep a good girl down…”

Snape did the only sensible thing. He ran.

Chaos reigned as spells and bodies flew around the clearing. Deanna crept towards the bound boy, who had been forgotten in the fracas. She cut his bonds, helping him to his feet. A death eater noticed them and raised his had to throw a spell at then, but Deanna was quicker. A moment later the Death Eater fell to the ground with a dagger sticking out of his chest. Deanna turned to the boy, but he was gone.

'Good,' she thought to herself as she pulled her blade out of the prone form to strike another Death Eater down, 'we don't need a kid in the way.'

* * * * * * * * * *

Raven gave into the euphoric joy of the kill as her claws sunk into another Death Eater. She could hear Voldemort screaming. "Snape! Get that damn pet of yours under control!"

"I'm trying," Snape hissed as he dodged a rogue curse, "The collar isn't responding!"

"I knew it!" Voldemort snarled, "I knew those Draven Cat's were up to no good!" He turned his firey gaze on Raven, who was breaking the arm of another one of his men. He raised his wand and leveled it at her. "Looks like I'm going to have to take care of her myself!" he hissed. Raven had a strange sense of Deja vu as a large furry body crashed into Voldemort, knocking him off his feet.

[Demonic Neko]

If they hadn't been surrounded by people trying to kill them, Raven would had wrapped her arms around Thorne's neck and cried in joy.. A spell passed in front of her, missing her by mear centimeters, bringing her thoughts back to the battle at hand. She ducked low to the ground and sprung at the Death Eater who had just tried to kill her. Her claws swept upwards, tearing easily into cloth and flesh, disembowling her enemy.

"DRACO!" she heard a voice roar behind her. Raven turned to see Draco running for his life out of the clearing with his father right on his heels. She cursed under her breath and sprinted after them.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Thorne stood over Voldemort, his eyes alighted with unholy glee. The wizard was stunned from the blow, so Thorne waited. He wanted this human to see his death coming. Thorne's eyes widened as they caught a sight of something that had been jarred loose from the impact.

It was the talisman. Voldemort had been wearing it around his neck. The draven cat lowered his head, to take the talisman, when sudenly hands reached up to hold him away. Thorne hissed in pain as energy crackled from Voldemorts fingertips as he atempted to push the Draven cat off of himself.

Thorne pushed downwards, trying to ignore the pain, and the smell of burnt flesh and fur. He had to get the talisman. He managed to get his head down scant inches away from it, as it laid on Voldemort's chest. Thorne opened his jaws, his tougue darted out to scoop the prize up into his mouth. He jumped away from Voldemort, snaping the fine chain that held the talisman, dodging a spell cast by Lestrange. Thorne ran towards Snape, leaving a cursing Voldemort behind.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Voldemort picked up his ward and intended to chase the Draven cat, when a hand darted out to stop him. He whirled around, his eyes buring with hate and anger to see Lestrange.
"What?!?!" he roared at her. He had to give her credit for not fliching away. She raised her hands in a calming gesture.

"Sir, we need to regroup. Most of the men you brought out here are dead or have run away." she pleaded, "We can't win at this point.. We need more men. Discresion is the better part of valor.."

Voldemort scanned the clearing, finding truth in her words. His body trembled with rage. "Fine." he hissed as he turned and stalked back towards the castle. "Those damned cats, had this planned all along.. Mark my words, they will pay.."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Raven arrived to the sounds of thuds, punctuated by whimpering. Lucius Malfoy stood over Draco, his hand curled int a fist, beating the life out of his son..

"You are a disgrace to the Malfoy name!" he screamed, adding a few violent kicks in. Raven felt something inside her snap, as she launced herself at Lucius, knocking him away from his son. He landed several feet away, stunned.

Raven turned to Draco, who's eyes were glazed and unfocused. She touched his bruised face, but he whimpered and flinched away.

"Draco.." she said softly, the sight of him like this was breaking her heart. The boy's eyes slowly focused on her, as tears streamed down his cheeks. His breath hitched as his body shook. "Shhhhh, Its going to be okay," Raven whispered softly, as she wiped the tears from his face. "I promise I won't let him hurt you again.." She suddely stiffened, and turned.

Lucius Malfoy stood with his wand out, his rage radiating from him like a living thing. His hand unconciously rubbed his face, against the scars from his first encounter with Raven.

Raven stood slowly, her gaze containing the same amount of hate, if not more..

"You filthy coward.." she spat, "You are a disgrace, beating on a helpless child."

"SILENCE WOMAN!" he roared, training his wand on her. Her arm darted out, knocking it from his grasp. Then she was upon him, her fists beating into him with unbridled fury.

"Never, ever again!" she howled, raining blows on Lucius, who feebly tried to raise his hands to deflect her fists. "He's you son! You're supposed to love him no matter what! You think beating him makes you anymore of a man?" She raised her hand up to delived the final blow, but froze at the look of fear on his face. He was afraid to die. How many times had seen that same expression upon her own face, looking into a mirror after one of her father's beatings? It was the same look that Draco had on his face, just mear moments ago. If she killed him like this, she'd be no better than him.. Raven pulled his face nearer to hers.

"I could kill you now," she hissed with disgust, "But death is too good for the likes of you.. I'll let you live with the disgrace of your son being a traitor to your kind and to the knowledge that a mear woman beat you.." She let him drop to the ground, then went to his wand and snapped it in half.

Raven walked over to Draco and held out a hand to help him stand. "You're coming back with us." she said softly. "I promise he won't lay a finger on you ever again.." She heard a movement behind her and she spun quickly.

"Avada Kedavra!"

A green bolt of light flashed past her, as the spell hit Lucius Malfoy. He stood for a moment, his eyes wide and unseeing, his arm raised, holding a dagger that he had intended to bury in Raven's back. He fell to the ground dead and cold.

Raven turned slowly to find Draco holding her wand, his body shaking with hate. "Draco.." she said softly. The rage drained from his face and his body as he slowly slumped to his knees and began to sob. Raven knelt down beside him and rested her hand on his head. He looked up at her for a moment before flinging himself into her arms, crying against her shoulder. Raven enveloped him in a hug, ignoring the tears that ran down her own face.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Snape fell hard to the ground, landing on his back, narrowly missing Deanna's Blade as she struck out at him. She stood over him, her eyes cold, her face emotionless. He scooted backwards in an attempt to get away, but Deanna caught his robes underneath her foot.

"You're not going anywhere," she snarled angrily.

Snape looked around for Raven in hopes that she could stop Deanna from doing anything drastic, and noticed that nearly all of the Deatheaters had fled the scene.

"Deanna wait, I can explain!" he said quickly, knowing that at this point it was pointess to keep up the ruse, but Deanna was in no mood to listen. She kicked him hard in the side. Snape hissed in pain, as anger rushed over him. He swung his leg out, knocking Deanna off her feet. He tried to get up, but Deanna mimiced his previous move and sent him crashing to the ground once more.

Snape hissed in pain as he rolled onto his stomach, and tried to grab Deanna's foot to keep it from kicking him again. She wasn't cooperationg as she scooted back away from him and tried to stike her blade out at him and get back on her feet at the same time. Snape lunged upwards, grabbing her wrists, keeping her from cutting into him.

"Dammit DEanna! I can explain!"

"Why should I listen to you?" she yelled, "You're a murder and a liar!"

"But not without good reason!"

"I knew I was right about you vampires... " she growled. "You're just like the rest of them!"

" Deanna Pleae, you have to trust me-"

"Trust you?! How can I trust you when you obviously don't trust me? You lied to me!"

"Because I thought you would try to kill me! And I was right!"

[Demonic Neko]

will the both of you stop this? it won't be long before voldemort will be back with reinforcements.

Snape and Deanan glares at each other for a few more tense moments before pulling away from their grapple.

i hope the two of you are done with your squabling. we need to find Rave and the boy. He turned his baleful gaze to Snape, who looked away. They both headed towards the direction they last saw Raven.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Snape and Thorne came upon Raven and Draco a few moments later. She had the boy cradled in her arms, as tears streamed down her cheeks. Thorne wished with all his might that their mental connection was still active, so that he could comfort her in some way.

"Is.. is he alive?" Snape asked quietly. Raven nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Draco stired slightly, his eyes focusing on Snape. He reached a hand out to Snape, but let it drop, as the effort was too much for him.

"..not your fault.." Draco mumbled, his voice a tired croak.

"Don't talk," Raven whispered. Draco shook his head, determined to say his piece.

"my fault.. shouda listened to you.." he said as he looked Snape in the eye. "don't blame yourself.."

From the moment he had stood in the middle of the circle of Death Eaters holding Voldemort’s knife to Lockhart’s throat, Snape had deliberately willed himself from his body and was suddenly an observer watching himself with clinical detachment. This veneer of detachment came crashing down on him with the crushing force of every one of Lucius’ blows he had landed on his own son in those three words.

Don’t blame yourself.

When his emotions (not to mention Raven’s, which made him feel like crying openly, as that was exactly what she was doing.) finally caught up to his brain, he shuddered and looked at his feet. Never in his life had he felt more like the vampire scum that Deanna so diligently hunted.

Don’t blame yourself.

Why the hell not? He thought bitterly. Clearly, if there was someone to blame for Lockhart’s death, and nearly Draco’s, it was him. Who was the one holding the knife? He was. Who killed Lockhart with it? He did. He wasn’t under Imperius. He could hide behind excuses of ‘ it was for the greater good’ But it wouldn’t change the fact that it had been his hand that had drawn a blade across Lockhart’s throat.

And would he have gone through with killing Draco? He shuddered to think of what would have happened had Deanna not arrived when she did.

Don’t blame yourself.

A memory came, unbidden, into Snape’s thoughts.

Snape’s hand pounded relentlessly on Dumbledore’s office door, his prefect badge mocking him. He didn’t deserve it. It could have been a scarlet letter ‘A’, or the Dark Mark for how ashamed he felt to be wearing it at that moment.

He should have come to see Dumbledore the second he got his recruitment letter. It was too late for that now. And someone was dead because of his unwillingness to ask for help. How had he thought he could somehow worm his way out of it? Slytherin cunning?

The truth was, at the time, he wasn’t sure he wanted to worm his way out of it. It had promised him something he’d never had; allies. His brain danced around the fact that the followers of the Dark Lord had no qualms about killing others to get what they wanted. He couldn’t do mental acrobats to avoid that fact anymore.

He had only worked with making potions at first. It was his special talent, Voldemort had immediately seen. He had a gift with a cauldron, to be sure. So he made poisons en masse, for Voldemort and his followers. Sometimes, very quick poisons, but mostly very slow acting, painful ones. He didn’t think about what Voldemort and the other Death Eaters did with the poisons. He avoided that line of thinking altogether.

It wasn’t until he actually had to use one of his own poisons that the enormity of what he was doing finally sunk in.

It was probably one of the most horrible dark potions that one could create, it still turned Snape’s stomach to even think of it and Snape had invented it.

The heavy oaken door to Dumbledore’s office opened after what seemed like forever. Snape burst into room and fell at Dumbledore’s feet.

“It was me!” He cried amid racking sobs, still on his hands and knees in front of Dumbledore’s feet, “I never should have done it! When I got the letter, I should have come straight to you, but instead I had to be a great bleeding prat and try and handle things by myself.”

“Severus,” Dumbledore said patiently (although still quite alarmed from being woken up in the middle of the night by the Slytherin seventh-year prefect that was now groveling at his feet.) “Would you like some tea to calm you? And then we can talk about why you are here at this ungodly hour. Please sit down.”

Snape looked up at him through red rimmed eyes and sat in the chair as Dumbledore went about fixing the tea service, “Tea?! This is hardly the time for tea! I’ve come here to confess and you want to bleeding give me tea? I don’t even deserve tea.”

Dumbledore nonetheless handed him a cup of tea. Snape practically spilled the whole thing on himself from shaking so violently, “Now, “ Dumbledore said in a very serious tone, taking his own tea, “Why are you here?”

Now that he had Dumbledore’s undivided attention, he faltered and shrunk away from Dumbledore’s piercing blue gaze. Snape seemed to think better of it though and bravely met Dumbledore’s gaze once more, even though it was almost painful.

He was calmer now, the tears still slid freely down his cheeks and he still was quite shaky, but at least he was able to collect his thought into an organized confession, sort of, “It was the most horrible thing I’ve ever seen. The screaming! Oh God!” He shuddered and set down his teacup so he could pull a vial from his pocket, “I- I’ve done something so horrible, Headmaster. When I’m done, I will relinquish myself to the proper authorities.” He looked pensively at the vial he’d taken from his pocket, “I thought of taking the rest myself. But, I don’t expect death is a strong enough punishment for me. For what I’ve done.”

He uncorked the vial and poured a few drops into his teacup. The tea immediately bubbled and fermented. An acrid green scum forming on the top of the now putrid liquid. The tangy smell of soured tea leaves was nauseating, “I created that.” He said, his throat painfully constricted around his words, “It’s a potion that rots anything organic. In a little while, there won’t be any tea in that cup, only mold.” It was easier talking about the way the potion worked rather than it’s practical use. Or at least what Voldemort wanted to use it for… Snape took a deep breath, he knew he had stalled long enough, and he had to tell him before he lost his nerve, “ I created it, “He choked out, “as a poison. For- for the Dark Lord. “

[Demonic Neko]

Deanna finally arived, still bubbling with resentment and anger. Her gaze landed on the body of Lucius Malfoy and her lip curled up,

"So, Thorne, are you gonna eat that guy as well, to 'dispose' of the body?" she sneered gesturing, with a tilt of her head, towards Malfoy's body, her anger making her reckless.

Raven's head snapped up, her eyes wide, and looked at Deanna. A look of confusion crossed her face as she looked from Deanna to Thorne, then back to Deanna again.

"Wh-What did you say?" she asked quietly.

Thorne turned an furious glare on Deanna. don't say another word.. he hissed for her mind alone.

Deanna smirked at him, still feeling vengeful and spiteful and not caring anymore who she hurt.

"Oh you didn't know?" she said in a casual tone, "The cat here got rid of this world's Snape by eating him. I just assumed he was going to do the same with this guy..."

Raven's eyes widened in horror, as she turned to look at Thorne. "Thorne... is this true?"

Thorne refused to look at her, instead he stared at Deanna with a look of utter hatred, his body shaking with barely controlled rage. His massive paw shot out, and for one terrifying moment, Deanna couldn't move. Instead of ripping her to shreds though, Thorne hooked one of his claws into the slave collar and roughly ripped it off.

"What the hell was that for?!" she hissed, rubbing her quickly reddening neck.

to stop me from doing something that will make her hate me more.. he hissed directly into her brain alone, his tone dripping with pure loathing. with that collar around your neck i would be tempted to rip your mind apart.. i could make you relive every physical and emotional pain you've ever felt in your lifetime, tenfold, over and over again until you break..

He turned away from the vampire hunter, towards Raven who was suprizingly wasn't angry. But her face held a sadness and disapointment that Thorne couldn't stand to see. He shifted down in size, until he was eye level with her. He looked at her imploringly.

please don't hate me.. he begged, deathly afraid that he would lose her again. He pressed his head against her arm and cried. forgive me.. please.. i'm sorry, i'm sorry, i'm so sorry..

Raven sighed, a soul weary sound. Sometimes she forgot that by Draven cat standards, Thorne was still a child, a bit younger than Draco. With her free arm, she pulled him closeto her, and hugged him tight.

She turned her tired gaze to Snape, who seemed caught in his own thoughts. She suspected that everything that had happened was eatting him up inside. She wished there was something she could do for him, but she didn't think he wanted her help.. Maybe when they were somewhere safe she could offer an ear to listen..

"Thorne," she said softly, "We need to leave this place.."

He pulled away and clumsily wiped tears off his face with his paw. we can go to my brother's stronghold. we'll be safe there and there are facilities that can take care of the boy.

"I don't think I have the energy to walk there," she said faintly. She couldn't remeber the last time she ate, and the battle left her feeling drained.

i can get us there, no problem.. Thorne replied quickly. He unfurled his his bat-like wings, streching them experimentally. No, this wouldn't do, he thought to himself. If it was just Raven, then it wouldn't be a problem, but he had a full load to carry. Thorne concentrated for a moment and he grew to twice his size. His wings sprouted midnight black feathers as they began to lengthened out. He curled his wings to his sides, lowered himself to the ground and looked at Raven expectantly.

"Severus," she said quitely. Snape blinked a few times then met her gaze. "Could you please take Draco so I can get up? I-I'm afraid I'll hurt him more.."

Snape took Draco's limp form into his arms and waited for Raven to stand. She got up on shakey feet, and took the boy from his arms. Raven bit her lip as she looked at Deanna, then back to him.

"Maybe you should go up front," she said quietly. Snape made no aurgument as he crawled onto the Draven cat's back. He helped her get onto Thorne's back as she clung tightly to Draco. Once she was comfortably settled, with Draco in her lap. She turned and held out a Hand to Deanna. After a moments hesitation Deanna took her hand and valted onto the Draven cat's back. .

everyone hang on tight, came Thorne's sending.

Raven felt Deanna's arms grip her shoulders, as she leaned forward, and slipped her free arm around Snape's waist. She felt Thorne's body tense under her as he sprang upwards into the air, spreading his wings, and took off into the air.

The smooth motion of Thorne's body, as he few, and the lulling sound of his wings as they fluttered in the air, made Raven's eyelids feel like they weighed a ton. Her head dipped forward, and rested against Snape's back. Any other time she would have been to self concious and embarrassed to do this, but all she could think of right now was the bliss of sleep.


Snape had never been especially good with heights. He hated broom lessons in his first year and this was nothing like riding a broom. It was much worse. For one thing, he wasn’t in control of the flying. This had the fortunate side effect of pushing any morose and self blaming thoughts out of his mind.

Could you perhaps try not to pull all my hair out? I promise I won’t drop you.

“Eh? Oh sorry.” Snape relaxed his grip on the Draven’s fur.

The wind whipped icily around them. Maybe it was Raven’s maternal instincts having an effect on him through the collar, or perhaps it was because Draco reminded him of when he was that age, if he hadn’t already been quite so jaded, whatever the reason, he found himself shrugging his cloak from his shoulders.

“Put it on the boy.” He called over his shoulder. Raven wrapped the cloak around Draco and her arm around Snape. Soon after he felt the weight of her warm head on his shoulder. He didn’t mind. It felt rather comforting, the three of them huddled together, although he worried about crushing Draco in the middle. He yawned wearily as a lightness began to creep around the edges of the horizon.

[Demonic Neko]

Thorne felt fingers dig into his fur once more.

"Can we hurry it up a bit?" Snape said thru clenched teeth. "The sun is rising..."

Thorne pumped his wings harder, increasing speed.
we'll be there in a bit... i've already notified my family to expect us. there will be medical aid for the boy ready when we get there.

Shadow's stonghold loomed ahead of them, the gate open in preperation for Thorne's arrival. As the sun crested over the castle, Snape snarled in pain as he burried his face into Thorne's mane. The Draven cat lowered himself into nose dive and soared into the entrance. The gate slamed quickly behind them, blocking the sun's rays.

Thorne glided down the stone hallway, until he reached a side chamber. He hovered for a moment then landed just inside. The chamber was large, with human sized cots lining one corner. In the center of the room was a large tub of a milky pearlescent substance. Fire-Dancer stood waiting for them. She was all buisness as she turned to Raven.

get the child's clothes off and put him in the tub, she sent, with the tone of someone who expected immediate obedience. Raven blinked a few times before she nodded and slid off Thorne's back. Deanna followed, and helped Raven carefully lower Draco onto the ground as they removed his torn and bloody clothing. Raven winced at the miriad of bruises that bloomed across his pale skin. Once they had acomplished their task, both women lifted Draco's body and placed him into the tub.

that's phoenix tears, Fire-Dancer explained in a soft, motherly tone. the child should be fine in a moment, but he will need rest and food. just like the rest of you.

Raven noticed that Snape was stading off a bit from everyone else, his hand over his eyes, a grimace of pain on his face. She approched him cautiously.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, concerned.

"My eyes," he hissed. "The sun.."

"Let me see." she said as she reached up to move his hand away.

"No.. I'll be fine." he said stubbornly as he jerked away from her touch. Raven bit down her irritation. Well she could be just as stuborn.

"Let.. Me.. See," she said in a steely tone, the voice of authority. She would not be denied.

Apparently he was to tired from the day's event's to put up much of a fight. He relented and moved his hand away. His eyes were shut, but the skin around them was puffy and red. Raven brushed her fingers lightly over the skin. Snape hissed in pain, but did not move.

"Open your eyes.."

After a moment he slowly did. The pupils of his eyes were so contracted that all you could see was the green, and the whites were bloodshot.

Raven grabbed his hand and led him to the tub where Draco was currently resting. She dipped her fingers into the Pheonix tears.

"Close your eyes now," she said quietly. He complied and she softly rubbed the healing tears over his eyelids. After the tears had been absorbed into his skin, Raven moved her hand away. Snape slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times. His pupils slowly dialated and returned to normal size and his vison was quickly coming back.

The edges of Raven's lips curled slighty into a small smile, "That wasn't so bad, now was it?"

[Demonic Neko]

Raven awoke at the sound of someone moving around. She had a momentary bout of disorientation, seeing as lately she ended up being in very bad situations whenever she woke up. She stayed still, her eyes closed as she let her sensitive ears listen to what was happening around her. She heard the soft fall and rise of breath, echoing all around her.

Raven opened her eyes slowly and sat up. She now remebered where she was. Her eyes scanned the room and saw the sleeping forms of Snape, Deanna and Draco in the cots that lined the walls. Thorne was nowhere to be seen.

She swung her legs off the bed, and stood up, streching her limbs like a feline. Her stomach growled at her, and she realized it have been nearly two days since she had eaten. True she had spent most of the time knocked unconsious, but her stomach didn't know the diffrence.

She idly though to ask Thorne or his mother for something to eat, but the beast inside her was more inclined to hunt for itself. She padded silently out of the chamber, so as not to awake the others.

* * * * * * * * * * *

As Snape awoke from a blissfully dreamless sleep, he wondered if the Dravens had used a potion to cause him to slumber so soundly. Then it occurred to him that a potion was not really necessary, seeing how tired he was. He rolled out of his cot and stretched his legs. He was still rather sore from last nights flight, but it had been a while since he had the luxury of sleep.

Next to his cot he found a small card table with some potions he recognized as healing draughts and a glass of water. He took a sip and made a face, quickly spitting it out again, recognizing the taste of saline. Looking in the bottom of the glass he saw there were two opaque lenses, he fished them out and put them on, marveling at how the Dravens knew he needed them. He stopped wondering when he thought about his display this morning.

His stomach gurgled and he realized he was hungry. After traveling through winding stone corridors, Snape found himself outside. The sun told him it was late afternoon. They had been sleeping for most of the day. He took a deep breath, breathing in the fresh air and caught the scent of blood. His stomach protested again and he wondered how long it had been since he and Raven…..

He shook that thought from his mind even as his mouth watered. It was that time again. He scanned the ground. Surely he could find something to feed on. It shouldn't be hard to find some sort of rodent in this universe….

He made his way around the parameter of the stronghold, his head down, scanning the ground. By the time he thought he saw something small disappear around a protrusion of stone he was almost half crazed from the hunger…He caught the thing and was surprised to find it was a shoe he had seen. The shoe was connected to a foot, and the foot to a body and the body to face.

He looked at the face.

It was Hermione Snape.

[Demonic Neko]

Raven pushed the sleeves of her new shirt up, so as not to stain them with blood. Fire-Dancer had been gracious enough to give them all a set of new clothing. Raven's lips quirked at the memory.

* * * * *

The assembled group of them looked tired and ragged, from their ordeal. Fire-Dancer took control of the situation yet again.

you need to clean yourselves up. i will arange for new clothing for you all. she eyed Raven for a moment. you must be freezing dear. i suggest you bathe first and i will get you some proper clothing right away.

Raven blushed with embarrassment. She was the less dressed of the group, with only Snape's shirt covering the flimsy hareem-wear that had been forced on her.

Thorne snickered. yeah, you look like xena warrior concubine.

That earned him a cuff on the head from his mother and a kick in the shin from Raven.

"Remind me that if we ever get back, to never let you near Cable Television again," she muttered under her breath. It didn't anger her so much as it made her doubly embarrassed. She notcied a brief look of anger pass on Snape's face before it returned to it's stoney visage.

When she had finshed cleaning herself up, Fire-Dancer presented her with a loose long sleeved shirt and doe-skin breeches.

"I don't know how we can thank you for all this," Raven murmured to the female Draven cat. Fire-Dancer smiled, revealing sharp teeth.

don't worry about it, dear, she replied. any friend of my little moonslayer, is a friend of mine...

* * * * *

Raven licked the blood off of her fingers, as she stood up from the carcass that layed in front of her. The 'Rodent of Unusal Size', as Thorne liked to call them, was an easy catch. She didn't even have to shift all the way, so the kill wasn't a bloodbath as her previous kill had been. Sudenly a pirceing scream rent the air.

Raven's instincts kicked in as she ran through the forest. A familiar scent filled her nostrils.. Severus?
She ran faster, skidding to a stop at the scene before her.

Snape was croutching over a young girl, Hermionie, his shoulder's trembling, usuing what little was left of his control to keep himself from harming her. Raven could see that Hermione was quite frightened, and trying to talk hm down.

"Uncle Severus," she pleaded, "Fight it! I know you can!"

Raven stepped forward and pulled Snape off Hermione. She wrapped her arms around him in a vice-like grip, pinning his arms to his sides. He struggled against her, but she was stronger. Raven looked at the frigtened girl.

"Leave now.."

"But, I wan't to help!" she protested.

"The best help you can offer is by leaving. I can handle him from here." Raven said as she tightened her hold on the snarling vampire. She noticed the concern on Hermione's face, "I promise I won't hurt him... Look head, due east from hear till you come to a pair of gates built into a mountain and wait there. You will be safe. I promise."

She nodded and ran off, leaving Raven to deal with the huger-crazed vampire.

"I know your going to hate me for this, Severus," Raven muttered, "but I don't have any other choice..."

She quickly realsed him from her grip and pulled him around so that he faced her. Her hands darted up and grabbed his head and pulled it to the crook of her neck. Snape did not resist, as his tougue ran along the side of her neck, finding the scar he had made previously. His razor-sharp fangs sunk into the old wound, and he drank deeply.

It took every inch of self-control not to give into the sensation of pleasure that ran over her body. She had to keep her wits about her. After gauging that he had enough, Raven grabbed onto his hair and forcibly yanked him off. Snape was not happy about this and snarled, still in the throws of bloodlust. Raven pushed him back against a tree, pinning his arms to his chest. He hissed at her, barring sharp fangs.

Raven knew she had to talk him down. She could recall when she had first became a were-Draven. Thorne had to literally sit on her and talk her out of the blood induced frenzies she went through. Raven reached up her free hand, avoiding Snape's snapping teeth, and placed in on the side of his head. Her thumb brushed lightly against his cheek in a soothing geasture.

"Calm down, Severus," she said in a soft and gentle tone, "Don't let your hunger consume you. I know you can fight it..."

The next thing Snape remembered was a gentle hand brushing back his hair from his face. It took him a moment before he realized the hand belonged to Raven. Slowly he remembered chasing someone. He turned to Raven suddenly, “Please tell me it was you I was chasing.”

She shook her head, “Hermione.”

“Hermione!” He breathed, “I-I didn’t-“ He looked wide eyed at her.

“No, you didn’t.” She pointed to her neck, where there was a fresh wound overlapping the previous on he had made.

“Oh.” He colored deeply and there was an awkward silence, but then, the corners of his mouth turned up in the slightest of smiles, “Making a habit of this, are we?”

She smirked at him, “You tell me.”

Snape's face turned serious. "Why?"

Raven looked momentarily confused. "What?"

He lowered his gaze. "Why are you doing this for me?" he muttered.

Raven blushed and looked away. "Well.. I mean..Because..." she stamered, then tappered off, at a loss for words. 'If you tell him, he'll lose all respect in you,' she thought to herself, 'He doen't feel the same about you..'

After a few moments of Raven looking at her feet, Snape spoke.

"Because...?" he prompted softly.

"nyerellilikou.." she mumbled under her breath.

"What?"

"i really like you.." she muttered just a fraction louder. She heard him take a sharp intake of breath. 'Gods, why did I tell him?' she thought to herself. She turned, not wanting him to see her cry in humilation, and ran back to Shadow's stronghold, leaving Snape alone with his thoughts.

She managed to control her emotions before she got back to the stonghold. She found Hermione, waitng paitently for her.

"Hi," Hermione said shyly, "Is-- Is everything ok?"

"Yeah," Raven replied plastering a false smile on her face, "Everything's just fine.."

[Demonic Neko]

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Snape thought to himself, mentally smacking himself in the forehead with each word. Why the hell did I force her into a corner like that? She’s probably going to hate me now. You are a bloody git, Severus, do you know that? He ran after her but he lost sight of her when she rounded a corner.

Snape froze when he came upon Hermione. He planned on going the other direction, but she spotted him first, “Uncle Severus! Over here!” She smiled at him, “Feeling better?”

“You aren’t- you aren’t angry with me?” He didn’t bother correcting her about him not being her uncle.

“No.” She smiled at him, “ That women you were with, she went that way,” she winked at him, “I wouldn’t let this one slip through your fingers Uncle, I don’t know any other women who can set a vampire in line.” She grinned slyly at him.

He just stared at her, turning red, not knowing whether to smirk in agreement or scowl at her for being right.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Fire-Dancer had just finished preperations for a meal for the humans, as she was heading towards the entrance of the Stronghold. She wanted to check up on the humans, to make sure that nothing happened to them. After the incident with Deanna she decided to make a general order to the others to stay in the lower tunnels away from the humans. She did not want a repeat of the incident with Grim-Fang

She followed the scent of Thorne's little friend and the Vampire and realized that they had gone outside. She shook her head, knowing they would have no way to reenter the stronghold. Her thoughts turned to Thorne's soul-partner. Somehow Shadows new toy had winded up around Raven's neck. It was going to be a pain and a half to get it off without the human and her youngest cub going insane.

She opened the gates, to find Raven waiting. She was near tears, but trying to hide it.

ooh! whats wrong, little one? Fire-Dancer asked, as she gently prodded the girl to come inside.

"Nothing.." Raven replied with a brittle smile, "I'm fine. Can you tell me where Tho- I mean Moonslayer is, please?"

Sensing that Raven needed some space, she did not press the issue. Just follow the hallway all the way down. you'll find him in there.

"Thanks.." Raven whispered before hurring down the hallway. A few minutes later The Vampire and a young child arrived.

hello! Fire-Dancer cooed, are you dears hungry?

“No. Thank you. Madame.”

“He just ate.” Hermione grinned.

Snape gave her a dirty look.

Snape felt like crying. Oh dammit! Now look what you’ve done Snape! She wants to cry(He was fairly certain that he wouldn’t have cried in a similar situation), and it’s your fault. How can you be so heartless? No wonder you never could keep a girlfriend. Snape went on berating himself.

“Uncle?”

Snape looked up, “I’m not your uncle.” He snapped, not really meaning to.

“Want me to talk to her?”

“No!”

She grinned and turned to Firedancer, “Madame? Which way did the woman with the tattoos run off to?”

Fire-Dancer geastured towards a hallway and Hermione ran off before Snape could protest.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Raven hurried down the hallway, still holding back tears. 'Dammit!' she thought to herself, 'I am not going to cry.' She passed the chamber that they had all been sleeping in and hesitated. She hadn't seen Draco since they were all put down to bed.

Raven entered the room, to find Draco sitting up, looking at his surroundings with sleepy puzzlement. His eyes lit up when he saw her.

"Hi," he said shyly. Raven couldn't help but grin at him as she walked over to sit on the edge of his cot.

"Hey kiddo," she replied softly.

"Where are we?" he asked looking around the chamber.

"Somewhere safe. We'll be leaving soon to go back to my dimention..." she paused, seeing his look of disapointment. "I was wondering, if you'd like to come back with us?."

Draco smiled, "Yeah.. I'd like that.." He tilted his head and looked at her for a moment. "Are you alright?"

Raven looked away, "Yeah, I'm fine.. Just a little tired I guess."

Draco scowled. "No you're not." he insisted. "Whats wrong?"

Raven sighed, "It's really complicated. Lets say I did something horendously stupid, and I'm living with the consequences."

"Actually," came a voice from behind them, "I think you weren't the one behaving stupidly, if you want my opinon."

Raven turned around to see the young girl from before.

"Hi there! We haven't been properly introduced." the girl said as she extended her hand to Raven. "My name's Hermione."

Raven took the girls hand, "Um hi, I'm Raven.."

Draco grinned, "Hi Hermes!"

Hermione scowed at him. "Don't call me that. You know I hate it." she turned her focus back to Raven. "We need to talk..."

Raven blushed, "I'd rather not," she mumbled.

Hermione stood up and grabed Raven's hand, "C'mon, I promise you feel much better.." She then proceeded to pull Raven outta the room.

"Hey!" Draco called, "Where are you going?"

Hermione smirked back at him, "We're just going to have a little girl talk," she said as she drug Raven out the chamber.

As soon as they reached the hallway, Raven stiffened. She could heard Snape talking to someone near the entrace gates. Sensing that Raven was about to panic, Hermione pulled her in the oposite direction, towards the throne room. The door stood open and Raven could see Thorne inside. They quickly slipped inside. Thorne seemed to be in deep conversation with a monstrouly large Draven cat. Raven assumed that this was Shadow. Herminone gasped and tightened her grip on Raven's hand.

Thorne turned to look at them, and Raven saw something was dangling from his jaws. The Talisman! They could go home now! Shadow didn't seem to notice them as he left the room using a side entrace. The doors that the women had come thru, instantly slammed shut, making the both of them jump.

Thorne came forward and affectionatly butted his head against Raven's chest. All of Raven's pent up emotions came crashing down. She hugged the Draven cat's head and began to cry in earnest. Thorne purred softly, trying to offer her some comfort, while Hermione placed a hand on her shoulder, not really sure of what else to do.

Finally Raven stopped crying, feeling emotionally drained. She gave Thorne and Hermione a weak smile.
"Sorry," she mumbled, "I'm not usually this weepy."

"S'okay," Hermione grinned at her. "He's a bloody prat." Raven didn't have to ask who he was. She blushed and looked away. "You know, he was looking for you, when you ran off..."

Raven shrugged, "That doesn't mean anything. I should have my mouth shut. I mean he will never feel the same way about me.. How could he? I'm a scarred, ugly freak."

Thorne growled angrily. stupid girl.. he hissed, you are not a freak, and you are certainly not ugly.

Raven shruggged again. She wanted to go back home and crawl into a deep dark hole. She sighed and atempted to change the subject.

"I see you found the talisman... So I guess we can go back now?"

Thorne raised his eyebrow at her, and shook his head. yeah, we can go back.. as soon as we get that collar off your neck.. my brother told me some rather.. disturbing things about it.

Raven narrowed her eyes, "What kind of disturbing things?"

The Draven cat sighed softly. only shadow can take it off, and once he does, our mental connection and our sould bond will attempt to reestablish itself..

"That doesn't sound bad at all.."

Thorne shook his head, thats not the bad part.. the reconnection might not be pretty.. there is a possibility that you might be driven insane..

Raven chuckled darkly, "I'm already nearly insane now, I doubt that the reconnection will make a diffrence. Lets do this.. Now."

"Wait a sec, shouldn't you think about this first?" Hermione protested.

"No, I need to do this. I can't even control my emotions anymore. I will loose my mind with half a soul, so I have to take the chance."

Thorne nodded. if this is what you want raven... He turned his gaze to Hermione. go out and tell the others to get ready to be leaving soon. And let snape know that my brother will be with him shorty, to remove the bracelet..

Hermione nodded, obviouly not happy about it. Raven patted the girl on her shoulder and gave her a lop-sided smile. "See you in a bit... Hopefully.."
The girl nodded softly, and watched Raven and Thorne leave the room by the side entrance. Hermione turned to see the large doors of the throne room open, and she went to go speak with the others.

[Demonic Neko]

Hermione ran off and found Snape sitting on the floor of caverns, looking down at the bracelet, intently watching it glow sofly.

“Uncle?”

“What do you want.” It wasn’t a question. Hermione looked closer at Snape. Had he been crying?

“She still likes you, you know, you should tell her.”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

She snorted in very snapelike manner, “Try me.”

“I don’t have to discuss this with you”

“But you’re going to.”

There was a silence as they walked down the hallway. Finally, Snape spoke up, “When you’re a vampire, there are certain-“

“Already know, about that.”

“Really? How?”

“Duh. I’m your neice. Yes, I know I’m not YOUR niece. But between you and me, you two are very much alike.”

Snape stiffened, “I am not like that.”

“You may have made different choices, but essentially, your motivations are the same.”

“How would you know what my motivations are?”

“It’s very simple, I’m your niece.”

“I see we are getting nowhere with this circular reasoning you’ve got.”

“Let me tell you something. Me and my uncle were very close. I have no reservations about my uncle’s character. I know he killed and maimed and- and did horrible things my young innocent mind can’t even imagine. But behind all that, he wasn’t that person. He was trapped by circumstances beyond his control. In your world, Voldemort lost his powers. In our world, he didn’t. The situation is a lot more hopeless here than it is in your world. What would you have done?”

Snape opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again, and then took a breath and continued, “I would have done, the exact same thing I did do. Which was come to my senses and realize that the step I had taken was the wrong and make an effort to correct it.”

“My uncle did that too.” She said quietly and sunk deep in thought again. The silence was so total that Snape jumped the next time she spoke, “Lucius was the one to figure it out, that my uncle’s loyalties might have been….not as strong as they used to be. Uncle had cut down on attending the killing sprees the other Death Eaters went on, he stopped being present at muggle-baitings. That was when Lucius decided he needed some…incentive to participate in Death Eater activities. I was only three when Lucius kidnapped me. That was how I met Draco. He was nice to me, I remember, even though I was really too little to understand. Uncle told me about it later. Lucius finally let me go when my Uncle had proven himself to be a loyal Death Eater.” She fell silent once again, and Snape said nothing. Finally they came upon a door, “Come on Uncle,” She said gently, “Let’s get that bracelet off you.”

* * * * * * * * *

Shadow had just finished making preperations, when the group entered the throne room. Shadow raised his eyebrow at the sight of a new human. He cast a glance at Fire-Dancer, but she gave him an innocent look and shrugged. Shadow mental sighed at his mother's habbit of bringing in strays and turned to the vampire.

come here, and hold out the arm with the bracelet.

The vampire paused for a moment, as if nervous to come near, but he complied. Shadow lowered his head and critically studied the bracelet. The jewel pulsed with life. Shadow sat back on his haunches and raised his paws. He used one of his lethal talons to pierce into the skin of one of his pads, just enough to produce a drop of blood, which he smeared on the bracelet. The Draven cat grined at the vampire's discomfort, as the blood not only covered the bracelet, but soaked most of his hand and arm.

Shadow began a soft, hissing chant, noting the surprise on the humans' faces at his vocalization. He was using a language older that human history. The lanuage that the Dravens used before their brains evolved enough to use telepathy.

The jewel on the bracelet began glowing again, with such an inensity, that it hurt to look at. Shadow's chanting increased in volume and pitch, as the entire bracelet began glowing now. The vampire hissed in pain, but did not move. Finaly Shadow stopped his chanting as the bracelet and jewel glowed with the intensity of the sun.

you may experience a momentary discomfort..

Shadow touched the tip of one claw to the jewel and it shattered.

* * * * * * * * *

As the bracelet fell to the floor, Snape felt like we was being ripped in two, then suddenly emptiness. A screaming howl filled his ears, and he wasn't sure if he was the one making the sound. His hand flew to his mouth and he realized that it wasn't him.

It took him a moment for him to regognize the voice. It was Raven..


The gaping hole of nothingness Snape felt was soon filled with anger and fear, “What are you doing to her?!” He demanded boldly of Shadow.

The house-sized Draven cat smirked, “I do believe you were the one wearing the controlling bracelet? Why don’t you tell me what you were doing to her?”

Snape lunged forward, hands drawn up into claws. He didn’t know exactly what he would accomplish, by attacking something as large as Shadow, or that he even cared. All he knew is that the next moment he was on his back, being crushed by a huge furry paw. The Draven laughed, he was certainly putting no effort into holding Snape down, and Snape wished he would crush him quicker.

Feeling chivalrous, vampire? Defending thy lady’s honor and virtue are we? You are very lucky I am in a good mood, today, so I don’t think I’ll kill you or your friends for isolence. Seeing as how you did me a favor by testing out the collar.

Shadow stepped off Snape and Snape scrambled to his feet. He turned to Firedancer, “Do you know where Raven is?”

“Why yes, she went with my son down the hallway.”

Snape mumbled thanks and marched out of the room.

He shouldn't have had to ask where Raven was, however, because the screaming would have let him to her. With each step he picked up his pace, finally breaking into a run. He was quite winded when he reached the correct door. Or, at least where he thought the screaming was emanating from, for there was no door, only what appeared to be a door knocker placed in solid rock. He passed the spot several times, but each time he went past it, the screaming began to fade.

“Alohomora!” He shouted at the doorknocker, or whatever it was.

“Aloha to you to, but my name isn’t Mora.” The door knocker smirked, he looked just like Shadow, which made Snape hate him even more.

“Open!” He grasped the handle (which was the Draven’s nose ring) The doorknocker promptly bit him.

“Who says I open anything?” The doorknocker eyed him smugly, “…but my mouth.” It broke into a toothy grin.

Snape wrapped on the stone walls, being careful to avoid the knocker’s teeth. It felt like solid rock.

“Are you quite finished beating the walls? You’re giving me a headache.”

“I don’t care. There is someone inside I must see.”

“You don’t care, I don’t care. We’re a lot alike.”

“What do I have to do to get inside the room?”

“Oh…it’s very complicated, you wouldn’t understand it.”

The screaming seemed to get louder.

“Anything, I’ll do anything.”

“Very well then. Hop on one foot.”

“That’s all?”

“To you want to get in?”

“Yes.”

“Hop on one foot.”

Snape hopped on one foot.

It broke into a grin, “I didn’t say Draven says.”

Snape snarled, “I will not play silly games. Tell me how to get inside.”

“You’d have to pry the answer from my mouth before I would tell it to you.”

Snape had had enough, he decided if he couldn’t think his way through, maybe he could blast his way through. He tossed every spell he could think of at the door knocker (and he thought of a few potions that might work as well, but he didn’t have them obviously). Finally, he sat exhausted underneath it’s leering face.

“Are you quite finished?”

Snape glared up at the doorknocker, who was smiling gleefully. Snape sighed, if he couldn’t try to help Raven through whatever she was going through, he’d at least force himself to listen to her screams of anguish and suffer with her.

He felt empty again.

[Demonic Neko]

As soon as the golden collar hit the floor, Thorne felt the rush of memories and emotions fill through him as Raven was recconected to him once more. Raven fell to her knees, her hands curled into fists, her mind withdrawling from the mass of images and emotions being flooded through it. She screamed loud and piecing, as her body began to shift.

Thorne cursed as he cautiously approched her. Raven had changed into a odd ever changing conglomerate of human and were-draven form. Her eyes were blank as she howled in pain, her claws striking out at what ever was nearby. Thorne pounced on her, holding her down, but she was having none of that. She clawed into him, drawing blood. Thorne hissed in pain, and shifted his weight until she was pinned underneath him.. She howled in anger, as he gently nuzzled her cheek.

it'll be over soon, he sent softly into her troubled mind. i know you can do this.. just come back raven.. there are so many people here that want you to come back..

After what seemed like an agonizing hour, Raven's struggles halted and her screams stopped, filling the room with an eerie silence. She slowly shifted back into her human form. Thorne stood up, wincing in pain, and nuzzled her tear stained cheek. Raven's breathing was regular, her eyes closed. Thorne gingerly prodded their newly reformed mental link, then let out a sigh of relief. She had just passed out. From what he could tell from their bond, her mind was still in one piece, but she had shutdown from the mental overload.

*********************

Snape hardly noticed when Deanna sidled up to him and sat down.

"Are you going to try and blast your way in?" The knocker wanted to know.

"Don't bother." Snape muttered, "It's just trying to annoy the devil out of you. On second thought, have fun."

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of Snape's neck prickled. Something had changed, but there was only silence.

Silence.

"Raven?" Snape stood up and nearly rushed at the doorknocker, but checked himself before he was within the reach of it's razor teeth.

"Afraid you won't have anyone to eat?" She smirked.

Snape didn't afford her a glance, "Stuff it."

"Moody, aren't we?"

"No, Snape."

"What?"

Snape didn't bother explaining. A heavy silence blanketed the cold stone hall.

"So..." The doorknocker tried to break the silence, "How about those Wasps..."

"You are a doorknocker, you've never seen a game of quidditch in your... existence."

"Ahh! You've wounded me to the heart! Go ahead! Hurt my feelings! I'm just the doorknocker!" He leered at Snape and Deanna, clearly enjoying himself. Who knows how long it had been since this room was used?

"Well some of us think people haven't got feelings." Deanna told the knocker pointedly.

"Yes, I wonder who that could be." Snape said equally pointedly.

"At least I don't go around biting people."

"Oh yes, murdering people is clearly the preferable course of action."

"Protecting people." She said stonily.

"So... how many times have you had this arguement?" The doorknocker butted in. They both ignored it.

"Why do you presume to know anything about me?" Snape continued.

"I know everything I need to know."

"Oh do let me guess. I'm a vampire and that's all you need to know."

"And I'm a hunter and that's all you need to know. Well there's more to me that that. I'm a person, not a ... job description."

The doorknob chuckled, "You know, you two are so alike, it's funny."

"Shut it." They both said at the same time.

Another silence followed.

"You remind me of a person I used to work with. She was a jerk too. We hated each other. She's the reason I became a hunter."

"Let me guess, she was a vampire."

"She was killed by one. She was a stupid prat who didn't know the first thing about vampires," She sighed, "I became a vampire hunter to protect the stupid people of the world."

At this, Snape had to snort, it seemed everyday he defended the stupid people of the world.

"It's a thankless job."

"Yes, well you had a choice, didn't you?" He spat at her acidly.

[Demonic Neko]

could you hold these for me, dear?

Both Deanna and Snape swung around to see Fire-Dancer standing behind them, with a bundle of clothing hanging from her jaws. Snape took the bundle, without question, and watched as the Draven cat stalked over to the obnoxious door knocker. It sneered at her, showing obsidian teeth. Fire-Dancer smirked back and hooked one of her claws in the knocker's nose ring and pulled hard. The door knocker winced in pain and whimpered.

the mother of shadowsong bloodstone humbly requests that you let her son, moonslayer, and his friend out of that room. she purred to the whimpering door knocker, before leting go of it's ring. The knocker huffed in irritation before opening it's jaws. Its mouth formed into a large portal, and there stood Raven. She was pale and trembling, her clothes torn to shreds, and her fingertips stained crimson. She looked up and saw Snape standing there. Her shoulders slumped, and she cast her gaze downward as she made to turn away.

"Raven.." he said in alomst a whisper.. She didn't look up, but stepped forward and leaned towards him pressing her head against his chest, to tired to do anything else.


Snape wrapped his arms around Raven as her head pillowed against his chest. Somehow, he felt a little less empty when she was there, and Snape wondered if he was going through some sort of Raven-withdrawal from lack of the bracelet…He remembered how Thorne had reacted when his mental link with Raven had been severed. Now he knew why. But just being closer to her, even though there was no mental connection anymore, helped.

”Oh God, I am I really that selfish?” He thought bitterly even while he asked her if she was okay. He looked at her, suddenly realizing she was barely wearing anything and remembering the clothes Fire-Dancer had given him. He handed them to her, and she went into the still open portal.

Thorne stalked out of the room, his sides covered with red gashes. Fire Dancer stepped forward to inspect his wounds, but Thorne shook her off, gazing at Snape with a determinded look. Deanna went unnoticed on the other side of Thorne.

you are a bloody idiot. Thorne growled into Snape's mind. Snape glowered at the Draven cat but said nothing. Thorne continued. you have a good thing staring you right in the face. she cares for you, you stupid prat!

"Not neccessarily" Snape replied in a low voice, through clenched teeth.

"What, are you blind? You can see she likes you. She's even told you as much, and you don't believe her?"

"It's not that I don't believe her, it's that she may not know what she's talking about."

Now you're calling her crazy?"

"No," Snape said, starting to get frustrated, "It's just that, there are certain considerations that need to be made-"

"You're not making sense."

"I'm making perfect sense. There are reasons she's attracted to me and none of them are love."

Thorne made a low growling sound in his throat. Snape turned away.

"It's not her fault."

Thorne gave him a dangerous look that said, 'explain'.

Snape colored and continued, "Vampires have hormones that are passed through saliva. How else do you think Vampires get their prey to let them feed?"

Thorne growled and rolled his eyes. idiot... she's had feelings for you, long before that first feeding. why do you think she offered in the first place? she knew the risks. her emotions for you are not due to some stupid vampire hormones.. raven honestly, and truely cares about you. she always has. every chance she got, she would pick up a copy of potions master quarterly, and scan through it... whenever she saw your name her eyes would light up. i used to tease her about it..

"Even if that's true, there's something else."

"And that is...?"

"Pheremones. Vampires have pheremones that they emit which make them... more attractive... to other people. I've tried to mask it, but my potions haven't been completely successful...." Snape suddenly thought about Trelawney and shuddered, "Raven says you watch muggle television. If you've seen any vampire movies, you would have noticed their ... attractive powers... believe me, it isn't due to charm."

Thorne turned away, shaking his shaggy head. That's obvious. I don't know what she see's in you.

"Neither do I," Snape replied softly.

"What are you two talking about?"

Snape and Thorne jumped as Raven came out of the portal. She wasn't trembling anymore, but still looked pale and emotionally drained. She cast a hard gaze at Thorne.

"You put a wall up so I couldn't sense your thoughts," she said softly. Thorne looked away guiltily. She sighed then turned her gaze to Snape. He opened his mouth to say something but she stoped him with a raised hand.

"You and I need to have a long talk.. Not now, but when this is all done and over with, when we get back home."

With that she walked back to the throne room.

[Demonic Neko]

Raven entered the throne room, with Thorne at her heels. Shadow raised an eyebrow at her.

i see you're still alive. how nice.

Raven ignored his comment. Where are the children?

Shadow smirked. they're outside. i think they were a bit intimidated by my presence...

i'll get them. Thorne sent, giving his brother an angry glare, as he exited the throne room. A few moments later Thorne led Hermione and Draco back into the room. Draco launched himself at Raven, hugging her tightly around the waist.

"You're okay right?" he asked, his eyes wide with worry.

Raven smiled softly. "Yeah, I'm fine... We're leaving now... But first, I need to close the portal that's already open."

"Why?" asked Hermione.

"Because when we left, Voldemort was there." she said as she reached for the talisman that Thorne held. "For all we know, he's got an army waiting for us to get back."

Raven pushed Draco away. "I need everyone to stand back.. I don't want anyone to get hurt." She sat on the stone floor, and held the talisman before her. She began a soft chant as the talisman began to glow.

"Deflagrate muri tempi et intervallia," she chanted softly, over and over again. The talisman glowed brighter and brighter until a loud crack rent the air. Then silence. The Talisman stopped glowing.

"Did it work?" asked Draco.

Raven sat quietly for a moment, her eyes closed as her free hand traced arcane symbols in front of the talisman. Finally she opened her eyes and let out the breath that she had been holding.

"The portal's closed." she said softly, "Now to open a new one.." Raven closed her eyes once more, the talisman lying flat on her outstreached palm. She began chanting again.

"Cum ignis, argentum, et aurum universus..."

The talisman floated out of her hand and began glowing again. It twirled midair as the light increased, blinding everyone in the room.

"Deflagrate muri tempi et intervallia, sine dubio, instantatum!" Raven screamed as the room echoed with another loud cracking sound. Then silence again.

Everyone opened their eyes to see the talisman hanging in midair before a shimmerling vortex. Raven fluidly stood up, and took the talisman in her hand.

"I'll go first to see if it's safe." she said, and plunged through before anyone could stop her.

* * * * * * *

Thorne hissed in anger. dammit raven...

Oh hush, came Ravens irritated reply. I'm fine.. I'm at the shreiking shack.

why do you act so impulsivly? he growled into her mind. i really wish you'd listen to me for once-

Raven quickly interupted. I'll start listening to you, when you stop hiding things from me. she snapped back.

Thorne's shoulder's slumped. fine.. my thoughs are free for you to see.. i didn't mean to hurt you.

Raven was quiet for a moment before she sent back to him again. Thank you.. there was a brief pause as Thorne felt her move around inside his mind. Tell the others that it's safe to come thru.. she sent finally

Thorne turned to the group, raven says that it's safe..

"Well then, I suppose we should be leaving then.." Snape said quietly. Deanna nodded and went through the vortex. Snape was at her heels, when a hand reached out to stop him. It was Hermione.

"Uncle Severus.." she whispered, "Can I go with you? There's nothing left for me here.."

Snape looked at her for a moment, then slowly nodded. The girl smiled and took his hand, then turned to Draco, and grabed his hand as well. Snape shook his head, and pulled the children with him through the portal.

Thorne turned to Fire-Dancer, who at some point materiazed beside him. She looked at him sadly and licked his head.

i- i'm not sure if i'm ever going to see you again- he began, but she stopped him.

we'll find a way... she whispered. Suddenly a comotion filled the room. Several adult Draven cats entered the throne room. Shadow snarled at the intruders.

whats the meaning of this? he hissed.

The Dravens looked apologetic. sire.. voldemort and his forces are attacking! Shadow snarled and left the throne room, the other Draven cats on his heels.

Thorne looked at his mother, maybe i should stay..

no... go, my son. Fire-Dancer sent firmly, as soon as you go thru that portal, destroy the talisman. She purred him one last time before pushing him thru the portal.

Thonre stepped out the other side of the portal, slightly disoriented. Raven was waiting for him.

put the talisman on the floor. he sent to her in a soft tone. Raven complied, setting it before him. Thorne raised a paw and stomped it down, smashing it to fine dust. He looked at Raven then the others. time to go home.. he sent to them all in a resigned tone.

[Demonic Neko]

Dumbledore stood looking out his window which overlooked the forest, it had been three days since Severus, Raven, and Deanna went missing. The prognoses wasn’t good, as Death Eater had been spotted in the Forbidden Forest. There was a knock at the door.

“Come in.”

McGonagall swept into the room, an admixture of confusion, surprise and concern playing across her stern features, “Albus, I think there is something wrong with the quill.”
Dumbledore looked up, “Which quill do you mean, Minerva?”

“The Quill! The one that selects Hogwarts students. It’s putting down some very strange names…I think you’d better come and look.”

Dumbledore went to Minerva’s office, the phoenix feather quill was once again in it’s holder, apparently no longer writing.

Dumbledore looked down the list of names of new students, and at the very end of the list, written in gold ink, were the names Hermione Snape and Draco Malfoy.

What could this mean, Albus?" McGonagall asked, as both she and Dumbledore walked back to his office.

"I'm not sure," Dumbledore replied, stroking his beard thoughtfully. Perhaps it had a connection to the disappearance of his teachers… He couldn’t take any chances. He threw a handful of floo powder into the fireplace and shouted for Moody.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

The group of travelers passed through the portal. Again Snape felt the tearing sensation and then the melting back together feeling. They found themselves back in the Forbidden Forest.


“Which way?” Deanna thought out loud.

Thorne sniffed the air, there are others in the forest. The group went on the defensive; Snape drew his wand, Deanna’s left hand rested on a wooden pike tucked into her belt, while she held her wand tightly in her other hand. Thorne’s fur bristled.

“Point me.” Snape muttered and his wand spun in his hand like the point of a compass, “This way….” Snape turned west but then stopped, “No…wait… this way.” He turned around and headed east, towards Hogwarts.

“Confused the ends?” Deanna sneered halfheartedly.

“Shut up.”

They walked on in silence through the darkening wood., stopping periodically to make sure they were headed in the right direction.

The scent of horse sweat is heavy here. Thorne told them.

“Centaurs. Be wary, they don’t like humans invading their space.” Raven said quietly, “The sooner we’re out of their territory, the better.”

They picked up their pace, being careful to go as quietly and as quickly as possible. After what happened with Firenze, it didn’t seem prudent to aggravate the situation any further.

Perhaps that was the reason they walked straight into a knot of Death Eaters.

Suddenly, a wand light pierced the thick moonless darkness of the forest canopy. Snape clearly saw the long white-blonde hair of Malfoy. Breifly, Snape wondered how it was he managed to wheedle his way out of Azkaban. Snape pulled Draco back before he had a chance to react to the appearance of Malfoy Sr, Snape wrapped his cloak around the boy and the two dissolved in between the shadows unnoticed.

“So.” Malfoy snarled, “You’ve returned, have you? What a shame.”

“For you perhaps.” Deanna snarled back.

“Ah… you see, that’s where you would be wrong,” He smirked, “We can open a new portal anytime we wish. But you- You will be dead.”

Other Death Eaters slinked out of the shadows, there were at least five.

"You are surounded, hunter. You can't escape us twice in one week, the odds are not in your favor this time.

Before he could do anything, there was the whirring sound of steel and Malfoy’s wand dropped from his hand casting strange shadows where it lay at his feet. Malfoy's hand was pinned to the tree behind him by Deanna's dagger. He let out a snarl of surprise and pain as he tried to free his hand from the tree. Deanna lunged forward, intending to snatch away his wand before he freed himself, but Malfoy's foot ground into the back of her reaching hand just as it closed on his wand. To her satisfaction, she felt the ebony give and splinter underneath her trapped hand. Malfoy's other foot connected with the side of Deanna's head. Stars danced before her eyes, Malfoy freed his hand at last and bent down to bury Deanna's dagger in her back, but she rolled away just in time.

There are more of them Thorne sent as he bristled to his full Draven size. More Death Eaters came out of the shadows, there were at least fifteen.

“You won’t summon more portals,” Deanna sneered, “Because it would take too much time, your plan has failed, Malfoy. I might guess that your Dark Lord is not pleased with your failure, eh?”

His silence answered her perfectly.`

With a snarl of anger Malfoy lunged at Deanna, as the other Death-Eaters convered the others. Raven sprung, casting spells with one hand , while raking her claws across unprotected flesh with the other. Thorne stood pretoectivly infront of Hermione and clawed at anyone who came within his huge reach.

Deanna managed to dodge Malfoy's attack, only to be surrounded by 4 death-eates who cut off her avenue of escape. She slipped her hand inside her robes, reaching around her throat with one hand, while keeping the other trained on the advancing circle of Death Eaters,

Out of the corner of her mouth, she said to Raven and Hermione, “When I say so. Run.”

Raven had an idea that she was going to do something rash, “We’re not leaving without you.”

“Yeah, too bad I’m not giving you a choice.” The blood red stone began to glow and pulse slowly.

"Deanna-"

“Just take the kid and go.” The necklace had already grown brighter and it’s pulsing light became faster. She ripped the chain from around her neck and held up the glowing stone. A few of the Death Eaters shrank back, recognizing it.

For a split second, Raven thought she’d been hit with a spell, because an electric sensation raced down her spine, then she realized that it was only because she recognized the object the Deanna now held above her head for all to see. A muggle would have called it a grenade.

"You wouldn't," A touch of fear leaked through Malfoy's veneer of arrogance.

watch out! Thorne knocked Hermione to the ground, the errant spell narrowly missing both Hermione nd Thorne. A spell originating from outside the circle struck a death eater full on and he fell over, petrified. Raven kneeled by Hermione, she was knocked out by the force of Thorne's paw.

I, I didn't mean....

"She'll be fine." Raven cut him off, "She needs to get out of here." Raven picked her up, giving one last look to Deanna, who was busy dodging curses aimed at her amulet. The pulsing had quickend in pace and the light had grown in intensity so that it cast a surreal strobe effect among the combatants. The Death Eaters began to loose their nerve and scatter, no one attempted to stop Raven.

Get on, quickly. Thorne wrapped his tails around the two and placed them on his back, not bothering to stop.

Deanna pounded after Malfoy, who was retreating into the forest, she knew she didn't have long until the thing went off, and she wanted it to land as close to Malfoy as possible. the strobing made her disoriented and dizzy, impairing her movements, she calculated she had about ten seconds left be for it exploded.

It was now a dazzlingly bright red tinted white and pulsed like the heartbeats of a hummingbird. Quickly, she looked for Malfoy and threw the necklace at him as hard and as far as she could. I appeared to hang in mid air for a moment, another moment ... She realized it was caught on a branch not ten feet away.

She ran.

But not fast enough. In a burst of brilliant white light, the forest was engulfed for a thirty foot radius. There was no heat, but everything inside the area was simply gone.

[Demonic Neko]

Thorne bounded through the forest as quickly as his paws could carry him, with Raven clinging percariously on to his back as she tried to keep an unconcious Hermione from falling off.

Suddenty the trio was nearly knocked to the ground as a thunderous explosion shook the entire forest.

Throne skidded to a stop, nearly throwing his passengers off, and turned to look towards the explosion.

dear goddess... he hissed in awe mingled with horror.

Where Deanna and the other Death eaters had been, there was... nothing. No bodies, no trees, no plants, no grass.. Just nothing.. All that was left was a crater in the ground.

Snape was far away from the fighting when the woods exploded behind him. Draco and Snape fell from the force of the blast.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, what was that?"

"I don't know." Snape looked behind him, there was a gaping void where the forest should have been.

Draco stood for a moment, in disbelief, "Hermione!" Snape stopped him from running back the way they came.

"No! If they were back there," Snapes throat tightened around his words, "there's nothing we can do for them now. And we're still in centaur territory. I'm going to put out my wandlight, we'll attract less attention in the dark. Hold onto me."

They walked on in silence. Draco listening hard, trying futilly to see in the pitch darkness.

Somewhere on ahead there was a rustling noise. It could have been an animal, or....

There was the rustling again.

"Stupify." Snape muttered and the spell briefly lit the area, making the dark seem even darker when it finally returned.

"Wait here." Snape whispered to Draco.

"But, I can't see..."

"I'm going on ahead to see what I've stunned. If I've missed, it's better if you were not nearby."

Snape went on ahead before Draco could protest. But when he got there, whatever he thought he'd hit was gone.

Suddenly a spell whizzed past his head. He looked in the direction it had come from.

"Moody!"

"Snape!?" Moody lowered his wand, his magical eye locked firmly onto Snape, while his normal eye rolled blind in the pitch dark, "We've been looking for you everywhere. Is the other one with you? The new Defense agains the Dark Arts professor, Xavier's daughter, I think. She's missing as well. And a vampire hunter. Are they with you?"

"They were up until perhaps fifteen minutes ago-"

"Who's that?" Moody's magical eye focused a distance behind Snape, Draco was stumbling blind in the direction he thought Snape had gone. "Malfoy's son," Moody growled, "Wonder what he's doing here,"

"He's with me." Snape said quickly, Moody gave him an odd look, "I'll explain when we get back to the castle."

Snape retrieved Draco, "I thought I told you to stay put." Snape grabbed Draco's arm, causing him to nearly jump out of his skin.

"I saw spell light, I thought you'd been hit, did you get whatever it was?"

"No." Came a gruff voice that made Draco reach compulsivly for where his wand should have been. Moody gave a laugh something like a cross between a cough and a bark.

"Don't try anything son, if I wanted to curse you I'd have done it already."

"Who's that?"

"You don't remember me? I almost taught at your school. I've heard some crazy stories about you and ferrets." Only Snape could see the strange grin splitting Moody's features.

"What?" Draco said, utterly confused.

"Moody," Snape interceded for Draco, "He's not the person you think he is. I'll explain when we get back." He repeated.

[Demonic Neko]

"Well, here we are." Moody said needlessly, "Hogwarts."

They walked silently to the gargoyle which hid Dumbledore's office, Moody said something to it and it stepped aside. He knocked on Dumbledore's office door, but there was no answer.

"Humphf, must not be in. You two go wait inside, I'll go look for Dumbledore."

Snape paced back and forth, while Draco sat in a large wing-backed chair, looking lost and despondant. Fawkes, who had been sleeping when they entered flew over to see who had come in.

"Fawkes." Draco said as a small smile crept onto his face, but it faded when he remembered Hermione. She'd always wanted to see Fawkes after Malfoy'd told her about him.

Snape, too, seemed lost in thought, he stared up at the past Headmaster's of Hogwarts; most of the painting snoozed softly in their frames, but Phineas Nigellus only had one eye closed at a poor attempt as feigning sleep. He'd been acting very cool towards Snape since The Ministry incident, and Snape supposed he was torn between his loyalty to Dumbledore and to his late good-for-nothing great-grandson. He was probably trying to work out whether it was a good thing that Snape was back safe and sound.

The door to the office swung open, and Dumbledore stepped in.

"So, is there any news?" Snape asked.

"Nothing yet, but we're still looking. There's a possibility they got out of the blast range in time-"

"Albus!" came a rough voice from the hallway. Dumbledore turned to see Moody beckoning for him to follow. Dumbledore motioned for Snape and Draco to come along as he trailed after Moody.

"We found that new professor of yours. She had a girl with her, who took a blow to the head-" at this Draco drew in a sharp breath, and Moody's magical eye rolled in it's socket to fix on him. "-but she'll be fine. Poppy's taking a look at her now."

They arrived at the infirmary to find Madame Pomfrey tucking Hermione Snape into a cot, while Raven watched. Thorne had taken his house-cat guise and was perched on her shoulder.

Before they could ask her what happened, Minerva McGonagall entered the room. Her gaze alighted first on Hermione then on Draco, before she turned to Dumbledore.

"What on earth is going on here?"

"Minerva, maybe we should adjorne to my office?" Dumbledore stated as he hearded her and the othered out of the infirmary. Draco stayed behinds so he could watch over Hermione.

After everyone settled themselves in Dumbledore's office, he turned his gaze to Raven and Snape.

"Now, tell me what happened."

Raven nodded slightly and began to retell the events of the past several days. She left out some details, like the bites she allowed Snape to give her, and how exactly alter-Lockhart died. It wasn't her place to say anything. If Snape wanted Dumbledore to know, they he could tell him in his own time, when he was ready. Finally Raven ran out of words.

Dumbledore closed his eyes in thought, processing this new information. He opened his eyes and sighed, "So now we know what Voldemort's forces were doing in the forest, thank heavens. Moody and Lupin have been scouting the forest since your dissapearance, I dare say limiting their manouvers. I don't think they will go through with the plan. It relied heavily on the element of surprise, which they no longer have. If you hadn't wound up in the forest, we mightn't have suspected a thing."

There was a moment of silence which was filled with thoughts of Deanna.

“There you go Minerva," Dumbledore said quietly, "The mystery of the Quill is solved. The two new students are in the infirmary; Miss Hermione Snape, and Draco Malfoy.”

“But-but-“ She sputtered, quite exasperated, “Draco Malfoy is already a Hogwarts student!” She suddenly whirled around to face Snape, a very steely look in her eyes, “How could you let this happen! You are not to bring people from alternate universes home with you!”

“Minerva-“ Dumbledore tried to interject.

“Under no circumstances is this allowed to occur! Do you realize what you may have done by removing these people from there universe!”

“Minerva-“

“And what exactly do you expect me to do with two people with no proper paperwork or- or- anything!? And now, there are two Draco Malfoys! Can you tell me how I’m going to explain-“

“Minerva!” She whirled to face Dumbledore.

“What!”

“I’m sure Severus, and Raven have very good reasons for bringing them to our world. Which I would love to hear." He turned his cool gaze to towards the two, his eyes sparkling with a modicum of amusment. Severus and Raven both looked very guilty, but not very sorry for bringing the children back with them, each launched into their story on how that part of their adventure came about. Dumbledore held up a hand to quell the cascade of words which tumbledoe from their mouths, "All will be explained in due time, but I want the children to be here as well. Just so you know, Poppy believes that Draco is our world's Draco. In the meantime, why don't you two go and get cleaned up?"

[Demonic Neko]

Raven quickly excused herself, eager to get back to her room. It was wonderful to finally be home again, but when it was all over and done with, She was reminded of her embaressment, and had to get away. She wasn't quite mentally ready to talk to Snape... yet.

As she entered her quarters, she went to her room and was reminded that she had to ask the House-elves to replace the ornate furniture in her room with something more simplistic.

She opened her dresser drawer and pulled out a vial of murky liquid. She downed in quicky, making a face, and was imensly glad Thorne had decided to go out so that she was spared any comments he might make. She replaced the empty vial back in the drawer before flopping into her bed.

She took a brief nap but was awoken by the sound of her name being called from the living room. She got up to check and saw Dumbledore's head floating in the flames.

"Raven, sorry to wake you," he said, "Could you please come to the infirmary? Hermione is awake."

* * * * * * * * * *

Raven reached the infirmary and knocked. She could hear the sounds of Draco and Hermione arguing, already Hermione seemed to be feeling much better, as they both tried at the same time to tell Dumbledore what happened. Dumbledore opened the door, with an amused twinkle in his eye.

"Hello Albus," she said softly as he ushered her into the room. Madame Pomfrey was nowhere to be found, otherwise she would have never let her charges carry on so. Draco turned at the sound of her voice and grinned. She smiled back and affectionaly ruffled his hair.

"Hi Draco. Hello Hermione." She said as she grinned at the dark haired girl.

"Please sit Raven," Dumbledore said, motioning towards an empty chair, between the two beds. "Draco and Hermione were just telling me about what had happened in the alternate world."

His eyes rested on each of them. "But Minerva is quite correct in saying that the usual rule is against disturbing other cultures when visiting another universe, which is partially why the creation of such portals is considered dark magic. However, I believe ‘should haves’ and ‘would haves’ are a moot point now that the portal is destroyed. I think what we must discuss now is the matter of where these new students are going to stay..." He focused on Hermione. "I believe Severus would take you in, since you are technically family, funny, I’ve never heard him talk of a Hermione Snape before. As for you,” He began, as he turned his gaze to Draco. “I don’t believe it would be prudent to explain any of this to Lucius Mal-.."

"Albus.." Raven interrupted, "I was wondering, if it's okay with Draco that is, if I could be his guardian.. Or even adopt him.." she added in a soft voice.

"I'd like that." Draco piped up.

Dumbledore looked at the two of them through his half moon spectacles again, finally he nodded matter-of-factly and rose from his chair, “Then it’s settled. Draco can stay in Raven’s apartment in the staff wing, and Hermione, I will ask Snape- but first, I should probably ask you, do you want to stay with him?”

“He’s going to say no.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Because he’s Severus Snape, no matter what world he’s from.” She smirked, “I actually asked my uncle, my real uncle from my world, once whether I could stay with him. He said no then too.”

Dumbledore smiled, “You still didn’t answer my question, Do you want to stay with Severus?”

She shrugged, “He’s the only family I’ve got.”

“But do you want to-“

“Oh for goodness sake Hermione! Just answer the damn question!” Draco gave her an exasperated look. Which Hermione returned with a scowl.

“Fine. Yes.”

Dumbledore chuckled, "You are so like your uncle when he went to Hogwarts. Now!" he said clapping his hands together, " I shall see about finagaling the paperwork." He started to walk into a side door, but stopped and turned around, "Draco, you might want to start thinking of a new name for yourself, as it would be very confusing to have two Draco Malfoy's running about."

* * * * * * * * * *

“No.”

“Severus…”

“Absolutely not.”

“Why not? She’s family.”

“No. She isn’t.”

“Severus…”

Snape looked up, “What do I know about raising children? It’s no secret that my students are less than thrilled to be having me as a professor. I know potions not people. No I don’t think I will take her in…” Dumbledore said nothing. Finally, Snape continued. “And not only do I not know how to raise children, I definitely know nothing about raising girls. Lord knows women are a mystery to me. Just look at what happened with Rave-“ He caught himself, went pinkish, and became very interested in the floor.

“What happened with whom?” Dumbledore prompted, eyes glittering with interest.

“No-one. Nothing, nothing happened.”

“Alright Severus, if you say so…but there’s still this matter of Hermione… “

“My decision is final.”

“Is it…Uncle?” Snape’s head whipped up. Hermione Snape was standing in the doorway.

“For the last time, I am not your uncle!”

“Well,” she said walking over to him like a sniper zeroing in on a target, “You look like my uncle, you sound like my uncle, you act like my uncle…” A sly smile spread over her features, “Can I speak to you, in your office?” She when she reached him.

“No, you may not, anything you have to say can be said in front of the Headmaster.”

“Really? Are you sure? Because I could have sworn it looked suspiciously like there were things you didn’t want the headmaster to hear just a second ago….” She trailed off and her sly smile grew wider and very suggestive of what sort of things might tumble out of her mouth if she was allowed to talk further.

A silent battle seemed to rage between the two Snapes, finally Severus broke eye contact to look at Dumbledore, “The girl stays with me.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Raven led Draco to the great hall, stoping along the way to arange for new quaters and furnishings with one of the house elves. Even though it was a tempoary situation, at least until he got sorted and had to live in the school dorms, Raven wanted Draco to have a space of his own.

As they sat down, Raven rested her chin agains her arms and looked at Draco for a moment. A plate of food had materialized before him and he happily began to eat.

"So, any idea what you want your new name to be?" she asked. Draco stoped for a moment, his fork halfway to his mouth. He sat the fork down and thought for a moment. Finally Draco gave her a lopsided smile.

"Well, umm... I guess if I had to choose..." he paused and looked a bit sheepish. "I.. I always liked the name Eustace.."

Raven smiled, "Eustace is a fine name."

The boy leaned back, "Eustace Malfoy.."

"No." Raven said with a warm smile. "Eustace Xavier..."

[Mlle Bienvenu]

"Professors Xavier and Snape," Dumbledore began when they had settled into the chairs in front of his desk, "Thank you for coming. . . would you like anything to drink? Tea? Coffee? Ogden's? "

"Nothing for me." Snape sank into his chair, grateful to be back.

Dumbledore's gaze turned to Raven, "No, nothing for me either." She waved the drinks away.

Dumbledore seated himself behind his desk and laced his slender fingers together seriouslly, "Now, how are you getting on with the children?"

Raven smiled slightly. "Draco and I are getting along rather well. He's chosen a new name, since he can't very well use his real name." She paused. "I was thinking about 'adopting' him. It shouldn't be to hard to pass him off as a half brother. My father... got around a lot."

"Adopting is an excellent idea. . . and Severus, I think you can do the same for. . . Hermione is it?" Snape nodded, "Yes. . . that should work quite nicely. " Dumbledore seemed to turn his thoughts inward and Snape and Raven politely waited for him to speak again. When he did, his voice was serious, "From what you've told me, it appears removing those children from their universe may not have been such a bad thing, and, I daresay, may turn out to have been for the best. It is my theory that, essentially, the doppelgangers from the other world, are essentially the same, but have had different experiences. This suggests to me that we may gain insight into our world's people by learning about the alternate universe from which they come. This also suggests to me that there is hope for our Draco Malfoy."

"Well I don't know about the Draco of this world," Raven stated quietly, "but the one I met was very brave."

Severus muttered under his breath, "Gilderoy Lockhart was nothing like this worlds-" Snape's voice died, as he realised what he was saying.

Raven glanced at Snape and bit her lip, before casting her gaze down to her lap. She opened her mouth and snapped it shut. She would of actulaly been happy to not say anything about the incident at all.

Dumbledore studied them with his cool blue gaze for an agonizing moment before standing, "Well, I think we've all had a long day. . . perhaps some rest is in order." Dumbledore nodded to them, and Snape gratefully stood. Grateful because he was tired, and most of all because Dumbledore decided not to pry. . .

"Goodnight, Headmaster," Snape nodded slightly to him and Dumbledore returned it with a reassuring glance.

Raven stood as well, a look of relief plain on her face.

"Night.." she murmured before casting one last embarassed glance at Snape before quickly ducking out of the room.