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Post by Demonic Neko on Jul 24, 2005 22:49:49 GMT -5
Author’s note: Arrrg! I can’t resist! Must…do….JKR….impression… THE KNIGHTS OF WALPURGIS In the early morning light, there was nothing to suggest that there was anything out of the ordinary about number four, Privet Drive. The people who lived there were the most mundane people one could meet. Vernon and Petunia Dursley, and their teenage son Dudley seemed like the most normal family you could find. There was nothing about the house to suggest a very extraordinary teen named Harry Potter also lived there. Harry Potter was a wizard. And not just any wizard. He was probably the only wizard in the world who could stop Lord Voldemort. Harry sat straight up in bed, the pain in his scar burrowing into the back of his brain, blinding him. He had been having a nightmare, which, he knew was not a good sign. He tried to remember what had happened but try as he might, all he got were images of a hallway filled with doors. This worried Harry because the last time he had dreamed about hallways with doors, Voldemort had tricked him into acting foolishly, costing the life of Harry’s godfather. These, however were not the same doors he had seen in his other dreams, this corridor was well lit by florescent fixtures lining the ceiling in a uniform, rather boring pattern. The carpet was of a dull grey, as were the walls, and the doors looked as though they were made of imitation wood. Harry’s throat was dry. It was almost seven in the morning, but he knew no one would be up this early in the morning during the summer. Well, at least Dudley wouldn’t be up. His uncle Vernon was probably already at work and Petunia was probably just sitting down for her morning tea in the living room. He reached for his glasses, got out of bed, and padded his way down to the kitchen for a glass of water. But just as he reached the bottom of the stairs, Aunt Petunia yelled for him. “Potter! Get down here now!” Harry wondered if she’d just woken up, her voice sounded strange, “there’s- there’s someone on the telephone for you!” No, he was wrong, it sounded more like she was frightened. The lightning scar on his forehead sizzled again as he wondered who could be calling him this early in the morning. Or calling him at all for that matter. He had rarely received a phone call, because the Dursley’s would have none of it. (“Who would want to call you?!”) Petunia was leaning up against her immaculate kitchen cabinets, looking deathly pale in the thin light filtering through the curtains. When he got near her he could see she was trembling. Harry picked the phone up from where it lay near Petunias feet. “H- Hello?” “Hello Harry.” Came a high, drawling voice. He had to grab onto the counter to keep from passing out from the pain, “Having a nice summer?” “Voldemort.” “Yes, it is I. I trust the scar I gave you is hurting quite a lot, isn’t it?” Just at that moment, his scar seemed to jab him and his hand flew to his forehead. “No.” Harry said defiantly. He wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. “Oh come now Mr. Potter. Even without legilemency, do you think I can’t tell when you are lying to me?” Harry wished for the millionth time that summer, that he had continued occlumency lessons, even if they were with Snape. “What do you want?” He said shortly. “Wouldn’t you like to know why your scar is hurting?” There was a sort of whimper in the background. “No, but I’ve a feeling you’re going to tell me anyway.” “No, I don’t think I will tell you. But he will,” There was a sort of scuffling sound and he could hear Voldemort say “Speak, Muggle!” and then a yelp and another whimper, louder than the last time, as if the phone was right near the person who made the sound. “Tell her I love her, and Dudle- arrrgh!” Harry could hear in the background, “That wasn’t what I told you to say!” there was a protracted scream and then more whimpering. Harry stared open mouthed at the floor, he couldn’t believe his ears. It couldn’t have been who it sounded like, “Uncle Vernon!?” Petunia let out a sob. “Say it right this time, Muggle!” Another yelp. “Do whatever he says, Potter. Give him whatever he wants. For the love of god-“ There was some talking in the background Harry couldn’t hear, but it sounded like Uncle Vernon was repeating something, “He wants to know about, about his prophecy.” Harry felt a knot form in his stomach, like a snake coiling and uncoiling itself inside him. As much as he hated Uncle Vernon, he wouldn’t wish Voldemort’s wrath on his worst enemy, “I already told him, it smashed in the Death Chamber.” Harry said dully. That was true enough. “I can’t tell him that! I order you to tell him!” It was a command, but it sounded more desparate and scared. “I can’t tell him anything!” He said, again trying to avoid a direct lie for fear that Voldemort would know. “Where are you?” “Grunnings.” Harry remembered the corridor and would have smacked his forehead if it didn’t hurt so much already. He should have known it was a muggle building. “Well, muggle! What is Potter saying?” “He said- he said… oh please don’t hurt me!” “The pain shall stop very soon.” Voldemort said with a smile in his voice. (“Thank you!”) Harry’s stomach turned, the true meaning of his words were obviously beyond Vernon’s comprehension, “Now. Tell me what he said.” Voldemort purred. “He said- said that the prophecy had broken and that there wasn’t anything to tell.” “Do I need to do everything myself!? Accio telephone!” Voldemort’s voice became louder as the phone hurtled toward him, “ Potter! Do you want to save your Uncle’s life? Your Aunts? Your Cousin’s? Then I suggest you cooperate! You know something, Potter! I can feel it in the back of my brain and one way or the other, I will find out what it is. I will not stop until I do. I will kill everyone in your life, everyone you care about, until you tell me. I have already started, I am told you were quite fond of your godfather Sirius Black. Weren’t you?” Harry felt his anger rise at the flippant mentioning of his godfather’s death. Harry said nothing, “Yes, I thought so. That is your problem Potter: You care too much.” “At least I can care.” “And where has caring got you?”, another stony silence, “Do you see what I am talking about?” Silence, “You are running out of time, Potter. If you want to save your uncle’s life, now is the time to do it.” His scar burned again. Clear my mind of thought, clear my mind of emotion, clear my mind of thought, clear my mind… Harry thought, but how could anyone not think or feel when a person’s life rested on your words? If he said something, it would jeopardize every effort the Order of the Phoenix had made to protect the prophecy from Voldemort. It just seemed so useless. So what if Voldemort knew the prophecy? What did he care? There was the chance that it didn’t even refer to him anyway. I which case, his efforts would have been for naught. The whole thing was just so chancy and vague to begin with. If he didn’t say anything, his Uncle would most certainly be killed. Nothing was so clear as that. His aunt, of course, would blame him and throw him out of the house, canceling the blood-charm his mother had placed on him. His mother. His mother had died trying to save him. Defying Voldemort. This thought filled him with, not so much courage, but direction. “I have nothing to say to you.” Voldemort filled with rage and the pain in Harry’s scar became unbearable. Spots danced in front of his eyes as he was able to clearly see his uncle’s terrified face in the flash of blinding green.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Jul 24, 2005 22:50:22 GMT -5
Harry awoke some time later, his glasses askew and pressed against the side of his face. He stood up carefully, wondering why he was on the kitchen floor. He saw the phone lying next to him and heard Petunia sobbing in the living room. Ice seemed to slip into his stomach as he recalled what had happened.
Harry hung up the phone and made his way to the living room. Petunia didn’t look up.
“He’s dead isn’t he.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes.” Harry whispered.
Petunia’s sobs became louder.
“Aunt Petunia, I’m- I’m so sor-“
“You’re sorry?!” She snapped, “You being sorry isn’t going to bring Vernon back, is it? All the magic in the world can’t do that. Not before, not now, not ever. I’d thought I’d gotten away from all the killing…” She muttered, “But then you had to go show up at our door, unasked for, and now look where it’s gotten us… It was him, wasn’t it?” She turned to Harry, her eyes wide with fear.
“Who?”
“The wizard who, who…”
The wizard who killed Uncle Vernon. Harry thought. She couldn’t say it,
“The one who gave you the scar.”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t believe he could come here. How could he find us? We were protected! Dumbledore said we were protected as long as you were here…”
What had gone wrong? Harry thought. Had it really canceled the blood-protection when uncle Vernon told him to leave last year? Harry didn’t think so. But even so, it was clear they weren’t safe here anymore.
Petunia seemed to think the same thing, “We can’t stay here.” She said with finality in her voice, “We, we must leave now. Get your cousin up.”
Harry groaned, getting Dudley up was a dangerous job. Harry didn’t argue, however. He stalked up the stairs.
When he came down again, with a bleary eyed Dudley in tow, he saw Petunia was standing at the front door, ready to leave. “What’s going on? What time is it?” Dudley moaned, “It’s bloody summer mum! Why are you waking me up now?”
“Don’t worry popkin, you’ll be able to sleep again in a little while.” She flung open the front door, not bothering to lock it.
“Aunt Petunia, I think I should tell Mrs. Figg, she should know so she can tell-“
“The less who know, the better.”
“Mum? Where are you going? The car’s in the garage.”
“We aren’t taking the car Duddy, we’ll take the bus.”
“Oh, the bus.” Dudley said sleepily, it was too early for him to remember they weren’t on a bus route.
Harry remembered, however, “Are we going to walk all the way to-“
If Harry had blinked, he would have missed it, they were now walking towards the curb in front of Number four, when suddenly Petunia stopped, pulled something long and thin from her pocket and stuck it purposefully out in front of her.
There was a loud Pop! And a bright blue bus had appeared out of nowhere.
Harry gaped and looked at Petunia’s hand.
It held a wand.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Jul 24, 2005 22:54:25 GMT -5
As was their daily custom, Raven and Eustace sat together over lunch in the great hall. Thorne was close by, ready to liberate choice bits of food off their plates whenever either of them wasn't looking. So, Eustace took too eating with his arm wrapped protectivly around his meal.
Thorne gave the boy a very offended look before turning a predatory gaze on Raven's lunch. She didn't seem to notice as she pushed her food around her plate with her fork and looked at Eustace. He raised his head and noticed her critical stare.
"What?" he asked, "Do I got food on my face?"
"No.." she said squinting her eyes for a moment. "I was just thinking.. We may have to alter your appearance a bit.." She parryed Thorne's paw with her fork as he attempted to snag a piece of chicken into his waiting jaws. Thorne drew back and began studying his paws innocently.
"Why? I mean I don't gel back my hair anymore. Isn't that enough?" Eustace asked, while deftly moving his plate out of Thorne's reach. The Draven cat narrowed his eyes at the boy, then back at Raven.
spoilsports... Thorne pouted, before sullenly retreating to the far end of the table.
Raven cast an amused smirk at the feline before turning back to Eustace. "That helps, but you still look like a Malfoy, and we need to make you look like an Xavier. Remeber, you are supposed to be my half-brother, and all Xaviers have either black or silver hair."
Eustace leaned back in his chair but quickly hunched back over his plate as he noticed Thorne focusing intently on his lunch. He thought for a moment then came to a decision.
"I guess black hair would be okay," he said, while iddely tapping his fork against his plate. "I mean, silver hair's way to much like blonde hair if you really think about it.. Maybe I should grow it out a bit as well?"
Raven smiled. "That sounds good, Eustace. We'll take care of it later tonight. Now, if you'll excuse me, I got some work to do. I have to finish planning my lessons. I'll see you tonight." She pushed her plate towards Thorne, who fell upon it with great gusto. Eustace took the break in Thorne's stalking to quickly finish his meal, before running off to find Hermione.
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Raven headed to her room, intent on finishing her lesson plan for the upcoming year. As she mentally went over a checklist of books she was going to have the students get for her class, she was vaguely aware of a familiar figure falling in step next to her. She turned her head to see that Snape had joined her.
"Hi," she smiled, noticing he had a pensive look upon his face. "Whats wrong?" she asked, her head tilting in puzzlement.
"Not sure yet," he replied, "Albus wants to see us in his office."
Raven raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. The two of them continued on their way to the Head Master's office in a companionable silence. Just as they reached the door, they saw that Jeremy Darkur was just arriving as well. The young man smiled and causually leaned against the wall.
"So, I take it that you were called for a mysterious meeting as well?" he drawled lazily. Snape nodded curtly before putting his hand on the handle and opening the door.
As the three of them enter the room, Raven shook her head and turned to Albus, who was looking at the lot of them with a gleeful twinkle in his eye.
"Um you wanted to see us about something?" she asked.
Dumbledore nodded, “I’ve called you all here to tell you the location of the Order of the Phoenix as I am the secret-keeper. The location is 12 Grimmauld Place, London. I must ask you to memorize it.”
Jeremy opened his mouth to say something, when Remus Lupin burst into the room. He was panting as if he had been running a long distance and looked disheveled and greatly upset.
"Remus," Dumbledore asked, "What's happened?"
"I-It's Harry!" came the gasping reply, "He's gone missing!"
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“’ey! It’s ‘arry Potter! ‘allo ‘arry!” It was Stan Shunpike, the Knight Bus conductor. “So, where’er you want to go then?”
“Uh…I don’t know, Stan. It’s my Aunt who’s called you.”
“So’s this’s your aunt is it? ‘ello there, ‘arry’s aunt.” He beamed at her, apparently not noticing the sour disdainful look Petunia was giving him.
“The Snidget’s, Ottery St. Catchpole.” She sniffed, pulling a handful of sickles from her pocket and paying him without stopping to talk and pulling Dudley behind her. Harry gave Stan an apologetic look. Stan just beamed at him.
Dudley had hardly batted an eye at the bus, and fell asleep almost as soon as he sank into one of the squashy armchairs. Either he thought he was still dreaming or wasn’t awake enough to have noticed that the bus had appeared out of nowhere and was much bigger on the inside than the outside.
Harry however was wide awake, and gaping at his aunt as if he had never seen her before. Petunia is a witch. He said to himself in his head, it just didn’t sound right to put Petunia and witch in the same sentence, unless, of course you were using witch in the derogatory sense.
“Where’r we going.”
“An old friend of mine’s.” Giving him a look that clearly told him not to ask any more questions.
They both sank into silence, Petunia sniffling into a handkerchief, Dudley snoring loudly. Harry could feel the eyes of the other passengers on them.
Wherever they were going, Harry knew, he had to contact the Order somehow, and tell them that the charm had somehow been broken. He was no longer safe.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Jul 24, 2005 23:00:47 GMT -5
As soon as Dumbledore, Snape, Raven and Jeremy were far enough away from Howarts to apparate, they did so. There was no time to lose. If Potter was missing…
12 Grimmauld Place, for the most part, was as it had been before Sirius’ death. The grass had grown long in their absence (and Kreacher did nothing to remedy this) and the vine which they had pruned back had started to creep over the masonry.
When Snape entered the kitchen he saw that Tonks, Mad-Eye, Arabella, Molly and the rest were already there.
“I swear I’ll skin him alive!” Fumed Mrs. Figg. She rounded on Dumbledore and pointed a finger at him, “I told you not to trust Dung! He’s a blithering idiot who has no sense of responsibility! Who knows! Potter could be dead and it’s his fault!” She pointed an accusing finger at Dung who was trying to make himself as inconspicuous as he could, “Do you see this, Dumbledore?” She waved a Muggle newspaper in front of him, “It’s a copy of the evening news, there’s been a mysterious death at Grunnings Drills. They aren’t calling it murder because they can’t find a cause of death.” She glared at him. Moody, seemed to growl under his breath, Molly wept, “It’s sound’s bloody likely that it was an Avada Kedavra. Oh, and did I mention that the deceased was Vernon Dursley?”
There was a silence.
It was lucky that Kreacher chose then to make his appearance, otherwise they may not have noticed him there. He shuffled through the doorway, “Oh, you’re all back here are you? Back to destroy the memory of my old mistress… Got what he deserved, my mistress’ son did. Blood traitor…”
Everyone stared at him.
“Old Mistress? What do you mean by old mistress?” asked Dumbledore, Kreacher pretended he hadn’t heard.
“What do you mean by-“ Dumbledore repeated louder, but Snape had taken his wand out and said something under his breath. He bent down to eye level with Kreacher who seemed to have been petrified.
Snape stood up again, and Shacklebolt did a spell as he did. Kreacher blinked as if he’d been woken up but couldn’t remember going to sleep. Shacklebolt did another bit of covert spellwork and Kreacher shuffled from the room in a hurry.
“He has found another Black to serve…” Snape said ominously. “Bellatrix Lestrange.”
"I guess we can safely assume that this place is no longer safe to meet," Tonks stated sardonically.
The others stood silently, the shock of all this new information not quite sinking in yet. Dumbledore's eyes had gone cold and steely.
"First things first," He said, casting his eyes on the assembled group. "It is imperative that we find Harry as quickly as we can." He turned to Mad-Eye. "Alastor, I need you to take Tonks and Remus to go find Harry. Retrace his steps, do whatever you can."
Mad-Eye nodded and hearded his group out of the building. Dumbledore raked a hand through his hair, and turned his gaze towards the others. "As Tonks stated before, we can no longer stay here. We need to quickly establish a new headquarters."
"Albus.. I think I know a place...." Raven began a little hesitant, "But I need to straighten things out a bit before it can be used. Plus it's deffinetly going need the use of some house elves..." She finished, making a face.
"I think we have a few who might be willing to help you out," Dumbledore replied. "How long will it take you to make preperations for the rest of us to come join you."
"I think about a few hours," she said, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
"Do you need any help?"
Raven paused, biting her lip, looking a bit apprehensive. "I don't know...."
"If you'd like, I'll go help you," said Snape, rather quietly. Raven looked at him, relief and distress warring in her eyes. Finally relief won out. She nodded quickly.
"Okay.. Lets go." She turned to Dumbledore. "I'll notify you as soon as the rest of you can join us." With that she led Snape out the door.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Jul 24, 2005 23:01:35 GMT -5
Raven and Snape aparated into a small clearing surrounded by dark, imposing woods. As if facing an unwanted, but much needed task, Raven squared her shoulders and stalked towards an overgrown and nearly hidden path. Snape followed her, noticing that her back was a stiff line, and her hands were clenched into fists. He caught up to her, and fell in step besides her, glancing at her face. She noticed and tried to smile at him, but failed misreably. Before he could ask her what was wrong, a pair of large wrought-iron gates loomed out of the darkness.
Raven placed her hands on the gates and they gave a metalic groan as they swung open. The grounds beyond were overgrown and wild, vines and withered plants covering nearly everything in sight. The both of them gingerly picked their way towards a large sprawling building made of stone and covered with ivy. As they reached the large oaken doors, Snape could see a huge door knocker on the shape of a ferocious dragon's head. The knocker itself was inside the Dragon's gaping, toothy jaws. Snape had a momentary sense of déjà vu, remebering the Draven knocker from the other world. He wouldn't be surpised if the thing would try to bite anyone who tried to reach their hand inside...
Raven paused at the door, her body radiating nervous energy. She turned to Snape, and he could tell she was gathering up courage to say something to him.
"Severus, before we go in, I need to warn you that we have to be very quiet..." she said softly.
Snape nodded and watched as Raven placed her hand in the dragon's mouth. He was alarmed when he saw it's jaws begin to close and was going to pull her away, but she shook her head. One of the Dragon's teeth just barely grazed her skin, drawing a pinprick of blood. Then it's eyes glowed an ominous green, before the jaws opened once more, releasing Raven's hand.
The portal swung open, and the air inside the manor was reminicent of a tomb. They both silently stepped in, and Raven reached out to close the door, when a malicious gust of wind slammed it loudly shut. The quiet of the house was shattered by a loud belowing voice.
"MURDERESS!!! Have you come back to finish the job?!?! Monster! Abomination! Tratourous Spawn of HELL!!"
Snape had another tremendous sense of déjà vu, at the sound of the shrieking coming what appeared to be a portrait of a man with green eyes… his age was indeterminable to Snape for he appeared young but had silver hair. This reminded him strongly of the Black Estate.
Raven's spine stiffened once more and her eyes flashed in anger. Her lip curled back in a snarl as she glared up at the portrait that screamed down at her.
"Shut..Up.." She hissed between clenched teeth.
The portrait sneered at her, "Wench, I should have drowned you as soon as your mother popped you out! First you kill you mother with your god-forsaken birth, then you kill me..."
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UUUUUUUUUUUUP!" she howled, her pupils slitting, her nails lengthening into talons. She took several steps towards the portrait, who realized that it's existance was in peril. It retreated from the frame, to another of the many portraits spread across the manor. Raven bolted into a side room for fear of losing control in front of Snape.
He found her in what apeared to be a sitting area, her head hunched over her claws gripping the back of a dusty, yet elegant settee. He walked over to her, not sure what to say.
"Go away," she hissed softly, as her shoulders trembled with barely supressed anger.
"No." he said firmly.
"Please... Leave... I don't..." She couldn't finish as she choked on her rage.
He looked at her for a moment. "Are you afraid you're going to hurt me?" he asked softly.
At his words, all of the anger drained out of her. Her shoulders sagged and her claws turned back into fingernails.
"No," she whispered, "I could never harm you. I-I'm afraid you'd hate me if you knew.. if you saw what kind of monster I really am.."
“Yes! A monster! Yes!” The picture, who had krept into a painting of a fruit basket, chimed in, “That’s what she is, Severus.” Snape’s head snapped up, the picture had called him by name? But he’d never been here before. Raven growled low in her throat and the picture tensed, ready to bolt at the first sign of danger, the only thing that kept him there was the fact that he was enjoying taunting Raven in front of someone she clearly liked, and he knew she wouldn’t harm him while Snape was in the room, “Yes, wouldn’t you like to know what kind of monster she really is?” The man smiled evilly, “Or are you to enamored of this succubus to hear the truth?”
“I would not say such things if I were you.” Snape growled, raising his wand defensively, the picture flinched and Snape lowered it again, “I think we have all made our mistakes.” He said coldly, “And I already know that she is part Draven. Honestly, it doesn’t matter-“
“Fool! You aren’t listening! I am telling you she is a murderess!”
“AND I AM TELLING YOU I DON’T GIVE A DAMN!” Snape yelled over the pictures rants, “And if what I have guessed is correct, and that it is you she’s killed, if she’s killed anyone, I’m not sure I believe you anyway, but if it’s you she’s killed, then I don’t blame her. If I recall, you were one of the Dark Lord’s more sadistic members. And anything you’ve gotten, I’m positive you deserved it, Viktor” Snape’s obsidian eyes glittered menacingly at the painting.
Raven stepped around Snape, her face hidden by her bangs and shadows. Although Snape could not see the expression on her face, Victor could, and his arrogant smirk quickly faded. Raven raised her wand and Viktor let out a yelp of fear before diving out of the portrait just in the nick of time.
"Incendio" she hissed as a ball of flame shot from her wand onto the portrait. Nothing was left of the picture but a large scorch mark. After a few moments of silence, Raven finally spoke again, but did not turn to face Snape.
"Did you mean what you said?" she asked softly. "About not giving a damn about what I am? What I've done?"
He nodded, "I don't say things I don't mean. Not to those who matter to me. I suppose we'll have to destroy all the pictures..."
Raven finally turned and nodded, her bangs still hiding her face.
"Yes... We'll be at it for quite a while... There a quite a lot of portaits of Xavier men here, and not all of them are nearly as nice as my father."
She went to go past, but paused momentarily in front of him. She leaned over and softly brushed her lips against his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered before exiting the room.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Jul 30, 2005 1:40:44 GMT -5
The house Harry arrived at was as spotless as number four, and the witch who lived there was an exact copy of Aunt Petunia, except for the fact that she treated him like Aunt Petunia treated the Masons, which seemed to confuse Aunt Petunia.
“Harry Potter! It can’t be Harry Potter!” Said a short red faced wizard who shook Harry’s hand vigorously, “Priscilla! Have you seen? Have you seen who’s in our house?!”
“Of course I have! I know his aunt from school!” She said importantly, as if a little of Harry’s fame had rubbed off on to her. He would have gladly given it all to her, if he could.
Dudley wasn’t taking any of this well. It had been a double blow for him, to find out his father had died and his mother was a witch. Harry had to steer a wide berth of him, to keep him from relieving his frustrations out on him. Although he really needn’t have worried, Aunt Petunia wouldn’t have stood for it, seeing how her friends treated him like royalty. So, much to Harry’s chagrin, he tried to stay within sight of his Aunt or her friends just so Dudley couldn’t try anything.
“Wouldn’t you like more potatoes Mr. Potter?” said Priscilla Snidget in the same tone Aunt Petunia took when company was over.
“Uh- no thank you, Mrs. Snidget, I think the third helping was enough.” Dudley looked longingly at the potatoes Harry’d been offered. While Aunt Petunia gave Dudley a harsh look which said, ‘not until you are offered’.
Harry would have enjoyed this immensely except for the fact that he had several things on his mind which were more important than Dudley-torture.
One: How had the charm been broken? He had done everything Dumbledore had said. Why weren’t they protected anymore
Two: And if they weren’t protected anymore, he wasn’t safe anywhere; not here, not even Hogwarts.
Three: And if he wasn’t safe, he absolutely needed to contact the Order. But how? Hedwig had been left at Privet Drive with the rest of his things, (including his wand and broom) Harry had thought that doing a little underage wizardry right now would have been a good thing, at least someone would be able to find him.
But everything was back at Privet Drive, even his robes (he’d borrowed some from Mr. Snidget, but they were too short for him.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Snidget?"
"Oh please Mr. Potter! Call me Priscilla."
"Only if you stop calling me Mr. Potter."
"Yes, okay then, Harry, what did you have need of again?"
"Do you have an owl I can borrow?"
"Why ye-"
"No!" Petunia butted in.
"Why on earth not!?"
"You don't want You-Know-Who here do you?"
She turned pale, "No, of course I don't."
"If Harry send any letters, that's exactly what will happen. I've already told you the reason we're here in the first place."
"Oh... I suppose you are right, Petunia..."
"I know." She left the room.
She gave Harry a helpless look, "I suppose even The-Boy-Who-Lived should excercise some caution. Even if he has beaten You-Know-Who countless times. It's lucky your Aunt looks out for you so well."
"Yes. Lucky me."
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Before Lupin could put his hand on the doorknob, Moody stopped him. “Are you daft? I know you’re eager to find the lad but don’t go making stupid judgement errors! Constant vigilance!” He growled, “At least let me check it out first.” Moody’s magical eye stared at (through) the door. After a minute or so of eye rolling, he announced it was safe to proceed.
Nothing had been touched. The house was as clean as Petunia had left it. And there wasn’t a soul inside. There was some cold tea on the stove and an empty cup in the living room. One of the floor boards had been prised open, but other than that the house was completely untouched.
Lupin headed up the stairs and started searching the bedrooms. Everything was as muggle-ordinary as can be. Finally he came to Harry’s room. His trunk sat exactly where it always was, no sign of a struggle.
There was a loud hoot and Lupin jumped, it was Hedwig who was still locked in her cage. Suddenly an idea formed in his head. He unlatched Hedwig’s cage and Hedwig immediately flew out. Opening Harry’s trunk, he pulled parchement, a quill, some ink and Harry’s Firebolt. On the parchment he wrote only two words: To Harry.
He sealed the parchement and was about to give it to Hedwig when-
“Oy! What’re you doing?” Tonks looked completely surprised
“I’ve just had an idea. Owls can find anyone. Why can’t we just send Harry’s owl to deliver a note to him, and then we follow it?”
“Follow it where? Right into a trap? I’m all for a little risk, but only if it’s necessary.”
“If we don’t find him now, there’s no telling what they might-“
“And if you jump in there, you’ll end up just like Sirius.”
“I don’t want Harry to end up like Sirius.”
--- Meanwhile:
Harry was wandering listlessly about the Snidget’s back yard while Dudley de-gnomed the lawn. It would have been fun to watch the horrid looks Dudley gave him every chance he got, but for the fact that Harry wouldn’t have minded a good de-gnoming. It reminded him of the Weasleys. But the Snidgets wouldn’t allow him to do an ounce of anything they deemed work, and Petunia went right along with them, He wasn’t sure if she was keeping up the niceties to impress her friends, or because she’d truly seen how famous Harry was in the Wizarding World. (They’d never really talked about anything that happened at Hogwarts, because any mention of the ‘m’ word sent Vernon into hysterics.
Petunia didn’t talk about Vernon at all, although he could see a sort sadness behind her eyes. Dudley was taking out his aggressions on the gnomes which made Harry very relieved while at the same time feeling bad for the gnomes. They wouldn’t be coming back to this yard for a while.
Something hit Harry hard in the back of his head, “Quit it, D!” He yelled, thinking Dudley had tossed a lawn gnome at him.
But it wasn’t a lawn gnome, it was a fuzzy grey owl that looked like a tennis ball with wings. Harry recognized it immediately, “Pig! What are you doing here?” He picked up a parchment that had fallen to the ground. It was a letter from Ron.
Before he had a chance to open it, it was taken from his hand. He vaguely heard Dudley yelling about the owl. Harry looked to see Petunia had taken the letter, “That’s my letter, give it back.” Memories of his Hogwarts letter flooded back to him.
The Snidget’s were staring at Petunia. She must have noticed, because she shoved the letter at Harry and asked who it was from, “It’s from my friend, Ron.”
“Ron?” Harry thought that had been the first time she had actually said his best friend’s name, “Oh…you mean one of the red haired- people.” Petunia looked like she was about to say something nasty about them, but restrained herself in time, “Well… alright then… but you can’t reply.”
“But-“
“But nothing… can’t be too careful.”
“Oh come on! It isn’t like Ron Weasley’s going to tell Voldemort where I am!” Everyone flinched except for Harry and Dudley. Mrs. Snidget looked shocked, while Mr. Snidget looked like a cross between shocked and impressed.
“The answer is no. No letters. Send the owl away.”
“But-“
“Now!”
“Oh fine.” He nudged Pig, who was hopping around on the grass. He promptly took flight again. Harry watched him fly off. Only one thing consoled him, the fact that Ron would know something was up if Pig didn’t return with a reply.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Jul 30, 2005 1:42:16 GMT -5
It had taken Raven and Snape nearly two hours to dispose of the pictures in the manor. Word of their destruction spread quickly among the portraits. So once Raven or Snape came near a picture the inhabitants fled towards another portrait. Finally there was only one portrait left. It was a large paining of a vast spacious field. But the effect was ruined by the hundred or so Xavier men crowded in the field, quivering in fear.
Raven raised her wand, her lips parted, a spell ready to spill from her mouth, but something stoppped her. She lowered her wand as an evil grin twisted her lips. She turned away from the portrait and began to leave the room.
"Aren't you going to destroy the painting?" Snape asked as he blocked her path with his arm.
"No," she replied, casting a glance over her shoulder, pitching her voice so that it would carry to the inhabitants of the portrait. "There is no need for it. The room is soundproof, and as soon as I close this door, I plan on sealing the room. Permanently."
She ignored the gasps of shock and cursing coming from the painting behind her, as she looked at Snape, waiting for his reaction. He said nothing, although she thought she might have seen a ghost of a smirk pull at the corners of his mouth, as he moved out of her path and exited the room. Raven turned one last time to cast an evil grin at the portrait, before slaming the door shut and sealing them away in darkness.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
A few minutes later, Raven stood in front of a blazing fire in one of the manor's many sitting rooms, conversing with Dumbledore thru the flame.
"Dragon's Gate is ready for the others to come." Raven said before sneezing as dust tickled her sensitive nose. "All it needs now is a good cleaning. You said you knew some house elves that could help?"
Dumbledore's head nodded in the flames. "Three to be exact. We can also send the others to help as well."
Raven rubbed the bridge of her nose, hoping to prevent another sneeze. "While you're at it send Eustace along to help with the cleaning." She noticed Snape's rasied eyebrow and hastened to explain. "He's been complaining about me asking him to keep his room tidy. So I figure I'd give him a taste of real work in comparison."
Snape smirked, "Then you might as well send Hermione along too. I've heard she's been complaining of boredom. This should give her something constructive to do."
* * * * * *
A half hour later, the cleaning party arrived, consisting of Bill, Shacklebolt, three house elves, and two very disgruntled looking teenagers.
“Cleaning?” Hermione hissed at her uncle
“Yes, well you were the one complaining of boredom. You’ll be so busy, you won’t have a chance to be bored, will you.” He smirked at her exasperated expression.
“Hummpf!” She stomped off to find Eustace who was talking to Bill.
"Can you belive this?" she snarled, "They're making us clean? What do they think we are? Cheap labor?"
Eustace made a face, and nodded in agreement. "Remind me to never again complain about picking up my room," he muttered under his breath, as Raven walked up to them, holding two buckets full of soapy water, some rags and a mop. She set her armload in front of them and steped back.
"I'll let you guys decided who does what, but I suggest you start in the dining room," she smiled. Eustace's face drew up into a scowl.
"Do we have to clean this whole place?" he asked sullenly.
"No, but I figure we take care of the places we plan on using immediately, and let the house elves take care of everything else," Raven smirked. "Hey just be glad you don't have to do the whole place by yourself, like I had to."
Hermione gave Raven a speculative look. "You had to clean this whole place? By yourself?"
Raven shrugged, "Yeah ever since I was seven." She didn't eleborate any further, as she quickly changed the subject. "Anywaaays, you guys better get moving." She walked off and stated pulling dustly tapistries off the walls.
After what felt like hours later, both Hermione and Eustace were coated from head to toe in dust and dirt. Bill, although somewhat dusty, was almost sparkling clean in comparisson to the two teenagers. He had more experience with manual housework than they did.
Herminone muttered curses under her breath, as she viciously scrubbed several years worth of grime from a stained glass window in the entry foyer. She glanced at Eustace who was unsucsessly trying to scrub out a large brownish stain on in the middle of the stairwell landing, while Bill was off getting clean water and rags. Raven entered the room, carrying an armload of sheets and tapestries, but stopped in her tracks when her eyes fell on Eustace.
"Eustace, stop that." She said in a strained voice. The boy stopped and looked up at Raven quizically. Her face was pale as she looked at the stain. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, regaining her composure. "The stain.. It's not going to come out," she said in a falsly casual voice. "Just leave it be and we'll put something over it."
Eustace casted a puzzled glance at Hermione, who just shrugged back, just as clueless. "Um okay," he replied carefully. "Er- do you need any help?" he asked gesturing towards her armload.
"No," she replied, "Hey, you guys have been at this for a while, why don't you take a break. I think we got some food ready in the kitchen.."
Both Eustace and Hermione wasted no time, dropping they cleaning impliments and rushing off towards the kitchen, before Raven could finish her sentance. She chuckled softly, before turing to look at the stain. She shuddered and quickly left the room.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Jul 30, 2005 1:45:20 GMT -5
“What’s wrong, Pig? Drop the letter?” Pig fluttered through the window of the Burrow barely five minutes after he’d left and was hooting happily at the table, picking on some sausages.
“Get the owl off the table, Ron.” Molly said sternly. She’d been acting edgy all day. Her eyes were red and baggy, as if she hadn’t gotten a lot of sleep and she’d been snapping at anyone who had the misfortune to be in the same room with her. As for Arthur, he’d stayed overnight at work last night.
“Sorry, my fault, mum.” Ginny said, pulling Pig off the table. Ron gave her a questioning look. She motioned him out of the room.
“Oh come on, Ron. You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed something odd is going on! Mum’s got her moods, but this is different. Everytime she looks at us, she looks as if she’s going to start crying.”
“Oh, she’s probably gotten another letter from Percy or something.” Ron rolled his eyes.
“I don’t think so, Ron. This just…I don’t know… feels different.” They both fell silent. Finally Ginny spoke, “And what was Pig doing on the table anyway?”
“I’d just sent a letter to Harry, only Pig couldn’t have gotten to Surrey and back that quickly. I was just going to write another letter. I thought maybe he dropped it, you know Pig.”
“Pig has never dropped a letter, Ron.” Her face screwed up in intense concentration, “Do you think someone took the letter, by force?”
“No. Pig wouldn’t have looked so pleased with himself.”
“And he wouldn’t have looked pleased if he’d dropped the letter either.”
“What are you suggesting? That Pig delivered the letter? He couldn’t have, Ginny, Pig wasn’t gone five minutes. Unless you’re saying Harry’s right here in Ottery St. Catchpole, I don’t see how Pig could have gotten the letter to him so fast.”
“You’re right, there’s only one thing to do…”
“What’s that?”
“Write another letter and see what happens.”
“I was going to do that anyway, oh… I left my quill and stuff in the kitchen.”
Ron and Ginny went back into the kitchen, Molly was banging about the cupboards muttering to herself. They tiptoed quietly to the table, trying not to attract her attention.
“What are you two doing skulking about?”
“Nothing mum! Just writing a letter!”
“Honestly you get more like Fred and George every day,” She said sharply, “ So, who’s the letter for, hmm?”
“Since when do you monitor who I owl?”
“Since you’ve been skulking about!”
“We’re not skulking! And if you really must know, the letter’s for Harry.”
It was like they pushed an invisible button; All the anger drained from Molly’s expression as she sat down and choked back a sob.
“You two… you’d better…” She choked back another sob and indicated some chairs.
“What’s the matter mum?”
“I know I should have told you right away, but I didn’t- It never seemed like the right time. I suppose there is no right time…”
“What’s wrong? What’s happened?”
“It’s Harry… he’s…” tears threatened to spill over her eyes, “You know his uncle?”
“Yeah, the fat git who looks like a tomato.”
“Don’t talk like that Ron!”
“Well he is, mum!”
“He’s dead.”
“Who? Harry!?” Ginny said wide-eyed.
“No…well… actually we aren’t sure. Harry’s uncle’s dead and Harry and his aunt and cousin have all gone missing."
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Post by Demonic Neko on Jul 30, 2005 1:45:48 GMT -5
Harry watched the sun set from the porch of the Snidget’s home, his stomach tied in knots. He didn’t know what he had expected. He had thought Ron would have figured out by now that something was up. He always replied to Ron’s letters. Why didn’t Ron find it odd not to get a reply? He was about to read over Ron’s letter again, but something caught his attention. There was a rustling in the bushes near the edge of the Snidget’s property.
Harry rolled his eyes at himself, it was probably only a gnome trying to sneak back. No. He was wrong, it was much too large to be a lawn gnome. The thing in the shrubs moved along the edge of the property. Harry watched it, for some odd reason fascinated. Then, he saw another rustling patch, following the first. This one was even bigger than the last.
“H-hello?” Harry called out, “Who’s there?”
Suddenly the shrubs burst open and something shot towards Harry with great speed. Either it was too dark to see it, or too fast because he only seemed to feel it whoosh past him. The other shrubbery burst open as well, but far too late. It would never catch up now. The second creature must not have seen Harry, because it, knocked into Harry, and both went tumbling to the ground.
“Ow!” whispered the thing that had hit Harry. That was when he realized it wasn’t a thing, but a person. It was not only a person, but a person he knew.
“Luna!? What’re you doing here!?”
“Who’s that? Harry?”
“Yeah, it’s me. What was that thing? What were you doing in the bushes?”
“Hunting for snarks. They only come out at night, and they’re invisible most of the time. Hard to find. But what about you? What’re you doing at the Snidgets?”
“Unh…Hiding, I guess. Sort of… It’s a long story.” The light went on on the porch.
“Uh oh.. the Snidgets, we’d better go.” She grabbed Harry’s hand.
“Where’re we going?” He whispered.
“My house, next door.”
And they crept back through the shrubbery.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Jul 30, 2005 1:46:16 GMT -5
Never again would Eustace take House Elves for granted. He was covered head to toe with dust and dirt and all the muscles in his arms and hands were throbbing with a dull ache from the amount of manual labor he had done. He and Hermes had decided to split up to get more work done, but actually he was hiding out, giving himself a chance to recuperate. He found a small alcove just off the foyer, obscured behind a huge grandfather clock.
Eustace curled up behind the clock trying to make himself as small as possible, so no one would see him, when his elbow knocked into the wall behind him. He was startled when the brick that his elbow was in contact with, gave way and suddenly the wall behind him disappeared.
For a moment, Eustace stared mutely at the dark chamber that stood before him. He wished that he still had his wand to see into the inky blackness of the room. He quickly stood up and peered out behind the grandfather clock, to make sure no one was wandering by and ran out to snatch a candle from one of the wall sconces that lined most of the manor's hallways.
Light in hand, Eustace cautiously entered the darkness, noting that it wasn't a room at all, but a short hallway leading to a wooden door. He also noticed that there was a glowing panel near the entrance that he had just come in thru. He tentativly pressed it and the entrance silently closed.
Eustace walked to the door and found that it opened easily. He poked his head inside to find a small dust room, littered with books, paint brushes, pencils and quills, empty ink bottles and old guttered candles. In one corner there was a collection of threadbare blankets formed into a crude pallet.
Curiousity washed over him, as he bent down and picked up one of the strewn books. It was covered in a layer of dust, which he wiped off on his already dirty shirt sleeve. He opened the leather bound cover to find and inscription in the first page.
To Raven on your 13th birthday, I hope you keep up you wonderful artwork. Such talent shouldn't be wasted. Albus Dumbledore.
Intrigued, Eustace flipped a few pages to find numerous sketches and drawings done in ink and charcoal, of people, places and creatures. He recognized a younger Dumbledore in some of them, and others were familiar places in and around Hogswarts. Further in the book the drawings took a darker turn. Images of a faceless nearly mosterous man, loomed on the pages, causing a chill to race down Eustace's back.
He quickly shut the book and was tempted to look at another one, when he realized that he had been gone for a quite a while and tho others might be looking for him. His first thought was to go straight to Hermione and tell her about the room, but he hesitated. A part of him wanted to keep the room secret.. Mainly because he wasn't sure if Raven would appreciate it if anyone else came in here. After a moment he decided to keep the room's exsistance to himself, at least for a while. He Set the book back where he found it and quickly made his way out.
-----------------------
The Lovegood’s home was full of all manner of curiosities. Harry wondered where they put the people. Harry enjoyed the sharp contrast between this house and the Snidgets. The Snidgets had been overly clean. It looked phony. But this house looked lived in. Harrys eyes roved over an empty cage, which made him think of Hedwig.
“Oh! Do you have an owl I can borrow?” He said suddenly.
“Oh…sorry Harry, it looks like Fin’s gone out for the night,”
“Luna? Did you catch a snark tonight dear?” Harry assumed it was Luna’s father.
“No, but I caught something better.” She moved so her dad could see Harry, “This is Harry Potter.”
“Harry Potter! I’m so glad to finally get to meet the boy who’s article was so popular I had to run it again” Harry almost laughed, he’d been expecting him to say, ‘the boy who lived’
“Nice to meet you, sir.”
“And to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Well, um sir, before I get into that, may I please use the floo? I need to make an urgent call?”
“I’m so sorry. We aren’t connected to the floo network. There’s evidence that suggests that floo damages the lungs and other vital organs. Did an article about it a couple years back, the research was astonishing, really. I had myself disconnected at once.”
“Oh. Well, is there any way I can contact someone? I need to tell some people where I am. They probably think I’m dead.”
The man rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“Hmm…I can’t think of any-“ Luna was tugging on his sleave.
“Dad, what about the-“ Harry couldn’t hear the rest, because she whispered it in her ear.
“Well, it might work. I’d give it a try, follow me.”
They went up some stairs into what Harry thought must be the attic.
The went all the way to a small window that had been left open. On the sill was a nest and in the nest were three yellow furballs. Harry looked closer, his eyes widening in recognition. They looked like a cross between a canary and a hummingbird.
“I know what those are! Those are golden snidgets!”
“They started nesting here last spring. My Luna’s been taking excellent care of them.”
“I’ve even taught one of them a few tricks,” she said to Harry, “Like delivering small notes, Me and the Fawcetts have been training it all summer, just for fun. They’re not as good at it as post owls, but if they only have to go a short distance…”
“It just might work…” Harry thought of who he could contact that wasn’t far away.
Harry scribbled a short message on an unusually thin piece of parchent about the size of a sticky note, handed it to Luna who plucked the snidget from the air where it was hovering, and tied the note to it’s leg.
The bird shot out of the window, flying in an erratic, unpredictable pattern, just like a snitch.
-------------------------
Ron couldn’t sleep. Every time his eyes closed all he could see was Harry’s mangled body. Or Death Eaters. He’d been having nightmares about the events at the ministry for months but now they were ten times worse with the fear that Harry might well be dead. Add that to the beam of moonlight striking him in the face and the stupid tree branch tapping at the window. And then his door creaked open.
“Who’s there?”
“Ginny.”
“Can’t sleep?”
“No. You?
“No.
“Any idea’s where Harry could be?”
“Yeah. All of them horrible.” Ron said miserably.
“Harry’s beat You-Know-Who five times. If anyone can get away from Death Eaters, it’s Harry.”
“Yeah…I guess you’re-“
“What’s that tapping noise?” Ginny whispered.
“Stupid tree branch. Won’t let me sleep. Not that I could anyway.”
Ginny went over to the window, “Maybe we can move- Ron! Come look! Come look what it is!”
Ron went to the window, saw what was outside, and opened it excitedly, “Blimey! It’s a golden snidget!” The small bird flitted around the room, “Hang on, I think it’s got something tied to his leg, only it’s hard to tell, “He squinted, “I wish it would stay still” He made a grab for the snidget. The snidget dodged it easily. Ginny made a grab for it, brushed against it feathers but missed. It was now just outside the window.
“Ron! Where’s your broom?”
“In the clos- You can’t be serious!”
“You want to see what that snidget’s got or what?” He got the broom out of the closet and handed it to Ginny who flew out the window.
It wasn’t so dark outside, because the moon was nearly full, although snidgets were difficult to catch because their feathers didn’t glint in the light like snitches which were gold.
“Careful Ginny! It’s illegal to use snidgets in Quidditch. And what if mum wakes up?”
“Oh do shut up! I can’t concentrate!”
The snidget weaved between tree branches and bushes with Ginny in hot pursuit. She had been practicing over the summer and she’d gotten quite a bit better. Ron watched, his mouth hanging open and gasping when she nearly flew straight into a tree. Suddenly she spiraled into a dive. Ron thought she wasn’t going to make it, but then-
“Got it!” She shouted, forgetting she was supposed to be quiet. She held the snidget gingerly, being careful not to damage the tiny bird.
“It does have something on it’s leg!” Ginny exclaimed as she flew into the window and dropped the broom. She unwrapped the tiny note and looked at the cramped handwriting screaming excitedly, ‘It’s from Harry! It’s from Harry!’:
Ron. I’m in Ottery St. Catchpole, Luna’s house. I’m okay, but something’s happened. Tell Them to come get me.
Harry
Ron read the note a whooped for joy. They hardly noticed that the snidget had left through the window and Molly had burst in.
“What’s going on in here!”
“It’s from Harry, mum! He’s alive! Look!” Ginny shoved the small parchement at her, when she was done reading it, she burst into tears.
“I must contact the order immediately.”
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Post by Demonic Neko on Jul 30, 2005 1:48:27 GMT -5
The manor was looking better than it had in years. Although the outside still looked the same, overgrown and wild, but once you opened the doors the change was startling. The entry foyer, dinning room and sitting area were no longer dusty and covered with cobwebs. The tapestries were freshly laundered and mended. New rugs had been placed on the stone floors and steps.
Hermione and Eustace sat listlessly in a corner of the sitting room, grubby and covered in filth. Their bodies ached, seeing as they were both unused to the type of physical labor involved in house cleaning. Raven walked by, her black turtleneck and jeans now grey with dust, dirt smudging her cheeks and nose. Eustace flung himself dramatically on the floor in front of her and grabbed at her ankle.
"Raven , puh-leeeeeeeeeeease tell us we don't have to clean anymore?" he begged looking up at her with large soulfull eyes. "If I have to wash another window, my hands will fall off!"
Raven peered down at the boy with an amused grin. "Well," she drawled, "I guess we can't have that happening, now can we?" She helped both teenagers on to their feet. "Why don't you two go upstairs and clean up?" Raven gave them directions on how to get to the nearest bathrooms and went off, presumably to clean another room.
So as they rushed into the foyer, both determined to get to the bathroom first, they stopped in their tracks at the sight of the person coming thru the manor's front door. His hair may have been scruffy and short, and he now wore glasses, and then there was that odd shaped scar... But they regonized him imediately.
"Harry..?" Hermione whispered.
"What happened to your forehead?" Eustace asked at the same time.
Harry, at least they thought it was Harry, looked at them in total confusion. "Er- Do I know you?"
Luckly a distraction came in the form of an energetic house elf.
"Oh Harry Potter sir!" came Doby's squeking voice as he popped in between them. This gave Hermione time to get her thoughts back in order. Of course this was not her cousin Harry, but this world's version of him. And of course he wouldn't know her. She didn't exist in this world.. She had to get herself and Eustace out of here before they said anything stupid... She inwardly winced as she remembered Eustace's tactless comment.. Well anything more stupid at any rate..
Hermione cast a look at Harry who was trying to simeltaniously listen to the stream of words coming from the house elf, while trying to avoid being trampled on by the large group of people entering the manor behind him. She took this moment to grab Eustace's arm and drag him away, before anyone could notice them.
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Snape cleared away his cauldron with a flick of his wand. He’d been making cleaning solutions to help with the housework and was filthy from the greasy smoke that curled up from one of the shining solutions he’d made for the hardwood furniture.
While packing away his things, he gradually became aware of voices coming from the foyer. It sounded as though they’d found Harry by the way Lucius’ old house elf was squeaking. He made up his mind to give that boy a piece of his mind.
“Snape?!” Harry, Ron and Ginny looked at Snape’s new haircut (or lack thereof) as he walked through the room. Before he could retort however, another person caught his attention.
A horrible smile curled on Petunia’s lips, “Snivellus?” She sneered.
“Evans.” His eyes darted from Harry to Petunia as if he couldn’t decide who to sneer at first.
“Snivellus?” Ginny and Ron said at the same time, they looked as if Christmas had come early. Did someone just dare to call the feared and loathed potions master a name? A knot started to wind itself in Harry’s stomach. He hadn’t told them about the incident in the pensieve. Harry immediately tried to pull his friends out of the line of fire. Dudley hid behind his mom.
“Shut up, Weasleys!” Snape’s eyes darted to them.
“Did you forget to cut your hair or are you saving the grease to use as tanning lotion?” Harry suddenly noticed the angry red burn that covered Snape’s usually sallow skin. It did indeed look like he’d been trying to tan, unsuccessfully.
“Hold your tongue, mu-woman (was he going to say mudblood?). I don’t care whose aunt you are.” Snape growled dangerously. Dudley whimpered, “And you haven’t got your Gryffindor sister to protect you.”
Petunia laughed, “This from Whipping Boy of Slytherin House!”
Snape’s eyes darted to Harry’s again, and Harry remembered the memory in the pensieve, with sudden clarity he remembered seeing his aunt there, with the rest of the girls near the water. “Not one more word!” Snape had whipped out his wand and Petunia did the same. No one else moved.
“Lucius only liked you because of the rumours. He always liked danger.”
“I’m not an idiot.”
“Are you sure? With a nose that large, it hardly leaves room for any brains.”
“Hag! Do you th-“ He didn’t get a chance to finish because Dudley leapt out from behind his mother, fists flying.
“My mum isn’t a hag!” Had Snape not been concentrating so hard on Petunia, he would have been able to get off a spell before Dudley’s fist connected with Snape’s jaw.
Before anything else could happen, there was a loud bang and Dudley froze.
“That’s enough of that, I think.” Growled Moody, glaring at Dudley, Snape and Petunia with both eyes, “You can settle school rivalries on your own time, Dursley. Although I can’t imagine what sort of school rivalry could erupt between house members. And Snape, if it wasn’t so important that we get down to business, I’d report this childish behavior to Dumbledore. It better not happen again. As for you,” He fixed his eyes on Dudley, “You aught not try anything like that again. Or I’ll be sure to transfigure you into a punching bag. Understand me boy? Good.” He unfroze Dudley.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Jul 30, 2005 1:50:59 GMT -5
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“Aren’t you going to tell us about your aunt? You told me she was a muggle!”
“I thought she was! I didn’t find out until… until all this started.”
“And not only is she a witch, but she went to Hogwarts with Snape!” Ron said gleefully, “It sound’s like she’s got loads of school stories about him.”
“Shut up about Snape.” Harry snapped
“Oh come on Harry, it’s not like you like him any more than I do.”
“There’s a difference between ‘like’ and ‘respect’. That’s your problem Ron, you don’t understand fine distinctions. I don’t have to like Snape to have respect for him.” Was that it? Did he actually respect Snape?
“What’s got into you? This is Snape we’re talking about!“
“I won’t do what my father did!” Harry blurted out suddenly. He licked his lips, vacillating on whether he should say anymore. Ron was giving him a surprised, hurt look.
“Listen, I’m going to tell you something, but you have to promise me, promise me that you won’t tell a single soul. Not even Hermione.”
“Alright I promise.”
“Look me in the eye and say it.”
“I said I promise!” Looking Harry in the eye in a highly offended manner.
“You know how I was taking Occlumency lessons last year?”
“Yeah?”
“Well we were doing lessons and I sort of… You see, Snape had a pensieve he used at lessons to take out memories he didn’t want me to see in case I broke into his mind. Well, he left the room and I sort of…”
“You went in Snape’s pensieve?” Ron breathed, clearly impressed. Harry scowled at him.
“Look at you! I violate someone’s privacy and you’re impressed.”
“I’m not impressed! It’s just that… You really went in Snape’s pensive? What did you find there? I bet it was some Death Eater meeting or something…”
“No. It was my dad picking on Snape.” Harry mumbled.
“Really? Your dad?”
“My dad and the rest of the Maurauders.” Harry proceeded to tell him the whole memory.
“…And then Snape came in and got me.” Harry finished grimly.
Ron gaped, “And you weren’t expelled? I mean, I would have expelled you if you did something like that to me, and I’m your best friend.”
“No… but that’s when I stopped taking Occlumency lessons, Snape told me to get out and to never come back.”
“Yeah…I would have probably done that too.” Apparently his views on Snape had softened slightly after having heard about the pensieve incident.
Just then, someone knocked. It was Moody, “Potter, Dumbledore wants to see you.”
Moody led him into the dining room of the manor. Harry saw Dudley standing sulkily outside the door with his arms crossed in front of him. He gave Harry a dirty look and looked as if he were about to say something, but when he saw Moody’s eye rove over to him, he flinched and did nothing more, as if Moody had petrified him again. Apparently, he’d taken Moody’s warning to heart.
As soon as he opened the door, a blast of Petunia’s shrill voice hit his ears. They’d soundproofed the dining room.
Dumbledore was about to respond to Petunia’s rant, when he saw Harry enter the room. Petunia saw him too, and sent him a swift glance of pure hatred.
“Ah good, you’re here Harry.” Dumbledore said calmly and motioned him to a chair, “I need to know exactly what happened the morning that Mr. Dursley was killed.”
So Harry told him all about the dream he’d had, about how he’d gotten up for a drink, when Petunia called him downstairs, how Voldemort had asked about the Prophecy again, and how he had told him he would go after his friends, family, and everyone he cared about. At this point, Harry hesitated, not sure how much detail he should give. He didn’t really want to tell Petunia that Vernon had very likely been Crucio’ed and then killed. Relief spread over Harry, as Dumbledore took this moment to interrupt him.
“And then after you didn’t tell him about the Prophecy, Voldemort killed him?” Harry nodded.
“So!” Petunia pointed a damning finger at Harry, “It’s your fault he’s dead then! He wouldn’t have died if you just told him about his prophecy! I hate that prophecy! It’s been nothing but trouble since the beginning!”
“You knew about the prophecy!?” Harry gaped, “You’ve known all this time, and never told me about it?” Which, when Harry thought about it, really wasn’t all that surprising. Since any discussion relating to the ‘m’ word was forbidden in the Dursley house.
“I heard about it from him.” She glared at a chair in the corner of the room, where Snape sat in the shadows, as if it was his fault the prophecy had been made.
“Incorrect, Evans.” Snape snarled, “ I told James.”
“Yes, well, I just happened to be there!”
“You were spying then!”
“Or maybe your nose got in the way of your line of vision!”
“But your teeth don’t stop you from talking, do they?”
“REGARDLESS of the way you found out, Petunia, “ Dumbledore continued, “The important thing is that Harry has said nothing about the Prophecy and we also know that Voldemort is still trying to get it.”
“WHO CARES ABOUT THE BLOODY PROPHECY!!! All I want is my husband back, and heaven help you if he goes after my Dudley! You said we were protected! You lied!”
“I never lied, I said it would protect your family, that is, blood relatives of Lily Evans.”
“So wait,” Harry said suddenly, “Does that mean the charm hasn’t been cancelled?” A strange admixture of relief and guilt spread over him, relief because he was still protected, guilt because he felt relief, “Voldemort said that he’d go after Dudley and Aunt Petunia too.”
“Voldemort was bluffing, trying to get you to say something about the Prophecy. As long as you can call wherever your Aunt is home, then he cannot possibly touch you or Dudley, as he is also has Evans blood in his veins. Vernon Dursley was only a relative by marriage, and therefore unprotected.”
“YOU LYING OLD BASTARD!” Petunia screeched and Harry blinked, he had never heard Petunia swear in his life, “YOU WERE DELIBERATELY VAGUE!”
“It didn’t occur to me that you would have forgotten everything you learned at Hogwarts.” Dumbledore said quietly, although Harry thought he detected a touch of indignance and sadness in his voice, “I thought I informed you it was a blood-charm. That should have tipped you off right away that when I said your family would be protected, I meant relatives by blood.”
“Well if I knew that, I would have never taken the boy in!”
Harry’s mouth dropped, “You mean to say that the only reason I never wound up in an orphanage, or worse, in Voldemort’s clutches, was because you thought I would protect your family from Voldemort!?”
“Well why else would we risk life and limb after we’d made every effort to sever our ties to the wizarding world?!” Petunuia said, exasperated,
Harry was speechless, he knew the Dursley’s didn’t like him. But he’d always imagined that when they had taken him in, it had a little something to do with maybe deep down, feeling some kind of duty towards her sister's son. But a selfish reason like Petunia’s had never even occurred to him.
Harry turned and left the room, the door slamming of it’s own accord, knocking some plaster loose from the ceiling.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Jul 30, 2005 1:54:22 GMT -5
Dudley, after making sure Moody wasn’t following, fell in step with Harry.
“I bet you’re real happy about my father being killed by freaks like you, eh Potter?”
"Yes." He said dangerously, he knew it was a stupid thing to say, and that he probably would regret it, but he didn't care, not after what they did to him. Crucio was nothing compared to living with the Dursley's for fifteen years. Harry kept walking,
Dudley had stopped for a moment, and then jogged to catch up to Harry again, "Oh, you're going to pay for that one, Potter."
Harry whirled around. Dudley was still about twice his mass, but Harry was so angry, he thought he could take him, one on one, without magic. He couldn’t see properly through the red haze that covered his vision, “Alright D, you want to go? You’ve been wanting this ever since we got off the knight bus. I’m ready. Let’s do it now. No magic. Just you and me.
Dudley wasted no time in accepting the invitation. He started with a right hook, but Harry was fast, from years of being Dudley's personal punching bag. And Dudley didn't have anyone to hold Harry down now. Dudley threw in a few more jabs, but Harry dodged them all easily. Harry had yet to throw his own first punch.
"What's the matter, Potter, afraid your weak little hands'll hurt if you try to clock me?" Dudley sneered.
"Harry- what the-" Harry turned to see Ron, big mistake, Harry heard a crunch as Dudley's fist collided with Harry's nose and blood poured over his mouth. Dudley, encouraged, edged in closer to Harry.
But Ron had already joined in the brawl. Both Harry and Ron were reigning blows on Dudley, but Dudley was still much bigger and stronger (or at least better padded) than either of them. The boxing degenerated into a wrestling match, and all three boys were on the floor, trying to beat the living daylights out of one another.
Suddenly, Dudley froze, it took Harry a second before he realised something magical had happened to Dudley. Harry looked up to see Snape standing not far away. The color drained from Harry's face.
Ron noticed that Harry was no longer paying attention and he followed his line of sight to where he was staring. Ron paled when he saw Snape, which made the blood dripping from his split lip all the more noticable. Both Harry and Ron stood up, waiting for Snape to go inform Dumbledore for their behavior.
Snape just stood there, an unreadable expression on his face, his eyes shining, "Oh please," He said in barely more than a whisper, "don't stop on my account."
Harry could hardly believe it. Snape wasn't going to stop him from beating up Dudley? He was actually encouraging it? Harry suddenly felt very ashamed of himself.
"Potter, Weasley, come with me."
"What about Dudley?"
"Oh, I expect the charm will wear off ... eventually." Snape said carelessly, directing it more at Dudley than Ron or Harry. Snape took one last look at him; for being two against one, he certainly hadn't been worse for the wear. Harry and Ron were far more bloodied up.
"If you follow this corridor here, there is a bathroom. It contains medical supplies. I suggest you put something on that Potter," He motioned to the black eye that was blooming, "You too, Weasley." Looking critically at Ron's lip.
"You mean, you're not going to tell Dumbledore?" Ron asked fearfully.
Snape raised his eyebrows, "Would you like your mother to find out, Weasley?"
Ron shook his head vigourously, "But, I don't understand..." This was Snape, right? "Er... professor..." But Snape was gone.
The bathroom was an elegant room completely done in black marble with red streaks. After a while of searching through cupboards, they found the kit Snape had been talking about, and went about fixing their injuries. They wished they were at Hogwarts, because Madame Pomfrey could have fixed them up in a jiffy.
"Well, that was strange... Snape helping us out like that." Ron said finally, after his lip had stopped bleeding.
"Not really," Harry's nose had stopped spurting blood, it thankfully wasn't broken, "remember, Dudley clocked him one before. I suppose it was just his way of exacting revenge."
"Oh...right. Well, lucky for us Dudley clocked him, eh?"
"Yeah." Harry chuckled. But he felt a little guilty for starting the fight. He shouldn't have taken the bait so easily, "Hey thanks for coming to my rescue like that."
Ron shrugged, "What're friends for? Besides, I think he deserved it." Ron smirked,
Harry smirked too, there was no doubt that Harry did deserve to even the score between him and Dudley, but was it really a good time to do it, when he was just getting over the loss of his father, and his life as he knew it? Harry felt guilty again, but then thought about what Petunia had said and didn't feel quite as guilty.
They sat in a companionable silence, nursing their wounds, until finally, Harry spoke up.
"I think I'm going to go thank Snape."
Ron raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything.
After a half-hour of searching he finally found him in a spare room that hadn’t been dusted yet. He was polishing a Bombay chest vigourously, muttering to himself.
“Err…excuse me, Professor Snape?”
“What do you want.” He rubbed the same spot on the dresser, wearing a hole through the finish.
“It’s just that. Well… er…well I wanted to thank you for not telling Dumbledore... about Dudley.”
Snape snorted, "Don't think I was doing you and Weasley any favors. And don't expect it to happen again."
"No sir, of course not."
They both stood in silence, Snape polishing the heck out of the poor chest. Harry hesitated to leave.
"Well? do you need anthing else or are your feet stuck to the floor,"
"Well, actually...now that you mention it.... there is something...." Harry hesitated, collecting his courage to ask the question he'd wanted to ask all summer.
"And that is....?"
"Well, erm....."
“Bloody hell, Potter, don’t you know how to speak? Apparently you don’t know how to use an owl, otherwise we wouldn’t have had to go looking for you!”
“That wasn’t my fault-”
“No you had to go and use a snidget. An endangered species. I’m sure the Ministry will love that. Of course, they'd never dream of punishing, The Boy Who Lived.”
“I didn’t have a choice! My aunt wouldn’t let me use an owl!” Any respect Harry had thought he’d had towards Snape was slipping away, “And the Lovegoods weren’t on the floo network. Honestly, I thought you of all people would understand about the way my aunt is.” Snape went silent, still rubbing the spot vigourously.
Finally Snape spoke, “What is it you want with me?”
“I … er… I need to continue Occlumency lessons.”
Snape stopped rubbing the spot and turned to look at Harry, “No.”
“But you heard what happened with my Uncle! It’s really important!”
“And it wasn’t important a year ago, I presume? Are you telling me I was wasting my time?”
“That’s not what I meant!”
“Oh, I see, so you feel I should cater to your every whim? One day you want classes, the next you don’t. I’m sorry Potter, I don’t teach that way.” He went back to polishing the poor chest.
“If I recall, you were the one who told me to get out and to never come back!”
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Post by Demonic Neko on Jul 30, 2005 2:00:08 GMT -5
“And if I recall you were the one who was snooping in my Pensieve!”
“Oh yeah?” Harry shouted angrily, “Well, I’m sorry, alright?” Harry’s glasses slipped to the end of his nose and he pushed them up again.
“Not good enough, Potter.” Snape said in a clipped tone, “You’ll have to do better than that.”
“What do you want from me, an essay!?”
Snape’s lip curled, “As tempting an idea as that is, I think a far better punishment would consist of you living with the memory of your insolence.”
“So there’s nothing I can do to make it up to you?”
Snape shook his head, “You’re just like the rest of your family, Potter. Arrogant. You think just because you say you are sorry, people should pat you on the head, say ‘Oh, that crazy Potter!’ and fix everything for you.”
“I do not think that!”
“Allow me to enlighten you: some damage cannot be fixed, some words never taken back and some things never forgotten.”
“Don’t you think I know that!? If I hadn’t… if it…” Harry faltered.
“If you hadn’t…?”
Harry suddenly became accusatory again, “If you hadn’t stopped giving me Occlumency lessons, Sirius wouldn’t be dead!” And if I hadn’t allowed myself to be manipulated… Harry felt his face grow hot.
Snape’s eyebrows flew up, “Are you blaming the death of Black on me? So tell me, how did you come to that conclusion?”
“If you hadn’t goaded him on…you knew how much he hated that house! And you had to rub it in his face that you were out doing something while he was stuck there!”
“The only person responsible for Black’s death is Black himself.” Snape said quietly, “Perhaps if I told the Dark Lord, he’d be able to use that lightning-shaped monstrosity to get it through your thick skull, because you obviously aren’t listening to anyone else: You and only you are responsible for your actions. That goes for Black, Me, You, Everyone. Blaming others is a waste of time, and any action done to you which you had no control over is not worth the effort contemplating” An image of Marian appeared in his mind and Snape knew he was no sparkling example of either of these concepts, but that didn’t stop them from being true, whether he adhered to them or not.
Without warning, Snape turned his wand on Harry, and shouted, “Occlumensesce!”
“Hey! I haven’t even got my wand!” Harry managed to say before his memories started rushing past him. He was in the shrieking shack, attacking Sirius. He was on the playground and he found himself on the roof. He heard his mother screaming and saw a flash of green No! Harry thought, I won’t let him win, I won’t! He was in the graveyard and Harry was fighting the bead of light towards Voldemort’s wand. Just as bead touched Voldemort’s wand, just as phoenix music began to fill his ears. He was somewhere else, somewhere totally unfamiliar. In the middle of the kitchen floor sat a young, green-eyed dark haired boy, playing with a toy cauldron. The boy couldn’t have been more than seven or eight. Harry was confused. He couldn’t remember having a toy cauldron. No, he was sure of it. The Dursley’s wouldn’t have allowed it. Besides this wasn’t his house. He wondered for a second if it wasn’t Mrs. Figgs and he just didn’t remember. But the house seemed much too large to have been in Mrs. Figgs Neighborhood. And then the boy looked somewhat like him, but was still different somehow. It was strange.
Suddenly the memory vanished and the green-eyed boy was running from another boy in what looked like a wizarding garden. (there were lawn gnomes)
Another black haired boy, blue-eyed, closed in behind him, “Come back here!”
“Not on your life Jimmy!”
Harry watched the two try to catch each other, the first one was very fast. Harry was confused. He couldn’t remember any of this, but he looked around for Snape and couldn’t find him in the memory either.
The memory vanished and he was in a darkened living room while a somber, dark haired boy, this one with black eyes, sat on a couch next to a boy who looked vaguely familiar to Harry. On the other side of the dark haired boy (Harry was sure it must have been Snape at around eleven or twelve, no one else at that age could have managed to look so grave), sat Dumbledore, he recognized him immediately although his hair was a mottled grey and auburn. Dumbledore was speaking to Snape.
“…already sorted things out with our gameskeeper, Hagrid. You will be accompanied into the Forbidden Forest by him.” It sounded as if Dumbledore was just finishing a long list of some sort.
“Alright! Sev!” The other boy punched him playfully in the arm, “You’re going to Hogwarts after all! Oohh you’re going to love it! And I'm going this year too! We'll be in the same year! I wonder if we'll get the same house.” Suddenly he recognized it was an older version of the blue eyed boy named Jimmy from the last memory. He looked around for the green eyed boy, but couldn’t find him.
“I would have gone last year if it wasn’t for, wasn’t for…” Young Snape’s face tinged the tiniest bit of red, “that bloody bastard.” Harry seemed to be the only one in the room who was shocked to hear that come from a little boy’s mouth, even if the little boy was Snape.
Dumbledore put a hand kindly on Snape’s shoulder, “It does not do to dwell on the past Severus. Yes, what he did was wrong-”
Snape snorted sardonically.
“-and nothing can change it-”
“I will change it.” He said stubbornly.
Dumbledore shook his head sadly, “There is no cure, Severus.”
“I will find one.” His dark eyes dared them to contradict him again. No one did.”
“We will find him.” Dumbledore continued, “He will be brought before justice.”
“Oh, that makes me feel so much better about him ruining my life.” Were those tears he saw glinting in Snape’s dark eyes? When he spoke again his voice sounded strained, as though he was trying not to cry, “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I’m tired.”
“Would you like a drink Severus?” A kind looking woman whom Harry hadn’t noticed before, offered. She and the man next to her (whom he hadn’t notice right away either) looked extremely worried.
“Would I like one? No. Do I need one? Yes. But not now. After.”
“Alright dear.”
“Then we should probably wrap things up then, shall we?” Dumbledore said, pulling parchment, quill and ink from his robes, “I need parents signatures here, and here,” he pointed out blank spaces, “And you sign here.” He pointed to another blank space for Severus.
Harry watched them sign what looked like a contract, First the man signed what looked for all the world to be ‘Henry Potter’. Harry blinked, but before he could think about it, the woman signed, in much neater writing, ‘Beatrix Potter’
The parchment was passed to Snape who wrote in angular writing, “Severus Snape.”
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, “Snape?”
“I’m not a Potter anymore.” Snape said soberly.
“Oh honey!” Beatrix cried, tears welling up in her eyes, “Oh don’t say that!”
“You’re not really my mum.” This sent the woman over the edge, tears flowed down her cheeks.
“Severus!” The man said sternly, “don’t talk that way to you mother. Apologize. Now.”
“I’m changing my name to my real mum’s name.”
“You won’t and that’s final, young man!”
“I will, and I’d like to see you stop me! If I’ve learned nothing else from uncle Marian, it’s how to curse someone.”
Dumbledore coughed softly, he was the only one who didn’t seem shaken by the turn of events, “I believe that both your parents care for you very much.”
“Your not my father.” Snape snarled.
“But I am!” Henry shouted, loosing his temper, “Biological and everything, why blood matters to you anyway is beyond me, you didn’t get that from us, that’s for sure. The point is, you are still a part of this family, and until you are of age you will remain part of this family. Name and everything.”
“Henry,” the women said between sobs, “ Maybe- If he really feels strongly about it- If it makes him feel better, what could it hurt?“
“Oh stop coddling him, Bea, the boy has to learn the world isn’t going to kiss his feet just because-“
“I think he’s learned quite enough from the world for his age! He should be playing with his friends, not learning curses to ward off your brother!” She shrieked, “If Severus wants to be known as Snape, then he has my blessing!” “No son of mine, Bea, no son of mine!”
“Fine. I accept. I’m no son of yours!” He shoved the parchment at Dumbldore, “I’m going to my room! And I’m bloody glad I’m going to school this fall, because I can get away from you!”
Suddenly the image blurred and he was back in the present. Staring Snape in the eye, who was staring at Harry with a mixture of anger, shock, and horror.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:01:41 GMT -5
Snape couldn’t believe what had just happened. It had to be some sort of nightmare. There were very few times in his adult life that he’d ever felt completely vulnerable. This was one of those times. The memory still rang in his ears and he hoped against hope that Potter miraculously didn’t understand what he’d just seen.
Not only the memory had confounded Snape, but the fact that Harry had been able to, wandless, break into his mind so fully. He cursed himself for daring to start an inpromptu occlumency lesson. That was one of the other memories he’d put in the pensieve. But he’d never expected Harry to be able to do Legilimency without a wand.
“Explain.” Harry commanded, his green eyes looked like they were made of green sparks. As if the Avada Kedavra Harry had seen when he was an infant somehow stayed locked in them, ready to be released, Snape felt, at him any moment.
“No.” Snape whispered barely audibly, “It’s none of your business.” It was a feeble statement and didn’t contain any of the malice and contempt with which it was usually laced. His mouth was dry.
“Who are Beatrix and Henry Potter.” Oh god, Snape thought, he’d seen the parchment. Why that memory? Why why why why why… He knew why, he’d been thinking about it just moments before when lecturing Harry.
“Who are they, Severus Potter,” Snape felt light headed. He was being called to the carpet by his nephew.
“No one. Forget what you’ve seen if you knew what was good for you. And you will call me Professor Snape or Sir when we practice occlumency” He tried to sound menacing but he just couldn’t muster the energy. Snape headed for the door. It slammed shut of it’s own accord. Was Potter that angry at him? The truth was, he deserved to be.
“Then you don’t deny your name is Potter!” Harry roared.
“Oh come off it, surely you can’t really think yours is the only Potter line in England!” As true a statement as it was, it sounded forced even to him, and he was sure Harry was a natural Legilumens. No doubt another one of Voldemort’s gifts he had unwittingly bestowed upon Harry. Snape tried desperately to clear his mind of thought and emotion, but that seemed like the last thing he was able to do at the moment.
Harry scrutinized him, “You’re hiding something.”
“And you are too nosey for your own good! If I’m hiding something, it damn well isn’t your business.” He was beginning to sound more like his impervious self, “Haven’t you learned anything from sneaking into someone else’s thoughts?”
“Who are Beatrix and Henry Potter?” Harry stared hard at Snape and Snape wondered if he’d begun to realize he was a legilumens. Snape could feel his eye boring into his brain searching for information. No doubt other devastating memories would present themselves if Harry dug hard enough.
“Henry is my father, and Beatrix is my step-mother. Or weren’t you paying attention?”
“I wanted to hear you say it. And the boy on the couch next to you? With blue eyes?”
“My half-brother.”
Harry remembered the Mirror of Erised suddenly, he’d seen eyes like his, knees similar to his own, noses alike..”If they weren’t related why did they all look like me?”
“Just because my family had black hair doesn’t mean they looked like you.”
“And it was the Potter side with the black hair. Your mum had brown hair.”
“Stop this. Now.”
Harry’s blazing green eyes kept boring into his, he was unable to look away, “And your brother’s name was Jimmy”
“Go no farther, Potter. You won’t like what you see.”
“No, it was James.” Harry’s eyes went wide as soon as the words had left his mouth, “James Potter.”
--------------------
“Look into my eyes and tell me if I am lying to you!”
That was what Snape had said after Harry had insisted he was lying.
He did so, “ No you’re not lying.” Harry mumbled, but anger overtook him again,“I thought you were some kind of excellent Occlumens! How can you shield yourself from Voldemort and Dumbledore, but not me!” He said this accusingly, as if Snape hadn’t warned him the answer he was seeking would be disturbing.
“Oh yes, Potter, it’s my fault you persisted to stick your nose where it didn’t belong.”
“That would make you my uncle.” Harry said dully.
“Half-Uncle actually.”
“You knew and you didn’t tell me!”
“Oh, and tell me, how would I have told you? ‘here is your abysmal potions exam, oh, and by the way, I’m your uncle, did you know?’ Besides, I have concealed nothing from you. Have you ever asked anyone whether you had any living relatives other than your horrid aunt, uncle and cousin?”
“No.” Harry said begrudgingly.
“Of course you haven’t. You assumed. Never, ever assume. One misses important details.”
Suddenly something that had been bothering him ever since his first year came to the forefront, “But- but how can you hate me so much?” Harry blurted out suddenly.
Snape was taken aback, “Again, your lack of a sense of subtlety has thwarted your judgement. Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps I am extra hard on you because I actually give a damn whether you get an education or not?”
“What are you talking about?! Every chance you get you thwart my education! You single me out for punishments I don’t deserve, last year you deliberately dropped a perfectly good potion and gave me a zero for the day! You humiliate me in front of the entire class every chance you get, you distract me during class so I can’t make my potions correctly! Every chance you get you are against me! I’m surprised I even pass potions at all with you breathing down my neck!”
At this, Snape laughed, “Are you under the impression I am trying to teach you potions? I would have thought by now that you would have realized I am trying to teach you something a little more useful in your upcoming endeavors. Like how to think clearly under extreme pressure. One day you will grow up and find out detentions, grades and classroom humiliation doesn’t matter all that much. Frankly, I would have thought you’d have reached that point already, you, the boy who is on the knife-edge of death at every turn.”
“But- but you treat other people like you treat me! Ron and Hermione, Neville-“
“Think of the people you’ve just listed, what do they have in common?”
“They are my friends!”
“Neville is also a part of the Prophecy, Ron needs more confidence in himself, and Hermioned needs to learn something that doesn’t come from a book. And yes, they are your friends, which also makes them targets. They have all had some involvement in your little capers in the past and they too need to learn to think under pressure. I know you think I favor Slytherin, but I’d say I was favoring Gryffindor rather heavily don’t you think?”
Harry snorted, “Then what do you call Malfoy?”
“You want to know what I call it? I call it spying. I call it gaining the trust of the enemy. I call it getting Lucius’s son in my pocket. I call it bargaining leverage. That’s what I call it! If it costs Gryffindor a few house points, then so be it. Draco is unbelievably short sighted in his goals, Potter, if taking off a few house points makes him believe I am on his side enough so he can run home and tell his father how wonderful Professor Snape is being to him and how terrible he treats Potter. I am that much closer to staying in Malfoy’s good graces. Tell me Potter, what are house points worth next to lives? I thought you of all people have realized by now that house point matter very little.”
A silence overtook the room as the two digested the information, “Just because you know all this doesn’t mean I’ll be any easier on you in Potions this year.”
“There is no potions for me this year. You said nothing below an ‘O’ grade in OWLS.” Even as the words left Harry’s mouth he realized what Snape was subtly trying to tell him.
Snape raised an amused eyebrow, “I’d congratulate you except I expect you to do that well with me ‘breathing down your neck’ ”
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:02:35 GMT -5
Raven's mind was troubled when she returned to Dragon's Gate, back from Hogwarts. She had given Eustace and Hermione the Reader's Digest version of the Harry Potter story, hoping to avoid future situations like the one that had nearly happened earlier. Hermione reacted to the new information with a mixture of anger and sadness, storming off to the quarters she shared with Snape, stating that she wanted to be left alone. Eustace, on the other hand, looked rather thoughtfull, but made no comment. He just nodded and trailed after Hermione.
Raven was tempted to follow the two teenagers but she figured she'd be needed back at the manor. She made a quick stop at her quarters to clean the dust and grime off of herself, and to check up on Thorne before leaving Hogwarts. Moments later she aparated in the clearing near the manor.
As soon as Raven stepped through the front door, Dumbledore ambushed her and introduced her to Petunia and Dudley Dursley. Five minutes after meeting them, Raven sorely wanted to throttle the both of them. Dumbledore also explained to her that the Dursleys would need rooms in the manor, since they could not return to their own home. Raven was tempted to shove the two of them in the room with the portraits and lock them inside. But instead she led them to two rooms that had yet to be cleaned or aired out. Petunia's nose wrinkled in disgust.
"Don't you have any cleaner rooms?"
Raven smiled sweetly. "Unfortunatly no. The rule is, if you stay here, you have to clean your own room. The cleaning supplies are downstairs. Have a good night." With that, Raven left a sputtering Petunia behind.
Raven wandered down the halls with a much lighter step, when out of the corner of her eyes she spied Snape sitting in one of the sitting rooms. She enter the room, but Snape didn't seem to notice, lost in pensive thoughts.
"Severus?"
He turned to look in her direction, and Raven's eyes widened. Snape had a nasty looking bruise blooming along his jawline. The kind of bruise one gets when someone punches them...
"What happened to you?" She asked, her eyes narrowing and going steely with anger. A flash of embarasment crossed Snape's face as he looked away.
"Nothing."
"Damn it, Severus, I've spent 17 years of my life being used as a punching bag, so I get very upset when those I care for get hurt similarly. Now tell me. Who did this to you?"
Snape looked suprize for a moment, his hand flew up to his jaw. "Oh you mean.. I had forgotten about that." He looked mildly embarassed again. "Lets just say a hulking 16 year old took offense when I called his mother a hag.."
"Lemme guess, it was those Dursley's I just met." Raven scowled. "I knew I should have locked them up with my dear old realatives whan I had the chance."
Raven's green eyes narrowned and she studied him with a calculating gaze. He squirmed slightly, at the intensity of her stare.
"What?" he asked after a long pause, unnerved by her silence.
She tilted her head, then suddenly her face lit up as if she had come to a great epiphany. "I'm going to teach you how to defend yourself." She stated with grim determination.
"I already know how to defend myself," Snape muttered.
"You can defend yourself with a wand, but not with your fists."
"Who needs fists when you've got a wand?"
"Did your wand do you any good when you got this?" Raven asked as she lightly brushed her fingers across his bruised jaw. "And if you recall, a wand didn't do any good to those Death Eaters I dispatched back in the Alter world... In the long run, it's good to know some manner of self defense in case you don't have a wand."
"I supose.." Snape conceded gudgingly.
"Good, then it's settled." Raven stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "Now get up."
"What, we're starting now?!" Snape sputtered in protest.
Raven smirked and shook her head. "No, but I need to see what kind of shape you're in so I can figure out where to begin." She watched Snape pointedly until he finally stood up before her. "Now.. I want you to touch your toes without bending your knees."
He scowled at her. "I don't see the point in doing this."
"I need to see how flexable you are." Raven replied, now crossing her arms. "Now, please touch your toes."
Snape made a halfhearted atempt to do as she requested, feeling very undignified. He wasn't even close to reaching his toes.
"This is rediculous," He snarled, "I can't."
"Try again."
Feeling like a total idiot, Snape tried once more. He got about a centimeter closer before his back ached in protest. "There, see? I can't do it."
Raven tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Give me two weeks and you should be able to with no problem. We'll start off slow at first. Light streching excersizes, maybe some jogging as well, at least until you develop a bit more flexibility. Now.. Do you prefer to have these lessons early in the morning or at night?"
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:03:10 GMT -5
"Do you prefer to have these lessons early in the morning or at night?"
“Whichever you prefer.” He scowled and hated Dudley more than ever for punching him.
“Night okay then?”
“Yes. It’s fine.” He wasn’t angry at Raven, exactly, but he wasn’t happy about doing this. He didn’t see the point really, but if it could somehow help his spying, he thought it was worth a shot.
A new thought occupied his mind; should he have told Harry his motivations for treating him the way he does? In retrospect, he hoped Harry was an exceptional actor, or he would have to be even worse than any previous years. It wasn’t hard to be nasty to a person who looked so much like James. James had truly been exceptionally nasty to him during his school years. All he had to do was picture what he would say to James in a given situation. It would be a little more difficult for Harry, Snape knew. He didn’t look anything like Dudley, after all.
“-you listening to me?” Raven asked, drawing Snape away from his thoughts.
“Y-no.” Snape said, turning slightly pinkish.
Raven raised an eyebrow.
“I- I think I need to show you something.” He said awkwardly, “I hadn’t planned on saying anything about this, but I could, I think I could use some advice on how to proceed… I need an outside opinion. I can only show you back at Hogwarts however. I don’t have a pensieve with me.” --- When they got to Hogwarts, Raven followed Snape to his office. He pulled out a large stone bowl, closed his eyes and putting his wand in his hair, pulled out a silver threaded memory, which swirled in the bowl. He added several memories to the bowl.
“Do you know how do operate a pensieve?”
Raven nodded.
They both tumbled head long into the first memory Snape had put in. It was of a small boy, six or seven, being chased by another boy. Slightly older.
“The boy being chased is me. My brother and I were playing tag, I believe.”
Raven looked at young Snape, with his rosy checks and shocking green eyes on black hair, “Is, is this before… ?”
“Yes, by about six months.”
The memory faded soon after, and they were in a kitchen, playing with a toy cauldron. Snape looked nervous and was twisting his robes absently in his hands. “Marian will be entering in a minute. I am very glad Potter lost focus at this point before he’d seen any more of this memory. I’ve put the whole memory in, but we don’t have to see it…”
“Are you sure you want me to…?”
Snape thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, “Yes. It’s relevant.”
“If you’re sure…”
The memory unfolded just as vividly as when he’d seen his uncle again in Romania. After the memory was over, (he hadn’t watched most of it, but looked at the floor). He looked up to see Raven’s eyes had taken on a golden tint and were slits. “…bastard..” she muttered under her breath, but before they could discuss it anymore, they had moved on to a new memory.
They sat in a darkened living room, a twelve year old Snape was listlessly lying on the couch staring blankly at the ceiling when the doorbell rang.
“It’s the Headmaster!” Snape’s brother shouted towards the rest of the house. Snape’s parents came out of the kitchen to greet them. Severus showed no interest and continued to lounge on the couch.
While Dumbledore and Snape’s parent’s talked quietly to each other, Snape explained to her why Dumbledore was there.
“I was unable to go to school in what should have been my first year. The Board would not allow a vampire on the premises, they thought I would endanger the students. But I got to go when I was twelve because Dumbledore had gotten the board to repeal the ban on Half-breed students that had been in place since Hagrid was expelled. I suppose he got it passed because of Lupin.”
The rest of the memory unfolded just as Harry had seen it. After young Snape had huffed out of the room, the memory dissolved and they were in the Great Hall during OWLS.
“So, you’re related to Harry?” Raven whispered.
“There is no need to whisper, my memory won’t hear you. And yes. I am related to him. James Potter is my half-brother. Harry has seen this memory as well,” Snape said with a hint of bitterness to his voice, “well, he didn’t see all of it, thank god, I caught him in my pensieve last year in the nick of time.”
They moved out into the sunny court yard, following a fifteen year old Snape, “James never treated me the same way after I declared myself disowned.” Just as Snape said this, James commenced to pick a fight with Snape. When Snape was upside down Snape suddenly muttered to Raven, “This is the point at which I caught Harry and pulled him out of the pensieve.”
The memory continued on however, Snape was doing the best he could at keeping his robes covering his stomach and legs. James made a motion with his wand and forced the robe down around his ears, exposing white skin which immediately began to blister and burn. Snape’s screams were punctuated by Lily who had heard him and immediately came running over roaring a countercurse. Snape fell into a heap and the memory dissolved.
They were in the room where Snape was working off his anger from being punched by Dudley. Harry came in the room and requested Occlumency. The memory proceeded..
After Harry had left, the room dissolved and Raven and Snape felt themselves tumble out of the pensieve.
“Why did you show me this?” Raven asked.
“I need advice on what to do about Potter.”
------
Harry had no idea how to feel. There was just too much new information to absorb. Snape whom he thought had hated him with a passion, was his uncle who was really only pretending to hate him. He’d entered that room thinking he knew where Snape stood concerning Harry and had left the room a bundle of questions all vying to be contemplated.
But as soon as he entered his room he was attacked.
“Oh Harry! I was so worried! When Ron owled me that you’d gone missing! Oh Harry I thought you had died!”
“Hermione!?” He’d almost forgotton he’d been missing, “Hermione, I can’t breath!”
“Sorry…It’s just that, I thought I’d never see you again. I’m sorry about your uncle, Harry.” Hermione said at last.
“What?” Had everyone found out that quickly? Suddenly it dawned on him, “Oh. You mean uncle Vernon.”
“What other uncle could I mean?”
“Oh er… “ Should he tell them? “I- have something to tell you, but you have to promise to keep it secret.”
“Is it about the pensieve?” Ron asked, then his hand flew to his mouth and he colored, "Sorry."
Hermione gave them a confused look.
“Well, Sort of…maybe I should start with that, since Hermione doesn’t know and it’s important to the story…”
When Harry had finished the story of the Pensieve Incident, Hermione looked furious.
“That was wrong Harry. You had no business being there.”
“Yes I know, Hermione, please just let me finish the story before you string me up, okay?”
“Alright, fine.”
When Harry got to the part where Snape told him he was his uncle, Ron was staring at him, his mouth hanging open and Hermione had her brow furrowed and Harry could tell she was thinking very hard.
“Snape?” Ron blurted out dumbly, “You’re related, to Snape!?”
“Why hadn’t Snape been able to go to school at age eleven? And what were these special arrangements Dumbledore had made for Snape?”
“I dunno, I arrived in the memory after that. He had to take some kind of potion though. And Dumbledore said there was no cure. And his uncle had something to do with it.”
“Severus Potter,” Ron shook his head slowly, “It just doesn’t sound as menacing as Snape.”
Hermione seemed to have an epiphany, “That’s it, Harry! It all makes sense! I mean the signs were all there… and the way he hated Lupin…”
“What are you talking about Hermione?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Snape is a werewolf! He needed to take a potion, the Wolfsbane potion."
"Wouldn't he feel sorry for Lupin, then?"
"Not neccesarily, not if he hates being a werewolf. Then Lupin would represent everything he hates."
"Yeah but, Snape hates almost everything."
"Oh do be serious, Ron!" Hermione scoweld.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:03:35 GMT -5
“Professor Dumbledore?” Harry said with a tone of authority.
“Yes, Harry?”
“I need to speak with you, now.”
“Ah, I see. Well, why don’t we head over to the kitchen? I believe it is empty now.” Harry sat at the scrubbed table while Dumbledore busied himself at the counters, ‘Would you like a hot chocolate?”
“In the middle of July?”
“Well, I always find it calms me, no matter what the weather.”
“I don’t need calming.” Harry snapped. Dumbledore didn’t comment.
“Now then.” Dumbledore said as he settled in with his own mug of chocolate, “What is it you wished to speak with me about?”
“Have I got any other family besides the Dursley’s?” He gave Dumbledore a piercing look, which Dumbledore did not return.
“Ah, I was wondering when you’d ask me that. Yes Harry, you do have other family. None, however, on your mother’s side, other than you Aunt Petunia and your cousin. If you had any other family on that side, I would have sent you there, believe me.”
Harry said nothing, Dumbledore continued.
“You have a Great-Uncle, your grandfather’s brother, on the Potter side, whom you are named after, Henry Potter. You’re great-Uncle’s name, I believe, is Marian Potter, he lives in Romania, although if I’m not much mistaken, he has just recently died.”
“And?” Harry waited for him to say it, Dumbledore chanced to look at him briefly, Harry looked like a parent who was trying to get a child, whom he knew wasn’t being honest, to tell the truth.
Dumbledore sighed, “And you also have a half-uncle; his father was your grandfather, on the Potter side, , and his mother was Branwen Snape who died soon after childbirth. He is right here in this house.”
“He wasn’t lying then.” Harry muttered. Dumbledore looked at him questioningly
“I went to ask Snape-“
“Professor Snape, Harry.”
“-Professor Snape for Occlumency lessons. He refused. Or so I thought, until he pulled out his wand and performed an Legilemency spell on me. I didn’t have my wand so I thought this wasn’t fair. But memories started to rifle past until I found myself in Snape’s memories.”
Dumbledore’s eyebrows flew up, “You did Legilumency without a wand?’
“I’d never really thought about it.” He said impatiently, “This is another one of those things Voldemort can do, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.” Harry didn’t sound the least surprised, “Well, anyway, I got into some memories I think I shouldn’t have and found out about him changing his name to Snape. You were there, in the memory. You knew he changed his name.”
“Yes.”
“Why is it people feel they don’t have to tell me things? Why do I always have to stumble across it, or pry information out of people? Or figure it out myself? It’s like I’m not even human. You don’t care about me at all, all you care about is my ability to defeat Voldemort.”
“You’re wrong.”
“I’m not wrong! You said so yourself last year! Your stupid plan wouldn’t allow for caring about what happens to me.”
“And, if you recall,” Dumbledore said calmly, “I also said that I had fallen into that very same flaw.”
Harry made a derisive hissing sound, “You manipulate everyone around you. You should have been in Slytherin; you’re so manipulative, you’re able to manipulate the Slytherins, I mean, why couldn’t Snape go to school when he was eleven? Lupin went!”
“I’m sorry Harry, but that is not for me to say.”
”I can’t believe this! When will I be old enough to be able to handle information? When will you trust me?”
Dumbledore splayed his hands apologetically, “I’m sorry Harry, it simply isn’t my business to tell you. If you’d really like to know, I suggest you ask Professor Snape himself.”
Harry gave Dumbledore a dirty look and headed for the door.
“And Harry,” Dumbledore called after him, “I’d advise you not to let on that you two are related. Severus wouldn’t be alive today if he had kept his name. I realize you’ve probably already told Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger, but please don’t make it common knowledge.”
Harry didn’t answer as the door slammed behind him.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:04:00 GMT -5
Raven crossed her arms over her chest as her brow puckered slightly in thought. It was late, and her mind was a bit fuzzy. Finally she looked at Snape, her head tilting slightly. "I don't know much about the boy, Severus, I mean other than what I've read in the papers." She brushed a lock of her unruly bangs behind her ear. "Tell me about him.. What kind of person he is?"
Snape thought carefully, “He’s… a teenager. His goals are in the right direction, however he has trouble dealing with authority he doesn’t ‘like’, namely me. He is also far to easily manipulated through his emotions. Such an event occurred at the end of last year. He thought the Dark Lord was holding his godfather captive, it was only a trick to get Harry to do something he shouldn’t have. It worked. Potter played the hero, and therefore played right into the Dark Lord’s hands, resulting in the death of his godfather. I’ve tried to cure him of that, try to develop a thicker, more rational skin, but he allows me to push his buttons far to easily; insult his parents, his friends or himself and he acts irrationally. I am hoping telling him the reasons for the verbal abuse was not a mistake.”
Raven closed her eyes for a moment, leaning against the edge of his desk. "I don't think it was a mistake telling him, Severus. You're his uncle, and from what I've seen, the only decent family member he has left. It's good for him to know he has family that actually give a damn about his welfare."
Snape chuckled mirthlessly. "I doubt he would see it that way.."
"But he does now," Raven insisted. "Now he knows the reason why you treat him the way you do. It's for his own safety. He may not see that now, but once he's had a chance to let it all sink in, he will.."
Snape still didn't look convinced, his expression still troubled. Suddenly a thought occured to Raven.
"If your still worried, maybe I could talk to him? I'm an outside party, so he may be more receptive to what I say?"
“Would you mind terribly? It might work, although it would be best if didn’t seem like you were too ‘on my side’; that’s a sure way for Harry to not hear a word you’re saying.”
Raven smiled at that. "Don't worry. I'll present myself as impartially as possible. I'll speak to him tomorrow." She straightened up and streched with feline grace, barely holding back a yawn. "Well, I really should be going to bed.. And so should you."
"Shouldn't we go back to the manor?"
Raven shook her head. "I think not. Remeber we both have two wards who have been left up to their own devices for a quite some time. I think it best to stay here, to make sure they don't get into any mischeif. I'll send Albus an Owl to let him know where we are." She yawned and streched once more. " Oh, by the way, I expect you to be ready for your first lesson at 9 pm tonight."
Snape grimmaced. "I had hoped you would've forgotten about that."
Raven grinned, "You wish.. Dress in something comfortable that you can move around in, and meet me near the Forbidden Forest."
Snape made a face, but said nothing, just nodding his consent. Raven smiled again, and impulsively grabbed his hand and gave it a quick and reasuring squeeze. "Good night Severus. Pleasant dreams." With that she left him in his office and headed to the owlery to let Dumbledore know of their plans.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Thorne was waiting up for her, when she finally reached her room. Raven ignored the pointed look he was giving her, and went to her desk opening a drawer.
you're late..
Raven ignored him and picked up a small vial from the drawer.
Thorne huffed in irritation and jumped onto the desk.
so, spending time with you're boyfriend, eh?
This time she threw a murderous look at him. "He's not my boyfriend."
The feline snickered. he might as well be, with all the time you spent with him today.
"It's not like that and you know it. We had to get the manor ready for the Order of the Phoenix. The place was a shambles." She pulled off the cork that was sealing the vial, and grimaced as the smell of camphor hit her nose. Thorne bolted to the oposite side of the room, and rubbed at his nose to get rid of the smell. Raven quickly downed the vile potion, and was immensly glad that she had the cast iron stomach of a Draven cat. She was positive she wouldn't be able to keep this stuff down, otherwise. Thorne made a face at her.
i don't know why you would willingly drink that.. stuff
"I don't really have a choice on the matter." Raven replied around her numbed toungue. Thorne raised a whiskered eyebrow.
well if you had a mate, you wouldn't have to drink that anymore..
Raven rolled her eyes. "Thats not going to happen anytime soon."
how about snape? i know you like him...
"Why do you insist on bringing that up again? He doesn't feel that way about me. We're colleages, friends." Raven tossed the empty vial back in the drawer and slammed it shut. "Just drop it, ok?"
Thorne made no comment, and silently watched her slide into bed. Thorne stalked out of the room, his brain working furiously. After a few moments a cheshire like grin slid slowly over his face, as a plan began to form in his head.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:04:42 GMT -5
“Tonks?”
“Wotcha, Harry.”
“Have you seen Lupin?”
“Erm..” She screwed up her eyes in thought, “Yeah, he went out for a bit, said he needed some air.”
“Right, I bet.”
“You okay Harry?”
“Yeah, fine.”
“Because if you ever need someone to-“
But Harry had already left the room.
---
Harry found Lupin, looking rather skinnier than usual. He was in the back couryard looking up at the cloudless night.
It’s almost a full moon, Harry thought, I wonder where Snape is.
“Hi Harry, what’s up.”
“The moon.”
Lupin guffawed, “Yeah, almost. It’s full tomorrow.”
“Must be tough,”
“You get used to it.”
“At least there was someone else in school who could relate.”
“Yeah, James and Sirius, they were good friends. They could have got expelled.” Lupin chuckled at the memory.
“I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about the other werewolf.”
Lupin stopped looking at the moon and turned to Harry, “What other werewolf would that be?” “You know who I’m talking about.” Harry said pointedly.
“No, I don’t. Harry, there was no other werewolf when I went to school. I was the only one.”
Harry looked at him, exasperated, “Not you too. I thought you wouldn’t lie to me.”
“I’m not lying Harry, I was the only one.”
“What about Snape!?”
“Snape? You think Snape’s a-“ Lupin laughed heartily, “Harry, Snape’s not a werewolf.”
“Of course he is! He takes a potion doesn’t he, Wolfesbane? There’s no cure for what he has! Dumbledore said so when-“ Harry halted, he didn’t feel like telling Lupin about the Occlumency lesson and that he was related somehow to Snape.
“Is this something you saw when you went in Snape’s pensieve?”
“Erm…yes.” Harry lied.
“Harry, think about what you’re saying. When Snape and I were in school, there was no Wolfesbane potion. That’s why they planted the Whomping Willow, that’s why the Shrieking Shack was there.”
Harry froze, Lupin was right. It hadn’t been invented yet, and the Whomping willow and Shrieking Shack were proof, “But- what’s wrong with Snape?”
Lupin shook his head, “I don’t think that’s for me to say. I know it’s hard, but maybe, if it’s important to you, you should ask Snape himself.”
“That’s what Dumbledore said.” Harry muttered begrudgingly.
“And he’s perfectly right. If there’s anyone who should tell you, it’s Snape,” Harry mad to go, and Lupin added almost as an afterthought, “you know how absolutely batty he gets if he’s not in control of things.”
“Yeah, right. Thanks.”
Harry headed back into the mansion.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:05:02 GMT -5
It was sometime after noon when Raven finally got back to the manor. Truth be told, she was stalling. She didn't like being there longer than she had to, the bad memories inspired by the place were still too fresh.
Raven shook herself out of her musing and pushed down her anxiety, as she wandered down the hallways of the manor, intent on finding Harry. She found him in her father's library, straring off into space with a pensive look upon his face. Raven watched him for a moment, as a smile pulled at her lips. She could deffinetly see the family resemblance between him and Snape. She coughed lightly to get his attention. Harry's eyes focused as his head snapped towards her direction.
"Ur.. Hello.." He said as his cheeks flushed slightly.
"Hi." she smiled, "My name's Raven. I'm the owner of this hulking pile of rocks. You must be Harry. It's a pleasure to meet you." She held out her hand, and after a moment's hesitation he took her hand and shook it. She noticed the puzzled look he gave her gloved hands.
She sat down in a wing-backed chair across from him, as he continued to study her. She couldn't blame him for his curiosity. She was dressed in her usual long sleeved sweater, gloves and blue jeans, clothes that a normal person would be swealtering in, with the days weather.
"I'm going to be you're new Defense against Dark Arts teacher," Raven began, stalling while she was trying to figure out how to bring up Snape without getting Harry defensive. "I hope I have better luck than you're previous teachers."
Harry cocked an eyebrow at her. "People say the job is jinxed."
Raven smiled. "That may be so, but there wasn't anyone esle rallying for the positon, and I'm doing it as a favor for a friend."
"I know Snape.. I mean Professor Snape wants the job," he stated carefully. "Been trying for ages to get it. Some people say he'd do anything to get it."
Raven tilted her head slightly, as she watched Harry. She knew he was fishing for info, trying to see whose side she was on. Well, she wouldn't rise to the bait.
"Really?" she replied casually. "I was not aware of that. I mean he wasn't going for the postion when I was going to school."
Harry's eyes widened at the new bit of information. "You went to school when he was a teacher here?"
Raven nodded, "Yeah. He he was pretty tough, especially on the students he liked." Harry looked at he as if she had grown another head. She laughed at the expression on his face. "Really, I mean it! I think it was his way to force us to think on our feet, despite adverse conditions."
Harry snorted. "I'd hate to see what he does to the students he doesn't like..."
Raven chuckled, "Uusally he makes no effort to correct them. I remeber there was this one student in my class.. What was his name again? Vincent Mort, I think.. Everyone though he was Professor snape's favorite because he didn't pick on him at all. When time for OWLS came along, all of us who he badgered mercilessly passed, while Vincent failed. He just doesn't waste his time or effort on those he doesn't think are worth it."
“Humph.” Harry muttered, but he wasn’t so cock-sure that Snape was a bad guy. Was it really true that all the awful things Snape did were because he thought Harry was a good student, or could be a good student if he applied himself? Harry knew he never had truly applied himself in potions. If it wasn’t for Hermione’s incessant prodding, he probably never would have gotten that ‘O’ in Potions.
And when Harry really sat down to think about it, Snape had always done the right thing when it really counted; who had been muttering a countercurse when Harry’s broom when Quirrel had been jinxing it? Didn’t he try to protect him, Ron and Hermione when he thought Sirius Black was going to kill them? And just last year hadn’t he not given Umbridge real veritaserum?
The more he thought about it, the less he was sure Snape was as terrible as he had always thought.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:05:27 GMT -5
Thorne stalked the Great Hall, slinking towards Hermione and Eustace, as they sat together chatting over lunch. Raven had gone back to Dragon's Gate, leaving him behind with the two younger humans. That was just fine with Thorne. He had a plan to carry out, and he need to see if Hermione and Eustace would be alines in his scheme.
He hopped onto the table and as soon as Eustace saw him, he wrapped his arm defensivly around his meal. Thorne sniffed in distain.
i'm not going to steal your food, he huffed crossly. Eustace gave him a speculative look, but moved his hand slightly away.
"What do you want then?"
Thorne scrunched his nose at Eustace. i just wanted to have a conversation, he scowled, his tail twiching slightly. He tilted his head, in the same manner that Raven did. i see you guys got left behind as well
Hermione scowled, "Yeah. Uncle Severus wouldn't hear of us tagging along. They're most likely off having some secret meeting and don't us kids getting in the way."
Thorne smirked slightly and decided to throw out a bone to see if they would grab onto it. raven told me the same thing, but it makes me wonder..
"Wonder what?"
wellllll, it seems to me that raven and your uncle seem to be spending a lot of time together lately..
Hermione snorted into her drink, "Gee, you think so? Because I really hadn't noticed."
The Draven cat snickered. of course raven denies that there's anything going on between them... has your uncle said anything?
"Of course not. And I'm certain if asked he'd respond the same."
they're just to stubborn for their own good..
"I agree."
someone should really make them see the error of their ways..
Hermione's eyes lit up with a mischevous twinkle. "Yes.. someone should."
question is how to get them together in a place that has nothing to do with school or whatever other buisness they're doing at the manor..
Both Hermione and Thorne paused to think, when suddenly Eustace spoke up.
"I think I have an idea..." The girl and the feline looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue. "Well I need and wand.. and school supplies. I could ask Raven to take me to Diagon Alley to get me some. Then Hermione could ask her uncle to take her as well. I supose you need supplies as well, right Hermes?"
Hermione scowled at the hated nickname but nodded just the same. Eustace contined. "Well we could get them together there.. Maybe we could set up a dinner or something for them?"
Thorne smiled his cheshire grin, and Hermione chuckled out loud. "Thats a great idea!"
Before they could work out more of the plan, they were intrupted by Dumbledore entering the Great Hall.
"Miss. Snape, Mr. Xavier I need to speak to you in my office.."
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:06:25 GMT -5
“What’s this about?” Hermione asked as they arrived at Dumbledore's office.
“I don’t believe we have had an opportunity to have you sorted into your houses. I thought it would call attention to yourselves if we sorted you with this year’s new arrivals, so I thought we’d have a private sorting right here.”
“We’ve already been sorted, Sir. In our first year, we’re both Slytherins.”
“Then you won’t mind trying on the Sorting Hat again, will you?”
“Sorting Hat? What’s that?”
“Ah, just as I thought,” Dumbledore mused for a moment, “How were you sorted?”
“Well, when we got our letters, it told us what house we were in.”
“Hmmm….Then perhaps you were chosen for your house, not because of who you were inside, but who your families were?”
They looked at him as if he’d sprouted feathers.
“What I mean is, isn’t it possible that you were chosen for Slytherin because you’re families were both linked with the Death Eaters?”
“I suppose so…” Eustace muttered, “I wouldn’t put it past father to have done something like that.”
Dumbledore pulled a moth eaten hat down from the shelf, “Who would like to be sorted first?”
“I’ll go,” Hermione said and Dumbledore handed her the hat, “What do I do? Just put it on?” Dumbledore nodded.
She put the Sorting Hat on her head, and gave a little gasp when it began to speak in her ear, “Hmmm…. A Snape, eh? A good smart mind and a head for calculations… Hmmm…you are tenacious at times but know when to give in. Not very humble are you? But a hard worker when your interest is piqued….but where to put you?…. Plenty of cunning … knows how to get what you need and are determined and ambitious enough to get it through any means….hmmm… I think you aught to be in…. Slytherin!” The hat shouted this last word out loud for the room to hear. She sighed and took the hat from her head.
“There you see? They must have done something similar in my world. We’ll probably both get the same houses as last time.” She handed the hat over to Eustace who placed it on his own head and then took it off a few seconds later.
“Erm…the hat would like to talk to you Professor Dumbledore.” Dumbledore took the hat and jammed it on his own head… “ I am confused as to the nature of this Draco Malfoy, for all I can tell, he’s the same person, but his personality is so wildly different from the boy I sorted before… who is this?”
“This is another Draco Malfoy, I should have said something beforhand, this Draco is from an alternate universe and was brought here, you are right, he is, in fact, the same Draco Malfoy. His name is Eustace Xavier now.”
“Oh, Well, I’ve never had a child I couldn’t sort!” The Sorting Hat said cheerfully, “I won’t let this be the first.” Although I do wish I’d known in advance, I would have prepared a song.”
Chuckling, Dumbledore took the hat from his head and gave it to Eustace who gave a nervous glance at Hermione and placed the hat back on his head, “Now then! Let’s get this thing started, shall we? Draco Malfoy, eh? I would have never believed it if Dumbledore didn’t tell me himself. I thought my brains had been addled for a second there! No, you aren’t anything like the Draco I know… hmmm…the cunning and ambition is there I see, still there… and the thirst to prove yourself….but bravery! Oh dear me! You’ve got it in buckets, don’t you? If only our Draco…well, never mind that…hmm…but really! I haven’t had a Malfoy like this since…alright, back to your sorting….hmmm… not a bad mind, no, not bad at all, an excellent worker when it’s something you believe in… but the bravery outstrips most of that, doesn’t it? Hmmm… I best put you in…. Gryffindor!”
Eustace looked surprised but pleased, and at the same time he felt he’d miss seeing Hermione everyday in the Slytherin common room.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:07:01 GMT -5
“Snape’s not a werewolf,” Harry blurted out as soon as the sitting room had emptied out and Hermione and Ron were the only ones left, “Wolvesbane Potion wasn’t invented until after-“
“-after Snape was in school, hence, the Whomping Willow and the Shrieking Shack, I’m sorry Harry, I should have realized, except I was still absorbing the fact that Snape’s your uncle.”
“Ah ha! So you were surprised, little-miss-oh-stop-acting-like-a-baby-Ron”
Hermione put her hand to her temple to shut out Ron’s triumphant I-told-you-so, “Okay Harry, tell me exactly what you saw in those memories.”
“You know, I’ve been thinking Hermione, maybe it isn’t my business to know…”
“Oh come on Harry!” Ron added, “Just because he’s finally stopped lying to you about being your uncle doesn’t mean he’s a different person now…”
“I know…but…”
“You told us you saw a boy playing?” Ron prompted before Harry could change his mind.
“Yeah… I would have thought it was Snape, he was playing with a cauldron, except he looked like me. Snape doesn’t have green eyes and unruly hair…he’s got black eyes and lank hair. Then the memory faded.
“Then I saw a couple of boys playing tag or something, one of them I think was my father, he had unruly black hair, blue eyes and glasses. Plus when I saw him in a later memory, you can tell it was somewhere in the middle of being my dad and the boy in this memory…and the other boy, looked like me, but didn’t…well, he had green eyes, and unruly black hair like mine and was about seven or eight … I think it was the same boy playing with the cauldron. His face was shaped differently I suppose… I might have looked that way too, but the Dursley’s never took pictures of me when I was that age, only Dudley, so I don’t know.
Anyway, they were chasing each other, at first I thought the one with green eyes was in danger, but then I realized they were only playing. Oh wait- now I remember, I’m sure the blue eyed boy was my father, because the green eyed boy called him Jimmy. Anyway, after that, the memory faded, and I was in what I think was a living room, it was hard to tell because it was really dark in there, but I know Snape was there on the couch, I could tell it was him because he really hasn’t changed all that much. He looked as sour as ever even though he must have been twelve, and my dad was there too, sitting next to him on the couch. Dumbledore was sitting on the other side of Snape, and was talking to him about some sort of arrangements with Hagrid. Dumbledore said Snape was allowed in the Forbidden Forest as long as he was accompanied by Hagrid. My dad was really excited for Snape, seemed like a big deal that Snape would be allowed in school. Then Snape started yelling about someone, he called them a bloody bastard, I thought maybe he’d been bitten by another werewolf, but…well, anyway, Dumbledore tried to make him feel a bit better by telling him the person would be caught. Then Snape said something about the person ruining his life and he looked like he was going to cry but was trying not to. Then he said he was tired, so his mom, or really my grandmother, asked him if he wanted a drink. It must have been foul whatever it was, because Snape, said he didn’t want one, but he needed one anyway, so Dumbledore decided to wrap things up. My grandparents signed some kind of contract, then Snape signed. And his dad got really angry at him and his step-mom started to cry because he said he didn’t want to be a Potter anymore. He and his dad argued- ohh, that’s where I’d heard that name before!”
“What name?”
“Snape said something about learning curses from uncle Marian. When I went to see Dumbledore, he said I’d had a great-uncle Marian in Romania who’d recently died. I bet this is Snape’s uncle who he learned curses from. He must have been a dark wizard.”
They all let that sink in, then Harry continued, “Anyway, Snape and my grandfather argued about changing his name, and Snape’s step-mum said Snape should be able to if it made him feel better- oh, I’ve just remembered something else- Snape wasn’t learning curses from his Uncle, he was learning them to ward off his uncle, that’s what his step-mum said anway.”
“Ward off? That’s strange wording….” Hermione said thoughfully,
“I wonder what his uncle was doing to him that he had to ward off- ohh do you think it’s the same person that they were trying to catch?”
“I bet.” A strong wave of emotion hit Harry as an image of Snape being beaten and locked in a cupboard came to him. He always had tried not to think about the days when uncle Vernon would do the same thing to him, for something he didn’t even realize he was doing. Could Snape have been mistreated by his Uncle like he had been?
“Harry, are you okay?” Hermione asked.
Harry looked up, his face growing hot, “Er…yeah…fine.” He swallowed, “Um… after that, Snape basically disowned all Potters and stormed off, I suppose, to his room.”
Hermione looked lost in thought, suddenly she spoke up, “It doesn’t make sense… you can only see either your memories, or Snape’s when you do Legilumency, are you sure there was no one else in the memory of the toy cauldron?”
“Yeah, I’m positive, I looked around because I thought maybe it was me, but I didn’t recognize anything… “What about the other one? With your dad and the green eyed boy?”
“No. No one…”
Hermione thought for a minute, “What if…what if the green eyed boy was Snape? He was with James, and who else do we know who would be playing with a cauldron…”
“But he didn’t look like Snape.”
“What if, whatever his uncle did to him, made him look different?”
“Maybe, but what could make someone’s eyes change color and hair look so awful?”
“I don’t know…”Hermione pursed her lips and furrowed her brow, “There must be a reason…Harry, what was the green eyed boy’s skin like?”
“I don’t know, I didn’t really pay attention…normal I guess; pale with rosy checks, like my dad’s.”
“Hmm…”
They sat in silence for a while, suddenly Ron broke the silence, “Oh, Harry, did you see the nasty sunburn Snape’s got?”
Harry couldn’t answer before Hermione’s hands flew to her mouth, “A sunburn! Harry….” She whispered excitedly, I think I’ve just figured it out. What if Snape’s a-“ Her voice died quickly and she looked like she was going to be sick
“A what?” Came a silky voice behind them, Ron and Harry whirled around to see the smirking visage of Severus Snape, “Oh do let me guess: Snape’s a greasy-haired, hooked-nosed, sniveling –I’m sure Potter’s told you all about the charming pet name his father and his friends gave me- sniveling git, am I close?”
They were all too dumfounded to speak, they just shook their heads. Hermione looked doubly scared at first, but then bravely took a step forward and stared at him, scrutinizing.
“That’s a nasty sunburn you’ve got professor.” The smirk faded from Snape’s lips and was replaced by a frown. Hermione knew she was on the right track, “I can’t imagine what could have done that! You must have been in the sun for hours and hours.”
“I’m photosensitive, not that it’s any of your business.” Snape said coldly, narrowing his eyes at Hermione.
“I bet you have to put a lot of sunblock on, then, probably enough to make your hair and skin very greasy.”
Snape’s mouth formed a thin line, “You would do well to keep your mouth shut and your nose out of where it doesn’t belong, or someday it might just come back to bite you.” Snape said pointedly and turned to leave.
“I don’t think it would.”
“Hermione,” Ron whispered, “What are you doing?!”
Hermione wasn’t listening however, her mind was working furiously.
“Oh, Miss Granger?” Snape turned back, raising an eyebrow, “What makes you think that it wouldn’t?”
“Because I think it was bitten itself and didn’t like it very much.”
Harry could hear Snape’s teeth grinding together, he was looking furiously from Harry to Hermione, “You!” He whispered and pointed at Harry, too furious to yell.
“What did I do now!?” Harry looked surprised, he had no idea what Hermione had said to Snape to make him so angry. As far as he could tell, she’d only asked about his sunburn.
“Can’t keep you mouth shut, can you, Potter?” He looked as though he were itching to give him a detention, or take house points away, or assign a monstrously difficult essay… but as school wasn’t yet in session, he could do none of these things, “Your very big mouth is going to get you into trouble eventually. One day you will tell the wrong person the wrong thing and it will be your undoing.”
Snape whipped out his wand and they flinched, thinking they would all be sprouting boils very soon, instead he turned to Hermione.
“You are too clever for your own good,” he pointed his wand at her, “ Put out your hand, palm up.”
“What are you going to do?” She looked scared now, but did as she was told.
Ron and Harry went to get out their wands but Snape stopped them, “Put your wands away, I’m not going to harm Miss Granger,” He turned back to Hermione, “Have you told them yet?" He pointed he wand at Harry and Ron. She shook her head.
"It is important to me that you tell no one.”
“I won’t tell anyone.” Hermione squeaked.
“Not even these two?”
“No one.” Hermione said as she gave Ron and Harry an apologetic look.
“And you are willing to swear by it?”
“Yes.” She said miserably.
Snape drew an imaginary circle with his wand on the palm of her hand, and a shimmering blue ‘o’ appeared on it. He did the same thing with his own hand offering it for her to shake and as she did, he said “Abhibere Clandestinus”
He gave them all one final glare and left the room without saying a word.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:08:23 GMT -5
“Are you okay Hermione?”
“Did he hurt you?” Ron asked.
“No, I’m fine… that was a secret-keeping spell”
“He just made you a Secret-Keeper?” Harry asked.
“No. Well it’s similar kind of spell, but it’s more symbolic than anything else. I read about it when I was looking for secret keeping protections for the DA last year.”
“What does it do?” Harry asked.
“Nothing. It’s symbolic. It’s like shaking on it.”
“So… are you going to tell us?”
“Of course not!” She looked at Ron, exasperated, “I gave Professor Snape my word!”
“But…!”
“If you want to know so badly, I guess you will just have to figure it out on your own, won’t you?”
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:09:36 GMT -5
“So…. How did the sorting go?” Raven asked Hermione and Eustace as their plates magically materialized in front of them.
“Still Slytherin.” Hermione said with a grin.
“Was there ever a doubt?” Eustace said, his grin widening, “I don’t need a magical hat to tell me what house you would be in.”
“Well you surprised me with your house, Gryffindor eh? Your father would have been furious.” She grinned even wider.
“Yeah, he would have disowned me. Too bad he didn’t.”
“I think you’ll fit right in. You are certainly brave,” Raven said seriously, remembering Eustace’s former life in the service of Dumbledore, “.Oh…we’ll have to get you some new robes, though.”
“Oh, right. And I do need a new wand.” He cast a sideways glance at Hermione, their plan might be easier to achieve than they thought. She didn’t mention wanting to go in front of Raven, in case she offered to bring her. The trick was getting Snape to bring her, himself…
---
“Hello Uncle!” She said brightly giving Snape a hug.
“Sunburn!” He growled and she jumped away as if she touched something hot.
“Oh! Sorry Uncle!”
“Don’t call me Uncle! It’s enough without you saying it as well.”
“Sorry…” This isn’t going well at all. She thought. They were silent for a few minutes.
“Erm…. I got sorted…I’m going to be in Slytherin.”
“Oh.” Snape said unenthusiastically. He wouldn’t even be able to escape her when he was working.
“Eustace got Gryffindor.”
“Indeed?” Snape said with a little more interest, “How very odd…the Draco Malfoy of this universe is in Slytherin.”
“Yeah… Raven told me about that- Where are you going?” “Running.” Snape said as if it left a horrible taste in his mouth, “And then self defense afterwards.”
“With Raven?”
He glared at her, “Who told you?”
“No one. I guessed it must be another one of those dates.”
“They are not dates!”
“Yeah. Right.”
“Self-defense classes!”
“Dates.” She smirked. He gave her an exasperated look and left.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:09:55 GMT -5
When he got home, Snape was sure he couldn’t feel his legs. So he walked through his door and flopped into a chair. He wondered if he’d be able to get out of it again.
“Hello…un-Severus!” Hermione Snape said a bit too cheerfully for Snape’s taste.
“You should get used to calling me Professor Snape or Sir. School will begin soon.”
“Umm… okay…speaking of school beginning, I need to pick up a few things, for start of term. We got our letters today.”
“Have Professor Xavier bring you.” He said tiredly, closing his eyes.
“But…What if she doesn’t want to?”
“You’re old enough to use the floo by yourself, I was when I was your age.”
“There weren’t Death Eaters running around when you were my age.”
“Actually, there were.”
“But you were one!”
His eyes opened, “I wasn’t one. Not at your age. Go to sleep.” He was too tired to argue, he closed his eyes again and fell asleep in the chair.
He woke up sometime later, with a weight on his chest. He didn’t want to open his eyes. If he thought he was in pain yesterday it was nothing to how he was feeling today.
Finally, an odd cooing noise made him open his eyes. It was Fawkes with a letter in his beak. Snape sighed and took the letter, it was obviously from Dumbledore.
‘Severus, We have given Harry his class supplies list and he is in need of a few things in Diagon Alley, would you be willing to escort him?
Fawkes will wait for your reply.’
“Dammit Potter.” Snape said out loud,
“What’s wrong, un-Se-Sir.” She said awkwardly, not knowing what to call him anymore.
“I’ve got to bring Potter to Diagon Alley.” He said, willing himself to get up out of the chair to write a quick note to give to Dumbledore.”
“Oh! It’s perfect! You can bring me too!”
“Fine.” He said grudgingly, “Be ready in five minutes.
He handed Fawkes the note and he disappeared in a burst of flames.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:10:17 GMT -5
I can't belive I'm willingly doing this again.. Raven thought to herself, as they stepped into Diagon Alley. She cast a glance at Snape's expression and got a sadistic thrill in that fact that she wan't the only one who was suffering. Well as the saying goes, Misery love company.. She could handle shopping alone with Thorne just fine, but with Eustace, Hermione Snape and Harry Potter thrown into the mix, she was positive that they were bound to get into loads of mischeif. "Eustace, we need to get you're wand," Raven called out before her charge had a chance to get too far ahead. Eustace sighed then threw a covert glance at Hermione. She smirked and turned to Snape. "Unc-Sev- Er.. Professor.. I would like to see Eustace get his wand. Can we go with them?" Snape shrugged then winced slightly. "Fine." he responded in a curt growl. Raven cocked an eyebrow at him but made no coment. She realized he might be in a world of pain from their workout. It was to be expected, he was just starting out. Raven opened her mouth to say something to him, when her train of thought was derailed by Eustace, who was grabbing her hand and pulling her towards Olivanders. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ The dust padded shop was just as Harry remembered it. Filled with boxes of all kinds of odd materials for wand making. As his eyes adjusted, he saw that they were not alone in the shop, a pile of wands was lying in front of a boy on a stool, Ollivander was no where in sight. The boy turned. “Hello Harry!” He said brightly as his eyes fixed on Harry, but he grew slightly paler as his eyes slid upwards, “Er.. hello, Professor Snape, and… uh..” He looked at everyone else. “Hello Neville!” Harry said, looking back to see the others, “Um…this is, um…” “Hermione.” Hermione said, “Nice to meet you Neville.” “And I’m Eustace.” “Hi!” “Oh,” Harry said, “And this is our new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Xavier. Everyone, this is Neville Longbottom.” Neville waved to them, “And this is my Gran.” “Why don’t you try this one? Mahogony and Phoenix tailfeather.” Neville jumped as his attention was brought back to Mr. Ollivander, who had entered the room without anyone noticing. As soon as Neville took the wand, Ollivander snatched it back and went muttering to the back room again. “Picking out a new wand, Neville?” “Yeah, after, after what happened…” Harry and Neville exchanged dark looks. “I’m getting a new wand too.” Eustace said, “lost my old one.” Hermione and Eustace exchanged dark looks. “Try this one! Phoenix tailfeather and oak” Neville took the wand and gave it a little wave, red and gold sparks showered from his wand. “Whoa…” Neville said delightedly. “Curious…curious…” Harry pushed his glasses up nervously, it was never good when Ollivander said ‘curious’. “What’s so curious?” “The phoenix feather, Mr. Longbottom, that resides in your wand just happened to belong to the same phoenix that gave two other feathers. One in Mr. Potter’s wand, (he looked at Harry) and the other gave him that scar.” “You mean…You-Know-Who?” He nodded. Hermione and Eustace exchanged worried glances. If the Harry Potter in this world was so good, why did they have the same phoenix feather core? Harry looked very uncomfortable, while Mr. Ollivander wrapped up the wand for Neville. “Now!” Ollivander said once Neville had left the shop, “What can I do for you, Mr. Potter?” “Uh, actually I’m just tagging along.” “I’m the one who needs a wand, sir.” Eustace spoke up. “Oh, another older customer! Broken is it?” “Lost it actually,” “Well! Let’s see what we can do for you!” He began the hunt for the perfect wand, until he had a pile as big as Neville’s in front of him.” “Try this one: Unicorn tail hair and Alder.” Eustace took it, but nothing happened. “Hmm…maybe this one, then? Ash and Dragon heartstring.” He took it away almost immediately, and headed once more to the back room. Eustace gave them all an apologetic look for taking so long. “Perhaps this one? Golden Gryffin wing feather and Mahogany.” He waved it and Gold and Red sparks shot out.” “Wonderful!” Ollivander chortled as he wrapped up the new wand, “Very rare that one, try not to lose this one, eh?” “Yes Sir.” ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ After much debate, it was decided that they would all take a break and stop for lunch at The Leaky Cauldron. Hermione and Eustace dragged Harry ahead, stating that they would reserve a table. When they reached the inn, Hermione pulled the proprietor of the place aside. After a whispered confrence with him, she pulled away smirking, just as Raven and Snape walked in. "We're not really hungry," Hermione said to the adults, "I know you guys are hungry so is it okay if we go ahead and meet you back here in an hour?" Snape's eye's narrowed dangerously, "I don't think that's a good idea-" Raven interupted, "Maybe we should let them go Severus. I'm sure that they will behave themselves," With the last statement she gave Hemione and Eustace a Look that could rival Molly Weasley's. The two teens gave her a sheepish glance and mumbled that they wouldn't do anything that would get them in trouble. Snape just shrugged, to tired to argue. The kids scuttled off before he could change his mind. "Are you sure it was such a good idea to let them go off by themselves?" Raven smiled. "Hermione and Eustace are up to something. They would of found some way to go off by themselves. It's not like their going unsupervised..." Witht his she directed a pointed gaze at Thorne. The draven cat blinked at her a few times before he yowled in discontent. what?!?! i have to watch them? i'm not a babysitter!"No, you're a Draven cat.. And the best protection they could possibly have." Thorne scowled at her, still not swayed. Raven sighed. "I'll make it worth your while.." Thorne's ears perked up with definete intrest, and his eyes gleamed with predatory glee. "I'll get you ten boxes of Milk Pocky.." ten boxes of milk and five of strawberry, he countered. Raven rolled her eyes, but conceded. "Fine, it's a deal. Now go watch the kids." As they watched Thorne bound off, Snape gave Raven an odd look. "What's Pocky?"
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:10:59 GMT -5
“What was that all about?” Harry asked.
“Ditching the adults of course.” She winked at Harry
Ahem Thorne said through their heads.
Harry whirled around and drew his wand. But saw no one. “Who’s there?”
I am, Rumbled Thorne in their heads, You are looking straight at me.
“Are you invisible?”
“Oh. That’s Thorne.” Eustace pointed to the cat, “He’s a Draven cat. They communicate with their mind.” Eustace turned to Thorne, “And you’re not technically an adult either, not for a Draven cat.”
Picky aren’t we? I’m much older than you, and besides Raven asked me to keep an eye on you three.
“I’ve never seen a Draven Cat.”
“They’re rare.” Hermione said quickly steering them away from the conversation, “Um where do we have to go next?”
“Well,” Eustace said, pulling out a list from his robe pocket, “We’ve got our Potions supplies and our school books. We still have robes to get…”
“Alright let’s go there. “
“Good afternoon dears! Ah tut tut! You’ll have to leave your pet outside. ”
“But…!”
I’ll be right by the front door if you need me.
“Okay.”
Madame Malkin smiled merrily at them, “Here for school robes, are you?’ Her eyes grazed over Harry’s scar which made him self conscious, “Why don’t you come in the back room and will get you all fixed up?”
They followed Madame Malkin to the tailoring room. Another boy was standing with his arms outstretched, while magical measuring tapes were flying around him. Even though his back was to them, Harry, Hermione and Eustace stopped in their tracks. It was Draco Malfoy.
“Now! What houses are you all?”
“Gryffindor.” Harry whispered, trying not to attract Malfoy’s attention.
“Gryffindor.” Eustace said distractedly, as he was more interested in his other self.
“Slytherin.” Hermione told Madame Malkin while eyeing all three of them.
“Really?” Harry said, surprised.
“No, not really, I just want to get the wrong color robes, make a statement.” She smirked at Harry playfully.
Before Harry could respond, Draco jumped from the stool, in impeccably fitted school robes. His eyes narrowed and a scowl marked his pointed features, “Potter.”
“Malfoy.” Harry scowled back.
Malfoy eyed Hermione and Eustace, “Finally replaced Granger and Weasley, did you? I suppose even this lot shows some improvement.”
“Shove off, Malfoy.” Both boys drew wands.
“Is that any way to talk to a fellow house member, Master Malfoy?” Hermione said demurely, laying the femininity on quite thick as, right on cue, Madame Malkin handed her a green Slytherin robe to try on, and then bustled off again.
Draco eyed the green robe. “Who are you anyway,” He drawled, “I haven’t seen you before.”
“I just moved here. Hermione Snape.” She extended her hand. Harry goggled: Snape? Why didn’t Dumbledore tell him he had another relative?
“Snape, eh?” Draco took her hand forgetting all about Harry, “As in Professor Snape?”
“My uncle.” She smiled sweetly at him. Eustace’s face was turning red, he was dying of embarrassment for his other self, “And you must be his favorite student. He talks about you all the time.”
“Does he really?” Draco puffed up importantly.
“Oh yes. All the time. It’s always, Draco this and Draco that…quite frankly it gets tiresome after a while.”
“Oh yes, the same at my house. Potions always was my best subject.” Draco beamed at her, a rather silly grin on his face.
“How do those robes fit, dear?” Madame Malkin came bustling back into the room handing Eustace and Harry their Gryffindor robes to try on, breaking the awkward and nauseating moment.
“Oh, um…they’re fine…uh…” Draco payed Madame Malkin, gave Hermione one last sickeningly sweet look, and, whispering so Hermione couldn’t hear, said “I’ve got something for you this year, Potter. You just wait.” He shoved past Harry and left the shop.
After he had gone, Hermione burst out laughing, “You should have seen the looks on your faces! Oh, It was priceless!” They all tried on their robes and the tape measures floated about them.
“What was that, Hermione?” Eustace asked, a smile creeping up on his face as well.
“It’s called flattery. Never underestimate the feminine mystique.” She smirked.
“That was amazing,” Harry laughed, “I’ve never seen Malfoy look so pleased with himself.”
“I didn’t think it would work as well as it did. Really I have no idea how he got into Slytherin house. Slytherins are supposed to be cunning. He obviously hasn’t got a clue.” In fact, he reminded her more of Harry Potter from her world than anything.
“If you think he’s stupid, you haven’t met Crabbe and Goyle. They make Malfoy look like a genius in comparison.”
“Slytherin too?”
“Yeah. Malfoy won’t hang out with anyone else.”
“Hmm… I think I’m going to have to have a talk with that hat…tell it what it really means to be a Slytherin.”
“What’s the matter with him, anyway?” Eustace said uncomfortably running his fingers through his hair to make sure his bangs weren't slicked back. He had grown his hair out to shoulder length during the summer, letting his bangs hang in his face, effectivly hiding his features. It was disconcerting watching yourself act like a total prat. Eustace felt it was more like seeing his father at sixteen than himself.
Harry shrugged, “That’s just the way Malfoy is. You know, I met him in this very room? I didn’t like him even then.”
“Oh, those look perfect!” Madame Malkin said from the doorway. “Very good fits, I think. Yes?”
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:11:56 GMT -5
“Soo…” Snape glanced around the room, apparently for a waiter.
“Soo…” Raven repeated, picking up the menu, “Have you eaten here before?”
“On occasion…”
“The food any good?”
“It’s satisfactory.”
“Good.”
“Good.” Snape picked up his own menu. Raven sighed. There was a long time when neither talked while each studied their menus without truly reading them.
“What can I get you folks today?” Tom said, cheerfully brandishing a self-inking quill and a pad.
“I…uh…” Snape’s eyes darted around the room, looking at other people’s plates, “I’ll have that over there.” He pointed to a person animatedly pointing his fork at his dinner companion across from him, clearly in a heated discussion.
“You’d like the prime rib then? How would you like that cooked?”
“Rare.”
“I’ll have the same, actually,” Raven added quickly, “Rare also.”
Tom wrote on his pad, “Two prime ribs, still mooing.”
“Can you get it that rare?”
Tom gave them both a look, “Perhaps you’d like the steak tartar?”
“And that is…?”
“Steak, served warmed but not cooked with a horseradish sauce parsley garnish, and fresh grilled vegetables, with your choice of a baked potato, rice, or mashed potato.”
Raven tilted her head for a moment in thought. "Can I have that without the sauce and a baked potato with sour cream and chives?"
Tom looked at her oddly for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, we can do that..." He took her menu, then scribbled on his pad, changing her order.
"I'll have the same as well, but with a plain baked potato." Snape added, handing Tom his menu. Tom just shook his head, scribbling the new order, before wandering off, still casting them odd looks.
Raven hid a smile at Tom's reaction, behind her hand, and had to bite her lip to keep from giggling out loud. Then had both settled back to silence, and Raven's brain worked desperately to think of something to say.
"Uh- I spoke with Harry," she said hesitantly, "I think he's starting to see things from your point of view, but it'll take time." She paused for a moment, then gave him a quizical look. "He also told me something very interestiing about the Defense Against Dark Arts position..."
Snape leaned back in his chair, with a slight wince then cocked an eyebrow at her. "Really? What did he say?"
"Well... First off, he told me the job was jinxed."
"I can see how he would arive to that conclusion, seeing as we've an a new teacher every year, for the past six years.. That and former teachers usually don't have a good end."
"Huh.. That would have been nice to know," she said sardonically. She looked at him for a moment before continuing. "He also told me that you've been gunning for the job. I.." She paused, thinking on how to phrase her words carefully. "I wouldn't of taken the job if I had known, Severus."
Snape shook his head, "Dumbledore wouldn't have given me the position anyway."
"Why not?"
A corner of Snape's mouth quirked up, "Let's just say I'm over qualified."
Raven let out an unladylike snort. "Over qualified? I've always hated that term. If you know the subject, then by all rights you should have the job."
“Yes!” Snape brought his hand down on the table to emphasize his point, “That’s exactly what I think!” Raven had never seen Snape so animated, “Do you know what Dumbledore says to me every time I apply for the job? He says, ‘Let’s stick with potions and see how you do.’ Every time…” Snape shook his head, “I don’t understand it. I’ve been teaching potions for ten years, you’d think he’d know my teaching style by now.” Suddenly Snape realized he was speaking to the person who had gotten the position, "Ah…I mean, but of course, I'm sure Dumbledore has made the right decision..." He studied his napkin.
Raven leaned back and sighed, "I'm not so sure of that. I've never taught before. I mean, what if I screw up?" She brushed an errant bang behind her ear. "I still believe you would make a better Dark Arts teacher than I would. You have the background and more firsthand experience than I do, and you certainly have seniority." Raven scowled, before taking a breath and claming herself down. "I'm sorry Severus, it just irks me to no end that time and time again, you are never given your due..."
He turned slightly pinkish, “It’s…It’s good to hear someone say so…I can’t tell you what it means to me.” He said softly, almost to himself. He took a sip of water, stalling for time, gathering his thoughts.
The truth was that that was the first time anyone had acknowledged his participation and sacrifice as anything other than compulsory. When he had first joined the ‘good’ side, every effort he made had seemed to him and apparently everyone else as an act of atonement. Which meant to him that it didn’t deserve to be counted as noble or above common duty. It only ‘made up for’ all the other things he’d done, or felt he’d done.
"Here you are!" Tom said cheerfully, presenting them with their steaks, "Er...enjoy."
They both seemed relieved at the excuse to stop talking, and each concentrated on their steaks.
At lengths, Snape stated thoughtfully between bites, "You will make a fine Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, you know."
Raven put her fork down, and gave him a skeptical look. "Yeah right," she chuckled with a raised eyebrow. "Tell me another one.."
"Now Miss Xavier, have you ever known me to be anything other than serious?" He smirked at her, "I daresay my name describes me well. Severus translates to serious, and I am being just that right now." He popped a peice of steak in his mouth.
"With my luck, I'm sure someone will blow themselves up." Raven said as she poked her baked potatoe with her fork. "Or some other horrible calamity." She tilted her head and gave him a smirk. "Has anyone lost a student on their first day?"
Snape snorted, "Thankfully, not to my recollection. However, I've come close with Mr. Longbottom, that's the boy you met in Olivanders. He is abysmal at potions, thank god I don't have him this year."
Raven tilted her head, her intrests piqued. "And pray tell what has young Longbottom done?"
"What hasn't he done? Sometimes I think he goes out of his way to foul up a potion to cause the largest explosion possible. He must have gone through ten cauldrons since he's been here. It's strange actually, I hear from Pomona he's excellent at Herbology, her top pupil. But when it comes to putting that knowledge on the application end of things...I've had to put extra safety spells around his workstation, just to keep him from harming himself and others." He saw the non-plussed look on Raven's face, "Oh, but from what I've gathered, he is about average in Defense Against the Dark Arts. You needent worry unless you plan on doing a section on poisons and other more potions related topics."
Raven looked dauted as the image of exploding cauldrouns flashed through her head. "Well, I'll keep that in mind then.." she said faintly, "Actually I was thinking that when I had taken the course before that it had only focus on arts and creatures found only in this area... I was considering maybe brining in creatures and teaching types of defensive magic from other parts of the world. Might make an interesting change..."
"Yes, quite. Although might I suggest," Snape said, lowering his voice and leaning closer to Raven so she could hear him, "given the present circumstances, it might be advisable to give them the most practical and readily usable Defense classes as possible. Last year they had to endure classes in 'defense theory'. It was about the farthest thing from practical aplication as it is possible to get. Needless to say..." He trailed off as his attention focused on a nearby table. The occupant was seated, reading the Daily Prophet while simultaneously drinking coffee.
Almost as abruptly as his attention wandered, he was back looking at Raven as though nothing had happened at all.
"So, as I was saying," he said in the same manner as one telling about the weather, "Aren't you full? I am. Why don't we go and get dessert? There's a wonderful little coffee shop called Perky's. Perhaps our charges would like to come as well? Come on then." He got up, shoving a handfull of galleons, more than enough to cover the meal, on the table. Raven said nothing, but collected her bags and followed him out of the restaurant.
"What was that about?" Raven whispered once they were in Diagon Alley again.
"The coffee shop is this way." Snape said and took a turn down another alley, "Right off of Diagon Alley, Actu Alley, you can't miss it." He took hold of Raven's hand and placed it over the spot where his Dark Mark was.
They took a turn off of Diagon Alley and into a row of quaint shops. It wasn't nearly as busy as Diagon Alley, but both Raven and Snape managed to dissapear into a tour group of American Wizards.
They didn't go to Perky's, which was easily the main attraction on the street, but turned off into a side alley which emptied back into Diagon Alley again.
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