Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I in no way, shape or form claim to own anything in the story. I've read too many fanfics by now to remember who thought of what or if I thought of it.

{Parseltongue}

'Thoughts'

Letters

Chapter One: The Ravage of War

Lissianna Potter-Riddle-Black gasped for air, her lungs burning and eyes streaming from the smoke. Everywhere she looked was blood and destruction. Silent tears streamed down her face, her eyes frantically searching for some form of life, for a survivor.

The war with Voldemort had finally come to an end, now at twenty-six, Lissianna had finally managed to kill the monster, but at a great price. Hogwarts lay in smoking ruins, remnants of fires still scorching the crumbled stone. Her hair shifted to a sickly gray, her eyes a dull brown.

Everything was silent, save for the wind in the trees. Dropping to her knees, Lissa threw back her head and screamed. She screamed for the loved ones she lost, for the actions she was forced to perform, for the crippled future of the survivors. Her magic lashed out, causing lightning to arch from the thunderous clouds. Rain began to pour, causing the fires to hiss as they were extinguished. Forcing herself to stand, Lissa stumbled to the ruins of Hogwarts. She could not bear to see the dead faces of her friends and family. She knew that they were dead; the charms on her bracelet had all gone cold, one by one during the battle. Only one remained warm, pulsing every now and then as if to reassure her of his continued survival.

Slowly trudging her way through what was left of Hogwarts, she made her way to the one place she knew remained unchanged and untouched by the war: the Chamber of Secrets. Though the horcrux was gone, she learned, much to her horror, that it was not what had given her the ability to talk to snakes. She wished that it was because of the horcrux and not the horrible reality that it stemmed from. The only advantages of the damn thing were her being able to spy on Voldemort, use it as a radar, and it giving her all of Voldemort’s knowledge through the once there link when she killed it. She received even more of Voldemort’s knowledge and memories when she killed him with an arcane spell that slowly sucks out another’s magic, allowing for them to weaken more and more until they suddenly enter magical exhaustion. It took a good hour and a half for Voldemort to realize something was wrong, and another hour or so before she managed to hit him with a crucio. She finally ended the torture with a suffocation curse, before hitting his body with the killing curse for good measure when it appeared he might be fighting off the suffocation curse.

She had never given much thought to how magical abilities manifest or are passed down, but after some idle research, discovered a tragic truth to her abilities. Her suspicions began with Voldemort’s resurrection in the graveyard in her fourth year, when Voldemort used her blood to build a body. Dumbledore had explained to her in her second year that Voldemort had accidentally transferred some of his powers to her when the killing curse backfired, she had no reason to doubt him at the time. It wasn’t until after the fiasco that was the third task, that Dumbledore let slip something that set her on a path of research. He had mentioned absently that Parseltongue is passed through blood, as are all magical abilities. He hypothesized that the killing curse negated that little fact and managed to perform a magical transfer. He was wrong, oh so very wrong. The contradicting theories roused suspicion in Lissianna, so she decided to do some digging of her own.

That summer, Lissa managed to sneak out to Diagon Alley, and from there into Knockturn Alley. In hindsight, it was one of the stupidest things she’d ever done. Who in their right mind would walk into the enemy’s territory alone with little experience? No one in their right mind of course. So, wearing a black cloak and carrying a card that she’d obtained form the Goblins allowing her to purchase items in the same way of a Muggle credit card with no extra charge. She’d been advised by Malfoy of all people to request one to buy herself some respectable clothes when she pointed out that the type of clothes he was referring to would be difficult to acquire with a large sack of gold she’d have to tote around. He’d laughed at her, only stopping when her glare registered in his brain. So, after that enlightening chat during her shopping trip the previous summer, she did just that. She also requested that all her vault key be discontinued and a new one made and blood bound to her. The Goblin had been surprised that the Golden Girl even knew about blood magic, though that was again Draco’s fault. Not that he knew she had been listening in on a discussion he was having with an older Slytherin student.

So, armed with her nifty little card, Lissa marched down Knockturn like she owned the place, deliberately loosening her hold on her magic, making her seem more intimidating. Her first stop was Borgin and Burkes, where she spent a good deal of gold on questionable and flat out illegal books, predominantly those on soul and blood magic. Pleased with her findings, she decided it was a good idea to get the hell out of Knockturn and start her research and prepare for the coming war.

She managed to slip past the strange smelly drunk snoring away under what she assumed to be an invisibility cloak. Fortunately her relatives had been avoiding her since the little incident that had occurred when Vernon tried to lock up her school stuff. Her magic, still unsettled and aggressive from the resurrection and subsequent duel, was more active than normal. Vernon made the mistake of trying to smack her when she refused to let him lock up her things. Her magic lashed out most spectacularly, sending him flying through the wall and into the next room from where she was standing on the stairs. Needless to say, her “family” avoided her like the plague after that, treating her like she was a bomb about to go off. She would have loved to have heard the excuse the Dursleys had given for the giant hole in the wall to the construction workers.

Thank magic that it was accidental magic and therefor untraceable for the most part. She later discovered that the Marge incident was only caught because an alarm for magic done in excessive quantity being seen by Muggles went off. An inflated human apparently counted as an excessive quantity of magic. Why the alarm didn’t go off during her other accidental magic episodes, she would never know. In reality, the Obliviators actually showed up to alter people’s memories with the snake incident at the zoo after she was ‘ushered’ out of the exhibit.

It took her four hours to come across what she was looking for in a book on magical inheritance. Lissa nearly had a heart attack when the pieces of the puzzle started to come together. According to the magical inheritance tome, magic is passed down through a combination of blood and soul. Specific traits like Parseltongue and other rare and obscure talents are passed down through blood, while magic in general is passed down through the soul and blood. The belief was that the soul contains the magical core of a person, while the blood contains what Muggles call genes for magic. Meaning, it was impossible to transfer magical abilities through the soul itself, blood had to be involved. It took about ten seconds for the implications of that to register in Lissa’s mind.
Scrambling off of the bed, she barely made it to the bathroom before she started throwing up. Moaning in misery, she leaned back against the bathtub. If Voldemort had been resurrected without the ability to speak Parseltongue, then there wouldn’t be a problem; only he had started muttering in it to himself not long before he turned his attention to her again and giving her a run down on his oh so tragic past…Note the sarcasm.

The only way Voldemort could have remained a Parselmouth was if Lissa had that trait in her blood. The damming words from the diary Tom Riddle echoed through her head like he was whispering in her ear.

“We look so alike, you could be my twin, if I were female that is. You even have red in your eyes…I wonder…”

She had thought that her Metamorph powers were imitating Riddle’s appearance to throw him off, but what if that wasn’t the case? Could she be related to Voldemort? She prayed that it was through the Black family as her father’s mother was Dorea Black before her marriage to Charlus Potter. Lissa resolved to make an emergency trip to Gringotts the following morning. After all, her mother was a Muggleborn, so she couldn’t be related to Voldemort through her…could she?

Her world was shattered the next morning.

Name: Lissianna Aurora Potter-Riddle

Parents: James Charlus Potter, Lily Anne Potter, Tomas Marvolo Riddle

Eligible for: Slytherin Ladyship (through second father), Ravenclaw Ladyship (through second father), LeFay Ladyship (through second father), Ambrose/Merlin Ladyship (through mother), Pendragon throne (through mother), Cedicit Ladyship (mother), Potter Ladyship (though first father), Gryffindor Ladyship (through first father), Peverell (through first father), and Black Heirship (through first father and current Lord Black).

Lissa fainted when she saw the results, though not before seeing the Goblin suffer what appeared to be a possible heart attack. She never breathed a word of the results to anyone, fearing for the reactions others would have, that and she had zero desire to get involved in politics let alone being royalty at the time. It suddenly made so much more sense why she was unable to talk the hat into putting her in Gryffindor rather than Slytherin. Apparently Voldemort had somehow gotten ahold of her mother, she turned green at the thought. Magic really shouldn’t be able to do what it did, but unfortunately for Lissa, magic doesn’t care about science.

So, she ignored reality and began frantically preparing for war. It was the Cedicit family that gave her the greatest advantage of all. The Goblins had been rather terrified when they took her down to the Cedicit family vault. Apparently, that particular family was the Boogeyman of the Wizarding world. Go figure. The literal translation of the family name helped cement the idea that the legends just might be true. After all, having the name Fallen doesn’t lend itself to being all sunshine and daisies.
It wasn’t until Sirius died and he left everything to her that she caved and accepted the Ladyship head of family rings. It hurt like hell. Afterwards, she finally got a good look at her new face and body. She was not amused in the least. Her time at Durzkaban had left her a scrawny midget compared to her female classmates. The family magics apparently disagreed with her previous looks. No longer a short and awkward teen, she suddenly had curves and height. Her clothes were strained and threatened to cut off her circulation. The worst part was, her magic was on the fritz and refused to morph her body. So, casting numerous glamor charms, she marched off to go get new clothes. She completely ignored how one eye was Avada Kedarva green and the other a vivid blue that rivaled the green of her other eye. The red in her blue eye refused to disappear, while the red in the green eye obligingly turned into gold. It took her months to get her magic back into working order. One huge benefit was the trace no longer applied to her as she was now considered emancipated.

Lissa never breathed a word about her new looks or status, and bullied the Goblins into keeping their mouths firmly shut. Though, her magic going on the fritz with the head of family rings was nothing compared to what was about to happen.

Stumbling into Moaning Myrtle’s Bathroom, Lissa hissed {open} at the sink with the snake on the faucet. With a tremendous grinding sound, the Chamber’s first entrance opened.

{Stairs, lights} Deciding that this was either only for the Basilisk, or for both humans and snakes alike. Her silent question was answered when stairs melted out of the walls and spiraled downwards, while the walls themselves began to glow eerily. Descending the stairs, she turned and commanded the entrance to close, then began her journey.

Lissa was not sure what she was going to do, but she didn’t have to worry about not being prepared, considering she had trunks full of everything she owned, including the items from all of the properties, vaults, and the Room of Requirement before it was destroyed. Hermione, Draco, Neville, her, and several others were planning on sorting all of the junk, but never had time as they were attacked right after the horcrux was collected and the items all stored in one of her spare trunks she had brought for just that reason.

Pausing to clear the cave in and prevent another, Lissa quickly resumed her expedition into the Chamber. Her emotions were numb at this point, much like her mind and soul. Whispering at the massive door to open, she stared at where the basilisk once lay before she had returned several years ago to render the beast. One of her trunks was filled with all of the basilisk parts, while she had made some armor that she was currently wearing made from its scales.

Taking in a shuddering breath, Lissa continued on, steadfastly ignoring the spot where she met her father’s teenage soul piece. While everyone else might be dead, there was one who was still living: her little Teddy. After Andromeda was killed, Lissa had swooped in and snatched Teddy, stopping at Gringotts to blood adopt him. Severus Snape had tagged along to make sure she didn’t do anything stupid. He’d survived Nagini’s attack due to Lissa being having a phoenix animagus form. She actually had four, but that was the one that saved his life. He had died not long after agreeing to help her blood adopt Teddy. Blood adoptions could only unfortunately be performed by two people and not just one, though, it was possible to have a new mother or father while having the still present mother or father ‘adopt’ their child together.

Teddy grew slightly taller, his face more like Tom Riddle’s, but with Severus’s dark eyes. He did have red in them though, much to his new mother’s dismay. It wasn’t until Severus was captured and killed that she learned why he was so eager to blood adopt Teddy: he was an Incubus. Severus had chosen a rather ugly mortal form to through others off, and must have learned how to repress his nature when he received his inheritance. She supposed that might be why he was so grouchy all the time, what with him having to constantly hide his true nature. Damn him though! Now Teddy was an Incubus as well, thanks to the dominant nature of the demon genetics. Teddy remained a Metamorph, though that was because his new mother was one as well. Lissa never would have blood adopted Teddy if his parents had had the time to go through with the godparent ritual, but seeing as there was never time for the ritual, they kept putting it off. Then they were killed, taking with them any chance of her being able to become his godmother. After Andromeda was killed, the Ministry tried to step in and take Teddy, Lissa did the one thing she could to prevent that. After completing the ritual, Lissa and Severus had fled to the Chamber of Secrets, knowing it to be the one place safe unless Voldemort took Hogwarts.

Coming to a halt at the base of the statue of Slytherin, Lissa took in a shuddering breath.

{Speak to me Slytherin, Greatest of the Hogwarts Four}. A harsh grinding sound echoed through the chamber, disturbing the previous silence save for her breathing and voice. {Stairs, lights}. Once again, stairs and light appeared, letting Lissa make her way to the inner chambers. She could see without light thanks to the modifications her body underwent and her animagus forms, but she felt better, more human with the light present.

Coming upon the first door, Lissa slashed her hand to let the wards recognize her. Humming, the wards let her through, she had just enough time to see the room and allow the door to close before she was talked by a blur of frantic color.
“Mom!” Stumbling back into the door, Lissa wheezed as she was squeezed hard enough to have difficulty breathing. Harsh sobs wracked Teddy’s small frame, his hair cycling through a multitude of colors. Kneeling, Lissa wrapped her arms around her son, rocking him gently while making soothing sounds and running her fingers through his hair.

“Shh sweetheart, it’s over, the war is finally over.” Teddy simply hugged her more tightly in response, his breathing becoming erratic. Lissa closed her eyes, crying silently once more. Her heart felt like it was breaking into a million little pieces as her son fell apart in her arms. She hadn’t seen Teddy so distraught since Severus’s body was found outside of Gringotts, tortured and mutilated almost beyond recognition.

“What happens now mom?” Teddy pulled back slightly so that he could look her in the eyes while asking the question. “What do we do, where do we go now that we’re the only ones left?” Teddy was right, they were the last of the Order, their friends and family were all dead. There was nothing left for them.

“I have an suggestion.” Lissa and Teddy’s heads snapped around towards the source of the voice, their eyes landing on the portrait of one Salazar Slytherin. “There is a spell that one of your ancestors from the Cedicit family that I heard about not long before my untimely death. It was one that is supposed to let one travel to another dimension where you are either dead or never existed in the first place. Though I want you to take everything from the Chamber of Secrets, including myself if you decide to do it.” Both Lissa and Teddy were gawking at the smugly smirking portrait of the most infuriating of the Four Founders.

“What do you think Teddy, do you want to start over in a new dimension?” Lissa looked at him intently, her eyes boring into his own. Teddy bit his lip, screwing up his nose in concentration. A small smile lit Lissa’s face at the action, her son never failed to look adorable when he was thinking over a difficult problem or question.

“Yes, there is nothing left for us here, so why not, what do we have to lose?” Lissa snorted, while Salazar cackled.

“Oh, I don’t know, our lives perhaps darling?” Teddy stared at her blankly for a moment.

“Yes, because we’re living right now are we? No mom, we’re barely even existing as it is.” Lissa and Salazar sobered, demons clouding their eyes.

“Yes, you are right, so let’s get this show on the road then shall we?” Lissa looked at Salazar intently, clearly telling him to spit out the spell.

“The ritual is in the journal of Bartholomew Cedicit…” Lissa snorted and Teddy giggled at the absurd name. Salazar glared at them in annoyance.
“Bartholomew is a perfectly reasonable name! In fact I almost named my oldest son Bartholomew.” Lissa stared at him in a sort of horrified fascination.

“You mean to tell me that you nearly named your own son Bartholomew?” Teddy continued to giggle at the adults while they argued over the name Bartholomew.

“Uh mom, shouldn’t we be getting on with the ritual and whatnot?” Lissa closed her mouth with a click of teeth, glaring at Salazar.

“Yes, indeed we should, shouldn’t we grandfather?” Lissa hissed, eyes flashing red. Salazar sighed, nodding in agreement.

“Teddy, help your mother pack up the rooms while she and I set up the ritual.” It wasn’t a request, so after looking to his mother for permission, which he received in the form of a slight nod, Teddy grabbed three shrunken trunks from a box on the floor by the door.

At Salazar’s urging, Lissa enlarged the Cedicit trunk and summoned the journal that was needed as well as the materials. It took a few hours, but it was worth it when the ritual circle started to glow, signifying its successful completion. Now all she had to do was wait for Teddy

It was as Lissa was putting the trunk and materials, except for the knife, back in the mokeskin pouch that she felt the invisibility cloak. Eyes widening, for it had been lost during the Battle of the Ministry, she carefully pulled out the folded material. Letting it unfold in a silvery wave of liquid fabric, a soft clank sound drew her attention to a small black stone laying on the floor. She sucked in a harsh breath at the sight of the Resurrection Stone. Her jaw dropped, reaching out with a trembling blood stained hand, Lissa picked up the black stone. The sign of the Deathly Hallows floated in a silvery gray-blue and purple mist. Her heart pounded, the Resurrection Stone was lost in the Forbidden Forest when she gave herself up during the first Battle of Hogwarts. Pale, and ignoring Salazar’s demands for answers, she reached for the Elder Wand strapped to her right forearm. It eagerly jumped into her hand, vibrating with magic, black and killing curse green sparks shooting from its tip. She set the three Hallows on the floor, staring blankly, her mind whirling with possibilities.

“M! Mom!” Lissa jolted into awareness when Teddy started shaking her shoulders as he yelled for her. “Mom! Are you alright?” Large black and red eyes stared at her in frantic worry, tears threatening to break loose once more.

“No, not really.” Her voice was weak and wobbled, her hands fluttered about uselessly.

“Wait, are those the Deathly Hallows?” Awe colored Teddy’s voice, and Salazar jumped up from his chair, pressing his hands and face against the boundaries of his painting, eyes popping and mouth gaping.
“Yeah, but all except for the Elder Wand were lost, I thought the cloak destroyed, and the last I saw of the stone was when I dropped it in the Forbidden Forest.

Shakily, Lissa placed the stone and wand on the cloak, intending to wrap all three together and stuff them in a trunk. It was the wrong thing to do. Yelping at the sudden surge of magic, Lissa stumbled back, forcing Teddy to quickly retreat to avoid getting knocked over. The Hallows began glowing, magic gathering in the room. Teddy ran over and stuffed Salazar into one of the last trunks, before shoving it in his pocket with the rest. Running back over to his mother, he quickly snatched up the ritual knife. Fortunately they had almost completely packed up the Chamber previously, making his job a small one. Lissa had backed herself into the wall, seemingly frozen in horror. Teddy grabbed her arm, tearing her attention from the ominous ball of black and purple energy gathering in size and strength where the Hallows once were. It floated up into the air and towards them almost lazily.

Lissa and Teddy lunged towards the ritual circle, scrambling to get inside and get the hell out of dodge. Lissa quickly began to chant the words for the ritual, slicing her and Teddy’s palms, before allowing the blood to pour onto the central rune in the middle of the circle. It shone a brilliant white light, before the rest glowed gold. A sensation similar to a portkey, only magnified, took hold of them. The last either of them saw was a hurtling mass of black and purple magic slam into Lissa before their world exploded into a swirling mass of color, while Lissa writhed in agony.

They were slammed into a rough and unyielding surface, driving the air from their lungs. It didn’t take long for Teddy and Lissa, who was still twitching from the mass of black and purple magic entering her, to slip into oblivion. They were blissfully unaware of just where they had landed and the panic that their entrance ensued.

Chapter Text

See disclaimer and A/N in chapter one.

Chapter Two: A New World…Sort of

Lissianna groaned, her eyes flickering open, she’d just had the strangest dream…

“Gah!” She flung herself backwards, recognizing the Kings Cross Station platform from when she destroyed the horcrux and entered limbo.

“Goddammit! I thought I was done with this shit!” She roared at the empty train station in a fury to rival Mrs. Weasley’s own temper.

“My my, such language for a lady.” Lissianna screamed, whirling around, belatedly realizing that she was naked as the day she was born. Her jaw dropped and all thoughts of modesty went flying out the window to commit suicide. In front of her was a being that could only be Death, and he was grinning rather maniacally at her as well.

“Mom!” Lissianna had no time to turn around before a small rocket bowled her over.

“Ow, Teddy why do you always tackle me?” Lissa shamelessly whined, not bothering to try to get up, as she didn’t want her son to see her naked.

“Uh mom, why are you naked?” Lissa popped open an eye, glaring at Death who was snickering and then switching her attention to Teddy, who seemed oblivious to his own state of dress, or lack thereof.

“I’m not the only one who is naked.” Teddy frowned at her, his ten-year old mind struggling to comprehend what his mother had just said. It clicked suddenly, and he made a strange squeaking sound, attempting to cover himself up. Lissa suddenly remembered how to fix the issue at hand and simply wished for some clothes.

“Now, Death, if you could be so kind as to explain why my son and I are in limbo before I have a panic attack, that would be great.” Teddy, previously occupied with examining his new clothes turned his attention to his mother. He noticed with alarm that her normally copper red hair was turning fire engine red. He felt a brief stab of pity for the being she’d referred to as Death.

Death was a rather tall being, covered in a rotting black cloak reminiscent of a Dementor’s cloak. He had the legendary scythe, but looked nothing like a skeleton. He was androgynous, with white skin, purple-gray lips, white hair, and had milky white eyes with dark circles underneath. He reminded Teddy of a Thestral.

“So demanding Mistress.” Death teased lightly, watching in amusement as his Mistress’s face rivaled her hair and her eyes, not wanting to be left out, also burning red. She growled, heaving herself up from the ground. She reached back and grabbed Teddy’s hand, almost crushing his bones.
“Don’t call me Mistress!” Her screech echoed loudly through the empty space, prompting a grimace from the two males.

“That is your title, after all, you were the one to unite my Hallows. If you didn’t want to become my Mistress, then you shouldn’t have combined them.” Death’s voice was icy, his hand clenching around the scythe. Teddy was surprised that steam wasn’t coming out of his mother’s ears, or smoke from her nose. She looked ready to tap into her dragon animagus and smite Death.

“I don’t want to be anybody’s Mistress, much less Death’s!” Her statement started out as a snarl and ended as a roar. She suddenly appeared to loom over Death, who actually took a couple of steps back before catching himself and stood his ground…barely.

“There is nothing I can do to change what has been done. The Hallows live inside of you, and to some extent your son from the magical backlash. Look at it this way, you’re immortal now and so is your son and any future children or mates that you may have.”

“What do you mean they live inside of me?” Lissa was obviously beginning to hyperventilate at the idea of something like the Deathly Hallows living her much like the horcrux once had.

It took some time before Lissianna was calm enough to listen to anything important that Death had to say. After some deep breaths and fortifying her Occlumency shields, Lissa was ready. Her emotions were locked behind strong barriers until she could settle Teddy and their affairs, then she’d properly have a complete mental break down and grieve.

Death, waited until his Mistress gave the go ahead before launching into a long explanation.

“Now, the world your bodies are currently in is one where you Mistress were killed by Riddle on Halloween. Teddy has never existed, and will now never be born in this dimension. Voldemort is still at large and was never defeated, so the first war never really ended. Your mother was never captured by Voldemort, so he never fathered a child. Ironically he wants an heir, so do try to avoid demonstrating that he’s your father. Oh, your magic will need to be retrained seeing as it’s been mutated by the Hallows entering your core, it will be nearly impossible to control for a while.”

“What!” Before Lissa could begin her rant, Death cut her off.

“So, due to the fact that you are legally dead in this dimension, you will be more Riddle’s daughter than James’s. If one were to perform the parternalis spell, the results will show you to be Riddle’s daughter. As for your mother, I’ve messed around with your blood a bit to bring out the Cedicit and Pendragon genes, so the results will show you to be the daughter of a squib descended from both lines and distantly related to Lily Potter. Normally you would not be eligible to claim the Ladyships that you have, but since your magic is stronger than your parents’, you will remain the head of those families since the family magic will choose you over them. The only ones that I will block from doing just that are the Black and Potter family lines.

Lissianna’s eyes had grown wider and wider, her horrified expression saying all that was needed about her thoughts on the matter. Teddy, having grown bored with the subject, decided that examining Death up close was a brilliant idea. Poking at Death, he jumped back when the icy cold feel of his body rushed up his arm. Scuttling back to his mother’s side, he glared at Death, who had begun laughing at him mockingly. Teddy stoically endured his mother coddling and fussing over him. He tuned her out when she started yelling at Death about hurting her baby. He was resented that remark. He was nearly a teenager dammit! He was no baby. Pouting, he zoned out as the argument grew fiercer. He had little interest in listening to his mother yell at someone else when he knew how it felt to have her temper turned on him.

“Mom, can we just leave?” Teddy, fed up with the arguing and being in the creepy place called limbo, wanted to leave. His mother stopped mid rant and looked down at him to say yes, but Death beat her to the punch.

“No.” Death, quickly realized that he shouldn’t have said that and held his hands up, palms facing outward in a sign of ‘hold it’. Lissa’s mouth shut with a click, her jaw clenched tight.

“I need to finish giving you the information that you’ll need when you wake up before you can leave.” Lissa eyed him through narrowed red slit eyes, nodding slightly to show that she was listening.

“Right then, you will need to retake your NEWTS and set up a background for both yourself and your son. I’ve also messed with his genes to match yours, so you won’t have to worry about anyone finding out the Potters his grandparents. Though, it will show that Severus Snape is his father, but that can easily be explained away as a one night stand with a Metamorph who was not in her base form. Now, I mentioned earlier that your magic will be on the fritz for a while, I’m not sure how long, but at least a month. You will be unable to shift into a different form other than your base form. I’m not sure about the glamors, but you might be able to do those.”

He paused for a moment to let her digest what he’d just told her before continuing.

Once I let you go, your bodies will appear at some random place in the world with high concentrations of magic, so I have no control over what happens when you fully reach the new dimension. Right now your bodies are between worlds, and will remain there until I let your souls go. So no, this is not in your head.”

The last was said with mild amusement when Lissa looked ill at the fact that her and her son’s bodes were currently sans their souls.

“I can’t think of anything else off of the top of my head…oh I almost forgot, as my Mistress, you are responsible for restoring the balance between life and death. Your magic, once it’s back under control, will guide you. The Dementors are also at your disposal, along with all other creatures associated with me. I look forward to the reactions you’ll garner when the Dementors perform your every whim.”

“Not on your life Death…wow that was a poor choice of words.” Teddy giggled as his mother grimaced, while Death narrowed his eyes.

“Indeed.” Death drawled, doing a scarily similar impression of Severus when less than pleased.

“So, is that all, or do you need to inform me about some other fact that is liable to make me have an aneurism?”

Death shook his head in amusement. “No that is all, I will come if you call for me Mistress. Until next time Mistress, Little Master.”

With a wave of his scythe, the two wayward souls shot off back to their respective bodies, ready to embark on a second chance at life.

The two dimension travelers were less than pleased to find themselves slamming into an unyielding surface, and even more so at the frantic screaming and yelling.

Lissa’s last thoughts were of what she was going to do to Death the next time she saw him, none of them appropriate for innocent ears.

Chapter Text

Chapter Three: I'm Sorry, Could You Repeat That?

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore had an almost overwhelming urge to bang his head against the nearest hard surface. Voldemort had managed to find the previous headquarters for the Order, and now they had to relocate…again. This was the third time and could only mean one thing: there was a spy among them. Rubbing his temples, he glanced over at Fawkes when he trilled. Standing, Dumbledore's knees cracked obscenely, causing a few of the portraits on the walls to snicker at his misfortune. Slowly making his way over to the phoenix, Dumbledore stroked the soft plumage of his familiar.

"What am I to do my friend? The Longbottom boy is not the one the prophecy refers to, no matter how hard I've tried to make it so. Voldemort killed the Potters' eldest child; she was our only hope it seems. Voldemort is becoming more desperate to have an heir; luckily for us he has failed time and again. It was not long after Voldemort had killed little Lissianna that he began trying for an heir. Many witches died in his cruel attempts and subsequent experiments. He was unable to blood adopt for some odd reason, perhaps because his magic was so twisted?"

Fawkes trilled, nudging his head against Dumbledore's hand in a demand for more pets. A slight smile stretched Dumbledore's lips as he observed his familiar fondly. He paused, as the ward he'd placed around his door alerted him of an impending visitor.

A knock disturbed the peace of his office, turning; he glanced curiously at the door, wondering what Sirius Black needed now.

"Come in Mr. Black." Sirius bound into the room, all smiles and full of boisterous energy.

"I'll figure out how you do that one of these days Albus if it's the last thing I do." Dumbledore chuckled at his antics. There was no need for Black to know that he had a ward alert him when someone was outside his door, and that he could sense auras.

"I look forward to that day Mr. Black, now why are you here? Lemon drop?" Eagerly accepting the proffered candy, Sirius threw himself into the chair facing the front of Dumbledore's desk. He slouched, garnering a disgusted sneer from the portrait of Phineas Nigellus up on the wall at his deplorable manners.

"Please don't call me Mr. Black, it makes me feel old, and like my father, may his soul never rest in peace. Call me Sirius or Padfoot." Munching on the candy, Sirius idly glanced at his ancestor's portrait, doing a slight double take at the glower being aimed his way. Sirius maturely responded by sticking out his tongue.

Easing himself down into the squashy chair, Dumbledore observed the young Lord Black's actions with amusement. Sirius never failed to lighten the mood.

"Very well Sirius. I confess that I am at a loss as to why you might be here, so please enlighten an eccentric old man." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily at the wide-eyed look Sirius was giving him. Sirius suddenly looked…well serious, causing a feeling of dread to creep up on Dumbledore's previously cheery mood.

"I have been having strange dreams, nightmares really, but I didn't think anything of it. That is until yesterday, when I had another, only I was awake and it was much more vivid than the previous ones. They are not all the same, some are more common than others and some longer, but they haven't really been that much of a problem. This has been going on for the past month, with the dreams growing more and more vivid. They started out as indistinct, and jumbled, but now it's like being in a Pensieve; unable to do anything but watch."

Now that Dumbledore really looked at Sirius, he noticed the subtle glamors that he had applied earlier that morning. Lacing his fingers together, he silently stared into space while Sirius picked at the stain on his robe nervously.

"Perhaps viewing these nightmares in a Pensieve will help?"

Sirius bit his lip, debating with himself whether or not to re-watch the terrors that had been haunting him for the last month. He glanced out at the warm spring day, longing to be outside rather than in the school.

Turning his attention back to the Headmaster, he took in how tired and old Dumbledore looked. Dumbledore's long silver beard was rather uncomfortable looking. Yet his blue eyes twinkled merrily. Sirius wondered how his nose became so crooked, he couldn't imagine anyone actually hitting the man. Half moon spectacles perched on said nose reflected the sunlight streaming in through the window. He idly wondered what enchantments were on those always present glasses, and how he could get hold of them to prank the Headmaster. Shaking such thoughts from his head, he finally gave his answer.

"The Pensieve I think, perhaps you can shed some light on these bloody nightmares." Sirius muttered under his breath grumpily, clearly not pleased with his decision, but felt it to be the best option.

"Excellent! Now, you know what to do my boy." Striding over to the cabinet with the Pensieve, Sirius began placing a month's worth of dreams into the stone basin. Joining him, Dumbledore watched on in curiosity as he caught brief flashes of pictures, some turning his blood to ice, there seemed to be several of these images. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Sirius was hesitating to add another memory. Pretending to still be watching the memories floating in the Pensieve, Dumbledore waited for Sirius to reach a decision.

Lips pressed tightly together, and grey eyes narrowed; Sirius let the final memory drift down into the Pensieve.

Both men had barely touched the surface of the liquid inside the basin when they suddenly found themselves in the first dream.

*Dreams/Memories Begin*

"Oh gods, oh gods! No!" He was running, flinging himself from a giant motorcycle, heart pounding and tears blurring his sight. There was a full moon, wet grass, smoke, and stars.

Part of the house was gone, destroyed by an explosion, fire licking out of a gaping hole where what was left of the nursery.

The front door was gone, having been blown inward, the entrance telling of the battle fought within. He spotted a dark form, crumpled at the base of the stairs, unmoving. His breath hitched, the tears spilling over. Hoping, praying for a miracle, he reached out trembling hands, turning the man over.

"Nonononononono! James! Wake up James, wake up!" He was sobbing, his heart being rent in two. He could almost hear the spells being traded back and forth, the last moments of his brother in all but blood.

Closing James's hazel eyes, he laid him out on the floor before standing and looking up the dark and forbidding staircase.

He took a step. Was this the same place that monster placed his foot?

Another step. Was this where the monster rested his hand, gliding it over the polished wood?

Another step after another, haunted by thoughts of a monster walking where he now was.

Smoke was filling the hallway. He coughed and cast an air freshening charm. There was a scorch mark on the wall next to him. A large shield glowed, reflecting the light of the fire. He felt hope stir. Quickly, he had the fire under control, the shield falling as soon as the danger had passed. His heart shattered again.

"Lily." His voice was but a whisper this time, not the anguished scream from earlier. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, didn't want to truth be told, he didn't want to see the corpse of his goddaughter.

Her hair was like a pool of blood, mocking him, mocking life. How could something dead have so much life in it? Her emerald eyes were wide with acceptance and terror, with determination. His tears fell faster. A new emotion took root then, one that quickly dwarfed his pain: fury. A burning hate mixed with his anger, giving birth to a fury he'd never felt before, and was likely to never feel again.

"Peter!" The name was roared, all of his hate pouring into it. He gently closed Lily's eyes, full of determination, not to protect a baby, but to kill a certain traitorous rodent.

"Pafoo."

He froze. His entire existence came to a screeching halt. It was impossible. He whirled around, finally taking note of the empty black robes at the base of the crib.

His robes.

His eyes rose slowly, afraid to dare to hope he wasn't just hearing things.

He wasn't.

"Lissianna!"

It was cold, so very cold, hopeless. Tall rotting demons that sucked out all of the light and happiness in the world.

Screams.

A skull with a snake coming out of its mouth, high in the sky for all to see.

A prophecy.

Smoke.

A rat.

"No weave Pafoo! No weave me!" Her screams for him, he'd left her…chosen the rat over her.

Never again, she was his very reason for breathing, the rat could wait.

He had to stay strong, had to be strong for her.

A malnourished and scraggy Grim-like dog, pale gray eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

Stone walls and iron bars, cackling and screaming, hell on earth.

Guards tormenting, their cruel laughter and taunts, his mind cracking.

Tasteless food, frozen feet, damp air.

"I am innocent!" He yelled when he started to forget. He clung to the memory of that night, if only to remember her.

The Minister, a newspaper, the traitor…

"Hogwarts." He rasped, filled with determination. He had to escape.

Twelve years of hell. He relived every single one of those days.

Escape through bars, dodging guards, keeping to the shadows.

A beach.

Icy water, waves, salt, exhaustion, and success.

She needs me!

Hunger, such hunger.

She needed him.

There she was. She looked upset, yet so very beautiful.

Turn around, look at me.

She turned, Lily's eyes widened, mouth parting in surprise. She gave a shout of alarm when he barked in greeting, stepping backwards only to get her heel caught in a rut.

She fell, yet never broke eye contact. Pinning him in place with her probing eyes.

He whined, slowly, cautiously making his way towards her, wanting to reassure himself that she was real.

Her hands felt so good in his dirty and matted fur. He relished the first physical contact he'd had in twelve years.

Her pale heart-shaped face stared down at him, holding worry and anger.

She was brushing her hands over his back, her eyes filling with some emotion he could not name.

A scar caught his eye, one of lightning, yet reeking of death.

He hated it.

"Come on boy, let's get you cleaned up." She was taking him home.

Watching her lose her temper made him want to laugh. It was the polar opposite of what he had just been feeling up until that moment, spying on her through the window.

He watched with undisguised glee as the fat woman with a moustache, Marge he believed her name was, floated away like a balloon. He though it was an improvement.

Yelling.

He felt a growl rise when he realized who was doing most of the shouting. Another dog barking, it came charging out of the house, chasing after its owner as she floated on the wind.

A door slammed, the yelling cut abruptly. He cocked his head, hearing only the crickets and other neighborhood noises. A brilliant snowy owl launched itself from her window.

The house disgusted him, just as her family did. Hell, he hated the whole neighborhood. It was all the same.

Normal, they thought themselves to be normal? The very idea was laughable.

A tall pale man appeared with a soft crack. His shoulder length greasy black hair and hooked nose inciting a deep hatred in him.

Snivellus.

The greasy dungeon bat.

Death Eater

Spy.

Not human, but something else, something dark.

How he loathed the man.

How dare he be near his goddaughter!

Don't!

It was too late, she was already at the door, her trunk in one hand and bird cage in the other.

Don't you dare touch her!

Get your slimy paws off of my goddaughter!

They disappeared with a quiet pop.

He raged.

He howled.

Several louder pops broke the night; the Ministry was here.

He had to leave.

Dementors on the train!

A student Kissed!

She was in danger because of him. Yet he had to stay close.

Moony!

Moony was on the train, had let her be kissed by the Dementor!

But she survived.

How?

How could she have survived the killing curse?

Does it matter?

No, she was safe now.

Moony won't let the soul sucking demons or the traitorous rat get her so easily.

But he didn't know about the rat.

He let her be Kissed…

He can't protect her, but I can.

Snivellus!

Stop following her…wait, what…

Slytherin!

She was in Slytherin?

How could this have happened?

Oh Prongs, you must be rolling in your grave right now.

That horrid little cockroach!

Wait till I get my hands on him…

How dare he!

Smarmy git, let's see how he feels when I turn him into a girl…

She liked it! I knew she would enjoy the prank. Snivellus was apoplectic with rage.

"Let me in!"

Can't she see that I'm trying to protect my goddaughter?

The Fat Lady screamed, fleeing her portrait in a panic.

He slashed the canvas in a fit of rage.

He blamed Snivellus.

He hated Halloween.

She was falling, she was going to die, there was nothing I could do to save her.

Snivellus was running out onto the pitch…how did he get there so fast?

Not her! Please not her! She's all I have left!

How can she be so calm in the face of the one she's been led to believe a mass murderer?

What was that?

Did her eyes flick to the door just now?

The boy moaned piteously, his broken leg swelling.

The blond ferret was with them.

Evil little cockroach.

Why the hell was a Malfoy trying to shield his goddaughter?

Can't he see that I'd die before I'd willingly hurt her?

The bushy haired one was still unable to speak around the silencing charm he'd thrown at her.

I know I heard something.

Her wand wasn't even trembling.

She was so strong, so brave…why the hell is she in Slytherin?

A dark shadow loomed suddenly.

Snivellus!

The greasy bastard…I'll kill him this time.

Why is he looking at my goddaughter like that?

He looks…hungry.

Eyes above her chin you…

Pride.

Is it normal for me to feel like my chest is swelling?

His goddaughter was able to disarm Snivellus…and blow him into the wall.

Moony.

No!

Wait!

"You sold out James and Lily!"

You're wrong Moony… I'm not the traitor.

A full moon.

"Professor!"

"Run!"

How could it have gone south so fast?

My goddaughter was going to live with me dammit!

Why the hell isn't she running?

I've got to lure him away…

"Sirius!" Her scream pierced the air, curly copper-red hair falling like silk over pale skin. Terror filled her eyes.

"Moony no!"

I won't reach her in time; she's going to die!

"Lissianna!"

"Sectumsempra!"

A flash of purple light.

Snivellus!

Wait…he was protecting her?

Moony was pissed.

"Professor!" Her hands were on him, any sympathy or worry fled.

I hope that scars you greasy git!

Moony was running away from them.

"Peter! He's escaped!"

No!

I have to find him!

I have to find the traitor so my goddaughter can live with me.

It's so cold.

House on fire.

Smoke.

James's body.

The darkened staircase.

Lily's body.

Leaving her behind.

Her hands on Snivellus.

It was so cold…Dementors!

Pain, oh god the pain!

"Expecto Patronum!"

No!

Leave me! Save yourself!

Darkness.

A fucking Hippogriff?

Where the hell did they get a Hippogriff?

Stupid question: Hagrid of course.

Hold it; is this the same one that nearly eviscerated the blond ferret?

I think I might just love this Hippogriff.

"Hurry up Sirius!"

"Huh?"

Oh, right, escaping.

A time turner!

"Oh gods, she's going to drive me to an early grave."

"Attack at the Quidditch World Cup!"

"I should have been there, I should have protected her!"

Snivellus swooped in to save her…again.

We're going to Diagon Alley together for the first time, I was shaking with excitement.

Oh no, it's Snivellus.

Why is she looking at him like that?

Stop looking at him like that Lissianna!

Stop looking at her period you greasy dungeon bat!

Lucius bloody Malfoy…when I get my hands on you…

Ah! The ferret!

She's a Parselmouth!

I think I'm going to be sick…

The look on Snivellus's face was one I hope to never see again, especially directed at my goddaughter. I'm going to kill him for looking at her like that.

I should arrange a marriage contract with the Weasley Twins…true pranksters and they detest Snivellus.

Get your hand off her shoulder!

Ew!

Nasty Snivellus's blood tastes like shit…not that I would know…

"Why you..."

Oh crap, I'mgoingtodie.

"What the hell is wrong with you Snuffles?" Oh shit, Lily's glare of Doom.

Begging for mercy apparently doesn't work on Lissa…fuck.

Oh gods! My Eyes! I've been scared for life!

"It's not too deep, thank goodness. I'm so sorry Professor, I don't know what's come over him." Her hands were on his leg, probing gently at the injury. She bent forward, cleavage gaping.

Did he just like his lips?

He did!

I'll fucking rip his leg off next time…

How can she not notice?

Am I the only one who can see the way he looks at her?

"Of all the!"

"The Fourth Champion!"

Why!

"Why is it always Lissianna?"

I'm surprised I have any black hair left.

Dumbledore…you've got some explaining to do.

But I think I'll have one more fruity drink and bask in the sun for a bit longer first.

Ahh…

"Ow!"

"Bloody bird."

I'm going to kill Snivellus, it's obviously all his fault.

Who else would pick dragons for the first task?

That's my little princess out there dammit!

She better get through this alive.

Watch out!

Woah…what sort of magic is this?

Look at Dumbledore's face; he's horrified…must mean it's dark magic…it's all Snivellus's fault!

Why does Moody look so gleeful all of a sudden?

Oh, crap… it's Snivellus.

Oh gods! It nearly squashed her!

That's it! I'm going in there to save my little girl.

Let me go Moony, can't you see my baby needs me!

Oh…his eyes are gold. Uh, I think we might have a problem…

She made it!

Now that she's scared ten years off of my life…Holy shit, Snivellus looks like he's about to faint. Huh, you don't see that every day.

She came in first…

And there goes Moony…Fuck!

"Can't breathe Moony." Lissa was wheezing, shoving at the frantic werewolf.

Snivellus!

Oi!

Oh, he's only prying Moony off, that's ok then, seeing as Moony is suffocating her.

His hand did not just skim over her lower back!

She's blushing…

Why the fuck is she blushing!

Yule Ball.

Well, it looks like I'll be guilty of mass murder after all.

Why oh why does Lissianna have to have a date?

She's rather scrawny, with any luck that will keep her dateless.

I swear, if Gred or Forge, even think about touching my little princess…

If looks could kill, every boy that's gotten within three feet would be deader than dead if the looks Snivellus are throwing out come to fruition.

Are his eyes turning red?

Nah, trick of the light.

Are his canines sharper than normal?

I'm imagining things.

But he wasn't imagining or seeing things.

Ok, Snivellus, what the fuck are you?

My goddaughter is awesome.

Once again she used some arcane magic, only this time it was to turn herself into a mermaid rather than defeat a dragon.

Not too sure how I feel about her rescuing one of the Weasley Twins.

She came in first, I'm so proud of her.

Oh hell, it's Snivellus.

He did not!

No way in hell did he just hug her…and put his hands on her lower back!

Why am I the only one seeing this?

Dumbledore, you old coot, where are you when your overly large and crooked nose is wanted for once?

Smug bastard…

She's blushing…

Why the fuck is she blushing!

Valentines Day…the day I will kill Snivellus.

Flowers…he sent her flowers.

And chocolate.

I know it was him.

I saw him with those fucking flowers and chocolate just hours ago.

Again, why the fuck is she blushing!

Moody had been acting odd.

There are more important things I have to focus on right now though, like I don't know… the Third Task perhaps?

Why the fuck can't we see anything!

This is worse than the lake, at least you weren't able to hear screaming and roaring. Not to mention all the other unspeakable noises.

Snape looks awfully pale…more so than normal.

He looks frantic, though I can't exactly blame him there. Why's he gripping his left arm?

I feel like I'm about to be sick.

There!

Something's wrong…

Is she…

No!

Snivellus is cradling her.

He looks devastated.

No!

Nononononononononononono! Oh please gods not my baby girl!

Lissianna!

She was tortured.

She was used in a necromantic ritual.

She watched a boy die right beside her.

The traitor cut her…hurt her to get her blood.

She was belittled.

She was mocked.

She faced him again.

She saw echoes of the dead.

She was nearly killed by the impostor.

Snivellus saved her…again.

She survived.

She went back to Durzkaban.

I hate my mother.

I hate her portrait even more.

I fucking despise Kreacher.

I don't want the little fucker anywhere near my precious princess.

What room should she stay in?

Regulus's room is in the best condition, but he was a Death Eater, a slimy Slytherin.

Lissianna is a Slytherin, she's not slimy.

Regulus's room it is then…plus it'll piss off Kreacher.

Dementors!

Not again!

"Expelled, what do you mean she's expelled!"

"Get the fuck out of my house Snivellus!"

"She now has a disciplinary hearing Mutt."

I'll wipe that sneer off of his face…

Then she was there, a warm bundle of joy that lightened his world.

Everything was as it was supposed to be.

His baby girl was safe.

And that's all that mattered.

Now, how to deal with the slander…RAID.

"Take that you vicious harpy!"

His mother's screams were the best music he'd ever heard.

Kreacher had been restrained by Molly…pity, he was hoping Kreacher would throw himself into the fire.

Too bad Snivellus didn't get close enough for the grease and oil to catch fire.

Ah well, such is life.

My goddaughter looked like an avenging angel when she used fiend fire on my mother's portrait.

Who knew the Dark Arts would be good for something?

"Snivellus, I swear that if I find you stalking my little princess one more time, I'll castrate you the Muggle way…with a dull and rusty spoon!" Luckily for Sirius, Lissianna only caught the tail end of his threat and therefore missed the 'little princess' comment.

"Sirius Orion Black! You leave Severus alone, you hear me!" Sirius gaped at her in utter horror, spluttering at the base of the stairs, looking up at his precious goddaughter.

"Severus! You're calling the greasy dungeon bat Severus!" Lissa's eyes turned red in anger, setting off alarm bells in everyone's heads.

"He's not a greasy dungeon bat!" Snape looked way too pleased having Lissa defend him.

"So what set them off this time?"

A woman with vibrant purple hair peeked over Remus's shoulder, using his body to hold her up while she stood on her tiptoes.

"Oooh, look at Snape. He's totally checking out her ass." By the time everyone looked at Snape, he was looking at Lissa's wand held in her hand, sparking menacingly.

Tonks grinned as the two Marauders whipped their heads around to glare at Snape. Lissa squeaked, her face a vibrant red.

Sirius and Moony had to be stunned and restrained with chains so that they didn't kill Snape.

Tonks was rolling around laughing.

Snape decided to go read in the library.

It was only a coincidence that Lissa was also in there at the time of course.

"Get back here Snivellus!"

"I hate you, you hate me, but we also hate one Delores Umbridge. So, let's go kill the Toad." Sirius was unsuccessfully trying to tow an irate Severus Snape to the floo. Severus tore himself out of Sirius's iron like grip and brushed off his sleeves.

Sirius whirled to face the taller man…and had to look up.

Geeze, what did the guy eat as a kid, some sort of dark growth potion?

"Not that I don't want to kill her, but why are you dragging me along? Couldn't get your pet werewolf to help out hmm?"

Sirius gave the Potions Master a disbelieving look. How dense could you get?

"You're kidding right? You know all sorts of Dark Arts, pull out your evil Death Eater persona for a few hours." Sirius said this rather slowly, clearly implying that Snape was mentally challenged. The glower he received would have sent Seventh year Hufflepuffs running away crying for their mothers.

"I should Crucio you." The words were hissed out slowly, his dark eyes glittering ominously.

"Lissa would never forgive you." Sirius shamelessly used his goddaughter card. Snape narrowed his eyes.

"Mutt."

"Bat."

"Bastard."

"Slimy dungeon bat!"

"What are you two doing?"

There she stood, arms crossed, and eyes piercing. She looked absolutely terrifying.

"I…We…That is to say…" Her stare was so intense. Was this how a mouse felt right before a cat pounced? Snape rolled his eyes at Sirius's stuttering.

"What Black is so eloquently attempting to convey is that he is in the process of failing to coercer me to help him torture and murder Delores Umbridge…without you." As Snape's silky smooth words flowed from his mouth, Lissa grew more and more upset. Snape however, was a genius, and also knew that Lissianna hated the Toad more than they did. His last two words ensured that her ire would be solely directed at Black, while she took his side. He felt incredibly smug.

Sirius, stupidly decided to open his mouth and blurt out the first thing on his mind.

"If you think I'm going to let my little princess use the Dark Arts on anything but portraits or artifacts, then you can…" Sirius never saw Hurricane Lissianna coming.

"Your little princess my ass!"

Sirius never did hear like he used to after that.

"A Blood Quill!" Sirius raged, rivaling one of Molly Weasley's infamous Holwers.

"That's it! Moony, emergency Marauder meeting in my room!" Sirius stomped up the stairs, having crumpled the letter that Lissianna managed to sneak to him. He now understood why she simply didn't use the mirror he'd given her. So much for thinking she was a Gryffindor.

'Umbitch' quickly wished she'd never been born.

Everyone else was overjoyed.

Terror, panic.

It had been so long since my mind felt so broken.

A snake.

Presents, so many beautiful presents.

I hope Lissa likes the gifts I bought, ok that I had Tonks buy for her. 

She liked my presents, I feel so very smug. Snivellus has a sour look on his face.

Why does he look smug suddenly?

She got me a present...wait who gave her the one she's opening?

A necklace...with the Prince coat of arms...

Snivellus!

"Here, let me put it on for you." Lissa smiled, turning her back so that Severus could help her with her necklace. 

He brushed her hair out of the way, fingering her neck. Red flecks entered his eyes, his teeth sharpened.

He's way too close...get away you...

"Snivellus, back the fuck away from my little...goddaughter!" Lissa's glare stopped him from saying princess.

"No, I don't think I will Mutt."

"Sirius!" Lissa's shout was enough to stop him from attacking Snape, for the moment.

"Voldemort has tricked her, she is going after the prophecy in order to save you when you failed to answer the mirror. Kreacher told her that you were gone."

These words haunted me, their meaning tore at me.

She was trying to save me.

Didn't she know that she already had?

My daughter needs me…

Blood.

Oh, gods, whose blood is it?

Lissianna!

Dead, I killed a Death Eater.

Explosions and screaming.

Smoke.

Bodies dancing around each other.

She was magnificent.

Rodolphus Lestrange fell to a dark curse from her wand. She laughed, reveling in the taste of victory.

Rabastan took his place.

He was taller, broader, yet faster and more agile.

He was the more dangerous twin.

He was the more powerful twin.

He also was going to get his eyes gouged out if he didn't stop looking at his goddaughter like that!

Lestrange said something, but I was too far away to hear. Moony wasn't though, he stumbled, whirling to look at Lestrange in horror.

She was blushing.

Why the fuck was she blushing!

More lights, shadows descending, yelling, and explosions.

It was like old times; he could almost imagine his best friends there fighting by his side.

No!

Too close, way too close…

Rabastan was laughing.

Take that you bloody wanker!

Rabastan was flying backwards off the dais.

Lissa turned on him with a snarl, eyes flashing red.

Woah!

Bellatrix!

Bellabitch! He liked that one better.

It was strange fighting his cousin, the rest of the world seemed to melt away. No longer was he dueling his deranged cousin in the Ministry, in a large stone room with a creepy ass veil, no he was back in Grimmauld Place. Back before the war truly started, back when they were still innocent. Not in this place of rough hewn stone and a chamber filled with whispers.

He laughed, delighted, he was young again.

"Is that the best you can do!"

Shock.

Horror.

Denial.

He was falling, falling, falling into the abyss.

"Sirius!"

There was mist, white, silent, eerie. He was alone, lost, in pain. A sudden flash of light, bright vivid green, then someone screaming his name like a mother for her child.

"Sirius! No! Let me go! Sirius…" The screaming tapered, replaced by one full of rage. His lungs felt heavy, he was so tired, all he wanted was to sleep. The screaming grew muffled, like he was suddenly under water. He was floating, slowly sinking.

No!

He shook his head, trying to focus. Someone needed him, someone important, he couldn't let her down. Wait, her? Who, who was the woman that needed him?

She needs him.

She was crying for him.

He had to help her.

But who…

"Lissianna!" He remembered.

Everything went dark.

"Does it hurt to die?"

Such a question should never have been uttered by sweet little Lissianna. Her large eyes swimming with tears gazed at him imploringly. He couldn't bear to tell her the truth, couldn't bear the thought of her walking to her death knowing the agony it will reap.

He wanted to kill something.

Preferably Snivellus.

"No, it's just like falling asleep. Aware one moment, unaware the next." There, he'd done it, he'd lied. The others were displeased with him, he could see it in their eyes and posture.

Anything to make it easier for her in her last moments.

I love you.

I am proud of you, so very proud.

My daughter.

But he did not say these things for her to hear, for she had already let the stone drop to the ground, where it disappeared into the night.

*Dreams/Memories End*

The two men reappeared with a swirl of color. There was a slight pause as they reoriented themselves with reality rather than memory.

Albus Dumbledore was greatly troubled. The young woman looked like a much older Lissianna Potter, but that was impossible, she died as an infant.

He didn't want to tell Sirius yet, but those were no nightmares, no, they were fragments of memories. How this was possible he did not know. Dreams in a Pensieve had a warping quality to them. The lines blurred and warped into strange shapes. Memories faded in and out, they were sometimes hazy, but they never warped. Deciding on a course of action, Dumbledore decided to proceed with caution.

"My dear boy, I fail to see how some of those were nightmares." Albus spoke rather delicately, warily eyeing the fuming young man.

"Any dream with Snivellus in it is a nightmare Albus." His fists were clenched and eyes narrowed. The amount of loathing he managed to inject into that single word was astounding.

Sensing that the young man pacing before his desk was in immanent danger of being killed by Hogwarts's Potions Master in self-defense, the Headmaster decided to be blunt.

"I take it you have not told anyone the content of your…dreams?" Sirius paused in his pacing, shooting the Headmaster a wary look.

"No, I've not told anyone the content of my dreams. I thought that it would upset them." The last was almost whispered. Albus closed his eyes, thankful for small mercies.

"I want you to vow to me on your magic that you will not breath a word about the true content of what you see regarding…Lissianna…"

"And if I don't?" Sirius cut off the Headmaster, eyes flashing in anger. Dumbledore arched his brows, shocked that Sirius would actually interrupt him.

"Then I will Oblivate you." He said it so smoothly, confidently, and easily that Sirius knew Dumbledore would do it. Shoulders sagging, he plopped down onto the chair he'd previously occupied before viewing his dreams.

"All right you win. I Lord Sirius Orion Black of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, do hereby swear upon my magic that I shall in no way communicate to another about my nightmares...uh...memories...unless given permission by Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Should I break my vow, may my magic be stripped from me. So I say, so mote it be."

A flash of silver and blue light filled the room, Sirius at the center of it. Once the magic of the vow took hold. Immensely pleased, Dumbledore relaxed back into his throne like chair.

"Why did you want me to add in memories?"

"After viewing what you've showed me, I have come to a troubling conclusion: those are memories, not nightmares." Sirius froze, blood draining from his aristocratic face.

"No…you're lying!" At his shout, Fawkes screeched disapprovingly. Properly chastised by the Headmaster's phoenix, Sirius sank back into his seat. "How can I have memories of a dead girl?"

"I am at a loss, for the young woman we saw died when she was but a year old." Dumbledore absentmindedly stroked his long beard in contemplation. "And as for your memories, I believe they are from the Sirius Black who had the misfortune of falling into the Veil of Death."

"So what, she's from one of those alternate dimension thingies that Lily was harping on about last week?" Sirius's mocking tone failed to register with the Headmaster, but his words themselves did.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

"Alternate dimensions aren't real Albus." Sirius was starting to get worried at the look in the old man's eyes.

"Thank you my boy, I believe you have just solved the mystery we were presented with. I need to contact a few friends of mine. I trust that you can show yourself out?"

Sirius gaped at the aging Headmaster as he practically ran over to the fireplace. Shaking his head in dismay, Sirius left the Headmaster to try and unravel the secrets of the universe, while he went to go get dinner.

He would later wish that he'd never gone to Albus Dumbledore about his dreams. He would dearly wish to go back in time and somehow stop himself from sharing his…memories with the old man.

He blamed Snivellus.

Chapter Text

‘mental conversation’

thoughts/memories/letters/spells

{parseltongue}

A/N: I’ve added a scene to chapter three. It’s right after the snake part and involves Christmas. I also fixed the spelling errors and grammar mistakes in chapter three. I still can’t get the lines to show up, so I’ve resorted to using substitutes.

Chapter Four: I Can Explain…

Lissa’s last thoughts were of the many ways she was planning to torture Death. The screaming and yelling seemed to come from a distance, as though her ears were stuffed with cotton.

Her injuries garnered in the battle ached. Fortunately she healed fast. It did take a good deal of energy to heal the more serious wounds though. Lissa vaguely registered her son’s magic before letting the creeping darkness consume her.

All Teddy had time to register was pain, screaming, and his mother’s magic before he too was drug under in a magical exhaustion.

All around them was pandemonium.

*Minutes earlier*

It had been roughly ten months since Sirius went to Albus Dumbledore in regards to his nightmares that were in actuality, broken memories of another Sirius Black. Since that evening, he had not been plagued by any more broken memories. His wife had noticed something was going on, but had yet to confront him about it. Remus had also been shooting him strange looks. James just seemed to be oblivious towards everything not immediately concerning him or his family.

As he walked under the large archway leading into the Great Hall, he glanced at the Enchanted Ceiling. Frowning, he noticed an old sort of glow beginning to emerge from sky. Shrugging it off as the ancient magic acting up, he looked around the Great Hall as he made his way to his seat.

At the Staff table, Lily Potter sat as the Muggle Studies Professor. Snivellus, he refused to call him anything else, was the greasy Potions Master at Hogwarts. As if able to detect his less than complimentary thoughts about him, Snivellus pinned him with his black eyes. Giving Sirius a vicious sneer, he turned his attention back to his food, dismissing him as unimportant.

Hmmm, seems that I need to prank the greasy git to remind him who he’s messing with.

Severus Snape tightened his grip around his fork. He was holding onto his control by a fraying thread. He was at a loss as to why his demon was so agitated, more so than usual. He hated hiding behind such an ugly form, but it was either this or a sexy one, and the less attention he received the better. He was far too ugly to be classed as a magical creature, well one that was easy to prove that is.

‘They are coming…’

Severus choked. Drawing more attention than he would have liked. A chill ran up and down his spine, the fine hairs on the back of his arms and neck standing up. His demon rarely spoke, and when it did, it was always right. It was a being of pure magic and thus had a much deeper and more intimate bond to anything connected to magic. Who could possibly have his demon so excited?

‘Who?’

‘You’ll see…’

Cackling filled his head, along with frustration. He hated not knowing things and even more so when the information was dangled in front of him only to be snatched back. As a spy, every scrap of information could mean the difference between life and death. So he was less than pleased that his own demon was refusing to let him in on the secret. He scowled, scaring the Hufflepuffs as he viciously stabbed at his roast potatoes. Dumbledore shot him an amused glance, while the rest of the staff was bemused at his even more dour than normal demeanor.

‘It’s almost time…’

‘If you aren’t going to tell me who is coming and what is about to happen, then shut up!’

Mentally yelling at the unfazed demon brought only a measly smidgen of satisfaction to him. It grumbled a few insults, but otherwise settled for anxiously pacing in his head. His skin felt tight and more uncomfortable than normal. He recognized the signs; his demon was so very close to the surface.

As a mature Incubus, he had to constantly repress his allure, not to mention his base instincts. He had yet to have a problem with it around students, well, except for the Seventh years. His mother had warned him that if his demon ever showed any form of interest in a male or female who had yet to reach their seventeenth birthday, that it had chosen that person as its mate. He would have an uncontrollable urge for physical contact of any kind with his potential mate. He would be equally possessive and protective as well. He hoped to never experience such loss of control. He was a man who prided himself on his self-control, the very thought of him losing his hard won control was terrifying.

Senses flaring in warning, Severus just managed to get a shield up in time to block an incoming hex.

Glaring at Black, who had just tried to hex him, he threw a silent and wandless jinx at the insufferable man.

“Snivellus! You rotten greasy git!” Sirius forgot in the heat of the moment exactly who was sitting next to him. Too focused on the students and other staff members laughing at his hair, which was now a nest of hissing snakes, he pointed his wand at the Potions Master, a vicious jinx on the tip of his tongue; he didn’t see Minerva’s stern look.

“Mr. Black! There are children present!” Ah, leave it to Minerva McGonagall to berate Sirius Black like he was still a student. Startled by her shouting, Sirius let loose an explicative that earned him stinging hexes from the two women sitting on either side of him. He sheepishly went to rub his head, belatedly realizing that he still had snakes for hair.

“Ow! Fucking snakes.” Unfortunately for him, the Slytherins heard his comment and assumed he was referring to them, even more unfortunately, Lily and Minerva noticed both of these things. While the Slytherin table gave Professor Black the evil eye and the two witches lectured a miserable looking Sirius, Severus was smirking.

The rest of the school laughed at his predicament, especially the children of the Marauders.

“Wow, dad really messed up this time.” Ares Black snickered; pointing at the terrified look his father was suddenly sporting.

“Look at my mom, her face is nearly as read as her hair.” Rose Potter giggled at the sight, being reminded quite vividly of all the times their father suffered the same fate.

Ares tugged on a strand of Rose’s wild black hair. “Well, we all know who you resemble the most don’t we?” Rose gave him an unimpressed stare.

“Do I need to enlist the help of your younger siblings? Perhaps mine instead?” Smiling in satisfaction at the horrified look gracing Ares’s face, Rose turned her attention back to her steak.

“Hey Rose…” Ares trailed off, light blue eyes conflicted. Confused and curious as to why he suddenly trailed off, she turned her attention back to her friend.

“Yes Ares?” Rose prompted in an attempt to get him to continue. Her wide hazel eyes met his baby blues, breaking eye contact, Ares let out his breath in a giant whoosh.

“I—never mind. So, is your mom going to take you home tomorrow for the Holidays, or are you riding the Express?”

“The Express, I don’t want to see mom and dad moping about Lissianna any more than I have to. It’s been sixteen years since she died for the love of Merlin.” Rose felt bad for her parents, but no amount of moping about the house was going to bring back their first child.

“Lissianna wasn’t the only one lost that night.” Rose winced. Her mother’s parents had been killed trying to protect their granddaughter.

“I’d forgotten about that.” Ares gave her an incredulous look.

“How can you forget something like that?” Rose huffed in indignation.

“Well excuse me, it’s not my fault I never knew or will know my grandparents. Besides, mom and dad never talk about them, it’s always Lissianna this and Lissianna that.” By the time she was done ranting, everyone around them was gaping at her.

“You do realize how petty and jealous you just sounded right?” The ‘I know better than you’ voice grated on everyone’s nerves.

Ugh, the Head Girl, Hermione Granger. She couldn’t stay out of other people’s business if her life depended on it. Turning to glare at the intruding Ravenclaw, Rose sized her up.

While Rose was a sixth year, she was taller than the older girl, she also somehow managed to go toe-to-toe with the bookworm magically.

“Nobody asked you for your opinion Granger.” Rose heard Ares shift, likely getting ready to stand up, but another noise distracted her from saying anything else.

“Come on sis, can’t you stay out of trouble for a day at the very least?” Oh great, just what she needed, her twin brothers. She was convinced the two were demons in the disguise of thirteen-year-old Gryffindors.

“No one wants to talk to you two, so scram.” She really didn’t want to deal with Harry and Charles along with Granger all at the same time.

The conversations in the Great Hall had grown to mere whispers, as the occupants observed the drama unfolding. Sensing trouble, both Lily and McGonagall made their way to the standoff at the Gryffindor table. They arrived just in time to catch what Rose said to her two siblings.

The Enchanted Ceiling started to grow dark, thick thunderous clouds forming, obscuring the sickle moon. Yet this went unnoticed in favor of the little spat between the Head Girl and the Lions. No one noticed as the temperature dropped, as the candles grew dimmer, no one except for Severus Snape.

“Albus?” He knew very well that the Enchanted Ceiling was being affected by strong magic. Dumbledore turned to look at him, eyes twinkling.

“Yes my dear boy, what is it?” He apparently had yet to notice the Enchanted Ceiling then.

“Look up.” Dumbledore bemused, did just that after staring at the Potions Master blankly for a moment. History was then made.

“Fuck!” Dead silence, jaws gaping, everyone in the Great Hall turned to the horrified Headmaster. Severus couldn’t believe his ears. Did Dumbledore just curse? No, he must be hearing things.

“Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore!” Minerva, red faced marched up to the Staff table. Before she could get started on a rant, lightning illuminated the Hall, immediately followed by thunder that vibrated in their bones.

The Great Hall was plunged into darkness, the candles and torches, any sort of light having been snuffed out. Screaming, the students started to panic.

“Silence!” Surprised by Dumbledore’s magically magnified voice, the students froze and fell silent. Some of the calmer few remembered that they had magic, so used the Lumos charm, only to have it blow up in their faces, they cried out in alarm. The staff who had previously lit their wands soon found themselves facing a similar problem, Dumbledore included. Before the screaming panic could really start up again, Dumbledore intervened.

“Now, I want everyone to reach for the nearest person, and make your way back to your tables in an orderly fashion. I do not want any of you trying to find the exit, only to walk into something dangerous.” He waited until the angry muttering and shuffling noises died out before continuing.

“Mr. Black, if you would be so kind as to lift the prank, I’m sure we would all greatly appreciate it.” Angry mutters swept through the hall, the hissing sound made the Great Hall seem like there was some sort of terrifying beast, or thousands of snakes within.

“Hey! I had nothing to do with this! I don’t even know how to get such total darkness, let alone interfere with any sort of magic cast.” Sirius was the epitome of indignation.

“It’s all Snivellus’s fault!” Pointing his finger at the Potions Master, the Slytherins hissed in anger as their Head of House was insulted by the Blood Traitor.

“Really Sirius? Now is not the time.” Lily jabbed at him, her wand sending out red sparks to match her hair.

“Albus, I believe the Ceiling and the inability for us to accurately cast magic are connected. Black is right, no matter how disgusted I am for agreeing with his claims. The same magic that is affecting our magic and the Ceiling is only growing stronger.”

As if to punctuate his statement, the clouds began to glow brighter and eerie blue, lightning arcing across the sky. Thunder almost continuously ripped through the room, prompting people to cover their ears. The blue turned to silver, and then white, with the storm becoming more and more violent.

A pressure filled the room, along with the scent of ozone. It was a heady magic, yet terrifying in its intensity. Breathing grew difficult as it pressed in on them, forcing their hearts to beat faster in an effort to keep them conscious.

‘Yes…’

Severus, having gotten up to aid his Slytherins, went cold at the glee in his demon’s voice. By now everyone was pressed up against the walls, all thoughts of finding the door lost in the face of the magical storm.

Ka..Crack!

With a tremendous force, the lightning surged downwards all at once, striking the middle of the floor. A ritual circle sprang to life, bringing with it ghostly whispers not unlike those found around the Veil of Death in the Department of Mysteries. The voices were faint, indistinct, but carried power.

Wind kicked up, swirling at first lazily before roaring to life. Students and professors alike were clinging to anything solid. Severus was sure that almost everyone was screaming, but with the wind and thunder, nothing else could be heard.

There was a moment, a split few seconds where everything went silent. It was like all sound was turned off. With a brilliant flash of light, one so bright that it could be seen all the way in Hogsmeade, the sound came rushing back like tidal wave.

Blinded and ears bleeding, Severus barely managed to stand against the onslaught of magic. He felt like he was drowning, choking on the power being released from the ritual circle. Staggering, he blinked his eyes, thanking the gods that being a demon provided him with accelerated healing. Attempting to blink the black spots from his eyes, he decided that he was dead, or hallucinating. For there, in the center of the ritual circle were two beings that his demon had been hinting at.

His eyes hungrily roved the woman’s face. He had the niggling thought that she was far too familiar for comfort. But he would remember such an angelic face. So he must have met someone who looked like her. The boy was obviously her son, but those features…

Eyes widening in comprehension, Severus felt a rush of adrenalin. Darting forward in a blur of black robes, he swooped down on the two unconscious figures. Eves roving over the boy’s face, he catalogued all of the similarities he shared with his true form. The cheekbones and forehead he could see were not his. The jaw looked familiar, but he couldn’t place it. He had no idea what color his eyes were, but he would find out. Silky black hair with blue highlights fell haphazardly to the tips of his ears.

It was the boy’s scent that provided the greatest evidence; there was no doubt about who the boy’s father was: one Severus Tobias Snape-Price.

The last of the ritual circle’s glow dissipated, and as it did so, the Great Hall was flooded with light. He started in surprise when the screaming cut off abruptly. He had grown so used to the sound that he’d forgotten that people were still screaming.

“Severus…What are you…” Albus trailed off, sucking in a harsh breath, face losing any color that it had retained in the panic as he finally got a good look at what, or rather who Severus was leaning over.

“That’s impossible.” He breathed out weakly, eyes looking like they might pop out of his head. The thrice-dammed twinkle was fully extinguished, meaning something terrible had just occurred. He walked forward in a daze, completely ignoring Madam Pomphrey bustling in and attending to the wounded.

“Albus? Oh good heavens!” Minerva’s shout drew the other’s attention, those in the Order cursing or looking about ready to faint at the sight of the woman and her son.

“What’s got her fur in a bunch now?” Blaise Zabini smirked when his friend Draco Malfoy and his younger brother Roman Malfoy came to stand next to him.

“I’m not sure, but both Dumbledore and McGonagall look like they’re about to faint.” Roman looked at the older boy calculatingly.

“We should inform our Lord as quickly as possible. Should we try to sneak out now, or wait?” His voice was little more than a whisper, but the two older Slytherins heard him. They looked at each other for a few moments before reaching a consensus.

“We’ll wait, that way we can send memories of the entire ordeal and not risk missing vital information.”

“Albus, they need medical attention.” Snape tried to snap the man out of the daze he was stuck in. Pomphrey, who he was convinced, could be summoned simply by breathing the wrong way, bustled her way over to them. She was looking more frazzled than usual, something that would normally amuse him had he not been so worried.

“Out of the way Severus.” Snape was shoved aside by Poppy as she began running diagnostics over the two prone forms. The list for the woman just kept growing larger and larger. Poppy’s eyes popped and she almost fell over. With a shriek, she flung the list aside and began throwing some spells at her midsection.

Bending down, Hagrid scooped up the list. Dumbledore snapped out of his trance when Hagrid began cursing.

“Tha’ poor lass ‘as been tortured!”

“Hagrid, might I see the list?” Looking down at the man he owed his life to, Hagrid nodded, relinquishing the list to the Headmaster.

Three things jumped out of the list, shaking Dumbledore’s world when he thought nothing more could surprise him.

Avada Kedavra (3x)

Dementor’s Kiss (1x)

Basilisk Venom (1x)

There were plenty of other nasty spells and injuries on the list, but those three were impossible to survive.

“Albus, what’s wrong?” Rather than saying anything, Dumbledore didn’t think he could even if he tried; he passed the long parchment over to the small Charms Professor.

Flitwick let out a very high-pitched squeak that really shouldn’t have been possible.

“Oh goodness, oh dear me.” He continued muttering, words like ‘impossible’ being repeated.

Severus, fed up with not knowing what had triggered the glassy eyed look in the Charms Professor, or the sudden manipulative gleam in the Headmaster’s, snatched the scroll from Filius’s loose grip. He never noticed that his hands were empty.

They dared to harm my mate and child!

Severus jumped, the scroll flying from his shaking hands as he saw the results and the violent reaction his demon had. For a split second, he lost his hold on the demon. That was all it took. The others remained oblivious to his predicament as they passed the scroll around, exclaiming in disbelief over it.

Knowing that to shift into their true form would likely see them killed, the demon smashed through the mental restraints, forcefully taking control of their body, while restraining the urge to shift. The only sign that Severus was no longer in control were his eyes. No longer black, they were slit like a dragon’s, with red irises. Thinking quickly, the demon applied a wandless glamor and notice me-not spell over his eyes.

It was strange being the one in control for once. He never wanted to go back into the cage again. He could feel his human half bashing against the barriers he’d thrown up to prevent him from regaining control. He was willing to strike a deal with the human, so long as he didn’t have to go back into the fucking cage, they could work something out.

The demon moved so that he had a better view of his mate, peering at her neck. He let out a hiss of displeasure when he failed to find a claiming mark. He sniffed, wondering if she had it somewhere else on her body. No, she was unmarked.

“Well that simply won’t do.” He didn’t realize that he’d spoken out loud until Poppy turned to him in confusion.

“What do you mean ‘that simply won’t due’? If you know a better spell, then please enlighten me.” Her offended and defensive tone warned the demon that he was treading on thin ice.

“I was thinking of potential healing potions, not healing spells, which is your specialty.” The lie flowed like warm silk from his tongue. What else would you expect from a demon?

Harrumphing, the witch went back to working on the boy, having finished with the woman.

“Albus, perhaps we should escort the students to their Common Rooms? It is getting late and they’ve had quite the scare. Mrs. Potter has been healing the few wounded, and is now free to help. I would like to stay here with our…guests and aid Poppy. She may need my potions expertise.” The demon drawled this as though it were a normal everyday occurrence to have two people rip through the wards surrounding Hogwarts.

Albus gave him a piercing look. After what seemed to be an interminable amount of time, the aging man nodded slowly. He put his wand to his throat, casting a Sonorous charm.

“Students, I want each of you to group into your respective Houses. Staff members will be taking you back to your dorms. Chop chop.” Cancelling the Sonorous charm, Dumbledore looked at his Potions Master.

“I need to go let the Aurors in, they have been hammering on our front door for a good amount of time now. I suppose the Department of Mysteries and the press will have tagged along as well. So much for a nice Holiday break.” Muttering under his breath about interfering Ministry workers and for some odd reason leeches, the demon strode over to his human’s Slytherins.

“Professor Snape!” They all surged towards him, shooting out question after question.

“Sir…” It was when one of the First years latched onto his robes, that the demon decided enough was enough.

“Enough.” He didn’t yell; he had no need to with the menacing aura that the demon was openly emitting.

He pried the little midget off of him, thrusting her into the arms of an older Slytherin. He felt vindictive glee as the girl then latched on to her next victim. There was a brief struggle where Orion Lestrange futilely tried to pry off Alyssa Nott. He gave up when she dug in her nails and literally used all of her limbs to hang on. Glaring the same glare his mother Bellatrix had taught him, he subjected his fellow housemates to it to get them to shut it. It worked rather well.

Despite himself, the demon was impressed at the glare and its effectiveness. Bellatrix still had nothing on one of his human’s glares of course. He bet he could cow his human with a glare, one he practiced in a mirror that is.

Severus Snape didn’t know what to do, he was currently trapped in his own mind and body by the very being that had emerged upon his majority. Giving up on getting out for the moment, he stopped to observe the demon. He could see through their body’s eyes, but he had no control, thus he was stuck doing what ever the demon wanted. Severus was surprised that the demon hadn’t killed anyone yet. So much for thinking that letting it out would result in a massacre. Snorting at the thought, he settled down to simply watch and wait. He would bide his time before striking when the demon least expected it.

Said demon wanted to laugh at his human side. Did the man really think he was that stupid?
Still, that conversation was going to happen sooner rather than later.

Seeing that his human’s students were being led away by another staff member, the demon quickly made his way back to his mate and child’s side.

“Ah, Severus, there you are. Help me get them up to the infirmary?” Pulling out his wand, the demon channeled his magic through it, concentrating on the desire for his mate to be immobile and float. With a heady rush, the magic leapt eagerly from the wand, surrounding and embracing the prone woman.

Silently, the demon began plotting how to woo his mate. He would have to be careful, no one could know the truth about her, whatever that may be. He vowed to find out.

He eyed her bloodied and torn clothing with disgust. Both he and Poppy had failed to remove anything from either of the guests, so the nasty clothes had to stay. That didn’t mean they weren’t hit with dozens of sanitizing and cleaning spells. Making their way out of the rapidly emptying Great Hall, the injured students trooped after them obediently, not wanting to risk inciting Poppy’s wrath by fleeing to their dorms.

It wasn’t long before they reached the Hospital Wing, though not soon enough for the demon. The little pests kept trying to get a good look at his mate. She was his dammit! The portraits were no better, whispering like excited schoolgirls the lot of them.

He snarled when one unusually brave Gryffindor reached out to poke her when they had stopped to wait for the stairs to change.

“Potter!” Snarling at the cowering boy, the demon noted that it was Patrick, the youngest Potter child in Hogwarts at the moment. He vowed to get back at the little shit when he puffed up his chest and uttered one word that both the demon and his human hated.

“Snivellus.” Potter gulped as the Professor loomed over him, his jaw ticking.

“Detention Potter…for a month! Oh, and 50 points from Gryffindor.” Shaking in rage, the young Potter opened his mouth to argue when a fellow Gryffindor slapped her hand over it.

Grinning a grin that would have worried even Voldemort, the demon plotted how best to torture the little cretin for the next month, assuming he could reach a favorable deal with his human side that is.

Upon reaching the infirmary, the demon swiftly followed Poppy and copied her actions when she lowered his son onto one of the crisp beds.

“I’ll keep an eye on them Poppy, you go deal with the terrors, I mean children.” The innocent look was absurd on Snape’s face, and Poppy laughed at the sight. The children looked nonplussed. How could you laugh with Snape next to you?

“All right Severus, I’ll go take care of the children.” Knowing that it wouldn’t be a good idea to have Severus near the very things that were likely to set him off, Poppy readily agreed.

The demon conjured a chair, feeling the echoes of amusement radiating from his human half. Settling down onto the sinfully comfortable chair, the demon stared at his small family, a smile of contentment on his face.

If one of the students were to see Snape smiling, they would run screaming for the hills, because he was obviously going to kill them.

Albus strode quickly out of the Great Hall, mind whirling with possibilities. One thing that was clear was that Voldemort had apparently succeeded in producing an heir, one that he was hopefully unaware of. A daughter he didn’t know existed, not to mention a grandson. The boy was young, though he looked to be around eleven, so Hogwarts age. He would have to look at the Admittance Book to see what his full name was.

He had been shocked to see the Enchanted Ceiling acting like it had been right before the ritual really got going. Never, in all of Hogwarts’s many years had the Enchanted Ceiling ever been recorded for having malfunctioned. He was dreading the coming confrontation with the Ministry. Fortunately, few knew what Voldemort looked like before all the dark rituals twisted him into a monster.

How could something so beautiful come from something so ugly? He paused, remembering a conversation he had heard two Muggleborns talking about years ago.

“The lotus is a beautiful flower, yet it grows in detritus. So tell me Michelle…”

He didn’t hear the rest of the two Hufflepuffs’ conversation, so he had no idea what they were really talking about, but that one line stuck with him even years later.

A lotus, yes Voldemort’s daughter was like the lotus flower. The boy looked so very like his grandfather, but there was a greater resemblance to his mother. It was slight, but it was there. The slant of their eyes, the ears, chin, and nose were not from Voldemort, but his mother and someone else who he felt like he’d seen before. But who, who could the boy’s father be?

He filed the new mystery in his mind for further perusal; right now he had a small army banging on the front gate of Hogwarts…literally.

He let out a miserable groan when he saw who was waiting for him.

Amelia Bones, Croaker, and…Rita Skeeter.

This was going to be a complete disaster. Walking like a man to his doom, Dumbledore gave a weak and unconvincing smile.

“Good evening…”

“Enough of the chit chat Albus, now open the blasted wards!” Croaker, not used to having to wait on people was fed up with standing outside when something remarkable was happening inside of Hogwarts.

Dumbledore’s smile fell flat, his eyes closed briefly, he prayed for the strength and patience to get through the ordeal without throwing them all out on their ears.

“Very well, follow me.” With a wave of his wand, the wards opened to emit the little army. Following the rabid reporter were a few well-known journalists, including, much to everyone’s confusion, Xenophilius Lovegood.

“Our sensors at the Ministry detected a massive disturbance here at Hogwarts. So fearing an attack, the DMLE was sent out. Right after the last of the Aurors were sent out, Croaker here came running up in a tizzy, yammering on about some sort of rift in the time space continuum, whatever the hell that is.” The Head Auror, James Potter, fell silent after the rapid explanation.

Dumbledore growled in irritation. Great, now the whole Ministry knows, and no doubt Voldemort is being alerted to the events at this very moment.

He wasn’t wrong.

Far away from Hogwarts, on one of the many magically hidden islands near Great Britain, was Slytherin Castle.

Dark and ominous in appearance, the castle was a formidable building, one befitting the home of a Dark Lord.

In a room, a study actually, sat a man, if you could call such a monster a man. He was staring into the dancing flames, stroking the massive snake wrapped around him. The man tensed, going rigid in his seat when he felt a massive magical disturbance. Standing abruptly, he ignored his familiar’s hiss of irritation and swept out of the room.

Searching, he eventually found one of his many loyal followers.

“Lestrange, your arm.” Rodolphus Lestrange froze at the hissing voice behind him. Swiftly, he spun around, dropping into a low bow of subservience. He extended his left arm, pulling back the sleeve of his robe as he did so.

“I live to serve, my Lord.” His mumbled voice was full of reverence for his Lord. Pleased with his actions, Voldemort pressed the tip of his wand to the dark mark writhing on the man’s pale skin.

A few moments of waiting produced Lucius Malfoy, not a strand of pale hair out of place.

Rodolphus’s brown hair felt suddenly lacking as the abnormally colored blond haired man swiftly approached them. Dropping down on his knees, Lucius kissed the hem of Voldemort’s robes, only just preventing a grimace of disgust from showing at the sight of Voldemort’s feet.

“On time as usual Lucius.” The man shivered at the hissing tone, feeling like ants were crawling on his skin. “I want you to find out everything that you can about the magical disturbance I detected.” Voldemort’s red eyes pinned the man like a bug, expecting instant and unquestioning loyalty.

“Yes my Lord.”

“Oh, and both of you contact your sons to see if they know anything. Dismissed.” With the dismissal, both men groveled some more before sedately leaving the contemplative Voldemort behind.

 In a room, that Voldemort avoided like the plague was a tapestry. But it was no ordinary tapestry, oh no, it was a Family Tree. Not only that, but it was self-updating. Little did Voldemort know was that the moment Lissianna and Teddy entered this dimension, their names appeared in a gold glow. Only the House Elves visited the room to clean it, so the secret would be kept…for now.

Chapter Text

Chapter Five: Waking Up

Lissianna woke in stages. First she was aware of a familiar magical presence, one that kept nudging at hers insistently. She warily let it wrap around her, feeding her strength.

Severus…but he was dead. Oh, right, new dimension.

She lost awareness once again.

She slowly became aware of her son next, his magic tugging at hers in a plea for help. She fed him some of her power, plunging herself back into the abyss.

Lissianna was aware of her body next, of the stiff blankets covering her. She could feel a man running his fingers through her hair, following with a brush. She let the simple repetitive actions sooth her frayed nerves. She drifted off to sleep soon after.

The next time she woke, she could smell a spicy scent. She breathed deeper, trying to get as much of it as possible.

Severus…the scent is Severus’s.

Darkness claimed her again.

She woke to the sound of arguing. Was that Dumbledore? She struggled to open her eyes, but they felt like they were glued shut. Her mouth refused to open, so she lay there fuming in her inability to do anything. A large hand stroked the side of her face, fingers trailing over her lips, if proved to be a sufficient distraction. She would love to know who it was…if only she could open her blasted eyes.

Her eyes shot open, whirling wildly in their sockets. Her breathing mellowed, her heart slowed. A shadow stretched out over her. Carefully turning her head, she sucked in a harsh breath at the sight that greeted her.

Severus, a very much alive Severus Snape was slouched in a chair, one of his large hands grasping hers like a lifeline. A slight smile tugged at her lips, he looked…content. She had never seen the dour man relaxed, yet here he was sound asleep, clutching at her like she was about to disappear. Her thumb brushed over the top of his hand gently, a soothing action that he had often used on her when she was upset or her hand cramping. Sirius had nearly ripped his head off the first time he saw that.

He stirred, mumbling something in his sleep. Smile growing, she watched him burrow into the cushions of the chair. Turning her head, she looked at her son. He appeared to be fine. His magic was content for the moment, if not happy to feel her checking on it.

She turned her head back to look at Severus calculatingly, debating whether or not she and her son could make a break for it. She and Severus had never slept together, though not for a lack of trying on his part, then he died, she was twenty-four at the time. She realized too late that she loved him. Biting her lip, she stared up at the dark ceiling. It was night, and from the looks of it, a sickle moon based on the amount of light streaming in through the glass windows. She jolted when she spotted the snow on the windowsill. She fought back a groan. So much for escaping outside.

Of course it’s winter. Will I ever be able to do something normal for once in my life? She wasn’t sure that she wanted that answered.

The ritual was supposed to be iffy on the location, not the seasons, or gods forbid, time. She had a sinking feeling in her gut.

With my luck, the time line is all off as well as the seasons.

Deciding that she was still too weak to attempt to flee to the Chamber of Secrets, let alone dragging her son along with her, Lissa closed her eyes and began to plot.

I bet we landed in the Great Hall…that is so typical of my luck. I’m going to kill you Death. So much for being able to create a backstory…wait. She could pretend that she was trying some new form of ritual that went wonky. Hmm, but how to explain my son? The closer to the truth the better. Let’s see, he saw the ritual about to go south and decided to rescue me. In the attempt, he disturbed the runic array and the ritual targeted Hogwarts instead.

But then they’ll ask for the notes regarding the ritual…they were destroyed in the magical backlash, and I have no memory of what I was doing other than my son trying to save me and being involved in a ritual. I’ll have to mess around in Teddy’s head for a bit. He’s not going to be pleased.

Death said that he would take care of the paperwork once I made up my mind, so all I have to do is take my NEWTS. I can claim that I was homeschooled in America. I know both Teddy and I can fake the accent. My mother was Squib who was raped during one of the Death Eater raids, but managed to escape. She then fled to America, where she had me. She never saw the face of her assaulter, so did not know who my father was. In other words, who to have assassinated; she was a vindictive woman. I had a drunken one-night-stand with a man, whose face I can’t remember. Nine months later I gave birth to Teddy.

After my mother died, we decided to move, I was planning to take my NEWTS, but between my mother’s failing health and a new baby, there just wasn’t time. Once she died, I sold the house and moved to the coast. I began insulating Muggle electronics from magic, eventually creating the magical equivalent. That was something I was good at during the war…

Argh! The fact that Death couldn’t control where we landed ruined any chance of flying below the radar. Now I have to deal with Dumbledore, the Ministry, and Voldemort. I hate my new life already. Oh gods…the reporters. I’ve changed my mind, I don’t want to have a second chance! But my friends…

At the thought of her fallen loved ones, Lissianna retreated deep into her mind. She completely lost it, allowing herself to finally break down over the results of the war. In real life, tears streamed from her eyes, glittering in the scarce amount of moonlight filtering in through the windows.

*Three days ago*

Albus began his own explanation as the small army followed him up the gravel path leading to the courtyard. There were exclamations of shock and horror. The reporters shouting out questions, only to be sternly told off by the Head of the DMLE, Amelia Bones. She was anxious to check on Susan, her niece, her brother would never forgive her if she didn’t check on her after the ordeal that she’d evidentially been through.

James Potter outwardly acted like a professional, but on the inside he was a panicky mess. What if my wife was hurt, my children? Oh gods, I need to see them now! Where was Sirius? He worried about Sirius’s children then. He loved them all, but sometimes they were a bit much. That didn’t mean that he wouldn’t be devastated if something happened to them.

“No one was seriously injured by the ritual, well, except for a few potentially dangerous wounds that were taken care of before they became truly life threating.” Albus’s calm words broke through the storm of panic swirling through James. Letting out a sigh of relief, he noticed Amelia relax. Ah, she must have been worried about her niece then.

Croaker didn’t look worried at all; in fact, he looked like a child in a candy store. James narrowed his eyes. He liked the Longbottoms, especially Frank, but their somewhat distant relative was one that he would have been happy to never have had the misfortune of meeting. He’d heard about the incidents where the man tried to ‘coax’ out Neville’s magic. The idiot had ‘accidentally’ dropped him over the balcony…three stories up. Thank the gods Neville wasn’t a Squib, otherwise he’d be six feet under. Frank and Alice had been absolutely livid. Last he heard, Croaker was banned from getting within ten feet of Neville. He’d have done the same thing. Too bad they couldn’t get a full restraining order.

By the time the small army reached the front doors of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore had completed his tale. It wasn’t that long actually, it just took a while to explain it since he had to answer questions or clarify certain points. Rita Skeeter was particularly interested in Snape’s reactions to the guests. All the men present had a brief flash of pity for Snape. Except for James of course. No, he was gleeful at the thought of Rita Skeeter hounding after the man. Maybe he’d get really, really lucky and the two would off each other. Yeah, and Dumbledore would allow him and Sirius to teach together. Never going to happen. If anything, Rita would be annihilated.

Pouting over the fact that two of the people he hated wouldn’t be disappearing forever, James tuned back in on the conversation to catch Dumbledore talking about his wife. Jogging to catch up after realizing he’d lagged behind, James heard Dumbledore begin explaining how Poppy and Severus had taken the injured, including the two guests, up to the infirmary. The party came to a stop just outside of the Great Hall, the doors had been closed so no one could wander or see in.

“Now, I want your word that you will not try to tamper with any wards placed around the room. They are there for a reason.” Dumbledore looked at Croaker pointedly as he said this, implying that the message was mostly for him. Turning, the massive doors opened with a small push of Dumbledore’s hands.

“Merlin’s saggy left…”

“Finish that sentence James Charlus Potter and it’s the couch for you!” James cringed, turning around slowly, so as not to incite the wrath of the saber-toothed tiger stalking towards him, a.k.a, his wife.

“Lily-Flower, you’re looking absolutely smashing.” He paled at the twitch making itself known under her right eye. It meant that she was seconds away from doing a stunning reenactment of Mount Vesuvius.

“We need to talk.” Her growled words had Aurors scooting away from her. He was shot pitying looks, but none came to his defense. Bastards.

Now James was confused, he couldn’t think of anything he’d done to piss off his wife to the extent that she was.

“Err, about what?” He sounded too much like a timid mouse for his liking. James was very much aware that the rest of the Aurors, Ministry officials, and by some miracle, all of the reporters had left him to his fate.

“How your daughter thought that it would be a good idea to prank people right after the traumatic event that occurred earlier. She nearly drove the First year Gryffindors out the windows in their attempt to flee her prank!”

“Wait, my daughter?” Shit! Wrong thing to say.

“Well it’s obvious who she takes after more.” Lily had puffed up, her emerald eyes flashing dangerously. James gulped, cowering back from his wife, who he fully expected to start breathing fire. “Let’s go somewhere a little more private.” The hissed words did nothing to reassure James.

Grabbing her husband by the ear, who she thought was still an immature prat at the moment, she relished in his squeals of pain.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow. Lily-Flower, why are you being so mean to me?” The whining on James’s part wasn’t helping improve Lily’s temper.

Dumbledore watched the Ministry workers as they inspected every inch of the Great Hall, spending a great deal of time around the ritual circle’s location. There were scorch marks where the circle had been, especially where the lightning struck. Croaker was poking at said scorch marks with some strange instrument. Dumbledore didn’t want to know what it was. He’d made the mistake of asking him once, he never did so again. Dumbledore still had nightmares about it. A shudder traveled down his spine.

“Albus, we would like to see the…guests now.” Ah, Amelia Bones. Such a fine woman, dedicated to bringing justice, a wonderful role model for young minds.

“My dear, I think it would be best if…”

“No Albus, this is beyond your jurisdiction. Now, am I going to have to charge you with obstructing an investigation?” An arched eyebrow over her monocle had a startling effect on Dumbledore. Looking everywhere but at the monocle, Dumbledore acquiesced with her demand.

Turning, he saw that there were St. Mungo’s Healers flocked around the doors of the Great Hall. Pinching the bridge of his nose as several Unspeakables melted out of the shadows, he realized that Minerva must have let them in, seeing as she was standing in front of them, arms crossed and lips pinched. Dumbledore looked like he was sucking on a sour lemon at that moment.

“Ah, Minerva, if you could keep an eye on things down here, that would be wonderful.” Minerva sighed tiredly, dearly wanting to slip into bed.

“All right Albus.” The two traded places, Dumbledore beating a quick retreat, though not before Rita Skeeter tried to follow.

“I’m sorry Ms. Skeeter, but you cannot enter the Hospital Wing or interview any students without parental consent. You’ll have to stay here I’m afraid.”

“The public has a right to know about this.” Rita’s saccharine voice grated on everyone present.

“Not here I’m afraid.” Scowling, Rita turned back to the Great Hall. She waited for a few minutes before turning into a small water beetle.

No one noticed the beetle animagus latch onto one of the Healers.

Sirius Black didn’t know what to think or feel. He was torn, a part of him, and if he was honest, an ever-expanding part, felt some sort of parental affection for the mysterious woman. He was confused, he had never met or seen the woman before, but his heart was telling him something entirely different.

He was pacing back and forth in his quarters at school, not having gone home for the night yet. He’d sent his wife an owl telling her an emergency had come up. He sighed. Being the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor was not the ideal job. The only reason he was actually teaching was due to a severe injury incurred during a routine Auror patrol turning ugly. Thankfully he no loner needed the cane. After this year was over, he would hopefully be cleared for active duty. He’d refused to sit behind a desk, so asked for permission to instead train Hogwarts students. Madam Bones had readily agreed.

Running a hand through his dark hair, Sirius Black spun mid-pace and strode purposefully towards the portrait guarding his quarters. Making sure that the portrait of a Grim fully shut, he took off towards the Hospital Wing. The closer he got, the more excited he became.

Why am I so excited about seeing a stranger?

He was greatly puzzled by his reactions. He wasn’t as stupid as people thought he was, he knew something wasn’t right.

Could it have something to do with the nightmares…no, the memories? He shook his head at the absurd thought, and yet…No, it was impossible.

But was it really?

He paused right outside of the Hospital Wing, indecisive. Taking a fortifying breath, he entered the room. He was quickly accosted by Poppy, as she tried to usher him to a hospital bed.

“No, Poppy, I’m fine. I just came to check on our mystery guests.” She stopped trying to force him into a bed, pulling away to frown disapprovingly at him.

“They need rest, not people gawking at them.” Poppy clearly wasn’t going to just let him see her two patients without a fight.

“Ah, common Poppy, please? I’ll be good, I swear on my Marauder’s honor.” She gave him a blank stare.

“You have no honor.” Sirius grabbed at his chest where his heart was dramatically.

“Oh you wound me Poppy.” Her lips twitched at his antics. Sighing, she decided that it was best to just let Black satisfy his curiosity before it could become an obsession. Besides, her instincts were urging her to let him.

“All right, follow me Mr. Black.”

“Now Poppy, you’d think we were past the last name stage already.” Sirius pouted to add to the effect of being put out by her refusal to refer to him as anything other than ‘Mr. Black’.

Sirius glanced quickly at the students in the infirmary, noting that the youngest Potter in Hogwarts was snoring away under the effects of a Dreamless Sleep potion.

Ignoring him, Poppy led Sirius to a curtained off area. Sirius could just make out the shape of someone sitting in a chair though the curtain. Pulling back the curtain soundlessly, Poppy gestured for Sirius to enter. She followed him, not trusting him to be alone with Severus. It was a good thing she decided to stay.

It took perhaps three seconds for Sirius to recognize the man sitting in the chair, watching them emotionlessly. A feeling of hate so strong swept over him that he thought he’d been slipped an Aggression Draught. Sure he’d always hated Snivellus, but not on this level. What the hell had changed? He had the overwhelming urge to strangle the greasy bastard. He had actually taken several steps forward, raising his arms and lips peeled back in a snarl when he felt a wand press against his chest.

“Am I going to have to kick you out Mr. Black?” The warning Poppy gave him managed to break through the murderous haze fogging his mind. He lowered his arms, shaking his head rapidly, yet never took his eyes from the greasy git sitting there smugly. “Good.” The wand disappeared and Poppy turned to run diagnostics over the two unconscious patients.

The two men glared at each other, itching to do the other bodily harm. The demon dared not risk it though, he would not he separated from his mate, especially with Black near her. He didn’t know why, but he saw the man as a threat. A threat that needed to be exterminated.

Sirius turned his attention to the woman lying there so peacefully. He drew in a deep breath, frowning when her scent filled his nose. It was familiar, and yet foreign at the same time. Like part of it he had known once very well, but the other not at all.

Lissianna was lucky that she had such long hair, and that she’d previously covered up her scar with Muggle makeup. Otherwise, her base form would have connected her to her Potter form that Sirius and Albus had seen in the memories. Good thing she wasn’t able to shift into that form at the moment, or she’d have been found out. As it was, some already knew that Voldemort was her father. The last thing she needed was for people to find out the full truth. Yet a part of Sirius’s soul knew hers, there was no hiding that. The bond they had formed was a deep one, one that imprinted on both their souls.

How dare Snivellus be anywhere near my precious princess while she’s…What! No, oh no, this was not happening. He was not turning into the crazy escaped Azkaban convict from his fragmented memories. No, not going to happen. Why the hell did he think the woman was his ‘precious princess’? He needed his head checked pronto. The woman didn’t look anything like Lissianna. They were polar opposites.

Oh…but Lissianna was a Metamorph…Nope, insane, I’m going insane. Well one thing was for sure; he wouldn’t be going to the Headmaster about this.

He must have been displaying signs of distress because the next thing he knew, Poppy was shoving a Calming Draught down his throat. He gagged at the taste, shooting Poppy a dirty look. She was unrepentant.

The doors to the Hospital Wing creaked open; Poppy was off like a shot, speeding towards the group of Ministry officials and Healers.

“Ah Poppy, how are our two mystery guests fairing?” Albus had the twinkle back in his eyes, and a benign grin on his face.

Poppy scowled at all of the people infesting her previously clean domain. She bristled at the sight of the Healers examining her patients. They had yet to make their way back to the curtains she was standing directly in front of, but it was only a matter of time.

“No Albus, they need rest. Their magic levels are dangerously low. Severus has been keeping an eye on them for me. I will not have them poked or prodded at. Here, take the diagnostic scans, I’ve copied them.” Reaching into her expanded apron pocket, she pulled out a massive scroll followed by a miniscule one. “The larger scroll belongs to the woman, the smaller to her son, and yes, I did check to see if she was his mother.” She left out who the boy’s father was, and especially the girl’s father. She knew that Dumbledore had most likely reached the same conclusion that the blood test had shown, but she wasn’t going to give him any proof.

Scowling in disappointment, one of the Healers snatched the scans from Poppy.

Crossing her arms, Poppy refused to budge.

“Now Poppy…”

“No Albus, they can come back when the two wake up.” Albus knew he wasn’t going to win.

“I’m afraid that we shall have to delay our meeting the guests, let’s head back to the Great Hall, shall we?” Not waiting for an answer, Dumbledore swiftly made his way out of the Hospital Wing. No one had been willing to test the school nurse; she was infamous for her rabid protectiveness over her patients. She’d hexed the Headmaster several times when he wouldn’t back off and leave her patients alone. If she was willing to do that to the Headmaster, there was no telling what she would do to Ministry workers or Healers.

“This can’t be real!” The shout drew the small party’s attention to the Healer who was going over the woman’s diagnostic scan. “Hit three times by successfully cast Killing Curses, bitten by a Basilisk, and Kissed by a Dementor! This is absurd!” That resulted in the Unspeakables and other Healers mobbing the man with the scroll trapped in trembling hands. There was a brief struggle before multiple copies appeared.

Dumbledore groaned. So much for patient confidentiality. He would be having words with the Healer who blurted out her results. He deliberately ignored the fact at that he had allowed the original scroll to be passed around in the shock of the guests’ arrival. Everything was such a mess.

The next day Dumbledore could be found arguing with Poppy in his office. She was still refusing to let anyone but Severus, and for some odd reason Sirius, near the only remaining inhabitants of the Hostipal Wing. The Daily Prophet had printed an emergency edition that created a frenzy of activity. The magical community in Great Britain resembled a kicked over anthill at the moment. The Goblins were up in arms over something, acting like it was the end of the world, running hither and tither, ignoring clients.

Thankfully most of the students had left that morning for their Holiday break. That left less chance of another disaster occurring.

Lucius Malfoy had just left after a long and bitter argument over his right to see the two guests. Dumbledore was able to turn him away, but he would be back, of that there was no doubt. The Unspeakables were still in Hogwarts. Every time he got rid of one, two more would appear. They were like Scottish Midges, they just kept multiplying. The Healers were hardly any better, though, at least they weren’t going over Hogwarts with a fine-toothed comb. The Aurors were surprisingly the least annoying, though that could be due to the fact that they were more interested in talking to the remaining students and staff while also searching out caffeine like a dog a bone. Don’t even get him started on the reporters.

On the third day, all hell broke loose, all due to the one woman. The reporters were driving him absolutely mad. Rita Skeeter had to be brought to heel somehow. She had managed to get a picture of the sleeping duo, with Severus Snape and Sirius Black trading insults. Well, if Voldemort didn’t know who the mysterious woman was by the time he saw the morning edition of the paper, he’d stop eating his beloved lemon drops for a month.

A silvery, stag patronus shot through the door to his office; no doubt it was James’s.

“They are awake.”

Dumbledore was out of his seat and rushing to the door as soon as ‘awake’ was being said.

Lissa pulled herself together, knowing that she had to muck around in her son’s mind. Concentrating, she searched for the link to his magic, tugging on it to get his attention.

Teddy stirred, his magic prompting him to wake up. He woke without making a sound, slowly turning his head to look at his mother. Her eyes opened, and he noticed in alarm that she was in her base form when he got a good look at her. Her eyes pinned him with a strange intensity. He recognized that look; it was the same one she used when using Legillimency to help him build his Occlumency shields. Nodding his head to show that he understood, Teddy felt his mother swoop in and begin the tedious process of building a whole new lifetime worth of memories in his head.

Hours later, an exhausted Lissa laid the finishing touches to her son’s new set of memories. It was flawless, well unless you were looking for information on the ritual. She pushed any inconsistencies into that portion to help it appear to be lost in the magical backlash and hide her meddling with his thoughts. Lissianna then began the same process on herself. By the time she was done, the sky was starting to lighten with the approaching dawn. She slipped back into sleep.

****

Lissianna woke abruptly to the sound of arguing. She held her breath when she recognized the voices as belonging to Sirius Black and Severus Snape.

“I can damn well be here as much as I want Black.”

“Not with her you can’t.” The voices were hushed, but loud enough for her to hear them clearly.

“Oh, and pray tell, why is that?”

The level of testosterone was suffocating. God they were such…men. Wow, that was lame, nice Lissianna, real nice.

“Because I said so!” Lissianna didn’t know it was possible to whisper-shout.

“Your logic astounds me.” Sirius growled at Snape. “Oh, yes, please prove that you really are a Mutt, maybe then Poppy will take you seriously.” Lissianna smothered her groan.

No you dunderhead! You’ve just given him the perfect opportunity to…

“Bat.”

Huh? What was this, Sirius ignoring the perfect opening for his lamest joke?

“Excuse me?” Snape sounded incredulous.

“If I’m a Mutt, then you’re a greasy dungeon Bat.” Lissianna knew Snape had to be gaping at Sirius. Peeking over at them, she saw that Snape was indeed gaping at Sirius.

“You are a Mutt because you are a dog animagus. I am not a bat animagus. No, I will not tell you what animal I can turn into you idiot.”

Strange, Severus didn’t use the word Dunderhead…I have to remember, this is not my Severus, nor my Sirius. Her eyes burned at the reminder of what she had lost.

“Why do you even care about her Black?” Severus sounded genuinely curious now. There was a long stretch of silence, the sound of rustling fabric and breathing all that filled the air.

“I—I don’t really know to be honest.” There was a disbelieving snort.

“You’re not telling me the full truth, there’s something you’re hiding from me.”

“I don’t have to tell you anything Snivellus!” Sirius made the mistake of shouting.

“Boys!” Madam Pomphrey tore back the curtains violently, causing Lissianna to shoot out of bed and into a defensive crouch. Everyone froze, staring at each other in shock. James Potter had impeccable timing for barging in on strange situations as always, and bound over to the frozen group.

“Hey Padfoot…” James trailed off, gaping at the sight before him.

“Mom?” Teddy’s small voice sounded rather loud in the silence of the infirmary. The adults switched their attention as one to the child sitting up in bed, staring wide-eyed at the group.

The demon had his answer; their eyes were the same.

The calm was shattered as Poppy began scolding the woman for flying out of bed. Lissianna decided it wasn’t worth fighting Poppy over, so slipped back into bed without a fuss. While Poppy was distracted, Teddy scrambled over to his mother, burrowing under the blankets, only his head peaking out.

Poppy tsked, then laughed at the sight of Teddy trying to hide. She was the only one not still in shock, but then again, she already knew that there would be similarities between Voldemort and his daughter. The red in her eyes had badly startled the men. Poppy silently admitted to herself that it was unsettling, but expected.

James snapped out of his trance, sending off a patronus to alert Dumbledore of the situation. Turning back, he gulped at the dark looks everyone was sending him. He could understand the guests, Poppy, and Snivellus, but not Padfoot.

“Err, well, I guess I’ll just go over here to wait for Dumbledore then.” Laughing nervously, James rubbed the back of his neck before dashing to the entrance of the infirmary.

“I’ll hold off on the questions dearie until the old coot gets here.” Poppy smiled at the weak grin that the poor woman sent her way.

The demon couldn’t look away from his mate once Potter fled. She was exquisite. He grimaced as his human rammed against his shields. He really needed to have that talk.

Lucius Malfoy had been biding his time since yesterday and was on his way to the Headmaster's office when he decided to take a detour. It was early in the morning, far too early for him. He slowed, abruptly changing his course. There was another way to the Headmaster's office that he knew went by the Hospital Wing. He hadn't gotten the chance last time as he was escorted to and from Dumbledore's office. He had no such escort now though.

With a grin, he swept into the Hospital Wing…only to be assaulted by James Potter.

"What are you doing here Malfoy?" James snarled, his hatred for the man overcoming his common sense.

"Obviously I'm here to check on my friend Severus, and the two guests." His voice was soft, yet carried an edge of steel that was not to be ignored.

James grit his teeth. "Where's your escort?" The words were forced out. Lucius ignored him and addressed Poppy.

"Ah, Madam Pomphrey, might I converse with my friend for a moment in your infirmary?" Poppy didn't really want Lucius Malfoy in her domain, but the man would no doubt cause problems for the old coot, which was a plus in her book. She was still sore over all the times he'd tried to meddle in her affairs. Glancing at the people behind her, she noted the woman's neutral expression, Black's angered grimace, and Severus's intrigued eyes. The boy had fallen back asleep nestled against his mother's side, seeking her protection and warmth. Luckily Lucius couldn't see the guests from the angle he was at.

Poppy gestured for Severus, he reluctantly came over, very much aware that Black was now behind the curtain with his mate and child...alone. 

"I suppose that is fine Lord Malfoy, so long as you are only talking to Severus. I can't let you see my other patients. I will remain here though, so if you want to talk in private, put up a ward." With the suggestion that he go somewhere else instead remaining unsaid. Disappointment briefly flashed across Lucius's eyes before his expression blanked. Still, at least he could talk to Severus. 

Giving Potter a smug look, Lucius glided forward with all the grace of a powerful Pureblood Lord. He came to a stop, ignoring the fuming Lord Potter stalking up behind him. Black chose that moment to come charging out from behind the curtains, forgetting to shut them in his haste.

"Sirius Black!" Poppy screeched at Sirius, incensed that her patients' privacy had just been invaded because of him. Sirius came to a sudden stop, cringing away from the murderous glares Severus and Poppy were shooting him.

Lucius sucked in a harsh breath, his full attention focused on the woman staring back just as intensely.

"Ah, Lord Malfoy, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Lucius wanted to curse. Dumbledore always complicated things.

"Lord Dumbledore, I was just visiting Severus. That's not a problem is it?" Having turned his attention to the aging Headmaster, Lucius missed the flash of anger in the woman's eyes.

The demon hadn't missed it though.

Dumbledore dearly wished to tell Lucius that, yes, it was a problem, but knew he had to be polite to keep things simple. 

"Of course not, I was just curious is all. However, checking on our guests is."Lucius had a faint dusting of pink on his cheeks, caught in his own lie. 

Looking at the woman who was Voldemort's daughter, Dumbledore barely withheld a flinch. Those eyes were pinning him like a small bug. He hadn't expected that. He cleared his throat.

"And who might you be my dear?"

"Aliana, my name is Aliana Cedicit."

Chapter Text

Chapter Six: Nightmares of Magic

The blood drained from Dumbledore’s face so fast that he actually swayed and black spots formed in his sight. Oh, this was a complete nightmare. There was a reason the whole world, magically speaking, celebrated when the last member of the Cedicit family finally perished. They were apparently wrong. No one would claim that name deliberately, unless you were looking to be shunned. Assassins of the highest degree, spies, and inventors. The Cedicit family was well known for their accomplishments. He wondered which of the three the young woman fit most. Her son as well, though he was a bit young to have been intensely trained…hopefully.
****
Lucius felt himself gaping, something he’d never done before. Excitement swiftly replaced the shock, tinged with a bit of fear. He’d been told stories about the Cedicit family; he’d always admired them. Their origins were never made clear. His Lord was going to be very pleased with this new information.

He was torn out of his thoughts when Poppy began shoving at him.

“Out! Out, out, out! You have overstayed your welcome Mr. Malfoy.” Lucius couldn’t believe the nerve of the woman. He’d heard that when riled, she would forget all sense of decorum and status in favor of her patients. He’d never thought it was actually true. Continuing to gape, Lucius was pushed and shoved backwards several feet before he regained his senses. Darting away from the vicious nurse, he straightened his robes, cheeks dusted a faint pink when he heard snickering and bark like laughter. Spinning on his heel, he paused briefly at the doorway, turning his head slightly, he took one last look before sweeping out of the room, dignity in tatters. The bark like laughter morphed into a yelp when Poppy shot a stinging hex at Sirius.

“Ow! Poppy, what was that for?” Sirius whined, cradling his abused arm.

“That was for letting Malfoy see my patients.” Poppy’s voice trembled with barely constrained rage. Sirius paled as he registered just how angry he’d made the school nurse.

“Well now that we are the only ones here, let’s get to it shall we?” Potter’s mouth shut with a click when Ailana shot him a venomous glare.

Aliana had never really forgiven her father once she saw what he’d done to Severus in his memories she’d ‘accidentally’ stumbled upon. After realizing that she loved Severus, any chance of her forgiving her father almost completely flew out the window. Sirius managed to somewhat win her forgiveness in that he had profusely apologized to Severus when she had found out about it in her Fifth year. Though she was still pissed at him. Severus had become slightly tolerant of the man, in other words, no longer plotting to kill him every time he laid eyes on her godfather. If he planned to toss a Crucio at him however, she’d turn her head the other way for seven seconds. One second for each year that the Marauders had bullied Severus.

“I was under the impression that the Cedicit family had died out.” Dumbledore made the statement in the hopes of Ailana taking up a conversation from it.

“It was for the most part. The male line died due to an experiment gone wrong. My son is the first male to be born since then. I was able to pick up the last name, seeing as my mother was disowned. Teddy, my son, helped cement the claim.” Teddy chose that moment to let out the most adorable yawn, prompting Poppy to fuss over him.

“Mom?” Teddy’s voice was rough from too little use and sleep. He blinked up at his mother blearily, his large eyes struggling to adjust to the light hitting him in the face.

“Yes love?” She ran her fingers through his hair, the thick wavy strands snapping back into place.

“S’too bright. Turn off the lights.” With that he buried his face into her stomach, crawling into her lap.

“That would require me to destroy the sun silly goose.” She poked him, trying to get him to move his face from her stomach. It was still tender and began to ache a bit as he pressed his face into it. Teddy groaned, burrowing into her stomach. She hissed in pain. Poppy and the others caught this. Ailana shook her head when Poppy went to pull Teddy away from her. She wasn’t sure how he would react, but she didn’t want to risk anyone getting hurt.

“Teddy sweetheart, I need you to move. I was hurt where you’re pushing your face.” That did the trick. Teddy flung himself away from her, panic in his eyes. “Shh, darling, I’m fine, just sore.” She pulled her son into a hug as Poppy checked her midriff.

“Hmm, just some extensive bruising, it looks like your magic has fixed the other injuries that were previously there.” Ailana smiled sweetly at Poppy’s curious look, then bared her teeth at Potter and Dumbledore. They flinched back away from her.
******
Sirius Black watched silently as Ailana bared her teeth at James and Dumbledore. Sirius had yet to say something, preferring to watch Ailana’s reactions to the people around her. She was a good mother from what little he had seen of her interactions with her son Teddy. The boy clearly adored his mother; saw her as his protector like any child should. Sirius felt a pang of jealousy and regret. He would have given anything for his parents to treat him like Ailana did her son. Why couldn’t she have been his mother? As if knowing that he was thinking about her, Aliana glanced over at him. Some unnamed emotion flashed through her eyes, she stared at him a moment longer, then seemed to force her eyes away from him. He blinked at the surge of frustration that coursed through him

Why am I frustrated?
*****
The demon returned to his seat by the side of the bed, noting that his son was staring at him intently. He gave his child a small smile, chuckling as his eyes widened at the sound. He didn’t realize it, but Severus never laughed, and was therefore given extremely disturbing looks of horror in the case of James and Sirius, and dumbfounded ones in the case of everyone else.

“Did you just chuckle?” The demon cursed mentally, having forgotten that his human had never expressed his amusement through laughing in any form before. Said human bashed against the shields with renewed vigor.

“Do you have a problem with that Black?” His tone was acerbic, eyes glittering ominously in the light.

“Actually yes, yes I do.” Ailana shot Sirius an irate look. He noticed and twitched. Ailana barely repressed a giggle at his smothered reaction.

“Ms. Cedicit, I’m going to have to ask you a few questions about the events that took place here three days ago.”

Ah, she was wondering when Potter would get down to the interrogation. She mentally frowned, why was Potter the one going to interrogate her? She knew Dumbledore was present since the issue directly concerned Hogwarts, and as the Headmaster, it was his right to be present.

Oh, Potter must be the Head Auror if he’s the one questioning me. It is strange that he doesn’t have a partner…unless…Sirius!

If her father was also the Head Auror in this dimension, then there was a good chance that Sirius would also be his partner here as well.

Aliana would have been correct, however, Sirius was still on medical leave, and therefore was not going to interrogate her. Poppy had let him see Ailana based on the fact that he could help protect her or chase off any other Aurors that tried to sneak in.

The doors, still open from Lucius Malfoy’s departure, allowed the occupants to hear a very distinctive clunking sound of a wooden walking stick on the floor.

Oh no, not…

“Sorry I’m late.”

Mad-Eye Moody. Why, why hadn’t the paranoid bastard retired dammit! Grr, just my luck…typical.

“Ah Mad-Eye, see you made it without being attacked.” Aliana didn’t know it, but the greeting was a running joke in the DMLE.

Moody grunted, magical eye swiveling in its socket at a dizzying speed. Both eyes locked on her, the electric blue of the magical eye disturbing in its intensity.

“So, these are our mysterious guests eh?” Teddy hid behind his mother, Moody having scared him. Ailana resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the man.

“Right, might as well get this over with.” Moody grunted as he hobbled over to them. Albus conjured chairs for everyone, and a table for the two Aurors to write on. Ailana didn’t know why they didn’t simply use dicta-quills rather than end up with cramped hands by writing manually.

Moody never took his eyes from the woman, something about her was unsettling, aside from her eyes, there was something off about her. He had always trusted his gut, and it was currently screaming that she was extremely dangerous. His paranoia meter was off the charts while near her. He felt like she was going to pull out a wand any minute and start cursing them all. He twitched, wand slipping into his hand, he felt marginally better now.

Sirius snorted at Moody’s paranoia, not that he could blame the man, his inner animagus form was warning him that the woman was an apex predator luring in the disguise of a human.

“Your full name.” Ailana rolled her eyes at the gruff command.

“Ailana Aurora Cedicit and Theodore Sirius Cedicit.” Her voice sounded bored, but she was taking unholy delight in the horrified look on Moody’s face and the nonplussed expression Sirius was sporting.

“Right.” Moody’s voice was strangled, an interesting thing to hear from the old Auror.

“Location and date of birth.” James asked her the question this time, knowing that Moody was still in shock at hearing the name of a family once joyfully thought extinct.

“Portland Oregon on July 31, 1971. My son was born in Sitka Alaska on October 31, 1987.” The locations clearly startled the men. Two very far away locations, and both in America. Though, that wasn’t too much of a surprise considering they both had American accents.

“How did you end up here in Hogwarts?” James decided that the suspense was killing him, and never really learning the virtue of patience, skipped right to the juicy details. Moody huffed, while Albus smiled.

The demon, wanting to please his mate, reached over and grabbed one of his mate’s tiny feet, starting to massage the appendage. Ailana jumped, head snapping over and down to stare at him in bewilderment. Teddy grinned, plots on getting the two together whirling through his young mind.

“Oi! Get your slimy paws off of her Snivellus!” This time it was Teddy’s turn to jump. Ailana was used to the yelling matches between Sirius and Severus. The others in the room looked shocked at the behavior Severus was displaying. Poppy ran to get her camera, discreetly snapping several pictures of the people present, especially of Ailana and Severus. She planned to give all of the photos to her patients, she had the feeling that they would love them.

Sirius was red faced in fury. He trembled, barely restraining himself from attacking Snivellus then and there.

That slimy git better get his hands off of my precious princess! No! She is not my precious princess dammit! I’m not turning into the crazy Azkaban escaped convict…

The demon smirked as his mate moaned when he located a particularly sensitive spot on her ankle. Oh yes, his little mate was very much enjoying the massage. His human side seemed to have frozen in stunned disbelief. The demon was actually showing affection and physical care openly. Oh, Severus knew that the demon had shown Ailana plenty of affection while she was unconscious, but they were alone, and no one aware but he and the demon of what was going on. Now the demon was displaying his affection for all to see.

Albus looked between his Potions Master and Ms. Cedicit. His calculating gaze settled on the boy, Teddy. His eyes widened, and he looked between Severus and Teddy more closely. Oh, there were some similarities, but were there enough to connect the two? He vowed to find out.

James Potter had turned green at the sight of Snape touching someone, let alone giving someone a foot massage. He swore he’d have nightmares about this. He glanced over at Moody, gaping when he saw the bored and disinterested look on the heavily scared face.

“I was performing a ritual.” The men stared at her blankly, except for the demon, he didn’t care what his mate had been doing, only that she was here with him now. It took several seconds for her sudden words to actually sink in.

“Ritual?” Albus recovered the fastest, latching onto her explanation like a lifeline. Ailana nodded.

“Yes, I can’t remember what it was for or supposed to do. I was knocked out by the magical backlash when the ritual fluctuated and my son ran in to save me, disturbing the runic sequence in the process. I believe that when he did so, the ritual somehow drug us from where we were to Hogwarts due to such a high concentration of magic being at the castle. I don’t know why it simply didn’t drop us off at one of the many magical schools in America, or at another area containing a high concentration of magic.” Ailana fell silent after that, content to simply observe the others and enjoy the foot massage. Her eyes fell to half-mast, a lazy smile stretching her lips. She looked rather goofy.

“You can’t remember anything to do with the ritual? Nothing at all?” Albus was not pouting, no, that would be entirely undignified. Ailana sleepily looked at him, shaking her head. He was not pouting dammit!

Sirius looked at Ailana with amusement, she looked like some great cat lazing in the sun. He almost expected her to start purring. The scratching of quills, rustling fabric, and soft breathing were the only sounds to fill the Hospital Wing.

Poppy had silenced her camera and was partially hidden so that her victims wouldn’t see her. She knew Moody was aware of what she was doing, and had suspicions that Ms. Cedicit was also aware when her eyes flicked over to Poppy’s hiding spot every now and then. Since neither had said anything about it, she continued to take pictures of them when she saw something that she felt was camera worthy.

“I think the room’s contents were most likely destroyed by the magical backlash as well.” Ailana frowned. “I actually can’t remember where the room was, let alone where I lived. Huh, that’s strange.” She muttered the last, Turning her head to look at her son. “Do you remember anything Teddy?”

Teddy shook his head, putting on a regretful face. “No, all I remember is panicking because something went wrong with the ritual and trying to get to you. Sorry.” He gave the adults an apologetic look.

“If you have a Pensieve, I can give you my memories of the event.” Ailana offered when she saw the skeptical looks on everyone’s faces.

“You can have mine as well.” Teddy piped up, looking excited at the prospect of being able to be of assistance.

Dumbledore looked thoughtful, carefully observing the last of the Cedicit family sitting on the hospital bed. He eventually nodded, conjuring two vials for them to place their memories in. He walked closer, stopping next to the bed.

Ailana smiled, pulling out her wand, causing Moody and Potter to curse. Putting the tip against her head, she concentrated on the fabricated memories and pulled away the wand. She guided the long strand into the open vial that Dumbledore was holding near her. Capping it, Dumbledore opened the second one. Turning to her son, Ailana waited until Teddy indicated that he was ready before taking a copy his memories.

“I have included a few memories of my life as well. I can only remember bit and pieces, but I’ve included most of what I can remember of the ritual. My son only gave what he remembers of the ritual.” The men, including Severus, looked intrigued as she informed them that there were more than memories of the ritual.

“Well, I think that the memories will provide us with more information, let’s get to it.” Moody stuffed away the notes and quill before standing and making his way to the Headmaster’s office. Albus too began to walk that way before pausing.

“Ms. Cedicit, I will open one of the guest quarters for you and your son here at Hogwarts until you get your affairs in order.” With that said, he swept out, his garish robes of purple and green finally out of sight.

James Potter was more hesitant to leave, but trudged along after the Headmaster. Sirius was torn, he didn’t want to leave Snivellus alone with Ailana, but he also dearly wished to view the memories. The demon was equally torn, he really didn’t want to leave his mate, but also wished to learn more about her. He sat there, working on his mate’s other foot now, trying to make up his mind. He eventually decided that he could always view the memories later, or ask what they contained.

Sirius reached a similar conclusion, his unwillingness to leave Ailana alone with Snivellus outweighing his curiosity. He settled down into a chair, making silly faces at Teddy. The boy giggled, delighted with the man. Sirius grinned at Snivellus’s dark scowl.

Payback’s a bitch, eh Snivellus?

****

The three men quickly made their way through the halls of Hogwarts, anxious to see what the memories contained. In no time at all, they stood outside of the Headmaster’s office, staring at the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance. Dumbledore stepped forward to give the password he had just reset that morning.

“Lemon drops.” Moody grunted at the password, sharing a look with Potter behind Dumbledore’s back.

Walking up the twisting staircase, the two Aurors waited for Dumbledore to retrieve his Pensieve. Watching as the cabinet opened to reveal the large stone basin, Dumbledore uncapped both vials and poured them in. Flashes of images appeared and disappeared in the rippling surface of the Pensieve. Turning to look at his younger friends, Dumbledore gestured for them to come closer.

“So, shall we see what Ms. Cedicit and young Mr. Cedicit have opted to share with us?” Not saying anything, Moody touched the rippling surface, getting sucked into the memory. Potter soon followed suit. Dumbledore made sure that his office was secure before joining the other two men. With a whirl of color, he suddenly found himself in the memories of the last two Cedicit family members.

*Memories Begin*

A young woman sat talking to a small female child, who could be no other than Ailana.
“You have to mean it Ailana.” Ailana nodded, turning to the practice dummy.

“Avada Kedavra!” A flash of green light exploded out of her wand, impacting the dummy hard enough to blow it up.

“See! I knew you could do it.” Ailana turned with a grin on her face. Her mother was smiling back at her in excitement.

****

“Rituals are tricky things Ailana, never underestimate their power.” Ailana’s mother was drawing a large ritual circle with chalk, showing her daughter a simple ritual as her first. Of course she couldn’t actually perform the ritual as she didn’t have any magic of her own, but her daughter could.

Ailana nodded, eagerly adding her magic to the runic scheme to activate it. The runes glowed purple, showing that the ritual was proceeding correctly.

A surge of energy washed over Aliana as the ritual began to take effect.

“Now you can perform other rituals without too much worry about destroying yourself. The magic from this ritual will serve as a buffer and hopefully allow you to shut down the ritual or give you enough time to protect yourself.”
****

A full moon was high in the sky.

A wolf howled, no, not a wolf…something worse.

She was running, fleeing, her legs burning with the effort of escaping.

There were crashing sounds behind her, something tearing its way through the forest. There was another howl up ahead…she was being hunted by more than one.

She skidded to a stop, wand in hand and sparking menacingly.

Werewolves. There were two, one behind her and one in front of her. She maneuvered her body so both were in her sight at the same time. She wouldn’t go down without a fight.

The larger one lunged at her. She twisted out of the way, barely avoiding the snapping teeth. The smaller one charged at her, she shot off a dark cutting curse. Blood sprayed and the Werewolf howled.

Ailana dodged again as the first Werewolf turned around. The wounded one snapped at her heels. She danced back, shooting an overpowered Bombarda at the smaller one, aiming for its chest.

The Werewolf swerved out of the way, the spell clipping its front leg instead. The limb exploded in a shower of gore. It went down as it lost its balance. Jumping away from the larger Werewolf, she finished off the smaller one with a Killing Curse.

Enraged, the bigger Werewolf managed to land a hit on Ailana. Four long gouges appeared on her back. She screamed, arching away from the deadly claws.

Twisting, she shot a rotting curse at the Werewolf. She missed and it hit a tree instead. The tree immediately began to rot. An idea suddenly popped into her head.

Shooting spell after spell at the Werewolf, she slowly weakened it, yet managed to mostly keep it at bay. The Werewolf was much faster than the other one was, making most of her spells shoot off into the forest. The tree continued to rapidly rot, creaking as it died. She didn’t want to cast Killing Curses only to miss and hit something else.

Maneuvering the Werewolf with several blasting curses, she waited for the tree to fall.

The ground began to shift as the tree fell. The Werewolf, dazed from the last dark curse that hit it, was unable to move quickly enough.

Though rotten and dead, the tree was still massive, certainly large and heavy enough to crush the Werewolf.

With a sickening crunch, the tree pinned the Werewolf to the ground. It whimpered, whining in pain.

Ailana smiled in satisfaction, ignoring the blood running down her back and the burning pain from her wounds. Stepping forwards, she raised her wand and ended the second Werewolf with a heart-stopping curse. It died with one last whimper of pain. Ailana set fire to the tree and both bodies, making sure that the forest didn’t catch fire.

Satisfied that her test was over, she portkeyed out of the forest.
****
She was staring at the results in disbelief, pregnant, she was pregnant.
***

Ailana screamed as the contractions gripped her. She pushed one last time and was rewarded with her son’s shrill cries.

Theodore, his name was Theodore.
****
She was watching her son practice his first spell. Smiling as his face scrunched up in concentration.

With a shout of delight, the feather levitated off of the table.
****
Her son was turning ten, she wanted it to be a birthday he would never forget.
****
A large ritual circle had been painstakingly drawn on the stone floor, countless runes drawn in chalk.

Ailana added the last of the runes, sitting back on her haunches. The runes and room were blurry, too much to make out any significant details. A small door was on one of the walls. There were no windows.

The next part was blurred to the extent that all that was visible were vague shapes of color.

The memory briefly came back into focus to show a young boy running towards the circle shouting something.

There was a brilliant flash of light and sound, before the memory cut off abruptly.
****
Teddy watched his mother finish drawing the last rune, too far away to make out what they looked like. His memories of the event were more clear.

They were in a round stone room, containment and protection runes lining the walls. His mother had said that they needed to be updated soon as they were getting old.

There was a snapping sound, one that told him something had gone wrong. He panicked, rushing over to his mother to try and save her, forgetting about his own safety.

His feet smeared several of the runes, he barely noticed as the magic exploded outward right when he reached his mother.

Everything went white, then black.

*Memories End*

The three men were ejected from the memories, greatly troubled. There were no signs of tampering or falsification, so they had to assume that they were legitimate.

“It troubles me greatly that she was taught the Killing Curse so young, and that she used it on living creatures.” Moody snorted at Dumbledore’s statement.

“You and I both know that using the Killing Curse is perfectly legal in the States in cases of self-defense or on animals.” Dumbledore’s shoulders slumped in defeat, not being able to counter that fact.

Potter frowned. “Did you notice how she focused most on the battle scene more than any other?” The other two men gave Potter disbelieving looks. How could they have not noticed?

“Yes. I am not sure why she did so, but there has to be a reason. To be honest, I’m impressed with her taking down two adult Werewolves singlehandedly. Granted, she did use Dark magic, but who wouldn’t in her situation?” Moody seemed to be conveniently forgetting that he was one of the few in the DMLE willing to resort to Dark magic.

Potter snorted, rolling his eyes at Moody’s statement.

“Yes well, that’s beside the point Mad-Eye. We should go write up formal reports on the interrogation and hand them over to Bones. She has been constantly pestering me for information. The Ministry is on her case about the situation, driving her up the walls.” Moody gave a short laugh, remembering all too clearly Amelia’s disgruntled appearance last time he saw her.

Dumbledore sat at his desk, watching the Aurors walk out of his office.

“Trouble in paradise Albus?” Phineas Nigellus asked as he peered down at Dumbledore. He smirked as Dumbledore shot him a dark look. The other past Headmasters and Headmistresses muttered, shifting in their frames.

“What do you know Phineas?” The portrait’s smirk grew larger.

“Well, I know many things, you’ll have to be more clear Albus.” Dumbledore grit his teeth in frustration.

“What do you know that I don’t?” Albus actually growled the words.

“Well, I overheard a conversation between Bellatrix and Narcissa from my portrait in Malfoy Manor. It appears that the Dark Lord is in a snit of epic proportions.” Albus blanched, very few explanations as to why Voldemort would be so angry when he hadn’t sent his Death Eaters out on raids lately. None of them were good new for the Light.

****
Voldemort sat stock still in shock. He couldn’t breathe, his world spun. Fury rose up in him next.

How dare they! I would know if I had a child!

His fury caused his magic to lash out and attack the messenger that foolishly informed him of the rumor.

Said messenger was writhing on the marble floor, screaming at the top of his voice. Voldemort killed the man when he became little more than a blubbering and drooling sack of blood. He stormed out of the room, barely registering his familiar Nagini slipping from him to eat the body. The rest of his followers had fled at the first sign of him losing his temper.

He marched down the halls, the portraits and priceless artifacts rattling as he passed by. He lost track of where he was storming in his anger. He found himself in a wing he had previously avoided like the plague.

He stopped at the entrance, looking down the long hallway in contemplation. He decided that he would prove that the rumor was false one and for all.

Stalking down the hall, he came to a stop at a large ornate wooden door. He grasped the handles, pausing only briefly before pushing open the doors. He glanced around the dark chamber, flicking his wand to light the room.

Stepping into the room, he slowly walked to the far wall. His wandlight reached the large tapestry first. He looked at the name Salazar Slytherin briefly, before following his bloodline down to his mother, then to himself.

He blinked, shaking his head. There, branching down from his name, was another, and another branch from that one. He had a child. Hands shaking, he focused on the words.

Ailana Aurora Cedicit.

Theodore Sirius Cedicit.

A daughter, he had a daughter. His knees went weak, he stumbled to a chair, sitting down heavily. He shot back up when he realized that he also had a grandson. Looking at the tapestry again, he saw that his daughter’s mother was missing. He frowned. She must have been a Squib then. Looking at his daughter’s name, he saw Severus Tobias Snape-Prince connected to hers. His fury roared back to life.

He dared to touch my daughter!

Voldemort stormed out of the room, plotting how to torture his best Potions Master.
****
Back in the Hospital Wing, the demon felt a sudden, inexplicable chill run down his spine.
****

Ailana on the other hand, was planning how best to get revenge for her violated privacy.

Chapter Text

A/N: Finally managed to ditch the relatives. God they were so loud. Exciting news! I had my first flamer, I was laughing so hard that my sister thought I was dying at first. To be fair, I was drinking water at the time. Read it and you’ll understand the circular logic that entertained me. It was on my time travel fic, not this one. Happy Easter or whatever you may or may not celebrate. Gah! Anatomy is brutal I tell you, absolutely brutal.

I’ll be updating Tripping Through Time next, though I’m not sure when due to the end of school being this week and finals the following week. I have a huge anatomy practical on three different systems on Wednesday, and then have to study those same systems for the lecture. I have five different projects due, three tomorrow, one Wednesday, and the last next week during finals. I also have tow papers due, one being a formal genetics lab report and the other a Sociology paper. Urgh, shoot me and put me out of my misery. Thank God none of the finals are cumulative. Sorry about the long A/N, but I wanted you all to know what’s going on so you don’t panic and think I’ve been run over by a bus or something.

Chapter Seven: Moving On

IMPOSSIBILITIES IN HOGWARTS

Three days ago, Hogwarts was the epicenter of an event that has rocked the Wizarding world. During the last formal dinner before the Holidays, a portal was opened in the middle of the Great Hall. An unconscious woman and a young boy who is her son appeared within a ritual circle. You all read about this in the previous edition of the Prophet, but my dear readers, their appearance despite Hogwarts’s formidable wards is not what shocked me most. No, it was a list that I came across, a list detailing the health of the woman. Now it is time to hear what you don’t know.

I was horrified at the length and severity of the list, but three things that should be impossible were undeniably there. On her list were: Avada Kedavra (3x), Basilisk Venom (1x), and Dementor’s Kiss (1x). Below is a picture of Ailana Cedicit and her son, along with Sirius Black and Severus Snape.

That’s right my dear readers, three impossible things to survive, and yet she did. Further investigating on my account led me to a startling revelation: the woman and her son’s last name is one we whisper about, the Cedicit family. I nearly fainted when she told Albus Dumbledore her last name. Her first being Ailana and her son’s Teddy, which is short for Theodore.

Ms. Cedicit claims to be from America, where her mother raised her after fleeing Britain due to being raped during a Death Eater raid. She did not say who her father or her child’s father is.

This reporter will not rest until these mysteries have been solved.

Information on testing bloodlines on page 3.

Information about the potential side effects and results of a ritual failing on page 5.

Information on the Cedicit family on pages 8 through 12.

--Rita Skeeter

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Rita Skeeter hummed as she opened her letter, not having checked to see if it was just that. Unfortunately for her, Sirius Black had taken it upon himself to get revenge for her latest article. He later told Ailana, who howled with laughter.

As soon as the letter opened, Rita was turned into a slug.

It would take three days to wear off. They would never know it, but that was the only thing that saved her life when Voldemort led a select few to ‘talk’ to her.

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Ailana followed Severus and Dumbledore, having finally managed to escape Poppy’s clutches. Ailana was leaning towards completely humiliating those who had violated her privacy, something she saw quite clearly in today’s edition of the Daily Prophet. She had blown a gasket, screaming at Dumbledore for being a meddlesome old coot. Poppy had joined in, throwing a few hexes for good measure.

Dumbledore had not so wisely tried to point out that Poppy had started it when she threw the results from her. Ailana had cursed him then, saying that Poppy would have never have done that on purpose. He turned into a giant yellow canary, prompting Sirius to roar with laughter.

Poppy whole-heartedly agreed, saying that she had cared more about her patients at the time, then their privacy. Poppy had then promised her that she would help when Ailana whispered her idea to her. Dumbledore was too preoccupied with removing Ailana’s curse to listen in or even notice their conversation.

Sirius Black and Severus Snape eagerly joined them, much to the two women’s surprised delight.

The demon silently vowed to make the ones who violated his mate’s privacy pay. He glared at a smirking Sirius Black, whose own quarters were being moved near Ailana’s for her protection.

If it came down to her having to fight for her life at the moment, she would likely need help. The ritual had taken a lot out of her, and she was feeding her son her magic as well. Not to mention the damage that had been done to her body. She was fighting to stay awake, while her son was bouncing around excitedly. Her magic felt broken, too chaotic to use reliably, as she saw when instead of cursing Dumbledore to not be able to eat his lemon drops, he turned into a giant canary instead. She dare not use more magic until she got it back under control.

“Wait until you I show you Hogsmeade, you’ll love the new…” Ailana tuned Sirius out, irritated by his excess energy and excitement. She instead focused on her son, who was listening with rapt attention.

“Turn my son into a prankster Black and you will find out just how many painful hexes I know.” After delivering her warning, Sirius gave her an innocent look that was completely unconvincing. She gave him an unimpressed glare.

They were making their way to the fifth floor, where the guest rooms were located. Sirius had wanted to help serve as a guard for Ailana, insisting that he could protect her. Albus, not wanting to deal with another argument so soon, hesitantly agreed.

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Ailana didn’t know how to feel about the Sirius Black from this new dimension living in the chambers right next to hers. She wanted her Sirius, not this shadow of what he could have been. Teddy seemed excited by the prospect of getting to know and spend time with a man that she had told him so much about. For his sake, she would try her best to be accepting of the situation, especially in regards to Severus.

It hurt, hurt so very bad to see the man she had come to love alive, but not the same. It was like fate was mocking her, planning to throw her loved ones at her, yet remind her constantly that they would never be the people she once loved.

Ailana was curious to see how Teddy would react to meeting Remus and Nymphadora if they were alive in this dimension. She knew that he had always wanted to meet them, but saw her and Severus as his parents. She too wondered how she would react to seeing them.

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As they waited for the staircase to change, Ailana looked at the portraits, noting that there were few differences between the two dimensions. The staircase finally moved, allowing them to make their way to the Fifth floor. They passed a small group of Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors gathered around that morning’s edition of the Daily Prophet. Ailana groaned when they caught sight of her.

Oh great, not this, not now. I’m too tired to be dealing with this shit.

“Lady Cedicit! It’s an honor to meet you.”

Kill me now. Just what we need, a Slytherin.

The Hufflepuffs, already terrified of meeting Ailana, nearly passed out when Orion Lestrange came up to them.

“Professor Snape, finally, I need to talk to you, it’s urgent.” Orion shot Ailana a curious look, raking his eyes over her body. The demon growled, drawing odd looks from those that heard him.

“Go wait in my office Mr. Lestrange.” The demon was barely resisting putting the little shit in his place for daring to look at his mate like that.

“But sir…”

“Now!” Orion stumbled back away from him, shock written all over his face. Sirius Black was gaping.

“Did I just hear you yell at a Slytherin?” The demon slowly turned his head to give Black one of the darkest looks he could manage.

“Boys!” Ailana’s shout had them acting like scolded children. The Gryffindors snickered as they watched Snape back down at her shout. The Hufflepuffs had fled the moment Snape yelled, proving that the Gryffindors were either very brave, or truly foolish. It turned out to be the latter when Snape snapped at them.

“Detention Withers, Dracen, and Gray!” The Gryffindors gaped, before coming to their senses and beating a hasty retreat.

“Severus…”

“Not now Albus.” Dumbledore decided that his Potions Professor was riled up enough that he might do something he wouldn’t regret later.

Severus swept away, leading his mate and son away from the hesitating group. Black jogged to catch up with them.

“How do you know where I live Snivellus?” Sirius growled at the Potions Master.

“I know where all the Professors live Black, don’t worry, you are not a special case.”

“Why you…” He failed to finish his sentence because the demon had thrown a silencing charm at him.

“We are almost there Ailana.”

Sirius silently screamed at Severus, taking out his wand, only to have it snatched away by Dumbledore.

“Mr. Black, please leave Severus alone.” Dumbledore was fed up with his confrontational behavior. “I will give you your wand back when you are not in the same vicinity as Severus.” Sirius gaped in betrayed shock.

The Headmaster is taking the slimy git’s side?

He silently fumed at the injustice of it all. He stomped up to Teddy, making strange hand signals that only confused the boy. He had no idea that Sirius was using sign language.

“Mr. Black, my son does not know sign language, so he is most likely thinking you to be insane or very strange right now.” Sirius immediately stopped, turning bright red when Teddy emphatically nodded his head in agreement with his mother’s statement.

“Ah, here we are.” They came to a stop outside of a portrait of a mermaid with long blond hair. Dumbledore had thought it a fitting picture for Ms. Cedicit, a picture of a mysterious beauty that was whispered of in legends.

“You will need to set a password. I have other business to attend that most unfortunately cannot wait. I shall see you tomorrow perhaps. Severus, Mr. Black. Oh, Mr. Black, come to my office when you have finished helping our guests get situated.” With that, Dumbledore swept away in his hideous robes. Pausing, he turned to remove the silencing spell on Sirius before heading off again.

“Well, I for one am beat and want to go to bed, so I’ll leave you gentlemen here.” Not giving the men a chance to do anything, she cast a silencing ward around her son, the portrait and herself. She barely managed it, and would have failed had she not been borrowing her son’s magic. His was more controlled and helped settle hers some, allowing for her to cast such a simple spell.

“I would like to set ‘second chance’ as my password.” The mermaid smiled and nodded her head. Swinging open, Ailana darted passed the portrait, dropping the silencing ward as soon as she had finished giving the password. Her magic had begun to fluctuate, warning her that the spell was about to go wonky.

Turning to make sure that neither of the men were attempting to follow and that her son had made it inside. She began to shut the portrait. “I will see you gentlemen tomorrow.”

Before she could close the portrait, Sirius stopped her.

“Wait, I forgot to mention, I received a confirmation that we can take you to Diagon Alley as long as you are escorted by Aurors and two Professors.”

“I will also be attending.” Severus cut off Black, not letting him say the potential Professors that would certainly not have included him.

“I look forward to it Severus and Mr. Black.” With that she closed the portrait, tucking her son into bed before staggering to her own.

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“Since when has she been calling you Severus?” The demon smirked triumphantly.

“Since I asked her to, I believe you were off checking your reflection or something similar.” Sirius flushed with rage.

“I was in the restroom you greasy dungeon bat!”

“Like I said, looking at yourself in the mirror. It’s a wonder it didn’t shatter.” Sirius swiped at Snape, but found himself with green and silver skin and robes, covered in small Slytherin crests and snakes strangling lions. He shrieked.

Neither man noticed Orion Lestrange hiding in the shadows.

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Voldemort paced back and forth, blasting stone figures that looked like Dumbledore, Severus, and Rita Skeeter. He snarled at the thought of the woman. He had been enraged to see his daughter’s health splashed across the front page of the Daily Prophet. He had immediately summoned the Lestranges and Malfoy, wanting to teach the woman a lesson that would be her last.

His rage had boiled over when they found no sign of her, yet all tracking spells led to the same place: her kitchen. He didn’t know how she was fooling the spell, but he would pry the information out of her before killing the pest. He had no idea how accurate that last description of her was.

As he paced by his desk, he glanced at the enlarged photo of his daughter and grandson. He had seen one where they were both asleep, but it wasn’t very clear and their faces turned away and not very visible. Oh, he could see the similarities, but only because he was had once had those same features.

The new picture, oh there was no doubt who her father was if you knew what he once looked like. Only Dumbledore and those still alive when he was at Hogwarts had seen his real face. He could count on one hand how many were still alive and aware of him becoming Voldemort. His red eyes rested on his Potions Master, his lip curled into a snarl, he blasted another figurine. He delighted in the explosion of white stone.

A tentative knock sounded on his door. He paused in the process of sending a blasting curse at Dumbledore, when he heard it.

“Enter.” Rodolphus Lestrange opened the door, a nervous look on his face.

“My Lord, yesterday Orion overheard Black talking about taking Ms. Cedicit and her son into Diagon Alley with an Auror escort today.” He bowed, not daring to look at his Lord in such a dangerous mood.

“Today you say? What time?” Voldemort felt a shot of excitement, he began forming a plan, one that would make any Gryffindor proud.

“At ten thirty my Lord.” Voldemort looked at the Lestrange Lord in contemplation. He swept over to his desk. Picking up the newspaper clipping, he looked once more at the daughter he only just found out about, not to mention his grandson. Looking at Lestrange, who was pale and uncomfortable, he smirked.

“I want you and your family to go into Diagon at ten, I will come with you in my animagus form. Bring the Malfoys as well, I want you to try and talk to her. Get me close enough so I can talk to her. If she truly is my daughter, she will be able t understand me.” Lestrange paled, the reason for his unusual moods lately suddenly becoming clear.

“Daughter my Lord?” His voice shook slightly. He panicked, knowing that his younger twin had expressed an interest in the young woman, blurting out that he planned to court her over dinner. Bellatrix had choked, then screeched at him. She was disgusted at the thought of a Half-Blood marrying into the family. Their two children who were turning eleven and eight in the coming spring had gaped at their uncle in disbelief. Rabastan had heatedly pointed out that she and her son were the last of the Cedicit family, and that alone should make her better than a Half-Blood.

“Yes, she is my daughter and the boy my grandson.” Rodolphus felt faint. Oh this was not good, not good at all. He couldn’t let his Lord find out about his brother’s infatuation with his daughter without explaining or asking for permission to court her first.

“My Lord…my younger twin, Rabastan has expressed…” He tailed off as his Lord made his way over to his kneeling form.

“Your younger twin has ‘what’ Roldolphous?” Voldemort had a feeling he knew where this was going.

Lestrange gulped, feeling like an ant about to be stepped on. “He has expressed a desire to…court…your daughter.” He held his breath, praying that his brother wasn’t going to be killed. Had Voldemort found out on his own, and Rabastan gone ahead with the courting, he would have been killed without a doubt.

“I see.” Voldemort was struggling to control his rage, reminding himself that he still needed the Lestrange twins alive. He took several deep breaths, transfiguring several of the shards of stone into miniature versions of Rabastan.

Rodolphus cringed as he observed his Lord annihilate small stone figurines of his brother. Finishing off the last figurine of Rabastan, Voldemort turned his attention back to his loyal follower. He smirked in a way that made Rodolphus feel like he was about to be tortured to insanity.

Voldemort realized that his daughter attempting to kill the upstart would prove to be greatly entertaining. Plus, he could terrorize his followers like never before. He smirked at the thought of Rabastan running for the hills.

“Your brother may court my daughter, but on my terms. Now leave.” Not believing his luck, Rodolphus groveled like he never had before. He ran off, desperate to get away from his Lord. He had a sinking feeling as he heard his Lord cackling that his younger brother was in for a world of pain.

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“She’s what!” Both Rabastan and Bellatrix roared at the same time, prompting Rodolphus to cover his ears.

“She’s his daughter. Oh, and our Lord knows about your infatuation with her.” Rabastan was making strange strangled whimpering noises, pale and shaking.

“I’m dead, deader than dead. Oh gods! Tell me you’re lying!” Rabastan desperately grasped the front of his older, but shorter and weaker twin, shaking him.

“Get off! No, I’m not lying. He has agreed to let you court her.” There was strange thud, but they ignored it, Rabastan in favor of panicking and Rodolphus in favor of calming his twin down.

“Shit! I need to get out of the country, make a new identity, find a way to get rid of the…What!” Rabastan paused in his panicked rambling.

“He has agreed to let you court her.” Rabastan gaped at him, then flushed in anger.

“I swear if I find out that you promised him our first child or something equally likely to make my future wife kill me…” He left the threat open for imagination.

“What? No!” He spluttered looking to his wife, only to see that she had fainted at some point. “Bella!”

Rabastan wandered off in a daze, not able to comprehend today’s revelations, and it wasn’t even ten yet…

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Ailana woke to her son leaping on her. She yelped, still tender where he had landed. Teddy scrambled off of his mother, looking at her worriedly. Though she tried to hide it, he could tell that she was weak and in pain.

“Are you all right mom?” Ailana sent her son a weary smile, still exhausted emotionally and magically.

“I’ll be fine, now get out so I can get dressed.” Teddy grinned, bounding out of his mother’s room in excitement. Sirius was planning to take them to Diagon Alley with an Auror escort today. His father was also coming, much to Sirius’s ire.

There was a knock at the portrait, and Teddy ran over to open it. “Sirius!”

“Hey kiddo, ready to go?” Teddy shook his head.

“No, mom and I overslept a bit, besides, you’re a half hour early.” Teddy grinned at Sirius’s sheepish look.

“My wife is coming with the kids, so be prepared.” Teddy’s eyes widened.

“Mom! Sirius says that his wife and kids are coming with us!” There was a crash and cursing from Ailana’s room.

“Be out in a second!” Her voice was muffled, but they could still hear her continuing to curse.

“Sorry about mom, she’s still recovering and didn’t have an upbringing with good role models until later in life. At least that I can remember.” Sirius’s eyes sharpened at the small tidbit of information.

“I know what you mean, it wasn’t until Hogwarts that I was actually presented with good role models. My parents were pro-Pureblood and I was a disappointment.” His voice was bitter.

“Mom usually doesn’t curse in front of me, she tends to catch herself and say weird stuff like bull-shenanigans or shitake mushrooms.” Sirius gave a bark-like laugh.

“That’s better than my parents ever did. You don’t know how lucky you are to have such a wonderful mother. When I was your age, I would have given anything for a mother like yours.” Teddy gave Sirius a sad look.

“Mom tends to baby adults that act like children, so you’re in luck.” Sirius nodded happily, before catching the insult.

“Hey!” Teddy laughed, running from the Grim that replaced Sirius. Padfoot pounced, tackling Teddy to the floor, licking his face and nuzzling ticklish spots.

Ailana came out of her room when she heard the shrieking laughs and declarations of surrender. She smiled sadly, Sirius used to do that to her according to Remus when she was a toddler. At least Teddy was getting along with him and having fun. There had been so little joy or time to just play due to the war.

Ailana swallowed thickly, pushing back the tears that were clogging her throat. She cleared it, getting both Teddy and Padfoot’s attention in the process.

“Having trouble there love?” Teddy’s grin stretched his face, sending a painful lance through her heart. This was probably the happiest she had ever seen him.

“Save me mom!” Ailana smiled, but shook her head.

“I’m still not well enough to do anything strenuous. Poppy vowed to use a sticking charm on me to keep me in bed if I overdo it.” Teddy’s smile faded some, disappointed that his mother was still suffering from the war and ritual. He knew she was hiding her feelings, not letting him see her breaking down. He wanted to make her happy, or at least help her forget her sorrow for a little while.

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“Dad!” Sirius turned with a smile on his face as his three children ran up to him. Their mother trailed behind them, an indulgent smile on her face.

“Ah wife, there you are.” Said wife rolled her eyes at his antics, well used to such greetings.

“Ah husband, I see you are every bit as childish as you were when you were Ares’s age.” Sirius huffed, turning to his children.

“Your mother is being mean to me.” He whined, causing his two daughters to giggle and his son to roll his eyes.

“Whatever dad.” Teddy and Ailana shifted, feeling awkward. The movement drew Elle’s attention. She smiled, recognizing the two from the Daily Prophet.

“Hi, I’m Elle Black, this oaf’s wife.” She stepped forward, shaking hands with both of them. “Please, call me Elle.”

“My condolences then.” Ailana said this in a somber, pitying voice. Elle laughed, knowing that she and Ms. Cedicit would get along just fine. “Call me Ailana. This is my son Theodore, otherwise known as Teddy.”

“Hey! How come she can call you by your first name, and what do you mean by ‘you have my condolences’?” Sirius had snuck up behind his wife, causing her to jump, then smack him.

“Because you are an insufferable Mutt.”

“Severus!” The demon gave his mate an innocent look, which didn’t work at all in his human form.

Ailana watched with mild amusement as Sirius puffed up at Severus joining them in the Entrance Hall. She grinned as Teddy ran up to his father, clinging to his robes and chattering away a mile a minute.

“No! Teddy get away from Snivellus, you don’t know where he’s been…”

“Sirius Orion Black!” Both Ailana and Elle had rounded on the unfortunate man, who let out at squeak that he would later deny ever having emitted.

Ailana turned away from Sirius, satisfied that his wife would deal with him. Teddy ran up and tugged at his mom, dragging her over to his father in the hopes of them getting to know each other. Ailana smiled shyly at Severus, something everyone noticed, Sirius would have yelled, but was silenced by his wife.

“What has gotten into you! You’re acting like she is your daughter.” Elle hissed, dragging him away from the group.

“I…I can’t tell you without Dumbledore’s permission, he made me swear a magically binding oath. All I can say is that due to what I can’t tell you, a part of me does see her as a daughter. I don’t understand it and it’s been driving me crazy. I’m scared Elle, scared that I’m losing who I am, that I’m turning into someone I’m not. These feelings, I’ve fought tooth and nail, but they’ve been creeping up on me.” Elle sucked in a harsh gasp.

“How long has this been going on?” Sirius ran his hands through his hair in agitation.

“Almost a year now, I talked to Dumbledore ten months ago, and by then the…the situation had already been occurring for a month.” Dawning understanding overcame Elle.

“The nightmares. But…that doesn’t make any sense. How can nightmares make you feel like Ailana is your daughter?” Sirius gave her a significant look. It clicked quite suddenly and Elle paled. “Unless those weren’t nightmares. Tell me Sirius, were they nightmares?” Sirius shook his head.

“You’ll have to talk to Dumbledore. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you what they were about, I didn’t want to worry you.” Elle sighed and hugged her husband.

“I’m not happy with you, actually I’m quite upset, but I know that you struggle to confide in others when fearing that it will upset them. Promise me Sirius, promise me that you’ll start coming to me with your problems and not Dumbledore.” Her chocolate brown eyes pierced him, her blond hair sleek and straight.

“I’ll try my best, I can’t promise, but I’ll try. You’re asking me to break a habit that I’ve had for years love, it will take considerable time and effort.” Elle smiled, nuzzling her face into his chest.

“We’ll talk more at home where I can properly hex and yell at you.” She laughed, then walked away from a horrified Sirius. He was screwed.

“Where’s Black?” Moody clanked into the Entrance Hall, a team of five Aurors following him.

“I’m here Mad-Eye.”

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Right after Sirius was dragged off by his wife…

Ailana smiled shyly at Severus, a small blush painting her cheeks. He smirked, gliding forward to press a kiss to her hand that she had held out to shake his with. Her face flamed. She glared at her son when he snickered at them.

Ailana knew that this Severus was not her Severus, but they acted the same way. She decided that she wouldn’t fight him as much in this dimension, willing to take a chance and live for once in her life. Though, she wouldn’t just roll over, where was the fun in that? No, she would make Severus work for her affections, that didn’t mean she wouldn’t indulge and satisfy her own desires. For now he was her toy, a vicious and possessive toy…yeah ‘toy’ and ‘Severus’ don’t belong in the same sentence.

She was done fighting and wanted a family. She wasn’t dumb enough to believe that she could resist saving the day, but she wasn’t going to go looking for trouble or lead battles here. It was time to start over, and she would begin by allowing Severus to court her. Besides, she knew Teddy would end up forcing them together whether they liked it or not. She had trouble saying no to her baby boy.

“He likes you.” Ailana told Severus in amusement when Teddy wormed his way between them and clung to his father’s robes. She grinned as she watched Severus fight a smile.

“Indeed.” He ruffled Teddy’s hair, earning him an indignant squawk of protest. Ailana laughed, causing Teddy to brighten.

“What stores would you recommend we visit?” The demon sidled closer to his mate, delighting when she didn’t pull away when he fingered her hair.

“Hmm, the bookstores and Apothocary in Knockturn are definitely worth visiting.”

“I meant in Diagon Alley Severus.” The demon blinked, then sighed.

“I suppose the pet store would be interesting for your son, no dangerous animals are kept there.”

“Hey! I can take care of myself.” Ailana smiled at her son indulgently, patting him on the head.

“Of course you can love.” Teddy fumed silently, mentally screaming that he wasn’t a baby.

“Most of the interesting stores are in Knockturn. I can take you and your son. You will be much less likely to run into the media that way.” Ailana perked up at that, then looked at her son, biting her lip.

“I don’t know.” The demon completely invaded her personal space, looping her arm over his and pulling her up against him.

“Everything will be fine, I have…reputation…for being a man that you don’t mess with unless you want to die horribly…or just suffer.” Ailana giggled, her blush returning as she let him drag her to the front doors. She reached out her hand for her son, which he eagerly took. The grin on his face was radiant, he looked ready to fly away he was so happy.

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“Oi! Sniv—.”

“Finish that sentence Sirius and it’s the couch for you!” Sirius ground his teeth as Snivellus shot him a smug look, pulling Ailana against him more tightly, prompting her to struggle a bit. He loosened his hold when her magic shocked him mildly.

“But Elle, he’s got his slimy paws all over her.” Elle continued to glare at her husband. The Auror escort laughed at the unfortunate man, though stopped when he shot a hex at them.

“Let’s get a move on Black, our reason for being here just walked out the door.” Moody grunted, magical eye roving madly in his socket. He clunked after the trio standing outside of the doors. Teddy had resumed pestering his father, wanting to have his attention. The group arrived just in time to hear and see Severus laugh at something Ailana said about Teddy, causing the young boy to shout in outrage.

Sirius had to bite the inside of his cheek and clench his fists to stop himself from attacking the man. He had just about given up fighting the foreign emotions as they only continued to grow stronger. He was fed up with trying to separate his emotions from the other Sirius’s emotions, and really, he had decided that it didn’t matter why those emotions had latched onto Ailana. Perhaps it was because she had so mysteriously appeared, just like the emotions and memories themselves. He would think more on it later, because the only other explanation was too crazy to even contemplate. No, it was best for everyone if he continued to believe that Ailana and Lissiana weren’t one and the same.

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Auror Dawlish and Shaklebolt looked at each other, then back at the trio in front of them. They couldn’t believe their eyes or ears when they came upon the laughing form of Severus Snape. Nor could they believe that such a beautiful woman was letting him touch her. They avoided looking at her eyes, they reminded them way too much of another man with similar eyes.

The rest of the aurors were having similar reactions and thoughts.

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“Right then, here’s our portkey, Albus should be joining us momentarily.” The young Black girls looked excited about the prospect of seeing the legendary Headmaster. They finally dragged their attention from Teddy, one in curiosity, the other in a developing crush.

Won’t Sirius be pleased when he finds out that Teddy is Severus’s son, and his oldest daughter was crushing on him.

Chapter Text

Chapter Eight: Of Monsters and Men

In a whirl of color, Ailana and Severus, Teddy in tow, appeared in Diagon Alley at the designated portkey and apparation sight. The demon made sure that his mate and child were secure and not ill, before leading them away from the group. The guard, having appeared moments after, hurried to catch up.

People in Diagon Alley stopped and stared, pointing and whispering excitedly as they caught sight of the Cedicit family. Teddy crammed his way between his parents, sticking close to their sides shyly. His hair turned a slight purple, his magic beginning to settle enough that his Metamorph powers stabilized.

Aliana turned her head to look at Severus when he made a strange noise in the back of his throat. She followed his gaze to her son’s hair.

“Oh, I had forgotten to mention that my son and I are both Metamorphs.” The demon nodded, satisfied, before turning and pointing his wand at a man who wandered far too close.

“Really Severus?” She placed her hand on his wand arm, forcing him to lower it.

“Mom, can we go in there?” Ailana followed her son’s pointing finger, groaning when she saw that it was some sort of bright and flashy store.

“Are you sure, what about the bookstore instead?” Teddy gave his mother a look that quite plainly said he wanted to go to the bookstore about as much as he wanted to eat Brussels sprouts.

“Sure kiddo, let’s go.” Ailana glared at Sirius menacingly.

“Excuse me Mr. Black, but Teddy is my son, not yours.” Her voice was frigid, the opposite of her burning eyes. “Teddy, we have to get others things today first. If we have time and I’m not dead on my feet, then we can go to whatever stores you want, within reason.” Teddy searched his mother’s face, then grinned when he found whatever it was that he was looking for.

The Headmaster came up to them, ignoring Ailana’s narrowed eyed look she was shooting at him. Ailana was abruptly reminded that she needed to also stop by the Apothecary to pick up the potion ingredients that she would need for some of the pranks she had in mind. First though, they had to stop at Gringotts for money, there was no way she was going to be in debt to anyone money wise on her first excursion out of Hogwarts.

“I would like to go to Gringotts first.” Ailana had turned to Severus, directing her statement to him rather than the Headmaster. Dumbledore frowned, not liking that Ms. Cedicit was turning away from him.

“There is no need my dear girl, I will provide the necessary funds.” Ailana and Severus stiffened, then shot Dumbledore matching glares.

“I don’t think so, I’m plenty able to pay for my son and I, Headmaster.” Dumbledore opened his mouth to argue when Ailana whirled around, grabbing her son’s hand and marching with purpose towards Gringotts.

The Aurors jogged to catch up, surrounding the Cedicit family and Severus. Dumbledore was still standing where they had left him, shocked that he had been shot down. His breath misted in front of his face, making what he was seeing appear to be in a fog.

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Ailana strode into the bank, holding back the wince of pain that shot through her. Maybe going out and about so soon after the ritual and battle wasn’t such a good idea, not that she’d tell Poppy that.

She made her way to the nearest Goblin Teller, wanting to get out as quickly as possible. She knew that she and her son were going to have to do some very fast-talking and bribe the hell out of the Goblins to stay quiet.

The Goblin looked at her briefly, then froze. Eyes widening comically, the Goblin scurried from his seat and out from behind the counter. He gestured for her to follow, not saying anything. Ailana, still holding her son’s hand, drug him along. The others tried to follow, but the guards jabbed their spears at them in clear warning.

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“You have made quite the mess of things Ms. Cedicit, or should I say Lissianna Potter-Black?” The Goblin in question was Ragnuck the Fifth. Goblins had very long lifespans.

Ailana dipped down into a curtsey, her son following her lead and bowing to the Goblin King. Ailana’s heart began pounding, fear creeping over her. She displayed none of these emotions, putting on a blank face. Her son mimicked her to some amount of success.

“I’m going to go out on a leg here and assume that the vaults under my name became active, thus allowing you to look at the family trees.” The abnormally tall Goblin looked down at them from his throne, sneering. Ailana barely resisted sneering back at him.

“Yes, we were greatly confused to see family lines becoming active when all records indicated their extinction. You are lucky that only the Royal Family tapestry shows your true origins. Had the Potter or Black tapestries been the same, then you never would have been able to cover up the truth. It is even more confusing when you add in the fact that Lily Potter nee Evans is truly a Muggleborn, which is not what we have seen in regards to you.”

“I guess there’s no getting around it then; my son and I aren’t from this dimension.” The Goblins in the room gaped at her.

“Explain.” Ragnuck leaned forward, intrigued by her answer.

“We performed a ritual to travel to a place where we could start over. There was a war that our side won, but at too great a price. There was nothing left for us there, so we decided to…move.” Ailana suddenly realized that Salazar was still shrunken and hidden away. He was going to be pissed when she un-shrunk him. She almost cringed at the thought of the tongue-lashing she was due to receive.

The Goblins began murmuring and whispering amongst themselves, while their king silently observed the two humans in front of him.

“Tell me more.” Ailana groaned, wanting to just leave, but knew that she had to stay on the Goblins’ good side, especially the King’s.

She began her tale, starting with that tragic Halloween.

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Three hours, it had been three fucking hours and Ailana still wasn’t back. The demon paced, having to leave Gringotts for fear of eviscerating one of the little Goblins. The Aurors looked beyond bored, and Dumbledore was furious that he was barred from the knowledge he so desperately wanted.

“Well, that only took forever.” Ailana’s dry comment had people whipping around to face the bank doors. She was standing there, her son looking like he might just kiss the cobblestones in relief.

“What took so long!” Sirius’s shout had her glaring at him.

“Stuff Mr. Black, stuff.” Sirius growled in annoyance, his son Aries laughing at Ailana’s quick response. Elle giggled at the pout her husband was displaying, before sending a smile over at Ailana and Teddy. There was no reason not to be friendly; it wasn’t the woman’s fault that Sirius’s emotions had fixated on her.

“Right, let’s get to it shall we?” The males looked like they were heading to the gallows, except for Severus, he just looked happy to be around Ailana and Teddy, much to everyone’s confusion, and one man’s horror.

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Rabastan crept to the entrance of Diagon Alley, the Malfoys following him. Draco was loudly complaining about the trip, his parents not having told him about Voldemort’s daughter, as they knew he wouldn’t be able to keep his mouth shut. His younger brother Roman was much better behaved and had been told before hand what was going on.

Rabastan snorted as his brother let out a small yelp, their Lord evidently displeased in some way. He thought it rather funny how the Dark Lord’s animagus form mirrored his…human…creature, something form. The snake was fairly large, though for a cobra, that was to be expected. But still, having a large, evil, venomous snake wrapped around you was not something one would normally enjoy. Bellatrix probably would, especially since the snake was their Lord. He wanted to Oblivate himself to be rid of that mental image.

He winced as the large crowd surrounding his Lord’s daughter and grandson came into view. Orion Lestrange glowered at his Potions Professor. His parents had told him just who Ailana Cedicit was. He also knew that his uncle was given permission to court her. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

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The sun broke through the clouds, the snow sparkling in the light. The rooftops were covered, looking like something out of a fairytale. The blue sky seemed almost out of place for such cold weather, the two juxtaposing each other.

Lyra Black blushed, looking away quickly when Teddy caught her staring at him. He had winked at her before she turned away, deepening her blush. Her wavy blonde hair and silver eyes made her look more like a darker colored Malfoy rather than a Black. As the oldest Black daughter, she felt obligated to look after her younger sister, Cassie, who was a pathological troublemaker. Lyra had an oval face; her long lashes framing the distinctive Black family eyes. Her nose was straight and narrow, bringing attention to her full lips.

The Siren blood from her mother’s side had taken root and blossomed in her, unlike her younger sister. Her brother, had oddly enough, also displayed the Siren blood. It was incredibly rare for males to display any sort of Siren characteristics. Unlike the Veela, Sirens didn’t have to worry about an Allure, though they did have to worry about their voices.

Ironically, almost all Pureblood families had some sort of creature blood running through their family line. They would have died out long ago, if they hadn’t given in and brought in new blood, though preferring Pureblood creatures to Muggleborns. Half-bloods were slightly less preferable than Pureblood creatures due to their non-pure status. Some families were more accepting of non-human blood, while others violently rejected it.

Cassie grabbed her big sister’s hand, peering up at her, her long, straight black hair and brown eyes full of life. She was wearing an outfit similar to her mother and older sister; robes lined with heating charms. Her older sister’s white robes with red contrasted with her younger sister’s darker robes of deep blue with white and red. Their mother, had chosen to wear a green robe with white and red, the one she always wore around Yule.

Unlike her two daughters, their mother had decided to pull back her hair into a braid when the wind kept whipping it in her face. She had always hated that, and for the life of her, couldn’t understand how her two youngest liked the sensation.

She smiled when she caught her oldest daughter sneaking looks at Teddy. It was the first time her daughter had actually expressed an interest in another, preferring her books and solitude over boys. Sirius was both pleased and horrified, glad that she wasn’t showing any signs of being interested in boys yet, and upset that she liked to read. His other two children took more after him in both looks and personality. Lyra was much more subdued and shy. He wouldn’t be feeling like that any longer once he finally catches on.

Speaking of Sirius, he was chatting with James, the two having bent their heads together, no doubt plotting their next prank while Lily did some last minute shopping.

“Lyra!” Lyra froze, dread creeping up her spine. She turned, a completely fake and forced smile on her stiff face.

“Patrick.” Her greeting was anything but friendly. He didn’t seem to notice that Lyra was less than pleased to see him. He walked towards them, convinced that he was perfect for Lyra. Lyra thought he was an arrogant toe-rag that needed to be disposed of.

Teddy looked over at the interaction in intrigue, having grown bored listening to his parents discuss potions. He fiddled with the bag containing his new broom, the Firebolt. His mother had scoffed at it, looking down her nose at it like it was nothing. The others had given her strange looks, Teddy had laughed, knowing full well why his mother had acted that way. Before they had performed the ritual, the LightningBolt had come out. While displeased that her scar had become the inspiration of Wood’s new broom, she had allowed him this, seeing as they were friends. Oliver Wood had a raw talent for both Quidditch and broom making. She had several stashed away that were used in the war, but wouldn’t be able to use them right away.

He knew his hair must be mirroring his mood at the moment as Lyra had gasped and looked at him in amazement.

“Oh, an ickle Metamorph!” Tonks’s excited shout had people looking more closely at her and her victim. Teddy was assaulted by a clumsy, purple haired woman, her balance having been lost as she tripped over air and crashed into Teddy.

Teddy would have fallen to the ground if his mother hadn’t been keeping an eye on him. Gentle, yet firm hands grabbed him, snatching him away from his immanent meeting with the snow. Tonks wasn’t so fortunate and crashed face first into the thin layer of snow on the cobblestones.

“Are you all right sweetheart?” His mother’s worried voice broke through his dazed mind, brining his attention to her rather than the woman that had given birth to him in a different dimension.

“Yeah, I’m good.” He leaned against his mother, her hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her face, head tipped back. Her strange eyes were worried, yet humor sparkled in their depths. The red didn’t look nearly so ominous when she was amused. He mock glared, sticking his lower lip out in an exaggerated fashion.

“I’m so, so sorry.” Tonks had recovered quickly, hastily brushing off the snow covering her Auror robes. Moody glared at her, while the other Aurors rolled their eyes sighing, or laughing. Tonks scowled at them, throwing snow in their direction, her pixie styled hair turning a light red.

“I’d say it’s no problem, but you nearly flattened my son.” Ailana’s dry reply drew a wince from Tonks. Ailana suddenly chuckled, before going into a full-blown laugh. Tonks looked at her like she had a few loose screws.

“I’m sorry, you just reminded me of someone I had forgotten about until now. Thanks for bringing back those memories.” Her eyes danced in mirth, red hair full of sunlight and framing her face. She looked like a fallen angel with her red tinted eyes.

“Ok?” Tonks sounded hesitant, clearly not sure how to react in this sort of situation.

“Both my son and I are Metamorphs, he gets it from me.” Tonks squealed, bounding forward and hugging Ailana, squishing Teddy in the process. Ailana cried out in pain, shoving at Tonks. Tonks let go of the woman like she was touching a hot stove, apologies spilling from her as Moody stomped over, grabbing her by the ear and dragging her off, all the while lecturing her about personal space.

The demon hissed and snarled at the men who had gotten too close to his mate, looming over her protectively. He hugged her to him gently, taking care not to squeeze her and aggravate her injuries.

“You stupid girl! She’s been through quite the ordeal, what in your right mind made you think that assaulting her was a good idea?” The snarling man glared at the retreating form of Tonks. She stiffened and made to turn around, but a stinging hex from Moody took care of that. Few noticed that Severus’s eyes had flashed red, unfortunately, the Headmaster had noticed.

Dumbledore paled, beginning to realize that his Potions Master was not entirely human. There were three creatures whose eyes flashed red when strong emotions gripped them: the Vampires, Dark Fae, and Demons. Demons were the only ones whose eyes remained red, unless masked. Vampires only had red eyes when angry or high on blood lust. The Dark Fae were similar to Vampires, though they didn’t rely on blood, so lacked the blood lust of a Vampire.

He had a horrible suspicion that Severus Snape was of the Demon race rather than the latter two. Demons were well known for their surly attitudes and darker natures. Depending on the species of demon, it varied on the level of aggressiveness. Species like the Neko were much more docile than say, the Incubi or Succubae, those were notorious predators, much like a Dementor if they wanted to be, and most didn’t feel the need to restrain themselves. He had run into a grand total of three such Demons, one Incubus and two Succubae. He’d only ever had such a difficult fight with Gellert before those encounters. Voldemort was almost worse than the demons.

This was greatly troubling, he dreaded to think that he was right and his Potions Master was of the Demon race. He counted himself lucky that even if he was, there was no way that he was an Incubus considering his appearance was the antithesis of what Incubi look like.

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Rabastan heard his brother give a strangled whimper, and stared at him briefly, only to do a double take when he noticed that he appeared to be suffocating due to their Lord tightening around his neck.

Voldemort glared at Severus Snape, only to stiffen when his eyes flickered with red. What was his Potions Master? He definitely wasn’t human.

He hissed menacingly as the upstart put his hands on his daughter. Seeing Severus Snape and Theodore next to each other, and knowing what he knew, the similarities were there. He suspected that the Severus Snape he had always seen was not the real one; his daughter would have impeccable taste after all.

He loosened his coiled body around his loyal follower when he realized the man couldn’t breathe.

Rodolphus took deep, gasping breaths, his chest heaving as it valiantly tried to fill with sweet, sweet oxygen. His wife and two youngest poked at him, his oldest son completely ignoring him in favor of glaring at Severus. He had no idea why his son was glaring at the man. Surely it wasn’t about the time where Severus yelled at him, because that would be ridiculous.

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The hairs on the back of Ailana’s neck began to stand on end, a sensation that she had learned to equate to someone watching her or someone near her with nefarious intentions. She discreetly looked around Diagon Alley, eyes roving over people, noting that few appeared hostile, then she saw a side alley, one that she had previously overlooked. A face she could never forget peered back at her from the gloom. He looked much healthier in this dimension, not having suffered Azkaban to the best of her admittedly limited knowledge.

Rabastan still had his dark, yet enchanting looks; his purple eyes contrasted beautifully with his pale skin, his dark, blue-black hair falling into his eyes. He had ‘bad boy’ written all over his handsome face. His brother was next to him, shorter and less muscled with the same colored eyes, he was the weaker twin, but the Head of the family. A white cobra stared at her and Severus intently, and her instincts shrieked that it was the source of her sudden unease. There was something about that snake.

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“Did you hear something?” Severus turned to look back at Ailana in confusion.

“No, aside from the normal noises of Knockturn Alley, I did not hear anything.” She frowned at him. She opened her mouth to say something, when she suddenly froze. Her foot was paused mid-step, hovering over an albino snake. A loud hiss slowly came from the animal, its body coiled, but prepare to strike. Ailana took a step back, her son hiding behind her. She knelt down, offering her arm to the snake. It swiftly wound up her arm.

Its tongue flicked out several times, tasting her scent.

“Well, at least he likes you.” Ailana jumped, having been involved in an intense staring match with the cobra. Draco Malfoy and Orion Lestrange smirked as Rabastan muttered that. He hadn’t realized how loud he was talking, but that was amended when the cobra hissed at him, hood flaring. Luckily his Lord was unable to affect the Dark Mark when in his animagus form.

“Lord Lestrange, Lady Lestrange.” Severus’s greeting was clipped, his eyes flickering red when the demon saw the way Rabastan was looking at his mate. He had managed to separate his mate and son from the others, sneaking away to Knockturn Alley when they were distracted by an unfortunate accident that befell Potter and Black. In the chaos, they had slipped away, choking down their laughter at the two men’s outraged shouts. The use of several charms only made their escape all the easier. Moody and the Headmaster had been the two greatest obstacles to get around, but they had managed, if only just.

“Severus, ah, and you must be Lady Cedicit, a pleasure to meet you.” Ailana reluctantly held out her hand, knowing that he wouldn’t just shake it, which was why she was reluctant. Rodolphus placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand, the cobra tensing slightly. She had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn’t just a cobra, but her father or a spy sent by him.

“Charmed.” Ailana drawled, her hand falling back to her side. Bellatrix gave her a calculating look, judging her. Teddy shifted, uncomfortable with the stares the other children were giving him.

“This is my son Theodore.” Ailana didn’t give them permission to use their first names, mainly because she didn’t like the looks she and her son were being given. She felt like they were pieces of meat.

“These are my children: Orion, Caleb, and Cassandra.” The children stepped forward as their names were said, giving her polite grins. Cassandra seemed interested in Teddy, though that could be due to the fact that his hair chose that moment to turn silver.

“Is your son a Metamorph?” Narcissa Malfoy had stepped forward curiously, cutting off her husband when he opened his mouth to introduce his family. He looked at his wife in consternation, then realized what she had asked. His eyes widened in surprise at the silver hair the Cedicit boy was sporting. It was only now that the Malfoys were noticed, having hidden in the shadows.

{Excellent.} Ailana stiffened, now knowing that the snake was her father rather than a spy with that comment. She barely resisted the urge to tell him to fuck off in Parseltongue.

“Yes, he gets it from me.” She realized that this was going to be a recurring theme in the future. Eyes shot to her hair, full of confusion when they saw it looked completely normal.

“The ritual pretty much sucked my magic dry, I’m still recovering. I was also injured during the explosion, triggering several old curses to attack my body. It was mostly residue, so nothing too extreme, just very painful. Poppy took care of it for me so I don’t have to worry about any future relapses.” Severus had scooted closer, resting a hand on her shoulder, only to jerk back with a curse when the cobra hissed and tried to bite him.

Ailana bit her tongue so that she wouldn’t slip and scold her father. She’d send him a Howler later. Ailana smirked at the thought. She wondered if hers was to be the first Howler he had ever received, she wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case.

“Are you all right Severus?” Ailana reached for his hand, trying to see if her father had managed to sink his fangs into the Potions Master. His potion stained fingers were long and elegant, pianist fingers she had once heard in reference to such digits. She knew Tom Riddle had had the same, before the rituals made them claw and spider-like rather than elegant. The skin was unbroken, her father having been unable to get him.

Speaking of her father, he was hissing non-stop, hood flared as he glared menacingly at Severus. Teddy gaped at the sight, clinging to his father’s robes in fear. He had heard what the cobra had said, and he knew that it was most likely an animagus.

The cobra once again tried to attack Severus, but Ailana snatched it out of the air when it went to strike him.

“Be nice or suffer my wrath.” Normally, one would laugh at such a ludicrous warning, but she delivered it with enough venom that there was no doubt about the validity of her threat.

“You dare talk to our L—!” Rodolphus slapped his hand over her mouth, effectively cutting off her shrieking.

“I apologize for my wife’s behavior, I am not sure what has come over her.” Ailana, still holding her father directly behind his head and under his jaw, ignored his thrashing in favor of gaping at the banshee like woman. Her fashion sense seemed to have been stuck in the long since past eras, combined with Goth. It was a strange combination, but it seemed to work for her, if only making her look more deranged.

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Voldemort thrashed, his long serpentine body wrapping around his daughter’s arm tightly. He knew all she had to do was twitch her hand and she’d snap his neck with his body so tensed. It was not a position he liked, and wanted out of it now. His grandson was staring at him with a pitiful, accusing look that had no effect on him whatsoever. His only regret was that the bastard Potions Master was so fast, inhumanly so.

{Let me go!} Ailana’s hand tightened in response to his shout and him squeezing her sore arm punishingly. Voldemort had no choice but to stop his crazed thrashing, relaxing and going limp. This seemed to be the wrong thing to do, as at the very moment he went limp, Ailana’s arm and hand muscles quivered from the pain, causing both to twitch. Her wrist popped, sounding like she had broken his neck. It was very unfortunate that the spasm occurred at the time it did, very unfortunate indeed.

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Bellatrix tore herself from her husband’s hold, as his arms loosened in shocked horror. With an unholy screech, she launched herself at the bitch who broke her Lord’s neck. Ailana didn’t think, she simply reacted, flinging her father at the mad woman flying towards her.

“Oops.” Oops indeed. Voldemort went airborne, his long pale body streaking through the air, on a direct collision course with a murderous witch.

Snakes in general do not like being up in the air, and Voldemort was no exception to this in his snake form. Bellatrix found herself with a face full of pissed off snake, and forgetting in the heat of the moment that the snake was her Lord, began clawing at it, screaming. Teddy began laughing, tears gathering in his eyes as his face turned unnaturally red. Ailana joined him, gaining her composure, only to look back up at the screaming woman running in wide circles before falling into another laughing fit.

Voldemort, already angry, became enraged as his faithful follower began using her deadly claw-like nails to rip him off her face. His daughter came to his rescue by ordering Severus to stun Bellatrix. The demon did so reluctantly, all too happy to watch the crazy banshee rip the snake apart as she screamed and hopped around. Her husband and brother-in-law were chasing her, trying to keep her still, both having seemed to forget that they could use magic in their panic.

Narcissa had nearly fainted, her two sons and husband propping her up as they watched the unfolding drama in horrified fascination. It was like watching a train wreck that couldn’t be stopped. The Lestrange siblings didn’t know what to make of the situation, but Cassandra had launched herself at her older brother in terror.

The citizens of Knockturn Alley had been attracted by the screams, one of them being Fenrir Greyback. The Werewolf was howling with laughter, knowing exactly who the snake was from the smell of it. He sniffed again, eyes widening as he peered over at the small redheaded female bullying Snape into rescuing the man that was apparently her father based on the similar scents.

He drew closer, sneaking up behind Voldemort’s daughter as Snape was busy trying to stun Bellatrix and not miss. A knife pressing against his throat forced him to halt.

“Look Teddy, it’s the Big Bad Wolf.” Her voice was mocking, yet a glint warned him that she would happily slit his throat if he pressed her.

“Get away from her Greyback!” A shot of sickly yellow light barely missed him, Ailana pulling the Werewolf out of the way. She hadn’t made up her mind yet if she wanted to kill him, or mess with his mind. She loved playing mind games.

“Oi! Rabastan you bastard, I was having a conversation!” She so wanted to hex the man, but knew she couldn’t. Greyback looked at the small human in stunned surprise. Why wasn’t she running away screaming in terror? He sniffed harder, eyes narrowing when the faint scent of Werewolf reached his nose. Had another Werewolf claimed her as part of its pack? The scent was extremely faint, but there was enough to tell him that he had been exposed to it before. His wolf had no desire to attack her or her son, which was odd, but then, any child of Voldemort’s was undoubtedly going to be odd.

“Conversation!” Rabastan had puffed up in anger, not liking her being so close to the monster.

“I concur with Lestrange Ailana.” Rodolphus, who had Voldemort pawned off on him, was forced to deal with the snake’s increasing rage. He thought it best to get Voldemort’s daughter away from the other men.

“Ms. Cedicit, can you take a look at my snake please?” He had said the first thing that popped into his head, and winced at the strange request.

Ailana looked away from Greyback and the other two men sizing each other up. She felt like she was suffocating from the levels of testosterone in the air. Teddy had retreated, huddling with the other children and the Malfoy Lord, who was too busy trying to calm his wife, to assist the others. Cassandra had latched onto Teddy, preventing him from returning to his parents’ sides.

“Uh, I can’t really perform any magic right now, so I’ll be of little help.” Ailana sighed, taking pity on the harassed and terrified man. His pleading eyes were pathetic and implored her to come take her father from him.

“Here, hand him over, I’ll have Severus look at him.” Voldemort’s hood flared, and he hissed weakly. “Don’t even go there mister, I can give you to Greyback instead if you prefer, or perhaps Lady Malfoy.” The snake stopped hissing, not wanting to take the risk. Narcissa cringed, horrified at the thought of trying to heal her Lord. She was beyond abysmal at healing spells, something that the rest of her family found greatly amusing due to her gentle nature.

“Hey Severus, can you do something about these scratches and cuts?” She held out the snake, its red eyes blazing with restrained fury. The demon gave the snake one look and smiled nastily.

“Of course Ailana.” He pointed his wand at the snake, visibly casting healing spells, but using his demon magic to…spice it up. Ailana blinked several times, making sure that she was seeing correctly. Her father was a sparkly pink and purple monstrosity. She bit her lip, trying to stifle her laughter, her body shaking with the effort. The others were horrified, except for her son and Greyback, who had never really been taught manners. They had collapsed from lack of air due to laughing so hard.

This was quickly turning into one of the worst days in Voldemort’s life, yet he would live it over and over if it meant he still had a daughter and grandson

Chapter Text

A/N: Shorter chapters and faster updates, or longer chapters and fewer updates? I’ll be taking the poll down soon, so vote if you haven’t (on FanFic). There is a reason I had Ailana empty her vaults, you will see soon why. Keep in mind that while some of her vaults existed in her original dimension, that doesn’t mean anything in this dimension. The other chapters will most likely be around 3000+ words. It’s not at all obvious I have a mischievous side, nope. I’ll go back and fix any mistakes later. Things will begin to move more slowly after this most likely plot wise. I’ve finally narrowed down the potential ending to three instead of ten. God I hate my finger being broken. It’s much better, but I still have to wear the stupid splint thingy for a few more days because I keep aggravating it when I take it off for some reason or another. Gah! It’s not my fault I can’t remain inactive! Stupid finger…

Questions: What do you want to see happen with Voldemort? Do you want me to kill him, or do you want me to keep him alive?

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

Chapter Nine: The Hunt

The demon looked at the snake smugly, taking delight in the laughter of his son. His mate was valiantly trying to restrain her laughter, but her body was shaking from the effort.

“How did you manage color changing charms with a healing spell Severus?” Ailana’s innocent question had Voldemort tensing, and the others either whimpering in terror or laughing even harder.

“I assure you that I have no idea what happened.” He said this evenly, face not betraying the savage glee running through him. Severus banged on the wall, desperate to get out and prevent the demon from getting them killed. Pranking their escorts was one thing, but this was entirely different. He wondered idly if Dumbledore and Moody were successfully pranked. The demon ignored his human side, reminding himself that he really needed to have that talk and stop procrastinating.

“Right. Well, let’s go get those potion ingredients, lead the way Severus.” Voldemort hissed in anger, practically trembling from his rage.

“Hmm, I believe Poison will best suit your needs.” He offered his arm, arching a brow at the hissing serpent.

“Oh stop it, he’s just being a gentleman.” Ailana accepted his arm, grinning at Teddy clinging to his father’s robes. The hissing subsided slightly, but the snake never took its eyes off of the Potions Master.

Fenrir snickered quietly, never having found such amusement in something that was relatively harmless before. He sobered slightly and gave a small nod of his head at Ailana.

“Fenrir Greyback.” He didn’t offer his hand, not willing to risk being attacked by the snake. Ailana arched a delicate eyebrow in response.

“Ailana Cedicit, a pleasure to meet you. No hard feelings over the knife I take it?” Fenrir ginned and shook his head.

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Sirius screamed when, in a cloud of pink smoke, he was suddenly wearing a foul pink and lacy monstrosity that would have any little girl over the moon to wear. James collapsed in laughter, tears gathering in his eyes. What he failed to note was the fact that he was now wearing makeup that looked like a three-year old had gotten ahold of her mother or older sister’s makeup and didn’t have a clue as to how to use it. Tonks helpfully pointed this out.

“I think Sirius got the better prank.” James stopped laughing and gave her a confused look. What could possibly be worse that the dress from hell Sirius was wearing?

A mirror answered that question for him. James stared at his reflection in absolute horror. Oh gods, not his sexy face! James whimpered, and tried to clean it off, but failed. He next used his wand, but that too failed. James almost screamed in frustration. Sirius wasn’t helping matters by laughing hysterically. James glared at his ex-best friend and shot several embarrassing hexes at him. Sirius yelped and tripped over the dress in his effort to escape the spells.

It was then that the other spells began to take effect. James, the demon having decided that makeup wasn’t enough, cast a spell that would make his hair greasy and nose hooked. These two prominent features of his human shell were James’s favorite things to target. Now the bastard could insult himself.

Sirius was lucky that the demon saw how he truly cared for Ailana and Teddy, so was left alone beyond the dress.

Sirius’s family was laughing and laughing at his misfortune. Young Cassie was squealing over the dress, begging her mother to shrink it down to her size when daddy was done wearing it. She set her family and those that heard into another fit of laughter just as they were beginning to calm down. James’s children weren’t much better off in restraining themselves.

Dumbledore didn’t realize it, but his robes were flashing with several rude words and phrases that earned him dirty looks. His glasses were also pranked, though he wouldn’t experience the effects of that one just yet. Moody grunted as his walking staff suddenly had flowers bursting from it. He mumbled something about devilishly sly and tricky bastards and constant vigilance.

“Shit! They’re gone!” Everyone looked at Tonks in confusion, then as comprehension dawned, they began frantically searching for the three missing members of the group.

“Did anyone see where they went?” James was looking around, his face still flushed and looking ridiculous with his new makeover.

“I saw them go that way dad!” Patrick puffed himself up importantly, pointing in the direction of Knockturn Alley. Patrick hadn’t actually seen them head off in that direction, too focused on the fight to be paying attention. He had overheard the Black sisters talking about seeing them sneak off in that direction only moments before.

“Dammit Snivellus!” Sirius, ignoring the dress he was in, took off in the direction of Knockturn Alley. The others chose not to remind him of that fact.

So much for ‘Constant Vigilance’.

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The bell for Poison, the apothecary in Knockturn Alley gave a dull jingle. The foul air rushed out to greet them, causing Ailana to wrinkle her nose in disgust. A small, hunched over Hag peered up at them. Voldemort, who had stayed with his daughter, glared at the leering Hag.

“What can I get for you my pretties?” Teddy hid behind his father, clutching his robes. The other children looked frightened, while the adults looked disgusted. The demon gave the Hag a terrifying look, causing her to flinch back slightly. Ailana smiled at the reaction. Fenrir bared his teeth in a snarl for good measure.

“I think I can find what I need, thanks.” She didn’t want the Hag anywhere near her son. She could fight off the Hag without magic, but her son wouldn’t be able to yet. The Hag frowned, drifting back into the shadows.

Ailana looked at the dusty shelves, muttering in disgust at the state of the shop. She looked for her needed ingredients, grinning when she easily found them. The rest of the group hovered in the doorway, shifting in discomfort at being in the foul smelling shop.

While many of the potions ingredients offered where of the more questionably legal variety, the overall quality was better than what Diagon tended to have, ironically. This was due to the fact that many of the businesses were either owned by old and influential families, or they had connections to such families. The ingredients were more expensive, but it was well worth the quality.

Ailana gently placed her ingredients into the small basket that Severus had grabbed and was holding for her. She grinned evilly. The victims of her pranks were going to wish they never heard of her. The others who spotted her grin flinched, hardly able to accept that it was the same grin that the Dark Lord had when he was about to torture someone.

Ailana grinned the whole time she was grabbing the potions ingredients, and her son edged away from her. Voldemort wasn’t sure about how exactly he felt when he saw his daughter sporting the same grin he did when he was going to torture someone. On one hand, he was proud, but on the other, he was worried what that grin might mean for him. He decided that it was in his best interests to just stay quiet and not draw attention to himself.

The Hag flinched when the woman bounced up to the counter with a disturbing grin. She wanted the woman out of her shop now. Hurriedly packaging and bagging the potions ingredients, the Hag refused to look at the strange woman a second longer and so kept her head down.

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Sirius came to a screeching halt when he caught sight of his reflection in the window of a shop, having briefly forgotten about his predicament. He cursed, flushing as he attempted to remove the prank again. He failed, and debated briefly about what to do. He really couldn’t go running around Knockturn Alley like this. Gritting his teeth, he painstakingly transfigured the dress. He now wore monstrously pink and lacy robes. It was worse than the dress in his opinion. He couldn’t change the color, or glamour it, so he’d have to wait for the prank to wear off. He frowned. Who had been the one to prank him anyways?

“Snivellus!” He tore off after said man, full of raging fury. James Potter was hot on his heels, makeup still in place. Moody was yelling at the two to stop, but they were too deep in their fury to take note of this.

“When I get my hands on that piece of greasy shit, I’ll make Voldemort seem like a fucking puppy!” James was enraged. How dare the slimy Slytherin prank him and Sirius! He snarled, the occupants of Knockturn gaping as they ran past before laughing hysterically. It wasn’t often that they saw two Aurors running around after being pranked. When Albus Dumbledore and Mad-Eye Moody ran past, the laughter echoing through Knockturn Alley actually became so loud it was painful.

The laughter only enraged the two men further.

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Remus Lupin sighed dejectedly as he was turned away from another job. There was no other choice, he was going to have to look for a job in Knockturn Alley. He slowly made his way, his body aching and hungry. He paused when two men, or hideous women, dash past him. He gaped at the horrendous pink and frilly robes. His wolf snarled at the very sight of the offence against nature. He frowned, continuing on his way, jumping out of the way when James, several Aurors, Mad-Eye Moody, and Albus Dumbledore nearly flattened him. He stared in bewilderment as the normally unflappable Headmaster looked close to panicking.

Wait…what the fuck was he wearing! What the fuck! Shit, is that James! Why the fuck are there fucking flowers on Moody’s walking staff! What the fuck is wrong with you Dumbledore, there are children present you old coot!

“Albus!” His shout successfully drew the Headmaster’s attention. Dumbledore stopped running and turned around to see a stunned Remus Lupin staring at him.

“Albus, what is going on?” Remus hurried forward when the Headmaster indicated for him to follow.

“The Cedicits have vanished along with Severus.” Remus stumbled.

“So it’s true then, what everyone and all of the papers are saying?” Dumbledore nodded and picked up the pace when he saw how far he had lagged behind.

“Sirius and James think that Severus pranked us as a distraction in order to whisk the Cedicits off to Knockturn Alley.” Remus froze in shock. Severus! Severus Snape, the slimy dungeon bat as James and Sirius like to call him, he did this? How was he able to prank Mad-Eye Moody and Albus Dumbledore? Not even the Marauders had been able to do either of those things.

“What!” He leapt forward and ran ahead of Dumbledore. Despite Remus feeling weak and sore, he was still much faster and stronger than the average human. He picked up a scent that had all of the blood draining from his face: Fenrir Greyback.

A second scent assaulted his nose, one that had his mind stumbling over itself in shock. Lissianna, or at least the scent he’d come across that was the most like hers had been. He knew better than to tell the others. If Lissianna was truly alive, then she had to have a reason for not letting them know. The scent was different enough that it could very well be someone else. Sirius would have said…alright, shouted out that he caught her scent if he had picked it up. No, this was something deeper, something from Moony’s end.

It is said that Werewolves never forget their Cubs, and Moony knew something Remus didn’t.

The Hunt was on.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10: Hide and Seek With a Dealing Demon and Company

Voldemort hissed and glared viciously at Severus when he dared to offer his arm to his daughter. Teddy was holding him at the moment, so there wasn’t much he could do in retaliation at the time. He vowed that the fool wouldn’t be able to so much as crawl later when he had the chance to punish him.

“Hmm, we might as well just browse for a bit since we are already here don’t you think?” Teddy looked up at his mom when she said this, smiling at the happy grin stretching her face. They had had so little to smile about for so long that it was hard to believe that they could still smile.

Rabastan coughed slightly, feeling way too dry. He grimaced, knowing that he would need to get into saltwater sometime within the next few hours. He had been putting it off and was now paying the price for his procrastination. Speaking of procrastination.

The demon was fed up with the banging on the wall separating him and Severus. Growling softly, he split his attention between Ailana guiding him along unintentionally with her arm hooked in his and his human side. “Enough!” Severus jumped at the mental shout the demon aimed at him.

“Fuck you!” The demon snorted, drawing a raised brow from Ailana. He shook his head and grinned at her.

“We both know I’m stronger than you, so watch your tone human.” His voice was icy and Severus was uncomfortably reminded of their difference in strength. “I don’t like you and you don’t like me, but we’re stuck in the same body, so suck it up princess.”

Severus sputtered in rage and disbelief. Princess! Who the fuck was he calling Princess! He snarled and punched the wall, only to howl and cradle his fist as it screamed in agony. The demon was laughing at him, and it only served to piss him off even more.

“When I get out—.” He began screaming at the demon only to suddenly find himself unable to speak. He raged silently as the demon began speaking.

“If, you mean if you get out. The only reason I haven’t snuffed you out is for the aura you possess that masks mine human, so watch what you say very carefully.” Severus paled and grit his teeth. The demon had to lying, it had to be. Said demon was lying through its teeth all right, not that he would be telling the human the truth any time soon. He would have to play this just right in order to get what he wanted. “Which is why I propose a deal.”

Severus paused in his panicking, suspicion and dread clawing at him. Deals made with demons almost never turned out well for anyone but the demon. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought before hesitantly nodding that he was willing to listen. He never noticed that the demon returned his ability to speak.

“We merge, becoming a new person of sorts.” Severus blinked and gaped nonplussed. What sort of fucking deal was that! “Or I could simply keep you locked away forever and might just snuff you out eventually if you become too bothersome.” Fuck, fuck, fuck! Shitty deal aside, Severus realized that he had no idea if the demon was actually telling the truth or bluffing and lying through its teeth. This was why demon inheritances were so dangerous. The demon was more likely to take over the human’s body and shove aside the mortal soul. He had only recently been dealing with the bastard, it having remained fairly silent for most of his life, not giving him the opportunity to build up resistance to it. Sure Occlumency helped, but it obviously wasn’t enough

Another thought hit him then. Creature inheritances were not supposed to produce a whole new personality. They were supposed to produce strong creature instincts, although demons might very well be an exception. Yet something was whispering in his mental ear that even demons shouldn’t be so…human. They should be the dark desires and thoughts, the evil hidden in one’s heart, so why was his different, why was it like a whole different person?

Severus was partially right, his demon shouldn’t be quite so human; it should be impressions, instincts, a little voice in his ear whispering things seductively that could make him its slave. A separate personality, one that did not act so human. Had the demon not received the impressions of memories from a different Severus Snape then it would not be so human. This was the root of the problem; one that the demon vowed never to let the human get wind of.

“I need time to think on this.” The demon felt a truly evil grin stretch his face, and laughed darkly in response, startling his companions. His aura flashed strongly, shoving away the human one clinging to it briefly.

“Take all the time you need little human, after all, I have forever.” How reassuring.

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Ailana glanced up at Severus in worry, gnawing on her lower lip. He had been awfully quiet for a while now, which while not unusual, reeked of something more than simply being his brooding antisocial self. She jumped slightly when he began to grin manically and practically cackle. Evil seemed to ooze from his body and she gulped. The others shuffled away from them with frightened looks, not that she blamed them. Hell, she was trying to fight the urge to cringe away.

Voldemort stiffened and stared hard at Snape when he felt a wave of something roll off of him along with what sounded suspiciously like a cackle. He narrowed his crimson eyes and flicked out his tongue. Confusion filled him. Snape’s scent, taste really, was different. It was chaotic, violent. Granted, most of the time it was violent, but it was as though that aspect was enhanced. The chaotic aspect was completely new; Snape was level headed and calm, not chaotic at all. So why was he so different all of a sudden? Sure he had detected hints of the chaos and a slight increase in violence, but it had just now spiked dramatically.

What the fuck was going on?

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Sirius snarled as he dodged around another nonplussed wizard. Damn that slimy git! His thoughts mainly revolved around what he was going to do once he got his hands on the bastard. Some hidden sense of self-preservation began raising an alarm and red flags, screaming that this was a bad idea. Sirius ignored it, not once doubting his ability to take down Snape. He really should learn to listen to his instincts more often when in regards to Severus Snape.

A maniacal grin contorted his face, which would have made him look truly terrifying, but with such horrendous robes, ruined the image. It did serve to make him look like an idiot, a bat shit crazy idiot that is. He could hear James behind him, trying to catch up and avoid the hysterically laughing people in Knockturn Alley as he ran.

James was of a similar opinion, practically frothing at the mouth in his fury. He knew that Sirius had a better chance of finding Snape and the others than he did due to his animagus form being a dog.

One thing he failed to account for was the layout of Knockturn Alley. Unlike Diagon Alley and others, Knockturn twisted and turned, looped and curved all over the place with no rhyme or reason. It was a nightmare for law enforcement and a dream come true for criminals. This was the main reason Aurors rarely ventured into the labyrinth known as Knockturn Alley. Hit Wizards had a bit more luck seeing as they had less reason to worry compared to an Auror when traversing the streets of Knockturn. They were less likely to be attacked by criminals and had little hesitation to kill or use Dark magic if need be.

Like any dark place, it was confusing and disorienting, messing with the mind and the senses as light and sound were bent and transformed. Shadows could come alive and a whisper could become a monstrous roar. The magic saturating the area also had a hand to play in this. It could make the mind foggy and confused, it could increase one’s fears, it could even control some. It could make illusions to befuddle one and push unease and fear into panic. It was not a place for the faint hearted and weak minded. The deeper into Knockturn Alley, the worse it became, the more potent the Dark magic. If you were Dark or at least used Dark magic every now and then, then there was a good chance you would survive Knockturn Alley fully sane…or simply just survive. The people and creatures of Knockturn are what became the true danger in such cases.

In large groups it was safe enough usually. So long as emotions were not clouding the mind already that is. Unfortunately for James and Sirius, both were lost to their rage and didn’t notice the Dark magic reaching out from the stone and wood walls and cobblestone street. Luckily for them, Dumbledore and Moody were not too far behind and both knew perfectly well the dangers of Knockturn that so many others seemed to forget. They were also far calmer than Sirius and James and were easily able to ignore and avoid the effects of Knockturn Alley. Speaking of which…

“Shouldn’t the children stay here with their mothers?” That question brought said children and mothers up short. The Auror glanced at the entrance to Knockturn Alley nervously, eyeing it like it was a rabid beast about to pounce. Not a bad comparison actually.

“Yes.” He turned to look at his friend, then at the children and the women. Said women did not look pleased by this, but understood all too well the dangers of Knockturn Alley.

“We’ll just wait nearby then.”

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Ailana peered through the grimy window of a bookstore that she had never heard about in her original dimension. The others were looking at other stores, though they remained nearby. Teddy still had her father, who was still a very colorful snake. She supposed she should feel bad for him, but was unable to summon the sympathy. Oh well.

“It has fairly interesting books.” Ailana jumped, having forgotten that Severus was standing behind her. Damn him, he had always been a sneaky bastard. She turned her head a bit to look over her shoulder at him. His dark eyes glinted almost evilly in the low light of Knockturn Alley and an almost invisible ring of red was around the pupil of each eye. She probably wouldn’t have seen it if it weren’t for how close she was to his face. It appeared that the demon was in control. That would explain his odd behavior.

“So…should I call you Severus or something else?” The demon stiffened, knowing that the gig was up in regards to Ailana. He grabbed her hand and tugged her gently towards the door of the bookshop.

“Severus is fine.” He whispered the words into her ear, chuckling when she shivered in response.

“We’re going in here for a bit.” The rest of the group looked up at her as she said this and a few of them, including Fenrir and her son who hurried over to join them. The others wandered off a bit into nearby stores.

It was a good thing that they did, for not five minutes later did a group of very strange people go rushing past. Only one of them paused and turned towards the store. Remus was surprised that Sirius had run past the store when the scent trail was strongest there. He supposed it had something to do with Knockturn fucking around with him. As a werewolf, he wasn’t affected as severely as a normal Light wizard or witch would be.

He cautiously entered the dark and dusty store. The quiet murmuring stopped and silence filled the air except for furious whispering and the sound of running. He sneezed and closed his eyes in dismay. Great, now the people in the store were aware that someone else had arrived, and they most likely knew exactly who he was due to Greyback’s nose and wolf. Damn it! He should have known better.

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Ailana saw Fenrir stiffen and sniff the air a few times. When he growled, she knew something was up.

“There’s another werewolf here, one that I turned.” He whispered so quietly that she could barely hear him. She stared at him in confusion. This supposed to be bad news? “I believe it is Lupin.” Ah, yeah that might be problematic…who was she kidding, this was going to get messy fast unless they made a break for it.

“Hide!” She whisper shouted, and dashed off, dragging her son and a possessed Severus along with her. The others were left there staring at the fleeing figures before they too began to dash away.

“Mom, what—?” Teddy looked up at his mother in confusion as she shushed him.

“In here.” Like most stores in Knockturn, they were far larger on the inside than the outside and bookstores as well as stores that sold random shit were like mazes. In this case it worked to their advantage, especially when most of the group had been here before. It was no problem for Severus to navigate the confusing stacks of books and the towering bookshelves covered in dust.

Even more luckily, there were multiple escape routes in almost all of the buildings. Sure they were warded to prevent theft, but due to the nature of Knockturn and the beings it attracted, such precautions like multiple escape routes were necessary if you wanted to live.

A bookcase slid aside smoothly and dust rained down on the fleeing trio, foursome if you wanted to count a snake Animagus. The bookcase slid back in place rapidly, cutting off the only source of light. Two lit wands took care of that problem. Had Ron been confronted with the tunnel, he would have taken his chances with whatever monster he had been fleeing from rather than brave the unholy amount of spider webs.

Now, Ailana wasn’t afraid of spiders or their webs, but the sheer amount of spider webs she saw before her made even her a little uneasy. Her son looked at the mess is fascinated horror while Severus didn’t look at all bothered. She didn’t bother to look at her father.

Mother and son, plus one Animagus all jumped when Severus began vanishing the webs. Thank Merlin he hadn’t tried to burn them, that would have been a disaster. She followed his lead. It was slow going due to the amount of webs, but not as slow as it could have been.

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Remus Lupin chose to follow the scent of Snape rather than Greyback for several reasons. One, he didn’t want to deal with the werewolf who turned him when he was a child just yet. Two, he knew that Snape was the one everyone else was looking for. Three, there was another scent, a female’s, that teased at his memory. Moony he could sense was both confused and ecstatic. He had no idea why…ok, he did have an idea, but it was an impossible one. Really, the dead stay dead, even his wolf knew that, or at least it should know.

Remus wound through the maze that posed as a store. He came to an abrupt halt when he found himself facing a dead end. Backtracking, he searched for where the trail veered off, but his nose kept leading him down the same isle that led to the dead end where the scent trail disappeared. He looked down at the floor, hoping that there might be footprints left in the dust. It was a long shot; he had no way of knowing whose footprints were winding through the dust. He followed one set, but not once did he encounter the strong scent trail he was looking for. He continued to follow two more sets of shoe prints, but ended up with the same results.

In his search he did manage to find faint traces of Snape’s scent and the two others, but they were overwhelmed by others and told him that these people had only been in brief contact. Greyback appeared to have doubled back and left via the front of the store. Their scents also disappeared at dead ends and a thought suddenly hit him like a sledgehammer. Escape routes! That must be where the scent trails were leading. He ran back to the first scent trail with some difficulty that he had been following, staring intently at the innocent looking bookcase. Glaring, he growled and began poking at it with his wand.

Remus was just getting ready to blast the stupid thing when his wand touched a rune on the wood of the shelf. He jumped back with a yelp when it slid open and a dark tunnel was revealed. He shivered. He hated small-enclosed spaces. He blamed the wolf for that particular fear. He blamed it for most things that went wrong in his life. He lost his quill; it was all the wolf’s fault. Broke a plate, he blamed the wolf. It was raining; obviously the wolf was the reason. Things like that. Taking a deep breath, he soldiered on, not willing to let his prey go so easily.

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Sirius Black screeched to a halt, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. He looked around, wand at the ready. The shadows seemed to be moving, stretching towards him menacingly. He gulped. Something was wrong. A small voice tugged at the back of his mind, trying to tell him something important. Something about Knockturn’s magic, something…

Sirius’s halfhearted thoughts trailed off and a chill crept over him. “Sirius…Play with us Sirius…There’s no need to be afraid…” Two childish voices whispered menacingly. It sounded so wrong. Sirius watched, riveted in horror as two ghostly little children appeared out of the shadows. They had no eyes and their teeth were sharpened like daggers. Their mouths stretched unnaturally wide in grotesque smiles. Their blonde hair was stringy and greasy, their nails claws and fingers too long. The twin girls looked like something that Voldemort would spawn with a Dementor. He fired a spell at them, but it passed through them harmlessly.

“Why won’t you play with us Sirius…Why. So. Serious…” Sirius took one look at them and their now insanely giggling, slightly flickering forms before running for his life with a scream. He had no desire to stick around and find out what they considered playing to be.

The girls gave chase, shrieking in laugher, ghostly cats that were rabid and feral looking darting out to swipe at Sirius as he ran by.

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James Potter slowed when his magic began screaming dire warnings. He whirled around when he heard a woman laughing. There was nothing there but a fog that had been absent seconds ago. He watched it warily and turned back around to continue on, only to be faced with more fog, he spun and spun, beginning to panic as he searched for a way out. Breath coming in short gasps, he felt unreasonably afraid.

“James…” The woman’s voice hissed across the area. He stiffened and stared intently at the fog. He could fight this, this was just Knockturn fucking with him…right? It was just Knockturn, right? He began to panic again as doubt spread through him insidiously. What if it wasn’t just Knockturn, what if there really was something in the fog coming for him? A shadow shifted in the fog in his peripheral vision. He spun and shot a stunning spell at it, but there was nothing there.

“Run, run as fast as you can…” A shadowy woman with white eyes and rotting skin lunged at him, mouth filled with sharp teeth. James did the only thing he could think of at the moment, he ran screaming like a loon blindly through a sudden gap that appeared in the fog. It didn’t help when little gremlin like creatures began jumping out of the fog at him, eyes mad with bloodlust and claws ready to shred him.

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Albus Dumbledore and Alastor ‘Mad-Eye’ Moody glanced at each other when the sound of frantic screams reached them. It would appear that Knockturn was being particularly vindictive today. Dumbledore turned to the pale and trembling Aurors. Moody grunted in disgust at their cowardice.

“Perhaps it would be best if you returned to Diagon while Alastor and I deal with Mr. Potter and Mr. Black.” He made it an order rather than a request, knowing that they would need such to abandon their search. Now they could just point at him when asked why they were no longer part of the manhunt for Severus and the Cedicits.

The Aurors hesitated, looking at each other to see who might argue and when none seemed so inclined to do so, scampered back to the safety and sanity of Diagon Alley.

“Bloody cowards the lot of them.” Moody growled in anger. Dumbledore gave the rapidly retreating Aurors a look of pity.

“Ah, but not many can withstand the evil nature of Knockturn Alley my friend. Even I in my youth could barely stand to be in it and remain sane.” Hagrid was lucky to be a half-giant; his creature blood protected him from the brunt of Knockturn’s darkness.

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As the two men ran around screaming, the denizens of Knockturn gaped at the sight of the well-known wizards running around screaming at nothing. Oh, they knew that in the minds of the two men, there was a whole lot of something rather than nothing. It was petty, but they had little other opportunities for revenge, so they sat back and watched the show. It was rather unfortunate for the two men that there were those with cameras who took full advantage of the situation. They had big plans for those photos, blackmail and perhaps the Daily Prophet being the most popular.