#dubious decision making Albus Dumbledore

[leah-halliwell92]

Princeling

Summary: After seeing what the Dursley’s are when it comes to Muggles, Professor Minerva McGonagall makes the judgement call to take Harry in before the worse can happen.

Part 1 �� Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4 – Part 5

Previously:

“Good morning Aberforth,” Severus said without turning.

Minerva gasped when she saw Abe at the doorway. Could that really be him?

Aberforth shifted on his feet but stood his ground, he wouldn’t to be cowed by his nerves. Changes are happening, and he was going to do his very best to roll with it, as the saying goes, and land on his feet as his own man after years of being under his brother’s shadow.

//00//00//

Part VI

The trio and babe had their breakfast in a companionable silence. They would occasionally shift their attention to Harry as cooed and laughed as he ate his scrambled eggs and bacon. 

Severus, ever mindful of what he is lacking baby wise, made a note to hire a nanny elf for the days he would not be able to keep Harry with him. 

“Severus,” he heard from miles away, “Severus? Are you alright?”

He looked to find Minerva giving him a worried look.

He nodded and said, “Just thinking of what I have to do for him.”

Minerva and Aberforth shared a look of concern.

“No need to worry,” Severus said with a small grin, “I’m just...thinking of everything that needs to be done before I am certain we can live in peace.”

The elderly pair nodded in understanding and continued eating the latter amusing Harry by making spark with their wands.

“Before we go into the alley, Harry needs to be glamoured,” Severus said seriously, “We don’t need the attention nor does Harry, especially for something he has no fault in doing.”

Minerva and Aberforth stared at Severus eyes wide.

“Lily’s love,” he said plainly, his voice filled with pain feeling the loss of his best friend, “A mother’s magic is never one to trifle with...a mother’s love.”

Minerva nodded understanding where he is coming from. 

The trio breathed a collective sigh, at least now the know that it wasn’t Harry who did the Dark Lord under. 

Breakfast was over not too long after that and the plates floated to the sink. Now they could finalize the last details of the first part of their plan. 

“There is a possibility that I will be arrested as soon as the air clears from the Potter’s deaths,” Severus said neutrally, “As such we need to move quickly, the only negative to this is that if our urgency is seen questions will be asked.”

“We need to get to Gringotts Severus,” Aberforth said thoughtfully, “For now what we can do is disguise the babe to the public whilst we make our way there.”

Minerva nodded at this and wave her hand over Harry changing his features slightly to look like Severus.

Severus gasped at this, and saw what a mix between him and Lily would have been. But now...his love for her could fade and translate onto her son. 

Harry smiled and giggled at the tickle of magic over him. 

“I’ll need some disguising myself for the time being,” Severus said and did as Minerva had done to Harry, “Now we need to leave before Albus does anything.”

//Time Skip – Gringotts//

The trio walked in baby in hand and asked to speak with the goblin in charge of the Potter estate.

“Griphook is in charge of that account,” the goblin said, “He will be with you shortly.”

As promised, Griphook arrived and said, “How may I be of assistance.”

“We are here to read the Will of the late Master James and Lily Potter,” Severus said bowing his head in respect, “There is cause to believe there will be tampering.”

Griphook nodded and motioned for them to follow him into his office.

“Before we proceed,” the goblin began, “I need verification of whom I’m speaking to and whom this will involve.”

Aberforth and Minerva presented their respective keys as Severus made quick work of the glamours that were on Harry and himself. He then procured his own key.

“And the infant?” Griphook said looking pointedly at Harry who was sucking his thumb, “You all know I cannot do anything without a verification of next of kin.”

Severus understood and procured a needle from his robes.

“Blood if there is no key if I recall correctly,” he said with a raised brow.

The goblin nodded.

Minerva took Harry from Severus and tried to keep the lad distracted as Severus drew the blood.

As expected Harry began to cry but settled when Abe took him. 

The blood proved that Harry is, well, Harry and so their dealings could proceed. Griphook summoned a file and began to read.

“The will was sealed by one Albus Dumbledore,” Griphook said as he looked through the file, “Reasons are unknown for now.”

“Can it be unsealed?” Minerva asked eyes wide as Albus’ involvement came to light.

Griphook nodded and did as was expected and began to read.

“There are letters here for one Sirius Black, Remus John Lupin and Severus Snape,” he said taking the sealed envelopes out, “The will reads as so, I James Fleamont Potter of sound mind leave everything to my son Harold James Potter...”

There were vaults to set aside for Sirius and Remus, but Minerva would look into that later.

“...Should anything happen to either Lily or myself custody will go to our son’s godfather Sirius Black. Should something, Merlin forbid, happen to him custody will fall to Severus Snape. My reasons for this are stated in his letter, and my wife and I are both in agreement that under no circumstances is Harry to go to Petunia and Vernon Dursley. So mote it be,” finished Griphook.

The trio shared a look at this in alarm, all thinking the same thing, Albus may have read the will and gone against it for his own machinations. 

“Sirius Black has been taken to Azkaban and Remus Lupin is still in hiding from the war,” Minerva said keeping herself as neutral as possible, “Is there a way for us to deliver the letters to them?”

Griphook nodded and passed Minerva the two letters before handing Severus his own. 

“Before you go,” the goblin said as he cleared the desk, “The boy carries unnaturally dark magic in him.”

They all looked at the babe in question.

“Earthen magicks are part of a goblin’s magic, we feel magic and how it flows through all living things,” he said stoically, “The child’s magic is yet to manifest, he does have a core but there is something deeper there...something darker.”

“I will pay whatever it takes,” Severus said voice pained, “Will your healers tend to him?”

Griphook lifted a brow at him but nodded and waved his hand.

In almost no time at all they were taken deeper into the bank where two goblins were waiting. 

“Set the child on the table please,” the taller of the two said.

Severus despite his paranoia, did as was asked and remained by his young charge’s side.

“Healer Redtooth will tend to him as all small ones should,” Griphook said and nodded for Severus to follow him to seated corner of the darkened room. 

The group talked in low voices, Severus ever the cautious one kept an ear out for his boy. 

“Madam are you aware of the spell on your person?” Griphook asked in curiosity. 

Minerva looked stricken at the though and shook her head.

Severus cast a diagnostic on her and found a scar on her fingers...it looked like a knife wound. 

“Minerva, how did you come about this?” Severus asked quietly. 

She got lost in thought as she thought about how she might have gotten that scar. 

“Might I try something?” Griphook asked.

Minerva nodded and felt as if a fog had been lifted the moment he began chanting in goblin. 

Minerva seemed to collapse into herself and break into tears and sobs as her memories became clear.

“Whats wrong with her?!” Aberforth yelled pulling her into his side as she shook. 

“Her memories had been tampered with...” Griphook said as he breathed. 

“Severus I think yours have been tampered with as well,” Minerva said through her tears, “When you were still a wee lad just barely into Hogwarts I’d received a message from Eileen. We’d known each other in school and had been good friends. She’d been making arrangements for her boy in case Tobias became unbearable.”

Severus’ eyes widened at what she was saying.

“My boy...my lad...” she broke down more in her grief.

“The name on file for you madame is that you’ve listed a son as your heir and kin,�� Griphook said appearing out of nowhere, “It is said to be one Severus Tobias Snape.”

Aberforth’s eyes darkened as Severus’ mind seemed to stall.

“I had been taking you in during the summer to keep you from your father as per Eileen’s request,” Minerva said tearfully, “I love you as my own I always have.”

“But Albus can’t leave well enough alone,” Aberforth said voice deep and gravely as he fought to keep his temper.

Severus looked to Griphook, “I’ll pay whatever fee is called, but please...show me.”

Griphook nodded and did as asked.

Once his memories were restored Severus fell onto his mother’s lap his own body shaking with the strength of his sobs his hands holding onto Minerva’s as they grieved for what they lost.

Mother and son cried as lost memories were returned and what could have been was lost. But one thing was certain neither of them were going to play into the same trap twice. And Minerva was in the mind of killing whoever decided it was a good idea to take her boy from her again.

//00//00//

A/N: Like and reblog if you enjoyed reading!! Let me know if you want to be tagged.

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[thedreamermusing]

Harry identified with and reluctantly admired Snape even before ‘The Prince’s Tale’

So, 'Albus Severus' is admittedly is a controversial name in fandom due to Snape's own dubious morality. And people also think that Harry going from hatred to admiration of Snape so quickly is unrealistic. But, that's not true. There's no doubt that Harry hated Snape, but amid that hatred, there was also reluctant admiration and even identification with Snape. Let's see a few examples:

Harry did not speak; he felt that to say anything might be dangerous. He was sure he had just broken into Snape’s memories, that he had just seen scenes from Snape’s childhood, and it was unnerving to think that the crying little boy who had watched his parents shouting was actually standing in front of him with such loathing in his eyes. . . .

Probably the first time Harry is looking at Snape as anything more than his hated Potions professor. But it is still significant considering Harry's own abusive childhood.

His reaction to Snape's Worst Memory:

What was making Harry feel so horrified and unhappy was not being shouted at or having jars thrown at him — it was that he knew how it felt to be humiliated in the middle of a circle of onlookers, knew exactly how Snape had felt as his father had taunted him, and that judging from what he had just seen, his father had been every bit as arrogant as Snape had always told him.

His immediate reaction after watching Snape's memory is to empathise with Snape, because he knows what it's like to be bullied in front of a crowd.

We also get hints of how similar Snape and Harry are. Even Hermione comments on it:

Did you hear him talking about the Dark Arts? He loves them! All that unfixed, indestructible stuff —” “Well,” said Hermione, “I thought he sounded a bit like you.”

“Like me?”

“Yes, when you were telling us what it’s like to face Voldemort. You said it wasn’t just memorizing a bunch of spells, you said it was just you and your brains and your guts - well, wasn’t that what Snape was saying? That it really comes down to being brave and quick-thinking?”

Hermione comments on how they both sound similar. Snape and Harry do have a lot in common as we will find out later, but this is one of the first hints of another character noticing it.

But imo, the largest culmination of Harry's reluctant admiration is in the case Snape's old textbook, when he called himself the Half-blood Prince. This is teen Snape; Snape as Lily knew him, Snape without all the baggage that he has with Harry. And what is Harry's opinion of him?

Harry woke early on the morning of the trip, which was proving stormy, and whiled away the time until breakfast by reading his copy of Advanced Potion-Making. He did not usually lie in bed reading his textbooks; that sort of behavior, as Ron rightly said, was indecent in anybody except Hermione, who was simply weird that way. Harry felt, however, that the Half-Blood Princes copy of Advanced Potion-Making hardly qualified as a textbook. The more Harry pored over the book, the more he realized how much was in there, not only the handy hints and shortcuts on potions that was earning him such a glowing reputation with Slughorn, but also the imaginative little jinxes and hexes scribbled in the margins, which Harry was sure, judging by the crossings-out and revisions, that the Prince had invented himself.

Harry's admiration is practically dripping through the pages. He's staying up at night reading the book, admiring the boy who was so clever.

One of the most interesting lines is also this:

“My dad used this spell,” said Harry. “I — Lupin told me.” This last part was not true; in fact, Harry had seen his father use the spell on Snape, but he had never told Ron and Hermione about that particular excursion into the Pensieve. Now, however, a wonderful possibility occurred to him. Could the Half-Blood Prince possibly be —?

Harry is so attached to Snape's old textbook that he wishes it was his father. Harry is hungry for father figures and the fact that he elevates the Prince to this kind of figure from just his textbook is significant. It shows the lost potential between Harry and Snape. Who is the Prince but a younger Snape? It shows that had Snape been a little less bitter and damaged, he could have been a mentor figure for Harry.

These two have so much in common: their lives are defined by Voldemort and they're not truly free until he's dead, they're both half-bloods who grew up in the muggle world, they both suffered abusive childhoods, they were both bullied, they're both sarcastic and dry, they both can get very vicious (Snape more so obviously), they're both completely loyal to Dumbledore, they're both brave and stubborn as hell. I truly believe that had Snape not been so blind, he could have been a great father figure for Harry simply because of how similar they are and how much they could relate to each other.

He felt stunned; it was as though a beloved pet had turned suddenly savage; what had the Prince been thinking to copy such a spell into his book? And what would happen when Snape saw it? Would he tell Slughorn — Harry’s stomach churned — how Harry had been achieving such good results in Potions all year? Would he confiscate or destroy the book that had taught Harry so much…the book that had become a kind of guide and friend? Harry could not let it happen…He could not…

Harry thinks of the Prince as a friend and guide.

“Will you stop harping on about the book!” snapped Harry. “The Prince only copied it out! It’s not like he was advising anyone to use it! For all we know, he was making a note of something that had been used against him!”

“I don’t believe this,” said Hermione. “You’re actually defending —“

“I’m not defending what I did!” said Harry quickly. “I wish I hadn’t done it, and not just because I’ve got about a dozen detentions. You know I wouldn’t’ve used a spell like that, not even on Malfoy, but you can’t blame the Prince, he hadn’t written ‘try this out, it’s really good’ — he was just making notes for himself, wasn’t he, not for anyone else…”

Even after 'Sectumsempra', Harry defends the Prince like this. As a side note, I also think that Harry's relationship with the Prince somewhat mirrors Lily's relationship with Snape. They both admired and loved the boy who was so clever and imaginative and were willing to blind themselves as that boy went deeper into the dark side.

He broke off, looking out of the window. He could not stop himself dwelling upon Dumbledore’s inexcusable trust in Snape…but as Hermione had just inadvertently reminded him, he, Harry, had been taken in just the same…in spite of the increasing nastiness of those scribbled spells, he had refused to believe ill of the boy who had been so clever, who had helped him so much..

This is after Snape killed Dumbledore, and Harry's primary feeling about the Prince is one of betrayal. Ultimately, I believe Harry's relationship with the Prince is pivotal in his understanding of Snape, and I firmly believe that this also informed his decision to name his son after Snape. After watching Snape's dying memories, Harry's admiration of the Prince returned and merged with his feelings towards Snape. It is no coincidence that the chapter revealing Snape's true allegiance is called 'The Prince's Tale', telling us that Snape truly is the same Prince Harry admired and wished was his father.

Harry's feelings towards Snape after the Prince's tale is obvious. Throughout Snape's memories, he identifies with him, not James. He immediately notices that James has an air of being loved and adored while Snape conspicuously lacks it. He cannot bring himself to watch Snape's Worst Memory again. After watching the memories, he identifies with both Snape and Tom Riddle as 'the abandoned boys' who were outcasts and only found their home in Hogwarts.

In short, I believe Harry's admiration of Snape was not sudden or inexplicable but something he always reluctantly felt. He identified with Snape even when he hated him. Once he saw Snape's memories in his entirety, he understood and identified with them even more because Harry has been in Snape's shoes. He's been a dark-haired, abused, bullied, half-blood outcast. And he knows how hard it is to be brave in those circumstances. While the readers might have trouble understanding why Snape would have a child named after him, Harry doing so is not a surprise.

[gameofdrarry]

Wizards Hearts Recs: Canon Divergent

Wizards Hearts was a four-month-long Drarry reading fest. Players were given a playing deck of 52 tropes, and were asked to find 52 different fics to read and comment on to fill their decks. To prevent the same few fics from being read, fics were restricted to only being used for the game three times before being considered ineligible for further points. The tropes and submissions list can be found here.

Check out the masterlist of fics for this trope below the cut!

📜 Evitative by Vichan Rated:  Teen Words:  222,452 Tags:  Slytherin Harry Potter, Re-sorting, Dark Arts, Slow Burn, Dark!Harry Summary:  In the summer before his fifth year at Hogwarts, Harry is drawn to a room in Grimmauld Place. Like the Gryffindor he is, he enters the room without fear. The room is a library, and Harry is surprised to find that he’s eager to learn. Then he gets the bad news: he’s been accidentally expelled from Hogwarts, and he needs to be sorted again. Everyone is confident that he’ll go straight back to Gryffindor, but with what he's been learning, Harry’s not so sure. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Secondary Task by ProfessorFrankly Rated:  Mature Words:  50842 Tags: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Major Character Death, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Swearing, Frank discussion of teen sex, No actual teen sex, Canon-Typical Violence, If you've read GoF you know the last bit's where the violence and stuff is, Most of this fic has a "T" rating, Quantum Bang 2020 Summary:  When Harry Potter’s name comes out of the Goblet of Fire, Draco Malfoy decides the Boy-Who-LIved needs a friend, whether he wants one, or not. With his mother’s backing, Draco sets out to make sure Harry knows he has someone in his corner, for now, and if Draco has his way, for always. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Outtake: The Second Task by MickeySLee Rated:  Mature Words:  30824 Tags: Secret Relationship, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Hogwarts Fourth Year, Triwizard Tournament, Hostage Situations, Draco Malfoy is a Good Boyfriend, Harry Potter is a Good Boyfriend, Plot Twists, Romance, Fluff, Homosexuality, Homophobia, Good Draco Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy's A+ Parenting, Lucius Malfoy Being an Asshole, weekly updates!, Hogwarts Era, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Bashing, POV Hermione Granger, Hurt/Comfort, Consent is Sexy, Fairy Tale Elements Summary:  Part of the series Outtakes and A Hard Story. Fourth Year. The Triwizard Tournament. The Second Task. What would happen if Dumbledore made a different decision when it was discovered Draco is who Harry would miss most? Instead of covering it up and declaring Ron to be Harry's hostage, Draco is the one at the bottom of the lake. No one could have foreseen how much trouble that caused. You may want to read A Hard Story or Throughout the Twists to Times first. This story is completed and will be uploaded one chapter per week on Sunday. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Parades, Pansy, and fuck I’m too gay for this by false_heteros Rated:  General Words:  2227 Tags: Pride is at the end :), A lot of pureblood bullshit, Loneliness, Draco is Sad, Harry Needs a Hug, Pride, Pride Parades, Modern Era, Sirius Black Lives, Mentions of past child abuse, Cedric Diggory Dies, past homophobia, Gay Harry Potter, Gay Draco Malfoy Summary:  After the war, Draco, who had been staying at home like a fucking hermit till Pansy came along, finally finds out about the LGBTQ+ Community, he dives head first into research and is amazed at what he finds. Harry wanders muggle London once every few days. Blending with the crowd and not feeling different for once. He comes along a group of people with beautiful colours around them. “What are they doing?” ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Closure is a state of mind by Quicksilvermaid Rated:  Explicit Words:  12229 Tags: Morally Grey Draco Malfoy, Inappropriate medical/therapist relationships, Dubious Consent Due To Identity Issues, Lies, Self-Esteem Issues, low key stalking behaviour, Loneliness, Guilt, Therapy, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, taking advantage of a grieving person, Death of a Spouse, Character Death, (not Drarry), Disfigurement, Scars, Brief Mentions of Suicidal Thoughts, Drinking, First Time, Polyjuice Potion, Sex While Using Polyjuice Potion, pensieve sex, Voyeurism, wanking, Concealed Identity, Bittersweet Ending, H/D Hurt!Fest 2020 Summary:  After Harry's husband Charlie is killed, his Mind Healer recommends a Polyjuice therapy company, so Harry can see 'Charlie' again and find closure over his death. Draco, whose life over the last ten years has gone from bad to worse, gets assigned Potter's case. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Harry Potter and the Yuletide Waltz by LakeWitch Rated:  General Words:  3042 Tags: Yule Ball, Dancing, Hogwarts Fourth Year, six years later, Awkwardness, Meddling, Oblivious!Harry, more dancing, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Christmas, Holiday Season, Canon Divergence Summary:  At the fourth year Yule Ball, Draco Malfoy asked Harry Potter to dance. Six years later, Harry Potter just might ask him why. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 When It's All Over by Erebeus Rated:  Mature Words:  9292 Tags: Rape/Non-con, Unhealthy Relationships, Self-Hatred, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con (not between main pairing), suicidal/death idolization, Hogwarts Sixth Year, Non-Graphic Violence, Spy Draco Malfoy, Loneliness, H/D Hurt!Fest 2020, Betrayal, Attempted Murder, Brief flashbacks and moments of panic mentioned, non graphic torture, Azkaban (brief), Off screen therapy Summary:  If killing you makes Harry happy, you really don't mind. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Catch 22 by jad Rated:  Explicit Words:  49895 Tags: Romance, Fluff, Humor, Complete, Letter!fic, Sexual Content Summary:  As if NEWTS weren't enough, Dumbledore's gone and had another one of his 'bright ideas.' If all ends well, the Houses will be getting along in no time. Or according to Harry's correspondent, an Apocalypse will be in order. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 (I don't know) what's right and what's real anymore by Ladderofyears Rated:  Mature Words:  2101 Tags: Harry Potter and the half blood prince, canon divergence, no septumsempra, guilty Draco, pov Draco, ghostly Myrtle, attracted Draco, pre-slash, pre-relationship, Harry is a hero Summary:  An alternative sectumsempra scene from Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Kiss by xErised Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  10764 Tags: Hogwarts Era, Light Angst, Mutual Pining, Secret Relationship, Getting Together, Kissing in the Rain Summary:  For the second task of the Triwizard Tournament, it's not Ron that Harry rescues from the Great Lake, but Draco Malfoy. Hogwarts-era. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 It’s Not Christmas (without you) by LittleBozSheep Rated:  Explicit Words:  79213 Tags: Fluff, Family Feels, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Getting Together, Christmas, Slow Burn, Serious Slow Burn, Everyone ships Drarry, Apart from Drarry, Divorced Draco Malfoy, Divorced Harry Potter, Kid Albus, kid scorpius, Everyone makes a camo, side wolfstar, Besides the last chapter it's rated G, Christmas Fluff, 25 Days of Harry and Draco, Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, Minor Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Drunkenness, Drunken Shenanigans Summary:  Maybe agreeing to host everyone for Christmas wasn’t Harry’s best idea. Luckily Albus’s best friend’s dad is an events planner who agreed to help, only issue, turns out the dad is Draco Malfoy. Sarcastic and grumpy to everyone but his son. Will Harry managed to catch him and keep Christmas from being a complete disaster? ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Leaves by TheLostLibran Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  1190 Tags: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff without Plot, Healing, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Post-War, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence Summary:  A lot of work goes on underground, invisible to the naked eye. Though it doesn't mean that no development is occuring, the hopes of a huge, fully grown tree standing strong in the near or distant future only start sprouting when the leaves do. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Okay But That’s Hot by Fuschaslime Rated:  Explicit Words:  3640 Tags: Anal Sex, Riding, Dirty Talk, Frottage, Lapdance, Slut Shaming, Established Relationship, Friends With Benefits, Enemies to Lovers, Teasing, Begging, Safe Sane and Consensual, Bets & Wagers, Poker, theyre both over 18, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Banter, Perverted Harry, Slight fluff, Shameless Smut, AU where Lily Potter defeated Voldemort for good, and now everyone at hogwarts is kinda cool with eachother, apart from house tensions, Verbal Humiliation, Kinda Summary:  Draco immediately regrets agreeing to a certain bet made at poker night when he realises he’ll actually have to hold up his end of the deal. Harry is ecstatic. OR Draco Malfoy bets Harry Potter a lapdance. He loses. ❤️ Read on AO3

[bellshells]

Splitting Hairs ch.3

Hello! Here is chapter three, as always thank you so much for reading. It means the world. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated <3 

Summary: So Sev is still berating himself and Minerva is top gal pal, sad Valentine is sad.

Word Count: 2411  Severus x OC

Warnings: None ALL THE ANGST 

Previous Chapter Next Chapter Start from the beginning 

Severus spent the next two days alone in his rooms. He could count on one hand the times he had left them, whether to deliver a potion to a colleague, or to arrange and then re-arrange his classroom. Severus couldn’t bear the thought of bumping into Valentine before he specifically had to. She had slipped a note under his door late Saturday night inviting him for a cup of tea by means of apology and Severus had ignored it. He tossed the note into the fire and watched sadly as the flames ate away at the parchment. Strangely, he felt satisfied by his dismissal of Valentine, like he was remaining true to Lily, but he had been so conflicted over the last few days; his head was a complete mess. He was not naïve to the ridiculousness of the situation; he was a free man; he had always been one. Yet, Severus had loved Lily so fiercely, so purely, it felt inappropriate to entertain the idea of an attraction to somebody else.

He was also wary of Valentine. She was an incredibly young witch; it was unheard of for a person so young to hold an important position at a school as prestigious as Hogwarts. Then there was the other thing, the Beauxbatons thing. Severus had no doubt that she did in fact attend Beauxbatons; it was the reasoning behind it that he had trouble believing. A welsh girl being sent to a French school on account of her father working across the sea, the notion was dubious at best, but with Severus’ ability to read people he was able to gauge she was not being truthful with him. It was enough for him to justify his decision to cut off all unnecessary contact with Professor Valentine. He had every faith that he would be able to keep himself tucked away safe in his rooms, away from any potentially dangerous situations; like the one on the way home from Dumbledore’s office. He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, it had been there all weekend. Whenever he thought about the kiss he shared with Professor Valentine; he felt an all-consuming guilt which would stay with him for hours. Whilst much of his guilt was for his own sake, he felt guilty for Valentine too; she probably felt horrendous the next morning with the memory that she had initiated something akin to intimacy with Severus. At least, that’s what he told himself.

Severus had successfully avoided Valentine until Sunday evening. He knew the Sorting Ceremony was imminent and he would have to face her, but he felt pride in having gone a few days without endangering his position. He got ready slowly, he took his time bathing and getting dressed; just trying to prolong the inevitable. A loud knock at his door tore him from his ritual, he grimaced at himself in the mirror as he made his way to answer the door. He swung it open wide and Minerva stood in the archway, arms folded across her chest and her foot tapped impatiently. “I have been waiting for you by the Grand Staircase for twenty minutes.” She snapped. Severus felt another pang of guilt. “My goodness Minerva, please accept my apologies. It had completely slipped my mind that we had agreed to meet.” He said as he ushered Minerva into the corridor and hastily closed his chamber door behind them. He offered Minerva his arm as they walked briskly away from the dungeons and into the main body of the castle, she nestled her hand in the crook of his elbow and gave Severus a warm smile. “I have been looking forward to seeing you all day, Severus. It appears we have much to discuss.” Minerva said quietly as they maintained their swift pace. “Oh? What might that be?” Severus enquired. “Not here,” she said, “The students will arrive any minute and I want to be able to speak freely with you. May I come to your rooms later? We can have one last firewhisky before term starts?” She looked at him expectantly and he reciprocated her smile. “Of course, I look forward to it.” He said. He led her into the Great Hall which was decorated in anticipation of the student’s arrival, which would be any moment. He greeted his colleagues with nods and the occasional handshake as they took their seats at the high table. Albus stood in position behind the grand lectern ready to greet the students with warm smiles. Severus noted the promptness of his house’s students, most of Slytherin were seated and waiting before the main body of students arrived. As usual, they were waiting for the Gryffindors to settle down. He shot a smirk to Minerva who sat on his left, she harrumphed and stood from her seat. She clapped her hands once and like a shot, every Gryffindor head snapped in her direction, quickly ceasing all discussions carried over from the train. Quite pleased with herself, Minerva sat back down returning Severus’ smirk with an arched eyebrow of her own. They chatted idly between themselves as they waited for the last few stragglers to be seated, it was Filius’ turn this year to meet the first years off the boats so the seat next to Severus on his left was vacant. That was, until he felt a hand on his shoulder. “May I sit here, Professor Snape?” Severus’s head whipped in the direction of the voice. Of course, Valentine stood there, hair swept up into a neat bun and dressed in smart teaching robes. He nodded once and returned his attention to Minerva, slightly turning his back on Valentine as she slowly sank into her seat.

Severus endured the Sorting Ceremony almost in silence, save for a few comments passed between himself and Minerva. This year’s crop of students were decidedly unremarkable, and Severus was satisfied that most initiated into his house held no familial connections to his former life. He breathed a little easier, that was something at least. All the while he was sat, he didn’t let himself glance at Valentine, even though it would have been easy to do. Even when Albus introduced her to the Hall, and a ripple of applause swept through, he clapped his hands politely but most definitely, did not look at her. Severus could see the looks of surprise etched on the faces of some students. Professor Quirrell, who at the end of the summer term announced his imminent travels, was expected to be replaced by an equally tedious man and yet, Albus had surprised them all. He could see the pompous looks and elbowed jeering between some of the sixth and seventh year boys after eyeing Professor Valentine. Severus would have scoffed aloud if he had been bothered. But he wasn’t. He most certainly was not bothered and that’s what he told himself. Repeatedly.

He was glad when the food appeared, pleased not to pretend to be grossly interested in the chatter between Albus and Minerva. Valentine sat quietly by his side; she exchanged a few words with Pomona but it was palpably clear that she wasn’t the same woman who had tried to seduce him over the weekend. Severus couldn’t help but feel guilty about it. She wasn’t to know. She hadn’t done anything wrong other than looking like a ghost, and she shouldn’t be penalised for that. Yet, he still couldn’t bring himself to look at her. He could feel her next to him though, the heat from her body radiated over to him and he felt flush under his cravat. She was so close, close enough to touch. If he stretched his arm out a little further his fingers could make contact with hers as she held onto her goblet. But he didn’t. Instead he kept his hands firmly in his lap, no matter how much he yearned to touch her.

He wasn’t even sure exactly what it was about her anymore. The dazzling energy she emanated was enough to make anybody stare, and Severus wondered whether he was just a part of the throng who desired to be close to her and nothing more. But when she finally smiled and laughed lightly at a joke spoken over his head; he was fifteen again.

Severus was sat at the Gryffindor table when he shouldn’t have been, Lily’s head rested on his shoulder as Sirius Black shouted something to another at the end of the room. They both looked in the direction that Black had shouted and saw Peter Pettigrew trying desperately to put out a flame that had erupted on the frayed edge of his school cloak. Remus Lupin appeared at Peter’s side and roared with laughter, he half-heartedly attempted to help the stout boy salvage his uniform. Severus rolled his eyes and Lily turned to face him, a wicked smile on her face as she leaned in close and whispered in his ear; “Lets hope he gets James Potter next.”

Severus smiled sadly at the memory. That’s all he had now; memories. He was tortured endlessly by them without a whisper of reprieve. He was all too aware he had made some abhorrent decisions in his life; unaware at the time of how they would impact him so. Was he to pay penance for the remainder of his days? Was this Lily’s last act of revenge? He contemplated this over his apple crumble, stabbing his spoon into the bowl as he heard a quiet voice next to him. “Jesus, remind me not to do whatever that pudding has done to offend you,” He slowly looked in the direction of the voice, Valentine smiled weakly at him, not waiting for him to respond. “I wanted to speak to you. If you’ll let me. Well- apologise really. I made an absolute fool of myself the other day, and I’m sorry. I should never had acted so inappropriately and I’m so embarrassed.”   Severus was taken aback by her outburst; he didn’t really know how to reply. Valentine looked at him with an earnest look he had seen once before when they had first met. He felt his resolve soften slightly, she looked so young in that moment. Not quite meeting his gaze and yet captivating his attention all the same. Why was she so intent on apologising to him? Surely it didn’t matter to her, of that he was certain. Either she had an exceptionally big moral compass and truly cared about his feelings, or she cared more of what others thought of her. Maybe she thought Severus would have told Minerva that she had tried to instigate something between them, and she was frightened to spoil her reputation? Nonetheless, everybody had seen the intimate way they had spoken at the party, Severus’ hand on her waist as she dipped her head to his ear, they had left together after all. He was sure tongues were already waggling. If nothing else, Severus decided to put her out of her misery; she didn’t deserve to feel anxious about her standing with him. He just needed to set clear boundaries and move on with his life. “Professor Valentine,” Severus started, looking at her properly for the first time that evening. “I can assure you; you have no need to apologise. We both had far too much to drink and blame lies at both of our doors. So, if you can accept my apology, I’m satisfied we can leave the matter there.” He was sterner than he intended to be, but decided against rambling on any longer, quite content with the sentiment. Valentine breathed a little sigh of relief, a smile crept from her lips to her eyes as she relaxed into her seat.

The rest of the evening passed without incident. Albus stood and dismissed the students to their respective dormitories, their heads bobbed out of the Great Hall in a cacophony of benches being scraped across the floor and excited voices. Severus exhaled tiredly, one of the more arduous evenings of the academic school year over with, he allowed himself to rub his hand over his eyes and pinch the bridge of his nose. Minerva rose out of her seat and tapped Severus on the arm; “Come on,” she said dryly, “Merlin knows I need a drink after that.” Severus chuckled and stood to meet her slowly, his eyes glanced over Valentine as she sat in her chair, looking down at the table. He peered at Minerva who frowned as she looked at Valentine, he gave her an exasperated look as Minerva silently pleaded with him. With a dramatic eyeroll and an irritated nod from Severus, Minerva spoke again. “Elizabeth?” The young woman’s head snapped up immediately, she seemed to take in the sight of Severus and Minerva, both stood awkwardly staring at her. “Severus and I are retiring for a drink; would you like to join us?” Valentine looked from Minerva to Severus weighing up her options. “I don’t really know if I should, I’m still recovering from Friday.” Valentine stated unconvincingly, she looked bewildered as Minerva extended a hand to Valentine, smiling at her gently. “I assure you, it’s just a little debrief after tonight. It’s nice to grasp on to the moments of being an adult when you can. Its easy to get caught up in the teenage drama, believe me.” Minerva said kindly, she took hold of Valentine under the arm and almost hoisted her to her feet; still, she didn’t move. Valentine bit her lip and Severus watched as she brought her green eyes to meet his, she reeked of apprehension and he wondered if he did too. “Severus?” she asked laying it all at his door. He contemplated silently; he was desperate to talk to Minerva about everything. He needed to be told that he was being ridiculous and then ignore whatever advice the older witch gave him, but he couldn’t ignore the searing want he had to be near Valentine. He dismissed the incredible feeling of guilt he had wash over him as he smiled feebly at Valentine and said, “If you would like.” She looked just like Lily used to, when she would hide from him the extent of her time spent with James Potter. He felt dizzy. Valentine stood and smiled at them both, Minerva returned it in kind. “It’s good to have a friend here,” Minerva declared, “In whatever shape they assume.”

[inmyownlittlecorner5]

Moonlight Chapter 12: The Enemy of My Enemy

A fanfic Novel by la-topolina

Rated for Mature Audiences

Warnings: Language, Violence, Sexual Content

Chapter 12/26

Moonlight Masterpost+

<< Chapter Eleven+

Chapter Thirteen+ >>

Sometimes it’s best to take matters into your own hands, Miranda thought as she appeared outside the wards at Hogwarts on a cold Tuesday a week before Christmas. The wind cut through her cloak like a knife and hurried clouds across the inky blackness of the sky. She strode towards the school, sincerely hoping that she would not encounter its Potions Master. She still missed him more than she would have liked, although now she was also rather irritated with him for his imperious way of ending their affair. Whenever her thoughts turned to Severus, she firmly told herself that it was really neither here nor there how she felt about him. With a bit of luck, she’d be leaving England soon and she expected the distance would help her forget. 

Miranda hoped that Albus Dumbledore would be the man to aid her in accomplishing her escape. She was due to meet him at eight o’clock that evening about her troubles and, while she was a bit trepidatious to return to his office after that last difficult meeting, she was sanguine enough to expect that this one would be better. She walked with a swift, but measured step, keeping her eyes focused straight ahead of her, and trying to ignore the growing feeling of butterflies in her stomach. Fortune was with her, and she met no one as she entered the oaken doors and wound her way through the maze of corridors and staircases.

“Squashies,” she said to the gargoyle guarding the entrance to the headmaster’s office. It slid aside and she made it to the griffin-shaped knocker with five minutes to spare. She tapped lightly and the office door swung open, revealing Albus standing near the window, studying the Pleiades peeking shyly through the clouds.

“Ah, Miss Rose. Still punctual I see,” he said, crossing to his desk. “Do sit down.”

“I wanted to thank you for taking the time to see me. I know you must be very busy,” Miranda replied, taking the chair across from his desk.

“It is my pleasure, though I must admit I was rather surprised that you wanted to see me. I know your last visit to my office was an unpleasant one.”

“It was, and I hope this one will be better.”

“That is my hope as well.” Albus plucked a cigarette out of the air and offered it to her.

She smiled slowly and accepted the offering. After it was lit, she said, “I wanted to talk to you about the task you’ve given me.”

“Yes, you’ve been doing an excellent job failing to find your quarry. Do you require compensation? I realize that we are interrupting your work, perhaps to your detriment.”

She shook her head. “Not at the moment. The Ministry will cover my expenses for the duration of the actual tracking. Of course, there won’t be a pay off at the end.”

“I will ensure that there is. Please do not concern yourself about that.”

This was going better than she had hoped. “Thank you, Headmaster.” 

“I would be delighted if you would call me Albus.”

She studied him a moment before answering, “Very well, Albus. And please call me Miranda.”

“Thank you, Miranda. I want you to know that your current assignment, however tedious, is extremely helpful at the moment.

“Yes, that is what I wanted to talk to you about. I don’t think it is a good idea for me to continue searching for Mr. Black here. Minister Fudge seems content to wait, but Mr. Malfoy is starting to breathe down my neck. I’m not terribly concerned for myself yet, but he’s been making comments about my family in America. I think it would be best if I could put some distance between us, but I still need him to think I’m doing my job.”

“I see. That is rather troubling.” Albus’s brow furrowed as he considered this for a few moments. Finally he said, “I hear that Romania is an excellent place to hide this time of year. I expect that you will receive some intelligence very shortly concerning the sighting of a large black dog and a Hippogriff.”

“How marvelous. I’ll be ready to leave by twelfth night.”

“Excellent. And have you given any thought to the second issue we discussed?”

“You mean, am I willing to help the Order of the Phoenix?”

“Precisely.”

Miranda looked very thoughtful. “I don’t want to risk MACUSA sanctioning me by joining the Order, but I am willing to help, unofficially. Do you have something in mind?”

“In fact, I do.” He snapped his fingers and a file folder appeared on his desk in front of her. “When you get to Romania, I want you to look in on a young man named Charlie Weasley. He is recruiting for the Order and he tells me that he could do with a witch experienced in dueling wizards and subduing magical creatures.”

She opened the file and a stocky red-headed man waved at her from a photograph. “Sounds entertaining. I’ll do it.” She picked up the file and began studying its contents.

“Very good, thank you Miranda. Please take your time with Charlie’s file. You may leave it on my desk when you are finished. I’m afraid there are a few things I must attend to.”

“I will. Should I contact you?”

“I will contact you, or you can send a message through Charlie when you get to Romania. Oh, and one more thing.”

“Yes?”

“It would be best if you mentioned as little of this as possible to Severus. The less each of you knows about your respective missions, the safer it will be for you both.”

Miranda kept her eyes on the file. “That won’t be a problem Albus. I haven’t seen Severus since the beginning of November.”

Albus’s eyebrows went up at that, but he did not ask any questions. “Well, I wish you good night and good luck, my dear.”

“Thank you. The same to you.”

It was close to ten when Miranda thought she had memorized everything she needed to know. She replaced the file on Albus’s desk, stretched, and began the trek back to the first floor. She felt the butterflies return to her stomach as soon as she passed the silent gargoyle. Affecting an air of nonchalance, she resumed her measured pace, humming The Minstrel Boy quietly to herself. She had every right to be here, after all. Why should she care if she saw anyone?

When she reached the fourth floor, she got a bit turned around. She stopped humming and spent a few minutes trying to remember the way she had come before. Eventually she chose a path and she was passing the library when she heard the voice she had been hoping to avoid.

“Good night, Minerva,” Severus was saying somewhere behind her.

Miranda forgot her intention not to run and soundlessly dashed around the corner. She found a darkened classroom and, without thinking, she ducked into it, closing the door behind her.

“Looks like we’re caught, Fred,” said a voice.

She turned and saw the identical smiling faces of two young red-haired men. Young men who looked a bit like the man whose file she had spent the last hour memorizing. Who, as she recalled, had a pair of twin brothers.

“Fred and George Weasley, I presume?” she asked with a smile.

“Guilty,” began Fred.

“….as charged,” finished George. “Who are you?”

“Someone with a soft spot for troublemakers,” Miranda said.

The pair exchanged a look and fixed her with an imploring expression. “We don’t suppose you could give us a hand then?” asked Fred.

“That depends. What is it?” she asked good-naturedly.

“Well,” said George, “Professor Snape has been lurking around for the last half-hour and we really should get back to our common room before we get expelled.”

“Do you think you could create a diversion?” Fred asked.

“Not that we’d mind being expelled,” George added, “but we had planned to stay in school a bit longer. We’re not quite finished with our product line…” 

“Who’s there?” demanded Severus’s voice as he rounded the corner.

Miranda’s eyes snapped to the door, and then back to the twins. She sighed, gave them a bemused smile, and said, “Of course I’ll help you. Stay here until I get him out of the way and then get back where you’re supposed to be. And don’t get caught.”

“Will do.” they said together.

She gathered her nerve and gripped the doorknob. 

“Show yourself,” Severus hissed in the hall.

Now or never, she thought, opening the door and fixing an exasperated expression on her face.

“Oh for goodness’ sake, Severus, it’s only me,” she said in an irritated tone. “I don’t know how any of you can stand to navigate this place. I’ve been wandering around for half an hour trying to find the front door. I should have left a trail of breadcrumbs.”

The look on his face was worth her discomfort in seeing him. He was staring at her incredulously, his eyes wide and his mouth ever so slightly open.

“Don’t just stand there staring,” she chided, tapping her foot impatiently. “Are you going to help me or not?”

He snapped his mouth shut and gave her a dubious look. “This way,” he said.

She kept pace with him and they walked in palpable silence. She let her face relax into a mask of calm unconcern, but her heart was racing. She wished that she were not quite so aware of his physical presence next to her, but surely she could manage the feeling for the brief time it would take to reach the front door. She had no idea what he was thinking, but knowing him he was probably incredibly annoyed to encounter her so unexpectedly. Well, no matter, she’d be out of Hogwarts in five minutes and off to bigger and better things. He was a grown man—he could deal with it.

When they reached the entrance hall, he suddenly ordered, “Stay here.” Then he turned and stalked off without a word of explanation.

She shifted her weight from foot to foot, eyeing the front door. Where the hell did he get off giving her orders? And what the hell was she doing following them? He’d made it clear he wanted nothing more to do with her. Why on earth would he want to talk to her now? Somewhere in the back of her mind, she had a tiny, hopeful thought that perhaps he was regretting his decision to end things so abruptly. She immediately tried to squash the idea but, to her annoyance, she stayed where she was.

Five minutes or so later Severus returned wearing his cloak and they stalked out into the cold night together. The wind had died down, but the air stung the nose and their breath fogged the space in front of them as they walked. The clouds had fled, and the stars shone brightly without the competition of the jealous moon. Miranda turned her attention to them, picking out constellations in order to avoid looking at her companion.

When they were approaching the lake, he asked silkily, “Have you received sufficient blows to the head that you actually mistook a classroom for an exit?”

“Orion is bright tonight,” she replied, completely ignoring his jab.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded.

“Buying postage stamps. They’re hideously overpriced in London.”

He stopped walking and grabbed her arm. “Don’t toy with me. What are you doing here?”

She turned her flashing eyes from the stars to his, her jaw set. She held his gaze and slowly peeled his fingers off her arm, one by one. 

When she had finished, she said smoothly, “Severus, have you ever heard the expression ‘You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar?’”

The corner of his mouth twitched and he replied, “I only collect flies in order to murder them. Honey seems somehow disingenuous.” He paused for a moment and then added, “You’re looking well, Miranda.”

She raised an eyebrow and allowed, “So are you. I thought we weren’t supposed to be talking.”

His expression darkened. “No. I suppose not.” He made no move to leave and, after another pause he said, “I’m surprised you haven’t returned to America.”

She shrugged. “I have a case. It’s not glamorous or exciting, but it’s work I’ve committed to. Besides,” she smiled wryly, “Malfoy’s not going to let me go that easily.”

“Has he threatened you?” he asked sharply.

“Not me directly. But I have a lot of liabilities in America and he has a long reach.”

“How unfortunate.”

“It is what it is. I sent home a nice package of bullets with the Christmas presents and I can always ask Aaron to put an Auror or two on my family if things get too hot.”

He frowned and said, “I should think that Lucius would send someone capable of casting a shield charm sufficient to block a bullet.”

She smiled and answered, “Not the kind of bullets I make.” By this time Miranda’s face was raw with the cold. She glanced up at the stars then back at Severus and said, “I’d better be going. I was supposed to meet Aaron half an hour ago and he’ll think I’m dead if I’m much later. Good night, Severus.”

For a instant he looked as though he were going to take a step closer to her, but he must have thought better of it. He gave her a short bow and said, “Good night, Miranda.” Then he turned and started back towards the school. When he reached the door, he glanced back over his shoulder, but she had already been swallowed up by the night.

*****

Miranda was crossing the Atrium on her way out of the Ministry of Magic the next afternoon, mostly pleased with the way her meeting with Fudge and Malfoy had gone. She’d presented her new ‘intelligence’ and the men had agreed to her expanding her search to Romania. Malfoy had seemed less enthusiastic about the idea than Fudge but, in the end, he had not argued with her overmuch. She had even managed to put off the next meeting to the beginning of February.

She was trying to make a mental list of supplies she would need and research that should be done, but her thoughts kept straying back to her unexpected encounter with Severus the night before. She had sufficient pride that she was not about to go sniffing after him again. However, she also realized that he’d gotten under her skin enough that she probably wouldn’t make it terribly difficult for him if he were to decide to come sniffing after her. Not that it mattered, of course. In the next week or so she’d be out of the country and she highly doubted that their paths would cross before then. 

“A moment, Miss Rose,” Lucius Malfoy’s oily voice interrupted her thoughts.

She sighed and pasted a smile on her face. “Yes, Mr. Malfoy?” she replied, turning to face him.

He gave her a cold smile and said, “Miss Rose, Cornelius may be patient with you, but I expect results. I have been giving you a long leash up to now. Don’t force me to shorten it. If you think that leaving the country will put you out of my reach, rest assured that I can find you, where ever you run.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Mr. Malfoy, I am shocked that you would suggest that I am intending to run out on a job. I would have thought that my references and track record speak for themselves.”

He took a step closer to her and said, “I am simply reminding you of your place.”

“Oh, I’m well aware of my place.”

“I doubt that.” He pulled a photograph out of a pocket and handed it to her. “Such a handsome family you have, Miss Rose. For Muggle scum, of course.”

She took the photograph slowly and saw that it featured her entire family gathered at Thanksgiving. She put it in her bag and said cooly, “How kind of you to think of me. I’ll put it on my mantel.”

“Did you know that your sister-in-law Anna is pregnant? My, you do breed like puffskeins.”

“I get the point, Mr. Malfoy.”

He looked like a cat playing with a mouse. “I’m glad to hear it.” He took another step closer to her and added, “I do hope that you and Severus are being more circumspect in your liaison. The Prince line has been polluted with enough Muggle blood as it is.”

Her eyes flashed and she said in a very low voice, “I’m going to pretend that I didn’t hear you say that. Really, that entire evening at Malfoy Manor was ridiculous, and I’m sure we’d all rather forget that it happened.”

Lucius’s face contorted in anger, but before he could do anything Aaron’s voice echoed through the Atrium.

“Miranda?” Aaron called. “Where have you been? We’re supposed to be having lunch and I’m starving.” As he caught up to the pair, he added, “Lucius, how are you? I’m looking forward to your Christmas party.”

Lucius gave Aaron a short bow. “Aaron. I’m glad to know that you and your wife will grace us with your presence.”

Aaron returned Lucius’s bow. “I’m afraid my wife won’t make it. She’s in the family way and not feeling her best at the moment.”

“How unfortunate. But, of course, we do have to indulge our women when they are breeding.”

“Ain’t it the truth? Miranda here has agreed to accompany me. Narcissa said it wouldn’t be a problem, and I hope that you don’t mind. Miranda and I are schoolmates from Ilvermorny and she’s going to be my child’s godmother.”

A terrible smile spread across Lucius’s face as he turned back to Miranda. “No. I don’t mind at all. Good day Miss Rose. Aaron.” 

Lucius strode back into the Ministry as Aaron and Miranda headed out of it. Neither spoke as they wound their way through the busy London streets. They managed to find a deserted alley a few blocks away for Apparation purposes and they appeared with a crack next to a dumpster behind the Waitrose in New Union Square. Miranda followed Aaron to a drab green door marked ‘Deliveries.’ He tapped the door with his finger and a eye appeared in a crack in the paint.

“Shenandoah,” Aaron said, and the crack split open enough for the two of them to pass through. They slid down a long chute and landed comfortably on the springy floor below. They scrambled to their feet and Aaron waved to a gruff-looking guard sitting behind a desk emblazoned with the imposing MACUSA eagle. 

“ ‘ello Mr. Lee,” The man grunted.

“Hello Nick. Quiet afternoon?”

The other man shrugged and Aaron did not feel the need to continue the conversation. He led Miranda between a row of bronze beaux arts goddesses; Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, and Chastity. Humility stood above the entrance to the stairwell, her head held high in challenge. Aaron’s office was on the level below and Miranda was always impressed by the jewel colored stained-glass windows depicting scenes from MACUSA history that lined the marble staircase leading to it. 

When they reached their destination and the door was safely shut behind them, Aaron leaned against his desk and said, “You want to tell me what’s been going on?”

“I thought we were having lunch,” she replied.

“I already ate with a fella who works at the Ministry; that’s why I was over there. I didn’t know I was going to be getting you out of hot water.”

“I was managing fine by myself.”

“That’s debatable.” He conjured a cigarette for Miranda and one for himself. Once they were lit, he went around his desk and settled himself into his large rolling chair. “Now spill it.”

She sighed and threw herself into the intricately carved chair across from his desk. “I don’t even know where to start. I guess the short version is, Voldemort is back from the dead. Albus Dumbledore has the Order of the Phoenix up and running again and they’re trying to stop Voldemort from rising to power. The Ministry of Magic has its head buried in the sand. Oh, and Lucius Malfoy is a Death Eater.”

“And why are you wrapped up in it? Not that I’m surprised, you have a knack for getting yourself into trouble.”

“Sirius Black—that wizard I’m supposed to be tracking—is a member of the Order. Dumbledore asked me rather forcefully not to find Black.”

“What else did you agree to?”

Miranda frowned and wandered over to the window next to Aaron’s desk. Although they were far underground, the window had been enchanted to give a view of the Lee estate back in Rockingham County. The sun was shining on the snow covered grounds and Miranda watched a cardinal pecking at the bird-feeder that hung from a barren dogwood tree for a moment before answering.

“I’m going to Romania in the new year. There’s a fellow there I’m going to help with recruitment to the Order, under the table of course. And I didn’t join myself, I’m just cooperating.”

Aaron frowned. “As consul I have to say that this isn’t a conflict we want to get wrapped up in.”

“But don’t you think we should do something to help? If Voldemort succeeds there’s no reason to think he’d be happy to stay in England. And we’ve seen Dark Wizards sneak into America before.”

Aaron smoked for a while in silence, considering. “Speaking as consul, we should keep an eye on the situation, but it’s not our problem.”

Miranda rolled her eyes. “Could you tell the consul to take a hike? I want to talk to my friend.”

He smiled. “As your friend, I agree with you. Last thing we want is another Grindelwald.”

“So you’re not going to stop me?”

“I know better than to try. You sure you want to get involved?”

She shrugged. “I’ve never been a mercenary. It’ll look good on my résumé.” He gave her a look and she added, “Joking aside, I can’t just skip out now. Malfoy’s threatening to send some goons to mess with my family if I don’t stay in line.”

Aaron’s brow furrowed. “Is he, now?”

“That’s the only reason I didn’t hex him today. Someone needs to take that man down a peg.”

“You gonna be able to behave yourself at his party?”

“I solemnly swear not to be the one to start anything,” she said in a serious tone. Then she smiled brightly and added, “But if he starts it, I’m going to finish it.”

Aaron snorted. “You just be sure he starts it. You sure you want to be there at all?”

“Are you?”

“I can’t really get out of it.”

“Then I’m game. It’ll be like old times.”

Aaron gave her a wry smile and let the full force of his southern drawl creep into his voice. “Well, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather walk into a den of Death Eaters with than you.”

“Thanks Aaron. I feel the same way.”

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

End Note:

The virtues depicted by the beaux arts statues are taken from a list of virtues complied by Benjamin Franklin.

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

Moonlight Masterpost+

<< Chapter Eleven+

Chapter Thirteen+ >>

[ao3feed-snape]

Thank You Very Much

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/3riueQc

by Lord_Demetrius_King

Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, is proud to say that’s she’s perfectly normal, thank you very much.

Not a spot on her record.

Not an ounce of uniqueness.

Not even a detention.

She was plain.

She was boring.

She was just like everyone else.

She was Perfectly Normal.

  Perfectly Unassuming

 ~•~

Or in which Petunia is lot more dangerous and a lot more emotionally attached to her family.

Words: 1491, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: Gen

Characters: Petunia Evans Dursley, Harry Potter, Lily Evans Potter, Vernon Dursley, Dudley Dursley, Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore

Relationships: Petunia Evans Dursley & Lily Evans Potter, Petunia Evans Dursley & Harry Potter

Additional Tags: Dubious Morality, Family Dynamics, Good Petunia Evans Dursley, ...she's still makes questionable decisions

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3riueQc

[ramajmedia]

Harry Potter: 5 Most Powerful Slytherin Wizards (& 5 Worst)

Within the wizarding world of Harry Potter, there seem to be some near-universal truths. Voldemort is one of the most powerful but one of the worst wizard who ever lived. Albus Dumbledore is the greatest of all time. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is the best magical education in the world. And no one wants to be in house Slytherin unless they're the bad guys or proud, arrogant purebloods.

RELATED: Harry Potter: 10 Hidden Details About Goblins You Probably Missed

While it's true that most of the dark wizards who came from Hogwarts got their education in house Slytherin, the home of the snake isn't only filled with snaky students. Many Slytherin students have done terrible things, but many others have also achieved greatness and goodness that most witches and wizards couldn't even dream of accomplishing. And boy, did some of them pack a powerful punch!

Here are the five most powerful students in Slytherin history, along with the five worst.

10 Worst: Draco Malfoy

As far as dark wizards go, Draco Malfoy is hardly the evilest to ever walk the halls of Hogwarts. Mainly, he is just kind of a smug little jerk, and his willingness to join the Death Eaters was not only an unwise decision but also arrogant as the teenager wrote checks that he couldn't cash.

Draco's moral strength, as well as his backbone, was obviously tragically lacking during most of his time at Hogwarts. However, Draco's failure as a student and Death Eater was probably because he assumed his pureblood made him a stronger wizard, but he found himself bested by others in almost every battle.

9 Most Powerful: Bellatrix Lestrange

To be able to single yourself out as the most unappealing and insufferable Death Eater in Voldemort's army is an accomplishment all on its own. Bellatrix Lestrange is absolutely deranged even on her best days, and her fawning school girl crush on the noseless wonder that is the dark lord is as gross as it is inexplicable.

RELATED: Harry Potter: 10 Hidden Details About Basilisks You Probably Missed

The crimes Bellatrix has committed are too many to count, and she performed every one with her typical manic glee. Watching Molly Weasley finally put Bellatrix in her place for good provided some unforgettable catharsis that every normal person needed after seeing her disgusting shenanigans.

8 Worst: Lucius Malfoy

Clearly the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree. Draco is a shifty little weasel, but it's easy to see where he learned that behavior from. Lucius Malfoy is pretty clearly a bad person, but he's a perfect example of how banal cruelty and evilness can be.

RELATED: Harry Potter: 10 Biggest Twists & Reveals, Ranked

Lucius likes to control, humiliate, and cause people pain, but he's also too weak and self-absorbed to really become one of the evil "greats," so to speak. Lucius is more powerful than some wizards, but relatively speaking he isn't nearly as powerful as he should be considering his role in Voldemort's army. Furthermore, Lucius is mentally weak, an opportunistic person who only has allegiance to himself.

7 Most Powerful: Severus Snape

Severus Snape was a Death Eater turned Hogwarts professor who could apparently call Lord Voldemort and Albus Dumbledore two of his best friends, and it wasn't until his literal last moments of life that it was clear whose side he was truly on.

In a moment that shocked everyone, Snape was revealed to have been an undercover good guy all along, but the mere fact that he could fool absolutely everyone, even the legendary dark lord, served as an astounding testament to his incredible skill as a wizard. Although Snape was never easy to swallow, he used those skills for good.

6 Worst: Dolores Umbridge

Who knew that pure evil was such a fan of fluffy pink bolero jackets? Before her tenure at Hogwarts, Harry Potter and his compatriots had never heard the name Dolores Umbridge, and after they met her they undoubtedly wished they could still say the same.

RELATED: Harry Potter: 12 Ravenclaw Logic Memes That Are Too Hilarious For Words

Professor Umbridge embodies everything that is wrong with the organized magical world, and it's easy to see why she prefers being a pencil pusher over practicing actual magic. Dolores appears to have somewhat formidable magical powers, but the mere fact that she chooses to control and abuse people through bureaucracy makes it seem like she's much less powerful than she'd like to admit.

5 Most Powerful: Voldemort

While old Voldy wanted to be known as the greatest wizard who ever lived, he fell short in his aims. However, he was glad to take the consolation prize of being the most powerful and dangerous dark wizard who ever lived. Furthermore, Voldemort probably would have appreciated the distinction of being the craziest student in the history of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Voldemort's most powerful (and vile) exploits took place after he had already left Hogwarts, but throughout his school career, he had proven that his power was unlike anything the world had ever seen.

4 Worst: Goyle

Prior to the Battle of Hogwarts, Draco's lackeys - Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle - were almost entirely indistinguishable from one another. The dubious way in which Crabbe managed to separate himself from Goyle is something that will be covered later, but Goyle was a Hogwarts student who seemed barely capable of functioning as a normal person let alone as a wizard.

It didn't appear that Goyle had any natural powers of note. His lack of intelligence, coupled with the fact that he seemed to torment other students in the most mundane of ways, make it seem as if Goyle was just a step above a squib.

3 Most Powerful: Merlin

There are powerful wizards, then there are POWERFUL wizards. There are plenty of legends who have left a permanent mark on the wizarding world, but few accomplished so much that they became legends in the muggle world as well.

Merlin is one such wizard. Merlin's most famous and well-known exploits were clearly as part of King Arthur's fabled Knights of the Round Table, but the wizard actually started his career at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. That's right, Merlin was sorted into house Slytherin.

2 Worst: Crabbe

The goal of the Tweedledee and Tweedledum duo of Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle seems to simply be Draco's little bully henchmen, and it's easy to see why. To be frank, someone like Vincent Crabbe doesn't appear to have the aptitude to even use magic correctly let alone wield any legitimate power.

Consequently, Crabbe falls back on the one thing that he knows he can rely on: His fists. If that wasn't enough, this nitwit managed to accidentally kill himself with the Fiendfyre during the Battle of Hogwarts.

1 Most Powerful: Salazar Slytherin

It's pretty tough to top someone like Merlin, but it wouldn't be right for any wizard besides Salazar Slytherin to take the top spot. Obviously Salazar was one of the most powerful wizards of his era, and his influence on the wizarding world became seemingly everlasting once he decided to become a part of the OG Hogwarts quartet.

While the house that bears his name earned a pretty bad rap, Salazar had some pretty admirable qualities that made him a great wizard on top of being a skilled one.

NEXT: Harry Potter: 10 Hidden Details About Dementors You Probably Missed

source https://screenrant.com/harry-potte-slytherin-wizards-powerful-weakest/

[leah-halliwell92]

Princeling

Summary: After seeing what the Dursley’s are when it comes to Muggles, Professor Minerva McGonagall makes the judgement call to take Harry in before the worse can happen.

Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4 – Part 5 – Part 6

Previously:

Mother and son cried as lost memories were returned and what could have been was lost. But one thing was certain neither of them were going to play into the same trap twice. And Minerva was in the mind of killing whoever decided it was a good idea to take her boy from her again.

Part VII

Aberforth stood to give the newly reunited mother and son some space and wondered over to where the medical goblins were treating Harry. 

“They babe has a nasty thing from that,” the small one said pointing to his scar, “Not to worry though, we can take it out with no harm done to him.”

Aberforth nodded in thanks and sat by the babe’s side.

Harry smiled showing off his four teeth causing Abe to smile back.

“May I hold his hand?” He asked the head goblin.

“No harm shall befall you,” she stated sharply before softening at the sight of the babe and said, “You may sooth him now. But be prepared to move away when the time comes.”

Aberforth nodded in understanding and reached for his boy. 

“You are a strong lad aren’t you,” he said soothingly, “Your mother loved you very much my young lad as did your dad. I swear to you my dear boy that you will not grow alone or unattended. You will be cared for, protected and above all loved.”

Harry looked at Aberforth as he spoke, as if he could understand what he was saying. 

Aberforth ran his free hand gently over Harry’s head keeping him calm as the goblins prepared what is needed. 

“My brother has made many mistakes in his life,” he said mournfully, “But this...leaving you alone for a service that is not yours to complete is unacceptable.”

The more he spoke, the sleepier Harry felt. In hindsight that is good, this way completing the ritual would begin without much fuss.

“The soul fragment has yet to latch onto his core,” the head medical goblin said, “Fortunately, his mother’s protection has kept him safe thus far from the fragment’s webbing.”

Aberforth had paled considerably upon the information that the goblin had given. A soul fragment? Then that would mean that V–he had gone ahead and made a horcrux for himself. 

He nodded at the goblin and moved away once Harry had fallen asleep.

“The ritual will be trying but swift, as was said, the fragment has not yet tied itself to the babe’s core,” she placed crystals of varying colors around Harry, “The extraction shall cause discomfort so I suggest you remain where he can see you.”

“I’ll take it from here Aberforth,” he heard Severus say voice clipped tone cold. If Aberforth had been anyone else, he’d have thought that Severus was being deliberately rude. But he saw the red in and around the young man’s eyes, the weariness that has set itself in his shoulders and the barely concealed pain that he might lose something he hadn’t known he needed. 

Aberforth nodded placing a supportive hand on Severus’ shoulder as he passed him by. 

He took his place beside a despondent Minerva who was staring into the fireplace. 

“Why would he do this Abe?” Minerva asked voice thick with tears, “Why would someone who claimed to be my friend and whom I spent years confiding in do something like this?”

Aberforth felt his chest tighten, and he didn’t know how to answer her. He had no answer for any of her question. He wished he did then maybe her could help her heal without confronting Albus. 

“He did it because he saw a chance and took it,” Severus said unforgivingly, “He saw a lost boy who’d gained a family after years of abuse and thought, “well he is a good candidate for what I have planned”, and proceeded to tear lives apart.”

Aberforth had to admit, Severus has him there. However, he knew that no matter how powerful his brother is there is no way Albus could have planned such a plan without some...visual help. He decided to keep that to himself for the time being and focused on keeping calm for all parties present. 

“It has begun,” the medical goblin said. And no sooner had she said it, Severus fell to his knees clutching at his arm.

Minerva and Aberforth stood and were about to go to Severus when the head goblin that was with them stopped them with a clawed hand. 

Another medical goblin came out of nowhere to examine Severus’ arm. 

“His mark is fighting the ritual,” they said, “It will be painful but not impossible to remove.”

The goblins set to work to replicate what they’d done with Harry to Severus, maybe killing two birds with one stone as they went. 

Aberforth and Minerva remained where they were not knowing how to react or help. Minerva looked on helplessly tears falling as she saw the pain her boy was going through. The couple thanked Merlin knowing the goblins had placed a sleeping charm on Harry as they did their jobs.

“Calm pet,” Aberforth said taking her in his arms, “He is a strong one our boy, he will make it through this.”

“I hope so Abe, if not you’ll be looking to make arrangements for your brother’s funeral,” Minerva said eyes alight with fire.

/00//00//

A/N: Like and reblog if you enjoyed reading!! Let me know if you want to be tagged.

Tag list: @disneymarina @hoefordarkness @thebeautyofdisorder @lets-talk-about-claes-baby @toooftenobsessed @smailaway @lady-sigyn, @therealcountdracula1931  @lokiisbrucebanner @197863451  @miranak @nanasoo @thehallowsden @yangaiko @girldxckcentral @littlemessyjessi @glamrockmonarch @the-life-and-times-of-a-nerd @hellosweetyspoilers @littleladybaker​

[leah-halliwell92]

Princeling

Summary: After seeing what the Dursley’s are when it comes to Muggles, Professor Minerva McGonagall makes the judgement call to take Harry in before the worse can happen.

Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4

Previously:

“Come now lass, you can’t say you’re not excited over what the future holds,” he said laying on his side to face her taking her hands in his.

Minerva wanted to scoff but gave into the smile.

“Goodnight Abe,” she said tenderly.

He returned her smile and placed a kiss on her hands, “Good night tabby.”

//-//

Part V

Severus woke up startled the following morning a bit before dawn to the cries of a wee babe. He looked over to find Harry fat tears falling from his green eyes looking like he’d seen a ghost...and perhaps he had.

Severus went to the cot and picked Harry up bouncing him lightly as he waved his free hand about checking the wards on his home to find nothing, to his great relief, had been disturbed. He made his way to the ensuite bathroom and turned the lights on blinking wildly at the bright light. 

“Calm down scamp,” he said gently looking Harry over, making sure he was alright aside from the inflamed scar, “Nothing will get you here. Now let’s get you cleaned up and into something clean.”

Severus spoke calmly and tenderly to the toddler as he undressed him and took off the diaper. 

‘I’ll��have to get every book under the sun and beyond to know how to do anything for one of these,’ he thought as he wet small towel with warm water getting it thoroughly wet. 

Harry calmed under the dark man’s care feeling safe in his hold as he was being washed. Harry had seen a picture of the man on his mama’s table and had heard her call him Sev. 

“There you are little one,” Severus said with a small grin, “You’re all clean now. Let’s see what we can find to put on you.”

He made quick work of washing his own face rinsing his mouth before setting the babe back into his cot. He picked up a pair of dark jeans and grey t-shirt before heading for the bathroom once again. He made quick work of changing and headed out taking Harry downstairs along with him. 

It’s a bit before 6, the sun wasn’t even showing rays in the horizon yet, so Severus took a moment to get everything he’d need for a quick breakfast, while he could being one currently one-handed. The kettle was filled, the breakfast items were put on the counter and all was quiet save for Harry’s baby babble in his ear. 

“This seem good to you?” He asked looking at the toddler.

Harry looked at him eyes wide and cooed. 

“Granny Tabby will just have to deal with no cream in her milk today,” he said said with a satisfied nod and made his way to the library.

“I remember your mum liking this book,” he said with a sad grin as he picked up “Alice in Wonderland”, “She always seemed to think me a butterfly for some reason.”

He took a seat on his wingback placing Harry on his lap before opening the book and starting to read.

//Time Skip – an hour later//

Minerva snuggled into the warmth beneath her as she came to. She sighed contentedly having not had such a good night sleep since the war began. She felt the pillow movie and started as found herself pulled tight to Aberforth. She lay back down her head on his chest as she remembered the events of the previous evening. She closed her eyes and felt as his chest rose and fell with each breath. She thanked Merlin and any deity that would listen for this second chance at happiness and promised not to waste it. 

She extracted herself from his grip and wandered into the bathroom to prepare for the long day ahead. She made quick work of transfiguring her clothing into a modest winter dress and made quick work of braiding her hair before going downstairs to find it empty. 

“Severus?” She called as she made her way through the bottom floor of the house.

“In here Minerva,” she heard coming from the library. 

Minerva walked in to find Severus walking back and forth holding Harry to him as the babe snoozed on his shoulder. One thumb in mouth while his free hand gripped Severus’ shirt in a death grip. 

Minerva couldn’t help the silly grin on her face as she took in the sight. She knew her boy would make a good father if given the chance. 

“Not a word Minerva,” Severus hissed in a whisper, he knew what he looked like, he didn’t need to be mollycoddled. 

Minerva looked like the proverbial cat that caught the canary and just followed Severus into the kitchen where he went about turning on the stove and prepping the pot for tea the muggle way. 

Meanwhile...

Aberforth woke not long after Minerva and heard her downstairs so, momentarily, ignored that is most definitely not a morning person and worked on transfiguring his own clothing. That done, he focused on the glamour that made him look so like Albus it was almost uncanny. He waved his wand and strongly said, “finite”. 

He watched as his eyes lightened some and his hair darken a substantial amount. He almost didn’t recognize himself as the changes happened before his eyes.

He grinned at himself in the mirror as he saw the blended features of his parents on his face. He saw his mother in his nose and mouth and his father in his eyes and chin. He eyed the long hair and beard questioningly and made a mental note to replace the sheers he found in the medicine cabinet and cut them both short. 

He made his way downstairs hearing the tinkering of plates and cutlery as he approached the kitchen to find Severus manning the stove as Minerva cut up some fruit for Harry. 

“Good morning Aberforth,” Severus said without turning.

Minerva gasped when she saw Abe at the doorway. Could that really be him?

Aberforth shifted on his feet but stood his ground, he wouldn't to be cowed by his nerves. Changes are happening, and he was going to do his very best to roll with it, as the saying goes, and land on his feet as his own man after years of being under his brother’s shadow. 

//00//00//

A/N: Like and reblog if you enjoyed reading!! Let me know if you want to be tagged.

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[leah-halliwell92]

Princeling

Summary: After seeing what the Dursley’s are when it comes to Muggles, Professor Minerva McGonagall makes the judgement call to take Harry in before the worse can happen. 

"He just left him there Abe," Minerva McGonagall told Aberforth Dumbledore after hours at the Hog's Head.

It is November the first, way to early in the morning to be drinking fire whiskey and yet the occasion called for it.

"What did he say about the muggles who are supposed to be the boy's family?" Aberforth asked in awe at what his brother was doing.

Minerva shrugged as she sipped at her drink.

"Did he not care?" He asked at awe, "He's just a boy!"

Minerva shrugged again and said, "There needs to be a way for the blood wards to protect the boy without leaving him there.”

“I’ll call Severus,” Aberforth said and moved the floor leaving a flabbergasted Minerva at the bar wondering why Severus was needed. 

“I knew I should have taken the boy,” an exasperated Severus said taking a seat next Minerva. 

“Did you warn Albus against having Harry placed there as well?” Minerva asked in awe at the Severus who’s shoulders would hit the floor if they could. 

Severus nodded mutely at her before thanking Aberforth for his drink. 

“I warned him that leaving Harry there would end with the child in more than some trouble through his life,” he said downing half his measure in one swallow. 

“It can’t truly be because they are muggles Severus,” she said affronted that it was a blood problem. 

“Petunia Durslely nee Evans,” he said voice dark as his eyes looked far away, “She was horribly jealous of Lily, to the point where it led to horrible angry envy.”

Her eyes widened at this revelation and sputtered, “You don’t really think that–”

“She will take out her anger on a harmless, guiltless child?” Severus finished for her, “Yes.”

Aberforth, who was standing behind the bar in front of the duo shook his head at this remember how it was for his dear Arianna. How her attack led to worse and how the same could happen to Harry for the fact that he is magic. 

“Which bring’s forth the question of, what are were going to do?” Minerva said after downing the last of her drink.

“It’s still dark out,” Aberforth said voice filled with conviction at what he was about to propose, “If you want to stop something before it happens now is the time to take him while in the cover of darkness.”

“Aberforth, are you suggesting what I think you are?” Minerva asked incredulously. 

Meanwhile Severus stood and transfigured his handkerchief into a Moses basket being mindful that it was well insulated. A thestrals would have to do it would look odd if he was seen getting a broom at this time of the night especially by the Headmaster. 

“I am Min,” the older man said, “I’ve seen what can happen if a child withholds their magic once, I'll not have this happen a second time if I can help it.”

Minerva nodded and gave him a soft grateful grin before shifting to her animals form. The tabby jumped in the basket, much to the dark wizard’s chagrin, and settled.

“What will you do Aberforth?” Severus asked before leaving the establishment. 

“We’re going to need a place to keep the babe,” Aberforth said thoughtfully, “I’ll take the time to see where we can go that is quiet enough for a babe to be raised. It will most likely have to be a muggle town.”

“We will discuss it when we return,” Severus said, “Go to my home in Spinner’s End. Should be a good place to start before your brother catches wind of anything.”

Aberforth nodded and began closing and locking down the place before flopping away. 

Severus looked down at the tabby and said, “This war has taken enough lives. Let’s not waste another.”

Minerva nodded and lay down letting the man make his way to the Forbidden Forest to the heard of thestrals that was there. 

00//00//00

A/N: Like and reblog if you liked the first part!! Let me know if you want to be tagged. 

Tag list: @disneymarina​ @hoefordarkness​ @thebeautyofdisorder​ @lets-talk-about-claes-baby​ @toooftenobsessed​

[leah-halliwell92]

Princeling

Summary: After seeing what the Dursley’s are when it comes to Muggles, Professor Minerva McGonagall makes the judgement call to take Harry in before the worse can happen.

Part 1

Previously:

Severus looked down at the tabby and said, “This war has taken enough lives. Let’s not waste another.”

Minerva nodded and lay down letting the man make his way to the Forbidden Forest to the heard of thestrals that was there.

Part II

“We need to find a way to read the Potter will,” Severus said as he landed the thestrals a few ways away from the actual neighborhood. It wouldn’t do them any good to be seen by anyone. 

Minerva meowed from her place in the basket, her way of agreeing to what he’d said. 

“Lead the way Minerva,” he said putting the basket down.

She looked up at him and blinked owlishly, “Meow.”

He sighed exasperatedly and said, “I’m not carrying you.”

“Meow,” she patted the edge of the basket.

He sighed and grabbed the basket handles making sure the thestrals stayed where they'd landed before following Minerva’s meowing down the road to the house. 

It wasn’t hard to miss and he rolled his eyes when he found the shivering bundled that is one year old Harry Potter.

“He didn’t even bother placing a warming charm on him!?” Seethed Severus in a whisper. 

Minerva looked down in shame. She had not considered doing so and thought Albus had done it while she was calming Hagrid down. She should have double checked.

“Don’t worry yourself sick Minerva,” Severus whispered, “Albus wouldn’t be Albus if he didn’t have everyone’s unconditional blind trust and admiration as the leader of the light.”

She lay in the basket still in disbelief at herself for not checking. 

He picked up the the shivering babe and placed him beside Minerva who wiggled under the blanket to help warm Harry.

Severus placed a mild warming charm on Harry and pocketed the letter before making his way to where the thestrals is and fly to Cokeworth. 

Aberforth greeted them in the backyard as the thestral landed smoothly as to not wake the babe.

“If you can sit with him by the fire and bring his body temperature up some before unraveling him from the blanket,” Severus instructed carefully passing the basket to Aberforth who looked more than a little surprised at seeing where Minerva lay dozing next to the babe who had a death grip on her fur. 

“She’s almost as asleep as the babe,” Aberforth said in awe. 

“I’d watch out if I were you,” Severus warned, “We found the babe shivering and not a hint or residue of a warming charm.”

Aberforth’s eyes widened in wonder at that, “Did he not...?”

Severus shook his head and flew off to Hogwarts leaving Aberforth alone with a baby and a probably very pissed off tabby. 

He made his way back inside to Severus’ sitting room and did as was told. 

Minerva managed to get out of Harry’s hold and jumped out of the basket. 

“Minerva,” Aberforth began, “It’s not your fault.”

Minerva shook her fur out at that and jumped on the sofa next to him. 

Aberforth dared to lay a hand on her back. 

The baby cooed in his sleep. 

Aberforth shifted in his seat and picked up the bundle from the Moses basket. 

Minerva meowed as Aberforth unraveled the babe from his blanket, after making sure his temperature was alright. 

“He’s alright Pet,” Aberforth said tenderly as he ran his fingers over her coat, “Best not wake him dear.”

Just as he said this, the babe yawned and his Lily green eyes shown as the fire made them almost glow. 

Minerva let out a cat like scoffed laugh and jumped off the sofa to step into the hallway. 

“No need to laugh,” Aberforth said with a gruff as a now human Minerva walked in her outer cloak in hand. 

He gave the babe a gentle bounce as Minerva set her cloak down and took a seat beside him. 

“I do hope he’s not as head first as his father,” Minerva said running a knuckle gently down the one year old’s cheek. 

“He’s going to be a pleasant mix of his parents I think,” Aberforth said with a knowing nod. 

Harry got wiggly so Abe picked him up underneath his armpits and stood him on his lap allowing the babe to wave his arm around. 

“You might need to shave,” Minerva said giving his shoulder a gentle shove.

“I can finally take this blasted glamour off then,” he said with a grateful sigh as he continued bouncing the babe. 

“What do you mean?” Minerva asked curiously not having known this. 

“There came a point during his time with one Gellert Grindelwald that he got it in his head that I took too much to our mother in looks. Grindelwald took it upon himself to modify my physical appearance to look more like Albus.”

“And you’ve never taken it off?” Minerva said in numb shock at his revelation. 

He shook his head and said, “I didn’t see the need for it. Albus didn’t do or say anything especially after he was deemed second to Merlin himself after his fight with Grindelwald.”

“You must have been a lady killer then,” Minerva said trying to lighten up the mood. 

He shrugged at that and focused on keeping Harry from tugging at his beard. 

Minerva observed as Aberforth stood placing the lad on his hip and lit up the room with a wave of his hand. 

“Aren’t you a charming babe eh?” he said talking to Harry in a soft and tender tone. 

“You’re avoiding the question,” she said pursing her lips one brow in the air. 

He gave a very un-Dumbledore shrug and kept his attention on the baby.

“Come now Abe,” she said softy, as to not upset Harry, “What is it?”

“Nothing, really,” he said honestly tickling Harry under his chin causing the babe to giggle. 

Minerva looked like she was going to push on one matter. Luckily for him though, a tired looking Severus came through the fire looking like he’d run a marathon and was breathing like it too.

“Pardon my lateness,” he said trying to catch his breath, “Your brother is on a rampage this evening and is most likely going to hold an Order meeting these days. Aside from that, I don’t think he suspects anything.”

The older couple nodded at this and sighed in relief. When it came to Albus they had some time before anything needed to be rushed. 

“What should we do then?” Minerva asked clearly out of her element. 

Aberforth adjusted his hold on Harry as the babe got antsy.

“Yes lad?” He asked the babe as he plopped him on his bottom atop the table.

Harry pointed to Severus and extended his arms to him. 

Severus gave in to the boy and took him from Aberforth’s arms. 

The two stared at each other. One in curiosity and the other clearly at a loss as to what to do from there. Severus for his part, took this time to do some introspection. Not only regarding how he feels, or will feel, towards Harry, but also towards his parents and their respective friends. Also what this will mean for when the Dark Lord would ultimately return, as Albus so kindly told him on his way back to Spinner’s End after flying in on the thestral. 

There was no love lost between him and James Potter, he knew that. But he also knew he’d never condemn a child for the sins of the father. And like hell would he let Albus poison him against Harry for looking like James and having Lily’s eyes. The same eyes staring at him in wonder and curiosity. He could see them in Harry’s eyes...James and Lily. Severus isn’t a fool, he knew that this boy would always carry both as their son. He would always miss his friend and childhood love. And knew he’d care for her son as if he were his own son. As it shall be. 

“Before we begin...” Severus said with a deep sigh, “There is something you both must know.”

00//00//00

A/N: Like and reblog if you liked the first part!! Let me know if you want to be tagged.

Tag list: @disneymarina​ @hoefordarkness​ @thebeautyofdisorder​ @lets-talk-about-claes-baby​ @toooftenobsessed​ @smailaway @lady-sigyn​, @therealcountdracula1931​ @hoefordarkness​ @lokiisbrucebanner​ @197863451​ @always-severus-stan​ @miranak​ @nanasoo​ @thehallowsden​

[leah-halliwell92]

Princeling

Summary: After seeing what the Dursley’s are when it comes to Muggles, Professor Minerva McGonagall makes the judgement call to take Harry in before the worse can happen.

Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4 – Part 5 – Part 6 – Part 7

Previously:

Aberforth and Minerva remained where they were not knowing how to react or help. Minerva looked on helplessly tears falling as she saw the pain her boy was going through. The couple thanked Merlin knowing the goblins had placed a sleeping charm on Harry as they did their jobs.

“Calm pet,” Aberforth said taking her in his arms, “He is a strong one our boy, he will make it through this.”

“I hope so Abe, if not you’ll be looking to make arrangements for your brother’s funeral,” Minerva said eyes alight with fire.

//00//00//

Part 8

Minerva had been handed a still sleeping Harry and proceeded to pace as she gently bounced the snoozing baby as means of trying to keep herself busy as she watched her other buy writhe on the floor of the chamber as the goblin healers worked to free him from his mark. She watched as Aberforth remained close in case anything happened. 

She could see the goblin healers pushing hard at their task and her resolve nearly broke at seeing her boy’s silent scream. 

An eternity seemed to pass by when she heard Aberforth gasp. 

“What is it? Is he alright!?” She asked as she approached him.

“All is well,” the lead healer said, “The dark mark has been successfully removed from his person. And soul cleansed of the foul stench of its grasp. There is however evidence of vow that has been layered.”

Minerva looked at the goblin healer at a loss. 

“A layered vow?” She asked clearly not understanding how such a thing is possible.

“The founding or original vow was made from the heart,” the goblin explained as the runic signs that floated atop Severus floated in sync, “Love magics are and have always been something powerful. No matter the kind of love, magics born from love are always powerful.”

Aberforth and Minerva shared a knowing look.

“Lily,” Minerva said mournfully, “He loved Lily so much.”

“He must have promised to care for the lad,” Aberforth said looking at their boy in understanding. He more than most knew of what had occurred between Severus and Lily, and the cause of it.

“That however does not explain the layering of another vow atop the old one,” Minerva pointed out worriedly.

“It could be Albus’ doing,” Aberforth said neutrally, “He could be using this vow, whether he knows of it or not I don’t know, to keep Severus under his thumb. The vow or promise by mouth made from Severus to Albus to be a spy might not be at all related to the base vow but an instigation of it.” “Carefully said words driving a pike,” Minerva said as realization dawned, “Albus might not be aware of the promise Severus made to care for Harry, but might know enough to drive his own point home.”

Aberforth nodded somberly at this and said, “And even if Severus did promise Albus anything from spying to protecting Harry when he arrived in school the magic of the vow that is already in place would have seen that as another added to itself.”

The goblin healer nodded as the magicals came to the likeliest conclusion. 

“As far as the base vow is concerned, one has no relation to the other,” the goblin said, “The vow made to Albus Dumbledore has been made null and void by original vow as that is the one that is being fulfilled.”

The couple heaved a sigh of relief at this and new that their boys were on the road to recovery. 

“Let us now hope to Merlin Albus doesn’t do anything stupid,” Aberforth said with a scoff that said he knew that his darling big brother wouldn’t just hold his tongue. 

Time seemed to slowly tick by as the couple waited for Severus to come around. 

When he did come to Severus breathed a sigh feeling so much lighter than he’d felt in a long time. The absence of the mark obvious by the lack of ink on his arm and how at ease he instantly felt without that shadow on his heart. 

“How are you feeling son?” Aberforth asked as he approached him and offered his hand to help him up.

“Weak, but that is to be expected,” Severus said with a small grin and turned to the goblins in the room and bowed in respect, “I thank you for your aid and am in your debt.”

The goblins gave a short bow in acceptance and said, “You’re bringing young Mr. Potter has given us much help with a problematic vault sirs and madam.”

The trio gave the goblins an odd look.

“Whose vault is it if I may ask,” Severus asked.

After much deliberation from the present goblins the head nodded and said, “Lestrange.”

Severus’ blood ran cold, he knew the Dark Lord had given something of import to Bella but never knew exactly what.

“We are aware that such problems have nothing do with the human wizarding world,” Severus said neutrally, “However if this object is what I believe it is, may I request to examine the remains should there be any remaining? Doing so may help in bringing an end to something that should have died when my boy’s parents were killed.”

The goblins agreed to this and said they’d keep him in touch when they did indeed decide to confront the evil in that vault.

The trio and babe left the bank all of them feeling like they’d run a marathon. Minerva transfigured a crib for Harry to nap in as Aberforth helped himself to Severus’ alcohol cabinet. He offered one to Minerva who took it gratefully. 

“None for me,” Severus said sinking even deeper into his wingback, “I’ll need a pepper up later on or even better a headache soother after that ordeal. The little one won’t be feeling too good tomorrow so we will need our heads tomorrow for a fussy baby.”

The older couple nodded with a small grin before everything seemed to hit them at once. Severus began to laugh and laugh...and laugh. Hysterical laughter that seemed to travel onto Aberforth and Minerva. Relief washed fully over him and soon tears fell hot and heavy as the realization that he is truly free washed over him. 

Minerva stood in front of her boy and pulled him to her.

Severus pulled her as close as was humanly possible as he got his mother back. He sobbed into her middle like a small child would, and wished he’d not have to ever let her go again.

Aberforth looked on eyes heavy with emotion as he saw mother and son truly reunite. HIs bother had really outdone himself this time, so much so he didn’t know how they were all supposed to forgive him for this one let alone trust him enough to play his own game against him...whatever game it is he is playing. 

He left the sitting room making sure to leave a note and went to at least get Harry crib to sleep in and some clothing. Something told him they were all going to crash as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

/00//00//

A/N: Like and reblog if you enjoyed reading!! Let me know if you want to be tagged.

Tag list: @disneymarina @hoefordarkness @thebeautyofdisorder @lets-talk-about-claes-baby @toooftenobsessed @smailaway @lady-sigyn, @therealcountdracula1931  @lokiisbrucebanner @197863451 @miranak @nanasoo @thehallowsden @yangaiko @girldxckcentral @littlemessyjessi @glamrockmonarch @the-life-and-times-of-a-nerd @hellosweetyspoilers @littleladybaker​

[ao3feed-snape]

Holy War

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/34TO4rc

by piq_snine

Harry Potter meets Severus Snape on the street one day. Since then, they share their thoughts, their dreams, and expectations of Harry's school years and the future laid out before him. However, Albus Dumbledore steps between them in the name of propriety and Harry's safety. Brokenhearted, Harry and Severus try their best to keep their strange friendship away from Albus' attention. With the only form of mental communication taken from them, Severus misses the opportunity to save Harry from a fate none had ever expected.

Neville Longbottom has been forced onto the path created for Harry Potter. And as the boy-who-lived, Neville struggles with all the challenges that come with being the Wizarding Savior. With strong morals and a shaky wand hand, Neville had never thought he'd have to make the most difficult decision in his life by betraying his first friend and abandoning him to cruel hands.

Words: 20182, Chapters: 2/10, Language: English

Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage

Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi

Characters: Harry Potter, Severus Snape, Neville Longbottom, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, Tom Riddle | Voldemort, Thorfinn Rowle, Rodolphus Lestrange, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, Albus Dumbledore

Relationships: Harry Potter & Severus Snape, Harry Potter/Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy/Harry Potter, Harry Potter/Thorfinn Rowle, Rodolphus Lestrange/Harry Potter

Additional Tags: Kidnapping, Pseudo-Incest, Violence, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Underage Sex, Dubious Consent, Slytherin Harry Potter, Overpowered Harry Potter, Clever Harry Potter, Orgy, Finished, the corruption arc everyone wants

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/34TO4rc