The Servant of Lord Voldemort Part 1
Things were tense in the chamber the following morning. Sirius had informed Harry about the mass exodus after his argument with Mrs Weasley and Harry had been glad to hear that the other adults had seemed to see his side of things. Even if Mrs Weasley didn't. He was actively keeping his gaze away from where the Weasley parents were sitting, still too angry to talk to her.
Hermione screamed. ... he'd received a huge electric shock.
"What's that?" Blaise asked Theo.
Theo shrugged. "Something muggle?"
"I found this... "Very useful, Potter, I thank you. . . . "
Sirius almost laughed. James would be rolling in his grave to learn Snape had ever used his cloak.
Snape was slightly breathless... so I took a gobletful along.
Remus suddenly got to his feet. "Wait! It's not the full moon, right?"
He looked at Harry and was horrified to read the answer right there on his face.
"I didn't drink my potion. You all need to leave. It's not safe," Remus said, beginning to pace, clearly panicked now.
And very lucky I did... I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight. "
Severus groaned. Was he really such a dunderhead that he didn't consider the real danger they were all in?
"Severus -" ... use this old place as your hideout -"
Remus paced the chamber. Severus wondered if a calming draught would help at all. Werewolves were notorious for being unaffected by many medical potions.
"Severus, you're making a mistake... a tame werewolf -"
"There's no such thing," Remus growled.
"You fool," ... "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will. "
"Ropes won't hold me for long if I transform," Remus said. "You all need to leave."
Black stopped dead... showed more hatred.
"I don't hate you," Sirius muttered.
"I know that, mutt," Severus replied, his voice surprisingly tinged with warmth.
Harry stood there... what they've got to say, w-would it?"
"Why aren't you all leaving?" Remus demanded angrily, his eyes flashing amber.
"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension... For once in your life, hold your tongue. "
"Technically, you could say Weasley was kidnapped," Sirius countered.
"But if - if there was a mistake -"... Hermione fell silent.
Mr Granger had to remind himself that the man in the chamber had not said these things to his daughter. But he promised himself he'd be keeping a closer eye on her this time around.
"Vengeance is very sweet,"... "I'll come quietly. . . . "
Severus grimaced. He didn't quite understand what this chamber was doing to them. Was there some sort of mind altering magic in the air or something? He'd always hated Black and yet now, he couldn't seem to imagine hating him again. It really was strange. If it wasn't for his own occlumency shields he'd think someone had him under the imperius curse. Or a compulsion at the very least.
"Up to the castle?" ... pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay. . .
Severus looked like he might vomit. He didn't want that. Perhaps he might have done, had they not come to this chamber. Had Black not apologised. But this Black. His Black. Didn't deserve the kiss.
What little color there was... He seemed beyond reason.
"Anger and resentment will do that to a person," Claudius muttered. "It clouds all reason."
"Come on, all of you,"... Perhaps the Dementors will have a kiss for him too -"
Several people gasped in horror. How could he talk so callously about the dementor's kiss in front of children?
Before he knew what he was doing... "If I hadn't been here to save your skin -"
Harry actually rolled his eyes. "I like you, Professor. And I respected your older self. He did safe my life a lot. But this is not one of those times."
"Professor Lupin could have killed me... "Get out of the way, Potter. "
"Oh, Harry's going to blow," George murmured.
"YOU'RE PATHETIC!" ... YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN -"
Severus grimaced.
"SILENCE!... like son, Potter!
"Everyone is always comparing me to him," Harry grumbled. "I've never even met him. How can I be anything like him? You know what, Professor."
Severus looked at him, his eyebrow raised.
"You've influenced who I am more than my father ever did," Harry said. "So, if your older self doesn't like who I've become he only has himself and the other teachers to blame."
There was truth in that, Severus had to admit. He nodded. He wanted to say that his older self was a fool for not liking the young man but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Not without saying far more than that.
I have just saved your neck... you might be mistaken in Black -
"I didn't trust Sirius but I wanted answers," Harry said with a sigh. "I wanted to make sure that I knew the truth one way or the other."
- now get out of the way... a split second.
Severus knew what was coming. He was about to be attacked by a student and his older self would not be impressed. This would end very badly indeed.
"What is wrong with the lot of you?" Remus cried, dropping back onto the sofa. "You're in a room with a werewolf on the full moon. One who has not taken his potion. And you're all acting like it doesn't matter."
"I'm sorry, Remus," Harry said, taking the werewolf's hand in his own.
Before Snape could take even one step ... He had been knocked out.
"You're lucky you all cast at the same time," Severus said. "You'd never have taken me down otherwise."
"I know, Professor," Harry said with a small smile.
Harry looked around... "You shouldn't have done that," said Black, looking at Harry.
"I still can't believe we attacked a teacher," Hermione whispered.
Her parents were staring at her in shock.
"You should have left him ... he'd done the right thing.
"That's fair," Sirius said with a sigh.
"We attacked a teacher... "Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble -"
A round of laughter echoed through the chamber at the sound of Hermione panicking.
Lupin was struggling against his bonds... where the ropes had cut into them.
"Don't untie me, you fool!" Remus grumbled.
"Thank you, Harry," ... Ron clutched Scabbers closer to his chest.
"I thought they were bloody mental," Ron said defensively.
"Come off it," ... which one he is after if he was locked up in Azkaban?"
"Good question!" Moody growled.
"You know, Sirius... there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers.
"The minister gave you the paper!" one of the children cried out.
"How did you get this?" ... to where Harry was. . . "
Sirius sank into the sofa in relief. He wasn't just there for revenge. He wanted to protect Harry from Peter.
"My God," ... "What about it?" said Ron defiantly.
Everyone stared at the book in awe.
"He's got a toe missing," ... and sped down into the sewer with the other rats. . . . "
Amelia frowned. She needed to get Black and Pettigrew a trial as soon as they returned. Well, after she removed Potter from his relative's house. She would need to send Alastor, Kingsley and Tonks to the Burrow to contain the rat.
"Didn't you ever hear, Ron?" ... "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"
"Very long for a common garden rat," young Hermione muttered.
"We - we've been taking... Sirius was on the loose again..."
The younger ones were getting restless. This book had a lot more talking in it than the others had. And they’d already found out most of this during their time in the chamber.
"He's been scared of that mad cat!" ... since the time when Black had escaped. . . .
Tonks groaned. "Just cast the anti animagus spell already."
"This cat isn't mad," ... and he's been helping me. . . "
"He's still a menace," someone muttered.
"What do you mean?" ... As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table. . . "
"See!" Neville said. "I didn't leave it lying around."
"I'm deeply sorry, Mr Longbottom," Minerva said with a sigh.
Harry's brain seemed to be sagging... Well, faking his own death had worked once. "
"Called it!" Sirius smirked.
These words jolted Harry to his senses... like you killed my parents!"
Everyone sighed. They were going round in circles. And the danger was getting more pronounced by the second. Remus could transform at any moment.
"No," said Lupin... with an evil look at Scabbers.
Sirius sighed. His older self really wasn't helping himself. He glanced towards the mind healers. Perhaps he should schedule an appointment… Azkaban had clearly stunted his emotional maturity. And yes, Severus’s potion was helping but he needed to make sure he was the best possible parent for Harry.
"Then I should've let Snape take you!" Harry shouted.
"I deserved that," Sirius said.
"No you didn't." Harry wrapped his arms around his godfather.
"I did. Because I was thinking about revenge," Sirius said gently. "I'm really sorry, Harry. You are far more important than any revenge I could ever get."
"Harry,"... Sirius tracked Peter down -"
Everyone stayed quiet. You could practically hear the tension in the chamber.
"THAT'S NOT TRUE!"... HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!"
"I as good as did," Sirius said. "It was my blasted idea to use Peter."
He was pointing at Black... use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me. . .
"See, it was my fault," Sirius whimpered.
I'm to blame, I know it... and their bodies...
Several people had tears in their eyes.
I realized what Peter... Ron, give me that rat. "
"Yes. Prove it once and for all," Amelia said with a huff.
"What are you going to do... it won't hurt him. "
"Get on with it, Ron," young Percy said. He wanted that rat gone as soon as possible.
Ron hesitated... his wet eyes suddenly seemed to be burning in his face.
Everyone leaned forward eagerly. So far they'd just taken Harry's word for it that the rat was in fact an animagus. Now they'd finally have proof.
"Together?" ... THREE!"
Silence reigned in the chamber as they all anticipated what would happen next.