Magical Little Raven

‘I am telling you, there was a breach in the wards.’ Severus was frantic and paced around the Headmaster’s office. With him were Minerva, Lucius, Remus and of course Flitwick. Sprout and Sinistra came in, just hearing his statement. ‘What happened?’

‘Severus saw a strange…figure…on the edge of the Dark Forest. This stranger seemed to disappear suddenly, after mentioning his name.’ Lucius spoke.

Of course, this was cause for worry. The wards not only applied to the castle but the grounds as well. ‘And you said there was a raven perched on his shoulder?’ Severus nodded. He and Minerva looked at each other…could this have anything to do with Regina Potter and the message from the Codex?

‘We need to tell you all something. Better sit down.’ Since Lucius already knew everything, it was only fair that the others were given the same information. Flitwick conjured up more chairs and after everyone was seated, Severus told them about what was learned that day at Gringotts.

‘She is not dead, but…I don’t understand. They killed her, they went to Azkaban for her murder…what are you saying?’ Remus sounded distraught.

‘According to the Morte Codex, the girl is not in the Shadowlands. From what I know, that is the place where souls are taken after people die. And after that, it’s actually unclear what happens to souls. Heaven, hell, no one knows.’ Severus hated the fact that he could not be more clear.

‘So, this person that you saw, that spoke to you, could that be Death?’ Pomona asked with a shiver in her voice. Severus shrugged. ‘I really don’t know.’

Lucius was a very smart man, with a vast knowledge of a lot of things. After he and Narcissa were informed by Severus, he had looked to more than one book, looking for answers. Normally, as a Slytherin, he placed things close to the vest, but this was a different situation. ‘Have any of you ever heard of the Endless?’ he asked.

‘The what now?’ Remus looked confused. He was still processing everything Severus had just explained. So Lucius explained to his colleagues what his wife had told him. Silence followed.

‘So what you are saying…is that there are beings…that are like aspects of people’s personality traits, and they are older than time itself?’ Minerva had asked the question.

‘Well, Narcissa knows more about this than me, if I am honest. But Desire, Despair and Delirium are emotions that we can feel. We all have once desired something and Merlin knows, we know despair too…it is not a stretch to think that Dream, Destiny and the others exist. We all accept that Death does.’

‘So this man…you think it was Death?’ Lucius shrugged. ‘I don’t know. I don’t think so, since Death only shows himself to someone when that someone is dead.’

It was almost 2 in the morning and everyone was tired. They all agreed that at this moment, they could not do anything, so each professor went to their respective rooms. Remus walked out with Lucius and Severus. When he needed to go left, he held out his hand, to stop Severus.

‘Why didn’t you tell me about her? That you know she can come back?’ Severus saw the agony in Remus’ eyes. ‘To be honest, I simply didn’t think about it. It was not that I meant to keep it from you. I know what James and Lily meant to you, I am sorry.’

Remus smiled sadly. He nodded and left, his thoughts going 90 miles per minute…what a bloody mess.

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The day after Dream had shown Reggie around Hogwarts, she was very curious about the man they had met. Severus Snape. When she woke up, the day after their visit, she visited Lucienne and asked her about him. ‘I'm sorry sweetie, but I do not know the man. There is a book about him, but I don’t think you should read that at this point. You should ask Lord Morpheus.’

So Reggie went out to look for him, but after flying around for a half hour, she could not find him. ‘He is in the waking world hun, he will be back later.’ Matthew told her. ‘What is he doing?’

‘Apparently, one of the nightmares decided to make a run for it, so he is bringing him back. It is better to stay with me, for the time being. The King can be a bit grumpy after things like this.’

That night, while sleeping, Dream was there. He had a frown on his face and seemed distracted. Reggie waited until he acknowledged her presence. She was sitting on the sand, just like every other night and was looking up at Dream. After a few minutes, where Dream was still sort of pouting, she decided to practice the air magic. She created wind and let it glide through her fingers. She let it spiral upwards and watched as a miniature tornado was gushing around in the palm of her hand.

Dream noticed this and sat down in front of her. Reggie smiled uncertainly. ‘Are…are you mad, sir? Do you want me to leave?’ Dream shook his head. ‘Not mad, just frustrated.’ He gestured at the miniature tornado. ‘Impressive.’

‘Uhm, sir, if you don’t mind me asking…that man from yesterday. You told me he was the one who would help me. But he doesn’t know that yet, does he sir?’

‘No, he does not. I have yet to inform him. But…I will only call upon him and others, once you have mastered at least the first three elemental forms of magic.’

‘Who is he, sir? That man?’

‘He is the Potions Master. He teaches Potions and he was your mother’s best friend when she was younger. Death informed me about him and that he should be one of your teachers.’

‘Will there be others?’ Dream nodded and with a move of his hand, a small tendril of sand reached up from the ground and moved through the air. It went left and right, up and down, like there were little strings attached to it.

Reggie looked at it in awe. ‘You try.’

She opened her hand and put her energy into making the sand come up from the ground. It didn’t work. Damn it. She focused on everything she had, but the sand did not obey her. Dream saw the struggle. ‘Look,’ he said. He picked up some sand and held it in his hand. He put his other hand under the hand with the sand and let the sand slip through. The sand fell down, until it was suspended in the air, between his hands, not moving anymore.

‘Focus on your core, and try this until you make it happen. It will not matter to me that it might take a while. Take your time.’ Reggie copied his movements, but the sand was falling from one hand to the other the way sand does. She could not stop it midair as Dream could. While she was practicing, Dream contemplated what to tell her.

‘Wizards have specialties. Some are very good at Potions, others are very good at transfiguring things and some have an aptitude for Herbology. Since you cannot go to school, I need to figure out whom to ask for certain aspects of magic. Severus Snape is not only very good at Potions, but he is also a very skilled fighter and a Master Occlumens.’

Still practicing, Reggie wanted to know what that was. ‘Occlumency is the ability to keep your emotions and thoughts, your memories, to yourself. A very useful skill to have. But one you can only learn with a solid body…so that in itself will have to wait until you are fully human again.’

Deciding to not overflow her with knowledge, Dream stood. Reggie dropped the sand. She was tired, which was odd since she was asleep. ‘Enough for this night. Sweet dreams little raven.’

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE FOUND!!!

SIRIUS BLACK NOT GUILTY!

MINISTRY IS IN UPROAR

WILL THIS BE THE END OF FUDGE?

CROUCH ISN TROUBLE; WAS HIS SON GUILTY, OR WAS HE A BAD PARENT?

The Daily Prophet was having a field day with all the scoops and inside stories they could print. Rita was a rising star and produced article after article. She seemed to have very good sources, for she could tell the people all sorts of juice bits and pieces, that she actually couldn’t know, for she was never there. Dumbledore was now at St. Mungo’s and it looked like he would not wake up. It was a relief for a lot of people.

Sirius had a new trial, a proper one this time and was released the very same day. He was checked into St. Mungo’s, to help him recover from his time around the Dementors. He had regular talks with a Mind Healer and was on a strict potions regime, to regain his strength and magical core. He was visited by Remus and the two of them reconciled.

At Hogwarts, things progressed nicely. Flitwick was a much better Headmaster than Albus Dumbledore and everything was running smoothly. He had hired curse breakers from Gringotts to break the curse on the position of DADA teacher. It was broken within a day, so Lucius had nothing to worry about. Minerva had more time to focus on her lessons and her work as Deputy Headmistress and Sinistra proved to be an excellent Head of House. Peeves was exorcised, just as Binns and Remus was a very popular teacher. He was honest about his condition and with the help of Lucius, the students were informed. To their surprise, their parents didn’t fuss over it. Some did, but the majority seemed to understand that Remus was no threat and a far better teacher than Binns.

Severus was more relaxed and less hostile towards the students. He was still firm and strict, but he needed to be, for Potions was a dangerous subject and he didn’t want any students to get injured or die on his watch. Lucius was quickly becoming just as popular as Remus, for he turned out to be an excellent teacher. It was surprising to him that he liked teaching this much. After two weeks, he felt at ease with the classes and his colleagues. He had agreed with Flitwick, that should he be needed at the Ministry, as a member of the Wizengamot, Narcissa would cover for him. That had only happened once so far, for the trial of Sirius. Narcissa had a NEWT in DADA and she was more than capable to teach his classes for that day. All in all, things were fine at Hogwarts.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The same could not be said for a certain rat, who fled his nice and comfy hide-out, in search of a certain Dark Wizard. The rumors that Voldemort was in Albania were not based on nothing. In one of the many forests there, people spoke of a weird spot. Locals said it was haunted, animals stayed clear of it. Peter alternate between a rat and a man, to find Voldemort, but had little success. He became to regret his decision, for he was cold and wet and hungry when he was wandering in yet another part of the thick woods. At that moment, he was a rat. He heard a noise to his left and to his utter shock, a huge snake launched at him.
He made a run for it and quickly turned back into a man, turned around and send a stunner to the snake.

The snake tumbled back into the bushes and Peter saw how a black smoke-like something left the body of the snake and came his way. Almost pissing himself with fear, he held out his wand and wanted to speak the incantation that would ward off spirits. He never got the chance, for the black smoke crashed into him and as a result, smacked him against a tree. Peter slumped down, unconscious from the impact his head had with the tree.

The wizard’s mind was a mess. Fear and uncertainty, hunger and cold, all sorts of emotions Voldemort had not felt in ages. He knew only despair. He was a wraith, for more than 10 years now, since that fateful night in Godric’s Hollow. The snake he possessed was hungry and wanted to eat the rat. To his surprise, the rat turned out to be not only a wizard but Peter Pettigrew, the man that led him to the Potters. Leaving the snake Voldemort decided to possess Peter. It would not hold long, but it was better than a snake. And maybe, this pitiful excuse for a wizard could help him.