Contract Creature

Chapter Two - Sign or Burn?

"You don't seriously believe this pile of crap, do you?" Severus Snape, the bachelor at stake, was pacing the office of Headmaster Dumbledore in a frustrated swirl. "A war is waged against this evil git and you say that this... Lord Dragonvieux can take him down along with all his minions in one fell swoop, when we've been fighting for years? When I've been fighting for years?" Albus took off his glasses and pinch the bridge of his nose; the contract had simply been given over to the Potions master after curfew to be read immediately, and here he was waiting for a break through his colleagues rant.

"Severus, you must believe me when I say that Lord Dragonvieux is far from human." Unfortunately, the comment was dismissed with a sarcastic retort.

"And everything under the sun that isn't human is more powerful than the Dark Lord? I suppose we could scrape up a few psycho house elves and ask them to clean him to death." Albus sat back into his leather chair and winced and the cacophony of noise made by the Slytherin Head and the multitude of portraits each shouting their objections and opinions made by the contract, suffering for a few more moments the wizard cast a brusque silencing and do-not-disturb spell upon the walls of his office to tune out all sound but the disagreeable ones dropping from the sneering mouth of the pacing teacher.

"If I can prevent anymore lives to be affected, for disasters like last years from happening, from the climax of a war to actually be reached with thousands of deaths upon the hands and heads of all - I will do it." The piece of parchment was slammed down onto cherry wood under the clenched fist of Severus Snape.

"For my freedom, Albus? For the one thing I've been fighting for since I changed sides? I'm nothing but property to change owners!"

"No! You're not fighting for your freedom but redemption, this is your chance of a new life! Tell me truthfully that you have never thought of a having a wife, a family. That you've never thought of being with children of your own flesh and blood, you cannot deny your age nor your past, this is a chance at being accepted and starting anew." Snape's face crumpled into submission as he gracefully dropped into a backed chair, hoarsely he replied,

"I cannot tell you truthfully. Are you sure, Albus? You know that I am at your command, but are you sure that I won't have to consummate a marriage with an eleven year old?"

"We won't know till we sign and if we do, then we are bound indefinitely. We have twenty four hours to decide, though." Dumbledore stare pensively out the window that showcased lightly falling snow. "It's been too quiet. We've been busy, but the silence frightens me, Severus. There's no raids, no meetings, I'm half convinced they know you as a spy, no attacks, nothing. It freezes my very core." Severus laid the sheet of paper onto the desk and smoothed it out with hands that had a subtle tremble.

"Draco had just seen me the night before." Dumbledore turned to watch Snape try to stare a hole into the contract. "These past months since his father has been put in Azkaban have been an eye-opener: being labelled deatheater scum, having to take on and revise his father's business, the Malfoy fortune isn't what it once was and Narcissa has taken to isolation at their summer home. He's been in and out asking my financial advice, to take on all of the debts his father has left behind is an atrocious burden. He's exhausted - can't sleep right, can't eat right, averaging two hours of sleep a night to keep up with family affairs and school. He barely had enough time for our bi-monthly meet, was in danger of nodding off into his tea, and I can't turn a deaf ear to the taunts that haunt him in the hallways." The Potions master trailed off. "He asked to switch." There was silence before Severus lifted his head to meet Dumbledore's gaze.

"You're absolutely serious?" A nod.

"Positive, the boy knows not a whit of Occlumency. Even if he did his concentration was in ribbons from stress. He hasn't taken the Dark mark but knows the duties and expectations from meetings, he's been privately asking me for a way out, dreading his acceptance of the mark at the end of next year." Dumbledore slid the parchment from under Snape's hand and signed the blank requiring his signature.

"It's your choice, there's a good fifteen hours left."

"I don't need fifteen hours." Severus Snape finished signing off his bachelorhood with a dramatic curlicue of black ink. "What happens -" The snapping of the document closed cut him off and it's soft pop was all that was left to show it existed other than the displacement of air around it's original location. The pop was tailed by the roaring of green flame, in which stepped out Lord Dragonvieux and another hooded figure of smaller stature with a cloak and gloves tipped and bordered by red. A slight nod was given from the lord who was at least six feet tall and broad enough to hide his heir most effectively behind him, the smaller person was silent as the lord scrutinized Severus Snape, the face was hidden in shadow.

"Good. Summon Misters Potter and Malfoy, be sure not to tell them of anything but impress the importance of utmost obedience to ensure success." A nod from Dumbledore who Severus looked to for confirmation, and the disgruntled ex-deatheater exited with the demeanour of a mistreated dog calculating revenge. "You have question, they shall be answered from now till they return, start." Lord Dragonvieux took up the other chair while he gestured to his heir to take the spot formerly occupied by Severus Snape.

Chapter Three - History Questions

"What are you exactly?" A mysterious smile flitted across Dragonvieux's face and proceeded to reside on his thin lips.

"I am the king of my race, a race long forgotten before the beginnings of thought for the eventuality of this very institute, one whose lesser classes you regard fearfully." A chirp warned of Fawkes before the bird landed on the backing of Lord Dragonvieux's seat, the lord gently petted the phoenix without looking backwards. "To put a name to it, you humans used to call us Elderdragons in the closest translation to English, our inferiors are the vicious barbaric beasts you call dragons." Albus sat back in wonderment.

"The difference and reason for your separation?" A chuckle.

"The same situation between wizards and non-magic humans, we are able to perform magic, speak other languages, change forms and have scholastic thought. A version of civilization. We were originally separated due to the overwhelming conflict of lifestyle and limitations, eventually finding we had no choice in staying in your world, the pocket of reality that we had created as haven closed off by the horrendous death of one of our little ones at the hands of inebriated warlocks near the portal. We still had access to on-goings of your world but those on the wrong side died from lack of companionship and support vital to our existence, we have observed since then and have long found the key to joining the two worlds again, there was just too much strife and war preventing our return. By that time the elitists had overruled and ingrained passive aggressive nature into the younger generations starting a fatal spiral, there was also a great psychological sickness from colossal amounts of repetition and strict regulations wiping out most of our population when younger minds atrophied.

"As sovereign, I knew what the future held from a minute glance aided by my seer gifts and it was a necessary turn of destiny - it didn't stop me from preparing. Hence, the creation of my heir. Our race has many older forms of magic that have developed into sterile operations fading in power, I used a combination of archival and revolutionary text to give myself an heir since I have chosen to remain mateless. My heir is a being predominantly Elderdragon but also holds the ancient royal blood of all other humanoid magical races known to and in the wizarding world. It is with regret now that I find the domestication, reversion to savagery, or simple breakdown of the once proud races that now only my kind remember and are continued by may heir." Dumbledore fumbled for the next question through the mountain of information that had been dropped into his lap, the Cheshire grin now sported by Lord Dragonvieux curled around knife-like teeth.

"Why do you want Severus Snape?" The Headmaster decided to keep his question vague to hear all and what scraps of information the king was willing to part with.

"From my glimpse of future that led to the creation of my heir I failed to observe that I would not need one to carry my line, a council and democracy has developed into the government our finicky race has chosen to have, I am still a leader treated with respect but amongst what numbers of Elderdragons left we are but a noble house of wealth and influence. I have plans of fading soon, Elderdragon equivalent of dying since we are essentially immortal, my heir has served original purposes and beyond by arranging a balanced society for the small population. However, the Elderdragons have expressed indefinitely that there is no wish for merging of our two worlds once more, my heir does not belong amongst foggy-brained boors. And is capable of resolving your conflict as well as contributing to your world in advantageous ways in return for a comfortable life. Severus Snape is the most suitable match, not to mention that he is the only one that I may manipulate so easily in good conscience." Sneaking a fond glance over to his heir. "And other additional reasons that are of lesser importance." The gloves of the king waved to express his sentiments more boldly in his speech.

"Education?" The shoulders upon which the black dragonskin rested upon elegantly rose up and down in the king's shrug.

"A simple whim, the easiest route in introduction to this world, and this world to be accustomed back. May act as a buffer for tension most likely to emerge from such a sudden end to the war, a mysterious new factor, a distraction perhaps?" The wizard was about to fire off his next question when a knocking at the door signalled Severus and two students, and he had the sudden distinct feeling that the Elderdragon king had talked so long in answer to each question to hold off others. Lord Dragonvieux clasped his hands together. "Well, that's all for question time, the rest shall be handled by my heir." At the opening of Dumbledore's mouth, the king lifted up an eyebrow. " I have been most generous in providing you with such background, do not test the temper of one that has kept tight reign over super powered dragons with childish attitudes." The wizard immediately reconsidered and thanked the Elderdragon king before calling for Severus to enter, the lord pulled his heir to stand while keeping seated legs akimbo and patted the proffered bent head. Albus Dumbledore gazed in sorrow at the two students that came up in his prayers most, hopefully this was the right choice.

"This task is of gravest priority, unquestioned absolute obedience is needed. The difficulty and extent of this task is so great that any hesitation may result in the loss of lives - not excluding your own: Obey and live." Harry Potter looked rebellious after looking to his rival, then Potions professor, before answering to the puzzling ultimatum.

"Alright." Not to be outdone, Draco also acquiesced. Severus Snape frowned and shook his head in a negative,

"No, you won't be obeying me." He looked pointedly to the only other standing being in the room, the small person waved to approach closer with a hand in a black glove ornamented with swirls of blood red along the black scaly material.