Age of Innocence

~~~~Age Of Innocence~~~~

~~~~Chapter Twelve: The Return Of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot And Prongs~~~~

'Will he be alright?' Sirius asked, fear and concern thick in his voice.

'I don't know. He's lost a bit of blood, but that's not what I'm worried about. It's as if he's here...but not 'here'...' Poppy sighed as she gazed thoughtfully down at the boy.

'What happened to him? What's causing this?' Draco asked worried, a raw pain in his voice.

'Again I don't know. I wish I had the answers...I really do. Whatever happened to cause the reaction in New York though seems to have stopped at the moment,' Poppy said.

'You did the right thing bringing him here though Draco. However I'm afraid you and Sirius will have to return to New York. It's too dangerous for the both of you to be seen here now,' Albus said softly and glanced down at the stilled form of Harry, worry deeply etched into his blue eyes.

'No! I want to stay here with Harry! Please...please let me stay...' Draco said now and took Harry's hand gently in his own.

'Draco, I know you want to be near him but I'm afraid I must insist you return to New York. Ron, Hermione, Arthur...I'm afraid that it also might be too risky to send you three back as well. I will have Sirius check you out of the hotel and send your things back here, and I have already owled Molly to join us here as well as the others,' Albus said firmly.

'The others? You mean...everyone?' Hermione asked surprised.

Albus nodded. 'Yes. Right now I have some suspicions as to what this might have been, however until I know for sure...' he trailed off thinking rapidly. 'As the case may be, I want twenty-four hour surveillance on Harry. He is not to be left unguarded, is that clear?'

All those present in the room nodded except for Draco, who could only gaze down at Harry with tears in his eyes. Gently he reached down at brushed a sweaty lock of Harry's hair from his forehead, wincing as he saw how raw and blackened his scar had gotten in just a short time. 'It's not fair...I want to stay with him...' he said in a whispered sob.

'I do too kid....but we have to do as Albus says. He's right, if you're father thinks something has happened to you and you don't show back up at the hotel there could be worse trouble,' Sirius said softly and put a comforting hand on Draco's shoulder.

'I think I might be able to find a way for you to visit Harry again tomorrow young Draco, if it's possible from the New York end of things,' Albus said.

Draco looked up at his headmaster with a light in his normally cold, steely grey eyes. 'Honestly? I...I could come visit him tomorrow?' he said in a half hoping voice.

Albus smiled down at the lad and nodded. 'I can give Sirius a portkey designed to activate at a certain time of the day. However, should you miss the opportunity, the next chance won't come for twelve more hours later. However your time here will be limited with him, no more than an hour or two at best,' he said firmly.

Draco nodded and smiled, then gazed back down at Harry. 'I don't care, as long as I can see him,' he said in a quiet, but very revealing tone.

Albus smiled and motioned for the others to start making their way outside. 'I will give you and Harry time alone right now. You'll have until we get done planning the next stage of things, so at least an hour. Call us should you need anything though.'

Draco nodded then his eyes turned back towards Harry, and it was blatant that he'd already forgotten everyone else was in the room. Even Ron and Hermione understood though that Draco's need to be near Harry was a pull that couldn't be avoided. Quietly those present in the infirmary room headed outside, though many questions were hanging like a silent banner in the air. Albus shook his head however and motioned for everyone to follow him back to his office. It was a subdued and pensive group that was now gathered there, and the questions started flowing like wine.

'Alright Albus, what's the deal? What the fuck is going on?' Sirius demanded.

'Yes, I'm quite curious myself why were are now back at Hogwarts and not in New York,' Arthur said with almost a pouted sigh. Just when he was so looking forwards to seeing such wonderful Muggle things he'd been pulled away from them.

'Does this have anything to do with Lucius, Professor?' Hermione asked.

'Now now, everyone please. I know you all have your questions and I will do my best to answer what I can. No, I do not think this has anything to do with Lucius Malfoy, not in the way you think anyway Ms. Granger, in fact of that I am certain. This goes far deeper than that,' Albus said pensively, a slight frown on his face.

'Deeper than Malfoy? What the bloody hell could be deeper than that?' Ron scowled.

Albus turned and faced Ron, a hardness in his eyes that no one in the room had ever seen. 'Are you sure you want to know young Mr. Weasley?'

Ron was a bit unsettled by that comment, but with a tight swallow nodded his head slowly. 'What...whatever it is Professor...it was enough to put Harry in this state, and have Draco flipped out enough to send the signal. I think we should know don't you?' he said in a very grown up way.

Hermione looked at Ron in both surprise and adoration. 'Oh Ron, you really are growing up aren't you,' she said in a loving voice.

Ron blushed a bit but nodded at her, love so clearly in his eyes. 'Hermione, I guess we all have to sometimes right? Especially now that we're getting married. I'm going to have to be an adult...' he said with a small smile.

'Married? What's this about marriage?' Arthur said turning to his son with a quizzical look.

'Err...I mean...that is...' Ron stammered now and his blush grew as red as his hair. Gathering up his courage however, since he felt that now was the best of times to be a Gryffindor and show his courage, he said, 'Dad...I asked Hermione to marry me when we were at the museum. Before Draco signalled that is but...well...she said...yes...' he said in a soft voice now, and turned back to gaze adoringly at his new fianceé.

'Oh Ron, that's fantastic! You're mum will be thrilled to no end. Good for you son, congratulations both of you!' Arthur said proudly beaming at them both.

'Um...thanks dad...' Ron said with an almost comical look on his face though he was still blushing.

Hermione however was beaming and wrapped her arm firmly through Ron's. 'Thank you Mr. Weasley...er...dad...' she said a bit hesitantly.

Arthur only chuckled and nodded at her. 'Sounds like I just gained another daughter. Ginny will be happy that's for sure. You two are such good friends as it is. She never has gotten on with Percy's wife Penelope anyway,' he said with a slight sigh.

'Don't worry, I'm sure Ginny will be thrilled dad. Anyway...' Ron said and turned back to Albus, 'you were saying?'

'Well, congratulations to you both for starters,' Albus said, and the twinkle for a moment was back in his eyes as he gazed happily down at his students. However, that was replaced quickly by the darkness of a murky blue sea, and he said, 'sadly however I fear it might not be the most appropriate time to plan a wedding.'

'Congrats you two, and why not Albus? What the bloody hell is it you're not saying?' Sirius said.

Albus got up and walked over to the window of his tower office, gazing out at the winter sunlight reflecting off the snow that had fallen just the night before. Though things were not good in this world, at least it had remained constant, unmarred by further complications and threats. Turning back to face the group he sighed, and walked over to the fireplace, threw in some green powder then called out, 'Severus? If you would be so kind as to join us please?'

Moment's later a blur appeared in the fireplace and Severus stepped out and brushed himself off quickly. Nodding at those in the room he surprisingly turned back to the fireplace that was glowing green again, and seconds later Remus was joining him at his side, brushing himself off. 'You called Albus?'

Albus nodded at Severus and Remus, motioning for them both to take a seat. Together they sat down on a small setteé, a strange look on both their faces now. 'I know you're aware the special portkeys were activated roughly an hour ago, though till now I haven't called you as to why. I had to make sure that it was what we suspected, and I fear now is the time,' he said slowly, and focused an intense look on Severus's face.

Severus was visibly shaken, and grabbed Remus's hand tightly. Remus himself now was looking at Albus with a paled face and dilated eyes, clearly he had been smoking opium though by now everyone was used to that. However the paleness now seemed to be worse than usual. 'Albus? Are you sure?' Severus asked now in a tightly drawn voice.

Albus sighed deeply and nodded, then sat back down at his desk. 'I'm afraid so.'

'Will someone tell me what the fuck is going on? I swear to Merlin I am getting sick of being left out of things! This is my godson if you people haven't forgotten, and I am his sole guardian as per James and Lily's instructions. So tell me what the bloody fuck is going on here!' Sirius practically screamed.

'Calm down Siri, we haven't forgotten you're Harry's godfather. Stop being an arse will you?' Remus muttered and shot a glare at his friend. 'Oh for Merlin's sake just tell him already. They all deserve to know the truth now.'

All eyes focused on Albus who nodded slightly at Remus, then again got up from his desk and began to pace the room worriedly. 'Very well. I wanted to wait for all the members of the Marauders, but I don't think we have the time. I will have to get individual dispatches out to those who were weren't in New York. Arthur, I'll leave you tell contact Molly, Bill and Charlie when we're done. Severus, you will contact your people, I will contact the rest.

'About what? For Godric's sake Albus spill it already!' Sirius scowled and sent a daggered glare at Albus for his obscurities. 'Am I not a member of the Marauders? Haven't I worked my arse off all this time to help bring down Malfoy and his goons? So why am I now the only one who apparently doesn't know what the fuck is going on?'

'Black enough! You aren't the only one who is 'not in the know' as it where. No one knows what is really happening now but a few people. Remus, myself, Albus...and those who still are alive and...still bear the mark...' Severus said slowly, allowing that to sink in.

As that piece of information sunk in a gasp from the rest in the room was heard. 'No...it...it can't be...you're not serious...are you?' Arthur said, fear thick in his voice now.

'By the Gods...Severus...? Are you...can it...is it possible?' Sirius said thickly, his mouth going dry and his palms sweating.

Severus glanced at everyone in the room with cold black eyes, then nodded slowly. 'If Draco triggered the portkey...if Harry's condition is what I think it is...then I'm afraid it is,' he said quietly. Turning to Albus he asked, 'Tell me, was his scar bleeding?'

Albus nodded, a sigh escaping from his lips, and an audible groan was heard from both Severus and Remus in unison. 'Yes, it was. Badly as it happens. He's resting now, but it does confirm our suspicions.'

Severus let out a string of cuss words that put even Sirius to shame just then. Finally, when he was done ranting he got up off the couch and began pacing the room, stopping to shake his head from time to time and giving Remus heavy, odd looks.

'Severus...don't,' Remus said softly and got up to walk over to where Severus was now standing at the fireplace shaking for some reason and gazing into the flames with unseeing eyes. Wrapping his arms round Severus's waist he lay his cheek on Severus's back and sighed deeply. 'It has to be done Sev...you know that. We have to be strong now, we can't let it happen again. For Harry's sake we have got to be strong now,' he said quietly.

'Albus?' Sirius asked though his eyes were on the couple by the fireplace. Severus had slipped down to the floor now and was clutching his knees tightly to his chest, his eyes were still glazed and unfocused. Remus was kneeling next to him, holding him gently and whispering to him. It reminded him of just that morning, and he shook his head in wonder that it had only been that morning, when Sirius had been doing that same thing. Only it had been Petey comforting and whispering softly to him. Right now more than anything he wished Petey was here at his side instead of being back in London. He needed his lover's touch desperately, ached for it even at the moment.

Whatever was going on it wasn't good, Sirius knew that much. It was something so horrible even that it reduced a man like Severus Snape to be sitting there before him dazed into oblivion. Severus was a man who could cast the Avada Kedavra without hesitation, yet here he was now reduced to this, and Sirius was afraid on that basis alone. Not to mention that whatever was going on had reduced his godson to a state in which had made Sirius's heart nearly burst in agony when he'd first seen him after Draco had rushed him via the portkey. Harry had been so limp, so almost dead-like in appearance that it had scared him silly.

'Albus?' he repeated again now as he noticed he hadn't gotten an answer. Everyone in the room was focused on the couple on the floor, pretty much as dazed as Sirius had been. 'Albus! Dammit, talk to us!' Sirius said louder now.

Albus blinked and turned back to Sirius with a shake of his head and a long, drawn-out sigh. 'I'm sorry. This is all a bit much I think...but now is not the time to lose our guard either. Gentleman...Ms. Granger...Lucius Malfoy is now the least of our concerns. We have far bigger fish in the frying pan and his name is - '

'Professor come quick, Harry's awake! Please come quickly!' a voice from the fireplace burst out and Draco's head appeared in the now green flames. 'You must come, you have to! Something's wrong! He's - No...Harry...Harry...come down from there...Harry stop!!!' Draco was screaming and wide eyed at something off to the side, and then he was gone just as quickly, the flames returning back to normal.

Everyone in the room, even Severus and Remus were now stunned into silence. Sirius was the first to react and with a strangle cry of 'Harry!' he dashed out the office door, obviously heading right to the infirmary. As a group everyone else followed suit, wondering what was going on.

The sight that met them at the infirmary wasn't what anyone could have expected. Poppy was ringing her hands with worry, Sirius was standing at the foot of Harry's bed stunned at the scene before him, and Draco was trying to plead with Harry, tears in his eyes. Harry however was seeing none of this, nor hearing anything. In fact, Harry wasn't on or in the bed at all, but actually floating about five feet in the air, and an aura of energy so pure and thick was surrounding him that even Albus wasn't sure what to do.

That wasn't all of it either, unfortunately for everyone now in the room. Somehow Harry had managed to get hold of his gun, and it was pointed right at Sirius now, and dark almost evil look was now in his eyes. 'Where is it Black...where is it?' Harry was saying in a dangerously low, threatening voice now.

'I-I don't know...I don't know what you want...what 'it' is...Harry...Harry...please...please just...just come down from there...' Sirius was saying in a scared and confused voice.

'Don't toy with me Black! I know you have it! You were his best friend, he trusted you above all others! Now where is it?' Harry was yelling, and now his voice almost took on the guise of a hissing sound more than anything else.

'I don't know what you want! You aren't Harry...where is he? Who are you and what have you done with Harry!' Sirius screamed back, his own black eyes ringed with fear, hatred and something far worse...a possible understanding.

'You want to play these games with me Black? Fine then...suffer the consequences!' Harry, or rather the hissing voice that now was Harry, said angrily. Seconds later a gunshot was heard and Sirius dropped to the floor clutching his arm, and blood began to pour from a jagged wound. 'NOW WHERE IS IT!'

'I DON'T KNOW! I SWEAR TO YOU I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS!' Sirius screamed, tears in his eyes and he was now biting his lip to not scream out from the pain nor pass out from it either. Another gunshot was heard and Sirius now doubled over clutching his stomach, a string of cuss words equal to Severus's early flowing from his lips before blacking out completely.

'ENOUGH! HE DOESN'T HAVE IT!' Severus yelled now and quickly crossed the room to stand next to Sirius by the bed, looking up at Harry. 'He doesn't have it, I will swear to it,' he said now in a more quiet, tense voice.

Harry, or whoever it was who had Harry's body, turned his gaze towards Severus now, a sneer on his lips. 'So, the lamb has returned. What's the matter Severus, don't like my choice for a new look?' Harry smirked.

Severus tensed but didn't waiver, he refused to back down now. 'I think you could have done better than a street rat, yes,' he said darkly.

Harry laughed, a very unpleasant sound. 'Street rat? Hmm, yes, you never did take much stock in the Potter's did you. Even though James was your partner in crime you would rather have been kissed by snakes then to work with him. Of course...werewolves always did make much better bedmates...don't you agree?' Harry sneered and glanced for a moment at Remus.

Severus scowled and a tick in his cheek started to jump, which meant he was trying to control his anger. His coal black eyes blazed with heat, and in a voice as icy as the north pole he said, 'My sexual preferences are no concern of yours. Leave the boy alone, he means nothing to you.'

Harry's eyes shifted back to Severus and he gave a short rasp laugh. 'Oh but I think he does. Irony too profound even, yes indeed. His traitorous father burns in hell but I...I have his son. The boy who everyone thought was my downfall shall now bring about my resurrection!' Harry said with a dark, foreboding laugh.

'He's nothing I tell you! The boy knows nothing of who he is, not even that he's a wizard. To use him would be pointless - ' Severus began to argue but was cut off when another gunshot echoed round the room. Severus staggered back after a moment, not even aware he had been hit at first, only to look down and find he'd been directly hit in the chest. With dazed eyes he looked back up at Harry, his mouth trying to form words but nothing seemed to come out.

'You're a fool if you think this boy is nothing Severus. He is a Gryffindor Heir...that will now share my blood as well! Come here Severus...before you die I have a use for you yet,' Harry sneered, and before Severus could even stop himself an energy surrounded him forcing him to walk round and stand on the bed.

Harry gazed at Severus, a deep intense gaze, then a small sickly grin came on his face. 'You will still obey your Master, how quaint. You're going to die Severus, die as you should have years ago when you abandoned me. Did you think I didn't know you were spying with along with Potter? Did you think I didn't know what Lucius had planned? Of course I knew there might be some drawbacks, but I wasn't a fool either. I took precautions that day before I confronted James and Lily Potter. I didn't exactly plan that a mere child would destroy my body but no matter, my soul still had it's defences. However, you Severus, were as much of a traitor as James Potter was to me, do you do deny that?'

Severus's eyes were hollow and before he could even stop himself he said in a deadened tone of voice, 'No Master, I deny none of it. I was a traitor, I deserve to die for what I did.'

Harry chuckled, a deep throaty chuckle that sent shivers down the spines of those in the room. 'Yes you do. However I have decided I will let you live after all, since thanks to Lucius being a bit eager with you back then you still carry enough of my blood in your veins to sustain me for the moment. Now...' he said and lowered himself down to Severus's eye level, 'take the blood from your wound and spread it on the boys scar. The the two blood-lines shall be mixed and I shall be invincible this time. There will be nothing to stop me from ruling all this time!' Harry said with a chilling laugh.

Severus however did not respond right away, and through gritted teeth, as if he was fighting whatever it was Harry was doing to him he said, 'You're forgetting one thing Master....'

'Oh? What is it I'm forgetting Severus? Do tell,' Harry sneered.

'Me!' Albus said and with the words, "Deleo Maleficus!" a burst of energy from his wand sent Harry flying across the bed and smashing into the wall of the infirmary, sufficiently knocking him out cold to the relief of everyone.

Severus fell to the bed limp, shaking and holding his hand to chest which was now bleeding rapidly. Poppy came over and before she could even reach him Severus said in a thick raspy voice laced with pain, 'Attend to Black, I'll be fine.'

Poppy didn't know what to do but Remus was on the situation and came over to Severus with his wand out and muttering a few spells as well as handing Severus a small pink phial of liquid. 'Get Sirius, he's unconscious and his heart's almost barely beating. Give this to him Poppy, quickly!' Remus said and took out another phial of liquid from his pocket, a blue one this time, and handed it to Poppy with urgency. 'And someone deal with Harry!'

Draco however had already rushed over to Harry, removing the gun from his hands and throwing it halfway across the wing. Gently taking Harry into his arms he held him tightly, refusing to let anyone get close to him, not even Albus. Albus nodded his head in understanding, leaving Arthur, Ron and Hermione to stand watch over Harry and Draco whilst he went and check on Severus, Remus and Sirius.

Walking up to Remus, who now had Severus and Sirius drugged into oblivious sleep in their own hospital beds, he asked softly, 'How are they?'

'We've got to get the bullets out of both of them, but you know that's not possible magically without major issues. Sev's bullet is lodged in his lung, but very close to his heart, if I try to magic it out it could rupture before I can get it halfway out. Sirius's arm isn't bad, shattered bones bout it. His stomach's ruptured however and he's leaking toxins into his body because of it. Poppy's already off to contact a mediwizard at St. Mungo's for the proper procedures,' Remus said with a heavy sigh of frustration. He then turned to Albus, his gold brown eyes blazing in fury. 'Oh Merlin Albus, what the hell happened? How did he manage to do it?' Remus asked in a hard voice now, tears in his eyes.

'I'm not sure, mind transference however if I remember correctly, was always a pet project with him, even back at his Hogwarts days. A deep, dark part of the Dark Arts that unless you know what you're doing shouldn't be attempted. However in view of the situation...' Albus trailed off pensively.

'He'd have had to be damned fucking close to Harry to get to him that way though Albus. Dark Arts is my specialty too remember, and if it is a Mind Transference Spell he'd have had to have been within 400 to 500 foot range for it to succeed,' Remus argued.

Albus nodded slowly, thinking on that. 'Which means he's been watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity to get to Harry. He couldn't do the spell in the UK, the Ministry would have been all over him in a second if they detected Dark Arts of that magnitude.'

'The museum, dammit, that was the perfect place!' Remus growled. 'The American ministry doesn't monitor Dark Arts as closely as we do because they were never really affected by all of what happened back then. Damn you Lucius for going to New York!' he muttered.

'Lucius is scared too remember. He knows as well as Severus did that something was amiss, which is why the Marauders struck when we did. I had hoped Lucius would have had more sense to protect Draco and Narcissa better though then with just Muggle guards,' Albus frowned.

'Come off it Albus, between you and me we both know Lucius doesn't give two shites 'bout Draco and Narcy. Far as he's concerned they could go jump off the London Bridge and be done with it, and he'd be free to pursue every fucking skirt and pair of trousers in his clubs,' Remus grumbled and held Severus's hand tightly.

'Lucius is not stupid though Remus, he knows more than you give him credit for. He doesn't want to lose his empire to 'him' anymore than he does to us. What we have to be concerned for now is Harry's part in all of this,' Albus said strongly, and glanced over to one of the other beds in which Draco had now placed Harry and was protectively keeping everyone else at arms length.

Remus growled slightly and nodded, his shoulders sagging. 'Poor Harry, this was not the way he should have found out who he is. We were supposed to edge him into this gently, not with a force of a fucking train Albus.'

Albus nodded sadly, though his eyes were still on the boys. 'I don't know what will happen with him now. When he wakes we'll find out I suppose,' he said quietly, then something drew him to go stand over at the boy's bed, a frown on his face.

Harry was now moving round, slightly thrashing about even to Draco's dismay. 'Professor? It's...it's not going to happen again...is it?' he asked worriedly.

Albus leaned in and looked at the boy closely, then shook his head. 'No, something else is going on but I - ' he began then stopped mid-sentence.

Harry's eyes had now flown open, and there was a fire burning in his eyes. His body was stilled and pale. Dazedly he focused a glowing emerald gaze on Albus's blue eyes and in a low whisper he said in a pained, pleading voice, '...Moony...Padfoot...Wormtail...Uncle Severus...help me...help me...don't let him win again...'

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Deleo Maleficus - in Latin means roughly Destroy Evil.

August 13, 2002 6:01 PM ©Piriotessa/Piri Lupin-Snape