Elemental Genesis

Chapter Ten: Of Interrogations and Arguments

"-so I beat him. It was his fault; he made everything bad, the freak. I needed to punish him for all that he did." Vernon Dursley's eyes were blank and he answered every single question obediently. He had been taken under custody and was now being questioned under the truth potion, Veritaserum, about the abuse of one Harry Potter. The interrogators: the paranoid Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, the levelheaded Kingsley Shacklebolt, and the seething former convict Sirius Black. The last of the three mentioned was barely keeping his control. His fists kept clenching and unclenching, as if wanted to pummel the life out of the man before him. He was not the only one, though: Moody's normal eye was twitching, which was not a good sign. Also he kept reaching for his wand, only just stopping himself from grasping it and cursing the 'disgusting piece of filth'. Shacklebolt looked appalled at what he was hearing, but needed to be calm so they could get all the information out of the muggle. That was probably the reason he was chosen to be here in this dingy interrogation room, since Moody and Sirius had enough experience at this already.

Shacklebolt asked, "What were Harry Potter's injuries the last time you saw him?" The quill and parchment lying on the table between all of those present was writing every single statement or phrase that was made. It was poised on its tip, ready to take notes.

"I don't know. Or care. As long as he suffered, I was happy. And he did, I made sure of that."

"Why did you continue to hurt Harry Potter if he was already grievously, possibly fatally, injured?"

"He didn't show any emotion. Never screamed or cried, just looked at me. I hurt him more, but he still didn't make a sound. I wanted him to scream, but the freak didn't!" Vernon's breathing rate was slowly, but steadily, increasing. The interrogators weren't paying much attention to that, though.

"What happened to Harry Potter's owl, Hedwig?"

"Killed her. He could've contacted the other freaks to get him. So could Petunia, she was feeling pity for her freakish sister's son. I needed to prevent that, so I strangled and burned it right in front of the freak's eyes. He attacked me, but I still killed it. Beat him even harder for daring to hurt me."

Control yourself. Don't lose it, Black. He might know where Harry is. We need him alive. Killing him won't help you or Harry. However, it was difficult for Sirius to not just beat the pulp out of the muggle who made his godson go through so much pain after what happened at the Triwizard Tournament. Shacklebolt, after checking that neither Sirius nor Moody were going to do anything drastic, continued with his questioning. It looked like he was also having problems from letting his temper fly loose as well. "Harry Potter disappeared from your household the night of July 28th. How did he vanish?"

"I don't know. He did something freakish and then he was gone."

"What do you know about Harry Potter's disappearance?"

"A whirlwind appeared in the house and he was in the middle of it. He was most likely the cause of it, too. When it was gone, so was he. I tried to run."

"Why did you attempt to run?"

"To get away from the Blue Eyes. A shadow woman with blue eyes, he brought her! Blasted freak cursed me! She stares at me, hating me, wanting me dead. They have the same look." Vernon's breaths came in sharp gasps and he was sweating profusely. His brown eyes lost their blank look and became dilated. Beads of sweat were fast forming on his head. He shouted at them, "I hope he's dead!" He then started to laugh hysterically.

Sirius had enough. Jumping out of his seat, he punched Vernon hard in the face. He would have done more, but Moody and Shacklebolt grasped both of his arms and were holding him back. But the insane fool continued to cackle maniacally, seeming not to notice the furious man being restrained from beating him to his own death.

<><><>

"I can't believe this is happening." Remus Lupin said this to Severus Snape as they sat gazing at the dying embers of the fire. Number 12 Grimmauld Place had been full of mayhem since Snape had returned from Privet Drive without Harry. The ministry had been informed, but word of Harry's disappearance had not reached the ears of the press yet.

"As much as we don't want to think it is, it's happening. Don't blind yourself to the truth," tersely replied Snape. He was his usual condescending, uncomforting self.

Remus glared at him, gold-brown wolf eyes glinting dangerously. "You don't even care that Harry's out there, possibly dying, do you?"

"Yes, I have some pity and concern for Potter's well-being, but unlike some people," he returned with veiled anger. "I'm not letting it get to me. For one thing, brooding won't help the boy out and secondly, you don't risk your life going to Death Eater meetings."

"How can you be such a cold-hearted git?!"

"I am not being 'cold-hearted' as you say, Lupin, so keep your temper. I believe it's called 'rational thinking'. The only people acting worse than you are Black, Granger, and the Weasleys. Running around without thinking won't get us anywhere."

"I believe that you should pay attention to what Severus says, Remus. He does have the right idea in mind." Dumbledore, looking especially old and wizened in the dim firelight, tiredly walked into the room. He practically collapsed in an armchair in between the two younger men. "There's been nothing. The Dursleys don't know anything."

Snape's smug smirk at being complimented by Dumbledore was wiped off his face. "What do you mean? According to Potter's cousin, the uncle was right there when he vanished."

"Mr. Dursley, under interrogation by Veritaserum, said that he didn't know what happened. He said that all of the sudden there was a whirlwind with Harry at the center of it. When it was gone, so was Harry."

Remus asked, "Wouldn't that qualify as accidental magic? Surely, that would have registered on the Ministry sensors. If what he says is true and there was a whirlwind, then something must have picked up a magic signal THAT big."

"I checked. Absolutely nothing turned up. I know it sounds impossible, but it's true."

Dumbledore sighed. It suddenly occurred to Snape that though Dumbledore was incredible and wise, even he was human. Humans make mistakes.

"He may have been lying. The potion could have been flawed," said Remus. It was obvious by the werewolf's tone of voice that he was just grasping at straws.

Snape was still offended. "Are you, Lupin, implying that my potions are defective?"

"Calm down, gentlemen!" Dumbledore didn't need a fight to break out; they had enough to worry about. "Severus, did Harry's cousin tell you anything else?"

"Well, he did say something extremely odd...he said he knew that Potter, wherever he was, was okay..." I'm not going to forget that conversation anytime soon.

()()()()()()()

Snape was waiting for a full ten minutes before Potter's cousin (Was it Dudley?) showed up at their agreed meeting place. He was annoyed at the boy's tardiness. The park was deserted and looked pretty run down. It was also concealed from view by a great deal of trees. No one in his or her right mind would come here. Nevertheless, he set up silencing charms to prevent eavesdropping. One never knew who was listing. Granted, he was scowling spectacularly when Dudley arrived. "You arranged the meeting place, so I expected you NOT to be late!"

"It took me longer than I thought, alright! My father wanted a whole description of you."

"Description?"

"Let's just say that you're now a small pushy man with a stutter wearing suspenders and a boater's hat, going door-to-door selling poor quality brushes." Dudley seemed mildly amused by this.

I'm not paid enough for this. "Well, despite the fact that I'm going to kill Potter when I see him because of this, where is he?" Seeing the teen's face turn resolutely set against saying anything, he sighed in frustration. "I was only joking. I'd probably just give him fifty detentions."

The adolescent stood up straighter. Obviously, the technique he used to scare so many of his wizarding students wasn't daunting this muggle. Okay, I've got to give more credit for to their kind for nerve, I guess. Dudley then said, "I hope you are, I'm not sending my cousin to someplace where he could get hurt even more. If I could anyway."

There were many things wrong with that sentence. "What do you mean 'where he could get hurt anymore'? Also care to explain what you mean by 'if I could'?"

"That's it. He's gone."

"What?!" Isn't this just a pretty kettle of fish?!

"Harry's been missing since the night of July 28th. Not to mention he was in pretty bad shape."

Potter's gone! He would make this difficult, the brat. Wait a minute. "Enlighten me on how he got to be in 'bad shape', Mr. Dursley."

"My father," Dudley answered. "He doesn't like magic or wizards at all. He thinks it's unnatural. Combine that with all the bad things that have happened over the past year-"

"I get the idea." The press is going to have a field day. "What did Potter do?"

The boy did some serious thinking. "Since I really didn't see him, I'm not all too sure. But my mother said that he had seemed to have given up on everything."

"Typical Potter."

"Are you saying my cousin is weak?!" Apparently, Dudley Dursley didn't want to hear that coming from a person who was supposed to help. "He's been through a whole lot, but still remained a good person, when a majority of people would have become nothing more than uncaring trash! You've seen what he's done, tell me that he's a coward!"

Snape took a few surprised steps back at this angry outburst. Then he regained his self-composure when he realized that a muggle was yelling at him. "How dare you raise your voice at me..."

'I dare because I don't care that you're a wizard. Just because you have magic DOESN'T MEAN I'M SCARED OF YOU!" His blue eyes were blazing with rage as he roared this at the shocked potions master.

()()()()()()()

"My estimation of muggles has gone up quite bit after that," commented Snape lightly. "But I still dislike them."

Dumbledore nodded while Remus held his head in his hands. That's right. Hide yourself from the collapsing world. That'll help Potter. "You said that after he told you everything he knew about what happened, he said that he was sure that Harry was alright and safe."

"Right, Headmaster. He said something about a 'Shadow Goddess' watching over Potter. The cousin thought that whoever this was helped him out of the house. I really don't know what to think about that."

A small smile formed on the elder wizard's face. "Truly? Here I thought you would just dismiss that as nothing."

It is unlike me, isn't it? "Potter's cousin said he was dying from a heart condition while this was all happening. He couldn't even leave his bed."

"That doesn't make sense," came the muffled response from Remus. "If he was bed-ridden and dying, what was he doing up talking to you?"

"Glad you're joining the conversation, Lupin," sneered Snape, but he stopped his baiting because of a stern look from Dumbledore. "That 'Shadow Goddess' gave him a second chance at life, he said, as well as promising Potter's well-being. He described her as a woman made up entirely of shadows and darkness, with striking blue eyes."

Dumbledore looked extremely intrigued by this. "Those were his exact words?"

"Yes. Most likely it is some ridiculous notion of the boy's. I'm sorry I brought it up."

"It is alright, Severus, but this interests me. I have a copy of the report from the interrogation of Vernon Dursley. He said the 'Blue Eyes' followed him and that Harry brought her upon him. The description of father and son were the same: a shadow woman with blue eyes. I don't think it is coincidence, since we do know that Harry is alive."

Remus' head shot up from his scrutiny of the aged carpet. "How do you-'

Dumbledore held up a small green crystal in his wrinkled hand. It had a light within it, burning strong. "James and Lily created this for Harry before they died. This is a Maryoku crystal and they are both extremely rare and difficult to create. It is like a status signal for a wizard, in this case Harry's. As you can see the light inside is bright. That indicates that Harry is alive and relatively well. It could also track him-"

"What are we waiting for then?!" Remus sprang out of his seat in his excitement. "Let's use it to find him!"

"I thought the same thing when I remembered this was in the Potter vault. However," Dumbledore continued, examining the small gem. "Something is preventing it from doing so. I don't know why that is happening, maryoku crystals are tamperproof."

Snape contemplated the fire. "You're kidding. I know maryoku crystals can't be changed to reflect something else. It's imposs-"

"Severus, know that there are other magicks out there and never overlook them. Be aware that greater beings that we humans watch over our short lives. Grandson, be careful in your life for demons walk among us and live within our very hearts...

"What was that, Severus?"

"What?" Snape looked sharply at the headmaster, who was observing him with curiosity evident in his eyes.

"What did you say? About magicks, greater beings, demons, and such?"

"Oh." He hated being caught like this. Did I really say that out loud? Apparently. 'They were my grandmother's last words before she died. I...I don't know where that came from. She died years ago."

What Severus Snape didn't like about this was the feeling of hidden meaning beneath his grandmother's last words. There was more to what she said to him on her deathbed when he was six, but he couldn't recall them straight away.

<><><>

"Do you think Harry's alright, Ron?" Hermione was looking worriedly out the window, as though her missing friend would suddenly appear outside on their doorstep.

Ron, lying on his back on his bed and staring blankly at the ceiling, started at her question. They had been in silence, lost in their own thoughts, for quite a while. "I'm sure he is, Hermione. He does have the devil's own luck. Harry's the Boy-Who-Lived, he'll come back."

This didn't calm the intelligent witch at all. "I hope so. It is awful knowing what happened to him. And we couldn't do anything to help him."

"I know. Sirius is taking it pretty hard and so is Remus. They really had their hopes up."

"Ginny is still crying?"

"Yep. It doesn't look like she's going to stop soon either. Do you think that You-Know-Who is behind all this?"

"No. Professor Snape would have let us know if he were. Also Voldemort would have told everyone by now if he did. He'd flaunt that he had the savior of the wizarding world in his hands."

Ron looked at her, horrified. He hissed, "You said his name!"

Hermione turned him, her expression determined. "I know and I'll say it again if I have to. Harry was afraid to and then neither will I. We have to be strong. For his sake."

<><><>

"What do you mean he's gone?!"

Voldemort visibly trembled under the wrathful ire of the deity. He could dimly see her image in the seeing pool she used to communicate with him. The glassy surface had a disconcerting red tint to it. "My lady, I am sorry. But Potter isn't really a threat to our plan so it is no matter."

The next thing he knew he was thrown violently into the chamber's stone wall. "Silence, fool! As long as Potter exists he is a risk to our plans and though Riddle has been incapacitated, so is he!"

"I'm sorry, Lady. I wasn't thinking."

"No, you weren't! If you don't shape up, we'll never open the Dark Gateway of Tartarus!"

"Yes, of course, Lady. Forgive me."

"By opening the Dark Gateway, I'll finally be able to exact my revenge. Potter's disappearance is important. It means that Melania is back and trying to stop me. We must tread cautiously."

"But Lady, what can Melania do? She is just the goddess of darkness. Heaven will not take her side if she goes against your greatness."

"Not necessarily. Melania has much more influence over matters concerning the immortals than you think. But attacking openly now would only work to her disadvantage. That is why she's doing so indirectly. Both Tom Riddle and Harry Potter are the keys to her victory and our defeat, so she will make sure that they aren't harmed. The fact that she cares for them deeply gives them even greater defenses." She paused. "I must go. Remember to keep your demon identity a secret. Those Death Eaters would leave you immediately if they found out. That would not be good for our plans."

"Of course, Lady."

"Don't fail me again, Voldemort. What I give I can take away just as quickly." The image vanished from the seeing pool. The demon fell to his knees when he was sure that she was gone. She was always difficult to deal with.

***