Son of Serpents

"Dora!" Kierandus squeaked, delight invading his face. Days of repressed smiles fell away the instant he saw his cousin enter the library.

Nymphadora Tonks lit up just as quickly. "Dumbledore told me you'd probably be in here, but I didn't believe him for a second. I couldn't believe you'd be indoors reading, even if were hailing outside!"

Kierandus didn't tell her, but he spent hours in the library now. He couldn't help himself; back home he had only scratched the surface of Wizarding knowledge, and there was still so much he wanted to know–about his parents, their family, this school... and yet, with everything he read, the more ignorant he felt. He just shrugged.

"It passes the time. But what brings you here? Shouldn't you be off on some glamorous Auror quest?

"Just an errand for Dumbledore,"she answered nonchalantly. "But once I heard you were here, I knew I couldn't leave before solidly pounding you into the Quidditch field." Her dark eyes twinkled. She was challenging him to a scrimmage.

"Terrific!" said Kierandus, a little too enthusiastically. He had been deprived of fun all week, and it was beginning to take a toll. "It's hard to believe we can actually fly here without having to worry about being seen by peo–muggles, you know?"

"I know. I felt the same way when I first came to Hogwarts. Hey, remember that time..."she trailed off, her smile turning mischievous.

"The guy with the bowler hat?"

"You remember."

"I still see that hat from time to time."

"Where did you...?"

"The lamppost on the corner of sixth and seventh. Looks sharp."

"Oh, righty-o. Best thing anyone's ever done for that man, too, I'd wager."

The chuckled while they made their way down the Quidditch field. Kierandus looked at his cousin out of the corner of his eye. Her hair was cut short and bob-ish around her heart-shaped face. It was currently bright blue, but he knew that could change within moments.

He hadn't seen his cousin for a while–she had been away at school when he was young, but he still seen her over the holidays. But since she had become an Auror, her trips home had become more and more infrequent.

In the gym they picked out two decent Shooting Stars. Once on the Quidditch green, Kierandus looked around at the stands, imagining, as he often did, what they would look like full of students. The both mounted their brooms and began to fly around loopily, scrapping with a few quaffles, but mostly being silly.

Kierandus was pretty pathetic at flying, anyway. With only a few lessons under his belt (courtesy of his restless cousin when his aunt had been at the grocers) , his erratic motions were just barely capable. No matter–he was thrilled just feel the sun on his face and to be with someone who didn't despise him.

Nymphadora wasn't exactly graceful herself. She managed to miss the quaffle Kierandus threw at her, but lost control of her Shooting Star and promptly slipped off its' handle when it bucked. Landing on her bottom, she laughed until her cousin joined her on the field. They sat side by side, suppressing giggles like a pair of school girls.

"It's good to see you laugh, Kieran," she finally managed. "I was afraid all this solitary confinement had driven you batty. You're scrawnier then I've seen in a long time."

"It's not so bad. I'm just having to adjust to everything..."

"Have you written mum? God knows I never did enough while I was here. She'll never stop complaining if you don't."

"I wasn't sure..."Kieran broke their eye contact.

"What? Wasn't sure if you'd be allowed to?" she pried, reading his mind. "For goodness sakes, your not a prisoner here, Kieran. You can do as you like. Dumbledore will take care of you–you can trust him, I swear."

Kierandus met her eyes again, staring long and hard. "So you know about me."

She took a deep breath. "Yes, I was filled in, if that's what your asking." He frowned and she punched him in the shoulder. "Don't be such a drama queen. I've known you were my cousin my entire life–you've lived in my house since I can remember. It never dawned on me to ask exactly how we were related, true... but that makes me the dotty one. And now that I know that you're the son of two sodheads-- does that make me know you any less? No!"

"But I'm worried you'll see me...differently," he muttered after a minute. I see me differently.

" I've seen those two sickos up close and personal, and believe me, the only thing I see when I look at you is the little brat who cut holes in all my footies," she said decisively.

Kierandus hugged her neck quite suddenly, knocking foreheads with her. It was just the thing he needed to hear after all these lonely days in an empty school.

"What have they done to you?" she joked, pushing him away after a moment.

"Turned me into a touchy-feely wench, seems like. C'mon, let's go get some lunch."

Before he could stand to go, she grabbed his shirt sleeve. "Oi. I've just got one more thing to say about all that."

"Go on."

"You know I'd think highly of you, even if you were the son of two Flobberworms. But others...they don't know you. And Dumbledore thinks it would be too dangerous if you were just going around with the Lestrange's name attached to you. The Ministries suggested–and I agree–that you should be Kierandus Tonks for the time being. He's informed the staff already, and if any student asks, you can just say you're my brother. At least until they get to know you, of course..."She looked at him, hoping to see his approval.

"Oh..." Kierandus felt a familiar wave of uncertainty wash over him. ‘Too dangerous'...what kind of danger would that be? The air of secrecy nagged at him. On the other hand, I can just be any other student. And an Aurors's brother, to top it off! The uncertainly quickly turned to relief. It's not like I've ever been more Lestrange then Tonks, anyway, so I wont be completely fibbing...

"Okay, then."

She scrunched her nose playfully and they went for lunch.

When the students did finally start to arrive, it felt like an invasion. Kierandus had spent time all over campus in the previous week, and had allowed himself to consider it his own. It had been a boring time, but peaceful in it's own way. Now the clamor of conversations, the cheers of reunited friends, the traffic of luggage filled every one of "his" hallways. It took adjusting to.

He was sorted right after the first year students. They were so nervous and anxious they barely noticed him slip in at the end of the ceremony to have the worn hat placed on his head.

In a way, Kierandus felt jealous of their fresh, young faces: They get to have this experience completely carefree. They haven't been quarantined from the rest of the Wizarding society for years...it's so unfair.

-----------------------

Just before the feast began, Severus slipped into the Great Hall through a side door. Kierandus was just making his way to his seat, and stopped in front of potion's master. They hadn't spoken since the incident in the library, but Kierandus was suddenly far too lighthearted to stop himself from clapping Severus on the shoulder.

The professor recoiled from the touch and frowned. "I take it you're pleased with the sorting," he said dryly.

"I made Hufflepuff!" Kierandus gleamed.

"Don't be so morose. I heard the sorting hat pronounce you a Ravenclaw."

Kierandus laughed with no restraint. A joyous notion was going through his head: I am not a Slytherin. I am not a Slytherin! I am not what my parents were. Why have I been worrying? I'm not them at all–I'm just me–just like Dora said. But still, Merlin bless that mangy hat!

"Yea, I'm a Ravenclaw. Cool, huh? I'm wicked smart, apparently."

"Well, your mouth certainly is."

Kierandus just chortled. "Say, where are you sitting? I'll join you."

"You have to eat with your House, Kieran," Severus replied, surprised by the offer. Most students steered clear of the professor, as he preferred it. And most of them hadn't been personally screamed at a few days ago.

"Oh, right. Well, no offense, but I'm glad not to be sitting at your house's table. It makes things... easier, y'know?"

The potion master certainly did. Even if most of the students hadn't noticed the last newcomer to be sorted, all of the teachers had. They talked to each other in hushed voices, some looking confused, others looking relieved. Dumbledore's face had softened especially. He was now smiling in their direction, and nodded at Severus.

"I'm thrilled for you," Severus tossed over his shoulder, walking off to his table.

Kierandus joined the Ravenclaws, sitting among those who looked to be about his own age. The only empty seat was next to a girl with long, dirty-blonde hair and wide grey eyes. A string of corks dangled from her neck. She turned to stare at him unblinkingly, and he started to get the vaguest idea why the seat was open.

"Hullo!" he greeted cheerfully nonetheless.

She didn't answer, just gazed at him dreamily and nibbled on a buttered roll.

Finally, her voice came soft and serene: "The better to see you with, my dear."

"Pardon?" he asked, genuinely baffled.

"Who are you?" a voice interrupted them. Kierandus looked away from the strange witch to see the rest of the table watching him. The speaker had been a beautiful girl with a long dark plait flipped over her shoulder. Her eyes were fixed on his rather pointedly.

"Kieran Tonks–I've just transferred to Howarts," he quickly recited to the group.

"Where did you go before? Beaxbatons?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Padma," answered a boy sitting with his arm around another Ravenclaw girl. "He doesn't even have an accent."

"They have spells for that, Michael," Padma snapped back.

"Well the answer is no," said Kierandus quickly. "My mother home-schooled me up to this point." He waved his hand casually, attempting to dispel their curious looks. "But there's only so much you can teach out of textbooks. That's why I came here." Funny, he thought as he spoke, It's the same lie I was fed, and now I'm turning around and feeding it to others.

The girl under Michael's arm frowned at him. "I didn't know you could be home-schooled..."

"Yes, well, she gets along rather well with the Headmaster, and they worked something out," Kierandus said vaguely. Please let that satisfy them. Dora had only been so specific when filling in the details of his deception, and he hadn't thought to question her further. Of course, at that point he had been envisioning Slytherins asking these questions, not sharp witted Ravenclaws.

"So she felt the need to keep you out of school for five year? What does that make you? A little soft in the ol' noggin, or just your mum's widdle boy?" asked Michael, smirking.

"Well, I guess that would explain the nappies, now wouldn't it?" Kierandus dead-panned, and the table laughed. He had proven himself to be sharp–the essential Ravenclaw characteristic–and now they could relax.

He felt a movement at his elbow, and looked to see the blonde girl float away towards the Gryffindor table, leaving him completely exposed on both sides.

"Oh, don't pay Loony Luna and mind," someone piped, misreading his look of concern. "We've all learned that the hard way, trust me. Now that's a girl who could stand to have her noggin examined." The speaker snickered, as did a handful of others.

     Kierandus was unsure what to make of their laughter, but he was relieved the pressure was off of him. Conversation at the table resumed almost normally, and the feast progressed.

By the time the meal had finished, Kierandus was feeling much more comfortable. Padma Patil's eyes weren't flashing at him as they had been before, and Michael Corner had dragged him into some long-winded conversation concerning their distant family ties. He was so at ease that he was able to eat properly for the first time in days.

Michael's girlfriend had been introduced to him as Cho, and the snickering girl was her best friend, Marietta Edgecombe. There had been other introductions, but Kierandus's favorite had been a six year named Eddie Carmichael–an energetic goof with an excited air and a penchant for experimenting with potions. Kierandus liked him immediately, and stuck close to him for the rest of the meal.

"So over the summer I was reading Mysteries of Magic, and it had this article on this little-known Lebanese curse that can actually shrink a wizard's head little by little-- every day for a year," Eddie said in a low, hurried tone. His eyes were too bright to turn away from. "I heard it happens so slowly, that by the time the poor bloke notices, it's too late to do anything about it. Your brain get's compressed over time, and you die only after you've gone completely round the bend."

This sounded highly unlikely, but Kierandus was far too content to dissuade his new friend. "Brilliant...sounds er–really gruesome."

Eddie agreed and took the newest Ravenclaw over to meet some of his friends at the Gryffindor table. They were all jovial and full of pudding, and launched into stories of their summer exploits. The last of Kierandus's anxiety melted under their laughter–how he had needed this! I can do this. I can make new friends. I can live this life and be happy here.

Right before they retired to the common room, Kierandus felt a pair of eyes on him. He looked up, and felt his face freeze–his lips still stretched into a wide smile from talking to Eddie. A boy at the other end of the Gryffindor table peered at him through dark bangs. His eyes were green and intense behind spectacles, and his head was slightly cocked to the side.

     That's him, Kierandus realized immediately. In his week of studying, the only name he had seen more often then his parent's was this boy's. The Boy Who Lived...that's what they called him. Catchy.

Harry studied the Ravenclaw in such a deeply inquisitive manner that it tightened Kierandus's throat. But nevertheless, he took the opportunity to do some observing of his own. He looks normal enough...no matter how much he makes Dumbledore glow. A little scraggly, even.

In fact, Harry was looking downright harrowed in comparison to his two lively companions. Eventually, the red-headed one said something that coaxed a grin from Harry, and their eye contact was broken.

Still, Kierandus was grateful when Eddie and his friends called it a night and trudged up to the Ravenclaw Tower, leaving behind The Boy Who Lived and his prying gazes. Kierandus barely had time to admire his new quarters before his head hit the pillow and he fell into a deep and nullifying sleep.