It was nine o'clock in the morning when the mage Apparated to the alley again. He stayed for a moment in the shadows watching the identical houses before him, snow making them even more indistinguishable than during summertime. It was truly a sight of tranquillity and the man wished he could see it as such. But there were too many bad memories he had about this place and he only wanted to get this over with quickly.
The freshly fallen snow crunched beneath Caelum's dragon hide boots as he walked calmly towards Privet Drive, Number 4. A short muggle coat partly covered his transfigured robes, now in the form of an elegant black v-neck shirt and jeans of the same colour. The Black family ring was safely tucked away in the non-space (it really hadn't wanted to come off) and he'd even removed his earring. The mage was stripped clean of magical objects and he'd actually had to leave the Hallows in his warded bedroom because not even non-space could tone down the protection they offered - even if it was only detectable by him.
The only magic he had with him came from the documents and the case, and of course from his glamour that at the moment presented a malleable looking middle-aged man to the world. This man was maybe in his mid-forties and had laughter lines at the corners of his grey eyes, really looking like someone's uncle on his way to give a Christmas greeting to a nephew or a niece. But magic could be deceptive.
Beneath the glamour Caelum had wrapped a translucent black veil around his head so that only his green eyes were showing, and at the moment glowing in the sick light of the blood ward. This was a trick he'd learned in China and – never forgetting his training – now put to use. While the chance of someone magical popping up was slight, it existed, and he could not give out his identity this early in the game, and a slightly muffled voice was a small price to pay for this precaution. That's why the tattoo was hidden by make-up, even beneath the veil and the gloves he'd found for himself.
The muggle-disguised wizard stopped mere inches from the border of the ward to even his breathing and check his shields weren't letting any of his magic through. He had managed to get four hours of meditation and his Occlumency was working better than before. The shields were far from perfect but still strong enough to contain his murderous intent and not let the wards pick on it. He could have used a couple of hours more in the meditative state but he honestly could not stay put in the house anymore. He'd even left Syl and Citala behind, with them both being magical creatures.
The mage spent a couple more minutes watching the ward. The thought of passing through something so twisted disgusted him and he could only be grateful it would not be able to touch his magic and contaminate it. No wonder Harry was suffering from magical exhaustion. But the pull between them was almost tangible, and without thinking much of it, Caelum took the significant step forward.
The wards did not even ripple as he passed through them, nor did they seem to recognise him as Harry. The man gave a mental sigh of relief before walking to the plain door. The snow hadn't been shovelled and Caelum took that to mean the whale – the least provoking word he could come up with – had not forced a ten year old boy out on a Christmas morning to do his chores. But the man's expression darkened and even his glamour was affected when he realized this to mean his younger counterpart might still be in the cupboard.
He rang the doorbell, a feeling of nostalgia rising at the nearly forgotten sound.
The muffled voices of joy and excitement coming from inside quieted and soon the earth shook as someone tromped to the door. Caelum had just enough time to send a curse to any god that might be listening, before plastering a pleasant smile on his seemingly middle-aged face.
And it was the whale who opened the door, only dressed in a morning coat barely big enough to cover the enormous blob of a man. Caelum was subjected to close scrutiny by beady eyes and he suppressed a shudder. "Yes?" the whale finally grunted, clearly displeased with the disruption of his Christmas morning.
At the sound of the vaguely familiar voice, Caelum forced himself to swallow when dark feelings nearly overtook him and made him commit yet another murder, this time in this peaceful suburb. He wanted nothing more than to give himself over to the power of the Killing Curse and the suspicious look on the whale's face only fuelled his desire. But he thought of Harry and fought, for the young boy's sake.
"Mr. Dursley? John Smith, a pleasure to meet you." He only nodded. His adversity to any touch was even stronger now than it had been with Lucius.
The beady eyes narrowed even more. "What do you want? Whatever it is you're selling, we're not interested."
The whale started to close the door but Caelum quickly stuck his foot forward and met the outraged eyes of the blob before him. Breathe, Caelum, he reminded himself. Just breathe.
"I am terribly sorry for disturbing your holidays but I felt the matter could not wait. I am here to tell you about your chance to-"
"Did I not tell you? We are not buying any Hoovers or magazines!"
"And I am not selling!" The mage's tone of voice was bordering on dangerous but the whale of course did not realize that. How could a human be so dense? "I have a proposition that will change your life. If you would just-" Again he was cut off. Caelum bit his tongue to keep from sending the hundreds of dark curses he knew flying at the blob before him.
"You can take your propositions elsewhere! It is Christmas!" The whale was starting to turn red and spit was flying as he shouted in Caelum's face. The mage tried not to gag and clenched his jaw.
"I am here about the boy."
It was nearly comical how fast the colour drained from the whale's face. He started sputtering. "YOU! You're one of them lot! One of them freaks! Leave!" The whale yanked the door and the wizard wondered how he'd walk after this because the pressure on his foot was great, even through the boots.
"I am here to take the boy and I would like this to go smoothly," replied Caelum peacefully but his jaw was still clenching. "I do not have my wand," the whale flinched, "with me. I promise not to do any of the... weird stuff. Do you not want to get rid of him for good?"
The whale eyed him from head to toes and back, a whole array of emotions playing on his face, and Caelum bit on his tongue yet again, trying to concentrate on something other than the prickling of his skin. Two words and this excuse for a man would be no more. Two little words that so easily fell from his lips. But maybe the strain of dealing with someone magical would cause his heart to implode. Now there was a cheery thought.
And if I lose my temper Harry would never trust me.
"You want the boy?" the whale grunted. Caelum saw Petunia come to see what was taking her husband so long. The mage could honestly say that the years with her family had not been kind to her and she looked at least ten years older than her age. Her eyes were listless and the mage honestly pitied this woman who'd chosen to stay with the blob.
"What is it, Vernon?" she asked when Caelum gave her a little bow, just out of common courtesy.
"He wants the boy," the whale repeated and the woman blanched. Her eyes turned to Caelum and the wizard could see the disgust but also the curiosity in them, as the woman slowly realized what he was under the disguise. He nodded as an answer.
"Your husband is right. I have all the docu-"
"Get in here!" He was practically dragged inside and Petunia took a quick look around to make sure no one had seen. She nodded in satisfaction at the empty street but that was about all Caelum could see because he was busy manoeuvring himself to stand on the first stair without touching the whale. His skin was prickling enough as it was, thank you.
"We don't want anyone seeing the likes of you!" Petunia practically hissed. "We are good, normal people."
"Which is why I am dressed like this." Caelum resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the familiar antics of this copy of the aunt he'd known. "As I was saying, I am taking him, for good. I have the papers here, and all you need to do is sign and you'll never see him again." The two adults stared at him and Caelum raised his brows while pulling out the four copies of the adoption papers from his pocket. "Should we take this to the living room or...?" He took a step down from the stair.
"The kitchen," the whale grunted and motioned for Caelum to go first. He passed the cupboard door and had to stop himself from breaking in right then and there. Just minutes left. But the sight of the locks and clasp made his heart clench and the anger grow tenfold.
The mage strode inside the kitchen and spread the papers on top of the kitchen table, while the Dursleys picked up Dudley from the living room and arranged themselves in front of the stove. The remains of the breakfast had been moved to the sink and Caelum felt dark pleasure at leaving Petunia to deal with them herself. She was clutching her son in front of her as if he was her lifeline and the mini-whale seemed to have no idea as to what was going on.
"As I was saying, I am here about Harry. I would like to take him from you-"
"You want to teach him those freakish things!" the whale shouted, apparently finally gaining his wits back. "I will not have it! We swore when we took that ungrateful brat under our roof, we'd uproot all that foolishness out of him!"
"He'd just as freakish as my blasted sister was," Petunia said disdainfully, clutching Dudley. "We're not going to let you make him..." She kept going on, but Caelum rubbed his temples in annoyance and tuned most of it out. They'd invited him in out of fear of anyone seeing him when he was dressed as a muggle. And now they started to talk rubbish? Only the earlier hours of meditation prevented his magic from exploding and taking the lives of all three with it. Twenty years he'd gone without dealing with this. Twenty years without seeing the sorry excuse of a man whose existence benefited no one and twenty years without listening to the deriding words of his Aunt. The mage took a shaky breath.
"Mrs Dursley," he interrupted and Petunia seemed to choke on her last word in surprise. "Harry is turning eleven in July. He will get a letter from Hogwarts and there is nothing, nothing you can do about it. You can try to hide it, you can even try to flee but there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop him from finding about his heritage. If the school does not get an answer, they will send someone here and that someone will come to your doorstep dressed in a robe-" Petunia and the whale shuddered. Dudley just looked confused, "in broad daylight, and they will not care that your neighbours notice, they will not care that someone finds out there's something weird about your relatives."
He could see that he had their attention now but a thud from the hallway drew his own attention. It seemed Harry was listening too and the mage grimaced when he realized how his words could be interpreted. Another thud followed the first one. Oh Merlin. Is he trying to break through the door or what? Just minutes and I'll get him out of that hole.
"Mum?" asked the baby whale and Caelum turned his piercing eyes on him.
"They will come into your house and using their abilities they will force you to let him go. They will expose your son to our lot." Petunia whimpered and wrapped her arms around her son. "Anyway, this is the easy way out for you. You'll just sign these and you'll never have to see Harry again." The mage noticed Petunia looked quite conflicted, even with the ranting she'd done. Caelum's Aunt had cared for him and their relationship had been cool but decent. This version had lived a decade starving and neglecting her own nephew and for that Caelum hated her. She had no claim over him. No matter that he was her last connection to her only sister she did not deserve to have him.
"You want the freak? On a Christmas Day?"
"I was unable to come earlier or I would have taken him from this house years ago. For that I apologise." Yeah, he was in an alternate universe. Another thud from the hallway and Caelum nearly let his mental cringe show on the face of his glamour. He needed to hurry.
"Vernon..." Petunia whispered and the two had a whole conversation through their eyes. Caelum used this time to pull out the case and put the quill on the table. He'd have to explain about it as well or using it would be useless. Sometime in the future he'd have to have good explanations for his behaviour and getting the Dursleys to agree to everything willingly would be worth it.
"Ahem... Mr Smith? But the letter said that people were after him and..."
Caelum raised his brow and cocked his head to the side. What letter? Oh, the one from Dumbledore. His face turned impassive to hide his true feelings. "The letter you are talking about also stated that, as long as you kept him, none of those people would be able to find him. I am here. I am not one of those people and believe me he'll be much safer with me than with you." The mask broke and the Dursleys had their first glimpse of what true anger looked like. They seemed to shrink away before him. Even Dudley turned ashen. "Not that any of you care," Caelum added under his breath.
Caelum picked up the quill. It had come with a numbing spell and he was inclined to take it off but knew getting the magic-haters to agree to this was difficult enough without there being pain involved. "This is a blood quill," he started his explanation and three pairs of eyes grew the size of saucers. "It draws on your blood to use as ink. It is painless though your hand might feel a bit numb afterwards. Using this ensures that the writer of the letter cannot bring the boy back here. You sign him off with your blood and nothing anyone does can change it afterwards. I understand it sounds horrible but let me demonstrate."
He quickly signed his name on three spots on all the four documents and glared at the paper when under Caelum Black appeared a smudge he knew represented his true name and titles. Thank the gods only he was able to make it visible because it was his blood and because of the private nature of the documents. It wouldn't do for anyone nosy to find about his origins through a stupid mistake like that.
The Dursleys had stared in horror as the lines were cut on the back of his hand but their eyes bulged out when he presented the untouched skin to them. "I swear to you it only looks horrible but there is no pain involved. Just this and no one magical will bother you ever again," he said, only lying on the last statement.
"You want us to...?" The whale swallowed, then seemed to gather his courage, grabbed the quill and started signing. He was flinching all the time during the first copy but the last three he signed as if using an odd pen. The muggle laid the quill on the table and swallowed before motioning his wife to do the same. Caelum kept his mouth shut as Petunia proceeded to follow her husband's example and signed her nephew off. The mage had never expected it to go this smoothly but he did not want to test his Legilimency when his shields were as strained as they now were. Not that it mattered.
The family returned to stand in front of the stove and the mage quickly checked the documents, all was in order and now he only needed Harry's signature to make them as binding as possible. He sighed as he rolled up the documents but let a small smile appear on his face as the wards around the house shuddered. They'd be down in minutes or less and would never be put up again. The thought brought Caelum sadistic pleasure. Anything angering the old coot did.
"I will get the boy," Petunia spoke and moved towards the door but Caelum stepped before her and stopped her with a look.
"Oh, I know where you've been keeping him," he nearly hissed, no more concerned with playing Mister Nice Guy. Before he did something irreversible the man whirled around and stalked to the cupboard, breaking of the lock and yanking the doors open without another thought. Stale stench invaded his nostrils but all his anger dissipated as soon as he laid eyes on the small figure huddled on the floor. The mage slowly crouched down and cocked his head to the side, waiting for Harry to at least look at him. He did not have to wait for long because as soon as Harry realised he wasn't assaulted, two green eyes peered from under the dirty bangs. Caelum smiled tentatively. "Hi."
Harry stared at him and clenched his arms tighter around his legs. There was a spider on his shoulder but the mage doubted Harry even realised, or he simply did not care.
"You're Harry?" he tried but the boy kept quiet and simply looked at him straight in the eyes. Caelum did not break the contact. He leaned a bit closer and made sure the Dursleys couldn't hear. "My name is Caelum. I'm related to your father."
Harry's eyes widened at this and his head snapped up in attention. Caelum worried he might have snapped his neck but the raven haired boy kept staring at him in incredulity.
"My father?" He had such a timid voice that Caelum cringed inwardly. He could easily imagine what Harry had been through in the last nine years.
"Yes. I am sorry I couldn't come earlier. But better late than never." He smiled again and this time Harry flashed a grin back. This made Caelum grin as well. He laughed and scooted slightly back. "You wanna come out?"
Harry's eyes darted to the right and Caelum turned his head to see the whale standing in the kitchen doorway. The beady eyes had been narrowed again in suspicion but the blob seemed to shrink away before the mage's angry gaze. Caelum softened his glamour's features as he turned to look at Harry again. "Come on," the wizard said and offered his hand. "Let's get you out of here."
Harry shook his head. "What kind of school is Hogwarts?"
Caelum laughed again quietly. "A school for people like us," he answered. "You'll go there in the autumn but until then I'd really like you to come and stay with me. You'd get your own clothes and a room." A little bribery always worked.
Harry's eyes grew large but he still didn't move. Caelum shook his head fondly. "Harry. There is much I want to tell you but I can't do it here. If you..." He licked his lips. "If you decide not to stay with me after we talk, I will bring you back here."
"Now listen here! You said-" The whale's rant stopped short when the mage turned his furious eyes on him. He was at the limit of his patience and just one more word from the whale and he'd snap. The wards shook around them and Caelum breathed in and out slowly to calm down.
"Come on, we better get a move on." He rose to his feet but did not withdraw the hand he'd offered Harry. "I promise you I will not harm you," he swore.
The boy was obviously still suspicious but he grasped Caelum's hand and allowed him to pull him on his feet and out of the cupboard. He was so tiny the mage wanted nothing more than to pick him up and hug him but knew from personal experience that he should not push it. Instead he tightened his hold on the small hand and smiled. "Do you need anything from there?" his eyes moved to the cupboard and back to see Harry's reaction. The kid shrugged.
"No, sir."
Caelum nearly corrected him but one look at the whale had him shut his mouth. Damn Dumbledore. Why did the manipulator have to exist here as well? Life would be so much easier if he could just oppose Tom on his own without pulling all these other people to fight for him. If he'd just...
There he went again. It had been a while since he'd ranted about Dumbledore – not since the man's death – but now he needed to focus on Harry.
"Well, let's go. I don't want to spend any more time here." The mage turned his eyes on the whale and his wife who was peeking over the blob shoulder. "I wish never to see you again," he said in his coldest possible voice. The Dursleys shuddered. "And you should pray not to cross my path in the future."
With this the two wizards walked out of the house. When Caelum looked down at his younger version he realised Harry was staring at their hands clasped together in a tight hold and that there was an awed look in his eyes. By then they already stepped through the wards, and with a shudder and a flash they crumbled and fell. Harry looked behind him.
"What was that?"
"Just the beginning of something else," Caelum smirked. They reached the pavement, and feeling like an idiot Caelum realized he hadn't even let Harry take his coat and that now the boy was shivering in his too big clothes. He kneeled and cocked his head to the right, making sure he had eye contact. "We're gonna need to get somewhere safe and warm. Do you mind if I carry you? I know you're a bit old for it but it'd be easier that way."
The boy's eyes widened. "You want to carry me?"
"Not if you don't want to but..." Caelum carefully wrapped his free arm around Harry, ready to stop at any indication of discomfort on the kid's part but he managed easily to lift the boy up as he straightened to his full height. The same stale smell clung to the boy's clothes and it was almost disgusting how dirty his messy hair was. Shower and bath were definitely on their to-do list. But at the moment the mage settled for hoisting Harry on his waist, and after a moment of tensing, two thin arms wrapped around his neck. Caelum grinned in happiness. "Good, now we just-"
Flames burst into existence in front of him and the mage instinctively whirled away from possible danger and called his Staff to his free right hand. It flared an Avada Kedavra green, ready to fight once more.
And it better be ready because the mage quickly identified the arrival as Dumbledore. The Headmaster was wearing blue robes with twinkling stars in them and a red and green hat was bobbing on top of his head. All and all, his attire was quite comical. But there was nothing comical about his expression.
Now why in the seven hells would a phoenix bond with him? Caelum wondered, dividing his attention between the magical bird singing beautiful notes and circling the air above them and the old wizard with his wand trained on Harry and Caelum.
"Put the boy down," Dumbledore commanded and Caelum could see no trace of the twinkle in his eyes. Harry shuddered, from cold or fear, Caelum couldn't know. He tried to Apparate but realised the Anti-Apparition ward was up already and breaking through it with Harry could end badly. Damn.
Should he try to talk his way out of this one? He'd been stupid not to foresee this.
"Put the boy down!" Dumbledore repeated, this time with a little more force in his words, and the mage's eyes travelled to the Elder wand. It looked identical but he felt no connection between them, nothing like the pull he'd felt to the holly wand. He raised the Staff as an answer and saw interest in Dumbledore's face.
"Albus," the mage said in a raspy voice he'd copied from one of his mentors. "Harry comes with me. Willingly. You do not have the power to stop us."
"Please, you surely can see that you gain nothing by taking him," Dumbeldore immediately changed tactics. "Your master is gone and attacking an innocent boy will not change anything." The aged wizard took a step closer but Caelum quickly backpedalled three steps to maintain their distance.
"Ah, but I serve no master, Albus," Caelum replied, stepping sideways to keep himself moving. "The muggles were happy to sign him over to me. Go see for yourself." He whirled out of the way as a spell came his way. It hit the pavement and Caelum could only cuss in his mind as his legs started suddenly sinking into the cement. He sent a pulse of his magic from his leg and bounced on top of the road, only to start sinking again. He kept himself in constant motion, dancing away from the path of Stupefies and other fairly safe spells.
Harry's hold on his neck was suffocating but Caelum barely noticed. Damn, he was not prepared to face Dumbledore! He hadn't even thought about how to deal with the old coot. Too many unknown factors. Finally he had enough and used the Emerald, more worried about this ordeal's effect on Harry than anything else.
He pointed it on the pavement. "Solid." Then raised it. "Shield."
He wasn't fast enough. A Finite got to him before the mercurial shield rose between them and Caelum could feel the glamour unravel and reveal his true face. He sent a silent praise to his Chinese mentors.
"Who are you?" the Headmaster demanded and there was a note of desperation in his usually controlled voice. Harry started to pull away and Caelum feared he might struggle. He dared to take his eyes of Dumbledore and looked down on the boy.
"It's alright," he whispered as two identical pairs of eyes met and Harry gasped. "I will explain everything to you. Trust me for now."
Harry nodded slowly, still staring, and reassured Caelum was free to turn his eyes back on the Headmaster who was trying his shield with silent spells, as expected, none had any effect. The mage smirked behind the veil. As powerful as the Elder wand was, it was nothing compared to his Staff and the Emerald embedded into it. Whether one believed the old story of the Hallows, or that they were created by the Peverell brothers themselves, their creation was still influenced by men and their needs. His Emerald was pure and free of human influence.
"I do not have time to waste on you, Albus," Caelum whispered and the spells started to fly faster from the Headmaster's wand only to dissipate harmlessly against the mercurial shield. "Do not worry, he'll be safe with me ...and should he wish it, I will return him back here." The green eyes spied movement in many windows. He chuckled, a raspy sound. "Do deal with the muggles."
Caelum raised his Staff again and smirking at the fearful look on Dumbledore's face whispered, "Away."
The Staff flared, the wards dissipated and Caelum and Harry vanished in a blazing green light leaving Dumbledore and the phoenix alone on the street, a deep look of despair on the old man's face.
The pair appeared on a street Caelum recognized to be in Liverpool, Davy St in Everton. The Staff flashed before vanishing and Caelum thanked it silently in his mind.
"Who was that? What did you do? Was that a laser?"
The man turned his attention to the boy, who blushed under his gaze and snapped his mouth shut. He had so many questions but Harry had already learned not to speak his mind. Even now there was a vary look in his eyes as the boy waited for his reaction. Or perhaps it was because he was still wearing the veil.
"Hmm..." Caelum looked around only to see the street was empty. He turned to Harry, reassured of their privacy, and ruffled his hair affectionately. "You can always ask me questions, but now I think you should have a bath and something to eat. I bet there's a McDonald's open somewhere. You want to go?"
Harry nodded so enthusiastically Caelum winced mentally and feared he'd dislocated his neck. After a quick check he flashed a grin his glowing green eyes betrayed and said, "Hold on, this might feel a bit weird." He Apparated them home.