Last Time:
"Yeah sure." Draco said indifferently. He didn't show it, but Julian could tell he was happy ...
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"He won't catch us this time, Fred," whispered one red haired teen as he snuck down the dark halls of Hogwarts with his twin brother by his side.
"That's right, George. We have to get just one prank in before the train leaves tomorrow." Fred whispered. The sneaky twins crept silently through the dark corridors with only two lanterns to light the way. They had everything they needed to prank the entire Great hall so several paint bombs of many different colors would go off under the headmaster's chair completed with a shower of charmed glitter that won't come off with any cleaning spell. To prank the most powerful wizard in such a way would give the reputation of being the greatest pranksters ever! All their attempts to prove their pranking prowess so far have been thwarted by one person ...
Professor Severus Snape ...
The man always seems to know when they're planning a prank, where to be to catch them in the act and some how consistently knew which twin was which. Their own parents never managed to do that! The wizard has become the twins biggest test and was by far their favorite professor. Severus may have always caught them, but he was pretty nice about it. He only punished them when they were clearly going to try a humiliating or potentially dangerous prank. If the prank was something harmless he just takes the supplies they have on them at the time and takes them back to the Gryffindor dorms. They only received one howler from their mother too, which Professor Snape insisted they open it in his office instead of in front of everyone else, but the fact that they got only one howler means that the professor didn't always report their misdeeds.
"Finally! We did it!" The twins exclaimed softly as they completed their last charm for the trap. Both twins stiffened as they heard the sound of someone turning the page of a magazine and slowly turned to see Professor Snape sitting next to the lantern they placed on the end of the Ravenclaw table closest to them. "P-professor?"
Severus looked up from his magazine, "Don't worry, boys. I'm not going to stop this prank nor will I punish you ... there'd hardly be any logic to that when school ends tomorrow. You both did an excellent job of getting passed me this time. I must say I'm impressed." He said genuinely surprised. Of course, he was busy plotting a few things himself. He has been wanting to do this for many years. 7 years to be exact. Ever since he saw that four year old boy named Julian go through his blood adoption.
"You don't mind?. ... are you going to warn the headmaster?" Fred and George asked in perfect sync.
"Nope ... the headmaster is 120 some years old and has been at the school as a staff member for 80 years so I think he can handle a joke." Severus said with a shrug as he stood up. (Besides, he will need to get used to being the butt of every joke soon.) Severus thought sadistically.
It was the end of June and soon Julian will be 11 years old. Normally a child destined for Hogwarts will receive a letter only two weeks before school starts in September, but Harry James Potter was the one who was signed up for Hogwarts not Julian River White. Hogwarts will take account of the blood adoption and blank out his name as if he was never there. No letter written by the magical school will be sent for Julian. Of course, no one will realize this until they find that Harry isn't at school. Only when people start kicking up a fuss and wasting resources trying to find a boy they don't deserve will it be revealed by the goblins that Harry Potter was adopted and his name was not only changed, but he was not even in the same country. Severus had no doubt that the goblins will love breaking the news ...
"Ok professor! So we really got passed you?" The twins asked eagerly as they grabbed the lanterns before following the professor.
Severus chuckled as he folded his magazine and tucked it under his arm, "Yes, you both did. However, it's still too dangerous to be out this late. Back to bed." He said and escorted them back to their dorms.
"Then you'll be in trouble next year when our little brother, Ron, gets here." George grinned cheekily as they neared the moving stairs.
"Oh? Is he more like you two or like Percy?" Severus asked.
"Well thankfully he isn't like Percy, but ... we're working on him." Fred said sneakily.
"Not the pranking mastermind like you two then." The potions professor concluded in amusement.
"Barely a mind at all!" The twins snickered.
"Doesn't sound like I'll be in trouble." Severus said with a fake sigh of relief.
"Hey professor, what are you reading?" Fred asked curiously.
George tilted his head and brought the lantern closer to the magazine so he could see the title and his jaw dropped in shock upon seeing the wedding magazine showing different wedding venues. "Blimy! Are you getting married, Professor Snape!?' George exclaimed just loud enough for some of the living portraits along the walls near the Gryffindor dorm entrance to wake up.
Before the portraits could see them Severus cast a 'not notice me' spell, "Yes actually." He answered casually.
The twins eyes lit up, "COOL! Do we know who it is? Guy or girl? How long have you been dating?"
The potion master raised his hands in a defensive move though he looked more amused then anything else, "Calm down. I've been dating two woman-yes, they both know about each other." Severus added quickly before the twins thought he was a two timer or something. "In fact, they're twin sisters and potion masters. The three of us have been dating for about 6 ½ years and I proposed over the summer last year, but we all teach so we only started planning now. Now that's enough on my personal life. Off to bed with you troublemakers."
"Night, professor!" The twins said the password and the Fat Lady opened her door though she looked a little startled since she couldn't see the student talking to her. Right after the twins disappeared behind the door Severus dropped the spell and let out an amused sigh as he heard all the portraits chattering about his personal business. Not that it mattered really. This is the last year he had to hide his life away from Dumbledore.
In the morning Severus walked into the Great hall and was immediately confronted by Minerva. "What's this rumor going around about you getting married?" She asked and she would clearly be a little hurt that Severus wouldn't tell her personally if it turned out that the rumors were true.
"Bloody hell, those portraits gossip fast. Yes, it's true. Before you yell at me keep in mind I am a target for any wayward Death Eaters whether they believe I'm with them or not." Severus said using the best excuse he had that wasn't the full truth. Yes it was technically true, but he can avoid those idiots easily by going home to Australia. The main reason for years of silence was, of course, Julian ...
"Oh, that's right ... I'm sorry." Minerva apologized sheepishly. It was easy to forget that a few of Voldemort's followers were still active even so long after the war. If any of them tried to seek Severus out for help and noticed how he was teaching with Voldemort's sworn enemy they would immediately realize that he was a spy. That would be dangerous for both Severus and the person he's marrying.
"Could I have a moment alone with Severus, Minerva?" Dumbledore asked as he entered the Great Hall, which was empty save for the three of them.
"Yes of course, Albus." Minerva said and went to the hall to make sure the students were coming.
Dumbledore gave the potions professor a concerned grandfatherly look, "Severus, is what the portraits saying true? You are going to get married? That is terribly unwise-"
"It has been 10 years, Albus. If he was going to return he would've found a way by now especially with those remaining followers out there brave enough to search for him. I won't put my life on hold just to return to being a spy for some point that might not come. Why are you so sure Voldemort is still alive?" Severus hissed harshly under his breath.
The headmaster looked stunned, "Severus, you just need to trust-"
Severus snorted knowing he would never get the truth out of the old manipulative fool, "No Albus. You either tell me the full truth or I go on with my life and don't bother using that mark as leverage. I found a way to remove it." He snapped as he rolled up the left sleeve of his white button up sheet revealing the shocking sight of a bare forearm.
"How-" Albus started to interrogate the professor, but was quickly interrupted by hordes of students who were excited for their last breakfast here before going home for the summer. The headmaster lost all his friendly twinkle for a second as he was clearly furious that Severus refused him, but he had no choice but to go to his seat. It was even more infuriating when he remembered it was the last day of the school year and he technically couldn't speak with Severus again until after the summer. He decided to simply threaten to fire Severus if he didn't cooperate right before leaving and let the young wizard think about his actions.
Most of the kids were seated when they heard a loud popping sound and everyone saw Dumbledore covered in paint and sparkling. It was the perfect end of the year and by far the funniest ...
Afterwards, Severus tried to leave, but Dumbledore had to get the last word in. He ignored the threat and flooed to his own home where he saw Silvia and Sophia waiting for him. Technically the schools had different vacation start times. Legerdemain won't be on break for another few weeks.
"You're going to confront the Dursleys, aren't you?" Sophia said simply as she looked at their husband to be.
"Yes." Severus answered honestly. Never had he mentioned his plans for his godson's tormentors, but they must've realized it eventually.
Silvia pouted, "Without us? That's not fair."
"You want to come?" Severus raised an eyebrow not sure if this was a wise idea.
"We grew up with monsters Severus. Don't think you can destroy Julian's monsters without letting us look them in the eyes as they realize karma has come for them like our monsters?" Sophia asked. More than anything else she wanted to see the people who hurt Julian years ago.
"This will take all night and you need to teach in the morning." Severus said pointedly as he sat between them.
"Then wait until after Julian's MOEs, birthday and when he leaves on that trip to Africa with Brian ... besides, you haven't told the Malfoys about Harry Potter yet. They should probably be given a heads up." Silvia remarked. Severus sighed as he thought about his friends. Julian never had a problem with that secret being told. In fact he told Draco a year ago and Draco kept that secret. Maybe it was time to tell them the full truth. If anything they'll want to see the muggles and squib too ...
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Draco sat in his bedroom thinking back over the years. He had just turned 11 recently and so did his friend Julian. They both just completed their MOEs in the end of the last school year and were now enjoying the summer while trying to think about the Dragon exams in four years. It's these recent or future thoughts that made him think of the past and how things have changed.
Over the years he started to realize how warped his family's original beliefs and the current beliefs of the magical people of the UK are. Just yesterday his parents took him on a trip to Diagon Alley, which they rarely go to anymore since there's nothing there he needs for school, and it was like stepping back in time. A dark and depressing time at that. People were so close minded especially the ones taunting the poor snakes in the pet shop. For him that hurt the most because he used to be like that. He would walk through those streets as a young child with his parents and he even asked one time why they were taunting the snakes. Even though it was years ago he recalled his father saying that the evil Dark Lord was able to speak to snakes and somehow that meant snakes were evil too, but that it was only those who could speak to them. Come to think of it that was the only time his father discussed the Dark Lord who once waged war on the magical world in the UK.
However, that one comment was proved false not long after meeting his friend Julian. Of course, the full reality of how wrong his family's teachings were didn't sink in right away. A blush came to Draco's cheeks as he remembered what a brat he was that first year of school. In the UK Malfoys were high up in society because of their wealth and pure blood status, but no one cared in Legerdemain. No one treated him better or sucked up to him like kids from other UK families. People just rolled their eyes when he bragged about having pure blood because it wasn't highly coveted like in the UK. During his first DADA class he said a nasty comment about muggles being weak and that it was stupid to learn muggle style fighting. He ended up eating his words right away when he was allowed to use magic against his peers in the first duels and ended up losing big time since they were able to get close and pin him. Suffice to say it he didn't get along with people. Julian was his only friend for awhile ...
"Merlin, I was a brat." Draco muttered.
'You were a pup adapting to a new habitat. It's understandable for you to have a rough patch, my human.'
Draco looked up at a tan colored Golden Jackal trotting into his bedroom and up to him, "You're right, Sasha, but I can't help feeling foolish."
'You learned, many humans aren't capable of doing that. Now let's go downstairs. That envelope with your grades arrived.' Sasha reported and followed Draco as he got up, but she looked at the wolf plush sitting inactive on the shelf, 'Why do you keep that thing?'
"It's the first present Julian gave me." Draco smiled softly as he ran his fingers through Mickey's fur gently.
'Ah, the first courtship gift.' Sasha nodded understandingly before leaving the room and heading down the stairs.
The blonde blushed, (It's not a courtship gift!) He yelled through the mental link he had with his familiar, but all he got as a response was chuckling so he huffed and went downstairs where his parents had a letter. "Good, it came."
Lucius chuckled as he gave his son the envelope, "I think I'm more nervous than you." He said as his son calmly opened the envelope and looked at the grades. It was more impressive than Draco realized. Lucius and Narcissa did some research on the Magic Overall Exam, or MOE, and it was a little more advanced than the OWLs, which they took at 15 with wands not wandless at 10! The Malfoy parents could not be more proud.
"Straight As across the board." Draco said proudly and quickly checked off a couple optional classes.
"That's wonderful! Would you like anything to celebrate?" Narcissa asked happily as she hugged her son.
" I'll think about it. For now I'm going to the beach and do some swimming." The blonde commented as he wandlessly summoned his bag. It wasn't difficult to stay in shape for the swim team over the summer since the vacation house his parents bought was right on the beach.
"Ok, but be careful-oh ... I wonder if Julian got his report card." Narcissa pondered. It was a puzzling question since Julian and his father were wandering around Africa right now.
"Probably not. I bet it's waiting in his mailbox though I doubt it's a big concern. He has enough to think about with what's to come." Draco said cryptically before going outside with Sasha following him.
Lucius raised an eyebrow, "What was that supposed to mean?"
"Plenty." Severus ducked a spell. Apparently, he startled Narcissa and Lucius because they whirled around and fired at him. Thankfully, they finally saw who it was and stopped "Oook ... you guys are a bit on edge today." The potion master muttered as he stood up.
"Sorry, Severus. We went to Diagon Alley yesterday and ... well we saw some old comrades. I don't think they saw us, but it was unnerving to say the least." Lucius admitted.
Severus immediately made a mental note to not inform them about the Tom Riddle and horcrux issue. It wouldn't be wise with them being this edgy. "I can certainly understand that and I should've called out instead assuming you heard the floo ... as for why I stopped by. It's about Julian."
"Is something wrong?" The concerned Lady Malfoy asked.
"No ... it's about his past ... Julian was born Harry Potter." Severus instantly grabbed their attention and they went to sit in the living room. Everything was described from the abuse Harry went through to Brian and Dumbledore's involvement to how he came to being Julian's godfather. Severus waited silently as his friends processed the information.
"Draco knows all this already, doesn't he?" Lucius realized as he thought back over the cryptic comment his son made earlier.
Severus nodded, "Julian told him personally."
"The poor boy ... oh Merlin, the entire UK will be expecting Harry Potter at Hogwarts! What happens if he never comes?" Narcissa exclaimed in horror.
"Chaos, sheer unadulterated chaos. They have no choice over their beloved savior's life and they can't drag him anywhere he doesn't want to go, but they will think he was taken and everyone will scramble to find him. Before they put all their resources into finding Harry the goblins will announce the truth about Julian. I think they'll go heavy on the abuse details, but before that comes I'm going to deal with those who cared for Julian." Severus bit out sarcastically.
Lucius's eyes narrowed as he stood with his wife, "Not without us you're not."
That night after Draco went to sleep Lucius, Narcissa, Severus, Silvia and Sophia went to the place that was once the place where Julian was tortured. As Lucius went to drag the squib out of hiding the others magically unlocked the door and stepped inside. They heard a man saying ...
"One moment, Petunia. I need to burn this letter."
It was Vernon Dursley and that was the last thing he said that wasn't a scream of pain. No one saw Ms. Figg, Petunia, Vernon or Dudley and thanks to a deeper scan of the mind a women named Marge, who owned violent dogs, also vanished ...
XXXXXXXXXX
Gloria rose to the surface of the water just in time to see a huge dark blue occamy flying over head and riding on its back was an 11 year old green eyed wizard, 'Tanzanite, Julian, it's good to see you both. How was the trip?' The crocodile looked over to see a familiar wolf made out of smoke standing on the river bank. 'You're getting rusty there, Brian.'
The wolf became solid as it shifted into the tall blonde headmaster, "Yes I believe I am." he chuckled sheepishly. "We need to unpack Julian-oh!, go grab your report card too! If we got any mail it should be in my desk. It must've been waiting a week."
"Ok Dad!" Julian yelled and flew ahead on Tanzanite's back. The occamy skillfully touched down on the bridge leading to Brian's office. The young wizard jumped off of Tanzanite and the occamy shrank down to curl up on the wavy blonde hair.
'Let's see these grades. You studied a longtime for it. The only test for animals is very simple. You die, you fail.' Tanzanite chatted casually.
"That would be the ultimate fail I suppose." Julian deadpanned, but shook off the thoughts and went to his Dad's desk. In the distance he could hear the elevator going up and his Dad walking into the dining room to make a few quick snacks to relax after a long trip. There were two letters waiting, but one shocked him.
Tanzanite felt that his human was greatly troubled and looked at the letter, 'What trickery is this?' He growled and released a rather large flame for his current size, which goes to show just how pissed he was. With the small occamy flying along with him Julian ran to the kitchen and before his Dad could say a word he thrust the letter into his hand.
"I thought Uncle Sev said I wouldn't get one." The young confused boy panted as his Dad looked at the letter. Brian's eyes widened when he saw the letter was addressed to 'Harry James Potter' ...