9Severus cursed his trembling hands once more as he prepared to apparate back to the Dark Lord's lair. His fatigue settled heavily in his bones and he could barely keep the fog from his mind as his body screamed at him for rest. He knew he was stronger than this but at the moment he didn't feel it. He didn't want to relive the visions he had witnessed. Truth be told, though he would never admit it, they had frightened him. The sight of the sharp, demonic teeth flashed across his memory and he allowed a shudder to wrack his frame. This wasn't the time to give into weakness if he wanted to survive this next encounter. He took in a deep breath and spun in place, reappearing with a loud crack that showed just how exhausted he was. Normally he wasn't so loud.
He strode forward with steps more confident than he was feeling and placed the pensieve on the conjured table before him, bowing at the waist and stepping back. He refrained from looking up at the serpentine man before him and kept his eyes down, unsure if he was going to be cursed now that he had accomplished his orders.
"You may return home to rest Severus. Continue my potion and return tomorrow with it in tow when I summon you. Failure will not be tolerated."
At the clear dismissal, Severus gave another bow before apparating back to the comfort of his small home. He knew he would have hell to pay the next day so he opted to head straight to sleep, not even bothering to change out of his robes.
Voldemort watched as his spy hurried to leave his presence. The thought that he could scare a man so stoic and in control once would have given him a sick feeling of pleasure but now all he felt was a hollow echo. He flicked his wand at the pensieve and bid it to follow him to his office. Nagini slithered after him, curling by the fire as he placed the pensieve on his desk and settled himself in his plush chair. He threw a locking spell at the door and leaned forward, steeling himself for the feeling of falling.
A dark, grey forest filled his view briefly before it flashed by turning into a village with androgynous creatures. He looked around for the Potter brat but couldn't find him. There was a raven haired creature sparring with a blonde but he dismissed them as they were both too old to be the boy. His eyes scanned the expanse in the memory and he cocked an eyebrow at the row of sharp teeth that were suddenly filling his vision. This, woman he assumed, was standing right next to him with a smile on her face, her mouth nothing but menacing sharpness as she watched the two sparring.
He was getting impatient and he felt the stirrings of his less stable emotions coming to the front. This was a waste of his time. He turned to leave the memory and stopped as amber eyes locked onto his. At first he thought it was a fluke, that he stepped into the line of view but as he kept watching the eyes followed him and a small smirk lifted the corner of the man's mouth. Ruby eyes narrowed and his grip on his wand tightened. He raised it to point at the amber eyed man and the picture around him swirled.
He found himself in a different forestscape that was all at once more menacing and his skin prickled as if warning him of a danger he couldn't see. He inwardly cursed his insanity believing it to be the cause and turned slightly to take in the view and caught glowing green eyes just beyond the treeline. He made to move in the direction of the creature and heard a bloodcurdling scream and laughter before the vision swirled once more. Now he was standing in the Department of Mysteries, the Veil before him. A shudder swept through him in time with the nonexistent wind blowing the tattered curtain and he made to leave once more. Again something caught the corner of his eye and he saw a pale hand come from out of the curtain to grip the cloth and begin to pull it aside.
All of a sudden he was back in his office chair, his head spinning. He massaged his temples and tried to process the memory he witnessed. His Potion Master was correct, they were confusing to say the least and the Potter brat didn't seem to be present in any of them.
$Massster? Your annoyance and frussstration are preventing me from enjoying my nap.$
Voldemort's eyes flicked to where Nagini was curled in front of the fire basking and his lip curled up slightly for a moment. He brushed a strand of wayward hair from his forehead and stood to pace while his mind reran what he saw. There seemed to be a whole realm beyond that veil with some type of demonic creatures. If the potion was supposed to show Potter's location than he must be hidden somewhere there, maybe in that forest to wander forever or maybe those things were hiding him. Somehow they could see him, or at least that one could, but he dismissed that thought, it just wasn't possible. He was within someone else's memory of the vision, no living being could do that.
"What was that coming from the veil?" He muttered out loud. "Was it one of those creatures? Did the brat going through the curtain open it so someone could come out? A life for a life?" The thought that maybe it was Potter coming back out passed through his mind briefly before he dismissed the idea. That hand had claws and last he checked, the boy was human.
He felt his mind slipping as he continued to ponder and suppressed a sigh of frustration. He stopped his pacing and moved to the door intent on heading to his rooms. He would be able to focus more clearly after some rest and another spell to hold back the madness. He would be calling on Snape early and he hoped, for the Potion Master's sake, that his concoction was ready. He didn't doubt that the man wouldn't make it out of the manor if it wasn't.
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He watched as Snape stumbled to his bed, legs giving out before he had heaved himself onto the soft mattress. A mirthless laugh escaped the Potions Master's lips and he threw his mask to the corner and pulled himself onto the welcoming bedspread. His eyes fluttered closed and his breathing evened out almost immediately. He stared at the prone form for a moment before stepping into the sitting room and looking at the mess with surprise. He never took Snape as a slob. He crouched down to the book thrown across the coffee table and scanned the page it was open to.
"Aww Sev, I didn't know you cared so much," his voice sounded loud in the empty room.
He knew that which Severus Snape didn't admit to anyone save the Headmaster of Hogwarts. He was guilt ridden and still was madly in love with his mother, Lily Potter. He was given a vision of what would have occurred had he not fallen through the veil and had instead allowed Sirius to take the tumble. Severus would have died by Voldemort's hand and given Harry memories in his last moments, memories that would have made him regret not truly getting to know this bitter man. It was this knowledge that led him to follow him from the brief meeting.
"Whoever you are, place your wand where I can see it and put the book down. Turn around nice and slow," the baritone voice was cold and to anyone else's ears would have sounded menacing but he could hear the exhaustion at the edges.
"Damn you're a light sleeper," he slowly spun around with the book still in his hand as he raised them slightly to show he was unarmed. Snape's face paled as Harry smiled.
"This - You- Who- How-."
"Don't have a stroke Sev. My name is Andri, nice to make your acquaintance," he gave a mock bow, eyes never leaving Snape's face. He watched with amusement as anger and frustration overpowered confusion.
"Back up and get on your knees."
Harry obliged and chuckled to himself as ropes were conjured around him. He looked up and raised a perfectly formed eyebrow. "My, my I didn't know you were into this kind of stuff Sev. You kinky bastard you."
Snape grumbled under his breath and cast daggers with his eyes. "Just who are you? Answer me or I'll force Veritaserum down your throat."
"Oooh testy, testy. I told you Sev, the name's Andri." He flashed another smile, showing his mouthful of sharp teeth once again. The sharp inhaling of air was the only response.
Snape pinched the bridge of his nose and looked for all intents and purposes to be battling a migraine. When he looked back on Andri his fatigue was clear in his face. He decided to take pity on the man. He did come here to check on him after all and decide his course of action on how to appease his curiosity. Who better to give him insight than the man who successfully survived playing both sides of the war. He let his glamour fall from his eyes, the emerald shining through and waited for recognition to strike. It took a moment. Snape was intent on grilling him for answers as to what he was and where he came from, no doubt recognizing his species from whatever visions that potion he created gave him.
When Snape finally looked into his eyes, his jaw went momentarily slack and disbelief and denial flashed through his eyes. "Wha- No, no, it can't be. You're not…"
Harry sighed and vanished the ropes binding him, dispelling the illusion that he was actually captive. "Afraid it's true. It is I, the magnificent Andri, bane of your existence and son of the love of your life. Formerly known as Harry Potter."
His hand darted out to catch the Potion Master as his legs gave out. Fatigue mixed with shock making him succumb to weakness. He tried to shake off the help but his attempts were weak and he allowed Andri, Harry his mind supplied, to all but carry him to the nearest chair. A finger touched his forehead and he jerked back. His eyelids become too heavy to keep open and he scowled at the man, boy, before him. He wore a cocky smirk and waved his finger in front of his face like he was admonishing a child.
"Tsk, tsk Professor. You need your rest. The interrogation can wait til the morning."
Snape opened his mouth to tell him off but was cut off as a yawn was torn from him and his eyes closed against his will taking him to the land of dreams. Harry cocked his head to the side and bent down to lift the man and take him to his bed. He left him to rest and wandered back into the sitting room to peruse once again through the mess.
He made a small noise of triumph as he found the parchment he was looking for and folded into the nearest chair to study it. The potion the Dark Lord wanted made for him. No explanation, no name for it, just a list of ingredients and a theory on how to brew it. The writing was elegant, seeming to come from Voldemort's own hand with Snape's own spidery scrawl on the edges with notes and changes to the instructions.
He rose to find the cauldron that contained the mystery, recalling Voldemort's order to Snape. He may not be a prodigy in potions like Snape but he wasn't a sorry sod like he had been at Hogwarts, having a decent teacher and someone who explained the theory in depth helped a lot. With the added help of the notations he knew this would be a breeze for him to finish for the spy, there were only a few steps left after all.
A few hours passed in relative silence as Harry concentrated on making sure each step of the potion process was flawless and thought over his next steps. He hadn't planned on revealing himself to someone so soon, if at all, and now needed to decide how to proceed. He knew Snape could protect his secret but didn't know if he would want to. He had suspicions that he would but until he knew for certain he had to play it safe, no point in spoiling his fun so early. He thought back to some of his earlier magical training with his new abilities and opted to keep an ace in his back pocket just in case. Bottling the finished product and putting a stasis charm on what remained in the cauldron, he placed the vial on the table with a note and melted into the shadows to observe as he heard the only other occupant in the house stir.
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Severus woke feeling more refreshed than he remembered in, well, ever. Fatigue didn't cling to him as it normally did when he first woke before his coffee and a pepper-up. That was the first clue that something wasn't right. He laid in his bed and pulled to the front of his mind the memories from the previous night. Adrenaline coursed through him as the realization and disbelief flooded him once more. One of those creatures was in his home, or was at least, and it was posing as Potter. Or it was Potter transformed. He pushed passed that thought, not liking the direction his mind was heading.
Slowly rising from his mattress, he swept from his room, wand in hand, and opened his senses honed from over a decade of spying. He felt no other presence as he carefully crossed the threshold into his sitting area. He knew someone had been there instantly, though his mind still wanted to deny the actual events. The mess that had been his home since shortly after the Potter brat had disappeared had been tidied. Everything was stacked in an orderly way and a vial lay innocently on what should have been a table covered in parchment. Instead only a single piece looked out of place.
He walked up to it, eyes constantly scanning his surroundings, and waved his wand over the entire table, scanning for any trap that may have been laid. When nothing came back, he scooped up the vial and examined the contents, a weight dropping in his stomach as he recognized it as the Dark Lord's brew. He hesitantly picked up the parchment and nearly dropped it in shock as the handwriting was blaringly familiar. He had graded homework with that same writing for 5 years, he could not mistake it.
Professor Sev,
I hope it's alright that I finished that potion for the big bad Dark Lord for ya. I followed your steps so rest assured that it's correct, though I know you'll want to check it and I left the remainder where I found it so go for it and then confess my brilliance of potions!
Just kidding, just kidding, I know you'd never do that. Anywho, now you have something to return with so he doesn't get his panties in a knot and you got some extra rest. You looked like you needed it what with all the worrying you were doing over me, so sweet! When you're back I'll be ready for that interrogation that I know you are pining for, I may even let you curse me a couple times for fun.
Toodles,
Andri aka the Boy Wonder
P.S. Let's keep this between us for now, yea?
Snape pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt another migraine attempting to surface after reading the drivel. There was no mistaking that the creature he met last night was who had written this missive but the fact of it being Potter still wouldn't connect with the rest of the dots.
Moving to check the cauldron he begrudgingly admitted that the potion was completed properly. Casting tempus he realized that he had indeed gotten more sleep than he expected to and debated on a quick breakfast before he was summoned.
Something told him he wouldn't have much of an appetite later but that he may want to at least hold off until his meeting. The last thing he wanted was to lose his meal in front of the Dark Lord after last nights already pathetic display. He let out a log sigh and cursed whatever he did to deserve such annoyances in his life under his breath and went for a quick shower. At least he could potentially get answers later, even if he would have to suffer with an unknown in his home.
He made a mental note to have safe guards in place before he came face to face with this Andri character again.
Hope you enjoyed! Please review and I would be curious to know what pairing you, as the readers, would like to see. I have an idea but I could potentially be swayed.