Burning Serpent

I am sorry if it is confusing, and Odd, but I tried my best!

LAST CHAPTER

“This is all you have?”
“Yup. I am a freak in this house, so I was never given much.”
Snape’s eyes seemed to change; Harry saw something odd in them, but they immediately changed back. Harry was waiting for the man to make some kind of mean or cutting remark, but Snape and Harry’s trunk just led the way out of the door.
Harry Potter silently contemplated what was happening. He was following one of the men he hated most in the world out of the door, going to his home to study Occlumency again…
Something strange was going on, and right now was not the time. He was still angry and any little wrong move Snape, or anyone else, made would set him off…

* * *

BURNING SERPENT
By: Raniyah Tahira

Chapter One


Harry Potter stood on the front doorsteps of his uncle and aunt’s house, staring at the huge, powder-blue thing in the drive way. “What in the name of Merlin is that?”

Severus made a noise as he waved his wand. “That is a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz.” The trunk popped open.

“That is a boat!”

“That is a classic. That is taking us to Snape Hall.” He waved his hand this time, and the car door flew open. He saw the boy staring at him and graced him with a genuine smile. “Wandless magic. It is much easier that having to grab a wand all the time.” He suddenly frowned. “Get in the car.”

Harry was shocked at Snape’s sudden change in personality, but hey… It was Snape. After riding in silence for what seemed forever, Harry spoke quietly. “Professor, I won’t tell anyone – not even Ron or Hermione.”

“I could care less if you tell your friends.” He cast a glance at the Gryffindor and sighed. “I must ask your pardon, Mister Potter. Though we have had our differences in the past, my tone with you was uncalled for.”

Harry snorted. “What about in class? Or when you came into my house?”

Snape laughed. “If you can’t deal with those people – calm, well-tempered Potter, what makes you think that I am going to be in a pleasant mood inside that house?”

“True…”

“And as far as classes go… You know that many of the Slytherins’ parents are Death Eaters –“

“And you wanted to protect me and the mission, the Order –“

“Yes. Only I have been protecting the wrong people.”

“WHAT?!?!?”

Snape cast a glance at Harry. “Potter, have I ever hurt you, put you in danger, lied to you like Dumbledore has?”

As much as Harry hated to admit it, Snape was right. “No.”

“Then I need you to trust me now. When we get to Snape Hall, we can explain it better.”

“We?”

“I, Remus, Gilderoy, Lucius and Sirius.”

“Wait…” Harry was flabbergasted. “Did you say Gilderoy? As in Gilderoy ‘the-puff-ball’ Lockhart?”

“Yes,” Snape said with a laugh. “But trust me, the real Gilderoy Lockhart is far from ‘puff-ball’, Potter.”

“Sirius?” Harry suddenly got angry. “How could you tell me Sirius? Sirius is dead!”

“Correction, Harry. Was dead.”

“Was dead?” Harry stared at Snape. “Did you just call me ‘Harry’?”

Snape sighed. “Yes… As you know, I am rarely able to attend the Death Eater meetings, but when I attended last night, I found out some very interesting information.”

“About what?” Right at that moment, they took a turn up a hill and Harry gasped. “Is thnapenape Hall.”

Severus smiled. “Yes.”

“It is beautiful…” Harry stared in awe at the large mansion and the beautiful kept gardens and trees surrounding the place. “I never saw you living in a place like this.”

“What? Did you think I stayed in the dungeons all the time?” He laughed at the guilty look on the boy’s face. “Well… I am glad you approve.” s ths they pulled up to the Hall, Harry remembered his question. “What information did you find out, Professor?” It suddenly hit him fully that he was walking into Snape’s home, when he had been told that Lucius would be there… Of course, Remus and Sirius were supposed to be here, so it was okay. Wasn’t it…

“We will tell you everything inside.” Snape turned off the car, got out and began making his way inside. “A house elf will get your trunk.”

Harry was shocked at the warm, luxuriousness of his him and followed his professor into a side parlor. He was surprised to see his former professor Lockhart dressed in all black! He didn’t even acknowledge that Snape was talking to a house elf, or the fact that Remus and Lucius Malfoy was indeed in Snape’s home.

Lockhart smiled, but it wasn’t the idiotic, brainless grin that Harry had become accustomed to. “Hello, Harry.”

“Hello, Professor.”

“Please, call me Gilderoy.”

“Um…” Harry didn’t know what to say as he took in his surroundings and the people within his view. Where was Sirius?
As if sensing his thoughts, Remus spoke up. “He is outside with Draco and… And we thought it best to tell you everything that we have found out before he saw you again.”

Harry tilted his head. Remus wasn’t telling him something. Something was wrong, but what? He ignored the feeling in his gut, and opted for asking, “What is it? Professor Snape said that at the last Death Eater meeting, important information was divulged.”

Lucius nodded. “That is where Gilderoy comes in.”

Severus came up behind Harry. “Perhaps you should make yourself comfortable, Potter.”

Harry looked a little uncomfortable, but sat down beside Remus anyway.

Gilderoy leaned a little closer. “As you know, when I taught at the school, I was rather…” He looked sick. “Brainless acting. However, I must say that it is not my normal personality. You see, I, Sev-Severus, Remus, Sirius, Lily, Peter, James and Lucius all attended Hogwarts together. Lucius was in the year about the rest of us. All of us were in a group together, but we weren’t overly fond of Dumbledore and his over zealousness against the Dark Lord. In fact, he drove all of us almost nuts with his opposition.. Only Lily and James opposed the Dark Lord. However, being in Hufflepuff, I was the most loyal and sweetest. Or… Rather, I was supposed to be. While Severus ‘gathered sts fts from the Dark Lord to give to Dumbledore’, I was able to gain Dumbledore’s confidence and friendship. In my last year, however, I came upon his Pensieve as you did. However, I saw something completely different from the type of thing you saw. I saw the entire prophecy and what Albus intended to do about it.” He cast a glance to Severus.

“All of us had our particular strengths,” Severus said. “I had Potions, Lucius and Remus had the Dark Arts covered, Sirius – transfiguration, and Gilderoy had charms. However, since we were still in school and not finished our training, Dumbledore was far more powerful.”

Remus gave Harry a grave stare. “Only a few weeks ago a powerful medi-witch was able to restore Gilderoy’s memory. His entire memory.”

Harry tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

“Harry,” Gilderoy began gently. “Dumbledore found me in his thoughts. He obliterated my memories, as well as those of the entire group. He told Poppy that we were all having practice duels that got out of hand and wished to talk to us separately… He is the one who told us of our ‘lives’, our ‘personalities’. He lied and changed our existence forever.”

“It is a lie when it is said that nothing can remove the Dark Mark. Dumbledore certainly has the power,” Lucius added. “He liked Remus and Sirius because they were in Gryffindor, and because Gilderoy has a far more attractive personality than Peter. He removed their marks. Sent Gilderoy on his own life, and had Remus and Sirius work for him.”

“So… All of you, but my parents were Death Eaters?” Harry’s eyes glared at Remus.

“Harry…” Remus began softly. “James and Lily weren’t your parents.”

“What?” Harry looked dumbfounded and hurt. “You are lying.”

“No. We are not.” Remus sighed. “Dumbledore lied to you about the prophecy. Well, most of it. There was to be a powerful child born, and it was you. But, you were not to fight against Voldemort.”

All of the men looked at each other as if deciding how to handle this part.

Remus swallowed. “I know this sounds odd and impossible, Harry. But, I have never done anything against you that was in my power… It was only yesterday that any of us, aside from Gilderoy, knew about any of this… There is someone else with Sirius and Draco outside, but… I need you to trust that you won’t be hurt.”

Harry thought about it carefully for a few moments, before nodding.

Lucius stood. “I will go get them. You tell the rest of it.”

“Harry,” Gilderoy began. “You were born to a very powerful wizard and witch, but not James and Lily… You have seen how powerful Dumbledore is, but fate is fate… Even he can’t deny that; he may delay it, but it will still come. Not only did he change our lives and memories… He changed one person’s entire being. Changed their personality, their thinking and… after the prophecy was fulfilled…” He looked at Snape. “You have to, Sever-“

“Harry,” Snape said, rising to stand and cutting of Lockhart. “The true Prophecy said that the Dark Lord and his Queen would give birth to a powerful son, the most powerful wizard the world has every known. It said that when the child rose to his full power, the King and the Queen would stand be the their prince.” He paused. “Dumbledore lay in wait the night you were born. He, being stronger than the Queen and the King, took you and gave you to the Potters, hoping you would grow up and defeat the Dark Lord and reign in Light. However, Tom found out and went to the Potter’s to retrieve you. He had been following, to make sure that no one took you… He tried to kill Tom, but his love for you kept him alive and –“

“His love for me? Voldemort tried to kill me!”

“No, he didn’t he was trying to save you from Dumbledore and the Potters…” Severus sighed. “When he couldn’t kill Tom and hsappsappeared, he tried to kill you. Even as a baby, your power was too great. Since he couldn’t kill you, he sent you to live with the Durlseys. He knew exactly where Voldemort was and he went to him, he wiped out all of Voldemort’ memories of you, his queen. Everything and everyone that was crucial to the Prophecy.”

“Since,” Remus continued. “The Queen, the King and Gilderoy were the only ones who knew what the Prophecy said, he figured they were the only ones he needed to take care of. Even in his psychotic-madness, he still refuses to change or hurt those who he thinks are not involved with the causes that come.”

Harry was shaking with anger and disbelief. “So you are saying that I am the son of Voldemort.”

Severus nodded and stared at the ground. “When Gilderoy’s memories were restored, he found the Dark Lord. With his knowledge of memory charms, he was able to restore most all of everyone’s memory.”

“Immediately, Voldemort reclaimed his servants and brought back your godfather,” Severus said.

“Sirius…”

“Yes?”

Harry whirled around to see Sirius standing in the doorway smiling. “Sirius!” He flung himself across the room to hug the man, but almost immediately pulled back when he noticed the man standing between Sirius and Draco. “Voldemort…”

The Dark Lord smiled, but it wasn’t an angry or hateful one. “Harry… You must forgive m did did not know who you were until yesterday.”

“My father…” Harry whispered.

“Yes…” Voldemort said softly, reaching out to pat his son’s shoulder. “And your mother… Severina.” He pointed to someone behind Harry, who turned to look.

“Sever-what?” Harry gasped when he finally laid eyes on… “Professor Snape?”

But instead of the cold looking, mean and spiteful man, who stood there moments before, there was a dark beauty. She was probably about 5’ 9”. Her raven hair, which was thick waves of silk, hung to her mid-back, but her eyes were the same ones Harry saw only a few minutes ago. But, this time, they weren’t cold and empty; they were sparkling, bright, filled with happiness and love. “Pr-Professor Snape?” asked Harry. “You’re my mother?”

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SO? What does everyone think? Please, don’t flame me. You can tell me you dislike it without torching me to death!
But, Please REVIEW!!! No reviews = no new chapters!
I know it was odd, but remember the comments about Severina and Harry in the previous chapters are set-ups for far future chapters!