When Demons Walk Amongst Us

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J.K Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Warner Bros, Bloomsbury. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Once again many thanks to Periculum for her beta work. Without her I’m sure everyone would be out for my head.

Chapter Three.


Harry allowed Severus to continue to hold him up on the trip to the Dining Room, for two reasons. First, he really could not have made it all the way on his own, and second because being near Severus once again was too much of a temptation. Much to his disgust, his two brothers had decided to walk in front of him and Severus and his father slightly behind, all of them boxing Harry in case he needed help in some way; more likely it was to make sure that Severus didn’t do anything. Even with Harry’s word that the older wizard would do nothing to hurt him, and in fact had saved his life on more than one occasion, they really didn’t want to trust him due to the Dark Mark branded onto his left arm.

Growling slightly in frustration, both from the comments his brothers were trading too low for Severus to hear, and the slow pace that they had been forced to travel at due to his weakness, Harry focused his will, and pulled his legs up so that he was floating on nothing, much to the surprise of his human companion.

“James!” Severus hissed in concern, reminding himself not to say Harry’s real name where others could over hear. “You really shouldn’t be doing that right now; you’re just needlessly draining what little of your reserves you have available to you.”

Smiling slightly at the older man, Harry laid a reassuring hand on Severus’ shoulder. “Relax Sev’rus; I’m not using my own power to do this. I only used enough to actually weave a web from the elemental energy that naturally flows off my brothers, with a touch of Father;s to keep everything stable,” he stated softly. “If my sisters were here right now, I would be able to use their elemental powers as well, in order to recharge my own reserves.”

Thinking that through for a moment, Severus could not find fault with the idea. “I take it your…sisters… have different elemental powers?”

Directing the weave holding him mentally, Harry shifted so that he was floating backwards. “Exactly, Jedzia is an Earth Mage, and Shay is an Air adept. Haze and Bane are also at the adept levels in their respected elemental powers, Water and Fire.”

Severus watched as Harry’s eyes lit up with an inner fire and did his best to hide the smile he could feel coming on, not realizing the softening of his own eyes. “And what of your parents and Eldest sister?” he questioned softly, sliding a hesitant glance at K’lal.

Seeing the look, Harry laughed softly. “Masters in their areas of expertise.” Seeing Severus' slightly confused look, Harry explained further. “Each elemental has control of different parts of the element themselves. For instance, Shay is a Mage, and can control the very ground you walk on, but she has problems with plants of any kind which also are found under the things that are associated with an earth element. Jedzia, on the other hand, loves to create storms, but would rather spend her day conversing mentally with the beasts of the Air.”

Nodding his head in understanding, Severus gave the young man a searching look. “And you?”

Blushing slightly Harry turned around so he was facing forward again. “I dabble in a little bit of everything.”

“He’s a genius with animals, no matter what element they are stronger with,” K’lal stated with obvious pride.

“He’s figured out how to weave all four elements together in their most raw form to do pretty much anything he wants,” Azera stated, shimmering into view beside K’lal, and startling Severus slightly with her sudden intrusion into the conversation.

“Plants twine around him whenever he walks outside,” Shay stated quietly, adding her opinion.

/He plays tag with the flying animals without any other support than the cooperation of the air. / Jedzia’s words glimmered gently in the air where the Potions Master could see them.

Iris, having arrived with Azera, Shay and Jedzia, watched from her own set of shadows as the family’s pride allowed them to speak with such honesty about their newest family member, without taking into account what their words were costing the young man they were so proud of. A young man who strived hard every day to come across as ‘normal’ to ever one – both humans and non humans - around him. Watching the frustration mount in Harry’s eyes, she focused briefly on the Potions Master and could see a slight sense of awe forming, and realized that she needed to be the one to protect her little brother from this newest kind of fame.

Stepping out of the shadow and directly beside Severus, she gently laid one hand on his arm and gave him a chiding look, silently asking him not to change the way he viewed Harry. “Like Ishal has already stated, he dabbles in a little bit of everything.” Turning, she allowed the air around her to grow slightly warm in a clear warning to the others to drop the subject. “Anya was wondering what was taking you so long. It appears that Jones is here and he has brought a most distinguished guest with him.”

Breathing out a sigh of relief, Harry allowed his original weave of fire and ice to combine with the energies his sisters freely offered and boosted himself back up to full power, leaving him with an extremely hollow stomach that demanded to be filled very soon. “Do you know who?” he asked softly, allowing his feet to touch the ground once again, and sent Iris a thankful look.

Eyes lighting up slightly in malicious humor, Iris allowed herself a small evil grin. “Someone who you supposedly know. I would tell you more, but I really don’t think I should ruin this surprise.”

Narrowing his eyes slightly at his sister, Harry finally shrugged his shoulders, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to get anymore out of the elf, and fell into step with Severus. He allowed his senses to bask in the love his family was sending his way, and that he in turn was subconsciously allowing Severus Snape to feel as well.

The ruling members of three of the non-human races shared grins before fading away, only to reappear moments later and alerting the staff to be aware of the fun that was about to begin.

~~OoO~~

Harry soaked in the genuine feelings of caring and love his siblings sent to him, and allowed them to bolster his already fragile emotional control. The events from earlier that day had sent his mind spinning and he wasn’t sure if he would be able to control it without having to withdraw into his own little haven. Sending a furtive look towards the dark wizard walking beside him, he wondered just how much he would need to hide from the older man, knowing that some thing’ were better left unsaid. Turning into the last short hallway that led to the dining room, Harry almost choked in surprise and grabbed hold of Severus, pulling him back the way they had just come. “Dear Merlin, doesn’t the man ever quit?” he hissed to his siblings.

Jedzia carefully looked around the corner and quickly turned back to her siblings, a look of unholy glee in her eyes. /is that who I think it’s supposed to be? / She asked, her words dancing in the air.

The other three double checked, and nodded their heads before trading sly looks, their own eyes lighting up to match Jedzia’s.

“What is going on here?” Severus demanded to know, grabbing hold of his temper with all his self control.

Slightly unfocused green eyes settled on him, and Harry held up one finger in bid for silence. “I told you that Jones and Jarvis were coming for dinner tonight right? And that if I showed up in a weakened position they would attempt to rip me apart?” Receiving only a raised eyebrow in answer, Harry continued with his explanations. “Those two have been taking turns over the past few months to attempt to win back their jobs. It looks like this time that Jones is going to try and pass off an impostor. I assume the impostor is supposed to tell Anya that he has never seen me before, therefore making what I told her about my education a complete lie.”

Narrowing his eyes in anger, Severus glared at the five siblings. “Who exactly has he brought with him?”

Harry’s eyes cleared completely when he heard the anger in dark voice, and stopped paying attention to the conversation he had been bringing to his ears on the air currents. “Promise me that you will let us deal with this impostor, and I’ll tell you,” he stated grimly.

Severus stared at Harry for a few moments, trying to see if the young man would back down, so he noticed the way that Harry’s eyes flickered back and forth quickly. Glancing around at the others, he saw they were all doing the same, and realized that they were speaking to each other in a way he would never be able to understand. When Harry’s eyes stopped flickering and looked at him with determination, he realized that they had been discussing what to do with him if he decided not to agree with them. “Yes,” he finally answered.

With a subtle flick of a finger, Harry placed one of the strongest silencing charms he knew around the group of them and smiled. “The man following Jones like a love-sick puppy will be going by the name of Severus Snape.”