The Devil\'s Son

Title: The Devil\'s Son

Chapter: 3/?

Author: Bleeding Star Goddess (aka BSG) Starian@aol.com

Word count: 2,188

Pairing: Draco/Harry, Snape/Harry, Snape/Draco, Ron/Hermione, Albus/Minerva

Rating: NC-17

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishes including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros. Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark is intended.

Wanrings: This story will contain extreme character angst, mental insanity/instability, abstract ideas, religious affiliations, multiple attempts at suicide, minor character deaths, intense situations of gore, and detailed descriptions of relationships of the homosexual nature. This fic is post OOTP and is slighty AU. The reader shall note that there are no spoilers to HBP in this story.

Summary: Harry had left, Voldemort was dead Harry had done his job. But it had left its scars, one\'s he did not want to recall. But now he\'s come back after nine years ad the world he left has come back to greet him. Except this Harry is different, this Harry is darker and just a tad insane with a much bigger secret resting on his shoulders.


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Chapter 03: Apate Desdemona


A light in the center of the floor went out like black curtains falling shut against a sunny sky. She took a long drag of her cigarette through the filter and blew a ring of smoke past her crimson painted lips. She smirked and glowing burgundy eyes gazed at the others around her in the windowless room. The only light came from the flicker-flicker of a single flame suspended from the ceiling in a bowl of oil.

\"Is that all?\" she asked with a slightly deep and scratchy voice, a chuckle following in the wake of her question as she stretched and stood.

\"He did say he\'d do it instead,\" a male voice of honey and rounded baritone replied.

She took another long drag and exhaled through her nostrils before she snorted in amusement.

\"Such a fickle prince…\"

\"You don\'t get to go first!\" he hissed, sharp crystal blue eyes narrowing, his nails digging into the arms of his own chair.

\"I know!\" she yelled.

\"Calm, the both of you,\" a deep satin female whispered as half-lidded eyes closed, soft burning ashes falling to the floor from her cigar.

\"If we\'re done here, I\'m going.\"

\"You can\'t go first,\" he repeated, this time more calmly.

She laughed as she opened the door. A stream of orange light stretched across the wooden floor and nearly touching the two shadows where they sat in their overstuffed armchairs. Her own shadow was stretching, distorting, like a broken cross against the backdrop of the hallway light.

\"I know that, but… someone must go wake that pathetic mass.\"

Crimson manicured nails flipped blonde tendrils over her shoulder.

\"He\'ll be angry,\" he whispered.

\"Him? Angry?\" she smirked. \"Don\'t make me laugh at such stupidity.\"

And with that final comment, she left, closing the door behind her and once more the room was pitched into its darkness save for the flicker-flicker of the oil lamp suspended from the ceiling.


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The students had been allowed to leave their dorms, all confused, all speculating.

Dumbledore knew that he would have to tell the children something lest they come close to the actual truth.

Harry was sitting at the foot of Albus\' bed in the hospital wing and was looking out the window, his sunglasses off. Light streamed through it and onto each bed, pouring into his eyes, but Harry for whatever reason, kept them off.

\"That was quite an adventure my boy!\" Albus chuckled, his voice a bit raw.

\"He was nothing,\" Harry whispered idly with a minute tilt of his head.

\"Quite right, he --\"

\"No. Albus,\" Harry gazed down at his hands before staring back up through the window, \"he was nothing, a mere snowflake in the storm about to rage. Be grateful he was only that.\"

\"And if he wasn\'t?\" Albus whispered.

\"If he had been more, had been like them, you wouldn\'t be slightly wounded.\"

\"Oh?\"

\"No, you\'d be dead,\" Harry\'s voice was a calm monotone and Albus\' eyes widened, \"you and everyone in this castle.\"

Albus lost his smile, eyes still wide, twinkle gone.

\"How can this be?\" his whisper was almost frantic, panicked, but most of all, scared.

Harry stood, there were a few things he had to deal with in his rooms.

\"It\'s a force your world does not believe in… didn\'t believe in,\" he replied calmly, still looking out the window. \"A mistake that\'s too late to rectify. That which you fear the most shall come to pass.\"

\"It\'s your world too, my boy.\"

Harry finally turned his head to stare at Albus, eyes locking, and Albus gulped unable to meet those knowing orbs.

\"It is not my world, it was Harry\'s. I never have nor will belong to your world,\" his voice was soothing cold satin against feverish skin.

\"No,\" Albus whispered, eyes finally meeting and unable to break away, entrapped, \"I doubt you; Apate Namir Desdemona could ever live in the wizarding world.\"

Apate inclined his head, a short silence passing between them.

\"I will see you at dinner Albus,\" he put on his sunglasses and picked up his coat from the top of the footboard.

\"Likewise, Apate.\"


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Severus watched the students eat their dinner in silence, the clink and click of silverware and the munching and chewing of food was the only sound echoing within the Great Hall. Even the smell of the feast was more unsettling than appeasing.
The air was thick and heavy; Albus sat in his chair with a full clean bill of health (but a warning from Poppy and Hermione that they would strap him to a bed and force him to rest if he dared to do anything strenuous). The tensions needed to be cleared, but what to say?

What was believable? A troll? No, it would have Hermione and Ron instantly reminiscing on the past and Harry... Mayhap a dragon? No, far too risky and not enough injuries. An acromantula? No, that would bring up Hagrid and then sequentially Harry. Chimaeras*? No… too far down in Greece for one to be here without the other professors knowing… An Erkling*? An Erkling was perfect!

Small enough to get in unnoticed, it lived in Germany, certainly not that far away, and the reason for dorm arrest was because of its diet which consisted of children which it lured in with its high pitched laugh! The creatures were vicious enough and there was that mandate from the ministry that an Erkling couldn\'t be killed except in self-defense. He could explain to the professors that he would have to go see to it because of the necessary papers he would have to sign as headmaster and seeing over its safe removal from the premises. Yes, it was perfect!

Albus clapped his hands and stood, sweet Minerva tapped her fork against the glass although it was not at all necessary in the silence permeating through the hall.

\"Everyone, you are all most likely wondering why I had restricted you to your rooms this afternoon. Due to the watchful gaze of one of the professors, an Erkling had been found in one of the rooms and for your safety, it was necessary that you were all restricted to your dorms. It has been dealt with swiftly and you no longer need worry. For those of you who do not know what an Erkling is, I have no doubt in my mind that your elder peers will pleasure in enlightening you,\" he smiled as he gazed around the room.

As he had expected, the older students had ashen pale faces while the other, younger, children didn\'t comprehend what had been said. But also, as expected, the children heard the second part of his announcement, the creature had been caught, and all was well.

Albus glanced at Hermione and Ron, both of them aghast that an Erkling had made its way into the castle, but not at all unlikely. He wanted to nod his head in pleasure, yes; that would cover up for Apate perfectly! Speaking of the boy…

\"I would also like to announce, although most of you have already seen him, the newest professor to join our excellent staff,\" the doors of the Great Hall opened and Apate (with his sunglasses still on Dumbledore noted with amusement) walked through and up the center aisle still adorned in his trench coat and probably a plethora of nasty weapons hiding within it. \"I would like to introduce Professor Desdemona, he will be teaching a new class. Professor Desdemona shall be teaching Weapons, this class shall be opened to the fifth years and up only.\"

Apate finally reached the head table, all of the other professors on edge save Minerva (having already been informed of what he would be doing) and gazing at him critically or warily. Severus and Draco, Albus noted amusedly, were judiciously scrutinizing every inch of Apate.

Apate turned to face the students and bowed at the waist before stepping up onto the dais containing the Head Table and taking the empty seat at the very end. And once more, the hall was fizzling and tittering with joyous laughter, excitement, and whispers. Yes, true music and merriment of the students he loved so much.

Albus glanced down the head table and had to hide his smirk behind his napkin, Apate had the fortune (or misfortune too many others perspective) to be sitting on Severus\' right.

Severus and Draco, who sat to Severus\' left, watched as Apate made no move to load his plate with the now much more appealing food and tuck-in. In fact, he made no move towards anything; be it goblet or utensil. His covered eyes remained on the students, his lips pressed in an apathetic line, his hands resting on the arms of the chair. Their eyes narrowed simultaneously.

Draco glanced at Severus and he felt his mentor give a small nod of his head. If they were to glean anything of importance from the new professor a conversation would need to be started.

Draco, always being the more social of the two of them cleared his throat.

\"Professor Desdemona,\" he started.

Those covered eyes turned to look at Draco, he assumed, and he gave his usual charming smile.

\"Yes Lord Malfoy?\"

Draco suddenly gulped as a blush ran across the tops of his cheeks and a shiver of cold pleasure pricked down his spine and he harshly bit back a moan, blood rolling over his tongue. This… this wasn\'t supposed to be happening… to him of all people! A Malfoy!

\"Please,\" he breathed, \"call me Draco…\"

A small smile seemed to appear on Professor Desdemona\'s lips and Draco felt his world shrink to just the two of them, just Desdemona\'s lips. Even Severus, his mentor and lover, who sat between them, did not gain entry in the world centering on Professor Desdemona\'s lips.

\"A pleasure Lord Malfoy,\" Apate whispered with an inclination of his head.

\"I don\'t think I\'ve heard of you in any competition professor,\" Hermione interjected.

Draco\'s world suddenly broadened and he shivered again. Severus was glaring at him and he gave a shaky smile in a small apology. Although, he doubted Severus would allow him to speak to Professor Desdemona if this was the common reaction.

\"That is because I haven\'t been in any Madam Weasley,\" a blush started to burn in Hermione\'s cheeks as well, a slight gasp escaping her lips.

\"Too scared?\" her husband hissed as he leaned towards Hermione, eyes narrowed in obvious annoyance.

\"No, Mr. Weasley… however, I was not aware a competition was the only way to judge one\'s worth and courage. I will have to take a note of it for future reference. I shudder at the thought of students learning weaponry from an inept teacher.\"
Severus smirked at this, so perhaps the man wasn\'t a complete waste of time, but that wasn\'t really saying much from the lot he had to deal with daily.

\"While worth isn\'t gauged through competition, I must,\" Severus sneered, \"voice a concern at your qualifications sir.\"

Apate gazed at Severus and smiled with a nod of his head.

\"And your voice of concern is well justified Professor Snape, if the rumors of the earlier Defense teachers hired before the curse was broken are true. I trained in China.\"

Liar, Apate heard the wind snicker.

Apate\'s fingers twitched and he closed his eyes.

\"If you worry so, professors, I would be honored if you\'d like to sit in on one of my classes, perhaps even a training session.\"

And watch them get the scare of their lives.

\'Well,\' Apate thought, \'perhaps not, they were Harry Potter\'s friends after all, and Severus was a spy against Voldemort.\'

I can\'t believe you\'d let them watch a training session!

Apate shook his head, alright, so he had accidentally maimed the villager for walking in on it, but he would know they would be there this time! Really, had the wind no confidence in him!

\"Perhaps,\" Severus inclined his head, \"I will take you up on that offer later.\"

\"Very well, thank you professors, but I must excuse myself; certain things must be attended to before tomorrow\'s lessons.\"

Apate stood, bowing to the professors and kissing Hermione\'s hand.

\"Madam, sirs,\" he nodded his head once more before exiting through the side door into the antechamber.

When he was well away from the Great Hall he sighed and rubbed his eyes under the sunglasses.

Could have been much worse darling.

\"Just let me get through the first few weeks.\"

Apate! a very different voice from the winds pounded against his temples.

His head snapped up and then he smiled at the torch fires.

\"I\'m going out for some dinner, would either of you care to join me?\"

Can\'t, the fire sighed, shaking and quivering in her small stands, if I leave people might get suspicious.

\"Ah, a horrible pity, and you my lovely wind?\"

You charmer, yes of course!

Apate made a 180 turn and headed towards the entrance, smirking as long fangs started to slide down from his bicuspids and his boots \'click, click, clicking\' down the stone hallway.




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* Chimaeras is a creature with a lion\'s head, goat\'s body and a dragon\'s tail, their description varies but it is agreed that is borne from Greek Mythology

*Erkling... nope, I didn\'t make this bad boy up, I just twisted him around a bit: http://www.hp-lexicon.org/bestiary/bestiary_e.html he\'s a real creature in the Harry Potter world.

I\'m Baaaack! Creepy yeah? And while you\'re all wondering how, why, and when Harry James Potter became Apate Namir Desdemona, I promise that will all be answered in time as for the Snape/Harry Draco/Harry action, that won\'t be for a while (although expect some Snape/Draco soon). Thank you so much everyone for reviewing!