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Children of the Sun	By : Lomonaaeren Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 12412 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I am making no money from this story.

Chapter List
- 10
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Part Five
Severus grimaced as he laid down the book in front of him and shook his head. Of course the “secret” of what was happening to Quirrell would turn out to be something as simple as possession. Severus ought to have seen that possibility long before he overheard the children in the library.
But while he was almost certain that Quirrell was possessed by the Dark Lord, as yet he had no direct proof. The word of a Parselmouth was not enough for open court. More than that, it was not enough for Dumbledore.
Then Severus paused, and Shadowstriker wriggled around his neck in agitation, as though scolding him for being so stupid.
The word of a Parselmouth, no. But the word of someone with a golden familiar?
And two people with golden familiars?
Severus stood with a swirl of his cloak and left his quarters. In truth, he thought, he had merely being putting off this confrontation because he did not wish to speak with Albus lately. If he hadn’t been hiding behind his own version of denial, he would have anticipated the simplest solution some time ago.
Then again, he wasn’t used to dealing with the fact that two people who had golden familiars existed in the wizarding world. He didn’t think anyone was, yet.
He had to growl several Muggle sweets at the gargoyle before it gave in and let him enter, but that didn’t dent his mood as much as it would have on most afternoons. He had the solution to the Quirrell problem, and it didn’t involve the waiting and watching from the shadows that was necessary to preserve his cover in case the Dark Lord returned soon. He would just let his employer take care of it.
Albus was smiling when Severus stepped into the office, and Fawkes was perched on his shoulder, grooming his hair. “Lemon drop?”
Severus accepted it, because it would put Albus in a better mood, but Shadowstriker stole it on its way to his mouth. That was by prior arrangement, of course. Severus leaned forwards and said, “I have discovered what plagues Quirinus.”
“Have you?”
Albus’s voice had chilled, his eyes darkened. Severus noticed the signs and paused, but his own drive to get this situation solved and out of his lap was too strong to be set back by those signs. “Yes. He is possessed. I have never heard of a case like it, but it is not beyond the point of believability that the possessing spirit’s familiar could manifest in the familiar of the victim. I found a book that argues for the convincing theoretical possibility, in fact.”
“And you think the possessing spirit is…?”
“The Dark Lord.”
Albus sighed and shook his head. “Severus. We cannot go around basing conclusions on so little evidence. Yes, it is possible that poor Quirinus is possessed. But no one has actually seen this supposed familiar-inside-a-familiar, have they?”
“Harry Potter.”
“No one else can see—”
“No. But there is also no reason to doubt the word of someone who stands on the golden rung of the hierarchy.”
Albus paused again. In the silence, Fawkes flew from his shoulder back to the perch he usually occupied and sat there, looking alertly back and forth between the two men.
Severus didn’t let himself react. He kept his eyes on Albus’s, sure that his thoughts were secure behind his Occlumency walls, and that Albus was merely trying the time-honored tactic of a disappointed stare on him, instead of actually reading his mind.
“Severus,” Albus whispered. “My boy. I know how hard this has all been for you—”
“How hard all what has been for me?”
Severus’s voice was louder than it should have been in his surprise, but he had no idea what Albus was referring to, and that prevented him from playing along with the game to see what would happen, the way he otherwise would. He watched as Albus tragically shook his head and sighed a little.
“Seeing Harry Potter come to Hogwarts with a golden familiar. His resemblance to his father is striking, but of course James only had a silver. For you to see the reincarnation of your worst enemy, with all his father’s characteristics, walking around the school and basking in adulation and power…”
“If he was truly a reincarnation of his father, then he would have been Sorted into Gryffindor. And my worst enemy is the Dark Lord.”
“Still, to see young Harry with this power. What must it do to your heart?”
“Not the power itself.” Severus saw no need to mention that he had once been afraid Potter would use his Parseltongue to control Shadowstriker, the way that the Dark Lord had done. He could see now that that wasn’t in Potter’s character. “He doesn’t care about the adulation. He wants to save people. In fact, he was the one who first told me that he saw the Dark Lord’s snake inside Quirinus’s familiar, because he wants to help the bastard.”
“We have no idea if it is Tom’s snake, Severus.”
“That is a lot more like Lily than it ever was James.”
“You are still asking me to act on suspicions.”
“Spoken by someone with a golden familiar.” Severus spent a moment stroking his finger down Shadowstriker’s back. He hadn’t truly thought Albus would be so reluctant to do something. Of course, he had considered the possibility, but it meant that something else was true, something that would make his life harder.
“And still a child.” Albus shook his head again, and Fawkes trilled something. Severus had never been able to understand the bloody bird, though. “I’m afraid that I must ask you to wait, Severus. Wait, and consider whether we can afford to go chasing every rumor brought to our attention by children.”
Severus clamped down his self-control, and Shadowstriker did not do more than utter a single sharp hiss. Severus stood up and inclined his head. “As you say, Headmaster. Then I will go away, and hope that things work out better than they seem inclined to right now.”
Albus’s eyes began twinkling again. “You may rest assured that I will not let Quirinus hurt any of the children, Severus.”
Oh, you would, if you thought it would serve the greater good, Severus thought bitterly as he turned and went down the stairs. And he was not sure that confirmation of what he had suspected made up for his failure to move Albus.
Still, there was that confirmation.
Albus was jealous of Potter’s power. Severus would have staked what little was left of his blackened and tattered soul on it.
*
Harry looked calmly at Hermione and McLaggen as they stood together in front of him. “No.”
“B-but, Harry! It’s the right thing to do!” Hermione looked like she wanted to shake him. Regina had her back arched and her teeth chattering together. Golden stuck his head out from beneath the table in response, but Harry knew that he wouldn’t actually eat anybody. He just wanted to see if Harry needed his protection.
“Listen to Granger, mate. She’s your friend.” McLaggen folded his arms and nodded as though that meant his transparent tactics to manipulate Harry had to be effective. His familiar was hidden, the way he always seemed to be around Golden.
“No,” Harry repeated. Hermione had quoted wizarding law at him, including laws about how any wizard was entitled to do anything they thought necessary to protect a wounded or desperate person with a golden familiar. McLaggen seemed to think that having Hermione quote the law would persuade Harry the way McLaggen going to his family hadn’t.
“No, I’m not your friend?”
“Of course you’re my friend, Hermione. I just meant that I’m not going to listen,” Harry said firmly. “Not unless someone does something to help Quirrell at the same time they help me.”
Hermione looked a little cheered-up, but she still exchanged hopeless glances with McLaggen. McLaggen sighed and scratched his armpit. “You’re going to embarrass my family if they have to end the investigation into the Muggles.”
“I don’t want them to do that. Just investigate Quirrell at the same time. I’m almost sure he’s possessed. See what they can do with cases of possession. I read about the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry. They could have something there that would help him, right?”
McLaggen blinked. Then he said, “That’s a good idea, Potter. I’ll go and ask them about it.” And he almost ran down the aisles between the library shelves.
Hermione sat down across from him. “You’re not angry with me?”
“No. Just a little puzzled. Why did you think that would work?”
“McLaggen made it sound convincing.”
Harry laughed. “One thing you should always remember, Hermione, is that I always want to help people.”
Hermione nodded, but she kept giving him little darting glances from under her eyelids for the rest of the afternoon. Harry ignored it. She was probably embarrassed and needed some time to recover.
But when they were walking out of the library together, Professor Snape stopped them and said, “I need to talk to you, Potter,” and Harry felt his heart lift. Professor Snape looked determined and upset, and that meant—
Maybe he finally believed me about Professor Quirrell?
Maybe someone is finally going to help him!
“Of course, Professor,” Harry said politely, and followed Snape, with a wave of his hand to Hermione. He didn’t know why she looked so nervous. He would be fine as long as Golden was with him, and Professor Snape was inclined to listen to reason. It was a great day.
*
Staar: No, McLaggen never planned to do anything to Hermione.
And Albus is either jealous as Severus thinks, or he wants his own plan for Quirrell to play out.
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- 12
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Children of the Sun