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Practice to Deceive	By : SailorSol Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 12424 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Disclaimer: Any characters & situations you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. Any characters you don�t recognize belong to me. You can borrow them, but email me first and check on the characters.

Author�s Note: This story is AU after book 5. It contains NO REFERENCES to book 6 in any way, shape or form.

CHAPTER 6: THE WELCOMING FEAST

1 September

Astrid surveyed the Great Hall from her seat at the Main Table. Students had been coming in for several minutes, and taking their places at the long tables. She did not see any of the first year students that she had encountered on the train, and she did not see her sister.

She knew that the first years would be Sorted, so she realized that her sister would have to be Sorted, as well. Astrid had been Sorted three days before, and she had been Sorted into Slytherin, predictably enough. Astrid had communicated that to her father, and had also told him that they had to have a long talk when she came home for the winter holidays.

Finally, Lilith came in, following Minerva. She followed the Deputy Headmistress up to the Head Table and carefully seated herself on the stool. Minerva picked up the Sorting Hat and put it on Lilith�s head.

She seemed to sit for an interminable time, while the hat twisted about on her head. Finally, it stopped twisting and straightened up.

�Ravenclaw!� it cried.

Astrid smiled slightly, relieved. Her sister had been in the Orca house at Mistland. Ravenclaw was the equivalent. She bounced Sarah slightly on her knee, between herself and Severus. Sarah was reasonably content to sit on Astrid�s knee, as long as Severus was within reach.

Lilith made her way to the Ravenclaw table while McGonagall went to get the first years. She smiled at Harry over everyone�s heads before she sat down.

The doors opened and McGonagall entered with the first year students following her. Astrid saw Clarissa in with them, followed closely by the twins.

During the Sorting, Sarah decided that she was no longer content with her new mother�s knee. She leaned over to Severus and locked her tiny fingers into his robes. Once her grip was secure, she wriggled off of Astrid.

Without hesitating, Severus grabbed Sarah just as she slid off of her perch and put her in his lap. Sarah grinned up at him happily and pulled herself up to his chest. She perched there, content, watching everything that was going on.

When the Sorting was finished, and all of the students were seated, Dumbledore rose to his feet.

�Now that you are all Sorted,� he said. �Before we all become too overfull to think properly, I have some announcements. As you probably know, we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Her name is Astrid Tyler, and she is an accomplished witch. She has recently fought against Death Eaters, and emerged alive.� He gestured to Astrid and she stood, bowed, and then resumed her seat.

�Also,� Dumbledore continued after the inevitable conversation that arose. �In view of Voldemort�s rise, we are instituting a new class. Maximillian Malfoie will be teaching Dueling three days a week. Only those students above fourth year will be permitted to attend.� He had Max stand up and bow, and then waited again until the students quieted.

�Last but not least,� Dumbledore finished. �We also have an Advanced Flight class. All Quidditch players are required to take the class. Unfortunately, our Advanced Flight instructor is late.�

The words were barely out of his mouth when the doors to the Great Hall banged open and a man with unruly black hair, dressed in Quidditch leathers, came striding in.

�Sorry I�m late,� he said cheerfully. His dark eyes, behind wire-rimmed glasses, raked the room, settled for a moment on Severus, and then moved around the room.

�May I present your Advanced Flight instructor,� Dumbledore said. �Professor James Potter.�

�That�s impossible!� Harry�s voice cut across the entire room. Everyone turned to see the Boy-Who-Lived standing at his place at the Gryffindor table, his face a mask of anger.

�He can�t be James Potter,� Harry yelled. �James Potter is dead!�

�Harry?� the man said, taking a few steps in the direction of the angry young man.

�I don�t want anything to do with you!� Harry shouted. �I know what you were like in school!�

�Well, you don�t have much of a choice, Harry,� the man said. �I am your father.�

Astrid sat up a bit straighter. The man had just lied.

�I assure you, Harry,� Dumbledore said. �I have gone to great lengths to verify his identity. This man is James Potter, your father. We will discuss this in my office, after dinner.�

Astrid felt a chill go up her spine. The Headmaster had just lied. Harry Potter wasn�t James Potter�s son, and Dumbledore knew it.

�Albus said you look just like me,� he said. �I see it�s true. The only thing you got from Lily was her eyes.�

�I don�t want to look like you!� Harry shouted. �I�d rather look like anyone than you! I wish I looked like Professor Snape! At least he�s never lied to me!�

There was a gasp from the students nearest to Harry, and everyone that could see Harry became very quiet. Dumbledore rose to his feet, astonishment written all over his face.

�Five points to Gryffindor, Mr. Potter,� Severus muttered next to Astrid. �For rendering Dumbledore speechless. Five more points for using wild magic when you�re not supposed to be able to any longer.�

Harry�s face had changed. His nose had lengthened, his cheekbones had become more pronounced, and his once rounded chin was now visibly more pointed. His untamed hair had lengthened and hung straight and past his shoulders.

James Potter stared at the young man who had yelled at him, white with shock. After a moment, he became red with anger.

�That�s not funny, young man,� he said sternly. �I will be the first person to admit that I was an ass in school, and that Sirius was no help.�

�If you thought that wasn�t funny,� Harry said, moving very decidedly towards the Main Table and removing a roll of parchment from his robes. �Just watch this.�

�Professor Snape,� Harry said, stopping in front of his Potions Professor. �I first want to apologize for what I did last year. We both know what I am referring to. I had no right, and I should have known better than to think that you were keeping secrets from me, alongside Dumbledore.�

�Apology accepted, Mr. Potter,� he said. �What do you want?�

�I do have a request, sir,� Harry said, holding out the parchment. �I will not retract my apology if you refuse, and I am sorry that I am not in your Advanced Potions class this year.�

�Why is that, I wonder,� Severus said, relieving Harry of the roll. �I had heard that you wished to be an Auror, and that requires NEWT level potions.�

�I didn�t get an O,� Harry replied. �You said that you required an O or better to enter the class.�

�Normally, yes,� Severus replied as he unrolled the parchment. �I have seen your scores, however, and missing a score by one or two points could simply be a mathematical error. Therefore, you will be allowed in my class provided that you can obtain the requisite textbook by the second class.�

�Thank you, sir,� Harry said. �I will have the book by tomorrow evening.�

Severus gave no indication that had heard. His eyes were glued to the document in front of him. He raised disbelieving eyes to the young man in front of him.

�Do you have any concept of what you are asking?� he asked.

�Yes, sir,� Harry said. �I am sixteen. I can apply for a change of guardianship if I wish. I would very much like it if that guardian were you, sir.�

�That�s not necessary, Harry,� James said, walking over and placing a hand on Harry�s shoulder. �You have me, now. You don�t need a guardian.�

�I don�t believe that you would be a fit guard for a cesspool,� Harry said. �I will not entrust my safety to you. Professor Snape, on the other hand, has gone out of his way to protect me, more than once.�

Severus held out his hand to Maximillian, who pulled a black quill out of his robes and handed it to his friend. All eyes were on the Main Table while Severus signed the document, hissing in pain as the quill wrote in his blood, and then rolled the document back up. It promptly disappeared in a puff of smoke.

�I will thank you to take your hand off of my ward,� Severus said, favoring James with a glare that would have made any student in the room run away, screaming.

�He�s my son,� James said. �You�ve done something to him. This isn�t going to be the end of this.�

�This is the end of it,� Severus said. �He has made his choice, rather publicly. I have numerous witnesses that can verify that I have been nowhere near Mr. Potter all summer. I could not possibly have done anything to influence him.�

�You haven�t got what it takes to be a father, Snape,� James said. �I�m looking forward to seeing you fail.�

�Go back to your table . . . Harry,� Severus said. �You will come see me tomorrow after breakfast, and we will discuss how we will arrange living arrangements.�

�Yes, sir,� Harry said. �I�m sorry if my outburst embarrassed you.�

�You were not yet my exclusive responsibility,� Severus said. �Make certain that you refrain from such outbursts in the future.�

�Yes, sir,� Harry said. He nodded to Severus and turned and walked back to the Gryffindor table.

James opened his mouth to say something, and then he caught sight of Sarah hanging onto Severus� robes.

�Well,� he said. �Raising your own little snakes, I see.�

�Actually, no,� Astrid said. Her temper was starting to rise, and she found the man repulsive.

�This is my little snake,� she continued. �She likes the smells associated with Potions, and Severus indulges a future Slytherin by allowing her to sit in his lap, as long as she is well-behaved.�

�Well, she doesn�t know what she�s missing,� James said. He took the last few steps toward Severus and reached for Sarah.

�Come here, little one,� he said. �Let me show you what a real father is like.�

Sarah started whining and sniffling as James drew closer to her. When his hands actually touched her, she shrieked in fear and a sudden flare of magic pushed him two feet away.

�James, I think you should leave the child alone,� McGonagall said, rising from her chair. �If she wants to sit with Severus, and he wants to allow it, then she stays there. If not, she goes back to her mother. Now sit down, you�re making a spectacle of yourself.� She suited actions to words and sat down herself, glaring at James until he nodded his acquiescence.

Only Astrid and Sarah heard what James muttered as he brushed past Severus, on his way to a nearby empty chair.

�I�ll get you for this, Snivelus.�

Very few people would have noticed when Severus lost most of the little color he had in his face. The students at the Slytherin table did, Harry did, and Lilith did. All of these observers silently swore that James Potter was not going to fulfill whatever threat he had just made.

Severus, on the other hand, had something to distract him from James� threat. He had his hands full calming Sarah down. She refused to be handed to Astrid. She tangled her tiny hands more tightly into Severus� robes and buried her face in his chest, screaming in fear.

�Professor Potter,� Astrid said, keeping her voice just loud enough for him to hear, and with a wide evil smile. �If you come near any of my children again, I will make you wish you had never been born.�

�That�s quite enough, Professor Tyler,� Dumbledore said. �I think James sees the futility of trying to come near young Sarah again, and he has no reason to come near any of your other children. Kevin and Heather are too young for school, and your other three are first years. James will only be dealing with Quidditch players and other advanced flight students. First years are not permitted their own brooms. You have nothing to worry about.�

�Just a friendly warning,� Astrid said, still smiling. She turned her attention to Sarah for a few moments, and was pleased to find that Severus had matters well in hand. Sarah�s screams had subsided to whimpers and hiccups.

�Perhaps you�d like to discuss the future?� James said, smiling lecherously at Astrid. �How about over drinks at the Three Broomsticks tomorrow night?�

�Over your rotting corpse,� Astrid said, her face now a cold mask. �I never cared for men like you, Professor Potter. You think that good looks and muscles win out over everything else. I�d rather have an ugly wizard with a mind like a steel trap, than one that looked like Adonis himself.�

�But with me, you have both,� James said, leaning towards her. �I made high grades whenever I studied. My friends used to say I was a genius.�

�At making trouble, perhaps,� Astrid said, conversationally. �How many masteries do you have, Professor? I have three. What scores did you make on your OWLs? I made all Fs. What about your NEWTs? I made all Fs again. Did you even study for WARTs? I have seven, again all Fs. You�re not worthy of me, Potter, and you are just plain out of your league.�

Astrid turned her attention back to her food, shaking with anger. She had put up with boys like him all her school life, but her mentor had always assured her that boys grew up to be men. She had never been told that bullies stayed bullies; sure of getting whatever it was that they wanted.

***** *****

After dinner, Astrid noticed that Lilith had disappeared. She handed Sarah to the house elf that had been taking care of her, and quickly made her way to the hallway near Dumbledore�s office. She looked around to make sure that no one else was around, and then she concentrated hard.

She transformed into a tiny grey snake and stayed against the wall, waiting for her ride into Dumbledore�s office.

She didn�t have long to wait. When Dumbledore and James Potter passed her, she slithered onto the dragging hem of Dumbledore�s robe. She stayed still while the two wizards went up the moving staircase and into Dumbledore�s office.

�You didn�t say he was impossible, Albus,� James said. �That stunt he pulled, making it look like he changed his face to look like Snape, that was something.�

�Very unexpected,� Dumbledore said. �I also noticed an alteration in his appearance, when I saw him on the train. There is an image of an ivy vine around one of his wrists.�

�Is it a muggle tattoo?� James asked.

�No, something more ominous,� Dumbledore said. �It�s a Binding mark. He�s Bound himself to someone.�

�Any candidates?� James asked. There was the sound of two pieces of crystal rubbing, and then liquid gurgling.

�Nothing firm,� Dumbledore said. �I was, however, surprised to see our WARTs student standing with him on the train. It is possible that she is the one he is Bound to. This presents us with a problem, since she will give him a point of stability outside of our influence.�

�Is she pretty?� James asked, sipping and swallowing. �I have no wife, now. I might be persuaded to distract her.�

�She is very attractive,� Dumbledore said. �She reminds me a great deal of her mother, Elizabeth. You remember Elizabeth, don�t you, James?�

�Elizabeth Evans,� James said, his tone reflective. �I remember her very well. She was the one girl that almost every boy in school was in love with. The ones that weren�t in love with her wanted to shag her, unless they were poufs. She hung around with Malfoy and his lot, though. I don�t know what she saw in them.�

�She grew up knowing them,� Dumbledore said. �She was supporting Tom at the beginning. I put a stop to that. I made certain that she bumped into that American Quidditch player right after I gave her a love potion. Neither of them ever suspected that their affection for one another was artificial.�

Astrid felt herself becoming angry. It translated into a hiss that neither wizard heard.

�I think I could persuade Elizabeth�s daughter that her future should lie with me,� James said. �It would be nice to be married, again.�

�Very well,� Dumbledore said. �Leave Astrid Tyler alone, though. I have other plans for her. She is going to take her father�s place as the next threat to the Wizarding World.�

�Is she going to draw Severus with her?� James asked.

�Absolutely,� Dumbledore said. �I know that his loyalties have never truly been with me. It is fitting that he become the consort of the next Dark Lord. In any case, he and Harry must be separated, at all cost.�

�Of course,� James said. �We can�t have Harry finding out that Snivelus is actually his father. It�s just too bad that the glamour chose now to fail. If Harry spends much time around him, though, one of them is bound to see the birthmark on the chest of the other, and then find out what you did.�

Astrid heard the moving staircase activate again and quickly slithered under Dumbledore�s desk.

�Ah, Harry my boy,� Dumbledore said. �I was wondering if you had forgotten.�

�No,� Harry said. �I didn�t come here to explain anything to you. Where I stay this summer is between my guardian and me. I am staying with a blood relative, on my mother�s side, so you don�t need to worry about my safety. I will not tell you where I was, this summer, and I will not return to the Dursleys. That is final.�

�Now, Harry,� Dumbledore said. �I allow you a great deal of freedom in what you do, but this is going too far. You belong with your father, and you will spend next summer with your father.�

�While we�re no that subject,� Harry said. �How can this be James Potter? You can�t fool a Priori Incantatum.�

�I wish I could explain it, Harry,� James said. �I was found floating in Hong Kong harbor fifteen years ago, with complete amnesia. I didn�t know who I was, I didn�t speak English. About three years ago, I saw a newspaper article that struck a chord. It was about Sirius� escape. I started remembering things. I remembered being Prongs. I remembered Lily. I remembered you. I have almost all of my memory back, except for the two weeks on either side of that night. Albus has told me the basics of what happened, but I can�t remember it myself. I can�t tell you how I got to Hong Kong, or what the purpose was behind my survival.�

�How convenient,� Harry said. �I don�t know whether to believe you or not. I do know that I don�t want you anywhere near me, or my guardian, or my cousin, Lilith Evans. I�ll think about whether I can trust you. Right now, the answer is no. I�ve had my fill of bullies.�

While Harry was standing there, Astrid took the opportunity to slither out and crawl into the cuff of Harry�s trousers. She laid very still while Harry took the moving stairs down and then walked down the hallway.

As soon as Harry stopped, Astrid slithered out of his cuff and changed back to her human form.

�We have to talk, Harry,� she said, ignoring his surprised look. �Come with me. I have a feeling that I have all of the pieces, now.�

�Just a minute,� Harry said. He reached into a pocket and pulled out a reddish-brown mouse. The mouse quickly turned into Lilith, holding Harry�s hand.

�You weren�t going without me, were you?� she asked her sister.

�Never again,� Astrid said. �We have to go see Professor Snape.�

�I have to see him, anyway,� Harry said. �I promised him an explanation.�

�This will be more than he ever bargained for,� Astrid said. �This is a conspiracy that goes back two generations.�

She quickly led them down to the dungeons and to the entrance to Snape�s office. She rapped quickly on the door, and then opened it and stepped inside.

Severus and Maximillian stood up when she entered, drinks in their hands.

�Professor Tyler,� Severus said. �Is there something wrong?�

Astrid did not answer him until Harry and Lilith were inside and she had Locked and Silenced the door.

�I have something to tell you, Professor Snape,� she said. �Something you are probably not going to believe, and once you do believe it, you will like it even less.�

�If this has anything to do with James Potter,� Severus said. �I will not only believe it, but I guarantee that I will not like it.�

�It has to do with James Potter and Albus Dumbledore,� Astrid said. �I think you�re going to need that drink, and another after it.�

�Go on,� Severus said. He drained his glass, and then refilled it.

�I knew Dumbledore was hiding something,� Astrid said. �He was hiding something about you and your new ward. I arranged to be in his office when he and James Potter were alone, before Harry went up. I found out what they were hiding.�

�You�re slipping, sister,� Lilith said playfully. �Before, you could have peeled him like a nut.�

�I did, to a certain extent,� Astrid said. �The problem is, Dumbledore really is that good of an Occlumens. I can only get in when he�s thinking about it. I was a bit preoccupied with finding out about Father.�

�Point taken,� Lilith said. �How are you going to get the rest of the information, though?�

�Simple,� Astrid replied. �I am the Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor. I already offered to give Harry extra lessons. In a bit, I am going to ask for an audience, and ask Dumbledore to tell me more about Harry. I�m certain that he�s distressed over Harry�s behavior. That will give me the opening I need to touch him. After that, he�ll be thinking about Harry anyway.�

�What does your touching him get us?� Maximillian asked. �Forgive me, my lady, I�m not trying to criticise, but I�m a bit bewildered.�

�This is deviating from the topic at hand,� Astrid said. �The short story is that I am both blessed and cursed with natural Legilimency. I have no intentions of Dumbledore finding out. I can tell truth from a lie just by hearing it. If I touch someone, even through clothes I can read surface thoughts. Normally, skin to skin contact is as good as legilimency on an unguarded mind. Dumbledore is an exception. By the way, Severus, he knows your first loyalty is to my father.�

�He is mistaken,� Severus said. �My first loyalty is elsewhere, but it is not to Dumbledore, either. He has manipulated me too long and too far.�

�You don�t know the half of it,� Astrid said. �I think you should sit down, Severus. This is going to be more than a bit of a shock.�

�Very well,� Severus sat down. �I do have things to discuss with Mr. Potter, such as whether he is going to keep the name.�

�Not on your life, if I have a choice,� Harry said vehemently. �Just let me know what I have to do.�

�Take off your shirt, Harry,� Astrid said. �It will prove the veracity of what I�m about to say.�

Harry looked at Lilith, who nodded, and then started the process of removing robe, jumper, and tie, that would allow him to remove his shirt.

�Albus Dumbledore has been using you in ways you don�t understand,� Astrid said. �You have a son. You married what you thought was a muggleborn witch. Dumbledore wanted a spy in my fathers ranks, and he chose you because he knew how to manipulate you.�

�That is preposterous,� Severus said. �The only witch I would have married was . . . . � His eyes widened as his voice died. In one fluid motion, he rose to his feet and crossed the room to where Harry was unbuttoning his shirt.

Without waiting for Harry to finish, Severus tore the shirt open, staring in shock at the black mark on Harry�s left pectoral. To anyone with a bit of imagination, it looked like a cauldron that was boiling over. Directly above the mark was a colorless mole.

Gently, Severus traced the outline of the birthmark. When he finished, he brushed his fingertip over the mole. He stared at Harry in disbelief as he used his other hand to tear away first the Nehru jacket he was wearing, and then the shirt beneath it, revealing a nearly hairless expanse of chest, with an identical birthmark on the left pectoral. Severus had no mole, but there was a round mark where the mole had once been.

�I don�t understand,� Maximillian said. �Severus would have told me if he�d married Lily. Why didn�t I know?�

�Maybe you did,� Astrid said as she drew her wand. She pointed it directly between Maximillian�s eyes, and cast one deceptively simple spell.

�Reminiscare.�

TBC
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Practice to Deceive