Just Around the Riverbend

OOh...a quickie. This rolled off the tips of my fingers much quicker than the last one, which was a transitional. Oooh, this one is chock full of action and mystery and goodness!! *Squee* for myself!

angeles

margaritama - they don't expect him back. They're not looking for him. Before it was truly revealed I had readers assuming Harry was just growing up. Same with everyone else. They just figured Harry was becoming an adult. If it makes you feel better they'll know in this chapter. >_< Oh...and there will definitely be some GRRRR smut with Daisy and Phelan. It will be there. I promise.

HarryGinny4Eva
hairsprayX12
Voracious Reader
april

Hmm...only six reviews? I should hope this chapter gets quite a bit more. I would love to see some reactions, my sweets. Do tell me what you think.

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Soft whispers broke the silence of his slumber. He had been asleep so long it was hard to wake up. His eyes felt as if someone had Spell-o-taped them shut, and he couldn’t get them open.

Wake, dear child, and join them again. Your work is not finished.

He opened his eyes, and saw nothing. It was as black as the inside of his eyelids. What’s the use?

Live, child, and regain your honor. Fight to gain what you lost.

What had he lost? He couldn’t remember. He only knew darkness, and the yawning embrace of a deep sleep. He was content to be here.

Leave, child, and be free. Show the world what they took for granted.

His chest suddenly expanded with breath, searing his lungs with cold air. He coughed violently, as he began to suck in gasps of air as if he’d held his breath for a long time. As his heart began to beat again, he felt the warmth of blood rushing through his veins.

A tiny dot of light in front of his eyes began to grow, and he could feel the tepid air around him heating up. A bright flash made him cover eyes with a shout, and then he heard a soft crooning sound. Warmth touched his face, and he pulled his hands away. Another croon, and he knew what he had to do. He wrapped his arms around the bright warmth, and felt a squeezing sensation almost like Apparition.

It has begun.

~~

Cole squirmed relentlessly as his father tried to fasten him inside his little dress robes.

“Hold still, child! I can’t get your arm in the robes…” he grunted, trying to hold the wriggling toddler still long enough to fit him into the green robes. Cole giggled, and pulled away from his papa. With a rush of relief Severus finally stuck the toddler’s arm through his robes.

“Finally! You little wiggle-worm!” he breathed, and then began to tickle his son. Cole screamed with laughter and kicked his feet. His father scooped him up in his arms and smiled at him. Cole gave a toothy toddler’s grin, and reveled in the proximity to his father as Severus held him expertly in one arm and began to pack a small empty Potioneer’s pouch with things that he might need for an outing with his son. A fresh set of clothes, a few clean nappies, a full bottle of juice with an Ever-Cool charm, and even a small baggie full of those Merlin-forsaken animal biscuits the boy seemed so fond of. They were bland and dry, and his son absolutely adored them. Ah well, at least they were cheap…

“Do you think we’re ready to go?” Severus asked his son, and Cole looked up at him and tilted his head, as if thinking.

“’Raffe.” He said simply. Severus shrank the Potioneer’s pouch and slipped it into an inner pocket of his robes, and called the small stuffed plushy to him, and placed it in his son’s hand.

“And now, a trip to Hogwarts.” His father said, and Disapparated with a crack. They landed in front of the gates of Hogwarts, which were open to allow the trickle of visitors coming in through the gates. A few glanced at him strangely as he toted his son at his side. He recognized a few of the faces.

Farley, Hannover, Grunns, Malachi, Kull….gods, the little brats still had that look about them…the same look that made him want to hex their ears off while they were in his class. Cole looked at the staring people, and did his best to imitate his father’s scowl. He looked more like he was puckering up for a kiss than anything. He pointed at one of the young men.

“Dunnaheh!” he said, and Severus had to swallow a laugh. How accurate indeed. Dunderheads…

~~

He stood near the front doors of the school, having to shake hands with nearly every person that passed. How are you today, Mr. Potter? What nice robes, Mr. Potter! Who is this lovely lady with you, Mr. Potter? Have you decided to settle down, Mr. Potter?

Ai, Merlin, but he wanted to kill these people already. Hermione had already passed him, with Lucius and, surprisingly, Draco, in tow. He supposed Lucius had talked the boy into attending to face his own personal demons, as well as keep his father company. He could hardly keep the curling smile off of his face.

Bella clung to him like a frightened puppy, her blue eyes wide in awe of the sheer number of people. She blushed furiously when Kingsley Schacklebolt greeted them both warmly, and gave who he assumed was Harry a wink.

Voldemort had never been very patient. He had learned it while waiting to take this body from the boy, yes, but still the old ways pulled at him, and he longed to throw a few Cruciatus curses along the way. He was curious to see the effect of the Torture curse on a pregnant witch…and he knew just the specimen.

~~

The present Hogwarts Students were seated in the four long tables, which had been narrowed and pushed further to the wall, while the room had been magically expanded to seat hundreds more. Phelan and Daisy sat at the long tables, with Tom on the other side of Phelan. All three were scanning the room desperately to find any sort of suspicious looking character.

“Aww! Severus brought Cole here! Wait….oh crap!” Daisy cried. A few of the older students craned their heads to see the dour Potions Master walking along with his son. He managed to snag very nice seats near the front, and placed his son directly beside him.

“The Malfoys have arrived.” Tom said softly, watching the doorway as Lucius led Hermione into the Great Hall. His powder blue eyes gleamed as they darted back and forth over the people around them.

“Harry’s at the door. He should be able to feel something.” Daisy said, watching the dark-haired youth interact with the public. Hmm…she’d always thought he was a bit shyer than that.

“There are a few of the Weasleys. The mother and father, the twins, and Potter’s friend.” Phelan said, his sharp yellow eyes catching the flame-haired family quickly.

The ceremonies began shortly after that, with Kingsley making a speech about sacrifice and bravery. Phelan watched the faces of the people that he could see, but there were none who looked like they were getting ready to do something suspicious.

One of the most dramatic moments was Deputy Headmistress McGonagall reading the names of those who had fallen at the Battle of Hogwarts. Daisy saw Hermione dip her head and lean against Lucius’ shoulder. Severus lowered his head as well, and even Cole seemed to sense enough of the tension to know not to speak. Harry seemed strangely resilient. But it could be due to the fact that he’d seen and dealt with death all his life. What was a few names in the general scheme of things?

When the last name was read, there were several moments of silence to honor those who had given their lives, and then the Headmaster took the podium.

“We remember those who bravely fought, who gave their lives to bring this world out from under the tyrannical hand of the Dark Lord. But in our remembrance of the dead, we must not forget to live. Me cannot forget to continue with our lives, and make the best of them until we reunite with those we lost on the other side of the Veil. There is one here who embodies the very idea of living. He faced the Dark Lord in battle on several occasions, and came out alive. He finally brought about the defeat of that powerful wizard on this very ground, ending a reign of terror that lasted several decades. Here to say a few words, is Mr. Harry Potter.” Denebola said.

The applause for Harry was nearly deafening from the Gryffindor table, and there was catcalls and whistles from the identical Weasleys. Harry stood with confidence, his black robes sweeping almost ethereally out behind him. He left Bella in a seat in the audience, clapping enthusiastically for him. He walked to the podium, and gave the crowd a few more moments to cheer, before he held up his hands. The crowd quieted eventually, all save the Weasely twins, who deemed it appropriate to hold up large ‘We *heart* Harry Potter’ signs. The corners of Harry’s mouth turned up.

Denebola returned to the large Headmaster’s seat on the dais. The Teacher’s table had been removed for the night, and a row of chairs stood in its place for the staff to sit.

“The past is very important.” Harry’s voice, smooth and melodic, washed over the crowd. “We must remember it so we can learn from it. If I have learned anything from the magical world, I have learned that what is done cannot be undone. A cast spell cannot be uncast. The effects might be undone, but the action if forever there.

I have learned that life isn’t always fair. When Voldemort returned, I tried to warn everyone.” He continued, ignoring the gasps scattered throughout the audience. “I tried to tell you all that he was here. He killed Cedric Diggory in front of my eyes. But I was summarily dismissed by a corrupt politician and his libel-printing back-pocket rag. I was mocked and persecuted by the very people I sought to protect!” he spat. He saw several people looking guiltily at the floor. “I was undermined by the people who were supposed to protect me, and I was ignored by those who were my peers.

You all made it so easy for him to return to power. So easy. Every move he made was covered by ‘rogue Death Eater attacks’ and ‘isolated incidences.’ All he had to do was stay out of sight, and get his people to run things from behind the scenes. You’re all idiots.

There are very few people here who made a difference in this war, and few people who made a difference out of it. Severus Snape, would you join me on the dais?” Harry said, looking straight at the Potions Master. Snape glared at Harry, and shook his head slightly. “Come now, Professor. Don’t be shy. I need you to make a point. Bring your boy with you if you need to.” Harry said, a gleam in his emerald eyes. With a string of curses in his head that could make the devil blush, Snape stood from his seat, and offered his hand to his son to join him. Cole scooted out of his chair and grabbed his papa’s hand, and followed him up on the dais. The toddler’s nice dress robes fluttered out behind him like a miniature version of his father’s, and Severus scowled at the unmistakable snickers behind him.

I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him… he chanted to himself, before he stepped on the dais.

“Mr. Snape here risked it all to help your sorry arses. He walked a very thin line as a spy. Had his true loyalty to Dumbledore been found out, his life would have been forfeit. And he was treated with suspicion and dislike. Even after his name was cleared, you all thought of him as nothing better than the dirt on your boots. Ah, ah! Don’t leave now, Mr. Snape. I’m not finished with my demonstration.” Harry said, and put his hand on Severus’ shoulder as he attempted to turn away and leave. Severus suddenly felt very cold, and he looked at Harry with open suspicion.

“Hermione, my friend, could you join me up here? Lucius, you may need to help her up.” Harry continued. Hermione stood from her seat with a hand from Lucius, and Lucius walked the pregnant witch up to the dais. When she stood, rather uncomfortably in front of the crowd, Harry began again. Hermione wouldn’t let Lucius leave once she was standing there, and held the hem of his sleeve imperceptively.

“Hermione, of Muggle blood, shattered every preconception that anyone could ever have of those of her blood status. She represents the new blood coming into this world. Mr. Malfoy represents the old blood, and the will to adapt and survive. By marrying a fresh line of blood, he is replenishing the pool of blood power upon which the magical world draws. Draco? Come up, if you would.”

Draco came to stand awkwardly alongside his father, unsure of what Potter was up to.

“Draco Malfoy represents the stuggle of the younger generation in a war that was not their making. Though he stumbled along the way, and bears the scars of his transgressions, he has shown the world his survival.”

Severus was watching Potter closely. There was something off about him. Something familiar about the way he was carrying himself, but it wasn’t native to Harry. Potter called Daisy Melfy and Phelan Greyback to the dais, adding to the strange mix of people. He spoke of their differences, and finally called a boy named Tom Rowan to stand on the other side of Phelan, and spoke about the suspicions facing the boy because of his special circumstances.

As he began to tie the group of people in his speech, he began to walk around them, speaking slowly and deliberately. He traced the front of the long dais, and then began to walk a large rectangle around them, walking in front of where the staff had set their chairs. The staff was seated along the back wall of the raised platform to leave room for the speakers. The dais itself was rather large, having to usually house the full staff and the large table they ate at.

Potter walked in front of them, still speaking, and then completed his rectangular trek back in front of the people he’d called up. Severus looked closely at the boy-no, young man- speaking in front of him, wracking his brains to figure out why his oddities were looking so familiar. Potter put his hands behind his back and clasped them, standing straight as he addressed the people.

And with a physical start Severus realized why the action seemed so familiar: he’d seen his previous Master stand as such when addressing his followers. He immediately drew his wand, and leaned down to pick his son up. He attempted to go straight for the way down from the dais, and found barrier bounced him back.

“Where are you going, Severus? I’m not through yet.”

Snape turned back to Potter, who had a large grin on his face.

“Let us down.” He spoke firmly, but softly, as he feared his voice would break if he spoke any louder.

“I have unfinished business with you, Snape.” Harry said, his grin fading from his face.

“Mr. Potter, what is going on?” Kingsley had stood from his seat on the front row, and he was advancing on the dais.

“That’s not Potter.” Severus said, and Kingsley stopped in his tracks. Harry threw his head back and laughed. But it wasn’t Potter’s laugh. It was high, and cruel, and it made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. When he lowered his head, Potter’s brilliant green eyes had been replaced by the familiar glowing crimson eyes of Lord Voldemort. Lucius immediately went for his wand, and pushed Hermione behind him.

The reincarnated Dark Lord had only a few moments to react. Snape was the most skilled duelist, and so he sent a powerful Knockback Jinx at the man, taking him completely off his feet. Then he whirled to Lucius, dodged a Stunner, and hit him with a jet of purple light that made him freeze up like he’d been petrified, and then fall, as if boneless, to the floor.

The Werewolf acted next, rushing him with claws outstretched. With a smirk He Who Lived Again cast a spell that sent him crashing into the far wall. His little half-blood wife predictably rushed to his aide.

By this time the staff had started to react, but found themselves unable to pass an invisible barrier located a few inches in front of their chairs, directly where Harry had walked moments before. A Stunner took care of the shock-stilled Draco, and he crumpled to the floor. Hermione had her wand pointed at the body of her friend, her face pale and her eyes wide.

“If you don’t want me to kill you and the child immediately, you’ll hand me your wand and go stand in the corner like a good little Mudblood.” Voldemort said, and held out his hand. Hermione fired off a Stunner, which was deflected easily. A pregnant woman’s magic was diffused greatly, as a good part of it was being wound into the baby she carried. Dueling her would be like dueling a First Year. He used a Knockback Jinx to send her off her feet, and watched as the young Slytherin named Tom put himself in between her and the floor, cushioning her fall.

By this time Severus was on his feet He had taken the bulk of the fall, and as he stood he put his son behind him, and then started firing off spells one after the other. Voldemort dodged, deflected, and threw his own spells back. With a toddler to protect, Severus couldn’t move, and several cutting hexes hit him across the shoulder, chest, and hand. The last knocked his wand from his hand, yet he stood his ground in front of his son, putting the child firmly behind him.

Voldemort pointed his wand at Severus.

“Morsmordre torto!” he hissed. Severus grabbed his left forearm and cried out. He fell heavily to his knees, and curled in on himself, jerking violently. It was worse than the Cruciatus. It felt as if his body had been dipped in lava at the same time he was being stabbed with knives and then frozen solid. Voldemort held the spell as he began to walk around Snape, to the toddler who was trying to get his father to stand.

“Up! Papa! Up!” Cole said, attempting to shake his father. Voldemort reached down and grabbed one of Cole’s arms, lifting him by the appendage. Cole cried out in pain and terror, and Voldemort pointed his wand at the boy.

Pain as he had never known seized his leg, and he looked down to see Phelan, transformed, attached to his leg. He tossed Cole aside, and the boy landed with a thud on the ground, and began to hold his head and cry. Under a cloud of agony, Voldemort pointed his wand at Phelan’s head, and sent a stinging hex directly into the wolf’s eye.

Phelan reared back with an animal scream, and was blasted away. When he landed, the cracking of several bones could be heard loudly. He didn’t have the hardy energy of the full moon to make him strong. Yes, his transformed self was intimidating, but not invincible. A cutting hex struck his shoulder, and he turned to see Daisy holding her wand at him, her face streaked with tears.

She fired off a double Stunner, and he deflected them both, and neatly Disarmed the third year. He limped towards her, leaving a trail of blood where he walked. She found herself staring at the business end of Voldemort’s wand. He held it aside for a moment and removed the spell on Snape, who turned his head and vomited from the after effects of the spell.

With his wand then pointed again at Daisy, he smiled.

“Crucio.”

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Oh poo.

Well, you've read my chapter full of action-y awesomeness, now be dolls and review for me. It's even greater than watching my tea-cup poodle run in her sleep and snore. And i'll admit that is sometimes the highlight of my evening. SO please, make my life a little less pathetic and review. You'll be helping me out. Pwease? Q_Q