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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
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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 9: OBJECT LESSON

The first Friday of the school year dawned cold and slightly foggy. Astrid had arranged with Dumbledore to have all of the classes for the last two hours before lunch canceled for a special demonstration. She and Lilith were going to show Dumbledore what they were capable of. Perhaps that would keep the old manipulator from meddling too much more than he already had.

Precisely at 10 o�clock, Astrid and Lilith saluted each other with their wands in the center of the Quidditch pitch and walked away from one another for twenty paces. Earlier in the day, Astrid had put shielding charms on every inner surface of the Pitch, as well as the areas where the spectators would be seated. She was not risking any accidents, although she had been tempted by the prospect of Potter in the Hospital Wing for several days, or out of the school permanently.

Finally, the two witches faced one another, and the curses started flying.

�Everte Statum!�

�Stupefy!�

�Titillandus!� (tickle)

�Lapsus!� (fall)

�Quiesco!� (sleep)

�Ventus!� A fierce wind gusted through the Pitch, nearly blowing both witches off of their feet.

�Flamma!� A thick line of fire sprang up between the combatants.

�Pluvia!� A short-lived, dense rain drenched both duelists and put out the fire.

�Dolor!� (pain)

�Caecus!� (blind)

�Supplanto!� (trip)

�Spoilo!� (strip)

�Sectum!� (cut)

�Vulnero!� (wound)

Each spell was successfully deflected except for the spells that did not directly affect the target witch. No one could tell how the two women were deflecting the spells, but they seemed to be protected by some kind of shield in front of them.

�Is that the best you can do?� Astrid yelled at her twin. �I saw better from third-years!�

�Is that so?� Lilith retorted. She dropped her wand, discarded her robes, and started flinging spells with both bare hands.

Barely in time, Astrid dropped her own wand and robes and started dissipating the spells and flinging her own.

Now the spellcasting was going too fast for anyone to keep track of exactly what spells were being cast. Some of the sharper students started just keeping count of the number of spells flying back and forth.

Abruptly, a domed shield sprang up over both duelists, and the magnitude of the spells went up markedly. The assembled professors started to shift uncomfortably, sensing that someone had just upped the ante, and that the possibility of injury had just turned into a certainty.

�Albus,� Minerva said, staring in horror at the flashes of light inside the dome. �We have to do something before they hurt each other!�

�Absolutely, Minerva,� Dumbledore said, seeing his careful plans going up in smoke with the death or serious injury of one or both witches.

They made their way to the ground level and rushed out to the edge of the dome, accompanied by most of the other professors, the Head Boy and Head Girl. From another direction, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Draco ran out onto the field.

�Harry, think it through!� Hermione said, finally catching her future husband�s arm. �What do you feel? Is Lilith upset or angry? Has she been hurt?�

�No,� Harry said after a minute�s rumination. �She feels like she�s having fun.�

�Maybe she is,� Draco said. �My uncle and my father used to spar in the field behind the gardens. They sparred in the gardens until one of the house elves complained about them ruining his nice flowers. Maybe this is how they relax.�

Harry swallowed hard and watched, frightened, as the twins continued to throw curse after curse at one another. He nearly jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder, and then squeezed reassuringly.

�Don�t worry,� Snape�s voice, sotto voice, actually soothed him. �Professor Tyler told me this morning what they were going to do. They will not harm one another. This is to show their power to Potter, and to Dumbledore, and hopefully keep the master manipulator and his followers at a distance.�

�Thank you, sir,� Harry whispered. He wanted to touch his father�s hand, but he didn�t dare, with Dumbledore and Potter so close by.

The duel seemed to go on interminably as the lights within the dome got brighter and brighter. Finally, there was a brilliant flash as the energy of several spells collided, causing a tremor that shook the ground. The dome disippated, and they could clearly see Astrid and Lilith sprawled on their backs.

Everyone held their breaths for a long moment, and then first Lilith stirred, and then Astrid. The two of them raised themselves up on their elbows, grinning like fools.

�Well, that never happened before,� Astrid said.

�Let�s make sure not to do it again,� Lilith replied. �Everything�s okay, everyone. No harm done. We just got our chimes rung, that�s all.�

�Demonstration over,� Astrid said, climbing to her feet. �I hope everyone found this educational. By the way, everyone in my classes can get extra credit for identifying as many of the spells we used as possible. Papers due on my desk on Monday.� She pointed a finger at her robe and wand, still lying on the grass of the Pitch.

�Accio.�

The wand and robe flew from their resting place to her hand, and she swirled the robe onto her body and returned the wand to its sheath at her waist.

�I�m hungry,� Astrid said. �Is anybody else ready for lunch?� She smiled brightly at Dumbledore and walked over to Severus and held out her hand as if she expected him to take it.

To everyone�s surprise, Severus took her hand, tucked it into the crook of his elbow, and started walking towards the castle with her.

�Well,� James said to Max, coming up behind him. �Trouble in paradise, Malfoy? Is he tired of bottoming for you?�

�Not at all, Potter,� Max said, sneering at James. �Nothing could be more perfect. I�ve already figured out who sent the presents, haven�t you?� Every morning during the week had seen an owl delivering another present, and presents to Max, as well.

�Not that I care,� James said. �I can�t believe anyone would want him when they could have something better.�

�I don�t think there is anything better, Potter,� Max said as he started to walk away. He beckoned all of the Slytherins to precede him. He included Harry, Hermione, and Ginny due to their association with Draco, and followed them back to the castle.

�Perhaps I�ll just have to teach her differently,� James muttered. He paid no attention to a fifth-year Ravenclaw that looked at him sharply as he muttered.

Luna Lovegood quickened her pace to get to Neville Longbottom, and whispered to him what she had learned. He braced himself not to look back at James in fright, and the two of them clasped hands and ran forward to catch up to Harry and his companions.

***** *****

After dinner that day, Astrid answered the door to her quarters, and found Lilith and Harry standing outside it.

�We need to talk to you, Professor,� Harry said. His wide green eyes darted towards the left, and Astrid heard the quick tread of another person, too confident to be a student, in the hallway.

�Come in,� she said. �Would you two like some tea?� She stood aside to let them in, and then closed the door as James Potter came into view.

Inside the room, she quickly cast privacy spells, and turned towards her guests. She had been expecting a visit from them. She was both hoping and dreading what they had come to her for.

�We know you must be feeling left out,� Harry said. �Lilith and I have a solution for that. We would have done it on the train, but Dumbledore was there.�

�Yes,� Astrid said. �I�m not giving old Fumblebore any more information than he already has. I already told him about Father.�

�What did you tell him?� Lilith asked, her hands busy with a small cauldron and a jar of milky potion.

�Oh,� Astrid said dramatically, putting the back of her hand over her eyes. �I told him that my father was the Evil and Wicked Dark Lord, and that I would do Anything to Help Defeat is Terrible Loathsome Foulness.� She lowered the hand to her mouth and laughed into her knuckles.

�I bet he swallowed it whole,� Harry said, smirking. �Seriously, though, if you are in contact with your father, you need to tell him something.�

�That you�re not going to fight him because you don�t want to die?� Astrid asked, smiling at Harry. �He�s not in a hurry, either. Now that I know you are Severus� son, I know why the spell backfired that night.�

�Why?� Harry asked, sitting down.

�Just wait, Harry,� Lilith said. �Once we do this, you�ll know what Astrid knows.�

�True,� Harry said. �Astrid, Lilith and I worked out a way to make this a three-way bond. I know you always wanted a brother or sister. Now, you have one.�

�This is going to be very strange if everything goes like I want it to,� Astrid said. She walked over to where Lilith was tending the cauldron, a small purple fire under it.

�After all,� Astrid said, sitting down and picking up one of the linen strips that Lilith had already laid out. �I�ll be your stepmother. Does that change your decision?�

�No,� Harry said. �We�ve learned how to block each other out when we�re, um, being private.�

�Okay,� Astrid said. She took the small knife that Harry handed her and pricked her finger. She squeezed three drops of blood into the cauldron that Lilith was tending, and then she tied one of the linen strips to Lilith�s wrist, and then tied one to Harry�s. Harry then tied one to Astrid�s wrist. He watched in fascination, still unaccustomed to wild magic, as Astrid swirled her finger in the air and the free ends of the linen tied themselves together into a complex knot.

Lilith was waiting with her wand in her hand. She pointed it at the linen and cast a charm. Carefully, she put away the wand and lifted the cauldron. She carefully poured the steaming liquid over the linen, taking great care to completely soak the cloth.

When Lilith was finished, Harry pulled out his wand and cast the transfiguration.

Their triple screams brought Heather and Keith running from their bedrooms, and started Sarah screaming in terror.

None of the three of them blacked out, due to their various experiences with pain. Astrid had the hardest time staying conscious, due to having had the least. She staggered into Sarah�s room and came out with the baby in her arms, shushing and soothing her. When she sat down with the baby, Heather and Keith crowded up next to her, afraid that she had been harmed.

�It�s nothing to worry about,� she reassured them. �I had to re-bond with Lilith, and it hurt, that�s all. Nothing�s wrong. Lilith�s going to be your other mommy, and Harry here�s going to be your big brother.� She showed them the Binding Mark on her wrist, an ivy vine with purple and dark green leaves.

�Is P�fessor Snape gonna be our daddy?� Heather asked. �I like him, even if he is grumpy.�

�He not grumpy,� Keith contradicted. �He don� like da ol� man, dat�s all.�

�What about Professor Malfoie?� Astrid asked.

�He funny,� Keith said. �He gimme choc�ate f�og.�

�He gave you a chocolate frog?� Astrid asked. �What card did you get?�

�I got Ha�y Potta,� Keith said, smiling past Astrid at the wizard in question. �You don� look like yo� cawd.�

�My face changed,� Harry told him. �I look like this, now.�

�Okay,� Keith said. �Are you sure you okay, mommy Astrid?�

�I�m fine, Keith,� Astrid said. �You and Heather go back to bed. I�ll get Sarah calmed down and then put her to bed, again.�

Both children kissed Astrid, and then Lilith, and then Harry. The two of them then walked away and returned to their bedrooms, presumably to sleep.

They had barely closed their bedroom doors when there was a knock on the door leading to the corridor.

Astrid climbed to her feet and crossed the room to the door. She quickly took down the privacy spells and opened the door to reveal Severus and Max, both looking a bit concerned.

�I felt something,� Severus said, brushing past Astrid to stand in front of his son.

�We had to make the Binding three-way,� Harry told him. �Astrid would have been left out, otherwise, and they�re twins. It wouldn�t have been right.�

�You are correct,� Severus said. �I would have appreciated a bit of warning. It was very upsetting to feel burning pain that reminded me of being Marked without knowing the reason why.�

�I have a question, as long as you�re here,� Astrid said. �Do you think we�ve driven Potter mad enough with the presents? Is it time to make him completely insane with a proposal?�

In the last week, Astrid had sent a Robe of Eyes to both Severus and Max. The Robe was an invention of Lilith�s to avoid sneak attacks from fellow students, and it allowed the wearer to see all around them and into the infrared.

She had also sent them Self-Lighting Pipes, after she had found out that they both enjoyed a nice smoke after classes and dinner.

She had sent Max an Everfull Fruit Basket while she sent Severus a Bowl of Preparation. Lilith had invented the Fruit Basket when she had developed a taste for ripe strawberries in midwinter, and it would reproduce any non-magical fruit that was requested of it. Astrid had invented the Bowl due to time constraints when she was experimenting, and it would dry, pickle, slice, chop, mince, or powder any item put into it.

�I don�t believe so,� Severus said. �I think that Potter needs more lessons in his own undesirableness before we are through with him.�

�As you wish,� Astrid said. �I do want to propose before Christmas break, though. I�d like to force Dumbledore into marrying us.�

�That would keep him from doing what he did to Lily,� Max observed. �Do you have any other reason, my dear?�

�Yes,� Astrid said. �I want him to think that his long-term plans are going along swimmingly. If he thinks I should step into Father�s shoes as the next scourge of the wizarding world, I will play it to the hilt. He has no idea that he�s being circumvented.�

�How are you going to outwit the master manipulator?� Severus wanted to know.

�He has convinced the rest of the wizarding world that Harry is the child of the prophecy, and only Harry can defeat Father,� Astrid said. �What he doesn�t think that anyone else has realized, is that the prophecy has already been fulfilled.�

�What do you mean?� Severus asked. This could have serious implications in his son�s life.

�� . . . . and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not . and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives . the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies .'�� Astrid quoted. �Father was defeated, and in a way killed. I am, however, calling into question the whole veracity of the prophecy. The memory that Dumbledore has of it is not a normal memory. He has recalled it, cherished it, and looked at it over time and again. I believe that he may have altered it, if in fact it ever existed.�

�You mean that this whole thing is a fake?� Harry demanded. Astrid turned to face him, frowning.

�Yes, and no,� she said. �Remember that Dumbledore is responsible for Father�s opinion of Muggles in general, and Muggleborns in particular. The thing is, Dumbledore painted himself into a corner. Harry isn�t James Potter�s son. Harry wasn�t �born to those who have thrice defied him.� Harry is your son, Severus. You and Lily were working for Father, not against him. That�s why Dumbledore can�t have you and Harry living together. He�s terrified that you will find out the truth. If you do, and tell people, Dumbledore�s done for.�

�Then let�s do it!� Harry exploded. �I�m tired of Dumbledore telling me what to do, and expecting me to just roll over and do it!�

�Play the Game, Little Brother,� Astrid admonished him. �Don�t you think it will be more devastating, not to mention more public, if we have a confrontation with hundreds of Aurors, and then tell the truth? How Dumbledore manipulated the life of two halfbloods from birth, so that they would grow up to battle one another for his glory? What do you think they will say when they find out that not only is he responsible for one menace to the wizarding world, but he is planning on making another?�

�You�re right,� Harry said. �I guess I need to learn how to play the Game.�

�You know everything you need to know,� Astrid told him. �You just need to apply it, now.�

�How do I do that?� Harry asked, looking at her curiously.

�Practice not reacting,� Astrid said. �Tell yourself that nothing is funny, nothing makes you angry, and nothing makes you happy. Don�t respond to insults or compliments. I noticed that Lilith turned your school robes into Robes of Eyes. Wear them everywhere. You�ll soon learn to split your attention. Once you can do that, nothing will startle you, because you�ll see it coming. Get your future husband to help you. He learned the Game from two experts.�

�Future husband?� Max asked. �I don�t see a ring,�

�We wanted to wait until our first Hogsmeade weekend,� Harry explained. �That way, the girls can buy betrothal rings, as well.�

�Girls?� Max asked, smiling. �I wonder if you would be generous enough to tell me who you�re marrying? After all, I am your godfather.�

�Well,� Harry said. �I hope you don�t take this the wrong way, sir, but it�s your nephew, Draco.�

�Wonderful!� Max exclaimed. �Then I can safely assume that the girls mentioned are Ginerva Weasley and Hermione Granger?�

�Yes, sir,� Harry said. �They�re the only ones who cared about me without my fame.�

�Draco was hoping,� Max said, smiling. �He has been captivated with you and Miss Granger since he met you. The summer after Miss Weasley�s first year, he couldn�t stop talking about her.�

�Draco and I are looking forward to this,� Harry said. �I feel like everything�s going to be brilliant from now on.�

�It�s not quite that simple, lad,� Max said. �Especially with Dumbledore working on his own little plots.�

�We�ll get past Dumbledore,� Harry growled. �He�s not going to stop me.�

�You should tell them why the spell backfired,� Lilith said. �I�m sure it will be informative.�

�May we?� Max asked, gesturing to a chair. Astrid nodded, watching Severus eagerly. She watched him take a seat on the sofa. She then sat down next to him. After she sat down, Max sat down on the other side of Lilith. Harry smiled at both couples, and then he sat down in one of the chairs.

Astrid smirked at her sister, and then she twisted around until she was laying on her back. Her feet dangled over the end of the sofa, and her head was in Severus� lap. She sighed happily, and then looked up at him.

�Father�s spell backfired,� she told him. �Because you swore fealty to him, and the Binding sealed your oath, and his to you as Liege Lord. When Father cast the spell, all the magic knew was that Harry felt like you, and he was violating his oath as Lord. It punished him by rebounding his spell on him. Because of the safeguards that Father had taken, he couldn�t die. If the prophecy is real, then it�s been fulfilled. If it�s fake, then there�s nothing to worry about.�

�Do you always lecture from a prone position, Professor?� Severus asked, his desire for her easy to see.

�Only for you, Professor,� she said. �I am, of course, looking forward to receiving some instruction in the same position.�

�Of course,� Severus said. �I will endeavor to give the subject the same detailed instruction that I give my Potions classes.�

�Ick,� Harry said. �I think I should get to Gryffindor House. I really don�t need to see this.�

�Actually,� Astrid said, rising from her position reluctantly. �I think you will need to stay here tonight. It�s difficult to tell how the Binding will act in the first few hours. Unfortunately, Severus, I am going to have to take that class another night. Perhaps next weekend.�

�I do have one idea,� Max said. �Students don�t have to wait for a Hogsmeade weekend if they get special permission. I think I will reward Miss Granger and Miss Weasley tomorrow, for excellence in Dueling class. I�ll take them into Hogsmeade with me, and I�ll help them to buy betrothal rings. That way, neither you nor Draco has to wait.�

�Max, you�ll spoil them,� Astrid objected.

�The privilege of any Old Blood family,� Severus said. �Draco is the Heir to Malfoy, and my son is the Heir to Snape. They are entitled to spoil their wives in any manner they see fit.�

�Does that include the Godfather and not-quite Uncle-in-law?� Astrid asked archly.

�Of course it does,� Max said cheerfully. �I have more money than my great-grandchildren will spend. I can spend some of it on the two best witches in this school.�

�How do you know?� Lilith asked him.

�How do I know what, precious?� Max asked, smiling at her.

�That you have more money than your great-grandchildren will spend,� Lilith said. �Astrid and I always wanted a large family.�

�You want more than the six you already have?� Max asked, surprised. �Most witches would jump at the chance to not bear their children.�

�I want to,� Astrid said. �One of our teachers got pregnant at MistLand. She used to tell us girls all about it. She positively glowed, and her magic took a quantum leap while she was pregnant.�

�Yes,� Lilith said. �It�s good that she only taught Divination. If she�d been the Charms or Transfiguration teacher, we would have been in trouble.�

�Not to mention what it would have done to Dark Arts,� Astrid said, collapsing into a fit of giggles.

�On those notes,� Max said. �I believe that we should bid you three a �good evening.� Come along, Severus. We can speculate on what the owl is going to deliver tomorrow.�

TBC
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Practice to Deceive