43-44

counting error by author, so there won't be any chapter for 43

Chapter 44: Stolen Child

Neville Longbottom wasn't sure how to feel as he stared down at his parents. They were each lying down in firm white beds with soft down-filled pillows. There were beautiful pink flowers in the vase next to the bed.

Augusta stood over her grandson, bent over with grief. Her usual strictness was watered down by the tears she wouldn't let fall.

"Oh Alice...Frank! We should have visited you more often. We should have spent more time with you...We..."

Neville wanted to turn away from his grandmother. He didn't like to see her so upset- it unsettled him. But he couldn't bring himself to leave the room. He stared at his mother's thin frame, her frail bones, her once rounded face now gaunt and empty. Her hair was silver, streaked with white, though Neville thought a few hair care spells would take years off of her. He knew they looked worse than normal because their magic was slowly fading. The longevity gifted to wizards was leaving their systems and the aging process did not wait for anyone. Neville wiped the tears from his cheeks.

Really, what difference would taking them off of life support be? They were dead anyway...

Augusta continued to sniffle beside him, blowing her nose into an emerald green handkerchief embroidered with golden pears. From the door, their guests teetered in anticipation.

"Neville?" Augusta asked, voice filled with grief. She turned to him, taking in his red-rimmed eyes. "Why don't you go outside with Remus? Get some fresh air from this ward, hm?"

Neville reluctantly tore his gaze from his mother's face, knowing that his gran was really asking for privacy and that she needed it desperately.

"'Course, Gran." The boy walked out on stilt-stiff legs, towards the visible plaid-sleeved elbow of Remus Lupin. His mild voice carried far in the silent hallway, but words were indistinct at a certain distance.

Sirius, who was facing slightly towards the door, spotted Neville first.

"Hey, Neville. How are you holding up?"

Neville entered the hall shakily and shut the door quietly behind him.

"Give him some space, Siri," Remus admonished, breaking off a piece of dark chocolate for the grieving boy.

"Thanks," Neville murmured quietly as he nibbled at the candy.

"The Weasleys have gone down to the cafeteria, in case you were wondering," Sirius said with a pitiful chuckle. "Ron can't go long without some sort of food."

Remus shot him a glare. It was understandable that Sirius, in his own grief for a dying comrade, tactlessly ignored the fact that Ron had beaten Neville up earlier in the year. Remus could forgive him for his faults because Remus was suffering too, but Neville couldn't.

"Thanks, but I'd rather not," Neville said, licking his lips. He still remembered the ache in his ribs that Ron and his friends had caused, and the subsequent...revelations afterwards about who he was. He wished Daphne were here with him today, but the event was perhaps too personal for even his girlfriend. That, and the Order didn't trust any outsiders. They could only afford to spare Remus, Sirius, and the Weasleys but they would take even Ron, Neville's previous tormentor, over an evil slimy Slytherin. Over the love of his live. He fingered the Protean ring on his finger, the one that Daphne's fingers had ghosted over by chance that one fateful day. After explaining to Daphne what it was for, she had insisted that she have one too. To offer him support, she said.

Which was why Neville didn't feel so lonely with only the Order spares as company. He felt the little silver ring and thought of Daphne, knowing she would receive his message: My soul is breaking right now. I hope you keep my heart safe at least.

As he finished his message, a mediwitch bustled by, clipboard in hand. She rested sorrowful eyes on Neville before sharply rapping the door to Ward 49.

"E-enter!" Augusta called from within.

The nurse slipped inside. "I have some...difficult news."

.oOo.

The Weasleys trampled up the stairs, loud and rowdy as their parents had stayed behind to talk. Ron wasn't ashamed of what he did to Neville ("Look at what he did to Ginny!") but he did understand Neville's parents... Kind of.

Ginny tousled her hair beside him, glancing at herself in one of the hallway mirrors. Fred and George hadn't come because they were posted at Hogwarts, helping Madame Pomfrey to prepare for the injured sure to come. And of course, Bill and Charlie were already out of the house, not even available to come.

When the two Weasley kids reached the Longbottom ward, the found everybody outside. A mediwitch talked to them in calm, low tones, but her words weren't minced.

"Frank's body is fighting the loss of magic. He wants it back. Ordinarily this would mean a few days rest, some hot soup, and some potions, but Frank can't replenish the magic. What little natural magic he has is being used, overused, to make up for the loss of what our hospital has provided...He won't make it the three days. We are sorry."

Neville's legs collapsed beneath him, causing Remus to hold him up by his arms. Augusta let out a wail that had Arthur and Molly running.

"THREE DAYS! AND YOU COULDN'T EVEN GIVE HIM THAT!" Sirius was roaring, overcome with grief and anger. His time in Azkaban left him more emotional than before, but it hadn't ever been that bad. He hadn't had to deal with something like this yet.

"Sirius! It's not her fault!" Remus bellowed as the woman cowered beneath her clipboard.

"We're very sorry!" the nurse said, close to tears herself, "but there's nothing that we can do!"

At that moment, Molly and Arthur arrived at the scene. "What's happening? Is everyone alright?"

"Yeah, just one of them's going sooner rather than later," Ron sneered maliciously, trading looks with Ginny. Honestly, they were both going to die anyway. It was such a waste of time to hang around the hospital and grieve for three days! He could be at Grimmauld Place playing quidditch! He could be doing things! It was his summer, too! Just because Neville had looney parents didn't mean he had to suffer for it!

Molly whipped around at the sound of her son's voice. She turned so fast that she even caught sight of Ginny's smug face.

"RONALD AND GINEVRA WEASLEY!" Molly shouted, brandishing her wand.

"Miss, you can't have wands in here, it disturbs the-" the mediwitch began.

"I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CURSE YOU NOW. BUT YOU WILL BE SORRY AFTER I'M DONE WITH YOU."

Arthur, too, looked ready to murder. He knew Ron was a little prickly, but he didn't really believe he would just beat up Neville in cold blood. The headmaster himself assured them that it had been a tiny schoolyard brawl. But the spark in Ron's eyes wasn't imaginary. Nor was Ginny totally innocent.

Augusta had pulled herself together with some chocolate from Remus and now stood beside Molly, a force to be reckoned with.

"You will indeed suffer for everything you say, think, or do against my family. Learn to grow up. This is war and good people like my children in there die for the likes of you." Augusta snarled at the two who really looked frightened now. "I would learn to grow up fast if I were you."

Neville watched his Gran defend him in amazement, thumb rubbing soothingly over the ring that burned back with a message: You're always safe with me. But nothing, not anything in the world, would ever fill the void of his parents. He began to know how Hasan felt.

.oOo.

Fred and George were fluffing pillows when chaos erupted in the Hospital Wing. First, the scent of blood filled their noses. Then the noise. Albus Dumbledore was the first to regain his composure. He was swaying on his feet, weariness sketched in every line of his face. The next to look around the room with dark glittering eyes was Severus. He too looked the worse for wear, having blood spots all over him, cloak torn in some places to shreds. Flitwick, though short, was also alert. His funny hair matted to his face with sweat, and his wand grasped tightly in his shaking hand. Between the group lay the injured...and the kids.

Madame Pomfrey fairly ran to her patients, helping Albus, Severus, and Flitwick to levitate the injured onto beds. Lucius carried his wife himself, wiping away a stray blonde lock from her eyes.

"Goodness gracious, Albus! What on earth has happened down there?" Poppy asked as she set immediately to work, Snape with potions at her side.

"War, that's what happened," Kingsley said, holding his broken leg in agony. He was barely awake, yet felt the need to get in his opinion.

"The Death Eaters decided to make a scene," Snape sneered, grabbing some Calming Draughts to force down Hasan, Draco, and Luna's throats. "Bellatrix always was so messy."

Lucius wasn't sure how he felt as Severus sneered at the Death Eaters' operations. Had he always done this? Moments after leaving Lucius, after fighting with Lucius, laugh at what fools they always were? The missions he thought so covert and sleek, just child's play to Dumbledore's Order? But no, he looked at Severus' eyes and saw the tiredness there and the fear. In his own way, he was offering comfort, lightening the mood. What an odd concept.

Fred and George stayed out of Madame Pomfrey's way, staying in the corner where they could keep an eye on things. They watched as Snape, the greasy git from the dungeons, knelt in front of Hasan, lifting his chin up with two fingers. The boy was practically comatose, all the energy about him gone.

"Hasan, drink this for me...please?" Severus knew he was being watched by those dratted Weasley twins but he didn't care. All he cared about was Hasan and how he wasn't responding.

"What is it?" Hasan asked finally, voice flat and even. Emotion squashed from his voice.

"It's a Calming Draught," Severus said calmly. "I suggest you drink it."

But the boy made no move.

Luna's eyes became distant, her body relaxed. "There's been a change," she whispered. "There's been a change..."

The floo flared to life in Pomfrey's office, Arthur Weasley's face sticking up through the ash. "He won't make it!" Arthur sobbed. "Frank won't make it!"

In the ensuing confusion, Severus locked both children with a stare, scooped Hasan up in his arms, and left.

.oOo.

Severus Snape was never good at comforting children. Yelling, blaming, hating, he got, but comforting just wasn't familiar territory. He shifted Hasan in his arms as he reached his private quarters, kicking open the door with a hissed password.

The night's events were finally sinking in and Severus was not ready for it. He needed more time! More time, that bloody sod!

Setting Hasan onto his couch, he took out his vial of Calming Draught and poured it down the boy's parted lips. He then ran his long fingers down Hasan's throat so that he would swallow and not vomit it back up onto his carpet.

"Hasan...Hasan...Hasan, talk to me!" The Potions Master paced the floor in front of his fireplace as his mark flared up. The world was officially going to hell!

When he looked back at the boy, he noticed that Hasan's emerald green eyes were dulling again. Not quite jade but close. With a horrible, sinking, suspicion, he scrutinized the boy's hair and declared it not Potter-quality. The damn boy was reverting.

"Hasan, it's Severus," Snape began again, feeling his pace quicken. He had known the sudden change in Hasan had been bad seven months ago! He had known it! But NO! Dumbledore had been delighted in the Gryffindorized Slytherin and hadn't batted an eyelash! Lucius, he knew, thought him paranoid, but really, when one was dealing with Altair...He took a deep breath. No! He would not think about it!

"Hasan, please! It's Severus, your friend. I knew your father. His name was Altair-"

At the name, Hasan's head snapped up, his eyes holding a tiny amount of light in them. Yes! Now, to draw him out a bit more.

"Yes, Altair. He was such a pain in the arse sometimes. He really was. He always said to make this and make that for him. Had me deliver his potions in these asinine brown bags. I had to meet him in person nearly every month! And his disguises! He absolutely loved nonchalantly plucking people's hair off of their clothing or even their own heads! I never could understand him...I still can't."

Then, like a great surge the Potions Master cried. He didn't understand it. It was so bloody unfair, leaving him with Hasan. Leaving him with nothing! Nothing! Doing...doing what he was doing! Bending the fucking laws of time! Severus had never been one to have many friends, but as idiotic as Altair was, as difficult and horribly irritating as the man could be, Severus still missed him! He felt betrayed, in the deepest and most sacred ways. He squeezed his eyes shut, angry at his own loss of control, when Hasan's hand fell upon his.

"He left us both."

Startled, for he had forgotten who was with him, Severus looked up into those jade green eyes and hair as dark brown as Altair's and registered a flicker. But it was just that, a flicker. And it was gone the next second.

.oOo.

Lucius Malfoy, being one who could actually stay on two feet without falling over, was assigned the delightful job of Poppy's helper. He ran from patient to patient, constantly measuring vitals. It was one thing to have a broken leg, but quite another to be an elderly old woman held under cruciatus by a sadistic executioner.

Minerva had fallen asleep some time ago, thanks to a Dreamless Sleep potion, but Lucius continued to diligently move his wand over her body and check for signs of after-shock and whatnot. Flitwick tended Narcissa as he had extensive knowledge of curses from his time as a dueling champion. No one had heard what Bellatrix had cast on her sister, but it was sure to be nasty. Everyone assumed that Flitwick didn't know that much about the Dark Arts because of his size and Cheering Charm affinity, but the truth was, he could best Death Eaters any day. Now, if only he knew what curse Bellatrix had used...

"How long would you say you had your head in the jar, dear?" Poppy asked Tonks as she started coming around.

"I-I think...just a few seconds?"

"Hmmm..." Poppy pursed her lips. A bell jar of Time, did they think she was a miracle worker? She looked over at Lucius and waved him over. Perhaps he would know someone who could tell them.

.oOo.

Albus ended his firecall with Arthur before the floo was opened and the other half of his Order tumbled through. Arthur and Molly came in first, then Augusta and Neville, with Sirius, Remus, Ron, and Ginny following last. The Weasley children had red cheeks and wouldn't look him in the eye when he greeted them.

"Augusta, Neville, I am so, so sorry," Albus sighed. "This day has been hard on all of us it seems."

"Did you manage to stop that nasty son-of-a-bitch?" Augusta asked sharply.

"We have captured many of his Death Eaters and have all survived the encounter," Albus told her, ignoring the niggling in the back of his mind that reminded him that the fated prophecy had gone missing during the fight.

"Good!" Augusta said. "I won't have them taking any more of our children!"

The newcomers entered into the Hospital Wing, taking in everyone's injuries. Fred and George leapt from their corner to greet their family, taking note of the way Ron and Ginny behaved.

"What are they doing here?" Remus asked mildly as he caught sight of Draco and Luna talking quietly to one side.

"Mr. Malfoy and Miss Lovegood? That is perhaps a good question for another day."

.oOo.

Hasan remained impassive as Severus tried to comfort him. There was too much to process. It felt as if he had been at the Department of Mysteries months ago. Not...not today. No, surely it wasn't today. First, the Dark Lord had arrived, clearly knowing how to manipulate the bond they shared. Hasan stored this information away for later. Could he learn to do that same? Then, of course, his father had come...

For the past year, Altair had been distant. No more home for the holidays (home was Malfoy Manor now). No more anything. Altair had assured him he wasn't just giving him up, abandoning him, to the Malfoy family, but that was exactly what he had done, hadn't he? Perhaps, beneath all that glorious laudable change Hasan had undergone Hasan was really just coping. When had Altair last written to him? Everything had been a verbal message through Lucius, hadn't it? Lucius would keep him after breakfast or lunch or dinner, wait until Draco was otherwise occupied, before telling him what great new news his father had today.

He had been sick of it! What type of father was Altair anyway? Not to even mention the, that, that FUCKING PENSIEVE! Hasan's hand stiffened over Severus'. His breathing was becoming difficult to control. What little of his brain was left functioning swirled in chaos.

Because as angry as Hasan was, as angry as he had every fucking right to be, Altair was gone. Gone forever. And Hasan was left all alone.

That's not true, you have Narcissa, Lucius, Draco, Luna, Severus too! You're so ungrateful you little brat. You don't even deserve-

And at the same time thinking and knowing that every human needed relief, that it was absolutely completely human to need to vent or cry or express emotion...How he hated being human! Hasan squeezed his eyes shut, not caring about the hot tears that leaked through his lashes. What Altair had done was betrayal. He knew the word and it tasted vile across his tongue. His father. HIS FATHER had abandoned him! How was he supposed to deal with this? No one had written a manual for this! Who was he to confide in?

You're making Severus worry. Altair was his friend too. You know Altair lived longer than you, with more friends and memories than you could ever imagine. Severus is probably hurting more! And here you are, some poor idiot boy who had just enough power to wiggle into the last years of Altair's life!

He knew his inner voice was treacherous. He knew he shouldn't even be listening to it. Or considering it, but really...How much did he even know Altair anyway? Didn't it seem like he always had his own agenda? Watching him martyr himself...running towards that veil (how glorious! savior!). Didn't Altair realize that Hasan needed him too? That it might not have been worth killing himself over? How many horcruxes did he even have in his hands? Hasan had been so blinded by pain that he hadn't even had the strength to concentrate!

So fucking useless. You should be so happy your father cared enough about you to sacrifice himself. His life goal was to defeat Voldemort (the man he never thought fit to inform you of until you were eleven) and you were only a smidgeon of his life. You never mattered. Not as much as the power. He didn't even know you were Harry Potter! He thought you were just another orphan, easily taken advantage of, easy to lure in with promises of family and forever as he implanted memories in your head at night...

SHUTUP!SHUTUP!SHUTUP!

Severus began to worry as Hasan froze up. The boy had been unresponsive for the last twenty minutes, still with his cold hand upon his. This couldn't go on...

A knock at the door brought both of them out of their musings. Severus felt at once relieved and tired. He needed help dealing with Hasan, but did he really want to deal with more people? Casting a charm to let him see who was outside of the door, he sighed and let them in. Figures Black and Lupin would want to snoop around his private chambers to make sure he wasn't doing anything nefarious to their cub, as he had once heard Lupin call the boy affectionately.

"Severus," Lupin started before catching sight of Hasan, zombielike, beside him. "How is he?" he wondered softly.

Severus sighed deeply. "He's not responding. I fear he has retreated into his mind or...reverted back to his previous nature."

As Black and Lupin inched around to seat on the couch opposite, they caught sight of Hasan's changed face and gasped. Indeed, it did seem as if a total relapse were at hand. He looked nothing like the James Potter Jr. they had learned to associate with the name of Hasan.

"Hasan?" Sirius asked quietly, having gotten used to calling him such. "Cub? Hasan, it's just Sirius. Your godfather."

Hasan turned to him, face blank but eyes level with his.

"How are you doing?" Lupin asked. "Are you holding up well?" The details of the night weren't fully disclosed yet as most of the Order was unconscious in the Hospital Wing, but Lupin knew Altair has somehow died, causing Snape to sequester their godson in his rooms. They were all startled when Hasan spoke.

"How am I doing what?" His voice was also quiet but hoarse as if he had been screaming for a long time.

"How..." Sirius leaned further in his seat. "How are you feeling?"

Hasan bit his lip, completely unaware of this action. How was he feeling about what? And when? And did they really want to have feelings on his father's death this early? No matter what question he thought Sirius could be asking, the answer was still the same.

"I don't know."

Severus, content to watch the exchange, said nothing.

"Well, that's good I suppose- ow! Moony!"

"What he means to say, Hasan," Lupin said, "Is that he's happy you're safe."

Now that was hoot! Safe! You mean, a homicidal psychopath really wasn't on the loose and out to kill him? Wow. Hasan frowned bitterly, eyes glaring.

"Safe?" Hasan repeated dangerously. "Safe is knowing your father doesn't need to kill himself for the Greater Good. Safe is knowing Voldemort is dead. Safe is knowing a murderer isn't out to get you and you haven't been fated to kill him!"

The married couple exchanged looks.

"Perhaps you had better go," Severus suggested darkly, really really trying to prevent his lip from curling up at their abysmal attempts. "I am sure Hasan and I will be fine for the night."

"But-"

"Come on, Siri. Remember, Dumbledore wanted us to help check on the patients."

"Yes, you're right."

As the two men exited the room, with Snape looking disparagingly down his nose at their retreating forms, Hasan let out a long yawn and promptly fell asleep.

.oOo.

Dumbledore sat in the high-backed chair behind his desk, wrinkled hands clasped before him.

"That man who ran through the Veil was your father?" Albus asked, peering closely at Hasan through benevolent blue eyes.

Hasan bit his lip. Father? Was Altair considered his father? Who even was Altair to him? Emotionally, he felt betrayed by his...father?

Albus sighed as the boy remained irritatingly pensive throughout the entire meeting. "Mr. Castell, the man through the Veil! Was he also a Castell?"

Slowly, the boy with jade eyes nodded, head bent at a low angle. The boy associated with Harry Potter was gone. In his place was the invisible boy. The one that had remained hidden for so long. Silent...secretive.

Albus had decided to chat with Hasan first before the others came in and Hasan had to go see Madam Pomfrey for a once over anyway-that, or Poppy would have both of theirs heads. Unfortunately, his chat proved less fruitful than he had hoped. Severus' warning that it was too early yet to push the boy rang mockingly in his ears. Yes, perhaps he should have listened to Severus, but this was absolutely serious! He had finally grasped who had been behind everything just a few hours ago! He felt as if a great weight had been lifted from him. Certainly, he had waited long enough for the answers.

Hasan resolutely refused to look at him, preferring to stare at Fawkes instead.

"Hasan, my boy, I am terribly sorry for your loss. I know you have been through a terrible ordeal and I know Minerva would say I'm asking too much, but please! I need to know about this man!"

Suddenly, Hasan's head snapped up. He glared at the headmaster, eyes flashing emerald, before a blankness settled over his features once more.

"I know nothing about that man!" Hasan spat bitterly. At times he wished he were back on Red Mill's Hill. He felt terrible, his heart contorting in grief.

Albus nodded his assent. That was all he was going to get out of the boy today...

"Well, off you go, Hasan. Madam Pomfrey is waiting for you."

.oOo.

Moments after the boy exited the office, Lucius, Narcissa, and Severus strode in. Albus suspected they had been conspiring in the Potions Master's chambers if not in Lucius' own before coming.

"Good afternoon, Lucius, Narcissa, Severus, thank you for coming. I do have some questions as you can imagine." Albus sighed long and hard as the three sat in the plush chairs conjured for them. "Lemon drop?" he added.

Severus sneered as the headmaster again offered his infernal sweets.

"No thank you, Albus. I think we had better get started, don't you?"

"Yes, yes, right of course, Severus. Well, I suppose my first question is, who was that man?" Dumbledore looked expectantly at Lucius.

The three were silent for a moment. Narcissa looked closely at her husband's face, seeing it pale and stiffen.

"That is a very good question, Albus, unfortunately I feel that only Severus can answer thus far."

Narcissa swallowed audibly. All they had discussed earlier was that Albus could know everything now and so could they. All secrets were free to come out...

"Severus?" Albus questioned.

Snape cleared his throat. "His name is Altair Dean Castell. He was to be a Death Eater but somehow found an escape."

"I take it you knew him then?" Albus asked curiously.

Back then, not after then. "No." Snape leaned back in his seat. "I was younger than Lucius and thus below in rank... Lucius at the time was only a Death Eater in training and he knew Altair best. Narcissa, I am afraid did not enter our story as of yet."

Albus popped a lemon drop in his mouth and sucked at it thoughtfully. Lucius knew the man best and yet could not answer his questions? Was he obliviated as Albus himself had been? It was a distinct possibility.

"Obliviation?" Albus questioned.

"Yes," Lucius answered.

"So how have you all gotten involved?" Albus asked. "I am most curious as to how you, Narcissa, came to learn of this man."

"Perhaps you should go first, Severus, as it appears you know more than either of us," Narcissa suggested.

"Very well. I met Altair precisely ten hours after he broke into my private laboratory and downed the closest potions he could find at random from my work desk." Snape's dry tone belied his concern and grief, but he trudged on, ensconcing himself in his memories. "I worked for the Dark Lord. Of course, all the potions on my table were poisons, and yet, that idiot took his chances. He was desperate. I have since begun to rethink my opinion, but I'll tell the story as it happened. After being declared dead, Altair came to me telling me he had acquired some great gift of seeing magical auras and wanted me to create a potion for him to dampen this power. From then on, I delivered potions monthly to him. He adopted Hasan based on his 'aura readings'." By his sneer it was obvious what Snape thought of those. "And proceeded to raise the boy in France. And this was about the time when Lucius began to get headaches."

Snape and Lucius exchanged a look and Lucius took over the story.

"I had horrible headaches...Horrible. I looked terrible too. It was so hard to sleep. I began to realize I was missing years of my life about the time I realized I had memories of Altair. I was too scared to tell my wife exactly what was happening, but she was concerned all the same. Severus came over to help me...Knowing what I know now, he probably knew exactly what had gone wrong with me. I can't exactly remember much else."

"And Narcissa?" Dumbledore asked.

"I obliviated her," Severus volunteered.

Everyone looked sharply at the dour Potions Master in surprise.

"I believe he's right," Narcissa said smoothly. "I can't recall Altair at all before he contacted me one day asking me to retrieve the Cup of Hufflepuff for him."

"The Cup of Helga Hufflepuff?" Albus echoed, amazed.

"Yes," Narcissa nodded, "That's right. He had Lucius get horcruxes for him and their correspondence had me...worried about our relationship. To be perfectly honest, I thought Lucius was cheating on me."

"I assume all of the horcruxes went with Mr. Castell when he dashed through the Veil the other day?"

"Altair had obtained the Cup of Hufflepuff, Gaunt's Ring, Slytherin's Locket, and Ravenclaw's Diadem by the time he decided to kill himself," Severus replied. "Am I correct in assuming that Lucius was responsible for getting the Ring?"

Lucius nodded.

"Thank you, Lucius, for saving me from temptation," Dumbledore replied calmly. "I remember that day very clearly..."

"You're welcome, headmaster."

"I sense there is more you're not telling me," Albus said gently. "I hope you don't feel that you have to withhold information from me. I thought we agreed to come clean to defeat Tom Riddle once and for all!"

Severus studied Lucius' face, contemplating whether he would be able to suffer the shock. Depending on the nature of the memories that leaked he might already have suspected...

"Headmaster, Lucius, Narcissa, this is rather delicate information, but I do have a few more of the missing puzzle pieces though they may be hard to hear."

"I wish to know," Lucius said with conviction.

"As do I," Narcissa agreed.

"Very well then...there was a reason why Lucius and Altair went separate ways. Why Lucius married Narcissa and why Lucius now has the Dark Mark branded on his forearm. Altair is to blame for all of it."

Snape denounced him so forcefully that Lucius even jumped to Altair's defense once: "He couldn't have!"

Snape ignored him.

"Immediately after leaving Hogwarts, the two began to research blood purity in relation to magical power. It became apparent that there was no correlation, and yet, a study of this magnitude by a pureblood no less, would have destroyed the Dark Lord's campaign to lure in the purebloods. Altair knew the danger he had put Lucius in, so decided to obliviate him for his safety."

"That's rather extreme," Narcissa remarked, understanding what Snape left unsaid.

Lucius grew hot. He knew exactly why.

"That's because they were lovers," Severus said with no emotion whatsoever.

"Not just lovers," Lucius nearly choked out, "We were married as well. I remembered that a while ago..."

Narcissa gasped, feeling like her insides had been plunged in ice. That was just...awful. Would Lucius have even married her if not for Altair's interference?

"I see," Albus said solemnly. "And the memories he obliviated are coming back then?"

"No." Lucius shook his head. "Actually, the reason why I even listened to the man in the first place was that he promised to return my memories. Now, I feel that it is close to impossible..."

"Not necessarily," Snape interjected. "There is a potion that I believe can help, except of course, one of the ingredients was Merlin's tears and the headmaster dropped his vial."

Albus was stunned. He had held a vial of Merlin's tears this whole time? Suddenly he felt very guilty. All this time and Severus could have used them.

"Altair didn't have extra?" Narcissa wondered. "He always seemed to have foresight."

Snape frowned at that. "Perhaps...But I sincerely doubt anything he has bestowed upon us in his will will be released any time soon."

"Indeed," Albus agreed. "The Ministry won't know how to handle such a case."

"But the goblins might..." Lucius said, remembering the words of Griphook. "Goblin law is not the same as Human law."

"That's just bloody great," Snape huffed, "Hasan's not of age yet. We can't get in unless we have the physical key-"

"The box," Lucius interrupted. "Altair said he had put measures in place in case things didn't go as planned!" He turned towards Severus excitedly. "You wouldn't happen to have a box, would you?"

Snape's eyes widened.