Chapter 9

Chapter 9

HERMIONE GRANGER

The confirmation of Crovus's nature as a spy shook her to the core. She was conflicted and appalled. Her head was a mess as she tried to process the storm of emotions she felt. A part of her felt pity for the boy in question, whose childhood and innocence had become a casualty of war. Though, she was angered as well by what he had done.

She was reminded of Ron's face and how her heart had been ripped to shreds when she had seen his lifeless corpse. At that time, she had wanted nothing more than to kill Crovus and any other death eater she could find. Yet she needed to know more. So, she sniffed and hardened her heart as she looked up at the portrait of the person whom she had trusted blindly for years now. Something which she was coming to regret.

"What happened after that?" she questioned and saw Harry perk up at her words as well. The fact that Voldemort had tried to control Crovus and had nearly killed him and Astoria was a shock to her.

The portrait of the previous Headmaster sighed and began slowly.

"In his desperation to destroy the diary, Crovus Lestrange used the most deadly spell he had known, the Killing Curse," and she gasped at those words. Harry paled beside her as well.

"It was fortunate in a sense, for there are few things in the world that can destroy a Horcrux, and the killing curse happens to be one of those spells," added the Headmaster, and she had known that. Yet using such a spell had been repulsive for her. The Killing Curse was perhaps the most vile of the curses, a spell said to rip the very soul of the caster and the victim.

Yet the spell needed more than just an incantation to be cast. And she doubted that a first year, despite any level of brilliance, could cast an effective killing curse.

"Did the spell work?" she questioned, and her guess was right as the Headmaster shook his head.

"No, I am afraid not. Crovus was young at the time. Very young and had little understanding of the spell itself and what was needed to cast it effectively. Nonetheless, he was desperate, and in his desperation, the spell was cast, yet it wasn't enough to completely destroy the small part of Voldemort's soul entrapped in the diary," and she narrowed her gaze as she processed those words.

"Then what became of it," Harry cut in from the side in a panicked tone.

"Didn't we destroy all the Horcruxes," he continued, and her head snapped towards their Headmaster as well, who shook his head.

"The spell essentially destroyed the Horcrux, and what remained was a small remnant of a wounded and troubled soul. A parasitic entity looking for escape, and at that moment, it latched onto a new host," added their professor. And as the implication of those words dawned on her, she stilled.

The portrait seemed to have caught onto her thoughts as she saw those eyes focus on her.

"When a normal child is born, he is born with a whole soul. However, Crovus Lestrange was not a normal child," said their professor forlornly, and she felt her heart shake. And before the old professor could continue, there was a sound of wings flapping, and cooing before suddenly an owl flew into the office, a rolled-up piece of paper held in its claws which it dropped onto the table right by her side.

"Coo. Coo," and flew out of the office. And as her eyes landed on the day's copy of the Daily Prophet, she found a very familiar face splattered onto the front page, with two headlines written in bold letters right underneath it.

The True Identity of Crovus Lestrange! A villain or Hero! The Truth: A Homunculus!

Voldemort's convoluted experiment! Crovus Lestrange! Human or Something else!

And bile rose in her gut as it all clicked together. The massive change in his attitude after that year, and why his whole countenance changed after that one year.

"It latched onto him," she spoke before she looked up towards the portrait, who nodded sadly, confirming her theory.

"Yes, it did."

0000

CROVUS LESTRANGE

Crovus found himself sitting in the court chambers once again, yet the eyes trained on him felt different than before. The skepticism that had followed his claims was gone, replaced by a sense of intrigue and apprehension, as Daphne stood up from her seat and came to the center of the court.

"What happened after that night?" she questioned him, and he looked up at her as she gave him a nod. He sighed as he recalled just how it all had begun.

"After that night, in the chamber, things changed," he began as he was reminded of the various dreams that would plague him for years. Dreams that could shake up even a full-grown man with their cruelty and depravity.

"Dreams and visions plagued my sleep, and I felt myself change. Magic came easier to me, like I was simply revisiting an old muscle memory. I hadn't thought much of the dreams until one day, I recognized them for what they were," he said, lamenting the fact.

"And what were they?" Daphne questioned.

"They were memories, more specifically Voldemort's memories," and he heard the court gasp at his words.

"I was alarmed and disgusted. It was as if I was still under his control. I tried potions and other spells, yet the dreams didn't stop. I lived through his life, watching him commit atrocity after atrocity, until one day, I recognized a very specific face in those dreams," and his breath hitched as he was reminded of that painful memory of finding out about the truth about his mother.

"And who was that?" asked Daphne, already knowing the answer to her question.

"It was none other than Bellatrix Black, my mother," Crovus finished and saw Daphne looking at her with pity in her eyes. It was the day he had begun to hate the man and had decided that he would put an end to the bastard himself.

"And what exactly did you see?" questioned Daphne.

0000

SEVERUS SNAPE-(Flash Back)

Severus Snape sat in his office looking at the final exam of a certain student from his second year. A student for whom he was growing more and more concerned with each passing day.

Crovus Lestrange had changed a lot over the year after falling prey to the Dark Lord's remnant last year. The boy had always been quiet and reclusive, with only the younger Greengrass keeping her company. Yet, with her leaving the school due to her health, the boy had become more reclusive than before.

Yet that wasn't the only change. He hadn't missed the dark circles under his eyes or the shift in the boy's gaze. He had become thin and had been growing more and more pale over the year. He had tried to bring it up to Narcissa, and she had told him that he was having trouble sleeping, but Snape had a suspicion that it wasn't so simple.

Though Narcissa had been worried about Crovus as well, telling him about how Crovus had been adamant about seeing his mother in prison for some reason. He had never spoken about her previously, yet for some reason, he had been adamant about this over the winter holidays and had forced Lucius to arrange a visit.

However, he could intervene much, given that the boy's grades had been anything but exceptional over the whole year. He had outstripped his peers by miles, and every time he saw him wield that yew wand, it reminded him of the Dark Lord himself.

KNOCK. KNOCK.

He was broken out of his thoughts by a knock at the door of his office and frowned as he glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. It was quite late, and most students should already be asleep.

"Come in," he said and was a little surprised as he saw the very student that had plagued his mind earlier walk in. Crovus Lestrange walked into his office, a frown on his forehead, and his eyes filled with an ominous emotion as he slowly spoke in a small voice.

Snape could have tried to use the mind arts to get a glimpse of what was going on in the kid's head, yet felt himself getting pushed back massively even as he thought about this, and was massively surprised by they boy's mental defenses.

"Can I talk to you, Professor?" the boy asked, and Snape nodded and pointed towards the seat opposite to him.

The boy walked towards the seat, sat down on it, and stared at him with that ominous gaze before he finally broke the silence.

"What brings you here, Mr. Lestrange?" he questioned. And in an answer, the boy took out a folded piece of parchment from his pocket and passed it to him.

"I wanted you to have a look at something," said the boy, and Snape frowned as he took the piece of parchment and unfolded it.

"What is thi…." But he didn't get to finish the words, as he saw what was written on the parchment paper.

It was something he had never seen. At first glance, it seemed like a potion. However, as he read through more and more of it, he realized that it was more than that. It was something entirely different and something much more sinister. It was the kind of magic that would have gotten someone sent to Azkaban just for possession.

"Where did you get this!" he nearly shut as he looked up at the boy. The boy seemed troubled by the gaze.

"Why? What is it, Professor?" questioned the boy, and Snape didn't want to answer, yet he knew he wouldn't get any answers without giving something up as well.

"It's a modified potion based on amortentia. Though I would hesitate to even call it that, it has been modified heavily and resembles a binding ritual. Now, tell me, where did you get this from. Do you have any idea that this could land you in Azkaban," he chastised the boy, who had paled at his explanation for some reason.

And when he didn't get any answer, he put the piece of parchment in his pocket and asked the boy the next question.

"Have you shown this to anyone?" and thankfully, the boy shook his head. If anyone else saw this in his possession, hell would break loose.

"Could we reverse its effects," the boy interrupted him, and his head snapped towards him as his mind raced to figure out the reason for this question. Yet there was a hint of desperation in that tone, something that compelled him to look at the thing once again.

"It is difficult to say. But it would depend on the extent of exposure of the person," he answered. However, for a more detailed answer, he would have to look at it more.

"What about someone who was exposed to it for years? Several years," Crovus cut in again, and he shook his head. That would be impossible to repair. And he saw the boy pale at his answer as he began to chew his lips.

Snape's eyes narrowed at the boy again as his mind raced to try and understand why he was asking him all these questions. And then suddenly, he was reminded of what Narcissa had told him about Crovus's insistence to see his mother.

And he stilled as it all clicked together, and his head snapped towards Crovus.

"Is the person you are talking about your mother?" he questioned and saw the boy's eyes widen at his assumption.

"How did…." And that told him that his guess was right.

"I want you to tell me how you got your hands on this?" Severus said a bit forcefully, and as Crovus made to stand up, he took out his wand, and forced him back in his seat before waving it and locking the door to his office.

"AGHH!" shouted the boy as he landed on the chair.

"What are you doing, professor!" Crovus shouted as he struggled to stand up, and he was surprised, that the boy was somehow able to still love despite his spell.

"I want you to tell me how you got your hands on this, Mr. Lestrange!" shouted Severus.

"And why must I tell that to someone who worked for Voldemort himself!" and Severus was taken aback by those words and narrowed his eyes. There was vehemence in the boy's tone, and he saw him glare at him with hateful eyes.

"Tell me yourself Crovus, otherwise I shall have to resort to more extreme measures!" Snape warned his student who continued to struggle, yet held his tongue.

"Then so be it," he said as he raised his wand and looked straight into the boy's eyes.

"Legilimens!" yet, instead of getting a glimpse into the boy's mind, he felt himself getting pushed back with massive force.

BOOOM!

He felt his own Occlumency shields collapse, as those red eyes glowed ominously as he felt a probe reach into the secrets hidden in his own mind. And before eh could react, his heart stilled as he saw himself standing in front of a much younger Albus Dumbledore, tears dripping down his face as he mouthed.

"Anything!"

He used everything in his power to push back the invading presence and struggled back to his feet as he struggled back to his feet, his eyes ignoring the mess around him as he focused on the unconscious form of his student, who now knew his deepest secret.

"Oddment! Tell the headmaster I need to see him. Immediately!" he shouted, knowing that the house elf had listened and would convey his message to the Headmaster.

Severus Snape was a master of the mind arts, and yet the strength of that retaliatory probe had caught him completely off guard. And there was the only person he knew with enough skill and prowess to do what Crovus had just done.

Voldemort!

000

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