39-40

Chapter 39: I Put a Spell on You

The Return of Harry Potter:

What else has Dumbledore been lying about?

According to inside sources, Harry Potter has not been training in the mountains as the media has led us to believe. Rather, the boy with the lightning bolt scar has been among us, a model citizen, making this world a better place...Dumbledore has a lot of explain to do. "I don't care if he's the bloody king of the Wizarding World, Dumbledore has too much power!" a Ministry worker who wishes to remain anonymous told us...

Boy-Who-Lived is Boy-Who-Lied

Neville Longbottom: Fraud or Farce!

Neville Longbottom, long hailed as the Boy-Who-Lived, is nothing more than a liar. But is that all there is to the story? After all, the famed Prophecy in the Department of Mysteries has stipulated that the chosen one was to be born at the end of July to parents who had thrice defied He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. So how much of this fiasco is Longbottom's fault? We have reached out to Augusta Longbottom, Neville Longbottom's guardian, but she has declined to comment.

Luna Lovegood Tragically Caught Between Two Heroes

Exclusive with Rita Skeeter

It has not been more than a few weeks since Neville Longbottom, the fraudulent Boy-Who-Lived, was spotted with his loving girlfriend, Ginevra Weasley- the lovely youngest daughter of Arthur and Molly Weasley, both staunch supporters of the Light- on a charming date during one fateful Hogsmeade weekend. The couple was purported to have been preparing for the upcoming Yule Ball at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where both attend as Third Years. Yet, it was just last night when Harry Potter, the recently exposed Prophecy Child, was seen fighting Neville Longbottom tooth and nail for his own girlfriend, Luna Lovegood. "I can't believe he just left me!" one tearful Ginevra Weasley confesses as she dabs her delicate eyes, "We were so happy together and then I find out he lied to me!" Her brother, known friend of both Potter and Longbottom, whole-heartedly agrees. "Not only did [Longbottom] dump my sister," Ronald Weasley fumes, "but he made us believe he was the Chosen One. I can only say that I am extremely hurt." As my thoughts drift to last night, I wonder how many other lies Mr. Longbottom has spun and how many other girls he has lured with his falsified claim to fame. My sympathy goes out to you, dear Mr. Potter, in hopes that at the very least, you have a wonderful Yule Ball.

.oOo.

Altair Castell set the paper down with a blank face. Well damn. He really wished he didn't need to...but what was a protective father to do? He grabbed his quill and parchment and set to work.

Dear Lucius,

I sensed a change in my son's aura the other day. To be concise, I am more than pleased to know you will get to know my son and look after him. I understand why you had to do it and am aware that Albus knows partly of my existence. Therefore, if it is not too much to ask, I would like very much if Hasan could stay with you for the duration of the Winter Holidays. He will understand. However, this is not all I am writing to inform you about.

I am sure you are aware by now of the articles in today's Daily Prophet. I am not writing to blame you for the article Miss Skeeter wrote this morning, nor the other articles written in a similar vein. I am hoping that I can help to turn the situation around. I know you of all people will find a way to use this piece of information to your advantage. Rita Skeeter is a beetle Animagus.

Best of Luck (as Always),

Altair

.oOo.

Hasan walked into the Great Hall, very frustrated that he could not get his hair to lie down flat. Severus had insisted that his magic would even itself out in a few days, but for now not to worry about it so much. Still, Hasan was far from pleased.

As he made his way to the Slytherin table, he could feel eyes boring into the back of his head. Was he really that interesting? Hasan thought bitterly. But then he saw the Daily Prophet and his heart sank. On the cover was a moving image of Luna standing on her tip toes, pressing a quick peck to his forehead, with none other than Neville Longbottom staring at them with a most uncomfortable and awkward face.

He attempted to sit down without disturbing anyone, but today it seemed, was not his day.

"Ha...Hasan?" Tracey asked softly, "You okay?"

Hasan met her eyes and she gasped at the intensity of the green. She had been so used to the dullness- despite how creepy it was-that she nearly fell over in shock. "I am well, thank you Tracey." His gaze lingered on the Daily Prophet and he cleared his throat. "You don't really believe that rubbish, do you?" His tone implied that it was beneath him to read and that she was beneath him if she read it.

"I don't know what to believe," Daphne commented bitterly. "I thought we told each other things."

Hasan thought back to the day when they had talked in the Room of Requirement. Yes, he felt guilty, but it wasn't like he owed her an explanation. How dare she treat him like a common liar! That title should remain with her boyfriend.

"What? Jealous?" Hasan smirked, wanting to get on the girl's nerves. "Think Neville's going to fly to Luna now? He is rather flighty when you get down to it and he has been known to spin a lie or two."

Daphne sucked in her breath. "How- how dare you suggest-! You have no idea what he's been through! No idea at all! At least he didn't run away! At least he's not a coward!"

Draco approached the table, with the full intention of breaking up the fight, but it just got too juicy. After showing supreme weakness by fainting the other day, it wouldn't hurt to get a little dirt on his new brother, now would it?

"Been through?" Hasan hissed softly, but by now he had the attention of the entire Slytherin table if not the entire hall. His voice carried like one clear note on the wind. "Tell me what you think he's done." His gleaming emerald eyes dared her to continue.

She glared right back, barring her teeth. She remembered the way Neville had looked in the green house and knew that his life was an infinite weight upon his soul. Just because he wasn't the Boy-Who-Lived didn't mean his suffering was any less real. Hasan's cool demeanor unnerved her.

"Neville Longbottom vanquished the Dark Lord in our first year! He rescued Draco in our second year! He slayed a basilisk! He- He- HE- FOR MERLIN'S SAKE, HASAN! WHAT HAS HE EVEN DONE TO YOU?"

She was breathing harshly and Tracey placed a tentative hand on her arm. She knew that Daphne was more upset than usual because the articles specifically targeted Neville, but she also knew it wasn't Hasan's fault. Just because he was a right pain in the arse sometimes didn't mean he deserved to be yelled at this early in the morning. The situation was hard on both of the boys.

"You're right," Hasan all but whispered, "He's done nothing for me." He knew he was lying. He knew that Neville had in fact played a huge role in keeping his secret by taking all the glory, but he was too upset to care. If Daphne was going to act like a two-year-old then so was he!

Daphne looked about to breathe fire before she abruptly turned heel and stalked out of the Great Hall, smoke coming out of her ears. Life was so unfair!

At the Gryffindor table, Neville flushed embarrassedly. He was flattered that Daphne had taken his side, but he also knew she had just made a very big fool of herself...in his honor. He glanced down the Gryffindor table and was disheartened to see that everyone was glaring at him (save Hermione and Theo). He thanked Merlin that at least Ginny, Ron, and Lavender were still in detention. Funny how the article failed to mention how they had kicked the shit out of him during that very same Hogsmeade weekend... Deciding that he really should run after Daphne, he flashed Hasan a quick apologetic smile, and scampered after her, happy to run towards something for a change.

.oOo.

"Hasan," Draco greeted stiffly as he sat down. His face was unreadable but Hasan didn't particularly care for another scene that morning. He needed to eat, thank you very much!

"Good morning, Draco," Hasan returned apathetically.

"Mail come yet?" Draco asked conversationally.

"Not yet, McGonagall and Tonks and are checking through the mail," Tracey said, but just then, a flurry of owls flooded into the Great Hall. Hasan expected to get swamped with hate mail just then, but surprisingly only one owl made its way over to his seat. Without really thinking, he glanced up at the head table to see Severus watching him. No doubt he had been listening with the rest of the Great Hall to the conversation Hasan had moments before. Hasan bit his lip, lost in thought. Had they confiscated his mail? But then Snape quirked an expectant eyebrow at him and Hasan turned back to his table.

"Hey, is that the Malfoy family crest?" Tracey asked curiously as Hasan extracted the letter from the owl.

Malfoy stayed resolutely silent but held his hand out to take them anyway.

"Draco, I think they're-"

"Ouch!"

Hasan shrugged, served him right for refusing to listen. Tracey watched the exchange with interest, wondering what she was missing. Sure Hasan had the Malfoy family dagger but Hasan and the Malfoy family never struck her as close. What was Hasan doing getting a letter from the Malfoys?

Hasan was pleased to note that the owl did not try to nip his finger off when he tore open his letter. It seemed the owl was under strict orders to only allow Hasan to read it and Hasan only. Needless to say he was rather intrigued.

Hasan dearest,

We have seen what that horrible woman wrote in the Daily Prophet and we apologize on her behalf. Rest assured we will not let Rita Skeeter get away with this but we will not be pressing charges. Instead, we have found a more suitable solution that we can discuss in further detail at a later time.

Lucius and I also want to extend the invitation for you to spend the Winter Holidays at our Manor. We know you may have had some disagreements with Draco, but while under our roof you are under our protection. With the Wizarding World watching your every move, you must understand why we urge you to accept. Your only other alternative is to stay at Hogwarts, under the Headmaster's watchful eye, for I fear that your father has some business to attend to.

Your loving mother,

Narcissa Malfoy

.oOo.

The Yule Ball.

Hasan grimaced as the rough formalwear bit into his skin. Yes, technically the dress robes were very soft. Yes, technically they weren't biting. But yes, Hasan couldn't help but adjust the fabric every single second he could get. Stupid, stupid, clothing...

He took one last look at his very irritated self before walking into the Common Room. His magic had returned little by little since the morning, and he was just able to make his hair grow longer and tamer. Unfortunately it was still inky black, but he was sure he could fix it in time. His eyes were a different matter altogether. His breath stopped whenever he glimpsed any reflective surface because he just wasn't used to seeing such bright green eyes gleaming on his face. They were crystal clear and very very open. He hated the way his every emotion was projected through his eyes, but funnily enough he found that he didn't really hate them. Jade was fine and all, but it was the emerald which he loved. It connected him to his mother- to his identity as a Potter.

Tracey squealed as Hasan came into the Common Room. Her blond hair was in waves down her bare shoulders and face was done up very professionally.

"Awww, look at you!" Tracey gushed, giving him a warm smile. "Luna won't be able to keep her hands off you."

"She better," Hasan stated noncommittally, taking in her appearance. Tracey was wearing an elegant pale green dress, sleeveless mind you, with silver shoes, earrings, and accenting bracelets. Hasan didn't care for fashion much, but he smiled and paid her the compliment anyway. "You look very lovely, Tracey."

Draco was hovering in the background, waiting for his date so that they could leave for the Great Hall together. He snuck a glance at Hasan and nodded when their eyes met by chance.

"Don't you agree, Draco?" Tracey asked, dragging her boyfriend into the conversation.

"Yes, of course," Draco smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

Hasan let them go, wondering when Luna planned on getting him. He had wanted to go on time as well, but Luna had insisted on being fashionably late, and as everyone was planning on being fashionably late, that meant Luna wanted to come even later. She just failed to specify how much later.

Daphne, Hasan noted, was not in the Common Room. Which was fortunate because Hasan wasn't sure how long it would take for her to get over the incident at breakfast. She was most likely with Theo, sprucing up with the Gryffindors, most probably ranting about the nerve of him.

Hasan sighed. Today had been particularly exhausting. Not only had the students treating him differently, but the teachers had too. The kids were easy to predict. Most of them acted on House opinion. The Slytherins, for example, regarded him with respect for being able to hide among them. Many, he knew, were Death Eater spawn, but well, he was an honorary member of the Malfoy family so who could really say. The Ravenclaws liked to study him with their dissecting glances and soft whispers. They couldn't quite figure out how someone could have hoodwinked them, the brains of the school. The Hufflepuffs tended to admire him, especially the younger ones, which left the Gryffindors...

The Weasleys were particularly passionate, vengeful for want of a better word. Ginny took it upon herself to learn how to set fire to someone with eye contact alone, while Ron just huffed and puffed all over the place. The twins, naturally, gave him small grins and thumbs-up's throughout the day, but they were in the minority. Whatever was going on in the House of the brave, Hasan sure didn't like it.

The teachers, on the other hand, tended to have one mode which was "Heart-wrenching Pity". McGonagall couldn't stand to look at him without getting choked up, and Sirius even ended class early to get ahold of himself. Snape was the same as ever, but he did seem on edge. Perhaps that's why the Gryffindors lost a groundbreaking 100 points in his class alone when Ron tried to sabotage his potion. Had he succeeded, the calming draught would have turned into a scorching volatile acid, one which would have guaranteed an immediate visit to the hospital wing. Still, Hasan had never seen the man so angry in a classroom setting. It was unnerving to say the least.

But tonight was the Yule Ball. And if anyone's opinion actually mattered, it would be Luna's. Now...where was she? Perhaps he should go look...

.oOo.

Luna twirled back and forth, admiring the way the silver shimmered and flowed. She had spent the past few months in the forbidden forest, talking with Halo and Shadow and collecting more unicorn hairs for her collection. She loved the way the hairs flowed over each other, each a beautiful thing in itself. She had collected about 300 hairs total, some more damaged than others, and it was quite a feat. Unfortunately there wasn't enough to make a whole dress, just a skirt. Which worked well enough with the white beaded top her father bought for her to wear to her cousin's wedding last year.

Months of work...just for this one night. She hoped it was worth it. One way to find out, right? She was just outside the Slytherin common room when Hasan chose that second to emerge, looking a little nervous and rather uncomfortable in his clothes. He froze as he saw her, his emerald eyes doing a double take. Luna had softly smoked out her eyes and used a spell Tracey taught her to curl her hair a little so that it fell down in soft waves.

Thawing himself out of his stupor, Hasan smiled.

"Luna, you look beautiful."

"You look dapper yourself," she teased, twirling so that her dress flared out brilliantly, the unicorn hairs sliding over the silver underlayer.

Hasan blinked rapidly as he took in her skirt. Was that-? How-?

"Luna?" he asked shocked, "Is that-?"

She simply grinned at him before leaping into his arms. Her breath brushed his ear. "I'll tell you a secret," she whispered, "It's unicorn hair."

She drew back and grinned at him.

"Isn't it lovely? Halo is shedding them like crazy. Did you know she's pregnant? With a thestral no less!"

Shedding? Pregnant?

"A thestral?" Hasan echoed. "They can do that?"

Luna shrugged, "Apparently. You know," she began, eyes glossing over, "I always wondered what a unicorn-thestral would look like. Do you think we could call it a unistral? Or a threstcorn? Or a cornstral?"

Hasan couldn't help himself, he laughed softly as Luna took his hand in hers.

"Halo probably won't give birth for a while, but we haven't got all night! Come on, let's go!"

And that was how Hasan found himself at the top of the stairs, Luna at his side, with hundreds of eyes staring up at them.

An audible, Wow rose up from the student body as they took in Hasan's long dark brown hair, tied smartly with a black ribbon, and dark dress robes with hints of green to match his eyes on the trim and on the cuffs. Some even had their jaws on the floor as they realize the reason Luna's dress was so damn enchanting was that it was made out of long silver strings...hairs. But for the life of them, no one could remember why a dress made out of hair was ever so creepy.

Severus from his shadowed corner dipped his head, remembering when he had found the girl wandering through the Forbidden Forest. You are collecting unicorn hair?...For what? he had asked. It's a surprise, she had answered.

"Surprise indeed, Miss Lovegood," he conceded, melding into the shadows once more.

Not that he would ever admit it, but he actually wished the two children the best for the night. As for himself, he hoped he wouldn't have to pry too many horny couples apart...perhaps he could just send Minerva? Tip her off and then make a run for it? Yes, that would do nicely.

.oOo.

Hasan woke tiredly. Reaching for his wand on the nightstand before realizing it was under his pillow. He still couldn't open his eyes. It felt like he had just gone to bed! As the seconds ticked by, more of the night began to trickle into his memory. Lights. Beats. Music. From the Weird Sisters most probably. Some weird muggle CD Hermione had brought. (One of the songs was I Put a Spell on You). Dancing. Spinning. He had let Luna twirl him for Salazar's sake! Minerva and Severus being pushed towards the dance floor by a conniving Albus Dumbledore. And then Draco coming over awkwardly, Tracey asking Hasan for a dance, trading partners. And then...Neville and Daphne apologizing as Ron came bursting into the room, clearly drunk, and stumbling into Lavender Brown who had somehow escaped from Filch and snuck into the Great Hall. Needless to say that Lavender and Ron had a talking to by Severus, who enjoyed being taken off of the 'shine-a-Lumos-on-intimate-couples' duty.

His heart was beating fast, not allowing him to fall gently back to sleep, and then it came to him. Today was the day he was going to go home with the Malfoys. Fuck.

Groaning and now fully awake, Hasan got out of bed and began packing. He hid the invisibility cloak, the Marauder's Map, and the Black Blood Book under several layers of wards, clothes, and textbooks. (The Malfoy dagger was always on his person because for some odd reason, every time he put it down it reappeared in his sleeve or on his belt depending.) Hopefully Draco wouldn't go through his stuff, but that was what the wards were for in any case. He had lots to do today before Draco at least got up. Including visiting one special snake he wasn't sure what to do with.

Melusine was tame- ish, right? He could just shrink her...right? Hasan wasn't so sure. He could, of course, just leave her in the Chamber of Secrets. Either way, he wanted to talk with her before leaving, just to let her know he wouldn't be able to visit for a while...

.oOo.

Draco Malfoy awoke, extremely unhappy for a reason that escaped his drowsy mind. Then it all came flooding back: Hasan was going to go home with him today. Today. In an instant, Draco was up, breathing harshly against his headboard. Emotions coursed through him, tearing holes through his heart, not at all soothing or lovely or welcome. Hasan was coming home with him today.

He wasn't entirely sure what to feel. On one hand, he was nervous. Would Hasan forgive him for all his sins? For working for the Dark Lord? On the other hand he wasn't sure if Hasan should forgive him. Should he take this opportunity and turn Hasan over? Yes, he was horrified when Severus went down. Yes, he was distraught about his future when the Dark Lord had crucio'd him for rambling, but if he gave him Harry Potter- the Harry Potter, surely he would be above such petty torture. Wouldn't the Dark Lord thank him? Give him a place of honor and restore his family to prominence?

Tired as he was, he couldn't think clearly enough to know that this idea was insane, that a fully corporal Dark Lord was much more dangerous than that creepy humanoid thing. But perhaps his best ideas just didn't come in the morning.

That was when he decided to go down to the Great Hall to enjoy a quiet breakfast, before the professors got up. Throwing on his school robes and quietly exiting the Slytherin domain, he made his way up out of the dungeons, satisfied that he would not run into anyone on his way there.

So then, why was Hasan exiting the girl's bathroom? And why was there a tiny green snake curled around his arm?

.oOo.

King's Cross in the daylight was whirring with action. Hogwarts' students home for the holidays had hopped on the ten o'clock train, arriving just before noon at platform nine and three-quarters. The ride to the platform was dismal at best. As it wasn't as full as it was at the beginning of the year, the train afforded Hasan and Draco each separate compartments. Not that they really couldn't stand each other- they would have to, for the sake of sanity alone, for the next few weeks.

Draco alighted from the train gracefully, shrunken trunk in hand and owl cage in the other. Zephyrus, his little white owl, hooted indignantly at being jostled around but was curiously observing the station with large unblinking eyes. So what if Hasan was supposed to come with him? Draco wasn't his babysitter, Hasan could find his own way. It wasn't like Lucius' striking blond hair was easy to miss. Neither was Narcissa's flowing golden mane. Draco shrugged off any of his remaining guilt as he approached his family with his trademark smirk.

"Mother! Father!" Draco called, face open and hopeful. Had they been informed that his first report to the Dark Lord had gone well? Were they proud of him?

"Dragon!" Narcissa cooed, wrapping her boy in her willowy arms, taking a deep breath as she did so. Narcissa's pale blue eyes shone with happiness, even as Lucius' hardened to steel.

"Draco?" Lucius asked delicately, taking another sweep of the station. Draco froze in his mother's embrace. "Where is Hasan?"

Draco stiffened, reluctantly disentangling himself from Narcissa's hair. The use of Hasan's first name was not lost on him. He clenched his fists to his side, reigning in his irrational jealousy and anger. Calm down, he tried to tell himself, they would be turning Hasan over to the Dark Lord soon. Who cared what they called him? And yet, Draco could feel his features slide beneath his mask, a defensive strategy even though he knew there was no threat.

"I don't know, Father," Draco replied nonchalantly, turning a bit to glimpse the Hogwarts Express exit the station. When he turned back around, he was startled to find Lucius' unforgiving stare boring into his soul.

"Draco," Lucius repeated sternly, causing Draco to want to cower. This wasn't how it was supposed to go at all. Why were they so angry with him?

"Draco, dear, we need to find him," his mother said softly. "It's not safe for him to be out here alone."

If he didn't know better, he'd say that his mother was genuinely worried. The trembling bottom lip, the wet eyes. No wonder they had been able to trick Dumbledore into handing over custody of the Boy-Who-Lived!

"I under-"

"Well, let us thank Salazar I found you," Hasan said dryly, suddenly at Draco's side. Hasan raised one eyebrow in Draco direction as if in challenge, as Narcissa swooped upon her second son. Even Lucius cracked a smile as he made to grab Raven's cage from him.

"Why did you take so long?" Draco asked, not succeeding in disguising his sneer.

"Why indeed?" Hasan returned, unamused, as the new and improved Malfoy family headed towards the floo.

.oOo.

Hasan watched as Draco avidly avoided eye contact with him and inwardly sighed. He had felt they had made such strides last night, but maybe that was just the firewhiskey someone had spiked the punch with talking. Either way, Hasan had been hopeful that perhaps their tentative relationship could be mended. It was clear to see now that his hopes were misplaced.

:Do not fret, Hasan.: Melusine whispered from his sleeve. :Just because the Dragon is scared, does not mean that you have to be.:

If anyone heard the slight hissing sound, no one made a comment. Draco stiffened slightly as he recalled seeing the little green snake wrapped around Hasan's arm that morning. He had little doubt in his mind that it was the same snake that 'Moody' had tried to kill and which magically showed up in the Common Room that day. Months of wondering where in the hell that snake had gone to and now this. Here. Now. The bloody snake was on Hasan's arm.

Draco couldn't take it anymore. Months of plotting against this boy who stood beside him now, wiping soot off his Slytherin robes, months of prying to report to the Dark Lord, to find that not only was Hasan the savior of the Wizarding World, but was in the home of the Dark Lord's greatest supporters- his home, in other words- and his parents were angry at Draco for not escorting the little hero from the train. Un-fucking-believable.

"Mother, I don't feel so well," Draco announced. "I think I'll rest for a while."

Hasan looked up through his lashes at Draco's pitiful excuse, then watched in curiosity as Narcissa pursed her lips.

"Draco? Can I speak with you in the kitchen for a minute?" Her sharp eyes belied her sweet tone and for a second, Hasan felt a pang of sympathy for his...frenemy. Apparently Draco also picked up on her nuance and followed his mother into the adjoining room with his head bent slightly down. From where Hasan was standing, he could see the mother and son speaking in hushed tones through the glass doors. Perhaps the transparency was supposed to set Hasan at ease, but until Draco sorted through his demons, Hasan would never feel one hundred percent safe in his house. In their house.

Lucius picked off a nonexistent piece of lint from his robes after he had cast a general cleaning charm from the fireplace.

"I apologize for my son," Lucius began softly. "I cannot fully explain. It's complicated."

Hasan nodded, straightening up to look the Malfoy lord in the eye. Lucius nearly gasped as his emerald eyes were fully trained on him, surrounded by shoulder-length inky black hair. He looked so much like James and Lily, every much the Harry James Potter- the Boy-Who-Lived.

Hasan thought back to the glimpses of memories he had seen of Altair and Lucius, wondering if Lucius truly knew everything that was going on. Most likely not.

"I understand complexity, sir," Hasan told him steadily. And his voice was like a millennia crumbling from stone.

Lucius nodded once. "You can call me Lucius," he said then added, "Can I take your cloak?"

Hasan nodded, shrugging his cloak off with practiced ease. Lucius stared. There was a snake- SNAKE- on Hasan's arm.

:Manners, Hasan. Introduce us,: Melusine smirked.

:Of course,: Hasan smiled.

If Lucius was shocked to find a snake beneath his new son's cloak, it was nothing compared to how he felt watching Hasan converse with said snake. And not just any snake...

"Lucius, I'd like to introduce Melusine," Hasan said kindly, raising his arm for Melusine to taste the air around his face.

Lucius looked a bit odd, as if he were spacing out. Hadn't Draco told him about his pareseltongue abilities back in second year? Right, Lupin had obliviated them...but Severus still knew. So did that mean Severus and Lucius weren't communicating in terms of this whole Altair-Hasan debacle?

"Lucius-?" Hasan asked worriedly as the man remained silent. "Lucius?"

Slowly, the man before him nodded. "That snake...where did you find it?"

Hasan bit his lower lip, thinking what this answer would gain him. Had Lucius met this snake before? That would be impossible, right? Unless Barty Crouch Jr. had shown Lucius the snake beforehand...? But even that was a stretch.

"Barty Crouch Jr. practiced the unforgiveables on some snakes. I simply vanished this one and took her."

Lucius shuddered involuntarily. So not only did Barty break the law (why was he not surprised?) but Hasan knew exactly who 'Moody' really was. Not even to mention the fact that...

"Melusine, that is an unusual name," Lucius murmured, reaching out to pet her. "However did you choose it?"

"It just sort of came to me," Hasan admitted slowly.

"Indeed," Lucius said, giving Melusine an odd look. "The Dark Lord had a painting of Melusine near the old Potions Lab. I am just startled is all."

Before Hasan could remark how odd it was for Lucius to suddenly become nostalgic for fine art, the door to the kitchen had opened, leaving Draco and Narcissa in its wake.

"Tipsy?" Lucius called, not surprised as a house elf wrapped in a green pillowcase popped into existence. "Would you show Hasan to his room, please?"

"I is pleased to be aiding Master Malfoy, sir! Master Hasan can follow Tipsy if he pleases!"

As Hasan followed the funny house-elf out of the room, Draco let out a breath. Finally, he could speak frankly. Although, that chastising by his mother had been a nice touch to the deception.

Lifting his head, Draco's silver eyes glittered.

"Mother, that was brilliant! Father, you too. I cannot believe that old fool Dumbledore fell for it!"

Narcissa creased her eyebrows in concern. "Draco?" she asked.

"Your acting," Draco continued on.

Lucius clear his throat, "Perhaps we should all sit down."

Narcissa moved towards the couch, but Draco stood firm.

"For what?" Draco asked.

"Dragon, sweetie, sit down," Narcissa sighed, tugging her boy gently by the arm.

"We're not acting." Lucius said, staring his son in the eye. Silver clashed upon silver. Nothing was said for a few moments as Draco began to think.

Draco cleared his throat. "What do you mean? We're giving him to the Dark Lord aren't we?" Draco whispered.

Narcissa shook her head, eyes beginning to water.

"Draco, your father and I decided during the summer that...that the Dark Lord, Lord V-v-voldemort,"-Draco flinched-,"was not who we thought he was. Actually, we had already come to that conclusion, but we never spoke about it. And now-"

Lucius picked up where his wife broke off, looking forlornly out the window. "Now, the Dark Lord has decided he wants you and that is just something I cannot give."

Draco took in a shuddering breath. "You said last summer," he accused, painfully soft. Like a kitten. "You...you TRAITORS!"

"Draco! Honey!"

"Draco Lucius Malfoy! You will stop this incessant whining and sit down!"

"I don't listen to traitors!" he spat, "Or liars!"

Each word fell from his lips like a death sentence. How dare they do this to him? Bringing home Hasan, the fucking GOLDEN BOY. To replace him.

"You will be quiet!" Lucius hissed, standing up to his full height, leaving no doubt in Draco's mind why people called him the most fearsome Death Eater. If only they knew the truth.

"Draco, this doesn't change how we feel about you," Narcissa cried, "We understand. Dragon, we knew we would have to tell you eventually, but the risks were too great to tell you before the Dark Lord could scan your mind! You would have died!"

Draco began to hyperventilate. "You think I'm weak!" Draco snarled, "You kept me in the dark because you thought I couldn't protect this family! My family, by the way. Not Hasan's! Not anyone else's!"

"Oh Draco..."

Lucius was at a loss for words as his son, spitting and hissing a second ago crumbled into himself in a pile of snot and tears. Fragile came to mind, fragile and volatile. Lucius felt a stab of guilt as his son suffered, but he couldn't bring it within himself to regret anything. If this was how his son acted now, he would have surely been dead months ago, right? Nothing to regret then, right? Lucius watched numbly as Narcissa hugged her son to her chest, rocking them back and forth as she murmured reassurances in his ear...

.oOo.

The next morning, Hasan and Draco found themselves sitting civilly beside each other for breakfast. Hasan's emerald eyes were wary and alert, but Draco's were dull and the skin around them slightly puffy as if he had been crying most of the night. Despite the fact that Christmas had already come and gone, neatly wrapped gifts sat on the table in front of each boy, yet neither reached out to take them.

"Come on then, let's see what you've got!" Narcissa suggested kindly, sipping her tea.

Draco glanced sideways at Hasan before cautiously taking the gift nearest to him. Both boys unwrapped their gifts in silence, the atmosphere heavily laden with unspoken secrets interwoven.

Hasan hardly noticed when he had finished unwrapping his first gift and so was slightly surprised to look down to see a small blunt dagger. It tingled slightly of magic, causing the boy to look cautiously up to see if anyone was studying him. Satisfied that he wasn't being spied upon, he sent out a little bit of his own magic to scan the surface. What he found had him raising both eyebrows: liquid-like particles sliding over one another instead of the expectant solid. The blade was shapeshifting! Turning it over, he noticed a little notecard and read:

Hey Pup,

I wasn't sure what to get you, but this seemed to be the most practical thing I could find. It's a dagger that can unlock any door. I know I can't make up for lost time, but I do care deeply about you, Har- (scibbled out) Hasan. Merry Christmas!

Your Godfather,

Sirius Black

Well, he couldn't deny it was practical. A warm feeling settled in his stomach as he realized how many people actually cared about him. Perhaps they didn't know him yet, and perhaps they only remembered Harry Potter the baby, but it was a nice feeling none-the-less. Glancing over at his neighbor now brother, Hasan nearly choked as Draco gazed at his present in awe. It was a heavy old book of a slightly different edition than his own, but it was undeniably the same text: Mind Magick by Omnia. Lucius smiled down at his son with pride.

"With this, you will learn to protect your mind," Narcissa added. "I have faith in you, our little Dragon. We trust you."

Hasan could only stare. So far, only Luna, Severus, and presumably Altair knew of the book, but now the Malfoys did as well? He had already assumed that the Malfoys had turned coat without informing their son, but perhaps he was now in the loop. His new parents certainly seemed much more subdued and lighter somehow, as if they were happy but tentative after revealing the truth. Honestly, it was a little hard to hide the fact that Harry Potter was not in fact going to be handed over to the Dark Lord...

Draco took in everyone's expressions warily.

"Thank you," he spoke clearly, then cleared his throat as if he suspected they wanted more from him. "Who sent it?"

Lucius' face fell for a fraction of a second. "Hasan's...previous guardian..."

"...I see."

Daphne's words echoed in his ear like an annoying fly. His name was Altair Castell. But like we said, he's been dead for years. And it could all just be a silly coincidence...a silly coincidence...

"Yes, well-" Narcissa smiled tiredly.

"-Isn't he supposed to be dead?" Draco pried, silver eyes glaring daggers.

Everyone shifted uncomfortably. Even Hasan looked down, unsure of how to act now that so much information was out.

"I see," Draco said finally, voice dead. "I suppose you don't trust me as much as you want me to believe."

With that, the Malfoy heir stood up, book clamped against his side, and rushed as angrily as he could from the room.

Chapter 40: Heartlines

It was nearing noon when the storm outside began to brew. Lucius had retired to his private chambers after his wife had fallen asleep on the couch downstairs. He was just about to take a nap himself to get rid of his pounding headache, when a sharp rapping from his window had him sitting ramrod straight.

Blearily, he made his way to the window to find what he feared: an owl. With a package. With a long defeated sigh, Lucius let the little owl hop inside so that he could relieve it of its burden. The package itself was rectangular and thin while the letter was rolled up and tied with a small black satin ribbon. Taking a deep breath, Lucius began to read.

"Dear Lucius,

Merry Christmas. I hope Draco enjoyed his gift, it's the least I could do since you are taking care of my son. Again, I'm sorry, but I find myself unable to care for Hasan at the moment. I have given you very little over the years but this is something which I hope you'll enjoy. My letters are not the most secure, or at least, I am given to believe that, if Severus' admonitions are anything to go by. The Black Family Mirrors are the most secure and more instantaneous communication devices I have access to. If I say your name, or you say my name, your face will appear in my mirror and vice versa. I will need to contact you a few more times in the future. All I ask is that you continue to follow my instructions and keep the mirror with you at all times.

With much love,

Altair"

Lucius sighed, running his fingers along the mirror's edge. Another thing that Altair had touched. He glanced across the room where the Malfoy dagger was once again in his possession, pulsing with emotions so full of love that it made Lucius feel terribly and despairingly empty after setting it back down. He had given at times to running his fingertips lightly across the blade and hilt, reveling in a world of unknowable warmth. He tried not to do it in front of Narcissa, feeling as though he were cheating on her, but even she had glimpsed him once or twice caressing the thing, and she never made a sound. Now, here he was, sitting a grown man alone on his bed, with another token.

Lost in a world that was no longer real, eyes already shutting, Lucius slowly melted onto his bed, mirror in hand, oblivious to the shouts could be heard from the hallway. For he was too tired to care as snuggled into the covers which Tipsy had thought to throw over him...

.oOo.

Draco stormed out of his room, hand covering his face in an attempt to calm himself. He was just so, so, so MAD at everyone! Everything seemed to be happening all at once and he had no time to process any of it, but of course everyone else did. Everyone knew of his parents' allegiances except for him, everyone knew of Altair except for him, fucking hell who knew Hasan was Harry before him as well? So of course his parents and everyone else were fine and cool with everything- they knew beforehand what was going to happen. But not Draco. Draco couldn't be trusted. He punched the stone wall, wishing he could somehow transfer his anger to the very roots of his ancestral home. He could feel himself imploding from the inside and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

As if on que, Hasan chose that moment to appear at the head of the stairs. In his hand he clutched a blunt looking knife- vaguely Draco recognized it as the gift Hasan had gotten from the ex-mass murderer Sirius Black. Which then reminded Draco about his own gift. And why he was angry in the first place. He clenched his fists at his side as he turned to glare at his new brother.

"How could you not tell me who you were?" Draco yelled, face red with fury.

Hasan regarded him for a minute before placing his dagger gently on the banister. He knew Draco would need to come to terms with his true identity but he had hoped- perhaps foolishly- that Draco would be a little more mature than this. But he was in Malfoy territory now and the least he could do was humor the boy's temper tantrums.

"Draco, there was no reason to tell you," Hasan reasoned slowly. His emerald eyes dulled as he reverted back to his emotionless state. Apparently calmness and apathy were related.

"I'm your friend," Draco cried exasperatedly, "Or was that a lie too?"

"Those are two entirely unrelated topics. Just because we are engaged in a 'friendship' doesn't mean I am contractually obligated to tell you everything about myself. I thought you were satisfied enough with Hasan Castell. Why now when you learn the truth do you insist I have violated some sort of friendship clause?"

"Because friends tell each other things, dammit!"

"Do friends also spy on each other for a Dark Lord to slaughter?" Hasan hissed.

"That's different!" Draco protested uneasily. "You don't say 'No' to the Dark Lord."

"And yet, your parents have," Hasan replied silkily, advancing on the boy with slow steps. "How does that make you feel? Betrayed? Saddened? Mistrusted?"

Draco tore his gaze away from the other, face burning with emotion.

"Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about! My parents were just trying to protect me!"

"Really, because you seemed quite adamant they didn't trust you earlier," Hasan whispered, starting to lose his iron-willed control. Why couldn't Draco just give in and admit he was wrong? Why fight in circles until one dropped dead from old age?

"It's not about them!" Draco growled, taking a step forward so that he was now nose to nose with the emerald-eyed teen. "It's about you and about how you lied about being the Boy-Who-Lived! I thought we told each other things. I gave you the Malfoy dagger for Salazar's sake!"

"Dammit Draco, if you're so upset about it, why did you never bother to think about it? If you had used even an ounce of your pitifully malleable brain you would have figured it out by now. Who the bloody fuck did you think saved you from the basilisk? The castle from an immortal Dark Lord? Longbottom? Don't make me laugh."

Draco lifted his silver eyes to meet Hasan's and in that instant he could see the fire burning beneath those emerald depths. Something had always seemed off about Hasan, but now he could identify it, unmasked from its dull jade façade. Hasan was dangerous. Not just because he acted oddly or that he was eerily calm at times, but because Hasan would not hesitate to slit his throat if it came down to survival. Had Hasan really defeated the Dark Lord before? Had he really slain a basilisk?

He was suddenly reminded of his first flying lesson when Hasan had threatened to break his arm. Had that boy been lurking beneath the surface all this time? Draco shivered. That was not a pleasant thought.

"Look, Hasan," Draco began.

"No, you need to look, Draco," Hasan said, grabbing the boy's shoulders keeping them face to face. "The world does NOT revolve around you. There are so many things that I don't know about. That you don't know about. And they are happening whether we want them to or not. This is war and we all have our parts to play. I never wanted to be the bloody savior, but thanks to the Dark Lord and Dumbledore I have no choice. You do. You can continue mopping around like a prat or you can actually act your age and start thinking how you're going to save our arses from Voldemort by learning Occlumency."

Draco swallowed audibly and made to step back. Hasan let him.

"I better start reading that book, huh?" Draco said, offering Hasan a tentative smile.

Hasan gave him an approving nod, snatched his knife off the handrail, and continued on his way to his room...

.oOo.

5:40pm

Narcissa finished placing the last porcelain dish on the table, just as a bright door chime rang throughout the house. She looked up through her long lashes, a question dropping from her lips.

"Now, who could that be?"

Everyone else at the table looked up curiously as the bell rang again, more insistently. Lucius raised his hand.

"I will get it." Whoever it was must have thought themselves pretty damn important to call on the Malfoys right before dinner. Lucius shouldn't have been nearly so surprised then when, casting a spell on the door to let him see outside without them seeing in, none other than Minister Fudge stood outside tapping his foot impatiently on their marble steps.

Schooling his features into the perfect mask, Lucius opened the door.

"Minister," he greeted formally, not opening the door fully, which would have falsely signified a welcome.

"Mr. Malfoy," Fudge returned stiffly, gesturing inside. "Is Mr. Potter here?"

Lucius paused a moment for his eyes to rove appraisingly over the minister. Fudge was wearing a neatly starched dark blue robes with fancy cufflinks in the shape of a lion's head. The trim was purple and lighter blue stripes and was but a thin strip down the Minister's inner folds. He was here to make an impression then. Ten guesses why.

"He is indeed. We were just sitting down for dinner." The tacit message was clear: call back later. But when Minister Fudge refused to do anything but perhaps gesture more insistently inside as if Lucius were somehow brain damaged, Lucius lifted a perfectly arched eyebrow.

After another moment, Fudge asked if Mr. Potter could be procured from the inside for a walk around the gardens. Lucius was just about to make a less vague and less polite comment for him to leave when Hasan opened the door a bit wider to fit his string bean frame in sight.

"Minister Fudge, a pleasure," Hasan greeted smoothly, lightly brushing against Lucius' side as he went to shake the Minister's hand.

While Lucius didn't mind playing the political game with Fudge, he had had a very trying few days and would have rather told the man to come back next time. It wasn't as if Lucius didn't have enough credit to easily dismiss the Minister without backlash. It also wasn't as if Fudge couldn't find the place again. But if Hasan insisted on having this meeting today, then who was he to stop him. And besides, Lucius had to admit he was just a tiny tad curious as to how Altair's son would handle himself.

Lucius nodded his assent as Hasan brushed his side, nonchalantly pulling back into the house.

"I will leave you two to talk for a few minutes, my son," Lucius said very deliberately. "I will come to fetch him in approximately ten minutes so that we can eat together as a family."

Something small in Hasan's heart rejoiced, but he knew it was mainly to tell Fudge he was being watched and couldn't take all day. Apparently the message was received for Fudge nodded once, stiffly.

"I will be sure to return Mr. Potter to this very door in ten minutes or less."

Lucius' face betrayed nothing. "Good," he said shortly and gracefully shut the door so that the Boy-Who-Lived and the politician were alone.

From within the house, Lucius cast a spell to display the gardens outside since he was the master of the wards at Malfoy Manor. There was no way he was going to leave Hasan unattended with that man. Minister he was, but idiot also, and Lucius wouldn't put it past him to try and cast a compulsion on Hasan or otherwise try to coerce him into giving into whatever demands the Minister had set. With another wave of his wand, the sounds from outside filtered into the room- not loud enough that anyone in the next room could hear what they were doing.

Hasan and Fudge walked side by side, slowly, towards the lavish Malfoy garden in back. A peacocks raised their heads in curiosity before returning to what they were doing. Presently, Fudge paused and faced the golden boy straight on.

"I am surprised to see you suing the Daily Prophet for libel," Fudge began, his face pleasant with a smile.

Hasan betrayed nothing. "I see nothing so surprising about that."

"Yes, but well," Fudge stammered, "Sometimes we just take things the wrong way. The Daily Prophet has a right to free speech-"

"As I too have a right to sue them for writing that which is false."

The minister's smile faltered. "Surely you understand that everyone is just dying to know about you. The Boy-Who-Lived, among us since the start!"

Hasan stared at him impassively. "I understand you don't want dissent between me and the Prophet, which is owned by the Ministry- you in other words. What I don't understand is what you intend to do about it."

Fudge seemed unable to chew on that as he sputtered on his words. "Mr.- Mr. Potter, you are only a boy. There is no way you can possibly win this lawsuit."

Hasan ignored how Fudge was calling him Potter, because he didn't really need the man to use his real name, did he?

"Yet you expect me to kill the Dark Lord for you, isn't that right? You and every other godforsaken witch and wizard wants me to do their dirty work for them, but I for one will not do anything for their sakes. They can get up and do it themselves if they want him gone so badly. Another dark lord will rise up in due time anyway."

"Mr. Potter!" Fudge exclaimed, unable to understand what the boy was saying. Having lived under a delusion for so long he didn't immediately realize the mistake in his next words. "That's not the way you're supposed to act! You're supposed to support us in the war effort like you promised! You're famous, don't you see? All you have to do is tell people to calm down every once in the while and attend Ministry functions. Didn't Albus tell you?"

It was as if a thundercloud passed over the Manor. Hasan's face became clouded and dark as he pinned the minister with his gaze.

"Albus?" he queried lightly. "Do I look like Albus Dumbledore to you? I am not him and anything which you have agreed upon between yourselves has no bearing on me! Minister Fudge, will all due respect I see no benefit in this conversation...for either of us. I suggest you leave me to my dinner." With that, Hasan swept towards the house, angry at himself for failing to remain completely neutral. Perhaps it had been the argument with Draco earlier which had Hasan hanging on his last thread...

Fudge hesitated for a minute before calling the boy back.

"Harry Potter, I think you are making a grave mistake. I am very sorry to do this but it's for the greater good- Imperio!"

"-Protego!"

Hasan turned his head slightly to see the minister get blasted off his feet, twenty yards into the air and into the shrubbery.

"I suggest you refrain from that mode of persuasion in the future," Hasan yelled playfully on his shoulder. "I defeated the Dark Lord, didn't you know? Who knows what else I have up my sleeve?"

Fudge groaned upon the ground before struggling to his feet. Maybe he had underestimated the Potter boy just a tad. Looking back on the entire conversation, Fudge couldn't help but think he had royally screwed up. He had assumed the boy would be very much Dumbledore's puppet like James had been, but nothing could have been further from the truth. Fudge should have researched the boy more. If only all the time turners hadn't been smashed, he would have done it all over again in a heartbeat.

Inside the house, Narcissa and Lucius were torn between pride that their son had upheld himself properly and defended himself when necessary and full of rage that Fudge had played such a lowly trick. Lucius knew that Dolores Umbridge had Fudge's permission to use the unforgiveables in her line of work- which was the education regulation department, so he wasn't entirely surprised that Fudge did as all. Needless to say Lucius would be changing the wards to Malfoy Manor to eject Fudge the next time he decided to come snooping around- most likely to beg for forgiveness.

Draco, meanwhile, was caught mouth agape, heart pounding. He knew Hasan had an edge to him but fighting the Minister of Magic and arguing with your brother were two different things. Draco swelled with pride partly, but his other part felt nothing but shame. Hasan- Harry, did not want to be the Ministry's toy. He refused to be used and absolutely did not relish in his fame. Draco had been wrong, and not for the first time either. Would Hasan accept his fragile truce if he chose to pursue it?

Dinner that night was peaceful.

The sky began to cry.

.oOo.

Severus Snape carefully strode into the throne room of Lestrange Manor. He hadn't yet been called to the Dark Lord's side though the Caedescorpus Potion had been taken at least a week ago and thus the Dark Lord had been bodily resurrected. This meant that Severus was probably the only inner circle Death Eater who hadn't seen his lord's new body yet as he was ordered to maintain his post at Hogwarts. Would the Dark Lord return to his Tom Riddle persona? Would he become the crazed fool he was the night the Potters died? Or would he be something less than human? Less than alive?

Severus knelt on the cold stone floor, joining the nearly completed circle. Through his mask, Severus could see Dolohov, Rookwood, Mulciber, Rodolphus, Rabastan, and Bellatrix Lestrange, as well as Barty Crouch Jr. who was currently unpolyjuiced. The Dark Lord had not yet entered, for which Severus was grateful. Checking one last time that his occlumency shields were in place, he let his mind linger over the noticeable gap in the formation. There were three missing places directly across from the giant golden throne designating the Malfoys' places, though Draco and Narcissa were most like loyal guests since they were still unmarked. The Malfoys had never been late before...The torches flickered.

Yes, the Malfoys were traitors to the cause, but so was he! Was their absence telling of something more? Were they compromised and currently being tortured in another room? Or had they just decided they would simply ignore the Dark Lord's summons? Before Severus could continue down this train of thought, the throne room doors burst open and out stepped a tall lithe form swathed in a black cloak. There were several sharp intakes of breath as the Dark Lord stepped within, drawing about him a grand shadow which sucked the air clean of all light and warmth. The torches exhaled before flickering back to life.

"My loyal servants..." Voldemort's sibilant voice permeated the room. "We seem to be missing some of our number."

Like a snake, he struck forward suddenly with a shouted "CRUCIO!" He held the curse, wand aloft, as he glided to his throne, red ruby eyes gleaming from beneath his hood. Barty Crouch Jr. lay crumpled on the ground, screams torn out of his unused body until Severus could no longer hear them. It was only when the screaming stopped that Severus realized he had indeed been yelling the entire time. The small group shifted uncomfortably as the Dark Lord threw back his hood, revealing to Severus for the first time his ophidian head, bald and white as marble with a slice of nose and thinly painted lips. Salazar! The Dark Lord was hideous! Severus managed to school his features, but Bellatrix apparently could not help from gushing at the sight of her prince charming. ("Oh! My Lord!")

Lord Voldemort sat ramrod straight in his golden chair, observing his supposedly 'inner circle' with a discriminating eye.

"Crouch..." he hissed silkily amid the man's whimpers. "Can you tell us who has not deigned to answer the Dark Lord's summons?"

Fearing it was a trick question that he would be punished for no matter what the answer, Crouch hesitated before stammering, "Th-the Malfoys, m-my Lord!"

"And why, do you think-" the Dark Lord continued lowly- "that the Malfoys have not shown their faces here?"

Ahh, that was the crux of it, wasn't it? Severus thought to himself. The Malfoys had adopted Hasan Castell. Lord Voldemort's most faithful followers had adopted the Boy-Who-Lived and now were missing from the Dark Lord's meeting. And who was supposed to keep watch over Draco and by extension the rest of the Malfoy family? The idiot who continued to stutter out barely acceptable answers instead of prostrating himself and kissing the Dark Lord's robes! Not that Snape was complaining. A smarter man than Crouch might have figured out Severus' true loyalties by now...

"It-It might be that the Malfoys have...adoptedthePotterboymyLord!"

The Dark Lord paused for a moment, seeming to contemplate this information before returning his burning gaze to his servant.

"And why and I just hearing about this now?" he whispered, "When Severus here, my dear, loyal spy, had already informed me about the boy's whereabouts DAYS AGO?"

Crouch hugged himself tighter, as if to protect himself from the torment that would surely come.

"My Lord! I am sor-"

"CRUCIO! The Dark Lord does not accept apologies! Three of my most loyal followers have disappeared from my ranks tonight. Three have aligned themselves with that fool Dumbledore. Those three will die! Bellatrix!" The woman stopped her cooing immediately to look up at him with admiration shining in her eyes. "You are partly responsible for this betrayal for you are Narcissa's sister! You are supposed to know when one of ours has dissented from the ranks. Crucio!"

Bellatrix fell to the ground, voice hoarse by the third minute, her husband staring impassively at the wall opposite him. As Bellatrix recovered, the Dark Lord's eyes swept over the room again. Many shuddered, their fear only shown by the slight shaking of their knees.

"Bellatrix, I expect better in the future, let that be a reminder to you."

"Oh yes! Yes, my Lord!" Bellatrix breathed, face flushed with a weird mixture of pain and lust.

"However, some of us have outlived our usefulness..." and here the Dark Lord's wand swiveled to land on the still quaking Barty Crouch Jr. The man began to panic; Severus could see it in the way his head shifted slightly from side to side, looking for the exit that was not there. Voldemort lifted his wand to strike, his snakelike eyes never wavering from his target. "Avada-"

"SLYTHERIN'S LOCKET!"

And the pain and the shock and the horror that raced through the Dark Lord in that single instant was enough to force Hasan Castell from his mind.

.oOo.

"What did you say?" Voldemort asked in a ghastly whisper, lowering his wand a fraction of a hair.

"I said," Crouch gasped, "I said Slytherin's locket."

Severus's spy instincts were on high alert as he watched this curious exchange playing out before him. He had no doubt in his mind that they were not talking simply of a locket, but a horcrux. One which Albus had suspected was a horcrux from the start. 'Tom found particular significance in items belonging to Slytherin as they represented both his magic and his heritage.'

"And what do you presume to know about Slytherin's locket?" the Dark Lord queried, voice low and dangerous. The others tentatively watched the scene like they would a quidditch match, but no one dared to show how openly curious they were about something which pardoned his life.

"I know that Dumbledore went to a cave with my house-elf to retrieve Slytherin's Locket." He was going to have to seriously thank Winky later, for he remembered he did not want to listen to her at first, but she had insisted on telling him everything that had happened. "H-he had to drink a potion and-"

"That is enough," the Dark Lord growled, quietly. It would really be easiest to just kill him. He did seem to know too much...but now his whole inner circle knew- the most dangerous dark wizards he could find- and if he killed Crouch now, that would most certainly verify that the locket was important. It would only be a matter of time before the others pried a little too deeply. No, he would have to let the imposter live. He needed him to continue out the school year after all. "You have done well," he hissed, dangerous tone belying the praise. Briskly, as to not let anyone dwell on what had just transpired, he turned red eyes to Severus.

"Severus?" he asked expectantly.

Checking his shields one last time, Severus began to speak what he had rehearsed with Albus a few days prior.

"Dumbledore desperately wants to hear the prophecy again, but now he has the Potter (he spat the name) boy to get it for him. I believe Dumbledore wants to retrieve the prophecy in July, so his presence will not be missed during the school year."

Voldemort mused over this new information. He had been sending the boy visions of the Department of Mysteries for a while now. Would Dumbledore's plan to use the boy cause his visions to backfire? Or was he curious enough to question Dumbledore's motives?

"You have done well, Severus." His words were distant as if he were thinking very far away. Because he was. He was thinking about how best to kill two birds with one stone.

The meeting continued.

.oOo.

A dark stone throne-room dissolved into pale sunlight which filtered into an unfamiliar room. Gold trim, beige paint. A lavish dresser with crystal knobs. Where was he? Blinking a few times, Hasan began to orient himself. He was in Malfoy Manor. In his own room (though he liked to think of it as just a guest room). Safe, for the moment at least. Shivers wracked through him from the aftermath of the cruciatous curse. The effects echoed in his aching limbs and he had to take two huge gulping breathes just to stabilize himself.

So the Dark Lord knew of the Malfoys' betrayal. Which meant, somewhere within the manor, Lucius was in utter agony from his Dark Mark. Meanwhile, Severus was stuck with that snake-faced bastard, enduring who knew what. Hasan sighed, attempting to erase the emotions from his mind. The utter helplessness as someone new learned his secret. Had Dumbledore really claimed the locket?

Hasan forced himself to roll out of bed- ever so slowly- before slowly making his way across the room. But something stopped him. For in the corner, where his lay trunk, there was a slight rattling. Melusine, who was awake and preening on his dresser looked over with a keen look.

:It ssoundsss like itsss ringing,: Melusine suggested softly, watching as the boy cautiously approached the trunk, wand first, and thrust it open.

Brow wrinkled in thought, Hasan extracted the only thing that did indeed seem to be 'ringing'. The Black Family Mirrors...