Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Blood's Sacrifice
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and can't get money for this, but I can make him into a Mafia Prince.
Warning: Some chapters (the ones including pranks and mimes) might not be appropriate to read at work. Laughter may ensue leading your co-workers to see you as even more insane than they previously thought.
Chapter 16: Ryle Hira (Life is what it is)
"Get to scrubbing," Severus didn't look up from the papers he was grading as Harry and Blaise walked into his classroom as commanded, causing both of them to wince; Severus really wasn't happy if he wouldn't even make eye contact with them.
Hiding the sighs they knew wouldn't help the situation any, Harry and Blaise obediently picked up the waiting cleaning supplies and started by scrubbing the stacked cauldrons in silence. It brought to mind their first detention with the sneering Potions Master back when they hadn't known him as anything other than their Professor and Head of House.
Flashback
Neither Harry nor Blaise had ever been subjected to having to clean at home beyond keeping their rooms straight or wiping up any spills they might have made, they were used to having some sort of mental or physical exercise assigned as punishment when they had done something wrong. When they had discovered what their detention would be, they had both stared at each other with looks akin to horror after seeing the pile of dirty cauldrons that awaited them. Reluctantly they had begun to awkwardly scrub the encrusted cauldrons, grimacing, but both of them knew better than to voice their thoughts or displeasure at their given task. It had taken them hours to finish the cauldrons only to look up and find Professor Snape standing behind them sneering at their work.
"Deplorable," he had sneered, "it looks as if you don't know how to scrub properly. Are you both so high and mighty that you don't know how to clean up after yourselves? I'm betting you have maids at home to cater to your every need? Hmm, Mr. Potter? Am I right?"
Harry answered, teeth gritted, "We have maids, sir, but they don't cater to us in the slightest."
"Then what of this deplorable attempt at cleaning," Professor Snape leered down at him, "are you so pampered that you're never punished at home?"
"We're not made to scrub pots when being punished," Harry answered back despite not wishing to, "we're given some task or extra homework to do."
"Very well then," the Professor announced, "then since scrubbing cauldrons does not seem to make an impression on you then I want a five hundred word paper on the use of Kneazle toenails in potions on my desk by tomorrow evening. Dismissed."
End Flashback
On the rare occasion they had gotten a detention with Severus after that, and he had actually thought they needed to be disciplined, he had taken to giving them difficult assignments to complete. This was the first time he had set them to cleaning again since he had started instructing them over the summer after their first year and become a friend to them. It didn't bode well for them.
~~ ~~ ~*~
Severus sighed softly, too low to actually be heard, as Harry and Blaise bent to the scrubbing he had left for them. He was actually at a loss on how to deal with them for once; he had never before been so afraid for a pair of students when he had been unable to find them, only to realize they had gone to Hogsmeade. It wasn't even the fact that they had snuck out to Hogsmeade that bothered him, he had done it any number of times himself when he had been a student, it was the fact that they had gone without letting him know when they knew there was danger afoot. It had surprised him on how relieved he had been when he had caught them sneaking back in and so he had recovered by leveling one of his patented glares at them to make them think they were in trouble. He had been willing to let things go, probably would have in fact, if he hadn't talked to the bartender of the Hog's Head later that evening when he had gone to get a stiff drink; Aberforth had told him all about what had happened that morning, grinning about how well Harry and Blaise had held their ground. It had made Severus merely curse the two children even more for not telling him and sneaking off to Hogsmeade without having bodyguards with them; they could have always asked him to go. Perhaps that was another thing that was bugging him, they didn't even seem to have thought to ask him to come along with them and act as their bodyguard. A noise had him looking up.
"Severus," Harry paused before starting again, "we're sorry Severus. We know we worried you and we know it was stupid to go off to Hogsmeade just because we had been told we couldn't. I have a bad habit of doing stuff like that and sometimes Blaise gets dragged along into it."
"Harry can't take all the blame for this," Blaise spoke up, "I wanted to go as well. We've never had to worry much about getting into trouble like that on our own though, usually we have guards or our fathers with us. We never thought we'd be recognized and attacked in Hogsmeade with so many other people wandering around, we were unprepared and didn't think out the consequences."
For a long moment Severus stared at the two overly mature children standing in front of him as they attempted to apologize for their behavior. He knew it wasn't something they did often. Severus took a mental breath and loosened the emotions he had been building up inside before accepting their apology in the only way he knew how.
"Those cauldrons better be spotless and sparkling," he told them warningly, "and if you ever do anything like that again I'll show exactly why I made such a good Death Eater."
Harry and Blaise grinned and ducked their heads sheepishly. Severus suddenly reminded them of their fathers when they were trying to be stern with them instead of acting like big softies.
~~ ~~ ~*~
Ciara circled the Great Hall the next morning, prudently waiting for the flock of lesser trained mail-birds to drop their packages off before landing majestically in front of Harry to present him with a letter. It was a coded letter from Manuel. Grinning at each other in shared relief, Harry and Blaise bent their heads together over the paper.
The main assault has been routed, but I will need to borrow Nara and Vasile for a while longer. This most recent altercation has brought about the need to operate in silence so we can flush out the last remaining members of the uprising against us. This will be harder than we wish it to be though, the other side has firm ties within the wizarding world. I expect this warning to keep you cautious, Severus will be there for you if you need him. Letters from him inform me that you have been keeping out of trouble-
Harry and Blaise exchanged incredulous glances at this part of the note before grinning at what they read next.
--you should know I doubt that greatly. I also need to inform you of our new allies from the wizarding world. Arnold Peasegood, Melinda Bobbin, Andromeda Tonks, Gawain Robards, and Fabian Prewett. Look into these people so that you will know them and what they do should you ever need to call upon their help, but keep quiet about it and stay safe. I will see you soon.
Harry looked at Blaise to make sure she was done with the letter before he folded it and stuck it down deep into one of his pockets. There would be just enough time to get to a fire somewhere and shred the letter before burning it; even though Manuel had written it in the family's personal code, Harry knew better than to leave evidence lying around for longer than necessary.
~~ ~~ ~*~
Penny's letter arrived at dinner and Harry knew the moment the pretty girl's face went ashen what the letter contained. Silently he cursed his father for not including the fact that Alain Clearwater had been among the casualties; he knew the man had been a key part of the uprising but had figured he had been one of the ones that managed to escape. He just hoped that the man had died quickly in the fighting, because if Manuel had gotten a hold of the man personally...Harry saw the tears start to roll down Penny's cheeks and found himself abruptly standing to walk to the girl's side, pushing through the clinging group of girls that now surrounded the sobbing Penny. Predictably Blaise was right behind him.
"Come on Penny," Harry knew he was a bit rough as he hauled the girl to her feet, but she didn't need to be fawned over by a group of clueless girls right now, "let's get you out of here."
Blindly Penny let Harry and Blaise lead her from the Great Hall, Professor Flitwick intercepting them at the doors of the Great Hall and leading them to one of the sitting rooms usually used for waiting visitors.
"Oh dear," Professor Flitwick squeaked, "what is wrong Ms. Clearwater? Is there anything I can do?"
Penny shook her head wildly, her tears splashing on them as she sniffled uncontrollably, "my...my dad-he's..."
Flitwick understood, patting Penny's shoulder awkwardly, "oh my dear, is there anything I can do to help?"
Penny's tears seemed to be subsiding some, but there was an anger kindling in her eyes that Flitwick didn't notice. "Could you find Percy and tell him what's happened, please? My mother will be coming for me in the morning."
Happy to be able to do something, Flitwick acceded to the request and left the room just as Penny wished he would. It would take the professor a few minutes to find Percy and explain matters to him.
"Penny-" Harry began, only to be cut off abruptly.
"Don't!" There was pain in Penny's voice, "don't say it! I hate you, both of you. It's your fault. Yours, and your father's, and my mothers! She betrayed him, betrayed him to your fathers! How could she! How could she! How could my father be so stupid...?"
Penny's voice had risen to a near shout as she spoke, but tapered off on the last. Penny's eyes swept up so that she was staring Harry in the eye, her hate now hidden behind a deep and forlorn sadness.
"I won't say anything," her voice was flat, emotionless, "I respect my mother's command on that matter, but I want you two to stay away from me. Maybe someday I'll forgive this, but right now I can't, I hate you too much."
"I understand," Harry kept his voice clipped and emotionless as well, "we will respect your wishes."
Glancing over Penny one last time Harry executed a short, sharp bow to the girl and left the room. Blaise followed quickly behind, pausing only long enough to give the forlorn Penny a glance filled with pity. Penny might not understand now, she had been thrust too brutally into the realities of a life filled with Mafia ties, but one day she would realize that by sacrificing the life of her husband Faye Clearwater had ensured her daughter would live on.
Warning: Some chapters (the ones including pranks and mimes) might not be appropriate to read at work. Laughter may ensue leading your co-workers to see you as even more insane than they previously thought.
Chapter 16: Ryle Hira (Life is what it is)
"Get to scrubbing," Severus didn't look up from the papers he was grading as Harry and Blaise walked into his classroom as commanded, causing both of them to wince; Severus really wasn't happy if he wouldn't even make eye contact with them.
Hiding the sighs they knew wouldn't help the situation any, Harry and Blaise obediently picked up the waiting cleaning supplies and started by scrubbing the stacked cauldrons in silence. It brought to mind their first detention with the sneering Potions Master back when they hadn't known him as anything other than their Professor and Head of House.
Flashback
Neither Harry nor Blaise had ever been subjected to having to clean at home beyond keeping their rooms straight or wiping up any spills they might have made, they were used to having some sort of mental or physical exercise assigned as punishment when they had done something wrong. When they had discovered what their detention would be, they had both stared at each other with looks akin to horror after seeing the pile of dirty cauldrons that awaited them. Reluctantly they had begun to awkwardly scrub the encrusted cauldrons, grimacing, but both of them knew better than to voice their thoughts or displeasure at their given task. It had taken them hours to finish the cauldrons only to look up and find Professor Snape standing behind them sneering at their work.
"Deplorable," he had sneered, "it looks as if you don't know how to scrub properly. Are you both so high and mighty that you don't know how to clean up after yourselves? I'm betting you have maids at home to cater to your every need? Hmm, Mr. Potter? Am I right?"
Harry answered, teeth gritted, "We have maids, sir, but they don't cater to us in the slightest."
"Then what of this deplorable attempt at cleaning," Professor Snape leered down at him, "are you so pampered that you're never punished at home?"
"We're not made to scrub pots when being punished," Harry answered back despite not wishing to, "we're given some task or extra homework to do."
"Very well then," the Professor announced, "then since scrubbing cauldrons does not seem to make an impression on you then I want a five hundred word paper on the use of Kneazle toenails in potions on my desk by tomorrow evening. Dismissed."
End Flashback
On the rare occasion they had gotten a detention with Severus after that, and he had actually thought they needed to be disciplined, he had taken to giving them difficult assignments to complete. This was the first time he had set them to cleaning again since he had started instructing them over the summer after their first year and become a friend to them. It didn't bode well for them.
~~ ~~ ~*~
Severus sighed softly, too low to actually be heard, as Harry and Blaise bent to the scrubbing he had left for them. He was actually at a loss on how to deal with them for once; he had never before been so afraid for a pair of students when he had been unable to find them, only to realize they had gone to Hogsmeade. It wasn't even the fact that they had snuck out to Hogsmeade that bothered him, he had done it any number of times himself when he had been a student, it was the fact that they had gone without letting him know when they knew there was danger afoot. It had surprised him on how relieved he had been when he had caught them sneaking back in and so he had recovered by leveling one of his patented glares at them to make them think they were in trouble. He had been willing to let things go, probably would have in fact, if he hadn't talked to the bartender of the Hog's Head later that evening when he had gone to get a stiff drink; Aberforth had told him all about what had happened that morning, grinning about how well Harry and Blaise had held their ground. It had made Severus merely curse the two children even more for not telling him and sneaking off to Hogsmeade without having bodyguards with them; they could have always asked him to go. Perhaps that was another thing that was bugging him, they didn't even seem to have thought to ask him to come along with them and act as their bodyguard. A noise had him looking up.
"Severus," Harry paused before starting again, "we're sorry Severus. We know we worried you and we know it was stupid to go off to Hogsmeade just because we had been told we couldn't. I have a bad habit of doing stuff like that and sometimes Blaise gets dragged along into it."
"Harry can't take all the blame for this," Blaise spoke up, "I wanted to go as well. We've never had to worry much about getting into trouble like that on our own though, usually we have guards or our fathers with us. We never thought we'd be recognized and attacked in Hogsmeade with so many other people wandering around, we were unprepared and didn't think out the consequences."
For a long moment Severus stared at the two overly mature children standing in front of him as they attempted to apologize for their behavior. He knew it wasn't something they did often. Severus took a mental breath and loosened the emotions he had been building up inside before accepting their apology in the only way he knew how.
"Those cauldrons better be spotless and sparkling," he told them warningly, "and if you ever do anything like that again I'll show exactly why I made such a good Death Eater."
Harry and Blaise grinned and ducked their heads sheepishly. Severus suddenly reminded them of their fathers when they were trying to be stern with them instead of acting like big softies.
~~ ~~ ~*~
Ciara circled the Great Hall the next morning, prudently waiting for the flock of lesser trained mail-birds to drop their packages off before landing majestically in front of Harry to present him with a letter. It was a coded letter from Manuel. Grinning at each other in shared relief, Harry and Blaise bent their heads together over the paper.
The main assault has been routed, but I will need to borrow Nara and Vasile for a while longer. This most recent altercation has brought about the need to operate in silence so we can flush out the last remaining members of the uprising against us. This will be harder than we wish it to be though, the other side has firm ties within the wizarding world. I expect this warning to keep you cautious, Severus will be there for you if you need him. Letters from him inform me that you have been keeping out of trouble-
Harry and Blaise exchanged incredulous glances at this part of the note before grinning at what they read next.
--you should know I doubt that greatly. I also need to inform you of our new allies from the wizarding world. Arnold Peasegood, Melinda Bobbin, Andromeda Tonks, Gawain Robards, and Fabian Prewett. Look into these people so that you will know them and what they do should you ever need to call upon their help, but keep quiet about it and stay safe. I will see you soon.
Harry looked at Blaise to make sure she was done with the letter before he folded it and stuck it down deep into one of his pockets. There would be just enough time to get to a fire somewhere and shred the letter before burning it; even though Manuel had written it in the family's personal code, Harry knew better than to leave evidence lying around for longer than necessary.
~~ ~~ ~*~
Penny's letter arrived at dinner and Harry knew the moment the pretty girl's face went ashen what the letter contained. Silently he cursed his father for not including the fact that Alain Clearwater had been among the casualties; he knew the man had been a key part of the uprising but had figured he had been one of the ones that managed to escape. He just hoped that the man had died quickly in the fighting, because if Manuel had gotten a hold of the man personally...Harry saw the tears start to roll down Penny's cheeks and found himself abruptly standing to walk to the girl's side, pushing through the clinging group of girls that now surrounded the sobbing Penny. Predictably Blaise was right behind him.
"Come on Penny," Harry knew he was a bit rough as he hauled the girl to her feet, but she didn't need to be fawned over by a group of clueless girls right now, "let's get you out of here."
Blindly Penny let Harry and Blaise lead her from the Great Hall, Professor Flitwick intercepting them at the doors of the Great Hall and leading them to one of the sitting rooms usually used for waiting visitors.
"Oh dear," Professor Flitwick squeaked, "what is wrong Ms. Clearwater? Is there anything I can do?"
Penny shook her head wildly, her tears splashing on them as she sniffled uncontrollably, "my...my dad-he's..."
Flitwick understood, patting Penny's shoulder awkwardly, "oh my dear, is there anything I can do to help?"
Penny's tears seemed to be subsiding some, but there was an anger kindling in her eyes that Flitwick didn't notice. "Could you find Percy and tell him what's happened, please? My mother will be coming for me in the morning."
Happy to be able to do something, Flitwick acceded to the request and left the room just as Penny wished he would. It would take the professor a few minutes to find Percy and explain matters to him.
"Penny-" Harry began, only to be cut off abruptly.
"Don't!" There was pain in Penny's voice, "don't say it! I hate you, both of you. It's your fault. Yours, and your father's, and my mothers! She betrayed him, betrayed him to your fathers! How could she! How could she! How could my father be so stupid...?"
Penny's voice had risen to a near shout as she spoke, but tapered off on the last. Penny's eyes swept up so that she was staring Harry in the eye, her hate now hidden behind a deep and forlorn sadness.
"I won't say anything," her voice was flat, emotionless, "I respect my mother's command on that matter, but I want you two to stay away from me. Maybe someday I'll forgive this, but right now I can't, I hate you too much."
"I understand," Harry kept his voice clipped and emotionless as well, "we will respect your wishes."
Glancing over Penny one last time Harry executed a short, sharp bow to the girl and left the room. Blaise followed quickly behind, pausing only long enough to give the forlorn Penny a glance filled with pity. Penny might not understand now, she had been thrust too brutally into the realities of a life filled with Mafia ties, but one day she would realize that by sacrificing the life of her husband Faye Clearwater had ensured her daughter would live on.
Sign up to rate and review this story