Harry stared at the small, innocuous suitcase now housing what had been, mere moments ago, a very ( incredibly ) large and extremely upset Nundu – which, first of all, “How did that end up in New York?” Considering the man before him had managed to capture a creature he distinctly remembered required over a hundred wizards to subdue, he had a feeling the very culprit for its release was standing right in front of him. “And why do I get the feeling luck had nothing to do with it.”
{ Times Of Terror }
“Easy for you to say,” Harry grit out, still holding on to his head as he fought the urge to lift his body up and away from the intruding element. Although theoretical logic told him that withdrawing a foreign object from the body could cause more damage than it alleviated, in practice one’s mind tended to be far too busy screaming to remember theory.
It was his own damn fault really – he’d been so focused on the fight in front of him that he had failed to account for his back, and now he had to deal with the consequences of being impaled by – “The fuck is this thing, anyway?” He managed, still gripping the other end of it firmly in order to keep himself from falling further onto the damn thing. It looked vaguely like some kind of vine – strangely, he couldn’t help but think Neville would know what it was.
Now where is your keeper, I wonder? The unexpected sight of Newt Scamander dozing blissfully on a stoop with nary a care nor fear in the world ought to have stirred something more visceral than the idle curiosity that shifted lazily in his chest, but what bitterness that might have been borne had fallen away in the months following his liberation.
The man had done only what he had been indoctrinated to believe was right – and knowing now that he was not one of those contemptuous fools which dared use his name to spread their bile and violence certainly tempered any possibility of rage within him. Indeed – he suspected now that Newt had been sent to America – that perhaps Percival Graves had been a little too quick to rise through the ranks, a little too open in his casual displays of power. Enough so that rumors had reached the one man who could identify him, even after all these years.
Infuriatingly meddlesome bugger.
Striding over, Gellert slid off his coat and draped it with great care over the young man’s shoulders. He was a singularly rare kind of wizard – the sort who thought beyond the lines set out by the Ministry. His eyes falling to the case, Gellert recalled all too well the magnificent artistry beyond that innocuous exterior. Wizard space so vast and well crafted, it appeared for all within a series of worlds all in one space. Newt had dedicated himself to the defense of those who could not defend themselves – an interesting choice, if his suspicions on Albus were correct.
It did beg the question if perhaps they both were being manipulated somehow, though to what end Gellert found he could not fathom.
“If you’re referring to the cacophony of demons that just let loose a few moments ago I daresay it was hard not to,” Tristan returned blandly, even as he straightened himself up calmly. “I trust you recognize the call, Mister Scamander?” Although hardly a master of beasts like the man before him, there was a broad enough understanding for what happened to magical creatures this close to Muggle settlements for a genuine strain of alarm to course through him. “I can seal off the area, if you feel it necessary.”
“ You cannot kill me in any way that matters. ” | Severus @ Sirius | @indiscretus
“You are one dramatic piece of work, I’ll give you that,” Years of nothing but screams and groans for company almost made that an endearing quality – if it wasn’t so fucking annoying. “If I wanted to kill you – and believe me, I do have my moments – “ Of course if he was going back to Azkaban on a body count, it sure as hell wasn’t going to be over a waste of a corpse like this one, “We wouldn’t be having this pleasant conversation. Now – I could untie you and we could conclude this matter civilly – or I can take you up on your challenge of finding a way that matters, but then we’d be here all day and frankly your company is not quite the entertainment I’m looking for.”
Dumbledore was going to get his socks knotted into absolute twists, but at this point Sirius was beyond caring. What good was a spy if he never delivered anything useful anyway? “Tell me where he is, and we can both go on our way. And don’t feed me bullshit – if you thought I was impatient before, I promise you Azkaban worked wonders on that short wick of mine.” The devil may care smile bore some resemblance to the past, if only because it was easier to be cavalier than anything else. Not to mention he hardly needed to break out intimidation tactics on
Snivellus
– he wouldn’t recognize true artistry if it danced naked right in front of him.
Then again, Snape might just remember what his temper actually looked like – in which case, he’d said more than enough to get his point across.
❛ I meant… How are you holding up? ❜ | Harry @ Cedric | @indiscretus
Harry had been a nigh-constant presence at his bedside – at least whenever his parents weren’t around to terrify the poor kid off the scene, as if all this were somehow his fault.Between them and the mountainous guilt complex the other was already carrying, Cedric couldn’t really fault the persistence that framed Harry’s concerns – however nervous they could be at times.
“How many are asking you that question, I wonder?” Shifting a bit on the bed that was doomed to be his best friend for at least another week, he offered Harry a reassuring smile. “I’m alive – it’s a lot more than I ought to be, considering what was waiting at the end of that portkey. Still hurts like mad, mind, but that ought to pass – least according to Pomfrey, anyway. I’m alright though,” He promised, truly meaning it.
Wanting to push past this, Cedric dared to chuckle despite knowing he would regret it almost immediately. “You know – when you were named champion, I can’t say I was best pleased. Felt like you might be grabbing for a bit too much, you know?” He slanted Harry a glance, wondering how macabre humor might fly with him, but going for it anyway, “As a fellow boy who lived, I got to say, it’s really not at all what it’s cracked up to be.”
‘don’t touch me.’ | Newt @ Gellert I’m so sorry | @indiscretus
“I am afraid it cannot be helped, Mr. Scamander,” Gellert had thought he recognized the shivering, broken bundle of humanity being held in the thieves corral but had not been able to confirm his suspicions visually. A few subtle inquiries had afforded him information on what had almost been stolen – and after some internal debate, he had purchased the creature in question before turning around to liberate the human element.
“You’re in no fit state to apparate on your own – and if you are concerned about the Runespoor, I already have her sequestered safely. Now come – quickly, as I’d rather not deal with being seen,” Though his tone was insistent and his arm open to receive the other, Gellert made no move to grab him again. This would be easier if the damage wasn’t exacerbated with a fight – and frankly he didn’t think Scamander would survive a splinching on top of everything else.
@severelydisenchanted | Salazar | out of the blue
“Er… Professor?” Harry ducked his head slightly, hovering nervously in the doorway after class. This had been bothering him since the man had arrived and taken up a teaching position, but it had taken a considerable amount of time to work up the courage to actually ask the question.
“I don’t- mean to cause offense, but I was just wondering… Why did you make a secret chamber and leave a really deadly creature set on killing in it?“
Gazing up from his desk, Salazar observed the young Potter boy as he hesitated in the doorway, wondering if this might be the point in which the two of them held an honest discussion. He had left it in the boy’s court whether or not the connection between them would be addressed, having a feeling it might appear aggressive or frightful for him to be the one to breach the topic. As it was, it seemed he need not have worried, for the boy before him seemed to hold little fear of him, to frame his question so impertinently.
Centuries spent dealing with the willfulness of youth kept him from revealing the amusement that struck him, though his expression bore a hint of warmth that belied the idea he might in fact be offended ( even if, in and of itself, the question and its implications was, indeed, offensive. )
“That would be a very good question indeed,” Salazar mused softly, “If that was even remotely the truth of matters.” Folding his hands, he leaned forward on his arms in order to keep himself from standing – pacing the room would do little to keep the young man before him from losing nerve, after all. Impertinence did not always denote disrespect or even bravado – for all Salazar knew, the lad simply lacked in a tactical disposition.
“The Chamber was never meant to remain secret – it was part of many failsafes put in motion by myself and the other founders in order to defend the castle and her inhabitants in the event of an attack. The Chamber in particular was designed to connect to underground routes that would allow the castle to either be evacuated or stocked in the event of a siege, with its primary entrance guarded by the creature in question. Had things gone to plan, the means of controlling and directing her would have been passed down from Headmaster to Headmaster – as it was, my retreat from Hogwarts came hastily, and the instructions along with many other plans and projects for the school instead ended up trapped behind her nest these past centuries.”
James was behaving childishly. Not when the case witch was in the room, of course, but as soon as she’d left he hadn’t been able to help himself from spouting something that would start an argument. But Snape’s response was- not cowed, but almost dead in a way. Pitying, even. It made James furious as much as it inspired the same feeling in him, and he forced his emotions down as he breathed out slowly. Harry was waiting for him- for both of them now, technically- at home with Remus watching over him, and James was so sure that his little boy had been difficult for his uncle after all that had happened.
“No. I haven’t got that much fight left in me,” he said sullenly. “I could fight it but it’d take more energy than I have at this point.” After another deep breath, he turned to fix Snape with a serious look. “And besides- my wife would hate me if she were here and I let you rot in Azkaban, no matter what you’ve done, or what I think of you. But just know that if you do anything that causes Harry harm- intentionally or not- there won’t be anything left for the dementors to take, because I’ll shred you to bits myself.”
Severus found he could respect that answer – some things were simply not worth the energy they required. Fighting the Ministry on something that should never have been an issue certainly counted somewhere. He said nothing though, nor did he bother to look up from his hands when James indicated Lily would not have stood well by the notion of him in Azkaban. There was nothing that could be said in argument to that, so he did not deign to try.
It was not until Harry was mentioned that something in him stirred, causing him to look up sharply. “Regardless of what you think of me,” Severus stated softly, but firmly, “I am not the sort of man who would harm a child.” There was something cold and brittle that stood in his tone against the accusation, but it faded as fast as it came.
“In any case, I doubt I will be around much.” He would be burying himself with work, and when he wasn’t there he would – find some other means to stay out of sight and out of mind. “I won’t inconvenience you much beyond being present for the Ministry check ins. If they do a surprise visit and I’m not in, just – say I’m at work. It won’t be hard for them to confirm it, all things considered.”
@severelysnapped | cont.
The absolute venom in the response was so unexpected that Remus paused in wringing his hands to stare at the man as he puzzled out the response- which seemed out of step with what he’d said. Of course, if he was afraid or nervous, he wouldn’t share that with me, he thought, but this seemed like more than that.
And then it clicked. Severus seemed to think Remus meant to reassure that he wouldn’t physically harm him. He knew- he knew that many would be taking advantage of those the Ministry chose to place in these vows. Many would be using the false marriages as an excuse to mete out vigilante revenge against the ex-Death Eaters they believed had done more wrong than could be compensated for. And of course Severus would expect the worst, particularly from someone who had been among those that had tormented him since childhood.
“That isn’t what I meant.“ Though his voice was quiet, it was much firmer than his earlier statement. “I only meant to say that I don’t intend to force anything on you in this. The whole thing’s a disaster waiting to happen, and I know that- the Ministry seems to be expecting those in your position to be treated poorly. And I know you must be assuming the worst of me. I just- wanted to assure you that I’m going to make sure you’re treated with respect, regardless of the Ministry’s intentions, or the- usual traditions of marriage. That’s all.”
Severus kept his head down, though he hardly left himself open to attack despite this as he chopped at the vegetables beneath his hand almost cruelly. He said nothing as Remus seemed to find his voice again, though he did sneer a little at the reassurances.
“Spare me your Gryffindor nobility,” The response at least lacked the venom of earlier – it held something closer to exhaustion, if truth be told. “The hypocrisy in all of this is galling enough without it.” Indeed – his name had been cleared, and he remained a dutiful employee within the Ministry’s own Department of Magical Law Enforcement, but even he was being dragged down by this law thanks to the mark on his arm. He had known he couldn’t get away scot free – but there was a cruelty in this that was very difficult to stomach.
“I don’t need you to protect my dignity,” Severus assured, finally looking over at the man, his dark eyes narrowed in cold fury, “Not only are you in no position to defend it without making a vast hypocrite of yourself, but the days in which anyone’s opinion of me mattered died with Albus Dumbledore.”
He levelled his knife at the man, pointing it almost like a wand as he added firmly, “And if you think for one second I’ll be wearing anymore dresses for your entertainment you can forget about it. This marriage is a farce, and I;ll be damned before I play wife to you and your sick ideas of what’s funny.”
Severely Archived 