A/N:
Wow, I've been absent from here for forever. I'm terribly sorry, but I've been so busy, not with school or anything, but with my life. Emotionally, I've been a mess, and I've changed a lot. I think I've grown up...but I'm still young and learning. I'm going to try to keep up with my stories. Secret Promise isn't going to be my main priority but it's going to be paid much attention, soon enough.
This is something I started planning for over a year ago, but didn't get to writing until late December. It started off slow, but I've got a few chapters. I won't post another until I've finished the next three.
Read and Review and tell me if you want me to continue or not :) .
Claim of Shadows
PROLOGUE:
"May God have mercy on your souls."
The circle of men lifted their bowed heads to gaze at the man who had spoken such faithful and yet damnable words. The shimmering glow of candles flickered over the face of the only one who did not stand within their ring of power, the one who had interrupted their sacred silence. His dark eyes glittered beneath the shroud of his black hood as he watched them steadily. Long arms rested at his sides. The long, strong fingers of his left hand gripped the hilt of a long, dark wand. A lean body stood straight and unmoving as stone, secure feet planted on the floor beneath him. His lips were patiently still as he glanced around at the faces of the men who waited before him. Each of them had each joined this sect, seeking justice for the innocent, as he had so many years ago.
He looked into their eyes and he did not see a desire for justice. He saw a need for revenge dripping from their once fair souls.
There was no power or magic in the world that could save them now. They had forgotten and broken their vow to protect and passed to the point of vengeance. This war had broken them and the loss of one of their own to the darkness had shattered their faith in the gifts they had been given. It was madness, what they planned, and they all knew it.
Insanity had already begun to eat away at their once brilliant minds. He could see it almost as clearly as he could see the hate slithering just beneath the surface of their eyes. They hated him. That part of them, that deep, deep part of their souls that was had been the reason they were chosen to be a part of this brotherhood, hated him for having been able to resist the temptations of revenge.
"What God?" asked a young man, glaring from beneath his dark hood, burning blue eyes standing out amongst a pale face. He was shorter and slenderer than the others, so young when compared to them all. It made his heart sad, knowing what would become of this poor boy, once so bright and eager to heal, rather than destroy. This boy was a child who had not even been given a chance to live. It had always been that way... Sacrifice was the key in their line of work. Whether it was yourself or your fellows, sacrifice was always involved. "I see no God."
He did not reply to the lad's statement. There was not one thing he could say that could convince any of them not to do this. They were eternally lost to him.
"You stand as a traitor, Jairus!" cried another man. It was unpleasant to watch the furious emotions cross over their faces. He would have hung his head had he been a different man. But he was one of them, prouder than any normal wizard, and unafraid of the power that shone within their gazes.
"Perhaps I am only a traitor to my fellows, but not to my heart, my gift, or my vow." He shook his head, lifted his chin, took in the image of all of them together. It was all of them, against him. It might have been possible to stop them, had he the help of one or two who had not slipped and fallen into darkness. But they had all turned from their vows. They were no different than the one who had turned and bowed to the wills of the Dark Lord.
He could delay them, but it wouldn't be long before they broke free.
"You are a fool!" Cried the young one, with his burning blue eyes, tossing his head furiously, "You cannot see what is standing right in front you!"
"I choose not to see what might turn me from breaking the same promises you made, Isaiah." The words were meant to sound scornful, yet they came out pitiful.
"You have turned your back on your brothers, and for that, Jairus, you are cast from this sect." Gregori, the usually passive and very massive human, standing beside the same man who had called him a traitor, shifted and took one accusing step towards him, one hand reaching for a wand, the other for a lethal looking blade. He was the one that Jairus had thought would not have turned. But in truth, the wise giant had been the first to cast away his vows. And many had followed after him. He was one of the oldest and wisest of the brotherhood and after he had turned the ones torn between their vows and vengeance had followed without a thought to question his judgment.
"You do not have that power, Gregori." He murmured, his lips giving into a sardonic smile.
The giant roared in anger and several of the others leapt at him threateningly, their lips trembling with the effort not to cry out as their leader had. They each unsheathed once noble swords, training them on him. The brilliant crystal blades had gone dark with spider-threads and blotches of black. Their noble blades had been corrupted with darkness as they had. Only his remained its hardened magical crystal, unbreakable and clear, the glittering veins within it the color of brilliant gleaming silver. Those fine strands pulsated with power. He gripped its handle, crafted to fit his hand and his hand alone, but he did not draw it from its scabbard.
"I will not fight you, any of you." His voice rang out with firm control. He would not clash swords or wands with them. Not only could he not win, but it would only drive him toward the path that had ruined them all.
"You choose cowardice, as always, Jairus. Just like the Renegade!"
"Funny you should say that," He shook his head, hid a smile, "When you yourselves are more like him than I. You cast aside justice and embrace revenge. None of you can ever again claim this sect as a sanctuary. You are nothing now. You're not human, you never again will be. The light has long since abandoned you. They have never understood our gifts. You demand war with the Dark, even though you all know your hearts have turned as black as Death. You are traitors. Renegades. A band of cowards!"
"You are the traitor and the coward!" Shouted Isaiah, and the hate in his eyes burned intensely so. It was sorrow that Jairus felt when he saw such cruelty in those burning blue eyes. He had always been the best of them all. He had wanted nothing but justice and mercy. His youth and that incredible need for more than just black and white had been turned against him. "You are damned for refusing us!"
"No, my boy. If only you could see how truly damned you are for what you have done." He bent his head, opened his arms and bowed gracefully, giving his fellows his last respects. He could feel the spell that silently erupted from Isaiah's wand, a moment before it did. The boy still underestimated his immense powers, and the spell was not as good as it could have been. He casually stepped out of the way of the spell and it hit the wall behind him. The ancient stone absorbed the magic as it had been charmed to do a thousand years before.
"Foolish boy! Do you not remember the traitor's curse?" The man beside Gregori shoved Isaiah back, nearly knocking him to the ground. His eyes were mad and desperate to cause him pain, "You still have a thing or two to learn, whelp!"
"Don't shove me!" Shouted Isaiah, his blue eyes flashing red.
"Do not act unless you have been ordered to!" Gregori snapped to the boy, signaling his companion to stop shouting at the boy.
"Once you leave this ancient place, you can never return." Jairus interrupted, biting back at the annoyance that throbbed in his temple, "Remember my words, Gregori. You will fail against the Dark Lord and once you do, you will not be able to return to this life. You are forever banned from this sacred place, by the decree of the divine!"
"You cannot do this!" Cried the one beside Gregori, as he grasped for his chest and screamed in agony.
"Ha, you believe this fool's words?" Laughed Gregori, even as the rest of the group screamed as if they were burning. They scrambled away from the circle, clutching at their hearts and heads. They soon began to spin around at sickening speeds. They were nothing but blurs when they had reached their highest speed. There was light pops as the weakest of them disappeared. Gregori and Isaiah remained the longest. Isaiah soon followed after his fellows, weakened. Their leader remained only a moment after.
"We will destroy you, in time, Jairus!" Cried the man, roaring angrily, before he fell to his knees and disappeared.
"No." He murmured, staring at the empty space where his once very respected and wise fellow had been moments before, "No, you can't, because I know something you do not, Gregori. I only wish that it did not have to happen this way."
It was time, he thought, his eyes fluttering closed. It was time to stop fate from ruining what could be.
Sirius Black wondered what in the world was wrong with him. He trembled with fear and anger. The young animagus jerkily gripped the wand that rested in his shaking hand. Grief was fresh on his mind and in his heart. He couldn't believe what he had seen, what he had heard. It was impossible. James had been invincible. He had never considered what he would do if his best friend were to leave him, as he so suddenly had. He had never thought past the fact that they would live on forever, with each other, to grow old and watch each other's families grow and prosper.
They were supposed to have that. James was supposed to have a life, with Lily. They had deserved to live, more than anyone. The two of them had been so great, so in love. Their hearts were bigger than that of any other person he had ever met.
He wanted revenge for what that little rat had done.
Grasping his wand and taking a deep, but crumpling breath, he poised himself to run after the scurrying little man who was pushing through a crowd of Muggles, fleeing like the coward he was.
"You're not thinking straight, Black."
He spun around, his voice forming a quick spell. It shot from his wand, illuminating the alleyway. A shadow of a man stepped out into the way of the light. His hood hid his face from view, but Sirius could see just a glimmer of sarcastic smile. He gazed at the cloaked man, curiosity and suspicion blooming in his belly.
"Who are you?"
"A friend…" murmured the shadow. There was something secret and ancient in his voice, as if he spoke with the council of a thousand years. It was a deep voice, almost inhuman. Power fluttered in every syllable as his spoke, "You would not remember me."
Sirius was silent. He glanced at the figure, then glanced to the entryway of the alley. He could try and escape, but he doubted this...creature…would let him go. He could try and transform into Padfoot…and yet, there was something holding him back from running off and continuing his pursuit of the rat he had once considered a close friend.
"Yes, the traitor," Murmured the shadowy figure. "He betrayed you and he betrayed your family. It was a cowardly thing to do. I can help."
"What?" He snapped, intrigued, and then he changed his mind, "I don't need help! He killed my friends and he will pay!"
"No, no, no." The shadow shook his head, almost angrily, "What is it with the world and revenge these days? It is not the way!"
"What do you know?" He turned to head away and in a moment the man was on him. He hadn't even seen him move and yet he had him, his fists gripping his shirt, lifting him up from the ground.
"You fool!" Snapped the man, rattling him with infallible strength, "I gave my life so that I could see justice wrought upon those who have wronged the innocent. I have never understood revenge and I never shall. When you seek revenge you seek the same fate of those who have wronged you! Do you want the life of that filthy rat? Would you rather see him die, quickly and without suffering, or would you want to see him rot away in the hell of prison, suffering like he deserves?"
Sirius ripped away from the man, "I would like to see him die!"
"Then forgive me for this."
Sirius stared into the dark eyes that were revealed when the hood of the man fell back. There was a jolt of shock before he felt his grips on reality and consciousness slip away.
Jairus felt the weight of the man slump against him. He smiled as he slowly bent down to the ground, laying out the wizard with ease. He sighed and waved his wand over the body. It slowly began to disappear. He had banished the fool to a hidden place where he knew he would be safe. More importantly, where he would not be able to do something stupid.
He stood and lifted his hood over his face, strode out of the alleyway. There was a job to do, he thought, smiling grimly at the squirming little rat who awaited his judgment.
"Albus! Albus!"
"Professor McGonagall, how good to see you! I have interesting news." Albus Dumbledore could sense the distress that gripped his transfiguration professor. It set his ease astray and the familiar feeling of distress etched its way onto his mind. It had been a shock when he had found Peter Pettigrew waiting for him in his office, confessing to his crime and admitting to his betrayal. He had thought for a moment that he was dreaming, but it had been real. He had immediately floo-called the Ministry and called off the search for Sirius Black, relieved when they sent a trusty band of aurors to collect Pettigrew and another to find Sirius Black with orders to bring him back to Hogwarts instead of an immediate sentencing to Azkaban. There would be a small suspicion of him for the next few years conducted by the ministry, but he had full faith in Sirius Black.
"Albus, oh, Albus, I am so sorry!" Minerva McGonagall put her hands to her mouth and shook her head. She sat down and cried out, "It's my fault, Albus!"
"Minerva, whatever is the matter, my dear?" He could not fathom what was wrong.
"Oh, Headmaster, we should never have just left him there!"
"You're talking about Harry? Minerva, you're overreacting. No one could have taken him from Privet Drive, no matter how hard they tried. He is safe there, from any kind of negative contact from the outside world." He tried to smile, but he knew something was deeply wrong.
"No, Albus. He's gone." Minerva trembled, "I just checked on him. He's not there and he is not within the house. He's just…gone. I swear it. I've looked everywhere!"
"Oh, heavens…" He fell into his chair and put his face in his hands, "That child was our last hope."
Jairus felt drained, but accomplished. He was sweating, breathing heavily, something he had not experienced in several years. It was an alien feeling after so many years, but he was not totally unfamiliar to it. The candles had been blow out from the energy that had surged through the room as he awakened the gift within the now sleeping child.
After this night, Harry Potter's life had been changed forever.