Snakeheart: Chapter 33: The Call of Destiny

Disclaimer: AS BEFORE: Also, several parts of this story are taken from ideas seen in films, television and, yes, from books; whatever references I made, I do not own the idea; all credit goes to the original designers.

Normal Speech

(Thought)

/Parseltongue/

"Fire," Harry whispered, his voice seemingly distant yet filled with power, "Water, Ice and Thunder; the Big Three of Life and the eseence of my power; now I unite them. I am He Who Walks With The Shadows and I have learned to become the Shadows and have embraced that which was hidden from me. I accepted my true power and I am now relinquished of the curse of Dark Spirit and my past."

Then, as Severus watched, the Shadows folded around Harry until they seemed to become the very aura of magic concealed within him; looking to Severus, Harry then asked, "Was there something you wanted to know Severus? I am ready to talk!"

"No Harry," Snape smiled, a very rare event for him, "You are ready to learn: you have conquered your fears, dowsed your anger and hatred and turned that into power. You are a true Multimental and a Shadow Master and I am honoured to call you my student and my godson: congratulations Harry."

Then, the three elemental spirits fell away and Harry shook his head vigorously before he gasped out, "Oh…thanks Sev!"

Dante stood and looked to Harry, before he spread his Galean wings and bowed to Harry, his wings folded downwards so the tips seemed to dig into the ground; at the same time, Lupin and Severus bowed in unity as Harry turned and smiled as he saw his Father stood there.

"You're a Shadow Mage, aren't you?" asked Harry.

"I am," smiled the Dark Lord, "But you, Harry, are Slytherin's Heir and the Heir of the First Magic: you are no mere Mage; you are a Shadow Master," he paused as he looked past Harry to Dante before commanding, "Look after him Galean; Harry will need you in the trials that are to come!"

"Yes my Lord," replied Dante, before Harry actually felt his Father leave through the shadows; turning to his friends, Harry spoke in a distant voice.

"Now, there's just one more piece of business to take care of," he walked past Dante, turned and nodded to Severus, before Harry stepped out of the office, his eyes now shining with crimson magic.

Behind him, Harry heard Severus ask, "What will he do when he meets him?"

"I don't know," Lupin answered, "And that's what scares me."

()()()()()

A few weeks passed by for Harry and, ever since tapping into the true power of the shadows and the elements, he found himself actually enjoying going into and out of the Shadows. Severus, Dante and Professor Lupin also kept a close eye on their young sire and, as February melted away, signs of Sirius Black and his threats became just vague rumours.

Unfortunately, Harry wasn't out of the woods yet…

()()()()()

"AHHH! NO! GET AWAY!"

Harry was in deep meditation in the Shadow Realm when he heard the shout; using his Shadow Senses, Harry traced the scream to the Gryffindor Dormitory where, as soon as he Veiled up through the darkness, Harry growled as he saw a figure running for the grounds and, through his rage, Harry heard Ron Weasley stammering.

"Black: Sirius Black was here; with a knife; he was standing over me!" gasped the third-year Gryffindor, his dorm-mates gathered around him; now, Harry turned and made his way through the shadows, relying on his senses to follow Black's trail.

(It's time to get some answers,) he thought, aware of the figure he had seen making for the ancient Whomping Willow; Harry's stomach did somersaults as he Veiled out of the shadows and held out his arm, summoning Polaris.

"Hey boy," smiled the Dark Prince, "Fetch Sev, Dante, Lupin and the Reavers; I may need them!"

Obeying his Master, the black phoenix made his way back to the castle while Harry, with a little help from his Ice power, froze the flailing tree in place and clambered into the area underneath the roots. He didn't really know where he was going, but, as he followed the dank, damp tunnel through the underneath of the school.

The tunnel seemed to stretch for miles, before a pinprick of light was seen in the distance: Harry, his violet eyes narrowed with suspicion, flexed his right hand, summoning sparks of lightning to his hand as he prepared to face his fate. After weeks of lies, hidden truths and dark revelations, Harry knew that if he didn't do this now, he would never discover the truth behind his parents' murders.

Slowly climbing out of the tunnel, Harry found a long and winding staircase before him; it took the Shadow Master only a few seconds to realise that he was no longer in the school; instead, the tunnel had taken him deep into the Shrieking Shack, the most haunted building in Britain, in Hogsmeade.

(So that's how you've been watching the school,) thought Harry, guessing in his mind that not even the Dementors knew about the passageway, which was all right for him.

Dowsing his sparks, Harry followed the darkness up the stairs before he opened a door, revealing an empty, yet clearly often used room; as he stepped inside, Harry found no sign of the figure, however, he could feel the presence of another. Without turning, Harry spoke like a villain from a Muggle movie, "Hello Sirius Black; at the risk of sounding cliché; I've been waiting for you."

Something moved behind him and, as Harry stood there, he then heard a gruff voice ask, "How did you find me? And, more importantly, who are you?"

"Sirius," sighed Harry with feigned pity, "I'm hurt that you don't recognise me; then again, you and your treacherous master did try and banish my power as a Metamorphmagus; maybe this will help."

In a quick shift of magic, Harry allowed his usually styled black hair to become messy and all over the place, before he turned and shifted his violet eyes into a pair of fierce emerald eyes that stared at the man before him.

Sirius was taller than Harry and, as the young wizard changed his appearance so that he looked naïve and weak once again, he took in everything he could about the man: he was tall and lean with strange dog-like eyes and a scraggly brown beard; his eyes seemed almost crazed as if he had suffered some kind of great pain and he was dressed in ragged black and white robes making him look particularly feral.

With his change complete, Harry then asked, "How about now Black? Do you know this face?"

Sirius' eyes were like saucers as he opened his mouth and, in an incredulous voice, asked, "H…Harry?"

"In the flesh," replied the Shadow Master, resuming his normal appearance, "And stronger than you were expecting: well, if you think you are going to take me to your lord and turn me to the Light, then you have another thing coming Black!"

"My lord?" asked Sirius; he seemed to be confused by the question, before his eyes widened when Harry mentioned the Light, "You mean Dumbledore? Why would he be my lord?"

"You know why you lying bastard!" roared Harry, his eyes flashing crimson, the shadows gathering around him as he continued, "You betrayed my parents to Dumbledore, tried to worm your way back in to my Father's side of the war, and, when he told you that he would never accept you, you then betrayed my parents and cost them their lives!"

Sirius looked at the teen before him with his eyes still wide with shock: how did Harry know that Lily was the daughter of…he cut himself off when he then saw the ring on Harry's finger and the pendant around his neck. Lowering his eyes, Sirius spoke again, "Harry, Lord Riddle, I could never betray Lily and James willingly; you have been told a pack of Chinese Whispers about my loyalty: I did not betray them. In fact, if you ask your…Father, as you now seem to call him, he will tell you that I was one of the few who tried to convince your Mother to let you know your heritage. Harry, tell me honestly, why was I sentenced to Azkaban?"

"Because you betrayed my parents and wanted to kill me," gasped Harry, his eyes cold as he looked at the man before him, "They say you escape to come after me."

"Yet even you doubt that," smiled Sirius, "I knew from the start that you were a Slytherin, so why would I attack Gryffindor Tower not once, but twice?"

(He's got me there,) thought Harry, before Sirius reached into his robe and pulled out a fat, grey rat; laying it on the floor, Sirius looked back to Harry.

"This is why I was there tonight," explained Sirius, "This rat is more than he seems Harry: this is, in fact, the Animagus form of one Peter Pettigrew, better known as Wormtail to the Marauders and the real traitor of your parents."

Harry looked to the rat as he remembered what had been said about Pettigrew:

(Flashback)

"He was coerced," explained Lucius, "By someone you should know very well: your birth father, James Potter: together with two other wizards, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew, they formed a group known as the Marauders and remained not only friends, but allies until…well, I think you can guess when?"

(End Flashback)

"But why would you be after your old friend?" asked Harry, looking to the rat, "And why would he be hanging around a sleaze like Weasley?"

"Because he's hiding!"

Harry turned and Sirius smiled as they saw Professor Lupin, Severus, Dante and the Reavers all there behind them, the seemingly Last Marauder watching Harry in case he had decided to make good on his promise.

"What do you mean by that Remus?" asked Harry, aware of Sirius nodding with respect to his old friend.

"Sirius wasn't just sent to Azkaban for seemingly betraying your parents," explained Remus, "He was, in fact, sent there on account of being a mass murderer; one day, when your parents were betrayed, Sirius went and supposedly killed 13 Muggles and Peter Pettigrew; Harry, tell me, have you ever noticed anything about the rat?"

Harry looked at the creature, before he nodded and answered, "He's got a toe missing."

"A finger was all that was left of him," Remus explained, before Sirius continued in a rage.

"The dirty coward cut it off himself before he transformed into a rat; for 13 years, I was in Azkaban: I did my waiting and now it's time for me to do the crime I was committed for."

"Hold on Padfoot," Remus suddenly spoke up, "Harry here has wanted to see you and I think that, before you do anything, you should speak to him about what you meant to him."

"Fine Moony," Sirius sighed, before he leaned against the wall, surprisingly calm, before he looked to Harry and asked, "What have you heard about my feelings for you Harry?"

"Well," Harry answered, "Remus once said that Mum and Dad loved you like a brother and you loved me like a son."

"Yes," Sirius nodded, before he stepped forwards and looked into Harry's eyes, "You were my pup, my Prongslet; I, Sirius Black never would, could nor shall ever will be a threat to you Harry; I have no intention of hurting you; I love you too much to cause you any sort of harm, be it physical, mental, emotional or magical."

"That's exactly what Remus said," Harry sighed, before he looked to Sirius and asked, "But if that's true, then why side with that manipulative old bastard and his Light?"

"Well," Sirius explained, "I did it for what you have heard, Harry: I did it to get back in Voldemort's good books. My family, Harry, have all been Slytherin, so when I was Sorted into Gryffindor, I was exiled and considered a traitor. Being the Dark Lord's eyes and ears was, as far as I believed, the only way to redeem myself; especially when I learned Lily's secret. When she told me that she was expecting, I was happy and made a solemn vow to protect you and let you become whatever you wanted to be."

"But they say that you willingly did this," Harry told him, remembering what Lucius had said, "That you left the family and turned your back to them completely."

"Only Tom ever knew my plan," explained Sirius, "I was forbidden from discussing it with anyone else; Harry, I give you my word, I will swear my life on it, but I have never, willingly or otherwise, been a follower of that old man and his ways and now, if that's all the questions Moony, I have a death to make."

"Wait," Harry suddenly gasped, before he beckoned behind and whispered, "Gabby?"

Gabrielle, clearly still scared of Sirius, stepped up next to Harry and looked into her Uncle's eyes while Harry spoke again, "Sirius, there's someone else here who wants to say hello."

"Who?" asked Sirius, before he noticed Gabrielle standing there; once again, his eyes went saucer-wide before he whispered, "You? But I was told you'd died; Bella's daughter?"

"Gabrielle," answered the dark-haired Slytherin, "Also known as Aequor to Harry and the rest of the Reavers."

"Reavers?" asked Sirius, before he saw Harry smiling, "And you're the leader are you Harry?"

"I am," answered Harry, "You may call me Prongslet Sirius, but I am Osiris to them: Draco is Whistler; Luna is Yue and Ginny is Fenrir; together, the five of us have become the New Marauders, more known as the Reavers."

"Well," Sirius grinned, before he looked to Gabrielle and asked, "Don't I get to say hello to my niece?"

Then, to everyone's surprise, Sirius spread his arms and kneeled down, before Gabrielle, with a nudge from Harry, approached and wrapped her arms around Sirius, crying to herself as she looked back at Harry, mouthing the words thank you.

When he was done, Sirius pulled back and looked at Gabrielle, "You look so much like your Mother and I see you share Harry's gift of Metamorphmagi; well, even though Bella is still incarcerated, I can be your family Gabrielle, if you'll give me the chance."

Gabrielle looked first to Severus, before she then looked to her cousin and close friend, both smiling and nodding as she said, "I'd love to Sirius, but please, don't become a murderer; you as well Harry."

Harry, who had actually been at war with his emotions, smiled and nodded once before he then looked to the Marauder and commanded, "Sirius, get down on your knees."

Sirius looked to Remus, who nodded in turn, before the Marauder lowered himself to his knees, kneeling at Harry's feet as the Heir of Slytherin spoke up, "Do you, Sirius Black, swear to never again follow the ways and orders of Albus Dumbledore?"

"I swear," Sirius whispered, watching as Harry seemed to take another breath.

"Do you swear on your life that you will never stand in the way of my power or my destiny as Voldemort's Heir?"

"I swear."

"And do you swear that, until such a time comes around, you will be there for Gabrielle Deana Lestrange as her Uncle, Father and family, therein returning your honour as a member of the House of Black?"

"I swear it," Sirius finished, before he saw Harry reach under his shirt and pull out his pendant, before he raised his wand and declared, "I, Harry James Slytherin-Riddle-Potter; Lord of the House of Slytherin and Heir of Salazar Slytherin, do hereby recognise your word as your oath and reinstate you as a member of the House of Black and ally to the House of Potter: rise, Lord Black!"

Sirius smiled before he rose and watched as his Azkaban robe changed into a set of Lord's Robes that bore the Black Family Crest; with tears in his eyes, Sirius asked, "What about Wormtail?"

"We'll take him back to the school," Harry explained, "Then the Dementors can have him and we can clear your name; Gabrielle, guys, let's go."

"You go Harry," Remus suddenly spoke up, "I think I'd better stay here."

Harry looked to Lupin as he asked, "Why?"

Gabrielle suddenly gasped like a penny had finally dropped, "Professor; your Boggart, the three days: Harry, don't you realise what he is?"

Harry then replayed the images and what he had learned before he gasped with Gabrielle, "Professor, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to worry," smiled Lupin, "Go on; I'll be all right: Severus has given me a potion that helps: I'll see you in the morning."

Harry nodded and left the Shrieking Shack, guiding his friends, his allies and his family through the tunnel back to the school.

()()()()()

However, when Harry climbed out of the tunnel, he had to dodge a powerful stunning spell before he looked up and saw Professor Dumbledore standing there with a short, portly man that Harry recognised as the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.

It was Dumbledore who had fired the spell and, as he looked to Harry, he seemed to smile as he said, "There you are Minister; Sirius Black, as promised!"

"No!" cried Harry, a ring of fire suddenly cutting them off from the Minister and the manipulative headmaster, "Sirius is innocent: the real murderer is here!" He lifted the form of Pettigrew and hovered it over the flames, "That's Peter Pettigrew; better known as Wormtail: he's an Animagus and he's the one who betrayed my parents and killed all those Muggles: look at the foot: he's missing a toe: Sirius is innocent!"

"Harry," sighed Dumbledore; he actually sounded disappointed, "You are out of school without permission with a murderer and a dangerous man; you left the grounds without my permission and now you have some strange story; dear boy, you must be delusional!"

"I AM NOT DELUSIONAL OLD MAN!" Snapped Harry, his eyes burning with magic as lightning crackled above his head, "This is what you want the Minister to believe, but I can prove it: Professor?" He turned to Severus and asked, "Do you have any Veritaserum available?"

Severus nodded and produced a vial from his pocket before he added, "When I heard Master Potter was not around, I brought it with me; just in case."

"Then give three drops to Siri—" Harry was cut off by a spell.

"Itamuda Maxima!"

"ALBUS!" Cried the Minister, before a powerful cold filled the area, "What in Merlin's name are you doing?"

"This is for the Greater Good Minister," Dumbledore explained, "They will deal with Black and then you can have him, as we agreed."

Harry looked to the heavens and his eyes began to fill with tears of cold grief as over a thousand Dementors filled the skies, their rattling breaths filling the air as Harry looked to the Reavers and called, "RUN!"

He then grabbed Sirius, Severus and Dante following close behind as they ran from the sight above them; as Harry ran, the words of his Mother's death filled his ears as he turned and, remembering all the lessons he'd had with Lupin since Christmas, cried, "Expecto Patronum!"

A small silver wisp escaped his wand, before Harry turned and stood tall, his eyes burning with ferocity as he watched the wisp batting away, (No,) he thought, (Sirius is innocent; Gabrielle has her family; I have the truth!)

"Expecto Patronum!" Another wisp of silver, slightly stronger this time, flew from his wand, before Harry, looking to the Dementors, began to fall to his knees, his voice weak as he asked, "Severus, can you help me?"

The Potions Master began firing off his own Patronus, which was shaped like a doe, before Harry stood again, looking to Sirius and then to the horde of Dementors; however, as he touched his magic again, a new, and very familiar voice filled his mind.

/Harry, you are ready; the time has come: use your power; let your instincts guide you./

(Snakeheart,) Harry realised, before he raised his wand and gasped as he felt his instincts not tapping into his happiness as was the custom for a Patronus, but instead tapping into his rage, anger, betrayal and sense of vengeance.

He thought about Dumbledore trying to manipulate the Minister; how the old man had used that Nightmare Curse on him in the Christmas Holidays of his second year; how he had practically allowed the Dementors on the pitch during the Quidditch Match; he then thought about how he had been betrayed and stripped of his powers before coming to Hogwarts; he thought about Ron Weasley's arrogance and all the abuse at the hands of the Dursleys; he thought about the betrayal caused by Peter Pettigrew and how Sirius had been falsely accused and, as he looked up to the Dementors, Harry's eyes went as black as night and his voice came as a deep guttural growl.

"No-one uses me like some toy: now my anger and my darkness are my power: EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A bright light filled Harry's eyes; when the light faded, he could only gasp with shock as there, before him, was not a glowing pure white figure, but a large, fierce, fire-breathing BLACK PATRONUS DRAGON!

(Now that's impressive,) thought Harry as he guided his wand and instincts upwards, watching as the Dementors suddenly fled from the dragon, Harry's power fuelled through the force of Harry's emotions.

When the last of the Dementors fled the scene, Harry turned and, tapping into the Shadows, raced back to where Dumbledore and Fudge were watching with shock.

"YOU!" Thundered Harry, the flames he had once conjured rising again as he stared at Dumbledore, "You have used me for the last time Dumbledork! Sirius is innocent and I intend to prove it and guess what, until Hogwarts can find a more decent headmaster, I am LEAVING!"

"But Harry," Dumbledore tried to get through, "Black is a murderer who wants you dead; can't you see that you're safer here!"

"As long as you are headmaster," Harry hissed, his hands now filling with bolts and sparks of black lightning, "No-one is safe: Minister, I trust you will allow me to use the Veritaserum this time."

"Of course Mr Potter," gasped Fudge, watching as Harry's black Patronus faded back into its master's wand.

"Oh and Dumbledore," added Harry, "It's Mr Potter to you: you are no friend of mine, so cannot address me so easily: now…" he turned and began to give Sirius the Veritaserum, before Fudge questioned the man.

While all this was going on, Harry then looked to the stars and spoke in Parseltongue:

/Snakeheart?/

/I am here, my Heir,/ answered the ancient spirit, /You heard me?/

/I heard the Call,/ Harry replied, /And as promised, I will come; but I have one request./

/Name it, young heir,/ Snakeheart told him.

/Dante comes with me,/ explained Harry.

/Of course,/ Snakeheart answered, aware of Harry's relief, /I will be waiting for you young Heir…/

And there we have it: Snakeheart has called and Harry has answered, but what adventures await him at the Sanctuary and, now that he has witnessed Harry's power first-hand, will Dumbledore give up?

FIND OUT IN THE SEQUEL TO SNAKEHEART: CHILD OF THE FIRST: COMING JAN 2011!