Chapter 20: The Letter
When Aerie, Aurora, and Madam Hooch got down to the potions lab they found the forth year Gryffindor and Slytherin Students being instructed by Selena. There was as yet no sign of Snape. Lavender had decided that she wasn’t too keen on facing Snape again any time soon and had excused herself.
“Lucian Bole, I don’t give a frog’s water-tight ass who your parents are or what Snape lets you get away with. While I’m here, you’ll do what I tell you. Just don’t expect to make a living making potions if you keep doing things half-ass, and heaven help anyone who uses a potion you make. Don’t settle for what Professor Snape was letting you get away with. All it takes is a little extra effort.” Selena scolded with a very dangerous tone.
“Excuse me, Miss Selena?” Madam Hooch called.
Selena backed away from the Slytherin boy and turned to face Madam Hooch. “Madam Hooch, how can I help you?” She asked in a charming tone.
“By any chance have you seen Professor Snape?”
“His Office. Still sulking I’m afraid.”
“Madam Hooch, who is this woman!?” Lucian Bole demanded.
“She’s the Night Mare. I’d suggest you do what she tells you.” Madam Hooch cautioned, thanked Selena, and then closed the door.
From there they continued down the passageway until they came to another door. Madam Hooch knocked on the door. “Professor Snape, are you in?”
“We kind of already know he’s there?” Aurora whispered, and when no answer came Aerie chose to open the door.
“Did I tell you you could come in?” Snape shouted. “Oh…”
“Professor…” Aerie called.
“Aerie Potter, what could you possibly want from me?”
Aerie held back the desire to say something along the lines of being treated with dignity, kindness, and at the bare minimum professional courtesy.
“Professor Snape, I was presented with a letter with your name on it,” Aerie offered. She and the others were still standing in the doorway.
“And you couldn't give it to me sooner?”
“I hadn’t the opportunity. I’d hoped to hand it to you after class. And, well, there was no opportunity before, nor can I just go wondering about the castle.”
“You couldn't bring it to me during mealtime?”
“I thought first years are not supposed to approach the head table?” Aerie questioned.
“That’s more a tradition than a rule, dear,” Madam Hooch offered.
“I should also explain that the person who gave me the letter is an individual who is less than trustworthy. A person whose favors come with a high price.”
“Well, that doesn’t sound one bit ominous. Bring it here, and I’ll decide for myself.”
Aerie decided to fish the letter out of her bag out in the hallway. Once in hand she went up to him and offered up the letter.
Snape’s hand began to shake moments after taking the letter. “Who gave you this?”
“Calls himself Discord. Lord of Chaos.”
“Chaos… figures. Only someone who delights in chaos would wait till now to hand me this.”
“Sir?”
“Do you not recognize the handwriting?”
“Professor?” Madam Hooch inquired. She’d entered the office but was yet only a couple paces from the door.
“It’s Lily’s handwriting,” Snape explained. He then carefully lifted the wax seal and began to open it as though it was the most precious thing in the world.
My dear Verus,
If you have received this then know that I am betrayed.
I have found myself trapped in a loveless marriage and for the life of me can’t understand what had gotten into me. What’s more, is that I now find myself stuck in a little cottage where I must play the part of the dutiful wife while James sits around bemoaning the fact that he isn’t out there in the thick of the fight against Voldemort. What’s worse is that the boys decided to make Peter the Secret Keeper. I begged James not to trust him, but it had already been done. I fear I haven't long. If you find Peter, don’t kill him. You were always the kindest boy. You were my friend. My everything and I would have gladly been your wife. I’m sorry. I just don’t know what came over me. You were so kind, please don’t let everything that has happened destroy the boy I loved. We made such music together, you and I, and then I betrayed you and I can not for the life of me reason why. Jokes on James, you got to me first. If by some miracle little Aerie should survive this madness, please, please, please protect her.
I am, and will always be your girl. Lily.
Snape had gone white as a sheet. And to be perfectly clear, if the letter had been a complete forgery created by Discord, one needs to remember that Discord can make anything he wants true. Discord is for all practical purposes the writer who likes to torment their characters. But what could Discord possibly get out of such a letter? Well, for starters, everything Aerie had done had created a considerable amount of chaos. The chaos in Snape’s heart at that moment was the greatest of all.
“Professor?” Aerie asked as tears began to stream from the man’s eyes. She’d not looked at it and as such truly had no idea what was written in the letter. She did have a good idea that Discord may well have created the literary version of a ticking time bomb. The kind that starts with a knife being slowly inserted and then twisted about, followed by a very slow and excruciating explosion.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. About this morning. What I did was, was uncalled for. I don’t know what had gotten into me. I just… I had convinced myself that you were a fraud.” He put the letter down perhaps fearing he might rip it so frazzled his nerves were at that moment.
“Are you going to be alright?” Aerie offered.
“You, you are actually worried about me? After what I did?”
“We did get off on the wrong foot, didn’t we? Even so, I worry. I care about everyone. I… Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Quirrel, I can’t help but feel that he’s broken far worse than he lets on.” Aerie hesitated. How much did she dare say? After all, she was the child in this case, and anything she said might be construed as impertinent.
“Sir, Professor Snape, we can start again. I’ll, ah, I’ll see you…” Aerie trailed off. “I should get going.”
“Tell me, how would you get past a three-headed dog?” Snape suddenly asked.
“Sing, I guess. I’ve got a decent enough voice.
“Sing?” Madam Hooch asked.
“Hagrid kind of spilled the beans about all kinds of things on the way into London.” Aerie offered. “It’s also in the introduction to magical beasts book I bought. It’s an old edition. Not sure if it’s in the newer editions.”
“You do a lot of reading?”
“A fair amount. Granted I’m nowhere near as bad as Hermione.”
“Hermione… Oh right, she’s the one with the bouncing hand. Why don’t you run along? I’ll be fine.”
“Yes sir,” Aerie offered, took a step back, pivoted, and exited the room. A moment later she and Aurora were headed upstairs.
“Dare I ask what was in that letter?” Madam Hooch pressed. Her tone changed from her normal warm demeanor to a rather scolding timbre.
“Emotional time bomb. It’s a letter from Lily. Here, see for yourself.” Snape gingerly picked up the letter and handed it to her.
And then he waited while Madam Hooch read and reread the letter.
“Can this be true? I mean… if I’m reading this right, not only is Aerie your daughter, but it looks suspiciously like… And what you did to her. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“I am. We were the best of friends from childhood. Lily and me. Nearly inseparable and if not for my ambition I’d have gone to Gryffindor. Even then we stayed good friends. We dated when we got older, and we were lovers.”
“Yes, I do seem to recall that you were quite the scandalous couple.”
“And then she betrayed my love. Or so I thought.” He was quiet for a moment. He pulled out a handkerchief, wiped his face, and blew his nose.
“I’ve been blaming Sirius for her death, but now I see that he and Mrs Silverwood-Swan were indeed telling the truth. I can’t really blame James short of someone supplying him with a potion. He was abysmal at potions.”
“We should tell Dumbledore.”
“No.”
No?”
“Dumbledore intends to sacrifice the Potter child in some grand scheme. He’s only told me little bits of what he intends, but yes, he intends to sacrifice an innocent to stop Voldemort. It’s the reason the stone is here.
“The Potter child,” Snape said softly. “I can’t go through with it. There has got to be another way.”
“She’s not even the child of the prophecy, that has to be a boy. It specifically stated that it had to be a boy. I remember that well.”
“Indeed. It did.” Snape confirmed. “If the prophecy is true, then it will come true without any help from us. Or Professor Dumbledore.”
“And what will you do?”
“I will do what I was hired to do. Teach potions. Which I am negligent in my duties.”
“Selena has been covering for you.”
“Selena?”
“The Night Mare. Apparently, she’s a bit more than a nightmare, knows her way around a potions lab, and seems to be bound to Aerie.”
“Well, if I had any doubts about whose daughter she is, I don’t now. I should consider myself most fortunate to still be alive.”
“Your thinking the familial bond saved you from retribution I gather.”
“That I am.”
“That letter, what was in it?” Aurora asked as they made their way back up to the ground floor of the school.
“No idea. Ask your dad.”
“OK, just for the sake of clarity my dad is a Gem Cutter. Last name Cutter, first name James. Didn’t actually marry my mom. Just sort of drifts in and out of our lives. His favors tend to come with a price.”
“Does sound a bit like discord minus the omnipotence.”
“I want to stretch my wings!” Aurora exclaimed, her frustration showing.
Suddenly wings!
“Put those away before someone sees,” Aerie hissed.
“I’m not even going to ask,” Idda Peverell said as she approached the two.
Aurora quickly folded up her wings.
“Akkadian ancestry,” Aerie offered. It took but a moment for the wings to vanish completely. “I, um, I can do it too.”
“I see. Perhaps that explains how you managed to turn Ron’s rat yellow.”
“Hadn’t he been Percy’s rat?” Aerie quested. “I was just wondering, how old is that rat?”
Idda’s jaw dropped like she was about to say something, and then closed up again. She thought, and she thought, and then thought some more.
“That is a rather curious question.” Idda finally offered. “And something we’ll have to figure out later. Professor McGonagall wants to see you.”
“About the rat, I gather?”
“You gather correctly. Follow me.”
So off they went, the three of them, that was until Idda remembered that summons had been for Aerie, and only Aerie.
“Oh, right, sorry, Aurora was it? Yes, Professor McGonagall only wanted Aerie.”
“I’ll just run along then,” Aurora offered and turned to head to the Gryffindor dorms.
Aerie and Idda continued on and arrived outside Professor McGonagall’s office a short time later. Ron, Justin, and Hermione were already there. They were standing off to one side. Scabbers was presently on McGonagall's desk and still very much yellow.
“Justin!” Aerie called, walked right in without being given permission to enter, and gave Justin a hug. “Feels like ages, even though we are in the same school.”
“Aerie, you’re kind of in trouble.”
“Trouble? Why, what did I… oh right, the rat. I’m surprised that hasn’t worn off yet.”
“Maybe that’s because it’s his true color,” Professor Snape said from the Doorway. He had a wand in hand and a rather murderous look in his eye.
“Professor Snape?” McGonagall asked.
“I just had a rather curious conversation with our resident Night Mare,” Snape offered.
Scabbers had gone from not a care in the world to one of fright as he hunkered down on the desk.
“I was about to ask Aerie what spell it was that she used.” Professor McGonagall stated. “I’ve no idea what you are talking about, and this is a Gryffindor matter.”
“And I have a Night Mare teaching my class. She’s quite capable as well. To be honest she may even be better than I am.” Snape smiled a cold smile. “Now, what say we find out what this particular rat’s true colors are.”
Snape’s motion had been lightning fast.
“Scabbers!” Ron shouted in horror as the rat was engulfed in the aura of Snape’s magic. When the rat lifted up into the air and transformed into a man, Ron backed away until he’d hit a wall. Hermione and Justin joined him.
Pettigrew was still yellow. Or at least his skin was. He was also wearing blue coveralls, a grungy yellowed formally white shirt, and a pair of welders goggles with clear lenses from which his beady eyes frantically looked about. Aerie simply couldn't resist programming changes to the man’s outfit to fit the part and only someone who understood Equestrian magic would be able to undo it.
Peter the former rat scrambled for his wand only to have it fly out of his hand and slap into Aerie’s outstretched left hand. Her own wand in her right.
“Peter Pettigrew?!” McGonagall exclaimed as she too backed away.
“Ah, Mr Pettigrew,” Snape sneered. “You are certainly well adapted to the form of a dirty yellow rat. Are you not?”
Peter said nothing but chose instead to lunge at Aerie. Aerie, being no slouch in the use of magic willed up her manna and let fly two balls of blue lightening from the wands in her hands. The plasma hit him in quick succession in such a way that not only did the force of impact knock him backward, it spun him around end over end in rapid succession such that he’d done three and a half flips by the time he’d hit the bookcase on the other side of the office. It was not a large office either. Peter slumped to the floor unconscious to be followed by nearly every book on the bookcase dropping down on top of him along with some rather heavy bookends.
“Miss Potter,” Snape began, though he dared not take his eyes off Pettigrew. “What was that?”
“Raw manna,” Aerie informed him as smoke drifted up from the end of Pettigrew’s wand. “Not a spell, just raw manna. I am to understand it's something unicorns are capable of. I, um... it all happened rather fast. Catch me?” Her voice had gone really soft.
It was Justin who’d rushed to her as she began to crumple.
“Aerie!?” Justin called as he held onto his sister. Both were now down on the floor. “Aerie?”
“I’m alright, just a bit dizzy. Kind of gave him both barrels, didn’t I?” Aerie took a breath. “Just give me a moment.”
“Professor,” Snape said in a cold hard voice. “If you could possibly bind Pettigrew? I’m afraid I might kill him if I do it.”
McGonagall wasted no time in using a binding enchantment followed by summoning Professor Dumbledore, and Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse.
Dumbledore was the first to arrive and did indeed seem legitimately surprised. Perhaps a little annoyed too in that Peter Pettigrew being alive had thrown yet another monkey wrench in his plans. No matter, he’d simply have to rethink, and indeed already had begun to direct his efforts to Neville Longbottom. After all, Hagrid inviting Neville to tea hadn’t come out of nowhere.
Ron was in a state of shock, and soon found himself escorted to the medical wing by Idda and Madam Pomfrey along with Aerie, and Justin. By the time they’d gotten back to the dorm with an all-clear, news of the arrival of Aurors had already been widely disseminated.
Percy was not in the dorm, and it was widely rumored that he’d been summoned for questioning. Nor was he there come dinner time. Rumors were running rampant.
“Your attention, if I may…” Dumbledore called from the head table. He was standing there looking out over the student body with a stern expression. “There were two incidents today, neither of which had anything to do with the other save in that certain persons seem to have been present at both.” He took a moment to gaze out over the students. “The first incident has been resolved. The second incident was the discovery of an Animagus who had hoped to secret himself here among our pets. It is unknown for how long he’d been among us. The man’s name was Peter Pettigrew. We do expect to see that much in the papers. Right now it’s believed that he’d been biding his time perhaps in hope of gaining access to Harry Potter. I can just imagine his confusion when Harry turned out to be a girl Named Aerie. Telling everyone she was a boy named Harry was for her protection, and our little play has worked quite well, even if I do say so myself. As for the name that had been entered into the book of Admittance, it is now believed to have been an unrelated individual who would have been somewhere between the age of seven and eleven who would have been in England at that time. They have either changed their name or moved on by now I’d imagine.”
“You lying sack of horse apples,” Aerie whispered to herself.
“They’ve interviewed a bunch of people,” Wood whispered loud enough for those around him to hear.
“Regarding the Animagus incident,” Dumbledore said continuing. “It has been determined that Percy Weasley was aware that a certain pet was exhibiting traits that were highly suspicious, but chose to pass the problem on to others rather than bring his suspicions to our attention. Due to his inability to take appropriate measures, he will no longer be a Prefect. And has been suspended for one week. Head Boy Willis Foley will be assuming his duties until a new prefect can be chosen. Now, what I want everyone here to take out of this incident is that if you are aware that something, some animal, or someone seems out of place, acting in a way that is uncharacteristic of that individual, we would like very much to hear about it. Now, let us eat.”
Even as he was saying that the owls with the evening mail and newspapers had come flying in.
“Is there some kind of spell to keep the heat in but let the owls in and out?” Aerie asked as though she was completely unconcerned by the headlines in the papers. After all, the windows were always opened and it never got overly chilly in there.
Headlines: Peter Pettigrew Traitor! Pettigrew was the Potter's Secret Keeper! Pettigrew Alive! New evidence Names Pettigrew! Potter Captures Betrayer!
The one proclaiming Potter Captures Betrayer was the Daily Prophet, a byline by Rita Skeeter. It also included a video clip of Aerie blasting Pettigrew followed by Justin catching her moments later as she collapsed.
“In an act that must surely only be accomplished by an untrained user of magic, Miss Potter discharged the greater portion of her manna through the two wands she held in her hands in some instinctual act,” Hermione read. “Our own attempts to replicate this feet were met with mixed results as our practiced skill restrains us from doing the same. The one time I did manage to get a good blast of raw energy, it left me, a skilled witch, rather lightheaded and it is not something we would recommend anyone try.”
“I still have his wand,” Aerie offered as she got it out. “Completely burned out.” She then handed it off to the first person who wanted to have a look, who in turn would pass it on once they’d finished with it.
“Dumbledore is probably taking a lot of heat right now,” offered a seventh-year boy. He was a thin boy of light complexion with dark blond hair. He’d an ‘HB’ on his robe.
“I’m guessing you are either Mr Foley or you are Humperdinck Borigard,” Aerie asked wondering why no one bothered to introduce the Head Boy to the first years.
“Right on the first part, and normally Head Boy doesn’t really do a lot in regards to the new students. I’m Professor McGonagall’s personal apprentice. Between my studies and the tasks she has me doing, I don’t really have a lot of time. This is my make-or-break year after all.”
“Suspending and demoting Percy Weasley does seem a bit harsh,” Aurora offered.
“Making an example of him to shift blame, I’d say,” Idda offered. “At least I’m on record as having complained about that rat.”
“Yes, and Professor McGonagall would pass it on to me to tell Percy to keep his rat in line,” Mr Foley offered. “Giving the rat to Ron just looks like he was trying to make it look like it was a new rat. And I thought it was a new rat until I’d learned otherwise shortly after he was found out.”
“And I see the Gringott's break-in has been pushed back to page three,” Hermione announced. “Says here it was on the thirty-first of July. Aerie, isn’t that the day you finally got your letter and Hagrid insisted on taking you to Diagon Alley?”
“I suspect that whatever it was the sneak was after might well be what Hagrid retrieved,” Aerie offered. “He had more than one mission that day, and I seem to have been his cover.”
“Maybe you should be quiet about that,” Idda cautioned.
“Why? Professor Dumbledore has as good as advertised he’s got something that’s accessible via the off-limits corridor. He wants the wood-be thief to come here and have a go at it so that he can personally confront them.”
“Hate to admit it, but that is a good possibility,” Mr Foley mused. "Can't say as I'm too thrilled about the possibility of getting caught in the crossfire though."
“Well, it wasn’t Scabbers,” Ron said defending the man who’d been the family pet. “He was at home. And I feel really weird about the whole thing. Fred and George have been unusually quiet too.”
“Considering how much trouble they’ve been in, in the past, they are likely a little worried they will be next,” Idda teased.
“Savoring the thought of Perfect Prefect-” Fread started.
“Former Perfect Prefect,” George cut in.
“Former Perfect Prefect Percy getting a week's worth of mom yelling at him.”
“Better him than me,” Ron added. “If I ever get my hands on that rat…” He’d left off what he wanted to say. After all, he was not likely to get his hands on the man and there would be little he could do if he did.
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A whole host of discord emoji would be plastered all over these chapters if they existed, I feel.
a vary vary interesting chapter.
that is kind of a silly question it is Discord.
And another twist is Discord making things up or torturing Snape with the truth? Questions that well might lead to madness asking
11388504
I may well decide to leave that to each reader to answer for themselves.
11388507 Well we aren't Fluttershy to get the truth out of him not even sure Applejack could either
I am not happy with Discord here if this is not the truth, then I think I need a snazzy purple suit, clown paint, green hair dye, and a crowbar for myself. While a Robin suit for Diacord. If true that kinda ruins the story for me.
11389180 Remember while Discord is the lord of Chaos he seems to be after 2 things in this story. Defeat of Lord Voldemort and any chance of his idea of order making it to Equestria. He also seems determined to derail any of Dumbledore's attempts to control and dictate fate
It's Discord so I'm giving that letter an 80-20 chance of being forged. Depending on future chapters, those odds might change. Honestly though, if it is forged I'm on Discords side. If anyone deserves that treatment, it's Snape.
11390097
Keep in mind that Discord is more than capable of tweaking all the wizard records. Granted that Aerie is from another dimension. So unless her father was Snap's counterpart, it's all Discord messing with people.
11390097
There is something I didn't want to say at the time. Aerie's not likely to be Snap's Daughter, but Discord could tweak an existing letter, and Aerie might even be Harry's sister in a roundabout way. I have to be careful what I say until I've committed myself to doing something.