The Phoenix Follies: It's A Very Very Mad World

The sound was slight but for a wizard who was used to looking out for any movement, it was just enough to awaken him. The hand under his pillow gripped his wand tightly, ready to stun the intruder if he got close. He didn't dare open his eyes and simply faked sleeping. Perhaps it was Rylia…no, the small steps were still too heavy to be the Verifel. Remus? No… too light. Inky eyes snapped open as he sat up and aimed…

Green eyes glowed wide and bright in the darkness of Snape's bedroom. Harry let his hand drop, having been ready to wake the man. With a sigh, Snape tucked his wand under his pillow and frowned at the boy.

"What is it, Harry?"

He was rather sure that the boy blushed, though it was had to tell. Harry looked away and shifted on his feet, hands rubbing together nervously.

"I can't sleep and Macabre wouldn't let up until I came in."

"Nightmares?" wondered the Potions Master softly. Harry nodded. "Macabre?"

"I found her, yesterday," replied the boy anxiously. He dared a glance into the older man's face. "She's a snake. Can I keep her?"

"If you wish." Snape moved to settle his back against the pillows and headboard before patting beside him. The bed was queen sized and obviously old by the well crafted frame and intricate designs. Harry wondered if it was a family heirloom, as he was almost sure Snape had never had anyone sleeping beside him…Imagining that was kind of odd, considering that he was still under the strict belief that teachers had no sexual organs. Finally, Harry climbed up next to Snape.

"Do you want to talk?" asked the older man quietly. Harry shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't at all sure why the snake had been so adamant that he speak to someone, other than herself of course. She was odd like that.

"He haunts me," Harry said finally. Snape nodded in understanding.

"He would haunt anyone's dreams, Harry, even the best of men." His dark eyes closed briefly as he thought to his own nightmares. "He was a horrible enemy…"

"He was lonely," murmured the boy. Snape glanced down at the child, wondering what horrors lingered within his young mind. Harry sighed and hugged himself. "When he attacked you all, from inside me…I saw it…saw him, that is. Memories… Thoughts… Feelings… He hadn't stopped being human, Snape. Not totally."

"Merlin…" Snape whispered, staring at the boy. "His memories?"

"Tom never had friends or family," replied Harry. "He was always alone, even at Hogwarts. So, he decided he didn't need people. It was futile though. He was still lonely. If he terrorized someone or played a bad prank, he felt something that transcended that loneliness. That's why he became what he was. He didn't want to feel sad, so he made everyone around fear and hate him. At least then they acknowledged him."

Snape leaned back and closed his eyes. Everything the boy was saying rang true in his mind. Harry was lost in himself, fighting to overcome his own trauma as well as that of another. He knew he'd be of little help to the boy, but Snape vowed to be there for him as much as possible, and to protect him as he was able.

"I could have become him," Harry murmured into the silence. Snape sighed gently.

"No," he replied.

"If my friends hadn't been there for me, I'd have been another Dark Lord easily."

"No," repeated Snape again. Harry looked up at him, questioning, pleading… "You have a kindness in you, Harry. That's something he never possessed. I earnestly believe that you could not hurt anyone without damaging yourself more so."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Harry stared off, thinking about that. Snape could see the boy's eyes fighting to stay open. The green eyed boy was exhausted. He had been ever since he regained his memories. But now, suddenly, he didn't look as haunted. He looked relieved and safe, as if Snape had lifted a weight from the boy's shoulders. The Potions Master wasn't accustomed to the warm feeling surging through his chest. He'd been feeling it more and more since the Trial. Dismissing it, Snape decided to ponder that later, when the boy wasn't in such need of him.

…Or was he? The black eyed man glanced down to say something, only to find Harry had escaped to dreamland. Almost smiling, Snape shifted the boy to lay comfortable before laying back down himself.

Each boy had their trunks packed and set by the door by midday. Rylia had gone through each personally to make sure everything was in order. Remus had gone on to the school earlier. He was to be the DADA teacher this year, since there was no one but a Ministry appointed wizard willing to do the job. The appointment had stung Snape, but he couldn't stay angry with the wolf for long.

Rylia sighed softly as she spotted Harry and Ron playing chess in the library. On the complete opposite side of the room sat Draco reading a large book. Or, at least, pretending to. The Verifel smiled fondly as she noted where the silver eyes were actually pointed. But, just as quickly as it came, the smile vanished. This was their last day of quiet solitude in the Manor for another year of school. Never had Rylia felt so stung by the thought of staying there alone. Snape always had visited her a few times during the school year since her arrival years prior into his household.

She paused then, and looked down at her small hands. She could so clearly remember the day Severus Snape had wandered into her life. Years ago, she had run from the Verifel Colony of Britain. The others were an untrusting bunch, full of old ones with old information about the world around them. Ryliatin wanted more than their stories of muggle violence and wizard superiority. She wanted to see things, visit places, speak to other beings! She wanted to pet a unicorn and watch a dragon fly and run along the beach and a million other things! The Verifel sighed softly. She had been so young then…

Her hands clasped her heart as she let her quickly lightening eyes close. Young and very, very stupid. So caught up in her need to wander and be free, she'd been captured by a group of dark wizards desperate for her tears, an ingredient needed to brew Veritaserum. She had been beaten to the last of her life before a dark angel swept in and saved her from a fate worse than death. Days later, the young Verifel awoke in Snape Manor with her savior standing over her, gently wiping her forehead with a damp rag.

It had taken time to warm to him. She was unfit for travel until her wounds healed so Snape let her stay in his home, giving her full reign. After her recovery, Snape gathered supplies for her to set out again, but she had become far too fond of the quiet man to leave him. Then and there, Rylia had taken his likeness and decided to serve him.

She lifted a hand to her head and pulled a few black curls forward, studying them. Rylia still didn't understand the strange way her kind came to look like their chosen masters, their hair, skin, and eyes changing to match them. Though, her eyes did have a tendency to change back to violet when they wished to. So few Verifel chose Masters that the phenomenon wasn't fully explained. Rylia dropped the hair and picked up her duster again.

She had work to do and day dreaming wasn't helping!

Dutifully, Rylia swept down each hallway, looking for things to dust or polish or pick up, but there was very little. It was somewhat amazing to her that the five men living there were so clean. The boys rarely messed up any room but their own, and only Ron had to be reminded to clean his. Her Master and…well, what would she call Remus? She pondered this as she dusted the little used dining room table. Mistress? Well, he was the mate, though that didn't fit him well. Co-Master? No, that didn't seem right either. She sighed. There had to be something.… If he was her Master's mate, he was to be respected in some way.

She figured she ought to ask the man herself and sought to find him. When his room was discovered empty, she went on to ask her Master where he was. Rylia had never learned the importance of knocking, though she'd had many close calls with wizard nudity. It simply didn't matter much to her. So, when she reached the master bedroom, she simply opened the door and looked in, ready to shout for Snape. The scene drug her breath away. Quickly, she shut the door again so that she didn't have to see more.

Why did it hurt? Rylia leaned her forehead against the wood, her small hand still clasped at the knob while the other dropped to her side. She could hear them clearly. Why hadn't she heard them a moment ago and saved herself this? She knew they were involved. It was easy to smell their intermingled scents upon each other. She should have paid attention. Should have…

It hurt. Her chest grew tight and she reached up to grab onto the front of her dress. Would he send her away now? The Master had a mate now and that meant someone to care for him. She had become meaningless. Should she leave on her own? She didn't want to. As much as it hurt, Rylia still very much loved him. It was a stupid love, one that would never be returned, more so with Remus's joining their life. She tried to be disgruntle, but knew that the wolf made her Master happy. He deserved to be happy. For so long, he had been very lonely. Rylia had seen the photo kept safely away in his dresser drawer and knew the story of it. So many nights, she had caught him staring at the lovely woman's face.

Rylia shook her head. What was wrong with her that day? It was pointless and stupid to think of things like that, especially for one such as herself. Rylia set herself and, with a last look at the Master's door, went on about her duties.

He took a breath. Then another. And then he told himself to stop acting like a prat and just knock on the damn door. A voice spoke from inside a moment before it opened.

"Potter?" said Draco with a blink. He recovered himself and smirked. "Finally realized I was irresistible?"

Harry scowled and folded his arms. "All I came for was to ask what would happen once we go to school tomorrow."

"What do you mean?" One slim, silvery blonde brow raised.

"Are we back to being mortal enemies?"

Draco shrugged and leaned against the doorframe, thinking it over. He didn't want to act like he hated Harry. He really didn't have a reason for it either. With his parents dead, there was no one to yell at him for 'fraternizing with the enemy.'

"What do you prefer?" he asked at least. Harry frowned and looked away. Draco watched him closely, noting the changes in his body language. He almost smiled when the boy drew his bottom lip between his teeth. It was quite…fetching.

"Fighting with you just gets me into trouble," muttered Harry. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. Draco smirked.

"Then we're no longer out for each other's blood?" 'Just the pants. Off, preferably.'

"Nope."

"Good," purred the blonde. Harry raised his head at the sound only to find a soft kiss pressed to his lips. He was too surprised to pull away, though he should have expected that from someone like Draco. Still, the blonde didn't take advantage of the situation and pulled back without deepening it.

"Tasty," said Draco with a grin. Harry was about to yell at him, but the door shut quickly. Behind it, Draco had a hard time keeping laughter in as he listened to the black haired boy storm off.