Chapter 34: Harry Gaunt - Chapter 34
Sirius was stood by a large bookshelf within the library, currently leafing through a volume on how to tame a Merman. "Take the tail by the wand, then drag it… up?" Sirius quirked a brow. "Hmm."
He looked at the cover again. It seemed to be a fairy tale about a wizard saving Mermen from a dying lake. "This is ridiculous."
Sirius flicked the bizarre book closed and set it back with the others, how it had ended up in the DADA section was anyone's guess. And standing around trying to find something to read while James tried chat to Lily was beginning to bore. It was obvious she was completely uninterested. James was trying to ask her what her favourite sweets were.
"Honestly."
Sirius headed back down the row to where they'd sat.
"Sirius, what does this mean?" Lily gestured to the old looking book she was reading as he saw him approach. "It says families in the sacred twenty-eight are afforded rights within the Ministry. Is that right?"
She didn't seem to think so as Sirius peered at the book. "Sort of," he said. "The sacred families once formed the Wizard's Council, which before the Ministry governed wizarding Britain." He glanced at James sitting beside her, who now seemed to be searching for book within the books they'd brought. "Now though, they simply advise within the Wizengamot."
James made an 'a-ha' sound as he found a book and flicked it open. It seemed an odd thing to do. He'd helped pick them out in the first place.
"But they can't be removed, right?" Lily glanced back down at the passage. "It seems a lot of power to just hand someone."
Members of the Wizengamot could vote on the laws being proposed. They could push them, if they chose.
Sirius nodded. "Exactly." He perched against the wooden desk a little down from her. "That's why we still have Lords - and James, what are you doing?"
James was trying hard to read a tiny passage of text within the book.
"I remembered something," he said excitedly. "I read it here before. It's completely fascinating." He looked up into Lily's face, hoping she'd like it. "I just need to find it again. I am sure it's in this book somewhere."
It had been an amazing fact when James had found it, though it had been so long he wasn't quite sure if he remembered it right. And since Lily seemed so interested in Lord Gaunt and wizarding history, he'd do his best to get it for her.
"It's not that one about the Deathly Hallows is it?" Remembered Sirius. "You can't have forgotten that one. He's your ancestor."
James looked at him with a scowl. Sirius was being difficult today. "No, not that one. You weren't here when I read it." James looked back to the page. "And since when were you a bloody walking Pensieve."
It was a nightmare. Sirius was taking all of Lily's attention as James finished reading the passage. There, this was it. He had remembered right.
"So do you remember now?" smiled Sirius, watching as James closed the book and swivelled to them both. "I'll chip in if you miss anything."
Sirius didn't have to be here, and he didn't appreciate receiving James's frustration over Lily.
"Oh, I already know the Tale of the Three Brothers." She said with a shuffle, still cold and huddled in her roll-neck jumper. "But I guess…" She sensed something off between them. "Tell me your version?"
She looked to James. He'd been so nice to her, Lily much preferred this side of him as opposed to him and Sirius tormenting her closest friend. Or ex-friend, her chest tightened at the thought of him.
"O-okay. I'll tell it." James got himself ready with a roll of his shoulders. "It's more an addition to the story really, an answer to what happened next if you will." He was grinning now. "The third brother, Ignotus Peverell, was my ancestor."
He was very proud of it. Not that he usually told anyone about it.
"You're related to them?" Lily asked with surprise. "I thought they were fiction. Fairy tales." She looked at Sirius.
"James is right." He nodded. "They were real. Though few truly know it."
It was a myth and fable to teach children how to behave: caution and concealment, they were always a wizard's friend.
"They were very real," repeated James with his eyes on Lily. She was so beautiful. "And so are the hallows, or at least…" He made an iffy gesture with his hand. "My father thinks the cloak was made long after the Three-brothers was written, more of a tribute put together by extraordinary minds who admired the story."
James didn't agree of course. He much preferred to think of his cloak as a gift from death than a work of wizard-kind.
"You've never said that before," said Sirius with a look. "You always said it was real. A gift from Death himself."
"Yes, well." James avoided his eye. "It sounded cooler when I said that, and besides, I may have been right all along." He patted the book with his hand. "This book has a reference from Lord Gaunt in it."
"Which one?" Lily came to attention. "Was it Corvinus? He's probably the most famous."
She'd just begun a book all about him, of his efforts to curtail the growing trend of marriage between half-bloods and pureblood's. "I didn't say it was good," defended Lily at James's gaze. "Fame is fame."
She shrugged. Sirius seemed to understand.
"It wasn't him," said James moving on. "One way before that actually. It only says 'Lord Gaunt'." He chuckled. "Sounds about right to me."
"True." Sirius agreed.
"So what did he say?" pressed Lily, excited to find out more about one of her favourite stories. She could already guess at what James would say next, but preferred he say it than her ruin it.
"Well, just as I am the third brother's descendant. Gaunt is the second's. Amazing isn't it? That means Gaunt might have the Resurrection Stone. He could call back the dead."
James had always wondered what that would be like. Every Pureblood did.
"That's…" Lily smiled and sat back in her chair. "You could talk to anyone. Learn anything." The things she could uncover that had been lost.
Sirius snickered at her. "Trust you to think of that. Forget speaking to lost loved ones, just tell me what you know." He laughed, such a Lily thing.
"It's a fair point," defended James. "I'd thought the same. And it's not like we've really lost anyone to want that."
Wizard's lived a long time, and apart from the dreaded Dragon Pox, were actually very hardy against illness and old age.
"No, you're right Sirius, it should be used for loved ones." Lily took a deep breath and rubbed her sides. It was getting colder again.
"Are you alright?" asked James.
Lily nodded. "Fine."
She thought she could hear footsteps. Sirius did as well as he tilted his head.
"Let's go back to the common room then," insisted James as he came to his feet. "There's still about an hour left before the next class." He checked the time to make sure, then dispelled the mist with a flick of his wand.
"Mm." Lily liked the sound of that as she followed behind him, passing Sirius who blinked to attention.
"James." He followed them out and into the aisle. "We should-"
A hulking boy wearing robes of Slytherin green had blocked their way.
"Trimble." James straightened up. "What do you want." This was Slytherin's beater. He was brutal. "Step aside."
"She's here McDonald!" Trimble called behind over his shoulder. "Easy Potter," he said as he looked back. "We're not playing Quidditch in the library." He chuckled at the way James was looking at him, scared for him and Mudblood girl. "Black."
Trimble nodded to him, stepping back so the heir could step out behind James and Lily. He'd spoken to Sirius a few times; their families knew each other. "Trimble, a pleasure." Sirius inclined his head. "What's all this then?"
Sirius gestured between them.
Trimble shrugged. "We were sent to come and find you. Our new Professor doesn't tolerant absentees." He made room as he heard Mary hurry over. "So here we are."
Though given Lord Gaunt was absent himself, it was really they three who had decided to search the library. Lord Gaunt on the other hand seemed convinced they'd be in a more distant part of the castle, one with towers that weren't in-use. He was convinced.
"Lily, are you all right?"
Trimble hid his smirk as Mary hovered around Lily. He liked Lord Gaunt, he wasn't afraid to just do what he wanted. "We'll escort you back," he said over them as Snape arrived too, who stepped up with a surety in his air.
"Snivellus." James kept close to Lily. "Trust you to be out here hunting us down. How many more are there?"
James glanced about.
Severus looked only at Lily. "Are you all right?" he asked her, finding her proximity to Potter off-putting. "You're not in robes."
Lily had once told him how she preferred muggle clothes, that it was comforting.
"I am fine," she said quietly, then nothing more as she stepped from Mary's arms. "Mary, please."
Mary moved away. Lily was still freezing. "We need to get you to the hospital wing," she said, cursing Trimble in her head for suggesting a detour. "Is this why you skipped class?"
Lily shuffled uncomfortably. "Really, I am fine. It's not as bad as before." It was just cold in here, the library had to be cold so the books wouldn't be damaged. "But maybe you're right, Madam Pomfrey did say to go back if things got worse."
She just hadn't felt like doing anything this morning as Mary rub her arm, saying that they should go right away.
"I'll inform Professor Mollis when we return," said Severus conclusively, as if giving his consent. "Potter. Black, let's go." He gestured Lily and Mary go ahead, then followed behind. He knew Lily going would get Potter moving.
"Who put you in charge Snivellus," griped Sirius beside James as they walked. "Trimble found us, not us."
They heard Trimble laugh from behind them. "Who do you think," he mocked. "Go on, take a guess." He glanced ahead towards Severus, he could almost see the boy's smile. He knew Severus wouldn't say it.
"Who? Your mother?" James said.
Trimble ignored him. He wanted them all to hear as they walked through the library. "Lord Gaunt was concerned for you all, so he asked Professor Mollis if we could come and find you."
See how good Slytherin's could be.
"Rubbish."
James was the first to see through it as they neared the library's exit. "You just made that up, you came out here just to skip like we did." James began to slow. "Ugh!"
Trimble shunted him forwards. The boy was an ox.
"It's true James," said Mary up front with Lily by her side. "Gaunt's not what you think he is. He's…" She saw Lily look at her. "Just grow up already."
Mary couldn't stand the house rivalry as they descended the library stairs, which were wide and long which helped Lily down.
She felt worse. They'd almost tripped with how much she was shivering.
"Well said McDonald," came Trimble's voice from the rear, mocking again. "You should have been in Slytherin."
She could hear his laughter. Trimble had always been difficult to deal with, even if he was far from the worst Slytherin had to offer.
Mary held tight to Lily as they arrived at the bottom of the stairs.
Crack.
The group jolted back. Harry had appeared in the hallway. "Bloody elves," he muttered. "They've already ruined it." He hadn't noticed them as he walked mechanically towards the stairs, looking annoyed and put out by something.
Lily made a noise.
Harry looked up. "Ah!" He stumbled back. "Y-you found them." He cleared his throat, quickly proceeding up the stairs towards Severus. "Good work, take them back. Tell Mollis I was called away on urgent business, if she even asks." Harry didn't think she would as he continued up, passing James and his godfather without a glance. "You too Trimble, sit with us at dinner if you'd like."
"Thank you. I just might." The invitation was well received. "Good day my lord."
He stepped down the stairs and ushered the others on. It wasn't his or anyone else's place to tell Harry what to do, and besides, it was much more fun to just let him do what he wanted.
"T-thank you, Lord Gaunt." Mary called to him while she held Lily. "C-could you, I mean-"
Harry came to a stop on the upper steps. He looked down at her.
Mary swallowed what she'd been about to say.
"Oh yeah!" James swivelled around with an accusing finger. "You need to fix what you did to Lily! She's sick now because of you." He jabbed his finger, blaming Harry for the things Sirius had explained.
"James, he can't." Sirius tried to tug him back. Say what you want about Lord Gaunt when he couldn't hear, but to his face when it looked like that, was entirely different. It was just like Sirius remembered, those eyes like a haunted soul.
It was creepy. Sirius looked away.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked carefully, his gaze flicking off towards his mother. He could tell at once what was wrong with her. "She's sick?"
But he didn't let on, it would pass on its own soon enough. The phenomenon was actually quite rare beyond infants, though Harry could accept that his magic was rather different than most.
"Yes." James said as Sirius let go. "She's cold. Like your Patronus yesterday, and before." He shifted up a step towards Trimble, who moved to block him. "Can't you fix it?"
James didn't like Harry Gaunt. Nor did he like to admit that he was an incredible wizard.
Harry appeared to think for a moment. "Bring her back to the library," he said a moment later, shifting his feet against the step. "Just McDonald. The rest of you go back."
Harry couldn't deal with them all at once, but if his mother was ill, then he ought to do something.
"O-okay." Mary helped Lily walk back up the stairs, who now with Harry here, shivered much worse. "Thank you."
Harry nodded, moving up while Trimble roughly stopped James from following. "Don't even try it Potter. Now go." Trimble shunted him back down the steps. "You too Black."
"I'm going, it's fine." Sirius moved quickly down alongside James. "Let's go James."
This wasn't a game. James still didn't see that as he followed reluctantly.
~~~~~~~
Harry led them to a secluded table within the quiet library, which turned out to be the very same he and Hermione liked to study at. It was where they'd tried to figure out the second task in the Triwizard tournament, unsuccessfully might he add.
"Please, sit her there." Harry remained standing. He let Mary help Lily sit down. "She's cold, yes?"
Mary nodded. As did Lily with a quivering neck.
"Okay, just…" Harry gestured they stay put. He needed to think for a moment as he searched his memories.
"Thank you helping," said Mary, watching his beautiful eyes flick between things she couldn't see. "For before as well. M-mulciber, he-"
Harry raised his hand. He didn't want to know. "Come away from her," he instructed, wanting Mary beside him so he could shield her. "She'll be fine."
Mary looked concerned as she did as he said, tentatively stepping near him as their robes brushed together. It felt nice to near him, Mary hadn't a clue why Lily was so cold as he retrieved his wand, the air beginning to to tingle as he pointed it at Lily.
Mary felt the air rise up as it swished like a blowing wind. It flicked her hair, Harry's too as he focused on removing the magic around Lily.
Now Mary felt it. She could even see how the air seemed to leave her body, pulled away by Harry's spell.
"Don't move." Harry said, their robes fluttering as the wind died down. He lowered his wand. "There."
Dumbledore had once said to him that magic leaves traces. But what he didn't say as Mary came to Lily's side, was how much. Lily had suffered for the simple fact that their magic was alike, it clung to her. She was familiar, like Harry.
Harry didn't expect this to happen again, Lily would be the only gaze given she was his mother, and a Gaunt.
Lily took a breath as Mary hugged her. "Oh Lily, are you okay?"
Mary checked her over.
"Yeah, I think so." Lily looked down at herself, then got up from her chair. "That was certainly interesting."
She felt fine now. "Thank you."
Harry nodded.
"And sorry for before." Lily smiled sadly at him. "I promise to say your name properly from now on."
He was Gaunt, Mr Gaunt or Lord Gaunt. They weren't friends.
"Good, you'll fair better that way." Harry inclined his head before stepping away. "Have a good day, Ms Evans."
Harry apparated. He'd done enough.
"Oh my-" Lily blinked owlishly from where he'd been. "-Mary?"
Mary was acting all giddy, grinning as she turned to her. "Isn't he amazing!" She gushed. "He healed you! Even Madam Pomfrey couldn't!"
And he was a Lord. Mary had never realised they were so different.
"Oh… well, Mary." Lily didn't like to break it to her. "I don't think he'd be interested."
"Hm?" Mary had been looking off to where he'd disappeared. "Oh, you mean Bellatrix?" She flicked her hand away. "That doesn't matter."
Lily looked at her. "Really," she smirked. "I'd like to see you tell her that."
"No Lily," sighed Mary like she'd completely misunderstood. "That doesn't matter because I just want to be his friend. That way he can keep Mulciber away!"
There was no way that pathetic boy would want to go up against Lord Gaunt.
"Ohhh." Lily laughed as she turned to leave. "Well good luck then."
Lily stepped away. She might just make it to DADA.
"Lily!" Mary followed after her. "We need to do this Lily," she said serious tone. "Things have gotten worse, I can't take anymore." She really couldn't, not another two years. "Help me think of a plan, please, you're so clever."
If Lily and Mary were seen to be friendly with Lord Gaunt, even just a little, then maybe it would be enough see them through.
"Trimble was right," said Lily thoughtfully as they walked down the stairs. "You really should have in Slytherin."
Mary huffed, Lily was a kind girl. But she wasn't very funny. And she didn't realise what Potter's attention throughout all these years actually did for her, how there were those that kept away because of the power House Potter could impose.
"Alright, we'll think of something." Lily gave Mary a reassuring smile. "It'll be alright Mary."
Mary hoped so. It was do or die for her. "Mm."
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