Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and associated characters belong to JKR. All else belongs to me.

Author's Note: This is the sequel to Velvet Song's "Damsels and Dragons", which she allowed me to complete in her stead last year. I want to thank her for encouraging me to write this story and noybate for being my beta. The story is complete, and I am hoping to post a chapter a week.

For those coming to this particular series for the first time, I might recommend you read the first part before continuing on. The first part, written by Velvet Song, may be found on the TPP archive here: http://www.thepetulantpoetess.com/viewstory.php?sid=18337. The second part, written by me, will be found on the TPP archive here: http://www.thepetulantpoetess.com/viewstory.php?sid=19501. This may lead to less confusion later in this story.

Chapter 3

"I will say this only one more time, Miss Parkinson. The Last Will and Testament of Severus Snape will not be overturned by this office. Is that clear?"

Pansy Parkinson gritted her teeth as she stared at the officious man seated behind the desk in the Ministry Office of Last Wills and Testaments. His continued refusal to overturn her former head of house's will was irritating at best and infuriating at worst, but she never let her irritation show.

"Perhaps, Mr Bowles, you might actually explain your reasoning to me," she said, smiling through her teeth and wondering if she could get away with hexing the man. "After all, you've shown me no justification as to why, when it's been proven that Mr Snape wasn't killed by Voldemort after all, his will should not be overturned on the grounds that he is actually alive. The Pensieve evidence shows..."

"Overturned? Overturned!" The little man was actually sputtering with anger, Pansy thought with relish. "Pensieved evidence is not admissible and never has been. The last will and testament was proven when Miss Hermione Granger...the only beneficiary, mind you...stepped foot on the grounds of Hogwarts last year to become an instructor. It's magic, don't you know. If Severus Snape were alive, that would never have happened. Therefore, this Severus Snape is an impostor seeking to diddle Miss Granger out of her fortune."

"You have no proof of that," Pansy said, holding in her resentment. "Professor Snape has just spent the last eight years as a dragon. The Wizengamot..."

"Those old fools in the Wizengamot will believe almost anything, even a Pensieve," Bowles snarled. "I, for one, do not believe Severus Snape was a dragon. It's physically impossible. A curse? Bah! The dragon that lived at Hogwarts just decided to fly away somewhere and this... this impostor is taking advantage of the situation." He held up a hand to forestall Pansy's protests. "No, Miss Parkinson. The decision of this office is final. The will stands as entered. Good day."

"But..." Pansy started to protest.

"Good day, Miss Parkinson." Bowles waved his wand, and the door to the office swung open, an invitation for Pansy to exit the office.

"This isn't finished, Mr Bowles," she exclaimed as she stalked out. "I'll take this case to the Wizengamot if I have to."

"I don't care if Harry Potter himself comes in here. The Wizengamot listens to my recommendations," Bowles countered with a sneer. "I doubt very much if you'll get far with them." He waved his wand once more, and the door slammed shut, barely missing Pansy's heels as she exited.

Once the door was closed and secure, Bowles turned to the painted screen in the corner of his office. "She's gone," he said. "You can come out now."

The screen moved aside and a wizard stepped out. He had clearly been eavesdropping on the conversation between Bowles and Pansy and looked pleased. "Very good, Albert," the strange wizard said, "but I wouldn't rest on my laurels yet. Miss Parkinson is a very determined witch and a Slytherin as well. She'll be back."

"Maybe so," Bowles said, preening a little under the other's praise. "She'll get no further on than she got today. Severus Snape is good and dead. This impostor she claims is Snape will not get his hands on Miss Granger's inheritance. It's possible the entire staff of Hogwarts is in on this to gain extra funds."

"A possibility, of course," the other wizard mused. "After all, the staff is riddled with Death Eaters and their sycophants."

"Here now," Bowles protested. "I wouldn't call two-thirds of the Golden Trio 'Death Eater sycophants'. Harry Potter teaches at Hogwarts as well as Miss Granger."

The wizard made a calming motion. "You're quite correct," he said calmly. "It is possible that Mr Potter and Miss Granger have been led astray by their Gryffindor honour. No doubt they truly believe the Malfoys have really renounced the Dark Arts and their Master. More fools, they."

"That's a bit harsh, now, isn't it?" Bowles protested. "We don't really know what's going on up to the school now, do we?"

"Not yet, but we soon will," the wizard said. "Obliviate!" He swept out of the office while Bowles frowned. What exactly was he doing? Oh right, looking at some new wills that had just come in that morning.

◊◊◊◊◊◊◊

Later that evening, Lucius and Severus sat in his quarters, each of them sipping from a glass of Firewhisky. The fire leapt in the grate, warming the room generously while the two wizards discussed events from the last eight years and rehashed the memories Lucius had pulled from Severus' subconscious earlier that day. Eventually, Lucius glanced at the chronometer above the mantel and, setting his glass down on the side table, stretched widely.

"Almost midnight, Severus," he said, hiding a yawn behind his hand. "The moon will be rising soon. Best you get to bed now."

"Yes, Mum," Severus said with a sneer. "Are you sure you don't want to tuck me in and tell me a story as well?"

Lucius merely smiled at the sarcasm. "If you think it would help," he said calmly. "I might remember a few stories from when Draco was a boy."

Severus snarled at his friend, his temper fraying fast. "I believe I can get myself to bed, Lucius, thank you very much. This asinine idea of the headmistress' that I could be walking in my sleep..."

"It's more that you might be influenced by the moon into becoming Athair again," Lucius pointed out.

Severus made a scoffing noise. "Ridiculous," he said. "The curse has been broken. There is no way I could be a dragon again. I refuse to believe that."

"That may be, but something happened to you last night and..."

"Yes, yes, I know." Severus waved away his friend's protests. "Hagrid saw what he thought was a dragon. The man is dragon mad. You do know about the dragon he smuggled into the school fifteen years ago?"

Lucius nodded. "I do, indeed. Draco's letters home were full of Hagrid's audacity for quite a while after. Especially since he also had to serve that farce of a detention in the Forbidden Forest. But you must remember Remus also said he saw something."

"No," Severus corrected him. "The werewolf said he felt something. He saw nothing and, as he himself said, does not remember everything that happens to him in his wolf form. Not even with the Wolfsbane." He cut off any more protests with a wave of his hand. "I'm going to bed now. I would suggest you lay off the Firewhisky for the rest of the night if you intend to stay awake. Me? I'm ready to get a good night's sleep and forget all about this situation come morning."

Lucius banked the fire while Severus headed for the bathroom, presumably to get cleaned up and ready for bed. Shortly afterwards, Severus came out of the bathroom in his nightshirt. "Good night, Lucius. I'm sure we'll both laugh about this in the morning." He poked a thumb at the door behind him. "It's all yours if you need it. G'night."

"Night, Severus," Lucius replied as he settled back onto the couch. "I'll be right here if you need me."

Severus snorted. "Not bloody likely," he said as he entered the bedroom. "Enjoy what's left of the night. I might just sleep in tomorrow. Nox."

The candles in the sitting room all extinguished themselves with gentle puffs of air, the smoke from the wicks drifting lazily upwards, leaving only the fire in the hearth to light the room. "Impressive, Severus," Lucius muttered to himself, laying his head against the back of the couch. "Very impressive."

A short time later, Lucius came out of a light doze with a start. Wondering what had awakened him, he listened closely to the sounds of the castle. From within Severus' bedroom, he heard the squeaking of bedsprings, and then Severus appeared at the door sans his nightshirt, or indeed any clothing at all.

"A bit chilly this evening, Severus," Lucius quipped. "Shouldn't you at least wear slippers?" Severus ignored the comment, and Lucius realized his friend's eyes were blank and glassy. "Severus?"

The other wizard continued to ignore him as he passed through the outer door and into the dungeon corridor. Grabbing his cloak, Lucius quickly followed. Once in the corridor, he looked both ways just in time to see Severus begin to climb the staircase to the upper levels.

Cursing under his breath and struggling to get his cloak situated properly, Lucius could do nothing but follow as Severus, unfazed by the cold air, continued his trek upward. They made a strange picture as they crossed the Entrance Hall and started up the steps to the upper floors. Lucius couldn't help but wonder just where this journey would end up. Was the bloody wizard going to Hermione's rooms?

That question was quickly answered as Severus passed the door to Hermione's quarters and began his ascent up the winding stairs to the Astronomy Tower. Bloody hell, Lucius thought, is he dreaming of Dumbledore now?

Lucius remained behind in the gallery as Severus stepped out onto the observation deck of the tower. He remained vigilant, however, and poised to act if need be should the other wizard decide to throw himself off in emulation of the late headmaster. However, as the light of the full moon bathed the naked wizard, Severus began to change.

His skin began to turn black as horns grew from his head and wings sprouted from his back. His toes and fingers became talons, and the way his muscles moved and twisted under his skin made Lucius sick to watch. He couldn't turn away though as Severus fully morphed into an eleven-metre-tall dragon.

With a wild cry, Athair lifted his wings and plunged from the tower towards the ground only to be lifted up by the harsh Scottish wind. Up he soared until all that could be seen was his outline against the moon. Rushing onto the observation deck, Lucius stood at the very edge and watched as his friend soared out over the Forbidden Forest and dived into its depths.

"Lucius?" Minerva called from the bottom of the tower. "Did you see?"

He waved down to her and yelled above the noise of the wind, "I did indeed, Minerva. We need to talk." Turning around, he all but ran down Hermione, who had rushed up the stairs to the tower as soon as she had seen the dragon shape cross the moon.

"He changed, didn't he?" she cried, clutching at Lucius' cloak. "What did we do wrong?"

"Hermione, take it easy." Lucius gently untangled her fingers from the front of his cloak and held them firmly. "We didn't do anything wrong."

"Are you sure?" Hermione's eyes strayed to the edge of the observation deck. "Then why did he change back to Athair? That wasn't supposed to happen, Lucius."

Lucius gripped her smaller hands a little tighter. "I don't know, Hermione," he replied, looking out over the grounds of the school. "I really don't know." He turned to look at her again, taking a deep breath. "I do know, however, that we brought him back once. I'm sure you can do it again."