FIC: The Butterfly Effect (PG-13)
Title: The Butterfly Effect
Type: Fic
Age-Range Category: Two
Characters: Severus, canonical characters
Author: blueartemis07
Rating: PG-13
Summary: What if it was Regulus who went out to the Shrieking Shack?
"Why are you running, James?" asked Lily.
James Potter stopped, not having expected to run into the girl he'd fallen for as an eleven year old. "I-I, well, um,"
"If you don't have a good reason, come explain the Transfiguration assignment to me," Lily said.
It was the first time she'd ever asked him to help her with anything.
"Sure, Lily. I'd love to," he said. He was certain that Sirius knew he couldn't use Remus as a murder weapon and would stop everything before it got too far.
________________
Severus Snape wasn't stupid. He was angry, but not stupid. He knew if the Marauders had 'let' him overhear something, he shouldn't follow up on it. Well, at least not with back up. He just didn't know what he was going to do, when opportunity showed itself.
"Severus, what was my brother giggling about with that idiot Pettigrew yesterday?"
"He said that he was going to go to the Shrieking Shack through a tunnel under the Whomping Willow. Apparently, if you push the knot, the tree stops swinging, Reggie. Why do you want to know?"
"I need to talk to him, family business," the younger Black said.
"I wouldn't trust that it isn't some sort of trap for me, Reg," Severus warned. "I am trying to figure out a good way to get down there, but I wanted to talk to Malfoy."
"It isn't like we can't see, Sev, it is a bright full moon tonight," Reg said.
Severus sent an owl to Lucius, asking him to Floo the common room later that evening to plan.
Unfortunately for everyone, Reg could be just as impulsive as his brother, and unlike Severus, he had no clue that Lupin might be a werewolf.
When shouts and cries of pain were heard, James went white and ran from Lily mid-sentence, racing toward the castle door; at the same time Severus went white and ran from Lucius mid-sentence, racing toward the castle door.
"Lily, go get McGonagall!" Potter shouted over his shoulder, while Severus shouted to Lucius to call the elder Blacks.
When the two boys almost ran into each other, Potter looked horrified and shouted, "Snape, if you are here, who is out there?"
"Black!" Severus shouted and kept running.
"I'm back here, what do you mean," said Sirius, swaggering in slowly.
"I doubt Lucius would call us for you, you traitorous boy! What has happened to your brother?" Walburga shouted.
In the meanwhile, Severus had cast Sectumsempra at the werewolf coming at him and caught him across the neck, felling him instantly. He ran over to Regulus, who had been bitten and dragged out of the tunnel under the Whomping Willow and started to frantically cast all the healing spells he knew.
Orion and Walburga ran out once they saw the werewolf fall, and when they saw that Severus had managed to keep their younger son from dying, looked at each other and nodded.
Orion turned to the crowd that had started to form "Lucius, please go back to the Slytherin Common Room, and get Narcissa. Have her Floo her parents and tell them we are having a Black Healing Sabbat at Hogwarts."
Severus was stunned. His mother had told him of the great Black family and how their Sabbats could, according to her, "Split the earth, change the flow of rivers and for Merlin's sake, how do you think Stonehenge fell?"
"Now, Orion, we don't allow rituals on the gro-" Dumbledore started to say when he was hit by a stunning spell from Walburga's wand.
"This is Family business. Your so-called leadership has caused my son to be mauled by this creature. Therefore, you will stay here to be judged by magic," Walburga hissed. She saw Severus start to sneak away. "Oh no you don't, boy. The Prince's have married into the family at least once. You kept my son from dying, you are staying."
Severus nodded, wide-eyed.
At that moment, Narcissa walked up to the crowd, "Aunt Walburga, Uncle Orion, when mother and father put out the call, Andromeda got the call!"
Sirius drew himself up, "So did I, so what is the point?"
"You stupid boy. Magic cares nothing for politics or human determinations. Did either one lose their family magic when they were 'cast' out?" A deep unknown voice spoke.
"Uncle Arcturus!" chorused Narcissa and Sirius, then turned and glared at each other.
Severus stayed away from the circle of students, and was shortly joined by Lucius, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, Ted Tonks and the toddling Nymphadora.
The assembled Blacks began to create a large ritual circle with blessed salts, oils, inks and candles. Dumbledore began to stir, and was hit by another stunner.
Severus nodded back when Arcturus Black looked up from his spot in the circle and nodded at him.
"You have caught the eye of Lord Black! I'm sure there are great things in store for you," hissed Lucius. "Our Lord will certainly be watching!"
"I most certainly am," said an oily voice behind the two.
Severus turned and saw a man who used to be handsome, but currently had pasty white skin and reddish eyes. Those eyes were definitely covetous of the power being shown.
A hush fell over the courtyard as Arcturus started to intone something, no one was quite sure what language it was.
Severus watched in awe as a pulsating ball of energy materialized in the ring of wixen. The Magic, for that was all it could be, wrapped itself around Regulus, and his wounds oozed some sort of tar, then he was placed carefully next to his parents in the circle.
Severus was certain the Sabbat was over, when he was jolted out of his attention to the circle when the toddler next to him reached out and said, "Pwetty!"
A sense of amusement wafted over the crowd from the entity, who sent out a probing tentacle type extension to pet the toddler on the head. Her hair, which had been bright pink, suddenly reflected the crackling energy entity.
The energy also caressed her father, making him glow.
Severus was blown away when Arcturus said, "The House of Black recognizes the House of Tonks as accepted by Magic."
Ted and Dora joined Andromeda in the circle.
The tentacle then reached out to Severus, and the crowd was awed as the boy was lifted off his feet, encircled by magic. He then landed softly, his features softened a bit, not much, a bit of the Black looks and his eyes became dark grey instead of black.
"The House of Black recognizes Severus Black as its new son as chosen by Magic!"
Sirius chose that moment to attempt to break the ritual circle. "No! He can't!"
As he attempted to ruin the Sabbat, Sirius was encircled by two tentacles of energy. He was spun around and all of them could see him crying out in fright. As he was dropped, an indescribable voice stated, "This child is damaged. He cannot be trusted with the gift of Magic."
When Tom Riddle saw the entity remove the annoying Black brother's Magic, the self-proclaimed Lord Voldemort started to inch toward the forest, trying not to catch the attention of the entity.
Severus and Ted ducked as tendrils shot out toward Riddle, Lucius and all his marked followers.
Only Bellatrix was singled out of the ritual circle, surprising the spectators. They were quite certain that most of the Blacks would have been marked.
Arcturus intoned,"Bellatrix Black, do you rescind your choice to be subordinate to Tom Riddle?"
Severus watched Bellatrix, her madness less evident due to the magic holding her, looking at Sirius, who was crying on the floor, bereft of magic, and the self-styled Lord Voldemort being held by her family's magic, and he saw her make his decision… "I do! Blacks kneel before no one!"
At that statement, Bellatrix was dropped back into the circle, her arm clear of the insidious mark. She turned to Severus and held her hand out. "Please join the family in the circle."
Severus held his head high as he joined his new family.