Chapter: Prologue
Author: Inntoxilamoon
Rating: Umm… M? Maybe MA later...
Spoilers: All up to and including Order of Phoenix
Pairings: Will be up later… as for at this moment I haven't decided…
Chapter Summary: A lot of things have happened since fifth year and Harry begins the year with a new determination, new friends and a new surprise.
Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter- Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling as does the Harry Potter characters. But I own my characters! Any lyrics used are not mine unless specified; the performing artist will be noted at the end of the chapter the lyrics are used in. Please don't sue.
The Secrets Within
The Letter
Beginning his sixth year at Hogwarts, Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, couldn't help but think of his future, of the fight he was destined to fight against Voldemort. Fortunately, thinking of his future only served to make him focus even more on becoming a better wizard, bringing him closer to his friends Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy but distancing him from Ronald Weasley, who didn't seem to understand the gravity of the situation.
During the summer holidays there had been another breakout at Azkaban, this time releasing Draco's Death Eater father, Lucius Malfoy, who decided that it was time for Draco to receive the Dark Mark. Refusing the Mark had been a very painful but satisfying thing for Draco, who was beaten severely and left to die by Lucius- thankfully for Draco, his mother was sick of Lucius and the 'Dark Lord', leaving her husband and taking her injured son to Severus Snape, his godfather, for protection. Now, with Draco's decision to join the side of the light, Harry and he had become friends and Narcissa had moved into one of the spare rooms in Hogwarts, substituting for teachers when they were unable to take their class.
Lupin had come back to teach this year as well, once again taking the Defence Against The Dark Arts position as it was best to have an Order member where they could easily help. Tonks had also come to Hogwarts leading the optional Duelling Classes with Moody. Snape still taught Potions, but didn't seem to be as bad this year- getting caught as a spy meant that he didn't have to fake his allegiance to the Dark Lord although Ron didn't care if he seemed to be better this year, he was just happy to have dropped Potions.
Taking his seat in the Potions Lab seconds before the dramatic entrance of Professor Snape, Harry grins after noticing that Draco had chosen to sit with him, as had Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott and Daphne Greengrass who hade all defected to the light side after refusing the Mark. Snapping to attention at the sound of Snape's order to 'get started' Harry reads the instructions off of the board before beginning to make his potion; Snape billows past, looking into each cauldron in his row before stopping in front of Harry's.
Looking up at Snape, expecting a snide remark about how stupid he was, Harry is surprised when the only response Snape gives is, "You need more powdered blood-root," before walking over to Pansy Parkinson's cauldron and yelling at her for adding the dragon's scales before the arrowroot.
With a successful potion made, Harry leaves potions in a very good mood, heading for the lake with Hermione, Draco and Blaise as Theo and Daphne sneak off to spend some time together. Reaching the lake before Ron, the four sit together quietly for awhile before Draco turns to face Harry, "Are you playing Quidditch this year?"
"No," Harry answers, "I'm going to focus more on my studies and I think I might request some extra lessons with Voldemort and all…"
A smile flickers across Hermione's face, "Oh, Harry! That's a wonderful idea! Maybe all of us should request the lessons together- after all, it's not like you're going to have to face Voldemort on your own now! We'll all be there to help!"
"Sounds good to me." Blaise responds as Draco nods in agreement.
Taking a moment to think about it, Harry finally nods- knowing that there is nothing he can do to dissuade his friends from doing this for him, "Alright. I suppose I'd better discuss it with Dumbledore tonight after dinner. You guys gonna come?"
At that moment, Ron appears, taking his seat with the group and asking, "Go where?"
"Dumbledore's office," Hermione answers with a smile, "We're going to request extra lessons so that we're better prepared for an attack by Voldemort!" Looking at Harry like he's gone mad, Ron opens his mouth to speak but no words come out.
A smirk crosses Draco's face, "Silence? With Weasley around? I'm amazed!" Thumping Draco on the back of the head, Harry can't help but laugh at the indignant look he gets as Draco vainly fixes his hair.
"Extra lessons?" Ron finally asks and Harry nods, "But… what about Quidditch?"
Looking away, Harry shrugs noncommittally, "I really don't have time for it anymore. I have to be ready just in case and well… Quidditch just isn't that important…"
Turning red, Ron gapes at Harry for a few minutes before responding, "Not that important! Come on, mate! Quidditch is everything to you! Screw the bloody lessons; you can't spend all of your time 'preparing'!"
"Really, Ronald," Hermione snaps, "Don't be so ridiculous! The extra lessons are much more important than Quidditch!"
Glaring at Hermione, Ron stands up angrily, "That's rich coming from the bookworm; what do you know about anything except study?" Storming off before Hermione answers, Ron walks into the castle and away from the group sitting by the lake.
"That went well," Blaise drawls with a smirk as he stands up, "Better get to dinner."
Standing as well, Harry looks at Hermione, confused. "Don't worry, Harry," she says as she stands, "Ron will get over it. He just needs to realise how serious this all is and that we really do need to prepare more; just give him some time and he'll come round."
Nodding silently in agreement, Harry accepts Hermione's friendly hug with a smile before Draco, Blaise, Hermione and he heads into the Great Hall, sitting at Gryffindor table despite the glares of the other Gryffindors and Ron. Within moments Daphne and Theodore join the group, looking slightly flushed.
"Have fun studying?" Draco drawls as he looks Theo and Daphne up and down; Daphne blushes and looks away as Theo meets Draco's silvery eyes calmly,
"Very much so, Dray, maybe you should find a study partner and try it some time?"
"I may do that," Draco answers agreeably, "Blaise, you free to study tomorrow?"
Choking on his pumpkin juice, Blaise looks up at Draco, eyes wide in shock, "What?" He asks before shaking his head, "Dray, I like you and all but… I do not swing that way…" Blaise responds as Harry and Hermione laugh.
"Oh," Draco nods as if truly upset, "Okay then…" Looking up Draco sighs before turning to Harry, "What about you, Harry? Wanna be my fuc… Study partner?" Calmly staring Harry up and down, Draco smirks when he turns a deep crimson and begins to fidget nervously, "Come on, Harry…" He cajoles, "I know you do swing that way…"
Laughing, Hermione pats Harry on the back sympathetically. At the beginning of the year Harry had admitted to his friends that he was gay, well… he had told most of his friends… Ron didn't know yet, he hadn't been very comfortable with homosexuality the last time it had come up in conversation and had been really angry with the twins when they told him that they were both gay and so was Charlie…
"Come on, Harry, "Draco murmured conspiratorially, "It could be fun…"
"I don't think so, Dray, maybe if you ask nicely Daph will let you borrow Theo for the night?" With a snort of laughter, Blaise stares up at Harry in shock,
"I never expected Harry to say that!"
Laughing the group settles down to eat when a letter suddenly appears next to Harry's elbow on the table, looking down at the letter Harry cautiously picks it up and turns it over to find out who sent it. The seal of the letter shows the four animals of the Hogwarts founders, although it is most definitely not the Hogwarts seal. The Ravenclaw eagle soars over the heads of the Hufflepuff badger and Gryffindor lion as they rest under the shade of a tree from which hangs the Slytherin snake. The tree, obviously a rare wizarding plant called the moon-jasmine, as it only blossoms at night features the tiny white blossoms and purple foliage contrast with the green and silver of the snake, the red and gold of the lion, the yellow and black of the badger and the blue and bronze of the eagle. Tiny stars seem to glitter alongside the silvery moon and, as the six students watch, the picture on the seal seems to move.
"Oh my gods!" Daphne exclaims as she stares down at the seal, "Do you realise what that seal is?"
Shaking his head silently, Harry looks at Hermione who seems to be as stunned as he is. "What is it?" Harry asks quietly as Draco gently takes the letter from him.
"Harry, this is the founder's seal…" Draco murmurs and Blaise stares at the seal, his blue eyes glinting in shock.
"It was lost when Salazar left the school… or that's what the rumours say… they say that it was hidden… only accessible to an heir of all four founders…" Blaise trails off, his blue eyes staring at the seal as the snake slithers across to the end of the branch and the eagle lands next to it.
"But that's impossible. Voldemort is Slytherin's only heir and he'd be telling everyone if all four founders were in his bloodline…" Harry murmurs, glancing up just in time to see Snape walking over to them.
"Should we tell Professor Snape?" Daphne asks nervously, "He might be able to help us and I wouldn't trust Dumbledore not to nick off with it…"
Nodding silently, Harry waits for Snape to reach the table before looking up at him once more, "Professor Snape?" He asks as Snape glares down at the huddled up group.
"Planning something are we?" Snape asks with a sneer before noticing the letter in Harry's hand
"No, sir." Draco responds quietly, "This letter just appeared on the table next to Harry… it had the founder's seal." Eyes widening, Snape glances at the seal before motioning for the group to stand.
"I assume that you want me to check that it's safe before you open the letter?" He asks and, at their nods, he turns to stalk towards the doors of the Great Hall, "Come along then." He snaps impatiently and the six students quickly follow him to the Potions class that they had earlier had a lesson in.
Placing powerful locking and silencing charms over the door, Snape takes the letter from Harry and places it on his desk, "I'd advise you all to stand back," he drawls, "unless you all want to risk the possibility of being blown apart should this be some kind of trick?"
"No, sir." They all respond quickly as they step away from the mysterious letter, casting the spell wandlessly (something that the students had only just learnt he could do) the letters glows a bright blue for a second before turning white and then fading.
Walking over to the desk, Snape picks up the letter and hands it to Harry once more, "It's safe, Potter. Now hurry up and open it."
With a nervous laugh, Harry turns the envelope over, breaks the seal and reads the first page quickly. Gasping quietly, he turns the page and stares at it for a few seconds; the others, now even more curious as to the letters contents, watch him avidly. Finally turning over the last page, Harry looks up at his friends and Professor before murmuring, "I can't believe this," and handing the letter to Hermione.
Author's Note: Okay readers, through out the story I'm gonna try to let you all have your say in what direction the story goes by asking questions with a few different options to choose from. Here's the first one!
Favourite name:
Khalida (means: immortal)
Octavia (means: eighth)
Nicolette (means: people's victory)
Which one do I pick? Answers will be counted… soon… hopefully… argh! As long as school doesn't interfere hopefully thenext chapter will be up by the end of the week and then thenext chapter (I'll probably need the name then) not long after… As long as my kitten doesn't interfere after I pick her up on Friday…