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The Dark Castle
Note: The DC will be in the background but it will be Harry-centered and he will return to Hogwarts, next chapter.
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Chapter 2
The first thing he became aware of was that he was lying down, on something soft smelling of the forest. The second thing he realized was the splitting headache. It felt like trolls had gathered inside his head and was currently trying to hammer their way out somehow. Thirdly his mouth was dry. His tongue felt like dry cotton and he could hardy swallow. What the hell? He thought groggily. He tried to sit up but he ended up making an ass off himself when it turned out he was too weak to make any attempts at getting up just yet. He fell back down on the bed with a quiet groan.
"So... you're awake. Finally, I was beginning to worry," a dry voice said. Harry saw a shadow getting closer and his body tensed until he could make out it was Damien and he once again relaxed.
"What happened?" he asked truly bewildered.
"Well don't say I didn't warn you," the man said with a shrug. He turned his back to him and gathered something from the table at the furthest corner of the room. Suddenly a strong scent of something he couldn't quite place spread through the area. Perhaps it reminded him of Sage, but not quite. The scent got stronger as Damien came closer to him.
"What is that?" Harry asked, raising his head from the pillow to get a better look. "I hope you're not thinking about me drinking that!" he exclaimed. "Because I won't," he added stubbornly when Damien shoved a cup of something, underneath his nose. It looked like some botch-up Neville would present every once in a while when he made Snape especially mad in the classroom. It was green, and looked grassy and perhaps he could make out a hint of dirt inside that offending cup.
Damien gave him a smug look. "Oh but you will drink it, should you be the very least interested in getting up from there anytime soon…" the elf trailed of as I he just had a second thought. Dark eyes bored into his own green ones. "However, perhaps I was mistaking in my assessment of your character, maybe you prefer to remain here…" Damien said as he began to steer the cup away from him.
Quickly as lightening Harry grabbed his arm, making the potion splash over the rim slightly. "Don't!" he cried and then gulped and braced himself. "Are you sure this will help?" he asked seriously, still unable to trust Damien fully.
"I am certain," the elf replied simply. Harry nodded. Oh what the hell, he thought and gulped it down as quickly as he could manage. Oh god, he though, tasting the indescribable horrid aftertaste. He sputtered to get rid of the grass stuck in his mouth. At least it had looked like grass! "I cannot believe you made me drink that!" he accused the elf who was looking way too amused for his liking.
"No pain no gain and all that" Damien allowed himself to tease. "Now then, since you're back among the living, tell me, how was your experience while away?" he asked and Harry sobered immediately as several images of bits and pieces of dreams, memories and thoughts clouded his mind, making him dizzy. It seemed almost callous calling what he had been though an experience when for him it was so much more than that. What he had seen and felt had been life. Other peoples' lives, cut up and portioned out in memory flashes. He supposed it had begun from the moment he fell into the deep sleep. Damien had been there to guide him through several selected memories, kind of like occlumency but more real, with more feeling. Instead of being the outsider looking at memories he had been the one experiencing them, hearing the thoughts of the person and integrating it with his very own soul. He had witnessed both proud and weak moments throughout the ages of the society belonging to the dark castle. While it might only have been a few quick glances here and there he was already beginning to understand that the dark castle was something bigger than he'd first thought. It was more than just a gathering of odd people, they were warriors, scholars' and family. His curiosity was indeed intrigued and he wanted to know more of the dark castle, his legacy. He no longer believed it to be a great big hoax. He now knew the dark castle was true.
"I remember everything," Harry began and gestured with his hand for Damien to help him sit up. This was not a conversation he wanted to have lying down like a helpless infant. With Damien's guiding hands he managed to sit up and with the help of a pillow at his lower back he remained in an upright position. "Thank you," he said quietly and Damien inclined his head but said nothing. "It felt very real, those memories you showed me. I believe your story now," he continued. Damien nodded and dragged a chair over to the opposite of the bed and sat down.
"I knew you'd learn the truth eventually. You are taking it surprisingly well," he praised. "I thought it would be more of a struggle to make you see sense," Damien continued and Harry didn't know whether to feel insulted or not. He chose to ignore it. "We have all heard of the infamous Harry Potter temper after all," Damien teased and Harry snorted. Yeah, his temper had gotten him in trouble more often than not but ever since Sirius passed he had tried and fought very hard to control his emotions. He was nowhere near finished with that struggle yet. He still had a long way to go but he wanted to believe he had gotten somewhat better. He wasn't sure if he should trust Damien with that bit of information so he chose yet again to remain silent. Damien seemed to notice this but he too ignored it.
"I can't say this enough but I do understand how difficult this change may be for you," the elf said. "And even tough those memories confirmed my words to be true I still realize that isn't enough for you to fully trust me yet. Though I truly hope for all of our sake that you will allow me to mentor and guide you through this transition that you'll make," Damien continued. Harry's ears peaked at that. He didn't understand what Damien meant with transition. Did Damien intend to turn him into something he was not? Into something else? Like a vampire or werewolf, such as those he had seen in the memories?! His panic must have shown in his eyes because Damien held up a thin white hand with long fingers in front of him.
"Stop," Damien said calmly. "Ignore my words. They do not hold the meaning you so fear," he said and Harry leaned back against his pillow, completely baffled. At times he didn't understand that Elf at all. Sometimes it felt like they weren't even speaking the same language.
"So what do you mean?" he asked. Damien allowed a small smile to be seen.
"I merely meant that you will become the leader you were always meant to be, but in order to do so you cannot remain the same person you are today. You'll have to be more. You barely have any training nor knowledge of the magical world. You do not seem to have learned much from that school of yours. The only reason you have managed to get by for this long is because of your instincts," Damien told him and this time Harry truly felt insulted. Who the hell was this elf to tell him he wasn't good enough? Before he could protest Damien continued. "I do not mean to insult you," Damien said. Is he a bloody mind reader now? Harry thought surly. "You needn't tell me what you think. It is all clearly written on your face. You shouldn't wear your emotions on your sleeve like that." The words burned Harry. He felt the same words echo in his head, coming from another voice. Snape, he thought. Was it truly that much of a big deal? Was it really that much frowned upon, feeling emotions, being human? Being him?" Harry was prepared to do things he never thought he'd would be capable of in order to bring down Voldemort. He had realized a long time ago he would have to make certain sacrifices. But this? Hiding who he truly was, burrowing his old self in order to become emotionless? Like SNAPE? He thought not. He refused! His words came tumbling out his mouth before he was even aware of opening it.
"If you think you can just waltz in here and change me you'd better think again! I am TIRED of people trying to mould be into their idea of a perfect weapon. If that's what you're here for I'll suggest you piss off. Go find yourself another toy," he exploded. He was breathing heavily and his thoughts were spinning. He half expected Damien to try and hurt him. Therefore he was startled when he elf laughed merrily, clutching his stomach. "Is that what you think?" the elf laughed. "You could not get it more wrong. Please, allow me to explain," he continued while getting his laughter under control. This is surreal, Harry though. He truly didn't understand that elf, nor any of this.
Damien seemed to get himself under control. "First of all: I am here to help you Harry. I'm not saying everything will be OK, as you'd put it, because it won't. Not like that. You have a long period of heavy training and learning in front of you. I think we both know nothing comes for free in this world," Damien said seriously and looked right at him. "If you give everything you have at this I'll promise you everyone at DC will too, but if you don't we'll destroy you," Damien said lightly even though it was clearly a threat. "We cannot have a leader who isn't actually leading us. Do not make the mistake of thinking we will allow you to walk away from us once you've joined. Let this be the first and only warning. Everything is not just puppies and rainbows where I'm coming from. In order to claim leadership you'll need to be more than you are today. You need to be though, fearless and ready for the upcoming battle with Voldemort. Like I said, you have your instincts and those have saved you thus far, but you need more than that. Let me help you, let me help you get ready so you can save yourself and your loved ones," Damien finished passionately, a fire burning in his eyes and a twisted resting grin upon his lips. Does he truly get off on danger or am I imagining things, Harry's stunned brain thought. This conversation turned out to be nothing of what he'd expected. He felt small, young and dared he admit it, afraid. He didn't know what to do. He'd even prefer Snape to be here, at this moment, to order his next move. Damien sat stock still before him, allowing him to think in peace.
"I'm not that guy anymore," He suddenly said. He didn't need to clarify it further. Damien understood he meant the reckless boy from before Sirius death. "Me getting myself involved in something like this is clearly something he would have done," he continued. "I will not be part of it," he decided there and then. "I will not give myself over to you or any other force to be used and played with. I am a not going to change who I am or what I feel in order to defeat Voldemort. I will do this my way," he finished defiantly. Daring Damien to argue with him. He would not get more people killed by his damned choices. Damien still said nothing, he simply sat there staring at him. It made him uncomfortable to say the least. I need to get out of here, he thought. I need to get away from this madness, he decided. He stood up to leave. He half expected Damien to stop him but nothing happened. He began to move his body by pure will towards the door. His muscles protested loudly but he clenched his teeth and ignored it. Only when he had his hand on the door handle the elf decided to speak.
"You may walk out that door Harry but you cannot escape those memories you've seen. Eventually you won't be able to resist your heritage calling out for you. You cannot escape who you are nor what you are meant to be. And when that day comes, and trust me it will, I'll be there and I'll take you home." Harry didn't answer not turn around. He simply walked out that door, away from the madness. No one stopped him.
TWO WEEKS LATER
He had trouble sleeping. He'd spent almost every single night since the conversation with Damien twisting and turning in bed, praying for sweet merciful sleep to claim him. It never did. Instead even his dreams betrayed him by replaying the conversation, over and over. Especially the last spoken word, in Damien's lilting voice went on repeat over and over: home. He couldn't deny finding a home had been the greatest wish of his during his youth. It still was even though he had Hogwarts now. Damn Damien for playing his emotions like that. Surely the elf knew what he was doing. He plays the game well, Harry though and angrily punched his pillow, trying to make it more comfortable. He froze when he heard Vernon grunting through the wall. He heard the bed creak and then there was silence. He let out the breath he didn't even know he had held. Vernon wasn't awake after all. Oh, how he hated it at the Dursleys'. After his little rendezvous with Damien two weeks ago he had returned to his relatives. He had no place else to go. He also thought it would be best if the order didn't know he had gotten away like that. He needed to keep them in the dark so he could come and go as he pleased, just in case he needed to escape another time. Harry sighed. He wanted to scream and rage in frustration, he wanted to destroy things. Control your emotions, Snape's voice whispered in his head. Fuck you, Harry thought in a rare display of childishness. He supposed he got so angry because he knew deep down that Snape was right. And he absolutely loathed it when the bastard was right. He still didn't trust Snape was far as he could throw the man, but after getting some distance to what had happened he had come more and more to realize the man had acted as expected of a spy and truly couldn't be blamed for the events unfolded. Doesn't mean I like him, Harry thought in a poor attempt to remain loyal to his deceased godfather.
Since the last time he had seen Damien he had begun to doubt he'd made the right decision to stay away from the DC. He truly didn't know any other way to defeat Voldemort and to be frank he'd begun to run out of options. Dumbledore still didn't act, he remained silent throughout the summer thus far. Harry had never been one for sitting tight, action less. He needed to keep himself occupied. Maybe he should get in contact with Damien again? And not judge him so hastily. Perhaps he just needed to let Damien explain himself and his motives once more. Right? How stupid could you possibly be boy? Are you trying to get yourself killed? You never stop and think about the consequences. He couldn't practically hear Snape's voice spitting at him. He grimaced. Okay, so maybe not go down that road again, he though. Home. The voice rung through his head. He sat up quickly. I can't stand this, I need to act, he thought and gathered his wands and some floo powder he had hidden beneath the loose floorboard.
He returned to the rundown hotel in Knockturn Alley. He pushed through the grumpy innkeeper and went straight to the room he'd met Damien in before. The door wasn't looked and he marched inside. He was surprised to find the elf remaining seated in an armchair facing the door.
"I've been waiting for you," Damien said. Just like that. No greeting, no questions, nothing. Harry got thrown off his game. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. Was he really that obvious? That predictable? No wonder his enemies always seemed to be one step ahead of him. What a depressing though, he mused. He took off his traveling cloak and sat down in the only other chair in the room. The flames were still dancing and the room was still hot. At least some things remain the same. How comforting.
"I want to know more," he said, resting his elbows on his knees, leaning forward. Damien inclined his head. "Naturally," the elf responded.
"Tell me. I want to know everything," he said. Damien chuckled.
"That might take a while," Damien offered and Harry nodded. "I have time," He said, not liking to be the source of amusement for Damien.
"Well then. Let's begin. First of all you need to know more about the Dark Castle, obviously. We are not evil," Damien began gravelly. "Even though we are an assembly of what people might consider dark creatures, we believe that actions should speak for the person and not the genes. The DC does not divide actions nor people into classes such as dark or light like the Wizarding society does. We believe in intent and purpose. When we are united few forces are able to stop us. Lately though, we have been spread throughout the world ever since the day be became leaderless. I know people of the DC are waiting for the one true leader to reunite us again," Damien paused briefly. "It might seem utterly insane to you but vampires, werewolves and dark elves are in need of a leader. While we do not follow mindlessly we are most content when together in a pack, or coven if you'd like." Harry stayed quiet and pondered the new information. While he might not have understood it a couple of years ago he felt like he had a better understanding of it now. He understood the power and desire to belong somewhere. It seemed to him like the Dark Castle provided its followers with security and a safe haven as well a purpose.
"I can see that," he said slowly and Damien nodded, seemingly relieved.
"Some of us remains at the castle, and several remains within the territory. It won't take you long to gather everyone, should you want to. But before you make any such attempts you need to know more and train more. I will help you with that, if you agree?" Damien asked him. Harry nodded.
"I am ready now. It took me a while but I understand I need your help," he admitted.
"When do we start?" Damien said with a grin in that lilting voice of his.
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