A/N –The characters and world are the creation of JK Rowling and it is not my intention to steal or ruin them, I simply like to play with them a bit.
...And so we begin...Chapter Two
Almost Two Years Later
Draco and Harry's knowledge of the occult had expanded vastly. They knew all about Hogwarts and Diagon Alley and the Ministry and the big power players in Magical Politics. They knew all the ridiculous ritualistic social niceties that the pure blooded wizards preferred. They knew who and what their parents had been, and exactly how famous they both were in the magical world. They knew that Draco had been a Malfoy, and they knew the extent of the Malfoy and Potter fortunes. They also knew what they were going to be expected to do when they grew up. Defend the witches and wizards if the world.
Draco had learned a great deal about runes, and ancient spell. He could read and write in languages that most people had never heard of. He also was quite adept at reading the stars, though this was an uncertain magic, that was subject to much interpretation. He'd read everything in existence on defensive magic, and potions. Harry knew everything that he possible could about transfiguration, or as he liked to call it "transmorphication". (He happily stuck his tongue out at Draco when he discovered Animagi. He was sure he would be a bird when he mastered the spell.) He knew the name and effect of every charm and curse he could find in the books in the library, and he knew all the rules to formal and social wizard's duels.
Yes, they had learned quite a bit in the short time since they had discovered their powers, but they had no practice at all in any magic that required a wand. So naturally they were itching to get their hands on wands to try it all out. They hadn't even tested any magic since the brotherhood bonding. They far from believed that they knew everything. Their experience with the blood rituals had proved that.
When they had come stumbling out of the cupboard the day after their bonding, they were surprised to see that no one even noticed the drastic changes to their bodies. Well, Petunia commented, but it was more in the way she always had, as if, nothing had changed at all. This strange side effect led them to do more in depth research into the exact ritual they had done. There was nothing to be found, but they got an explanation anyway. Nature decided to spell it out for them. Literally. They found a new book, one that had never been there before, that explained everything. As it turned out brotherhood bonds had been done before, but never with Nature as a witness. This hadn't been done in centuries for any kind of bond, not for lack of trying, but for lack of power. You see nature was more than a figurative being; it was a sentient highly powerful entity. By calling on Nature, they had surpassed the laws of the wizard world, and made an ally of someone much more powerful…the Earth itself. Well, more than the earth. The entire Universe would be more correct. It had blessed their brotherhood, and made sure everyone else in the world would too, by making them believe it had always been so. When they had discovered this, they felt to need to find a way to communicate with Nature, and thank it. They had succeeded, and they now communed with it on a weekly basis. Nature was not as removed from the working of the human world as the modern day witches and wizards liked to believe. It knew about the politics, and the money, and the importance of connections. This, they found out, was the reason that the minds of the goblins had been left the Potter and Malfoy fortunes were still theirs to collect.
On the Dursley's Back Lawn
"When do Hogwart's letters come again?" Harry asked Draco for the nine-millionth time. They knew they would have to be on the lookout for them, as Aunt Petunia would probably snatch them away and burn them before they could read them.
"Any day now, Harry." Draco sighed. It was almost daybreak and they were in the back yard. Draco was studying the stars and sunrise and writing his observations down. Some things he got right some he got wrong, but it didn't matter, he loved doing it.
"So we need to be checking the mail, right?"
"Harry, we already do that, and if we find anything for us we will toss it into the cupboard and read it when we go to bed." Draco was barely paying attention to the conversation. Though he hardly needed to; it was a conversation they had on an hourly basis.
"Yeah, good, good." Harry wasn't really paying attention to the words he was saying either. He was just bored. "We should probably get inside. Aunt Petunia will be up soon." He hated to drag Draco away from the sky, but it needed to be done. Even with all they knew about magic, they were still afraid of the Dursleys. Of course they both knew that this was an irrational fear. Neither Petunia nor Vernon had done anything truly horrible to them in the past few years, but something ingrained from infancy is not so easily put aside.
"Oh, yeah sure." Draco was clearly distracted by something he saw in the sky, "Um Harry, I think you should wait for the mail outside today." Harry's head snapped towards Draco, but he said nothing. When he was interpreting, Draco spoke slowly, and with great thought, and nothing Harry said could speed him along. Draco stood for a few more seconds, "Something big is supposed to be coming. I think it might be our letters." A slow smile spread across Harry's face.
"You'll cover all of the inside chores?"
"Of course. It takes me half as long anyway." Draco was back to himself, if his sarcasm was any indication. Harry just smiled. He was used to Draco's mood swings. The boys turned simultaneously and walked into the house. Petunia no longer woke them in the mornings. They were expected to be awake, and have a good bit of the chores done by the time the rest of the family woke.
In an unspoken agreement, Harry walked out the front door and began weeding the flower beds. Here he could catch the mail man before he had a chance to get to the door.
The mail man was fond of Harry and Draco. Every adult who knew them was fond of them actually. Well, except the Dursleys, of course, but that was nothing new. The Potter twins were hard workers. At school they both pulled decent grades. (They could have been exemplary, but they wouldn't want to show poor Dudley up!) At home they kept the yard clean and tidy, and the neighbors weren't clueless. They knew the twins did all the work. Yes, they seemed like decent boys, who would work at mediocre jobs for all their lives. This perception of them had bothered Harry, until Draco showed him the beauty of it. No one would expect anything special out of them, so they were able to "make mistakes" occasionally, and it was chalked up to their mediocrity.
Harry methodically pulled weeds, and thought about the life they were soon to escape. Neither boy intended to return to the Dursleys after they left for Hogwarts. They knew enough about their own fortunes and estates to realize this would be a decision they could make. Technically they were the heads of two very rich and powerful families. This was something that they fully intended to take advantage of. They had no desire to continue to live mediocre lives. As Harry pondered these things, the mail man strolled up the front walk.
"Morning, Harry." He called. Harry hadn't been paying as close of attention as he should, and he was quiet glad that he had a decent relationship with the man.
"Good morning, Sir." He quickly replied. "Is there anything for me or Draco?"
"Yes, actually. That's exciting. You two never get any mail." He pulled out the two letters. "They are nice and thick, good paper too." Harry dashed over to him before he could say another word. Thankfully some sense of decorum remained, and he didn't snatch the letters from the man's hands. He calmly, well sort of calmly, held his hand out. "I suppose you want these now." The man said with a chuckle. He handed him the letters along with the Dursley's mail. "Here you go son. You have a good day." He turned to walk away, and Harry finally spoke.
"Thank you, Sir."
"You're welcome, son." He walked away. Just as he got out of sight, Harry realized that he didn't even know the mail man's name.
That Night in the Cupboard
Draco and Harry sat side by side, letters in hand, completely still. They couldn't seem to make themselves open them, though they didn't know why. That sat, and they thought. This was what they had been waiting for. This was their chance to get away from this life they had been forced to live…
"But that's the problem isn't it?" Harry said.
"This is the only life we know." Draco continued.
"How do we even know we will actually be any good at magic?"
"How do we know if we will be able to fit in?"
"Because I have made the way for you." The boys were startled out of their conversation. They were silent. It was here, they could feel it. Nature was speaking. "I have called to those you will need for the journey you have ahead. I have cleared the path to the money that your kind seem to need for everything. I have given you the power, and the purity, to do what must be done."
"But what do you mean? Those we will need. We only need each other!" Harry, ever impulsive replied.
"Do not be foolish. Yes, together you are strong, but you have weaknesses. With the family I have called for you, there will be no weakness. They are five: Two you shall find as you travel; they are the Thinker, and the Planner. One you shall find at your destination. It is the Guide. One will be found when you leave. It is the Fire. The last shall be found when you return. It is the Healer. But I cannot force you down this road. You must take the first steps on your own."
Draco put a hand gently on Harry's shoulder. "We understand. We will search for them, and we will accept the help you have so graciously sent. Thank you." After a moment, they felt the presence leave, although It was never really gone. It simply went dormant. Draco looked at Harry and smiled slightly. "Whatever happens, you are my brother, and you come first. I love you. You know that." It wasn't a question. They knew. Harry smiled back.
"Yes. I love you too. But I guess I kind of liked it being "just us"… I suppose other friends might be nice." Harry paused. After waiting for so long, he was finally ready. "Let's do this." In unison, the boys ripped their letters open. They didn't need to read them, they knew what they would say. They grabbed their bags, which were already packed, and walked out of the cupboard, out the front door, and out of the lives they knew, for better or worse.