Chapter 4
Dumbledore crumpled up the Daily Prophet and tossed it in the general direction of the trash can. Anger boiled deep within his chest that caused his magic to twist and crackle around him. Harry at in the window seat across from where the headmaster had taken up his pacing until the carpet was becoming threadbare. Ginny curled up on the floor by Harry's feet in an attempt to be near her fiancé without seeming intrusive or cumbersome as she had in previous weeks.
"Blaise is really pulling out all the stops to ruin your reputation and public image. You must not let him distract you from fulfilling your duty to become and auror and eventually taking on the responsibility of becoming the Minister of Magic. These are just feeble attempts to regain your affections and getting into the Ministry is your primary goal and don't forget that!" Dumbledore ranted. He picked up the paper once again and handed it to Harry who accepted it dully. "You need to find a way to convince Rita to stop writing these stories as I doubt you want the entire United Kingdom knowing all the details of your sex and dating life."
"She wouldn't listen to me and I'm sure Blaise would do anything to protect her to continue this charade," Ginny interjected. She stood and ruffled her fingers through Harry's hair which he just pulled away from. "Anything short of silencing Blaise himself will be for nothing." A sudden pull at Harry's mind jerked him roughly out of his thoughts. He scanned the room for the whisper that flittered across his mind but only Ginny and the Headmaster were there, preoccupied with their own plans for stopping the presses, no one else made an appearance.
"And while we spoke of many things-fools and kings." Harry shivered as the baritone voice sang, each note reverberating inside of him. He stood up without notice from either one of his companions.
"I'm going to talk to him. He likes to haunt the bars of Knockturn alley most nights, so it shouldn't be too difficult to find him," Harry stated as he pulled on his coat. "I shouldn't be gone for too long." He dissapperated before either had an opportunity to react to him leaving.
"We need to get him back before Blaise Harry back into the folds! You know how hard it was to get him to start taking the love potion and if Blaise can convince him to stay from us, our work goes down the drain. I will be Mrs. Ginny Potter and I am willing to kill for the title if necessary!" Ginny screeched. Dumbledore winced slightly as the shrill voice pierced his ears but willingly obliged and held out his arm in offering. "I told you we should have used the Imperus curse on him from the beginning."
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Blaise tipped his head back and downed yet another shot of whiskey that started to make his head swim. He vaguely heard the door close behind him and someone take the empty seat next to him.
"No surprise seeing you here though it still a little early in the day to start on your binge?" Harry asked. Blaise turned to face his former lover with a sense of shock spreading over his face. "You are never at a loss for words Blaise. I'm just here to ask that you stop selling our story to the paper. You may be okay with everyone knows about your sex life – you are a god amongst men- but I am not as comfortable with it. It hurts Ginny too, you know?"
"I did hear that you asked the whore to marry you. So how did she convince you to switch teams while still with me?" Blaise asked with a smirk. "You never did like women and we both know it so don't even try to lie. If that's all you came to say, then you can just save your breath and time, Harry." Ginny suddenly made her way to the bar and grabbed Harry by his arm. Pulling at him, Ginny did her best to drag Harry away from Blaise.
"Blaise, we couldn't have worked out and I'm sorry that I led you on. If I am going to be what the world wants and needs me to be, this is how it has to be," Harry said in form of apology. "Their golden boy can't be gay, now can he?" Blaise reached out and grabbed Harry's hand with his larger one. Harry eyes glistened some with unshed tears at the familiar gesture.
"Do you remember what you said to me the day that you killed Voldermort? What you sang to me amongst the ruins of what was the Great Hall of Hogwarts?" Blaise asked with tears of his own. "Sing it again and if you can look me in the eye and say you no longer love me than you will never hear or see me again. If you can honestly say that you really lover and want to marry her I will disappear until the day I die."
"There was a boy, a very strange, enchanted boy. They say he wandered very far- very far, over land and sea. A little shy and sad of eye but very wise was he. And then one day, one magic day he passed my way. While we spoke of many things, fools and kings, this he said to me; The greatest thing you will ever learn is just to love and be loved in return," Harry sang lightly. Ginny pulled harder at his arm while he sang to no avail as Harry stayed rooted to the ground. Dumbledore swiftly made his way between the pair which broke the moment in an instant. He placed his hand on Blaise's shoulder and forced him back to his seat. Leaning forward, the headmaster spoke directly into the Slytherin's ear.
"If you continue to meddle in my affairs, I will find something to have you arrested on. Death Eater charges have a 100% conviction rate, did you know that?" Blaise stood up in anger and pulled up his sleeves on both arms to reveal flawless, unmarred skin that was void of any ink.
"I see no Dark Mark, professor, do you? I think to prove a Death Eater case requires a Dark Mark," Blaise spat out. The headmaster only smirked as he ushered Harry and Ginny out of the bar.
"Keep thinking that if you like, Blaise. But how do you think Sirius got his cell space in Azkaban? I knew perfectly well that he wasn't the secret keeper for the Potters as did many others. He was there mainly on the made up charge for being a Death Eater. Now keep yourself out of this before you get yourself into real trouble," Dumbledore retorted. Blaise's shoulders dropped as the professor left him to his own miserable thoughts.
"I'll get you back, Harry, and I will give you my last breath if I need to. You are loved, my little lion."
