EDIT: 3/8/08 Hey guys, this is the beta'd version! So many thanks go out to Claira for all her hard work in checking over this chapter for me and the other ones she has also already done :)
Chapter Four: Trials, Tribulations and Shocking Discoveries
Days passed by in a blur for Harry as his practise and training continued. Within little time he found that he was able to command his bodies reactions with ease. He had no problems with his fangs, and his wings were completely developed, all he needed was room to actually practise his flying to be sure if they could yet support his weight. Harry assumed they could, strong as the already were.
Not even quite three weeks after waking at his new home, Harry found himself being bundled up and disguised for his trip to Diagon Alley. When he asked his uncle about it, he had been informed that it was because he didn't need all the attention his new appearance was bound to cause. It made perfect sense.
So, with their features dulled down, and their hair and eye colours changed, the family flooed into the Leaky Cauldron without a spot marring their handsome robes.
The usual hustle and bustle of the place brought an absent cheer to Harry, who hadn't known he had missed the noise of so many others. He pegged it up to having to live with a dorm full of boys and suddenly being placed somewhere that was almost sterile in it's silence.
As the party made it's way around the crowds, Harry could easily pick out those who were classmates and friends in the cluster of bodies, though obviously none recognised him. Being so close to school they were likely doing their shopping for their up and coming classes. Then a thought struck Harry; he had no idea what he had achieved in his OWLs.
He had heard nothing from anyone since his relocation, and he had to question whether his friends were able to locate him where he was or not. Except for Hedwig or course, but then again, she always seemed the exception to that rule.
"Have I had any mail?" Harry asked suddenly, while the trio strolled leisurely down the crowded street.
"No," his uncle blinked, "were you expecting something?"
"My OWLs," Harry answered.
"Ahh, don't fret," she said in acknowledgement before forcing him to straighten his posture, "you'll get wrinkles and it's very unbecoming in such a young age."
"Now," she continued, "first we are going to have you measured at Madame Malkins and some suitable clothing made for you. You are a Nikolai, prince of the Angelus; you should be proud of who you are and not..."
She continued on in this way and Harry found he didn't have the heart to say anything against her. Mostly because he had seen his uncle on the receiving end of one of her tongue lashings. While not loud, the sight wasn't pretty and Harry felt no desire to have such a thing directed solely at him.
Besides, mothering Harry was what he was sure Selene's new favourite pastime was, as she could be found wherever he was or not far from him. She wasn't overly vocal or extreme in her thoughts or actions though, not like Mrs Weasley. While Harry was adjusting to her affection toward him, he was still trying to fathom his feelings toward his uncle.
Often, Harry would catch the other looking at him in an almost wistful manner, and at times Harry got the impression that Demetrius wanted to do or say something but refrained from it. It was almost like he was afraid to overstep a boundary, so instead he kept Harry at arms length. While Harry had respected that initially, he was slowly growing tired of it and just wanted to know his uncle and see where things went from there.
"What are you thinking about?" Demetrius cut in quietly, observing his nephew.
"Everything and nothing." Harry answered.
Demetrius opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by his wife who motioned Harry into the robe store and followed shortly after.
Madame Malkin, the squat proprietor immediately set about measuring Harry at Selene's request and brought out many different types of fabric and colours. It was difficult for Harry to stand around as the two woman started chatting about different colour combinations and styles for him, more so because Selene was trying to buy things that would suit Harry without his disguise while Madame Malkin was doing the exact same thing for the person she was seeing before her.
Over an hour or so later, bored and stiff, Harry followed his aunt and uncle from the store and back into the busy streets of Diagon Alley.
Sunlight! Harry internally hissed with glee. The irony not lost on him as he practically bloomed after standing on the same spot in a store for an extended amount of time. The light was absolute heaven.
"You look... lively," Demetrius observed.
"I dislike being confined in dark places," Harry answered without thought. He mentally slapped himself when his uncle frowned and looked like he was about to ask. Harry needn't have worried though, because almost instantly his gaze was drawn back to Selene as she said something.
Out of nowhere, it was though Harry had had ice tipped down his robes and it was all he could do not to shiver at the odd feeling. The sensation was gone almost as soon as it had come but left Harry feeling unnerved. More so when he was sure he felt the heavy gaze of someone or thing settled on him.
Selene, it appeared was the only one to notice his unease. She glanced at him worriedly and sent Demetrius ahead. "Is everything all right, Harry?" she asked, her voice soothing and infused with a bone deep concern, "You look like you met a grim."
"I thought I had, actually," he said, laughing nervously. This only worried Selene more as her brows drew down and she peered deeply into his temporary malt coloured eyes. "It wasn't really. It was someone else..."
Selene nodded slowly, drawing back only a little. "Do you want to return home? We can finish our excursion at a later date. When you're not feeling so under the weather?"
"I'm fine," Harry reassured. Feeling his trade mark statement slip from his mouth.
Not appearing at all convinced, Selene nodded regardless, allowing the subject to drop. Seeming even more troubled, she continued, "We had best catch up with your uncle before he believes we have abandoned him." She smiled softly and led Harry through a large cluster of people, casting her eyes over her shoulder as she went.
Harry merely followed, relieved as the weight from his back vanished as he himself did in the crowd.
Shopping continued in a more subdued manner than earlier. Even though Selene had said nothing to Demetrius of her and Harry's conversation after... whatever the incident was, the older male Nikolai had read them both, having easily deciphered Harry's wavering feelings and his wife's alert and concerned ones.
The group had split up to gather different items off their inventory to make the journey faster, although both adults weren't keen on leaving their fledgling unattended, especially after his upset and still so close since his change. Harry, however, had reasoned that he was technically really no longer a fledgling as he had his flight feathers and they supported his weight for the required testing period.
As Harry meandered back toward the Leaky Cauldron, loaded down with his new school books, he thought in annoyance that even with his disguise firmly in place he had snagged the attention of more than a few people.
Dulled down as his appearance was and with no remarkably striking features, such as his mother's vivid green eyes, he was still far from being unattractive. Or even remotely mediocre. This caused him to seriously wonder how he was going to explain his sudden change when he got to school. They'd know it was his hereditas, but what then? They'd likely want to know what exactly happened and how would they react to finding out their saviour-to-be was a vampire? Even if he was apparently the kind that had a tendency to kill off the other kinds, there would still be a lot of prejudice involved. He could see it now: 'POTTER, SAVIOUR OR MONSTER?' splashed out onto the front page of the Daily Prophet. The media would have a field day.
It was with these dark thoughts that Harry collided with a warm wall he was sure hadn't been there earlier and promptly lost his footing. Before he had a chance to land on his rear however, a hand shot out and steadied him on his feet.
Extremely grateful, Harry opened his mouth to thank the person who had helped him and was met with something he was certain he would never see: the arm supporting him belonged to Draco Malfoy.
But at the same time it wasn't Draco Malfoy. Not the pointy, pale kid he'd met back in Madame Malkin's five years ago. Not even really the one he had seen a few short weeks before the end of last term. This Draco Malfoy had changed and grown.
A lot.
Draco was very nearly as tall as his own father now, only shorter by an inch or so at most, putting him roughly at the same height as Demetrius. While still lithely built, Draco's shoulders had broadened just a bit, giving him more of an actual shape. The air he gave off was one of a predator, especially the glint of his eyes. His face had sharpened dramatically, giving him a finely chiselled look which held a mixture of both his parents features, his icily beautiful mother and arrogantly handsome father.
He looked rather... good, and, were it not for the fact it was Draco Harry was thinking about, he would have admitted that his long time rival was nothing short of stunning. But Harry didn't think that; in fact, he refused to.
Harry stood, inwardly cringing at his own train of thought.
Both boys froze momentarily and Draco dropped Harry's arm slowly, almost like he didn't want to let Harry's arm go, but was terrified of holding on longer. Meanwhile, Harry was having his own mental debate: should he stay and play it calm, or run for it the moment he was given a decent chance at fleeing? It wasn't that Harry was scared per se, he was just worried that Draco had somehow seen through the glamour he had worn. It wasn't impossible. For one, Moody's magical eyes saw through pretty much anything, and Harry had been told that certain magical beings and creatures were the same, Harry's own clan included if the person was strong enough.
He himself could partially see through his aunt and uncles' glamours, a feat that hadn't surprised either in the least. Selene had explained that in time he'd see through any they cast and suggested he practise.
Trying not to grimace, Harry pulled himself together to deliver the words of gratitude he had originally planned for, having decided fleeing would be cowardice. "Thank you," he murmured, his words infused with all the sincerity he could gather at that moment. How he managed to keep the bitterness from his expression was beyond him.
The blonde frowned as he studied Harry in what the latter could only deem as something akin to confusion. "Do I know you?"
His voice had deepened, too. Not all that much just enough to be noticeable in his husky yet cultured tones.
"Possibly," Harry shrugged nonchalantly, not wanting to lie even if it was to Draco. Something told him that lying would be an infinitely bad thing and that the other would pick up on it immediately.
But Draco wasn't finished and pushed, "Do you go to Hogwarts then? You can't if you don't know me." He was studying Harry intently, much like he would at school when he thought no one was paying attention. "I'm sure I know you," Draco pressed, "I just can't think of where."
"Perhaps at certain gatherings?" Harry offered, then wanted to kick himself when he saw the other's eyes spark. Now Draco was eying him warily.
"Perhaps," he offered and looked like he was about to say more when the impromptu conversation was stopped, and Harry saw his uncle standing by watching their interactions with an unnaturally blank expression.
The man quickly called out to him, "Come James," he said and strolled away. None of the statement was lost on Harry. The curt command nor the use of his middle name as opposed to his first one.
"Excuse me," he said and hurried off after Demetrius, leaving Draco behind where he stood rooted to the spot. Oblivious to the fact that Draco's sharp grey eyes never left his form as he retreated into the crowd.
"How well do you know him?" The older man asked, surreptitiously looking at the other when the pair were far enough away.
"You mean Malfoy?" Harry asked, perplexed. "Not well. He's in my year, rival house and Seeker on the Quidditch team. His father's tried to kill me before. Death Eater, you know?" He paused not really liking the way his uncle's eyes had begun to shine in that disturbing way.
"Really, now?" the man asked, looking ridiculously amused, if not a touch saddened. This was certainly not something Harry had expected from his new guardian, and it unnerved him greatly.
"Well, he helped." Harry justified. His eyes narrowed before he slowly asked, "Is there something you're not telling me?"
Demetrius stopped short and spun to look upon Harry, his face now sombre but there was no denying the damned sparkle in his eyes. "There is much that we need to discuss, Harry," he said to the boy. "But you'll understand soon enough and then perhaps you'll appreciate the humour a little better."
But Harry couldn't see anything remotely funny about the situation.
"In any case, you are to stay away from Draco Malfoy," Demetrius warned. "It's important that you do."
"It's not like I go looking for him! He usually comes looking for me. He's been trying to have me expelled from Hogwarts for years."
"I'm sure he has," Demetrius murmured, an odd tone in his voice.
Harry's eyes narrowed further but he said nothing.
-jade.requiem-
Not ten minutes later found all three Nikolais back at their cliffside manor unpacking their shopping and Harry being forced to model all of his new robes.
His Aunt Selene was dreadful, she really was, using him as her own personal dress up doll. He had been mildly surprised to find that among the robes he had made for him were also muggle garments such as jeans and fitted trousers and shorts, shirts and a variety of other clothes.
By the end of it, Harry was feeling extremely exhausted and wanted nothing more than a hot soak in his bath and then take a much needed rest. He proceeded to do just that, eying his overly bright looking aunt and uncle warily. They were up to something, he could tell. He just wasn't sure exactly what they were up to.
Settled on his large bed in his room, Harry's eyes slid close and was on the verge of sleep when the thought of Draco Malfoy soundly woke him.
It wasn't so abnormal for him really, more inconvenient that his thought processes would derail when something Draco did to piss him off would suddenly sprout in his psyche. This time though, it wasn't out of annoyance, anger or vengeance that the thought revolved around. No, it was simply seeing him that day not being a total bastard. Not entirely something that he had expected.
It had been almost like when they had first met, though this time the blonde hadn't said anything to offend. Well not really, except for the assumption that any and all who attended Hogwarts would automatically know him... that theory though wasn't entirely unfounded... if at all. As anyone who knew Harry would surely know Draco, if for no other reason than their legendary rivalry since first year.
Not that the blonde wasn't well known at the school in his own right. He was a Malfoy, a pureblood supremacist, heir to a hell of a lot of galleons and son of well known Death Eater. He was the second best seeker right after Harry, he had top grades in class and was usually a good and studious student in all classes except Care of Magical Creatures, something Harry was sure was only the case due to who taught the class.
No, Draco wasn't one to like a half-breed.
Harry paused at that, he himself wasn't even a halfblood anymore. No he was a pureblood vampire, something that should be so much worse but it wasn't.
He'd been reading up on his own kind, had listened as his aunt and uncle explained the finer points of the situation to him; though he was certain there was so much more that he would need to learn.
His vampirism had been a dominant-recessive gene which required certain conditions to take effect in order for his change. Unlike his uncle, who had a fullblooded vampire father and a witch mother, he had been a born vampire while James had taken only the vampiric gene from his father and passed it on to Harry.
Harry, while not a born vampire, not in the way his uncle was, had the potential to be which was why during his hereditas a certain magic was triggered to bring about the change. He had been informed that it was possible that he could have had his first transformation at the age of 11 when he was sent his letter for Hogwarts. Why that hadn't happened was something the family puzzled over but came to the conclusion that there had to be a reason for it, much like the reason he hadn't been a 'technically' born vampire.
And he certainly wasn't a changeling. As no Angelus or Invidian could be created by an infected bite. A reason why the Angelus clan were so few in number, while the Clanless, the vampires that the Angelus hunted, sprouted like weeds.
Then there was just magic in general. All Angelus and Invidians possessed magic like any normal witches or wizards, which also helped in their deceit to everyone else in the magical community.
In pretty much most aspects, members of both day-walking vampire clans could be considered normal witches and wizards, mostly; if you discounted the wings, fangs and claws that popped out. The heightened sense too, he reflected. As well as the other things that some normal wizards possessed, like telepathy, and it's minor flaw such as only being able to use it with fellow family members and bonded mates...
And Harry really didn't want to think about mates. Nor bonding.
Sighing, Harry rolled over, wondering if his life would ever be normal. He didn't think it was possible, and could no longer quite fathom what exactly 'normal' was.
It was then Harry felt a warmth flood him in the most intriguing way. It was followed quickly by a large stab of pain and he unwillingly let out a ear-splitting shriek. It was not ignored either, for soon after both his aunt and uncle had flown through the door looking ready to kill.
Both stilled not far from the door frame before Selene said softly, "It's starting. Demetrius you bring the supply, I imagine he'll be thirsty." She stepped cautiously toward the bed, her hand extended as though to sooth a frightened animal.
"Harry, can you hear me?"
Despite all, Harry could hear her soft voice clearly through the vicious pounding of blood through his ears. "Yes," he whimpered, unable to stop himself. His blood vessels felt as though they were on fire and his nerve endings like he'd been zapped with a heavy dose of high voltage. He was also well aware that his feathered appendages had made an appearance to protect him from whatever his body had deemed a threat.
"Harry," she soothed. "Are you thirsty?"
That certainly did it. Once the statement had left the woman's mouth he felt himself become incredibly thirsty. His throat almost parched and Merlin how his stomach ached. "Mmm," he answered as best he could.
Selene nodded her head, though Harry wasn't able to see, and said to him, "We had hoped this could be done with the proper ritual surrounding it but it looks like your accelerated progress in both wings includes that of your thirst.
"Can I approach you?"
Of all bloody stupid questions...
"Yes," he cried, frustrated with how heavy his limbs had become as he tried to reach for her. However, she pulled back a bit, evidently unsure of the situation which only drew a long whimper from Harry. That settled it though, and Selene eased herself onto his large bed and dragged him over to her and held him tight.
"I've got it," called Demetrius from the doorway, and in quick strides he was standing over the pair situated on the bed.
Instantly Harry's nose perked up at the intoxicating scent that emanated from the smoking chalice his uncle held. Had Harry been in a more stable state of mind, he would have admired the cup for it's undeniable beauty, but instead he reached for it blindly, whimpering as he was denied.
"Harry, calm down and sit up slowly." The voice held an authority that Harry found was hard to disobey, not that he wanted to as he was sure that if he listened then he would be given that chalice as his reward.
Struggling, Harry raised himself up and gazed blearily at his uncle, the chalice still out of reach. He was vaguely aware that Selene was still supporting him a little, that both adults were talking quickly amongst themselves, and that soon their talk turned into something that sounded almost like a chant. All this was quickly forgotten as the chalice was urged into his eagerly awaiting hands.
"Drink, Harry." was the soft command.
Not needing to be told what to do, Harry downed the entire goblet in one go. Sighing in pleasure as the velvety warmth soothed his pain and the most exquisite of tastes flowed into his mouth and exploded on his tongue.
He collapsed boneless to his bed, completely sated and a smile that many would mistake as the kind that followed mind-blowing sex.
Harry fell asleep shortly after, missing the whispered conversation still going on in his room and around his head. He didn't however, miss when a soft hand eased his sweat soddened fringe from his brow, or the feathery light kiss placed there. Nor would he remember any of it when he awoke the next day from his bloodlust crazed mind.
-jade.reqiuem-
When Harry finally woke it was morning, and sunlight flowed freely into his face blinding him and only adding to the throbbing headache to which he was now suffering. He felt awful, worse than the few times he had had a hangover from drinking far too much Firewhiskey. It was as though some evil little creature had taken up residency in his skull and was renovating it with sledgehammers.
The feeling was thoroughly unwelcome.
What did surprised Harry though, was that Selene and Demetrius had seated themselves on either side of his bed, which he noticed had been shrunken down to something more resembling a single, no doubt so each could easily be within reach of him if he so needed it. He also noticed that both adults looked remarkably tired.
"That was bloodlust." Demetrius began as though an invisible switch had been turned, "We had been expecting it, but hoping it would be held off for a little until the usual rituals were completed.
"It does not matter now, though how it will effect things when you are presented to the court or council, I cannot say."
"How does this change anything?" Harry asked, surprised by the his voice yet again. Husky, yet smooth and honeyed all at once. "I thought... How much more of these..." he cast about searching for an appropriate word, "'stages' will I go through until I won't go through anymore? I had thought that there was only the transformation. I had no idea I'd go through anything else."
He tried to clear his throat.
Here Selene intervened by offering Harry the same chalice from the previous night. He took it and sipped this time from it's depths, absently aware of the vividness of it's hue and it's syrup-like consistency. In the depths of his mind he was fully aware of what he was drinking, however, his instincts had dulled those thoughts and just forced him to act.
"This changes a great deal Harry," Selene said, sounding worried, "it can't be hidden any longer, the other's would have felt you fully awaken into your self and will wish to call court as soon as possible. It cannot be delayed any further, at most they will allow a week for your recovery and then contact us to arrange a meeting.
"You have not been raised to the conduct of the court and so it leaves us with little time to train you in their ways. It will be hard. Despite you being crown Prince, the court will try to bully you but you mustn't allow that. They will see weakness if you submit, they will look for weakness in you. It is something I wish you could avoid, but it that seems time is against us...
"The only thing that works for us is that you have your wings, and you lived through your first bloodlust. Even if it did give your condition away to all the other of our clan, it has also helped secure your position."
Demetrius nodded in accordance with his wife but seeing the bemused expression on Harry's face, decided to elaborate further.
"Those who come into their bloodlust without ritual usually die, Harry. That you survived it and your hereditas alone with only the mild help from Selene and myself speaks highly in your favour.
"As for your other question; there are four stages to your transformation. Arguably five, though the next are painless."
Nodding numbly, Harry's eyes slipped to his chalice allowing his eyes to drink in the sight of the liquid it held as well as the fine cup itself. He examined it for a while, pouring over what he had been told and knew that soon he would be forced to meet people he was likely going to despise.
Swilling the almost wine-like liquid in his chalice he took a large gulp and finished it off. "And what might this be called?"
"That would be Resémier," Selene offered with a warm smile. "The finest and richest of wines that our kind has to offer."
"And the reason you're giving me more alcohol when I already suffer a killer headache?"
Selene blinked once then replied, "Resémier may be a wine, but it has no lasting effects after it is consumed. Such as hangovers. Your headache is but a mere warning that your thirst is not completely sated."
She took the empty chalice from Harry's fingers easily and poured him another drink before handing the container back to him. "This one should be sufficient," she said.
Harry nodded slowly a took another gulp of his wine. He had to contemplate whether it was normal for his kind to always drink blood-wine. True, he hadn't seen either of his relatives touch any of it before he himself first got a drink. That didn't matter though now when it was like soothing balm on the pounding nerve endings in his head. He sighed in relief.
"It's certainly... potent," Harry said after a while.
Demetrius smirked. "Indeed."
-jade.requiem-
Harry sat on his window seat wedged in between his large, ebony framed windows and stacks of cushions, gazing absently down at the massive pile of letters his friends had sent him.
Understandably, both had become worried when Errol and Pig had returned to the Burrow sprayed in blood and when he had failed to return letters. They had immediately informed Dumbledore and had been supplied with an answer which evidently quelled most if not all of their anxieties but left Harry remotely bitter.
It had crossed his mind that, perhaps Dumbledore already knew of what had happened and was actually allowing it. The letters for Harry which had continued to pile up only seemed to confirm this theory of his, even so didn't Harry deserve something from Dumbledore himself in explanation?
Heaving a heavy sigh, Harry unstopped his ink bottle—a brand new and overly decorative one, that in Harry's opinion was far more suited to be a girls' perfume bottle with most of it's crystalline form and silver, ivory and jade pieces fit into it—and began his letter back to his friends. He knew he couldn't write much about what had happened but promised that as soon as he saw them that he'd tell them everything.
Ron and Hermione,
I'm sorry to have worried you. I've been busy with someone I'm dying for you to meet. He's brilliant and so is his wife. Both are great and yes, they feed me and treat be better than the Dursleys' ever did.
A lot has happened over the past month and I can't really go into detail about it, just that I will tell you as soon as I see you both at school. There is nothing to worry about Hermione, and yes I have had a chance to do all my school work.
The reason why I haven't answered your letters until now is actually because I only just received them. I'm unsure where I am exactly, I'm not with muggles nor am I in danger of any kind. From what I can tell, the only reason I even got these letters was because I sent Hedwig to the Durlseys' in hopes of picking up any stray post that may had been sent there. Apparently where I live is warded heavily and only she can find where I am.
I don't need to go to Diagon Alley, I've already been but thanks for asking Ron.
Tell everyone I love the gifts. They were brilliant.
Harry.
The letter was fairly short, but highlighted most of what their questions had been. It was obvious that at a point the pair had been almost hysterical over his disappearance. He hoped his letter would help settle the little Dumbledore was unable to.
Harry could almost imagine how Hermione would be acting. She believed the answer to everything was in a book or with an adult while Ron... well Ron was Ron.
Calling Hedwig over, Harry tied the parchment to her leg with a piece of string. "Take that to Hermione and Ron, both should still be at the Burrow."
Hedwig blinked her large amber eyes in understanding and, hooting once softly, took flight. Harry watched her go until even he could no longer make out her form on the distant horizon. He then proceeded to sit once more on the window seat, leg bouncing in the nervous manner he had been trying to get himself out of. When he realized what he was doing, he stopped bouncing his leg and settled for biting his lip.
It was a few days until school now. His meeting with the court was that evening around midnight, and, in all honesty, he had never been so nervous in all of his life, not even having to stand trial for his under age magic the previous year.
But that wasn't the only thing happening that night, he wasn't meeting with only his clan. No, apparently the Silver Court consisted of one other clan as well; that of the Invidians. Not so unlike the Angelus, or so Harry had read, the Invidians job was to protect while Harry's was to kill. The thing being, they were meant to protect the Angelus. In one passage Harry had come to the conclusion that there had to be a sort of bond between the two. Perhaps it was a blood bond, that ensured the absolute loyalty of the Invidians to the Angelus.
From what Harry had seen, few things were stronger than that of a blood bond. Though it was possible that it was just instinct that kept the two from killing each other and instead focusing on their clanless cousins.
Slowly, Harry pondered over the information he had on the Invidians. Their appearance came second to only the Angelus, and by the ignorant could occasionally mistaken as such, though it was more often Dark Veela. While they too had wings resembling an Angelus, the slight difference was that theirs' also had glittering scales, a throwback to Draconis himself.
Harry reflected on that a while before pulling his thoughts back together and contemplating all the different possibilities of something going wrong. He was also interested to see how everyone interacted with the other.
Night fell gradually as Harry prepared for his meeting, thinking constantly about what could happen. He knew how he was to act; how his aunt and uncle were to act. Everything had been practised until he could recite every single gesture and court etiquette forwards and backwards, even as he slept.
The most unnerving thought though, was that he'd have to meet his own personal 'body guard' of sorts. The thought was irritating. Never had Harry thought he'd have his own guard to trail him every waking day, and it unsettled him no end. Surely his uncle wouldn't force that on him? But he already knew the answer; yes, he would. It was a necessity. Well maybe not a necessity but it was 'proper court protocol'. That and the fact that there was no possibility of there being an heir until Harry, the crown Prince of the Angelus, settled down with someone, he was trapped with a constant shadow.
At Harry's queries of why Demetrius didn't have his own warder, the elder Nikolai had simply informed Harry that he no longer needed one and refused further comment. Instead, he had made Harry study the blood bonds that would be required of him to form with his warder, once selected.
The bonding ceremony was somethingsurrounded heavily by ritual, even if the bonding itself was as simple as a few words and drinking from the other's wrist. He knew this because he'd been forced to memorize it all as well as the magical theory behind this type of blood-bond.
The bond itself was a simple one, much like the bonding process. It allowed the location of both bonded to know exactly where the other was as well as emotional and physical status; as long as the bond remained opened or not interfered with, that is.
This was going to be one hell of a night.
Sighing as he forced his chaotic feelings to settle, Harry studying himself carefully in his full length mirror. He adjusted his collar and settled the elegant clasp of his cloak as he had been shown. It was essential that it be over his left shoulder until he was informed to remove the hood of his cloak and reveal himself to the court. There had been another gathering about a month earlier, but Harry had missed it as it had been around the time of his own birthday.
"You look fine." Selene said from Harry's door way as she slowly made her way over to him. "There is no need to be nervous, just remember what we've taught you." She fiddled with his deep green cloak, so dark it appeared black, and eased out any remaining wrinkles. "Remember, don't allow anyone to talk you down. Hold your head high. Most of all, remember that while you may grow bored of the ceremony, at least pretend to be attentive. First impressions last, but I'm sure you'll make one hell of a wave."
Harry blinked. Never had Selene said anything remotely vulgar in his presence.
Apparently reading his thoughts, she smirked in a very Slytherin-like manner. "Let us go, your uncle is awaiting our arrival in the main travel chamber."
Following apprehensively, Harry was within the main travel chamber in little time and, as expected, Demetrius was indeed waiting. All Nikolais had dressed in their traditional robes that were a green so dark it was mistaken for black. Both males' were high collared and embroidered in thick bronze scrolling opened to reveal their chests and held closed at the waist by carefully detailed belts of white-gold and various precious jewels. The robe finished just above the knee and had two splits to the waist on their side revealing the form fitting trousers both wore beneath and the dark, knee high boots. The only difference between them, that Demetrius wore a white-gold band in his hair.
Selene's garments were similar, though feminine. Her robes form fitting but not overly revealing and whisked along the ground as she walked. The slashes up the sides of her outer robes revealed the pale bronze inner robes, which was also visible through the large opening up the front of her robes. The bronze was edged with a cream lace and went straight across the front, only a little lower than her collar. Her dark hair was pulled up into an elegant bun with loose strands framing her face and her diadem hanging at her brow.
"You look lovely, as always," Demetrius murmured, taking his wife's hand and kissing it; a fleeting press of his lips to her knuckles. Then he looked at Harry, " And you, my nephew, look very handsome."
Harry nearly scoffed. He knew handsome wasn't quite the word he'd use on himself. Fer from it, actually. He sighed and raised his hood to ensure his face was completely shadowed and followed as the older vampires stepped into the family sized fireplace.
"You'll do just fine," Demetrius murmured, "Remember; no fear, it—"
"'has the strongest scent,'" Harry quoted back, softly.
Demetrius nodded once in acknowledgement before calling their destination. Harry was at once lost in a whirl of bright green flame.
The family arrived in a small nondescript chamber with four guards at the door. They immediately bowed to the family and stepped around the new comers as a guard of honour. The chamber they entered next looked like it was out of some muggle fairy tale. It was huge and circular in shape. From what Harry knew of the place, he was sure that this was the court he had been informed of.
There were high walls supporting balcony upon balcony at almost strategic intervals. The walls were panelled with the same ivory that the fluted columns were made of, as were the balconies and what appeared to be all else except for the green hangings of ivy that broke the paleness of the place every so often or the scatterings of different strongly scented flowers as well as the soft cerulean pools that were filled by the small cascading waterfalls. The entire place was filled with a soft unnatural light shining from everywhere and nowhere all at once and the scent that the night blooms filled the air with was positively intoxicating.
As planned, Harry and his family were the last to arrive and everyone else had already taken their seats. Demetrius again took Selene's hand and led her up the worn glittering stairs to his throne. Harry followed a step behind as he was taught and took the empty seat on his uncle's left.
Immediately all sound ceased, allowing Harry to assess everyone. He noted with an almost morbid amusement that everyone was rather nice to look at. It almost looked like they were a society of mega-supermodels or something. Though, Harry could still easily pick out the few in the crowd that were surreal in their appearance.
Tilting his head inquisitively, he saw that the other royal family had remained hooded, seated opposite them on the other side of the court. A sign of great respect, or so he'd been told before. They wouldn't remove their hoods until Harry himself had taken his down.
"Brothers, sisters," exclaimed an old steward, whose long grey hair fell to his back. He stood in the very centre of the court and waved his arms about in an all encompassing gesture, "we gather here today to welcome the Nikolai heir into his inheritance." He then turned to Harry. "Rise."
And Harry did.
He stood and sauntered toward the man cloaked in the icy hauteur his family were well known for, stopping only the required three feet away; this kept him at a distance that showed he was unafraid of what could happen to him, but not cocky enough to invade the other's personal space.
"As you request, I do come." he intoned, inwardly marvelling at how his voice had developed an arrogant lilt.
The steward smiled, and it wasn't entirely pleasant. Bastard.
"As we all are well aware, he is to be crowned today in accordance with our law, his birthright and his standing as an adult. Let it be known that he came into his full hereditas alone and unaided; that he survived his first bloodlust without ritual."
There were murmurs among those in attendance. Harry could only guess at what was going through their minds.
"As decreed by the laws of our forefathers of blood, magic and ash, any brother or sister here may speak up against the chosen Heir's rights. Any here, may speak against his claims. Who here wishes to speak against his claims?"
Everything when deathly silent as a person from his own clan stood and approached. "I do," he said, trying to peer into Harry's cloak and see his face.
Behind him Harry heard Demetrius hiss, "Vulcan!" And Harry understood.
Vulcan was a distant relation but could still take the throne if he fought for it. Harry knew it would come to that too, if Vulcan was unable to intimidate him into surrendering the throne in his stead and Vulcan had had years to learn his powers while Harry had little less than a month.
The steward glanced nervously between the two, Vulcan was a great deal bigger than Harry and likely that much stronger as well.
"State your name," the old man said to the taller vampire.
"I am Vulcan Aieris Mosiev, son of Ileda Aieris and Yuri Mosiev, I claim his right and state he stand down or fight for his throne."
There was an immediate uproar; no one had done this kind of thing in years. Centuries even. But of course it had to happen to Harry. He was actually expecting something like this when he'd discovered it was possible.
The steward nodded once and turned back to Harry who was silently trying to burn a hole in Vulcan's head.
"What say you to his challenge?"
"I accept," Harry said without thought and glared menacingly at the taller vampire before him. He knew the other couldn't see what he was doing, but he hoped like hell he could feel it in some way.
"I wish to fight in his stead," yelled a loyalist to his uncle. The man looked around the same age as Vulcan and glared at the latter with utter hatred and distaste.
"I shall fight in his place!" Called someone else and this started an argument over who was to fight for Harry but all went silent as one of the hooded figures from the Invidian royalty stood and proclaimed, "I will fight in his place."
Unsure why, but that voice rang a bell in Harry's memory. He quickly brushed it away when he saw the other was about to approach. Harry had to do this, he didn't want his family being indebted to another regardless of their loyalty to his, also this would be seen as a weakness and he couldn't have that. Not if he wished to keep the people sided with him, no one would follow a weak ruler. Which was why Demetrius hadn't stepped in. His support was shown by accepting Harry was able to handle the duel by himself.
"No," Harry said, quietly but effectively capturing everyone's attention. He had noted with interest how Vulcan had actually paled as the other royal had announced he would fight but a smirk flittered across his face at Harry's words.
"I proclaim a duel to the death."
"No!" Selene cried all façades dropped. Harry turned to her and, ignoring all else, he walked up to his family, Demetrius was stony faced and glaring death at Vulcan while Selene was evidently struggling to hold in her tears. "Take it back," she pleaded softly so no one else but Harry would hear. "There is no dishonour in allowing another more learned to take your stead. You'll die, Harry."
That wasn't exactly encouraging but Harry guessed she was just worried for him.
"I promise I won't," Harry said offering his aunt a small smile, she kissed him on both cheeks and pressed a lingering one to his forehead. He turned to look at his uncle, who clapped him on the shoulder, his face was like carved ice.
"Make sure you don't," Demetrius said sternly. "I don't think I could stand your aunt, afterwards." It was a feebly made joke but Harry appreciated the gesture.
Silently, he made his way back to Vulcan who had tossed his cloak aside and was looking at Harry in a predatory way. Harry knew now that what he had done was incredibly stupid but there was nothing to be done for it. If he died he would have damaged his family name, but that wasn't all. If he died now, the world would be at the mercy of Voldemort. He couldn't let that happen.
Unclipping his cloak, Harry tossed it aside revealing his face to all. Understandably, everyone gasped. Even Vulcan's confidence appeared to wane while staring 'Harry Potter' down.
"That can't be," someone murmured.
"Is that Harry Potter?"
"Don't be daft, that's not the boy hero."
"'Course it's not, isn't he shorter?"
"He looks better than his photo's that's for sure!"
"That's Potter, all right."
"But how is he a Nikolai?"
"SILENCE!" Vulcan roared.
Harry's lips quirked upward into a smirk, seemingly of their own volition. "A little tense, are we?" He asked, adopting the tone Draco often used on him to draw some sort of reaction. "There are ways of dealing with that, you know."
Disturbingly, his opponent smiled.
Then he lunged, but Harry had been hoping the other would and deftly leapt aside, parrying as he went. The only thing he likely had on his side was his agility. Vulcan was bigger and stronger but likely more clumsy and, hopefully, if Harry got him angry enough he wouldn't think properly, causing him to do something monumentally stupid.
Vulcan lunged forward again.
Dodging easily away, Harry clipped Vulcan as he went by. The latter spun faster than the human eye could see and tried again, but again missed.
"Having trouble?" Harry taunted and continued to dance expertly out of reach as the other attempted to strike him, landing a few blows every so often but not anything too serious to even really wound.
Merlin was he lucky his uncle had insisted he take lessons in defence and offence beside the magical type.
Absently he wondered why they hadn't yet progressed to magic, his question was answered when a head sized flaming something was hurtled at him. He dodged it again, just barely missing the searing ball and leapt into the sky as his wings tore through his robes. The air was his element, he had felt that way even on a broom and now he had his own wings, knew how to use them.
Soon Vulcan too was airborne, though not as graceful and attempted to knock Harry out of the sky physically then magically.
Harry himself was shooting off different spells, the and trying to avoid the ones sent at him. For those on the ground watching, it must have looked like some kind of absurd air ballet with fireworks.
"Stupify!" His attack was dodged and countered with what looked like a strong severing hex.
Harry rolled and dipped as he spun around in the air, dodging and throwing hexes at unpredictable intervals. It felt invigorating, to be flying the way he was. Air was blowing through his robes, caressing his skin and playing with his hair; Harry had never felt so alive as he did then. Strangely, not even the fact that he was fighting for his life mattered for those few moments of unadulterated bliss.
He was snapped out of his thoughts when 'Imperio' was cast at him, Harry dove and spun missing the unforgivable by mere inches. So the other Angelus wasn't above using Unforgivables, was he? Well Harry wasn't about to sink to his level and countered with something a little different. In rapid succession, he called, "serpensortia! engorgio! Wingardium leviosa!"
A cobra flew from his wand tip, was enlarged and flung toward Vulcan, viciously hissing as it soared through the air. "Bite him!" Harry hissed to his conjured serpent, he watched with great pleasure as Vulcan's eyes widened at Harry before the large snake lashed out and sunk it's fangs into Vulcan's shoulder.
Vulcan ripped the snake off ruthlessly and hurtled it toward the ground. Immediately Harry vanished his creation. It was a mistake.
A jet of purple light flew at him.
"Protego!" The shield wasn't strong enough to take the full force of the curse and it clipped Harry, sending him hurtling back some metres through the air. When he stopped, he was breathing heavily, like his airway was closing up or something and his limbs felt heavy, including his wings which treaded the air feebly.
He wondered why Vulcan didn't appear to suffer from the snake's poisonous bite. He knew that Vampire's in general had a natural tolerance to most poisons and while it wouldn't kill them could still make them rather ill.
"I applaud your efforts, Nikolai," Vulcan hissed maliciously. "But you obviously don't know much about our kind. Did you honestly think your little trick would work? The only thing painful about your little pet was it's bite, just to share a little something so you won't make such a stupid mistake again, yes?
"I'm immune to all poison, a trait I picked up in my childhood, thankfully. Not that you really need to know that, seeing as I plan on killing you now anyway. You've survived alone thus far on sheer dumb luck."
"And Voldemort?" Harry threw back. He wasn't surprised to see the other wince. "I guess he was sheer dumb luck too?" He dodged a curse and spiralled down in his own winged version of the Wronski feint. Vulcan followed.
"Yes!" The older hissed, throwing some nasty looking curse. Harry dodged and missed it but wasn't fast enough to avoid the next that came hurtling at him and seared his leg. "Well, would you look at that? He bleeds!"
There was an unmistakable gleam of madness in his eyes as he leered at Harry.
"Reducto!" Harry hissed, spinning back upwards as he flew to avoid the attacks Vulcan was sending. He shot back his own and was pleased when one clipped the other's wing. This victory was short lived however, as Vulcan put on a sudden burst of speed that Harry was not expecting and he was seized in a very painful hold that also prevented his wings and arms any movement.
"Yes, you bleed," Vulcan said almost conversationally, he leaned closer to Harry. "But that's not the only thing you're going to do."
Harry could only imagine.
He knew this wasn't good, that he was high up and if Vulcan did what Harry assumed he was about to, that he was not going to survive the fall to earth. Not entirely thinking straight, Harry called out the first spell that came to mind, never mind he was still learning wandless magic, or that his arm was secured to his side still holding his wand, he threw all his will into the spell.
"Sectumsempra!"
It wasn't the best idea perhaps, given how close they were together. Vulcan's arm was cut severely as a part of his wing was too but then, Harry had also sliced his own hand open and was really wishing he had chosen a different spell.
Both landed metres apart, panting and dripping blood as they stood. Harry from his hand and his leg, Vulcan from his wings and his arm.
It quickly became apparent to Harry he should have stayed airborne though, as he noticed how much his leg now hindered his movements, as Vulcan quite easily landed some heavy knocks to Harry's body.
Retaliating, Harry shot off a close range curse and tried to flee into the sky but was almost immediately seized by the ankle and yanked back down with a 'thud' and lay sprawled out on the ground, panting. He was so sure he had just shattered his left arm. I'm so screwed. His chest hurt from all the hits, his leg ached something fierce as did his injured arm and hand. Dying would be easy, all he'd have to do was take it.
"You know," Vulcan said suddenly, his head tilted as he studied Harry. "I had just planned to kill you."
"Aren't you still?" Harry panted, confused. His breathing laboured.
"No," Vulcan answered and stood on Harry's right hand causing him to cry out. Well, there goes the other hand.
"No," Vulcan repeated sinking down in front of Harry and peering at him. He smiled an incredibly dark smile and lowered his voice. "I think I'll keep you alive. Even among our kind you are exquisite and powerful, if a little obnoxious." He reached forward to caress Harry's face but pulled back when Harry's teeth snapped at him. "You'd make a pleasant pet too, once you're properly broken in. The best jewel anyone could hope for in their treasury."
"Not interested," Harry hissed, eyes flashing menacingly.
"But I think you will be, Harry," Vulcan reasoned. "If you don't, I'll take your lovely aunt Selene instead. I'd much rather have you, but I wouldn't mind her, either. It was her I was initially after, anyway."
Harry was suddenly horrified. He tried to look at his family but was unable to. "You wouldn't," he whispered.
"But I would." Vulcan smiled that blasted smile again. "So, what will it be Harry?"
Incarcerous! Harry thought desperately, willing the wandless, wordless spell to work. His hope shattered as the ropes materialised but totally missed the target.
Vulcan grabbed Harry's head and slammed it painfully into the slate beneath him. "Now, Harry that wasn't very nice," he chided mockingly. "And definitely not the answer I was hoping for, but since I'm feeling generous I'll give you one more chance, I advise that you choose wisely. I won't give you another." He caressed Harry's face before slamming the boy's head into the ground once more.
Biting his lip, Harry closed his eyes against the pain in his body and the throb of his head, it felt like it had been split open. Oh he was in so much shit. There was no way he could see of getting out of this mess, not with his thoughts so scattered and fixed on how much everything hurt. Then his mind ticked over on a thought, Vulcan apparently wanted him, which was why he was offering an exchange, there was still a possibility he could get out of this...
But what did he mean? Did he want Harry, that way or just as a pet? A trophy to show the world that he possessed the boy-who-lived?
Opening his eyes, Harry was met with Vulcan's face hovering mere centimetres from his own and had his question answered. Forcing all his bravery to the fore, Harry rose up enough allowing his lips to close the gap and kiss Vulcan. The latter's reaction was instantaneous, he moved to straddle Harry while holding his shoulder and began to kiss him back hungrily. Harry could suddenly hear the people around him again, but he wasn't sure what they were doing. He himself was feeling really light headed, through loss of blood or lack of oxygen was anybodies guess. Though even through his dazed mind he could feel the hand that Vulcan had crushed and was surprised it wasn't too badly damaged. Or had healed faster than he had anticipated.
This could work.
It's for the best.
He drew back enough to look into Vulcan's eyes, clear blue he realised and whispered, "I'm sorry to end your little fantasy." Vulcan looked confused as he peered back at Harry, eyeing the blood coating the boy's lips.
"There's..." Vulcan said, unable to finish as his eyes began dimming and he slumped over onto Harry, unmoving.
Shuddering Harry let out a breath and retracted his wand hand from the other's ruined ribcage, extracting his dead heart. For long moments, or maybe that was just how long it seemed for Harry, he just lay beneath the other's cooling body. Cradling him between his legs, blood staining their clothes and mind absolutely blank.
He closed his eyes and lay back completely.
It was probably better that way. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to move and Vulcan was heavy and crushing him.
"Harry!" Someone nearby cried, then Vulcan was removed and breathing was made that much easier. Then more difficult as he was crushed in a hug. "I thought you'd died," someone sobbed. Harry thought it sounded like Aunt Selene.
"I promised I wouldn't."
"Selene, you're crushing the poor boy. It can't be helping with his breathing." That definitely sounded like Demetrius.
"Is the young prince all right?" Asked another female voice.
"He'll be fine," Demetrius answered. "We thank you for your attempted intervention."
"It is our duty to do so," replied a different male, sincerely. "But we cannot take the credit for this one, as it was our son alone who decided he wished to fight for your prince."
"Harry? Harry? Do you think you can open you eyes for me?"
"I'd rather not," he grumbled and felt like the axis of the world had suddenly tilted and was trying to throw him. He rolled with the movement and heaved once he was done, bringing up all the blood he had somehow swallowed while kissing Vulcan. "Disgusting."
"Drink this," Selene said and pressed a cool vial of something to Harry's lips. He downed the contents, and slowly sat up though his body was protesting the movement and peered around. Vulcan was being carted off. Likely to be burnt. Many of the people who had gathered were being cleared away by the guards. Selene was kneeling with him on the ground, Demetrius was standing to her side and there...
His eyes widened in absolute horror before he shot back a few feet, snatched up his wand and threw up a large protective shield. "Get away from me!"
"He recognises us," drawled Lucius Malfoy, looking terribly amused.
"You really shouldn't be teasing him while he's still upset," Narcissa Malfoy frowned, she also had a look of concern on her face. What unnerved Harry more was that the concern was directed at him.
Slowly his gaze flicked to the other person who had remained silent throughout the interaction and landed on Draco.
He... well he looked uncommonly pissed off. No, incensed seemed a safer word to describe him, and Harry wasn't entirely sure what the blonde was pissed off about, though he had a fair idea. It stood to reason Draco would be rather put out at watching Harry somehow survive certain death, yet again. After all, he knew Draco wanted nothing more to than to see him die a horrible death.
"Harry, it's all right they won't hurt you," Selene said soothingly.
"Oh I beg to differ," he argued and tried to stand. He toppled over almost instantly and glared at everything and anything.
"Really Harry," Narcissa said, lowering herself to his level. "We are sworn to protect you. It's in our blood."
"Yes well, explain that to Mr Wand-Happy over there!" Harry paused, blinked and frowned up at Lucius. "How did you get out of Azkaban? Scratch that, I'm going home. Hedwig! Hedwig where are you?"
Hobbling, Harry stood and wandered off toward the room he had arrived in.
Selene frowned. "A concussion, I think," she said. "Perhaps mild shock as well."
"I think it's just us," Lucius smirked.
"Lucius!" Narcissa reprimanded.
"I'll go after him," Demetrius sighed. "He needs to have his injuries seen to before wandering around in territory he knows nothing of, with possible assassins around every corner."
Demetrius followed the spotty blood trail and found Harry sitting in the fireplace, his good leg drawn up to his chest while the other lay stretched out in front of him. For a moment Demetrius had thought Harry had fallen asleep but that assumption was quickly banished as soon he saw Harry's green eyes fixed on nothing in particular, and tears spilling down his cheeks.
"I killed him," Harry said, he blinked and looked up at his uncle. "I've killed someone."
"It was you or him, Harry," Demetrius said.
"No," Harry murmured, head lowering. "It's was me or Aunt Selene. I couldn't let that happen. Not to her."
"What do you mean?"
"I was willing to die. I thought I already was but he said," Harry swallowed thickly and looked back up. "He said I had a choice. That I submit to him and he'd leave Aunty Selene alone in favour of me or if not... he'd take her."
Suddenly, understanding dawned in Demetrius' eyes. "You made him think you gave into him, killing him afterword, and now you feel guilty?"
"No, but shouldn't I?" Harry shot back. "Or perhaps I should be more disgusted with myself for the dirty tactics I used, even if it didn't go far. I was practically offering him my body as a bargaining tool. Who does that? But I don't feel anything. Not for killing Vulcan or for how I managed to do it. But shouldn't I?"
"Harry you did what you thought was best and worked with what you had," Demetrius pointed out carefully. "You saved your aunt from some unknown fate. Don't regret what you've done to protect her. Or think that you should be feeling that way. Remember, our clan feel nothing for those we are not attached to.
"Vulcan was no one to you, so you feel nothing for his death. No guilt or regret. You will not come to feel anything either, not if your hunting instincts start kicking in. Which they have. The only thing that will hold you back and give you grief is yourself. Trying to force yourself into feeling something that is unnatural for us."
Harry couldn't quite understand though. He'd read up on it yes, but from what he'd seen when in private with his family, they weren't as heartless as the books made his clan out to be, but then it was only in private. He hadn't seen them interact with anyone else to really come to any conclusions on. Then there were his own feelings; he still felt strongly about a great many things, it was just Vulcan's death that had no effect on him whatsoever. It scared him to be so detached...
Abruptly Harry's eyes narrowed. "What are the Malfoy's doing here? You warned me yourself to avoid Draco at all costs and now you bring me to a place that not only has him but his mother and father? Fresh out of Azkaban!"
"Now Harry, calm down." Demetrius lowered himself next to him, obviously thrown by the sudden change of topic. "The Malfoy's are the ruling Invidian royalty. They are of the other clan who are meant to protect us and the reason why I told you to avoid the younger Malfoy was because you couldn't meet him before you'd been introduced at court. That and it's quite possible he may be able to see through our glamours or, at the very least, partially. Like you."
"But Lucius is a supporter of Voldemort!" Harry hissed, his head was beginning to throb worse then before, if that was possible.
Surprisingly, Demetrius didn't flinch.
"Not by choice." Demetrius murmured, sounding sad. "It was voted by the Council that someone of great influence should join Voldemort. It so happens poor dear Lucius drew the thin end of the wand, otherwise it would have been me in that situation.
"He isn't the only one of our clans either, though they all join as wizards for Voldemort mustn't know we are vampires and that the clanless would love nothing more than to get a hold of us and tear us limb from limb. Understandably they are jealous of us; that we can walk in the light while they are forced to sulk in shadows.
"As for Lucius' release, technically he never went to Azkaban, someone else did in his stead. But no one needs to know that, certainly not Voldemort as it will cause a great many more issues than there need be."
"And when Voldemort goes to break Lucius and his other followers out of Azkaban?" Harry prompted. "What then?"
"We'll catch that snitch when it comes," Demetrius replied.
"What about Draco and his mum?" Harry pressed, unwilling to give up his fight so soon. "Won't Voldemort be wanting to punish Lucius by using them? Recruiting Draco as a Death Eater perhaps?"
"No, Harry," Demetrius responded. "Narcissa has played her role well and no one suspects her even capable of such. Draco I believe has managed to evade Voldemort in much the same way."
"How is that possible? What about Bellatrix?" Harry hissed, suddenly seething with the thought of her. Then there was Narcissa who was also a part of Sirius' death and Harry began to hate the woman all over again. How dare she make nice with him after what she did? Two-faced bitch.
Apparently, he had voiced his thoughts aloud because Demetrius cleared his throat.
"I assume you're talking about the fiasco which had Lucius caught and almost imprisoned?" The oldest asked.
"Yeah," Harry replied curtly.
Demetrius nodded. "Narcissa had no part in any of that. It was merely in her home that the treachery took place. As for Bellatrix, she is not an Invidian nor is Andromeda. Neither know anything about us, obviously, as it would be unsafe.
"I understand you don't trust them, Harry, but you must in the end. I'm not forcing you to like them immediately of course, as I'm sure there is still bad blood between you. At least on your side, as their instincts would have already overridden any mistrust or dislike of you. The Malfoys are our greatest allies and us theirs. Our clans were created perfectly to balance the other out. You can trust them. Actually, you can trust them more than some members of our own clan." Demetrius chortled without humour.
Harry's lip curled in an absent sneer reminiscent of Draco Malfoy. He should have known there would be a bloody catch to his life. He had known it was too good to be true when he'd discovered he had other living relatives that wanted him, an almost perfect family that just happened to be friends or acquaintances, rather, of his long time rival's family.
He trusted his uncle and aunt with all of his heart and loved them fiercely, but he wasn't sure even he could quite take the step of accepting the Malfoys whole-heartedly. Perhaps it would take time for him to do so, but somehow he knew that time wasn't really on his side. In fact, it never was. Harry couldn't do this; it was too much too accept in too small an amount of time, but he knew he had to do it.
Sighing, Harry allowed his eyes to shut. His stomach may not have been heaving anymore, but his head threatened to split open, making it hard to really think even though he needed to. He'd come to a compromise then; he'd reserve judgement for another day but, until then, he had another pressing matter at hand.
"There's one more thing," he said, staring back at his uncle. "My crowning won't be today obviously, with everyone being cleared off. So how's that going to work then?"
Demetrius shook his head a small smile making itself known. "Leave that to me. No one will have any qualms with your ascent to the thrown. You've proven your worth and if anyone did want to, they couldn't now anyway. Your duel to the death ensured that, but won't stop assassins should there be any.
"Now, to what I was really coming here to see you about." He pulled out his own wand and various potions.
"Am I to assume this is the 'humour' you were talking about earlier?"
Demetrius paused a moment, wand raised. "Yes," he said.
Harry nodded. "I still don't see how it's funny."
-jade.requiem-
It was a grim and only mildly injured Harry who emerged from the room some time later, trailing behind his uncle and back out to the court where the rest of the royals awaited.
"I can't believe you talked me into this," Harry muttered sullenly.
"Come now, Harry. Don't be like that."
"I'd much rather have finished this off another day," Harry argued. "You know, when I can think clearly. Because right now, everything is still scrambled."
"Nice to see you're healing, Harry," Narcissa said with a smile. It made Harry want to shudder. Not that it was a mean smile or anything, it was just that he was not used to having Malfoys being nice to him. From what he'd seen of her, Narcissa was an icy bitch who thought little of everyone, Lucius was a sadistic bastard and Draco a pampered brat with a father complex, and yes, here were all Malfoys apparently wanting to make nice with him. Warily, he eyed the sky. Surely it was about to fall?
But it didn't happen.
"My Lady," he intoned after a long awkward pause, and took her hand gently to press a chaste kiss to it's back. Then he offered both Lucius and Draco a fluid bow. "If we can get this over with?" He suggested eagerly. "I really want to leave."
Lucius chuckled. "Wanting to be rid of us so soon?"
Harry's eyes snapped to the blonde's face and he smiled, revealing his sharp fangs. "I'm thirsty," he replied, feeling his anger sharply rise.
"So soon?" Lucius repeated, his brow quirked.
To this, Harry snarled. "You try having some freak's tongue down your throat! Coupled with that I nearly drowned in his sickening blood, I'm certain you'd want to get rid of the taste too!"
Draco growled, something which caught everyone's attention.
Testy, Harry thought. Giving him an odd look, Harry went on with his issues, deciding to ignore him. "But that's beside the point. Aren't I meant to pick out someone to guard me or whatever?"
He knew now that all decorum had flown out the door and wasn't too bothered either. His head hurt, not in any real physical pain, not now, but more with the fact that he was having trouble thinking. He was thirsty, incredibly so and wanted to get rid of the taste of Vulcan's blood still in his mouth.
"The Invidian royals pick the best and you have the final say," Selene answered, standing proudly off to his side.
Harry looked at her then back at Lucius, eyeing the blonde guardedly. "Ok."
It was a delighted smirk that lit the grown blondes stunning face. A look Harry grew instantly wary of. "It has been long decided, that Draco was to be your guard."
Spluttering, Harry took many steps back. "That's a joke, right?"
Demetrius and Selene shared a look then glanced at their opposites, their faces unreadable.
"It is no joke," Draco interjected. Harry's eyes immediately fixed on his. "I've been trained in this for years. It will be an honour to serve where many of my people have failed over the years. It would be an honour to serve you."
"You must really be hating this," Harry muttered, then he looked to the elder Malfoys in a plea. "You don't have to embarrass us both, just choose some random that I can order around and abandon when it becomes a necessity. Because how will this be explained if Voldemort discovers? Your cover will be blown, for one," he tried to reason.
"We had considered that," Narcissa answered, obviously the 'nicer' of the two Malfoy adults. She looked to be choosing her words carefully.
"How about we finish this discussion at a later time?" Demetrius suggested before the Invidian Queen could voice her thoughts any further. Inwardly, Harry was cheering.
"I think that's splendid," Narcissa nodded in agreement. "Until then you may stay with us at the manor."
"That's sounds like a great idea."
"What?" Harry gasped. "No!"
Regardless, he was dragged along anyway.
xXx