Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1
AN: Someone asked me about Astrate and I would like to clarify that she is my own character, you won't find her in the books. This is kind of a filter chapter, just want to get some explanations out of the way. The next chapter will be getting into the main part of the story and it'll move quickly from then on. I already have some ideas about the Horcux and I have some battle scenes in my head. I also know how Harry and Draco will develop a relationship and have several of the sex scenes working out. Anyone know how explicit I can get with the sex scenes? It would help so my story won't get deleted. Thanks in advance and hope you enjoy.
Chapter 7
"Why is she still holding his hand?" Ron questioned Harry quietly as the group made their way up the stairs, with Astrate leading and Hermonie trailing. Harry gave a shrug of his shoulders.
"You don't think there's something between them do you?" Hermonie gave a sigh and a shake of her head at Ron's statement. She watched as Draco stopped on the stairs, effectively stilling Astrate as he turned to face Ron. Astrate stood one step above, watching Draco approach the three in interest. Draco took the steps slowly, a sneer fixed on his face as he approached Ron. He stopped two steps above, just so he can loom down upon Ron and spoke, his tone cold.
"Weasley, please keep your perverted kinks to yourself," Draco drawled, arms across his chest.
As expected with any confrontations between the two, Ron was quick to anger, his face getting almost as red as his hair, while Draco watched on in cold contempt, a smirk fixed permanently on his face. Harry was about to speak up and defend his friend when Hermonie took the last few steps and push Harry and Ron aside, and stood in front of Draco. With her hands on her hips, she tilted her head to the side and stared unblinkingly at Draco with an expression that's plainly calling him an idiot. He sneered at her, she waited. He glared, she scoffed. Stuff like this never happened to Draco and uncertainty flashed across his face. He relaxed his stance and backed up a step and slightly to the left. She gave a tiny nod of thanks and walked past him to join Astrate. The two continued up the stairs while the other three watched in silence.
"Weasley, your mudblood girlfriends has finally snapped."
"Malfoy, don't make me smack you," said Hermonie without turning. She and Astrate rounded the corner onto the second floor landing. The three stood on the stairs, eying each other carefully. Astrate's head stuck out from the corner as she motion for them to hurry. Keeping as much distance as possible between Ron and Malfoy, Harry made his way up the stairs to find the girls waiting for them in front of a door. Astrate opened the door and once again taking Draco's hand, dragged him inside. The three friends exchanged a look when a gasp was heard from inside. They walked through the door and froze at the sight. From the outside, it looked like any ordinary room; but once inside, it was a sight to behold. Spread before them was an endless field, a line of trees indicating a forest in the far distance.
"What the..." gasped Ron and Harry silently agree. They both turned towards Hermonie, waiting for an explanation. She ignored them in favor of surveying the surroundings.
"Over here!"
They turned in unison at the voice and found Astrate waving at them near a cluster of trees near a small pond. Once they arrived, they took a seat in the grass shaded by the trees as indicated by Astrate and waited. Astrate shook her dress slightly and sat down across from them.
"Hold on," said Harry before Astrate had a chance to start. She sent him a questioning look as he pointed to Draco who was sitting by the pond, his fingers twirling in the water as he gazed at nothing, "I don't want him in on this conversation."
Astrate nodded. "Neither does he. He told me that he doesn't want to know anything that has to do with Potter, so I don't think you have anything to worry about."
Harry found himself staring at Draco. The other teen has a look of loneliness that was familiar to Harry, and he found himself wanting to comfort the boy. He shook his head to clear the thoughts, reminding himself that it was Malfoy he wanted to comfort and the other boy was more likely to sneer at him than appreciate the gestures. He came back to himself to find Hermonie staring at him with an unreadable expression and Astrate waiting for him. He blushed slightly and nodded at Astrate to start.
"As you might have gathered, I knew your mother. I understand that you were told that you resulted from the union of a wizard and a...what do you call those without magic?"
"A muggle," stated Hermonie helpfully. She uncrossed her legs and stretch them in front of her while Ron propped himself up with his arms behind his back, leaning at an angle. Harry sat with his elbows on his knees, supporting his head in his hands and staring at Astrate intensely.
"Right, a muggle," nodded Astrate as she adjusted her seat to a more comfortable position. "That's not exactly true."
Harry raised an eyebrow in question and waited.
"Harry, your mother was half fae."
A moment of silences greeted the statement. Then an explosion of noise rang throughout the field.
"What?"
"Really?"
"How do you know that?"
Astrate turned from Harry, to Ron, to Hermonie and figures she should answer their answers in order.
"I said Fae. Yes really. I know because I am one also."
"What exactly is a fae?" asked Harry. He turned in surprise when it was Ron who answer.
"A fae is a magical entity. They are believed to be legend since no one can prove their existences. Basically, a fae is magic. They say that all magic originate from faes."
Harry slowly turned back to face Astrate, who smiled at him softly. Hermonie sat stunned before scowling.
"I have never read anything about them."
"That's because they don't put them in research or textbooks, they are believed to be fictional. That they only exist in fairy tales," explained Ron, happy to be the one who knows something when Hermonie doesn't for once.
"So you're half fae too?"
"No Harry, I am a full fledge fae. Those with fae blood is what your kind call pureblood so I guess I'm what you call the ultimate pureblood."
Harry almost face planted onto the grass when Ron jumped up and whooped in excitement. They all turned towards him and he blushed slightly in embarrassment. He slowly sat down and took a breath, pointing to Draco who was still by the pond, ignoring them.
"It's just that Harry is also a pureblood, probably more so than Malfoy over there."
"That's true," stated Astrate, not understanding the excitement, "Draco's family has fae blood passed onto the family generations ago. Harry here has a closer tie since it came from his grandfather."
"How did that happen? How come my aunt doesn't have any magical powers? Or does she?"
"No, your grandmother has a sister and she was Lily's mother. When they passed away, Lily was given to your aunt's parent to raise."
"So what does all this mean?" asked Harry as he tried to wrap his head around all the information.
"I am here to watch over you for two reasons. One is because you might have enough power to become a full fae so I am here as your guide."
"What's the second?" asked Hermonie when Astrate paused.
Astrate turned towards Harry and he found himself almost lost in those familiar eyes, "Your mother asked me to."
Harry blinked in surprised and straighten in his seat. Sensing that he needs a few minutes, Hermonie spoke up.
"How come there isn't any historical records of faes?"
"We do not meddle in the affairs of humans. We are eternal, unaging and unchanging. But once in a long while, our kind will venture out to the mortal realms to seek comfort and live in the world for a while. We never show our true powers while we are here so not to draw attention. We usually don't stay long, then we return to our world."
"So how did wizards and witches come to be if your kinds comes and goes?"
"Sometimes, we find someone who we believe is worth it and stays, therefore giving up our immortality. Those who stays loses a large amount of our powers and will die a mortal death."
"But how does the muggle born get magical powers?"
Astrate gave the young witch a small smile. "We watch. Sometimes when we find those who are worthy, those who truly desire it, and we gift them with magic. I hope you like the gift."
"It was you...?"
Astrate nodded and Hermonie sent her a beaming smile.
Harry sat with his head in his hands, trying to absorb everything and letting the conversation wash over him. He turned when a hand clasp his shoulders and he lifted his head to gave a slight smile to Ron who watched him with worry.
"So you are powerful?"
Astrate and Hermonie turned at the question and found Harry watching. Astrate nodded slightly and waited.
"Are you strong enough to defeat Voldemort?" Harry ignored the slight cringe from Ron.
"Maybe. But I can't."
"Why not?"
Astrate shifted closer to Harry, catching his gaze and gave him a sad smile. "It's your destiny. I can't change something that was prophesied. I can only help you along the way."
"What about Sirius? What about all the other things that happened to me? If you were suppose to watch over me like my mother wanted, why did you allow all those things to happen to me?" Harry spat out angrily. He turned away from her gaze and stared unseeingly forward.
After a pause, she shook her head slowly. "I am sorry, but it doesn't work that way. We cannot fix everything that went wrong with your life. You have to believe that's the way life was suppose to be like that for you."
Harry let out a sigh slowly before turning towards Astrate. His gaze soften when he saw the tears threatening to fall, making her eyes a more vivid green. He gave her a small smile and nodded, accepting her reasons.
"I understand. I'm sorry for acting like a brat."
She gave him a watery smile and looked away when Hermonie engaged her in conversation. Harry lay on his back and stared up at the blue sky, watching the clouds and thinking while Astrate describe her world for Hermonie. Harry closed his eyes and turned his thoughts inward.
He rolled to his stomach and opened his eyes. He waited until there was a break in the conversation before interrupting.
"Astrate, do I gain some special powers with the fae bloodline?"
Astrate turned to him and tilted her head in thought. "We will see when our birthday arrives. It might be something as simple as a power boast or you might gain some fae characteristics."
"Characteristics? Like what?"
With a wave of her hand, a small dagger appeared. She quickly sliced the palm of her hand. Ignoring the cries of alarm, she lifted her hand to show them. She was bleed slightly and they watched in surprise as the blood dripped down the hand onto the ground below.
"Your blood...it's blue!?" questioned Hermonie, rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things.
Astrate nodded. "Blue blood is one of the many fae characteristics But it's a full fae ability so I doubt you'll get it," she looked around the confused faces. With another movement of her uninjured hand, the dagger disappeared and was replaced with a cloth. She wiped her hand clean and showed them the disappearing scar. "It's healing blood. As long as the wound isn't fatal, the blood can heal it."
With a nod, Harry rolled to his side and found Ron with his chin in his arms, staring unblinkingly at Astrate. His expression said that he wanted to ask something but he kept changing his mind. Harry raised an eyebrow and nudged his best friend.
"Ronald, if you have something to ask, just do it already," said Hermonie without turning. Ron and Harry looked at each other. It was amazing how she always does that, and always without looking. It was kind of eerie. Ron sat up and mumbled something with his head down.
"I'm sorry?" asked Astrate as she leaned closer. Hermonie let out an annoyed sigh.
"Can we see your wings?" Ron blurted out, startling Astrate who didn't expect the outburst.
"Wings?" asked Harry.
"Yeah, I heard stories that faes have wings and that different colors represent the different elements they rule," replied Ron, glad to look at anything beside Astrate.
As on, Harry and Hermonie turned towards Astrate for confirmation.
"Ron is correct. And you may see them if you truly want to."
The three nodded enthusiastically. Astrate stood and turned to call Draco. Harry almost forgot the other boy was still there. He watched as Draco stood from his spot and strolled over. Draco took a seat far from the other three and waited
"Why is he over here?" asked Ron, eying the new arrival with dislike. Draco ignored him.
"I told Draco about me being a fae and he made the same request. I figure I might as well show you all at the same time."
"Malfoy, how much of the conversation did you overhear?" asked Harry and he rolled himself into a sitting position.
"Nothing Potter. I don't snooped around other people's business."
"Right, except for all those times of you spying on me and spreading rumors about me," replied Harry, his own smirk in place, challenging the blond to disagree.
'When did he learn how to smirk?' Draco watched in slight fascination, 'it looks kind of sexy.'
Draco almost banged his head against the trunk of the nearest tree when that thought popped up. Potter was not sexy. Nothing regarding Potter can ever be associated with that word. He was save the trouble of saying something nasty back when Astrate answered for him.
"He didn't hear anything. I placed a barrier around us when we started."
Harry dropped the subject and watched with the others when Astrate closed her eyes. The air around them seems to still as she clasp her hands in front of her chest, as if in prayers. Slowly, a shadow appeared behind her back and grew outward. Suddenly, a blast of wind blew past them, and white feather wings burst open from her back. The wings stretched upwards for a second before folding and settling behind her, tugged in and the tips touching the back of her knees. She tilted her head and gave them a smile, the sunlight shinning on her just at the right angle making her look like an angel.
"White? What element is that?" questioned Hermonie and she watched in delight, a gleam of discovery in her eyes.
"I do a little of this, a little of that."
Draco's hand twitched a little, and he made to reach forward until he realized what he was doing and pulled back. Astrate turned to him and motioned him forward.
"You can touch them if you want."
The four teens got up from their seat and reach forward hesitantly,. The feathers were surprisingly soft and they twitched slight when touched. Slowly, the four withdrew and stood back to watch.
"Does it always take that much to make them appear?" asked Ron, awe still apparent in his voice.
Astrate shook her head, an amused look in her eyes. "No, the wings are always there. They are just invisible to the human eyes. That was just for show. I figure you guys would appreciate it."
Harry let out a small laugh. In a second, the wings disappeared from view and they made sat down once again. The group made small talk, with Draco either speaking only to Astrate or staring of into the distance. Harry lay back and stared at the clouds. He knew that this was the calm before the storm, that quiet days like these will be unlikely to happen often. He closed his eyes and decide to enjoy it as much as he can.
