I quickly needed to re-edit the chapter, sorry guys.
CHAPTER VII – WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR FAMILY?
Hermione sat on a chair besides a heavily sedated Dudley. She had come down to visit him once she had woken. She had left Ron, snoring like the Devil in the Room.
She was staring down concerned at the curly haired boy. Mme Pompfrey had explained to the Gryffindor what had happened when he had seen her wand and the accidental magic. The simple fact that Harry's long hated cousin appeared to have some form of magical core, somewhere under all the fat, was enough to keep her here for the past 3 hours.
As she looked at the sleeping boy, she felt a wave of anger rise inside herself. He had caused so much pain to Harry! His family had made her best friend's life hell and had made him completely oblivious to what a hug, a loving smile from a parent or close friend meant. Her finger twitched towards her wand and her arm hitched to feel the power course down it before imagining it coming out as a bolt of light from the tip of her wand.
She jumped as Madame Pompfrey suddenly came out of her office. The Mediwitch shot her a glance before going through the cabinets and pulling out the odd potion. She laid them all on a floating tray that followed her as she walked. She came back towards her patient and began to feed him the contents of the vials. Neither woman said a word. Hermione could see in the old witch's eyes the same she was sure was shining in her eyes; confusion.
"How is he", finally asked the young witch.
"In deep state of shock", replied her elder. "He woke up yesterday but had some sort of attack when he saw one of the house-elves come in to help me, unless he was shocked by the tray I was levitating behind me, I don't know."
Hermione nodded and returned to looking at the Muggle.
"He had some accidental magic", said Pomfrey after a lapse of silence.
"Seriously? I know, from what I understood from what Harry told me when we went to collect him at his home, that he had some kind of core but that it had hidden itself to protect him…"
"Yes, that's what the Headmaster told me too. His magic hid itself to protect him."
"Protect him? Protect him? Why the hell did he need protection, he doesn't even deserve the gift he's been given. He should have received the same treatment as Harry! He is only a fat bastard!, her voice escalading into shouting at the end of her sentence.
"Miss Granger, as much as I understand your anger and protectiveness of Mr. Potter, you will refrain yourself from raising your voice in this Wing."
"Sorry", mumbled the Gryffindor thought not that bit sorry inside her. The nurse seemed to realise that as she nodded back. She quickly finished administering Dudley his potions and retreated to her office. Before she closed the door, she stared for a moment at the young woman sitting by her patient, glaring darkly at his form.
"Better be safe than sorry", she though as she quickly cast an alarm charm that would tell her if anything happened. I mean, Gryffindor's!
Ron was busy penning a letter when Harry entered Gryffindor Tour. The red head quickly glanced up as his best friend walked in. "Harry looks like he's had the snog of his life...Snog?" "Harry? What happened to you", he demanded pushing away his letter.
"I don't know Ron", replied Harry in a weary voice.
"What do you mean you don't know? Have you seen yourself? Is that why you disappeared last night?"
"I...Ron..." choked Harry, looking up with shinny eyes at his friend. Life or fate or whatever crap had decided to write a new chapter to Harry Potter's crazy fucked up life and this was the last straw. Ron sat himself beside Harry and put an arm around his shoulders, as silent tears began to fall down the Golden Boys pale face.
When the power had receded, Draco had pulled away from the kiss; both where panting heavily, dazed by the magic and the kiss. Harry had blinked a few times before his brain reconnected with his logical mind and he realized what had just happened. He became very aware that he was wrapped against Draco Malfoy's torso, in his arms, with still a sting on his lips from the blonds' scorching kiss.
When it finally hit home in his head, he jerked away from the other boy and backed away with terrified eyes. His life was being ruled out again, cruelly taken out of his reach once again and this time by his school enemy. Too much. Draco's eyebrows furrowed in confusion when Harry escaped from his grasp, turning into a frown as his Heir began backing away with shinning eyes. With the deafening crack of Apparition, Harry left him alone in the classroom.
Ron didn't say anything until Harry sighted deeply and pulled away from his arm. He pulled out his wand and transfigured an abandoned paper into a tissue box and handed it Harry. The green eyes widened nearly comically as he took a tissue, a bewildered look on his face.
"Don't say anything", growled Ron. "It's Hermione's fault."
"Does that mean you've graduated from being a teaspoon to a tablespoon", asked Harry whilst blowing his nose. He got a good shove in response and laughed.
"So...Malfoy hey?"
"What?"
"Oh come on Harry, you're mind was open like a book, you send me everything!"
"But-I. Ron, it's not what you think", panicked Harry.
"Mate, breath! Merlin calm down! Imagine if somebody else had been down here and had received those pictures! Put your shields back up now Harry!" The boy nodded and taking deep breaths, he emptied his mind and imagined smooth panes of glass erecting themselves all around his thoughts, keeping them safe.
"Good", said Ron when Harry opened his eyes. "Now talk", he ordered.
"Are we alone?"
"Yeah, well unless there's somebody in the dorms."
"Then back to our common room", declared Harry, raising to his feet and marching towards the Fat Lady's portrait. Ron grabbed his letter, rolled it up and stowed it in his inside pocket before meeting Harry in the hall. They walked in silence to their private quarters. Once inside, they called for some hot chocolate, which a house elf brought, along with a tray of treats. They sat down in the living room and Harry explained everything from the top to Ron.
Draco stared dumbly at the canopy of his bed, ignoring Blaise's rambling about the school classes he had failed to attend that day.
"You're not even listening to me", accused Blaise.
"Hmm? Oh, right." Blaise raised an eyebrow at his friend but said no more. They sat in silence for a while, relishing in the quietness of their dorm.
"I'm doomed, Blaise"
"My, I didn't know you where that dramatic Draco", he mocked.
"Shut up. But I mean it! Potter will never accept this contract!"
"Did you sit him down and explain everything to him properly?"
"Well", grimaced the blond. "I told him about it back in the Tower, and then he looked like he was going to faint and then we went through some freakish time/mind-I-don't-know-what travel. The next I knew, we where kissing!" He combed his hands through his fine hair in desperation.
"YOU KISSED POTTER?", yelled Blaise, jumping of his bed. Draco shot a Silencing and Locking Charm at the door, whilst glaring death at his friend.
"Er, oops?"
"Fuck you Blaise, really, fuck you. Don't you ever think? I swear some days you're worse than the Weasel."
"Whatever you prat", said Blaise, waving off the insult. "How was it?"
"It was...brilliant I guess. I mean how many people can say they snogged Harry Potter?"
"Details!"
"Why, do you want to role play next time you have to shag with someone?"
"Hmmm, good idea but really, no. So brilliant?"
"Mind blowing alright, never had a kiss like that one. But then he acted all...Potter", raged Draco, slamming his fist into the mattress. He needs this boy's cooperation, his life, his future heck even his name now rested on those shoulders.
"So what happens now", asked Blaise breaching the silence.
"I don't know. I literally don't have a clue what to do, when my whole life is now in Potter's hands", he snarled.
"Have you had news from your lawyer?"
"No but I highly doubt he'll find anything. Lucius knew damn well what he was doing; he knew his Will would ignore Bellatrix and the Blood Traitors. And then Black gets killed and I'm sure Lucius knew the man would have a short life span, I'll bet you my broom he asked somebody to kill him purposely be it outside battle or in the middle of it."
"And Potter comes into the equation because..."
"So simple, it's just too simple", he whispered. He turned his head to face his best friend. "He's Black's godson. The Black Heritage transferred to him the minute Sirius' heart stilled."
"Just like that?", but Draco didn't reply. "Well, fuck your life, Draco, honestly, fuck your life."
The dorm was silent once again. They were drawn out of their reverie by a tap at the door. Draco got up and disabled the charms, and a jet black crow flew in once he had opened the door. The bird landed on the back of a chair and observed both boys with eyes much too smart for a common animal.
"Identify yourself", ordered the crow in a high cold voice.
"Bloody hell, it talks!" Blaise had barely finished his sentence, next he was writing on the floor as he was hit with a well aimed Crucio. The boy trashed and roared in pain for 10 seconds before the spell was lifted and he was left panting and covered in perspiration on the hard floor. Draco stared in shock at the bird, then Blaise, then the Bird and then he registered the blood red eyes. He knew those eyes.
Swiftly, he fell into a bow. "My Lord"
"Young Draco, at least one of you is actually worthy of my time", replied Voldemort. The bird turned its head and Blaise's body was levitated and his limbs moved on their own to form an awkward bow.
"Zabini, do you care for your mother", asked the Dark Lord's voice. The boy was suddenly dropped on his knees to the floor and he roared in pain. "You incompetent fool", hissed Voldemort. "Answer me!"
"Forgive me, My Lord. I beg you're forgiveness..." begged Blaise.
"I have asked you a question boy, Crucio" At least he had a warning this time, thought Draco, still holding his bowing position and trying his best to block out the screams tearing out of his beat mate's throat. Could nobody hear him? Did the wards not sense Voldemort? What the fuck was Dumbledore doing?
"Yes, yes", he yelled.
"Yes what Zabini", demanded the voice.
"My mother, I care for her My Lord, I care for her, please."
"Enough." Draco felt the crow's eyes on his still bowed head. "And you Draco, do you care for your blood? For the Malfoy name and its power?"
"Yes, My Lord", replied smoothly Draco. He could feel his knees stat to protest in pain against the hard stone floor, but he could bear it, especially since Blaise was twitching like hell beside him as an after effect of the torture.
"Then both of you will join my ranks as Death Eaters. If you refuse, Zabini do you know what will happen?" Blaise pulled himself up on all fours. "No My Lord", he said in a cracked voice.
"I will lock her in a room with Fenrir, ah I see you know him", said Voldemort; Blaise had lost whatever blood was left in his face. "It'll be the night of the full moon. If you've done your homework and are not complete Mudbloods, then you are aware that werewolves get very...feisty before the moon comes out. I'm sure Greyback will be delighted after all, Aurélia is said to be one of today's most beautiful witches"
"No, My Lord, don't do that to her, I beg you!" But the cold voice kept talking over him. "And what about little Arianna? Such a delightful young girl, so young so pure, I will make sure her whole body is tainted and tarnished, down to the last shred of her soul. She will be given to my loyal Death Eaters. Many of them have not felt the warmth of a woman in so long, they will enjoy the warmth of a child-girl."
"No, no please I'll do anything, but not them, please..."
"Silence" shouted Voldemort. The bird once again turned its attention back to the still kneeling blond. "And you Draco, what would you do for the Malfoy dynasty? Will you follow in your father footsteps? In the same path as your ancestors? Will you endeavour to make your name respected throughout the Wizarding World?"
"Yes My Lord." He was hit with the Cruciatus before he could blink, but unlike Blaise, he had already been subjected to it from his father, but this was Voldemort's Crucio and the pain was tenfold. He could hear someone screaming but it couldn't be him, he would be ripping out his vocal cords; every nerve in his body was on fire, his muscles were burning. Where was Death?
The Dark Lord lifted the spell. "Malfoy's...so proud of your blood, it'll be your demise. I will make sure that the name Malfoy is taken out of any History book, I will wipe away any trace of your family, I will spill all of the Malfoy blood I can find, starting with you and so on until I destroy every single person who has a mere drop of Malfoy blood in their body. Nobody will remember you; nobody will know you all existed. Your family will be erased from the memories of the people."
"No,no,no,no please, My Lord, the Malfoy family has served you for three generations and before that we have sided with every Dark Wizard seeking to exterminate Mudbloods and Half-Bloods. We are your most-", whimpered Draco.
The voice stopped talking but the room dropped several degrees. The crow spread open its wings and mist came out from within the feathers. The two columns went for each boy, wrapping itself around their arm. They screamed in pain, the mist burning their skin like a brand. The bird took flight and hovered over the student.
"You will accept to become my loyal servants. If you refuse, the actions will be taken out immediately. As we speak, I have people awaiting my signal. Some are at your home Zabini, with your mother and sister. Others are at Malfoy Manor, ready to burn it down to ashes. Join me and you will be rewarded and your family past, future and present will be kept safe. Do you pledge your loyalty to Lord Voldemort?"
"Yes, My Lord", replied both boys at the same time. "Then raise your arms by faithful servants to be, you will never regret this decision."
Draco raised his arm at the same time as Blaise. The crow touched it's sharp beck to the mist and pressed down, the tip cutting thought cloth and his skin, and going deeper still. Blood was tickling down his forearm and dripping to the ground.
"Mosmordre." Voldemort did the same thing to Blaise. "You will soon receive instructions about what is to happen later this year. Do not disappoint me, both know the consequences." And with that, the crow combusted into flames, leaving no ashes.
Draco stared in horror at his forearm. He sat down heavily on his bum, ignoring Blaise's whimpers. He wiped away the blood. The Dark Mark was now tattooed for life into his once delicate white skin.
Tears rolled silently down his dirty face as the room was filled with Blaise's sobs.
Harry fiddled with a treat hanging from his shirt sleeve, waiting for Ron to react. He had told his best friend everything, from the meeting by the lake shore, the time travelling, the Will, and the kiss. And now he waited.
The red head sighted and Harry watched him from the corner of his eye, his whole body tense.
"Harry", said Ron. "Somebody really hates you up there, don't they?"
"I guess", he replied, his face carefully schooled. He was waiting for it, any moment now. Ron stood up went into his bedroom. Harry kept his mask up but inside his fragile little heart was slowly cracking. Ron was leaving him, abandoning him like so many others had before. He hung his head in defeat and tried to suppress the shudders which ran down his back.
"Harry?"
The green eyed teen closed his eyes and shook his head.
"Mate, I'm not going anywhere! Harry! Look at me, I just went to get the map so we could go talk to 'Mione. Harry, Harry? Look!" Harry lifted his head and looked at what Ron was showing him. It was the silver bracelet they each carried. The three of them had the same, so they could communicate with one another at all time and could feel how the others felt. They had been a gift from Sirius, along with the daggers. Ron and Hermione relied heavily on them to keep an eye on Harry's emotional health, even more now that Sirius was dead.
"It's still here, so is Hermione's and it's never leaving this wrist unless someone cut's it off, understood? I'm not going anywhere, were here for Harry."
"I understand Ron, I'm sorry", said Harry, his face heating with shame. How dare he have so little faith in Ron and Hermione!
"Come on then, help me find Herm' and we'll take it from there for this Will thingy ok?"
"Thanks Ron, really"
"Always Harry", grinned back the red head.
They examined the map closely and finally found Hermione's label in the Hospital Wing, beside's Dudley's.
"Let me just finish my letter and then we'll go met her, if you don't mind", said Ron.
"No prob's. Who you writing to?"
"Fleur", he replied, while dipping the tip of a quill into ink.
"Fleur? As in Fleur Delacour? From Beauxbâtons?" Harry's eyes went wide and grew even more when he saw a blush creep up Ron's face and neck.
"What you telling her?" Ron rolled his eyes; Harry was always curious.
"I'm asking her if she could come here and help us train because I remember her talking to Bill after the first task and she said that she had been privately tutored before she went to the Académie. She's a Battle witch just like Sirius. She'll help us."
"Merlin, that's brilliant Ron! Are you sure, now I mean certain, that you did not swap your brain with Hermione's? Because it's kinda freaking me out here!"
"Piss of Harry, we all grow up you know. Your day will come don't worry", teased back the red head.
"And you're only telling her about our training my eye, as if that's all your talking about", said Harry making his way over to read over Ron's shoulder.
"Go away Harry! Get yourself a shower and then we'll go see 'Mione, she'll go ballistics if she see's you in this state."
"Yes sir", mock saluted Harry. He tried to have one last peek at the letter before walking to his bedroom and grabbing his toiletries and a fresh change of clothes.
He looked the door of the bathroom and undressed himself. He looked at his back in the mirror, his hand lightly tracing over the rose. He sighted and turned on the faucet.
Hermione marked the line she was currently ready before raising her head to look at who had entered the Wing.
"Professor Dumbledore", she greeted politely, quickly standing up.
"Ah, Miss Granger, so kind of you, taking care of Mr. Dursley here. Do you know where Poppy is?"
"She's in the office, but I'm sure she'll be out in a moment, she always knows when somebody walks through that door." And on cue, the nurse walked out, greeted the Headmaster and ushered him into her office. "Oh, Professor", called Hermione as he was walking thought the door.
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
"It's Evans. Petunia changed back to her maiden name, so his name is Dudley Evans." The old wizard smiled and his eyes twinkled. He thanked the young witch and closed the door. Hermione resumed her reading, all the while keeping an eye on the boy in the bed. After 15 minutes, she realized she'd been ready the same paragraph over and over. Sighting in frustration, she slammed the book closed, causing Dudley to stir in his bed. Her eyes darted over to the closed door as she got to her feet and moved towards the bed.
Dudley was slowly awakening; his breathing was quickening and his eyes fluttering under his eyelids. Finally, the eyes opened and blinked. The wall he was staring at was orange from the rays of the setting autumn sun. He rolled over onto his back and pushed himself upright.
"Dudley", called a feminine voice. He turned his head towards the sound and found a girl about his age standing at the foot of his bed.
"Is-I-Hogwarts?"
"Yes, you're still in the Hospital Wing, in Hogwarts", replied Hermione, her eyes darted again over to the door, yet the nurse didn't appear. "How are you feeling", she asked briskly.
"Thirsty." She calmly walked over to his bedside cabinet, to the pitcher of water. She silently poured him a glass and handed it to him. Dudley took it and looked at it warily. He looked back at her and when the witch nodded, he took a tentative sip. The water felt so good in his dried throat he quickly finished his glass and Hermione filled him a second one.
"Better?"
"Yeah, thanks. What happened?"
"You displayed some accidental magic when you got scared by the house elf who was bringing you dinner", explained Hermione. She pulled the chair she had been sitting on up closer to the bed and placed it next to the boy.
"I did what?" Confusion, scared, lost, Hermione could see all the emotions play on his face.
"Magic, Dudley. You're not a Muggle, you are a wizard too, just like Harry", she said in a calm voice.
"But I can't be! I never did freak things like Harry! I never got the letter when I turned eleven to go to the freak school!"
Hermione's work at keeping her anger and temper in check blew out of the window when she heard the boy saying freak. Her eyes hardened and she stood up brusquely, closing her hands into fists and squeezing so hard she could feel her nails digging into her skin.
"How dare you", she whispered. "How dare you still call magic, wizards, witches, Harry, ME, freaks when we saved your worthless life only last night!" Dudley stared at her with wide and terrified eyes. "How dare you call this school a freak school, when it took in, in time of need and gave you shelter for the night. How dare you call Harry a freak when he is fighting every day the air you and I breath, for the world we live in!"
"But", whispered back Dudley. "I can do anything like Harry! I can't!"
"This school is for people who have magic in them. If you didn't you would have never been able to access the grounds", snapped Hermione. She began pacing, taking deep breath and praying Merlin that the boy did not aggravate her more or consequences be damned, she would use her wand.
"I don't understand", whimpered Dudley, his eyes following her as she moved, waiting for, well he didn't really know what he was waiting for, but he wasn't expecting anything pleasant. She stopped pacing and pinched the bridge of her nose. She looked up once more at the door and glared at it.
"Right, let's start from the beginning shall we?"
Harry was rinsing the shampoo of his hair, his face turned up to the faucet, when his scar began hurting him. But instead of the usual pain, an alien feeling of pleasure filled him and he could literally hear Voldemort's content. As quickly as it appeared, the sensation left him.
He stood under the shower, trying to understand what could cause such excitement from his enemy, the worst plans forming in his mind. He turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. He ran his hand against the fog up mirror to inspect his scar. It wasn't angry red like it normally should be after an intrusion by Voldemort, it was normal.
"Harry? Are you ready?" called Ron.
"What? Oh, just a minute", he replied, pulling on his fresh clothes. He opened the door, his hand still tracing his scar.
"Is your scar hurting Harry", asked Ron worried.
"No, it's not."
"Then why you so pale?"
"Merlin, give me a break Ron! I'm fine ok? It's ok, I feel grand, much better, so just drop it okay." So much attention was driving him crazy. Yes he was still emotionally fragile, he thought as he followed Ron out of their quarters, but there was no need to worry over every single little thing!
"Have you sent your letter?"
"Yeah, I send Hedwig whilst you where showering, I hope you don't mind", he quickly added.
"No, she needed something to do, now that I can't write to Sirius anymore." Sadness filled Harry, as usual when he thought of his godfather. Ron clapped him on the shoulder and soon, they were pushing open the doors to the Hospital Wing.
The boys entered and Hermione looked up at them from her chair and sent them a relieved smile. They returned her smile, but Harry's quickly faded away as he looked at his cousin. He was awake and in his eyes he held a mixture of hope and despair at the arrival of the young wizards.
"Dudley, how are you feeling"', asked Harry in an even voice. His mask had slipped on so quickly nobody in the room at seen the change. His face was now closed and his eyes guarded.
"Fine I guess", replied Dudley. Harry nodded sharply and turned to Hermione, who immediately began explaining what had happened since the attack in Privet Drive. Dudley stared at his cousin in semi awe, semi fear. He realized he didn't know this boy, he was nowhere like the one in his memories. In front of him stood a young man, ready to fight, an aura of power around him. He glanced at the other two and realized they too looked much older for their age, ready to fight like Harry. They looked like a formidable trio.
Little did Dudley know, the old man standing by the door leading to the nurse's office was thinking the same thing. Dumbledore gazed at his prized pupils, hidden under a Disillusion Charm. He had seen them grow up and take on every obstacle Fate threw at them, especially Harry. Poor Harry, he thought; the Headmaster had done all he could to protect the boy as much as he could and had failed at every turn. He had hoped to give him an innocent childhood, hidden away from the Wizarding World who saw him as a God, instead the boy had been miserable his whole childhood. He had hoped that Voldemort would wait long enough for the boy to be ready for his return. He had hoped he would never have to one day step in between a bond that was fated and which could end the war in both ways.
"Headmaster?" Dumbledore's musing was interrupted by Harry.
"Harry, can you see me", asked the old wizard flabbergasted.
"Yes I can. You where there when we came in with Ron. Now could you please stop spying on us?"
Dumbledore lifted the spell and walked over to stand beside the green eyed wizard. He looked at the wall he had built over the years. He knew the Golden Trio were hiding something from him, he had know for a few years now but had never been able to put his finger on it.
"I gather you have already received information on young Mr. Evans here."
"Yes, Hermione has filled us in."
"Very good. Now, if Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley don't mind, I would like a little private chat with you Harry. In my office." He observed the exchange of looks between the teens, then Harry nodded.
"Splendid! We'll use the Floo; I do find it harder with age to get around this castle", chuckled the old man. He walked over to Mme Pompfrey's office and walked in. The nurse was filling out some paperwork at her desk.
"Just using the Floo Poppy, you know it get's with age", said Dumbledore.
"The powder is in the little jar", was all she replied and returning to her task. Harry followed the wizard into the office and silently took a handful of powder. He threw it in, the fire turning emerald.
"Headmaster's office!" And he vanished in a whisk of green flames.
So here's a new chapter! I have another one already ready and it'll be out as soon as possible. Once again my deepest apologies for abandoning the story!
I saw that in my last chapter, FF deleted all my scene changes, so annoying. I hope it doesn't do it again but we'll see. I hope it doesn't you too much O.O
You guys are the best! =D
P.S Thank you SunshineandDaisies for beta-ing!
