Sorry for the delay!

and for the person who asked: the chapter titles/songs are chosen because of either certain lyrics that I feel pertain to the events of a chapter, or just the overall feel of a song. I think this story would make a bitchin mixtape myself, lol

No Church in the Wild

CHAPTER TEN

Wake Me Up

Harry, on watch outside the tent, rubbed at his neck, holding up Hermione's hand mirror as he admired the magic the dittany had already worked, pleased to see it was almost completely healed. The new skin tender still, but only a few shades lighter than the rest.

His friends had been very shocked upon seeing him carrying Godric Gryffindor's sword when he and Malfoy returned from the forest yesterday. They'd rushed up, demanding an explanation. When Harry explained Malfoy's side of the story, that he'd only been trying to tell them Harry needed help, Hermione's reaction had been to apologize profusely. She'd reached into her pocket and gave Malfoy her quill, forcing it into his hand and telling him he could have it, just in case something like that ever happened again.

Malfoy had accepted it, but his mind was obviously elsewhere. Harry knew he was still thinking about what had happened back by that pool of water, and when Harry went on to tell them the second part of the story, he hesitated. Unsure of how to describe the bit where Malfoy had been possessed by the Horcrux. For that's what it had looked like to Harry. Malfoy's eyes had even flashed a scarlet-red color while listening to Riddle's voice; the smooth, silky words trying to convince him to kill Harry.

He still wasn't entirely sure how to feel about it. Malfoy had just gotten finished saving his life, going through a good deal of trouble to do so, and Harry didn't take that lightly. But almost immediately Malfoy had then turned around and been ready to kill him.

Eventually Harry had given them a somewhat vague explanation: that the Horcrux had affected Malfoy, pretty badly, but that Harry had managed to destroy it without much problem.

"Right, well, thanks for saving Harry's life," Ron had said to Malfoy after a short pause, though he hadn't sounded very grateful at all, more begrudging, "now give me back my extra wand."

At this, Malfoy exploded.

It had surprised all of them. They'd been calmly sitting around the fire- but as soon as Ron demanded his wand be returned, an enraged Malfoy reacted by jumping to his feet, looming over Ron and unloading insult upon insult. Insulting Ron's mother, his house, his lack of money, his Quidditch skills- everything.

Recovering quickly from his shock, Ron struggled up to his feet too, face growing red with anger. Even though he couldn't understand a word, he'd already had six years of putting up with Malfoy and his unending taunts and he didn't need a translator at this point.

"-barely qualify as a Wizard!" Malfoy spit, looking almost out of his mind, "A family of dirt poor, worthless, scumsuckers! Low status, the lot of you, no magical skill worth noting -!"

"-just a Slytherin piece of trash!" Ron was yelling at the same time, cheeks flaming, "Yeah you saved Harry but just look down at your arm! That's all that you are and that's all you'll ever-"

They continued, getting louder and angrier. It escalated to a point where Malfoy took a step forward, looking ready to tackle him, and Ron swung a fist.

"Protego!" Hermione cried just as Harry had been about to jump in.

An invisible shield erupted between them before any hits could land. The force of it knocked them both stumbling back, and while Malfoy caught himself easily, Ron's bad leg crumpled and he about toppled over before Harry managed to catch him.

Malfoy's hand was clenching spasmodically on his wand and he was breathing hard. He looked off-balance, like he was barely keeping it together, face going through a myriad of emotions. The possession of the locket had obviously affected him very deeply.

Harry looked away, back to Ron. "He'll keep the wand for now, all right Ron? Just... just for now, okay?"

"Harry, I don't trust him!" Ron said, pushing from him and standing on his own feet again, "I know something else happened out there, with that locket, something you're not telling us-"

"He saved my life, Ron," he reminded him in a rasp, pointing at the deep, bloody gash that wound across his neck, "I was a goner. I wasn't going to last another minute in there when Malfoy showed up."

Ron gazed down at the mark. He looked distressed, and Harry knew it stemmed from the fact that he hadn't been the one to find Harry. To save his friend. Disconcerted that it had been Malfoy of all people. Finally though, Ron gave a reluctant answer. "All right. All right, then. Fine."

Malfoy still looked like he was having trouble. He'd watched the exchange in silence. "Have your guard dog take down the shield so I can go to bed, Potter," he said, voice straining as he nodded his head towards Hermione. He avoided eye contact with all of them. "I'm a bit tired after pulling your arse out of that water, and all."

All of this went through Harry's head as he sat outside the tent. He put down Hermione's mirror, looking out into the midday landscape. They'd finally Apparated somewhere that wasn't covered in snow. But it was muddy and wet.

Ron and Hermione had left, going to the nearest town under Harry's invisibility cloak to try and find some food and to give Ron's healing leg a work out at the same time.

There were a lot of question marks surrounding events that had happened so far on this journey. Who had sent that Patronus, leading him to the one thing they needed to destroy Horcruxes? Had it really been Phineas Nigellus in that portrait, warning them that Harry was in trouble? Ron and Hermione hadn't seen him, and the portrait had been left in the snow long enough that the canvas had been destroyed- no more Phineas visits for them. What about the Deathly Hallows? And how had Malfoy changed back into a human?

"Hey," Harry called back over his shoulder, "busy?"

"Oh yeah. Got loads to do in here." It took a few minutes, but Malfoy eventually appeared at the tent opening, holding open one of the flaps and looking bored. It was probably the only reason he'd come out there. "What," he asked flatly, looking down at him.

"Explain to me," Harry said, "exactly how it happened when you turned back into a human. I know you said before-"

Malfoy's lip curled. "This isn't story time, if that's your fancy go read one of Granger's books. I'm not in the mood."

Harry felt determined to clear up at least one of these mysteries, and he wouldn't let it drop so easily. "Malfoy, it's important. Was there anything that stuck out to you?"

"The whole event stuck out to me," he said scornfully, as if Harry was the stupidest person he'd ever met.

"Just think about it for a second," Harry ground out, trying for some patience that he wasn't sure he had in him. "Anything strange? A bit off?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "No, no I don't think so, just an everyday event to be turned back into a human when you've been stuck in the body of a snake for months upon month-" Suddenly a spark of recognition flitted across his face and he stopped his sarcastic ranting.

"What?" Harry demanded.

"Actually, I heard something..." He trailed off, looking a bit unsure. "But I mean, I thought it was just me imagining it at the time..."

"Yeah?" Harry said, sitting up straighter. This was exactly what he'd been hoping for. "What did you hear?"

Malfoy shook his head, looking annoyed at himself. "No. Never mind."

"Stop," Harry said. Malfoy was retreating back inside. "Say it, what did you hear? It could mean something."

"Fine, fine, I heard the Dark Lord, all right? I – I thought I heard him screaming."

Harry now felt his own lip curling at Malfoy's use of 'the dark lord', but he decided not to comment. "You heard him screaming? What was he screaming?"

"Just screaming, Potter!" he said impatiently. "Like he was really angry. I don't know, I was probably imagining it, like I said-"

"No, wait!" Harry interrupted him, thinking quickly. "I think, I think that was the same time when we killed Nagini! Yeah, it must've been! Maybe that's why the spell broke on you- Voldemort was too distracted to hold it properly... Too angry." He wished Hermione was here to confirm if that was possible. Malfoy was staring at him uncomprehendingly. "You've never heard of distraction causing a spell to fail like that?"

"I don't know. Maybe." Malfoy said uncertainly. Then his face changed, looking bitter. "But the spell didn't fail completely did it? I'm still speaking in Parseltongue, aren't I?"

"Well, maybe Voldemort managed to re-focus at the last second, just enough to keep that bit on you." Harry was sure he'd found the answer. "I'd bet he probably doesn't even realize you're not transformed anymore."

Malfoy considered this. "Maybe," he said again, seemingly unwilling to agree with him. Perhaps on principle.

Harry was confident he was right though. It made perfect sense to him. Malfoy left him alone after that and Harry resumed his watch. One mystery down, he thought, pleased.

Sometime later, Ron and Hermione returned. He could see their rucksacks were filled moderately with provisions. "How's the leg, mate?" Harry asked, watching Ron limp along towards the tent.

Ron looked down, making a show of bending it. "It's getting there," he said, giving his thigh a light slap.

"He's doing loads better Harry," Hermione said, smiling. "I barely had to help, it was just on the way back-"

"Yeah, it started cramping up," Ron finished for her. "Good thing I had my little crutch here..." and he leaned his arm atop Hermione's head, striking a funny pose with his other hand on a jutting hip. She laughed, rolling her eyes and slapping his arm away.

They went inside to eat. During their meal of eggs, bread and tea, Ron pulled out his old radio. He twirled the dial about, trying to find a program that wasn't ripe with Ministry of Magic propaganda. Failing this, he flipped it to music instead, and Christmas carols played quietly in the background.

"We saw three separate groups of Snatchers Harry," Hermione said, sipping from her cup. "It's like they're recruiting new members every day."

"It's that reward the Ministry is promising them," Ron said confidently, through a full mouth of bread, "it's got people coming out in droves."

"Oh, you saw your brothers out there, eh Weasley? Strapped for cash?" Malfoy commented, laying back on his bunk, practicing small spells with his new wand. "Ready to turn you in for a bit of gold?"

Ron turned his head sharply, glaring over at him. He seemed to know Malfoy had said something rude and he growled, "Stuff it, Malfoy!"

Malfoy sat up immediately. "Yeah? Come and make me-"

"Shut up!" Harry ordered, fed-up with it.

Malfoy gave a sneer, but fell silent. As he laid back down, resuming his little firework show, Ron stared daggers in his direction. The tension between the two remained palpable. Harry was quietly grateful Ron chose not to ask for a translation for all the Parseltongue barbs aimed in his direction and he wondered how the four of them were going to survive in the same tent together. It was a different dynamic now that Malfoy had a wand, there was no denying it. Before, he hadn't been much of a threat, just a bit of a nuisance. Like a poisonous snake without fangs.

Well, now he had his fangs back.

Harry still wasn't sure if he'd made the right choice, letting Malfoy keep the wand... but every time he came back to same thing. Malfoy had decided to run out into the forest to try and find him. Alone. He'd saved Harry's life.

So, though he wasn't completely comfortable with the idea, he would at least give Malfoy the chance to earn his trust. For now, anyway. Even if Malfoy seemed determined to sabotage himself every step of the way with that piss-poor attitude of his.

"You know Potter," Malfoy suddenly spoke-up in a drawling voice, a stark contrast to just a moment ago, when he'd sounded angry enough to cast an Unforgiveable, "that symbol you're so obsessed with? The Deathly Hallows?"

Harry looked over. "What about it?"

"I've just realized I've seen it before," he said, "it clicked in my head, just now."

"Where?" Harry asked, interest piqued by the unexpected statement.

"In a little book I doubt you've read. It was decent. My mum and I were provided it by our Healer back when we were with the Order, and with nothing else to do I probably read it half a dozen times or so, it's really quite an interesting read-"

"What's the book Malfoy?" he interrupted, growing impatient with the back-story. Ron and Hermione were looking curiously at them.

"What's he saying?" Hermione asked, eyes going back and forth between them.

"Hold on," then unconsciously slipping back into Parseltongue: "the book Malfoy?"

"Rita Skeeter's new best seller, I'm sure you've heard of it? The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore?"

Harry felt distaste and anger welling up in him at the mention of that woman's name. Not to mention her nauseating book. His face must have been showing how he felt because Ron asked him, "What's the matter?"

Harry told them what Malfoy had said. "Oh!" Hermione surprised him by jumping to her feet, running across the tent and over to her bag. "Harry, I completely forgot! When we were at Bathilda Bagshot's- but when we got back, you two were hurt and Malfoy was- anyway I forgot all about it! I haven't even looked at it yet." She turned back to them, the infamous book clasped in her hands. Harry could see Dumbledore's picture was on the cover, looking ill-tempered, out of sorts and very old. "I got it from her sitting room. Where did you notice the symbol Malfoy?" she asked, going over to his bunk, rifling through the pages herself.

Malfoy grabbed it from her without bothering to sit up. "Do you often pilfer things from people's homes you're visiting?" he asked idly.

When Hermione glanced over at Harry for a translation, he just shook his head.

Malfoy took his time flipping through the pages until he was about halfway. Then he pointed, handing it back. "There."

Hermione lifted the book up to her nose, peering down at whatever Malfoy had indicated. "I don't see anything, it just looks like-" She made a noise of frustration, pulling out her wand, "Lumos!" Then: "Oh! There it is! Yes, it's looks like the symbol..." She turned, going to sit back down next to Ron while Harry moved his chair closer.

She held her finger to the page, her wand still shedding light upon it. "See? He's right."

Harry leaned over, twisting his neck to get a better view. There was a photograph of a letter Dumbledore had written. Harry recognized the headmaster's long, slanted writing. He scanned his eyes downward where Dumbledore had put his signature. For a moment he had no idea what she was talking about, but, looking more closely with the aid of her lit wand, he saw that Dumbledore had replaced the 'A' of Albus with a tiny version of the same triangular mark that Lovegood had said was the sign of the Deathly Hallows.

Ron spoke up, "It does look like it."

Harry agreed.

"Hmm." Hermione was looking thoughtful as she put her wand away. "That means this symbol links Godric's Hallow, Grindelwald, and now-"

"Dumbledore," Harry finished. Dumbledore had been the one piece missing before Harry could really take it seriously, but now, he had it. There it was, in Dumbledore's own signature. "All three of them. You were right Hermione, this is important!"

She looked conflicted. "Well, I don't know about that, the Deathly Hallows is just a story. A morality tale, like we said-"

"What about the Elder wand, remember? The Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny? Those were real wands used by real wizards," Harry pointed out, growing excited, "how do you know they weren't the same one?"

Hermione's eyebrows were drawn together in consternation, having a hard time taking it seriously. Ron looked undecided, like he'd be willing to go either way.

"Why would he put that there, Hermione?" Harry asked, once again pointing at the signature. "Right there, he wrote it himself, Albus Dumbledore-"

The little radio at Ron's side suddenly filled with a loud static, interrupting him, the music cutting out to the voice of someone familiar.

"... and that's why we must keep our heads up, and be careful! Snatchers, in groups, in nearly every city and every forest, the Ministry, Death Eaters, and even Vampires have been spotted recently, roaming the countryside! Yes, they're all out there. Looking for people like us! To bring down Dumbledore supporters! We, the Anti-You-Know-Who'ers!"

Harry and the others stared down at the radio in shock. Even Malfoy was looking over, frowning in confusion. "Is that Lee Jordan?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, I think it is! Wow, that's ace!" Ron exclaimed with a pumping fist before Hermione shushed him. Jordan was talking again.

"And that leads us to our last message of this broadcast: we have to keep strong! People who are actually on the side of Harry Potter and refuse to listen to the bullshit-"

"Oy, come on River, the wee ones might be listening," another voice said, sounding amused.

"All right then, refuse to listen to the rubbish the Ministry is feeding out to us, we have to stick together, and look out for one another!"

"Well listeners, that's the end of another Potterwatch. We want to personally wish you all a Happy Christmas. We know it hasn't been an easy year, but folks, it can only go up from here, eh?"

"We hope!" the other voice chimed in again.

"We don't know when it will be possible to broadcast again as we keep being raided, but you can be sure we shall be back. Keep twiddling those dials. Our next password'll be 'Shacklebolt.' Keep each other safe. Keep faith. Good night."

The radio turned itself off with a twirl of the controls, the little lights fading out.

"Wow," Hermione said, breaking the silence. "Harry, you must have said the current password by accident! 'Albus Dumbledore'!"

"Yeah. I wish we'd gotten to hear more of it," Harry said regretfully, still gazing at the tiny speakers. Though the message had been very brief, it had been nice to hear that people were really supporting him. And he'd nearly forgotten other people were out there, mounting their own resistance, doing whatever they could to stop Voldemort in their own ways. Jordan's voice echoed in his ears. "I wonder who that other person was?"

"Sounded almost like George," Ron said. "Hey did you hear what they called it? Potterwatch!"

"It's brilliant," Harry said with a laugh.

"You know, I had no idea it was Christmas yet. I think we're doing really well, I mean, there's only two Horcruxes left!" Hermione said, smiling up at them. She seemed very happy, and she closed the book on her lap, grabbing each of their hands. "Happy Christmas!"

"Yes, such a happy Christmas this," came a most sarcastic drawl from behind them.

Harry returned her sentiment, ignoring the storm cloud of moodiness that was Malfoy. But the book drew his eye. Why had Dumbledore used that sign in his own name, if it hadn't meant something? Why had he left Hermione The Tales of Beetle Bard, if not to lead her to the symbol? He, the snitch, which wouldn't open and could very well house the Resurrection Stone? These questions filled his head as Ron and Hermione's happy conversation about the radio broadcast carried on. He decided to let it drop for now, joining them in the Christmas cheer.

This chapter is named after a song by Avicii