This was meant to be posted yesterday, but I ran late for a blood test, got home late from some errands in the city then had to rush off to a 21st. Needless to say, I was too tired to lift a finger when I finally dragged myself home this morning, thus a slightly late postage.
But no matter, thank-you all who reviewed! Much love to you all. I have some notes that are a MUST read for this story. To find them, I've posted them on my LJ. Links to it are on my bio page and under the tag, Notes or some such. There were put there just to clear up a few things that needed it.
If you review, I try to respond as soon as possible, if I haven't I may had accidently deleted it from my email, just pm me in that case and I'll get back to you asap.
Warnings: HBP spoilers and some dancing around parts of DH. Unbeta'd.
Chapter ten: Pan's tale
It was bitterly cold and the darkness so dense, that Harry was unable to see anything else as he continued to fall. But he didn't mind. Even as the rain pelted him with it's icy droplets and as all around began to flash with the occasional streaks of lightning, that danced haphazardly across the sky.
Harry knew it was that dream again. It had been perhaps weeks since he'd last had it and strangely he had felt bereft with it's absence.
The Angelus landed with a minute jolt but didn't stumble, as the junction of roads appeared further into the shadow and this time, Harry could easily define each. One path was smooth and had a light at it's end, while the other was overgrown with thorns and spoke of pain and many trials to come.
The echo's of laughter and tears reverberated from the darkened path while nothing but stillness came from the light. It was easy to determine which path he should choose but before he could decide, a little girl popped into existence. The same girl as before.
She was a little older now, hair the same colour as Draco's though it had darkened and eyes an icy green, just like Pan's. Her expression was one of understanding, though still tinged with longing.
Just as Harry opened his mouth, intent on asking her name, the child smiled sadly, took a step down the ruined path and vanished once again.
"Damn it, Potter!"
The Gryffindor woke with a jolt and immediately narrowed his eyes on Draco, who it appeared, had been the one to wake him. The blonde was standing to the side of the tree that Harry had chosen as his temporary bed, looking a little annoyed but at the same time amused.
"You Gryffindors sleep like the dead," the blonde muttered, a minute smile playing about his lips.
Harry sighed and sat up, absently taking in the shadows stretching towards the castle and the sun dipping beyond the horizon. "I take it that you've come to return me to the castle," the dark haired boy stated simply. It was almost inevitably these days, that Harry wasn't able to have simple 'alone' time whilst outside his private room. If he wasn't being pestered by the annoyingly persistent Pan, he was almost being 'mothered' by Draco.
Almost, because Draco wasn't exactly nice in his mothering.
"Oh, very good, Potter," Draco drawled sarcastically. "Always quick to catch on."
Again, Harry glared at Draco.
The blonde rolled his eyes. "Come on, will you? We'll missed dinner and I don't know about you, but I'm starving."
"Then why didn't you go and have dinner then?" Harry asked, crossly. He stood up gracefully and began dusting off the debris that had attached itself to his robes, his air nonchalant. "No one was stopping you."
"I went to dinner but you weren't there, so I came looking for you," Draco replied evenly, as both started back toward the castle. "As it turns out, where shall I find you? Sleeping beneath a tree next to the lake. I swear, it's a wonder you're still around at all. Given, I don't know, that there is a large amount of students that are hell bent on using that body of yours for devious purposes. Some of those who also work for Voldemort.
"Next time you decide to take a nap, make sure it's not out here, where anyone could have their wicked way with you."
Harry snorted and rolled his eyes. "Malfoy, I think we've already discovered that such a thing would be almost impossible to achieve."
"Almost impossible, Potter," Draco cut in. "Almost still leaves a small margin of possibility and if it's all the same to you, I would rather not risk it. Even with your phenomenally blessed luck for getting out of tight scrapes."
"Aww, I didn't know you cared Draco."
Perhaps Harry had gone a step too far in teasing the Slytherin, as said blonde began to flush pink in anger. The emerald-eyed boy decided he should probably head off what impending explosion was about to take place.
"Look lets just go in to eat, all right? I'm actually pretty hungry too."
Draco looked mutinous. Then the expression bled away into an inquisitive one that Harry wasn't often presented with, it put him a little on edge. "So you come out here whenever you vanish and ditch those pesky Gryffinbores?" Draco asked, conveniently ignoring the dirty look Harry shot his way for the insult to his house.
"If you must know, then yes," Harry answered curtly. He then reminded himself that Draco had come looking for him to ensure he didn't miss eating dinner, and despite having told Ron and Hermione that he wanted to be left alone for a bit, he was actually disappointed that they hadn't gone in search of him. So really, he should be at least a little more grateful to blonde.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Sometimes I also go to the owlery to see how Hedwig is. But usually I sit out here," he murmured, by away of an apology.
The Slytherin nodded once.
"Do you sleep out here often? I was serious when I said you sleep like the dead. It took me at least five minutes to even get any reaction from you. Anyone could easily capture you and you'd be none the wiser until you woke up, chained in a cell being tortured by my lovely aunt Bella."
Harry's mood darkened visibly at the mention of Draco's mad aunt but the Gryffindor refused to take his growing anger out on his warder. "Actually I've become an extremely light sleeper," he told the Slytherin. "That was the best sleep I've had in a long time, so I'm not sure why I didn't hear your approach or when you tried to wake me up."
But the grey-eyed boy merely shot Harry a smug look.
"What's that look for?" Harry asked with narrowed eyes, as he subtly edged away.
"Nothing you should worry yourself over," Draco replied soothingly. He arched as brow at the Gryffindor, clearly noting the growing distance between them and apparently finding it all amusing.
"Well then, would you stop with all the 'I know something you don't know' looks? They're really quite creepy," Harry muttered.
The blonde boy shrugged casually, though the amused expression hadn't faded one bit.
"Do you have time to go for run as Blitz later on?"
"Well, not really," Harry responded. He kicked a clot of dirt as he passed it and peered up at Draco. "I've sorta promised Hermione that I'd at least start my essay on the properties of Belladonna and it's use in protection magic."
Draco looked incredulous. "Potter, that's due in this week!"
"Hence the starting," Harry replied, with a shrug. "Maybe tomorrow if I've made a decent start on it and Hermione doesn't nag me about it."
The blonde shook his head. "Sure, whatever." Then he paused a moment as though pondering over something. "I could help you out a little on your essay. I finished mine last week."
Harry eyed the other boy suspiciously as he silently thought it over in his head. He didn't have much to loose at this point. Having had help from Draco and Blaise on more than one occasion when it came to his homework these days.
He nodded slowly. "That would be great," Harry acknowledged, "what do you want in exchange?"
"Zabini needs help with Defence," Draco drawled out smugly, which Harry thought was extremely odd.
"I had thought you'd have been pretty good at Defence," Harry said, thinking over the fact that if the boy was meant to be his warder and was useless at defending, then having Draco bound to him was a total waste of time. Not to mention that he was meant to be the best the Invidians had to offer.
Draco eyes narrowed. "Our knowledge of Defence is mostly in Offence. To attack first or before the opponent gets a chance to. What we do know of Defence is limited to the use of
advanced and dark spells. Zabini simply can't grasp the concepts of the more simplified light spells and what we learn in class is far too simple. Besides, he's not too fond of my teaching technique."
"Right," Harry agreed, visualising Draco's 'teaching techniques'. Oddly enough, or perhaps not, mostly they consisted of him torturing a cowering Blaise Zabini. "Agreed. I'll help Zabini and you can help me. Although I'm not sure how I'm going to manage teaching Zabini if a properly qualified person can't."
"I don't know about that," Draco interrupted. He glanced sideways at Harry. "You did very well with your little student army last year."
This caused Harry to glower darkly at the Slytherin. "Oh. Yes," he said. "And if I recall correctly it was you who landed me detentions with that toad of a woman, and her obsession with all things cute and frilly."
"I was doing my job," Draco drawled out. "I had to stay on her good side."
Absently, Harry rubbed at his hand in memory of the blood quill he had been forced to use by the horrible woman. "Yes, I suppose you were." He glanced to his hand when he realised what he was doing before looking back to the Slytherin. The boy was eying his hand suspiciously, looking like he was about to voice his suspicions.
"I'll meet you guys at the room after dinner then?" Harry asked, quick to end their discussion before Draco wanted answers Harry wasn't willing to give. The pair soon stopped before the doors that lead into the great hall, the Gryffindor looking questioningly at the blonde.
Draco gave a slow nod in acceptance.
"After dinner then but at least try to be on time, Potter," Harry shot the blonde another dirty look, which again went ignored as the Slytherin continued. "I'll wait here and go in after you," he said, as he gestured to the doors. "We don't want to look like we've come in together."
Harry had a retort on the tip of tongue, but opted for peace and swallowed any argument that was all to willing to spew from his mouth. What point was there in arguing over something so trivial as stating the obvious?
With a cool shrug, Harry strolled into the hall. Completely missing the small genuine smile brightening Draco's face.
xXx
Days passed and grew into weeks and progressively things got better between Harry, Draco and Blaise. Well, mostly. Outside of class Blaise and Draco would help Harry in anything he needed and in return he offered to tutor Blaise in Defence. In class, Draco would still pick on him, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been. Usually, he'd vent on Pan. But presently, the trio were all venting their stresses or rather, allowing their inner animals to run wild.
Harry tumbled over Draco as he tried to pin him and ended up instead sprawled over Eclipse, Blaise in his animagus form. The Gryffindor glared at the nixie who merely returned a smug expression.
'Let me show you how it's done,' Draco drawled. Harry prepared himself for the attack and just as Draco pounced danced away gracefully, causing the larger cat to crash into the ground with a dull 'thud' where he stayed for a few moments, having winded himself.
'Oh yes, Mr know-it-all, doesn't seem to know quite as much as he thought,' Harry grinned superiorly. Blaise, who sat off to the side chuckled at the two felines' antics. Before the silexis could react, Harry had leapt over and used his head as a spring board and flew into the canopy over head, laughing as he did so.
'You are going to pay for that Blitz!' Blaise threatened. It was an empty threat and all three knew it. Especially given the fact that his animagus form was unable to catch Harry up in the tree tops that the minx frequented.
"Blitz!"
The feminine voice rang out through the dark forest and halted all three animagus in their steps. Her voice was quickly accompanied by a male.
"Blitz! We know you're out here."
'Granger and Weasley,' Blaise commented causing Draco to shoot him a look which declared, 'Of course, idiot.'
Harry dropped gracefully from his perch high above his two animal companions, glancing in the direction his friends' calls had originated. 'I wonder what's up. They never come looking for me when I'm exercising Blitz,' he said.
'We had best return to school then,' Draco stated.
'Don't go in on account of me,' Harry replied, strolling back towards what the pack had dubbed their 'den.' 'We haven't been out here that long.'
'I've got to finish my essay for potions anyway,' Draco responded with a bored air. Blaise, who had caught up with the pair, nodded his head in agreement.
'That's not due until another week and a bit,' Harry said, staring at Draco like he was some foreign being and had declared an undying love for Voldemort.
'This would explain why your essays are absolute rubbish.'
'Says teacher's pet,' Harry shot back. 'Just because I have more important things to worry about than my grades. Who'd have thought, you'd be a bookworm.' He snickered and danced away when Draco lunged at him half-heartedly.
'Hold on,' Harry paused suddenly and glanced over at Draco, feline eyes narrowed suspiciously. 'How do you know my essays are rubbish?'
'Professor Snape wouldn't give you low marks if they weren't,' Draco retorted after only a slight pause.
'Snape is just a greasy git who should grow up and let past grudges go.' Harry grumbled. 'Besides which, that doesn't explain how you know the marks I get for my essays to begin with.'
This time the answer was a little longer in coming. 'Your indignant expression once you get your essay back is enough of an answer,' Draco drawled eventually.
'I do not have a—wait a moment.' Harry started, staring at Draco in a considering manner. 'For someone who hated me, you sure stared at me a lot.'
Draco made an odd sound. 'I didn't—'
'I mean, I had a reason to be wary whenever you were around, because you'd usually do something to get me or my friends into trouble.' Harry shook his head at the nixie and sighed. 'Ice, you are weird,' the Gryffindor said succinctly and was forced to dodge away as Draco made another attempt to pounce on him and this time, Harry wasn't sure if Draco was joking or not.
'Keep the play G-rated, guys,' Blaise warned. 'We don't want to upset the kiddies.'
'Admitting that you're still a child, Eclipse?' Draco questioned lowly. Fixing a smug glare on Blaise.
'I'm referring to Blitz's pals which are still waiting for him to show up,' Blaise pointed out calmly, promptly reminding Harry what he was supposed to be doing instead of teasing Draco. He darted ahead and into their thicket, which now did resemble a den somewhat, since Blaise had dug a large semi tunnel beneath one of the bigger trees and Draco had put up deterrent wards to keep intruders out. Or more importantly, large, man eating spiders.
Once within the pack's den, Harry transformed back into human form, feeling immensely saddened that he hadn't been able to stay as Blitz longer but knowing that whatever he was being called for was far more important.
"Blitz!" Came the call again. Hermione sounded partially annoyed, partly worried.
Harry shot a parting look at his two still animal companions and darted off toward the call. Skirting the edge of the forest, he slipped out and started towards his best friends. "Yeah guys?" The pair of Gryffindors immediately made their way toward him as well.
"Dumbledore wanted to see you," Hermione said without preamble, once the three were on their way back toward the castle. "I guess it's kind of fortunate that he asked you to see him before dinner."
"Yeah he sent Collin to fetch you but well, since you were out here and all," Ron shrugged.
Harry nodded his understanding. "Did he give an exact time?" He asked.
"Well given how long it took to locate you, about 15 minutes," Hermione replied.
"That's cutting it a little close," Harry murmured to himself but Ron answered all the same.
"You're telling me mate. For a while there I was worried that we wouldn't find you on time. Hermione here was about to try a summoning charm on you."
The girl turned a mild pink as Harry's emerald gaze settled on her with an unreadable look.
"It was necessary," she muttered quickly in defence.
The group were almost inside when Hermione stopped them, her eyes were uneasy as her gaze flickered to beyond her companions and out into the school grounds, causing Harry to look over at what had caught her attention and felt slightly apprehensive when he discovered she was watching Draco.
"I didn't see him out there before," Hermione muttered. "Did you?"
"No," Ron answered, his eyes narrowed as he too looked over at the blonde Slytherin. "What d'you suppose he was doing out there?"
"Not sure," Hermione replied then turned to face Harry. "I think we're going to have to keep an eye on him. Especially if he starts showing up whenever you're out for a run with Blitz."
Harry nodded, hoping not to give his own thoughts away. "What do you suppose Dumbledore wants?" He asked, wanting to distract his friends.
"Well I had assumed this was going to be one of those lessons," Hermione said, then frowned. "But then I overheard him talking with Professor Snape about something, he sounded quite worried."
"I wonder what it could be," Harry said, though in reality, he wasn't sure he really wanted the answer to his question.
Unsure what to expect exactly, Harry entered the headmaster's office not long after. Snape was there, attempting to blend into the shadows and looking as irritable as ever but resigned to the fact that Harry would be sharing his air for a while longer yet. This also made Harry wonder whether their discussion was going to being a 'hereditas-safe' one, since Harry wasn't sure who exactly knew about his complete change on the school's staff.
Madame Pomfrey, for one, didn't know the full extent of his 'change' having only been informed that Harry healed faster than normal wizards. His wings, claws and fangs, while internal didn't show up in any scans. His blood though, that was something else to explain entirely. He was only grateful that that little problem had so far been avoided, otherwise when his blood was tested for the foreign substance which had drugged him, he would have given his secret away.
And then there was Snape.
Snape though, he was another matter altogether. And Harry wasn't sure it would be safe if he knew of Harry's condition, regardless of Dumbledore's trust in the man.
"Harry, my dear boy sit down," the jovial old headmaster requested and despite his better judgement, Harry did so. In the chair furthest from Snape, understandably. "Malteaser?"
The Gryffindor blinked at the proffered muggle candy but was forced to decline politely. "Er... no thank-you Professor. What was it that you called me here for?" Snape, Harry heard, snorted from his dark corner.
"Ah yes," Dumbledore started, "aside from your lessons I've called you here because I've heard some rather unsettling things floating about the school."
Things? He felt suddenly rather wary of these 'things' and was almost scared of what was to follow. "Yes?" Harry prompted, leaning forward as though interested.
"This concerns a rather small group of students leaving their dorms after hours and sneaking out of school grounds, while this in itself it not uncommon what they get up to once they leave is a worry. Especially for you, so I'm afraid that I must reinforce the fact that you be in your dorm at curfew and no late night wanderings."
The old man's sky-blue eyes held none of their usual sparkle. Instead, they were dead serious. Harry knew all this information of course, having heard from Blaise some time ago but if Harry was being warned, did this mean things were far more serious than what they previously were or did this just mean that Dumbledore had decided to inform him of the situation now? Harry was unable to decide but latched onto the idea.
"So he's recruited some of the students. Do you know which ones yet?"
If either Dumbledore or Snape were surprised by Harry's abrupt question, neither let on.
"We have our suspicions," the oldest wizard replied vaguely.
"But surely," Harry pressed, his eyes drifted over to where Snape stood stoically off to the side of the room. It was almost as though he was trying to be forgotten. "Surely you have—"
"You've been told all you can be, Potter," the potions master snapped suddenly.
"Severus," Dumbledore said mildly, facing the glowering man. He turned back to Harry. "The main reason I summoned you here was to warn you of Fenrir Greyback."
Harry blinked, having temporarily forgotten about the werewolf. More to the point, having been a part of killing him. "The werewolf who bit Remus, what about him?"
"He was last seen scouting the forbidden forest for weak points into the school grounds and has gone missing. I'm sure I needn't remind you of the school rules in which to avoid the forest at all costs but it is possible that he may try luring students out to him and thought it wise to warn you ahead of time given your change of heart towards Voldemort's dark creatures."
It didn't go unnoticed that Dumbledore was being vague about Harry's change, confirming his suspicions that Snape wasn't fully aware of what had happened to him. This was for the best, Harry knew, this way if Voldemort were to ask the potions' professor he could honestly claim not knowing much about it. Even so, how would Harry's hereditas effect anything? Well, how would that affect his actions in regards to a werewolf when his dislike was meant to be for Gensvacare?
Deciding he couldn't get that answer now, Harry slotted the question aside and nodded.
"How is Mister Torrez doing?"
The question was so unexpected that Harry stared for many moments before his thoughts processed the words carefully. "Er fine, I guess. Why, what has he done now?"
"Nothing, Harry. I was merely curious," Dumbledore assured, his eyes had gained his twinkle back and that in itself made Harry remarkably wary. "If what Severus tells me is correct, and I'm certain it is, it would seem the boy has taken a great liking to you."
Harry heard Shape mutter something darkly to himself but was unable to catch the words exactly. He had a feeling it wasn't anything pleasant. Anything Snape said about Harry or anything generally link to him never was.
"Yeah," Harry agreed somewhat nervously. He wasn't exactly liking where this conversation was headed. Nor was he enjoying the scowl Snape had fixed on him.
Dumbledore nodded once. "An interesting boy."
There was a pregnant pause. One which had Harry wanting to leave rather badly despite his eagerness earlier that year. He had thought having private lessons with someone he looked up to and admired would be brilliant, now however he was beginning to see flaws.
"Er... Professor?"
The headmaster blinked. "Oh, sorry, Harry," he chuckled to himself.
"My lessons, sir?" Harry asked, his eyes sliding over to Snape who for the most part, had done nothing but scowl in Harry's direction and mutter to himself like a nut job. Why was he even there?
Dumbledore nodded and turned to Snape who glided from the room without a word.
Odd.
Hogwart's old headmaster turned and watched him go, his face held something close to sorrow before the expression was wiped and the usual twinkling in his eyes returned, brightening his face. Harry couldn't help but notice the transition from one to the other. The one which depicted the worn old man who had lived his life and was tired, then the mask he hid behind. Harry had to wonder how long he had suffered to be able to perfect his outward image. What horrors may actually lie in his past.
"Harry, my boy," Dumbledore smiled, causing Harry to start from his musings. "Your lessons with me will not be for your Occlumency, but something far more important. An adventure, if you will, that I started some years ago and hope to end very soon.
"What do you say about us taking a little trip down memory lane?" ¹
xXx
"They're what?"
"Horcruxes," Hermione murmured in a harsh whisper. "Ron, do keep up." The girl leaned forward from her seat, which was at Harry's desk. She looked to be trying to process all the information Harry had told them. Then she peered back at Harry, her face paling significantly from it's usual pale olive. "He's immortal?"
"Not for very much longer," Harry replied as he sank into his soft bed. "Dumbledore's already well on his way in destroying every last trace of—"
"But how can someone do that?" The girl asked. Harry wasn't sure whether the question was rhetorical or not, so he shrugged.
"Hermione, I wouldn't say the guy's immortal exactly," Harry tried to reason out and was struggling feebly. "I'd say all he's really done is stretched out his life a little more. Like a cat is meant to have nine..."
"Except you-know-who has six," Ron supplied helpfully.
Harry nodded in agreement. "Exactly!" Then he frowned. "Well, he only really has two now. His body excluded," Harry said, quickly going over everything he'd learned that night. And all that remained of the murderer's horcruxes was Nagini and another unknown remnant to one of the four founders. If Nagini was indeed a horcrux and Dumbledore was almost completely certain that she was. Harry was rather impressed by what the old headmaster had achieved in just one summer.
He was fairly sure it outranked even his own.
"And he wants you to join the hunt," Hermione remarked. Almost blandly.
Harry blinked at her. "Yes," he replied just as neutral.
The girl nodded once then looked to Ron. The redhead was seated at the foot of Harry's bed, peering between the pair. "This sounds dangerous, Harry," Hermione murmured with a furrowed brow.
The boy gave her a wry grin. "Hows this different from any other year?"
"Cursed artefacts with some madman's soul stuck in them, well I can't say you've dealt with that kind of thing every year, mate," Ron said thoughtfully. "Although, I suppose second year kind of counts..."
"But Dumbledore has asked Harry to help him."
" Doesn't that mean that it should be safer?" Ron asked the flustered female of their trio. "He'll be with Dumbledore."
"Yeah," Harry nodded, confused with his turn of events, as he had been certain that it would be Hermione who backed up Dumbledore completely and Ron who'd be a little unsure but it was the reverse. "I thought you'd support Dumbledore on this?"
"I do, Harry," Hermione was quick to assure. "I'm just still worried about—"
"The 'unknowns' while dealing with these horcruxes?" Ron queried perceptively. Hermione and Harry both gave Ron an odd look. The redhead flushed. "What?"
Harry shook his head. "It's nothing, Ron."
Hermione, though was looking at the redhead appraisingly.
"So, who's this Slughorn bloke, then?" Ron asked, oblivious to the witches stare.
"He was the potions teacher before Professor Snape," Hermione supplied easily. "Brilliant too apparently, with loads of connections to famous people. Though he tended to drop those with any affiliation to dark magic."
The Angelus stared hard at Hermione. "Do I even need to ask where you got that information from?"
"I think we all know the answer to that one," Ron replied causing both himself and Harry to snicker to themselves and Hermione to glower darkly.
"You asked a question and I answer it. See if I ever help you again!" She cried hotly and gathering up her books, stalked out the door. Ron was immediately up and running out after her, his voice pleading.
"Oh c'mon Hermione! It was a joke!"
Harry chuckled to himself as he flopped lazily back on his bed. Ron's voice could still be heard faintly through his door, as could Hermione's now. While Harry gazed up into the crimson of his canopy bed, his mind ticked over the hunt he had been asked to join. It derailed a little when the image of an irate Draco popped up and began berating Harry for not informing the him of the assignment.
"Sorry, Malfoy," Harry said softly, to himself. "But this task is mine, not your's."
With Ron and Hermione's voice's still echoing throughout his head, Harry allowed his thoughts to carry him slowing into the land of sleep.
They'd be perfect for each other, if only they'd finally wake up and see what's in plain sight.
xXx
The day had started out as a fairly pleasant one. It may have had something to do with it being a Friday and that he had received a bigger than normal parcel from home that could outrival Draco's own, or quite possibly that the next day was a Hogsmead weekend day. Thus a day filled with fun things to do with his best friends Ron and Hermione, who Harry felt he had been neglecting a tad.
"So did your aunt pack any of those raspberry filled fairy cakes?" Ron asked as he leant over Harry to inspect the package the prince had received.
"Um, yeah," Harry answered and battered Ron's hands away so he could reach in and pull them out. "I told her you liked those. Which is why she packed twice as many."
"Your aunt's an angel," Ron murmured around the small cake, Harry had generously supplied him.
Harry's lip quirked into an almost smirk. "That she is," he said.
"Harry," Hermione murmured, capturing his full attention as she brought out a large and beautiful flask. "What's this?"
"Ack!" Harry hissed and snagged the flask from his friends hands and slipped it back into the box it had been removed from. He glanced around to see who had seen the flask but it appeared only Pan was aware of it. Still, Harry lowered his voice.
"That was a flask of Sanguisé," he said lowly, his hands still caressing the flask in an absent manner. "A lightly spiced blood drink—Ron!"
But the redhead had already sprayed this pumpkin juice all over his and Harry's breakfast. It was a blessing Harry's rations from home were well charmed to expel any kind of liquid while still in it's wrapping.
Ron's ears tinted a slight red. "Sorry mate, but can you give a bit of warning first? I'm still not used to the whole blood thing."
"Sure," Harry said with a dismissive wave. "Anyway—wait Ron—Sanguisé is a lightly spiced blood drink and before you ask Hermione, it is different to what my blood-chalice produces, which is just blood though is named Piotte, 'One does not refer to one's dinner as blood in polite company,'" he quoted his aunt Selene with a smile.
"How did she manage to make you remember all this stuff?" Hermione queried sounding both awed and perplexed. "Especially in so little time when I find it difficult making you study for your exams."
Harry shrugged his shoulders elegantly. Almost all of his actions were becoming elegant and graceful, Harry suspected that too was an instinct.
"We've got charms first right?" Ron asked, bacon in mouth and another tiny cake in hand.
"Right," Harry answered and frowned down at the letter he'd received with his parcel. Done in what Harry had come to recognise as his aunt Selene's beautiful and flowing hand, a little over the top in it's fanciful loops and such but still a piece of art.
Our Dearest Harry, it read,
We hope this letter finds you and your friends well and content.
I am quite glad your young friend finds my baking so enjoyable. I daresay I'd like very much to meet him and young Hermione sometime in the near future. They do so sound like a lovely pair and to have been your friend for so long and through so much, they are held in my high regards. I have spoken with your uncle and he has consented most willingly to have them stay with us over Yule, their families willing, of course.
It has come to your uncle's attention that your attendance of school has caused the large stir I had predicted but we hear things seem to be settling down and that you now have a tutor to help in the areas where you need guidance. It is a shame that we cannot be of much assistance at this point but your current guide seems to be doing well.
Tell me, is he up to your standards? He is a worldly boy, I suggest going to him if in need of anything at all. I'm sure he would appreciate your openness.
As for your uncle, he has business elsewhere that takes him across the country, though I know he is proud of your rapid progress and as I, is greatly looking forward to your arrival at Yule. It was also announced that we are to have a celebration with all our cousins. It should be quite an interesting affair, I am already looking into the decorations and colour scheme.
Are there any dishes that you would prefer? We are to have an assortment or course, I just want to be sure we do not miss something that you like. You do not need to worry about the treacle tarts however, I added those to the top of the desserts list.
Anyway, I must let you get back to studies now but if you could owl me as soon as possible, I need to give Mairy the list of dishes for her to buy the required items. You know how pedantic she can be when it comes to serving large amounts of people. As amusing as we find it, I think the poor thing suffers.
Be well mon étoile du matin,
Love always, your Aunt and Uncle.
"What's it say?" Ron asked.
"The usual," Harry replied as his frown deepened. The statement wasn't a lie exactly, it did state the usual but held an undercurrent of disquiet hidden well within the wording. He wasn't sure what was wrong just that something was.
His insides seemed to freeze.
What if his family had been discovered? He knew that they should be safe where they were. Like the Malfoy estate, the lands were unplottable and unless you knew the location and had the wards adjusted to you, there was no way to get in. Nothing short of the fidelius charm itself was any stronger.
But was it enough?
He mulled that over for a moment, until recently, his family had been well hidden and secret for a very long time. Right back to when his great grandfather's great, great grandfather was ruler of the clan, some hundreds of years previous and now with the revealing of Harry as heir, they had possibly been exposed.
If such was the case however, wouldn't they have appeared and whisked him away into hiding—prophecy aside—kept Harry hidden until there was an heir to carry on in his stead once he was gone?
Or perhaps this was merely a subtle warning of a kind?
He reread the letter quickly. All his aunt's letters spoke highly of Draco. He wondered what she saw in him. True, Harry knew the boy was intelligent. It was evident in his grades but his wasn't just as bookish knowledge, it was worldly as his aunt had put it.
Harry frowned as he thought about that. From his interpretation of his aunt's words, she had advised seeing Draco, possibly about this letter. Why else would she state so blatantly to go to him for help not long after the passage in which it spoke of the disturbance that Harry caused?
Again it was quite possible that he was reading too much into the situation.
Another possibility snagged his attention at openness. Did Selene know that Harry kept his side of the shared bond between Draco and himself on such a tight leash that Draco felt nothing from Harry at all, little more than a vague direction of his location at any given time?
That too was entirely possible and begged the question how on earth she knew if that was the case. He didn't think Draco would be the type to go crying to Harry's family because Harry refused to let Draco read him like an open book. Then again, he may have complained to his father about the situation which in turn would have gotten back to Harry's own family.
Sighing, Harry carefully folded and pocketed his letter then picked up his package.
"Grab whatever you want now, because I'm going to put the rest in my room," he said, mostly to Ron.
As suggested, Ron whipped out three more fairy-cakes and a block of Cremes triple cream fudge. Hermione shook her head disapprovingly of the scene and declined Harry's offer for her to take something.
With a shrug, Harry picked up his parcel and headed for the doors to leave the hall. He became instantly aware that he wasn't alone. And wasn't at all surprised by it.
"Don't even try it," he warned lowly, "I can smell you quite clearly."
"And I just had a shower," Pan whined dramatically.
"Which is probably why you smell so strongly," Harry said even as he passed the other boy and continued on. Idly he wondered if Pan had even eaten anything at breakfast. Just as quickly as the thought came, Harry dismissed it as unimportant and carried on as though Pan wasn't there at all.
"Would you prefer I didn't shower?"
"Not now, Pan," Harry said, growing steadily more irritated.
Harry heard as the other boy paused in his following but didn't cease his own forward momentum. "Look," Pan sighed as he jogged to catch up with Harry's long strides. "I'm only out here to ensure you get around safely. My darling cousin is preoccupied at present and let's face it, his little messenger boy? He couldn't fend off a Granny and her walking cane."
Harry growled, feeling the need to defend the Slytherin from Pan's attack.
Pan quirked a brow. "I know you like him, but really, you know what I said is true. In the event of an attack on you, you'd be trying to protect him not the other way around. So what good it that to you? You need to get over your crush on Zabini and accept the fact he isn't strong enough for you."
The Gryffindor stopped and spun to face the Slytherin. "I do not have a crush on Zabini!" Harry very nearly screeched. He lowered his voice at the horrifying pitch and fixed a firm and paralysing glare on Pan, who for once looked intimidated. "I do not fancy Zabini in any way. He would be a decent friend, yes but that is all I see him as. Nothing more. Merlin, I'm not even into blokes!"
He was positively horrified by the very thought of him being attracted to Blaise. Not that he had anything against him. He was extremely attractive, Harry had always known that but he was a boy, Blaise was a boy and more importantly he was... Blaise and somehow that just seemed so very wrong to him.
Pan looked doubtful. "Harry. You do fancy Zabini. Even Draconis has noticed that you tend to favour him more than even him—"
The glare Harry turned on the Invidian was nearly enough to shred flesh, break bone and sear blood. "I'm not in the mood for your jokes," he said, voice low and harsh.
The Slytherin took a step back. "Scary," he muttered.
There was a long drawn out pause where neither blinked and finally, Harry turned away. Taking the blonde's silence as acquiescence.
"Still, I'm coming with you," Pan insisted.
Harry sighed in frustration. He had won a battle but the war was far from over."Fine," he
said. "I don't know why you're even doing this. I mean, it's nowhere near to curfew yet. So it's not like someone would try anything now. If they had any sense they'd do it at night."
"And the attempted drugging?"
Heated emeralds were fixed on Pan so fast and furious that Pan took another step back in retreat. Harry mentally noted that he would have to remember how to do that. Getting Pan to backup twice within a five minute time span had to be a record.
"We aren't going to discuss this again," Harry murmured angrily, not wanting to think about his house's betrayal.
The Slytherin opened his mouth to object but was stopped as Harry's voice lowered further still and adopted the silken quality it often did after he drank blood.
"No Pan." Was the soft but firm command. "We won't speak of this again."
Unsurprisingly, Pan obliged and Harry mentally congratulated himself on a job well done. He'd been practicing the voice on Ron and Hermione and occasionally Blaise—if the boy would allow him. Harry hadn't quite mastered it yet, but more often than not his targets had acquiesced to his requests without fighting back. It could also have been that they had been willing participants in the first place. Harry had yet to really try the voice on anyone who wouldn't be willing.
Hermione had named it 'compulsion' and had protested against Harry using it on anyone at the beginning, as she saw it as no better than using Imperius. She had warmed up to the idea though when Harry had pointed out that there were limitations to compulsion. Such as the fact that he had to be near his target and that the effects weren't long lasting and that if he managed to get it to work properly they would be Pan-free more often. The down side to this power, of course, was that it often made the target into love-struck zombies—for the duration of the spell anyway.
Warily, Harry eyed the other but seeing that there weren't going to be any further objections continued on his way back to Gryffindor Tower. Pan moved along silently at his side. Anyone who saw them passing would think it the usual, but if they noticed they would see Pan's vacant gaze.
It didn't last for long though, not even seven minutes later and Harry could feel Pan's entire being struggling against Harry's control once more.
A minute later he broke the connection.
"What did you just use on me?" Pan asked, as he glanced about bemused by their location which was some way away from where Harry had put Pan under his compulsion. "What spell was that? I didn't hear you cast anything on me."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry replied calmly. "I didn't use any spell on you."
The Invidian looked uncertain and perhaps a little dazed still and Harry found he couldn't
control his sudden curiosity. "Pan," he said, wandering back to his common room with Pan trailing along silently, for once, at his side. "Why are you really here?"
The boy eyed Harry askance. "What do you mean?"
Harry sighed. "You know exactly what I mean. Why are you here? To add me to the list of your conquests? Surely that can't be your only reason for the sudden transfer. Especially after the threat of being declanned."
Harry watched with a sort of satisfaction as Pan winced. Still the larger boy replied with an even voice, full of determination. "He can threaten me with that all he likes. I will not back down from my role as your protector. It's my duty to do so."
He studiously ignored Harry's protest of, "It's not your duty!"
"Were it not for Draconis, I'd hold your bond. You know that don't you?" He turned to Harry, eyes filled with a fevered light, bordering almost obsessive. Despite wanting to back away from the Invidian, something in Harry refused that he show fear and his own gaze hardened a fraction. "Draconis is unworthy and only prejudice kept me from claiming my right by your side. Zabini is even further down, why can't you see that?"
Harry felt himself growing angrier by the moment as Pan continued to insult Draco and Blaise. Even if Draco wasn't a friend, he was Harry's warder and they already had the very beginnings of what could become a friendship and Blaise was already secretly Harry's friend anyway. So Pan's insulting them was seriously fraying Harry's nerves.
Still, Harry persevered and forced his anger down. He would get more information out of Pan that way, he reminded himself. Besides, Pan for all his annoying qualities, which were many, he was very observant and could supply insight to things Harry himself may have missed somehow.
"Be careful what you say and where you say it or do you want us being over heard?" Harry warned.
"I don't want us being over heard but I knew we were alone," Pan replied with a soft smile. "Don't worry my sweet prince, I wouldn't do anything that would have you harmed. Unlike that loser Zabini or the self absorbed cousin of mine."
"What is with you and your rivalry Malfoy and you have?" Harry asked, somewhat confused by the question that sprung from his mouth of it's own accord. He was fairly certain the cousin's hatred was somewhat exaggerated. Sure, the two fought a lot. Far more than even Draco and Ron did and far more violent but to Harry, it seemed to lack any really spark of hatred. It was more of a dislike, albeit a rather odd one. There was, something about it that Harry just couldn't quite grasp. Even so, he hadn't meant to ask that, even if he had been thinking it.
For a long time Pan didn't speak and Harry just figured he wasn't willing to talk about it, but apparently the Slytherin had just been trying to word it carefully.
"We weren't always like this," Pan said quietly. "When we were younger we were almost inseparable. The sibling the other always wanted but then school started and he went to Hogwarts and I was sent to Durmstrang—father's last wish."
"I don't remember you coming in my fourth year," Harry said with a pensive frown.
"And you wouldn't," Pan nodded in agreement. "I was kept locked up the entire year. My mother, Uncle Lucy's sister, attempted to kill Draconis during the summer holidays to ensure my place as successor to the throne. Aunt Cissy can't have anymore children, you see. If she couldn't have anymore children and had no heir of their own the throne passes to me once uncle Lucy dies, as I am the closest next blood relation."
Harry grimaced at Pan's pet name from Lucius, certain the man would have hated being dubbed such a girlish name but what struck him the most, was Pan's willingness to discuss something so intensely private and had to seriously consider whether the boy was telling the truth or whether it was some elaborate lie to make Harry feel sorry for him.
"It didn't work out though. The plot was discovered, my mother was killed for treason and I, unfortunately, was tarred with the same brush. However, my age saved me from her fate exactly but I'm watched carefully and not trusted by anyone. Least of all by uncle and aunt.
"I don't think Draconis really hates me, at least I'm certain that he didn't. Now though, I'm not so sure," he sighed sounding incredibly tired. "Ah well, that's karma for you. I must have been a very bad person in my past life. That, or I'm the favourite playthings for the fates."
"Why are you here?" Harry asked again, suddenly.
Pan froze and peered into the Gryffindor's clear green eyes before his own shied away from the intensity of Harry's stare. "I'm needed here," Pan replied simply. "I like you, I think I've made that rather obvious and I don't want to see you get hurt nor do I want to see Draconis getting killed, which was one of the reasons I wanted to be your warder. Being close to you almost always means death for our kind. Why do you think I am fatherless and King Demetrius without a warder of his own?"
Harry's eyes widened then immediately narrowed. "Your father was my uncle's warder?"
This was beginning to explain so much. If it was indeed truth and not some finely spun lie to snare him in it's web.
"That he was," Pan smiled sadly and glanced back at Harry, then away once more. "I had hoped to carry on the tradition. You know, follow in my father's footsteps but I should have known I would never get the chance. No one trusts me so why would they allow me such an important task as to being your protector? The reason I'm here is as backup for Draconis, whether he knows it or not he will need me here in the future and hopefully then I'll be able to make amends for past mistakes."
The statement struck a chord with Harry for some unknown reason. He was almost certain that Pan wasn't merely talking about his mother's past transgressions.
"I still can't believe what mother did, or rather tried to do and I still can't really fathom the reasoning for it. I don't want too either. I assume she believed that what she was doing was done in my best interests and didn't consider the fallout it would have if her plan were to go so horribly wrong. Even so, I still love her. Can you fault me for that?"
He turned to Harry.
The Angelus wasn't sure what he was meant to say to a question like that but found himself answering nonetheless. "No," Harry answered slowly. "Not at all. I'm sure if she knew all the trouble she caused you and the family she wouldn't have done what she did."
But Harry wasn't so sure. He didn't know the woman at all and could only base his answer on what Pan had offered of her which really wasn't much. She could have been an absolute nut job for all he knew but then she could have been a concerned mother only wanting the best for her child.
But to murder her own nephew?
Pan smiled at Harry warmly, though it was still tinged in sadness. "You always seem to believe the best of people. Don't ever change."
Harry offered Pan a weak smile, knowing full well he didn't believe the best of all people. Snape was a prime example of this. Though, at one point Harry had thought Voldemort was good, although that could all be down to the fact that Harry didn't know Tom was Voldemort, so perhaps that didn't count.
The Angelus considered Pan's words before his musings were disturbed by said Slytherin.
"I wish I was your bonded," he said again. "That is the main reason for Draconis and me fighting. After my mother's disgrace and before you came, he just ignored me. I believe he is afraid that even with the bond in place I'll somehow take his place. Despite his whole superior act, I think he's really quite insecure but it must be nice for him to be surrounded by your warming presence wherever he goes. It would be calming I imagine."
Despite himself, Harry snorted. "More like a cold lump of lead," he answered honestly.
The Slytherin laughed. Harry had never heard him laugh before and thought that he should do it more often. He even told the other boy so.
Pan's smile turned into a smirk. "If I did, would you let me shag you?"
"No!" Harry exclaimed.
"Ah well," Pan murmured and shrugged nonchalantly. "Can't blame me for trying but I guess I'll just have to settle for this then, eh?"
"For wha—"
In hindsight Harry really should have seen it coming.
But his speech was cut off when a hot mouth descended on his own and a tongue slipped into his parted lips, mapping his mouth in quick, talented sweeps. It took a moment for sense to return to Harry's confused mind and he shoved the other boy up against the wall roughly.
"That was all a lie to get me to drop my guard, wasn't it?" Harry fumed, lowly. He still had Pan pinned to the wall and was about beat the snowy-haired boy's head against said wall.
"Was it?" Pan queried, his voice too was low and sultry. He swept down and kissed Harry again, just as quickly as the first but with much more enthusiasm. Just as the Angelus heir was about to punch Pan soundly in the jaw, he was released and turned to the noise that had caught both boys' attention.
There down the other end of the hall was Blaise Zabini, standing transfixed with a sort of horrified expression. It quickly morphed into something else and he turned on his heel quickly and vanished back down the hall.
Pan's next comment pretty much summed everything up.
"Well shit."
Harry couldn't agree more.
¹ I didn't want to go into detail on the horcruxes, trying to keep my story as DH spoiler free as possible. I definitely -won't- include the hallows, for rather obvious reasons.