Chapter 10: Secrets

Previously:

"Severus ward anyone else allowed to come over. I just want this place for Harry, you and me."

Taking the hint Severus changed the wards and walked over to Sirius.

"What happened? All I get is Harry flooing over, crying. I just put him on the couch when he fell asleep."

"He is now ours, according to James, Lily and Dumbledore. They don't want him holding Richard back." Severus gasped, they were giving Harry away in favour of making sure Richard was the perfect soldier.

"Oh Sirius, but ….. He's just a child, they both are …. Oh my god." Severus started stroking the boys face unconsciously. He felt almost as though he were about to cry for the boys fate, he had just lost his family over night.

"We get to adopt him later, I just got an owl for it. James and Lily are giving us their son." Though Sirius knew Severus didn't need any papers for him to run away with the boy. Severus loved the boy too much, Harry reminded Severus too much of his old life. Walking over to his love and embracing him from behind he placed his head on Severus's shoulder.

"We'll do everything in our power to make him happy right?"

"No question about it Sirius, he deserve happiness in his life."

Unknown to them the whole conversation was heard by Harry. He had woken up when Sirius came through. Harry was glad of one thing; he was going to stay with Sirius and Severus. At least he was not going to be put up for adoption.

~O_O~

It had been two years since Richard had talked to his brother properly. And he missed the younger boy. Ever since that Christmas, everything changed. Harry became distant, and soon hardly anyone but Harry's friends talked to him. He was a shadow, a ghost.

Richard had tried to run after his brother, all those years ago, but Dumbledore stopped him. Dumbledore made him choose the safety of his brother over his love for his brother. Richard couldn't believe Dumbledore made him choose. It made Richard more careful around the old man, as well as his parents, for letting the old man run his life.

As soon as he was in his third year, Dumbledore made him take extra classes privately to make sure he was prepared for anything. Dumbledore made it impossible for him to even see his brother. He had to get permission to spend time with him, and that was harder to get than the permission to get a book out from the restricted section.

Richard wanted out and he wanted out now. Nothing he said to his parents would help. The one time he sent a letter to Sirius, he knew automatically that someone else had intercepted it, as the tracking charm he put on it didn't make it out of Hogwart's wards. He felt so trapped in this world, being the one person to defeat a madman.

~O_O~

Harry walked through the halls silently. All he wanted to do was to go to the tower he had found in his first year and sleep. It had always calmed him. There was also another reason he went. It was the only place he could be close to his angel. The boy who only ever visited him in his tower, but his angel never touched him without checking that Harry was asleep. Although Harry faked it most of the time, he never looked, he just liked the touch and the songs the boy would sing.

Harry touched the window, watching the rain fall. He missed his brother. He had only received one present from Richard since he was given away, and it wasn't even given to him personally. Hermione had turned up saying she found a present addressed to him. Upon opening it, he knew it was Richard who had gotten the present. Who else would give him a picture of when they were young and laughing? Harry treasured the picture like nothing else. He took it with him everywhere he went now, tucked safely away in his robe pocket.

Although Harry may dislike his parents, dislike Dumbledore even more, and miss his brother, he was happy about one thing. Watching his two friends Hermione and Neville get closer than just friends. But the one downside was neither would admit they were interested in the other. So for their second year, Harry devised a plan to at least get them to admit to him that they fancied the other. It would be hard seeing as Neville was the resident shy boy and Hermione was almost as stubborn as an ox.

~O_O~

"Harry! Oi! Harry!" Harry turned around to see Hermione running up to him. He was glad that he could now look down at her instead of up. He had disliked it when he was a small little thing.

"Yes Hermione, what is it?"

"Have you heard?! The school is holding a ball this year and inviting students from other schools to come! I heard Professor McGonagall talking to Professor Flitwick about it. They said it was for something that was going to happen in our fourth year. Ooh! I'm so excited to meet the foreign students! I would love to know how their education system worked." 'Yup' Harry thought, 'only Hermione could turn anything fun into something about learning'.

"No I didn't, Hermione, but thank you for the update." Harry continued to walk towards the Great Hall for lunch. "Did you find out which years are allowed to attend?"

"No I didn't, but I don't think they've announced it yet."

"Then why, dear Hermione, did you ask if I had heard anything about it?"

"Oh yes, I suppose that was a little silly of me, but you do tend to surprise everyone with your ability to pop up out of nowhere. So I thought maybe you might have heard something."

"I can see the logic behind that." Harry looked back out the window.

"Harry, I know it's hard for you, but you should get out more, talk to people, smile." Hermione watched Harry as he continued to watch the rain fall outside. "Why couldn't you have stayed small and adorable? Not that you are not adorable now, but just because you have gain height doesn't mean anything." Hermione had now gone into her mothering stance . Hand on hips, legs about shoulder width apart, and that look that could pierce through anything.

"Hermione, you know why. I like my quite time as much I like hanging with the Ravenclaws. I still have Quidditch too." Hermione still had her stern look.

"Whatever you say Harry." Hermione noticed Harry had started to walk away again.

"Say, Hermione, I would like to know something?"

"Yes?"

"Are you ever going to tell Neville that you fancy him more than just a friend?" Harry gave her a raised eyebrow questioning look.

"Wh-what are you on about Harry. Don't say things that are not true." Hermione started to walk faster, away from Harry. Harry started chuckling at her antics.

"I know Hermione, I'm not stupid or blind." Harry called out to her. She started walking faster but gave a quick look back at Harry and stuck out her tongue.

Harry slowly walked towards the Ravenclaw common room. He was lost in his thoughts until he heard crying from one of the rooms. Harry would normally have walked away but he knew the sound of the crying and knew who it was. Opening the door to the abandoned classroom he stepped inside and sat down next to the boy sitting on one of the desks.

"What's the matter?" Harry put his arm around the boy.

"I-I hardly ever see him, and wh-when I do, he's so far away." Ron wailed. "I just wanted to muck around like normal but he doesn't have time for us anymore, I know I shouldn't be crying, but it hurts when he brushes me off." Burying his head in his hands Ron started to bawl his eyes out.

"Ron, come on, you know what my brother has been like for ages. Plus, you do keep your love for him very quite." Harry rubbed circles on Ron's back to try and calm him down. "Don't be like this Ron, you'll only make my brother worry the next time you see him because you have red, puffy eyes."

"But, Harry, he likes my sister Ginny, I know he does. Sh-she hangs out with him more, an-an-and he spends more time with her. Even my brother's realize this, it hur-hurts." And with that Ron continued to cry.

Harry didn't know what to do. His brother had been distant for years. Ron had loved him for years, and now his sister, who was now in second year, was the love obsession of his brother. Ron was breaking inside, and Harry knew the boy would never tell Richard that he loved him. Harry looked down at Ron and continued to rub his back.

"I'm sorry Harry, that you have to listen to this, I know your problems are far greater. You can't even see your brother." Yes, Ron hit the mark there, but Harry knew he was never going to be able to see his brother unless it was under the watchful eye of Dumbledore. But to Harry, Ron's problem was far greater, the boy couldn't even spend time with, let alone see, the person he loved, unless during class and or in the dorms. Richard hardly ever came to the Great Hall to eat anymore. And Richard spent a lot of time in the evenings doing extra work that all the teachers set for him.

"Ron, my problem may be great, but I believe yours hurts a little more, you love him. Maybe what you should do is forget, try someone else. Expand a bit, Richard can't be the end for you, can he?" Harry looked back down only to notice Ron had fallen asleep. Harry sighed. How was he going to get Ron back to his dorm?

"Harry?" Harry turned his head back to the door.

"Neville, hey."

"Do you need some help with him, Harry?"

"Can you go find one his friends from Gryffindor please? I don't think we can go to their common room considering." Harry left the comment hang, he knew Neville would understand what he meant.

"Sure, I'll go find someone."

Neville was back in about ten minutes with one for Ron's brothers, he wasn't sure which twin it was though.

"Take him back yeh?"

"He's having it though, his best friend isn't around anymore," Fred picked his brother up and left out the door.

Harry and Neville soon left to go back to their common room, where they found Hermione sitting in front of the fire reading a text book working on something.

"Neville, come help me a bit, you're better at Herbology than me," Neville, without a second thought, left Harry's side to help Hermione. Harry smiled. When Hermione looked up he sent her a wink and a huge grin knowing exactly what was going on. Hermione blushed which set Neville off as well.

~O_O~

It was two weeks in to their new term when the announcement came.

"Students! Silence!" Dumbledore raised his hands to silence the murmur. "Today, I would like to announce that we will be having students from the school from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons for a few weeks, there will also be a ball held for their welcoming and their departure. Everyone of course is invited, even the first years." When Dumbledore finished, there was an outburst of chatter of joy and excitement.

"QUIET!" Dumbledore yelled over the students. "Please know that we are all representing Hogwarts so please be on your best behaviour and respect the students that will be coming to Hogwarts." Dumbledore looked at each student over his half moon glasses. His blue eyes pinning each student to their seat, promising punishment if they were to go against his word.

"Now, I will not keep you from your dinner any longer, so with a tinker top let's begin" and with a sweep of his hands, dinner appeared on the table.

"Oh Harry, this is an opportunity of a lifetime! People from other schools attending ours, oh, think of all the things we could learn from them, and maybe even the different types of spells or even subjects and…" Harry and Neville, along with quite a few other people tuned out on Hermione's huge rant on finding out the differences of education and the system. Although Harry did hear Neville's comments here and there, probably just to make it seem he was listening, unlike most of the other people. 'Ah, what love will do to people.' Harry thought.

Looking across the tables, he sees Draco Malfoy talking to his friends, if you could call them that. A girl named Pansy, a girl in his year, was always trying to get his attention and love. Especially on Valentine's Day, she would send him the most flowery gifts and ask when their marriage would be finalised. He felt sorry for her in a way, he knew from a look that Draco had and would never have any interest in her.

"Harry, when one is in love it is best never to keep quiet and in the dark." Penelope walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I will not judge, but say you should at least voice it, maybe just to a friend." And with that she was down the table again sitting next to her fellow seventh years.

Shock was all that was present on Harry's face. He may have been slightly obsessed and watchful of the Slytherin but in love? Harry looked back over at the blonde. No he was just curious about people, that was all.

~O_O~

A notice the next day was put up as to when the students would be arriving on January the 29th and would be leaving again of Valentine's Day.

The girls were giddy and happy, and the boys, well not many, weren't really sure what they felt. Some looked happy, others didn't care and a few looked like this was the biggest mistake Dumbledore has ever made in his long life.

Hermione was preparing something for the arrival of the foreign students, but Harry and Neville never asked questions, that would be inviting a long and drawn out rant.

That day was the first time Harry had seen his brother turn up for a meal. In fact, it was the first time anyone really saw him come to a meal. He sat down with his friends ,chatting happily, but something was off. Ginny was hanging off his arm, regardless of the fact she was two years younger than him, and stuck to him like glue.

Ron still tried to talk to Richard normally, but Harry could see from where he was sitting it was getting harder and harder. Every time Ron and Richard got a little too caught up in what they were talking about, Ginny tried to get Richard's attention back to her. This cause pained looks on Ron's face, and because Richard never wanted conflict, he let her do it.

At the Gryffindor table, The Weasley twins were looking out for their brother Ron, who always seemed a bit depressed nowadays.

"Hey, Richard, why are you here for once, not that I'm complaining, I'm just curious because you normally eat in the dorms? ," Ron questioned finally.

"Yeah, Richard, why are you back?" Ginny started to press herself closer to Richard.

"Well, the teachers thought I could have some time off because of the upcoming events." Richard was trying to get further away from Ginny without being rude.

"Oh Richard that means we get to see you more," Ginny giggled and tugged Richard into a hug.

Everyone at the Gryffindor table never really commented on the things Ginny did, she was like that since first year. But a few were getting tired of her butting into every conversation Richard tried to hold with other people.

"Seamus, what you've been up to? I haven't heard from you in a while, you seem to go off without telling people. Kind of like me really." Richard chuckled a bit.

"Ask no Question and tell no lies, Richard." Seamus gave Richard a knowing smirk and Richard returned it.

"Why won't you tell, Seamus? It can't be all that secretive if everyone knows you're missing half the time?" Ginny piped up.

"Ginny, let the guy have his secrets, if he's not ready to tell he's not ready." Ron answered his sister.

"I wasn't asking you Ronald, I was asking Seamus." and with that she turned back to the student in question and raised an eyebrow as if to ask why he hadn't answered yet.

"Ginny, let Seamus keep his secrets, we don't need to know everything." Richard replied, and, as they expected, Ginny dropped the subject.

Ron didn't like being around Ginny much anymore, not since she actually got to meet Richard, so he decided to go talk to his brothers, who were with their long time friend, Lee, laughing away. As Ron was getting up, he saw Richard giving him a questioning look.

"I'm going to talk to my brothers. They wanted to ask me something before anyway." And with that Ron walked away, and sat down next his brother. George, we think.

"Hey Fred, what's up?"

"We were discussing this new prank we were thinking of doing, we haven't chosen a victim yet, buuuuut it's going to be an epic laugh if we pull it off."

" I have a person in mind we could do it on."

"Oh dear brother do tell."

"Fred, that would be too nice of me."

"George you tease."

The banter continued with both Ron and Lee laughing beside them, with the occasional comment. Ron was feeling better already by being near his brother's. Fred threw and arm around Ron and ruffled his hair.

"Nice to see you finally smiling, truly."

"Thanks." Ron decided that maybe it was time to head back to the dorms and do his homework.

Harry saw that Ron was leaving and decided to leave as but with a quick glance at the staff table Harry saw that Dumbledore was still keeping a close eye on him.

Richard saw Ron leave, and also saw Harry leave the Ravenclaw table. He wished they would confide in him like they use to, but Dumbledore watched him like a hawk. Richard just wanted to talk them and he doubted that his friends or brother would hold him back. Richard hardly knew what Dumbledore went on about half the time.

Harry finally caught up with Ron who had started to look gloomy again. Taking him by the arm Harry lead him to a class room to sit and talk.

"Ron, I know this may go against what you want to do, but for Gods sakes tell him how you feel?"

"How can I Harry? He's got Ginny, and she would be heartbroken if anything didn't happen her way."

"Ron, that's stupid, you shouldn't always think of how others would feel about what you would do." Harry faced Ron and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Think of yourself more, be selfish for once and tell Richard how you think of him."

"Harry, I can't, what happens if it ruins our friendship, completely, that would hurt more. I HATE RICHARD FOR THIS! Why couldn't he just have treated me like everyone else?" Ron looked down. "He has always treated me differently, like a best mate, but I do hate him for it sometimes, because it gives me hope that maybe he likes me more than that. Well, you understand Harry."

Harry didn't know what to do, he wanted to help Ron, but at the same time he wanted to ask Richard what the hell he was doing. Surely Richard can't be that stupid to think that his best friend's behaviour is just him being temperamental. But then again, Richard was never around anymore to know what the hell was going on in these people's lives. With a sigh Harry helped Ron out and walked him to Gryffindor common room and made sure he made it in.

When Richard saw his brother and friend leave, he was concerned. He knew he had not been around for a while, that he may have neglected people, but he did it for them. Richard looked up at where Dumbledore was sitting and in an instant he decided. He should be able to meet his friends whenever he wanted to, not just because he had to ask permission for time off, and especially not to sell the 'school image' like he was now.

Richard took off to look for Ron, his best friend whom he hardly ever even saw anymore. He ran around for a bit before hearing some people talking in a classroom. Richard recognized the voices as Ron's and Harry's, but he couldn't hear what they were saying, and he knew if he did magic they would sense it. So stayed there trying to strain his ears and hear.

It was after awhile that he heard something load and clear that cut through his heart.

"I HATE RICHARD FOR THIS" Ron hated him. Backing away slightly he didn't believe it. Had he been so absent from people lives that he caused more damage than healing? Was he loosing the people he loved? Richard didn't know what think of anymore and slowly walked back to the common room.

Richard waited in the common room for when Ron would come back. He really wanted to talk to Ron, but if Ron hated him, Richard wanted proof. So he sat there waiting. It wasn't too long after Ron came through the porthole.

"Richard, what's with the face?" Ron tilted his head to the side.

"We need to talk," and with that Richard took Ron by the arm and walked straight back out the porthole to a private place to talk.

Sorry for the later update, but was busy and all. I want to thank my Beta Draco'sGirl98. I would love reviews and will try to get the next chapter up quicker XD.

Thank you to all those who have waited patiently.