A/N: Yehaaa! Finally! (dancing around) I finished Chapter 12 and even better, I found a new beta Mabidiso who has an awesome insight and unparalleled skills:) Praise magnificent Mabidiso, for I would be still suffering over unfinished chapter in all likelihood if I hadn't received his e-mail! ^_^ Great thank also to my previous beta teenwitch18 who helped me in the past, but then got carried away by life currents:)

Disclaimer: (crawling through the bushes) I'm gonna find them... I'm gonna steal them... (alarm blaring) Ah, geez:( Now I'm done. (standing up and raising my arms up) I'm surrendering, all right! Author rights to Harry Potter and Kyou Kara Maou are not mine, I admit. Now let me go! (skeddadling away rapidly) Whew! That was close...

Chapter 12

Never let it be said that Gwendal von Walde* was afraid of enemies. Enemies were a simple thing. He could destroy them one way or the other, on a battlefield or in political gambles. He wasn't afraid of battles either. For a Swordmaster like himself, it was a rare battle that was challenging enough, but he didn't complain because of that. Protecting his King, country and his family was all that mattered.

Then there was Wincott Poison. His last experience with it left a bitter taste in his mouth, no pun intended. Günter may be annoying and eccentric, but he was part of the Court, part of his extensive battle-oriented family even. He was a friend, and regarding him as an enemy, even when he knew that it was just a body, not Günter himself, was...numbing. It's not often he had to fight his mentor and friend in a real fight-to-the-death. Though that situation had a happy ending, it did not stop Gwendal from having fears of having to fight one of his friends or family to the death again.

Thus, he was extremely wary of that human-like shining figure getting closer to him. True, the dim light had a different tone to it, not blue, but soft yellow...but you never know. Demon tensed and his hand touched the handle of his sword. This was not a place for sword fighting, still...

The figure got closer and closer, and finally Gwendal could see the face of the mysterious person. He nearly didn't recognize him, but the cheekbones and the hair reminded him of just the boy he was looking for. The shape of the eyes was the same and the height was the same, he mused. Everything else was different, starting with the eye colour and ending with the wings. He relaxed his grip on the sword.

"Ramiel?" called Gwendal sharply, then softened. "Is that you?"

The boy nodded shyly but stayed silent.

"Are you injured? Where have you been? Lord Eskil was very worried about you." Gwendal studied him searching for signs of distress and injuries.

"I'm all right." Ramiel shuffled his feet a little. "I got lost in the dungeons and panicked, and then I ... well, knocked myself out accidently. When I woke up, I decided to try to get my Secunda form cause I thought it could help me to find the way out, so...it worked." He shrugged.

"Hmm." Gwendal let go of the sword handle finally. "Lord Eskil will be glad to see you are alright. He...told us of your condition..."

"My condition?" Harry was confused. What condition was Lord Gwendal talking about?

"Your empathy," - clarified Gwendal. "He was most anxious about your well being without his presence." He let a ghost of a smile emerge. "We couldn't stop him from running all over the castle. He even knocked poor little brother over and scared half of our servants."


Harry couldn't believe his ears. Snape? Worried about him? Running around? He could see the "scaring the servants" part, but for the life of him...running around? Really? Maybe there was hope for Snape caring about him yet. Harry bit his lip. He just couldn't understand why Snape would care about him. Why should he? No one ever had, so why should Snape?

Gwendal distracted him from his thoughts.

"Come. Everyone is looking for you, so we should stop them from taking the castle apart stone by stone."

Harry nodded and followed him silently. He noticed that Gwendal was looking at him in curiousity.

"What?" he asked, self-conscious of his appearance.

"You certainly look different from Lord Eskil's Secunda form," remarked Gwendal, looking at his wings. "His form is more intimidating and fear-inspiring. While also intimidating, your form evokes feelings of joy and happiness. That is truly interesting."

Harry shrugged and wrapped his wings around himself in an attempt to shield himself from scrutinity, however friendly it was. Experience told him that frindly can turn to hostile in the blink of an eye.


The demon army Commander chastised himself. Now he went and scared the poor boy. Not knowing how to calm Ramiel, he opted to continue the way in silence. It was fortunate for him that the young man was behind him and not the other way around as Gwendal was not sure he would be able to resist the temptation to touch those beautiful soft shimmering wings. Or hair. He wondered briefly how they would feel to touch, but chased the thought away. It was not healthy to ponder such things in that sort of the situation.

To distract himself from the tantalizing vision of Ramiel's wings, Gwendal decided to attempt a second conversation.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you run away?"

Ramiel didn't answer at first, but then his voice broke the silence, "I...I guess I wasn't thinking straight."


Harry didn't know why, but he desperately wanted to tell Lord Gwendal about his thoughts and doubts. He felt an almost physical need to bare his soul to the demon, stranger and outsider to the world of Harry Potter the wizard. He was afraid – oh, how afraid he was! - that not only would Gwendal not understand him, but would laugh at his fears, or worse...that he would confirm them. But to remain silent was an even worse option. Stuttering, Harry tried to explain himself, but felt he was doing a somewhat poor job of it.

"Uncle Soteres...he, well..we haven't always gotten along. It's a recent thing, but...I know he had no one to care about before, so that's why he agreed to look after me. But then I saw how he looked at Lady Anissina, and I felt how he liked her...so I guessed he didn't need me anymore. I know I had no reason to get upset at him, he is a free adult after all..."

"You think Lord Eskil doesn't care about you?" Gwendal seemed genuinely surprised.

"Well, it's not that he doesn't care about me, but that he likes Lady Anissina a lot. I know that. And I know that he won't do anything because he has to look after me; he made a promise to my godfather and he always keeps his word. I can't...I can't keep him bound to me. I, too, made a promise. I promised Draco, Uncle Soteres' godson, just before he died, that I will look after his godfather."

Gwendal looked startled and turned to him briefly. "Oh? Hmm...then..."

"Yeah, I've decided that if he doesn't leave me, I have to let him go myself." Harry felt hollow just saying those words. "I just never expected it would hurt me so, because..."

"...because you care about him," finished Gwendal, and Harry hung his head guiltily.

"I see." Gwendal stopped and turned to the boy.


Lord Gwendal never talked much, but he knew the value of words. He knew most of the time what to say and when to say it. Right now he knew that he had to make Ramiel listen to him and more importantly, hear him. Also, luckily for him, there was no one around them to witness his unusual sentimentality and no one to interfere.

"Ramiel," he began seriously, "I think you acted how you thought best, and I cannot blame you for it, but I also think you acted upon a very mistaken conception."

Surprised, Ramiel lifted his gaze from the floor to look into Gwendal's eyes.

"What? What do you mean?" he asked curiously.

"Let me explain. For example, I have two brothers and mother. Do you think I love only one of them and not the rest?"

"Well, no..." Ramiel mumbled softly.

"Consider also the fact that I care deeply about His Highness Yuuri, my friends and many other people. I do not care for all of them in the same way as for each one of them. That is to say, I care about all of them, but I care for each one of them differently. Do you understand me so far?"

"Ye-e-es," Ramiel frowned unsure of where the conversation was going.

"One day I will meet someone I will love and marry and have children with." Or maybe I've already met him, he added in his thoughts. " I will care about him or her, and I will love our children. All of them. You are still with me so far?"

Now Ramiel looked positively uncomfortable, but he didn't try to escape. Yet.

"Ramiel," Gwendal's voice was gruff, but somehow soft at the same time, "love doesn't diminish, it multiplies. It grows with the number of people you love, and it's not only possible to love several people, but everyone...and I mean everyone, has the capability of such. Lord Eskil cares for you and loves you certainly. In what manner, I am not sure, but he does. He can love both you and Anissina, and you can love both him and someone else." Me, he silently hoped.


Harry wasn't struck by lightning, but he felt like it for sure. Possible to care for both him and Anissina? He never thought of it that way and now he felt...stupid. It was so obvious really. Mrs. Weasley loved her children, didn't she? A lot of examples glared at him from the memories of the past and even present. And yet, and yet...It never occured to him before now. Why? Was it because he was a dunderhead as Snape often insisted, or because no one really cared about him, just Harry, and not the Saviour-who-came-to-fulfill-the-Prophecy? Harry didn't know, but somehow...Gwendal's speech made him feel lighter and braver. He wasn't afraid of the future anymore.

Now though, how to tell his Uncle about his stupid stunt without breaking what was already a fragile relationship...


Severus Snape wasn't sure what he was going to do to Desi when he found him – hug him or more probably kill him. Possibly, he would do both at the same time. He entertained himself with this idea for a second and sighed. This boy... he will be the death of him. Already was...is...thestray thought flashed momentarily. He sighed again. The boy was impossible. How could they survive here together, when not even three days after they got here something like this happens?

As time passed, and there was still no sign of Desi, Severus decided he would just be happy to find the boy, and to hell with punishment and fantasies about strangling him. Finding him was more important, and it certainly shouldn't have been so difficult! He was a former Hogwarts Professor, for Merlin's sake! The Dungeon Bat who could find students sneaking out after curfew in a huge semi-sentient, semi-alive, constantly changing castle! How hard could it be to search this lesser, inanimate, unchanging piece of rock? Well, it turned out to be hard enough to find even a trace.

One thing consoled him through it all, though. Anissina teamed up with him in the end so another accident like the one with Wolfram wouldn't occur. She also grabbed some cloaks for them and the boy in the case they found him. The dungeons could get very cold in the evening.

"I'm certain he is here somewhere," Anissina told him, putting on a cloak. "Although the dungeons in Blood Pledge Castle are quiet extensive, there is no one currently here who knows them better than Gwendal or Günter. We should find him soon. Do not worry so."

They didn't have to go far, much to their astonishment. Heading straight for them were Gwendal, who they had just talked about, and the boy for whom they were all frantically looking. Said boy was also very different looking from the last time Severus saw him. He had to admit, his Secunda form suited Desi very much. Anissina next to him nearly salivated at the idea of studying the boy's form. Severus silently thanked all the higher beings that she didn't see his own Secunda form.

Gwendal and Desi stopped in front of them without a word. Silence reigned. Anissina touched Severus' hand and squeezed it gently, warning him of harsh words and actions. Severus exhaled.

"Lord Gwendal, I see you had more luck than we. I'll take it from here if you don't mind," his tone placid with a touch of frost.

"No, that's quiet all right," nodded Gwendal, "though you should let Gisela see him first. He had a bit of a run-in with a wall and injured his head."

Severus looked Desi over, concerned about his wound, and indeed there it was, matted blood in his hair.

"Very well, I'll do so." He took Desi's hand as if to reassure himself that the boy wouldn't disappear, and looked questioningly to Anissina, "Will you come with us?"

"No," Gwendal interrupted, "I apologize, but we have something to talk about."

Severus nodded and turned around to head to the upper part of the castle, avoiding looking at the boy.


"Why didn't you let me go?" demanded Anissina dangerously.

Gwendal sighed. Troublesome woman.

"I wanted to talk with you, and they had to talk as well."

"Talk," her voice got lower.

"Are you attracted to Lord Eskil? Do you like him?" he asked abruptly.

"What?" Anissina's fiery temper flared like a pile of wood under dragon's firebreath. "WHAT?"

Gwendal decided that Yuuri and Konrart probably heard that...as did those living in the city next to the castle. His ears rang from the echo in the corridor.

"Because if you do, you should know some very important things," Gwendal struggled to remain calm with great difficulty.

"What things?" Anissina's fury seemingly vanished, and she smiled at him politely, which was even more scary.

"Would you like to know why Ramiel ran away earlier?" Gwendal sighed. He anticipated being tortured any second now.

"Why?" The bane of his childhood suspiciously narrowed her eyes.

"He felt the mutual attraction between you and Lord Eskil, and he did not wish to be an obstacle between the two of you. You don't know their history, and it's too long to tell it now, but suffice it to say that both Ramiel and Lord Eskil are new to their guardian-ward relationship, and neither feels secure in being cared about and loved. You have to know this if you are going to pursue any kind of relationship with Lord Eskil."

"But what can I do?" Anissina looked confused and lost.

"Reassure them. Help them understand each other. Be there for them. Do not let Ramiel be excluded." Gwendal nodded, "That would be enough for a start."

"When did you become so wise in relationships?" wondered the red-haired demoness.

"..." Gwendal looked at her blankly. "I am the Commander of a ve-e-ery large army, I live in a castle with Günter, Wolfram, Yuuri, and YOU, and I grew up around mother and Konrart. I am a political advisor and have a spy net to maintain. Did you forget about all of that?"

"..." Anissina sheepishly looked up, then turned back to Gwendal with sudden anger, "What do you mean, "with YOU"?

"Maou help me", thought Gwendal, feeling the urge to sigh again.


They walked in silence all the way to Gisela's infirmary door. Snape knocked and waited for the invitation, then pushed the glowing boy inside.

"Lady Gisela, if we could have your help?" Severus asked, then turned finally to his ward, "You should return to your Prima form."

Harry complied without hesitation, stumbling slightly after resuming his usual wingless self. Gisela gasped at seeing blood in Harry's hair and examined him thoroughly, parting the hair gently and cleaning the blood out. After disinfecting the wound she healed it to stop the bleeding and attached a bandage.

"No strenuous activities and no fighting," she told him sternly, reminding both Harry and Snape of Madame Pomfrey. "I will check on you tomorrow, but for now you are fine to return to your room."

Harry nodded gratefully. At least she wasn't demanding he stay in bed for the next week or two as Madame Pomfrey probably would. He wouldn't mind staying in the infirmary right now, on the other hand. He dreaded the impending talk with his guardian, who was obviously struggling with his rising anger.

They exited the infirmary and went to their own quarters, in silence again. Harry sneaked glances at Snape's stony face, but every time he wanted to speak, the words stuck in his throat. Finally, they reached their rooms, and as they entered, Snape let go of Harry's hand and very slowly and carefully closed the doors. Then he turned around.

"Would you like to explain to me, what in the nine circles of hell were you thinking running away like THAT?" his silky voice cut into Harry like a knife. He could feel the fury in the older Shifter, threatening to spill over and bury him under shattering words and emotions. Snape knew this, obviously, because he purposely distanced himself and stood near the window with crossed arms, tapping his foot on the polished stones.

Struggling to say something, Harry opened his mouth several times, but was unable to emit a single sound. He finally let his emotions go and crumbled to the floor sobbing.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Imsorrysorrysorrysorry..." he cried in desperation.

In the blink of an eye Snape crossed the room, forgetting about his own anger and wrapped him in a hug.

"Shhh," he soothed Harry. "I'm sorry as well. I should have paid more attention to you and not taken my frustration out on you, Desi."

"I shouldn't have run away!" Harry clutched at Snape's robes.


"That you shouldn't have," agreed Severus, trying to forget about cursing himself for now. Desi would take it as anger at himself again. "We both made a mistake, so what do you say we forget it and never repeat it?"

"Really?" The sobbing lessened somewhat, but the boy still held his robe as if it was glued to his hands.

"Yes, really, after you tell me what inspired you to this incredible feat of stupidity," Snape's sharp tongue burst through again, but Desi didn't react to it, interestingly enough.

"I know," he sobbed again, "it was really stupid. Gwendal explained it to me when he found me."

"Oh?" Severus raised an eyebrow.

"I ran away because I didn't want to be a burden to you." The boy hid his face in Snape's robes meanwhile, leaving the man speechless.

"..." The Potions Master fought the urge to turn around and beat his head against the wall. "I thought we established that you are not a burden to me or anyone else here. You are my ward and I agreed to look after, protect and teach you willingly."

"But Siri made you promise that," the boy whimpered.

"Look, child," Snape sighed, "Black may have asked me to make a promise, but no one, him included, could force me to make this promise unwillingly. Not Voldemort, not Dumbledore, not Merlin himself would be able to make me do it."

"But you agreed before meeting Anissina," whispered Desi. "I know you like her. I thought you wouldn't want me anymore."

"I see." Snape fell silent for several moments. "Well, let me reassure you; even if I suddenly married, had a dozen children, hundreds of pets and an army of friends, I'm not going to forget about you and miraculously decide that I do not want want you anymore. Is that clear?"

"Crystal." giggled the youth.

"Besides, I may like Lady Anissina, but I highly doubt she likes me," frowned Snape.

Desi looked at him with twitching lips, "She definitely likes you."


Harry was trying very hard not to laugh at the conjured image of Snape leading a cheering army of look-alikes, all carrying cats, owls and bats, with a huge mansion in the distance where a woman was waving good-bye with a crowd of mini-Snapes around her.

Still giggling, he asked, "Did you really knock Gwendal's brother from his feet?" He drank in his guardian's emotions happily. Awkwardness, relief, indignity, annoyance...

"Yes," Snape answered curtly, then looked down. Being in constant contact with Snape's emotions, Harry could feel the sudden sadness and anguish.

"Did something happen?" he asked hesitantly.

"He reminds me of Draco," Snape answered after a long silence. "They could be twins in both looks and attitude."

Harry didn't say anything after that, just hugged Snape tighter.


Meanwhile, Wolfram was giving his report to Gwendal, pacing in agitation along the table.

"Those despicable bastards! The nerve of them! Can you imagine, Gwendal? Masquerading as us, as demons! Dirtying our name! Plotting treason!"

"Calm down, Wolfram," said Gwendal, frowning as usual. "There is no use in pointless anger now. Just tell me what you found in a presentable manner."

Wolfram inhaled deeply and clenched his fists. Then slowly exhaled.

"Very well. As you know, the reports of attack on the traders – human traders – came. When I and Konrart arrived there, we tried to ask the villages along the border about the attacks, but no one would tell us anything. We noticed some unpleasant and suspicious looks directed our way, of course, however, as a search proved useless, we crossed the border. In the human villages we were met with outright glares, and again everyone was silent. It was so irritating. We left the villages and went along the main trade route where we joined the first trade caravan we met. In disguise of course." Wolfram began pacing again.

"I assume you were attacked." Gwendal leaned back on the chair and looked out the window.

"Yes, we were," Wolfram snarled. "Those vermin attacked us at night with covered faces. Konrart and I defeated them, and then we discovered that...that...those bastards were not only human, but there were demons as well. They worked together!"

Gwendal sighed.

"Brother, you sometimes forget that our own race can produce crminals as well as humans."

"I know that!" Wolfram shouted indignantly. "Anyway, after interrogating the vermin, we assumed that the band we caught was all there was, except two or three other missing bandits. Konrart decided to return to the castle, especially after receiving that letter of yours. I, on the other hand, followed the lead given by the captured bastards to locate the few missing ones, and it nearly got me ambushed. I got lucky at the last minute and noticed them hiding. Well, I may not be Yozak, but I disguised myself and followed them when they changed guards. I followed them straight to their hideout, and much to my luck, there were several main plotters there discussing stepping up attacks."

"What?" Gwendal drummed his fingers on the table.

"Yes, you heard right. Apparently, if I understood correctly, several rich demons and humans don't like the peace between Shin Makoku and humans. Their profits have began to lower, and they decided to do something about it," Wolfram sneered.

"Ah." Gwendal studied the map on the wall. "So they decided to attack the trade routes in hopes it would disrupt peace and everything would be returned to how it was."

"Well, I never said they were bright," Wolfram snorted.

"Fools," agreed Gwendal. "I assume you found the main culprits."

"Not all of them, for now." Wolfram struck a pose, "I'm going to put the fear of justice into their hearts by the end of it all. None will escape and harm the wimp."


In a distant part of the castle, Yuuri sneezed and thought he heard the echoing "wimp" in Wolfram's voice. Automatically, he shouted, "Don't call me a wimp!" scaring a few birds roosting on the rails.


"So what's the matter with these strange humans in the castle?" asked Wolfram after shortly contemplating the silence where he could almost hear Wimp's reply.

"First of all, they are not humans. They are Shifters, from another world."

"Yuuri's world?"

"No, a whole different world. It's a long story."

"I have time."

"I don't, but you can ask Konrart. He was present when they spoke about themselves." Gwendal eyed a pile of papers warily.

"All right, I'll ask him," Wolfram sighed, but stopped pestering his brother and left in the search of the other. A last glance at Gwendal showed him looking desolately at the table.


Gwendal wouldn't have minded telling Wolfram about the Shifters that much, but he was trying to keep his mind away from Ramiel and what happened to him. If he told Wolfram the Shifters' tale, he would have to fight hard against the urge to go and ask for Shinou's help in finding the world where Ramiel came from, and then beating the living day lights out of everyone who ever harmed this gentle and fragile young man. Konrart wasn't so emotionally involved with them, so he could do a better job informing Wolfram of their guests.


Wolfram found Konrart sitting near the fountain in the park. His brother had his eyes closed with a gentle smile playing on his lips. He looked like he was day-dreaming.

"I want to ask you about Shifters," Wolfram said, sitting near him. "Gwendal refused to tell me about them and said to ask you."

Konrart smiled wider, "Did he now?"

"Yes, yes..." grumbled Wolfram impatiently. "Tell me already."

His smile slightly dimming, but still kind and understanding, Konrart conveyed to his younger brother the Shifters' story. Sometimes he had to stop while his brother ranted about humans or shouted in disbelief. When he finished, Wolfram asked immediately, "Are they dangerous?"

"Why yes, Wolfram. I believe they are. After all, they were and are warriors of their kind, and have many interesting abillities."

"You know that's not what I meant. Are they dangerous to Yuuri-wimp? To Shin-Makoku?" Wolfram growled.

"Ahhh, you should have said it more clearly then. No, I don't think they are enemies. They could be if we tried to harm them, but so far I see a lot of Yuuri's traits in Ramiel, and a lot of Gwendal's traits in lord Eskil's character."

"Now that I think about it, I can see your traits in Lord Eskil, too. His devotion to Ramiel's mother," remarked Wolfram.

"There is that, too," agreed Konrart, "and that's why I cannot see them presenting a danger to us."

"I'll go find Yuuri." Wolfram stood up. "Have to see how the wimp is."

"He is in the inner attic." Konrart closed his eyes again as Wolfram left.


A/N: * - In response to various remarks about Gwendal's last name. Ok, Ok, I admit that maybe I was wrong to assume that as many things in anime were pro-German, Gwendal's name would be von Walde, not von Voltaire. But I did see this name (von Walde) on one of the sites about KKM, and I did think that "walde" means "forest". "Forest" is "der Wald", actually. I think you can see the similarity. So, for the sake of consistency, I'm going to use "von Walde". I just love how it sounds "Gwendal von Walde". "Gwendal von Voltaire" just isn't the same.

Konrart's name can be spelled with both "c" and "k", but I decided to choose "k". In anime, he told that his name is Konrart (Conrart), but as poor Yuuri wouldn't be able to pronounce it, he agreed to be called Conrad (or more like Conraddo - well, that's what I hear when Yuuri calls him). Poor Konrart...