December 18, 1995

14

I think that we all do heroic things, but hero is not a noun, it's a verb.

- Robert Downey, Jr.

"It's happening."

Harry whispers, his voice is tight and loud in the silence of their room. His eyes wide as he looks up at the ceiling, his hand carding through his boyfriend's hair that is laid on his chest. He knows despite the cloak of darkness that surrounds them, there is chaos behind their door. It is close to two in the morning but neither had slept that night. Harry remembered this night clearly from his own fifth year and he knew it was a matter of time before it happened.

The beginning sounds of shouts and tension rang through the house even though their door was firmly shut. Harry was sure the whole Order was already down stairs.

Draco slid out of bed as he says, "Then, let's go down. It'll confirm our suspicions."

Harry makes a noise in agreement as he jumps out of bed and follows Draco out into the dark hallway.

Harry can catch Harold's urgent voice as well as Sirius and it only make him quicken his step. Since that day, there had been a tension between the two and they were more likely to end of fighting than actually have a proper conversation. The voice of their argument grows louder as they near the edge of the stairwell.

"-...please, you have to help him! H-he was just laying there...and...and there was so much blood! Oh, Siri, please! Please, believe me! I'm not lying, I saw it!" Harold's hysterical voice pierces the air as Harry ran down the stairs, Draco hot on his heels.

Harry stopped at the end of the steps as he took in the activity of the room. Neville sat in the corner, his eyes cold as he wrapped his arms around himself, Snape stood over him almost as a guard as Neville kept glancing urgently at the fireplace, most likely trying to figure out a way to escape.

Dray stood at the edge of the fireplace, a look of concern on his face as he watches the scene, frozen and unsure as to what he can do.

Harold was held to the ground, sobbing and struggling as Remus and Sirius prevented him from leaving to do something reckless and brave, Harry is sure.

"Someone just save him!" Harold shouts his voice gritty and filled with emotion as he tries to struggle out of his godfather's grip. "Let me go! Sirius, please!"

"Harry, stop this!" Sirius hisses in his ear, finally growing impatient with his godson, "It was a nightmare, just a dream. Stop trying to be a hero! No one is dying -"

Harold looks at him with hurt-filled eyes, "You think I'm trying to prove myself? That I'm trying to be a hero? You probably think I'm an attention-seeking brat as well! Weak and a Hufflepuff, you're such a bigot, Sirius!"

"Merlin, what are you saying, Harry?" Sirius shakes his head, "I don't think of you that way, I love you. You're my godson and I raised you like a son, I can never think of you that way."

"Then, why don't you believe me! The snake has him, stop acting like I'm insane!" Harold struggles renews with increased vigor at the tone his godfather has taken with him. He knew Sirius thought he was lying, that his dream meant nothing but he had seen. It was too real to be just a dream. "The snake...Sirius, please, just listen to me, for once!"

Sirius shoots his best friend a frantic look, Remus merely shakes his head, helplessly. "Harry, you need to calm down!"

"I-I can't let him die, it'll be my fault if he does," Harold sniffles, tears runs down his cheeks, his eyes red-rimmed as he desperately tries to loosen the grips on his arms that keeps him to the ground. His voice tiny as he pleads, "I'm the only one who knows he's there...please."

"Harry, we can't just barge into the Ministry like this in the middle of the night," Sirius says, forcefully, "Just think about what you're saying and stop this nonsense. There can't be a snake in the Ministry so -"

"Mr Weasley is dying!" Harold shouts, angrily, "You never take me seriously! I've dreamt of Harry's life and you still don't believe I see things, that I know things! I don't know how but I do and you never have faith in me! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!"

"Harry..." Sirius whispers in hurt, his gray eyes shutters close as his heart squeezes tightly at the mantra his godson has picked up. It hurts - the same boy who he saw take his first steps, say his first words hates him. The same sweet boy who he has protected his whole life and loves him in place of his absent parents, it hurts. It hurts a whole fucking lot.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, can I go back to sleep," Neville snaps in irritation, "This has nothing to do with me and I should kill you all for holding me like some kind of prisoner. I am your savior and I deserve -"

"For once in your life, please shut up, this is above your pride and ego," Harold whispers, "There is a person dying, right now, and no one is doing anything about it."

"He's right, y'know." Harry steps forward, having heard enough as Sirius turns towards him, stiffly, and Dray sighs in relief at the sight of him.

"What are you talking about?" Sirius snaps, "This has nothing to do with you."

Harry ignores him and says to Remus, "You're the only level headed person here so I will say this only once: Harold is telling the truth. I had the same dream in fifth year; Arthur Weasley was attacked by a snake and I was the snake..." Harry turns to Harold and adds, "Right?"

Harold nods, wordlessly, his green eyes wide with shock, "Y-You...believe me?"

Draco gives him a kind smile as he comes up from behind his boyfriend, "Of course we do, you wouldn't make up a lie to get attention."

Harry nods in agreement but his eyes are still trained on Remus who looks at him in contemplation before he nods and says, "I will contact Dumbledore and head to the Ministry at once."

"He should still be alive, the venom is slow acting...you probably have ten or so minutes." Harry advises as Remus nods, releasing Harold from his grip.

Sirius looks up at him in anger and contempt, "You can't really believe this, Rem!"

"Sirius, grows up," Remus says with a tired sigh, "And start having more faith in Harry...both of them." With those words of advice, he disappears with a loud pop.

Harold pushes his godfather off of him and stands, giving Harry a grateful look. Harry can see even from his distance how his whole body trembles with the same fear and horror he had felt.

"It's not your fault," Harry blurts out and Harold turns to him in surprise, "I know what you're thinking and this isn't your fault, alright?"

Harold nods, wordlessly, but by the slump of his shoulder, Harry knows he doesn't believe him. Harry sighs, pulling Draco with him to sit on the couch.

"You had no right to enter in a private matter," Sirius says, angrily, as he pulls himself off of the ground. Snape is still where he stands next to Neville, his eyes cold and calculating. "I don't care if Dumbledore trust you, I don't and you have no say in anything I tell my godson."

"Whatever," Harry says, shrugging carelessly, "That has never stopped me from speaking out when people are ignoring the obvious."

Sirius opens his mouth to retort but stops when Snape cuts in, "Sirius, enough."

"But – "

"Stop," Snape says in the slow, deep drawl that Harry has hated for years. "Like Harry said, this is above anyone's ego and pride."

Sirius huffs but sits across from Harry and Draco, glaring daggers at the two of them as they all sit in silence, anxiously, waiting for Remus return.

"That's new," Draco whispers once the silence becomes unbearable, entwining their hands together, "Snape defending you, I mean."

"Yeah, I never expected that in my lifetime." Harry responds, quietly, unsure if that was a good thing or not. His mind was whirring with the new development to truly think about Snape's behavior. He didn't expect to find Harold in hysteria over a dream that he had expected Neville to have. It made Harry's gut twist uncomfortably at the thought of Harold being connected to Voldemort.

If there truly was a link, then it would mean that a scar would be there, a physical indication that Harold was destined to defeat Voldemort but he was sure he never seen a scar, not even on his hand that seemed peculiar. Even Harold has said that his life was dull before this year but yet, here he was - having visions just as Harry has. Harry chances a glance at Harold, noting how pale and sickly he looks and wishes - hopes - that he was very, very wrong. He wasn't sure if Harold could handle such expectations.

He feels Draco's hands tightening around his and he looks at him, the blonds flashes him a tiny smile and Harry is immensely glad that he has his soul mate by his side during this whole, chaotic ordeal.

"Everything will work out," He whispers as he brushes his lip against Harry's as he speaks, causing a heat of want to coil in his gut.

"Yeah." Harry whispers.

"Hm, I love you." Draco says.

"Me too." Harry replies with a swift kiss before he pulls back, reluctantly, when he hears Sirius cough violently across from them.

"I would prefer that you both wouldn't openly display affections in front of me or my godson." Sirius says, tightly.

"Oh, shut up, you prude." Draco snaps at him, glaring. "You're lucky we haven't tried exhibitionism…yet." Sirius turns a shade of green as he quickly turns away from them.

Harry grins at Draco and leans forward to ask him if they really should try public sex when he hears the fireplace flare to life and he straightens, preparing for the worst possible news that he could receive. To his surprise, Dumbledore steps out, haggard and tired, in stars patterned sleeping robes.

"Well?" Harold asks anxiously.

"We barely got there but he will be fine," Dumbledore says, turning to Neville, "Thank you for telling us."

Neville looks surprised at praise but recovers quickly as he smirks, arrogantly, and says, "Of course, I am the savior after all. P-"

"You have to be kidding me?" Harry cuts in, evenly, trying to control the spark of anger that wells inside of him. "Neville didn't do anything, you can't just ignore that. Harold saw the attack, not him!"

"Harry, it's okay," Harold whispers, his head bowed.

"No, it's not okay, Harold." Harry seethes as Dumbledore places a hand on Neville's shoulder who looks triumphant. "This is pure bullshit."

"That is impossible, Mr Potter," Dumbledore says, softly, as he turns to him with narrowed eyes, "Neville is the one who is linked with Voldemort, not Harold. Harold has nothing to do with this; he is not the boy-who-lived." He says it firmly, as if willing the words to impart in the minds of all those in the room but it only makes Harry's stomach churns in disgust as he catches on to what Dumbledore is trying to do.

"Seriously?" Draco huffs under his breath in irritation.

"You manipulative old fool, you have some nerve. You can stop trying; mind magic won't work on me or Draco," Harry shakes his head, slowly, as Dumbledore widens his eyes in shock. Harry narrows his eyes in suspicion, "You know the Prophecy, don't you? You know who it is, really, but you're trying to prevent it."

"Enough." Dumbledore says, firmly as he turns away from him. "Now, please, just continue to apply your efforts to extracting the piece of Voldemort's soul from within Neville. We need our boy-who-lived here now more than everything."

Harry balls his fist in anger as Dumbledore steps back into the fireplace and leaves quickly, leaving them with more questions than answers. Harry lets out a string of curses

"Harry…" Harold whispers, his eyes wide with fear, "If you know anything, just tell me. Don't lie to me."

Harry shakes his head, sighing, "Dumbledore is hiding something, something that will determine who wins this war. I can't be sure now but I will find out what he is up to."

Harold can only nod in acceptance.

"So, what does this all mean?" Draco whispers later on in the darkness of their room, four thin walls hiding away their worry and anxiety as Harry reveals his theory to him in a quiet voice.

"Everything."