Chapter: What You Did in the Dark
A/N: If you did not read the oneshot chapter Comatose before this, there will be some things that you will have to just accept. If you do not want to read the previous chapter but have questions regarding something please message/review. All I ask is no flames for "sudden character development" (this is the only way I could think to phrase it without giving away the chapter)
"A dance?" Harry asked in confusion. Hermione had pointed out the flyer to him, confessing that she had never been to one.
"Yeah. It's for Valentine's Day. I was asking the other students, they usually don't have one." she clarified. Harry raised an eyebrow at this, thinking it was a bit strange that there was a dance going on. He looked to the very bottom of the page, smiling when he realized the culprit.
"It's hosted by Luna's club. Well, it isn't a club per say, it is just her…" he trailed off. "We should totally go!" Hermione beamed at him, hugging his arm in thanks for his support. He smiled at her, thinking it was the least he could do for a girl who was willing to do anything to win the war. He watched her rush off to tell Ron and Neville. The dance would be a nice distraction from the fact that Sam and Dean were mad at Cas. To be honest he was a little mad too. If that Reaper was just going to mess with their lives, he should have just died. Harry clenched his hands at his sides. He was most upset that he had been no help at all. Hermione had turned and gone to risk her life again. Harry felt a chill go up his spine, and he turned expecting one of the house ghosts, but no one was there. He uneasily shrugged it off, heading out of the common room. He stopped when he saw Cas walking towards him with Dean. They seemed preoccupied with something other than one another.
"Harry, thank god." Dean breathed out, kneeling down to check the boy over.
"What's going on?" Harry asked. Cas was scanning the hallway around them.
"Dan's body is gone." Harry gave Cas a suspicious side eye.
"Are you sure you don't have anything to do with it?" Dean leaned back in shock, hearing the venom in the little boy's voice.
"Look Harry, we adults may fight amongst ourselves, you don't have to take sides for our sake." Dean explained, standing and wrapping Harry's hand in his, beginning to walk away from Gryffindor Tower.
"I'm taking my own side." Harry snapped, pulling his hand away. "Cas lied to us. He put me and Hermione in danger." Dean gave Harry a stern look.
"According to Cas, he gave the excuses we told him to. You were the one to snoop around. Harry, you put Hermione and Blaise in danger without consulting us first." Dean told him, still upset. Harry looked at his feet ashamed. "You are more like me than I want to admit." Dean said with a sigh. "We are a family though, Severus and Dan too, and right now we need to fix this."
"Right." Harry said, standing tall. "How can I help?"
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Harry sat in the kitchen alone with Tonks seated directly across from him, hands bound and wand confiscated. They had been sitting in silence for a while. Severus suspected that Tonks had to do with Dan disappearing. He was after all an unclassified, unregistered foreign half breed wanted by the ministry. What Harry didn't understand about the story is that Tonks had come weeks earlier, transforming into Dan's ghost half right in front of Severus, claiming the boy saved her life. Alastor had only agreed to let Tonks be alone within Spinner's Ed because she wanted some type of closure. In the other room Alastor was undergoing his own clearance with the Winchesters.
"He told me to come protect you Harry." she said at last. "He said it was a direct order, which I thought was for dramatic effect, but…" her glamour fell, showing she looked half dead. Harry bit back a scream.
"How-" Harry cleared his throat, not liking how squeaky it was. "How could Dan have told you anything? He has been downstairs for weeks."
"He saved me from becoming demon chow in the ghost zone. Dan pulled my soul from my body and I fought alongside him." She used her abilities to turn into a replica of Dan's ghost half once more. Harry sat there for a moment thinking. It was unnerving that a copy was sitting with him, rather than Tonks normal bubblegum pink...Harry's eyes snapped back to Tonks.
"Pink." he said, remembering what he had heard Dan say. "That was you. He was talking about you!" he sat up in his chair, splaying his hands on the table. "And this contract you mentioned, to protect me…" Harry thought about how much danger he had been in the past few weeks.
"Harry, I think… I think I died for a bit." she whispered. "You wouldn't know much about dying though, would you." Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up on edge. Louder, she continued. "Dan considered you his nephew. Well, his white-haired persona did. We traversed this green world, Dan had enemies there." she leaned closer, causing Harry to half crawl over the table as she pitched her voice low. "We fought your uncle Vernon, Harry…" He shoved her back, scrambling out of the kitchen, the door left agape to a dead eyed copy of Dan. Severus flicked his wand, locking the door shut, wrapping his free arm around the trembling Harry.
"What did she do to you?" he demanded, ready to enact revenge.
"She's telling the truth." Harry confessed. "She went to this other place where Dan was. Maybe, maybe his soul came back like hers did. Maybe he left." Harry ignored the painful grip Severus had on his arm.
"Why would he leave?"
"When he sent her back, she was supposed to protect me. Maybe he left to do the same. She said he had enemies there. She said my Uncle Vernon was there." he had trailed of in a whisper, but Severus felt his blood turn cold.
"You are to go back to the castle. Do not leave the grounds for any reason."
"She has to come with." Harry told him. "She is dying."
"She will go if she is cleared. Now go." he said sternly, directing him to the fireplace. The last thing Harry saw when the green flames burst around him was Severus turning to the kitchen with a determined scowl.
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Harry smoothed out his black button up, not really feeling up to the dance. He had promised Hermione however. There was still no word from Spinner's End. He tucked his necklace safely under his shirt, checking to see if Ron was ready. The ginger was struggling with his tie, before he finally gave up, throwing it on his bed. Neville sheepishly walked out of the bathroom, dressed in a dashing suit.
"You clean up nice, Nev." Harry commented. The trio went down to the common room, where Hermione was waiting.
"Are you all ready to go?" she asked them, pulling her hair up into a half ponytail. Her dress was simple, a pale yellow in contrast to her white shoes. Danny the dog dashed pass, chasing Kit Kat playfully. Harry gave a half smile, trying to appreciate the serene atmosphere. They left to the classroom that Luna usually used for her small club.
"Wow." Harry whispered as they entered. There were small balls of lights hanging from the ceiling, fading from blue to white over and over. Luna was wearing a beautifully stunning silver dress, paired with a pair of neon green earrings. She greeted each of them with a hug as she gave them masks, showing them around to the food and drinks. More and more people continued to show up, much to Harry's surprise. Even some of the older students were appearing. Harry was scanning the room when he saw Severus skulking in the corner. He felt his temper rise. He pushed his way through the crowd to get to the potions master. Severus saw him coming and tried to turn away. He was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. Severus turned ready to spit a disparaging comment, until he saw Harry standing a few feet away with wide blue eyes, noticeable even behind the white mask. The student that was touching him had on a blue mask, with green eyes and black hair.
"Are you going to leave so soon Sev?" the person asked, putting the potion master on edge, as no student would ever dare call him that. "Luna and I spent so much time setting up. All morning actually."
"Dan?" Harry asked in a strained voice. The teen let his head flop to the side to see Harry. With the free hand he tipped up his mask.
"It's Danny now." he said with a wink. Harry felt as if he couldn't breathe, and he brought a hand to his chest, forcing in a breath. His eyes dropped from Danny as he sunk to his knees. Danny let go of Severus, rushing to Harry's side. "Harry?" he asked worriedly. Harry flinched away from the white gloves grabbing at him. The young boy pushed away, blending into the crowd. Danny stood from where he had been kneeling, staring at the crowd. He felt the tip of a wand at the back of his neck.
"Nymphadora Tonks, do not make me use this against you." Severus growled out. Danny didn't reply, realizing why his family was not scooping him into their arms. He lifted his hand slowly, creating a small glowing ectoball. Severus was mesmerized by the sight.
"Is she well?" Danny asked. He had dragged her through the afterlife, not considering how she would adjust to her life.
"No."
"Bring me to her." the teen demanded. Severus put away his wand.
"She is living with Alastor now. He permits no visitors." he explained curtly. "Loath as I am to admit it, she had a promising carrier ahead of her as an Auror. Now she will be locked away like the delicate ice sculpture she adorns on her nightstand."
"That ice will never break." Danny said offhandedly, trying to think of a way to find Tonks. His eyes lit up with an idea. "I won't be back until I fix this. Promise." With that the teen disappeared into midair, letting the mask drop to the floor. Severus began to push through the students, looking for Harry. He scowled as he bumped into another student. He finally saw Harry, standing by his friends, covering his face as he talked to them.
"I need to speak to Mr. Winchester." he announced to the others. They gave Harry a wary look, before nodding, but they did not go too far. "It was him." Harry let his hands drop down, floored by three simple words.
"I- How…"
"He appeared in the Ravenclaw common room this morning." Luna said airily, as she reached behind Harry for some punch. "It's a good thing I wake up to watch the sunrise." She looked at Harry seriously. "I thought we agreed to focus on studies."
"I, you're right Luna." Harry said. He didn't know what he had been thinking, getting involved in so much, when he was supposed to be laying low. "I need time to think." He decided, walking out of the party, white mask still in place.
He had much to think about and soon found himself lost in the castle. He stared at the stone walls around him in surprise, not aware of the many twists and turns he had taken. Harry ran his fingers along the nearest wall, feeling the light dampness, meaning he was somewhere in the dungeons at least. He could not recall ever seeing this hall before though. With a sigh he picked a direction and started to walk hoping to find anything familiar. The hall was getting darker though. He stopped just before a small section that had no flame to illuminate it. Almost without thought one of his feet moved forward. It felt as if something was resonating through him. Another foot moved forward of its own accord. Just one more step and he would be in complete blackness. His foot lifted, but with a loud aggravated shout he spun heel and walked as far away from the hall as he could. He ran directly into Draco who had been exiting the Slytherin common room. He muttered a quick apology before running away. He did not think he had been that close to the common rooms. Was the castle shifting around him? Harry feared what that could mean.
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Every time they passed the third-floor corridor, Hermione and Ron would press their ears against the door to listen for Fluffy, against Harry's judgement. He could not stop them from doing it though, nor from reporting to the Junior Hunters that the stone still seemed to be safe. Luckily for Harry, the philosopher's stone was not the only thing on Hermione's mind. She had started drawing up study schedules for them all, as well as color coding her notes.
"Hermione, exams are like 10 weeks away." Ron complained as the Junior Hunter went through another review. Pansy nodded in agreement, feeling as if her brain would melt soon.
"10 weeks isn't far at all Weasley." Blaise said, flipping through another page of notes. "I am however, getting bored. Perhaps we could focus on a case for a bit?" he suggested.
"Unless we can get the Professors to spill more of the security around the stone, there isn't much more we can do." Harry commented. "I doubt they will tell us anything."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Ron admitted, slumping against his open palm.
It seems as if the professors were having the same idea, even Sam, Dean and Cas were assigning more homework than before. Harry tried to push himself into his studies, denying Tonks a visit, although he was glad she was now well again. He did not think he could deal with the fact that both she and Dan had essentially come back from the dead, not just yet, not when he was still having nightmares about the mirror. The Easter holidays had been a good break from the constant studying, with Adam having set up an Easter egg hunt at Spinner's End. Harry had not seen Dan, or Danny now, when he had gone, and he wondered if the teen was giving him space, or if he had left all together. He did not ask the others. He was starting to feel a bit more like Harry Winchester, and even Dumbledore had backed off a bit because of it. Harry was enjoying the quiet life.
"I'll never remember this," Ron burst out one afternoon, throwing down his quill and looking longingly out of the library window. It was the first really fine day they'd had in months. The sky was a clear, forget-me-not blue, and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming. Harry, who was looking up "Dittany" in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, didn't look up until he heard Ron say, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?" Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat.
"Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at once. "An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"
"No." Harry said flatly. "We've given up on that. It isn't for us to be messing with." Hermione and Ron exchanged glances, as Harry had not discussed that with them, or any other of the Junior Hunters.
"Great!" Hagrid exclaimed, clapping a large hand onto Harry's shoulder. Ron raised an eyebrow when Harry didn't even shift under the weight. "Come an' see me later. I got somethin to show yeh." he told them all with a twinkle in his eyes. They all nodded in agreement, Ron grateful for another scheduled break.
"See you later then." Harry said with a smile. Hagrid smiled back before shuffling off. Hermione watched him good with a thoughtful look.
"I wonder what he was holding behind his back." Ron didn't hesitate to get up from the table to go snoop in the aisle Hagrid had been in, loving any excuse to not study. He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table.
"Dragons!" he whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide." Harry's eyes got that twinkle of mischief that was encoded deep in his DNA.
"Did you say Dragons?"
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When they knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later, they were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed. Hagrid called "Who is it?" before he let them in, and then shut the door quickly behind them. Harry noticed the intense heat and began to scan the room, his only objective being to see a dragon. Hermione however began to question Hagrid about the Stone.
"We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Sorcerer's Stone apart from Fluffy." Hagrid frowned at her, but before he could answer Harry interjected.
"Hermione, we are not going after the stone anymore. Let the adults handle it." His eyes lit up when he finally spotted what he was looking for, under the kettle in the roaring fire. "What's that Hagrid?" Harry asked, pointing to it in awe. Hagrid stroked his beard nervously.
"Well, that be a dragon egg." he admitted.
"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune." Harry got onto all fours, his nose dangerously close to the fire. He couldn't tell why he wanted to see the creature so bad. Maybe because it was something a regular eleven year old wizard could enjoy without getting caught up in a deadly situation.
"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest." Hermione it seemed was not as keen to ignore their problems in favor for a dragon as the boys.
"What are you going to do with it once it's hatched?" she asked, ever the voice of reason. Hagrid proudly presented the book he had taken from the library.
"Been readin' up. What I got here is a Norwegian Ridgeback, rare them." He began to flip through the book explaining the feeding schedule of a newborn.
"You live in a wooden house." Hermione interjected. Hagrid waved it off, humming merrily to himself as he went to stoke the fire. Harry however had heard the comment. His fingers ran over the wooden floor, and back to the fire. He had an idea, so he kept it in the back of his mind for later, wanting to surprise Hagrid.
Harry spent some time talking to Hagrid about the dragon that would hatch from the egg. Ron told stories about his brother Charlie dealing with dragons in Romania. Eventually Hermione sat down with them, not able to miss out on any knowledge.
Harry felt normal.
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Soon after learning about the dragon, Harry had sent a letter to Ciarne, telling him about the new beast. The ancient teen had been excited about it, asking Harry to tell him when it would be hatching so he may come see it. Then, one breakfast time, Harry received a note from Hagrid. Harry gave Hedwig a piece of bacon and had her deliver the same note to Ciarne. Ron had wanted to skip classes in order to go, but because it was Herbology, he did not want to miss out on Professor Novak's teachings that day.
During class, Harry circled to the other groups, whispering to his Junior Hunters that a top-secret event was going to occur during morning break. Draco and Blaise both gave a confident nod. Pansy asked for a tiny bit more clarification, and once learning it involved a small creature she agreed. Both Crabbe and Goyle declined, thinking it was best if they were not tasked with top secret information. Harry laid a hand on Goyle's shoulder.
"Both of you admitting that is a great strength." he told them, so they did not feel so down about missing out. "If everything goes according to plan, we can show you later, okay?" the two eagerly nodded, thanking Harry for trusting them. The Gryffindor walked back to his group with a lighter step. At the last moment he detoured, going to talk to Cas instead.
"What's the matter Harry?"
"Papa, did God create dragons?" he asked in a whisper. Cas looked up to the sky for a second, thinking.
"Yes, he did. At the same time as the dinosaurs." Cas told him. "I've heard that they are in this realm, but I've yet to see one." Harry stood on tiptoe, telling Cas his plan. The angel nodded along with each step, feeling his affection for the young boy growing. "Of course. You can always count on me."
When the bell sounded from the castle at the end of their lesson, the six of them dropped their trowels at once and hurried through the grounds to the edge of the forest. Cas had waited for the last student to exit before leaving with a whoosh of his wings, heading to Spinner's End. Hagrid seemed a bit surprised that so many people had come to see him.
"Hagrid, a few more people are coming," Harry told him as he ushered them inside. "I have a plan for you to keep your dragon." The sound of wind behind them alerted Harry to Ciarne's arrival. Harry brought him forward to Hagrid. "This is Tribe Leader Ciarne, Born of All." Hagrid gave a bow.
"No need. You can just call me Ciarne." he told the half giant. "Is it alright for me to start with the carvings to make your cabin fireproof?" Hagrid glanced over at Harry realizing this was part of his plan. He eagerly nodded. Ciarne gave a large grin, moving through the home with the same grace he had during his ceremony. Blaise was following the teen, casually asking him a few questions. There was a series of knocks and Harry gave a nod to Hagrid. Sam, Dean, Adam, Bobby and Severus were at the door, escorted by Cas. A white-haired teen appeared from thin air, donning royal clothing. Next to him was a blonde maiden, also from royalty. Hagrid was quick to bow again, amazed that so many people wanted to see his dragon. King Danny Phantom returned Hagrid's greeting.
"Hagrid, this is Princess Dora." The girl curtseyed. "She will be here to assist us in the preparations for your dragon."
"Thank yeh all." Hagrid said getting a bit teary eyed. There was a clicking sound behind them and Hagrid rushed to the table. "Quick, it's almost out." everyone gathered around the table with baited breath. All at once there was a scraping noise and the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped onto the table. It wasn't exactly pretty; Harry thought it looked like a crumpled, black umbrella. Its spiny wings were huge compared to its skinny jet body, it had a long snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes.
"Oh, a Norwegian Ridgeback." Princess Dora cooed.
"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid said with a loud sniff. The Muggles in the room were having a great time speculating about the tiny dragon, having seen nothing like it before. A few sparks came out of its nose when it sneezed.
"Why exactly am I in attendance?" Severus asked sourly.
"Come on, it's a baby!" Danny said with a grin, nudging Severus in the side. "Even the dungeon bat can't resist that." Severus rolled his eyes, before pulling the teen into a headlock, still standing completely at ease as if a superpowered half ghost wasn't struggling to escape. At last Danny remembered to use intangibility and stuck his tongue out at his older brother.
"I think I have enough information." Princess Dora said after a while. Ciarne nodded, walking up to Hagrid who was cuddling his dragon.
"Hagrid, the proofing of your house should last until he outgrows the building. We," he gestured to Danny and Dora. "will be creating a special enclosure for the dragon in the forest." Danny stepped forward, once again acting royal.
"I trust that in return we can count on your loyalty." he said, holding out a white gloved hand. Hagrid immediately took.
"Well a friend of my friend is a friend!" he told them. "Let me cook something' up while yeh work." The students all mimicked no from behind the giant.
"That will be...quite alright. We will not be done for many hours and you have a little one to watch over." Princess Dora reminded him.
"Yer right!" he exclaimed, looking for the bucket of food he had prepared for the baby dragon.
"What you gonna name him?" Ron asked once the adults had left.
"Norbert." Hagrid decided. Harry smiled, deciding he liked that name.
Outside the adults were beginning their work in the forbidden forest. It was going to take a lot of power from both of Danny's ghost egos, as well as Ciarne. The Muggles were there to set the parameters and lead the teens in the architecture of the design. The plan was to hide the enclosure with Ciarne's elemental magic, while Danny created an indestructible pen. Princess Dora shifted into her dragon form, testing their design along the way. It took several hours of hard work, but in the end the result was amazing. Ciarne and Danny talked a bit more, the King acting more diplomatic than usual. When came time to say goodbyes, Severus found it difficult to watch his brother pass through a strange blue portal.
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All of the Junior Hunters took turns visiting Norbert between study sessions. They would report back to Harry who would inform Adam, whom in turn would inform Danny and Dora. The little dragon had nearly tripled in size by the time Harry saw it again. Smoke curled out of his nostrils constantly, meaning we would soon be big enough to fly.
"I think it's time Hagrid." Harry told him. Hagrid scooped the dragon into his arms, getting teary eyed.
"But Norbert is still but a babe!" he tried to say. Harry pet the dragon softly, liking the tingle of magic he could feel as he soothed it.
"He will be fine Hagrid. The pen is interdimensional. The Ministry cannot take him away." Hagrid took a deep breath and then nodded. They both stepped out into the outside world, Norbert looking around in confusion. Harry felt his heart warm. The night air was nice and cold against his skin. The Forbidden Forest was intimidating for sure, but from the corner of his eyes Harry could see shimmers of silvery white unicorns. They reached the enclosure. Hagrid knelt down and placed Norbert on the ground. He sniffed around, moving closer to the pen. With a final look at Hagrid the dragon entered the pen, safe from Wizarding Law.
"Yer a good kid." Hagrid told Harry, surprising him. "Yeh better head on back to the castle."
"You're right. Don't forget you can always visit him." Harry ran back to the clearing, waving bye to the half giant.
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A few weeks later Harry received a letter from Danny. He took it back to his room where Pup Danny, now nicknamed Ghostie, sniffed at it curiously. Harry absentmindedly pet the puppy as he read the letter. Danny wanted them all to come see Norbert, as Princess Dora said he was going to take his first flight soon. Mentally agreeing, Harry sent back a quick missive. He decided to not invite all the adults this time, as they were all extremely busy with end of term work. His hand continued to stroke Ghostie's fur, and he got lost in the motion. He had done it, he was finally Harry Winchester. So why did it not feel right? His friends were starting to accept that they were not going to be taking on more cases. Sam had yet to find him a new mentor for his demon half. He hadn't even used his angel powers in weeks. He was finally ordinary. Yet, as he thought it through more, that did not make him fit in. Harry was surrounded by extraordinary people.
Ciarne, over a century old, and learning to take care of an ancient Tribe. Danny, a teen both dead and alive, trying to keep the peace between the two. Hermione, a witch bright beyond her years. Ronald, making his own way while also upholding his familiar values that go against what was expected of him. Draco, choosing his own path, even though he knew that one day it may end with Voldemort no matter what he did. Severus, who had given so much, and had more than that taken from him. Sam and Dean, who were just beginning to understand what home meant. Adam, taking a full plunge into the world of the Supernatural like his older brothers. Bobby, who spent countless hours gathering everything and anything his family might need one day.
So then, did he really want to be ordinary?
"You doing all right there Harry?" Harry blinked a few times, focusing on Neville who was standing near the end of his bed. More strangely he could see a small golden thread connecting them.
"Yeah, Nev. How are you?" Neville hesitantly sat on the edge of the bed.
"I've lost Trevor again." he admitted, giving a defeated sigh.
"Seems your frog is more willing to go on adventures than you are." Harry joked, causing Neville to crack a smile. "Come on, let's go find him. I'm sure he hasn't gotten far."
"Thanks Harry." Neville said.
"No, Nev, thank you." Harry said sincerely, rubbing the summoning coin in his pocket. The other Junior Hunters all exclaimed upon feeling their own coins heating up.
Hermione dropped her books, much to Madame Pince's horror, and immediately took off running looking for a safe space to read the message.
Crabbe and Goyle had been throwing balled up socks at one another when theirs went off. Crabbe ignored the sock that hit him square in the face as Goyle slowly read the message aloud.
Draco's latest letter to his father was ruined when he felt the heat, his quill creating a jarring mark across the page. He pulled the coin out, a smile breaking out on his face.
Blaise spared it a glance and got back to studying, however there was certainly a new flourish to his writing.
Pansy flipped open her decoy compact mirror, snapping it back shut with an air of superiority, excusing herself from the girl group.
Ron was startled awake from a nap, patting his cloak in confusion, until finally finding the coin. He squinted as he read it. "About bloody time." he muttered before falling back asleep.
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The Junior Hunters all arrived at the same time to find Harry waiting for them at the edge of the forest. He turned to them with a smile, Ghostie and KitKat rushing to the others for attention. Hedwig stayed with her master, fluffing out haughtily.
"Is it true Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Yes. We're gonna start taking cases again. But that's not the only reason we are meeting tonight. Norbert is about to take his first flight." Harry explained, he assessed them all with bright eyes, not bothering to ask how they were able to get out of the castle. There was a reason they were all Junior Hunters after all. "We will enter the forest from here."
"Wait, we're going into the forest?" Ron asked in alarm. "In the middle of the bloody night?"
"Yes. We are gonna be facing things much scarier than that as Hunters." Harry let the statement hang in the air. Hermione peered into the unnatural darkness, looking a bit sick.
"How are we going to get through there?" Harry held out a hand in front of her face.
"By trusting me." She nodded, placing her hand in his. "Everyone grab hold." They children linked hands, Ron and Draco resolutely turning their heads away when they realized they were connected. Harry led the way, Ghostie at his right with Kit Kat on his shoulders. Hedwig flew on ahead, flitting through the trees. Harry finally spotted the light green etching in a nearby rock, and drew them to a halt. "The most important thing is to not freak out."
"Yeh got it." Hagrid said seriously, causing half the Hunters to jump. The half giant had a small burlap sack with him, excited to see his dragon.
"You nearly gave me a heart attack." Ron said, face turning red in embarrassment. Hagrid apologized with a chuckle. Harry placed his hand upon the rock, one of the few with access to the pen. A small light shot up, turning into a portal. Harry stepped through, stumbling on the purple sand on the other side. One by one his friends appeared, gazing around in amazement. Hagrid stepped through last, walking around without issue, as he visited Norbert frequently. Princess Dora greeted them, curtseying as she always did. They were on the outskirts of her domain, the large castle visible in the distance.
"Right this way, Norbert has tried a few times, I feel he is close." The children excited followed her, babbling a mile a minute about the new environment. Harry felt a hand slip into his and looked over in surprise. Draco was watching the green skies quietly, causing Harry to smile and give him a reassuring squeeze.
"Aye, there is my precious boy!" Hagrid bellowed out as they approached Norbert. The dragon excitedly ran over, his wings fluttering but not quite lifting him off the ground.
"Are you sure he will fly soon; his wings seem too small for his body." Hermione assessed.
"I mean so are a bee's." Harry said casually. Hedwig flew around the dragon, goading it. Norbert snapped at her a few times, but was always careful not to bite. Ghostie barked, running circles around the slumbering dragon. Norbert's tail swayed as he took chase.
"Did I miss it?" Danny asked. The other Hunters immediately paid respects to the King of the Ghost Zone, who waved it off with a gloved hand.
"No. How is your kingdom coming?" Danny gave a shrug.
"Harder than I thought." The conversation was interrupted when Norbert took a mighty leap and remained airborne. Hagrid cheered him on, tears rolling down his face. The children spent another hour with Hagrid before they decided it was time to leave. Danny took them to the portal, pulling Harry aside to speak with him for a minute. "We were worried about you, Harry. It isn't like you to stay out of trouble." He said with a smirk. A laugh escaped Harry.
"I needed to think about some things." Harry admitted. Danny gave an understanding nod. He held out a small offering to Harry.
"Hopefully I can come back to Spinner's End soon. If you ever need me though." Danny pointed to the small orb. "Even if it's just to talk." Harry hugged the ghost king, feeling the chill through his clothes.
"Adam misses you. All he does is complain all the time that you're gone." Harry said as they headed back to the portal. "Maybe you should show him the kingdom sometime." Danny tried to hide the smile on his face.
"Yeah, maybe I'll do that."
The students stepped through the portal, abuzz with excitement. They were so engulfed in their thoughts that they had to come to an abrupt halt at the front of the castle. Waiting on the steps was none other than Filch.
"Well, well." he sneered. "We are in trouble, aren't we?"
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Things couldn't have been worse.
Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other. Hermione was trembling. Excuses, alibis, and wild cover- up stories chased each other around Harry's brain, each feebler than the last. He couldn't see how they were going to get out of trouble this time. They were cornered. There was no reason on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for their being out of bed and creeping around the forest in the dead of night.
Had Harry thought that things couldn't have been worse? He was wrong. When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Sam, Cas and Dean. Severus strode in last, turning a burning eye to his Slytherin students.
"Harry." Cas said in his usual monotone. Harry ducked his head away from his family, ashamed. The others around him shifted uncomfortably as Cas kept an unwavering gaze on his son.
"Mr. Filch says you were in the Forbidden Forest. It's one a.m. Have you any explanation?" McGonagall demanded, looking as if she were to begin breathing fire. It was the first time Hermione had failed to answer a Professor's question. Harry looked up at McGonagall with a steely gaze and a set jaw.
"It was all my idea." The Head of Gryffindor gave a loud sigh, surprising her coworkers. She pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering about genetics and chivalry.
"Fifty points from all of you." she spat out. "Eight students out of bed. Eight! I doubt you are that charismatic Mr. Winchester."
"Fifty?!" Ron exclaimed. "That isn't fair!"
"And why is that Mr. Weasley?" Severus asked, venom dripping in his voice.
"Well, there is only three Gryffindors, and five Slytherins." He said, counting on his fingers. McGonagall blinked at him owlishly. "I already hate the slimy gits, don't need to give them any reason to blame us for losing the cup, Gryffindor will beat them fair and square." he said in a self-assured tone, crossing his arms to emphasize his point.
"Fine then, Mr. Weasley." she said with a bit of a smirk, liking his reasoning. "150 points from each house. And you all will be serving detention." she compromised. The others groaned, but Ron kept his head up, knowing it was the right thing to do. "Get to bed, all of you." The students quickly filed out, and Harry tried to sneak away among them, only to be held back by Sam.
"You're grounded, Shrimp." He said, kneeling down to his level. "I thought we had gotten past this." The two professors left to give the family some privacy.
"So did you, when you went to Stanford." Harry shot back. Sam bit his lip, having trouble finding a rebuttal to that. He looked to Dean and Cas for help.
"We've talked about this Harry. Did you learn nothing from your adventure at the cemetery?" Dean said in a firm voice. "If it had just been you out there, fine maybe I would let it slide, be a bit upset you got caught, but it would be water under the bridge. This time, you brought seven people with you into that forest."
"We weren't in the forest!" Harry shouted, clenching his fists. "I didn't put them in danger, we went to visit Norbert, Hagrid was with us!" He did not want to be accused of hurting his friends again. Not when he had barely come to terms to what destiny laid before him. "Can't exactly say that to Dumbledore's right hand, now can I?" He crossed his arms, huffing.
"In that case. You're an idiot for getting caught." Dean surmised, ruffling Harry's hair as he and Cas walked out. Sam rolled his eyes, but hoisted the boy up, following the other two.
"You're still grounded." Sam reminded him.
"Damn."
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At first, Gryffindors and Slytherins passing the giant hourglasses that recorded the house points the next day thought there'd been a mistake. How could they suddenly have a hundred and fifty points fewer than yesterday? And then the story started to spread: Harry Winchester and Draco Malfoy had been caught attempting to throw each other from the Astronomy Tower. McGonagall was a bit shocked when she first heard this rumor, but the way that Harry and Draco carefully avoided each other led her to believe this was a rumor they had intentionally started.
She kept a careful eye on them in the following days, while she contemplated their detention. The careful plan the boys had set up certainly kept the heat off the other first years she had caught, while keeping their Houses united as many knew how good of friends the two were and became very interested in helping the two sort it out. Pansy spoke a lot more to Hermione, although they didn't realize her cat eye vision allowed her to see the code the two were creating. They of course would then go to either Harry or Draco and receive a very rehearsed. "I'm not apologizing until he does." With the two boys at the center of the drama, the lost points almost didn't matter to either house.
About a week later, all eight of the students received a note by owl, as she did not want to give up their ruse. Albus had decided that they were to go back to the forest. He figured a 'scare them straight' tactic would work best with the unruly students, and that no harm would come over them under Hagrid's watch.
At eleven o'clock that night, they all left the common room and went down to the entrance hall. Filch was already there - and so were the Slytherins.
"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. "Oh yes... hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well-oiled in case they're ever needed... Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do." Draco rolled his eyes at the dramatics, but followed along grudgingly. They were led to the forest, where Hagrid was waiting with Fang and a large crossbow. Cas stood beside them, looking at the forest uneasily.
"Are we going back into the forest?" Harry asked in disbelief. "Merlin's pants." he muttered, thinking of the irony of it all. In the middle of the night to top it off as well. He scanned the faces of his fellow Junior Hunters, noting that many were doing a good job of hiding their fear.
"I'll be back in the morning to pick up what's left of them." Filch said nastily, walking back towards the castle. Hagrid held up his lamp, and the children could see silvery blood on the ground. Harry felt his breath catch, remembering what he had told Cas many weeks ago. His hand moved to hold the necklace around his neck.
"Somethin' been killing unicorns. This one is only wounded, judging' by ter amount o' blood." Hagrid explained. "We need ter split up. Three o' ya wit me, three wit Professor Novak, and two wit Fang here."
"Draco and I will take Fang." Harry said resolutely. He wanted his friends to be safe with adults, and Draco already knew about some of his powers. Not to mention that going together could be the end to their fake feud. Cas looked as if he wanted to interject but, in the end, said nothing. Harry was glad for it.
"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. " So, me, Pansy, Crabbe an' Hermione'll go one way," The three students nodded to each other. "Professor Novak, Blaise, Ron and Goyle'll go the other." The three boys moved closer to Cas. "Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now - that's it - an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh - so, be careful - let's go." Each group of students entered with their respective guardian, soon unable to see each other.
The forest was dead silent. Draco and Harry immediately joined hands over Fang, taking careful steps. Occasionally the moon would shine through the trees, illuminating silvery drops of blood. Fang put his nose to the ground, sniffing loudly, before letting out a low howl of fear. The two students looked around, expecting to see another creature, but there was nothing around them. They walked past a mossy tree stump. Harry could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.
"What do you suppose it is?" Draco asked after a while of walking, when the drops began to get bigger and closer together.
"I don't know." Harry admitted. "Whatever it is, it has to be fast." No sooner had he spoken that a cloaked figure darted somewhere in the woods ahead of him. Harry dragged Draco and Fang behind a nearby tree. He could feel Draco's pulse on fire from where he held his wrist. "Whatever you do, stay behind me. I want you to count to ten and then send up red sparks, you got it?" Draco nodded frantically, fumbling for his wand.
Harry slowly returned to the path, eyes glowing a bright blue. Each step left behind a small indent in the soft dirt path. It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Harry had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves. Harry had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered... Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry felt a flare of something course through him, and strangely it made his back feel as if millions of bugs were crawling on it. He heard the boom of red sparks behind him, but he stayed transfixed on the creature. It too, it seemed, had heard the sparks, as it looked up, unicorn blood dribbling down its front. It stood and moved much more swiftly than he thought possible, yet Harry remained rooted to the spot, feeling as though fire were consuming him. There was a tearing sound behind him and suddenly something leaped over him as he fell to his knees, charging the creature.
After a few minutes, the burning left him. He slowly opened his eyes to see Tonks standing over him. She was not the only one however. Next to her was a half human half horse, with blonde hair and blue eyes. There was loud crashing nearby and Tonks pulled her wand, ready to attack. It was only Hagrid however, responding to the red sparks. Fang burst out from behind the tree, Draco following closely behind.
"We must leave." The centaur said. "Place the fallen one on my back, it will be quicker." Harry wrapped his arms around the centaur as Tonks hoisted him up there. "My name is Firenze" he added for the benefit of the shifter he had come to aid. There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.
"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?" Harry suddenly felt very self-conscious about being seated on a half human creature.
"Do you realize who this is?" said Firenze, sapphire eyes glinting. "This is no human. The quicker he leaves this forest, the better."
"What have you been telling him?" growled Bane, taking a threatening step forward.
"He hasn't told me a thing!" Harry shouted in defense to the centaur. Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that Harry had to grab his shoulders to stay on.
"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with non-creatures alongside me if I must." And Firenze whisked around; with Harry clutching on as best he could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving the others behind.
"What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?" Harry asked. All he knew was that it was dark, and that it scared him.
"Do you know what unicorn blood is used for?" Firenze asked him, voice unusually hollow. He came to a stop, staring up at the sky. Harry followed his gaze, looking at a bright spot of red light against the black sky.
"No," said Harry, confused by the odd question. "We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions." He did remember Cas telling him that unicorns were warriors of Heaven, but he did not know what to make of that. It made the unknown creature seem all the more evil.
"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips. Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"
"Do you mean," Harry croaked, "that was Voldemort?" Harry sat up a bit straighter. "We have to go back."
"I fear I will have to go against the Heavens tonight young fledgling." Firenze replied, racing to the edge of the forest. "Please forgive this sin."
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All of the children were in Hagrid's cabin with large cups of hot cocoa. Sam and Dean had been livid with Headmaster Dumbledore for sending them out to the forest, and the old man got an earful from the both of them. Now, however, the adults had gone back into the forest with the two Hunters leading the way by lantern.
"Are you alright, Harry?" Hermione finally ventured, looking at him with wide eyes. Harry looked out of the small window towards the forest.
"That unicorn was dead." he told them. Draco turned even paler than normal, thinking of how close he had been. "The thing…" he avoided saying Voldemort, as he was not entirely sure. "It made me feel as if I was on fire." He looked back to the group. "I was saved by Tonks and Firenze, a centaur."
"We saw centaurs too." Hermione told him. "They all kept repeating that Mars was very bright."
"I saw it, in the sky. Like a red star." Harry confirmed.
"What does it mean?" Ron asked, holding his mug closer.
"I know what it means." Crabbe said, looking a bit nervous. Harry gave him an encouraging nod. "Well, it means...it means a battle is gonna happen." There was a crash as Harry's mug fell to the floor and he sprung from his chair, heading for the door. A sudden blue mist appeared in front of the door, blocking his way. Danny and Ciarne stepped out of it.
"What's wrong?" Danny asked frantically, before looking around and realizing that none of the adults were present. "Where is Sam?"
"In the forest… why are you here?" Harry asked in a bit of a panic.
"The orbs. Both you and Sam." Danny scanned the room, seeing the scared children. Harry shifted around in his pocket, and it seemed it was true. His orb had broken when he fell in the forest. Sam's however…
"The forest. They are in there!" Harry shouted, shoving them out the door, his angelic grace flaring. Danny gave him a mighty shove back in to the cabin, causing the other children to stand in surprise.
"Keep him here." He ordered, before he and Ciarne disappeared into the night. Harry struggled against the hands holding him back, but his friend refused to let him go back into the forest. Draco slammed the door shut, bolting it with help from Ron. The two of them stood in front of it with wands drawn.
"Get out of my way." it came out as an unearthly growl, with Draco just barely making out solid black eyes from beneath the fringe. "My family is in danger, get out of my way!" he shouted, sounding normal.
"We can't Harry."
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"They should be here soon." Sam whispered out from where they were hidden in the trees.
"What on earth is that thing?" Tonks asked. She had changed her appearance to be more of a muddy tone, in order to fit in with the trees.
"Nothing I've ever seen before." Dean said, watching as the black cloak slithered closer to the unicorn once more. In the tree next to them Hagrid was hugging the tree for dear life, not having expected Cas to lift him into it. "There." Dean said, pointing to the approaching specs of white and orange. Danny must have seen them as well, for the next second, he and Ciarne were in the trees as well.
"What's going on?" Danny asked, as he watched the creature below.
"This thing here tried to attack Harry earlier. I saw the alert and used Wulf to come help. It's powerful, and smart. Knew to dodge my spells." Tonks explained. "A centaur had to assist me, and it fled. We came to get the unicorn body, and we found the thing again."
"I'm going in for a closer look." Danny went invisible before jumping from the tree, floating near the creature. With a low moan it removed itself from the neck of the unicorn to look directly at him. Danny moved back in shock, dropping invisibility as it lunged towards him. A sudden spire of water from the nearby stream crashed into the creature, sending it into a nearby tree. Ciarne leapt down, standing by Danny's side. "Thanks." Ciarne had no time to reply as the creature returned. The way it moved was disturbing, like a man on all fours, yet not quite so. Ciarne pushed another stream at him, but it dodged to the side, staring at them with bloodthirsty eyes. It turned in shock as Sam and Dean landed behind him with weapon drawn. It tried to exit left, but Tonks stood there with a spell charging up. A ring of fire slowly swirled around the lot of them. Cas dropped in from above with Hagrid.
"Immobilize it." Sam shouted after he missed twice with the gun. Danny's skin turned blue as he shot ice blast after ice blast at the thing. Cas had to dodge out of the way of one of Tonks' spells. Roots sprung up from the ground, trapping the thing. The fire went out as water poured around them, turning into a bubble around the body of the creature. Danny hit it with a blast of ice, freezing it solid. Sam and Dean slowly approached with their guns. The thing struggled a bit, before it let out a loud yell. Except, it didn't seem to come from the mouth of the creature, being much more human sounding. They all looked to each other, making sure it was not attacking any of their teammates telepathically.
"Help, oh Merlin-" the voice was cut off as the creature disappeared with a loud pop.
"Did...did it just Apparate?" Tonks asked in disbelief. Dean stuck his hand into the ice, swiping for any type of ectoplasm or sulfur. He came up with nothing.
"That voice." Sam said, scanning the forest around them. "It sounded familiar." Hagrid picked up the unicorn body gingerly.
"We ought'ter go." Danny and Ciarne elected to return home through Norbert's pen, as to check the integrity of it. The rest spent the walk back thinking of the voice, though none could identify it without its signature s-s-stutter.
Sam and Dean entered the cabin first to find Harry struggling, his friends standing between him and the door unrelenting. Sam laid a hand on Draco's shoulder, causing the blond to look up in relief. Harry latched onto Dean once he was within reach. He began to cry as the others came in, squeezing into the cabin.
"Hey bud. It's alright. There's no monster we can't defeat." Dean told him.
"That wasn't just any monster, Dad." Harry told him. "That thing...was Voldemort."
Next chapter in two weeks time. I promise promise. It is already complete only needs editing.