CHAPTER 13: What a Man Can Do and What He Can't
On his way back down the stairs, Harry nearly ran head first into Zabini.
"Potter!" The boy hissed, having seen him before Harry could sink back into shadow.
"Zabini." Harry replied coolly.
Before Harry could ask him what he wanted, Zabini ha shot a spell at him. It was nonverbal and defiantly above the first year level.
"You not the only on whose been trained to get what they want." Zabini hissed as he took up a fighting stance. Harry drew his own wand, wandlessly summoning his new throwing stars, a present from Regulus, into his hand.
Zabini raised his wand in front of his face in a sort of bow. Harry smirked. "What kind of Death Eater actually follows the rules of engagement?" He mocked throwing a stinging hex at the teen's week shield, breaking it and hitting him with the Ricasempra curse.
Zabini picked himself up and glared at the boy. "One fighting for his engaged." He shot off two spells in quick succession. The first was a more painful version of the body bind that folded your body into an uncomfortable position and held you there, fallowed by and unhealable cutting curse. Harry dodged the first but the second one clipped his shoulder.
Harry grunted in pain but quickly retaliated with throwing stars. Two nicked Zabini, one taking of a slice of ear the other imbedding itself in his leg.
Zabini howled, his tolerance for pain mush less that Harry's.
"You can't keep this up forever!"
He conjured up a fire whip and snapped it. Harry drew a shrunken sword from its holster around his leg. Enlarging it he caught Zabini's first lash and ripped the teen forward, slicing into the teen's neck, just under the jugular. He took advantage of their close proximity and took a few scraps at the boy's face.
Zabini also took advantage of the chance and stabbed Harry in the gut with a small dagger that had sat in a holster around his wrist. Harry made no notice of this, throwing Zabini across the hallway into the wall with a powerful Reducto. He pulled himself out of the wall and striking out with his whip catching Harry's neck, burning it as well as cutting into it.
Harry growled and seized the whip, burning his hand, and flicked him back into his place in the wall again. Zabini clambered out again, but Harry was done messing around. Using his throwing stars he pinned Zabini to the wall confiscated all his weapons.
"I went easy on you this night Zabini. Don't bother me or Draco or Dante or any of my friends again, or I won't be nearly as nice." He took out a small dagger, coated in a mild poison that would make the cut permanent. Brushing away the teen's hair, Harry located the small area just above the right where Death Eaters marked their wins. Harry drew an expertly designed lightning bolt. "Now, you wouldn't think of showing anyone that would you?"
He left Zabini pinned to the wall shouting, "You can't tie me up like this! You bastered!" Harry slid back into the shadows and was passing the entrance hall just as Dante was coming in with Madam Pomfery. Harry jumped into the medi-witch's shadow and road all the way back to the hospital wing.
Once in side he jumped out and took refuge in the shadow of one of the beds. Dante had noticed his arrival and collapsed onto the bed next to Ron, which happened to be Harry's refuge.
"Harry?"
"Yeah. I'm going to need some help cleaning up."
Madam Pomfery laid out the bandages and needles and thread, leaving Dante to clean himself up, knowing the boy preferred it that way. As soon as she was gone Harry climbed out and let his brother look him over.
"Christ Harry! There's no way one dragon could have done all this!" Dante motioned for him to sit down on his bed and take of his shirt. Harry obliged grudgingly and began to explain.
"Merlin Harry. He could have killed you! You can't keep throwing yourself in the way of all these animals." Dante handed the teen a pillow to bite down on as he stitched up the cutting cures marks.
"That which doesn't kill me can only make me stronger. I need more training. I can do so much better than this, so why do I keep faltering? When we get home I'm hitting the dueling coarse. Now that we have wands we can leave our basic wandless magic and move on to elemental magics, Parsalmagics, and alchemy." He replaced the pillow as Dante pulled the sink closer together.
"We can start on some Runes magic here. I know there's a class on it in third year but it can't hurt to get a head start. I think we should start working out in the mornings, you know, one-on-one-on-one hand-to-hand."
Harry nodded and removed the pillow. He took up some of the bandages and wrapped them around his neck and hand. Then he picked up the needle and sewed up Dante. Once both were cleaned up, Harry left Dante and shadow surfed to the Gryffindor Common Room.
Crawling into his bed, Harry wondered if there was anything worse than an aching body and a bruised ego.
The next day he found out there was. It was called Draco's wrath. While he had faced such a demon on many occasions, never after beating up the blonde's engaged over Draco's honor.
"HARRY JAMES POTTER!"
Wincing Harry held his head tighter and tried no to throw up the minimal food he'd managed to force down his bruised throat.
"Draco I love you but you need to shut up." His voice was so quiet that Draco had no chance of hearing him.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WHERE DOING. YOU CAN'T GO AROUND KNOCKING PEOPLE UP LIKE THAT!"
Harry sighed and began to use sign langue, unable to speak anything else.
'I didn't do it for you. He would have turned me in.'
'You fool. You don't know what you have stepped in the middle of. Look what you've done to yourself.'
Draco stepped forward and brushed the hair away from the teen's magical eye. 'Doesn't this thing help you see the unseeable?'
Harry nodded.
'Then why didn't you see him coming and avoid him?'
'I got tired of seeing him slinking around behind you in the hallways and watching you in bathrooms.'
Draco looked appalled.
'He did that?'
'Yep.'
Draco sat down and cupping Harry's check in his hand.
"You're bruised up and down." He whispered. "How the hell did he manage to get close enough to choke you?"
Harry honestly didn't remember but it hurt enough that he vowed never to let it happen again.
"Come on. We'll see if Severus can do anything to help you."
'As much as I appreciate the thought, he'd more likely poison me.'
"Not if it's for me." Draco smiled.
'Are you sure?'
Draco nodded. He turned to the door and walked out with Harry on his heels. They were lucky that Snape hardly ever at any of the voluntary meals (breakfast and lunch) in the Great Hall.
They headed down to the ground floor and then a few more down to the dungeons. Draco knocked on the door as soon as Harry had tucked himself away in shadow.
"Yes?"
Draco walked in as the door opened for him.
"Hello Godfather." He whispered in a horse voice.
"Draco!"
Harry only just managed to slide through as the door shut behind the blonde.
"What on earth happened to you?"
"A fight. Doesn't matter." He hugged his Godfather. "I realized I hadn't gotten the chance to talk to you most of this month, I wanted to say hello."
Harry was slightly surprised. He hadn't known that Draco was seeing his Godfather in his private chambers no less.
"It's always good to talk to you Draco, but I am late for a meeting with the Zabinis. How about I get you something for those bruises. Before I go, I need to fulfill my duties and reprimand you." He cleared his throat and took up a mocking version of his glare from class, earning a snort from Draco.
"Draconis Malfoy. You cannot go around beating people up unless you are sure you can get out of it without evidence. What were you thinking leaving his memory in tack? And signing your seal? What has come over you, you arrogant child?"
This earned another, more violent snort.
"Thanks Godfather." Draco hugged him and pocketed the balm he was handed. "I'll come and see you again latter." He waved and left, delaying the door's closing with his foot, just long enough for Harry to slip through.
'You're a life savor.' Harry signed, taking the balm offered to him.
Draco took some from the jar and helped Harry cover his wounds.
"Do you have Quidditch practice today?" Draco asked as they walked up to collect Dante from the Hospital wing.
'Yes, but not till later.' Harry answered still signing, waiting for the balm to work. He slumped down suddenly with a sigh that had Draco looking at him worriedly.
"Harry?" He sat down next to the boy.
'I'm tired of stressing myself out with fights I should win in a heartbeat. I wasn't taught to fight to nearly lose to a punk like your ex-boyfriend. I shouldn't be worrying weather or not wanting to kill my uncle is normal.'
"Slow down Harry! I only know slow signing. What was that last part? After the ex-boyfriend comment… which I resent by the way."
'Nothing. It's nothing.'
"Come on Harry. Lets go get Dante." Draco extended a hand but Harry turned it down, hauling himself to his feet.
Madam Pomfery wasn't quite through with the werewolf when they went to collect him. She rewound a few bandages and tutted over the boy until she had nothing else to tidy up. By the time they got out, not only was Dante all patched up but so was Harry. Just in time for Quidditch practice.
Harry limped onto the field, ignoring Wood and the Weasley twins' questions into his health. They practiced late and it was only when Ron and Hermione came to pick him up that Harry realized they had practiced double the amount of time, not because Wood was being a fanatic, but because they were attempting to be understanding off their youngest player.
The moment they'd gotten on the field, Harry had played with week aggression. That wasn't to say that his aggression was week, but that is his aggression was at a high his week body couldn't compete with. He was falling off his broom but still perusing the snitch with a violent passion.
"Harry you need to take it down a notch." Fred called.
"Yeah, you're going to wear your self into the ground." His twin agreed.
Harry growled, clenching his teeth. "I can do it!"
"Harry!" Ron was yelling at him from the stands. Draco was on his feet, Dante resting back with Hermione under his arm. "HARRY! YOU CAN'T DO THIS MUCH LONGER!"
Harry locked his jaw swerved in front of Angelina grabbed the Qufflel.
"I CAN DO IT!" He yelled throwing the ball so hard it made waves of air as it soared through the goal and all the way into the deep parts of the forest. Sighing Harry apologized and flew off to collect the ball.
Swooping down low Harry rummage around the forest looking for the allusive ball. Deeper into the forest he flew until he rammed head first into Hagrid.
"Harry!"
"Sorry Hagrid. I wasn't watching where I was going."
"Its okay Harry, but you best be getting out of the forest. There's summit sneaken round 'ere. Wouldn't want you getten hurt."
"What's wrong Hagrid?"
"Somthin's hurten the unicorns. Drainen them dry." Hagrid said worriedly.
"I'll get out then Hagrid, as soon as I find the Quffle." Harry presided to explain everything that happened from the dragon hand-off to the Quffle.
"Harry, I'd love to talk to you but here's not the right place." He shifted his crossbow to his other shoulder. Harry looked around. "I'm just going to find it real quick then I'll take it and myself out." He took off again ignoring Hagrid's call of "Harry! No! You can't do that!"
I'm getting sick and tired of people telling me what I can and can't do.
He landed a little ways away in a tangle of trees and roots. He had spotted something red under the thick layers of trees there. He padded through the thick forest trail looking up at the canopy.
Harry Potter
Harry stopped dead.
I've been waiting for you, Harry Potter.
He spun around looking back and forth.
I've been watching you Harry Potter! You've sparked my interest!
Harry zeroed in on the voice. It was coming from a deep pit, held up by roots that laced the walls. In the center there was a hooded figure in a black cloak, bent over the most beautiful, yet horrible thing Harry had ever seen. A unicorn, silvery white and sparkling less and less as the seconds ticked by, blood oozing out from its neck where the creature had cupped its lips around an open wound.
I have been following you. You have the makings of greatness within you, Harry Potter! You can do anything you want when you harness such power. I can help you there. Harry Potter.
Harry shifted backwards, pain searing across his scar as the creature looked up. He stumbled over a root and fell forward. He slid to the bottom of the pit.
I have wanted to kill you, Harry Potter! But now I have seen what you could accomplish. I want nothing more than to help you, and hopefully, in time you can help me regain my body.
Harry stood up, drawing two knives from his boots.
You see we are one in the same, young Potter. We both had the ability the 'can' to use power to it's fullest potential. There are two kinds of men in this world, those who 'can' and those who 'can't', those who take action and those who pass them off to someone else.
Harry stood up, taking small steps forward.
There are rules in this world, imposed on people like us to keep us down, prevent us from reaching our full potential. They told you killing was wrong. But your Uncle, he imposed rules and broke yours.
Harry froze, shuddering.
You don't want that to happen again do you? No, because you can do something about it, so why don't you?
Harry started his slow steps forward.
You would like that wouldn't you?
A few more steps forward. He slipped his daggers back into his boots.
You would like to kill them wouldn't you?
Harry stopped short, a foot or two away.
Join me, Harry Potter.
Harry took two long strides and was inches away from the creature. Then the swords where in his hand, he was back flipping away, cutting the creature's face. He took a slash at the things arm, cutting a deep gash into it and nicking a deep gouge into the thing's neck. He ran after that, ran like he'd never run before. He ran so fast he hardly noticed he was rising off the ground, his fears having triggered his Phoenix form. Large red and gold wings pulled him from the woods faster and faster.
He turned back, worried that if he didn't do it now, he'd never be able to forgive himself for being too much of a coward. It was then that he remembered the Quffel, which came sailing at him as he thought it. He looked through the trees to where the creature had been, only to see a pair of centaurs looking at his broom. He cursed and flew off. This was one thing he couldn't do.