Chapter 14 friends and farewells
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters.
Severus Snape looked for the chink in the armor of his Godson's visage and he found it in the clenched fists. Yes, his godson was tense but had also pulled up the 'Malfoy mask' that would fool everyone else but not him. Him who had seen Draco from the time he was born.
"Draco I am aware that something is transpiring between Potter and you. What is going on?" he asked bluntly hoping to get to the heart of the matter and fast. Draco looked up alarmed but just for a second before the mask came on. There was wariness in his eyes now but still the mask had not faltered as he drawled "what can possibly be between Potter and me sir? We have nothing but discord between us…as if I would want to have anything to do with him" he scoffed.
"Stop the charade Draco" Severus said sharply "if you tell me what is going on maybe I can help you with whatever that is you are planning". Severus could see the conflict play on his Godson's face until finally he deflated with a sigh and a drop of his shoulders.
"Sev…you know that the Dark Lord has moved into our house don't you?" Severus nodded and gestured for him to continue "I don't want to be there …I want to get away from there and from Hogwarts. The house feels more like a prison now. It is stifling" he said and looked at his godfather pleading with him to understand what he could not say. He could not say the real reason was that he did not want to be a death eater and if he stayed, he would be forced to become one.
"Dear Merlin!" Severus gasped "You are planning to go to Durmstrang aren't you?" he asked as Draco mutely nodded. "Idiot child!…why didn't you come to me?" Severus said exasperated and desperate and worried all at once.
"How could I Severus? You are a damn death eater!" Draco burst out finally, his mask broken and his eyes smoldering with rage. Severus looked at his godson seeing a breakthrough "and you don't want to be one?" he asked tentatively. He had felt Draco's reason to be a flimsy and had hoped that this would be the real reason.
"No" the shout came out very un-Malfoylike and Severus let out a sigh of relief. "Thank Merlin! I was so afraid you will be lost to the madman" he breathed as Draco looked at him with confusion only to be replaced with shrewd understanding a few seconds later. "So my suspicions were right …you are really not a death eater are you?" he asked.
"No and it's a story for another time. Now what have you done with Potter" Severus steered the conversation back to where it belonged. Draco looked sheepish for a minute before saying "I stuck a deal with him. I give him Durmstrang's address and he gets me a no objection certificate from Dumbledore".
Severus exhaled in relief…it was not as bad as he feared. "Well played dragon….this might be for the good after all" he said as he contemplated the situation. "So I made the right decision?" Draco asked tentatively "yes it seems so…right now being inaccessible is a good move otherwise there's no escape for you. You do know that right?" Severus said softly laying a hand on his godson's shoulder.
"I hate the Dark Lord. He has ruined our lives" Draco breathed vehemently, moving closer and laying his head on Severus's shoulder as the potions master gently ran a hand through his hair. "Yes, that is what he does. Do be careful child. You are turning your back on the devil himself and Potter being in the same place as you makes it even more dangerous".
"But I should go right?" Draco asked sounding like a child for the first time with a bit of uncertainty. "If it had been just you, perhaps I would have suggested a different school but in this case, you will have someone with you instead of being all alone. Out there, you two need each other and whatever your impression of Potter might be …make no mistake that he is a powerful wizard. If it comes to a pinch he will protect you. Leave your ego aside and start a new life there Draco" Severus said softly holding onto his godson and trying to come to terms with the fact that he had failed one more child in his care.
Draco snorted at the words of the potions master."You want me to be friends with Potter?" Draco asked with a horrified expression. Now it was Snape's turn to snort "Friends no…that's too much of a stretch on imagination. Right now we will settle for no animosity and civility alright?"
Draco shrugged carelessly "No Draco I mean it" Severus reiterated…. "He has a sense of honor that all Gryffindors do and he will help you even if he despises you" Severus chided gently. "Now tell me about your correspondences and we will do the next steps together. Make sure that Lucius or Narcissa do not know….they do not have strong enough mental shields" he warned.
For the next several minutes they spent talking about what needed to be done before Draco headed to the next class albeit with a note from Severus.
Back in his office Severus sank onto the chair gratefully as the events of the morning played on his mind. It had been one hell of a morning and he wondered what the rest of the day would bring.
Elsewhere Harry had been joined by Ron and Hermione where Hermione had taught him the translation spell. Vastly relieved, Harry had spent the next couple of hours practicing the spell by asking Hermione to speak some French words that she knew and simultaneously filling them in on Severus Snape's visit.
They had then caught the tail end of the classes before heading to dinner. As Harry sat down at the table he was approached by Colin Creevey. "Hi Harry" he called out in his characteristic cheerful way. "Hey Colin" Harry responded turning to the younger boy. Colin held out what looked like a book in his hands to Harry "I have put together some snaps of all of us here. I thought you would like to take it with you to Durmstrang" he said shyly.
Harry took the offered book, he was deeply touched and his heart thumped faster as he felt his imminent departure even more acutely. This made it all the more real and he felt faintly alarmed at the thought. However he managed to croak out a "thank you Colin, I really appreciate it" to the younger boy. Colin smiled broadly and went back to his seat calling out a "see you later Harry".
"Open it Harry" Ron urged as Harry obliged. There were random snaps from the last few years featuring Harry with all the Gryffindors at different moments. There was him with the snitch in his hand surrounded by the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and shots of him in the common room flanked by his friends.
There was even one where he stood talking to Dobby outside the kitchens and Harry wondered when Colin managed to get that one! The really funny one, funny in hindsight that is, was of Lockhart casting the spell on his broken arm in second year.
"The expression on your face is priceless mate" Ron guffawed as they shared laughter over the snaps. By this time, many of the others had peered over their shoulder and soon everyone had their own reminisces to add. So many memories and Harry felt a pang of sadness at the thought of not having this camaraderie in the coming year.
Once they were back in the Gryffindor common room, he was approached by Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Harry was bewildered as he had never been approached by these two girls before and he wondered if he was in any trouble.
"Harry hi…we are sorry that you have to leave. We will miss you and we want you to have something to remember us by. This is from all the girls in the year" Parvati said holding out a soft package.
Harry looked up startled. He had not expected this and felt overwhelmed by the gesture and the affection. After so many years of being told that he was a freak and worthless, he felt torn and confused. They can't mean this, can they? But then they did not have to get anything for him in the first place he argued mentally until he was nudged by Hermione and brought back from his internal musing. He realized that they were waiting for his reaction and he smiled. "Thank you. You dint have to" he mumbled shyly.
"We didn't have to but we wanted to Harry…now go on and open it. We hope you like it" Lavender urged. Harry shared a look with Hermione and Ron and opened the parcel to find a soft black velvet robe with silver trimmings.
His voice caught in his throat as he was overcome with emotion. He looked up with a grateful expression to meet the smiling faces of his friends. The robe was made of the finest material and he knew that it must have been expensive. He felt humbled that his friends had spent so much money on him.
"It's beautiful" he gasped as Lavender quipped "well we could not let you looking shabby at Durmstrang can we? You carry forward Hogwarts now. Let them know how handsome our boys are" she said teasingly with a wink.
Harry laughed with the others "well thanks…it's beautiful" he repeated and was saved from further emotion as Ron butted in with "well if I leave too will you guys get a robe like this for me?" with an eager expression on his face.
Hermione playfully hit him as the common room once again became engulfed in laughter. After a few more minutes of chatting and camaraderie Hermione departed to the girl's dormitory as Harry and Ron went to their beds.
"Harry" Ron called and Harry looked up unused to the serious tone in Ron's voice. "Yeah Ron" he called. "I don't know what I am going to do without you. Perhaps I should come with you" Ron said still in his serious tone.
Harry felt horrified "No Ron what are you talking about. You have a family here…people who love you. You have no reason to leave. I will never forgive myself if you do that" he said fervently.
"And you…how can you think that you don't have people that love you Harry?" Ron asked equally fierce. Harry fell silent. How could he explain that it was not the same? He did not have anyone to truly call his own. They loved him yes, but belonged to someone else. It was all messed up so he just fell silent.
"I am sorry Ron. It's hard for me too. I don't know what I am going to do without you two either but I will stay in touch. I will not disappear and I will try to come for the holidays. I don't know how it's all going to go and I will miss you guys horribly" he said softly.
"I hate the greasy git…damn him. I just feel like killing him" Ron swore. "Anyways I don't suppose I can dissuade you now…and I can't follow you either. What am I supposed to do?" he asked plaintively as his voice broke with emotion.
"I don't know ….I am sorry" Harry mumbled his chest feeling tight with the suppressed tears. Suddenly Ron was in front of him and hugging him as he had never held him before as he said "who will watch your back now? I can't believe I am saying this but I don't want you to get into any trouble understand? You stay safe and take good care of yourself you hear, otherwise I am coming after you. As it is, Hermione might go nuts worrying about you".
Hearing the determination in Ron's voice Harry had no doubt that he meant what he said. He fiercely hugged back thankful to have such friends in his life as he wiped the tears from his eyes and nodded "I will".
By now the others had come into the room but no one commented on either the hug or the tears. They nodded to the two friends before settling into their respective beds.
"Well I guess we should sleep too" Ron said letting go of Harry and sitting on his bed. Harry concurred and lay down on his bed too. Both of them drew their curtains each one consumed by their thoughts. They after all had only one more day to be together.
Author notes: well we are almost done with the story…just a couple more chapters by my reckoning. I am undecided about a sequel right now unless I get requests for it. As ever, I am thankful for the follows, the reviews, and the favorites. I am very much humbled by the love and affection and leave with the note fanfiction rocks!