I know, I know, Redemption was up next, but I'm still twitching about this funeral thing. Redemption's last chapter was horrible, I'm not sure how to fix it just yet and finishing it just seems…bleh. So one more past chapter.

Warnings: It's shonen ai, slash, yaoi, gay, whatever you want to call it.

Notes: (X) is pov change and or time jump

Chapter, 28: Cracking Open the Egg

Present day Harry had been about to protest, even turning to look at his boyfriend. He'd rejected Harry? From the sounds of this last conversation, possibly had been lying and leading Harry on the entire time? That didn't seem necessarily right. Tom could act sure, but Harry didn't believe even for a second that the heir would go out of his way to fake fear. No, Tom had fallen into his own trap it seemed as he was leading the younger Harry on.

The memory shimmered. At this point, the younger Harry would probably be unconscious for a while. A new image began taking place. Harry realized they were watching a very frantic moving Tom head towards Dumbledore's office.

He must have said the password, because the gargoyles started moving, Aderes keeping in stride with the top step. When he was at the headmaster's door, he did not knock. He opened the door slamming it shut once he was inside and narrowed his eyes at the headmaster.

"This is all your fault!"

Dumbledore smiled pleasantly from his desk, his hands folded in front of him.

"And what exactly is that I did this time?"

"Your stupid students! No better than savages and this whole thing with Harry!" He crossed the distance between them and sat down in one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore. "How are you going to fix this," he demanded.

"I'm still not quite sure what's wrong," Dumbledore admitted. "What is it that needs fixing?"

Aderes stood up the chair falling over and he let out a loud growl.

"EVERYTHING!"

The headmaster raised an eyebrow at that. He seemed to be hoping Aderes would say more. When he didn't he sighed.

"Start from the beginning."

Aderes glared at him, his pacing interrupted.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this. I didn't even think it was possible!"

"I don't know what "it" is," Dumbledore reminded his stepson. This seemed to anger Aderes more, because he screamed in frustration and walked back over to the desk.

"You! This starts with you! This is completely, entirely, all of it, your fault!"

"As you've said. Perhaps you'll let me know what exactly it is I've done?" He leaned forward and Aderes scowled at him. He picked the chair and set it on all fours angrily, the chair rocking back and forth before it settled. "Why are you so fond of destroying school property?"

"Because I hate this place!" Aderes slumped into the chair, his eyes falling on Fawkes who was watching him curiously. "Most of it anyway," he muttered.

"Are you ready to tell me what happened or shall I shield the rest of the room from your tantrum?"

Aderes let out a sigh himself and shook his head. He got up and held his arm out. Fawkes jumped onto it happily. He walked back to the chair and resumed seating, his finger now stroking Fawkes' head and neck.

"You tricked me and you know it."

"Did I? I was under the impression it was you who wanted to return to Hogwarts and finish your schooling. I also remember quite well begging you to stay home where I would come and tutor you after school hours."

Aderes said nothing to that. He stroked Fawkes some more who in turned gave Tom a small nip with his beak on the ear. He smiled at the phoenix.

"Then I wouldn't get to see Fawkes."

"Aderes." Dumbledore's voice held a warning in it.

"Harry and I had a fight last night. His antidote for poisons was so bad he would have died if he'd used it."

"I assure you Professor Snape would not allow any students to die during any of his tests, no matter what he says."

"Snape doesn't' like Harry," Aderes said looking up at the headmaster. "At all."

"Aderes." The headmaster sounded tired. "So, because Harry is bad at potions, you got into a fight?"

The Slytherin snorted.

"We got into a fight, because your prize boy has no regard for his own life. It was a suicide attempt." He watched Dumbledore's face, no doubt looking for a reaction. When he got none he scowled.

"Did he actually try the antidote?"

"No," Aderes said. "That's not the point—"

"It is. Harry would never throw his life away like that. He's been through a great deal and during most of it he could have easily let it kill him. He has fought every inch however. Harry would not take his own life."

"You hardly understand your toy," the Slytherin hissed. "But we were fighting and so at breakfast today your stupid students thought it would be fun to spike a box of puddings with love potions." This did get Dumbledore's eyes widening and Aderes finally looked satisfied. "Decided whoever made the pastry I picked first knew my tastes and deserved to take me to the ball."

"Who—"

"I'll happily tell you every name and blood line if you need it," he spat. "So Harry comes and stops me from killing all of them, a pity really. They did deserve it." He gave Fawkes a small kiss on the head and took him back to his perch. The phoenix hopped onto it and closed his eyes. He turned back to the headmaster. "He didn't sleep last night. That…was my fault. After stopped me I followed him to the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey said she'd given him a calming draught."

"Perfectly normal—"

"Right. Normal. He was so tired and calmed he blurted out that he loved me." He fell back into the air looking exhausted.

"And what did you say?"

"Say? I ran," Aderes said paling. "At least until he collapsed onto the floor and hit his head. Than I had to take him to the infirmary, which is where he is now, but I don't know what to do!"

"Didn't you say you were in love with him not to long ago?"

"I just wanted to get him away from you!" He groaned and dropped his head onto Dumbledore's desk. "I had no intentions of actually…"

"Falling in love yourself," Dumbledore asked.

"Maybe…Is that even possible? Am I even capable of such a thing?" He looked at Dumbledore, his face desperate.

"Of course it's possible. I warned you," the headmaster said shaking his head.

"How do I know I really do?"

"You start with the basics. Do you like being around him?"

"Yes."

"Are you lonely when he's not with you?" Aderes nodded looking down. "If you two were to break it off and go your separate ways, could you stomach seeing Harry happy with someone else? Could you handle hearing him tell someone else he loves them?"

Aderes gave a slight shrug at that.

"If Harry said he'd rather…what's the term at the moment, snog? Mr. Weasley rather than you—"

"That's not fair," Aderes snapped looking up, his face bright red. "If anyone left me for Ron I'd have to throw myself from the Astronomy Tower!"

Dumbledore rolled his eyes at that.

"Mr. Malfoy than."

That seem to strike something inside Aderes. His features scrunched up and his fist clenched until they were white.

"Draco's my friend, he'd never—"

"You're missing the point of this Aderes," the headmaster sighed. "Alright. What about Mr. Diggory?"

"What?"

"They're both champions, they would understand what each other is going through. They've gone to Hogwarts together for years, they're both Quidditch players. Why not?"

"Because he's dating that Cho that Harry had a crush on," Aderes snapped.

Dumbledore smiled.

"So if Harry left you for Cho?"

"I'd scar her for life for taking what's mine and leave Harry to pick up the mess, because he was foolish enough to leave me."

This time Dumbledore groaned. He sat back down in his chair and rested his head in his hands.

"Alright. Why was it so important that you got Harry away from me?"

"Because I wanted your attention," Aderes said glaring at the headmaster. "I'm your son. You're supposed to be looking at me."

"We are not going to get anywhere if you are not honest. Imagine there is a student at Hogwarts who is just as gifted and talented as you." Aderes snorted. "I said imagine," the headmaster said sternly. "If Harry chose the other student, would you be able to live with that the rest of your life?"

"That girl, the one related to Ron," Aderes said scowling.

"Ginny Weasley," Dumbledore asked looking surprised. "What about her?"

"She's not as smart as me, but her confidence and looks might be a match," he explained. "I don't like her. She offered to take Harry to the ball if I wouldn't."

"So Ginny Weasley than," Dumbledore said sounding very frustrated at this point.

"No, I don't like her. If Harry goes with someone else I'd have to approve first…"

"And who would you possibly approve of," the headmaster pressed.

Aderes finally looked up pale once more. The headmaster smiled at him.

"What if it's a lie…?"

"You may lie to everyone around you, but I've yet to see you lie once to yourself. Do you think you're in love?"

"I guess so…I've never felt such a strong attachment to someone…"

"Than do all three of us a favor. Go back to the infirmary and tell Harry how you feel." Aderes gave a small nod and stood up. Any of his usual confidence seemed to have died. "And don't forget to give me those names. Love potions being used against other students will not be tolerated."

Aderes gave Fawkes and Dumbledore another look and left the office without another word.

The memory shimmered again, present day Harry satisfied. He'd known something wasn't adding up with the way Tom had been acting and his words with Dumbledore proved it.

(X)

He was falling and he was alone. These seemed to be the only two things that registered. He tried at grab at something, anything, but there was nothing to hold onto. Further he went, but with no light it was impossible to tell how far he'd fallen or how much longer until he hit the bottom.

With a sudden jerk, his eyes snapped open. He sat up taking in large gulps of air. The room was blurry, but familiar. He was in the infirmary. He dropped back down onto the pillows. What had happened? Aderes had almost been taken over by a love potion. Harry had needed a calming draught so he could try to get some sleep before his detention. Aderes had come with…His eyes widened as the rest came back to him. After the calming draught had claimed any bit of sanity he had, had left in his sleep deprived brain, he'd told Aderes he'd loved him. Worse, he'd meant it. Worse yet, Aderes had panicked at his confession. It seemed he'd been right to worry that Aderes did not in fact care for him. Harry couldn't figure out why though. There was nothing to be gained by faking a relationship with him; unless it was just a game, he was playing to entertain himself and his fan club.

I'm so stupid. He should have never gave in. He'd known not to do it and yet he had and now he had to deal with the results.

He let out a long sigh.

Now he would have to endure the Yule Ball with Ginny, or someone else if she'd already agreed to a date. He would have to watch Aderes go with someone else, be with someone else.

He let out a choked groan. Why had he been so stupid to risk dating someone? Relationships hardly ever worked out. Even if he didn't say anything to Aderes, he would still feel like hell every time he saw a new girl hanging on him.

Without warning there was a hand on his forehead and another holding his hand.

"Are you okay?"

"Aderes?" He squinted, the Slytherin's face coming into slight focus.

"I didn't catch you when you fell. Your head hit the floor." He removed the hand from his forehead to Harry's cheek, than to the back of his head. "You're still running a fever. Hold on." He was gone despite Harry's best efforts to hold him in place with his hand. He returned moments later with Madam Pomfrey by his side. She had Harry sit up and swallow some potion. Thankfully, it wasn't awful like so many others he'd taken. She felt his forehead afterwards.

"Look down Potter." He did as he was told. The nurse pushed down on the back of his head. He felt no pain and she seemed satisfied.

"What time is it?"

"An hour past lights out," Aderes said. Harry must have made some sort of face, because Aderes patted his hand. "Your detention was rescheduled for tomorrow."

He gave a slight nod. If Aderes was with him how much of his memory was actually correct? Perhaps he hadn't told Aderes he loved him. He could just take that to the grave, but he really, truly, did not want the Slytherin to go anywhere or leave him for someone else. Couldn't Aderes just fake it until Harry died? Surely a few years wasn't that much to ask. Just enough to keep him going until Voldemort and him had their final showdown.

"What's wrong?"

"Everything." He smiled at Aderes. If their relationship was a sham and they did end it, would he be able to go back to being alone? He'd been standing by himself for so long, but just a small taste of a relationship had completely redone his thinking. If only he could get a time turner and warn himself to stay away from Aderes. He turned on his side to face Aderes. "You never said why you were here."

"You fell and I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Yeah, but…" He couldn't say anything else. Instead, he sighed again and lied back down on his back. "You did your civic duty. You made sure the future sacrifice lived. You can go back to your fan club or whatever it is you consider them now."

Aderes made a strong choking noise now. Harry heard him stand up and he closed his eyes. He doubted he'd be getting any sleep again without the help of some potions. He waited for the door to open and close. He wasn't going to give Aderes the satisfaction of knowing he needed potions now to get any kind of sleep.

The other side of Harry's bed sunk in and the Gryffindor's heart jumped. He almost leaped off the bed, but Aderes's arms were around him before he could and pulling him close to his chest.

"You're just making this harder on me," Harry hissed to him. "I can't move on if you're still in my bed at night."

Aderes gave a small chuckle.

"Did you find someone else while you were unconscious?"

Harry made a face and looked up at the Slytherin. He was still blurry, but Harry could make out the amused look.

"You're the one who—"

"I'm sorry," he said. "I just wasn't expecting it." He kissed Harry on the side of his eye. "There's more of you to enjoy without your glasses on you know."

"Aderes," he said warningly.

The Slytherin sighed.

"This is a very new and strange concept to me." He managed to pull Harry closer. "I know I didn't befriend you with good intentions, but I'll go mad now if you leave me…I'll…" At this point he was almost crushing Harry's arms. "If you even try to leave me I'll hurt whoever tries to get near you. I might even have to kill them."

"Wh, what?"

"I'll make it as painful and traumatic as possible. They'll never forgive. Not that they'll live long enough after I finish with them for that to be much of an issue." He snickered and Harry had to stop himself for kicking Aderes. Where had his sudden change in attitude come from? Hadn't he been running from Harry's confession? Literally, shrinking away from his touch? Now he was threatening to kill people if Harry even considered leaving him? Had he lost his mind?

"Aderes, what in the hell is wrong with you?" He managed to squirm out of the hold and sit up. He found his glasses on the bedside table and slipped them on. Aderes was staring at him with as much desire as he'd seen the teen look at a candy bar. "You didn't dose yourself with a love potion, did you?"

"Of course not!" He looked very offended, but Harry didn't know what was going on.

"So what gives? You were just trying to run off, I thought we were through—"

"I…" He looked towards the nurse's office than back at Harry. "I didn't think it was possible for someone like me to fall in love…so…to actually know what it was…Harry you said those words and I was so happy it scared the hell out of me."

Harry blinked a few times. How did being happy lead to being scared?

"You're not making any sense."

"Probably not," he agreed surprising Harry more. He pulled Harry back against his chest. "Both of us could use some real rest…I admit. I didn't sleep well last night either."

"You could have just joined me."

"Your complete disregard for your own life irritates me," Aderes said. He started playing with some of Harry's hair, his body relaxing as he did. "I don't understand it and if I can't understand that I don't understand you."

"But you do understand me," Harry said. "You knew exactly what my intentions were when everyone else thinks I'm just bad at potions, but you have to believe me. I would have never actually used it. I may have dark thoughts, but I don't act on them."

"Fair enough," Aderes said. He removed Harry's glasses and claimed his lips.

(X)

When morning came, Harry had to admit this new Aderes might take some getting used to. Not only did the Slytherin refuse to get out of bed, he made it impossible for Harry to even try to sit up. He held Harry with both arms, and used his right leg to pin down the lower half of the Gryffindor's body. They remained that way a good ten minutes before Harry managed to talk Aderes into getting out of bed.

Madam Pomfrey released Harry, told him to come back if he felt any stress or fever, and that was that. Except now as the couple walked down the halls towards the Great Hall, Aderes kept his arm wrapped firmly around Harry's waist.

"You um realize, I'm not going anywhere, right," Harry asked nervously. He would be lying if he denied he was enjoying this new possessive side, but it also felt strange. Not necessarily bad, but strange. He was also a little worried how many of the fan club members were going to try to curse him the second he walked into the Great Hall.

"I'd rather not take any chances."

Harry stared at his boyfriend. What chances? Did Aderes actually think he was going to run off with someone else? He would never do such a thing. He was far too infatuated with Aderes, probably more than the Slytherin was with him. Nothing said he couldn't enjoy Aderes's sudden change. He dropped his head on Aderes's shoulder, enjoying the glares from all the female students as they entered. He could feel all the hatred directed at him as they walked straight to the Gryffindor table.

"I told you they'd be back together," Ron said moving over. The couple sat down beside him.

"Well you never know," Hermione said her face turning red. "They can't seem to make up their minds!"

"Exactly," Ron said.

"I think we've settled that," Harry said uncomfortably. Aderes was holding him far too tight and he had to pry his grip loose so he could breathe. "Look, I'm glad you're suddenly protective of me, but I have to be able to breathe. It's a human thing." Aderes titled his head, seemed to realize what he'd been doing and looked down at his food, arms no longer around Harry. "Thank you."

"Sure," Aderes muttered. He sniffed at a piece of bacon and then popped it into his mouth. Harry couldn't blame him.

"My detention is tonight now," Harry explained to his friends. "So if we're going to have a look at that egg, it'll have to be this afternoon."

"We could take a look at it right after breakfast," Hermione suggested. "Before we have a chance at getting distracted again."

"The abandoned classroom where we practiced the summoning charm," Aderes suggested.

After that, they focused on eating. Aderes kept moving closer to Harry, though the Gryffindor wasn't sure if he was doing it consciously or not. Snickering he pushed back. Aderes's head jerked up, but when he saw Harry smiling at him, he returned it.

They finished without any curses being thrown at them. No one stopped them when they left. Draco joined them when they left and followed the other three to the Gryffindor tower. The two Slytherin waited outside the portrait while the three Gryffindor went in to retrieve the egg. Harry found it shoved under his bed. He couldn't remember putting it there, perhaps Aderes had when he'd spent the night. He picked it up, surprised at the weight of it. It wasn't nearly as heavy as he'd remembered and took it down, Ron following behind him.

Some of the students in the common room looked at him curiously when they saw the egg. He kept going and left the tower. They waited a few more minutes for Hermione to rejoin them and then started for the abandoned classroom.

Harry examined the egg for the first time. Sure he'd given it a once over after it'd been thrown onto his bed, but that was about it. The egg was gold and had an indent and hinges so it could be opened. That would probably be the first thing he should do.

They entered the abandoned classroom and Aderes's wand was out. One of the many desks piled against the wall came zooming into the middle of the room. Harry set the egg down onto it. He moved to open it, Aderes's hand stopping him.

"It might be cursed," he said and Harry lifted his hands up. "Never open something without checking it first." He tapped his wand against the egg a blue light shimmering over it. When nothing else happened, he nodded. "Alright, open it."

"Right." The Gryffindor placed his hands on either side of the egg and pulled the shell apart. High-pitched ear shattering screams filled the room. All five of them clamped their hands down over their ears. It was nothing like Harry had ever heard before. The egg showed no signs of stopping; he moved forward and slammed the two pieces together. Merciful silence followed. "What was that," Harry demanded.

"I think the clue is you're going to be tortured," Ron said. "Maybe with the Cruciatus curse."

"Ron that would illegal," Hermione said instantly glaring at him. "Mr. Bagman said it was a clue for the next task."

"Maybe you have to endure the screaming," Ron offered. "So we just have to make you deaf for a little while? Or block out the screams anyway…."

"I feel like I've heard this somewhere," Aderes said frowning. He looked to Draco who just shrugged, than to Hermione. "I don't think ear piercing screams is the clue…it's too straight forward."

"How is it straight forward? It could be torture, it could be having to save someone from torture…it—"

"It's not torture," Hermione snapped. "The ministry would never allow such a thing."

Ron mumbled a "maybe", and said nothing more.

Harry was inclined to agree with Hermione. While the screams were unnerving it was highly unlikely, even for the tournament, that the ministry would give the okay for torture of any kind.

"A banshee maybe," Aderes said getting all four of them to look his way. "It didn't sound like a human scream, not really…."

Hermione's eyes lit up at that.

"You think it's another creature they have to get passed. We can go to the library and find out what creatures have that sort of scream."

"We could ask Hagrid," Aderes offered.

"I think Hagrid's in enough trouble with the dragons," Harry said. He wished that wasn't the case, because if anyone knew this sound it was most likely Hagrid.

"Okay, we'll try the library…I'm sure there are portraits of past creature teachers. One of them might know. The faster we find out what it is, the longer we'll have to build up a defense against it. You're not ending in the infirmary again." He picked up the egg examining it himself as they started for the library.

And so, they spent the next few hours compiling a list of magical creatures that could scream bloody murder. Harry was surprised at the length of it and more than a little worried about some of them. While the Banshee sounded scary enough, it turned out that its scream was just a warning that death was to come. It didn't actually come out and kill you. So, if the screaming was actually a Banshee, the clue was warning the champions that they or someone close was going to die soon.

Another candidate was something called a Drekavac, but Harry didn't see how that would tie into anything. The creature in question could only attack through dreams and he doubted they would be sleeping through a task.

"I do hope it's not a Baykok," Aderes said looking over the list.

"Yeah, unless they are nice enough to have its remains nearby," Harry muttered. The only way to get the skeleton like creature to rest in peace was to give its remains a proper burial. Harry didn't think he was capable of doing such a thing, especially not when the creature in question was trying to eat him.

There was something called a Gorgons, which is what the three sisters of Medusa were considered. It seemed the sister Euryale was known for extreme screaming. So in that case, it could be a creature like them.

The list seemed to continue to grow, slow as it was, and none of them seemed likely, or at least Harry hoped they weren't. Most of these creatures were labeled as extremely dangerous and getting around them would be next to impossible. The dragon seemed like quite an easy feat to conquer now compared to this.

"We'll just make sure you have a counter attack and defense for each of these creatures," Aderes said.

"That's a lot of spells to learn," Harry said.

"You'd benefit from learning some new ones anyway," Aderes said giving Harry a smile. While Harry couldn't deny it, he still didn't like the smug look on Aderes's face. He had been the one to ask for help though. And, he was grateful for all the help he was getting, but that look…

"If I hit you," he said trying not to snicker.

"I would love to duel you," Aderes said. "If we could get away from Dumbledore long enough."

Harry thought about that. Aderes indeed knew a lot of spells the headmaster would probably not be happy to know his stepson knew. Some of them probably considered dark magic, but wasn't Mad-eye doing the exact same thing by teaching them about and how to use dark magic so they could counter it? He still didn't think Dumbledore would appreciate his stepson knowing the dark spells.

"Is there a way?"

"There's always a way," Aderes said with complete confidence.

"Fred and George," Harry said. "They always know how to get around detection."

"I do like those two," Aderes said. "But I don't think we'll need their help." He scanned the list again of potential magical creatures. He did not look happy. It would take a bit of time each day to cover every spell and tactic Harry would need in order to get passed all of these creatures. He hoped he would remember which strategy to use against each creature. "We'll have to start tomorrow. A few of these will be simple enough…like a Banshee you're just going to need dueling skills in general. If one is screaming, it believes with certainty you're going to die soon. So being prepared will stop that. I will teach you how to form a trigger so you know when you're asleep and will be able to wake yourself up. The Baykok does worry me…"

"Because the half snake half woman who can turn people into stone isn't that bad," Harry asked with a laugh, Draco joining in.

"No, because even if you learn proper burial rights, you are not trained in purifying spirits, which is a completely different branch of magic and something, I can't even perform yet. Some of those things don't think being thrown into the ground and given a headstone while you say, "rest in peace" is enough."

Harry nodded, hoping it was not a Baykok. If Aderes could not perform the magic capable of easing one of those flesh-eating skeletons into its grave, than he stood no chance.

"If you can't do it…doesn't that mean it's unlikely that the champions will?"

Aderes leaned back in his chair as he thought about that.

"You may be right. It's unlikely the tournament targeted at our school levels would make it challenging for an upper school student."

"Upper school student," Ron asked.

"Like if you want to work at St. Mungo's you have to go to another school after Hogwarts and learn healing from a specialized school."

"That makes sense," Harry said. "So taking on a Baykok would be that high level of magic?"

"Not for all of them," Aderes conceded. "But some. So we're still going to have to teach you the basics of lying someone to rest…and hope that it's not a Baykok."

Harry sighed hoping too that that was not the case.

(TBC)

Alright, so here's another past chapter. Sorry guys. I wanted to still update, but I just couldn't poke at Redemption just yet. I swear I will in small bits as I find time. Maybe I'll even have the energy to rewrite the last chapter, because I am well aware of how bad it turned out. Until then, enjoy this next Past chapter.