Two days after Granger and Weasley left the tent and they hadn't come back yet. Potter left them a message on the place where they camped, instructed them to send him a Patronus when they returned to let him know and come after them. Draco and Potter had continued the journey to Carbost without them. Potter was determined to reach the town immediately that they kept walking and almost didn't take a rest. Draco had no problem with that. He still had good stamina, thanks to Quidditch. But after one day walking without a stop, he was worried they would ruin their physics. So, he stopped Potter.
"No, Potter. We take a rest. It's past midnight. We'll continue again in the morning after we have some sleep!" Draco gripped Potter's wrist tightly when the Gryffindor persisted to continue walking. He had to pull Potter into the nearest forest then released his wrist after Potter promised he wouldn't run. They built a tent in the forest and after Draco casted some protective enhancements over their camp site, they went inside. They didn't bother to have supper and immediately dropped their bodies to the beds.
In seconds, Potter fell asleep. Draco stared at the empty air. It was the early day of April the 24th. He had been into run for one and half month now. He didn't care if he died, but he was worried about his mother. He didn't want anything to happen with her. Draco sat up and reached for his jacket, folded neatly for four days on the small table between the two beds. He searched into the pocket and paused.
"Shite!" Draco swore. His dragon statuette was gone.
~o~
"Your dear friend stole my dragon," Draco informed Potter. The both of them sat on their respective beds, facing each other. They woke up very late that morning.
"What?" Potter stood up.
"There's olive oil stain in my pocket," Draco said, following Potter standing up from bed.
"That could be you," Potter frowned.
"I never touch my clothes with oily hand. Weasel's hand was smeared with olive oil three days ago," Draco squinted.
"But… Shite! I'm sorry," Potter bowed his head then covered his face with both his hands.
"I'm sorry Malfoy. I don't know what's got into him," Potter said behind his palms. "Oh Merlin. He must be so upset with me and vented it on you. They must— he was right. I forced them into my own problem. Fuck, I'm so selfish! Maybe they were right. I don't deserve them. I only caused trouble and always hurt them!"
"What?" Draco was genuinely startled. Was Potter really that insecure? Why he always blamed himself for anything happened out of his control? Potter was an idiot!
"Potter, you really are an idio—"
"You should go, too, Malfoy. This is not your problem. I can't put my burden on you, too. I'll continue the trip alone. Thank you for all your help," Potter looked at Draco seriously.
"What? Are you serious?!" Draco asked him in disbelief. "You're going to discard me, just like that?"
"I can't put you into danger. I'll do this by myself. Goodbye, Malfoy," Potter started to walk, likely out of the tent.
Draco caught Potter's wrist and pulled him back before the second step.
"Let go!" Potter pulled his arm, trying to free his wrist from Draco's deadly grip.
"Potter, you are overreacting!" Draco snapped. What a drama queen!
"Let go!" Potter pulled his arm again and pushed Draco at the same time.
"You're a stubborn idiot Gryffindork!" Draco pulled Potter's arm hard, causing the younger to crash on Draco's body. And it apparently triggered Potter for he was finally broke and started to hit Draco with his free hand wildly.
In no time they were rolling on floor fighting like mad teenagers. And maybe Draco needed more workout because minutes later his body was slammed hard to the tent's floor. Potter was straddling him with anguish painted on his face. Both his hands were clutching Draco's cashmere sweater strongly while Draco's were gripping Potter's wrists. For a moment they were staring in hostile at each other while working on harsh breaths.
"You are the bravest and most selfless idiot I've ever known, Potter," Draco said out of breath.
"Shut up!" Potter said lividly. "Just shut up…"
Maybe it was because Draco loosened his grips on Potter's wrists or because of his words or because they both were exhausted and hungry, mainly hungry, slowly tears formed on Potter's eyes.
Potter's lips were trembling and one tear escaped his eyes and fell on Draco's nose. Potter choked back tears as he lowered his head and buried his face on Draco's throat.
"…"
Eek what the fvck?! Goosebumps crawling on Draco's skin. How come a guy could break and cried freely in front of someone? Wasn't it forbidden for a man to show his weakness?
Yeah, like you didn't cry a river when you couldn't fix the vanishing cabinet. Draco's mind reminded himself. "…"
Draco needed Potter to be strong so he could defeat the Dark Lord. So his mother would be free, safe and sound. He should provide Potter every support he could give. Draco was willing to be Potter's strength; for his mother. Setting aside his annoyance, he let go of Potter's wrists. Timidly, he moved his arms and put them around Potter, patting Potter's back comfortingly and let Potter cry as much he needed in his embrace.
Draco wanted to cry, too. But one of them must be strong at the moment. So, Draco held Potter and waited in silence.
If there were anyone walked by saw them and knew their stories, they would at least choke on their breaths lamenting the misfortune children.
~o~
"Why did you put oil on your hair?" Potter mumbled in Draco's throat half hour later.
"Huh?" Draco blinked his eyes, trying to bring himself fully awake from his drowsiness.
"Olive oil," Potter raised his head a bit, "on your hair."
"Oil… oh…" Draco yawned, "It softens and strengthens my hair."
"Huh? Really? I thought your hair was already soft naturally," Potter raised his head and moved until he was face to face with Draco.
"Well, yes, of course! My hair is soft and shiny since the day I was born." Draco furrowed. Wasn't that obvious? "I only applied olive oil to make it more irresistible."
"Yeah, yeah, you and your Malfoy superior DNA," Potter chuckled, rolling his eyes.
"That's true!" Draco said, offended. Did Potter think he was lying? "Touch it yourself! Tell me it's not soft and I'll collect our meals alone until this trip is over!" Draco challenged.
"Well, if you insist," Potter said, still chuckling.
If it were anybody else touching Draco's hair, he would hex them and jinx their head to bold for a year. But Potter got his permission to touch his hair. So, Draco just waited in anticipation while Potter timidly put his palm on Draco's hair. And when the hair was touched, fingers slowly buried into his blond hair. A soft of awe gasp escaped from Potter's mouth.
While Potter seemed enthralled by Draco's silky soft hair, the Slytherin was gazing at the emerald irises in astonishment. The cornea caught the sunlight reflected from a silver cup that fell from the small table to the ground when they were fighting. It created bright green spots on the green irises. And the green rings were getting thinner as Potter ran his fingers through Draco's hair.
"Merlin, your hair is so soft," praised Potter.
And you have the most beautiful emerald eyes I've ever seen, Draco spoke mentally. They were as beautiful as the emerald pendant on his mother's favorite necklace.
"…"
Wait.
"Wait," Draco spoke out. Necklace… cup… locket… "Oh, Merlin!"
"W—what," Potter pulled back his hand and looked at Draco in fear, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"
"Bloody Merlin, Potter! The cup!" Draco sat up abruptly and caused Potter to fell backward. But before his body hit the ground, Draco caught him with both his arms.
"The-the cup?" asked Potter in confusion.
"The Hufflepuff's Cup! It's on Granger the whole time, wasn't it?" Draco asked.
"Y-yes," Potter answered.
"And you said Horcruxes had curses in them? You felt negative energy from them?" Draco asked again to confirm something. He started figuring out what was happening with their journey group.
"Yes…" Potter answered in confusion. But then it seemed realisation hit him, too. "Oh Merlin! You think— Do you mean Ron and Hermione's strange behaviours were because they had been influenced by the Horcrux?"
"It could be. Did something like that ever happen before with the other Horcruxes?" Draco asked.
"Yeah. Yes! The locket made the three of us fought against each other!" Potter stood up, followed by Draco. "Oh Merlin. We must take it from them. Shite! How do we find them?"
"They could be anywhere. We don't know for sure. How about Patronus? You can do Patronus, right?" Draco suggested.
"Yes! You're right! You're brilliant Malfoy!" Potter beamed but then faltered. "I- I don't have wand."
"Can't you just use mine? Or do you have to create Patronus using your own wand?" Draco asked. He didn't know how to make a Patronus. It wasn't taught regularly at Hogwarts. And he didn't bother to look for it in the library, either. Oh Salazar, having adventure with Potter had him realised there were so many useful things he didn't learn and he regretted it now.
"I don't know. But we can try," Potter shook his head.
Draco handed him his Hawthorn wand, then. And Potter started making a movement with the wand, spelling the Patronus charm. Out of the end of Draco's wand burst a silver mist. Draco screwed up his eyes and blinked several times to adjust his eyes to see the blinding bright mist.
"Is that your Patronus?" Draco asked.
"My Patronus supposed to be a stag shape..." Potter answered. Then he tried again but the result was the same. He sighed. "Maybe I'm too exhausted. My magic always acts out of control when I'm too tired."
Too tired mentally you mean, Draco corrected in his head.
"Okay. Don't push it, Potter. Make yourself calm first. Let's have a breakfast," Draco took some pears from the cabinet in the modest kitchenette. "Or brunch, to be exact."
They enjoyed the sweet and sour fruits in silence, chewing leisurely. It was then Draco realised too late that his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. Potter stopped chewing and his eyes were focusing on Draco's left forearm. His Dark Mark on his left forearm revealed openly for the world to see. Half eaten pear fell from Draco's hand and Potter looked at him in the eye.
"Dammit!" Draco stood up and walked rapidly out of the tent.
Shite! At time like this! And now Potter was really going to cast him out and he would be abandoned in the middle of nowhere! Potter would hate him forever! Just in time when he finally at peace in this journey. Just shitty great!
Draco swore with anger in his head and heels. He stomped through trees in random direction. He heard Potter shouted his name but he kept walking deeper into the forest. He didn't want to deal with this at the moment.
~o~
It was high noon when finally Draco calmed down. The sun was nowhere to be seen, but the cloudy sky looked the brightest since morning.
Draco was sitting on the damp ground, laying against a big Scots pine tree. He plucked a red fruit of Hawthorn tree beside him and crushed it with his index and middle fingers. He had been eating plenty of them while he was fuming there. He didn't like the over-ripe apple-like taste in them, but he just wanted to chew something while fuming. The fruit helped him to calm.
He licked his fingers to clean them from the fruit's juice.
"Calmed now?" a voice startled Draco. He looked behind him and saw Potter few meters away.
Draco stood up, but didn't answer. He heard footsteps approaching.
"You know, I wonder why Voldemort didn't call you through the mark. Or at least you felt pain in them…" Potter stood beside Draco now.
"What?" Draco snapped his head on Potter's side.
"Oh, don't get me wrong. I was just curious. He can summon you through that mark, right? But you seemed fine since the day you joined us," Potter raised both hands in surrender gesture.
Salazar! Potter was right. He never felt pain from the Dark Mark, nor did the Dark Lord summoned him through it. Why was that?
"...I don't know. Maybe he didn't care about me? He had greater things to do?" Draco wondered. "Or something prevented him from doing so? That's why I'm on the Ministry most wanted list, right? Because he couldn't summon me through the mark…"
"Huh, yeah, right. As far as I know, he's so passionate on revenge," Potter mocked. Then, "It's fine, you know. I don't care you have the mark. I know you're not one of them even though you have that mark…"
That meant a lot.
It really did mean a lot for Draco. And Potter's unexpected gesture next had made Draco dropped one tear. The Gryffindor rolled down Draco's sleeve, covering the Dark Mark on his left forearm. And when finally Draco choked on tears, then Potter pulled him gently into his embrace. Awkward at first, but Potter was immediately relaxed when Draco put his forehead on Potter's shoulder.
"You're not a dark wizard, Malfoy. I know that for sure," Potter soothed him.
"I fvcking hate him!" Draco cried in Potter's shoulder. Potter didn't reply. He just let Draco wet his jacket. Draco mentally slapped himself. Merlin, he was supposed to be the tough guy here!
After a few minutes, Draco moved his dangled arms and pushed Potter gently on the chest. He blinked his remained tears off and looked Potter in the eye.
"Let's get this over with. We should be halfway to the Carbost by now. Let's continue the walk. Maybe we can arrive there in four or five days if we move fast. Come on," Draco released Potter and walked toward their tent.
"Where are you going?" Potter asked as he followed Draco behind.
"Get our tent, of course," Draco rolled his eyes even though Potter couldn't see him. "Idiot."
He heard Potter chuckled.
"Done," Potter said, patting his pocket. Draco stopped walking and looked at Potter who was grinning at him. Draco rolled his eyes.
"Why I didn't sense or feel you? How long have you been standing there?" Draco asked when Potter reached him and they walked together side by side.
"Quite long. Maybe you just so deep into dwelling on your anger that you unconsciously ignored my signature? I don't know. I could sense yours. That's how I found you there," Potter shrugged.
"This bond is so confusing! Why everything about you is always complicated?" Draco complained.
"Pot calling kettle black," Potter murmured.
"What was that?" Draco glared at Potter but the Gryffindor grinned at him in answer. Draco rolled his eyes and they continued the trip together toward Carbost.
~o~
"I can't find the answer of why was Godric Gryffindor sword in that lake," Draco broke the silence. They had been walking for two hours now.
"Huh?" Potter tipped his head. "Hm, I don't know either. It just appeared there. Well, actually, I saw a doe Patronus and it led me to the lake."
"Patronus? Whose Patronus?" Draco asked. Merlin. Apparently, there were so many wizards who were able to cast Patronus. He must learn it, too!
"Absolutely no idea," Potter answered.
At that right moment, a Jack Russell Terrier form Patronus appeared before Potter.
"It's Ron!" Potter said in happy voice. "They're back! I'll go fetch them. You wait here, okay!"
"Oh no you don't!" Draco grabbed Potter's arm. "We stick together. Remember? I'm not staying here alone waiting for you! And how would you Disapparate there without a wand?"
"Err...right. Sorry. Okay," Potter blushed. Wow, Potter looked adorable when he blushed.
And it was Draco's face that turned red now. Oh Merlin, how could he think of that! Draco slapped himself mentally, twice. Must be the negative effect of Hawthorn fruits he ate.
With Potter to Side-Along, Draco Disapparated to Granger and Weasley's coordination. When they arrived, Granger attacked Potter with a bear hug.
"Harry!" Granger sobbed on Potter's shoulder. Meanwhile Weasley scratched his head. Draco rolled his eyes. "Oh, Harry! We're so sorry for leaving you! It's the cup,"
"Yeah. We know," Potter patted Granger's shoulder.
"You-you knew?" Granger asked in disbelief. Once again Draco rolled his eyes. It started to get his eyes hurt. Merlin, surrounded by idiots not only made his head hurt, but it also hurt his eyes.
"Obviously," Draco told her beside Potter. "You two started acting weird since you kept the cup."
Granger stared at him not in friendly manner.
"Anyway, I get us broomsticks! It's from Remus!" Granger pullet something small from her magical pocket and then casted Finite on them. The objects resized to their original size. She was holding four broomsticks now.
"You met Remus?!" Potter beamed.
"Yeah. After we visited some libraries," here Weasley put a dreaded expression behind Granger, causing Potter to laugh. "We went to Bill's house. Thank Merlin he called Remus. And you know werewolf can sense and smell something dark, right? So he took the cup from me—"
"What?! You gave it to him?" Potter cut Granger's words.
"No," Granger replied, "Of course not! I still have it. Here, save in my pouch. With, um...with Malfoy's dragon statuette...I'm sorry Malfoy. He didn't mean to take it from you."
Draco just giving her and Weasley deadly stare.
"I'm sorry, okay! I was under that Horcrux influence!" Weasley said in defense.
"I want my dragon back," Draco held out his hand.
"Oh. And about your dragon, Malfoy…" Granger seemed hesitant as she handed Draco his dragon statuette. "You see, Remus —Remus Lupin, you remember him, right? He felt something strange in it."
"How do you mean?" Draco stroked the statuette like one would to their pet. But he immediately stopped his unconscious act when the three Gryffindors raised their eyebrows watching him doing that.
"Remus did some tests to it. He and Tonks casted some spells on it. Your dragon statuette absorbed magic. That's why Ron getting tired and weak each day as he pocketed it," Granger told them. "And interestingly, it seemed to neutralised, or absorbed dark magic. I put the Cup and the statuette together ,and I felt least uneasy compared to when I kept the Cup alone, I noticed."
"Could it be…" Potter made eye contact to Draco. "He couldn't call you because of it?"
So, was that why Draco got easily exhausted back then when he was still attending Hogwarts? The statuette never left his pocket.
"I don't think it's that simple. But, who knows," Draco shrugged his shoulders. Ah, Salazar. He started to act like Potter.
"Who called him?" Granger asked to Potter.
"Uh…" Potter scratched his nape. "Hey, since you're all here now, let's go ahead to Carbost with those broomsticks. We might arrive fast. How far have we walked?"
"Oh! I bring a map!" Granger bounced happily. She unfolded the Muggle map and pointed her wand tip on it. "Point me."
A string of magic produced on Granger's wand tip and connected to a point on the map.
"Oh! We're in Strathglass area. Less than halfway to Carbost," Granger said. "With broomsticks, we can speed there in less than three hours."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Potter took two broomsticks from Granger and he handed one to Draco.
"Wait," Granger put her hand into her pouch and then pulled out the Hufflepuff's Cup. "Since you have the dragon statuette, I think it's safer if you keep the Horcrux."
"Hermione!" Weasley held Granger's arm, preventing her from handing the cup to Draco. "You're going to trust the Horcrux to him?!"
"Ron," Granger sighed as if she was facing a misbehaved child. "If Harry trusts him, then we can learn to trust Malfoy, too."
Draco glanced at Potter, seeing the bespectacled Gryffindor's face blushed at Granger's words.
Why Potter trusted him that much, Draco thought. Maybe because he owned Draco through their bond? Oh Salazar, he had that ludicrous thought again! "Potter owned Draco". In his mind, Draco banged his own head to imaginary wall several times.
After Draco pocketed the cup and everyone was ready and had casted Disillusionment charm on their bodies and broomsticks, the four of them flew toward Rowena Ravenclaw's hometown.
Their fly was hampered by the cold wind, but they managed to arrive in Carbost in three hours.
~o~
In that evening, the small village was deserted. And it looked more like Muggles village.
"How do we find her house?" Weasley spoke as they walked into the village.
"This village doesn't feel like a wizards and witches village…" Potter said.
"I've been told that this is Muggle and wizards' village. We go deeper for the wizards and witches population," Granger informed them.
"Wait," Potter looked at Draco, "Malfoy, put your beanie on."
"What?!" Draco shrieked. "The Ministry wouldn't alert small village like this of their fugitives. I won't wear that vile thing!"
"Malfoy," Potter gave Draco a pleading look. Draco cursed and finally wore the beanie to cover his platinum blond hair.
And so they walked deeper into the village area. Until the sense of magic was flowing in the air, they began to check on every corner of the site looking for Ravenclaw's house. But no matter how careful and detail they were searching, the house was nowhere to be seen.
"Could it be under Fidelius charm?" Draco asked after they searched the area blindly for one hour.
"But the Dufftown witches had visited the house," Potter said.
"Well, maybe because the house was cursed, so as not to take victim again, they hid the house, preventing anyone from finding it?" Granger guessed. "Maybe we should ask someone here."
They found a pub not far. There were only four wizards and two witches in the pub. They all looked at them when they walked toward the counter.
"Um, excuse me," Granger said to the wizard behind the counter, "We're doing a research for History of Magic essay and we are, um, writing about Lady Rowena Ravenclaw. We wanted to visit her residence but couldn't find it anywhere here. So, could you please tell us where we can find her house?"
"From which school are you?" the old wizard asked.
"Ilvermorny," Granger answered without hesitation. Draco hoped the old wizard believed her. There were many Ireland children studying in Ilvermorny after all.
"Really?" the old wizard asked in doubt. "Then why are you taking Ravenclaw as your research subject? And what made you all think that she lived here? Also are you allowed to take intercontinental trip, kids?"
"Books, Sir, obviously," Granger rolled her eyes. "And as of why, we wanted a subject that no students in America would think of, so we will have extra points."
"We desperately need the extra points. Please, Sir," Potter pleaded in American accent. Maybe that's what convinced the old wizard as he didn't ask them any further.
"No. You can't visit her house. We're not allowing you children come near it," another wizard from a table told them. The rest of the pub visitors were throwing sharp gazes at that wizard for his slip of tongue. He had just confirmed that Rowena's house was located in that village. The wizard cursed and gave the pub apologetic gesture.
"But—"
"No. And that's the final answer. Go back to America, kids," the wizard behind the counter cut Granger's word and hushed the four of them out of the pub.
"Great. Now what?" Weasley kicked a small stone.
"At least he confirmed that her house is indeed located somewhere here. Granger, you said my dragon statuette attracted to dark magic?" Draco asked her.
"Yes," Granger nodded.
"I wonder if we can use it as a radar to find the house," Draco said. He took the statuette out from his pocket and caressed it with his thumb. He frowned when he felt a line on it. And when he looked at the apatite statuette, there was a crack on it. Did that Weasel drop it?
"How?" Granger asked.
"I noticed it felt slightly warm in a place protected with strong wards. It was warm when I was in Hogwarts and the manor," Draco told them.
"Are you sure it wasn't from your body heat?" Potter asked seriously.
"Positive. It had normal temperature at normal places. And during our travel, and at the moment," Draco clutched the statute to make sure. Yep. Cold.
"Are you saying that you always brought that statuette everywhere with you?" Granger asked. She looked back and forth between Potter and Draco in strange way. "Malfoy, Remus and Tonks consider it a dark artefact. Are you going to keep it?"
"Yes," Draco answered without hesitation. "Weasley, did you drop my statuette?"
"What? No," Weasley told him. Potter cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.
"Well, alright. Let's hope the statuette really reacts to strong magic. Let's try it," Potter decided, and his two close friends nodded.
Draco clutched loosely the statuette during the quest to feel the change of its temperature. Though it felt more warm than usual. Maybe the Cup affected it. He handed the horcrux Cup back to Granger as to not tamper it. They tracked down every inch of the site thoroughly. And after almost one hour desperate searching, Draco felt the gradual change of temperature on his dragon statuette.
"Stop," Draco told the others. They were about half kilometer away from the village now. He looked around. There were only Juniper trees. His eyes then spotted a set of trees grew in neat order. He approached it and saw an empty area behind the trees. He walked back toward the waiting Gryffindors. "The statuette is warm. There's something behind those trees."
"Come on, let's check it out," Weasley said.
"Wait," Potter stopped them. "I think it's better if only me and Malfoy go check it. If the house is indeed there, hidden, I don't want the curse to make the three of us fight against each other."
"And what if it attacks us?" Draco frowned. What did Potter mean by his words?
"Well at least the heartbreak curse will make us fight and hate each other, as usual. Nothing will change for the both of us. Or maybe it won't affect the both of us at all because we have no close relationship like me with Ron and Hermione. And it won't split you with the three of us because you're an outsider," Potter said.
An outsider? No relationship? Why those words spoken by Potter made Draco's chest hurt?
"Fine," Draco replied in monotone. He wouldn't let them know that Potter's words had affected him so much. What did Draco expect anyway? He was an outsider to them. No one ever wanted to have close association with him. Not even bloody Saint Potter.
So Draco and Potter left the other two on the deserted road and entered the empty area. They felt the uneasy and heavy atmosphere there.
"How do we reveal it?" Potter whispered.
"By sacrificing unwanted love before the house," Draco answered sarcastically. Two could play this game. Potter didn't want anything to do with Draco, so Draco would not act friendly to him either.
"And how we do that?" Potter asked innocently.
"Merlin, Potter," Draco shook his head in disbelief. But then it gave him an idea of fouling the Gryffindor. So, he told Potter, "Enemies kiss."
"Are we enemies?" Potter asked again.
"Absolutely most definitely," Draco gave a sinister answer. "We should kiss!"
"Oh. Okay," Potter nodded and kissed Draco's lips.
~o~
Draco meant that as a joke.
Draco meant that as a bloody JOKE for Salazar's sake!
Potter's kiss lasted for three heartbeats. He detached from Draco's lips and looked hopefully to the empty area.
"It didn't show up," Potter frowned.
Draco was still gaining his brain to work again. Oh Merlin! Dear Merlin, Salazar, and other mighty wizards ever existed! Harry Potter kissed him! Harry Potter had stolen Draco's first kiss!
"Malfoy, it didn't work," Potter frowned at Draco.
"What the hell Potter! I meant that as a joke!" Draco screamed in panic a moment later. Merlin, was that how a kiss felt? It felt strange and made his heart beating so fast. Potter's lips felt warm and fluffy on his, though. You stole my first kiss! Argh!
"Huh? What?" Potter asked in confusion. "You're joking… it's… It— it—"
"My sacred first kiss!" Draco cried, throwing his punches to the dark sky.
"Oh Merlin," Potter's eyes widened and face reddened, "Oh Merlin I'm sorry! I didn't know— I thought you were serious— Well, it's my first kiss, too, Malfoy you jerk! Stop overreacting like that! It's your fault!" Potter pushed Draco until the blond fell to the ground.
"You thick head idiot!" Draco rose up and pushed hard Potter back.
"Well, that's your fault! Why were you joking in serious situation like this!" Potter returned the push.
"You— Ugh! This is stupid! Maybe the house made me did it! Stupid people hiding someone else's house! Stupid people, they must have hidden it with just a simple spell. Revelio!" Draco casted the revealing charm to the empty ground, erasing the awkwardness and his own stupidity, venting his anger.
It surprised the both wizards that they jumped when an invisible veil unfolded and revealing an old but pretty house before them.
"Holy magic! Did they really hide the house with that simple charm?!" Potter said in disbelief.
"Careful. Maybe it's a trap," Draco stretched out his left arm before Potter to prevent the Gryffindor to go inside the house. Fighting and awkwardness forgotten. "Or something more powerful is inside the house. My statuette is warmer for a reason."
"A trap or not, whether something awaits there, we'll just have to check it anyway," Potter pushed Draco's arm away and walked toward the house. Draco had no choice but to follow.
Draco opened the door with Alohomora spell and they stepped inside the dark house.
"All right. How do we find it? Do you feel the horcrux?" Draco asked as they explored the house cautiously.
"I don't know. I have to see and touch it first," Potter replied.
"Then start searching. Touch everything," Draco told him.
"Well, if it's something precious, wouldn't it be kept somewhere hidden or safe? Her room?" Potter suggested. "But something doesn't feel right in this room."
"I can sense the negativity, too. If it's not from the horcrux, then could it be from the traps that he had set to deceive the visitors?" Draco pointed his wand with the Lumos charm on it to the dark room at the heart of the house they just stepped in.
"It feels strong in this room," Potter looked around the room. Draco could feel the heavy atmosphere there, too.
Then, the light of Lumos caught something on the wall before them.
"It's Rowena Ravenclaw's portrait!" Potter gasped.
A pair of dark eyes opened.
"Welcome to my residence, gentlemen," the portrait greeted.
"Lady Ravenclaw! I didn't know there was a portrait of you!" Potter told the magical portrait.
"Ah… Well, now you see me, young man. Would you mind telling this elder your name? And please come closer. I cannot see clearly in the dark," the portrait said to Potter.
"Wait!" Draco held Potter's arm as the younger teen stepped forward to approach the portrait. "It's not Rowena Ravenclaw's portrait."
"What?" Potter turned his head to Draco. "But that's her!"
"No. No one ever knows about the existence of the portraits of Hogwarts founders," Draco studied the big portrait before him.
"But Helga Hufflepuff's portrait—"
"That's not her real self portrait," Draco pushed Potter to his back. "Watch out, Potter. This might be one of the traps."
"Oh young man, you have such creative imagination," the portrait chuckled. "Of course I am the real Rowena's portrait. Otherwise I would not be attached to this wall, in my own house, would I?"
"All right, Potter. If you feel the horcrux isn't here, let's find the master bedroom. We don't have to deal with this trap for nothing," Draco stepped backward, dragging Potter with him. His wand kept pointed at the portrait, ready to act in case something went wrong.
"Oh, dear, why so hurry?" the portrait spoke and the door of the room suddenly closed with a loud bang.
"Shite!" Potter tried to open it to no avail. Draco tried Alohomora, Finite, and other unlocking spells he knew but the door remained shut.
"Relashio!" Draco threw the revulsion jinx to the portrait, which remained on the wall.
"What are you doing?!" Potter hissed in panic.
"I thought the door would open if I dropped the portrait," Draco looked around to find another way to escape the room.
"Stop joking around!" Potter admonished him.
"Oh, now, now. Don't fight, dears. You two seem like a lovely couple. Tell me, dear young men, how long have you been together?" the portrait hushed.
"A couple?" Potter paused.
"We're not a couple," Draco raised his eyebrow to the portrait.
"Ah, darling. Please don't be shy to tell an old lady like me. Tell me, don't you two want your relationship to last forever? I know this beautiful charm that can tie a couple with a soulmate bond. Wouldn't you two want it?" the portrait made a come-hither gesture to both teens.
"Ah. So this is where they got hit by the heartbroken curse," Draco sneered at the portrait.
"What do you mean, darling blond?" the portrait asked. Potter giggled and mimicked the last two words.
"Shut up!" Draco tried to open the door again. Still wouldn't open with any spells. He then threw Reducto on it. The door slightly bruised.
"What are you doing?" the portrait frowned, now the smile was gone on its face.
"Uh, Malfoy, I think you've made the portrait upset," Potter poked Draco's shoulder. "…Uh, Malfoy, did you hear that?"
"What?" Draco listened to his surrounding and then heard uncommon footsteps approaching.
"Oh, that's my pet. It's been awhile since the last time I played with him. Gentlemen, please say hello to my pet," the portrait turned its head to the left of the room. Draco and Potter followed and looked to their left side and saw a closed big wooden double-door. The sound came from the other side of it.
"Malfoy, I don't feel good about this," Potter said.
"You don't say," Draco mocked. He pointed his wand to the closed double-door. The footsteps sound was getting clearer and louder. And heavier. And after a pause, three loud and fast heartbeats of both teens later, the double-door opened.
"Oh shite!" Potter cursed beside Draco. "Damn shite!"
A creature with human-like head, a lion's body, and a scorpion's tail with a stinger greeted them with a loud voice that sounded like a trumpet.
"Damn shite indeed, Potter, I didn't know you can swear. It's a manticore!" Draco paled. He held his wand tighter. "Careful! It can shots its poisonous spines!"
Before Potter had a chance to say something, the creature ran toward them and jumped.
"Protego duo!" Draco shouted the shield charm to him and Potter. "Potter we better avoid fighting with it and run through that door! Wait for my signal!"
"Use Petrificus Totalus on it!" Potter yelled.
"Can't!" Draco replied while looking for something on the room to distract the creature. "Manticore skin repelled charms! It would be useless to attack it with magic."
Draco's eyes spotted a big wooden bookshelf on one corner. He casted Oppugno jinx on it and threw it to the creature.
"Run!" Draco shouted and the both teens ran fast toward the double-door. They heard a high pitch voice behind them and heavy fast steps. The creature was chasing them.
They ran in random direction as they didn't know the inside of the dark house while the manticore shots its poisonous spines to them. They dropped every object they found on their way running around the house.
"Shite! Where's the front door?" Potter yelled.
"This house must be under Confundus charm or something!" Draco shouted his reply. They've been running around the same route for the third times. They paused a second to think, but that was a wrong decision as that second passed, the manticore leaped forward and landed right in front of them. It roared in strange voice and its long tail hit Potter.
"Shite! Malfoy!" Potter grabbed Draco's left sleeve.
"Lumos Maxima!" Draco threw the charm to the manticore's eyes, successfully blinding the creature for a while. "The stairs!"
Draco manoeuvred them both toward the grand staircase few metres behind the manticore. They ran upstairs and then Draco destroyed the stair with Reducto spell. It was pointless, though, as the manticore, again, leaped and landed on the first floor, instantly trapping both teens to a dead end hallway. Draco threw any objects he found on the floor to the creature.
At one point the manticore parried the human statue Draco threw and it flew straight to Potter.
"Shite! Potter, are you alright?" Draco yelled while he re-casted Protego to both of them."
When Potter didn't answer, Draco quickly casted a medical charm on Potter to see his condition. Potter's left arm was burnt mildly. Must be from when the manticore's tail hit his skin. One of Potter's rib had a fracture, but thank Merlin it's not fatal. He could treat the wounds.
"I'm okay…" Potter tried to stand up from the floor after he fell.
"Damn Potter, why you didn't bring a wand with you!" Draco hissed while throwing a large vase to the manticore. "Don't move! Your rib has a fracture!"
"Sorry!" Potter hissed in pain. They were now cornered on the hallway. "Damn! I'm sure it wasn't a dead end when I saw this hallway on the stairs!"
The manticore raised and pointed its poisonous tail to them. Draco wasn't sure if his Protego charm would be able to protect them if the creature jumped to their bodies. The creature lowered his body to the ground, prepared to jump.
"Oh no oh God Merlin, it's going to attack us!" Potter held out his right arm in front of Draco's body.
"Shite, Potter! I told you don't move!" Draco spoke aloud and slapped Potter's arm and shoved it back to its owner. Draco was still capable of protecting himself and Potter, thank you very much! "Oh Merlin! I didn't plan to die swallowed by a manticore before you defeated Voldemort!"
"You just said his name," Potter said without looking at Draco.
"Really, Potter? At time like this? I don't give a flying fox!" Draco seethed.
"You might activate the Taboo curse," Potter told him in flat tone.
Time went on, and wasn't on Draco and Potter's side. Enough wasting time watching the two teens bickering nonsense, the manticore bared its triple row sharp teeth and jumped forward, planting its sharp claws on Draco as he pulled Potter in his arms and turned his body, creating a shield between the younger wizard and one of the wizarding world's most dangerous creatures.