Summary: Azkabam escapees, politicians, dementors, divided loyalties, difficult questions and, soul mates? Things are getting complicated. Mentions of slash & 3soms. Violence and some language.
Holysinner5527: I do like the take. Dark lorship kind of seems like something for people withnothing better to do.
realarkangel: Thank you
mist shadow: Soz 'bout the grammer and spelling. I'm a bit dyslexic an my keyboard is stuffed.
Misting Rain: Thank you
ammiegirl1994: Thank you
Firehedgehog: Thank you
FEARMEfrancis: It does promise to be interesting
The Wyrd Sister: Yeah, the d on my keyboard isn't working right
Sandy Anderson: Sirus... maybe. You arn't making me uncomfortable. I write this nonsence, I have no right to to question anyones sanity.
Gnos fo Ytinrete: Jackie is half wild fey, Snape is actully a cat demon thing, the Weasleys have warrior fey blood, which is like Jackie but more suited to ripping peoples heads off, and no-one else's species has been directly adressed yet.
FallenHope-Angel: Thank you
MoonPrincess623: Hazel's last name is Moon and Hazel is the re-encarnation of Hazel Grouse. Harry and Indigo might get together. Hermione and Tracy are not technicaly together yet, and yes the Triwizzard tornement s going to piss a lot of people off. My take on Gojyo is chronic bi-sexual flirt, so he's bit gay yeah.
leighargeneau: Thank you
Howlers and Fanghouls
"Percival Weasley!"
Something small and shinny flew though the air.
Dean tipped his head, his expression one of deep confusion.
"Was that a fork?"
"Yes Dean-"
"-yes it was."
The artist considered this for a few moments.
"That, is very, very cool. Is Tracy alright?"
"She just had a minor fangasm." said Jackie, grinning like a lunatic. "Just give her a minute to compose herself."
Dean looked between the cutlery warfare and the happily squeaking Ravenclaw, and shrugged.
"Alright, but if Percy misses the train I am blaming it on you."
Xxxxxxxxx
Around halfway to Hogwarts all the compartment doors flew open and music such as the Wizzarding World ha not previously known existed filled the train.
"Speak my friend you look surprised/ I thought you knew I'd come in disguise/ On angel wings/ In white…"
"Pain/ Without love/ Pain/ I like it rough…"
Around 7 minutes the Defenders of Anarchy scattered to remove their costumes and practice their alibis.
"Huh." Harry blinked. "Mash up."
"For people who call themselves defenders of anarchy they can be very organised at time." mused Susan.
"Don't they harmonise beautifully?" cooed Hannah, delighted. "And such inventive costumes!"
Millicent looked at the smaller girl, utterly perplexed.
"No-one can possibly be that nice."
"But she is." stated Dean, smiling fondly.
"Genuinely?"
"Yes."
"Is she an alien?"
"Nobody knows, but she certainly isn't normal."
Harry frowned thoughtfully, gazing at the door and considered when he had last seen Indigo. The assumption was more or less inevitable.
Xxxxxxxxxx
Dumbledore was interestingly un-twinkly eyed at the Welcome feast, and there seemed to be more aurors around.
The Hit Squad took this as their cue to sit up and pay attention.
"Students, I fear that I have grave news."
The tense, worried whispers filled the hall as though pre-arranged.
Hermione looked suspiciously at the rafters before reminding herself that muggel speakers didn't work at Hogwarts.
"I am sure you are all aware of the Death Eaters who are still on the loose. What you may not be aware of is that they have been sighted heading north. The Ministry is forced to assume that they are heading towards Hogwarts."
Complete and utter panic broke out across 3/4's of the hall. The Gryffindors jumped to their feet and started shouting. The Ravenclaws clutched their books and muttered. The Huffelpuffs clutched each other and whispered comforts. The Slytherins clutched their wands, and awaited the fall out.
"They shouldn't be here!" screamed a 7th year, gesturing wildly at the Snakes house. "Everyone knows that-"
A goblet of pumpkin juice hit him squarely in the side of the head.
"Bellatrix Lestrange was a Huffelpuff." said Harry, voice loud and clear, arm still half raise from the throw. "Rodolfus Lestrange and Luke Rookwood were Ravenclaws. Dag Svenson was a Gryffindor. The year books are in the library, you can check for yourself if you don't believe me."
He might as well have dumped ice water over the hall.
"Now, if you are quite finished screaming and tossing around stupid accusations," the 7th year quailed under Harry's brilliant green glare. "perhaps the headmaster could finish what he was saying?"
The stunned silence held and stretched.
Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly.
"As I was saying, they are assumed to be heading towards us, but the castle is secure. Hogsmead, however, is less so, and as such all further trips to Hogsmead must be in groups of 5 or more, and accompanyed by an auror. A list will be placed in the Entrance Hall for groups to register, and this must be one at least 2 days in advance of the Hogsmead weekend. That will be all."
Dumbledore sat own, and food filled the tables. For once it was ignored as talk washed over the hall once more.
"-are we really safe here?"
"Quirrel, and Lockhart last year-"
"-no real protection-"
"-one auror is hardly enough!"
"Would you stop wailing already?" boomed Neville, glaring around the now silent hall. "There are 7 of them! They are half starved, half frozen, half mad and using other peoples wands! They are as weak as they could possibly be and yet you piss yourselves!" The irate little Huffelpuff seemed to swell under their stares. "If you wanna panic do it quietly, I'm tryin' to eat my dinner. Anyway, there are scarier things that are closer by to freak out over if you wanna. A bunch a blood puritists are just kinda lame."
Eyes inevitably turned to certain reputedly scary people.
"We have giant spiders in the forest, and you are looking at me." Indigo snorted. "I'm not sure if that is flattering or depressing."
"Whoa, giant spiders?" asked Ron, easily audible across the quiet hall.
"Why, are you scared of spiders, Weasley-boy?" Indigo's smile was pure evil.
Ron opened his mouth, close it again, sighed and slumped slightly.
"You suck."
"You blow."
At the teachers table Snape buried his head in his hands and tried to work out what he was going to tell his wife when this little incident came up.
"You swallow." responded Ron, grinning like the lunatic he was.
The response was laid out like four aces in a card game.
"You wish."
Noise, at last, returned. And this time it had a very different source.
Xxxxxxx
A howler arrived for Percy Weasley the next morning. He listened to its message in increasingly threatening silence.
Then he raised his head.
"I am going to rip out her intestines and knit them into a scarf!"
"Sweet Hecate, that is disgusting." squawked Oliver, face screwed up. "Can you imagine the smell?"
Hermione, as ever, focused on more important things.
"You can knit?"
Percy looked faintly confuse for a moment.
"Good point. Well made. I can't knit."
"Drat, I was hoping you could teach me."
Over at the Ravenclaw table Tracy was looking disturbingly happy.
"I love that girl."
Harry, Hazel and Julian exchange a look.
"We know Tracy, we know."
Xxxxxxxx
Ginny was troubled.
Her mother had always told her that love mattered, really, really mattered. That two people in love could do almost anything, that love was the most important thing in the world, that if you loved someone enough you would find a way to be together, no matter what stood in your way.
Percy loved Oliver and Penelope, and they loved him. Love mattered so very much.
So why was Mum so against them being together and happy together?
She sighed, leaning out of the window slightly and staring out over the grounds. It didn't make sense.
"If you jump, not only will I not grab you, but the fall from this height probably won't kill you."
Ginny span around and cast the first hex that came to mind. Malfoy raised an eyebrow at her as it impacted on the wall behind him.
"Bat bogy hex, Weaslette? You have 6 older brothers girl, I expected something more interesting."
"What do you want Malfoy?"
"Tea, maple and pecan cookies, Japan, weaponry and a lot of other things you could never provide." drawled the blonde, sauntering over to join her at the window. "But at this particular moment I would like to know where your little obsession with Harry stems from."
"I am not obsessed! I love him!"
"You don't know him you daft bint, you love an idea."
"I do kn-"
"What's his favourite colour?"
Ginny gapped for a moment before rallying.
"Red."
"No, that's just Gryffindor colours, stop projecting your fantasy. Blue. Favourite food?"
"Treacle tart."
"You watch him eat? Creepy. Again, no. It's chicken korma. Do you still claim to know him Weaslette?"
"I love him. He saved my life last year."
"Harry only went after you because Ron asked, and Neville killed the basilisk. Do you love Neville?"
Oh, he didn't know. How lovely.
"Harry saved my life Malfoy. I was in no danger from the basilisk, but he destroyed a spirit possessing me though-"
The diary of Tom Riddle was laid slowly on the windowsill between them. Ginny paled, moving half a step back.
"Where the hell did you get that?"
"I think I shall leave that to your imagination. The gossip should be interesting if nothing else. You need only know that Harry did not destroy your possessor, he abandoned your body and left the school." Malfoy tipped his head. "Is there anything else?"
Ginny glared.
"I know why you are doing this Malfoy. You want me out of the way so you can have my Harry for yourself!"
"He is not yours, he is quite firmly his own and if you actually loved him you would accept that. Also, let's be frank here Weaslette, if I ever went after Harry romantically you would be no sort of competition."
"What?"
"I have known him since he was 7 years old, I went to Diagon Ally when his Hogwarts letter arrived, he is apprenticed to my stepfather, and on top of all that I am his own age and prettier then you are."
"You are not!"
"Where's your fan club Weaslette?"
She glared. He smirked.
"If I am no threat then why bother with all this?"
"You are freaking Millicent out, and showing actual signs of humanity which should be encouraged. Also Harry finds you creepy as hell and I don't like owing people things. Murdering you is, unfortunately out due to your brothers, so here we are."
He waved one hand vaguely, the Malfoy signet ring shinning in the sunlight. Showing of the family wealth that he hadn't mentioned earlier.
"My Harry need not fear me." snapped Ginny, tossing her head in the way that she knew set her hair blazing like fire. "I will never hurt him."
"Love potions are classed by law as grievous bodily harm, while attraction charms are classed as actual bodily harm. You would never get the drop on him with a potion, but the punishment for the charms in 10 years under a chastity spell. Worse probably, as Harry is the oh so famous Boy-Who-Lived." Malfoy fixed his eyes on her face. "How do you react to dementors?"
"Love potions are an affront to romance and I distain them." Honestly, the mere suggestion. "I shall win my Harry's love on my own merits-"
"Which are?"
"-and I shall certainly not stand idly by while you bewitch him into joining your harem of darkness." Ginny found his expression of irritated, bemuse disbelief rather amusing. "Not that anyone would want to join it."
"Hmph." He jerked his chin up, sending his hair flowing over one shoulder in a smooth golden river. "Let us make one thing perfectly clear Weaslette. If I want a harem of darkness, I shall have a harm of darkness. And the members shall be glad of it."
Malfoy turned and stalked off, the very image of an insulted cat standing on their dignity.
Getting her to admit it would be like pulling teeth from a tiger, but the Twins had been Ginny's favourite brothers growing up. She could appreciate that sort of thing.
Her slightly maniacal laughter echoed through a large portion of the castle.
Xxxxxxxxxx
Harry had been aware that he would upset a considerable number of people with his statements at the Welcome Feast, but he also know that the Ravenclaw's at least would check the facts and, on finding them accurate, leave him be. He had, however, expected more trouble than he had at first received.
It had been almost a week, and this was the first time he had been cornered by the 4th-6th year Gryffindors, who were one of the only serious threat groups.
"What did you think you were doing, spouting that bull-"
"Ahem."
Penelope's presence was more or less expected. The Slytherin prefect at her side and the 1st year snakeling beside her were not.
"Is something the matter here?" she asked, tone arch. "You seem so terribly distressed."
The Gryffindors scattered under the Head Girls pointed stare.
"10 points to Slytherin for such responsible action on discovering an impending fight." stated Penelope, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Harry, stay with the Hit Squad."
Harry had meant to, truly, but the uncharacteristic actions of the snake's house had been just a little bit to interesting.
A trio of furious Huffelpuff 7th years this time.
Marcus Flint and the Slytherins massive beaters had stepped in, Yuki and an unknown 2nd year behind them.
"Alright, what is going on?" asked Harry, staring at them, perplexed. "I have never received this level of protection before and I would very much like to know why I am receiving it now."
The Quiditch players grunted and slopped off while the 2nd year pulled a rather impressive vanishing act.
Yuki rolled her eyes.
"Men."
"I would like an answer Yuki."
"You do that school mistress look really well." She mused. "It is actually quite impressive. Walk with me."
They walked, and were watched cautiously by pretty much everyone they passed, including those who had previously offered violence.
One member of the Hit Squad could be a target; two would at the very least take you down with them.
"Did you notice the house colours of the groups?"
"Yes." stated Harry, uncertain why it mattered. "3 Huffelpuffs. 2 Ravenclaws, a Huffelpuff and a Gryffindor. 2 Gryffindors and a Huffelpuff. 3 Slytherins. 4 Ravenclaws. A Ravenclaw and a Huffelpuff. 3 Slytherins."
Yuki smiled slightly.
"Think team colours."
Harry considered this statement for a moment.
"No Slytherin ever walks alone, and few walk with members of other houses. The only exceptions to this rule are the Hit Squad and the Munchkin Army, for while the Defenders of Anarchy are a multi-house organisation they do not meet in public."
"You get it now don't you Harry? The first rule of Slytherin hous is stick up for each other because no-one else will. We have each other and we have blood family. That is all. We are grudgingly tolerate, not accepted."
"How long has this been going on for?" asked Harry tightly.
"Centuries." Yuki's tone was light, flippant. "Longer I expect. No-one really knows. We fought hard you know, to stay your friends. If you were not who you are the prefects would have kept us away from you, for our safety."
"Because getting Harry Potter on your side could change the entire way that Slytherins are treated at Hogwarts."
He had not considered that before. In hindsight, it was foolish of him.
"Politics start young in the old families Harry, and I would like to point out that we were your friends before we were Slytherins. But it worked, don't you see? Fights reduced, the teachers glare less now, Slytherins can openly be friends with members of other houses without that friend being orchestrated by their house."
Harry would like to have known about it earlier, but he recognised this as a pursuit of safety rather than actual politics and did not really object.
"That began earlier. Why am I being protected now?"
Yuki gave him an odd little smile.
"Because only Slytherins stick up for Slytherins, but you did. We took a vote, and decided that you are one of us now. You're an honouree Slytherin Harry Potter, and we shall look after you."
"All because of my actions at the feast?"
"You do not know what danger you save us from."
Xxxxxxxx
Another howler arrived the next morning. Molly Weasley made accusations of whor-dom, drunkenness, infidelity and downright stupidity. Percy was very still for a time.
"I shall require 11 spoons, 6 knives, a fork and Neville's most recent potions accident."
Snape blinked once.
"Not even your mother deserves that Weasley."
"I dunno man." said Ron, the only person stupid or insane enough to call Severus Snape 'man'. "That stuff about whors was why not cool. They do a tough but important service to society, and they should be left be. They don't deserve more trouble."
"Service to society." echoed Neville blankly.
"Well yeah, ugly people have needs to."
"Ron…" Hermione waved a hand for a moment, searching for the right words. "While I do not fault the sentiment that prostitutes do not deserve to be insulted, there are children in the room. This conversation is not appropriate."
"Why? They're gonna learn about sex sooner or later anyway."
"Later is generally to be preferred." said Harry blankly. "Particularly here."
"Why?" asked Ron, head on one side.
Harry floundered for a moment.
"Well, where would they get condoms?"
"Yeah, okay. Good point, very good point. Forget I said anything. Use protection kids!"
Ron was stared at. His response was to sit down and pretend it wasn't happening.
Next time: The Edge of Disaster