Title: Human
Author: Metis' mischief
Summary: Harry Potter's life changed drastically, turning around 160 degrees completely. In an accident, he turned into a creature of the dark, feared by all. When the temptation for the call of the blood and flesh becomes too much for Harry. He becomes desperate and seeks help but many of his friends and colleagues, turned away from terror and disgust. True bonds are revealed. Friendships are tested. Draco Malfoy, an old enemy, unexpectedly, becomes the light of Harry's dark world.
Disclaimer: This scripture was based from the characters and scenes from the astonishing novels: Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling, and as an aspiring writer, I have no rights and claims to these fantastic novels but I dare say, what I only own are the ideas in this tale: HUMAN
Author's notes: This tale focus in the darker aspect of life, such as blood, flesh, temptation, betrayal, hatred and revenge along with it is hope and love. You have been warned!
From the previous chapter:
"I agree to that." Hermoine nodded. "You need help on this one, Harry. This is serious."
"Then, we will go tomorrow" I sighed with relief. "Thanks guys"
"Of course, Mate. We're best mates." Ron smiled at me. "After all, we're called Golden Trio"
Laughter invaded the whole common room as relief and gratitude spread in my chest. I'm really blessed to have them.
07. The Living and the Dead
"Come on, Harry." Hermoine said as she tugged on my sleeves as she rushed me and Ron. We headed towards Headmaster Dumbledore's office. It was a good thing, it was weekend therefore almost all the students as well as the professors - where off somewhere to relax rather then they stay on the hallways which helped me that much since I really want to maintain this topic as a secret.
But of course, Fate is really a naughty mistress. As we were all jogging toward the gargoyle - the entrance to he Headmaster office, in one of the hallways, Hermoine almost crushed to a tall figure in black attire which unfortunately turned out to be Professor Snape.
"Ms. Granger." He said in a bitter tone as he look down intimidatingly at Hermoine. "Do I need to remind you to not to run along the hallway? Apparently, even being the brightest witch in your year, you were not able to learn the simple rules in Hogwarts."
Hermoine's whole face turned to crimson shade as she looked down and murmured. "I'm sorry, Professor." Apparently, being caught of breaking the rules really do get Hermoine. It was really our fault but he didn't have to take a jab at Hermoine.
"And what are you all doing in these parts of the castle?" He gritted out as he blocked our way.
"We are to meet the Headmaster." I said, putting a brave front.
"And do you have an appointment with him?" He said with one of his eyebrow raised.
"We didn't. But it is a very important matter that is why we need to discuss it with the Headmaster." Hermoine bubbled as she again raised her head to face Professor Snape.
"Hmmp." He smirked evilly at us. "Being a Golden boy really have its benefits. When you need something you think that it will be granted immediately without giving any request first because you think your too important and eventually it will be granted anyway because it's your privilege. Really too arrogant, just like your father."
"Stop insulting my father." I snapped at him as I glared.
"I was merely stating the facts." He said in a bored tone as he towered over us.
"Lies!" I shouted, angrily.
"Harry!" Hermoine whispered as she again tugged my sleeves to hinder me, which I totally ignored.
My whole body tensed up from my anger towards him. I have not been in my top shape these recent days and I am no condition to pretend to be Mr. Goody goody, especially if this bastard is going keep on slandering my father.
"Immature brat." He coughed out as he step a little closer to me. My hand went straight to my wand hidden under my pants' pocket, ready to pull it out to cast a spell against him.
"Severus." A familiar voice called out.
Cold but beautiful that was the first thing that have entered in my mind as I have seen the speaker. Draco Malfoy. Again, he was not wearing his usual snarling face instead a calm and neutral one. His free-flowing hair that had seem to have turned more silver in color, eyes that house the shade of ocean grey-blue, his smooth and soft cornered face along with his near statue-like posture. A beauty to behold. Not that I will tell him that!
"Malfoy!" Ron grumbled, quietly. "Another one."
"What was that Mr. Weasley?" Snape asked acidly at us.
"Ahmmm..." Ron turned to hot red then pale-grey as he was directed by the glare of Snape.
"Really, Severus. Stop bothering them." Malfoy spoke in a matured manner. "I thought we are to discuss an important matter with the Headmaster."
"Yes. We are." Snape 's whole body turned to Malfoy in a stiff manner.
"Then why are you terrorizing them in this very minute?" Malfoy said coldly. A perfect imitation of his father. "Aren't you the adult one, Severus?"
This is a Deja vu. Like the situation, when we met at the Diagon alley. I couldn't help but became more amazed by Malfoy's changed of attitude. He had indeed matured and the funny part is: he is scolding THE Professor SNAPE, in front of us - just like what he did to his father, the last time.
I could see that both Hermoine and Ron's face both have an expression of amused and disbelief on, even Snape has one on his face but his was more of horror.
"Potter." Malfoy called out as he turned towards me.
"M-Malfoy." I returned back, still slightly unnerved by his attitude.
"Come. Join us." He said as he walk off towards the gargoyle.
"What?" I asked bewildered at him.
Sighing deeply, he slowly turned to face me. "Aren't you going to talk to the headmaster as well? Then instead, fighting over who will see the Headmaster first, why won't we all go together." He said slowly, like was explaining something to a two years old child.
"Why?" I asked him after a minute of processing his suggestion. Him being generous so suddenly is hard to take in for me.
Malfoy stared at me, long enough to make the skin of my whole body and my face - warm and weird that I cough out loud to break the awkward silence between us.
Then finally he spoke. "Why not?"
I still find Professor Dumbledore's office the most unique one that I have ever seen. As I glanced around, I can see it was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noise. Weird silver instruments stood on spindle-legged table, as they emit all kinds of sounds, whirring and forming little puffs of white and black smoke. The wall were almost covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, that were either watching us curiously or snoring quietly in some wonderland. There was also an enormous, claw - footed desk, and sitting on the shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat - the Sorting Hat.
"This is a pleasant surprised. Having both Slytherins and Gryffindors visiting me at the same time." Appearing out of the blue, Headmaster Dumbledore slowly materialized in front of us.
"Wicked!" Ron gasped loudly as his mouth open wide with awe and eyes bulging from amazement. I grinned back at his comment. Indeed it is.
"I disagree with that Albus." Snape grumbled.
"Don't be a spoiled sport, Severus." The Headmaster said calmly as he smiled at Snape.
"But I do agree with him on this one, Albus." A woman's voice said with apparent anger in it. Professor McGonagall came in with strong strides.
"Minerva, we still have to hear out, young Malfoy's side." The headmaster spoke in a serious tone.
"Yes, we do need to." Professor McGonagall pinched both of her lips in tense patience. Then she saw us in the corner of the room.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger. What are you all doing here?" She asked in a surprised tone as if she didn't saw the three of us as she entered the room earlier.
"We were to discuss an important matter with the Headmaster. But I guess it could wait." I said, unsure as I glance back and fort from her to Malfoy.
"Please do, Mr. Potter. This is an immediate matter to be solve, after all. I would like to ask the three of you to wait outside for the meantime." She asked softly.
We started to walk towards the door to wait outside when Malfoy said. "Why not let them to stay to listen. Whatever decision that this meeting will came up anyway will surely spread around the school after a few hours. Why not let them hear it out so the word will spread faster but this time maybe, it would be more accurate then the widely spread rumors that will be mixed with lies. Right?" Malfoy said in a bored tone.
"Mr. Malfoy!" Professor McGonagall warned grimly.
"Professor McGonagall." He said in a smug manner.
Professor McGonagall raised her hand to pinched between her eyebrows as if there was an incoming headache, then she sighed deeply and raised her head. "Very well, Mr. Malfoy as you wish."
Professor McGonagall turned to us and pointed at the couch in the corner of the room to let us sit as they discussed. Silently, We sat down to wait for our turn. It could be over soon. Knowing Malfoy, he might complained that he is being treated unfair or he did something to a Gryffindor that had caught our head's attention.
"I will start with what had been reported to me. Mr. Malfoy, you are accused for inflicting injury to a fellow student, who is in Gryffindor, am I correct?" Professor McGonagall asked.
As soon I heard that, it took all my attention and I began to listen at the discussion more intently. Ron and Hermoine were also listening with more interest.
"Yes, I did." Malfoy answered coolly, not denying anything.
"And do you know that you could be expelled with what have you done?" She spoke more sternly.
"Yes, I do." Malfoy said again, calmly.
"Do you regret it? Will you apologize?" Professor McGonagall asked further.
"No, I do not regret nor will I apologize. She deserve it." Malfoy said with a hint of hard tone.
"Deserve it?! Mr. Malfoy, It was out line what you did to her!" The Gryffindor head stood up abruptly from her sit with much force. "You literally cut off her tongue. If her friends were not able to call for Pomfrey, immediately, to attached her tongue then it would had been worst - she might not have her tongue back."
I froze in my sit as I tried to process the story. Beside me, Ron muttered. "Bloody hell" Malfoy cut off someone's tongue? Wasn't that a bit too much? I mean I know Malfoy is a bastard and a meany but he wasn't a sadistic maniac to be able to cut up a girl. This is not Malfoy, that I know of.
"Do tell me Professor McGonagall. Why I am the only to be lectured with this incident? I thought that you will hear my side of the story and not assume that I was the only one that had done something wrong. Isn't it too unfair?" Malfoy said coldly.
"Mr. Malfoy, she just hurled insults to you. I will give the due punishment to her bad behavior, rest assure. But in your case, injuring a student is a means of expulsion." She said sternly.
"Just insulted me?" Malfoy repeated in a whisper.
"Yes, she said so herself." Professor McGonagall said.
Then the next thing that had happen, scarred the wits out of me as Malfoy laugh in a spine-chilling manner and when I saw his eyes, sweats started to broke out from my body. His eyes had madness in them, that I am sure everyone could see as Professor McGonagall took a step back, Snape changed his stance into a guarded one, and the three of us stood from our couch ready to do anything if it is necessary. The only one who was not affected is the Headmaster, himself.
"And you believe everything she said." Malfoy snapped with a wild smile on his face. "HHAHAHAHAH..."
"Mr. Malfoy" Professor McGonagall tried to call out. Her face showed concern and fear in it.
"I guess I will be expelled today." Malfoy said with a weird expression. "If I am to be expelled then I could do anything to Ms. Romilda Vane now, right?"
Romilda Vane is a Gryffindor. That giggling girl, who has large, dark eyes, long curly black hair and prominent chin. She is pretty but very conceited and often do speak in a dramatic voice. I remember that time when she tried to give me gilled-water spiked with love potion. Shudder!
"Calm down, Draco." Snape walk towards Malfoy, with caution in each of his every step.
"Why would I?" Malfoy answered back. "I have all the right to evoked a law suit against her in the ancient ways of the old wizardry law."
""Evoked a law suit against her, Mr. Malfoy?" For the first time, The headmaster spoke.
"Yes, I will file a case against her in the old ways." Malfoy said as he started to calm down. "I will take it up to the Britain's ancient council of wizards and witches."
"I would suggest you not to do so, Mr. Malfoy. The elders in the old Britain council punishes harshly and they will not bend the rules for a child." Headmaster Dumbledore spoke gravely.
"I can and I will. After all, I am to be expelled. I am simply taking it to my own hands so I can achieve my rights against your unjust decision on my part in this incident." He said as stood up ready to leave the premises of the office. "Then I will be leaving to pack. After all, this meeting had already concluded my faith in this school."
"Wait, Mr. Malfoy. Please do tell us what did Ms. Vane told you for her to earn this." Headmaster asked as he urged Malfoy to return to his sit. "As I said, you are here to be heard, not to be blamed."
"Really?" Malfoy slowly roll the word in his tongue as he glanced with peculiar glint in his eyes from the Headmaster to Professor McGonagall then to us. It was suffocating to be under his gaze, the pressure was too much - that I started to believe that Malfoy could do something bizarre.
Then Professor Snape raised one of his hand and laid them on Malfoy's shoulder, a gesture that I thought the potion master could never make.
"Sit down, Draco." He said in the most gentle tone that I have ever heard him speak.
After a long 5 minutes of silence, Malfoy sat down with grace and poise. The aura in the whole office lighten up immediately as everyone had calm down. We also took our sit as we waited for the next discussion.
"So as I was saying, what did Ms. Vane had done to earn her a law suit against her." Headmaster Dumbledore repeated for the sake of re-opening the topic.
"Ms. Vane, indeed, had insulted me but such thing I can let go. After all, I also did my fair share of insulting people, especially towards Gryffindors and muggles." He said in the most adult-like manner that I couldn't help but be awe. I mean he had the maturity to even acknowledge his mistakes in front of us.
"But an insult towards My family, especially to my dead brother, Lucian is not something I will never let go." He continue with much hostility in his way of speech. "Ms. Vane repeatedly flaunt to everyone, to me on how my brother's death had happen. On how Lucian was stab to death by a group of muggles and left to die in the woods. On how before his death, he was-"
Draco was already panting in pain and in anger as he stop in his mid-sentence. It was too much for him to relay to us - the pain was there I could see it too well and I could understand it very much.
Draco took several gulp of air before continuing. "And Ms. Vane did even stop from that. This morning, she went too far. She steal something from me, that had once belong to my brother."
"And what it was, Mr. Malfoy?" Professor Dumbledore asked with sympathy.
Malfoy didn't speak but reached for his pocket and showed a locket, that was silver and had the most beautiful design of vines and roses, embedded with diamonds. No wonder Romilda will steal it. She was after all, into beautiful, expensive and luxury things.
But the look on the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall gave away a clue that the locket was not a simple one but indicated it was important. "Once I found out that she took the locket of inheritance from me. I went to find her and demanded that it to be returned, immediately. Not understanding the importance of this locket to my family nor to me, she spoke back at me that it should belong to a beautiful LIVING person and not to a DEAD one. So, I cut off her disgusting tongue."
"And under the ancient wizardry law, it is the right punishment that the owner of the locket of inheritance should do. If Draco did not do so, then Ms. Vane should have been called to a court to be imprison in the Azkaban for, let say 5-10 years." Snape spoke in drone manner.
Five to ten years that's already a heavy crime. I should say, it was a good thing Malfoy did cut off Romilda's tongue. To stay in Azbakan even for a week could make someone mad. Imagine all the Dementors going in and out to suck all your happy memories. I tremble at that thought.
Professor McGonagall slowly stood up and went in front of Malfoy. She slowly did a half-bow as she spoke in the most humbled manner. "My apologies, Mr. Malfoy. I have judge too early before actually hearing your side and as a Professor, it was too conceited of me."
Malfoy also rose up from his sit and did something that shock the three of us, he did a half-bow towards Professor McGonagall. "My apologies as well for not reporting first before doing my actions. It is after all, my responsibility as a student to let the professors do their duty as our guide and protector."
"For this matter, I will be the one to send the result and explanation regarding the situation to the Malfoy's family." Professor Snape spoke after awhile.
"Then it my responsibility to also explain to the Vanes. To let them understand the situation." Professor McGonagall spoke in regal manner. "And Mr. Malfoy, please tell us first before doing any action so that their will be no trouble in your part. There are families and people who does not understand the old ways now. Please be more understanding."
"I will try" Malfoy muttered.
"So, this case closed." Headmaster Dumbledore said as he stood up.
"Yes, indeed. Albus." Snape sneered at the headmaster. He turned towards the door while he slowly pulled Malfoy to leave.
Professor McGonagall turn to us. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Ms Granger will you be needing me in this discussion?"
"Its fine, Professor McGonagall." I said as I stood up to approach her.
"Well then, I will leaving first." She said as she turn towards the door and closing it afterwards.
"Bloody hell! What just had happen?" Ron gasped out.
"I don't know, Ron" Hermoine said seriously. "I need to research about that locket even the Britain's old council of wizards and witches."
"Yes, please do, Hermoine." I said as I am intrigued.
Headmaster Dumbledore coughed behind us, stealing our attention. Blushing, the three of us, turned to him.
"Well then. On what business do the three of you have with me" The headmaster asked.
I turned to the headmaster Dumbledore and spoke about our summer's adventure with the Gulon and the dreams - the nightmares.
Author's message: Stay tune for the next update. That's all. Comments or advices will be must appreciated.
For now, adios!