Seventeen: Ring the bell, light the fire
Previously; Harry and Daryl cuddle without realising it. Shane wakes up to some confronting truths, and he needs to make life-changing decisions. The witches and wizards get drunk in the pub as Luna plans a wedding, and Rick feels the repercussions of being a stubborn man. Severus and Neville have a conversation, and so do Harry and Death. Or Death with Harry; that's never sure. At least not to Harry.
I'm sorry that this took so long. I had handwritten so much stuff, I needed to organise it, and put it in the right place. The pleasant surprise is that I now have loads of stuff for the next upcoming chapters. On the other hand, this chapter is a little bigger than the ones before, so I hope you enjoy it. I did writing it :).
As always, Salllzy helped me out big time, and I tried to implement most of her advice, but I am skipping a bit in time here and there; so beware. Just a heads up. Some of it fits the story, or is for the build-up for the next chapter.
I've noticed that people make playlists for their work, and while I have my own that I use while writing, I don't have one to share with you (since, personal accounts and all that). I do would like to give you some hints to music that I listened to while writing, and that seemed to fit the picture perfectly.
So if you're in the mood; search for these songs, and start playing them while you read. The marks will be placed after the subtitles :). Let me know if you like this, or if I just shouldn't bother!
A: Nights in white satin by the Moody Blues
B: Dogs of war by Blues Saraceno
C: Renegades by X Ambassadors
D: My silver lining by First Aid Kit
Past time London, during the "eight" year (mood music: A)
Dear Harry,
As much as it pains me to say it; I really wish you were here to help the last remaining members of the DA to keep safe. It's a madhouse. Everyday someone wants to know something about the battle, and not even Hermione's studying frenzy can keep them out. Any ideas? Seriously, anything?
Headmistress McGonagall has forbidden us from putting wards up in the common room because of safety, but its suffocating to say the least. We still don't have a new head of house, but we manage. Neville and me tried to use the Room of Requirement, but it seems that loads of people know about it now, and it's no use. I hope that this hype dies out in a few years' time.
Sometimes I start to think that maybe you could teach me some Parseltongue, so I could open the Chamber of Secrets, but then I realise that it would not be good for me to dwell on those memories. Neither for you, I guess.
Thank you for your advice for playing against Julia, she's a good seeker but you were right about her right flank. She really ignores it. Gryffindor needs all the encouragement as it is, now that we're flying with a new team. I did tell you that they wouldn't let the eight years fly at first? Well, since there aren't enough people available on the teams, they have allowed it. Which is good, otherwise we wouldn't have enough people to form teams. The losses are bigger than anyone wants to admit. I must admit that Gryffindor had enough people try out, mostly as seeker because that was your place. Too bad for them I'm still seeker. Ha.
I do believe you should write mom, or visit her. She has been asking a lot about you. Are you taking care of Ron? I know he means well, but his letters are even shorter than before.
Listen, I know we talked briefly about the fact that we wouldn't work out and all that, but I still wanted to let you know that I have started dating. Ernest MacMillan to be exact. He's..
It looked like she hadn't known what to write, and a few ink splashes were visible.
a good guy. He's earnest, and he still hasn't advanced wrongly on me. Maybe being Ron Weasley's little sister has some merit. Ernest told me that some guys were scared that you would defend my honour, and that I wasn't available, but at least Ernest was decent enough to ask me myself instead of going along with the rumour mill.
How's your love life going? Anything happening? You really don't write about your day-to-day. Tell me, Harry, tell me! I need to know everything. My mind needs to stay occupied.
Although I love Hermione, she's not really the person to talk boys with, and I really need an outside perspective. Soo … I'm sorry about the ramble, I've rewritten this twice already, but it feels nice to put my feelings down, and a diary is not really my forte anymore. I guess you understand.
How are you really doing, by the way? You barely answer that question. Write back, before I feel the need to hex you over Christmas.
Love,
Ginny
My dearest sister Ginny,
First of all; my congratulations on finding a man that has the power to stand up to you. I will promise to answer your question, because I do fear those hexes more than you're allowed to tell anybody. Tell him that there is one brother he really needs to be scared off, you know the one. Faced a Dark Lord and all that drivel. That guy. Although Ron is even more scary nowadays, I've duelled him a few times and he's good. Scary good. We can always blame the Black Library if you might use something from the parchments I sent you. Or maybe we keep that quiet before your mother finds out.
Or we blame Bill or George. Seems fitting, right? I'm really happy for you. That's the gist of these ramblings.
Who's game is up next? I've not kept track of the schedule. Be sure to charm your goggles before you get out on the pitch, but make sure that you've left the locker room. That's the easiest.
How are the rest of your classes? I doubt that DADA will be giving you grief, I've heard from Ron that they alternating on sending Aurors? Are they any decent? Are you joining Flitwick's duelling club? I would have loved a serious one at school when I was younger. Would have saved me a whole lot of trouble. But we both know why there wasn't one.
I've added some charmed papers, same as usual, with some good hexes and spells. Destroy after you've memorised them, or write them down somewhere safe! No diaries; I agree wholeheartedly. Although I have been brainstorming with George about diaries that are charmed to only to be read by the owner. Only problem is the fact that they have to be sealed with blood. I'll stop here, you know what I think.
Don't worry about my short answers, I do like receiving your letters. I hope this letter satisfies you a bit more. It did take me a bit longer than normal to write, so excuses my tardiness. Loads of business crap that Lord Malfoy had me read and rehearse. So, to answer your other question; not really any time for finding love.
Hermione sparsely writes to me or Ron, and outside of that; people just seem to rattle about me being a hero, or demanding stuff from me. So you and Draco are the only ones who are sending me much. It's good to read something that isn't drivel. I'm quite busy with being a Lord. Sirius would laugh in my face right now. I laugh at myself as well.
As for the chamber, I've been down there a few times after our second year. I could help you with a few words, but I don't know if I would advise it. Luna seems to think that talking about it helps, but I've yet to find that conclusion. Take care of her, if you will. Even though she's a hero, I doubt people have changed their opinions overnight.
I'm glad my advice helped. We'll do a face off over Christmas, and see how you've been fairing. I could use a good ride on my broom. Stuffy papers and individual N.E.W.T.-schooling isn't all that it's cut out to be. Trust me. I just couldn't do it Ginny, I couldn't go back. The memories … they weigh heavy on my shoulders. I think you are a hero for going back.
I promise I'm fine. Ron and Kreacher take care of me, I promise. Tell the ferret that he should write some more. Send a good hex his way, if you please.
With hugs,
Harry
Harry,
You are an absolute wanker, you know that.
Here's your stupid letter. Try to get some sleep, and tell Ron that he's an absolute wanker as well.
With all the love in the whole world,
Heir Malfoy
I love you too, Heir Malfoy.
With friendly greetings,
Lord Potter-Black
Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble houses of Peverell and Black, and Ancient and Noble house of Potter. He-who-conquered-the-Dark-Lord (Voldy, you know, that small ordeal), Order of Merlin First class and then somehow also got the Lordship to Slytherin (take that, mister snake)
If you want to throw titles my way, I win.
Kisses
Hello my lovely fake snake,
I miss you too, you bloody ass.
I'm sorry for not writing. I've actually been too busy monitoring the firsties and other younger years. Some of them have lost loads of family, and others have stayed away, and now need to catch up with their schooling. It's a mess. Some of them should have been in their third year. It's a lot.
You should be more honest with me, so stop setting the Weaselette on me. I don't dislike her, but she's not my type. Ginny's dating MacMillan by the way. He's actually decent. For a Hufflepuff. If you would answer honestly, I would reply seriously. Stop annoying mother for answers.
Tell Ron that he should write me as well. I've sent him a few charms, spells and hexes that should be useful. Uncle Severus told me he's been tutoring you in potions. Poor him. Do try not to explode a cauldron, if you will. I need Severus for my education.
Don't use too much potions before you go to sleep. Try to meditate or write in a diary or a letter to me, for example. It should help.
Hugs,
Draco
Yes mum.
Harry, don't be a fool. Get some sleep, before I'm obliged to talk to mother.
My dearest Harry,
I do believe that Draco has reached his boiling point. Poor guy almost called me Ginevra today. I hexed him for that, with special love from you. Right now, I'm studying actually, with Hermione, but I wanted to send out this quick note. Luna is fine; she's even more Luna than before, but between myself, our resident eight-year head boy (yes, the ferret actually does his chores), and Hermione: we keep her safe.
Ernest is a good guy, so thanks about that. I did tell him about you threatening him. He blanched, haha. Always good to have that extra scary brother at hand. He will be coming over on Christmas. You can try your worst then. If he survives all of that, it could be decent relationship material.
Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw and then us against Slytherin. If you want to come, McGonagall says you are very welcome. If you can't, don't worry!
Hope to see you soon. I'll keep that eye trained on our favourite snake. Don't worry. He still hasn't realised it.
Loads of hugs,
Your only sister,
Ginny
Present time Luna Park, the communal building (mood music: B)
Shane was back to logging again, as they had scoured the grounds for a few days and had found nothing but hunting game, so Ezra and him felt safe enough for now. Mitchell was helping him today, as Ezra had taken Merle and Juliana to catch some horses that Darryl and Hadrian had seen. So it was up to Shane and Gabriel to finish building the stables that had been started by Merle and Juliana.
Juliana was just like Mila, Shane pondered, as he threw a heavy log onto the ground as he waited for Mitchell to join him. They were typical Southern ladies, who weren't afraid to speak their minds. Juliana was a beautician, but had grown up on a ranch with her father, and had learned more than one trick with horses. She had been adamant that they would get some more, as the two that Luna had found were older horses, who were only good for running the mill every other day.
It had been one of the first things that Mack had his brother build for Luna Park, as the brothers had noticed that they needed to survive for more than just a few days. It was a small mill, that could be run by a cart horse or two or three humans, or with magic if the need would arise, and the wheat that came off the fields was easily converted for other uses.
"Need a break?" Gabriel asked him in his soft voice, with a cigarette stub at the side of his mouth, relighting it as he dropped some firewood next to Shane's heavier logs.
"Could use some water, yes."
"Thanks for helping out, dude. I couldn't have done this without your help." Gabriel smiled. Carol had left a carafe of water outside for them in a cooler, with two garish, melamine mugs with the text; 'I love Texas' on them. Where they had found those stupid things, he didn't know.
"Yes, of course. Can't be sitting around on my arse all day."
"You could," Gabriel laughed, "But I doubt that Mila or Juliana would let you."
"Those are some woman, ya' know." Shane answered, and Gabriel just shrugged.
"Yeah, Ezra's a lucky man. Always told him that. You had anyone before ya'll know, before this mess?" Gabriel made a wave with his hand to indicate what he meant.
"Nah, I was a single police officer who loved saving women." Shane winked, and Gabriel smirked at the implications. "You?"
"Nope, PTSD got in the way of long-term relationships unfortunately. Don't think anything will happen now. Plus, most ladies don't fancy the whole Latino accent too much."
"They ain't in for some spicy loving?" Shane joked, as Gabriel harumphed, and shook his head.
"I think it's mostly the PTSD. Only Ezra stayed in contact, no matter what I did. I owe them. That's why I did not hesitate to drive over when he called. This place is a goldmine."
"That it is," Shane said, "I didn't expect them to pick me up and use resources on me. I'm still waiting for the axe to drop."
Gabriel nodded in agreement.
Gabriel was a man of not many words, but a hard worker. Shane decided that he liked him. He did had that typical Latino-accent, but Shane wouldn't discriminate anymore. New him, new times … and all that.
"Boys?" Mila called them from the communal building that was right behind them. "I have lunch ready, are you coming?"
"Yes mam'!"
Both men cleared the last wood that they had collected, and Shane secured the last few nails that needed to be done, before they took off for lunch with the Southern belle.
"You know, you really don't talk that much about your life before this, is there a reason?" Ezra asked Shane, as he walked next to Shane in the communal cafeteria that Shane had been building that day. He had been standing in awe of the construction, before he had clapped Shane on the shoulder and had thanked him.
"Not much too say, dude."
"How so? No great adventures? No cop-things?"
"Naw man, nothing like that." Shane shrugged, and carried the groceries that Ron had just dropped off into the communal kitchen with Ezra. "We were mostly in the town or around the highway to patrol."
"I really don't believe you, you know. You talk like eating donuts was your biggest concern." Ezra shook his head.
"Maybe it was. I think your stories should be more interesting."
"Nah Shane, go fuck yourself." Ezra was still laughing, but Shane respected the man for not pushing the subject. Shane used to boast himself, but not his work.
"Well, that has been my only option for quite some time now." Shane winked towards Ezra and wiggled his eyebrows.
The men started laughing, as they shoved each other like comrades.
Present time The grounds
Merle gets to ask his next question to Harry and Daryl longs for some alone time with his favourite wizard.
"Hello sunshine!" Merle clocked Hadrian within a few seconds, and as he did not see his own brother latched onto the man, he decided that it was a good time for a talk. Or a question. He still had a few questions left.
"Hullo Merle, how are you?" Hadrian looked up from the wooden block in his hands, and put the chisel he was working with next to him.
"I'm good, just feelin' my age a bit. Sophia has some darn energy, and talks Merle's head off, ya know." Merle smiled.
He was still flabbergasted that the sweet thing that was Carol had decided that Merle was a good guy to be with, but he wouldn't be looking a gifted horse in the mouth. Probably had the same crooked teeth as himself. Drugs, booze, and a bad childhood would do that to you. They tried to fix it in the Army, but he hadn't been saveable by that point.
"Ha, yeah, I guess we all do every now and then. This whole situation would turn the best of men crazy. I am feeling my age more than I should." The last part was said with a sigh that Merle couldn't place.
"It would, wouldn't it?" Merle asked almost as a confirmation.
Harry just nodded.
"So, wacha doin'?" He looked curiously at the materials spread around Hadrian, who sat comfortably in some sort of chic pants with a long-sleeved shirt, with his sleeves rolled up.
Sometimes it was a marvel, watching the wizards dress themselves, and Hadrian was no exception. Merle liked looking at things, and seeing things had always saved him.
"Trying to craft a new wand for Draco. He's been having difficulties again, and Gerard and I are trying to find a combination that will keep on working for him."
"Huh, how so?" Merle had plopped down next to the wizard, and lounged on the grass as he looked at the younger man who fiddled with his tools and exotic looking materials.
"They say that the wand chooses the wizard. I now know that your magic searches for a match, and some materials are better for one person than the other. The wandmaker in England only used a few cores, which meant that some people always had problems with their wands. Some old families had old wands from their ancestors, but most don't. I have learned my trade from Gerard, who lets the person choose the materials, and then and only then we create the wand itself." He took a deep breath.
"It's a whole thing, I'll tell you. You need to have a big magical core yourself, I've found. Yet it is something that does good, and that's what I wanted. Now back to Draco. In the war I had to take his wand, because mine had been broken. He offered it to me, in which the allegiance of the wand changed, and it was unusable for himself. He bought one after the war from the wandmaker we had, but it never worked. I crafted one for his healing magic, and that works perfectly, but his wand for daily use and fighting is giving him more backlash than it should. It usually happens if something traumatising happens to a person, but Draco's life hasn't changed all that much. So I still wonder. Hence the experimentation."
"Sounds difficult. So trial and error are out of the question?"
"Yes, but at this point: probably not. I just don't want to waste the best ingredients if it doesn't work out, you know."
"Yea' I understand." Merle nodded.
They stayed silent for a bit. Letting the late fall air clear their minds, and wave goodbye to their thoughts before Merle looked up at the wizard again who had conjured some clean water in a cup for him in the meantime.
"I still have a few questions."
"Number five, if I'm correct." Hadrian grinned in a way that could rival Merle himself.
"Yeah, five it is." Merle grinned just as crazy as the wizard, and then asked: "So, I never saw you look at ladies or gents before with the group, nor after. What interests you?" He kept silent about the looks Hadrian had been giving his brother and vice versa. He was really good at fishing, always had been his job to test the waters before a deal. See what was going on.
Hadrian seemed to contemplate on his answer, chewing on his lower lip a bit, before he answered with an uncertain voice.
"To be honest, that is a very difficult question to answer, because it is all of the above, and neither." He paused, to judge the reaction that Merle would give him.
If there was one thing Merle had learned from raising Daryl, it was that giving a heavy reaction would cause a shutdown, so he did the opposite, and just nodded. He knew people talked if you would let them. Hadrian looked like Daryl in that aspect. He guessed there had been some abuse in the wizard's past.
Seeing that Merle wasn't giving an outward reaction, he continued. "I never really had the time to think about it in school, and afterwards I was too busy with business to even get my mind straight. I had kissed two girls, but those weren't my best moves. Ron, Draco and me went on a camping trip along Europe, and there I did kiss a few guys and girls. Finally lost my virginity to a woman and a man, in the same week, and then decided that I really hadn't missed out on all of it."
The raven-haired man shrugged nervously.
"I do feel attraction towards people, but most can't handle my magic. It can be very suffocating. It's difficult to explain. I only learnt about magical compatibility when I was way older, otherwise I would have known what to look for. My honorary aunt, Draco's mother, was the one who explained it to me, and then I felt a whole lot different. The people I did sleep with were Muggles, and I tested their magic before joining. It's different with Squibs; way much more different."
Harry took a breath, but Merle just kept quiet. This was interesting, and he had a feeling that he needed to learn about this for the future. Even if it was only for Sophia.
"I've been more guarded since I've learned about it. There are a lot of people who just want me for my name. If they knew how much magic I would or could leak into a partner, I would have to throw them off me. I have trained with Severus to keep my magic very close. Most people think I haven't gained any more strength after reaching puberty, and that's fine by me." The wizard shrugged, and Merle guessed that he somewhat understood the meaning.
"So, if you have sex with someone magical, that person would be able to lend your magic?"
"That's one way to put it, but yes. I haven't truly answered your question, now have I?"
Merle smiled again hoping it would look reassuring, and let Hadrian talk.
"Draco classed me as a pansexual with some a-sexual tendencies. I just describe myself as 'just Harry'." He now smiled.
"Yea', sounds reasonable. You don' have to be something you don't want. I can understand your choice there."
"Thanks Merle, for listening."
"Always Sunshine, that's what Ol' Merle is here for." He took a sip from the water that he still held in his hands.
"No, I do believe I recruited you for your prowess, skills, and shining personality."
"How about that, then." They both started laughing, and Merle felt that coming along with the wizards had been the best damn decision he had made in a really long time. He had a feeling that it had changed his life completely. Who would have known that he ended up with two new friends along the way: Ron and Hadrian.
Present time Somewhere around Macon (mood music: C)
"Have you ever experienced the feeling that you just want to be left alone?" Harry asked Daryl as they walked through the empty streets of a little town that Daryl knew about and used to have a jewellery store according to the Dixons. "But now that I am, I've never felt more lonely."
Daryl had looked up when he started talking but was silent now. This didn't worry Harry in the slightest. Daryl was often silent, and he barely spoke, or had the need to. The man usually formulated his answers very precise. It had a certain charm, being able to vent without the drawback of getting everybody's opinions. Daryl was a good listener, if Harry really wanted or needed to talk.
Harry was tired of giving his opinion all the time. He barely knew enough about stuff that people questioned him about, to be able to give a decent answer. Yet people needed it. Wizarding folk were stupid sometimes.
"Not really in that capacity, no."
"Did you like being around people before?" Harry asked him softly, as they approached a new building.
"No, usually not." Daryl smiled and touched Harry's shoulder briefly to indicate that they had to make a turn on the road where they walked, where Daryl checked the corners and held the long lane in his sight as Harry went to work.
Although it was a good outlet for his pent-up magic, it sometimes felt like cheating. What if he never had gone to Hogwarts? What if he had been a squib, and had ended up in this situation? Immediately he felt Luna's presence grace him, and he remembered her gentle words, that got him through everything.
Luna had been his saving grace after the war, and she would be for many years. Her soft-spoken words, her encouragement to find himself, her distracting people with her own words, so that Harry could escape. If there was one woman he considered his sister, it was the blonde herself.
Harry let his magic free and loose and checked the buildings and everything in close vicinity. Constant vigilance was still his number one rule. He had seen it in the most powerful wizards; the moment you let your guard down, you lose.
Since Daryl wasn't as nosey as his brother, he could get away with a lot more magic. Specifically, Death magic, as Ron had dubbed it.
"Hah." Daryl said triumphantly as he had checked his surroundings. "It's still here. I pawned some stuff off there."
"It does look very promising. The older the stuff, usually the better for Luna."
They ventured into the little store, where Harry severed three Inferi and Daryl automatically took the lookout, as Harry started gathering most of the stuff he could see. Per usual, the magical bags came out, and with a few spells the products started to magically sort themselves.
"Gotta love magic." Harry heard Daryl mumble, as the wizard found the safe behind the counter. Jackpot.
"There should be one in the back as well." Daryl supplied, with a small grin on his face. He seemed to like this a lot more than he let on.
"Let me try this one first, then we can scout the back afterwards."
"Did you make our footsteps silenced?" The hunter asked casually, as he went with his hand through his short hair, as if he asked for the last cookie, not for someone who had to adjust to magic not only a few weeks ago.
Harry smiled, and nodded, as he waved his wand in a few complicated patterns to try to unlock the safe he was working on.
"Then I'll go upstairs to check it out." Daryl announced as the took charge.
"Just a few," Harry paused his work and decided to use the term the Dixons preferred. "walkers upstairs."
"Don't worry. I can handle tha'."
"I know." And Harry did. He truly wasn't worried that Daryl could not take care of himself. Between the spelled necklace, the arrows, and the leather cut-off Daryl preferred when it was warmer, or his charmed boots; the hunter had the instincts of a true killer. It was just something that was so ingrained in him to take care of others or to throw himself into the danger before others, that sometimes it was hard to stop doing it.
Clearing a room wasn't hard, and both men were done before they knew it.
"What's the time?" Daryl asked him as he looked at the clock tower that had stopped working.
It felt lonely, standing in an empty, little town, that now had been rid of Walkers. It also felt a lot more comfortable than having a room full of people. Harry hadn't been good with crowds anymore. A soft breeze went through the town, and Daryl turned to him while he stood there with his eyes closed, revelling in the silence. No people, no walkers, only Death, him and Daryl.
Harry did a wandless dico tempore, as he stayed standing with his closed eyes, only acknowledging his battle partner for the day with his actions. Daryl had been on enough quests with him to be able to read the time that appeared in front of them, but he waited a few minutes before speaking.
"It's time for dinner Hadrian, you ready to go?" Harry heard him, but since Death was talking to him, it took a while to respond.
When he came by from an intense conversation, he smiled softly at Daryl, whose bright blue eyes were fixed on him.
"I'm sorry, you're right."
"Nah, all good." Daryl shrugged, but shouldered his crossbow and took Harry's arm when it was offered. Without a sound, but with the usual feeling, as if you were put through a tube, they landed within Harry's private quarters. It's office with whom Daryl had come quite familiar.
Present time Peverell Manor (mood music: D)
Daryl had been restless as he felt useless just sitting around a table all day. Merle had went out with John, Shane and Ron, Mack was busy with Neville and Draco, which left Daryl on his own since he rarely dared to bother the potion master whose stare could kill almost, nor did he have a bond with his wife to dare to disturb the witch.
He wandered through the mansion a bit, but he wasn't much of a reader so the library did not offer him any solace. Ron had closed the bar for renovations the evening before, so lounging around with some music was also out, since the larger hall didn't have a record player yet. He knew that Ron was working on that, but sometimes more important things got in the way of their fun, and Daryl was the last to complain. Especially not about having a steady, protected roof over their head, beds to sleep in, clean clothes (more than he had before), and at least three meals a day, with (healty) snacks available whenever he wanted.
As he wandered, and talked with some paintings that seemed to follow him wherever he went, he ended up on Hadrian's floor without knowing it. Maybe he was drawn to the energy that was radiating from the office or maybe he was looking unconsciously for the man, but Daryl had stopped caring for reasons why. All he knew, was that he wanted it.
The hunter, dressed in his best cargo pants and a long sleeve shirt in some colour that Carol had called 'slate' not that he cared very much about that, knocked on the door that lead to Hadrian's office, and waited. Hadrian always said that everybody was welcome, but next to apparating in or out, he had only gotten glimpses of the big room.
"Come in." Hadrian's voice was flat, without emotion.
Daryl felt like Hadrian knew exactly who was at his door at all times, but pretended like he didn't know for the conversation that would follow. He breathed in, and pushed the door open. The shift in the air was feelable, something Daryl always felt whenever Hadrian was close or closing in on him. It smelled like thunder on a summer evening, but crossed with lavender oils in a wood burner that seemed to smell like heavy oak as well.
It felt warm and comfortable.
"How are you?" Hadrian stood up from behind his desk looking as regal as ever. Green slacks with a soft-looking dark slate-grey sweater, his hair braided on top in his usual Viking style. Rings on his hands, a black bracelet on his left hand. Hadrian looked and smelled good.
Daryl touched the rune necklace with the onyx stone that Hadrian had gifted him to make sure that he would pass the wards at all times, or so he had been told. It had become a habit.
"A little bit bored. There's nothin' for me to do."
Hadrian waved him over to the couch, and with seconds a tea tray appeared with a cup of steaming coffee for Daryl with some whipped cream on top. Exactly the way he liked it. It felt like he they spoilt him.
"Almost everybody is out or on the Muggle side of the compound, I believe," Hadrian confirmed. He took his place in front of Daryl in a large leather armchair with ottoman, where he propped up his feet with ease after he kicked his house shoes onto the ground in a lazy way.
"Yeah, I don't like sitting still, but everybody's out, and Merle is helping Ezra with John and Shane or somethin' like that."
"And Luna? I know you help her around a lot."
"She has George with her. Sumtin' about too much magic and pixies?" Daryl shrugged, but was surprised that Hadrian seemed to know everything. He never minded helping Luna. The woman was gentle and always seemed to just let him be. He liked that about her. Daryl took his mug of coffee from the plate, so he could sip it while it was still hot and enjoyed the cinnamon smell that came off of it. Must have been that little elf thing.
"Ah yes, I remember now. She told me about a colony she found. A rather long story, to be honest if you've never studied magical beasts." Hadrian nodded more to himself than Daryl. "Do you need to go out of the grounds or is it that you want to feel useful?" The man questioned in all honesty while finishing preparing his cup of tea.
"Hmm," he took another sip of coffee before he looked into the green orbs before him.
He felt the same energy that surrounded him while they were out and he shuddered lightly. It felt like a warm blanket that covered him. It did not judge, nor define. It just was.
"Probably. I'm not used to doing nothing. Not pay my worth."
"By helping our community, you are contributing and are a valuable member."
"Magic seems to make me redundant."
"I'm sorry that you feel that way. That was never my intention." Hadrian's voice was soft, but business-like.
"I know."
"I might have caused it, since I took you along for my outings. If you want, I can cut you loose?" Hadrian twirled his cup in his saucer but did not look up towards him like it pained him to speak those words.
"No." Daryl answered before he knew it, and Hadrian looked up from his tea and biscuit that the Elf had sneaked onto his saucer.
"No? What?" Hadrian asked for more information, but Daryl did not know how to explain it.
"I don't want you to cut me loose." He took a deep breath as he felt himself sitting in the chair, but he knew he needed to take this step right here, and right now. "You need someone that always has your back, and as you said before, we work well together."
This had to do. Daryl knew he couldn't really voice his feelings all that well. It was definitely not his strongest suit.
Hadrian smiled such an open smile, that Daryl was glad that he had tried to speak up.
"I will try to go out more." Hadrian looked thoughtful and after a while he sighed. "Ron's been bugging me about it as well. He says that I need to see more sunlight."
Daryl smiled hesitantly, and took a big leap he didn't realise he had the strength for. Maybe it was the stifling energy or magic that always hang around Hadrian's office, or maybe it was a bout of courage that hadn't been kicked out of him by his father. Maybe it had been Merle's words.
"I don't want to push ya' doin' stuff ya' don' like." He heard himself talk and automatically tried to shrink in himself a bit more. He hated when his heavy accent came up. Usually he would be told to speak normal or to be a good boy by now, and let it rest.
Even though Merle had been a though ass, someone who roughhoused with him and scolded his little brother, he always took him seriously. That's why he would follow his older brother anywhere, and that's why he had done just that when this mess had started. Seeing Merle change had been quite the shock, but Merle needed someone to need him. He needed to care, and Harry had more than enough care for all of them.
But habits were habits and Merle hadn't always been around to save him.
"I mean…" he tried to repair it before it got worse.
"It's okay." Hadrian had leaned forward, after he discarded his tea on the side table next to him. "I've been there as well. There's no judgement here. I promise." Hadrian licked his lips. Nervous as well, maybe.
"I'm still trying to figure stuff out, and if I hadn't trusted on people like Draco, Ron or Luna, I would not be where I am today. There is no weakness in asking for help or admitting that you don't know the answer. There is the only weakness in those who fail by only relying on their own instincts. Yet sometimes it is your own mind that deceives you." Hadrian paused and now looked up at Daryl, who still held the cup of coffee in his hands like it was a lifeline.
He felt raw. Hurt, but very loved at the same time. He could only nod.
"Can I tell you a story? Maybe it will explain how you are feeling right now, although I would like to ask you to keep this to yourself. Not a lot of people know about this, and I don't feel comfortable dispersing it around the globe. You've seen where my 'fame' gets me."
Daryl could only nod again. Losing himself in Hadrian's voice was one of the reasons he had opened the door to the office. He truly wanted to know more about Hadrian. He wanted to know it al. He may not be a good talker, but he could listen, and listen he did.
"It all happened after the war, as you've seen in the memory collective, the film as George calls it. You remember that, right?"
Daryl nodded. That had been an interesting and daunting experience. Merle and him had watched it again a few nights back.
"Well, during the last battle, I combined three artifacts…"
Past time Grimmauld place
Harry sat back down, after he had picked the artifacts from his Lord vault inside Grimmauld place. Ron was being Ron, and he waited for Harry to start talking. Something the newly adapted Master of Death really appreciated about his best friend. No judgement, no harsh voice. No push to do something. Just understanding.
"What does it mean?" Ron asked finally, his curiosity was visible all over his face.
"To put it crudely?"
"Yea, just give it to me straight. Fast and easy rundown. Save the rest for Luna or Draco," snickered Ron.
"I can't die. I've become Death."
The silence in which Ron processed this information was short. It spoke volumes for all that they had been through. He was tapping his hand on his wand, a habit he had picked up from being on the run, but he it was barely noticeable if you didn't know him as well as Harry did.
"Huh. Damn Harry. That damned, bloody Potter luck." Ron snorted. "Bloody hell, mate. It never ends, now does it?"
"You can say that again. Better yet: Peverell Luck."
"So Beedle and the Bard, it speaks the truth?" Ron asked, already three steps ahead of him. There was a reason why he was so damn good at what he did. Let it be Ron who starts analysing everything to try and battle if necessary.
"Most of it. I mean, Death has explained some things, but It says that it will become clear when I grow into my role. Whatever that may mean." Harry took a sip from his brandy, as he reclined in the black leather chair that had been in the office for many years. It was a comfortable chair.
"It does explain the fact that you haven't aged in a while. So no awesome genes, huh!" Ron laughed as he thought back to a conversation they had before.
"Yes, none of that. Just the supernatural."
"Well mate, you know I'll be always at your side."
"I wish Death would have been wrong about that."
Present time Harry's office
"So, while Ron took it better than expected. It does mean that he as my vassal shares some abilities." Hadrian looked like telling the news to Daryl was the same as explaining it to Ron.
Daryl looked pensive before he spoke, and Hadrian let him.
"Okay, so because you united three ancient magical artifacts, that were forgotten by practically everybody, you can cheat Death, so to speak?"
Hadrian nodded.
"And because Ron accidently swore something very magically, he's bound to your energy?"
Hadrian nodded again, fiddling with a ring around his finger. Daryl hadn't gotten the time to study them, but it seemed like Harry always had magic cast around it. Not that he could see what it was, but magic always seemed to shimmer in front of him.
"Yeah, that's different alright." Daryl smiled now, and shook his head. "You really never got any rest, did ya?"
"No, not really. Only when I trained with Gerard to become a wand maker. That was the only time that I experienced peace."
"That still bothers me. Magic, sure, but wands are a weird concept, ya' know."
"Trust me, Daryl. Being eleven and never even hearing about it, before you get thrust into the school where people expect you to be some kind of powerful god, that was a whole lot worse." Hadrian smiled now, and winked playfully now that the hard part was over.
"I thought it were the constant attacks on your life while you were in school?" Daryl drank the last of his coffee, that had stayed warm all through the story. He guessed that it was Hadrian's doing. He smiled, as Harry seemed to appreciate the relief from his sarcastic answer.
"You and Merle really did pay attention to that stupid film." Hadrian shook his head while he fell back in his chair and shook his head, as he finished the last of his third cup that afternoon.
"Thanks for sharing, Hadrian." Daryl meant it.
"Thank you for listening." Hadrian gave him a rare, wide smile. "I think you can call me Harry, you know. All my good friends do."
"I like Hadrian." Daryl's courage still hadn't stopped, and he blushed a bit.
"Me too, but I'm way too used to Harry."
"We'll see about it." Daryl smiled mischievously.
Past time Grimmauld place, getting a howler
Harry had become quite proficient at deflecting Howlers. He sometimes received as many as three per week, and although Kreacher took care of most of them, this one had caught him off guard, as it had been delivered with Pig. The over-energetic owl had access to his wards, and currently it was in a stare-off with Kreacher.
"Filthy, crazy bird musn't deliver mail. It should not visit." He heard Kreacher mumble. To himself or the owl, that was always the question with Kreacher. "Little ball is nothing more than feathers. Kreacher needs feathers for dusting. Little owl would be perfect. Kreacher would pluck it empty."
Somehow it was an amusing sight, seeing the older elf scowl at the animal. Kreacher had lightened up enormously since the horcrux had been removed from the house, and now that the Black magic had more to feed on than just Kreacher and the house. The House held Harry as head, with Andromeda and Teddy, Narcissa and Draco, and a small sliver automatically had latched onto Ron. This had also meant that Kreacher had gotten more strength, and did not spout ugliness at any given time.
Ordering Walburga's portrait of the wall had been his first action as Lord Black, after reinstating Andromeda. Sirius had confessed that Dumbledore would have known about it, if he had taken any action on this matter.
"What's going on, Kreacher?" Harry asked him with a soft voice. One he had found, worked wonders on the previously damaged elf. Sirius had not been kind to him, but it had to be expected. Being locked up all day, without access to a mind healer could drive a stronger man crazy. One that had been in Azkaban for twelve years, was a whole other story.
"Filthy ball of fluff needs to be turned into a feather duster. Crazy bird has brought Dark Master a Howler, but won't let Kreacher take it to destroy it." The elf looked put out, and refused to step aside as Harry motioned him over.
It had gone from 'Dark Master Peverell-Potter-Black' to 'Dark Master Black' to 'Dark Master', and Harry was glad to not hear his full title every time he called on Kreacher. He could live with 'Dark Master' for now. He was working on getting it to just 'Master'.
"If I promise to check the letter, before opening it, will you let me take it?" He asked Kreacher, whose ears hung back over his head.
"If Dark Master wishes it, then Kreacher will obey. Dark Master must know that Kreacher defends the honour of House Black. Howler has magic to fight Dark Master."
"I know Kreacher, but I need to listen to this myself." Harry sighed, knowing what would come up for him. He had been waiting for that shoe to drop. "I will destroy the magic on it, alright?"
Kreacher just nodded while he kept fixating his look on the howler.
After Harry tore the compulsion apart without a wand in sight, and checked it for other curses and hexes, Harry deemed it safe to open, and Kreacher stood ready to minimise the sound. When it did open, his elf clicked with his fingers, and the sound dampened to a normal level.
"Harry James Potter," it started, and Harry muffled a snicker as he saw Kreacher looking even more murderous at the thing. Molly had forgotten the Black name that he used publicly, and the elf loved hearing it. Plus, Kreacher recognized that screech immediately.
"How dare you summon the magics of Olde, has no one ever taught you" – well, Harry thought to himself. Who would have done that before his fifth year? He did know a tiny bit about it, because of Sirius, not before – "that without consent it is very improper for a man your age to have a Vassal or to even dare to make one."
Harry had been mad at Ron when he found out about the implications, but the redhead had just shrugged it off - "My poor Ronnikins says that he knew what he was doing when he did so, but since no one ever taught him about these things, I doubt that."
The woman could be so dense sometimes, Harry smiled sadly. Ron had to teach himself. Draco was probably at 'fault' there as well. "I wish you would have thought this through, my boy, I'm very disappointed in you. Luckily you didn't deny him the Weasley name, but I will not have my son known as Weasley-Potter. He isn't married to you!" – No, and Ron would be free to do with his life as he wished. Harry wouldn't interfere. – "We still have the last say in who he marries. We will have words about this. Hope to see you soon, dearie."
Harry heard someone muffled in the background, as Molly's voice closed the howler in her normal voice. Shaking his head at the antics of the Weasley Matriarch, the Howler disintegrated.
The fact that Arthur and Molly only found about it, after the war, was crazy enough. Lucius had explained that if anyone changed loyalty towards another house, he would know it immediately as Head of his House.
Harry had a feeling that Arthur wasn't in control anymore, but that Bill had started to take over slowly.
Harry was very sensitive to magic and could sense all his family members. Ron had become one of them. The Potter magic only reached toward Harry and Ron, and Harry could feel it mourning every day. It wanted more.
Even the Black magic had accepted Ron, but that house had more to rely on. The Peverell family magic was as cold as ice and death, and did not care about its members. That magic just wanted to manifest in someone, and that someone had been Harry.
The Slytherin magic was the less persistent, but Tom Marvolo Riddle had done more bad than good to that magic, so for now it was recovering inside the Chamber of Secrets, waiting for Harry to pick it back up.
It had caused a fuzzy feeling in his stomach, after Ron had declared him family so persistent, it had become magically solid. It had been their sixth year, and Harry had been feeling completely under the weather. Bombarded by Voldemort's visions, seeing the horror every night, unable to take the Dreamless sleep anymore, not even the reworked version by Severus, Harry had been a walking corpse.
He knew that Draco and Ron had looked out for him, and Severus had covered more than once for him, but he had felt so alienated, by Dumbledore, Hermione, Ginny, and a lot of his year mates. Hell, the whole school even. They had been busy with school, finding love, having sex, and a war that hung above their heads. Harry had been fighting with himself, a soul piece that wasn't his, and his general fucked up life.
So when Ron had literally declared that he was his brother, his magic had grasped at the straws. Since Sirius had blood-adopted him, Draco was already his cousin, and the vow hadn't needed much to bind them.
He wasn't proud of it.
But he wouldn't change it for the world.
Those boys were his lifelines. They were his family.
Present time Outside
Harry felt it before he saw him, as his highted senses were even more in tune with the moon cycles and solstices during the year. Only Daryl was able to creep up on him as he did. He knew that Ron and Merle were in front of him, but he hadn't noticed that Daryl had tagged along as well.
Harry felt the rough hand on his shoulder a few seconds later, that softly squeezed him in a way that Harry recognized as Daryl being present, but not right there. The hand stayed on his shoulder while the rough thumb caressed him in a sort off loving gesture, but the man himself still kept silent.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked him, while keeping an eye on his surroundings.
"Yea', I'm fine. Did'n' sleep so well. Rooms don't heat up pretty well, it's getting colder."
"I'll look into the charms around your rooms tonight. I might have forgotten to alter them for you, as I did for Merle and Carol."
"You've been busy, it's fine. It's still a roof over my head." Darryl gave him a rare, small smile. "That little thing gave me an extra blanket."
"You mean Kreacher?" Harry paused, and his face showed the disbelief he was feeling. "You must be special, he barely does something for others than Draco or Ron. By the way, it's not okay. It is my job as Lord of the Estate to take care of everybody." Harry paused and Darryl gave him an inquiring look that judged him.
"You have too many jobs."
"Look, I know it's different. Hell, it was weird for me as well. I made mistakes that should not have happened if someone had instructed me properly. If I have any say, I would make sure that no magical child would be raised with unknowing Muggles." Harry took a breath. "Like with Sophia. I wouldn't want to take the kids away from their parents, but involve them. If one parent is magical, like Vicky, then it usually works out. In other ways, it depends. Magic can be scary for some people."
"Must have been something," Daryl added. "To find out that you were a wizard."
"It was.
"Heh." That was all he got, as Daryl handed him something to drink. Feeling comfortable enough with each other and the silence that they didn't need to add more.
