Author's Note: I got kind of sick of Seventh Year, so this chapter rushes
through it a bit. I could use some reviews, if you please. The story is
kind of taking me along for the ride, but I need to know where to guide it.
Also, if there's anything that needs clarification, note it for me and
I'll try to fin it.
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. well, the vampyre are mine. But anyway, it's
not mine.
Part Six: Final Days, Of A Sort
**Harry**
I had a message from Severus as soon as Draco and I arrived back at the school, three days before the term was due to start again. I walked to the dormitory and put my trunk down, and then headed off to Severus' lab.
/ / Severus \ \
Harry came into the room and I motioned for him to sit down while I finished up the potion I was working on. As I finished it, I wiped my hands on a towel hanging next to the potions bench, and walked towards him, saying, "I trust that your stay with the Malfoys was good?"
He nodded. "Yes, it was fine. Narcissa is very nice. Draco is still trying to play pranks on me. I don't think that he realizes that it won't ever work. Between Dudley and Sirius and the Weasley twins," he looked sad at this mention of his ex-best friend's family, "I'm fairly immune to being pranked. Boy, have I got it in for him. Just you wait."
"Well, if I were you, I wouldn't be too hard on him. He is far less. adult then you are. Nothing truly strange or painful has ever happened to him. As much as he would wish otherwise, the boy is still an innocent. And ifhe ends up having to come to me for any sort of healing potions, I will flay you alive," I replied, "But did anything else happen?"
Harry looked down, something between ashamed and penitent radiating from him, "I sent a letter to Ron." He spat the name out with such hate, and I wondered what had happened. "He wrote back. His letter, boiled down said that I was a backstabbing turncoat traitor, that I had gone to the Dark side, and that he hated me."
I wondered how I should go about comforting him. I walked over to his chair and rested a hand on his forearm. "I believe that young Mr. Weasley does not deserve your friendship. The boy- and I say boy, not man, because he has not grown up yet- the boy is a complete idiot. If he so much as thinks that you have gone to join the ranks of Voldemort, he has another think coming."
"I know," he replied; head still down, speaking quietly, "he sees the world in black and white. I just. I don't know what to do. No one in my own house trusts me, and I have hardly any time to talk to my old friends- well, the ones who're still talking to me," he shook his head and laughed bitterly. It was an old man's laugh, and Harry was far too young, even with his lost innocence, and it was not a sound that should have come from one so young.
It was almost tragic. We turned, instead, to the solace of potion-brewing. Madam Pomfrey's stocks will be replenished, certainly.
/\/\ Draco /\/\
The rest of Seventh Year passed by in a flurry of preparation for the NEWTS. Greg, Vince, and I tried to play pranks on Harry. It didn't work. He threw himself into his studies. I would be surprised if he didn't outscore that infuriating Granger girl.
**Harry**
Graduation Day, finally. It was strikingly similar to our Sorting ceremony, bringing us around, full circle. I talked to Dean, Seamus, and Neville, until we lined up behind Professor McGonagall. As we walked through the door, our robes were magically altered to whatever reflected best our personality, family, and House. Ron's were red and gold, embroidered with Celtic knotwork. Hermionie's, on the other hand, were as deep a blue as the night sky, cut rather fashionably. Mine were almost surprising. As I stepped through the door, my robes turned into a deep green-black set, made of a rich fabric that I had never felt before. Along the hems were picked out silver snakes, slithering around the edges. They were different from everyone else's in style, too. The robes were high- necked and they buttoned to the top, with a snug fit against my body. I found that I also had on black dragonhide boots, and a small band of silver around my forehead, holding down my suddenly-long hair. My wrists were adorned with silver and black bands fashioned into snakes biting their own tails. Around my neck rested a silver chain that held a key and two rings.
I caught sight of myself in a darkened window as I passed into the Great Hall, after dinner. I looked. regal, in a way. Older, too, and still paler. It was strange, for me, to have long, and manageable hair. I liked it.
One by one, the graduating students walked up to the platform behind the high table, and put on the Sorting Hat. As my turn came, I headed up and sat carefully, putting the hat on my head as I did so. As soon as I did, I heard its voice in my head.
"Well, young Harry, we meet again." It said
"Yeah. How are you?" I asked.
"You've come a long way in your seven years here. Gryffindor and Slytherin, your true heritage, and facing up to Voldemort. You have come into your inheritance; that is what the robes signify. I commend you, Harry, and I apologize for Ron Weasley. He is yet a child."
"I know. Thank you."
"Salazar would be proud of you, boy. You've made something of yourself. I leave you with just a few things. First, I would appreciate it (and I will inform Dumbledore of this) if you would come and talk to me every so often. Through me, you can hear your forefather Salazar's opinions and advice on you. And also, when you get back to your dorm tonight, I would advise you to look in your robe's inner pocket, once you are alone. Now go, go and see Dumbledore. He will give you your NEWT scores and your rank in the class, on the NEWTS and in general, and your diploma, and any job offers you may have so far. Go!"
I stood up and put the Hat down on the chair, and walked across the platform towards Headmaster Dumbledore. I shook his hand, and he passed me a thick scroll. "Congratulations, Harry. Good luck in life and in love."
I smiled and nodded at him. "Thank you, sir." I walked off and sat in my seat.
/ / Severus \ \
I watched Harry walk into the Hall. His robes were magnificent. And they looked very good. The Hat spoke to every departing student, and I wondered what it was telling Harry. Once the feast was over and I had congratulated Harry and Draco, I escaped to my rooms, and went to sleep.
--Hermionie--
I sat down at my seat and settled in for the rest of the Graduation Ceremony. I looked across the line of people coming in and I spotted Harry. He looked positively. regal. With the bands around his forehead and wrists, dark hair, and fancy robes, he looked like some sort of king out of The Lord of the Rings or some fairy tale. I put my hand on the seat between myself and Seamus, who was holding a seat across the table from us for Dean, next to Neville.
**Harry**
I took heed of the Sorting Hat's words, and, although I enjoyed the Feast, I managed to get back to my dorm completely sober. at approximately midnight. As I walked into my room (I had been moved out of the shared dorm just after the Easter holidays), I muttered the spell to bring up my wards and locked the door, both magically and in the Muggle way. I reached into my robe as the lights came on and the fireplace was suddenly filled with flames. I placed the scroll with my scores onto the desk- I was second only to Hermionie in every subject except DADA, where I placed first. The whole having completely different schedules from my friends for the whole end of the year thing really boosted the time I put into studying. The House Cup was a tie between Gryffindor and Slytherin this year.
I pulled a large, heavy envelope out of my robe. I put it down on the bed and pulled my shoes off, curling up on the bed, making sure I wasn't wrinkling my robe. I pulled the first sheet of paper out of the envelope. It was a birth certificate; mine, with the name Harold James Slytherin instead of the Harry James Potter that had been my full name for my entire life. The next sheet was two different Gringotts accounts, one of the Potter family fortunes, and another of the Slytherin family, followed by two keys, one to each vault.
The last sheet was instructions on how to get to the Slytherin Family manor- called Rookwood, and through its complicated wards. I threw all of my things into my trunk, and ran off to say goodbye to Severus and ask permission of Headmaster Dumbledore to leave immediately.
**** End Chapter
Review Replies, for the whole story so far:
Prophetess of Hearts: yay! *giggles* Malfoy in school still sucks. But I have other plans for him...
Neverever: thanks! I've obviously updated, and I know where my next few chapters are going. you're gonna like 'em, I hope!
Luna The Moonmaster: oops, I can't believe I didn't catch that one! Thanks!
Mikee: Yep, I'm updating, like I said before, and the relationship between Harry and Sev will actually *happen* soon..
Kailsi: do the names above every change help at all?
Athenakitty: not to be rude, but are you understanding the story at all?
Part Six: Final Days, Of A Sort
**Harry**
I had a message from Severus as soon as Draco and I arrived back at the school, three days before the term was due to start again. I walked to the dormitory and put my trunk down, and then headed off to Severus' lab.
/ / Severus \ \
Harry came into the room and I motioned for him to sit down while I finished up the potion I was working on. As I finished it, I wiped my hands on a towel hanging next to the potions bench, and walked towards him, saying, "I trust that your stay with the Malfoys was good?"
He nodded. "Yes, it was fine. Narcissa is very nice. Draco is still trying to play pranks on me. I don't think that he realizes that it won't ever work. Between Dudley and Sirius and the Weasley twins," he looked sad at this mention of his ex-best friend's family, "I'm fairly immune to being pranked. Boy, have I got it in for him. Just you wait."
"Well, if I were you, I wouldn't be too hard on him. He is far less. adult then you are. Nothing truly strange or painful has ever happened to him. As much as he would wish otherwise, the boy is still an innocent. And ifhe ends up having to come to me for any sort of healing potions, I will flay you alive," I replied, "But did anything else happen?"
Harry looked down, something between ashamed and penitent radiating from him, "I sent a letter to Ron." He spat the name out with such hate, and I wondered what had happened. "He wrote back. His letter, boiled down said that I was a backstabbing turncoat traitor, that I had gone to the Dark side, and that he hated me."
I wondered how I should go about comforting him. I walked over to his chair and rested a hand on his forearm. "I believe that young Mr. Weasley does not deserve your friendship. The boy- and I say boy, not man, because he has not grown up yet- the boy is a complete idiot. If he so much as thinks that you have gone to join the ranks of Voldemort, he has another think coming."
"I know," he replied; head still down, speaking quietly, "he sees the world in black and white. I just. I don't know what to do. No one in my own house trusts me, and I have hardly any time to talk to my old friends- well, the ones who're still talking to me," he shook his head and laughed bitterly. It was an old man's laugh, and Harry was far too young, even with his lost innocence, and it was not a sound that should have come from one so young.
It was almost tragic. We turned, instead, to the solace of potion-brewing. Madam Pomfrey's stocks will be replenished, certainly.
/\/\ Draco /\/\
The rest of Seventh Year passed by in a flurry of preparation for the NEWTS. Greg, Vince, and I tried to play pranks on Harry. It didn't work. He threw himself into his studies. I would be surprised if he didn't outscore that infuriating Granger girl.
**Harry**
Graduation Day, finally. It was strikingly similar to our Sorting ceremony, bringing us around, full circle. I talked to Dean, Seamus, and Neville, until we lined up behind Professor McGonagall. As we walked through the door, our robes were magically altered to whatever reflected best our personality, family, and House. Ron's were red and gold, embroidered with Celtic knotwork. Hermionie's, on the other hand, were as deep a blue as the night sky, cut rather fashionably. Mine were almost surprising. As I stepped through the door, my robes turned into a deep green-black set, made of a rich fabric that I had never felt before. Along the hems were picked out silver snakes, slithering around the edges. They were different from everyone else's in style, too. The robes were high- necked and they buttoned to the top, with a snug fit against my body. I found that I also had on black dragonhide boots, and a small band of silver around my forehead, holding down my suddenly-long hair. My wrists were adorned with silver and black bands fashioned into snakes biting their own tails. Around my neck rested a silver chain that held a key and two rings.
I caught sight of myself in a darkened window as I passed into the Great Hall, after dinner. I looked. regal, in a way. Older, too, and still paler. It was strange, for me, to have long, and manageable hair. I liked it.
One by one, the graduating students walked up to the platform behind the high table, and put on the Sorting Hat. As my turn came, I headed up and sat carefully, putting the hat on my head as I did so. As soon as I did, I heard its voice in my head.
"Well, young Harry, we meet again." It said
"Yeah. How are you?" I asked.
"You've come a long way in your seven years here. Gryffindor and Slytherin, your true heritage, and facing up to Voldemort. You have come into your inheritance; that is what the robes signify. I commend you, Harry, and I apologize for Ron Weasley. He is yet a child."
"I know. Thank you."
"Salazar would be proud of you, boy. You've made something of yourself. I leave you with just a few things. First, I would appreciate it (and I will inform Dumbledore of this) if you would come and talk to me every so often. Through me, you can hear your forefather Salazar's opinions and advice on you. And also, when you get back to your dorm tonight, I would advise you to look in your robe's inner pocket, once you are alone. Now go, go and see Dumbledore. He will give you your NEWT scores and your rank in the class, on the NEWTS and in general, and your diploma, and any job offers you may have so far. Go!"
I stood up and put the Hat down on the chair, and walked across the platform towards Headmaster Dumbledore. I shook his hand, and he passed me a thick scroll. "Congratulations, Harry. Good luck in life and in love."
I smiled and nodded at him. "Thank you, sir." I walked off and sat in my seat.
/ / Severus \ \
I watched Harry walk into the Hall. His robes were magnificent. And they looked very good. The Hat spoke to every departing student, and I wondered what it was telling Harry. Once the feast was over and I had congratulated Harry and Draco, I escaped to my rooms, and went to sleep.
--Hermionie--
I sat down at my seat and settled in for the rest of the Graduation Ceremony. I looked across the line of people coming in and I spotted Harry. He looked positively. regal. With the bands around his forehead and wrists, dark hair, and fancy robes, he looked like some sort of king out of The Lord of the Rings or some fairy tale. I put my hand on the seat between myself and Seamus, who was holding a seat across the table from us for Dean, next to Neville.
**Harry**
I took heed of the Sorting Hat's words, and, although I enjoyed the Feast, I managed to get back to my dorm completely sober. at approximately midnight. As I walked into my room (I had been moved out of the shared dorm just after the Easter holidays), I muttered the spell to bring up my wards and locked the door, both magically and in the Muggle way. I reached into my robe as the lights came on and the fireplace was suddenly filled with flames. I placed the scroll with my scores onto the desk- I was second only to Hermionie in every subject except DADA, where I placed first. The whole having completely different schedules from my friends for the whole end of the year thing really boosted the time I put into studying. The House Cup was a tie between Gryffindor and Slytherin this year.
I pulled a large, heavy envelope out of my robe. I put it down on the bed and pulled my shoes off, curling up on the bed, making sure I wasn't wrinkling my robe. I pulled the first sheet of paper out of the envelope. It was a birth certificate; mine, with the name Harold James Slytherin instead of the Harry James Potter that had been my full name for my entire life. The next sheet was two different Gringotts accounts, one of the Potter family fortunes, and another of the Slytherin family, followed by two keys, one to each vault.
The last sheet was instructions on how to get to the Slytherin Family manor- called Rookwood, and through its complicated wards. I threw all of my things into my trunk, and ran off to say goodbye to Severus and ask permission of Headmaster Dumbledore to leave immediately.
**** End Chapter
Review Replies, for the whole story so far:
Prophetess of Hearts: yay! *giggles* Malfoy in school still sucks. But I have other plans for him...
Neverever: thanks! I've obviously updated, and I know where my next few chapters are going. you're gonna like 'em, I hope!
Luna The Moonmaster: oops, I can't believe I didn't catch that one! Thanks!
Mikee: Yep, I'm updating, like I said before, and the relationship between Harry and Sev will actually *happen* soon..
Kailsi: do the names above every change help at all?
Athenakitty: not to be rude, but are you understanding the story at all?