Disclaimer -

All characters in this story belong to the greatly talented writer J.K. Rowling, Scholastic Books, and Warner Bros. and all are being used without knowledge and permission. This story shall eventually lead off into shounen ai slash, which translates into a romantic boy/boy story. Snogging shall eventually appear, so please consider yourself warned. This is my very first Harry Potter fan fic, and my very first non-anime related fic, but defiantly nowhere near my first attempt at fan fic writing.
Now, since no one came here to read this, on with the story,
Lady Koneko
=^._.^=

Harry Potter
To Have and Protect

Prologue
'Into the Beginning'

The door to the potions classroom silently swung open then closed under the pale had of a slender form in a black robe. After a long, silent minute of waiting, the hand lifted from the knob and the dark figure silently ghosted across the room, carefully weaving through the desks. Halfway through the room, off to the left, the figure paused, tilting its head to one side, listening. Silence prevailed, and the figure dipped its pale had into its robes and pulled out a small glass vial containing a softly glowing, milky white fluid. With an evil grin, the stopper was popped off and half the milky liquid was poured into the cauldron sitting on the worktable in front of him. The vial was quickly but carefully re-stoppered and tucked back into a pocket in the robes; then the figure carefully picked up the cauldron, the milky-white glow causing the pewter to shine. Gently, with a clockwise motion, the figure tipped the cauldron back and fourth, swirling the liquid in the cauldron, coating the sides, until the glow dissipated and the milky liquid turned transparent in the cauldron. Once the figure was satisfied that no one would be able to tell the cauldron had been tampered with, he sat it down exactly as he found it and gave it a satisfied look. Then quickly the robed figure went to the door, pale hand reaching for and grasping the knob. The door swung open, but before exiting, the robed figure couldn't resist one last look back into the classroom, at the cauldron.

With a decidedly evil gleam in his silver-gray eyes, Draco Malfoy silently shut the door behind him.

Chapter One
'Double Potions be Damned'

It was the beginning of their sixth year at Hogwarts, and so far, everything was going just fine. Of course, they had to consider the fact that this ~was~ the very beginning of their sixth year, leaving plenty of time for unexpected and unpleasant things to occur. Their summer break -and surprisingly enough- their fifth year of school, had passed by rather uneventfully. Voldemort and his followers had not made a yearly visit, the first time in four years, and naturally none could say they missed him. There was some speculation (some idle, some not) on his activities and whereabouts, but as far as Harry, Ron and Hermione were concerned, no news was good news. As long as he and his hadn't come to try to kill Harry, they were all happy (especially Harry).

The three of them spent the week before school started at The Burrow together, enjoying the last few days of their summer break and finishing the last of their summer homework (Well, not quite. Ron had two potions scrolls to finish, Hermione was re-writing a paper for History of Magic -it was now two scrolls longer than required- and Harry spent his time reading the newly released, updated volume 'Flying With the Cannons II' as he had finished all his homework and wasn't planning on re-writing anything). One thing they had all agreed on was to visit Hagrid and get him to tell them what he planned to spring on them for their class project in Care of Magical Creatures. After last year, none of them wanted any surprises.

The class project last year were hydras, which were legal in England as long as they were used in an educational manner (various parts of they hydra were quite sought after for magical potions and hydras were listed on the Endangered Mystical Species list so they were regulated by the Ministry of Magic) and as long as they were not adult (as adult hydras were as hard to control as dragons, but were pretty nice -relatively speaking- as youngsters). They had a bad feeling that Hagrid, buoyed by his personal belief that they had handled the hydras with flying colors, was going to pick another highly dangerous animal for them to take care of. The baby hydras was more than the class had wanted to deal with, and all felt that they had been lucky to finish the class with their lives (and limbs). Malfoy had been his usual, disagreeable self, much to the Gryffindors chagrin, and had made noises all year about telling his father what they were going through, how dangerous it was, how Hagrid should be replaced and a bunch of other rot. Harry, Ron and Hermione knew that nothing would come from it, and Harry had the feeling that Malfoy knew it as well, but that didn't stop him from making noises about it, especially after three heads of the hydra that Harry, Ron and Hermione were taking care of took a great fancy to Malfoy and wanted to get as near to him as possible, much to the upset of the blonde Slytherin, the three Gryffindors and five of the other heads. The ninth head had taken an immediate dislike to Malfoy (however it just adored Ron) and was all for getting as near to the blonde as possible. When the hydras were sent back to Greece, the entire class nearly threw a party, the only thing stopping it being that the Gryffindors and the Slytherins hated each other with a passion and wouldn't do anything together, even celebrating surviving their fifth year of Care of Magical Creatures.

The ride to Hogwarts went by uneventfully, which should have singled to ~someone~ at least that something bad was looming on the horizon. Harry had been the only one to see Malfoy before the Hogwarts Express left the station, and that was when they were crossing the barrier to platform nine and three-quarters. Due to how busy the station was, they were crossing one at a time, and Harry had insisted that Ron and Hermione go before him. While he was waiting for his chance to cross, he had seen Malfoy enter the station, wheeling his cart toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten. He has seen Harry, scowled darkly, and to Harry's amazement, shrugged and walked toward him. He had stopped twenty feet from Harry, given him a brief, acknowledging nod, and had then proceeded to ignore him. Harry was trying to figure out what was with Malfoy, when a muggle bumped into him, knocking him slightly off balance and reminding him of what he was suppose to be doing. In a moment, he had slid through the barrier, furious at himself for being distracted by the Slytherin and giving him a chance to needle him. It was a given, Harry knew, that Malfoy was going to comment on what had just happened on the train ride to Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione were waiting for him, and before long the three of them had made themselves comfortable in a private compartment. Ginny had joined them, and before long, they were on their way north to Hogwarts. Before any of them knew it, the lady with the candy cart was making her way through the train, and Malfoy and his goons had not made an appearance. They had spent some time after that (but not much) commenting on it, before going back too much more enjoyable topics of conversation. The rest of the day had gone peacefully enough, and only Harry was wondering what was with Malfoy when they retired for the night.

The first day of class was not a promising day, as the first class of the day was Double Potions with the Slytherins, and it was, as far as Ron was concerned, the absolute worst way to start the week. Harry agreed with him, but if any of them (even Hermione) had known what was in store for them that day, they would have traded off going to class for the day and taken a week of Filch detention without question or complaint.

* * * * *

"I can't believe this," Ron growled, slouching low in his chair next to Harry. "Double Potions with the Slytherins first thing, what a way to start the week." Harry nodded absently, not really paying attention to what his best friend was saying, for the sixth time that morning. He was still wondering what Malfoy was up to, and was starting to become concerned. He had been sure that, had known that, Malfoy was going to make derogatory comments to him on the train. It was a yearly tradition after all. And after that incident in the station well, he had not been looking forward to the yearly verbal slinging match. But it had never occurred. Then nothing had happened after their arrival, or during the Sorting Ceremony, and today during breakfast, Malfoy had completely ignored him... well... with the exception of one, vicious, smug smirk when he had noticed that Harry watching him. Malfoy had changed his methods, and Harry was rather worried of what was in store for him.

"Yaaaaaahhhhhh..." Harry's attention was grabbed by Neville's scream as he lost control of his legs and crashed into his and Ron's table; then careened into the table next to theirs, knocking the school caldrons that had been set out for them onto the ground. Behind them, near the door, Blaze smirked as he sat his wand down on the table and Pansy and several other Slytherins snickered nastily. Hermione and a variety of other Gryffindors glared at them and Hermione pulled out her wand, taking off the Jelly-leg curse that Blaze had placed on Neville.

"Bloody gits, all of them," Ron muttered as he and Harry gathered up the caldrons and put them back on the tables. "This is not going to a good day." They had barely slid back in their seats, Neville taking a seat at the table next to them, when Malfoy, flanked as usual by Crabbe and Goyle, made his grand entrance. Malfoy quickly scanned the room, smirked nastily without commenting when his gaze fell on Harry, and sat at the table directly behind Neville. Goyle sat next to him, and Crabbe, with a disgruntled expression on his face, sat next to Pansy, who was now wearing her own disgruntled look. Rumor had it that this year she was going for broke and making a decided move for Malfoy.

"You know," Hermione leaned over from where she was sitting next to Harry, a frown on her face. "Malfoy has been acting a bit odd this year." Harry glanced over at her; eyebrows raised. Had she just realized that? Ron nodded in agreement.

"Quiet during breakfast, and no nasty comments in twenty-four hours. Something is up with the git." They both looked at Harry, who shrugged.

"He hasn't done anything yet, but I am sure he is planning something." The three friends looked at each other, then all glanced over at Malfoy, who was calmly sitting in his chair, a serene look on his face. All three shuddered.

"Now if that isn't creepy, I don't know what is," Ron muttered. Harry and Hermione both nodded. That kind of look, on Malfoy's face... ohhh... Whatever he was planning, it was going to be horrid...

And they all knew it was going to be directed at Harry.

* * * * *

The moment class was to begin, the door to Professor Snape's office opened and Snape strode into the classroom, his eyes quickly going over the class to see if everyone was present and accounted for. He noted a worried look on his least favored trio of Gryffindors, and a satisfied look on young Malfoy's face, and knew that something was going to be occurring in his class. He knew not what (except that it was going to befall Potter and his friends), but whatever Malfoy had planned had better not disrupt the class. He came to stand behind his desk and gave the class an icy look.

"Class, as this is your sixth year, you are now going to attempt," here he sneered at the class, pausing a moment at his three lease favored students before continuing, "the brewing of the more advanced and delicate," here Snape favored Neville a very cold look, which caused the Gryffindor to swallow nervously, "of potions. By paying attention this year," another cold glare was directed out at the students, this time at Harry and Ron, "you will be able to master all that stands before you. If not," the glare was once again directed at Neville, who was looking pasty and obviously wishing he could crawl under his table and hide, "you shall be spending much of the school year in the hospital wing. Have I made myself clear?"

All the Gryffindors (and surprisingly enough) the Slytherins all mutely nodded, with the exception of Neville, who had just given a strangled moan from where he had sunk down in his chair. It was by no stretch of the imagination on where he was going to be spending his time this year.

"Good," Snape murmured, noting with satisfaction the uneasy looks on all his students' faces. "Due to the nature of the potion we shall start brewing today, you shall all use the school cauldrons. This potion requires a three-week settling time before the second stage ingredients can be added. The potion we shall be working on is the Potion of Coronius. Can anyone tell me the importance of the Potion of Coronius?"

Like a shot, Hermione's hand was in the air. Unsurprisingly, hers was the only one.

"Can anyone besides Granger," Snape drew her name out with great disliking and she dropped her hand, "tell me the importance of the Potion of Coronius?" He gave the class a quick once over. "Malfoy."

Everyone turned to look at Snape's favorite student. Harry saw a strange look flash through Malfoy's eyes, but it was gone before he was able to identify it. But in a sudden, surprising burst of insight, he had a feeling that it had something to do with how Malfoy had been acting. A cold shiver frizzled down his spine.

"The Potion of Coronius is the most powerful potion of protection that a wizard can make," Malfoy said slowly, obviously picking out his words with care. Harry's eyes narrowed and he watched Malfoy carefully. "When properly utilized, it can drive away most all dark creatures, and can protect a wizard from all but the most powerful of dark magics."

The class was silent as they digested this information. Snape smiled at the blonde. "Correct Malfoy, five points to Slytherin." Malfoy nodded, but did not smile. "The brewing of the Potion of Coronius is very difficult, taking eight months to brew, with ingredients being added at four different intervals. Can anyone tell me the most important ingredient?" Once again, Hermione raised her hand, slower this time than before. Snape didn't even look at her. His gaze instead focused on Ron. "Weasley."

"Umm..." Ron stuttered and Snape immediately jumped on him. "Five points from Gryffindor for not being prepared," he snapped. "Malfoy."

Harry turned and looked at Malfoy. That look was in his eyes again. He glanced at Harry, a look of indecision flashed across his face, and he spoke. "A white crow feather."

Snape, who had not noticed the brief meeting of eyes between his favored and least favored student, nodded. "The feathers of white crows have natural protection properties, and are quite rare and," he treated the entire class with another chilling glare, "quite expensive. However due to a generous donation, we have enough feathers for each student to make the potion, without the aid of partners," he finished, a cold smirk dancing on his lips as he made that announcement. Near half the class looked ready to pass out -they had to brew this potion alone?- and Neville was two steps from having a stroke. Ron moaned, giving Harry a long-suffering look, which he returned with interest. Hermione just gave them a long look, then sighed, rolling her eyes. "The first stage ingredients are as follows..." and the entire class scrabbled for quill and parchment, with the notably exception of Hermione (who already had hers out) and Malfoy, who unobtrusively reached into his bag and pulled out a single piece of folded parchment and laid it on his desk.

The list of potions was quite long, but all ingredients were common enough that the students either had them or could acquire them from the student's cupboard. What was rather distressful for the students was, after listing of the exact measurements of the ingredients, Professor Snape looked across the class. "The formula must be followed ~exactly~ or not only will the potion not work, but in many cases will become a deadly poison or a highly volatile explosive." Then Snape grinned at them, scaring a good portion of the Gryffindors, as well as a good portion of the Slytherins. "Do be careful, and the first person to explode their cauldron shall loose twenty points from their house." At that Neville sunk almost completely under his desk and the Slytherins tittered. Snape frowned at the class. "Well, start your potions!"

There was a mad rustle as the students reached for their potions ingredients. Malfoy stood up and immediately made for the student cupboard, his own potion ingredients already laid out on the table.

"I can't believe that Snape is making us do this potion," Hermione whispered to Harry and Ron. "This is usually reserved only for seventh year Advance Potion students. And it is dangerous."

"He already said that," Ron muttered absently, checking off his potions list and not asking how Hermione knew what potions were studied in the advanced class. Some things were best left unknown. Hmm... Monkshood root, newt toes, flax seeds, ummm... hummm...

"I mean," Hermione continued, taking out her own ingredients, "the first part of the potion is moderately harmless, it can be used for the basis of many other potions, curatives and transfiguration potions for example, it is at the later stages that mistakes in brewing make the potion so dangerous to prepare..."

"Ummm... hummm..." Ron nodded, not really paying any attention as he continued to check off his list of potion ingredients. Toad tears, an infusion of St. John's Wart, knotweed...

"Malfoy is up to something."

Hermione stopped whispering and Ron stopped gathering his ingredients. Both turned and stared at Harry.

"What?" Ron whispered back, feeling like he had missed something. "What are you talking about?"

"Malfoy knows about this potion," Harry whispered, his eyes flicking over to where Malfoy was measuring out his ingredients. He was ahead of the rest of the class, Harry had noted, because, unlike the rest of them, he had already had all his other ingredients ready when Snape had finished talking. "I think whatever he is planning has something to do with it. Did you see how he looked when Snape called him on it?" Ron and Hermione shook their heads.

"Don't worry Harry," Hermione said finally. Unlike Ron, she hadn't stopped when Harry had started on about Malfoy and was ready to make the trip to the student's cupboard herself. "Whatever he is planning, he can't use the potion at this stage, and for him to use it for any other type of potion, he would have to get into Snape's private stores, and we all know how hard that is."

Harry sighed as Hermione gave him a comforting look. He returned to his list and soon enough he and Ron had started brewing their potions. They carefully paid attention to the formula, being especially careful not to add too much or too little, and being sure to add everything in the correct order. The potion turned an alarming green after the knotweed was added, and then five drops of toad tears while stirring counter-clockwise. The potion was to turn a soft green; then it would be time to add the Devil's Snare sap. Up to this point, everything seemed to be going okay; then Neville mixed up the infusion of St. John's Wart with the Devil's Snare sap and added three drops too little four ingredients too soon. Neville was already concerned with his potion, because he knew that it wasn't supposed to be chartreuse, but he had continued on, hoping for the best. It was still a shade of green, after all.

Unfortunately for him, Neville's potion had been doomed from the start. Once the St. John's Wart was added, his potion began to bubble violently and noisily, drawing the entire classes' attention to him. At his desk, Snape's lips tightened and he began to stand. Then things seemed to happen in rapid motion. With a loud bang that nearly deafened the class, Neville's potion exploded out of the cauldron in a dark yellow mushroom shaped cloud that billowed up to the ceiling and rolled toward the back of the classroom. Neville immediately collapsed in a heap under his table in fear. An alarmed look swept across Snape's face as he hurried to Neville's table, wand drawn. Something had gone horridly wrong. A look of terror was on Goyle's face as the cloud rolled above him, and he stumbled out of his chair in a panic to reach the other side of the class. The chair struck Malfoy, who had also decided that this side of the class was no longer safe to work in, and knocked him backward. This turned out to be a critical delay, as in the time it took Malfoy to regain his balance and knock Goyle's chair out of his way, the cloud collapsed on him completely hiding him from view.

To be continued...