The Nature Of A Man

Disclaimer: The usual. The characters in this story belong to J.K. Rowling and this work represents a poor fumbling attempt at a Harry Potter story. I really wasn't sure where the story was going but it's rated PG-13 just in case. Read and review. You like it or you don't, just drop me a line at jadewing@hotmail.com if you want to rant or praise longer. I thought these two chapters were real stinkers but you can fill me in on that. Wow, I've been updating faster than I thought. This is the second last chapter. One last one to go and then it's the end of the story. All good things must come to an end, I suppose. So, stay tuned for the season finale of Harry and Draco in Hogwarts 90210.

"Draco!" Harry stood up painfully, swaying a little. His head was pounding and he felt weak. He knew he was bleeding somewhere but he didn't care. Draco. If he's dead … If he's dead … No, he can't. He slumped down next to Draco. The Slytherin's face was smudged with soot and his hair was dark with ash.

"Draco," Harry whispered, pain in his heart. Why? I thought you hated me.

The Slytherin's eyes opened and he coughed. Blood trickled out the side of his mouth as he stared up into Harry's face, a small smile on his lips.

"Why did you do it? Why didn't you just let it hit me?"

Draco closed his eyes and opened them again. His smile was gone. "I can't stop myself from caring for you. Even now. When I saw it coming, I reacted without thinking. Because … I still love you."

"Draco, I –"

"Don't. Don't, Harry. Not if you don't mean it." His face was filled with pain.

"You called me Harry …"

"I always will … but …"

"How touching."

Harry jerked around. Ian was watching them with a disdainful look on his face. "That must hurt a lot, Draco. You avoided most of it but I can still finish you off soon. As for you, Potter …" His lips twisted into a smile and he raised his wand.

"Wait!" Ian stopped, looking at Harry quizzically. Harry took a deep breath. "Tell me how you did it at least. How you drained the teachers of their powers." If I can just distract him. He felt Draco's hand moving on his.

Ian nodded. "Very well. You deserve that much at least." His hand reached into his robes and he pulled out something. When he held it up to the feeble light that remained, Harry's heart froze. It was a large eye, preserved and still intact, with large golden slits for irises. "The Dragon's Eye. You've heard of it, yes?" At Harry's sudden look of understanding, he nodded. Unseen, Draco's hand was reaching into his robes. Harry tried his best not to look at the fallen boy. "So you used that to drain the powers of the teachers. But why? Why them?" Harry asked.

Ian smiled. "Well, I was aiming more for Dumbledore but the teachers will do as nicely. If an attack should be launched now, even Dumbledore will fall without the teachers to support him. Only he and that pesky Professor Grey remain. Oh, and Professor Twiddle but I don't think she's worth worrying about." Harry could see what Draco had pulled from his robes now. His wand. He pressed it into Harry's fingers. Harry could act now but he had to know.

"Why wasn't it Voldemort who used the Eye? Why you?" Behind his back, he gestured with the wand, whispering softly.

Ian glared at him. "The Dark Lord cannot enter Hogwarts now. But I can. I came to use the Eye. That was my purpose, my duty, my mission – given to me by the Dark Lord himself!"

And Harry knew then. "The Eye cannot be used over great distance, isn't it? You have to come into personal contact. That's why you couldn't reach Dumbledore. None of the students normally see him. And that's why Professor Twiddle wasn't affected. You don't take Care of Magical Creatures." Ian was getting red in the face. "I'll wager that Grey was smart enough to keep away from you. He knows about the Eye and its powers. Or he suspects anyway."

Ian's scowl turned into a smile. "Very intelligent, Potter." He sighed. "A pity that you aren't with us. I don't suppose I could tempt you?"

Harry shook his head.

"Then, die." His wand whipped up and he shouted something. A green ray shot from his wand towards Harry … and rebounded off the Barrier he had conjured. It shot back towards Ian who waved his wand frantically and the ray disappeared. Harry didn't give him time to prepare his own defenses. "Stupefy!" Harry shouted and a red beam of light darted from his wand. Ian threw himself to one side and the ray blasted into the wall. He glared at Harry and then shouted off another spell. A blob of something hit the floor and crept towards Harry but … "Reducto!" and the blob dissipated into nothingness. They traded spells. It was attack, defend and counter-attack. They were matched evenly at first. Ian was still surprised and shaken by his earlier failure and he was slow in counter-attacking. But, after the fifth or sixth spell had been traded, Ian's skill became evident. He knew more skills and he had more experience. And Voldemort had taught him some spells. Dark spells. When Ian shouted one of the Words of Power, Harry had narrowly avoided it. A blast of flame had caught him in the side and he was faltering now. They stood, several feet distant from one another. Harry was panting. He had been jumping away from the spells for the past few minutes now rather than countering them. His Barrier was damaged and would fall if one more spell hit it. Ian, on the other hand, was standing straight, barely even winded.

"The last blow, Potter. You lose."

"I don't care. At least, I fought you, Ian. I fought you," Harry panted.

"You were a good opponent, Potter. I'll end it quickly." Ian raised his wand and Harry slumped to his knees. It was the end. I can't fight anymore. Not anymore. There was a shout and then an explosion lifted him off his feet and into the air. A sudden blast of heat buffeted him and Harry was falling, falling into the darkness. I'm sorry, Draco … I'm sorry …