... :: Part Three :: ...
An insistent mouth pressed firmly on Harry's lips, forcing him to wake. At first he was disorientated, who would dare to touch him? But that faded to relief and joy as his mind cleared.
"Lucius."
"Yes, my darling kitten, I'm with you." His blond husband smiled seductively at him.
A new voice spoke up, "And if you care to look, you'd see that I'm here too."
"Draco." Harry said, his voice breaking with motion.
"Did ya miss us?" Draco smirked.
Harry glared at him, the inanity of the question amused them all and smiles graced their faces. Lucius gathered his family together and they held on to each other as they rejoiced in being together once more.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
Somewhere in Scotland, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had recalled the Order of the Phoenix. Five years had passed since Harry had defeated Lord Voldemort and had sought the quiet life with the only people he thought of as family.
Albus sighed; he had pushed Harry further into the Dark Arts than Voldemort could have hoped. Harry had returned to Privet Drive for the summer after his fifth year, with feelings of guilt and remorse that people had died because of him... He himself had done nothing to ensure that the nightmares Voldemort instigated did not return to haunt the young hero and as a result, Harry had found ways to escape the wards undetected and study.
Albus was proud of Harry; he had sought a release from the nightmares, and found one. But with the release he had resurrected a desire to learn magic, all types and as a result, Harry was commonly known as the most powerful wizard to have ever graced the world. Upon returning to the Order's Headquarters, his darkness could on occasion be seen, especially when the subject of the dead was brought up.
Harry had formed barriers around him, seeking isolation from everyone and anyone. He was almost a ghost, just floating between one world and the next. No one could get through to him and they were fast giving up hope that Harry would pull out of it and be able to fight when the time came. No one had known then about his night time wanderings in the library. Harry's true power had only begun to shine when Severus had reported that Voldemort was planning on attacking the Hogwarts Express and they had to plan around it, to get the students to the school. Groups of four people, all in the same year, were created and given a task. Through sheer tiredness, Albus had magicked a list that allowed the groups to be chosen according to how well they would work together. Never once did he imagine that Harry's group would be the only one that comprised of a Gryffindor, a Hufflepuff, a Ravenclaw, and a Slytherin.
Harry Potter, Ernie MacMillan, Padma Patil, and Draco Malfoy.
It was about a week into the task that the students had been set that he thought to look at the groups. He was astounded, there was no way in Godric Gryffindor's name that the four could get on well together. But they did, although Ernie, Harry and Draco never once reveal the start of their friendship.
They were the last group to return, and it had been in the middle of the night when they did. Draco had been using two strong sticks to help support him as he walked; Ernie had to stop every hour to regain his strength. And Harry, Harry had been completely exhausted, and his strength was drained as was his magic, but through sheer determination he had continued their journey, cradling Padma's soulless body close to him as he walked and urged his friends on to the Hospital Wing. It had been Severus who had found them, weary as they struggled to finish their journey. All three had been hostile to him when he had offered help and he had acquiesced, going to tell the Headmaster of their return.
Ernie and Draco's wands had been destroyed and Harry was magically all out. Neither of the two were able to cast the simplest of spells with Harry's wand, it simply rejected them.
Albus and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix had found out that they been sent into a Death Eater location. At some point they had fought Death Eaters and Dementors. They could not save Padma's soul; a plan to protect the students had destroyed them. The only good thing to come out of the tasks was the strong friendship between the three, one that no one could break nor enter.
Albus was still haunted by the look of betrayal in Harry's eyes. Although Harry been civil enough towards him to help in the Final Battle, he had lost Harry forever. Ernie had been killed during that battle and Albus had been frightened by the look of anger in Harry's eyes, the beautiful eyes that blazed with a thousand fires.
That was just before Graduation, and after, Harry had returned on the train with Draco where they met with Lucius who had at somehow managed to escape death or Azkaban. Shock and sorrow proceeded the kiss that Harry and Lucius had shared then. Ron, Ginny, Molly, and everyone else that once mattered to Harry had turned on him, for following his heart.
And that brought them to where they were today.
"My old friends, I have bad news. We have reports that strong magical energies have been focused on the Malfoy Manor. While some has been Light, there is no escaping the fact that it is Dark Magic being cast there. The power exceeds that that Voldemort ever showed. It just keeps increasing and there is no telling if it will stop." The aging man sighed and surveyed his allies through his half-moon spectacles.
Severus Snape spoke first, "And is the energy Harry's?"
Ron Weasley spoke before I could, "Well how else? We all know how dark he's become. Always siding with other houses against Gryffindor, marrying a Malfoy, befriending the Ferret! He was even practicing Dark Magic at the HQ!"
"But Ron, Harry's never hurt anyone, not in the six years that he's been disowned," Fred Weasley said, "Why start now?"
"Why come to his defence?" Ron snapped at him.
"Because I still remember the sorrow in his eyes at your Graduation as he gave his Head-Boy speech. His eyes spoke volumes, more than his words about the absence of many of your year." Fred sighed.
"He's still Malfoy scum." Ron snarled.
"Maybe, but what do you plan on doing Albus?" Bill Weasley said.
"We have to go and find out." Albus said.
"And what of Harry?" 'Mad-Eye' Moody growled.
"I believe, Alastor, Harry will not hurt us. I cannot believe that he would become the next Dark Lord as I too remember his silent suffering. However, if he is planning on unleashing his powers against the world, we will have to fight him."
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
Harry sighed in contentment as he woke. // Lucius, Dray... // His family was back with him. His face was set in a delighted, peaceful and contented smile, one that would have had people drooling if they had seen it.
He eased himself of the sofa in the Library, his eyes taking in the two white coffins that floated open in air and then on to the fire, still blazing in the morning, and then to the books that littered the sofa where he had lay. Until his eyes snapped back to the coffins.
// No, please NO //
"NO!"
His mind and voiced screamed as he reached the coffins. They were still dead.
"Why can't you just come back to me!" He screamed.
The room was full of anguished sobs that caused the ground to quake as Harry sank back onto the sofa.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
The Order of the Phoenix arrived at the Malfoy Manor and found it devoid of all wards. They heard the scream and shivered. Whoever was being tortured, was being tortured and it sounded worse than anything Voldemort could have ever manage to create from a inferior being than him.
They felt the ground shake as they sounds grew. The group headed towards the sound, alert.
And in the Library, they found Harry. And the two dead Malfoy's.
Fred rushed towards his old friend and gathered the younger man into his arms. Harry allowed himself to breath in the scent of the remaining Weasley twin. "It's not fair."
Fred cursed himself for ever believing that just because the Malfoy's were associated with Dark Magic, it didn't mean that it was all they were about. Draco was proof of that. He had seen the pranks and laughter that the Hogwarts Oracle had produced and yet he had been blinded by the lies that had separated the four houses and their family's constant feuding.
Fred gently soothed the younger man until his sobs had subsided and they had become an endless track of tears down his face.
"So they bastards got what they deserved finally." Ron remarked.
Fred was about to hex him, as many others were, when Ron flew back into the wall. Gone was the vulnerable young man who was racked with grief, and Harry Malfoy stood, anger coursing through his veins.
Harry hardly heard the screams and shouts to stop. He didn't care, the Weasel had caused him enough pain and he wanted to send it back.
Boldly, Fred walked up to Harry and gently placed his hand on Harry's outstretched one, the one that was holding his brother against the wall and causing worse pain than the Cruciatus Curse. He almost recoiled at the heat that was emitted.
"Harry, I know my brother's a git, but this won't help anyone. Not even you. It may feel good, but eventually, not now, but someday, you'll regret this. We all know he deserves this, but still he is my brother, and I don't want him dead. Enough of my family is."
Fred found himself startled at the intensity of the green eyes that had turned to stare at him. He had seen the same look before, when Harry had destroyed Voldemort. That look of hate and despise that Fred hoped would never be directed at him.
Harry lowered his hand and the red-head slumped to the floor in agony. Harry's eyes were still locked with Fred's as Bill and Charlie helped their brother out of the room. Only Albus, Severus and Fred stayed with Harry.
Gently they steered Harry back onto the sofa and Fred pulled him back into an embrace.
Severus spoke softly, knowing that his usual tone could cause the man to lose control again. "What happened Harry?"
The tone that Harry spoke in was not one they were expecting, as he told of the car accident. It was a low, detached tone. Harry wasn't speaking to them, but as if to someone distance and yet near.
"I didn't even think of getting them to a wizarding hospital. They might have survived..." Harry's voice wavered and crumbled as he collapsed back into his grief.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
*St. Mungo's Hospital*
"Fred, Harry will be safer here. With the amount of magic and energy he out in to try and resurrect Lucius and Draco, he destroyed the wards on the Manor and caused irreparable damage to his body. He has nothing left to live for, and yet his body will not allow the death that he wished for." Albus Dumbledore sighed, as he walked with the young Weasley.
"He's always been special, able to survive. I used to envy him because of that, now, I can see its curse. He wants to die and be with those that he loves, but..."
"I know, he will outlive many people, even those not born yet, but in his heart and mind, he will be dead. He's seen too much death to want to learn to love again, only to lose it."
The End
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~ Ok, I know everyone wanted Lucius and Draco to be alright, but no spell can re-awaken the dead, no matter how powerful or how hard you try ... least in this story!
Let me know what you thought of it ^v^ Laters!
A/N: The Hogwarts Oracle is a newsletter that I've thought of, it was intended to be part of a fic, just something for Harry, Ernie and Draco to do together, but I've grown attached to it and so, I'm gonna create it. Only problem is I'll need help writing all the articles and coming up with new things to write for it, so any one feel like helping me? Even if you just wanna write the odd article every now and then...
Anyway it's just an idea, but I know I'll need help if I wanna write it and get a new 'edition' out every week or every fortnight, so e-mail me or leave a review if you can help, or you just wanna give me some support about it ^__^
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
Indi Potter-Malfoy, Saavik13, KittenBabyGirl, Caster, Badassgothicgirl, potter-man1, HPIceAngel, maraguax, headncloud, Narcissa1, Lexie, Patty
An insistent mouth pressed firmly on Harry's lips, forcing him to wake. At first he was disorientated, who would dare to touch him? But that faded to relief and joy as his mind cleared.
"Lucius."
"Yes, my darling kitten, I'm with you." His blond husband smiled seductively at him.
A new voice spoke up, "And if you care to look, you'd see that I'm here too."
"Draco." Harry said, his voice breaking with motion.
"Did ya miss us?" Draco smirked.
Harry glared at him, the inanity of the question amused them all and smiles graced their faces. Lucius gathered his family together and they held on to each other as they rejoiced in being together once more.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
Somewhere in Scotland, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had recalled the Order of the Phoenix. Five years had passed since Harry had defeated Lord Voldemort and had sought the quiet life with the only people he thought of as family.
Albus sighed; he had pushed Harry further into the Dark Arts than Voldemort could have hoped. Harry had returned to Privet Drive for the summer after his fifth year, with feelings of guilt and remorse that people had died because of him... He himself had done nothing to ensure that the nightmares Voldemort instigated did not return to haunt the young hero and as a result, Harry had found ways to escape the wards undetected and study.
Albus was proud of Harry; he had sought a release from the nightmares, and found one. But with the release he had resurrected a desire to learn magic, all types and as a result, Harry was commonly known as the most powerful wizard to have ever graced the world. Upon returning to the Order's Headquarters, his darkness could on occasion be seen, especially when the subject of the dead was brought up.
Harry had formed barriers around him, seeking isolation from everyone and anyone. He was almost a ghost, just floating between one world and the next. No one could get through to him and they were fast giving up hope that Harry would pull out of it and be able to fight when the time came. No one had known then about his night time wanderings in the library. Harry's true power had only begun to shine when Severus had reported that Voldemort was planning on attacking the Hogwarts Express and they had to plan around it, to get the students to the school. Groups of four people, all in the same year, were created and given a task. Through sheer tiredness, Albus had magicked a list that allowed the groups to be chosen according to how well they would work together. Never once did he imagine that Harry's group would be the only one that comprised of a Gryffindor, a Hufflepuff, a Ravenclaw, and a Slytherin.
Harry Potter, Ernie MacMillan, Padma Patil, and Draco Malfoy.
It was about a week into the task that the students had been set that he thought to look at the groups. He was astounded, there was no way in Godric Gryffindor's name that the four could get on well together. But they did, although Ernie, Harry and Draco never once reveal the start of their friendship.
They were the last group to return, and it had been in the middle of the night when they did. Draco had been using two strong sticks to help support him as he walked; Ernie had to stop every hour to regain his strength. And Harry, Harry had been completely exhausted, and his strength was drained as was his magic, but through sheer determination he had continued their journey, cradling Padma's soulless body close to him as he walked and urged his friends on to the Hospital Wing. It had been Severus who had found them, weary as they struggled to finish their journey. All three had been hostile to him when he had offered help and he had acquiesced, going to tell the Headmaster of their return.
Ernie and Draco's wands had been destroyed and Harry was magically all out. Neither of the two were able to cast the simplest of spells with Harry's wand, it simply rejected them.
Albus and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix had found out that they been sent into a Death Eater location. At some point they had fought Death Eaters and Dementors. They could not save Padma's soul; a plan to protect the students had destroyed them. The only good thing to come out of the tasks was the strong friendship between the three, one that no one could break nor enter.
Albus was still haunted by the look of betrayal in Harry's eyes. Although Harry been civil enough towards him to help in the Final Battle, he had lost Harry forever. Ernie had been killed during that battle and Albus had been frightened by the look of anger in Harry's eyes, the beautiful eyes that blazed with a thousand fires.
That was just before Graduation, and after, Harry had returned on the train with Draco where they met with Lucius who had at somehow managed to escape death or Azkaban. Shock and sorrow proceeded the kiss that Harry and Lucius had shared then. Ron, Ginny, Molly, and everyone else that once mattered to Harry had turned on him, for following his heart.
And that brought them to where they were today.
"My old friends, I have bad news. We have reports that strong magical energies have been focused on the Malfoy Manor. While some has been Light, there is no escaping the fact that it is Dark Magic being cast there. The power exceeds that that Voldemort ever showed. It just keeps increasing and there is no telling if it will stop." The aging man sighed and surveyed his allies through his half-moon spectacles.
Severus Snape spoke first, "And is the energy Harry's?"
Ron Weasley spoke before I could, "Well how else? We all know how dark he's become. Always siding with other houses against Gryffindor, marrying a Malfoy, befriending the Ferret! He was even practicing Dark Magic at the HQ!"
"But Ron, Harry's never hurt anyone, not in the six years that he's been disowned," Fred Weasley said, "Why start now?"
"Why come to his defence?" Ron snapped at him.
"Because I still remember the sorrow in his eyes at your Graduation as he gave his Head-Boy speech. His eyes spoke volumes, more than his words about the absence of many of your year." Fred sighed.
"He's still Malfoy scum." Ron snarled.
"Maybe, but what do you plan on doing Albus?" Bill Weasley said.
"We have to go and find out." Albus said.
"And what of Harry?" 'Mad-Eye' Moody growled.
"I believe, Alastor, Harry will not hurt us. I cannot believe that he would become the next Dark Lord as I too remember his silent suffering. However, if he is planning on unleashing his powers against the world, we will have to fight him."
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
Harry sighed in contentment as he woke. // Lucius, Dray... // His family was back with him. His face was set in a delighted, peaceful and contented smile, one that would have had people drooling if they had seen it.
He eased himself of the sofa in the Library, his eyes taking in the two white coffins that floated open in air and then on to the fire, still blazing in the morning, and then to the books that littered the sofa where he had lay. Until his eyes snapped back to the coffins.
// No, please NO //
"NO!"
His mind and voiced screamed as he reached the coffins. They were still dead.
"Why can't you just come back to me!" He screamed.
The room was full of anguished sobs that caused the ground to quake as Harry sank back onto the sofa.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
The Order of the Phoenix arrived at the Malfoy Manor and found it devoid of all wards. They heard the scream and shivered. Whoever was being tortured, was being tortured and it sounded worse than anything Voldemort could have ever manage to create from a inferior being than him.
They felt the ground shake as they sounds grew. The group headed towards the sound, alert.
And in the Library, they found Harry. And the two dead Malfoy's.
Fred rushed towards his old friend and gathered the younger man into his arms. Harry allowed himself to breath in the scent of the remaining Weasley twin. "It's not fair."
Fred cursed himself for ever believing that just because the Malfoy's were associated with Dark Magic, it didn't mean that it was all they were about. Draco was proof of that. He had seen the pranks and laughter that the Hogwarts Oracle had produced and yet he had been blinded by the lies that had separated the four houses and their family's constant feuding.
Fred gently soothed the younger man until his sobs had subsided and they had become an endless track of tears down his face.
"So they bastards got what they deserved finally." Ron remarked.
Fred was about to hex him, as many others were, when Ron flew back into the wall. Gone was the vulnerable young man who was racked with grief, and Harry Malfoy stood, anger coursing through his veins.
Harry hardly heard the screams and shouts to stop. He didn't care, the Weasel had caused him enough pain and he wanted to send it back.
Boldly, Fred walked up to Harry and gently placed his hand on Harry's outstretched one, the one that was holding his brother against the wall and causing worse pain than the Cruciatus Curse. He almost recoiled at the heat that was emitted.
"Harry, I know my brother's a git, but this won't help anyone. Not even you. It may feel good, but eventually, not now, but someday, you'll regret this. We all know he deserves this, but still he is my brother, and I don't want him dead. Enough of my family is."
Fred found himself startled at the intensity of the green eyes that had turned to stare at him. He had seen the same look before, when Harry had destroyed Voldemort. That look of hate and despise that Fred hoped would never be directed at him.
Harry lowered his hand and the red-head slumped to the floor in agony. Harry's eyes were still locked with Fred's as Bill and Charlie helped their brother out of the room. Only Albus, Severus and Fred stayed with Harry.
Gently they steered Harry back onto the sofa and Fred pulled him back into an embrace.
Severus spoke softly, knowing that his usual tone could cause the man to lose control again. "What happened Harry?"
The tone that Harry spoke in was not one they were expecting, as he told of the car accident. It was a low, detached tone. Harry wasn't speaking to them, but as if to someone distance and yet near.
"I didn't even think of getting them to a wizarding hospital. They might have survived..." Harry's voice wavered and crumbled as he collapsed back into his grief.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
*St. Mungo's Hospital*
"Fred, Harry will be safer here. With the amount of magic and energy he out in to try and resurrect Lucius and Draco, he destroyed the wards on the Manor and caused irreparable damage to his body. He has nothing left to live for, and yet his body will not allow the death that he wished for." Albus Dumbledore sighed, as he walked with the young Weasley.
"He's always been special, able to survive. I used to envy him because of that, now, I can see its curse. He wants to die and be with those that he loves, but..."
"I know, he will outlive many people, even those not born yet, but in his heart and mind, he will be dead. He's seen too much death to want to learn to love again, only to lose it."
The End
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~ Ok, I know everyone wanted Lucius and Draco to be alright, but no spell can re-awaken the dead, no matter how powerful or how hard you try ... least in this story!
Let me know what you thought of it ^v^ Laters!
A/N: The Hogwarts Oracle is a newsletter that I've thought of, it was intended to be part of a fic, just something for Harry, Ernie and Draco to do together, but I've grown attached to it and so, I'm gonna create it. Only problem is I'll need help writing all the articles and coming up with new things to write for it, so any one feel like helping me? Even if you just wanna write the odd article every now and then...
Anyway it's just an idea, but I know I'll need help if I wanna write it and get a new 'edition' out every week or every fortnight, so e-mail me or leave a review if you can help, or you just wanna give me some support about it ^__^
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
Indi Potter-Malfoy, Saavik13, KittenBabyGirl, Caster, Badassgothicgirl, potter-man1, HPIceAngel, maraguax, headncloud, Narcissa1, Lexie, Patty
