Review: James and Lucius are working on a dark-detecting-preventing project
as a punishment. Lucius has a thing for Snape but is promised to Narcissa.
In the present, Draco & Harry become friends, then secretly boyfriends.
Harry has been studying dark arts. He's got a hidden agenda that he
believes will help him save those he loves. James and Lucius drink the
potion and are suddenly (and inexplicably) faced with a punishment from
McGonagall. Harry goes missing, Ron and Draco find out Peter Pettigrew is
at the edge of the grounds. Harry's meeting w/ Death eaters and won't tell
Draco anything about it. Later, Harry & Dray plan to meet for a snog, but
Harry snogs Lucius instead (eww) and then they all realize that the younger
James and Lucius are in 1997! Harry leaves, Draco, Lucius & James meet w/
Dumbledore, McGonagall & Snape. Ron finds that Harry's missing again.
Harry's with the Death Eaters, trying to prove his worth. Snape is called
and asked to stay with Harry while Moldie-wart talks to the DE's.
~&~&~&~&~
Voldemort seemed to have forgotten about Harry and Severus. They had been sitting in silence for hours when Harry finally fell asleep. Severus watched him, taking the opportunity to examine Harry, both in appearance and in aura.
It wasn't difficult to know that the young man had changed. His energy had been changing and when Severus made the conscious decision to reach out, he could sense a darkness that he knew Harry hadn't had before. 'Just what has this fool boy gotten himself into?' He'd been hoping somehow to find that Harry was attempting to play spy. It would have been foolish to do so, but at least there would have been some comfort in it. From what Severus could see and feel, however, Harry had indeed gone dark.
As he, too, fell asleep, Severus was worrying about this, much more than he cared to admit.
~*~*~
At the headmaster's request, Ron raced toward the Head Girl's room to catch Hermione before she could go to the great hall. Ever the inquisitor, Hermione was quite reluctant to follow blindly and was therefore asking a dozen questions.
"Why can't this wait until after breakfast? Is something wrong? Is someone hurt? It's not my parents, is it? Well then, Harry? Did Voldemort do something - Ron do stop your gasping - did he do something to Harry?"
"'Mione!" he shouted. She jumped slightly, a rare showing of the nervousness that plagued her since her capture. Rod immediately felt sorry for causing such a reaction. "Sorry, love. Listen, I can't tell you just yet. Dumbledore just wants us to meet him in his office. It's important."
The two of them spent the rest of the walk in silence. As they reached the gargoyle and Ron said the password (ice mice) Hermione finally narrowed down her worries. "It must be Harry. Something's happened to Harry. That explains why he's not here with us, why I haven't seen him all morning. Ooo, I just know Malfoy is behind it. Oh, why didn't Harry listen to me? He knows what kind of people the Malfoy's are. . .'
Before she could continue that train of thought, they were entering the Headmaster's office. As soon as she entered the familiar round room, Hermione's eyes were drawn to the thin figure staring out the window. As she took in the build of the boy, the messy dark hair and that familiar profile, Hermione nearly cried in relief.
"Oh, Harry!" she ran to him, throwing her arms around the surprised young man. I was so worried something had happened; that Malfoy had. . ."
"Miss Granger," Dumbledore said firmly, affectively drawing her attention. "Please have a seat. I've got a great deal to explain to you."
Hermione's relief turned to interest at Dumbledore's words, then to anger at the sight of Draco Malfoy. Before she could react to this, Ron subtly motioned toward the young Lucius Malfoy, indicating the empty seat next to him. Her confusion mounting at the sight of the two Malfoys, Hermione sat (reluctantly) and looked at Dumbledore expectantly. She sat in complete silence as the Headmaster explained what had been happening. She looked up at James Potter in awe when she realized it was indeed James, not Harry. She looked to Ron for comfort and reassurance at the news that Harry had apparently been taken from the dorm the night before.
"We had hoped that both Harry and Professor Snape would be back by now. I'm very concerned that they may be together," the Headmaster finished.
James looked up, concern evident on his face. "Sir, you said that Snape was called by Voldemort. Do you think Harry would have gone willingly? Or, if they captured him against his will, do you think he's still okay?" His train of thought was getting him highly upset at the possibility that something could be wrong with his son. 'Funny, thinking of my teenage son when I'm still in school myself.'
"I believe Harry is fine, though I wouldn't want to speculate as to his willingness to go with them," Dumbledore said. "In the mean time, I believe it would be beneficial for James and Lucius to spend some time with Ron, Hermione and Draco." He directed his gaze to the time travelers. "These three know Harry better than anyone else here. I believe they would be the best chance of finding what has driven Harry to this path, thereby allowing the two of you to find your opening to repair the damage."
"Excuse me, sir," Lucius said. "If our purpose is to prevent the imbalance, but Harry's already gone to the dark side, then haven't we arrived a bit too late?"
"Perhaps. That's something you'll need to determine after speaking with his friends, here. Minerva, would you please take them to the lounge on the fourth floor? I believe that would be a good place for them to discuss things, and it will keep Misters Potter and Malfoy from being seen by too many people in the school."
Professor McGonagall nodded and led the five teenagers from the room.
~*~*~*~
After a little sleep and a brief meeting with Pettigrew and Malfoy, Snape and Harry were released and told that there would be another meeting in exactly one week. Harry was to be prepared to take the Dark Mark at that time and they would be heading out on a mission immediately afterwards.
As they walked to a safe Apparition point, Severus looked at the boy, hoping that he could get some straight answers out of him this time. There had to be a logical explanation for these drastic changes. "Harry?" He purposefully used the gentle, friendly tone of voice that had been normal between them when not surrounded by students. This tone had developed naturally after Severus developed a great deal of respect and attachment for the boy. Despite their age differences and student/teacher status, Severus had begun to think of Harry as a friend, one of very few real friends he'd had throughout his lifetime. Thinking of this in light of the current situation made the Potions Master very sad; more than he would ever admit. He didn't want to think of anything bad happening to the young Gryffindor, but he couldn't bear the idea that Harry would willingly betray Dumbledore, and the order and his friends, and even his Potions professor. It went too far against the virtue that seemed to be an ingrained part of Harry's physical make-up.
The young man hadn't answered, so Severus tried again. "Harry, please. . ."
"Yes, Severus?"
"Tell me what's going on here."
"Why, so you can stop me?"
"No, just so I know. I'm your friend. I want to know what's on your mind."
"Protecting the people I love." The response was so quiet that Severus almost didn't hear it.
"You're doing this to. . . protect people?"
"Yes. I'm doing this to protect the people I love." Harry seemed to be stressing the group of people he planned to protect. It didn't seem to be a generic protection he was seeking here. Snape thought on this a moment and a sliver of understanding began to dig its way into his mind. He seemed to have a clear idea of what - exactly - Harry was planning to do, but it was just too much to be believed.
"What about the other people? Those you don't know?"
Harry stopped walking and grabbed Snape by the wrist, turning him so they were looking eye to eye. As Harry's emerald eyes flashed, Snape saw that any connection he may have made was broken now. Harry was pissed!
"Why are you asking me so many questions, Sev?" he stressed the nickname through his anger. "Since when have you been my friend, or wanted to know what's on my mind? You'd be scared shitless if you were in my mind for ten minutes. I don't intend to *share* any more of my *feelings* with you, so stop thinking about it - NOW! I know what you're up to, Snape. I know you want to pick my brain so you can run to Dumbledore and tell him all about The-Boy-Who-Lived turning to the Dark Arts. He thinks he can stop me. He thinks he can control me. Well, I hope it won't take long for you and him both to figure out that I won't be controlled anymore. I'm through being Dumbledore's puppet. I'm through seeing all the people I care about fighting for this *cause* and getting hurt or killed because of it. Anything I do from now on, I'll do MY way, got it?"
Severus regarded the young man through a mask of indifference. He pulled on the cold despair that had settled into his soul years ago to allow him to project complete apathy. "I most certainly have," he replied in his coldest, intimidating voice. He quickly turned and began the journey again, in silence. Little did he know that Harry could hear his thoughts, could feel the emotions swirling inside him like a tornado. Harry thought about this for a moment, wondering at the strength and sincerity of concern he felt from the professor. Shaking his head, he decided it didn't matter. Snape was just another person he'd grown to care for, which meant he was just one more person to protect.
~*~*~*~*~*~
James, Lucius, Ron, Hermione and Draco gathered in the unused lounge on the fourth floor of the castle. It had been made clear to them that they were not to leave the room, meals would be sent to them, their absence would be explained to the other student should the need arise, and they were to work together diligently. Dumbledore left a note for the restricted section of the library (just in case) with instructions that a house elf get any necessary books for them.
Hermione, for her part, was extremely reserved toward both the Malfoys, and chose to sit on the opposite side of the room from them. Ron sat with her, one hand resting gently on her back in a comforting gesture. James decided to join them, his primary thoughts being that he could find out more about his son from his close friends. He had temporarily forgotten that he was supposed to be working on solving the imbalance problem.
"How long have you two been friends with Harry?"
"Well, we all met on the train, but I think Harry and I hit it off better at first. It was after we all fought the troll together that Hermione joined the team," Ron replied with a nostalgic smile.
"You fought a troll? When?"
"First year."
"You mean to tell me that three eleven year old children fought a troll - alone!"
"Yes. That was just part of it. We've found ourselves in quite a lot of scrapes, but we've always pulled out of them together."
"So far," Hermione's comment was so quiet that it almost went unnoticed. James glanced at her and looked back at Ron, questioning with his eyes.
"There've been some, well, some pretty close calls," Ron explained. "And we've been the lucky ones." The sadness and loss was evident both in his voice and in his eyes. "Some of our friends haven't made it through the last couple years."
"Because of Voldemort?" James asked.
"Yes, Voldemort and his," Ron glanced at Lucius for the briefest of moments, "Death Eaters."
James caught the look and turned to follow Ron's gaze. The atmosphere around the Malfoys seemed to be charged with tension. It was obviously not a comfortable situation and James couldn't help but hope that things would go smoother for him and Harry if the opportunity ever arose. Ron's words rang in his head, but Lucius' expression seemed to take precedence. In the past weeks, as they worked together, he'd come to realize that Lucius could possibly, eventually, be a friend. More than that, he'd come to strong suspect that Lucius desperately, unknowingly NEEDED a friend. At this moment, though, he decided to try asking the other Malfoy for information.
"Draco?" James walked across the lounge, hoping that Draco wouldn't be any more difficult to deal with than his father was.
"Yes?" The look in the silver-blue eyes was unmistakable relief. He seemed anxious for something to pull him away from his father, making James wonder what they had been talking about.
"Could I. . ." he motioned towards a door that led into a small office at one end of the lounge. "Could we speak, privately, for just a moment?"
"Certainly," Draco said, maintaining the upperclass personality with which he had been raised. He stood and led the way through the door, James following and placing a mild silencing charm on the room. Once James turned around he realized that Draco was not quite as 'in control' as he wanted to appear.
Draco watched every movement, every gesture, every facial expression, still awed by the extreme similarity between father and son. James reminded him so much of Harry that the Slytherin wanted to cry. He couldn't talk to anyone about his concerns, no one knew of the relationship between the seekers and therefore they couldn't understand *why* Draco would be *quite* so upset at Harry's disappearance. Lost in these thoughts, Draco didn't notice the sad smile that had crept onto his face. Nor did he realize how much he was being scrutinized by the other young man in the room.
James walked toward the blond, observing, thinking, wondering. He'd seen the familiarity between Harry and Draco just before Harry stormed from the classroom. He'd seen the comfortable and casual way that Harry approached Lucius, obviously mistaking him for Draco. He'd noticed the concern and tension surrounding Draco since Harry's disappearance. He'd paid close attention to not only Draco's description of Harry, but also to the light in his eyes during that description. It wasn't difficult to surmise that there was a relationship between the two. It was equally simple to see that no one else seemed to know about it. Something told James, based on all the information he'd gathered since arriving here, that Draco Malfoy could tell them all more about Harry than they'd ever imagined. At least, more about the person Harry had recently come to be.
Standing there in silence for a few moments, Draco paid no attention to James until the other man spoke. "Draco?"
"Yes?"
"Why don't you have a seat? I think we should talk."
"Certainly," Draco sat without hesitation. James was so much like Harry that Draco couldn't help but feel comfortable with him. He had yet to figure out his father, though. This Lucius, well, he seemed quite different. Turning his attention to James, Draco asked the inevitable. "What do you want to talk about?"
The conversation flowed easily, fluently, both young men expressing their thoughts and feelings and fears with complete honesty. They discussed Harry and Draco's relationship (Draco was a bit embarrassed at first, but James convinced him that he wanted his son to know love, no matter where he found it), the recent changes in Harry's magic and the probability of Harry having gone to Voldemort last night. They skirted around the issue of Harry's childhood and the deaths of James and Lily, though James did ask for verification that Lily was indeed Harry's mother.
"When Harry comes back, I think it would be best if we used some other explanation for why you are here. He's not going to want to cooperate if he thinks any of us are going to stop him from what he feels he needs to do. If Harry's becoming a dark power, well, angering him will only make it worse."
"Do you know what would have caused Harry to become dark?"
"I have a pretty good idea. Perhaps we should talk about it with the others. After all, we're supposed to work on it together, right?"
"Yes, of course," James stood, removed the silencing charm and went back to the lounge. Draco slowly followed, not looking forward to this discussion. Upon entering the lounge, he found his nerves settled slightly by the sight Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster. At least he wouldn't be asked to convince a roomful of teenagers on his own. James cleared his throat and waited patiently until he had everyone's attention. "I've been talking to Draco and it seems that he's got some ideas as to why Harry's turning to the Dark Arts. I think we should listen to what he's got to say. He seems to know Harry pretty well."
"Bollocks!" The outburst from Hermione was quite unexpected by the professors, but Ron knew and understood why she would have a hard time believing this. "Malfoy doesn't know the first thing about Harry. We've been his friends for nearly seven years while Malfoy's done nothing but make his life a living hell!"
"I'm sorry, Hermione," James interrupted. He took a deep breath, knowing that she was not going to like what he had to say. "I have to disagree with you. You may have known Harry for six years, but can you honestly tell me that you've felt as close to him this year? That you and Ron have spent as much time around him this term as you have in the past? That you know what's been running through his head to cause these imbalances?" He saw that Draco, Ron, McGonagall and Dumbledore were all nodding in agreement, as though they were silently agreeing with his observations.
"Okay," Hermione said reluctantly. "I'll admit that Harry's been a bit, closed off this term, but that still doesn't mean Malfoy has anything to do with this. For that matter, I don't see why either of them are here. I'm sure Lucius," her voice dripped with distaste as she said his name, "has already been attending the Junior Dea. . ."
"Miss Granger!" Dumbledore interrupted quickly and sharply. "You will control your temper and watch what you say, or I'll be forced to obliviate your memory of this situation and send you back to your room."
"Yes sir." Hermione answered meekly and seemed to sink into the sofa she was sitting on. Only those who'd known her well could tell that this meek acquiescence was not her normal personality. It was yet another affect of the capture that had disturbed her so much.
At the subtle nods from James and Headmaster Dumbledore, Draco began speaking. "I know that none of you realize how close Harry and I have become this term, but I can promise you that we're quite good friends now. He's asked me for help in a couple of classes and we've spent a lot of time studying together and talking with each other. Harry's been learning a lot of new magic and he has mentioned a number of times that his interest is due to a desire to protect those he loves. He feels responsible for all the people who have died or been hurt, injured, tortured. He's lost so many people, family, friends, schoolmates, dorm mates, and he just wants to find some way to keep anyone else from getting hurt. He seems to think that if he finds a way to get close to You-Kn-, Voldemort, that he'll be able to protect the rest of us."
Draco paused to glance at everyone in the room. Ron and Hermione seemed to be thinking through what he'd said. 'I'm glad Granger can actually hear me out, I just hope she believes me and doesn't cause trouble.' Dumbledore was nodding his head as if he'd suspected as much all along. McGonagall had a slightly distant look on her face, as though she were trying to sort out what would come from this. Lucius, in the brief glance Draco spared in his direction, looked intrigued and sympathetic (much to Draco's surprise). It was James, however, who seemed to have the most emotional response to this information. Draco suspected that was to be expected. He looked nearly distraught, and was obviously wondering about these other losses his son had suffered. He appeared to be internally blaming himself for not being around longer, which made Draco realize where Harry got that habit from.
"I explained to James, er, Mr. Potter," Draco looked at him questioningly, realizing that it seemed odd to refer to the man as James, as if they were equals.
"It's quite all right, Draco. You can call me James, I prefer it. I may have a seventeen year old son here, but I'm still seventeen myself, you know." He spoke with a smile, though the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. He kept reminding himself that his son was lucky to have someone to love him this much, even though he didn't have his father around.
"All right, I explained to James that whenever Harry does come back, I don't think we should tell him the real reason that these two are here. If he thinks we're going to stop him from his plans to protect his loved ones, he'll only get angry."
Snape entered the room just as McGonagall spoke. "If we plan to make this work, I believe it will be pertinent for Mr. Potter to know the details. If he gets angry about it, he'll just have to get over it quickly. We hardly have the time for childish temper tantrums."
"If I may, Minerva," Snape drew the attention of everyone in the room, but was still caught up in the events of the previous evening and didn't realize the surprised looks he was getting from the others, especially from James Potter. He was only interested in getting the attention of Minerva and Albus. "In all honesty, and with the expectation of complete confidence, I must say that an angry Harry Potter could be more of a problem than we'd ever imagined."
"Why do you say that, Severus?" Albus looked concerned, and it was one of the few times that he didn't have an amused twinkle in his pale blue eyes.
"Because I have been with him since I left your office yesterday. I have seen the results of the difference in his aura. I have seen his new abilities - or at least some of them."
James stood up, wondering why he found himself intimidated by Severus Snape in this time. He hoped Snape wouldn't be holding a grudge against him for their conflicts during their school days. "What new abilities does he have? Where have you been with him?"
Snape turned slowly, glancing at everyone else in the room, his eyes lingering slightly on Lucius, then turning to James with a completely indifferent look. "We were both at a meeting for Voldemort's followers. It appeared that he was trying to convince the Dark Lord that he would be a valuable addition to the Death Eaters. As to his new abilities," he turned back to Albus, "it's truly quite extraordinary. I don't think he even realizes how special this power is."
"No kidding," Draco muttered almost inaudibly.
"He was. . . oh, for Merlin's sake, Albus," Snape was quite flustered, especially for Snape. "The boy was doing wandless magic. Very powerful wandless magic, and highly advanced . . ." he trailed off, not willing to tell the entire room that Harry Potter had used two of the Unforgivable curses.
The room was so quiet, the silence was almost tangible. Six pairs of eyes were trained on Severus, unblinking, widened in awe. Any unseen observer would have noticed that Hermione and Ron were looking a bit frightened, no doubt wondering how their friend had become so powerful and why he would want to join Voldemort. Draco was simply amazed that Harry had faced the Dark Lord and, presumably, come back to school in one piece. Dumbledore and McGonagall were slightly less amazed, but acutely aware that there was something Severus wasn't telling them. James, who had quickly reclaimed his seat, seemed to be highly concerned about his son's apparent Dark tendencies and was beginning to wonder if anything could be done to help him. Lucius was torn between amazement at the power of this child and being distracted by Snape's presence.
After a few moments, Dumbledore stood up. "I believe, Severus, that it would be wise of us to find young Mr. Potter. He has yet to hear the details of Misters Potter and Malfoy's visit. I think it would be best for him to hear this soon, but without a barrage of people. I would suggest that the rest of you discuss any possibilities that come to mind as solutions to our problems."
He turned toward the door, but was stopped quickly by Draco. "Excuse me, sir. I think it might be easier for Harry to hear some of this from someone closer to him. Especially if the Professor was with him at the Dark Lord's meeting. . ." he glanced at Snape, hoping that he would understand, that *someone* would understand. He knew this needed to come from him, knew that Harry would listen to him better than Snape. He looked from Snape to Dumbledore and finally to James.
"You know, sir," James said. "I think he might be right. I haven't had the opportunity to speak with Harry much, but when I saw him with Draco they did seem close. I think it's a good idea."
"Very well," Dumbledore said. "Severus, I trust you'll be all right with staying here to assist with the plans?"
Snape nodded, Dumbledore and Draco left the room and everyone sat in total silence until McGonagall finally decided to bring them out of their stupor and start working on the issues at hand.
~*~*~
Draco was so lost in thought that he didn't realize whether it was him or the Headmaster leading the way. Either way, he was a bit surprised to find that they had ended up in a quiet corridor on the seventh floor. They stopped in front of a door and Draco watched as the older wizard held one hand up to the door and looked at it closely, as if he were looking through a window. After a moment, he nodded slightly and opened the door.
As the two of them stepped inside the door, they were faced with a nearly empty room. There was a pile of blankets in one corner, a simple chair on the other side, and the floor was scattered with what appeared to be dead bugs and rodents. It took Draco a few moments and some close looks to verify that these were indeed dead bugs and rodents. It took him even longer to realize that the lump of blankets in the corner contained his boyfriend.
Dumbledore stepped back out to the corridor. "Perhaps you should speak with him first. I'll wait here. Let me know if you would like me to join you."
"Thank you sir." Draco walked in and heard the door close quietly behind him. He went directly to the corner and knelt on the edge of the blankets. Harry was asleep, his wild, dark hair even more unruly than normal. Draco watched him for a few moments, wondering what the Gryffindor had been through in the past sixteen hours or so. He raised one hand and allowed his fingers to trail lightly over his boyfriend's face. He smiled when Harry hummed quietly in his sleep and subconsciously moved closer to the touch. Brushing the hair back a bit (in a pointless attempt to tame it), Draco leaned forward and brushed his lips across Harry's cheek. It was just enough to make Harry turn toward the kiss in his slumber and allow Draco access to claim the lips he'd been missing. It took mere seconds for the contact and subsequent electricity that coursed through both young men to wake Harry. As soon as he felt Harry respond to the kiss, Draco flicked his tongue gently across the lips of his boyfriend, seeking entrance and permission to explore.
Harry granted entrance eagerly, his hands snaking up to grasp the blond by the back of his neck and pull him closer. He seemed almost desperate for more contact, for deeper passion, for MORE. Draco found himself a little surprise and aroused by the urgency of this kiss. Before he could think about it, Harry had pulled him down and wrapped one leg around Draco's thighs, pulling them closer together. They were aligned together, arms wrapped around each other, hearts pounding in unison. Some part of Draco's mind told him that this was unusual when compared to their other 'make-out sessions'. Another part of his mind reminded him that he and Harry hadn't spoken since running into their fathers and he needed to explain the situation to Harry. Grasping that reminder, Draco forced himself to break off the kiss, showering Harry's face with tiny, gentle kisses before pulling back just a bit and looking deep into the green eyes he loved so much.
"How did you find me?"
"I had some help. What is this place, anyway?"
"It's called the Room of Requirement. It becomes whatever you need when you're looking for something."
Draco thought about this for a moment. He glanced around the room again, and finally asked the question that was burning on his mind. "What did you need when you got here?"
"A place to be alone and a place to. . . a place to do some work."
Draco looked at Harry carefully. He could tell the Gryffindor was hiding something from him, but knew that it would do no good to push the issue just yet. He decided to start with his explanations and hope that Harry would offer explanations of his own at some point.
"Harry, yesterday when we met for detention. . ."
"I'm so sorry, Dray. I don't know who that was, but I swear, I just saw the blond hair and I thought it was you. I never would have kissed someone else on purpose, I swear."
"I know. It's okay Harry, I know. I mean, I was a little upset at first, but once I found out what was going on, I knew that you didn't realize who he was. It was very - confusing. It's still a little confusing and it's hard to talk to them because you have to be careful what you say and what you don't say. We can't let them know too much, but we've got to figure out how to get them home, so we have to talk to them some."
"Who are they?"
"James Potter and Lucius Malfoy."
"No, I mean who are they really. You know it's not possible that my father could be here. He's been dead for sixteen years. He can't be here."
"It's true Harry. I know it's sounds unreal, but it's true. Both our fathers have come twenty-one years into their future. It was some potions project that appeared to have gone wrong," he laughed a bit, trying to keep everything as casual as possible. They had to let Harry believe it was pure dumb luck, but also convince Harry that the help would be useful in fighting Voldemort. "Can you imagine Snape if we did something like that?"
"Uugggghhh," Harry groaned. "Gryffindor would have less than zero house points if I were to screw something up like that. Are you sure, Dray? Is it REALLY them?"
"I'm sure Harry. And they're still here. You can talk to him if you want. You can sit down and talk to your father!"
Harry sat in total silence, contemplating the possibilities. His father. His father was here. Really here. He could talk to him, have dinner with him, ask questions about mum. He could fly with him! It was almost enough to make up for the losses he'd had to deal with. It was undoubtedly the best opportunity he would ever have to spend time with real family. His eyes brightened slightly as he smiled at Draco. "Where is he?"
Draco returned the smile, glad that Harry had accepted this and seemed happy about it. "I'll show you in a minute, but I have something else to tell you first." He quickly reviewed the explanation Dumbledore and McGonagall had agreed on, knowing that Harry's cooperation was vital in order for this to work. "You see, after you left last night, Dumbledore and McGonagall found us. I swear, it never ceases to amaze me how the old man knows so much about what's going on around here. Anyway, so he talked to our fathers and found out how they got here, and then he explained to them some of the stuff that's going on here. Nothing much, just the basics of Voldemort, how we've got to get rid of him. Dumbledore seems to think that if you and I work together with our fathers it will provide enough power to kill Voldemort."
"Okay, whatever. I just want to see him. Dray where is he?"
"Come with me. Dumbledore's waiting for us outside."
The two of them stood up and started across the room, but Draco paused at the dead body of a particularly large rat. "Where did all these come from, Harry? Why would the room think you required a bunch of dead animals?"
"They weren't dead when I got here. I required a way to practice the killing curse. I have to make sure I can perform it without any problems."
"Oh Harry, what have you gotten yourself into?"
"I can't tell you, Dray. It wouldn't be safe. Can we please just go. I want to see my father. I. . . I have to apologize to him, I have to talk to him."
"Okay, okay Harry, we'll go." Draco put a comforting arm around Harry's shoulders and the two of them went out to the corridor to meet Dumbledore and head back to the lounge.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Okay, now I was shocked to see the getting so long and it could have gone on, but I didn't want you all to wait forever. Next chapter, Harry finally gets to talk to James!
Delie: I told you, didn't I? No, I'm not JK, and I don't blame you - I'm really upset about that death, too. Thanks for your praise, I hope you liked this chapter. You're really addicted? I hope you haven't been having withdrawal symptoms.
Menecarkawan: yes, you're probably right.
Rarity88: are you a new reader? Welcome and thank you!
Amythest: thanks!
Aranami: Oh nothing major, but I hope you've had a chance to read it by now.
HP IceAngel: thank you soooooo much, you really mean that??????? *blushing*
Grey Malwell: Thanks, I wrote that chapter about two months before OotP came out.
Stupid Kid: awwww, thank you!
Malfoy Snogger: oh yea, I think much will happen with the fathers. Keep reading, I'm beginning to realize that there are many chapters to go. I can't answer most of those questions (of course) but the answers will come. I'm glad to see that you came back to it. Did you have a good trip?
Jade Maxwell: all I can say is "you'll see". There's more wandless stuff to come. Glad you're enjoying it. Oh, that song-fic deserved a recommendation. I'm sorry you didn't like chap 21, but I hope 22 and this one made up for it. There's a lot of stuff happening right now and I'm trying to keep some "explanation" in the midst of all the action and dialogue.
Webweaver: don't worry, you aren't the only one who doesn't understand what Harry thinks he is doing. Just remember, he's not crazy, he's just a little unwell. It'll all make sense eventually.
Azhure: You've GOT to be kidding me!!!!!!! That was the absolute best compliment anyone could ever give me throughout my entire life! I swear I was bouncing for days after I got that review!!!!! As for your question, you hit it right on the nose!
Lanevaly: Thank you for reviewing all those chapters. I hope you continue to enjoy it!
Peach Dancer82: thank you!
A/N: As you can see, the Room of Requirement is from book five, but I've been careful not to include anything else that would be a major spoiler. I'm considering making one small change to reflect the death of book five, but I haven't decided yet. If you all, as readers, have any opinions on that, please feel free to let me know in your reviews. I know you're going to review. You know you want to. Click the little button.
~&~&~&~&~
Voldemort seemed to have forgotten about Harry and Severus. They had been sitting in silence for hours when Harry finally fell asleep. Severus watched him, taking the opportunity to examine Harry, both in appearance and in aura.
It wasn't difficult to know that the young man had changed. His energy had been changing and when Severus made the conscious decision to reach out, he could sense a darkness that he knew Harry hadn't had before. 'Just what has this fool boy gotten himself into?' He'd been hoping somehow to find that Harry was attempting to play spy. It would have been foolish to do so, but at least there would have been some comfort in it. From what Severus could see and feel, however, Harry had indeed gone dark.
As he, too, fell asleep, Severus was worrying about this, much more than he cared to admit.
~*~*~
At the headmaster's request, Ron raced toward the Head Girl's room to catch Hermione before she could go to the great hall. Ever the inquisitor, Hermione was quite reluctant to follow blindly and was therefore asking a dozen questions.
"Why can't this wait until after breakfast? Is something wrong? Is someone hurt? It's not my parents, is it? Well then, Harry? Did Voldemort do something - Ron do stop your gasping - did he do something to Harry?"
"'Mione!" he shouted. She jumped slightly, a rare showing of the nervousness that plagued her since her capture. Rod immediately felt sorry for causing such a reaction. "Sorry, love. Listen, I can't tell you just yet. Dumbledore just wants us to meet him in his office. It's important."
The two of them spent the rest of the walk in silence. As they reached the gargoyle and Ron said the password (ice mice) Hermione finally narrowed down her worries. "It must be Harry. Something's happened to Harry. That explains why he's not here with us, why I haven't seen him all morning. Ooo, I just know Malfoy is behind it. Oh, why didn't Harry listen to me? He knows what kind of people the Malfoy's are. . .'
Before she could continue that train of thought, they were entering the Headmaster's office. As soon as she entered the familiar round room, Hermione's eyes were drawn to the thin figure staring out the window. As she took in the build of the boy, the messy dark hair and that familiar profile, Hermione nearly cried in relief.
"Oh, Harry!" she ran to him, throwing her arms around the surprised young man. I was so worried something had happened; that Malfoy had. . ."
"Miss Granger," Dumbledore said firmly, affectively drawing her attention. "Please have a seat. I've got a great deal to explain to you."
Hermione's relief turned to interest at Dumbledore's words, then to anger at the sight of Draco Malfoy. Before she could react to this, Ron subtly motioned toward the young Lucius Malfoy, indicating the empty seat next to him. Her confusion mounting at the sight of the two Malfoys, Hermione sat (reluctantly) and looked at Dumbledore expectantly. She sat in complete silence as the Headmaster explained what had been happening. She looked up at James Potter in awe when she realized it was indeed James, not Harry. She looked to Ron for comfort and reassurance at the news that Harry had apparently been taken from the dorm the night before.
"We had hoped that both Harry and Professor Snape would be back by now. I'm very concerned that they may be together," the Headmaster finished.
James looked up, concern evident on his face. "Sir, you said that Snape was called by Voldemort. Do you think Harry would have gone willingly? Or, if they captured him against his will, do you think he's still okay?" His train of thought was getting him highly upset at the possibility that something could be wrong with his son. 'Funny, thinking of my teenage son when I'm still in school myself.'
"I believe Harry is fine, though I wouldn't want to speculate as to his willingness to go with them," Dumbledore said. "In the mean time, I believe it would be beneficial for James and Lucius to spend some time with Ron, Hermione and Draco." He directed his gaze to the time travelers. "These three know Harry better than anyone else here. I believe they would be the best chance of finding what has driven Harry to this path, thereby allowing the two of you to find your opening to repair the damage."
"Excuse me, sir," Lucius said. "If our purpose is to prevent the imbalance, but Harry's already gone to the dark side, then haven't we arrived a bit too late?"
"Perhaps. That's something you'll need to determine after speaking with his friends, here. Minerva, would you please take them to the lounge on the fourth floor? I believe that would be a good place for them to discuss things, and it will keep Misters Potter and Malfoy from being seen by too many people in the school."
Professor McGonagall nodded and led the five teenagers from the room.
~*~*~*~
After a little sleep and a brief meeting with Pettigrew and Malfoy, Snape and Harry were released and told that there would be another meeting in exactly one week. Harry was to be prepared to take the Dark Mark at that time and they would be heading out on a mission immediately afterwards.
As they walked to a safe Apparition point, Severus looked at the boy, hoping that he could get some straight answers out of him this time. There had to be a logical explanation for these drastic changes. "Harry?" He purposefully used the gentle, friendly tone of voice that had been normal between them when not surrounded by students. This tone had developed naturally after Severus developed a great deal of respect and attachment for the boy. Despite their age differences and student/teacher status, Severus had begun to think of Harry as a friend, one of very few real friends he'd had throughout his lifetime. Thinking of this in light of the current situation made the Potions Master very sad; more than he would ever admit. He didn't want to think of anything bad happening to the young Gryffindor, but he couldn't bear the idea that Harry would willingly betray Dumbledore, and the order and his friends, and even his Potions professor. It went too far against the virtue that seemed to be an ingrained part of Harry's physical make-up.
The young man hadn't answered, so Severus tried again. "Harry, please. . ."
"Yes, Severus?"
"Tell me what's going on here."
"Why, so you can stop me?"
"No, just so I know. I'm your friend. I want to know what's on your mind."
"Protecting the people I love." The response was so quiet that Severus almost didn't hear it.
"You're doing this to. . . protect people?"
"Yes. I'm doing this to protect the people I love." Harry seemed to be stressing the group of people he planned to protect. It didn't seem to be a generic protection he was seeking here. Snape thought on this a moment and a sliver of understanding began to dig its way into his mind. He seemed to have a clear idea of what - exactly - Harry was planning to do, but it was just too much to be believed.
"What about the other people? Those you don't know?"
Harry stopped walking and grabbed Snape by the wrist, turning him so they were looking eye to eye. As Harry's emerald eyes flashed, Snape saw that any connection he may have made was broken now. Harry was pissed!
"Why are you asking me so many questions, Sev?" he stressed the nickname through his anger. "Since when have you been my friend, or wanted to know what's on my mind? You'd be scared shitless if you were in my mind for ten minutes. I don't intend to *share* any more of my *feelings* with you, so stop thinking about it - NOW! I know what you're up to, Snape. I know you want to pick my brain so you can run to Dumbledore and tell him all about The-Boy-Who-Lived turning to the Dark Arts. He thinks he can stop me. He thinks he can control me. Well, I hope it won't take long for you and him both to figure out that I won't be controlled anymore. I'm through being Dumbledore's puppet. I'm through seeing all the people I care about fighting for this *cause* and getting hurt or killed because of it. Anything I do from now on, I'll do MY way, got it?"
Severus regarded the young man through a mask of indifference. He pulled on the cold despair that had settled into his soul years ago to allow him to project complete apathy. "I most certainly have," he replied in his coldest, intimidating voice. He quickly turned and began the journey again, in silence. Little did he know that Harry could hear his thoughts, could feel the emotions swirling inside him like a tornado. Harry thought about this for a moment, wondering at the strength and sincerity of concern he felt from the professor. Shaking his head, he decided it didn't matter. Snape was just another person he'd grown to care for, which meant he was just one more person to protect.
~*~*~*~*~*~
James, Lucius, Ron, Hermione and Draco gathered in the unused lounge on the fourth floor of the castle. It had been made clear to them that they were not to leave the room, meals would be sent to them, their absence would be explained to the other student should the need arise, and they were to work together diligently. Dumbledore left a note for the restricted section of the library (just in case) with instructions that a house elf get any necessary books for them.
Hermione, for her part, was extremely reserved toward both the Malfoys, and chose to sit on the opposite side of the room from them. Ron sat with her, one hand resting gently on her back in a comforting gesture. James decided to join them, his primary thoughts being that he could find out more about his son from his close friends. He had temporarily forgotten that he was supposed to be working on solving the imbalance problem.
"How long have you two been friends with Harry?"
"Well, we all met on the train, but I think Harry and I hit it off better at first. It was after we all fought the troll together that Hermione joined the team," Ron replied with a nostalgic smile.
"You fought a troll? When?"
"First year."
"You mean to tell me that three eleven year old children fought a troll - alone!"
"Yes. That was just part of it. We've found ourselves in quite a lot of scrapes, but we've always pulled out of them together."
"So far," Hermione's comment was so quiet that it almost went unnoticed. James glanced at her and looked back at Ron, questioning with his eyes.
"There've been some, well, some pretty close calls," Ron explained. "And we've been the lucky ones." The sadness and loss was evident both in his voice and in his eyes. "Some of our friends haven't made it through the last couple years."
"Because of Voldemort?" James asked.
"Yes, Voldemort and his," Ron glanced at Lucius for the briefest of moments, "Death Eaters."
James caught the look and turned to follow Ron's gaze. The atmosphere around the Malfoys seemed to be charged with tension. It was obviously not a comfortable situation and James couldn't help but hope that things would go smoother for him and Harry if the opportunity ever arose. Ron's words rang in his head, but Lucius' expression seemed to take precedence. In the past weeks, as they worked together, he'd come to realize that Lucius could possibly, eventually, be a friend. More than that, he'd come to strong suspect that Lucius desperately, unknowingly NEEDED a friend. At this moment, though, he decided to try asking the other Malfoy for information.
"Draco?" James walked across the lounge, hoping that Draco wouldn't be any more difficult to deal with than his father was.
"Yes?" The look in the silver-blue eyes was unmistakable relief. He seemed anxious for something to pull him away from his father, making James wonder what they had been talking about.
"Could I. . ." he motioned towards a door that led into a small office at one end of the lounge. "Could we speak, privately, for just a moment?"
"Certainly," Draco said, maintaining the upperclass personality with which he had been raised. He stood and led the way through the door, James following and placing a mild silencing charm on the room. Once James turned around he realized that Draco was not quite as 'in control' as he wanted to appear.
Draco watched every movement, every gesture, every facial expression, still awed by the extreme similarity between father and son. James reminded him so much of Harry that the Slytherin wanted to cry. He couldn't talk to anyone about his concerns, no one knew of the relationship between the seekers and therefore they couldn't understand *why* Draco would be *quite* so upset at Harry's disappearance. Lost in these thoughts, Draco didn't notice the sad smile that had crept onto his face. Nor did he realize how much he was being scrutinized by the other young man in the room.
James walked toward the blond, observing, thinking, wondering. He'd seen the familiarity between Harry and Draco just before Harry stormed from the classroom. He'd seen the comfortable and casual way that Harry approached Lucius, obviously mistaking him for Draco. He'd noticed the concern and tension surrounding Draco since Harry's disappearance. He'd paid close attention to not only Draco's description of Harry, but also to the light in his eyes during that description. It wasn't difficult to surmise that there was a relationship between the two. It was equally simple to see that no one else seemed to know about it. Something told James, based on all the information he'd gathered since arriving here, that Draco Malfoy could tell them all more about Harry than they'd ever imagined. At least, more about the person Harry had recently come to be.
Standing there in silence for a few moments, Draco paid no attention to James until the other man spoke. "Draco?"
"Yes?"
"Why don't you have a seat? I think we should talk."
"Certainly," Draco sat without hesitation. James was so much like Harry that Draco couldn't help but feel comfortable with him. He had yet to figure out his father, though. This Lucius, well, he seemed quite different. Turning his attention to James, Draco asked the inevitable. "What do you want to talk about?"
The conversation flowed easily, fluently, both young men expressing their thoughts and feelings and fears with complete honesty. They discussed Harry and Draco's relationship (Draco was a bit embarrassed at first, but James convinced him that he wanted his son to know love, no matter where he found it), the recent changes in Harry's magic and the probability of Harry having gone to Voldemort last night. They skirted around the issue of Harry's childhood and the deaths of James and Lily, though James did ask for verification that Lily was indeed Harry's mother.
"When Harry comes back, I think it would be best if we used some other explanation for why you are here. He's not going to want to cooperate if he thinks any of us are going to stop him from what he feels he needs to do. If Harry's becoming a dark power, well, angering him will only make it worse."
"Do you know what would have caused Harry to become dark?"
"I have a pretty good idea. Perhaps we should talk about it with the others. After all, we're supposed to work on it together, right?"
"Yes, of course," James stood, removed the silencing charm and went back to the lounge. Draco slowly followed, not looking forward to this discussion. Upon entering the lounge, he found his nerves settled slightly by the sight Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster. At least he wouldn't be asked to convince a roomful of teenagers on his own. James cleared his throat and waited patiently until he had everyone's attention. "I've been talking to Draco and it seems that he's got some ideas as to why Harry's turning to the Dark Arts. I think we should listen to what he's got to say. He seems to know Harry pretty well."
"Bollocks!" The outburst from Hermione was quite unexpected by the professors, but Ron knew and understood why she would have a hard time believing this. "Malfoy doesn't know the first thing about Harry. We've been his friends for nearly seven years while Malfoy's done nothing but make his life a living hell!"
"I'm sorry, Hermione," James interrupted. He took a deep breath, knowing that she was not going to like what he had to say. "I have to disagree with you. You may have known Harry for six years, but can you honestly tell me that you've felt as close to him this year? That you and Ron have spent as much time around him this term as you have in the past? That you know what's been running through his head to cause these imbalances?" He saw that Draco, Ron, McGonagall and Dumbledore were all nodding in agreement, as though they were silently agreeing with his observations.
"Okay," Hermione said reluctantly. "I'll admit that Harry's been a bit, closed off this term, but that still doesn't mean Malfoy has anything to do with this. For that matter, I don't see why either of them are here. I'm sure Lucius," her voice dripped with distaste as she said his name, "has already been attending the Junior Dea. . ."
"Miss Granger!" Dumbledore interrupted quickly and sharply. "You will control your temper and watch what you say, or I'll be forced to obliviate your memory of this situation and send you back to your room."
"Yes sir." Hermione answered meekly and seemed to sink into the sofa she was sitting on. Only those who'd known her well could tell that this meek acquiescence was not her normal personality. It was yet another affect of the capture that had disturbed her so much.
At the subtle nods from James and Headmaster Dumbledore, Draco began speaking. "I know that none of you realize how close Harry and I have become this term, but I can promise you that we're quite good friends now. He's asked me for help in a couple of classes and we've spent a lot of time studying together and talking with each other. Harry's been learning a lot of new magic and he has mentioned a number of times that his interest is due to a desire to protect those he loves. He feels responsible for all the people who have died or been hurt, injured, tortured. He's lost so many people, family, friends, schoolmates, dorm mates, and he just wants to find some way to keep anyone else from getting hurt. He seems to think that if he finds a way to get close to You-Kn-, Voldemort, that he'll be able to protect the rest of us."
Draco paused to glance at everyone in the room. Ron and Hermione seemed to be thinking through what he'd said. 'I'm glad Granger can actually hear me out, I just hope she believes me and doesn't cause trouble.' Dumbledore was nodding his head as if he'd suspected as much all along. McGonagall had a slightly distant look on her face, as though she were trying to sort out what would come from this. Lucius, in the brief glance Draco spared in his direction, looked intrigued and sympathetic (much to Draco's surprise). It was James, however, who seemed to have the most emotional response to this information. Draco suspected that was to be expected. He looked nearly distraught, and was obviously wondering about these other losses his son had suffered. He appeared to be internally blaming himself for not being around longer, which made Draco realize where Harry got that habit from.
"I explained to James, er, Mr. Potter," Draco looked at him questioningly, realizing that it seemed odd to refer to the man as James, as if they were equals.
"It's quite all right, Draco. You can call me James, I prefer it. I may have a seventeen year old son here, but I'm still seventeen myself, you know." He spoke with a smile, though the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. He kept reminding himself that his son was lucky to have someone to love him this much, even though he didn't have his father around.
"All right, I explained to James that whenever Harry does come back, I don't think we should tell him the real reason that these two are here. If he thinks we're going to stop him from his plans to protect his loved ones, he'll only get angry."
Snape entered the room just as McGonagall spoke. "If we plan to make this work, I believe it will be pertinent for Mr. Potter to know the details. If he gets angry about it, he'll just have to get over it quickly. We hardly have the time for childish temper tantrums."
"If I may, Minerva," Snape drew the attention of everyone in the room, but was still caught up in the events of the previous evening and didn't realize the surprised looks he was getting from the others, especially from James Potter. He was only interested in getting the attention of Minerva and Albus. "In all honesty, and with the expectation of complete confidence, I must say that an angry Harry Potter could be more of a problem than we'd ever imagined."
"Why do you say that, Severus?" Albus looked concerned, and it was one of the few times that he didn't have an amused twinkle in his pale blue eyes.
"Because I have been with him since I left your office yesterday. I have seen the results of the difference in his aura. I have seen his new abilities - or at least some of them."
James stood up, wondering why he found himself intimidated by Severus Snape in this time. He hoped Snape wouldn't be holding a grudge against him for their conflicts during their school days. "What new abilities does he have? Where have you been with him?"
Snape turned slowly, glancing at everyone else in the room, his eyes lingering slightly on Lucius, then turning to James with a completely indifferent look. "We were both at a meeting for Voldemort's followers. It appeared that he was trying to convince the Dark Lord that he would be a valuable addition to the Death Eaters. As to his new abilities," he turned back to Albus, "it's truly quite extraordinary. I don't think he even realizes how special this power is."
"No kidding," Draco muttered almost inaudibly.
"He was. . . oh, for Merlin's sake, Albus," Snape was quite flustered, especially for Snape. "The boy was doing wandless magic. Very powerful wandless magic, and highly advanced . . ." he trailed off, not willing to tell the entire room that Harry Potter had used two of the Unforgivable curses.
The room was so quiet, the silence was almost tangible. Six pairs of eyes were trained on Severus, unblinking, widened in awe. Any unseen observer would have noticed that Hermione and Ron were looking a bit frightened, no doubt wondering how their friend had become so powerful and why he would want to join Voldemort. Draco was simply amazed that Harry had faced the Dark Lord and, presumably, come back to school in one piece. Dumbledore and McGonagall were slightly less amazed, but acutely aware that there was something Severus wasn't telling them. James, who had quickly reclaimed his seat, seemed to be highly concerned about his son's apparent Dark tendencies and was beginning to wonder if anything could be done to help him. Lucius was torn between amazement at the power of this child and being distracted by Snape's presence.
After a few moments, Dumbledore stood up. "I believe, Severus, that it would be wise of us to find young Mr. Potter. He has yet to hear the details of Misters Potter and Malfoy's visit. I think it would be best for him to hear this soon, but without a barrage of people. I would suggest that the rest of you discuss any possibilities that come to mind as solutions to our problems."
He turned toward the door, but was stopped quickly by Draco. "Excuse me, sir. I think it might be easier for Harry to hear some of this from someone closer to him. Especially if the Professor was with him at the Dark Lord's meeting. . ." he glanced at Snape, hoping that he would understand, that *someone* would understand. He knew this needed to come from him, knew that Harry would listen to him better than Snape. He looked from Snape to Dumbledore and finally to James.
"You know, sir," James said. "I think he might be right. I haven't had the opportunity to speak with Harry much, but when I saw him with Draco they did seem close. I think it's a good idea."
"Very well," Dumbledore said. "Severus, I trust you'll be all right with staying here to assist with the plans?"
Snape nodded, Dumbledore and Draco left the room and everyone sat in total silence until McGonagall finally decided to bring them out of their stupor and start working on the issues at hand.
~*~*~
Draco was so lost in thought that he didn't realize whether it was him or the Headmaster leading the way. Either way, he was a bit surprised to find that they had ended up in a quiet corridor on the seventh floor. They stopped in front of a door and Draco watched as the older wizard held one hand up to the door and looked at it closely, as if he were looking through a window. After a moment, he nodded slightly and opened the door.
As the two of them stepped inside the door, they were faced with a nearly empty room. There was a pile of blankets in one corner, a simple chair on the other side, and the floor was scattered with what appeared to be dead bugs and rodents. It took Draco a few moments and some close looks to verify that these were indeed dead bugs and rodents. It took him even longer to realize that the lump of blankets in the corner contained his boyfriend.
Dumbledore stepped back out to the corridor. "Perhaps you should speak with him first. I'll wait here. Let me know if you would like me to join you."
"Thank you sir." Draco walked in and heard the door close quietly behind him. He went directly to the corner and knelt on the edge of the blankets. Harry was asleep, his wild, dark hair even more unruly than normal. Draco watched him for a few moments, wondering what the Gryffindor had been through in the past sixteen hours or so. He raised one hand and allowed his fingers to trail lightly over his boyfriend's face. He smiled when Harry hummed quietly in his sleep and subconsciously moved closer to the touch. Brushing the hair back a bit (in a pointless attempt to tame it), Draco leaned forward and brushed his lips across Harry's cheek. It was just enough to make Harry turn toward the kiss in his slumber and allow Draco access to claim the lips he'd been missing. It took mere seconds for the contact and subsequent electricity that coursed through both young men to wake Harry. As soon as he felt Harry respond to the kiss, Draco flicked his tongue gently across the lips of his boyfriend, seeking entrance and permission to explore.
Harry granted entrance eagerly, his hands snaking up to grasp the blond by the back of his neck and pull him closer. He seemed almost desperate for more contact, for deeper passion, for MORE. Draco found himself a little surprise and aroused by the urgency of this kiss. Before he could think about it, Harry had pulled him down and wrapped one leg around Draco's thighs, pulling them closer together. They were aligned together, arms wrapped around each other, hearts pounding in unison. Some part of Draco's mind told him that this was unusual when compared to their other 'make-out sessions'. Another part of his mind reminded him that he and Harry hadn't spoken since running into their fathers and he needed to explain the situation to Harry. Grasping that reminder, Draco forced himself to break off the kiss, showering Harry's face with tiny, gentle kisses before pulling back just a bit and looking deep into the green eyes he loved so much.
"How did you find me?"
"I had some help. What is this place, anyway?"
"It's called the Room of Requirement. It becomes whatever you need when you're looking for something."
Draco thought about this for a moment. He glanced around the room again, and finally asked the question that was burning on his mind. "What did you need when you got here?"
"A place to be alone and a place to. . . a place to do some work."
Draco looked at Harry carefully. He could tell the Gryffindor was hiding something from him, but knew that it would do no good to push the issue just yet. He decided to start with his explanations and hope that Harry would offer explanations of his own at some point.
"Harry, yesterday when we met for detention. . ."
"I'm so sorry, Dray. I don't know who that was, but I swear, I just saw the blond hair and I thought it was you. I never would have kissed someone else on purpose, I swear."
"I know. It's okay Harry, I know. I mean, I was a little upset at first, but once I found out what was going on, I knew that you didn't realize who he was. It was very - confusing. It's still a little confusing and it's hard to talk to them because you have to be careful what you say and what you don't say. We can't let them know too much, but we've got to figure out how to get them home, so we have to talk to them some."
"Who are they?"
"James Potter and Lucius Malfoy."
"No, I mean who are they really. You know it's not possible that my father could be here. He's been dead for sixteen years. He can't be here."
"It's true Harry. I know it's sounds unreal, but it's true. Both our fathers have come twenty-one years into their future. It was some potions project that appeared to have gone wrong," he laughed a bit, trying to keep everything as casual as possible. They had to let Harry believe it was pure dumb luck, but also convince Harry that the help would be useful in fighting Voldemort. "Can you imagine Snape if we did something like that?"
"Uugggghhh," Harry groaned. "Gryffindor would have less than zero house points if I were to screw something up like that. Are you sure, Dray? Is it REALLY them?"
"I'm sure Harry. And they're still here. You can talk to him if you want. You can sit down and talk to your father!"
Harry sat in total silence, contemplating the possibilities. His father. His father was here. Really here. He could talk to him, have dinner with him, ask questions about mum. He could fly with him! It was almost enough to make up for the losses he'd had to deal with. It was undoubtedly the best opportunity he would ever have to spend time with real family. His eyes brightened slightly as he smiled at Draco. "Where is he?"
Draco returned the smile, glad that Harry had accepted this and seemed happy about it. "I'll show you in a minute, but I have something else to tell you first." He quickly reviewed the explanation Dumbledore and McGonagall had agreed on, knowing that Harry's cooperation was vital in order for this to work. "You see, after you left last night, Dumbledore and McGonagall found us. I swear, it never ceases to amaze me how the old man knows so much about what's going on around here. Anyway, so he talked to our fathers and found out how they got here, and then he explained to them some of the stuff that's going on here. Nothing much, just the basics of Voldemort, how we've got to get rid of him. Dumbledore seems to think that if you and I work together with our fathers it will provide enough power to kill Voldemort."
"Okay, whatever. I just want to see him. Dray where is he?"
"Come with me. Dumbledore's waiting for us outside."
The two of them stood up and started across the room, but Draco paused at the dead body of a particularly large rat. "Where did all these come from, Harry? Why would the room think you required a bunch of dead animals?"
"They weren't dead when I got here. I required a way to practice the killing curse. I have to make sure I can perform it without any problems."
"Oh Harry, what have you gotten yourself into?"
"I can't tell you, Dray. It wouldn't be safe. Can we please just go. I want to see my father. I. . . I have to apologize to him, I have to talk to him."
"Okay, okay Harry, we'll go." Draco put a comforting arm around Harry's shoulders and the two of them went out to the corridor to meet Dumbledore and head back to the lounge.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Okay, now I was shocked to see the getting so long and it could have gone on, but I didn't want you all to wait forever. Next chapter, Harry finally gets to talk to James!
Delie: I told you, didn't I? No, I'm not JK, and I don't blame you - I'm really upset about that death, too. Thanks for your praise, I hope you liked this chapter. You're really addicted? I hope you haven't been having withdrawal symptoms.
Menecarkawan: yes, you're probably right.
Rarity88: are you a new reader? Welcome and thank you!
Amythest: thanks!
Aranami: Oh nothing major, but I hope you've had a chance to read it by now.
HP IceAngel: thank you soooooo much, you really mean that??????? *blushing*
Grey Malwell: Thanks, I wrote that chapter about two months before OotP came out.
Stupid Kid: awwww, thank you!
Malfoy Snogger: oh yea, I think much will happen with the fathers. Keep reading, I'm beginning to realize that there are many chapters to go. I can't answer most of those questions (of course) but the answers will come. I'm glad to see that you came back to it. Did you have a good trip?
Jade Maxwell: all I can say is "you'll see". There's more wandless stuff to come. Glad you're enjoying it. Oh, that song-fic deserved a recommendation. I'm sorry you didn't like chap 21, but I hope 22 and this one made up for it. There's a lot of stuff happening right now and I'm trying to keep some "explanation" in the midst of all the action and dialogue.
Webweaver: don't worry, you aren't the only one who doesn't understand what Harry thinks he is doing. Just remember, he's not crazy, he's just a little unwell. It'll all make sense eventually.
Azhure: You've GOT to be kidding me!!!!!!! That was the absolute best compliment anyone could ever give me throughout my entire life! I swear I was bouncing for days after I got that review!!!!! As for your question, you hit it right on the nose!
Lanevaly: Thank you for reviewing all those chapters. I hope you continue to enjoy it!
Peach Dancer82: thank you!
A/N: As you can see, the Room of Requirement is from book five, but I've been careful not to include anything else that would be a major spoiler. I'm considering making one small change to reflect the death of book five, but I haven't decided yet. If you all, as readers, have any opinions on that, please feel free to let me know in your reviews. I know you're going to review. You know you want to. Click the little button.