Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. If I didn't I wouldn't be writing
fanfics about it.
A.N. Grrr. I could not get this chapter to work for the longest time. I'm
so sorry for the long delay. So sorry.
Jess16- Yay! Thank you.
Princezz2Di4-Sis-M. Amanda- A lot of people also think that Ron being badass is a bad idea. I thought about it for a while, Ron being evil I mean, and I came to a conclusion. Ron either survives Harry, or he doesn't. Now, in my other story, Ron is kinda an antagonist. So, I realized I also wanted to do a different kind of Ron, hence the badass. Anyway, thanks.
Mali F- Thanks.
SlytherinSupreme- Thanks
Rocky235- Thanks. If I'm the one taking strange turned from time to time, please feel free to give me your opinions. I'm pen to suggestions. Now, If it's my grammar that's throwing you off, I'm sorry. Anyway, thank you.
Shortpuppy- Thank you. I also take it that you've watched Xena at one point. Anyway, thanks.
HermioneGreen- Thanks, and I'll have to say that my muse is leading me in that direction! (runs off towards kitchen)
padfoot-luver-99- thanks.
Nasser Himura- to you, and others who'd like to say that, just give me some time. I've explained myself before, I don't want to do it again.
Anon- I'm trying.
Robbly- updated. Also, you might want to wait a bit before making a statement on Harry's future. I just might surprise you.
CastusAlbusCor- glad that I've enthralled you. Here's to you and your studies.
Mr. Happy Java Man- glad to hear that you like my fic. If you like evil Harry, try the Itch's Blackened Sunrise. Amazing fic, inspired this one.
ArcAngel-O-Death- thanks, and cool name
badger-dude- thanks
Indra Bloodwood- Hey. Thanks for the reviews, and don't feel bad. We all lust after Harry on one level or another.
Dumbledore- Thanks. Also, a lot of the tings you touch upon in your review are actually addressed in this chapter.
krr84- thanks
Please review!
Ron wasn't happy. He wasn't happy with it just one bit. Ever since Harry had gotten back to school, he (Harry) had ignored him(Ron). They few time they actually has traded words, Harry's attention was completely elsewhere. Then, he had started hanging out with Draco.
Not only had this caught the attention of the entire school, half of them believed that they were practicing the dark arts. It wasn't hard to believe with Harry's goth look in his black school robes and Malfoy's reputation. Add on to the fact that a lot of the students had seen them leaving the forbidden forest at strange hours on the morning.
Sighing, Ron looked up from the homework that wasn't getting anywhere. He was in the Gryffindor common room with what seemed like the rest of the house. Of course, minus Harry.
Harry was never around anymore. He was always off somewhere getting buddy buddy with Draco. Probably learning new ways to torture people and serving You-Know-Who.
He sighed again as he thought of his ex-best friend becoming dark and evil. The hope of the entire wizarding world was learning hexes from the son of a known death eater.
Hermione looked up from her book as Ron sighed for the umpteenth time that night. He had been doing that every since Harry had come back.
Resisting the urge to sigh herself, Hermione shut her book. Standing up, she tapped Ron on the shoulder.
Leaning in a bit closer, she used her head to a quieter place of the common room. Ron stood up and followed.
"Now. I know everyone wants to find out what Harry's been up to whenever he disappears. I just remembered we have a way to find him."
Ron stood confused for a moment, until he remembered the map.
"Ah!"
He ran up the stairs to the boy's dormitory as Hermione waited by the fireplace, shaking her head at the dense boy.
In a couple of moments, he emerged, carrying the piece of ratty parchment, and something cradled in his arms. It was Harry's invisibility cloak, wrapped around a random book to make it become invisible.
Making sure no one was watching, Ron tossed the book aside while Hermione cringed, and they headed for the portrait.
As soon as they were out of sight and earshot of everyone, Ron used his wand to tap on the piece of parchment.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
The intricate map of Hogwarts unfurled in front of their eyes, and as they slipped the invisibility cloak over them, Ron turned to Hermione.
"You know, he probably knows we're looking for him. I had to undo about 50 warning wards."
If someone was walking by, all they would see is a nodding bob of hair as it quickly disappeared.
Forbidden Forest
Harry was completing Draco's elemental education. After conducting a series of tests, half of which were so ridiculously ridiculous that Draco had thought that Harry just wanted him to suffer. Under oath, he wouldn't deny that fact either.
Anyway, they had discovered which elements Draco was strongest and weakest in. While light and spirit wasn't Draco's strong suit, dark and earth were what he mastered in.
Starting with the weakest, Draco learned to grasp the powers of the elements. All that remained was darkness.
"Concentrate. You mastered the other elements. This one isn't going to that different. Ease yourself into it."
Harry was sitting lotus position on a stump, slowly talking in a low voice. He was chanting a spell upon spell, words blending and mixing, sending Draco into a deep trance.
Draco was seated in front of Harry, also in lotus, holding his hands out on front of his, his fingers making the symbol of darkness.
As Draco sunk deeper and deeper into his trance, Harry continuing to work Draco through mastering death, when a sudden signal went off in Harry's mind.
Without halting in his spell, Harry waved his hand, knowing who had just triggered the alarm.
Finally, as Draco sunk completely into the spell, Harry stopped his chanting. Now, Draco was on his own.
Great Hall
Ron and Hermione inched across the great hall, occasionally checking the map for anyone who could discover. Hermione was especially skittish, considering the fact that if she was caught, she would lose her position as head girl.
As they slowly made they way out the door, they were aware that they had to continuously maneuver the cloak to cover them. Considering that they had grown quite a bit in 6 years, they had a hard time trying to fit under something they could when they were 11.
As they neared the forest, and the cover of darkness helped hide them, they didn't pay attention to their visible ankles. .
Draco's Mind
Still in his trance, Draco started to chant his spell, interweaving his mind with the darkness within his soul.
iLenna mes mordis Et alma hae seibem Lenna mes rathe Et gehirn hae nihac Lenna mes loucura Et genst hae ayen
Y nussam ent bregen il mordis Zan griphent zan nezzarth il nacht Porti feth tuus dahak il miserth Porten etorai infernat/i
The words were tumbling out, filling the deep silence, reverberating around the room. Then, suddenly, as he opened his eyes to the blackness, the air around him seemed to glow.
Draco had no idea how something could glow without light, but the darkness glowed.
His hands now moved on their own accord, forming the complex signs and symbols needed to cement the end of the spell.
As the final interlocking of the fingers completed the spell, a burst of darkness, again Draco was confused how that could take place in the absence of light, brought him back to him immortal body.
Forbidden Forest
Harry stopped chanting as he felt Draco return to the from in front of him.
He stood up, and moved back, ready for the transformation that would take place.
Just as he predicted, as soon as Draco opened his eyes, he shot up. His body twisted and molded into a 15 feet tall nox. A dragon of the darkness.
Then, just as soon as orgoth appeared, it flickered, and Draco reappeared. Then, standing in place of Draco was the mythic dragon.
It's long neck whipped around, wings flaring, sending out a piercing cry.
Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the dragon disappeared and Draco was left standing, slightly dazed.
Draco rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his head, when his ultra fine hearing heard shuffling and whispers, coming closer.
As he listened, he realized that the voices belonged to Weasel and Mudblood.
"Harry, We..."
Harry nodded, showing that he had been expecting them. Damn them for coming after him this quickly. He needed at least another month to make sure his pawns were in the right place, and he just couldn't' drag the two down to the halls yet.
Shaking his head, Harry realized that there was only one course of action to take at this point.
He quickly threw up a ward around the area, making it momentarily disappear from the Marauder's Map, as well as any other map ever made. Then, opening a portal with his demonic powers, he dragged Draco into it, mentally focusing on his desired location.
Under the Invisibility Cloak
Ron and Hermione stood, utterly confused, as the map in their hands flickered for a moment. Suddenly, the two dots labeled Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter were gone. Gone from the map. That meant that they were either in the Room of Requirements, or somewhere off school grounds.
Hermione couldn't stop wringing her hands. She knew people couldn't apparate off Hogwarts grounds, but how did they just disappear? She would have bet her brains that it was some sort of dark spell, but what kind?
Ron had run ahead, trying to see of the two were really gone as the map said. He ran into the clear clearing, already knowing what he would find.
It was completely empty, and except for a strange feeling that something was amiss, there was nothing there.
Turning to look at each other, their thoughts raced to the same point. Whirling around, they started back towards the school.
To Harry and Draco
"Shit it's cold. Where the bloody hell are we?"
When Harry had dragged Draco out of the demon warp, Draco suddenly realized that his thin robes were defiantly not suited for the weather. It was freezing cold, and the wind was blowing at about 100 mph. On top of that, it was pitch black, which was quite unsettling.
Then, he heard Harry swear next to him.
"Damn it. They're heading to Dumbledore's office."
Draco suddenly felt an arm close around him, and he felt himself yanked back into the demon warp.
Hogwarts Hallways
Hermione and Ron hurried down the dark hallways, the map clutched in their hands. They weren't going to risk getting caught.
As they turned a hallway, eyes darting to the map again, they froze. Turning slowly, they came face to face with Harry Potter. Behind him, Draco stood, trying to make the world stop spinning. He would really have appreciated a warning before they space crossed 3 dimensions in 3 seconds.
Silence hung in the air. Ron and Hermione completely petrified, Harry seething mad.
Suddenly, Harry snapped his fingers, and his invisibility cloak and the Marauder's Map flew out of Ron's hands.
"If I ever find you two rummaging through my stuff again, you will be praying for death."
Whirling around, his cloak flaring behind him dramatically, Harry started up the stairs, to his dorms. Draco also turned, heading for the dungeons.
It actually took a moment or two for Ron and Hermione to comprehend what just happened. Harry had materialized out of nowhere, he had used magic without a wand, and just had just issued a death threat to them.
Knowing that going to Dumbledore would only anger Harry even more, they silently agreed to just go to bed and forget everything.
Creeping up the stairs, they managed to get to their beds without getting caught. However, what bothered the two the most about that evening were Harry's eyes. No longer a familiar green, but a pitch black shade.
In her room, Hermione shivered. No matter what her mind told her, she could feel it. Whatever they had just angered tonight was defiantly not Harry James Potter.
Morning
Draco rolled out of bed, his head throbbing like he was having a hangover. Groaning, he reached over to the firewhisky bottle that was always nearby. The best cure for a headache was a bit of alcohol.
Gathering his stuff, he trudged out of his room for breakfast. Food would most defiantly help.
Sadly, class had started again, and just to his luck, he had double transfiguration first. He'd be a fool if he wasn't expecting hell from the two Gryffindors.
Great Hall
Breakfast seemed to go without a hitch. Ron and Hermione had retreated away form Harry, but other than that, everything seemed normal. None of the teachers (minus Snape and Callisto of course) felt anything out of the ordinary. But Draco new better.
There was a strange tingle in the air. It pulsed rhythmically, slowly driving into Draco's mind, driving his crazy.
He knew what this tingle was. Even though he hadn't been close with Harry for long, he could feel Harry's mind behind every pulse.
Deciding the best way to clear his head was to quickly get the hell out of there, Draco grabbed his last piece of toast, and decided that it would be better if he got to transfiguration early.
Transfiguration
Minerva wasn't the type of person who became shocked to often. Sure there were periods where she was mildly surprised, but she hadn't had a shock like this in, well, decades.
Class had started well enough. Granger and Weasley had looked like they were avoiding Potter, but she didn't pay too much attention to that. They had gotten into fights before.
Anyway, she had explained the lesson to the class, warning them to proceed cautiously. It was one of the more difficult spells, that required an enormous amount of magical strength. She highly doubted anyone besides maybe Granger would get even close to exerting the right amount of magic needed for this spell.
After giving the class plenty of time to start off, Minerva had returned to the papers on her desk. She had allowed the students to pair off, just encase someone became so strained they fainted.
The were small conversations scattered throughout the room, students talking between attempts at trying to transfigure a small mouse into an exact close of themselves.
Near the end of the period, she stood up, inspecting the progress of the class.
Many of the Slytherins had succeeded in making their animal vaguely humanoid, but they were far from making their clones talk.
Surprisingly, Draco Malfoy, who had never really shown a head for Transfiguration, had almost gotten it. He had succeeded in cloning his body, and working on recreating his mind in the shape next to him.
With the Gryffindors, the results were scattered. As she passed groups, the progress ranged from half-rodent half-humanoid figures to furry humans.
Hermione's close had started talking, and seemed to have Hermione's mind, and she was finishing transfiguring the figure from the waist down.
Glancing over to the dark corner of the room, she suddenly stopped.
Potter had refused to take a partner, voting to work alone. McGonagall had reluctantly agreed. He was now currently talking to a flickering figure in the seat next to him that looked surprisingly like James...
"Potter!"
Both figures snapped to look over at her, and suddenly, the figure on the left disappeared, leaving a small mouse scratching the wood on the chair on which it rested. Harry continued to glare her through his long hair, daring her to speak.
Half the class had turned just in time to see the quick transformation that had just taken place, and the other half were slowly turned to stare.
"Potter, see me after class. The rest of you are dismissed."
Sharply turning, she marched up to her desk as the students bustled around, depositing their mice back into the box and gathering their stuff.
As the room emptied, Potter grudgingly moved up to McGonagall's desk, still looking pretty pissed.
Making sure there was no one else in the room, Minerva turned to Harry.
"All right. How did you do it?"
Harry remained silent.
Placing a mouse in front of Harry, she stared directly at him.
"Mr. Potter. I am asking you to redo that spell you proved yourself so apt at during class."
Harry just continued to glare at her, silently refusing to raise his wand.
Fighting her annoyance, Minerva spoke again.
"Mr. Potter, for someone at your age to be so apt at this sort of spell is very rare, unusual, and possibly dangerous. You will either repeat the spell, or talk to the Ministry of Magic."
Harry weighed the possibilities for a moment, then gave in with a sigh. Pulling out his wand, he pointed it at the mouse and repeated the incantation. Suddenly, standing next to him was another Potter, giving McGonagall the same expression as the first.
Minerva wasn't usually disturbed by students. She had seen enough in her long years to deal with surprises. However, a perfect clone transfiguration done at age 17 when wizards such a Dumbledore had trouble with the spell stunned her into silence.
Her mouth opened and closed, trying, but failing to make a sound. Potter sharply turned the clone back into a mouse, and marched out of the room without a word.
Harry Potter was a mix of emotions as he left the room. Anger, annoyance, defiance, and over all, worry. He knew that he was dragged off to the Ministry of Magic, his plans were doomed. It was much safer to keep things close. However, now McGonagall was going to go run off to Dumbledore. And Dumbledore was going to try and find out exactly how a 17 year old boy had the casting power some of the strongest wizards of all time lacked. Dumbledore wasn't the type of person to fail.
The situation was getting dire.
Channeling Phalexix carefully, so the foreign power wouldn't disturb the wards, he sent a message out. He was going to have to move quickly across the board now, and he needed his pieces. More importantly, his pawn.
As Harry stormed up the stairs, his quarry appeared in front of him.
"You called?"
"Kira. I need you to do a favor for me."
Kira was currently in Ravenclaw, 7th year. In reality, she was about 24, but definitely looked young enough to fool the teachers. For years, may students in the school wondered about the Ravenclaws. They didn't seem to get out much. No one had any double periods with hem except maybe in their electives where it was all 4 houses together. When Potter was forced to come back to the school, he knew that he needed to keep an eye on that house. Kira was smart, and her abilities for acting and masking her mind made her the perfect spy. Add in her young features, and she easily fit in.
"We're running out of time here. Here, most of the pieces are set. We just have to get Eris to send her update. Now, the new moon is coming tomorrow night, and Dumbledore is probably out for information. You have to contact Eris, and tell her to hurry up."
Kira nodded, and pulled of the sleeve of her robe. On her left wrist, there was a binding of dark cloth, winding it's way down to the elbow. Quickly unraveling the binding, she revealed strange symbols, burned into her skin. Suddenly, her right forefinger extended, and the tip of her sharp nail became flame. Touching the flame to her wrist, she quickly traced the first symbol on her wrist, then quickly wrote out a message on the remainder of her arm. The letters flared for a moment, then blackened. Then, quickly, the words frosted over, and disappeared. It was quickly replaced by the icy letters- Will send information by owl tomorrow. Only safe time-. Then, those letters vanished like the first.
Kira quickly started to bind up her arm again as Harry worried. This would be a close shave. If there was any delay in the arrival of Eris's information the entire setup here at Hogwarts could be disrupted. Now would be the time to warn Draco.
Kira was finished covering her arm, and turning to Harry.
"Eris'll come through. She always does."
Harry nodded, and a Kira headed back towards wherever she came from, Harry stormed off to look for Malfoy.
It wasn't that he was afraid that Eris would fail. He had complete faith in her. However, if the message was intercepted...
He wouldn't think about that. Eris would take all precautions for the success of her mission.
Eris was almost the complete opposite of Kira, who was actually her twin. While Kira was more energetic, youthful looking, and fiery, Eric was reserved, mature, and icy. This paradox in the twins' powers caused them to develop a connection where they were able to communicate with each other almost immediately. Kinda like muggle AIM where both people were always logged on.
Harry managed to locate Malfoy in the dungeons, which were mostly empty. Sending Malfoy a quick signal to wait in an empty room for him, and sped up.
He reached Draco quickly enough, reading the book Harry had lent him a few weeks on draconic transformation.
"Draco. Pack everything. We have to leave tomorrow. I'm not sure when, but be prepared."
Draco looked confused.
"I thought you said that everything wasn't in motion yet or something like that."
Harry nodded.
"I did. But things are slightly ahead of schedule, and I can get my information tomorrow. I also have to warn you about the new moon tomorrow. Two months after a person allows phalexix into their being, there are some.. ah... impurities that need to be cleansed from the blood. Starting at around 7pm tomorrow, you'll need to be under the watch of a healer or potions master. After the blood leaves your system, you're going to need some pepper-up potions or the sort."
Draco's only response was to raise an eyebrow. He probably knew better than get worried about painful happening now.
"Oh, also, be ready for a fight. We're going to have to drag Weasley off with us. We can't leave a potential enemy behind, we'll convert him first."
Draco hopped of the table he was sitting on, and nodded again.
"I'll be ready."
Then, sensing someone approach, both boys disappeared from the room.
A moment later, Snape entered with the headmaster.
"No Headmaster. I do not know what the Potter boy is up to. You know I never pay him any attention."
Dumbledore sighed.
"All right Severus. I trust you. But keep a watch on him in your classes. Alert me if he does anything out of the ordinary."
"Like actually pay attention?"
Snape was a marvelous actor. Well, maybe it wasn't all acting. Snape hadn't been able to completely shake off his prior feelings for the boy-who-lived. Well, maybe he had and he was an excellent actor. Either way, Dumbledore bought the "act" and nodded.
"I'm not so sure where the boy's loyalties lie anymore. I'm worried what path he will take once the final war reaches us."
Shaking his head gravely as he was wont to do, Dumbledore quietly glided from the room.
Snarling his disgust quietly, Snape headed for his office where he could knock back a few useless pills and get royally drunk. He had no idea how he was able to last this long without going crazy, but at least now he knew he didn't have to last too much longer.
As Snape neared his office, anticipating the bliss of muggle drugs, (well, for awhile anyway) when he sensed Draco coming after him.
"Yes?" He asked without turning.
"Professor, Potter said that we, well, him, me, and this girl Kira, are leaving sometime tomorrow. I just thought you should know."
Severus nodded, knowing what tomorrow night was going to be.
"I will join up with you when the time is right."
Draco nodded and sped back towards his dorm.
Still standing at his door, Snape paused for a moment, then entered his office, a small evil grin of anticipation spreading over his face.
Extras.
Draco's poem translation
Within my darkness The soul will survive Within my evil The mind will persist Within my chaos The body will endure
I call upon the lords of darkness To bind me to the shadows of the night Bring forth your demons of solitude Bring me eternal damnation
The spell version that Draco says is not a real language. I have like 2 German words in there, variations of actual words, and I think a Latin tense.
Draco's hand movements- think of Shinto priests/priestesses with their signs.
Nox- name came from Nix, which is the Greek goddess of night. It'll look like Red Eyes Black Dragon from Yu-Gi-Oh
Mythic dragon will look like the fell beast steed of the Ringwraith king from LOTR ROTK. Will be black.
The reason I called Kira a "pawn" was the fact that even though they seem perfectly harmless and are usually overlooked, they have the ability to become queens and win the game. Kira is so obscure in a way that no one would pay her any attention or think her connected to other forces.
Eris is the Greek goddess of discord. She was the one who throw the golden apple, labeled "for the fairest" into a crowd at Thetis's wedding. 3 goddesses claimed this apple. Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. They went to Zeus, king of gods, for his decision on who should keep the apple. Zeus directed them to a young Shepard who lived on Mt. Ida, by the name of Paris. Paris eventually chooses to give the apple to Aphrodite, and in return, the world's most beautiful would love him. He stole Helen from her husband Menelaus, and started the Trojan War. Eris is also the one who holds Ares's sword while he is not in battle.
Jess16- Yay! Thank you.
Princezz2Di4-Sis-M. Amanda- A lot of people also think that Ron being badass is a bad idea. I thought about it for a while, Ron being evil I mean, and I came to a conclusion. Ron either survives Harry, or he doesn't. Now, in my other story, Ron is kinda an antagonist. So, I realized I also wanted to do a different kind of Ron, hence the badass. Anyway, thanks.
Mali F- Thanks.
SlytherinSupreme- Thanks
Rocky235- Thanks. If I'm the one taking strange turned from time to time, please feel free to give me your opinions. I'm pen to suggestions. Now, If it's my grammar that's throwing you off, I'm sorry. Anyway, thank you.
Shortpuppy- Thank you. I also take it that you've watched Xena at one point. Anyway, thanks.
HermioneGreen- Thanks, and I'll have to say that my muse is leading me in that direction! (runs off towards kitchen)
padfoot-luver-99- thanks.
Nasser Himura- to you, and others who'd like to say that, just give me some time. I've explained myself before, I don't want to do it again.
Anon- I'm trying.
Robbly- updated. Also, you might want to wait a bit before making a statement on Harry's future. I just might surprise you.
CastusAlbusCor- glad that I've enthralled you. Here's to you and your studies.
Mr. Happy Java Man- glad to hear that you like my fic. If you like evil Harry, try the Itch's Blackened Sunrise. Amazing fic, inspired this one.
ArcAngel-O-Death- thanks, and cool name
badger-dude- thanks
Indra Bloodwood- Hey. Thanks for the reviews, and don't feel bad. We all lust after Harry on one level or another.
Dumbledore- Thanks. Also, a lot of the tings you touch upon in your review are actually addressed in this chapter.
krr84- thanks
Please review!
Ron wasn't happy. He wasn't happy with it just one bit. Ever since Harry had gotten back to school, he (Harry) had ignored him(Ron). They few time they actually has traded words, Harry's attention was completely elsewhere. Then, he had started hanging out with Draco.
Not only had this caught the attention of the entire school, half of them believed that they were practicing the dark arts. It wasn't hard to believe with Harry's goth look in his black school robes and Malfoy's reputation. Add on to the fact that a lot of the students had seen them leaving the forbidden forest at strange hours on the morning.
Sighing, Ron looked up from the homework that wasn't getting anywhere. He was in the Gryffindor common room with what seemed like the rest of the house. Of course, minus Harry.
Harry was never around anymore. He was always off somewhere getting buddy buddy with Draco. Probably learning new ways to torture people and serving You-Know-Who.
He sighed again as he thought of his ex-best friend becoming dark and evil. The hope of the entire wizarding world was learning hexes from the son of a known death eater.
Hermione looked up from her book as Ron sighed for the umpteenth time that night. He had been doing that every since Harry had come back.
Resisting the urge to sigh herself, Hermione shut her book. Standing up, she tapped Ron on the shoulder.
Leaning in a bit closer, she used her head to a quieter place of the common room. Ron stood up and followed.
"Now. I know everyone wants to find out what Harry's been up to whenever he disappears. I just remembered we have a way to find him."
Ron stood confused for a moment, until he remembered the map.
"Ah!"
He ran up the stairs to the boy's dormitory as Hermione waited by the fireplace, shaking her head at the dense boy.
In a couple of moments, he emerged, carrying the piece of ratty parchment, and something cradled in his arms. It was Harry's invisibility cloak, wrapped around a random book to make it become invisible.
Making sure no one was watching, Ron tossed the book aside while Hermione cringed, and they headed for the portrait.
As soon as they were out of sight and earshot of everyone, Ron used his wand to tap on the piece of parchment.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
The intricate map of Hogwarts unfurled in front of their eyes, and as they slipped the invisibility cloak over them, Ron turned to Hermione.
"You know, he probably knows we're looking for him. I had to undo about 50 warning wards."
If someone was walking by, all they would see is a nodding bob of hair as it quickly disappeared.
Forbidden Forest
Harry was completing Draco's elemental education. After conducting a series of tests, half of which were so ridiculously ridiculous that Draco had thought that Harry just wanted him to suffer. Under oath, he wouldn't deny that fact either.
Anyway, they had discovered which elements Draco was strongest and weakest in. While light and spirit wasn't Draco's strong suit, dark and earth were what he mastered in.
Starting with the weakest, Draco learned to grasp the powers of the elements. All that remained was darkness.
"Concentrate. You mastered the other elements. This one isn't going to that different. Ease yourself into it."
Harry was sitting lotus position on a stump, slowly talking in a low voice. He was chanting a spell upon spell, words blending and mixing, sending Draco into a deep trance.
Draco was seated in front of Harry, also in lotus, holding his hands out on front of his, his fingers making the symbol of darkness.
As Draco sunk deeper and deeper into his trance, Harry continuing to work Draco through mastering death, when a sudden signal went off in Harry's mind.
Without halting in his spell, Harry waved his hand, knowing who had just triggered the alarm.
Finally, as Draco sunk completely into the spell, Harry stopped his chanting. Now, Draco was on his own.
Great Hall
Ron and Hermione inched across the great hall, occasionally checking the map for anyone who could discover. Hermione was especially skittish, considering the fact that if she was caught, she would lose her position as head girl.
As they slowly made they way out the door, they were aware that they had to continuously maneuver the cloak to cover them. Considering that they had grown quite a bit in 6 years, they had a hard time trying to fit under something they could when they were 11.
As they neared the forest, and the cover of darkness helped hide them, they didn't pay attention to their visible ankles. .
Draco's Mind
Still in his trance, Draco started to chant his spell, interweaving his mind with the darkness within his soul.
iLenna mes mordis Et alma hae seibem Lenna mes rathe Et gehirn hae nihac Lenna mes loucura Et genst hae ayen
Y nussam ent bregen il mordis Zan griphent zan nezzarth il nacht Porti feth tuus dahak il miserth Porten etorai infernat/i
The words were tumbling out, filling the deep silence, reverberating around the room. Then, suddenly, as he opened his eyes to the blackness, the air around him seemed to glow.
Draco had no idea how something could glow without light, but the darkness glowed.
His hands now moved on their own accord, forming the complex signs and symbols needed to cement the end of the spell.
As the final interlocking of the fingers completed the spell, a burst of darkness, again Draco was confused how that could take place in the absence of light, brought him back to him immortal body.
Forbidden Forest
Harry stopped chanting as he felt Draco return to the from in front of him.
He stood up, and moved back, ready for the transformation that would take place.
Just as he predicted, as soon as Draco opened his eyes, he shot up. His body twisted and molded into a 15 feet tall nox. A dragon of the darkness.
Then, just as soon as orgoth appeared, it flickered, and Draco reappeared. Then, standing in place of Draco was the mythic dragon.
It's long neck whipped around, wings flaring, sending out a piercing cry.
Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the dragon disappeared and Draco was left standing, slightly dazed.
Draco rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his head, when his ultra fine hearing heard shuffling and whispers, coming closer.
As he listened, he realized that the voices belonged to Weasel and Mudblood.
"Harry, We..."
Harry nodded, showing that he had been expecting them. Damn them for coming after him this quickly. He needed at least another month to make sure his pawns were in the right place, and he just couldn't' drag the two down to the halls yet.
Shaking his head, Harry realized that there was only one course of action to take at this point.
He quickly threw up a ward around the area, making it momentarily disappear from the Marauder's Map, as well as any other map ever made. Then, opening a portal with his demonic powers, he dragged Draco into it, mentally focusing on his desired location.
Under the Invisibility Cloak
Ron and Hermione stood, utterly confused, as the map in their hands flickered for a moment. Suddenly, the two dots labeled Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter were gone. Gone from the map. That meant that they were either in the Room of Requirements, or somewhere off school grounds.
Hermione couldn't stop wringing her hands. She knew people couldn't apparate off Hogwarts grounds, but how did they just disappear? She would have bet her brains that it was some sort of dark spell, but what kind?
Ron had run ahead, trying to see of the two were really gone as the map said. He ran into the clear clearing, already knowing what he would find.
It was completely empty, and except for a strange feeling that something was amiss, there was nothing there.
Turning to look at each other, their thoughts raced to the same point. Whirling around, they started back towards the school.
To Harry and Draco
"Shit it's cold. Where the bloody hell are we?"
When Harry had dragged Draco out of the demon warp, Draco suddenly realized that his thin robes were defiantly not suited for the weather. It was freezing cold, and the wind was blowing at about 100 mph. On top of that, it was pitch black, which was quite unsettling.
Then, he heard Harry swear next to him.
"Damn it. They're heading to Dumbledore's office."
Draco suddenly felt an arm close around him, and he felt himself yanked back into the demon warp.
Hogwarts Hallways
Hermione and Ron hurried down the dark hallways, the map clutched in their hands. They weren't going to risk getting caught.
As they turned a hallway, eyes darting to the map again, they froze. Turning slowly, they came face to face with Harry Potter. Behind him, Draco stood, trying to make the world stop spinning. He would really have appreciated a warning before they space crossed 3 dimensions in 3 seconds.
Silence hung in the air. Ron and Hermione completely petrified, Harry seething mad.
Suddenly, Harry snapped his fingers, and his invisibility cloak and the Marauder's Map flew out of Ron's hands.
"If I ever find you two rummaging through my stuff again, you will be praying for death."
Whirling around, his cloak flaring behind him dramatically, Harry started up the stairs, to his dorms. Draco also turned, heading for the dungeons.
It actually took a moment or two for Ron and Hermione to comprehend what just happened. Harry had materialized out of nowhere, he had used magic without a wand, and just had just issued a death threat to them.
Knowing that going to Dumbledore would only anger Harry even more, they silently agreed to just go to bed and forget everything.
Creeping up the stairs, they managed to get to their beds without getting caught. However, what bothered the two the most about that evening were Harry's eyes. No longer a familiar green, but a pitch black shade.
In her room, Hermione shivered. No matter what her mind told her, she could feel it. Whatever they had just angered tonight was defiantly not Harry James Potter.
Morning
Draco rolled out of bed, his head throbbing like he was having a hangover. Groaning, he reached over to the firewhisky bottle that was always nearby. The best cure for a headache was a bit of alcohol.
Gathering his stuff, he trudged out of his room for breakfast. Food would most defiantly help.
Sadly, class had started again, and just to his luck, he had double transfiguration first. He'd be a fool if he wasn't expecting hell from the two Gryffindors.
Great Hall
Breakfast seemed to go without a hitch. Ron and Hermione had retreated away form Harry, but other than that, everything seemed normal. None of the teachers (minus Snape and Callisto of course) felt anything out of the ordinary. But Draco new better.
There was a strange tingle in the air. It pulsed rhythmically, slowly driving into Draco's mind, driving his crazy.
He knew what this tingle was. Even though he hadn't been close with Harry for long, he could feel Harry's mind behind every pulse.
Deciding the best way to clear his head was to quickly get the hell out of there, Draco grabbed his last piece of toast, and decided that it would be better if he got to transfiguration early.
Transfiguration
Minerva wasn't the type of person who became shocked to often. Sure there were periods where she was mildly surprised, but she hadn't had a shock like this in, well, decades.
Class had started well enough. Granger and Weasley had looked like they were avoiding Potter, but she didn't pay too much attention to that. They had gotten into fights before.
Anyway, she had explained the lesson to the class, warning them to proceed cautiously. It was one of the more difficult spells, that required an enormous amount of magical strength. She highly doubted anyone besides maybe Granger would get even close to exerting the right amount of magic needed for this spell.
After giving the class plenty of time to start off, Minerva had returned to the papers on her desk. She had allowed the students to pair off, just encase someone became so strained they fainted.
The were small conversations scattered throughout the room, students talking between attempts at trying to transfigure a small mouse into an exact close of themselves.
Near the end of the period, she stood up, inspecting the progress of the class.
Many of the Slytherins had succeeded in making their animal vaguely humanoid, but they were far from making their clones talk.
Surprisingly, Draco Malfoy, who had never really shown a head for Transfiguration, had almost gotten it. He had succeeded in cloning his body, and working on recreating his mind in the shape next to him.
With the Gryffindors, the results were scattered. As she passed groups, the progress ranged from half-rodent half-humanoid figures to furry humans.
Hermione's close had started talking, and seemed to have Hermione's mind, and she was finishing transfiguring the figure from the waist down.
Glancing over to the dark corner of the room, she suddenly stopped.
Potter had refused to take a partner, voting to work alone. McGonagall had reluctantly agreed. He was now currently talking to a flickering figure in the seat next to him that looked surprisingly like James...
"Potter!"
Both figures snapped to look over at her, and suddenly, the figure on the left disappeared, leaving a small mouse scratching the wood on the chair on which it rested. Harry continued to glare her through his long hair, daring her to speak.
Half the class had turned just in time to see the quick transformation that had just taken place, and the other half were slowly turned to stare.
"Potter, see me after class. The rest of you are dismissed."
Sharply turning, she marched up to her desk as the students bustled around, depositing their mice back into the box and gathering their stuff.
As the room emptied, Potter grudgingly moved up to McGonagall's desk, still looking pretty pissed.
Making sure there was no one else in the room, Minerva turned to Harry.
"All right. How did you do it?"
Harry remained silent.
Placing a mouse in front of Harry, she stared directly at him.
"Mr. Potter. I am asking you to redo that spell you proved yourself so apt at during class."
Harry just continued to glare at her, silently refusing to raise his wand.
Fighting her annoyance, Minerva spoke again.
"Mr. Potter, for someone at your age to be so apt at this sort of spell is very rare, unusual, and possibly dangerous. You will either repeat the spell, or talk to the Ministry of Magic."
Harry weighed the possibilities for a moment, then gave in with a sigh. Pulling out his wand, he pointed it at the mouse and repeated the incantation. Suddenly, standing next to him was another Potter, giving McGonagall the same expression as the first.
Minerva wasn't usually disturbed by students. She had seen enough in her long years to deal with surprises. However, a perfect clone transfiguration done at age 17 when wizards such a Dumbledore had trouble with the spell stunned her into silence.
Her mouth opened and closed, trying, but failing to make a sound. Potter sharply turned the clone back into a mouse, and marched out of the room without a word.
Harry Potter was a mix of emotions as he left the room. Anger, annoyance, defiance, and over all, worry. He knew that he was dragged off to the Ministry of Magic, his plans were doomed. It was much safer to keep things close. However, now McGonagall was going to go run off to Dumbledore. And Dumbledore was going to try and find out exactly how a 17 year old boy had the casting power some of the strongest wizards of all time lacked. Dumbledore wasn't the type of person to fail.
The situation was getting dire.
Channeling Phalexix carefully, so the foreign power wouldn't disturb the wards, he sent a message out. He was going to have to move quickly across the board now, and he needed his pieces. More importantly, his pawn.
As Harry stormed up the stairs, his quarry appeared in front of him.
"You called?"
"Kira. I need you to do a favor for me."
Kira was currently in Ravenclaw, 7th year. In reality, she was about 24, but definitely looked young enough to fool the teachers. For years, may students in the school wondered about the Ravenclaws. They didn't seem to get out much. No one had any double periods with hem except maybe in their electives where it was all 4 houses together. When Potter was forced to come back to the school, he knew that he needed to keep an eye on that house. Kira was smart, and her abilities for acting and masking her mind made her the perfect spy. Add in her young features, and she easily fit in.
"We're running out of time here. Here, most of the pieces are set. We just have to get Eris to send her update. Now, the new moon is coming tomorrow night, and Dumbledore is probably out for information. You have to contact Eris, and tell her to hurry up."
Kira nodded, and pulled of the sleeve of her robe. On her left wrist, there was a binding of dark cloth, winding it's way down to the elbow. Quickly unraveling the binding, she revealed strange symbols, burned into her skin. Suddenly, her right forefinger extended, and the tip of her sharp nail became flame. Touching the flame to her wrist, she quickly traced the first symbol on her wrist, then quickly wrote out a message on the remainder of her arm. The letters flared for a moment, then blackened. Then, quickly, the words frosted over, and disappeared. It was quickly replaced by the icy letters- Will send information by owl tomorrow. Only safe time-. Then, those letters vanished like the first.
Kira quickly started to bind up her arm again as Harry worried. This would be a close shave. If there was any delay in the arrival of Eris's information the entire setup here at Hogwarts could be disrupted. Now would be the time to warn Draco.
Kira was finished covering her arm, and turning to Harry.
"Eris'll come through. She always does."
Harry nodded, and a Kira headed back towards wherever she came from, Harry stormed off to look for Malfoy.
It wasn't that he was afraid that Eris would fail. He had complete faith in her. However, if the message was intercepted...
He wouldn't think about that. Eris would take all precautions for the success of her mission.
Eris was almost the complete opposite of Kira, who was actually her twin. While Kira was more energetic, youthful looking, and fiery, Eric was reserved, mature, and icy. This paradox in the twins' powers caused them to develop a connection where they were able to communicate with each other almost immediately. Kinda like muggle AIM where both people were always logged on.
Harry managed to locate Malfoy in the dungeons, which were mostly empty. Sending Malfoy a quick signal to wait in an empty room for him, and sped up.
He reached Draco quickly enough, reading the book Harry had lent him a few weeks on draconic transformation.
"Draco. Pack everything. We have to leave tomorrow. I'm not sure when, but be prepared."
Draco looked confused.
"I thought you said that everything wasn't in motion yet or something like that."
Harry nodded.
"I did. But things are slightly ahead of schedule, and I can get my information tomorrow. I also have to warn you about the new moon tomorrow. Two months after a person allows phalexix into their being, there are some.. ah... impurities that need to be cleansed from the blood. Starting at around 7pm tomorrow, you'll need to be under the watch of a healer or potions master. After the blood leaves your system, you're going to need some pepper-up potions or the sort."
Draco's only response was to raise an eyebrow. He probably knew better than get worried about painful happening now.
"Oh, also, be ready for a fight. We're going to have to drag Weasley off with us. We can't leave a potential enemy behind, we'll convert him first."
Draco hopped of the table he was sitting on, and nodded again.
"I'll be ready."
Then, sensing someone approach, both boys disappeared from the room.
A moment later, Snape entered with the headmaster.
"No Headmaster. I do not know what the Potter boy is up to. You know I never pay him any attention."
Dumbledore sighed.
"All right Severus. I trust you. But keep a watch on him in your classes. Alert me if he does anything out of the ordinary."
"Like actually pay attention?"
Snape was a marvelous actor. Well, maybe it wasn't all acting. Snape hadn't been able to completely shake off his prior feelings for the boy-who-lived. Well, maybe he had and he was an excellent actor. Either way, Dumbledore bought the "act" and nodded.
"I'm not so sure where the boy's loyalties lie anymore. I'm worried what path he will take once the final war reaches us."
Shaking his head gravely as he was wont to do, Dumbledore quietly glided from the room.
Snarling his disgust quietly, Snape headed for his office where he could knock back a few useless pills and get royally drunk. He had no idea how he was able to last this long without going crazy, but at least now he knew he didn't have to last too much longer.
As Snape neared his office, anticipating the bliss of muggle drugs, (well, for awhile anyway) when he sensed Draco coming after him.
"Yes?" He asked without turning.
"Professor, Potter said that we, well, him, me, and this girl Kira, are leaving sometime tomorrow. I just thought you should know."
Severus nodded, knowing what tomorrow night was going to be.
"I will join up with you when the time is right."
Draco nodded and sped back towards his dorm.
Still standing at his door, Snape paused for a moment, then entered his office, a small evil grin of anticipation spreading over his face.
Extras.
Draco's poem translation
Within my darkness The soul will survive Within my evil The mind will persist Within my chaos The body will endure
I call upon the lords of darkness To bind me to the shadows of the night Bring forth your demons of solitude Bring me eternal damnation
The spell version that Draco says is not a real language. I have like 2 German words in there, variations of actual words, and I think a Latin tense.
Draco's hand movements- think of Shinto priests/priestesses with their signs.
Nox- name came from Nix, which is the Greek goddess of night. It'll look like Red Eyes Black Dragon from Yu-Gi-Oh
Mythic dragon will look like the fell beast steed of the Ringwraith king from LOTR ROTK. Will be black.
The reason I called Kira a "pawn" was the fact that even though they seem perfectly harmless and are usually overlooked, they have the ability to become queens and win the game. Kira is so obscure in a way that no one would pay her any attention or think her connected to other forces.
Eris is the Greek goddess of discord. She was the one who throw the golden apple, labeled "for the fairest" into a crowd at Thetis's wedding. 3 goddesses claimed this apple. Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. They went to Zeus, king of gods, for his decision on who should keep the apple. Zeus directed them to a young Shepard who lived on Mt. Ida, by the name of Paris. Paris eventually chooses to give the apple to Aphrodite, and in return, the world's most beautiful would love him. He stole Helen from her husband Menelaus, and started the Trojan War. Eris is also the one who holds Ares's sword while he is not in battle.