Chapter 4
At exactly ten o'clock, an extremely confused Remus Lupin stepped out of the Floo in Dumbledore's office bearing two suitcases. Less than five seconds later, Ron Weaseley tumbled out of the Floo, followed by an irate Hermione Granger. She was followed by Mrs. Weaseley, who was trying to placate her. Ginny, Fred, and George followed in rapid succession. They chose to remain as quiet as possible, as to incur as little wrath as possible from anyone in the room.
"What do you MEAN we had to wait to see Harry? Why weren't we told about this last night? Why couldn't we be there when he woke up?" Mrs. Weaseley made a shushing noise and tried to pull the angry teenager into her arms. "Don't shush me! I don't appreciate being treated like a child! He's like a brother to me!" She finally allowed herself to be pulled into Mrs. Weaseley's embrace as she started to cry. Ron stood there, helpless, as the girl he had loved for almost two years cried in his mother's arms. Why in hell had Harry gone after Malfoy? It made no sense whatsoever. And then for Harry to risk his life for an enemy by HEALING him with some kind of freaky magic that put him into a coma was just unreal. This whole situation was like something out of that Muggle TV show that his father just loved to watch, The Twilight Zone. Maybe Malfoy had put a spell on Harry. Imperious of some kind, most likely. That made sense.
Ron's musings were interrupted by Remus. "Albus, the strangest thing happened about five minutes before I got here. You know I spent the night at the 'Cauldron, right? Well, I packed Harry's school trunk, like you asked at the bottom of Petunia's list. I had it all ready to go at the Leaky Cauldron before Flooing over here. It was right next to the others, I swear. I turned my back for just a second. When I turned back, it was flying out the window, as if someone were summoning it. I chased it down the street, but it vanished. Harry's broom went with it, too, as well as his cloak. Who summoned it? Harry will be so upset. I"
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "I think, Remus, that Harry already knows where his possessions are. We have had some interesting revelations about our young Mr. Potter in the last twelve hours."
Madam Pomfrey ran through the portrait from the Hospital Wing. "Albus! The boys are missing! I just checked on them and they aren't in their beds!"
"Calm down, Poppy. Alanna and Xander are with them on the Quidditch pitch. They are fine. In fact, they are playing Quidditch."
Remus stared for a second. "Harry summoned his trunk and broom??? How? He thought his stuff was in Surrey! That's too far for something to be summoned! Why would he even attempt it?"
"Like I said, strange things have been happening. Our visitors, Alanna and Xander, will explain everything. Let's go to the pitch. The game should be interesting to watch." Dumbledore led them from his office, eyes twinkling madly.
On the way, they collected the Dursleys and Professor Snape. Snape stared hungrily at Dudley. Images of luaus and pig roasts flashed through his mind. "Here, piggy, piggy!" was heard all the way down the stairs as Dudley whimpered, Mrs. Weaseley laughed, Dumbledore twinkled, Madam Pomfrey looked affronted, and the rest were just confused.
Harry was easily playing the hardest, and most fun, Quidditch game of his life. Alanna and Xander were an even better team than Fred and George Weaseley, who had been able to anticipate the other's movements with uncanny precision. Alanna and Xander moved as if they were one mind in two bodies. He and Draco weren't doing so badly, themselves. After forty minutes of playing, the score was still tied, zero to zero, though both sides had almost scored numerous times, only to be blocked at the last second by the other team. Xander had to be the best beater Harry had ever seen, and he was sure Xander had played professionally in one of his many lives.... unless they invented the sport, he thought wryly. Draco caught his drift and snickered.
"Alanna!" Draco yelled as she raced towards his and Harry's goal with the quaffle, "Did you and Xander invent Quidditch?"
"Nope," she replied cheerily, as she attempted to get past him. He hung on to her like a pit bull. "But, we played in the first game!"
"Awesome" Harry breathed. Just think the first game ever.... He trailed off as Draco caught the quaffle and passed it to him. He darted away, Xander hot on his heels. Oh, no you DON'T! he thought grimly as Xander slammed the bludger towards him. He threw the quaffle backwards; knowing instinctively that Draco would be there to catch it, then threw himself upwards. His incredible broom responded instantly to the slightest touch. It's like flying a dream... and I hope I never wake up... the bludger instantly changed direction to follow his movement. He continued to climb, then, on a dime, plummeted back down to the earth in a corkscrew dive. He hit the bludger directly at Xander while spiraling, to the observer, out of control. Less than a foot from the ground, and about five feet from Xander's and Alanna's goals, he glided back up, into the path of the falling quaffle. He effortlessly let the quaffle settle in his outstretched hands then flicked it through the hoop. GOOOOAAAALLLL!!!!!!!!!!! He heard a long scream coming from the stands. Distracted, he looked up.
"HARRY POTTER! WHAT IN HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?????" Oh shit. Hermione Granger and Mrs. Weaseley were sprinting across the pitch, murder in their eyes. Draco! HELP!!!!! He yelped desperately. Draco was already flying away as fast as he could. "YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!!!! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, PULLING OFF A STUNT LIKE THAT?????" Hermione and Mrs. Weaseley, still screaming in unison, strode to the spot directly underneath him.Yup, next they'll tell me that Moldy Wart won't be able to kill me if I kill myself... not that it mattered when I was slitting my wrists... oh shit, I hope Draco didn't hear that... "YOU GET DOWN HERE, THIS INSTANT!" If you can't reach me, will you go away? If I fly so high I can't hear you, will you give up? You can't make me go down there... "HARRY! WE MEAN IT!!!" Nope! Can't hear you, la la la la! He flew another fifty feet up, trying to block out the nagging voices beneath him. I wish they would just leave me alone... He spotted the Dursleys in the stands, and almost fell off his broom. Oh, no, they're here too. Is no place safe from them?
HARRY! STOP WISHING! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT COULD DO!!! Draco screamed, silent panic slamming through Harry's mind.
Uh oh! I didn't mean it...I think He could still hear yelling from below. Oh, joy. Now Ron has joined the fray. What next, a three ring circus?
It's time to face the music. Draco cut through his thoughts. And, yes, I did hear everything you were complaining about, but I already knew about your cutting. I saw the scars, Harry.
Shit.
Don't worry. I understand why you did it, and I am confident that, if you do it again, I will know and can heal you.
I thought you weren't too keen on the idea of healing me... Harry growled, mock suspiciously. They laughed, and descended together.
As soon as they touched ground, Harry was mobbed by the Weaseleys and Hermione. Help! he sent anxiously to Draco. Claustrophobic, here! Draco chuckled wryly.
But, Potter, they're YOUR friends, and they were WORRIED about you, he drawled. Potter shot him a look of pure desperation as he panicked. Images of Vernon Dursley beating the stuffing out of Harry, as well as other confusing images, flooded Draco's mind. "Oh hell," he said out loud. "Back up, coming through. MOVE IT!!" he bellowed, causing everyone to fall silent and back up a few steps. "Thank you. Harry, come on." He led the quivering Gryffindor out of the fracas. He turned Harry around as soon as they were at least three feet from everyone else. "Ok, now, one at a time, and slowly." Ron stared, incredulous as his best friend was led away by his worst enemy, who was for some reason, taking care of him.
Remus spoke first. "Harry, where are your trunks? I had them and I was bringing them, and they disappeared." He looked shocked and insulted when Draco started to laugh.
"So sorry, professor, but Harry summoned them. It was hilarious, and your face was priceless...." He trailed off, bent double with laughter. Ron stepped forward, menacingly. First he's all over Harry, now he's laughing at Professor Lupin. GRRRRRR............
"Watch it Ferret. I'm warning you..." Ron clenched his fists.
Draco straightened, all mirth forgotten. Light blue crackles bolted off of his fingertips as he strode angrily towards Ron. He stopped, inches from the other boy. "Watch yourself, Weasel," he hissed.
"Why do you insist on calling each other by those ridiculous names?" Harry stood where Draco had put him, smirking. "It's like saying you two are related... The weasel and the ferret are almost kissing cousins in the rodent family..." He trailed off, amused, as Ron and Draco sprang apart. They turned as one, both incredibly pissed off.
"Potter YOU BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU!!!!!" they screamed as one and charged. Harry let out a loud "Meep" of surprise, then mounted his broom and flew off, laughing.
"Oh HELL no!" Draco grabbed his broom and flew after him. "Get back here, Potter!" Hermione and Ron could hear him calling after Harry as he soared into the air. "I mean it! Get back here!"
They looked at each other in horror and ran to the discarded Firebolts. "Hurry up!" Ron panted. "He's going to kill Harry!" They hastily mounted the brooms and took off after the other two.
Harry swooped around the top of Gryffindor Tower and landed on the turret. Oh, the looks on their faces were priceless! Serves them right for always using those stupid insults. He tried to laugh away the panic he had felt earlier, but it wouldn't stay quiet like it usually did. Oh shit, he thought desperately. This is gonna be bad. Oh shit, oh shit. Please stop... He buried his head in his arms and clamped his hands over his eyes, trying to physically force the memories away from him. Somebody... help.... The memories poured out of his subconscious, where they had stayed hidden until now.
Loud Christmas Carols playing in the background
Harry could see the party going on from a crack in the cupboard door. It had been going on for hours. Dudley kept receiving presents-a total of forty five, now. Harry knew that more would be coming with the arrival of Aunt Marge. That could guarantee at least another fifteen. In the eight Christmases he had been with the Dursleys, he couldn't remember once receiving a gift or any token of affection, yet Dudley received over fifty for Christmas every year. Harry pressed his face to his cot and wept bitterly. It hurt him deeply, and though he tried to tell himself otherwise, he could feel it. The human soul can only take so much pain before it withers and gives up he thought angrily. He lay there for another hour before the cupboard door was wrenched open. Vernon loomed unsteadily in the doorway. He was obviously drunk.
"Hey, youse freak" he slurred. "youshe better behave yourshe-shelf. I don't want the othersh to know youse exist. So shuchurse frigging trap and shtay that way orse I'll have to ream youse a new one when the frigging room shtops shpinning."
He went to lumber off, but Harry timidly spoke up. "Uncle Vernon," He hoped his uncle was too drunk to think rationally. "I haven't had anything to eat all day. Can I please have some food?" he held his breath, hoping.
"Youse think I'd washte food on a frigging freak like youse?? Get yourshe ass back in that rat holshe, you pashthetic wormshe!" He threw Harry back into the cupboard, slammed the door, and locked it. "Fucking freak." Vernon carefully enunciated. "Little greedy bastard. 'Give me food!' He won't eat for a week for that one." He lumbered off to drink more booze and party harder.
He had been punished horribly for that one. Starved, then, at night,... .Harry was going to continue that train of thought but was sucked into another nightmarish memory.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Duddikins, happy birthday to you!
Harry watched the festivities from the kitchen where he was stirring the bacon. Dudley sat at the head of the table, with thirty five presents in front of him. Harry hung his head, softly crying to himself. In two weeks it would be his birthday, and no one would know. He would be seven years old, and no one would care. He carefully drained the bacon, and started on the eggs and toast. It was so unfair. Why did they hate him? Why did Uncle Vernon hit him, hurt him, and sometimes, when no one... DON'T THINK ABOUT THAT! he ordered himself sternly. There's nothing you can do about it, anyway.
Harry screamed in pain as his arm came into full contact with the scalding pan. He knocked the bacon off the stove in his haste to shove his arm under the faucet. "MUM!! HARRY'S RUINING MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!" Dudley howled then watched with undisguised glee and hatred as his parents stormed into the kitchen.
"You FREAK! You ruined my precious Duddikin's birthday!" Petunia wrenched Harry away from the sink and pinned him to the refrigerator. She slapped him across the face, raking him with her nails. Blood welled and oozed from four long gashes that covered his face from ear to ear. "You damn pathetic freak!" She slammed his head against the fridge over and over, until Harry was reeling and seeing explosions of light in his vision. Oh, this is going to hurt tomorrow. he thought dully as Vernon took over. The obese man decked him across the face with his ham sized fist then drove a knee into Harry's stomach. Harry dropped to the floor, his vision going grey. He was vaguely aware that someone was making a high pitched whimpering sound, and was mildly surprised to find out it was himself. As he blacked out from the pain, he felt something heavy slam into his stomach to the rhythm of his heart beat. They're kicking me.... he thought as the blackness took him into blessed relief.
Ohhhhh.. Harry moaned mentally, reliving the pain. He didn't notice the shadow above him, or the strong arms that wrapped around his waist.
Shhh. I got you. It's ok, Harry. Draco could feel his pain, and had felt the tail end of what Harry had been reliving. Those damn muggles he spat and gently pushed into Harry's mind. OH HELL he thought desperately as he was swept into Harry's memories.
I am Harry. I am Harry, Harry Potter. Harry is five. Harry is good. Harry is Harry, not freak or loser or pathetic worm. Harry is Harry.
Harry huddled under the jungle gym in the school playground. It was the first day of school, and he didn't even know his name until the teacher called it and glared at him when he didn't answer. The other kids had pointed and laughed at him, and had called him names, that mean Dudley who had started it. Dudley had stood up and laughed.
"Look at him the freak. The pa-the-tic loser doesn't even know his own name! "He had laughed then, and everyone else had laughed, too. Only the teacher had frowned. Harry had cowered at his desk, expecting her to yell at him. Instead...
"Dudley Dursley, that is mean! Apologize at once! You do not treat anyone that way, especially your cousin!" the teacher demanded crossly.
"No! MY daddy says that his kind are freaks and my daddy is never wrong!" Dudley stood at his desk, hollering. His face screwed up, and he began to wail. "You are STUPID! My daddy says that all those freaks should DIE!"
Oh no, he's having a tantrum... Harry ducked under his desk to hide.
"Dudley! Go to the Principle's office, right now! You are in big trouble, young man! You do not talk like that!" Dudley gaped like a fish, mouth opening and closing rapidly. The teacher marched him out of the classroom.
That was three hours ago. Three hours without anyone teasing him or calling him names. Three hours without being sent to the cupboard, or his uncle hurting him so badly he cried, until he healed himself when no one was looking. For five year old Harry, those were the best hours of his young life.
A shadow loomed over him. Fearfully, Harry looked up. Dudley stood there, with two other mean looking boys. "Hey, freak."
"I am not a freak. I am Harry!" defiantly, Harry stood up and glared at the three bigger boys. "I am NOT a FREAK!" he screamed angrily, and pushed Dudley when his cousin started to laugh at him.
Amazement that Harry had stood up to him turned to anger. Harry saw that on his face, and started to run. "Hey, guess what?" Dudley asked his new friends. "I just thought of a new game to play. I call it 'Harry Hunting'. Wanna play?" With a laugh, the three boys chased after Harry. They quickly caught him, and slammed him to the ground. Piers, one of Dudley's friends, held Harry down on the ground while Dudley slammed his fists repeatedly into Harry's ribs. The other boy, Anthony, kept a lookout for any grownups. Harry screamed in pain as he felt one of his ribs break, and something inside of him snapped. Dudley yelped in surprise as he was lifted straight off of Harry and thrown into a tree. Piers was lifted as well, and tossed into a neighbor's garden. They gaped at Harry, who had started to glow a dark green color.
Harry felt incredible relief as his broken ribs healed instantly, and all of his cuts and scrapes disappeared. He was floating... oh no... Uncle Vernon is going to really hurt me now... and I deserve it for doing freak stuff... just like last time when I set the table by making the dishes fly around... He gently lowered himself to the ground. Dudley and the other boys were nowhere in sight. With a heavy step, he walked back to the Dursleys.
Draco sat there, tears streaming down his face. Oh my god, he kept thinking over and over. He was just protecting himself, and they hurt him, and he was only five fucking years old! He didn't even know his own name, and- Harry started to moan.
OH no, please God no, don't make me relive this I'll do anything anything at all just keep the memories away I don't want to remember make it stop make it stop MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP MAKEITSTOPMAKEITSTOPMAKEIT STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOP Harry chanted in his mind, curling into the fetal position.
Harry, it's Draco! Let me help you. I can't help unless you let me... Draco felt Harry's mind try to push him out. Desperately he fought to stay in.
NONONONONONONONONONO NOONE CAN SEE NONONONONONO! Grimly, Draco held on as he felt them fall into another of Harry's memories. NOOOOOO! NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Harry howled. HELP! GET ME OUT OF THIS, MAKE IT STOP
Harry sat there on the carpet, amusing himself. WHEE!!!! This is FUN!!! he giggled with delight as he spun the pretty red stuff (fire) and the clear wet stuff (water) around the room. "Duddy gets toys, Hawwy gets no toys, so Hawwy makes toys" Harry spoke in a singsong voice. He was only three and a half, and very proud of that half. It was only a week after Christmas, and Dudley had gotten twenty presents. Harry had received none, as usual, and had been confined to his cupboard, but he didn't care about that. All he cared about was that he could make pretty colors fly around the room.
"I wish I could watch TV" Ping! The Television turned on. Harry watched as a man with funny white hair and sparkly clothes (Sigfreid and Roy) drove a big, fuzzy white and black cat through a ring of the pretty red stuff. "WOW! I wanna try!" Harry screwed his face up in concentration as he stared at the TV. "I want the KITTY!" He pointed in frustration at the TV. One of the stones from the hearth floated over to his outstretched hand. It turned into a stone tiger, and it ran around the room. "NICE KITTY!!!" he squealed. A ring of the pretty red stuff appeared in front of the lion, just like on TV! The nice kitty jumped through the hoop, then went swimming in the pool of water that appeared in midair.
Harry stared awestruck as the man with funny white hair put his head in the pretty kitty's mouth. "I want that!" A stone figure of Uncle Vernon formed and walked over to the stone tiger. He put his head in the tiger's mouth, then stepped back, triumphant, in direct imitation of what was happening on TV. "Uncle Vewnon mean... He didn't give Hawwy pwesents. Mean, mean uncle Vewnon..." he pouted. The stone tiger turned to stone Uncle Vernon angrily, licking its chops. Uncle Veronon ran around the room, and the tiger chased him. The stone man hid in between the books on the lowest book shelf, the tiger prowling back and forth. After almost ten minutes of pacing, the tiger gave up and sat down, next to Harry, the thin three year old scratching its head. It purred happily, a low, rumbling sound. Stone Uncle Vernon crept out of his hiding place. "I want pwesents..." Gaily wrapped packages began flying out of the chimeney. "Yay!" Harry stood and clapped his hands. "Kwismas!" The tiger turned and pounced on stone Uncle Vernon, and ripped his head off. "Bad Uncle Vewnon, bad, bad..." he turned and saw the tiger mauling the stone man. He clapped his hands to his face. "Uh oh!"
"BOYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!! WHAT IS GOING ON???? WHRE DID- HOW DID- UUURGH!!!!!" The real Uncle Vernon stormed into the room, and promptly tripped over one of the many wrapped presents. "You LITTLE FREAK!!!!!!!!!" He picked himself up and slammed his fist into Harry's surprised face.
Harry's hands shot up to instinctively protect himself. The fist never made it. A massive tidal wave shot out of Harry's crossed arm and forced Vernon to fly out the window, a torrent of water gushing after him. A sputtering Vernon sprinted back into the house, one thought on his mind. Kill the FREAK. Harry ran to his cupboard and shut the door. Vernon ripped the door of its hinges with a roar. He threw himself on Harry and punched him repeatedly. Nothing Harry could do fazed him, not even when he threw a wall of fire at Vernon's face. If anything, it infuriated Vernon beyond reason. "Oh, you little freak, I'm gonna hurt you so bad you won't be able to walk for a month!"
He held Harry by the throat and choked the boy till he was on the verge of unconsciousness, then roughly flipped him over. "Freak, I've wanted to hurt you like this for a long time...." He trailed off as sweat began to bead and drip down his face. He ripped off Harry's pants and covered him with his body. Roughly, he undid his own pants and tried to slam into the tiny child. A thin wail erupted from Harry's mouth as a spike of agony traveled up his spine. "Shit, you're too tight. I-I-I- Their we go..." He forced himself into Harry. Blood streamed out of the abused boy as he screamed and screamed. After several minutes of indescribable hell, The enormous man pulled out and stumbled out of the cupboard and up the stairs. "I'd like to see you magic your way out of that, freak."
Draco sat there, stunned. Ohmygod ohmygodohmygodohmygod what do I do??? He tightened his grip on the nearly comatose boy in his lap. Harry stiffened at his touch and tried to crawl away. When that didn't work, he started to whimper softly. "Please don't huwt me, Uncle Vewnon. I pwomise I won't do it again. I pwomise, I pwomise, I pwomise..." He trailed off, quietly sobbing. Gradually, Harry opened his eyes, misery haunting his gaze.
Harry, it's safe. He will NEVER hurt you like that again. I promise you. Draco cried, unable to shake the feelings of terror and agony that had assaulted him. It had felt so real, as if it had been him who was r- he couldn't even think the word. "I promise. That bastard will pay for what he did." Harry shot into a sitting position
"Malfoy, you better NEVER tell anyone!" He slammed Draco to the turret. "Promise me THAT!" Desperation snaked its way across Harry's features. They're my only means of protection and if they're gone then Voldemort wins and I don't want anyone's PITY!
You're the one that told me that I'm a demigod. You have my protection. Voldemort has nothing on my powers, and you are incredibly powerful, yourself. You can protect yourself. Voldemort can't touch you. I promise. You CAN'T go back there. I won't allow it. He hugged Harry, hard, and refused to let him stiffen and pull away. I can't help this. I feel responsible for you. It is so strange. I don't want to hurt you or insult you, I just want to help you.
Alanna didn't just say you were a demigod. Harry admitted reluctantly. She also said I'm the most powerful mortal on the planet, and the full blooded descendant of a demigod on both sides of my family. She also said, he blushed and looked away from Draco.
Come on, what did she say?
Harry mumbled out loud. "She said we're soul mates." He scooted as far away from Draco as the other boy would allow.
Draco reeled back. "She said WHAT??" He noticed Harry scooting away from him. "Oh HELL no. You're not going anywhere." He grabbed Harry around the waist and hauled him back until he was on Draco's lap. "You are not going anywhere." He repeated for emphasis.
"What the FUCK are you doing to my best friend????" Draco jumped and Harry whimpered, burrowing into the other boy's chest. Terror clouded Harry's eyes and he started to shake. Ron circled the rooftop. Hermione, Draco saw, was just trying to stay on the calmly drifting Firebolt. Granger is a worse flyer than Longbottom! he chortled to himself. Harry cautiously opened his eyes and stared in confusion as he saw Hermione hang on for dear life. She was upside down, like a sloth. Her hands and knees where white from gripping the handle so tightly. Her eyes were closed, and she appeared to be praying.
"Would you shut up? At the very least, stop yelling. You're scaring him." Draco cradled Harry's body with his own and rubbed his back comfortingly. "It's ok, Harry. That's just Weaseley that's yelling. He's your friend, and he won't hurt you." Draco glared up at Ron. "At least, he better not...." Ron continued to glare at them suspiciously. He turned and hauled Hermione upright on the broom.
How can you stand to touch me, knowing what he did to me? Harry questioned tiredly. He felt so dirty, so used. He scooted off of Draco's lap and hugged his knees to his chest, eyes shut tight.
Draco stared at him, dumbfounded. What do you mean, I can't stand to to touch you??? He raped YOU, not the other way around. You're the frigging victim, not him. There is nothing wrong with being near you or touching you! He continued to rub Harry's back soothingly.
"Wha- What's going on?" Hermione stuttered, confused and upset. "Malfoy, get your hands off of Harry! Harry, what is going on?" She rounded on Ron. "What did you do to them???"
"ME? I didn't do anything!" protested Ron. "I got here and Harry was screaming, and Malfoy was HUGGING him, and then Harry all but crawled into his lap!" He glared at Draco and Harry. "So, Malfoy, what the hell is going on?" Harry opened his eyes and stared dully at Ron. Ron immediately landed on the turret next to him. "Harry, what's going on? I swear, I forgive you for that Weasel crack, especially after Hermione pointed out that you were right..." He mock glared at Hermione, who landed next to him. Well, she fell off the broom onto the turret. A landing is something you walk away from in one piece, so that was a landing, she thought grimly. They reached for Harry's shoulders to hug him, but he flinched and pulled away from them. The looked at each other, hurt and confused.
Draco sneered at them. "You two really are clueless, aren't you? You have no idea what he has been through, and you think his being upset has everything to do with your little spat five minutes ago. Do you have any idea why he hates being touched? Do you even know why he hates loud noises and being yelled at? Do you have any idea how he has been living since Dumbledore oh so kindly dumped him off at his assholes of relatives????" He was visibly shaking with rage. He took a deep breath, and tried to calm down.
"Yes, we know they have starved him, and have nothing to do with him." Hermione admitted. "Why? How do you know?"
"You know NOTHING! The best parts are when they ignore him, because" Draco broke off suddenly. "Shit, I'm not supposed to tell. If you want to know, then you better ask him, later. He doesn't need this right now." He looked down at Harry. Would you please tell them you are all right? I can't reassure them of anything, and I don't want to.
Harry shifted and sat cross legged next to Draco. Do I have to? he whined. Can we just go now? I don't want to have to explain anything, and I don't want them around. They don't understand, and I'm not going to tell them anything. This isn't just something you announce to your friends. Hey guys, guess what? My uncle likes to use me as a sex toy! he bitterly thought.
And I'm going to kill him. Actually, I'm going to hold him down, and YOU are going to kill him. Just, please, make up something. They are acting like vultures, first with the circling bit, and now they're trying to pick us dry with questions.
Harry smiled weakly. The description was apt, he admitted to himself. He looked Ron square in the eye. Ok, calm, calm, you can pull this off... Draco watched, amused, and then amazed, as Harry visibly calmed, and put a believable smile on his face. He looked like the confident Gryffindor.
Oh MY GOD! He's as good at that as I am... Who knew that that smile was a mask to rival my icy mask. That smile is completely believable.
Of course it is. How else do you think Child Protective Services were never called on my relatives? If I look happy, then nothing is wrong, right?
Well, Granger and Weaseley certainly believe it. Hermione and Ron visibly relaxed as soon as Harry started to smile." Really, Ron, Hermione, I am all right. No, Draco isn't going to kill me, and we are actually friends now." Ron and Hermione immediately tensed back up again.
"WHAT??" they both exploded. "You mean that you actually get along with that asshole!" Ron snarled, before launching himself at Draco. "Fucking BEST friend STEALER!!!" Draco held out his hand, and Ron froze in mid air.
"Cool!" Draco exclaimed. "Hey, Harry, Alanna's calling us," he stated quietly, his head cocked to one side.
Ok, let's go. Hey, Draco, did you know your eyes change color when you use your powers without flaring your aura?
Huh, that's interesting. Oh well, another thing to ask our big sis when we get back.
He and Harry mounted their new brooms and took off. As soon as they had left, Ron landed on the turret with a loud thump. He tried to mount the Firebolt and go after them, but Hermione held him back. "Did you see that? Malfoy's eyes changed color when he did that to you. They swirled light blue and silver. It was creepy."
Ron grimly scowled at the two retreating figures. "They looked like they were talking to each other. Their facial expressions kept changing. But, they weren't talking. What the hell is going on?"
"I don't know, but I don't like it at all. Come on, let's go back." They mounted their brooms and flew back to the Pitch.
Harry and Draco touched down in the middle of the Quidditch Pitch. Immediately, Remus and Mrs. Weaseley pulled him into a tight embrace. He stiffened slightly, and then relaxed. Oof. Come on, a little tighter. Let's see how many ribs you can break. Draco relaxed. Harry wasn't about to have a repeat episode of his panic attack.
"Really, dear, you shouldn't risk yourself like that. I don't know what I'd do if you were hurt. You're like my son." Harry gratefully returned Mrs. Weaseley's hug.
"Thank you, Mrs. Weaseley. You are the only mother I've known." She let out a loud sniff and started to cry quietly.
"Well, Harry James Potter, if I ever catch you doing a stunt like that again, I'm going to have to exercise that role as unofficial mother and ground you!" She laughed through her tears. Harry flushed a deep red, and then started to laugh with her.
"Don't worry, Mrs. Weaseley. Harry was in control of that broom the whole time. I should know, because I can hear his thoughts pretty much constantly. These brooms are incredible," Draco drawled, smiling. Everyone except for Snape, Alanna, and Xander gaped at the smiling Slytherin. "I saw your name on the 1964 Gryffindor Team roster. You won several awards for incredible Beater skill and excellence in flying, if I remember the trophies correctly. I should," he mused, "because I had to polish them so many times." He held out his broom to her. "Would you like to try?"
Ron and Hermione flew to the Pitch just in time to see Ron's mother soar off on Draco's silver and light blue broom. "WHOOO HOOOO!" she yelled, swooping and diving over five hundred feet above ground.
"Wow." Choked Fred to George. "I didn't know mum could fly like that," he whispered to his twin. "She's bloody amazing!" he continued as Mrs. Weaseley pulled the same stunt She had just screamed at Harry for attempting. Ron's eyes bulged out of their sockets.
"MUM!" he yelled. Ginny elbowed him in the gut. "OW! What was that for?" he complained, rubbing his stomach.
"Who do you think taught us? Mum did. She's an excellent flier." Ginny turned and ran over to Harry. She put her best puppy dog sad eyes face. "Please, Harry, could I try? Please? Please?" Harry laughed at her antics.
"Sure, Gin," he smiled and handed her his broom.
"Thanks, Harry!" She grinned, kissed him on the cheek, and flew off, squealing with delight. He watched, bemused, as mother and daughter chased each other through the air, turned flips, and had a blast. Wow, I wish I had that.
After almost ten minutes, Dumbledore called Mrs. Weaseley and Ginny back to the Pitch. As soon as they landed, they both rushed over to Xander. "They're incredible! I've never flown so well in my life! Where did you get them? How are they made? What market are they on?" Alanna held up a hand, and they quieted.
"Hmm, 'Lana, what do you think? How much should we charge for these babies? They seem to be a success," Xander drawled and smirked. Alanna smirked back at him.
Harry elbowed Draco. "I think your drawl and smirk are genetic from the immortal side of your family, though they do it better than you do."
Draco pretended to be insulted. "Hey!" he smirked. "But they've had so long to perfect them. They're, oh, at least several billion years older than I am." Harry laughed.
Dumbledore called for everyone's attention. "I called the Order to meet in a half an hour in the Room of Requirement. We have questions I think Alanna and Xander need to answer, especially who they are and what is going on."
Xander, who had been joking around with Harry and Draco, called over his shoulder, "Come again? I didn't catch that." He and Alanna smirked at each other, and the two boys copied them. Harry and Draco looked so similar it was eerie. Ron, who was watching, shuddered. Alanna and Xander turned around and gave Dumbledore their full attention.
Dumbledore spoke slowly, as if speaking to a mentally disabled five- year-old. "We are having a meeting, and you need to attend. We have questions that you must answer. First, who are you? Second, who is 'mom'? Third, what is going on, and how does the current problem on Earth tie into why you are here? Fourth, what do you have to offer in our war against Voldemort?" Because, if it is nothing, then why are we wasting our time with you?
The matching smirks vanished. Harry, scandalized, was elbowed into silence by Draco. Don't say anything! I wanna see what they do! It's about time someone knocked that old bastard off his throne! Alanna and Xander stared at Dumbledore incredulously.
"What?" they snarled in unison. "We do not have to tell you ANYTHING, mortal!" Alanna and Xander grasped hands and rose from the ground to hover almost three feet in the air. An incandescent light burst forth from their bodies, and streams of dark blue and scarlet writhed and roiled around them in a sphere. The earth violently shook, forming a huge chasm spanning the length of the entire Quidditch Pitch. A wall of flame erupted from the abyss, as if the fires of hell had arisen to the occasion. Dumbledore staggered back from the inferno, terror evident on his face. The sky darkened, and turned a strange greenish purple. Four class-five tornadoes whipped down to the Pitch, and skipped across the field.
Oh, wow, I wanna do that. Draco flared his aura protectively as the earth pitched and rumbled.
You're a demigod. You CAN! Harry also flared his aura, and copying Alanna and Xander, rose from the ground to hover about a foot and a half in the air.
How're you doing that? Draco sounded impressed. Harry thought for a moment then sent what he had done directly into Draco's mind. Draco nodded, and joined him in the air.
Lightning flashed, and it started to hail. Xander sent a tornado over the lake, and morphed it into a hurricane. He brought it back, and the Quidditch goals went flying through the air, landing in front of the Weaseleys and Hermione, who were cowering beneath the stands. The Dursleys stayed in the South Stands, where nothing had touched them. In fact, over their heads, the sun was shining and a light breeze had picked up, but that was it. The rest of the stands, however, were shredded. Banners were whipping through the air, no longer attached to the House Walls of the stands.
Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Remus, and Mrs. Weaseley looked at each other and ran over to where Harry and Draco hovered; safe from the hellish forces the demigods were unleashing in anger.
"Harry, Malfoy, can we come in? We don't want to die out here, and that is a distinct possibility right now." Ginny asked. Harry and Draco smirked at each other and extended their auras to protect the others. The all floated, safe from the mayhem around them.
"Do we have anything to offer?" Xander sarcastically asked the quivering Dumbledore, who lay in the fetal position on the bucking earth.
"Yes, yes!" he gasped.
"Good. Know this, mortal. This is but a fraction of our power." Alanna's voice swelled until it boomed. Harry was certain that the people in Antarctica could hear her, and he'd even go so far as to say the LGM's on Mars. "If we wished, we could tear the earth asunder and form it anew from the ashes." Ginny raised her hand hesitantly. Xander, taking notice of this, turned to her, and sighed.
"She means, little one, that we could destroy this planet (seven times over he thought) and create another one(-hundred). You children have no appreciation for language." Harry and Draco smirked at this. "So," He turned back to the cowering headmaster. " 'old man'" he mocked "are we clear?" Dumbledore nodded quickly.
"Good." Alanna and Xander waved their hands. The sky cleared, and everything was as it was before.
"Now, let's go to that meeting. The foolish mortal is right. We do have much to discuss, and you will need to answer our questions as well." Alanna smirked evilly, and everyone found themselves in the Room of Requirement.
A/N: I'm so sorry I reformatted, but it was getting ridiculous. I had hit chapter five without being able to include the much needed explanations, and that wasn't cool. Seriously, I planned that this stuff in chapter four would have concluded itself by chapter 3, but my writing didn't go according to plan. So, I made 15 page chapters, and made it so the explanation will be all of chapter 5, and then the story will finally get out of the first 48 hours of the story. On a lighter note: COOL! I've converted some anti slash people!!! The thing is all you people out there reading this only for the slash, it ain't gonna happen in this book-I am soooo evil. The sequel, it will. But, not yet. so sorry to disappoint, but I honestly think they would have to at least get to know each other before any thing happens, and five years of hatred is hard to overcome. Plus, they both have serious issues..
B/N: Hellooooooooooo out there, can everyone read this? If not, SUCKS TO BE YOU! Joking, joking, anyway, like the story? You better! No offense meant to her, but my sister has the grammar skills of a fifth-grader, but she denies it totally (and no offense meant to any fifth-graders reading this story)-hey! Wait a minute, if you're in fifth grade you shouldn't even be here! Oh Laura, what have you done? The trauma you have inflicted on the innocent little ones! Oh, what is this world coming to? ( If you're in fifth grade, and you have read all of this chapter, then we are not responsible for your psychological health now. once again, SUCKS TO BE YOU! Enjoy!
A/N: Finally, the long awaited explanations for who the heck Alanna and Xander are, why they are here, and what in hell is going on!!!! This is gonna be long and might be somewhat boring, just to let you know.
Oh, can anyone tell me if they recognize this story? Harry is a vampire, and has a dream of his soul mate, Draco Malfoy. Harry has a tattoo, a red and gold snake, and that's how Draco recognizes him, they do go to Hogwarts, Harry turns Draco, and they go to the Vampire Underworld in London. Harry's vamp friend shows them a painting of his soul mate, its Severus Snape.. Please tell me if you recognize it and if you know the title! I'm going crazy not knowing!
At exactly ten o'clock, an extremely confused Remus Lupin stepped out of the Floo in Dumbledore's office bearing two suitcases. Less than five seconds later, Ron Weaseley tumbled out of the Floo, followed by an irate Hermione Granger. She was followed by Mrs. Weaseley, who was trying to placate her. Ginny, Fred, and George followed in rapid succession. They chose to remain as quiet as possible, as to incur as little wrath as possible from anyone in the room.
"What do you MEAN we had to wait to see Harry? Why weren't we told about this last night? Why couldn't we be there when he woke up?" Mrs. Weaseley made a shushing noise and tried to pull the angry teenager into her arms. "Don't shush me! I don't appreciate being treated like a child! He's like a brother to me!" She finally allowed herself to be pulled into Mrs. Weaseley's embrace as she started to cry. Ron stood there, helpless, as the girl he had loved for almost two years cried in his mother's arms. Why in hell had Harry gone after Malfoy? It made no sense whatsoever. And then for Harry to risk his life for an enemy by HEALING him with some kind of freaky magic that put him into a coma was just unreal. This whole situation was like something out of that Muggle TV show that his father just loved to watch, The Twilight Zone. Maybe Malfoy had put a spell on Harry. Imperious of some kind, most likely. That made sense.
Ron's musings were interrupted by Remus. "Albus, the strangest thing happened about five minutes before I got here. You know I spent the night at the 'Cauldron, right? Well, I packed Harry's school trunk, like you asked at the bottom of Petunia's list. I had it all ready to go at the Leaky Cauldron before Flooing over here. It was right next to the others, I swear. I turned my back for just a second. When I turned back, it was flying out the window, as if someone were summoning it. I chased it down the street, but it vanished. Harry's broom went with it, too, as well as his cloak. Who summoned it? Harry will be so upset. I"
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "I think, Remus, that Harry already knows where his possessions are. We have had some interesting revelations about our young Mr. Potter in the last twelve hours."
Madam Pomfrey ran through the portrait from the Hospital Wing. "Albus! The boys are missing! I just checked on them and they aren't in their beds!"
"Calm down, Poppy. Alanna and Xander are with them on the Quidditch pitch. They are fine. In fact, they are playing Quidditch."
Remus stared for a second. "Harry summoned his trunk and broom??? How? He thought his stuff was in Surrey! That's too far for something to be summoned! Why would he even attempt it?"
"Like I said, strange things have been happening. Our visitors, Alanna and Xander, will explain everything. Let's go to the pitch. The game should be interesting to watch." Dumbledore led them from his office, eyes twinkling madly.
On the way, they collected the Dursleys and Professor Snape. Snape stared hungrily at Dudley. Images of luaus and pig roasts flashed through his mind. "Here, piggy, piggy!" was heard all the way down the stairs as Dudley whimpered, Mrs. Weaseley laughed, Dumbledore twinkled, Madam Pomfrey looked affronted, and the rest were just confused.
Harry was easily playing the hardest, and most fun, Quidditch game of his life. Alanna and Xander were an even better team than Fred and George Weaseley, who had been able to anticipate the other's movements with uncanny precision. Alanna and Xander moved as if they were one mind in two bodies. He and Draco weren't doing so badly, themselves. After forty minutes of playing, the score was still tied, zero to zero, though both sides had almost scored numerous times, only to be blocked at the last second by the other team. Xander had to be the best beater Harry had ever seen, and he was sure Xander had played professionally in one of his many lives.... unless they invented the sport, he thought wryly. Draco caught his drift and snickered.
"Alanna!" Draco yelled as she raced towards his and Harry's goal with the quaffle, "Did you and Xander invent Quidditch?"
"Nope," she replied cheerily, as she attempted to get past him. He hung on to her like a pit bull. "But, we played in the first game!"
"Awesome" Harry breathed. Just think the first game ever.... He trailed off as Draco caught the quaffle and passed it to him. He darted away, Xander hot on his heels. Oh, no you DON'T! he thought grimly as Xander slammed the bludger towards him. He threw the quaffle backwards; knowing instinctively that Draco would be there to catch it, then threw himself upwards. His incredible broom responded instantly to the slightest touch. It's like flying a dream... and I hope I never wake up... the bludger instantly changed direction to follow his movement. He continued to climb, then, on a dime, plummeted back down to the earth in a corkscrew dive. He hit the bludger directly at Xander while spiraling, to the observer, out of control. Less than a foot from the ground, and about five feet from Xander's and Alanna's goals, he glided back up, into the path of the falling quaffle. He effortlessly let the quaffle settle in his outstretched hands then flicked it through the hoop. GOOOOAAAALLLL!!!!!!!!!!! He heard a long scream coming from the stands. Distracted, he looked up.
"HARRY POTTER! WHAT IN HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?????" Oh shit. Hermione Granger and Mrs. Weaseley were sprinting across the pitch, murder in their eyes. Draco! HELP!!!!! He yelped desperately. Draco was already flying away as fast as he could. "YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!!!! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, PULLING OFF A STUNT LIKE THAT?????" Hermione and Mrs. Weaseley, still screaming in unison, strode to the spot directly underneath him.Yup, next they'll tell me that Moldy Wart won't be able to kill me if I kill myself... not that it mattered when I was slitting my wrists... oh shit, I hope Draco didn't hear that... "YOU GET DOWN HERE, THIS INSTANT!" If you can't reach me, will you go away? If I fly so high I can't hear you, will you give up? You can't make me go down there... "HARRY! WE MEAN IT!!!" Nope! Can't hear you, la la la la! He flew another fifty feet up, trying to block out the nagging voices beneath him. I wish they would just leave me alone... He spotted the Dursleys in the stands, and almost fell off his broom. Oh, no, they're here too. Is no place safe from them?
HARRY! STOP WISHING! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT COULD DO!!! Draco screamed, silent panic slamming through Harry's mind.
Uh oh! I didn't mean it...I think He could still hear yelling from below. Oh, joy. Now Ron has joined the fray. What next, a three ring circus?
It's time to face the music. Draco cut through his thoughts. And, yes, I did hear everything you were complaining about, but I already knew about your cutting. I saw the scars, Harry.
Shit.
Don't worry. I understand why you did it, and I am confident that, if you do it again, I will know and can heal you.
I thought you weren't too keen on the idea of healing me... Harry growled, mock suspiciously. They laughed, and descended together.
As soon as they touched ground, Harry was mobbed by the Weaseleys and Hermione. Help! he sent anxiously to Draco. Claustrophobic, here! Draco chuckled wryly.
But, Potter, they're YOUR friends, and they were WORRIED about you, he drawled. Potter shot him a look of pure desperation as he panicked. Images of Vernon Dursley beating the stuffing out of Harry, as well as other confusing images, flooded Draco's mind. "Oh hell," he said out loud. "Back up, coming through. MOVE IT!!" he bellowed, causing everyone to fall silent and back up a few steps. "Thank you. Harry, come on." He led the quivering Gryffindor out of the fracas. He turned Harry around as soon as they were at least three feet from everyone else. "Ok, now, one at a time, and slowly." Ron stared, incredulous as his best friend was led away by his worst enemy, who was for some reason, taking care of him.
Remus spoke first. "Harry, where are your trunks? I had them and I was bringing them, and they disappeared." He looked shocked and insulted when Draco started to laugh.
"So sorry, professor, but Harry summoned them. It was hilarious, and your face was priceless...." He trailed off, bent double with laughter. Ron stepped forward, menacingly. First he's all over Harry, now he's laughing at Professor Lupin. GRRRRRR............
"Watch it Ferret. I'm warning you..." Ron clenched his fists.
Draco straightened, all mirth forgotten. Light blue crackles bolted off of his fingertips as he strode angrily towards Ron. He stopped, inches from the other boy. "Watch yourself, Weasel," he hissed.
"Why do you insist on calling each other by those ridiculous names?" Harry stood where Draco had put him, smirking. "It's like saying you two are related... The weasel and the ferret are almost kissing cousins in the rodent family..." He trailed off, amused, as Ron and Draco sprang apart. They turned as one, both incredibly pissed off.
"Potter YOU BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU!!!!!" they screamed as one and charged. Harry let out a loud "Meep" of surprise, then mounted his broom and flew off, laughing.
"Oh HELL no!" Draco grabbed his broom and flew after him. "Get back here, Potter!" Hermione and Ron could hear him calling after Harry as he soared into the air. "I mean it! Get back here!"
They looked at each other in horror and ran to the discarded Firebolts. "Hurry up!" Ron panted. "He's going to kill Harry!" They hastily mounted the brooms and took off after the other two.
Harry swooped around the top of Gryffindor Tower and landed on the turret. Oh, the looks on their faces were priceless! Serves them right for always using those stupid insults. He tried to laugh away the panic he had felt earlier, but it wouldn't stay quiet like it usually did. Oh shit, he thought desperately. This is gonna be bad. Oh shit, oh shit. Please stop... He buried his head in his arms and clamped his hands over his eyes, trying to physically force the memories away from him. Somebody... help.... The memories poured out of his subconscious, where they had stayed hidden until now.
Loud Christmas Carols playing in the background
Harry could see the party going on from a crack in the cupboard door. It had been going on for hours. Dudley kept receiving presents-a total of forty five, now. Harry knew that more would be coming with the arrival of Aunt Marge. That could guarantee at least another fifteen. In the eight Christmases he had been with the Dursleys, he couldn't remember once receiving a gift or any token of affection, yet Dudley received over fifty for Christmas every year. Harry pressed his face to his cot and wept bitterly. It hurt him deeply, and though he tried to tell himself otherwise, he could feel it. The human soul can only take so much pain before it withers and gives up he thought angrily. He lay there for another hour before the cupboard door was wrenched open. Vernon loomed unsteadily in the doorway. He was obviously drunk.
"Hey, youse freak" he slurred. "youshe better behave yourshe-shelf. I don't want the othersh to know youse exist. So shuchurse frigging trap and shtay that way orse I'll have to ream youse a new one when the frigging room shtops shpinning."
He went to lumber off, but Harry timidly spoke up. "Uncle Vernon," He hoped his uncle was too drunk to think rationally. "I haven't had anything to eat all day. Can I please have some food?" he held his breath, hoping.
"Youse think I'd washte food on a frigging freak like youse?? Get yourshe ass back in that rat holshe, you pashthetic wormshe!" He threw Harry back into the cupboard, slammed the door, and locked it. "Fucking freak." Vernon carefully enunciated. "Little greedy bastard. 'Give me food!' He won't eat for a week for that one." He lumbered off to drink more booze and party harder.
He had been punished horribly for that one. Starved, then, at night,... .Harry was going to continue that train of thought but was sucked into another nightmarish memory.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Duddikins, happy birthday to you!
Harry watched the festivities from the kitchen where he was stirring the bacon. Dudley sat at the head of the table, with thirty five presents in front of him. Harry hung his head, softly crying to himself. In two weeks it would be his birthday, and no one would know. He would be seven years old, and no one would care. He carefully drained the bacon, and started on the eggs and toast. It was so unfair. Why did they hate him? Why did Uncle Vernon hit him, hurt him, and sometimes, when no one... DON'T THINK ABOUT THAT! he ordered himself sternly. There's nothing you can do about it, anyway.
Harry screamed in pain as his arm came into full contact with the scalding pan. He knocked the bacon off the stove in his haste to shove his arm under the faucet. "MUM!! HARRY'S RUINING MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!" Dudley howled then watched with undisguised glee and hatred as his parents stormed into the kitchen.
"You FREAK! You ruined my precious Duddikin's birthday!" Petunia wrenched Harry away from the sink and pinned him to the refrigerator. She slapped him across the face, raking him with her nails. Blood welled and oozed from four long gashes that covered his face from ear to ear. "You damn pathetic freak!" She slammed his head against the fridge over and over, until Harry was reeling and seeing explosions of light in his vision. Oh, this is going to hurt tomorrow. he thought dully as Vernon took over. The obese man decked him across the face with his ham sized fist then drove a knee into Harry's stomach. Harry dropped to the floor, his vision going grey. He was vaguely aware that someone was making a high pitched whimpering sound, and was mildly surprised to find out it was himself. As he blacked out from the pain, he felt something heavy slam into his stomach to the rhythm of his heart beat. They're kicking me.... he thought as the blackness took him into blessed relief.
Ohhhhh.. Harry moaned mentally, reliving the pain. He didn't notice the shadow above him, or the strong arms that wrapped around his waist.
Shhh. I got you. It's ok, Harry. Draco could feel his pain, and had felt the tail end of what Harry had been reliving. Those damn muggles he spat and gently pushed into Harry's mind. OH HELL he thought desperately as he was swept into Harry's memories.
I am Harry. I am Harry, Harry Potter. Harry is five. Harry is good. Harry is Harry, not freak or loser or pathetic worm. Harry is Harry.
Harry huddled under the jungle gym in the school playground. It was the first day of school, and he didn't even know his name until the teacher called it and glared at him when he didn't answer. The other kids had pointed and laughed at him, and had called him names, that mean Dudley who had started it. Dudley had stood up and laughed.
"Look at him the freak. The pa-the-tic loser doesn't even know his own name! "He had laughed then, and everyone else had laughed, too. Only the teacher had frowned. Harry had cowered at his desk, expecting her to yell at him. Instead...
"Dudley Dursley, that is mean! Apologize at once! You do not treat anyone that way, especially your cousin!" the teacher demanded crossly.
"No! MY daddy says that his kind are freaks and my daddy is never wrong!" Dudley stood at his desk, hollering. His face screwed up, and he began to wail. "You are STUPID! My daddy says that all those freaks should DIE!"
Oh no, he's having a tantrum... Harry ducked under his desk to hide.
"Dudley! Go to the Principle's office, right now! You are in big trouble, young man! You do not talk like that!" Dudley gaped like a fish, mouth opening and closing rapidly. The teacher marched him out of the classroom.
That was three hours ago. Three hours without anyone teasing him or calling him names. Three hours without being sent to the cupboard, or his uncle hurting him so badly he cried, until he healed himself when no one was looking. For five year old Harry, those were the best hours of his young life.
A shadow loomed over him. Fearfully, Harry looked up. Dudley stood there, with two other mean looking boys. "Hey, freak."
"I am not a freak. I am Harry!" defiantly, Harry stood up and glared at the three bigger boys. "I am NOT a FREAK!" he screamed angrily, and pushed Dudley when his cousin started to laugh at him.
Amazement that Harry had stood up to him turned to anger. Harry saw that on his face, and started to run. "Hey, guess what?" Dudley asked his new friends. "I just thought of a new game to play. I call it 'Harry Hunting'. Wanna play?" With a laugh, the three boys chased after Harry. They quickly caught him, and slammed him to the ground. Piers, one of Dudley's friends, held Harry down on the ground while Dudley slammed his fists repeatedly into Harry's ribs. The other boy, Anthony, kept a lookout for any grownups. Harry screamed in pain as he felt one of his ribs break, and something inside of him snapped. Dudley yelped in surprise as he was lifted straight off of Harry and thrown into a tree. Piers was lifted as well, and tossed into a neighbor's garden. They gaped at Harry, who had started to glow a dark green color.
Harry felt incredible relief as his broken ribs healed instantly, and all of his cuts and scrapes disappeared. He was floating... oh no... Uncle Vernon is going to really hurt me now... and I deserve it for doing freak stuff... just like last time when I set the table by making the dishes fly around... He gently lowered himself to the ground. Dudley and the other boys were nowhere in sight. With a heavy step, he walked back to the Dursleys.
Draco sat there, tears streaming down his face. Oh my god, he kept thinking over and over. He was just protecting himself, and they hurt him, and he was only five fucking years old! He didn't even know his own name, and- Harry started to moan.
OH no, please God no, don't make me relive this I'll do anything anything at all just keep the memories away I don't want to remember make it stop make it stop MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP MAKEITSTOPMAKEITSTOPMAKEIT STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOP Harry chanted in his mind, curling into the fetal position.
Harry, it's Draco! Let me help you. I can't help unless you let me... Draco felt Harry's mind try to push him out. Desperately he fought to stay in.
NONONONONONONONONONO NOONE CAN SEE NONONONONONO! Grimly, Draco held on as he felt them fall into another of Harry's memories. NOOOOOO! NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Harry howled. HELP! GET ME OUT OF THIS, MAKE IT STOP
Harry sat there on the carpet, amusing himself. WHEE!!!! This is FUN!!! he giggled with delight as he spun the pretty red stuff (fire) and the clear wet stuff (water) around the room. "Duddy gets toys, Hawwy gets no toys, so Hawwy makes toys" Harry spoke in a singsong voice. He was only three and a half, and very proud of that half. It was only a week after Christmas, and Dudley had gotten twenty presents. Harry had received none, as usual, and had been confined to his cupboard, but he didn't care about that. All he cared about was that he could make pretty colors fly around the room.
"I wish I could watch TV" Ping! The Television turned on. Harry watched as a man with funny white hair and sparkly clothes (Sigfreid and Roy) drove a big, fuzzy white and black cat through a ring of the pretty red stuff. "WOW! I wanna try!" Harry screwed his face up in concentration as he stared at the TV. "I want the KITTY!" He pointed in frustration at the TV. One of the stones from the hearth floated over to his outstretched hand. It turned into a stone tiger, and it ran around the room. "NICE KITTY!!!" he squealed. A ring of the pretty red stuff appeared in front of the lion, just like on TV! The nice kitty jumped through the hoop, then went swimming in the pool of water that appeared in midair.
Harry stared awestruck as the man with funny white hair put his head in the pretty kitty's mouth. "I want that!" A stone figure of Uncle Vernon formed and walked over to the stone tiger. He put his head in the tiger's mouth, then stepped back, triumphant, in direct imitation of what was happening on TV. "Uncle Vewnon mean... He didn't give Hawwy pwesents. Mean, mean uncle Vewnon..." he pouted. The stone tiger turned to stone Uncle Vernon angrily, licking its chops. Uncle Veronon ran around the room, and the tiger chased him. The stone man hid in between the books on the lowest book shelf, the tiger prowling back and forth. After almost ten minutes of pacing, the tiger gave up and sat down, next to Harry, the thin three year old scratching its head. It purred happily, a low, rumbling sound. Stone Uncle Vernon crept out of his hiding place. "I want pwesents..." Gaily wrapped packages began flying out of the chimeney. "Yay!" Harry stood and clapped his hands. "Kwismas!" The tiger turned and pounced on stone Uncle Vernon, and ripped his head off. "Bad Uncle Vewnon, bad, bad..." he turned and saw the tiger mauling the stone man. He clapped his hands to his face. "Uh oh!"
"BOYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!! WHAT IS GOING ON???? WHRE DID- HOW DID- UUURGH!!!!!" The real Uncle Vernon stormed into the room, and promptly tripped over one of the many wrapped presents. "You LITTLE FREAK!!!!!!!!!" He picked himself up and slammed his fist into Harry's surprised face.
Harry's hands shot up to instinctively protect himself. The fist never made it. A massive tidal wave shot out of Harry's crossed arm and forced Vernon to fly out the window, a torrent of water gushing after him. A sputtering Vernon sprinted back into the house, one thought on his mind. Kill the FREAK. Harry ran to his cupboard and shut the door. Vernon ripped the door of its hinges with a roar. He threw himself on Harry and punched him repeatedly. Nothing Harry could do fazed him, not even when he threw a wall of fire at Vernon's face. If anything, it infuriated Vernon beyond reason. "Oh, you little freak, I'm gonna hurt you so bad you won't be able to walk for a month!"
He held Harry by the throat and choked the boy till he was on the verge of unconsciousness, then roughly flipped him over. "Freak, I've wanted to hurt you like this for a long time...." He trailed off as sweat began to bead and drip down his face. He ripped off Harry's pants and covered him with his body. Roughly, he undid his own pants and tried to slam into the tiny child. A thin wail erupted from Harry's mouth as a spike of agony traveled up his spine. "Shit, you're too tight. I-I-I- Their we go..." He forced himself into Harry. Blood streamed out of the abused boy as he screamed and screamed. After several minutes of indescribable hell, The enormous man pulled out and stumbled out of the cupboard and up the stairs. "I'd like to see you magic your way out of that, freak."
Draco sat there, stunned. Ohmygod ohmygodohmygodohmygod what do I do??? He tightened his grip on the nearly comatose boy in his lap. Harry stiffened at his touch and tried to crawl away. When that didn't work, he started to whimper softly. "Please don't huwt me, Uncle Vewnon. I pwomise I won't do it again. I pwomise, I pwomise, I pwomise..." He trailed off, quietly sobbing. Gradually, Harry opened his eyes, misery haunting his gaze.
Harry, it's safe. He will NEVER hurt you like that again. I promise you. Draco cried, unable to shake the feelings of terror and agony that had assaulted him. It had felt so real, as if it had been him who was r- he couldn't even think the word. "I promise. That bastard will pay for what he did." Harry shot into a sitting position
"Malfoy, you better NEVER tell anyone!" He slammed Draco to the turret. "Promise me THAT!" Desperation snaked its way across Harry's features. They're my only means of protection and if they're gone then Voldemort wins and I don't want anyone's PITY!
You're the one that told me that I'm a demigod. You have my protection. Voldemort has nothing on my powers, and you are incredibly powerful, yourself. You can protect yourself. Voldemort can't touch you. I promise. You CAN'T go back there. I won't allow it. He hugged Harry, hard, and refused to let him stiffen and pull away. I can't help this. I feel responsible for you. It is so strange. I don't want to hurt you or insult you, I just want to help you.
Alanna didn't just say you were a demigod. Harry admitted reluctantly. She also said I'm the most powerful mortal on the planet, and the full blooded descendant of a demigod on both sides of my family. She also said, he blushed and looked away from Draco.
Come on, what did she say?
Harry mumbled out loud. "She said we're soul mates." He scooted as far away from Draco as the other boy would allow.
Draco reeled back. "She said WHAT??" He noticed Harry scooting away from him. "Oh HELL no. You're not going anywhere." He grabbed Harry around the waist and hauled him back until he was on Draco's lap. "You are not going anywhere." He repeated for emphasis.
"What the FUCK are you doing to my best friend????" Draco jumped and Harry whimpered, burrowing into the other boy's chest. Terror clouded Harry's eyes and he started to shake. Ron circled the rooftop. Hermione, Draco saw, was just trying to stay on the calmly drifting Firebolt. Granger is a worse flyer than Longbottom! he chortled to himself. Harry cautiously opened his eyes and stared in confusion as he saw Hermione hang on for dear life. She was upside down, like a sloth. Her hands and knees where white from gripping the handle so tightly. Her eyes were closed, and she appeared to be praying.
"Would you shut up? At the very least, stop yelling. You're scaring him." Draco cradled Harry's body with his own and rubbed his back comfortingly. "It's ok, Harry. That's just Weaseley that's yelling. He's your friend, and he won't hurt you." Draco glared up at Ron. "At least, he better not...." Ron continued to glare at them suspiciously. He turned and hauled Hermione upright on the broom.
How can you stand to touch me, knowing what he did to me? Harry questioned tiredly. He felt so dirty, so used. He scooted off of Draco's lap and hugged his knees to his chest, eyes shut tight.
Draco stared at him, dumbfounded. What do you mean, I can't stand to to touch you??? He raped YOU, not the other way around. You're the frigging victim, not him. There is nothing wrong with being near you or touching you! He continued to rub Harry's back soothingly.
"Wha- What's going on?" Hermione stuttered, confused and upset. "Malfoy, get your hands off of Harry! Harry, what is going on?" She rounded on Ron. "What did you do to them???"
"ME? I didn't do anything!" protested Ron. "I got here and Harry was screaming, and Malfoy was HUGGING him, and then Harry all but crawled into his lap!" He glared at Draco and Harry. "So, Malfoy, what the hell is going on?" Harry opened his eyes and stared dully at Ron. Ron immediately landed on the turret next to him. "Harry, what's going on? I swear, I forgive you for that Weasel crack, especially after Hermione pointed out that you were right..." He mock glared at Hermione, who landed next to him. Well, she fell off the broom onto the turret. A landing is something you walk away from in one piece, so that was a landing, she thought grimly. They reached for Harry's shoulders to hug him, but he flinched and pulled away from them. The looked at each other, hurt and confused.
Draco sneered at them. "You two really are clueless, aren't you? You have no idea what he has been through, and you think his being upset has everything to do with your little spat five minutes ago. Do you have any idea why he hates being touched? Do you even know why he hates loud noises and being yelled at? Do you have any idea how he has been living since Dumbledore oh so kindly dumped him off at his assholes of relatives????" He was visibly shaking with rage. He took a deep breath, and tried to calm down.
"Yes, we know they have starved him, and have nothing to do with him." Hermione admitted. "Why? How do you know?"
"You know NOTHING! The best parts are when they ignore him, because" Draco broke off suddenly. "Shit, I'm not supposed to tell. If you want to know, then you better ask him, later. He doesn't need this right now." He looked down at Harry. Would you please tell them you are all right? I can't reassure them of anything, and I don't want to.
Harry shifted and sat cross legged next to Draco. Do I have to? he whined. Can we just go now? I don't want to have to explain anything, and I don't want them around. They don't understand, and I'm not going to tell them anything. This isn't just something you announce to your friends. Hey guys, guess what? My uncle likes to use me as a sex toy! he bitterly thought.
And I'm going to kill him. Actually, I'm going to hold him down, and YOU are going to kill him. Just, please, make up something. They are acting like vultures, first with the circling bit, and now they're trying to pick us dry with questions.
Harry smiled weakly. The description was apt, he admitted to himself. He looked Ron square in the eye. Ok, calm, calm, you can pull this off... Draco watched, amused, and then amazed, as Harry visibly calmed, and put a believable smile on his face. He looked like the confident Gryffindor.
Oh MY GOD! He's as good at that as I am... Who knew that that smile was a mask to rival my icy mask. That smile is completely believable.
Of course it is. How else do you think Child Protective Services were never called on my relatives? If I look happy, then nothing is wrong, right?
Well, Granger and Weaseley certainly believe it. Hermione and Ron visibly relaxed as soon as Harry started to smile." Really, Ron, Hermione, I am all right. No, Draco isn't going to kill me, and we are actually friends now." Ron and Hermione immediately tensed back up again.
"WHAT??" they both exploded. "You mean that you actually get along with that asshole!" Ron snarled, before launching himself at Draco. "Fucking BEST friend STEALER!!!" Draco held out his hand, and Ron froze in mid air.
"Cool!" Draco exclaimed. "Hey, Harry, Alanna's calling us," he stated quietly, his head cocked to one side.
Ok, let's go. Hey, Draco, did you know your eyes change color when you use your powers without flaring your aura?
Huh, that's interesting. Oh well, another thing to ask our big sis when we get back.
He and Harry mounted their new brooms and took off. As soon as they had left, Ron landed on the turret with a loud thump. He tried to mount the Firebolt and go after them, but Hermione held him back. "Did you see that? Malfoy's eyes changed color when he did that to you. They swirled light blue and silver. It was creepy."
Ron grimly scowled at the two retreating figures. "They looked like they were talking to each other. Their facial expressions kept changing. But, they weren't talking. What the hell is going on?"
"I don't know, but I don't like it at all. Come on, let's go back." They mounted their brooms and flew back to the Pitch.
Harry and Draco touched down in the middle of the Quidditch Pitch. Immediately, Remus and Mrs. Weaseley pulled him into a tight embrace. He stiffened slightly, and then relaxed. Oof. Come on, a little tighter. Let's see how many ribs you can break. Draco relaxed. Harry wasn't about to have a repeat episode of his panic attack.
"Really, dear, you shouldn't risk yourself like that. I don't know what I'd do if you were hurt. You're like my son." Harry gratefully returned Mrs. Weaseley's hug.
"Thank you, Mrs. Weaseley. You are the only mother I've known." She let out a loud sniff and started to cry quietly.
"Well, Harry James Potter, if I ever catch you doing a stunt like that again, I'm going to have to exercise that role as unofficial mother and ground you!" She laughed through her tears. Harry flushed a deep red, and then started to laugh with her.
"Don't worry, Mrs. Weaseley. Harry was in control of that broom the whole time. I should know, because I can hear his thoughts pretty much constantly. These brooms are incredible," Draco drawled, smiling. Everyone except for Snape, Alanna, and Xander gaped at the smiling Slytherin. "I saw your name on the 1964 Gryffindor Team roster. You won several awards for incredible Beater skill and excellence in flying, if I remember the trophies correctly. I should," he mused, "because I had to polish them so many times." He held out his broom to her. "Would you like to try?"
Ron and Hermione flew to the Pitch just in time to see Ron's mother soar off on Draco's silver and light blue broom. "WHOOO HOOOO!" she yelled, swooping and diving over five hundred feet above ground.
"Wow." Choked Fred to George. "I didn't know mum could fly like that," he whispered to his twin. "She's bloody amazing!" he continued as Mrs. Weaseley pulled the same stunt She had just screamed at Harry for attempting. Ron's eyes bulged out of their sockets.
"MUM!" he yelled. Ginny elbowed him in the gut. "OW! What was that for?" he complained, rubbing his stomach.
"Who do you think taught us? Mum did. She's an excellent flier." Ginny turned and ran over to Harry. She put her best puppy dog sad eyes face. "Please, Harry, could I try? Please? Please?" Harry laughed at her antics.
"Sure, Gin," he smiled and handed her his broom.
"Thanks, Harry!" She grinned, kissed him on the cheek, and flew off, squealing with delight. He watched, bemused, as mother and daughter chased each other through the air, turned flips, and had a blast. Wow, I wish I had that.
After almost ten minutes, Dumbledore called Mrs. Weaseley and Ginny back to the Pitch. As soon as they landed, they both rushed over to Xander. "They're incredible! I've never flown so well in my life! Where did you get them? How are they made? What market are they on?" Alanna held up a hand, and they quieted.
"Hmm, 'Lana, what do you think? How much should we charge for these babies? They seem to be a success," Xander drawled and smirked. Alanna smirked back at him.
Harry elbowed Draco. "I think your drawl and smirk are genetic from the immortal side of your family, though they do it better than you do."
Draco pretended to be insulted. "Hey!" he smirked. "But they've had so long to perfect them. They're, oh, at least several billion years older than I am." Harry laughed.
Dumbledore called for everyone's attention. "I called the Order to meet in a half an hour in the Room of Requirement. We have questions I think Alanna and Xander need to answer, especially who they are and what is going on."
Xander, who had been joking around with Harry and Draco, called over his shoulder, "Come again? I didn't catch that." He and Alanna smirked at each other, and the two boys copied them. Harry and Draco looked so similar it was eerie. Ron, who was watching, shuddered. Alanna and Xander turned around and gave Dumbledore their full attention.
Dumbledore spoke slowly, as if speaking to a mentally disabled five- year-old. "We are having a meeting, and you need to attend. We have questions that you must answer. First, who are you? Second, who is 'mom'? Third, what is going on, and how does the current problem on Earth tie into why you are here? Fourth, what do you have to offer in our war against Voldemort?" Because, if it is nothing, then why are we wasting our time with you?
The matching smirks vanished. Harry, scandalized, was elbowed into silence by Draco. Don't say anything! I wanna see what they do! It's about time someone knocked that old bastard off his throne! Alanna and Xander stared at Dumbledore incredulously.
"What?" they snarled in unison. "We do not have to tell you ANYTHING, mortal!" Alanna and Xander grasped hands and rose from the ground to hover almost three feet in the air. An incandescent light burst forth from their bodies, and streams of dark blue and scarlet writhed and roiled around them in a sphere. The earth violently shook, forming a huge chasm spanning the length of the entire Quidditch Pitch. A wall of flame erupted from the abyss, as if the fires of hell had arisen to the occasion. Dumbledore staggered back from the inferno, terror evident on his face. The sky darkened, and turned a strange greenish purple. Four class-five tornadoes whipped down to the Pitch, and skipped across the field.
Oh, wow, I wanna do that. Draco flared his aura protectively as the earth pitched and rumbled.
You're a demigod. You CAN! Harry also flared his aura, and copying Alanna and Xander, rose from the ground to hover about a foot and a half in the air.
How're you doing that? Draco sounded impressed. Harry thought for a moment then sent what he had done directly into Draco's mind. Draco nodded, and joined him in the air.
Lightning flashed, and it started to hail. Xander sent a tornado over the lake, and morphed it into a hurricane. He brought it back, and the Quidditch goals went flying through the air, landing in front of the Weaseleys and Hermione, who were cowering beneath the stands. The Dursleys stayed in the South Stands, where nothing had touched them. In fact, over their heads, the sun was shining and a light breeze had picked up, but that was it. The rest of the stands, however, were shredded. Banners were whipping through the air, no longer attached to the House Walls of the stands.
Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Remus, and Mrs. Weaseley looked at each other and ran over to where Harry and Draco hovered; safe from the hellish forces the demigods were unleashing in anger.
"Harry, Malfoy, can we come in? We don't want to die out here, and that is a distinct possibility right now." Ginny asked. Harry and Draco smirked at each other and extended their auras to protect the others. The all floated, safe from the mayhem around them.
"Do we have anything to offer?" Xander sarcastically asked the quivering Dumbledore, who lay in the fetal position on the bucking earth.
"Yes, yes!" he gasped.
"Good. Know this, mortal. This is but a fraction of our power." Alanna's voice swelled until it boomed. Harry was certain that the people in Antarctica could hear her, and he'd even go so far as to say the LGM's on Mars. "If we wished, we could tear the earth asunder and form it anew from the ashes." Ginny raised her hand hesitantly. Xander, taking notice of this, turned to her, and sighed.
"She means, little one, that we could destroy this planet (seven times over he thought) and create another one(-hundred). You children have no appreciation for language." Harry and Draco smirked at this. "So," He turned back to the cowering headmaster. " 'old man'" he mocked "are we clear?" Dumbledore nodded quickly.
"Good." Alanna and Xander waved their hands. The sky cleared, and everything was as it was before.
"Now, let's go to that meeting. The foolish mortal is right. We do have much to discuss, and you will need to answer our questions as well." Alanna smirked evilly, and everyone found themselves in the Room of Requirement.
A/N: I'm so sorry I reformatted, but it was getting ridiculous. I had hit chapter five without being able to include the much needed explanations, and that wasn't cool. Seriously, I planned that this stuff in chapter four would have concluded itself by chapter 3, but my writing didn't go according to plan. So, I made 15 page chapters, and made it so the explanation will be all of chapter 5, and then the story will finally get out of the first 48 hours of the story. On a lighter note: COOL! I've converted some anti slash people!!! The thing is all you people out there reading this only for the slash, it ain't gonna happen in this book-I am soooo evil. The sequel, it will. But, not yet. so sorry to disappoint, but I honestly think they would have to at least get to know each other before any thing happens, and five years of hatred is hard to overcome. Plus, they both have serious issues..
B/N: Hellooooooooooo out there, can everyone read this? If not, SUCKS TO BE YOU! Joking, joking, anyway, like the story? You better! No offense meant to her, but my sister has the grammar skills of a fifth-grader, but she denies it totally (and no offense meant to any fifth-graders reading this story)-hey! Wait a minute, if you're in fifth grade you shouldn't even be here! Oh Laura, what have you done? The trauma you have inflicted on the innocent little ones! Oh, what is this world coming to? ( If you're in fifth grade, and you have read all of this chapter, then we are not responsible for your psychological health now. once again, SUCKS TO BE YOU! Enjoy!
A/N: Finally, the long awaited explanations for who the heck Alanna and Xander are, why they are here, and what in hell is going on!!!! This is gonna be long and might be somewhat boring, just to let you know.
Oh, can anyone tell me if they recognize this story? Harry is a vampire, and has a dream of his soul mate, Draco Malfoy. Harry has a tattoo, a red and gold snake, and that's how Draco recognizes him, they do go to Hogwarts, Harry turns Draco, and they go to the Vampire Underworld in London. Harry's vamp friend shows them a painting of his soul mate, its Severus Snape.. Please tell me if you recognize it and if you know the title! I'm going crazy not knowing!