Chapter 15
On Monday afternoon, Harry, Draco and Ginny walked quickly into their Wandless and Elemental Magic class. "Ginny, don't you have class? What are you doing over here?" Harry asked.
"I got out of my DADA class at lunch. Professor Lupin and I had a long talk about my demon powers, and he said that the best defense I could have would be to fully understand and train my demonic powers, so he excused me from class for the rest of the year. You two have to tutor me, though." They walked through the door. Alanna practically skipped over to them.
"You three are going to work on something different! I want you to learn how to become Animagi. Harry and Draco, you two will be able to take any form you want. Ginny, I honestly have no idea how many you will have, but you probably will have more than one." The three of them nodded, excited.
"Um, Alanna, how do we do that?" Harry asked curiously.
"I will be instructing you," Snape's voice came from behind them. They turned and saw him standing in the doorway, an evil smirk on his face. "Lily took the first years after I made a little Hufflepuff cry. She said something about 'irreparably traumatizing their psyches'. Whatever."
"Severus," chided Alanna, "the little children do not need to be traumatized. You do realize that they will be making laws when you are really old, right? Are you sure you want them to hate Potions Masters?" Severus raised an eyebrow. "Anyway, link with them and let them feel you transform into a raven."
Severus nodded and he, Harry, Draco, and Ginny linked minds. Everyone else in the class crowded around to watch, ignoring the lecturing Xander.
Severus concentrated, and swiftly transformed. Harry, Draco and Ginny closed their eyes, relishing the feeling of total freedom they experienced through Sev. *Wow* thought Harry in amazement.
Severus changed back, to the disappointment of everyone else. "All right, what's next?" he asked once he had a mouth to talk through.
"Now, you are going to transform into a different animal." Alanna said brightly.
Severus stared at her incredulously. "All right, I make no promises." He concentrated on finding another animal to transform into, one that would fit him.
"No, silly, you don't need to do that. All you need to do is focus on an animal and then change your physical form. Here, let me guide you." Alanna gently touched his temple. "Now, pick an animal, magical or otherwise." Severus concentrated on a Black Mamba, one of the most deadly snakes in the world. "Good choice. Now, picture that animal and see yourself becoming one."
Slowly, Severus lengthened into a nine foot ebony snake. "Hello, my Godsssssson," he hissed to Draco. Draco stared at him in confusion.
Harry grinned. "Hey, Draco, he said hello. Say hi back."
Slowly, and with great difficulty, Draco managed a hissed "Hello" in Parseltongue.
Harry grinned at him. "Ssssso, Uncle Sssssev," he hissed eerily. "How do you like being a sssssnake?"
"It'sssssss very nicsssssse. I like it very much." Severus hissed back. Reluctantly, he changed back.
"All right, now Harry, Draco, Ginny, it's your turn. You will not be transforming any time soon, but you do need to do a bit of soul searching. You have to find your animal." Harry and Draco nodded and sat down on two large cushions.
Alanna pulled Ginny to the side. "Ginny, you need to think about what will happen when you transform. You might, instead of turning into an animal, become your demon form."
"I have a demon form?" she asked, a little awed.
"Yes, and I'm not sure what might happen. We've never had this happen before as you can tell. We're learning with you."
"All right, I-" Ginny was interrupted by Ron's strangled shout.
"YOU'RE a WHAT???" he yelled. Gin whipped around to see Ron, Hermione, Dean, Seamus, Blaise, and Eric staring at her. Only Emily was completely unaffected by the news, as she already knew.
"Ginny, are you really a demon?" Seamus asked conversationally. Ginny turned white, but mumbled a "yes". "COOL!" he shouted enthusiastically. Blaise and Eric nodded, eyes sparkling.
"That is really sweet, Ginny." Blaise said. Ron turned to him, infuriated.
"How the HELL can you say that? She isn't even human!! She's a fucking DEMON. They're EVIL!" Ginny stared at him, stricken, before bursting into tears.
*I'm DATING the BITCH from HELL!* thought Dean, shocked into speechlessness.
Harry and Draco rushed over. "The FUCK! What's going on over here?" Harry stared at the sobbing Ginny.
"They- they said I'm EVIL!" she wailed. Harry turned to the other seven.
"Hey," Seamus said, hands raised in surrender as he stared at Harry's snarling face. "I said it was cool. It was the asswipe next to me," pointing at Ron for emphasis, "who said she was evil." Seamus, Emily, Eric, and Blaise hurriedly moved to the other side of Harry away from Ron, Hermione and Dean. Neville and Luna ran over, worried.
"What's going on?" Neville asked Draco. Draco shushed him and kept a tight hold on Ginny. They watched Harry deal with Ron.
"Oh, really." said Harry coldly as he stared at Ron.
"YES REALLY! She's a fucking DEMON! THEY'RE ALL ON SATAN'S SIDE!" Ron screeched.
WHAM! Harry punched him across the jaw. Ron flew backwards, unconscious. "FUCK YOU; SHE'S YOUR BLOODY SISTER! HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT???" Harry roared. Draco cradled Ginny to his chest protectively. They stared, wide eyed as Harry strode over to the two others. "So I would then suppose that because I'm not entirely human that I'm evil as well?" he asked calmly. The two of them shook their heads quickly.
*But Ginny is. Who knows when she could kill us all?* thought Dean. At that, Ginny's eyes hardened, turning completely black and her nails sharpened into claws.
"Oh shit, Ginny, love you have to calm down. Please, little sister, calm down." Draco pleaded with her.
"Ginny, I don't understand. How- what- why did this happen?" Hermione asked, still reeling but trying desperately to understand.
"That diary in my first year linked me to a demon. Basically, we molded into one being, or that's what Tom Riddle said." Ginny, tears still streaming down her face, tried to explain.
"You- YOU'RE TALKING TO TOM RIDDLE????" Dean finally exploded angrily. He turned to Harry. "See, that PROVES IT! She is EVIL! FUCK YOU, YOU BITCH!" Harry turned and slammed him into a wall, his entire body glowing from rage.
Ginny let out a primal scream. "Love, calm down, you have to calm down now." Draco tried to no avail.
"Calm DOWN? CALM DOWN???" she screamed at him, tearing from his grip. Angrily, she began to stalk back and forth, her robes whipping around her. "I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!" Her hair suddenly lengthened into a mane that whipped around her hips. Her eyes, previously black, suddenly glowed an intense shade of scarlet behind the black. She shot up nine inches, her robes shredding on her as she grew. Draco quickly cast a charm on her clothes so they would grow with her, salvaging her leather pants and black tube top.
*Only Draco would think of that as she transformed into a demon,* thought Harry dourly as his little sister continued to change. She snarled, revealing a wicked looking pair of fangs. The rest of her teeth lengthened and sharpened as well. Flames licked around her fingertips as she searched around her for something or someone to destroy.
*Ginny, I'm really sorry, but we have to do this.* Grimly, Alanna and Xander linked fully with Harry, Draco, and Severus. As one focused force, they invaded her mind, forcing her into submission.
*CALM DOWN, LITTLE ONE.* the combined Demigods forced her to relax and let go of her homicidal urges. Gradually, they felt her calming back down and released her.
Ginny stood there still in her demonic form, panting, tears streaming down her face. She allowed Harry and Draco to sit her down between them. They hugged her, trying their best to comfort her through Ron and Dean's betrayal. Neville and Luna just stood to the side, conversing intently. No one really noticed that they were still there.
"They all hate me. There's nothing I can do," she sobbed brokenly.
"Actually, it's just those two idiots who hate you. We think it's cool as hell," Seamus offered, sitting down in front of her. Emily, Eric, and Blaise joined him on the floor.
Ginny stared at them in amazement. "You don't hate me?" she sniffed.
"Hell no. Why would we? We all are a bunch of misunderstood freaks anyway. I'm sexually confused, Blaise has no stable gender, Emily's a California surfer hacker punk trying to fit into England, and Eric's parents are Death Eaters. You fit right in." Seamus lightly stated, grinning.
Ginny grinned at them weakly. "Now what do I do?" she asked, staring at the still unconscious Ron. "If he tells Mum and Dad, they'll react the same way he did. I can't go home, and I can't stay in Gryffindor. They'll kill me."
"That is true," Seamus said thoughtfully. "I-" Neville interrupted.
"Ginny, Luna and I have talked it over and you can either move in with her into Ravenclaw or move down into Slytherin. You are right; Gryffindor Tower isn't safe for you anymore." Ginny stared at them, wide eyed.
"When did you get here?" she asked, her expression guarded.
"We pretty much heard it all. So, where do you want to go?" He asked her, squatting down to her eye level.
"I wish I didn't have to move at all!" She turned and buried her head into Harry's shoulder, sobbing.
"I know, I know." Draco stroked her still mane like hair.
"You know, Gin, you should really keep your hair like this. It's fantastic." Ginny looked at him incredulously. "I mean it!" Draco conjured a full length mirror for her and Harry stood her up. She walked over to it and stared at her reflection.
"Hey! I'm almost as tall as you, Harry!" She exclaimed happily.
"Actually, you are as tall as me. I'm just wearing boots." Harry came to stand behind her, Draco standing next to him. She examined her changes thoughtfully.
"This isn't too bad, but the fangs are a bit much. Is there any way I can mix and match?" She asked out loud.
Severus walked up behind her from where he had been talking to Alanna and Xander intently. "Ginny, your belongings have been moved to Slytherin. Thank you, Miss Lovegood for offering to share a dorm with her, but she needs her family. Right now, that is me, Harry and Draco." Ginny turned and flew into his arms.
"Thank you, Uncle Sev," she murmured just loud enough for him to hear. "Thank you." *I would die if any of you had treated me the way Ron had.*
*What's family for?* he replied, hugging the demoness. All of a sudden, he looked down and started to laugh. "Ginny, I didn't know that you could purr...wait that sounded wrong!"
Harry doubled over, laughing but Draco walked over to her and listened. "Uncle Sev, you're right! She is purring!" He laughed, shaking his head in amusement.
"So the Demon Ginny was bonded to just so happened to be Clautius's version of the Veela. That isn't too bad. So, instead of changing into a Harpy like our Veela, she's a Fire Demon. That does make sense," Alanna said thoughtfully. Everyone turned to stare at her.
"How the hell can you be calm about this?" Hermione yelled. "She's a bloody untrained demon! You already said that you have no clue about what to do, so how can everyone take this so calmly??"
"Hermione, I really don't want to knock you unconscious as well," Harry warned her. Hermione's already pale face turned a sickly cheese color and she closed her mouth.
"It's simple, Hermione. Ginny's personality hasn't changed, which is something you are forgetting. She simply has different powers. I have to train Marianna the same way," Alanna said, gesturing to the poor first year staring at them with saucer sized eyes. Harry's heart went out to her.
"Besides," Alanna continued. "she is still herself. She is still GINNY. We are just going to find out what she can do, that's all."
Hermione nodded reluctantly. "You still scare the shit out of me, though," she muttered.
"True, but I scare the shit out of you. She's on our level, just different." Alanna walked over to Ginny. "So, little sister, would you like to start testing your powers or should I help you transform back?" she asked gently.
"I want to test them," Ginny said resolutely from Harry, Draco and Severus's arms. "But I want my family here."
"All right. Everyone else, get on the other side of the room. This could get dangerous and I don't know how well you'll be protected." Hermione dragged Ron and Dean to safety. No one else moved.
"Um begging your pardon, but we are her family and we aren't going anywhere," Neville bravely stated, determined not to move.
Harry sighed. "I'll protect them. Come here, everyone." They walked over and he briefly touched their foreheads, shielding them. "There, they will be fine." Alanna nodded and set an unbreakable partition through the center of the room.
Xander taught the rest of the class on the other side of the room.
For the next two hours Alanna stretched Ginny's powers to the ends of their endurance. Everyone else watched, amazed as Ginny floated in mid air and transformed into first a beautiful red and gold phoenix, then a huge orange tiger, and finally a little red fox. While in animal form she could still levitate other objects, create fires of intense magnitude, and channel other people's powers. On a whim, she apparated everyone in the room to the Moon and held an atmospheric shield over everyone without even breaking a sweat. She then turned and destroyed Jupiter, only to remake it seconds later. Everyone was safely returned to the Room of Requirement.
"My God," Alanna whispered. "She has our strength. What the hell did Clautius do?" *And what does this mean?*
The next day, Harry and Draco sat in their Spellwriting class, quietly working on a spell to shield the Killing Curse. They could do it with will magic, but what about everyone who couldn't master will magic? So far they had an idea for a shield.
Harry was idly flipping through a tome, when something caught his eye. "Hey! Listen to this. The Blood Binding Ritual, when done correctly, permanently binds the caster's blood with another's, making them truly blood relations. They each take on characteristics of the other person, are blood inheritors, and form a familiar telepathic bond that, it is rumored, even death cannot break. Draco, I found it!"
Draco pushed him aside and kept reading. Once he had finished reading the entire spell, he looked up. Harry was sitting next to him, grinning widely. "You know what this means, right?" Draco asked him, beginning to grin himself.
"Oh yeah. It means that we are truly Ginny's family. This is going to be so awesome." Harry started to contact Ginny with the excellent news, but Draco stopped him.
"Let's surprise her." They grinned at each other and Harry discretely slipped the tome into his bag.
"Sounds like a plan to me. She's gonna love this."
It was three days before their first game against Beaubaxtons and the team, for the life of them, couldn't decide on the most crucial thing of all- their uniforms!
"For the last time, why the HELL are we even considering wearing something with every House color on it?? We look like clowns!" complained Draco loudly at the end of their practice Thursday. He was holding up a garnish, multicolored Quidditch uniform that looked as if it came straight out of the '60s. "I REFUSE to wear this piece of....AARGH!"
Madam Hooch glared at him, sniffing. "For your information, Mister Malfoy, I designed that robe." She tore the monstrosity out of his hands.
"Why can't they be green? Just green!" Draco yelled indignantly.
"Because we are a SCHOOL team, not the Slytherin Team!" Nicholai argued right back, the team's resident Hufflepuff. He stood up, towering over Draco. Draco's eyes widened at the menacing stare on his face.
"I want RED!" yelled Ginny. A chorus of "Hell No" answered her.
"Listen, why can't they be black and silver?" Harry asked for the hundredth time, again receiving no answer. Shaking his head in exasperation, he snatched the robe from Madam Hooch and quickly changed the color to black with silver trim, without anyone noticing. They were all too busy screaming at each other.
He stared at the simple black and silver robe. *Hmmm.* He added a large Hogwarts' Crest to the front and back, then, on a whim, added a red stripe at the left shoulder with the Gryffindor Crest underneath. He made one more, in Ginny's size, one that would fit his dad, and one for Ron's lanky frame. Then he made four for Slytherins with green stripes, five for Ravenclaw with blue stripes, and three for Hufflepuff with yellow stripes.
"QUIET!!!" he roared, finished with the tailoring and designing. Everyone stopped and stared at him, mouths hanging open. "Does anyone like THIS?" he asked, floating the robes in front of their respective wearers.
Draco fingered his robe thoughtfully. "Could the green be on both sides?" he asked. Harry nodded and waved his hand. A matching stripe and crest were added to every uniform on the opposite shoulders. Draco nodded approvingly and slipped it on. It fit him like a glove.
"I like it," he said. Everyone took that as a sign to slip theirs on as well. Murmurs of approval swept among the other thirteen team mates. Harry watched, incredibly amused as everyone agreed that they liked his design. Even Madam Hooch could find no fault with it.
"Fine, we have our uniforms. Can anyone else find something to fight about?" Harry asked, in exasperation.
No one answered him. Finally, Madame Hooch dismissed them for the night.
At promptly seven o'clock Saturday morning, Harry and Draco slid into the Great Hall for breakfast. Both were a bundle of nerves, anxious about the first game of the season.
Ginny, Emily and Eric were already there, eating calmly at the Slytherin Table. Luna and Neville sat with them, chatting quietly. Harry and Draco sat down next to them and grabbed some toast.
Harry munched quietly, barely tasting what he was eating. Draco wasn't faring any better. "This is so nerve wracking, I can't bear it!" Draco exclaimed quietly, pushing his plate away in disgust. Seamus and Blaise walked up behind them, and sat down.
"Hey, Dray, relax. You only know that you are making it worse for yourself," Blaise, in female form, counseled him, laying her head on his shoulder.
Draco sighed. "I know, Blaise, I know. I just can't calm down, and Harry's just as worried as I am."
Seamus elbowed Harry in the ribs. "Hey, mate, relax. What's the worst that could happen?"
"We could lose in a big way," replied Harry dourly.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Come on, Harry. Relax. WE aren't going to lose. The other team isn't made up exclusively of super wizards and demigods. Plus we have these awesome brooms."
Harry groaned and rested his head in his hands. "And what if we are disqualified for that?"
"We aren't going to be disqualified. Stop worrying," Emily ordered. "Come on, it's 7:30. Let's start warming up in half an hour. The game starts at nine." Grimly, they concentrated on eating, trying not to let their nerves overcome them.
At exactly 8:50, everyone was assembled in the Ravenclaw Locker room, which was now the Hogwarts Locker room. "Everyone, gather close," Harry ordered as soon as they had finished dressing. Everyone crowded around Harry and Draco, the Co captains.
"Ok, everyone. We've had six good practices and I think we can win this. I checked with Wood about our abilities. As long as we don't use them to summon the Snitch or the Quaffle or anything like that, it's legal. So, no blatantly illegal stuff, and we'll be fine." Harry stopped talking, his face pale from nerves.
Draco continued. "Now, I fully expect you to use whatever powers you can. So, let's link up mentally." Everyone nodded and they tied their consciousnesses together. *We ARE going to win this! So come on, people, let's go out there and make Hogwarts proud!* with that, they exited the locker room and mounted their brooms.
In the Announcer's booth, Fred, George, and Lee were sitting there, waiting for Madam Hooch to give them the thumbs up that they were ready to start.
"I can't believe we're announcing games instead of playing, George," Fred commented sadly.
"I know, but, hey- at least we can make fun of the other team without being yelled at- look, there's Hooch!"
Lee grabbed the microphone.
In the doorway of the Locker room, Harry waited anxiously for the announcer to start. Suddenly, Lee Jordan's voice boomed over the grounds. "And, now, the Hogwart's Team! Co captains and Chasers Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy! Wait, how in HELL did THAT happen!" Chuckling, Harry and Draco kicked off and flew from the Locker room.
*Well, this is It.* Harry thought grimly as he heard Ginny's name called, followed by James, Damien, Nicholai, and Emily. They swooped onto the Quidditch Pitch, landing to the cheers and screams of their fellow students.
"And, in opposition, the Beaubaxtons Team! Captain and Seeker Mark Delacour, Chasers Robert Dupree, Anthony Lupa, and Alexandria Beaumont! Beaters Adrian and Chelsea Rainier, and Goalie Hope Malfoy!" The Beaubaxtons team, in a light blue uniform, shot out of their locker room to the cheers and whistles of the assembled Beaubaxtons students. Harry looked around anxiously as he scanned the crowd.
*Oh HELL, how many of them are there?* he asked anxiously.
*Almost all their students,* replied Draco as he stood next to Harry. Ginny stood right behind them, scanning the crowd as well.
*Are you ready?* she asked, looking a little pale.
Harry hugged her. *Don't worry. I'm worrying enough for all three of us.* they laughed, breaking the tension. *Come on, masks in place.* they smirked.
Harry and Draco strode forcefully over to the Referee and the other team Captain. "Captains, shake hands," the Referee ordered tersely. Harry and Draco both shook Mark Delacour's hand.
*He must be related to Fleur,* Harry thought.
*He is. They're first cousins,* Draco told him. Harry nodded, and Ginny stood next to them, waiting for the Quaffle to be released.
The Referee released the Snitch and Bludgers, and finally threw up the Quaffle. The game was on!
Ginny zipped into the air, neatly catching it even before the rest of the team had moved. Harry and Draco flanked her, mirroring each other's movements. Lee and George were yelling in the background, but Harry couldn't bother to pay them a hint of attention as Ginny abruptly passed the Quaffle to him. He dove a hard right, to the shock of the Beaubaxtons Chasers, who had no idea what they were doing.
*Draco, are you ready?* Harry asked as he flew about sixty feet above the Pitch, a chaser tailing him.
*No, I'm getting a manicure, Potter! NOW* Draco snapped.
Harry dove and passed to Draco as he skimmed an inch above the grass. Dimly he heard a long "HOGWARTS GOAAAAL!!!!!" from Fred.
Harry zoomed up, right behind the lead chaser and intercepted the pass. Looping quickly 180 degrees, he zoomed back to the Beaubaxtons goal, the other team in hot pursuit. *Damien, get them off of me!* he shouted and felt a Bludger whiz past him. Harry quickly slammed the Quaffle into the goal. 20-0 Hogwarts. Suddenly, he saw the Snitch. *Dad, snitch dead ahead.*
*I see it. Go score some more before I catch It.* Harry was only too happy to comply.
Twenty five minutes later, the score was 150 to 0, Hogwarts. *Dad, catch the damn ball already!* Harry laughed as they scored yet another goal.
*Fine, fine!* Laughing, James deftly caught the snitch, ending the game 310 to 0.
The teams again shook hands. *And you were worried about losing?* Draco asked Harry, cuffing the back of his head.
*Yeah, yeah.* Harry rubbed the base of his skull. *Good game, everyone. Hit the showers.*
That night, they had a wild party in the Slytherin Dorms that lasted until three in the morning. Harry and Draco spent ten minutes turning the nice, nonalcoholic refreshments Severus and McGonagall had provided into some of the strongest Firewhiskey, Everclear, Vodka, Rum and Bacardi around. Severus had watched them transform the beverages and walked back into his room, laughing, ready to stock up on his Hangover Potions before heading back into the party. Eric and Emily, who were both very knowledgeable about bartending, mixed drinks all night long. Needless to say, by midnight, EVERYONE was plastered.
Harry, Draco and James were the heroes of the evening. By the time James was on his fifth Screwdriver, he had been congratulated and hugged and kissed more times than he could count. Harry and Draco were in the same predicament. Lily, just as drunk as James, bitch slapped the girl who kissed her husband. They got into a catfight, which led to a very drunk Seamus taking bets on who would win. Blaise hung off his shoulder, the alcohol removing any animosity between the two. Harry just watched his mother soundly kick the other girl's ass and laughed.
Severus pulled Lily off of the unconscious other girl. "Now, Lily, you know that fights aren't allowed... why not I have no idea, but ..." Severus shook his head. *Damn drunkenness. I can't think.* He stumbled and sat down on a chair.
Draco sat next to Harry on the large couch in front of the fire. "Hey, Potter," he slurred slightly.
"Hey yourself. You know, we need to organize a game or something... Dementor's kiss sounds nice or Magical Truth or Dare or Seven Minutes in Heaven or SOMETHING!" Harry yelled, startling the couple making out on the floor in front of him. He watched, morbidly fascinated, as Blaise and Seamus sat up from the intense lip lock they had been in.
Blaise wiped her lipstick off. Harry blinked. "Um, Blaise, weren't you just a guy or something?" Blaise nodded and smirked. Seamus just shrugged and kept kissing her.
Ginny stumbled over to her brothers. She sat down on their laps, giggling. "Whee! This is SO much FUN!" She yelled, more than a little drunk. "I wanna play STRIP POKER!" she yelled. Harry grinned and conjured a deck of cards.
"STRIP POKER!!!!!" he screamed above the pulsating music. Instantly, twenty people rushed or stumbled over to play. Harry conjured three more decks, mixing them together. "Ok, rules are everyone but the winner has to remove an article of clothing, all right?" He could see his parents leaving the dorms, laughing and stumbling. *You go, Mum and Dad.* He turned his attention back to the game and they started playing.
Three hours later, they had played fifteen rounds of strip poker, had ten games of Truth or Dare, and were now playing Dementor's Kiss with the Veritaserum they had made in the NEWTS POTIONS class three weeks ago. Harry watched, laughing, as Blaise French kissed Draco, slipping him the drug, and then asking him a question.
"Draco, what is the one thing that you would wish for if a rapid death was ever revealed?"
"My obsession with Muggle trains. I have a five hundred piece train set under my bed and I take it out and play with it whenever no one else is around. I pretend I'm the conductor and even make the train noises- OH SHIT!!!!!" Apparently the Veritaserum had just worn off. Draco sank into his chair, face beet red, wishing the floor would open up and swallow him on the spot as everyone around him rolled on the floor laughing.
"Harry, it's your turn," Draco snarled, still humiliated. He held a mouthful of Veritaserum in his mouth. Leaning over, he French kissed the shocked Gryffindor. Harry, flabbergasted, swallowed before realizing what Draco had done.
"Now, Harry, your turn. What was your most embarrassing moment from school?" he asked.
"In fifth year, I kissed Cho Chang and realized that I felt absolutely nothing towards kissing girls. The only thing I could think to describe it was the word wet, nothing more," Harry woodenly replied. He blinked, the truth serum wearing off rapidly. Gasping, he covered his mouth, his eyes bugging out. Everyone stared at him seriously. No one laughed, not even a giggle.
"Really, Harry?" asked Ginny. *Well that does make sense. His soul mate is a guy, so he would be-* Harry interrupted her.
"Don't even say it. I'm NOT GAY!" he screeched and ran from the room. Draco watched him run and shook his head.
"Ok, I'm officially out of the party." He stood up and walked to their room, trying to understand what the HELL just happened.
Draco walked into their room, stumbling a little as he tried to clear his fuzzy mind. Harry's curtains were closed, and he could hear quiet sobs coming from inside.
*Harry? Are you all right?* he called mentally, still a little confused about why Harry was so upset. *What's going on, mate? Talk to me.*
The curtains were yanked open. Harry sat there, his eyes blood red. *There's nothing to talk about.*
*Really. Why're you crying then?* Draco asked, sitting comfortably on Harry's bed.
*You really don't want to know, and I don't want to talk.* Harry flopped backwards onto the bed. *I just hadn't thought of the damn kiss like that, that's all. It was a bit of a shock.*
All of a sudden, Draco found himself on his own bed, the curtains on Harry's bed once again closed. *Good night, Draco,* came the sleepy order from Harry.
*Fine, be that way. Good night.* they both lay there for a long time before finally falling asleep.
A week went by. Harry still refused to talk about what he had said under the Truth Serum. Draco finally dropped it, figuring that Harry would talk when he was good and ready to talk. He was finally figuring out that the 'Damn Gryffindor' as Draco affectionately called him, could be the most stubborn person in the world, and that he never did anything unless he wanted to.
On Saturday, right after their practice, Alanna walked into the Locker room after they had finished dressing. "Harry, I need to talk to you." Draco went to follow them, but Alanna stopped him. "Draco, I need to talk to Harry alone, all right?" Draco shrugged and took both of their brooms and clothes back into the castle.
Alanna turned to Harry once Draco was out of earshot. "Harry, we need to go to the Department of Mysteries. I need to see the Veil." Harry gulped, suddenly nervous.
"All right, when do we leave?" he asked, trying to act casual. Across the castle, Draco picked up on his soul mate's sudden nervousness and frowned, wishing that he were there to find out what was going on.
"Right now. Are you ready to go?" Harry nodded quickly, and they apparated directly into the phone booth that led to the Ministry of Magic. Harry dialed six two four four two.
"State your name and business," came the cool female voice from the speaker.
Harry spoke into the receiver. "Harry Potter, and Alanna, we are ...um..." he trailed off.
Alanna took the phone from him. "We are on a classified mission."
"Thank you." Two badges shot out of the coin slot. Harry and Alanna put them on, noting the "classified" label. They sank into the Ministry of Magic.
Harry quickly led Alanna into the depths of the Ministry. At last, they came to the Department of Mysteries where the Veil was. Harry's imagination was on overdrive, imagining all the horrible things he had done and seen at the end of last year. His face was an awful shade of gray and his breaths were coming out in short, harsh gasps.
"Harry, please stop hyperventilating. You are going to pass out."
Dizzy, Harry rested his head against the wall. "I'm sorry, Alanna, but I don't think I can go down there. I keep seeing him fall over and over and it's hurting all over again." Tears started to fall steadily down his face. Dimly, he could feel Draco's concern through their bond, but he pushed it away.
Alanna grabbed his hand, calming him. He nodded and pushed away from the wall. They continued down to the room where the Veil was kept. Harry stared at the Veil, infuriated at the injustice of it all. *GOD FUCKING DAMNIT ALL! He didn't deserve this!*
Alanna stood in front of the Veil, reading the scrollwork on the sides and top of the frame. Harry stared at the Veil itself, lost in his memories. Suddenly, Alana shouted "AHA!" shaking him from his reverie.
"What?" he asked sharply, moving to her side. "What is it?"
"Here! It's Clautius's personal signature!" Harry stared at it incredulously. All he could see were fancy scrolls. Slowly, in front of his eyes, the scrollwork unraveled and formed the words "Potente Malum" across the bottom. Harry blinked and stared again at just the scrollwork.
"So, now what?" he asked, still confused.
Alanna shot him a withering look. "Now we poke our head through to see where it leads."
Harry stared at her incredulously. "Oh," He managed to say. Alanna nodded and slid her head through the Veil. A few seconds later, she stood back upright and looked at him.
"It's all clear. I'm going through. You coming or not?" With that, she stepped through the Veil. Harry, without any hesitation, followed her in.
Draco fell to the floor in their dorm room. "Where is he????" *HARRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!* He screamed, unable to feel his soul mate. Xander apparated to his side.
"You felt that too?" Xander asked. Draco nodded mutely, tears streaming down his face.
"He's gone. One minute he was there, the next he was gone. WHERE IS HE?????" he shrieked. Severus came running.
"What? What's happening?" he panted, gasping for breath.
"HARRY'S GONE!!!" screamed Draco.
"WHAT???" screamed Severus. *LILY, JAMES, COME NOW!!!!!*
They apparated into the room. "WHAT?" Lily yelled.
Xander stood still in the center of the room, tears running down his face. "Where is she?" he asked brokenly. "The only time we were ever separate was when Clautius took- THE VEIL!!!!" he yelled suddenly, causing the others to jump in shock. They looked at each other and apparated immediately.
Harry and Alanna stood on the other side of the Veil, staring at the desolation around them. They were in the middle of a dirt field. On their left, in the distance, was a large castle. Alanna stared at it for a long time, not saying anything.
Finally, she spoke. "I know where we are," she whispered, hugging herself. "Oh I remember..."
*** She held her own against the invaders. *No way in Hell are they getting our territory* she thought angrily as she watched her troops, using her powers, to repel the invaders.
*Hello, little one. You're so young and yet so powerful,* came an amused, inherently evil voice in her head. She cringed, trying to escape the voice yet unable to do so. *I will have many uses for you, little one. Only 15 and still so innocent. You will lose that innocence quickly, I can promise you that.*
Alanna curled into the fetal position, closing in on herself, trying to protect her mind from the vile images the voice was sending her. *No, please, stop. LEAVE ME ALONE!* she screamed to no avail. Her trusted servants and protectors couldn't help her fight. They were only mortal, unlike her.
*Please, please,* she begged. *Leave me alone. Leave our lands.*
The voice chuckled, amused. *Come to me,* he commanded, accessing her motor functions. Against her will, she found herself walking stiffly, jerkily towards the shore of the ocean. She could see, ahead of her, an inky figure. It beckoned to her, and she, against her will, began to run faster and faster. The figure reached for her and caught her arm. She stared into a face of pure malice and descended into unconsciousness.
She awoke, naked, in a cold, stone room, chained like a dog to the wall by a manacle around her neck. Struggling in vain to remove it through physical and magical strength, she sagged against the wall exhausted. Silent tears coursed down her face.
*Now, now, little one. Why are you crying? I haven't even begun to hurt you.* the evilness stood in front of her and gently lifted her frightened eyes to meet his.
*Please, let me go. Let me go,* she begged, knowing that there wasn't a chance in hell of that happening.
*Don't you know? You're in Hell, little one. Welcome to eternal torment.* He caressed her face, chuckling at the way she squirmed away from his touch. He knelt down and brought his lips to hers. *I'll give it five years before you welcome my touch, little one. You'll lie there and welcome my weight on you and the feeling of me entering your fragile body. Little one, why did you choose such a small, delicate body? You made this too easy for me.*
Standing, he quickly divested himself of his clothing. Petrified, she stared at him. *Nonononononononononononononono* she chanted over and over as he started to touch her breasts, teasing her nipples to fullness. "NOOOOOOOOOOO!" she shrieked, using every iota of her magic to slam him into the wall across from her.
Laughing, he lifted himself from the floor where he had landed. *Not so delicate are you, little one? No matter, I can take you rough or gentle. It makes no difference to me, but take you I will, no doubt about that.* He strode across the room to her, batting her powers away. Sneering, he towered over her, then knelt swiftly and ripped her legs apart. She screamed over and over again, begging for someone, anyone to help her.
*Your choice, little one, gently or rough. Which one is it?* he asked, poised between her legs. She screamed over and over, finally, in her terror, calling for her mother.
*MOOOMMMMMAAAAAA!!!* She howled, petrified. Suddenly, she stiffened as Evil slammed into her mind, taking her over completely. She felt herself bond with Evil and, with the last of her singular consciousness, felt something huge and hard rip into her, tearing her wide open. She screamed, spiraling down into unconsciousness a she felt her powers rip out of her and flow into Evil, strengthening it beyond anything ever imagined. *God help us all* she thought before blessed darkness took her far away from the pain and humiliation. ***
"We're in Clautius's realm," she finally told Harry, coming out of her memories. Harry stared at her, concerned and heard something behind him. He watched as Draco, Xander and Severus came through the Veil head first behind them.
Draco sprinted over to him, their bond rekindling. "*HARRY!*" he screamed, launching himself at the startled teen. He slammed into him, hugging him and checking him over for any injuries. *I couldn't feel you. I thought you were dead. I couldn't feel you, I couldn't feel you,* he repeated over and over. Next to him, Xander was doing the same to Alanna and comforting her. Harry and Draco clung to each other, refusing to let go.
Behind them, Severus let down his shields carefully and almost passed out. *MY soul mate. MY SOUL MATE IS HERE!!!* He yelled, feeling her consciousness for the first time in his life. Harry and Draco stiffened and turned around, staring at him. Alanna and Xander stared at him as well.
*Are you sure?* Alanna finally asked, weighing the options.
*Yes. I can feel her.*
Harry stood still, searching for Sirius.*Sirius, where are you?* He expanded his consciousness, filling the entirety of the world. An Ancient Evil slammed into him, but not before he felt something...*SIRIUS!!!!* He yelled.
Alanna and Xander dragged Harry and Severus by the collars. "Come on, he knows we're here. We have to move NOW!" They dragged them back and shoved them through the Veil, diving through after them.
Harry, once through the Veil, tried to go back. *HE'S ALIVE!!! I KNOW HE IS!!! I FELT HIM!!!!* James grabbed his son, staring at the Veil, tears dripping down his face.
*We'll get him back. He's managed to stay alive this long. He can last a little while longer. We will go after him, I promise.*
Harry turned a tear stained face to Alanna. "We will go after them, right? We'll rescue Sirius and Uncle Sev's soul mate? We won't leave them there, will we?" he asked, his voice breaking.
Alanna stared at him intently. "I promise. We will get them out of there."
A/N: (wipes hand across forehead) whew, I'm done. Damn, that one was hard to write. I ended up crying when I had Alanna relive her memories. I did say I was writing this as therapy, right? I have had the same damn dream since I was about 10 or so, and it is one helluva nightmare, actually. I dream Alanna's memories, as weird as it sounds. Only I'm Alanna. So, I'm trying to write it out of my system. I gave you a taste of what her memories are like, so you can see that my dreams are pretty fucked up. Anyway, enough pity talk out of me. Chapter 16 is already in the planning, and if this chapter didn't convince you the genre is rightly horror, the next one will. Oh well, such is life.
B/N: Damn, that is some pretty fucked up shit she's got in there. Well, you learn something new everyday. Yes, and I have just learned that my younger sister is being led to the Dark Side as we speak...... or, as I type, rather. Poll time: to let my ten-year-old sister read this chapter, or not to let my ten-year-old sister read this chapter. Fyi, she has read every other chapter..... but I would rather not traumatize her anymore than necessary.
On Monday afternoon, Harry, Draco and Ginny walked quickly into their Wandless and Elemental Magic class. "Ginny, don't you have class? What are you doing over here?" Harry asked.
"I got out of my DADA class at lunch. Professor Lupin and I had a long talk about my demon powers, and he said that the best defense I could have would be to fully understand and train my demonic powers, so he excused me from class for the rest of the year. You two have to tutor me, though." They walked through the door. Alanna practically skipped over to them.
"You three are going to work on something different! I want you to learn how to become Animagi. Harry and Draco, you two will be able to take any form you want. Ginny, I honestly have no idea how many you will have, but you probably will have more than one." The three of them nodded, excited.
"Um, Alanna, how do we do that?" Harry asked curiously.
"I will be instructing you," Snape's voice came from behind them. They turned and saw him standing in the doorway, an evil smirk on his face. "Lily took the first years after I made a little Hufflepuff cry. She said something about 'irreparably traumatizing their psyches'. Whatever."
"Severus," chided Alanna, "the little children do not need to be traumatized. You do realize that they will be making laws when you are really old, right? Are you sure you want them to hate Potions Masters?" Severus raised an eyebrow. "Anyway, link with them and let them feel you transform into a raven."
Severus nodded and he, Harry, Draco, and Ginny linked minds. Everyone else in the class crowded around to watch, ignoring the lecturing Xander.
Severus concentrated, and swiftly transformed. Harry, Draco and Ginny closed their eyes, relishing the feeling of total freedom they experienced through Sev. *Wow* thought Harry in amazement.
Severus changed back, to the disappointment of everyone else. "All right, what's next?" he asked once he had a mouth to talk through.
"Now, you are going to transform into a different animal." Alanna said brightly.
Severus stared at her incredulously. "All right, I make no promises." He concentrated on finding another animal to transform into, one that would fit him.
"No, silly, you don't need to do that. All you need to do is focus on an animal and then change your physical form. Here, let me guide you." Alanna gently touched his temple. "Now, pick an animal, magical or otherwise." Severus concentrated on a Black Mamba, one of the most deadly snakes in the world. "Good choice. Now, picture that animal and see yourself becoming one."
Slowly, Severus lengthened into a nine foot ebony snake. "Hello, my Godsssssson," he hissed to Draco. Draco stared at him in confusion.
Harry grinned. "Hey, Draco, he said hello. Say hi back."
Slowly, and with great difficulty, Draco managed a hissed "Hello" in Parseltongue.
Harry grinned at him. "Ssssso, Uncle Sssssev," he hissed eerily. "How do you like being a sssssnake?"
"It'sssssss very nicsssssse. I like it very much." Severus hissed back. Reluctantly, he changed back.
"All right, now Harry, Draco, Ginny, it's your turn. You will not be transforming any time soon, but you do need to do a bit of soul searching. You have to find your animal." Harry and Draco nodded and sat down on two large cushions.
Alanna pulled Ginny to the side. "Ginny, you need to think about what will happen when you transform. You might, instead of turning into an animal, become your demon form."
"I have a demon form?" she asked, a little awed.
"Yes, and I'm not sure what might happen. We've never had this happen before as you can tell. We're learning with you."
"All right, I-" Ginny was interrupted by Ron's strangled shout.
"YOU'RE a WHAT???" he yelled. Gin whipped around to see Ron, Hermione, Dean, Seamus, Blaise, and Eric staring at her. Only Emily was completely unaffected by the news, as she already knew.
"Ginny, are you really a demon?" Seamus asked conversationally. Ginny turned white, but mumbled a "yes". "COOL!" he shouted enthusiastically. Blaise and Eric nodded, eyes sparkling.
"That is really sweet, Ginny." Blaise said. Ron turned to him, infuriated.
"How the HELL can you say that? She isn't even human!! She's a fucking DEMON. They're EVIL!" Ginny stared at him, stricken, before bursting into tears.
*I'm DATING the BITCH from HELL!* thought Dean, shocked into speechlessness.
Harry and Draco rushed over. "The FUCK! What's going on over here?" Harry stared at the sobbing Ginny.
"They- they said I'm EVIL!" she wailed. Harry turned to the other seven.
"Hey," Seamus said, hands raised in surrender as he stared at Harry's snarling face. "I said it was cool. It was the asswipe next to me," pointing at Ron for emphasis, "who said she was evil." Seamus, Emily, Eric, and Blaise hurriedly moved to the other side of Harry away from Ron, Hermione and Dean. Neville and Luna ran over, worried.
"What's going on?" Neville asked Draco. Draco shushed him and kept a tight hold on Ginny. They watched Harry deal with Ron.
"Oh, really." said Harry coldly as he stared at Ron.
"YES REALLY! She's a fucking DEMON! THEY'RE ALL ON SATAN'S SIDE!" Ron screeched.
WHAM! Harry punched him across the jaw. Ron flew backwards, unconscious. "FUCK YOU; SHE'S YOUR BLOODY SISTER! HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT???" Harry roared. Draco cradled Ginny to his chest protectively. They stared, wide eyed as Harry strode over to the two others. "So I would then suppose that because I'm not entirely human that I'm evil as well?" he asked calmly. The two of them shook their heads quickly.
*But Ginny is. Who knows when she could kill us all?* thought Dean. At that, Ginny's eyes hardened, turning completely black and her nails sharpened into claws.
"Oh shit, Ginny, love you have to calm down. Please, little sister, calm down." Draco pleaded with her.
"Ginny, I don't understand. How- what- why did this happen?" Hermione asked, still reeling but trying desperately to understand.
"That diary in my first year linked me to a demon. Basically, we molded into one being, or that's what Tom Riddle said." Ginny, tears still streaming down her face, tried to explain.
"You- YOU'RE TALKING TO TOM RIDDLE????" Dean finally exploded angrily. He turned to Harry. "See, that PROVES IT! She is EVIL! FUCK YOU, YOU BITCH!" Harry turned and slammed him into a wall, his entire body glowing from rage.
Ginny let out a primal scream. "Love, calm down, you have to calm down now." Draco tried to no avail.
"Calm DOWN? CALM DOWN???" she screamed at him, tearing from his grip. Angrily, she began to stalk back and forth, her robes whipping around her. "I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!" Her hair suddenly lengthened into a mane that whipped around her hips. Her eyes, previously black, suddenly glowed an intense shade of scarlet behind the black. She shot up nine inches, her robes shredding on her as she grew. Draco quickly cast a charm on her clothes so they would grow with her, salvaging her leather pants and black tube top.
*Only Draco would think of that as she transformed into a demon,* thought Harry dourly as his little sister continued to change. She snarled, revealing a wicked looking pair of fangs. The rest of her teeth lengthened and sharpened as well. Flames licked around her fingertips as she searched around her for something or someone to destroy.
*Ginny, I'm really sorry, but we have to do this.* Grimly, Alanna and Xander linked fully with Harry, Draco, and Severus. As one focused force, they invaded her mind, forcing her into submission.
*CALM DOWN, LITTLE ONE.* the combined Demigods forced her to relax and let go of her homicidal urges. Gradually, they felt her calming back down and released her.
Ginny stood there still in her demonic form, panting, tears streaming down her face. She allowed Harry and Draco to sit her down between them. They hugged her, trying their best to comfort her through Ron and Dean's betrayal. Neville and Luna just stood to the side, conversing intently. No one really noticed that they were still there.
"They all hate me. There's nothing I can do," she sobbed brokenly.
"Actually, it's just those two idiots who hate you. We think it's cool as hell," Seamus offered, sitting down in front of her. Emily, Eric, and Blaise joined him on the floor.
Ginny stared at them in amazement. "You don't hate me?" she sniffed.
"Hell no. Why would we? We all are a bunch of misunderstood freaks anyway. I'm sexually confused, Blaise has no stable gender, Emily's a California surfer hacker punk trying to fit into England, and Eric's parents are Death Eaters. You fit right in." Seamus lightly stated, grinning.
Ginny grinned at them weakly. "Now what do I do?" she asked, staring at the still unconscious Ron. "If he tells Mum and Dad, they'll react the same way he did. I can't go home, and I can't stay in Gryffindor. They'll kill me."
"That is true," Seamus said thoughtfully. "I-" Neville interrupted.
"Ginny, Luna and I have talked it over and you can either move in with her into Ravenclaw or move down into Slytherin. You are right; Gryffindor Tower isn't safe for you anymore." Ginny stared at them, wide eyed.
"When did you get here?" she asked, her expression guarded.
"We pretty much heard it all. So, where do you want to go?" He asked her, squatting down to her eye level.
"I wish I didn't have to move at all!" She turned and buried her head into Harry's shoulder, sobbing.
"I know, I know." Draco stroked her still mane like hair.
"You know, Gin, you should really keep your hair like this. It's fantastic." Ginny looked at him incredulously. "I mean it!" Draco conjured a full length mirror for her and Harry stood her up. She walked over to it and stared at her reflection.
"Hey! I'm almost as tall as you, Harry!" She exclaimed happily.
"Actually, you are as tall as me. I'm just wearing boots." Harry came to stand behind her, Draco standing next to him. She examined her changes thoughtfully.
"This isn't too bad, but the fangs are a bit much. Is there any way I can mix and match?" She asked out loud.
Severus walked up behind her from where he had been talking to Alanna and Xander intently. "Ginny, your belongings have been moved to Slytherin. Thank you, Miss Lovegood for offering to share a dorm with her, but she needs her family. Right now, that is me, Harry and Draco." Ginny turned and flew into his arms.
"Thank you, Uncle Sev," she murmured just loud enough for him to hear. "Thank you." *I would die if any of you had treated me the way Ron had.*
*What's family for?* he replied, hugging the demoness. All of a sudden, he looked down and started to laugh. "Ginny, I didn't know that you could purr...wait that sounded wrong!"
Harry doubled over, laughing but Draco walked over to her and listened. "Uncle Sev, you're right! She is purring!" He laughed, shaking his head in amusement.
"So the Demon Ginny was bonded to just so happened to be Clautius's version of the Veela. That isn't too bad. So, instead of changing into a Harpy like our Veela, she's a Fire Demon. That does make sense," Alanna said thoughtfully. Everyone turned to stare at her.
"How the hell can you be calm about this?" Hermione yelled. "She's a bloody untrained demon! You already said that you have no clue about what to do, so how can everyone take this so calmly??"
"Hermione, I really don't want to knock you unconscious as well," Harry warned her. Hermione's already pale face turned a sickly cheese color and she closed her mouth.
"It's simple, Hermione. Ginny's personality hasn't changed, which is something you are forgetting. She simply has different powers. I have to train Marianna the same way," Alanna said, gesturing to the poor first year staring at them with saucer sized eyes. Harry's heart went out to her.
"Besides," Alanna continued. "she is still herself. She is still GINNY. We are just going to find out what she can do, that's all."
Hermione nodded reluctantly. "You still scare the shit out of me, though," she muttered.
"True, but I scare the shit out of you. She's on our level, just different." Alanna walked over to Ginny. "So, little sister, would you like to start testing your powers or should I help you transform back?" she asked gently.
"I want to test them," Ginny said resolutely from Harry, Draco and Severus's arms. "But I want my family here."
"All right. Everyone else, get on the other side of the room. This could get dangerous and I don't know how well you'll be protected." Hermione dragged Ron and Dean to safety. No one else moved.
"Um begging your pardon, but we are her family and we aren't going anywhere," Neville bravely stated, determined not to move.
Harry sighed. "I'll protect them. Come here, everyone." They walked over and he briefly touched their foreheads, shielding them. "There, they will be fine." Alanna nodded and set an unbreakable partition through the center of the room.
Xander taught the rest of the class on the other side of the room.
For the next two hours Alanna stretched Ginny's powers to the ends of their endurance. Everyone else watched, amazed as Ginny floated in mid air and transformed into first a beautiful red and gold phoenix, then a huge orange tiger, and finally a little red fox. While in animal form she could still levitate other objects, create fires of intense magnitude, and channel other people's powers. On a whim, she apparated everyone in the room to the Moon and held an atmospheric shield over everyone without even breaking a sweat. She then turned and destroyed Jupiter, only to remake it seconds later. Everyone was safely returned to the Room of Requirement.
"My God," Alanna whispered. "She has our strength. What the hell did Clautius do?" *And what does this mean?*
The next day, Harry and Draco sat in their Spellwriting class, quietly working on a spell to shield the Killing Curse. They could do it with will magic, but what about everyone who couldn't master will magic? So far they had an idea for a shield.
Harry was idly flipping through a tome, when something caught his eye. "Hey! Listen to this. The Blood Binding Ritual, when done correctly, permanently binds the caster's blood with another's, making them truly blood relations. They each take on characteristics of the other person, are blood inheritors, and form a familiar telepathic bond that, it is rumored, even death cannot break. Draco, I found it!"
Draco pushed him aside and kept reading. Once he had finished reading the entire spell, he looked up. Harry was sitting next to him, grinning widely. "You know what this means, right?" Draco asked him, beginning to grin himself.
"Oh yeah. It means that we are truly Ginny's family. This is going to be so awesome." Harry started to contact Ginny with the excellent news, but Draco stopped him.
"Let's surprise her." They grinned at each other and Harry discretely slipped the tome into his bag.
"Sounds like a plan to me. She's gonna love this."
It was three days before their first game against Beaubaxtons and the team, for the life of them, couldn't decide on the most crucial thing of all- their uniforms!
"For the last time, why the HELL are we even considering wearing something with every House color on it?? We look like clowns!" complained Draco loudly at the end of their practice Thursday. He was holding up a garnish, multicolored Quidditch uniform that looked as if it came straight out of the '60s. "I REFUSE to wear this piece of....AARGH!"
Madam Hooch glared at him, sniffing. "For your information, Mister Malfoy, I designed that robe." She tore the monstrosity out of his hands.
"Why can't they be green? Just green!" Draco yelled indignantly.
"Because we are a SCHOOL team, not the Slytherin Team!" Nicholai argued right back, the team's resident Hufflepuff. He stood up, towering over Draco. Draco's eyes widened at the menacing stare on his face.
"I want RED!" yelled Ginny. A chorus of "Hell No" answered her.
"Listen, why can't they be black and silver?" Harry asked for the hundredth time, again receiving no answer. Shaking his head in exasperation, he snatched the robe from Madam Hooch and quickly changed the color to black with silver trim, without anyone noticing. They were all too busy screaming at each other.
He stared at the simple black and silver robe. *Hmmm.* He added a large Hogwarts' Crest to the front and back, then, on a whim, added a red stripe at the left shoulder with the Gryffindor Crest underneath. He made one more, in Ginny's size, one that would fit his dad, and one for Ron's lanky frame. Then he made four for Slytherins with green stripes, five for Ravenclaw with blue stripes, and three for Hufflepuff with yellow stripes.
"QUIET!!!" he roared, finished with the tailoring and designing. Everyone stopped and stared at him, mouths hanging open. "Does anyone like THIS?" he asked, floating the robes in front of their respective wearers.
Draco fingered his robe thoughtfully. "Could the green be on both sides?" he asked. Harry nodded and waved his hand. A matching stripe and crest were added to every uniform on the opposite shoulders. Draco nodded approvingly and slipped it on. It fit him like a glove.
"I like it," he said. Everyone took that as a sign to slip theirs on as well. Murmurs of approval swept among the other thirteen team mates. Harry watched, incredibly amused as everyone agreed that they liked his design. Even Madam Hooch could find no fault with it.
"Fine, we have our uniforms. Can anyone else find something to fight about?" Harry asked, in exasperation.
No one answered him. Finally, Madame Hooch dismissed them for the night.
At promptly seven o'clock Saturday morning, Harry and Draco slid into the Great Hall for breakfast. Both were a bundle of nerves, anxious about the first game of the season.
Ginny, Emily and Eric were already there, eating calmly at the Slytherin Table. Luna and Neville sat with them, chatting quietly. Harry and Draco sat down next to them and grabbed some toast.
Harry munched quietly, barely tasting what he was eating. Draco wasn't faring any better. "This is so nerve wracking, I can't bear it!" Draco exclaimed quietly, pushing his plate away in disgust. Seamus and Blaise walked up behind them, and sat down.
"Hey, Dray, relax. You only know that you are making it worse for yourself," Blaise, in female form, counseled him, laying her head on his shoulder.
Draco sighed. "I know, Blaise, I know. I just can't calm down, and Harry's just as worried as I am."
Seamus elbowed Harry in the ribs. "Hey, mate, relax. What's the worst that could happen?"
"We could lose in a big way," replied Harry dourly.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Come on, Harry. Relax. WE aren't going to lose. The other team isn't made up exclusively of super wizards and demigods. Plus we have these awesome brooms."
Harry groaned and rested his head in his hands. "And what if we are disqualified for that?"
"We aren't going to be disqualified. Stop worrying," Emily ordered. "Come on, it's 7:30. Let's start warming up in half an hour. The game starts at nine." Grimly, they concentrated on eating, trying not to let their nerves overcome them.
At exactly 8:50, everyone was assembled in the Ravenclaw Locker room, which was now the Hogwarts Locker room. "Everyone, gather close," Harry ordered as soon as they had finished dressing. Everyone crowded around Harry and Draco, the Co captains.
"Ok, everyone. We've had six good practices and I think we can win this. I checked with Wood about our abilities. As long as we don't use them to summon the Snitch or the Quaffle or anything like that, it's legal. So, no blatantly illegal stuff, and we'll be fine." Harry stopped talking, his face pale from nerves.
Draco continued. "Now, I fully expect you to use whatever powers you can. So, let's link up mentally." Everyone nodded and they tied their consciousnesses together. *We ARE going to win this! So come on, people, let's go out there and make Hogwarts proud!* with that, they exited the locker room and mounted their brooms.
In the Announcer's booth, Fred, George, and Lee were sitting there, waiting for Madam Hooch to give them the thumbs up that they were ready to start.
"I can't believe we're announcing games instead of playing, George," Fred commented sadly.
"I know, but, hey- at least we can make fun of the other team without being yelled at- look, there's Hooch!"
Lee grabbed the microphone.
In the doorway of the Locker room, Harry waited anxiously for the announcer to start. Suddenly, Lee Jordan's voice boomed over the grounds. "And, now, the Hogwart's Team! Co captains and Chasers Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy! Wait, how in HELL did THAT happen!" Chuckling, Harry and Draco kicked off and flew from the Locker room.
*Well, this is It.* Harry thought grimly as he heard Ginny's name called, followed by James, Damien, Nicholai, and Emily. They swooped onto the Quidditch Pitch, landing to the cheers and screams of their fellow students.
"And, in opposition, the Beaubaxtons Team! Captain and Seeker Mark Delacour, Chasers Robert Dupree, Anthony Lupa, and Alexandria Beaumont! Beaters Adrian and Chelsea Rainier, and Goalie Hope Malfoy!" The Beaubaxtons team, in a light blue uniform, shot out of their locker room to the cheers and whistles of the assembled Beaubaxtons students. Harry looked around anxiously as he scanned the crowd.
*Oh HELL, how many of them are there?* he asked anxiously.
*Almost all their students,* replied Draco as he stood next to Harry. Ginny stood right behind them, scanning the crowd as well.
*Are you ready?* she asked, looking a little pale.
Harry hugged her. *Don't worry. I'm worrying enough for all three of us.* they laughed, breaking the tension. *Come on, masks in place.* they smirked.
Harry and Draco strode forcefully over to the Referee and the other team Captain. "Captains, shake hands," the Referee ordered tersely. Harry and Draco both shook Mark Delacour's hand.
*He must be related to Fleur,* Harry thought.
*He is. They're first cousins,* Draco told him. Harry nodded, and Ginny stood next to them, waiting for the Quaffle to be released.
The Referee released the Snitch and Bludgers, and finally threw up the Quaffle. The game was on!
Ginny zipped into the air, neatly catching it even before the rest of the team had moved. Harry and Draco flanked her, mirroring each other's movements. Lee and George were yelling in the background, but Harry couldn't bother to pay them a hint of attention as Ginny abruptly passed the Quaffle to him. He dove a hard right, to the shock of the Beaubaxtons Chasers, who had no idea what they were doing.
*Draco, are you ready?* Harry asked as he flew about sixty feet above the Pitch, a chaser tailing him.
*No, I'm getting a manicure, Potter! NOW* Draco snapped.
Harry dove and passed to Draco as he skimmed an inch above the grass. Dimly he heard a long "HOGWARTS GOAAAAL!!!!!" from Fred.
Harry zoomed up, right behind the lead chaser and intercepted the pass. Looping quickly 180 degrees, he zoomed back to the Beaubaxtons goal, the other team in hot pursuit. *Damien, get them off of me!* he shouted and felt a Bludger whiz past him. Harry quickly slammed the Quaffle into the goal. 20-0 Hogwarts. Suddenly, he saw the Snitch. *Dad, snitch dead ahead.*
*I see it. Go score some more before I catch It.* Harry was only too happy to comply.
Twenty five minutes later, the score was 150 to 0, Hogwarts. *Dad, catch the damn ball already!* Harry laughed as they scored yet another goal.
*Fine, fine!* Laughing, James deftly caught the snitch, ending the game 310 to 0.
The teams again shook hands. *And you were worried about losing?* Draco asked Harry, cuffing the back of his head.
*Yeah, yeah.* Harry rubbed the base of his skull. *Good game, everyone. Hit the showers.*
That night, they had a wild party in the Slytherin Dorms that lasted until three in the morning. Harry and Draco spent ten minutes turning the nice, nonalcoholic refreshments Severus and McGonagall had provided into some of the strongest Firewhiskey, Everclear, Vodka, Rum and Bacardi around. Severus had watched them transform the beverages and walked back into his room, laughing, ready to stock up on his Hangover Potions before heading back into the party. Eric and Emily, who were both very knowledgeable about bartending, mixed drinks all night long. Needless to say, by midnight, EVERYONE was plastered.
Harry, Draco and James were the heroes of the evening. By the time James was on his fifth Screwdriver, he had been congratulated and hugged and kissed more times than he could count. Harry and Draco were in the same predicament. Lily, just as drunk as James, bitch slapped the girl who kissed her husband. They got into a catfight, which led to a very drunk Seamus taking bets on who would win. Blaise hung off his shoulder, the alcohol removing any animosity between the two. Harry just watched his mother soundly kick the other girl's ass and laughed.
Severus pulled Lily off of the unconscious other girl. "Now, Lily, you know that fights aren't allowed... why not I have no idea, but ..." Severus shook his head. *Damn drunkenness. I can't think.* He stumbled and sat down on a chair.
Draco sat next to Harry on the large couch in front of the fire. "Hey, Potter," he slurred slightly.
"Hey yourself. You know, we need to organize a game or something... Dementor's kiss sounds nice or Magical Truth or Dare or Seven Minutes in Heaven or SOMETHING!" Harry yelled, startling the couple making out on the floor in front of him. He watched, morbidly fascinated, as Blaise and Seamus sat up from the intense lip lock they had been in.
Blaise wiped her lipstick off. Harry blinked. "Um, Blaise, weren't you just a guy or something?" Blaise nodded and smirked. Seamus just shrugged and kept kissing her.
Ginny stumbled over to her brothers. She sat down on their laps, giggling. "Whee! This is SO much FUN!" She yelled, more than a little drunk. "I wanna play STRIP POKER!" she yelled. Harry grinned and conjured a deck of cards.
"STRIP POKER!!!!!" he screamed above the pulsating music. Instantly, twenty people rushed or stumbled over to play. Harry conjured three more decks, mixing them together. "Ok, rules are everyone but the winner has to remove an article of clothing, all right?" He could see his parents leaving the dorms, laughing and stumbling. *You go, Mum and Dad.* He turned his attention back to the game and they started playing.
Three hours later, they had played fifteen rounds of strip poker, had ten games of Truth or Dare, and were now playing Dementor's Kiss with the Veritaserum they had made in the NEWTS POTIONS class three weeks ago. Harry watched, laughing, as Blaise French kissed Draco, slipping him the drug, and then asking him a question.
"Draco, what is the one thing that you would wish for if a rapid death was ever revealed?"
"My obsession with Muggle trains. I have a five hundred piece train set under my bed and I take it out and play with it whenever no one else is around. I pretend I'm the conductor and even make the train noises- OH SHIT!!!!!" Apparently the Veritaserum had just worn off. Draco sank into his chair, face beet red, wishing the floor would open up and swallow him on the spot as everyone around him rolled on the floor laughing.
"Harry, it's your turn," Draco snarled, still humiliated. He held a mouthful of Veritaserum in his mouth. Leaning over, he French kissed the shocked Gryffindor. Harry, flabbergasted, swallowed before realizing what Draco had done.
"Now, Harry, your turn. What was your most embarrassing moment from school?" he asked.
"In fifth year, I kissed Cho Chang and realized that I felt absolutely nothing towards kissing girls. The only thing I could think to describe it was the word wet, nothing more," Harry woodenly replied. He blinked, the truth serum wearing off rapidly. Gasping, he covered his mouth, his eyes bugging out. Everyone stared at him seriously. No one laughed, not even a giggle.
"Really, Harry?" asked Ginny. *Well that does make sense. His soul mate is a guy, so he would be-* Harry interrupted her.
"Don't even say it. I'm NOT GAY!" he screeched and ran from the room. Draco watched him run and shook his head.
"Ok, I'm officially out of the party." He stood up and walked to their room, trying to understand what the HELL just happened.
Draco walked into their room, stumbling a little as he tried to clear his fuzzy mind. Harry's curtains were closed, and he could hear quiet sobs coming from inside.
*Harry? Are you all right?* he called mentally, still a little confused about why Harry was so upset. *What's going on, mate? Talk to me.*
The curtains were yanked open. Harry sat there, his eyes blood red. *There's nothing to talk about.*
*Really. Why're you crying then?* Draco asked, sitting comfortably on Harry's bed.
*You really don't want to know, and I don't want to talk.* Harry flopped backwards onto the bed. *I just hadn't thought of the damn kiss like that, that's all. It was a bit of a shock.*
All of a sudden, Draco found himself on his own bed, the curtains on Harry's bed once again closed. *Good night, Draco,* came the sleepy order from Harry.
*Fine, be that way. Good night.* they both lay there for a long time before finally falling asleep.
A week went by. Harry still refused to talk about what he had said under the Truth Serum. Draco finally dropped it, figuring that Harry would talk when he was good and ready to talk. He was finally figuring out that the 'Damn Gryffindor' as Draco affectionately called him, could be the most stubborn person in the world, and that he never did anything unless he wanted to.
On Saturday, right after their practice, Alanna walked into the Locker room after they had finished dressing. "Harry, I need to talk to you." Draco went to follow them, but Alanna stopped him. "Draco, I need to talk to Harry alone, all right?" Draco shrugged and took both of their brooms and clothes back into the castle.
Alanna turned to Harry once Draco was out of earshot. "Harry, we need to go to the Department of Mysteries. I need to see the Veil." Harry gulped, suddenly nervous.
"All right, when do we leave?" he asked, trying to act casual. Across the castle, Draco picked up on his soul mate's sudden nervousness and frowned, wishing that he were there to find out what was going on.
"Right now. Are you ready to go?" Harry nodded quickly, and they apparated directly into the phone booth that led to the Ministry of Magic. Harry dialed six two four four two.
"State your name and business," came the cool female voice from the speaker.
Harry spoke into the receiver. "Harry Potter, and Alanna, we are ...um..." he trailed off.
Alanna took the phone from him. "We are on a classified mission."
"Thank you." Two badges shot out of the coin slot. Harry and Alanna put them on, noting the "classified" label. They sank into the Ministry of Magic.
Harry quickly led Alanna into the depths of the Ministry. At last, they came to the Department of Mysteries where the Veil was. Harry's imagination was on overdrive, imagining all the horrible things he had done and seen at the end of last year. His face was an awful shade of gray and his breaths were coming out in short, harsh gasps.
"Harry, please stop hyperventilating. You are going to pass out."
Dizzy, Harry rested his head against the wall. "I'm sorry, Alanna, but I don't think I can go down there. I keep seeing him fall over and over and it's hurting all over again." Tears started to fall steadily down his face. Dimly, he could feel Draco's concern through their bond, but he pushed it away.
Alanna grabbed his hand, calming him. He nodded and pushed away from the wall. They continued down to the room where the Veil was kept. Harry stared at the Veil, infuriated at the injustice of it all. *GOD FUCKING DAMNIT ALL! He didn't deserve this!*
Alanna stood in front of the Veil, reading the scrollwork on the sides and top of the frame. Harry stared at the Veil itself, lost in his memories. Suddenly, Alana shouted "AHA!" shaking him from his reverie.
"What?" he asked sharply, moving to her side. "What is it?"
"Here! It's Clautius's personal signature!" Harry stared at it incredulously. All he could see were fancy scrolls. Slowly, in front of his eyes, the scrollwork unraveled and formed the words "Potente Malum" across the bottom. Harry blinked and stared again at just the scrollwork.
"So, now what?" he asked, still confused.
Alanna shot him a withering look. "Now we poke our head through to see where it leads."
Harry stared at her incredulously. "Oh," He managed to say. Alanna nodded and slid her head through the Veil. A few seconds later, she stood back upright and looked at him.
"It's all clear. I'm going through. You coming or not?" With that, she stepped through the Veil. Harry, without any hesitation, followed her in.
Draco fell to the floor in their dorm room. "Where is he????" *HARRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!* He screamed, unable to feel his soul mate. Xander apparated to his side.
"You felt that too?" Xander asked. Draco nodded mutely, tears streaming down his face.
"He's gone. One minute he was there, the next he was gone. WHERE IS HE?????" he shrieked. Severus came running.
"What? What's happening?" he panted, gasping for breath.
"HARRY'S GONE!!!" screamed Draco.
"WHAT???" screamed Severus. *LILY, JAMES, COME NOW!!!!!*
They apparated into the room. "WHAT?" Lily yelled.
Xander stood still in the center of the room, tears running down his face. "Where is she?" he asked brokenly. "The only time we were ever separate was when Clautius took- THE VEIL!!!!" he yelled suddenly, causing the others to jump in shock. They looked at each other and apparated immediately.
Harry and Alanna stood on the other side of the Veil, staring at the desolation around them. They were in the middle of a dirt field. On their left, in the distance, was a large castle. Alanna stared at it for a long time, not saying anything.
Finally, she spoke. "I know where we are," she whispered, hugging herself. "Oh I remember..."
*** She held her own against the invaders. *No way in Hell are they getting our territory* she thought angrily as she watched her troops, using her powers, to repel the invaders.
*Hello, little one. You're so young and yet so powerful,* came an amused, inherently evil voice in her head. She cringed, trying to escape the voice yet unable to do so. *I will have many uses for you, little one. Only 15 and still so innocent. You will lose that innocence quickly, I can promise you that.*
Alanna curled into the fetal position, closing in on herself, trying to protect her mind from the vile images the voice was sending her. *No, please, stop. LEAVE ME ALONE!* she screamed to no avail. Her trusted servants and protectors couldn't help her fight. They were only mortal, unlike her.
*Please, please,* she begged. *Leave me alone. Leave our lands.*
The voice chuckled, amused. *Come to me,* he commanded, accessing her motor functions. Against her will, she found herself walking stiffly, jerkily towards the shore of the ocean. She could see, ahead of her, an inky figure. It beckoned to her, and she, against her will, began to run faster and faster. The figure reached for her and caught her arm. She stared into a face of pure malice and descended into unconsciousness.
She awoke, naked, in a cold, stone room, chained like a dog to the wall by a manacle around her neck. Struggling in vain to remove it through physical and magical strength, she sagged against the wall exhausted. Silent tears coursed down her face.
*Now, now, little one. Why are you crying? I haven't even begun to hurt you.* the evilness stood in front of her and gently lifted her frightened eyes to meet his.
*Please, let me go. Let me go,* she begged, knowing that there wasn't a chance in hell of that happening.
*Don't you know? You're in Hell, little one. Welcome to eternal torment.* He caressed her face, chuckling at the way she squirmed away from his touch. He knelt down and brought his lips to hers. *I'll give it five years before you welcome my touch, little one. You'll lie there and welcome my weight on you and the feeling of me entering your fragile body. Little one, why did you choose such a small, delicate body? You made this too easy for me.*
Standing, he quickly divested himself of his clothing. Petrified, she stared at him. *Nonononononononononononononono* she chanted over and over as he started to touch her breasts, teasing her nipples to fullness. "NOOOOOOOOOOO!" she shrieked, using every iota of her magic to slam him into the wall across from her.
Laughing, he lifted himself from the floor where he had landed. *Not so delicate are you, little one? No matter, I can take you rough or gentle. It makes no difference to me, but take you I will, no doubt about that.* He strode across the room to her, batting her powers away. Sneering, he towered over her, then knelt swiftly and ripped her legs apart. She screamed over and over again, begging for someone, anyone to help her.
*Your choice, little one, gently or rough. Which one is it?* he asked, poised between her legs. She screamed over and over, finally, in her terror, calling for her mother.
*MOOOMMMMMAAAAAA!!!* She howled, petrified. Suddenly, she stiffened as Evil slammed into her mind, taking her over completely. She felt herself bond with Evil and, with the last of her singular consciousness, felt something huge and hard rip into her, tearing her wide open. She screamed, spiraling down into unconsciousness a she felt her powers rip out of her and flow into Evil, strengthening it beyond anything ever imagined. *God help us all* she thought before blessed darkness took her far away from the pain and humiliation. ***
"We're in Clautius's realm," she finally told Harry, coming out of her memories. Harry stared at her, concerned and heard something behind him. He watched as Draco, Xander and Severus came through the Veil head first behind them.
Draco sprinted over to him, their bond rekindling. "*HARRY!*" he screamed, launching himself at the startled teen. He slammed into him, hugging him and checking him over for any injuries. *I couldn't feel you. I thought you were dead. I couldn't feel you, I couldn't feel you,* he repeated over and over. Next to him, Xander was doing the same to Alanna and comforting her. Harry and Draco clung to each other, refusing to let go.
Behind them, Severus let down his shields carefully and almost passed out. *MY soul mate. MY SOUL MATE IS HERE!!!* He yelled, feeling her consciousness for the first time in his life. Harry and Draco stiffened and turned around, staring at him. Alanna and Xander stared at him as well.
*Are you sure?* Alanna finally asked, weighing the options.
*Yes. I can feel her.*
Harry stood still, searching for Sirius.*Sirius, where are you?* He expanded his consciousness, filling the entirety of the world. An Ancient Evil slammed into him, but not before he felt something...*SIRIUS!!!!* He yelled.
Alanna and Xander dragged Harry and Severus by the collars. "Come on, he knows we're here. We have to move NOW!" They dragged them back and shoved them through the Veil, diving through after them.
Harry, once through the Veil, tried to go back. *HE'S ALIVE!!! I KNOW HE IS!!! I FELT HIM!!!!* James grabbed his son, staring at the Veil, tears dripping down his face.
*We'll get him back. He's managed to stay alive this long. He can last a little while longer. We will go after him, I promise.*
Harry turned a tear stained face to Alanna. "We will go after them, right? We'll rescue Sirius and Uncle Sev's soul mate? We won't leave them there, will we?" he asked, his voice breaking.
Alanna stared at him intently. "I promise. We will get them out of there."
A/N: (wipes hand across forehead) whew, I'm done. Damn, that one was hard to write. I ended up crying when I had Alanna relive her memories. I did say I was writing this as therapy, right? I have had the same damn dream since I was about 10 or so, and it is one helluva nightmare, actually. I dream Alanna's memories, as weird as it sounds. Only I'm Alanna. So, I'm trying to write it out of my system. I gave you a taste of what her memories are like, so you can see that my dreams are pretty fucked up. Anyway, enough pity talk out of me. Chapter 16 is already in the planning, and if this chapter didn't convince you the genre is rightly horror, the next one will. Oh well, such is life.
B/N: Damn, that is some pretty fucked up shit she's got in there. Well, you learn something new everyday. Yes, and I have just learned that my younger sister is being led to the Dark Side as we speak...... or, as I type, rather. Poll time: to let my ten-year-old sister read this chapter, or not to let my ten-year-old sister read this chapter. Fyi, she has read every other chapter..... but I would rather not traumatize her anymore than necessary.