Harry Potter and the Ebony Orb

By tati1

Disclaimer:  sorry, but no, I do not own Harry Potter.  Which really bites.

WARNING:  This story is R for a REASON!  It is NOT NC-17, as I have read much, /much/ worse that was permitted, so I have abused nothing!  Rated for violence, serious angst (later on), and rape.  If you have a problem with it, go read something else because I didn't write it just to be safe.  It's written because it's how and what I write.  So buzz off. :{

(and if my mean attitude offends, I do apologize but I'm sorta protective of my work.)

A/N:  Do me a fav?  Darak (who gave me that flamer I ranted about a few chapters ago) wrote me again.  Check out his/her review and tell me what you think.  I don't know who to believe anymore.  Me … or my reviewers.  A lot of you seem to be saying the same things, but they're not the things I had planned, or even want.  A little advice?  And … no flamers.  I can't stomach it right now.  Literally.  I may yet have to visit the toilet bowl my dad just cleaned.

Thanks ever so much to those reviewers whom I am now in correspondence with (there's several) and to everyone who keep backing me up for yelling at all the Chapter 8 and 9 criticisms.  You guys are really great, and you'll never comprehend the extent of my thanks, which stretch the bonds of forever.

I really, truly, honestly apologize for taking so long, but I can't promise not to keep taking so much time.  I'm sorry, I just … don't much care about anything anymore.  The story sucks anyway … I do try though … Gods, I'm sorry………

Anyway, here's the next chapter.  I hope it's good enough to pass inspection.

Chapter 12 – Meetings

Last time:

"Well, there's someone else who's trusting me right now…"

~*~*~

"Well, there's someone else who's trusting me right now," he began and Snape strode to Sirius and began to pet the angry dog before it could growl at him again.  Swept by doggy instincts, Sirius wagged his tail and gave Snape a lick before surrendering to pleasure heaven as he was scratched behind the ears.  Harry started laughing before he could get the rest of his explanation out.  Severus observed his young friend in amusement as he got in touch with Sirius' 'doggy-side.'

"I haven't seen you laugh this hard since I accidentally added that dragon's breath to the medical potions and blew our lab up - " he frowned indignantly as Harry let out another howl of amusement.  " – so what on earth could possibly be this funny?"

"Sirius – Sirius," Harry gasped between giggles, "He's the person (laughter) who's trusting me!" Snape stopped in mid-scratch and Sirius realized that he had licked the Potions Professor in a fit of doggy joy.  He leapt away, yelping as Snape paled.

"He's an Animagus?"

"Yep!  Severus, meet my escaped convict-who's-actually-innocent-godfather, Sirius Black.  Don't attack," he added hastily as Severus drew his wand.

"What do you mean?  He murdered your parents, the filthy - "

"I did no such thing," snarled Sirius as he transformed, "and I cannot believe you pet me."  The two men shuddered simultaneously, though Snape kept his eyes and wand cautiously trained on Sirius.

"We've talked to Professor Dumbledore; he believes Sirius, Severus.  Please just let me tell you what happened," pleaded Harry at the dangerous expression on his friend's face.  Not wanting to frighten Harry, Snape sighed and nodded fractionally, but kept hold of his wand.  Harry still eyed him warily as he related Sirius' predicament.  When done, his expectant glance caused Severus to lower his wand; though not without a hostile glower at Sirius.

"I believe you, Harry."  He glared viciously at his childhood enemy.  "But Black, if you ever hurt Harry … " he let the threat hang.  Sirius regarded him in surprise.

"Of course.  He's my godson; I would never do anything to hurt him."  He glanced between the duo.  "What's the story between you two anyway?"

"Give a minute, Black," growled Snape.  "Your godson is bleeding all over my dungeons."  He stalked over to Harry to heal his broken nose, and watching, Sirius decided to ask something that had been bothering him.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?" asked the boy drowsily in the aftereffects of Severus' healing magic.

"Why is everyone picking on you?"  Harry averted his eyes angrily.

"Nothing," he said flatly.

"To you it may be nothing, but you need friends, Harry.  No child can go without them; it will just make you bitter.  Why did you brush off those three and mealtime today?  They were trying to be nice and you really hurt their feelings."

"I doubt it."

"Harry, why don't you apologize?"  The emerald gaze swung around to fix on him, horrified and hurt.

"W – what?" he whispered, disbelieving.  He thought Sirius liked him!

"Apologize.  You need friends - "

"I have you and Severus!"

"You need someone your age - "  The look he received was very wounded, though Harry hid it behind his anger.

"No it don't!  I won't apologize!  I'll graduate by the end of the year anyway!  And why would I want to go beg for friends?!"

"I never said beg - "

"You as good as!  I won't!"

"Why not?"

"Nothing."

"Harry," Sirius sighed, "If you don't tell me I cannot be expected to understand."  Harry gave him a brittle look.

"Why would I spill my life to someone who will just hurt me anyway?" he whispered, and left the room.  Sirius looked after him sadly.

SMACK!

"Yowch!" howled Sirius from the floor, "What was that for?!"

"You don't know Harry at all.  And you were worried about me hurting him.  Stupid mutt," reprimanded Snape.  Sirius rubbed his jaw.

"You didn't have to hit me."

"No," Snape said, "But I've been dying for an excuse."

"Well?" demanded Sirius as he rose.  "If you know so much about Harry, then why exactly are the students picking on him?"

"The students are … envious of Mr. Potter's abilities.  They berate him incessantly and his House played a rather nasty stunt on him - "

"What did they do?"

"…"

"Snape, tell me!"

"Calm down.  They used a spell found by Miss Hermione Granger to write down absolutely anything he says or is said to him.  Harry burnt it before they read everything, but his only friends here had been in on it.  He's probably feeling betrayed right now.  He never had many friends."  Silence ensued before Sirius spoke up tentatively.

"How did you two meet?"

"He was four years old, and I was in downtown London to have lunch.  A street urchin ran by me and some other child shoved him into the street.  I saved his life and later learned that he was magical when he saw the Leaky Cauldron.  I actually thought him just a muggle-born named Harry until I brought him to Hogwarts … "  Sirius fired off questions, and before either man realized it, a half hour had passed and it was time for Snape's next class.  Harry still hadn't returned, and as Sirius had no clue as to where his little companion might be, he spent the rest of the day in Animagus form, watching the Potions Professor grade papers (or rater, draw red lines and hand out F's liberally).

Finally, the classroom was empty of students packing in extra study time, and Snape's last paper was completed.  Sirius became human again and sat in front of the man.  Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Well?  I told about Harry; now you tell me how you escaped."  Sirius nodded tiredly.

"Fair's fair…"

Sirius had, upon seeing an article in the paper he'd taken from Minister Fudge, taken off immediately for Hogwarts; slipping through the bars in dog form and swimming back to the mainland.  The article in question had been one of Harry Potter; who was to start this year at the most renowned wizarding school in the world.

No papers had, as of yet, reported his escape because Minister Fudge didn't want the bad publicity.  It had definitely worked to Sirius' favor.

Hoping to find Harry, Sirius had snuck into a crate (after emptying it of its Acromantula) and had, much to his surprise, been assigned to Harry!  The rest was easily told, though Snape asked extensive questions on how he had traveled and lived through the dementors with a sound mind and live (if not in very good condition) body.

The talk spanned over an hour until Snape's hand suddenly clamped down on the blue-eyed Animagus' mouth and dragged him behind the desk.  Sirius would have protested, but Snape didn't appear to mean any harm by the action, and simply motioned for his silence.  Peering around the bottom of the desk, Sirius saw why.

A pale blonde boy walked into the classroom and sat on a desk, looking impatient.  A few minutes later, the boy turned to leave when Harry entered.

"You came," said the blonde in surprise.  Harry nodded.

"Sorry I'm late, but the Seventh Years caught me again."  The other looked alarmed.

"Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine.  What did you want to know?"

"Why did you agree?  You know who I am; who my father is.  Why did you meet me?"

"I suppose I just wanted some company … even if it does ridicule me."  Harry paused.  "Draco," he asked cautiously, "What do you think of me?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Do you think I'm stuck up?  Do you want to know me better?  Am I someone people would waste time on?  Who do you think I am?"

"I don't think you're stuck up at all, Harry," said Draco, unusually honest.  "I already said that I want to know you; I like you; and I have no idea who I think you are because that's why I want to know you in the first place."  Harry blushed and Draco laughed.

"Well," Harry said when the blonde quieted.  "What do you want to know?"

"How you grew up; what muggles are like.  Where you went to school and how the Muggle world works.  For example: what is a caldabator?"

"A what?"

"A cantamator.  It is supposed to do math."

"Do you mean a calculator?"

"That's what I said," complained Draco.

"No you didn't."

"Anyway," Draco said, blatantly ignoring the last comment, "how does it do the stuff with no magic?"

"Well, I think there must be some sort of programming or microchip in it … "

The discussion of Muggle items went on for an hour before Harry pleaded off and left for bed.  Draco held back and looked over at the desk.

"Both Harry and I knew you were behind there, Professor," he called, "only, Harry said we shouldn't let on.  I want to talk with you and Mr. Black though."  Snape rose, and he and the dog came out from behind his desk.  Draco smiled thinly.  "I know the mutt is Sirius Black.  I also know that he is not a Death Eater, and as Harry seems to think so highly of both him and you, Professor, I would like to speak with you."

"And what if," asked Snape darkly, "I informed you that your assumption was incorrect?"  Draco swallowed visibly, paling.

"Y-you can't do anything here," he stammered, "not with Dumbledore around."

"And what do you think of the Dark Lord, Draco?"

"I don't want him back," said the Malfoy in a rare – and dangerous – show of bravery.  "He'd make me become a Death Eater, and I'd be put in the training program earlier.  I don't want to learn how to kill people."  Snape watched him for a moment before nodding.

"Your assumptions were correct," he said softly.  "But," he added, "If you should ever decide to betray us to your father … "  Draco shivered in no slight fear.

"Or if you betray Harry," Sirius growled as he regained his human form.  "And Malfoy, you don't want to get me angry."  The small blonde nodded fervently.

"Now, what is it you wanted?" asked Snape, smoothly cutting off Sirius' intimidating advance.

"I wanted to know what's so special about Harry.  Why's he in possession of all these weird powers?  And why won't he talk about his family?  It must be great to have people always treating you like you're special; he saved the world after all.  It must be hard for him right now with everyone picking on him, but he's taking It well."  Severus just looked at him ruefully.  "What?"

"Mr. Potter's home life is not that with a caring family, Mr. Malfoy.  Although they do not abuse him, they definitely do not approve of the fact that he is wizard-born.  In fact, they attempted to prevent his appearance at Hogwarts; hurting him in the process and making him late for the Sorting."  As Draco turned for the door, looking thoughtful, Severus called him back.  "And Mr. Malfoy, don't pressure him and don't betray him.  Be his friend … and try to keep him out of trouble."  The child shot him a 'look.'  "I know.  Just interfere the next time he plays doormat."

"Alright.  Goodnight Professor.  Mr. Black."  Draco nodded to each and left.  Sirius followed soon after, and then Snape had locked up for the night.

Hogwarts settled down to rest; the quiet seeming peaceful and the shadows friendly to tired and happy students.

But that's not how it looked to those waiting; tense and full of pain.  From homesickness, from injuries, from depression or a fight with a friend.  It was not possible for some to achieve happiness at the same times as others, unique viewpoints colliding to achieve rest for some, and insomnia for others.

And yet, with luck, heart, and magic, perhaps those sorrowing would find their comfort soon.  Perhaps they would gain their strengths.

They could always hope.

*

A/N:  I am really really really sorry this took so long, and all I can plead is that you don't all behead me.  I'll try and update soon.  I guess that's it.  Write back to me on the Darak thing, okei?  I'd really like to know what you think, but please don't make it a flamer.

Ummm … how'd you like the ending?  This chapter was seven or eight pages (I'm so proud), but I have seen longer (MUCH longer).

Review!