I'm sorry about the delay, but my fanficiton-writing is a purely underground thing and I hadthe chapterdone earlier but just couldn't find an oppotunity to sneak on to ff. net. Then ff. net was having some checking up, I think, so I couldn't update. But here is the chapter Enjoy

Igonia: Thank you for the review. And yes, you are right; I probably wouldn't have wanted to rewrite this story had I not posted it. Remember the horse Harry got at the very beginning when he first met the one-eyed woman? Yep, that's it! As for the "the one" issue, yes that makes my head ache and I could never understand why I wanted to play with that in the first place. However, my logic was that Harry was meant to be the one at birth, gifted with special prowess. Later, because of the Dark Lord's kidnapping, he is no longer the one. The people support Neville (see Lavender); Tom and Severus only doubt him because they know both Neville and Harry quite well. Other people idolize him. Besides, the kingdom does not like Harry that well – he did kill a lot of them, after all. So Neville will have to be the one to unite the kingdom. Does it make sense? At least it did to my twisted mind at the time I wrote this thing. signs At any rate that is Harry's interpretation, so I can always blame him for being illogical. hides behind Harry And I'm rather flattered that you think this is an unpolished diamond, and I'm glad to hear that you still like it. I wrote it when I was still not fully in command of English, and I wrote it as a sort of a challenge with my friend: we were each to complete a story in English within a month. So you can probably tell that I spent more effort in the beginning, whereas near the ending I rushed a bit due to the time limit (which is the reason why I update slower now: I will do major re-writing later, but I simply cannot stand the original versions of the late chapters. I edit them so that at least they don't have lots of grammatical mistakes and naïve, unpolished sentence structures). Anyway, thank you for your continued support; otherwise I might have burned this story in shame long ago.

Night-Owl123: Thank you for reviewing.

Lap: LOL thank you for the review! I am sorry this chapter was not up sooner, but I do try my best .

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Chapter 14:

Sitting comfortably in the armchair, Harry was about to go to the bed when a figure slid into the room. It was several weeks since he came to the city now, and he was only surprised that it did not come sooner. Noiseless and invisible in the shadows, Harry gazed on.

Curiously enough, though, the figure merely took off its hood; silvery hair shone in the moon light. "Harry of the Mask," it inclined its head.

Harry raised an eyebrow; he always liked dealing with interesting people, "And you would be – "

"Draco Malfoy at your service – although that is of no importance. I am a messenger of the Council. I regret the lateness of the visit, but it did take a while to get through all the guards placed by Thales." The other man straightened himself elegantly.

A shadow settled over Harry's face at the mention of the Council. "What, then, is their business?" he asked coldly.

"The Council knows of your powers, as well as the grudge Thales holds against you... why waste your talent here, in a place its value unappreciated and unwanted? The Council can provide you with some sight into your parentage, as well as opportunities to make use of your powers."

All the while Harry listened, his face impassive. However, as the blonde finished, he broke into a harsh laugh, "And here I thought the Council and the Royal House are on the same side." Before Malfoy could speak, he waved his hand, "No, I understand what this message promised. But seeing as I know my origin quite well and am content with my present situation, I see no reason why I should comply with the request."

Malfoy simply bowed again.

This time Harry was surprised, "Aren't you going to persuade me more?"

"As I said before, I am merely a messenger. And would more words really change the opinions of those like you?"

"No, they wouldn't." Harry agreed.

"I do, however, wish to obtain a reason of this rejection if possible – I do have a boss to report back to."

At that Harry laughed, this Malfoy was interesting indeed. Had the time and place been any different, or had he been any other person, he would have no doubt wanted to befriend the other man. His features, however, hardened at the thought of the Council, "Simply tell them that no Potter will serve the Council again."

If Malfoy inferred anything from the message or knew of the Potters, he did not show it. Instead, he gave another bow and left the room as quietly as he came.

Just as he left, Harry was rudely interrupted yet again by knockings on his door. Opening it, he was surprised to find a group of well-trained Royal Guards, with Lord Thales at their head.

"I was informed that you were conspiring with dangerous individuals."

"Well," Harry arched his eyebrow and replied, not without a tad of sarcasm, "Seeing as I am powerless against you all, why don't you come in and have a good look?" Inwardly, however, he was impressed by Thales' spying network; Malfoy just barely got away.

The search, of course, wielded no result. Thales, however, did not leave after ordering his men out. "I know you are playing games; however clever you are, I will not allow you to endanger Neville's position."

"I certainly was not meeting dangerous individuals; unless, of course, the messengers of the Council could be counted as such." Harry replied smoothly, smirking as he saw the other man pale. "And a very generous offer, too," he added, baiting Thales.

"What…you…"

"Oh…I did not form any traitorous alliances, as you would put it."

"But, why?"

"I have my own reasons against the Council; if you have to know, look into the ambush of the Potters… I think you'll find some satisfying discrediting materials for your use."

Thales had to stare at the eccentric young man, "Who are you? What is your design here really?"

"I have no harmful intentions against Prince Neville, that's all you need to know. I am not here as a threat, but as an ally." Harry let his voice ring with power and integrity, letting Thales know what he could have done had he meant any harm.

Thales was silent for a long time before he spoke again, rather quietly, "What, then, of my son?"

Harry widened his eyes in surprise; that was a topic he did not expect the other man to bring up, "What of him?"

Thales, however, merely broke into a mirthless laugh, "Don't tell me you did not see it... I do not know what you did to him, but he's been having this unnatural – uncalled-for...this fixation." He spat the word, his face bright red, "A father's eye is not blind; I see the signs. Whatever you are doing, I'll stop you at all cost. Return my son to me."

"I have done nothing," Harry tried to reply detachedly, although he was deeply troubled by the words – what had he done now? "I mean no harm to your son; there is nothing –"

"Mean no harm? Have you ever thought about what would happen to him if anyone were to find out? Half the country has their loved ones killed by you, the whole army is boiling to attack you... do you know what would happen if he associate himself with you? It's not that simple; you can't just be rid of all you've done because you changed your mind. People do not forget. It is not a matter of my own personal trust; it's the kingdom's that you have to win." With that, he turned, leaving a brooding Harry behind.

Harry sat down absently; had Thales' words really been true? Either way the conversation had brought him to the severity of the consequence of his past actions. He had thought he could leave the past behind, and that the people would too – but had he been too naïve to hope that? He thought of the pain, the voice, and anger rose in him: those people did not understand; they had no idea what he had to go through to leave the Dark Lord. Why don't they try to be raised and bounded by the Dark Lord and see what would they do?

Despite his rage, however, the face of the girl staring helplessly at him appeared in his mind again. His very first kill… the one he had never managed to forget. She was cowering behind her mother, her face dirtied except where it was washed clean by tears. And her mother, her mother was begging; her bony hands around her daughter in a mother's last attempt to protect her. But all was in vain, he had not relented... he can still remember the grief and forlornness in her eyes as he raised his hand –

"No," Harry whispered and vainly tried to shield the images from his vision. He didn't know better, he was controlled. It wasn't his fault, he – Suddenly he broke into a laughter, "You will never leave me in peace, will you? That was your own very word, my eternal curse..."

Recollecting himself, he sank into the chair besides the desk and started to organize his parchments; his brows wrinkled deeply in thought.