Disclaimer: I don't own them nope none of them… well I do own Outkast :-p

Chapter 22

By midnight Harry was well on his to being drunk, the club was full and he had found he actually liked the music, he had asked the staff for names of the tracks, apparently his two favourite bands were Rammstien and Rob Zombie, he'd even got up and dance a few times. Pained as he was to admit it, Outkast could have a point these muggles we're having far more fun then he normally did. Just then Outkast appeared out of nowhere, she was obviously intoxicated she grabbed his arm and dragged him onto the dance floor, at first Harry was uncomfortable with the provocative way she dancing, but he gave in and just played along.

# # # #

Severus was still up he was sick with worry, he glanced back at the ring, the colours were circling indicating Harry was under the influence of a drug or potion. So help him if that boy is out getting drunk while we're out searching for him

# # # #

The song ended and Harry was about to leave the dance floor when someone landed on him knocking him to the floor. Harry felt the wind go from his lungs, there was a lot of screaming over the music, the weight didn't move, he turned to see that a major fight had broken out, security were coming but they didn't look like they would be there in time, one of the guys had a knife. Then something happened that he would never forget Outkast tackled the guy, she bought his arm round locking it forcing him to drop the weapon, one of the guys friends went for her, Harry tried to get up, but realised that the guy on him was actively pinning him down, he struggled but couldn't move. The second guy moved in on Outkast, Harry prayed that the security officers would arrive but they didn't he saw the guy raise his fist….

# # # #

Severus woke with a start, the ring was burning, he panicked his head running through all the possible scenarios his son was in, each worse then the last. He ran to the headmaster's office, the locating charm was being disrupted, he hoped Albus would be able to help.

# # # #

Harry watch in horror as the big oaf went to hit Outkast and non were as surprised as Harry when the punch failed to strike it's target out of nowhere Outkast had landed a 360 degree flying kick on the guys chin, this guy was 6ft tall Outkast was barely 5'5 but somehow she was managing to trounce three large men on her own. By the time her security had arrived Outkast had bested all three on her own, she was glowering at the man on Harry, it made him shiver he truly hoped he would never be on the receiving end of her temper.

"Get off him or I will tear off you head and spit down the hole" the man held no compunctions on the truthfulness of the statement and bolted straight into security. Harry lay there for a second catching his breath, Outkast knelt beside him, as she put a hand on his back he flinched, she ignored it and scooped him up, she headed for the office patrons of the club split like the Red sea as she went. She didn't put Harry down until they were safely back in the flat. She placed him on the couch

"Are you ok?" he nodded

"Who were they?"

"That would be my dumbass of an ex and his mates trying to prove how tough they are. I am so sorry you got caught up in that" Harry accepted the apology, he looked at her

"What was that you did?" Outkast grinned

"That would be a little taste of the sum of my martial art knowledge. A little something to wind Tom up, I'll gatecrash his meetings and then take out his followers using muggle techniques, the look on his face the first time was priceless" Harry grinned, this woman was a skilled fighter, and all to piss off Voldemort. Harry then had a thought

"Can you teach me to fight like that?"

"Why? You like magic" she said playfully. Harry paused wondering how much he could tell her safely.

"Yeah but I'm can't use it outside Hogwarts, I want to be able to defend myself without magic" Outkast nodded, she noticed Harry fiddling with something on his hand

"Harry what's that" he looked down, he had forgotten about the ring

"Oh God" his put his head in his hands

"What's wrong?" she asked sitting next to him

"It's a mood ring, my… someone who cares for me gave it as a present it's one of a pair, if I'm scared or in danger it will alert him to where I am" Outkast thought on this

"The location charm will be disrupted by my wards but no doubt Albus will be able to use this to find you." Harry nodded, he wasn't ready to go back at least not yet. Outkast brushed a strand of hair from his face.

"Harry I understand why you want to learn these skills, and normally I wouldn't suggest this but as we're pressed for time I will. I can use a legilimens and pretty much give you all the information, but you will have to trust me" Harry detested that spell, but the techniques would protect him

"Do you promise not to look?" he said, she smiled not like her mischievous grins but a true honest smile.

"Harry I promise I will give you the information and leave, if you don't want me to know I have no right to take the memories" Harry looked into her eyes, he trusted her for some inexplicable reason he knew she was telling the truth. He nodded

"Ok"

"Are you sure?" he nodded

"Before we begin I'll tell you what you will know by the end; I have many official black belts in most forms or fighting, be it unarmed, swords or guns, I'll teach you all that I know of muggle techniques, but I will also teach you the basics to wandless magic – something tell me you might need it though you will have to take it further yourself" Harry looked astounded, how did she know?

"Are you ready to begin?" He nodded, she placed a finger on his temple and whispered

"Legilimens" Harry felt her in his mind he could feel her calming him both physically and emotionally before he could panic and then he felt it, the knowledge her memories of endless hours of gruelling training, the smell of the Dojo (which he know knew was where you practise the techniques), her first introduction to swords the time her sensei caught her with the blade scarring her hip, he saw her first attempt to throw a knife, and how she progressed to hit the bulls-eye every time with either hand. Then he saw her in her room willing objects to come to her with accio, he saw her endless efforts to perfect wandless magic and how liberated it was she had. Then she was going he felt her retreat, true to her word she had not once tried to gain access to him, the gift was given freely. She pulled fully out of his mind and smiled at him

"Wow" was about all he could say still processing the information, she nodded

"Why don't you go to bed you need to sleep to get your head round it tomorrow we'll see how good you are" Harry nodded and went straight to bed, he wanted to stay up and think about what happened but the moment his head hit the pillow he drifted into a relaxing sleep.

# # # #

Albus finished the charm, the ring darted around the map before settling. Severus threw his hands in the air in despair

"It isn't working Albus it just settles on top of our location, we've already searched everywhere nearby" Albus nodded, and yet he couldn't help feel he was missing something, he would need to think about the problem. He handed the ring back to Severus, it went green much to his relief

"There is no more to be gained tonight, I suggest that we both go back bed" Severus nodded, he truly hoped that he would return to bed with his son safe in his room.

"Thank you for trying" he said before leaving, he was despondent and moved slowly away.

# # # #

The next morning Harry awoke uncharacteristically early, he wanted to try out all the things he saw in his dreams, he couldn't believe the gift Outkast had given him, he sprung out of his bed and changed into a pair of sweatpants and white t-shirt that had appeared over night. He left the room, went through the linking area, in the kitchen there was a door he'd never opened before but he knew what was on the other side, he turned the handle and entered, he wasn't disappointed the Dojo was huge the wall were adorned with all manner of weapons, he had seen the room in his dreams but it was far more impressive in real life, he saw Outkast on the far side training, she was doing a complex mixture of back flips, kicks and blocks, she moved with a grace and ease as though she was flying. He grinned he hoped he could do that soon. She noticed him and used back flips to cover the distance to him landing gracefully next to him.

"Goodnight sleep?" she said he nodded

"Eager to try it out" again he nodded

"Very well warm up and meet me on the mats" Harry wasted no time he knew the routine. Half an hour later he was surprised how many of the techniques he too could perform she pointed out that years of Quidditch had produced some lean muscle on his thin frame, they spent two hours on the unarmed and hand to hand combat before she was satisfied he had mastered them. Then she produced a target at the far end and handed him a set of throwing knives. Harry felt their weight, he knew them even though he had never touched them before, he threw the first one, it hit the target but with the handle not the blade. He frowned and tried again, this time the knife stayed, but he was off centre he adjusted his position and tried again, he was spot on, soon he was a good as Outkast he grinned at her. She was smiling

"You are learning young grasshopper"

"What?"

"Never mind. Breakfast?" He nodded and followed her out the room throwing the last knife over his shoulder, it hit the centre of the target, she rolled her eyes

"Don't get too cocky, if you don't practise regularly you'll lose your precision" he nodded; he finally found a private use for the room of requirement. Breakfast was a quiet affair, Harry was musing on how much she had done for him in such a short time and how thank you had never sounded so hollow.

"Outkast?"

"Yup"

"I wanted well thank you, you don't know how much you helped me I can never repay what you have done for me"

"Harry my brother took your family it is a debt that cannot be repaid, but I will try, I will always help you, though it would be easier if you let me. I know it's difficult but please what happened to you?"

"I can't tell you" he said softly she nodded understandingly and didn't but it, Harry spoke again it was softer almost a whisper

"I can't tell you, but I can show you" he looked at her, uncertainty and fear in his eyes, she nodded

"Ok, but if it's too much tell me I'll stop" he nodded, knowing full well what he had let himself in for but he owed her the truth if nothing else. She looked into his eyes and placed her fingers to his head again

"Legilimens" he dropped the walls he let her in fully and showed her everything that had happened to him, he was aware of tears on his face. By the time she pulled away, he was a shaking ball of tears, she wrapped her arms around him and held him close whispering words of comfort and warmth. She kept telling him he wasn't alone and he believed her. She sat like that until the wards got her attention at noon.

# # # #

Albus remembered finally what had been bothering him, the location spell had worked, Harry hadn't gone far he was near, he told the order to start scanning the area for mystic defences.

# # # #

Harry had finally calmed down; he was no longer sobbing hysterically but had taken to staring at the floor in silent self loathing.

~What has upset the young masssster~ Salem who was no longer in his cage coiled around Harry's leg;

~Nothing new, I was just thinking. Why do you do that?~

~Do what masssster~

~Coil around me~

~You heat is comforting, doesss masssster wisssh me away?~

~No, you see I can turn into a snake like you, when I do I am drawn to people, I was wondering why. I guess that makes sense~ Harry felt Outkast sit down next to him

~Found a new body Salem?~

~Yesss misstresss, massster wasss upssssset~

~I know Salem, but we can not help~ Harry looked at her

~You helped more then you know~ Outkast looked at him strangely

"Why did you talk to me in Parselmouth?"

~I do not want to speak the language that he did~ Outkast nodded

~That would explain the muteness then~ Harry nodded noticing she too had switched back to parseltongue. He silently thanked her for understanding

~Harry the other's are closing in I must return you~ Harry nodded glumly, he thought this might happen, Outkast hugged him

~Soon you will feel like talking again, but until then I will listen to you in this language Harry I am friend even if you can't see me I will be there~

~Masssster isss to leave?~

~Yes Salem I have to go I will miss you~

~Asss will I~  with that Salem uncoiled himself from Harry and returned to his cage. Harry wanted nothing more then to join him. Outkast stroked his face

~Come now we must leave. Harry I know you do not want to. Tell me do they know of your ability~

~Probably by now, at least one does for sure~ Outkast nodded

~Would you prefer to go back as you arrived?~ Harry looked at her, before turning into a cobra, he was iridescent blue, Outkast stretched out her arm and he coiled around it resting his head on her shoulder.