Summary: AU. A "faerie" tale with elves, vampires, and reincarnation. Draco's a transfer student who arrives at Hogwarts during Harry's seventh year, trying to fulfill a promise made nearly a hundred years ago. But what is this promise and does it have to do with Harry? D/H!
Shamera
"I don't understand." Harry said quietly as he tried to take in all the information that had been handed to him. His head felt like it was swirling on a carousal ride, trying to digest all the facts that he had learned. "Grindlewald… was the one to kill him? The faerie prince that Draco loved?"
"Grindlewald was one of them." Dumbledore replied from where he was settled in his seat, his voice so casual that most people would have thought he was talking about the weather. "The other wizard had been Grindlewald's mentor… whose name was erased from the history books as an act from the faeries. Politics a hundred years ago were not the same as politics today, my boy. Where you'd not get a broken wand and a prison sentence, the harshest punishment back then was exile and to have your name erased. No one would remember you, and everything that ever indicated that such a person existed was erased."
Harry pursed his lips in thought, hands gripped tightly as the edge of his robes. This was certainly an unexpected development. He had not prepared himself for such interrelations with everything he had plotted out.
"Why are you telling me this?" Harry finally ventured to ask. It was unlike the Headmaster to offer the information so readily and not put it off until he felt that Harry could handle everything.
Dumbledore looked grave. "Mr. Malfoy has come to me this morning with very disturbing and urgent news."
The old headmaster rose from his chair wearily, pushing himself up by the arms of the cushioned seat. He seemed to feel as if the message was too important for him to sit and deliver by himself. "Normally, I would have allowed you time to figure out all the information on your own… with a great deal of help from Mr. Malfoy. I wanted to give you time to handle this situation… but it seems that there is no time to spare now."
The headmaster's serious tone softened as he looked to the agitated boy before him. The gentle smile spread across the old face as Dumbledore lost himself in memories for just a moment, knowing that after this one moment… everything would change. He would not be able to protect this boy that he had grown to love so dearly anymore, as after that- Harry would not be able to seek guidance from him anymore.
With a knowing look, the Headmaster of Hogwarts smiled gently at Harry. "I first thought that your mother was the one of prophecy." He admitted quietly, letting Harry know that this was information that not many people had been privy to. "Her eyes were a shock to the rest of us, and I had contacted the elves immediately to get a confirmation that the small Lily Evens just might be the reincarnation of the prince we had been searching for."
Harry leaned forward in his chair. Had his mother been a large part of this mystery as well? He wondered about that for a moment, biting down on his tongue to ensure that he would not interrupt Dumbledore with questions as the professor told this tale. Harry had always wanted to know more about his mother, and was desperately in need of information on her. Had she been involved in this as well?
"Lily had confirmed to me that like the faerie prince, her green eyes had not come from the rest of her family, and that she didn't know if she had inherited a passive gene from many generations back. She resembled enough of both her parents that her heritage drew no questions- it was her eyes that had always made her the special one of the family." Dumbledore's smile grew fond in remembrance. "She once asked me if that had been magic as well."
"Had it?" Harry asked tentatively, no sure if he should interrupt until Dumbledore was done. "Was it all because of magic?"
"Not that we know of." Dumbledore waved his wave absently over the tabletop, and a plate of biscuits and a pitcher of pumpkin juice appeared neatly. "Something to eat?"
Harry shook his head, feeling slightly better knowing that it was the same Dumbledore who asked that as he usually did for a lemon drop- although it did make the young man uneasy to realize that there was no candy around this time.
"Your mother was an extraordinary witch, Harry. And you have her heart, just as surely as you have your father's hair."
Harry smiled just a bit.
Dumbledore sobered. "Events are going at a quicker pace than expected. It was your mother who convinced your father to go into hiding. She had been too worried over your safety, because she knew that you were special… that you were the person we had first mistaken her to be. The rest of us didn't know, of course… we could only assume that she was worried for you as a new mother would be. But being your mother, she automatically knew how special you were… more than anyone else would ever know. It took us years before we figured it out."
Dumbledore poured a glass of pumpkin juice for himself. "Mr. Malfoy had come to me this morning with information that he had overheard from the rest of the Slytherins. Voldemort is on the move. He has been looking for the throne of the faeries, but had not been able to find it due to the fact that the elves hid the faerie kingdom after the death of the faerie prince. We knew that Voldemort had been after the throne before… but we hadn't worried about it.
"But then he found you. Despite our attempts to hide you, Voldemort had found out that you were the reincarnation of the faerie prince, and that if he allowed you to live- you would be able to wield a power far beyond anything his Death Eaters could gather for him. It was then that he tried to kill you."
Harry blinked, finally starting to realize the events that led up to the life he lived. "And… he failed. Therefore starting the prophecy that you told me about in fifth year…"
Dumbledore nodded. "Very good, Harry. By trying to kill you before, he started a chain of events that led up to another prophecy… and connected both prophecies together.
"The Dark Lord is a very intelligent creature, my child. He followed onto that immediately, and figured out a way to try and combat both prophecies at the same time. We hadn't worried about you as the faerie prince even when the world declared you as the Boy-Who-Lived. You would eventually claim the faerie throne, after all. You were the only one in the world with the royal blood of the Seelie faeries."
Harry started to get the feeling of something awry as Dumbledore continued to talk. There was something wrong with the story, something that he wasn't remembering. And with Dumbledore looking at him like he was supposed to figure it all out with the information that had been given, Harry felt like screaming. There was too much information to digest, after all.
Then it clicked.
"The resurrection ceremony…" Harry breathed out. "He used my blood to create a new body for himself…"
Old, weary eyes peered at him over half-moon glasses. "Correct. If Voldemort finds the faerie throne, he would have the power to control the throne in any way he wished. The elvish magic is fading, Harry. When Draco realized who you were and told you, he fulfilled a part of the prophecy that leads to the unveiling of the faerie kingdom.
"Voldemort will find the faerie kingdom any day now. With no one on the faerie throne to hide their magics, and the elves unable to conceal the kingdom now- it's a matter of time before he enters the kingdom and claims one of the most powerful weapons on this earth."
That feeling of dread was practically screaming at Harry now.
"And what do you want me to do?" Harry asked quietly.
"You have to get to the throne before Voldemort does." Dumbledore informed him. "You and Mr. Malfoy will be leaving tomorrow morning at sunrise. Ms. Lovegood has already left last night to try and reinforce the magics covering the faerie kingdom. I will contact her to tell her of your arrival. Mr. Malfoy should inform you of the rest, and I will tell you what is prepared after I have firecalled Princess Luna."
Harry nodded numbly. This… was a lot to take in.
The headmaster looked at him sympathetically. "You should take the rest of the day to relax, Harry. You can tell your friends what you wish, as you are dismissed from your classes today."
Harry got up and left the office systematically, not even thinking about what he was doing.
There was someone waiting for him outside the office.
Draco Malfoy looked up from where he was leaning against the wall, studying the stone gargoyle with rapt attention.
"Harry?" The blonde asked tentatively, seeing how dazed the other boy looked. "How are you feeling?"
Like shit. Harry wanted to say, seeing as it was the god-honest truth. But instead, he replied, "I'm alright."
There was too much information to take in at once. Maybe Dumbledore had been kind in giving him a few years to digest the first prophecy in fifth year, after all. Realizing everything in one blow was much too exhausting.
But, Harry thought with determination. He wouldn't let that hinder him. Voldemort was on the move again… that information was something that Harry could take in easily. He was used to trying to keep one step ahead of the Dark Lord. This adventure would be something that he could think of as just another year where he was trying to stay alive.
Grey eyes scanned his face intently. "I take it that the headmaster told you about our sudden departure tomorrow."
"Yes." He had to think about what to take with him. "I need to talk to my friends about this… they would never approve of me pulling a disappearing act. Hermione would kill me if I didn't tell her where I was going."
"Would you like me to be there as well?"
Harry wanted to shake his head, thinking that Ron would not approve of the idea that Harry was going off with Draco when they had barely started talking to each other. But on the other hand… Harry really wanted him there, and the dark haired boy could have sworn that he heard the slight hesitation in Draco's voice, sense that Draco wanted to be there.
The small Gryffindor smiled. "Yes."
Draco relaxed for a moment, then smiled back. "Then I'll go with you."
There was a great commotion outside where Harry was headed. He had been talking softly with Draco in the hallways, grateful for the pale Slytherin who had somehow managed to assure him that everything would be alright, and that things that were meant to happen would be put in motion, and that no matter what happens- he would be fine.
Draco swore that he would be okay.
Harry had at first been disconcerted about how intensely Draco had said that, and had squirmed under the intense stare of those glowing grey eyes, not sure how to respond. A part of him was extremely reassured by that statement, and another part of him was scared for Draco, wondering how far the other boy would go to protect him. They barely knew each other!
And then there was a part of him that reminded Harry that Draco was in love with Emerald… a love that had lasted a century, and meant that Draco would be serious about that statement… that the vampire would do anything to make sure that Harry… no, Emerald, was alright.
But Harry was not Emerald. And he didn't want to be like the kind prince that Draco had described to him. Harry definitely didn't have the patience and naivety that Draco had described, and hadn't grown up with the loving parents and people that Emerald had grown up with.
Harry was a lot more cynical and bitter. It was shown by the pang of jealously that he felt whenever Draco went off on a tangent about how wonderful Emerald was. Draco's eyes seemed to look through him. Those beautiful grey eyes seem to see someone else in Harry's place, and the green-eyed boy shuddered at the brightness of those eyes, understanding that the look wasn't for Harry.
There was such love that Harry felt more than a little nervous.
"Stop struggling, Ron! You're ruining the enchanted ropes!"
Harry blinked as he stepped out into the sunlight, and saw Ron, Hermione, and Ginny outside, both girls struggling with keeping Ron tied to a pole in the middle of the field. Hermione looked peeved, and Ron's face conveyed panic beneath the gag that he had on.
Was this something kinky that Hermione had come up with? If it was, Harry really didn't want to know.
Draco stepped out after him, and Harry briefly wondered about the old ideas that vampires couldn't step out into the sunlight. Apparently, that wasn't the case with Draco.
Ron saw the two boys as he flailed about, and let out a loud protesting noise to catch their attentions.
"What is going on here?" Harry asked, feeling bewildered. This was certainly something that a person didn't see everyday…
"We're helping out Ginny." Hermione said plainly as she finally got Ron under control, and took our her wand to cast a spell that made sure that Ron wouldn't be able to struggle out of the ropes again. "We're going to find that blasted plant, and trap it so that it wouldn't be running loose in school."
"…and what does tying Ron up have to do with this?" Harry asked.
There was a noise from Ron's direction that Harry was able to interpret as 'Exactly!'.
"He's bait." Ginny tried to explain.
"Is it working?" Draco dared to ask.
Hermione seemed to pout for a moment, but that expression disappeared after a second. "Not really. I guess I'm using the wrong person… but I couldn't find you earlier, Harry."
The dark haired boy edged slowly behind Draco; understand what his best friend was talking about. Hermione was really scary this time of the month… "That's alright, 'Mione… I'm sure that Ron will suffice…"
There was a guttural protest, which Harry understood as a betrayed sound from Ron.
"I need that plant before lunchtime." Ginny tried to tell him. "It was a major project that Professor Sprout assigned… if I don't find the plant again, I'd get horrible marks for this year! And Ron did say that as my older brother, he would help me."
"But it's not working." Hermione repeated.
Draco seemed to be contemplating something, ignoring the other people ("Did you take your medicine this morning, 'Mione? You do know that Madam Pomfrey gave that to you for a purpose…" "Shut up, Harry!") around him, and trying something out.
"Accio Ginny's plant!"
There was a moment of silence as the other four looked at him, waiting for something to happen.
Draco gave a shrug when nothing happened. Oh, well. He had tried.
But then there was a whoosh sound before a small pot and lots of green appeared, bowling Ron down in the velocity. There was a large, leafy plant sprawled all over Ron, looking disoriented.
"Why didn't I think of that?" Hermione wondered aloud.
But before anyone could answer her, the large plant seemed to have recovered and was climbing to its roots (feet?), preparing to run away.
Then it saw Harry.
"Wha-? Eck!! What in the name of Merlin-?!"
Harry, who had been hiding from Hermione behind Draco, felt something wrap around his feet and pull his balance out from under him, hitting the ground with a solid 'thump' and braced his head with his arms, feeling the edges of his new glasses digging into his face. Before the others could react, he felt himself dragged along the ground towards Ginny's psychotic plant.
"Harry!" Draco shouted, and grabbed onto the boy before the plant could drag him far away, wrapping his arms around the small boy's torso.
"Try to trap it down, Ginny!" Hermione was shouting, pulling out her wand away from where she had placed it in the folds of her robe.
Harry grabbed onto Draco in his panic, remembering that blasted plant from that morning. He'd be damned if he allowed that plant near him again! The ebony haired boy wrapped his arms around Draco's shoulders, freaking out and starting to kick his legs when he felt a vine slide up his pant leg.
"Get it off me!!" Harry cried, clutching onto the other boy so desperately that Draco felt like his oxygen supply was being cut off.
There was a series of spells that stopped the plant in its tracks, making the meandering vine withdraw and let go of Harry suddenly.
Draco lost his balance as the plant suddenly withdrew and landed with his back on the ground behind him, Harry landing on top of the Slytherin.
"Oof-!"
Harry tried his best to scramble off the blonde, his face turning an alarming shade of red.
There were sounds of struggling as Hermione and Ginny cast more spells to ensure that the plant wouldn't be running off again anytime soon, and groans from Ron who wanted those two to free him now that they had the plant.
"Sorry." Harry mumbled as he realized that he had both arms around Draco's neck even as both of them were laying flush against each other on the ground, Draco still with his arms wrapped tightly around Harry's waist, as if still trying to pull Harry away from Ginny's plant.
Draco stared into Harry's embarrassed and flushed face for a moment before breaking out into a wide smile. "It's no problem."
If at all possible, Harry turned an even brighter shade of red.
"The two of you are insane, you know that?" They heard Ron shout from behind them as he was finally released from his bonds. "I mean… I was more than willing to help you guys chase after Ginny's plant… but you tied me up!" There was blatant accusation in Ron's voice… with good cause.
"Oh, come on, Ron… at least we have the plant, and it won't be terrorizing the students anymore."
"It hadn't been terrorizing the students in the first place! It was trying to get away from you!"
Draco and Harry detangled themselves slowly, Draco's touch lingering on Harry a bit longer than casual. It was Harry who got up first and helped Draco to his feet, the both of them smiling at each other with amusement at the argument going on behind him.
"Are your friends always like that?" Draco asked.
"Only most of the time." Harry replied, trying to fight his blush away. "They have their calm moments… sometimes."
Ginny was attending to her plant, and for a moment Harry almost felt sorry for the potted creature when it seemed to shrink back away from the girl, especially after the redhead huffed and conjured up robes to tie it down. But then Harry squashed down the pity, remembering how that stupid plant had been terrorizing him.
Remembering Ron and Hermione's argument, Harry added in, "It was terrorizing me."
Hermione seemed pleased. "See? It was my duty as Head Girl to make sure that the plant would not be running amuck when it can disturb students in such a way!"
"Hermione." Ron tried to put in a word. "That's only Harry. I doubt the plant would go after anyone else. Things like this always happens to Harry, and only Harry."
Harry wanted to protest, but shut his mouth when he realized that the statement was true.
"Charming friends." Draco drawled out, trying to hide a smirk at Harry's distraught.
Tonks had just received a message from Dumbledore when she was called out again to help the elves try and hide the expanding magic of the faerie kingdom. She had raced through the forest that hid the area that belonged solely to the faeries, seeking out her long-time friend.
A glimpse of dirty-blonde hair halted her.
"Luna!" Tonks shouted, pushing her (currently) long pink hair out of her eyes. "Dumbledore says that he's going to be sending Draco back tomorrow morning… along with Harry Potter. We're only going to have to hold the spell for one more night."
The elvish princess had not turned to look at her friend, but only stare in concern as images flickered in and out of view before her. This was a disaster. The magic was rapidly being drained, and already she could clearly see the outer borders of land to the large castle. She had thought that the elves would be able to hold onto the spell for just a while longer, but it seemed that she was wrong.
It was a good thing that Harry Potter was being brought tomorrow. It seemed that he already knew just about everything he had to know, since the illusion spells were faltering so. The more that the faerie prince knew, the more of the kingdom would be revealed.
Luna had not thought that he would learn everything so quickly, though. She had wanted him to be at the faerie kingdom while he was learning of his past, so that he would directly be able to see the truth behind what he was learning. But it seemed that not everything happened the way she wanted it to happen, as she was frightened by the idea that the Dark Lord would already know where the kingdom was.
"We should be able to hold the night." Luna said confidently, finally turning to meet the ex-Auror. "But please… bring him here immediately the moment that the two of them arrive."
Seeing the grim look on the elf's face, Tonks could only nod.
continued on chapter 9
Authoress' Notes: I'm taking next week off. ~_~ Sorry to everyone else... but I just can't keep up with my own schedule when it's hard enough to find time on the computer. I want some time off this story to write some oneshots and concentrate on Vigilae Mortuorom for a while. I reckon that I've spent enough time from the other story, and can finally write for that again. LOL. So I'm going to try and have another chapter out for Vigilae Mortuotum soon.
I know... this was an extremely short chapter. ^^;; But chapters have been harder and harder to get out... hence the small break. Hopefully it'll start getting longer by the next chapter! All responses to reviews are once again in my LiveJournal. ^__^ Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I'll try to fit in the scenes that you want! Hopefully, I'll be able to have an extra long chapter next time to make up for missing next week. *blows kisses*