Replies to reviews:
Xanthie: Thank you for that incredibly helpful review! I'm using a bit of it in this chapter (not too much, otherwise there'd be too many clues!), and hopefully you'll like this chappie as much as the other ones!
Yana5: OI! I was going to say that in this chapter! …Oh well, never mind, glad you have such a good intuition for this story!
Morena Evensong: Thank you so much! Actually, I've wanted to clarify that in the reviews: the thing I'm trying to portray, is not that Harry has already FALLEN for Draco, but that he is falling for the person who is sending him the gifts, and who seems to know him so well. I'm updating everything before Valentines' Day, so stay tune!
(Author's notes)
Thoughts/Spells/Emphasis
Letter/Emphasis in thoughts
Emphasis
-Flashback-
Chapter 3: It Will Stay Lit Forever
Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend. –Martin Luther King Jr.
Harry padded down the staircase, chatting amiably with Ron. It had been a full week since the –what he now called the 'owl incident'. Secretly, he'd been wondering when would he receive the next present, as he somehow felt that his 'treasure quest' as his admirer put it, wasn't really finished.
"HARRY!" He started.
"Ron, don't yell…" He frowned, annoyed. Ron looked at him, a peculiar look on his face…I've been trying to call you for ages now…we're at the hall…"
Harry looked around, and saw that it was true. He frowned, then smiled brightly: a white scroll lay across his plate.
Running to the table he seated himself quickly. "Whoa, Harry, what's the hurry?"
Seamus and Dean looked on, amused, as Ron caught up to the table. Harry didn't say anything. Instead, he opened the letter.
Dear Harry,
I sincerely hope that you have received your letter and present.
Harry grinned. Yes, I did, he thought rather fondly.
-Flashback-
Harry had been about to sleep, before he'd remembered the little scroll that his admirer had put into Hedwig's nest.
Quickly (for it was hours past curfew), he unraveled the scroll.
Dear Harry,
I know you may be wondering about the protectiveness that your owl portrayed. All I can say is that she is a very good friend of mine –and I did not want my present to be delivered to any hands but yours. /Harry' nodded in understanding/ As for the other 'partner' of the eggs…he is my own faithful owl –which is also how I seem to know this…news.
I genuinely wish that you are not upset at this news.
Adieu, and sleep well, loved one.
-Flashback ends-
Harry's eyes glowed as he remembered the last lines. No one had called him such, and despite himself, his heart had grown lonely, and desolate. Now it seemed that, if not permanently, at least temporarily, his heart would grow warmer by this person's sentiments.
Staring a little in space, he returned back to his current letter.
It is one week before the Slytherin match –do not overtax yourself, or they will be left without an opponent. I can see that you are tired.
Light is the way to see
Through paths that thy silent feet shall creep
Skies shall loom of dragons high,
Illuminate your way and warm thy soul…Such is the way I picture love to be. May the heavens bless you.
Love…your admirer.
Harry grinned. So his admirer was continuing his little expeditions…this would be interesting. He was rather getting fond of the letters…
Frowning slightly, yet again, he wondered to himself. Skies shall loom of dragons high? Illuminate your way?
Suddenly it dawned on him. Quickly, he raced towards a certain corridor…
Slightly out of breath, Harry sank to his knees, as he finally reached his destination. Breathing finally regular, he looked up around him. Smiling, he saw the line of lights illuminating the corridor. Looking up, he gasped.
He'd never been in the corridor –in fact, he only knew about it, because Hermione had practically forced Ron to read Hogwarts: A History. Determined to do the task with at least someone who was sane enough –or so he'd claimed–and so had gotten Harry to read it with him.
But in all it s description, the book could still not describe the beauty that Harry could see. Dragons, weaving, flying, doing incredible feats seemed to come alive on the ceiling of marble. Gems decorated their eyes, sparkling with luster and fire.
Harry drew in a breath. In the very centre, were, in his opinion, the two most beautiful dragons he's ever seen. They circled around each other, touching, but not fighting. One was of white marble; the other was of black. Emerald eyes were of the one that was black; while sapphires endowed the one of white.
They looked like, as Harry put forth the cliché, two halves of a whole.
They were so entwined that one, if not paying close attention to colour, would never have known which was which, and which was the other.
A soft smile seemed to involuntarily grow on Harry's face.
It was almost as if…they were embracing…
He smiled again, then noticed something white flashing against the dragons' mouths. He stared in shock.
Were…were the dragons kissing?!
For a moment, he completely forgot the reason why he was there. Then, shaking his head, quickly shouted a levitating spell. After safely retrieving the scroll, he unraveled it hastily.
Dear Harry,
I see you have found my present. It is a necklace, as you can see. When the owner says the spell 'Trouvfindras' –or rather, specifically you, as the necklace is charmed to only obey your and anybody else who you agree upon's command –the necklace will immediately open up a map and two crystals will form. One will be the colour of your aura, while the other is the opposite of that. I suspect yours will be green. The crystal the opposite of your colour (which, if I am right, will be red)
If you just want light to see…and you are without your wand 'lumivictumis'. If you want the light to end 'lumimortuusis' is the spell. If you want the map to appear without light, just say both spells in sequence and it should be fine. The map disappears automatically when you don't look at it, but automatically comes back when you do, until you say 'trouvfindend'.
I hope you find the necklace useful my love…at the least it will make my little treasure hunts easier…
He finished reading the letter, taking a deep breath as he did so –after all, it really was quite long to read. He looked at the necklace incredulously –surely such a tiny –although elegant–thing could not have such an extensive use? But he'd learned not to underestimate magic…
"Trouvfindras! "
He stared in amazement as light started to glow from the necklace –as if a small flame was trapped in the little crystal. Suddenly, as if on a virtual game screen, a miniature 3D map appeared. Immediately, the two crystals in the necklace started shimmering, parting and dividing to form two locations on the map: one glowed green, obviously representing Harry; the other glowed red.
P.S. It's something rather like the muggle 'con-phew-ders? Is that it? You can 'download' (whatever that means) maps of other worlds into it.
He looked at the necklace, still glowing brightly in his hands…the Marauders Map had been burned a year ago, by his bastard of an uncle, and Harry had lost the ability to think in solitude, alone.
Now he could finally get some peace.
He looked at the dragons again; briefly wondering what the Latin name for dragons was...
He fingered the necklace, and stared absent-mindedly at the origami swan. He examined his admirer's signature mark. The swan was purely white, with a hint of black around the neck.
Black necked swan…he smiled, a lopsided smile. He looked out the open window…
A breeze shifted his hair…
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