"Willow," Blaise assumed the position and the group behind him struggle to do so as well. Pansy was still significantly buzzed from the night prior. Crabbe and Goyle were dead on their feet, or backs at some points in the detox session.
The room was set to be a hundred and five degrees and every occupant was sweating like no one's business. Draco hated sweating, hated the feeling, the smell, the work involved to make him sweat, all of it. But he was detoxing because he didn't want to get spayed.
"Leaping Antelope," Blaise changed seamlessly into another contortionist pose. Harry wondered how a person could do this and attempted it with his own body, only managing to stretch his muscles further than they were willing to go.
Ron was doing fairly well as were Draco and Ginny. The three at the back weren't doing as well. Pansy stumbled slightly and knocked into Goyle who'd fallen asleep standing and fell to the floor. He didn't wake up when he hit the ground, just snorted and continued sleeping.
Blaise spun on his foot, while keeping the other raised high and bent as though he would go leaping through the air at any second. He glared at them and then dropped the pose.
"Do you want to get the booze out of your system or not?" he asked.
Ginny dropped the pose as well, "of course they do, but they're not sober enough to do anything about it."
"That's what happens when you try and detox at ten AM," Draco said, changing the foot he was holding the pose on.
"Come on," Ron gave up trying to maintain the position, "we've been doing this for an hour and a half, it's almost lunch. Let's shower and change and eat something."
"You can go," Blaise waved them off, "I've got to finish my routine."
"Blaise," Draco said, "two hours of yoga and a four mile run is a lot of working out for one day."
"It's a Sunday," Blaise said, "I don't normally have so much free time, use it or loose it," he said and took up another pose.
Most of them left, Crabbe and Goyle fell asleep again in the hallway and Ginny was forced to lead Pansy back to the Slytherin Common Room so she wouldn't get lost.
"Come on, we can use the Prefect bathroom," Ron said.
They went in and the huge bath sat patiently waiting to be filled. Ron glanced at his best friend and Draco, "I'm going to shower, you two can…bathe."
"Thanks Ron," Draco gave him a lazy salute.
After cleaning themselves up they parted ways. Draco went to Dungeon 295 to check up on his best friend while the Gryffindors returned to their tower to change.
Blaise was meditating in the middle of the room, his dark hair stuck against his neck and forehead.
"Blaise-ums, you want me to have your favorite lunch ready when you come to the Hall?" Draco asked, poking his head inside the heated dungeon.
Blaise opened an eye and looked at the blonde, "sounds delicious, I'll be out in a minute," he closed his eye again.
"Okay," Draco closed the door and prodded the two larger boys with his foot. "Get up, there's lunch in the Hall."
Greg stood up and helped Vincent stand as well. Greg rubbed the remains of sleep from his eyes and looked up and down the hall before walking with Draco and Vincent to the Slytherin dorms. Draco said the pass word (Jinxed) and helped them down to the sixth year's rooms.
"Change up and I'll see you in the hall," Draco made sure they were safely awake before going to his own room.
After changing he returned to the other boys to find Greg and Vincent engaging in what seemed to be a game of bloody knuckles. Theodore Nott, a quiet, relaxed boy with tawny hair was reading a Herbology book on his bed and sipping some tea mixed with a hangover potion. He looked up at Draco and nodded a greeting.
"Come on, lunch time, round of the lower years and herd them off," Draco clapped his hands a few times and the boys abandoned their pursuits to do as they were told.
Draco went to the girls side and called down the hall way that is was meal time. Girls poured from their rooms, some more inebriated than others. Pansy came out looking far more alive with a rumpled looking Ginny Weasely on her heels.
"What did you do to her?" Draco asked her in French.
"Blaise took a shining to a Weasely, so can I," Pansy said in her own defense.
"Are you two talking about me?" Ginny asked, having heard her last name.
"Of course we are," Draco nodded. Ginerva was a sweet girl who he didn't really have any problems with.
"What did you say?" she asked.
"Nothing bad," Pansy assured her with a smile, "Draco just asked what I did to you."
Ginny blushed red and averted her eyes to the carpet.
"She likes you," Draco said and then rushed off to escape the black haired girl.
"You like me?" Ginny asked.
"Am I allowed to?" Pansy wasn't one for being shy, but at this moment she was quite nervous.
"Yeah," Ginny nodded, "I like you too."
Pansy broke into an honest grin and took the younger girl's hand and they walked out through the Common Room. They saw the main door open and Snape was standing there looking angrier than normal.
"Where are the prefects?" he scanned the crowd. A white head jumped up in strain to be seen behind to tall seventh years.
Pansy and Ginny went up through the crowd the Head of House and awaited Draco's fight through the masses.
When he arrived he looked at his godfather expectantly.
"Yes sir?"
"There was a party last night?" he looked at them.
"Yes, at the Greol," Draco confirmed.
"Are your tracks covered?"
"It's clear. Ello is back in the door, ventilation cleared the smoke, halls are clean of any…sickness, bottles were disposed of safely and hangover potions were distributed courtesy of Dr. Ricky," Draco said with confidence. Dr. Ricky was a seventh year, his real name was just Ricky, who had a talent for hangover potions and had a lab set up in Dungeon 576.
"Good," Snape gave a nod and then addressed the rest of the house, "classes will resume tomorrow as usual. Everyone is expected to handle the double load of homework well. This is of course to make up for the time we lost due to student death."
The house groaned but consented to the work. "Way to die Malfoy," someone jokingly yelled from the crowd and everyone chuckled.
Malfoy smirked at them, "being dead is way better than being a wanker," he called back and another laugh rose.
"Go to lunch," Snape moved aside and the house bled out into the dungeon hallway like a newly opened wound.
Snape managed to snatch Draco from the crowd as he passed. "What?"
"The media is still hovering at the gates of the castle."
"Oh," Draco nodded. Care of Magical Creatures tomorrow was a lesson on dragons as he'd found out from Adrian at some point. Adrian had Arakna'ah and his old leaders Thunder Bearer and Stone Singer coming from Ehtiopia to help with the lesson.
"Dumbledore forbade them from entering school grounds, however that doesn't keep them from the gates. You really must make a media appearance to send them off, you or Mr. Potter," Snape said.
"You think I'd be a good choice?" Draco looked at him like he was insane, "I have wings Uncle, wings! That's not exactly normal."
"I do think you'd be better with the media than your Match," Snape said, "You've handled it before."
"We'll both go, later today," Draco compromised, "how should we explain my extra appendages?"
"Transfiguration accident?" Snape suggested.
"Sounds plausible, we should talk to Head Master about this," Draco said, "Harry and I will go up there after Lunch."
"He's in a meeting and it may last until then but you can try. Password is Icicle Cookies."
"Thanks, you coming to Lunch?"
"I've eaten," Snape shook his head and went off in the direction of the deeper dungeons.
Draco shrugged and trailed the rest of the snakes to the Great Hall.
:In Dumbledore's Office:
"Professor, he's my blood brother. Not allowing Jade to stay in the castle is a direct insult to him and to me. Why do you refuse him lodging?"
"I don't know him, you trained as an Auror. Has he? You saved lives in countless places. Has he? How am I to know he isn't simply a vampire with a blood lust?"
Kristopher glared at the older man, "Jade isn't just a vampire with a blood lust. He's a strong warrior who fought along side me at the Full Moon Battle during the Anti-Vampire Movements. He's trustworthy and his presence will be beneficial to the students. Jade isn't here to get a free drink or two, he's here to help."
"Mr. Sampson may stay in the castle. In the East Hall on the fourth floor, he'll be comfortable there." Dumbledore relented.
"Thank-you," Srene was rather proud of his victory.
"I do ask, however, that Mr. Sampson be your responsibility during his time here, any damage he does will fall on your head." Dumbledore added.
Rather peeved Srene agreed to this.
"Your assumptions are rather offensive Professor," Talon or Jade spoke from where he stood in the shadows, his heavy cloak covering him from the sunlight coming through the window. As a younger vampire, only about eighty years old, he was still sensitive to sunlight.
"I only wish to protect my students Mr. Sampson," the old man said.
Jade snarled at him but said nothing else.
"Adrian is coming?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, his leaders will be here later today and he wishes to speak with you about the duration of their stay."
"What are their names?" Dumbledore asked.
"Thunder Bearer and Stone Singer I believe," Srene said, "if there is nothing else you wish to insult us with, we will leave."
Dumbledore nodded and let them go.
"He is a respectable man," Jade said sarcastically after they'd left.
"If anyone I would have thought he would be accepting of us," Srene added.
"Aye, we are no worse than werewolves or Veela, but he welcomes them with open arms," Jade sounded terribly disgusted.
"He probably hasn't gotten past our connection yet. It is a heavy dose of terror to have blood brothers in one place," Srene allowed this.
A single vampire was one thing, scary but not horrible. Two was different, far more intimidating, but if they were of different clans the possibility of them joining together was low. Two of the same clan was a deeply terrifying thing to those who understood clan bonds. They were strong, the same power that kept you alive ran through the other vampire and connected you like twins, or closer even. The possibility of the two attacking was higher, offenses were taken more seriously when two vampires were involved.
"I suppose," Jade recognized the foundations of the old mans fears.
"Come, we'll eat," Srene and Jade entered the Great Hall.
In the hall Adrian was watching for them so he knew he could speak with the Head Master about the other Dragon Riders set to arrive. He got his cue and immediately left, smiling at the older vampire when he passed them.
"Icicle Cookies," and he ascended the stair case behind the gargoyle.
"Hello Professor Weasely, I expected to see you," Dumbledore motioned to the seat.
"Yes, I wanted to speak with you about the arrangements for my leader's arrival."
"Of course, of course, how long will they be with us?"
"They and Arakna'ah will be staying for three weeks. Stone Singer, my adopted mother, and Thunder Bearer, the leader of the cult I lived with in Ethiopia are riding up and should arrive by supper today. Arakna'ah, the dragon they're bringing, is a three-hundred-year-old Ivory Scale matriarch. They also, I believe, are bringing her youngest descendent, Krikta, a twelve-year-old male."
"Two dragons?"
"You had three wild ones here two years ago for the Triwizard tournament." Adrian pointed out.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, "yes, of course. Please, introduce them to the school when they arrive, if it is indeed prior to dinner tonight."
"Yes," Adrian nodded.
Draco brought Harry with him to address their Head Master about the media.
"Hello Professor."
"Hello boys, how may I help you?"
"We're going to address the media," Dumbledore immediately looked worried, "not about us being a Match, but to send them away. They're here because we've been missing since the accident, right? So we're the only ones who can get them to leave."
"I suppose. What about your wings?"
"Severus and I thought that maybe a Transfiguration accident would be a plausible excuse. I thought maybe we could explain that we've been gone for a week recovering after the collapse because we were fighting near there when it happened. The wings were caused by combinations of spells that haven't worn off yet."
Dumbledore thought it over, "what if they ask about why you were fighting?"
Draco considered this and then spoke again, "I was patrolling the hall, as a Prefect, and Harry was going on a snack run for the Gryffindors when he was caught. However, I didn't follow procedure and a fight ensued. So we're both to blame."
"Is it possible they will assume the collapse was caused by you?"
"I doubt they'll think a couple of sixth years collapsed the Astronomy Tower. If they ask us if we think it's a possibility we can answer that we can't be sure, no trace of our magic was found in the ruins."
"But it was," Dumbledore said.
"Dead magic was found which isn't traceable. It's possible that the tower has been decaying for decades and it was simply a case of wrong place at the wrong time."
"You have media training Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore was impressed with the blonde.
"I am a pureblood sir," he reminded the older man.
"Of course. When do you wish to address the journalists camped at the gates?"
"We can go out in a few minutes."
Harry agreed with a nod and Dumbledore gave them the signal to leave.
"MR. POTTER! HARRY! JUST A FEW QUESTIONS!"
"DRACO! DRACO MALFOY! OVER HERE!"
Things exploded as the two boys neared. They had Quick-Quills, Record-o-parchment and Harry was certain every one of them had a photographer attached to their hip. Flashes went off as they got within good picture range. Draco had assembled Crabbe and Goyle, Blaise and even Pansy to pose as his guards on the way to the reporters. Harry had asked Ron and Ginny to go down with him. The two groups shot faux-glares at each other and walked with some distance between them.
Draco looked to one reporter and they went silent to take down the question and answer.
"Harold Nint from the Scottish Wizarding Herald. What happened to the Astronomy Tower and how were you two involved?"
"The tower," Draco said with a Malfoy sneer, "collapsed, we can't be sure why it did so. Harry Potter and I met in the hallway at the bass of the tower while I was on patrol. He, I believe, was on a snack run for the rest of the Gryffindors."
"We got into a bit of a fight and the tower collapsed while we were fighting," Harry said, he glanced sideways at the Malfoy heir.
"OVER HERE!" the shouts rose again not a second after Harry finished.
"Lisa June from Wizard Quarterly. Where have you two been since the collapse?"
"We were recovering in the hospital wing from our injuries, sustained during both the collapse and our fight," Draco answered.
"Reagan Reshflume from the Public Investigator. Why do you have wings, Mr. Malfoy?"
"They are the result of combinations of spells and the dead magic emitted when the tower collapsed. We haven't figured out how to remove them yet."
"Yvonne Erille from the Swiss Tribune. Can you tell us anything about the collapse, what was it like?"
"It started with just some dust and shaking, we didn't notice because we were fighting, but then big pieces of rock started falling. I'm not sure exactly what happened but the whole tower fell, the dead magic knocked us unconscious for a while until we were dragged from the rubble by our teachers." Harry said.
"HARRY! Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet. Do you think this may have been an act of the Dark Lord or his followers?"
"There's no evidence to point to that conclusion. I think that the tower may have been deteriorating for years but at such a slow rate it wasn't noticeable until it was too late and it fell." Harry said.
"HERE! Frida Cowle, Witch Weekly. Will you be pressing charges against the school for your injuries?"
"No. To do so would be wrong, there's no way they could have predicted the collapse and we shouldn't have been there so late at night." Draco answered.
"Are you two still enemies or are you closer because of this harrowing experience?" Frida asked.
"Mr. Malfoy and I are still separated on many issues. We aren't allies, however we understand the seriousness of current times and we're willing to forgive each others pasts and continue on without fighting."
"Does that mean you've switched sides Mr. Malfoy?" Rita called.
"I've associated myself with neither the Dark nor the Light side of this war due to the dangers involved in participating on either side."
"Was the collapse just a distraction to give Death Eaters a way to get into the castle?" Harold called.
"In no way was this collapse a distraction of any sort. I am not a Death Eater nor am I assisting them in getting into the castle. It was simply an old structure falling apart. I do regret being nearby when it occurred, however, being accused of using it to get evil persons inside the castle is horribly offensive and I'd rather appreciate if you apologized for such a rude question." Draco glared at the pudgy man.
"HARRY! Albus Dumbledore refused to speak to us about the collapse or your absence from classes, do you know why that is?" Rita asked.
"I don't, Head Master must have had his reasons for refusing interviews."
"DRACO! Is it true you-" the man fell silent as Severus Snape began towards them from the castle.
"We've answered all your questions on the subject, there's nothing more to discuss," Draco said and he turned away from them to glare at Harry. He glared back and the two groups left heading in slightly different directions so the area between them grew.
Harry felt the ache grow with the distance. The media was packing up behind them, he could hear them collapsing their tents and asking their photographers how many shots they got.
Harry was sitting with Adrian and Hagrid and Frenz outside of Hagrid's hut later that day waiting for the Dragon Riders to come.
It was a long wait but they told stories to pass the time.
Eventually they spotted a huge white dragon aiming down to the ground. The heavy collar and chain around her neck drew the eye up to the large man standing between her shoulder blades. Arakna'ah landed and her thick claws dug deep into the ground. A much smaller male dragon, one that could fit beneath one of her wings landed as well. Krikta was a man or two high at the shoulders and had a set of spikes on the tip of his tail.
The man atop Arakna'ah swung down. He patted the dragon's head as she lowered it. He was a very tall man, Hagrid's height at least, and he was very thick in the shoulders and his body seemed covered in a heavy layer of muscle. His hair was long and gave him a wild appearance. He turned to small group and spotted his adopted son Flaming Skull. Krikta lowered his head and a woman jumped down to land in a crouch. She stood and was only a few inches shorter than the man. She was a broad built woman, Amazon like really. Her dragon hide skirt, boots and top only added to the warrior appearance of her. She had dark hair like the man, it was longer though and braided.
"Stone Singer, Thunder Bearer," Adrian was rushing towards them. He had on dragon hide pants similar to Thunder Bearer's and boots as well.
"Son," the woman hugged him, lifting him up off the ground and she kissed his temple.
"Skull," Thunder nodded to him in a more masculine greeting.
Stone said something in a different language and he relented to hugging the boy. Adrian was a tall man by most standards, but he barely even reached Thunder's chest.
"I'm glad you agreed to come," Adrian said, obviously happy.
"We're glad to see you as well. A centaur?" Thunder had immediately noticed Frenz.
"Hello there," he approached to two Dragon Riders and held out his hand.
"Of what clan?" Stone asked. Her voice was sweet and deceptive perhaps.
"Forest," he motioned back to the Forbidden Forest. The two nodded knowingly.
"Ancient clan, we helped some, led by Heten, cross the great Tuchkat River some years back," Thunder said in his heavy baritone voice.
"This, is Harry, Calm Storm's Match," Adrian motioned Harry over. He came and looked up into the black eyes of Thunder.
"Calm Storm's Match?" Stone repeated, slightly confused.
"Like a mate, but stronger and for life," Adrian clarified.
"Calm Storm's mate must have a proper name then," Thunder said, his voice vibrated through the air.
"Tell us something of yourself," Stone requested.
"I play Quidditch and-"
"He fights evil and-" Adrian interrupted.
"And I like Defense Against the Dark Arts class," he interrupted back.
Stone considered for a moment then looked directly into his eyes. Thunder watched his wife study the boy.
"Dragon Heart," she proclaimed and Harry felt some sort of magic, almost like what he felt when kissing Draco, run through him.
Hey, thanks for supporting the story. I hope you like this chapter, it's kind of long (which is exciting). Please please review. If you can't review for some reason (because the site won't let you) I'd still really appreciate feedback by email. mcwfall (at) aol. com. If you have anything to say I'd love to hear it.
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