Harry Potter and the Star of Senkrad

Author: l'Ciel

Fandom: Harry Potter

Disclaimer: JKR, and some more I think – I don't own anything but the plot – oh, and Ice Drakes, that's mine too! And that sexy nurse (god bless her brainless boobs)

Rating: hard R for implicit sexual content, NC-17 for explicit sexual content

Warnings: violence, brain washing, non-con,

Pairings: HP/DG, SS/LM; side pairings: HP/BZ, NM/LM

Genre: Action/Adventure, Romance, Angst

Summary : After the events of OotP, Harry runs away from the Dursleys. The only one to find him is Snape, but where do the spy's loyalties truly lie? Slash & Het, war-story

Main characters: Harry, Snape, Lucius, Voldemort, Dumbledore

24) Reconciling

The next Order meeting was the day after New Year. Tonks and Shacklebolt were already there, having a free day, and Moody was off to Albany for the week. The dark-skinned wizard was standing in the background, while Nymphadora made a list of all attendees. Dung and Jones were the first to arrive, apart from the Weasleys who were already there, save Ron and Ginny. Even Percy was there. Dedalus Diggle and Emmeline Vance came next, closely followed by Elphias Doge, who leaned heavily on his walking stick. He was the last to arrive, since Podmore was still in Azkaban.

Arthur and Molly were talking to their five eldest, who by now had all joined the Order except for Percy, who would be at his first meeting today. The Dumbledores, Snape and Lupin had arrived only minutes before the other members and were currently occupying the end of the table.

Albus called for silence, while his brother was listening to Fletcher, but they stopped talking when everybody took their seats.

"We may welcome a new member today. Percy Weasley has declared his loyalty to our cause and I hereby officially introduce him to the Order of the Phoenix as one of us. I believe his membership will help us greatly," he toasted to the lanky red-haired man, who smiled nervously. Dumbledore nodded and Percy rose from his chair.

"I have an confession to make," he declared, facing his family. "I withheld some issues… about my profession and the ensuing consequences."

Arthur eyed him warily and his eldest brother furrowed his brow.

"But why? Please tell us?" his mother asked weakly, dreading the worst.

"You saw me writing reports about…. Cauldron thicknesses…" he chuckled, sobering quickly, "and other insignificancies. I have to admit it fit all together – that was the reason behind my acting. Some months ago I told you I had been promoted. That is true," he glanced at his father, who blinked reassuringly.

"As a matter of fact, as one of his secretaries I have access to top secret data, like for example Voldemort's return," he finished and looked around. His parents seemed baffled.

"So you –erg– knew he was back all along?" his mother eventually asked after a time of uncomfortable silence.

"Yes, that's why I contacted Professor Dumbledore," Percy explained.

"Percy has taken it upon him to inform me of all greater decisions that are made in Fudge's office concerning the Dark Lord," Dumbledore supplied with twinkling eyes.

"That's so cool!" Fred and George suddenly burst out.

"We have a spy in the family! Like James Blonde!" the other finished excitedly.

"Who's that?" Moody asked, but the twins paid him no heed.

"Against all odds it would seem we do have some support in the Ministry," Albus reminded them of the original subject of the meeting. "It seems the Department of Mysteries has seen the need for actions while Fudge is wasting time. At least Amelia Bones is supporting our cause. As the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement she is also the chief of the auror divisions. They are fully behind our cause. That means," he emphasised the rest of his sentence with twinkling eyes, "that we have the majority of the Ministry on our side. With the DOM and Percy's help, the combination of forces should no longer be a problem!"

Tonks whistled appreciably and several members clapped. Percy blushed and sat down again. His father nodded proudly and the curly redhead smiled slyly.

"I have another question, though, now that the official part of the meeting is over," Dumbledore announced. "I need a DADA teacher for sixth months and somebody asked if Bill Weasley does not, per chance, have enough of his desk job!"

Bill rose an eyebrow and rubbed his chin between forefinger and thumb.

"Actually, I think he wouldn't mind a bit of a change, as long as his employer allows the break – I'll tell you tomorrow," Bill smiled and Charlie bumped his side, wriggling his eyebrows.

"You're getting old, brother dear – teaching our two baby siblings! No change there-" he stopped when Bill smacked his head from behind.

"I," he chuckled merrily, "have taught YOU… –So looking at the result, maybe Dumbledore should reconsider!" he joked and threw his arms up to defend himself against the onslaught of swearing and tickling fingers.

"Like when they were still toddlers…" Molly sighed, and Fred pulled a face.

At the 7th of January school restarted. During the week Harry had been tutored by Remus, McGonagall and, to his displeasure, Snape to ensure he got on well in class and of course to finally master Occlumency. Anxiously the black-haired boy stood on the landing above the entrance doors, waiting for the carriages to arrive. He had not seen his friends in more than six months and he was nervous and happy in the same time to see them again. Some days ago Hedwig had returned to him without a message, so he had wondered about Hermione, but the owl probably had simply noticed her owner's arrival and left for Hogwarts.

Downstairs the doors opened and students poured in. In the crowd he could make out Ron's fiery head that stood out by at least eight inches above the others. Ron didn't see him first, but when Harry yelled his name the redhead looked up and his eyes went wide.

"HARRY!" he yelled and boxed himself through the crowd until he reached his best mate. He pulled Harry into a bear hug and when he let go looked at him with a strange expression.

"You've grown," he said eventually.

Harry glared at him, "You're one to talk!" and punched his stomach. Ron slapped his back and together they entered the great hall.

"Have you seen Hermione?" Harry asked and looked around, spotting only Luna and Ginny coming up behind Ron.

"No, mate. I searched for her, but she wasn't on the train. I can't believe she missed it. But, I mean, nothing happened to her, right?" he sounded worried.

"I didn't hear anything, but Hedwig returned some days ago without a message. We can ask Dumbledore after the feast. Maybe she'll turn up in a second, who knows?"

"Yeah–right," Ron said, but they both had a bad feeling. Dean and Neville came over to them and soon they were engrossed in a heated discussion about the National Quidditch Cup.

Nobody seemed to ask any important questions, the matter of Voldemort stayed avoided.

Up in the dormitory Ron finally cornered him. Harry was not sure what had transpired in the meantime, but the redhead acted oddly sombre.

"Ron, I-"

But his friend held up his hand. Apprehensively, Harry waited.

"What in Merlin's name did you think you were doing?", Ron burst, his previous cheerful mood gone completely, "Have you any idea how worried we were?"

"Ron, it's not-"

"Gone. We were asking Dumbledore, my parents – no single answer in six bloody months! Nothing, Nox, Niente!" Ron screamed at him. Luckily they were alone.

"Six bloody fucking month and suddenly I get that bloody letter! Hi Ron, I'm back, I'm fine. See you soon! Gah! And then-"

"RON!", Harry yelled desperately, "Shut the fuck up, will you!"

And the redhead was actually silent. His face though displayed a variety of emotions; anger, despair, longing and relief.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Harry tried and Ron shook his head lightly.

"No, you're not. And I won't force you to tell me about that… stunt you pulled, but I would have expected a little more from you, really. I'm okay with you not telling me everything, you deserved some time last year, after Sirius' – sorry– death anyway, but I can't believe you just left us like that. I just can't! Dammit!" he cursed and brushed his fingers through his wayward hair.

Harry observed that he had let it grow out. It already reached his chin and was curling slightly at the ends. His eyes were dark and sorrowful and his features harder than Harry remembered. With a fatigued sigh Ron dropped onto his bed and laid back on the pillows.

"Sometimes I feel like I don't know you anymore… and you've only been here since a few hours ago."

"I'm different," he paused. "I'm sorry, too. I – I need to tell you, and… I need you to listen, okay?" his voice wavered and they sat in silence for a moment.

Then Ron got up and sat down next to Harry, fidgeting his hands in his lap.

"It's… bad, isn't it?" he groaned and Harry felt his chest hurt. Blinking rapidly, he tried to clear his mind, but he hurt so badly…

Whimpering, he leaned against his friend's shoulder and buried his head against his neck. Awkwardly, he felt Ron close his arms around him and whisper into his ear. Calming somewhat, Harry hugged him tightly.

"I'm sorry," he repeated again and again, while Ron stroked his back.

"You're being quite a mess here, you know?" Ron asked faintly after Harry had stopped crying that badly. He smiled hopefully and Harry couldn't help but laugh a little. Pulling himself together, he looked up and found his friend, blushing a little.

"Thanks," he sniffed and scratched his head.

Ron sighed and leaned back against the footboard of his bed.

"So, time to spill?" he asked and Harry's mood darkened again.

"Yeah, something like that. I'll keep it to the basics, okay?" he asked and Ron shrugged as if to say 'do what you think is right'. So he did.

"He had you under Imperius the whole bloody time and you didn't notice?" Ron asked in disbelief when Harry told him about his time at Malfoy Manor. He had decided to leave the part about the prophecies and the staff out for now.

"I was shocked myself," he admitted. "I – did some horrible things, but… I can't feel guilty for them somehow. It's all so far away and distant now – do you think Snape knew?"

"Either that or he's making a fool of all of us and happily serving You-Know-Who," Ron deadpanned and Harry sigh-chuckled.

"So, are you still doing… remedial Potions?", his friend asked.

"Yeah, though we're also doing defence stuff now, as if Occlumency wasn't enough…", tiredly he wiped his eyes and Ron looked at the clock on his nightstand.

"Shit! 's already past ten."

"I wonder where the others are," Harry added and Ron looked at him funnily.

"Oh yeah – you couldn't possibly know. Stupid of me!" he hit his forehead and laughed, "Seam is probably with Lavender exploring the greenhouses, Dean's off with Hannah and Neville asked Luna to explain the 'star chart' to him," Ron wriggled his brow suggestively and Harry blushed.

"Don't tell me you're a virgin!" Ron asked and Harry blushed even deeper.

"Erm – no," he admitted. "But that's all quite-"

"-far away?" Ron asked and suddenly pulled a face.

"What?"

"You shagged a Slytherin?" the redhead asked, flabbergasted.

"Uh, actually…"

"Don't tell me you… shite!"

"-several of them."

"Who?"

"Ron, really I…"

"Now."

"No, I…"

"Come on!" he pinned Harry to the bed and began to tickle him mercilessly.

"Eek! Uh – alright.. ALRIGHT!"

Ron stopped and rose one eyebrow.

"Uh… well, there was Miles-"

"BLETCHLY? You didn't tell me you are gay!" Ron shrieked and backed away.

"I'm not gay – I'm bi!" Harry countered tartly. "… then Daphne, Blaise"

Ron gagged.

"And it was a close thing with Pansy, but she was still loyal to Draco then…"

"That Death Eater scum…" Ron murmured and glared at the wall, "What happened to him anyway? Training with the others, like you… well, told me about?"

"Actually, he was taken to a country house after we got him out. I'm not sure what happened exactly, I think his parents tried to cover it up a bit… For him, you know. And… I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell about it, okay? I mean, he's Malfoy, but he's a victim, too. He isn't responsible for his upbringing and stuff like that. Okay?"

"Yeah…I wouldn't really wish that Death-Eater thing on anybody," Ron admitted and wished him a good night before they both went to bed, Hermione's missing momentarily forgotten.