Veracity Puzzles

A fanfic by The Dark's Familiar (DF to everyone) and Fallen Angel Overlord (Angelo). SLASH WARNING: Some slash in later chapters (DF grins) and some psychological questions and deep subtext (Angelo shrugs). Thoughts, wishes, ideas and Questions all accepted. Reviews needed (like Oxygen!). More to come as soon as we have 3+ reviews

Disclaimer: Not ours alas...maybe some day...if JK Rowling decides to give it to one guy with a 1st edition of the book (with a ragged cover and drawings inside) or a someone who constantly imagines Draco and Harry at it like rabbits

A/N: The character Julian belongs to us. The term Illurimagus is ours. The curses you don't recognize are ours.

Chapter one: Pieces in Play

Harry was accustomed to the gloom that settled in on him whenever he was in Privet Drive. The room he was usually locked in suffocated the life from him – and Sirius' death especially. He still had the dreams; reliving the exact moment the Veil engulfed his godfather and dragged the soul away.

Aunt Petunia had received a letter from Mrs Weasley and gone shock white…and then she'd just put the parchment in the food processor and stopped shrieking at Harry for everything he did. He was counting down the days to when he would be able to go home.

Home to Hogwarts. He missed it so much and the letters from Hermione and Ron just weren't the same as talking to them. Harry knew that he was only truly safe in Hogwarts. The protection of Petunia didn't stop Bellatrix Lestrange setting the house alight, now did it?

To make matters worse, he was forced to listen to Dudley's birthday party down below. The knock on the door was unexpected. Praying it wasn't a prank to entertain Dudley's friends, Harry answered the door, prepared for a pie to the face or something.

It was his aunt Petunia. She shoved the moderate slice of cake into his hands muttered something then scuttled back to the party to play happy families. Quietly Harry tested the icing… chocolate…fudge…no poison. He looked at Hedwig and shrugged. "Maybe there's a child labour worker downstairs or something," he murmured.

If The Boy Who Had Lived were to look out the window at that very moment he'd have seen a cloaked figure watching before striding off down the seat – and exploding into a clutter of ravens.

The train. Harry had dreamed about getting on the express again…he missed the school. It felt truly distant now. But he was always hopeful that the days would hurry onwards and he'd be on it awake and happy.

He descended the stairs and winced. The stereo was on full blast and Dudley was jumping around bellowing that he was just a teenage dirt bag.

No arguments here, thought Harry. Petunia was sitting at the table reading a magazine. She pressed a plate towards Harry. It had a slice of toast on it – no butter. Harry groaned inwardly and lifted it…his eyes nearly bulged out of his head. There was a pancake underneath. He looked at his Aunt but she refused to meet his gaze, truly involved in the latest happenings in the lives of Victoria Beckham and her babies: Brooklyn and Romeo (And the expected Luna according to all reports).

Harry knew all the facts; she'd recently been using him to serve teacakes and tea to her neighbourhood friends on their luncheons. That was while Dudley and Uncle Vernon were out.

And for some reason – Harry found that Petunia's charade of being an ideal aunt included insisting he have a jam tart or an icing covered bun…and he knew she didn't need to. But she did.

Surreptitiously eating the pancake he watched as Dudley wolfed down Bacon like a pig (or a duck since chewing was optional for the boar) and leapt around like a madman. It was at that minute there was a knock on the door. Uncle Vernon looked up from his paper.

Petunia rose and scampered to the door. She opened it and squealed. In marched a familiar figure. Mrs Weasley. "Harry!" she exclaimed and dragged him into an embrace. "Oh, you're looking – better fed then usual" she said. Vernon rose.

"And who are you!" the blustering blowhard exclaimed.

"Molly Weasley" she replied. "Harry attends school with my boy Ron". Behind her Harry spotted Ron, his face lit up at seeing him and the twins in the hall. "Now Harry, we'd better get going we've quite a lot to do!"

"What do you think you're doing!" Vernon snapped as he blustered forwards. Immediately Mrs Weasley turned on him looking a hundred times more imposing then he was trying t.

"Taking this poor neglected boy to safety" she exclaimed. "And if you think you can stop me I DARE you to try". Vernon was about to reply in some snobbish manner but was cut off by Petunia.

"I'll fetch his bags!" Petunia exclaimed. She darted off up the stairs. Vernon was about to speak again when there was a pop from behind him. The twins were laughing maniacally as Dudley began to sprout tulips out his nose and ears.

"Not again!" Vernon bellowed.

"That's just too easy!" laughed Fred. "He fell for it again!"

"We should make the recipe put a few more yellow ones," George murmured. "Otherwise Tulip Toffees are set for sale."

"OOOOOHHHHHH" shrilled Petunia, dropping Harry's case and stared at her son and his horticulture-enhanced features. Fred and George bounded up the stairs and hefted the trunk of books down while Ron picked up Hegwig and returned from the hall to take the case Petunia had dropped.

"Well we're done here-" George exclaimed.

"NOT – SO – FAST" Mrs Weasley exclaimed as she stopped her examination of the toffees in the small bag that had "fallen" from Fred's pocket. "Both of you! How do you undo the potion?" The tone was not the kind to be ignored.

"Well it'll wear off," Fred said enthusiastically

"In three to four-" amended George

"Days" mumbled Fred

"Maybe" George winced. Mrs Weasley reared up.

"This might get ugly" Ron murmured as Mrs Weasley strode towards the boys. "Oh yeah… it'll be ugly" he grimaced.

Mrs Weasley glared at her sons. "IF. You. Two. Don't. Make. This. Up. To. The. Boy. I. Will. Personally. See. To. It. You. Don't. Get. Those. Brooms. You've. Been. After" she bellowed.

"Ysm" mumbled her sons.

Mrs Weasley turned around and smiled sweetly. "All right" she said sweetly. "Car's outside!" Fred and George sighed and waved the wand. The tulips burst, spreading petals all around and vanishing in a haze of green sparks. Harry laughed as he hurried out.

"Dad got it from the Ministry" grinned Ron as Harry looked at the green Rolls Royce. "It's a company car" the chauffeur in the emerald green suit held the door. "He's the official Ministry Liaison for the Order. Big promotion!"

"That's great" smiled Harry. He glanced over his shoulder. His aunt Petunia was at the door, there was an unusual look in her eyes, for a moment her hand raised as if in a wave and then she disappeared back inside and shut the door firmly. "Why did you come?" he asked at last

"The order's had an …incident," Mrs Weasley said as she ushered them into the bigger-then-it-should-be interior of the car. "Dumbledore called a meeting, things look bad"

"What happened?" asked Harry. He was worried…very, very worried now. What if Remus was hurt? Or Hagrid. Or Hermione…

Ron seemed unsure. "Well something involving Malfoy Manor," he said. "That's all we're getting told…"

Grimmauld Place was familiar to Harry. He'd last been here when Sirius was still alive. Funny, he divided time into two periods now: Before Sirius Died and After Sirius Died.

Harry missed his godfather so much…he entered the house and half expected to see Kreacher being kicked down the stairs by him. Hermione came from the living room and nearly knocked Harry off his feet with the force of the hug. "I'm so glad you're okay!" she exclaimed.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You know why" she sighed. Sirius. She didn't need to say it. It was easy to see what she meant. "Come on" she said. She tugged his arm and led him into the room. Ron grumbled, put the cases down and followed them in. The room had familiar people there, Moody, Mr Weasley, Tonks, MacGonagall, Hagrid and Bill and Charlie. Remus was standing by the fire he gave Harry a sad smile but said nothing. Then there were new people, a Native American girl with dark red hair and a black full body suit with a deep red robe over it. There was a tall dark skinned man who had an eye patch over his left eye and a stout woman with silver hair that frizzed out.

Dumbledore was seated by the fire. "Welcome Harry" he said. "I trust you are well" he turned the gaze to the young man.

"Worried" admitted Harry. "What's wrong?"

"The Death Eaters have made a violent movement," Dumbledore said. "They launched an attack on The Astronomy Tower of the Ministry for some unknown reason…it was during a tour. The Auror's returned fire" continued the wizard. "Three of ten Death Eaters were slain but the rest escaped. We aren't sure what promoted such a dangerous attack – but we do know that it was violent and destructive, they're growing dangerous now…we need to get our guard up."

Harry nodded. "So I'm staying here for my own protection?"

"Very much so" MacGonagall said. "We've been informed of a great deal of danger, it's best if you remain her for the duration of the holidays"

"We're staying as well," Ron said.

"As am I" Remus murmured, still watching the fire.

Harry nodded. He was happy, really, but he felt uneasy, like something was coming towards him – something big and bad…

Draco never pretended to be a Nice Person. But he didn't like being hated as much as he usually was. Sleeping was hard because of it. And now he was in the dormitories of the Death Eaters, his mother had been summoned; she was a powerful witch, one of the finest duellists in the world…and especially adept at Seeing. It was her gift.

Why The Dark Lord wanted Draco so suddenly was beyond him. He awoke and dressed himself in a black silk shirt and black jeans then pulled the black robe on. He stepped out into the hall. The other Junior Death Eaters were marching towards the hall.

Lord Voldemort sat on a large stone chair with Bellatrix Lestranger at his side and an expectant look on his serpentine face. "Draco…you want to accept the dark mark". Draco was sure he wanted to…his father had insisted that he follow his path…he was sure this was it.

"Yes" Draco said. He hoped his voice sounded all right…

"Then come closer," Voldemort rasped. Draco did, he walked towards the steps to the throne. Draco glanced at his mother, she wasn't a Death Eater, she was never their greatest supporter…but she'd promised Draco's father to help her son. And she knew that if she could use it to make Voldemort protect her son then she'd use that ability. "Before you can take the mark…are you loyal?" he could sense Millicent Bullstrode nearby, and Crabbe and Goyle… a few unimportant Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuffs. And a single Gryffindor…how deliciously ironic…

"Yes" Draco said.

The Dark Lord was getting irritated. Occlumency was paying off for Draco, he had natural protection now and the great Lord Voldemort wasn't able to crack it.

"Then prove yourself," rasped the Lord. Draco turned as he heard the doors behind him open. Two Death Eaters were dragging a young man in. Draco couldn't say he recognized him though… "This Squib was found on the grounds of our base…execute him"

Draco swallowed and faced the man. His mother was watching, unreadable, as he slowly took his wand from his robes. He raised it slowly…his heart was beating in his chest. He couldn't breathe. He looked into the man's eyes and saw only defiance.

Squibs were meant to be spineless rejects of magic. How was it this man did not fear the powers of magic? Draco had never seen a man so unafraid in his life. This man was facing death – and he didn't care.

"Hurry up Ickle Diddums" cooed Bellatrix.

"Oh be silent," snapped Pettigrew from the other side of the throne. "It's his first kill, he needs time to decide and focus." Draco cast a glance to his mother in such a manner no one noticed. She was still unreadable.

Draco looked into the man's eyes…he'd been born with a gift in Legilemency and Occlumency and he could read the man's thoughts:

I amn't afraid of you

Draco flinched and his wand bobbed in the air. Voldemort sighed. "Are you planning on killing him or not puddin?" chirped Bellatrix. "Are woo too scay-ward?"

Draco lowered his wand, a single tear leaked down the side of his cheek to rest on his jawbone before dripping to the floor. Voldemort shook his head. He seemed disappointed but not surprised or angry.

"Take him away," the Dark Lord snorted. "Avada Kadavra" he added. The Squib died with a defiant look in his eyes.

"Well that was unusual," a voice muttered. The woman strode from the shadows, for a second Draco caught a glimpse of her. She was a flawless frozen beauty with alabaster white skin and flowing black hair that formed a curtain over her left eye with bright crimson dye. She wore a flowing black gown that had sleeves of black lace and fell off the shoulders lined with lace.

She crossed the room as Draco was dragged out and raised an eyebrow. "I hope you've realized what you've done," she added. The Dark Lord shifted in his seat and met her gaze.

"And what's that my dear?"

"You've just allowed the most powerful Illurimagus in the past ninety years to leave" she sighed. "What a very silly thing to do"

"Silence!" shrieked Bella. "Hold your tongue!" She reached for her want and pulled it out. "Imped-" she got no further

"Rizodora" the other woman said casually as she pointed her own black wood wand at Bella and blasted the woman off the raised platform. Bella landed shrieking and thrashing as the dark blue light snaked around in her veins.

"He isn't a Illurimagus" Voldemort said firmly.

"Oh yes he is…and in about five minutes he'll escape"

Draco was harshly dragged along the corridor by the Ravenclaw 6th year. He was muttering something…Draco could see his wand in the other boy's pocket – and he was also aware of the boys wand pointed at him.

"Just deserts Malfoy!" cackled the boy.

"Oh do shut up Ulrich," someone snorted from the shadows. Ulrich turned around and was promptly punched in the jaw. He crashed back against the opposite wall and opened his mouth to say a spell.

"Expellamirus" snapped the boy in the shadows. Ulrich's wand was knocked flying from his hand. "Anaesathos" the burst of pink lightening knocked Ulrich to the ground, apparently as limp as a wet noodle.

"Here you go" the boy from the shadows said as he plucked Draco's wand from the pocket of the helpless Ravenclaw. "Now…let's leave, shall we?"

"Who are you?" Draco asked. The boy was dressed in a double-breasted leather coat with flowing tails and silver lining on the cuffs and high neck. The silver buttons had runes carved on them and his black trousers were tied with a dark red sash. His large laced up boots tapped impatiently now…he slotted his wand into a compartment on his ebony cane (rather excessive accessories in Draco's view) and looked Draco up and down.

"I don't have all day to give you my name" he shrugged. "We have to go, they were expecting Ulrich at the prison with you soon, and the meeting's over so you'll have to excuse me if waiting around to be discovered in a main hallway with the prone – but for some reason not dead, I amn't totally sure why I didn't kill him – body of a Senior Junior Death Eater doesn't sound like a good idea. This way" he said.

Draco followed his saviour down a side passage and up a flight of stairs, down a dark hall, through a study of some sort, down a spiral staircase, past a small garden between two rooms in the castle, down a vast corridor of pillars and arches and up a staircase to a corridor.

"Oh dear" muttered the boy. Draco looked around the same corner the boy had. "I amn't sure if any of my spells would take down four of the best Duellists in the Death Eaters" he murmured. "Not even if I gave you two and then saved the others for me"

"Why don't we just stun spell them?"

"Are you really that stupid?" snorted the boy. "They can draw shields before you can say Expel. No…we have to find another way into that room"

"What's in there?"

"The escape Portkey"

"Why exactly are you helping me?"

"Because I have an ethics class report to fill out" was the snorted reply. "If you must know its because your mother asked me to. I hold her in High Regard – which is very rare for me believe me it's very rare – so I didn't refuse her when she told me to save you if – perhaps more a case of when – you were dragged out by a Death Eater"

His mother had anticipated this. She knew he wouldn't kill someone in cold blood…was that good or bad? "I have an idea," Draco murmured. "I used to play games on people like this when I was older." He closed his eyes and focused. The Death Eaters looked around as if feeling something in the air suddenly they began screaming and thrashing, flailing and crying about bees…

"Illurimagus" commented the boy in a faint whisper.

Draco massaged his headache and ignored him. The boy ran to the door. "Ickle baby" he said. The door shimmered and a gap opened in it. The boy gestured at Draco to go through. The blonde had a sceptical look on his face about the password. "It was Bellatrix's turn to choose the password" he shrugged and waved Draco through.

The door sealed behind them as the boy opened a pocket on his sash and removed a bright green potion. He doused the gargoyle on the podium in it. "All aboard for Anywhere But Voldemorts Keep" the boy exclaimed. Draco looked and reached out. There was the twinge and the feeling that his entire body had just performed a somersault without telling him…then they were standing on the Warf by the Thames.

"And the Portkey died" said Draco's saviour. "They can't follow us now, come on, we have to get out of here anyway."

"Do I get a name?" Draco asked.

"Very well" sighed the boy. "Its Adriojuliani Vincenzo Sammael Dantagion Lazeriander Voltaire Cross". He met Draco's gaze. "Julian will be fine"

Harry plodded down the stairs. It was three in the morning and sleep was long gone. He was exhausted – too exhausted for words – but he still couldn't sleep. Nightmares came all to frequently. He entered the living room, drawn to the light streaming out from under the door.

Lupin was there. He smiled at Harry as he entered. "Trouble sleeping?"

"I suppose" Harry said. "There would have been, if I felt I could…the Death Eaters didn't attack me why did you call me in? I'm safe in the Dursleys' – well from Death Eaters at least"

"But not from mirrors" murmured Lupin. Harry frowned at that; Lupin realized he'd spoken allowed and rose swiftly. "I have to try and sleep, Snape will be here tomorrow to make a report and brew a few draughts extra of the Wolfsbane potion." Harry was dreading Snapes return… "Good night Harry" Lupin said fondly. "Try to sleep".

Harry watched his father's friend leave the room and then glanced at the book lying near the sofa, Lupin had been trying to hide it. It was leather bound, a silver clasp held the strap over it tightly in place, there was a black mirror in a triangle shape on the front and In faded writing the name was written:

"Breeds of Wizards in the Known World" there was no authors name. Harry tucked it under his shirt and hurried up the stairs. He'd show it to the others in the morning.

Draco watched Julian carefully. The boy was no Death Eater; he didn't have the Look about him. "We have to keep on the move," Julian said. "They'll be on our tales pretty well no matter what we do".

"Who are you anyway?" Draco asked.

"I am Not reciting my name again"

"No. I mean why were you in the castle?"

Julian smiled. "I'm something of a Librarian" Julian replied. "Voldemort kept all his books in one room, he needed someone to keep them – that would be me. I had other functions, assistant here and there and whatnot."

Draco nodded quietly. "Why are you helping me? What did mother ask you to do?" Julian gave a slow, unnerving smile…it was cold and calculating. Julian leaned in close and looked Malfoy straight in the eyes with his steel blue eyes.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he smirked. He stepped away and continued his walk down the cobbled streets. He was singing in a rather mad manner…

"Hush little baby don't say a word. Momma's gonna buy you a Mocking Bird and if that Mocking Bird don't sing Momma's gonna buy you a diamond ring and if that diamond ring don't shine Momma's gonna buy you a chalice of wine and if that wine tastes bitter and sharp Momma's gonna buy you a golden harp and if that harp plays a note that's flat Momma's gonna buy you a big black Cat"

"Basket Case" muttered Draco

"Only now and again" Julian called back. He swung on a lamppost and hopped over to Draco's side.

"What happened to staying quiet?"

"I have my bouts" Julian shrugged with a dark smile. "Adjust."

"I don't understand you" Draco muttered.

"Just as well really" Julian smirked. He paused. "Run"

"What?"

"Run!" Julian turned and grabbed Draco's wrist, hauling him along the street into an alley. "Death Eaters are coming". He pointed his cane at a large dumpster. "Bloccada" he snapped. The bin swung out across the alley and lodged itself firmly in place. "On we go!"

Draco caught a glance of Apparating Death Eaters and continued his run, keeping up with Julian as best he could. Julian was the same age as Draco but the way he moved implied he'd been escaping pursuers for longer. Draco skidded to a halt and looked around. Death Eaters were on all sides.

"I assume your wand isn't just a handsome fashion accessory," Julian said as he pulled his wand from the top of the cane. Draco raised his own wand. "Good". They commenced.

TBC

IN THE NEXT CHAPTER: 10 Death Eaters. 2 boys. Not pretty. Harry reviews Lupin's book with Hermione and Ron. Things slowly fit together.

Questions appreciated. Reviews desired. Constructed Criticism considered. Flames laughed at (saps). Toodles

DF: Well we're done for now. Slash to come!

Angelo: And more interesting facts about what Draco's power is

DF: That blonde love bunny

Angelo: Silencio!

DF: Hah! You haven't got a wand!

Angelo: No just a waffle Iron Whacks DF in the head and renders him unconscious See? Now if I'd had my want it'd not've been as satisfying

DF: