Harry's Pack
Chapter 5: The Half-Blood Prince
"Tell me!" Voldemort yelled, for –what had to be- at least the 15th time that night, eyes glowing with rage at Harry's resistance.
Breathing raggedly, eyes shining defiance, Harry spat back, "Never!"
"Crucio!" Voldemort screamed angrily, and Harry's body arced up off the floor, teeth gritted in defiance to not scream.
It lasted for almost 10 minutes before the curse was let up. Over his harsh breathing, Harry could hear Rose's slight whimpering of fear. Turning himself slightly to see her, he gave her a soft, sad smile that came out as more of a grimace but that reassured her nonetheless.
"Tell me, Potter, and you shall walk away from here with no more harm done to you," Voldemort said conjolingly (A/N how the hell do you spell that word?)
"Over. My. Dead. Body," Harry spat out haggardly.
Voldemort snarled, but malicious gleam suddenly entered his eyes and, with an evil smirk, he said, "Fine then Potter, we'll have it your way. But you will break."
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Lucius Malfoy, as well as the Goyle and Crabbe Sr.'s "escorted" them to the "dungeons". It was simply a large, bare room with bars for three of the walls and filled with tortured and broken people.
Harry and Rose were thrown roughly into the room and then the door was slammed shut. Once the sound of receding footsteps faded, both dropped gratefully onto the cold, hard floor.
"Harry!" yelled five voices he immediately recognized as those of his friends as they rushed anxiously to his side.
"Ron! Ginny! Hermione! Neville! Luna!" Harry cried, eyes lighting up.
"Thank God!" Rose said emphatically, "I was worried we might have been put in a different place then them. Then the shit would hit the fan."
"Who're you?" Ginny demanded defensively, eyeing the other girl up.
"Relax, Spitfire," Rose quipped.
Harry smiled, "Guys, I'd like you to meet Rosemary Richards. We were best friends when we were little. Ro, the redheads are Ron and Ginny respectively, that's Hermione there beside Ron, Neville beside her and that's Luna on his left."
Ro smiled brilliantly up at them from her ungraceful sprawl on the floor, "Pleasure to meet you!"
The others regarded her warily for moment and a half (A/N sorry, thought it was funny) before Ginny stepped forward decisively, "It's nice to meet you Rosemary."
"Oh, please," Rose grinned, "Call me Rose."
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"I'll never be able to do it." Neville said with conviction, twenty minutes later, after Harry and Rose had explained their plan to the others.
"Anyone can do it Neville." Rose told him, then paused, saying, "Well, except for Muggles of course, since they don't have any magic."
Harry smiled reassuringly, "It's not really 'wandless' magic. It's more…gaining control of your magic. You have to except any and all magic you possess completely, and after that-it's easy!"
"The hardest part, is shifting and changing forms." Rose said.
At his friends perplexed looks, Harry elaborated, "Shifting is like Apparition, except it takes a lot of power and is much harder to master. Changing forms is just that-changing your form into a different form, much like being an Animagus."
"Both Harry and my's primary forms are wolves," Rose added, "But, once you find and merge with your primary form for the first time, you can then change into any animal-magic or not- even if it isn't your primary form."
The 5 seemed to contemplate this a few moments before Ginny asked thoughtfully, "How come you've never told us about any of this stuff before, Harry?"
"I repressed a lot of my childhood memories before age 10 because of something that happened in my life that I'd rather not talk about." Was the reply, a dark look shuttering Harry's eyes at his remembered abuse.
The group of seven fell silent, each of them drifting into their own thoughts. It wasn't a comfortable silence, but it wasn't really uncomfortable wither. A small boy calling for Ginny and stepping towards them interrupted it, however.
He couldn't have been older than 5 years old. He had thin, fair hair that fell straight to his shoulders and the ears that could be only slightly seen through said hair had the smallest of peaks to them. Soft brown eyes gazed out from a slightly gaunt face, filled with despair and sadness. His clothes, like all the others' in the room, were ripped, tatty and bloody, 'though they looked like they had once been quite expensive. He had his arms wrapped loosely about the front of his body for comfort.
Ginny smiled softly at the small child, opening her arms wide to him (which caused Harry to feel a stab of envy that he quickly squashed down.). Shooting Harry and Rose timid looks, he climbed onto Ginny's lap, welcoming the warmth and security her arms offered him. Biting nervously at his bottom lip, he gazed warily at the two newcomers.
Smiling reassuringly, Harry moved his aching body forward, kneeling painfully to be at the small boy's eye-level. Holding out a hand, he said warmly and softly, "Hullo there, young one. My name's Harry."
The boy stared silently into Harry's eyes for a moment before solemnly shaking Harry's hand, saying shyly, "I'm Prince Emrys."
"Prince, huh?" Harry asked in confusion, raising questioning green eyes to Ginny's own.
"Emrys is half elven." Ginny murmured softly, in explanation, "And the Prince of the elves at that."
"Elf?"
"Not house-elf," Ginny said, eyes dancing her amusement, "High Elves. They are believed to be 'extinct' in the wizarding world, whereas, truthfully, they just got fed up with all of the humans' bull. They live in their own, hidden part of the world that they have named the High Realm."
Harry nodded his understanding (Human's talked a lot of bull-he has experience with it), and looked down at the small Prince. While the two teens had talked, the small child had fallen asleep, head rested trustingly in the crook of Ginny's neck. Harry felt a pang in his heart as, despite his efforts not to, he thought of Ginny in the same position years from now (but not in a makeshift cell), only, cradling their child.
Shaking himself mentally, he returned to the conversation, asking softly, "How'd the scamp end up here?"
Ginny sighed and ran an affectionate hand through the fair hair (another stab of envy was suppressed), saying, "One of Tom's followers stumbled onto the Elven secret somehow and then told Tom about it. Tom and the Death Eaters somehow tricked his father and mother into believing they would surrender to the High Elves. Somehow they managed to capture little Emrys and are now demanding an oath that the High Realm will work for them, or else Tom will kill Emrys."
Ginny gave a helpless little shudder, tears filling her eyes as she whispered despairingly, "It's just not fair! He's only a child!"
"Sh, Gin," Harry soothed, moving so he held both in his arms comfortingly. Kissing the top of her auburn head, he whispered, "I won't let anything to him Ginny. I promise, we'll get him back to his parents someday."
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It was much later that night (er…morning?), but Harry was still awake. Ron and Hermione lay side by side to his right, arms wrapped loosely about each other, snuggling close. Luna and Neville beside them, 'though more than a few inches away. Ginny and Rose slept to his left, little Emrys lying between them.
Harry sat silently and let himself watch his friends while they slept. He noticed that every time he breathed out, Ron would send bits of Hermione's hair flying from her forehead, and every time her hand gave a little twitch. He noticed that Neville and Luna had one hand clasped together. Neville's other hand was wrapped protectively around Luna and hers clenched occasionally at his shirt. Emrys slept with his thumb in his mouth and clutched Rose's hand with his free one loosely.
Ginny, however, was touching no one. Harry frowned to see her petite body thrashing slightly and to hear her muttering slightly under her breath. Harry slipped silently over to her, careful not to wake the others, and bending down to shake her shoulder lightly to wake her.
"Gin. Gin, wake up, luv," it was then he noticed the tears streaking form beneath tightly closed eyelids and he shook her harder, whispering more urgently, "It's only a dream Ginny! Wake up!"
She suddenly sat bolt upright, eyes wide and frantic. Upon catching sight of Harry, she gave a little whimper.
Responding immediately, Harry opened his arms to her and murmured softly, "C'mere."
Without hesitation, Ginny threw herself into Harry's arms, burying her head in his now-dirty T-shirt in an attempt to muffle her crying. Harry hugged her tightly, whispering soothingly into her ear as he rocked her gently.
"Sh, it's alright luv," he murmured, "It was just a dream. It wasn't real."
Ginny gave a little sniffle, but then was silent. Understandingly, Harry just held her, running lean fingers through soft auburn hair.
Finally, she started to speak, voice low, "I-It was the Chamber. B-Back then. J-J-Just after I w-woke up. B-But this time y-y-you wuh-were d-d-d-"
"Sh," Harry soothed, attempting to re-stem the flow of tears, "It's alright luv, I'm not dead. I'm right here with you, see? These are my arms holding you. You're not asleep anymore."
Pulling back slightly, Ginny gazed into his eyes, softly asking, "But are you?"
Harry smiled softly at her, eyes twinkling with laughter, answering, "No."
Brushing away a stray auburn lock, he leaned forward the few inches left between the two of them. He kissed her softly, slowly at first, experimentally, but with more passion as the kiss deepened and hands traveled without conscious command. They broke away, gasping for air, to find Ginny's arms around his neck and his own crushing her body to meld against his.
Not lessening his hold in the slightest, he leaned his forehead against hers, whispering, "I do believe I love you, Ginevra Molly Weasley."
Ginny smiled contentedly back, "I think I love you too, Harry James Potter."
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Slowly, antagonizingly, the days passed in a haze of pain, questioning, friendship, budding love, and lessons.
Almost everyday, Harry's friends were all tortured for information, and everyday Voldemort was met with an unwavering defiance that earned them a grudging, slowly forming respect. On some days, some of the Death Eaters attempted to bring Emrys to the Dark Lord, but not a prisoner in the cell would let them near the small Prince. Harry was also tortured everyday, sometimes more than once, and sometimes more than twice, but he always remained strong and reused to answer the questions, no matter the enticement offered.
By the second day, the former Gryffindor Trio had become and even closer-knit seven-some. Harry's friends had eagerly welcomed Rose into their midst, all of them enjoying her good-humor and zest for life that prevailed even in their current situation. Because of the ordeal they were all going through, the group had come to rely upon each other for strength and enjoyed each other's presence immensely. As well, the young Prince had come under their love and protection, though their time with him was bittersweet, as they knew he would one-day go home to his safe home while they went into battle-but they wouldn't have it otherwise.
Before his kidnapping, the young Prince had been well loved and the treatment after his capture had left him wanting. However, with the help of the group, he was slowly returning to a normal 5-year old boy(well, as normal as you could get in the dungeons of a Dark Lord). His soft brown eyes were now filled with happiness and laughter when he was with the 7 of them. With good care, lots of love, and more food (taken from the 7's own rations) had him better filled out and with more energy.
For years, Ron and Hermione had been suppressing the obvious love they had for each other. But now, in such close confines and harsh conditions they were forced to live in, the two had to face what it felt and were now quite happy with their growing love.
Neville and Luna, too, had discovered a love for each other. Because of the torture and pain inflicted upon him, Neville had become more emotionally stronger and braver than ever before, refusing to let Voldemort break him like they'd done to his parents. Luna, meanwhile, had been knocked forcefully from her fantasy world and, while she was sometimes able to return to 'normal', she was now more vulnerable than ever. She needed a kind, understanding man who would not deny who she was and he needed someone to turn to when the 'tough-guy façade cracked.
Harry and Ginny were constantly growing closer. At times, it seemed they could understand each other with nothing more than a meeting of their eyes or even a subconscious gesture they'd do. The two were constantly in touch, as if needing it to be sure it was real,-linking hands, touching shoulders, interlacing fingers.
Rose, despite her lack of man in the group, was never left out, and she never felt like she was-the 7 were too much a part of each other after everything to not fell like they belonged. However, Harry knew, at night dreams of her infamous Dragon plagued her and she missed him and worried about him-whether his father was abusing him or if he somehow managed to escape- more than she'd ever admit to them.
Many would say they were too young and it was too soon to know love, real love between two adults. But the 7 of them did not need someone else's opinion on how love should be-they were in love, despite what anyone could say otherwise.
The lessons, taught by Harry, were going quite well. Just as he had been in the D.A, Harry was a good teacher. He was a patient and kind with them when they had a problem and very firm in his belief that they would succeed.
He taught them a form of Occlumency first, a kind different then the one he's taught himself, that he'd created himself. He taught them to imagine their minds filled with boxes, shelves, filing cabinets-whatever it was they felt most comfortable with organizing into- and to organize their thoughts and memories into categories and sections. Once done, he had them imagine building four walls-one brick, one stone, one steel and one titanium- around their 'organizers' without even the tiniest of holes in the new walls, and then, as an infuriating joke, a white picket fence around the walls. After a day and a half of almost-constant, grueling training, not one of their minds were susceptible to anyone-Harry, Dumbledore and Voldemort included- no one could penetrate their minds. Once he was sure of that fact, he told them the Prophecy but they said it didn't change a thing-they'd always be by his side, Dark Lord or no.
Once that skill was out of the way, he taught them how to connect to their magic and use it wandlessly. He taught this also to Emrys deciding to train the boy lightly so that he could protect himself should the need be. It was a hard, frustrating thing to attempt to accomplish, but Harry's patience was unwavering-as was his support- and the group found themselves pushing their minds and bodies harder just to hear his words of praise. It took the better part of 2 ½ days for all 7 to connect, but, taking their cue from Harry, they were all patient with each other, offering their own help whenever they could.
After that, Harry simply drilled them, for two more days, on any spell or curse he could think of. It took them some time, and a lot of effort, but they eventually got the hang of directly channeling their magic and could soon do spells and curses wordlessly.
And, finally, cam the shifting.
The 6 (not including Harry or Ro in the mix), sat or laid out on the floor in comfortable positions. Each would clear their minds and wait patiently for their primary form to come to them. It never took long.
Each was a wolf.
Ginny shifted into a lithe semi-large she-wolf. Her fur was a gorgeous shimmery auburn red with the slightest of gold streaks. Her own, smiling brown eyes gazed out from the wolf's face. She was, without a doubt, the alpha-female.
Hermione was a small, dark brown she-wolf with a coat shot through with lighter shades of brown. She also retained her own intelligent coffee brown eyes.
Ron, too, was an auburn coloured wolf, 'though his eyes took on the golden yellow of a real wolf. He was large and majestic but not nearly as much as Harry.
Neville was just about the size of Ron, with fur the same colour of his own hair and as well as the yellow-gold eyes.
Luna, however, broke the mold by being pure white instead of the blonde of her hair, 'though her eyes remained the same misty blue. On her left hip/flank was a half-moon, outlined in the colour of Neville's fur/hair.
Rose, Harry already knew, was a midnight-blue wolf roughly the same size as Hermione and Luna, with yellow-gold eyes.
Emrys was a small white wolf cub. His wide, trusting eyes were the familiar brown. All 7 of them felt protectiveness for him.
It didn't take long before they became 'the Pack'. Besides the obvious reasons of them all having wolves as their primary forms, another reason was that Voldemort had once called them a 'pack of blood-traitors….etc.' and Harry felt gleeful at using it for another way to piss off Tom. Harry and Ginny were alphas, Ron and Hermione the betas. And Emrys was their cub.
They weren't friends. They weren't family. They were Pack-and that was so much better.
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A/N Hey luvs! I know it's been a while, but you'll just have to live with that! Lolz.
Thanks to:
NamelessHeretic: Why thank you luv. You know, if you don't watch it, I just might get a big head from compliments like that!;) Ya, my spelling tends to be pretty bad because me and my computer don't get along very well. Sorry!
Bloodless Ace
Bleddingblakrose: I know wut you mean! Except, the first thing I did was cry, then want to throw it except I'd already gone so far! And holy! Who would have believed HE was the HBP? Stupid jerk! I never liked him 'though…stupid wanker. Ya, Regulus is dead, but maybe he did it before he died or something…? I don't know, that was the first name that popped into my head, and it just seemed to stick. No problem, I like to talk about books, but none of my family really reads besides me lol. Yes, broke sucks, but, hopefully I'll get a reply back to the applications because there is NO WAY I'm selling MY books! Lolz. Thanks for the compliment luvs.
Dragon flame
Hermione1208: lol, thanks, you're really encouraging with all that enthusiasm!
Well, that's all folks! I'll try and get the next chapter up sometime this week. I already have the rest of this story finished, but not typed up as I get along better with my pen then with my keyboard!- there's only 4 more chapters after this and then the sequel. The sequel-currently unnamed, 'though half-way finished- will be about 15 chapters.
Well, catch you lot on the flippz! Don't forget to review please lovelies!
'My luv,
Red