"Is St. John okay?" Harry asked as Severus came into the common room, where Colin has fell asleep waiting with the most of Slytherin for information on the pureblood who'd been hurt.
"He'll live. He'd been putting under the cutting curse for an hour..." Severus looked more than a little ill. He'd witnessed many things while spying for the Order, but that was one the most horrible things he'd ever been witness to as being caused by a youth.
"Even Voldemort doesn't do things that bad." Harry whispered his eyes wide with horror.
"He does... he just doesn't do it to people he once counted as friends." Severus looked down at Colin. "I take it we will be having another join us in the dungeons?"
Harry nodded. "I've already had a friend get his little brother out of the tower and move him to the Hufflepuff dorms for the night. I know that he would fit in here anyway... but Colin will need to stay because I believe he's one of the other heirs."
Severus' eyebrow raised. "How so?"
"He spoke to a mer in it's own language. He should be here where I can protect him." Harry petted Colin's hair, while the boy slumped against his shoulder sound asleep.
"Where we can protect him. I'll speak with Dumbledore in the morning... You should put him to bed and get some rest yourself. You have your first final tomorrow." Severus told him while giving him a soft look, amazed at the love and compassion Harry was capable of even after all he'd been through.
A soft voice drew their attention from a dark corner. Stepping into the light 5th year Graham Pritchard looked at Colin with light dove-grey eyes. "I can watch over him, sir... It's my duty."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked the soft spoken boy. He didn't really speak with anyone other than about class work and even then it was only a few short direct words.
"I've seen it." Graham reached into his pocket and pulled out a small crystal ball. "He's my soul mate."
Severus, knowing the Pritchard family's abilities didn't question it too much. "Are you certain?"
"I have foreseen it in a dream, as well as within the mists... Father even contacted me about the small blond boy in my future. I will not harm him... it would be stupid on my part." Graham put the crystal ball away and held out his arms to Harry, who looked skeptical before Severus nodded.
"Allow Graham to take him, Harry. He will protect him as I would protect you." Severus told him softly.
"It's true, Harry. It has long been a gift in my family to see what is in the future. I have even seen into your's." Graham said as he lifted Colin into his arms.
"What did you see?" Severus asked his voice almost worried. He had known Graham's father in school and as far as he knew none of the Pritchard family had foresaw anything that hadn't come to pass. But on the same hand, they were notoriously closed mouth about the future.
"I saw a bright purple light and... I saw redemption in the arms of forgiveness. That's your strongest weapon, Harry. You have something inside of you that he doesn't. Look into your heart and you'll find the best way to defeat Voldemort." Graham turned and carried the still sleeping blond away.
Severus and Harry watched him go before looking at each other. "Did you understand that?" Harry asked as he stood and stretched a little before going with Severus through the doorway that lead to the professor's quarters.
"I believe that the light was in reference to a spell of some sort... There are some charms and curses that carry such a coloration. As for the rest... I doubt we will understand until the time is upon us." Severus told him as he tucked Harry close to him for a moment before pulling back and kissing his forehead. "For now though we should worry more about getting rest."
Nodding slowly Harry allowed Severus to help him remove his clothing before settling into bed for a good night's rest.
Colin lay quiet in his dream world. There, there was no war and there was nobody hurting anyone else. But what made his dream world so perfect, was that he was there. He'd never been able to see a face, but Colin always knew him by the touch of his hands. His hands were always so soft and so loving. They made Colin feel as if he were the most important person in the entire world. Colin tried to see his face, but it was always blurred. All he could tell was that the person had long black hair that was so silky it pooled like water.
When the hands began to pet him gently Colin couldn't help but giggle a little when they hit a ticklish spot. But then he had to frown, because it didn't feel as though he were dreaming like usual. Blinking slowly Colin looked up to his dream man and was shocked to actually see a face. Then he realized he wasn't dreaming at all.
Graham sat up most of the night simply staring at his soulmate. His fair skin and light hair put him in almost diametric opposion of his own black hair and grey eyes. But then, soulmates were always suppose to be the fulfillment of each other's weaker points. Sighing, Graham ran his hand over Colin's hair and wondered if he'd already began to receive the dreams. It was somewhat of a legend in his family that all of those who would be mated to a Pritchard would begin dreaming of them shortly after reaching full sexual maturity of not only the body but of the mind as well.
When he felt Colin begin to stir he couldn't help but smile and run his hand over his side, noting when the boy giggled from a sensitive spot. Stilling when the blond began to awaken Graham held his hand in place and stared down into wide and startled blue eyes. "It's okay... you're safe. You're in my dorm room in the Slytherin boy's dorm. I'm Graham Pritchard."
Colin sat up and looked down at the green silk pajamas that dwarfed his lithe frame before looking up to Graham his mouth wide open with shock before he spoke. "You're from my dreams!"
Graham wasn't able to hold back a smile when Colin said that. "I know... Colin, have you learned about soulmates yet in your time here at Hogwarts?"
Nibbling on his lip, Colin nodded a little.
"You see those who would be mated into my family as the bonded of their soulmates always dream of them before hand. I believe you should have been dreaming of me since you were 13 or so..." Graham left off just wanting to confirm that bit of family lore.
Colin shook his head. "I've dreamed about you for as long as I can remember. Oh it wasn't anything big... but I always knew it was the same person. It was like he was growing up with me, telling me to be brave and to learn a lot because I would be with him soon and that we had important things to do... I guess that means..." Colin left off with a light blush staining his cheeks.
"That we are soulmates. I knew the moment you were sorted. Doesn't this scare you? Being so close to someone you don't know." Graham asked as he pulled him close for a hug.
With a little twist, Colin snuggled closer. "Not really. I know that soulmates can't hurt one another... And I've known you for as long as I can remember, why should I be afraid of you?"
Graham laughed softly before nodding and pulling him as close as possible. "I guess that could be so. But for now, why don't you go back to sleep. We have final exams tomorrow and I wouldn't want to be the reason for you failing one."
"Okay... but just as long as you sleep with me." Colin's blush came back and doubled in intensity. "I meant..."
"We will sleep together and we will save our first time for after you have graduated. My father has already forseen that our first sexual encounter will result in our first child. Right now that would not be an easy addition, however welcome." Graham said as he slide them both to lay beneath the covers before wrapping his arms around Colin and resting his chin amid the blond curls.
"A baby? Whoa... not right now." Colin yawned and nuzzled into the neck beside his face. "Night, Graham..."
"Goodnight, little love." Graham whispered before sinking into sleep with him.
Colin had listened to this story about the heirs and the private areas of the four founders. He'd explained that he was a muggle born and couldn't be a decedent of Gryffindor, to which Severus had laughed a little before explaining that his was a line of squibs who'd forgotten about magic.
"Well... I'll help if I can... but can I ask one thing?" Colin said as he nibbled lightly on his lip, looking out over one of the cliffs at the edge of the lake.
"Sure, Colin. Anything." Harry gave the younger a reassuring smile.
"What good will it have to go into these places? I mean other than getting to meet the ghost of the Founders and all." Colin nodded to Helga and Salizar who smiled back, both thinking about how the young boy was Godric made over.
"Actually the Founders are the reasons we're doing this. If anyone can help to find a way to defeat Voldemort it'll be them." Harry explained softly before turning him to the lake, hoping he would be able to find Godric's place in or near the lake.
Shrugging, Colin took Graham's hand before he began to call out in the clicking language of all those living under the water's surface.
Harry, Severus, Neville, Blaise, Helga, Salizar and Graham watched as a small spot of mist formed out in the middle of the lake. Seeing this Colin called out to the mists, asking them to part and show what was inside of them.
As the mist grew larger a boat came out and as the boat reached the main land, the mists parted and an island became clear.
"Oh... wow." Colin muttered as he lead Graham down and into the boat with the others.
"Trust Godric to have to try and outdo everyone." Salizar muttered to Helga who nodded and shook her head with a little smile.
When they reached the island a tall and robust ghost of a man came towards them. "My heir has come at last!" At this he looked through them and his eyes finally landed on Colin. "And he's a bit short... Oh well, height has nothing to do with magic. You look a lot like my little brother did when he was that age. So what's your name? Do you like Charms? They're my specialty. I can charm anything... included old Salizar when he's had enough liquor poured down him."
All of the living people were standing there with their mouths open in shock. Some how this talkative almost hyperactive being wasn't what they were expecting.
"My name is Colin, sir. And I like Charms too... It's my best subject." Colin smiled at the man who kind of reminded him of his dad, before he'd passed away a few years before.
"Best subject? Good-good! I'm glad there something other than the looks that got passed through the family." Turning, Godric noticed Helga and Salizar standing back looking at them. "My friends! It's so good to see you! Where's Ro'? It just doesn't feel right to not have her here with us."
"We haven't found her heir yet... So she's still stuck in her tower." Helga said as he hugged him and brushed a quick kiss over his cheek.
"Well... that's not very good." At the news Godric pouted, before his smile came back into place. "We've got to find her decedent! I want our little quad complete!"
Harry, who was standing back with Severus, spoke softly to his bondmate-to-be. "I'm almost embarrassed that I was in that house."
Before Severus could make a rude comment Godric turned to them. "And you would be Sal's heir! I can see him in those green eyes! It's one of the reasons we picked it as the house color. And look at that bonding necklace!"