Disclaimer: I don't own, nor do I want to own, Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling owns them. I've no intention of making any profit off of this, it's mere used to satisfy my desire to write and possibly to amuse you, the reader, though you can pay me if you want. Song lyrics to On Mercury belong to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I didn't choose the song this time. Rubberboots did.
Warning: This will be R and will contain *SLASH* You don't like it, don't read.
Summary: Harry returned to Hogwarts after six years of self-exile into the Muggle World and the defeat of Voldemort.
AN: I love my beta-reader. Lots and lots of praise for Diagonalist.
Also, I have to put in a huge mention to Rubberboots. She was extremely kind, and wrote the first scene for this chapter. I had a shit few weeks and she helped out a lot.
Sorry for the delay in posting, but I had midterms, and familyish issues. I typed up the chapter last night. I'm also going to try to write up the next on for Monday, because I have Monday off.
Now, for the obligatory but amusing review responses:
Xikum: Your rant was too good not to use.
Jiltanith: Certain bands make a lot of money. Just thing of U2. They're an Industry.
Lulu Chan: This story's been going a lot more slowly than I though. I'm not even sure what I want to do with Kestor right now.
Black Rose: Um… the horns are just there to keep the halo straight… Right. Gotcha.
Dagonalist: Love you for the extra ego stroking!
_.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._
Chapter X
Reappearance
I've got myself
In a masochistic hold
Why don't you let go
Shake it off
Just to redirect my flow
Come on let's go
Sit up straight
I'm on a double date
I've got to find my way
Into the light, heavy, middle weight
We don't stop rock around the clock
Motor mouthing off
In front of every other road block
Come again and tell me
What you're going thru
Like a girl who only knew
Her child was due
Memories of everything
Of lemon trees on mercury
Come to me with remedies
From five or six of seven seas
You always took me with a smile
When I was down
Memories of everything
That blew thru
Looking up into
A reverse vertigo
What an undertow
Give it up
Another stubborn scorpio
Come on, let's go
Sit up straight
I'm on a double date
I've got to find my way
Into the light, heavy, middle weight
We don't stop rock around the clock
Motor mouthing off
In front of every other road block
Come again and tell me
What you're going thru
Like a girl who only knew
Her child was due
To the moon she gave
Another good review
Turn around and look at me
It's really really you
Memories
of everything
Of lemon trees on mercury
Come to me with remedies
From five or six of seven seas
You always took me with a smile
When I was down
Memories of everything
That blew thru
_.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._
I didn't have the chance to ask
Kestor about Julie until I was released from the hospital, and it had been
grating on my nerves. I was practically itching to ask him. The
bloody bastard knew it, as well, because he'd wink at me every time he saw me
looking at her, my confusion evident on my face.
The
other three members of my band visited me once when they came for a gig.
They told me they'd pick up a stray drummer here or there to fill in for them,
but no one ever sounded quite as good as me. I have to admit I blushed a
little when they said that. After spending eight years in Severus Snape's
'charming' company, I wasn't very good at handling praise.
Their
presence was a comfort though, and it helped me deal with what I was going to
do when I got back to Hogwarts…
Actually,
they helped me forget about Hogwarts, which was far better anyway.
Fortunately
for Kestor and my curiosity, Julie offered to wait in the car while he helped
me get to my apartment. This gave us ample time, to an extent, to discuss
the fact that he had a girlfriend. As far as my knowledge went, he
completely and certifiably loved men. I knew that from an experience I
would also like to forget.
I
waited patiently for him to explain.
He
had figured this out as well, and was waiting for me to crack and demand an
explanation. Under normal circumstances I could easily outwait him, but
for now I was not very patient.
"Care
to explain?" I asked politely.
"What?"
he replied innocently.
I
glared at him.
"Sorry,
sorry," he said, waving his hands in front of him in mock defence. "I
asked her out."
My
glare deepened, but it wasn't very menacing, seeing as though I was perched on
a set of crutches. "I gathered as much."
Kestor glared in return at my
sarcasm. "Alistor's been nagging me to get a girlfriend," he
explained. Alistor was the keyboardist for our band, and she was a very
talented woman, but she was a little demanding. Kestor was the driving
force of the band, but Alistor was going to be the one to make them go
anywhere.
I
urged him to continue, knowing there was more to the story than that.
"She thinks that it's the fact that I'm
gay that's keeping the band from a record deal," he sighed. "I have to
agree, a little. Have you ever heard of a group or artist that was openly
gay getting signed?"
As
much as I didn't want to, I had to agree. I'd heard of artists coming
out, but never an artist signed. "But…" I protested, more for the sake of
protesting than for any other reason.
"Don't worry," he assured me. "I
like Julie, and she understands the situation. Basically, I get a skirt
to hide behind, and she gets an excuse to fend off other men." Then he
laughed. "Besides, we've become really good friends, and I do love her,
just not romantically. It's more like a cross between good friend and
sister…"
He seemed to drift off a little, before
speaking again. "I've never had a sister before."
I
refrained from breaking his reverie. He'd had four older brothers, so it
wasn't any wonder that he wanted a sister. I just stopped myself from
reminding him I didn't have any siblings. I grinned inwardly.
Didn't want to spoil the mood after all.
We
stood in a comfortable silence outside the door to my apartment complex; him
lost in a reverie, me staring over his shoulder at Julie, who winked at me.
That caused me to start a little.
I mentally threw my hands up in the air. Just one more thing I was going
to have to figure out. I'd put it on my list of things to do, right below
figuring out how to convince the Hogwarts faculty that my extended absence was
not from any diabolical plot.
Finally
I broke the silence. It was the middle of September, and the weather was
starting to cool a little. "So, would you like to come in?" I asked him
politely.
"I'd
better get going, actually," he said. "Julie's waiting for me."
I
nodded slightly. "Okay… Call me about the gig at Christmas. I
want to do that one." I grinned, outwardly this time. "Can't let
out reputation tarnish, losing to some unknown band because you don't have a
decent drummer, now can we?"
He
smiled back brightly, overjoyed at my good disposition before pulling me into a
giant bear hug that nearly knocked me off balance. I managed to balance
myself on my good leg in order to return the favour.
"I'll
do that," he said, turning to leave. He walked down the steps, calling
over his shoulder, "If your boss gives you any trouble, I know this guy who
knows a guy…"
I
laughed out loud. It was an inside joke. The speed at which he got
me a job six years ago prompted the comment that with all of his connection he
must know a hit man.
"I'll
take you up on that!" I called back, waving to him with one hand, keeping
myself balance with the other when he reached his car. He and Julie waved
back and drove off, leaving me with a rather large smirk on my face. It
made me realize that I couldn't give a damn what the faculty thought, because I
didn't really want the job, and I had a great job and even better friends in
the Muggle world.
I
unlocked the entrance to the complex and made my way to my own room, with much
effort. I was extremely grateful upon opening my door that Kestor had
refused my offer of coming up, because I realized then I didn't have my drum
kit yet, and that would have taken a lot of effort to explain.
_.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._
As soon as I got a few things in order,
I apparated just out side Hogwarts.
My return to Hogwarts was, thankfully,
unnoticed. I managed to reach the Headmaster's office without running
into any students or Professors. I was extremely grateful to whatever
gods may or may not have been listening.
The
door to Albus' office opened without my even having to say a word, and
thankfully I didn't have to deal with the awkwardness of waiting for him to
arrive, because he was waiting for me in his seat. Fawkes was on his
perch, looking rather moulted.
Dumbledore
glanced me over, and his eyes rested on my crutches.
He
arched one bushy eye brown in question and then gave me a goofy grin. "Is
it safe to assume those are the reason as to why you've been absent."
His
grin was infectious.
"Not the reason, but perhaps the
result," I offered.
His
eyes lit up a little, a reminder of the Professor Dumbledore I'd respected and
loved in my misinformed youth.
"Ah!
That makes much more sense," he exclaimed. It seemed he was quite pleased
with the fact that I was able to joke around him. Possibly thinking that
I had forgiven him for his manipulation.
He
was right, somewhat. I had forgiven him, yes, but I would never forget,
and I certainly wouldn't be as naïve and trusting as I had been.
I
sobered up a little at that thought, and then asked, "I trust my disappearance
caused a little unrest among the members of the faculty?"
He
was amused at my understatement, though I didn't know that at the time.
"The faculty was concerned at first, with your lack of history at this
school. To say your absence had made them worry would be…" he trailed
off, before his expression turned grave. "There is one professor who is
extremely upset with you at the moment. I understand you would like to
befriend him, so I suggest any mysterious disappearances be approved by me so
that I can assure the staff of your allegiances."
I
understood what he was saying, until the mention of allegiances. I said
as much in fewer words. "Allegiances, sir?"
"Yes.
There have been rumours of Death Eater activity, despite the death of
Voldemort. After the Dark Lord's second rising, people do not take this
lightly. Anything unknown is now branded Dark. After all, we no
longer have our Boy-Who-Lived to protect us."
There
was an odd irony in his voice at that statement. Partially because I was
there, for reasons I now understood, and partially because, though he spoke
sarcastically, he'd admitted to using me for that very purpose.
"No,
you don't," I said softly, thinking over my own actions in the two years before
the end of the war. After my sixth year, I'd realized Albus' true
sentiments about me, and the fact that he manipulated people in order to
achieve his own ends. Because I was a Gryffindor, I decided that it was
my duty to defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I think my Slytherine side
had won some over the past years, because I wasn't sure if those were my
sentiments anymore.
Finally,
I decided. I replied in a soft voice, "I'll help you in your plans, but
I'll do so on my own terms. If not, I'm walking out, consequences be
damned, Albus!"
I
ended off in a shout, and felt myself blush. I hadn't meant to yell at
him. There was something almost… morally wrong about yelling at an old
man, no matter who he was.
Albus
nodded gravely. "I understand, and I appreciate this, Ethan. We
will need more people like you to get through this. I will… ask for your
council before involving you in any plans."
I
nodded, not sure if this was a good idea. Dumbledore's powers for
persuasion were legendary.
Albus
looked up at the clock suddenly and said, "Goodness. I didn't realize the
time. I have a staff meeting to attend. Would you care to escort an
old man there?"
He
looked at me again, arching his eyebrow.
I
had to laugh as I shook my head, motioning to my crutches.. I couldn't
even begin to guess how old the crazy professor was, but I would bet all the
gold in Gringotts that he was in better shape than over half of the students
currently attending Hogwarts.
"Very
well," he said sombrely. "I will have to escort you."
_.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._
We reached the staff office together,
though he was no longer trying to support me on his arm. It had gotten
too awkward trying to manoeuvre the two of us through the narrow corridors
leading to it, while carrying a set of bloody crutches.
He
went in first, and upon opening the door I could hear idle chatter. It
stopped immediately as I followed him in. The expressions on their face
ranged from impressed at my confidence to be able to walk in amongst them,
right up to enraged that I would actually presume I'd be welcome to attend one
of their staff meetings.
Obviously,
it was Severus who wore the last expression.
"Albus,"
the dark haired Potions Master began, "do you truly think it wise, considering
the situation, for…"
The
Headmaster interrupted him. "I would trust young James here with my life,
if the situation merited it, Severus."
The
name was said in such a way that it seemed to encompass the entire faculty, and
they caught it, as well. Many of them suddenly went from hostile to
welcoming, and though it was obvious most of them did it only for Dumbledore's
benefit, there were a few who did it genuinely. It seemed Hermionie and
Ron were among those few. They still trusted him implicitly.
I
was grateful for that, because, in light of Albus' recent information, I was
going to need all of the friends I could get in order to help out with
it. Truth be told I'd missed them, though they'd seemed immature to me
six years ago.
Just
my luck there was an empty seat beside Ron, and I took it, introducing
myself. It felt somewhat odd, because I'd know them for nearly half of my
life, but the lying was something I'd almost, much to my dismay, gotten used
to.
Besides, they seemed happy to have me
there as well.
_.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._.~*~._
AN: Well, again, terrible sorry for the delay in posting this, but hecticness was present. I'll try to get the next chapter up by Monday.
As usual, feed the other, but also, please make a point of feeding Rubberboots and Diagonalist. They're extremely helpful and supportive.
Go review. Tell me if you have a new pet. I have a turtle. I've named him Fido. Now, press the nice go button! GO!