A/N: First off, I want to thank everyone for reviewing!
And I apologize over and over for the delay. My computer crashed --the damn thing— and then I tried uploading this once already and it didn't work. but here is chapter 20 if this second try works out!!!
No one's reviewed my INUYASHA story... I'm hurt; I thought it would be good... someone out there please read & review it...
Disclaimer: Nothing mine
------20------
Harry and Draco walked together to their first class, with Blaise and Pansy behind them. Crabbe and Goyle walked behind them, and the six were given room in the halls. The crowds parted, and Harry heard their whispers. But, unlike dreading it as he once did, Harry relished in the untold glory. He now had power to sway the very fabrics of the entire school system, the way of gossip was a powerful sledge hammer perfected by his will for his bidding.
To Harry's slight surprise, they arrived to their first class, Ancient Runes, unbothered. Draco and Harry took the farthest back table, settling down in the soft armchairs. Harry sighed and leaned back, gazing around the classroom. It was a Gryffindor Slytherin combination, go figure. Harry knew that Dumbledore planned this unity of Houses on purpose. But, rather than destroy the delicate balance, he planned on using it for his advantage. House Unity was a good thing, he wagered, for the upcoming war.
He still hated Voldemort, with a passion the likes of Hell would only dare to reckon with. At the thought of the snake-like man, Harry's fist clenched under the desk, his brow furrowing as he glared out the window.
Draco, who had been talking with Blaise and Pansy, felt a quick pang of hate from his bonded, and looked over quickly. "Harry?" he asked; "What's—?"
"Nothing, Draco," Harry said, his voice distant as his eyes flashed with hardened hate and then returned to their normal sated emerald. He looked at the blonde; "Only thinking."
"Well, about planning," Blaise continued; "Harry, believe this concerns you as well. Anyway, this DA organization... what does 'DA' stand for?"
Harry snickered as the answer came to him; "Dumbledore's Army," he replied with a smirk and for a moment, Blaise and Pansy both wore blank expressions. Then they burst out laughing, Draco joining in as Harry chuckled quietly.
"Oh the idiots!" Blaise said through his mirth; "That is too grand an amusement! Oh, and to think you ran it, Harry! Imagine, you... you..." his amusement was gone as realization hit. Harry's gaze had hardened yet again.
"I am still in charge of that group," he said calmly; "They think I've turned my back on it all," he said quietly, looking down collectively; "I've only realized the faults, I want to make things better;" he said, looking back up. There was a glint to his eye the others had not seen before, but they had no complaints; "And it will make us all greater than ever."
Pansy rubbed her hands together; "Wonderful, I'm ready to turn Dumblefuck's world upside down!"
Draco was about to comment, when their teacher shushed them and bought them all to face the class. Sighing in frustration, he decided to keep his comments until later.
The first half of the day went by without a hitch, and this was making Harry and Draco on edge. Normally there would be someone to intervene within the situation and try to stop it, but there had yet to be such a person. Lunch came and the quartet entered, the Hall again hushing dramatically at the entrance. Harry ignored it and walked straight to the Gryffindor Table. Confused, Draco, Pansy, and Blaise stood at the doors, watching on. Draco would wait; Harry could stand on his own.
Harry walked over, eyes indifferent as they bored into a familiar set of blue and another of brown. His former friends stood as he approached, and in his calmest voice he could muster, he said; "Perhaps we could talk out in the hall, I have a few things I'd like to sort out."
Hermione and Ron, surprised, looked at one another; "Not alone," Hermione said finally; "We get to bring whomever we want."
"No one outside friends," Harry said, "What we will discuss is not for untrustworthy ears."
"Seamus, Dean, Ginny, and Neville," Ron said, the four looking at each other before slowly rising; "That's all. You can bring your minions, as well."
"They're friends of mine, Weasley, I'd rather you refer to them as such," Harry all but snapped; "Come on, we're meeting in the library."
With that he turned on his heel and walked away, glancing back as he caught Ron whispering quickly to Hermione. Dean and Seamus were whispering fiercely as well. But they were the first to actually follow Harry.
Harry walked back over to Draco and the others; "Harry, what the hell?!" Draco whispered fiercely, and Harry smirked.
"We have an hour to put it into action," he whispered back calmly, looking back as the six Gryffindors walked up. Harry then looked at the Staff table, inwardly smirking with triumph at the look on his professor's faces. Harry then turned to his Slytherins, and nodded, before walking through the doors and towards the Library. Draco followed him, soon gaining at his side, and then Ron and Hermione went out. For a moment, the remaining Gryffindors and Slytherins stared at each other, before walking out separately in their Houses, after the others.
Harry, what on earth are you planning? Draco projected as they walked in silence.
Anarchy, Harry replied the same way, looking at his bonded with a smirk.
How so?
We'll feed Weasley and Granger lies, they'll be sure to report back to Dumbledore. Ginny and Neville, we may obliviate. But Seamus and Dean...
Are you suggesting that we trust them?
Not yet, but they're both harboring anger and frustration towards Weasley and Granger. They were also good friends of mine who never betrayed me.
... They aren't wrapped up in the Order then, I take it?
Harry shook his head; "No," he said aloud; "They aren't. That's why we have to fix what's been done wrong... to avoid more people risking their lives..."
"Ever the Gryffindor, even in shades of silver and green," Draco said, rolling his eyes.
"It's good for us if the DA falls," Harry mumbled, looking back as he saw Ron and Hermione catching up wit them; "Or at least if we take it with a new name," he whispered to Draco; "Let's not talk until we get to the library."
Draco nodded; "You're quite a shocker, Harry," he said anyway, heedless of Harry's request; "I would never have thought this from you before."
"Yes well, so you've said yourself, Draco, 'masks don't just hide the face'," Harry said, smirking slightly.
Draco smirked as well; "Well, I'm not a stupid buffoon. Anyone would know that. Well, almost anyone. Perhaps not the Weasel."
They entered the library, taking to the left and finding a private room. Draco stood outside the door as Harry went in to check it. Harry scanned the walls, checked the portraits and stunned all flying books, then walked back out. Ron and Hermione were walking up, Seamus and Dean following with the other behind them.
"What's this about?" Ron asked bluntly, crossing his arms.
"A meeting," Draco said snidely; "Perhaps that concept is too complicated, Weasel? Would you mind if I enunciate better?"
Before Ron could retort, Hermione stopped him and said; "If this is a meeting then we should carry this out in a fashion befitting its importance. We should all agree to respect one another enough to where no one ends up in the hospital wing."
All were silent at this, and Harry sighed; "Of course," he said plainly; "It's only befitting. Come on, I don't think anyone wants to miss their classes."
He and Draco entered the private room. It was like a small library; couches and chairs around a fire with desks and bookshelves that lined the walls. Draco sat down on a two-seat sofa, Harry sitting by his side. Hermione and Ron sat opposite him, Dean, Seamus and Ginny sat on the couch, Neville took a chair, and Pansy brought two more over. After closing the door, Blaise joined them.
"I'll be frank in why I confronted you," Harry said, eyes directed to Hermione; "I know you six are planning on resurrecting the DA once more for this year.
"Understandable that you would, with the War and all," Blaise said; "But really, 'Dumbledore's Army'?"
"How clichéd," Pansy mused as she rolled her eyes, leaning her chin in her palm, elbow supporting it.
"What's this about, Harry?" Hermione asked, ignoring the Slytherins completely as she kept her eyes locked with Harry's.
"I want to propose a truce," Harry said; "Know that I still consider you a traitorous woman, as I consider you a disloyal coward, Weasley," he added; "But I believe there are far bigger issues than out pasts. I wish to continue aiding the D.A., but I think the name deserves to be changed."
Hermione nodded; "Is that all?" she asked, as if disappointed.
"What?!" Ron exclaimed; "Hermione, you've got to be joking!" he insisted, looking at her; "After everything's that's happened—"
"If Harry is capable of viewing this from a mature perspective, then so will we," Hermione said simply, holding her chin high for a moment.
"Then why did he bring them along if it was just to discuss the D.A.'s name?" Ron asked, looking around, eyes finally landing on Harry.
Harry leaned back in his seat, allowing Draco the floor. "Well Weasel, Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws aren't the only ones who wish to band together and stop the Dark Lord," he said flatly; "Basically, I, as well as Blaise, Pansy, and several other Slytherins, wish to be on the right side when hell breaks through the ground;" he paused; "I must agree with Harry on this, Granger, we are facing things of more importance than our turbulent pasts. Though working along side of you will be nothing less than unpleasant," he added, glaring at Weasley.
Hermione's eyes narrowed, then she nodded; "And I stand on the same ground."
"Glad there's a little evenness," Harry said with a hint of bitterness; "The Meetings will still be on Tuesdays every two weeks, depending on everything around us, that is."
As Draco sat back down, Seamus stood; "What's gotten into ya, Harry?" he asked.
Harry looked at him, blinking slowly; "What do you think?" he asked, looking at Hermione and Ron as he replied dead-pan; "My destiny showed itself."
Seamus nodded; "With you all the way, mate," he said, "Still haven't forgotten everything you've done."
"Neither have I," Dean said, and Ginny nodded. Neville looked up for a moment, and then he nodded as he looked back down.
"So this brings us to the final thing," Harry said, "I think that you six would be good for this operation because I believe that the ten of us combined are suitable for the rolls as instructors for the unnamed alliance."
"We should call it that," Pansy said, "After all; an organization with no name cannot be traced easily, can it?"
"So there will be no name to this?" Hermione quipped testily.
"I like the idea," Dean said, "Because then we'll be protected from snitches."
"And what makes you all think that they'll just betray us?" Ron suddenly exclaimed, accusations directed to the Slytherins.
"Because we are firm in our loyalty," Blaise said; "We wouldn't betray our own unless it was necessary."
"How very un-Slytherin," Ginny said smugly, crossing her arms.
"You are one to talk, Weasliette," Draco snapped suddenly; "I'd be ashamed, and I've betrayed people countless times in my past. But nothing I've ever done can surmount to what you've accomplished," he finished with a calm brutality that left Ginny looking down with guilt and shame.
Harry slipped his hand over and held to Draco's, and they shared a quick bonded emotion of gratefulness; "But as I said before," Harry stated; "There is more to it than our pasts."
"But don't expect us to start anew," Draco finished; "Can't forgive anything, now can we?"
"Then there is no point in merging," Hermione said, rising; "I enjoyed the talk, Harry, it's good to see you're not completely lost."
"You speak as if it's a bad thing," Harry said, "Snape and Sirius worked together, though they hated each other with a passion far greater than that of loathing. See yourself from Sirius' point, if you must, but understand that if you walk away now there is no chance for the unnamed alliance. At least, it will not be as stable."
Hermione stopped on her way out, turning slowly to stare at her former friend in disbelief; "Are you blackmailing me—us?" she asked, shock apparent in her tone.
Again, Harry blinked slowly, a small smirk playing on his lips; "No, never," he said sarcastically. He rose, hand slipping from Draco's as he did. He walked up to Hermione, soon standing at her side; "I plan on winning this war, Granger," he whispered, o quietly only she and another caught it; "And, thanks to Destiny, I must do so any way possible." He stepped away then, walking over and opening the door; "The first meeting will be this coming Tuesday. Spread the word on your end, we will on ours."
Hermione's eyes narrowed with anger as she huffed and walked out, Ron soon following, Ginny and Neville left, and Seamus and Dean stayed behind.
"Harry," Dean said; "If they've done anything—"
"Well it's obvious they've done something, Dean," Seamus interjected with a dramatic roll of his eyes; "Honestly, it's why they did it what bothers me..."
"—just let me know," Dean continued, glancing at Seamus; "I can kinda grasp what's going on and what's gonna happen, and believe me I'm thankful you still trust me an' Shay. But if Ron's ever done anything, or Hermione, friends or not we'll make their lives a living hell."
Harry's eyes softened at the loyalty and conviction in Dean's words; "Thanks, Dean," he said, smirking, thought it was close to a smile; "I always knew I could count on you."
"Yeah well, what are friends for, eh?" Dean said, then he held his hand out to Seamus; "Come on, Shay, we've still got an hour 'til our next class."
At this, Seamus grinned mischievously; "See you, all," he said quickly before taking his lover's hand and dragging Dean off.
Draco couldn't help but let a laugh escape him at the antics of the Irishman. He had to admit that it was obvious who was more feminine, Seamus. Draco walked over to Harry, and the two stood silent together. Blaise and Pansy, taking a hint at the silence, left themselves, quietly conversing as they departed. Harry even had a hard time hearing them, but he didn't have to think long before Draco had captured his lips in a kiss. Harry found himself pressed against the door.
"Gods I want you so badly when you do that," Draco whispered as he trailed kisses down Harry's jaw and neck. Harry groaned.
"Mmm let's do this elsewhere," he mumbled; "Too risky here-mph..." he was cut off as Draco kissed him again.
"Fine, but I can't get far."
They successfully made it out of the library, glad to find the halls empty. The newly added free period was a definite bonus. Taking Harry's hand Draco led them outside, going down a shaded path bordering the Forbidden Forest. They came out behind the Quidditch stands, and Harry turned Draco and began kissing him. Both fell to he ground, engrossed in each other as the sun shown over them.
A familiar and distant caw brought Harry back to reality. He looked up from Draco's chest, taking his hands from the blonde's shirt as he sat back on his knees and looked up. Draco sat up on his elbows, sighing as he exhaled. He looked up as well, squinting from the sun. The caw rang through the air again, cutting through like a scream. Harry pulled his shirt over his one shoulder, smiling as he saw a proverbial dark thing flying towards them.
"Oswarae," Harry sighed, glad that his raven had been fine at Sabet's Castle.
The raven cawed as he saw his master and his masters mate, mildly perturbed at what they had been doing. Cawing happily he landed, hopping over to Harry to nuzzle his hand. Harry allowed the bird his hand as a perch, and noticed her had a parchment around his leg.
/master/ Oswarae projected contently, nuzzling into Harry's long hair.
Harry smiled, stroking the bird. /Your flight was fine?/ he asked.
The raven nodded, then lifted up his laden leg and shook it impatiently. Chuckling, Harry sat back and took the parchment, allowing Draco to sit up. Draco watched as Harry scanned the invisible paper, and to the blonde's surprise it began to manifest before him. One bonus of the bonding, he wagered. But Harry's eyes grew wide with surprise, and he looked at Draco when he'd finished.
"What?" Draco asked, now a little concerned at Harry's silence.
Harry handed him the parchment, getting up and buttoning his shirt. Eyeing him for a moment, Draco then took the letter and began reading it.
Dear Harry,
I do hope you are doing well with your transition, and that no one is getting to nosy about the situation. I also hope that your "plans" fall into place, and that nothing goes awry.
But to more important matters. As of yesterday, a man by the name of Sirius Black fell through an artifact I presently own, and mentioned your name, along with that of Remus Lupin. Upon further discussion it was revealed that Mister Black is your Godfather, and a very good friend of Remus Lupin. He has requested that both of you come to him.
I have him currently staying in the royal chambers at the estate, and you may come at any time you feel is best. If the ability to leave your school at the present time is impossible, I will try to sort things out myself. Do tell me though, if you are planning to come.
I and Sirius await your reply and we both hope that everything is well.
Sincerely,
Sabet
"Quite the eloquent man, isn't he?" Draco mused as he looked up; "I never knew that Black was your godfather."
"Yes well, Life is full of surprises," Harry said, helping Draco up; "I need to send a reply now."
"Go on, I'll be fine," Draco said; "This is important."
Harry smiled, planting a soft kiss on Draco's temple; "Love you!" he said as he rushed off. Draco noticed how Harry's wings threatened to show, and his feet barely touched the ground. He would take flight before rounding around the pitch, and this made Draco smirk.
Draco then turned, and noticed the raven who had a look of clear petulance in his eyes. Draco glared. /What?/ he projected snidely.
Silently, Oswarae took flight, and as he passed Draco, he again bit at his ear. Cursing aloud, the blond swung at the bird, but missed as the raven dodged his fist. Draco held his ear, drawing his hand back and gasping with outrage when he saw them tainted red with his blood.
"Damn bird!" he shouted, growling as he chased after the raven, who was cawing hysterically as he flew away.
Harry ran through the halls, vaguely hearing the secondary bell. He didn't care though; he had no intensions of attending class now, he had too much to do. He reached the fourth floor, and banged on the door with his fist, knowing there was a class in progress. He stepped back as Remus opened the door, chiding his class. He had a large gecko in his left hand, the creature's tail trailing up his arm. But he held a look of concern as he saw how rushed Harry appeared.
"Harry, what's the matter?" he asked as he stepped out of the room, closing the door securely behind him.
"Sabet found Sirius!" Harry said hastily, holding up the parchment for Remus to read; "He fell through something at Sabet's home, and now Sabet's sent word that he wants us!"
Remus took the parchment, eyes widening as he reread the eloquent handwriting again and again. Finally, he looked at Harry; "We'll leave immediately," Remus said; "I'll speak with Dumbledore as soon as the class has ended—"
"But Remus, Sirius—!"
"Harry, I too want to see Sirius, very badly, in fact, but we must all consider that no one can know that he is alive and where he is at the moment. I will persuade Dumbledore and hopefully we will leave by the morning, if not after dinner."
Harry swallowed his frustration and nodded; "Fine," he said; "But please, make it as soon as possible."
"Harry, I'll do my best, I promise," Remus said, voice wavering for a moment as he stepped back to open the door. The large gecko he was holding emitted a small chirp, a mere distraction; "But please, no one must know of this, understood?"
"Yes," Harry said; "Well, Draco knows, but he was there when Oswarae came."
Remus nodded; "I advise that you get to class now, before you're too late," he said, "Can't risk a detention this early, can we?"
Harry smirked; "I'm afraid Trelawney would be too afraid to talk to me, let alone give me a detention."
"Oh, well that would be true," Remus said with a small laugh before he entered the classroom and closed the door.
Harry sighed, leaning against the wall. He stared at the high ceilings for a moment, before finally walking back to get his book bag.
A gunshot rang through the air, and Morgan found herself falling from the bridge. She screamed as she did, landing harshly on the cobblestones below. She groaned and turned her head to the side, seeing boots land by her silently through her hooded eyes. Amos ran to her, calling her name and dodging a second bullet. Bending down, he picked her up, and ran with her in his arms under the bridge. A gunshot rang otu again, ricocheting from the cobblestones and onward, creating a racket. Amos set Morgan up on her feet, and they ran from under the bridge and on down the road, bullets at their heels.
"Amos, oh gods what were we thinking?!" Morgan asked as the two ran, Amos with his arm over her back and shoulder, ushering her.
"We were trying to gain support, Morgan, what else could we have done?" Amos asked, gritting his teeth as a bullet managed to graze his ankle. They were being shot at by the rooftops of the townhouses.
"Quickly, run ahead!" Amos suddenly ground out, pushing Morgan away from him and forward; "And don't look back!"
Morgan withheld an unsteady gasp and only nodded, running onward, her boots against the cobblestones, giving her away regardless. As she ran, she heard Amos shouting in French, begging for his countrymen to cease fire. She withheld a sob as she heard more gunshots, Amos' shout, and then, she saw green light reflecting against the wet cobblestones before her. And, again his wishes, she stopped, and turned around, only to shreik in outrage and dismay...
The water's at my knees and it is cold, yet it doesn't bother me. Nothing does, now. The sky is dark still from my recent outburst, the final stone thrown at the target to hit home and win me the game. I laugh out loud, dryly, sarcastically, only once, at the pity and false hope I'd once experienced, and at how I'd relished in the prospect of winning.
But it somehow seems worthless, the feeling of being the victor. It's the best feeling of accomplishment, they say, It's the best rush of pride and adrenaline, they'll whisper in awe of the thought.
You will feel complete, they said, You can rest and be at ease.
But where are they, along these reddened shores of the Ire. Where the battle took place, bodies behind me, around me... the blood in the water. My robes ripped and all but there after it all, my life as well tattered and draped in the fragile balance, air manipulated in the sea breeze. I watch the sun set and I am saddened beyond grief, beyond anger. The sun is red and it bleeds its sorrow on the water, the reflection lapping up to me as I watch it, watching. I blink back salt and I cannot allow myself to cry. There is no point.
All was lost in what I was supposed to gain, freedom.
All is gone, for what I was supposed to find.
Sweet victory, hah, I laugh in your face, laugh! You are no winning trophy, no pleasant smile, no warm contentment in my soul. My soul is restless, grieving, mourning, ripping itself apart in a desperate suicide.
My love, my love, my love you've gone, left me to lead a realm alone, with no one to guide me in my anger, no one to hold to near at night. We were denied eternity, I see you on the sand, your eyes are closed and you mouth is not slack, set in the firm jaw of your heritage, your past. Your hands fisted and your arms across your chest, what's left of your robes you lie on. Your heart bled, without breaking the flesh, and I could not cry. Again, no tears could come when you fell, no tears would come...
And I turn to you, my love, slowly wade through the shallows to walk across the shore to you, salty tears of the sea on my skin and clothing, hands at my sides as my knees connect with the beach and your robes. I stare down at you, Wake up, I ask, Wake up. Be with me, I need you now.
But you do not hear me, do you? No, you are not here, you are, just not in the way I wish. I wish for things that I could never have, but you were that single one that came true. I asked to be helped, to be saved, to be accompanied, and you came. But now, where are you, my love? Gone from me, away, leave me alone to squander in this tainted glory that I never wanted, never deserved, received without my consent.
I cry on your chest, your shirt fisted in my hands, and I let them come. Rivers, flowing representations of my angered grief. I long for you now, you're not there, not a one of you are. I run from you, stumbling back as I choke back the tears and breech the borders of the sea. I continue to escape, the water hits the back of my knees and I continue. So much pain and death and blood, and all to my accountability, the water hits my torso yet its only hope. All the reddened white sand, the waters darkened by fear and evil tainting the stones, the water's to my shoulders. The caress of fate and the final word of destiny, the final scream and the last fall, it's to my chin. The life worth nothing in years, wasted in assumed precautions, it's to my nose, I'm too far now. My feet leave the floor of the sea, the bead of silt and sand and the cold is consuming me.
And along lost causes, fear endowed power, long forgotten uses of the gifts bestowed to the magic folk of old...
Bestowed to you, by blood right and sheer will of doom, gifts sought after, often mourned...
It echoes in my clouding mind, vision stung and blinded by salt...
No more.
- - -
Harry withheld a shout of fear as he shot up in bed, panting with his hand clutching his bare chest. He looked around, vision clearing to take in the room. Harry jumped slightly as he felt a hand on his arm, and he looked down to see Draco looking up at him worriedly. The blonde sat up, and Harry began to crack.
"Draco, oh gods it was bad this time," he said as a single tear fell and he wrapped his arms around the still half-asleep blonde, burying his head in the crook of Draco's neck.
"Harry, easy, it's fine, everything's alright," Draco whispered; "...What happened?"
"You were dead," Harry's muffled, mumbled reply came as Draco wrapped his arms around the raven-haired teen; "Everyone was dead. Blaise, Pansy... everyone. It was at a beach... in-n Ireland. Everything was tinted red, the sand, the waters, the sun..." he looked at Draco; "It felt so real, Draco, like I was actually experiencing it. I felt so angry and sad and homicidal and... and you were dead, on the ground... with your eyes closed and your arms crossed..."
"Shh, it was all a dream," Draco said, stroking Harry's bangs. Almost instantly Harry's eyelids became hooded, and they lay down, Harry curled up against Draco like a small child. Every breath was shaky, but slowly, it subsided, and Draco said; "That's all it was. I'm alive; Blaise and Pansy are as well. We're in Scotland and far away from any beach."
"It was so real, though," Harry whispered, idly playing with a ripple in the sheets; "But you're right. I feel so stupid now..."
"Don't be," Draco said; "A dreams a dream, a nightmare is a nightmare. You can't help that, can you? Therefore, if it can't be helped, it can only be accepted and tolerated. Am I right or am I right?"
Harry chuckled wrapping his arms around Draco again and pulling him close. They stayed in silence, both closing their eyes with the shock over, but Draco could have sworn he heard Harry whisper so softly...
"You were so cold..."
And Draco's heart throbbed and went to his lover, his boyfriend. He held Harry closer then, thankful that it had only been a dream. "Just go back to sleep," he whispered; "Tomorrow you'll go see Sirius and for a moment... everything'll be alright..."
And again, Harry chuckled.
TBC
A/N: a bad dream AHH and some fluff!!!! RUN AWAY!!!!! Haha anyway ooh Harry and Draco are a couple of scheming little bastards, aren't they? And oh Amos and Morgan are in trouble.... damn myself for leaving you at a cliffhanger. They're somewhere in France, though, but that's all I'll say right now. Give me ten minutes to start running if you want to hunt me down. anyway thank-you for the reviews and I will post as soon as possible!!!!---BR