Hey guys, sorry for the long wait. I had a tough paper to write for Uni followed up by sickness and then writing block. That is over now and I can resume writing.
Harry walked down the slopes of the Hogwarts Grounds. The wind was ruffling his hair and robes, while he looked out onto the Forbidden Forrest. The dark trees stared back at him with none existent eyes and gave him a gloomy mood. He raised his hand, brushing through Dawn's stomach feathers, feeling the tingle of her emotions through their bond. He pulls his fingers through his hair, making small specks of blue and silver trickle out of it. He sighed, even though he smiled a little.
It has been four days ever since the Twins had turned him blue and silver from head to toe with paint and send him towards the Transfigurations Class. They said he wore the colours of his lordship too little. Harry had gritted his teeth a little and even though he understood it was just a prank, he still felt humiliated when Professor McGonagall had to erase the paint in front of the class as soon as she stepped inside. The old witch hadn't said a word about it, just gave him a nod and a knowing look, that suggested that she had understood. She took care of it and before long Fred and George had found themselves in detention.
Both twins took it in stride, showing people the markings of blue paint on their hands and laughed saying they got caught blue handed. And even though he felt a certain satisfaction that both of them got punished, he could see the good humour with a little bit of distance and had even laughed about it once or twice with Ginny.
Still, it was a little annoying still finding blue paint behind his ears or in his hair. You would think showering every day would get and the vanishing of the old head of the house would have done the trick, but this paint was really sticking to him. At least, he thought, classes were over for the week. And the week had been bad.
Not in the way his first day had been. He hadn't gotten more detention. In fact, the opposite was the case. The teachers must have gotten informed of what happened to him because almost all of them treated him like a damn broken egg. He could all but sleep in class and no one would say a thing. No one except of Snape of course. In fact he liked his classes this week more than any of the other. He was still an ass and Harry disliked him but at least he acted as normal as he did ever since Narcissa came to the Hogwarts Grounds all those months ago.
Professor Flitwick didn't say a word when he came almost twenty minutes too late, Professor Sproud didn't take points when he killed his plant due to negelance and Professor Flamel, as well as Professor McGonagall, tried to talk to him Both spoke in soft voice and damn concern, like he was a scared child, making him only more angry and he nearly yelled at the old ladies for their efforts. Couldn't they just leave him alone? He wanted to put it all behind him, how could they not understand. But it was to no avail.
It was annoying, to say the least, once again he was the special case, the exception and he hated it. Grumbling to himself he walked on. The big airship, that was still placed in front of the main gate was in front of him. His ears perked up a little when he heard voices singing. Deep and rumbling, like stones that fell down a well, the echoed over the grounds.
The King beneath the mountains,
The King of carven stone,
The lord of silver fountains
Shall come into his own!
Harry walked a little slower when he saw that people were working on the ground near the airship. A few of the Dwarfs stood there together with their captain, lifting crates and boxes, singing while they worked.
His crown shall be upholden,
His harp shall be restrung,
His halls shall echo golden
To songs of yore re-sung.
The boy moved a little closer. All the dwarfs like every time he had seen one of them, was wearing some kind of armour, that looked a little bit like ancient diving suits. Made from thick leather and bronze they were bulky. When was closer, Harry could see that every surface was filled with engravings. Anvils, Dragons and bearded faces were alongside deep runes, which glowed ever so slightly, whenever one of the dwarves went into a shadowy part. None of them was wearing their helmets and for the first time, he saw their blank faces. They all had grim features, pronounced thick eyebrows over deep dark eyes. Their noses were wide, some of them have rings in them. But the most striking part of their faces where the long beards that all of them had. Unlike the white beard of their captain, they had red, brown, black or blond beards. While not as long as Grungnisons, they were still impressive, braided and decorated with golden, silver and bronze trinkets. Some of them were smoking pipes while they worked and sang.
The woods shall wave on mountains
And grass beneath the sun;
His wealth shall flow in fountains
And the rivers golden run.
Harry watched them for a while and he was quite impressed. The crates looked heavy and caring those without magic would be impossible for him. Still, those short people did it while still wearing heavy armour and they didn't seem to sweat at all. They worked with the method and a speed that would put human workers to shame. Every grip was secure, every turn was efficient. They didn't twiddle their thumbs or tried to relax one bit while they were working, almost like a clockwork, almost like a machine. And while they did so the didn't even talk to each other. Human workers would have called out to each other, to coordinate or adjust, but those stunted people did it so efficiently, they must have been pretty well trained or knew each other for years to work together like this.
The streams shall run in gladness,
The lakes shall shine and burn,
All sorrow fail and sadness
At the Mountain-king's return!
The King beneath the mountains,
The King of carven stone,
The lord of silver fountains
Shall come into his own!
Harry turned from the airship and the hard working dwarves, when the song came to its end and they stared singing another, this time in a language he did not understand, nor thought he would have ever heard before. Slowly he moved down the slope, careful not to come close to any of the groups of students that were around. Dawn again rubbed her small head through his hair. She hadn't been doing this for days, no matter how much the black feathered firebird loved him, the prospect of tainting her wonderful pitch-black feathers with blue or silver, stopped it for a while. Now that most of it were gone, she returned to it with more vigour. Her beak nipped his ear for a moment and she made an almost chuckle like coo when he tickled her tummy with his index finger.
Finally, he saw what he had searched all the way out here. Smiling, he walked slowly closer and wrapping his arms around her, while his nose buried itself in a mane of red hair. He smelled apple and freshness as the body he had just hugged from behind jumped a little bit in surprise. The two other girls giggled a little since they had seen Harry sneak up on his girlfriend. The boy felt a hand that reached up and brushed through his hair, gripping it slightly.
Ginny purred in his arms, leaning more into him. Her warm body leaned against his chest. She was wearing a thick coat and a hat but her red locks fell over her shoulders like a stream of molten copper.
"Hello, darling." He mumbled in her hair., Giving her a kiss on the cheek. Ginny grinned, turning and throwing her arms around his neck. She stared up at him with her chocolate brown eyes, before leaning in and claiming his lips with her own. Harry grinned into the kiss, while he pulled her closer to himself. After a few moments of hot snogging they pulled back and Dawn who had dodged Ginny's arms returned to his shoulder, rubbing against him.
"Did you miss me Gin?" He asked, smiling while taking her hand. She grinned, nodding.
"Of course I did. Did you miss me in return?" She asked, leaning against him. Harry rubbed her back smirking.
"More than anything." Then finally his eyes turned up to the other two girls and he waved at them. "Hi Sara, Hi Lara, how are you?" He asked, his arm moving around Ginny's shoulder as she snuggled into his side. Both girls giggled slightly, nodding.
"Hi Har. We are good. Or as good as you can be after double Snape." Both girls shuddered slightly. Harry frowned slightly.
"Oh yeah, you had potions. That sucks. Was Snape the slimy snake bad today?" He asked, tilting his head slightly, so he could lay it on Ginny's. At least she was smaller than him so he could do this and he enjoyed it tremendously.
Sara nodded slightly, groaning slightly and ruffling her blond hair. "He was awful today, worse than usual."
Harry felt Ginny nodding and he frowned. "Did he now? Maybe someone needs to yank on his leash a little bit. Luckily I know who is holding it." His frown turned into a grin when he said it and Ginny whipped her head around, while her two friends leaned closer.
"You do? Does this is the reason that Snape is so strange the last monthes?" Lara asked, her eyyes gleaming. Harry had noticed, that she liked her fair share of gossip. Instead of answering he just smiled at the three girls.
"You know right?" Ginny asked also with gleaming eyes. "You know what happend and why he changed so hard."
Harry reached up and rubbed through Dawn's stomach feathers, getting a coo from the small bird. Dawn in return nuzzled her beak into his ruffled hair and pushed her small head under his woolen hat, making him chuckle a little.
"Hey girl, you will push my hat off." He said, carefully pulling her out from the piece of clothing. Then he turned his head around looking into pools of molten gold. "That's not nice." He whispered, still grinning and with no bite in his voice. He then rubbed his nose on her belly making her coo again in an almost laughing manner. He laughed as well before turning back to three pairs of staring eyes.
"What?" He asked, with a wide grin, his fingers still playing with Dawn's tail feathers.
Ginny glared at him. "Do't you what me, Har. You know what happened to Snape do you?" She stemmed her hands to her hips leaning closer. Harry smirked.
"It is a possibility." He said winking at them. Sara huffed loudly.
"You can't just drop something like that and then say nothing. Who is it, what happened?" Sara crossed her arms.
Harry's smirk only got wider. "Oh really can't I?" He kept tesing, only to get poked into the stomach by his girlfriend.
"Tell me Har." She hissed, looking a lot like her mother there. Her eyes were burning with inner passion. Harry knew she disliked not knowing something. A sentiment he could agree with. He raised his hand tipping against his chin while acting like he was thinking. Then he turned to Dawn.
"What do you say, girl? Should we tell?" He tilted his head and nodded like he was listening. All three girls stared intently at him as he finally nodded. He turned back after kissing Dawn on the belly.
"Dawn says you can earn this information." He said with a grin. Ginny squinted at him.
"I know you can't speak with her, what are you up to?"
Harry blew her a kiss grinning. "I could just tell you but what would be the fun of that? No, I have a better idea. How about this? If you can beat me in a broom race, I tell you." He leaned over and kissed her on the lips. Ginny stiffened and then returned the kiss with vigour and tongue. Before Harry would have been self-conscious about others watching him kissing but ever since he got over himself and thought to fuck it about the rest of the world he had no problems what so ever to make out right in front of Ginny's two friends. At least he told himself. Ginny bit his bottom lip with a smirk and he finally pulled back.
"Fine Har. But you with your Firebolt is barely fair." She argued to him, holding on to his hips. Harry nodded in agreement, then smirked again.
"Oh, don't worry your pretty head Gin. I know exactly what to do."
"This is so exciting," Lara whispered, leaning huddling into the corridor. Sara turned to her, scowling.
"Be quiet, someone could hear us." She whispered back. In front of them, Harry snorted in the dark corridors.
"Oh relax, no one comes here during the winter. Not without Quidditch at least." He said in a normal volume. The four were in the corridors that lead to the Quidditch team locker rooms. It was dark and not so warm. The wooden corridors were quite drafty, a big reason why the locker rooms itself were made out of stone. Ahead of them was split. To the right, you could find Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, to the left Ravenclaw and Slytherin.
Harry smirked, winking at the girls and turned left, walking a few feet until he stood in front of a door with a silver and Green coat of arms in front. Pulling out his holly wand, Harry winked at the girls and cast a quick spell a certain Black haired Lord had taught him during the summer. With a soft click the door opened.
"Behold, the Slytherin Locker Room!" Harry said dramatically, pushing open the door. Behind it was a surprisingly boring room. It looked just like the Gryffindor Locker room, no silver or green except the uniforms hanging for hocks. Beside that were benches, lockers and the broom closed, as well as a blackboard and a door which led to the showers.
But other than that it was nothing special or fancy like you would expect from the house of the rich and spoiled like Harry would say. The four moved into the room, looking around.
"It looks almost...boring." Ginny said, looking around more. The two others nodded in agreement.
"I can't believe Mister 'I am so special' Malfoy would change in here. I expected lush carpets and armchairs." Lara said quietly. Sara was the only one who wasn't looking around a lot but instead looked down the corridor outside.
"Hurry up you guys." She said, looking around again. Harry waved her off.
"Relax Sara, as I said no one comes here." With his words, he moved over to the broom closet. Pulling it open he revealed a row of Nimbus 2001's. Dark wooden handles and light bone coloured twigs, with golden handels. Those were lined up in a row and Harry fingers danced over the handles, until they rested on the one broom that had a name written on it.
Harry smirked pulling out the object and throwing it over his shoulder. Dawn from the other side watched the three girls in front of him when he turned. He pointed his thumb back.
"Pick yourself one, Gin. Or are you scared?" The last words were a taunting whisper, with a wide grin. Ginny snorted. She had been sneaking broom riding for years at the Burrow and also she was the sister of Fred and George. Like she would back down now. Stepping up she picked one of the other brooms.
With the giggle of Lara and Sara's nervous looks, they quickly made their way outside. The sky got clear but still it was cold outside, when they reached the grass field. The wind was blowing and ruffling the flags on the ends of the stadium. Ginny moved over and suddenly felt warmth rush through her. When she looked around, she saw Harryretreating his wand from her side, after casting a warming charm on her. She gave him a warm smile and leaned over giving him a short kiss.
"Thanks, Har." She said, before stepping back.
"All right, how do we do this?" She asked, looking around. Harry smirked, tapping his wand against the wall of the stadium like he had seen Oliver do so many times before. Golden coloured ringes appeared in the air, each with a number over it. All in all twelve rings.
"Simple. Who first gets his broom through the rings wins."
Ginny looked around, reading the numbers, checking it. Then she nodded.
"All right and if I win, you tell us who." She said, determiant, mounting the broom already. Harry smirked, also getting on his "own" broom. Then he stopped.
"What if I win?" He asked with a smirk. Ginny froze, eyeing Sara and Lara for a moment. Then she smirked, leaning over and whispering something into Harry's ear.
It wasn't for the cold wind or the thrill of "borrowing" the broom, for him to turn blood red. No it were the words she had whispered into his ear.
"Y-You sure?" He asked back, blinking in surprise. Ginny laughed.
"Oh you are so cute when you are flustered. Yeah I am sure. Now keep up Har!" She called out pushing herself off the ground and speeding towarts the first ring. Harry blinked for half a second before his mind for competion kicked it and he frowned his brows, kicking himself off. Dawn launched herself of his shoulder as soon as they were in the air and cold wind brushed through his hair and his clothes.
Harry leaned close onto the the handle, pushing the broom to high speeds. Ginnys scarf was fluttering in front of him while they cleared the first few rings. They dove and twisted, he following her in very close proximity. They weaved and circled around, robes fluttering, wind cutting into their faces. After a few quick turned and spins, they moved close to the ground speeding along the grass for the last three rings. The first was low on the ground only two feet away. The second one was the highest grin in the entire course, triple the height of the towers around the stadium. The last one was right next to the first one, a few feet from the ground.
Ginny leaned closer and closer to the broom, speeding fast than before. She had taken spins on Harry's firebolt last year, so she was used to the high speeds. She wanted to win. In fact, she didn't really care for who it was that controlled Snape. It didn't play a huge part in her life. She wanted to win fr the thrill. She wanted to win because winning was something important in her family. As the only girl and youngest sibling she always had to compete for everything to earn the respect.
'No Ginny, you shouldn't fly.'
'No Ginny, let the men do that.'
'No Ginny, that is dangerous, let your brothers handle it.'
Those had been sentences she had heard over and over and over to the point were every single one of them had been an challenge. Don't fly meant showing them she could fly better all her brothers combined. It's dangerous only meant keeping herself safe to show them she could. This was with every bit and slow and steady she had made her family back off over the last two years.
Well, most of them except her mother, who still thought she shouldn't do any of this stuff. But first Charlie, then Bill, then Fred and George and in the end even Ron and Percy had to agree that she could care for herself. And so she did.
She curved around the ring near the ground and speed now upwards into the sky, her eyes fixed on the golden ring that was hovering high up there. She pushed the broom the most possible. Harry couldn't get past her if she was on high speed.
"HEY GIN!" Harry called over the rushing wind and fluttering of her clothes. But she didn't look back, she wasn't stupid. Don't let him distract you. He is just trying to get a cheap shot on her. But she was smarter than that she learned from the Weasley Terrors after all. That didn't stop him to continue calling.
"WILL YOU GO TO THE DANCE WITH ME?" Echoed up to her and made Ginny blink, slowing down when she came through the ring. It made her look down.
Harry was right at her tail, or better his broom was. She gaped in shock when she saw him falling from his broom wand in his hand. While he fell backwards he moved his wand around, guiding Malfoys broom through the ring just under her feet. Without his weight, the sleek object was a lot faster. There was a mad grin on Harry's face as he called something out, she couldn't understand but the broom reacted, darting towards to him. Ginny was still up high, staring down at her boyfriend, with the broom rushing.
"HARRY!" She screamed out, her brain functions finally returning and she made a mad dive trying to reach him. Of course, she was no way near fast enough, but at the same time had a clear view. Harry's broom trailed him, while Dawn flew next to his shoulder. It felt like an eternity for her but finally, Harry's fingers curled around the handle again, pulling himself into a curve just above the ground, his hair while he was doing a sloth roll brushed by the grass on the ground. With top speed he darted through the last ring, whooping in the process.
The phoenix next to him let out an equally loud call. Both black haired boy and black feathers bird swopped across the stadium together, spiralling around one and the other, Dawn being the focus of Harry's eyes the entire time.
At that moment, while she looked over at her boyfriend, looked at the love he had in his eyes while staring at his familiar, she Ginny felt her stomach crunch. Did he look at her with the same eyes? He kissed her, he made her laugh, he made her feel so light, but was he loving her? She wasn't sure and it tore her heart out. But then she straightened on her broom, while wind ruffled her hair. She had probably lost her hat somewhere on the way, but she didn't care at all.
She would make him love her. She would be the damn best girlfriend she could be. She would make him happy.
After a while, they turned and moved to the place where Lara and Sara were standing. Ginny also made her way down as her two friends ran over to the landing squealing.
"Harry that was-"
"Amazing!" Ginny said dropping the broom and throwing her arms around his neck. She pulled him in kissing him deeply, much to his surprise. But she felt him grinning in the kiss and Dawn was chirping happily while flying circles around them, always a good indicator for his mood. She kissed him with energy and vigour while his arms closed around her shoulders, pulling her closer. He finally pulled back this cocky grin he had shown the last few days, which made her molten in her centre full on display.
"What can I say? I'm an amazing flyer." He responded, his heart glowing with the energy he just has gotten out of the adrenaline rush. Ginny grinned back at him, nodding.
"The best there is." She exclaimed before kissing Harry again.
But the good mood wouldn't last.
"HARRY!" He broke off turning his head. Running over the field, her bushy hair flowing behind her, Hermione came towards them, only stopping a few feet away. Ginny had still her arms around Harry's neck when she came to a full halt.
"Thank god, you are all right. I saw you fall from your broom." She whipped her hair out of her face, her face tingled with a slight red from running. Harry frowned, while Ginny put her arms around his midriff, answering for him.
"He didn't fall. He let go, it was amazing!" She exclaimed. That in return halted Hermiones thought, then she frowned.
"Let go?" Her eyes searched Harry's in an effort to read in her best friends. Harry shrugged nodding.
"Yeah, Gin and I were racing and I wanted to win."
Hermione looked slightly startled and confused. "Y...You let go of your broom mid air because you wanted to win a race?"
Harry justed nodded, and then inwardly groaned, seeing Hermione frown, crossing her arms.
"Are you mad? That could have killed you! For a simple race? Harry things like that are dangerous! You could have died!"
Harry waved her off. "Oh relax Herms, I summoned the broom to myself. Everything is fine, see I'm totally fine." He pointed to the broom.
Hermione took a deep breath ready for another tirade when she saw the broom lying on the ground.
"You...what? That isn't your broom!" She said walking over, picking it up. On the handle, quite prominent was written.
-Malfoy-
Hermione stared at the letters for a whole ten seconds. Then she turned to Harry, still confused.
"Harry...how did you get Malfoys broom?" She asked in surprise and confusion. Harry again shrugged with a smirk. Lara and Sara were watching from a few feet away not sure what to do.
"Borrowed it." He simply said, winking at the two girls to the side, who were now stifling a peal of laughter. Hermione frowned again, crossing her arms.
"Malfoy would never borrow you his broom." He stated. Harry shrugged for the third time.
"Well, what he doesn't know..."
"You STOLE it?" Hermione called out, her eyes wide and her mouth open, gaping at him.
Harry frowned in return, shaking his head. "I didn't steal it, I put it back when we are done and-"
Hermione interrupted him. "You stole it, Harry! This is against school rules, heck against the law!" She growled. Harry tilted his head up a little.
"What do you care? I thought you didn't want to talk to me anyway. Fine Lara, here put the brooms back." He shoved both brooms at the girl. Lara took both, looking a little back and forth, before hurrying out of the way and down a corridor.
Hermione blinked at him, then shook her head. "That doesn't solve anything! You stole Harry! You...argh."
With those words, she stormed off, growling under her breath.
Harry watched her leave and while something in his mind screamed at him to follow her, something said he should talk to her, that she was right, that thought was cut short when Ginny pulled him away to the opposite side.
A few minutes later, they walked out of the quidditch bleachers, Lara just catching up on them. They were animatedly chatting, talking about the dives and turns, when a voice from ahead of them stopped them.
"Potter!" The sneering voice called out. Malfoy was walking towards them, his robes billowing behind him, together with Goyle and Crabbe. Pansy was nowhere to be seen at that moment. Harry placed himself in front of the girls, scowling at Malfoy.
"What do you want Malfoy?" He spat out, crossing his arms. The young scion of the Malfoy family reached him, stopping a few feet away, breathless.
"My security charm on my broom set off ten minutes ago and what do I find now, you and your flock of geese." The girls frowned behind Harry, while Goyle and Crabbe chuckled slightly. Yet, Malfoy didn't seem to be in a good mood. Harry raised an eyebrow, winging it.
"So?" Harry asked, trying his best to look annoyed while he was worried a little bit. He was so glad Lara had already returned. If Hermione hadn't shown up, they would have probably hung around for a while and Malfoy would have caught him red-handed.
Darco glared at him, breaking his thoughts. "I know you are up to something Potter. You and your stupid bloodtraitor bitches!"
"Hey!" Ginny called out. "Shut your damn mouth you pale ferret!"
Draco turned a little red at that. "Know who you are talking to you tattered whore."
Now Harry pulled his wand, pointing it at the blond boy. "You take that back!" He called out. Draco also had his wand out in a split second, while Crabbe and Goyle fumbled with their own. Behind Harry Lara, Sara and Ginny pulled their own, the foremost nervous, the latter demermiant. Harry pointed right at Malfoys face.
"Oh yeah, what are you going to do, Scarface?" The pale blond asked, his wand pointing right back at Harry.
Harry gritted his teeth. Then straightening himself, he shot a bludgeoning curse right in Dracos face. With a loud crunching sound, the nose broke and blood splattered all over the front of his uniform. Draco stumbled back, crying out and holding his nose. Then he glared back at Harry.
"You vil pay vor thisch." He mumbled out and send a cutting curse into Harry's knee, slicing open the pants and skin. From there it was an all-out brawl for about twenty seconds, curses were thrown, while Lara and Sara tried to pull back into the entrance of the stadium. Curses flew all around, while Ginny and Harry fought all three Slytherin. Dawn even got in on the action, pecking ad Goyles head, more annoying than dangerous but still, her strong talons kept his aim off her beloved bond partner. Crabbe forwent even his wand and straight-up punch Harry in the face.
Finally, a bang stopped the fighting. All turned, seeing a furious Professor McGonagall, standing there in front of a bunch of blood splattered students, their clothes cut and ripped. Crabbe still had his hand pulled back to punch Harry in the face. Ginny's bad bogey hex had turned the mess in Malfoys face even worse and Goyle was still trying to fight off the angry black bird.
"What...Is...the...meaning...of...this?" She tried to push out without yelling.
"He attacked me!" Malfoy got out quite clean, holding his bloody face. Harry glared back, shaking his head.
"He deserved it!" He called out, pushing Crabbe off herself.
Minerva McGonagall had seen a lot over the years in this school. The Marauders and Weasley Twins alone had seen to that. But even those two had always been somewhat civil. Yes, the Marauders had borderlined and sometimes crossed into bully territory and the twins were ill-considered towards younger students, but never had she had a straight out brawl in her school. She was white like a sheet in anger.
"Hospital Wing. All of you. Now! Your guardians will hear from me!"
Harry blinked. "But Professor he-"
"Now!" He interrupted him, her eyes wide in fury, pointing towards the school. Her long fingers were shaking in fury.
Then under the stern eyes of Minerva McGonagall, they made their way up to the school, while the sun was finally sinking behind the trees of the Forbidden Forrest.
A singular person was walking down a sidewalk. Slowly and steadily the figure was moving along, not a single care in the world. The hands were clasped behind the back and the person was whistling a slow and simple song. The houses around were lid with light, as most families in the neighbourhood were taking their evening meals. You could see them through the windows, sitting on the dining room tables and enjoying the warmth of their houses against the cold night outside. A few street lamps were casting spots of brightness into the darkness. Not a single soul was out in the winds, not a single one except the whistling person.
Most people wouldn't recognise the song the person was whistling. It wasn't well known in the world. And those people who do know this song would most likely not want it to be known. It was a simple song, out of times long gone. It was a song about power, a song about purity. The man who wrote it had been a strong supporter of racial purity and the dark arts. That had been two hundred years ago.
Afterwards, the song had fallen out of the mind of most people. The song had been forgotten and buried like its creator. But a little over a decade ago, this song had gotten its momentum back, at least in the UK. A certain group of people, forged together only by one man and his dream of power had used this song as a means to their own goals, fitting their agenda and their aim.
The whistling person had been the one to rediscover this song. She whistled, her cracked lips forming tunes that carried her through dark nights and cold winds. She twirled her long thin wand between fingers, swirling around in slow it in slow circles. She moved down the row of building, glaring at them.
Muggles.
Disgusting little creatures, thinking they were on top of the world, the best, creations finest. How little they knew. They were just scratching on the surface of a real world, hidden from them, from their greedy little hands. But that would all change soon. Soon the master would rise and his loyal followers would rise with him, be on top of the world and she would help him there. For her master and her love.
She stopped in front of a single house. It looked exactly like all the other houses in the row. The same roof, the same walls, the same doors and windows. An automobile was placed in the driveway and the hedges were neatly trimmed. Through the window, she saw a single man and a single woman in the living room. Nothing out of the ordinary.
But there was something for a person who had fine magical senses. While all the other houses were dull and barren, like boring empty boxes those were, like the shells of what a real house should be like, this one was brimmed with magic. Wards, powerful and mighty were drawn around the corners of the land. Each of it nasty and dangerous, drawn with magic so powerful, it was almost forgotten today. To the magic eye, here between the rows of simple disgusting muggle homes was a fortress, with strong walls and powerful defences.
Or at least they should be. But like a battlement that wasn't maintained well, it was crumbling. There were cracks and gaps everywhere, the spikes dull, the trip wires lose, the water drained from the moat. It was only the shell of formerly strong wards, neglected and left to rot. If they had been in their prime, the woman knew she wouldn't be able to even set a single step onto this small piece of land. She would have died a horrible and very quick death if she had sturred the magic that was lying in every stone and piece of dirt.
But it wasn't in it's prime, so her steps took her over the edge of the property. Still, she held her breath when she did so, some small piece of her mind telling her, that she would maybe die. She paused when her foot hit the ground. But nothing lance of pure energy, no cracking of power, evaporating her entire being into nothingness.
She let go of her breath, before resuming to whistle in a low way. Her feet carried her over to the white door, reaching out and ringing the doorbell. She stopped whistling and smiled a cruel smile when she heard the sound of shoes on the floor and the smile turned crueller and wider when a brown-haired woman opened the door.
Andromeda Tonks let go of a breath she had held in her lungs for a moment. She leaned against the counter in her kitchen, only the ticking of the clock and the humming of their fridge disturbing the silence. It was quiet in the muggle neighbourhood, where she and Ted lived for almost twenty years now. It was a nice neighboorhood, quiet and peaceful. They first had moved here in worry for Andromeda's relatives. Their angry letters and the howlers had come to their flat in Diagon Alley and after the older of her two sisters had started sending her worse mail, the decided it would be best to leave and hide in the muggle world.
They had gotten kind of lucky in fact. Ted's parents wanted to move to a smaller place and give them their house for almost free. No one asked a question about Ted living there, they didn't need to file new addresses with the ministry and much much more. Also, Ted knew these people and trusted them. They knew that the Tonks family was a bit quirky, never paying any heat to it. In fact, when Ted started at Hogwarts, his father Adam had started "breeding" owls, in a manner that it wouldn't draw attention to them when a lot of these birds flew in and out. They had kept that sentiment, but it made them the "odd" family in the street. None the less, Andromeda could say, this was her home, more than Greenstreet, the home of her father and mother ever had been.
This was the house, where she and Ted lived and loved together. This was the house where the light of their life, the nightmare of countless sleepless nights, the combination of their love, their wonderful Nymphedora had grown up. Andromeda smiled, thinking about her daughter.
Nymphadora was loud, foul-mouthed and funloving, a light-hearted person with increadiable drive and passion. What she did, she did with all her heart and soul. Andromeda had always been proud of her girl, be it when she walked her first steps, when she tried the first time cooking something for her parents, when she got invited to attend Hogwarts, when she graduated, when she got into Auror Training, every step she walked, Andromeda and her husband had watched with a glowing heart.
Not to say Nymphedora made it easy on them. She had been a rascal in her young years, they had always to keep an eye out, otherwise something in the house got broken, painted, toppled over or done something completely surprising to, especially when her favourite uncle was around.
Puberty had hit her lovely Nymphedora with all its force. Coloured hair, smoking, sneaking out of the house, underaged drinking the whole nine yards with her. But even when she yelled at her, grounded her, wanted to rip her own hair out, Andromeda never stopped being proud of her girl, who walked her own path, something she always encouraged. She didn't want her baby girl to fall into the same trap her sisters had fallen, the same she barely escaped. Walk your own path and see where it takes you, she always told the bouncy girl.
Andromeda smiled, putting the last glass into the washer. And where it had taken her girl. One of the few people getting into Auror school and finally coming home with a man she could smile upon.
Oh yes, Nymphedora had her fair share of...boyfriends, each of which had been...hard to accept. Andromeda had done her best to keep her reservations at bay. She knew she came from an old and stuffy line and she knew it was Nymphedoras place to decide. But a shop owner from Knockturn Alley? Did it had to be? Luckily for Andromeda, Ted had a similar opinion and Nyphemdora with all her rebellious blood dropped him as soon as she decided to be an Auror.
So people must forgive Andromeda that she wasn't all that thrilled about a new boyfriend. When she heard who he was, she frowned deeply. Yes, the Weasleys were a light family and were friends with Sirius. Yes, she shouldn't be prejudiced against them because they were poor, but it was really hard to come by when she grew up a Black, richest family in all of magical Britain.
Also, he was a curse breaker. A fine job, but with this tingle of danger. Since her daughter wanted to be an Auror, Andromeda had hoped that her partner would have a...normal job. A less dangerous one. One that wouldn't keep her awake at night. Why couldn't she settle with someone nice and simple?
But Andromeda shook her head, that was her mother speaking. Nymphadora made her own choices, that was how it should be. Also just because she took a healing profession and her husband was an apothecary, it didn't mean Nymphedora had to live a similar life.
Also, Andromeda had to say, she was more at ease, now that she had met the man her daughter was seeing finally after months. He was tall and handsome, Bill was a fine gentleman. His was very well mannered and you could just see that he wanted Andromeda and Ted to like him. He didn't say a word about the Black family, didn't try to capitalise on the fact that family Black and Weasley were friends, he was just himself. While the Slytherin in her frowned upon it the mother in her applauded the fact. He answered a lot of questions, mostly from Ted and most of those he answered right, a fair amount and even those they disagreed on were mostly questions of opinion.
Also, Andromeda noticed the way her daughter looked at him, which was the biggest part of it. She wasn't hanging from his lips, not lost in his optics or charm. She was her own woman, sitting straight and smirking while he ran the gauntlet of her parents. But at the same time she held his hand through the entire dinner, they had together, sometimes stealing a look over and a smile. It was warmth and mature. It was no dependence on the other but standing together and strong. So she hadn't worried too much when her daughter declared she would spend the night at Williams house.
It was all Andromeda had ever hoped for her little girl, she thought with a smile, closing the washer.
Andromeda put down her apron and walked over into the living room, a glass wine in her hand. Ted was sitting on the couch, reading a book. When his wife came in, he snapped it closed, putting it to the side. Ted wasn't an exceptional man. He wasn't particularly tall or handsome, like some of the pureblood aristocrats were. No, he was a middleaged man, with a fleeing hairline and a slight belly, but he was something that made up and more for his looks.
He was her love. Meeting each other at Hogwarts, they had quickly turned from associates to friends and from friends to lovers. Their love had been a secret up until their weeding day, when she ran away from home and they married quietly, just the two of them. It had been stressful, it had been heartbreaking, it had killed her inside to leave her family.
And she would do it all again in a heartbeat for him.
She smiled as she sat down next to him, pulling her legs up and snuggling into his side. Her husband's arm came around her, hugging her close. She felt his lips against her head when he kissed her temple.
"Well hello, beautiful." He whispered she could hear his smile. He wasn't wrong. Andromeda Tonks was a beauty. Long brown hair, a figure like an hourglass and a fair complexion, she was every man's dream. A long history of "good breeding" saw to it.
Still, his were the only compliments to her beauty that had every charmed a smile on her face. She hummed in enjoyment, snuggling even closer.
"Hello, there handsome." She retorted with a chuckle and they sat there comfortable with each other and the silence that followed. They were married for twenty years, they didn't need to fill every possible moment with words. Years of a silent understanding and a marriage that was strong and confidant saw to it. For about five minutes they just sat there, she was slowly drinking her wine while his thumb rubbed over her shoulder.
"I think tonight went well." She finally broke the silence. The rubbing stopped for a moment, then Ted continued.
"I think so too love. I like William." He agreed with her. Then again, quietly followed. It was all they needed to say. Andromeda sat down her wineglass turning to her husband with a gleam in her eyes and a smile on her face.
"You know...since we have the house to ourselves tonight..." She let the words trail off, her smile broadening. Ted looked her into the warm brown eyes and after a short raise of his eyebrow in surprise, his face was also adorned with a smile.
"Do I hear right? The noble Andromeda Black wishes to play dirty?" He asked with a grin on his face, leaning closer, the last words whispered. Andromeda's smile got wider as she leaned closer, her arms wrapped around his shoulders.
"That Mr Tonks you will have to find out by yourself." She said as his arms came around her pulling her in. Their lips were almost touching when-
*RIIIIIING*
The doorbell made them both jump slightly. They both turned their head, eyeing the clock.
"Who could that be at elven in the afternoon. Do we expect someone?" Ted asked his wive, but she only shook her head. She leaned closer, giving him a peck on the lips.
"Probably Miss Hammond, returning the cake tin I borrowed her yesterday. Don't go away, Mister." She said with a suggestive purr, before climbing off her husband.
"Wouldn't dream of it, honey." He said with a smile on his face, watching Andromeda move out of the room. She walked down the corridor and turned on the lights for the front door. Unlocking it, she pulled it open to reveal a dark-haired smiling figure.
"Hello, Andy."
Here it is. Again I'm very sorry for the long wait, it took me some time to get into the groove again but man did I find it in the end. The first half was really hard to write, I knew from the start what I would do, but had no interest in writing it, because just typing down is really really boring.
Of course, the song isn't written by myself. It is taken from the pages of the Lord of the Rings. Or the Hobbit, I forgot myself, but definitely made by J.R.R. Tolkin.
So yeah, Harry is an ass. We will continue for I hope 2-3 chapters with this Harry. I know I keep saying it but it is almost done. I'm on a limited time schedule now thank some I did in this chapter. You will see why. Also, I have only a few points left on my Harry is a dick agenda. Those should all be in the next chapter. I hope. These keep getting longer than I think they do.
First I wanted the confrontation with Malfoy to be WHILE they were holding the brooms, so Malfoy finding out. I stopped myself there because it would manoeuvre myself in a problematic position. Once again as you noticed, Harry struck him first.
Fun fact, when I named Sara and Lara I wasn't planning on so similar names. I named the first wandered away from the keyboard and named the other sometime later only noticing the riming when I wrote this chapter. Since they are minor characters and pretty interchangebale a saw no need to change it.
Also Ginny realised something in this chapter, something Harry hasn't and worse she came to the wrong conclusion in the face of this realisation. That will come to blow soon.
Ah yes, mysterious figure. You have no idea how hard it is to write something interesting and at the same time vague. So often I had to stop myself so I wouldn't give away something mayor there.
Andromeda was the most fun to write. It just pours out of me, 2000 words in under an hour. It was really fun and I love giving minor characters more backstory and filling them with life. I have a certain picture in my mind about every character what they are like and so on. Some are detailed others are super vague, but it is really fun to extend on one of these pictures and give it something to live by.
Did you like my return, what did you dislike, what could be better, what are your predictions or thoughts, let me know.
Next up:
A mark in the sky