A/N: Hello lovely ladies and gentlemen, it's me and I have arrived with the chapter following the aftermath of the article! Yes, I know, I cut it at an awful time, but this chapter, I hope, makes up for it.
This update is in honour of one of my dearest friend's birthday, it's this weekend and I would like to wish her a very Happy Birthday and I hope she likes the update!
Disclaimer: I'm not J.K, but you know this plot is mine :P
Warning: Slash, mentions of violence, language – the usual!
Parsel
Chapter 37:
He should have known that Dumbledore's absence from the Great Hall was more than just the man having a hissy fit, he cursed to himself. Of course the old man would be latching on to his precious weapon in desperate times, if things came crashing down for him it would be Harry as the scape goat, which meant the man had to come up with a plan. A plan that involved Harry. Harry cursed his luck, he had things to do, he was supposed to be meeting with Lucius tonight, he needed to get the final article sent off for Rita to work her magic. The headmaster was on his last limbs now so he was extremely unpredictable, and unpredictable meant dangerous. Harry had informed Luna of where he was going, she was going to wait for him in his rooms and if he didn't come back within an hour she was going to alert the others. Harry sighed as he got to the statue and took a deep breath, he had to get it together and be prepared for anything.
"Acid Pops," the gargoyle leapt aside and Harry ascended the spiral staircase, he knocked politely and sneered when the grandfatherly voice called for him to enter. That wouldn't do, he took another deep breath to centre himself, and, after altering his expression, Harry stepped in with a small smile.
"Good evening, sir," He greeted, taking the seat he was pointed to. He noticed immediately that the old man was tense, his blue eyes were twinkling madly, insanely almost and Harry was immediately on edge. He forced himself to remain relaxed, not to show anything was afoot and kept his expression clear.
"Good evening, Harry, how are you my boy?" Dumbledore asked and even his voice held a strained note, this wasn't good, Harry noted.
"I'm ok, thanks, sir." Harry replied, keeping his voice soft and warm, despite his instincts telling him to get out of that room. "Um, how are you, sir? You seemed stressed earlier." He didn't want to ask that, but it was expected of him, he was supposed to care when the man was not at his best instead of rejoicing.
"I am feeling much better now, thank you, Harry." Dumbledore answered and it was obvious he forced himself to remain calm. "Rita Skeeter seemed to have gained a taste for attacking me needlessly. It is unfortunate, but nothing I cannot handle."
"She should have been fired a long time ago." Harry said, scowling at the wall.
"She is in place to sell papers, nothing more." Dumbledore assured him, "Just like with yourself, she will eventually become bored."
"I hope so, this is getting ridiculous. I mean, who does she think she is!?" Harry exclaimed, "Shouldn't the ministry shut her down?"
"Cornelius is more interested in saving his own rapidly crumbling image, that stopping Rita Skeeter from trying to get at me is the least of his priorities." Dumbledore told him, and Harry frowned.
"Sounds about right, Fudge would only save his own skin."
"The happenings of the ministry is not what I called you up here for, however." Dumbledore said, obviously wanting to get on to the topic in which he wanted. "I called you up here to see if you could satisfy an old man with tea." Harry had to squash a shudder of disgust; that was really worded wrong. Just the mere thought, oh good Merlin that was horrific. Harry ignored the questioning feeling Tom sent him and focused on the headmaster.
"Of course, sir. I would be happy too." He agreed instead of voicing his actual thought process. Harry knew better than to actually drink anything, if it wasn't dosed with Veritaserum then he wasn't a Potter.
"Wonderful, wonderful," Dumbledore said pleased. He poured out the tea and handed Harry his, placing biscuits on the desk between them. "Biscuit?"
"No thank you, sir. I ate too much treacle tart." Harry said with a sheepish grin, and Dumbledore chuckled. Harry blinked when he felt the brush of a compulsion spell, it sank in to his mind and urged him to drink the tea, it didn't stick however, and Harry thanked the parsel spell for keeping his mind safe. He followed the compulsion anyway, but he vanished the liquid as soon as it touched his tongue. It had taken him weeks to learn how to do that trick, but he had eventually gotten the hang of it when he had gone for broke and sipped basilisk venom. His survival instincts had kicked in right there.
"So, Harry, how are your studies coming along?" Dumbledore inquired, setting the pace for this meeting.
"I'm doing ok, I think." Harry said humbly, "Defence is the best."
"Professor Drield has been well received by all the students. He is a very pleasant man." Dumbledore mused and Harry had the mad urge to laugh at that, if only Dumbledore knew. Harry couldn't wait for the day when it came out that the Dark Lord had been teaching, that all of the students and all of the staff loved him and that the man was actually brilliant.
"He's an amazing teacher, one of the best I think we've ever had!" Harry said with excitement, "And, I don't think this one wants to attack me."
"Yes, yes, that is a wonderful success in itself." Dumbledore agreed jovially, "You haven't had the best track record with defence teachers, have you, dear boy?"
"They generally don't seem to like me, no." Harry said ruefully, and he felt the compulsion grow stronger so he took a bigger gulp before vanishing it again. The process was made harder by the fact that he had to muffle his magic as he vanished the liquid or Dumbledore would know something was amiss. Harry knew the effects of Veritaserum had on the body so he became more relaxed and made his eyes glaze over, and Dumbledore's eyes flashed in triumph. The old man sat back and continued the discussion, asking menial questions that seemed innocent enough and Harry answered them, making sure to keep his voice relatively flat as he spoke. The questions began to get more personal and the compulsion was strengthen so he finished the tea and set it down, making himself fully lax and then Dumbledore truly began.
"I have noticed, and excuse an old man for being interested, that you no longer spend time with Miss Weasley." Dumbledore noted, and Harry only just stopped himself from tensing, he didn't like where this was going, "You seemed to get on very well."
"Yeah, Ginny's great. I like her a lot." Harry told him, the generic answer coming to his lips unconsciously.
"You have a more personal interest?" Dumbledore asked.
"I dunno," Harry answered, "I really do like her, but I have so much to do and I don't want her getting hurt, I would never forgive myself if she was killed."
"I am sure you would do your utmost to look after her." Dumbledore pointed out.
"I would do anything to keep her safe. I can't have her getting hurt, and after Halloween…" Harry shuddered, "No, she's safer far away from me." The words made him feel ill, but Dumbledore lapped them up, stroking his beard thoughtfully.
"I see," Dumbledore murmured, nodding more to himself than in answer to Harry's words. There was a look that came to Dumbledore's eye that Harry didn't like at all, it was a look of desperation and Harry didn't have time to react before he felt the old man's magic flare and he found himself frozen in place. He internally cursed, he tried to counter it without flaring his own magic but it just wasn't possible. He jabbed at the connection for Swift and Paws and they answered immediately.
Dumbledore's got me frozen to the chair, I don't know what he plans to do. This could go bad. He told them, making sure to watch every move the old man made. He rose to his feet and pointed his wand at Harry, he regarded him almost thoughtfully as Harry looked up at him with portrayed confusion. In actual fact he was fuming, it was taking everything he had not to destroy the office and burn the old man.
Shit! Swift cursed, Can you not break it?
Not without flaring my magic, and then he'll know. Harry responded.
We'll be in your rooms, Paws told him, We'll plan for anything. Harry just had time to hear Dumbledore speaking.
"Rita just had to speed up my plans." Dumbledore muttered, "I was having you groomed perfectly, but she just had to get in the way." Harry was really trying to get out of the spell without alerting Dumbledore, but it just wasn't working, and the old man was losing it.
"I can't get rid of her, and if I get torn down now, it leaves you, my precious weapon, without a guide." Harry really wasn't liking the direction Dumbledore was taking, his panic must have leaked through because Tom sent an insistent jab of questioning to which Harry responded with a flare of uncertainty and a touch of worry.
"This is for the best." Dumbledore told him, his tone matter of fact. "I need you to comply with my vision, and your fortune is part of that vision." Harry was swarmed with the oily magic of a heavy compulsion charm seeping in to his skin, it felt like it was crawling over his body and sinking in to his brain. It was telling him to go out with Ginny, to date her and sleep with her in the hope that she conceives. It told him to start a family with her, to conceive a child and do the right thing by her and his new child. It wasn't just a compulsion charm, it was a web, weaving around him, with layers of meaning and Harry couldn't stop his shudder and it tried to trap him but was blocked by his protection spell.
"This is for the Greater Good." Dumbledore stated, before waving his wand again, "Obliviate," Harry relaxed completely, letting his eyes fog over as he sank back in to the chair. Dumbledore's voice whispered in his mind telling him he felt a little sick, and that he should excuse himself to lie down. The old man retook his seat and settled himself back in to the grandfatherly mask he wore every day, Harry burned with such hatred that he barely caught his magic from lashing out and he forced himself to remain calm. He centred himself with an enormous amount of difficulty, he took a deep breath and 'came around', blinking owlishly and shaking his head.
"Are you quite alright, my boy?" Dumbledore inquired kindly, his voice lined with concern.
"So sorry, headmaster, I just feel really ill." Harry said to him, his voicing wavering just slightly in an effort to control his anger. Dumbledore gained a look of concern and peered over his half-moon spectacles at Harry.
"That is quite ok. Why don't you run back to your rooms? I expect it's been a long day." Dumbledore said sympathetically and Harry nodded.
"Thanks sir," He said and he left the room swiftly. He got to the bottom of the stair case before his shaking limbs became apparent and he was forced to lean back against the wall. Harry took several deep breaths but it was to no use for him, if anything it just made him angrier as he listened to the man's sprouted words in his head over and over. He wanted to rage and storm, to show Dumbledore just how screwed he actually was, to crush the old man and all of his plans in one fail swoop. The logical side of his mind was telling him to get back to his rooms and get to safety, while the primal side of his mind was calling for blood, and logic was rapidly losing face.
"Harry?"
Harry's attention snapped to the sound of a soft voice, and he nearly breathed in relief. Luna was stood with her hand stretched out and Harry all but lunged to take it, her calming magic washing over him and soothing him, stopping his mind from whirling. She led him back to his rooms and as soon as the door was sealed, Luna stepped away and Harry's magic just exploded out of him, tearing in to the room and making the occupants of the room throw up shields to protect themselves. It took a while before it was safe to drop the shields, but even then Harry's magic was still dancing around him and the teen was pacing.
"What did he do to you?" Paws questioned and Harry released a snort of derision.
"You mean other than informing me that he plans to take my fortune and that I'm his precious weapon?" Harry hissed sardonically, his voice only just staying in English.
"He what?" Swift demanded and Harry laughed coldly.
"Oh yes, Rita and her article have pushed up his plans, and I, the precious weapon, cannot be left without a guide." Harry informed them and they scowled.
"But why did he freeze you?" Paws asked and Luna gasped, alerting Harry that she knew.
"This one was particularly nice of him." Harry said, "Dumbledore upgraded this time, he decided to go with a lovely little compulsion web instead of just a charm." Paws gasped and Swift hissed.
"How many layers?"
"At least two, but there could have been a third that I didn't recognise in anger." Harry said, his magic spiking in his anger.
"What was it centred on? What did you manage to get out of it?" Paws questioned, fearing the answer as Harry's anger was so great.
"Dumbledore wishes me to date and sleep with Ginny," Harry told them, mock brightly and they both sucked in a sharp breath through their teeth, Luna was already clutching the arm of the sofa.
"He has to be fucking kidding me!" Swift fumed, and Harry laughed high and cold.
"That wasn't even the best thing." Harry said, his magic growing thick and tense.
"What do you mean?" Paws demanded, "That's practically rape!"
"Oh no, Dumbledore wants me to conceive. He wants me to have a baby and do right by my new family. And then he obliviated me." Utter silence met his words as all three of them looked at him in horrified disgust.
"What are you going to do?" Luna whispered, her voice shaking slightly, and Harry laughed again, his voice taking on a hysterical note.
"I have absolutely no idea." He exclaimed, "How am I supposed to work around a solid web that, unless I had broken all of his enchantments, would be active immediately? You can guarantee that he would have informed Ginny of the changes and she's going to be back faster than you can blink."
"This is it!" Swift moaned, "He's done it this time."
"I'm dead, it's as simple as that." Harry stated, "I won't touch her, I physically can't make myself go there." Harry shook his head rapidly, "I-I-I just can't do that, and he'll know, when I don't give in to the spell, he know and he'll come after me." Harry tugged at his hair with both hands, the horrible realisation that even after everything he had done it wasn't enough hitting him and he retched. Luna was next to him in an instant, rubbing his back and handing him a glass of water.
"Don't you dare give up on me, Harry Potter-Black." Luna told him harshly, "This is not it, and you will not die. We will think of something, and we will get through this – together." Harry nodded, breathing slowly and calmly as her unique magic soothed him. He span around when Paws gasped, her eyes were wide and she had gone very pale.
"What? What is it?" He demanded, not wanting to hear anything else negative that evening.
"The Dark Lord," She breathed and Harry blinked a few times, he was momentarily confused and then it hit him.
"Oh fuck!" He cursed, he covered his face with his hands and groaned. This could not be happening. "And I missed my fucking meeting. Dammit Dumbledore." Harry kicked the table sending it across the room.
"He is not going to be happy." Swift sighed and Harry released a noise of disbelief in the back of his throat.
"That's a fucking understatement, if ever I heard one." Harry muttered, "Only the other day he informed me that while he was using me that I belong to him, granted I informed him otherwise but I doubt it registered."
"Using you? Is he bli-, Ouch!" Whatever Swift was saying was cut off by Paws stamping on his foot, she gave him a look that told him to shut up and Swift shrugged and looked down. Harry gave them an odd look, but he pushed it away as he had other things on his mind at that moment. One of them being how to explain to a slightly violent Dark Lord that he had to impregnate a girl he hated.
"I must have been a fucking bastard in a past like," Harry complained.
"You need to get rid of your anger before the rest of the room collapses." Swfit told him, and Harry looked around the room with a wince.
"Right, got it." He vanished in to his room and came back changed in to his jeans and t-shirt.
"We will get working on something to cover this situation." Paws assured him, "Speak to the Dark Lord and reschedule your meeting, we will not lose it now, not after everything."
"Ok, I can do that." Harry said with a nod, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He kissed Luna on the cheek and left the room in a particularly violent swarm of shadows.
"Why did you stamp on me?" Swift demanded of Paws, as soon as he was sure Snake was gone.
"You have to have noticed how oblivious they are?" Paws said, with a roll of her eyes, "We have to let them figure out for themselves. You know if you told Harry what has happened he would deny it, call us crazy and generally react badly."
"She has a valid point," Luna agreed, "He's not ready, and when he is we'll know."
"I feel for him." Swift sighed, "It's not fair,"
"I know, but I think, in the end, it will be ok." Paws said.
"In other news, following where Snake has gone." Swift said, a smirk curling on to his face, "How long do you think Ginny is going to last this time?" the two girls laughed coldly.
"Not long at all."
His shadows flared out around the room as Harry stepped out, he waved his hands and they vanished in to nothing, not being able to control them with a thought in his fury.
"What happened?" Tom demanded, he had obviously been in wait for the teen. "You're emotions have been bouncing around almost dizzyingly."
"Dumbledore happened," Harry bit out, clenching and flexing his fingers.
"What has the old fool done this time? Minus his outbreak this morning, I have not heard from him whatsoever."
"Oh no, you wouldn't have. No," Harry shook his head with a nasty smile, "He was rethinking his master plan, and has come up with an oh so great idea."
"You are his master plan." Tom pointed out slowly, and Harry's smile stretched but it wasn't a nice look.
"Exactly," Harry said, "And the precious weapon cannot be without a guide, so the old man needs a plan. He spiked my drink and ended with a nice little Obliviate." Tom's eyes narrowed and Harry released a muted scream, his magic flared and crushed the table in to dust.
"Duel me," Tom ordered, "You cannot go around like this." To illustrate his point, Harry's magic fluxed again and broke the sofa. Harry hissed before his wand was out and he flicked a particularly vicious curse at the Dark Lord's head, it didn't even come close to hitting its mark, of course, but the duel began. Their spells flew between them furiously, the magic in the air flaring and crackling in the high emotion and neither of them seemed to get a decent hit on the other. It was like a dance, as they span and twisted to avoid oncoming spells, graceful and deadly and each of their movements was so very unique. Tom eventually had Harry out, twisting so his wand was at his throat and his arm hand around his wrist. They were both breathing rapidly, and their magic settled around them slowly.
"Just what exactly did the old fool wish for you to forget?" Tom asked him quietly, and Harry laughed without humour.
"You mean other than informing me that he wanted my fortune and that I was being groomed?" Harry questioned sardonically, "Well Dumbledore, in all his wisdom, thought it would be a great idea to weave a little compulsion web around me." They still hadn't moved from their position from the end of the duel so Harry felt Tom tense behind him, and the hand on his wrist grew just that little bit tighter.
"And just what is this compulsion web for?" Tom inquired lightly.
"It seems Dumbledore wishes me to date and sleep with Ginny, in the hope that she conceives a child." Harry told him brightly, and the Dark Lord went completely still. It took around three seconds for Harry's words to completely register in his mind before he was livid.
"He did what!" He snarled and Harry nodded.
"Oh yes, and it was a strong one too, with layers. Wants me to do right by my 'family' once she's pregnant." The hand gripping Harry's wrist became painful and Harry found himself span around, his lips claimed in a demanding and possessive kiss. He was backed in to the wall with force and in retaliation he yanked at Tom's hair and roughly bit his lip drawing a low hiss from the man. Harry infused his hand with magic and ripped away Tom's robes and shirt, leaving angry scratch marks in his wake, and his neck was bitten hard enough to draw blood, the pain blowing away in to shooting pleasure.
Tom's hands ran all over his body getting progressively lower until they slid down his legs and lifted the teen, Harry wrapped his legs around Tom and was pulled back for another searing kiss. He sucked on his tongue gaining a low moan for his action, and he rolled his hips, pulling himself closer to Tom as he did so. The sudden cold on his skin made Harry gasp, Tom had vanished his clothes and was kissing and biting down the pale skin. Magic swarmed around him and Harry felt wet and clear, and that was the only warning he got before he was thrust in to. His head dropped back as he cried out, a burning pain spreading up his spine mixing with dizzying pleasure, and Harry dragged his nailed down Tom's neck and along his collar making the man hiss.
"Snake," Tom's low, husky voice held a moan and it sent shivers down his spine, Harry sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth. Tom pulled back and slammed in to him, and Harry yelled out, his grip tightening on Tom's shoulders, digging his nails in and easily breaking the skin. He set the pace, hard and brutal and it made Harry burn for more. He begged for it, needing more pain, more pleasure, demanding that Tom go harder, that he go deeper, and he screamed when Tom hit that spot that lit him on fire.
"Fuck!" Harry swore, "Tom, shit, Tom," he felt himself getting closer to the edge as Tom repeatedly hit that spot that made him scream with pleasure, it was building in his stomach.
"Cum for me," Tom ordered, his voice low and husky, tight with his own growing release. Harry came with a shout, his body falling forward as his muscles clamped down around Tom, milking the man of his seed. Tom bit down viciously on Harry's neck, riding out his own release as Harry clutched him like a lifeline. He licked the fresh bite mark, soothing it with his tongue and Harry shuddered, pulling himself closer.
Mine, Tom whispered in parsel, his voice ghosting over the mark he had created, and Harry moaned, his mind fogged and groggy. You're mine, Snake.
Yes, Harry hissed in to the man's neck. Right now, that didn't sound like such a bad thing, but he missed Tom's triumphant smirk as they apparated away.
He was actually out of his mind, Harry decided, as he climbed through his portrait hole the next morning. He was aching slightly, and his head was still spinning, he could feel the numerous bruises dickering his body as he moved and he groaned. He didn't want to be up at this time of day, it was too early and he had too much going on. He had forced himself up out of the very comfortable position in Tom's arms and dragged his unwilling body out of the man's rooms. Tom had an emergency staff meeting, and to keep everything in order he decided to go straight away; much to both of their displeasures. He slapped himself as he dropped down, face first, on to the sofa, he needed to sort himself out.
This was getting ridiculous. What was he even doing? Every single time Tom had claimed he belonged to him, Harry had rejected the notion immediately, but yesterday, when Tom got possessive over him being with Ginny he had relished in it, something he really shouldn't do. This was casual, it was working out of mutual benefit and as soon as Dumbledore was out and they could relax and it would be done. He swore to himself that he would not become one of those people that got caught up in the Dark Lord, and he had a sinking feeling he was becoming almost reliant on the pleasure and the moment.
"You're back," Luna noted and Harry made a noise that she, and the other two took as a positive answer.
"What's up?" Swift asked, "We didn't expect you back yet."
"I wasn't supposed to be." Harry told them, slowly pushing himself up, "Tom has an emergency staff meeting." He slumped against the arm of the sofa and his three friends sucked in a sharp breath. "What?"
"Your neck." Paws gasped, and Harry's hand flew to the bite mark with a curse.
"Yeah," He tugged at his head sheepishly, turning away, "I'm a fucking idiot."
"What have you done?"
"I've been too caught up in the moment," Harry sighed and there was silence after that.
"It's not that bad." Paws hedged, and Harry gave her a deadpan look and she shrugged. "I'm trying to be helpful."
"Not a lot you can say." Harry pointed out, "What the fucking hell does it look like?"
"It looks like a claiming bite." Swift pointed out unnecessarily and Harry groaned.
"Exactly!" Harry sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. The others shared a look.
"You can hide it if you don't like it." Luna said, "You do with the rest of the marks."
"That's the point!" Harry burst out, jumping up, "I don't not like it! I don't understand it, but it's like it's supposed to be there. I can't – I don't – it's just…" Harry tugged at his hair and looked at Luna almost desperately, "I don't get it, help me!" Luna sat him back down and covered his hands, which were clutching his head, with her own and looked him in the eye.
"I will always help you." She told him, "Now take a deep breath, and calm down." Harry did as he was told, and settled himself. "You will be ok, and you will grow to understand what is going on." He nodded and took another deep breath.
"Ok, I'm cool. I have this." Harry said, "It's just so strange, it's an odd feeling. I don't think I've had it before." Harry said, frowning slightly, missing the significant look his friends' shared. He cursed himself, he didn't like this confusion and it was Tom's fault. He needed a clear head, he needed his wits about him and he needed to focus – something he couldn't do with and around Tom it seemed. He shouldn't have let the mark be given to him and he really shouldn't have agreed when the man said Harry was his, but he did both. Harry got up and dropped down in front of the fireplace, watching the flames as they destroyed the wood fuelling it, tilting his head from side to side as he watched the different shapes created.
"I think I will have to stay away from him from now on." Harry said after a moment of thought, and the three of them looked at him in shock.
"Really?" Paws said surprised, looking at the other two in concern.
"Yes, it's getting out of hand, and I need to keep my head clear. Things are getting too dangerous." Harry mused.
"Whoa Snake, are you sure?" Swift questioned, and Harry nodded. "But why? I mean, you are having fun and it's not hurting anyone."
"I said I wouldn't lose myself." Harry said and they frowned at his back.
"You haven't." Paws said slowly. "You are still you, you don't belong to him."
"But I said I did." Harry whispered, and with that he got up and vanished in to his bedroom leaving a stunned group behind.
"Did he just say what I think he said?" Paws said in disbelief, and the other two nodded.
"Yes he did."
"This is bad." Luna said slowly, "This is moving too quickly, and he is not going to be able to understand what's happening."
"This could go two ways, neither of them are looking particularly promising." Paws murmured, "And one is too horrible to even think about."
"The sad thing is he doesn't even realise. He doesn't recognise what he's going through, or what he puts himself through." Swift sighed, "Isn't there any way we can help him?"
"We can only be patient. I will go through things with when I can, but he has to learn everything on his own, even if it takes time. If we tell him, he won't understand and reject, he has to be able to feel and identify on his own." Luna said with a despondent shrug, "The best we can do is buy him time."
"Do you think he will actually call it off?" Swift asked, and Luna shook her head.
"No, he's confused at the moment, and he doesn't like feeling that way. But, as you've just heard, he's too attached, even if he doesn't realise it." Luna said.
"Why do you say that?" Paws questioned and Luna tilted his head.
"Because Harry was worried he would get caught up in the man's magic, he was worried he would become just another face in the crowd, someone who relies on the Dark Lord's attention to function; but we know it's not true and so will he once he's thought it all out." Luna explained, "He doesn't rely on the man, he's not caught up in being around the Dark Lord; it doesn't define him. And we all know he will never become just another face in the crowd."
"Isn't that the truth?" Swift snorted, "The way he looks at him."
"Yes, but look at his emotional growth." Paws said and Swift snorted again.
"What emotional growth?" He asked rhetorically, "It's a question to who is worse between the pair of them."
"It's also a question to who realises that their so called 'casual' affair, isn't so casual anymore." Paws pointed out. "Good Merlin, why is it always us that have to do clean up?"
"We've been doing it since eleven." Swift said, "I would have thought you would have been used to it by now."
"This is all good conversation." Luna said, "As much as I do love trying to work out what goes on in Snake mind, does anyone else remember why Snake went last night?" they both paled and Swift cursed.
"I have no idea how we are going to be able to work around this one." Paws groaned, "This is a whole new level, and if Harry doesn't follow what he supposedly has been compelled to do then Dumbledore will cotton on immediately."
"He's getting desperate. This article has pushed him over the edge, and he has to watch his queen." Swift muttered, "He's placed himself as the king and our pieces are getting to many checks on him, he's panicking and he wants Harry tied to his Kingside Castle so he has an out."
"Carry on," Paws said, looking at him.
"It's simple, if this pushes Dumbledore out and he no longer has main control over Harry, he not only loses his weapon, he loses his weapon's assets. With Harry tied to Ginny, and a child on the way, he gains the Potter, Black, Peverell and Gryffindor seats, vaults and properties and all the secrets that go with them, because Ginny is his fully." Swift explained, "This is his failsafe, and I doubt she would even carry the chid to term, but it would be enough for the Golden Boy to sign everything over. He wouldn't disown it."
"But Harry won't sleep with her, he won't be able to." Luna pointed out, "And there will be no way that Dumbledore will not know."
"This is so fucked."
"Harry wanted Dumbledore out of the castle by Yule, it is the only way we even have a chance." Paws stated, "Problem is, we only have a week and a bit."
"We'll need to plan with Snake, things need to move faster than ever." Swift said, "Venom, Bleach, Badger and the twins need to be updated and the priority becomes removing Dumbledore while keeping ourselves alive."
"Snake was supposed to be meeting with Lord Malfoy yesterday evening, he will still need to do that and, I hope, that will be the push needed." Luna told them.
"Very well, we need to plan for Ginny." Paws said.
"It depends on if she's still alive to even factor in our plans." Luna said with a cold smirk, and Paws raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"I do not know if you saw the mark Harry came back with, this morning, but I do not think the Dark Lord is in agreement to sharing." Luna pointed out and the other two shared smirks.
"You make a good point, Raven." Swift murmured gleefully, "I'll be surprised if she makes it in to next week."
"It will be a problem if she doesn't." Paws said, "Who knows what Dumbledore will do to Harry without her."
"Oh Merlin, I don't want to know." Swift said with a shudder.
"We'll plan for everything." Paws said, snapping back to business, "We'll have to remain focused and on point, we have multiple possibilities, and we will have to factor in an erratic, slightly unstable Dark Lord to anything and everything we do."
"I believe I am perfectly stable, thank you very much." A cold, drawing voice spoke from behind them. Swift yelped, Luna screamed and Paws squeaked in shock, and they all span around to see the Dark Lord, in all his glory, stood looking at them with a raised eyebrow.
"Um, sorry?" Paws ventured, when she eventually found her voice, and Tom rolled his eyes.
"Where is he?" He asked, focusing on the reason for him being there.
"Hibernating." Luna answered and Tom blinked.
"Hibernating?" He repeated, and Luna nodded with a shrug.
"Yes, he's thinking."
Tom looked to the heavens as if asking for strength and sighed.
"Honestly, do you have to schedule everything he does?" He questioned Luna, and the girl laughed lightly.
"He does remember, he's just working things out." Luna said, "But mostly, I do keep him up together, yes." Tom shook his head and walked towards the bedroom muttering to himself.
"Dear Merlin, I asked for one surprise a week, one! Is that too much to ask?" He muttered before vanishing in to the room, the three of them exchanged looks as they heard muffled speech, a flare of magic and a muted thump. The door was open again and they say Harry being dragged out, with very little resistance from the teen in question, by a triumphant looking Dark Lord.
"Apparently I don't sleep here anymore." Harry told them, rolling his eyes as Tom tugged him closer and wrapped an arm around his waist, "I have to meet with Lucius, but I'll come back and we can plan from that. Alert the others; Dumbledore is now priority."
"Got it," Paws said and then the pair of them were gone.
"Anyone going to comment?" Swift asked and they shook their heads.
"Nope."
"I'll fetch Venom, Luna get Draco and the twins, Paws get Badger. We'll meet back here in ten minutes just to brief up and outline some plans." Swift decided and the girls nodded. He left in his own shadows and appeared back at the Sanctuary, Venom didn't need to double up on his days because he wasn't on Dumbledore's radar. The House of Zabini has always been neutral. Swift skipped up the stairs to the training room and he wasn't surprised to see Venom going through his regular exercises and he took a moment to stand back and admire him. Blaise Zabini was a very good looking individual, he was highly sought after by both male and female, and Ron wasn't one to ignore that.
But, despite many willing bodies, Zabini seemed to be chasing him. He didn't fall for his charms immediately, despite the other teen being ridiculously charming, and he waited to see how Blaise responded. He was used to people falling all over him, after all. Ron was surprised when the Italian teen only seemed to get more interested, he continued his advances and Ron found himself melting slowly. Little gifts and heated looks had become a daily thing and Ron could see himself dating Blaise, the teen was a lot different to what rumours said, but then again, so was he. As much as he wanted to continue to watch Venom train, they had things to be getting on with and so he walked further in to the room and flashed red sparks.
"Hey," Venom greeted with a smile, "I thought you were with Snake?"
"I was, I've come to get you." Swift said, trying to ignore how that smile made him feel, "We got problems."
"When don't we have problems?" Venom asked rhetorically, waving wand to correct his appearance, "What's going on now?"
"Dumbledore's gotten to Snake and we need to plan." Swift said and Venom's eyes widened.
"Damn," He jumped down off the platform and rushed over, "Let's go." Swift grabbed his arm and they vanished in to the shadows. They landed in Snake's rooms and the others were already there, and each of them had a look of worry on their faces. Venom threw himself down on the sofa and Swift sat at his feet, leaning back against his legs without a thought.
"So what's going on?" Draco asked, "Raven was less clear than usual."
"We have a major problem." Paws began, "After the article yesterday, Dumbledore got to Snake."
"What!"
"Got to him?"
"Do we need a break out mission?"
"We need to get moving now!"
"Whoa, calm it." Swift exclaimed, "Snake is fine-ish."
"Explain, now!" Badger ordered.
"Dumbledore weaved a heavy compulsion web around Snake, he's backing himself up."
"Shit!" the twins cursed, "A web?"
"Yes, with at least two layers, possibly three." Swift confirmed.
"Oh dear," Bleach muttered, "But that wouldn't be too much of a problem on its own. What did the compulsion contain?"
"That is where the problem lies." Paws said with a grimace, "The web is for Harry to date and sleep with Ginny, in the hope that she conceives a child, and then to do 'right' by her and his new family." They looked at her in shock horror and she nodded.
"We're screwed." Badger stated.
"Pretty much." Paws agreed, "We need a miracle."
"So what's Snake's take on this?"
"He's having his own sort of panic as well as trying to deal with his fucked up emotions." Swift told them and Bleach sighed.
"Wonderful, that is just what we need." He said, "If he snaps or breaks now, we are all dead."
"We know, I'm working on it but things are moving a lot faster than I thought." Luna said sharply.
"What do you mean?" Venom asked, and Luna bit her lip.
"He's become aware that he is feeling something, he just can't work out what or why." Luna said, "We cannot tell him because he wouldn't believe us and it could end badly, very badly."
"What of Him?" Bleach questioned and Luna shook her head.
"Just as emotionally uniformed." She said, "But he wants Snake, he just doesn't know exactly how much of Snake he wants."
"So basically, in their minds, it's still a casual affair." Fred said slowly.
"But in reality it has become much more." George continued.
"So much more." Paws confirmed.
"So much more?" they repeated together.
"Harry said he belonged to him," She said and they blinked. "He's attached, he just doesn't know how much and in what respect."
"So not only do we have an impossible situation to work around, it is a possibility that Snake will have an emotional breakdown where, depending on when and how, he could either self-destruct or rupture and destroy everything?" Bleach listed, "Have I missed anything?"
"Only that we also have to factor in the fact that the Dark Lord really doesn't like sharing." Paws added and Bleach threw her a withering look.
"Well isn't this wonderful." Badger said mock brightly.
"So what are we going to do?" George questioned.
"The base plan at the current time is pushing Dumbledore out at the fastest possible convenience. I know Snake missed his meeting last night, but he is heading to Malfoy Manor today to work with Lord Malfoy on the final push; fingers crossed." Swift explained, "Now, what we need to do is come up with some counter measures to put in to place so that that final push can be put in to action."
"We have very few options, and all of them extremely risky." Fred pointed out.
"Whatever they are, we would like to hear. We have nothing." Paws said.
"Theirs polyjuice, taking it in turns to be Snake in school hours but there would be getting the actions right and it would still not get around the fact that she is going to expect sex." George began and they nodded.
"Then there is distraction. Keep her distracted at all times, Snake is never alone with her and she is kept busy." Fred continued, "But there is the problem that she, and then Dumbledore, will get suspicious of the distractions. They would begin to question and the last thing Harry needs is to be backed right in to a corner, he would snap."
"Both of those are full of risks, and I don't think we could pull them off," Swift said thoughtfully, his voice lined with frustration, "There are too many variables and if the slightest thing is off then we're done, there won't be any coming back."
"We have one more idea." The twins said, "But it's a long shot again, and it would need something first."
"Go on,"
"A layered illusion. Like the cubes we've made, but different in the fact that we control the illusion with a little help from Ginny herself." Fred suggested.
"How would you even begin to pull that off?" Badger questioned and the twins shared a look.
"That's the problem, we would need a bit of her blood before it could work." George said with a frown.
"But even with her blood, how would that work?" Paws asked, "An illusion has no form, no basis."
"Normal ones don't, the ones we're working on are a bit more complex than just a protected image." George told her.
"Our illusions are more like visions almost, they get buried deep inside the subconscious and stimulate the senses, convincing the brain that they have smelled, tasted, saw, heard and felt everything the illusion is projecting." Fred finished explaining and the others looked at them in amazement.
"That's impossible." Luna whispered and the twins shared a grin.
"It should be, but we have it. With a mix of our own Runes, some ones we've found in the Flamel books and some of Paws', we've managed it." Fred said with a grin.
"We already have the base line, the starter that seeps in to the mind, we just need to build the actual illusion. And for that we need her blood."
"What will her blood do?" Bleach asked.
"The blood, as you all know, if our life force, it can tell everything about us." Fred began, "What we have discovered is that it holds a lot more than just who or what we are, it also holds our very essence. Our thoughts and feelings, our wishes and our memories, and with the use of her blood, we can create the perfect illusion, and give her the exactly what she wants."
"That is amazing." Paws breathed, "You have records of all of this, right?"
"Yes, it is paired with our Erised cubes, which, by the way, are almost finished." George told them.
"This concept was actually an accident from working with those." Fred said with a shrug. The group sat in silence for a few moments, thinking it over in each of their minds.
"Raven, you'll have to get the blood." Swift said suddenly and the group seemed to snap back in to focus. "You are the only one to have reason to go near her, other than me, and Dumbledore is already watching me for any signs for defection."
"I can do that, a small Herbology accident and I can collect some." Luna agreed, "You don't need too much, do you?"
"No, literally a drop will suffice. The Runes will do the rest." Fred assured.
"How long until you can get this up and running?"
"As soon as we have the blood, it can be running within the hour. Building the illusion, with her blood especially, is simple. We are only creating the illusion of sex, we'll have to work with Harry on the other things." George said and they nodded.
"Ok, we have a plan. Have one at the ready, once it's in place we just have to wait on how Snake is going to play, and then plan how it's going to be activated." Paws decided, "We just need to be on our guard. We'll meet back when Snake comes back, we go from there." The group nodded and started to make their way out of the rooms, leaving Luna, Ron and Hermione.
"We can but hope." Luna said with a sigh.
"This is going to be pushing it even for us." Paws muttered, "And with Snake how he is."
"We have to hope." Swift cut in, "We have just over a week to get through before we can get a break."
"But if Dumbledore is not out then it isn't going to be a break." Luna pointed out, "Snake will be trapped, and you know Dumbledore will be all over him. You'll either be trapped here or with your family, Badger will be with his psychotic grandmother and the only break Paws will get is if she goes to her parents – and there is nothing she can do in the muggle world while isolated."
"Plus, Venom and Bleach are only two people. They will not be able to do the work of all of us, and you know Molly will expect the twins' home for Christmas." Paws added.
"So we need Dumbledore out, we have a week left." Swift muttered, "Is there anything we can do to get the old man's attention out of the castle, just for now, so Snake doesn't have to…"
"How about we utilise the Death Easters." Luna suggested, "When Snake gets back, we'll get him to speak to the Dark Lord and set up some outside distractions."
"That could work, but they would need to be something that Dumbledore is interested in." Paws said.
"That in itself could be difficult, he's going to be focussing on Harry." Swift pointed out.
"Then we'll give him something that links in." Luna said.
"He'll never go for it." Paws vetoed straight away.
"He might," Luna tried and Paws shook her head.
"No way," Paws denied.
"What are you going on about?" Swift demanded.
"She's suggesting we dangle a Horcrux out for Dumbledore." Paws said and Swift blinked, "The Dark Lord will never go for it."
"What if it wasn't an actual Horcrux?" Swift suggested, "What if Dumbledore only thought it was?"
"Is that even possible?"
"It might be, and, if we get him out, it might focus his attention elsewhere over the Yule holidays." Swift said.
"Go on?"
"We'll run it past Snake when he gets back, but if we leak trails of a location, Dumbledore is bound to look in to it, and he's going to be focused on that. We'll plant a fake Horcrux, we'll layer it to fake the aura, and use it at a distraction." Swift said thoughtfully.
"It would need to be planned with His Darkness' approval." Paws mused, "But it's a sound idea."
"Right, we have two concrete plans to be setting up, all we need now is Snake." Luna said, "I'm going out to listen, anything I pick up in the next few days could be crucial."
"I'm going to be setting out the plans, we'll need plans, we'll need back up and we'll need and escape." Swift said, "I'll get right on it."
"I'll begin with the needed spells for the fake Horcrux, if they are already ready then we'll be good to go." Paws decided.
"You know," Swift began, getting to his feet, "I really do hate Dumbledore."
"Don't we all?"
There we have it, shit is going down and the group is stuck! Things are hotting up, if they weren't before, and I would love to hear what you have to say!
Oh and Ellie, Happy Birthday XD
Jess*