Yeah, here it is. Since nothing interesting happened in the two minutes since I edited the previous chapter... I have nothign interesting to write.

Harry wrapped Draco's present in dark green paper and dropped it into the bag along with the other presents. He'd decided to send something that had belonged to 'Harry' to each of the Weasleys and Hermione so that they didn't feel left out. He had stayed true to his word and given Ron his old Firebolt. For Hermione he had sent a book on the Dark Arts that he had bought at the start of fifth year and she had always peered over his shoulder to read. Ginny was getting Hedwig (after much persuasion on Harry's part; the owl was still slightly miffed that he had a new missive). For Fred and George he had packed a selection of experimental potions that he and Draco had brewed that could be used in some of their new sweets (with a note that Harry Potter copyrighted the ideas). Charlie was being sent the miniature Horntail he had received during the Triwizard Tournament, and Bill a list of curses (courtesy of Lupin) that the Marauders had invented. For Mr and Mrs Weasley he had sent a cheque for a thousand Galleons. This had been much against Draco's best wishes, but Harry knew that they would have no choice but to accept it. They deserved it, at least.

Biting his lip, Harry fingered the ring on his finger. It was the gold band that he had bought whilst shopping in October. Set in it in a simple pattern were some of the rubies, and in the middle was an obsidian chip. Draco's was pretty much the same, only it was silver with emeralds. Harry had raided the library for books on Charms and loaded the rings so much that he was surprised they didn't come alive.

"I want you to take this bag to Draco's first. Make sure he gets it and his father doesn't see you. There's a letter inside for him, he'll understand. He'll give you instructions on what to do after that, just do as he says please. Come back as soon as you're done."

Cicatrix squawked gently in confirmation. Harry offered him a slice of dragon's liver, which he gulped down hungrily, and taking the bag in his claws disappeared in a burst of flames.

Five minutes later the phoenix appeared again, jolting Harry out his reverie where he was sat beside the window. Taking the bag from Cicatrix, he opened it and stuck his hand in, drawing out a silver-wrapped, small but heavy present that he presumed was from Draco. There were also two letters – one with Draco's neat, looped handwriting and the other with Ron's messy scrawl. The main difference that whilst Draco's letter was addressed to Harry Potter, the one from Ron was for James Antares. He opened the one from Ron first.

Antares,

It seems you have some connection to Harry. I told that I knew there was something odd about you – this just confirms my suspicions. Tell Dumbledore thanks for the presents, but he didn't need to bother. Mum and Dad are being particularly emotional.

Just thought I'd remind you – my girlfriend is the cleverest witch in our year. She and I are currently looking into what your connection with Harry is. And mark my words – we WILL work it out. Hermione's good at that sort of stuff.

Sighing, Harry put the letter to one side and reached for the one from Draco.

Harry,

Merry Christmas for tomorrow!

I hope you like your present. It's not much, but I saw it in a shop yesterday (yes, I'm sorry, I did only buy it yesterday, but you're hard to buy for!) and just thought 'That's Harry'. It's the thought that counts.

Well, I was right – Lucius does indeed believe our relationship is a ploy to get to you. He's got a hunch that you have something to do with Harry Potter, and even though he can't work it out, that doesn't mean he won't come close enough to put you in danger. I'm warning you now, just in case. He may make me write some letters to you, the contents of which will be contrived and untrue. You'll know which ones these are because they'll be addressed to James.

Are you sure it's a good idea to send all those presents to the Weasleys? Do they even deserve all that stuff? Yes, I'm nosy, you know I am, and if there's a letter I'm told not to open then of course I'm going to open it. And bloody hell Potter! A thousand Galleons? Are you mad? Their house wouldn't fetch as much as that! Are you trying to pretend that you swore to give those things to each of them when you died? Because that's kind of how the letter sounds. I bet the mother will burst into tears. But you seem to have missed a son out. Wasn't there that really annoying one who was Head Boy? Peter or something along those lines. What happened to him?

Using Cicatrix was an excellent idea. I suggest you use him all the time. Lucius had no idea that he'd been and gone.

Again, I hope you like your present. Write back. I'll firecall you tomorrow and on New Year's Day, if that's all right. Snape says the fireplace is connected to the network.

See you on the 6th.

All my love,

Draco.

Smiling slightly, Harry tucked the letter into the drawer in his bedside table and put the present alone under the miniature Christmas tree he had Transfigured from an old branch into a wonderful little pine complete with non-melting snow and sparkling fairies.

He glanced out of the window. The black sky was dotted with twinkling stars that made him think of Dumbledore, and one over the Forest caught his eye. Remembering the old Muggle rhyme with a small smile, Harry wished upon the bright star.

The slow, gentle note of phoenix song woke him the next morning and he cracked his eyes open to see Cicatrix settled on his perch next to his bed, beady eyes fixed on his owner.

"Merry Christmas, Cicatrix," he said quietly, and looked around the room as he sat up. The rest of the dorm had gone home for Christmas, leaving him alone for Christmas morning. He looked over at his own personal Christmas tree and felt a small burst of joy at the two extra presents he had gained over night. He crawled out of bed, immediately regretted it, and cast a warming charm on the room. Sitting down on the floor in front of the tree, he cast a fire into the fireplace and crossed his legs, taking the first present into his lap.

It was wrapped in gold and Harry knew instantly from the narrow, loopy writing whom it was from. He pulled the wrapping paper off and out fell a box. Putting the wrapping to one side, he opened the leather box curiously and peeked inside. Something glinted in the firelight and he opened the box fully.

A silver dog charm was sat on the velvet cover. It was curled up in a ball, tail over its nose, when he opened the box, but when it noticed Harry it stood up and wagged its tail, sapphire eyes sparkling. It was about the size of a mouse, and looked very familiar. A note dropped out of the box and he picked it up.

He'll always be with you. Take care of him.

"Hi Padfoot." Harry said quietly, and watched the dog snuffle around his palm for a few minutes before setting him down gently on the cabinet and moving onto the next present. He recognised Lupin's handwriting on the top.

There were two bracelets inside the packaging. Curious, Harry pulled them out and read the note included.

Another of your father's childhood possessions that I think you will make use of. Wear one bracelet of the pair and give the other to someone else. You'll notice that there is a selection of stones set in the metal. I've written the various combinations for actions below. Once you put it on it will register to your magical signature, and nobody else will be able to use it. I had Dumbledore erase Sirius and James's magic so you and whomever you choose can use them. Hopefully you'll put them to good use.

Blue and red: speak to the other

Blue and green: send information (you'll get the hang of it)

Red and green: takes you to wherever the other person is

All three together: Connects your magic (not recommended for use!)

Harry slipped one band onto his wrist and the cold metal shrank to fit against his wrist snugly, so that he couldn't pull it off. The three stones flashed briefly before fading, the band stark against his pale skin. As quickly as possible, he slipped the other band back into the package and added his own hastily scrawled note in with Lupin's, sending Cicatrix off straight away to Draco.

He lifted Draco's present towards himself and tore off the wrapping paper. Inside was a box, made of ebony. It was about two inches each way, and rather heavy. There didn't seem to be any means of opening it, or doing anything else. Shrugging, he put it to one side and made a mental note to ask him what it was later that day when he firecalled.

As the morning drew on, Harry became more and more worried. It had been over four hours since he had sent Cicatrix off and still he hadn't come back – plus Draco had said that he would firecall. He found himself wandering down into the dungeons when a thought struck him and he made straight for Snape's office.

"Potter." Snape greeted, his voice as warm as an iceberg. "How unpleasant to see you. Go away."

Harry stopped the door from closing as the sour Potions Master tried to return to the room.

"Please sir, I need to ask you something. It's about Draco's." he half-lied. Snape paused, then beckoned Harry in and sat him down on one side of the desk, sitting behind it and steepling his hands.

"Go on."

"I would like to know you talked to him about after a blacked out on Wednesday. He said you were interrogating him – I wondered if you made him show you what he could do, like you did with me…" Harry trailed off at the look on Snape's face.

"You said this was about Draco. I thought it would have been important."

"It is!" Harry protested. "I wanted to know what extent his powers have advanced to, that's all."

"It is none of your business…"

"It's all of my business," Harry snapped in retaliation. "I want to know what you and Dumbledore think is happening to us. It's obvious that we're not just Gods of phoenixes and snakes. We've been made into something big. We're on a level higher than that."

"Arrogant as ever, I see."

"If you refuse to answer me, I'll just go ask the Headmaster. He's more likely to tell me straight."

"Professor Dumbledore is very busy today."

"Well then I'll just have to apologise and say that you simply refused to tell me."

"Fine then!"

Harry smiled innocently and leaned back in his chair. It was fun to annoy the Potions Master. Far more fun than it should have been. Snape stood and began pacing the room.

"The Headmaster and I believe that you have indeed, as you so eloquently put it, 'been made into something big.' It is apparent that your powers are obviously of some higher level, and we fear that you may both have more than you realise." He turned suddenly and fixed Harry with a piercing glare. "Do you know what you did to that Fligglebutt?"

"Er… killed it?" Harry said nervously.

"That sounds barely intimidating. Let me put it into perspective for you." Snape leaned on the desk and pursed his lips irritably. "You destroyed a creature with a single touch. You reversed a magical process whilst it was happening and sucked all the life and power out of a Dark creature. With a single touch."

"I know,"

"Don't interrupt. The point is, nobody else can do that. Nobody alive."

"The centaurs said that," Harry suddenly remembered. "They said that… what was it… no human has the power of death in a touch, I think."

"They are correct. They still are. For you are no longer human. You are a god. And so is Draco. When we called him in, he touched the body of a dying Kneazle and filled it with life. Admittedly his powers are not as strong as yours – he could not bring to life the dead Fligglebutt – but it was still impressive. I am sure that with an extra little bit of magic, he would be able to."

"So what are you saying?"

"I am saying, Potter, that you and Malfoy have control over death and life respectively. You are, to some extent, the Gods of Life and Death."

Harry stared at the Potions Master, who just went on staring right back. It took a while for his brain to process the information. It seemed to have frozen like the lake outside.

"You're kidding." He said finally, and Snape growled angrily.

"No, Potter. I don't joke. Now go, or I'll start taking points."

Moving numbly, Harry exited the room and wandered in a daze up out into the grounds. The grass was covered in snow and very few animals were moving around. The odd bird flitted overhead and every now and then a grunt could be heard form the direction of the Forest, but the grounds were otherwise silent, with few sets of footsteps across the white snow.

Walking out onto the middle of the large patch of grass in the center of the grounds, Harry fell to his knees and laid his hands flat on the ground. The snow seeped through his robes and soaked his skin, but he ignored the cold and focused all his energy into his hands, pushing it out through the palms and into the ground below. He held it all in, gold sparks flying more than before, magic building into great balls in his hands that roiled and seethed with anger and confusion before he pushed them out into the earth.

The ground shook as it exploded downwards with the magic and for a few moments nothing happened. Then suddenly all the snow within a hundred-metre radius sizzled and melted in a great cloud of steam and the ground started rumbling. Pressing his hands into the ground and pouring all his magic out, Harry shivered as the ground around his turned black and burnt, the grass dying and shrivelling away to nothing as the magic moved out in a ripple effect. Gold sparks formed a net over the area his magic had destroyed, giving it an oddly warm sheen. Keeping his scar in contact with the ground, he looked up and glanced around.

His magic was moving steadily outwards, annihilating everything in its path, and the gold web was fading now. He heard a yell from the direction of the castle and looked up. Lupin, Dumbledore and Flitwick were moving towards him across the snow (Lupin was running, Flitwick was waddling, and Dumbledore was gliding rather quickly), shooting various hexes and Stunners off towards him, but they were all deflected. They retreated as the ripple of magic advanced upon them.

"POTTER!"

Harry jerked his hand from the ground and fell backwards in an ungainly fashion, landing on his arse. Snape strode furiously over the blackened land and towered over him menacingly.

"JUST BECAUSE I TOLD YOU DOES NOT MEAN YOU NEED TO GO AND TRY IT OUT! YOU REALLY ARE AS THOUGHTLESS AS I PRESUMED. NOW GO BACK INTO THE CASTLE AT ONCE! DETENTION WITH FILCH AS SOON AS SCHOOL STARTS AGAIN FOR A WEEK!"

Harry scrambled to his feet and ran up to the castle, no once pausing to look at the no doubt astounded looks on the other teachers' faces.

"Harry?"

Harry turned quickly towards the fireplace. He was sat in an armchair close to the common room fire, and the sudden action caused him to fall off his seat. He landed hard and winced as a sharp pain shot up his leg.

"Ow."

"Are you all right?" asked Draco's head. Harry groaned and climbed back up onto the chair, picking his book up off the chair.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He said absently, dusting himself down and settling to face Draco. "How was your day?"

"Fine. I love the ring. Nice charms."

"I think I spent enough time in the library to rival Hermione," Harry grinned. "By the way… not to sound ignorant or ungrateful or anything… but what exactly is your present?"

Draco stared at him, confounded, but then burst out laughing.

"Go fetch it. Bring it down here."

Harry sprinted up to the dorm and brought the box down.

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful…"

"Harry, don't worry." Draco reassured. "It's called an Inoxicrom. It's a box, a safe house for nearly anything. It will be assigned to your magic once you use the activation spells, and then only you can open it. You tap it and the top will disappear. You can put absolutely anything inside. Anything will fit, it's got wizardspace."

"Oh."

"Do it now. The incantation's signum dare."

"Signum dare."

The box flashed red and the top panel vanished. It was completely black inside.

"Put something in it."

Harry picked up his book uncertainly.

"Is this all right?"

"Yes, it's fine."

He moved it towards the box and was shocked to see that as he pushed it in, it seemed to simply disappear, although blatantly not fitting into the hole yet meeting no resistance on its way.

"Now close it with opero."

"Opero."

The top panel materialised, and when Harry touched it found it to be quite solid.

"When you want to open it now, the incantation's apero. Not to be confused with opero."

"Wow. Thanks, Draco."

"You're welcome. Now I have a question."

"Yes?"

"What's all this about?" he asked, waving his arm out of the fire. The black band was snug around his wrist. Harry grinned.

"They used to be my father's. Lupin gave them to me for Christmas. Did you not get the instructions?"

"Yes, but I'm a bit confused as to why you've given it to me. I mean, wouldn't Dumbledore be the more intelligent option? I mean, if you're in trouble or something, he'll be the best one to get to you and help…"

"Draco, this isn't about saving my life! This is about having fun!"

"You mean we're going to use these to mess around?"

"Precisely! It'll be great!"

"You really shouldn't get so excited about things like this," Draco's head said, shaking in an amused fashion. "I swear it's bad for you."

"You'll get over it." Harry said airily. "Now go, or else Lucius will catch you. Go on, get going!"

Draco pouted and tilted his head expectantly. Sighing dramatically, Harry leaned down and kissed him, hands buried in the blond hair.

"Take care,"

"I will."

With a puff and a small flash, he was gone.

I still can't believe I'm writing het for Damned Blood. The freaky thing is, it's not going too badly!

Reviews extremely welcome and much appreciated. You took the time to read this, so... oh, I can't be bothered. You can remember from the previous chapter.

smokey

has serious problems with 'form' and 'from'