AN :
Thanks to Lexi and Anna for being my betas and all your wonderful reviews. ^^
Chapter 9The six travelers stopped at the base of white marbled stairs reaching up almost endlessly. George sighed, annoyed.
"You don't think we have to actually walk up there?" Fred asked, his face mimicking his brother's feelings.
"Well, I don't know about you, but we didn't find anything," his brother said as he looked at Remus and Sirius who just shook their heads, confirming George's suspicion.
Professor McGonagall, who had returned to her human form, spoke up: "Then we should probably go back and get Severus and Harry."
Fred sighed. "I think we should make sure first we are correct because I doubt highly that Harry or Snape will be pleased if we make them walk up there and it turns out to be a dead end."
"I think he's right, Minerva," Remus said as Sirius transformed back as well. "Let Harry rest a while longer."
"We don't know in what danger we are here, it's still not entirely safe," she argued.
Sirius raised his hand catching the other's attention with this. "Look, as much as I hate to leave Harry in Snape's care, I think that what Fred is saying is a better idea. Besides, I don't think we should split the group more." Remus smiled proudly at him. It wasn't that Sirius was irrational when it came to Snape, it simply was that they both seemed to enjoy being at each other's throats for so long that it had already turned into a bad habit.
She sighed in defeat. "Fine. Then let's go." She transformed back and jumped on George's shoulder as Remus patted Snuffles' head before making their way up.
The stairs seemed never to end and Sirius was already wondering whether he had not chosen wrongly as the end finally became visible.
"Dear Merlin! Finally!" Remus exclaimed exhausted.
Dumbledore nodded, the old wizard was just as tired, and George and Minerva, who had to transform halfway back, had to support him.
They stepped out of a hole into a larger clearing at a lake. There was a soft rushing of the breeze coming through the trees. Further ahead on the lake was a small footbridge leading to a small island. And there, resting against one another, were two huge dragons. Their skin glittered light blue in the sun as their bodies moved gently with each breath.
"I think we're correct here…" Fred said his body tensing. He had not expected to meet two dragons.
"Are those what they look like?!" Minerva exclaimed alarmed.
George chuckled. "What did you expect Professor? A door with a blinking Exit sign on top?"
"Dragons?" Dumbledore spoke before Minerva could comment to the Weasley twin. "Why would there be dragons?"
Fred sighed as he walked forward; Remus and Snuffles following close by. "You still haven't understood, have you?" He turned his head slightly to them, his eyes turning slit pupil, as his ears grew longer and red feathery wings expanded on his back. "Let's go and wake sleeping beauty," he nodded towards the island.
They others stared unbelievable at him.
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Green eyes stared shocked into obsidian. Harry watched with rising horror as the hand retreated from his face and the dark eyes narrowed suspiciously. Oh god! Snape knew! Snape knew!! This couldn't be happening!! Oh god!!
"You!" the voice was cold and sullen.
Harry raised his free hand in defense, strengthening his hold on the other's hand at the same time. "Professor, I can explain!"
"YOU!!" Snape stood up struggling to free himself from Harry's grip. "Let go!!" he slapped Harry's hand off his own breaking the energy link and stumbled back away from the boy's protection. "I… I…" Severus didn't know what to think, what to say at this revelation.
Harry tumbled to his feet dizzily reaching hurt for Snape. The man flinched, mortified, from Harry. "Please, let me explain, please," he begged. He wanted to cry and run away, but his body wanted to bring that man close to him as before. His senses and heart needed the other close. He couldn't explain it. He reached out with a trembling hand swaying unsteadily. "Professor-" Suddenly his vision blurred and he fell forward losing consciousness.
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Sirius couldn't believe what he was seeing. There were wings on the twin's back? Wings like birds had… But the eyes were those of a reptile! Impossible!
Suddenly a memory flashed back into his mind, a memory from his school days. It had been night and he had awoken after a nightmare. He had sat up on his bed and had pushed the curtains aside. Looking around he had spotted James sitting at the window looking out into the night sky. Sirius had called curiously out and the other had turned startled. But what Sirius had seen was not the boy he was used to know. It was a man with eyes like a cats, the blue of his eyes had shone in the reflection of what little light was provided by the moon outside. But most of all he had been startled by the longs ears that had been visible. Back then James had smiled embarrassed saying he had done a Potion wrong and that in the morning he would see the medi-witch to fix him back. Sirius had believed him. Why shouldn't he have?
Yet now… Now with what he was witnessing the suspicion of being lied to was increasing in his heart. It was painful…
Fred looked down at him, raising an eyebrow. "Well, aren't you coming?"
Sirius animal instincts made his fur stand up on its end. They were screaming that he should not defy this creature in front of him that was not human.
George sighed. "It is your choice, you don't have to stay too close to us, but those Dragons over there are our way out of here. We will go with or without you. But remember. The final choice and decision, of us ever returning into the real world, lies with the dragons over there. You should not lie or hide anything from them. We are in the in the mind of a Clan Leader, the Head of the High Council nonetheless. He's twisted enough to keep you here." George shrugged. "Us on the other hand, we will get out, if only because of our Membership in the Council."
Sirius looked up at Remus, but his friend was seemingly at loss of words as well. So much information in so little time… It was hard to process, but Sirius understood too well the seriousness of the situation. He could recall a text he had once read at school for History of magic, which narrated about a woman who had been trapped within the mind of her husband for years after an attack during the Dark Ages. Her husband, living in fear of having her killed by the landlords for witchcraft, had unknowingly somehow activated a spell and sucked her up in his mind. She had passed years alone in the mind of the one she loved, trapped within his thoughts and lonely as one can possibly be. Slowly turning mad and depressed. Unable to end her life because of the scars she could cause to her beloved's mind, and unable to do magic to rescue herself. His energy was which kept her barely alive.
It took her husband years of research to get her out and it was reported later, that had he not known consciously of her whereabouts, she would have remained imprisoned until he would have walked to the afterlife.
In other words their current situation was worse than hers because the Slytherin boy was apparently not aware he had used this power to summon them into his mind. That lead to the fact that they had to clear it out to Malfoy and make him realize his action in order for the boy to undo his own work.
Sirius laid his ears against his head feeling guilty. He always became over-emotional when it came to Harry's safety. He loved the boy as if he was his own son; he had been the only reason for Sirius's being able to escape Azkaban. The focus to protect and allow Harry to know him had been the driving force for many years in him. He had escaped Azkaban in search for his godson and it had hurt deeply that he had thought him the murderer of his parents. But he could also still recall clearly those eyes, shining bright with happiness, when he had offered the boy a home to stay. At the end all his suffering was worth that smile he had been awarded with, a family which not only Harry lacked. Both on their own would be alone, but together they were… yes, they were family.
Had he known that keeping Draco Malfoy awake, after he had now obviously helped Harry, would lead to this, he would have even allowed Snape to kick him happily. But right now was not the time to wonder about things that could no longer be undone. It was important to get out of here and at least apologize for his mistake and do everything to make it better.
Sirius transformed back. "Let's go then. What are you waiting for?" he turned to Remus. "Wondering about why they seemed to be a cross between a reptile and a bird won't bring us any further right now. We should focus on the actual problem."
Dumbledore shook his head and sighed. "You are right, my boy. Let's continue." He glanced at Minerva, than at George. "I'll be awaiting very intrigued for some very long explanations, I believe."
The twins smiled sheepishly but nodded anyway.
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Tom awoke and startled up. He had fallen asleep on the couch a while back… well sometime ago taking the lowering sun outside of the window into account. He tried to sit up, but everything around him turned upside down and backwards, his stomach tightened and everything he had eaten came out of him again. Nagini said something but all he managed to tell was for her to leave the room and bring him water or something.
He cursed mentally, was this part of the illness? He had thought he was finally over it.
Power rushed through him, trying to rip him apart, darkness drowning his rational thoughts. What the hell was this?! Somehow he succeeded to get up to his feet and walk out to the bathroom where he broke down next to the sink. He laid on the cold floor, heat pulsing trough his veins. His body was coming to its limit; he couldn't handle much of this any longer. He felt like a balloon about to burst into pieces due too much air. Unable to move, he did the only thing that came into his already dazed mind. He linked the darkness to those bearing the Dark Mark and let it overflow into them. Not too much, but enough for his pain to cease and continue allowing the world to load its negative energy on to him. He knew he was poisoning his followers mind turning them into dark slaves, but he couldn't change it. Without James he couldn't purify the energy and return it to the world…
He closed his eyes falling back to sleep with one final though. What would happen once the world's energy decreased to a level in which it would become impossible for them to return it to it?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
They stood all at the feet of those majestic creatures. Their skin seemed more beautiful close up than admiring it from afar. It was unnatural in some way; they weren't like the dragons they used to know. Their mere presence radiated strength and strong will as well as power. Their bodies moved in gentle motion with each breath. At closer inspection they noticed that one was female and the other male, their claws marked the difference. While the female had smaller yet visibly sharper ones, the other one's were strong and huge. Sirius shuddered, the size was enough to let Remus as a werewolf seem like a puppy next to it.
George nodded them to go down to their knees. Sirius was glad; after the stairs he was rather exhausted. He looked over to Albus who seemed relieved at the rest as well. Fred stepped over to his twin and they nodded to one another. Their wings clapped around them like a cloak as they bowed to the creature.
George spoke first in that strange language Harry and them had used earlier in the infirmary. Listening to them, Sirius noted a pattern of hisses like a snake and yet it had a musical sound. Some words seemed to be from today's languages of the world; still the mere sound had an ancient tune to it.
The male dragon moved heavily it's resting head from the female's back and turned to them. Pale eyes glanced calmly over them. Then he leaned his head back yawning exposing terrifying fangs and stretched his huge wings from its body. One alone seemed the size of the creature itself.
Sirius watched, impressed at this. The dragon turned his head slightly to the sides, it seemed he was loosening some tense muscles, before he returned his attention to them. His eyes were serious now, almost business like. That was a rather strange thought, Sirius remarked quietly acquiring a curious look from his friend.
"What are you doing here?" the dragon spoke in English with a deep voice. "Did she bring you here?"
The professors looked quizzing at one another but remained in silence.
"She?" George spoke out standing straight before the creature. "We do not understand, High Council."
The dragon fixed his eyes on the red haired young man. "The boy… He caused her to awaken, reclaiming what is rightfully hers." He pointed over to the still sleeping form next to him as he clapped his wings back to his body. "Harry Potter… He called Drake back…"
Fred's head spun to his brother realizing the meaning of the dragon's words. They knew that each dragon leader had a twin for the case of one's death, but none of them had been told that the Head of Council's other half had already died. The twins had just thought that the High Council's twin simply never exposed himself to public.
"Wait…" George spoke up. "If Draco's body is actually Drake's " he was confused. "Who are you?"
A tiered smile appeared on the dragon's face. It was frightening since it exposed its fangs. Light enveloped the male dragon blinding them.
As Sirius lowered his arms from his eyes, and there were moments before had been the huge creature, he saw a man with shoulder lengthen blond hair, held back by a tie. This man was in his early twenty. Long ears on each side of his head and wings clapped around him the way Fred and George had. It was Draco Malfoy… much older…
"I am Draco, Head of the High Council, Leader of the Wind Clans. " he motioned with his hand to the remaining dragon. "And this is my sister Drake, Priestess to the Yorae Clan, current head of the Wind Clans, since my death, if you wish to know."
[This would be the perfect cliffhanger ^^, but I know people would kick me if I left it off here. Besides the chapter would be way too short like this, right? ^_^]
The twins gaped at Draco and they weren't alone in that.
"But it is impossible for you to remain still within your sister!!" Fred exclaimed. "You should have disappeared!"
Sirius got up to his feet. "Wait, would you speak in a way that we can all understand what is going on!!"
The winged one's turned to him with dark eyes. He flinched back slightly.
"Listen, don't you think you should explain us what is going on here. We're stuck here as well." Sirius exclaimed finding his voice again as Remus moved to his side laying supporting a hand on his shoulder.
"Yes, Sirius is right." Albus spoke from his position on the ground. "All I have managed to add together this far is that you three boys are of the Clan families in the old legends that speak of the powers that guard the balance of the world… The Gods and Dragons…"
Minerva blinked at the headmaster. "Albus, that's not even a legend it's a myth!"
"Ah, but aren't legends and myth based on some part of truth?" Draco asked with a smile as he walked pass the twins over to them. "Please sit down and I shall tell you a few things about us." He glanced at Fred and George. "Will you remain there?"
The twins hurried to his side and they settled between Sirius and Minerva.
"As Master Dumbledore has already guessed correctly, we are indeed of the Dragon Blood. " Draco spoke up as he glanced with his pale eye at each one of them.
"But-"
"Please let me speak first," Draco raised his hand and interrupted Minerva. "You must understand the complexity of our mission here with you mortals and some of our ways of being before you should waste our time asking needless questions." he paused seeing understanding in their eyes. "As Master Dumbledore has also stated, there are two classes of power on the world which control it. There are the Gods, whose powers rest in the understanding of the living being. They are known and skilled for their power to create live. This is basically the myth that still exist nowadays in your world."
The professor's nodded.
"The second power are us Dragons, we are divided in two classes the Elemental Families and the Old Clans, and the Visionary. Latter classes are of higher power due their level of power since their magic is much more spiritual. We, of the Elemental Families, are as the name already says, we hold power to control elements, wind, fire, etc…" He scratched the back of his nose. "The leaders of each Elemental Family form the High Council which I used to be the head of. Now, we Dragons follow a certain law for over millenniums. We are not to interfere with the evolution of the human world. Yet the circumstances have changed drastically for you as well as for us.
"The Visionary Clan's leaders are the ones that take the used energy of the world within them, and through them, purify it returning it to the world. Now for the last 16 years this task has not been performed. The darkness is gathering, unable to escape its prison. And soon the time will come when it will explode out of it, destroying everything in its path that we of the Dragons and Gods have so dearly watched develop.
"You must understand that Clan Leaders are born twins in order for their power and knowledge to be shared should something happen. This way everything the leader knows as well as some power and memories accompanied with emotions are passed on to his twin. That is usually the reason for which twins shouldn't be sent off together on missions." He glared at Fred and George.
"Hey, its coincidence we ended up together here. We were to be send off to different missions," George protested.
"Whichever the case, I died years ago and my entire essence was absorbed by my sister. She couldn't cope with my loss and took everything I was into her. Since one of the abilities for which our clan is known is the orientating and controlling of energy, is was easy for her to perform this task. Yet at the death of her… lover, she fell into coma leaving her body empty like a useless shell. By the time I took over and it had been that way ever since until Mr. Potter's breakdown. She's emotionally connected to him through our past and as sensing his life in danger she overpowered me and awoke." Draco's eyes became hard. "But she's not the born leader. She is a perfect strategist, but she lacks the strength to see past her female instinct and be rational when needed. She will do anything in her power for the safety and happiness of Harry Potter even at the cost of the protocols that have existed for countless generations!"
"A moment, I understand this dragon thing you are explaining a little bit." Sirius passed thoughtfully a hand through his hair. "But… Well..." He sighed. "I don't know how to put it…" let out a deep breath. "If you are a dragon, does that mean Lucius Malfoy is one too?"
The twins chuckled as Draco smiled. "No, we dragons come to the mortal world letting our energy be reborn by a mortal woman. Genetically we remain dragons, the only thing that unite us with you mortals is our name and our emotions towards the family we are born in. And before you ask. Yes, the dragons you know are also able to turn human like us. But the dragons here follow a different law. They are the Old Clans which live in our dragon form, they will never speak to you nor will the ever let you know about their origins. They follow the old ways. Should they break this law, the High Council would see itself forced to eliminate the entire Clan…"
Sirius paled at the answer.
Suddenly the Drake let out a pained scream, her bright skin flaring dark. The Dark Mark hovering over her head pouring acid like liquid onto her.
"Oh god! Drake!!" Draco screamed alarmed before turning to them. "Get out of here."
Energy exploded of his hand and they all felt a strong hit on their chest as they collapsed against the beds and walls of the infirmary, causing Madam Pomfrey to yelp in shock.
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Oh man, I brought way too little Harry and Sev in this chapter! Now, I have to make up for it in the next… ^_^ what will poor Sev do now that he knows who Harry is? I wonder… *grin* Should I tell you that the Dragon Council sends someone to pick their stray dragons up? Or should I rather put the interlude about James' past? Decisions, decision…
Shayla