So, this was still slightly difficult, despite the fact I started picking out what I wanted from the original story as a mini, dare I say it, outline. (I am not an outline person. The second I feel like I know too much of a story I get bored with it and I don't want much to do with it). But since this is a rewrite, an "outline" is more like what to keep and what not to keep. I guess it's safer to call this the third draft vs. an overall rewrite. Anyway, I like writing from Tom's pov. He's such an arse, but in a fun way.
Warnings: This story is shounen ai. Yaoi, slash, gay. Harry/Tom and Remus/ Sirius.
Notes: (X) is pov change and or time jump
Chapter 22: Warnings
"You're back," Draco said. He finished pulling his duvet up to the pillows on his bed before heading over to his trunk.
Aderes nodded absently, stretched out on his bed, aware of how big it had somehow become while he'd been with Harry. He sighed, allowing his eyes to close for a moment. He knew very well that the bed hadn't grown.
The small exchange of energy was helping far more than he'd thought it would. The last time he'd borrowed energy from Harry, they'd both collapsed. Luckily, no one had come in and checked on them. Especially Sirius. He could hardly fault Sirius for his overprotective tendencies, not when he felt just as strongly, perhaps more so. Harry had told his godfather about all the dangerous situations he managed to get himself into. Aderes had been an actual witness to them. "Harry tried to hide the results of Umbridge's detention from me."
Draco gave him a questioning look as he pulled his robes on. "Results? What did she have him do?"
"Blood inking," Aderes said, the words leaving a bad taste in his mouth. A beautifully crafted torture method that brought both physical and psychological damage to the writer. Genius, really, for those who deserved it. To think that this woman had used it on Harry, however….
He flicked his eyes up to Draco, noting that he'd gone rather pale. His hands stopped on his tie. "That's against the law."
"It is, but when have the laws been followed within this school?" He sat up, his annoyance growing. He didn't mind when he broke the laws. When he did it, he usually had a good reason for doing so, but this woman? She was a tarnish on the school, on the Slytherin house, and he was beginning to think Snape was no different. He'd heard the stories Dumbledore had told about the Potion's Master, where his loyalties supposedly lied. Even if even a fraction of it was true, it wasn't worth keeping him around if he enjoyed Harry's pain. "Snape made no efforts to stop it either."
Draco shook his head and pulled the strap of his bag over his shoulder. "What are you going to do? Potter doesn't like it when you hurt people."
"No, he doesn't." Which is exactly why he'd have to retaliate without Harry's knowledge. For now, his foolish boyfriend believed he had no idea what was going on. That would allow him to act without Harry growing suspicious. "But I've no pity for anyone who harms Harry in any way." That he had no doubt of. "As far as I'm concerned, they both need 'talking' to."
"That's hardly fair."
True. An entire year's worth of work, gone. So, help Dumbledore if this became the norm. "Fine. I will have an actual talk with Snape. Should he continue to participate, to allow such things to occur after that, however…"
"You've got that look on your face," Draco warned.
"I'll be sure to hide it before I leave the room."
Draco started for the door, then stopped. "... Will I be getting involved?"
He studied his friend. The poor teen's fingers were white from gripping the bag's strap. He was doing his best not to show any emotion and failing splendidly. "No." Draco's shoulders visibly relaxed. "I want the joy of instilling fear in them myself. Given your fondness for Snape, I will be lenient with him this time." He put Draco through enough. No sense in breaking him, not when he was perfectly capable, even excited at the mere thought of ruining Snape's day himself. "Umbridge on the other hand…." He chuckled. He had special plans for her. The pleading and screams she would surely emit. The look of terror as she realized no mercy would follow.
"I don't care what you do to Umbridge."
"I have a feeling no one does."
Draco looked as if he wanted to say something else but didn't. "I'll meet you in the Great Hall."
Aderes waved his hand, Draco leaving, and fell back onto the pillows, frowning. He was glad that Dumbledore had been 'kind' enough to give him and Draco a dorm to themselves. It would be impossible to talk openly like this otherwise, and worse, he wouldn't be able to join Harry whenever he wished. That would mean less sleep for him, which was never a good thing for anyone. Before he used to love having a large bed so he could stretch and lie in any position he felt like. Now it just felt empty. He needed Harry by his side. "What have I done?"
He lied in bed a few moments longer, wondering if he'd done the right thing. A little late for regrets. "I need to get Harry that Pepperup potion." He pulled himself out of bed, knowing the only way he would get one this early was if he visited the infirmary. The idea of going back to sleep seemed much better, but he'd promised Harry and he knew from experience he couldn't rest unless he was close to his boyfriend.
Besides, he had to make sure Snape and Umbridge had a spectacular day for daring to put a single scratch on Harry. They needed to learn their places and how much he would savor teaching them where those places were.
(X)
Aderes leaned down, giving Harry a quick kiss on the cheek, and placing the vial of Pepperup potion in the Gryffindor's hands. "Drink that."
"Aderes…." He took the potion, his face red. "Thanks." He took the cork out and drank it in a single gulp as Aderes slid onto the bench beside him. 'Did the energy help?'
'It did. I will return the gesture.'
The bond opened more, and Harry blushed harder seeing that Aderes's idea of returning the gesture was a very physical snogging session. He knew he wouldn't put up any sort of a fight if Aderes wanted to make out, but there was still the issue about Aderes using him, or whatever it was he was doing. 'I think I deserve an answer first.'
'You wouldn't believe me even if I tried to explain it. Can't you just accept that I care about you? Yes, I enjoy seeing Dumbledore get angry. He wanted us to be friends. I don't think it even occurred to him that we might end up more.'
Aderes's words were the truth, he could tell that much. 'So why did you feel so guilty yesterday?'
He mentally sighed. 'I originally went with Dumbledore's plan with the intention of stealing you from him, okay?'
'I wasn't! Do you think!? I mean! Dumbledore and I, we never—!'
'I know.' He mentally laughed, one arm snaking around Harry's waist. 'I meant taking you away from him in general.'
'O, oh…' In other words, Aderes had befriended him at Dumbledore's request so he could ruin the headmaster's plan. 'Why did he want us to be friends, anyway?'
'He wanted me to make a genuine friend.'
'Whose idea was it to put you into a necklace and mail it to my house?'
'Mine. He actually thought I was going to wait for the term to start.' He snorted.
Like a normal person, Harry wondered, Aderes giving him an annoyed look.
'You'd be dead if I had waited.'
'I know...' And he was grateful for Aderes saving him, not just physically, but mentally as well.
'Good. Now eat something. You need to be at a semi functional state to handle Potions.' The bond closed to the minimum that they'd been keeping it at. Just enough so they could function and not lose their minds when separated.
"AAHHH!"
More screams. Harry, along with everyone else in the Great Hall, turned towards the Staff table. The professors had all moved away as what looked to be a second explosion of oatmeal erupted. The food exploded once airborne, going in all directions. It slapped onto the wall and onto nearby objects. It covered the staff that weren't quick enough to dodge or smart enough to put up shields. It drenched Snape's hair, making it impossible to tell his original hair color. Umbridge looked as if she'd taken a bath in the food while wearing her clothes. The other staff members seemed to have managed to avoid the worst of it, only Professor Sprout having a small smudge on her cheek. The rest seemed to go around the other staff, hitting the walls instead.
Laughter erupted throughout the hall as a third explosion went off, giving Umbridge yet another coating of oatmeal.
Harry looked to the Weasley twins, both clapping loudly. Fred whistled and suddenly, all the Gryffindors were clapping.
"Who did this," Umbridge screamed. She stormed towards the front of the tables, a trail of oatmeal dripping behind her as if she'd transformed from a large toad into a giant slug. Even covered in food, Harry could see how red her face was.
Did she actually think someone was going to take credit for something like this? Even Fred and George would wait until they were back in the Gryffindor Tower before admitting to drenching a teacher in food.
"How do you think someone did that," Ron asked, his voice full of awe.
"Maybe they bribed a house-elf," Draco suggested.
"Would they do that," Harry asked.
"If the person who asked them, in the house-elf's mind, outranks the person they're attacking, yeah. If I asked my house-elf to do something and my father told him no, he wouldn't do it."
That made sense, but the twins didn't outrank any of the staff and Harry found it hard to believe Dumbledore had asked the house-elves to put anything in the staff's food. The other teachers might be able to get away with asking a house-elf to do something to a coworker, but doing so would probably only cause a prank war to erupt.
"I will personally see that whoever is responsible is expelled! DO YOU HEAR ME?! EXPELLED!"
"You don't have the authorization to expel students," Aderes muttered before biting into a blueberry muffin.
"I think it was a spell," Hermione said. "A room with this many people, the staff won't be able to figure out who did it."
"I think they look better covered in food, don't you," Aderes asked Harry, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Far better than usual and, I'm sure, far better smelling."
"If it covers up some of that perfume," Harry agreed. He wanted to add that Snape would now have no choice, but to wash his hair, something it desperately needed, but he knew Draco liked the professor and didn't want to start a fight. He'd mention it to Aderes when they opened the bond up more after classes.
Ron grinned. "Think it was Fred and George?"
"Who else would it be," Harry asked.
"I don't know. Peeves might have done something," Ron said.
Umbridge continued to scream something, Harry wasn't really listening. He noted that Snape at least had held onto his dignity by cleaning himself off and settling back down to finish his food, as did the rest of the staff. McGonagall was actually smiling as she spoke to Flitwick now. Maybe the teachers did have something to do with it.
SLAM!
"The doors," Hermione whispered.
Harry looked, the Great Hall doors were closed.
"FORM A LINE," Umbridge screamed. The toad had cleaned herself off, her face so scarlet, Uncle Vernon would be impressed, her chest heaving.
"What are you doing," McGonagall asked.
"We'll be testing everyone's wands!"
"Nonsense. Classes begin in thirty minutes. There are over eight hundred students in this room. There's no time to check every single one."
Umbridge let out one of her high, shrill shrieks. "This is a matter of utmost importance! If we allow them to get away with it today, they'll surely do it again!"
McGonagall had the same look on her face now that she'd had when talking to Ron a few nights back about the 'ghost'. "Perhaps. Just as well, we do have a poltergeist that is known for causing chaos even amongst the staff. To accuse the students without any evidence, and possibly waste time checking every wand, which will no doubt result in everyone missing their first class, is not sensible. I don't know about you, but I have students to teach so they will pass their O.W.L.S. and N.E.W.T.s." There was a murmur of agreements from the other staff members, Snape included.
Umbridge looked as if someone had struck her. "This is not the end of this," she snapped at McGonagall.
"Delores, if you cannot handle being the target of a student's or Peeve's practical jokes, I'm afraid you're in the wrong profession." She pulled her wand out, the doors opening once more with another slam. "If you are finished eating, you are free to leave," she called out to the students. She turned back to the staff table and began speaking with Madam Hooch.
Umbridge stood there a moment, her eyes wide enough to burst. She turned on her heel and stomped out of the Great Hall, muttering curses the entire way. A Hufflepuff jumped out of the way to avoid being shoved to the floor. When she was out of sight from the door, the Gryffindor table broke out into cheers and applause.
Harry grinned, joining in. Even Hermione began cheering. McGonagall's face turned a hint of red, but all she did was nod slightly in acknowledgement.
"Anything bad I ever said about McGonagall, I take it back," Ron said.
With Umbridge gone and the doors open, breakfast continued without any further incident. Harry had been sure Dumbledore would show up and see what had happened, but either no one had bothered to tell him, or he didn't care.
When they'd finished, the five of them started for the dungeons. Aderes had yet to remove his arm from around Harry's waist as he talked with Hermione. Ron was actually grinning, even though they were walking towards the Potions class. Draco on the other hand looked sick. "You okay?"
Draco's eyes darted to Harry. Instead of saying anything, he nodded and then dropped his gaze back to the floor.
Weird…
Harry frowned when they arrived at the Potion's classroom. Students crowded around outside the room, all of them talking. The Gryffindors were on one side, snickering and grinning, while the Slytherins were across from them glaring.
Aderes released Harry and strode towards the Slytherins. "What's going on?"
Pansy rushed to the front of the crowd, shoving a few other Slytherin out of the way. "Someone destroyed Professor Snape's classroom."
Aderes raised an eyebrow and looked through the door. "Someone's mad."
"Yeah?" Harry joined him and looking over Aderes's shoulder. Mad was a bit of an understatement. Pansy hadn't been exaggerating when she'd used the word 'destroyed'. Books were all over the floor, pages torn out and scattered throughout. Snape's desk had caved in down the middle, and unable to stand, its contents lying around it. The bookcases in the room laid on the floor, their shelves pulled out and snapped in two. The tables the students sat at no longer had legs, the tops broken into smaller pieces and thrown. One piece had actually hit Snape's office door and embedded itself. The door itself was barely hanging from its hinges. Cauldrons in the room sat melted to their bases. Potion ingredients and their vials had been smashed leaving a strange mist hanging in the air. Vials that had once held potions laid shattered; their contents thrown haphazardly about. One of Snape's walls had grown fur as a result of one, and a hole was forming in one of the corners thanks to another.
Harry stepped back from the door, not wanting to see anymore. He didn't like Snape; the professor had made his life a living hell since he'd arrived, but did he really deserve this? There had been that one time Snape had saved him from Quirell. No, he deserves this, he thought, grinning. Especially after last night. And while this would surely enrage Snape, he hadn't been physically harmed, so Harry could enjoy the display without feeling too guilty. He watched you slice your own hand open last night. And yet, Harry still had a tiny sliver of guilt for enjoying Snape's rotten luck for the day. First the oatmeal and now this.
"Has Snape seen it yet," Aderes asked.
"No," Pansy answered quickly, her eyes daring anyone else to answer Aderes.
"I'd say we should clean it up, but… he'll probably want to see the extent of the damage, so he knows how many detentions to hand out to whoever did this."
Pansy began bobbing her head. "Yes! He'll definitely want to see this!"
Aderes turned his back on her and led Harry away from the door. The other three followed them.
"This is strange," Hermione said, quietly. "I can understand someone going after that—"
"Toad," Aderes offered.
Hermione smiled. "Yes, that toad, but why go after Professor Snape after all this time? He's never treated anyone outside of Slytherin decent and I can't imagine a first year capable of doing this."
"Maybe he got the wrong seventh year mad," Ron said.
"For this kind of spell work, probably," Hermione said, biting her bottom lip. "But that's foolish. There are very few students taking N.E.W.T. level Potions and Defense."
"Unless it was Peeves," Aderes said, leaning against the stone wall. "Or a house-elf that's gone mad."
"C-can that happen," Harry asked, paling. The idea of Dobby losing his mind and causing mischief was terrifying considering what he could do with his mind intact.
"If they're really old," Draco muttered.
"Why aren't you in the room," Snape demanded as he walked towards them. He swept passed the students and into the Potion's room, freezing a second later. He turned, taking in the room from one side to the other, slowly. When the scene seemed to process in his mind, he looked back at the students, his eyes narrowed. "Who did this?!"
"It was like this when we got here," Aderes said. "It seems you've angered the wrong person this year."
Snape's face began slowly taking on a red color. "All of you go to the library now," he said, his voice somehow calm. "You will be looking up each ingredient for an Invigoration Draught. I want a full explanation for each ingredient. We'll be mixing the potion itself on Monday. Madam Pince will take attendance. Should anyone decide not to go to the library, you will be serving detention in my room."
Most of the Gryffindors groaned, not that the Slytherins looked exactly pleased. Harry had a feeling Madam Pince wouldn't be either.
"Would you like some help cleaning up the classroom," Aderes asked.
"You have an assignment to finish."
"One we both know I could orally give you all the answers to this very second if you wished."
"Fine," Snape said.
"I expect you to finish the assignment," Aderes said, touching Harry's hand. "All the answers are in the book."
Harry nodded, wishing the bond was open enough for him to ask what Aderes was thinking. He wouldn't think twice about Hermione offering to help McGonagall or Flitwick with something, though. And Snape was Aderes's head of house. "I'll see you at lunch." Aderes didn't turn to acknowledge him.
"Are you two fighting," Ron asked as they headed for the steps.
"Not exactly." Aderes had explained himself to Harry, but he wasn't exactly sure how he felt about any of it. Aderes wanted to be with him. Did it really matter if it'd started off as a way to make Dumbledore angry? Even if it did matter, he was pretty sure he couldn't get himself to care about it enough to do anything about it. Just last night he'd almost burst into tears when Aderes hadn't picked him up from his detention, even though they hadn't agreed on such a thing. There was just some part of him that believed Aderes was always going to be close by. "I just needed him to answer something and he wouldn't. We talked this morning though."
"That's not a fight," Ron said, looking disappointed.
"Why do you want them to fight," Hermione asked, a slight glare on her face.
"Because the guy is a creep."
"Take that back," Pansy shouted, rushing towards them.
Great.
"Pansy," Draco said.
"This has nothing to do with you, Draco!"
"Aderes doesn't need you defending him."
"He had you in tears in Creatures the other day," Ron said. "How can you defend him?"
"You don't deserve him," A Slytherin girl yelled at Harry.
Harry blinked at that. Why did Ron insulting Aderes make him unworthy? He wasn't going to tell Ron not to call Aderes a creep; he was. He still cared about him and wanted to date him, but there was no denying his boyfriend was a creep. If he hadn't fallen for him, there was no telling how everything would have played out. The teen had shoved himself into a necklace and mailed himself to Harry's Muggle family's house as a birthday gift. He'd never even talked to Harry before that. If not for everything Aderes had done for him and the mental bond…
Wait… Had he fell for Aderes like he had because of the bond? "Hermione?"
"Hmm?"
"Po—"
Harry ignored the Slytherin girl who seemed to have gone into a full-blown tangent and quickened his pace to catch up with Hermione. "What do you know about mental bonds?"
"What do you mean?"
Harry did a quick look around. The Slytherin girl hadn't noticed he'd walked around her and was yelling at air, her eyes closed. Pansy and Draco were fighting, and Ron had already caught up with them. No one else seemed to be paying them any attention. "Well, like two people's minds are connected. They can read each other's thought or feel their emotions. You can talk that way too," he tried to explain quietly.
"… I've never heard of such a thing, why?"
"With all the reading you've done, you've never come across anything like that at all?" How was that possible?
"I don't know everything," she said, her face turning red. "There are Legilimens. Those are witches and wizards who can read people's minds, but not the way you're talking about."
"I'm not a Legilimens."
"I never said you were."
"That would be awesome if you were though, you could find out the answers to any test a teacher threw at us. Even Snape's pop quizzes."
This wasn't good. If Hermione didn't know what this kind of bond was or how it was formed, the only one with any possible answers would be Aderes or Dumbledore. He hadn't asked either of them, but he suspected they would not explain it to him either.
(X)
As soon as Snape was inside the classroom and the door shut, Aderes began snickering. Snape glared at him, which only made him happier. Yes, Snape was not happy, and so he was. "Perhaps you should find a new way to entertain yourself."
"I did not do this," Snape said, coldly. He fixed Aderes with a look, surprise crossing his features a second later.
"You cannot probe into my mind." He smirked when he saw Snape's eyes widened. "I'll save you some trouble. I am responsible for the little display here." He sat on what was left of one side of Snape's desk.
"Potter," he snarled.
"So, you do have the ability known as common sense. I owe Draco a few Galleons."
"If you think for a second—" Snape started towards him, his hand moving towards his wand pocket. With a single move of his hand, Aderes sent Snape's wand flying across the room. The Potion's Master stopped in his tracks. "Do you really think you can avoid detention after doing this? You'll be expelled if word gets out you attacked a teacher."
"If I was a normal student, yes," Aderes agreed. "Unfortunately for you, Dumbledore needs me here. I believe it would be in your best interest to make a deal—"
"I do not strike deals with students—"
"You might want to listen before you turn me down," Aderes said. He could tell Snape was losing his nerve the longer they spoke. Good. "I saw my boyfriend's hand this morning," he said, smiling, his eyes narrowed. "And there was a rather nasty looking cut on it, strangely enough in the shape of a sentence."
The blood began draining from Snape's face.
"He wouldn't tell me what happened, but finding out was easy enough. So, you can stop terrorizing Harry and go on living a very full and natural life or you can continue to play with Umbridge and meet an untimely end. Make no mistake, the very idea of taking one of Voldemort's playthings and sending it back to him mutilated delights me."
"You're a fool if you think I believe a word you're saying. You're a fifth-year student! You wouldn't even know where to find the Dark Lord!"
"No? I'm certain he's not far from London right now, trying his best to enter a certain location—"
"ENOUGH!"
"Oh, that's right. He's a Legilimens too." He snickered again. "I suppose he would be mad to see that I'm still alive and Dumbledore would be livid if you let him know. You may want to remove this memory before any secret meetings with him. I'd feel awful for getting Draco's favorite teacher murdered… for a few seconds, anyway."
Aderes watched Snape's defenses give. He slumped against the closest wall. Yes, Snape was beginning to see the true amount of trouble he was currently in. "How is this even possible?"
"I'm afraid that's between myself, Dumbledore, and Voldemort." The look Snape gave him made his very spirit dance. "There is plenty you are not aware of. I would suggest you do not harm Harry anymore. I will personally see to it that you live in agony each time you do."
Snape nodded, numbly. Pleased, Aderes started for the door. He wished he could continue. Breaking Snape wasn't enough, but he'd promised Draco. "I know Dumbledore enjoys having you around and Draco would be utterly lost without you." He opened the door and turned to Snape. "I will leave you to clean up the mess you made here. If you try to warn Umbridge, I'll kill you." He left the Potion's room.
(X)
"Last one is Lovage," Ron whispered.
Harry flipped through the glossary pages at the back of the book until he was on the l's. "The full name is Levisticum officinale."
Ron made a face. "How do you spell that?"
"L e—"
"You have a book, look it up yourself," Aderes said, taking a seat next to Harry. Ron glared at him. Not that Aderes seemed to care. "Are you done?"
"Ron and I were working together." Harry motioned to Hermione and Draco, who were sitting at another table. "They didn't want to work together."
"They don't need to work with others. Draco and Hermione have the highest scores in our year and outdo a few of the sixth-year students. If they actually attended the classes, I have no doubt they could handle N.E.W.T level materials."
"Well, right now they're stuck with us struggling O.W.L. level students," Ron said, grumpily.
"That doesn't mean it's their job to tutor fools who aren't worth the energy it takes to utter the word 'no' to."
"Aderes," Harry sighed. Why did his boyfriend have to hate his best friend so much? At least he'd never have to worry about Aderes cheating on him with Ron, but it'd be nice if Aderes could pretend to tolerate the redhead from time to time.
"I do happen to be in a very good mood though." He motioned to the parchment in Harry's hand. Harry dipped his quill in the bottle of ink. Hesitantly, Ron did the same. "The spelling i e. The desired properties are usually the inflammation of the brain." He paused, waiting until both Gryffindors had finished writing. "The parts used are the fruit and seed, rarely together. When mixed with the right ingredients, such as what we'll be doing Monday, it gives the drinker a caffeine like boost. Time and strength are directly relative to the amount used in the potion."
Harry wrote the summary down in his own words. "Thanks." He placed his quill down, gave a quick look around, and kissed Aderes's on the cheek. "You cleaned up Snape's room pretty fast. Any clues as to who did it?"
"Yes. He went to talk to Dumbledore after we finished."
"Who was it?"
"A student Snape angered."
"Yeah, but who?" Aderes smiled. "You're not going to tell me, are you?"
"You'll probably find out."
"Fine. I wanted to ask you something else, anyway."
"Alright."
Harry placed his head in his hand and tapped his finger against his temple. Aderes opened the bond immediately.
'I like that.'
'T, thanks.'
'I was asking Hermione about the bond and—' Harry couldn't hear his own thoughts after that due to Aderes's laughter.
'I bet she had no idea about what you were talking about.'
'No, she didn't.'
'She won't. I never explained that part to her.'
'She mentioned something, Legilimens?'
'Yes, those are people capable of delving into other people's minds.'
'And you're a Legilimens.'
Mild surprise. 'Yes.'
'I know I'm not. This bond is different….'
'You have no idea.' He started laughing again. 'I hope it doesn't bother you because I don't think we'll be breaking it anytime soon.'
'No, not really. I…' the thoughts he'd been having earlier crossed the bond before he could stop them.
'I understand, but I promise, that's not the case.' Aderes placed his hand on top of Harry's.
Relief flooded Harry as he felt the truth in those words. 'Good.'
TBC