Harry leaned back on the bench behind him as voices rang out casting spells. Today the students were working on protection circles, this was the kind of magic that could save a person's life and Harry was going to make sure that the students would be able to pull up the most powerful charm they could. It also helped the students work out how much power they should put into their spell to break through the barrier.
He had them set up for one person to cast a circle and the other student had to smash through it. Harry watched them with his hand taping against the bench as Granger smashed through Malfoy's circle and they changed spots. The two students working well together as Harry looked around the classroom.
Harry idly picked up the black cube that had been holding some papers down and juggled it between his hands, eyes roaming over the students. Suddenly a yelp of pain rang out and Harry whipped his head in that direction. One of the Slytherins had used a cutting charm.
"I said stunners only, Mr Peace!" Harry's voice cracked out over the classroom. "Please help Mr Fuller up to the hospital wing."
"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir." The boy said and the two moved out of the room.
"Mr Sun?"
Harry turned to see Draco Malfoy holding up the black cube.
"Thank you, Mr Malfoy." Harry grinned taking the cube out of the boy's hand.
"No, Mr Sun." Malfoy said. "That collapsed my protection charm."
"It did what?" Harry asked turning his full attention on the blonde.
"It just rolled through my charm collapsing it," Draco said.
Harry just stared at Draco before looking down at the cube.
"Huh," Harry muttered. "Okay everyone, that's it for today, except you Mr Malfoy. Thank you."
Everyone made their way out of the classroom.
Harry moved towards the bronze circle on the floor with Draco on his heels. He held the cube out to the blonde.
"Please hold this." Harry said.
The Slytherin held the cube, puzzled as Harry easily pulled up a protection circle around him.
"Okay, throw it here." Harry said.
The blonde threw it at him, the cube smashed into the protection circle collapsing it and Harry caught it. Harry threw it back to the Blonde as he pulled up a stronger charm.
"Again, please." Harry ordered.
Once again, the cube sailed through the air and smashed into the charm collapsing it. Harry grinned and threw it back to the blonde. He placed the tip of his wand to the bronze circle and threw up the most powerful charm he could without it cracking under the pressure of the magic. The dome turned green making Draco gasp and his eyes widen as he looked the charm over.
"Okay, again." Harry ordered, holding the spell in place.
Draco tossed the cube and it smashed into a hundred pieces and Harry sighed. Then suddenly the cube as hurtling at his head and he caught it in shock as the charm collapsed.
"Thank you, Mr Malfoy." Harry said grinning. "I owe you one. Now off you go."
The boy grinned back before grabbing his bag and moving out of the room. Harry looked down at the cube and laughed as he threw it up in the air. After all these years and he finally had an idea about what the small item did. That was how Severus found him some time later. Harry turned to Severus with a big grin on his face as held the cube up.
"You are never going to believe this!"
xXx
"Blake."
Harry turned to the Headmaster and limped back towards the man with a smile, until he noticed the notebook in his hand. The Headmaster held it out to him and he took it.
"I apologise," The Headmaster said softly. "I was severely out of line."
"Ignorance is bliss, Headmaster." Harry said softly.
"I still wish to apologise," Albus said softly.
Harry tucked the notebook away.
"Why do you…"
"Have the notebook?" Harry finished for him.
"Yes," Albus replied.
Harry rubbed his head looking around at the students moving around them.
"To remind myself," Harry said at last. "What a person with dark power is capable of."
"You are not one of them," Albus said softly.
Harry gave the man a sharp nod and turned on his heels without saying a word, Albus just watched the man limp away down the hallway.
xXx
Harry settled back in his seat in the Headmaster's office with a cup of tea in his hands as he looked over the items on the man's desk in interest as he waited for the Headmaster to arrive, unsure what the man had called him up here for.
"I need your help."
Harry started and looked over at the Headmaster as he moved around his desk to take a seat.
"With what?" Harry asked as he looked the man over.
"We have had reports of some of Voldemort's supporters hiding out in a house in east London," Albus said calmly as he leaned back in his seat. "The Order can't get close enough to scope it out."
"What do you need my help for then?" Harry asked with a frown. "Is it the wards?"
"I was hoping you would have better luck planting some of those listening devices of yours?"
"You want me to break into the house?"
"Yes."
"And plant listening devices?"
"Yes," Albus replied with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Anything else while I'm there?" Harry asked, sarcasm dripping from his words. "Leave a bunch of flowers maybe?"
"Only if you believe that would be the right course of action," Albus replied with a straight face.
"Ha!" Harry barked. "Give me the address and I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you, my boy." Albus said with a smile and floated over a piece of paper that Harry picked out of the air.
Harry looked the address over with a frown.
"This is a Nott property," Harry replied and looked up to see the surprise on the Headmaster's face. "It will have blood wards on the house."
Albus paled at Harry's words.
"Can you get passed them?" Albus questioned.
"You said that death eaters have been coming and going?" Harry questioned as he sat back in his seat.
"Correct."
"How close can your men get?"
"The street," Albus replied mildly. "The house is set back from the road with the wards starting at the fence line."
Harry tapped his leg in thought.
"Wouldn't it be easier to raid the house?" Harry asked. "Kingsley could back you up with the Aurors. If they have the dark mark that is enough to arrest them."
"Voldemort has been sighted there," Albus said calmly.
"You think he would come to their aid?" Harry said as he thought through the options. "If I could get into the house, I could cut the floo and pull up anti-apparation wards."
"The blood wards?"
"There are ways around blood wards," Harry said with a smirk. "And those ways would probably give you one hell of a headache, Albus."
Harry could see the shiver run down Albus's back and he gave the man a grin.
"You know how to creep people out, Blake." Albus said quietly.
"It's a talent," Harry replied. "Give me a week or so to look into this place. Give Kingsley the heads up, but only him, we don't want this to go too far in the Auror department. Bloody gossips the lot of them."
"Perfect," Albus said with a smile. "Now, about you time card. You haven't submitted the times you have worked for the last two months, Blake."
Harry groaned.
"This was so much easier when it was just a once off contract," Harry moaned as he pulled out his diary while Albus barked a laugh.
xXx
Avery Nott looked around the bar with a sneer on his lips as the muggles moved around them. He wouldn't normally be found in such a place but with so many death eaters using his house, he'd had to get out and the pub seemed like the place to go. There was a small stage set up tonight and Avery eyed it off with interest as the noise picked up around him.
A couple of death eaters had decided to join him and he could see more than one fingering their wards as they looked around but they were under strict orders not to harm any muggles unless the Dark Lord ordered it, plus this was his patch.
"What's with the stage?" Malfoy whispered from beside him.
"How the hell should I know?" Nott snapped back and Malfoy glared at him.
They took an interest as a young slim man in his early twenties with pitch black hair and green eyes took the stage. Nott could feel the sense of magic around the man, so he was a wizard, as he gave the crowd a grin and pushed back his shaggy black hair from his eyes. He wore a tight grey shirt that showed off his body and his black jeans hugged his legs as he looked out over the crowd. His tanned skin seemed to glow under the dim lights as he moved with grace towards the microphone with a wide grin.
"Welcome everybody," The man purred and Nott shivered. "My name is Mal and I've been asked to keep you entertained tonight."
"I can think about how he could keep us entertained," Malfoy whispered in Nott's ear and the man nodded in agreement.
"I'll be happy to take any requests," The man continued with a slight grin on his red lips as he looked around. "As long as I know them, of course. Well, let's get started."
Mal picked up the microphone as the first strands of music started up, the man's voice carried throughout the bar and the noise dropped. The man had talent as he sung his way through a few songs and he soon had the pub spell bound. Even Nott was impressed, for he normally preferred a female's voice, as the man worked the crowd.
"Yes," Malfoy purred in his ear. "I'm sure he could keep us entertained."
"You know our orders," Nott reminded the other man.
"He only said muggles," Malfoy replied with a smirk. "That man is not a muggle."
Nott grinned back as the young man's glaze passed over them and Nott could see a couple of other people eyeing the young man off. Avery sat back in his seat as the man took up a couple of requests before excusing himself from the stage for a smoke break.
Malfoy grabbed Nott's shoulder and the two men weaved their way towards the back of the pub. They found the young man out the back of the bar with a cigarette in his mouth and a beer beside him. The man was slightly turned away from the two death eaters as he sipped on the beer, sitting on a milk crate. Nott and Malfoy shared a look as they moved in on the young man.
Suddenly the man looked over his shoulder with wide green eyes and the two men slowed as they moved towards him.
"Gee, mate." Mal said softly. "You startled me."
"We just had a song request," Malfoy purred, as he moved closer.
"No problem," Mal replied as he sprawled out on the milk crate, the beer dangling between his legs. "What would that be?"
Nott moved closer as Malfoy circled around the young man.
"Know any wizard songs?" Malfoy asked as he came closer.
"A few," Mal replied. "Not sure this crowd would appreciate them."
Suddenly Nott grabbed the man and hauled him to his feet, the man dropped his beer and smoke with a soft cry before Nott could clamp a hand over his mouth. Malfoy moved in quickly and grabbed the man's wrist as he tried to lash out. Wide green eyes flicked between the two men as Nott pushed the man roughly up against the wall with a snarl.
Mal lashed out with his leg but between the two death eaters they had him pinned to the wall and Malfoy leered at him.
"I have a better request," Malfoy hissed as the man's wide eyes flicked between them as he struggled.
Nott pushed his weight into the smaller man and making him hiss in pain as Malfoy reached for his belt. Suddenly the man lashed out with his magic and Malfoy stumbled back in surprise. The man had just enough room to grab a hold of the back of Nott's head and pulled it forward sharply to smash into the wall behind him and Nott fell back onto the ground stunned.
The young man twisted around and lashed out with his fist, which connected with his head and he saw stars before the boy turned on Malfoy. The man's leg connected with Malfoy's stomach and the man dropped to his knees as the man followed it up with a fist to the side of the head and Malfoy went sprawling out on the ground of the alleyway, out cold.
Nott looked up in shock and had just enough time to squeak as the young man grabbed him by the back on the head and smashed him face first into the concrete of the ally before the world spun away from him. Both men out within minutes as the young man stood up straight.
The young man looked down at the two death eaters as he pushed his shaggy hair out of his eyes before pulling a glass vial from his pocket and giving Nott a sharp kick until he was resting on his back. He pulled a steel knife from his pocket and nicked the man's skin close to where the gash ran along his face and let a few drops of blood fill the vial before sealing it and getting to his feet with a smirk was he looked down at the crumbled forms of the two death eaters before disappearing with a soft pop.
xXx
Severus looked up as the noise dimmed in the Great Hall to see a young man standing in the doorway of the hall. He frowned as he looked the man over, he looked to be in his early twenties with messy black hair, dark jeans clinging to his legs and a tight grey shirt as he stood casually in the doorway looking around.
Severus sucked in a breath as the boy looked up and green eyes full of amusement locked with his and his eyes widened. The boy gave him a wink as he moved into the hall with graceful steps and headed towards the Gryffindor table as Dracka snorted into his coffee.
"Ha!" The vampire coughed as Albus looked over at the vampire.
"Something you wish to share, Mr Dracka?" Albus asked mildly his eyes twinkling.
Dracka just grinned, his eyes locked on the slim figure and they all turned to watch the young man.
The man made his way toward Potter and his friends and Severus knew the minute that Ry spotted him for Granger squeaked as Ry spat his juice all over the table as he jumped to his feet. The other boy gave him a grin as he moved towards Potter. The two boys could have been brothers as Ry eyed off the other boy.
Ry was a good head and a half taller than the other boy and had more bulk but the shorter man made up for it with the strength that Severus could see in his body as he moved forward with confidence and an air of power around him. There was no doubt the other boy was a wizard.
The boy stopped in front of Potter and held out a vial with a few dark hairs in it and Severus smirked.
"Dad!" Ry squeaked and the hall went quiet as the shorter boy's grin widened.
Blake gave the boy a wink as he held the vial out to Potter in one hand while the other pushed his hair out of his eyes. Potter took the vial from Blake's hand as students started to whisper and his eyes flicked over the other boy before focusing on his father's green eyes.
"Worked a treat," Blake said with a grin. "Even if I had to use a spell or two."
Severus knew it was all an act and he looked the two over, seeing the similarities and yet the differences and wondered, not for the first time, what happened in Blake's childhood to make such marked differences between the two Potters. He was looking at a younger version of his lover and not Blake under Polyjuice potion as Blake looked over towards the Head Table. He shivered when he could see a lot of James Potter in the way the man looked now, except for the grin and the dancing green eyes.
Severus snorted as Ry reached over and ruffled his father's hair and Blake growled as it messed it up even more, getting in his eyes.
"Bloody hair," Blake cursed as he pushed it back from his eyes and Ry snorted. "How do you put up with it?"
"You get used to it," Ry replied with a smirk.
"Not in an hour I won't," Blake replied with a grin.
"I don't know, Dad." Ry said with a smirk as he looked him over. "I have potions first thing this morning, feel up for a class?"
"Ha!" Blake barked a laugh, then leaned in close to Ry and whispered something in his ear which had Ry's face screwing up as he pulled back sharply.
"Ugh!" Ry yelped.
Blake gave his son a pat on the shoulder before moving towards the Head Table, Severus watched him carefully. He could just make out the man's slight limp and knew he had taken a potion to help his leg, but he wouldn't have noticed if he hadn't been looking for it, as the man moved towards them.
"Hello, love." Blake purred when he got close to Severus and he shivered.
"Why hello," Dracka purred back with a leer.
Severus turned on the vampire but the man just leered at him and he sighed, bloody vampires.
"And where have you been?" Severus drawled, as he turned back to Blake.
The man just grinned at him and Severus shifted at seeing his lover the way he was. It remined him way too much of both James and Harry Potter and he shivered again.
"Just a night on the town," Blake replied with a wink, as he pushed his hair out of his eyes in frustration. "Singing for my supper and all that."
He placed a few empty vials on the table in front of Severus and a vial of what looked like blood in front of Albus. The headmaster picked it up in interest.
"Blood wards," Blake said, with a smirk. "Easy as."
Albus's eyes widened as they shot to Blake and the man grinned at him. The old green eyes and the dark twist of his lips looking wrong on such a young face.
"Feel peckish, Dracka?" Blake asked as he turned to the vampire.
Dracka shot to his feet and was around the table before Severus could grab him and Blake gave him an amused smile. It was very disconcerting to see his lover this way as Dracka fell into step with Blake as they moved towards the doors of the Great Hall. Dracka swung an arm around the shorter man's shoulders as he pulled him close as he whispered something in his ear and Severus gritted his teeth.
"Hmm," Minerva hummed, as her lips thinned.
Severus snorted as Dracka's hand strayed lower and Blake's fist lashed out hitting the vampire solidly in the side, before he could grab the other man's ass. Dracka folded over with a yelp as he held his ribs as more than a few students giggled.
"Mr Sun," Albus called out and Blake turned back to the man, his green eyes peering out from under his shaggy hair.
"Yes, Albus?"
"My Defence teacher has classes to attend to," Albus said calmly as he looked over the top of his half-moon glasses at the man. "It is only eight in the morning."
"So, it is," Blake replied with a smirk. "Lost track of time. I'll just have to pick him up after dinner. He looks broken anyway."
Blake turned and with a swagger to his steps, left a gasping Dracka in the hall, as he walked out of the door. Severus looked after the man in amusement as Dracka made his way back towards him holding his ribs.
"Bloody tease," Dracka hissed, as he got close and Severus gave him a smirk.
"You are lucky you didn't get worse, Mr Dracka!" Minerva hissed towards the man, as she flicked her eyes towards Severus.
Severus gave the woman a smirk as Potter moved up to the Head Table, with the students watching him, and placed the empty potion vial on the table in front of Severus. He gave the boy a smirk as he leaned forward and plucked the potion vial from the table and placed it with the rest.
"Was that the only one he gave you?" Severus asked the boy.
"Nope," Ry said with a smirk, very similar to Blake's that Severus shivered.
The boy held up a vial with Polyjuice in it and held it up for Severus, and the Hall, to see. The potions master sighed and held his hand out for the potion, while Minerva's lips thinned even more at the sight of the potion. Potter placed the potion in his hand with a grin and a glint in his eyes.
"Thank you, Potter." Severus drawled and the boy gave him a smirk before stalking back to the Gryffindor table. "Can't keep that bloody man out of my potion's cupboard."
Dracka snorted as he rubbed his ribs in amusement.
"He is a curse breaker, Severus." Albus reminded him, with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Don't I know it," Severus drawled as he looked at the potion vials spread out in front of him on the table. "He's also a sneaky bastard."
"Severus!" Minerva yelped.
Severus just sat back in his seat and looked over at the woman mildly before getting to his feet and placing the vials away in his robes.
"Where are you going?" Dracka asked. "Classes start in fifteen minutes."
"Where do you think, vampire?" Severus drawled.
Severus gave the vampire a leer as he made his way out of the hall and towards Blake's rooms. The man wasn't in his main rooms and he frowned before moving through to the bedroom to find him sprawled out on his stomach on the bed under the covers. He smiled softly as he looked down at the man and the shaggy black hair as he moved closer.
He kneeled down on the floor and grabbed the man's shoulder but he was out. He ran his hands through the man's hair feeling how soft it was under his hand. He pushed back the hair and Severus could tell that Blake's spell had worn off as he ran his hand down his neck and could felt the scars under his hand on his shoulder. Blake moved in his sleep and curled up on his side and he smiled. He left the man sleeping as he headed to his first class.
Severus was very happy when his last class of the day walked out of his classroom door and he could make his way to Blake's rooms with a slight skip to his step. He opened Blake's door then paused as he spotted a rough looking man with light brown hair standing in the man's kitchen.
"What-" Severus cut himself off as the man turned and he looked into Blake's green eyes. "Have brown hair?"
Blake snorted as he moved into the main part of his rooms with a coffee in his hand as Severus looked him over. He was in a rough pair of jeans, shirt and denim jacket that had seen better days and the brown hair. It looked like Blake had dyed it that colour and he couldn't feel any magic around him as the man gave him a wink. He felt and looked like a homeless muggle and he wasn't sure if that was an improvement on his Harry Potter look.
"You looked a lot more like James, when he was at school, than Ry with that spell you used before," Severus said softly as he looked his lover over.
"Did I?" Blake asked, with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes," Severus drawled, then smirked. "You just needed a cruel look on your face, shouting insults and with Black backing you up to complete the picture."
"So, the look you get when you have to teach seventh year Gryffindor and Slytherin class?" Blake asked with a smirk.
Severus gave him a glare as he looked him over.
"What happened when you were younger to change the way you look so much from Potter?" Severus asked softly.
Blake stilled completely and his face closed off and Severus wished he could take the words back as the man looked at him with unreadable green eyes.
"Maybe you should be asking what kind of life did I give Harry Potter," Blake said softly. "That made him look so much different to me."
Severus looked him over as Blake looked back at him calmly.
"Half-blood prince," Blake said suddenly and Severus sucked in a breath as his eyes widened.
"How…" Severus started to say then stopped himself.
Blake gave him a look that spoke volumes, of a shared childhood of pain. Blake's lips quirked up and he placed another potion vial on the table between them and Severus's eye was drawn to it. He picked it up, unplugged it and took a sniff.
"You won't be able to keep taking these," Severus warned.
"I'm thinking two more doses," Blake replied mildly. "I should be right for a few days without it, while I scope out the Nott house."
Severus looked down his nose at the man.
"Your hair is a mess," Severus drawled.
"Good," Blake replied and rubbed both hands over his head until his hair stuck up in all directions. "Better?"
Severus sneered as he looked down at the light brown mess and over the worn clothing.
"Going out?" Severus asked softly, he hadn't seen much of the man the last few days as he worked on Albus's mission. "Or is it a night in tonight?"
"Funny," Blake replied. "I'm taking the vampire with me to help scope out this house. Just hoping the Dark Lord doesn't show up."
Severus felt a bolt of fear run through him at the thought.
"He won't be able to sense me," Blake continued. "But he might pick up on Dracka's power."
"Why are you taking the vampire then?" Severus asked as he moved to the kitchen to make his own coffee.
"I made coffee, it's on the counter." Blake called after him. "I need him to track a couple of the death eaters, while I stay out the front of the house."
"They won't notice you?" Severus asked as he moved back into the room with the coffee.
"Not if I do my job right," Blake said with a smirk.
Severus smirked and picked up a pair of scissors and raised an eyebrow in question.
"Go for it," Blake replied with a smirk. "Make it look very messy."
xXx
Harry pulled his thin coat around him tightly as the night grew colder as he wrapped his arms around himself and shivered slightly. He grabbed out a worn and dirty blanket and quickly wrapped it around his shoulders as he huddled down.
"Thank you," He muttered, as a passing woman dropped a gold coin on the rough cardboard sign he had written in front of him with the other coins as he pulled the blanket tighter.
He had found a doorway of a closed shop and had set up there with a good view of the large house across the street. He's been there for a good couple of hours as the time ticked away slowly and the night got colder around him. He'd sent Dracka off after a brown-haired man, that he didn't know, who had left the house about fifteen minutes ago and was wondering where the vampire had gotten to.
Harry thanked another person as a coin fell and he quickly gathered up them up as he huddled down in the blanket and waited.
"Don't you look a sight," A voice sneered near him and Harry looked up at Dracka.
"Sorry, sir." Harry said softly. "Any coin for a man down on his luck?"
Dracka crouched down next to him and slightly to the side as if he was counselling him as the vampire looked him over.
"That man lead me three streets over to a house on the corner," Dracka whispered. "There are no wards there that I can pick up, they may be using it as a staging point for the Floo or apparation."
"Very good," Harry replied. "Can you get me a coffee? It's bloody cold."
Dracka gave him a leer before pulling himself to his feet.
"Well, if you aren't going to take any help." Dracka sneered down at him and Harry pulled the blanket closer around him before Dracka stalked away.
They spent the next three hours watching and tracking people away from and to the property until Harry was shivering slightly in the cold and he could see his breath on the air. Dracka looked down at him with concern in his dark eyes.
"Right there?" Dracka asked.
"Yeah, all good." Harry replied. "Why don't you head back to the school? It looks like it's getting quiet."
Dracka crouched down next to him, shoulder to shoulder. The streets were mostly deserted now since it was heading towards midnight and Harry had moved further into the doorway to get away from the wind and off the street slightly. Harry shifted over so that Dracka had more room beside him and Dracka tugged the blanket around him as they looked over at the house.
"What does Albus plan to do?" Dracka asked.
"I'm not sure," Harry replied, as he shivered slightly. "He wanted me to plant listening devices but I suggested to just raid the house. It's up to him what he does."
Dracka didn't give off any body heat, but he could take in Harry's heat which would help warm the other man up as he sat next to him and he didn't mind the company.
"Will you be able to plant anything?" Dracka asked.
"I don't think so," Harry replied. "There are just too many people coming and going. Getting into the house wouldn't be too much of a problem, it would be getting out."
Dracka cocked his head to the side when a woman moved out of the house and towards the front gate. Harry looked over and took a mental image for Severus to look at later since the man would have a better idea of who she was.
"Do you want me to follow her?" Dracka asked softly.
Harry suddenly stiffened next to him as Dracka tensed.
"The Dark Lord is here," Harry said softly. "Get far enough away and go back to the school."
Dracka quickly patted his shoulder and slipped away into the night as Harry felt the dark power of Voldemort before he saw the man walking towards the house as he huddled down further in the blanket and pushed his magic down as much as he could. It was going to be a long night as lights came on in the house.
xXx
Severus started awake when someone opened the door and he glanced over to see Dracka standing in the doorway and he tensed.
"Why are you here?" Severus asked, as he looked over at the clock on the bedside table.
"Blake sent me back," Dracka said softly. "The Dark Lord arrived."
Severus cursed as he sat up and Dracka leered at his bare chest.
"Get out!" Severus snapped and the vampire chuckled as he moved out of the room. "Go wake the Headmaster."
"Why?" Dracka called back, as Severus dressed quickly in a shirt and pants.
"Won't he want to know?" Severus questioned, with a frown. "Where is Blake?"
"Still there," Dracka replied and Severus stilled.
"Why didn't he leave as well?"
"He'll be fine," Dracka said mildly, as he sprawled out on one of the chairs at the dining table. "If he isn't back in the morning, we can go looking for him."
"Then why did you wake me?" Severus snapped.
"Wanted to know if you sleep naked, like Blake does." Dracka said with a leer and Severus groaned and held his head in his hands.
"Bloody vampires," Severus cursed.