Slash Warning: Slashiness continues here. Be warned, I'll be bumping up the rating in the next chapter, for reasons that will become clear at the end of this chapter.
oOoOoOo
The Bodyguard
Chapter 19: The Slytherins Who Lived In Hiding
"You bad tempered git!" exclaimed Draco.
It was the first thing he said when Harry let him into the attic bedroom. Half an hour had passed, and Harry had recovered enough of his temper to feel embarrassed about shouting at his friends. Hermione was right as usual, Harry realised. It was not only premature to be mourning Hedwig, but it was a disservice to his owl. Hedwig had bravely fought her way past Umbridge in Fifth Year, and had tracked down Sirius in hiding before that. Surely, Harry reasoned, she could cope with a skinny, greasy git like Snape?
"I'm sorry, Draco," said Harry, running his fingers through his hair. "I shouldn't have shouted. Hedwig can take care of herself."
But Draco seemed vastly - and snidely - amused. "Thanks for the apology, Harry. But it's not the first time you've lost your temper, not by a long shot. Hermione and Ron have just taken turns treating me to A Hundred Great Screaming Tantrums by The Famous Harry Potter. You were worse in Fifth Year, apparently," he said, closing and locking the door behind him.
Harry's cheeks burned at the memories. "I remember," he said. Draco's smirk broadened and Harry guessed that the Slytherin was enjoying having one over him. But Harry's annoyance was overshadowed by his guilt. Why couldn't he be like Dumbledore, and never lose his temper at all?
"We decided that you yell at your friends because you don't have parents to yell at," said Draco. "And you really should control yourself, Harry. Hermione and Ron - you terrify them when you're angry."
"What about you?" asked Harry softly.
"You've already forgotten how hard I tried to make you angry at school? I'm disappointed, Harry!" said Draco with bravado. Harry knew he must have frowned, for the Slytherin immediately started cheerfully laying on the guilt. "I mean, what's the worst thing you can do to me, Harry? Beat me up? You've done that to me so many times. Enough times for me to know that there are always healing spells. Use Legilimency on me? I don't care what you see, Harry. I've nothing to hide."
Though he knew what Draco was up to, Harry hung his head, feeling alone and miserable. But the feeling disappeared when Draco grabbed him in a tight embrace. A tingle of pleasure ran down Harry's body, and he wrapped his arms around Draco in return, and buried his face in his soft, shampoo-scented hair.
"I love you just the way you are, Harry." Draco's voice was silky. "I couldn't bear it if you were a Goody-Two-Shoes. If you were, you'd have nothing in common with me." Harry could hear his teasing smirk. "Besides, beating up Dark wizards is something that the Chosen One SHOULD be doing." His voice dropped to a purr. "Do it to V..." He choked loudly, next to Harry's ear. "I mean, the Dark Lord, and I'll be very, very grateful."
Harry leaned into him and felt a grin spread over his face. "How grateful?" he teased, and raised his head to look Draco full in the face. His boyfriend's grey eyes burned with amused desire and Harry couldn't take his eyes off him.
"This grateful," said Draco and lowered his lips onto Harry's.
Harry kissed him back hungrily. It seemed the perfect way to make up. He felt Draco pushing him backwards, until his back pressed against the wall.
They were both gasping when Draco pulled his mouth away. "We've got privacy for a minute or two, love. We'd better make the most of it." He slid down Harry's body and undid his trousers.
Harry moaned. He thought that he'd never seen anything as sexy as Draco just then - his radiant, pale skin, sleek hair, and brilliant grey eyes looking up at him. But then Draco opened his mouth and leaned forward, and all coherent thought left Harry's mind; his knees trembled and his eyes rolled back in his head with pleasure.
oOoOoOo
Harry let Draco do up his jeans, and then pulled him up into an embrace.
"I love you, Harry," Draco whispered into his ear.
"I love ... hearing you say that," said Harry. He blinked and wondered at what he'd nearly said. They kissed. Draco's mouth tasted ... interesting. Familiar. Harry explored it gently with his tongue.
"Harry, Moody, Lupin and Tonks want to talk to you," admitted Draco reluctantly, as Harry started kissing his neck.
"What, now?" murmured Harry, distracted by Draco's hands running up his back.
"Yes. They said they'd follow me up the stairs in a few minutes." Draco opened his eyes, and moved away with a groan of frustration. "Go on. If you thought Ron walking in was embarrassing..."
Harry raised his head with a sigh. "What do they want?" he asked frustratedly.
Draco shrugged. "They wouldn't tell me. It must be Order business." He licked his lips and it was all Harry could do not to kiss him again.
oOoOoOo
Moody, Lupin and Tonks were deep in conversation, on the second floor landing, but they stopped and looked up as Harry and Draco approached. "Just the people we needed to see," said Moody. Harry saw them all exchange glances, and then Tonks nodded and spoke up.
"Could I please have a private word, Draco? I think I should teach you to use Frendocuro properly." She was smiling but it was quite plain to Harry that Frendocuro wasn't the real reason Tonks wanted to take Draco aside.
Draco appeared to have the same impression. He glanced nervously at Harry for permission. Harry nodded, and watched Draco and Tonks walk downstairs without him. Draco kept glancing back over his shoulder.
When they were out of sight, Harry turned back to Moody and Lupin. "What did you want to talk to me about?" he asked. He saw Moody's mismatched eyes scan over the daisy shaped bruises on his throat.
"Jumped on you last night, did he? That boy?" asked Moody gruffly.
"His name's Draco," said Harry testily. "And, forgive me, but what we do in private isn't anyone else's business. I'm sick of people acting surprised."
"Oh, I'm not surprised. Far from it," said Moody. His scarred face was grim.
Harry stared at him.
"We were expecting it, after our little chat with Barnes, outside the Wizengamot," said Lupin.
"What did Barnes tell you?" asked Harry, thinking bitterly of the scarred Head Auror, who had been instrumental, as well as Umbridge, in inflicting the Vow on Draco.
Neither Moody, nor Lupin, replied. They looked down the stairs, after Draco, and Harry was surprised to see that they had expressions of concern, and - could it be? - guilt.
"The Virginity Trap was a brilliant idea. He's a funny lad. I've never seen one of He Who Must Not Be Named's spells so imaginatively screwed up," said Moody.
"I haven't laughed so hard in ages," said Lupin. "He reminds me of Sirius in a way. Same reckless sense of humour."
"What did Barnes tell you?" persisted Harry.
"Barnes said he'd be..." Moody paused as if wondering how much to say, and then he went on gruffly, "...vulnerable to you, Harry." He rubbed his scarred chin. "Promise me you'll look after him," he added unexpectedly.
Harry stared at Moody. He was certain there was something he wasn't being told, but he wasn't sure how to get Moody or Lupin to admit what they knew. "What are you talking about? Of course, I'll look after him! I'm looking after him now," he said, with a growing sense of alarm.
"Yes, we've noticed," growled Moody, his eyes flicking once again to Harry's neck.
"Don't order him do anything he wouldn't otherwise do," warned Lupin. His prematurely lined face was tired and sad.
"No, I'd never ... why are you saying this?"
Moody was still staring after Draco. "It's no wonder Umbridge waited until Dumbledore was dead before she tried this. He would have been furious." Moody's expression hardened. "Of course, it's Draco's fault that Dumbledore isn't here anymore."
"Draco would never have killed Dumbledore and Dumbledore knew it," stated Harry. "Dumbledore offered him and his family sanctuary, and the only reason he didn't take it up, is that he didn't have time. The Death Eaters arrived before he could speak."
"Draco let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts," growled Moody emphatically. "No, it's his fault, all right." His sad expression had completely gone.
Lupin looked uncomfortable. "At any rate, I suggest you reread the Vow, Harry," he said.
"I will," said Harry, resolving to get the Vow back from Hermione, sit down in the kitchen and read it from beginning to end, as soon as possible.
oOoOoOo
Harry sighed, took off his glasses and laid them on the kitchen table. He rubbed his temples, squeezed his eyes shut, and tried to resist the headache he could feel coming on. He'd reread the Vow three times - enough to confirm that it truly was the most complex, boring thing that he'd ever read. He barely understood it any better now. Though he had the impression that Draco was tightly bound to him, the details escaped him entirely, concealed, as they were, in line after line of legal jargon. He stashed the Vow in his pocket, put his glasses back on, and looked across the table at Ron, Hermione and Draco, toying with the idea of asking Hermione for advice, but she was extremely busy.
"Occlumens!" she said, as Draco tried to break into her mind. Ron watched her with concern. She was pale and perspiring, and she looked like she had a headache that was at least as bad as Harry's, and possibly worse.
"Not bad, Hermione," said Draco. "I can't get in. But the spell must be silent or there's no point."
"All right," said Hermione weakly. Harry saw her lips twitch, as she thought the word Occlumens. Draco stared at her, and then shook his head.
"It's not working."
"I'm exhausted," said Hermione, mopping her brow with a handkerchief. "You've tested Ron already. Why don't you test Harry while I have a rest?"
A grin spread over Draco's face. "What a brilliant idea! Wait until you see this!"
Immediately, Harry did his best to forget his headache. He thought about Dumbledore and felt peace fill his mind. Occlumens, he thought. With a scrabbling sensation, like claws against a glacier, he felt Draco try, and fail, to enter his mind.
Draco stopped his attack. "Harry had a breakthrough last night," he said proudly. "He can not only do Occlumency now, but he can do it silently and keep me out."
Hermione simply beamed at both of them and Ron said, "Wicked!"
"It's all down to Draco's teaching, of course," said Harry with a wry smile, remembering Draco's boast of the night before.
Draco simply beamed at him. "Naturally! And I can teach you Frendocuro as well. Tonks showed me. She said the trick is in the way you hold your wand. Hold it too tight and bruises go daisy shaped. Hold it loose and..." He reached out with his wand and Harry felt the bruises vanishing from his neck.
"What else did you and Tonks talk about?" Harry asked curiously, when Draco had finished healing his bruises and Harry had started treating Draco's bruises, one by one.
Draco shrugged. "You, mostly. She wanted to know how I felt about you, so I told her I loved you." Hermione and Ron looked at Harry and he blushed. "It's no great secret."
"Not now, anyway," muttered Harry.
"Then she asked me how I knew." Draco went on,. "My answer took ages! I had plenty of reasons! But, Merlin! How nosy can the Order be? I guess they don't want the evil Slytherin breaking the poor, naive Gryffindor's heart." He winked.
"It's not that," said Harry. "It's something to do with the Vow. Barnes told them it makes you vulnerable to me." He noticed that both Draco and Hermione immediately participated in a bit of synchronised floor and ceiling inspection, looking anywhere but directly at him.
Ron, however, didn't act the least bit suspiciously. "Is it something to do with the strangling flame thing you told us about? That sounds like a crime all right. Just the sort of thing Umbridge would do to people."
"Yeah," said Harry, looking at Hermione, who was still examining the ceiling.
"I can understand feeling sorry for someone cursed with one of those things," said Ron, with feeling.
"I'm touched, Ron. Really. But I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me," muttered Draco.
"I think it's more than that," said Harry. "I think the Vow is forcing feelings onto Draco." He was surprised when Draco rounded on him and stared him straight in the eye.
"That's your filthy Muggle family talking, Harry. You doubt anyone could love you. But you shouldn't!"
Harry tried to stare back at Draco, but found that he couldn't meet his eyes.
"So the Vow's some sort of Love Potion?" asked Ron. He glanced from Draco to Harry and back again. "You both DID get together pretty smartly."
"We're teenagers, we're sleeping in the same bed, and we'd both nearly died the day before. What do you expect us to do, Ron? Hold hands until we got married?" asked Draco scathingly.
"You don't talk like someone under a Love Potion, Draco," said Ron, with the ghost of a smirk.
"No, he doesn't," said Harry, feeling the tiniest bit better. "But we should try something. Ron, remember when you were under Romilda Vane's Love Potion and you couldn't bear to hear anyone say bad things about her?"
Ron shuddered. "Yes, I remember. Let's try that." He looked at Draco, who folded his arms sulkily, and then back at Harry. "Harry, you're a tosser," he said.
"I couldn't agree more," sneered Draco. "But you're a tosser too, Ron, and the way you two keep harping on about the Vow is getting on my nerves. Shut up about it!"
Hermione made a muffled sound that could have been a laugh. But she looked away when Harry glanced at her.
"Not a Love Potion, then," said Ron seriously. "I think the Order are wrong."
Harry nodded, but he still felt a slight sense of unease.
Hermione finally looked at Harry. "Why don't you teach Draco how to produce a Patronus so that he can send messages?" she suggested.
"Good idea," said Harry, glad to get off the subject of the Vow.
"I've never heard of anyone using a Patronus to send messages," said Draco. He also seemed relieved to be talking about something else.
"I'm not surprised. Only the Order do it. It's a form of communication Dumbledore invented, and it's wonderful," said Hermione impressively. "A Patronus can go anywhere, they're resistant to Dark Magic so their message can't be tampered with, and you can't send lies with them. Each witch or wizard can only produce their own Patronus, and it's impossible to conjure another's, so you always know who sent the message. More than that, a Patronus changes, to reflect a person's loves and loyalties. They are a reflection of a person's true self."
"And all you need to make a Patronus, and send a message, is a wand," said Ron.
Looking suitably impressed, Draco asked: "How do I make a Patronus?"
"Harry's the one to teach you. He taught us," said Ron.
Nodding, Harry took out his wand. "The incantation is 'Expecto patronum' but you need to concentrate on a single, happy memory while you're saying it," he explained. "I'll show you. Expecto patronum!"
A vast, silvery stag exploded from Harry's wand. Draco tipped so far back in his chair that he nearly fell out of it and he grabbed at the table edge to save himself. He stared, opened-mouthed, turning to follow the stag as it sailed around the room, and swore softly. "I say! Will my Patronus be as cool as that?"
Shuffling his feet in embarrassment, Harry said, "It's not that cool." His Patronus, Prongs, flicked its proud, horned head at him, as if disagreeing.
"You never know what kind of animal you're going to get," said Ron. "And once you've got it, you're stuck with it. It's a bit like becoming an Animagus. You might want to be something impressive, like a white tiger, but if you turn into a warthog, tough luck!"
Draco looked nervous. "A white tiger is what I'm hoping for. Or maybe a bird. I could handle having an eagle or a stork as a Patronus. Just as long as it's something majestic."
"There's only one way to find out what kind of Patronus you'll get," said Harry.
Draco bit his lip and nodded. He closed his eyes a moment, as if thinking of a happy memory. Then he smiled and opened his eyes. "Expecto patronum!" Nothing happened. "Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!"
"Keep trying," said Harry.
Five minutes passed, before shapeless wisps and tendrils of silvery fog exploded from Draco's wand.
"You did it!" exclaimed Harry. "That will scare off a Dementor or two!"
Puzzled, Draco watched the wispy tendrils fade. "I thought it was supposed to look like an animal?"
"Only a corporal Patronus looks like an animal," explained Harry. "A corporal Patronus is what you need to send messages and chase off lots of Dementors at once. What memory are you using?"
"The first time I rode a broomstick."
"That's what I used at first and it wasn't powerful enough," said Harry. "You need a REALLY happy memory for a corporal Patronus."
Draco frowned, obviously thinking hard, and then he grinned. "I've thought of one," he said. His grey eyes burned as he winked slowly at Harry.
Harry blushed. He could guess what memory Draco was using.
" Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!" shouted Draco, and a silvery, furry animal burst from his wand. He stared eagerly at the glowing, creature. Then his face fell, and he looked outraged. "No! NO! I refuse to believe it. That's not my Patronus. There's a mistake here! It can't be! This can't be right!"
Draco's Patronus had sharp teeth, but it wasn't a white tiger. It was graceful, like an eagle or a stork, but definitely not majestic. It had an arched, elongated body, short legs, and a pale, pointed face with strangely human, almond-shaped eyes. It gambolled around the room, running into things and tumbling over with joy and excitement.
"It's a ferret!" wailed Draco in disbelief. "My Patronus is a ferret! I wanted a white tiger and I got a sodding white RAT!"
"Ferrets aren't rodents. They're part of the mustalid family, like otters," said Hermione. She waved her wand, "Expecto Patronum!" she exclaimed, and her silvery otter Patronus romped around on the floor with Draco's ferret. "Look! They're doing the weasel war dance together. How cute!"
"What's the weasel war dance?" asked Draco, grimly, watching as the otter and ferret played together like bouncing, hyperactive kittens.
"When they jump around like that. It just means that they're happy," said Hermione, smiling at her otter.
"Cheer up, Draco! At least your Patronus is better than mine," said Ron gloomily. He flicked his wand and his silvery Jack Russell dog ran around the room, barking excitedly. The ferret and otter stopped short at the sight of Ron's Patronus, then galloped after it playfully. The Jack Russell took one look at the pair of charging animals, and turned tail and fled, yelping fit to burst. Ron scowled, as his Patronus took refuge under the legs of Harry's stag.
"Look at that. The noble, majestic stag," Draco sneered jealously. "Your Patronus is hanging around with household pets, Harry. How does that make you feel?"
"Could have been worse. You could have had a warthog," said Ron philosophically.
"I can't believe that a ferret is a reflection of my true self," moaned Draco.
"Of course it is! You really are a perfect ferret," Harry teased. "Let's see, you're cute, cuddly, and playful, with nastiest, most vicious little mouth you can really hurt people with. Oh yes, and if you get into someone's trousers you're really dangerous!"
"Too much information, Harry!" shouted Ron, clapping his hands to his ears.
Harry was glad to see Draco smile. "That's right, Harry. I'm in your trousers now and you're never getting me out!" He pounced on Harry and they wrestled joyfully on the table, like the silvery animals on the floor.
"Stop it!" shouted Ron, hunching over and pressing his hands even tighter to his ears. "Just stop it, both of you!"
"My mother's best friend has a ferret, and she says you have to watch them carefully, because they'll go in and out of every hole they see," said Hermione, with a very straight face.
"La! La! La! Too much information! I can't hear you!" said Ron with his hands over his ears. Harry, Draco and Hermione roared with laughter.
Suddenly and silently, a white streak flew into the room. The quartet froze, and the four silvery animals stopped playing and also looked up. The white streak circled the table and came to land on Harry's shoulder, with a soft hoot of greeting.
"Hedwig!" cried Harry, utterly relived that she was alive. At first glance, she seemed completely unscathed by her visit to the second most powerful Dark wizard in the world but he wanted to make sure. He lifted her down from his shoulder, put her on the table, and began to examine her for injuries.
Hedwig tolerated his attentions for a few moments, but then she clicked her beak haughtily, as if offended that Harry thought her not up to the task of delivering a letter without a medical check up afterwards. She shrugged Harry's hands away and pointedly lifted her right leg, on which was tied a much scribbled on scrap of paper.
Harry glanced at Draco and Hermione. "Sorry, for shouting at you before," said Harry awkwardly. "Hedwig's fine-"
"It's okay, Harry. We don't need to hear it. Let's just have the letter," said Hermione, and Draco nodded.
Carefully, Harry untied the string holding the letter to Hedwig's leg. "Thank you, Hedwig," he said, gently stroking her head. The snowy owl blinked her large, yellow eyes at him, bobbed, and took off, flying back up the stairs to her perch and her owl treats. Draco took the letter from Harry and unfolded it.
"Read it aloud," said Hermione.
Draco read:
Dear Severus,
I hope you are well.
I have bad news. Mother has been murdered. She refused to murder Muggles on an Inferi making expedition and the Dark Lord said she would pay by becoming an Inferius herself. Aunt Bellatrix used the Killing Curse. There was nothing I could do. It was all over in seconds.
I know how hard you tried to protect us from the Ministry and the other Death Eaters, and I don't blame you for this, Severus. I've barely had any privacy to grieve but know this - I want Bellatrix DEAD, and the Dark Lord too. In the end it is HIS fault that Mother is dead and Father is in Azkaban.
I'm confident of striking back, because I now have people who can help me. Powerful people. You may have read in the Daily Prophet that the Ministry captured me. I was rescuing Harry Potter at the time. The reason I'm not imprisoned for life in Azkaban, is that Harry (yes, he asked me to use his first name!) spoke up for me at the Wizengamot and made me his bodyguard. I'm living with him at the Order of the Phoenix headquarters.
The Ministry made me swear an Unbreakable Vow to Harry but it's not that much of a problem now that he said I can ignore it if people are being stupid. People are ALWAYS stupid. Harry and I are still fighting, but not as much as we used to, and he's been very generous, cooking for me and giving me his bed and his clothes. The Order hate me, but Hermione Granger is sticking up for me.
You were right about Hermione, Severus. She never dated Harry. That Rita Skeeter article was rubbish from beginning to end. Hermione and I talked privately for twenty minutes this morning and it was a real eye opener. She apologized for telling everyone that I bought my way into the Slytherin Quidditch team with broomsticks, when Father only gave them to the team AFTER I'd won my trial fair and square. I feel a bit guilty about the things I said to her in school. She's dating Ron Weasley, who isn't too bad when you get to know him either. Though I still hate his brothers.
Have you seen my Slytherin friends? I haven't been able to risk visiting them for two weeks, in case I was followed, and I hope that they haven't been discovered and they've got enough to eat. I'll owl Nott, as soon as Hedwig comes back after delivering this letter.
I've been trying to teach Harry Occlumency, so he can shield his mind when he is duelling Death Eaters. He's TERRIBLE at Occlumency and he keeps hurting me when I try to teach him. But he's really good at Legilimency - isn't that strange? Harry told me you gave him Occlumency lessons (may I congratulate you for surviving them!) If you've got any advice for teaching Occlumency to Harry, please let me know. I don't want to let him leave the Headquarters until he's mastered it.
We were all talking about you just now, Severus, but I think Harry was too hard on you. He doesn't know you at all.
I have absolutely nothing to wear except Harry's Muggle jeans. I don't want to risk going back to Malfoy Mansion in case the Death Eaters are waiting for me. Is there any way I can reach my trunk at Hogwarts?
With warmest regards,
Draco Malfoy
"Your Slytherin friends?" Hermione was curious.
"Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Theodore Nott. Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini," said Draco. "When I ... left Hogwarts, I owled my friends and told them not to go home, or they'd be drafted into the Death Eaters with their parents, the same as I was. I told them to pack up as if they were about to go home on the Hogwart's Express, but hide in Hogsmeade instead. Severus and I have been visiting them and bringing them food all this time."
"Oh!" mouthed Hermione. She held out her hand, and Draco handed her the letter.
"Hedwig's been out all night and she's tired," said Harry. He'd been listening to Draco's letter with interest. "I'll teach you how to send a message with your Patronus so you can contact your friends that way."
Draco nodded his thanks.
Hermione started to read Snape's letter aloud:
Dear Draco,
Forgive me for saying this before I say anything else but this is highly important - DO NOT USE HARRY POTTER'S OWL AGAIN TO CONTACT ME AGAIN! A snowy owl is an extremely blatant choice of messenger, and everyone knows to whom that particular snowy owl belongs. Luckily, no Death Eaters were around when she arrived, otherwise my loyalty to the Dark Lord would have been severely called into question.
Burn this letter when you have read it. I have written on the back of your letter so that you may destroy both at the same time.
I can't express how sorry I am to hear about your mother, Draco. As you know, she and your father were my friends from the time I first came to Hogwarts. She would have wanted you to be strong at this time and she would have approved of what you are doing right now. Rest assured that the Dark Lord and Bellatrix will pay for her murder.
Congratulations on your new role as Harry Potter's bodyguard. I'm worried that you'll need a bodyguard of your own to protect you from Potter. Don't let him torture you! There is so much pent up hatred and anger in that boy that I was able to reveal certain memories of him to the Dark Lord and persuade him that I hadn't killed Potter during our time at Hogwarts together because Potter was obviously growing into a powerful Dark wizard. I believe have seen most of Potter's childhood memories, thanks to those abominable Occlumency lessons. He was, by turns, abused and neglected by his Muggle family and is EXTREMELY damaged.
My late, lamented friend, Albus Dumbledore, rarely made mistakes but we both considered leaving Potter to be raised by his Muggle family to be the greatest mistake of Dumbledore's entire life. Albus's mania to see and expect the best in people meant he was willing to trust Potter's Muggle family to raise him, even though I warned against putting Potter with his Aunt, Petunia Evans, whom I have had the misfortune to have met.
Unfortunately, the mistake could not be rectified when it was discovered. Dumbledore could not move Potter in with a kind wizarding family because the magical protections in place obliged Potter to stay with the Muggles in that house until he was seventeen. Dumbledore tried to atone by making sure Potter was taken from that house as soon as possible during the summer, but it was something he never forgave himself for and we are all, including you, Draco, suffering the consequences.
Regarding your problems teaching Potter Occlumency (I shudder at the thought of what he might do to you) consider that it is the damage inflicted on Potter by his Muggle family that make him unable to guard his mind. He has powerful feelings of anger and hatred that well up at the slightest provocation. He needs an equally powerful form of relaxation to counter these feelings, and help him perform Occlumency and I'm sure, with your reputation, that you can think of something. I suspect it will be something that you'll be glad to do.
I am glad you have joined the Golden Gryffindor trio for more than reasons of your safety. They have been tediously slow in their attempts to thwart the Dark Lord so far and I have been forced to take matters into my own hands.
I have not bothered to contact them, considering that that vicious thug, Potter, would try to kill me on sight, but as you have joined them, perhaps you can exert a moderating influence over Potter, so that we can all meet and talk. It is very important that we do so.
I believe there is much you aren't telling me about your Unbreakable Vow, Draco. I would like to read it when we meet.
I saw your Slytherin friends last week and they missed you. I have given them food but their current situation is precarious. Now that you are working openly with the Order, you must get them magically protected so that they'll never be forced to take the Dark Mark like you, and your parents were.
The wards on your house should have kept it safe, but yes, you can go to Hogwarts and retrieve your trunk after you've seen about your friends. I hear no one has dared to move your trunk from your dorm, since your Death Eater status became widely known and I expect Professor Slughorn would like his dorm room back. The security spells around Hogwarts are still in place and the school is closed for summer, but Irma Pince, the Hogwarts Librarian, will let you in without question. Potter may also be able to persuade Professor McGonagall, Professor Hagrid, or Mr Filch to let you all in. I hear Professor Hagrid lives inside the castle now. I am very sorry about what happened to his shack, but don't you dare tell him!
You may not be able to enter Hogwarts, Draco, if McGonagall has restored the internal security spells that Dumbledore deactivated. Be cautious! Hogwarts is a stronghold of ancient magic, and not to be trifled with!
I remain, your teacher and Head of House in intention, if no longer in fact,
Severus Snape
P.S. BURN THIS LETTER IMMEDIATELY!
"The slimy git!" snarled Harry. He'd almost heard Snape's sarcastic, silky voice, as Hermione read the letter aloud, and the way Snape talked about Dumbledore, as if he hadn't murdered him, made Harry incandescent with rage. But there was something in that letter he hadn't expected.
"I never knew he'd met my Muggle aunt." Harry looked to Draco for an explanation.
"Severus never mentioned her to me." Draco shrugged. "We'd better burn the letter."
Hermione tapped her wand on the letter. "Incendio!" she exclaimed, and the letter burned brightly to ashes.
"I can't use Hedwig again," said Draco. "I'll need to know how to use my Patronus to send messages."
"I can teach you how to send a message by Patronus, but Snape won't be able to reply," Harry sneered. "He doesn't have a Patronus."
"Yes, he does," said Draco quickly, looking at Harry with a frown. "It's one of the things I saw in his memories. He was only in Third Year. Pretty cool Patronus too - a black panther." He looked at Hermione. "What does THAT say about Severus Snape's true self?"
"A lot! Black panthers are stealthy, secretive hunters," said Hermione thoughtfully. "They're infamous for their ability to go about undetected. You don't know they're there, until they've got their teeth into you. What a perfect Patronus for a spy!"
"Yes, Snape was secretive, all right. Dumbledore had no idea Snape was going to kill him - until he did," said Harry, clenching his fists.
"Black panthers are the dark form of a leopard," Hermione added, looking sidelong at Harry, as though she disapproved of his anger. "Maybe it's a Muggle-culture thing only, but it's said that leopards never change their spots."
"Meaning Snape was a traitor all along?" said Harry. He heard all three of his friends sigh at once.
"Or meaning exactly the opposite," said Hermione crossly.
"If Snape had a Patronus, especially a cool one, like a panther, why didn't he show it during the Defence Against The Dark Arts Dementor lesson?" Ron wondered. "Remember, Harry? You and Snape had that big argument about the best way to drive off Dementors. You told him it was by Patronus, and dared him to produce one."
"Then Snape gave me a detention disembowelling Flobber Worms," growled Harry. "He gave me a zero for my Dementor homework too, the slimy git!"
"Have you actually seen Snape's Patronus directly?" Hermione asked Draco.
Draco shook his head. "I've only ever seen the memory."
"Hmmm," said Hermione, rubbing her mouth. There was a distant look in her eyes. "Maybe Snape didn't want to show his Patronus during class because it had changed?" she suggested.
"Reflecting his true loyalties?" asked Draco.
"We know what those are," said Harry loudly. "No wonder Snape didn't want to show his Patronus! And what a hypocrite! When Tonks fell in love with Lupin, and her Patronus changed into a werewolf, Snape sneered at her and told her it looked weak. I wonder what Snape's Patronus looks like now? Lord Voldemort?"
oOoOoOo
The silvery glow on the end of Draco's wand showed that his Patronus was still active. "Are you sure Patronus messaging will work between London and Scotland?" he asked.
"Distance won't make any difference," said Harry. "If you can send a message by Patronus between rooms, you can send it between countries." He'd taken one look at his friends after his Lord Voldemort Patronus comment and decided to stop talking about Snape before his friends all got up at once and hit him. Teaching Draco how to send Patronus messages had calmed them all down.
Draco gripped his glowing wand tightly.
"What made you tell your friends to hide in the Shrieking Shack?" asked Ron.
"It was the best hiding spot I could think of near Hogwarts. It's haunted so no one would think to look in there."
"You're not the first person to have thought that," said Hermione. "Dumbledore hid Remus Lupin in the Shrieking Shack when he was still at Hogwarts."
Draco thought about this. "Great minds think alike!" he boasted and Harry, Ron and Hermione snickered.
Eventually, the silvery ferret flitted back into the room, wiggling with excitement. "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, Harry. But if I flick my wand, we should hear the reply that my friends have sent," said Draco.
"That's right," said Harry.
Draco flicked his wand, and all four of them flinched as a terrified scream filled the kitchen.
"It's a rat! A glowing rat! Get it away from me!" screeched Pansy Parkinson's voice.
Draco looked scandalized.
"Don't be daft, Parkinson. It's a ferret. A ferret Patronus," said Blaise Zabini's sleek, superior voice.
Harry heard a couple of deep grunts. Crabbe and Goyle, he guessed.
"Quiet! Are you trying to get us all killed?"
Harry didn't recognise the voice. It was a boy, who sounded young, but intelligent, and he spoke in a low, urgent tone.
"Malfoy, it's Theodore Nott. If you're really with the Order now, then for Merlin's sake, come and get us! Now! The Death Eaters have tracked us down and there are Inferi all around the Shrieking Shack. I put up repelling spells, and I thought we were safe, but Malfoy, when your Patronus arrived, all the Inferi went berserk trying to get in! They broke down all the doors and windows on the ground floor, and they're inside. We can hear them moving about downstairs, trying to find a way up!"
Hermione clapped her hand to her mouth. "Draco, Patronuses attract Inferi," she gasped.
"Why didn't you warn me?" yelled Draco.
"We didn't know there were any near your friends," said Harry.
Pansy's voice whimpered. "They're coming up the stairs!" She sounded close to hysteria.
"Use Incendio," whispered Theodore. "Fire keeps Inferi away."
"Incendio in here?" said Blaise. "Nott, are you crazy? It'll burn the house down!"
There was a creak, and then a chilling, low moan. Harry had heard something like it before, in the cave with Dumbledore, just before the Inferi there had attacked.
"Use it! We don't have a choice," snarled Theodore. "Malfoy, I'm going to stop this message now and send your Patronus back. HURRY, Malfoy. Get us out of here!"
The sound from Draco's Patronus started to fade. But before it faded entirely, the quartet heard Blaise say, "Mrs Malfoy?" and Pansy gave a blood-curdling scream.
"Malfoy! Your Mother's here and she's dead! She's an Infernus!"
oOoOoOo
Author's Notes: Review this fanfic, or I'll set the Inferi on you! ;-)
Yeah, I'll have to bump the rating on this one. Zombie Narcissa might upset the kiddies. Does anyone know what happens when you raise the rating? Does it mean some people signed up for alerts won't get them?
To see a pure, white ferret doing the weasel war dance around somebody's underwear (if that's your sort of thing) search for 'Spazzy Spike' on YouTube.
Replies to reviews:
miadragonlover: Thanks! I'd love to say whose side I think Snape is on, but I can't because it will give the ending of The Bodyguard away. fei-yen: Thanks! Hedwig is deeply offended that Harry thought Snape would be too much for her! ;-) Cheezewizz: Thank you very much for reading! ;-) hyperRme: I agree, Hedwig's gorgeous! Ron and Harry have made up, but Ron is still a bit shocked his friends' relationship. Darned anti-slasher! ;-) Netty: Thanks! Harry is certainly not very accepting about Snape. anettemargarete: Thanks. How is it unusual? Where does it say in the guidelines that author notes aren't allowed? I've read the guidelines and it seems only works that are nothing but Author Notes are illegal. The Bodyguard isn't like that. Lady Jaelyn DuGrey Scott: Thank you very much! ;-) DestinyDragon: Glad you liked the Virginity Trap. Draco will be messing up even more of Voldemort's spells in the future. Queen Vampiress: Thank you for that! Glad it cheered you up. More coming soon. Stefania Mo: Bwahahahaha indeed! ;-) miME-chan: I'm happy you've had your slash fix! ;-) Lady Ichabod: Hermione's not one for pranks or humiliating others. That's what makes her such a faithful friend, though she can be a bit of a prig. Harry really does screech too much! Snape sets him off every time. ;-) RoseLavenderRose: I'm not very familiar with FF ratings. A zombie mother is probably a good reason to raise the rating in the next chapter. Lisa: Thanks! In Harry's defense, he went off the deep end about Hedwig because it hit his two flashpoints - something he loved was in danger, and Snape was involved. Shame Ness2: Thanks! Heh, all the Snape friends are coming out of the woodwork. ;-) I think Snape...ummm, I can't say. Let's just say I've got lots of ideas about old Snapey's loyalties and I'm putting them all into this story. The twins may have more spells to buy off Draco soon. ElvenTwinLover: Thank you! ;-) NinjaoftheDarkness: Oh my God, I have to wash my brain out now you've got me thinking about what sort of toys Moody keeps in his trunk. A blow up Hippogriff for sure! Gaaah! Nooo! Bad image! ;-) Fairee: There's a warning on top of each page. Crowley Black: Snape is so much fun to hate! ;-) Yellowwolf: Thanks! We'll be seeing more about Snape. GreenEyedCatDragon: Draco was responding to peer group pressure when he put the Virginity Trap there. But it worked out all right for him. Katharina-B: Yes, I think Ron will only walk into bedrooms now, after knocking and with his hands in front of his eyes. ;-) Snape has answered, but do you trust him? ;-) Avalene: Thanks! Yes, Harry truly hates Snape, not the least because he saw him kill Dumbledore. You've made some interesting comments about Snape there. ;-) Darkna: I think Harry's used to not being believed by now. No one ever believes him! He's got the scars to prove it. Moody is the new Head of the Order. Merlin, help them! ;-) That's why Moody got the attic bedroom, the best in the house, even though it was difficult for him to walk up there. Does Moody know about Horcruxes? That will become clear in the next chapter. ;-) The only living people who know the full words of the prophecy are the Trio. This will have side effects later on. ;-) Harry doesn't need permission to hunt Horcruxes. He's the Chosen One so the Order just let him do what he wants. He's not the Head of the Order, though. He's too young and inexperienced. Black Padfoot: Seamless, eh? Oh thanks! (Hugs) Glad you liked the Trap. You liked the anger? The Earth Mystic: Moody took the Virginity Trap down - under strict instructions from the sabre-toothed tiger otherwise known as Mrs Weasley. She didn't want her babies trapped again. ;-) Airlady: Thanks! I think the hats that make virgins appear to be non-virgins will sell even more than the Virginity Trap. Ron is still shocked, but fun to tease! ;-) ProperT: What a great review! Thank you so much! Glad you liked Moody's response to the Trap. I've updated a bit quicker this time. Riku-Rocks: Thanks. I'm happy you like it and I'm flattered! This fanfic will be changing moods again - into horror, next chapter. Potter's Wifey: Thank you! It would be hard to make Harry more overly dramatic than Canon!Harry. (From OofP. Canon!Harry: Oh woe! I must run away for I am possessed by Voldemort. Sob! Nobody understands how I feel! Canon!Ginny: I do! Voldemort possessed me a few years ago. Canon!Harry: Oh yeah. I remember now. I feel better.) Canon!Harry is a total drama queen! Bwahahahaha! Love him! ;-) Night Air: Thanks, will do! wizli: Heh! Great review! ;-) You've noted the relationship dynamics in the fic very well. And God bless the Gryffindor queen! ;-) Kit turned Mighty: Thanks heaps! ;-) The Vow certainly came back into play in this chapter and it will become increasingly important. Harry has a lot to learn. Oooh, I'd love to say something about Snape. (Mustn't! Mustn't! ;-) Lily Elizabeth Snape: Thanks! ;-) What are those three genre again? Shagging, blowjobs and...umm...more shagging? ;-) I've just proved you can't possibly be a bigger dork than I am! ;-) Ari Maxwell: I reckon the twins must be virgins. They're not terribly attractive. I mean, how many fanfics show them getting laid? (Though I'm not counting them getting laid with each other. Ewww! Eye bleach time at the very thought! ;-) Thanks for the review! ;-) HecateDeMort: A Virginity Trap at the Ministry would catch Umbridge for sure.