CHAPTER 10: Findings

The cold November winds traded themselves in for the slushy rain of December and snow began to pile up on the grounds, shilling the castle and all its inhabitance. Harry was miserably moving through his class. He loathed winter with a passion. It all came down to his lack of immune system. After so long of being malnourished by his relatives, he'd had a weak one and since he could remember, had been sick at lest once every winter.

They had stopped all practices, ticking off their familiars despite their reasons. There simply wasn't enough space in the Common Room without it being filled for the three to practice and there was no way they were going to risk fighting in an empty classroom. The lack of usual routines was throwing Harry for a loop. He lived of routine, on of the main reasons they continued with the lessons.

It wasn't too bad though. He'd be going home for Christmas, where he could be sick in his own bed with people who had early on explained it was okay. It wasn't too bad until they were put on castle arrest.

One morning, Dante found a tracker on Hedwig. Luckily they hadn't been using her for long trips to the house, only for short communiqués with Hagrid. After that moment the kids decided they couldn't go home for Christmas. They were being watched after Remus's performance at the match.

They were busying themselves with looking up anything they could about Flamel, telling Ron and Hermione it was a project they had to do. Eventually, when they continued to turn up nothing, Hermione began to suspect them.

"What teacher would assign a project, even an extra credit one, where there was no information on the subject?" She asked hysterically one day only a day before brake.

Dante turned pleading eyes to his "brothers". They looked at each other, trading a nonexistent conversation through their looks. "Fine." Draco grumbled having lost the argument. Harry nodded to Dante who, proceeded to explain everything from the dog to how they'd heard someone mention Flamel. The last part was a lie, but they didn't want to freak their new friends out with too much of their power.

After that, Hermione renewed her search with a particular violence that led Harry to the belief that it wasn't just the information that fueled her search, nor was it he desperation to prove that books would never fail her. She was constantly looking up at Dante and this made Harry smile so broadly, he was still doing it as they trudged out to Herbology to help their professor secure the green houses.

They were walking in, dripping wet after being soaked in the sleety snow that had renewed its vigorous down pour when Hermione had her epiphany. "The Restricted Section." She breathed, stopping dead so that Dante ran into her, catching her with his lightning fast reflexes.

"We haven't checked there." Ron quipped.

"But you need a specially signed note." Draco stomped out the idea.

"Not if you go in at night, during the holidays." Hermione offered up.

Draco looked thoughtful while Ron and Dante exchanged looks that clearly said "We've rubbed off on her."

Harry… well Harry sneezed.

Groaning he made his way up to the Common Room and quickly changed out of his sodden clothes and into a clean, warm, black turtle neck with loose denim jeans, adding an extra pair of socks to the ensemble, knowing it wouldn't do anything, but it never hurt to try. Vexation mewed annoying things in his ear, the whole way.

The holidays rolled around Hermione-less but toasty. The first year boys had the Common Room to themselves with the exception of the twins and Percy who had stayed when their parents went off to visit Ron's brother Charlie in Romania.

As per usual, Harry was miserable and sick, and even more so now that he had to be in school. However, Draco and Dante had taken it upon themselves to fill in for Remus and Sirius by taking up their rolls. Draco fused as Sirius might and Dante bashed him over the head with a wooden spoon, telling him to get a grip and it was only a little cold not leukemia, at which point Draco stopped rubbing his head and asked what leukemia was.

Ron had a good time laughing at them all.

They spent most of their time in front of the fire with marshmallows roasting along with English muffins, toast, anything that could stay on a toasting fork. They regaled each other with funny tales of blackmailable events preformed by others in the room. Harry played chess with Ron and Dante, Draco being otherwise occupied with his knives, claming he was out of shape, but refusing to duel Harry when the boy offered, claming that he was too ill to match the blonde's level, at which point Harry pinned him to the wall with a threatening looking Blood Magic dagger.

Christmas finally rolled around and, to Harry's delight he was no longer ailing and able to give Draco the beating he deserved. Christmas morning was a happy affair, only smothered by the fact Harry slept in till eleven, with no one willing to wake the teen, knowing he was always battle ready in his sleep, able to kick a Death Eater's ass up and down a dueling field before he opened his bleary eyes. Dante refused to let anyone, including Fred, George and Percy, open their presents till the boy woke, enjoying the bit of tradition they'd managed to retain.

Because the ministry was watching their owls, Harry's family had been unable to send their present over by owl, however that didn't stop them from using Cinders the family house elf. The she-elf popped into the Common Room with piles of presents to the delighted cries of the three boys who wished her a marry Christmas, gave her letters and parcels to take back to the house and asked her to drop by sometimes to visit.

All four boys were ripping into their gifts greedily

First were Draco's presents to everyone. The war-pron fighter had a very warlike theme to his gifts. He gave Dante a pair of fang like knives, the tips curving, much like sickles with a more dramatic curve, so they could cut and rip at the same time. Harry got a double edge sword, silver and green strands of a sparkly looking magic ran through tubes that spiraled around the handle and led down to the blade itself. "Poison," Harry whispered happily. Draco smiled as Harry hugged him. He gave Ron a book to help him in potions class, explaining how you read potions instructions and how to correct simple mistakes. Draco had even given the Weasley twins a book of muggle pranks. Both were overjoyed by the ideas that could be magically altered for ten times the fun.

Next were Dante's gifts. He also had a theme to his gifts, though his was much more physical. He gave Draco a set of weights that could be set to very strengths in mid-workout, increasing the boy's adaptability to a change in force quickly. He gave Harry a small robotic dumb to spar with, one designed to fight back. He gave Ron a basics book on hand-to-hand and a promise of lessons. To the twins, Dante added his own two-cents to the pranking mayhem. He gave them A Wizards Guide to Pranking the Unprankable, written by his fathers and Harry's.

Harry's gifts were more widely spread, suiting each member equally. He gave Draco a belt that could be used to hold potions safely while still effectively allowing the wearer to go about as usual without the potions being seen or damaged. To Dante he gave a set of body weights that could be worn at all times to increase the body's strength. To Ron, Harry gave a new chess sat with players designed after Hogwarts students, Ron as the king. The boy was so ecstatic he challenged everyone to a match on the spot. The twins got a small basket of half finished ideas Harry had been unable to finish, which they began to tinker with immediately.

Ron's gifts tagged along with the twins, all of which were simple but well thought out. Draco got a new pair of boats made of Dragon hide straight from their brother in Romania. Dante got a few books on different types of hand-to-hand and multiple-on-one battle techniques. Harry got a gun that Mr.Weasley had confiscated, which could be transformed into any weapon at a simple thought.

Needless to say, everyone was thrilled. After sharing their gifts with each other, they moved onto the gifts from the family. All three boys got new cloaks with shielding spells weaved into the cloth as well as new sets of daggers and cleaning supplies. Ron and his brothers got their usual sweater and treats, which all the boys shared as they lounged about the Common Room.

After a bit, they got bored and went outside for a furious snowball fight from which they came soaked back into the Common Room to dry off in front of the fire before dinner. That dinner was a happy affair, with one long table that contained all the students and teachers that had stayed behind. They had Wizards crackers and noise makers and tons of food. Harry was pleasantly satisfied and had begun to smile his genuine smile instead of the forced grin he'd adopted.

After dinner they all traipsed up stairs to the Common Room, wondering what to do with themselves now.

"I know, let's play Truth or Dare!" Draco cried. "Muraduer style!" Harry and Dante cried in unison making the others laugh while Ron, Fred and George sported slightly confused looks, Ron because he had no idea who the Maruaders where and the twins because they didn't know how these three could know about the Maruaders.

"Alright everyone in a circle." Draco called. Ron sat nearest the couch only to move when he felt himself sit on something. Under him where two plainly wrapped gifts. Both addressed to Harry. "Hey Harry it looks like you missed some." He smiled tossing them over. Harry opened to first one from Hagrid and smiled and the whittled flute. He blew into it, making the sound similar to Hedwig's hoot.

As he ripped into the other, Vexation padded down the stairs.

Prodigy! he mewed.

Harry looked up and motioned for Vex to join him. What no Merry Christams?

Save it. I did in enjoy the Christmas mouse however, thank you.

Harry nodded.

Whatcha got there? Vexation asked reaching out with a claw to tare the paper with his claws. All the boys laughed at Harry's familiar.

It's a gift, but it doesn't say from whom. He answered finishing the unwrapping for the impatient familiar.

It's from Dumbeldore. I'd know that aura anywhere, it's all over the bloody school. Vex grunted.

Harry hauled out the long cloak to a gasp. Everyone recognized it instantly for what it was. That's one impressive invisibility cloak he sent you. Vex purred.

"Your father left this in my possession before he died. Use it well." Ron read the letter that came sailing out.

"Use it well?" Draco parroted.

"Well it's obviously for pranks so I suggest that our young friend here, take first turn at a dare." Fred voiced. A general murmur of approval greeted this. Harry nodded and put Vexation in Draco's lap, where the boy began to stroke the kitten.

"What do you want me to do?" He asked slipping the cloak on.

"Go down to Filches office and nick all the stuff out of his 'Highly Dangerous' cabinet." George assigned. "Then use each one you can figure out on him or any other teacher you see." Fred finished. Draco smiled evilly and Dante steepled his fingers. Ron laughed at the look on Harry's disembodied head.

Pulling the cloak over his head he pulled out a mirror. Draco pulled out its brother and Harry winked.

"The mirror is trained to follow the person and will replay their image into this one." Draco said enlarging his own mirror so the boys all had a big screen TV like view of Harry sneaking along the halls, Vexation quietly ridding shotgun in the teen's pocket. He got into the office fine, unlocked the cabinet easily and grabbed everything quickly making his way up the castle.

He used an odd looking device on Filtch that turned him a few funny colors, making him light up like a stop sign when he realized what had happened. Another sent Mrs. Norise flying through a window like someone had kicked her out it. A third had Peeves doing the polka in mid air while a fourth had all the suits of armor falling in love with Madam Pomfery and chasing her all over she school. Harry sniggered quietly making his way up through a secret passage way. He came out in the unfortunate position right between Snape and Quirll who where having an interesting talk.

"It's time for you to decide where you loyalties lie." Snape hissed. Harry so stunned he dropped the last two devices dashed away when Snape let out a furious bellow when his nose began to elongate and curl upwards, Quirll seemed to be immune to the effects but Harry didn't stick around to see if it was simply a delayed reaction. He ran for his life swinging around doors and through halls till he scampered into a slightly closed door. Snap bellowed past and Harry let out a breath just to take it in again as he looked about his room.

There was a large mirror dead center of the room. Walking up to it Harry glanced inside and stumbled back when he spotted himself inside it. What he saw around him shocked him so much he reeled back and doubled over. Reeling around, he looked to see if they were actually there before returning to staring into the mirror.

Harry stood their, much older with his arm around an older looking Draco and Dante all three standing in the remaining carnage of a familiar house. They were smiling brightly and Draco even kissed Harry's cheek, but the scene was confused. They stood over the burred and bloody bodies of his relatives, all of them dead in the rubble of their prized house.

LOOK AWAY PRODIGY! Vexation hissed.

Harry wrenched his eyes away but it was too late. The image was ingrained in his mind. Harry thought he was going to be sick. Hardly wanting to look again he found that the image was like a car wreck, as much as he didn't want to look again, he just had to. He glanced at the mirror again, searching the image for something he had missed when he spotted two shadowy figures of his parents patting him on the shoulder as they stomped on the Dursleys' souls.

Harry really was going to be sick when he heard a voice behind him.

"I see you have found the Mirror of Erised Harry."

Harry jumped so high, so fast that his training kicked in and he drew a pair of daggers from his boats as the invisibility cloak flew off. Dumbeldore was slightly shocked but didn't show it by the look on his face, only the dimming of the twinkle in his eyes.

"Is that what it's called?" Harry asked slipping the daggers back into his boots.

"I have no doubt you've figured out by know what it does." He raised an eyes brow.

"I show not your face but your hearts desire." Harry recited looking to the inscription above the mirror.

Very good Prodigy. Vex beamed.

"Very good, Harry." Dumbeldore parroted, choosing not to say anything about Harry's shaky appearance.

"Sir, what do you see, honestly? Are all desires as far fetched as my own?" Harry asked needing to know that he wasn't the only one who saw himself killing muggles.

"I see my self with a lovely pair of socks." Dumbelore answered. "Every year I get books. But all I really want is a nice pair of socks." Harry sighed, that wasn't what he'd hopped for, he could spot the lie miles away.

"I'll assume you see your parents." Dumbeldore put in. Harry flinched. "In a manner of speaking yes." Harry answered. Dumbeldore looked at him funny. "It's complicated. I'll be going back then sir." Harry said adorning his cloak, stopping all conversation as he left via secret passage Dumbeldore hadn't known was in the room.