Disclaimer: If you didn't know already, I don't own it. If I did, I'd have way more than twenty dollars in my bank account!

This chapter is dedicated to OrionLuckyStar, whose begging for an update made me smile. Hehehe. To all of my other reviewers, thank you so much! Even just getting a one word review makes me feel all worm and fuzzy inside, kind of like how I feel when I see someone fall down a flight of stairs.

A/N: I realize that Harry would have read that book about the veil pretty much right away, but he got distracted by the yumminess that is Draco. I'm not going to write about him reading it, just his reaction, cuz I'm not sure how to word what it's going to say in a way that would be in a book. Also, that'll be a bit later in the story, so you'll just have to hang on a bit. XP

Anyhoo…on with the story!

Chapter 7

In the Alley

Harry was walking down Diagon Alley lost in thought. Draco was waiting for him at Flourish and Blotts while he had been checking in with the goblin Ragnok. The goblin had requested a meeting with Harry in order to keep him informed on the progress they were making on the suit against Dumbledore.

Evidently, the suit was progressing nicely, as many of the initial preparations were already in place. According to Ragnok, the old coot had tried to do what he did with Harry's accounts with other accounts as well. The goblins had been trying to bring Dumbledore to court, but unfortunately, they needed the support of the people he tried to rob, and they all were simply unable to bring any kind of suit against the leader of the light.

This new bit of information was what had Harry deep in thought. He had known that the majority of the wizarding world thought that Dumbledore could do no wrong, but to be confronted with his illicit deeds and turning a blind eye just blew him away. Even when he was eleven years old and followed Dumbledore like a little puppy, if he'd known that the old man was taking his money, he wouldn't have been able to let him get away with it.

Harry was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Draco come up behind him until the blond put his arms around Harry's waist. Despite being surprised, Harry's natural reaction to throw the teen were suppressed by the feeling of safety that came to him whenever Draco was near.

"Hey there sexy," Harry purred. He turned in Draco's arms with a smirk on his face. Draco pouted at him.

"How did you know it was me? You weren't noticing anything and I made sure to be silent."

"Draco, we're mated. No matter how much you try to surprise me, I'll always know that it's you. Just like you'll always know if I am near you."

"Mmm…well, if I can't have fun by surprising you, then you'll just have to make it up to me. How about a kiss for my bruised ego?"

Harry laughed. "It's nice to know my kisses have such wonderful healing abilities," he said as he reached out to cup Draco's face. The two moved closer together, meeting briefly for a chaste kiss. However, their moment was ruined by a shrill voice nearby.

"That's just disgusting. Two men do not belong together! You two should be ashamed of yourselves! There are children here, and you are contaminating them with your perv-"

The speaker was interrupted by a gust of wind that forced her into the shop front behind her. Harry and Draco both were facing her now, eyes flashing dangerously. "Look Draco," said Harry, "a deranged beaver. Someone should call the pound. And you know, wherever the beaver is, the weasel can't be far behind."

Just then, an awkwardly tall boy with flaming orange hair stormed up to them. He opened his mouth to scream at the two teens, but another gust of wind sent him flying, landing him next to the girl.

Harry watched his two former friends as they struggled to rise. "Granger, Weasley," he said coolly. Is there something that you wished to say to Draco and I? I can't promise that I won't lose my temper again, but then, I really don't handle betrayal all that well."

"Harry? Is that you?" Ron asked. "Blimey mate, what the hell did you do to yourself? And why aren't you at your aunt and uncle's house where it's safe?"

Draco growled. "No one, Weasley, calls Harry mate except me. Do it again and you'll be forced to feed yourself through a straw for the rest of your life."

"Malfoy! What the hell did you do to Harry? Did you put him under the Imperius or something?"

Harry's eyes flashed. "Don't ever assume, Weasley, that I am incapable of making my own decisions. How I look and who I choose to associate with are frankly none of your business. And if you actually took the time to use what little brains you have, you'd know that I've been able to throw off the Imperius curse since fourth year. Now, if you would excuse us, Draco and I were planning on getting some shopping done today."

Harry went to brush past the sputtering duo, but was stopped short by Hermione's voice.

"Harry, you need to stay away from Malfoy. What the two of you were doing before was wrong. It's not normal, nor is it natural."

"Oh, Hermione, you simple minded fool," Harry said softly. "Don't think that I never noticed how you cling to your silly little beliefs about god and Christianity. I always thought it strange, how the most logical witch around could be so taken by a story that was spread by wizards to cover up some magic that got exposed. I'm surprised you haven't heard that, after all, most wizards get a huge laugh out of the fact that a worldwide muggle religion was started based on a wizard who got out of hand."

Draco started to laugh. "Wait, you mean to tell me that the girl hailed as 'the smartest witch of her age' actually believed that story? Oh, this is just priceless!"

Hermione saw red. "How dare you criticize my beliefs! They are mine to have, and nothing that you say can change that! Besides, it doesn't matter how the story started, just that the message gets across."

"Right," drawled Harry, "and isn't that message one of peace and acceptance of all peoples?"

"Yes of course, that's why I fight so hard for equality among all beings."

"Well then, why doesn't that acceptance extend to us? Why are homosexuals left out of the loving circle?"

"Because," said Hermione, "it's not natural for you to have these feelings. You're confused right now, but soon you'll realize that this isn't how god meant for you to live."

Draco and Harry glanced at each other. Harry nodded, indicating that, this time, Draco could take her down. "Granger," he asked, "do you believe that animals can do no wrong?"

"Well of course, they have no free will. Everything that they do is what they were meant to do, because that is how god made them."

"Then how do you explain gay animals? It does happen you know. It's not often, and it's not exactly beneficial to the survival of the species, but it still occurs."

"Wha-"

"Look," interrupted Harry, "we could argue about this all day, but Draco and I really do need to do some shopping. School's coming up soon. Besides, I really hate to enter into a battle of wits when my opponents are unarmed. Tell the bumblebee that I'm very upset that my letter was unable to be delivered. Goodbye and good riddance to the both of you."

Harry and Draco breezed by both Ron and Hermione, both of whom had gaping mouths and shocked expressions. (a bit redundant, I know, work with me here people!) As soon as they were clear of the dimwitted duo, both boys started laughing and couldn't stop. Eventually, they had to step to the side of the alleyway to lean against a storefront, being unable to hold themselves upright any longer. They stayed there for a moment, until their moment of gaiety was intruded upon by yet another unexpected voice. Or rather, voices.

"You know Gred, it has been so long since I have seen Harry laugh, I'd completely forgotten what it looked and sounded like."

"Indeed Forge. I had as well. In fact, just the other day, I was thinking that we should send poor Harry something to cheer him up, something to take his mind off of more serious matters."

"I had the very same thought, though I was thinking that his mind should be taken off of the matter of Sirius."

"Ah, a point well made dear brother of mine."

"Why thank you, I did think so myself."

By this time, Harry and Draco had completely stopped laughing, and were staring at the Weasley twins with a mixture of amazement, curiosity, and wariness. Neither was sure how the twins would react to the two of them, and to the truth about the war.

Draco had known that Harry would eventually have to confront the people in his life that he still cared for, but he wasn't sure if his mate was quite ready for it, especially if it meant rejection.

Harry was hopeful, but he didn't allow himself to feel it overmuch. The twins meant a lot to him, but he couldn't be sure if they were like their younger siblings. A bit hesitantly he stepped up to the twins.

"Gred, Forge. How have you been lately?"

The twins took on looks of exaggerated hurt. "Harry! How could you! Did you think that we-"

"could ever-"

"in our entire lives-"

"betray the man who, by virtue of finances-"

"made all of our dreams come true!"

Draco, rather unused to the peculiar way that the twins talked at times had a slight look of confusion on his face. Therefore, when Harry's face split into a grin and he jumped on the twins with glee, the blond was completely unprepared. When he finally caught up, he smiled broadly, much to the amazement of passersby who recognized him as a Malfoy.

It was the twins turn to be surprised. They hadn't expected such a show of emotion from Harry, who was normally fairly reserved (unless of course he was angry). Harry seemed to realize that he'd been rather intense in his reaction and stepped back, though he was still grinning widely.

"Fred, George, I think that I can honestly say that you are two of the greatest friends that a bloke can have. Although, I can't really say the same for your younger siblings."

The twins shifted uncomfortably and glanced at each other. "Ah well," said Fred, "we suspected that Ron was a lost cause from the start-"

"but we're sorry to hear that Ginny hasn't lived up to expectations. What is it exactly-"

"that the littlest Weasley-"

"has done to lose the respect of-"

"the most forgiving bloke-"

"in the entire wizarding world?"

Draco growled and gripped Harry's hand to steady him. The air around the two was beginning to crackle with the force of Harry's rage. Being reminded of what that redheaded harlot had done to him so soon after confronting the two people he thought he could call friend pushed him closer to the edge than ever before. Seeing that Harry would be unable to respond, Draco answered for him.

"That bint put a love potion into Harry's pumpkin juice every day for months last year. The only reason that she stopped was because she thought that he would stay with her even after it wore off."

The twins shared a glance, and George spoke for the two. "Why would she do that? It makes no sense. I mean, everyone could pretty much tell that Harry's gay. She should've known better."

George's remarks broke Harry's anger, replacing it with shock. "What in Merlin's name do you mean, 'everybody could tell?' I didn't tell anyone! And for a long time I didn't even know myself!"

This time Fred answered. "Harry, Harry, Harry. Did you honestly think that no one would notice? We all saw you checking out my admittedly nice arse."

Harry sputtered. "I did no such thing! If I ever checked out anyone's arse, it would have been George's. He's obviously the better looking of the two of you."

The twins laughed, and the touchy subject of Ginny was dropped. After all, there was no need to hash out all the details now, when she wasn't even there to be confronted. However, the twins wanted very much to be there to see what would happen when Harry and Draco finally caught up with her.

"Well," said Fred, "why don't we all adjourn to our back room."

"Indeed," said George, "there, at least, we can be safe from prying eyes and ears."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Albus Dumbledore was worried. He had just received a report from two of his younger "operatives" so to speak, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. It had been unsettling to say the least.

Harry Potter had been seen in broad daylight, in the middle of Diagon Alley with none other than Draco Malfoy. And if Miss Granger was correct, the two were romantically involved, and made no secret of this.

Something had to be done. His plans had been exact, everything was played out to perfection. And yet, somewhere along the way, something had gone wrong. He had been so careful with the molding of his young martyr-to-be. Keeping him unaware of his origins, being the one person the boy always believed he could trust, grooming always to be the hero that would "save" the wizarding world from the "Dark Lord." What had happened? Where had his plans gone awry? He couldn't understand the dramatic change in the boy.

Nevertheless, something had to be done. Perhaps it was time to bring the mutt back into play. After all, the man would be ridiculously easy to control; his mind weakened first by Azkaban and then almost complete isolation. If he could control a mind like Severus', then Sirius Black should pose no problem, and indeed hadn't before.

Thinking of Severus reminded Dumbledore to check to see that the Imperious was still strong. He glanced to one of the many silver instruments lining his office, making sure that everything was as it should be. Everything looked to be in order. Having reassured himself, he decided that now would be as good a time as any to see to the mutt, and flooed away.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Fawkes watched him go, and let off a soft trill. Several instruments began flashing, some even letting off a shrill alarm. Fawkes giggled to himself, and set his illusions back into place. He had been protecting his charges for quite some time now, though none of them knew it. After all, who would suspect that the bird known as Albus Dumbledore's familiar was in fact working against the man.

Dumbledore had lost any protection or help that Fawkes would offer when he first attempted to prevent the True Heir from being born. Then, when he not only turned the world against an heir, but also killed two others, Fawkes had been furious. For now, he would work in secret, keeping his charge's secrets. Soon however, all would be revealed, and Fawkes would be able to join the boy, the one upon whose shoulders the fate of the entire world rested.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow…I am really sorry about that. Honestly, I didn't think it would take so long for me to get off of my ass and write more. Um………..crap. I can't even think of anything to say. And it's not like I can blame my hectic schedule, because I pretty much have no life to speak of. I really did try though, but I'm pretty much the worst procrastinator around. So, look for more updates, maybe soon, maybe not. I'll try not to keep you waiting much more than a month, but my track record speaks against me. Heh.

So, sorry again, and I'll try to do better.