Okay Lovelies. The Chapter after this one, Harry leaves the Dursleys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hooray, Hoorah, and all that.
This chapter is kinda filler, as I had a list of things I needed to write before Harry left and I suddenly got here and none of it was written.
So enjoy a lighter, slightly fun chapter.
Oh and the Fairy Tale's all mine. I only wrote what's there though. Rather nice for my first Fairy Tale ending.
Chapter 12
July 31st
Morning.
Harry awoke to a cat sitting on his chest. It was watching him out of a duel set of blue and gold eyes and purring with rather nauseating intensity.
Opening it's mouth instead of mewing at him it said in a rather high-pitched, mangled English, "If you keep me secret then I will stay with you."
Harry's mouth dropped open but the cat cut him off before he could even think about speaking.
"No you may not speak. The Fat One cut your throat. I was barely able to heal you in time and you're still healing. As it is you may never talk again." The duel eyes blinked at him and Harry couldn't pick up any emotion from the cat at all. "I've put a magical block on your voice. There will be no talking."
The no kind of echoed a bit inside Harry's head. Harry blinked at him. What?
"You will learn mind speech. You will need it to talk to me." The cat stretched slowly, claws catching on Harry's shirt. "As it is your birthday I will take it easy on you."
Wait. What?
"Now to begin. Clear your mind." Harry wanted to laugh. Clear his mind? What did that even mean?
The cat meeped at him in disgust. "Don't be stupid. Do I have to push you off a bridge? You must empty your mind of all thoughts. Then you project one thought, one single idea, outward." Suddenly the cat was in his face, whiskers tickling his nose, until cat's eyes were the only thing he could see. "Like this. Happy Birthday Harry."
The words weren't said aloud. They were actually heard from inside his head. As if someone else had thought them in his mind. It shocked him but wasn't really shocking. Harry had become used to strange things happening to him. It was what the cat had said that caught his attention.
Carefully he pushed all his thoughts back, pushing them deep down, as he had when the Bumblebee was in his mind. Then he formed his question and pushed it out, out of his eyes and into the cat's duel set.
"It isn't my birthday."
The cat blinked at him then made a dissaproving sound before pulling back to sit on his chest. "Well if you knew how to do it, why didn't you say so?" Harry might not have felt any emotions from the cat but the voice in his mind was obviously irritated. "And you don't even know when your birthday is. How do you know its not today?"
Harry shook his head. He supposed he didn't know. Petunia had never said when his birthday was. He had never asked. Careful. The whisper in his head was back, but sounded far away. Harry acknowledged it but ignored it. The cat might be magical and a bit rude but it seemed all right. And Harry was too tired to be suspicious.
He tentatively moved his hand and reached up and touched his neck. There. There was a scar. Harry sighed. He had hoped that part hadn't happened. He had hoped Dudley hadn't even found out. His eyes lingered on the cat. Perhaps the cat . . . But no. Even to ask a magical cat to erase his cousin's memories could qualify as using magic. Perhaps even talking to a magical cat with his mind. Harry frowned.
The prick of sharp claws kneading his stomach brought his attention back to the cat. It was nearly all white but had splotches of gold and black on its face and tail and a single gold splatter on its back. The cat purred at the attention as Harry looked it over. Reaching out a hand he touched it very carefully. The cat purred louder and butted its head against Harry hands. It was very soft. Harry couldn't remember ever touching a cat but he had touched Marge Dursley's dog Ripper before it snapped at him. It hadn't been so soft. The cat tilted its head so Harry's fingers would scratch its chin. Harry obliged willingly.
"My name is Se'ir. I think I will let you keep me."
Harry snorted at him but couldn't resist a slight smile. The cat reminded him of Osset're.
"I'm Harry." It was odd speaking like this but not bad. Similar to when he went into someone's head.
The cat yawned. "I know. The Small Fat One said so when he was here."
Small fat one? Oh. "Dudley was here?"
"Is that his name? What horrible people his parents must be."
Harry laughed at that comment. It was strange that it came out so silently. He grimaced as he remembered. Poor Dudley. How much had he heard? How much did he know? He suddenly looked around. He sighed. He was back in Dudley's second bedroom again.
The cat stopped purring and turned his head to the door. Harry looked as well. The door cracked open as Harry stared at it. Blond hair topped a chubby face that was pinched in worry. With that expression on his face Harry thought he looked like Petunia.
But the emotions from the boy that suddenly filled his throat were never something Petunia Dursley would feel towards Harry. Worry. Sympathy. Longing. Fear. They choked him and he couldn't resist the temptation to cough. The noise was barely that; it was so quiet. But Dudley managed to catch it and, with a quick glance over his shoulder, he scooted through the open door and closed it behind him.
"Harry." He said, trying to whisper but failing to in his excitement. He stood by the door staring at Harry, his face pale.
His eyes never settled on the cat though.
"I am not an ordinary cat." Se'ir said it smugly. Harry felt another smile curve his mouth.
"You're awake." Dudley's eyes met him momentarily before he quickly glanced away. "Are-" He cleared his throat and tried to speak louder. "All right?"
Harry stared at him. If he wasn't mistaken Dudley felt guilty. Harry sighed. The fact that he couldn't talk wasn't going to help. He nodded instead hoping to stave off more guilt.
This new Dudley wasn't very helpful in that regard. He crept closer, his fingers twisting themselves together, his lip held between his teeth.
"Are you sure?" He stopped just before the bed. "I-i was worried."
Harry sighed. Dudley wasn't going to be put off this time. It was slightly odd. Dudley was worried. About him. It was . . . astounding. Resigned, he put a hand to his throat, and tried to speak. Nothing came out predictably.
Dudley's eyes grew wide. "You can't talk!" He exclaimed, then winced at the loudness of it and looked over his shoulder as if he could see through the wall. He looked back at Harry and bit his lip again. "Sorry."
Harry shook his head. He didn't know why Dudley was apologizing.
"You really can't talk?"
Harry shook his head. Dudley sighed. "Do- Are you mad?"
What? Harry frowned and shook his head again. He didn't understand.
Dudley clarified. "At Mum and Dad I mean. For what they did. . . . for what they do."
Oh. Bloody Hell. He did know about the abuse. Or if he didn't he had suspicions. And Harry couldn't even talk Dudley into understanding.
"Cause you should, you know." His voice sounded hard. A bit too hard for an eight year old and Dudley in particular. "I am."
Harry shook his head but Dudley interrupted him.
"No Harry. I am mad. They a-abuse you." His voice trembled but he managed to get the word out. Harry stared at him in dismay. "I think you should tell someone."
Harry shook his head frantically. No. No he couldn't tell anyone. The door opened suddenly and Petunia walked in. She stared at them, uncertainty in her eyes.
"Dudley." She looked at her son, her eyes wide and strange. "Piers is here."
Dudley didn't even look at her. "Just a second."
Petunia's head twitched oddly on her neck. Still staring she backed out of the room and closed the door softly. Dudley heaved a sigh and turned to leave. He paused just before opening it.
"If you don't find someone to tell I will."
And then he left. Harry couldn't have spoken even if there was nothing wrong with his voice.
"I think I like that boy. " Se'ir sounded impressed. "Despite his utterly horrid name."
Se'ir was an odd cat. He didn't behave normally. He refused to chase mice, play, or do anything that required running about. In short he was lazy. But he was rather talented magic wise. The Dursleys never saw him for instance, even when he was right in front of their noses. He never needed food. At first Harry tired to share a bit of his meal with him but the cat had sniffed it and turned away proclaiming it, 'Unfit for human consumption let alone the likes of me.' He said similar derogatory things whenever Harry offered after that. He also could genuinely speak aloud, although his English was terrible and he only did so occasionally.
Another thing that made Se'ir unlike other cats was his tail. It wasn't long at all, perhaps half an inch if that, and the fur on it poofed out into a fuzzy ball. It actually looked like a rabbit's tail but Harry wouldn't dare say such a thing to the prickly feline. Se'ir did use his claws when he thought he had a reason to after all.
Harry had been horrified when he first saw it. He had immediately thought someone had chopped it off. Se'ir had laughed.
"You offend me." Se'ir had said coldly. "I used magic to make it this way."
Harry had been unconvinced that Se'ir was telling the truth. "Why would you do that?"
"The Japanese have suspicions about cats with long tails. They think that if it grows too long then the cat will suddenly sprout another one. The second tail will give it gifts of shape-shifting, talking, walking on its hind legs, and resurrecting the dead. The Japanese people started cutting off their cat's tails hundreds of years ago and to this day most cats there have tails like mine."
Se'ir sniffed indignantly. "Utter fantasy I assure you. Imagine, cats walking like humans."
Harry had noticed he hadn't said anything refuting the other magical abilities. Se'ir did have at least talking down, and Harry was curious about the other things. He often wondered if he had maybe died and the Dursleys never noticed. He didn't dare ask though.
"As it happens I visited Japan around the time that those bizarre mortals were cutting off every cat's tail that they could see and it seemed prudent to make mine short in order to avoid mutilation." His tail waggled a bit as if aware it was being talked about. "Unfortunately I wasn't too experienced with my magic then and my tail got stuck this way."
Harry had laughed at Se'ir's muttered confession. "How old are you?" He had to be two hundred at least.
Se'ir had sneered at him, although Harry wasn't sure how he did it.
"Its rude to ask a cat their age. "
Harry had frowned, thinking there was something off about that sentence but let it go. Se'ir was rather touchy.
The summer was odd. Dudley was gone through most of it. He spent the days with Piers and his other friends. He only came home for dinner and then he took his food to his room. He didn't spend a lot of time with Harry but did check on him often. Harry could feel his worry whenever he was in the room.
Petunia seemed heart-broken. Her son refused to talk to her. He refused to even look at her. He was barely eating. She was taking it hard. As usual she was blaming Harry, but unusually she did nothing about it. Her anger and rage and heart ache and sorrow just simmered under the surface. After a while it started to make Harry nauseous.
Vernon Dursley was an angry man as Harry knew well. He was angry at Harry for being a freak. He was angry at Dudley for knowing about the . . . punishments. He was angry at his wife for being related to Harry. The entire situation made him hopping mad. It made him all the more eager to deal out punishments, and to make them hard to forget.
Vernon took his anger out on Harry. He didn't bother with creative torture but simply used his fists. As Harry was staying in Dudley's second bedroom indefinitely he was able to close the door and take his time.
He came up with a simple routine. He would come home from work and punish Harry until Dudley would arrive. Despite the fact that Dudley knew he tried to hide it. It didn't work as Dudley now considered himself Harry's friend and made sure to visit Harry often when he was home.
Harry had no chores. He wasn't allowed out of his room unless he needed to loo. He wasn't allowed out of the house for any reason. As Harry wasn't around Petunia and Vernon never noticed he didn't talk. Dudley knew, of course, but he never said anything. Harry no longer sat at the dinner table. Dudley would bring him his meal when he took his to his room. Harry was grateful. It was the only meal he got each day.
It may have sounded like an awful summer, even for Harry, but it was actually one of the best summers of his life.
By the time dinner started each evening Harry was fast approaching unconsciousness. He only held on long enough to eat and use the loo before he collapsed. Then he was asleep until around noon the next day when Se'ir would finish healing him. He basically spent the entire summer at Crescent.
At first he felt guilty. The punishments were just that. Punishments. Didn't he need to suffer? In order to learn his lessons and all that. But after a while he was just so tired he stopped caring. The beatings were hard enough to deal with but the time spent healing and the lack of food took it's toll. His time at Crescent with Osset're and Hylaarr was a respite from his normal life. He even sometimes imagined that he was normal. That he was like any other little boy and didn't need punishments.
The summer progressed with Harry's punishments erratically getting worse then letting off to nothing. Se'ir slept when Harry was awake as he used up so much energy healing him. That made Harry feel worse then usual but he remained firm in his decision not to use magic.
He did break down once.
He asked Se'ir to take his magic away. It was the reason for everything wasn't it? The root of everything terrible in his life. So he asked even though it could be considered as using magic as the cat would have to use it on his behalf in order to get rid of his.
The cat had stared at him with curious eyes.
"If you want it done, why don't you do it yourself?"
That response had made him think. If he used magic once more, in order not to do so ever again, couldn't it be justified? If he took his punishments for doing so willingly then there might not be a need for them ever again. Or perhaps for only a little while, in order to even out everything he had done in the past.
But when he reached into himself with imaginary hands and took hold of his magic, the magic turned on him. It seemed to know what he was doing and it laughed as it slipped out of those 'hands' like water. Harry tried many times after that but nothing ever happened. His magic merely begged him to use it. He always refused. He wouldn't use his magic.
Hylaarr and Osset're noticed.
"Watch Harry." Osset're held a ball of violet light in his hand. Slowly tendrils began to reach out from the ball and then curl into vines. The vines sprouted flowers; one vine started to form itself into a tree. Soon enough the was a miniature forest was in the mage's hand. Harry's looked it over in wonder. There was so much detail. Birds flitted between trees and mushrooms decorated the ground. Even a snake crept out from the hollow of a tree. It's eyes followed Harry as he moved closer to see everything.
"Like it?" Osset're said it casually but his emotions were in Harry's throat slightly unsure. Harry nodded enthusiastically in order to reassure him.
Osset're smiled and relaxed. "Good. Now you try."
Harry's head snapped up to look at him so fast he winced at the twinge in his neck where the scar pulled.
'Me?' He mouthed in horror before shaking his head frantically. 'I can't.'
Osset're's eyes had caught his pain and he stared at the scar softly for a moment before his eyes snapped up to look at Harry. He rolled his eyes at Harry's protest.
"Of course you can. I've felt your magic, dearling." A quick hand ruffled Harry's hair before he could duck. He shivered at the contact. "It's more than powerful enough for such illusion."
Harry looked down and bit back a guilty sigh. His magic was powerful enough for illusion. He knew that quite well.
"Let him be, Osset're." Hylaarr touched Osset're's knee with a soft hand. "Finish the story."
Osset're sighed but started the story again as his magic began spinning a single figure into the forest scene.
"And so Ror'issen, the Hornet Prince was free from the spell Gir'orril, the Cricket King had place on him."
As Osset're told the story it played out front of him.
"He now knew the value of working with others, of being a single part of a group, a pack. The wolves he had befriended accompanied him back to The Heart of the Forest and stood by him as he presented himself to his uncle."
The lone elf in the forest was jumped on and made much of by a pack of dusky wolves. They danced and fought predators as Ror'issen and his pack made the long journey home.
"Gir'orril sat upon his throne, a living tree, red in color, large enough that it's entire body created the temple there."
The first sight of the Hear of the Forest took Harry breath away. The colors were so bright and vibrant they hurt his eyes. The old elven king Gir'orril looked exactly as he had always imagined a king would look like.
"The old Elven King met Ror'issen's eyes with unfathomable emotion and looked into his mind and read his heart. When he returned to the world of the flesh Gir'orril was pleased and named his nephew his heir."
When Harry's eyes fastened with Ror'issen's he could have sword he felt the old wise finger's slip into his mind.
"He died a year later at peace and with great certainty that the young elf would make as good a king as his father had."
When the king died, Harry had to look away.
Hylaarr brushed a hand through his hair and he jumped before he could stop himself. Hylaarr's hand paused and lingered before falling away. He shot a glance at Hylaarr before looking away. The vampire lord wasn't angry, as Harry's new skill told him but Harry still felt guilty. He hated . . . Actually he didn't know what he hated. It just was hard. Part of him wished he would just stop going to Crescent. The other part wished he never had to leave.
"Harry!" Osset're's voice was a bit too excited but Harry ignored that and turned to him with bright eyes. "I want you to tell a story now."
He grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him closer. Then he dropped Harry's hand, cupped his hands together, and formed a green ball of magic in his hands. Abruptly he dropped it in Harry's and sat back on his heels, grinning like a cartoon devil Dudley once had drawn on his homework.
Harry stared at the ball of Osset're's magic. It was so warm in his hands. A piece of the vampire mage, small enough to hold.
And he was tempted. He wanted to show him what he could do. But he couldn't.
He pushed the magic away, and scooted back on the bed. With a deep breath he willed himself back, willed himself to stop dreaming. He felt their dismay when he left but didn't let it stop him.
Oddly it was Dudley who made him first question his decision not to use magic.
Dudley came home for lunch. Harry had willed himself back and so woke up just before noon.
" You are stupid." Se'ir was on his chest again when he woke. The cat's duel eyes seemed to glow a bit. "I have not finished healing you yet. Why did you return?"
Harry wasn't sure but he had the feeling Se'ir knew about Crescent. He didn't know for sure and kept the charade going.
Harry shook his head. "Sorry. I just woke up." The cat snorted and didn't respond. Se'ir had taken to ignoring him whenever Harry did something he didn't approve of. Se'ir didn't approve of a lot.
Dudley suddenly poked his head in and, upon seeing Harry moving, pushed the door open and walked in with out knocking. He shoved the door closed with his shoulder and made his way over to Harry's bed. Grunting he sat on the end and shoved one of his sandwiches off his plate and into Harry's hands.
Harry grabbed it to keep it from sliding off the bed. Carefully he took a bite before mouthing a thank you at Dudley. His cousin shrugged, his own mouth full of food. "There's chips, too"
Harry nodded and took another bit. The silence was awkward despite it being filled with the sounds of chewing. Finally Dudley paused, coughed, and broke it.
"That barmy old man. The one that was here, err, around November." Harry froze and Dudley relaxed. "Yeah. Well, he said you have magic." Dudley looked straight into Harry's eyes. "Do you?"
Harry didn't know what to do. He knew Petunia and Vernon knew about magic but never thought Dudley knew about it. The Dursleys wouldn't like that.
"I think that if you do, you are stupid." Dudley's voice was firm.
Why was everyone calling him stupid? Harry looked down, staring at the sandwich in his hands.
"If you have magic, why are you even here?" Anger laced his voice. "I mean, you could just go away." His voice softened to nearly a whisper. "If I were you, I would."
Why would anyone want to be him? Perhaps he was stupid. Dudley didn't want to be him. He said if he were him. If he were Harry he'd use his magic and disappear. Harry swallowed hard. Even despite the fact that he wasn't supposed to have it?
"Why not?" Se'ir whispered it in his mind. "Haven't you been punished enough?" The whisper cackled distantly inside his head. Yeah, had enough yet?
"Just think about it, all right Harry?" Dudley finished his sandwich and got up, wiping his mouth on his sleeve, and leaving without saying anymore.
Harry couldn't say why he reconsidered using magic. He didn't even really. He didn't start using it after that, but the option remained open in his mind.
He couldn't rid himself of the image of Dudley in his place.
If Dudley had been him he would have wanted Dudley to use his magic and leave.
It was a few weeks before they finally caught on that he couldn't leave the Golden Suite.
"Hylaarr Kiinn!" Osset're exclaimed in dismay. "That was the last cake!"
Hylaarr grinned smugly. "You should have gotten to it sooner."
Osset're scowled at his mate. "You don't even like chocolate cake!"
Hylaarr chew the small cake he had popped into his mouth all at once. "I like this cake."
Small flurries of red magic began to dance around the vampire mage as his anger grew. "I made these cakes for Harry!"
Harry turned his head away, eyes shining with suppressed laughter. He would have let it out, both the vampires knew that they amused him and tried to do so as often as possible, but it made them sad to see him laughing without making any noise. Harry didn't like it when they were sad. Osset're's sadness was like cold rain in his throat and Hylaarr's felt like something was lodged there and was hard to swallow around.
His eyes found the pad of paper and pen that always was close by and he grabbed it writing quickly before handing it to Hylaarr.
"More cake?" He glanced at Osset're. "I don't think Osset're should have more sugar today."
Osset're smiled sweetly at his mate and tipped his drink over Hylaarr's head. Hylaarr sputtered as the liquid ran down his face and pooled into his open mouth. His eyes turned to lock with his mate's and promised retribution. Osset're looked away to avoid them. Harry couldn't stop his laughter then and had to clamp his hand over his mouth in order to hide it.
Hylaarr caught his laughter though and he grew suddenly grave but Harry could feel his delight and knew he was about to make a joke.
Suddenly a cat jumped up into Harry's arms. It was Se'ir.
"Se'ir? What-"
But Se'ir interrupted him. "No time. Attack comes. Hide."
Hylaarr stared at the cat for a moment and Harry realized that Se'ir was visible. And, due to the familiar look on the vampire Lord's face, he had heard Se'ir's warning. Hylaarr was suddenly in motion. He grabbed a hold of Harry, causing Se'ir to jump, and pushed him at Osset're. Harry wondered if he were the only one to see the cat disappear mid-leap.
"There's going to be an attack. Take Harry to Seren."
Osset're didn't even pause to digest that. He had Harry in his arms quicker than he could blink and was heading for the door. Harry suddenly began to squirm. He couldn't let Osset're take him out of the Golden Suite. It wouldn't work and they would find out. And he had a terrible headache the last time he'd tried.
"Hush Harry." Osset're whispered in his ear. "Hylaarr will be fine."
Harry mouthed a protest but wasn't in the right position for Osset're to see. Osset're was glowing by the time he reached the door. Protective magic illuminated him from within. Harry could feel it warming his very skin from inside.
And then Osset're was at the door. It opened before they reached it and Harry managed to slip out of the elven vampires arms. Osset're cursed beneath his breath, grabbed Harry's hand, and pulled him through the door.
Pain attacked Harry and he jerked back, escaping from Osset're's hand, and fell to the ground. He could feel himself falling apart.
Osset're stared at him with wide eyes and then Harry was pulled back, faster than he ever had been before. He sat up with a gasp as he nearly slammed into his body. Beside him Se'ir appeared out of thin air.
"Well what are you doing here?" Se'ir's voice was urgent. "Go back! Help them."
Harry shook his head but it was so painful he moaned. He couldn't go back. He couldn't help even if he did. He couldn't use his magic. Unless, perhaps, it was life or death. Holding his head in his hand he tried to muster up the strength to push that out of his mind into Se'ir's but he couldn't.
"Don't shake your head at me." Se'ir flicked his tail in irritation. "I must heal you. You are going back."
With a little push of his magic Se'ir sent him back to Crescent. Harry arrived in the middle of the chambers and found himself in the middle of a battle.
It was a battle unlike Harry had seen before. Shadows filled the room like a black cloud. Out of that cloud, things formed. Teeth, claws, eyes of every color appeared and attacked the two vampires who struggled to defend themselves. Limbs covered in spikes and spines and scales emerged from the cloud and swiped at Osset're and Hylaarr before slinking back and once again joining the shadows.
Osset're and Hylaarr were losing.
They had wounds already, something that was quite new to Harry, and were struggling to defend themselves against enemies that were endless. Magic poured off Osset're in waves and he had more success with getting the shadows to cease forming into monsters.
Hylaarr on the other hand, had abandoned his sword and was using magic too. Crude bolts of light shot out and hit their target spot on, dissolving each one back to shadows. But the shadows continued to grow more numerous. The situation was starting to look bad.
Harry was also insubstantial again.
He figured it out when Osset're suddenly dodged the snap of teeth that looked eerily wet and fell right through him. Harry bit his lip as Osset're stared at him, through him. The vampire mage looked so . . . horrified.
Suddenly a shadow formed into a man with a sword held in his hands and brought it down heading for Osset're's head.
Harry shouted out a warning but of course nothing came out. Osset're had been watching his mouth, though, and moved out of the way.
"Harry."
Hylaarr was suddenly there. He reached to grab Harry's arm but his hand passed right through. He stood staring at him with more shock than he had never seen him display before. Harry would have smiled had he not dreaded this moment for so long.
He didn't remain frozen for long though and, with a quick shake of his head, reached down to help up his mate with startling swiftness.
"Hylaarr, he's-"
"I know." Hylaarr's voice was grim. He motioned for Harry to get closer to Osset're and Harry obeyed quickly, unsure of the vampire Lord's emotions. Hylaarr met Osset're's eyes.
"They still might be able to hurt him."
Osset're nodded in agreement. His magic began to grow heavy around him and Harry couldn't tell what was about to happen.
Suddenly the shadows formed to release hundreds of wispy snakes. They hissed and spit and rushed at the two vampires, obviously set to attack. Harry frowned in confusion. The hisses sounded . . . understandable.
"Get thhe vampiresss!"
"Yess thhe vampiress."
"Bite thhem."
"De Raissss ssaid to kill thhem."
"Kill thhem thhen."
"Get thhem."
Harry sighed. More talking animals. And he couldn't even talk to these ones thanks to Se'ir. Oh. Se'ir.
With sudden inspiration he cleared his mind and pushed a single thought at them.
"Don't bite thhe vampiress."
They suddenly froze; a hundred pairs of eyes turned to him.
"Don't bite?"
"Whho?"
"Hhim. A ssssnake-sssspeaker."
"Ssssaid don't bite thhee vampiressss."
"Sssshould wee listen?"
"Do wee bite?"
There was a moment's pause before the snakes made a decision.
"Yess. Don't bite thhe vampiress."
"Don't bite thhe vampiresss."
"Don't bite thhe vampiresss."
And they melted back into the dark cloud and the cloud melted into shadows. The chatter of snakes was almost discernible as the shadows slipped away. The room was empty in a matter of moments.
Silence reigned before Harry turned to face the dominant lord. Hylaarr stood, blood dripping from a dozen different wounds, breathing hard. He looked like he had been in a battle. He also looked angry. At Harry.
"Harry." Harry winced at the tone in Hylaarr's voice. "I do believe you will be explaining some things."
Harry nodded quickly, his mind whirling to come up with something to tell them. Hylaarr motioned for him to follow them to the sitting area. He could say he didn't know how it happened. One day he was very sick and then he woke up here unexpectedly. Or perhaps he made a mistake with magic. Or perhaps-
Osset're looked very grim as he sat beside his mate. He looked better off then Hylaarr did but his white hair was red in places where his blood had coated it and it seemed to hurt him when he put weight on his left leg. His emotions were the worst though. It felt like he was mourning the death of someone. Harry perhaps? Were they going to send him away now? Or did they think him a spy and planned on killing him? Or perhaps-
"Harry." Osset're leaned forward, his hand on his knees. "Just tell me one thing first."
Harry nodded and waited bravely.
"Are you dead?"
Harry blinked, and his mouth dropped open in shock. Hylaarr and Osset're immediately relaxed. Harry could feel their relief. What? Oh. They had though he had died.
Hylaarr cleared his throat.
"Harry. Why didn't you mention you knew how to mind speak?" Hylaarr, of course, would focus on the one thing Harry hadn't thought up any excuse for.
"What? He knows how to mind speak?" Osset're looked at Harry. "You know how to mind speak?"
Harry grimaced a bit and nodded. He had been hoping this unable to talk properly thing would make them less inclined to interrogate him.
"Bahh." Osset're fell back into the divan and fairly growled in aggravation. "Does everyone know how to mind speak but me?"
Hylaarr sent him a sideways look but turned back to Harry.
"Explain." He said it aloud too but the emphasis was inside his head and Harry knew better than to doge anymore.
"Se'ir taught me."
"The cat?" Hylaarr asked. Osset're frowned.
"What cat?"
Hylaarr sighed. "The cat that warned us of the attack."
"A cat warned us of the attack?"
Hylaarr growled. "Yes Osset're."
"But how? He mind spoke Harry? How does Harry know mind speech anyway?" The elven vampire had to take a deep breath after that flurry of questions.
Hylaarr sighed again. "Se'ir taught him."
"Who?"
"The cat."
"No who's Se'ir?"
" Se'ir is the cat who taught Harry mind speech and warned us of the attack."
Osset're looked at him sceptically. "I never saw a cat."
" Odd as I did." Hylaarr glared at his mate. "Now will you please shut it so I can question the boy?"
Osset're made a face and crossed his arms, turning his head away. "Stupid vampires and their bloody mind speech." He muttered under his breath in elven.
Hylaarr turned back to Harry with an eyebrow raised. Harry thought it a good idea to continue his explanation.
"Se'ir taught me how to mind speak. Yes he's a cat. He's magical ."
Hylaarr smirked. "So I gathered." He suddenly softened. "Are you all right?"
Harry nodded his head in confusion. "Yes."
Hylaarr nodded once before leaning forward. "Could you tell me how you came to be . . ."
"A ghost." Osset're filled in helpfully but still glared at Hylaarr when his mate looked at him.
Harry suppressed a wince. "I don't know." He looked down to hide his eyes. "It happens when I sleep sometimes. When I come here."
Hylaarr stared at Harry for a long moment. Long enough for Osset're to get impatient and lean over to his mate. "What did he say?"
Hylaarr ignored him and focused on Harry.
"Harry. We haven't noticed you like that here."
Harry nodded and began his lie hesitantly. "I sometimes come here and you can't see me and I can touch things but most just go through me. I happened after I came here that time, round October. I can't leave the – your chambers."
Hylaarr questioned him further but believed him. Harry hadn't wanted to give him so much information but didn't want them to know that he'd been come here in his dreams for years. That probably wouldn't go over too well. After all that might be taken suspiciously by the vampire lord. Harry didn't want to lose any of the vampire's affections.
Perhaps he shouldn't have given so much information. When he woke up he berated himself for it wishing he could take it back.
August
30th
Evening.
He was visible and solid the next time he went back to Crescent. Hylaarr and Osset're were pleased about it and didn't make much of Harry being unable to leave the chambers. They were even more attentive, and were quick to drop what they had been doing when he showed up. He was extremely happy that last week of summer. Of course it fell apart quite easily.
Harry knew life wouldn't be so nice when he had to stop dreaming. And so he told lie after lie in order to make them like him. Harry was very good at telling lies and he was careful not to let anything slip. But Harry had grown to comfortable around them and began to make mistakes.
The biggest mistake was letting on he knew Nin.
Vernon had been tired when he got home from work. He hardly spent anytime with Harry before he went downstairs, plopped himself into his chair, turned on the tellie, and waited for dinner. When dinner came Dudley didn't pester Harry with any thought provoking conversation, he just handed him a plate and retreated to his room, eyes only once lingering on the new black eye Harry was sporting. Se'ir had healed Harry well and taken off to visit a 'friend' he said he'd made.
And so Harry was once again in his own company and relatively whole.
All too pleased with the way life was going he decided to visit Crescent. It was boring in Dudley's second bedroom anyway and he wouldn't have to use much magic, just enough to give him a push. The whisper said nothing about his plans, which in itself was a reprieve, and soon Harry was opening his eyes to the familiar chambers of Hylaarr Kiinn and Osset're Li'essha Kiinn.
Feeling rather elated, Harry crept towards the bed, where the curtains were pulled around it and soft conversation could be heard from within.
"Is it wrong that I hope he's unhappy with them?" Osset're sighed.
"Yes." Hylaarr sounded sleepy.
Osset're sighed again. "I am serious Hylaarr. We asked him to live with us first. It seems unfair to me that they get him."
Harry bit his lip. Osset're was . . . melancholy. Harry didn't like it. Osset're should always be happy. And it was about him. Why did he make everyone around him unhappy?
"Life is unfair, Osset're." Hylaarr yawned.
"I don't like them. His relatives I mean. I think he'd be much better off with us."
"Osset're." Hylaarr sounded annoyed. "He's human, has living relatives, and seems happy. Let it go."
Harry sighed. They really should let it go. Thank the little gods, as Osset're would say, for Dominants. Hylaarr yawned before Osset're started again.
"Hylaarr?"
"Hmm?"
"Have you thought about, you know, finding him?"
There was silence for a moment. Harry held his breathe. He didn't know what he wanted Hylaarr to say though.
"Osset're we are not spying on Harry."
Harry let his breath out unsure if he felt relieved or disappointed.
"He wouldn't have to know. I could make us invisible and we'd, you know, observe. Just to make sure he's happy."
"No."
"Where do you think he lives?"
"Osset're."
" Think about it. He's English by his accent and he's close enough to London to get there easily. We're in Abria. Harry is very powerful but he's young and probably wouldn't be able to shadow walk or whatever he does much farther then that. All we'd have to do is go to London and cast few spells . . ."
Hylaarr growled to get his mate's attention. "Osset're! Harry is an abused child."
Dead silence. Harry felt like he couldn't breathe. They thought he was abused. How could they? He had been so careful.
"He does not trust us, hence his magic only bringing him here in spirit. He is very fragile. Any push from us that he is not ready for could break him." Hylaarr said it very quietly and Harry had to strain to hear.
"Hylaarr." Osset're breathed. "Do you think . . . It it possible he's still being abused?"
Utter silence. Harry couldn't even feel emotions from either vampire.
"Yes."
Harry was up in an instant. This had been a mistake. He should have never come back here. He was leaving and he was not coming back. They were far too close to finding out about the Dursleys. Harry was halfway to the bench before he was stopped.
"Harry."
Harry turned to face Osset're and Hylaarr. For the first time he couldn't hide what he felt. He felt anger. And betrayal. And fear.
"I am not abused." There might have been too many emotions transferred in the mind speech but Harry didn't notice.
"Harry." Osset're took a step forward but stopped when Harry took a step back.
"Don't come near me." He hissed. He could feel his magic boiling and crawling on his skin.
"Harry." Hylaarr deliberately walked closer to him. Harry didn't care.
"Neither of you understand! " He could feel his thoughts getting out of control. "They are punishments. I'm . . . horrid! I have magic, and I shouldn't. I'm a murderer! My parents are dead because of me. The Dursleys hate me. I can feel their hate and they're my family. If they hate me shouldn't everyone else? The punishments are necessary. I need them."
He was panting by the time he was through and his cheeks were wet.
"Harry." Hylaarr's voice was very gentle. "Have you ever considered you aren't human?"
Harry breathed out a harsh breath. It was so quiet in the room.
"Harry look around you." Osset're was closer than he had been before. "Your magic is not human magic."
Harry blinked and looked down. His hands were clenched into fists. Magic; bright green and gold and blue was all around him. It rose off him in a mist of light. It danced in the air before him. He could feel himself full of it.
He gulped back dismay. He had lost control of his emotions and the magic had escaped.
It seemed to laugh at its freedom. It happily attacked the spell the only spell it could see. The once Se'ir had put on his voice snapped and the magic seemed to scream in delight.
"I'm a freak." He whispered. He hadn't believe it before. He had magic, yes, but a secret part of him had hoped it really was meant for him. That perhaps he just wasn't supposed to have so much. But it was so clear now. He was human and his magic wasn't. It was stolen magic. And he deserved every punishment he have ever received.
"No." The elven vampire whispered it softly. "You are a beautiful child. Wondrous. Magical. But not human."
That was wrong. They hadn't seen the scars; he wasn't beautiful. Nor wondrous. Magical yes but unnaturally magical. And he was human. What else could he be?
"Harry." Hylaarr was right before him. "A human child could never speak Nin."
Harry stared at him. Nin?
"Vampires speak a language called Nin. It is something we just know whether we are Borne or Embraced. We have to learn everything else but Nin is a part of our soul. Its in our blood." He held tightly to Harry's shoulders. "We've been speaking Nin the entire time you've been here. The only way you could have understood what we said is if you knew it."
Osset're smiled at him gently. "You must be partly vampire at the very least, Harry."
Harry couldn't breath. If that were true-
It couldn't be possible. It what Hylaarr said were true, If Harry really was part vampire, than the Dursleys-
"It's not- I-" Harry closed his eyes and started again.
"I lied. I've been coming here since I can remember." He looked up and met the Dominant's eyes. "I come here in my dreams. You've never seen me. I- I've been watching you both forever. I know everything about you. I've even learned some elven. I've read books on your shelf. I've eaten your food. I've watched you feed. I've watched you sleep. I've loved you for so long . . ." He took a shaky breath and looked down. "I lied- I lie about everything." They should be so mad. "I must have learned Nin when I was little."
Hylaarr reached out a hand and pulled Harry's chin up. He smiled very softly. "No one can learn Nin, Harry."
Harry stared at him.
Osset're spoke up. "Harry." Harry looked into his violet eyes unsure of what he expected him to say. Osset're bit his lip. "You belong here, Harry, with us. Your aunt and uncle-"
Harry blinked. The Dursleys. Oh. Yes. Always back to the Dursleys. He suddenly remembered his last promise to Petunia. He promised never to use magic. He looked down at his hands. Magic still danced and gloried in it's freedom. Harry couldn't help it. He started trembling. He wasn't supposed to used magic.
You're also not supposed to let anyone know about the punishments. The whisper hissed at him chidingly. Didn't the Dursleys tell you again and again what others would think? What lies others would tell you to get you to think as they did? Do you really believe them?
Harry didn't know. But he didn't want to and that was good enough for him.
Old habits had him jerking himself from Hylaarr's grasp. Protecting the Dursleys was automatic. Of course they weren't right. The Dursleys were. They always had been.
Harry shook his head. He felt floaty. For once it actually felt like he was dreaming. And he was grateful. He had forgotten that this was just a dream. It had become a nightmare but it was still a dream. It wasn't real.
"You're not real." He whispered it. "This is just a dream. It always has been."
Osset're opened his mouth to protest but Hylaarr stopped him with a look before turning to look at Harry. Duel eyes, one silver one black, met Harry's.
"If you believe that then why don't you wake up Harry?"
Harry's mouth fell open in shock. Hylaarr wanted him to leave? He looked at Osset're. The vampire mage for once was still and silent. He simply looked at Harry with hurt in his eyes. He looked away.
Harry asked his magic to take him back. It was easy with it so accessible. He wouldn't stay where he wasn't wanted. He wouldn't stay where life was a dream and magic existed. Where people told him he was a vampire. Where people told him he was supposed to have magic. They had to be lying. Any other explanation was abhorrent.
The whisper snickered at him. And who exactly is the liar here, Harry.
Harry ignored it. He had made up his mind. He wouldn't ever return. This time he meant it.
Next chapter I've plans for a bit of explanation for this last scene. I know it was rather odd. And Remus again. And Dudley.
Oh and I had an idea for the chapter, way far ahead, when Harry goes to Hogwarts. The scene is Dumbledore barges in on Severus and announced Harry Potter is a Vampire. How do you think Severus should react?
Oh and to answer this question again, it should be pretty clear, SEVERUS SNAPE is Harry's Dominant. I love Severus Snape. I only read the Harry Potter books cause of him. He's the best character in it. I HATE JKR for killing him off and I'm still in denial about the last book. I only read Harry Potter fanfiction cause of him and I'm only writing this story so I can create a character in Harry thats good enough for him.
Kay?
Good. Later Lovelies.
Fitful