Chapter 8 Enemies & Friends
Harry woke up cuddling Hermione. Nuzzling her neck, he gave her a gentle kiss on her cheek and gently got up and ready for the day. Going downstairs Harry started reading the Daily Prophet while Winky fixed breakfast. After eating Harry went into the library to finish his homework. Overall he realized that he done a pretty decent job of it, judging by how little Hermione had corrected. He set to work quickly, blocking out everything else, so much so that he didn't hear Hermione go into the kitchen talking to Winky. He didn't hear her come in about an hour later, surprising him when she put her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek.
"Now here's a sight that I love to see, you doing your homework."
"I know that I'm irresistible, but I really need to finish this."
Hermione kissed his cheek again and moved away. She settled herself in a chair and started studying the two notebooks. A couple of hours had passed by the time Harry finished his homework. Harry then showed Hermione the potions lab in the cellar, where she immediately started working on the animagus potions, one for each of them.
"These need to sit for three hours before I can continue" said Hermione
"How about lunch and then we take a walk to the village?"
"Alright."
Winky had lunch ready when they got back upstairs. They told her that they were going for a walk to the village. She was all smiles upon hearing that. They walked hand in hand towards the village and spent almost an hour looking at the various shops. When someone asked about their visit, they simply told them that they were just visiting. They returned by a different path and soon came across the grave sight of Harry's parents. The headstones were overgrown with weeds and barely visible.
"I'll go back to the house and check the potion" said Hermione, knowing that Harry wanted to be alone now. Harry gave her hand a squeeze before letting her go. He watched her until she entered the house, then he started trimming the weeds and bramble around the graves. Finally satisfied, he conjured up some flowers and placed them between the graves. He then sat down and told them everything from the time he was one to that moment, about Hogwarts, the Dursleys, the Weasley's, Hermione, and the twins. He felt much better afterwards, never realizing how much he held inside. He walked slowly back to the house where Hermione greeted him with a hug and asked "Are you alright".
"Yeah, I'm fine. It may sound silly, but I told them everything that has happened to me since they left. It gave me such a peaceful feeling. I know that they heard me."
"Of course the heard you, you're their son. I talk to mine all the time. I just use a picture of them to talk to." She gave him another hug. "Now I finished adding the rest of the ingredients to the potions, so they should be ready about ten tomorrow morning. Since dinner's not quite ready yet I thought that we could cast the spell to reveal what forms we will take."
Harry nodded and followed Hermione back down to the potions lab, where there were two new cauldrons steaming. Hermione motioned Harry to stand in front of the one next to her. In a clear voice Hermione tapped her wand on top of the cauldron and said "Animagus Spectrus Revealus". Out of the steam a clear ball formed revealing, inside a tawny owl, its feathers seemed bushier then for a normal owls. Judging by the smile on Hermione's face, Harry knew that she was happy with her form. Now it was his turn. Tapping his regular wand on top of the cauldron, he repeated the spell, but instead of one clear ball, there were three clear balls; a snake; a black phoenix; and a spider. Surprised he turned to Hermione, who looked shocked.
"Is it possible to have three forms" he asked
"I've never read anything about it, but I suppose that it's possible."
Dinner included Harry's favorite dessert, Treacle tart, which made Harry feel a little better. After dinner they spent the evening researching their animagus forms. Harry knew that the snake was a black adder, like John, and that the spider was similar to Aragog, but he had never heard or read about a black phoenix. Apparently neither had any of the authors in the books that he looked thru.
Lying in bed with Hermione snuggled up next to him, Harry couldn't fall asleep. He wished that Dumbledore was there so that he could ask about the black phoenix. It was really starting to bug him. Then a thought popped into his head "Hagrid, Hagrid would know something about them. I'll write to him in the morning. Harry then settled down and went to sleep.
Early the next morning, Harry wrote a letter to Hagrid asking about black phoenixes. He hoped that Hagrid would answer soon. He told Hermione about writing Hagrid during breakfast. "I think that was good idea, after all he does teach Care of Magical Creatures" answered Hermione. The morning had also brought the anticipation of changing into their animagus forms. Hermione levitated the cauldrons outside to the garden.
"They look like they are supposed to. Now you need to add a drop of blood to your cauldron." Harry pricked his finger and let a drop fall into the cauldron, making it sizzle, turn black, and give off the odor of licorice. Hermione's resembled chocolate, both in looks and smell. Taking a ladle, they each dipped into their individual cauldrons and poured it into waiting goblets. Harry picked his up, closed his eyes, and took a drink. It did taste like licorice. Almost instantly his senses came alive. His eyesight seemed sharper, his hearing improved, and he swore that he could taste the air itself. He noticed that Hermione had drunk hers as well.
"Now picture one of your forms in your head Harry. Try the snake."
Harry closed his eyes and pictured John in his mind. He heard a gasp from Hermione and opened his eyes. She seemed huge and he realized that he had actually done it, he had become a snake! He closed his eyes again picturing Aragog. A small scream came from Hermione and he opened his eyes again and saw that he was almost the same height as the house. Closing his eyes for a third time he pictured a black phoenix. He didn't hear anything from Hermione, so he opened his eyes and saw a bushy tawny owl looking back at him. Both took off into flight flying over the village. It was everything that Harry had dreamed it would be. Pure joy in flight without a broomstick, the only way to fly. On he flight back Harry saw two cloaked figures heading towards his home. They didn't seem to want to be seen, which could only mean two things. Secret friends or Deatheaters. Harry was betting on Deatheaters. He and Hermione landed in a small stand of trees near the house and changed back into themselves.
"Who do you think they are" asked Hermione.
"I'm betting on Deatheaters, but they are either very bold or inexperienced in sneaking up on someone" answered Harry.
"What should we do?"
"Let's wait and see what they do."
Both watched as the cloaked figures approached the house and knocked on the front door. Winky answered it and judging by her posture, they wanted to come in but she wouldn't allow them to.
"Go around to the back and enter from the garden" Harry told Hermione.
"Don't do anything stupid" she answered, kissing his cheek, before transforming into her owl form and flying off. Harry changed into his snake form and slithered towards the front door. He made his way into a clump of bushes against the house before turning back. Winky was telling them that no one was home and that they needed to leave. The shorter of the two started looking around and Harry caught a glimpse of his face. "Malfoy". Anger and hatred boiled up in Harry. He would love nothing more than to hex him and his companion into oblivion. "That means that the other one is probably Snape" he thought. Grabbing his snake wand, not knowing which he had grabbed, he roared a silent "Incarsorus". What should have been ropes binding them, ended up being snakes, hissing at their captives.
"You seem to have learned some new tricks Harry." The voice sounded like Snape's, but Snape never called Harry by his given name. It was always "Potter" or "Boy". Something wasn't right. Harry came out of the bushes, wand still drawn, telling the snakes not to bite them in Parseltongue. Hermione had arrived, putting Winky behind her. Carefully she pushed back the two hoods, revealing indeed that they were Snape and Malfoy. Draco had his usual scowl but Snape was actually grinning at her. It was unnerving.
"Ms. Granger, what a pleasant surprise. Helping Harry redecorate" asked Snape. The surprised look on Hermione's face was nothing compared to Harry's. Since when was Snape civil, especially to Hermione?
"Yes sir, you could say that."
"Good, however I am surprised that Miss Weasley isn't here. I assumed that she would have some input into Harry's house." Draco rolled his eyes at hearing that and Harry and Hermione seemed to be competing as to whom's face was redder.
"Perhaps we could continue this discussion inside as there maybe someone watching." Hermione levitated Snape while Harry levitated Malfoy. Winky was backing up from Hermione, looking like she wanted to run away but she didn't. Once they were inside, Winky shut the door and retreated to the end of the hall.
"Harry, could you possibly release us? We mean you no harm."
"MEAN ME NO HARM! YOU MURDERED DUMBLEDORE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE THIS GIT COULDN'T DO IT! I SHOULD TURN YOU BOTH OVER TO THE AURORS RIGHT NOW" Harry roared, causing Winky to jump in fright and the snakes to hiss even more.
"Under normal circumstances you should, but I believe that I have an explanation that might change your mind."
"WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY TELL ME THT COULD CHANGE MY MIND" yelled Harry.
"That Dumbledore's spirit, essence, soul, what ever you want to call it is inside me. He controls all that I do. I have his memories and feelings. It is he that sent myself and Mr. Malfoy here to see you, knowing that you would receive the key for your birthday. We have been keeping a watch out for you."
Of all the things that Harry expected to hear this wasn't it. Hermione looked just as shocked as he did. "How do you prove something like that" he asked Hermione. When she looked at him, Harry could almost see the wheels turning in her head going over the problem when suddenly her face lit up.
"I'll be right back" she said, heading down to the cellar. She returned a couple of minutes later carrying a small vial that Harry would recognize anywhere, Veritiserum, the most potent truth serum around.
"Do you both agree to the use of Veritiserum as a way to convince us of your story?" Draco looked at Snape, who was nodding in agreement and agreed as well. Both opened their mouths and Hermione put three drop in each. Harry waited a minute before he started his questioning.
"What is your name?"
"Severus Tobias Snape."
"Draco Lucius Malfoy."
"Do you Snape, currently house the soul of Albus Dumbledore?"
"Yes."
"How is that possible?"
"An ancient incantation done silently, knowing that you are about to die."
"Is it permanent?"
"No, the soul will release itself after it has completed its task that it was working on at the time of the body's death."
"And that task was?"
"Finding and destroying the Horcruxes that Tom Riddle/Voldemort made to insure his immortality." Harry now believed that Snape was telling the truth because no one else knew of the Horcruxes.
"Why is Malfoy with you?"
"To protect him from Voldemort and his father."
Turning to Draco, Harry asked almost in a snarl "Why do you need protection? You're mean and foul enough to do almost anything. What's the matter? Didn't please your master?"
"No I didn't and he's not my master!"
"You have the Dark Mark, Malfoy, of course he's your master."
"I was forced to take the mark by my father."
"How?"
"A potion was slipped to me everyday so that I was under his control at all times. During school Pansy gave me the potion with the understanding that she and I would be married."
"I've heard of such a potion Harry, however very few people know how to make it, correct Professor?"
"Yes, I made the potion for the Dark Lord but I didn't know who was receiving it."
"How are you certain that you took the potion, Malfoy?"
"I haven't been home since Dumbledore's death and I went through some withdrawals. It was like waking up from a bad dream because I'm not usually that mean and vindictive."
"So you two are going to help us find the rest of the Horcruxes?"
"Actually if you release us we have found some."
"One more question. What allowed us to enter and leave the cave with the lake?"
"Blood, mine to enter and yours to leave."
Harry was totally convinced that Dumbledore was in Snape's body, which convinced Hermione. He released the snake bindings watching them turn to ashes on the floor. "Your going to have to teach me that one Potter" said Draco. Hermione suddenly remembered that she was mistress of the house and asked "Would you two like some refreshments, tea perhaps?" Draco's stomach rumbled in answer to her question and Hermione smiled. "Winky could you prepare some lunch for us?"
"Yes Ms. Hermy" and popped away.
"Please make yourselves comfortable" said Hermione, indicating the drawing room. Snape and Draco settled onto the sofa with Harry and Hermione sitting across from them. Snape reached into his bag and pulled out Hufflepuff's cup, Slytherin's locket, and a metal headband with a raven etched on it. Harry's jaw dropped open as he saw more than half of his quest sitting in front of him.
"All that is needed now is to destroy the pieces of soul in these, kill Nagini, and then Voldemort" said Snape, smirking at Harry's expression.
"H…Ho…How did you find them?"
"The Dark Lord wanted his hiding place checked after he found the breach at the cave and trusted me to check them. I simply replaced these with fakes, giving off a copy of the magical signatures." At the moment Winky announced lunch was ready in the dining room. Hermione gathered up the Horcruxes, not wanting Harry to touch them in case Voldemort could feel it and lead the way into the dining room, the room that Winky had done. She really used her imagination and magic. It was like walking into a garden with a gazebo in the center where the table was. Harry could almost smell the flowers and swore that the fairy lights moved. Lunch was simple soup and sandwiches that quickly disappeared thanks to Draco.
"Now that Mr. Malfoy has been fed can you tell us what happened and where are the Weasley's? I had thought that they would be here to help finish the house."
Harry looked at Hermione and said "Lucius Malfoy lead an attack on the Burrow and killed Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Charlie, Percy, and Ron. Bellatrix killed Hermione's parents and Wormtail killed the Dursley's including Aunt Marge."
"Father attacked the Weasley's? Are you sure" Draco asked surprised.
"According to Bill and the twins, he didn't even bother to cover his face and cast the killing curse on Mr. Weasley himself." Draco fell silent on hearing that. "You won't be welcomed by the Weasley's soon, either of you. It's probably better for everyone that you two remain here."
"We thank you for your hospitality Harry."
"But there will be no insulting Hermione, Malfoy, I'll make Voldemort look like a good guy, understand?" Draco nodded, not trusting his voice. "Winky?" The elf appeared with a crack. "Could you ask Professor McGonagall and Moony to both come here as soon as possible?"
"Yes Master Harry" and left with a crack.
"What are you planning to do now Harry? I had hoped that you would return to school now that there is no need to find the Horcruxes" said Snape sounding an awful lot like Dumbledore at that moment.
"Hermione and I had already planned on returning but not for the reasons that you think, Professor." Harry explained about his and Hermione being married, about the twins, and how they had worked out the details with Professor McGonagall. "I'm not ready to face Voldemort yet, but I do need to protect my family. So I hope to train sometime between classes, homework, Head Boy duties, family, and Quidditch. We are returning to Headquarters next week for Bill and Fleur's wedding and to pick-up the babies."
"Perhaps Mr. Malfoy and I can help you in that regard. We have three weeks until the start of term. I also promised that Mr. Malfoy would be reunited with his mother two days before term starts, to shop for school supplies."
"I would really like my mother to come here Potter. I don't trust my father, he will hurt her when he finds out that I no longer serve the Dark Lord or him" said Draco for the first time.
Harry thought for a moment, looking intently at Draco. "Would you be willing to be the secret keeper for Godric's Hollow if I allow your mother to stay here?" The other three each had a look of shock and disbelief on their faces but Harry continued "I really don't trust you, but I can see that you really love your mother, so I am putting you in a position of trust. She can stay here protected by you, but my family will also have that protection. And if you do betray me, there will be no place on earth where you will be able to hide. I will hunt you down and kill you with my bare hands if I have to. Do you agree to those terms?"
"Yes I do Potter" answered Draco without any hesitation. At that moment Moony and Professor McGonagall arrived. As soon as they saw Snape and Malfoy both drew their wands, ready to strike. It took some convincing but both were finally convinced of the situation. McGonagall told Draco that when she returned to the school, she would issue a letter to reinstate him in the school and a seventh year prefect badge. And due to the circumstances, a room to himself, next to the Head's rooms. "This is for your protection as wells as ours" she told him and left. Moony however stayed, not totally trusting the former Deatheaters.
Harry turned to Snape and asked "Do you know how to perform the Fidelus Charm or do I need to ask Professor Flitwick to come and do it".
"Yes I know how to do the charm. Mr. Malfoy, do you understand what this charm entails?"
"Yes." They followed Harry into the library/study where he went straight to the desk and wrote out 'the Potter's new home is Godric's Hollow', folded it and placed it into Draco's hand. With Hermione and Moony there as well, Snape performed the charm. As with Neville, the paper went from Draco's hand and went into his chest burning on impact, concealing the house and its occupants.
"Malfoy, why don't you and Snape go get your mother now and bring her back. Make sure that she has everything she needs because she won't be able to return back to your home or leave very often from here."
"I'm going with them if you will let me borrow the cloak" said Moony in a voice that held no argument. Harry agreed. When the three left Hermione turned to Harry and said "I hope you know what you are doing."
"So do I."