Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does. I however, do own this story's plot!
Chapter 17
Birthday Bash II
As soon as the group arrived, they could already hear the loud pulsing music from inside the club - they could feel the slight tremors as well.
"We're going in there?"
"Yep. Part two of your birthday."
Harry looked uncertainly at the entrance before his eyes darted all over the club's exterior. "Lead the way then."
Draco took the lead, nodding to the bouncer at the door. It seemed as if the Slytherins and Gryffindors had paired up together, since the Gryffindors were not used to going to clubs like this. The only ones not in a pair were, of course, Draco, Blaise and Harry.
Inside the club it was loud; the air conditioning was on full blast to cool the raging dancers, the booths were charmed with privacy and silence spells to block out the noise, the bar was filled with customers coming to and fro, the lights overhead flashed millions of colors and laser lights strobe all around. Overall the group could feel the difference in the atmosphere compared to the atmosphere at the restaurant.
Draco and Blaise led everyone to the second floor, where they could take up the entire space. Apparently the floors other than the first floor were for VIPs. Draco nodded to the bouncer there and escorted everyone to their own booths.
Neville tapped on Harry's shoulder, prompting the shorter teen to pause in his steps.
"What's the matter Neville?"
"Thanks for remembering my birthday." The shy Gryffindor whispered.
Harry beamed. "Of course I would. That's why the feast had food both you and I liked! Especially the birthday cake! Mmmm… the birthday cake." Harry drooled, remembering his last meal.
Neville smiled and the last two Gryffindors made their way towards their booth. Though it was a tight fit extending the booths for all the teens, they all fit in. The adults had their own booths as well; the Guardians politely declined to the offer, stating they were better off hiding amongst the shadows and taking in the surroundings – after all, it was their job to protect the witches and wizards.
"What do you guys want?" Blaise asked, looking around the booth.
"Firewhiskey!"
"Butterbeer!"
"Dragon Barrel Brandy."
"That's all?"
Nods answered his question and he quickly filled the order out; the ordered drinks appeared onto their table five minutes later.
"So what now?" Ron asked, after downing a quarter of the Firewhiskey.
"Have fun, go dance, go crazy." Theo said.
"But not too crazy." Pansy interrupted. "Too crazy and you'll be escorted out of the club."
"Now shoo." Draco ordered.
"No, no no." Ginny smirked. "What fun would the night be if we didn't get to know each other better?"
The Gryffindors groaned when they saw that smirk – it spelled trouble for them every time she formulated her question with a smirk on her face.
"What are you trying to say?"
"I'm just saying we should play a game." She purred. "Truth or dare or I never."
The Gryffindors paled even further and even Harry tried to huddle into himself – he was always given the most embarrassing dares and asked the most embarrassing questions. He knew the group he played with never meant to embarrass him or to make fun of him, but he really hated that they asked him so many questions; there was no end to the amount of curiosity Gryffindors had.
"How about we do a mix of both?" Fred offered.
"How?"
"We'll use 'I never' as the truth part and if you somehow resist, you'll be put on a dare." George explained.
"That doesn't work out well. Everyone would just go for the shot."
"Fine, just do I never and whoever takes a shot has to do a dare." Neville compromised when it seemed as if the group were growing frustrated.
"That's not a bad idea."
"Not a bad idea at all."
"So who goes first?"
"Let me set up the game first." Ginny grinned with an evil gleam in her eyes. Soon everyone's glass was filled with alcohol and the game began.
"Let's start out with something innocent shall we?" Ginny leered.
Everyone gulped inaudibly at the expression she gave.
"I never kissed anyone."
Everyone's hand automatically went to their drink and drank two gulps – the only ones who didn't, however, were Dudley, Theo, Crabbe, Goyle, Neville and Tom.
"That was innocent?" Blaise asked, wiping away the excess foam from his upper lip.
"In Ginny's standard, it is - after all, Neville's playing. No offense Neville." Harry said.
"It's fine Harry." Neville flushed. He remembered the time when he first played the game and at the start of the game, Ginny yelled out something so embarrassing, so outrageous that made him choke on the air he breathed and had sent him in a coughing fit that took a while to calm down. He had had to leave the game after the first round.
"Alright, the dare, the dare." Ginny pondered for a moment before a wicked grin spread across her face. "We will have to go downstairs and do a sexy dance with another person."
Hermione blanched.
"For an entire song." Ginny continued.
Draco and Blaise tensed with anger; they did not want their Harry to dance with another person – especially sexy dancing with another person. Harry was inwardly fuming as well.
Noticing their tenseness, Ginny acquiesced.
"Fine fine. Go with Harry. Children the both of you!" she scolded.
Draco and Blaise merely grinned before dragging the protesting teen down onto the dance floor.
"Well come off it then!" Fred cried out.
"Time to do our dare." George said, pulling Hermione and Ron to their feet.
Dudley, Neville, Theo, Crabbe, Goyle and Tom looked over the balconies – eyes zooming to and fro for their friends who had to accomplish their dares. Eyeing them, they started laughing loudly. The looks on the stranger's faces when the twins had capture two, and Ron the other had them bursting into tears.
Draco and Blaise had sandwiched Harry between their bodies. They're hands kept roaming over the teen, who quite frankly seemed to enjoy the contact way too much – not that Draco and Blaise were objecting to it. All the grinding and touching gave them a 'little minor' but noticeable problem, yet they still kept going at it anyway.
The girls on the other hand had difficulty trying to get the "nice" boys' hands off of them. Even Luna, doing her own sexy version of dancing, had boys flocking over to her. And soon after the song changed, the teens left their dance partner on the floor.
Of course, the ones the girls had been sexy dancing with had tried to follow them, but were denied access onto the second floor. The bouncer really made a pretty great protection shield.
And soon the next hour was done in such a way: the 'I never' game started getting more personal and embarrassing and humiliating and the dares getting more dangerous, embarrassing and humiliating.
"What a rush!" Neville exclaimed as he sat down and downed his Butterbeer. "Are we going to dance or what?"
"I think the entire first floor recognizes us by face now, if not by our actions." Hermione's flushed face was the only indication that the game had gone a bit more actively and the amount of alcohol she consumed was quite enough to get the brunette tipsy.
"Okay, okay. Now can we please get some privacy with the birthday boy?" Blaise asked, drawing Harry closer to his chest. Draco sidled up behind Harry and wrapped his arms around the Gryffindor's waist, leering at them all.
"We're gone!" The twins announced, and with that, the rest of the group dispersed.
"Why'd you do that for?" Harry pouted, looking between the Slytherin's faces.
"For this." Blaise whispered, pecking his lips before drawing Harry into a passionate kiss.
Harry let out a sound that was a cross between a moan and a mewl, accepting Blaise's quest inside his mouth. Draco watched the two as he drew slow circles on the span of flesh that was shown from underneath Harry's shirt. After Blaise pulled back, Harry had barely taken in a breath of air before Draco turned him around. Draco began his own quest, mapping out Harry's warm cavern with his tongue and drawing Harry's shy tongue into his own mouth to suck on.
Harry melted into Draco's arms, shivering when he felt Blaise brush against the same spot Draco had done on his hips, before he pulled away to take deep breaths.
"Were you both planning to suffocate me?" he laughed.
"Not suffocate you, never." Came Blaise's reply.
"Drown you in kisses … well, that's what we were going for." Draco smirked.
After several more minutes of kissing, Blaise and Draco took Harry gently by his hands and led the emerald-eyed teen to the dance floor, cocooning the smaller and shorter teen between the two.
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"What do you want to order?" Sirius asked.
"Nothing too strong Sirius. We have to watch over the kids." Remus reminded him.
"Of course, of course." Sirius waved away the werewolf's concern before ordering several Butterbeers, quickly adding a sparkling grape juice to the list when Petunia shot down his suggestions of alcohol.
"Do you lot want some?" Sirius asked. The Guardians politely declined his invitation with a smile before turning and peering over the balcony to overlook the first floor.
"So… Petunia." Sirius began.
"Black." Petunia sniffed. Severus smirked when he heard the distaste in how she said the mutt's name.
Sirius narrowed his eyes. "Snivellus."
"Mutt."
"Severus." Lucius frowned.
"Remus!" The werewolf barked out, happily sipping his Butterbeer and intentionally melting the tension around the booth.
"Now that the tension's gone. What should we talk about?" Sirius pondered on a topic.
"We should be preparing to help Harry through his inheritance. Not sit around here enjoying ourselves." Snape spat.
"So, you are enjoying yourself?" Lucius questioned.
Snape scowled before dripping his Butterbeer.
"I'm not sure how this 'magical inheritance' works or even what it is." Petunia confessed.
"It's when a witch or a wizard reaches the age of seventeen and goes through a sort of endowment, a magical one." Remus explained.
"But Harry's only sixteen."
"Magically powerful wizards, like my nephew," Severus smirked, "may go through their magical inheritance early in life. And because he is magically gifted and powerful, he will be inheriting a strong qualitative inheritance. No doubt one that we should be wary of."
"And why's that?"
"Harry comes from a long, long line of pureblood wizards. In fact, he is –"
"Black." Severus warned.
"Anyway," Sirius glared, "he is the heir of the Most Noble and Honorable House of Potter. Most of the pureblood wizards have been married into the Potter family and vise versa; therefore, Harry can inherit, from a magical creature inheritance, to basically an increase in his own magic. However, because it is our young Harry, anything is possible."
Lucius laughed. "Quite right Sirius. There is no such thing as the word 'impossible' in Harry's vocabulary."
"What do you mean?"
"You can't be that daft about the magical world." Lucius narrowed his eyes and frowned at Petunia. "I'm sure you've heard stories about the Boy Who Lived and his great adventures. There is no doubt in my mind that you know what Harry stands for in the Wizarding World."
Petunia flushed embarrassingly. "All I know was what Dumbledore had told us in the letters he sent us. He always told us to burn the letters after reading them. Though, now I understand why. If Harry were to find any of them, it would turn him against the old wizard."
"At least you were smart enough to put all the pieces together after you've signed the contract." Sirius growled, downing his own Butterbeer and ordering another one.
"Well, it does not help that I've forgotten about Dumbledore." Petunia sniffed.
"You have not forgotten." Remus corrected. "You were made to forget."
"What difference does it make? I can't believe he was the person who'd done such horrible things - and to make my ex-husband do such things. I don't know where to begin to earn Harry's forgiveness."
"For what it's worth. I'm glad Harry had you to help him. No one other than you and Dudley were able to help him during his summers. You should be proud to be the pillar of support for a couple of months whenever he returned home."
Petunia smiled, "Thank you Remus."
"Now don't go all googly eyes at Remy. He's got a girlfriend he does." Sirius warned, pulling Remus over by the shoulders.
Remus laughed awkwardly. "Yes… about that."
"Moony?"
"Tonks and I had a secret, small wedding and… well… congratulations! You're the boy's uncle and Harry's his godfather!" Remus hurried said, before busying his mouth with the rich, creaminess of the Butterbeer.
Sirius's eyes bugged from behind his own drink. Severus and Lucius both choked slightly before fixing themselves correctly. Petunia covered his mouth with both hands in open surprise.
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After declining the drinks, Egidio turned to speak to his subordinates.
"Keep an eye on everyone. Keep vigilant on the parameters – anything that seems suspicious or even the slightest bit off, report back to me. Any sign of danger, the first priority is to get Harry out. Send a signal before returning to rescue the rest of the group and do it swiftly, cautiously and out of sight."
"Right." The trio chorused before they disappeared into the shadows.
Egidio pinpointed the three guardians all around the club. Tesia was in a corner of the first floor, though slightly more elevated to see above the crowd. Macaire was in front of the hallway leading to the lavatories, his line of vision enabling him to see all the exits. Alandair took to the floors above them, having a better bird's eye view of the entire club and of its entering and leaving customers. Overall, the team was set in their positions and nodded their heads discretely to Egidio before returning to their mission.
An hour after their scanning of the club, Macaire stiffened and made a signal.
Egidio narrowed his eyes at the signal. Three wizards… armed, suspicious with an unknown goal.
Egidio disappeared and intercepted one of them, leaving the other two to the other Guardians. The wizard before him narrowed his eyes at his appearance. Hearing the slightest volume of yelps of surprise when the other two disappeared before his sight, the wizard whipped out his wand. But before he could do anything, Egidio disappeared along with him into the dark alleyway, restraining the man.
"Who are you? Who do you work for?" he growled.
"I'm not," the wizard coughed, "telling you anything."
Egidio forced his arm between his shoulder blades and added pressure. The wizard hissed.
"Let me repeat it to you one more time." He hissed. "Who are you? Who do you work for?"
"You'd have to kill me to get the truth from me." The wizard spat, groaning when his arm went closer and higher up between his shoulder blades.
"That can be arranged." Egidio spat. And he knocked the wizard out before taking the unconscious wizard to the booth filled with adults.
"Who is this man? Macaire felt that he had some ill-intent towards the teens."
Snape tsked. "John Dawlish. He's an auror who acts as Fudge's bodyguard. In fact, the man is brainwashed by Fudge's mediocre work, beliefs and power."
"There were two other men with him."
Just after he said that, Alandair appeared from the mist with the last two people, a witch and a wizard; they were bounded by what seems to be black silk scarf like material and their heads were turning every which way – their eyes large and blank.
"I took away their sight and hearing." Alandair shrugged. "I figured you wouldn't want them to know who else was included in the group."
"Excellent work Alandair." Egidio praised. "Now continue with surveillance."
"Yes Egidio." Alandair saluted, his fist upon the left side of his chest, above his heart.
Lucius drawled. "Nymphadora Tonks and Jack Williamson."
Remus paled considerably; his hands started to shake and his eyes widened with shock.
"Tonks? No." he whispered. He came around the booth table and walked up to the witch.
"She's very pro-Dumbledore, isn't she?" Severus quipped, uncaringly making the situation a lot worse.
"She told me – I thought – "
"Come now Remus. You see the proof right there." Lucius frowned.
"No, Moony is right. Maybe we should let her explain herself." Sirius interrupted. He didn't believe that his cousin would be against Harry, yet he'd been in Azkaban for over thirteen years. Some things could have changed under Dumbledore's reign.
"Wake her up." Lucius ordered and Egidio snapped his finger above Tonk's head. The witch groaned when light flooded her vision and sounds came pouring into her ears.
"Tonks?" Remus asked.
"Remus! What are you doing here?! And with Malfoy and Severus... and Sirius…?"
"Why are you here to begin with?" Lucius questioned.
Tonks glared at the blond before noticing her other two companions. "Williamson! Dawlish! What have you done with them?"
"Nothing that you should be worrying about." Severus said. "Now tell us why you're here."
"Dumbledore sent me on a mission, the three of us. He told us he thought it peculiar Minerva was being insistent on Harry's being of health at the Dursleys. You lot disappeared for a good couple of days, but Harry has been gone for weeks. He told us to stake out and trail you. But now we know you're here."
"Tonks, Dumbledore's warped your mind. He's using you. Whatever he's told you isn't true. In fact, if I hadn't seen it for myself, I wouldn't have believed it either." Remus pleaded.
"Nonsense Remus! Dumbledore knows what he's doing. You think he wouldn't have sent the Order the beginning of Harry's 5th year when he felt Harry's distress?"
"He has spies all around Harry's place and you know it! He's got eyes and ears everywhere!"
"It's for Harry's protection and the greater good." Tonks shot back.
"Tonks." Remus looked crestfallen. "Do you not believe everything I've just told you?"
"Dumbledore told me you were all traitors. You've tricked us right under our noses. But I know what Kingsley thinks – thinks you all are right and Dumbledore's in the wrong. Well, I know a spy when I see one and ALL YOU LOT ARE!" she screamed, wriggling in her bindings.
Egidio frowned and set a blade beside her throat. "Speak and I'll kill you." He threatened. Tonks knew well to hold her tongue.
"Tonks, we have proof Dumbledore is lying. In fact, here's one." Sirius explained, pulling Petunia in front of them.
Tonks's eyes narrowed asking the silent question, "Who is she?"
"She's Harry's relative, his aunt to be precise."
"That is, until I knew the truth." Petunia further explained. "I can tell you all you need to know about Harry. It is true that we've treated Harry horribly throughout all these years, but it has mostly been Vernon. I had a hand in it for not being strong enough to stop that man, but these people have helped my son and I escape from that life. Please, you have to trust us – trust me."
"If I believe a muggleborn over Albus, I'd be playing a fool." Tonks snarled, words catching in her throat when the blade drew nearer. "How could you do this to us Remus? To Teddy?"
Remus looked heartbroken, looking between his wife and his best friend and newly formed family; he didn't know what to do.
"Don't let her do this to you Remus. You know what you're doing is right. If we don't help Harry, no one else will. And you've seen what sort of protection," Sirius spat the word out in disgust, "Albus gives, what sort of protection Hogwarts gives. How can all these things happen to an eleven year old in his first year - and throughout the rest of his years as a student of Hogwarts. Don't' you think it's strange that it's only Harry that's been the one to solve everything? What kind of pressure does this cause someone who has only stepped foot into the Magical World without any knowledge? You know it's true Moony."
Remus looked straight at Sirius and looked back at Tonks.
"Think about our son Remus." Tonks said, her voice above a whisper. "Think about Teddy's future."
Remus turned away from her victorious gaze.
"Egidio…" he began.
"Yes?"
"Take them to the Malfoy dungeons." He ordered.
Tonks's eyes blazed to life in fury. "You're doing this wrong! THEY'VE CORRUPTED YOU! YOU'RE DOING THIS TO OUR SON! WHO'S GOING TO STOP YOU-KNOW-WHO IF HARRY DOESN'T?!" she shrieked, her voice above the pulsing music, drawing attention from the first floor.
Egidio quickly whisked all three magical beings away and when no one heard any more screaming, they brushed it off as someone who'd been drunk enough to start his or her own fight.
Sadly, her shrieks had caught the attention of the teenagers who scrambled, in their exhaustion, up the stairway and towards their small group.
"What happened?" Draco asked.
"We heard yelling."
"We've taken care of it. Not to worry." Lucius answered smoothly.
"It's about fifteen minutes to twelve now." Severus announced, lifting the Tempus charm.
"We should get ready then." Sirius said, downing the rest of his Butterbeer.
"Harry? Harry!"
"What's the matter with him?"
"T-Tired, just let me… take a short rest…" the Gryffindor sighed, leaning heavily onto Draco.
"His body is probably getting ready for the inheritance." Hermione suggested.
"We need to go now." Blaise said.
Egidio returned at that exact moment, waving a hand signal behind him and stepped forward, the rest of the Guardians appearing behind him.
"Where's the safest location?"
"There's a manor I bought, during fourth year…" Draco remembered. "It's a new property. No one should know about it."
"Where was I during this transaction?" Lucius raised an eyebrow.
Draco almost flinched at the some-what cool and curious tone he was being addressed in. "In a Ministry meeting." Draco meekly answered.
"Picture it and we'll do the rest." Egidio replied. And Draco, with the help of Blaise, clutched Harry to them and they were all whisked away in the mist.
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"Quickly now. Ward the entire manor and the entire room." Tom ordered, following after Draco, Blaise, Severus and Sirius into the manor.
"The entire manor?" Ron blanched.
"Oh come on Ron!" Hermione grabbed the red head's hand, whipped out her wand and left him in one position while heading to the next. Soon half of the teens were positioned around the manor, facing outward towards the property, with the Guardians by their sides. Muttering protection spells and charms, wisps of different colors flew from each wand tip into the night sky and quickly created a giant protection dome around the manor.
"I don't get why we have to do this." Ron muttered in between spells.
"The manor is warded, but more protection does not hurt." Ginny shouted.
"Ten minutes until minute." Remus boomed from a window in the manor, using the Sonorus charm.
In five minutes, the teens and Guardians had put up all the spells they've known, learned and heard about. They quickly headed to the only occupied room and quickly warded it from the inside. They were thankful the room was enormous or else it would not have fit all twenty-four of them.
Petunia was running to and from the en suite bathroom with a cold towel, drying the sweat forming on Harry's forehead.
"Two minutes." Remus muttered, quickly backing up towards the wall. They had warded it with cushioning charms and added soft beanbag chairs for everyone to sit on.
The ticking from Remus's watch seemed to slow down and echo loudly in the quiet room as everyone waited with baited breath. Harry was the only one on the bed before them; Draco and Blaise were hovering by their bedside. Severus and Sirius were at the foot of the bed. All of them were just watching over the unconscious Gryffindor.
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1…
A deafening boom shook and exploded within the entire manor, spilling everything off the shelves, rocking the chandelier precariously as it rapidly flickered on and off. The sound was so loud, everyone had to cover their ears to protect their hearing. Only Harry seemed to be unaffected by the sudden explosion of noise. The tinkling of glass shook from the tables and dropped onto the floor, shattering into a thousand pieces. Hermione tentatively looked out of the window and found that the night sky had turned even darker, if it was even possible. The dark clouds swirled overhead the manor, dark and ominous.
Thunder clapped as loud as it could; lightening flashed brightly in the night sky; the manor shook even harder; everything was a frightening experience for the group. They had never seen weather act so hazardously before.
As soon as there was a tiny gap between the thunder clapping, lightning flashing and ground shaking experience, a bright white light highlighted with yellow beam from the center of the swirling clouds, passed through the manor and its protection and slammed into the Gryffindor. Everyone saw the pressure it caused when Harry seemed to bounce off the mattress at the force before slopping back into place.
As soon as the light hit, Harry's eyes opened and he let out a bloodcurdling scream that pierced through all the tremendous noise. Harry's body flew into muscle spasms before he was able to curl in onto himself. His hands were gripping his hair, knuckles turning white and Draco could feel his heart breaking as Harry screamed even louder through their mind link.
"Someone help him." Draco shouted, losing his composure. "JUST FUCKING HELP HIM! HE'S IN SO MUCH PAIN!"
Harry seemed to curl into himself even more if that was possible. His face was streaked with running tears and his throat was surely sore with all that screaming.
"We can't help him Draco." Severus shouted through the noise. "It will kill him."
"If we don't help him, he might die. And if we do help him, he'll die. I might as well die with Harry knowing I was able to help him than stand here and do nothing." Blaise hissed. He turned to look at Draco and they both nodded.
The Slytherin duo reached out their hands and each clasped their hands upon Harry's shoulders as the body wracked with tears and shudders. The light enveloped them, and they fell onto their knees, feeling all the force and pressure of the inheritance Harry was going through by himself. They kept their grip steady on the teen's shoulder before slowly and steadily maneuvering themselves onto the bed and wrapping Harry within their arms.
The light grew steadily around the trio, enveloping them even further. When Lucius, Sirius and Severus tried to reach the three boys, they were thrown back against the wall.
The rest of the group noted that the light was including other colors – black, blue, green, gold and silver. Even through the noise, the group was able to pinpoint the sounds of apparition beyond the manor's entrance. Remus rose shakily to his feet before slowly moving towards the closed window.
"Dumbledore's here." He shouted. "Ward the room."
Facing their backs towards the trio on the bed, everyone started to strengthen and enhance the protection charms and spells already set in the room.
"We have not come to harm you. We're here for Harry's health and safety." Dumbledore boomed from the Sonorus charm.
"A fat load that will do! He's perfectly fine here!" Sirius boomed with his own charm.
"Cease and desist! Harry needs our help!"
"He's doing alright thank you very much! Now leave us!"
"Uhm… Sirius. We do need a healer here to check things in case something happens to them." Hermione mumbled.
"Not to worry. I'll send for one of my Death Eaters." Tom said, calling for one through Severus's Dark Mark.
"Someone's mum is here." Luna giggled. And Ron and Ginny paled when they heard their mother's loud voice scolding the wizards around Dumbledore – even the old wizard himself. The twins stood by the window, guffawing at the scene.
"ALBUS PERCIVAL WULFRIC BRIAN DUMBLEDORE. WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? HOW DARE YOU PUT YOURSELF BETWEEN HARRY'S INHERITANCE! LEAVE NOW BEFORE I SHOW YOU WHAT A MOTHER CAN DO!"
The Aurors looked between the short witch and the old wizard before disapparating.
"What's Mrs. Weasley doing here?" Hermione wondered.
Ron sheepishly laughed, "I sent her a patronus; thought she might like to know where we've been and gone and what we're currently doing now on Harry's birthday."
"Molly, my dear. You must know I am doing this for Harry's wellbeing." Dumbledore placated.
"Harry is in perfectly good hands! I will not have any trouble going on while he goes through his inheritance!" She exclaimed furiously, waving her wooden spoon in the air threateningly.
"Now you best leave Albus! I can only be patient for so long!" Molly's cheeks were red with fury towards the Headmaster. And the old wizard wisely made a decision to disapparate, not before looking critically at the window where the twins were.
"Thanks mum!" The twins shouted through the window and Molly smiled at them before disapparating away.
Soon another pop was heard and Tom felt the wards tremble when the visitor came through.
"You called for me My Lord?" the healer asked, on bended knee.
"Yes, you are to check over the three young wizards on the bed when the inheritance is over."
The healer's eyes widened in surprise. "But My Lord, it is unheard of. How does three wizards survive such a strong inheritance? The magic and power should have been enough to harm them. An inheritance of such magnitude can be felt all over Britain."
"That must be how Dumbledore was able to locate where we were." Ron grumbled.
"Nevertheless," Tom started, "You will be stationed here until the inheritance is complete."
"Yes My Lord."
As the inheritance went on for half an hour and slowly reached the forty-five minute period, the occupants on the bed slowly drifted away from each other. Harry was hovering several feet above the bed, but Draco and Blaise were hovering above the ground, to which Lucius and Severus quickly transfigured beanbag chairs into smaller sized beds. All three wizards were separated by a couple of feet between themselves.
A ball of blue light cocooned Harry inside, leaving just a silhouette; the same was done for Draco in a golden light and Blaise in black colored light. The group watched as the three wizards slowly spun around in the cocoon, unable to fully see what was happening to them.
"What's going on? Is everything okay?" Hermione fretted.
"Worry not young one." Tesia soothed. "Everything is going according to plan."
"According to plan?" Lucius gritted his teeth. "And what is this plan? Why are my son and his best friend included?"
"It is because they made contact with Harry. You must calm down Lucius." Luna smiled. "Nothing will happen to the three of them. Worrying does not help in any situation."
"What else can we do but worry? We can't even see them. We can't even help them!" Lucius nearly shouted. Sirius wrapped his arms around his fiancé and held him tightly.
"Not to worry Lucius. We all know a bit of healing spells and Tom's got a healer here. Everything will be fine."
After the inheritance reached the one-hour mark, a small beam of light from each cocoon linked itself to the other two. The witches and wizards were confused. They had never seen an inheritance like this one. Certainly not one that took so long and infused so much power into not one, but three wizards.
They could see the silhouette's of the three wizards grown in height and in hair length. Soon, the light disappeared, leaving the wizards changed and transformed. And they slowly levitated back onto the surface of the bed. The small group walked over to the bed, crowding the area – each witch and wizard wanting to see for him and herself what sort of transformation the wizards had gone through.
While it was true that Draco and Blaise had grown taller in height, Harry did as well – but not a lot. Draco and Blaise had grown almost a good six inches from their old height; Harry had grown a close four inches.
"Oh, he's not going to be happy to be the shortest boy here again." Hermione laughed.
"Ohh. Look at their hair." Pansy cooed as she ran her fingers through their long, lengthy, silky hair.
"Are you lot all blind? Hair is the first thing you comment on?!" Theo exclaimed.
"How about that aura shining brightly around them?!"
"Oh."
"Right."
"So how – "
"Hm…. Peculiar…" Tom whispered, looking at the wizards.
"What is?"
"They look ethereal. Harry looks slightly more feminine than either Draco or Blaise. You can hardly feel the power emanating from them, yet you know they are powerful. Don't you think so too?"
The girls tittered when they saw Harry's rosy cheeks, full red pouty lips and his eyelashes that were a tad longer. And when they saw Harry take a deep long breath, Draco and Blaise automatically rolled over to face Harry, as if to protect their boyfriend from any imminent danger whilst they were unconscious.
"Out of the way!" Ron ordered, as gently as he could, pushing the girls far from the bed.
"Oh! Leave off you brute!" Crystal hissed.
"I'm just pushing the beds together for them." The red head muttered, signaling to the twins and the rest of the male teens for help. Within seconds, the beds were pushed together and with the help of Severus, the beds were transfigured into one ginormous sized bed.
"Scoot them over. I think we've had enough excitement for the night." Ginny yawned.
Lucius was about to protest but Sirius shushed him and shook his head.
Enlarging the transfigured bed to its largest size, the teens squeezed onto the remaining space and quickly fell asleep. Even Hermione had held no qualms about waiting until the morning for her questions to be answered. But perhaps she already knew she would not be receiving any since the three wizards in question were unconscious.
The adults slowly walked to their rooms but had too many questions, so many questions that they wanted answered and couldn't sleep until sleep finally took over.
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Even when it was time for breakfast, the wizards had not awakened. Deciding to let the teens have a little more time off instead of jumping straight into their studies, the adults left them alone to their own work.
"Remus." Sirius said tentatively. He knew his friend was troubled by what had happened the evening before. Seeing Tonks and sending her away in such a way probably did nothing to sooth the werewolf.
"Sirius, I'm quite alright." Remus whispered, but they both knew it wasn't true. If Harry was awake right now and knew what Remus had on his mind, he would say he was to blame – that it was the teen's entire fault for all of this happening.
Remus knew Dumbledore had a lot of supporters – strong supporters; people who would willingly fight for him and lay down their life for the "greater good". But he didn't know to what extent that sort of loyalty had become. Seeing Tonks like that yesterday evening had proved to him that Dumbledore had a really strong hold on all his followers – it proved to Remus and showed him what he had refused to believe at first, crushing all his further denials. It really opened up his eyes.
But now he had one question – what was he going to do about this? Harry would tell him to do what he believed was best – his sweet cub would never make Remus choose between his family and himself. It just made it all the harder on Remus – the werewolf truly wished there was someone that would guide him to his decision, but sadly he knew it all fell on him to choose.
You can always have another lover, but you will never find another cub like Harry. His mind rationalized – or perhaps he was being biased. He had known about Harry his entire life, and only knew Tonks for the good couple that they were dating, gotten engaged, gotten married and finally gotten a son. However, he did not hear of any news about Harry until he entered the Wizarding World – which put his thoughts at a standstill.
How much did he really know about Harry? He looked so much like his father, yet he has his mother's eyes. "Or so people told me." He recalled the teen's remark when he commented on their eye color.
Watching Harry during his third year and helping him with his patronus, Remus finally got to see who Harry really was. Though he was almost a complete carbon copy of James, he was nothing like his best friend.
Harry was completely Lily – possibly even one hundred percent all Lily, if not for his looks. His temperament was like hers, his big and warm heart and personality was like hers, Merlin, even his temper was like hers. Though Remus could see the stubborn streak in Harry that was both James's and Lily's.
Pushing away his fond memories of the couple and their son, Remus thought at the problem at hand.
He had to choose between Tonks and Harry – between his son and his cub. What was a werewolf to do? And how was he going to tell Harry he had a godson now?
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"Remus." Sirius called out once more. He could see his best friend caught up in his thoughts. "It doesn't have to be this way."
"What doesn't Padfoot?" The werewolf looked at the animagus warily.
"You don't have to choose between them. I know how it feels – or maybe I don't. I can't tell you I understand what you're going through, but know that we're always behind you one hundred percent, with whatever your choice is. Harry would want you to understand that."
"Thank you Sirius, but I've made my decision already." Remus admitted, getting up onto his feet.
"You have?"
"Yes, I would like to see Tonks right now."
"Let me get Lucius then."
"No, I think it would anger Tonks more. I should have a conversation with her without her anger. You know how she is."
"Yes, I can't blame you for saying that. My cousin's temper can match that of a Grindylow's."
"Yes well, I suppose that's true." Remus laughed. "I shall meet you all at lunch."
Sirius could only watch Remus's back as the werewolf walked further away down the hallway.
"I hope you've chosen correctly." Sirius whispered.
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The heavy wooden door leading to the Malfoy Manor dungeons opened with a loud creak, closing loudly behind the werewolf once he had stepped through the doorway. Even from the top of the stairs, Remus could feel the cold temperature in the dungeons.
No doubt to keep the prisoners from hoping for any survival. His mind supplied.
His steps echoed through the dungeon, clearly alerting the prisoners of someone's arrival. Remus had gotten to the bottom and shivered at the cold draft that appeared from nowhere. He could see his breath in front of him when he breathed out and wrapped his jacket tightly around him, quickly summoning a thicker one, along with the necessary accessories to keep in his warmth.
He walked past several gates before arriving to the one that kept his wife behind the bars.
Tonks looked up at the sudden silence in steps and eyed Remus.
"What are you here for?" she hissed. "Come to torture me traitor?"
Remus could see that she was shivering – in fact, the other two Aurors in the cells next to her were too.
"I have come to speak with you." He admitted.
"I don't speak to anyone that's joined the dark side, especially not one who's turned their backs on family. What are you going to tell Teddy, Lupin?" Tonks spat. "Going to tell your own flesh and blood that you joined You-Know-Who in taking over the Wizarding World? Fat chance of that happening. Dumbledore will bring you and your leader down."
Remus shook his head. Undoubtedly Dumbledore has spread his influential and persuasive speech to every ear that was willing to follow after someone who's set their entire world's existence on a young teenage boy. How Dumbledore could ever believe Harry – a young boy with no knowledge of the Wizarding World until he was eleven, a young boy with only a handful of magical training and academic practice - could save them and take down the Dark Lord was lost on him.
It wasn't that he didn't believe Harry could do it. Oh no. He had felt the magic humming through Harry's body when he had first met the boy. Magically powerful he was. Harry, in his mind, without a doubt, could take down the Dark Lord. But experience wise, if one were to look at it logically, the Dark Lord would take Harry down before the boy could say a spell. And that knowledge frightened Remus.
"I'm telling you what Dumbledore has told you are all lies." He replied calmly.
Tonks spat in his direction. "You're a traitor to the light. Dumbledore believes Harry will be the one to save the Wizarding World and he should. After all we've done for him, he should be grateful this is the only thing he has to do."
Moony's temper flared allowing Remus's eyes to flash an ember yellow before disappearing. With the werewolf at the forefront of his mind, Remus had to rely on his on calm collectiveness to prevent his werewolf half from ripping the flesh off his wife's face.
Perhaps it would be easily to think of her as an ex-wife. His thoughts drifted along these lines. Even his inner wolf growled in agreement. After all, Moony had had a bad reaction when realizing Remus's "mate" would be Tonks. It took a lot of resistance to keep Moony from outright attacking her, and now Remus started at the fact that he would not feel anything if Moony were to attack her. With that realization, Moony began to egg Remus, whimpering and yipping at the wizard to allow him a small opening to finish the witch off.
Remus, surprisingly, gave thought to that idea. He shook his head though. No, he would find out some information, tell Tonks his decision and then if Moony were to still want to attack her, he might allow it.
"Do you really believe a fifteen –" Remus corrected himself, "a sixteen year old boy can take down a wizard that's possibly three times his age and has more battle experience and magical experience than him?"
Tonks narrowed her eyes, her hair turning a deep dark bloody red. "Of course I believe so. Are you mocking me? Are you saying I'm stupid?"
"Are those your words or are they Albus's?"
"Albus has nothing to do with my decision." She snarled. "Harry can take down You-Know-Who. He has enough power to do so."
"He is just a boy. He barely knows enough to fight Voldemort."
Tonks stiffened and snapped. "You dare speak his name?! You are more traitorous than I thought."
"Fear of the name only instills fear of the thing itself." He quoted Hermione. "You should not think that a boy who's only been in the Wizarding World a good five or six years could stand against the Dark Lord."
"Stop babying him Remus. He is not your son. He is nothing to you, not even by blood. You cannot take James or Lily's place as his parents."
Remus felt like he had been slapped. Tonks had really hit below the belt. The werewolf growled.
"You think I'm doing this because I want to be Harry's father? His mother? He is my cub. Teddy is my son. I can tell the difference between blood relation or not. To think that you would come to such a conclusion, that I would want to replace Harry's parents, you really are despicable." He retaliated. The growl he let loose set shivers down Tonks's spine, reminding her that she had married a werewolf and that the race were susceptible to loosing their anger should anyone harm or speak ill of their cubs.
"Did you think I not would protect Harry because he is not my son by blood?" He barked. "I would protect him even if he was just a passing stranger. But fate has made him my cub, the son of my best friends had joined together in matrimony. You have spoken badly of them and I will not forgive you for that. Sirius would not punish you lightly for it either. How dare you step on their memories in such a way! Do you not respect the dead?!"
"I respect the living." Tonks retorted. "The dead are long gone. The future is within our grasps if we work for it. The past is in the past and should stay that way. There is no changing that. If you choose to live in the past, fine. But I have a son to protect and I will not let you have him."
"No, with what is happening, I shall have custody of him." Remus said confidently. He watched in glee as Tonks's eyes widened in disbelief. "I shall raise him properly. He is mine by blood and I'm positive Andy would not prohibit me for filing for custody."
"My mother will do no such thing – "
"Andy would." Remus interrupted. "She has told me several times she dislikes Dumbledore's influence on such a young population. He already holds enough power to wield and has many followers to command.
"Even if my mother allowed it, you don't really think the Ministry of Magic would allow the adoption of a wizard to a werewolf do you?" she cackled mockingly. She knew she had hit below the belt, but she needed a way to get out of this place – to alert the Order that three of their members had turned their backs on them.
Remus narrowed his eyes – a piercing amber eerily glowing even in the midst of darkness.
"I don't think so – with Lucius and Harry and even Andromeda's help, I'll be able to take custody of Teddy."
"Using the dark side's influence are you? I thought you were more than capable than that. But I suppose there are those that are beneath a muggle sometimes."
"Do you really think the muggles would spread their arms wide open in acceptance to our kind? If you knew about the muggles' history, you would have known about the Witch Trials."
Tonks furrowed her eyebrows in thought. There was an inkling of hearing something of the sort at the back of her mind, though she could not remember it.
"But of course, History of Magic was such a bore to you wasn't it. You couldn't pay attention in such a simple class." Remus remarked. "Well, it is true. With what the muggles have done, with so many advancements and technology, they will kill us all. We will be doomed and the Wizarding World will fall to its knees. But of course, Dumbledore believes the Dark Lord wants to kill off all half blood and muggleborns."
"It is true – "
"It is not. If you were to join our side, you would find that it is not true. Not a spick of what Dumbledore has told us is fact. It has all been lies – lies to deceive us all. And when the Dark Lord takes over, the Wizarding World will be righted once more."
"I did not think you held such strong beliefs for our lord." A voice drawled from the shadows.
"Lucius, I did not think you would be down here."
"It is my manor and this is my dungeons. I do enjoy visiting and torturing prisoners and Aurors. However, I don't believe now is the case for such entertainment."
"Malfoy." Tonks spat.
"Nymphadora Tonks. Are you sleeping arrangements to your liking? Cold, wet, dirty seems to improve your looks."
Tonks shot Remus a look of disbelief when he did not bother to defend her from Lucius's words.
"There is no one to help you now."
"Albus will save us." Tonks replied confidently.
"Oh, but my dear." Lucius smirked. "This manor is under so many protection charms, so many protection spells, that are intertwined with so many magical cores and under such strong pureblood lines that no one, not even the old fool can come rescue you from your demise."
"Albus is strong enough to take down those wards." Tonks repeated, albeit less confidently.
"If you've been with the Headmaster daily, you can tell he is weakening." A voice informed them, revealing Severus as he strode towards them.
"Severus, I always knew you were a traitor to our cause."
"A spy through and through. What can I say?" Snape raised his eyebrow.
"No one can save you now, so you might as well give in and give us all you know." Sirius interrupted, conjuring a chair and sitting on it.
"Cousin." Tonks narrowed her eyes.
"Cousin." Sirius repeated bored.
"I will never give the Order's information."
"You won't have to. Someone we know will give it to us." Severus answered.
"And who will that be?" she asked suspiciously.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Lucius grinned.
"This conversation is over." Remus stated. The put out and affronted looks from the three other wizards nearly destroyed Remus's composure. "I will be retrieving Teddy after this," he pushed on, interrupting Tonks's flared temper, "and I know for a fact that Andy would agree with my choices. Have fun rotting down here."
With that he left, the other three wizards trailing behind, ignoring all the screams and protests from the metamorphmagus.
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It was silent as the wizards left the dungeons. The trailing wizards did not know how to approach the touchy subject.
"Remus." Sirius began.
"Yes Sirius?"
"H-How do you feel?"
Remus turned around and smiled. "I feel great actually. I should have known you know? That – that she would - " Remus started to falter in front of them – his smile wilting with each passing second.
Sirius quickly grabbed the werewolf and hugged him tightly. Remus burrowed his head onto Sirius's shoulder and let out body wracking, silent sobs. Lucius and Severus looked at each other uncomfortably before reaching out to pat Remus's back in silent support.
"It'll be alright Lupin. You did what you had to do to protect your family." Lucius nodded his head in respect.
Remus sniffled. "You heard the whole thing?"
"Bits and pieces." Lucius confessed. "But enough to prove that you're a man who can stand his ground, speak his beliefs and protect your loved ones. And that puts you at the top of my list."
"You have a list?" Remus laughed.
"Yes. Now shush, no one is supposed to know that."
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Soon, lunchtime came and the teens were seen huddled around the bed making idle chatter.
Pansy quickly shushed them all, ceasing the chattering. She pointed to the bed and saw that Draco's finger had moved slightly as his body took a long deep breath. Blaise blinked blearily at ceiling lights, groaning when its brightness pierced through the hazy fog in his eyes.
"What happened?" Draco croaked.
Blaise slowly got up, with the help of Theo who helped him rest against the headboard.
"Is Harry alright?" Blaise asked, his memories finally catching up with him.
Draco slowly craned his head to his left when his hand touched another's. He saw Harry still unconscious. "Is Harry okay?"
"He's fine. The healer checked over the three of you. She said you all just needed more rest after what happened." Hermione informed them.
"It did not help that you scared your father in such a way." Pansy reprimanded the blonde.
"Here's some water." Crystal gave the two Slytherins a glass before backing up.
Draco was the first to drop his glass after several gulps. "What the bloody hell?!"
"Language Draco." Lucius scolded. The adults had decided to come fetch the children for lunch themselves. And after they heard the conversation was not nonsensical, they quickly strode towards to room to see two of the three wizards that had gone through the inheritance were awake.
"I'm sorry father."
"Quite alright. I'm glad that you're doing fine. Gave us quite a scare."
"Can you explain to me why we're glowing?"
"Perhaps… I… can answer that." Luna piped up.
"Luna?"
"You know what happened to us?"
"Of course young one. Did you think I would leave you all alone by yourselves?" a deep voice underlying Luna's own answered in return.
The lights in the manor flickered on and off. Luna was glowing brilliantly, bathed in a pure white aura. Her eyes were a pearly white, her blonde hair dancing around her. She had a kind and warm smile on her face as she looked upon the astounded faces. The Guardians in the room quickly knelt to the floor, bowing to her.
"Please rise Egidio, Alandair, Macaire, Tesia." Luna acknowledged, placing a hand on each and every one of their shoulders when she walked past them.
The wizards and witches tittered when the steps she took blossomed into small patches of grass filled with bright and colorful flowers. The air in the room took on a warm sunshine like smell and a small breeze drifted through the room.
"I have chosen for Harry to become what he is now – a God."
"A God?" Draco repeated.
"A Greek God to be precise, if that is what you were wondering."
"A Greek God." Blaise repeated.
"Goddess." Luna laughed. "This room echoes a lot doesn't it?"
"What do you mean by a Greek God?" Hermione questioned.
"Harry has now taken the place of Poseidon, God of the Seas. He wields the water element in his hands and has responsibility to his kind." Macaire explained.
"His kind?"
"There really is an echo in here." Luna laughed once more. "Harry has his entire kingdom waiting for him. The former Poseidon has passed away for several centuries already. It is time for the new one to take the throne."
"What kingdom? What throne?"
"Mortals, you do not think that Atlantis was a myth did you? My, what do you learn in school?" Alandair barked in laughter.
"Please excuse me for being too blunt, but… who are you?" Crystal wondered.
"Gaia, Mother Nature." Luna answered.
"And why is it that we're glowing along with Harry?" Blaise asked.
"You have touched him in his inheritance. I cannot condone this small inkling error." The edge in Luna's voice warned of severe consequences before the blonde broke into a small and gentle smile. "However, because I have felt the love between the three of you… I suppose I can let this slide."
"Why are we glowing different colors?"
"To represent the Greek God you have taken over. Draco is now in Zeus's position and Blaise is now in Hades' position. But, do not think that you now rule Olympus because you have become King of the Gods." Luna looked directly at Draco as she said this. "That authority falls under Harry as this is his inheritance. Choices and decisions will be run by him."
Alandair made to interrupt. The Mother was relaying too much information – information that the others were not to know. He stopped when Egidio put his arm in front of him. Turning, he saw his leader shaking his head and he resisted.
Heads turned when the blankets rustled. Harry's head poked out from underneath the blankets, revealing him bathed in bluish light. He got up sleepily, stretched and smacked his lips a couple of times before noticing he was not alone.
"Hey." He whispered. "What's going on?"
"Harry. You're a god." Blaise said seriously.
Harry turned to him, smiled and then replied, "Thank you, though that's too much of a compliment."
"No, look at yourself. You're bathed in blue light. You're now Poseidon."
Harry looked down at his hands. "Well, that was unexpected."
"That's it? You're going to accept all of this with no questions?" Draco asked in disbelief.
"Of course there are going to be questions Draco." Harry raised an eyebrow. "But I have come to accept things that happen to me that are out of my hands. And clearly," Harry waved his arms around, "this is out of my hands."
"That is one way to reduce his shock." Sirius snorted.
"Now because you have become the King of the Heavens, the King of the Seas and the King of the Underworld, you do realize you're brothers in all but blood?" Luna replied.
The twins grinned. "Wicked."
"So… incest in a sort of way? Since the three of them are in a relationship." Theo scrunched up his nose. Luna shook her head at his antics.
"What are you implying?"
"I shall not reveal any more than that."
"You're dropping a bomb on us the moment we wake up?" Harry asked incredulously.
"Oh yes. I see you doing the best for everyone Harry." Luna smiled. "I am never wrong."
The Guardians stood rim-rod straight, standing behind Luna as if they were her bodyguards.
"You will know what to do Harry. I trust these four with everything. They are the best at what they do. They won't let you down. Trust me." Luna said and with that, the Ravenclaw dropped to the ground. She was just inches from the floor when she was caught and laid on the bed besides Harry when Draco and Blaise left their space unoccupied.
"At least you have more things to add to your to do list." Ron tried to lift the somber atmosphere.
"Go through inheritance – check. Have a whole new job to do, bullocks." Harry pouted.
"You can try out your new element." Pansy offered.
"Let's go try out our powers!" Harry jumped from the bed and ran out of the room, not noticing that he was dragging a good couple of feet of hair behind him.
Draco and Blaise simultaneously touched their heads, finally realizing that their head was a lot heavier than normal.
"Same transformations?" they muttered.
"Yep, in everything but the auras. Hey, at least you did not grow similarly in height. The both of you are still taller than Harry." Crystal laughed.
"I heard that." Harry said, peeking into the room before disappearing once more.
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"Practice, practice, practice." Tesia chanted as she strolled down the hallway, following after the young ones.
"Come now Tesia, be still. You are not a young one anymore." Egidio chastised.
"Gaia allows us this moment now. She trusts us did you not hear?" Macaire preened.
"We best hurry after the young ones. They're already so far ahead." Alandair said gruffly.
Soon they arrived in the garden where the sun gleamed brightly in the clear blue sky.
"Do it." Harry giggled.
Draco raised an eyebrow and with a smirk, he brought his palm up to face the sky and lightning began to crackle and race through his hand. He turned his palm outward to face the small bush before the group and lightning shot from the palm of his outstretched hand. The bush burst into flames and Harry began to feel even giddier.
"I suggest you put out the fire. I do not want any more rose bushes burning to the ground." Lucius advised.
Harry grinned before he drew water from the grass around the area and soaked the flaming bush until the fire was gone; the smell of burning plants permeating through the air.
"That's a foul smell." Ron gagged, covering his nose and mouth with his palm.
Neville looked downhearted, "The poor plants…" he moaned.
"What can Blaise do then?"
Blaise looked at the nearby tree, waved his hand in a circle and clenched his fist. A dark mist swirled around the tree, engulfed it and pulled away, leaving the tree looking battered, dead and rotting.
"So Draco is lightning, Harry is water and Blaise is death." Hermione summed up.
"It is much more than that young one." Macaire said. "When we teach you more, you'll be able to expand your powers."
"But for now, you must focus solely on your magic studies." Snape interrupted, crushing the excited looks on the teens' faces.
"You must bring down Dumbledore before you start something else." Sirius reminded them. "It does not help to have things done separately. You can't have any mistakes in the old man's downfall. He is too strong for it."
"But we're stronger, stronger than Dumbledore can even imagine. We can take him." Harry scowled.
"That sort of thinking will be your downfall." Tom snapped, putting them in their place. Though he knew Harry and every witch and wizard in their group were powerful and had a lot of potential, it would not help to boost their ego and make them feel overly confident. Years of experience had taught him that.
"We're sorry." The three wizards muttered, knowing they were in way over their heads just because they had a magical boost.
"Good." Tom patted their heads, earning sniggers and giggles from the rest of the teens.
"I believe this has been an eventful day. Shall we have lunch out here?" Remus suggested.
"A picnic?" Theo asked.
"A picnic." Remus confirmed.
"Well, it would be nice to sit on the grass and dine, though it would be the first we've ever done so." Pansy thought, looking uneasily at the innocent green grass beneath her.
"First time?" Hermione gasped. "You should try it. It's nice to feel the sun's warmth on your skin and the small breeze that brings in the smell of the garden."
"Tippy, Loppy. Prepare a picnic for us and set up a table here underneath the shade." Lucius ordered when the house elves popped in front of him.
"Yes Master Lucius." They chirped before popping away.
Soon, they all ate their fill and through numerous pleas and strong persuasion, the teens were able to get the rest of the day off as a break. But soon, they had to pack everything and begin the second "week" of their second year of schooling.
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Hey all! It's been awhile! Sorry it's so short! I couldn't think of anything else to write about it. School's started up again, so the updates will be slow. I apologize! But bear with me! I'm trying my best. I hope you all like this chapter. The story is going to pick up speed now that you get the gist of what's happening or what's going to happen with the group. Please comment, review or critique. Anything is fine :D Just helps me get a better idea of what you guys expect!