Hi everyone :)
I didn't even make 20 reviews for last chapter! (weeps) What did I do wrong? Thanks to those who did review though, they're all much appreciated, all the more so when I don't get many :)
Once again I have no more to say so we'll just get on with things:
9th November 1995: Morning
"Harry, you'd do me a favour if I asked you, right?"
It was a strange greeting but definitely one which caught Harry's attention. He looked up from his plate of breakfast which rested in front of him on the Gryffindor table where he was sitting alone to see that Hermione had seated herself beside him as she had spoken and was now looking at him earnestly. The fact she had asked him such a question had put the young man on guard and he looked at her somewhat suspiciously.
"Well, it depends on what it is..." He said carefully.
"Ron, John and I were talking last night," Hermione began to explain. "And we all agreed that, now that Voldemort's been resurrected, we're all in more danger than ever and we don't think that us and the other students are being taught the skills we need to sufficiently defend ourselves."
"So you want me to have a word with Uncle Lucius? Get him to tweak the Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum a bit?" Harry guessed as he went to cut a bit of his sausage off.
"Actually, we were thinking of forming our own class and we wondered if you'd be interested in helping us teach." The girl answered.
Harry paused all action at that, a speared bit of sausage held half way up to his mouth. He gave his House mate a surprised look and then lowered his fork. "You want to form your own class? Do you honestly think that's going to be allowed?"
"Who says any of the professors are going to know?"
"Right, so you want to form a class, in complete secrecy, and have me help you three in teaching things? You do realise that's against too many of the school's rules to count, right?" Harry pointed out, raising an eyebrow in her direction.
"I've found that most of the things we do together are against the school rules in some shape or form." Hermione countered with a small smirk.
Harry shook his head slightly and gave a wry laugh. "John's ruined you."
"Hardly, but come on, tell me, what do you think?" Hermione asked, dismissing Harry's comment easily.
The older teenager sighed tiredly and leaned forward, propping his head up on his hand. "What, exactly, would I be required to teach?"
"Well, we were thinking that you could handle defense as you're a pacifist and if you agree we'll probably ask Malfoy if he wants to lend you a hand in it." The girl explained. "Ron has combat tactics and John and I have offence. We'd all be present in all the meetings to help with demonstrations or anything else so you won't be left completely alone to do something."
"That's something I suppose." Harry grunted unenthusiastically.
"Please say you'll help us Harry." Hermione pleaded, reaching forward and taking his hand in a firm grip. "We really need your help in this, we can't do it alone."
Harry gave the girl a withering look, clearly unimpressed with how he was being manipulated, before sighing and nodding his head. "All right."
"Really?" She gasped in glee.
"Yes, really." Harry confirmed slightly grudgingly despite the fact the girl was delighted had cheered him up about the situation a great deal.
"Oh, thank you!" Hermione cried as she practically threw herself into Harry's arms, wrapping him in a tight hug of gratitude. Harry brought an arm around her back and patted her gently, not really in the best position to return the hug any better.
"Not interrupting anything, am I?" Draco's voice suddenly said and the two Gryffindors separated and looked to see that the Luna Veela was but a few feet away from them and walking ever closer. He looked calm and collect as usual but there was a tiny hint of something in his eyes which hinted at the fact that he could very easily getting angry with what he had just seen.
"Hermione was just thanking me for agreeing to help her with something." Harry told his mate with a reassuring smile.
"Yes, and I want to ask you the same thing Malfoy..." Hermione began to say.
"Perhaps later." Draco told her with a pointed look which she seemed to understand as a look or realisation crossed her face moments before it was gone again. Harry was completely confused by what had just passed between the two and he looked from one to the other, trying to pick up on any little thing which might aid him in figuring the silent message out. "Let's go for a walk, yeah?" The blonde Veela suggested with a smile suddenly as he abruptly took Harry's arm and pulled him up onto his feet before leading him towards the entrance to the Great Hall even before the Gryffindor had a chance to reply.
"What? But Draco, it's cold!" The dark haired young man protested as he tried to pull his arm free.
"Then it'll help perk you up." The Veela replied easily as they neared the front entrance of the school.
"I don't need perking up, I'm perfectly perky at the moment thank you." Harry insisted. "C'mon Hermione, surely you'd rather be sitting in a nice, warm library instead of traipsing around in the cold, outside?" He tried, turning his head to look at the younger girl.
"No, actually, I have to agree with Malfoy, I'm quite in the mood for a brisk walk." She answered in a matter-of-fact tone just as they left the school building, stepping out into the crisp, morning air.
"Then why don't you two walk together and I'll go back inside?" The older Gryffindor grumbled as he gave up his struggles and walked dejectedly beside his mate, his free arm coming around his waist to hug himself in a vain attempt to ward out some of the cold.
"I don't think we should have left." A familiar voice suddenly came from behind, making all three teenagers stop in their tracks.
"You're right; Harry's got way too whiney without us."Another voice agreed just as the young man in question turned around, his eyes lighting up at the two people standing in front of him.
"Fred! George!" He gasped happily, Draco releasing his arm and allowing him to run up to his two friends to hug them. "What are you both doing here?" He asked, pulling away to look at them.
"We decided to give ourselves a mental health day." Fred grinned.
"And Draco here suggested we come visit." George revealed.
Harry's jaw dropped and he turned around to look at his Luna Veela. "You knew they were coming?"
"Why else do you think I insisted on coming out here in this ghastly weather?" Draco inquired with a raised eyebrow.
"And I take it you knew as well?" The dark haired Gryffindor asked Hermione, giving her a pointed look.
"I may have been made aware of certain future events in order to add some extra validity to the situation." She replied with a small grin of her own.
"So you were all plotting against me?" Harry summarised with good humour.
"Yep, we were all against you." Fred agreed as he slung an arm over his friend's shoulder.
"Now," George said, copying his brother and slinging an arm around Harry's shoulder as well. "Tell us; just exactly how popular are our products with the population of Hogwarts?"
9th November 1995: Midday
Fred and George had always been popular. People liked them for their playful, easy-going natures and their senses of humour. However, the amount of people from all the Houses who had gathered around the Gryffindor table to pay attention to the Weasley twins was rather astonishing. Dozens of people stood around the immediate area where the two Weasleys were sitting with Harry, Ron, John and Hermione and they were all listening intently to anything the two young men had to say. Harry was simply glad that it was not him for once who was at the end of all the attention.
Smiling at one joke that George had just cracked, Harry turned his head back to the front and reached out for his goblet to take a sip of pumpkin juice. It was while he was doing that, that a movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Turning his head to right to look over to the entrance of the Great Hall, the Gryffindor was mostly unsurprised to see that it was Blaise Zabini standing there, discreetly trying to get his attention. When their eyes met, the older teenager gave a small nod which was picked up by the younger. The Slytherin gave a nod of his own before turning and leaving the entrance of the Great Hall, disappearing from view as he went to wait just outside.
Harry glanced away from where Blaise had been, back to the crowd beside himself, to check that no one was paying attention to him. Thankfully, because of Fred and George, no one was even looking in his direction. So, going carefully and slowly as to not draw sudden attention to himself, the Gryffindor shuffled along the length of the bench he was sitting on, away from the crowd at the table. When he judged that he was far enough away, he climbed over it and then hurried out of the Great Hall. Once out, he made a bee-line straight over to the Slytherin boy who was waiting patiently by the left wall.
"What is it?" Harry asked quietly as he reached Blaise.
"I did that research you wanted and it seems more than likely the final Horcrux is the Dark Lord's familiar." Baise told him in an equally hushed tone.
"Seriously?" The older teenager gasped. Having a living thing as a Horcrux; he had never considered that possibility before. Was it possible? "How did you find out?"
"I asked my father how the Dark Lord survived the first time you faced him and he told me a bit about the Horcruxes. Even he admitted it's just a rumour among the Death Eaters but I thought you should know anyway."
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I'm glad you told me, it's something to work with at least. Anything else?"
"No, that's it for now."
"All right. Thanks for telling me, I appreciate the risk you're putting yourself at." Harry said with a smile.
Before Blaise could reply, a familiar voice which the Gryffindor had not had the pain of hearing for a month or so came from behind. "What are you guys talking about?"
Harry turned then and saw Bethany walking over to them. Only, he thought it was Bethany. A part of him was doubting it because, strangely, she was smiling cheerfully and her tone had held no malice in it at all. In fact, it had sounded rather friendly which surely couldn't be right. Bethany Zabini, being anything other than cold and vicious when in Harry's company? Something wasn't normal, that was for sure.
"Is that really any of your business?" Harry asked the girl smoothly, his tone neither friendly or harsh.
Bethany shrugged at that question. "I was just curious. You both seem to pop up together every so often and I was just wondering what it is you talk about." She smiled at Harry then, what appeared to be a true, genuine smile. "Thanks for keeping my brother company Harry, I do worry about the amount of time he spends with those two lumbering beef-cakes he calls friends."
"Did you just call me Harry?" The dark haired young man gasped in disbelief. He sent a look to Blaise who looked just as confused as the Gryffindor so Harry was assured that whatever it was that was happening, it wasn't something the male Zabini was aware of.
"Look, I know I've been a complete bitch to you in the past and I apologise for it. I really want us to be friends now Harry, put the past behind us and everything, you know?" Bethany said sincerely, leaving Harry's mind boggling.
Luckily, before Harry even had to begin the struggle of wondering exactly what to say in reply, a presence suddenly came behind him as the voice of Draco spoke: "What's going on?"
"Nothing, we were just talking." Bethany assured as she held her hands up in front of herself as a gesture of innocence. Whatever it was that Draco did from his position behind Harry was enough to make the girl swallow and then make a hasty retreat. "Oh well, c'mon Blaise, let's go get some lunch." She said as she took her younger brother's hand and led him away, past Harry and Draco. Harry made sure to catch Blaise's gaze as he passed, sending a silent message through his stare that he wanted to know what was going on. The younger teenager seemed to understand as he gave a swift nod before hurrying along with his sister.
The two remaining Seventh Years watched them go and it was only when they had disappeared into the Great Hall that Draco broke the silence. "What did they want?"
"I have no idea." Harry answered, half truthfully. "Blaise asked me to talk to him for a moment and then Bethany joined us and acted as though we were the best of friends. She called me Harry, Draco. She actually called me Harry!"
Draco's eyes hardened suspiciously at that and he turned that glare onto the open doors of the Great Hall. "I want you to keep your guard up around those two Harry, they're up to something."
"Hmm." Harry hummed by way of agreement as he looked towards the open doors as well. Bethany was no doubt up to something and it was probably nothing good. Hopefully, Blaise would be able to find out exactly what his sister plan is quickly before anything had a chance of happening.
"Oh well," Draco sighed, sounding much more calm and relaxed now as he took Harry's hand in his. The Gryffindor looked up up at the Veela and a quick kiss was placed on his lips. "Shall we get something to eat? I'm sure the fact that Fred and George are here visiting will provide more than..." The Slytherin continued to talk as he led Harry towards the entrance of the Great Hall and the Gryffindor half listened as he also considered the various explanations for what had just occurred with the two Zabinis.
10th November 1995: Early Morning
Slumped against the side of an alcove, Harry had fallen into a light doze while he had waited for Blaise to arrive. Once again, it had been just as the Gryffindor had been getting ready for bed that an owl had arrived with a request that they meet and so, dutifully, he had replied and arrived. He had got there before the Slytherin and had quickly seated himself and got comfortable. Probably a little too comfortable as he was rapidly falling asleep.
However, when a rather loud slam came, Harry instantly woke, his eyes opening and his head rising just in time to see Blaise walk into his line of sight. "Sorry to have kept you waiting." The younger teenager apologised, walking closer.
Harry shook his head as he yawned widely, one hand waving away the apology while the other politely covered his mouth. "Doesn't matter, you're here now. So, I'm going to take a wild guess here and assume this is about your sister's strange behaviour today? Or yesterday." He corrected himself after moment.
"Yeah." Blaise said with a nod. "It seems we weren't as careful with keeping our meetings discreet as we first might've thought. People have noticed and it all alerted Beth. She told our father and, apparently, he thinks I'm using my initiative in gaining your trust in order to betray you to the Dark Lord. He told Bethany to try and do the same so that when the time comes, we have a better chance of capturing you."
"I knew it had to be something like that." The Gryffindor sighed, not in the least surprised by the news. "You're expected to carry on as normal I take it?" Blaise nodded. "All right then, that's what we'll do. Don't stop showing an interest in the Death Eaters and collecting information and make out that you're setting me up for a betrayal. We might actually be able to make this work in our favour."
"Really? How?"
"I'm not sure at the moment. Ask me in a few weeks." Harry grinned lightly.
18th November 1995: Afternoon
"Hello?" Harry called into Severus' living room as he slowly crept in. When no answer came, he tried again. "Father?" Still no answer. Silently guiding the portrait shut behind himself, the Gryffindor paused for a moment, standing in complete silence. Then, when he was completely satisfied that the quarters were empty, he gave a small grin of triumph and hurried forward, further into the room.
It was Harry's one free period and he was going to take advantage of the fact that his father would still be busy teaching his final class of the day. He was going to sneak another peak at the Potion Master's pensieve. Although Draco was rather good at keeping him aware of what was going on in a sort of vague, not-really-saying-anything manner, the Gryffindor still liked to keep up to date with things himself, seeing them and hearing them as they actually happened. Plus, according to the blonde, there had been some sort of disagreement that morning during a meeting they had all had which the Head of Slytherin would no doubt have wanted to get out of his mind as soon as possible. Draco didn't tell Harry any of the details to which the dark haired young man was infinitely curious about and determined to discover fully for himself. Was it an invasion of Severus' personal, private matters? Yes, but then if the man would just tell his son what was going on in the first place, it wouldn't be necessary.
Harry wasted no time in seeking out Severus' pensieve, not knowing how long exactly he would have to pull the whole thing off in a safe amount of time. Upon reaching it, the Gryffindor fell straight in and, indeed, came up in the memory which seemed to be the meeting that morning...
()()()()()()()()()()()()
"...All I'm saying is that he should be trusted with more information." Draco finished saying to Severus, his tone almost pleading. To the side Lucius was casually leaning against the edge of a desk, his arms folded across his chest in a comfortable manner. When the Potions Master gave no answer, remaining standing beside the right-hand row of chairs and desks, the Luna Veela, who was standing just in front of the entrance into the Potions classroom, continued. "He's my age Sev and you've trusted me to be involved in all of this."
"Because of what you are Draco; it's safer for everyone if you are aware and involved with what is going on." Severus replied stiffly, not looking at the teenager.
"But he could help us all so much!" Draco cried in exasperation. "He'd be more successful in locating the whereabouts of the Horcruxes, he'd be able to help us plan a method for defeating the Dark Lord, he could..."
"I will not have Haryon exposed to such stress." The dark haired man insisted firmly.
"You're acting as though he's some defenceless child who can't look after himself. He's faced the Dark Lord completely on his own four times now; four times Sev! And each time he's come through well enough to tell the tale. Plus all the other drama he's been put through the last couple of years. He'd be able to cope with this all."
"My point is that he should not have to cope with it." Severus bit back sharply, obviously starting to lose his patience. "The prophecy says nothing about Haryon having to fight and if anything he will be at more risk if he becomes involved with all of this. He is not necessary in this situation and I will not bring him into this war."
"He is already a part of this war; he is the reason for this war!" Draco yelled angrily, his gesturing hands sharp and quick. When he got absolutely no reply to that, he shook his head in disgust. "I have to meet Harry." He said simply before turning and leaving the classroom.
Both Severus and Lucius watched the teenager go and when the door had shut behind him, the Potions Master spoke: "Can you believe the audacity of that boy?"
"Actually, I think Draco made a rather good point." Lucius said slowly as though to do so would lessen the pain. "We are treating Haryon as though he is a child unable to comprehend the severity of the situation. Surely it is time he was trusted the with the truth."
"No, I will not put the stress on him." Severus repeated his argument adamantly, glaring off at the side, obviously uncomfortable with the conversation.
Lucius looked across the room at the Potions Master sympathetically before he straightened up and walked over to him. Stopping right in front of him, the blonde man brought up his hand and cupped the pale cheek. "He is no longer a young boy Severus, do you not think it's time for you to allow him to fend for himself?"
"I am not going to have this conversation." Severus insisted suddenly as he moved away from Lucius, dislodging the hand on his cheek in the process. He then stopped several paces away, his back towards the aristocrat.
"For goodness sake Severus," Lucius snapped, his patience obviously breaking as he lost all signs of sympathy. "This is not about protecting Haryon, this is about you being afraid that if you give him but an inch of independence he will leave you. He is seventeen years old, a legal adult, and yet you still persist in wrapping him in cotton wool and shielding him from the world as though he is a defenceless dame. You have to let him go!"
"Leave Lucius." The black haired man ordered stiffly.
"You don't want to hear it because it's true Severus." The blonde replied, his tone hard and annoyed.
"Get out!" Severus yelled angrily, spinning around and glaring darkly at the other man.
For several moments the two Slytherins stood glaring at each other. Then, eventually, it was Lucius who moved first, doing as he was told and leaving the room. He flung open the door, disappeared through it and then slammed it shut behind himself, the sound echoing around the classroom. When the echoes faded, Severus slumped wearily against one of the desk, supporting his weight on his left arm as he brought his right hand up to cover his face.
()()()()()()()()()()()()
When Harry came out of the pensieve, his heart ached like it never had before and he felt tears in his eyes. He swallowed against them and the lump in his throat before giving a sigh. His father...His poor father...
The sound of a nearby door opening and then being closed again came suddenly and Harry knew that Severus must've just entered the Potions classroom and the sound of the door had, indeed, successfully made it across the length of the classroom and through the open door to the Potion Master's quarters. Quickly, Harry put the pensieve away, took a second to make sure everything was exactly as he left it and then dashed back into the living room, practically jumping onto the sofa and then taking up a natural position, curled up in a corner.
Seconds passed before Severus entered and his greeting was a softly spoken: "What are you doing here?"
Harry turned his head to look at the man who was his father and noted sadly that he looked tired and drained and decidedly depressed. The Gryffindor felt his heart take another stab but forced a smile on his face nonetheless, in order to not arouse suspicion. "I came to spend some time with you."
Severus gave no indication that he felt either pleased or annoyed with that, his face set with a cool mask of indifference. It was a positive sign though as the fact Harry had not been out-right dismissed meant that his father was open to his presence on some level. The Gryffindor watched silently as the dark haired professor moved further into the room and around the edge of the sofa. It was then the young man shuffled up to give the older a space to sit down.
However, acting in a manner which would no doubt completely surprise Severus, the moment the man had sat down, Harry was leaning against him, cuddling up to his side and resting his head on his father's shoulder. Indeed, Harry did feel Severus tense beneath him for a moment and he began to wonder just how much that morning had affected the man's out-look. True, it had been a very long time since the Gryffindor had cuddled with his father in such a manner without there being some great crisis in their lives but surely it wasn't that strange to cause the man to stiffen in such a way?
Luckily, slowly, Severus seemed to relax with the idea and his arm came around Harry in a comforting hold. The dark haired teenager gave a soft smile before snuggling as close as he could, an arm of his own coming up around Severus' chest as he buried his face in the nook it created, mindful of his glasses though.
A hand came to rest on top of his head then and a gentle petting started up just as the deep rumble of Severus voice vibrated through his chest: "Haryon...Is everything all right?" He murmured gently, the hand in the long locks of hair pausing after a moment.
"Now that I'm with you they are." Harry whispered against the warm expanse of clothed chest beneath his cheek, though in the silence of the room it could be heard fairly easily. "Because I love you and as long as you're near me, I'll know I'll always be all right."
"Haryon..."
"I don't care what people say I should do, I don't care if I'm supposed to "be a man" and go off to lead my own life; that's not what I want. I want you, I'll always want you...Because you're the one I love the most." The teenager declared softly but confidently, his tone sure and allowing there to be no argument.
The man Harry was half laying on gave no reply to that and for several moments, the Gryffindor doubted exactly how his words had been taken. However, when he felt something wet fall onto the top of his head and he was suddenly heaved up the body underneath his so that he was fully in Severus' arms, he knew his words had worked. The message had been conveyed, the promise had been acknowledged and all of it was accepted.
As a kiss was pressed against the top of his head, a smile graced Harry's lips and he closed his eyes in relaxation. Everything really would be all right.
18th November 1995: Night
Harry greeted Draco with a bright smile as the Slytherin opened the door to his private Head Boy room. The dark haired young man entered, standing on his tip-toes for a moment in order to press a quick kiss onto the Veela's lips as he passed and, it was when he did that, that a certain scent caught the blonde's attention. "You smell like Sev."
"Hmm, not surprising since I've just spent the entire afternoon and evening with him. Why do you think I missed dinner?" He asked as he headed straight over to the bed, promptly slumping down on it easily.
"I wasn't at dinner either, I was researching." Draco answered as he closed the door. "But why do you smell of him so much? Just being in his room or even sitting next to him shouldn't affect your scent to such an extreme."
"He needed cuddling, he was depressed by what happened this morning."
"Ah." Was the only reply Draco gave to that.
"I really wish you wouldn't say that sort of thing to Father." Harry sighed lightly. "It really does upset him more than he lets on."
"But doesn't it annoy you? The fact he's keeping something so important from you." Draco inquired as he came to sit beside where the dark haired young man was stretched across the bed.
"No, because I understand his reasons for doing so. Though I do wish he would tell me if only so he doesn't have to burden himself with it all. But I suppose, in a way, it makes him feel better about it all and as long as you keep giving me hints about what's going on it doesn't really matter that he doesn't tell me anything."
"You're far more forgiving than I am." The blonde sighed as he reached out and ran a hand down the length of his mate's spine.
"Yes, I know I am." Harry grinned playfully as he rolled onto his side and slung an arm over the Veela's lap, his cheek stopping to rest against the young man's hip. "I hope it's not something you get from Uncle Lucius otherwise Father's going to be depressed for a while yet."
"I think they'll make up fairly promptly." Draco assured in a lazy tone as he lay down as well. Harry immediately snaked himself up further so their faces were inches away from each other. "It doesn't sound like it was a major disagreement and they just need to swallow their pride. I don't think that will take too long considering their relationship."
"Do you think they love each other?" The dark haired teenager inquired, speaking what he had always been asking himself.
"I think they do in a way. I don't think it's like ours though. I think it's more like they're very good friends with benefits rather then actual lovers." The blonde answered easily.
"That's probably a good thing. If they bonded we'd be step-brothers."
The Veela wrinkled his nose at that. "Yes, that would be rather..." He paused, thinking of a suitable word to describe what he wanted to get across.
"Icky." Harry supplied with a grin.
"I was thinking more along the lines of controversial but whatever." Draco chuckled lightly.
"I wouldn't care though." The dark haired young man sighed happily as he cuddled closer to his Veela. The blonde pulled him closer in reply and buried his nose in the long locks of shiny hair. "I'd still love you more than anything."
"Even more then your father?" Came the all to serious answer to that statement. Surprised, Harry pulled back slightly and looked at Draco straight in the eye. It didn't take an empath to realise that the blonde was completely serious about his question. He honestly thought that Harry loved Severus more than him.
"Draco, my love for you isn't the same love I have for my father." Harry told him gently, trying to figure out exactly where this jealousy in the blonde had sprung up from. "My father is the one who rescued me, who took me in without reason, who raised me. But you...You're my best friend, you're my lover, you're my mate. They're both completely different types of love, asking who I love more is like asking whether I like Divination more than jelly; neither has anything to do with the other." He paused and searched the Veela's face for any signs which might hint at what he was thinking. "Where has this all come from Draco? Have you always thought I love Father more than you?"
Draco looked away and gave a light shrug at that, a small blush colouring his cheeks. It was with that very simple response that something occurred to Harry. Perhaps, on a conscious level, Draco really didn't know where the question had come from or if he really did think he came second to Severus. Perhaps it was the Veela inside him objecting. Harry shared no blood with Severus, there was no link between them at a genetic level. Perhaps the Veela part of Draco was picking up on that and disregarding the actual relationship and instead focusing on the, (sort of) possible relationship which could be. After all, if Harry and Severus were strangers there would be nothing stopping them from becoming a couple, they weren't related on a genetic level and that was probably the only level the Veela was currently caring about.
Feeling more reassured with the situation now he had that theory in his mind, Harry gave a light chuckle before snuggling against Draco again. "You're a goose, you know that?" He teased lightly. "You're the one my heart belongs to; it always has and it always will."
Draco didn't say anything to that but Harry hadn't expected anything. Instead, they let the silence linger, both comfortable again, any previous doubts laid to rest.
21st November 1995: Evening
Soft footsteps accompanied Harry and Blaise as they walked side by side down various corridors, on their way back from meeting in the Astronomy Tower. They talked very quietly between themselves so that no one passing by would be able to hear them but they were still able to hear each other.
"It's unlikely that you'd be able to safely dispose of Nagini then?" Harry murmured thoughtfully.
"Right." Blaise confirmed with a nod. "She rarely ever leaves the Dark Lord's side and when she does, she only allows the Inner Circle anywhere near her. There'd be no way I'd be able to get close enough to kill her."
"And there's no chance of an ambush?"
"She's not that predictable. I could be waiting in one place for hours and she may never come by." The Slytherin sighed lightly then. "What are we going to do Harry? I can't see a way to handle this."
"Don't worry, we'll think of something." Harry assured him gently, bringing a hand up to pat the boy's shoulder before they both came to a stop. "Oh well, I go this way." He said, pointing off down the corridor.
"And I go down here." Blaise said, pointing to the staircase several paces away. "I'll see ya tomorrow."
"Yeah, she ya tomorrow Blaise, sleep well." Harry wished before he set off walking again. Blaise copied him and started towards the stairs.
Silence ruled for Harry then for all of two seconds before he suddenly collided with something that wasn't there. He gave a small cry of surprise as he walked into something solid when all he could see was thin air. Frowning in confusion, the Gryffindor reached for the space he had just walked into and was startled to find that it came into contact with something other than air. He was able to grip whatever it was and then gave a pull.
"John?" Harry said, surprised to see his younger brother suddenly appear out of thin air. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing much." The younger teenager said easily. "Just, you know, stretching my legs."
"Underneath an invisibility cloak." He said with an incredulous look as he held up the cloak in question.
"Yeah."
"...Whatever." Harry said with a light frown of confusion as he stepped around the Fifth Year Gryffindor, handing the cloak back to him and wanting to walk away. Something else had to be coming though...
"I don't think you should talk to Blaise Zabini anymore."
And there it was.
Harry paused in his walking and turned around to face John. "Excuse me?"
"I don't like the amount of time you're spending with him. I think you should cut it, whatever it is, off with him." John elaborated.
"And why is that?" Harry asked, folding his arms over his chest and arching an eyebrow.
"Because he's not your friend!" The middle Potter child insisted as he hurried forward to stand closer to his older brother. "I don't know what it is he's said to gain your trust or sympathy or whatever it is that's making you talk to him but I bet you whatever it is is a complete lie!"
"And do you have any proof to back all this up?"
"Proof?"
"Yes, proof. You know, it's that stuff that people usually make sure they have before making up wild allegations which could possibly harm people's reputations." Harry clarified, his tone becoming more annoyed towards the end of his sentence.
"He's a Slytherin; what more proof do you need?"
"What? You think just because someone's a Slytherin that automatically makes them a possible Death Eater?" The dark haired young man asked with a frown.
"Look at his family then! Everyone knows that the Zabini's supported Voldemort the first time around."
"So did my father and godfather."
"Dear Merlin, open your eyes Harry!" John cried in exasperation, obviously getting frustrated that Harry seemed to have an answer for every single point he was making. "Blaise Zabini is not the innocent guy he's pretending to be! He's using you for something or he's setting you up for Voldemort. He can't be trusted, why can't you see that?"
"Maybe because it's not there to see!" The older teenager snapped before turning and rushing away in the opposite direction to his younger brother.
"Where are you going?" John called after him in an almost desperate tone.
"Away from you." Harry shot back, not turning to look at the other teenager and leaving him alone, standing in the middle of the corner watching after him.
25th November 1995: Afternoon
His vision swam, his legs turned to jelly and consciousness slowly leaked away from him. His last thought before all thought left him was that why did things like this always happen when he was going into a DADA lesson?
()()()()()()()()()()()()
It was freezing cold and it was snowing which, common sense told Him, meant He was outside. And, opening His eyes and looking around, it became clear that, indeed, he was outside. It was night time, the sky black and cloudy, the trees around Him nothing but black silhouettes.
He was on His knees, leaning forward to support His weight on His hands. There was someone beside Him with a hand on His shoulder. Turning His head slightly, His eyes met with the familiar brown eyes of Blaise Zabini looking at Him in concern through the darkness. The hand on His shoulder moved up to cup the back of His head as a vial was pressed to His lips, a cool liquid sliding into His mouth and down His throat.
Suddenly, coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once, there was a horrible bang, a lot like a very heavy door smacking into something equally as solid and heavy. He stood from where He was kneeling, along with Blaise, and looked around slightly frantically to see a couple of dozen metres away from Him was a massive, dark, imposing building.
Blaise clutched His arm tightly and after that nothing moved. For long moments after that, nothing more happened but the nervous atmosphere didn't relax. The stress getting to Him a little too much, He slowly walked forward, His arm falling out of Blaise's grip and allowing Him to continue forward freely. Around Him it was silent again and the rain continued to fall, frequently landing on Him and chilling His skin. After a few moments of walking, He looked down at his hands and was unsurprised at the sight which greeted Him; they were stained with thick trickles of some black and viscous substance.
From somewhere in the darkness, an inhuman roar echoed around Him. He continued walking none the less. Then, when about ten feet away from the building, He was able to make out the dark form of person dressed in a ripped, dirty robe. The person began to walk towards Him, becoming a little clearer the closer they came, glowing, red eyes shining eerily through the darkness...
25th November 1995: Evening
A light groan found its way past Harry's lips as he slowly woke up. A light pounding was aching throughout his entire head and he felt entirely too weak and useless. He tried to sit himself up but found he didn't have the strength to even do that. However, that attempt did bring a wonderfully cool hand down to rest on his forehead and he gave a moan of appreciation at that as it soothed his headache. A moment later, a hand took hold of his right one tightly.
"Are you all right?" Draco's voice asked gently.
Harry could only manage a small grunt.
"Are you thirsty?" Severus' voice came next.
Harry gave a noise of disagreement and weakly shook his head.
"Can you talk?" Lucius' voice inquired.
Harry's mouth opened slightly and after a few seconds, he managed to get out a small, "yeah."
"Did you have a vision?" Severus asked very gently as he smoothed his son's hair down soothingly.
Once again, Harry managed to say "yeah" and also give a small nod of his head. "Why...Do I feel so weak?"
"You were given a Calming Draught and a pain killer. You were moving and thrashing around too much." Lucius answered and that just confused Harry even more; he was usually always still when he had visions.
"What did you see?" Draco almost whispered.
"The Dark Lord." Harry breathed quietly. "I was alone...And...I had to face him..."
"I won't let that happen." Severus assured immediately, a dark look on his face, as he hushed his son gently and returned to petting his hair.
"None of us will." Lucius agreed.
"We'll protect you Harry, we won't give him a chance to get you on your own." Draco promised completely seriously as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the dark haired young man's forehead.
Harry gave a weak smile in reply but found he could do no more. Unfortunately, he did not share the confidence his family seemed to.
End of Chapter 59.
Hmm, another chapter I quite like. Still not the greatest but I still like it :)
I still have nothing to say O.o I guess you can all return to the real world now. Take care all and I'll see you in another five days :)
Hugs
Dream