Fire and Flight

by sarenelsoria

Harry Potter transforms into a Phoenix, without any memory of being human and flies to find his destined one.Draco Malfoy is a veela and wakes up one morning to find his mate in his bed,he believes his mate to be an highly intelligent animal. A Prophesy is spoken about how Great Britain's Wizards need to try to understand each other,or face war, until both sides are wiped m/m

5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Harry awoke as something tickled his nose and he sneezed, he opened his eyes and stared at several white. He blinked confused moving them out of his face and groaned at the movement. His head ached horribly and he felt like complete shite. He remembered drinking and asking Draco questions, as well as answering them, however after they had moved to the bathroom, his memory started to get hazy. He realized suddenly that Draco didn't have any clothes on and jumped back from the bed, his foot getting tangled in the bed spread and landing him sprawled on the ground. As he tried to get the air back into his lungs, it all came back to him. How somehow his phoenix side had taken over and had taken Draco, only it hadn't been Draco the Phoenix had bonded to, but rather the veela. Harry groaned and heard a moan from the bed.

"Potter why don't I have any clothes on and what's with all the feathers?" Draco asked and Harry hunched in on himself.

"Draco I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, please forgive me, it wasn't me it was the phoenix." Harry said and Draco crawled over the edge of the bed.

"I transformed last night?" He asked and frowned. "Don't remember much of it, or our game, but I am sore. I suppose that means you're the dominant then."

"I don't know, I didn't want my first time to be as a bloody beast!" Harry wailed and Draco sighed.

"Accio underwear." He said, grabbing the boxer shorts that flew towards him and put them on. "You weren't a beast Harry, you need to accept the creature part of your nature, and otherwise it will only get harder. Those that don't accept all of themselves, with creature inheritances have loads of problems. I don't know what yours will be, but for veelas, we need to have an outlet to release our rage on, as well as our lust, to insure that we don't transform suddenly because someone pisses us off." Draco sighed and rubbed Harry's back. "Its alright Harry, we'll take it slow, even if the more wild sides of us didn't."

"You'd do that for me?" Harry asked and Draco faced Harry, gently lifting his head to look at Draco.

"You are my mate, as such even though I do not know you as well as I would wish, I still would do anything and everything for you, anything you desire ask and it is yours." Draco said staring deeply into Harry's eyes. "Anything Harry, just please don't be sad, it hurts me when your sad and there's no reason for this sadness. Yes in a moment of passion when we were drunk, we excited our wilder sides and you claimed me. Still there is nothing to be guilty about, we are after all two adults and free to do whatever the hell we want. There's a reason I called you Saint Potter in school you know, its because you always try what you perceive to be the honorable thing, the right thing to do. Despite what it does to you, despite what you want. You need to stop doing that Harry, because after a while, if you behave like that in public and in private, the mask of what people want you to be, becomes what you actually are. I don't want that, I love your fire and your more devious side, I don't want that to fade, just because you're trying to please the masses. You don't need to worry about the masses, your a powerful wizard and the heir to two noble families, as a Muggleborn would say, you don't need to take shit from anyone." Draco said and Harry smiled at him and wiped at his eyes. "Its alright, we'll get through this together and not drink fire whiskey again, not unless we want your Phoenix to come out and play."

"You think that it came because I was drinking fire whiskey?"

"That is a possibility, though we were sort of passionate, before you started to get increasingly wild, which called to my veela and made me transform. Only the call of a mate could have made me transform after taking the dulling potion, only your call Harry." Draco said smiling at him. "You know it doesn't hurt nearly as bad as I thought it would, though I wish I could remember more of it."

"You want to remember that?" Harry asked.

"Merlin yes, I bloody want to remember it, bet it was really hot." Draco said and winked at Harry. "In more ways then one." He said and Harry smiled slowly. "That's better, now lets go get some breakfast, nothing charred though, not unless we want your phoenix to wake up." Draco said and chuckled at Harry's pout. "You know I'm right Potter, what you need to realize is that I'm often right."

"Yes whatever you say Draco." Harry said slightly sarcastically and Draco laughed.

"Never realized before, but you can be fairly sarcastic at times Potter, I like sarcasm, its good for the soul and keeps people guessing." Draco said and stood up, offering a hand to Harry and wincing slightly as he stood.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked worriedly.

"I'm fine Harry, no need to worry." Draco said.

"Sorry I can't help it, you're my destined one." Harry said and Draco smiled.

"I like it, its more poetic then simply mate, is that how your phoenix thinks of me?"

"I suppose so, destiny hasn't ever really gone my way before, so is it alright if I use mate instead?" Harry asked and Draco smiled before nodding.

"I don't care what you call our growing bond, all that matters to me is that you're with me." Draco said and smiled. "Would you mind learning wizard comportment from my Mother?" Draco asked and Harry frowned.

"Why can't you teach me?"

"My Mother would be a far better teacher, in fact after I left for Hogwarts, she began to teach young wizards and witches comportment."

"I suppose I could, but you are going to go with me to Muggle London, I want to explore it, to see the world."

"Alright I suppose that's fair, you can teach me about muggles, if you allow us to teach you about your heritage." Draco said and Harry nodded. "I'll keep an open mind, if you will." Draco added.

"I suppose that's fair enough." Harry said and stood slowly, he wrapped his hair in the head cloth, before pulling on jeans and a tee shirt. "The sooner I can stop wearing these the better, turbans don't bring back fond memories."

"Why?" Draco asked.

"In first year Professor Qurriel had Voldemort in back of his head." Harry replied and both he and Draco shuddered.

"Well Quirriel always had a strange sense of style, I suppose he thought what this ensemble really needs is a Dark Lord." Draco said and Harry laughed. "Though in all seriousness, we need to go shopping. Your one of the most famous wizards in the world today, you need to dress the part."

"Today?" Harry half asked, half whined in a beseeching tone. "I hate shopping."

"We'll make it fun, didn't you say you wanted to see the world?"

"What does clothing have to do with that?" Harry asked.

"Everything, my dear, simply everything. In any event my family has a port key to Fleur De Magie, in France."

"I suppose that's a wizard shopping area like Diagon Alley."

"It's five times as big as Diagon Alley Harry and located under the Paris Catacombs." Draco said and Harry stared at him wide eyed. "As French magical citizens, we can come and go whenever we wish."

"That sounds amazing Draco, but I've never been out of the UK, I don't have a passport."

"Wizards do not need a passport and none of the cities we travel to are located near customs, so you won't run into any difficulties." Draco said and Harry nodded.

"Alright, I guess that will be alright, after all its not every day that a bloke invites you to Paris." Harry said and Draco laughed.

"If you wished, we could go every day, I doubt that I could ever be employed at a job that would satisfy me." Draco said.

"I could ask them to hire you, I mean you never did anything."

"But I didn't do anything to stop them either and I let a bunch of death eaters into Hogwarts."

"You were pretty torn up about it Draco, your..."

"If your going to say I'm not a bad person, submissive or not, I might curse you. You have no right to judge me, or my character, despite being my mate, that right is earned." Draco said and Harry stared at him surprised. "You know nothing of the wizard world Harry, all you know has been fed to you, like one would feed a baby. Dumbledore did you no favors by keeping you in the dark and failing to see to your education. In fact I wager that your Parents would have been horrified at the way he saw fit to take care of you. The magical world you know is far different then what it truly is, as the Boy Who Lived, I imagine that Dumbledore taught you just enough to stay alive, not to truly live as a powerful wizard. If he had, the Daily Profit would never have gotten away with besmirching your name like they did, throughout school."

"You mean there are wizard laws to prevent that?"

"The press has freedom to print what they want, if you had gone to the ministry and had your memories placed in a pensive, it would have been unalterable proof that what you saying was true. Pensive memories cannot be tampered with, nor can they be changed." Draco said and set a hand on Harry's shoulder. "If you are willing to accept what I could offer you, you could see a world beyond your imagination and learn about a people that have survived for thousands of years, despite everything and everyone."

"But what would I loose in doing that?"

"Nothing that you do not allow yourself to, in any events it is better to ask what will you gain." Draco said and smiled at Harry, Harry took a deep breath, before nodding.

"Alright, I'll go with you, I'll try to understand how you see the world, if you try to do the same for me." Harry said and Draco nodded.

"That's fair I suppose, come on lets go get something to eat, I'm starving." Draco said and Harry stopped, before whirling on Draco.

"You've never been truly hungry a day in your life, you don't know what it means to be truly hungry, kindly don't pretend that you do." Harry said and Draco stared at him.

"I always just thought you were scrawny, all the Potters were bean poles, until nineteen or so." Draco said and stared at Harry.

"Yes well, my relatives fed me, not what they ate, but they fed me. It was more of when I was on the run that I learned all about true hunger, the kind of hunger where you'd eat just about anything, just to keep yourself going for one more day, one more hour." Harry said and swallowed thickly. "Sorry shouldn't have brought it up."

"I'm glad you did, we'll have to buy some nutrient potions and maybe help you grow a few more inches. Your transformation made you a little taller I think, but you should grow a bit more in both forms."

"Really?"

"Really and that can be helped along by magic, you might never see the height you should have, but you'll maybe grow another six inches or so, if we give you the proper potions, though it might hurt."

"I don't mind pain." Harry said and Draco nodded. "Do you mind if I borrow some of your clothes, I think mine burnt up in the fire."

"That would be fine by me, though they won't fit quite properly in the arm or leg."

"That's alright." Harry said and they went to Draco's wardrobe together. Draco got out two sweaters and two pairs of trousers, handing one to Harry and watching as Harry put the pants on. Harry then shoved the shirt over his head and grinned at Draco. He offered his hand and Draco took it.

"Purebloods generally frown upon public displays of affection." Draco said and Harry nodded.

"That's alright, I've always bit a bit uncomfortable about them myself. What does the wizard world think of those that prefer the same sex?"

"Well it depends on the wizard, more traditionalists believe that it doesn't really matter who you're attracted to, as long as you can make the next generation so to speak. The Muggleborns most likely have their own views, which may or may not be influenced by the culture in which you were raised. I take by your question that Muggles are less then appreciative of the liking of one's own sex?"

"Yes, that's true." Harry said and walked with Draco out of his room. Harry was impressed by the grandeur of the manor, portraits of young men hung everywhere, most having Draco's nose or cheekbones. They smiled at them as they walked by, a few of them waved from their portraits even.

"All these are my ancestors, if you wish to talk to one simply tap your wand on the portrait, otherwise there are spells in place so they can talk to one another, without making the manor like a social gathering, and making the current inhabitants unable to think clearly."

"I see, did you talk to them a lot as a child?"

"Some yes, they helped me to learn a great deal and like anyone I had my favorites, ones that I saw myself in, or ones that weren't like me at all." Draco said and smiled. "We should really go to Gringotts sometime and see what your inheritance is, for all we know you have a manor somewhere like this." Harry frowned and shook his head.

"Dumbledore would have..."

"Dumbledore never told anyone anything, unless it benefited him. He should have been in Slytherin instead of Gryffindor." Draco said angrily and Harry felt shock rush through him and felt his anger rise for a moment, before he remembered that Dumbledore had groomed him to die. That Dumbledore had never expected Harry to survive to adulthood, following that logic Harry could see how he had been manipulated his entire life, to being what Dumbledore wanted, regardless of Harry's own wishes.

"Your right." Harry said clenching his free hand angrily. "Promise me one thing Draco, no matter what happens, no matter where this bond takes us, you won't ever use me."

"I give you my word Harry, that I won't make you do anything that you don't want to do. That I won't try to manipulate you, but I can't promise to never use you. There might be a situation that I see and you don't, one that will need you to speak out. Therefore by alerting you of the situation and asking you to act, I'd be using you. Malfoys take promises seriously, our word is our bond and our bond is our word. Once a Malfoy promises something, it is done, regardless of the consequences, regardless of what comes afterward. That is the pureblood way, when the world was against us, we banded together to become strong, the promises we made one another were sacred. That's what a blood traitor is, one that breaks his word, because all Purebloods are related by blood, as is most of the magical community, we hold promises made to be promises kept. So when a young Abraxas Malfoy promised Tom Riddle that he would follow him loyally, as would his children, we were forced to keep that promise. Grandfather was even more traditional then my Father is, but I doubt he would have promised the man that became Voldemort anything, if he knew what was to come."

"So you were forced to?"

"Some were, some had no choice, and others made a poor choice and suffered for it. Severus is an oath breaker, but as he is the first of his line and would have never had any importance in pureblood circles it hardly matters. Some of the Deatheaters wished to break their oaths, but they would be labeled oath breakers then and blood traitors. Their houses would have lost esteem and their family name would have been tarnished."

"What about those that told the name of other Deatheaters?"

"It is not against the oath to save yourself if caught, everyone knows that. Though most attempt to get around it by saying they were under the imperious curse. The truth is that an imperious can be cast and vows can be sworn, therefore making their claim strictly true, if not true in actuality." Draco said and Harry nodded.

"Also making it impossible to tell who was really under the imperious and who it was cast on as an alibi."

"Exactly, which is why the imperious excuse only works for those that didn't perform what is called a depraved crime. A crime that one would have to relish in order to do, for no one can cast an unforgivable under the imperious. They can be made loyal under the curse, but they cannot cast unforgivable, they only do that of their own free will. Therefore the imperious defense as it is called, can only be used if the person in question has never used either the killing curse or the cruciatus curse."

"Your Father didn't use those curses?"

"There are other ways to kill a man, less expedient ones and Father believed in the cause at first. It was later that he realized that the man he was following, the man his own Father believed fully in, wasn't exactly sane. Still by that time it was too late, we could only be freed by his death. Severus was the only one that could spy against Voldemort and Father had to be loyal to the Dark Lord because of the vows his own father swore. Still that didn't stop him from accidentally leaving important papers on his desk, papers that might, or might not have been accounts of Voldemort's movements. After Dumbledore's death, even Severus couldn't feed information to the Order, because the Order believed him to be criminal, but by that time the Order had what it needed." Draco said. "So you see, there is loyalty and then there is loyalty, when a vow is sworn, without it being unbreakable, there are many things one can do while still being loyal to that vow." Draco explained leaving Harry confused.

"Er, could you explain that again, I didn't quite catch that. How can you be loyal, without being loyal?"

"Most people are loyal first to their beliefs and themselves, secondly families, then to those that they are allies with, thirdly to those that share the same views as them. When their families or allies are threatened, it is alright to see to those loyalties first, to ensure their safety. Its sort of an unwritten rule within pureblood society, that while you may align yourself with others, older alliances take precedence and sometimes one can even go against old alliances, if an opportunity for something more advantageous comes along. Purebloods give a percentage of what they earn to a joint account, which is managed at Gringotts, they can borrow from the account at any time, but what they purchase with the account has to be agreed on, by the joint owners of that account. Most of the time, these accounts aren't used, but they are there when needed." Draco said and Harry nodded, he somewhat understood what Draco was telling him. "Now there are light families, dark families and grey families, historically your house is a grey house, well known for their sense of justice and advocating for all forms of magical knowledge to be preserved. In fact the Potter Library used to be open to anyone that wished to access it, before the war occurred and it was one of the largest libraries in the world, partly do to other estates donating rare books to it, to ensure that the knowledge wouldn't be lost. If your parents had raised you, you would have been educated about what others call Dark Magic, rather then simply rejecting it because you were told that it was inherently evil. Dark Magic was a classification that came about in the eighteen hundreds, when the Pureblood community no longer became the majority. It is magic that can be dangerous to those that haven't been raised to handle it, magic that is sometimes hard to understand. For example a human to animal transformation is considered Dark Magic, because you are enforcing the will of another. Light Magic are classified as the spells that don't truly harm another person, but there are ways around that and Light Wizards in actuality can be just as nasty as Dark Wizards." Draco said and Harry nodded, what Draco was saying made sense to him, even though he was taking all that Draco said at face value. He supposed that if what Draco said about his inheritance was true, he could verify what was said, by talking with his family portraits. He really hoped what Draco was saying was true, because he really wanted to learn about his family and his ancestors.

They walked in silence to the dining room and Harry stopped still outside the door, staring at Severus, who was wearing what seemed to be black silk pajama bottoms and a sweater. Severus raised an eyebrow at Harry, but didn't commit, as Harry took a seat. "Good Morning." Harry said and felt horribly awkward, what did you say to the man that loved your mother, the mother that had died so you might live. "Er um, what do I call you?

"As elegant as ever Harry, I suppose since you are to be my Godson's husband, you may call me whatever you wish." Snape said and smiled, it was strained and highly unsettling to Harry. "Though I'd prefer it if you refrained from calling me names that your compatriots are fond of."

"I'd never be so crass as to call that to your face Professor, I am not like you." Harry said and Snape nodded.

"Perhaps I did treat you unfairly, for that I am sorry."

"Its alright, I understand why you behaved the way you did, to extent. Though I have to say I don't truly know you, so I cannot understand some of your actions." Harry said and Snape nodded.

"Indeed, you are very young and fairly naive about the ways of the world you find yourself in, between all of us, perhaps we can make a young man that is more confident in himself and ensure that your fame is not taken advantage of in ways you don't wish."

"Ah but you are all Slytherins, won't you attempt to have me use my fame, to your advantage."

"Perhaps, but the next part of this war is not your fight, I too am out of it and glad to be. Lucius is not so lucky unfortunately, as people are already enquiring as to if he will take the Dark Lord's place." He said and Harry stared at him in shock.

"They want Lucius to continue the war?" Harry asked and Snape nodded.

"Lucius is well respected within the Pureblood community and believes as they do. I love the old ways and would consider myself a traditionalist, but I am tired of war, I am weary of battles and wish simply to work on my craft, to go ever father into the unknown. Now that I am no longer beholden to anyone, for the first time since I was seventeen, I find that I am free to do what I wish, rather then what others might wish for me. Its important Harry to not give up your own desires in service to others, or even in service to a cause, as so many do. It makes one miserable and is not worth the effort, as it is generally thankless. The papers this morning are calling for my execution, despite everything I did, despite what I did to ensure their survival. They despise me, people won't thank you for doing what you perceive to be the right thing and they will turn on you as soon as an opportunity presents itself. People by and large are out for themselves and only themselves, there are those that genuinely care about others, but those that would truly give their life for another are rare. Some wish to be seen as heroes, while others simply wish for others to like them, but when presented with the choice of their lives and the lives of others, they tend to choose their own skin. We are a rare breed Harry, those that are willing to give up their lives for others, but there is no true satisfaction in it. It is absolutely thankless, you may be considered a hero now, but in time they will start to question, start to wonder, start to question. At least I was never considered a hero, unlike you, I had my own role to play and I played it well. Still it cannot be played again, for no one but my true friends will trust me ever again. What you are, what you can do for them will always be on their minds, they will demand that you save others and when you do not, you will be criticized for it. It is not up to you to save everyone, not everyone can be saved. No matter how hard you try, no matter how much suffering you put yourself through, you will not be able to save them all. Then they will blame you, they will feel that you owe them that you should do more. It is far better to do nothing at all, then to do everything for others, who will only hate you in the end, despite all you went through, despite all the pain and suffering you endured." Severus said and took a hearty swallow from a glass that was by his plate. Harry stared at Snape in silence, not sure what to say, not sure what he could say, still there was something that he could do. Something he could do for all of those in the war, that didn't wish to be, on either side, yet he would need help to do it.

"How many death eaters didn't want to fight?" Harry asked staring at his plate.

"While most weren't given a choice in fighting the war and others were mislead, they were given a choice in how they fought." Severus said and took a sip from his glass. "In any event they could have chosen to go against their principles at any time, as I did. I gave up a long time ago being recognized by my Grandparents, I am still my Father's son and that is an offense that is unforgivable to them. Still you are the Lord of two separate Houses, even if you weren't Harry Potter, people would still have to listen to you, because of your Lordships and seats on the Wizingammant. Tell them the truth, that Voldemort took our beliefs and twisted them to suit him. Once he had people that believed in him, that would follow him no matter what, he stated flat out that if we ever disobeyed him, the others would kill us. He tortured us and threatened the families of those that had them. He kept telling us to believe in him, that he would bring about a better world, but all he brought with him was more pain, more torture, and more death. All I wanted was to have a place in this world, a place where I can belong and I never got that." Snape said and stared at his glass pensively, the profit was sitting next to him and Harry felt fire fill him, the fire of rage, of indignation of helplessness and tired of being helpless. He had, had enough of the wizard world's capricious ways, he had enough of them demanding things from others, when they did nothing themselves. He was tired of them constantly turning on one another, demanding that one group or another was punished.

He stared at the table for a moment, before disappearing in a crack and arriving in front of Ministry of Magic. "I want journalists here now, if they want a story, I'll give them a bloody story, one that will be true for once!" He said and everyone stared at him in shock, he didn't care he didn't give a shit for once in his life, a man that had done nothing but give of himself was being punished for a mistake he made at seventeen years of age. Harry paced until he saw Rita Skeeta and other higher ministry officials arrive, as well as what seemed to be at least fifty aurors and he laughed. "AH SO YOU CHANGE SO QUICKLY, I SUPPOSE I SHOULD EXPECT NO LESS FROM SUCH A COMPRISSIOUS AND PETTY GROUP OF PEOPLE, ONE MOMENT I AM YOUR SAVIOR, THE NEXT I'M A WHACK JOB. QUITE FRANKLY I STOPPED GIVING A SHIT AT FIFTEEN, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL NOW THAT I REALIZED THAT THIS WORLD IS BLOODY BEYOND SAVING. IF YOU IMPRISSON SOMEONE WHO SAVED YOUR ASSES, WHO THE BLOODY HELL IS NEXT. WHO CAN SAY THAT THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING IN THIS BLOODY WAR THAT THEY DON'T REGRET. I BET THE ONLY ONES THAT DID STAYED THE FUCK OUT OF IT, I NEVER HAD THAT CHOICE HOWEVER. I WAS FORCED TO BE THE BLOODY BOY WHO LIVED BEFORE I COULD EVEN WALK, BECAUSE OF YOU LOT I WAS RAISED BY A FAMILY OF MUGGLES THAT HATED ME. THAT WHIPPED AND STARVED ME, WHO'S SON USED ME AS A PUNCHING BAG, BECAUSE OF YOU AND DUMBLEDORE. DUMBLEDORE WHO DECIDED THAT FOR THE GREATER GOOD HE WOULD RAISE A BOY LIKE A LAMB, RAISE HIM FOR SLAUGHTER. I LIVED DIDN'T I SO SCREW YOU DUMBLEDORE, SCREW YOU AND YOUR GREATER GOOD. HAPPINESS DOESN'T BLOODY WELL TRYAMPH IN THE DARKEST OF TIMES, IT JUST BLOODY GETS DARKER, NO FUCKING END IN BLOODY SIGHT. BECAUSE JUST WHEN YOU THINK ALRIGHT, FINALLY I CAN SIMPLY BE HARRY, JUST HARRY, YOU TURN INTO A BLOODY BIRD AND KNOW THE PEOPLE YOU SAVED WILL NEVER ACCEPT YOU, BECAUSE OF THEIR STUPID LAWS. NOT ONLY THAT BUT THE MINISTRY IS CORRUPT AND THOSE IN POWER DON'T CARE ANYTHING FOR THE PEOPLE. THE MUGGLEBORNS HATE THE PUREBLOODS AND THE PUREBLOODS HATE THE MUGGLEBORNS, EACH SIDE DEMANDING FOR THE OTHER'S HEAD. IF THE WORLD CONTINUES IN THIS WAY, IF YOU TRY TO IMPRISSON WAR HEROES THAT HAVE MORE INTEGRETY AND COURAGE THEN YOU SHEEP WILL EVER HAVE, THEN YES OUR WORLD IS DOOMED, BECAUSE OF YOU AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU. MINISTRY OFFICALS THAT BLINDLY IMPRISSION OTHERS, BECAUSE THE OTHERS HIGHER UP ORDER IT. MINISTRY OFFICALS THAT TORTURE A YOUNG BOY BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE WHAT HE IS SAYING. PEOPLE THAT NEVER POSSIBLY WORRY ABOUT ANOTHER'S MENTAL STATE, THAT THINK OH HE'S FINE, OR BELIEVE BASE RUMORS THAT HAVE NO TRUTH TO THEM. REPORTERS THAT TURN INTO BUGS, JUST TO GET A STORY. THIS WORLD IS FUCKED UP, WE CLAIM TO BE SO MUCH BETTER THEN MUGGLES, BUT REALLY WE'RE JUST AS BAD, JUST AS INTOLLERANT. WE BELIEVE JUST AS STRONGLY THAT OUR WAY IS THE RIGHT WAY AND ALL OTHERS ARE WRONG. I FOUGHT A WAR BELIEVING THAT, I DIED FOR THAT AND FOR WHAT. SO I COULD LIVE IN A WORLD THAT WOULD MAKE OF ME A SECOND CLASS CITIZEN, FOR A WORLD THAT WOULD IMPRISION, TORTURE, OR KILL A MAN THAT DID EVERYTHING HE COULD TO SAVE IT?

YOU KNOW VOLDEMORT WAS BLOODY RIGHT, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DARK MAGIC, OR PUREBLOODS, OR WHATEVER THE FUCK THEY CALL THEMSELVES, BUT THERE IS NO GOOD OR EVIL, THERE IS ONLY POWER AND THOSE STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE IT. SO TAKE YOUR POWER, ENJOY IT, RELISH IT AND I HOPE YOU CHOKE ON IT, I HOPE YOU BLOODY WELL DIE AND DON'T YOU THINK FOR A MOMENT I'LL SAVE YOUR BLOODY SKINS AGAIN. I AM SICK OF SAVING PEOPLE, SNAPE IS RIGHT, NO ONE THANKS YOU FOR IT, INSTEAD THEY ONLY DEMAND MORE OF YOU AND WHEN YOU FALL SHORT THEY PUNISH YOU FOR IT. WELL IF YOU SEND SNAPE AWAY, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, I'M GOING TO GO INTO THE MUGGLE WORLD, INTO HIDING AND NONE OF YOU WILL FIND ME AGAIN. THEN WHEN YOU NEED TO FIGHT ANOTHER DARK LORD, YOU'RE ON YOUR BLOODY OWN, BECAUSE PEOPLE FIGHT WHEN THEY FEEL THEY HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE. WHEN THEIR WAY OF LIFE IS THREATENED, AS THE PUREBLOODS ARE CONSTANTLY THREATENED, SOMEONE WILL COME AGAIN AND MAYBE THEY WILL START OUT CARING ABOUT PUREBLOOD VALUES AND CUSTOMS, ABOUT PRESERVING THE OLD WAYS, BUT SOONER OR LATER THEY WILL BECOME CORRUPT, THEY WILL BECOME WHAT YOU MOST FEAR AND YOU WILL HAVE CAUSED IT. ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY AFTER ALL AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOSE, EVEN WHEN WE CLAIM WE DON'T. STILL THAT IS NO EXCUSE TO BLINDLY FOLLOW SOMEONE. MY BEST FRIEND ONCE SAID TO ME YOU DON'T HAVE A FAMILY HARRY, YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND. TOO RIGHT, I DON'T HAVE A FAMILY, THE WIZARD WORLD TOOK THEM FROM ME, TOOK THEM BEFORE I WAS A YEAR AND A HALF, BECAUSE THEY ARE MISERABLE INTOLLEREANT ASSHOLES." With that Harry's magic settled and he felt exhaustion pull at him, he felt lighter then he had in years. "Thank you I needed to get that off my chest." He said and pulled out his wand.

"Wait Harry, you're right, we won't prosecute Severus Snape." The Minister said and Harry raised his eyebrow.

"How much of that is you wishing to save your job I wonder." Harry said. "Excuse me, I'll be going to Gringotts now, anyone fancy trying to stop me?" Harry asked and several wizards shrank back. "That's what I thought." Harry said, before going down the steps and apparating to Gringotts, he took a deep breath before entering the bank. He stared at the bank, before walking up to the counter. "I'm Harry Potter, here to enquire after my Inheritance."

"We'll need to take some of your blood, to prove you are, who you say you are."

"Alright." Harry said and held out his wrist, he winced as a goblin slashed his wrist from index finger to elbow, but said nothing as he squeezed the blood into the bowl, his blood dripping freely. He couldn't die from such a cut, the only thing that would kill him and his mate was if they threw themselves into a volcano. He met the goblin's eyes, as he bled into the bowl, as fire crept up his arm and sealed his wound closed. He stared into those eyes, as the bowl flashed blue and the goblin nodded.

"Come with me and I'll take you to your account overseer." The goblin said and Harry nodded, walking behind the goblin, as everyone else stared at him, he held his head high. Yes he owed the goblins most for he had caused them the greatest harm in the war, he hadn't had a choice at the time, but that didn't mean it was right, that what he did was just. He had gone against his principles and saw to his own survival and he decided that he would never do that again.

He followed the goblin into a small room and sat down in a fairly plain wooden stool leaving the ornate chair, which was in fact very ugly, despite being more uncomfortable. It was after all no more then he deserved, he hadn't kept his word, true the goblin had betrayed him, but he still hadn't been true to his word.

A goblin arrived and stared at Harry in surprise a moment, before sitting down in the ornate chair opposite him. "Here is a list of your holdings and accounts." The goblin said and Harry nodded, looking at the list, he stared at the properties in shock, there were more then he expected, far more.

"Your blood was never taken, it is usually taken at the age of seventeen, but in your case it wasn't." The goblin said and Harry nodded.

"I don't want bad blood between us, but the sword is not really mine to give, it belongs to the school doesn't it?"

"It belongs to you, someone must have tested your blood, which isn't exactly legal, even from a goblin standpoint." He said and Harry nodded. "In any event you were nearly locked in a bank vault and your life was threatened. It wasn't your fault that someone rang the alarm, or that your enemies were informed of your whereabouts. By goblin standards you'd be considered a runt still and runts are allowed to make all sorts of mischief."

"You'd call being responsible for the death of others, a little mischief?"

"Well yes, by goblin standards, but we're a different culture."

"You're much less er, abrupt then other goblins I've met." Harry said and the goblin laughed.

"That's because we act that way around all wizards, wizards are Asses." The goblin said and Harry groaned.

"I really need to watch my temper." Harry said and the goblin laughed.

"Temper is a good thing, wizards always very angry, stomping about, making displays of..." He trailed off and pointed to the ridges on his head.

"I don't think that translates, but its something to do with females right?" Harry said and the goblin laughed.

"With all men, it always has something to do with females, or males as you prefer."

"I liked females too, until I found my destined one."

"I see, goblins have those that like horns, over those that like sweet wholes and the..." He put his palms up and made the universal sign for grabbing tits, Harry laughed.

"Yeah boobs are nice." Harry said not quite believing that he was having this conversation with a goblin, they had always seemed so standoffish.

"Your mate is a veela right, not sure if the Malfoy Heir has inherited, wizards are so...there is a word for it, forgive me I don't use such words so often."

"Touchy?"

"Touchy about who mated with who, to goblins it does not matter who you mate with, or how many children you have, before you find the one female that you will defend above all others. I would like to see a horn prefer try to defend his mate, they'd be butted before they knew what had occurred." The goblin said and laughed, Harry joined in as well. "You are related to Gryffindor, which means you have some goblin blood, if the wizards turn on you, you can come to our caves. We have very nice caves, but wizards aren't fond of caves, we don't understand why this is, explain for me please."

"Er, I suppose we prefer castles, or manors because they are easier to keep warm then caves. I'm not really sure actually, I can't speak for all wizards and I was raised Muggle."

"We have those that cannot do magic, we keep them for breeding, why can't you do the same with your Muggles."

"Do you realize how many Muggles there are, there are billions of them."

"Then they are good breeders, if one wizard takes twenty Muggle wives, fix your not enough little wizards problem quick yes?"

"Er I don't think it works like that, I've never heard of wizards taking that many wives, I wouldn't want to be with that many women."

"Some wizards do, wizards like lots of women, and they have mistresses and visit whorehouses and all other manner of fun. We keep quiet about fun and set up vaults for fun, but you don't need a fun vault do you?" He asked and Harry laughed, as he felt his stomach lurch at the thought and nearly threw up.

"Draco would kill me." Harry said and the goblin nodded.

"Ah yes, I have a wife at home, my brood is getting older and I needed one female to take care of them."

"Wait one women takes care of your brood from all the other woman you had kids with?"

"Yes, but she is not a woman, she is a goblin female, goblin females freeze the blood of any runtling or male that comes across them." He said and Harry stared at him in surprise.

"Do the females of your species look different then the males?"

"We are the opposite of wizards, we are the shorter...what do you call male/female?"

"Gender?" Harry offered and the goblin nodded.

"Gender, yes gender that is it. Females are twice as big as we are, but they want lots and lots of nestlings, lots and lots to carry on their clan. They get to choose which goblins with which they will mate and then from there the males fight to determine who gets the females. Wizards are always talking about getting women flowers, buying them gifts, if I bought Gliftrata a gift, she'd gift me my guts on a spike." The goblin laughed.

"She sounds like a formidable female."

"Yes, yes, I was very happy when I won her hand, once the blood didn't flow anymore and my brood was driving me crazy."

"You took care of the kids?" Harry asked and the goblin nodded.

"All seventy six of them."

"You have seventy six kids?"

"Yes, on average half will survive to adulthood, a quarter of that will reach my age, yet my kids as you say are strong, I feel that most will survive."

"What about the weaker ones then, you just let them die?" Harry demanded and the goblin nodded.

"We do not understand you on this point either, you used to be like us, used to let the weak die, so the strong could thrive. Then you stopped doing that, stopped killing off the weak sons and daughters, let them live, let them thrive, let them make more weak sons and daughters. You called it disowning, another thing goblins don't understand is the wizard concept of owning, you pass everything to your brood yes?"

"We do."

"For goblins, if someone wants something I earn after I die, they fight for my horde, the strongest will win."

"I see, your culture is very different."

"Different yes, but we don't fight like wizards do, we don't hold grudges for long in clans, we don't betray our contracts, and wizards do. We are very different races and we see the world differently. I don't deal with the other races, we don't like to mix business with friendships, and it sours the pot so to speak." The goblin said and Harry nodded.

"I suppose I understand."

"It was nice talking with you, but you came to us for a purpose yes? You wanted to see how much is in your horde, is that right?"

"Yes, well I suppose it would be nice to understand what I have."

"That is good, one should always know what one has, I keep track of every piece of gold in my horde." The goblin said and Harry nodded. "In the Hellatina account you have 333,333,333 galleons, 222,222,222 sickles, 111,111,111 knuts exactly, the last scion of the house was an eccentric that asked that all investments in the Helatina account be sold off, once the account balance read that exactly."

"When did he ask that?"

"Why in the fifteenth century, wizards can be strange, it didn't reach that amount until the 1970's, but we transferred the rest of the balance to the Balarti account, the balance for that account is 400,000,000 Galleons, 542,458,788 sickles, 444, 863,561 knuts." He said and Harry stared at him slightly shocked. "Of course those two are your largest accounts, the Potter account has 56,835,463 Galleons, 439,421,261 sickles and 1,000,000,000 knuts and James Potter left a personal message, that reads, because we're all nuts Harry." The goblin said and Harry stared at him a moment, before smiling. "There was also a letter, that will be given to you, after your accounting. The Blacks had 47,485,283 in their accounts and all accounts have family artifacts that by the wizarding law 2578 need to be gone over by a curse breaker, before you can go to the vaults yourself. Gringotts has a wide variety of curse breakers from which you can choose, but as you have a fifty percent stake in Weasley's Wizarding..."

"I have what?"

"A fifty percent stake, as you have been their only backer to date and the first backer traditionally receives a fifty percent stake in all further ventures of the company."

"I don't want it."

"Unfortunately you will have to talk to the business owners, but a stake is not what you think it is. A stake gives you the right to sit on the board of the company, to assist in any and all decisions that they make and to ensure the continued profits of that company. You have many stakes in companies and in fact own most of Diagon Alley, as well as Knockturn Alley."

"I do what?" Harry asked and the goblin nodded.

"Oh yes, Diagon Alley was established by Godric Gryffindor in 1081, he bought the land up from a Lord, in what was then the middle of nowhere and warded the surrounding area, along with Knockturn Alley in the understanding that it would benefit the future of the wizarding race."

"I own Diagon Alley?" Harry asked and the Goblin nodded.

"Your vault, the Gryffindor vault is more of vaults, to which each and every store owner and flat pays a yearly fee, which has increased along with inflation. Though the accounts have been deducted for the damages accrued." The goblin said and Harry felt slightly faint.

"You mean that I have a vast amount of wealth? Like even by pureblood standards?"

"Even by pureblood standards, your horde is vast yes, shall I give an approximant number?" The goblin asked and Harry nodded. "What with upkeep of the various estates and heirlooms, the Gryffindor vaults have approximately nine trillion galleons in them."

"So enough to buy a small country?" Harry asked and the Goblin nodded, smiling slightly.

"Indeed it would be enough to buy a small country, but you already own enough land to create a small country, which is placed on an in between."

"What is an in-between?"

"It is in between on parallel universe and another, though the reality continuing is stabilized and Gryffindor pays us a fair amount to check on it occasionally. If a natural disaster were to ever strike one could close the portal through the blood seal and insure all inside are safe."

"How big of a small country?"

"Roughly? Or do you want a full accounting?"

"Like the size of Ireland, or smaller?"

"Larger then Ireland, smaller then Great Britain roughly, it does have several cities, with appropriate shops and metalwork's, as well as a sizable forest, cave system and a large lake." The goblin said and Harry stared at him. "Gryffindor wished it to be a way of ensuring that all magical races survived the mundane's search to exterminate them."

"How soon can we start moving people, can we somehow allow merpeople to travel to the lakes?"

"There is already an ancestral Mer settlement dwelling in the lake. However they are currently the only population living there." The goblin said and Harry nodded.

"So in effect we could create a new country and write new laws?" Harry asked and the goblin frowned.

"I believe the original intent was to preserve the magical community in its entirety, without writing new laws. The simple fact of the matter is that the other races are too difficult to get on very well, I for example would never understand a centaur and their love of stars, while the centaurs don't understand the goblin love of gold. Merfolk love the water and then there are the fire and air creatures, which are simply other elements."

"Other elements?" Harry asked and the Goblin nodded.

"Do you wish to know what goblins believe, runtling?" The goblin asked and Harry stared at him, he said runtling not as an insult, but as an endearment.

"Trying to understand wizards is hard, I believe trying to understand goblins would be harder." Harry said and the goblin cackled, Harry supposed it was the goblin form of laughter.

"Perhaps it is because you have constantly had to attempt to face death, but you are very different runtling."

"I was one of the weaker ones growing up, I think I might not have survived, if I was a goblin." Harry said and the goblin looked thoughtful.

"Perhaps, one cannot be certain, but our race is full of the strongest and the smartest now, you wizards cannot say the same."

"True, but at least we give the weaker ones a chance."

"Well then, if you wish to give weaker goblins a chance, then perhaps we shall send them to you, rather then letting them die. It would make a greater race, yes?"

"What on earth would I do with goblin babies? I can't imagine having my own babies at the moment." Harry said and the goblin laughed.

"When you hold your son or daughter for the first time and later tell them stories of your battles, to see their faces light up with joy is a glorious thing." The goblin said and Harry nodded.

"I'd hate to see anyone suffer, or die, because they weren't the strongest out there, no one deserves that. Still by your standards I would be a runtling."

"That is true, but there is a castle inside your kingdom, a castle that might be turned into a school. A school where all could learn and hang the laws and ministry."

"That sounds good in theory, but what about the fact that your culture endorses the survival of the fittest to a high degree, other children might not be as strong as even the weakest of yours, not in that way."

"Yes but they shall be strong in other ways and in any event any that go to the school can sign a contract not to kill those that dwell within it."

"Problem is that I'm not sure how many would want to go to this school, or even if I would have the resources for one."

"If it is known that Harry Potter is to create a school of magical knowledge, you would only need to hire the teachers." The goblin said and Harry frowned.

"I wouldn't have the foggiest idea of how to choose a good teacher. I've had good ones, but I haven't had that many truly bad ones, the indifferent ones are the worst."

"Yes, that is true, perhaps you should ask someone who knows something of teaching, yes?"

"I guess." Harry said and nodded. "Still I'm not certain I want to know that much magic, that I'd want to include Dark Magic in the school, but at the same time my destined one..."

"Ah yes, the wizard's great love and fascination with the dark arts and the wizard's suppression of their inner nature." The goblin said. "Many wars have been fought because of this, they are entertaining to watch, as the wizards scurry about like ants."

"You like to watch us fight?" Harry asked and the goblin nodded.

"Yes, we do, you don't stop us from watching, not like goblins, no not like goblins at all."

"Your building up an army and will use it if necessary, won't you? If things don't get better?"

"I suppose you might see it as such, we see it as a way to protect our people, to ensure that if resources ever get short, the goblin nation will survive.

"I see no one wants to be treated as a second class citizen."

"Some need to be however, hiding in plain sight and if you try to tell anyone of our conversation, you will find that you will be unable to." The goblin said and Harry stared at him in surprise. "There are runes and spells on the chair you sat in and no runes on this one, that is the agreement of wizards and goblins. Most people recognize this at a base level, but it is the true reason that the oldest families trust us with their secrets and gold."

"So if I say anything that could get me into trouble, you'll blackmail me?"

"No, because next time you come, you won't sit in that chair if I threaten you will I? Choice is important to all creatures, when that choice is taken away, they resent it. They hunger for the choice again, plot to get it, sometimes for centuries and when they finally have it, it doesn't seem as important to them as it was before."

"How many goblins are there?"

"Roughly speaking there are around one million goblins alive today, but that number is constantly fluctuating, gold is easier to count then goblins." He said and Harry stared at him in shock.

"I don't know how many wizards there are, but why don't you attack us?"

"Because while our training is with magical swords, wizards can fire spells as far as they want." The goblin said. "Such things have been tried before, they always fail." He told Harry and Harry nodded.

"So your the second largest race?" Harry asked and the goblin nodded.

"The first that still is part of the magical community, we believe at least. Other races don't tend to give their numbers away, not unless they have leverage." The goblin said and smiled. "Life is much like a game of Shulatirinalkarada, easy to start, not so easy to finish, or to win."

"Is that a goblin game?"

"Yes, it is also one of strategy, like your chess, only all pieces are the queen and the object is to take as many queens as possible. The masters of Shularda, as it is called for convince, play with thousands of pieces, one game can take weeks, but to see a master play, it is like words that rhyme."

"Poetry? Song?" Harry said and the goblin nodded.

"Those words will suit as well as any." The goblin said and smiled at Harry. "Are you sure you don't wish to learn of our race, this is not an offer made lightly or often."

"I'd actually like to, but I promised my mate that I'd try to understand his customs and culture."

"I do not see why you cannot do both." The goblin said and Harry nodded.

"Yeah that's true I guess I could do both." Harry said then frowned. "Then wouldn't I have to try to understand the other races as well?"

"You can never really understand another race, I tell my rustlings that often, you can only try to understand." The goblin said and Harry nodded.

"In all this time, I failed to ask you your name."

"I am Rashalt Bloodink." He said and Harry nodded.

"Your a scholar aren't you?" Harry asked and the Rashalt nodded.

"I do not ordinarily come to tell wizards of their accounts, but when someone said that Harry Potter had taken the stool and asked for me, I came. The fact of the matter is that you runtling will become one that history is written about, rather then one that writes it. As you have a long lifespan in which to consider many things, there is no telling whom you might become. I know that it would be considered a very stupid mistake to anger a phoenix, because if a Phoenix wished to go against his nature and was driven to kill, nothing and no one would be safe." He said and Harry stared at him wide eyed. "That is why we would have you be a friend to our kind, rather then an enemy."

"Still if you try to wipe out the wizards, I don't know what I'd do." Harry admitted.

"You would side with the wizards, that is only right." Rashalt said and cocked his head to the side, displaying the horny ridges on his forehead. "It makes no difference to us, even if we have to face a phoenix it would be worth it, to be no longer subjugated, or beholden to the whims of wizards." Suddenly the papers around them flared bright blue and Harry stared down at them in shock. "I see, well I suppose that I can give you an accounting and talk of such matters at another time."

"Why?"

"It is not every day that a man learns that he is going to have his bloodline continue." The goblin said and Harry stared at him in shock. "You Harry Potter are going to be a Father, to not one, but three boys, that I believe would be the Salitori Blood making itself known, Furies often produce multiple clutches…." Everything else the goblin said was lost on Harry, as he gathered his papers and diapparated to the manor.