Chapter Eleven:
Each Coming Night
A/N: Please read, review and enjoy! I really, REALLY enjoyed writing this chapter so I hope that you like it just as much!
Will you say when I'm gone away
"My lover came to me and we'd lay
In rooms unfamiliar but until now"
Will you say to them when I'm gone
"I loved your son for his sturdy arms
We both learned to cradle then live without"
They were flanked before they could even hit the first step of the staircase outside of the Great Hall, immediately the two boys froze holding each others hands tightly as Kearia revved up and roared, echoing through-out the stone walls and down into the dungeons. Thankfully, it was still a few weeks before school started so there wouldn't be any students to explain that incident to.
Professor McGonagall stood with her mouth dropped and wand pointed out at the Chimaera, Professor Dumbledore was descending the stairs from a storey up, Professor Snape and Professor Lupin were busying themselves with rushing over towards the teenagers, questions rushing out and stumbling over one another.
"Where have you been?"
"Are you alright?"
"What the fuck is that thing?"
"Is that a Chimaera?"
"Attack, it!"
"Albus! A Chimaera has found its way into Hogwarts, we must all attack at once...Potter, Draco, ready your wands and..."
"Kearia, heal!"
"Who the hell is Kearia?"
"Minerva," Dumbledore's calm and collective voice stilled everybody as they turned towards him, the two boys still hadn't moved or spoken except for Harry calming the creature in the entrance way. "Kindly lower your wand and I do believe that the Chimaera shall calm itself," he explained, now only a few steps away from Harry and Draco who were staring up at him.
Finally realization fully clicked in and Harry removed his hand from Draco's as if it burnt, the blonde seemed unaffected by this but the adults didn't let the action slip as it had only brought attention to the fact that they had indeed being holding hands and not just standing extremely close to one another.
"Remus, you're alright? Thank Merlin, I was scared they had gotten you and...and I was thinking the worst!" Harry admitted, a great big smile broke across his face as he turned to the older man and threw his arms around his neck.
Remus, though thoroughly shocked, slowly hugged Harry back before pulling him away and looking straight across into his face. "Where the devil have you been? Do you have any idea how long you've been gone for? Not a word, nothing. The only way we knew you were alive was the fact that Voldemort hadn't gone on some sort of rampage!" Remus hissed, he definitely wasn't happy with Harry and if not he was more unhappy with the Slytherin standing to his side.
"Ah, come now Remus, the boys look to be quite out of their sorts," Dumbledore said calmly with a twinkle in his blue eyes, "Lets say we all conjoin for tea and biscuits up in my Office? Lovely," he said with a smile, leading the way up the stairs. Everybody gaped for a few moments before the adults wearily began to follow the Headmaster, but Professor McGonagall was still facing a growling Chimaera.
"Professor, can we...I bring Kearia up as well? I know she very well won't fit into the office but she can nap outside or something," Harry said with a tinge of pink on his cheek, he had gotten so used to him and Draco acting more as One and said 'we' instead of 'I'.
"Of course, Mister Potter, as long as it is assured she does not harm-"
"She won't, I promise," Harry interupted quickly before turning away and walking towards Kearia.
He put a hand on the side of her mane and she nuzzled against it, all eyes were wide and gawking at him except for Draco and Dumbledore, both who were just walking up the stairs silently. Kearia was still glaring at McGonagall who had yet to lower her wand, "Shh, come now love," Harry whispered to the Chimaera, petting the back of her neck gently as it was her weak spot it seemed.
Kearia purred loudly and any sense of danger was gone at her Mother's reassurance, McGonagall eyed the scene incredulously before lowering her wand and carefully stalking off to follow the Headmaster. "Harry...how did you..." Remus began, but was quickly cut off.
"I'll tell you everything once we're up in his office," he said simply, and allowed the two men to lead the way up as him and Kearia (taking six or more steps easily at a time) followed.
Around the Fifth Floor, Kearia was feeling playful and began nipping at Harry's left arm. "Cut it out," he hissed, her tongue tickled his exposed skin as he had his cloak slung over his shoulder. Kearia continued and he giggled underneath his breath, "Kearia," he chided again.
Instead of continuing to nip, in a swift movement Kearia butted Harry's behind and with her head and the back of her large neck, scooped up the brunette onto her back. Feeling dazed and slightly disoriented for a moment, Harry blinked a few times and then grabbed a firm hold of the end of her mane, smirking gently.
"You think you're funny, don't you?" Harry whispered into her ear, scratching behind it and getting comfortable for the rest of his ascent. It wasn't until he looked up from Kearia that he noticed he had three pairs of eyes staring at him once again. He shot them a look as to say, 'What? Can I help you with something?', and they all scoffed with wide surprised eyes before turning away and finished the last flight of steps to Dumbledore's office entryway.
Harry climbed off Kearia with his ears burning, realizing that all eyes were fixated on him other than Draco who was waiting rather impatiently by the Pheonix Statue. Harry bent down to the creature and patted her gently on the head as she lay down on the stone floor, "Stay here. Rest, nap. Don't break anything, just roar if anything's wrong and I'll come get you. Luv yah," Harry kissed her in between the eyes, she purred and nuzzled into his face. Dumbledore was smiling brightly at this as the other three Professor's were still utterly...astonished...at a complete loss for words?
He finally parted from Kearia, feeling slightly remorseful as it was going to be the longest they were apart and they only time they weren't in each others sight range since the day she was born, which happened only to be eight days ago. It felt like longer to Harry already as their bond was so strong.
So with all of their thoughts rushing in all sorts of directions, the three Professors and two teenagers joined Dumbledore in his office. It seemed he had already gotten a House Elf to bring tea and biscuits on his ascent there, as there was a plate set for everybody and more on a tray settled on the Headmaster's desk. Candles lit up the room, and Fawkes was perched in his usual spot. Harry felt very strange being back in the Headmaster's office, it was a feeling he couldn't quite place.
They all settled in chairs circled around the desk, except for Snape who hovered beside the Headmaster's desk. Dumbledore had his hands folded in his lap as he leaned back relaxed in his chair. Harry and Draco were both nervous, tweedling with their thumbs, as they sat beside each other and Harry beside Remus as well as McGonagall on the other side of him.
It was silent for a few minutes, everybody awaited Albus' cue as he was allowing all of their thoughts to be mulled over. "Now let us start with the beginning, shall we boys? I do hope you are in well enough condition to do so,"
"Er, yes, thank you sir, we're both fine," Harry assured him, automatically speaking for both him and Draco.
Draco sighed heavily, "I am guessing you know as far as Lupin could tell you?"
"Although Professor Lupin," Dumbledore began pointedly earning a snide sneer from Draco for correcting him, "gave us valuable information, we also know what the captured Death Eaters were forced to tell us,"
"Who did you capture? We know it wasn't Voldemort because we saw him and..." Harry began, now all adults were looking at him with surprise. "What? Oh, no not like...well...I don't think he, erm...we'll get to that later! So who did you capture?" he blushed, 'I should really start thinking before I speak,' he chided himself.
"We captured both Nott Jr. and Sr., Macnair and Thornburry. Not much but it was only a small amount of his inner circle, so we got him where it hurts most," Remus filled in quickly with a curteous nod from the Headmaster.
"We have knowledge up until the point where the two of you suddenly disappeared. We would all also like an explanation on as to why you disappeared, if that would not be asking so much," Dumbledore smiled kindly, but his questioning was directed more at Draco as he looked at the blonde who simply looked back, not intimidated by the old man.
"Then it is safe to say you all know I refused the Dark Mark? Well I standby my actions, I meant everything I said there that night and so much more that I couldn't say just then. I needed to think fast, I mean Voldemort was running at us with a sword and all...so I thought of Side-Along Apparition. I had never done it before so I didn't want to go far and I barely knew where we were so I decided to apparate somewhere else in the Nagril Forest," Draco took a deep breath, and then he gave a glance over at Harry.
"Why didn't you just apparate by here?" Remus growled, he had obviously been wound up over this for quite a few months and Harry silently felt bad for him.
"Remus, I can assure you that Mister Malfoy did the correct thing. He would have most definitely splinched himself or Harry, or the both of them, apparating that far. I also assume that is why it took you so long to find your way back here? Because you were afraid to apparate in a place you did not know?" Albus' eyes were simply twinkling and brightly so, Draco was glaring at him coldly and Harry barely regarded the Headmaster as he was busying himself with his hands still.
"Exactly," Draco responded tightly and then thought to himself, 'I despise how that old man knows more than he should,'.
"How did you travel?" Dumbledore questioned.
"By foot. Well, I mean, obviously by foot but we, er," Harry paused for a second before collecting himself and continuing, "We decided to walk in the very general direction of Hogwarts. Draco said he knew the forests well by it, since he grew up owning half of the Black Forest," Harry couldn't help but smirk as he teased the boy beside him, "We ate at least once a day, so don't worry about that. We didn't really run into any trouble, other than a few knicks and bends. We came across the Malfoy Manor and that's how we know Voldemort wasn't caught or subdued, whatever you wanna call it. He was there, so were a lot of other Death Eaters..."
"I do believe my Father has turned the Manor into base camp," Draco interupted dryly with a scowl on his face.
"I can confirm that the Headquarters had been changed, though I was not yet aware of their whereabouts," Snape said affirmingly and Draco nodded curtly in his direction before turning to glare at the Headmaster again, he never liked that man.
"Ah yes, well that explains that now doesn't it? I say nobody has had a dripple of tea," Dumbledore added with a wink, and everybody automatically reached for their cups and took a few tentative sips except for Draco who kept staring on.
"You two didn't get injured or anything at all? I'm still quite surprised you were able to survive that long at all! It's been three months!" Remus was gaping again, the tea didn't help much with that problem.
Harry sighed and looked at him with a sad smile but it was Draco who spoke, "Harry here is quite inventive. Not only can he adept accordingly to situations, but he was a natural hunter in my opinion. He's also pretty quick to fire off hexes at any threatning creatures," he added pointedly.
Harry blushed a deep crimson red with the compliments from his lover, "Erm, I couldn't have gotten through two days without going insane if it weren't for Draco," he said and then immediately regretted it as he blushed harder, Draco smirked with satisfaction.
"Can somebody please explain to me why we have a fully grown CHIMEARA outside of this room NAPPING?" McGonagall screamed, she was standing up from her chair now red in the face. It was the first time she had spoken, and apparantly she had been holding back her question for awhile now it seemed.
Everybody blinked a few times in her direction and she quickly calmed herself, sitting back down upon Albus' cool, disapproving gaze. "I do believe we would all care for an explanation, if you would boys?" he turned towards them expectantly.
"You see, sir, it kind of happened on accident...well, erm, maybe perhaps more on a whim..." Harry cleared his throat looking very nervous, Draco was raising an eyebrow over at him with his arms crossed. It was interesting to watch him bumble like an old fool, but Draco gave him the grace and interupted him.
"Quite a few weeks ago now, we ran into a Chimeara. A full-blooded, Mother Chimeara protecting her territory. Any natural reaction would be to..."
"Runaway?" Remus offered tersley.
"Those were my thoughts at first," Draco admitted tightly, "But I knew that this would only provoke the creature faster. I know they are highly dangerous but they use their size and odd physical nature to befuddle its enemy first, leaving it dazed so it can attack its one death blow. So I knew I would have better chances of surviving by staying absolutely put.
"Harry, however, seems to be immuned to anything strange and unexplainable," Draco teased gently, enjoying the red that rose up in the brunette's cheeks, "He reacted fast enough to send his Patronus out there followed by mine. He then used...what was it?" he turned to the boy who was looking in his lap and mumbled something only the blonde could hear, "Oh yes, he used Dragon's Fury and then..."
"Potter? Where did you learn that?" it was Professor Snape who spoke with absolutely confoundment.
"Erm...well, during mine and Remus' Advanced Dark Arts lessons I was allowed access to the Restricted Section to research some of the spells I was being taught. I came across once and thought it'd be a useful thing so I practiced it on my own because I knew Remus would-"
"-Kill you with my bare hands if I knew how ridiculously and utterly dangerous that is! Do not for one moment tell me that you used the Sacrifice end of it as well!" he screeched rather Mother-like, and one look at Harry's face said it all, "Harry JAMES Potter, what were you thinking? You could have died! Do you have any idea how close a Patronus is to a person? You took so much energy out of yourself, that is very advanced magic! DARK magic! Sacrificing the Patronus is just like sacrificing yourself, how in Merlin's blazes you are still here and breathing for that matter! Well!" Remus threw up his arms in exasperation, by now he was pacing the office with all eyes on him. He suddenly became aware of this and abruptly stopped, blushing and crossing his arms across his chest but refusing to sit.
"Remus I-I had practiced it, I'd already done it at least five times!" Harry spluttered in his immediate retort.
"Plus, if he had not done it we would not have gotten out alive with that thing dead,"
"Don't call it a thing! That's her daughter out there!" Harry hissed slightly angry at Draco who only smirked further, having too much fun with the entire conversation.
"Her daughter?" McGonagall sounded absolutely mortified now, "So, Mr Potter, you managed to not only subdue a fully grown Chimeara but one has also choosen you as its Mother and you have now trained it?"
"With Draco's help," he said quickly and then scowled, "And she isn't trained! She's not a household pet she's...Kearia. A living, breathing, feeling, emotional and conscious being! Not an animal!" Harry glowered, Draco reached out and gently touched his forearm and he whipped his head towards him and smiled shyly at the contact.
"Harry, you are way too much of a Mother," Draco teased and cooed all at once before retracting his hand and the two turned back towards the four adults.
"Does that, er, clear everything up?" Harry asked hopefully.
"I do believe so, yes," Dumbledore nodded happily, "Both of you boys are fitted for a big meal, if I do say so myself. On to the Hospital Wing, dinner will be waiting for you and I'll Firecall Madame Pomfrey the important details and she should be ready for your arrivals. Me and your Professors need to have a conversation about the circumstances regarding Lord Voldemort, we will be down momentarily," Dumbledore explained.
Usually Harry would beg to be there to hear whatever it was they were talking about, but a big meal prepared by House Elves sounded much more appealing and he jumped up from his chair almost too fast. "Alright, see you down there," he raised hurriedly and stole one more sad smile with Remus before jolting out of the room, Draco not far behind.
Harry gently awoke Kearia and got her to follow them down to the Hospital Wing where Madame Pomfrey was indeed waiting their arrival. She didn't seem the least bit surprised by the presence on a Chimeara, but she was awed.
"I need to check you both over before you eat, make sure everythings in the right place. Come, I've set you up at the far end," she explained, but her eyes never fully left Kearia who didn't seem to awknowledge her presence. Harry turned to the creature as Draco walked over to the corner.
"Now, love, sit outside and we'll be back but it might be longer. Those people from before will be coming back, let them pass," Harry said firmly, the creature blinked up at him and he somehow knew she understood. She wasn't a common creature, afterall, nobody had knowledge just how intelligent Chimeara's actually were. They could be close to Centaurs, for that matter.
Harry settled himself on the bed next to Draco who was already having the Mediwitches wand hover over him, she was muttering beneath her breath and looking down intently. Harry lay and suddenly never felt more comfortable, he had forgotten what real beds felt like!
Draco was smiling at him adoringly, "Feels good, doesn't it?" he mouthed to Harry.
"Soooo good," Harry returned with a wink that made Draco blush.
"You seem a little fit for wear, but after a goodnights rest and some Nourishing Potions along with that meal of yours, you should be bright as light!" Madame Pomfrey chippered and handed him the Potion in question, he eyed the green substance wearily before downing it and sitting straight up to retrieve his tray of food the House Elves had left on his bedside table.
"Now, Mister Potter, your turn," she said grimly, "How many times have you been in here, boy? I swear you spend more time here than in your classes,"
"I know, weird idn't it?" Harry smirked at her, and she merely frowned and continued her examination.
Draco looked over at Harry sadly, 'Why had he been in here so many times? What more happened to Harry Potter that I don't know...' he wondered, that feeling that he would never fully know the boy coming up to him once again.
Once Pomfrey was done and leaving them to their privacy, after hugging Harry quickly and thanking he was alright, the two boys began to eat their dinner. It was a hearty meal of chicken legs, rice, beans, and potatoes. As they were nearly finished, all those who had been in Dumbledore's office came in through the entrance and strode immediately in their direction.
"Bloody hell, you'd think they were a ... what is those Muggles call them? Dupergero Team?" Draco furrowed his brow in thought and Harry rolled his eyes at him.
"It's called a Superhero Team, Draco," he scoffed gently but then couldn't help but chuckle as he thought about that and Dumbledore leading the three Professor's all with billowing cloaks and stern faces. "You're so right," he giggled under his breath.
They all sat in chairs around their bed, Dumbledore directly beside Draco and Remus directly beside Harry. "The plan goes as such," Dumbledore got right down to business, "We knew your training was at its highest level, Harry m'boy, we had known this ever since before Christmas. You kept requesting further lessons but we did not incline because there were no such thing as more advanced magic than what we were teaching you," he said easily, but was quickly cut-off by Draco looking wide-eyed and astonished at Harry who was blushing into the remainder of his meal.
"The most advanced magic, Harry? What in the devil were you doing, Wandless Unforgiveable's?" Draco hissed, he was definitely a little surprised to say the least.
"Erm...well...yeah that's part of it," Harry muttered slowly.
"That's part of it..I..by Merlin, you-I-I think I need to sit down," Draco's eyes were wide and his face was hanging open. He had never heard such a thing in his life. To even think that Harry was that strong! He knew that the Dark Lord couldn't even cast Unforgiveable's wandless!
It was safe to say that if Draco had any doubts that the Light would win this War, he had none now.
"Draco, you are sitting and close your mouth it is rather unbecoming," Snape drawled, breaking the blonde's trance who sneered at his Potions Master.
"As I was saying," Dumbledore coughed gently and all eyes were back on him beside Draco who was looking at Harry's face directly and the brunette wiggled under his gaze, "We all believed you were thoroughly prepared to face the Dark Lord, the only problem was finding him. Now we have all agreed, since the specifics of his current location are now known, that you are more than ready to face Tom Riddle if you can face a Chimeara at sixteen and live to tell the tale. Whatever was 'power the Dark Lord knows not', I do believe you have acquired it by now," Dumbledore said with reference to the Prophecy.
Harry was looking between all the adult faces. Finally he was going to be brought to Voldemort and not only that be allowed to face him! No longer were the adults going to shove him away in a dark corner and hide him away from the big scary You-Know-Who! They were actually going to let him fight! Harry was beaming ridiculously and Draco was giving him a strange look.
"Potter, what in codswallop is wrong with you?" Draco asked befounded.
"It's always been his dream to get out there and fight, but he knew me nor many others were going to let him get near enough to do it," Remus offered softly, Harry looked at him in approval because that was exactly how he felt.
"Well, we couldn't have the great Harry Potter running off and dying! Do you have any idea how horrible of a reputation that would give us?" Snape hissed and Harry glared over at him but knew that the Professor meant a bit more than he said and immediately softened his gaze.
"Give it a few days rest and then we will make our plans closer to our departure," Dumbledore said and then stood up, "I do believe I must speak with Minerva and Severus. Remus, you are welcome to keep company of the boys as Mister Weasley and Miss Granger make their awaited return here,"
"They're coming?" Harry's face broke into a hug grin as he dropped the contents of his dinner plate onto the floor with a loud clatter.
"Honestly, Harry, control yourself," Draco whispered whilst rolling his eyes as he reached for his wand and quickly 'Scourgify'd everything.
"I have already informed them that there is something important waiting for them in the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts. They are Flooing to my office any moment now, so if you would please excuse me..." Dumbledore then made his exit with a large smile. Snape and McGonagall weren't far behind him.
Remus turned to Harry with a grin, "I'm so glad you're alright, Harry. I had no idea what I was going to do...I mean we tried everything! Even a Locator's Spell!"
"You tried that? Why didn't it work then?" Draco asked curiously.
"Well there are two reasons it cannot work. One being the person is dead and the other being..." Remus stopped talking and looked uneasily between the two boys who both looked back curiously, the older man bit his lower lip, "Erm...what is the nature of your relationship with Malfoy, Harry?"
"W-what?" Harry stuttered.
"Excuse me sir, but how is that any of your business?" Draco seethed.
"It's just that the Locator's Spell doesn't work if the person does not feel like leaving wherever it is they were. Harry must have been enjoying his time with you...if that meant...ahem," Remus coughed his way out of finishing that sentence.
Draco raised an eyebrow and turned towards Harry who was blushing madly now and looking interestedly at the ceiling. "You really enjoyed it that much that you ignored the pull of a Locator's Spell?" he asked incredulously, that was an incrediably strong feeling to have.
"Of course," Harry said at once feeling Draco's doubt in his words, "I said I love you and I meant it," he admitted aloud and then turned absolutely crimson all over as he remembered Remus was sitting beside him.
If the werewolf was surprised, he definitely didn't show it. "I do believe Ron and 'Mione would be liking an explanation, but if you're happy I'm happy," Remus assured Harry who smiled thankfully at him. "I have so many more questions for you...but I know you two must be tired and drained from, well, just about everything! The full moon's tonight and I do fear that my wolfsbane isn't as strong as the last dosage, I need to get myself to the dungeons," Remus sighed and wearily stood up from his chair.
Harry gaped at the man, "Remus! Oh Remus, I forgot, I'm sorry! Please, hurry, I Hope you feel alright! You have Pain Reliever's?" he hurriedly asked.
"More than enough, thank you Harry," Remus smiled kindly and then drooped down to the Hospital bed to embrace Harry tightly once more before pulling back and smiling gently over at Draco too. "You two have a short night, you hear? Need that rest," he winked and then was out of the Hospital Wing in a slow, teetered walk.
"What's with you and Lupin?" Draco asked immediately.
"Erm, he's my Dad's old best friend...well one of them anyway, and he's the only surviving Marauder now that Peter was killed during Voldemort's last attack the Order and I had successfully ended. I just think all the erm, circumstances brought us close. Both of us losing Sirius and all," Harry sniffed gently and Draco was moving across the distance between their beds with his hand outstretched but stopped at a shrill scream from outside the Hospital.
"What the bloody hell is a Chimeara doing in Hogwarts? Herm! We need to run!" Ron's voi
ce sounded through-out the entire floor.
"No, Ronald, wait! Don't turn your back on it, it'll only attack faster! And look, it's sleeping!" Hermione said pointedly, "Obviously this is the surprise that Dumbledore had for us...don't look at me like that, I haven't any idea why but this is quite the..." her voice trailed off as she looked up at the Hospital doors which Harry was now leaning against gently with a small smile on his relaxed face, Draco was beside him and leaning as well but he was scowling at the two. "...surprise," she finished dryly.
Ron looked up to what had gotten her so distracted and so many emotions passed through his face and then he immediately forgot about the Chimeara. He bounded over towards Harry and threw his arms around the brunette's neck. "Harry! Harry, is this really you?" He asked, hugging as tight as he could promptly suffocating Harry.
"Ron...can't...breathe!" Harry pushed him harshly off before smiling at him and punching him playfully in the arm.
"Kearia won't hurt a thing, she is resting of course as Granger so helpfully supplied," Draco drawled boredly as all eyes turned on him now, but Harry couldn't keep that stupid smile off his face.
"I think we all best go inside, I know you've guys got plenty of questions..." Harry sighed resolutely and turned to lead the way into the Hospital Wing.
"Mate, in First Year you disappeared through a wall of flame and not only retrieved the Philosopher's Stone but also successfully fought You-Know-Who. In Second Year you left me at the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets and didn't come back for hours. In Third Year you and Hermione time travelled and completely changed the course of our own history, in a manner of speaking. In Fourth Year you saw You-Know-Who rise from the dead inside of the Triwizard Tournament maze through a Portkey. In Fifth Year you were having dream prophecies and even became a snake that quite literally attacked my Father..." Ron trailed off as all eyes were on him, Draco was staring with astonishment. 'Had Harry really down all those things?' the blonde thought to himself, thinking most had been pure rumour.
"I can admit I've had questions before, but so help me Merlin I can't think of one goddamn question I could ask you now!"
Will you say when I'm gone away
"Your Father's body was judgement day
We both dove and rose to the riverside"
Will you say to me when I'm gone
"Your face has faded but lingers on
Because light strikes a deal with each coming night"