Title: Truth behind the name and the lies pt.4
Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest, growing RemusxSeverus,
Fandom : HP
Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them
Pairings: DracoxHarry, twincest, OliverxPercy, RemusxSeverus, BlaisexCharlie, future BillxFleur, Stalker Ginny! implied Seamus and Colin *hides* new pairing coming in in chapter 17?
Chapter 12- Flying Horse-drawn Carriages and Sunken Ships
The sign that read:
TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT
THE DELEGATIONS FROM BEAUXBATONS AND DURMSTRANG WILL BE ARRIVING AT 6 O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY THE 30TH OF OCTOBER. LESSONS WILL END HALF AN HOUR EARLY –
STUDENTS WILL RETURN THEIR BAGS AND BOOKS TO THEIR DORMITORIES AND ASSEMBLE IN FRONT OF THE CASTLE TO GREET OUR GUESTS BEFORE THE WELCOMING FEAST.
had started to look faded and torn by now. It was now the day that the other schools would arrive.
Blaisé still hadn't returned to classes and wasn't expected too. Hermione took notes for him in their shared electives.
Harry was eminently glad that Nott was gone, he just wished that seeing his strong brave friend with such a pained, haunted look in his face hadn't been needed. Draco's father assured them that Nott wouldn't bother any of them again.
Rumors were flying from student to student like highly contagious germs: who was going to try for Hogwarts champion, what the tournament would involve, how the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang differed from themselves. Harry noticed too that the castle seemed to be undergoing an extra-thorough cleaning. Several grimy portraits had been scrubbed, much to the displeasure of their subjects, who sat huddled in their frames muttering darkly and wincing as they felt their raw pink faces. The suits of armor were suddenly gleaming and moving without squeaking, and Argus Filch, the caretaker, was behaving so ferociously to any students who forgot to wipe their shoes that he terrified a pair of first-year girls into hysterics. Other members of the staff seemed oddly tense too.
When they went down to breakfast on the morning of the thirtieth of October, they found that the Great Hall had been decorated overnight. Enormous silk banners hung from the walls, each of them representing a Hogwarts House: red with a gold lion for Gryffindor, blue with a bronze eagle for Ravenclaw, yellow with a black badger for Hufflepuff, and green with a silver serpent for Slytherin. Behind the teachers' table, the largest banner of all bore the Hogwarts coat of arms: lion, eagle, badger, and snake united around a large letter H.
There was a pleasant feeling of anticipation in the air that day. Nobody was very attentive in lessons, being much more interested in the arrival that evening of the people from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang; Draco, Harry and Hermione were sad that Potions was a half an hour shorter. When the bell rang early, Harry and Draco went to put their things in Harry's room while Hermione hurried up to Gryffindor Tower, to deposit her bag and books. As they had been instructed, they pulled on their cloaks, and rushed into the entrance hall.
The Heads of Houses were ordering their students into lines.
"Weasley, straighten your hat," Remus poked Fred. "You're a prefect, try to look presentable please. George give him a hand. Miss Patil, take that ridiculous thing out of your hair."
Parvati scowled and removed a large ornamental butterfly from the end of her braid.
"Follow me, please," Remus said. "First years in front… no pushing…"
Severus winked at his lover before making his own house line up properly.
They filed down the steps and lined up in front of the castle. It was a cold, clear evening; dusk was falling and a pale, transparent-looking waning moon was already shining over the Forbidden Forest. Harry, standing next to Draco on his boyfriend's other side were Goyle and Crabbe in the fourth row from the front. Blaise wasn't back yet, he was still recovering from the attack two nights ago.
"Nearly six," Harry whispered, checking his watch and then staring down the drive that led to the front gates. "How do you reckon they're coming? The train?"
"I doubt it Adder," Draco said.
"How, then? Broomsticks?" Goyle suggested, looking up at the starry sky.
Crabbe and Goyle had spent the last forty some odd hours trying to get on Draco's good side after their non-consensual attack on Blaise.
"I don't think so, not from that far away…" Draco muttered glaring at Goyle.
"A Portkey?" Crabbe suggested. "Or they could Apparate - maybe you're allowed to do it under seventeen wherever they come from?"
"You can't Apparate inside the Hogwarts grounds. Why don't you just keep quiet, unless you enjoy making it obvious you are as stupid as you look." Draco said impatiently.
They scanned the darkening grounds excitedly, but nothing was moving; everything was still, silent, and quite as usual.
Harry was starting to feel cold, shivering he moved closer to Draco. He wished they'd hurry up, maybe the foreign students were preparing a dramatic entrance. He remembered what Lucius had said back at the campsite before the Quidditch World Cup, "always the same - we can't resist showing off when we get together…"
And then McGonagall called out from the back row where she stood with the other teachers, "Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"
"Where?" said many students eagerly, all looking in different directions.
"There!" yelled a sixth year, pointing over the forest.
Something large, much larger than a broomstick - or, indeed, a hundred broomsticks - was hurtling across the deep blue sky toward the castle, growing larger all the time.
"It's a dragon!" shrieked one of the first years, losing her head completely.
"Don't be stupid… it's a flying house!" said Dennis Creevey.
Dennis' guess was closer…
As the gigantic black shape skimmed over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest and the lights shining from the castle windows hit it, they saw a gigantic, powder blue, horse-drawn carriage, the size of a large house, soaring toward them, pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses, all palominos, and each the size of an elephant.
The front three rows of students drew backward as the carriage hurtled ever lower, coming in to land at a tremendous speed - then, with an almighty crash that made Harry's former dorm and house mate Neville Longbottom jump backward onto a Slytherin fifth year's foot, the horses' hooves, larger than dinner plates, hit the ground. A second later, the carriage landed too, bouncing upon its vast wheels, while the golden horses tossed their enormous heads and rolled large, fiery red eyes.
Harry just had time to see that the door of the carriage bore a coat of arms (two crossed, golden wands, each emitting three stars) before it opened. A boy in pale blue robes jumped down from the carriage, bent forward, fumbled for a moment with something on the carriage floor, and unfolded a set of golden steps. He sprang back respectfully. Then Harry saw a shining, high-heeled black shoe emerging from the inside of the carriage - a shoe the size of a child's sled -followed, almost immediately, by the largest woman he had ever seen in his life. The size of the carriage, and of the horses, was immediately explained.
A few people gasped.
Harry had only ever seen one person as large as this woman in his life, and that was Hagrid; he doubted whether there was an inch difference in their heights. He didn't trust or like Hagrid, was this woman any better? As she stepped into the light flooding from the entrance hall, she was revealed to have a handsome, olive-skinned face; large, black, liquid-looking eyes; and a rather beaky nose. Her hair was drawn back in a shining knob at the base of her neck. She was dressed from head to foot in black satin, and many magnificent opals gleamed at her throat and on her thick fingers.
Severus and Remus started to clap; the students, following their lead, broke into applause too, many of them standing on tiptoe, the better to look at this woman.
Her face relaxed into a gracious smile and she walked forward toward McGonagall, extending a
glittering hand.
McGonagall was average for a woman and had to stand on her toes to shake the woman's hand. "Madame Maxime," she said. "Welcome to Hogwarts."
"Ma Gonagaul," said Madame Maxime in a deep voice. "I 'ope I find you well?"
"Indeed thank you," McGonagall smiled
"My pupils," said Madame Maxime, waving one of her enormous hands carelessly behind her.
Harry, whose attention had been focused completely upon Madame Maxime, now noticed that about a dozen boys and girls, all, by the look of them, in their late teens, had emerged from the carriage and were now standing behind Madame Maxime. They were shivering, which was unsurprising, given that their robes seemed to be made of fine silk, and none of them were wearing cloaks. A few had wrapped scarves and shawls around their heads. From what Harry could see of them (they were standing in Madame Maxime's enormous shadow), they were staring up at Hogwarts with apprehensive looks on their faces.
"'As Karkaroff arrived yet?" Madame Maxime asked.
"He should be here any moment," Severus stepped up, and bowed over her hand, not entirely sure he was keen on seeing another former Death Eater "Would you like to wait here and greet him or would you prefer to step inside and warm up a trifle?"
"Warm up, I think," said Madame Maxime. "But ze 'orses -"
"Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher will be delighted to take care of them," McGonagall assured her, "the moment he has returned from dealing with a slight situation that has arisen with some of his other - er - charges. I heard our Thestral Herd is anticipating a new arrival. ."
"Eye suppose it will doo. My steeds require - er - forceful 'andling," said Madame Maxime, looking as though she doubted whether any Care of Magical Creatures teacher at Hogwarts could be up to the job. "Zey are very strong…"
"If they need forceful handling I assure you that Rubeus Hagrid will be well up to the job. He is our Gamekeeper and claims to have the only trained Thestral herd in Britain" said Severus said with a smirk.
"Very well," said Madame Maxime, bowing slightly. "Will you please inform zis 'Agrid zat ze 'orses drink only single-malt whiskey?"
Remus chuckled, "I'm sure he'll be honored to care for such magnificent Animals. They must have excellent taste in liqueur."
"Come," said Madame Maxime imperiously to her students, and the Hogwarts crowd parted to allow her and her students to pass up the stone steps.
"How big d'you reckon Durmstrang's horses are going to be?" Harry heard Seamus Finnigan said, leaning up to address a slightly blushing Colin Creevey.
"I don't know. Who says they'll have horses? They might arrive in something just as cool." Colin said out of the side of his mouth.
They stood, shivering slightly now, waiting for the Durmstrang party to arrive. Most people were gazing hopefully up at the sky.
For a few minutes, the silence was broken only by Madame Maxime's huge horses snorting and stamping.
But then; "Can you hear something?" Draco asked suddenly.
Harry listened; a loud and oddly eerie noise was drifting toward them from out of the darkness: a muffled rumbling and sucking sound, as though an immense vacuum cleaner were moving along a riverbed.
"The lake!" Lee Jordan, the twins' partner in mischief with a very apparent crush on Angelina Johnson yelled, pointing down at it. "Look at the lake!"
From their position at the top of the lawns overlooking the grounds, they had a clear view of the smooth black surface of the water - except that the surface was suddenly not smooth at all. Some disturbance was taking place deep in the center; great bubbles were forming on the surface, waves were now washing over the muddy banks - and then, out in the very middle of the lake, a whirlpool appeared, as if a giant plug had just been pulled out of the lake's floor… What seemed to be a long, black pole began to rise slowly out of the heart of the whirlpool…
Until Draco and then Harry saw the rigging…
"It's a mast!" Harry said tugging excitedly on Draco's sleeve.
Slowly, magnificently, the ship rose out of the water, gleaming in the moonlight. It had a strangely skeletal look about it, as though it were a resurrected wreck, and the dim, misty lights shimmering at its portholes looked like ghostly eyes. Finally, with a great sloshing noise, the ship emerged entirely, bobbing on the turbulent water, and began to glide toward the bank. A few moments later, they heard the splash of an anchor being thrown down in the shallows, and the thud of a plank being lowered onto the bank.
People were disembarking; they could see their silhouettes passing the lights in the ship's portholes. Some of them, Harry noticed, seemed to be built along the lines of Crabbe and Goyle- large and compact like an ox but others were built like Bill and Charlie tall and muscular. As they drew nearer, walking up the lawns into the light streaming from the entrance hall, he saw that their bulk was really due to the fact that they were wearing cloaks of some kind of shaggy, matted fur. But the man who was leading them up to the castle was wearing furs of a different sort: sleek and silver, like his hair.
"Snape!" he called heartily as he walked up the slope. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?"
"Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff," Snape replied reluctantly hearty.
Karkaroff had a fruity, smug voice; when he stepped into the light pouring from the front doors of the castle they saw that he was tall and thin like Harry's papa, but his white hair was short, and his goatee (finishing in a small curl) did not entirely hide his rather weak chin. When he reached McGonagall and Severus, he shook their hands with both of his own.
"Dear old Hogwarts," he said, looking up at the castle and smiling; his teeth were rather yellow.
Harry noticed that his smile did not extend to his eyes, which remained cold and shrewd. "How good it is to be here, how good… Viktor, come along, into the warmth… you don't mind, Snape? Viktor has a slight head cold…" Karkaroff seemed to be ignoring the Headmistress which left her appearing disgruntled.
Karkaroff beckoned forward one of his students. As the boy passed, Harry caught a glimpse of a prominent curved nose and thick black eyebrows. He didn't need the punch on the arm Draco gave him, or the hiss in his ear, to recognize that profile.
"Harry - it's Krum!" Draco bounced a bit in his place.
Harry noticed Hermione blushed a bit and clutch the front of her robes.
"I don't believe it!" Draco said, in a stunned voice, as the Hogwarts students filed back up the steps behind the party from Durmstrang. "Krum, Harry! Viktor Krum!"
"Draco, I thought he was only a Quidditch player, I didn't realize he was a student" Harry said quietly.
Hermione was blushing and toying with her autographed Snitch.
As they reentered the entrance hall with the rest of the Hogwarts students heading for the Great Hall, Harry saw Lee Jordan jumping up and down on the soles of his feet to get a better look at the back of Krum's head.
Several sixth-year girls were frantically searching their pockets as they walked - "Oh I don't believe it, I haven't got a single quill on me -"
"D'you think he'd sign my hat in lipstick?"
"Really," Hermione said loftily as they passed the girls, now squabbling over the lipstick, she hoped he hadn't forgotten her. She shivered thinking about the tone in his voice when he spoke to her. 'Ahren…'
Hermione walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down.
Viktor Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students were still gathered around it, apparently unsure about where they should sit. The students from Beauxbatons had chosen seats at the Ravenclaw table. They were looking around the Great Hall with glum expressions on their faces. Three of them were still clutching scarves and shawls around their heads.
Draco walked up to Viktor and bowed, "As the Prince of Slytherin House it would be an honor if you joined us. We have more room." with Theo in Azkaban, Blaisé at Eagle's Nest and Crabbe and Goyle, his supposedly loyal shadows in detention they did have more room. He leaned into whisper to the gorgeous and uber talented Professional seeker, "I can ask your Ahren if she will join us."
Viktor's eyes shone and a nervous smile crossed his lips, "You are her friend yes? I saw you in zee Minister's box yes?"
Draco nodded, "It would be an honor to share a table with you. We have two seekers in our house perhaps, you can talk Quidditch with as well. I know some excellent Players if you don't mind slumming with school players. Our Inter-house games are cancelled so I'm sure the pitch is free."
Viktor grinned, "We shall join you."
Draco caught Harry's eyes, 'Get Hermione.'
Harry giggled, 'Sure.'
Harry skipped off to find his friend who was like a sister, "'Mione, Draco thinks you should sit with us." he poked her in the chest brushing the snitch that she wore beneath her robe, "I think he wants to see you."
Hermione blushed, nearly choking on her pumpkin juice, "Are you sure it's alright? I am a lion…"
Harry nodded, "I'm a reformed Lion. Come on. Draco said you can sit with us. If the Prince invites a Lioness to sit with the snakes then the snakes have to be silent."
Hermione followed him to the table.
Viktor turned at the soft footsteps, he got up so fast he tripped over his large feet and ended up kneeling at her feet, "Ahren…"
Hermione blushed, holding out her hand to help him up.
The Great Hall was silent in shock.
Then came the irate hissing of jealous girls.
Viktor stood slowly bending to kiss her hand, he noticed the snitch shaped bulge above her heart, "Iz zhat zee znitch?"
Hermione pulled it out, "Yes, the one you gave me." she smiled holding it in her hand, "I almost never take it off."
Viktor helped her on the bench at the Slytherin table, "It iz nice to cee yoo again, Ahren. I had already been chosen by zee Headmaster to attend zee Tournament ven ve met. I hope ve can get to know each other. Draco has invited me to fly with zneem. Can yoo fly?"
Hermione shook her head, "I can't fly, but Harry and Draco can. You're the only person I've seen who can fly better then Harry. Harry flies like one born to fly. I like to watch though. Harry used to play for Gryffindor before being properly Sorted to his rightful house. Lynch was decent but you were amazing…" she knew Draco flew better then Lynch because Harry pushed him to fly faster, to try harder, to see Harry fly against Viktor would be one hell of a game.
They started to eat.
Draco was in his element, greeting and introducing members of Slytherin house to the Durmstrang students. He had been schooled in various languages as a child and after a bit he was able to hold court in Russian while Hermione and Viktor tried to communicate in English. He welcomed all of the Durmstrang students, invited them to eat every meal with them and offered to show them around or answer any questions they might have. Though Crabbe and Goyle had the benefit of a pure-blood education they were terrible at languages. It seemed that Pansy, Daphne and Astoria had some knowledge of Russian and were making faltering attempts at flirting. He rolled his eyes, that is until he noticed a few boys giving Harry looks of desire. He forced a smile switched their matching protection rings to their left ring fingers and held Harry's hand to his lips, "I see you have excellent taste but Adder is mine and mine alone. I have long since claimed his body and heart." he said in Russian, there were scowls and chuckles amoung a few of the Durmstrang boys, "I myself and also unavailable." there were also scowls from Pansy, Daphne and Astoria; all three most likely had eyes on being Lady Malfoy and the vaults that came with it.
After the meal and the students were dismissed Viktor helped Hermione to her feet, "It vould be good manner to show yoo to yer room but I do not know vere zhat vould be."
Draco chuckled, "Adder and I would be happy to show you the way, my friend. Tomorrow is supposed to be a Hogsmeade day, do you know if you are allowed to attend?"
Viktor chuckled, "I am of age zo I do not care. Perhaps Ahren vould show me around?"
Hermione blushed nodding, "it would be an honor?"
"Zhat vould make it a date?"
Draco laughed, "Of course. Hermione is the smartest witch in her year, high marks for a girl and though she is merely a fourth year her knowledge of magic is at least at the level of the first Ministry exams. She may join us in taking it early."
Hermione turned pink, "I like to study…"
Draco pushed her shoulder, "Come on then, let's show Viktor how to get to Gryffindor Tower. By the way Viktor if you would like to spend a night in the castle my godfather is the Deputy Headmaster and we have two free beds in the Dungeon."
Viktor nodded, "Vill think on zhat."
Draco and Harry led Viktor who had Hermione's arm looped in his, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. They followed Gryffindors through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed more staircases, then at very end of the eighth floor corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress. Draco chuckled, "This would be the entrance to Gryffindor tower home to your Ahren."
Viktor bent to kiss her hand and then her cheek, "Sleep vell, Ahren. Sveet dreams."
Hermione hugged him impulsively before following her year mates into the Tower after Fred announced a little too loudly the first password of the year was Snidget.
Viktor chuckled asking in Russian, "Ahren is a shy girl no?"
Draco nodded, as he gave a reply his reply in the same tongue, "Never seen her so taken with someone. She deserves someone smart, brave and hard-working. She is like a sister to me, I want the best for her."
They made their way back to the Entrance Hall.
Viktor kissed them on the cheeks and then smiled, "Iz nice to have friends. Vhen should I meet Ahren."
Draco laughed, "How about ten? Right here? You know girls, she'll need time to get ready. Breakfast is from 6:30 to 8:30, perhaps you can see her before then."
They bid each other good night then Harry and Draco headed for their room.
Draco fire called the manor, more specifically, his mother's music room. He stuck his head in the fire while Harry went to get ready to bathe. "Mother?"
Narcissa's musical tones were heard, "Draco?"
"In the Fireplace Mother."
"What a surprise? How are you? Blaise seems to be doing better, he might be back in school in a week or two."
Draco smiled, "We miss him a lot. I'm calling about Hermione. She has a date tomorrow. With a Professional Quidditch Player who seems quite taken with her. I was wondering if you felt well enough to help her get ready. I'm sure Remus would allow her to floo to the Manor during breakfast."
Narcissa grinned, "Our Hermione? Caught the eye of a Professional Quidditch Player? Ooh which one?"
"Krum, Viktor Krum. Plays for Bulgarian National. He gave Hermione the game ending snitch after the World Cup."
"Isn't Krum one of the Youngest players? A Pure-blood is he not?"
Draco nodded, "Durmstrang's finest. He was picked as a contender for Durmstrang's Champion for the Triwizard Cup."
Narcissa clapped her hand, "I'll be glad to help. I was raised to know how to entice a Pure-blood. When I'm done with her, Krum with be thinking of Bondings, Manors and babies."
Draco chuckled, "As long as letting Hermione have a career is in their future as well, I don't see how she would resist him."
"Leave everything to me, Dragon. Mother knows best. Muggle-born she maybe but when I'm finished with her, she'll be a princess."
"Good night mother." ah the joys of being the Prince, he wondered how many engagements and courting would arise from this attempt at international relations.
Yay for happy Hermione. Hint of a minor pairing...