Was and will be

by simply-rosali

History is a circle that goes round and round, we will see how this can change if you have love on your side. Our friends are leaving Hogwarts to start a new life, one with more unexpected turns than they would ever imagine

7. Are you sure you wanna know?

Was and Will be

Title: Was and will be (07)

Author name: Rosali

Author's email:

Category: Action/Adventure

Sub Category: Romance

Keywords: Warlocks, Heirs, Mugglich, H/Hr, D/G

Rating: R

Spoilers: SS/PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, FB, QTTA, OoTP

Summary: This time it's going to be mine / This new find is staying overnight / With all the discoveries, you'll want to take a break / But no worries, you won't have to wait.

What they see and know is only the tip of the iceberg. Oh! How mistaken they were when thinking they would actually be getting a well-deserved vacation. Don't let the past complicate your life… usually you can do that easily; but not this time, I assure you.

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

CHAPTER VII

Are you sure you want to know?

"Why am I painting still one more picture when I have a hundred stacked against my walls that nobody wants?"

It was not a permissible question. All of his life was implicit in the beginning. He had been born to paint just as Beethoven had been born to compose his symphonies and Dostoievski to write Crime and Punishment, which Camille had just finished.

.- Depths of Glory

by Irving Stone

A/N: I'll never get to thank my amazing and patient betas Lea and Indra for taking the time to beta such a long story… still amazed how it comes out that long lol.

There's not much action in this chapter, but there's a lot of explaining. As someone very kindly pointed out, "You REALLY need to give some explanations next chapi" ;) Some things may appear as if they are going too fast, but that's the only way, cause if not, it would be a million pages lol. Hope you enjoy it!

NOTE: This is only part one. Originally it was all uploaded as Ch.7 but dunno how, it got all messed up and only half of it appeared. Besides, it's 64 pages long for crying out loud! Lol. Might be better if I split it in half. So here's Ch.7 and Ch.8 is Ch.7 Part Two (I hope I didn't confuse you with that lol)

Part One – Walking tangle, flying contradiction

The door of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place slammed open, causing Mrs. Black to start screeching yet again today. Mrs. Weasley burst in with tears in her eyes and she seemed oblivious to the colourful insults displayed by the former owner of the house.

'Where are they? Is he all right? I said it wasn't a good idea!' she almost yelled as she strolled to the stairs, but was stopped by her husband, who had already arrived. His expression was one of deep concern and extreme weariness, but he took a hold of his wife before she could go up. She struggled with no success and eventually gave up.

'That's my girl,' he said softly. 'Calm down, Molly dear. They will be fine, it's all right now.' He kissed her temple, but she pushed him away.

'No it is not all right Arthur, you know it!' she accused.

He took a step closer to her and closed the distance between them. 'Shhhhh… I'm well aware of that, but-'

'They have their paths already set in front of them.' She finished the sentence, brushing her husband off.

Arthur sighed and nodded as Dumbledore came into the hall, shutting Mrs. Black on his way. 'There has got to be a way to take her down,' he mused.

Molly didn't know if to be annoyed or amused at his attitude; her mother's instinct took the best of her. 'May I ask why on earth you are so calm about?' she asked dryly.

Dumbledore met her eyes for a moment. 'They're just a little beaten up. And I would even daresay it is a motive to celebrate'

Molly's eyebrows shot up. 'Celebrate? Celebrate! They could've got themselves killed for Merlin's sake!'

'Ah, but they didn't. Wouldn't you say that is something to be happy about?'

She closed her eyes and made an exasperated noise, shaking her head as to scratch out what Dumbledore had just said from her mind.

'You know, they're stronger now, Molly,' Albus began, much more serious now. 'They have each other's protection. The circle is closed and reinforced. It will be harder for Voldemort to take them down now'

Molly sighed. 'Whatever we did to deserve such special kids?' she said, half regretful, half proud.

They had finally managed to remove the Chest from the Conference Room and moved it to a special room they had created at Hogwarts, which served as "Plotting Room", as they had called it. Truth was, it would serve itself to whichever they had in mind at the moment to create a new spell or quest in order to protect the Chest an the power that it was to withhold.

They had agreed to bury the Chest on the first solstice of the year, when magic was at one of its highest peaks, so they could perform the spells they had planned more properly, and they were running out of time. Just when they would think it was enough, one of them would come with something new and better to protect it.

They had discovered that Salazar found himself the weakest every month when the new moon rose, so when they had a meeting arranged for that day, they would lock him up in the highest tower, usually used for Astronomy.

None of them was too fond on locking their friend up, but there was no other choice, for there was more in the stalk than just one person's welfare. Salazar grew weaker with each passing day, and they were all afraid he would just lose himself in the Symbio before long.

Luckily enough, the Symbio considered that the children at the school weren't worth killing. He probably saw them as a long-term investment, to teach them into trying to get their goals by all means. The four weren't too much against it, but they had to counterpart it in their own classes.

But there was also this thing on the real Salazar that had them very worried, and it was his growing obsession with the purity of blood in the students. He had always thought pure-bloods were better than half-bloods, but had never really said it out loud or to the children for that matter. But lately, he had been especially mean to the half-bloods the school sheltered, and that was one more thing they would have to act against very often by the subtlest means.

School term was abut to end and the kids would be going to their respective homes for Christmas and until the Solstice was over; that would mean they had three weeks to only concentrate on the Chest and finally bury it. But there were still things to take care of before, so they had started meeting twice a week instead of only once.

'Ok, so it'll be like a Treasure Hunt? My dear Helga, what part of "it is the fate of the world resting in this little Chest" wasn't clear to you?' Godric was saying with a mix of amusement and exasperation. The same discussion they had had a few years ago.

Salazar was leaning against his high-backed chair, deep in thought and Rowena was chewing on her bottom lip, as she had taken to do lately.

'Actually, it might make sense,' she mused out loud.

'What are you talking about? This is not a game Ro!'

'Of course the tasks we've set are difficult and the clues and things will be more than just a children game's,' Salazar put it.

'Exactly my point!' Helga pointed out. 'Suppose someone wants this Power in the future,' she gave a quick reassuring look at Salazar as she spoke, 'if we just put it in one place, then it would be much easier'

'But if it's thought to be somewhere and then it is somewhere else and then in another place, maybe some will desist or luckily die in the process,' Salazar finished her sentence and smiled a little at her.

'Well, I hadn't thought of actually the word dying, but yes, that's pretty much it,' Helga admitted.

Godric sighed defeated. 'Fine. We'll do it your way'

Rowena grinned at him and kissed his cheek happily. 'Jolly good!'

The rest of the school year, they worked in the "clues", as Salazar had started calling them just to annoy Godric. It was all based in how trustworthy someone was and if they would be responsible if the Power of Shikeon came to rest upon their hands –which they hoped it didn't-.

Lots of ideas had come and gone, and they had finally agreed to bury the chest in the Old Battlefield and divert any seeker from looking for it by setting the clues in the very centre of the world; where it was said that magic had been born... Rome.

'A cave, some curses-,' Helga was saying.

'But that's not enough... otherwise, Rowena would be able to come through by herself barely scratched'

'Thank you for the underestimation of my magical abilities honey,' she retorted annoyed.

'It is my pleasure,' Salazar replied with a smirk and Rowena slapped him playfully on the arm.

'Ok, ok, so what else,' Godric was rubbing his temples as if he were getting a headache, which he was.

'There will be a Portkey that can only be activated if the Moribius spell is said backwards; it is much more dangerous when said that way and the slightest alteration will cause it to backfire'

'Right, but before the Portkey, what will we put?'

'Uhm... the Symbio might've been of some help after all,' Salazar said softly. They all turned to him in shock, he very seldom spoke of the Symbio.

'How's that possible?' Helga asked almost angry.

'Well, he has created a lot of creatures, very dangerous ones at that,' he pointed out.

'And you point is?' Helga asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

'Well, we don't want anyone to get past and get to the chest, do we? And you have some sort of power over them Helga, and so do I,' he defended.

'You do realise what you're proposing, don't you?' a voice sounded in Salazar's head. Godric very rarely spoke in his friend's head anymore after the Symbio had almost knocked him cold more than once while pushing him away.

He turned abruptly to Godric. 'I wouldn't propose it otherwise, don't you think?' he replied a little angry and heard a mental sigh. Truth was, he was glad to hear Godric's voice in his head because he missed him, he missed that closeness they used to have.

'If he thinks we can handle it, then so be it,' Godric said resigned.

'Thank you for the support'

'You know you always have my support'

'You have no idea how much I appreciate it'

'Yes I do, remember?' he tapped his temple with one finger and smiled. Salazar smiled back.

Rowena and Helga stared at them as they exchanged thoughts, they both rolled their eyes. 'Very well, and as a last test, we must place a Sphinx, that is for sure,' Rowena said after she saw they had finished talking.

'Wonderfully thought darling!' Godric beamed and kissed her deeply.

She laughed and closed her eyes, feeling the momentary peace that always wrapped her whenever he held her. Rowena let out a content sigh and rested her head on his shoulder.

The room on the last story of Grimmauld Place was no longer Buckbeak's; he had acquired one that Dumbledore had made on the roof especially for him. The door was half-open, for people kept coming in and out of it.

A silvery-blond haired boy sat on a chair, his feet resting in the bed across. He was dozing off when a girl he had grown to love very much entered the room with breakfast.

'Morning sunshine!' she chimed.

Draco jumped and nearly fell off, but somehow managed to regain his balance elegantly. 'Don't- do that again,' he said dryly and rubbed his eyes to awaken himself.

They had been taking turns to sleep in the room and look after Harry, who had been out for the past five days; they were starting to wonder if he'd ever wake up, but no one said it out loud.

Hermione frowned. 'Someone's grumpy today'

'Hm,' he answered. That "Good morning sunshine" had gotten the best of him.

'Maybe some coffee and toast will get your moods up,' she said and smiled. Inwardly she sighed, she understood perfectly what that "hm" had meant, she knew him more than most.

'Yeah, maybe'

'Anything?'

'He stirred a couple of times, causing my heart to nearly stop beating, but-.' He was interrupted by a squeak from the girl. 'Uh… did I mention my heart nearly stopped beating?'

'Oh! Don't be silly Draco; your heart wouldn't have stopped beating'

'How do you know?' he pressed.

'If it didn't after that deed you performed in Italy, post father-beating, I don't think it would with anything,' she answered with a smile.

'Hey! He didn't beat me!' he protested. Hermione gave him a warning look and he made a face. 'Well, but I kicked his arse too'

'Believe me, he kic-.' She didn't finish, Harry was stirring and moaning in his sleep. Hermione nearly dropped the tray and ran to his bed. 'Harry, honey can you hear me?' she took his hand and squeezed it.

Better wake up soon Potter or I'll kill myself. Can't stand her talking to you like that. Draco thought as he watched the scene.

Harry opened his eyes slowly. 'Was that Malfoy?' he managed, though the words in his throat felt like metal rasping dry wood.

Draco flinched and stood up right, putting the tray he had saved from Hermione on the bedside table. 'I didn't say anything,' did I?

Hermione was taken aback by Harry's first words, but she let it go; she was too happy he was awake. She took a hand to his forehead and brushed his hair from his temple; her eyes rested a second in the lightning-bolt scar before she gasped. 'Great Merlin! You're burning up!' she exclaimed and turned to Draco. 'How didn't you notice before? You know, that's why we're-'

'I had a headache!' he said defensively, his temper rising; he took a glass of water and drank it.

'Water,' Harry croaked.

Hermione jumped again and snatched the glass from Draco's hand, giving it to Harry carefully. Draco didn't say anything; he threw his arms in the air and walked out of the room.

Harry noted him leaving and intended to call him back, but was useless because of the water in front of him; he spilled a little in the attempt.

'Sorry Harry,' Hermione said, with a nearly broken voice. She took the glass back.

He didn't think he had ever had such a wonderful sensation in his whole life like the one he was experiencing as water went down his throat, relieving his sore gullet and cleaning it all in its way. He coughed a little and looked up at Hermione. 'Thank you,' he said, his voice sounding much more like the one he remembered. He was incredibly happy to see her well and alive but somehow he found himself rather annoyed at her, he had no idea why. 'What happened? I remember me and Voldemort… did I-?' he couldn't bring himself to say the words.

Hermione sort of smiled, but was sad in the deepest of her gut. 'No, Harry, you didn't kill anyone' but we did, she added in her head.

Harry smiled relieved and then his eyes widened.

'Yes, the war is still in its highest,' she answered his unasked question.

Draco stormed out of the room, in a deep row with himself. You knew it, why does it surprise you? But still, she was with me, she must've cared. He was with you when she was angry at Harry. But she took care of me when I was injured. Yes, but you always knew it, didn't you? YES I DID, all right? But she did love me, at least a little. What would you know about love?

He was yanked from his thoughts when he bumped into someone. He looked blank for a moment and then regained his posture; taking a deep breath inside, he managed a smile. 'He's awake'

Ginny jumped in surprised and started hurriedly to the top room, but stopped.

Oh, great, one more to the fan club. What's so great about him anyways? He's not even THAT good-looking. He thought a little angrily, but didn't finish the thought, a voice was calling him. 'Uh? Pardon?' he asked.

'I said if you're all right'

'Of course I am, Weasley!' he snapped at her.

She made a face and turned to hurry up the stairs.

'Sodding Weasley,' he muttered and went down for breakfast.

'Good morning Draco,' Tonks greeted him with a big smile. She had a Madonna-like face today and Draco had to hold himself back not to laugh. Madonna was a well-known metamorphmagus; graduated from Salem School for Gifted Youngsters, the best known magic school in America. She had used her abilities to change her appearance very often, and that had made her utterly famous in the muggle world.

'Morning Tonks,' he greeted back and sat at the breakfast table, summoning a couple of sandwiches and coffee in front of him. He had got used to being there –since it was the only place he had anymore- and now he moved around naturally. He missed his mother and all the luxuries of his own home, but he couldn't, nor he would go back there.

'Any news?' the young witch asked.

'He's awake,' he said lazily. Mrs. Weasley, Tonks and Lupin gasped, Draco rolled his eyes, restraining himself from a "why don't you make it a national holiday?" comment.

Mrs. Weasley started upstairs but was stopped by Remus. 'Wait a little,' he said calmly.

She sagged and sat back down with a reluctant 'all right'

'Are you sure you're feeling all right, Harry?' Ginny was asking while he drank a fever-reducer potion.

'Thanks to Hermione, I will,' he said, much more fluidly.

As soon as she entered the room, Ginny had thrown herself to Harry and kissed him as if she hadn't done in forever. Finally she had sat back down and let Harry take the potion Hermione was giving him.

'I would like to correct that to a "thanks to Draco."' Came a voice from the door, Draco had finished breakfast and was going up to call on the rest.

Harry focused in him. 'Hello, Malfoy. Happy Birthday by the way,' he said, for the first time, with no special tone in his voice.

Draco frowned, how could he know my birthday? Weird, weird, weird, he assured himself. 'Thank you.' He noticed Hermione tense and he shook his head, looking at her.

'I'm so sorry Draco!' she flung her arms around him, 'Happy Birthday. But with all that has been going on, I just—'

'Forgot, I know,' he said a little bitterly.

'I'm sorry,' she said in a small voice as Ginny came forward and hugged him rather stiffly.

Four owls coming through the window interrupted the awkward moment. Three were easily recognised as Ministry owls, and the other one was all black. Each received one owl and Draco got two.

Hermione paled instantly. She had completely forgotten the NEWT results were in their way to them. She froze.

Draco was the first one to speak. 'Wonder who sent this?' he asked, meaning the all-black owl's package.

Hermione smacked him on the head. 'Draco! These are the NEWTs!' she protested.

'Ow! I know! But this one's much more interesting,' he said matter-of-factly.

'Ugh!' she exclaimed exasperated, but didn't open her own letter; neither did Harry.

Draco examined the small gift with detach, but utter interest. He had left his NEWTs aside. After a little while, he opened it. 'Ah, Tracy. So lovely,' he said as he pulled the golden wrapper open and a silver clasp fell to his hands. A letter materialised under it.

My dearest Draco:

We've all heard about your betrayal of your family and our cause, but I am sure you have something much bigger in your plans. I trust you wouldn't sink to lower class beings such as Potter and his friends. After all, you've always been so intelligent, and good-looking and fun, and charming…

Anyway, this clasp will have you protected from your father and any other who wishes you harm. I'm giving it to you so you're safe from revengeful actions until you finish what you've got planned.

All my love,

Tracy Davies

Draco crumbled the parchment in his hand, he was incredibly angry, but didn't show anything. Instead, he smiled and placed the clamp on the left of his navy-blue T-shirt. He looked up at the rest, 'A secret admirer,' he just said and apparently noticed the NEWT result letter for the first time. 'Ah! The NEWTs!' he exclaimed and tore open the envelope.

Blank stares followed all his procedure. Reading the letter, crumpling it in a fist and the smile, opening the NEWTs. One by one, they pulled themselves from the bewilderment and continued their business. Hermione still staring at the envelope with fear, Harry opening it slowly and Ginny waiting eagerly.

'Nice!' Draco exclaimed.

Harry stopped before he saw his. 'How was it?' he asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

'I got three Os, two Es and one A'

Hermione looked positively dumbstruck. 'I'm so sorry Draco,' she said sympathetically.

'Sorry for what? Oh, the A? It's ok, it was Ancient Runes, the last exam and didn't really felt like taking it,' he answered conversationally.

Harry smiled and finally read his out loud:

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to present you with the results of your Nastily Exhausting Wizardring Test exams, taken between June the 12th and June the 23rd of the present year. Attached to this letter, you'll receive the respective grades, which go from T to O in order of your performance in the theoretical and practical exams.

Sincerely yours,

Griselda Merchbanks

Head of Wizardring Examinations

When he opened it, his face went from happy to extremely disappointed in just a few seconds. Hermione looked at him eagerly. 'So?'

'I- I didn't get enough to become an auror,' he said utterly sad.

'Oh, Harry! I'm sorry!' She held him tightly.

'I missed Transfiguration, I needed and E and I got an A'

'I'm sure you'll get a nice job at the Ice Cream Parlour,' Draco tried to be comforting.

'Draco!' Ginny said and smacked him on the head.

'Bloody hell! What is it with you girls today and the smacking?' he asked, sounding hurt.

'Open yours,' Harry ushered.

With trembling fingers, she opened it and let out a squeak of joy. 'Seven Os and one E!' she cried.

'Wow, congrats Mione,' Harry said, his voice sounding faraway.

She sobered. 'I—'

'It's ok, you ought to be proud. You'll go and I won't,' he said in a hearty voice.

'Harry! How can you—?'

'Sooooo… you're leaving for your seventh year, eh Ginny?' Draco said; somehow feeling he had to try and drive the subject away from the results.

'Uhm… yeah,' she answered awkwardly.

Hermione was about to speak, when three more owls came in. One left another package in Draco's lap and two more dropped letters on Harry and Hermione.

'What now?' he asked, sounding annoyed. When he looked at the new arrival, it seemed to be some kind of book. Draco opened it out of curiosity, there was no note. It was a book called Hogwarts, A History. The Unspeakable Story by Argus Lovegood. Draco frowned and started examining it.

Hermione snatched from his hands. 'I can't believe someone would even buy that!' she exclaimed, tossing it aside.

'Hey! That was my book!' Draco protested.

'Oh, come on! Honestly, Draco. It was written by Luna's father,' she said and rolled her eyes.

'Hey, Luna's nice!' Ginny complained.

'But that doesn't take away that her father is a lunatic'

'Ron liked him,' Ginny said in a small voice and everyone fell silent.

'What are these letters about?' Draco, once again, felt like he had to drive the subject away. To be honest, he was finding it quite annoying.

Hermione was the first one to react. She took the letter and opened it, not really reading the words.

'So?'

'Uh? Oh…' she scanned it again and her eyes grew wide, 'it's from the Ministry'

Harry frowned, his letter looked exactly like Hermione's, and he wondered what the Ministry wanted now. He sighed and tore it open. He looked blank, unable to react; Draco perked his head to see what it was about with no success.

'Did you receive one too?' Hermione asked, Harry nodded softly.

'But I didn't get enough NEWTs'

'Looks like fame can be useful for more than just showing off,' Draco put in.

'Shut up, Malfoy'

'Hey, don't start with that again, Potter. I was wondering how long it would be until you woke and kept disgracing me with your existence'

'I'd say it is the other way round, you're the one whose-'

'Ok, enough flaming for the day, thank you,' Ginny said, making both boys look at her. 'Did I make myself clear?'

'Since when did you take Hermione's bossy, know-it-all role?' Draco asked irritated.

'Since I was made Head Girl,' Ginny challenged back. And since she's too busy feeling sorry and guilty, she added mentally.

Both Draco's eyebrows shot up. 'You. Made it Head Girl?' he asked slowly, with a mocking voice. 'How did you bribe the old man?'

'What? I didn't-'

'Good morning children!' Luckily Mrs. Weasley burst in at that second and they both stopped arguing. But if glares shot laser beams, they would both be strainers by that moment.

Harry looked up at her, grateful she burst in but finding the whole thing rather amusing; he turned to Hermione and she looked utterly angry, he bit his bottom lip and was restraining the smirk from his face.

'Harry, dear! So good to see you are alive and well!' she exclaimed and pulled him into a bone-breaking hug. 'We've all been so worried,' she was nearly sobbing now on his shoulder and Harry didn't know what to do. 'When the girls and Neville came with you two like that, I just wanted to make you forget what you were and-'

'Molly. Let him breath,' Mr. Weasley spoke carefully from the door. He had just been told by Remus, who was coming behind, and he had come immediately.

Mrs. Weasley choked back sobs and pulled herself from a bewildered Harry. Forget who we are? What are we? He thought confused.

'Get used to it,' Draco said in a low voice from a couple of feet away.

Harry's head turned so abruptly to Draco that he nearly strained his neck; he winced. Weird, weird, weird, he thought.

When he was able to walk without dying of tiresome, Ginny asked Harry to go for a walk. Mrs. Weasley had seemed reluctant on it but finally agreed under the condition they each carried a Zaomian crystal with them.

They walked around the neighbourhood for a while without talking and Harry was growing tired, that damn spell Voldemort had used in him had nearly killed him and its effects still lingered over him.

'So? Is everything all right? I know I haven't exactly been-'

'Harry, silence,' she stopped him before he could continue. They reached a small park and walked around. 'Harry, do you remember that day in Rome?'

'Not willingly, but yes,' he responded, bewildered.

'Do you remember when you woke up, what were the first words that came from your mouth?'

'That I definitely don't remember. Where is this going, Ginny?' he asked, utterly puzzled.

I was holding you after Draco left you and when you recovered consciousness, the first thing you said wasn't my name,' she stated flatly, but Harry knew better.

'Aaand?' he pressed, 'is that supposed to mean anything?'

Ginny stopped and turned to him. 'Of course it does! It means the world Harry!'

Harry shook his head. 'I was unconscious, it was probably the first thing that came to my mind!' he defended.

'Exactly my point! That's why we never got closer. That ghost lingers between us!'

'Ron?' Harry asked and felt really stupid and low.

'Don't be so hard-headed, Harry. You know exactly what I mean'

'Actually, I don't,' he admitted.

'This can't go on, it has to end now. A relationship is about two people, not just one,' she said in an almost broken voice, but she seemed determined.

'Wha—why?' was all he managed to say.

'Harry, if you don't see it, I won't tell you,' she said irritated.

He gaped at her for a moment and then looked down. He still didn't understand it, but she seemed resolute in that. 'If that's what you want,' he muttered.

'It's not what I want! It's about what you want, even though you don't see it yet,' she said as a single tear escaped her eyes.

Harry felt utterly impotent in front of this. You can duel the most evil wizard in the history of the world, and you can't hold a girlfriend, way to go Potter! He thought angrily. 'Then, I guess this is it?' he asked but knew the answer.

'I think so, yes,' she said barely audibly.

'Uhm… will you be my friend?' he asked like a little child.

'Of course I will, Harry! I'll always be here when you need me, but this is not the way,' she said quickly.

This made a smile draw itself in Harry's lips. 'Thank you,' was all he managed.

Ginny managed a smile despite the tears. 'You're welcome'

Harry turned to her and looked into her chocolate brown eyes, he cupped her face in his right hand and Ginny felt the familiar warmth, she covered his hand with hers. Harry continued, 'Ginny, you're wonderful. A wonderful person and an invaluable friend,' he said softly and placed a small light kiss on her lips.

She closed her eyes when his lips touched hers and enjoyed that final kiss to the last taste. She smiled when he pulled away and slowly opened her eyes. 'Thank you,' she said and turned quickly, running the other way.

Harry sighed, feeling guilty and not knowing why as he watched her run away.

When he went back to Grimmauld Place, he found Draco in the doorframe. 'So she broke up with you?' he asked, Harry nodded.

Everyone woke up very early that day because of Tonks' "careful" ways. She and Ginny had connected a lot during the summer stay at Grimmauld Place and she wanted to give the young girl a proper good bye breakfast. However, her being so clumsy didn't help her good intentions.

She wanted to do it the old muggle way, but she barely remembered them being at her father's flat in Australia and seeing him cook breakfast in the summers they used to spend with him after her parents got divorced.

The metal bowls were in the tallest cabinet. Naturally, with the 5'5" she stood didn't do much good to her cause. She pulled a chair from the huge table in the centre of the kitchen and put it close to the cabinets. She was just above the stove and stood in tiptoe to reach the bowl. Eventually, she lost balance and fell on her knees to the oven, which had a cauldron with a potion that had been brewing all night. She screamed out loud some very colourful words that were heard throughout all of the fourteen rooms of the Order's Headquarters.

Harry jumped awake at the scream and reached for his wand instinctively. When he realised, he scowled at himself, once again reminding himself he didn't need it anymore except for extremely complicated spells. He jumped from the bed and ran to the source of the noise, ready to find anything but what he found.

There she laid, on top of the stove, the cauldron with the brewing potion overturned, light pink potion all over the walls. Mrs. Weasley hurried past him and let out a scream of rage. Harry couldn't help the amusement at the situation. When he realised he was almost laughing at it, he snapped at himself and hurried towards the girl, who was whimpering over her burned knees.

Harry helped her down from the stove while Mrs. Weasley cleaned the mess, even with this little effort, he felt tired. By that moment, they had all stepped down and gaped at the scene with different expressions.

Soon after, the whole house was a manheim with Ginny desperate because she had to be at the station half an hour earlier than usual. She collected her things and it seemed amazing to her the quantity of things she had. She even had to use her school bag to carry some last minute things.

She said her good byes to Harry (with a kiss on the cheek from him) and to Draco and she was off. Draco wouldn't come because he could still be in danger and the effects of the curse that had hit Harry more than a month ago was just starting to disappear, so it was better if he stayed at Grimmauld Place.

Platform 9 ¾ was overflowing with people. Some were scared-looking first years –which Ginny comforted-, some were old students excited they were going back and some were students that seemed to be going to seventh hell as they climbed the Hogwarts Express.

Hermione and Neville were with her, both looking rather nostalgic at their old school and Hermione looked at Ginny, performing her head girl duties, with pride. They were going to ride the train along and stay at school for a little while as they did some research on whatever creature Neville had inside, that powerful creature that had saved them that day.

Hermione felt sort of lost without Harry and Ron riding with her on the way to Hogwarts and her chest still tightened when she thought of all Ron would miss now. She pushed the sadness to the back of her mind and the two former pupils looked for an empty compartment.

Hours later, they were at the sorting ceremony, sitting along with the other Gryffindors and cheering whenever a new student was sorted into their old house. She seldom directed a look at the Ravenclaw table to find Luna's eyes. The dreamy expression was not entirely gone, but there was a lingering sadness deep in them. Hermione couldn't help looking away when she saw it; she imagined herself losing Harry, or Draco. She didn't think she'd be able to handle losing either.

She looked closer and noticed something different about the blond girl. When she paid attention to it, she gasped soundly. Ginny turned to her and froze as well.

'Oh dear Merlin! Tell me that is not real,' was all she managed.

'It is very real, Ginny'

She looked away, tears glowing in her eyes. 'I don't believe it'

Days later, they had started on with the task at hand and were taking a break, having lunch with the students on a Saturday. There was this thing that bothered Hermione and wouldn't let her concentrate much in something, but she did her best to push it aside. Neville was telling her with pride he had already gotten job offers.

'So I received a letter from Gadgets and Gizmo's S.A., asking if I wanted to take the position, I only needed two NEWTs and three Es in the exams,' he was telling her excitedly. 'But the one that surprised me the most was the letter from the Ministry'

'The Ministry offered you a position?' She certainly wasn't expecting that, she'd think Harry and her would be the only ones.

'Yes they did. I mean, I had thought of being an auror but I never actually thought I'd get enough NEWTs. But I got and invitation for auror training. Maybe they called the ones that were in the Ministry back then'

That actually made sense; after all they had brought down a dozen Death Eaters back then almost single-handed. 'That is wonderful Neville! And which one are you taking?'

'Do you seriously need to ask me that?' he asked with a smile.

'Well, I'd think you'd want to leave it after everything that had happened'

'I would never…' he sounded a little mad. 'You know I would follow you and Harry to the end of the world and back,' he assured.

Hermione found herself incredibly comforted by this untold promise as she finished lunch, she turned to Neville and kissed his cheek, he blushed a little. 'Thank you,' Hermione said sincerely.

Later that day, they were in the Library, she had a lot of books in front of her but was reading nothing, the womb of the girl printed in her head. He had left her pregnant, and wasn't going to see his son or daughter grow up. That was awful. She turned the page and saw the letters, but they didn't make any sense at all. A child, Luna was carrying Ron's child! She was brought back to reality.

'Hermione!'

She heard Neville's voice from faraway and turned her head to him. 'Huh?'

'Here, look!'

It was a very old book they had found in the history section of the library –the one less visited-, it was called Wizardkind and its Untold Legends by Morcelus Gridfold. Hermione read out loud:

'…generations of generations have always told they were a now extinct ancient race of wizards that used to be the kings' knights, their warriors. All Warlocks were born under the protection of a star and with a specific mission apart from protecting their king.

Warlocks were very powerful but they had one weakness, their capacity to love. They loved deeply and a warlock could be annulled if he lost all of its love. Love was the source and the end of their power. After losing love, they became more vulnerable than a normal wizard, almost a muggle.

That weakness led the ancient kings –who were usually the most powerful and skilled Warlocks- to join their powers and give part of their own self to create a thread of life, a saviour for the saviours. A Protector would appear whenever a Warlock was under a deadly peril before their time or before they fulfilled their mission. However, a Protectors' powers extended beyond Warlocks and within their mission, they would also appear to save certain wizards or witches that had a destiny to accomplish.

Protectors would be sheltered in the body of a powerful witch or wizard of each generation of Warlocks or would just materialise when needed. Whichever way, a Protector would never be a whole being, for it was only pure magical energy with a purpose…' she finished and looked up with a sympathetic look. 'That is terrible! The Protector must have some kind of feelings, how would-' she stopped to examine her friend's face.

Neville looked utterly disconcerted at this discovery. He returned Hermione's look and finally managed a few words. 'So, the Protector lives inside me,' he finished in an unemotional way.

That explained so much! Even Neville's hard time with memory in his first years of school. The Protector would be taking form inside him when he'd started using magic regularly so his mind would be trying to accommodate itself to this "outsider". Wow! This was definitely amazing.

They looked for things about the protector the whole next day. Ginny dropped in to take them for lunch and Luna was with her. She hadn't lost that dreamy look, but deep in her eyes, you could see the lingering sadness of a lost lover and father to her child.

Hermione looked up and smiled sympathetically at the younger girl. 'Hello Luna, how are you today?' she asked tentatively.

Luna focused on her. 'I am doing just fine, I miss Ronald very much but it's how things are now,' she said naturally.

Hermione definitely wasn't expecting this answer from her and was a little taken aback by her fluid answer. It had been little more than four months, but it didn't seem enough at all to deal with it all. She had simply put Ron in the back of her mind, avoiding any situation that might bring the subject up, because she had definitely not dealt directly with it.

Sure, all the anger and grieve had been of great help back in Rome, when she had to kill or be killed, stun or be stunned. She just put those feelings atop of her mind and channelled all of them to the Death Eaters, and to be honest, she had rather enjoyed making them suffer. At first, it had scared her, but then she had figured it had been a self-preservation mechanism and that it wasn't her nature.

This had also put a small wall between her and Harry, being with Draco had been a very good way of distancing herself from it all, and sometimes she felt she had used him, but deep down inside she knew it wasn't true. The sole fact of Harry having been his best friend was a constant reminder that he wasn't there anymore and wouldn't come back, and that was certainly too painful to endure when they weren't in lie or death situations.

She was shrugged out of her thoughts by Ginny pulling at her sleeve. 'Are you coming or have you been sucked by the Bermuda Triangle of Hermione's mind?' she asked amused.

Hermione turned to her and blinked. How could she act like if nothing had happened? He had been her brother after all... She felt the door of her memories starting to open and closed it immediately, forcing a smile and again pushing him way behind in her mind. 'Yeah, sorry'

'It is very interesting to watch you fight yourself, Hermione,' Luna mused with a small smile as they both tried to catch up with the other two.

Hermione looked at her. 'I beg your pardon?' she asked puzzled.

'You know what I'm talking about,' she smiled sweetly. 'I do that myself sometimes too, but I try not to hold it back, it's bad for the baby, you know?'

Hermione stopped and regarded her with an intense gaze. 'How can you be so calm?' she asked a little annoyed at the girl's attitude.

Luna blinked at her. 'What do you mean? I love this baby,' she put a hand over her slightly swollen belly, 'he or she is going to be a part of Ronald I'll always have with me, and that makes me happy'

Hermione thought of it for a moment, she wasn't like other girls, she could now see why Ron had loved her so much and some part of her was jealous of such a simple and pure love. 'I'm glad. You know we will be there for anything you need, right?'

Luna nodded with a big smile. 'Yes, I know. Ginny has been of a lot of support, she's very strong. I'm very grateful Ronald had such wonderful friends,' she assured.

Hermione smiled at her as they reached Ginny and Neville, guess each person is different, she mused as she looked at the three ahead of her. She was glad that Neville and Ginny were apparently on normal speaking terms again.

Christmas was close, and Ginny would be coming to Grimmauld Place to spend the holidays there. Hermione and Neville had told them all about the Protector and they had looked for any information about him or Warlocks in the past. Apparently, there had been very few Warlocks in the last centuries, and they hadn't been written about except in books for small children, as myths.

Harry and Draco were about to give up in regards of all this, but they would give it a chance till Ginny got to the Headquarters. Throughout these months, they had grown pretty close, they were now used to all this mental connection despite they still called each other by their last names. "Old habits die hard" had been the conclusion to which they had come.

After Harry had fully recovered, Albus –as they had been forced to start calling him- had explained to them what had happened that day in Rome, and the connection they had developed when Draco's powers had been awoken to save Harry.

At first, they had been shocked and tried to push each other away in regards to keep their own mind to themselves with very little success. Eventually, they had both given up and given in.

They were now finishing reading the whole Library of the Black family and the Order's also, and nothing. Draco was sitting in the writing desk, while Harry paged through the book from a very comfortable position on the floor, and Neville sat on an overstuffed sofa in front of the fireplace with a couple of books on his lap. Hermione, having said that they were impossible to share a nice reading evening with, had gone with her stack of books to her room.

Neville usually sat with the other two boys to read and make it a little less heavy, but he really didn't feel part of that little circle they had made. Today, he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts, and although he had quite a big share of books to go through, he was only passing the pages.

Suddenly, Draco threw the books and took his hands to his always-perfect silvery blond hair, leaning back on the chair. Harry looked up and blinked, Neville did so too for a moment and then went back to his book.

'Don't want to read anymore, my eyes are crossed and I'll be damned if I ever let these beauties be ruined by some books,' he explained.

Harry raised an eyebrow. 'You're such a pussy Malfoy. Oh! my pretty eyes are going to be ruined if I read more,' he said in a mocking voice.

Neville regarded them for a second and rolled his eyes with a smile and a slight tinge of jealousy.

'Shut up Potter; the fact that you haven't got much to lose with those eyes doesn't concern me,' he stated.

Harry left his book and sat up right. 'Why, let me tell you my dear Malfoy that a lot of girls fall for these green beauties,' he said with a smirk.

'Yeah right,' he said and rolled his eyes. He did think Harry had very pretty eyes, but that had been a part he had learned to block from him with the Occlumency lessons Dumbledore had started giving them both when they had figured out this connection they had.

Out of the blue, Harry's thoughts changed from joking around to dead serious and Draco cocked his head to aside with a slightly puzzled expression. To most people, it would be almost imperceptible, but not to Harry. He locked his eyes on his friend.

'They are a reminder of my mum's sacrifice,' Harry said seriously.

Draco sobered as well, Harry barely spoke of his parents, and he had never done in front of him. 'Why do you talk about this all of a sudden?' he asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

Neville looked up too. He had only talked about his parents out loud once that he could remember, in their sixth year, when they had all been forced to take some sort of group therapy.

'I—I read about this protection spell. Dumbledore had told me about it, but I had never looked it up. It is ancient magic that has its basis in love, the source of our power,' he said softly.

'So you're saying your mother was a Warlock?'

'No, she was just a very powerful witch. Did you ever know the whole story?' Draco stared; waiting for him to continue, Harry took a breath. 'They were betrayed, by one of their best friends. She knew they were in danger to be betrayed, so she cast this spell on me. And she was murdered by Voldemort himself; she and my father,' he said.

'Was the spell that powerful?'

'Yes, it was. For what I see, she reached a Warlock's power level for once, and she bought me my life'

Neville jumped in on this. 'That is a little hard on it, don't you reckon?' he started. Harry looked at him and he sensed the fact that he wanted this moment just with Malfoy. He bit his bottom lip, once more feeling like the third wheel. 'Anyway, I got to go now, I'll see you at dinner,' he tried to sound normal and was surprised to hear a nonchalant and not hurt voice coming from his mouth.

'See you at dinner,' Harry said as Neville walked out.

Finally Christmas break had come and they would go to the Ravenclaw Castle to make the final arrangements to the prism that would open the chest in the end.

Using one of the Prisms of Odeon had been an idea of Rowena, she didn't feel so confident on just putting all the quests, for anyone could open it if they were clever enough. No, it had to be their own blood that opened the Chest. The Chest of Power was not to be opened ever again after this.

To just see what the Symbio had created while using Salazar's powers was enough to not even want to imagine what could happen with more power in the wrong hands.

There were only three Prisms of Odeon left in the world, and they had managed to get one of them. It would work as a multiplier to the power of those who had activated it. With the size of a walnut and a reddish glow, no one would imagine how powerful it could be if the right spells were used in them.

'It is so good to be back home!' Helga exclaimed as she dropped her trunk inside her and Salazar's room, which was the first stop in the long corridor of the third floor, where the main Chambers were located.

'Even if it's only for a little while, I've grown very attached to this place, I must admit,' Salazar commented to his friends as he dropped his own trunk inside the huge bedroom. He placed a kiss in Helga's cheek and she smiled widely.

'Now all we have left to do is cast those blasted spells and this whole nightmare will be over!' Godric said gleefully. It wouldn't be nearly over, but that burden would be off their shoulders and they would only have to worry about Salazar trying to beat the Symbio out of him, which was nearly impossible but it was worth a try.

'Right, you'll be able to get rid of me, won't you eh? Well, let me tell you something "friend", I will stick around, and this weak being inside me will be lost forever!' he let of a sinister laugh.

Helga froze as he heard Salazar speak those words. No matter how long it had been or how often they would hear it, it always pained her deeply to see her losing her beloved Salazar.

'Let me tell you, that it is you inside his body, so get out of my head! You disgust me!' Godric yelled angrily; he was already pointing at the Symbio, to stun him.

'Oh no you won't! Bombarda!' the Symbio yelled and Godric flew backwards, hitting the wall and falling unconscious. 'Oh my! That feels so good!' he exclaimed.

'Stop it, you monster!'

'Salazar, please don't,' Helga pleaded.

'You make me sick woman! And to imagine that he's fallen in love with you! You finally got it your way, didn't you?'

Helga froze once again, had he really said Salazar had fallen in love with her? Her eyes went wide and she threw herself to Salazar. 'Oh I love you! Please come back to me!' she cried.

'Geroff me!' The Symbio pushed her away and pointed his fingers at her. 'Stupefy!' he yelled and it hit Helga square in the chest. 'No! You evil bastard!' he yelled and let out an agony scream as he sunk to the floor next to Helga. 'I am so sorry!' he sobbed softly. It was so frustrating to have no control over your own body, and it wore him off completely.

Rowena had run to Godric and healed him immediately. When the Symbio stunned Helga, she gasped and silent tears escaped her eyes despite Salazar had out powered it this time. If he's done that, then he has very little chance now, she thought sadly as Salazar carried her to the Chamber in silence.

Neville walked out of the Library of Grimmauld Place; so many feelings were mixed inside him right now, he could barely think straight. The Christmas atmosphere could be felt throughout the whole house. It was obvious that they considered it their home now and that it was their little sanctuary, away from the war, the deaths, Lord Voldemort and everything out there. He entered the Hall, the only place that wasn't decorated in order to not disturb the less insufferable portraits.

He stopped and took a deep, steadying breath, glancing back at the door that led to the Library. Harry and Draco, who would've thought it; the two most known wizards of his year, former sworn enemies were now in the middle of a deep conversation. They were both very powerful and from what he'd managed to figure out, they were keys in the defeat of Voldemort.

Indeed, he was jealous. Not of the power, for he had it too, but of that thing he'd never have… being the Protector of them was definitely a great honour, one he would carry to his grave. Not that he had chosen it, but he was proud of it… not a whole being ever, he thought. Yes, he was Neville Longbottom, member of the Order of the Phoenix and future Auror, and protector of two of the greatest wizards his generation withheld, but still.

He paced up and down the entrance hall of the headquarters, trying to get his thoughts organised and his feelings towards this whole thing sorted, but he couldn't. He had never faced something like this, given the choice at the beginning, and knowing what would've become of this in the first place, not when he was so involved.

He felt like running, like screaming, like tearing his heart out and tossing it aside so he wouldn't experience all this angst. Not just because of the dichotomy within him, but because he didn't really feel at place here… he didn't consider himself of part of that group and he would definitely never fill in for the hole that Ron had left in the trio / foursome. Maybe Draco would be filling that space, even if he'd been an enemy to them for so long, he was fitting in much better than him. Hell! He'd even been with Hermione and apparently, Ginny and him had also had some kind of close encounter, seeing the facts. He couldn't even have his beloved Ginny, one he had almost worshipped for nearly three years… sure, he had been jealous of Harry when she'd been with him, but he knew they weren't meant for each other. And he hoped she would give him a chance after it was over, but no, that wasn't about to happen… not to him, not to Neville Longbottom or the Protector for that matter.

'Glad he went away, aren't we?' Draco asked with a small smirk.

'Stay out of my head, for Merlin's sake!' Harry snapped and slumped to the armchair Neville had been occupying moments ago. He still had the book in his hands and stared at it blankly.

'Hey! Not my fault, remember,' Draco pointed out to the back of the armchair.

'Actually, it is your fault,' Harry said and threw the book into the merrily burning fire.

'Right, so I should've let you die back there,' he replied, annoyed. 'Oy! The book had nothing to do with it!' Draco said as the thick book started to consume. He frowned and came closer to where Harry was, a little worry at what he was sensing from the other boy.

'Not that it will matter in the end,' Harry replied wearily.

'What do you mean?' he asked a little taken aback, more than he'd expected, truth be told.

'I mean, look at me Malfoy? What do you see?'

Draco raised an eyebrow. 'Uhm... a slightly psychotic bloke?' he asked with a smirk.

'NO!' Harry said in a slightly broken voice and looked up at his friend. He noticed the other boy's beautiful features being accentuated by the slightly dim light coming from the torches on the walls. His eyes fell back to the burning fire; he stared into the orange-yellow flames and he could still make out the book he'd thrown burning in its core.

Draco frowned and looked at him. 'I think you've read too much, you're just tired. You need to relax,' he said and walked to the piano, resting on the far corner of the huge room. He sat down and started playing a piece of Chopin beautifully.

With his head still bowed, Harry took his hands to his already messy hair and looked up at the other boy; the music sounded just like he felt at the moment; bleak and helpless. Harry could make out from Draco's mind that it was Chopin's Op.28. It was amazing how just a few months back they had hated each other to death. So many things had changed in such a short time, and Harry felt as if the imminent was coming, and he didn't think he was ready for it.

Everything looked so different for him now; so many people had died to save an protect him, including his best friend. There was some unknown force coming towards them and he felt he'd have to face it in the end, whether he wanted it or no.

It seemed to him that his eyes had changed; but it was much deeper than that. It was the other boy's soul in his now, and the same the other way round. He stood up and walked across the room; placing a hand on the shining black wooden surface of the piano.

Draco didn't stop playing, he just looked up and smiled at Harry, who walked a few steps around the music device and sat next to him. He put his fingers on the keys and felt the warm sensation of the music wrap him; his fingers urged to follow the so familiar, yet unknown rhythm. He entered in when the duo forte started.

'You really think you're alone. You really want to do this by yourself.' It was more of a statement than a question, he continued, 'you're not immortal, you know?' he said in a flat tone, every emotion he could be feeling at the moment gone from his voice, but Harry knew better.

'I won't let anyone else die. You're not immortal either, you cannot save me every time,' Harry answered as the music continued under their fingers. I can't let it happen again. First my mother and father, then Hagrid, then Ron. I can't ask you to—'

'That's exactly the point. You can, but you won't. You're going to take the tragic-world hero position just so you can go and get yourself killed for the so-said "greater good",' Draco said calmly, as if he were talking about bath towels.

Harry stopped playing with a dissonant bang on the black and white keys. Draco flinched for a split second but kept playing, refusing to look at him.

Harry stood up. 'Why won't you understand? It's not my choice to make! My being the boy who bloody lived has its own implications! It is not as easy as being yourself, a Malfoy'

Now Draco did stop playing and Harry immediately regretted having said that last thing. 'Harry James Potter, I can't believe you're using that as an excuse, especially after I very conveniently gave up being a Malfoy to help you. I would've expected you to be a little less lame when saying you just want me gone!'

'I. Do not. Have. A choice!' he snapped with suppressed rage, feeling his temper rise.

Draco stood up and now he did look at Harry. Despite his face was as blank as a sheet of paper and his eyes cold as icicles, he could recognise every single emotion that was going through his friend. He pulled himself to his full height, and although he wasn't much taller than Harry, his posture made him seem much taller than he actually was. 'You are such a little slimy coward,' he just said with disdain.

Harry narrowed his eyes. 'You have no idea what you are talking about,' he responded, barely able to keep from blowing up himself. Unfortunately, the shelves weren't as lucky as he was; they blew apart and none of them flinched the least bit; they just glared at each other.

'Really? Why don't you enlighten me?' Draco said defiantly.

'I don't owe you any explanation,' Harry said slowly.

'I would think you do, Potter. If I remember well, I saved your life not too long ago,' he said in a much more relaxed tone, but he was everything but relaxed; as a matter of fact, he was shaking a little with suppressed anger.

When he heard Draco's voice relax, he couldn't hold it back anymore; all his will power wasn't enough to hold his temper. 'That's exactly my point!' he yelled. 'If it hadn't been for you, Malfoy, I would be dead right now. I wasn't ready, I'll never be ready!' he finally burst out all that had been circling his mind the past months, throughout his recovery.

'Chill out Potter! Stop it with the self-pitying rubbish! I've seen it all before, you make me sick!' he said with disgust. 'So yes, you weren't ready, deal with it!' he snapped, his face inches from Harry's. 'You will be ready someday, before you know it,' Draco added finally, in a much calmer tone.

'See? That's just what I'm talking about. Even you think I'm something I'm so obviously not! Everyone will have died in vane and I will be the one to blame for it all,' he threw his arms in the air in frustration and then covered his face with both hands.

Draco sagged, he could now feel all the angst in Harry, that one he'd been so fiercely hiding all this time. He came closer and put a hand on his shoulder; Harry lowered his hands and regarded the fine, blond boy in front of him through big eyes; they looked like a little puppy's emeralds.

He looked lost, he looked frightened, something Draco had never seen; he had always known Potter the captain, the leader of the DA, the Warlock, Gryffindor's heir, The boy who lived... But he had never seen this little boy and it was heart wrenching, even for someone that had grown to feel and show no emotion at all.

He sighed. 'Look, the thing here is that you have it in you, but you can't do it alone. You can't be the sole bearer of the world on your shoulders. You're not Superman, you know?'

Harry looked at him for a few moments and then a small smile drew itself on his lips. 'Superman? Where did you learn about him?'

'Hermione,' he just answered and smiled back. 'So, did you get over with your tragic-hero show? It was quite entertaining to be true,' he returned to his usual self.

Harry's smile widened a little, he couldn't believe how important this boy had become for him. 'I think I may have a little in store for—.' He didn't finish, for tearing screams had broken throughout the house. He winced and took his hands to his ears. Draco did the same and frowned, motioning with his face to the door of the Library.

Part two – The future they withhold

His heart thumped fiercely as his steps became louder and louder in the hall. Finally he stopped in front of the stairs and stared at them for a moment, losing all trail of thought and letting space for only these feelings to go away… why wouldn't they just go away? He groaned and kicked the stair-post hard, making the troll-leg-umbrella tremble and fall with a loud thud. Granted, Mrs. Black –whose portrait they hadn't been able to bring down after all this time- started screaming at the top of her lungs.

Neville took his hands to his ears, trying to make the sound die down with little success. 'Stop it you old hag! For crying out loud!' Neville screamed at the portrait.

'WHAT A DISGRACE! A PUREBLOOD IN THIS HOUSE, HELPING THESE SCUM!' she screamed back.

'Shut the bloody hell up!' He felt his temper rising, the emotions he'd been trying to suppress blossoming with no looking back.

Remus appeared from the kitchen, eyes wide with shock. 'What on earth is going on here?'

As soon as Mrs. Black registered his presence, her "attention" turned to him. 'THE HALF-BREED! THE BLOOD TRAITOR'S BEST FRIEND. HE'S STILL HERE! HOW DARE YOU BEFOUL THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS, YOU FILTHY—'

'What in the name of Merlin is your problem? You are the one who is disgraceful. Thinking that you've got it all! Thinking that you are better than everyone and everything!'

Just then, Harry and Draco came out of the Library, looking startled at the apparent competition of who-can-scream-louder between Neville and Mrs. Black. Harry looked dishevelled, not just because of the commotion and Draco held his amused / controlled position as usual, looking only the least bit perturbed.

Hermione came down from the stairs. 'Someone please shut her up! I'm trying to study here!' she yelled.

'… YOU SHOLD ALL BE PUNISHED FOR DISHONOURING THE ANCIENT AND MOST NOBLE HOUSE OF BLACK! THE DARK LORD WILL HAVE YOUR HEADS, YOU STAINS OF DISHONOUR, CHILDREN OF FILTH…'

Remus made void acknowledgement to Mrs. Black's insults and started towards the curtains, so she would stop yelling, but Neville was ahead of him and had started yelling and shaking uncontrollably with rage.

'THAT'S IT! YOU'LL SHUT UP RIGHT NOW! VOLDEMORT ISN'T BUT A WANNABE WORLD DICTATOR AND THEY ARE SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU EVER ACCOMPLISHED IN YOUR PITYFUL LIFE!' Neville didn't even know why he was arguing with a portrait, but he had to let it all out… or some of it at least. He had to convince himself of the place he held here and where he wanted to be.

They all gaped at him as his body started emanating a faint but growing bright aura. Neville raised his arms as he spoke and the aura became more visible and powerful. Finally, from his hands came beams of icy white light and hit Mrs. Black's portrait square in the centre.

She shut up for a second before letting out one more ear-tearing scream and blowing up as her voice died down with 'YOU SHALL PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE—.' The huge portrait fell from the wall, face down.

Remus' eyes were wide with shock, he knew what Neville was, but never thought he could canalise all that power when Neville was "in charge". He must be experiencing a horrible tense moment for that to come out, he thought. He saw the silent tears that had wetted his cheeks and felt like going to comfort him, but knew better not to.

Neville stared at what he'd just done. He felt much relieved now that some of it had come out of his chest, once and for all. For what he'd heard, they had been trying unsuccessfully to bring her down for years. Moments later, when the astonishment had passed, he noticed something dark blue behind the ruined and firing drapes and the rests of the once insufferable portrait. He frowned and walked nearer to get a better view, followed closely by Harry, Draco and Hermione.

Remus started that way also, but something told him he should just stay behind and see what the children discovered. He watched intently, his wand ready for any emergency.

Neville pushed aside the rests of the "sanctuary" and his eyes landed on some letters he'd seen in the attic:

The Noble and most Ancient

House of Black

"Toujours Pur"

Harry looked as bewildered as Neville felt, Hermione was staring at it with utter interest and Draco just watched with lazy curiosity and elegant detachment. They all darted forward to try and see closely what this all was about.

Neville read the rest of the tapestry, it seemed as a family tree, but as far as Neville could tell, it started in the Middle Ages. He scrolled down with his eyes and they landed on a Salazar Slytherin, linked in a line of gold to a Helga Hufflepuff, next to a Godric Gryffindor, linked to a Rowena Ravenclaw. He gasped and turned to Hermione. 'Is this-?' He didn't even need to finish at the sight of the others' faces.

Remus came up and examined the Family Tree from behind the four heads. 'The Black Family from the Founders times! That is amazing!' he exclaimed.

'Well, at least we're clear on the Most Ancient part now,' Draco commented idly as he studied the tapestry.

Harry quickly scanned it all and then his eyes stopped in something that wasn't quite all right. Godric and Rowena's line was double gold, while Salazar and Helga's was single; he turned to Hermione. 'What's that supposed to mean?' he asked her.

Hermione narrowed her eyes in concentration as she studied the relations. Finally she came to her conclusion. 'Apparently Helga and Salazar didn't marry, but they had offspring.' She pointed with her finger, following the vertical line, 'Sargeant Slytherin, see?' she demonstrated.

Draco followed the lines of marriages and offspring down, trying to place the names of his family ancestors there; hours of studying the noblest history of the Malfoy's paid off somehow. He gasped and they all turned to him, Draco barely ever showed any unplanned change of mood. 'It's all clear now…' he muttered to himself.

'You don't really think you-?' Harry started, before anyone could ask anything.

Draco turned to him. 'Yes, I think that is quite right,' he assured.

Neville, Hermione and Remus looked at each other in confusion. Hermione spoke, 'what's that supposed to mean?' she asked, annoyed she didn't have an answer.

Both Draco and Harry started talking at the same time, immediately, Harry quieted and let Draco explain. 'Remember that time when me and Ginny went to the Forbidden Forest to see the centaurs?'

Hermione nodded, still trying to connect the pieces. Draco continued.

'Well, they also told me-' He glanced at Harry, as if letting him know he was about to say it, he nodded and Draco continued, 'they said I was to be a pillar for him,' he directed Harry a pointed glance.

Hermione nodded slowly. 'Yyes, and?' she inquired.

Draco sighed. 'They directed me as "The Living Heir". I didn't quite—' he didn't finish, for Hermione had gasped; meaning, that she had put it all together.

'Merlin's beard! So you are the heir of Slytherin? I mean, we did have a faint clue… but this is—it is big!' she exclaimed.

'Hm,' was Draco's response to her amazement. He broke a small, almost imperceptible smile; she looked very beautiful when she had found an answer.

Neville listened intently at this whole explanation. It made much more sense now; very powerful wizards, Warlocks; heirs o the houses of Gryffindor and Slytherin. He laughed softly and then noticed something behind the tapestry. He frowned and moved it aside to let show something brown.

Harry followed his gaze and leaned closer to see what it was. He flinched in surprise and glanced over at Lupin, who was looking just as bewildered. Remus nodded and prepared for anything.

Neville lifted his hand, and it travelled down an old wooden door, with black metal hinges on the sides and an ornate black handle, which portrayed a raven's head. Neville tried pushing it, but couldn't. He looked back at his friends for some sort of answer.

They all tried to Alohamora it, no use. They tried pushing the door, nothing happened. Lupin had helped them with the troll-leg umbrella so they would try it the old muggle way, but it was still unsuccessful.

'Why can't we open it?' Harry protested like a little child that had been denied his biggest present on Christmas day.

After seeing what Salazar had done, Godric started to fear what he'd known all the way but hadn't wanted to accept it; it was –as Salazar had put it- a losing battle. Despite the Will Strengthening potion Helga had started to make for him, they were losing Salazar and there was nothing they could do about it.

He had even started to fear that the love he had for Rowena -a love that had never died- wouldn't keep her safe anymore. He loved Helga now and in spite of that, he had attacked her, Godric decided it was time to take another measure, one that he didn't like, but had to be done. He had gone to the Bonding Archwizard -the one that had made Rowena's bracelet- and asked him to make two mirrors, two two-way mirrors. He would give one to Rowena in Christmas, and he would keep the other. That way, if she ever needed him because of Salazar or any other threat, she would be able to contact him.

Meanwhile, the stunning spell Salazar had thrown to Helga had lasted much more than it usually did and he was starting to worry, thinking he'd done permanent damage of some sort. Godric and Rowena came and went from the room to check on their friend, but Godric knew Salazar would much rather see them as less as possible; at least until Helga woke.

After several hours had passed, it was well past midnight and tiresome was getting the best of him. He was lying next to her with a protective arm around the woman he loved and his eyes were heavier with every passing minute.

When he was about to drift off for good, he felt her stirring and his eyes flew open, he sat up a little and set his pale balls moving fast to scan every part of her. 'Helga?' he asked tentatively.

Without opening her eyes, she smiled a little. 'Good to wake with you next to me,' she said in what she tried as a seductive tone but came out more like a croak.

Salazar smiled back a little and sighed in relieve as he kissed her temple. 'Glad you are back. Don't do that again, you gave me a big scare for a moment there.'

Helga was the only one that saw Salazar Slytherin in that rather sappy attitude and she loved it. She cleared her throat and opened her eyes, wincing a little. 'Seems like someone got a little worried, eh?' she asked as nonchalant as possible, trying as best as she could to hide the smile.

'You bet I did. You've been out for hours'

'Well, your spell was pretty nasty,' she asserted.

'I said I was sorry,' he defended.

She reached for his face and kissed him. 'It's ok, I'm ok now'

'But why did it affect you so much?' he asked, sincerely concerned.

She hesitated for a moment. 'Let's just say I'm a little weak,' she said vaguely.

'What do you mean? Are you sick?'

'Uhm… not exactly'

'Then what is it?'

She figured she couldn't hide it anymore; that he wouldn't give up anytime soon so she let out a deep sigh. 'I—I got something to tell you,' she started. Salazar frowned, not sure what to think of this. Helga took a deep breath and continued, 'I'm… expecting a child,' she finally blunted out and searched for a hint on Salazar's eyes of how he would take this.

He gaped at her for what seemed an eternity and then blinked, still not saying anything.

Helga couldn't help the anxiousness and decided to speak. 'So? What have you got to say to this?'

He seemed to finally had regained the ability to speak, or part of it. 'Huh? I… uh—'

'You what? You're killing me here!'

He shook his head. 'Do you mean, you're bearing an heir to me?'

She raised an eyebrow. 'No, I'm bearing your child,' she corrected.

'Right, that'

'Then?' she pressed.

At last, he snapped out of it and blinked again at her, moments later a huge grin drew itself on his face and he lifted and spun Helga around. 'That's wonderful! I—I have absolutely no words to—'

The door slammed open, and both Godric and Rowena bursted in, wand in hand. 'What's the matter? What's all the yelling about?' Godric inquired. They were both half dressed; obviously, they had been caught in the less appropriate time.

Helga and Salazar looked at them and smiled. 'We're having a baby!' Salazar cried out in joy.

'Excuse me?' Rowena demanded and gave her friend a killing glare.

'I—I'm sorry, I was going to tell you tonight but—'

'That's wonderful!' she squeaked and jumped to hug her.

Godric came up to his best friend and clapped him hard on the back. 'Mate, you're the master,' he said with a proud smile.

The house was beautifully decorated, golden lights hung from the once dark and grim walls. A huge Christmas tree had been brought from a nearby forest, and they had all decorated it with their own magic.

They had sorted it into four sides and it had turned out to be that Harry and Hermione had got one side, Draco and Ginny got another, Neville and Remus the third one, and Mrs. Weasley and Dumbledore the last one. It was a very amusing sight if you went around the tree; you could pretty much distinguish four different trees there.

Draco and Ginny's flank had been particularly noisy; they had argued over and over again and each time they told the other to sod off; the rest would just roll their eyes and Mrs. Weasley would snap at her youngest daughter for her choosing of words. It had red and silver hangings; and blue, silver and gold adorns that had been almost systematically placed, much to Ginny's annoyance, but she looked happy in the end. The lights that decorated it around were just plain yellow-silver ones. All in all, it was a very elegant and simply-decorated tree; normally it would seem shallow, but there were a couple of "addings" –by Ginny- that gave it a lively spark.

Harry and Hermione's side had been much more merry; they had even sung a couple of Christmas songs, gaining more than one cocked head and raised eyebrow from the infamous Draco Malfoy with this. If you had to call it something, the word warmer could describe it fairly well.

The lights were multicoloured, the adorns were red and green, and there were little Santas, Rudolphs and Merlins –that looked more like old hags wearing red dressing robes- sprinkled around. Having grown up in muggle homes, they had mixed some of that tradition with the wizard one. You could say that they were randomly placed; presumably thanks to Harry's "un-messy" ways, but if you looked a little closer you could see Hermione's hand being played amply all over it. Their hangings, unlike Ginny and Draco's were white and gold; sort of gullible but rather elegant.

Neville and Remus' part was very much a traditional wizardring homes'. The hangings showed candles that really burned, candy canes that ate themselves and then appeared again, Santa being pulled by some kind of flying horses instead of reindeers, and instead of hangings, they had cast falling snow over the pine tree that would disappear when it was too much. The only particular thing that Harry noticed was a stag, a black dog and what appeared to be a dire-wolf –but Harry assumed it was a werewolf-, all dressed in Christmas outfits. Remus stared at it with a distant melancholy when he thought no one was watching, but Harry new better. He just sighed and decided to enjoy the falling snow over their tree.

When Dumbledore and Mrs. Weasley were done, you could very easily differ which one had chosen which decorations. In the only thing that they had managed to agree was in the hangings; which were an intermittent concert of the four colours of the houses at Hogwarts. What was really sweet for all five of them was that they had also agreed into putting small adorns with the pictures of each of the current inhabitants of Grimmauld Place, plus the rest of the Weasleys… including Ron.

At seeing this, Harry felt the old sadness of the memory of his friend. He also realised with terrible dread that this was actually going to be the first Christmas he wouldn't be spending with his best friend. He felt a knot form in his throat and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was surprised to meet pair of grey eyes staring fixedly at him, trying to read all this emotion Harry was experiencing right now. He took a deep breath and managed a small but sad smile and a nod. He received one in exchange and they both returned to what they were doing.

They hadn't told Ginny about their finding yet, after Remus' persuasion. They would wait until after Christmas Eve was over to carry on whatever they had planned; a small time warp of peace in whatever was expecting them in what they feared wouldn't be too long.

So Christmas Eve had come and they had a marvellous dinner with all the inner members of the Order and the Weasleys. They were all happy, but Harry knew that in the back of their minds was the same as in his… there was someone missing. He confirmed this in Hermione too when he studied her eyes; but he was surprised that she wasn't letting in any of it. She usually didn't hold that act for so long, she would hold it while there were people around, but then she would open up to him… but again, many things had changed for them both in a very short period of time.

Dinner was over and it was time to open the presents; they had resolved that instead of waiting till the next morning, they would open their presents at midnight; and so it was… Harry received seven gifts and was so happy about them all; despite most of them were old books. He was even more surprised at Draco's gift; he hadn't really expected something from him, and when he saw the elegant grey bow with a green ribbon wrapping it, he couldn't help the grin. At opening it, his eyes widened when seeing a very expensive looking Rolex made of stainless steel… or so the box said.

Harry looked up at him, puzzled. 'I thought you hated everything muggle-related?' he asked.

'Well, as I told you, you got to thank beautiful brunette for it. Let's just say that the stinky muggles have some things that are worth it,' he said with a sneer. 'Oh, and it's not just a watch. It becomes an invisibility device that grants you undetected presence for a couple of minutes. I thought it could come in handy some day,' he assured and was definitely very proud of his gift.

'Blimey! Thanks Malfoy!'

'Yeah, I know you love me. You don't need to praise my genius,' he said with a smirk.

'I—think you went too far with that, but thank you anyway,' Harry said with an amused grin.

When it came for Harry to give Hermione her gift, he took out a small golden box, with a transparent bow wrapping it. 'Merry Christmas Mione,' he said with a smile and kissed her cheek.

She smiled back. 'Thank you Harry!' she said with her eyes set in the beautiful package as she opened it. When she finished undoing it, she opened the small box and gasped at a rock that had a misty glow in it. 'Wow! This is beautiful!' she exclaimed.

'I found it months ago and did some research. It is supposed to be a Vie Liason Charm,' he said and continued at Hermione's puzzled expression. 'It's sort of a Life Thread Charm. It is supposed to carry the sparkle of your life in it and it can save your life and tell whoever sees it, how stable it is at that moment,' he was saying as he undid the lock, 'I'm going to need some of your blood,' he said softly.

Hermione frowned at first and then stretched her palm so he could take whatever quantity he might need; he only took on drop and it fell on the back of the bracelet. He muttered some words and then turned it around after the blood had sunk in it. 'It only works if certain conditions are fulfilled... I just hope I'm the right person…' he muttered as he put the bracelet on her hand.

The mist started to dissipate and then wrap itself around something Hermione assumed was her own blood. A second later, it went back to the misty whitish smoke it was at the beginning.

She saw Harry's expression darken horribly for a split second, and then in the centre of the Charm, a small spark started to glow inside the blue rock. She noticed Harry grin widely, as if he'd just confirmed something.

She met his eyes and then he kissed her cheek again. 'Thank you,' he just said and went back to his place with the same grin all the way.

Next, it was turn for Harry to give Draco his Christmas gift. To be honest, he had considered very thoroughly what to get him or if to get him something. He would've never thought he would be giving Draco Malfoy a gift, and moreso… thinking so much about it!

Finally he made a choice. Maybe it would be too much, but to him it was some kind of official welcome to the group and a sign that he trusted him completely. Harry looked up at the blond boy and took a deep breath; he crossed the living room in three long strides and gave Draco a very roughly wrapped package –like all of his presents, except for Hermione's-. 'Merry Christmas Malfoy,' he said with a smile.

Draco examined him and took the package, wondering what he was so nervous about. He studied it and looked up at Harry with a smirk. 'Got to work a little on your wrapping abilities Potter… did you remember you were a wizard?' he said very smoothly.

Harry rolled his eyes. 'Shut up Malfoy! And bloody open it,' he said a little annoyed.

He chuckled and slowly opened it, enjoying very much the eager face Harry was displaying at the moment, worth a thousand galleons if you asked him. When he saw what was inside, he frowned at first and slid his hand over the leather-bound cover. He looked up at Harry, who made a gesture that clearly said "Please open it"; he did so.

To say he was astounded at what he saw was saying way too little. He couldn't quite describe the emotions that were passing through him. It was warm and cold; it was nervous and reassured; if you could put it in one word, it was—it was overwhelming.

He was looking at several muggle and wizardring pictures. As he turned the pages, he saw who he took as Harry's parents and the infamous marauders pose as a big happy family; go on Hogsmaede weekends; graduate from Hogwarts; get married; beautiful Lily Potter holding a new-born Harry; a gleeful Sirius Black and a mischievous-looking James Potter posing like brothers with a whole life ahead of them. He also saw a Christmas picture where they all looked so happy it was almost like in those muggle frame portraits.

As he went on, there was a time warp to what appeared to be Harry's first year at Hogwarts, when he looked so small and clueless. Draco looked up at Harry with an unreadable expression and felt himself drawn to a reality when that wobbly boy was almost an adult. He looked back down at the boy with too-big muggle clothes and his friends; the sacred trio waving at him as they went through third year. When he saw Harry and Hermione at the Yule Ball, a strange sensation took over his stomach; he raised his hand and placed a delicate finger on a very beautiful Hermione, and then they travelled to Harry, looking almost peaceful as they both stared at the stars.

Who would've thought it? He said in his head and Harry smiled at him warmly, knowing with just those intangible words that the gift had been perfect.

When Draco had finished with the photo album, he looked around and noticed everybody staring at him in silence; he shrugged, 'What?'

Just then, Dumbledore stood and clapped his hands. 'Now it's time for my present to young Harry!' he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Harry turned to him. 'Wonderful!' He exclaimed; he had always received great Christmas gifts from Dumbledore.

'He snapped his fingers and a long packaged materialised in his hands. 'I am positive this may come in handy soon, it is yours by right Harry'

He flinched and hesitantly stretched his hands to take the package. Was that what he thought it was? He opened it slowly and distinguished red gems and a carved blade. He looked up at his old Headmaster with disbelieving eyes.

'Yes it is,' Dumbledore smiled and winked at Harry.

He gasped and ripped off the rest of the paper. 'Brilliant!' he exclaimed as he waved the sword around.

'You're the heir to Godric Gryffindor, and I believe it is time to go to its rightful owner'

'Thank you Albus. It is a great gift!'

After that, most of the gifts consisted in magical dark detectors of "latest technology", old and new books and a couple of things for the house and the bedrooms; but there was one thing that caught Harry's attention, and it was when Draco gave Ginny her Christmas present, at the end of it all.

She had given him a cute case with strange patterns she said she had made herself –meaning, with her wand- and claimed they were little snitches and helmets. To Harry, they seemed more like round things on gold and silver with some white and black.

Draco pretended he liked the forms; Harry couldn't help but snort at himself at the other boy's chivalry. 'Gee Gin! You really put some effort in it!' he commented. 'How did you know I liked…' he hesitated for a moment and then continued smoothly, '…all of this!' he exclaimed with a very convincing surprised tone that even he was surprised to hear.

Ginny could've easily jumped off her skin with glee. 'Well, I know you love Quidditch, and this is something I've grown to identify you with,' she explained.

Draco caught the meaning of those forms and kissed her cheek. 'Thank you,' he said. 'Here is yours,' he handed her a small velvet box in dark green. Ginny took it with curious eyes.

'You're such a manipulating bastard. You know that, right?' Draco heard in his head and snorted softly.

'You should learn some of it,' he replied obnoxiously and Harry rolled his eyes.

Before Harry could reply, there was a gasp and he looked up to see a Ginny with eyes so wide he feared they would come out anytime. Draco also looked up, a little taken aback by such an expressive reaction to his gift.

'Oh Draco! It is beautiful!' she said as she took out a small silver ring with a red-orange rock in the centre, which changed colours according to the light.

He smiled, glad she'd liked it. He took it from her when she was about to put it on and held it between his long pale fingers. 'It is a promise ring. You saved my life once and I never got to thank you properly,' he said and slowly slid the ring on her finger.

Harry watched with a mix of amusement and awe. How could he be so cool? And bloody aware of it over all! He looked just like a movie star in a lame millionaire blockbuster hit, and they all bought it. He shook his head with a small smile and sighed. That's dear ol' Malfoy, isn't it? What a bloke, he admitted.

Ginny smiled gently at him. 'You didn't need to, but it's perfect. Thank you,' she said and kissed him softly on the lips, much to everyone's surprise. Draco however didn't seem surprised at all; it was amazing how he always managed to do that.

Harry snapped his fingers and attracted everyone's attention.

'What is it Harry?' Remus asked surprised.

'I haven't told Sirius Merry Christmas,' he said with a smile and darted off the living room towards his bedroom.

They all followed and winced when he tripped over that blasted troll-leg umbrella. Ginny gasped and took her hands to her ears, ready to start hearing screams that never came. She frowned and walked to the Hallway and cocked her head to a side at seeing where the insufferable portrait had once hung.

They all stood speechless as she walked slowly towards it. When she had examined the tapestry and the door behind, she turned around and looked at each one of the presents with a killing glare.

Dumbledore suddenly remembered he had to be somewhere else and apparated away with a wink at the kids. Molly decided it was time for some tea and Remus thought he could be very useful to her in the hard task of boiling water and fixing tea for them all.

Harry had just come down with the mirror in his hand and slowed his pace when he identified the situation. He bit his bottom lip and resumed his way downstairs. 'I got it! Anyone else wants to tell him Merry Christmas?' he said, hoping this would enlighten the mood enough so they wouldn't have to face a very angry Ginny. No such luck.

'What the bloody hell is this about?' she asked in the calmest tone she could manage.

'Look, we were going to tell you… but after Christmas dinner,' Hermione began.

'Right, because little poor Ginny can't handle that there is a blasted secret door behind what used to be a portrait that no one seemed to able to take down'

'It's not that Gin,' Harry came closer but stopped at Ginny's glare.

'Ah no? Then what is it about?'

'We just wanted a break before—' Neville continued.

She turned to him with a very puzzled expression. 'Before what? Why hasn't anyone told me about this? You see, I usually am a bleeding part of this!' she snapped.

'Yes, but we didn't want to disturb you at school, you know with NEWTs…'

'And Luna…' Harry continued.

'So I'm not strong enough to hear it all without having a nervous breakdown?'

Draco had been quite throughout the whole thing, but now he stepped forward and looked into Ginny's flaming chocolate-brown eyes. 'Ginny, you are overreacting—' He put a hand on her shoulder and she roughly pushed it away.

'Shut up! You have no idea,' she just said and looked at Hermione and Harry especially.

'Hey! If you didn't notice, I'm involved too,' Draco said annoyed. 'You won't get a blazing answer from any of us if you continue with this little fit because you're not even listening to us, so it's up to you!' he finished.

Ginny sighed and looked at them all. 'Can you please tell me what's been going on?' she asked more calmly.

'With your mouth shut to an acceptable size is much better, don't you reckon?' Draco said with a sneer, Ginny ignored him.

The other three sighed in relieve and then told her all about what they had found out of Draco being Slytherin's heir, about this infamous Chest of Power, and the Protector. They also told her about how the three had tried opening the door without any luck.

Ginny's face went from angry, to surprised, to scared in just a couple of minutes and her eyes landed on the closed door. She walked towards it and touched the wood, and the metal and her hand stopped at the doorknob for a moment.

Somehow, Harry, Hermione and Draco felt drawn to the door and came closer to the red-haired girl, each placing a hand on the door. She looked up at them and then back at the knob. 'Alohamora!' she said with her wand in hand, and a click was heard.

Neville heard the click and darted towards the other four. 'You did it! How did you—? Never mind,' he was getting a faint idea, but none of the others seemed to do the same so he just continued and pushed the door open for them to walk in.

After what felt like forever of a damp, stone, long corridor, Harry spotted stairs and gasped a little, hurrying to them. Hermione felt as if she'd known this castle like in a deja-vu, but paid it no attention, for they were too busy going through all the Chambers and room of it.

At least fifty two environments between bedrooms, Ball rooms, Living rooms, kitchens, Halls, etc. Finally, after hours walking, they reached what seemed to be the East wing; apparently the most important by the way it was decorated and taken care of.

Hermione was fascinated; she had never been to a real castle before despite living near a field where there were at least eight of them. It was tangible history between her fingers and her mind was already way ahead of her at the thought of all the stories that might've taken place inside these very walls.

The third floor was the most amazing. It wasn't just stone corridors, there were tapestries depicting a serious of different subjects and scenes; just looking at it was amazing. Apart from the dust that covered every corner of the castle, nothing seemed to have changed since it was last used.

'I wonder why the Government hasn't taken this over. It is a wonderful piece of architecture and history?' Hermione mused out loud as they passed two rooms that seemed to have some terrible warm aura around them that tried to drag her inside… it was amazingly spooky.

They made it to the end of the corridor and there was a grand oak door with inscriptions on the top stone arch. It was written in Ancient Runes and at seeing her friends' faces, she was utterly happy she had got an E on her NEWTs for that class. 'It says "The Conference Room. Only those with our blood shall pass, the rest will surely go aghast".' She frowned at this and stepped closer.

Suddenly, the Gargoyle that decorated the arch on top of the door came to life and Hermione choked a scream. 'Granger, Hermione Ann.' By this moment, Harry had reached her and was holding her close instinctively. The Gargoyle identified him too, 'Potter, Harry James'

Draco, Neville and Ginny stared at it and decided to come close to the Gargoyle as well. 'Weasley, Ginivra Sue. Malfoy, Draco Leigh. Longbottom, Neville Irving. Welcome to the Conference Room,' it finished and the door opened itself.

'And you wondered why no one had claimed the castle…' Draco commented idly as he looked up at the high ceiling. He turned to the other four, who were silently laughing. "What?" he asked with a frown.

Harry managed to suppress the laughter for a little moment. "Leigh?"

Draco narrowed his eyes at him.

"Seriously, who would name their child Leigh?" Hermione got out.

"Hey! It is a much respected name amongst the old English royal line?"

"Sure, and so is Ludwig, but I won't name my child Ludwig," Ginny said between giggles.

"Shut up," Draco said sulkily and took the lead.

They all let one more laugh and followed Draco through the long corridors.

A moment later, Hermione got lost in all of her surrounds. Soon, she was too taken by the hundreds of books that went back as far as 1500 years! And made her own way, passing her hand through all of the books and admiring the paintings and sculptures as well, fascinated.

Ginny was looking at the strange instruments that lay all over while Neville examined the round table that sat in the middle and Harry just looked around, taking it all in and his mind racing at how this Gargoyle had known them all.

Draco took every single thing that came across his way and after examining it for a split second; he tossed it to a side. But then, he stopped at what seemed like a display cabinet that had weapons inside. He walked over and looked at Harry, who turned around and followed the blond boy.

'Brilliant! Real weapons!' he exclaimed, his hand never leaving his belt, where the scabbard with Gryffindor's sword in it. Draco cocked an eyebrow at him. 'What?' Harry defended, 'well, excuse me for not having a weapon room or whatever at my place!' he said annoyed.

With a wave of his hand, Draco opened it and his hand was dragged to a beautifully carved arc that was accompanied by silver arrows. He took them and a warm sensation flooded him; he threw the arrow case to his back and smiled. 'You were right, it is brilliant,' he admitted and he smiled triumphantly.

Harry looked around and saw Hermione deep inside a book that seemed to have her utterly confused. 'What's wrong?' he asked.

She jumped a little and looked up at him from the floor. 'Uhm… nothing—well, this book says a lot of the things I suspected, but there is something that doesn't make sense.' She continued at Harry's bewildered expression, 'It says here that the room was specially designed to let in only certain people, and I have no idea how this relates to us at all or how on earth that creepy Gargoyle knew our full names, or—' she stopped, 'I'm rambling, aren't I? It's just that there are so many unanswered questions, and I have no clue, and I just—don't know how to react…' she finished barely above a whisper.

Harry thought for a moment. 'Uhm… I don't know how much this can help, but maybe Sirius might help us. Worth trying, isn't it?' he said.

Hermione wasn't too convinced on this, but anything right now sounded like a possibility, she nodded.

Harry smiled at her vote of confidence and took out the mirror from his back pocket. He touched it and the surface started to ripple; he frowned, this had never happened before, except when he had first fixed it. 'Sirius?' he asked tentatively, no answer. 'Sirius, are you there?' He was starting to get worried when he heard some rumble and someone's face started to form on what had been his own reflection a second ago.

Twelve more days to go, the Solstice would take place in January the sixth and the Chest was almost ready. They only had to perform the spell that would bond all the runes to the carvings to the lock to finally open it when The Power of Shikeon was inside the Chest. This was done by a serious of spells and potions that would take time to merge and work together.

Today, Christmas day was when the third rune, Salazar's rune, would finish it period, and they would move on to Rowena's, leaving it for six more days so it could ripen and it would finally be ready.

They had the Christmas dinner and they exchanged presents while they enjoyed a moment of limbo in-between the whole Chest and Salazar affair. But now it was time to go back to the real world.

'It is almost time fellows; we should be on our way'

'Can I leave this in my room?' Rowena protested seeing Godric had already done it moments ago.

'Actually, going over to the tower and climb to the third floor would take you too long,' Helga pointed out.

'And you can't apparate and come back, you know that,' Godric put in with a shrug.

She sagged and pouted, 'but I wouldn't want it to—'

'Don't worry, it won't, I've just take the potion,' Salazar responded her unvoiced restlessness.

She opened her mouth a couple of times and closed it again, recognising they were right. She placed it safely in the breadth of cloth tied to her waist and followed.

They got to the Conference Room and the Gargoyle welcomed them.

'You know? We really need to get that thing a new voice, it's really annoying,' Salazar mused.

'Oh! I'm with you there mate, 'Godric agreed.

'You're such wimps!' Helga laughed.

'Won't argue with that at all,' Rowena added.

'Just get in there!' Godric pushed his wife inside playfully.

'You're such a caveman!' she retorted.

Salazar was already in front of the Chest, watching the little tan line finish forming itself from the rune to the lock in a wriggling way. 'All set! Your turn dear,' he told Rowena and stepped aside.

She came forward and stood directly in front of the Chest. She put both hands, palms facing the outside of the little container, and closed her eyes. 'Caladeria runa Ratzhid garumic!' She repeated the spell several times and then separated a hand from the Chest, to point to the right, 'Accio potion!' she called and a little pink flask flew to her hand. She opened it and poured the contents from the rune to the lock, drawing the winding lines of the way it would follow. Finally, her eyes focused again and looked up at them. 'Done! Now we'll just have to wait to see if it starts to work,' she stated and they all smiled.

As the four waited, there was a ghastly silence in the room while the golden path drew itself from one place to the other.

'Sirius?' a voice echoed in the huge room and they all jumped and looked around.

'Where did that come from?' Godric asked alarmed.

'Don't know, it sounded close'

'Sirius, are you there?' it called again and four eyes fell on Rowena's waist.

She gasped and slowly produced the two-way mirror from her belt. She looked on what was supposed to be her reflection and recognised a boy about eighteen calling for someone named Sirius. She looked up at Godric, who shrugged in confusion and took the mirror from her hands.

'Who are you and what do you want?' he asked.

Harry flinched when he saw a very beautiful woman in the mirror and then a man asking rather rudely who he was and what he wanted. 'Excuse me?' was all he managed to say.

Draco frowned and came closer to Harry; so did Ginny, Hermione and Neville. 'What is it Potter? Hallucinating again? I told you not to take that stuff,' he commented as he perked his head to see more clearly.

'Shut up Malfoy!' He said a little angrily and returned hi attention to the rude man.

'Who are you and why are you in my bedroom?'

'Your bedroom? I'm in a very strange room that knew my name, you must be mistaken and I—' he stopped and shook his head with a frown. 'Hey! And what are you doing with my godfather's mirror?'

'What are you talking about? He's just given me this mirror!' The beautiful woman had appeared again in the mirror and now he could see two more people there.

'What the—?'

Hermione yanked the mirror from Harry's hand. 'Hold on, we're not communicating here!' she said. 'I am Hermione Granger, we've just come here to this castle, and we wanted to speak to someone. Are you dead? Behind the veil? Do you know Sirius Black?' she asked very rapidly.

Rowena shook her head at seeing this girl that looked so much like her. 'I am Rowena Ravenclaw and this is my castle. Judging by what I'm seeing behind you, you're in the same room we are. This is very interesting,' she finally mused.

They all gasped. 'Ravenclaw?' Draco asked bewildered. 'That is not possible; you've been dead for over a thousand years!'

'Have you got to be so subtle?' She rolled her eyes and took the mirror, 'I'm Ginny Weasley. It is a pleasure to meet you'

'I'm Harry Potter, and this lovely gentleman is Draco Malfoy,' Harry introduced. 'Oh! And this is Neville Longbottom,' he finished, showing Neville's face.

'My name is Godric Gryffindor, this is Helga Hufflepuff, and he is Salazar Slytherin,' Godric said, facing the mirror at each one.

When hearing Slytherin's name, they all tried to get a closer look, but they were staring at Ravenclaw again.

'May I ask—' Harry started but Hermione had clapped her hands and gasped. He turned to her, 'what's the matter?' he inquired, puzzled.

'Don't you see it? We can ask them anything and we'll get it firsthand!'

'She's right Potter. We'll have all the answers we needed'

It was now Ginny's turn to take the mirror. 'Would you be so kind in answering some questions we have. Apparently there is this power that some Dark Lord wants and somehow we've been getting all these clues. Might you have the answers we need?'

Rowena glanced at the other three, fear in her eyes. Helga took the mirror now, trying to appear nonchalant and putting a smile on her face. 'We would be delighted, what would you like to know?' she answered kindly.

'Good. I think you may want to know that Harry and Draco here are Gryffindor and Salazar's heirs, and that they are Warlocks'

Salazar took the mirror from Helga's hands. 'Can I see my heir?'

Draco took it and looked in the face of the infamous Salazar Slytherin. 'It's me, Draco Malfoy'

He nodded and stared at him, after a moment, he started to speak. 'That's why you are involved, kids. See, Godric and I are Warlocks too, and if the castle still stands and the Gargoyle let you in, then the two girls are probably Rowena and Helga's heirs as well. But as for the other bloke there, I am not sure…'

The girls gasped. 'Are you sure?' Hermione asked.

Rowena took the mirror. 'Yes, there is no way you could've come in otherwise'

'And they must be using our magicked objects. Can I see my heir?' Ginny came closer and looked at her forbear. 'Indeed, she is wearing Spiricte. It gives you power over magical creatures'

Ginny took a hand to the little amber hanging from her neck. Harry took his hand to the sword, Draco looked at the arc, and Hermione held her wrist.

'You should know, my heir, that those arrows will never miss their target, and that they will always come back to you. I enchanted them myself,' Salazar said proudly and Rowena rolled her eyes but laughed.

'Brilliant!' Draco exclaimed.

'That sword you have on your waist, boy. It can go through anything you will it to,' he said and Harry grinned widely.

'And that little bracelet… if it is active, then the person you love the most, and that loves you the most must have put it in you. It is a force of pure love, and it will scare away foes when it is needed,' Rowena stated and a silence followed her words.

Hermione stared open mouthed back and forth between Harry and Draco. Harry was trying not to smile, because he felt his friend's emotions behind the impenetrable face and eyes.

'But what about me?' Neville cut in, feeling he was supposed to in the precise moment.

'My guess would be that either there are two heirs or—do you reckon…?' she asked, looking at her friends.

'There is no other explanation, because it is impossible to have two heirs alive in the same timeline…' Godric said deep in thought.

'He probably is the Protector, a kind of Guardian Angels for us, Warlocks,' Salazar explained.

'I already knew that…' Neville said rather heatedly.

'I can understand how you feel, but you should look at it this way: without you, we would be lost,' he said with a wink.

Neville smiled a little and nodded. 'You're right as a matter of fact'

'Yes, and since you have a body of your own, you may even learn how to use it at will in the end,' Godric encouraged.

Neville grinned, reassured; all the doubts he might've had dissipated now.

'So what is this whole thing about?' Harry asked, 'why did Voldemort want my blood?'

'Ah, that is probably because the only way a person can open the Chest is with our blood, in your case, the blood of the heirs,' Godric took the word now.

'But what is this thing?'

'It is the power of Mother Earth, what we call The Power of Shikeon,' Helga answered.

'No one should possess that kind of power. It would give the bearer… whoever is able to hold it, unlimited power,' Salazar took the word and the three stared at him.

'But if it's Mother Earth's power, then why would you seal it?' Ginny inquired.

'That, my girl, is a long story,' Godric interrupted before Salazar could answer.

'But we need to know it!' Neville protested.

Helga took a deep breath and looked at Salazar, who nodded. 'Salazar used to be very ambitious—'

'Like a good Slytherin,' Draco put in.

'But that isn't such a great quality, my boy,' Helga snapped.

'Ambition leads you to the top,' he protested.

'Or to destruction,' Salazar finished.

'Anyway, one day he discovered this power and wanted to posses it—' she stopped.

Salazar sighed. 'So I looked for a way to be able to fulfil that wish, and I joined with a being called a Symbio—' he stopped when he heard Hermione gasp.

'Why would you do that? Symbios are vile! They always try to take over the body that is their host!'

'Almost always,' he corrected, a little annoyed at the girl.

'But it is trying to, and—and winning,' Godric said heavily.

'That's horrible!' Ginny cried.

'It is, indeed,' Helga said sympathetically and looked at the man she loved with sad eyes; just knowing she would inevitably lose him ached her heart to death.

He perceived her feelings and continued. 'So that's why we're sealing it, so that it doesn't fall in the wrong hands, and—' The image started to vanish as the eyes of Slytherin turned a darker shade. 'But I won't let that happen, they will all be long dead before they can keep me from that power!'

The five gasped when hearing the voice change so suddenly.

'We have to go. Be careful with that, and keep him from the horrible fate that runs in his veins,' Helga said with fear in her eyes and put the mirror down.

They stared at each other for a long time. Finally, Hermione decided to break the silence. 'Oh Merlin! That is so horrible!'

It looked just like he remembered it. He hadn't been there since he had last tried to get it and his friend had collected him. A shudder ran through his spine at the itching sensation of longing, but he held it back; he had to for the sake of his friends. It was getting more violent and the only one who perceived it was Godric, but he tried not to panic and Salazar was utterly grateful for this.

Just when he had thought he'd had it all, he was fighting a losing battle. Indeed, that feeling would never leave him, but he had someone else now and he had grown to love her. There wasn't one day he didn't regret going to The Naturals Forest –whose name had changed to The Dark Forest after numerous attacks on students and themselves- all those years ago. He now was thirty-seven years old and looked at least fifty; and now he stood where it had all began.

The big plain was still as quiet as a graveyard, which he knew it probably was. They had massacred almost fifty thousand men almost four years ago in that very place and he could still smell the blood in the air.

Something inside him started crumpling and he closed his eyes, knowing what it was. Suddenly, a voice in his head echoed.

'Salazar, you cannot let it take over here, it is too dangerous and I can't very well stun you'

He opened his eyes and focused on his friend's concerned face. Luckily, neither Rowena nor Helga had noticed. 'I know Godric, I know you need my blood. That's all you care about, isn't it? Your blasted chest?' he snapped.

Godric frowned and obviously, he knew what was going on here. 'Yes, we do need you to bury it, but you're weak right now and I don't reckon another stunning will help,' he said in his friend's head as calmly as he could. He was hurt by his words, but knew that wasn't the man he loved.

'I'm sorry, it's just hard. My head is spinning. Could you please—'

'We will,' he finished before his friend asked the whole question. 'Rowena, Helga, we should get this over with. This place gives me the creeps'

Both women hurried to where they were and nodded. 'Yes, it is not the most likeable place on earth, is it?' Helga admitted.

'So where did you say this was Salazar?'

'To the South-east, just under the hill,' he pointed where Rowena had nearly died that day and felt again the power wrapping him. He started to feel he was losing control. 'Please, let's hurry,' he urged.

They got there and Helga produced the Prism of Odeon from her small leather bag. She took a deep breath and walked to close the circle the other three were making. 'Are we all ready?' she asked but looked at Salazar, who nodded hesitantly.

'Ok then, here we go'

'We're sealing it for good, right?'

Rowena turned to Salazar. 'Yes we are Salazar, you really believe you can—?' He nodded and to her, he looked scared, she sighed and caught Godric's eye. He nodded as well, understanding what she was trying to say.

'We all know the spells, now let us start!' Helga ushered and put the small Prism in the middle of the circle. She tapped it with her wand and it suspended in the air.

Rowena tapped the little red rock and it lifted in the air. She followed it with her gaze.

Godric gave Salazar one more look and he nodded in reassurance. He waved his hand, and the Chest they had worked so hard on appeared in front of him.

Salazar looked it with a little anger, which he was fighting back with all the strength he had. He looked at both, Helga and Rowena, and for a second he thought the unthinkable… he almost aimed at their hearts but luckily the Will-Strengthening potion he had taken earlier was still working on him.

He pointed at Rowena first and a small beam shot from his index to her open palm. She winced and a trickle of blood gushed from her slit palm and drenched the chest. Salazar had a quick flashback to so many years ago, when they had done the exact same in Godric's hat, when edifying Hogwarts. He shook it away and did the same to Helga with a previous smile at her.

Helga's blood soaked the chest as well. Salazar pointed at Godric and for a moment, he felt like a snake wanting to attack a very sneaky prey. He shook his head and shot the same beam at the man that was his best friend and the Symbio's worst enemy.

Godric squeezed his own hand, so his essence wrapped the small chest as well and then pointed at Salazar and shot the beam at his open palm. He bit his lip and put his hand face down, so the thick red thread would fall directly on top of which thus would put an end to this.

The Chest of Power glowed for a few seconds and then imploded, slowly opening to reveal an inside so dark, it seemed like a black hole ready to absorb whatever it could. The four smiled.

They looked up at the Prism, which now was spinning rapidly high above their heads. All four pointed at it and started speaking in ancient Latin, saying the spell that would activate its full power so they could summon The Power of Shikeon.

Four jets of light reached the small crystal and as it turned, the light reflected in all directions and the opaque red colour it had had a second before was now a vivid and intense dark red at the same time.

Salazar felt as if the amount of potion left in his body diluted slowly and the evil being inside him fought to get out, knowing full well it was very close to the ultimate power. 'How long do you reckon this will take?'

'You think you are—'

'Yes'

'We'll do it quickly'

'Now, the summoning,' he informed the four.

A strange incantation flowed out of their mouths like oil sliding through a smooth, steep surface. The Prism spun even more rapidly till it formed a whirl that started to expand. Suddenly, it stopped for the shortest moment and then it concentrated in one point on the ground. It shot itself there and a huge hole started to open.

Rowena and Helga gasped at this, they had no idea they could do similar magic and the way it performed itself was so gentle, and strong, and natural, it was beautiful just to look at. Godric's expression on the other hand, was as set and concentrated, one couldn't bare think he could be disturbed. His eyes were set in the amazing display of colours and power and at the same time, his attention was on his friend's mind, which he sensed in a big struggle.

Slowly, a whitish and blinding light started to emerge from the hole that had just formed a minute ago. They all stared with wide eyes and for one single moment, Salazar put his guard down, the one he had been so precariously holding up in order to prevent the likely apocalypse.

His eyes suddenly went blank and he looked down at his friends. The Symbio started rising in the air with Salazar's arms open. Godric perceived this and with a look of panic, he focused on his friend.

'Salazar, NO!'

'Salazar is GONE! And now it's only me!' he started laughing like a maniac.

Immediately, he tried to reach for his mind, in hopes he could get him back before the worst happened. He received a shock so big; he was thrown back ten feet and landed unconscious on the ground.

The Symbio turned to the merging light and power and pointed both his hands at it. 'Come to me, I command!' he cried and the sphere of whitish light began setting itself as a knife and started in the direction of his caller. It started sinking into his body through his open palms.

Helga noticed the Symbio and what it was doing for the first time and gasped. 'NO! Salazar, no!'

'There is no Salazar anymore!' He pointed at her and without hesitation, a jet of light hit her and she fell to the ground, revolving in pain. 'Crucio,' he muttered slowly the curse that had never been thought could exist with a smirk.

Helga felt like she was being crucified, hundreds of needles went through her skin mercilessly and she revolved in pain on the ground, screaming at the torture.

Rowena gasped when she saw the expression of unbearable pain on her best friend and the satisfied smirk on the Symbio's. 'What are you doing to her you vile creature!' she yelled accomplishing what she'd set herself for; getting his attention away from the other woman.

The Symbio turned to her and regarded her with eyes so deep and shallow; it was as if she was being sucked into a huge void with no escape. At that moment, she knew she was lost.

A tall man, with dark salt and pepper hair and green-grey eyes paced along the expensive-looking Persian rug that sat in front of the roaring fire. Every once in a while, he would let out some cussing words in his mother Language and would take his hand to his ever greying hair.

The young woman stared at him and inside she felt a mix of fear, embarrassment and relieve at the recent events. Her nut-shaped eyes followed every step of her grandfather and all she could manage to do was bite her bottom lip and pull her knees up closer to her chest, feeling more secure in that position.

'This was not supposed to happen!' he said with an Italian that clearly gave away his central-italian background. He glared at Agnese, he knew she was hiding something.

Her eyes widened when she realised she wouldn't have a choice but tell him everything eventually. 'W—wouldn't you think it was a sign? Everything seems to be falling into its rightful place,' she said tentatively.

'NO!' he shouted, and at seeing his grand daughter's eyes full of fear, he sighed and came closer to her. 'Agnese, dear, I know you are fond of these kids, but you know what happened, you know what this moment implicates,' he said.

Usually, he and Agnese had a very nice relationship; based on kindness and mostly respect but ever since Harry and the rest had come into their lives, this had changed slightly and he didn't quite like it.

She was taken aback by the sudden shout and didn't know if to yell at him, be afraid or say something. She figured he was under a lot of stress, seeing how hell had broken last time the Power of Shikeon had been freed by someone. But what pained her most was that he didn't see how these kids would never do something like that! Hell! She didn't even think they wanted all this power and responsibility judging by what she'd seen of them.

Finally, a sigh escaped her lips and she stood, away from her grandfather; she took a deep breath and spoke what she'd already said before. 'Nonno, I know what happened. I know Salazar Slytherin killed a lot of people and did things that should have never been part of this world… But Nonno! Salazar Slytherin had a Symbio inside him! It wasn't even him doing those things! They don't—' she stopped when Nonno held a hand in front of her.

'You've already said your defence, Agnese. I've heard it, but you are blinded by your fondness towards them. I'll tell you again what I've already told you before, and I don't want another fight please. You said it yourself, they are seventeen and eighteen now. Do you honestly believe that that age is enough to control such a power and know what to do with it? They will be consumed! Anyone would!'

'No, Nonno. Seventeen and eighteen is not enough, but you need to see that they are not like other kids. They have been through so much and I don't think they would even try and use the Power!'

'You don't know that Agnese! They must be eliminated'

'Nonno, please listen to me. They will not use it, they're noble, and trustworthy, and all they want is to have a normal life as wizards'

'What about the Sleeping Dragon? He's awake now and do remember the tendency of his line,' he tried to reason out with her.

Agnese sagged a little, knowing he had a very valid point there. 'He won't, he has the others to prevent that'

'And so did Slytherin'

'It is different,' she said looking down, Nonno crushing her faith as he very easily could whenever he wanted to.

He sagged. 'All right, let's say none of them wants to take advantage of it,' he started, 'only they can free it, and there is someone that does want it for himself. You know the situation, it would be like giving it to The Dark Lord on a silver tray!' he tried, hoping this would put her fully on his side. He knew she wouldn't betray them, but it wasn't all right to have your right hand man (woman) not entirely agreeing with you.

She took two steps forward and spoke in a desperate voice. 'He can get it if he wants and you know it! As a matter of fact, he is probably already plotting a way to do so!' She was gesturing wildly with her hands, trying to make her point.

'That doesn't mean we have to make it easier for him!' he said, his voice rising again.

'He can also free the Chest, if he has blood from the other heirs,' Agnese said rather insolently, trying to dissuade her grandfather.

'That's why we will use Alevia. And you will too'

Agnese gasped and took her hand to her mouth, shaking her head horrified. She didn't want to have them killed, and least of all, kill them herself as guardian of the Chest.

Lying here, in front of the couch was about everything he could wish for. They had been checking out the last books and slowly, everyone had cleared, calling it a night. Now, in the huge Library, with the big couch in front of the merrily burning flames, he could very easily forget everything and anything that was ahead… just because they were there, in speaking terms and just in peaceful silence.

He stared at her, passing through the pages with such naturalness and simple elegance. Her slightly curly brown hair fell to her shoulder, half-covering her face; but he could still make out her brown eyes deep in concentration. It was amazing how she could plunge herself into her little own world, where everything was under control and in which she was simultaneously untroubled and putting things together over and over again.

Suddenly, he was pulled away of his voyeuristic rambles by that same pair of light brown eyes staring at him with a quizzical look. 'What's with you?' she asked clearly amused.

Harry shook his head and smiled. 'Nothing at all.' Should I? He asked himself while she continued to gaze at him.

Hermione frowned, not buying it. 'Save it, I've seen it all before'

Harry was a little taken aback by here response. 'What do you mean?'

'That I know you've got something in your mind and that I'm not buying that cute smile and the "Nothing at all",' she said matter-of-factly.

Harry sagged and smiled again. How could she always know? He would never have the answer to that. He stood and walked to the far corner of the room. 'Well, I've been meaning to show you, but I wasn't sure…' he trailed off and sat at the piano.

Hermione frowned and stood, following him. 'What are you—?' she started but her words got lost in the air that was now filled with beautiful Christmas music, played like in a Piano concert. 'Harry, I—I didn't know you played the piano?' she said as she watched his fingers slide through the black and white keyboard. So smooth, so natural, so—not him…

He continued to play. 'I don't.' He stopped and looked up at her, 'it's Draco,' he finished as he let the words sink in on her. He looked at her intently, waiting for the gears to click into place in her mind.

Hermione closed her eyes and shook her head. 'What's that?'

'That I can't play the piano'

'Then how do you—?'

'Draco plays the piano, he was taught since he was a little boy,' Harry continued patiently.

'I know that Harry. I know he knows how to play the piano, he has played for me a couple of times, but how can you—?' her eyes widened as some of it started to make sense.

'Remember that incident, months ago? Well he didn't only transfer his energy to me. I was too drained for that to work; he had to give me part of his spark of life because I was more dead than alive back then. I even saw my parents, and they—'

When he started to talk about seeing his parents, Hermione watched him closely, eager to see more of this. He very seldom talked about his parents, and least of all saw them. When he didn't elaborate, she resigned and let him move to the next subject.

'Well, the thing is that that deed created a connection between us. At first—'

'That actually makes sense,' Hermione said reflectively. 'Voldemort did tell us you were more in the other side. And it was something rather strange when he brought you back,' she thought out loud.

'Indeed.' Harry stood to face her, 'that's why the both have been taking Occlumency with Profes—Albus the past months,' he explained and then continued quickly. 'I didn't know if to tell it to you because I hadn't even come to terms with it and I—we both tried to push it away at the beginning'

Hermione stared at him and blinked. 'So that's why you guys have grown closer…'

'Well, partly yes. I guess I just needed someone different for once,' he regretted saying it when he saw Hermione's expression. 'N—No Mione, that's not what I meant!'

She held up a hand. 'I see, don't worry,' she fought back tears at this. Harry reached out for her, but she moved away. 'It's ok, really, I know what you mean. I've felt it myself.' Liar, she called herself. Truth was, she didn't quite understand, and she felt rather left out at this statement Harry had made.

She moved to the door of the Library and turned around. 'You play beautifully,' she managed a sweet smile, which she really meant despite all the feelings she had right now. 'I'm glad you told me. Good Night Harry,' she finished and went out, to her room.

Harry sighed; he had meant this to be a romantic moment, when he could attempt to do what he'd wished for so long… but it had definitely had come all wrong. 'Night love,' he muttered and started putting together the books the old muggle way, only using magic to lift them and put them where they belonged… 'Where they belong…' he trailed off and apparated to his bedroom, not feeling in the mood to climb three flights of steps.

'I want to know what's going on,' Ginny was saying from her spot on the bed.

'But don't you reckon they haven't told us for a reason?' Hermione argued.

'They're doing exactly what they did back in fifth year!' Harry retorted angrily.

'That was different'

'Like hell it was! And they should tell us with more reason now!'

'Harry, fifth year was for your own protection,' Ginny sided with Hermione.

'Wow, wow, whoa. Hello? Person who hasn't been in the trio for forever here,' Draco commented.

Hermione, Ginny and Harry turned abruptly to him. 'There is no trio anymore,' Hermione said curtly.

Draco knew he hadn't said the right thing and regretted it at seeing her eyes but his expression betrayed none of it. 'Well, what happened in fifth year?' He tried to get out of it.

'They wouldn't tell me what was going on,' Harry started darkly.

'Or me, or Ginny, or Ron!' Hermione almost yelled and then shut all of a sudden, as if she'd said some unnameable thing.

Harry felt as if a dart went through his heart once again and decided to try and move on with the conversation. 'But the thing now is that we're in the Order and it's something like the fate of the world on our shoulders now!' Harry said sarcastically.

'Exactly why they haven't told us anything,' Hermione made an effort to move on with the conversation as well after a spilt second.

'They probably think we're not ready or something,' Ginny mused.

'Well, I'm sure they know more,' Neville put in.

'I'm with Neville,' Ginny said.

'So am I,' Harry took a step to them.

'I am not sure I want to know more,' Draco said honestly.

'I—am with Draco here'

'Hermione!' Harry said.

'Draco!' Ginny whined.

'Fine!' Draco agreed. After a moment, Hermione recognised defeat and agreed too.

'We talked to the founders!' Ginny blunted out all of a sudden when they were in the kitchen, having dinner.

Mrs. Weasley dropped her cup and stared at her youngest daughter. 'Are you feeling all right, honey?' she asked, putting a hand on her forehead.

Ginny brushed it away. 'Yes!' she said sulkily.

Mr. Weasley put his cup down slowly and took out his glasses. 'How?' he just asked.

'We went through the passage and ended up in Ravenclaw's castle,' Draco filled them in.

'And how did you contact them?' Remus inquired.

'The two-way mirror, we were trying to reach Sirius,' Harry stated in a flat tone.

'I see, so I take it they told you everything,' Dumbledore said softly.

'They didn't have time, Slytherin got out of control and they had to go,' Hermione responded. 'We need to know what you know,' she finished.

'Very well, I guess we don't have a choice now,' Dumbledore started.

'Oh yes we do. We can stick to the original plan,' Molly interjected.

'We agreed we wouldn't tell them unless it was really necessary'

'And since we need their blood—'

'And they already know most of it—' Tonks put in.

'And they are officially in the Order—'

'Ginny hasn't graduated yet,' Mrs. Weasley pointed out.

'But she is as involved as the others, dear. We have no choice,' Mr. Weasley tried to reason with her.

'It is rather necessary,' Remus finished calmly.

'Fine!'

Arthur took a deep breath. 'I take it they told you about The Power of Shikeon.' They nodded.

'And The Chest of Power?' Tonks asked and they shook their heads.

'We start there then. What the founders designed to keep the power of Mother Earth under control and unreachable for overly ambitious souls, was this Chest,' Dumbledore explained.

'And they hid it and put it under a lot of guards, just in case'

'Now, we don't know where it is, but… Remember that attack to The Burrow?' Arthur asked and they nodded puzzled.

'Well, it was performed by Voldemort's followers to get The Prism of Odeon.' He stopped and continued at their bewildered expressions. 'A kind of key that enhances the powers of the performing wizards'

'We know that only the four founders—' Arthur was saying.

'Or their blood,' Tonks provided.

'Can open the Chest after getting past all those tasks,' he continued.

'There are legends that say there is a Portkey hidden, and a Moribius spell—'

Hermione gasped; Harry, Draco, Ginny and Neville looked at her with puzzled expressions. 'Moribius spell is one of the most dangerous spells to perform, not to mention that badly performed, it can kill the caster'

'—said backwards can activate it,' Remus continued.

Dumbledore was staring at each face and sighed. 'I know it is a lot to take in, and that's why we didn't want to charge you with such a burden… anymore than you already have for being who you are'

'We were hoping we could keep it under control so that you wouldn't have to deal with it,' Molly started. 'But as I see, that was naive of us,' she said heavily and stopped.

'Mrs. Weasley,' Harry said to her, but looked at them all. 'We appreciate it, we really do. But this is our battle to fight, and you can't protect us forever,' he said with a small smile. 'There comes a time in a person's life,' he regarded his mates with an intense gaze, filled with determination and a lot of other mixed emotions, and continued, 'when they have to grow up. They have to make their own decisions and weight the consequences of them.'

He stared at each adult in the room. 'Make their own choices and stop accepting the decisions of others where their own life is affected, even if they're with the best interests at heart.' He looked kindly at Mrs. Weasley, there was absolutely no trace of an eighteen year old in those eyes or in those words. 'This time is only coming for us now, and we must do what we must,' he finished.

They all stared at him with a little disbelieve and admiration altogether and nodded, no words were needed.

'What have we got?' a cold voice asked from a dark corner in the old Riddle Country Cottage in the outskirts of Rome, in the valley of the Tiber River.

A tall and handsome man was standing on the threshold of the Master Chamber. His dirty blond hair fell slightly to his forehead and he had a marked Austrian accent; he bowed and then gave his report. 'We can use the girl. She's Nonno's most trusted and the heir Warden. She wants them to get to the Chest; she trusts them and believes they will stop you, my Lord'

A shrill laugh was heard from the corner. 'Isn't she a dreamer? Didn't she see what I did to useless Potter?' he mused out loud.

'But he's still alive, and has the Malfoy boy on his side'

'I know he's still alive you useless dump! Crucio!'

The man fell to the ground for a moment and screamed in pain, then it stopped and he got up with an effort. 'I—I'm sorry Master,' he said shakily.

'Do you have any more information?'

'They're fighting a lot over the heirs. She doesn't want them killed or harmed, and I believe she might even end up working with them behind Nonno's back'

'Another ally and she doesn't even know. Isn't that wonderful?' he chuckled and sobered. 'Does he suspect of you?'

'No, he trusts me fully'

'Very well Marik, you've been very useful. You can go now,' he said and made a dismissive gesture.

Marik bowed and with three steps backwards, he was out the door and dissapparated.

Moments later, a tall man, with silvery blond hair pulled back on an elegant ponytail materialised from next to the armchair The Dark Lord was sitting on.

'Did you hear that Lucius? Your boy is with them,' he said in a very dangerously calm voice.

Lucius took a deep breath, cursing Draco silently with all his might. 'I don't have a son, Master'

'I recall that before mine and Potter's little encounter, seventeen years ago, I personally made sure he was taught in everything he was supposed to. Exactly to prevent this from happening'

'I can't understand why he turned out that way. We were sure to follow all your commands and give him all you ordered'

'Then where did you blow it? I missed that part when someone that was supposed to help us, turns to their side. Can't you do anything right?'

Lucius just looked down. 'I am sorry my Lord, I am useless'

'Apparently, you are. I believe that not too long ago, he nearly defeated you'

'Yes my Lord, I am weak'

'Indeed you are. Crucio!' he cast and laughed at the screaming man on the floor.

After a moment, he pulled his wand back and Lucius stopped yelling. He stood up elegantly and dusted his robes, trying to put the most presentable face even though he looked very pale.

'They won't take long to figure it out, especially if the little mudblood Solver's powers are strengthening now that the circle is closed,' he threw Lucius a terrible glare.

'We have the Chest and we'll get their blood before they can get there'

'Good then, you may go,' he said and gave what seemed to be a smile. Lucius started to walk out but stopped when Lord Voldemort spoke again. 'And—Lucius, don't screw it up again, will you?'

He bowed low. 'Yes Master,' he said and then added, more to himself, 'they'll get what they deserve, and dear Nonno will be of much help'

A/N: I sincerely apologise for the time-warp some of you have probably noticed. In the end of Ch.6, Helga woke Salazar to go and bury the chest and now we're back at Hogwarts and they are working on the enchantments for the Chest. Truth be told, I had a lapsus stupidus and my mind got ahead of me. I hope you can understand this little slip.

The pictures you saw are not mine or anyone I know's. They're from someone called KB. If any of you know him/her, let me know so I can properly credit the artist.

I can't promise Ch.8 will be up too soon because I have to go through the whole story again to pick some loose ends and wrap it all up for the end. But I think I can promise that Was and Will Be will be finished before HBP comes out… or at least that's my goal.

If you read, please review, I will appreciate EVERY bit of constructive critic or just a smiley saying you liked it (although PKY doesn't let you do that lol). You're all cordially invited to join us at .com/group/BrainstormQuill .