Hello everyone!
I'm sorry, but this will be the last update for the next ten days at least. I've got holidays at the moment and go to Italy. (While my parents are moving... no work for me!)
Thank you very much for the Reviews!
And my thanks to my wonderfuly beta knitchick.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Enjoy!
Chapter 9
Harry, Sirius, Narcissa, Fleur and Draco stood there looking at the newcomers. The only people who seemed to know what was going on were Remus, who had just come into the kitchen, and Tonks. Both were slightly smiling.
Harry rubbed his head sheepishly. "Well… you see..."
Suddenly Hermione rushed over to him and tackled him in a hug. He gasped at the force of her embrace and she carefully examined his bloody shirt.
"What happened?" she asked in concern as she traced the cut softly with her finger while looking at him expectantly. "And what are those two doing here?"
"I think I might be able to explain that." said Dumbledore who entered the kitchen exactly at that moment.
Harry sighed in relief and so did Sirius. There sure were times when Dumbledore did something brilliant. Being at the right place at the right time was one of them.
"I'm waiting." said Ron through gritted teeth as he glared at Draco. "I sure want to know what that git is doing here!"
"Ronald!" scolded Mrs. Weasley. "Show a little more respect!"
"Honestly," huffed Hermione and threw a quick glance at the new Blacks. "I'm sure there is a very good reason that they are here."
Harry smiled at his girlfriend and gave her a quick kiss on the lips when she sat down at the table. Draco smirked at him and he rolled his eyes.
"But he is a Malfoy!" snapped Ron exasperated. "And a lousy junior Death Eater just like his idiot of a father!"
Draco had his wand out in the blink of an eye and pointed it directly at Ron's head. "Shut up Weasley! Don't you dare to compare me to that man! Don't you dare! I'm nothing like my father. I would rather die… and if I were… I would have killed you years ago!"
"Professor, I'm going to change my clothes while you tell them. I think…," Harry hesitated and sighed with a look at Ron and Hermione. "…the spell is lifted. You may tell them everything and what my part in this is. They are all in danger now."
Dumbledore looked at him and nodded slowly. "Very well."
Harry wanted to leave the kitchen when Snape stepped out of the fireplace. He nodded to Draco and Narcissa with a small smile on his face and then looked at him.
"Potter," he nodded and Harry lifted his eyebrows. "We have to talk. Alone."
"Yes, Sir." he answered and led him out of the kitchen. "Is my room okay?"
"It will do," retorted Snape grumpily as they climbed the stairs.
When they reached the door to Harry's room the Potions Master raised his eyebrows when Harry countered several wards, curses and jinxes that were in place.
He smiled slightly and answered the Professor's unasked question when he opened the door: "For safety. I don't want anyone to look through my stuff… it could be quite confusing for them… and some trouble for me. Please enter."
Snape entered the room, and Harry saw with a slight smirk that his eyes widened when he saw all the books about dark magic that were neatly put on the shelf and laying on his bed.
"This is… an interesting set of books you have here." he commented obviously impressed.
"Thank you, Sir." said Harry and went to get a fresh shirt out of his wardrobe. "So… what is it that you want to talk about?"
Snape was silent for a moment while looking at some of the very rare potion books. "You see Potter… I'm curious about your reply to the Dark Lord regarding his offer. He was… furious to say it mildly."
Harry chuckled and vanished his bloody shirt with a flick of his wand. "I can imagine."
"Why was that the case?" asked Snape after Harry had thrown the new black shirt over his head and grinned happily. "He tortured several Death Eaters and even killed two low ranking idiots."
"You see… I didn't answer him in the way he expected me to. I told him off quite nastily." replied Harry casually and flopped down on his bed. "Need I say more?"
Snape frowned. "I don't like to say it, but I'm impressed. You have changed a lot it seems Mr. Potter."
"Is this a compliment… or a very well hidden insult on your part Professor?", Harry wanted to know after Snape rolled his eyes and sat down on the chair in front of the small desk next to the wardrobe.
"Take it as you want." shrugged Snape smirking and Harry felt more and more comfortable around the Potions Master. "As you told me in Diagon Alley, times change and so do people. I believe… that that should be the case now."
Harry looked at him mildly surprised. "You are offering me a truce? After all these years... just like that? Just because I changed a bit in your opinion?"
Snape shook his head. "Yes… and no. Draco is my godson as you very well know. I've always cared for him and I'm thankful for what you did for him. You saved him from the life he would have led if he had to join the Dark Lord. And… you must have something good hidden under your arrogance for Draco to see you as his friend."
"Gee thanks, I guess." replied Harry in a sarcastic tone and threw him a mild glare. "Does this mean you will stop tormenting me in your classes, Sir?"
Snape gave him a withering look. "In your dreams maybe. I don't play favourites."
Harry snorted and flicked his wand to get the books on his bed to fly to the shelf. "I've noticed that. No offence Professor, but you treat the lions and badgers like they are dirt under your shoes and nearly ignore the ravens. And you favour your snakes quite too much, Sir."
"Is that so Mr. Potter?" asked Snape smirking.
"Yeah…" replied Harry and scratched his head. "But let me guess; it is to keep up appearances?"
"Not only that." answered Snape and gave him a long look. "You may find it surprising, but it's not possible to have a civilized conversation with some of them. My snakes are the total opposite of the other houses. They are – like the sorting hat says – cunning, smart and have ambitions."
"So the lions, ravens and badgers are dumb? Is it that what you are trying to tell me here?" Harry wanted to know and looked like he was mortally offended.
"No…" said Snape slowly and really seemed to think about it. "They are… different. The Slytherins' also have their flaws. The Gryffindors' are reckless but they favour bravery, the Hufflepuffs' are loyal and true friends and the Ravenclaws' are smart and level-headed. Having said that, most of the cauldrons are blown up by Hufflepuffs' and Gryffindors' though. I'm scared out of my wits already when I think about this year's OWL classes."
Harry laughed out loud at that and looked at his potions Professor. "I think… you might have a point there, Sir. I just hope you spare me and don't partner me up with Neville. He is a good guy but horrible with potions."
Snape looked at him in disbelief. "Horrible? He's worst then… ah… whatever."
They sat in silence and Snape once again looked at the books on the shelf. Harry bit his lip feeling slightly uncomfortable. Should he ask the Professor what was on his mind? Snape let his eyes drift through the room and met Harry's, and as always, raised an eyebrow.
"You seem to have a question Mr. Potter," he stated.
"Indeed," whispered Harry lost in his thoughts. "Professor… this may not be something I should ask but… why do you hate my father? I noticed that every time someone speaks of him you are… well…"
Snape sighed and stood up. "I think this really is something I won't answer. Maybe one day… but not now."
Harry was disappointed but nodded and stood up as well. "I understand, Sir. Should we go back to the kitchen?"
"Yes," was Snape's short reply and he straightened his robes and plastered on his usual sneer.
Harry chuckled and they went down again. Really… sometimes Snape could even be nice if he wanted to, he mused.
When they entered the kitchen he was a little surprised to see that no one had blown something up and were still sitting at the tables. But he could see the confused and disbelieving faces of Hermione, Ron, Ginny and the twins. When they realized that he and the Professor had entered, the teens all whirled around.
"Is it true?" asked Hermione immediately when he slowly took his seat between her and his godfather.
Harry looked at Dumbledore and nodded. "Yes… it's true. I assume he told you everything?"
"He told us that-"
"-you spent a lot of time-
"-with Malfoy, no, Black and-"
"-Fleur and used a time turner to-"
"-train and visit our-"
"-oldest brothers in Egypt and-"
"-Romania!" said the Fred and George with their usual confusing 'Twin-Speech'.
"That sums it up quite nicely." nodded Harry and looked at Draco to see if something else had been said.
He shook his head and smirked slightly at him while looking at Ron for a brief second.
Harry's heart sunk and he slowly turned to the redhead who had a frown on his face and seemed to be thinking hard.
"Harry?" asked Hermione quietly. "Do you… do you trust him? Do you trust… Draco?"
Draco's eyes snapped to the brown-haired witch and Harry smiled softly. "I do. As much as I trust everyone else who is in this room here."
Hermione hesitated and looked over to Draco who sat on the other side of the table next to his mother and Fleur. "Then… then I will trust him too. Because… I trust you."
"Thank you." said Draco quietly and gave her a grateful look.
Hermione smiled slightly and intertwined her fingers with Harry's. He gave a sigh of relief. Now he just had to wait for Ron's reaction and he wasn't quite sure if he would like it. He narrowed his eyes when he thought about the letter he got from Voldemort and brushed a hand through his hair.
"Harry. What are you thinking about?" asked Dumbledore and everyone once again looked at him.
"You know…," said Harry. "I didn't tell you, but Voldemort send me a letter with an offer to join him and…," he looked the Headmaster straight in the eye, "… be his equal. The equal that he marked me to be. I refused, but still… it made me curious."
Hermione gasped and he saw that Ron had gone pale. Harry assumed that he had made the connection between the letter he had read when they had their argument.
Dumbledore stared at him and sighed. "So… you know?"
Harry nodded and briefly looked at the Potions Master. "He told me in his letter. But I had the impression that it wasn't the whole prophecy. Am I right?"
"Yes my boy… he doesn't know the whole prophecy." said Dumbledore and put his fingers together.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he wanted to know.
"I thought you weren't ready to know about it," he answered. "You may be of age, but sixteen is still very young. Too young to wear such a burden."
"Are you telling me the whole truth now?"
Dumbledore was silent for a moment and looked at him with a slightly sad gaze. "The new term starts in two weeks. Is it okay to wait until then? I… I promise you now that I will tell you everything you want to know."
Harry considered it for a moment and then nodded. "Alright. But no more lies and half-truths. Agreed?"
Dumbledore nodded and Harry gave him a slight smile that seemed to ease some of the Headmaster's bad feelings.
"Well then...," said Snape. "I will be on my way now. I just wanted to have a quick chat with Mr. Potter."
"When something happens you inform us immediatly, okay?", asked Dumbledore and Snape just nodded before he vanished with floo powder.
They all were silent for a moment while Harry looked at Dumbledore again. He could see that the old wizard didn't mean anything bad by not telling him, but still. It made him slightly angry.
"Porfessor?", he asked and startled everyone out of their wits. "Is it possible... to meet Fawkes in the near future?"
Dumbledore looked at him and the twinkle was back in his eyes. "Of course it is. Is it okay for you to meet him on the first day of term? I'm afraid that even he is quite busy at the moment."
"That's okay," shrugged Harry and fell silent again.
"T-this l-letter…" stuttered Ron suddenly, white as a sheet. "I-it was fr-from… You-Know-Who?"
"Is it okay if we leave the kitchen now?" asked Hermione hesitantly. "I think we have much to talk about elsewhere."
It was Mr. Weasley who answered. "That seems to be a good idea."
Harry threw him and his girlfriend a grateful look and nodded to Dumbledore before he stood up. He gave Draco a look that clearly said that he should come too and Hermione grabbed Ron on the arm and they left the kitchen.
Halfway up the stairs the twins passed them and gave a wink to Harry that just had to mean trouble for someone. He chuckled quietly and stopped in front of his room before he turned around to look at his friends.
"Ron?" he asked.
"The letter… it was from You-Know-Who and I threw it right into your face… I… I accused you of joining the one that killed your parents… I'm so stupid…"
"Did you have a talk with Hermione to realize that? Or did you come to this conclusion yourself?" Harry wanted to know.
"I thought about it."
"Wow…" sneered Draco. "Weasley can think."
"Draco!" scolded Harry while Ron glared at the blond. "Stop that."
He sighed and Harry embraced Hermione from behind and leaned his head on her shoulder. She sighed quite happily and leaned back a little bit. Ron looked at them and bit his lip.
"You know that we have to change how we treat each other now, don't you?" asked Draco and seemed to be quite miffed.
"What should we do?!" Ron wanted to know.
"I'm ready to make a truce with you Weasley, if you are." replied Draco.
"See?" said Harry. "He is ready to leave the difficulties we had behind and start anew."
"But I don't like him!" protested the redhead.
"Then at least try to act civil towards him. We are allies now and don't need to fight against each other." said Hermione seriously.
"Anything against that?" added Harry casually as he looked at Ron.
"No mate...," said Ron sighing while looking at Draco's outstretched hand and took it very slowly.
"Then… let's try it," said Draco who seemed just as uncomfortable as Ron.
"Finally those two see the light." chuckled Hermione and Harry snorted in amusement.
Ron and Draco looked at each other for a while longer and then at Harry. Draco smiled but Ron, on the other hand, lowered his gaze to the floor.
"Harry… I'm sorry that I blew up on you like that and treated you like shit… I was… I just was jealous about everything I guess. I was afraid that you would just forget about me and just hang around with him. I guess I'm not that much of a friend… but I'm okay with him being here if you deem him trustworthy."
Harry smiled and draped an arm over his shoulder. "Thanks Ron. You know… I wouldn't be what I am without you. You have been my best friend since first year. I consider you to be my brother and I would hate to cut ties with you because of something like that. But…" Ron looked at him gulping. "Don't do something stupid like that ever again!"
He mock saluted and grinned in relief. "Got it Captain!"
Harry smiled mischievously and Ron took a step back.
"I know that look…," he said and started to turn around. "The twins always have it when… oh shit! NO, Harry, no, you don't!"
Harry took a step forwards and Ron tripped over a small, nearly invisible string that was attached behind him on the floor.
"Activate!" he said grinning and suddenly Ron's clothes changed into a pink tutu and he started to jump around in the hallway.
They all burst out laughing and Fred and George who had heard their brother's yell looked out of their room and gave each other a high-five.
"MAKE IT STOP!" screamed Ron but laughed himself.
Harry smiled and kissed Hermione's cheek. It seemed that everything wouldn't be as bad as he thought it would be.
That was the ninth chapter. I hope you liked it.
Review please!
Dark Phoenix of Slytherin