Yay! It's time for the newest chapter! I'm so excited to show it to you!

Lori

********** Chapter 9 **********

Harry had chosen this date because in the muggle world children played dress up and traveled from house to house looking for treats while adults went to parties in costume. While Harry would be under his invisibility cloak, the rest of the group would be out in the open and this meant it would be easier to get from the safehouse to the castle without standing out like a sore thumb. The only other option had been using brooms to fly and they'd been informed of the castle's being warded against that approach.

The young prince stared at the castle. He could see the two high towers from here. The highest was supposedly where Draco slept while the slightly lower one was where Harry could see the dragon resting. Every once in a while it would take off and fly around the castle. Harry had a theory about the dragon – one he'd never told the others… and he wouldn't tell them until he knew whether he was right or not.

"Harry?" Hermione stood behind him. "It's time."

Harry took a deep breath and practiced his occlumency before answering. "Let's go storm the castle."

"Think it'll work?" She asked lightly nudging her friend's arm.

Harry smirked. "You like that movie too?"

"I love The Princess Bride!" She blushed. "It's one of my favorites!"

He held his hand out and she put hers into it. "Well it won't take a miracle to save the Malfoys, just well thought out plans and we have those."

********** LTF **********

Severus sat on Draco's balcony. He knew the day was approaching that Harry would assault the castle but he wasn't one of those kept apprised of the plans. It was on this date that he always became saddened and brooded alone on what might've happened had Lucius and Narcissa taken Voldemort by storm that fateful night fourteen years ago.

Narcissa had brought him hot chocolate a few moments ago and he took a sip now. He watched as a couple of muggle children wandered the neighborhood. They had masks on their faces and sacks in their hands and suddenly he knew…

Today would be the day!

Was it possible that Harry would've chosen the very day all of this had begun to avenge to wrong dealt to his loved ones? Was he even told the date of the original kidnapping of the Malfoys?

Severus did not know that but he knew one thing, with people going around their neighborhood in costume, this was the perfect way to disguise a group of insurgents bent on taking possession of a castle. He smirked and took his hot chocolate inside to prepare himself.

********** LTF **********

Harry put his cloak on while the others hefted their props. Only his head was visible as he spoke to them. "Remember to laugh and behave as if you're on your way to a party. The idea is to blend into the muggle world until we get to the castle. Once on Malfoy property, we can abandon that because the wards won't let Muggles see the true nature of the castle as a functioning home where people actually live."

"That's right! They think it's a decrepit old building!" Pansy smirked. "If they only knew!"

Remus was dressed as a knight only the Weasley brothers had used a glamour to make him look older. Hermione and Pansy had chosen the traditional princess look but had slit their skirts to ensure more mobility and agility. The Weasley twins had dressed Ron up as a king and then made themselves up as jesters. Charlie and Blaise were minstrels. They each had the appropriate props to go with their costumes and each prop was that person's weapon of choice which had been glamoured to put the muggles at ease.

"We really look like a royal entourage." Harry smirked at Ron.

The redhead nodded just as a flash of light startled them.

"I promised Lord Black a picture." Hermione blushed and turned to take several more shots of her friends. "It is Halloween after all and the Muggles will expect it. I also figured that it would be our excuse if any muggles question why we're going up to the castle."

Harry hugged her. "Good idea."

"Well, let's go!" Ron commanded. "It's past the time we said we'd leave!"

Harry drew his hood up over his head and the others surrounded him and Ron as they headed out the door.

********** LTF **********

The dragon sat on his tower feeling sad.

He hadn't been able to join his beloved green-eyed boy in their dream world since the night his guardian had changed the curse and the green eyed boy had yet to come for him. He wondered if their dream visits had stopped due to something with the times between his being awake and fully asleep…perhaps that was the only time spirits were allowed to mingle as theirs had.

He watched as people wandered the streets. They looked up at the castle without really seeing it and certainly couldn't see him so when a small group of costumed people opened the gate and began to walk up the path, Draco's curiosity was awoken. When they started posing for each other to take photographs, Draco set his head back down. It must be just some brave children on their way to a party. Looking closer, Draco noticed with some amusement that the group seemed to be dressed as a mixture of royalty and attendants. Were there two jesters? Definitely partiers.

He started thinking of all the times he'd wished to have a party…His birthdays, the many Halloweens and Christmases that had passed…Welcoming each new year would also have been a celebration for him. Of course if he'd had friends, the parties would've been much more plentiful. He would've had one for each of his friends' birthdays and one for his beloved Green-eyed boy if they'd known each other….if he'd grown up differently.

Glancing down at the gate, he noticed that it was closed and not one person was in sight. Surely, it hadn't been that long since his mind had wandered. Where were they? Where could the silly children have gotten to? Did they leave? He glanced at the garden gate and saw that it was closed as well. He looked over the street on the muggle side. Nobody in sight. His guardian was going to be angry with him! He took off into the night sky and looked over the entire neighborhood but didn't see any of the members of the party who'd just been taking pictures in front of his home.

Being such a large piece of land as to belong to a king, he supposed they could have decided to dare one member to venture forth into the unknown. Perhaps the rest had followed and now they were all lost. He flew from tower to tower and looked all over the garden. Finally he noticed red hair. In one of their shared encounters the green-eyed boy had mentioned a friend of his having red hair.

No. It couldn't be! He hadn't seen a boy that looked anything like his green-eyed boy in that group. Then again, if he was a wizard – and the green-eyed boy had done many things that have proved it so – he could be glamoured…and those children had been in costume…but his job was to protect the castle from intruders. His guardian would be very angry if he didn't do his job… Perhaps if he pretended to do it, it would be convincing enough.

He dove through the air and breathed fire at the spot where he'd seen the red hair and there was a shout that came from one of the outdoor hallways. Draco breathed his fire again at the stone wall near where he'd heard the voice. A scream brought his attention back to the red hair. There were two girls standing amid the group of red haired men. He started to summon his fire again but was stopped by a floating head as it came out onto one of the terraces.

"No! Stop!" The floating head of messy deep brown hair seemed to grow a body as it approached the railing.

Draco's eyes latched on and suddenly connected with green ones as the boy's arms flailed at him. If he was in human form, he would've started to cry. His green-eyed boy was finally here! His heart leapt in his chest and he breathed his fire at the wall to the side of the boy so if his guardian was watching it would appear as if he'd tried to get the intruder.

One of the girls screamed again and Draco pushed up with his hind feet to take flight again.

"Everyone inside!" Draco heard the green-eyed boy yell.

Looking back down, he noticed that the girls and their red haired friends were holding wands. Having had enough of wands being pointed at him, he flew high up into the air and let out a roar of epic proportions as the others joined their leader inside. Just as the door closed behind the insurgents, Draco aimed one last blast of fire at it.

Oops. He'd failed to keep the intruders out…it wasn't as if he hadn't tried. They were now out of his reach. With nothing to do, he settled back onto his rooftop and waited with baited breath.

********** LTF **********

Harry's group took quickly to the inner hallway and ducked into the nearest room. A look around told them it was used for storage and empty of human life. Realizing that they were safe for the moment, Harry leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. His theory wasn't proven one way or the other but it got more and more likely. He noticed the silence and let his eyes open. The others were looking at him. "What?"

"My heart just about stopped when you yelled at the dragon, Harry!" Hermione was staring at him with an expression of utter horror.

Remus just shook his head. "Sirius would not approve."

"Harry…" Ron was almost speechless in his shock.

"That was really something, Harry. What made you run at the dragon?" Blaise's eyes were wide and he sounded breathless.

"I guess I just thought that would surprise it and maybe drive it off of you." Harry said, unwilling to give voice to his unproven theory. "It worked…didn't it?"

The members of his party just looked at each other so Harry thought he'd better take charge again. "Alright – Ron and Charlie, go find Lucius." Harry lowered his voice. "Pansy and Hermione, get Narcissa. The rest of us will find the kitchen and get the elves to help us." They all became quite serious as they left quietly.

Once the others had gone, Harry quickly called for Dobby and was answered instantly when the elf popped into the room and dropped to his knees in excitement.

"Master Harry Potter, sir!" Dobby squealed and was quickly hushed by Harry and the twins before Fred rushed to the door and cast Pansy's surveillance charm to see if the coast was clear. "How is Master Harry Potter being here, sir? How you is getting past the dragon?"

"None of that matters, Dobby." Harry said softly. "The time is now. Our plan has already been put in motion. Lucius and Narcissa are being taken safely out of the equation so they can't get in the way. I need to find and defeat Riddle so that Draco can be free."

They were interrupted by Fred who'd been listening at the door. "Harry, there's company in the hall."

Harry looked through the spelled door and found unfamiliar faces whispering to each other.

"Our lord wishes our attendance. Now." One of the men said to his associate.

The other nodded and straightened his robes. "Of course!"

"He's in the study." The first motioned with his head in the direction they were meant to go.

"Blaise, any idea who they are?" Harry hissed.

"The one who spoke first looks like a man who recently visited my father. I think his name was Goyle." Blaise whispered. "I don't recognize the other."

"It's Peter." Remus told them, glaring through the spelled window.

Harry glanced at Remus before turning his full focus onto the men out in the hall. "Peter Pettigrew…"

Remus' hand went to the doorknob and began to tighten.

"No time to deal with him, mates." George interjected placing a hand on Remus' arm.

"That's right…" Fred smirked menacingly. "We can take care of him later."

"Baddies to thwart, you know…" George grinned at his brother.

Fred pretended to swoon. "And beloveds to save…"

"You're right. Draco is more important than him." Harry took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Remus…"

"I know they're right, Harry." The older man sighed in frustration. "It's difficult to hold myself back though."

Harry nodded as the men outside walked out of sight and then turned back to Dobby. "Can you get the elves to create a disturbance so my friends can get up to the tower, Dobby?"

Dobby nodded so frantically that it looked like his head would fall off.

Once he popped off to perform his task, Harry rolled his eyes. "Dobby's disturbance will make Riddle send his men to look into things." Harry told them. "While you guys get up to the tower, I'll draw Riddle out of the study. When you get Snape and come back together, we'll all stand against him at once."

"I'll be at your side the whole time, Harry. Sirius would be disappointed if I wasn't." Remus remained as the rest of them hurried out into the corridor.

Harry just nodded grimly. "No taking off after that rat if we see him, though." Remus quickly agreed and they waited until Harry suddenly saw an elf run by the door. "I suppose that's our cue."

Remus lifted his wand and headed out first. They walked down the hall in the direction they'd seen Peter and Goyle go earlier. They came to a long hallway which crossed the one they'd been traveling and each turned in the opposite direction keeping their backs to each other.

"Which way do we go?" Harry hissed in frustration.

"Listen." Remus touched his ear and nodded to a door that was only steps away. It wasn't closed all the way.

"The elves are cleaning the entryway? Why is that my problem?" Someone was impatient with his servants.

Harry grinned as he and Remus flanked the doorway.

"It's a problem because it's unusual, Master." A nasal sounding voice answered.

"Pettigrew, wait outside. Only come back if there's an actual emergency." The impatient voice snapped.

"Yes sir! I'm sorry sir!" The nasal voice seemed to be heading in their direction so Harry signaled for Remus to hit Peter over the head when he joined them.

Remus waited just long enough for Peter to close the door behind him and then hit the traitor on the temple.

"Good." Harry caught him and let the older man slide to the ground as he glared down at him. "Now we need to tie him up somehow and get him out of the way for a while."

"You start making a ruckus and draw Riddle out." Remus told the young prince as he aimed an Incarcerous spell at his former friend. Ropes flew out of Remus' wand and wrapped themselves around Peter Pettigrew. "I'll take this scum to the storage room we just vacated."

Harry nodded with a grin. "Thanks, Remus. See you in a bit."

********** LTF **********

Harry hurried down to the other end of the corridor and 'accidentally' knocked into a suit of armor. He cursed loudly at the noise he'd made but then cast a Sonorus charm on himself and shouted Riddle's name.

"Tom! Tom Riddle! I seek an audience with you, you bastard!" Harry yelled. "You've taken much from me and I demand retribution!"

"Who is this whelp?" Harry heard a voice ask.

He turned to face it. "I am Harrington James Potter. I assume you recognize that name?"

The man with Riddle paled visibly but the man himself had drawn his wand. "The Potter heir has returned, eh?"

"I have indeed." Harry nodded and flexed his occumental abilities. "I'm here to liberate the English Magical throne. The king and queen have suffered much under your thumb, to say nothing of their son!"

"Nonsense." Riddle smirked. "I've taken quite wonderful care of them."

Harry gritted his teeth and pointed his wand at the other man. "You've enslaved them! And you assassinated my parents! You're unfit to rule so much as a single house much less two countries!"

"I refuse to yield to a child! Get out of my castle!" Riddle threw a red spell at Harry who ducked behind a suit of armor.

The young prince cast a spell on his boots and let it speed him down the hall towards the courtyard where he and his friends had entered. He heard Riddle and his companion following him. He saw his friends and Severus coming toward the same door and stopped just behind a column.

"Have you decided to let me kill you, Brat?" Riddle taunted Harry.

"Of course not." Harry's face held a toothy smile as he stepped out into full view as several different spells converged on Voldemort. "You didn't think I came alone did you?"

The bastard who'd kept the Malfoys captive for thirteen years jumped and dodged the blasts of light and magic until they stopped and he was forced to look across the expansive hallway at his former servant. "Severus?"

Severus only nodded once.

Harry's armor gleamed with magical protection spells but he also held his shield and sword which he pointed at his beloved's captor.

Voldemort lifted his wand then and, just as they thought he would begin casting spells again, the group was surrounded by a growing cloud of smoke.

Harry fought to recall a spell that would disperse the smoke but forgot about it as soon as he heard a door open and close. "He's getting away! We've got to press our advantage!"

********** LTF **********

Still in dragon form, Draco was keeping an eye on his tower bedroom but nothing seemed to be happening. He dozed off for a short while and, when he awoke, he looked in to see that the room was completely empty…except for his body which was beautifully laid out…was that a new set of clothes…?

Was Severus summoned? Perhaps the green eyed boy had saved him but why was he still a dragon if that was so?

That's when he heard a loud bang…and saw his guardian on the terrace where the green eyed boy had been… Riddle was calling to him and beckoning to him.

Draco sighed inwardly and landed in the courtyard.

Voldemort spoke. "What a good dragon! Come here and you'll fly me to Hogwarts!"

Fly to Hogwarts? He'd never left the castle grounds! He only knew the vaguest location of it at best and his guardian wanted him to fly there in Dragon form? This was the man who'd made him take this unnatural form in the first place and he wanted Draco to help him escape the consequences of his own failed plot?! Draco growled at his guardian.

Voldemort seemed to realize that Draco's help was not going to be forthcoming. He backed up as he saw the fire heating up deep inside the dragon's throat. He raised his wand and Disapparated just as Harry and the others found their way through the smoke to the door and out onto the terrace.

Draco closed his jaws and swallowed the fire before it was truly born. He lowered his snout to the ground next to Harry and was astonished that the green eyed boy actually approached. Their eyes met again and even though the friends of his green eyed boy were protesting the boy did not stop. He came close until he was less than an arm length away and, when Draco felt the boy's touch on his snout, he closed his eyes in relief.

********** LTF **********

Harry turned as he heard a loud argument from the terrace. It seemed the Lucius and Narcissa had escaped the rooms in which they'd been held.

"You don't know anything about this boy! How could you have helped him drive our lord away?" Lucius was ranting.

Narcissa had tears in her eyes. "Who will take care of Prince Draco? How do you know this boy won't harm him? Or us?"

"Your Majesties!" Harry called out to them. "I am Harrington James Potter. I am here to rescue you and Draco from Voldemort's evil clutches."

"Are you sure he isn't mad?" Lucius whispered to his friend.

"Sire, you are the king of the magical realm of England." Harry tried again. "Draco is your son and the lady Narcissa is your faithful queen. You were victim of Voldemort's evil plot to conquer both of the magical realms of Great Britain."

Narcissa gasped and Harry thought for a moment that she'd remembered but that was tragically not so. "How dare you? We love that boy like he was our own but I've never been able to conceive!"

"Like that's any of his business, Cissa." Lucius glared at the boy. "How dare you try to give us ideas above our stations?! Do you know the trouble we'd be in with our lord if we pretended for even one second that we believed that rubbish?!"

"It is no use Harry." Severus told him quietly as he motioned for the others to lead the Malfoys away. "It will take a magical solution to wash the memory altering spell from their minds. Let me take you to Draco."

Harry's heart skipped a beat. "Yes. Please do Severus. I'm dying to meet him properly."

The stairwell Severus led him to was behind a thick wooden door. The walls were made of stone and it was lit with torches of real fire. He wondered as he climbed the stairs what his beloved would look like. How was he dressed? Was he in pyjamas and tucked under covers as if asleep? Or perhaps Severus had dressed him properly as a prince ought to be attired…

Harry saw that the door into Draco's room was just ahead so he checked that his dagger was in its sheath and held his shield and sword as if there might be a further obstacle on the way. His tunic was still clean though one edge did have a singed hem from a spell getting too close.

Severus opened the door and let Harry enter first.

The windows were traditional stone and wide open though spelled to keep the weather out. Harry took the time to note his surroundings and realized that the room was quite lovely. Being that it was night, he couldn't really see much more than that the room was not cluttered. In fact it hadn't much furniture at all. A dresser and night table stood near the bed while a trunk lay beneath the window. A portrait of Draco and Severus was hung above the bed while the rest of the room only had landscapes. A table and a few chairs sat across the room from the bed and there were a few bookcases along with a chess set. A small sketching table was set up just near the bookcases and Harry could see the appeal of its placement because Draco would be able to see out the window from that vantage point.

Finally taking a breath and approaching the bed, Harry used one hand to run his fingers through the soft blond hair. "Beautiful…" The black clothing Draco wore was of the finest quality and the red cape made his beloved look like the prince he was. He touched the boy's cheek and jaw and just as he was about to lean forward to kiss his sleeping betrothed, he heard a roar from outside.

"No!" Harry looked up toward the windows. "Could there be something happening? What if Voldemort has sent men to take back the castle?" Fire spells hit the outside of Draco's window as Harry stepped close to it.

Severus glared at Harry. "Wake Draco and we shall attempt to deal with this together!"

Harry shook his head. "No! He'll be in danger if he's awake! He has no battle training, no armor, no sword. Where's his wand? He can hardly fight if he hasn't got those things!"

"Fine. Let's go finish this then." Severus was terribly disappointed that Harry was correct. At least this way, Draco could still help them with his dragon's fire if he needed to and would have the protection of being covered in scales.

The pair hurried down the stairs to find out what was going on.

********** LTF **********

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