Chapter Twenty One: House of the Rising Sun

It was evil, there was no doubt in Harry's mind as he held the ring in his hands but it was something so much more than that; it was a piece of his past, it was a piece that had defined him. He thought the same thing the night before, that the ring itself was quite ugly but he was willing to morph it and maybe replace the whole thing all together.

He felt James and Salazar whisper in his ear, both telling him to focus on the curse and on the Soul-Fragment. Harry of course examined the ring carefully, tracing every single golden line on the ring before finding something that did not belong and it was a small spiral; under the stone.

"Ah…foolish, Tom." He said to no one particular as he sat in his, clothes scattered around him and papers lay forgotten on the floor "Yes, you have tainted the ring but not in the way you think, prideful."

"Arry?" Fleur asked from the bed, her bleary tired eyes looking up at him as she yawned "Did you not sleep?" She whispered again, during the past few days and leading weeks, she had become a more constant companion than ever before.

Harry looked up from his whisperings, tucking the ring in his pocket and smiling at her; one that met his eyes. That was the best thing that had happened since the third task, he was calm, he smiled, he loved again but he was changed; he was calculating, he was brooding, he was restless. "I had to help Sirius with something trivial, Bella had locked herself in her room, required her favorite nephew to break her out." He spoke with a calm voice.

"Arry, you ave not answered me." She said with a sigh, a hand to her forehead as she reached for her pants. "You might not think it, but you do require sleep."

Harry nodded absently, looking around for one of his many papers "Have you seen my diagram on the finer points of Transfiguration? Minerva would be most interested in my discovery." He spoke distantly, flipping paper onto the floor from his table.

Fleur rolled her eyes, while she loved the change in him, he was much more studious than before "Arry, you're discovery is the By-Laws of Jericho." She gave him a small smile, walking over and looking at all his papers that he was tossing around. It seemed that his time with the Black's had been both beneficial and destructive. "Arry, sit."

The young man paused from his searching, seeming to mull it over silently before leaning back and slowly settling onto the couch "I am sitting, why?" He pondered, giving her a thoughtful expression.

"Because I wanted to cuddle and I'm sure, McGonagall will understand my distraction." She explained to him, a soft smile spreading across his lips as he pulled her close. He smelled of a shower, meaning that he had only been in for the last few hours, he wore a simple pair of black sweats with a tank-top, showing off his runed arm. She felt something in his pocket however, as she scooted closer, something small and metallic.

Harry placed his chin on her head, resting there and taking her in, as always she smelled heavenly and pondered as to what he done to earn this woman, above all others. He also knew that she burned hot, like he burned cool, so she often slept with as little clothes on as possible, her shirt lay on the floor next to other pairs of her clothes, a powder blue bra all but saved her privacy.

"Come, you are skipping class today." She said after a few minutes had passed, she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the bed "You need sleep, I will not take no, for any answer." She grinned at him, while he approached his problems more carefully, she was his weakness.

Harry gave her a dull glare, before sighing and pulling his shirt off as she slid into the sheets. A few seconds he pondered, almost wondering if he should go to class or not but in the end chose against it. He slid in next to her, he turned his back to her and she hugged him close from behind "I am not tired, you know." He said after a few moments, just lazily looking ahead.

Fleur gave him a light laugh, nuzzling into his back muscles "I could not tell, the dark rings, yawning and bored look, you seem to be perfectly…." She stopped, his breathing was normally even but his heart was slower than normal. Shifting just barely to look over his shoulder, his face in peace, his eyes closed and lips just barely parted. "Sleep, Mon Amour."

Fleur pulled him tight to herself, making sure to keep the covers on him as much as possible but knowing that her body heat will keep far warmer. As long as she kept a tight hold on him, he would likely have a decent rest and far less nightmares than he would have otherwise; it was the main reason that she agreed to this.

'Arry you look terrible, have you not been sleeping!' Mindy had asked three days into his recovery, the dining hall had done their best to ignore them. However everyone seemed to slow, watching what was going to happen next; Harry had become unpredictable in recent months.

"Mindy!" Hermione all but whispered "You can't just ask him that!"

"Of course I can, e looks exhausted!" She shot back at the bushy bookworm, which only seemed to things worse. Hermione and Mindy started to bark at each other in the middle of the Ravenclaw table, to which Harry stood up, placed his napkin down and walked away, his bag floating gently behind him.

Fleur gave them both a dirty glance, before doing the same as Harry but only holding her bag as she followed him out. "Arry, stop." She said in a forceful tone, knowing that if he was too deep in thought; he could slip. The Potter paused, not turning around but halting his actions "Why ave you not been sleeping, please tell me."

Harry seemed to mull it over, wondering what he could possible gain from telling her, it was after all his issue; much like Salazar, it was his issue and he would not allow Dumbledore to bail him out every time he got into trouble. "Nightmares." He said simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world "I have nightmares when I sleep, so I would rather not sleep at all."

Fleur nodded, giving him a thoughtful glance "Ave you tried sleeping with something?" She asked inquisitively.

Harry raised a brow "I have not cheated in this relationship." He said suddenly, looking like she might be thinking of something along those lines. "I swear on-"

"Arry!" She snapped, stopping his frantic thoughts and then smiling at him "Non, I meant have you tried a pillow, or a stuffed animal?"

Harry shook his head, looking quite sheepish at his thoughts "No….I just get…so cold." He said after a few moments, looking down towards the ground "Even the warming charm doesn't seem to help much." His hand drifted up close to his rune, but she grabbed his hand.

When they locked eyes, she had warmth in her blue pools, warmth and understanding "Come, let me try something." She said quietly, pulling him towards the staircase.

"I have class you know." He said aloud, as she dragged him forward.

"Not today you don't, you are getting a full day of rest." She said with a grin back at him, kissing his cheek "Don't try to argue, I will win."

Harry sighed, but nodded his head "Lead on."

Fleur had smiled at the memory of a few short days but seemingly weeks ago, after that event she slept next to him nearly every night and because of this, he had far less nightmares and she got to see him fully at peace, she thought he was always dashing before, but he was near beautiful with a resting face; she looked like a mess in the morning, but she was not jealous, he liked her mess.

XX~XX~XX~XX~XX

Harry examined the book in front of him like he was looking for the cure to cancer, but in reality it was a fairly simple potion distantly related to the Love Potion; The Hate Potion. It was suppose to target a single person and then show the drinker that person's worse traits and habits; it was a simple but complex potion at the same time.

"The potion in front of you shall turn a rather distinct shade of brown before turning a bright red, anything other than red, will not be accepted; so don't bother even turning it in." Professor Snape explained looking at the class with his beady black eyes, he waved his wand at the board "Begin." The potion had appeared, each step was clearly labeled but Harry knew better and was reading from the book.

"Who are you going to use as the target Harry?" Daphne asked, starting to get the broth boiling for the potion. She had recently cut her hair, letting it hang short at the shoulders "I think I might use Hermione, was always curious if she had any nasty habits, like sucking her thumb or something."

"You know I can hear you." Hermione basically growled at the Slytherin from behind, but then clasped her jaw shut when Snape looked over with a small glare and raised brow; then the girl went back to working with Neville; who had improved vastly since she had started working with him a few short weeks ago.

Harry who was reading the book, tapped it once or twice with his wand and then levitated it so he didn't have to look down to read. He began to shell the Egyptian Rose Beetles, making sure to pull the legs off or they would corrupt the potion. "No one, it shall be a Neutral Hate Potion." He said quietly, his sharp eyes basically taking in everything to the side of him "Be sure to pull the fin completely off, bones and all."

The potion didn't have many ingredients but they had to be used in such a certain way, or prepared correctly, if not it would turn into a poison; something that would not be acceptable. As he was cutting the Rose thorns into smaller pieces the knife slipped and sliced into the top of his palm, he bit back a sound of pain; Pain?!

He felt the word suddenly fall into itself, he was back in a small room much too small for anyone to call home. It was filled with spiders, the eight legged arachnids crawled over what little he owned, most ignored him but some would bite him every now and then; giving him a fever and terrible dreams.

"Boy!" The voice, the voice that made him shiver with fear "Where is my Breakfast!?"

He had slept in, his latest beating made his legs hurt whenever he used them and he was more than certain that his right hand wasn't going to be able to be used anytime soon; normally most of his wounds would heal overnight, only to earn him more beatings for his freakishness. A hand reached out through the darkness, grabbing his swollen hand and pulling him into the light.

A pair of hazel eyes looked at him worriedly, a light hand was covering his bleeding palm with a towel. "Harry?" She whispered, he looked like death had gripped him, and he didn't seem to be shaking out of it "Professor! I think Harry needs to go to the Medical Wing!"

Snape looked him over, seeing his bloodied hand and recalling an event not so long ago "He doesn't feel pain, Miss. Greengrass, I'm quite sure Mr. Potter is fine." He snapped at being disturbed from looking over the other students work.

"I'm fine." Harry whispered tightly, like someone was grabbing his throat "I just…..need a moment." He pulled his hand away from Daphne, sitting down on the floor and pulling his knees to his chest as he looked at his bleeding palm.

Daphne glared at the Professor who merely raised a brow at her in return, then looked at where Potter had been standing then gave her a silent questioning stare. Daphne rolled her eyes and jerked her head to Harry, to which Snape sighed and walked around the desk.

"Mr. Potter." He said calmly, snapping at his distant looking eyes "Are you feeling well?"

Harry shook his head slowly, looking at the Professor with downcast eyes "It…hurts." He held his hand out, it was still dripping blood ever so slowly. "Make it stop." He quietly pleaded, his skin had paled to almost a fresh snow color, his eyes seemed bloodshot and his mouth was drawn into a tight line of pain.

Snape sighed softly, pulling his wand from its holster and running the tip of it above the wound on his palm, effectively sealing it and then with a flick, the blood was gone. "Here." He whispered softly, passing him a small blue vial "For the pain." He then stood suddenly, glaring down at the Potter Heir "If you are quite done making a scene in my classroom Potter! I believe you can't afford another failing grade!" With that he stalked off towards Crabb and Goyle's potion table.

Daphne looked down at him, he seemed to have gained a little color and his shaking had stopped, with the grace of a large cat, he rose to his feet and continued his work like nothing had happened "What was that!?" She whispered loudly.

Harry stopped, his eyes slowly looked over at her and he gave her a small smile "Daphne, drop it." He said in a calm but kind voice, almost to calm.

Without another word the pair started to work together almost seamlessly, Harry passed her his acorn pieces and she passed him her crushed scorpion claws; both cut and crushed expertly. Their potions went from the dark green of the broth, to a bright pink, to muddy brown and then finally settled into a rather violent shade of red. Daphne had added a single hair from Hermione, that she must have snatched without the other girl's knowledge.

When Harry looked at the two, he noticed that her potion was closer to orange than red but it was her potion and not his. His potion was a thin blood red, that popped with a bubble every now and then, he slowly scoped up two vials full of the potion, labeled one and stuck the other one into a pouch inside his bag. He slowly walked up the desk, setting the full red potion on the rack and an empty blue bottle "Thank you." He whispered softly.

Snape gave his potion a curious glance and nodded slowly, but then he paused at Potter's next words.

"I should also apologize for Salazar's actions, I'm quite sure he gave you a fright at his….dueling style." He explained softly, his eyes downcast and his face passive as ever.

Snape nodded slowly, before pursing his lips gently "I accept your apology, just make sure that….Salazar doesn't make such a repeat event." It wasn't a threat of course, but the Professor had let it known that he wouldn't take another apology.

XX~XX~XX~XX~XX

Fleur looked at him with slightly worried eyes, as she held his still red hand "You cut yourself, and it 'urt?" She asked with a raised brow, it sounded so obvious to anyone else but Harry hadn't been able to feel pain since before the second task months ago.

Harry nodded, pulling the still lightly throbbing appendage back "I don't know what's happening to me." He whispered with wide eyes, he wanted to be normal yes but he didn't want to be weak and these flashes were making him weaker than normal. "I…I just want them to stop!" He held his temple, his eyes went wide.

"Arry!" She snapped, grabbing his hand and pushing down on the sealed cut, it made her close her eyes to stop the tears as he hissed in pain. "Whenever you get these flashes, remember what is real! Remember that you 'ave already beaten them, no madder if it is Dursley or that bitch Bellatrix!" She looked into his fearful eyes, he was afraid, this was all new to him again.

Harry's eyes seemed to steel a little at her words, his back stiffened a little and his face turned impassive "You are right, Mon Amour." He leaned over, kissing her softly on her lips and brushing her hair behind her ear with his left hand. "I am…stronger than this…I abhor weakness."

Fleur smiled at him and pulled him into another kiss, and let out a small moan as he slipped his hands around her waist tightly and pressed herself to him. Without warning they fell backwards onto the couch they were standing next to, Harry shifted at the last second to take the fall "I love you." He whispered in her ear, making her let out a small sigh.

"I love you, too." She whispered back, tucking her head under his chin as she rested on his chest.

That was how Dumbledore had found the two a few hours later, he had known that Miss. Delacour had chosen to stay mostly in Harry's new room and at first he wasn't going to let it continue but when he had seen the young man become more of himself with each passing day; he could only think that Fleur had been able to do that. Miss. Granger had left Harry to heal himself, believing that he wouldn't want to be pitied. Miss. Greengrass could only to so much; he had to want to be healed but Fleur would not take no for an answer.

It made the old man smile softly, as he looked at their sleeping form, it made him think of one of his first relationships; Robert had been very calm and kind which was the foil to the young professor, who had a tendency to look for trouble almost like another. Soon though, he needed someone who could keep up with him and then he paid for this, losing his mother, sister and lover by this choice; Gellert.

"Professor?" A tired voice asked, bright green eyes looked at him with confusion "Is." He paused as his love tightened her hold on him but continued to sleep soundly "Is something wrong?" He asked with a whisper.

Dumbledore shook his head softly, a small smile pulling at his lips making his beard twitch "No, Harry." He said turning to leave "Just checking on your progress, is all. Sleep well."

Without warning Harry appeared on the bed, where a pillow had been a moment ago, Dumbledore looked shocked how had the boy teleported within Hogwarts? Such a thing was surely impossible, that was until the logical side of the old man's mind began turning; the solution appeared in seconds.

"Did you just self perform the switching spell?" Albus asked in the lightest, curious and interested voices he could possibly manage. The switching spell was only suppose to be used on objects, it would take years of singular study into the finer points of Transfiguration to perform such a feat; something that even he could not do.

Harry nodded sharply, standing up from the bed and looking over a Fleur; who had not seemed to notice that her cuddlier was now a pillow. The young man straightened his shirt as he stood "It took some time to complete, I doubt I can use it in a fight but it is very useful for stealth." He spoke in the upmost casual of voices, motioning to the chair next to the couch; which he flicked his wand at the moment he started to speak.

Albus shook his head at the offer, summoning his own purple cushioned chair and taking a seat, with a wave of his hand the table once filled with books, which were now neatly shelved on the wall, sat a tea tray. "Oh I can imagine, the uses of such a spell are endless if one can truly understand the finer points, something that takes years of study." The old man flicked his wand at the set, objects floated around as they prepared two cups of English Black tea and several lemon scones.

Harry nodded, giving the objects a careful look and a wave of his freehand before sipping on his tea "I see the hidden question, Head Master." He looked up from the rather simple cup, took another sip before leaning back in his chair "I recall everything."

Dumbledore raised a brow, leaning forward, his tea forgotten for the moment "Describe the word Everything, Harry." He almost whispered.

"The first memory I have of you, you arrived at the orphanage, told him that he was special, lit his wardrobe on fire and scolded him for stealing." Harry said without a care in the world, sipping on his tea and taking a bite of the scone "I recall being made fun of because I was a filthy Mudblood, in the Pure House of Slytherin-" He stopped abruptly, took a breath and closed his eyes "I apologize, those are not my memories, they are his."

Dumbledore seemed to age within seconds, slowly slipping into the comfort of his chair and took a weak breath "I…I have no words…." He said sadly, looking into the now blank green eyes, like jade stones "You should not-"

"Have them, you are correct, that however is the problem with a living Horcrux." Harry said calmly, waving his hand at the couch again, making Fleur sigh in comfort. "The soul fragment can do many things, mine became a part of me, Salazar."

"The being during the Third Task?" Albus asked curiously.

"The Second as well, Salazar became my dominant side for many months." He gave a sigh and ran his hand through his hair "He thrived in the environment that Bellatrix had created, I did not, and I still suffer from it now."

Dumbledore took a glance at Fleur, she seemed to be perfectly asleep and cuddled deeply into the pillow that was once Harry. He then stared hard into the young man that sat before him, so different yet still the same "And for that the blame shall rest upon me-"

"No the blame fully rests on Bellatrix, she pushed me to the point of no return." Harry said barely looking up, his face set with a stone mask "I'm also surprised about your ease of this."

"I had a feeling this could be one of the side effects." The ancient man spoke sagely.

Harry's eyes narrowed slightly, he leaned forward in his seat just barely "You know about this? You knew about the Horcrux?" It wasn't a question, it was a statement, a fact. "Why do I still have it then?"

"Harry…." The old man was going to try and talk around the question but he couldn't, not when he looked into those dead orbs, so like Lily "Death….that was the only way."

Harry opened his mouth, then closed it for a brief moment, a look crossed his features; anger, grief….acceptance? Dumbledore couldn't tell. "I see….thank you….Albus…." He looked over at Fleur, his eyes longing "I ask that you leave me, I…would like to spend…."

"I understand Harry." Dumbledore stood up, placing a hand on the boys shoulder "I'd give you points but…"

"Rather moot at the this point, right Albus?"

"Indeed. My office is always open to you Harry."

"Thank you…." Dumbledore could hear Harry whisper as he turned to Fleur, when the old man had reached the door, he could hear the sharp intakes of breath and knew that Harry was openly sobbing; who wouldn't be? At the door he paused, eyes closed in mourning as he listened for another moment.

'I will find another way!'

XX~XX~XX~XX~XX

The basement was dark, dank much like the last time he had been here a few short weeks ago, the candles burned a low emerald colour, contrasting to the pale young man still chained to the wall. Salazar hadn't changed, but Harry had, he seemed taller, more sure of himself since his last personal visit.

"Oh! You came to visit lit-"

"Silence Salazar!" Harry snapped his fingers, making the figure quiet instantly and he began to look around the room "Lily, come out." The young man stood there almost perfectly still, his eyes searching the room for any appearance of his mother. "Mother! Come out!"

"Son…." A soft voice whispered behind him, a voice that he had only heard in his worst nightmares, the same voice that he had contemplated running headfirst at Dementor's to hear again. Several feet away, she stood, about his height maybe just a little taller than he was, still clothed in the thick cloak.

"Mum." He whispered, taking a step forward.

"Don't!" She cried out, a look of pain crossing her features "I'm not suppose to be talking to you! This is hard enough, if Salazar would've behaved like a good boy, this wouldn't have happened!"

"Oi! I'm older than you, slag!"

"Salazar, shut up!" Harry snarled at the Horcrux. "I need to know."

Lily sighed softly, looking at Salazar with such loathing before turning back to Harry; her eyes mirrored his own, they looked deadly "I did the same thing he did, only different."

"You made a Horcrux?" Harry and Salazar asked at the same time, both had eyes wider than normal.

"Yes and no, while Tom's Horcrux is made to keep him from dying, mine is made to keep another from dying. Aspída, a type of soul shield, designed to block most forms of magic cast by the one who seals the spell. Which would be him." She jerked her thumb at Sal, while resting her other hand on her hip.

"So…I could revive you…." He whispered, his eyes wide with the thought, a living Lily Evans-Potter would be able to teach him, would be able to raise him much more than Andromeda and Sirius could-SIRIUS, she could set Sirius free! "I nee-"

"No."

Harry stopped, all his excitement instantly died "No?"

"No. I can be revived but it would be very troublesome." She ran a hand through her long red hair, scratching at her scalp "A lot of the incantations are hard, items that are a pain to get and you'd have to dig up my body, which I'm quite sure would be very ripe."

Harry looked her dead in the eyes, a small smile on his face "Give me a list."

"I said no."

"I know, give me the list."

"Harry James Potter, I said no, and when I mean no, I mean no! Young man!" She screamed at him, her face mirroring her hair and her eyes glowing a similar colour.

Harry raised an eye at that "Wait I thought my eye changing colour was from him!" He pointed at Salazar, who was smartly keeping himself quiet, these two were terrifying and he was a Dark Lord for Merlin's sake.

"The permanent change was him, but when you were angry it's from me." She cleared up for him, a small sigh escaping her lips "Very powerful wizards can make their eyes glow, my eyes turn red because of our history."

"I thought you were a Muggle-Born." He asked with a frown.

"If you don't shut up, I won't tell you." She scolded him, a red eyed glare informed him she was serious. At his nod, she continued "My family actually has a pretty solid bloodline, but not usually witch or wizard." She explained, a hand covering her eyes "We're the descendents of Banshee's, in fact I was surprised that you turned out to be male, those with Banshee blood tend to lean more to the female side of genetics."

Harry nodded slowly, it made sense that if Veela could reproduce then so would everything else, well expect ghosts and zombies. Banshee's would be tossed in with the ghost aspects, but it could be a family trend to become Banshee, thus making them more inherent to it.

Lily locked eyes with him and smiled softly "You look so much like James….I know you hear that a lot…and I know you want to make him proud…" She stopped for a moment to compose herself "And I find Fleur acceptable, there you have your mother's blessing."

They were silent for several moments, just breathing in the presence of the other "I love you Mum."

Lily smiled wider, and much like how she came, she was gone. Harry then turned to Salazar, who was trying to act like part of the wall "So, any idea of how to get her a body, jackass?"

Salazar just grinned a little, the chains loosening a fraction and he smiled more "Why Harry, it almost sounds like you need my help." The construct said airily.

"I do."

The chains slid even more, but Harry didn't notice that little fact and it made Salazar grin widely "Well, then where do we begin!"

XX~XX~XX~XX~XX

Hello Hello, Merry Late Christmas and Happy New Year.

So we've had some points cross here, as we can see this is a much more reserved and composed Harry than before, he is battling the ghosts of his past and he is suffering from this new pain tolerance that he has. Now to those that think I am going to revive Lily Potter, you could be right but you're going to find that I am not that nice. So unless I hear a lot of compelling reasons, it's likely to not happen.

Moving on! Dumbledore is now officially Team Harry, and will now start to look out for the boy in more ways than one! More on that to come, so we have a few chapters left: The Maze, Shredded Skin, Unmask the Bull and Home. Then that will be the end of Act One! Not long after that Act II shall begin, known as The Fire Bird- Act II: Fragments (Working title.)

Keep on reading my loyal fans, thanks so much for the dedication this past year and here is to another one, starting in Act II! I know I have promised this before, but I will try my upmost to update this as best I can. Sign- The Mad Demon King