Chapter One – Beware The Dog
Haiden panted as he ran as fast as he could down the corridor, his girlfriend, Hermione Granger, was right next to him and the Weasley twins, Fred and George, were right behind them. He was following his Potions Professor, Severus Snape, and a man he had met only once before, Remus Lupin. The group of them slid around a corner and nearly ran into another group of people who were walking down the corridor and had to dive out of the way before they were run over by their group. "Sorry, excuse us!" Hermione called back to them, never pausing in her stride. They continued to run through the corridors and around corners (almost hitting a young woman who yelled at them to 'slow down') before they finally made it to their destination. Almost as one, they came to a sliding stop in front of a group of six people (four light-haired people and two dark-haired people).
"We got your message." Remus panted out. "We got here as quick as we could." Haiden, Hermione, and the Weasley twins hadn't been with Professor Snape and Remus when they had received word from not only the Malfoy family, but also Luna and the Rose family about Harry's condition. Haiden and his group had just happened to floo to St Mungo's at the same time as Professor Snape and Remus, they hadn't even exchanged 'hello's. He was pretty positive that all of them had just ran out of the floo and hadn't stopped running until now.
"It is true?" Professor Snape asked. "Is my son really awake? This isn't just another false alarm, is it?"
Right after everything that had happened last year, Professor Snape and Lucius Malfoy had taken Dumbledore to court for custody over Harry. Molly and Arthur Weasley, who had taken Haiden in for the summer, had tried to keep Haiden out of the fighting, and had done a pretty good job. However, thanks to Draco, Luna, and Myari, Haiden had been told exactly what had transpired throughout the many hours the court had taken place. From the sound of it, Lucius had enough evidence (which no one actually told Haiden what the evidence was) to prove negligence on Dumbledore's part. After the court had seen the evidence from both sides, it hadn't taken the court long to decide that Professor Snape and his life partner were to have full custody of Harry.
"Take a look for yourself." Lucius told them, motioning with his cane towards the window that showed Harry's room. Haiden quickly looked through the window to see his younger twin brother, Harry Potter, sitting in his hospital bed and actively talking (and laughing) with the two healers that were in the room checking over him. Haiden began to cry out of relief and joy.
After Fawkes had carried him, Ginny, Ron, a dazed Lockhart, and the comatose Harry out of the Chamber of Secrets and to the Hospital Wing, Haiden had not be allowed to see his brother. The last time he had actually been able to get a glimpse of his brother was when a team of St. Mungo's Healers had rushed Harry to St. Mungo's. That had been right after everything that had happened in the Chamber. Haiden hadn't even been able to process what was happening, let alone what had happened in the Chamber.
The only news that anyone had on Harry's condition was that he had fallen into a coma and was lucky to still be alive. It was a mystery what had stopped the Basilisk venom from killing Harry, it had stumped every healer that had taken a look at him. The only thing that every healer agreed on was that the Phoenix tears that Fawkes had given to Harry had only been able to heal the wound, not the venom. However, if he was truly honest with himself, Haiden didn't care about the medical mystery and miracle his brother was apparently turning out to be, all that he cared about was that his brother was alive.
Haiden felt Hermione wrap her arms around him, he turned so that he could rest his face in the crook of her neck. "He's finally awake." He breathed out as he finally let his tears, that he had been holding in since the incident in the Chamber, out. "My brother has come back to me." Hermione ran her fingers through his hair.
"Are you his family?" A healer asked as he exited Harry's hospital room. Haiden pulled away from Hermione enough to look at the man, he was tall and imposing with piercing and hard blue eyes that Haiden felt was staring into his soul, his dark hair was shaved, and his face was set in a hard look. Looking at the man made Haiden feel as if something was wrong as the healer took off his gloves while looking at each and every one of them. Haiden's words froze in his throat as Professor Snape and Remus stepped forward.
"We're his adopted parents." Professor Snape informed the man who nodded. It was still weird to picture Professor Snape as Harry's father, let alone hear the man admit it. But Haiden knew he was going to have to get used to it, seeing as this was reality.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, if you would follow me, there are a few things I have to speak with you about." The healer told them, his voice flat and not letting on to if these were good things or not.
"I'm his older twin brother!" Haiden was finally able to force out as the three of them began to walk away. The healer glanced over his shoulder at Haiden, he watched the healer's eyes soften a little before motioning for Haiden to follow them. Haiden squeezed Hermione's hand to give himself a little comfort and strength before he quickly caught up with them.
The healer quickly led them to an office that was just half a corridor away from Harry's room. As they entered the office, the healer quickly conjured up three chairs for them to sit in. The three of them quickly sat down as the healer sat in his chair behind the desk and began to shuffle through some scrolls, searching for something. Anxious to know what was happening with his brother, Haiden could not stop himself from voicing his concern.
"Is there something wrong with my brother?" Haiden asked catching the healer's attention, earning a shocked look before the man's face cleared itself.
"First," The healer started, finally finding the scrolls he had been looking for and unrolling them and smoothing them out, "let's start with introductions. I am Healer Kristoffer Sven, I am one of the handful of Head Healer here at St. Mungo's, and I just recently took over Harry's case. I also apologize for the mess." He added motioning to the many other scrolls on his desk, "It has been a long few days, there was a recent spike of Dragon Pox… but that's not what's important to you at the moment." Haiden's leg began to bounce in anxiousness. Healer Kristoffer cleared his throat.
"As I'm sure you are all aware that Harry has been in a coma for the last two months." Healer Kristoffer continued. "However, what you probably don't know is why he fell into a coma, and that's because we didn't know either." Haiden blinked at the man in shock as he looked down at the top scroll, scanned it, before quickly lifting it and actually reading the other scroll. "It wasn't until last night that we were able to figure anything out." Healer Kristoff looked back up at them. "Until last night, anytime we tried to examine Harry, be it by magical means or Muggle, his magic would lash out at us." He looked back at the scroll in his hand. "He has already injured quite a few of our healers, along with a handful of my fellow head healers. Nearly killed three assistant healers, permanently injured five of our senior healers, and put one of our head healers in a coma herself." Healer Kristoffer read off before looking back at them. "And that was all just with his magic alone."
Haiden had to look away from the healer's piercing eyes as he wrapped his mind around what Healer Kristoffer was telling them. Were they going to throw Harry out because of everything he did to their staff? Was Harry going to be forced to pay for their recovery? He glanced at Professor Snape when he heard the man shift in his seat to find him rubbing his temple while Remus, who was on the other side of the professor, was covering his mouth.
"I'm really sorry about all that…" Professor Snape started only to stop when Healer Kristoffer raised his hand.
"Don't be. It was their own fault. We had warned the assistant healers to not examine Harry without a licensed healer in the room with them. As for senior healers, that just gave me the excuse I needed to finally get rid of their arrogant and stuck-up arses. And as for my fellow head healer, she will wake from her coma and all will be well." Healer Kristoffer told them with a smirk, earning an eyebrow raise from Haiden. "She wasn't injured by him, just locked into her mind by his magic." The man further explained earning a snicker from Remus, Haiden looked at the man to see that he wasn't hiding his mouth out of shock but to hide a proud smile. Healer Kristoffer coughed in an attempt to cover his own laugh before his face turned serious again.
"As of last night, we were finally able to examine him safely, and found out the reason he fell into the coma. And that was so that his body could focus all its attention into using his magic to dissolve the Basilisk venom–"
"What!?" Professor Snape asked in shock. "That can't – No, that's not – what?"
"I understand your shock, if I had not been the one to examine him myself, I wouldn't have believed it myself, hell, I still don't know if I believe it yet." Healer Kristoffer told him. "But, as it stands today, the thing that saved Harry and kept him alive was his magic. It quickly placed him in a coma and fought off the Basilisk venom from entering his heart all while also mimicking the healing property of the Phoenix Tears and slowly dissolving the Basilisk venom."
"But that can't be! That's not possible." Professor Snape cried out. "That's impossible! Magic can't mimic the healing property of Phoenix Tears, nor can it stop Basilisk Venom, and it can't dissolve Basilisk venom! And there have been plenty of attempts!"
"I agree with you. However, the results still stand. Your son is only alive because his magic was able to mimic Phoenix Tears, it was able to stop the Basilisk Venom, and it did dissolve the Basilisk Venom. And we should be grateful that this miracle happened and not question it too much." Healer Kristoffer said as he rolled the scrolls back up and placing them on the corner of his desk. "Now, after hearing about this miracle that just happened to your son, this next part is going to sound really bad, but I would like to keep Harry in the Hospital for a few days to observe him." There was a low, dark growl that startled Haiden who quickly looked around the room to find out where it had come from.
"My pup is not some guinea pig to test on." Remus told Healer Kristoffer who just stared at Remus unflinching as Professor Snape quickly whispered something in his ear. "Yes, I took it." Haiden looked at Remus and could have sworn that the man's honey brown eyes looked more golden than they had before.
"And you have my word as a healer that I am not keeping your pup as a test subject, I only want to observe him. Yes, his magic healed him. Yes, there appears to be no damage left from the Basilisk Venom. However, I want to make sure that there is actually no damage left from the Basilisk Venom, which, if everything goes well, should only take two days. Because, as I just said, I want to make sure that there is no lasting damage."
"So… Harry's okay?" Haiden asked, confused as to what was going on.
"Yes, Harry is perfectly healthy, body wise, and, if everything goes well, should be home in his own bed in a couple of days." Healer Kristoffer told him, and Haiden nodded, content. His brother was alive and awake from his coma, and healthy enough to go home in a couple of days! "I will keep you informed of any and all examinations and test we do, and let you know why we are doing them." He told Remus who narrowed his eyes.
"I will keep you to your word, and if I am not told about a single thing you do to my pup I will pull him from your care and into the care of someone more trustworthy." Remus growled and Healer Kristoffer just nodded.
"Right, now, I'm sure I've kept your from Harry long enough. Go, visit him. I shall inform the others that your group is allowed to stay as long as you want. I can even have them set up a few spare beds for any who wish to stay the night." Healer Kristoffer said as he stood up. Haiden barely heard him finish as he was out the door and running back to his brother before the man had finished talking.
– Lock Me In Your Heart –
Haiden sighed and leaned against Hermione as they silently sat in Harry's hospital room. Harry had just finished a physical examination that exhausted him and, as Haiden was telling Harry all about his and the Weasley's trip to Egypt, he fell asleep. After Harry had fallen asleep, everyone who had come to visit Harry had slowly left until only Haiden, Hermione, Professor Snape and Remus were left. Professor Snape and Remus were just outside the room speaking with Healer Sven as he explained the results of the examination.
Haiden glanced at his girlfriend when she sighed and shifted in her chair, accidentally knocking his shoulder with hers. She had a large book in her hand and, even though Haiden knew that Hermione had just started this book a couple of days again, was already half way through it. As if feeling him, Hermione looked up from her book and smiled at him causing his face to heat up. "You don't have to stay with me, you know. If you're bored you can head home." Haiden told her.
"I know." Hermione said as she turned her attention back to her book, a soft smile on her face. It took a couple of minutes for Haiden to realize that Hermione was staying with him to support him. She must have deduced that it was hard for Haiden to be in the room while his brother was sleeping, especially since it hadn't been a full day since Harry woke from his coma. Haiden pecked Hermione on the cheek before turning his attention to his brother, he needed to see Harry wake up, for his own piece of mind.
"Thank you." Haiden whispered to Hermione who gently bumped his shoulder with hers.
"Anytime." Hermione said as the two fell into a comfortable silence, with the only sound being Harry's breathing and Hermione occasionally turning a page in her book. A small, painful whimper slipped out of Harry's mouth and his face scrunched up in fear and pain. Haiden moved to stand up so that he could check on his brother only to be hit by a wave of magic that threw both Haiden and Hermione to the ceiling, causing Hermione to scream, before dropping them to the ground, knocking the wind from Haiden's lungs.
Haiden wasn't sure if the ringing in his ears was an alarm or his eardrums, however what Haiden was sure of was the scream he was hearing was from Hermione and not in his mind. He looked over at Hermione to find that she was trying, and failing, to fight off black, miasma like magic, however the magic was everywhere. Haiden tried to get up, only to be trapped by the black, miasma like magic that was covering the floor. It was only then, as he tried to fight the magic to stand up, that Haiden realized that the magic wasn't hurting him like it was Hermione. Haiden glanced at his hand to see a thin layer of protective, white magic covering him. He glanced at Hermione, then down at his hand, then back at Hermione a few times before his shocked mind was able to come up with a plan. If this magic was protecting him then if he wrapped himself around Hermione, then it might just be able to protect her as well.
Haiden began to slowly craw over to Hermione, fighting the oppressive pressure of the black miasma. Once he finally made it to Hermione, he grabbed her and, with strength he didn't know he possessed, he pulled her to him and wrapped himself around her. The second he was wrapped around her, the protective, white magic slowly expanded to envelope Hermione in its protective hold. And Haiden nearly cried in joy when Hermione finally stopped screaming in pain, however, the screaming didn't stop.
Haiden looked over his shoulder at his brother to find him thrashing and fighting something that only Harry could see. After Hermione had settled, Harry also settled for a few seconds before he began to chant in a language that Haiden was pretty sure wasn't Parselmouth. Haiden and Hermione lay clutching each other, as Harry chanted for a long couple of minutes. After the long couple of minutes, Harry slowly stopped chanting as the black, miasma like magic was slowly absorbed into Harry, allowing Haiden and Hermione to finally sit up. After all of the black, miasma like magic was gone, the protective, white magic disappeared in a shimmer.
Haiden and Hermione gasped as they looked around the room while standing up. Etched into every surface that the black, miasma like magic had touched was the phrase 'Beware the Dog'. It had even been carved into Hermione's arm.
The door to the hospital room flew open and four healers, including Healer Kristoffer, ran in. Healer Kristoffer quickly ushered Haiden and Hermione out of the room and into the arms of Remus. "Your arm please." He asked, gently taking Hermione's injured arm and examined it before running a hand down her arm, healing it.
"What happened?" Haiden asked pulling Hermione closer to him, needing to make sure she was safe.
"Harry's magic felt as if he was being threatened and attacked, so it lashed out to protect himself." Healer Kristoffer said as he began to examine Haiden. "Harry was more than likely reliving that night in the Chamber again. I shall call for his mind healer and have her check him over. What I'm curious about is why didn't the black magic hurt you? Why were you spared? And why did the magic stop attacking Miss Hermione, here, once you started protecting her?"
"It was the white magic." Hermione explained. "It was originally only wrapped around Haiden, and only wrapped around me once Haiden was wrapped around me."
"That still leaves the question as to why only Haiden?" Professor Snape said.
"Harry was protecting Haiden." Hermione said. "Harry's magic recognized Haiden as his blood and therefore not a threat, and when Haiden started protecting me, Harry's magic then recognized that I was also not a threat."
"Wasn't the black magic Harry's magic? Where did the white magic come from?" Healer Kristoffer asked turning to look through the window into Harry's room. Haiden also looked through the window to find that the other healers had finished fixing the room and were now examining Harry.
"The white magic is Harry's magic, I don't know who's magic the black magic was." Haiden said.
"That was also Harry's magic." Hermione muttered, her grip on Haiden tightening in fear.
"Duel magic." Healer Kristoffer muttered. "Fascinating." Haiden felt Remus tense up as Healer Kristoffer turned to look at them. "Any way, I'll have to check the results, but this shouldn't affect our plans to have Harry out of here in the next few days. If anything does happen, I shall keep you all informed."
"I – I … It's getting pretty late, I think I should head home." Hermione said, forcing on a smile as the three healers exited Harry's room. One of them handed Healer Kristoffer a scroll while another one handed Hermione her book that she had dropped.
"I'll escort you home." Haiden said before taking Hermione by the hand and began to lead her down the hall to the floo room.
"I'll join you." Professor Snape called to them. Haiden turned around to watch him give Remus a small peck on the lips, movement behind the men caught his eyes. Harry had sat up and was now watching them with blank eyes that were not the eyes of his younger brother. Haiden gulped, terrified of the thing that was now inside his brother. He quickly turned back around and continued leading Hermione down the corridor, now with Professor Snape following them.
– Lock Me In Your Heart –
Haiden was leaning against the counter of Flourish and Blotts besides Ron, his ocean blue eyes scanning the line of people, barely listening to Ron as they waited for Hermione to finish checking out and pay for her books. As Hermione reached out to pay, Haiden's eyes flashed to her arm, the same arm that had been injured the other day. He was happy to see nothing, not even a scar. It had pained him to not only see her in pain but to also have her blood covering her arm. "Why did you get so many books?" Haiden asked, interrupting Ron earning an annoyed glare, in an attempt to distract himself from the memory of her being attacked by his brother's magic. "Are all of them for light reading?" He continued as he watched the poor assistant packing all of Hermione's books.
"No, Haiden." Hermione said, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "I told you that I was taking more new subjects than you this year." She explained while taking the bags from the assistant. "These are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies-" She began listing as their group made their way out of the store.
"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" Ron asked, rolling his eyes at Haiden while shoving his way pass a group of girls who glared and muttered angrily at him. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"
"Yes," Hermione said with an aggravated sigh, "but it will be fascinating to study them from the wizarding world's view point." She finished shifting her bags so that she could count the rest of her money. Haiden quickly took her bags from her, shocking her. "You know, Haiden, I can carry my own bags."
"I know," Haiden gave her a cheeky grin, "but can't I be a good boyfriend and hold my girlfriend's heavy bags for her?" Haiden asked causing Hermione to blush. At seeing this, Ron rolled his eyes and pretended to gag.
"Ugh." He groaned, gaining their attention. "Come on, man, even I'm embarrassed for you from just hearing those words, how can you stand to say them?" Ron asked and Haiden looked down awkwardly as he shifted the bags. Maybe he shouldn't have said that, or even attempted to show how much he cared about Hermione… Haiden looked up in shock when he heard the sound of someone slapping someone else and saw an angry Hermione had just slapped a shocked Ron, who was quickly growing angry. Haiden hadn't even registered Hermione leaving his side.
"Why are you being such a dick, Ron? Aren't you Haiden's friend? Shouldn't you be happy that your friend is in a relationship and is happy?" Hermione asked as a few people around them looked over at them to see what was with all the commotion.
"Happy?" Ron asked, clearly over being shocked. "How could anyone be happy to have you as their girlfriend? You're just an annoying, bossy, know-it-all bitch! I should have never let Haiden convince me to rescue you from that troll." Hermione gasped in shock as her eyes began to tear up and something inside Haiden broke. He acted without thinking and moved so that he was shielding Hermione from Ron, ready to take any attack Ron wanted to throw at Hermione.
"Stop!" Haiden ordered and Ron froze. "I understand that you're jealous that I have a girlfriend, but that doesn't give you the right to take your jealousy out on my girlfriend." Ron huffed and looked away from Haiden, glaring down Diagon Alley, as a few of the adults that looked to have been about to jump in to try to defuse the situation stopped and just began to watch them. "Hermione was our friend before she ever became my girlfriend, and just because she is now my girlfriend doesn't change the fact that she is also our friend. You should think about that before you continue to lash out." Haiden began to turn around to continue walking when the image of Harry flashed through his mind.
"Oh, and while we're at it, lay off my brother. I understand that you don't like him, I don't get why, but I'm not asking you to like him, I'm just asking that you stop blaming everything on him. He's already been through a lot, he doesn't need you bullying him on top of everything." With that said, Haiden finished turning around and took Hermione by the hand before he continued to walk down the street.
"Whatever." Ron muttered as he followed behind them sulkily. A heavy silence fell around them as they awkwardly walked down the street, ignoring all the looks they were now receiving. Haiden glanced down at the book bags in his hand and quickly took note of all the school books in the bag. He mentally counted all the school books and tried to map out what Hermione's schedule would look like.
"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" Haiden playfully asked as he wondered if some of these classes were shorter than normal classes. That would be the only way she would be able to have that many classes, however that still didn't leave her much time to eat or sleep.
"Don't worry, Haiden, me and Professor McGonagall have already worked everything out." Hermione told him with a knowing smile. "Now, I've still got ten galleons." She added, shaking her coin purse. "Mum and Dad gave me some money for my birthday to get myself a birthday present on them."
"How about a nice book." Ron growled out rudely, earning a glare from Hermione and a hard, warning look from Haiden.
"No, I don't think so." Hermione said in a guarded tone, before she looked over at Haiden, completely ignoring Ron. "I've been thinking about what to get, and I realized that I want an owl. I mean, you've got Hedwig, Harry's got Heimdallur, Draco's got his owl, and Ron's got Errol-"
"I don't have Errol. Errol's a family owl." Ron corrected her with a glare. "All I've got is Scabbers." Ron pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over, I don't think Egypt agreed with him." He added, placing Scabbers onto his shoulder. Haiden looked over his shoulder towards the rat and noticed that Scabbers did look thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers. Haiden quickly glanced around them to locate where on Diagon Alley they were.
"I think there's a magical creature shop just over there." Haiden said, pulling up a mental image of Diagon Alley from his trips to it. He might not be able to remember where every book in a library was, but he could remember where a building was. "We can see if they've got anything for Scabbers, while Hermione can see if they have an owl she'd like to get." Haiden suggested.
As the three of them began to walk toward the shop, Haiden suddenly got a shiver up his spine as he got the strange sensation that someone was watching them. Haiden glanced around, and though a few people were watching them, something was telling Haiden that they weren't the person he was feeling. Haiden began to quickly scan everyone around them as his gut screamed that something dangerous was around them.
"Everything okay?" Hermione asked, having noticed Haiden looking around them. Haiden went to answer her, when he caught the sight of a big, black and dangerous looking dog watching them from the alley near the shop they were heading too. Haiden stopped and pulled Hermione close to him, Ron passed them and rolled his eyes at them. However, Haiden barely noticed him as the words that had been recently carved into Hermione's arms flashed through his mind.
Everything around Haiden seemed to slow down as he watched Ron walk passed the dog, who bared his teeth, and entered the shop. The dog looked almost as if it were about to step out of the dark alley when a group of gossiping and giggling witches passed the alley. Once the group had passed the alley, the dog was gone. Haiden, in a panic, began to search the area, but couldn't locate where the dog had vanished to.
"Haiden!" He was brought out of his panic by Hermione grabbing his face and forcing him to look at her. "Talk to me, what is wrong?" Haiden blinked as everything around him went back to normal. He glanced at the alley where the dog had been and then back at Hermione who was looking in the direction Haiden had been in. Hermione looked back at him with a concerned look as he looked at her with a scared and worried look.
"Beware the Dog."