A/N: So, I want to apologize for all the extended delays on my stories. I know it's been months for all of them and I really am sorry for that. Unfortunately, I am an adult and both my job and schooling got really busy in the last month or so. I've also hit all those walls that I so frequently hit and have been struggling with my writing again in general. I am trying really hard though to get things written so I can update sooner rather than later.
I hope you understand and I really appreciate your patience in waiting. Thank you for all your support on all of my stories and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please, let me know if you do by leaving a review. Thank you so much ️
On the will-o'-wisps: these are not going to be anything like the will-o'-wisps that show up in folklore and fairytales except in very tiny ways. They were super fun to create actually and we'll get more information on them in the next chapter.
Chapter 23
Harry watched as the Order members accompanying them to King's Cross and Hogwarts confirmed the plans while Mrs. Weasley fussed over everyone. He was perched on his upright trunk, arms crossed and legs outstretched, ankles also crossed, as he waited in Grimmauld's entranceway. Each of them would be Apparated to different areas of Muggle London and King's Cross by Order members to avoid creating a large, enticing target of them all being together.
Harry's attention was pulled from the plans being discussed and his absent thoughts of returning to Hogwarts by his feet receiving an aggressive kick. He turned to glare at Ron as the redhead paused in his pass-by to give Harry a glare of his own.
"Make sure to stay away from us, yeah?" Ron snapped angrily.
The muscle in Harry's jaw twitched as it clenched, eyes flicking to Hermione who was watching them with a furrowed brow. He could see the fear she still had of him, the look causing a pang in his heart, and he looked back at Ron, keeping his own expression hard and stoic so they wouldn't see the pain they were causing him.
"That's the smartest thing you've said all summer," Harry sneered. "And it'll be my pleasure."
Ron snarled and stomped off to stand with Hermione, the two of them muttering to each other. Harry rolled his eyes when they both glanced at him, Ron hatefully and Hermione distrustfully.
"Do I need to give year-long detentions?"
Harry snorted quietly. "Do you really want to do that to yourself?"
"I never said the detentions would be with me."
Harry chuckled. "It's fine. It's Ron. He's loud, but harmless."
"I would not fall into that correlation too easily."
Harry hummed, knowing the man was talking about the Marauders. They'd also been loud and anything but harmless.
"You will tell me if he stops being harmless?"
Harry turned his head to look at Severus and nodded with a small half-smile.
"So," Harry said, turning back to the Order, "what's this year look like?"
"I suppose it is too much to hope for non-life-threatening instances of chasing you around the castle," Severus said dryly and Harry laughed.
"I mean, I'm not going to spend a quarter of the year thinking you actually want me dead so you probably won't have to chase me," Harry replied thoughtfully, grinning at the man's eye roll. "Can't give any guarantees on the non-life-threatening instances though."
"As I said, too much to hope for," Severus said with a put-upon sigh that Harry couldn't help but laugh at again. "As it is, I have already modified your schedule to include training periods with me."
Harry narrowed his eyes playfully. "Are you allowed to do that or did you steal my schedule and change it by force?"
Severus gave him an exasperated look. "I spoke with Professor McGonagall, brat."
"Do I have any free time?" Harry asked, not feeling too confident if his schedule had been designed by Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape.
"I was convinced to give you some free time against my better judgement. I preferred to have you constantly in class or training with me to prevent the absurdity you tend to bring each year."
Harry huffed half-heartedly. "Rude."
Severus arched an eyebrow at him. "Am I wrong?"
Harry pursed his lips. "I prefer not to answer that."
Severus gained a satisfied smirk. "Glad we agree."
Harry scowled. "Jerk." Amusement fluttered through the professor's magic. "So, what do I tell people? They're going to wonder why I'm spending so much time with you when I don't have Potions anymore."
"The truth, if you like. Tell them you are receiving defence and battle training," Severus said. "It is up to you what else you want them to know, though, ensure you leave out the true nature of my role."
"Duh," Harry said, yelping when he was smacked upside the head. He scowled at Severus again. "What will we be doing?"
"Much the same as we have been," Severus replied. "Continue to develop your magic, improve your duelling, teach you spells. We will continue exploring and researching the horcruxes and Mind Hunting. I will also have you assist me with my personal brewing."
Harry looked at him in surprise.
"You may not have made it into my NEWTs class, but that is no reason you cannot still learn under my direction," Severus told him. "I think we can agree I did little to ensure you could be successful in class and this seems an ideal year to rectify that considering the direction this summer has taken us."
Harry just blinked, stunned for the hundredth time that summer at what had happened between them. That summer had been astonishing.
"Alright, kid, you're with us."
Harry looked away from Severus as Kingsley and Fleur approached them, but his attention was quickly pulled back to Severus when the man touched his shoulder.
"A warning. You have become accustomed to the small crowd that has existed here and have learned to manage your abilities around them, but it is going to be difficult at the station and at Hogwarts," Severus said. "You will be overwhelmed by others' magic and thoughts. Do your best to remain calm and try to block it all out the way you've learned this summer."
Harry nodded in understanding.
"Time to go, you lot!" Moody called out and everyone began to walk out the door, held open by Mrs. Weasley.
Harry stood from his trunk, hearing the pops of Apparation echo in from the street. Fleur headed for the door first and Harry began to follow, but was stopped by Severus' hand on his shoulder again. Severus stepped close, eyes meeting.
"You are to be smart and safe. No recklessness, no heroics," Severus said. "You are to think. Hold back the Gryffindor for a few hours."
Harry smiled, amused at the dig and touched by the care. "I'll be careful, promise."
"Do not approach Draco Malfoy either."
Harry wanted to refuse the order, but knew it could be dangerous to try and approach the Slytherin in a variety of ways. He still wanted to help Malfoy somehow, but he knew he needed an actual plan to do so. He only knew what he'd seen a couple of times that summer; the rest was his own assumptions. He truly had no guarantee that Malfoy didn't want to be doing everything he'd been instructed to do and even if he didn't want to do them, he was convinced he had to for self-preservation and could very well be willing to do absolutely anything to ensure he completed his tasks.
"I won't," Harry promised, "unless he's going after Luna."
Severus looked at him sternly before sighing. "Very well. Just be safe. I better see you at dinner."
Harry nodded and smiled when Severus cupped the side of his neck, feeling the care and concern in the man's magic. "You will."
"I'll make sure he gets there, Severus," Kingsley assured, his large hand landing on Harry's other shoulder.
"Do not underestimate this one's ability to derail your plans and expectations," Severus said dryly.
"Hey," Harry protested lightly.
"Don't worry, this summer has surely enlightened me to that fact," Kingsley said, tone full of humour.
"Hey!" Harry protested louder.
Severus smirked and pulled his hand away while Kingsley chuckled, patting Harry's shoulder.
"C'mon, kid, let's get you to school," Kingsley said.
Harry grabbed his trunk and let Kingsley guide him to the door.
"We'll see you in a few hours, Severus," Kingsley said.
"I better," Severus said almost threateningly and Harry gave the man one last glance before he stepped outside with Fleur, Kingsley closing the door behind them.
It was strange walking down the stairs and into the street with the intention of leaving. The summer was officially over. The summer that had somehow changed everything was officially behind that door. It almost didn't even feel real now he was walking away. Grimmauld had become an island, a bubble removed from everything beyond. How would it all change now they were returning to the outside, wider, more dangerous world?
"Stay close to us," Kingsley instructed before they stepped beyond the wards. "We're Apparating to an alley in Muggle London and going through the platform barrier."
Harry nodded and shrank his trunk to put in his pocket before curling his hand around Kingsley's elbow. The Auror muttered something to Fleur who nodded, stepped into the street and disappeared. Clutching to Kingsley, they followed her and Harry found them spinning sharply, pulled roughly through a crushing tube. Hearing and reading about Apparation could never provide enough preparation for the experience. Given the number of times he'd been strangled by his uncle and his horrific experience with Portkeys of which this was similar, Harry found the transport terrifying. The spinning, the tightness, the suffocation…it was awful.
When his feet hit the ground, despite holding onto Kingsley, he stumbled and fell to his knees. His stomach was clenching and he was gasping for the air that was now flooding his lungs. He felt the hand that landed on his back, warm and steady compared to his crawling, staticky skin.
"You are alright, 'Arry," Fleur said quietly. "Take a deep breath."
"Don't worry, kid. First time Apparating is rough for everyone," Kingsley assured.
Harry just groaned and gave a small shake of his head, waiting for the nausea to pass. As his stomach settled, he became aware of a faint, but insistent buzz in his chest and pressure in his head. He winced at the sensations and finally pushed himself to his feet, nodding at Kingsley and Fleur to indicate he was okay. With his assurance, Kingsley led the way out of the narrow alley they'd appeared in, Fleur bringing up the tail. Neither had their wands drawn, but Harry could see the way their arms were tense in anticipation of needing to be armed in a moment.
At the end of the alley, Kingsley stopped them and peered out, scanning for threats. Satisfied, he stepped out of the alley and gestured for Harry and Fleur to join him. With Harry between them, they headed down the street towards King's Cross Station not far ahead alongside the hundreds of bustling Muggles. Every now and then, Harry felt the buzz in his chest sharpen briefly and a tug on his magic, telling him someone magical was nearby. It was disconcerting, feeling like his magic was just barely in his control, sizzling and staticky as it recognized other magic to read and fought against Harry's restraints. He could feel the way it wanted to just leak out and a tiny sharp pinprick of pain was growing beneath the buzz.
It didn't take long before they were inside the station and walking along the tracks filled with trains, making their way to the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Amongst the Muggles, Harry spotted people he recognized from Hogwarts and the closer they got to the barrier, the stronger the buzz and pain of his magic grew as well as the pressure in his head that was becoming accompanied by inaudible voices and blurry image flashes. He tried to force the projected thoughts out and his magic down, following Kingsley and Tonks to the barrier now in sight with parents and children with carts disappearing through it, the Muggles typically oblivious to the magic around them.
With a quick glance around, Fleur walked through the stone barrier first and Harry swiftly followed at Kingsley's direction. The moment he was through the barrier and on the bustling platform, Harry was sent to his knees with a cry, hands flying to his head and chest.
"'Arry?" he vaguely heard Fleur say. "'Arry, what is wrong?"
Harry couldn't answer, grinding his teeth against the onslaught he was under. Images were tearing through his head, one after the other before he could understand them, and innumerable voices were echoing, deafening him to the real, external noise of the platform. His Empathy Magic was pulsing and electrified as it stretched in every possible direction, flooding him with the feel of hundreds of peoples' magic as well as their emotions. His skin was tingling harshly, crawling as his excess-Voldemort magic poured out of him, washing away further and further across the platform as he failed to hold it back, more and more leaving him every minute that passed.
He barely felt the hand that landed on his shoulder, but he fought to focus on it, holding back shouts and whimpers.
"Harry, you've got to block it all, pull it back."
He recognized Kingsley's voice despite how muffled it sounded and fought to hear it over the voices in his head.
"C'mon, kid, I know you can do this. Push through like Severus taught you."
At the mention of the man's name, Harry realized Severus was all he wanted right then, something he never could have expected would one day be the case. Severus would know what to do, Severus would help him, Severus would make it all okay.
"I know, kid, but he can't be here so you gotta make due with me. Focus on me, on my magic, and get those walls up or whatever you've got."
He hadn't realized he'd spoken out loud. Still just barely managing to hear, Harry knew Kingsley was right. Severus couldn't be there, but Kingsley was and Kingsley could help too. Kingsley cared too.
He dropped his hands to the concrete below him, curling his fingers to try and ground himself as he attempted to direct his Empathy Magic, struggling to find Kingsley's magic amongst the rest. Kingsley must have realized he was struggling as the Auror began to let his magic build the way Severus had done in the beginning of their training. The deep thrum that was Kingsley began to drown out at least some of the other magic and he forced as much of his Empathy Magic to focus on the man's magic as he could. He felt the man's mild concern, but also the patient comfort as Kingsley just tried to get him through the unexpected assault.
Trying to hold to Kingsley's magic and make everyone else's background noise, he pulled at his excess while also trying to fill his mind with the dense lake fog. It was painful, pulling his excess magic back and shoving it deep inside where it swirled aggressively, darting sharply in vain efforts to escape but instead feeling like it was stabbing him. Feeling like he had a fairly solid, yet painful hold on his magic, he focused on filling his mindscape with mist. The rushing film roll of images grew dim as the mist engulfed them and the cacophony of voices slowly became muffled. They seemed to grow distant, still there but no longer deafening. He imagined laying in the fog at the lakeside and gazing up at the dark sky, finding that one star and letting the warmth of its beam calm him.
Finally the worst of the onslaught was gone and he was able to open his eyes, taking a few deep breaths. He sat back on his heels, finding Kingsley crouched in front of him while Fleur stood nearby. Families dropping off their students for the Hogwarts Express were rushing all around, but no one seemed to be paying him any attention despite the fact he was on his knees and magic had been pouring out of him. He looked at Kingsley questioningly.
"Mild deterrent charm," Kingsley said simply. "Alright, kid?"
Harry nodded. "I think so. I'll manage at least."
Kingsley gave a small smile and stood, holding out a hand to Harry. "Come on. Let's get you on the train and in a compartment to relax."
Harry took the Auror's hand to accept the help getting to his feet. "I'm okay, really."
The way he wobbled as he stood and winced at the sharp pain of someone's thoughts breaking through his Occlumency mist did not help support his assertion and brought a searching look onto him from Kingsley. He sighed preemptively of what he knew Kingsley was about to insist on.
"You need to relax and try to adapt," Kingsley insisted. "Like Severus said, this is all way more than what you've dealt with all summer. Let's go."
"Fine," Harry said reluctantly, pulling his trunk from his pocket to resize and hand to a worker as he followed Kingsley onto the train.
As they walked along the corridor and passed dozens of students, magic and emotion bombarded Harry's walls, making him realize Kingsley was right to want him to relax…not that he would admit it. He was just squeezing past a group of Ravenclaws, casting Cho an uncomfortable glance, when magic that felt like cold, rippling water became dominant amongst the rest, accompanied by a familiar buzz and sharp tug on his own magic.
A Dark Mark was nearby and his horcrux-Voldemort magic was fighting to connect to it.
Harry turned around to look back down the corridor, craning to see over and around the students filling the corridor as they chatted with friends and ducked into compartments. When a few tall Gryffindors entered a compartment, Harry found himself locking eyes with Draco Malfoy. The Slytherin looked far more put together than the other times Harry had seen him that summer, but Harry could still see the strain in the slightly too pale face and the way the grey eyes were dimmer, but wild at the same time. Just like in Borgin and Burkes, Malfoy twitched and cocked his head slightly as he clearly felt his Mark reacting to Harry's horcrux and reaching magic. Harry was so focused on the intense distant interaction that he didn't realize his walls were thinning until he was suddenly being flooded with emotions and magic again, drowning out Malfoy.
Harry gasped and folded over in pain, clutching at his chest. Grinding his teeth, Harry forced his mist to fill his mind again, blocking some of the assaulting emotions, and pulled his magic inward. Doing so added to the sharp, throbbing pain in his chest, but he stopped feeling everyone's magic so intensely and stopped reaching for Malfoy's Mark.
Massaging his chest and wincing, Harry straightened only to find Malfoy had disappeared.
"Harry."
He turned to Kingsley who was watching him as he stood at a compartment, holding its door open.
"You told Severus you wouldn't do anything to Draco Malfoy," Kingsley pointed out as he gestured for Harry to enter the waiting compartment.
"And I'm not," Harry replied, slipping by Kingsley into the compartment, "but the horcrux likes when Marks are nearby."
Kingsley sighed and stood in the doorway, leaning against it with his arms crossed. "I know, kid. You doing alright?"
Harry dropped his bag on the seat and flopped next to it, right beside the window. "I'm fine. Uncomfortable, but I'm fine."
Kingsley considered him before nodding. "Alright, I want you to stay here. I'm on the train and I want you to find me if anything happens, got it?"
Harry propped his feet on the opposite bench seat and crossed his own arms. "Got it. Trust me, I have no desire to miss even a minute of dinner and deal with Severus."
Kingsley gave a light chuckle. "There's that self-preservation Severus wants to see."
Harry just rolled his eyes.
"Relax and enjoy the trip. I'll check in later," Kingsley said and he left the compartment, closing the door to help muffle the noise outside.
Harry settled into the seat, leaning his head back and letting his eyes close. Despite his efforts, he remained tense with a sharp pain in both his chest and his head, and the air around him sizzling with the magic fighting to get through his walls and his own that was leaking out in small periodic bursts. Though Severus had warned him and he'd told Kingsley he was fine, he was tremendously overwhelmed with everything assaulting all his new abilities.
He never thought it would ever happen, but he wished he was back at Grimmauld Place. He'd been able to handle things there, had learned to deal with everything, from his magic to the loss of Ron and Hermione. It was hitting him with everything else that he was sitting in that compartment alone for the first time, causing a different pang in his heart. It was all a lot harder than he'd expected, making him wired and sore and on edge as though he was taking or expecting to take a beating from his uncle. It certainly felt like he was being beaten with the way everyone's magic and thoughts were hitting him, and the way his own magic felt as he forced it down. It would all explode if he wasn't careful, if he didn't keep his walls strong and his own emotions under tight control.
"Oh, Harry! I was looking for you."
Magic that fluttered lightly like tiny, but strong wings wrapped around him as the voice penetrated the cacophony of muffled voices that his mist was just barely keeping out, and his eyes opened. Turning to the door, he found Luna with a soft smile and he jumped to his feet.
"Luna!" he exclaimed and he pulled her into a hug.
Seeing her made Harry realize how worried he'd been about her despite knowing she had been safe at Shell Cottage and had been doing well according to the updates he'd received from Bill and Fleur. He pulled back after a few seconds, just as the train whistle blew and the Hogwarts Express began to move.
"I'd hoped I'd find you," Harry said, gesturing for her to join him and returning to his seat across from her, closing the compartment door again. "How are you?"
"I'm well and I believe I have you to thank for that, for my rescue," Luna told him, still smiling at him.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help your father," Harry said guiltily. "He is alive though."
"Do not blame yourself. It's not your fault," Luna said gently. "He was protecting me and did everything he could. You know what that's like."
Harry gave her a questioning look.
"Your godfather," Luna clarified and Harry's heart squeezed painfully at the unexpected mention of Sirius. "I'm sorry you lost him."
Harry looked out the window, his jaw clenched as he fought back the tears and struggled not to fall into the dark hole he hadn't realized was waiting behind him once again. He'd thought he'd been doing better with Sirius' death, but he was realizing that there had just been so much going on, he'd been unable to dwell on the agonizing loss.
"It wasn't your fault," Luna said and his eyes slid back to her. "He loved you and would have done anything to protect you. I'm sorry it happened the way it did though. I know how hard it is to lose someone you love, a parent."
Knowing Luna was talking about her mother, not her father, Harry was able to pull his thoughts from Sirius and turned them to Pandora Lovegood and Regulus Black instead.
"How old were you when your mother died?" Harry asked.
"I was seven," Luna answered.
"You said you saw it happen," Harry said, remembering their conversation from the previous year with the Thestrals, and Luna nodded. "Do you know what she'd been working on?"
"No, she never told me. I wasn't supposed to be in her lab that day," Luna replied. "I remember her telling me it was something dangerous she was trying to do."
Harry wondered if it had had anything to do with the horcruxes. "Did she ever mention anyone named Regulus or a diadem?"
Luna seemed to think for a minute. "I don't recognize the name, but she did have a diadem. She said it was an artifact of Rowena Ravenclaw and was part of a set of artifacts said to have belonged to each of the Founders. She was trying to find and collect them."
Harry's eyes widened. "Was it really Ravenclaw's diadem? Did you ever see it?"
Luna shook her head. "Mum said it was too dangerous. It was enchanted somehow, she said. I believe it was Ravenclaw's as she said she found it in Albania which, according to legend, was the last place it had been thought to be."
"Legend?" Harry asked, curious.
"It is said that Ravenclaw's daughter stole the diadem from her and ran away in her shame. She ended up in Albania where she was confronted by a suitor she had rejected many times before except, when she did this time, he killed her in his rage before taking his own life," Luna explained. "The diadem remained hidden in Albania, presumably until my mother found it."
"Do you know where it is now?" Harry asked hopefully.
"I'm not sure, especially with the house gone. She didn't often keep her dangerous items at home in case I got to them," Luna said and gave Harry a look that was both curious and knowing. "It is why they were there, isn't it? They were looking for the diadem."
"Your mother didn't find the diadem first, Voldemort did and she stole it. She must have seen what he did to it," Harry told her gravely. "He thinks you and your father know where it is."
"Daddy doesn't know anything. She kept it from him. I only know because she made it a story that she would tell me when I wouldn't stop asking what she was working on," Luna said. "I'm not sure if I know where it is though."
"They think you do and Draco Malfoy has been told to find out what you know or bring you to Voldemort," Harry said. "You have to stay away from him and we have to make sure Voldemort doesn't get the diadem back."
"I can try and remember where Mum kept things, but I can't promise anything," Luna said.
"It's okay. We'll figure it out. Just stay away from Malfoy," Harry said and Luna nodded.
They talked more about the diadem and Luna's mother, Luna telling him they could likely find out more about the diadem if they could get the Grey Lady to talk to them since she was the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw while Harry told her about Regulus, the locket, and how the diadem was also a horcrux. When Luna said his magic had changed, he realized she must have some form of Empathy Magic and told her all about his new abilities. Even though his head was still aching, his chest was hurting, and he could feel everyone's magic and thoughts trying to break through his walls, it was all easier to bear as he talked with Luna.
Kingsley checked in a few times and it grew dark outside as Hogwarts got closer and closer. They were nearly at Hogsmeade station and Harry was finally feeling more comfortable when the train lights suddenly flickered and the train jerked, interrupting his and Luna's conversation. He exchanged a glance of startled confusion with her, particularly when the train jerked violently again, making him grasp the window sill to stay on the seat. He thought he heard distant screams and the muffled sound of glass breaking, but he was distracted by the icy coldness that began to spread under his hand across the window.
As frost turned the glass white and they began to see their breaths, Harry thought he knew exactly what was happening. It had happened in third year and he faced them last summer, but when a hard, long pull that had nothing to do with the despair of Dementors appeared in the center of his chest, he knew it wasn't Dementors. Dementors caused the heavy despair he was feeling, but there was also a feeling of something sucking at his magic, making it spark and writhe painfully in response.
This wasn't Dementors.
This was something else.
When the train jerked for a third time and the lights grew dim, moments from going out completely, Harry stood. Something was telling him they needed to leave that compartment.
"Come on," Harry said. "We should find Kingsley."
Luna nodded and stood as well, following Harry to the door. They both paused when the sound of cracking glass echoed in the compartment. Turning back around, Harry frowned at the spiderweb-like cracks that had spread across the window beneath the thick frost. He and Luna had no time to react as, at the same time the train's lights went out, the window shattered, glass raining over them. Harry raised his arms to protect his face though he felt shards nick his skin regardless, making him wince, and he heard a small cry from Luna.
"Luna, get—"
Harry didn't get to finish as he suddenly fell to his knees, the feeling of multiple…things melting through his body repeatedly, leaving behind burning, but icy sensations. At the same time, the pulling at his magic was increasing, severely weakening him and making his magic spark like lightning. Harry groaned and gasped at the invisible attacks, hands hitting the floor in an attempt to keep himself from collapsing completely.
"L…Luna…g…ge…" Harry gasped out only to fall from his hands and knees with a cry.
When light suddenly hit his closed eyelids, Harry cracked his eyes open, finding they were no longer entrenched in pitch darkness, while just managing to see Luna as she was yanked from the compartment into the dark corridor, hearing her shout as she was taken.
Harry wanted to go after her, but was held to the floor by the dozen small balls of blue flames around inky black cores of writhing misty strings, some creating the illusion of sharp, sinister eyes, hovering over him. He had no idea what they were, but he couldn't stop from crying out as they took turns phasing through his body, continuing to leave behind the icy burns while a few remained over him, pulsing and seeming to grow with every draw on his magic.
He tried swatting the fire away, only to hiss and shout when they melted through his hands, leaving behind strange burns on his skin. Yet, despite the pain he was in and the way his vision was growing spotty, he noticed a very particular magic in the balls of fire and the way his horcrux was slithering out amongst the rest of the magic electrifying the air around him, reaching for magic it recognized.
Hating the idea of doing so, Harry leaned into the horcrux's reach the way he had when exploring the horcruxes and Mind Hunting. He felt himself connect to something, the horcrux's magic reaching in multiple directions, and familiar thick, slick magic slid around him as multiple quiet screams echoed in his head. While the magic was the same, connecting to the strange fire creatures was quite different than connecting to horcruxes or Dark Marks, the fire creatures projecting nothing but Voldemort's magic and muffled screams. As the creatures recognized the magic that made them, Harry felt them react and he realized what was happening.
He let the horcrux take over, completely blocking his own magic, and he found the pulling in his chest stop, allowing him to take a breath. The fire creatures stopped passing through him and came to hover above him instead, seeming to be staring at him and waiting. Wincing at the pain he was in and how weak he felt from the draining of his magic, Harry fought through the feeling of the horcrux, fought the way it was trying to consume him as he used it to hold off the fire creatures.
Swallowing thickly against the feeling of the tendrils wrapping around his spine, Harry dragged himself to his feet, the fire creatures moving to let him through. Glancing at them nervously, Harry stumbled into the still dark corridor. His magic was a mess, the horcrux and Voldemort's excess drowning his own, and so was his mind, his mist no longer keeping out the screams from the fire creatures or Sirius falling through the veil. It was all so much that he didn't even realize he was no longer being bombarded with hundreds of other magics or voices or emotions, didn't realize he was seemingly alone on the dark train, only noticing that, despite what the fire creatures and horcrux was doing, he could still feel Malfoy's Mark.
He shuffled down the corridor towards the back of the train, following the pull of the Mark. as he got closer, he felt Malfoy's magic, filled with desperation and fear, and Luna's magic, filled with worry, patient understanding, and acceptance. He threw open the door to the very back of the train and found Malfoy pointing his wand shakily at Luna, his face full of strain, while Luna gazed at him almost sadly. Both turned to Harry as he joined them, moving to stand partially in front of Luna.
"Get the hell away from her," Harry snapped, glaring at the Slytherin.
"You don't understand, Potter," Malfoy said, his wand still shaking as it was held to Harry.
"Don't you dare do anything to her," Harry threatened.
"I don't want to!" Malfoy said loudly.
Harry heard the sincerity, but the horcrux was tingeing his thoughts and emotions, forcing him to feel little else but anger. "You attacked her! You attacked me with those things!"
Malfoy glared at him. "I didn't have anything to do with the faeu and I didn't attack her!"
"Then what the hell do you think you're doing?" Harry demanded.
"I was going to knock her out and leave her on the train to go back to London. If she's not at school, I don't have to do anything!" Malfoy explained sharply.
Harry blinked at him, not expecting the response.
"Harry? Harry, where are you?"
All of them turned to the door at Kingsley's almost frantic voice and then Harry found himself screaming as his nose suddenly snapped. His vision blurred with the pain, but he still managed to see Malfoy climb over the train's railing and heard the click of the Slytherin's shoes across the platform hurry away.
"Bloody hell, kid! What happened?"
Harry dropped his hands from his bleeding nose to look at Kingsley, letting the Auror tilt his head up by his chin.
"Malfoy," he said shortly. "And…what did he call them?" He looked at Luna.
"Faeu," Luna supplied helpfully. "Will-o'-wisps."
Harry wanted to ask questions, the answer crumbling what little knowledge he thought he had of will-o'-wisps, but Kingsley forced him to look back at the Auror.
"You said you wouldn't do anything to Malfoy," Kingsley said, tilting his head to examine the damage.
"I didn't do anything to him," Harry argued, "and I know what I said, but he attacked Luna!"
"He didn't hurt me, Harry," Luna told him. "I don't think he wanted to hurt me."
Harry sighed, feeling torn between believing Luna, his own observations of Malfoy, and the darkness the horcrux was still forcing on him as he struggled to contain it once more, hating what it was doing to him.
"Let's get this fixed and then get the two of you up to the castle," Kingsley said, pulling his wand and pointing it at Harry's nose. "Guess what?"
Harry narrowed his eyes at the man's apparent amusement. "What?"
"You're going to be late to dinner," Kingsley said, smirking when Harry groaned. "Episkey."
"Son of a—!"
