A/N: Look at me go! Two chapters in two weeks! It's like we're back when the story began. Lol. Our mysteries continue though everything in this second half will move quicker than before Christmas. So, I hope you enjoy. If you do, please, leave a review. Thank you and see you again!

Chapter 53

If Draco coming to class with a bandage wrapped around his hand, looking so much like when Umbridge was harming him, wasn't worrying enough, Harry's attempts to slip into the classroom without being noticed again would have pushed him into the territory. Even as he continued his lesson, Alexei narrowed his eyes at the Gryffindor, tracking Harry as the boy stuffed a reddened tissue into his pocket while taking what seemed to be becoming his new seat at the back of the room instead of his usual spot next to Draco. This was the fourth time Harry had shown up late to class and Alexei was a mixture of annoyed, disappointed, and concerned. The behaviour just wasn't like Harry and, if it continued, it could hurt the Gryffindor's future with the Rune Mage Association. Not to mention, Severus would be furious once he discovered Harry's newest attitude towards his education.

"Mr. Potter, stay behind after class to make up for your late arrival," Alexei said, arching an eyebrow when the boy scowled at him in response.

Keeping an eye on Harry, Alexei finished his lesson and arranged the class for practicing the newly-introduced spell. When he instructed the class to pair up and Harry and Draco very purposely continued to avoid each other, Alexei was convinced something was going on. Something very serious was wrong.

As he circulated and passed both boys with their atypical partners, he became aware of something strange and even more concerning. Both Harry's and Draco's magic were wound tight and turning sharp while simultaneously being pushed down. While it wasn't unusual for the boys to hold their magic back in class to keep it secret, the extent of this suppression was strange. He was unable to connect to either boy, could hardly get his magic close enough to try, and both were refusing to connect to each other. The forced suppression of their magic and restriction of their compatible connection was clearly hurting both boys, agitating their magic.

He frowned slightly to himself as he continued circulating, wondering what could be causing Harry and Draco to hurt themselves in such a way and if it had anything to do with their recent behaviour changes.

After another hour, Alexei called an end to his double period and dismissed the fifth years. He watched them all leave, smiling and wishing good weekends as he perched against the edge of his desk with his arms and ankles crossed. Once all the students had exited, Alexei turned to Harry who had moved to his usual seat, slumped in the chair with his own arms crossed. He gazed at Harry for a few moments, taking in the annoyed expression, the light circles under the dimmer eyes, the lines of tension in the face, and the way the Gryffindor tried not to wince in apparent pain.

"I'm sorry I was late," Harry finally said into the silence, voice full of irritation. "Detention, got it. Can I go?"

"No, you can't," Alexei replied, taken aback by the glare cast at him. "This is not the first time you've been late and it is not like you."

"I lost track of time," Harry explained shortly.

Alexei arched an eyebrow. "Four times and in other classes?"

Harry dropped his scowl to the desktop. "I was late to Charms once."

"And you very nearly didn't make it to Runes last week," Alexei pointed out. "Twice."

Harry turned his glare back to Alexei. "Are you spying on me?"

"No, but I have followed up with your other professors in my worry," Alexei answered and Harry rolled his eyes.

"There's nothing to worry about."

"I think we can agree that is very obviously not true," Alexei argued. "Severus will be disappointed when he finds out."

"So what?" Harry snapped. "He's not my father. Neither are you so leave it alone."

Alexei frowned at the response. It was dramatically different to how Harry and Draco had both reacted to the adoption offer over Christmas. "Maybe not, but we do care. Harry, what's going on?"

"People need to stop asking me that," Harry grumbled, surprising Alexei.

Who else had been asking Harry the question? The Gryffindor hadn't exactly been social in the past month.

"Then perhaps you might consider providing an answer," Alexei retorted sharply. "You are becoming lax with your classes, you're irritable, you're avoiding us and Draco—"

"I am not," Harry interrupted.

Alexei continued, ignoring Harry's interruption. "You have refused to sit or work with Draco for two weeks now and you haven't come to dinner with all of us since we returned to Hogwarts last month."

"I've been…busy and…and tired."

"Suppressing your magic would be tiring," Alexei said bluntly, receiving a widening of Harry's eyes in response. "And let's not forget your new penchant for bleeding."

"It was a nosebleed and I'm not—" Harry cut himself off, shaking his head. "I'll stop being late, I'll work with Draco, and I'll come to dinner. Happy? Can I go now?"

"No, you cannot. Harry." Alexei sighed as Harry huffed, dropping his bag angrily after grabbing it pre-emptively, and he pushed away from his desk. He pulled over a nearby chair and sat opposite Harry, leaning on the corner of the desk towards the Gryffindor. "If you are struggling with something, you can come to any of us, you know you can."

"I'm not—"

"However, what you should not do is suppress your magic or whatever else you are doing to yourself."

"I'm not—"

"Preventing your magic from connecting with Draco and Severus is dangerous, and you know that. So, I will ask again. What is going on?"

"Nothing! Nothing is going on!" Harry shouted and when the boy scratched his neck, Alexei's eyes narrowed. It wasn't the first time he'd seen the action in the last few weeks. "I'm just doing what I have to!"

"And what is that?"

Harry glared. "I have to go. I'll see you in detention tomorrow."

"Harry," Alexei protested as Harry snatched up his bag and stood, kicking his chair away and storming from the classroom. "Harry!"

He sat back in the chair with a sigh as the door slammed shut behind Harry. Contemplating in the silence for a couple minutes, he shook his head and stood, returning the chair to the neighbouring desk. He gathered his things, including a stack of essays, from his desk and was about to leave the room when he spotted something on the floor under the back desk where Harry had been sitting. Curious, he flicked his wand to summon the item, reading the book's cover with growing unease as it settled in his grasp.

The Impenetrable Mind

Blowing out a deep breath at what the book in Harry's possession could imply, Alexei slipped it into his bag and made his way to the dungeons. He was just reaching the door to Severus' rooms when it opened and Draco stepped out, seeming to be distressed as he looked down at his chest under his white Oxford and robes. When Draco continued with his eyes down, Alexei put his hands on the Slytherin's shoulders to prevent their collision. Draco flinched at the touch, pulling away and his head snapping up. With wide eyes, Draco smoothed down his shirt and darted around Alexei to hurry off without a word and before Alexei could say anything.

If the boys didn't want him, Leif, and Severus worrying about them, they were not doing a good job.

With a small shake of his head, Alexei walked through the open door, finding Severus and Leif sitting around the fireplace, both with glasses of wine and Severus also holding a letter.

"How many of these can I ignore before Scrimgeour bypasses 'requests'?" Severus asked, flicking the letter in his fingers before dropping it on the coffee table.

"About as many of his petition denials I can ignore filing," Leif replied sardonically, sipping his wine, and his eyes flicked to Alexei. "You look like you could also use a drink, o fílos mou. Come, join us."

Alexei smiled lightly, amused and appreciative, and walked over to sit on the sofa with Leif, taking the glass of blood that he knew was spiked with Elven wine that Severus held out to him as he passed.

"What are you both choosing to ignore?" Alexei asked as he settled.

"Petitions to deny Severus' adoption petition," Leif told him. "If they don't get filed, there's no record of contestation."

Alexei gave Leif an exasperated look when his friend shrugged as though he wasn't breaking policy and law by refusing to file legitimate and official documents. He turned to Severus with a raised eyebrow.

"Scrimgeour has sent repeated 'requests' to 'interview' the boys," Severus replied. "Regardless of the man's disdain for me, I am still their guardian and it is through me he must go to get to them for his study attempts."

"And you anticipate he will come with force eventually?" Alexei guessed and Severus nodded.

"It's likely," Leif said. "He'll find a reason to take the boys, a reason outside civilized law."

"Well, let's hope he doesn't find out about Dumbledore," Alexei said. "Despite our issues with him, Dumbledore does provide a level of security for all of you here."

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose and took a longer drink of wine. "How were your classes?" he asked, clearly needing a topic change.

Alexei wished it could remain such a simple topic.

"Part of why I am here actually," he replied, both Leif and Severus giving him sharp looks. "We have a problem."

Severus sighed. "When do we not?"

"It's the boys," Alexei told him. "I'm sure you've been aware of some of their behaviour."

Severus nodded. "Considering Draco punched a mirror yesterday, and Harry's been very absentminded while also refusing to come here since we returned."

"He punched a mirror?" Alexei repeated, briefly thinking of the bandage he'd seen on the Slytherin's hand. "Why on earth would he do that?"

"I don't know," Severus said, lifting a shoulder. "He refused to tell me."

"Something is certainly going on," Leif said. "I could feel something odd in Draco's magic before he left."

"Both are suppressing their magic, so much so they are refusing to connect and it is very likely hurting them," Alexei explained. "I felt them in class today for as close as I could get. Their magic is changing."

"Sharpening?" Leif guessed and Alexei nodded. "They're interfering with the natural flow of their magic and the bond. Why would they? They know doing so is dangerous."

"Neither have said anything," Severus told them. "Even with Draco living here, I am lucky to see him long enough to speak. He's become quite adept at ensuring I am not present when he is."

"Could it be because of what happened?" Leif asked.

"It's always possible," Severus said.

"But we spent the break telling them none of it was their fault," Alexei said.

"That does not mean they actually believe it," Severus said.

"I'm afraid the suppression could be harming Harry as well as whatever else has been bothering him. I'm afraid suppressing his magic is not the only thing he is doing to himself," Alexei continued. "He's been coming to class late, he and Draco are avoiding each other, and he's apparently been having nosebleeds. Additionally, this fell out of his bag."

He pulled the book from his bag and handed it to Severus whose face quickly turned to concern as he read the title.

"You don't think he's constantly Occluding?" Severus said, looking back at Alexei. "He wouldn't have the magical endurance. Few do."

"Unless he's using his Elemental Magic and constant Occluding would explain the nosebleeds, though none of the other issues," Alexei pointed out. "I, of course, know nothing, but Harry is doing something to himself. They both are and I worry what it could be doing to them, especially because I think it's more than just normal suppression."

He exchanged worried looks with the others over glasses and the text as it was placed on the coffee table while they all wondered what was going on with their boys.

Harry woke with a start, lifting his head from the floor to gaze around. He frowned as he took in the very familiar office. Utterly confused about, well, everything, he placed his palms to the stone under him and pushed himself up to his knees. As he did, his eyes fell on the tiny puddle of blood on the floor. With his frown deepening, he swiped a hand under his nose and felt it immediately dampen, finding the blood smeared across his skin. Feeling the blood now that had trickled across his face to the floor, he wiped at it again with his sleeve, the blue material turning red.

Fawkes' soft trill made him jump and swing around to find the phoenix. He was on his perch and watching Harry, head tilted curiously.

Uncomfortable under the phoenix's stare, Harry slowly got to his feet and looked around again, trying to remember and understand. When had he gone to the headmaster's office? And why? And how? The last thing he remembered was being in the common room with Ron and Hermione. He was startled again when the grandfather clock rang out, dongs echoing to mark midnight. His eyebrows furrowed.

Midnight?

What the hell had happened to the last three hours?

Sure, he'd been losing track of time lately and not always remembering moving from one location to another, but he just had a lot on his mind. He was distracted. This, though, this…this was something else, something more serious. Like with the nosebleeds and the headaches and the complete lack of dreams, Harry wondered if the time loss was a symptom of his Occluding and magic restriction. Such severe symptoms did trouble him and, standing there in Dumbledore's office, he had a small part of him begin to wonder if he should tell Severus or Leif or Alexei or even Draco about what he was doing. Maybe he was taking too much of a risk.

"Please, stop, I beg you."

Dumbledore's voice breaking into the silence of the office made Harry turn with a frown towards the stairs leading up to the door on the small mezzanine. Hearing the headmaster was puzzling as he hadn't made a single appearance since they returned from Winter Break, McGonagall continuing to fill the role instead. No word had been spoken by her or any of the staff regarding Dumbledore's absence. Even Severus hadn't said a thing though Harry didn't know if it was because the man didn't know what was going on with Dumbledore or if he'd been ordered not to say anything.

"I…I'm sorry, I truly am."

Harry frowned at the desperate-sounding apology and made his way quietly up the stairs. He carefully opened the door, pausing when Dumbledore spoke again.

"I know I hurt them. I thought I was doing the right thing."

A silence followed Dumbledore's words.

"I couldn't have known."

Was Dumbledore talking to someone?

Harry pushed the door further and peeked around into the headmaster's private quarters. He found Dumbledore in a purple dressing gown and standing before a large, full-length mirror, a candle burning on a nearby table. In the reflection, Harry could see how sickly pale and gaunt the man seemed to have become.

"I deserve this, I know," Dumbledore said to the mirror, sounding resigned. "But without it, I cannot help them, I cannot help Harry. They will be lost."

Dumbledore shuddered, eyes fluttering.

"It is not you I doubt," Dumbledore muttered. "They've let him in."

All of a sudden, Dumbledore's eyes flicked to Harry in the mirror before the old man spun around. Harry was startled into freezing when Dumbledore approached quickly despite his visual frailty and grabbed Harry's arms tightly.

"I cannot save you," Dumbledore said, voice desperate and he squeezed Harry's arms. "You cannot remain with them, understand? He has all of you."

"Professor—"

"I tried to keep you on the right path. That's all I ever tried to do. This path, you cannot win."

"Sir, please."

"You will be the death of each other. I know you know this."

Harry hated the pang in his heart, knowing what the headmaster was talking about and knowing he was right. Dumbledore had been right all along.

"You are not meant to be. You must be alone, all of you, or he will take you. You will—" Dumbledore cut himself off and abruptly pulled away from Harry, flinching and cowering as he shuffled back to the mirror. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please, I just want—"

Harry watched with wide eyes and a pounding heart as he watched Dumbledore stare into the mirror again, mumbling.

Do not fracture. Do not break.

The woman's voice was whispery around him, barely audible. A light warmth disturbed the air around him, brushing his cheek and neck, fighting against the trickling he could feel down his spine.

Do not give them up.

"You have begun, I see it. You know what you must do. You must end it."

Harry stared at Dumbledore in the mirror, the man's mumbling ceasing for just a few seconds. The blue eyes held his intently and wildly, making Harry uneasy. When their eye contact ended and Dumbledore resumed murmuring again, Harry quickly fled from the office, heart still echoing in his ears. He hurried down from the tower housing the headmaster's office, anxious to get back to Gryffindor Tower.

He winced as he jogged through the corridors, a short, sharp pain lancing through his head. He slowed and stumbled as the bursts of pain increased in instances and severity. Within minutes, he was grasping a nearby wall to remain standing as waves of pain tore through his skull. He clutched at his head and ground his teeth to avoid crying aloud, feeling a thick, warm liquid flow from his nose. The blood trickled into his mouth and over his lips, down his chin.

"Mr. Potter."

The oh-so-familiar voice was oh-so-unwanted in that moment.

"You are curiously far from your tower at a curiously late hour."

Harry groaned, both in pain and at the veiled anger he could hear in Severus' voice. While he had no desire to have any part of the conversation he knew was coming, he also knew he couldn't get out of it, at least not some of it. Wondering how much he could keep secret to protect them while a part of him pleaded to confess, Harry straightened with a cringe and turned.

In the torchlight, Severus' eyes grew wide with alarm.