Yay! Here I am! Emerging from the dust once more to continue with the story. Sorry for the wait, but at least it wasn't as long as last time, right? ;)
Special thanks to Doc Junior, for all your amazing reviews. I hope I answered the majority of your questions within this chapter! I loved receiving them, they made me rethink the structure and the characters reactions to everything. If you have any more please let me know! The majority of this chapter was inspired by your reviews.
Anyway, on with the story?
Disclaimer: I do not own the plot of this story (that belongs to Kurinoone) nor do I own anything remotely Harry Potter related (that's the marvellous J.K's), apart for the merchandise I bought.
Chapter Eleven
Draco hurried down the corridor, ignoring the greasy haired man beside him. He swatted at the billowing cloak as it flew into his face as they stepped outside, the strong wind causing it to flap around wildly. Scowling, he strode off towards the whomping willow, ignoring his Head of House's, "Draco!" and sidestepping the arm that had reached towards him. He underestimated, however, the extent to which the older man was willing to go to, and failed to avoid the body-binding spell that came his way.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Snape had muttered, watching with some level of satisfaction as the blond boy face-planted onto the wet grass. He walked over to him calmly, bending down and rolling him over. He scoffed at the glare he received in response. "Draco, I am going with you. If you refuse to take me wherever it is you are going, I will return to the Headmaster and report everything to him. I'm sure everyone will be fascinated to know that the Dark Prince is lurking somewhere nearby." Seeing Draco's panicked look, he decided to release him, knowing full well the boy would do whatever necessary to protect the one he called 'friend'. Draco clambered to his feet, making a show of brushing all the wet grass off of him and scowling at the wet patches that had formed on his clothing during his temporary acquaintance with the floor. When he was done, the boy scowled fiercely, looking into Snape's eyes for a while before nodding once, turning around and continuing to walk towards the willow. Snape followed, knowing the boy would not try to deceive him and leave him behind again.
Reaching the willow, Draco summoned a stick with a lazy flick of his wand, directing it towards the knot in the tree trunk. Upon contact, the willow froze, its frantically swinging limbs crawling to a stop. Ignoring the surprised look he got, Draco strode confidently forward, clambering down the hole. Snape followed, wondering how the blond learnt of the secret passageway the willow contained.
The walk to the shrieking shack was long, but silent. Draco was nervous, wondering what he would tell Harry to not only explain the events taking place inside, but also the presence of his teacher beside him. Snape simply saw no need to talk, but couldn't help but feel fear of his own. Having read of the many deaths the Dark Prince was responsible for all of which, besides the Longbottoms, where Death Eaters much like himself, he couldn't help but entertain the idea that he was walking to his death.
Reaching a trap door, Draco swallowed nervously, steeling himself. He reached up and pushed the door open, clambering up into the space above. He briefly contemplated kicking the trap door shut on Snape's head, but the man in question emerged before he could do so. The professor looked at him, raising an eyebrow and smirking as though he knew what he was thinking. The somewhat smug expression was wiped off his face, however, by the stunning spell that hit him from behind, blasting him forward into hitting his head on the ground, bending him so he was hanging over the hole in ground, unconscious.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Hello to you too, Harry."
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"I don't trust that kid."
"James!"
"No Lily, he's right. I don't trust him either."
"Do you trust any of your relatives?"
"I trust you."
Tonks flushed, hair changing to a flaming red at what Sirius had so casually said. They weren't close as she was growing up, only really connecting once she was old enough to join the Order. To hear him so flippantly state that he trusted her meant more than he knew.
"What are we going to do about him, once the readings over?" Mad-Eye inquired, focused on Dumbledore to examine his response. The old man sighed heavily, weighed down by the decision he had to make.
"If Draco's opinions on whether or not Harry should stay with Voldemort change by the conclusion, he shall go free. He could be crucial in bringing Harry over to us with little conflict. If not..." Here he looked conflicted, downcast. "He shall be obliviated."
"Albus!" Molly gasped, aghast. "Surely there would be another way-"
"I'm afraid not."
"Are you going to obliviate all of us then?" Charlie inquired. "Alastor and I don't agree with your views on the boy, you gonna wipe our minds too?"
"Charlie-" Arthur started, only to be cut off by the Headmaster.
"You shall not be obliviated." He stared directly into the younger mans eyes. "Though I wish you agreed with me, and didn't want to harm Mr Potter, you also intend to capture him and bring him to us. Any further intentions you may have will not occur, you shall not be allowed to harm him."
"Try and stop me." Moody practically snarled, anger coming off him in waves.
"I won't have too, if what Narcissa has told me can be believed." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he looked away, signalling an end to the conversation. It was cruel to leave them all hanging, he knew. They had to be curious as to what he meant by his cryptic final words. But, an old man had to have a few secrets to remain mysterious. After all, he couldn't tell them how Narcissa had reassured him not to believe that Harry had killed the Longbottoms. While the woman refused to tell him what exactly had occurred, despite his multiple attempts to pry, he believed her when she said Harry wasn't responsible for the Longbottom's death.
Lily and James exchanged cautious glances, seeming to communicate with their eyes before Lily nodded and James sighed. "Dumbledore, before we continue my wife and I need to have a private conversation with Sirius and Remus."
"What about me?" Damien asked, offended that he wasn't to be included.
"Damien, they probably need to discuss something you're not supposed to know!" Hermione hissed, scandalised by Damien's attitude.
"They're probably going to talk about Harry without me and that's not fair. He's my brother too you know!"
"Damy, you're not going to want to be involved in this conversation, and your mother and I are not going to let you. No-" James held up a hand to silence his son who had his mouth open in preparation to protest. "I mean it Damien." Damien fell back from his rigid posture, accepting defeat. He knew that for once his father wasn't going to be budged from his stance.
"Dumbledore?" Lily looked to the old man, who nodded his acceptance. She, along with James, Remus and Sirius, swiftly marched to a separate door located at the back leading to another room. It had formed the moment James had said 'private conversation' and Lily marvelled once again at the rooms magic.
Once inside, Sirius swiftly shut and locked the door whilst Remus simultaneously cast the muffilato charm on the room. Prepared, they turned to face James and Lily.
"I think you know what this is about," Lily began, to a knowing nod from Remus and a somewhat confused look from Sirius.
"It is about Harry, right?" Sirius questioned.
"And about the comments Draco's been making." Remus gravely added.
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"So you're telling me," Draco didn't have to look up to know that his friend was looking at him like he was crazy. "That Dumbledore, Alastor Moody, Remus Lupin, the Weasels-"
"Weasleys," Draco weakly corrected to a scathing glare.
"Weasleys, some Hogwarts professor of yours-"
"McGonagall."
"If you interrupt me one more time I swear-"
"Sorry."
"Three other Aurors including Black," here the dark haired boy took on a venomous tone, which, if possible only got harsher as he spat the next few words, "and the Potters are all in a room reading a book about my life along with you and him." He nodded towards where Snape was slumped over on the floor, having ungracefully fallen when hit with the stunner so that the top half of his body was inside the room while his lower half dangled over the step ladder Draco had climbed to get up.
"So's Granger." Draco stated, looking up at his friend sitting next to him on the only bench in the room. Draco had subtly reinforced it with a few spells before taking a seat, the thing looked about one wrong move away from collapsing. Harry sighed, hunching over slightly and resting his elbows on his knees. His hands were held in front of him as if he was praying.
"Who the hell-?"
"A mudblood."
"Why should I care?"
"And your little brother." Draco casually looked around the room, studying the peeling, faded wall paper with disinterest. The windows were boarded up, all the furniture but the bench broken and strewn around the room, making Draco think that Harry may have repaired the bench before he arrived so they could have somewhere to sit. Where those claw marks?
"What?"
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"So you reckon." Sirius started, looking up from where he was sitting on the bench and looking to his best friend, eerily mimicking the pose that his son was in whilst talking to his own best friend. "That Voldemort has done something to Harry to make him hate all of us, and be unconditionally loyal to him."
"It makes sense." Remus stated. "Think about all the comments Draco keeps making, all the 'they'll find out soon,' and 'you disgust me's'."
"Not to mention the glares," Lily added.
"Exactly," Remus nodded at her.
"They're best friends," James said heavily. "Harry would have told him whatever lies Voldemort told him to make him hate us."
"But what could that be?" Sirius asked, swinging his hands up into the air.
"Fake memories?" Lily suggested.
"Too much could go wrong." Remus disputed. "Voldemort would have taught Harry how to differentiate between fake memories and real ones."
"Maybe he told him we abandoned him as a child." James suggested.
"That could be it. No need to create fake memories as he would be too young to remember anyway." Sirius added.
"But then why would he hate Sirius too? He seemed to despise him, remember how harshly he reacted to his voice." Sirius winced so Remus hastily added, "no offence Pads, we all know it's not your fault."
"And he seemed to recognise it, recognise you, just from your voice." Lily nodded along to what Remus was saying.
"Maybe he told him I was involved?" Sirius sounded convinced already that this was the answer. "Bell's got enough bad memories of me that she could have shown Harry to make him recognise my voice and hate me for it. We've fought enough times." His voice was heavy with guilt, but the argument convincing enough.
"Besides," Lily decided to finish the conversation. "Everyone keeps telling us to read the book right? That it will 'provide all the answers.'"
"Dumbledore sure seems to think so." James muttered.
"Unless there's a chance of getting Draco to tell us." Lily queried.
"No." Sirius shook his head firmly. "No, not a chance. I know Cissy, she would've made sure that kid is loyal."
"Oh." Lily smiled, happy that her son had a loyal friend, despite her disappointment at having to wait to find out.
"That's settled then." Sirius stood up. "Lets read the damn book."
"First time he's ever said that," Remus whispered to James as they walked out after their friend.
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"Damien."
"Yes."
"My brother."
"That's what I said."
"Called Damien."
"I believe so."
"And why, exactly, did my most loyal friend and confident-"
"I'm your only friend-"
"Not tell me I had a brother before this whole disaster?!"
"Ah." Harry nodded sarcastically at Draco.
"Ah, indeed."
"I was forbidden from telling you."
"By who?"
"The Dark Lord."
"Why would he do that?" Harry looked confused, startling his friend as, for once, he let his blank mask fall away.
"Oh I don't know Harry. He didn't exactly tell me to sit down while he explained the reasoning behind his orders to me!"
"Whatever." Harry rolled his eyes. "I don't care about the Potter brat. Tell me what's happened so far in this book of yours."
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Lily settled onto the couch beside her husband, arm wrapped around his waist. She slapped Sirius's hand away as he too tried to sneak an arm around James's back.
"We can begin reading, if you like, Professor." Remus looked at Dumbledore.
"I do think it would be wise to await Severus's return. I do not wish to begin a new chapter without him or Mr Malfoy."
"I don't really think we have the time to waste, Albus." Molly told the Headmaster. "We have jobs to get too, and the children have school."
"Ah." Dumbledore looked mildly embarrassed at the mothers words. "My dear, I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you."
"Tell us what?" Bill held back a groan.
"I've cast an enchantment around the room. For as long as I remain in here, every day in here is a minute outside these walls. We can spend quite the extended period of time in here."
"But, that's a huge spell-" Charlie started.
"Yes, it is quite taxing," indeed, almost as if by admitting to it, the old man seemed to age more. Bags appeared under his eyes and his wrinkles looked more defined. The usual twinkle in his eyes seemed to have dimmed somewhat. "But I do not believe this shall take long. If I require a break we will, however, have to step outside for a day or two and halt the reading."
"As long as you don't try to strain yourself," Molly fussed receiving a warm smile from the Headmaster.
"So..." George drawled. "What are we going to do while we wait?"
"Come on, how long can they be?" Laughed Fred.
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"How long is this going to take?" Draco asked his friend as the dark haired boy shot off another stunner that hit Snape, making him slump down with a groan. The man had already stirred twice before, and a sizeable bruise was forming where his head kept hitting the floor.
"Not long, I have to return to father soon."
"I'm not sure that's the best idea," Draco broached the previously discussed subject again with some hesitation.
"I've already told you they're acting!" Harry snarled.
"Well, they're damn good actors then." Draco stood up and halted his friends furious pacing by standing in front of him. "Harry, they seemed genuinely upset with everything. Not only that, but they, and everyone else in the room, keep saying that you were taken from them when you were a year old or something!"
"They're lying!"
"Are they?"
"I remember everything Draco! I had nightmares for years about what they did to me!"
"I know." Draco, for once, was gentle in the way he addressed his friend. He saw how vulnerable Harry looked for once, and it scared him. Even when detailing the abuse he had suffered, his friend hadn't looked like he was affected by the news he was delivering, talking in a cool, detached tone. Speaking of the possibility that the Potters were innocent frightened him, and he viciously rejected the notion. "Harry, I don't question that it really happened. But, maybe the Potters weren't involved."
"They had to be." Harry uttered the words like an oath, so quietly Draco had to strain to hear them. Suddenly he looked up, determination clear on his face. He took his wand out and waved it in the air muttering a spell Draco couldn't hear. A silvery shape floated out of the end of his wand, forming into a fearsome serpent. Harry hissed to it in Parseltongue and it slithered away on air.
"What-?"
"Taking care of my father, at least for a little while-"
"What-"
"I'm coming with you. I have to see this for myself."
"How? If they see you who knows what they'll do? Well, I'm fairly sure Moody's going to kill you, or try to anyway. I don't-" Draco cut himself off and stared astonished at his best friend upon seeing the expression on his face.
Harry grinned.
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The underage students looked up from a game of exploding snap they were playing with Tonks as the door opened, the wind the motion created knocking the tower they were building instead of actually playing the game over just as Tonks was placing a card on top. It exploded, singing her eyebrows which she regrew with a sigh.
Snape and Draco entered the room without much flair. Draco, instead of sitting in the armchair he had previously occupied conjured up a small lounge with a lazy flick of his wand and seated himself on that. Snape chose to sit beside his godson rather than with Dumbledore and Minerva as he previously was, and Draco scowled, hissing something to him and gesturing at the couch upon which the Headmaster was seated. Snape raised an eyebrow at the boy as the blonde sighed, flopping back in his seat dramatically.
"Well?" He scowled at the unmoving crowd caught staring at the two. "Are we going to read or not?"
"I'll go." Fred jolted into action, moving the crowd along as he grabbed the book and joined the rest on the couches.
Meet Your Son
"Guess James finds out then." Sirius mumbled. James and Lily exchanged excited looks, clasping hands as they clung to every word Fred spoke.
Sirius paced in his room. Dumbledore had left to meet the Minister to discuss Harry. Sirius was left alone while Madame Pomfrey stayed in the same room as Harry, in case he woke up.
Sirius was panicking. How the hell was he supposed to tell James about Harry? Why did it have to be Sirius who told James?
"Because you're the one he's least likely to be mad at." Remus explained.
"Mad because the brat's there?" Snape inquired.
"No." James scowled at the man. "Mad because no ones told me my sons alive yet."
Sirius had been there the night Harry had been taken by Peter. He remembered James recovering in hospital and how James had fought against the depression that the loss of Harry had brought to him.
Severus and Draco exchanged a quick glance, Draco raising his eyes and shrugging before Snape looked away again, focusing on the floor yet intently listening to the book.
Sirius doubted that James had ever gotten over Harry as it was plain to see that James showered the love, which would have been for Harry on Damien.
Damien looked unhappy at that, something James noticed.
"I love you Damien, even if Harry grew up alongside you I would love you just the same."
"Okay, dad, you don't have to tell everyone." Damien said, embarrassed.
Sirius sighed again, what would Damien think of this?
"Exactly why you should have told me earlier."
"Come on Pup, you know its hard for them."
"I know."
He didn't even know that he had a brother who had supposedly been murdered at the age of fifteen months. And what about Lily! Only a fortnight ago she had locked herself in her room for the entire day, as it was the day of Harry's sixteenth birthday.
Lily smiled softly. "At least this time we'll have Harry with us for his 16th."
"I pray that we can reunite you by then." Dumbledore smiled warmly at the two parents who had lost so much.
Damien and James had been away from home the entire day as Damien would get suspicious of the absence of Lily around the house. Lily spent that day looking at photographs of Harry and imagining what her life would have been like with her sixteen year old son.
"I miss him." Lily whispered softly. "My beautiful baby boy."
"I know love." James whispered back, kissing the top of her head softly. "I'm sorry I wasn't there with you on his birthday all these years."
"We all cope differently." Lily said, looking up at her husband. "I don't blame you for one second for not wanting to be there."
Sirius sighed and ran his hand roughly through his hair. It was cruel to show Lily and James their son and then to abruptly snatch him back again. Sirius wasn't sure how safe Harry was with them.
"Probably not at all." Draco muttered to Snape, who smirked before returning his blank mask.
Fudge could come anytime and take him away. Or Voldemort could come to 'rescue Harry'.
Snape frowned at the quotation marks Fred mimicked in the air as he said the words 'rescue Harry.'
Sirius gave a hollow laugh at the irony of the situation. A long lost son being 'rescued' from his own parents by the enemy.
"Maybe he does need rescuing from them." Draco snarked. Lily and James looked at him sharply but said nothing, instead exchanging knowing looks with Sirius and Remus.
Sirius collapsed on his bed and tried to get his racing mind to relax. He couldn't afford to get upset just yet. He had to be cool and collected for, James and Lily's sake. They were going to need his support now, more than ever.
Suddenly a sound downstairs caused Sirius to bolt upright in bed. Someone had come to the headquarters. Was it James? Or was it someone uninvited?
Ginny shifted uncomfortably at the thought of the supposed safe place being invaded. Her tension eased somewhat as Sirius snorted.
"Merlin, I'm paranoid. Who's going to be breaking into the Headquarters?"
Sirius shook his dark head. 'Get a grip Sirius' he scolded himself. After all this was the headquarters of the Order.
James tittered at that.
He gripped his wand nonetheless and made his way downstairs quietly. He was relieved to see Remus Lupin standing in the kitchen looking around for someone.
"Oh Remus, thank Merlin you're here!" Sirius quickly made his way over to his friend and could have hugged Remus for the relief he brought.
"Why? What's the matter?" Remus was looking at the uncharacteristic look of worry and sadness on his childhood friend's face.
Sirius wasted no time and launched into his story about the capture of the Dark Prince and whom it turned out to be. Remus turned paler and felt his legs shake.
Snape regarded the wolf curiously for a moment or two. Remus didn't appear to be a man that startled easily. Was he scared of some truth being revealed, or relieved by the news?
He sat down at the kitchen table and let his head drop into his hands. He looked back up as Sirius finished his story.
"…and now Dumbledore has gone to see Fudge, Poppy is upstairs with him and I'm supposed to tell James!" Sirius finished helplessly.
"Tell me what?" came a voice from behind them and the two friends whipped around to see a very angry looking James standing in the doorway.
"Oh shit."
"Sirius!"
"Tell me what Padfoot?" James repeated taking a step toward them. Sirius felt the blood drain from his face. 'Oh crap, why was James in such a foul mood, did he find out already?'
"You're scared of me?" James asked his friend.
"You don't get mad as easily as your wife mate-"
"Hey!"
"But when you do its terrifying. Generally, Lily will calm down in a day or two-"
Remus nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but you take ages to become approachable again."
Damien was confused. He'd never seen his dad as angry as what Sirius and Remus were describing before. He wondered if he ever would.
Sirius tried to push down the feeling of panic, as he looked at his best friend and tried to speak in a calm voice.
"James! I…I didn't hear you come in." he said, while trying not to stammer.
James looked at Sirius and Remus's pale faces. He knew something was wrong.
"Padfoot, Moony what's the matter, you look really freaked out." James came into the kitchen and sat in a chair facing his friends.
"Oh… nothing just tired, what happened to you? You look really annoyed."
"Why would you remind him about what he's mad about! That's the worst thing to do!" Remus exclaimed.
"Well, excuse me for being somewhat distracted in the moment!" Sirius replied.
Sirius didn't think distracting him was going to work, but he really needed to calm James down before dropping the bombshell of truth on James.
An annoyed look of anger flashed in James's eyes again
"That…that Kingsley,
"Excuse me?" Kingsley looked mildly offended causing James to send a sheepish grin his way.
I mean honestly he couldn't pick a worse time to annoy me! I mean I just got back from the raid and all he wanted was the damn paperwork completed. He demanded that all the paperwork for each Death Eater captured was completed before I left the office. Can you believe that?"
Sirius growled a little. He had asked Kingsley to keep James away from the headquarters but he didn't think Kingsley would anger James in the process. 'Idiot' thought Sirius.
Kingsley looked at Sirius with wide eyes, earning a muttered yet sincere apology from the embarrassed man.
"I don't like having my thoughts read out." Sirius cursed.
"Oh, really? I have no idea what that's like?" Lily sarcastically shot at the man.
"So, anyway I've been dying to get back! What happened? Where is he? Did you find anything out yet?" James was watching the reaction of his best friends carefully. With each question they seem to pale even more and diverted their eyes away from him.
"Ha ha, this isn't going to go well." Sirius scratched the back of his neck.
"No, I don't believe it is." Snape murmured quietly.
"Um…yeah, he…he's upstairs and um…James I need…need to explain something …to …to you." Sirius cursed himself mentally for stammering so much.
"Oh just spit it out! The Potter brat lived when you all thought he was dead!" Snape snapped unexpectedly.
"Bugger off Snivelly, its got nothing to do with you!" Sirius replied.
Draco clung to the mans cloak as he looked to reply. "Shut up you mutt," the blonde snarled. "We know more than you think."
"Is that what you were doing then?" James asked. "When you left the room. You were telling Snape what you know about Harry."
"Obviously," Snape drawled.
"Why won't you tell us then?" Lily looked confused. "I thought it was out of loyalty to Harry, but if you're telling Severus then that can't be it."
"Why tell you something you already know?" Draco sneered.
Remus's indignant cry of, "we don't-" was cut off by Fred who, tired of the conflict he didn't understand the cause of, chose to continue reading.
James looked at Sirius with a confused expression.
"Padfoot, what's wrong? The boy is okay isn't he? I mean we didn't do too much damage, right?"
Snape scoffed quietly, only Draco hearing his reaction.
James was thinking that maybe they had killed the boy, which is why his two friends were looking so glum. Even if the boy was a Death Eater, killing a sixteen year old wasn't easy on your conscience.
"He broke quite a few bones and he's pretty badly bruised, but he's going to be fine. Madame Pomfrey is with him right now" Sirius answered glumly.
James cursed under his breath. He didn't like having that on his conscience either.
"Doesn't make sense does it?" Draco muttered to the tense man sitting beside him.
"Well I better go and have a word with him then." James slowly rose out of his chair but stopped as his two friends jumped up and grabbed him before he even got to his feet properly.
"NO! James, just let him be for now!"
"James, he's not in any fit state to talk yet."
"What the hell is going on? Since when do we care if Death Eaters are fit enough to interrogate?" James eyed Sirius suspiciously.
"That doesn't seem very fair." Hermione frowned.
"At least we heal them a little first, Granger. If they catch us, well, lets just say death is the preferred option. If you're lucky its quick." Moody growled.
Hermione gasped, hands flying to her face. "That's awful!"
Damien looked at his dad and Sirius in a new light. He knew there job was dangerous before, but at first he thought injury and death were the biggest risks. Now he knew the added danger of capture and interrogation, increasing his worry.
Sirius and Remus shared a look and let go of James at the same time.
"Wicked." The twins whispered, in awe at how in sync the friends were.
"Okay Prongs, there is something that we need to tell you." Sirius sat down followed by Remus and James.
"Sirius! Remus! What's going on? You both are really starting to freak me out."
Sirius took a deep breath and looked over at Remus who nodded and placed a hand on Sirius's arm.
"James, I am going to tell you something that is going to come as a bit of a shock, but just try to remain calm and…and remember that everything will work out in the end."
Sirius watched as James clenched his teeth, 'never a good sign' thought Sirius.
"Oh come on!" James complained. "I'm not that bad!"
"Yeah, you are."
"Sirius, I'm warning you, just tell me what the hell is going on!"
"It's the boy, the Dark Prince. We know who he is. He's not from a Dark Wizard family, he…he belongs to a Light family." Sirius hoped James would catch on and hopefully save himself from saying the words out loud. However, this was not to be.
"Who is he?" James asked in a low voice, obviously intrigued.
Sirius shared a look with Remus and then looked straight into James's hazel eyes.
"It's Harry."
James watched as Sirius said the words but thought he must have misunderstood. Sirius couldn't have meant his Harry. That was not possible. It must be some other Harry.
Snape nodded in understanding. Of course he wouldn't think it was his son, he believed his son to be dead. There was no way the child could have survived in his mind.
"Which Harry, Harry who?" he asked trying to fight the panic that was rising within him. Sirius looked at James with sympathy in his eyes.
"James, it's our Harry."
James just sat there and tried to digest what had just been said. Before James could open his mouth to question Sirius, there was a cry heard from upstairs. The three men jumped to their feet, wands drawn, and ran to the source of the noise.
"Oh Merlin! Is it Harry? Is he hurt?" Lily cried, worry rising within both herself and the room.
"It'll be okay. He'll be fine." James reassured her.
The cry was heard again along with another voice trying to calm someone down. James was the first one to rush through the door, followed closely by Remus and Sirius. The sight they saw made them halt at the door. James saw a young messy haired boy lying on a bed; both hands hiding his face and was crying out in agonising pain.
"Scar." Snape muttered.
"What was that?" Sirius snapped at the greasy haired man. Snape cleared his throat, looking at Draco quickly and receiving a nod in return.
"His scar must be hurting. Perhaps fa- the Dark Lord has discovered his capture. It would cause him to experience extreme anger."
"I thought it only hurt when he was close to Voldemort?" Tonks stated warily.
"Interesting." Dumbledore mused. 'Neither can live while the other survives.'
Madame Pomfrey was trying to pull the boy's hands away to see what was causing him so much pain. She looked up at the three men as they burst through the door. She locked her eyes with James and she looked a little startled. She quickly got over her reaction and spoke directly to James.
"Could you give me a hand here?" she had to raise her voice since the boy's screams were getting louder.
James hesitated for a second but strode over quickly and looked down at the raven haired teenager lying before him. The boy's hands covered his face as he gripped his forehead and continued to moan.
Poppy looked at James and said:
"See if you can get him to lower his hands, I need to see what the problem is."
James took another look at the boy and carefully took the boy's wrists in his hands.
Snape looked uncomfortable for a moment at the news that James was touching the boy, but recovered before anyone but Draco noticed.
He could see they were bandaged and he didn't want to exert too much pressure on them. As gently as James could he prised the boy's hands away from his face. The boy was struggling and didn't want to let go of his forehead but James managed to get his hands away. The boy seemed to be semi-conscious.
James' breath caught in his chest. The face that was revealed was exactly as his own younger self.
"He hates that." Said Draco.
"We know," Lily sadly acknowledged. "Hopefully we'll know why soon."
The boy's eyes were squeezed shut in obvious pain, so James couldn't see the emerald eyes that were exactly like his wife Lily's. James took in the boy's features and felt his legs go weak. His heart was thumping so hard he felt it was going to bruise his chest.
"Harry?" he managed to whisper.
His son, Harry, didn't hear him. He was in too much pain. His head felt like it was going to split open. He had tried to hold in the cries of pain but it was no use. His father, Voldemort had never been so angry before. 'He must have found out about my capture' Harry's mind tried to tell him.
"Oh God," Hermione looked sick as Ginny squeezed her hand comfortingly.
James watched in horror as his son continued to thrash around in pain and he still had his eyes tightly shut. He saw Harry biting his lip to hold in his cries and James felt his heart break.
"Harry! Harry what is happening to you?" James heard Madame Pomfrey say. James was just about to tell her off for asking such a stupid question, when to his shock Harry answered.
"My…My scar…hurts!" he said in a hushed voice. It seemed that all the screaming had made his throat hoarse. Harry still hadn't opened his eyes and did not notice James holding onto him.
Madame Pomfrey pushed Harry's bangs out of the way and saw the scar, just above his left eye. James looked at the lightning bolt shaped scar on Harry's forehead and felt rage build inside him. Madame Pomfrey placed her hand gently over the scar and heard Harry hiss in pain. James wanted to yell at her to stop but he knew that she was a professional in medicine and probably knew what she was doing.
Snape and Draco exchanged glances at James's reaction to his sons pain, but neither commentated.
"You're burning up." she told Harry as she fumbled around in her potions bag. She brought up two small vials. She gently lifted Harry's head and made him drink the two vials. Harry did so without resisting, not that he could, since his arms were being restrained. After a moment or two Harry seemed to relax and drifted off to sleep.
"What was happening to him?" James asked as he entered the kitchen with Poppy and the other two men.
"Well, I'm not entirely sure. I think that what he has is a curse scar, they are very rare but are known to act up from time to time."
"It should not cause such extreme pain." Dumbledore mused to the tense room.
Poppy answered him while conjuring up some tea for everyone. She desperately needed some.
"What had caused it to start hurting?" asked Sirius.
"I don't know, he was sleeping quite soundly and then all of a sudden he grabbed his forehead and started screaming." explained Poppy.
"That's awful," Fleur whispered to Bill, who nodded in reply.
James was still sitting in his chair holding his cup of tea with no intentions of drinking it. His head was spinning and he couldn't get the image of Harry thrashing around in pain out of his head. He didn't even hear Poppy go back upstairs. Sirius came and sat next to him. He took the untouched cup of tea out of James's hand and looked at him.
"You okay mate?" he asked while trying to steady his own heart.
"No."
James lifted his head and looked at his friend. He shook his head sadly.
"No I'm not okay." he looked around and Remus was now sitting in the chair on his other side. James was glad he had been blessed with such good friends. They never left his side, regardless of what the situation was.
The Marauders exchanged fond smiles. They had found a family within each other, and nothing would break their bond.
"What do I do now? What do I tell everyone? My own son is our enemy The Dark Prince is actually my flesh and blood! And Lily, how do I tell her. And what about Damien! Oh Merlin this is a damn nightmare."
'Disappointed he's not dead,' Snape thought. 'Would have been easier that way.'
James let his head drop into his hands and furiously tried to bite back the tears that were bursting to come out. 'Lily would not be able to take this.' he thought to himself.
"I can take it," the read head looked at her husband. "I'll be there for our son, just as you will."
"Prongs you should tell both of them before they find out from someone else." Remus said in a small voice.
James lifted his head and looked at Remus.
"How? What do I say? This is something that Lily and I have always dreamt about, a miracle that brings back our son
"Wha-" Snape was cut off by Draco's sharp look before anyone could hear what he was saying.
but I had never imagined it to ever be like this." James made no attempt to hide the tears that were now flowing freely down his cheeks.
"Oh James." Lily hugged her husband, holding him close to her as he often did when comforting her.
Sirius was at a loss at what to do. He had only seen James cry once and that was when Harry was taken away.
Snape looked deeply troubled, drawing the attention of Mad-Eye and Dumbledore as he shifted uncomfortably. Draco noticed and whispered to him, the man looking up and glaring at the two watching him. They looked away, wondering at what Draco could have told the man when they had both left the room to cause such reactions from him now.
Sirius tried to comfort his friend but found that James just pushed him away. Remus also tried to comfort his broken friend.
"Prongs, he is still your son, that innocent Harry that we all loved and cared about is still alive. He's just been forced to grow up differently and really quickly that's all." Remus said.
"And he's a murderer." Mad-Eye snarled. Lily hissed furiously but was silenced by James shaking his head.
James sat with his head hung low. He was trying to make up his mind as to how to tell his wife about Harry.
He decided that it was going to be done tonight.
"Thank you for deciding to tell me as soon as you can."
"I'd never withhold something like that from you."
"I know."
xxx
Harry awoke feeling as if every bone in his body was on fire. He looked around and started to panic as his surroundings were unfamiliar. It took him a moment or two to remember what had happened and how he had ended up here. His insides began to burn at the anger of being captured. He tried to get up but realised that he could barely lift his head before his body erupted in shooting pains, forcing him to lie back down again. He moaned softly and felt his voice crack as his throat felt like sandpaper.
"That sucks." Ron looked sympathetic towards the other boys pain.
Madame Pomfrey heard Harry moaning and rushed to his side.
"Harry, oh good you're up." she came by his side and started lifting different vials of potions.
"How are you feeling now? Probably still sore after that dreadful incident."
Harry watched her quietly, amused how she would ask a question and then answer it herself.
"Where am I?" Harry managed to croak out.
"Don't worry Harry, you're safe."
"I need to get back home."
"Harry, that's not your home."
Harry tried once again to get up, but lay back down quickly as the pain erupted in his back.
"Harry!"
"Just lie back down." Poppy laid a gentle hand on Harry before he tried to get up again.
Harry gave up his futile attempt to get up and instead gave in to Poppy's fussing. He looked around the room. It was very bare with nothing more than the four-poster bed that he was currently lying on, a two door wardrobe in the far corner, a small desk and chair and a small sofa next to the fireplace. He asked once more.
"Where am I Poppy?"
"You are currently with Sirius Black in his home." Poppy replied trying not to meet Harry's eyes.
Harry felt the anger bubble in him once more.
Sirius looked hurt at his Godsons reaction, but brushed it off. He knew it was due to whatever lies Voldemort had told the boy.
"I need to get away from here, please Poppy, you have to let me go."
Harry tried pleading with her since he knew he was in no fit state to do anything else.
"I am sorry Harry, but you cannot travel anywhere yet. Just try and rest and then we can speak about this later, Okay."
Harry nodded his head and tried to close his eyes and sleep but the anger was still burning within him. He was in an enemy's house, at their mercy.
"Oh Harry, we're not going to hurt you." Fleur pleaded with the book, getting a strange look from Snape.
'This is not good!' he thought as he fell into an uneasy sleep.
xxx
Lord Voldemort sat on his throne, but looked very different than he usually did. His body was not held high but was crouched low. His head was hung and he seemed to be in a deep mantra.
"Wow."
"That's... what?"
Bella stood not too far away with silent tears running down her cheeks.
"Bell doesn't cry..." Sirius looked uneasy at the news.
She kept on repeating to herself under her breath 'please let him be okay, please, please don't let them harm my Harry, please'.
"He's my Harry you-"
"Lily."
"Yes, yes okay James."
Lord Voldemort lifted his head and looked directly at the Death Eaters in his chamber. He eyed Bella and Lucius angrily and then instantly repeated his mantra to calm himself down. It had taken a good twenty minutes to calm himself down. He didn't want to let his anger hurt Harry again. Merlin knows what kind of state he was in. He had lost his temper when Lucius had told him that the Order had hurt Harry gravely. Injured his son! Lord Voldemort had never felt such rage.
"Plan's all falling to bits, hey Voldy?" Sirius looked pleased to focus on Voldemort's anger rather than his cousins sadness.
He spoke to both Death Eaters, who stood glumly in front of their master.
"You know what I want, you know what to do. Do not show your miserable faces to me until it is done!" Lord Voldemort ordered them with quiet venom.
"Yes Master." came the reply in unison.
Lord Voldemort stood and left for his private chambers. He would not lose Harry, not now. Whatever the cost, Harry had to be back with him and he had to be back soon.
Snape sighed contemplatively as Fred finished the chapter, what he already knew and this new information he was being presented with at war with each other.
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Dun, dun, dunnnnnnnnnnnnn!
Well a lot happened in that chapter. I hope somethings got cleared up, and make sense!
Thanks for all your reviews, they helped shape the context of this chapter. There is so much dialogue going on! Over half the chapter was written before I'd even started on the characters commentary of the book like wow.
Please review it means so much!
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