Author note- Thank you all for the new reviews, favorites, and follows. You are all amazing. Hope you like the new chapter.
Song inspirations- Weapons in my pocket-Nico Collins& Chelsea Collins (Harry), Sweet Tooth- Cavetown (Draco)
Chapter 7
Weapons in my Pockets
"Hermione." Ron whispered harshly as he followed his girlfriend across the great hall. She didn't acknowledge him at all.
When he'd woken up early this morning, he noticed that Harry's bed was empty. It wasn't uncommon this year for Harry to be up and out of the dorm early, but it was beginning to worry him. Harry had been acting very strange since they'd returned to Hogwarts.
When they'd reached the great hall and Harry wasn't there, Hermione had turned right around and walked them to the library. She was on a bit of a war path this morning. She was worried about Harry and had made multiple attempts to talk to him over the past week.
Harry hadn't been rude, but he hadn't engaged with them either. They saw him in classes and during DA meetings but otherwise he always seemed busy.
When they hadn't found Harry in the library Hermione had marched back to the great hall saying she was going to ask there head of house where he was.
Ron had said running to Sirius wasn't a good plan. He didn't want to get Harry in trouble. Hermione had just given him an incredulous look and headed up to the teachers' table.
Ron noted that only about half the staff was at the table. Remus was but Sirius wasn't. Ron knew from the time that they'd spent at Grimmauld that Sirius was not a morning person.
"Sirius isn't even here." Ron whispered.
"Then I'll talk to Professor Lupin." Hermione said over her shoulder.
Ron sighed and shook his head but kept following.
Remus smiled at them as they approached. It was a Saturday so thankfully the great hall hadn't filled up much yet.
"Good morning." Remus said jovially.
Ron grimaced a little and shrugged.
"Morning." Ron muttered.
"Good morning, Professor." Hermione said crisply.
Remus looked between them and Ron lowered his head. He didn't want to be part of this. He wanted to spend more time with Harry but ratting him out to the adults was almost certainly going to start a fight.
"What can I do for you?" Remus asked, setting down his cutlery.
"Err. Just um…" Ron muttered before he looked to Hermione.
"Do you know where Harry is?" Hermione asked.
Ron could hear the mixed emotions in her voice. She was polite but under that there was anger and worry.
Remus brows furrowed and he glanced at the Gryffindor table before looking back at them.
"No. Was he not in the dorm. It's only…" Remus stopped to look at his watch.
Ron knew it was early. He hadn't wanted to be out of bed yet, but he'd worried and ended up voicing that to Hermione and now they were here.
"It's only six thirty." Remus said.
"No, he's not there or in the library." Hermione said, the worry coming out a little thicker.
Remus nodded and Ron could see the concern creasing the man's face.
"If I see him, I'll let him know you're looking for him." Remus said before standing and abandoning a nearly full plate of breakfast.
Hermione made a frustrated noise in the back of her throat.
"Thank you, Professor." Hermione said shortly before spinning around and grabbing Ron by the elbow. She proceeded to haul him back across the hall.
"Can we just eat breakfast?" Ron asked.
Hermione shot him a look that said he was thick before shaking her head.
When they reached the entrance hall, Hermione finally released his arm.
"Do you think he went to the pitch?" Hermione asked.
Ron shrugged.
"I don't know 'Mione." Ron said honestly.
"Maybe he's been meeting with someone. That could explain why he's gone all the time. Maybe he has a girlfriend or something?" Ron suggested, thinking of all the time that he and Hermione had been spending together.
"Why wouldn't he tell us that though?" Hermione huffed.
"Maybe he's not seeing a Gryffindor?" Ron suggested rubbing the last of the sleep from his eyes. He was not used to being up this early.
Hermione looked around the empty hall before stepping closer.
"Do you…do you think maybe it's Malfoy?" Hermione whispered.
Ron grimaced at the suggestion.
"I hope not, but I suppose it might explain why he's gone all the time and hasn't told us anything. I mean you said Malfoy seemed kind of out of it too." Ron said shrugging his shoulder.
They had been keeping an eye on Malfoy since returning to school. He seemed quiet and Hermione was convinced he was up to something.
"I don't think Harry would tell us if he was seeing another wizard." Hermione said, biting her lip.
Ron's brows creased in confusion.
"Why?" Ron asked.
Hermione sighed.
"Why don't we walk to the pitch, and I'll explain." Hermione said.
Ron sighed. He really just wanted to go have breakfast.
"All right." Ron agreed with a resigned nod.
Hermione bit her lip as they made it to the pitch.
"So, muggles have a problem with same sex relationships? That doesn't make any sense." Ron said beside her.
Hermione had tried to patiently explain the concept to Ron as they walked. She'd been thankful that it was early, and no one was out on the grounds.
"It's not just a problem Ron. In the muggle world they can't get married, adopt children, they can even struggle to keep jobs or housing. It was illegal to even be in that kind of a relationship for a long time. There are a lot of people that would rather see them imprisoned or dead. It's sick but that's how the muggle world is." Hermione explained.
Ron looked bewildered.
"That's insane. One of my brother's is gay and one is bisexual, and no one even blinked an eye. Do you…do you think Harry knows that it's okay here?" Ron asked worriedly.
Hermione sighed and shrugged her shoulder. She knew that Harry wasn't very informed about such things.
"I told him once that it was more except here. We didn't really talk more about it." Hermione said.
"Which of your brothers?" Hermione asked as an afterthought.
"George and Charlie." Ron said unphased by the question.
Hermione nodded and looked up in the sky hoping she might see Harry up there.
"You don't…you don't feel that way, do you?" Ron asked hesitantly.
Hermione shook her head.
"No, not everyone in the muggle world does." Hermione said slightly defensively.
She knew that sometimes Ron got ideas in his head about the muggle world that weren't quite right.
Ron nodded slowly.
"He's not here." Hermione whispered sadly.
She'd been reading in the common room when Ron had come down in his pajamas'. He'd asked if she'd seen Harry and when she told him that she hadn't the worry had started to build in her stomach. After Harry had gone missing this summer, she felt like she was always worrying about him.
Harry felt like a brother to her, and she hated that he'd had to face so much. She was sure now that Harry was depressed and that worried her too. She'd even looked into the matter from a Wixen point of view. Mind healing and potions were usually used to help. She was sure Harry must be talking to Remus, but she didn't think it was helping.
Harry seemed so out of it most of the time. Like he was just lost in his own thoughts. He didn't want to spend time with them, and it didn't seem like he was eating or sleeping much at all.
"Come on. Let's eat breakfast. Maybe he'll show up." Ron said wrapping his arm around her waist.
Hermione gave him a tight smile and nodded. She could only hope Harry was okay. If he didn't turn up by dinner, She'd be searching the castle herself. Something just didn't feel right about Harry's behavior.
Remus quietly closed the door to their quarters. He wanted to look at the map, but he didn't want to wake Sirius if Harry had just gone to the pitch for a morning fly.
He'd been worried about Harry. Despite being back on his potions, he knew Harry wasn't eating and the bags under his eyes suggested he wasn't sleeping much either. He tried to talk to him during their weekly meetings, but Harry was dismissive and closed off.
Remus had seen that coming. Harry had begun to brush off everything he'd been through. It wasn't healthy and Remus wasn't sure how to reach him.
He'd started teaching him some basics of Legilimens to encourage him to keep coming to their appointments. It's something Harry should have learned when he was five or six, not sixteen. He was sure that the emotional toll that had taken on Harry was immense. Especially in an abusive house. Something Harry was now almost denying.
When Remus would bring something up Harry often said, 'it wasn't that bad' or 'it's over now'.
Remus quietly padded across their room and smiled at Sirius spread out on the bed. He looked good. Healthier then he had been in years. He wished he wasn't currently looking for their son. He might be tempted to climb back in bed and have a lazy Saturday.
Remus shook his head. Perhaps if he found Harry he could wake Sirius for a little morning fun.
Slipping into the sitting room with the map in hand, he sat on the couch with a sigh.
"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." Remus whispered.
The lines sprawled across the parchment. When everything was there, he laid the map out on the coffee table. Scanning each section carefully he looked for Harry.
Remus began to bite at his lip the longer he searched. The early hour still had most of the students in there dorms, making it easier to look through the halls.
Harry wasn't on the grounds, or any of the classrooms. Nor was he in any of the common use spaces like the hospital wing or the library. A twisting feeling began to fill his stomach. He looked at the other common rooms and dorms. It wasn't common but occasionally there was a student from another house in there.
He wasn't in any of those places unless he was in a dorm that still had too many students in it.
He flipped the map again and kept looking. He even looked at the offices and quarters of the rest of the staff, but Harry simply wasn't in any of those places.
Panic began to rise in Remus chest. Could Harry have left the school? The map didn't cover the Forrest or Hogsmeade. Remus hoped that's all it was. That Harry hadn't run away again, or more worryingly run into danger again.
Remus stood and took slow deep breaths before he went into the bedroom to wake Sirius.
"Siri." Remus called, as he laid a hand on Sirius warm shoulder.
Sirius groaned and rolled slightly.
"Sirius, you need to wake up." Remus said, giving Sirius shoulder a slight shake.
Sirius hand moved and brushed the hair from his face before he looked up at Remus.
"What?" Sirius said, his voice husky from sleep.
Remus bit his lip.
"I need you to get up." Remus said, his voice wobbling just a little.
Sirius brows creased and he sat up.
"What's going on?" Sirius said, his face more alert.
"I can't find Harry." Remus said.
Sirius shook his head and blinked for a moment.
"It's early, he's probably still in bed." Sirius said, stretching his back before climbing out of bed.
Remus stepped back to give him some space.
"He's not. Ron and Hermione came to ask me if I knew where he was at breakfast. They seemed worried. I looked all over the map. He's not here." Remus explained.
Sirius sighed and rolled his neck before nodding.
"All right. Give me a minute to get dressed." Sirius said, making his way to the bathroom.
Remus nodded and headed into the sitting room.
Severus groaned as he rolled over in bed. He'd not slept well and quickly became aware that someone was calling him from the floo.
"Can't even have a Saturday." He groaned as he tossed back the covers and climbed out of bed.
Pushing his long hair from his face he grabbed his robe and tossed it on as he stumbled into the sitting room to find Lupin's face in his fireplace.
"What could you possibly want this early, wolf?" Severus growled.
"Have you seen Harry?" Remus asked worriedly.
The night before came back like a crushing wave. He looked to the couch which no longer held the sleeping Gryffindor.
Severus sighed.
"He was here." Severus grumbled.
"What do you mean?" Remus asked in confusion.
Severus rubbed his face.
"He showed up in the middle of the night upset. He fell asleep on my couch. As you can see, he's not here." Severus explained.
Remus turned and said something, probably to Sirius.
"Can we come through?" Remus asked.
Severus resignedly nodded and walked away to the kitchen to make some coffee. Clearly the day was going to require a lot of it.
When Severus returned to the sitting room he was dressed, coffee in hand. The mutts looked distressed. He'd taken a quick look in the other rooms of his quarters to verify that the boy had in fact left. He hadn't seen any sign of him. Harry had even refolded the blanket that Severus had laid on him last night. There also wasn't any sign of a note anywhere.
"Why did Harry come here last night?" Sirius asked.
Severus motioned to the seating. Once they were settled Severus began.
"I would like you both to try and remain calm." Severus said. He knew what he needed to tell them would send them both into a panic. He himself was panicking internally that the boy had left. He was clearly not doing well and the fact that the mutts couldn't find him was only adding to that worry.
They both nodded but Severus could see the strain in their faces.
"I believe Harry might be having some suicidal thoughts again." Severus said, stating the most important part of this story at the beginning.
Sirius shot straight off of the couch and Remus face pinched with concern.
"We need to go find him." Sirius said.
Remus looked pleadingly at Severus like he was hoping Severus would say something else to ease their worry.
"What happened?" Remus said.
Severus looked to Sirius.
"Sit for a moment. I assume you've already used your map. Looking all over the castle isn't going to help us right now." Severus said as calmly as he could.
Sirius looked worriedly to Remus before he sat down.
Severus took a deep breath and steadied his own thoughts.
"Harry showed up here around two. He was crying and once he settled a little, we talked. I think he has convinced himself that the responsibility for the war is all on his shoulders. It also seems that he still believes his distance from those who care about him will somehow protect them." Severus began.
Remus shook his head.
"The boy is running himself ragged to be honest. Aside from his classes he is doing training lessons nearly every day, not to mention his little group, order meetings, and quidditch. Honestly, I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner." Severus said.
Remus looked at him in confusion.
"What lessons?" Remus asked.
"Legilimens with you, Dueling with Sirius, Animagus with Minerva, Elemental magic with Albus. Not to mention Beatrice, Fillius, and Gabriel all mentioned to me that he has stayed after class or sought them out other times to ask questions and get additional information." Severus informed them.
Remus sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"I didn't know." Remus mumbled.
Severus nodded. He could have guessed that. The boy hadn't been taking advantage of his counseling or leaning on his parents but to hear it made Severus sad.
"He told me that he hasn't been talking to you." Severus said sympathetically.
Remus sighed and nodded before reaching out and taking Sirius hand.
"I knew mind healing would be an uphill battle, but I had hoped being back at school would help him feel more comfortable. I recommended Sirius start dueling with Harry to give them time to spend together. Harry seemed to enjoy it, but I didn't realize that he was taking it as an obligation." Remus explained.
"We didn't talk much. Harry would ask about a spell or a skill, but he just seemed focused." Sirius added.
Severus nodded.
"He's been excessively using his heavier occlumency shields again. I think it would be prudent for occlumency lessons to be addressed. Though I'm hesitant to add more to his already over full schedule." Severus commented.
Remus nodded tiredly.
"Ron and Hermione came to me at breakfast to ask if I knew where Harry was. There seemed to be more going on, but they didn't say anything. I'm relieved to know that he was here at some point, but I'm concerned that we can't find him." Remus said.
Severus nodded in thought.
"Perhaps you should speak with his friends again. Draco should be up by now. I can talk with him and see if he knows anything." Severus suggested.
Remus nodded and stood.
Severus could see the concern heavy on them both.
"I'm sure he'll turn up. So far that has been the pattern." Severus tried to reassure. Though he wasn't sure if he was reassuring them or himself.
Remus nodded.
"What should we do if his friends don't know where he is?" Sirius asked, turning to Remus.
Severus didn't want to think about that possibility just yet. Hopefully, the boy had just walked to Hogsmeade for a sweet or took a walk in the forest. Neither was safe but Severus had confidence in Harry's ability to protect himself.
"We'll need to inform Albus, then start checking places he might have gone. He didn't use the portkey, but I'll check the cottage." Remus said.
Sirius sighed.
"Portkey?" Severus asked.
"It was a gift for his birthday. A bit of magic Lily and I worked on. It's dual purpose. It's keyed to Sirius and me, so Harry can portkey to us if he's in danger or to the cottage." Remus explained.
Severus raised his eyebrow. He'd never heard of a portkey that could take a person to another person and not just a location. Though he wasn't surprised it was Lily that had discovered such a thing, she was excellent at charms.
"I see." Severus said nodding.
"Didn't you change them so we could portkey to him?" Sirius asked.
That would be useful. He certainly could have used something like that this summer.
Remus looked frustrated.
"No. I told Harry that I had, but no. As we told Harry that night, I didn't want him to think he needed to protect us. Though this situation obviously highlights why that would have been useful." Remus said, a slight blush covering his cheeks.
Damn, Severus thought.
Sirius looked disappointed but nodded.
"We'll go find Ron and Hermione. Let us know if Draco knows anything." Remus said stepping over to the floo.
Severus nodded and a moment later they were gone.
Draco was sitting in the common room reading a book when Severus entered. He'd noticed Severus had been spending more time in the common room but eight o' clock on a Saturday seemed early for it. There were several other students milling around but mostly it was quiet.
Severus caught sight of him and walked directly to him. Draco felt his stomach sink a little. Clearly this wasn't a social call.
"I need you to come with me." Severus said, before turning on his heel and walking back out of the common room.
Draco closed his book and slipped it into his bag. He glanced around the common room. Pansy and Millie were sitting near the fire. He approached them quickly.
"Something is going on, keep your eyes open." Draco whispered softly in Pansy's ear before giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
Pansy looked worried but nodded. Millie sat up from her place cuddled against Pansy and glanced around the common room.
Draco made his way out and found Severus waiting for him impatiently. Severus glared slightly before making his way down the hall and into his office.
There was a wash of magic as the door closed behind him. Draco expected that Severus was going to lead him into his quarters but instead he took a seat behind his desk.
"Sit." Severus said, pointing to the student chairs in front of his desk.
Draco hesitated for a moment but quickly sat.
"Have you seen Harry this morning?" Severus asked.
Draco frowned and shook his head.
"I haven't even gone to breakfast yet." Draco commented.
Severus nodded.
"Have you heard anything in the common room? About Harry or the Seventh years?" Severus asked.
Draco thought back.
"Not about Harry. I noticed a few of the seventh years talking last night. They kept looking at me and Teddy after dinner." Draco explained.
Severus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"What's going on Sev?" Draco asked worriedly.
"No one seems to know where Harry is. I'm hoping he simply needed some space and will turn back up. I thought perhaps you had talked to him. However, I wanted to check and make sure there wasn't anything else that I might need to consider." Severus explained.
Draco worried his lip a little.
"I haven't talked to Harry since the night we came to your quarters. I really like him, but I know he's already with someone. It's made it hard to spend time with him. Plus, He always seems busy with other things so I've just kind of let him be." Draco admitted.
Severus looked confused now.
"What do you mean 'he's already with someone'? He's dating someone?" Severus asked.
Draco shrugged and nodded a little.
"Who?" Severus asked.
"George?" Draco answered unsurely.
He supposed he didn't know for sure, but it certainly seemed like they were together.
Severus closed his eyes for a minute and sighed.
"Did Harry tell you that?" Severus asked.
Draco shook his head.
"No, I saw them holding hands when we went to Diagon to get our supplies." Draco answered stiffly.
Severus groaned.
"I don't believe they are involved. I'm also disappointed that you have abandoned your friendship with Harry over an assumed relationship." Severus admonished.
Draco blushed. He supposed he could have just asked Harry but that seemed too obvious and desperate.
"Sorry." Draco said softly.
"You should be. Harry needs your friendship, Draco. I know it's easy for people your age to think with other parts but do try and use your mind occasionally." Severus drawled.
Draco felt his face flush even more.
"Do you need help looking for him?" Draco asked.
Severus shook his head.
"No. He's not on the grounds and it wouldn't be wise to take you away from the safety of the castle." Severus said.
Draco's brow creased.
"How do you know he's not on the grounds?" Draco asked.
Severus got an uncertain look on his face.
"His parents have a map." Severus sneered.
Draco nodded. Harry had shown him the magical map. He shook his head as he thought about that night. It had been the night Harry had tried to kill himself.
He'd asked Harry about the map again one day while they'd been walking about Cokeworth, and he'd said he didn't have it anymore.
"You should head to breakfast. If you happen to see Harry, please tell him to come see me or his parents. He's not in trouble but we'd like to speak to him." Severus added.
Draco nodded and stood. He thought he knew where Harry was, but he wouldn't say that until he had a chance to check for himself.
Draco headed to the seventh floor at a slightly hastened pace. He didn't want to draw attention to himself, but he wanted to find Harry.
Harry had told him that the room of requirement didn't appear on the map. He wasn't sure who else knew that, but he did.
He felt like a bad friend for having not spent any time with Harry recently. Severus seemed pretty confident when he said Harry wasn't dating George. That shouldn't matter but it made his stomach squirm. Perhaps his hopes weren't completely dashed.
First, he would check in though. He'd also apologize for his distance. He'd been spending a lot of time with his classmates. They seemed to be settling but there was still a lot of worry. They'd all taken to using there Snake buddies to start spreading their more neutral message. Some had been hesitant, but the message seemed to be working.
When Draco reached the seventh floor, he was unsurprised to see a door on the normally blank wall. This only confirmed that this was where Harry was.
Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open before quickly closing it behind him.
Draco stood slightly slack jawed at the sight in front of him.
The room was like he remembered from this summer. However, Harry was in base form. Something he'd not seen in weeks and had greatly missed, but more shocking was that he'd not only shed his outer robes but his shirt as well. In his hand he held a sword and was actively swinging it around. His tan body glistened with sweat and his long hair brushed against his shoulders.
Draco thought he might be having some kind of erotic dream.
Except as he looked closer, he realized that Harry was absolutely covered in scars. Draco's heart clenched and anything arousing about the display instantly turned to fury. Who had hurt Harry so badly? Was this from the abuse from his relatives? Harry was also very thin. Nearly skeletal with tight lean muscle stretched over his bones.
Harry's back was still turned to him, and he realized Harry had a rather impressive tattoo in between his shoulder blades. Draco's longing stirred again. He wished he could reach out and run his fingers across it.
Suddenly Harry spun around with the next swing of the sword and froze as his eyes met Draco's.
Harry swung the heavy sword through the air and imagined that there were Death Eater's surrounding him. He'd only slept for about two hours. Upon waking in Snapes quarters he'd felt horribly embarrassed for having cried all over the man the night before.
He'd folded the blanket and quickly slipped out under his cloak. He'd snapped his occlumency shields back in place and headed to the room of requirements to practice. He'd focused on some of the new charms he'd learned first but had eventually felt restless. He'd run laps and done some other exercises for a while but the building anger in his chest hadn't eased.
He couldn't believe how weak he'd been last night. To go crying to Snape of all people. No doubt he'd tell Remus what had happened and then they'd be even more disappointed in him.
He slashed the sword around angerly. When he turned with the sword, he was shocked to find someone standing in the room. Not just someone but Draco.
Heat swept up his face as he remembered his glamour was down and he was topless. He'd taken the shirt off when he'd been running and not bothered to put it back on. Now he stood here on full display, and he felt like crying.
The glamour snapped back into place, and he summoned his shirt.
"What are you doing here?" Harry mumbled as he tried to fasten the buttons of his shirt with shaking hands. The pendent laying against his chest moved in time with his pounding heart.
Draco didn't say anything, and Harry eventually looked up and found the other boy still just staring at him.
Harry felt the familiar swoop in his stomach followed by the now painful clench in his chest. He liked Draco but Draco didn't like him, shouldn't like him. He was disgusting, and his feelings were wrong.
"Severus is looking for you. Your parents couldn't find you. I think they're worried about you." Draco finally said.
Harry groaned and leaned the sword against the wall next to his bag. He didn't know how he felt about everyone casually referring to Sirius and Remus as his parents. He knew the news had traveled like he had expected but it made him uncomfortable. He wished he'd not said anything.
He should have known Snape would tell them about last night. He'd hoped he would have a little longer before he'd have to face it.
"What…erm…what were you doing?" Draco asked.
Harry shook his head.
"Practicing." Harry answered quietly.
Draco snorted and Harry looked back at him.
"Not very well." Draco said in a slightly haughty tone.
Harry shrugged.
"I'm teaching myself. What do you know about it?" Harry said, grabbing his robes and shoving them in his bag.
He longed to put them on for the layer of protection it felt like they gave him, but he was already too warm just in his shirt.
Draco laughed a little and Harry fought not to smile at the sound.
"About eight years of lessons. Proper purebloods all learn how to handle a sword." Draco answered.
Harry looked over his shoulder in curiosity.
"Really?" Harry asked.
Draco nodded.
"Yes. It's all rather boring to be honest. All the lessons. Swords, riding, dance, music, history, and so on." Draco said with a roll of his shoulders.
Harry nodded and looked away. He would have loved any kind of lesson when he was younger. The Dursley's had put Dudley in any activity he showed any interest in. Despite the fact that he would usually quit within a few lessons. Other than Boxing.
"What was I doing wrong?" Harry asked, crossing his arms over his chest defensively.
He supposed he would rather address this then what Draco had no doubt just seen of his body.
Draco smirked before holding out his hand.
"May I see the sword?" Draco asked.
Harry nodded before handing it to him.
"This sword is meant to be held like this. Not this." Draco explained, moving his hands slightly for Harry to see.
Harry nodded and took in the information.
"Then there is the control over it." Draco said stepping back.
He swung it effortlessly around in a slow and controlled manner before adding some speed to it. Harry was fascinated with the way Draco and the blade both moved.
"Finally, your foot work is atrocious." Draco said with a smirk as he lowered the sword.
Harry looked away and blushed. He'd been rather entranced by Draco's movements and now felt embarrassed for staring. He knew he needed to work on his movements. Sirius and Dumbledore had both mentioned it in their lessons.
He'd looked into it a little and thought that his hearing loss might be contributing to his clumsiness. Apparently, ear issues could contribute to balance problems. It was likely why flooing was so difficult for him.
"You should let Severus know you're okay. He seemed worried." Draco said softly.
Harry sighed and nodded before raising his hand and casting his patronus.
He bit his lip unsure what to say.
"I'm fine. I'm with Draco. Go to Snape." Harry said.
The wolf-dog ran across the room and disappeared through the wall.
Draco looked amazed, and Harry smiled slightly.
"Could you teach me that?" Draco asked, hesitation thick in his voice.
Harry smiled slightly and nodded. He'd taught some of the DA the patronus last year. He was sure he could teach Draco.
"Do you think you could help me with the sword?" Harry asked.
Draco smiled and Harry felt his heart do a backflip.
"I'll do my best. We both know your hopelessly clumsy." Draco said with a smirk.
Harry sighed, feeling somewhat defeated. He knew that Draco was teasing but it was true.
Severus had been tempted to send his patronus back when Harry's had arrived. The mutts had seemed to think that Harry wasn't in the castle but if Draco was now with him, he must be around somewhere. He was also a little annoyed that Draco had obviously known where Harry was, given the brief time between him leaving the office and the patronus arriving.
He leaned back in his office chair and considered what else he needed to do today. He planned to brew a fresh batch of Blood replacement for his meeting with Artemis next weekend. The vampire was extremely interested in the prospect. He had asked to meet Harry as well, but Severus felt slight trepidation. Perhaps when he next spoke with Harry he would ask if it was something he was interested in.
He was also gathering supplies to brew the Werewolf purging potion. He and Lupin would be going in a little over a week to a pack he had contacted. The full moon was in a few nights, and he intended on seeing Lupin briefly to see if he could determine what was causing the side effect that he had mentioned.
He'd let Remus and Sirius know Harry was all right. They were still worried, but Severus reassured them that Draco would keep an eye on him. Though he supposed that wasn't the most reassuring. They were teenagers after all.
Severus smirked slightly when there was a soft knock at his door. He swished his wand at the door, and it opened smoothly.
"You wouldn't believe the day I've had already." Tris said, taking a seat across from him.
Severus snorted.
Tris tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and her dark eyes met his.
"I've had a rather trying morning as well. What seems to be the problem?" Severus asked.
Severus put a practiced neutral expression on as Tris explained the pranks that had apparently been played in the great hall this morning. Severus thought they were rather mild compared to some that the Weasley twins had pulled over the years.
Listening to Tris talk though was enjoyable. She was rather animated. Her expressions played out honestly on her face and her hands moved gracefully.
Severus found himself smiling slightly as he listened. This year had been stressful already and it wasn't likely to become any easier. Tris had become a little bright spot in his week. It was a strange experience to feel close to someone again. Tris also didn't know about his past or his reputation at the school. At least not yet.
Severus sighed at that thought.
Tris smiled happily at him, and he found himself smiling back.
"It's not working." Draco growled in frustration as he lowered his wand.
Harry bit his lip and tried to consider what might help Draco cast his patronus.
"What memory are you using?" Harry asked.
Draco's brows creased a little.
"Going to the beach with my parents and Severus when I was little." Draco admitted.
Harry smirked trying to imagine Snape at the beach. Would he be dressed in dark robes, standing out like death on vacation? Or would he be wearing swim trunks, sitting under an umbrella? Both nearly had Harry laughing.
Draco raised a slim blond eyebrow.
"What?" Draco asked.
Harry shook his head and tried to focus. Draco at the beach. It was a childhood memory. It sounded like it was a positive experience but that didn't necessarily mean it was strong enough.
"I think you need something stronger." Harry said seriously.
Draco frowned and Harry laughed at the childish pout.
Draco rolled his eyes and smiled back at him.
"What should I be using then?" Draco asked, leaning casually against a wall.
Harry thought for a moment about the memories he used to create his patronus. He could practically feel them glowing in his chest.
"Try and think about a memory that when you think about it the emotions are so big you can't help but smile or laugh or feel a swell of pride. The emotions are what is important. When you can feel that let it fill you up and then cast." Harry said.
Draco looked skeptical but nodded. He closed his eyes and Harry just watched him. There were miniscule expressions flickering over his face. Them his whole face split into a wide smile.
"That. Use that." Harry instructed.
Draco opened his steely grey eyes and waved his wand.
"Expecto Patronum." Draco incanted.
Harry could have cheered when a shield appeared.
"I'm doing it!" Draco shouted.
Harry nodded while he watched the blue glow illuminate Draco's face.
A moment later the patronus faded but the smile on Draco's face stayed vibrant. Harry felt a swell of pride in Draco and the familiar warm swoop in his stomach. He knew he could cast a very bright patronus right now.
He tamped down those emotions and nodded at Draco.
"Well done, Draco." Harry said neutrally.
"Thanks." Draco said, smiling at Harry and meeting his eyes.
Harry wished his heart would stop pounding like it was. He wished his fingers didn't twitch to push the hair on Draco's forehead back. He wished he didn't want to know what it would be like to be kissed by him, to be held by him.
Harry swallowed thickly as he felt his cheeks heat before looking away from Draco.
"You should keep practicing. A shield is good but at some point, you may be able to cast a corporeal patronus." Harry said, shaking himself from his unwelcome thoughts.
Draco nodded.
"Would you like to practice with the sword?" Draco asked.
Harry bit his lip. He did want practice, and he was thankful to find someone who was knowledgeable about the subject. However, They'd already been in here for quite a while and he didn't want to keep Draco from his day.
"If you have time. I'm sure you have other things to do." Harry said shyly.
Draco laughed.
"It's Saturday. I don't have anything to do for hours. I assume you don't either. Slytherin has the pitch before lunch. Gryffindor has it after, Right?" Draco asked.
Harry nodded. He loved Quidditch but he wished he'd not been made captain. He had to many other things to worry about.
Draco waved his wand and cast a Tempest. It wasn't even nine yet, Harry realized.
"We have plenty of time." Draco said in a reassuring manner.
Harry smiled softly.
"Okay first things first, let's get you holding the sword right." Draco said in a more authoritative voice.
Harry nodded and went to pick up the sword.
"I wish I had one to practice with. It's not something I ever considered bringing to school." Draco mumbled.
Harry smiled cheekily and pulled the weapon's master's bag from his pocket. He laid it out on the floor and with a flick of his wrist the bag unrolled, and all the swords were displayed.
"Sweet Merlin." Draco gasped as he stepped slightly closer.
"Why the hell do you have an armory of swords in your pocket?" Draco asked, not taking his eyes off of the weapons.
Harry chuckled. He supposed it was a rather strange thing to keep in his pocket.
He swallowed thickly thinking about why he had them though. The wizarding world was at war. Everything had become unpredictable, and he'd continue carrying the swords until the war was over. He would learn to use them and teach his friends.
Magic was amazing but there were downsides. Like losing a wand.
"I collected them from the Potter family vault. I'm considering arming the DA. I want to have a better understanding first though." Harry explained.
Draco gave him an incredulous look.
"They're not going to war! Why on earth would you give them swords?" Draco asked.
Harry rolled his shoulders back and looked at Draco unblinkingly.
"Because they might be in war." Harry deadpanned.
Draco swallowed thickly before he nodded.
"The Death Eater's will just summon them or banish them. It's better to just keep training them with magic." Draco said softly.
Harry nodded. He'd already considered those possibilities.
"I've already put enchantments on them to protect them from being summoned. I also added some additional protection charms. I've been talking to some of the teachers and am looking for other ways I can protect them. It's not perfect but none of them are adept enough at wandless magic. If they lose their wand, they will be defenseless." Harry explained sadly.
Draco's expression looked impressed but also dejected.
"It's a good thought." Draco mumbled.
"I hope we don't have to fight." Draco added with a shake of his head.
Harry's chest constricted. He hoped that his friends wouldn't have to fight either. He knew he didn't have an option. The wave of depression crashed at his mental walls.
Harry cleared his throat and tried to ignore the emotion.
"Pick one." Harry said.
Draco nodded as he let his eyes scan over the collection. Reaching down, he picked up a long silver sword with gold in the handle. Harry knew little about swords, but it looked nice.
"Shall we?" Harry asked.
Draco nodded and Harry flicked his wrist, and the bag rolled back up before it was quickly stowed away in his pocket.
"I'd appreciate you not telling anyone I have these." Harry mumbled as he took a few steps away from Draco.
Harry looked over his shoulder at Draco and he could see the concern on his face.
"I won't, but I need something in exchange." Draco said, letting the sword hang loosely from his hand.
Harry swallowed thickly. He didn't want this taken away from him, but he also wasn't sure what Draco would want from him. Finally, he nodded.
"I want you to go talk to Severus today. I don't know what happened but obviously something." Draco said.
Harry went to deny it, but Draco just shook his head.
"Please trust me when I say that Severus really cares about you. I can see that something happened. Give him the opportunity to apologize or fix it or help you. Whatever it is." Draco said earnestly.
Harry bit his lip and nodded his hesitant agreement. He supposed it wouldn't be as hard to go back to Snape as it would be to talk to Remus and Sirius.
"Secondly." Draco said.
Harry did want to protest now. Why was he adding to this?
"You come to me or one of the adults if you're going to hurt yourself. You've got a lot of blades there and I don't want to see you hurt again." Draco said softly.
Harry wanted to tell Draco he didn't know anything, but he did, and he couldn't exactly deny it. Even if he hadn't been at Snapes when he'd tried to kill himself, he'd been there the day he'd run to Fred and George and knew he'd made a mess of the bathroom.
His face felt like it was on fire. He was so embarrassed at being seen that way.
Draco stepped closer and to Harry's surprise took his hand that wasn't holding the sword.
"It's okay to need help. We all need it sometimes. I just want you to know that there are people around you who will help." Draco murmured softly.
Harry felt like Draco's voice was a slow tingle crawling up is spine. His face blushed darker and he nodded as he peered up at Draco through his fringe.
Draco smiled softly at him and Harry's heart pounded wildly in his chest.
Draco dropped Harry's hand with a smirk and stepped back.
"Well let's see what you've got." Draco said, raising his sword.