Hope you guys enjoy the update.

I apologize that it isn't as long as the previous chapters. I wanted to post an update while I had a few minutes outside of preparing for my Fall semester of college and working two jobs.

Remember to leave me a review on what you guys think. Questions and opinions are always welcome however flames are not. Enjoy

I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE HARRY POTTER CHARACTERS. THOSE BELONG TO J.

"If you don't like your destiny, don't accept it. Instead, have the courage to change it the way you want it to be." – Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)

Is The Dark All Dark?

Chapter 18

Harry shifted slightly uncomfortable as he watched the Hogwarts Defense against the dark arts teacher walk towards him from where he had seemingly appeared out of the shadows.

"Is there something I can help you with Professor?" he questioned, quickly taking several steps back in an attempt to put some distance between them. He knew from Remus and Tonks that Mad-Eye Moody was someone to always be cautious around. He'd managed to avoid him during the last task since he'd been pulled away by the Malfoys nearly as soon as he'd been cleared by Madam Pomphrey. And since he didn't actually take any classes at the school he didn't seem him on a daily basis.

"Figured out the next task yet boy? Can't have you making Hogwarts a laughing stock because you haven't taken the time to do your homework." Moody grumbled, reaching out to grab Harry's shoulder. The young wizard barely managed to hide the wince at how hard he squeezed it. He found himself praying to whoever was listening that either Draco or Lucius decided to come looking for him like they normally did when he disappeared for too long.

"I think I have a plan. But I still have another month before the actual task. I should really be getting back to the ball sir." Harry stated, attempting to pull away. The frowned crossed his face when Moody's grasp grew tighter, keeping him firmly in place. He glared at the older wizard for a moment, moving to flick his hand just enough to release his wand from the holster strapped to his arm.

"It would do you good to show Albus some respect boy. If you know what's good for you." Moody growled, his magic eye flickering for a moment.

"I don't think the school board would like you handling a student like that Professor Moody. Especially a student that is a guest in the school." Draco's voice suddenly echoed around the court yard. Harry glanced over his shoulder, relief flooding through his body as he caught sight of his twin and their friends walking towards him. Mad-Eye finally released the hold he had on Harry's arm, glaring at the group of Slytherins.

"Shouldn't you five be in the Great Hall enjoying the ball?" he grumbled, his magical eye shifting to each of them as he spoke.

"We were looking for Harry since the Lord Malfoy is getting ready to return home for the night." Daphne stated, not taking her eyes from her professor. She'd had an uneasy feeling about him since the school year started, always seeming creepily obsessed with Harry, even before he'd returned for the tournament.

"Just wait til my father hears about this. He'll have you sacked for rough handling a guest, especially since that guest is recognized as a lord to a prestigious family." Draco stated, his pompous pureblood mask slipping into place. The small group barely had a minute to blink when suddenly a white ferret stood where the Malfoy Heir had.

"What do you think you're doing?" Harry demanded, quickly pulling his wand. Moody simply levitated Ferret Draco, bouncing him around with an insane looking smirk on his face.

"Stop it. Leave him alone!" Daphne shrieked; panic clearly written on her face as she watched her friend slam against one of the stone walls of the court yard. Harry gritted his teeth in anger, his magic flaring for a moment as he watched helplessly. Blaise backed away before turning to run and find one of the chaperones or professors.

"Should teach the little ferret a lesson on sticking his nose into other people's business." Moody growled, ignoring the yells and complaints of the students around him.

"Professor Moody, what are you doing?" Professor McGonagall suddenly yelled, hurrying towards the group with Blaise close behind. Harry looked at his previous Head of House, hoping she would do something before Draco was injured further.

"Teaching." He growled without facing her. He waved his wand to send Draco higher in the air, the ferret's startled noses growing louder the higher he went. McGonagall quickly pulled her wand, to soften the ground when he started to freefall. Harry winced as his twin hit the ground, knowing even with the charm it could still cause some amount of harm from the height he'd fallen from. Blaise and Theo quickly helped Draco stand once their professor had cancelled the spell.

"We never use transfiguration as a punishment! Surely Dumbledore told you that!" McGonagall snapped, standing in front of the Defense Professor. Daphne quickly grabbed Harry's hand to silence his objection, knowing their transfiguration Professor wouldn't listen to him standing up for a group of Slytherins, no matter the amount of witnesses.

"He might have mentioned it." Moody muttered, glaring at her for a moment.

"You'll do well to remember it!" McGonagall firmly stated, pointing her wand at him in anger. He continued glaring at her for a moment before he limped back into the castle. McGonagall turned to the students, briefly glancing at Malfoy from where he was still leaning against his friends. Harry saw Dumbledore watching from one of the archways, anger flaring at the thought of the man seeing what was going on and not intervening.

"What is going on out here?" Lucius suddenly questioned, glancing at Mad-Eye as he walked into the court yard.

"A simple misunderstanding. The Deputy Headmistress has already handled it Lucius, I assure you." Dumbledore stated, speaking up before any of the students could start to speak. The oldest Malfoy glared at the headmaster for a moment before turning his attention to his sons. The glared morphed into a look of concern at the clear pained expression on his eldest face.

"Harry I have already cleared it with Remus and Miss Tonks for you to leave with us tonight. They will join us at Malfoy Manor tomorrow for the Yule Holidays." Lucius stated. He ignored Dumbledore's clear objections, leading both boys to the apparition location that had been set up for the night.

Malfoy Manor

Harry didn't miss the pained cry Draco released once they were in the manor, looking at his twin in worry as he sagged to the ground.

"You are both going to tell me exactly what happened?!" Lucius demanded, raising his wand to cast a diagnostic charm.

"I went to find Remus and Tonks like I said I was. Than Professor Moody kind of appeared out of nowhere and was trying to talk to me. Draco and the others came outside right as he grabbed my arm. He said he was going to tell you about what was going on because it wouldn't look good for him to be manhandling a guest that was also a lord." Harry quickly jumped into explain, glancing between Draco and their father. He felt like his heart was in his throat as he remembered standing there useless as his brother was tossed around like a ragdoll.

"He turned me into a bloody ferret and tossed me around like I was some kind of fucking ball." Draco stated, gritting his teeth.

"Draco I know you're in pain but language. You are still a pureblood heir. I don't care that we aren't in public. If you say it at home you will end up slipping and saying it while we're out." Lucius reprimanded as he summoned a pain relief potion from one of the house elves. Harry couldn't help biting his lip to hide his brief moment of laughter, slightly relieved he wasn't the only one that got a talking to when he slipped up with his words.

"Thankfully nothing is broken so we won't have to summon the healer. But you are going to be bruised and sore for a few days. I will be speaking with the Board of Governors about this because not only did Albus allow this to happen, but he clearly had no indication of telling us what happened." Lucius stated. He didn't miss the look that crossed Harry's face, waiting to question him about it until after Draco had already exited the room.

"Is there something else that the headmaster neglected to inform the parents during the last couple of years at that school?" he questioned. Harry shifted slightly, unsure of whether or not he should bring up what had happened during his second year. While he did still hold a lot of resentment from that year, he wasn't sure if Dumbledore had told anyone outside of the school exactly what had happened to the students or what had been in the chamber of secrets.

"Harry? I expect any answer. Not to be met with silence because you don't want to speak." Lucius stated, crossing his arms as he stood in front of his youngest.

"You already know something happened during our second year, I'm sure. When you slipped that diary to Ginny Weasley?" Harry questioned. He only received a nod, a sour look settling on Lucius face.

"Well she wasn't just possessed by the…spirit of Tom Riddle, sir. She was compelled to release the Beast of Slytherin. And I'm not sure if the headmaster informed any of the students, teachers, or parents of what exactly the beast of Slytherin was or what was happening in the school." Harry muttered, shifting slightly as he thought about the massive Basilisk he had been forced to face.

"The headmaster didn't inform anyone of anything else happened outside of the Weasley girl being trapped in the Chamber of Secrets. Are you telling me students were injured during the school year?" Lucius questioned, a sinking feeling suddenly settling in his stomach. While he remembered hearing from his godfather about the chamber, he'd never learned exactly what the beast was, simply assuming it was something that had long since died of age. Harry took a shuttered breath, closing his eyes for a moment.

"It was a massive basilisk that was controlled by the spirit from the diary. A huge snake that thankfully only petrified a few students, never actually killing anyone." Harry whispered, his voice barely loud enough to be heard.

"Excuse me?! You have to be joking." Snape's voice suddenly demanded. Harry spun around, wide eyed, nearly tumbling to the ground. He stared at the Potions Professor, paling as he thought about the fact that clearly the man wouldn't believe anything he had to say. Lucius glanced at his friend, placing his hand on his son's shoulder in an attempt to calm him. Harry easily shrugged him off, taking a step back. Neither adult missed the way he suddenly seemed to close himself off from them.

"I'm not lying sir. It was a basilisk that was attacking the students that year. Surely…you know because you had to brew the potions for the students at the end of the school year once the mandrakes were old enough." He stated his tone wavering for a moment.

"There are many things that could petrify someone. Dumbledore did not inform me exactly what it was you discovered in the chamber that night. Simply that the issue had been handled and the school would remain open." Severus stated, crossing his arms. He glared at the boy that was supposedly his youngest godson, using his magic to tell whether or not he was actually lying.

"How do you know it was a basilisk?" Lucius questioned, sitting down in one of the chairs closest to the fireplace. He was attempting to keep his temper at the thought of an entire school of children being in danger because of something he did so foolishly. He'd thought the Weasley girl would have given the book to Arthur, not actually keep it. Even then, if he had known exactly what it was his godfather had given him, he never would have dreamed of sneaking it to a child to begin with.

"Because his hero complex made him go rescue the youngest Weasley himself. Always has to be worshipped for being brave when honestly he's just stupid." Severus sneered after they received no response. Harry jerked his head up, glaring at his ex-professor with fury clear in his eyes. Lucius briefly glared at his friend but chose to remain silent.

"Ginny was my friend and no one else was doing anything to save her! I couldn't just stand around and do nothing because someone gave her something so incredibly dangerous! And believe me, I would have much rather not came out of that chamber instead of having to constantly deal with the shit that is my life!" Harry yelled, his magic flaring. Lucius opened his mouth to reprimand him for his crude language, mouth hanging open once his words had registered. Both Lucius and Severus shared a look before staring at the fourteen-year-old. Neither objected as he stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him.

"I believe I need to have a few words with my godfather." Lucius muttered, excusing himself to go to his study to write a letter to the man, hoping an owl would reach him, leaving Severus sitting in the family room alone.

Well here's the next update. I wanted to find a way to incorporate the ferret scene without it being out of left field so hopeful this worked out. Severus has once again entered but this time caused a scene that might have destroyed what little bit of trust Harry has gain with his family.

I hope everyone enjoyed and remember to keep a look out for the next update. I have also posted the next chapter to The Truth Behind The Light so might possible check that one out. Don't forget to leave me a review.

Until next chapter

Snowbeam12