BOOM
A loud explosion erupted from the room of requirement on the seventh floor. Two pale bodies landed on cushions that broke their fall. A groan escaped from both boys pained lips.
"What the…" Harry began, his killing curse green eyes snapping open in horror. Harry abruptly sat up, a rush of pain cursing through his body. His nerves were on fire, an after effect of being put under the torture curse. Harry took in his surrounding, blinking slowly.
He was definitely in the room of requirement, that he was absolutely sure of. The vanishing cabinet lay broken at his feet. Books and other broken abstract objects littered the floor and drops of blood stained the stone ground. Harry pushed himself onto his feet, snapping his eyes to his left when he heard a groan escape another boy's lips.
Harry would recognize that silver blonde hair, pale skin and grey eyes anywhere.
"Malfoy, what the hell did you do?"
Harry growled dangerously, marching towards the blonde who lay in pain on the floor. Harry's tan hand reached out and gripped the boy's Slytherin robes, shaking him back and forth.
The pale teen's grey eyes locked onto Harry's as they narrowed in anger and he kicked the boy in the stomach, loosening the tan armed grip.
"Get the hell off me!' Malfoy spat in disgust, jumping to his feet with a wince and putting as much space between himself and the potter boy as possible. Malfoy scanned the room of requirement before noticing the broken the cabinet on the floor. His eyes widened in horror, knowing the cabinet was his only chance to fulfill the Dark Lord's mission. There was no way the cabinet could be repaired now, clouds of omnious green and red smoke drifted off the vanishing device.
The last thing Malfoy remembered was opening the door to the cabinet before Potter came bursting in the room and punching him in the face, causing him to fall into the cabinet. Draco whipped his wand out and shot the torture curse at Potter before the terrifying teen dropped to the ground in pain. Seonds passed as Potter was held under the curse bedore he shakily lifted himself off the ground and for the second time that day, pummeled a fist into Draco's face. As soon as Potter's fist collided wuth his face, Draco had grabbed Potter's robes and landed his own punch on the boy's cheek before a flash on light sucked them both into the device. Next thing he knew, he was waking up on the floor, with his rival gripping his robes and shaking him back and forth.
Draco's grey eyes snapped back to the killing curse green ones. Harry was absolutely livid, rage and anger swirling in his iris, a cold shiver ran down Draco's spine. He had never seen Potter quite this angry.
Drops of blood were dripping onto the floor where each boy stood. Both boy's knuckles were red and bloody from their punches. Harry had a dark bruise on his cheek from where Malfoy had made contact on his face and Draco had a black eye to match.
"It's ruined…" Draco muttered, his eyes snapping away from the killing curse ones, now unable to take his eyes off the broken cabinet. Mourning its loss. He was screwed. There was no way he would be able to fufill his mission now. If only Potter hadn't came through that door. If only Potter had minded his damn business.
"This is all your fault Potter!" Draco spat, his rant continuing, "This was my only chance, I have to do this. He's going to kill me..." Draco trailed off as he felt panic bubbling in his chest, knowing if he didn't fulfill the Dark Lord's mission of getting Death Eater's into Hogwarts and killing the head master, the lives of both his parents as well as himself would be taken by his terrifying master. He didn't even want to be a death eater, he never wanted to serve the Dark Lord. But he has no choice..
Hysterical laughter snapped Draco from his thoughts, his eyes moving back towards the Raven haired boy.
Harry clutched his sides, unable to hold back the laughter that escaped his lips. Draco blinked slowly, a wave of fear and terror coursing through his body once more. He had always known Potter was a little unhinged, but to take the torture curse without even a gasp of pain and then to turn around and punch Draco was nothing short of impressive, as reluctant as he was to admit that to himself, not like he'd ever voice that praise.
"What the bloody hell are you laughing about?" Draco snapped, unable to handle the unease he felt at his rival's laughter and the annoyance he felt in his gut. There was no humor in this predicament. He was going to die.
Slowly Harry stopped laughing, whipping tears from his eyes.
"I knew it. I knew you were up to something. I knew you were a death eater. I told Ron and Hermonie but they didn't believe me. This is too good, I finally caught you red handed and now your little cabinet is destroyed. Oh this is too good. A mission from Voldemort you say?"
Harry ignored Draco's wince at using the Dark Lord's name. Harry narrowed his eyes, glaring at the pale blonde who stood in front of him.
"You should've known I'd figure it out. The necklace? Poison? Pathetic. Were you even trying?" Harry spat in disgust. His rage boiling back to the surface, he knew Draco was hehind those attacks and now he finally had the proof he had been searching for all year.
Draco felt rage too boiling in his blood, cursing through his veins, he lunged forward and gripped Potter robe, "I had no choice! He was going to kill us!" Draco yelled, spit flying in Potter's face.
Harry narrowed his eyes once more, glaring at the boy before shoving his off of his robes and lunging forward, landing another punch on Draco's face.
"Then you should have died! You should have died before working with that scum!" Harry yelled, unable to handle the anger he felt. He was a ticking bomb these last few years. Cedric dead. Dumbedore not even looking at him. Sirius dead. He never felt so much rage.
Draco glared at the boy, wincing from the pain of the punch on his face. His cheek now bruised to match his eye.
"Of course the golden boy wouldn't understand. Your parents are already dead! You don't know what he's like!" Draco yelled. Willing the boy to understand. The monster that lived in his manor. His bald snake face sent shivers of fear down his body.
Harry glared at the boy before erupting into another fit of manic laughter.
Draco could only stare in horror. Potter was insane. There was no other explanation. Nothing about this situation was remotely funny and yet the boy couldn't contain his laughter.
"Don't know what he's like?" Harry questioned once his giggles died down. "I've been fighting that bastard since before I could walk! He took everything from me. My parents… my godfather.. I know what he likes more than anyone! You should've known he would never keep his word! Kill Dumbledore? Is that your secret mission? That's a death sentence!" Harry spat, glaring at the pale Malfoy in front of him. Draco's eyes snapped to the ground, knowing Potter was right.
Of course his mission was a suicide mission, but what was he supposed to do?
"What was I supposed to do? Watch my family die?" Draco muttered, unable to meet his rival's gaze.
Harry's eyes softened momentarily, as he began pacing back and forth throughout the room, muttering under his breath. After minutes of pacing back and forth, Harry turned his eyes back to the boy.
"We tell Dumbledore." Harry said in a dangerously calm voice.
"Tell Dumbledore? Tell him I have a secret mission to kill him? Are you insane?!" Draco already knew the answer to his questions, of course Potter was insane.
"No. I'm perfectly sane Malfoy. Of course we tell Dumbledore. He is the only one that Voldemort is scared of and he can offer your family protection."
Malfoy stared at boy in disbelief. He wanted to argue with the boy, Potter, SANE? Dumbledore? Offer his family protection after he tried to kill him? There was no way. He would never… but what choice did he have? The cabinet was destroyed. There was no way he would succeed. The batty old headmaster probably was his last hope. How pathetic.
"Fine." Draco spat, as he began making his way towards the exit of the room.
Harry blinked slowly, his rage and anger leaving his body as he stood frozen in place. Did Malfoy really just agree with him? He was really going to tell Dumbledore? Was this some sort of alternate reality? Since when did Malfoy ever agree? He must be really desperate.
Draco's hand reached the door knob, before shooting a glance over his shoulder at the frozen teen.
"Are you coming or not Potter? I don't like this... but now that you destroyed my cabinet. I have no other choice and this is my last option to save my family." Dumeblore's protection. How ironic.
Harry sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking his head before moving towards the blonde at the door.
Draco pushed the door open and both boys exited quickly. The red door vanished from the wall of the seventh floor and together they began making their way down the empty hallway. Classes must still be in session.
Harry couldn't help the weird feeling he felt in his gut. Something was off.. it didn't feel right. Something really really weird was going on.
"Something doesn't feel right.. I don't have a good feeling about this." Harry muttered as the boys made their way down the seventh stair case and began walking towards another empty hall, littered with closed classroom doors.
"What are you a seer now? Golden boy getting cold feet? Too scared to talk to your precious Dumbledore?" Draco sneered.
"Oh shut up Malfoy! That's not what I mean. Something really weird is going on.." Harry trailed off, clenching fists. He never felt so uneasy before.
"Something weird is always going on when you're involved! You're a magnet for disaster." Draco spat, ignoring his own unease. He wouldn't admit it, but he also felt that something weird had happened aside from blasting out of the broken vanishing cabinet.
"Me? You're the one who got us in this bloody mess! You're the one who's been shady all year, running off into the room of requirement! Using Crabe and Goyle as poly juiced guards! Skipping practise, muttering to yourself all semester."
"You've been stalking me? All year? You noisy git."
"You're a slimy snake! Slithering around to Merlin knows where. Of course I was following you! I knew you were up to something!"
"You should've minded your business!"
"Ah yes, because your mission would've been a great success. Killing the greatest wizard, Dumbl-"
"SHUT UP! Don't mention that here."
"What? Afraid your master will hear you?"
"He is not my master! I told you I had no choice!"
"There are always choices, Malfoy! Wrong choices and right choices, you just always choose the wrong ones!"
"And you don't? You're always causing trouble!"
"No! Trouble just loves to find me!"
"That's exactly what someone would say who is always causing trouble!"
"Piss off Malfoy!"
"I don't like you! You piss off!"
"The feeling is mutual! You slimy snake!"
"Golden boy! Precious, famous, Harry Potter, always so heroic. How did that work out for you last year?" Draco sneered, knowing he was pushing buttons he should not be pushing but too angry to care about the consequences.
Harry stopped. Glaring daggers at the blonde who turned to face his. Harry felt a smug smirk tug on his lips, "Oh I dunno… why don't you ask your father? I'm sure the guards in Azkaban would love to have another visitor-"
Harry stopped as Draco lunged forward and punched him in the cheek, his already black cheek turning more purple from the new bruise. Classes ended as students began pouring out into the hallway but neither boy acknowledged their classmates.
"Shut up about my father!" Draco spat, looming over the raven haired teen. Harry whipped his mouth, spitting blood from his lips before turning back onto the blonde with a manic grin. Harry lunged forward and punched Malfoy on the chin, sending both boys falling to the ground.
A crowd was slowly forming around the teens but nobody dared to intervene.
Harry and Draco were tumbling on the floor. Exchanging kicks and punches with each other, spitting blood from their mouths before continuing with their blows.
"You fight like a dirty Mudblood-" Draco began before Harry's fist landed on his stomach.
"Don't use that word, Malfoy! You're the one fighting like a muggle!"
Anger bubbled in Malfoy's stomach as he lunged forward and punched Harry in his rib.
"Potter! I'll kill you!"
"Oh I'm sure you'll be successful. Going to use another necklace-" Harry began sarcastically.
"Shut up! I don't need a necklace for you!"
Both boys were exchanging blows, blood dropping onto the ground and sweat falling from their faces. Both were exhausted from fighting but neither was willing to back down. Harry whipped out his wand, pointing it as Draco.
"You do look better as a ferret, maybe I'll transform you, Malfoy!"
Draco felt the humiliation he had felt the previous two years when Moody had turned him into a ferret. Pushing down his embarrassment, Draco whipped his own wand out and pointed it at Harry.
"Shut up, Potter! There is no professor to transform me now!"
Mutters escaped the crowd but both boys were too oblivious to hear.
"Potter?"
"He does look like James…"
"Did he say ferret?"
"Malfoy? As in Lucius Malfoy?"
"Oi Prongs. You didn't tell me you have a twin!"
"Don't be ridiculous Padfoot.. he does kind of look like me though…"
"He looks exactly like you! What do you think Moony?"
"Well that boy did call him Potter.. maybe we should intervene?"
"No way! This is just starting to get exciting!" Padfoot exclaimed, watching both boys in amusement and bouncing on his feet. This was the most entertaing thing that has happened all day. Being stuck in history of magic for the last few hours left him with nothing but boredom. But this? A fight between a Malfoy and Jame's twin? It was like Christmas came early!
"No he's right. I think they might kill each other..." prongs trailed off. Unable to take his gaze off of the raven haired boy. He was tall and skinny, he even had the same messy black hair. The only difference between himself and the other boy who was called Potter was the boy's familiar killing curse green eyes and the haunted look on his face. But how was he a Potter? James knew all the Potters and he was absolutely sure he had never seen this one. But that messy black hair and slightly tanned skin could belong to no other but a Potter.
"M-maybe we should be a professor.." Wormtail squeaked, hiding behind his three best friends.
Moony sighed, before walking towards the boys, the crowd parted as James accompanied him. Padfoot trailing behind, leaving Wormtail to cower in the corner.
"Diffindo!" Draco exclaimed, shooting a cutting curse towards Harry.
His seeker reflexes kicked in and Harry dodged with ease. The cutting curse his the wall, causing tears to appear. Harry glared at the blonde, his knuckles turnning white while gripping his wand before sending a curse back towards Malfoy.
"Deprimo!" He exclaimed, shooting off the blasting curse. Draco barely dodged the curse, it hit the ground, leaving a mound of debris on the floor.
"Incendi-"
"Ascendi-"
"Expelliarmus!"
"Expelliarmus!"
Both boys began their next curses before their wands shot out of their hands. Draco and Harry were panting, glaring daggers at each other before turning towards the three boys who had intervened, two of them had simultaneously cast the disarming spell and were now holding additional wands.
Draco and Harry both stopped, forgetting the anger they felt previously and blinked slowly in disbelief.
Three boys stood in front of them. One had dusty brown hair and eyes, ragged robes and held Draco's wand in his hand, an unamused expression on his stern face and a perfect badge pinned on his robe.
The other boy looked like Harry's twin. His messy black hair was slightly messier, he had more muscle on his frame and chocolate brown eyes. He held Harry's wand in his hand and was staring at Harry with a look of shock.
The third boy was tall and had long Black hair and the famous Black family's grey eyes, his arms weree crossed with a relaxed but amused expression on his face.
"Prongs, Moony," he began, "You interrupted all the fun." He said with a smirk.
The three boys stared at the blonde and raven haired teens before raising their eyebrows in confusion as both boys turned towards each other, their skin pale and muttering loud enough for the crowd to hear.
"Potter…" Draco began, all color drained from his face.
Harry opened and closed his mouth, unable to find his voice.
"I think… I think we are dead Malfoy." Harry whispered, his green eyes locking onto Draco, all of his previous anger gone.
"We must be in hell...The cabinet. It must have killed us…" Draco muttered, the two boys were now gripping each other's robes and staring back and forth between each other and the three boys.
"Oh bloody hell… I knew I had an uneasy feeling. Fuck we really are dead.. I can't believe I'm in the after life with you of all people.."
"Uhhhh Moony? I think they hit their head." Prongs muttered, staring at the two boys who were now both extremely pale and shaking.
"Cabinet? What are they even talking about? Your twin is really strange.." Padfoot trailed off, his amusement still on his face.
"Wormtail was right. We should've gotten a professor, let's get them to the hospital wing." Mooney said, as the three boys walked towards the two teens.
Harry felt a strong hand on his shoulder, breaking his eye contact from Draco and he looked up and met familiar pair of chocolate brown eyes. Eyes he had only seen in pictures of his parents.
"Are you alright? Merlin you do really look like me. Let's get you to Pompey."
Killing curse eyes blinked slowly, his mouth hung open in shock as he turned back to Draco.
"You're seeing him too, right?" Harry muttered, as Malfoy paled even more, if that was possible. Both boys shared the complexion of ghosts. Malfoy felt a hand on his shoulder as well, as he looked up and met the also familiar stern but dusty eyes of his former professor.
Draco gulped before turning back to Harry.
"Yeah… we really are dead." Draco muttered, feeling dizziness take over.
"Dead? You're not dead?" Padfoot said, his eyebrows still raised in question and amusement.
Harry and Draco snapped their heads to Sirius, before snapping back to each other.
"Definitely dead.." Harry muttered, his whole body shaking under his father's grip on his shoulder.
"It was the cabinet..Salazar! I thought it just vanished things. But this.. not possible.." Draco trailed off, he too was shaking under his former professor's grip.
"Maybe it's just an illusion…" Harry began.
"One where your dead father and godfather are here?" Draco snapped, "No we are definitely dead.."
James, Sirius and Remus exchanged glances. Sirius then burst into laughter, "Father? Prongs? You're a dad!"
James stared at the boys, feeling slightly queasy but maintaining his grip on the boy's shoulder.
"He does kind of smell like you…" Remus trailed off, his warewolf heightened sense of smell kicking in. He really did smell like James.
Harry and Draco both gulped before their vision began to feel hazy.
"Dead.." Harry muttered as he dropped to the ground and the darkness took over.
"In hell… with Potter's dad and godfather. Even professor Lupin, this is madness…" Draco trailed off before he too dropped to the ground and darkness took over.
"Professor?!" The three exclaimed.
Sirius walked over to the boy who dropped to the ground and left Remus's grip. Padfoot began shaking the blonde boy.
"Oi! Wake up! Professor? Moony is a professor?!"
"Padfoot stop shaking him! He's obviously unconscious. This is really strange.." Remus trailed off, grabbing Padfoot by the shoulder and forcing him away from the boy. Remus cast a levitating charm and lifted the blonde off the ground.
"Come on, let's get the hospital." Remus said, glancing at his two best friends.
James swallowed before casting his own levitating charm on his.. relative? Son? What in the name of Merlin was going on?