
Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/665533.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      F/M, M/M
  Fandom:
      Harry_Potter_-_J._K._Rowling
  Relationship:
      Harry_Potter/Rabastan_Lestrange, Bellatrix_Lestrange/Rodolphus_Lestrange,
      Sirius_Black/Rodolphus_Lestrange, Neville_Longbottom/Luna_Lovegood
  Character:
      Harry_Potter, Rabastan_Lestrange, Albus_Dumbledore, Remus_Lupin, Sirius
      Black, Rodolphus_Lestrange, Voldemort, Neville_Longbottom, Luna_Lovegood,
      Draco_Malfoy, Fleur_Delacour, Gabrielle_Delacour, Apolline_Delacour,
      Armand_Delacour(OC), Kingsley_Shacklebolt, Severus_Snape
  Additional Tags:
      Underage_Sex, Romance, Drama, Mpreg, Friendship, Character_Death
  Series:
      Part 2 of Seasons
  Stats:
      Published: 2013-02-01 Updated: 2013-04-26 Chapters: 22/? Words: 74690
****** A Winter's Reprieve ******
by enchanted_nightingale
Summary
     Summer is over. Harry is back to school and Rabastan with Voldemort.
     Secrets unfold, masks fall and Harry faces the consequences of his
     summer romance.SEQUEL TO A SUMMER ESCAPE.
Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
***** Return to Light *****
The magic of the Portkey gave Harry an upset stomach. Remus had to catch him
when the dark and depressing hall of No. 12 Grimmauld Place in London cleared
around them.
"I hate Portkeys," the teen muttered as he dry heaved. The werewolf shook his
head and tried to sooth the teen.
"I'll go tell Sirius," Tonks beamed at them and practically ran to the
direction of what Harry would learn to be the kitchen. "Kreacher will take care
of your things."
"Let me take Ciel," Remus offered Harry. It was good thing the teen agreed
because a man came running towards him, arms open wide in a hug.
"HARRY!"
Said teen was swept into Sirius' still bony arms as the escaped convict twirled
him around calling his name with delight.
His loud voice started a commotion as more people arrived. Harry lost count of
the red heads that came to greet him. Somewhere in there Hermione stood, as
well as Severus Snape and a couple of people he did not recognize.
"Siri, put him down," Remus cut in when it seemed that the poor boy was going a
bit green.
Harry's knees wobbled when he was finally in touch with the ground. He had no
chance to recover as Hermione and Ginny tackled him, all tears, Ron hovered
behind him and offered a pat on the shoulder and a smile. Then Molly took her
turn. By the end of it he was dizzy and needing a place to sit down.
"Now, now, I think Harry has had enough, give him some room to breathe,"
Dumbledore cut in Molly's hug. His eyes sparkled at the grateful look Harry
gave him.
"I have dinner ready," Molly commented, pulling Harry to the kitchen.
"No, thank you, Mrs. Weasley," Harry told her. "I've eaten."
"Nonsense," the witch sniffed. She pulled him after her, or tried to.
The teen's green eyes hardened. He was not even five minutes back in England
and he was finding it hard to breathe. Harry stood still, pulling his arm away
from her. "I told you, I have eaten. It was a three course dinner. I'm full."
He turned to Sirius. "I'm tired. Where do I sleep?" he asked his godfather.
"I'll show you," Sirius told him. If he was surprised he hid it well.
Harry thanked Dumbledore, Moody and Tonks, muttered a 'goodnight' to the room
and practically ran past Sirius to get out of the room. Remus hurried after
them with Ciel and Kreacher appeared and took the luggage the teen had brought.
Molly was left blinking.
"Well, it is late," Dumbledore commented. "I better return to school. Severus?
Alastor? Will you come?"
The two wizards nodded and the Weasley family, Hermione and the few Order
members were left bemused in the hall.
Among them, Kingsley Shacklebolt stared after the raven haired till, feeling a
prickling of awareness. Something about Harry Potter was familiar.
===============================================================================
Sirius walked the narrow path that led to the bedrooms. He had thought briefly
of putting Harry in the same room with Ron for the friends to be together but
now he did not know. Harry looked different. He had grown, not physically as
much as mentally. And he looked well dressed, his glasses were gone and he had
gained some weight. He looked healthy, Sirius realized. And before Molly had
tried to pressure him to eat, he had looked happy.
"Creepy place," the teen commented.
"I grew up here," Sirius told his godson.
Green eyes blinked. "Um, it looks… nice?"
Sirius laughed. "It's damp, full of Merlin knows what creatures, spiders and
Dark objects." He shook his head. "I hate this place."
"Well, add a little colour, get rid of the house-elf heads, a few windows here
and there, brand new house," the teen suggested.
Sirius ruffled his hair and stopped before a door; a golden plate with the name
'Regulus' sparkled before him. "It used to be my brother's room," he informed
Harry.
The teen caught the past tense and winced. "Is that really okay?"
Sirius waved his wand and the door opened. "Sure, come on in."
Harry followed after him, not expecting much due to the condition of the house.
He was pleasantly surprised to see the good condition of the room. It was full
of greens and cherry wood and it had a charmed window and its own bathroom. "I-
Thank you very much," Harry turned to his godfather. He hugged the man and
Sirius beamed at Remus.
"I brought Ciel," the werewolf cut in. Harry pulled back and took the cub.
Sirius blinked. "Is that a wolf?"
"He's mine. I named him Ciel," Harry petted the black fur.
The dog Animagus cocked his head to the side. "He looks… cute."
"All babies are," Remus commented. He took Sirius' arm. "Come; let Harry rest
for now."
Harry saw how reluctant his godfather was but he did want to be alone. He
watched them go with a smile. When he was alone he fell backwards on the bed,
Ciel bouncing on his chest.
"Well, I guess we're home," he whispered to the wolf cub.
His reply was a soft nuzzle.
===============================================================================
Sirius and Remus were cornered by Molly the moment they entered the kitchen.
The witch had it in for the last male Black since she met him. Remus winced at
the memory of some of the shouting matches between the two and hoped he would
avoid the upcoming. It was no use.
"SIRIUS BLACK!" the witch yelled the moment she saw him.
The dog Animagus groaned. "What now?"
"How could you? That boy is far too skinny and you sent him to bed without
dinner," the witch accused.
"We already told you he ate," Remus tried to reason.
Molly scoffed. "Who knows what those people fed him…"
"That will be enough, don't start, it's too damn late," Sirius told her.
She flushed. "You don't tell me what to do! I raised seven kids! Seven! Six of
them boys. I know about kids. You don't."
Sirius glared at her. "Yes, your two elder sons left the country and the others
try to run away from you as soon as they see you."
Remus and Arthur winced at the background of all this.
"How dare you insinuate I'm not a good mother?"
"You are an overbearing witch with no thought whatsoever about what Harry said
to you. He told you he ate. You ignored him. How good a mother does that make
you? My godson looks better than he ever did since I met him, he's even gained
weight. And he was smiling before you saw him and tried to boss your will over
him." Sirius glared at the gob smacked witch before him. He knew he had shocked
her but he was not about to let it go. "Harry is my godson but he has also
grown up alone quite well so far, all on his own. He can think for himself. Now
accept that or don't, I don't care, but try to put pressure on him again and
I'll take his side. Remember Molly, this is my home and I listen to Dumbledore
only so far." He turned and stormed out of the kitchen.
Remus said his good night hastily and went to his room.
Molly turned to her husband. "Can you believe him Arthur?"
"Well, luv, you did come on the boy strongly." Her face reddened with
indignation and he hurried to pacify her. "No one said you don't love children
no matter if they are yours or not, but you are a bit… strong willed. Anyway,
I'm off to bed and I bet you are tired too. Come on now Molly."
"You take his side, Black's side," the witch accused.
"No dear, I'm on Harry's side."
===============================================================================
Next morning…
===============================================================================
Harry woke up immediately that morning and promptly ran to the bathroom to
empty his stomach. He had rarely woken up in such a state and it left him weak
and disorientated for a while, before he slowly got his bearings and went to
wash up. He did not even pause to consider why he woke up the way he did except
that it was from nerves. He had been feeling anxious ever since his return to
Britain and the confrontation with Mrs. Weasley the night before left a bad
aftertaste in his mouth.
After his nasty wake up, the teen chose the clothes to wear for breakfast with
fondness for the family he left in France. He smiled with happiness at the
memory he had when the whole family declared he was like a son and a brother to
them.
"Hey, Ciel, what are the chances I can still hear when they are done yelling at
me?" he asked his wolf. "Merlin, I wished I had stayed in that hotel room with
him. I really miss him and it's been only a day," the teen whispered to his
pet.
Meanwhile the kitchen was loud with noises as the residents of No. 12 Grimmauld
Place had breakfast.
Molly Weasley was in a foul mood and Sirius sat far away from her. The twins
were making noises to cover for the tension in the packed room. Remus was
talking to Tonks in low tones. Once in a while they talked to Sirius and
Kingsley.
"There's something entertaining when seeing an Auror eating with an escaped
criminal," Fred told George.
"There are probably a ton of jokes out there," their sister added.
Next to Ginny, Hermione was on a roll; excited her friend had been to Paris. "I
hope he went to the magical Louvre," she told Ron.
"He stayed with Veela," the teen grouched. "You care about some fancy museum?"
The witch scoffed. "You still mooning over Fleur Delacour?"
"Bacon?" Molly yelled, spatula raised.
Ron called for more and so did all the male Weasley's.
That was the sight Harry walked into. His appearance caused noise to stop for a
while and then resume louder. He was greeted by everyone at once and only
because of Sirius he managed to get to the table, next to the long haired man.
"Got hungry enough and decided to join us?" Harry was teased by his godfather.
The teen merely smiled at the wizard.
"Juice?" Remus offered the teen.
Harry looked around the table, filling his plate with fruit and toast. "Is that
pumpkin juice; because I prefer orange juice. Oh! Coffee!" The teen happily
reached for the hot beverage.
"Bacon dear?" Molly asked him. "And I can do some eggs as well."
"Um, no thank you Mrs. Weasley. I'm on a steady diet. Fats and grease are no
good. Apolline's Healer put me on Nutrition Potions too," Harry told her. "I'll
ask Madame Pomfrey to exam me once I return to school."
"You saw a Healer?" Molly frowned.
"Yes," Harry told her. " Apolline did not like my size and Armand was adamant I
saw one. They were right. I had calcium deficiency and I was low on iron and
vitamins. The Dursley's did a good job starving me," the teen commented. He
noticed how everyone winced. "Found 'them' yet?"
"Dumbledore had a few words with them," Tonks spoke up. Then she winked. "He
got his due as well."
Harry smirked. "I know, Fleur told me her mother made his ears ring."
"It was a sight," Remus chuckled. "I'll tell you later," he told Sirius.
"That was rude of her," Molly commented.
"Really?" Harry turned to her. He studied the witch. Every since he met the
mother of seven on the way to Hogwarts Express Molly Weasley had been there,
gentle, caring, mothering and attentive. He could not understand why she
disregarded his words the night before and now was so hostile towards Apolline.
They were both mothers and women, was it so bad that he felt loved and cared
for this summer? Then again she was always babying her children too much. She
had been in constant disapproval of Bill's choices the year before, from his
job to his appearance. She was also criticizing the Twins at every turn even
though they were brilliant and creative.
But she seemed to second guess anything that came out of his mouth. And despite
being tired the night before he had heard her yelling at Sirius and the glares
she sent him this morning were telling. It hurt that she would prefer him
unhappy and it hurt she talked so bad about Sirius when the man was doing the
best he could under the circumstances.
"Do you really think that? Were you not the least bit angry that my relatives
abandoned me? That they had been using me as their own personal slave for
years?" he asked the witch, his green eyes looking at her sadly.
Molly flinched. "I-No! Harry I didn't mean that!"
"I'll eat in my room," the teen commented, picking up his plate and coffee.
The silence in the kitchen was heavy.
"You could not just keep your mouth shut," Sirius told Molly. "I'm not hungry
anymore." He too left the room.
"Well, that was awkward," Tonks commented.
===============================================================================
"Harry?" Sirius knocked on the bedroom that used to be his brother's.
"Come in."
He found his godson eating on the bed and playing with his new pet wolf. "I
heard you last night. When you were arguing with her." The teen met his eyes.
"Thank you."
Sirius sat on the edge of the bed. "No need to thank me little doe."
Harry glared. "I thank you from the bottom of my generous heart and this is
what I get?" he mock scowled.
Sirius ruffled his hair. "Sarcasm does not become you."
Harry grinned sheepishly. "I need practice, don't I?"
Sirius laughed and the two spent the next hour teasing each other.
===============================================================================
Ron and Hermione came to him when Sirius left and Harry had just started
unpacking his trunk.
"Mate?" the red head was hesitant but overcame that at the smile the green eyed
teen gave him.
"Ron, Hermione, come on in. Sorry for the mess, I'm still unpacking," Harry
told them. "If you can find a place to sit then by all means do."
The duo shared a look and finally Ron lay down on the floor while Hermione sat
in a spare chair.
"Why didn't you write us?" the youngest male Weasley asked. "We would have come
for you." He sounded hurt.
"Or me," Hermione added.
Harry offered both of them a smile. "I know that. I never doubted that you
wanted me, I just… it didn't really cross my mind at the time. I was nervous
and tired. And they were not showing up. I thought something might have
happened to make them late."
Hermione studied his form. "You thought they forgot or did not care," she
whispered.
Harry shrugged. "I know they never cared. I just never expected them to be that
cruel? No, I did, I just hoped I guess."
His friends had nothing to add to that. They seemed to understand that he did
not want pity and the situation was truly beyond them as they both had loving
parents and happy childhoods.
"So, what really happened? The letters were rather vague," Ron told him.
"And belated," Hermione accused.
Harry winced. "I know, I get it."
"Do you?" the witch questioned.
"Well, I know better now," the teen replied.
"Good, now is that a leather jacket?" Hermione gushed.
"Hands off," Harry warned. "See those bags near you Ron? Blue for you, orange
for Hermione," he told them. Ron's eyes lit up and Hermione let out an excited
cheer. Harry had Fleur help him buy a perfume for Hermione and a jacket similar
to his for Ron. The red haired teen just stared at his present.
"Fleur took me to the Muggle world shopping for gifts. They're not that
expensive," he added for Ron's benefit. "More like a symbolic gift. For making
you worry."
They both smiled and thanked him.
"Really now, how was the Louvre?" Hermione asked Harry.
"Still standing?" Harry offered.
Ron went into peals of laughter while Hermione started laying it in on Harry
for not being serious.
"Come on, Mione, I'm a teen. I spent months in Hogwarts and you want me to go
visit museums voluntarily?" Harry was incredulous. "Well, unless you count the
museum for the National French Quidditch Team…"
"Boys," Hermione sighed while the two male teens shared a smirk.
"Hermione," Harry returned.
"What's that supposed to mean?" the witch demanded.
Harry gave her a cheeky grin. "You are in a category of your own."
===============================================================================
There was an Order meeting that night and Harry was allowed to participate, at
least for part of it. He was not seventeen and not a proper member but
Dumbledore wanted him to have an idea as to what took place the months he was
missing. Even Molly could not argue with that though that did not stop her
glare to a very smug Sirius Black.
So Harry was seated between Moody and Auror Shacklebolt, conversing with both
of them about Patroni until the meeting started.
Dumbledore was also present, talking in low tones with Minerva McGonagall; both
wizards shooting looks at Harry every now and then.
"What are we waiting for?" Harry asked the two Aurors.
"Snape," the older Auror growled.
Kingsley eyed Moody for a moment before he focused on Harry. "He has
information to give us so we wait for him. It is best not to repeat things."
Harry nodded.
"Say," Kingsley told him. "Have I met you before?"
"I can say I haven't," the teen replied. "Why?"
"I get this feeling from you, something familiar…" the Auror trailed off."I
might have seen you in Paris," he finally concluded.
"It could be possible," Harry commented. "But where?"
"The market place? The street? A club?" Kingsley mused. "You just seem
familiar. And I'm not talking pictures of Harry Potter before this summer."
"Well, I got around, a lot," Harry told the dark skinned man. "Which clubs did
you visit in Paris?"
"I went to the Muggle world," Kingsley told him. "Though things are pretty much
mixed up."
The teen smiled. "Well, I went to Le Baron, La Queen and to Les Bains, to name
a few."
Something prodded the Auror's memory. "In the company of a beautiful blonde?"
"Fleur Delacour," Harry smiled as he mentioned the witch he had in his heart
like a precious sister.
Kingsley's eyes widened. It was undoubtedly the name of the witch he had spent
the night with. Another thing that hit him was the irony that while they ran
around searching for him Kingsley had known his location all the time. He shook
his head. It was no use thinking about that. Though he would not mind meeting
that blonde minx. Before he could ask anything Snape arrived and the Order
meeting began.
Harry was introduced to the members present. Most of them he had heard of by
name, others were complete strangers. Dumbledore spoke about how the Order of
the Phoenix came to be and how recruitment usually took place.
"However you are not seventeen yet so not a member. You do deserve to know what
is happening since the end of the Triwizard Tournament," Dumbledore told him.
Harry could only nod as he was told about seeking alliances with werewolves and
giants and attacks on Muggle and wizard homes, as well as the constant denial
the Ministry was in. The old man hesitated at first but in the end he told the
youth about the slander campaign against him from the 'Daily Prophet'. By the
end of it Harry had a calm acceptance of the situation. It seemed the only
break he would get was his limited time in France. He had not been back for a
day and he was ready to leave again.
"So I should expect hostile glares instead of open hugs," the teen made a joke
out of the future situation. "I can survive."
"You should also know that a Dementor was viewed near your former residence,"
Dumbledore commented. "A Muggle was Kissed and the MoM is in a difficult
position because of it. Fudge will not be Minister for long. In fact elections
are going to be held before Yule. You and everybody else just have to bear the
situation until that time."
Again Harry nodded. He had nothing to offer as he knew nothing of political
intricacies and the like.
"Basically in general the public is unaware Voldemort is back," the teen summed
up. "And I'm crazy and dangerous, again. Oh, well. Is that all?"
Several adults were bewildered by his reaction while others were bemused.
"No, that was a wonderful way to summarize things," Dumbledore told him. "I
believe it was not what you expected?"
"It was not," Harry admitted. "Armand told me that certain British papers were
writing horrible things but I never cared enough. And the French press was busy
criticizing the British, it was a mess."
"Exactly what did you do in France all this time?" Elphias Doge asked Harry.
The teen shrugged. "Believe it or not in the beginning I was taken to a Healer
for general health check up and then to counter some damage done to me by long
lasting malnutrition…" Several people winced at the connection to his errant
relatives. "…Then I did my homework…" Here Snape snorted and ignored the looks
he was given. "…Went shopping with three overzealous witches," Harry mused with
an accompanying shudder which had many males laugh. "And of course
sightseeing."
"Of course," Alastor grumbled.
Tonks giggled. "How much of the sights did you actually see Harry?"
Harry blushed. "I saw plenty!"
"Oh, I bet!" the metamorphmagus teased.
The teen rolled his eyes. "Enough with the suggestive comments."
"I haven't even started yet!" Tonks pouted.
"Harry?" Molly Weasley spoke up. "You did not get involved with bad company,
did you?"
The teen shook his head. "If I did Apolline would not let this slide," he told
her.
"Nymphadora is talking about Potters lover," Moody said then.
"He's too young to have a lover!" Molly exclaimed. "Harry dear, is it some
crush you think you have?"
Harry glared at her. Did she really think him so helpless or such an idiot as
to not know his own feelings?
Instead of Harry it was Tonks who answered the witch, quite indignant at her
words. "Actually Harry has a lover, an actual lover, none of that pink hearts
and bunny stuff. And I bet he's a hunk."
"Your lover is another boy!" Molly exclaimed.
"Yes, well, these things happen," Dumbledore intervened trying to stop an
argument from exploding in their faces.
But Molly would have none of it, demanding they discussed the latest
development in Harry's life, something for which the teen was not happy about
and it showed in his narrowed green eyes.
"I hardly think my love life is any of your business or at all important to the
war effort against Voldemort," Harry all but hissed at the witch who was slowly
becoming his least favourite person in the room and that included Snape.
Said Potions Master and spy snorted in agreement. "Really Molly, the boy had a
summer fling, it's not the end of the world."
"With a boy!" Molly enthused.
"Man," Harry, Tonks, Remus and Dumbledore corrected without realizing while
Moody growled his agreement.
"Man?" Sirius echoed.
Harry blushed. "Um, he was kind of twice my age?"
Sirius gaped while Snape choked on air.
"That is preposterous!" Emeline Vance commented. "The Boy-Who-Lived cannot be
gay!"
"Well, too bad I'm just Harry and you aren't my mother," the teen replied with
a glare.
The witch flushed but a nudge from Tonks at her side shut her up.
"Well, back to the meeting then…" Dumbledore spoke up then.
"I cannot believe this," Molly muttered, cutting the Headmaster off.
Sirius groaned. A few seats next to him Snape fought to roll his eyes. It was
by far the most dramatic meeting he had attended in the Order and oddly enough
the Potter brat stayed quiet and respectful, mostly.
"Molly?" Dumbledore queried. "Is there a problem?"
"Yes, there is. What about Ginny? The poor girl is in love with you Harry? How
can you do this to her?" the witch complained. Next to her Arthur winced. He
did not appreciate airing family laundry and that was exactly what this was. He
knew his younger daughter had a crush on Harry but even he saw that it was a
bit much to ask of the teen to respond to her feelings when he did not. He
wished he could have stopped his wife from speaking about this matter ever and
especially during an Order meeting.
In turn Harry merely gaped at Molly Weasley. She could not have possibly said
what he thought she did.
"Perhaps this matter should be discussed at a later time?" McGonagall had
stayed quiet so far. She too did not approve what was going on. She had a lot
to say to Harry about his summer but she would do so another time, preferably
when they were alone. What was happening now only served to agitate the teen
and she knew well that Harry had an explosive temper. So far he had kept it in
check but Molly was being ridiculous. If Harry had to pay attention to all who
crushed on him then he would be dating most of Hogwarts!
"No, it must be now. He will just disappear later," Molly told her.
"Molly," Sirius said his voice low. "I have already warned you. Keep this up
and you will never step foot inside this house again."
The witch glared him. "You think you know Harry better? I had him in my home;
my children are friends with him. I've even known him longer…"
"Is this again about me being on the run?" the wizard demanded. "Albus
explained it with simple words. I did not kill my best friends nor anyone else.
I don't care what you think, but while in my home you will not disrespect me
this way."
"Perhaps I should leave, I can ask Sirius or Remus about what happened later,"
Harry suggested.
"See? He won't answer," Molly pointed at the teen.
"The wisest I have seen any Potter act," Snape commented. "And I think I speak
for everyone when I say that I could really live without hearing about Potter's
love life."
"I think I entered the Twilight Zone," Harry muttered. Tonks and Remus smiled
at the comment. Still the teen shrugged and stood.
Dumbledore observed the teen leave and sighed. Things were slowly going out of
control and Harry was slowly but surely starting to resent Molly and the old
wizard feared what that would mean in the future.
===============================================================================
The Weasley Twins tackled Harry the moment he stepped out of the kitchen.
Before Harry had time to react he was lifted by the elbows and carried to the
sitting room where Hermione, Ron and Ginny were sprawled on the couches. He was
winded when he was released and he could only blink at the inquisitive eyes he
was met with.
"What?" he asked them.
"Mate, you were in an order meeting," Ron told him. "We want details."
"Or you can use pantomime…" Fred grinned.
"We don't mind," George grinned.
Harry rolled his eyes. "It was not much of a meeting," he replied.
"Yes, you did come out rather quickly," Hermione commented.
Harry squatted before the unlit fireplace. "It had to do with this summer. I
met someone." He did not miss the mischievous looks the twins gave him, the
spark of curiosity in Hermione's eyes, the interested and a bit jealous look
from Ron, or the hurt look from Ginny. And truthfully he would not take it
back. He had never said anything to the young witch, never given her any hope
of anything romantic and he was peeved that Mrs. Weasley reacted that way
merely minutes ago. He knew of his habit of blaming everything on himself, the
Dursley's had him well versed on guilt trips, but this was not his fault no
matter what Ginny's mother said.
"Perhaps one of Miss Delacour's…"
"…Beautiful…"
"…fair haired…"
"…long legged…"
"…busty friends?" the twins finished each other's sentences with precision and
the ease of someone who had practiced for this.
Now Harry was in a dilemma. He could lie and wait till his friends heard it
from Molly Weasley or some other Order member. He never had a chance to learn
what his friends thought about homosexuality and he never really cared before.
There was really no easy way to tell them and he would not let them accuse him
of being a coward and lying to them. The dread spread in his stomach as he
tried to sound calm.
"I met someone that many did not approve, not that it's anyone's business
really. It's mostly prejudice and outdated thinking," Harry told them.
"Is she older than you?" Hermione guessed.
"That too," Harry replied with a smile. It grew strained. "She is also not a
'she' at all. I'm gay."
Utter silence. For a minute there Harry thought that he had thought it and
never spoke aloud. But the paleness on Ginny's face, Ron's wide eyes and
horrified look and Hermione's shocked face told him that he had indeed spoken.
He chanced a look at the twins but they were looking blankly at him and he
could not for the life of him understand whether that was a good or a bad
thing.
"You… Harry, are you sure?" Hermione finally squeaked out.
"You cannot be a poof, Harry," Ron said after her. "I mean you wanted to ask
Cho to the Yule ball last year."
"Ron," Hermione said. "He's not joking." Then she turned to Harry. "You're just
confused. Someone was kind to you and you liked that. I bet he wanted to take
advantage of you."
"Y-yes," Ginny finally found her voice. "Hermione is right. He was just leading
you on, probably wanted the fame. You are the Boy-Who-Lived."
Harry cringed at her words.
"You are just confused Harry. You are merely experimenting, right?" Hermione
tried again.
"We sleep in a dorm," Ron said then. His face was horrified. "Common showers!"
Harry tried not to wonder at them but failed. He was slowly getting angry but
bit his lip and swallowed it. They were shocked. They needed time. He would
grant them this right, he would. But he would leave first. Or else the slowly
mounting anger in him would explode.
"I'm going to bed," Harry told them. "We'll talk in the morning." 'I hope'
===============================================================================
The majority of the Order members fled the room as soon as the meeting was
over. In the end despite Harry leaving the tension ran too high for the meeting
to go smoothly. A clash between Molly Weasley and Sirius Black was a
possibility.
"You…" Sirius hissed at her. "Stay away from Harry you hear me? I cannot
believe the things you said to him! I don't care about your daughter and
whatever notion of love she has for Harry. My godson will not be coerced into a
loveless life nor be filled with misplaced guilt for it. You will never try to
tell him who to love. It is not your place, never will be. And I want just one
more thing to happen before I throw you out Weasley."
"Molly, don't," Arthur told her, sounding stern. While he loved his wife he did
not agree with half the things she told the teen. He did not care that the teen
preferred his own sex since he was discreet. And he knew that his youngest
daughter had feelings for the green eyed wizard, but again he could not
begrudge Harry for not returning her feelings, it would be irrational to do so.
He could understand his wife's confusion. She had not expected things would
change and had an image of the future built in her mind. Now that future was
impossible but Harry should not have to feel responsible for that as well.
Molly turned to her husband. "But our poor Ginny…"
"Ginny will find someone to love her. Our Harry cannot. He never noticed her
that way, treating her like Hermione or Ron, a sister that is. Do not force the
matter, Molly. I have already told you where I stand," Arthur told her with
dignity.
From the side, Snape watched the drama unfold with no small amount of amusement
for the ginger haired family. It was so satisfying seeing someone standing up
to the mother of seven, even if that someone just had to be Black. Still, the
happenings of this meeting were interesting.
For instance he had never imagined that the last of the Potters would be
homosexual and the boy had never given any indication for it. But then again he
did not have a gaggle of love struck girls following him around, with the
exception of Ginny Weasley that is. Then there was the fact of his Muggle
relatives. He had been with Albus when the older wizard went for them. He still
had trouble reconciling the grandfatherly image Dumbledore usually had with the
enraged, powerful wizard he had been when he found Petunia Dursley and her
pathetic family. That evening had been eye opening and whatever beliefs he had
about Potter, Harry Potter, being an immature brat were shot to hell. The boy
had serious issues and now the Potions Master could understand the distrust and
disregard for authority; since most of the boy's life adults ignored his
situation. He was also angry that Lily's son grew up with those people. Severus
was of the opinion that the Delacour's had done the boy some good. And it was
obvious to whoever looked that the youth's mystery lover had made him more
confident and gave him another air. Harry Potter had returned a new man and it
was for the best. The surly wizard could only wonder how the teen would get by.
It was obvious that he would have a lot of opposition from the Weasley's.
He studied Dumbledore and noticed that his usually luminous eyes had dulled.
And Severus suspected it had to do with Potter. Albus did not like prejudice
and he was feeling guilty about how he had made Harry grow up. If Molly Weasley
continued posing a nuisance Sirius Black would have to get in line to defend
the teen.
"As fun as this may be," Severus said then, "Pomona is expecting her burning
salve. If you will excuse me I must return to Hogwarts."
"Of course my boy," Dumbledore told him. "But make sure you rest as well."
"Of course," Snape contained a roll of his eyes and left the kitchen.
"I'll go say goodnight to Harry," Sirius said and left the room as well.
"Albus?" Molly turned to the Headmaster. "You're not angry with them, are you?"
"Molly, my dear, children grow up. Who am I to stunt their growth?" the man
replied. "Rest well you two."
===============================================================================
Next morning…
===============================================================================
Sirius heard the murmur in the kitchen before he entered. Remus was outside and
seemed to listen in. The werewolf sensed him and turned around, lifting a
finger to his lips. Sirius frowned but nodded. He gestured to the living room
and Remus followed. Once inside they locked the door.
"What is it?" Sirius asked his friend.
"Apparently Harry told his friends he is gay," Remus told him.
Sirius winced. "I gather it did not go well."
"An understatement. Ginny took it badly and now Molly is spouting nonsense to
cheer her up; honestly that woman only makes things worse, giving the poor girl
false hope."
"Ron and Hermione?"
Remus shook his head in exasperation. "Those two… Well, Ron is stuck on the
fact that Harry is gay, much like James was when you came out," the wizard told
Sirius. "It has only been a day and if memory serves me right, James was being
an idiot for a week."
Sirius smiled fondly and nodded.
"Now Hermione, she's quiet," Remus said next. "I have no idea what she thinks
on the matter. But I can tell you the twins are not bothered. Turns out their
friend, Lee Jordan I believe, is dating a Ravenclaw. Ron threw a fit about that
as well."
"Well then, we better get to Harry before he enters the kitchen," Sirius
announced. They hurried out of the room and caught up with the teen once the
lad was leaving his room. He was looking rather pale and pensive; until he
caught sight of them and whatever bothered him seemed to go away. The two
adults told him of their breakfast plan.
Harry took one look at their faces and nodded. "Does Kreacher know how to
cook?" he asked them.
"Not really," Sirius smiled at him as he heard the teen's stomach protesting.
Harry blushed. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter as long as it is food."
"There is a bakery around the corner," Remus said then. "Croissants and juice?"
"Coffee?" Harry perked up hopefully.
"Coffee as well," Remus smiled at him.
"We'll wait here," Sirius told him and waved.
"Well, then, my treat," Harry told them.
"I'll get it," Remus assured him. "The least I can do for such a dramatic
evening.
Harry stuck his tongue out at his former DADA professor and that was that.
When Remus returned they had already made Regulus' old room accommodating
enough to eat. Harry took the bed while the two adults sat near the desk.
"This is good!" Harry commented. He licked a finger. "So, kitchen is a no-no
for today? They still haven't calmed down?"
"Well, as we said with Sirius, it took James a week once this dog spilled the
beans," Remus replied.
"You are gay?" Harry asked his godfather.
Sirius nodded. "It is not that uncommon."
"I'm bisexual," Remus offered, not without a blush on his cheeks.
Harry blinked. Then he smiled. "Good. So you mean dad was a…"
"Prat," Remus said for Harry. "Lily shouted that from the Gryffindor tower."
Harry chuckled. "Okay, so what do you suggest?"
"Answer questions truthfully. Sometime the shock will wear off," Sirius said
with a shrug of his shoulders.
"And as for Ginny…"
"I know Remus, she's not my fault," Harry chewed on a bite. "I guess saving her
from that Basilisk and Riddle gave a whole new dimension to hero worship."
"Sucks to be you," Sirius said pensively, but with a spark in his eyes.
"I hate you," Harry groaned.
"Liar," Sirius smirked.
"So, Harry," Remus spoke up. "That lover of yours, how was he like?"
Immediately the teen perked up. "Well, he was…is simply amazing."
"Do tell," Sirius prompted.
===============================================================================
August 29th
===============================================================================
Harry had been staying out of everyone's way for a couple of days. He still
greeted and talked to Arthur Weasley, the Twins and Tonks, when she popped by,
but he had avoided Hermione and Ron, and most of all Ginny and Molly Weasley.
He took lunch and dinner in the kitchen as more Order members usually stopped
by and no awkward questions were asked.
One day though, Ron and Hermione caught up with him.
"Can we talk?" the young witch asked.
"Library?" Harry offered. They agreed.
Once they reached the room Harry took a seat and waited. Hermione sat closer to
him while Ron kept his distance. Somehow the whole picture did not make Harry
feel better and did not give him much hope.
"So, what's up?" Harry asked them.
Hermione cleared her throat. "Um, I-we wanted to talk to you," she declared.
Ron gave a short nod.
"Okay," Harry told her. "Talk."
"This is not exactly easy," the witch said. She took a deep breath. "Are you
really gay? Mrs. Weasley, and a few other Order members, told us that you met
someone…"
"That I told you as well," Harry cut her off. "Don't stall, just talk to me."
"Is it a phase?" Ron asked. "I mean it has to be! You liked Cho! And we shared
a dorm!"
Harry sighed. "Oh, for Merlin's shake! I'm gay, alright? But I have never, ever
even looked your way, or anyone else's for that matter, I just like him! And to
be honest redheads do nothing for me except remind me of my mother. I'm not
going to jump you in your sleep or in the shower or anywhere else for that
matter."
Ron flushed red but kept his mouth shut.
"It's just weird," Hermione blurted out.
"Weird?" Harry echoed.
"Yes, I just don't know how to act Harry and neither does Ron."
Harry's eyes narrowed. "Act? You don't have to do anything but be there." They
would not meet his eyes.
"It's not easy for us," Ron defended himself. "I just don't feel comfortable
around you."
"We just need time," Hermione told him.
Harry studied his two friends as they squirmed under his gaze. Watching them
now, they seemed like children to him. He remembered Sirius' words to be
patient and give them time. It seemed though that they would also need space
away from each other. For some reason that hurt. Nothing was going the way he
wanted to and it made the teen frustrated that he could do nothing to change
things.
"Of course," Harry said; his voice cold. He stood and walked to the door. "Take
all the time you need." He slammed the door behind him.
===============================================================================
September 1st:
No 12, Grimmauld Place
===============================================================================
Harry stared at his trunk, his mood dark. Ciel was in his arms being petted by
the absentminded teen.
"Knut for your thoughts?" Remus asked.
Harry blinked. "Not even a Galleon?" the teen mocked offence. It earned him a
small smile from the older wizard.
Remus slipped onto the bed beside him. "You seem troubled. And I know from
Sirius that you spoke with Ron and Hermione."
Harry snorted. "Some talk that was..." At Remus' inquiring look he said, "They
asked for more time. But truth is they would not even look into my eyes. And
that hurt."
The werewolf put a hand on the teen's shoulder and squeezed. "I had hoped that
would not be the case but I guess I was wrong." He stared straight into Harry's
green eyes. "You are growing up Harry. It is bound to happen sometime."
"What, lose my friends?" The teen was bitter.
"People you know will eventually stay behind," Remus told him.
"I don't like it."
"I never said you had to. Just try to make the most of it."
Harry nodded. "I guess. I'll try to be positive but I cannot promise anything."
"Come on now, we must get to the station. Are you packed?"
"Yes, and I sent Hedwig ahead."
"Good, you carry Ciel; I'll get your trunk."
===============================================================================
Platform 9¾
===============================================================================
The Platform was packed with students and parents and the noise made Ciel cower
in Harry's arms. He was being accompanied by several members of the Order of
the Phoenix, for his safety. Sirius had, after much cajoling, tagged along as
Padfoot, making more ruckus than half the people on the Platform.
"Padfoot," Remus warned. "Stop attracting unwanted attention!"
The dog gave them the equivalent of a pout. Harry shook his head at his
godfather's antics.
"Harry?" Remus spoke up. "I'll help you load your trunk. Want to say your
goodbyes?"
The teen shook his head. "No need."
The werewolf sighed and nodded.
When Harry was safely inside the train he smiled at the view of Remus berating
Padfoot with Tonks close by. It was sight that touched his heart. Then he
caught sight of the Weasley's and his best friends and winced. He did not know
what to think when he saw them all gathered together, happily chatting. It was
his first year all over again and it felt lonely.
Harry turned his face away from the window and even pulled the curtains closed.
He was not going to spoil his mood even more. He was going back to Hogwarts and
that was a good thing.
The train ride was quiet for the most part. In the end no one bothered him. A
blonde girl had asked to sit in the spare seat and he had nodded and that was
that. She did not ogle at him nor try to have a conversation, just took out her
newspaper and started reading.
"Anything from the trolley dears?" the witch with the snack cart was heard
yelling.
Harry opened the compartment door and called her over.
"Don't you want anything?" he asked the fair haired girl.
She focused her eyes on him. "I'm not sure if I'm hungry."
Harry smiled. "I can understand that." He turned to the witch asking for
pastries and half a dozen chocolate frogs, then paid and closed the door.
"Here, we can share."
The girl blinked. "I'm Luna Lovegood, but you can call me Loony, like most
people."
"Harry Potter. This year I'm mad as a hatter."
"He's not mad," Luna told him. "Just eccentric."
Harry laughed. "I'll remember that. Pumpkin pie?"
She put her paper aside and accepted the food.
"What are you reading?" Harry asked.
"The Quibbler, daddy writes it," Luna replied.
Harry had not heard of that paper before. "Can I have a look?"
"Certainly. This is good. I never tried before."
"Never?"
"Usually my things get lost before I reach Hogwarts and when I have to return
at summer."
Harry's eyes narrowed as he realized that this girl was actually being picked
on. "What House are you from?"
"Ravenclaw."
"You don't look…"
"Smart?" Luna asked.
"I was going for bookworm," Harry smiled. "If you are smart or not I cannot yet
tell."
"I like you Harry Potter."
"Call me Harry."
"I will. And you can call me Luna then."
"I will."
And Harry settled with his back on the seat for the rest of the ride, reading
the odd magazine and talking with the even odder girl.
===============================================================================
End of chapter
***** Return to Dark *****
Chapter Summary
     Rabastan's return to his home country included meeting the person he
     hated most and putting up with his brother teasing him and himself
     wishing he never left France.
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Rabastan could hear that awfully familiar cackle that made every hair on his
body stand to attention and the need to turn in the opposite direction was too
tempting. His older brother placed a hand on his shoulder.
"If I have to go in there little brother then so do you," Rodolphus hissed in
his ear.
"She's your wife."
"Exactly! I'm tortured more than enough. I need support."
Rabastan sneered. "Can I offer you a hug?" He received a soft slap in the back
of his head.
"Don't be a smartass," Rodolphus told him and promptly pulled him inside the
tea room where his 'darling' wife, her sister, his brother in law and his
nephew were all gathered.
Rabastan observed his cousins and nephew. They were unchanged mostly, though
Draco had gained height. The wizard noticed absently that he was taller than
his Harry and much paler. Then he realized how dangerous his thoughts were and
pushed them to the back of his mind. This was really not the time to have the
green eyed wizard in his thoughts.
"Rodolphus!" the insane witch exclaimed and sauntered over to her husband.
Her bony arms embraced Rabastan's brother, who stayed still, only partly
returning her hug. "Bella," he acknowledged.
Then Bellatrix let him go and focused on Rabastan. "Don't even think of hugging
me," Rabastan hissed at her and took a step back and away from her.
"Poor baby is all shy?" she cooed.
She reached over and Rabastan pulled his wand on her. "Keep those claws away."
She always made him feel a chill. Even before Azkaban she was not exactly sane.
That madness was what made him despise her. And he would never understand why
his family allowed his brother to marry her and taint their blood with her
disease. The Black family had a known history of mental instability. Rabastan's
only consolation was that she and his brother had yet to have children.
Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at him. Rabastan tried to ignore her. She always
had the habit of trying to rile him up. She got a kick from it. When she was
newlywed to his brother she used to tease him about how reserved he was. During
their days with Voldemort she found other ways to annoy him, questioning his
logic, his skills, his loyalty. The Dark Lord had never once paid her any mind
though, for that Rabastan was grateful. And neither did the rest of the Death
Eaters. Most feared the witch. Those who did not usually ignored her, balancing
between pity and loathing for the woman.
"Bella," Rodolphus warned. "Stop this or I will make you stop." and the wizard
meant it. He was not above hexing her to get his point across. Reason did not
work with her.
"Tea Rabastan?" Narcissa offered.
"Or something stronger?" Lucius countered.
The wizard had to consider it. "Brandy would be nice."
The hostess called for a house elf. Rabastan then sat on a couch as far from
his sister in law as possible.
"Uncle," Draco came to Rabastan's side. "How wasParis? I have not been there
for years."
"It was the same," he replied. Taking a sip from his drink he allowed himself
to fall into polite chatter. He would need the warm up if he were to socialize
in this circle again.
===============================================================================
August 29th, Malfoy Manor
===============================================================================
Rabastan burrowed into the soft covers, turning onto his stomach.
Subconsciously he knew the sun had risen for a while and breakfast had already
been brought into the room by one of the numerous Malfoy House elves. Even the
smell of freshly brewed coffee was not enough to make the wizard move from his
spot on the bed. He simply lay there, eyes closed; trying to remember what it
would feel not to sleep alone at night. He felt pathetic for having these
thoughts and his mood worsened.
He was ready to fall asleep again when his brother entered the room.
"Rise and shine brighter than a Lumos spell," Rodolphus said to him in a loud
voice.
"Go away," Rabastan grunted.
"I cannot," Rodolphus replied as he inspected the tray. He snagged a croissant
from a plate and took a bite. "I still cannot get enough of House elf cooking.
Azkaban made me appreciate the simple things in life. A good meal, a good dish,
a fine shag."
Rabastan groaned in misery. "Go away?"
"Now what brother would I be if I did not give you an incentive to get out of
bed?"
Before Rabastan could react a well placed stinging hex hit him full force and
he was out of his bed before the spell ended. Wand in hand he hexed his brother
back, but Rodolphus erected a shield and smirked at the younger wizard.
"Sleeping until noon is really not like you, brother. So unless you actually
like pining away in the dark like a bloody Hufflepuff get a grip."
Rabastan winced and rubbed his arm where the hex had made contact. "Do not
compare me with those cowards."
Rodolphus spelled the curtains to part and let the light in and then the
balcony doors opened to let the fresh air hit them. "Eat. You are impossible to
handle on an empty stomach."
"I'm not twelve anymore."
"But you have not matured either," Rodolphus responded.
Rabastan agreed since he was hungry. His older brother let him alone for a
while content to watching him like a cobra ready to strike. When Rabastan had
enough to eat he took his coffee in his hands. He barely took a sip when the
quiet broke.
"Who was it?" Rodolphus demanded.
Rabastan considered playing the fool but his brother knew him too well for that
to be believable.
"Was it the same one that left your bed in that state?" Rodolphus asked him.
"Yes," Rabastan replied.
"That was short. I thought I would have to torture you at least a bit," his
brother commented. Rodolphus was thoughtful. "Was she any good?"
"If you absolutely have to know, 'he' was amazing."
A short pause and then, "You are gay?" Rodolphus asked. "Or was it a onetime
thing?"
"I don't have any preference," Rabastan replied.
"I sense a 'but'," Rodolphus smirked. "What despicable act did you commit?"
Rabastan's mind registered the question and had trouble answering. Which one
was worse? Sleeping with Harry Potter or sleeping with a minor?
"Oho, you certainly took your time to answer," Rodolphus gleefully commented.
"You're worse than a bloody hound after blood."
"Stop with the compliments and answer."
The younger man sighed. "I… he was a minor."
Rodolphus blinked. "That's it?"
"Yes."
"Let me get this right, you are an escaped prisoner from Azkaban no less,
committed despicable crimes under your guise as a Death Eater, including
multiple murders and extensive torture, and you worry about fucking a minor?"
Rodolphus explained. He paused. "How old exactly? You are not into kids, are
you?"
"No! Morgana, no! Just he and he did not look like a minor at the time. I
thought he was seventeen…but it turned out he was not."
Rodolphus signalled him to continue.
"He's over fifteen."
"How much older?"
"A month."
Rodolphus laughed. "You my dear little brother are a delight!"
"You actually think this is funny?" Rabastan asked him.
"Oh, yes! This is absolutely precious. I think I might even manage a 'Patronus'
now!"
Rabastan hid his face in his palms. He just knew he would not live this
conversation down, ever.
===============================================================================
August 30th, Malfoy Manor
===============================================================================
"Good morning uncle," Draco greeted Rabastan when the second joined the family
for breakfast that morning.
"Yes, good morning dear brother," Rodolphus spoke up. "Doesn't our dear nephew
look ravishing today?"
Rabastan promptly turned around and left the room leaving the Malfoys staring
at the door.
"What was that about?" Draco asked Rodolphus, but the man was too busy laughing
to answer.
"Was Rabastan blushing?" Narcissa asked no one in particular.
===============================================================================
Rabastan entered the office and immediately spotted his brother sniggering in a
corner. Lucius was working at his desk and looked up at the disturbance.
Rabastan took one look at Rodolphus' gleeful face, turned around and left.
===============================================================================
Rodolphus caught sight of his brother in a hallway and smirked when Rabastan
saw him and hurried away from him.
"This is just so much fun," Rodolphus muttered to himself.
===============================================================================
Rabastan was relieved when at dinner his brother was not in the dining hall.
The three Malfoys saw him and Rabastan just knew they were studying him.
"Good evening," he greeted everyone.
He was seated when Lucius cleared his throat. Rabastan suppressed an unseemly
groan and turned his attention to the blond man.
"Yes?" Rabastan inquired.
"What in Merlin's name is going on with you and your brother today?" Lucius
demanded.
"It is personal," Rabastan replied.
"How personal?" Lucius asked.
"Unless you have done something we do not know, we do not have that many
secrets in this family," Narcissa reasoned.
"And Aunt Bella is not here," Draco added.
"I would really rather not say," Rabastan told them.
Just then Rodolphus entered the room. "I apologize for my tardiness; I was
finishing writing my letter. So, brother of mine, robbed any cradles lately?"
Narcissa and Lucius stared at Rabastan strangely while Draco contemplated the
meaning of Rodolphus' comment.
"Will you stop that?" Rabastan was annoyed at his older brother.
"I am merely poking fun at you; I have to spend my time somehow. Our Lord has
yet to send me on any missions," Rodolphus explained. "But if you feel so bad
about it why did you do it in the first place?"
"My conscience is my own," Rabastan replied. "I really do not need you making
things worse."
"Can you please explain to me what is going on?" Draco asked them.
"Your uncle here had a fling with a boy your age," Rodolphus happily informed
the teen.
All three Malfoys were quite surprised at this.
"Weren't you dating Imogene Greengrass at some point?" Narcissa asked Rabastan.
"I actually remember you for a short time with Regulus Black," Lucius
commented.
"Imogene was a leech and Regulus was a good friend," Rabastan replied.
"And my peer?" Draco asked.
"Well, he looked a lot taller in those clothes, the place was dark and we both
had a few drinks more than we ought to," Rabastan informed them. "Now can we
please change the subject?"
"Of course," Lucius told him, but his grey eyes were sparkling with mischief
and smugness. "And as I hardly see you as a paedophile I imagine the youth was
special?"
'If only you knew how much,' Rabastan thought darkly.
Narcissa, as if she read his thoughts smiled and said, "Then we simply have to
meet him."
"Impossible," Rabastan replied.
"Of course, schools are starting on September first," Lucius teased, joining
Rodolphus in teasing the younger adult.
"You two are impossible," Rabastan accused.
Lucius and Rodolphus smirked at him and before they knew it two jets of light
hit them, making boils break out on their skin.
Draco and Narcissa were quick to dodge out of the room for the duration
Rabastan vented his frustration on the other two unfortunate wizards.
"It's like that dinner party with Bella all over," Narcissa sighed. "Tilly!
Shield the china or I flay you!"
Draco shook his head at the behaviour of his family members. "I'm Flooing to
Blaise's house."
Two hours later Severus Snape was called to Malfoy Manor by Narcissa herself to
aid the three errant males.
"I don't want to know," Severus said as soon as he entered the room and saw the
disaster. "Now, was anyone hit with the 'Cruciatus' or a cutting curse?"
All three men raised a hand.
The Potions Master sighed and got to work.
===============================================================================
September 1st
===============================================================================
Rabastan blew on his hot coffee as he watched the Malfoys have breakfast. His
nephew was returning to school that morning and that would be one less person
to keep Bellatrix away from him.
It also meant that Harry was going back to that castle.
'Don't think of him', the wizard mentally berated his errant mind.
"Everything alright brother?" Rodolphus asked.
Rabastan nodded while he strengthened his Occlumency shields. He doubted his
brother would try but he wanted to be certain.
"You have been more pensive since you returned from France," Lucius observed
over his tea cup. "And your habits are different. For instance, I do not
remember you drinking coffee before this summer."
Rabastan froze in his seat. He was not that different, was he?
"People change," Rodolphus commented. "I remember you my friend with your hair
short. You were thinking of dying it black with green stripes?"
Draco stared at his father. "You are kidding!"
"No," Narcissa smiled. "I remember that time."
Lucius sighed. "Father averted that disaster, which I'm thankful for today."
"Pity," Rabastan commented. "I would have liked to have seen pictures."
Lucius threw a glare at him.
"Where is Aunt Bella?" Draco asked.
"She went to the Riddle house early in the morning," Rodolphus replied.
"Hence the quiet," his brother muttered.
"You know," Lucius spoke up. "You could stop antagonizing her."
"Lucius my friend, Bellatrix and I have a special relationship, we hate each
other's guts," Rabastan said with a dark smile on his face. "You cannot
possibly ask me to pass up the opportunity to annoy her. Our Lord has
explicitly prohibited us from using curses and the Unforgivable Curses against
each other. So I will enjoy the small mercies I have."
Rodolphus snorted. "After the last time you started cursing each other and two
Death Eaters died while another lost an arm? I see why he would do that."
Rabastan shrugged. "It was fun while it lasted."
The silence that followed was awkward.
"And they say my family has problems," Narcissa commented. "Anyway, hurry up
Draco. We need to get to the station early."
"Are you coming father?" the teen asked.
"Of course. Are your trunks ready?" Lucius asked.
"Yes. And Blaise will be Flooing here soon."
"I know," Narcissa commented. "His mother wrote me."
"I can't wait to have Quidditch season start," Draco commented. "This year
Potter will see my dust." Nobody noticed Rabastan freeze and Draco was busy
patting the corners of his mouth with a napkin. "May I be excused?"
"Of course," Lucius told him. Once his son was well out of hearing range he
commented. "The day my son beats that brat is the day I like Dumbledore."
Rodolphus was surprised. "Shouldn't you support your son, your flesh and blood
and all that?"
Lucius scoffed. "I'm all about supporting family but I'm also a realist and a
Quidditch fan and former captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team. Potter might
be a pain in our butts but that boy can fly like the best of them. Though I
will deny telling you this if my son or anyone else ever asks."
"That good?" the eldest Lestrange brother commented.
"You'll know only when you see him fly," Lucius replied.
Narcissa shook her head at them when they started discussing sports. "If you
will excuse me I must see to my son."
Rabastan watched her leave, the other two engrossed in their discussion. He had
to do something if his Harry's name kept popping up in conversations. His mind
was preoccupied when he felt a sharp burn on his left forearm. A quick look at
Rodolphus and Lucius confirmed the Call.
"Our robes and masks are in the antechamber," Lucius informed the two men.
Rabastan followed with a feeling of dulled horror. He had not been Called since
he left forFrance. While no one knew the identity of his lover he still feared
for his fate.
With the air of a doomed man Rabastan got ready for the Death Eater meeting.
"Get your mind together," Rodolphus needlessly reminded his brother.
"Lately his moods vary from bad to worse," Lucius offered as they wore the dark
robes.
"Thankfully none of us have done something to annoy him," Rodolphus stated
while placing the bone white mask on his face.
Rabastan closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath, mask firm in place.
"Right."
===============================================================================
End of chapter
***** Days in their lives *****
Chapter Summary
     Harry's return to Hogwarts for his fifth year brings a lot of change,
     some good, some bad, some unexpected.
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
See the end of the chapter for more notes
S eptember 1st, Hogwarts, Great Hall
===============================================================================
Harry's return to Hogwarts was not easy. Apart from the eccentric Luna
Lovegood, most students avoided him. The majority of the school thought him
insane and a liar it seemed as soon as he got out of his compartment. Only Luna
and Neville joined him in a carriage, the rest of the Gryffindor's keeping a
safe distance away from him. He had expected that from them, especially after
the way they reacted to his Parseltongue ability back in second year. What hurt
was the fact that Hermione and Ron were silent among the accusations and would
not even look his way.
Luna reached over and patted his arm. "Don't think about it," she told him.
"I try," Harry replied.
"What happened exactly?" Neville asked.
"The articles in the 'Prophet'," Harry told him.
"Not those! Gran says the 'Prophet' writes nonsense and no decent wizard
believes in that paper," Neville said. "I meant why Ron and Hermione don't even
look at you."
"Ah! That one." The green eyed teen shrugged. "We had a falling out."
"Worse than last year when Ron was being an idiot?" the usually shy Gryffindor
asked.
Harry chuckled. Neville was observant it seemed. "Yes, worse than that."
Neville chewed on his bottom lip. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Harry had to consider the offer. So far Neville had not once said anything
against him. When Hermione second guessed him, he never questioned. When Ron
was being a jealous prat, Neville was reasonable. He remembered how Neville had
stood up to him before he and the other two had tried to go after the thief of
the Philosopher's Stone. The boy was brave, he had heart and guts and it seemed
that Neville had grown during this summer holiday.
And after one look at the odd blonde at his side Harry had a feeling that Luna
was trustworthy and loyal as well.
"I told them I was gay," Harry spoke up. He waited…but the other shoe never
dropped.
Luna yawned. "Good for you."
Neville's eyes widened but then he grew thoughtful. "You mean that you like
boys?"
"I cannot see Harry Potter liking boys," Luna said then. "Perhaps someone
older? A boy would do nothing for you."
Harry smiled at the Ravenclaw. "It was someone older. And he did not know I was
Harry Potter. I hid the scar and it did wonders for my summer inFrance."
"You were inFrance?" Neville's eyes were wide with wonder. "Gran never let the
family travel. How was it?"
And Harry spent the ride telling him small trivia about Paris and the family he
stayed with.
At some point his curiosity made him ask Neville, "Why are you so accepting of…
this Neville?"
The shy boy had shrugged. "My father was a bi. I saw him in a picture with
professor Lupin when I was eight, though of course then I did not know who
Lupin was…"Neville blushed. "Sorry, I'm rambling."
"Nothing to excuse," Harry assured him.
"Yes, well. You have it. Gran had also drilled to me not to be a prat about
this. Turns out her brother once dated Dumbledore's brother."
Harry blinked. "Small world."
Neville nodded.
When the time for the Sorting ceremony and the welcoming feast came, Neville
sat next to Harry, apart from the rest of the Gryffindor's, the two boys still
discussing their summer vacation. They did not see the smile on Dumbledore's
face or the looks Hermione and Ron threw them.
===============================================================================
Ciel was on the bed when Harry entered his dorm. Neville had seen the wolf cub
on the carriage ride but after that a House elf came and took the animal away.
The other boys, Ron, Dean and Seamus were left staring at the black furred
animal.
Dean did not even blink. "Is that…"
"…a wolf?" Seamus exclaimed his voice much louder than his friend's.
Harry shrugged. "His name's Ciel. And yes, he is a wolf."
The boys starting muttering and protesting but among themselves, turning their
backs to Harry. Said teen rolled his eyes and ignored them. It seemed that the
'Prophet' was doing a fine job so far. So Harry ignored them, pretending it did
not hurt. And Ciel was there, offering his comfort freely.
===============================================================================
September 3rd
Potions
===============================================================================
Neville was trembling as they neared the classroom. Next to him Harry was still
not properly awake. The first day had been taxing on him. While he only had
charms, history and transfiguration all the hostile looks from the majority of
the school gave him a headache. Neville was the only one not bearing a grudge,
apart from the Weasley Twins and Luna, who Harry had only seen in the Great
Hall between meals. He was thinking of sending her a letter by Hedwig to
arrange a day to meet.
"Well, if it isn't Potter and Longbottom," Draco Malfoy drawled from his place
near the lab door.
Harry had a sudden need to run and hide, not out of shame, but because he was
too tired and not in the right mood for whatever comment the Slytherin wanted
to throw at them and he had noticed that Neville looked anxious. Harry knew he
did not have nor he should expect the aid of the Gryffindor's when an
impossibly brave, or stupid-that-by-sheer-luck-turned-clever as he would later
think, idea came to him. After all Gryffindor had only been an afterthought for
the Sorting Hat.
With a slowly blooming smirk on his face Harry pinned the Malfoy heir with his
green gaze. "Good morning to you too, Malfoy. What can I do for you this day?"
Harry drawled in a way Rabastan often did when they ate outside and strangers
would stare at them. The dark haired man had told him that you could go far
being polite. It seemed it did the thing this time around as now he had Draco
Malfoy and all the Slytherin's, and Gryffindor's too, gaping at him.
"Harry! What are you doing?" Dean demanded.
"Why are you talking to him?" Ron piped up then.
Green eyes narrowed at his best friend. Or was it ex best friend now? "Are you
talking to me again? I feel honoured, I truly do."
Neville stared as Harry's personality revealed a side he had only learned the
Boy-Who-Lived had during the last couple of days. Harry was possibly risking
even more by revealing his darker, more serious side. Luna had been of the
opinion that it was about time. Neville was still reluctant though. While he
fully supported Harry he was unsure of what exactly his friend hoped to
achieve. Still, he stood next to him and Harry was both proud of him and
relieved.
The Slytherin's on the other hand merely smirked when the two Gryffindor's
flushed in shame and anger. The drama alone was highly entertaining.
Hermione too was now looking at Harry hard and Malfoy was chuckling.
"There's hope for you yet Potter," the blond drawled.
"Heads up, Snape's coming," Blaise Zabini said then.
Harry nodded and pulled Neville after him.
It was a quiet corridor that met Severus Snape that morning and it had the
professor suspicious. He unlocked the door and allowed everyone inside
searching the quiet faces. He noticed that the Gryffindor's were shunning
Potter, Granger and Weasley included, while Longbottom was still with the boy
wonder. It seemed that the news about Potter's lover had not sat well with two
thirds of the Gryffindor trio. If there was one thing he did not like it was
hypocrisy and traitors, an irony in his adult life.
"Malfoy, pair up with Longbottom, Zabini, you get Potter. The instructions are
on the board, begin."
It was the first time Neville's potion did not blow up and the first time
Harry's was not sabotaged by the Slytherin's.
===============================================================================
Defence Against Dark Arts
===============================================================================
In the corridor near the DADA classroom Neville was telling him how Malfoy had
scared him into following orders.
I did not blow up," the shy teen was still in a daze.
Harry was laughing. "You sound like a broken record."
"What's a recort" Neville asked.
"Record," Harry absently corrected him, "And it's a Muggle thing, I'll explain
another time…"
"Potter! Wait up!"
Neville froze. "It's Malfoy again," he whimpered.
Harry patted Neville's shoulder and turned around to wait for the blond
Slytherin and his group to arrive.
"Malfoy," Harry nodded curtly and waited.
"What the hell is the matter with you this year?" Draco asked.
"Nothing really; Why? Are you concerned about my health?"
The Slytherin scoffed. "Hardly." He looked around. "Listen, in DADA, keep your
mouth shut. Whatever the Toad says."
"That Umbridge woman?" Harry asked.
"You weren't here in summer," Neville said then. Harry and the Slytherin's
turned to look at him. The teen flushed bright red at all the attention but he
continued with what he wanted to say. "She works for the Minister and is
against half breeds, be they wizards or creatures. Gran says she's not at all
sane with the way she acts and all that. She can be very mean. Uncle Tabbolt
said that she was the one who told the papers to slander you."
"Tabbolt as in the Wizengamot member?" Pansy Parkinson questioned.
Neville nodded.
"He is right," Draco said then. "And what did Longbottom mean Potter with you
not being here?"
Harry shook his head. He appreciated the advice. But as it had been discussed
at the Order table, he merely had to hold on long enough for Fudge to lose
power with the Ministry, and then the Toad would be gone. "I cannot say. Still,
thank you for the tip. We better get inside," he told the group.
The Slytherin's nodded.
The DADA lesson that followed was the worst class Harry ever attended in
Hogwarts. There were many times when he wanted to speak up but held himself in
check, unlike the other Gryffindor's. Draco Malfoy met his eye once class was
over and nodded approvingly.
"That was weird," Neville said once the class was over and after he noticed the
look Malfoy gave to Harry.
"It was, even by my standards," the green eyed teen agreed.
===============================================================================
September 8th
Hogwarts grounds
===============================================================================
Harry was feeling free outside the castle walls a feeling he never thought
possible. He considered Hogwarts his home but now that Toad had ruined that for
him. The mantra he kept repeating under his breath kept him going: 'Ignore her.
Don't curse her. Don't say a bloody thing. Don't make any smart comments. Don't
compare her to Trevor.' But out here, he was free indeed. Never mind that
theForbiddenForestwas dangerous.
And he could not have done it without the blonde Ravenclaw at his side.
Luna patted the small Thestral that trotted up to her, tempted with the meat
she held between her fingers.
Harry stood a few steps behind her, feeling strange at being so close with
these unique creatures.
"…You are being unreasonable," Luna told him. "Neville petted them."
"And promptly fainted," Harry returned. "He was dead terrified of them. I'm
not, they just unsettle me," he admitted.
Luna shrugged. "I just hope the Nurggles don't get mad."
Harry blinked. "Okay…" he muttered and moved past that. He had so much practice
with Dumbledore that Luna's comments were a breeze.
The Boy-Who-Lived eyed the castle in the distance and sighed. 'And the month is
not even over yet,' he glumly thought.
===============================================================================
September 10th
Gryffindor Tower
===============================================================================
Harry was curled up on his bed, a large piece of parchment drying in front of
him. He had just finished writing to Apolline, Armand and the girls. It was a
general letter with several paragraphs dedicated to each member of the family
that he held dear. It was also a foot long, certainly longer than any essay he
had ever cared to write.
Neville had not said anything to him when he saw him like this, merely left to
give him privacy. And Harry needed that. He had a lot to write and not enough
parchment for it. He knew Apolline was waiting for his letter and he wanted to
ask them how Gabrielle was doing and whether the pregnancy was progressing well
or if Fleur had found a job inBritain. When he was done he still felt very odd,
almost like he was homesick. Funny thought that. He had never felt that unless
it was summer inPrivet Driveand he waited for Hogwarts to open. Harry realized
he really missed the family and writing to them was helping him but it was just
not enough. He had been happy during that summer and now he had none of them,
not the Delacour's and not Rabastan.
"This sucks," Harry muttered.
===============================================================================
September 12th
Great Hall
===============================================================================
Hedwig was in front of Harry, nipping at a piece of bacon from his fingers
while Harry absently replied to a letter from Remus, when a cream coloured owl
came and landed beside Hedwig.
"Circe?" the Gryffindor exclaimed.
Said owl hooted and gave a nip at him and then turned to Hedwig and the two
owls started chattering away. Harry had to struggle to get the letter from
Circe and when he did he smiled. His letter could not have reached the
Delacour's yet but Fleur had written to him. Then Harry got an even bigger
surprise when he saw a second letter within the scroll with very familiar
writing.
"No way," Harry gasped and hurried to read it.
Neville watched his reaction with interest. "Something good?" he asked.
Harry seemed startled he was even there. "This? Yes, it is great news," he told
Neville.
He stared at the letter from Rabastan and he could not wait for the month to
pass as he scribbled his reply and the next scheduled Hogsmeade trip weekend.
"Harry?" Neville asked.
"I'll tell you later," Harry promised.
The smile did not leave his face for days.
===============================================================================
September 23rd
Malfoy Manor
===============================================================================
Rabastan twisted and turned on the soft mattress, the sheets tangling around
his naked body.
His green eyes were shut and he could not see what it did to him, but his face
was equally expressive.
The warm air and their even warmer, hot even, bodies were simply too much after
their most recent round of sex.
"Can't…" Harry gasped.
"Hush, of course you can," he crooned.
The teen shook his head. "Oh, Rabastan, I can't breathe. So close, so close but
I can't."
"Almost there, you'll find release," he promised him, knowing his lover was
hurting when his peak was so near yet he was held back.
"Please, please, please," the teen kept begging but Rabastan was enjoying this
too much. His little Harry had asked for toys, a very bold move, so toys he was
getting. A simple spell that worked just like a ring and Harry was prevented
from coming despite how aroused his body was. He knew he was in pain, but his
dark nature enjoyed it even in this way.
"Rabastan," Harry pleaded.
Those green orbs were now staring straight into his own dark gaze and Rabastan
lost the battle just like that.
The ring vanished and Harry's sweet cry of release was loud around him, that
sweet heat clamping around Rabastan, making him gasp out.
"Harry!"
"Harry!" Rabastan exclaimed and sat up on his bed.
It took him a few minutes to get his breathing under control. When he was
collected enough he noticed the wetness of his sheets. With a sneer on his face
he summoned his wand and a couple of cleaning spells later he fell back on the
clean mattress.
It was the third time in a row since he got back Harry's reply that he had not
slept without having at least one dream about the younger wizard. He had not
realized how much he had missed him but it turned out he had very much. He
turned on his side and closed his eyes.
"A few more days," he muttered.
===============================================================================
September 25th
Hogwarts
===============================================================================
Harry sat at Gryffindor table, his eyes red with lack of sleep. Neville noticed
his state and shook his head.
"Again?" the shy teen asked.
Harry let out an odd sound.
Neville sighed. "Madam Pomfrey can give you a potion you know, she did it for
me last year after Moody's lessons."
"I'll think about it," Harry promised. He was not about to visit that witch and
however much he trusted Neville he did not want to tell the other Gryffindor
that the source of his dreams was himself and that they were far from
nightmares. Mentioning the phrase 'wet dream' around Neville seemed like a
taboo subject. Perhaps Luna would be the one to hear about this, or she already
knew; that girl was odd that way. Harry no longer thought of her as a female
Dumbledore, no; Luna was Luna, with her own world, her own laws and her own
book of conduct. He considered writing Fleur but one could never know with
Umbridge around the school. And Hedwig had already been intercepted once, and
hurt pretty badly too, so he guessed that was it, Luna would hear all the
embarrassing details.
"Do that," Neville told him seriously and then focused on his own breakfast.
Harry stabbed a piece of fruit on his plate intending on eating it when
Hermione dropped into the seat across from him. Harry paused for a minute.
"Good morning," Hermione greeted them both.
Harry and Neville shared a look before saying a mumbled 'good morning' to her.
"I need to talk to you," Hermione said again. "I need to talk to Harry," she
then clarified when Neville stared at her.
The shy boy was about to move a bit away when Harry gave him a look and then
turned to Hermione.
"Neville stays," the green eyed teen replied.
"Harry…" Hermione stressed but Harry would not budge. He was on the defensive
and Neville was his tower.
"Is it about Harry's lover?" Neville asked then.
Hermione gasped. "You know?"
"It's not such a bad thing," Neville told her. "I don't know why you and Ron
are being prats."
Hermione opened her mouth but no sound came. And in Harry's mind Neville got
promoted to King.
"Look," Harry said then and before Hermione got a chance to start a lecture.
"If you really want to talk to me then fine, we will talk. But first you better
grow up. This will not be a dirty secret we won't mention again. And I do not
believe it will just go away or pass. It is who I am Hermione, not a trend I
follow." He left the table at that, not wanting to see her anymore.
Neville shook his head at the smartest witch of his year and left as well.
There were many students that noticed the scene and soon new rumours spread
across the castle concerning the falling out of the Golden Trio. As usual none
of them was correct and Harry ignored them.
The days that followed the Slytherin's were especially harsh towards Ron and
Hermione while Potions was quickly becoming a class Harry and Neville had a
sort of immunity from the House of Snakes. Many teachers had noticed the change
in tide but no one said anything, not even Snape, who was still his usual self
but now Hermione and Ron also got a taste of his special venom which was no
longer Harry and Neville's exclusive 'privilege'.
Harry was especially subdued during Umbridge's class, never giving the pink
suited witch a chance to go after him no matter how hard she tried. Though
Harry had seen several Gryffindor's earning detentions with her, especially the
Weasley Twins, who came back stronger after every time she went after them, and
with more prank ideas too.
Harry also met with Luna Lovegood a number of times, usually when the girl went
on to explore and discover the various imaginary creatures she said lived on
Hogwarts grounds. The girl was a real relief with her imaginary stories about
creatures, conspiracy theories and the like. She also spoke about her father,
Xenophilius Lovegood, who from her words seemed to be a great man, if not a
bit… wonky. But then again most wizards and witches had a healthy dose of
craziness in them.
===============================================================================
End of chapter
Chapter End Notes
     A/N:
     I wanted to clear something out, something about the first chapter.
     While Harry had a falling out with Ron and Hermione, and consequently
     Ginny, does not mean I show favouritism or anything. His friends are
     shocked and hurt. Harry is hurt as well because after the Delacour's
     he hoped his friends were open minded but it did not happen and he
     was a bit angry at them so he tries to hurt them back, being mean and
     a bit of a bastard. Now, about Molly. I really love her character and
     I fear I may have rushed the falling out but I really wanted it to
     happen fast to get a move on with my ideas and plot. I mention this
     because it seems to me a bit exaggerated and but really like the
     first chapter and would hate to change anything in it; still I wanted
     to clarify this. Thank you.
***** A Hogsmeade day out *****
Chapter Summary
     It's Hogsmead weekend and Harry gets another taste of romance as he
     and Rabastan meet again.
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Harry measured Ciel's height and found that the wolf had grown again. He was no
longer small and awkward like when he was a cub. Ciel's appetite had grown
bigger as well and the duo would often sneak down to the kitchens after hours
for snacks. Sometimes Neville tagged along as well. The shy Gryffindor was
great company and he made Harry wonder how he had never noticed that about
Neville before. The two found themselves becoming fast friends. The Longbottom
heir was unlike Hermione and Ron. He did not judge or second guess Harry. He
also did not pester him for information.
"If you want to tell me something you will," Neville had told him.
It was during one of those talks that Neville told Harry about his parents
being tortured to insanity by the Lestrange's and Harry merely nodded. He knew
the reason why as the Headmaster had already told him but now Harry felt better
that Neville trusted him enough to open up.
The once shy boy also became Harry's partner in crime as the two Gryffindor's
would often sneak off under Umbridge's nose. Most portraits would turn a blind
eye too. Sometimes the duo came across Slytherin's, Malfoy and Zabini in
particular were often wandering the halls after curfew. The four boys ended up
having a truce for the nights they met which was nullified come sunrise but
even then Harry did not receive much trouble from the snakes that year.
Harry pulled out of his thoughts and glanced around the common room.
The twins were as usual there to mock Ron and offer Harry friendly words or
light, teasing insults, a normal thing for them. And then there was Ginny. The
young witch either avoided Harry like he had the Dragon Pox or studied him for
hours on end. It made Harry feel oddly bothered. The rest of the school
population had also picked up on the fact that Harry and his friends were not
friends anymore and the ministry bitch seemed happy with that information.
Still Harry ignored the whispers and the glares. In DADA he kept his mouth shut
and complied with whatever Umbridge said; he had learned to tune her out almost
immediately.
That was how September and the better part of October passed for Harry.
Ciel bumped into the green eyed wizard's hand, gaining his attention.
"Hungry again?" Harry chuckled.
The wolf let out a small whine.
"Come on then," the wizard muttered.
They carefully went down to the kitchens. The house elves were eager to serve
them. Dobby in particular bounced around the kitchen preparing Ciel's steak.
Harry shook his head. "Dobby, whatever you make, I'm sure will be lovely," the
teen assured the house elf just to make him calm down a bit. The wizard took a
slice of the meat and handfed the wolf as if he were a puppy.
"Your wolf is very good, Harry Potter," Dobby cooed over the animal.
"He is," the wizard agreed as he caressed the soft fur. Ciel was wonderful at
supporting him now that the majority of the school thought him crazy and
dangerous. It was the best gift he had been given and it made the teen treasure
the giver all the more.
The only thought that could cheer Harry up was that Hogsmeade weekend was
tomorrow and he would get to see Rabastan.
"Say, dobby, can I ask you a favour?"
"Harry Potter sir can ask Dobby anything!" the house elf all but bounced with
pride.
"How do you feel about babysitting Ciel for a couple of hours?"
===============================================================================
Gryffindor Dorms, Saturday…
===============================================================================
Neville kept shooting worried looks at Harry. The other Gryffindor looked
impossibly giddy over this Hogsmeade weekend. He had told Neville and Luna that
he had a date. The Longbottom heir was concerned about the amount of affection
the green eyed wizard held for that mystery man. If one guy had the power to
make Harry so happy it also meant that he could also make Harry miserable and
Neville hated that someone had so much power over his new friend. Because
apparently that was the direction things were going. The shy wizard was glad to
finally have a friend. And he was certain that was the case as Harry did not
seem to compare him to Ron or Hermione or anyone else.
"Neville?" Harry called out. He had finished dressing. He wore black jeans with
a nice green shirt and a black jacket over it. His hair was relatively tamed
and a scarf was on his hands.
"Wow, you do clean up," Neville teased.
Harry blushed. "Yes, well, you try saying 'no' to a Veela."
"I'll leave you trying to complete impossible feats," Neville. "I'm meeting
Luna in the entrance to the village. We need to stock up on candy. Want to grab
a Butterbeer together?"
The green eyed wizard bit his lip. "Well, how about a late lunch?"
Neville nodded. "Okay. Be careful. And if you're late…"
"I won't be. Lunch with you and Luna at the 'Three Broomsticks'," Harry
promised. "Okay, wish me luck!"
"Have fun!" Neville told him.
Harry beamed and rushed out the door.
===============================================================================
Rabastan felt like he was itching. The crowd of Hogwarts students was thick
already and the teenaged wizards and witches were everywhere. The escaped
convict felt like a million eyes were on him. He had dressed like he usually
did with a traditional robe and a specialized 'notice-me-not' spell on his face
that was keyed to certain people, including Harry. This way an entire battalion
of British Aurors could not ruin the date and Harry would actually spot him in
the crowd.
A pair of giggling girls (Ravenclaw's if the colours on their scarves were an
indication) immediately started whispering among themselves. The majority of
the students actually paused in their actions and gave at least a brief glance
as a slender, raven haired, green eyed wizard walked past them and heading
straight to him.
Rabastan barely had time to brace himself as the teen crashed into him, hugging
him tightly and ignoring the furious whispers of his peers and the curious
eyes.
The dark wizard ignored the brats as well and opted for kissing his little
lover with all he had. He plundered those cold lips and the sweet mouth
expertly until he had Harry moaning in his mouth. Then he broke the kiss and
tilted his head back, enjoying the thoroughly ravished look Harry sported.
"Merlin, I missed you," Harry told him, gripping him tighter.
Rabastan smiled at him. "I missed you too. But we can talk later. Let's leave
this place, being ogled kills my libido."
The green eyed teen chuckled. "Where should we go?"
"Can I Apparate us?" Rabastan asked.
"Oh, now I'm curious," Harry commented. "But I have to warn you. I need to be
back by lunch."
"Do you really?"
"I made a promise," Harry replied.
"To whom?" Rabastan was curious.
"A friend of mine. You wouldn't know him. Neville and I became friends
recently. He's a great guy, shy, but great."
The younger Lestrange swallowed the sour feeling that threatened him. He only
knew one 'Neville' and he was certain that it was the same one Harry was
talking about.
"Rabastan?" Harry asked. "You look a bit pale."
The man shook his head. "Never mind. Today is yours. Come on."
Harry felt the oppressive feeling of Apparation next and then he found himself
standing in the middle of Diagon Alley's Apparation spot.
"Isn't this… nice," Harry snickered.
"Don't be like that. We're going to the Muggle world."
The teen blinked. "We are?"
Rabastan just led him to the portal and out the busy Leaky Cauldron and into
the crowded street. Truth be told, Rabastan had hated Muggle's with a passion
even before the Dark Lord accepted him in his ranks. It was yet another thing
Azkaban had changed in him. His time in Muggle Paris cemented his change of
mind. He saw what Muggle's were capable of and he held no misconceptions about
them being naïve sheep, like purebloods usually thought them as. The Muggle
world offered so many opportunities and to a fugitive from the magical world,
the mundane world was a brilliant escape. Certainly no Auror would think, much
less imagine, a hardcore Death Eater mingling with Muggle's.
"I know just the place," Rabastan told Harry.
"A proper date?" the teen teased.
The older wizard flushed a bit. It was true that whenever they thought to have
an actual date in Paris they tended to skip the actual date and go straight to
bed. It had been a source of many teasing comments from both Apolline and her
eldest daughter.
"Yes. A walk, a short stop for coffee or whatever, another walk and then
lunch," Rabastan outlined the plan he had made.
"Sounds nice," Harry mused. "A proper date."
"We are pathetic," Rabastan sighed.
Harry chuckled. "We are. But it's so much fun! Now come on mister guide,
entertain me."
Rabastan allowed himself to be dragged through the crowd and for the rest of
the day a small smile was fixed on his face.
===============================================================================
Fleur felt odd being back at the Three Broomsticks. She had not liked the place
the first time around and this time she was willing to tolerate this for Harry.
The green eyed wizard that had caught the heart of every single member of her
family was now practically a Delacour too in their hearts. She ignored the
drooling boys and the glares their girlfriends were sending her, focusing only
on her wine. There were two pairs of eyes though, that were focused on the
blonde witch for another reason. Fleur had read Harry's letter and knew about
the fall out with the bushy haired friend and the red headed boy.
The witch had drunk half of it by the time Harry arrived. The door to the pub
opened and for a while the noise stopped, the green eyed wizard had that effect
whenever he entered a place. Harry spotted her immediately and walked over. His
whole presence radiated happiness and a smile was stuck on his face. Last time
she saw that he had admitted to sleeping with Rabastan.
"Fleur!" Harry hugged the half Veela and gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek
before the blonde woman squeezed back and kissed both his cheeks.
"Harry," she was smiling too now.
The teen sat next to her, drawing his wand and casting a small charm around
them to muffle their conversation.
"What was that charm?" Fleur asked.
"A spell. It's called 'Muffliato'. One of the Slytherin's taught me," Harry
dutifully answered. "But never mind spells, how are you? You really got in
Gringotts? Because that's amazing!"
Fleur laughed. "I know," she replied.
"And your accent has gotten lots better," the teen commented.
"Merci,(Thank you)" Fleur blushed a bit at the praise. "So, did you have sex
today?"
"What? Fleur! How can you ask that?"
"You 'ave a silly smile on your face," the witch told him.
Harry grinned. "I have?"
Fleur poked one of his cheeks, making Harry laugh.
"Okay, no sex today. Just roaming hands. I did go out on a date though."
The witch fought down a girlish squeal and asked the question. "Who with?"
"Rabastan," Harry told her. "He has written me a couple of times."
"It's no longer summer," Fleur commented.
Harry blinked. "What an odd comment."
The half Veela rolled her eyes. "Your summer romance, my little Harry, might
just turn into a relationship."
The teen's eyes went wide. "I had not thought of that!"
Fleur laughed. "I want to hear all about your date.
"And I want to hear everything about your brother. Apolline is really having a
boy? And what was that comment your father made? Did Apolline hex the doctor
and would not stop until Armand threatened to apply a chastity spell on
himself?"
Fleur's laughter was contagious. "Gabrielle wrote?"
"Too true."
"You go first," the witch ordered.
===============================================================================
Neville was seated at Gryffindor table with Luna next to him. The Ravenclaw had
just entered the room and dropped down next to him with in an enthusiastic
'Hi!'
This drew looks from the other lions but Neville ignored them like they had
ignored him for so long.
"Seen Harry yet?" Luna asked.
"No. But Hermione and Ron were in the Tower about an hour ago and they said
that Harry was at 'The Three Broomsticks' with Fleur Delacour."
"Ronald must not have been happy," the Ravenclaw commented.
The Longbottom heir chuckled. "He fell for her natural lure, again. Hermione
was biting his head off."
"They're still not talking to Harry?"
"Ron practically flees the dorm to change in the bathroom nowadays and Hermione
just frowns at Harry. I think our friend has stopped paying any attention to
them."
Luna hummed. "Harry's here now."
The last Potter claimed a seat on the other side to Luna as soon as he spotted
the odd pair of friends at Gryffindor table. "Hello boys and girls."
"It's just us two here," Luna blinked. "If you exclude the Wrackspurts."
"Can't forget those," Harry nodded. "Oh! Meat pie!" He grabbed a piece.
"So, are you okay?" Neville asked.
Harry smiled at the shy boy that he now thought as a friend. "Never better.
Remember Fleur? And that little girl she had to save during the Second Task
last year?"
Neville and Luna nodded.
"That's Gabrielle, Fleur's little sister. She's about to become the middle
child now as Apolline, their mother, is pregnant again. And this time, it's a
boy."
"That's great news!" Neville told him.
"I know!" Harry grinned.
"I hope your date went well too," Luna commented.
Both boys turned to stare.
"One day Luna, you have got to tell me how you do that," Harry told his blonde
friend.
Luna just gave him an enigmatic smile and patted his head.
===============================================================================
End of chapter
***** Conversations in the Great Hall *****
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Harry's days after the Hogsmeade weekend were dull and grey. It was not easy
exchanging letters with Rabastan, especially when one day Hedwig came back with
her wing almost broken. Harry was out of his mind with worry and the teen took
it up to Dumbledore. In turn the Headmaster found out that Umbridge had tried
to intercept Hedwig and the snow white owl had barely escaped through the
Forbidden Forest.
Flashback…
"One more month, Harry," Dumbledore told the teen. "That's all I can hope to
ask of you. Fudge will be booted out in about two weeks when the Wizengamot
will give him a vote of no confidence."
"It's happening?" the Gryffindor asked.
The Headmaster allowed for a small smug smile. "Yes, it is."
"I guess," Harry muttered. "At least Hedwig is okay and not in a worse shape.
I've left her with Hagrid; Ciel too."
"That's a wise move," Dumbledore approved.
Harry nodded and stood.
"Thank you sir."
"My door is always open Harry, please remember this," the old wizard urged the
teen.
Harry smiled. "I will."
…end Flashback
Neville slid next to Harry and started loading his plate with food. The Great
Hall was busy during lunch time.
"Hey, anything on Hedwig?" he asked.
Harry looked up. "Yes, Hagrid fixed her wing but I've decided not to use her
for a while."
Neville nodded. "Smart move."
"Can I use your owl to send a note?"
"To your boyfriend?" Neville teased. "The one you forgot me and Luna for?"
Harry blushed a bit. "We didn't mean to forget ourselves!"
Neville chuckled. "Relax Harry. I'm only teasing you. You're lucky your man is
so good. Does he have a problem with the whole 'Boy-Who-Lived' thing? He does
know now, right?"
The green eyed wizard nodded. "He made the connection between Harry and 'The
Harry Potter' during Hogsmeade weekend. He was like; he saw the scar, nodded,
kissed me and asked if I wanted cinnamon with my coffee."
"See? Lucky," Neville told him.
"Yes, I am," Harry agreed.
"Budge over," Lavender Brown told them as she came and sat down next to
Neville. Harry was seated at the end of the table and Neville was the closest
Gryffindor to him. Both teens were staring at Lavender.
"Lavender," Neville nodded at her.
"There's this strange rumour circulating the castle," the witch started. "It's
about that guy you greeted last week at Hogsmeade."
Two blank stares met her and she scoffed.
"Just tell me," she told them. "Was that really you Harry? Or are those Puffs
being petty pests again?"
"Lavender, it's none of your business," Harry told her.
The witch frowned, then quickly she smoothed her features. "Fine," she stood.
"I can find out from another source."
"Weasley won't tell you anything either," Neville told her, making her stop
short.
Ron heard his surname and looked up.
"It's none of his business and he knows nothing either," Neville told Lavender.
The witch snorted and left. Ron looked away again.
Harry took a peek at his once friend. He was still in limbo with both Hermione
and Ron. Neither of his friends had made a move to approach him since the day
they asked for time and space and Harry felt the gap had grown too big to ever
be healed. He had thought briefly that perhaps he should be the one to approach
them, talk to them or even feel the waters but his anger surfaced again and
that insecurity inside him that perhaps he was not good enough. Knowing he was
feeling vulnerable again Harry had written to Apolline for help (before Hedwig
got hurt). The witch had been adamant about Harry staying his ground. He had
made all the right moves about the situation, he had been truthful and
straightforward and the rest was up to them. If they were not making a move to
either terminate the bond or start over it was not Harry's fault. The teen took
those words to heart and found some solace. When Neville later read that letter
he took Apolline's side and told Harry not to go after them.
"He still hasn't come?" Neville asked Harry.
The green eyed wizard tore his gaze away from Ron.
"He was my first friend," he told Neville. "My very first friend."
"Doesn't stop him from being a prat. Last year he was being a jealous git,"
Neville commented.
A bitter smile appeared on Harry's face. "Yes, I guess that is it. It has been
three months."
"Given up on him?"
"He gave up on me first," Harry muttered. "Hermione too."
"She doesn't spend much time with him," Neville commented. "They fight more
too. They are not meant to be friends unless there's another to referee for
them."
"I try not to pay too much attention to them," Harry muttered. He did not want
to say that it hurt that his friends would let something like his preference
come between them. But apparently it had and now Harry was trying to stop
thinking of them as friends as it hurt even more. Neville, being the smart and
considerate youth that he was changed the subject into something less hurtful
for Harry.
o
o
o
Umbridge was unbearable and while Harry had followed the advice the Slytherin's
had given him and Neville in the start of the year, he felt the hate the witch
felt for him. It was almost obsessive and it turned Harry off his food. He
attempted a bite but soon pushed his plate away.
Luna was shooting him a worried look and Neville nudged him with his elbow.
Harry finally looked up at the two. "Sorry guys. I'm just not all that hungry."
"I thought Hedwig was fine?" Luna asked.
"She tried to take Ciel away," Neville confided to her in a low voice. "Just
yesterday."
"Was that the reason you were not at dinner?" Luna asked.
"Yes," Neville asked when it was obvious that Harry would not be answering. "We
had to go to the Headmaster's office." Neville looked around a bit and lowered
his voice even more. "She had even called McNair to school. She was not going
to send Ciel away; she wanted to put him down."
Harry was seething at the reminder and Luna reached over to calm him.
"Is he okay?" the witch asked.
"Dumbledore had to take him away from Hogwarts," Harry finally told her.
"Just hang in there," Neville told him.
Harry sighed. He knew it was not that big a deal. Considering that Ciel was not
harmed the teen did not mind all that much that the wolf was not right next to
him. What really got to Harry was that he now had not even that small
connection to Rabastan. He could not send letters save for that one letter he
had sent with Neville's owl and the short reply he had received back that
Rabastan could wait till the holidays as long as Harry did not mind. That made
the teen all warm and tingly inside and he had hoped that Ciel would take away
the edge of loneliness he felt without the older man. He was not granted even
that reprieve because of Umbridge and her made up rules. What small consolation
Harry had was that he at least had so far escaped a detention with the spiteful
witch. Others were not so lucky. Harry had seen the Twins, each of the two
separately, after a detention with the woman and he had mentioned this to
Neville. The Longbottom heir had been appalled.
"Harry! That's the result of a Blood Quill! They're banned!"
The green eyed wizard had sighed. "I want to help them but I really don't want
a detention with that… that… creature."
Neville had slouched as well.
"I might have a plan," Harry announced.
"I felt a shiver," Neville commented.
"When's our next Potions class?"
"Hm, tomorrow, second block, after Transfiguration."
"Thanks."
"Harry?"
"Yes Neville?"
"Don't get us expelled?"
Harry laughed. "I'm not going to rush in. I am just going to help the Twins. I
followed their movements. They did not go to the infirmary."
Neville did not ask how, just accepted that as fact.
"I'm going to help them heal. The least I can do," Harry explained to Neville.
And Harry, true to his word, did not rush in. he met with the Slytherin's and
subtly passed a note to Draco. Later that day the Weasley Twins got a detention
with Snape and that night, when they returned to Gryffindor tower there were no
words carved on the skin of their hands and they just hugged Harry joyously.
"You should be a Slytherin," was Luna's comment during breakfast the morning
after.
"I know," Harry replied. "The Hat was quite adamant but I will not let my life
be set by a piece of cloth," letting Luna and Neville gape at him.
o
o
o
Exactly two weeks later Dumbledore's words to Harry came true.
It was morning and the owls were just flying in with the morning post. Neville
got his paper first and his muttered 'about time' was the first clue for Harry.
"Anything interesting?" he asked the male Longbottom.
"Fudge got booted last night," Neville told him.
Harry smiled. "Finally. Your grandmother?"
"Voted against him as well. Actually everyone did except Malfoy and those like
him. Fudge never stood a chance." Neville commented. "Says here Susan's aunt is
in charge."
"Madam Bone?"
"Her."
"Good. I heard only good things about her," Harry admitted.
"Guess the first thing she did?" Neville asked almost teasingly.
Harry's mind was at a loss and Neville, taking pity on him, showed him the
paper. It was not front page news but it was in. Umbridge was no longer at
Hogwarts.
"That's brilliant!" Harry exclaimed.
"Thank you," Luna told them as she took a seat at the Gryffindor table.
The two teens looked up. Harry noted her new earrings, that were apparently
small, shiny spoons.
"Your earrings too," he told the witch, "But I originally meant this." He
showed her the paper.
Luna smiled. "Daddy got the notice as well. But he put it in the last page as
it was not as important as his breakthrough on the Heliopaths the Ministry
uses."
"May I borrow your copy?" Harry asked her instead of trying to figure out her
words.
"You still haven't gotten a subscription?" Neville wondered.
"I planned to but I keep forgetting," Harry apologized.
"I can do it for you," Luna offered.
"Please?" Harry was hopeful and the Ravenclaw nodded. "You're the best!"
"You know," Neville started. "It's only two weeks till Yule. Do any of you have
plans?"
"Mm, Daddy and I are going to the Easter Islands," Luna told them. "We are
searching for our next clue on Dancing Rock Dwarves."
"I know that one," Neville blinked. "It's a plant right? Good luck. It's rare
to see it in the wild."
"You'll be the only one returning with a tan," Harry told her.
"Thank you both," Luna told them.
"You Neville?" Harry asked.
"I'm visiting my parents," Neville blushed.
"I wish I could join you," Harry told him. "I'll have to ask."
"You don't have to," Neville protested.
"I want to," Harry stressed and Neville ducked his head.
"Anyone know who the newest DADA professor is going to be?" Luna asked.
The boys blinked.
"Someone has to teach, right?" Luna continued.
"She's right," Neville mused. "I wonder…"
"If there's truly a curse on the job then Remus won't be returning," Harry
sighed.
"Professor Lupin was good," Neville too mourned the fact that they lost a good
professor.
"Perhaps we'll learn today?" Harry hoped.
"You noticed that the Headmaster is not here this morning?" Luna pointed at the
head table with her blonde head.
"Just now," Harry admitted.
"I hope we know soon. We lost too much time because of Umbridge," Neville
sighed.
"And it's OWL year for you two," Luna cheerfully reminded them.
The teens groaned.
o
o
o
As it turned out the three friends and consequently the rest of the school were
able to learn the name of their new DADA professor as soon as Albus Dumbledore
returned to the school, and that was two days after the paper arrived in the
Great Hall. It was during breakfast that day that people started noticing that
the seat for the DADA professor was occupied by none other than Alastor Mad-Eye
Moody.
"No way!" the Twins yelled.
Malfoy looked a bit pale too, most of the Slytherin's were. Those who were in
the dark about what took place the year before were looking rather scared at
the old Auror. Harry merely raised an eyebrow and went to his seat, Neville
following behind him.
"I thought there was a curse," Neville muttered.
"There is," Harry agreed. "And Moody while our teacher for last year never
actually taught us."
Neville blinked. "You lost me."
"Luna's coming over," Harry told him. "I'll explain it to both of you soon
enough."
The chubbier teen of the two nodded in agreement.
Luna soon skipped up to them and greeted them cheerfully.
"Good morning boys!"
"Morning Luna," Harry smiled at the Ravenclaw witch. "Moody is the new DADA
teacher."
"Is he? What about last year?" the blonde girl asked.
"About that, Neville, I'm sorry?"
"What for?" the other teen asked Harry.
"Last year Moody was being impersonated by a Death Eater under Polyjuice."
Neville and Luna were left staring.
"Which one?" the Ravenclaw recovered first.
"He," Harry swallowed. "He escaped from Azkaban…"
"I thought Sirius was not…" Neville trailed off.
Harry knew what he meant and nodded. He had told Neville and Luna about his
godfather early on. "Not him," Harry agreed. "Barty Crouch Jr. though…"
The green eyed wizard had to stop as Neville became dangerously pale and looked
ready to keel over.
"Nev?" Harry asked.
"H-He… How?"
"First, know that he's dead," Harry told him.
Neville was still trembling but managed a nod. Then Harry proceeded telling him
the rest of it. Still, quite a few people had noticed the trouble with Neville
but it was Moody himself that approached Gryffindor table before the teens
stood to leave for classes.
"Everything alright here boys? And girl?" the Auror with the wooden leg asked
as soon as he was standing over them.
"Yes sir," Harry readily replied.
"I, yes, professor," Neville said. He was still pale and shaken.
"Harry was just telling us about last year."
"Yes, Albus mentioned that the name of that bastard was not released to the
school, Fudge's fault," the ex Auror grumbled. "Glad to be rid of that idiot.
Carry on then!" Moody told them before walking away.
o
o
o
Christmas came not early enough for Harry. Since the DADA position had been
taken up by Moody the classes continued at a normal pace. Mad Eye had made the
students work hard; running them ragged till Minerva and Filius both started
protesting in favour of the kids as the gap left because of the ministry lackey
had cause a fallback to the education. Those who had suffered most were those
sitting for their OWLs and NEWTs that year. Moody was a big believer of
practical theory and so at the end of his classes most were left weary and
sporting bruises and bumps.
It was natural that kids felt weary whenever DADA lessons were up.
That morning at Gryffindor table Neville and Harry both were pouting and Luna
almost laughing at them.
"It's just not fair!" Harry stressed.
"You are just being difficult, both of you," Luna told them. "Umbridge really
almost made you guys lose several grades with her 'wands away' schedule. I
really think she ought to be tested for Darmengumps." She nodded for emphasis.
"Luna?" Neville fought the small tick that wanted to appear on his forehead. He
loved Luna, he really did. She was a great friend, excellent company, had
humour and wit but her imagination left him and Harry wondering.
"Oh, you did not notice she was particularly grumpy and mean?"
"And Bitchy?" Harry cheerfully added.
"I heard a capital on that epithet," Neville mused.
"There was."
Luna giggled. "Oh you guys!"
"Come on Neville, our doom awaits!"
Luna giggled again as the boys stood from the table and headed for the exit of
the Great Hall ready to face their last day in Hogwarts before the holiday
break. The two Gryffindor's met with their Slytherin year mates on the way out
and as usual there was no bickering or jeering as those two groups met.
o
o
o
Up at the Head table Moody watched the scene with no small amount of suspicion
and surprise as yet another confrontation between Potter and Malfoy did not
happen.
Filius was humming next to the Auror. "There have been no fights between those
two this year."
"Is that true?" Moody asked.
The other professors were nodding.
"What I don't understand is how Longbottom and Lovegood replaced Weasley and
Granger," Sprout mused.
Sinistra was nodding and all the teachers turned to Minerva McGonagall and
Dumbledore himself.
"Harry… Mr. Potter," the Headmaster started. "Had an interesting summer and his
choices were not met with approval from the last two youths."
"They were immature brats, Weasley and Granger," Snape muttered derisively,
making most of the professor look wide eyed at the Potions Professor.
"I am sad to say that is true," Minerva mourned. "I don't think its going to be
mended any time soon."
Filius studied the son of the witch that had been his most favourite students
once upon a time. "I recall Sirius Black and James Potter had a similar falling
out. Wasn't it like two weeks?"
"Ah, yes," Dumbledore nodded. "I don't recall why though."
"Black came out of the closet and Potter was a brat. Evans hexed her future
husband pink for two days," Snape cheerfully supplied.
Most of the professor made the connection instantly and eyed the Boy-Who-Lived
and his friends with new eyes but none touched the subject.
Moody however got back on track. "I still don't like that Malfoy and Potter
are…"
"Cordial?" Filius offered.
"That."
"I for one don't miss the drama," McGonagall told them and her colleagues were
soon nodding.
o
o
o
Rabastan was restless.
The meetings Voldemort held were becoming more regular and the people who were
tortured during them, usually Muggle's too. Rabastan had tried to put a
distance between himself and these events. He tried not to let his distaste
show on his face during those hours. He let Bellatrix take the floor while he
claimed the shadows. As long as no raids took place Rabastan could hide and
pretend and hope to the deities that his lover never learned of the horrible
truth.
The escaped convict flopped back on the couch in the vast room he occupied in
Malfoy Manor and he closed his eyes. Rabastan felt suffocated. So much was
expected of him, from his own brother, from his relatives, from Voldemort
himself but all the wizard cared about was one teen sequestered in a Medieval
castle up in Scotland.
The door creaked open and Rodolphus sauntered in. He was fixing the sleeves of
his shirt, not yet wearing his robes over it.
"Still moping?"
Rabastan half heartedly lifted his head. "It's you. Do we have a meeting
tonight?"
"Unless he decides on a whim, no, we are free tonight."
Rabastan fell back on the bed. "Good. Now get out."
The other wizard shook his head and instead of leaving he climbed on the bed
and came to lie next to his brother.
"You know, you need to stop acting like a hormonal teen," he told his younger
sibling.
"Why are you here?" Rabastan demanded.
"Because being closed up in your room and moping like an idiot is so much fun
and needs concentration," Rodolphus snapped.
"Let me wallow in misery."
"What, your toy boy not pouting out?"
Rabastan groaned and it made his older brother chuckle.
"Was I right?" Rodolphus smugly demanded.
"We can't even write. The Ministry is being a pain, screening all owls,"
Rabastan admitted.
"Is he that good in bed? Because I can honestly tell you of several witches and
wizards that would love to grace your bed with only a look from you. If it's
frustration you feel I can call any of them over."
"Stop being a lecherous bastard."
"Our parents were married."
"Just… go?"
"Is my baby brother in love?"
"Follow that with baby talk and I'll poison you," Rabastan threatened.
"I'm being serious here."
"And I have no idea. What is love? I have certainly not felt it growing up.
Have you?"
"I think I have."
Rabastan actually looked at his sibling. "Bellatrix? Really?"
"I don't recall mentioning my wife's name," Rodolphus told him with a wry
smile.
Rabastan blinked. "Then who?"
"Who's your boy?"
The younger of the two fell silent.
"Fair point," Rabastan conceded. "Are you seeing them now?"
"No."
"Is it because of Bellatrix? I do not think she would realize."
"She doesn't matter. My time with them is over."
Rabastan nodded and accepted that.
Rodolphus rolled off the bed. "I'm heading downstairs. Do not miss out tonight.
Bella will be here and…"
"I know. I'll be down in a few minutes."
===============================================================================
End of chapter
***** Family Holiday *****
Chapter Summary
     It's Christmas and Harry's family gathers around him.
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Harry felt elation at the sight of the Kings Cross platform. It was the first
time he was getting away from Hogwarts before the school let out and the teen
was for once happy about this. Neville and Luna had been great company but he
really wanted to see his godfather again. In his last letter 'Snuffles' had
written him that Remus would be waiting for him at the Platform with a hot
surprise. Harry logically knew that it could not be Rabastan as Sirius did not
know his name or how to find him, so Harry's curiosity was big.
Once they disembarked, Harry met with Neville's grandmother. Augusta Longbottom
had come to take her grandson and the two Longbottom's would be taking Luna
along. From their house she was to Floo to hers. The green eyed wizard parted
with them there and as soon as they were gone he heard his name being called
first in English and then in French.
Harry's eyes went wide. "Apolline! Armand!"
"You forgot moi!" Gabrielle pouted as she ran to him and hugged him. The little
witch's parents and older sister were following after the blonde teen, along
with Remus, who for once wore new robes, without a tear or mend on them. His
face looked less tired too.
Harry, after every drop of life was squeezed out of him, was released by
Gabrielle only to be pulled into Apolline's arms. Her eight month baby belly
made for an awkward hug.
Armand took his turn next, Fleur followed and lastly Remus.
"How much you've grown," Apolline smiled and hugged Harry again.
"Apolline, he needs to breathe," Armand teased.
Harry's ears were burning.
"We had better get to a safer place," Remus cut in the greetings.
The green eyed wizard scrunched his face a bit. "Portkey?"
The werewolf smiled at Harry's grimace. "I'm afraid not Harry." None of them
ignored Harry's loud sigh of relief. "We are taking a Muggle taxi."
"Thank Merlin!" the Gryffindor admitted.
"I'll take the trunk," Armand said, already reaching to shrink Harry's luggage
and put it in his pocket. Hedwig was released and her cage had the same fate as
Harry's trunk. Gabrielle grabbed hold of Harry's arm. Chattering a mile a
minute, the little witch and Harry crossed the barrier and got to the Muggle
part of the train station, leaving behind the curious gazes of many of Harry's
classmates.
"I don't think we can all fit in one car," Harry commented.
"I go with 'Arry!" Gabrielle called out.
"Shall I chaperone them?" Remus asked the French couple.
"Be my guest," Armand told him while he steered Apolline to another car.
The group travelled all the way to Grimmauld Place, Remus all the while giving
directions to the driver while Harry and Gabrielle talked about the time spent
at their respective schools. The werewolf, when not paying attention to the
road, looked with wonder as the two teens talked animatedly. Harry talked
mainly English while the blonde witch used a mixture of mangled English and
French. Still, they seemed to get along pretty well and Remus could see plainly
that Gabrielle had a serious case of hero worship for Harry, but unlike Ginny
Weasley, she thought of Harry as an older brother and not a crush. They made a
very cute picture and once again the werewolf thanked whatever deity could hear
him that the Delacour's were the ones to spot Harry in Kings Cross the previous
summer and offered the green eyed youth a place in their home and in their
lives.
"Remus?" Harry asked his honorary uncle. "Everything alright?"
"Everything's fine Harry," Remus assured the teen. "I hope we are not late.
Your dogfather has been going stir crazy lately."
Harry snorted. "Oh, I'll bet."
"What's a 'dogfather'?" Gabrielle asked.
Harry, mindful of the Muggle present just winked at the little girl. "I'll let
you in on the secret later."
"D'accord!(Okay)" she chirped and settled against him again, starting to
describe her newest admirer back at Beauxbatons.
When they reached Sirius' house, Harry felt dread. He had not had the chance to
actually ask Remus who else would be at Grimmauld for the break. Gabrielle
happily tugged him towards the door. She and her parents had been told the
Secret earlier in the day and Harry was surprised to realize that the French
family would be actually staying at Grimmauld for the break.
"Sirius sent the invitations," Remus told Harry after he had taken care of the
taxi fare. "Come on now."
Harry entered the Black home with dread. And he was right too. A huge black dog
bowled over him as soon as he was in the hall.
"Unchienéenorme! (A huge dog) " Gabrielle exclaimed with glee. Then she seemed
horrified. "It could eat my cat!"
"Sirius," Remus sternly called out his best friends name and the dog gave a
bark, before he transformed into a man and continued hugging a flustered Harry.
"Siri! Did you have to lick me?" Harry whined.
"Oh! Pup, lighten up. Apolline! My beauty! You are back. And so is your
husband!"
"Sirius," Apolline grinned. "I am a married, heavily pregnant witch."
"And I am married to a part Veela," Armand, ever the charming male, reminded
the escaped convict.
"I had to try," Sirius told them with a roguish grin on his face.
Gabrielle went and poked the last male Black.
If possible, Sirius' grin got wider. "Hello princess Gabrielle!"
"Keep away from my Jiselle!" Gabrielle warned Sirius.
"Hey! I'm not a real dog! I don't chase cats," the Animagus defended himself.
The little witch kept pouting at Sirius who kept trying to cheer the girl up.
"Welcome home Harry," Remus told the teen.
The smile that lit Harry's face spoke volumes.
===============================================================================
It was the best Christmas ever, Harry had decided after spending a week in
Grimmauld Place with Sirius, Remus and the Delacour family, Fleur included.
While Harry was away at Hogwarts Sirius somehow got Kreacher to actually help
him fix up the house. It was still dark and ominous, but the dark wooden floors
were shining, the tapestries were impeccable, the furniture looked brand new,
the spider webs were gone, along with the Boggart that had occupied the
cupboard in the sitting room. Most of the darkest objects were removed from
easily accessible places and the bedrooms were all renovated. The elf heads
were gone as well, pictures of Sirius and his parents put up instead. Some of
Regulus Black were up too. It was a different house that Harry returned to and
the Gryffindor preferred it that way. Apolline approved too. She and Armand had
been given a room and Gabrielle stayed in her own room next to theirs on the
first floor. Harry had been moved permanently to Regulus' old room. A huge
Christmas tree took up much of the space in the family room and with Harry
chasing after Gabrielle and her kitten and Ciel and Hedwig joining in, it was a
happy house. Most of the stuffy portraits complained, but when laughter sounded
through the house not even Walburga's portrait complained.
Number 12 Grimmauld Place was also very busy. While none of the Weasley's had
been invited to stay over, Harry saw the oldest of the bunch. Arthur was a
frequent guest, so was Molly, whenever an Order meeting took place. Sometimes
Harry also caught sight of Bill too. Sirius' cousin, Tonks was a frequent
addition and Gabrielle's favourite as the female Auror paid attention to the
young witch and her cat Jiselle. Fleur was over almost every day and she had
spent the night a couple of times. She also met Bill once when an Order meeting
took place and tried to avoid looking at the handsome Auror that went by
Kingsley. The Order, whenever the members met, stuck only in the area of the
kitchen and the members did not wander to the rest of the house, and Harry
preferred it that way.
===============================================================================
Malfoy Manor…
===============================================================================
The fireplace cracked again and Rabastan looked up from the book he was
reading. The family room he was currently in was one of the smallest and not
blatantly opulent as other rooms in this house. His brother and their host,
Lucius, were gathered over a chess board, the two men deeply focused on their
game. Rabastan was willing to bet that some kind of wager was involved as those
two were seldom so focused on their games. Narcissa was on a couch next to the
one he was occupying, deeply engrossed in her own book. Draco was at one of his
friends and Bellatrix had been sent somewhere along with Avery and Yaxley and
for that Rabastan was truly grateful.
It was the first Yule celebration the Lestrange siblings were able to attend in
years. The festive atmosphere, the good food and company (Bellatrix excluded in
Rabastan's case) had done wonders to chase away even the last remnants of
prison from the two men. The only downside was the frequent calls from the Dark
Lord for his 'most loyal' as he frequently dubbed them. Rabastan's branded arm
was constantly burning and aching and it was bothering the wizard. So far,
Rabastan had refrained from making any comments against the Dark Lord or the
pureblood mentality, but he had seen his older sibling shooting him suspicious
looks. One time, Draco had caught him reading an article written about Potter
that had Rabastan scowling at the author and not the subject of her ridicule.
It was then that Lucius' mini clone admitted that the rest of the Gryffindor's
and the majority of the school were shunning the Boy Who Lived, but Potter had
developed relations with a couple of Ravenclaw's and a truce bordering on
friendship with the Slytherin's. What Rabastan discerned from those words was
that not all Slytherin's dreamed of a life of servitude under an insane
megalomaniac and that Draco himself did not want to follow in his father's
footsteps. The Azkaban escapee almost dreaded the day when Draco revealed those
intentions to his family. After all, the day the Dark Lord would ask for the
younger generation to be Marked, was approaching steadily.
"Check mate," Lucius drawled.
Rabastan looked up a bit and saw his brother glaring murderously at their host.
"You smug bastard," Rodolphus hissed.
"It's a matter of superiority, my friend. Some minds are simply better than
others," Lucius replied, looking down his nose at his opponent.
"Now, now," Narcissa looked up from her book. "You are grown wizards…"
"Some victories need gloating," Lucius informed his wife.
Narcissa arched one of her delicate eyebrows. "And what was the bet this time
around?"
"I just got back our summer house in Marseilles, France," her husband gloated.
"Well done dear," the witch commented. "It only took you fifteen or so years."
Rabastan and Rodolphus started sniggering their mirth while Lucius looked
scandalized that his wife was ganging up on him with their guests.
"Narcissa! He was in Azkaban."
"Excuses, excuses," Rodolphus teased the blond wizard. He mock sighed. "I'll
miss that cottage; but I have the chalet in the Alps to keep me warm."
Narcissa blinked. "What in the Alps?"
Lucius paled. "I can explain!"
Rabastan buried his face in the book again to hide his amused grin.
Yes, definitely the best holidays he had ever lived. And he had free
entertainment as well. Life was good.
===============================================================================
No12GrimmauldPlace…
===============================================================================
Remus was exhausted after yet another full moon and a particularly hard
transformation. The werewolf had been suffering from a cold and Sirius was
teasing his friend.
"Honestly, Remus, I've never seen a werewolf sneeze," Sirius was smirking.
Armand chortled. "I do not think anyone ever has."
"It's not that funny!" the werewolf protested. "I'm in pain here!"
Apolline, kept a safe distance away from Remus lest she caught his cold, looked
worried. "Did you take some 'Pepper-Up'?"
"Yes, two doses already. My healer reckons that I will suffer a bit," Remus
informed her.
"Not as young as you used to be, heh old wolf?" Sirius mocked while he patted
his best friend's shoulder.
Remus glared the dog Animagus. "You are four months older than me."
Sirius recoiled. "Lies! All lies!" he declared. "I'm young."
"You have the mentality of a child true," Harry chose that moment to enter.
"And stop calling Remus old will you?"
"Harry! You are my godson!"
"Yes, but Remus can still kick my ass when we duel. You hardly try to graze
me," Harry told his godfather.
"You wound me!"
"Sirius?" Armand spoke up.
"Yes?"
"The heart is the other way."
"I knew that!"
The people in the room laughed, Remus too, though he ended up coughing.
Harry sighed and shot the werewolf a pitying look. "You look a mess. Shouldn't
you lie down for a bit?"
"I feel rather miserable but I have to eat," Remus replied.
"Go! Rest!" Harry bossed his former professor. "I'll make some soup and have
Kreacher deliver it or bring it up myself, okay?"
Remus hesitated a bit but Harry stared hard, standing his ground until the
older wizard relented.
After the werewolf had left for his room Harry tracked down the house elf to
ask him to cook. Kreacher liked Harry considerably better than Sirius for some
reason and readily agreed to make the soup while Harry now had time to reply to
the letter Rabastan had sent him. He returned to the kitchen only to be
accosted by Sirius. The man was bored and without Remus to hold him back he
decided to pester his godson. Apolline and Armand were still in the kitchen,
the witch nursing a beverage of some sort that helped sooth her aching back and
feet.
"Oh! Another letter from your mysterious beau?" Sirius asked as he dropped down
into a chair next to Harry.
"Can you let me read my letter in peace?" his godson asked.
"Did he write you an embarrassing poem?"
"No!" Harry replied. His lover was not one for poetry. That did not mean that
the letters were not embarrassing. The contents were rather intimate and
graphic and as Sirius leaned closer to peek, Harry's face blushed. "Siri!" he
whined.
"Come on! Let your old man have some fun! I'm on the run you know. I cannot
just go to the theatre! Or even a Quidditch game!"
"Not convinced," Harry responded.
"Come on Harry!"
"No!"
Sirius gave him a wicked grin. "I know some pretty embarrassing stories of you.
I even have pictures!"
Harry glared. "You are bluffing."
"I have one particularly detailed photo of you, butt naked, playing with soap
bubbles."
Harry glared harder before stopping and smirking. "Okay!"
"Really?"
Harry handed the latest letter to his godfather. The green eyed wizard knew
when Sirius reached the part where Rabastan described exactly what he wanted to
do to Harry and how.
"My eyes! My eyes!" Sirius yelled, relinquishing the letter to the rightful
owner. "Pup! You are too young to be doing those things!"
"The ones described in paragraph three or the ones in five?"
"I did not get to finish paragraph three even!" Sirius yelled. He grabbed Harry
in a bone crashing hug. "You're still a baby!"
"Sorry to disappoint you," Harry murmured in his godfather's bony chest, "But I
was potty trained by age two."
Sirius sniffed a bit. "Not fair!"
"Ack! Siri! Air!"
The Animagus released the teen with a pout. Then he lost the silly expression
and pinned Harry with a serious look.
"You are really okay with that older guy? Because all I need is one word and…"
"Siri!" Harry laughed. "We are okay."
"Good. And next time, ignore me when I'm a prat, okay? Or warn me! I might get
a heart attack!"
Harry chuckled. "Fine," he agreed. "Can I write down my reply now?"
"Sure, sure," Sirius waved him off. "I'll go read a book or something."
Apolline, Armand and Harry, all stared at Sirius.
"I can read you know," the ex convict muttered as he stalked off.
"Baiting Sirius," Harry sighed. "My new favourite sport."
The spouses from France laughed.
===============================================================================
"Presents!" Sirius exclaimed.
The only other person in the room that was happy about the early rise was
Gabrielle. The witch was already at the tree, separating the presents into
piles depending on the recipient. Apolline was half asleep and Armand had led
her to a sofa and covered the still dozing witch with a quilt. Remus was on
another couch, trembling and shivering despite the two blankets and extra
warming charm on them. Harry and Fleur were both half asleep and half awake.
They had gotten to bed only two hours before Sirius and Gabrielle barged in
their respective rooms to rouse them. Ciel was spread out in front of the lit
fireplace dozing despite the ruckus and Jiselle was lying against his belly,
also asleep.
"That should teach you to stay up late," Sirius told the two youths even as he
poured a generous cup of coffee for each of them.
"My precious," Harry sighed as he caressed the cup.
Fleur moaned. "I missed you so," she muttered into the cup.
Armand chuckled. "You two… Where did you go?"
"Dante's Playhouse," Harry replied.
Sirius yelped. "That place is still open?"
Harry hummed.
"It was amazing," Fleur agreed.
"We were dancing most of the night," Harry told the adults in the room.
"Just the two of you?" Armand asked.
"Girl's night out; of sorts?" Sirius teased.
"I can still hex you," Harry threw a half hearted glare at his godfather.
"With one eye?" the dog Animagus continued.
Then he yelped and just caught Fleur putting her wand away.
"Siri," Remus muttered. "Shut up. Let's just open the presents."
"Yup, then we can go back to bed," Harry agreed.
"Okay!" Sirius gave in. "I got one here for Armand."
Harry nursed his coffee and by the time all the presents were opened he had
finished a second cup but still needed sleep. Still, Harry enjoyed the presents
he got that year. From Armand and Apolline he got a camera that could take both
magical and Muggle photos. From Gabrielle he got a nice collar for Ciel and
from Fleur a couple of toys to spice up his sex life with Rabastan. Remus gave
him a very nice book on defence magic (DefenceforTheGrey:
AlltheBorderlineCursestheMinistryApproves) and Sirius gave him his very own
enchanted bike to ride only after he got his Apparation license. Luna sent him
a subscription to the Quibbler and a book on fantastical beasts in the Magical
world (BeastsandCreaturesSeenandUnseen:TheAnthology). From Neville he received
a very nice plant (It's a Dream Daisy, crumble the flowers and make tea. Works
better than Dreamless Sleep Potion). Dumbledore had sent him another present
that year, a book this time (WhatEveryYoungWizardShouldKnow:
LovingaWizardandKeepingYourselfSafe). Finally from his lover he got a book
(AnimaMagus:AguidetoSoulMagic) with an inscription inside (It is not exactly
Ministry approved Harry so don't leave it lying around love), a new pillow for
Ciel in a deep purple colour, and a cute snake like earring to wear on his ear
and finally a small lion figurine with a note.
"What's that pup?" Sirius asked.
"Portkey," Harry replied. "For tonight."
"Hm, have fun then."
"I will," the youth replied.
"Ick! Harry! No details!" Sirius complained.
Harry laughed. He thanked everyone in the room for the presents they gave him.
Then he braced himself for Gabrielle. He had gotten a nice white-gold chain
necklace for her with various charms that had the girl squealing. To Fleur he
gifted a French-English dictionary with flirt lines and pick up lines only that
had the witch laughing, and a pair of earrings that had her hugging him to
death. For Apolline he got a photo album for the baby and a nice bracelet for
her. The first picture for the album was one of all the people in Grimmauld
that morning. To Armand Harry bought an expensive brandy and a letter opener
that could also detect curses, the latter of which the wizard had a habit of
collecting. To Remus, Harry had given a set of robes and to Sirius he got a
book (HowtobeanOlderBrother/Father/Godfatherandnotmaketheladhateyou:
Do'sandDon'ts). Then he got Ciel his own bone, Jiselle a scratching post and
for Hedwig a mouse-toy to hunt and play with. For Neville he had given a book
for lack of any imagination (110WaystoDefend:
Spells,PotionsandPlantsusedinDuels) and a picture he found of Lily and Alice
from their students days, both witches smiling over a book. Harry sent Luna a
pair of earrings shaped like shooting stars that sparkled and moved like real
stars and a book on Muggle fairytales (AliceinWonderland). He had also sent a
little something to Draco Malfoy, a collection of expensive chocolates, for his
help that year and made a mental note to send Dumbledore some lemony sweets in
return for the book, or perhaps a pair of socks with lemon drops on them. To
Hermione and Ron he decided not to buy anything as the pair had not even said
anything to him the entire year. However he still bought a present for each of
the Weasley twins, a gift certificate from Zonko's.
"Alright there Harry?" Sirius asked his godson.
"Hm. I'll be more responsive after a few more hours of sleep, but I'm happy
Siri."
The escaped convict drew the teen for a hug. "I'm happy as well," he told the
boy. He ruffled Harry's mop a bit and went to help Remus when the werewolf
started sneezing.
"Masters' Harry," Kreacher appeared with a 'pop' next to Harry's spot.
Harry tried not to show how startled he was. "Yes Kreacher?"
"The paper."
"Thank you," Harry replied as he reached for it. He scanned the titles almost
bored when he caught sight of something. "No way!"
"Harry?" Fleur looked towards him.
A huge grin formed on Harry's face.
===============================================================================
Umbridge Booted From Hogwarts!
by Miranda Sparrows
Yesterday evening Ministry employee and High Inquisitor of Hogwarts School for
Witchcraft and Wizardry was caught red handed using a Blood Quill as punishment
on a Hufflepuff student.
The Aurors were called in immediately by Pomona Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff
House, and Headmaster Dumbledore to the school and apprehended the witch.
The student was carted off to St. Mungo's Hospital to undo the damage done from
the dark artefact and twenty more Hogwarts students followed soon after for
similar treatment.
As our readers know, and those who do not, Blood Quills are considered a
torture device and thus banned from use unless used in formal functions to sign
contracts...
For the full story see page 3
For the biography of Mrs. Umbridge see page 7
For the Ban on Blood Quills see page 7
For The Statements of Parents see page 8
"YES!" Harry yelled. "This is the best Christmas ever!"
===============================================================================
That evening…
===============================================================================
Rabastan was most anxious for Harry to arrive. He had not planned to actually
see the youth during the break but as he had finished his latest task for the
Dark Lord already, something to do with the Department of Mysteries; he decided
to escape Malfoy Manor for a few hours and the company of his sister in law.
Rodolphus said not a word to him, content to just have one of the family escape
his wife's madness. Rabastan had managed to procure the exclusive use without
anyone to pester him to the chalet in the Alps and two Portkeys, one for him
and one for his lover. He already wore one of the present's Harry had bought
for him, a thin chain made of white gold, holding a small charm in the shape of
a jackal, laden with anti-theft charms and protective enchantments to keep the
wearer safe. It was a thoughtful gift and he found mirth in the fact that he
had done the same with the earring he had given to Harry. He kind of hoped that
the teen would be wearing it tonight.
The clock chimed and with a swirl of colour Harry James Potter appeared in a
heap in the middle of the sitting room.
"Bloody Portkeys!" the teen swore as he picked himself up from the floor.
Rabastan could not help the chuckle that escaped him.
Harry spotted him and a pout formed on his face. "Hey! It's not funny! These
things are evil!"
The older wizard approached confidently and kissed his younger lover on the
lips. "Happy holidays love. And as you celebrate the Muggle celebration, I
believe a 'Merry Christmas' is in order?"
"You are pagan?" Harry asked.
Rabastan nodded. "I celebrate Yule."
"Happy Yule then?"
The escaped convict smiled. "Thank you Harry." He brushed his lips against his
lover's and when he pulled back he noticed a sparkling earring hanging from
Harry's left ear.
"Do you like it on me?" Harry asked. "I asked Armand to do the honours."
"The Delacour's are here?"
"Hm, all four and a half of them."
"The half is the baby?" Rabastan guessed.
"Hm."
"I love the earring," the older of the two admitted. He gently flicked the
earring with a finger and then placed his mouth under it and sucked on Harry's
neck.
"Rabastan!" the teen spluttered.
"I missed you."
Harry moaned as his lover started teasing his nerve endings. His neck was a
particularly erogenous zone for him and the older wizard knew it. As Harry's
head lolled to the side, Rabastan started leaving marks on the pale,
unblemished skin, making the teen quite vocal in his appreciation.
"D-don't I- oh!- get a tour?" Harry panted as he tried to pry Rabastan from his
neck.
"Hm, sitting room, three bedrooms one bathroom each, kitchen, den, storage
room," the wizard recited.
"Um… don't I at least get a bedroom?"
"That wall seems sturdy?" Rabastan offered.
"Oh, Merlin, you're impossible!"
"I missed you," the older wizard admitted.
Harry kissed his chin. "I missed you too."
He kissed Rabastan again. This time on the mouth, his tongue darting out and
teasing Rabastan's into action. The older wizard took the bait and the two
stood in the middle of the room teasingly arousing each other till Rabastan
pushed Harry back a bit.
"Have you eaten anything?" he asked.
"Rabastan?"
"Yes?"
"Shut up," Harry told him even as he pulled the older wizard to him and kissed
him hungrily. He wanted to hide it but he had missed Rabastan terribly. Never
before had he felt such need for another person. Whenever he was away from this
man his entire being missed him. The few letters they managed to exchange and
the fewer meetings they had had since they left France. It just was not enough.
Harry had no idea if that was what relationships were like. And were he and
Rabastan anything at all? They certainly were not boyfriends, right? Lover?
Fuck buddies? Had they not agreed to part ways that summer? Yet they kept
getting together and during those moments Harry was just so happy. And it was
not the sex the teen was craving, well, his body craved it, but Harry just
wanted to be in the same room with Rabastan and he felt chipper. He did not
know many things about the older man save the little insignificant details,
while Rabastan had later found out his real identity. Harry felt a bit
vulnerable with the older man and so much more confident and cherished even
though there had been no declarations of passion or love. Should he really be
like this? Was he overly clingy? Was it the excitement of the first
relationship?
A sharp bite on his non pierced ear and a softly uttered "Harry" brought the
green eyed wizards attention back into the real world.
"Mm?"
Rabastan caressed the teen's smooth and hair free cheek with the back of his
hand. "Whatever you are thinking now, can wait until much, much later."
"Okay."
And Rabastan was all over him again, kissing and groping and Harry let him take
the lead. Any thoughts he had could wait for later, when he would be back at
Grimmauld alone again and away from Rabastan's intoxicating presence.
===============================================================================
End of chapter
***** Ottery St. Catchpole *****
Chapter Summary
     Harry's world comes crashing down arround him in the middle of a
     battle field.
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Hogwarts…
Hogwarts sure was noisy and Harry liked it.
It was the first week back and Umbridge's reign in the school a distant memory.
Alastor Moody, the real one this time around, came back with a vengeance after
the short break and seemed gleeful as he tortured/taught the students of the
school defence. The Slytherin's were suffering a bit more in his classes but so
was the rest of the school. Harry and his now close friends, Luna and Neville,
and his standoffish enemies, namely Draco Malfoy and his friends, were meeting
outside of classes and bantering back and forth to the growing concern of their
DADA professor.
Most Gryffindor's were trying to get back into Harry's good graces after the
Prophet's very public and not all that heartfelt apology. Madam Bones had been
adamant that for that rag of a paper to continue running they should apologize
for the libel they heaped on the underage wizard, Skeeter at the forefront.
Harry had only held distaste for the house mates and other students that seemed
to think of him suddenly as a friend again and he did his best to ignore them.
Luna's caustic comments and smart puns were lost on most of the student body
but still kept Harry and Neville entertained.
On Hermione and Ron's front, the two Gryffindor's now only acted as passing
acquaintances. On the second week back Harry stumbled across Ron and Lavender
Brown snogging in the middle of Gryffindor tower. Hermione seemed to be
seething in her corner and the Twins were mocking their brother for his
behaviour. Ginny seemed to be over the fact that he was gay, as her letter to
him over Yule indicated but she still made no move to contact him publicly,
choosing to support Hermione silently and barely meeting Harry's eyes. The
young Potter did not mind and that feeling of missing them had diminished now.
Harry went back to exchanging letters with Rabastan and Ciel was again prancing
near his legs, never too far from him, making his mood lift. Also, letters from
France came more often to Harry, both from the Delacour parents and Gabrielle,
bringing news from Beauxbatons, Armand's news about his work and favourite
sports teams and then again Fleur's letters from Britain, bringing news on her
new life, her odd boss and strange days at work, carrying humour and caustic
remarks that had Harry chuckling.
The most joyous subject concerning his favourite family was about Apolline's
pregnancy coming to an end and the birth of her baby boy. Emilien Anri
Delacour, born in January 8th, weighing 2.8 kilos and was just 30 centimetres
long. Harry could not wait to meet him, especially since Apolline and Armand
asked the teen to be godfather to their bundle of joy. Harry had been touched
and rather ecstatic and he had spent hours cooing at the photos with Neville
and Luna. At some point McGonagall had been a bit worried about the three and
when she saw the reason she congratulated Harry with a smile on her face. The
three friends had a mini celebration that day in the kitchens.
Through Harry, Luna and Neville also learned more about the part Veela that had
turned heads during the Triwizard Tournament and already Neville and Harry were
making plans for the summer, intent on going to France at some point. They
hardly realized when February came and with it their first Hogsmeade weekend of
the year.
Harry, Luna and Neville ('The New and Improved Golden Trio' as the Hogwarts
rumour mill referred to when talking about them) were seated in a spot at the
Ravenclaw table. Harry had passed the latest letter from Fleur to them.
Apolline had needed a Healer as her body was tired and fatigue continued to
plague the witch. And then there was Rabastan's letter, asking for their date,
the one they had decided on during Christmas, to be postponed due to an urgent
business he had to attend to and just like that Harry's face fell. His
Gryffindor year mate was the first to notice his change in mood.
"What happened?" Neville asked.
"My plans for Hogsmeade weekend are now officially null, history," Harry
pouted. "And I was so looking forward to it!"
"Stop pouting and tell us what you had planned with your man?" Luna nudged him.
"A day out, lunch, a walk…You know, the usual."
"Unless it includes snogging then you already left the interesting part out,"
Neville teased Harry, making him blush and Luna giggle.
"Shut it," Harry muttered, pointedly ignoring his year mate and focusing on his
letter. The quirk of his lips told that his ire was not real and Neville smiled
back.
Luna, ever her calm self, offered a surprisingly good plan. "I could get
permission from my Head of House and then all three of us can go to visit my
father." She gave her blonde locks a twirl and a twist with her fingers. "You
could even see a Quibbler issue in the making!"
The two Gryffindor's looked at each other before nodding.
"Where do you publish your newspaper?" Neville asked her.
"From home. We live in Ottery St. Catchpole," Luna replied.
"Near the Burrow," Harry realized.
Neville was nodding. "And in Devon. We'll need to catch a train."
"Or the Knight Bus," Luna piped up.
"You are really smart," Neville told her.
She gave him a smile and a pat on the arm. "I am in Ravenclaw."
"Sorry if we keep forgetting," Harry told her.
"I forgive you," Luna replied seriously.
===============================================================================
Ottery St. Catchpole
===============================================================================
In the end Flitwick gave them permission to use the Knight Bus to get to Ottery
St. Catchpole and only there to visit with Luna's father and see how the
Quibbler was published. The Charms professor had thought it a brilliant and
educational idea and it took little to persuade him. He got McGonagall and
Dumbledore to agree and after a brief talk with Xenophilius Lovegood the three
teens were allowed their trip.
Soon after having breakfast on the Hogsmeade Saturday, McGonagall told them the
Bus would be waiting at Hogsmeade, outside the Three Broomsticks for them. The
ride was bumpy, but that was nothing new and all three of them were happy to
get out of the bus in one piece and with the contents of their stomachs were
they belonged.
"Merlin I hate the bus," Neville muttered.
But Harry's mind was elsewhere. "It's beautiful."
Neville turned around and faced the view of the small village. It was not big,
certainly smaller than Hogsmeade. It consisted of a small square with a modest
fountain and around it stood in no particular order stores and modest houses.
"We will use the public Floo at Nana Allie's," Luna told them. "She owns a
small pub here."
"Lead the way," Neville told her and Luna happily skipped in front of them.
As for Harry, he trailed after his true friends, with his eyes taking in the
sights. He had seen Diagon Alley, parts of Knockturn, Hogsmeade and the streets
of the magical parts of Paris but this was a new place, still blatantly magical
and still picturesque enough to pique Harry's interest.
"I love magical towns," the green eyed teen told the other two. He was almost
bouncing on his feet.
"Come on," Neville urged him. "We can check the place out later."
"Daddy's expecting us," Luna commented.
===============================================================================
Luna's house, defied logic, much like the Burrow did when he first laid eyes on
it, Harry decided when the three friends reached it. They arrived by Floo but
Luna insisted they go out to see the rook-like house from the outside before
going back in for a tour of the house. Like most wizarding buildings, it was
bigger on the inside despite the misgivings the outward appearance gave. It had
three floors, plus a very large and expansive cellar that held all the
equipment needed to print TheQuibbler. It was homey, it was messy and it was
chaotic in a rather orderly way. Finally it was so much like Luna that Harry
could not help but love the place.
Xenophilius ("Call me Xeno lads") Lovegood was even odder than his daughter if
that were possible. He was quite hospitable though, seemed to like him and
Neville and was delighted that someone was actually interested to see how his
newspaper was being published. He happily gave all three teens a tour and
shared all the process that went with making a newspaper. Later, after the tour
the three teens were gathered up in Luna's room, the two wizard raised teens
teaching Harry a popular Magical Board Game at Neville's insistence ("You don't
know what Cauldrons and Scales is?").
"Kids?" Xeno appeared in the doorstep, dressed in his orange and yellow outfit,
ink staining his hands. "It's near dark."
"You are right daddy," Luna sighed. "We should be getting to town."
The teens all rose from their spots on the comfortable floor and with heartfelt
goodbyes they took the Floo, ready to return to Ottery St. Catchpole's main
street and take the Knight Bus from there.
===============================================================================
Ottery St. Catchpole was a bit different after dark. The main square was
usually all lit up; with people still coming and going was much like any Muggle
village, except from the blatantly obvious magical occurrences every now and
then. But not that night.
As the three friends stumbled out of the fire place at Nana Allie's pub, they
found the pub unusually silent.
"Nana?" Luna called out.
"It's too quiet in here," Neville said with a shiver.
Harry walked past the Floo room and stopped short. "Guys, don't come in here."
"Harry?" Luna asked.
"Is there any Floo powder on the mantle?" the green eyed wizard asked.
Neville and Luna looked around only to find the powder all over the floor.
"A handful tops," Neville replied. "Barely enough for one person. Maybe a Floo
call, but that's it."
"Shit," Harry muttered.
"Harry?" Neville walked up to his friend.
Harry tried to cut Neville off, but the other teen was bulkier and taller than
Harry. And he was able to see the gruesome view his friend tried to shield him
from.
Neville went a bit green. "Oh, Merlin!"
"Nev?" Harry worriedly pulled the teen back out of the main room. "I…I am sorry
you saw that. We cannot get through there."
"I am calling daddy," Luna told them.
The blonde witch was on the floor, scooping up the Floo powder and the other
two hurried to help.
Luna threw the powder in the lit fireplace. "Crumple-Horned Snorkack's Nest!"
She called out.
Xeno's face appeared in the hearth. "Luna?"
"Daddy, we have a problem," the Ravenclaw started.
"What kind?"
"We are at Nana Allie's pub and there are bodies lying around all over,"
Neville said.
Xeno's face seemed horrified. "I'm coming through!"
The teen stepped back, but after a struggle, Xeno gave up. "Floo access is
blocked. I bet Apparation too."
"This is bad," Harry muttered. "We really should not be here. How far is your
house Luna?"
"What crackpot idea you cooked up?" Neville asked his fellow Gryffindor.
"Well, magical means are out," Harry told them. "Our legs are still working.
Standard disillusionment spells and we simply run." He stared at each of them
before turning to Xeno. "Sir?"
"I'll meet you half way. After I alert the Aurors and Hogwarts," Luna's father
told them. He turned his disembodied head to look at his daughter. "Good luck."
The teens were left staring at the embers.
Neville cleared his throat. "So…"
"We run," Luna stated.
"Is there another exit?" Harry asked the witch.
She shook her head. "As long as we do not join the dead, I do not mind," she
told Harry.
The green eyed wizard winced. "It's not pretty," he warned as he gave in. there
really was no other way.
The three left the room with the Floo connection and entered the main room.
Harry tried not to look at the bodies too much. They all moved around the
debris and the fallen and they felt relief once they reached the pub door. No
one said anything about the tears that had pooled in Neville's eyes and the
tears running down Luna's cheeks or how Harry had bitten his lips hard enough
to bleed. Once they opened the door to the pub the quiet was shattered.
The screaming, the noise of buildings on fire and spells took the three by
surprise.
"We stick together," Neville told Harry.
"Wands out," Luna said as she took hers out. Neville and Harry followed her
example.
The other Gryffindor nodded. They all tried to keep close as they ran through
the burning town. There were not many witches or wizards out, only Death Eaters
and a rapidly growing number of Aurors that had turned the entire village into
a battleground.
"There's a path after the grocers!" Luna yelled at them, taking the lead. They
all ran towards the general direction of the river, trying to ignore the
crossfire. At some point they had to use spells against the Death Eaters so
they could get past them.
"Too many!" Neville yelled after he stupefied someone.
"Don't stop!" Harry yelled to him. "Expelliarmus!"
"Stupefy!" Luna cast.
They ducked just in time to miss a blasting curse that blew apart an entire
wall.
"They noticed us!" Harry was horrified to realize that at least two Death
Eaters had been following them. One of them was not even wearing a mask and
Harry guessed it was one of the escaped ones. "Hurry!" he urged his two
friends.
"Harry?" a very familiar Auror saw them run past.
"Tonks!" Harry exclaimed as he stopped short.
"Crucio!"
"AvadaKedavra!"
Harry and Tonks ducked out of the way while Neville and Luna kept running,
looking back only to see the other two had not been hit.
"Keep going!" Harry yelled at his two friends. They looked about to argue but
the Death Eaters had advanced on him and Tonks.
"How on earth did you get here?" the bubblegum haired witch asked.
"Hogsmeade weekend," Harry responded.
"This is Ottery St. Catchpole," the Auror told him.
"Tonks, not the time! Stupefy!"
"Agreed," the witch replied and released a spell chain her opponent
unfortunately dodged. "Harry, are you any good with spells?"
"Yes?"
"Don't just stupefy, if you can, blast them apart," Tonks told him.
Harry barely dodged another Unforgivable. He recovered and
aimed."Conjunctivitis!"
There was a cry of surprise and Tonks followed his curse with one of her own.
Their opponents were down to one.
"Protego!" Tonks yelled and a nasty yellow beam aimed at Harry stopped.
The Gryffindor took his turn. "Reducto!"
"Deprimo!" Tonks cast at a wall and drew Harry down as it blew apart and pieces
landed on the Death Eater.
"Expelliarmus!"Harry continued and a wand flew toward him.
Tonks stupefied the second Death Eater and conjured ropes to tie both of them
up before getting the extra wand from Harry.
"We make a good team," she told the teen. "Now why are you here?"
"Field trip, Flitwick and McGonagall let us see Luna's father. We came out from
a public Floo about to take the Knight Bus back to Hogwarts but everyone was
dead. We contacted Xeno and he the Aurors and the school. Neville and Luna are
on their way back, on foot."
"Yes, anti-Portkey and anti-Floo wards have been cast all over town, the second
by the Aurors lest any Death Eaters escape," Tonks commented.
"And trapping us in," Harry groaned.
"We were not exactly expecting any survivors," Tonks admitted.
There was a particularly loud boom in the distance. They both winced.
"Listen, Harry I need to…"
"Do your job," Harry smiled at her. "Go."
"You, buddy, are coming along."
"But Neville and Luna…"
"Are probably out of town and away from danger."
"I can run fast," Harry muttered.
"AvadaKedavra!"
Harry and Tonks ducked and rolled even as the green bolt of light exploded over
their heads.
"Do I have a target on me?" the teen despaired.
"Spells now, curses are for later," the witch told him. She paused but then she
pulled him aside. "Should anything happen, the spell to make an emergency
Portkey is 'Portus' and add behind the destination. For St. Mungo's or
likewise. You won't even get fined."
"I get it," he told her.
"Good, let's go find the others. Kingsley might be able to get you out of
here."
===============================================================================
"I feel like Nero," Rodolphus commented at his sibling as the two of them set
another building on fire.
Rabastan was about to reply when they came across a group of Aurors.
"The Lestrange's!" they yelled.
"Mad Eye old friend!" Rodolphus ignored everyone but Moody. "Rematch?"
The retired Auror started shooting curses and Rodolphus followed with a dark
laugh. Rabastan shot one look at the Aurors. They were a bunch of kids really.
Harry's younger, his traitorous mind reminded him. Rabastan allowed a smirk to
curl on his lips.
"Well?" what are you waiting for?" he drawled. Sparks came from his wand tip.
"Stupefy!"
"Expelliarmus!"
Rabastan conjured a simple shield and watched the spells fizzle away.
"What are they teaching you these days?" he muttered. "I'll show you how it's
done. Sectumsempra! Flagrantia!"
His spells met their targets and the newbie's fell. The others came at Rabastan
but the wizard managed to dodge them expertly, almost taunting them.
===============================================================================
"Tonks! Left!" Harry called out as he shot a stunner that way.
Harry and the witch had reached the main street. The fumes and the heat from
the burning buildings was almost suffocating. They would not risk the
bubblehead charm as they needed clear vision and good pronunciation. The double
stunner's attracted attention from a couple of Aurors there and a few lingering
Death Eaters.
Kingsley was among them. "Tonks? Harry? What the hell?"
A yelled "It's Potter!" came from the Death Eaters and had the teen cursing his
luck again.
"It just isn't my day," Harry sighed even as he readied to shoot another spell.
"Bombarda!"
"Duck!" Kingsley yelled.
The debris from the explosion drove them to reach shelter in different
directions.
===============================================================================
Rabastan hated his position. He and his brother had separated and Rabastan was
driven deeper into the village. He felt the anti- Portkey wards drop when one
phrase caught his attention.
A yelled "It's Potter!" came from the Death Eaters he saw in the distance and
the wizard stopped short.
Harry? He was here? In this place?
Rabastan shivered and he looked around, trying to spot the green eyed teen. He
saw a huge, blond Death Eater cast a 'Bombarda'. He barely caught sight of
Aurors and Death Eaters alike dodging out of the blast that happened. He noted
that one of them did not wear the usual Death Eater garb or standard Auror
robes, and also looked smaller.
"Harry," Rabastan whispered.
He took off towards the direction he thought he saw his young lover.
===============================================================================
Harry was trying to catch his breath but the heat was not helping any. All the
cold of February was gone due to the fire that was burning Ottery St. Catchpole
to the ground. Harry stood and leaned on the wall of the alley. He decided to
catch his breath a bit before actually searching out Kingsley or Tonks or any
of the other Aurors. While he was unseen the Death Eaters might even give up.
He decided it was a sound plan. And then he looked up.
Side by side on the singed wall were posters.
Wanted posters.
One was of Sirius, his godfather smirking his roguish grin at the camera, the
toll of his losses making him look haggard and worn.
The other was of Alecto Carrow, a faded half singed one.
Next was the Wanted poster of Bellatrix Lestrange. 'APPROACH WITH EXTREME
CAUTION' it read. Insanity was burning in her eyes.
Next up came her husband, Rodolphus Lestrange; an imposing wizard that even in
Azkaban rags looked majestic and dangerous.
Other posters followed. A blank one with a question mark and the label 'Dark
Lord- Flee on sight' was insignificant considering that one poster that caught
Harry's sight
What made Harry's heart stop and start again was one poster. It had the picture
of a wizard, his wizard. Above it, the name Rabastan Lestrange and under it the
same inscription Bellatrix had.
The Gryffindor felt the world spinning around him. And then he heard his voice.
"Harry."
Chapter End Notes
     A/N1: Ottery St. Catchpole information is available on the net, a
     vague sketch too. I'll post a link on my author profile.
     Apolline finally gave birth to a healthy baby boy, the name was
     decided after a vote on a poll I did way back when I was still
     contemplating what to do with the story (135 votes) so to all of you
     who liked that option thank you!
     A/N 2: Spells used
     Conjunctivitis- Damages opponent's eyesight
     Deprimo- very powerful wind that can loosen and/or soften a variety
     of things; it can also be used to detach objects
     Flagrantia- Causes any object affected to burn human skin when
     touched (I took a few liberties with this one ^_^)
***** Resolution *****
Chapter Summary
     Rabastan could feel his heart breaking and Harry's shattering.
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Rabastan realized quickly that he had taken the right path when he reached the
alley. He expertly manoeuvred around the Aurors and his fellow Death eaters,
intending to see for himself whether Harry was truly in this graveyard of a
village. Seeing the familiar form of the teen pale and haggard, with smoke and
blood spatters on his robes staring at the opposite wall even as he tried to
stay upright, Rabastan grew worried. He moved closer to the teen, deeper in the
alley and away from the smoke that clouded over the square.
He saw them almost immediately, the Wanted Posters. They were everywhere these
days. It was a miracle that Harry had not come across them earlier really.
Somehow, Rabastan could no longer feel anything. Not dread, about Harry's
imminent reaction, not fear, for the exact same reason, no regret. Well,
perhaps some regret that their time had been so short. The younger wizard's
name came from his lips before he could stop it.
"Harry."
The teen stiffened.
Rabastan swallowed hard. "Harry, look at me."
"Rabastan?"
His ears were buzzing and he almost missed his name being whispered but somehow
it reached him.
"Yes?"
The teen leaned back against the wall, wand clutched tight in his pale hands.
Those stunning and uniquely green eyes rested on him and Rabastan could not
move or look away.
"It's a lie, right? Some sort of a joke? A sick joke?"
"Harry…"
"Tell me it's all a lie!" Harry yelled.
"Do you want me to lie to you?" Rabastan challenged him. He would lie if the
teen wished so, he would.
"Why are you here, in this town?"
"You know why. It's the same reason as to why I wear these robes," Rabastan
replied with a strange detachment in his voice. He was walking again. Two
strides and he was only a hand's reach away from Harry. "It's the same reason I
have this on me." and without another word he pulled his sleeve back and
revealed the Dark Mark that had been branded on his skin the very night he
graduated from Hogwarts.
Harry eyed the dreaded tattoo almost listlessly, certainly without the usual
fear that people showed. Then he shut his eyes.
"It can't be," he whispered. "It's all in my head."
He opened his eyes. The tattoo was still there. Rabastan still wore a Death
Eater's robes. The Wanted Poster still hung from that wall.
"Harry…"
"Don't…"
Rabastan felt his throat tightening, almost choking him.
"For what it's worth…"
"LESTRANGE!"
Rabastan looked up and saw Alecto Carrow striding towards him. Her robes were
billowing, her hair a mess. She sported numerous cuts and smudges on her once
strikingly beautiful face but now she looked almost as insane as his sister in
law.
"Lestrange! There you are you bastard! The Aurors are … well, look here! What
do you have? Is that Potter?" the witch almost clapped her hands with glee.
"Yes! That is Potter! You dog you!"
Harry did not even pay her any mind.
"Potter! Oh! The Dark Lord is going to be so proud! What did you do to him? Did
you pick any tricks from Bella?"
Rabastan felt bile at the mere sight of her glee. The way she thought of him
capable of actually torturing Harry, his Harry, to insanity… He had not planned
on doing anything, he truly had not. But when she reached to grab the
distraught teen, Rabastan reacted, almost out of instinct.
"Sectumsempra!"
The curse left his lips and slashed the witch from neck to lower back. She had
time to scream in pain. She had time to turn around and stare at him with
shock. She had time to realize what he had done. She also saw him step over her
crumpled form and pull the almost catatonic teen to his embrace and place a
soft kiss atop his head. She had time to see him gather the teen close and
Apparating both of them out of there. She had time to hear the Aurors approach
and realize exactly who she was.
After that Alecto died.
===============================================================================
Apparation was noisy and the two men stumbled in the empty house, miles away
from that dreadful alley.
The abandoned Lestrange Manor had been the first destination that came to
Rabastan's mind when he had pulled Harry away from that place. His ancestral
home had fallen into ruin after the last two males of the family went to
Azkaban. The Ministry had been unable to seize and sell the property as the
Manor accepted only those with direct Lestrange blood as masters. They had
arrived in the main sitting room, which was a mess, furniture covered with
sheets, a thick layer of dust around, no house elf on the property.
Harry almost fell to his knees, but in the last minute gained his equilibrium
and managed to stand on his own two feet. The feeling of nausea remained and
then suffocation settled on him. Harry felt like he was being smothered. He was
trying to breathe but it seemed like the air was knocked out of his lungs and
that his chest was caving in. the only thought that kept echoing through his
head was repeating the word 'No'. This could not be happening to him.
The older wizard had also recovered from the bad Apparation. His first move was
to light up the candles in the room with his wand lest either of them fell on
anything. His next was to try and gain his lover's attention.
"Harry," Rabastan tried.
"No, no, no…" the teen kept repeating under his breath. Even standing as he
was, he seemed to curl into himself. All the colour was gone from his face and
looked ready to collapse. Rabastan reached out toward him but Harry violently
slapped his hands away.
"Don't… No! This isn't happening," the younger of the two whispered.
Rabastan hated how broken his young lover sounded.
"Harry I…"
"No! You hurt Neville's parents! You have killed people! Oh, gods what have I
done!"
"Harry, let me explain!"
Emerald eyed narrowed with rage. "Explain what?" he hissed.
Rabastan reached out again and caught Harry's shoulders. The teen struggled to
shake him off but Rabastan would not let up on his grip.
"Harry, I never meant to hurt you," Rabastan told him. The young Gryffindor
would not listen. He kept struggling to get away, hitting the older wizard's
chest to get the other man to let him go. Rabastan braved the hits and kept
attempting to calm the teen down. He tried to keep his voice even but he had
none of his usual composure and his voice had lost its strength. The struggle
continued.
"Harry, I would never hurt you," Rabastan's voice was soothing. "Never you, not
even when I found who you really were during those summer weeks. I couldn't. I
liked that shy and sensual boy I met that night in that Parisian club. I
enjoyed our time together, your laugh, our talks; your body. You have been the
only thing in my life since Azkaban and even before my life went to hell."
"No! You… shut up! Don't talk to me!"
"You need to listen!"
"I don't!" Harry insisted. "Let me go."
Rabastan caged the teen in his embrace and with one hand he seized Harry's
chin, forcing him to meet his eyes. He half wished he had not done that. Those
green orbs held so much hurt. He hated doing that.
"My Harry," he whispered. "I'm sorry, so sorry. Please forgive me. Please?" he
whispered pleadingly against those soft lips. He gently kissed him, hating how
the youth tensed and jerked away from him. Rabastan held Harry as still as he
could and kissed him desperately. Harry tried to twist out of the older
wizard's hold again but Rabastan insisted. The green eyed youth shut his eyes
tightly, tears escaping his closed lids. Rabastan did not let up on his
assault, growing more aggressive while his lover's seized and the teen felt
almost apathetic.
"Harry," he begged.
Rabastan kept repeating the young Gryffindor's name as he plastered kisses on
the teen's lips and face. He backed Harry against the nearest wall and inwardly
pleaded to the deities that his loved one would respond in any way, slap him,
curse him; anything was better than this apathy. Rabastan retrieved his hands
from around Harry's waist and raised them to touch the teen's collar, slowly
caressing his collarbone and carefully starting to unbutton the shirt.
Green eyes opened wide and the Death Eater held their gaze.
"What are you doing?" he demanded.
"I won't lose you," Rabastan told him. "I refuse to lose you."
"Stop this," came the whispered reply.
"I can't. I don't want to leave you," Rabastan whispered back. It was just for
the two of them, this talk, even though there was no other soul in the
abandoned house. "You're mine, my Harry. All mine. Don't ask me to let go, to
leave you alone. I cannot. I'm weak like that."
A sob broke from Harry's throat and Rabastan's hands stilled.
"Harry?" he sounded pained as he called the youth's name.
The Gryffindor shook his head and even as his tears fell, Harry stood on the
tips of his toes and gently brushed his lips against Rabastan's. The Death
Eater responded immediately, hugging the slimmer body to his and returning the
kiss heatedly.
"I'm not letting you go for no one and nothing in this world," Rabastan stated.
Harry studied his lover's face, one hand clutching the black Death Eater's
robes, the other tracing that pale, aristocratic face. He kissed the other man
again, this time with more force and Rabastan returned it with matching heat
and furore. Hands traced clothed bodies and soon robes fell on the floors,
shoes, pants and shirts following. The two men were desperate to touch as much
of each other as possible. When they were skin to skin Rabastan felt such
relief, it was impossible to describe. His hands were on Harry's hips now,
gripping the teen's slim waist as hard as possible, wanting proof that the
youth was still with him. Reaching down he kissed his way down to the young
wizard's chest, biting and kissing the skin alternately. Harry's hands sought
him out, grasping him close as the green eyed teen marked his lover's body.
They stumbled to the floor, Rabastan's frame covering Harry's smaller one
completely. He held the teens gaze the whole time as he, neither wanting to let
the other out of their sight.
===============================================================================
Harry held onto the other man, fearing he would disappear. His mind was
screaming at him to back out. He logically knew that if he really did not want
this Rabastan would stop. He truly believed the older wizard when he said that
he truly wanted and cared for him. Even being a Death eater had not turned him
off about him, like it would have happened with most of Voldemort's followers.
His conscience was niggling at him about the wrongness of this act. Here Harry
was, completely naked and in the tender mercy of a man who had been a killer,
convicted for numerous crimes, the same man who had ruined his best friend's
life. And yet all Harry wanted was to feel more of Rabastan, get closer to this
man who had showed him what love and lust were, worshiped him for days and
nights on end, him Harry, not the bloody Boy-Who-Lived.
"One word from you," Rabastan whispered. "Just one and I'll stop," he told him
even though his face betrayed the strain he was under even as he uttered those
words.
Harry offered a tender smile and urged him on.
Rabastan was a desperate man then. Kissed Harry again, using his tongue to
drive the teen crazy while he stirred them both towards the nearest couch.
Rabastan sat down and pulled Harry on his lap, the younger wizard facing the
same direction as him. Rabastan continued kissing Harry while he used his
fingers to prepare the teen. Harry was squirming in his lap, moaning in his
mouth. The teen's arm was bent at an awkward angle so that he could hold onto
his lover. It seemed that neither man could keep their hands to themselves.
"Harry…"
"Un…"
Rabastan whispered a spell Harry had became more familiar with than the
'Expelliarmus' and the teen felt as his lover teased his entrance.
"Ugh, don't tease!"
The pureblood chuckled. He entered his younger lover easily and stilled a bit,
enjoying Harry's mewls of pleasure that turned into whines for more. Rabastan
wrapped his right hand over Harry's hard member and started pumping while with
the other he held onto the teen. Harry was soon panting. The pleasure was
mounting and he wanted nothing more than to find release when he felt Rabastan
suddenly slide out.
"N-no…" Harry protested.
"Sh," the other man whispered. He pushed Harry down on the couch, one arm
wrapped around Harry's back and neck and the other holding onto one of the
teen's silky thighs. Their eyes met and Rabastan perched between the teen's
spread legs before sliding back inside Harry. The green eyed wizard's breath
hitched.
"I want to see your face tonight," Rabastan told him. He started thrusting
slowly into Harry.
"Okay," Harry whispered. He too kept his eyes on his lover.
"I want…" Rabastan's breath caught a bit, and he rested his head against
Harry's for a bit.
"I know."
Harry's body clenched around him and Rabastan shuddered.
"You are mine," the Death Eater whispered.
"Yours," Harry agreed.
Rabastan continued moving above Harry until his body reached his limit. Harry
came first and Rabastan followed soon after, falling tiredly atop of him. For a
while their mingled breaths and the cracking of the couch were the only sounds
in the room. After he regained his breath, the older of the two moved to his
side, throwing a leg over Harry and resting his head on his love's slim
shoulder.
"Rabastan?"
"Hm?"
The teen took a deep breath and then let it out, ruffling Rabastan's hair. The
older wizard understood as he lay so close to the Boy-Who-Lived that the
younger man probably had a million questions for him, all at the tip of his
tongue. The hurt and sadness was there, all he had to do was look into those
uniquely green eyes. But Rabastan wanted for that night at least to pretend
that he was just another wizard in love, no war, no politics to bother him,
just them.
Rabastan felt Harry shiver and was tempted to just throw the sheet over them so
they could at least nap. But all his rational thoughts were followed by the
reminder that this could very well be their last night. It would not be like
summer, when they had parted their ways thinking almost nothing of it. This
time it would not simply be over. It also meant that the next time they saw
each other could easily mean the death of either one of them.
That grim and macabre thought spurred Rabastan on. He kissed Harry's shoulder
slowly, then he used his teeth to mark the spot.
"Hey," the teen whispered drowsily. "Are you marking me?"
Rabastan kissed him on the lips. "Again," he told Harry as he pressed closer to
the teen. "I want you again."
Harry nodded, understanding shining in his eyes. He pulled Rabastan to him and
kissed him as he slowly started grinding his hips against the older wizard's
body. There was no time for questions or any more talking, explanations or
regret.
"Harry…"
"Don't say it."
"I…" he really wanted to tell his feelings openly.
"I know." Green eyes were glistening with tears. "Just don't."
Rabastan nodded.
It would hurt too much if the words were said, they would be more permanent
then and it would be futile. Rabastan tried to chase away any dark thoughts.
For now it was just him and Harry. They had that night at least and till the
sun rose they would stay together. After that he would wallow in his feelings
for as long as he wished. Now, he would say goodbye to the only person he had
ever fallen in love with, and probably the last.
===============================================================================
End of chapter.
***** Pieces *****
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Albus Dumbledore often suffered from insomnia. After all the years of
responsibilities that gathered on his shoulders it resulted in a very busy
mind. All the clutter in his office was nothing compared to the clutter in his
brain. It was also one of the reasons he seemed so absentminded and flighty
when the occasion did not call for the utmost seriousness. And the candy
inspired passwords were one such example. Why invent elaborate phrases or use
odd words? Even if he forgot his own password he could guess it easily enough
as he used his top favourite sweet for the month, hard to forget that!
One night like this, while roaming the endless and often tricky halls of the
castle, Albus heard a noise he was familiar with. A child crying. The
Headmaster frowned. He hated when the children in his care, no matter who they
were, suffered. Curious and alarmed he followed the sound of dying sobs till he
reached the statue of the one eyed old crone (the guardian of a secret passage
to Honeydukes). There was no one there, but as he moved his head his charmed
glasses could just make out a silvery outline.
‘An invisibility cloak,’ he realized with alarm. And there was only one student
who had an invisibility cloak that could partially obscure the figure even
despite the charmed lenses.
Joints protested as Dumbledore knelt next to the huddled and invisible form.
“Harry?” the elderly wizard whispered softly. There were no portraits in this
part but one could never be completely certain about their privacy.
There was a muffled hiccup and the water like fabric fell, revealing one very
familiar messy mop of hair. Red rimmed eyes were staring into blue.
“S-sir?” Harry stuttered. His voice was completely broken.
Albus was alarmed. “What happened, my boy?” he asked.
That sent the teen into tears, not that they had previously stopped.
The Headmaster took the teen into his arms and rocked him gently like he had
done years ago, when Lily had first introduced him to the boy. When the teen
was finally composed enough to reply, Dumbledore spoke again.
“What happened to you my boy? Did anyone attack you?” he frantically asked.
There was a short silence from Harry’s end, the teen had also been quite tense,
until he let out the breath he had been holding and gave one short nod. He did
not relax though.
Dumbledore was worried at this. He had to get to the bottom of this and his
mind started going into dark paths as he slowly took in the half ruined shirt
the green eyed wizard wore. If anyone had assaulted the boy there would be hell
to pay.
“Come on lad, up you get,” he softly spoke, using his surprisingly strong arms
to lift the boy to his feet.
Harry complied, his body moving automatically. Albus then covered him again
with the cloak as he started the walk towards his office. The last thing he
needed was for any of the portraits to see Harry in the state he was. As
Headmaster he could control the castle only so much. While the portraits
respected and even liked him, they could get loose tongues, especially when
they got drunk.
The walk to his office was one of the longest Dumbledore had to make.  He
hurriedly muttered the passwords and urged the boy to climb the staircase. Once
inside the office he cast the spell to freeze the portraits of the previous
headmistresses and headmasters of the institution for a bit of precious
privacy, before pulling the invisibility cloak off Harry. In proper light the
teen looked worse. There were bruises on his neck and wrists. The lips were
swollen and the lower one sported what looked like a bite. The shirt Harry wore
was missing buttons. The jeans were zipped but the button was undone. And those
amazing and unique green eyes looked shattered.
“Harry, just sit here,” Albus guided the boy to a chair after casting a charm
to make it extra comfortable.
Meanwhile Fawkes was roused from his sleep and was now eyeing the two humans
with what could be interpreted as concern.
“Harry, I need to ask you this, okay lad?” Albus used a very soft voice when he
spoke to the teen. “Were you…” he swallowed hard. “Were you attacked?”
“No,” the teen replied softly.
The blue eyed wizard swallowed, not daring to hope. Denial was not uncommon in
such cases.
“A-are you certain? I need to know how to help you.” And who to curse, Albus
mentally thought. “Speak to me my boy. Please,” the older wizard asked. He
would be strong and not crack. The boy needed him.
Slowly, Harry raised his eyes and looked at Dumbledore. He opened his mouth and
no sound came at first, before he blurted the one thing that confused the other
wizard.
“Merlin, what have I done!”
“Harry?”
“I did not know. You have to believe me. At first I did not know.”
Dumbledore was at a loss.
Fawkes let out a trill and flapped his wings, leaving his perch to land on
Harry’s knee. The boy looked startled at the phoenix and the immortal fire bird
let out a few more trilling notes, soothing Harry’s frazzled nerves and calming
the Headmaster’s own worry for a while. Fawkes’ song died out and the
Gryffindor took a deep breath.
“Sir?”
“Yes Harry?” Albus asked in an even voice.
“I-” the teen started but then he choked. His fingers flexed on his biceps and
then he released them, letting his hands fall limply from his arms for the
first time since Dumbledore had found him curled up next to that statue.
“Take your time,” the older wizard told him in a soft voice. “I… Do you need a
Calming Draught?”
Harry shook his head. “I… You know I met someone in France?”
“Yes, Harry.”
“He is older than me.”
“I know that too lad. Did he… hurt you?”
Harry choked and Dumbledore fought to keep his magic calm. If that guy had
forced the teen into anything then he would track him down and show him just
why he was able to defeat a Dark Lord like Grindelwald.
“He did not hurt me,” the green eyed wizard finally admitted. “Physically that
is.”
Albus was able to relax somewhat. Harry had not been sexuality assaulted then.
Now he could breathe. Now he could actually do something to help the teen.
“Talk to me my boy.”
“You’ll hate me,” Harry said brokenly.
“Oh, child. Hate is a very strong word. I have only hated one person in my life
and I can swear to you my boy this, I can never hate you. I swear this to you
Harry.”
And from that the teen gathered his courage and the story came spilling from
his lips.
For once, the old and wise Headmaster of Hogwarts was left literally
speechless. Only after that, when Harry had been tucked in one of the guest
rooms (because Albus would not let the teen back in the dorms in the state he
was) was Dumbledore even able to ponder over what he had heard.
Rabastan Lestrange and Harry Potter.
Harry Potter and Rabastan Lestrange.
It sounded wrong no matter how one heard it.
The beauty and the beast.
The innocent and the killer.
Such an unlikely pair brought together by fate and chance. Life was tragically
comical in instances like this. Albus would know. It had happened to him. 
After all, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald
could only be uttered as one way only nowadays, as mortal enemies, when years
before they had been so much more. Dumbledore had not lied to Harry. He had
hated only one person in his life, not Tom Riddle or Voldemort, the man that
orphan had become. He had certainly never hated Gellert, not when their
relationship ended with his sister’s death and his brother renouncing him.
Albus had only ever hated himself and what he had almost let himself become.
Fawkes let out a trill, startling Albus from his thoughts before they got any
darker and even more depressive.
“I apologize my friend,” the old wizard told the phoenix.
The fire bird clacked its beak. Dumbledore heard the reprimand for what it was.
“Dawn is only three hours away my friend but I will try to rest,” Albus
promised.
And he rose to do just that, even knowing that he would not be closing his eyes
for the rest of the night.
===============================================================================
The fireplace in No12 Grimmauld Place flared up that morning. Remus and Sirius
looked up from their breakfast.
“What time is it?” Remus asked.
“Too early for social calls,” the last male Black replied.
Sirius stood and walked to the fireplace where he crouched down. A bearded face
appeared in the fire.
“Headmaster,” the Azkaban escapee exclaimed.
“Good morning Sirius, my boy. Who else is in the kitchen with you?”
“Just Remus,” Sirius replied. “It’s only us in the house.”
The werewolf joined his friend on his knees before the fire. “Good morning
sir.”
“Is something wrong?” Sirius asked. “Is it about Harry?”
“Sirius, don’t be hasty.”
“Remus,” Dumbledore cut the scared man off. “I’m afraid Sirius is correct on
this one. There is something up with Harry.”
Immediately the two men grew alarmed.
“What is it?” Sirius demanded.
“Harry found out something last night and the boy was hurt, emotionally. He’s a
strong lad and I think he will recover,” Dumbledore told them. “I wanted to
tell you because he will be a bit down for a while and he might not want to
talk about it. He’s too embarrassed to mention it to you but I did not want any
rumours reaching you and worrying you.”
“My heart returned to its place,” Sirius let out a breath.
“Thank you for telling us Sir,” Remus told the older wizard.
“No trouble my boy. But I have to go now.”
“Of course sir,” the two Gryffindor’s said together.
The headmaster’s head disappeared from the fireplace and the fire died out.
“Did you believe him?” Remus asked.
“Hell no! Something serious is up but I do believe he did not lie about Harry
not wanting to discuss it just yet.” Sirius slowly stood, wincing as his joints
cracked.
“We wait for Harry to come to us first?” the werewolf said then. He, too, rose
on his feet with more ease than his childhood friend.
“Exactly.”
===============================================================================
Hogwarts
Neville was starting to get concerned.
Ever since the attack on Ottery St. Catchpole things had changed. They had
managed to get out of the crossfire early and as per Harry’s instructions they
had gotten to safety. After that they had lost sight of the green eyed wizard
for a while. Those hours were the most worrying part of Neville and Luna’s day.
The two friends had stayed with Xeno at the Lovegood’s house and they had
returned to the castle the following morning and only then and there they heard
from McGonagall that Harry was fine. As they had arrived through Dumbledore’s
office, the Headmaster was also there and he had informed them that Harry had
taken a part, however minor that was; in the fight and that he was expected to
act a bit weird. Neville had taken the warning the two professors gave to heart
and he and Luna had decided to be understanding and not crowd Harry; they knew
how Harry hated feeling patronized or caged.
It was three days since the night.
Somehow the significance of that night being the first one Harry had been back
to Hogwarts after the Dark Lord’s attack on Hogsmeade was not lost on Neville,
but the teen just could not connect all the clues just yet. And he could not
ask Harry either as the green eyed wizard kept avoiding him. And he was doing
it so masterfully that Neville almost wanted to congratulate him. He did not
physically avoid Neville; he just would not meet his eyes. They still talked,
did their homework together and had meals in the Great Hall but somehow a wall
had formed between them and the teen had no idea what to do and how to approach
Harry about this.
It was that very day that Luna came over to the Gryffindor table, where Neville
sat alone as Harry had fled the room after eating like a bird. Luna grabbed one
of Neville’s hands and pulled.
“Luna?”
“We need to talk or the Wrackspurts will have their way with our favourite
Nargle and that would be really bad.”
Neville spluttered but allowed the Ravenclaw witch to lead him around. They did
not go far, just far enough to reach the first empty classroom and for Luna to
lock them in there. Neville was a bit winded and quite a bit alarmed at her
behaviour. She acted odd, and for Luna that meant… Actually, Neville had still
to figure what that meant.
“This has to stop. We need to make him stop,” the blonde teen stated.
“I will go out on a limb here and say that you are talking about Harry,”
Neville told her.
“Of course I am talking about Harry,” Luna replied. “Who else has that great
number of Nargles?”
“Right,” Neville nodded. “Okay, he’s been avoiding me though. How can we talk
if he won’t look at me?”
“He’s avoiding you too?”
“Why? You mean he’s giving you the slip as well?”
Luna nodded.
“Just what’s been going on?” Neville wondered.
The witch shrugged. “That’s what we need to ask Harry.”
“Luna, we are going in circles. How are we going to do that?”
“Ask him.”
“You said that before but it still does not give me any ideas.”
“Silly lion, you need a Ravenclaw to make your plans.”
Neville studied her. “You actually enjoy being vague, don’t you?”
Luna just gave him a serene smile.
===============================================================================
End of chapter.
***** A brother’s worry *****
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Rodolphus was a patient person. He knew that, he even had proof of this. He had
been married to a mentally unstable witch for years. He had found himself in
Azkaban for a bit more than decade. He was still sane- well, mostly- after all
that but lately that sanity was escaping him. Considering his dear brother was
driving him up the wall. He had first thought it was a fluke. Ottery St.
Catchpole had after all been their first raid since Azkaban, the first raid
since the attack on the Longbottom’s. That night had left a mark on his younger
sibling.
And that mark had festered while in prison. Rodolphus recalled on the days that
he was lucid enough despite the presence of Dementors that his brother had been
truly tormented by the creatures. He might have never made a sound but
Rodolphus still knew. Bellatrix had been laughing and giggling with glee even
though those foul creatures could affect her. Barty had also cried on the first
few nights. His wife’s cousin, Black, was already there when they had arrived
and the man made no noise either, just like Rabastan.
Rodolphus was concerned. While the healers had cleared him and his brother
completely, Rabastan had been withdrawn ever since. He had not been
particularly expressive, even when he was younger and brassier, but the current
behaviour was perplexing. During the meeting he did not offer to participate in
any torturing, he did not step up for any missions; it was like he was not
really there. Oh, he loved dark magic, of that here was no doubt. He practiced
it too when asked directly by the Dark Lord, and that was it. And that was odd.
If Rabastan was having second thoughts about their sect, Rodolphus needed to
know. He would not let his brother have an obscure death like Regulus black.
While they had both taken the Dark Mark, the Lestrange’s always put family
first and foremost, that was one lesson Rodolphus had had ingrained since his
childhood. If Rabastan wanted out he would help in whatever capacity he was
capable. But to do that, Rabastan had to first ask for help, or at the very
least talk to him about it.
Finally, fed up with their game of Kneazle and Mouse, Rodolphus managed to
corner Rabastan in the Malfoy library one afternoon. It was an added bonus that
none of their hosts or his wife where in the manor. Rabastan was browsing some
book titles when he grabbed him by the arm and made him turn so they were face
to face.
“Brother,” Rodolphus gave a fake pleasant smile, ignoring how his sibling
struggled to get away. He had always been physically stronger, since they were
kids. And Rodolphus was confident that the other wizard would not draw his
wand.
“I’m kind of busy…”
“You don’t have time for your favourite brother?”
“You are my only brother.”
“Even more reason to oblige me,” Rodolphus remarked. “Let’s sit, shall we? And
then you can tell me what happened to you at Ottery St. Catchpole, hm?”
Rabastan managed to shrug his brother’s grip off. “Nothing but the usual.”
“Torture, mayhem, death?” Rodolphus offered.
“All three.”
Rodolphus actually smiled. “Hm, you have gotten better at lying to me.”
The comment made Rabastan flinch.
“Yes, you did something, brother of mine, something bad. What was it?”
“You said it, torture, mayhem and death,” Rabastan replied.
“No,” Rodolphus mused. “There’s something else. And that is what you are
letting torture you so thoroughly.”
“Are you implying that…?”
Rodolphus narrowed his eyes. “No, I’m outright saying it. Something’s wrong.
Terribly wrong. You look like hell.”
“Well thank…”
“I was not finished.”
“Neither was I!” Rabastan hissed. “You keep cutting me off.”
“I’m saving you the trouble of lying to me,” Rodolphus told him. “Will you talk
to me? I am not joking. You looked less tortured after the years you spent
under the tender care of Dementors.”
Rabastan flinched. “Don’t worry. I can handle this.”
“I can help you…”
“You can’t, not with this,” Rabastan replied after a tired sigh. “I’ve made my
bed, now I have to lie in it. If you’ll excuse me now.”
Rodolphus watched as his younger brother walked past him.
Something was horribly wrong. And now he was almost certain that it had to do
with the war and their part in it. Rodolphus never thought it would come to
this, but perhaps it was time to make contact with old associates and start
working on his back up plan, the one he had not even considered even when he
had been thrown in Azkaban. He could handle jail, but he would not let his
brother die. Because Rodolphus was certain that whatever had his brother in
such a state would not end good.
===============================================================================
End of chapter
***** Catching Harry the Hare *****
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Neville was getting good at stalking people. It was not a talent one
advertised, not even a talent he would have ever before thought useful. For the
last few days though he had done exactly that, stalk someone. And not a random
person either, but his friend, best friend this year, Harry Potter. And it was
a big challenge as the green eyed wizard had a knack of slipping through the
thick crowds that filled the corridors once classes were out and had ‘something
to do so don’t wait up’ whenever Neville tried to get some time alone with him.
The Longbottom heir was ready to pull his hair out when he finally got a break
one Thursday afternoon after Charms. Luna had been waiting out of the hall, as
per agreement, and she jumped in front of Harry looking all chipper and
sunshine as she started talking to the Gryffindor fast enough that Neville
wondered whether she had time to breathe or not. The rant included a string of
conspiracy theories, questions about Harry’s day and her inquiry on how he
liked lunch that day, leaving Harry overwhelmed and making it easy for Neville
to entwine his arm with Harry’s grab hold of the other teen’s elbow and
steering him towards the grounds.
“Neville?” Harry blinked. “I…”
“No, you are not busy,” Neville stated. “We are going to talk Harry, and you
are going to listen. There might be questions involved, meaning you will be
required to answer. It’s called a conversation.”
Harry was left gaping. Only then Neville noticed how pale Harry looked and he
felt guilty for doing this. 
Then Luna shot him a mild stinging hex and mouthed a ‘Stick to the plan’ and
Neville gathered more courage.
Harry did not mind them; he just let them guide him.
In the end Neville and Luna came to a halt not far from Hagrid’s cabin, near a
small alcove that provided shelter from the cold, was not on a travelled path
and offered them privacy.
“Sit,” Luna ordered Harry.
The green eyed Gryffindor gave them a glare, dropped his book bag on the ground
and sat on the stone bench.
Luna took his left side, Neville his right.
“You’ve been avoiding us,” Neville stated with no small amount of hurt at
Harry’s behaviour.
“I…”
“You meant to do that,” Luna told him gently but also with reprimand. “We want
to know why.”
“Was it something we did?” Neville asked. “If…”
“No,” Harry told him.
===============================================================================
“Was it something we did?”
Harry shuddered the moment he heard the question roll out of Neville’s tongue.
He felt like the worst person in the world. A strong and resounding “No” came
from him. He was not about to let his two friends believe that they were at
fault.
He could not look at them, especially not Neville. He had tried to get himself
together after that Hogsmeade weekend. The Headmaster had offered his help as
well and Harry was still mortified he had just blurted his deepest, darkest
secret, his lowest point to the older wizard. Dumbledore had listened
patiently, those blue eyes still warm and comforting, until Harry could no
longer look at him because he feared what he would find. Perhaps his decision
to cut ties with Neville and Luna was rushed, but he could not honestly be near
the other two teens when he had spent months sleeping with one of the people
who had ruined his family, drove his parents to insanity and committed too many
crimes to name. Harry felt guilty just thinking about Rabastan and his
relationship and even guiltier when he recalled how he enjoyed his time spent
with the Azkaban escapee.
“No,” Harry repeated. “It was not anything either of you did. It was me, all
me.”
“Okay, I don’t understand,” Neville told him.
“I think I do,” the Ravenclaw among them mused. “Did you do something that
might be a slight to us? Or perhaps something you just think is a slight to
us?”
Harry’s flinch alerted them to the validity of those statements.
“Okay, I think I’m getting it now,” Neville commented. “Do you want to talk
about it?”
Harry would not look at him.
“It concerns Neville,” Luna could really spot the clues when she wanted.
“Me?” Neville was a bit surprised. “What could you possibly do to anger us?”
Harry felt nervous. He knew he could not lie to them, not when they had
supported him so much from the beginning of the year. Still, the truth was hard
to voice. Harry knitted his fingers together and stared hard at them. “It’s not
some stupid thing. What I did, it was big Neville. And I’m not sure if you can
ever forgive me. I cannot forgive myself,” he added the last it to himself but
Neville and Luna heard.
“What is this Unspeakable act?” Luna inquired.
Silence stretched among them while Harry fought for courage he did not feel.
“Does it have anything to do with the attack?” Neville asked.
Harry allowed a short nod.
“But you helped us get out of there,” Luna commented. “You stayed behind with
the Aurors.”
“And the Death Eaters,” Harry’s voice was low.
Neville frowned. “I just cannot guess, at all,” he muttered.
Luna scooted closer to Harry and covered his chilled hands with hers. She
squeezed gently and then urged him to tell them.
“We cannot fix this unless we know the problem,” the blond witch told Harry.
The Gryffindor snorted. “It’s not something you fix.”
“Harry,” Neville urged.
Harry met his eyes and sighed. He deserved to know.
“I did not know before, how could I? And I guess it was stupid of me not to
know, not to realize. It did happen during the attack at Ottery St. Catchpole.
It was during a skirmish, Tonks and I got separated and I saw them. The Wanted
posters.”
Luna and Neville shared a look. What did Wanted Posters have to do with
anything?
Harry’s face held a bitter smile and his eyes showed the pain he felt. “I did
not know before but that moment I knew. Neville?”
“Yes Harry?”
“Do you know who my lover is?” Harry asked.
Neville and Luna looked at each other, realizing that no; Harry had never said
his lover’s name. It was always ‘Him’, my lover, and lately ‘my boyfriend’, but
never a name to go with a vague description Harry had given. Tall, dark and
gorgeous was not exactly a lot to go on. They had merely let Harry be happy,
teasing when appropriate (sometimes even when it was not) and merely supporting
Harry’s decision to actually live his life and be a teenager just like the rest
of his peers.
“You never asked,” Harry’s smile was bitter. “Perhaps if you had… Or even if I
had simply offered it…”
“Harry?” Neville asked. “Just who is your lover?”
“He introduced himself as Rabastan Evrard Grave…” Harry tailed off.
Neville frowned. “Rabastan?” the name rolled off his tongue like it was
something foreign.
“Yes,” Harry nodded. “Also known as Rabastan Lestrange.”
Neville lost all colour from his face so quickly that Harry feared for a second
that he would lose consciousness.
Luna’s eyes had also gone wide, the name ringing several bells for her.
“Ra-Rabastan Lestrange?” Neville stuttered.
Harry nodded.
“Rabastan Lestrange as in Rodolphus’ brother, whose wife is Bellatrix?”
Harry swallowed hard. “The very same,” he replied.
Neville slumped back, his body swaying a bit.
Harry turned to Luna. “I- I better go,” he whispered. He lowered his voice even
more. “Please take care of him?” And after that his voice cracked. Harry stood,
shouldered his book bag and walked away briskly, before the tears that came to
him so easily fell.
He missed the worried and trouble look Luna shot him. He missed how the gentle
Ravenclaw scooted closer to a distraught Neville and hugged the shy Gryffindor
to her.
“Hush, it’s going to be fine,” she whispered to Neville, saying nothing as he
buried his face in her hair and sobs racked his body.
===============================================================================
Harry felt that he had no place crying when Neville was the one betrayed by
him. As he walked the distance from the grounds towards the castle in the still
snow covered grounds Harry did not bother with a warming charm. The cold helped
him get himself together. He had to keep reminding himself that the world did
not revolve around him; this day should not be about him, but about his friend.
Harry would be okay even if Neville never spoke to him again. Luna would be a
great best friend for him. And if Harry was along after that then things would
still be okay. He had survived a lonely childhood; he could survive a few more
years in Hogwarts alone. He had to, right? And as long as he had Sirius and
Remus he would survive.
Here, Harry stumbled a bit and fell on his knees on the soft snow.
He had never even considered the possibility that Sirius and Remus would learn
about who his lover was. That Apolline and Armand would realize that Rabastan
Evrard Grave was in fact Rabastan Lestrange, Death Eater and escaped convict.
Would they allow the girl near him again or their newborn son? Harry did not
know. Lately he knew nothing but the need to take things slow, one day at a
time.
“Harry?”
The Gryffindor blinked. Then he looked up and saw the Headmaster was there,
along with Snape, both men giving him looks. Dumbledore looked concerned,
Snape’s look was guarded but he also looked bit apprehensive.
“Headmaster?” Harry hardly recognized his own voice.
“Harry, my boy, let’s get you out of the snow, shall we?”
“I…”
“Severus, help me,” Albus turned to the Potions’ Master.
The dark haired professor moved. Between the two of them they got Harry to his
feet.
“My office it is,” Albus told them even as he started weaving a ‘notice me not’
around all three of them so that they could walk towards the castle and up to
his office unnoticed and unhindered.
Once in the Headmaster’s office, Dumbledore gently dismissed Snape and focused
all his attention on Harry. Seeing how cold the teen felt, Dumbledore asked for
some hot chocolate from the kitchens, blinking once he noticed a vial of
Calming Draught appear along with the hot beverage. Albus smiled a bit at
Severus’ thoughtfulness. Then he crouched before the distraught Gryffindor.
“Harry? Please drink this for me?”
The teen accepted the vial of Calming Draught, calming down a bit after
ingesting it. The Headmaster then pressed a cup full of warm chocolate to
Harry’s palms.
“Drink Harry, but sip slowly, okay? I’ll be behind my desk. Whenever you want,
whenever you’re ready, you can talk to me.”
Dumbledore was half way through answering his fifth mail when Harry’s voice cut
through the silence of the office.
“I told Neville today.”
Dumbledore let the quill down, turning his full attention towards his student.
“Oh? Mister Longbottom and Miss Lovegood finally managed to pin you down long
enough to talk?”
A pained smile appeared on Harry’s face. “Yes, they did.”
“So, you spoke to Mister Longbottom. And you told him everything?”
“Yes.”
“I see. Did he tell you anything?”
Harry shook his head. “I did not stick around. I… It was not my place to be
there.”
“Harry…”
“It was not a small thing he learned today,” Harry defended Neville.
Albus smiled gently at the teen. Even now, he put his friend before himself.
“Everything will be alright,” he told Harry.
“How?” the teen asked. “How can anything turn out fine?”
Dumbledore sighed and stood from his desk, walking around to stand next to
Harry’s chair. He drew the teen into a hug, not bothering with words of
reassurance just yet; it was still early. But he would try and help as much as
he could.
===============================================================================
End of chapter
***** Chances *****
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Hedge’s End was normally a quiet place. It was near the Welsh Dragon
Reservation, the only active one in the UK. The surrounding lands held the
houses of the sixty or so dragon tamers and their families, a few businesses.
However the people were now scared. While it would be suicide for Voldemort to
actually attack the outer dragon gates that surrounded the area, much less the
inner dragon gates that actually encompassed the reservation, the Order was in
the area, checking everything out just in case. Mad-Eye and Hestia Jones were
conversing with a couple of handlers. Remus stood to the side, a huge dog
sitting at his feet.
“I still cannot believe they attacked Ottery St. Catchpole,” Remus muttered.
The dog snorted a bit, making Remus smile slightly.
“Yes, you were always yelling from the rooftops how crazy Voldemort and his
followers are,” the werewolf commented.
The dog barked once.
“Padfoot!” Remus sighed defeated. “Don’t bark loudly. We need to be
inconspicuous you know.”
The huge canine whined a bit and lowered his head. Then he turned dark eyes to
look up at Remus.
“Not that look,” the werewolf admonished. “Harry can work it perfectly in human
form; Merlin help us if his animal form is something cute and cuddly. You in
your usual form are bad at it, being a dog does not necessarily mean you can do
the puppy dog look.”
The dog dropped the act and stood on all his legs, observing the area once
again. His nose twitched and Remus knew he had caught a scent.
'What's wrong?' Remus asked, inwardly wishing it was closer to the full moon so
he could tell what was wrong. Before he could realise what was happening the
dog took off and he was left standing there and cursing at his best friend for
acting so rash.
===============================================================================
Rodolphus tugged at his long hair, wincing at the colour.
'It's the last time I let Narcissa help disguise me,' Rodolphus muttered to
himself. This whole mission was a crazy idea. An attack on the Dragon Gates,
any of the Dragon Gates was insanity at its best. He was still wary at what the
Dark Lord was aiming with this. And so soon after Ottery St. Catchpole.
He was now fed up with the whole situation and he was about to Apparate away
when a familiar magical signature caught his senses.
'Can't be...' he muttered. As a huge dog came into view a grin spread across
Rodolphus' face.
He winked at the dog and motioned towards an alley. A quick idea was forming in
his mind and the more he thought about it the more he liked it.
Reaching the alley he dropped the disguise on his features.
''Hello Siri,'' he said. Slowly he turned around and saw the dog turn into
human without any effort.
''You...''
Rodolphus grinned. ''Me.''
Sirius snarled.
Lestrange cocked his head to the side, studying the man that had been so close
yet so far away. Time had been kinder than life, to both of them.
''You look delicious,'' Rodolphus told him.
''Don't you try that charm on me,'' Sirius growled. He was fingering his pocket
for his wand. The only reason why he had not already taken it out was that
Rodolphus had yet to produce his.
''You really do look good Siri,'' Rodolphus commented. ''How's life outside
Azkaban for you?''
''Like a bastard like you would care,'' Sirius spat.
‘‘Got my present for Yule?'' Rodolphus asked.
Sirius pursed his lips, refusing to answer.
''As I recall; those chocolates were your favourites,'' Rodolphus pressed on.
''A lot of things were,'' Sirius muttered.
Rodolphus closed the distance between them, coming dangerously close to the
last male Black.
''Am I still among your favourites?'' he slyly asked.
Sirius was seething at the question, ''None of your damn business.''
'You're still my favourite.''
''You married my cousin!'' Sirius hissed.
Rodolphus smirked, some anger entering his calm face. ''Yet you continued
gracing my bed at night.''
Sirius snarled and tried to physically strike the other wizard but Rodolphus
was ready for him. They brawled for a while, mindful not to make a commotion by
yelling and attracting any attention. Gradually the hitting turned into groping
and hands that tagged at clothes were now pulling the other closer as the two
wizards locked lips and harsh kisses were exchanged. Sirius viciously bit
Rodolphus, smirking smugly when the other man broke the kiss and then licked
his lip to taste blood. Lestrange said nothing about this, he just pulled Black
to him and kissed him again, until Sirius was backed against a building and
Rodolphus was free to feast on his mouth.
When they were both breathless they broke apart. Rodolphus grabbed hold of
Sirius's long hair and tagged harshly; making the dog Animagus look at him.
''Your taste is still the same,'' Rodolphus commented. ''I can only wonder
whether your body still feels like it used to, all responsive and needy and
loud.''
Sirius hit his chest hard enough to hurt but the action still did not force
Rodolphus back.
''Stop struggling luv,'' Rodolphus whispered.
''I am not a docile doll for you to do as you please,'' Sirius warned his voice
dangerous.
''That's half the fun,'' Rodolphus informed him and Sirius tried not to smile.
The danger, the roughness and borderline violence was what kept them
gravitating towards each other from their school years till later, when the war
reached its peak. His fling with Rodolphus had been one of the reasons Sirius
had declined being the Secret Keeper for James and Lily.
''Padfoot!''
Remus' voice broke the bubble around the two wizards. Rodolphus stole one hard
kiss from Sirius, making Black squirm and yelp when he purposely bit him hard
enough to draw blood as payback for the earlier attack on him. Then Rodolphus
made a show of lapping up the blood and using his tongue to caress the cut.
''Think of me tonight,'' Rodolphus told him before he Dissaparated, leaving a
livid Sirius behind.
“Damn that bastard!” Sirius hissed. He tried to stop the shivering of his body.
The Animagus had quite honestly suppressed the effect the other man had on him
while in Azkaban; no chances of getting all horny with Dementors around. But
now his body was affected by the proximity.
“Padfoot!” Remus called out.
Sirius winced. Should Remus stumble upon him when he looked like this there
would be questions and Sirius was not ready for that can of worms to open. He
transformed back into Padfoot and went to meet the werewolf.
===============================================================================
Rodolphus was the first dismissed from the Dark Lord’s presence after his
report about Igor Karkaroff’’s whereabouts and his admittedly cooked up report
about the protections on the Welsh Dragon Reservation. He had made more
progress with Karkaroff than he mentioned to the Dark Lord but Rodolphus had
plans and Karkaroff had to stay alive for a while longer.
===============================================================================
                                End of chapter
***** Friendship *****
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
It was a typical day for Harry. He woke up, ran to the bathroom before even any
of his year mates did, and spent lots of quality time with his toilette,
emptying the lunch and dinner he had managed to eat the day before. This new
routine started the past two weeks and did not let up, but Harry chalked it up
to him being distraught and stressed out. After all, a lot of things had
happened lately. He no longer had a lover or boyfriend. He no longer had a best
friend in Neville. Luna was the only constant in his life and he felt that one
more wrong move and he would lose her as well.
That morning was like every other morning before it. He spent ten minutes in
the loo emptying his stomach and twenty more trying to make himself presentable
before classes. He headed to the Great Hall for breakfast forcing himself to
eat a bit of everything he could keep down, which was not much, before he rose
and went to his classes like he should. Only that day his routine would be
broken and he would be grateful about it.
 
===============================================================================
Neville had never been more surprised than the day he heard Harry’s confession.
His mind had blanked out completely. The whole thing, it just surpassed his
wildest imagination. He had stood where he was for the longest time after Harry
had finished his story and left. Luna had stood by him, holding him, rocking
him like a baby. When the first shock passed Neville had been embarrassed at
the situation they were in and had tried to pull away to compose himself but
Luna had held on, refusing to just pull away.
“That’s what friends are for,” Luna had told him.
That phrase had kept haunting him, almost taunting Neville.
For about a week he thought about it. And Harry gave him space lots of it. So
much that even the other Gryffindor’s noticed that something was up between him
and Harry. Ron Weasley had even had the nerve to demand an explanation. Neville
had punched him, an action that earned him detention with McGonagall, but the
Longbottom heir did not care. Hermione Granger was the second to approach him,
looking all concerned and trying to help. That time he had been with Luna and
the petite Ravenclaw had told Hermione quite clearly that it was none of her
business.
“Stop being so nosy,” Luna had told Hermione. “Harry won’t talk to you and you
think Neville will? Harry is not your business, Neville is not your business,
their relationship is not your business. So butt out. You gave up being Harry’s
friend. Don’t act all concerned now, you’re a terrible actress.”
Hermione had run off, cheeks burning in shame and head lowered.
Harry had been nearby and he looked grateful at both her and Neville, yet he
still had made no move to approach Neville. He still spent some time with Luna,
the Longbottom heir knew that and he would never make Luna choose, but the
green eyed wizard preferred his wolf’s company above everything.
Luna had at some point actually spoken to Neville about Harry. They had been
hanging out by the lake. It was frozen over near the bank but they knew better
than to step on it as there was danger that it would break. They had been
feeding some wild birds, sparrows, bluetits and the like when Luna brought
Harry up.
“He won’t make the first move,” the Ravenclaw told Neville. “He feels that he
betrayed you and that he should not be around you lest it offends you.”
“But he told us he did not know…”
Luna stared as Neville trailed off.
“He had not known,” the Gryffindor repeated. “He had not known that his
Rabastan was the same guy as the one that attacked my parents.”
He missed Luna’s proud smile.
“He was in the dark yet he blames himself even when I don’t.”
“But Neville,” Luna kindly told him. “Harry does not know that you don’t blame
him.”
That made the Gryffindor pause.
“I don’t understand it,” he finally admitted.
“Do you really need to understand?” the blonde girl asked.
Neville snorted. “No, I guess I don’t.” Then he smiled a bit sadly.
“Where do you think we can find Harry?” Luna asked.
The other teen frowned. “About that… I think there’s something wrong with
Harry.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll explain.”
 
===============================================================================
It was DADA first thing after lunch that day and Neville had not managed to see
Harry during lunch. He and Luna had parted with the hope that Neville would
find Harry there.
He had been right. Neville spotted Harry coming from the general direction he
knew the kitchens to be, munching on a piece of toast, simple, dry toast.
Almost immediately Neville felt concerned. He was a much lighter sleeper than
the other boys at the dorm and he had woken a few times by Harry’s rushed
escapes to the loo. Now he noted that the green eyed teen looked worn out and
pale, so very pale. The second realization was that Harry had lost weight and
he did not really have much to lose, he was too damn thin most of the time.
Neville had noticed things had changed when he returned earlier that year from
France but now all that progress was gone.
There was not anyone else around; there was still time for their other year
mates to eat in peace before DADA began and Neville knew that he and Harry
would have at least some privacy. So he made his move and hoped it was not too
late to repair their relationship or he would never forgive himself.
“Harry.”
The Potter heir looked up. His eyes focused on Neville and the teen swallowed
the bite that he had in his mouth before lowering the hand holding the toast.
“Neville.”
“Is it too late for us, our friendship?” Neville asked.
“Our… friendship?” Harry looked lost. “I…”
“I’ve been a bit of an idiot,” Neville went on. “Focusing on myself…”
“He all but killed your parents. You said it yourself once, that it would have
been kinder if they had finished their work,” Harry said. “And I went and…”
“Harry,” the other teen cut him off. “You said it yourself. You had no idea.”
“But now I have,” Harry told him. “And I’m not sure…”
The green eyed wizard’s voice caught and Neville noticed that Harry’s eyes
looked glassy with ready to shed tears.
“Neville, I still… I love him,” Harry admitted.
The Longbottom heir gave a pained smile. “Yes, it was kind of obvious from the
beginning.”
“I’m not… I don’t regret loving him.”
“And you shouldn’t.”
“Neville…”
“Harry, listen to me. You fell in love with a guy in France. That guy loved you
back; he had to have loved you back if everything you said to Luna and me was
the truth.”
“It was.”
“Then he truly loved you. That, Harry is no crime. I never felt betrayed, not
really. I… it was the shock, alright? Had I come and told you I slept with you
know who….”
Harry gave a sort of sob and laugh. “I’d tease you that you are into
bestiality. He looks horrible.”
Neville laughed. “Bad example, I admit, but you get my point right? You would
have been shocked, surprised.”
“Hurt,” Harry added.
“Hurt,” Neville agreed. “But you know what hurts most?”
Harry shook his head.
“The thought that the first friend I ever had is lost to me because I’m too
selfish and a coward to admit that I miss him.”
Tears actually fell from Harry’s eyes and still he made no move to approach
Neville.
“I’m an idiot,” Harry said.
“No, you are an idiot in love,” Neville told him.
“How’s that any better?”
“It isn’t.”
Harry laughed. “Best friends?”
“Best friends.”
They crossed the distance and hugged.
“We still need to talk some more,” Harry told Neville when they were back
standing, apart, closer than they had been all week.
“Yes, but let’s just bond for a while,” the other teen said. “We’ve earned
this.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“About bloody time,” Moody said from the doorway.
Harry and Neville started and turned around.
Their DADA instructor cackled.
“You know you should always …” Mad-Eye started.
The two Gryffindor shared a look.
“…be vigilant,” they finished together.
The retired Auror cackled and the teens shuddered.
“Now get in,” Moody barked. “As soon as the rest of them are here I can start
the lesson. You will be learning how to cast the Patronus. That cow…”
“Toad,” Neville corrected.
“It fits her more,” Harry added.
Mad-Eye snorted. “It does. That toad then, honestly, Ministry boot lickers
teaching… the least they could have done was send an Auror.”
The two teens heard the man mutter under his breath as they waited for the rest
of the students to arrive.
 
===============================================================================
That night at dinner Luna went and gave a smack to Harry’s head. It was lighter
than a swat and it made Harry smile at her.
“Took you two long enough,” she remarked.
“Well, we can’t all be as smart as you,” Neville told her.
“I know.”
“Can you stop sounding so smug?” Harry told her.
“Of course I can, I just don’t want to,” Luna told him.  “So, no more drama
between the two of you?”
Neville and Harry looked at each other.
“No, no more drama,” Neville agreed with Harry nodding beside him.
“Good, pass me the potatoes,” Luna ordered them.
Harry reached for the plate and offered it to her.
“You know, Luna, sometimes you scare me,” Harry told her.
Neville nodded. “Me as well.”
“Really, Neville? That means that you would never date me?”
Harry nearly dropped the potatoes in shock. Was Luna really saying what he
thought she was saying? Seeing her stare unblinkingly at Neville he decided to
wait and see.
Neville on the other hand could only stare at the Ravenclaw and gape. Was that
really a come on? It sounded like one. But this was Luna. His friend. Sure, she
was funny, good company, great even. She was smart, never underestimated him
and she was just too pretty for words. She could not possibly mean that!
“I… Luna… I…”
Harry cleared his throat. “What he would like to say is that he likes you back
but is too afraid to ruin your friendship but a date might convince him so how
about you two go on a date next Hogsmeade weekend, barring a Death Eater
attack, hm?”
Luna hardly blinked at Harry’s response while Neville stared at Harry in
horror, still unable to fully utilize his vocal cords.
“Well, I accept,” their younger friend answered. “Harry, can you also pass the
salt?”
“Sure.”
Neville stared between the two, speechless for the rest of the meal.
 
===============================================================================
That same night the people in the Gryffindor dorm realized that the dark cloud
between Harry and Neville was gone. The two walked in together, conversing in
low tones. They started studying together like before. It gathered a lot of
looks but no one approached to ask. The Twins in particular kept Ron and even
Hermione away and when Harry and Neville packed their things and headed up to
the boys’ dormitory Dean and Seamus kept an eye on Ron.
“Are we really okay?” Harry asked Neville. He was there in the common bathroom,
watching Neville shave.
“We are, stop asking so often, but, I’m shocked about Luna to be honest,”
Neville told Harry.
The green eyed wizard blinked. “I thought you liked Luna, I mean, I’ve seen you
stare at her and blush…”
“You have?” Neville stopped shaving. “You mean I actually do that?”
Harry laughed. “Mate, you’ve got it bad for her.” He left Neville, chuckling as
he went back to the dorm.
“What’s so funny?” Seamus asked.
Neville came back that moment.
“Harry! I cannot believe this! Do I really stare?” the Longbottom heir
demanded.
“Stare at whom?” Dean asked.
Ron was staring at Harry and then Neville and then the other two teens. He
looked like he wanted to ask but he was unsure whether he was even supposed to
speak. To Harry that was a very big improvement to Ron’s ‘foot-in-mouth’
syndrome.
“Luna,” Neville reluctantly agreed.
“The Lovegood girl?” Seamus asked.
“She’s pretty cute,” Dean commented. “A bit spacey…”
“She’s a Ravenclaw, right?” Seamus cut in.
“Yes,” Neville replied.
“Well, all the ravens are a bit like that,” the Irish boy commented. “I went
out with a sixth year last Hogsmeade weekend. She always had these ideas in
mind. She wants to go into spell development. She was a bit freaky. One moment
talking to me and the other she was exclaiming about an idea. Apparently I’m
inspiring.”
The other boys snorted, Ron included.
“Hey!” Seamus yelled at them. “I can be inspiring!”
“He’s happy it got him a snog,” Dean told the others.
“Nobody said anything about a snog!” Neville panicked.
Harry rolled his eyes. “Would you please relax?”
“I am relaxed.”
It was Dean’s turn to snort. “You are blanching.”
“Oh,” Neville uttered.
“Look,” Harry said. “It’s just a date. You meet her like always; you talk to
her like we usually talk.”
“But she’s my friend. A date will make her my girlfriend,” Neville panicked.
“She can still be your friend,” Harry told him. “A date does not mean you are
another person! You still share the same things friends share. What changes is
the intimacy mainly and the feelings. Having Luna as a girlfriend does not make
her stop being your friend.”
“I agree with Harry,” Dean said.
“Me too,” Seamus commented. “That was really awfully mature and knowing of you
Harry. Want to share with us lad? Got a lady as well?”
“Had,” Harry muttered, mood turning sour.
“Sorry,” Seamus winced.
“And it was not a lady,” Harry added.
“Oh,” Dean uttered. “You’re gay?”
Harry nodded.
“Want us to beat him up?” Seamus offered.
Harry and Neville both choked at that, stared at each other and started
laughing.
“Hey!” Seamus protested. “What’s so funny?”
But Harry and Neville were laughing too hard to answer. From Harry’s eyes some
tears leaked but no one said anything about it.
Later, after they had come down from their laughing fit Seamus and Dean asked
to speak to Harry. The two Gryffindor’s apologized to Harry for a lot of
things. It was quite touching to Harry. They apologized for thinking him as
Slytherin’s heir back in second year and again for being unfair to him during
fourth year and again for being prats and believing the Prophet earlier the
same year. Harry let them apologize, feeling honestly better about this. They
were not best friends as the situation was, merely acquaintances and doormats,
but Harry liked the thought of having more friends to have fun with. He
accepted the apology saying it was no big deal.
“It is a big deal,” Dean told him. Next to him, Seamus looked shame faced.
“He’s right,” the Irish teen said. “We were Gryffindor’s even when we were not
close friends; we should have never acted like that, Harry. Don’t try to wave
it off as something trivial, okay? We were idiots, we know it and you know it.
We apologize for this and we will try not to do that again, but we had no
excuses Harry.”
“Fine,” the green eyed teen agreed.
“Good, now let’s get back,” Seamus told Harry.
“I hope when you trust us more you can tell us what happened with Ron and
Hermione,” Dean said to Harry.
 “They are being idiots,” Harry replied. “And it’s too late to do anything
about it. I hope you don’t mind but I’d rather not say, not because I feel bad,
but because it’s now over and still I don’t want to make any trouble for them.”
“How big was their idiocy?” Dean asked.
Harry shrugged and the other two changed the subject.
 
===============================================================================
It was morning again and Neville stirred from sleep.
There was movement in the dorm, thumping of feet, a door opening. Even without
opening his eyes, Neville knew it was Harry, again. The Longbottom heir threw
the covers off his body and stood. He had listened to this while Harry and he
were not talking but not anymore. He was getting increasingly worried about the
green eyed wizard. 
Neville found Harry in the loo, literally losing his lunch and dinner to the
toilet. Without speaking he went and wet a towel and then brought it to Harry.
His friend looked shocked and a bit embarrassed to see him. Still, Harry
accepted the towel and wiped his mouth.
“Finished?” Neville asked.
Harry’s voice was faint when he answered.
“I think so. I need to…”
“Go ahead,” Neville told him. He kept quiet while Harry walked to a sink and
started brushing his teeth and washing his face. He looked so pale and so worn
out that it scared Neville. No one should look that pale, certainly not Harry.
“You have questions,” the green eyed wizard spoke when his mouth stopped
tasting of vomit.
“I’ve heard you before,” Neville admitted. “Unlike the others, I sleep
lightly.”
“Oh.”
“Harry? I worry about you.”
“I’m sorry…”
“Don’t! Don’t apologize. I just worry. Is it flu? Have you seen Madam Pomfrey?”
“Not yet?” Harry admitted.
“Harry!” Neville scolded.
“I know. I just thought it would pass.”
“It’s been weeks!”
Harry sighed. “I think it’s nothing, just you know… from stress.”
Neville consider this. Harry certainly had reasons to be stressed out, but
still, this was making Harry sick.
“Whatever it is,” Neville spoke, “you need to see a healer or a medi-witch. I
mean it Harry. You’ve lost weight, you look a fright and you are not getting
any better.”
“Okay, I’ll go to Madam Pomfrey, just… does Luna know?”
“I told her.”
Harry stared.
Neville returned the look. “We might have not been talking, but I still
worried. She thinks you ought to go to Madam Pomfrey as well.”
“I will go,” Harry consented. “Just give me a while…”
“You have until dinner today,” Neville told him in a way that brooked no
argument.
Harry nodded.
“Good, now let’s get you some crackers to ease your stomach,” Neville decided.
“Kitchens?”
“I have some in my trunk,” Neville told him. “We better get back to the rooms;
this place is too draughty to do you any good.”
 
===============================================================================
It was time for Charms and Neville kept shooting worried looks at Harry.
Their friendship had been mended. They discussed more about Harry and his
relationship with Rabastan. Neville could still not understand how Harry could
fall for the man. Sure, he had been charming, attentive, and after all the
talks they had had about him he had been perfect if one discounted the fact
that the wizard was a dangerous criminal that escaped from Azkaban. Sometimes
Neville would think back on all the comments Harry made about the man and it
did not make sense. The Rabastan that flirted with Harry, that had charmed his
best friend, was nothing like the monster that had come into his home and
ruined the lives of his family. To Neville the whole affair was mind boggling
so he preferred to separate the two faces of the same man. He really did not
want to hurt Harry and that was the only way to do this. He had also explained
this to Harry and the green eyed teen had agreed.
“That’s what keeps me sane,” Harry had told Neville once.
As they trekked now towards Charms it was very obvious that something was wrong
with Harry. Neville had been shooting the teen worried looks since that morning
they had both been up. Harry had tried to shrug them off but it was obvious
Neville had a reason to worry.
“Hey!” Seamus walked up to them as they reached the classroom. “Is everything
alright with you Harry?”
The teen in question looked a bit startled. They were not close, never had
been, but Seamus and Dean had started trying to know him, Harry better. Neville
knew as well, and unlike Ron he did not get jealous of others trying to have a
small piece of their friendship, he welcomed them and they accepted him back.
“I told you so,” Neville said to Harry.
Seamus frowned.
“I told him to visit the infirmary,” Neville told Seamus.
“He better,” the Irish teen muttered and with another look at Harry he walks up
front.
“Do I really look that bad?” Harry asked.
“Worse,” Neville replied. He saw Harry sway a bit. “Mate?” he asked, at the
same time reaching over to steady the sickly teen.
“Just a dizzy spell,” Harry replied.
Neville frowned. “The second since morning! Harry! We …”
“Class is starting and…”
“Screw class!” Neville almost yelled.
He touched Harry’s elbow and felt how his friend was trembling. This was bad.
He opened his mouth to talk to his friend when he saw Harry’s eyes roll back.
“Harry!” Neville yelled his white face a mask of panic.
Seamus looked back just in time to see Harry collapse in the hallway with
Neville trying to keep him from hitting the ground.
“Dean! Hurry!” he yelled into the almost full class. Seamus ran to Neville’s
side and together they eased their unconscious house mate to the ground.
Dean rushed out soon after, followed by Flitwick and several other students.
“Oh, Merlin!” the tiny professor exclaimed.
===============================================================================
End of chapter.
***** Learning not to panic *****
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
See the end of the chapter for more notes
There was silence in the infirmary apart from the noise the medi-witch made as
she checked over her patient.
Poppy Pomfrey was honestly nice and kind and would have preferred it if there
were no students visiting her at all during the year and especially a certain
green eyed Gryffindor. She logically knew that it was not Potter’s fault that
he got into so much trouble, at least half the time (the Quidditch accidents
were a result of playing and that game was like asking for trouble). When the
teen had been brought in on a stretcher levitated by Filius Flitwick himself,
with Neville Longbottom in tow, she grew worried.
“Put him on a bed,” she ordered, taking control of the situation swiftly.
The Charms professor did not seem offended by her tone. He merely levitated the
teen to the bed she pointed at.
“I must return to class, Poppy,” the Charm’s professor told her and Pomfrey
waved him off; she had work to do.
“What happened?” the medi-witch asked, immediately assuming the worst.
“He fainted,” Neville supplied the answer.
“Just fainted?” Madam Pomfrey asked.
“We were talking and he grew even paler and it happened,” Neville stated.
The witch started taking Harry’s vital signs.
“What else? He cannot just have fainted,” the witch told the Gryffindor.
Neville Longbottom looked torn. “Harry’s been under the weather lately.”
“Elaborate mister Longbottom,” Pomfrey told the teen.
“Well, almost every morning without fail he wakes up at dawn and empties his
stomach, everything he ate really the night before. He gets tired easily… Well,
there was a bit of an emotional problem…”
“Teen angst with the girls?” Poppy sighed.
Neville bit his lip. “Not exactly. Harry does not like girls that way.” he
hated telling that but she was medi-witch and it was not like Harry was hiding
it, just not shouting it from the rooftops and towers of the castle.
The medi-witch froze. “Boys?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“This complicated things,” Pomfrey muttered. She waved her wand over an
unconscious Harry Potter.
Neville could only watch, looking lost.
“Longbottom,” the medi-witch lowered her wand. “Go and get the Headmaster. The
password is ‘Sugar Quills’.”
Neville nodded and took off.
Pomfrey looked at the unconscious teen on one of her beds. She still needed to
take some blood, three drops tops, but she was starting to get a very good idea
of what was wrong with the teen. It was not uncommon but still not something
that happened all that often with wizards. Male pregnancies were more common in
non-human species but as purebloods more often than not had some creature
blood; everything was possible really. The medi-witch did all the possible
tests, not excluding the common flu yet (Muggleborns and half-bloods were
susceptible  to it) or the flu’s magical cousin. She was waiting for the
results when the Headmaster returned, without Longbottom.
“I sent the boy to class,” Dumbledore answered her enquiring gaze. His blue
eyes looked grave when they fell on Potter’s still unconscious form. Pomfrey
had lent a hand there, casting a very mild sleeping spell on the teen. It was
obvious he had not been sleeping well.
“I was just studying the results. I took three drops of blood; apparently I’m
also testing for pregnancy.”
“Ah, yes,” Dumbledore agreed. He recalled that the Potters had diversity in
their family tree. He recalled Charlus Potter, James’ father and Harry’s
grandfather, mentioning how his own father, Harrison, had been married to the
child of a water nymph, a Naiad. They were much like mermaids in a way but they
had been descendants of Oceanids. There was a lot of power there and magic the
wizards and witches never dared to delve in. Before that, about two centuries
actually, there was a rumour that another Potter had mated a Naga but that was
never proven. However when he had been younger and looking into the Peverell’s
and the Tale of the Three Brothers he had found that one of Ignotus’ sons had
married an actual mermaid. And that was only the Potters. Albus had no idea
what went on in the Lestrange line, or with the Black blood in Harry; Dorea his
grandmother had been a Black and they were a secretive bunch.
“You know something,” Pomfrey muttered.
“I merely suspect,” the Headmaster replied. “The results… I think Harry should
be awake for this.”
The medi-witch sighed.  “Enervate!”
===============================================================================
Waking up in the infirmary was nothing new.
Waking up to the faces of Poppy Pomfrey and Albus Dumbledore, nothing new there
either.
“Harry?” Dumbledore looked worried and was not bothering to hide it.
Madam Pomfrey was her usual controlled self.
“Mister Potter,” she said. “Do you know what happened?”
Harry slowly raised his body, supporting his upper weight on his elbows. “I
think I fainted.”
“You did,” the medi-witch replied.
“Oh!”
“Professor Flitwick and mister Longbottom brought you in,” the witch continued.
Harry sighed. “I worried them, didn’t I? I just have been so stressed lately…”
“And you had reason to be so stressed,” the Headmaster told him.
Harry grimaced a bit. He had lots of reasons to be stressed.
“Well, mister Longbottom described certain symptoms that had me thinking,”
Pomfrey commented. The medi-witch then told Harry about the spells she had done
and the tests they were needed for. “… Dragon pox as you never had it as a
child, exhaustion and of course, pregnancy.”
Harry blinked. “Pregnancy? Me? How? Why? W- huh?” the teen spluttered, looking
rather bewildered.
“Honestly,” the medi-witch muttered.
“Perhaps I should explain,” Dumbledore cut in.
“Please do,” Poppy told the man. She eyed the vial of blue potion that was on
the bedside next to Harry. The teen eyed it as well.
“Oh, dear,” Dumbledore muttered.
“Sir?” Harry started. He felt confused and lost and he thought he had a
headache building. Magic was magic but even magic could not make babies out of
nothing. He knew about the birds and the bees, or rather sperm and ovaries. Two
men could not make a baby, it just was not possible.
“That potion,” the teen could no longer look at a vial. “Is it what I think it
is?”
Pomfrey moved away and Dumbledore took a seat by Harry’s bed side. The teen was
too nervous to even admire the armchair the Headmaster transfigured out of the
simple visitor’s chairs.
“First of all, male pregnancies are possible, they do not happen often but they
do,” Albus Dumbledore started. “There are no mechanics about this, no special
magic, no potion…”
“Then how?”
“Wizards are humans; won’t you say they are Harry?”
“I guess, yes.”
“What of magical creatures?”
Harry blinked. “Am I one?”
“No, but the genes, as the Muggle’s say, are in your line. Your great
grandfather Harrison married a water nymph of the sea, a Naiad. Her name was
Khione, like her ancestor was named. She chose to leave the seas behind her,
shedding her half immortal side and lived as a human with her loved one and
their one child, Charlus, your grandfather. The union between wizards and
creatures has small intricacies. You have to understand Harry, every case is
different. Naiads have no genders; not really, most nymphs are energy, not
magic, but pure energy. Khione took on the appearance of a female because she
could, but she was not essentially female, do you follow me?”
“Yes sir,” Harry replied; he was drinking in the information, he had honestly
never known much, he had not known anything at all about his grandparents. “My
father’s grandmother was not female but looked like she was.”
Dumbledore smiled. “It was not the only example in your line but it was the
most recent one and the one most likely to affect you.”
“I’m not going to sprout a tail, am I?” Harry asked. “I’m being a bit of an
idiot, right?”
“Just overwhelmed,” Albus reassured the teen.
“Please continue,” Harry sighed.
“Okay. Let me see… Well, Khione could not pass anything of her powers on, but
certain genetic traits… being capable to reproduce was one. You must understand
that beings like nymphs and sylphs and the like do not have the same
reproductive system humans do, inside that is. No ovaries, no sperm. They
utilize energy and emotion and touch,” Dumbledore explained. “How do you think
mermaids reproduce?”
Harry thought about it. True, they did not have all the organs humans did even
if they resembled them from the waist up.
“I see,” he finally muttered. He swallowed a bit; his throat was suddenly dry.
“So, am I? Pregnant I mean. If I weren’t you would not be telling me all this.”
Dumbledore sighed. “The potion, it is usually clear. Three drops of blood are
all that is needed. It turns blue in the event of a possible pregnancy.”
Harry sucked in a deep breath. Everything was suddenly blurry. “Oh.”
“Poppy!” Albus called out. “We need a Calming Draught!”
Next thing Harry knew he was being fed a potion and then, blissful sleep.
===============================================================================
Albus returned to the infirmary that same evening. Harry was awake again and
there was a tray of food placed in front of him. The teen was prodding the food
with his fork but otherwise looked unresponsive.
“Harry,” the old wizard said by way of greeting. “Did you finish with your
meal? I would not want to bother.”
“Sir,” the teen blinked. He looked at the plate and grimaced. “I’m done with
this.” He pushed the plate away and it vanished.
“My boy,” Dumbledore sighed. “I worry about you.”
Harry refused to look him in the eyes.
“Harry,” the man gently called the teen’s name. “I do not believe I ever told
you this and I think that was a grave omission, but I am very proud of you.”
The teen’s head snapped up. His green eyes were wide. “P-proud? Despite…
despite the fact that I… with a Death Eater? And now…”
“I am proud of you because of who you are,” Dumbledore stated. “Because you are
brave, and strong and a kind soul.”
“And immature and…”
“A teen,” the blue eyed wizard cut in. he peered at Harry with a smile. “I was
young once. And I can definitely top you on being immature but that is a story
for another day. Today, now, it is all about you. How are you feeling?”
“Shocked,” Harry replied. “And part of me thinks you are Fred, or George
Weasley under Polyjuice.”
Dumbledore laughed.
“It is quite possible,” Harry argued.
“Harry…”
“Yes, I know, even they would not take it this far,” Harry admitted. “I just
cannot wrap my mind about this! Teenage pregnancy? I’m a boy, a gay boy! And,
damn it, we used spells for protection!” the teen yelled in frustration. He
then buried his face in his arms. “This cannot be happening!”
Harry did not even realize that Dumbledore drew him in his arms in a hug; the
man seemed to be doing that a lot lately.
“Oh, my boy, my poor, poor boy,” the older wizard sighed.
He let Harry get it off his chest, the tears, the fear, the uncertainty. Only
when he felt the distraught teen calm down did he release the youth.
“Better?” he asked Harry, offering a tissue while he did so.
“I’ve been a mess lately,” the teen replied. He reached for the tissue to wipe
his face.
“We really need to talk a bit,” Dumbledore told Harry. “Are you up for it?”
The teen shrugged.
The Headmaster made himself a bit more comfortable, called a house elf and
requested something sweet and comforting. A tray with two cups of hot chocolate
and two plates of lemon pie appeared.
“Heaven,” Albus sighed with delight.
That prompted a smile from Harry, who reached for the dessert. A sip of hot
chocolate and a few bites of lemon pie later he was not feeling that bad, just
lost.
“I’m pregnant,” Harry said aloud.
“Yes.”
“From Rabastan Lestrange,” the teen continued. “Are you still proud of me sir?”
“Harry, this is something unexpected but it does not make me care and love you
any less.”
“You really care for me? Love me even?”
Dumbledore smiled. “I used to often visit Lily just to see you. I was never
blessed with children of my own you see. Did you know; I was James godfather…”
Harry’s eyes went wide.
“… yes, I don’t think I mentioned that before. Many people did not know that.
Anyway, I was your father’s godfather and my grandmother was a Potter on my
father’s side,” Dumbledore chuckled at Harry’s wide eyed look.
“Why was I left with the Dursley’s then?” the teen asked.
“You really want all the answers tonight?”
Harry shrugged.
Dumbledore sipped his hot chocolate. “Well, the wards I set up around the house
were based on your mother’s blood. You were still young and the connection with
your mother stronger. Birth and death play a big role in certain wards. I was
right too. Petunia … I don’t think she ever realized that there were attempts
against you.”
“There were?” Harry was shocked.
“Four of them,” Dumbledore gravely replied. “All during the first three years
of you staying with them.”
“I had no idea. Who was it?”
“Does it really matter? They were caught, found guilty of many other crimes and
sentenced to Azkaban. They all died in prison,” Dumbledore replied. “But for
what it’s worth, I wished you never had to stay with the Dursley’s. Petunia
never had the right to do all those things to you.”
“It’s okay,” Harry muttered. “As long as I’m not going back…”
“Never again,” Dumbledore promised.
“Then that subject is over.”
“Really? Awfully mature of you.”
Harry snorted. “Wait till the hormones kick in, the teenage hormones, not the
pregnancy hormones.”
Dumbledore smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind. Back to the subject we were talking
of; I visited quite a lot when you were a baby. I even have pictures
somewhere….”
Harry blushed at that. “Oh.”
“Harry,” Albus said. “What happened with Rabastan is in the past. You have a
future ahead of you. And you have to make some very difficult decisions. But
first, I need to tell you about male pregnancies.”
The teen nodded after he took a bite of his lemon pie.
“Male pregnancies vary, depending on the species of the creature blood and the
degree of that bloods strength,” Dumbledore started saying in a lecture tone.
“Usually the time a pregnancy can last stretches from nine to ten months. Some
species, like Banshee, have a three month period but that is not something that
affects you.”
Harry gave a decisive nod.
“Now, there are the usual, cravings, nausea…”
“I’m familiar with that symptom,” Harry muttered.
“Quite,” Dumbledore smiled. “What you need to know is your body has started
changing. You have no uterus, no birth canal…”
Harry turned a bit green.
“But that won’t be a big problem,” the older wizard continued.
“Let me guess, magic?”
“In a way,” Albus replied. “Basically a bubble forms in your stomach,
surrounding the forming babies…”
“How does it form… wait! Let me guess, magic.”
Dumbledore nodded. “That’s the simple, short answer,” he told the teen.
“And why the plural?” Harry asked, his green eyes looking alarmed.
“Just covering all the possibilities Harry,” Dumbledore responded.
“Right. So, a bubble surrounds the baby…”
“It is much like a womb but not exactly. It filters nutrients, provides oxygen
and protects the foetus, and I mean that it does it in the best way,”
Dumbledore explained. “It expands with the baby, basically acts like a mother’s
womb and placenta.”
“Okay, so far so good.”
“There are a few other things but I will let you know later, with the help of
Madam Pomfrey of course.”
“Why later?” Harry asked.
“Because there’s another option Harry,” Dumbledore said.
The Gryffindor caught on immediately.
“There’s no way I’m doing that!” And Harry was certain of that. This baby he
was carrying was family. His family, not his father’s, not his mother’s, not
his former best friend’s, just his. The teen knew that it was not the most
logical decision, but it was the one he wanted. And it was not the shock
speaking but the fact that he wanted and needed a family. A little voice
taunted him that he also wanted the child because it was Rabastan’s and his,
but he tried to ignore that. He would not think about that man, just yet; if he
did, Harry feared he would become a crying mess again. How could one man change
his life so much?
“Ah… the big question of life,” Dumbledore commented and only then Harry
realized he had spoken out loud.
The older wizard was giving him a knowing look.
“Perhaps, after this whole mess is over you might find some time to hear an old
man’s tale.”
Harry quirked his lips. “Sure.”
“Well, I had better let you eat that pie and finish with the chocolate.”
“Won’t you stay until you finish yours?”
“I suppose I have some time…” Dumbledore considered with a smile on his face
and a twinkle in his eyes. “Would you like to ask me anything?”
Harry bit his lips. “What were my grandparents like?”
===============================================================================
Neville came to visit next along with Luna. The Gryffindor had brought Harry’s
homework assignments and Luna a circlet made of corks.
“To keep the Humblederds low in numbers, you don’t want an infestation of
them,” the Ravenclaw told him.
“Hey! You even painted on them. Is that a mini Ciel?” Harry asked in a serious
tone; he really was not being patronizing, merely supportive.
Luna smiled. “Yes.”
“Great, thanks Luna, er… do I wear this or…”
“You hang them over the bed,” the witch told Harry.
“How are you?” Neville asked. “I was so worried when you fainted! And then no
one was allowed inside the infirmary to see you… Is it true what I heard? One
of the Hufflepuff’s said that Headmaster Dumbledore came at least three times
and stayed for quite a while.”
“Was it the flu?” Luna asked.
Harry’s smile faded. “No, not the flu.”
Now Neville and Luna looked at him with worried eyes and anxious faces.
“Harry? What’s wrong?” Neville asked.
“Why don’t you sit first?” Harry suggested.
Neville and Luna looked at each other and back at Harry. Then they moved to
Harry’s bedside and each took a seat at the bed.
“Talk,” they said together and Harry had a small hunch that those two hooking
up would not end well for him. Luna was rubbing off on Neville, her bossy
traits at least.
“Okay,” Harry said. He took a very deep breath, hoping the extra oxygen would
help calm him. There was no easy way to tell this and he was not about to dance
around the topic. “The fainting and the puking…”
Neville grimaced. “Yes…?”
“Turns out they were symptoms…”
“Stop stalling,” Luna warned him.
“I’m not stalling, I’m just trying to figure out a way to let you know I’m
pregnant,” Harry replied.
Neville and Luna continued staring.
Madam Pomfrey came then with what Harry recognized to be a nutrient supplement
in the form of a potion. She took one look at the two stunned teens and then at
Harry’s face.
“You told them?” the medi-witch asked.
“Yes,” the green eyed wizard replied.
“Drink this,” Madam Pomfrey told the teen as she handed him the potion vial.
“If they stay like this longer…”
“I’ll holler for you,” Harry promised.
That prompted a reaction out of them.
“Pregnant?” Neville stuttered. “How?”
“You don’t look like a tree nymph,” Luna commented.
Harry snorted, “Actually, it was Naiad.”
“Really?” the blonde witch asked.
Harry shrugged.
“Guys, I cannot follow you,” Neville cried out.
Luna and Harry turned to him.
“I can explain,” the green eyed teen said and proceeded to tell Luna and
Neville what he knew about male pregnancies, about his ancestors, anything that
could explain the bizarre situation Harry was in.
===============================================================================
End of chapter
Chapter End Notes
     For information on the creatures mentioned: www. mythi
     calcreaturesguide. com/ #f bid= NmnMnvw3EiD (don’t forget to remove
     the spaces)
***** Normalcy *****
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Being back to his classes gave Harry an odd feeling. His brief stint in the
infirmary was all over school but the reasons behind this was just low blood
pressure. Not that many believed that but at least they did not bug Harry for
answers. Neville kept an eye on Harry (knowing the true reasons behind Harry’s
fainting spell it was natural) and surprisingly Seamus and Dean approached and
offered their help as well.
Time rolled on and before Harry realized a month had passed by, a month that
all Harry did was think; there were a lot of subjects to keep him busy. First
and foremost, his two best friends and their first date. That had been both
amusing and nerve wracking for Harry. Neville had been in a panic over it and
Luna had been Luna.
Flashback…
“Oh Merlin! Oh Merlin!”
Harry, sitting on his bed, hand on his belly and absently caressing the area.
The pregnant wizard had a grin on his face while he watched his best friend
Neville panicking in their dorm. The Longbottom heir had a date and all common
sense had left the usually reserved and shy youth. The green eyed wizard had
already asked him to stop pacing the room once, but that had made Neville hold
his breath, something that had not gone well with him so Harry had allowed the
other teen to start pacing again.
“Will you calm down?” the green eyed Gryffindor asked.
Neville paused long enough to give him a blank eyed look. “You recall how you
were before a date?”
“A lot more calmer than you!”
“Yes, well… Bite me!”
“Luna won’t like that,” Harry teased his best friend.  “Or maybe she will.”
Neville snorted. “Oh, I bet she would love to see it.”
“That’s our Luna,” Harry told him. “Your Luna.”
“My Luna,” Neville agreed.
Harry smiled; the other teen had stopped pacing. It took a while but Neville
was finally ready soon after that he was dressed and ready. Harry knew the teen
would be picking the blond witch from the exit of the Ravenclaw common room and
escorting her to Hogsmeade. Harry would be on his own that day but Neville in
all his excitement had already highlighted the plan he had for that day. A
walk, a drink, lunch, candy; he had planned everything. Harry had tried to tell
him how Luna did not need much but Neville’s answer had put the green eyed
wizard in his place.
“But she deserves it, she deserves all,” Neville had declared, making Harry
smile and nod.
“You are right Neville, so right.”
…end Flashback
And the date had gone according to plan, from what Harry later learned both
from Luna and the gossip all around. The blonde witch had been delighted with
how attentive Neville had been to her, how gentlemanly and kind. He had opened
doors for her, treated her like a princess and gotten her flowers, nothing
fancy, just wildflowers with bright colours from the greenhouses.
Flashback…
“I’ve kept them, the flowers,” she confided to Harry. They had been at the
lake, playing with the giant squid that was now becoming lively with the cold
weather slowly ebbing away. “We ate the candy, but the flowers I kept. I want
to remember that day.”
“It’s fine for the flowers to wilt Luna,” Harry had told her after she admitted
placing them under preservation spells. They never lasted long with flowers.
“I know they will, eventually,” the witch admitted. “But I want to keep the
memory.”
“There will be more dates,” Harry told her, trying to calm her down and pep
talk her. He absently thought that he was using some of the same things the
Delacour witches had told him when he had the same panicky thoughts during the
summer. It was that very moment Harry also realized that Luna looked to him for
the opinions and support she would be usually getting from female best friends.
That was a bit disturbing for Harry but also made him proud the blonde trusted
him so much.
Luna turned to him, looking surprised. “Really?”
There was something missing from the perpetually optimistic girl and that was
confidence; Harry did not like it.
“Luna,” Harry also turned to her, suddenly serious. “Neville was not messing
with you, you know that, right?”
The Ravenclaw shrugged. “Just… I’m Loo…”
“Don’t finish that,” Harry told her sternly. “You’re not Loony or any other
epithet those bigots gave you. They might not know or see this but Neville and
I we see how precious you are.”
“Oh.”
Harry sighed and pulled her into a hug. “Stop listening to jealous prats Luna.
You never listened in the past. Why start now?”
“Because now I have people to lose,” Luna whispered against Harry’s neck.
The wizard just kissed her forehead and hugged her tighter.
“This is nice,” Luna admitted. “Do you think that siblings do this?”
Harry recalled Ron and the way the red head interacted with his sister. It was
nothing like this. But Harry had dreamed growing up of having siblings, sisters
or brothers it hardly mattered. He gained two sisters and a brother/godson
thanks to Apolline and Armand. One more sister was a blessing and Luna, Luna
was amazing.  “I have no idea, but I like to think that yes, they do. Fleur
would often cuddle me,” Harry recalled with a smile. “Gabrielle as well.”
“Oh…”
“Luna,” Harry, “I’d love to have one more sister in you.”
The smile she gave him made him smile back.
…end Flashback
Later Harry had told Neville about it, not about Luna being so vulnerable, but
about the sycophants out to break her. Neville, ever the valiant knight had
acted fast. His first action was to eat with Luna that day at the Ravenclaw
table. While he had been younger and chubby, the Longbottom heir had been
snubbed, thought weak and a joke. But with his seventeenth birthday approaching
in a couple of years and the Longbottom fortune nearly at his palm, suddenly
Neville looked more attractive to some and apparently Luna was not the one for
him in their eyes. Neville was not about to let other people mess with the
witch. He knew that had she truly wanted, Luna could have hexed those people,
but she was just too kind. Neville had asked Harry’s help to root out who the
bullies were and the green eyed wizard had been happy to help.
“We should also tell Flitwick,” Harry suggested. He had seen just how the
Charms professor liked the odd girl. “I asked the twins too. They gave me a
couple of tips.”
“You suggesting we prank them?”
“For every attack on Luna, we retaliate in equal measure, publicly.”
“Devious,” Neville mused. “I like it.”
They followed through with it too. Flitwick got them in touch with one of the
Ravenclaw prefects, Beatrice Bangold, and the witch had only been too happy to
help the two Gryffindor’s look out for Luna. In the span of a week Harry and
Neville had gotten the message across to all those who wanted Luna miserable.
According to the blonde witch they had stopped hiding her things and pushing
her around, especially after Flitwick caught them in the act and took fifty
pints off from each of them. They had been Luna’s peers and a couple of older
kids, all of the witches. Luna was much happier now and Neville continued
having at least two meals with her at Ravenclaw table, and Harry would join
them half the time. The other half he let them be a couple. And got to watch
because the way both of them were blushing was just too much fun.
What Harry loved about Luna and Neville being a couple now was that they were
not too wrapped up in each other to pay him attention. Things had hardly
changed between them as friends. They still joked together, spent time and had
fun.
                                       o
                                       o
                                       o
Ciel, much like Hedwig was a Harry Potter pet, recognized by all in the school.
Every morning Hedwig came in she gathered lots of looks and attention,
especially with the way Harry cooed over her and pampered the Snowy Owl. Now
Luna had joined in the pampering with Neville close behind, and Hedwig, like
the princess she was soaked in attention. With the wolf allowed back in the
school Harry felt a bit conflicted. On one hand he was a reminder of his summer
in France and the man who gifted him to Harry. But then again, the green eyed
teen reasoned that he had another reminder of that man buried inside of him. So
any lingering bittersweet feelings were buried deep inside and Harry decided to
just enjoy having Ciel back with him.
The wolf was much larger now, rivalling in height the normal wolves of the
wild. He would have much to grow still as he was still young. He was much more
playful too and he loved it when Harry threw small branches for him to chase.
Harry, Neville and Luna could often be seen on the grounds, frolicking around
with the wolf and having fun. Sometimes the younger years, Gryffindor’s and non
Gryffindor’s alike would approach closer to get a better look at the wolf,
sometimes joining in the play. It was a loud mess and it kept Harry’s mind
busy.
Today was one such day. They were all dressed warmly, applied warming charms
and spilled out on the Hogwarts grounds. Neville stayed at Harry’s side while
Luna dominated the playing with Ciel, sending enlarged tennis balls towards the
distance and having the wolf chase them. A couple of first year Hufflepuff’s
were close by and the blond witch had let them join in.
“Where we ever that short?” Neville mused out loud at Harry, making his best
friend snort.
“I know I was,” Harry admitted. “The smallest of the runts.”
“And I was the chubbiest,” Neville reminded the green eyed teen when he saw
Harry frowning.
“What a pair we make,” Harry responded.
They turned towards the game unfolding when Hedwig gave a bark, announcing her
presence just before she descended on Harry’s shoulder.
“Hello girl,” the raven haired cooed over his first friend. Her soft feathers
hit his cheek, almost like a greeting.
Neville shook his head when the owl nipped Harry’s hair a bit and then took
off. He spoke when he felt the warming charms were just not good enough for the
cold. “Are you sure you’re warm enough?”
“Hm, perhaps I should get inside,” the Potter heir agreed.
Luna saw Neville’s sign and herded the wolf and the little badgers towards
them.
“I bet we could get the elves to give us hot chocolate,” Neville mused.
A small sly smile appeared on Harry’s face. “Really?”
“Figuratively,” Neville hurried to add. “I know just how likable you are to
those creatures,” the Longbottom heir said.
                                       o
                                       o
                                       o
Neville frowned. He was waiting for Harry right outside the loo. Morning
sickness was going strong, not as bad as before but still creating trouble for
the green eyed Gryffindor. When Harry was done brushing his teeth and washing
his face, Neville handed him a towel and then some crackers.
“My very own knight,” the pregnant teen sighed popping one of the small
crackers in his mouth.
“Harry, you should tell Madam Pomfrey,” Neville said. “You practically empty
your stomach of lunch and dinner. That can’t be good for you or…” he trailed
off and pointed at Harry’s not showing yet belly. He did not want utter the
word ‘baby’. Just because the others were sleeping did not mean they could not
wake up any moment now.
Harry considered Neville’s words.
“I’ll get dressed and go to the infirmary,” Harry agreed.
“Want company?” Neville asked. The green eyed teen smiled and nodded.
                                       o
                                       o
                                       o
Madam Pomfrey muttered to herself as she took another blood test for Harry. She
had asked the house elves to bring breakfast for both teens. Harry had settled
for toast with honey and tea to wash it down. Neville, knowing that greasy food
tended to annoy his friend settled for porridge. The school medi-witch insisted
both of them had some fruit at least.
“More frequent meals are the only option,” Madam Pomfrey decided. “You put on
weight during the summer but now you are losing it and fast. The good news is
that you have good blood sugar, iron and vitamins in your blood but you need
the weight to keep healthy,” she told them after she had the results and before
it was time to send the boys off to classes. “I want to come see me tomorrow as
well. Just to monitor you. Also, I’m giving the house elves a plan about the
meals you should be having.”
“I will eat the same,” Neville told her. “Less people will ask then.”
Madam Pomfrey smiled at him. “An admirable thought, Mister Longbottom,” she
told the teen. “Very well. Now off you go.”
The two Gryffindor’s thanked her and left.
Walking towards their first class, Neville remembered something.
“Harry? What did you do about your Seeker position?” he asked his best friend.
“I took care of that,” Harry replied.
                                       o
                                       o
                                       o
 “Albus?”
The Headmaster looked up when McGonagall entered his office, her Scottish
temper barely under control. The old wizard had a pretty good guess as to why
the witch was in his office and practically spitting thunder.
“Minerva! What can I do for you?” he asked in a pleasant voice.
“What do you know about this?” she demanded, slapping a paper down on his
paper. It was a resignation from the Quidditch team, signed by one Harry
Potter.
“Ah,” Albus said. “Yes, I had expected that.” He held a hand up to stall any
more protests from the Gryffindor Head of House. “There is something that I
need to tell you, to all Heads of Houses actually. Today would be nice, after
dinner.”
“I want my answer Albus,” the Quidditch fanatic said.
“And you will get it,” the Headmaster replied.
True to his word, at the end of the day he invited McGonagall, Sprout, Flitwick
and Snape to the Headmaster’s office after dinner, looking curious as to the
reason. Pomfrey was already there, standing at Dumbledore’s side. There was tea
waiting for them and extra chairs for them to sit.
“Why is Poppy here?” Minerva asked.
“It has to do with Mister Potter, Harry, and why he quit the Quidditch team,”
Albus said. “Poppy, if you would also take a seat?”
The medi-witch accepted.
“What?” Filius asked. He had taken a tea cup and happily sipped the beverage,
but his eyes were alert. The others followed his example, getting something to
drink. Who knew how long this could take.
Sprout was attentive as if unsure about the purpose of the meeting and Severus
Snape, he looked surprised. They then all looked to Minerva, who looked
impatient and her Scottish temper being held by a thread.
“The reason why Mister Potter should not be even riding a broom much less play
Quidditch,” Poppy cut in.
“Is he sick?” Filius asked worriedly.
“Sick? Goodness, no!” Albus smiled.
The professors felt that he looked a tad too smug, eyeing twinkling merrily.
They were proven right at the Headmaster’s next words.
“He’s just pregnant.”
You could hear a pin drop after his announcement. He had warned Harry that this
would need to be done eventually and now was as good a time as any. He trusted
these four and he would need them for extra pairs of eyes to keep up with the
teen and watch over him. Even though from what he had seen young Neville
Longbottom and Luna Lovegood were doing a remarkable job so far.
“Is this a joke?” Minerva demanded.
“That lover of his,” Snape muttered.
“From France?” McGonagall asked.
Albus nodded. “I trust you will be discreet?”
“Without question,” Pomona said. “How is Mister Potter?”
The others looked interested as well.
“Dealing,” Albus replied. “He’s a strong lad. He can make it. Also, he’s not
alone.”
“That boy…” Sprout shook her head. “That poor boy.”
“But pregnant?” Filius muttered. “How?”
“Were there creatures in the Potter family tree?” Snape asked, ever to the
point.
Albus agreed but did not elaborate. Sure, Severus had seen the teen at his
worst the day he had told Neville the identity of his lover but some things
were private and not really needed for the people before him to know, no matter
how much he trusted them.
“That boy, never a dull year,” Filius commented, making all the other people in
the room, and even some of the portraits, to nod in agreement.
“Do you understand now Minerva?” Albus asked at the stunned Head of the
Gryffindor House.
“Who else knows? Besides us?” the cat Animagus asked.
“Harry, Mister Longbottom and Miss Lovegood,” Albus said. He mentally made a
note that Sirius Black and Remus Lupin also needed to know.
“I’ll keep an eye on him then,” Minerva said.
“What about Potions?” Snape asked. “The fumes…” he trailed off.
“Too right my boy,” Albus agreed. “Poppy?”
“He really should not be in class. Not just the fumes, all short of things
could go wrong,” the medi-witch said.
“I’ll speak to Harry,” the Headmaster agreed. “Perhaps a very public fight
between you and him, Severus?”
“Now, that’s taking it too far,” Pomona said. “Perhaps, if Mister Potter became
an apprentice under a discipline?”
“What a lovely idea!” Filius agreed. “But he needs to actually apprentice under
someone.”
“He has the time too,” Severus calculated. “If he’s no longer on the team, then
he doesn’t take potions…”
“We need Mad-Eye to know too,” Minerva realized. “He uses practical examples
during class. One strong spell on Mister Potter …” she tailed off, horrified.
“He’s off Defence too then,” Snape said.
“And apprentice would solve problems,” Albus agreed. “And I believe I know the
right person for this.”
“Who?” Filius asked.
“Me,” the Headmaster informed them.
                                       o
                                       o
                                       o
Harry did not know what to think when he first got a letter from Dumbledore (he
could now recognize the man’s penmanship easily; he still kept that note that
came with the Invisibility Cloak). It was an honest to Merlin invitation for
tea, delivered by Hedwig. Harry did not hesitate upon reading it. The old man
had been supportive in the hardest times he had faced that year. So here he
was, keeping Fawkes company and waiting for Dumbledore to get back from the
Ministry when the fireplace lit up. Dumbledore returned to the castle in a
flurry of long white beard and hair and deep blue robes with galaxies of stars
on them that just caught Harry’s attention and would not let go.
“Sir,” Harry smiled and made a move to stand but the aged wizard waved him back
down.
“I hope I was not too late,” the blue eyed man said, taking out his wand and
disappearing the soot that had covered him. “Much better,” the older wizard
mused. “I’ll have the elves serve us tea and some snacks too,” he told Harry.
“What did you want to talk about?” Harry asked after the man seated himself and
the elf went to fetch their snacks.
“A lot of things actually,” Dumbledore said, for once not being mysterious or
vague. It reminded Harry of the time the man had pieced him back together.
So the teen made himself comfortable.
“How are classes?” Dumbledore asked.
“Now the Toad is gone… um…”
“I know how the students called her Harry and it is quiet a fitting name,
really,” the older wizard said.
The elf popped back in, serving them both tea and sandwiches and leaving after
both wizards thanked her.
“Still amuses me to make elves blush,” the blue eyed Headmaster admitted to
Harry.
“The way they squeak,” the teen mused.
The shared a laugh.
“Now, the reason I ask about you is because I worry for you,” Dumbledore
admitted. “After the events of the summer… we really never talked, did we?”
Harry shook his head.
“I never really agreed with Molly or anything she said during that Order
meeting,” the old man told Harry. “What she did… Her words… her nagging…” he
smiled when he saw the incredulous look on the teen’s face. “It is called
nagging my boy, but back to the point, I was so angry at her. She tried to
meddle in your life. Then…” he sighed. “Then I realized I had meddled as well.”
“Sir…” the teen protested.
“Harry,” the Headmaster gently cut him off. “I placed you with the Dursley’s. I
honestly thought at least Petunia would have done right by you. Alas, my best
intentions fell through. And I regret it every day. I regret many things but
this the most.”
“I don’t blame you,” Harry told Albus.
“Not even deep down?” Dumbledore asked seriously.
“You did not take my parents from me, Voldemort did,” the teen stated. “Him I
blame. You … I read the books you know, you were too busy at the time to really
be able to do much.”
“That’s no excuse Harry. You may forgive me but I have yet to forgive myself,”
Dumbledore commented.
Harry sighed. He felt uncomfortable. He knew what the old man had done was
criminal; Apolline had been shouting this among profanities (those in her
native language) for days after the French Healers took him on. But Harry had
been honest with the old man when he told him he did not blame him. Perhaps the
fault was in the way he was raised. The teen tried to let the small twinges of
anger and betrayal he had felt when he learned that Dumbledore had been the one
to leave him with the Dursley’s affect his view of the only man (apart from
Luna and Neville) that had supported him at his lowest moments. In a way the
teen felt that the old wizard was far better at punishing himself, better than
Harry could ever be, so there was no need to lay additional blame on him.
“I’m an old man, I do regret pretty well,” Dumbledore joked, trying to lighten
the mood. “I can also brood impressively well.”
The teen’s lips twitched.
“Ah! There! Goal accomplished.”
Harry shook his head and reached for a sandwich. He noted it was one of his
favourites; elves were really amazing.
Dumbledore let him eat his piece before engaging him again. “Madam Pomfrey told
me you visited her.”
“Hm, morning sickness,” Harry agreed.
“Huh, Lily was not sick when she was pregnant with you,” Dumbledore recalled.
“She did get odd cravings though. And lots of cramps, something my dear godson
took advantage of.”
Harry smiled. “Really?”
“I think I might have pictures of her pregnant with you in my summer house,”
the old man mused. “I’ll search for them. Also, I believe I have some books
that ought to be in your hand.” At Harry’s lost look he elaborated. “After
Voldemort attacked you and your family, I salvaged most of your personal items,
including baby clothes, all the books in the house that were intact, lots of
pictures as well. Those items and even some of the furniture that survived are
in a vault, a Potter vault in fact. I believe Gringotts should be contacting
you soon. Fudge…” here Dumbledore failed to mask his anger, “tried in all his
wisdom to seize hold of as much gold as possible from old lines and when he
could not gain, he froze those accounts, including yours, the Potter accounts.
The Goblins were furious.”
“Sirius mentioned something during summer,” Harry recalled. “But he did not go
into depth.”
“He will soon enough,” Albus promised him. “Amelia already nullified those …
laws.”
“Is she better than Fudge?”
“My dog, if I had one, would have been better,” Dumbledore said.
Harry blinked. He had never heard the old man speak like that. “You did not
like him.”
“Not even when I taught him,” the Headmaster admitted.
“But why did you not take the Minister’s position when they offered?” Harry was
genuinely curious.
“A long story my boy,” Dumbledore admitted. “A long, painful and quite old
story that dates back to the foolishness of my youth,” he added.
“So, change of subject?” Harry asked.
“Actually,” the bearded wizard said. “No. sip some more of your tea, perhaps a
few more sandwiches. You will doubtfully have much of a stomach after I finish
telling you.”
Harry furrowed his brows. “You know you don’t have to.”
“Oh, but I do my boy. Trust needs to be mutual and you do not have all the
cards on me,” Dumbledore commented. “Harry, what do you know about the Dark
Lord before Voldemort?”
The teen searched his memory for the information, absently nibbling on his
sandwich. “Grindelwald,” he decided after a while.
“Or Gellert as I first met him.”
“His first name?” Harry commented.
A sad smile crossed Dumbledore’s face. “Gellert,” he repeated. “The young,
handsome wizard who came to live with his aunt. The brilliant mind that
captured my attention. My own version of your Rabastan Lestrange. I meant to
support you against Molly, Harry for another, rather selfish reason. I am in
love with a wizard as well.”
And then Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore began his tale, that of his
family, his very tragic family, his youthful foolishness and the war that
Gellert led against Europe. He also mentioned legends and fairy tales and the
struggle between the two friends, and later lovers, who became enemies. Harry
listened enraptured as Dumbledore talked. To find out they had so much in
common was a relief for the teen. Also, it cemented the notion that the old
wizard really and truly did not judge Harry badly for being with a Death Eater
and a man. It also made him understand his father’s godfather just a bit
better. When Dumbledore trailed off, describing Gellert in Nurmengard, defeated
after their duel.
“I have not seen him since,” Dumbledore finished, leaving a silent Harry to
ponder all of this.
Finally Harry’s mind settled. “We make a sad picture, you and I, sir.”
The old wizard chuckled. “After tonight, you have the right to call me Albus,
my boy.”
“I’d like that. Though I wish the circumstances could have been better.”
“Alas, circumstances never heed our opinions.”
Harry cracked up. “You and your sense of humour sir… Albus. That’s going to
take a while to get used to.”
Dumbledore smiled. Then he sipped his tea and made a face. “Hm, I hate cold
tea.”
A spell later and the pot was steaming hot again. Harry filled his cup again,
his face pensive.
“Did I scare you off my boy?”
“Hm… no. just thinking.”
“Shall I give you more to think?” Dumbledore asked.
Harry blinked. “You have more?”
“Well, there’s a bit of a problem with your schooling,” the old man revealed.
“Well, more of a concern about your health as far as certain classes are
concerned.”
“That’s why I quit the team,” Harry commented.
Dumbledore gave a regretful nod. “But that’s not the only harmful activity for
you and your child Harry.”
Harry was a bit alarmed. Then he thought about it. “Potions? It’s the fumes and
the explosions, right?”
“And Defence Against the Dark Arts, Alastor is rather…”
“Enthusiastic? Overzealous? Manic?” Harry offered, making Dumbledore laugh.
“All of the above.”
Harry sighed. “I’m going to have to drop classes?”
“I’m afraid so.”
Harry frowned, not liking this. It was then that Dumbledore spoke again.
“What do you know of Apprentices in the wizarding world Harry?”
===============================================================================
End of chapter.
***** What’s in a letter *****
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Sirius was pacing up and down his room. He hated being holed up in his house
and even more when he had to be in his room but this called desperately for
privacy. There was a letter laid open on his bed, a letter he had done his best
not to lay eyes upon for the best part of the last hour. One read was all it
took for the words to be burned into his memory.
                              My Dearest Sirius…
The first words had nearly made his heart stop.
 …How I’ve missed you all this time, the feel of your body, the sound of your
                                    moans,
the scent of your skin, your dark eyes, your silk hair, the way you rose above
                                      me…
The next few had made his body shudder. The memory of Rodolphus singling him
out, pressing against him after so damn long. And that kiss, Sirius both hated
and yearned for a repeat of that. His body and mind betraying him but what hurt
most was that his heart still wanted the man that had nearly torn it apart
years ago.
“I’m the biggest fool of all,” Sirius said to himself as he picked the letter
up again and reread the last line.
                      Swan’s Delight, Thursday, Midnight
It was a date, a week from now, for them to meet again. It was an inn he knew
too well. After all he had spent the night there with that wretched bastard the
day before Rodolphus married Bellatrix. The memory still brought bitterness in
Sirius’ mouth. To this day the man could not decide whether he hated his cousin
more for being a Death Eater or for having the man he could not have.
===============================================================================
It was late at night in France and the Delacour house was rather quiet with
most of the children away and the newborn son was quiet for once with his happy
father tending to his every need. It was how Apolline Delacour got some time to
herself. As she was used to doing she wrote a letter to all her children. There
was always something to say to them, even at least a few lines. With Fleur in
Gringotts, in the United Kingdom she had no female company around and with
Gabrielle, who was now the middle child, in Beauxbatons, and Harry, sweet,
polite and wonderful Harry who had stolen her motherly heart, Apolline was
feeling a bit lonely.
Writing to them helped and Apolline especially loved writing with a fine pen
made of a white feather with intricate patterns, a gift from Gabrielle with her
first pocket money. Her gaze fell on the pictures she had taken of her son
featuring her and Armand as the girls were away from home. The little boy had a
blond tuft of hair on his pale head and he looked cute in the various outfits
the witch had dressed him in. Apolline felt that Harry should know how his
future godson was doing, how he was growing. She picked up a picture and
smiled. Come Easter the ceremony would take place to make the teen a godfather
officially as well. The Delacour’s had decided Harry would be the best
godfather for sweet Emilien. Had Harry not been attracted to boys the witch was
certain that she would have moved heaven and earth to get him to wed one of her
daughters. Adopting him had not been an option; neither she nor Armand wanted
to make the British teen think they were trying to take the place of his
parents even though they really wanted him in the family. Being godfather was
an honour to Harry and when the teen accepted the French couple had also been
honoured that the green eyed wizard was willing to be part of their family this
way.
“Love?” Armand asked, coming into the room with their son changed and sucking
greedily on a milk bottle.
Apolline’s face lit up. The sight of the two men in her life when they were
together like this made her heart soar with happiness. The newest Delacour had
both his parents wrapped around his little baby fingers. She knew that Armand
loved being a father just as she loved being a mother. And she suspected that
if it came to having yet another child her husband would be all for this.
“You are writing again? Wasn’t it just yesterday that you wrote to the girls?
Am I not keeping you busy enough?” Armand joked. He poked softly at his son’s
foot. “What do you think son? Should we make more ruckus to distract your
mummy?”
The witch laughed.
“Careful what you wish for, dear husband. You won’t like it of he starts
keeping us up all night. Anyway, it’s not the girls I’m writing to; I’m writing
to Harry,” she replied. “I’m also sending him some pictures. I think he will
love these.”
Armand took a look at the pictures his wife had selected and chuckled. Most of
them with Emilien, on either of his parents’ arms looking cute despite what he
was doing at the time, be that crying, sleeping, eating or drooling. He was
also willing to bet that when the boy was older he would be embarrassed about
these pictures.
“I’m sure he will,” Armand told her. “When you finish up tell me. I want to
write him a few lines as well,” he told his wife. He longed to hold her, give
her at least a comforting hug, but his hands were full. Perhaps later, after
their boy was asleep.
“I miss him,” the witch wistfully admitted. “I want to have him over again. Is
it wrong to love him as much as I love our Emilien?”she looked a bit guilty
saying that and her husband understood that feeling. He too had loved that
green eyed kid when he got to know him.
“He does have a habit of staying in your heart. It’s the eyes,” Armand
admitted. “And I’m pretty sure our Gabrielle taught him how to make doe eyes
and swerve opinions.”Armand too had been swayed by those eyes a couple of times
during the summer Harry spent with them and once during Christmas. “So rest
assured, he will make it happen. He misses us too, remember his last letter?”
“I do,”Apolline said. “I also got the feeling that there’s something bothering
Harry, something big. I wish he was closer so I could help.”
“He will tell us in his own time, Apolline.”
“Oh, I know that! I just want him to understand that whatever it is, we’ll be
there for him, no matter what.”
“He knows,”Armand stated. “I’m sure he knows.”He laid a kiss on her forehead
and saw Apolline smiling again.
Focusing back on her letter she finished the last few lines she had wanted to
add and took Emilien in her arms to let her husband write to the son of their
hearts.
===============================================================================
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was facing a dilemma.
He expected that after so many years of facing hard decisions he would be used
to this but life surprised him every time. The wizard had his quill ready and a
long piece of parchment in front of him. He knew what he should write but he
still had doubts whether that was right or wrong. This situation was unlike
anything he had faced before.
When he found Harry, the boy he truly wished was his godson, or his godson
would be like if he had one, in that state he had felt his heart drop. The fear
and pain he had felt about the state the teen was in had nearly made his heart
stop, even worse than when he learned what the Dursley’s did to Harry growing
up (that had not been the childhood the blue eyed wizard had wished for the
cute baby he had once changed diapers for). The mere thought that someone had
beaten and even raped the boy had made Albus’ blood freeze and his magic go
wild. When Harry had said that he had not been assaulted in any way Albus’
heart had returned to its proper place but he had not yet heard the worst it
seemed. Harry’s confession about his affair with Rabastan Lestrange was one
thing the Headmaster of Hogwarts never expected to hear, ever. It had taken a
while for him to swallow this. The next piece of shocking news came when they
realized the teen was pregnant and Albus’ worries started anew. Now though, a
week after his talk with Harry he felt better, closer to the teen and was
already planning to do anything in his power to help the youth.
That talk had been liberating for the aged Headmaster as well. Speaking about
Gellert was hard and he had never done this before, not with anyone else. A
weight had lifted from his shoulders and a wall that existed between him and
Harry crumbled. Now, expecting the teen for another meeting soon, he was
debating whether or not to write and alert Remus and Sirius about Harry’s
condition or let the teen do this on his own terms. He did not want to overstep
any bounds. In the end he decided not to do anything on that front but he had
yet another front to tackle and the name was Rabastan Lestrange.
Albus remembered young Rabastan Lestrange. The shy little Slytherin that was
smart as any Ravenclaw, a bit nerdy. He was best friends with Regulus Black and
often a victim of pranks (like most of the kids of the house of snakes when the
Marauders walked the grounds of Hogwarts). He had been close to his older
brother even back then and Rodolphus had been protective of him until, after he
graduated, he got married off to Bellatrix Black and he suddenly could not be
around as much. Albus suspected that around that time Rodolphus Lestrange
joined Voldemort’s ranks.
The niggling thought of ‘I should have done more to help’ and ‘I should have
prevented that’ still tormented the aged Headmaster. So many of the kids he had
watched grow had gone down the wrong path, so many lives he could have saved.
Fawkes trilled.
“Sorry old friend, demons I just can’t keep away,” the aged Headmaster sighed.
He eyed the parchment again. It was a very dangerous step he was going to make
but he had to do this, he had to know. He was doing this with the best of
intentions and he hoped that things turned out alright. He knew that the reply
he expected might not come soon if at all. But he had to do this. For Harry. If
there was a slight hope, a small chance that the green eyed teen could get his
‘happy ever after’ Albus wanted to help do this. Was this his attempt to atone
himself for his own crimes against the teen? Perhaps. Was this an underhanded
thing to do? Time would show. But he suspected that Harry being alive was a
very big indicator that Rabastan Lestrange cared deeply for Harry.
His quill met the fine parchment.
 
Dear Rabastan Lestrange,
I am writing this letter hoping to appeal to your more humane side and because
of a personal interest to a common acquaintance we both have, a young man you
met with in France this past summer…
===============================================================================
Rabastan stared at the letter in front of him, his face set in a frown.
… I had doubts before starting to write this letter but I honestly believe this
needs to be done.
  After having met you before and seen you grow for seven years, then attended
your trial I can honestly say that the image I got from our common ground was
entirely different and a relief to me.
  I have always felt that love is the strongest force on this planet and the
best gift one could have was finding it and keeping love in his or her life.
  I want to ask you what your intentions are; understanding perfectly that this
question is rather late.
  Will you contact him again? Will you try to speak to him again? Trick him in
favour of your political… alliances?
I fear the young man has already been through too much and the last thing I
need for him is to have his heartbroken once again and if my suspicions are
right, yours as well.
  Times are hard for both of you, I will not lie. But should you wish for an
ally to understand and not judge, I can do that; no strings attached, no
political gain to… well, gain. I want him happy because he deserves this.
  I am not a miracle worker nor am I looking for a spy, not everything I do
centres around Tom, or Voldemort as he fashions himself to be.
  If this relationship between the two of you is really and truly over then
burn this letter and you need not worry yourself of interference from me ever
again.
                            Do you care? Yes or No.
                             Awaiting your reply,
                                     APWBD
 
 
The Death Eater had read that letter at least three times since the blasted
phoenix that delivered it left it in his room, on his bed and no matter how
many times he read it again the context would stay the same. This letter was
something Rabastan had never expected to receive. He had believed that Harry
had kept quiet about him. finding out that Dumbledore of all people knew ,
because those initials could not belong to another, was big. The first time
Rabastan read it, he felt faint. Not, after he cycled through so many emotions
he had settled for weary.
“Do you care?” he repeated the question to himself in the privacy of his room.
The letter was crumpled into a ball and thrown in the fire that burned strong
in it.
“Of course I care,” Rabastan said out loud. But he could not afford to care.
Because it hurt every time he thought about the teen and all the things that
separated him. Caring for each other and loving each other was just not enough
in their case, not when they were doomed from the start. One stupid decision
when he was still in his teens and he was ruined for life. Being a Death Eater
was a death sentence, Rabastan realized, but it had been too late by then.
Taking out a piece of parchment he scribbled a single word on it, hand
trembling as he wrote down his lie.
===============================================================================
Albus had not expected a prompt reply from Rabastan so when he got it he was
truly surprised. It came with an owl, a Malfoy owl. The strategist in the man
was stifled by the romantic and the owl flew away as the Headmaster opened the
letter. Only two letters were written in ink.
                                      No
Fawkes trilled again.
“He truly wrote this?” Albus asked the phoenix.
The fire bird bobbed its head once.
“He says he doesn’t care for Harry,” the aged wizard commented. “Do you believe
this?” he asked Fawkes again.
The bird gave a crow that Albus had long ago learned to perceive as a negative
reply.
“Me neither old friend,” the blue eyed wizard agreed with a small smile on his
lips.
Rabastan Lestrange cared. That was enough to know for now. He was not going to
meddle any more, for now. Just sit back, watch how things went and scheme a bit
more much later, after both young men decided to stop being stubborn and start
being true to themselves.
===============================================================================
                                End of chapter.
***** Apprentice *****
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
“Apprentice? Wow! Harry, that’s … Big!” Neville said. Harry’s expression turned
rather sheepish. The two teens were on Neville’s bed in their sleep clothes.
Ciel was occupying Harry’s bed, dozing over the covers and the green eyed
wizard let the wolf do so, until he had to occupy it at least; then the wolf
would be back on his pillow at the foot of Harry’s bed. The other three teens
they shared the dorm with were goofing around in the common room so Harry and
Neville took advantage of the privacy. Neville had been finishing an essay for
DADA and Harry was offering tips and general facts whenever his friend got
stuck, inspiring Neville’s project and helping the shy teen along.
“Hm, that’s what Al…Dumbledore said,” Harry covered his slip but Neville caught
it.
“He told you to call him by his name?” he knowingly asked.
Harry nodded. “Yes. Not easy, mind you but now I keep addressing him as sir and
as Albus when he’s not around. I’ll get the hang of it somehow, no worries. So,
yes, apprentice. He said we’d begin with transfiguration and after a while, he
might even start me in on alchemy, but not while I’m you know…” he did not say
the word pregnant; anyone could barge in and listen.
Neville shook his head. “You lucky sod!”
Harry gave a small shrug of his shoulders. “Well, the reason he is doing this
is mostly because I soon won’t be allowed into Potions or McGonagall’s class as
I will be apprenticing for Transfiguration or DADA, not the way Moody’s
teaching it.”
“I heard he started the Ravenclaw’s with curses,” Neville said. “Two students
ended up with bruises and one needed a trip to Madam Pomfrey.”
The green eyed teen winced. “Yes, that’s precisely why I won’t be in classes
this coming week. I will get assignments and turn them in but I will not be
able to actively be in class.”
“Who will be my shield from Snape now?” Neville bemoaned.
“You’ll be fine. After all the dungeon bat has let up on us this year,” Harry
mused.
Neville looked rather thoughtful as he thought back on his most recent potions
partner. He was almost permanently partnered up with Draco Malfoy and Harry
with the Zabini bloke. “Well, it is like the Slytherin’s transformed this
year,” the Longbottom heir agreed.
“I for one like that change,” was Harry’s opinion.
“Luna said that Astoria Greengrass became her study partner in Runes,” Neville
recalled.
“That blonde witch that is sweet on Malfoy?” Harry smiled, feeling amused.
Ever since he started getting along and not actively antagonizing the
Slytherin’s he had been meeting a whole lot of people he had not even noticed
before. Like Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones, two Hufflepuff’s that Neville knew
from before Hogwarts and that the two wizards often joined for studying in
Herbology once a week or Terry Boot and a few other Ravenclaw’s that Harry had
been assisting in DADA and charms and who had been helping the green eyed
wizard with History of Magic.
“That one,” Neville agreed.
“Is she better now?” Harry asked.
“The bullying has toned down, alerting Flitwick was a good decision,” Neville
commented. “Luna knows about you being an apprentice to Dumbledore?”
“I saw you first,” Harry replied. “And we are meeting her tomorrow for
breakfast…”
“Actually, Malfoy invited us to sit with him and Zabini,” Neville recalled.
They had been friendlier during their nightly meetings in the castle when they
got into mischief and being publicly seen was a change, a surprising one but
not an unpleasant one, especially after the Malfoy heir had promised to take
care of the other Slytherin’s.
“We’ll need earmuffs to stifle the lions’ roaring,” Harry muttered.
Neville snorted. “You think Ron will be trouble?”
Harry shrugged.
“Still waiting for them to get their heads out of their arses?”
It was Harry’s turn to snort derisively at this. “Hardly. It stings now but
well… I gave up,” the raven haired teen admitted. “Sucks, but Remus was right,
people will get left behind and that’s not my fault.”
There was noise and seconds later Dean and Seamus tumbled into their room, the
Irish teen in the middle of telling a joke, and effectively cut off any private
chat between Harry and Neville.
===============================================================================
 
“Why did you quit the team?” Blaise asked Harry with most of the Slytherin
listening in. the other snakes had been unsurprised to see the two Gryffindor’s
join them and Astoria Greengrass bring Lovegood in their midst. The green eyed
wizard guessed that Malfoy had warned ahead so that no scene was made in a
public setting.
“Health reasons,” Harry replied. He was not hiding his pregnancy but not
broadcasting the news either. “You’ll find out sometime soon.”
“Oh! Mystery!” Zabini grinned.
“Don’t you start,” Draco warned his friend. Then he shot a glare at Harry. “You
just had to dangle a mystery in front of him.”
“I love mystery novels,” Luna piped up from Harry’s left side.
Astoria sighed. “I agree, ‘Auror Grin and the Danger Series’ is one of my
favourite novel series,” the witch agreed. “I just finished the fifth book…”
“With the golden figurines?” Draco asked.
The witch nodded.
“That’s a classic,” Neville agreed.
Harry, who had started reading it after Neville swore it was a great read,
disagreed. “I prefer the one with the trip to the Vampires’ lair.”
“With the decapitated bodies,” Zabini nodded in approval.
“I like ‘Mystikos: The Mysterious Unspeakable’, I think that is a much better
series,” Luna stated.
Harry, having started reading those books as well was quick to agree. “The plot
is more adult like, the curses actually exist and Remus insisted they were
based on actual cases worked by the Aurors. Like the second novel ‘Mystikos:
The Mysterious Unspeakable and The Clay Hand’ with the serial killer that
snatches people off the streets of Diagon Alley and kept them captive for a
month before dismembering them and sending the hands, encased in clay to the
families.”
The other teens shot him shocked looks.
“That was actually a true story?” Daphne Greengrass, who had been listening in,
exclaimed.
“Yes,” Harry insisted. Sirius had told him the back story of that one as
Harry’s grandfather had actually tried that case and later told James and
Sirius. “Back in 1978. It was huge news. They discovered the perpetrator was
actually a wizard that had failed to enter the Healing course and ended up
embalming pets and game… They had to use Veritaserum to get the confession,
first case they allowed in court actually.”
“I heard a store in Knockturn does that,” Neville mused.
“Kovatsky’s,” Draco added.
“What was the name of the killer, the real one,” Blaise asked.
Harry tapped a finger on his chin. “Benedict Mann,” he recalled. “He was
decapitated. My grandfather saw to that.”
“Really? Charlus Potter?” Draco blinked.
“Yes. I think Mann also killed a Nott…” the green eyed wizard tried to remember
more details.
“Vergina Nott,” Theodore Nott agreed from a few seats down. “My father’s aunt.”
All the Slytherin’s then turned to Luna, looks of surprise on their faces and
then back to Harry.
“Way better than Bins,” Draco commented.
“And more recent,” Zabini added making a few people nod.
“You can say that again,” Neville muttered.
“Are they ever going to exorcise him?” Harry wondered.
Draco snorted. “Doubtful.”
“Well, I don’t want to hear about Binns. Do you know other cases like that,
Harry?” Astoria asked.
“Well…” Harry smiled. “You know ‘Mystikos: The Mysterious Unspeakable and The
Blood Soaked Linen’ …”
===============================================================================
 
“Well…” Snape had a slight sneer on his face during breakfast that morning.
“Not a sight you see every day,” Filius agreed, his gaze also pinned on the
Slytherin table.
Most of the professors present had been apprehensive when that morning three
non Slytherin’s had joined the snakes for breakfast. When they sat down no
curses were thrown and they relaxed a bit.
“This is nothing new,” the Potions Master admitted, under McGonagall’s
inquisitive eyes. “A sort of truce got started among Zabini, Malfoy, Longbottom
and Potter.”
“And Miss Lovegood and Miss Greengrass are often seen studying together,”
Filius added his two Sickles in.
“No hexes whatsoever?” Sinistra asked.
“Not even a cauldron blowing up,” Severus admitted and sounding rather relieved
about it.
“Well, that’s nice,” Dumbledore admitted. “No more hexes in corridors,
detentions and mess….”
All the professors nodded.
“To be fair,” Pomona spoke up, “The youngest male Weasley was the one to start
up anything between him and Malfoy and Potter just got dragged along.”
“Did he and Potter fight? I have not seen them together, or Miss Granger,”
professor Vector mused.
“I would not know,” Pomona replied.
“Kids will fight,” Dumbledore cut in. “Are those lemon cakes?” he asked,
effectively ending that conversation and changing the subject while giving
Poppy a chance to start lecturing him about eating too much sugar.
Filius saw them shuddering and groaning and frowned. “What is Potter telling
them to make them behave like this?” he asked, effectively making Poppy halt
her lecture and bringing the professor’s attention back on the teens.
“I have no idea,” McGonagall muttered.
“Even the Bloody Baron is listening in,” Vector blinked. “I’ve never seen him
so interested in the living.”
The other professors were nodding.
“Severus?” the Transfiguration Professor glanced at her colleague. “Are you
reading their lips?” The ‘or their minds’ was left unsaid.
“Something about a book I think,” Snape said. “I could find out easily enough,”
he declared and stood.
It was a short distance to the table. When he was a few feet away he heard
Potter talking.
“…and the Curse Breakers found out that the mummies were actually rather newer
than the tomb so they made to actually check them over to see the age and the
cause of death,” Potter was telling in a rather attractive and mysterious tone
that had the snakes at the edge of their seats.
“And?” Nott was asking.
“They found it,” Harry declared.
“Potter!” Malfoy sounded annoyed. “Get on with it!”
The green eyed wizard smiled. “The Aurors found out that the bodies had
actually been mummified while the people were still alive.”
“Oh man!”
“Merlin, that’s gross!”
“Potter!” this time it was disgust on many voices and quite a few of the kids
were blanching and shuddering.
“The actual kicker in this is that the people had their faces intact and were
on missing persons list, a contemporary list,” Potter went on to say.
“Who did it?” the elder of the two Greengrass sisters asked.
“Turns out that one of the tour guides was the killer,” the pregnant teen
informed.
“Man, that’s sick,” Nott was muttering.
Snape retreated back to the head table.
“So?” Pomona asked.
“Apparently Mister Potter saw it fit to inform his peers about the back story
of ‘Mystikos: The Mysterious Unspeakable’ novels,” the Potion’s Master said
with a sigh.
“Well, his grandfather tried half of the murders that took place on British
soil,” Moody commented. “I caught one of those vermin, Clemens back in 1989.
Fancied himself a Necromancer, that moron. Had to chase him all over Wales.”
“Which book deals with this one?” Filius asked.
At first Mad Eye seemed reluctant to admit that he had read the books but he
relented. “It was ‘Mystikos: The Mysterious Unspeakable and the Salt Made
Soldiers’.”
“Who is the author of those books?” Vector asked.
“Nobody knows,” McGonagall said regretfully and the professors started
comparing their favourite books.
Albus sat back and merely listened with a smile on his face. He kept thinking
about Remus and what a brilliant idea those books had been. Now only of he
could get the lad to actually buy a better wardrobe, perhaps more colourful as
well, orange was a nice cheery colour to wear.
===============================================================================
 
Harry managed to inform Luna about his being an Apprentice to Dumbledore later
on during lunch and the witch had been ecstatic about it. Now the green eyed
teen was back in Dumbledore’s office. Albus had told him about all the papers
he would need to sign and how Moody, McGonagall and Snape would also be there,
along with one of the members of the Board of Governors, which turned out to be
Augusta Longbottom. It was a pretty formal affair for Harry to drop out of
attending the actual classes. Augusta was not told why Harry was unable to
attend but the witch had a sharp mind and merely accepted that as fact and
stood as witness to it. Then Minerva, Alastor and Severus left and the
remaining three went on to sign the necessary documents needed to confirm the
Apprentice. Harry must have signed at least fifty times each paper concerning
his new status, the duties, the rights, the agreements and so on. Finally,
Neville’s grandmother left and the two wizards were alone in the office, Harry
testing his now numb hand.
“Paperwork,” Albus sighed. “The bane of my existence.”
“Mine as well,” Harry added his own sigh. “I’ve never signed this many papers
in my life! Are we done with them?”
“Until you have a mastery of your own, then yes,” Albus told the teen. “Now,
starting tomorrow, we will be meeting during the time you usually had Potions
and Defence and on days Pomona informed me you will be taking care of dangerous
plants.” He handed a slip of paper to Harry. “This is your new time table.”
Harry noticed the small comets on the paper and the way they moved and the
older wizard’s twinkling eyes. Albus was certainly enjoying this. “Cool,” the
teen admitted, much to the man’s delight. Then curiosity got the better of him.
“How is your schedule?”
At that the Headmaster laughed loudly and nearly scared Fawkes who had been
dozing on his perch. He then produced his own table (it had comets as well)
which was a lot more full than Harry’s.
“This one is for this week only,” Albus said.
“WM, Düsseldorf?” Harry read.
“Wizengamot Meetings,” the blue eyed wizard commented. “They change locations
every time.”
“That’s tomorrow,” Harry blinked.
“After breakfast,” Albus confirmed. “I’ll be back by lunch and after the meal
we are having our very first lesson.”
Harry blinked. “You are quite busy.” He suddenly felt uncomfortable.
“Harry, lad, I like teaching and this is quite a treat for me, not everything
is for your benefit alone,” Albus commented.
“If you are certain…” Harry trailed off.
“I am,” Albus insisted.
===============================================================================
 
During his first lesson with Albus Dumbledore Harry understood what had made
generations of kids love the man as a teacher and what had made him a
Transfiguration Master known all over the world.
“Try again, this time visualize everything, from start to finish,” Albus
instructed in his calm voice. “First see the sphere change shape, get bigger
and bigger and gradually change colour and texture, imagine feeling it under
your finger tips.”
Harry did just that, following the instructions the older wizard gave.
“Now do it, no words, no flashes of magic,” Albus whispered, “Just intend the
result.”
The green eyed wizard felt his magic shift, his wand warm up and then he heard
clapping.
“Bravo, Harry! You did it.”
The teen opened his eyes and saw the former wooden ball had transformed into a
beautiful chest, complete with details and carvings. He reached out and opened
it and Albus’ blue eyes twinkled even more.
“I did this?” Harry whispered.
“You did,” the older wizard confirmed. “Intention is everything Harry. Words
are flashy, colours as well. What you need is intention and the power to back
it up. You know spells can be wordless, right?”
Harry gave a nod. “Does this apply to other principles, outside
Transfiguration, Albus? Say in Charms or Defence?”
The smile the wizard gave the teen was blinding. “Why yes! Charms, Hexes,
Curses, everything can be done wordless. Granted some spells, when not spoken
out loud lose some of their power, like the Unforgivables, in which case that’s
a very good thing, and Dark Magic, truly dark mind you, in general. Now, try
turning this chair into something bigger, better, flashier and Harry…”
“Attention to the details,” Harry parroted.
“Exactly.”
===============================================================================
 
Hermione frowned. That day she had noticed Harry had not been in Potions and
Snape did not remark upon his absence, just partnered Neville with Zabini and
Malfoy and began the lesson. Two hours later they had Charms and the green eyed
teen had been there and Neville had sat next to him again. After lunch they had
Transfiguration and Harry was again absent from class. Once again the professor
did not comment on this, not even asking Neville about where Harry was. That
was on Monday. The witch started paying attention (she preferred this to
watching Ron and Lavender making a spectacle of themselves). She noticed that
Harry was absent from all Potion, DADA and Transfiguration classes for the rest
of the week. Also he had been asked by Sprout not to enter the Greenhouses when
they had to fumigate the cuttings of Whip Roses and sent the green eyed teen
back to the castle. That had made Hermione frown. Something was happening,
something big. And she was not alone in noticing this. The Slytherin’s had also
taken notice, and unlike with her, Harry actually seemed to socialize with
these people, the very same crowd that all the previous years had been verbally
attacking them, namely Malfoy and his clique. With Umbridge gone they were seen
together more. Harry also seemed to socialize with many people. He was
practically growing and flourishing while she and Ron wilted away. So Hermione
watched and worried about him, his health, his new friends. She could not
approach him, knowing he would disregard her opinion, especially since the
witch was not ready to apologize to him, and she knew she would have to. She
also held no illusions about their four year long friendship which had come to
a close that summer. Perhaps she would mention her worries to Neville; the teen
might help Harry back and even clarify some things for her. Most of all,
Hermione hated not knowing things.
===============================================================================
 
It was their fifth lesson together and Harry knew he had made great progress
with his Transfiguration skills compared to his lessons with McGonagall so far.
He had hesitated in the beginning, telling this much to Dumbledore but in the
end he did.
“Different teaching styles suit different needs,” Albus told the teen. “Minerva
likes order, I enjoy a bit of chaos,” the man admitted and the teen believed
him just with a glance around the office, with the myriad knick knacks and
devices that moved and glowed and looked shiny.
“Like professor Flitwick,” Harry commented.
“Exactly! Severus is like Minerva, sometimes I worry she has been giving him
lessons. Pomona…”
“Is cool until you anger her and then all hell breaks loose,” Harry added. He
had seen the Head of Hufflepuff angry only once in his life when Goyle in his
third year had shoved a first year Ravenclaw against a carnivorous plant.
Harry’s ears were still ringing from Sprout’s angry lecturing and his neck had
hurt when he tried to follow the move of her wand when she whipped it out and
used it to save the first year from the claws and poisonous leaves of the
plant. Slytherin had lost a hundred points due to that and Snape had for once
done nothing to help Goyle.  
Albus smiled at Harry’s words. “Quite right,” he agreed.
“You have taught all of the professors correct?” the teen asked.
“Yes, I have Harry, barring Filius; he actually went to Mountain Olympus, the
Greek Academia of Magical Arts.”
Harry was surprised about yet another magical school existing but decided not
to open a new subject of discussion and continue with the ongoing one. “And
don’t you find it odd, working alongside them?”
“Odd? On the contrary, I find it amazing!” the blue eyed wizard paused. “Though
it does show me I’ve been getting older.”
“Sometimes you seem younger than the Twins,” Harry blurted out and blushed at
his boldness, but the Headmaster took it as a complement.
“That’s why I’m still teaching Harry, it keeps me young.”
“But Albus, I thought it was because ‘Honeydukes’ is closer and they do make
the best lemon drops,” Harry teased, making the older wizard laugh again.
===============================================================================
 
“You actually have homework?” Neville asked Harry after the green eyed wizard
told him he had an essay to make for Transfiguration after they left Flitwick’s
lesson.
“Well, it’s rather liberal in size,” Harry admitted, “I am to write about the
effects of transfiguration of precious metals and gems and whether or not they
are good conduits to perform spells on and why. Many different questions and
the material is a bit beyond me, which is why it’s so difficult. But I will
try.”
“Why give you such an advanced topic?” Neville wondered.
“It’s a sort of self study as the Wizengamot had an emergency session added to
their arranged one this week,” Harry explained to his friend. “That’s why I
need to go to the library.”
“If you’re so excited who am I to bring you down?”
“Does it show, my excitement?”
“You obviously love learning from him,” Neville observed.
Harry hummed in agreement. Then he recalled something and turned to his friend.
“Weren’t you meeting Luna for a walk after Charms?”
Neville blinked then paled. “Shoot! I forgot! Sorry Harry! Got to go!”
The pregnant teen shook his head as he watched his best friend run down the
hall in a hurry. He continued on his own making his way to the library. He
stopped at Madam Pince’s desk to show her the pass Dumbledore had given him and
she nodded.
“I’ll come with you,” she told Harry. “Some of the books in the Restricted
Section are temperamental and dangerous. You do not need to get into an
accident. What subject are you looking for?”
“Thank you for your help,” Harry told the witch, “And I am looking for any
information concerning metals and gems and the five principles of
transfiguration.”
“Aisle Nine,” the witch muttered. “Come along then. Oh, and congratulations are
due I believe; many have tried but he never chose an apprentice before. Work
hard young man.”
“I will,” Harry assured her.
===============================================================================
 
The infirmary was quiet as most of the school was at the Quidditch stadium to
watch the match; Snape’s House played opposite Sprout’s but Harry, accompanied
by Luna was being prodded by the resident medi witch.
“And the morning sickness?” Poppy asked.
“Not bad,” Harry replied. “Only once this week, and that was yesterday.”
“Good,” the medi witch stated. “Now you will actually start gaining some
weight; you need this.”
“Will I still be taking the potions?” the wizard asked.
Luna stood by Harry’s side smiling as the witch and her friend bantered while
getting the medical exam done at the same time. She hummed a tune to herself
while Harry got his blood taken, his temperature and blood pressure measured
and had a couple of potions shoved down his throat for good measure. Finally
satisfied, Pomfrey pulled her wand away from the pregnant teen.
“Everything seems to be in order,” she decided.
“Can we go now?” Harry hopefully asked.
“Just don’t forget to stay warm,” the medi witch warned, “And not get into any
accidents.”
“But Harry is not playing today,” Luna spoke up.
The medi witch sighed. “You will find out Miss Lovegood that if Quidditch is
involved mister Potter here will find a way to get involved.”
“Not this time,” Harry insisted. “I’m just watching the game, nothing more,
nothing less.”
The witches seemed to consider him and it just exasperated Harry.
“What? I’m honest!” he protested.
Then Pomfrey smiled. “Just teasing you dear.”
“After all the Pollypugs are out today since it’s the twelfth day it has not
snowed since January ended,” Luna added in a dreamy voice.
Harry blinked. “Why is it significant?”
“Because nothing goes wrong when the Pollypugs are out and about,” the
Ravenclaw explained.
“Good to know,” Harry told her, deciding to take her words to heart.
Poppy watched them leave and shook her head.
“Those two,” she muttered to herself. “Heads in the clouds! Honestly!”
===============================================================================
 
Harry and Luna joined Neville on the stands, watching the game; Hufflepuff was
being obliterated by the Slytherin team. He shivered a bit as the biting cold
broke the warming charm around him and he had to reapply it. Luna was seated
between the two wizards, with bright yellow earmuffs on her ears with smiley
faces on them.
“This is a massacre,” Neville commented, eyes on the game. “Has our team found
another Seeker?”
Harry gave a nod, eyes on the Snitch; he had already spotted the little golden
ball, hovering over the Hufflepuff goal posts.
“Ginny is going to take the spot,” the green eyed wizard replied.
“She’s just desperate that way,” Luna absently commented, her eyes on the foul
that just took place. “That ought to have hurt.”
“The padding takes the brunt of it,” Harry informed his two friends. “But what
do you mean about Ginny being desperate?”
Luna turned to the pregnant teen. “You do know she has feelings for you,
right?” the blonde teen sounded decisively serious when she said this.
Harry grimaced. “It came to my attention earlier this year,” he admitted,
recalling Molly Weasley airing her daughter’s feelings in an Order meeting. “I
was honestly hoping she might back off. I know for a fact that she saw me with
Ra… him, in Hogsmeade.”
“Ah, that infamous snog,” Neville recalled. “How come she did not recognize his
face though?”
“Glamour keyed into certain people,” Harry replied. That was what Albus had
hypothesized during their last tea/lesson.
“SLYTHERIN SCORES!”
“They are in a rare form tonight,” Harry groaned.
“They do have this match easily,” Neville agreed.
“The Gryffindor’s are going to be bastards if we lose the next game,” Harry
predicted.
Neville smiled, “If Katie hears you.”
“She’ll castrate me,” Harry replied, “I know. But whenever something bad
happens I get blamed.”
“It’s the Nargles,” Luna commented.
“How do I fend them off again?” Harry asked.
“I’m sorry to say they like you,” the witch told the green eyed teen, making
him sigh.
“Just my luck,” he bemoaned, with Neville patting his shoulder, not bothering
to hide his snicker.
“SLYTHERIN SCORES! THE SCORE IS NOW 390-140 WITH SLYTHERIN IN THE LEAD! AND
WHAT IS THAT!? MALFOY GOT THE SNITCH! SLYTHERIN WINS! DAMN THOSE SNAKES!”
McGonagall’s voice joined the Gryffindor announcer.
“JORDAN!”
Harry groaned. “Draco’s going to be impossible to be around.”
Neville shared his misery.
===============================================================================
 
“Well, let’s see it,” Albus urged Harry.
The teen smiled. Teacher and Apprentice stood in the middle of Dumbledore’s
office and a small bean was lying on the carpet between them. Harry flexed his
fingers around his wand and trained it on the bean. He used no words but the
intent worked anyway. In under a minute he managed to transform it into a
luxurious armchair complete with pillows and leather surfaces in a nice deep
brown colour.
Albus nodded approvingly. “Now for the test,” he told Harry as he sat down on
the chair and sighed.
“Comfortable?” Harry asked.
“You are ready to move on to more complex things,” Albus announced and Harry
grinned.
“Really?”
“What do you know about animating objects?”
Harry cocked his head to the side. “I’ve made a pineapple dance.”
“How about making a statue come to life?” Albus suggested. “But we need to
start slow.” He produced a small figurine from his collection of soldiers. “The
spell is ‘Anima Res’ but intention is everything. You can say the words but
only intention behind the spell can make the object move like a human, dance,
crawl, jump, even fight for you. Go ahead?”
Harry eyed the soldier with determination. “Anima Res!”
The soldier gave a small hop. The teen’s shoulders slumped.
“Again,” Albus urged and Harry tried again and again.
By the end of the lesson he got the figurine to march like a soldier and even
give a small bow.
“I did it!” Harry crowed with delight and Albus gave him a proud look.
===============================================================================
                                End of chapter.
***** Family *****
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Sirius was staring at his reflection. He looked a mess. He had not slept a wink
since last Thursday. The former Gryffindor somehow looked more tormented and
pale now than when he had escaped Azkaban and he had been a terrible mess then.
His only consolation was that Number Twelve was empty of people save for him
and Kreacher, and Remus of course when the werewolf visited. Somehow his
childhood friend had found a job that kept him busy. After pestering the
werewolf had revealed that he was an author now and when Sirius learned exactly
which books Remus wrote he had started laughing. That had been before he made
the stupidest mistake in his life since trusting Peter Pettigrew to be Lily and
James’ Secret Keeper; he actually went ahead and met with Rodolphus Lestrange.
The last male black glared at his image in the mirror.
“You stupid man,” he muttered to himself. “You stupid, weak excuse of a
wizard.”
Sirius turned away from the mirror and out of the bathroom. He lingered at the
door, eyeing his bed with unseeing eyes, memories assaulting him of that damned
night. He had burned the letter Rodolphus had sent him but the words had stuck
with him. He had been telling himself that he would not go; that he had a
stronger self control than that, but at the last minute he broke. He arrived at
the small, rundown, Muggle hotel he and Rodolphus had been using all those
years ago. It had been the one Muggle location the Lestrange had not sneered at
as it served the purpose both purebloods needed it to be, a safe haven away
from their overbearing families, arranged marriages and prying eyes.
The hotel had not changed one bit. No one had asked Sirius why he was there.
Rodolphus already had a key. They had not even greeted each other; just eyes
meeting and the Lestrange had known just by his being there that Sirius was
agreeing to what was going to happen next. Sirius’ whole frame shivered at the
memories of that night. He had always been weak where Rodolphus was concerned,
always letting the older wizard play him, push his buttons; he never could
oppose Rodolphus or keep away from him for long.
It had been like not a day had gone past, like they had not spent over a decade
apart, stuck in separate cells, emaciated and driven insane by the mere
presence of Dementors. They did not speak when they found themselves in that
old room. They just tackled each other, not even making it to the bed. It was
rough, fast and over too quickly but it was a reunion. After that first time
they took their sweet time, relearning each other’s bodies again. In a way
Sirius had needed that, the intimacy, certainly the sex, but the feeling of
someone closer, someone who wanted him. He knew Remus and Harry were ecstatic
to have him, but unless his name got cleared soon Sirius bet his love life was
going to be nonexistent. Rodolphus was what he had needed and he hated that the
damned Lestrange knew that too.
Sirius closed his eyes and finally turned away from the mirror. His insides
were still churning, his heart and mind berating him for the betrayal to his
godson, his best friend, the cause against the Dark Lord. Sirius suppressed it,
squashing his treacherous body’s reaction; he still felt Rodolphus close to
him, his breath, his scent.
Exiting his room Sirius nearly fell into Remus. The werewolf looked a mess but
after one look at Sirius, the amber eyed wizard thought that the dog Animagus
did not look all that great either.
“What’s wrong with you?” Remus and Sirius asked each other.
“Nothing!” was the shared reply.
The two best friends exchanged looks.
“That was weird,” Remus finally commented. “Are you sure you’re fine?”
“Just sick of this place,” Sirius replied. He sighed. “Don’t mind me. How about
you? Got fired from a job?”
“Actually, I have no money troubles,” the werewolf admitted. “Just a very rough
full moon.”
Sirius clapped him on the shoulder. “Getting old Moony?”
Remus snorted. “You’re one to talk, Padfoot.” He tagged a strand of Sirius’
hair. “Silver hairs my friend?”
The dog Animagus shoved him. “Come on you prat, I’ll make tea.”
“You really want to poison me?”
“I can make tea!” Sirius protested, pride wounded. “Dorea insisted.”
Remus just smiled. “Sure, go ahead, just… are you sure you’re fine?”
“No, I’m not fine,” Sirius admitted in a sombre voice. “But I’ll get there.”
Remus nodded, trusting his friend. “Just know that I’m here.”
“Even if I’m old and stupid?”
“When were you clever?” the werewolf teased.
“Prat!”
===============================================================================
 
Sirius after serving tea and some cookies to Remus sat to talk with his friend.
On the table, opened, were letters from Harry. The werewolf picked one of them
up.
“Hm, he’s writing a lot more,” he commented.
“Yes,” Sirius admitted. “There’s just something there.”
“Has he spoken to you about the time he spent in Ottery St. Catchpole during
the attack?” Remus asked.
The dog Animagus shook his head. “Not yet,” he admitted. He was worried.
Nymphadora Tonks had admitted they had been back to back for a while but that
they had been separated soon after. The witch had no idea what had happened to
Harry after that. All Remus and Sirius knew, was that the green eyed teen had
turned up in Hogwarts and that Dumbledore had been the first to come across
Harry.
“If it was something bad, Dumbledore would have told us by now,” the werewolf
commented. He sounded hopeful about this and Sirius shared this feeling.
“Yes, you are right,” the dog Animagus said.
“What about you? You look rather pale,” Remus asked his best friend.
“Nothing, I’m fine.”
===============================================================================
 
It was next morning that the two friends were having breakfast at Number Twelve
together when the Floo flared and soon they were joined by Albus Dumbledore who
for once wore robes that were not his normal outrageous.
“Albus,” Sirius stood. “We were just having breakfast. Should we fix you a
plate?” he asked his former Headmaster.
Albus Dumbledore eyed the croissants on the table and then sighed and shook his
head. “I’d better not. I’m just coming from breakfast myself.”
“Tea then?” Remus asked.
“I would not mind a cup,” the blue eyed older wizard agreed and took a seat.
The three men were soon enough seated at the table and the two former
Gryffindor’s tried to make small chat with the man before Remus first asked as
to why the Headmaster was there that morning.
“Was there a reason why you are here so early in the morning?” the werewolf
asked the older wizard.
“Actually, yes,” Albus agreed. “It’s about Harry.”
That last sentence was all the other two men needed in order to get alarmed.
Both Sirius and Remus had their suspicions that something was wrong with James’
son and they feared the worst.
“He’s okay, right?” Sirius asked a bit desperately.
Albus waved a hand. “Sit back down, Sirius. There’s nothing wrong with Harry,
nothing alarming that is.”
“Then what is it?” Remus demanded. “I mean he wrote to us that he was your
Apprentice and all…”
“You really took him on?” Sirius asked.
“He’s a bright lad,” Dumbledore told the dog Animagus.
“So it is not about being apprenticed to you,” Remus stated. “What else is
there?” he demanded with a bit of worry. 
Here the blue eyed wizard hesitated. “It is really not up to me to say,” he
admitted. “You should know, however, that the Ministry is no longer monitoring
the Floo to and from Hogwarts,” he added. “You are welcome to come to my office
tonight and talk with Harry yourselves.” He eyed them over his half moon
glasses. The two younger wizards looked visibly relieved. Privately Albus
worried what would happen that night. He and Harry had discussed things at
length; the teen had been rather afraid and hesitant about this but he had also
admitted that as he was keeping the baby there was no reason why to postpone
this.
“Now or six months later it does not matter,” the green eyed teen had told
Albus, something the Headmaster accepted.
Albus pushed that thought back and faced his two lions. They were really
worried about the boy, as if he was their flesh and blood. James and Lily would
have been proud that Harry was cared for so much.
“Do you know why he has been so … weird in his letters?” Sirius questioned
Dumbledore.
“I do,” the blue eyed wizard admitted.
“And I’m guessing you won’t tell us,” Remus stated.
Albus shook his head. “I’m afraid that is Harry’s prerogative,” he told the
werewolf.
“We’ll be there,” Sirius said with Remus nodding.
“I’ll be waiting for you. Say eight?” Albus asked.
===============================================================================
 
Harry was pacing all over Albus’ office. The portraits had long since grown
tired of watching him, some of them even got dizzy, so now they were all
sleeping in their portraits. Dumbledore had placed charms all over the place so
that the conversation that would soon take place was not overheard or overseen.
“They will give me grief tomorrow but I wanted a bit of security for this,”
Albus admitted to Harry. “Now will you sit and share some tea with me? All that
pacing and worrying can’t be good for you.”
Harry wavered and finally took a seat. The Headmaster got the opportunity to
slip the teen a sandwich as well, which the green eyed Gryffindor started
nibbling on after an eye roll.
“You are getting worse than Madam Pomfrey.”
“I try my best,” Albus offered a smile.
“When are they coming?” Harry asked again, the third time that evening.
The Floo flared up as in reply and the teen sucked in a breath.
“It will all be fine,” Dumbledore assured Harry. “They love you.”
The teen gave a jerky nod and then faced Sirius and Remus as they exited the
fireplace.
“Harry!” the dog Animagus exclaimed and picked the teen up in a bear hug, then
passed him to Remus.
The werewolf when he touched the teen hugged him and then took a step back and
gave an observant look at Harry.
“Remus, Siri,” Harry greeted. He avoided meeting Remus’ eyes when he took his
seat again.
“Please, take a seat,” Albus offered to the duo.
“How’s school?” Sirius asked his godson, taking the seat nearest to Harry.
“Fine,” Harry replied.
“I heard you made Apprentice!” the last male Black went on.
Here Harry allowed a small smile.
“He’s got quite a talent with magic,” the Headmaster of Hogwarts complimented
Harry who blushed.
“Everything’s alright with you then?” Sirius asked, almost desperate for a
positive answer.
“Well… I’m fine,” Harry admitted. He stared at his hands for a bit. “I’m just…
I’m pregnant,” he said and promptly reached for another sandwich and then
started eating is so that he would not have to talk. He did not have to worry
about questions as his godfather and his former DADA professor were both
staring at him with their jaws dropped. Dumbledore was the first person the two
adult wizards looked to for a confirmation that this was not a bad prank and
that the rushed words that came from Harry’s mouth were the actual truth of the
matter.
“He is with child,” Albus agreed.
“That’s why his scent is different,” Remus muttered to himself but he was heard
in the quiet office.
Harry met his amber eyes.
“How?” Sirius asked.
Harry shrugged. “Apparently there’s creature blood in the Potter line,” he told
his godfather. “And well, at the time, protection was a bit out of the question
and not what was on our minds.”
“It’s the older guy, the one you were seeing in France,” Remus said.
Harry gave a nod.
“Does he know?” Sirius asked.
“Are you keeping the baby?” Remus followed.
“No and yes,” Harry answered the two questions. “He doesn’t know and I am
keeping the baby.”
Silence followed Harry’s words as the two adults in his life that were close to
his parents tried to digest the news.
“You are pregnant,” Sirius repeated. He held his head in his hands. “You’re so
young!”
“Are you angry?” Harry asked, his voice small.
“Merlin no!” the answer came fast from his godfather. The man was on his feet
and hugging Harry soon after. “I’m not angry! Never angry! Just… shocked…
That’s it, shocked. You really surprised me with this Harry. Pregnant at your
age… listen to me rambling. I’m with you Harry; don’t you dare forget this,
okay lad?”
Harry nodded against Sirius’ neck.
“Same here,” Remus added, giving Harry an encouraging grin. “Nobody’s angry at
you.”
“That guy however,” Sirius muttered as he finally released Harry from his bony
embrace. “Want me to track him down and give him a good scare?”
Harry grimaced. “About that,” he muttered. This time he eyed the Headmaster.
“Remember they are your family,” Albus told Harry.
Remus and Sirius were a bit concerned.
“What is it?” Remus asked.
“Can’t be worse than teenage pregnancy,” Sirius joked. “Unless Snivelous is the
father. Is he?”
“No,” Harry said, and unlike his godfather he was not laughing. “But a Death
Eater is.”
This time Sirius exploded and he was not alone in this. A feral growl escaped
Remus and the two wizards were impossible to calm down. Finally Albus had to
stun the both of them and by then Harry was too scared to talk any more and too
pale for it to be healthy.
“Will you please act as adults?” Dumbledore chastened the two adult wizards. “I
had wanted Harry to tell you but now I’m thinking I should have done it myself
and spared the boy the nerves; it’s not healthy in his condition.”
Sirius and Remus could only move their eyes.
“Now, I will take off the spell, but you will listen like bloody adults or I
will curse you and believe me, I can be creative,” Albus threatened. He did not
wait more than a minute for the threat to sink in and then he took off the body
bind. Harry refused to meet their eyes again and Sirius and Remus both felt
like wrecks.
“Sit,” Albus ordered and they too sat back. “Now you will hear me.”
“But…” Remus tried and Dumbledore glared at him. “He was not raped,” he stated
outright and just like that both men sighed.
“Thank Merlin,” Sirius muttered while Remus’ hand flew to his heart.
“Why didn’t you say so?” the dog Animagus asked. “I just lost twenty years of
my life!”
“But why say you … slept with a Death eater?” the werewolf asked.
“Because my boyfriend was Rabastan Lestrange,” Harry replied.
Silence followed his words again and Dumbledore rushed to cover the blanks,
letting Harry stay quiet and focus everywhere but on his godfather and his
former professor. It was a long and awkward night for all of them.
===============================================================================
 
Rabastan frowned at the chess board.
“Check mate,” Lucius stated.
“Lucky sod,” Rabastan muttered and his back touched his armchair. He eyed the
blond wizard.
Lucius just gave a smug grin at the man. “Would you care for a rematch?” he
asked but Rabastan just waved him off and stood.
“I’m done for tonight,” he told the man in who’s house he was staying.
Rodolphus, who had up until that point been engrossed in his book, looked up.
“Going to bed already?” he asked his sibling.
Rabastan shot him a look. “Why?” he asked his brother.
Rodolphus shut his book and stood as well. “I want a word with you,” he merely
informed his youngest sibling. “See you in the morning Lucius,” he shot at the
blond wizard who merely nodded and went to find his wife. The Lestrange
brothers headed for their rooms, close to each other and Rodolphus followed
Rabastan into his room. He fell on the bed, enjoying the way Rabastan grimaced.
“You are really uptight, you know?” Rodolphus told the younger wizard.
“And you are too childish,” Rabastan commented. “What did you want to say that
Lucius could not overhear?”
“Nothing really,” Rodolphus replied.
Rabastan stared. “Right, I can tell when you are lying you know. Spill,” he
ordered even as he started changing into his sleep clothes.
“I did something stupid.”
“Did you finally knock Bellatrix up?” Rabastan said.
“Don’t be an idiot Rabastan,” Rodolphus snapped at his younger sibling. “I’m
being serious here!”
Rabastan sat on the bed with a sigh and kicked at his brother’s feet. “Okay,
I’m listening.”
“You know that I did not want to marry Bella…”
“Because you had a lover, one that you never brought home to our parents,”
Rabastan said. “That was ages ago! Why think on it now?”
“Well, I’ve never been faithful to Bella, not really,” Rodolphus admitted. “I
continued seeing him even after I got married. Even when all hell broke loose
and the Dark Lord escalated his attacks. Now that was a pretty stupid thing to
do,” he muttered to himself.
Rabastan eyed his brother. “You like men?”
“Usually yes,” Rodolphus said. “But I’m the Lestrange head of House,” here he
gave Rabastan a wry grin. “You were lucky to be born second little brother.”
Rabastan wisely kept his mouth shut; he knew he had been lucky not to be the
first born. So he chose another subject. “What of your lover then? He saw you
and fled?”
“No, he fucked me,” Rodolphus answered.
Rabastan floundered for a moment. “Okay… That’s good, right?”
“Amazing actually,” Rodolphus replied.
“I don’t see a problem then,” his younger brother said.
“Yes, I never did mention that my sweetheart since Hogwarts was actually Sirius
Orion Black did I?”
“What?”
“I’ve been shagging my wife’s cousin, one Sirius Black, the bloke who had a
cell on the same floor with us in Azkaban.”
“What… Wait, okay, is this a joke?” Rabastan asked as his mind tried to
register what his ears heard.
Rodolphus shot him a hard look. “Is this a subject to joke about, honestly?”
“No,” Rabastan admitted. He felt a bit faint at the thought of his brother
sleeping with his lover (ex lover he corrected his errant mind) godfather.
“First time since you …”
“Parted? Yes,” Rodolphus admitted. “And what a night…”
“Spare me the details,” Rabastan said.
“Really? Because you know, Gryffindor’s are quite adventurous in bed.”
An ‘I know’ nearly escaped Rabastan’s mouth but the wizard swallowed that
comment.
“What do you want from me?” he said instead.
Rodolphus stared at his sibling. “What? No judgment?”
“I have no room to judge,” Rabastan said. “Can you go now? I really need to
sleep.”
“I’m going, just answer me this, what the hell is wrong with you? Lately you
have been impossible. If I did not know better I’d say that you were pining.
Are you, pining that is? Is it that school boy of yours?”
Rabastan refused to look at his brother. Because sleeping with Sirius Black was
nothing compared to sleeping with Harry Potter.
“Can we not have this discussion tonight?” Rabastan begged of his brother.
“Then when?” Rodolphus demanded. “Because I am right about ready to storm
Hogwarts and ask for your toy boy. And I’m not joking Rabastan, I want to know
what’s wrong with you. I worry. Since summer you have changed and while in the
beginning it was fine, now I’m thinking that the change has only been bad for
you.”
Rabastan groaned. “I’m fine!”
“Liar,” Rodolphus accused.
“Well, I will be,” Rabastan said.
“I could help.”
“Like I can help you and that skittish Gryffindor of yours?”
“How do you know he’s skittish?” Rodolphus demanded.
Rabastan snorted. “I guessed,” he told his brother. “Small tip, if you want
him, then claim him.”
“If only we lived in an ideal world,” Rodolphus commented with a bitter voice.
Rabastan winced, those words hitting a spot inside of him that was still
hurting. In his mind’s eyes he saw Harry’s emerald eyes, bright with love and
tears and betrayal and felt like cursing out loud.
“We don’t,” he finally said, his own voice bitter. “So don’t think about it.”
Rodolphus watched his brother storming towards the bathroom, a pensive look on
his face.
===============================================================================
End of chapter.
***** Support *****
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
“When did I go wrong?”
That was the phrase that passed Sirius’ lips. It was late at night and Harry
had long since left for his dorms after many assurances from the adults in his
life that they would be right there with him, that they still cared and
supported despite everything. And how could they not, was the question to ask.
Dumbledore had already decided to support the teen way back when he had first
learned the identity of Harry’s lover. Sirius and Remus had banded together,
other than showing their shock for a few minutes they had offered as much of
their support as they could to the teen until he was made to understand that
they would be still with him, not give him up or walk away from him. And now
the dog Animagus and the werewolf were emotionally tired, drained. Albus was
glancing at his two former students with worry.
“Sirius?” he said and caught the younger wizard’s attention. “You were fine
just a moment ago.”
The escaped convict snorted. “I’m not a complete idiot! I was not about to have
a meltdown in front of Harry! He needs me supporting him!”
Dumbledore and Remus both blinked. In the end the werewolf voiced what was in
both their minds.
“That’s quite mature of you,” Remus observed.
Sirius scoffed. “Forget mature! I want to rage and scream but did you see
Harry? He looked terrified! Terrified that we would give him up!” He snorted.
As if we would!! The moment he had seen his infant godson he had been hooked.
There was no way he was ever giving that baby boy up, no matter how old he got
and whatever he did later in his life. And it was the same for Remus as well.
The werewolf nodded. “Give him time. No wonder he’s still so afraid. As things
are right now Harry is quite brave, considering the whole situation… Yes, he’s
very brave.”
The dog Animagus buried his face in his hands. “I cannot believe how this mess
happened.” He then looked up straight at Dumbledore’s face. I mean, what are
the chances?”
“Considering Harry’s luck?” Albus asked, his first attempt at humour that
earned a glare from the last male Black.
“Sirius,” Remus spoke up. “Did you really mean that you would be there for
Harry?”
“Of course!” the escaped convict exclaimed, sounding horrified that they would
think different. “He’s my godson! I will do right by him!”
“In Harry’s defence, they had been careful before that night,” Albus added. Two
groans came from his two former students. Sirius muttered under his breath
something that sounded suspiciously similar to ‘spare me the details’. Despite
the seriousness of the situation, Dumbledore felt the corners of his mouth
turning upwards. There was something to be said about finding amusement at
inopportune moments like this was.
“I can’t believe you knew,” Remus told his former Headmaster. He looked a bit
hurt that he had not known sooner or been trusted earlier than now to help and
support the green eyed teen. “Why did you never even imply anything?”
“Like I said before, I am with Harry in this case,” the blue eyed wizard
stated. “He needs people with him; he needs to know no one blames him for
anything. That is what concerns you, right? That Harry and Rabastan…”
Sirius groaned. “No!” he managed to cut Dumbledore off before the man went into
any detail. “That’s… Merlin!”
“Padfoot?” Remus asked worriedly.
“I’m not angry at Harry, not at all.” he eyed Albus and Remus with a resigned
air about him.
The Headmaster thought the dog Animagus looked shifty, like he had done
something wrong.
Sirius looked like he was gathering his strength but his secret then came from
his lips, a secret as damning as the one his godson had been keeping. “I have
no room to be angry at him when I slept with Rodolphus Lestrange,” Sirius told
them.
“What!” Remus yelled.
Meanwhile Dumbledore was left blinking from shock. These boys were certainly
full of surprises. He glanced between Sirius and Remus as the two best friends
started talking, Remus demanding answers and Sirius slowly but steadily
blurting out the details of an affair that was years long, an affair that not
even Albus had ever noticed unfolding under his nose. The blue eyed wizard felt
suddenly old, very old, seeing all that romantic drama unfolding around him.
And at the same time it vitalized him, seeing that despite the odds, the war
and everything in between, love existed after all, bringing even enemies
together. It was at that moment he felt so very proud of his students, present
and past, who used love to cover their differences, at least in their very
personal lives.
“…I can’t believe you never told me! Why did you not trust me before?” the
werewolf asked, feeling hurt.
Sirius gave Remus a tired look. “Not something I am proud of, having an affair
with a married man, one married to my cousin at that. Then when the war broke
out… call me a coward but I feared your reaction. You, James, Lily… you all
mean the world to me, Harry too.”
“Merlin,” Remus closed his eyes tiredly.
“Boys,” Albus spoke up. “I think it’s late and it has been a rather long
night,” he told his two former students. “Perhaps tomorrow would be a better
time to discuss truths, after a long rest and a good meal.”
“You’re right sir,” Remus said.
“Moony,” Sirius tried to think of something to say but then he trailed off.
Remus looked at his best friend. Then he sighed and rubbed his temples as if
fighting off a headache.
“Come on,” he finally told the last male Black. Those words were enough to show
Sirius that his best friend did not hate him or felt angry about anything and
his heart felt lighter. Now he only needed Harry to know, but that could wait
till a better time.
===============================================================================
 
Neville and Luna escorted Harry to Pomfrey's domain, along the way carefully
discussing the events of the previous night. The green eyed wizard during
breakfast had described how things went when he told his godfather and Remus in
the Headmaster's office.
''So there was no excessive drama, declarations of hate and all that,'' Neville
concluded.
Harry shook his head.
''That's a great thing then,'' the Longbottom heir mused. He eyed his best male
friend. ''It was what we wanted, right?''
Harry gave a bit of a shrug.
Luna and her boyfriend shared a look. Neville's practically screamed 'you ask
this one' and the witch rolled her eyes a bit.
''What's wrong Harry?'' the blonde Ravenclaw asked.
''I think they were a tad too supportive,'' the pregnant teen muttered making
his two companions stumble. ''What? I'm serious guys. Usually Siri is all
'snakes are evil' and all that. Either he matured suddenly or there's something
going on.''
''You’re too paranoid,'' Luna commented. Neville opened his mouth to answer and
then promptly shut it, looking contemplative. The infirmary doors came within
sight and by mutual agreement they dropped the semi privacy spell they had cast
around them when they had been walking and changed the talk to a safer subject,
classes.
''You sure are lively about your education today,'' Madam Pomfrey told them.
''You know us,'' Luna told her with an angelic smile that did not fool the
matron of Hogwart's infirmary one bit.
''Just come over here Mister Potter,'' the medi witch said, urging the green
eyed wizard behind a screen. ''I want you to strip off your upper body.''
''Neville and Luna can stay, right?'' Harry asked.
‘‘They can be in the room but not near us, their fluctuating magic might
confuse the readings of my spells.''
Pomfrey then started probing the teen with spells and questions for fifteen
minutes before finally getting satisfied and allowing Harry to dress.
“So, everything’s working?” the teen joked.
Poppy rolled her eyes. “Quite fine actually. You gained weight.”
Harry blinked. Neville and Luna smiled.
“Two kilos,” the medi witch announced. “I need you to gain a bit more for your
body to be able to cope through the term. Keep to the diet and rest a lot. Your
body has been tired a lot in the past years and that might not work in your
favour. At least you are off a broom.”
The green eyed Gryffindor nodded, lips twitching with mirth.
“What about the moving staircases?” Neville asked, concerned about his friend
and because of trip steps. “Can we do something about those?”
“They are death traps,” Poppy agreed.
“But the stairs never move when Harry is on them,” Luna commented. “The trip
steps don’t work and the armours don’t charge at him. And somehow Peeves is
never around, like the castle keeps him far away from Harry.”
The medi witch considered her patient. “Could be. I’ll ask the Headmaster.”
“I can do that,” Harry told her. “I’m having lessons with him later on.”
After that the three teens were shooed away and off to their classes.
===============================================================================
 
Harry groaned. An advanced text from the Forbidden Section was open in front of
him, a dictionary and two more books for him to do the paper Albus Dumbledore
had asked him to hand over. The wizard had asked him to combine Transfiguration
and Charms and how that was done in duels and make a spell change that was
doable even by a boy in Harry’s age power wise and experience wise.
“Magic does not have to be flashy,” the older wizard had told his apprentice.
And the pregnant teen was following that logic.
He was still pondering over the mess he had in front of him when he felt
someone was watching him. He tried ignoring it but after a while the sensation
made him annoyed and he finally looked up. Hermione Granger was seated a few
rows away, occupying a table on her own, books upon books around her and no one
in sight, unlike Harry who until then had had Neville as company and now he had
Luna, studying for her Potions and being quieter than a mouse while they both
toiled over their homework. The Gryffindor kept shooting him looks and he
caught them. She seemed lonely and tired but when she looked at Harry, she was
frowning. Like he was a puzzle that did not fit, like she did not like
something. Harry knew there were a myriad things the Muggleborn witch he had
considered a friend did not like. He was not an idiot or deaf. He had heard
whispers. Neville in fact was nice enough to not keep him in the dark about
what the others of the house were discussing when the green eyed teen was not
around or when they thought Neville might not hear. But the teen heard how many
Gryffindor’s and Ravenclaw’s and Slytherin’s discussed how they thought Harry
Potter only got the apprenticeship because of the Boy Who Lived status.
Hermione had been among those who had been flabbergasted as to how Harry was
offered the position. Neville had reluctantly told Harry how the witch had been
very vocal about her objections.
Flashback…
“She had been talking with Lavender Brown,” the Longbottom heir admitted to his
friend.
“Yes well, she’s an idiot,” Malfoy muttered.
Snape had given the Potions class a project and the Slytherin’s had taken
Neville in their team when none of the Gryffindor’s offered. The three of them
with Zabini and Nott were in the Library. Harry had been doing his own work and
the group had asked to share his table and the green eyed teen had agreed. The
Slytherin’s had muttered they envied Harry for not having to cope with most of
his classes, until they saw the books Harry was reading.
“The Nature of Alchemy with Corresponding Runes?” Zabini read. He then eyed
Harry. “You are not in Runes.”
“I am learning now,” Harry admitted. “Just basics but… apparently a bit of
everything is needed because magic is not divided into categories.”
“Quoting Dumbledore?” Nott had asked and the green eyed teen had nodded.
“He’s so knowledgeable it is intimidating,” Harry told the group. “I really
don’t want to let him down. The opportunity… it’s huge!”
“Yes, but unlike what the plebeians believe,” Malfoy sneered. “He chose right.
Out of all of us in Hogwarts right now, you are the strongest magically. Anyone
with any sense can tell you.”
“True,” Neville told his friend.
“Only Snape and Dumbledore top you,” Zabini commented. “Flitwick is part human
and has a different feel about him. Moody is too scarred and fragmented and all
those dark magic curses that hit him messed up his own magics. McGonagall has
technique but no real power; don’t get me started on the rest of the
professors.”
Harry blinked. “I had no idea… Are you sure?”
“There’s a rumour I believe the Weasel started,” Malfoy said. “He might have
mentioned that you managed to disarm Snape and then fend off a swarm of
Dementors?”
“I’m not saying anything about the first one but the second did happen,” Harry
replied.
“Not one but a hundred of them,” Zabini seemed amused. “The Patronus charm
Dumbledore shot during that match with Hufflepuff was not as strong and there
were only two dozens of those creatures around the pitch, not the entire group
the Ministry planted around the school.”
“So, they’re jealous?” Harry concluded.
“Eating their hearts out with envy,” Neville confirmed.
“Being Nasty about it too,” Malfoy said. “When I say purebloods are better I do
not just mean that. Granger might be smart, but she’ll never be as magically
strong as I am or you are, or Longbottom here.”
“None of the Muggleborns,” Zabini added. “And I bet she’s just realizing that
knowledge is not everything if you cannot back it up properly.”
“Enough about them,” Malfoy muttered. “Longbottom, you know your Herbology,
help me with the Poison Poppies. Are the seeds useful in Potions?”
Neville spluttered and then went into a tirade on the importance of the plant,
managing to cower the Slytherin’s and amuse Harry.
… End Flashback
“Ignore her,” Luna’s voice brought Harry back to the present. “Everything she’s
done was because of her own faults. She sided with Ron because she fancied him
and he her. She is now frowning because she thinks you cheated for Dumbledore
to notice you.”
“If it hadn’t been for… you know,” Harry told the Ravenclaw.
“The Headmaster would have asked you anyway, perhaps after you finished
school,” Luna seemed certain about this and Harry, seeing her conviction
believed her. Because he learned that the blonde witch just knew some things.
It was part of Luna being her own unique self.
===============================================================================
 
Rodolphus Lestrange stared at the letter he had been given, eyes wide and
eyebrows arched. He had not believed Sirius would make contact so soon. Oh, he
knew the light oriented wizard was probably tormented by guilt and shame
because he had fallen into bed with a married man, a killer like him. All the
angst and the guilt would have kept him away like it had done in the past, but
for a few weeks, a couple of months even. It was really soon for the man to
have gotten over all his fears and doubts and come crawling back (always
metaphorically because Rodolphus had learned that Blacks never crawled to
anyone, Dark Lords excluded) into his bed.
The letter was simple. A meeting place. A time. A date. It never crossed his
mind it might be anything but a sex date. Sirius was not a man who would set a
trap; never had been one to deceive Rodolphus or anyone he really felt close
to. Bellatrix’s husband was probably one of the very few people who knew that
while James Potter and Sirius Black where like siblings instead of cousins that
they were, the dog Animagus was really close to Lilly Potter, nee Evans. He
confided to the witch about everything, things she never shared with his male
buddies, things like his affair with the Lestrange heir at the time. The red
haired witch had even confronted Rodolphus one time, spotted him in Diagon when
she was four months pregnant, tracked him down in Knockturn and made the wizard
swear a vow as close as there was to the Unbreakable that he would never use
Sirius and what they had to harm her family or promote his agenda for the war.
“Do whatever you want, but leave politics out of it,” the witch had demanded of
him. “The mess you call a relationship is tangled enough as it is.”
“We are not in a relationship!” Rodolphus protested but she had given him a
look so deep and searching that he had actually looked at his feet! Him, a
Death Eater and a grown man. He had agreed to her terms and even made sure she
was safe back into Diagon Alley. Rodolphus never told anyone how much he had
respected the little Mudblood, no one but Sirius, who had then smacked him for
using such a derogative term about a witch like Lily.
“She’s better than Bellatrix,” his lover had commented and Rodolphus, to this
day, agreed with that sentiment.
Staring at the letter again, he penned his reply, wanting to find out what
Sirius Black wanted to tell him.
End of chapter.
***** Strange can be Good *****
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
The Muggle world was always the best place to hold a meeting, Sirius always
thought so. Despite being nothing like his family, Sirius was not well versed
in the intricacies of how to move around and act like a Muggle, despite the
efforts Lily had put into helping him, the male Black was a pureblood through
and through and sometimes his breeding showed. Still, there were many things
the pureblood fugitive appreciated about Muggle’s. Small pubs were places the
dog Animagus knew how to navigate. The ‘Drunk Monk’ was one such place. Remus
was there with his best friend.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked.
Sirius sighed. “I can’t just sit idly by and knit my fingers together.”
“But this…”
“Rodolphus needs to know,” Sirius decided with more conviction in his voice
than what he felt at the moment. The letter had been sort of a decision on a
whim but as the days passed, the dog Animagus liked it even more. “Harry needs
protection. That baby he’s carrying is a Lestrange.”
“Blood is thicker than anything in purebloods,” Remus muttered.
“Especially to a line without heirs,” Sirius replied. He stared at the
werewolf. “You understand, right Moony? I need to help Harry. For thirteen
years I was in jail. This is my chance to offer some sort of protection,
something more tangible than a broom. He needs me now more than ever. He needs
that idiot Rabastan as well but…”
“We are all he has right now,” Remus agreed. Well, them and Dumbledore and
Harry’s friends, Remus reasoned, but neither of them had the power to do much.
Neville might have understood Harry and the tryst with Rabastan Lestrange but
there were some lengths the teen could not go to. Dumbledore was a great man
and had proven just how much he cared about the green eyed teen and how he
regretted past choices. Luna was a sweet girl but there was really not much she
could do to help Harry against Death Eaters, not yet at least. It really was up
to Remus and Sirius to do this.
The two former Gryffindor’s ordered beers though neither of them made a move to
drink.
“Does he know I’ll be here?” the werewolf asked Sirius who shook his head.
“Speak of the devil,” the last male Black muttered and pointed at the door. His
friend tensed when he saw Rodolphus Lestrange passing the threshold. The tall
man, dark man saw them upon entering, noticing Sirius first and the werewolf
second. It was when he actually noticed Remus that he tensed. Sirius stood and
approached. Remus had no idea what was discussed but Sirius finally convinced
the other fugitive to join them at their table.
If Remus thought it awkward when Snape announced to the school that he was a
werewolf, this was ten times worse; he decided when the Death Eater slid into
the booth following Sirius.
“Well, you never said we ought to bring pets, luv,” Rodolphus told Sirius,
sparing a look at the amber eyed werewolf.
Remus rolled his eyes and before Sirius could react he pinned the dog Animagus
with a hard glare and a look that warned the man to remember why they were
there.
“There was something I needed to tell you,” Sirius told Rodolphus.
“And the werewolf just had to be here,” the Lestrange wizard sneered.
“Well, the sooner we get over with this the sooner I’ll get out of your sight,”
Remus told the pureblood.
“Listen,” Sirius told his lover. “I need your help.”
Rodolphus pinned him with a hard glare. “Since when does anyone know about
this,” he pointed between himself and Sirius. “This was not part of the deal
Black.”
“Listen you pompous ass,” Remus hissed, his amber eyes glowing hard, “I don’t
care about whatever you have to hide. And I could care less what you are up to
with Siri as long as my best friend is fine with it. But the reason you are
here tonight has to do with your brother so sit here, shut up and don’t test my
patience because right now it’s stretched thin.”
Sirius cleared his throat. “Remus is right.”
“And what does my brother have to do with you two?” Rodolphus demanded.
Here, the two light sided wizards winced.
“It’s… I have no idea how to say this,” the dog Animagus admitted. “Whatever
I’m about to tell you though, I need a Vow from you.”
Rodolphus arched an eyebrow. “An Unbreakable Vow? My you are mysterious
tonight.”
“I’ll be the bonder,” Remus stated.
“I could walk out.”
“You won’t,” Sirius told his long time lover.
The two men shared a long staring contest and finally Rodolphus sighed and
agreed. The dark wizard was admittedly curious as to the reason the two friends
had agreed to meet him. He had at first thought it was going to be just him and
the Black wizard. Upon seeing the werewolf he had been ready to leave, thinking
that Sirius had finally betrayed their mutual bond and betrayed him to the
Order. That had hurt, the mere thought of betrayal. He had honestly felt his
gut clenching and bile in his throat. Then the dark eyed man had left the
werewolf’s side and had reassured him this was a serious discussion, that Remus
was there to support Sirius for the coming talk. Curiosity and spite were what
kept Rodolphus from storming away. He wanted to rile the werewolf up, make him
lose his cool. Last the Death Eater knew, only Lily Potter had known about him
and Sirius Black. Apparently, things had changed and Bella’s husband feared
that Sirius’ best friend would be able to convince the dog Animagus to leave
the Lestrange wizard. If there was one thing Rodolphus liked about being out of
Azkaban was that he could now see Sirius instead of just hear his screams as
the Dementors paid them a visit, that he could touch the dark haired wizard
(though that had happened twice but Rodolphus hoped for more), that they were
as free as they could possibly be from their roles, that at least now he knew
Sirius had survived and while on the run, he was alive and not in the hell that
was Azkaban. Realizing that he had been silent for far too long, Rodolphus
cleared his throat.
“What about my brother?” he asked, focusing on the one thing the werewolf
mentioned that had alarmed him. What could those two possibly know that he did
not?
“Because your brother has been seeing my godson since summer,” Sirius grumbled
in a tone that revealed that he would like to have words with Rabastan
Lestrange.
Rodolphus felt his brain coming to a stop as he processed his lover’s words.
“What?”
“Your brother,” Remus stated, “Has been dating our Harry. They met in France…
Were together… Do you want me to actually draw you a picture? It’s not exactly
easy for me to say this and … Sirius, stop growling will you? Focus on the
matter at hand,” he snapped at his best friend who in turn scowled.
Rodolphus was busy connecting all the pieces together. All the information he
had gotten from his younger sibling ever since he appeared in Rabastan’s hotel
room. He recalled the rumpled sheets, the bites and nips on his brother’s body,
the evasive words, the comments he had made. And then his brother revealing he
had slept with a minor, a boy in Draco Malfoy’s age group, how Rabastan refused
to name the wizard. It all made sense now and Rodolphus felt like an idiot for
not seeing this earlier. But he guessed he had been blindsided by other
matters.
“Are you drinking that beer?” Rodolphus asked Sirius even as he reached for the
glass and drank half of it before taking another breath.
Sirius and Remus were left staring.
“My brother and Harry Potter,” Rodolphus then said.
The werewolf nodded.
“The freaking Boy-Who-Lived,” the Death Eater muttered.
Sirius glared. “Careful what you say about my boy.”
Rodolphus drank the rest of the beer. “Okay… I get it,” he said afterwards.
“But…” He recalled his brother moping. “They are over, right? Wait… Did your
boy know my brother…?”
“Was a Death Eater?” Sirius asked. He shook his head. “He learned during the
attack at Ottery St. Catchpole. I think that was their last time together.
Harry told Dumbledore…”
“Wait! Dumbledore knows!?” Rodolphus demanded.
“Pipe down,” Remus ordered, seeing the stares they received.
Rodolphus scowled at the Muggle’s watching them. He sat back down and Remus
pushed the second beer his way while Sirius motioned to the waiter to bring
more beer for them. When the waiter came and went and they had privacy again
they just sat there until Rodolphus felt he could follow the conversation
again.
“Okay, I think I got this now,” the Death Eater said. “That bloody Headmaster
knows then.”
“Harry told him,” Sirius said to his lover.
“And the old man just sat there?” Rodolphus asked.
“Dumbledore is not really the subject here,” Remus insisted.
“We are here because your brother knocked up my godson,” Sirius stated and
Rodolphus had his jaw drop.
Another long pause ensued and the Death Eater had trouble trying to wrap his
mind around the news he had learned from Black.
“I… Merlin,” Rodolphus muttered to himself. “Are you serious? He… with child…
my brother’s… How?” he finally managed.
Sirius and Remus started explaining about Harry’s creature heritage and how
apparently he and Rabastan had gotten together the night of the attack on
Ottery St. Catchpole. Rodolphus sat there and listened with all of his
attention. All the while he was thinking that this was actually happening, this
was not a joke, this was real and happening and apparently, his brother was
making him an uncle.
“Is this certain?” the Lestrange wizard asked. “I mean...”
“He’s about to enter the third month,” Sirius said and Rodolphus sucked in a
breath.
“The baby’s healthy,” Remus offered. “That’s all we know. And Harry’s being
very careful. He dropped out of the Quidditch team, does not step foot in
Potions or DADA, minds his diet and everything.”
Rabastan’s brother heard all the information with half an ear while his brain
still processed the fact that this was actually happening. The grave faces of
Both Sirius Black and Remus Lupin did not let him believe that it was a hoax.
This was real, he once again repeated to himself. His brother had for all
intents and purposes betrayed the Dark Lord, the pureblood purist in him kept
repeating. But the brother in him who had worried about his sibling when
Rabastan had stopped eating, when Rabastan had gotten moodier, his temper
shortened and his eyes lost what light they had gained during the summer and
all those months up until that damned attack on that wizard town. Rodolphus had
lost part of his brother that night and the realization hurt. His younger
brother as he was now was a shell, worse than how he was inside the blasted
prison of Azkaban. He wondered for a second if his brother knew and just as
quickly squashed that notion. Rabastan was quite obviously in the dark, had no
idea that he was going to be a father. If he knew, would that make him get that
spark back? Belatedly, he mused that Rabastan was quite obviously heartbroken
and this was not something that could be fixed with a snap of his fingers,
Rodolphus was unsure if it was even up to him to help his sibling recover. He
eyed Sirius, the man who could help him, along with his godson, mend his
brother’s heart.
“I can’t keep this from my brother,” the escaped convict stated. “He needs to
know about all these. That’s his kid too, the one your godson is carrying.”
“Harry’s not ready yet,” Sirius protested. “If you tell your brother…”
“When will he be ready?” Rodolphus demanded. “In a month? In two months? After
nine months when he’ll be huge or when the brat takes his first steps? Do you
forget Sirius? The family tapestries will show the truth soon enough. He either
learns it from me or…”
“Rodolphus!”
“Don’t ‘Rodolphus’ me Sirius Black!” was the quickly hissed warning.
Remus realized he needed to intervene before the situation became any more
heated. If things came to blows then they would all be in deep trouble. The
former Hogwarts professor cleared his throat pointedly, earning the attention
of the two bickering lovers. “Will you both, kindly sit back down and shut the
hell up? No one cares what you both think as long as it keeps Harry and the
baby safe.” The werewolf holds up a hand to stifle the coming argument from the
Death Eater present. “Yes, your brother will soon be a father and he has a
right to know, shut it Padfoot, but you are not in the position to do anything
about it, none of us is.”
“And why am I here then?” Rodolphus demands.
“Because Sirius thought you might care, not for Harry, but at least for the
life’s he’s carrying,” the amber eyed werewolf stated.
Rodolphus had no idea how to answer that. He chances a glance at Sirius. His
lover is giving him an earnest look and Rodolphus scoffs inwardly. Of course
the bloody Gryffindor would try and do the good act and involve him, even
though he had an ulterior motive and purpose and the Death Eater cannot fault
him that, not when Sirius and the werewolf as well, are trying to protect the
only chance the House of Lestrange has to have an heir. Rodolphus can see it,
in his mind’s eye, the future as it should be, his family name no longer in
ruin and disgrace. All because of a green eyed teen. It is ironic that a half
blood, the same half blood that as a baby vanquished his Lord would help his
family name. But, he reasoned, only if Potter admitted the other father was a
Lestrange. The chances of that happening with Voldemort at large and a war
brewing were dim. Also, Rodolphus held no illusions about what would happen if
the Dark Lord found out about Rabastan’s tryst with the Boy-Who-Lived or what
would happen to Potter and his Potter-Lestrange baby. Yes, he actually cared
and those two idiots drinking beer with him knew that.
“I do care,” he admitted and felt the dog Animagus clutching his hand on the
table.
The werewolf eyed the joined hands with a wistful smile on his face.
“So,” Sirius hesitated.
“I’ll help,” Rodolphus told his lover and his lover’s best friend. “And I can
start helping immediately.”
That got him two confused stares.
“I know how to get you Peter Pettigrew,” Rodolphus stated.
“But what about…” Sirius started protesting and the Death Eater squeezed his
hand.
“I have my ways,” he told the last male Black. “And you have my word that I’ll
do anything in my power to help your godson bring that baby to term and, heck,
even see him grow.” Because, Rodolphus Lestrange realized, if Harry Potter
survived and the Dark Lord died, his nephew would live. For the first time in
his life he understood why Lily Potter sacrificed her life for her son and why
Alice and Frank Longbottom never broke under the Cruciatus. The two wizards
seated at the same table as he, understood this as well.
“So we plan,” Remus stated.
“And we’re going to make it work,” Rodolphus vowed. It was later, after he
returned to Malfoy Manor that he realized what he had done that night had been
his first official move to betray the Dark Lord. What shocked the dark wizard
was the fact that he did not mind one bit about said betrayal.
===============================================================================
End of chapter.
***** About a Baby, a Brother and a Godfather *****
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Neville and Luna were at Hagrid’s hut, seated on the half giant’s couch. The
blond witch was on her back, reading through a book, Neville at her side,
fending off Fang as the dog kept trying to steal the young wizard’s scone.
Harry was near the fireplace, stirring the soup he was making for them and
Hagrid to eat, for when the half giant returned from his patrol of the
Forbidden Forest.
“Okay, shall I go on?” Luna asked the two wizards.
Harry grinned and stirred. “Sure, go ahead,” he told his Ravenclaw friend.
“Well, Aubrey, Ariel, Ash, Alexis,” Luna read. “Bailey, Blair, Brooke.” Her
eyes followed the list of unisex names she and her two friends had been reading
though. “Cameron, Carson, Cassidy, Chris.”
“I like Aubrey,” Neville commented. “Let me, “he took the book from his
girlfriend’s hands and peeked through the book, “Dana, Deniz, Devon, Drew.
Nope, none of those. Going to those starting with ‘E’ now. Ellis, Erin, Eden…
Erin seems nice.”
“Keep reading,” Harry told them. He tasted the soup and hummed. “Luna, come
help me, do you think it needs more salt?”
The blonde witch stood with an exaggerated sigh and approached Harry. She took
the spoon from his hand and tasted the soup.
“Mm,” she then grinned. “Perfect.”
“Frances,” Neville told them, continuing with the reading of the book. “Nope,
boring.”
“Agreed,” the green eyed wizard said. “Next!”
Luna took the book from Neville. “Hm, Jean or Gene.”
Harry shook his head. “And skip the ‘H’. I would not want the baby to have the
same first letter my name has.”
“Well, you do know that it is weird, looking through the book, right?” Neville
commented.
“Madam Pomfrey said that it will take two more months until we learn the sex,”
the green eyed wizard explained. “She and Professor Dumbledore suggested doing
this, you know, to get used to the idea of the baby,” Harry told his two
friends.
“Sounds like a good idea,” Luna agreed. “So, skipping ‘H’… Hm, how about
Indigo?”
“Not naming my kid after a colour,” Harry insisted.
“Jaden, Jacki, Jamie, Jan… Justice, now that is a bit much,” Luna read the
names and muttered to herself.
“Next letter,” Harry and Neville chorused.
“Well, Kellan or Keelan…” she caught the interest in the faces of her friends
and read further, “This one is from Gaelic and means ‘slender’,” the witch
commented.
Harry nodded. “Does not sound bad, Neville?”
“Goes on the maybe list,” the Longbottom heir agreed and actually jotted the
name down.
“Onwards then,” Luna announced. “Kennedy, Kendal, Kieran… Leigh…Marley,
Michael… Nico… Skipping more… Oh! Phoenix!” she turned to Harry.
The green eyed wizard blinked. “You like Phoenix?”
Luna grinned. “As a potential godmother I declare this goes on the ‘maybe’
list.” She dared Harry and her boyfriend to disagree.
“Not bad,” Harry declared.
“Going on the list,” Neville agreed.
Luna smiled, satisfied, and resumed her reading. “Nope, nope… Reese, Ryan… Oh!
Another one! Rain.”
“Rain,” Harry deadpanned.
“It sounds cool,” Neville mused and Harry cocked his head to the side.
“Rain,” he tested the name on his tongue.
“We are considering this so it’s going on the list,” Luna decided and after a
nod from Harry, Neville wrote yet another name down.
“Rory, Sage, Sasha, Shannon, Sydney, Storm…”
“Don’t think of adding it to the list,” Neville warned.
“Nope, it just does not sound as cool as Rain does,” Luna replied. “Taylor,
Trinity, Tristan…Whitney… Zane.” She shut the book. “This is it. There are only
so many unisex names,” she commented. She considered Harry. “Are you sure you
don’t want to look up any more names?”
Harry shook his head. “We have time,” he told them. “Fang, stop pestering
Neville,” he told Hagrid’s dog.”
“How come he listens to you?” the Longbottom heir grumbled when the dog backed
off when Harry asked, even when he had been trying to gently push the dog away
from him. He then plucked the book from Luna’s hands. “There are so many
choices in here for names. Girl names, boy names, British names, Irish names,
Scottish names… It even has Aztec names,” the pureblood wizard muttered. “You
said you got this from the Muggle world?”
Harry nodded. “I asked Remus to buy the book for me and he had the Headmaster
give this to me.”
“As soon as we learn the sex of the baby we can decide on more names,” Luna
assured the two wizards. “Now, is the soup ready?”
“We can’t eat yet,” Harry gently reminded her.
“When is Hagrid coming back?” Neville wondered. “He’s been gone for three hours
already.”
Harry started setting the table, using his wand to do all the work. “Well, he
did say he was going to the centaurs and those guys never give a straight
answer.”
Just then Fang disregarded the teens and went for the door, a sure sign of the
Groundskeeper returning to his humble home.
“Finally!” Luna clapped her hands, eager to taste more of the food Harry had
prepared.
Neville carefully hid the book in one of their book bags, the list as well.
They were keeping Harry’s pregnancy a secret from the half giant. They all knew
Hagrid was a great guy with a golden heart but Harry knew better than everyone
that the man could not hold his liquor and all sorts of secrets spilled from
his lips at those times.
“Still ‘ere you lot,” Hagrid greeted them with a smile, bringing the smells of
the trees and the forest into the warm hut. He expertly fended off a slobbering
Fang and left his bow by the door. “And you cooked,” he realized when he saw
Harry near the fireplace and the large pot.
“Harry was inspired today,” Neville informed their CoMC professor.
Hagrid was touched and reached for his handkerchief while the teens discreetly
looked away.
===============================================================================
 
Rodolphus took a deep breath and got on his feet. The expansive room in Malfoy
Manor that served as a work out room had seen a lot of action lately. Rabastan
was here every day and the older of the two siblings could understand the
reason now; his little brother had a lot of energy to burn now that he had no
other outlet for it. What he did not understand was why he had to be the one
targeted. Lucius, while he joined them on occasion, had been smart enough to
dodge that day’s invitation, something Rodolphus had not done.
“Come on,” Rabastan egged his brother on as he got into stance again, ready to
shoot more spells towards him.
“Wait! I need a break!” Rodolphus declared.
Rabastan pulled a step back and huffed. “Tired already?” he demanded.
“Well, not everyone has your energy. What did you do? Empty out all our ‘Pepper
up’ stock?”
The younger of the two siblings frowned. “What’s wrong with you? You have been
behaving odd a week now.”
Rodolphus sighed. “Nothing.”
Rabastan turned around. “Well, if you’re not in the mood to train I’ll clean up
and be in the library.”
“Rabastan, wait,” the oldest of the two called out, making the younger sibling
pause. Rodolphus just studied his brother who lately had been training without
stop. He was pining, Rodolphus realized, and he had no one to talk to, no one
to vent. He was also hurt, he could tell, he had been through this as well.
They made a rather pathetic duo the two of them, with their sorry lives, bleak
future and messed up romantic life. Unlike Rodolphus, Rabastan had a shot at a
normal family with Harry Potter and the baby he was carrying. Rodolphus
desperately wanted to tell his brother, give him something to live for,
something to hope for. But he would not because he had promised that werewolf
and his own lover. Well, Sirius had told him not to mention the pregnancy,
Rodolphus quickly thought on his feet, but he had never said to never support
Rabastan in any way he could.
Rabastan lingered at the doorway.
“Go get cleaned up,” Rodolphus said as he stretched, making joints pop and his
sibling to glare. “Then we can talk all about how you spent an entire summer in
France fucking the Boy-Who-Lived.”
His brother gasped and Rodolphus was gratified to see Rabastan’s jaw had
dropped.
“Did I not mention I had been sleeping with Black?” Rodolphus asked. “He
finally confronted me about you and his godson.”
“Rodolphus…”
“Not judging,” Rodolphus replied. “But I can listen.”
“Give me ten minutes,” Rabastan told him, making the older Lestrange smile.
It did not last long. As soon as he left the room and parted ways with Rabastan
he was accosted by Bellatrix. The witch was in rare form that evening. She had
been cackling alone in the corridor and Rodolphus guessed that her sister and
brother in law had made themselves scarce because of the mentally unstable
woman. As it was, Rodolphus wished he had been faster; he really was not in the
mood. The thought of dealing with her once and for all surfaced. That had been
part of his contingency plans. He had hoped to start everything the coming
morning, after he talked with his brother and after he learned whether or not
Rabastan was still serious about the green eyed teen.
“Rudo!” she sighed as soon as she spotted him and Rodolphus braced himself as
she launched herself in his arms. He got a mouthful of her hair as she hugged
him, her sharp nails marking the skin on his arms.
“Bella, what has you in such a good mood?” he asked.
The smile she gave him set the dark wizard on edge. “Such luck! My lord decided
to show his favour.”
Rodolphus grinned, trying to share her glee. “Oh? Will you share with me, dear
wife?” he asked her.
The witch released him and Rodolphus felt the broken skin bleeding. He ignored
it and continued to smile at her.
“Hogsmeade, next week,” she declared and started laughing. “We’re going to have
such fun, toying with the vermin polluting our castle, breathing and eating
where they have no business being,” the witch spat. She was about to saunter
away when Rodolphus grabbed her arms and pulled her to him.
“Rudo! Why… If I had known that will make you all hot for me…” she purred.
Rodolphus let her rub against him, willing his body to imagine it was Sirius in
her place. He had to keep her with him long enough, he realized.
“Bella, how could you not?” he asked.
She giggled and wriggled out of his arms. “We’ll celebrate later,” she told
him, eyes glowing with glee. “After our success.”
Rodolphus watched her leave and cursed mentally. The meeting with Rabastan
would have to be quick because if his wife was telling the truth. He reached
Rabastan’s room as quickly as possible and found his brother had cleaned up and
was pacing nervously up and down the room. Rabastan nearly jumped when
Rodolphus entered the room.
“Sorry about the wait, Bella was being weird but informative tonight,”
Rodolphus told his sibling. “I’ve sent a note to Lucius. We’ll be meeting him
in about half an hour.”
“You know,” was all Rabastan said.
“Yes, I thought we established that earlier during training,” the older
Lestrange replied.
“And you’re not angry? Worried? Betrayed?”
“Why? Because you met by luck and accident our number one enemy, supposedly. I
can’t take a teen seriously much less think him a serious threat. My sanity is
not that far gone yet.”
Rabastan glared him. “Do not joke about this, Rodolphus. You never do anything
without a reason. Do you honestly want me to believe you do not have problem
with me dating Harry?”
“Harry is it?” Rodolphus teased, earning himself yet another glare. “Just
messing with you. I don’t get too many chances to do this.”
“This is not a laughing matter brother!”
Rodolphus sobered up. “No, it is not,” he agreed. “But I fail to see why you
worry about me.”
“Isn’t the Dark Lord’s will first?”
“No,” Rabastan’s brother stated. “He never is and never should be above the
well being of our family. I made that mistake years ago and we lost over a
decade of our lives. You lost the most productive years of your life,” he
approached Rabastan and hugged his younger brother to him, feeling how
reluctant he was, but Rodolphus held on. He had to drive his point home, make
Rabastan realize he was serious but without involving his unborn nephew just
yet.
“Rodolphus… What are you saying?”
“That there is a way out, there is a way to free ourselves from this,” he
released Rabastan and pushed back his shirt to reveal the Dark Mark, dark and
damning on his skin. “I should have done it years ago…”
“Why didn’t you?” Rabastan demanded. “Why now Rodolphus?”
“I can’t say, but you do need to know that I had a few truths revealed to me.
Nothing is above family,” he repeated. He met Rabastan’s eyes. “Do you believe
me?”
Rabastan sighed. “What about your wife?”
Rodolphus grinned. “I was a Slytherin for a reason,” he told his sibling. “I
have plans and I can bet you that Lucius and maybe even Narcissa are going to
help us?”
“What?”
“We have time but let’s head downstairs,” Rodolphus proposed. “The sooner I
explain the sooner we can start shedding our shackles.”
“You really mean there is a way to leave His service?” Rabastan asked, wonder
and disbelief filling his voice.
“Like I said, I should have done this all those years ago, well before we ended
up in Azkaban. Hindsight is not a nice thing brother. But this is our chance
and we’re taking it. Oh, and brother, good choice on Potter, though I prefer my
males more mature.” With that final jibe he walked out of the room, leaving his
younger brother staring in shock.
===============================================================================
 
Rabastan was in deep thought as they headed to Lucius’ private office, where no
portraits would spy on them or overhear them. He was thinking furiously about
the short talk he just had with his brother. He had never expected that
Rodolphus would find out about him and Harry and he had always envisioned such
confrontations happening with a lot of yelling and accusations that Rabastan
had betrayed the family’s name, then followed by accusations for betraying the
Dark Lord, the Cause. But never had he dared, hoped for approval, support and
understanding. Was he so warped that he had come to expect the worst? The
answer was yes and it pained him to admit it. He should have not been surprised
that Rodolphus would support him, that was what siblings were supposed to do. 
He was still trying to absorb the information, part of his mind thinking this
was a joke or a dream he would wake up from because reality had never been so
kind with him, life too.
“What was so urgent that could not wait?” Lucius demanded of the two Lestrange
brothers.
Their host’s voice broke through Rabastan’s pensive state. Narcissa was there,
looking bored and intrigued at the same time. He sat on the couch next to her
while Lucius and Rodolphus occupied the chairs near the fireplace.
“I just had a run in with my darling wife,” Rodolphus commented.
Rabastan noticed the distaste on Lucius face and the sadness in Narcissa’s
eyes.
“Bella had just returned from a meeting with the Dark Lord,” Rodolphus
elaborated, “And she mentioned plans of a raid during the next Hogsmeade
weekend.”
“What?” Narcissa gasped. “When were we supposed to find out?”
Lucius’ face went dark with rage. “Probably right before the attack. Why he did
not tell us earlier or with Bella I have no idea. He probably suspects Severus
being a spy but this is getting ridiculous. All the attacks he plans are last
minute and most of the Death Eaters come back in a bad state or don’t come back
at all.”
“But Draco is in the school! He goes to the village on breaks!” Narcissa
exclaimed, losing her composure now that her son’s life was at stake. “She’s my
sister and she knew my son, her nephew, would be in danger had he been caught
in the crossfire.”
“They’re only after the half-bloods and Mudbloods,” Rodolphus commented
dispassionately.
Lucius scoffed. “Like the colour of their robes will give their blood status
away.”
The only witch in the room shook her head. “This is insanity,” Narcissa
muttered.
“Bella’s own brand,” Rabastan agreed with a sneer.
There were several more minutes when the parents protested and the oldest of
the two Lestrange brother found his opening. Really, the Dark Lord and
Bellatrix had just handed him the opportunity he wanted and needed and he was
not about to let this pass him by. He was going to exploit the Malfoy’s’ ire
and his brother’s support, get rid of his darling wife and make an opening for
them to get out from under Voldemort’s thumb.
“I guess none of us want this attack to take place, or at least for the attack
to fail,” Rodolphus casually commented. The others turned to look at him and he
mentally smirked. He also caught sight of the arched look Rabastan was giving
him.
“You’re up to something,” his brother told him.
“This better be good,” Lucius said. “Because I’ve put up with Bellatrix long
enough.” he turned to Narcissa. “She might be your sister…”
“No sister of mine would endanger my son,” the witch stated grimly. She turned
to Rodolphus. “And don’t tell me that you’re doing this for me and Lucius, or
for Draco. I know that something else is at stake here.”
“There is,” Rodolphus did not deny.
“As long as Draco’s safe,” Narcissa stated. “The rest of your reasons won’t
matter.”
“You do realize that I plan to kill your sister,” Rodolphus stated.
“And that I will gladly help,” Rabastan added.
“Just keep my son safe,” the witch said, her husband agreeing with her.
===============================================================================
 
It was late and Sirius had been keeping Remus company. The two friends had been
playing cards, the lack of anything else to do around the house that was
basically Sirius’ prison was getting to them. They had just finished an intense
conversation about Rodolphus Lestrange; the two former Gryffindor’s still
conflicted about whether or not they had done the right thing by involving
Rabastan’s brother in on this.
“I’m beat,” Remus finally said. He stood up, intending to just head up to his
bedroom when a ‘pop’ announced the arrival of a house elf, making both wizards
jump.
“What the…?” Sirius yelped, wand drawn and ready to curse.
But the house elf merely handed out an envelope. “Message from Mister Rodolphus
Lestrange,” the tiny creature said.
The dog Animagus grabbed the letter and the house elf vanished, back to where
it came from. Sirius tore open the letter.
“Padfoot?” the werewolf asked.
“One moment Moony,” he told his friend as he kept reading.
Remus watched as his best friend’s face changed expression. Finally, Sirius’
face set on incredulity, with a small grin forming.
“That bastard did it. He actually went ahead and did it or will do it,
whatever.”
“Siri…”
“Read this,” Sirius told Remus. “And I’ll fire call Dumbledore, we need him
here.”
“It’s midnight!”
“Read the letter Remus and tell me whether I read right. Because that,” he
pointed at the parchment, “Is Rodolphus’ handwriting and he just told me
Voldemort’s next plan and how he, his brother and the Malfoy’s of all people,
are willing to share information with me, us, the Order I mean.”
The werewolf gasped. Then his eyes flew to the letter while Sirius did exactly
what he said he would do and fire called Dumbledore’s office.
===============================================================================
End of chapter.
***** Contingency Plans Or Revelations *****
Chapter Notes
     Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter , nor the characters from it
     and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Draco Malfoy frowned at the letter his father’s house elf had delivered that
morning to his bedside. He knew Lucius usually did not send the house elves to
Hogwarts to deliver messages. The last time his mother had been sick with high
fever. The blond Slytherin dreaded what the letter would contain and he hastily
read it, unable to conceal his gradually widening eyes. Just to be certain, the
teen re read the letter until it finally sank into him that the letter was
truly saying what he thought it was. His father was telling him to lay low,
play nice with Potter and avoid the marked Slytherin’s as quietly as possible
but in not so few words. The reason had shocked Draco. Apparently, his father
no longer thought the Dark Lord was sane enough to make sense. A second letter
arrived just after he finished being bewildered about the first, this one from
his mother’s elf, explaining what her sister, Draco’s crazy aunt had revealed.
It had hardly surprised Draco that Bellatrix had not even thought she would be
endangering him and other Slytherin’s and the children of Voldemort’s loyal
followers. What both letters ordered him was to stay at the castle during
Hogsmeade weekend and the suggestion he tried to mend fences with the Boy-Who-
Lived. Draco could easily do the first one and as to the second one…
Potter was not nearly as bad now that the Weasel and the know it all witch were
not hanging around him. Longbottom, with his newfound backbone and quiet
dignity was much better than those too, even the odd younger Ravenclaw witch he
was dating was better. Since the beginning of the year the Slytherin’s had
noticed that Potter had changed and it was all for the better. When he had
offered advice on Umbridge it had been a whim really but the cordial tone
Potter treated him with had shocked the Slytherin’s more than the fact that
Draco had played nice. The unofficial truce had been a pleasant change and the
blond had managed to hide it from his parents. The other Slytherin’s had
thought Draco was just making nice with the Boy-Who-Lived to keep his options
open, all of them were raised to have contingency plans, so he had not gotten
any flack from them. Now though his parents were practically admitting to
defecting from the Dark Lord because of him, because that wizard had even
hinted that Draco would be endangered. The prospect of him being Marked the
coming summer faded and Draco felt like a weight had been lifted from his
shoulders.
“Draco?” Blaise’s voice snapped the blond Slytherin form his thoughts. “What
are you doing up? It’s too early.”
“Letter from home. And it’s nearly seven. Come on, we have Binns and we need to
get ready. You can nap later, in class.”
Zabini snorted and started getting ready while grumbling about bossy friends.
===============================================================================
 
The corridors of Hogwarts were filled with students. Neville was carrying
Harry’s books without heeding said green eyed teen’s looks.
“They are spelled weightless,” Harry protested.
“I know,” the Longbottom heir replied. “But it’s the principle of the thing. So
stop complaining, alright?”
“What’s gotten into you two?”
The two Gryffindor’s turned when Draco Malfoy addressed them.
“Heading to History of Magic too?” Harry asked the Malfoy heir.
Draco nodded. “We were,” he pointed at Zabini and Nott who were walking with
him, the rest of the fifth year Slytherin’s0 following a few paces behind. “Why
are you two fighting?”
“We’re not fighting, Harry’s being difficult but I’ll work it out,” Neville
replied.
“Right, we heard you were sick Potter,” Blaise commented. “You’re not dying or
anything?”
“And it better not be something I can catch,” Nott muttered.
Harry rolled his eyes. “Do you two really think Pomfrey would let me out of her
sight of I was a danger to the school? Medically I mean. I saw that smirk
Malfoy.”
“I did not deny smirking, Potter. You’ve got to admit that you can be a hazard
to one’s health,” Draco taunted.
“You’re not being funny,” the green eyed teen informed the blond Slytherin, who
just shrugged in reply to that.
“We really need to get to class,” Neville cut in, sounding impatient.
Harry nodded at Neville and turned to their other year mates. “We can walk
together, right?” the dark haired wizard asked the Slytherin’s.
“Might as well,” Blaise said. “So, you really aren’t dying?”
Harry rolled his eyes. “You could sound less sad about it.”
Blaise grinned. “You know, for a Gryffindor you’re not bad.”
“Still waiting for me to yell idiotic things at you? Just because of the colour
of your tie?” the green eyed wizard asked.
“There are more than House affiliations at stake here,” Nott said, joining the
talk.
Draco cleared his throat. “And the hallways are not the place to do this,” he
reminded them.
Nott nodded in agreement.
The witches fell into step with them and Daphne Greengrass approached Harry.
“You know, you’ve put on weight lately,” she commented.
“He does look less like a scare crow lately,” Draco added.
“Why were you so thin all the time?” Daphne asked. “And those rags…”
Harry smiled but it masked a lot of feeling and the Slytherin’s seemed to
understand.
“Not a conversation for the hallways,” the Greengrass witch surmised.
Harry shook his head.
“Change of subject then,” she said and was all perky again. It was so sudden
that it surprised the Gryffindor’s but the Slytherin’s made it look like it was
not such an unusual thing for her. Daphne ignored everyone but one as she
turned to speak with Neville. “You and Lovegood, how did that come about? I
mean, she’s a cute girl, but she can be so…”
“Perfect,” Neville stated with a warning in his voice.
Daphne backed off quickly but she did not seem to think ill of the teen and the
fact that he had basically threatened her nonverbally. In fact, she nearly
cooed in delight, Harry noticed. She was not alone in this just like he was not
the only wizard to roll their eyes at her glee. Harry stopped it when he saw
Malfoy was doing the exact same thing.
“The lion’s got fangs and claws,” Blaise teased the Longbottom heir.
“Ignore him,” Draco motioned to Zabini, “He has smartass tendencies.”
“So that’s why you and he are friends,” Neville muttered, earning surprised
looks from the Slytherin’s.
“Longbottom’s got you there,” Daphne teased Draco who sulked the rest of the
distance to Binn’s class, much to the amusement of the rest of the group.
===============================================================================
 
Order meetings were usually chaotic, but none as bad as this one. There was a
lot of noise in the kitchen of Number 12 the morning after Sirius got the
letter from Rodolphus Lestrange; the Headmaster had acted fast, even after
being woken in the middle of the night. He had come over to London through the
fireplace and read the letter as well.
“I believe he might be serious,” Albus told Remus and Sirius. He handed the
letter back to the dog Animagus and took out another letter from his robe
pockets. “Can you guess who might have sent this letter?” he had asked the two
former students in his school.
When they had shaken their heads, Dumbledore had grinned.
“The other Lestrange brother,” Dumbledore had replied and let the two men see
the signature of Rabastan Lestrange at the bottom of the paper. It was those
two letters and the information inside them had prompted the emergency meeting.
The contacts that passed the information along had remained nameless while
Dumbledore explained the situation of the coming attack to the members of the
Order of the Phoenix that were present that night.
Predictably, Molly Weasley lost her cool first, muttering about safety and the
students until Minerva of all people kindly told her to shut up, surprising
everyone. Peers and former students of McGonagall were present and they were
all surprised how little tolerance the cat Animagus showed with the mother of
seven. They should not have. There was still a lot of unresolved tension since
that meeting when Molly had verbally attacked Harry Potter and the teen’s
godfather, demanding things she should not have. In fact, Molly and Sirius were
not speaking to each other, at all. It was a miracle no curses had been
exchanged, but then again Albus had laid down the unspoken law, Harry’s
personal life was not a subject for discussion at meetings, nor were his sexual
preferences any business of Molly Weasley. Sirius had felt vindicated just then
and Arthur had taken hours to calm down his wife’s ruffled pride. Things were
tense within the order, but there was a common enemy to be dealt with and for
now there was relative peace among the members. 
“It’s no time to panic,” the Transfiguration Professor declared, ignoring
Molly’s scandalized look and the shocked stares of the other Order members.
“Albus, you said there were two sources of information.”
The Headmaster nodded. “Two letters, one addressed to me, the other two to
Sirius.”
“Old acquaintance,” the last male Black offered when many curious eyes focused
on him. He did not bother elaborating and tried to look innocent and nonchalant
under the gazes of the three Aurors that were present at the meeting.
Moody grunted. “That’s right. Can we trust them?”
“I believe so,” Albus commented. “I know the informants myself and I don’t
think they would wish the students harm. That was the main reason information
was shared; because Voldemort’s plan ultimately would endanger the children.”
“Fun! But to me Albus, it looks like you’re describing Death Eaters with a
conscience,” Moody muttered, earning a glare from Hogwarts’ Potions Master.
“Headmaster, is the information trustworthy?” Severus asked after he finished
eyeing the Auror with the magical glass eye. “Because I have yet to hear about
a raid happening.” The Head of Slytherin House shuddered to think the
implications of why he was not in the know. Obviously, the Dark Lord did not
trust him. Now he was furiously trying to find out who could have known the
information and who among those who did would even think of sharing it with the
Light side and Dumbledore. Also, which ones would be in touch with Black and
why. The spy in him was thinking everything, trying to analyze and predict what
could come next, much like a strategist would.
“They are,” the Headmaster insisted. “And I need you all to help prepare. I
cannot cancel the weekend, not without a good reason and while the attack is
on, I can’t prove it. Also, by cancelling the weekend, I’ll be alerting
Voldemort that we know of his plan. That would not end well for our spies.”
“What do you want us to do?” Arthur asked.
Albus smiled at the father of seven. He liked Arthur’s attitude, one his two
eldest sons and the twins had certainly inherited to the higher degree.
“Prepare to drive them back, buy some time until the Aurors to arrive, notify
the Aurors and anyone able to fight to arrive on time there,” the blue eyed
wizard stated.
“We also need to evacuate the students,” Remus said.
“Ah!” the Headmaster grinned. “About that, our friends offered a rather unique
solution, one I had not thought before and one that might actually work. But
first, we need a plan. Alastor, Kingsley, I will need your experienced minds.
Nymphadora, is it true that you managed to persuade more Aurors to our side?”
“After Fudge got booted and after Ottery St. Catchpole was burned to the
ground, people actually believe You-Know-Who is back, or that at least his
Death Eaters are active again,” Tonks said, after she finished grumbling about
the use of her first name. “Madam Bones dropped hints the other day that she
might be able to help us, and by ‘us’ I mean the Order. I think she wants to
back us up as much as she can but there is the bureaucracy to consider so she
can’t do more than give us some of her Aurors. She won’t deny Hogwarts
protection, not when her own niece is in the school.”
Kingsley nodded. “Tonks is correct. Madam Bones offered a squadron of Aurors,
help to back up the Order. She knows me and Tonks are in it, knows that you
operate it and that you have inside information. She’s willing to utilize that
as much as possible to avoid victims.”
“I always did like Amelia, she’s willing to act that one,” Mad-Eye said with
approval. “So, you want a plan? We can do that.”
“Good,” Albus said, looking pleased. “While you do this, I need to connect our
sources and let them know we are actually trying to help.”
“But Albus, how do you plan to help the students?” Dedalus Diggle asked.
“Why, old friend, I’ll ask the house elves of Hogwarts for help,” the blue eyed
wizard replied, making the Order Member stare.
“That’s actually genius,” Bill Weasley finally said, being the first one to
speak.
The Headmaster grinned. “I do try, my boy, thank you!”
Much later, after the meeting was over and the members of the Order of the
Phoenix were gone leaving only Dumbledore with two Marauders inside, Remus
finally said the one thing he had wanted to say all night.
“Why is Molly in the Order again?” the werewolf commented. “She keeps raising
objections to everything we say as soon as her children getting involved in the
fight is even mentioned.”
Sirius snorted. “Fabian and Gideon were the limit of what she can lose,” he
reminded Remus. “But she is getting bossy.”
“She’s a mother,” Albus commented. “She worries about her kids and even those
who aren’t hers by blood.”
This time Sirius scowled. “She tried to talk about Harry again.”
Remus blinked. “So that’s why she wanted to talk to you?”
“I think I might need to speak to her soon,” Albus said. “If she continues to
harass you…” he paused. “Has she contacted Harry?”
The dog Animagus shook his head. “Arthur has been talking to her. I might be
overreacting; she might just want to apologize or something.”
“While I trust people, even I can’t believe Molly will change her opinion that
quickly,” Albus commented.
“Could you keep an eye on Harry? Just in case?” Sirius asked.
“He really should not be getting upset,” Remus added.
“You needn’t even ask,” Albus replied.
===============================================================================
 
The tall, luxurious building that housed Gringotts looked unchanged since the
last time Rabastan crossed the doors even though Diagon Alley looked different,
though not radically so. He was both amused and exasperated by how little it
had changed during his incarceration in Azkaban. He half expected the goblins
would call the Aurors to arrest him and Rodolphus. The two siblings were
disguised as they entered the bank that offered more services than protecting
money and for wizards. They had already sent ahead letters and they had been
told to head straight to the Goblin behind the last desk to the left side and
state their names, the real ones.
The Goblin hardly blinked at the names of the two escaped convicts, but he did
snarl. “State the reason for your visit,” the being snarled.
“To visit the Ancestral vaults and withdraw money,” Rodolphus told the Goblin
as Rabastan hovered near his sibling’s side. Then Rodolphus pushed forward the
key and the Goblin picked it up carefully.
“Crooktooth!” the Goblin yelled and another of his kin approached. “These two
wish to enter Vault 54,” was all he said.
The trip to the Vault was quite long as the ancestral vaults were always deeper
into the bank. The Lestrange vaults were all deep enough to guarantee they
would be guarded by dragons. The two siblings had not been down here in quite a
while and Rabastan had never thought he would ever be back here. The glamour
they both had worn to reach the bank had failed for a while now and it would be
a pain to put it back on, but they were there for a reason. As soon as they
were outside their vault, the Goblin stood a few paces behind and the two male
Lestrange’s were able to enter the vault with some privacy.
“Why the vaults?” Rabastan asked his older brother once they were alone.
“Because if Crouch had not been such a bastard and Bella so bloodthirsty, we
would have been able to get away after what happened at the Longbottom house.”
“We were caught red handed.”
Rodolphus scoffed. “Yet neither of us laid a hand, or curse on Frank and Alice
Longbottom. And don’t think I don’t recall how you warded the room their son
was sleeping in.”
“Bella still found him,” Rabastan replied in a dark voice. Bella had managed to
cast one pain curse on the small baby boy and for Rabastan, that was one curse
too many. He was a Death Eater, yes, but even he had standards and hurting
children, no matter their blood and parentage, had never been his thing.
Rodolphus’ either, but with Bella around, they had little choice. That night
had not been the proudest moment in Rabastan’s life.
From deeper inside the vault came a lot of noise and Rabastan realized that he
had been standing like an idiot for a while now. He moved towards his brother,
ready to help if needed.
“What are you looking for?” he asked.
“I actually found it already,” Rodolphus replied. “I told you I made plans for
us to be able to have a way out if we needed.”
“Yes, though I have no idea how good those plans are. After all Igor is dead.”
“Igor did not lay low and he did not plan ahead for the future,” the older of
the two brothers stated. He turned around and Rabastan saw him carrying a small
chest. It looked nondescript and ordinary among the piles of gold all around
them. “Ask me what this is, come on.”
Rabastan sighed. “Now’s not the time for games, brother.”
“You’re no fun,” Rodolphus accused him. “This is where everything is,” he
announced. He placed the chest between them and opened it with a drop of blood
and a spell. Rabastan recognized it as a failsafe so that no one could break
into the chest. It was a lot of trouble for one object and he realized that
whatever was in it must be very important. He had no clue as to how right he
was. For the next three hours they were in the vault as Rodolphus took the
contents of the chest out and showed them to Rabastan.
“What’s the first rule when making contingency plans, brother? Plan ahead, so I
did. Here, I did not leave these at our home; I knew the Aurors would ransack
the place as soon as we were revealed as Death Eaters.”
Rabastan peered at the documents his brother had showed him and his eyes went
wide. “Are these…”
“Fake identities and records? You bet they are. For both the magical and the
Muggle world, just in case. The Muggle ones were easier to get, they don’t have
Blood Lineage Potions like we do or Tracking Spells and such,” Rodolphus
explained. “Then I purchased these.”
A wooden case that upon opening it, Rabastan saw it was filled with vials of
potions properly stored. He studied them but after a few minutes he shrugged.
“I have no idea what potions these are supposed to be.”
“Something I paid a lot for. They blur magical signatures and block the Blood
Lineage Potionsand the usual Tracking spells the Ministry uses.”
Rabastan arched an eyebrow at his brother. “And yet we spent over a decade in
Azkaban.”
“Give me a break will you? I never said my plans were perfect. Or that I
managed to update them properly to be of actual use. Better late than never
though. Read this,” he handed another stack of papers to his brother.
“These are deeds for land and houses under…”
“… the names of our aliases, purchased with Lestrange money but the Ministry
won’t be able to track that,” Rodolphus stated.
Rabastan just stared still, studying the papers in his hands. It was all they
needed to start a new life, away from Great Britain though. And that was one of
the things they did not like. The look on his face, the minute hesitation
alerted his sibling to the cause of his trouble.
“Something wrong with my plan, brother?” Rodolphus inquired.
“Not really, just… New identities, new faces, new life. This means leaving the
country. Polyjuice won’t last long and glamour charms have weakness that can be
overcome. We’ll be running all our lives. Unless you have a way to fake our
deaths too…”
The look the older Lestrange gave his younger brother spoke volumes and made
Rabastan sigh.
“You have a way to fake our deaths?”
Rodolphus grinned and it was rather mischievous at that. “Not only that little
brother. When I say I made plans, I mean that.” He fell quiet for a bit.
Personally, Rodolphus did not mind acquiring a new face, disappearing from the
face of the Earth and becoming another. After he helped Sirius get exonerated
he would be able to pursue a relationship with the Black wizard. But Rabastan
had something he could not afford to lose. With the young Potter expecting the
next and most likely the only Lestrange-Potter heir things were complicated.
And his brother was still in the dark about it all. In all honesty, Rodolphus
had one more idea about how he could get his younger brother his life back,
help him clear his name, keep his face, hopefully survive the Dark Lord’s wrath
and get to see his son or daughter grow up. But that was one plan he would be
unable to set in motion unless he had more help from the so called Light side
and the higher ups, meaning Dumbledore himself.
“Stop pouting and grimacing and give me a hand with these. I’ve got a
bottomless bag here somewhere,” Rodolphus ordered Rabastan.
With a sigh Rabastan moved to help the married wizard. “What about Bellatrix?”
“What about her?”
“Is she included in the plans you made?”
Rodolphus gave his sibling a shark like grin, all teeth and dark amusement.
“Brother, when I say I want a new life, I certainly will not include my dear
and beloved wife, not when I can actually have someone much, much better.”
“Are you going to kill her?”
“No, I’m going to get our dear Dark Lord to do it for me. If that road fails, I
bet Dumbledore’s bunch will be rather happy to finish her off.”
Rabastan shook his head. “I still can’t believe Narcissa is actually willing to
go through with this till the end.”
“She has her priorities straightened out, her son and husband first. Frankly
Rabastan, I don’t fault her.”
The youngest of the duo nodded. He then helped Rodolphus gather all the things
up; he filled up another bottomless bag with quite a bit of gold.
“Are we done here?” Rabastan asked his sibling. He was not looking forward to
the cart ride that would take them to the surface but he really did not like
spending time in enclosed spaces, this Vault reminded him too much of his
Azkaban cell, only with a lot more gold and colour. Dangerous train of thought
that one.
“Just a few more seconds,” Rodolphus said and gathered a few more papers for
the bottomless bag. It was soon, but he might as well start planning to get
Pettigrew. It was the second step to getting out of Voldemort’s grasp, the
first one having been him contacting Dumbledore. If they managed to save
Hogsmeade and the students were safe, then he would try to earn a new life for
themselves, and first, he would help his brother.
“Now we’re good to go,” he told Rabastan.
“Good, this place creeps me out,” the younger wizard muttered.
===============================================================================
 
Harry blinked. “Why’s it not wise for me to be in Hogsmeade?” he asked his
mentor.
They had finished their lesson and Dumbledore had the rare opportunity of time
so he had asked the teen to join him for a cup of tea. Harry had accepted
gladly as lately the older wizard had been quite busy. Letters from Sirius had
informed the green eyed teen that it was the Order that kept the Headmaster
busy when he was away from the school. Remus had written they had had a
breakthrough but not much else. Harry hated being out of the loop but it was
not safe to write down too much information so he kept busy and tried not to
snoop, something Neville supported wholeheartedly.
“I have reason to believe that there will be another attack planned and this
one in Hogsmeade.”
Harry frowned at the declaration from his mentor. “Why aren’t you cancelling
the weekend to the village then?”
Albus shook his head and explained his reasoning for not doing so. Harry
listened patiently and inwardly the blue eyed wizard remarked on the change the
teen showed. He was calmer, mellower and not as quick to get angry at people.
He wondered if that was the pregnancy alone or everything else that had
happened since the summer. He outlined everything they had discussed at the
Order meeting
“Many reasons, the main one being that we need the advantage. A lot of things
depend on this.”
“And if your plan does not work and students get hurt?” Harry challenged the
older wizard.
Albus sighed. “Harry…”
“Too much doom and gloom from me?” the teen asked knowingly.
The Headmaster chuckled. “Hardly, just honest concern, which I understand
rather well. The truth is, there will be Aurors stationed there, young
Nymphadora in particular will be standing in instead of Madam Rosmerta and the
‘Three Broomsticks’is where most of the students will usually gather. We have
made plans for all other shops in Hogsmeade and wards have been set up. Bill
Weasley was quite invaluable in that regard.”
Harry sighed and nibbled on a sandwich from the tray a House Elf had brought.
He had been getting cravings and the magical creatures were getting quite good
at noticing this and acting accordingly. Albus just smiled and snagged a
sandwich for himself as well, joining the teen.
“I just don’t want anyone to get hurt,” Harry admitted to the Headmaster.
“Neither do I, Harry, neither do I.”
“It’s okay, I trust you.”
The blue eyed wizard beamed. “And I cannot tell you how much I appreciate that,
my boy. Now finish that sandwich and we can talk about the theory I gave you to
read?”
“Oh! Gael Hugh Williamson has a way with words. His theory about transmuting
metals to minerals… It’s amazing!” the teen started babbling about the book and
the theory, feeling excited about this. The old wizard eagerly listened to the
green eyed Gryffindor with a smile on his face.
===============================================================================
 
Gryffindor Tower was empty that afternoon, somehow the loudest of the House of
Lions had found themselves something else to do and Harry took the opportunity
to write to Apolline. It had been a while since he had last seen Fleur as well,
he had really missed the Delacour’s and he realized belatedly that he not
informed of them of the changes in his life. It was not something he could tell
them in the letter, and not just because the letter could get stolen. So he
just wrote to each of the Delacour’s that could read a letter, saying various
things about his school life and progress under Dumbledore’s tutelage,
informing Fleur about juicy gossip, the progression of Neville and Luna’s
relationship, asking her about her internship in Gringotts, helping Gabrielle
with a couple of questions she had sent him on a DADA project she was doing at
school. What he really wanted to ask Armand and Apolline about what they did
when the witch was pregnant. He needed to ask someone who had been through it
all, someone he trusted and looked up to. The house elves had once again
brought him a tray of snacks, fruit this time and Harry was only too happy to
munch on bananas and apples while he wrote, taking care not to stain the
parchment. He was so engrossed in his task that he hardly noticed Neville
entering the Common Room and heading straight to him. 
“What’s up with the long face?” Neville asked as he plopped on the seat next to
the green eyed teen.
Harry smiled at the Longbottom heir.
“That’s a lot of parchment,” Neville observed. “Writing to Fleur and her
family?”
“Yes, I miss them,” Harry admitted. “How about you? I thought you were out with
Luna, feeding the Thestrals.”
“We finished with that actually. She wanted to spend some time with Flitwick,
some sort of project. I even went to the Greenhouses to help Sprout but she did
not need anything so here I am,” Neville replied. “If you’re done with the
letters then I can walk with you till the Owlery. Remember what Madam Pomfrey
said.”
“Exercise is good for me,” Harry said it like a mantra. “I know.”
“Oh! I see another tray,” Neville noted with a look that showed he approved.
Harry nodded and after a careful look around, he said in a whisper, “I get
cravings.”
Neville thought back on the books they had read while in Hagrid’s cabin, where
they visited rather often lately. Luna had many books, most of them had
belonged at one point to her mother and she had asked her father to send them a
few weeks ago. The three teens had been reading them without fail, and not just
the baby naming ones. So Neville knew how weird cravings could get and he was
thankful that so far his green eyed friend was not craving anything too weird,
fruit and cucumber sandwiches was more normal than most teens their age ate.
“How much weight do you need to gain?” Neville asked Harry as he stole a piece
of apple and popped it in his mouth.
“Three more kilos,” the pregnant teen replied. “And I’m getting a head start.”
“Good for you.”
They stayed quiet for a bit, Neville snagging more fruit from Harry’s plate
when Hermione stepped through the portrait and her eyes fell on the two teens.
She hesitated for a bit, before bracing herself and walking up to them. The
Longbottom heir saw her first and motioned to the green eyed teen, who stopped
writing his letter to Armand to peer up at the witch that for the first four
years at Hogwarts had been his friend.
“Harry, Neville,” she said.
“Hermione,” the two wizards said at once.
“You wanted something?” Harry asked her. Neville stayed quiet, just looking at
her and waiting.
Hermione cleared her throat and pinned the green eyed wizard with a look.
“Actually, I wanted to ask you about you being an apprentice.”
“Somehow, I don’t think you’re here to offer congratulations,” Neville told her
in a dry tone.
The witch blinked in surprise at the tone the Longbottom heir used when
speaking to her. Soon enough she got over it and just looked affronted at both
teens. “I have every right to question this because I don’t believe he deserves
it,” she said, her eyes focusing back on Harry. “You truly don’t deserve it
Harry and you know it. Your scores and tests were never that good. Your essays
were never detailed enough and you always bitch up spells when you first try
them.”
“I did not become an apprentice because of test scores Hermione,” the green
eyed teen replied.
She snorted. “Of course not, that would have been a fair way to go about it and
then you would have not been selected.”
Harry cocked his head to the side. “And you think you would have?”
“Of course!”
“So what you’re really saying is that you are sore that you were not chosen for
it. You are sore about losing a spot you did not know was open or possible and
you want to make me feel bad or perhaps even guilty?” he shook his head.
“That’s not happening Hermione. I deserve the position. I work hard, I read a
lot and I’m good at it. I’m not going to let you spoil it for me. And if you
really feel so slighted then take it up with Dumbledore himself.”
“Like we don’t know what would happen in that case,” the witch scowled at the
green eyed teen. “You only got the spot…”
“If you finish that then I’ll know you’ve lost what little brains you had,”
Neville cut in, his voice raised.
Unknowingly this got attention to them. The few Gryffindor’s that were in the
Common Room, mostly a few Seventh years that were cramming for the NEWT levels,
looked their way apprehensive and interested. They had not seen Granger
approach Potter in a while now and this was bound to get interesting, if not
downright hostile. It had been building up since Hermione had started
announcing her displeasure about the fact that Harry had become Dumbledore’s
apprentice to anyone who could hear her. The teens that were involved in the
confrontation however were completely oblivious to the fact that they were
being overheard.
“Harry’s a very talented wizard and that is not a fluke. Yes, you have the
brains and you can memorize books and complicated spells, but you lack the one
thing that matters in high Transfiguration, raw power,” Neville went on to say
to Hermione. “Your magical levels are nothing impressive, just below average in
fact. You cannot keep up a shield. I, who am not as good as you in academics,
can actually make a shield last longer. Harry here learned to cast the
‘Patronus Charm’ on his third year, made it corporeal and powerful enough to
drive back a squadron of Dementors. That takes power. Skill you can get with
age. Being the Boy-Who-Lived or any other ridiculous title has nothing to do
with Harry’s talents being recognized.”
Hermione glared. “Is that so? I searched you know. Professor Dumbledore put him
down as his apprentice in Transfiguration and Alchemy and he,” she pointed in
indignation at Harry, “Certainly does not have the skill in Potions to be able
to learn anything that has to do with Alchemy.”
Harry snorted. “Do you realize just how jealous you sound? Why are you
confronting me about this? Take it up to McGonagall, Snape and Dumbledore
himself. But don’t come in here to bother me because you feel slighted. You
have no right to do this, Hermione.” His look became fierce. “I am a good
wizard and the only reason I did not apply myself was to placate Ron, which was
stupid. I don’t do well with books. Dumbledore says I’m a kinaesthetic learner;
that means I learn by doing. In a class the professors teach in a way most
students learn. There are always few who are slighted. I learn better, advance
in great strides and I’m not going to let your bitterness and jealousy ruin
that for me, got that?” he demanded. Then he folded his parchments and
equipment and stood. “Coming Neville? I need to send these now.”
“Right behind you,” the Longbottom heir told his green eyed friend. He waited a
bit till Harry was out of the portrait and then rounded on and glared at
Hermione, looking every bit as furious as he felt. “You have a lot of nerve,”
he told the witch. “At one point I actually thought the best of you, admired
you. Now though… You changed and not for the better. Harry was your friend and
you pushed him away. Now you are acting every bit as idiotic as Ron was last
year when he got jealous because Harry was entered in the Triwizard tournament.
Did you ever feel that your expectation and beliefs are not shared by everyone?
That Harry is so much better than you think he is?”
She opened her mouth to speak but he raised a hand to stop her.
“Before I got to know Harry better I noticed that you always mothered him,
forced your will on him and tried to make him do things like you do. That’s not
what friends do. And I guess that Harry need to get some of the blame as well,
he let you and Ron lord your opinions over him. Then summer came, he grew and
changed and you could not accept that. He continues to grow and advance while
you are staying still and you resent that. You made this about you again. You
have not even felt good that your friend for four years managed to advance
finally. What does that say about you Hermione?”
Neville did not wait for her reply. He noticed that she had stood stock still
in shock. He also noticed that the few Gryffindor’s loitering had heard
everything and he could not care less. He felt he had to say those things,
defend Harry and make her back off. He did not look at her again as he left the
portrait and headed for the Owlery, hoping to meet with the pregnant teen.
Hermione looked around, saw the looks directed at her and stormed out of the
room, running up to her dorm to avoid the whispers that started.
 
===============================================================================
 
“I really should have not eaten that last omelette,” Draco grumbled as he made
his way to the infirmary.
The blond wizard knew he would be cutting it close but thankfully the
Transfiguration classroom was not too far so he would doubtfully be giving
McGonagall a reason to take points for tardiness. He entered the infirmary
while hoping the medi-witch was not too busy with other students and his face
dropped when he saw a room divider was up and two book bags were resting on one
of the empty beds by the divider. He could make out Pomfrey’s form and voice as
she scolded her patient.
“…and I’ll need to increase the intake of your vitamins. You did gain weight
but you are not getting enough nutrients. You are still using magic and burning
calories fast. I’ve told Severus that the next batch of prenatal vitamins will
be coming from St. Mungo’s now that you are reaching the forth month. Severus
is an excellent Potions Master but for this you need one who is a licensed
healer as well.”
Draco’s eyes went wide and he backtracked, leaving the Infirmary as quietly as
he had arrived and deciding to linger around. He had not even heard a rumour
that a student was pregnant like he would usually have. Pansy was the queen of
gossip mongers and usually he had to try to tune her out. This meant that even
she was in the dark. Draco was busy trying to find out which girl could be
pregnant, half concealed behind a column when the Infirmary doors opened and
Longbottom and Potter walked out, the first carrying the green eyed wizard’s
book bag again. The dots connected instantly for Draco who could only stare
after the pregnant Boy-Who-Lived.
“What in Mordred’s name…?” the blond wizard muttered, unable to believe what
his eyes were showing him.
He blinked in astonishment and shook his head.
“Is that possible?” he said to himself. He mulled it over in his head before
making a decision. He would go to class and after that, first chance he got; he
would head to the library. He needed answers and he would not just base
everything on an assumption over something he had overheard. Decisively he
headed for the class and tried not to let the news he had learned distract him.
He would get to the bottom of this. And perhaps, he could use this to get on
Potter’s good side, hopefully.
===============================================================================
End of chapter.
Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed
their work!
