“Harry,
let’s get naked for just a few minutes,” Draco begged
from the kiss. “I can’t take this.” “I
want you,” Harry said devouring Draco with his lips, tongue and
hands. “Come on.” Each shed clothing quickly trying to
maintain the kiss as they worked. “Top
me,” Draco said. “Switch.” Harry moved over and let
Draco on the bottom. The kiss moved over Draco’s jaw, down to
his neck and further down until Harry had Draco’s already hard
cock pulsing in his hot mouth. Harry thought a lubrication spell onto
his hand and slid two fingers into Draco’s tight hole and began
to work it in the most pleasurable way. Draco gave a gasp and a light
moan at the feelings. “Harry, please…come on. Hurry.”
With another few hard thrusts into his throat, Harry relented and
moved up onto his knees. “We’ve
not had sex in days,” Harry said. “And…we’re
sort of in the dorm, so…” “I
know. Make it quick,” Draco said. “I’m not opposed
to a quick fuck. Get inside me and claim what’s yours, baby.” “Oh
fuck. That sounded great. Tell me shit like that,” Harry said
positioning himself. “Do you want this all at once?” “Hell
yes. Give me all of you and do it hard,” Draco said. “Hurt
me. Make it a rough and good.” “You
got it,” Harry snarled as he moved a bit and with one long
motion Harry had pushed hard into Draco’s body past all the
constricted resistance. Draco whimpered a bit but took the pain with
the pleasure of being filled totally by Harry’s long thick cock
that was stretching his body around to mold to it. “Oh god
yes…you’re so damn hot…” Harry pulled
almost his entire length out of the tight cavity each time before
piercing back inside each time diving deeper into his lover’s
body at every hard thrust. “Harry…oh
god…yes do it,” Draco breathed as he was being moved
upward a bit each time Harry thrust hard into him. Harry was balanced
perfectly between Draco’s thighs and at each plunge Harry’s
cock brushed that sensitive nub inside his pale lover sending that
frictioned sex tingle up through his body. Again and again and again
for what seemed like hours Harry plunged the depths as Draco
whimpered and gave tiny throaty moans at each inward plummet into
himself. Draco’s eyes were closed as he relished the
sensations. Harry watched Draco’s lustful emotion filled
expressions as he fucked his lover hard giving him what he wanted.
Harry’s hands were pinched around Draco’s arms pulling
him back onto him and using the arms for leverage, but Harry moved
his hands to grip Draco’s hips and lift him a bit up off the
mattress to dive deeper as he sent his cock up into the hot hole. “Do
it, dragon…touch your cock for me…stroke it…yeah,
like that…do it hard…” Harry watched as Draco
stroked his hardened tool. “Oh yeah…like that…so
damn good…” Harry quickened the pace of his fucking as
he watched Draco’s expressions and him stroking his own flesh.
“Harder…do it as hard as you can…yeah…like
that…oh that’s good…now…I want you to come
for me and give me a taste of you…come on…do it…”
Harry pulled Draco back to him and slammed Draco into the mattress
hard with every thrust. “Oh
god…yeah, Harry…I’m going to come…oh here
it is…” Draco pulled up on his cock and Harry leaned
over to catch part of the streaming liquid pulsing from Draco’s
body. “Oh fuck yes…take it…give me a taste,
baby…” Harry kept fucking into his lover as he leaned
over to share the salty fluid with a hard kiss. Harry continued the
pounding into the flexing hole. “Draco…yeah,
I’m going to come…yeah…hold on…”
Harry grabbed onto Draco hard and slammed with all he could muster
until he was covered in sweat and growling at each thrust. With a
lunge, Harry grabbed the top of the headboard and pulled himself up
and into Draco as far as possible. Draco gasped as Harry thrust a hot
load of come from his throbbing cock deep into Draco’s now
contorted body. “Oh yeah…oh god…fuck that’s
good…” Harry said as his cock was buried deep and Harry
rode out the last of the wave of his orgasm. Each was breathing heavy
and had collapsed on the bed around the other in a sweaty
come-covered mess. “I
bet the others saw this bed shaking,” Draco grinned. “No.
I have it under spells to prevent things like that,” Harry
said. “But we could leave the bed naked and take a shower.” “They’d
all have a fit,” Draco said. “Just give us spells to
clean us up.” Harry waved his hand to clean up every bit of
mess and even freshen the air, which reeked of sweat and sex. “Very
nice spell on the air. Cool and refreshing.” “Well,
I hate to brag, but I’m just damn good,” Harry said. “Get
these curtains opened, this is a nightmare. I feel trapped in here,”
Draco breathed heavy. They each put on their clothing again and as
they lay together kissing, Harry snapped his fingers again and the
curtains snapped open. “There
they are,” Seamus said. “Was that good for you both?” “You’ll
never know will you?” Harry asked. “But think of it this
way, I get what I want and Draco is the best.” “That
was some fucked up shit you did earlier with the evil thing,”
Draco said. “What in hell were those…flying…smoke-like…skeleton
thingies?” “Evil,”
Harry said shortly. “The hells of my mind. Actually those
were…um…well, they were like…sort of…I
can’t explain it. It just is. So there.” “Please
don’t ever show me that again,” Dean said. Seamus was
playing around with his muggle stereo that he’d just got for
his birthday and some pounding heavy metal tune began to play that
Draco knew and he began to lay on the bed and lightly sing the words
to himself. “Damn,
my arms are killing me,” Harry rubbed them. “That damn
detox made my arms cramp. I need to…move, Draco.” Draco
moved to sit up and Harry rolled off the bed and into the floor for a
few push-ups. “Oh fuck that hurts…dammit.” Harry
continued to do the pushups for a few more minutes until he flopped
on the floor. “Oh god…I’m dying…” “Weakling,”
Ron said. “I’ve seen you do three times that many.” “I’m
getting too old for this shit,” Harry laughed as he pulled
himself up. Harry looked to the ceiling and created a bar from the
ceiling, which he jumped up to grab and did a few pull-ups. “Oh
god…pain, pain, pain….” Harry teased as he did
the pull-ups easily. “Do
it one handed,” Ron said.
“Are
you trying to hurt me?” Harry asked and then dropped one hand
and did several one handed pull-ups and then changed hands. With a
growl of heaving himself up by the weaker hand several times, Harry
let go and dropped to the floor again. “Oh shit. I will pay for
that later. Oh god that feels good.” Harry rubbed his arms. “Hang
and do the pull ups,” Ron said. “You
sadist,” Harry said jumping back up to the bar and threading
his legs through it and hung upside down. “Oh
god that could be an interesting position for you,” Draco said.
Harry looked at Draco upside down before he laced his fingers behind
his head and bent upward in abdomen tightening crunches. “I
don’t think I can do that,” Dean said. “I
know I can’t,” Seamus said. “Weaklings.
You need to keep your body fit so you can fight,” Harry said. “Not
everyone fights as much as you do,” Neville said. “They
should,” Harry said firmly. “I love to fight. I would
just love to beat the hell out of somebody right now. Any
volunteers?” “Hell
no,” Ron said with a laugh at Harry’s teasing as he did
the crunches. “Oh
god…” Harry grunted as he finished several and then
relaxed to just hang upside down. “I could hang here and just
let all the blood pool around my brain and die. Wouldn’t that
be cool?” “Yeah.
Try that,” Draco teased. “Fine,”
Harry said. “You’d rescue me. I have a host of idiots
that would try to get me down from here. Dumb asses. But I was so
thrilled when you came to my rescue today. We should have trashed the
place.” “I
thought you might,” Hermione said. “You were in a fit
state this morning. What did Fudge actually say anyway?” “Bastard,”
Harry spat as he hung off the bar. “Mother fucker kept me in
the damn floor for hours. I’m charged with interference in
Azkaban. But I’ll get out of that one. The thing I’m
worried about is Albus setting me up for testing with the Ministry.
But at least it’s next week. I’m starving. Anybody
hungry?” “I’m
starved,” Ron said as the knock came at the door. “Who
the hell is it?” “Is
Ginny in there?” a male’s voice sounded. Ginny went to
the door and opened it. “Come
in Michael,” Ginny said as Michael entered to see Harry hanging
from a bar. “He’s
just like that,” Seamus said to Michael, Ginny’s
boyfriend for the last several months. “Go
to hell,” Harry said. “Hey, Michael. What’s
hanging?” Harry laughed with the others. “I think I’ve
lost it.” “You’re
hanging upside down in the dorm, stupid. Of course you have,”
Draco said. “I am hungry, too.” “The
evening meal will be served in an hour and a half,” Neville
said. “I’m
not waiting that long,” Harry said holding onto the bar and
flipping off and landing on the floor. With a stumble, Harry fell on
his bum on the floor with a groan. “And
we’re depending on that to save the world?” Ron asked
Hermione pointing to Harry. “Ron,
I could kill you without even moving from this spot, so shut the fuck
up,” Harry said in that best friend way. “I could throw a
bit more evil your way.” “Oh
no please don’t do that,” Ron said. “You creepy
little freak.” “That’s
me,” Harry said lightly standing. “Does everyone want to
eat dinner here?” “I
could,” Draco said. “Bring it.” “Here?”
Debbie asked. “I
can have the house elves bring us all our dinner here,” Harry
said. “Everybody eating?” Nods all around, Harry flicked
his wrist and made a ball of light, which he threw into the wall and
a house elf appeared. “Bring
each of us a meal here,” Harry told the house elf who bowed low
and disappeared. Harry went to sit on the bed. “What
service,” Dean said. “That’s
why you’re never at the table anymore,” Neville said.
Harry nodded and pulled Draco back to lie against his chest. “I’m
just not a social person,” Harry said with a grin. “I
lurk about in hidden places around here and stay away from people
when I can.” “Speaking
of hidden places, weren’t you going to take us on tour?”
Dean asked. “On
tour?” Michael Corner asked. “What tour?” “Harry
knows all sort of very interesting places that are hidden in the
school,” Debbie said. “It’s very exciting to follow
and see them.” “What
can you come up with for us to do, freak?” Draco asked. “Just
about anything,” Harry said. “You want something fun or
something to scare you to death?” “Just
the fun thing would be okay,” Neville said. “But even
then…with you? I never know.” “You’re
idea of fun is a bit odd, Harry,” Ginny said.
“It’s
so nice to be loved,” Harry said sarcastically. “Let me
think of something. Do you want to be in danger or not?” “Danger,”
Draco said wiggling his eyebrows. Harry wrapped his legs around
Draco. “Oh
god you’re as bad as I am,” Harry said.
“No
danger,” Dean said. “I sort of like being in one piece.” “I
like your one piece,” Seamus said as the others laughed. “No
danger, Harry,” Hermione said. “We have class tomorrow.” “Poppy
would kill you anyway for sending her patients,” Draco said.
“I
need to go see Poppy soon. I sort of just…left the detox a bit
early without those last potions. She’s going to shit a brick,”
Harry said. “I
left, too,” Draco said. “I never finished. That will be
okay won’t it? We won’t go through anything else, will
we?” “We
shouldn’t,” Harry said with a scowl. “But…oh
well. I couldn’t help it.” “You
just went right out the damn window,” Draco said. “What
the hell were you thinking?” “I
was thinking that there were four Ministry officials coming after my
ass,” Harry said. “I was on the run. Again. They do that
sometimes. Albus says go, and I go. Who am I to argue with that
logic?” “You
ran from the Ministry officials?” Debbie asked. “I
had to,” Harry said. “I was in detox and sick as a dog.
Shaking, sweating, puking…it was a mess. And then I jumped out
a window.” Harry laughed and Draco joined him. “Oh hell.
I’m stupid.” Harry ran a hand through his hair. “And
where is my fucking food?” “Give
them time,” Hermione said. “The house elves will bring
it.” “I’d
like to go back to that cave again,” Ron said. “The one
where we were today. That place is cool.” “There’s
another cave similar to that on the Ravenclaw side of the school,”
Harry said. “It’s near Rowena Ravenclaw’s personal
quarters. Hermione, you’d love that place. There are just
fucking books every damn where in there. And…well, a few other
interesting things. Three secret passages from her room alone.” “Let’s
go there,” Hermione said. “I’d love to see that. Oh
god…she was the most brilliant of the founders.” “No
way, Godric was,” Dean said. “No.
Salazaar Slytherin was the most brilliant of the four,” Harry
said confidently. “Hands down he was. Of course he was a total
mental basket case, too. But he was an extremely brilliant wizard.
And…very weird, too. He was…just a very interesting
man. Draco, did you know Salazaar could fragment?” “Hell,
no. You’re kidding,” Draco said. “Nope.
He has notes,” Harry said. “Has anyone in here ever read
how Salazaar died or where?” “I
never have,” Hermione said. “I asked the same question to
McGonagall. It’s a controversial issue. There are those who say
that he just apparated away one day and never appeared again.” “And
the other rumor is that he was eaten by a basilisk,” Debbie
said. “I read that in an obscure book on the founders.” “Oh
great. The Slyth that was eaten by a snake,” Ron said. “He
was a parselmouth. There’s no way.” “Maybe
he pissed it off,” Dean said. “Yeah,
maybe Salazaar was just fucking around with the snake and it got
hungry,” Neville said. “No.
Snakes are reverent to those that speak to them,” Harry said.
“Snakes are simple. Whomever speaks they obey without question.
They see parselmouths as god-like and they have no choice but to
obey. A snake would never attack a parselmouth so that theory about
being eaten by a basilisk couldn’t be true.” “You
said the basilisk wouldn’t have obeyed you in the Chamber,”
Hermione reminded. “It
was already under the control of another parselmouth,” Harry
argued. “And the snake was…the basilisk was…just…fucked
up. Oh god that was a nightmare.” Harry put his hands under his
glasses and rubbed his eyes. “Wasn’t it, Ginny?” “Hell
yes it was,” Ginny said. “Being possessed by that evil
fucker. Eww. Gives me chills just thinking about it.” “The
more I think on that, the more I am convinced that he never actually
possessed you,” Harry said. “I can simulate exactly what
he did and it’s not possession in a sense. It’s more of a
mental mind linking transfer of his magical presence into another
form. I can do it, too. I was possessed by that fool in fifth year
and it was not at all what you had. I remember every painful second
of it whereas you have blocks of memory missing during those times
you were under his control.” “Interesting,”
Ginny said. “But I could feel that lingering…presence on
me after each time. That’s why I was told it was possession.” “You
would be able to feel that from a strong magical presence if he were
in your mind,” Harry said. “It’s similar to
possession, but not quite. It’s only mental and not a physical
thing. Sort of hard to explain.” “You
can do that?” Hermione asked. “Don’t
be stupid, of course I can,” Harry said. “I can do
anything he can do. Except I can do it better than he does now. Every
single thing he can do, I can do. I just absolutely cannot wait to
see him again.” “Now
I know you’re fucked up,” Draco said. “ Creepy ass
mother fucker. Oh god he’s eerie looking.” “He
is rather strange looking,” Harry said. “I could look
like that.” The others laughed. “What? I could do that.
You want to see me look like Voldemort?” “Hell
no!” Neville said. “Harry, please don’t. I’m
already going to have nightmares from that evil thing you did
earlier.” “What
evil thing?” Michael asked. While the others were explaining
what they’d seen and felt earlier the house elves came with
trays of food for each of them complete with flasks of milk, water
and desserts. They each sat on the beds and were eating and talking.
It was a wonderfully complete feeling for all of them to bond. “Every
time we come here this group grows just a bit,” Draco said.
“Why is that?” “Harry
draws a crowd,” Dean said. “He’s an entertainment
package.” Harry took the dull blade from his meal, waved it for
a split second to make it a razor sharp knife and flung it at Dean.
The knife stuck directly into the bedpost beside his head with a ping
and wiggled as Dean jumped over two feet. “Holy shit, Harry! Oh
god you could have killed me.” “You’re
right, I could have,” Harry said with a glare directly at him
with a grin. “I thought I’d give you a taste of that
entertainment package that I am.” Harry gave Dean a hard look.
Draco and Ron burst out into laughter. “Are you entertained?” “Yeah…I
mean, no,” Dean changed his tune. Harry snorted a laugh as he
continued to eat. “You’re dangerous.” “You
are exactly right,” Harry said. “If you had any idea how
dangerous I actually was, you would never be this close to me.” “But
you’re forgetting one important thing, you screwy little
freak,” Hermione said lovingly. Harry raised his eyebrows in
anticipation for this answer. “You wouldn’t hurt us. You
know it and we all know it. So just get off your evil kick and shut
the fuck up.” Hermione smiled widely in teasing. The others
laughed and Harry grinned his crooked innocent grin. “I
hate you, Hermione, you bitch,” Harry said. “You just
ruined my whole dark evil overlord thing I had going on in here.”
“Oh
man. I’m stuffed,” Dean said finishing his food. Harry
whirled up a ball of light and the house elf appeared again. “Could
you take these trays, please?” Harry asked nicely. The house
elf disappeared and within seconds other house elves appeared to take
their trays. “Master
Harry Potter, sir, what you requested is now completed, sir,”
the little squeaky house elf said with a lowly bow. “Very
good. Tell Dink and Looty to meet me at midnight in my other room
with the other things I needed,” Harry told the house elf who
bowed lowly his acceptance of his orders and promptly disappeared.
All the heads in the room turned to Harry. “Now,
I’m curious. What, pray tell, have you requested of a bunch of
house elves?” Draco asked with that suspicious look. “I
have no idea what you’re talking about,” Harry said.
“Give me a smoke.” “You
tell me and I’ll give you smoke,” Draco said. Ron and
Hermione laughed as Harry grinned. “I
never tell anything. You know that,” Harry said. “Now,
give me smoke before I hurt you.” “You
won’t hurt me so tell me what the fuck you asked for,”
Draco said. “I
can’t tell you,” Harry said. “It’s just more
of that stupid crap I do. Besides, you’ll know soon enough. I’m
sort of involving you in my dastardly plans anyway so be prepared for
a shock.” “Oh
joy,” Draco said digging out the cigarettes. Harry, Draco,
Ginny, Ron and Seamus all took a smoke and lit up with the fire from
Harry’s hand. “Are
we going on tour or not?” Dean asked. “Damn
you get on my nerves,” Harry grinned. “Yes, we’ll
do something if you want. Everybody going?”
“Going
where? What are you talking about exactly?” Michael asked. “One
of Harry’s freak shows,” Seamus said. Harry and the
others laughed shortly. “You’ve never been Michael.” “Have
you all been before?” Michael asked. Everyone nodded. “I
need to know a few things first before I decide where to take you
all,” Harry said. “Can you all climb a wall with sure
footing?” Harry noticed all the nods and looked at Neville who
shrugged. “Can you climb a wall, Nev? If not I have another way
to get you up the wall.”
“I
don’t know. I guess I could,” Neville said. “How
tall is the wall?” “Not
too bad,” Harry said. “How is everyone’s balance?
Can you all walk across a plank that’s about a foot wide for
about…oh, I’d say…the length of this room?”
They all nodded except Hermione. “What
is the plank over?” Hermione asked wisely. “Don’t
worry about it,” Harry said. “I
worry when you ask shit like that,” Hermione said. “Is
this plank over something that would kill us if we fell off?”
Harry grinned. “Sort
of. Yeah,” Harry said with a small laugh at their expressions. “What’s
it over then?” Seamus asked. “A
hole,” Harry said. “A very deep hole that has stuff in
the bottom of it. You don’t want to go down there. Trust me on
that one. It’s not nice.” “What’s
in the hole, dammit,” Draco said. “Rocks,
bones and water,” Harry said. “Not exactly in that order,
but you’d die if you fell off. So you’d better be sure
you can do it. I will add a rope for you to hold onto if anyone needs
it.” “Sounds
better,” Ron said. “Can
everyone here swim?” Harry asked. “Swim?”
Dean asked as if it were stupid. “You
know. That thing you do in water where you move your arms and legs?”
Ginny asked. “Stupid. “I
think we can all swim,” Debbie said. “I remember everyone
here at the lake last year before the end of term. Except you,
Harry.” “I
was busy that day,” Harry said shortly. “So we can all
swim?” Everyone nodded. “What
were you doing that day?” Draco asked. “You
are so damn nosey,” Harry said. “I was gone. I had an
appointment. And before you ask it was in Hacklen City with Lupin.” “For
what? Why did you go there with him?” Dean asked. Harry gave
Dean a look. “What
is this? An interrogation?” Harry asked. “Have I asked
you every place you’ve been?” “No,
but with you it’s usually interesting,” Seamus said. “I
would tell you about my trip to Flanginale, but…we only went
there to see my grandma.” The others laughed and Harry joined
them. “So
you can all swim. That’s good,” Harry said thinking.
“Good. I don’t suppose you’d all like to play with
a Dementor, would you?” Harry giggled a bit. “You
still have that thing?” Ron asked. Harry nodded. “Oh
hell! And you keep it here in the school?” “Ron,
I happen to live here,” Harry said. “This is my home.
Where else would it be? My cupboard? My abandoned building in London?
You idiot.” “We
don’t want to see a Dementor,” Neville said. “We
saw enough of them the other day.” “That
was bitching what you did, Harry,” Michael said. “With
those Dementors? Where did you learn that?” “Training,”
Harry said. “Liar,”
Draco said. Harry looked to him oddly. “I asked you the same
thing and you said you never learned that.” Everyone else
looked this time. Harry bit his lip a bit. “So which is it?” “You’re
starting to get on my damn nerves,” Harry said. “Did you
know that? Stop listening to me.” “Then
start being more careful,” Draco challenged with a smirk. Harry
gave his own smirk with narrowed eyes. “You never learned that
spell. You made that shit up. When you were on the pitch, you made
that shit up.” “No,
I didn’t. Not on the pitch,” Harry said. “But it
was my own spell. I’d only used that particular spell three
other times. It kills on contact of anything it touches. Anything.
It’s a modified sweep of three mixed spells. One is the AK, one
is a disintegration spell, and one is something close to a dark arts
spell called Fendiat, which holds a victim still. That’s why I
wanted you all to stay the hell down.” “You
cast a dark arts spell? Harry, damn,” Hermione said. “No
wonder you’re in trouble with the Ministry.” “They
don’t know what spell it was,” Harry said. “Give me
some credit, would you? The spell disperses and leaves no trace of
the spell mixes. You couldn’t ever prove I cast it. Besides
it’s not technically a dark art spell. It’s not even
outlawed to use. It’s just not well known. I worked on that
spell for a week to get it just right last year. That was a special
assignment of mine from Moody. He wanted the ultimate killing curse.
So I gave him one. He paid me well for it.” Harry grinned
widely. “You
sell curses now?” Draco asked. Harry shrugged. “You bad
ass.” “I’ve
sold more than that one,” Harry said. “I have to have
stuff to keep me busy. You know that. I’d lose my mind if I
didn’t have stuff to do.” “Why
did you go to Hacklen City with Lupin?” Hermione asked with
that look. “I
went with Lupin to Straton Medical Center,” Harry said. “I
had a problem. They fixed it.” “And
what problem was it?” Ginny asked. “Were you sick?” “Yes,
I was sick,” Harry said. “I had a disease. But I’m
fine now.” “A
disease?” Draco asked in dread. “What kind of disease?” “Not
a sexually transmitted one,” Harry said as the others laughed.
“I had…it’s very rare and only those of level
twenty five strength and over can get it. It’s Rothslid
Degenerative Disease. I was cured of it.” “What
is that anyway?” Seamus asked. Hermione covered her mouth with
her hand. “It
basically means that I have so much magic in my body that it was
eating away at my human flesh,” Harry said. “I was being
almost burnt inside from magic. There’s a cure for it, which
I’ve had. It wasn’t fun.” “What
is the cure for that?” Ron asked. “Oh
Harry,” Hermione said sadly. “Oh no. I know of that
disease.” “Don’t
worry about it,” Harry said firmly. “I’m fine with
it. So just…drop it, please.” “What?
What is it?” Draco asked. “Rothslid
Degenerative is incurable, Harry,” Hermione said. “No,
it’s not,” Harry said. “Rothslid
Degenerative is an incurable disease. I know all about it,”
Hermione said. “I’m taking my third year of Advanced
Medical. I think I know what I’m talking about. Do you still
take treatments?” “No.
I don’t need them. I have no trace of the disease anymore.
That’s what I’m trying to tell you,” Harry said.
“I’m not in remission, I’m not sick, I’m
cured. I don’t have it anymore. I took the first set of
treatments and potions and now there’s no trace.” “That’s
impossible,” Hermione said. “It’s
possible with me,” Harry said. “That’s the end of
it. If anyone in this room mentions it again, I’m slinging some
heavy shit your way. I’m over it and that’s it.”
Harry slunk back on the bed. “I’m fine.” “You
are fine,” Draco said leaning to kiss Harry’s chest and
up to take a kiss from his warm lips. “Take me somewhere.”
Draco whispered onto Harry’s lips. “I
think I already did that,” Harry whispered in return. “I
took you right here on this bed. You’ve been taken, baby.”
Draco smiled and hummed at Harry’s words. Harry laughed softly
but none of the others heard. “Let’s
go someplace,” Seamus said. Harry rolled his eyes.
“I
should never have taken you anywhere, you pest,” Harry said.
“Fine. We’ll go someplace. It’s still light outside
but…” Harry looked at Draco’s watch. “It’s
just after five now. Hmm.” Harry looked up into nothing and was
thinking hard for a few minutes. “I can’t take you off
the grounds…and…well, I could take you there…”
Harry said softly to himself. “I’m trying to find a place
that’s not too scary for Neville, and not to physically
demanding for the girls.” “We
can keep up with you,” Ginny said. “Wherever you can go,
we can go.” Harry snorted. “Women
are not as weak and pathetic as you think, you sorry fucker,”
Hermione said. “Yes,
they are,” Harry said. “But I like them that way.” “That
was a terrible thing to say, Harry, you little shit,” Debbie
said. Harry and the others gave Debbie a hard look to which she gave
back to Harry with not a trace of fear evident. “Damn,
Neville,” Harry said. “I guess we know who wears the
pants in your relationship. Debbie’s got it going on if she’s
talking back to me already. That last girl you had wouldn’t
even come up to the dorm because she knew I was your dorm mate.” “Good
going, Deb,” Ron said giving her the thumbs up. “Very
nice,” Hermione said. Draco laughed. “Oh
god,” Draco said. “I was insulting you before we even
met. I hated you before I knew you. I hated you when I was five years
old.” “How
nice,” Harry said with a grin. “I’m glad that will
never change.” “Of
course it won’t change. I can’t stand you,” Draco
said. “You irritate me every second I’m near you.” “And
I just loathe you,” Harry said. “You are so damn arrogant
that I just want to punch you square in the face half the time and
the other half I just simply want to strangle you until you
asphyxiate until you turn blue.” “I
look good in blue,” Draco said. Harry put his arms around Draco
to hold him close and give him that dreamy in love look. “Yes,
you do,” Harry said sweetly before Draco slipped his hand up
Harry’s neck to pull him closer and they kissed slowly with
much affection. “I
will never understand that relationship,” Michael said to
Ginny. “They
have a curse together,” Seamus said. Harry and Draco snapped
their heads around to give Seamus the look of death to him.
“Oh…um…sorry. I thought that…” “They’re
cursed with each other is more like it,” Ron said saving the
conversation. “I don’t know anybody that could stand
either one of them.” “Oh!”
Harry said excitedly and then punched the mattress of his bed with a
fist. “I’ve got it! The perfect place I’ll take you
all. Oh, why didn’t I think of it before? Okay. Let’s get
ready and go.” Harry moved off the bed to slip on his socks and
shoes. “Where
is it?” Ron asked. “My
treehouse,” Harry said as he slipped on his shoe and started to
tie it. “A
treehouse?” Draco said with disgust. “Aren’t you a
bit old for a treehouse?” “You
haven’t seen it yet,” Harry smiled wickedly. “It’s
cool. You’ll like it.” “When
did you build a treehouse?” Dean asked. “I
had to. I couldn’t very well sleep in the forbidden forest on
the ground,” Harry said as if it were stupid. “During
training. I made it for protection from the night roaming creatures
in the forest. But don’t worry, we can get there from the west
side tower.” “What
west side tower?” Neville asked. “The
west side tower that I’m about to show you,” Harry said
as if he were speaking to a three year old. “Trust me. You’ll
love it. Are we ready? Oh god…there are ten of us now.” “We
keep growing in number,” Hermione smiled. “Are
you trying to make an army of us?” Dean asked. “Nope.
I don’t need an army,” Harry said. “I have these.”
Harry held up his hands. “My own army.” Harry gave the
evil Voldemort laugh and everyone else joined in. “We ready?” “Yeah.
Take me,” Draco said. Harry dove into Draco on the bed and
proceeded to ravish him as Draco laughed. “Not
take him like that,” Neville said. “He
didn’t specify,” Harry said pulling Draco up from the
bed. “Let’s go.” Harry took Draco’s hand and
led him and the other eight members of the group from the dorm,
through a common room of onlookers and out the portrait hole. The
small group was talking about the upcoming Quidditch match between
Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw on Saturday as they walked the ground level
corridor in the main hall. “Harry,
there’s Paul,” Draco said of Hemmlett. “Hold
up,” Harry told the group. “Stay right here.” Harry
left his group standing and started walking in Paul’s
direction. Hemmlett was speaking with three other boys and had
slipped one of them something privately. “Paul!” Paul
turned and left the small group of boys. The group watched as Harry
and Paul moved over next to the wall. Paul dug into his pocket and
counted out a huge wad of cash, folded it and slipped it into Harry’s
hand. Harry slid it into his pocket and they spoke for a few more
moments before splitting and Harry headed back over to his group.
“Let’s go.” “I
don’t suppose you’d care to let us in on what you just
did,” Hermione said. “You
would be correct,” Harry said. “Ron, I need to speak with
you privately in a bit.” “You
got it,” Ron said. Draco looked to Harry questioningly. Harry
took Draco’s hand in the hallway and squeezed it with a wink
before dropping the hand again. Harry led his group through at least
twenty different hallways until they were seemingly at the end of the
castle at a dead end wall. “Well.
That was a fun trip,” Ginny said sarcastically. “Dead
end?” “Never
a dead end,” Harry said. “There’s always a way out.
You just have to find it.” Harry moved over to a corner and
squatted where there was a small piece of stone. Harry’s back
was to the group but he slid the stone into a small hole and came
back to the wall again. With touching four of the stones and
muttering a whispered incantation the wall became as a watery
passage. “Just step through.” Harry took Draco’s
hand and pulled him through the wall and the others followed. “I
will never know how he does that,” Dean said. “Where
do you learn that shit?” Seamus said. “I
know stuff,” Harry laughed as the group started to ascend the
stone steps that circled around the inside of the round tower. “Oh
god you all are going to just love this! I can’t wait.” “Oh
no,” Hermione said. “I hate when he says that. Oh god.”
Hermione said as she looked up into the tower. Stairs all the way up. “And
we never end up loving it,” Neville says. “And here I go
again following you, Harry. Damn. I can’t understand why I do
this.” “We’ll
never make it to the top of this. I’ll be worn out,” Dean
said. Harry stopped. “You
want to ride up?” Harry asked. “I can make the stairs
move us up if you want.” “Yeah,
do that,” Draco said. “Hold
on a minute,” Hermione said as the brains of the group. “Is
this dangerous in any way?” “No.
I swear it,” Harry said. “Everyone sit and we’ll
ride. It’ll be fun.” Everyone sat on the stones and Harry
stood for a moment and crossed his arms in thought. “What
are you doing?” Ron asked. “Trying
to remember how to do it,” Harry said. “Okay. Hold on.”
Harry raised his hands a bit, muttered a very long incantation and
flicked his wrists. Nothing happened. “Well, damn. Okay. Hold
on.” Harry raised his hands again and muttered the incantation
with a few changed syllables and flicked his wrists again. The jerk
of the stairs beginning to move almost made Harry fall back since he
was standing but he caught himself after stumbling after several
stairs. “That
would have been cool, wouldn’t it? The Daily Prophet headline
on that? Harry Potter killed by stairs?” Draco asked.
Everyone’s laughter echoed off the stone walls of this hidden
tower as the stairs moved up and around and around while they sat. “Can
you stop these stairs at the top?” Seamus asked. “Duh,”
Harry said rolling his eyes. “You must think I’m stupid.” “We
do,” Debbie said. “But you’re very entertaining.”
Harry laughed with them. “Are
you sure you’re a Hufflepuff?” Draco asked her. “No.
The sorting hat wanted to put me in Gryffindor, but I had just met
two very nice friends and asked it to put me where they were.” “Oh
dammit,” Harry laughed. “That same thing happened to me.
I was supposed to be a Slytherin.” “You
liar,” Michael said with wide eyes. “All
true,” Draco said. “Think about it. He’s a snake.”
Harry crossed his arms with a wicked smirk and wiggled his eyebrows
in malicious humor. “That
is scary,” Michael said. “Hell
yes it is,” Harry said. “Want to know what else? I bet
none of you know this. Albus is a Slytherin.” “Hell
no!” Ron yelled with wide-eyes. “Oh fuck!” “Albus?”
Hermione asked with an unbelievable look. “Yep,”
Harry said. “My dad is a snake. Isn’t that cool? Fucks me
up. He’s a master. I love that man. But I can’t stand
him.” “Seems
like you do that a lot,” Ginny said looking at Draco. “Yeah
well,” Harry said. Harry looked up and there was a long way
until the top. “Ron, come with me a minute. I need to ask you
something. Be right back.” Harry leaned down to kiss Draco
quickly before he and Ron started running up the stairs to some
privacy. When they were four stair spirals away, Harry stopped. “What
is it?” Ron asked. “Listen,
you know Paul Hemmlett in Ravenclaw, right?” Harry asked
quietly. Ron nodded. “He
sells dope,” Ron said knowing it had something to do with the
drug. Harry nodded. “He
sells my dope for me,” Harry said. “Dangerous,”
Ron said. “But
I pay him very, very well,” Harry said. Harry pulled out the
wad of cash to show Ron. There was clearly over a thousand there. “Whoa,”
Ron said lusting after the cash. “I
know this might not be a good thing to do, but if you want to sell
for me, I’d pay you good,” Harry said. “You don’t
do dope anyway, and nobody would suspect you. It’s up to you. I
have a stash here at the school that I need to get rid of and then
I’m out of the game with it. Paul wanted to know if I had
anymore, and I told him no for now. I wanted to see if you wanted to
make a few thousand for yourself.” “I
don’t know, Harry,” Ron said. “I’d love the
money, but…I don’t want to get caught.” “I
know,” Harry said. “It’s up to you. I know
basically everyone that uses dope here at school and you’re my
best friend. I don’t think anybody would take the chance on
ratting you out because they know they’ll have me to deal with.
It’s up to you. I just need to know quick before Saturday. I
think I have plans that day.” Harry smirked. “Yeah,”
Ron said and then thought for a moment. “Okay. I’ll do
it. You need to tell me who not to sell the stuff to. Any squealers.”
Harry nodded and then rambled off a few names not to get involved
with. Harry also told Ron of his loyal customers and that Danny in
Slytherin could help with the Slyth trade. “And
I don’t want you to start using this shit,” Harry said.
“That’s my main concern for you, Ron. It’s a bitch
so don’t start it. I couldn’t take it if I knew that I
was the cause.” “I
won’t. Don’t worry about that,” Ron said. Harry
counted out half the money and handed it to Ron. “Take
this for change and I’ll get you the dope later,” Harry
said. Harry told Ron all the pricing for each thing and how much
money he should have after selling everything he’d be getting.
“And you’ll end up with about fifteen hundred or more for
yourself.” “Holy
shit,” Ron said with bright eyes. “Damn. I need that,
too. Thanks, man.” “Just
be careful,” Harry said. “I can keep a bit of the heat
off, but…if you get caught with a load…” “I
know. I won’t mention your name,” Ron said. “Oh…and
one other thing,” Harry smirked evilly. “There will be
all kinds of girls and guys that will want to suck you off or give
you absolutely anything you want for a hit. Do what you want with
them and don’t think anything about it. As long as I get my
thousand, you keep the perks and do whatever the hell you want with
the rest of it.” “Hermione
would shit if she knew about this,” Ron said. “But…I
could do with a few blows from random individuals. Hell, I’ll
love it.” Ron gave that evil smirk and Harry laughed. “You’re
as bad as I am,” Harry said walking back down the stairs
slowly. “The stuff is in the den. We’ll go get it later.”
The two came back down to the others just a few minutes before Harry
flicked his arms at the top of the tower. There were small windows at
the top and Harry opened one of them by rolling the small pulley. “Is
anyone here afraid of heights? I guess I should have asked that
before.” “I
am a bit terrified of heights,” Dean said. “Damn.
Well, too late now. Sorry,” Harry said. “You’ll be
fine. Trust me.” Harry led them out of the window onto a ledge
that wrapped around the top of the tower. There was a handrail all
along it and everyone looked down. “Oh
my god…” Ginny said. “Oh shit. We are up very
high.” The treetops of the forest looked miniscule at this
great height and the rest of the school was below. “Why
can’t we see this tower from the school?” Debbie asked. “It’s
an unplottable. Unable to be found or detected. Sort of invisible to
others,” Harry said pulling at ropes that were between the
tower and some undetermined tree of the forest. After sending a spell
along the rope, a hand bar began to come toward them on the rope. “Oh
no. There is no way in hell that I’m doing that,” Draco
said shaking his head. “Yes,
you will,” Harry smiled at Draco as he pulled up the handrails
connected to the rope. “This is like a ride. I’m going to
modify the rail so that two people can sit on it. You’ll get on
here and ride to the bottom where the treehouse is. It’s a
rush. Oh god this is so fun. I did this a million times last summer.
I fell off a few times, but that was my own damn fault.” Harry
said. The others looked down and then at Harry. “How
did you not die?” Neville said. “That’s at least a
few hundred feet down.” “Oh…um…I
can do stuff,” Harry said. “Okay, Draco. Are you ready?”
Harry said after he’d modified the seat to hold two people. “Hell
no. There is no way I’m doing that,” Draco said looking
off. “Come
on,” Harry coaxed. “I’ll make it worth your while.
You do trust me, right? You said you did.” “But…”
Draco looked down again. “Harry this is scary.” “No,
it’s not,” Harry said. “Voldemort saying ‘Avada
Kedavra’ is scary. This is fun. Make a note of that for future
reference.” “Smart
ass,” Draco said. “Harry…are you sure? I mean…this
is very high.” “Draco,
baby, you’ve been three times this high on a broom before,”
Harry said. “I know that because I was up there with you.
Seeker? Remember me? Come on.” Harry pulled Draco over.
“Everyone watch us first and then I’ll send the seat back
up quickly with a spell. And everyone is coming right?” They
all nodded. “Okay. Good. Isn’t this a blast? Damn, I love
this.” Harry climbed on first and assisted Draco to climb in
and sit behind him. Draco wrapped his arms around Harry from behind
tightly. “Ready?” Harry smiled widely with bright eyes. “Harry,
I’m…nervous,” Draco said timidly holding on tight. “Nothing
will hurt you when you’re with me. I promise you that. Always,”
Harry laced their fingers. “I’m the most powerful being
on earth and I can safely say that I have ways to make sure you’re
safe. Feel better?” “Yes,”
Draco said quietly onto Harry’s neck with the trust of love. “I
do.” “Okay.
We’re going,” Harry said. “Ron, you and Herm stay
last and make sure everyone else is seated properly. I’ll be at
the other end. Here we go.” Harry let go of the rope and the
pair began to descend quickly down toward the forest in almost a
freefall. Draco was screaming and Harry was laughing all the way
down, down, down the pulley until the treehouse came into view and
they slowed a bit. “Wow.
That’s bigger than I thought it would be,” Draco said.
“Did you…you built that with very little magic.” “Yes,
I did,” Harry said. “It’s hand made. I used magic
to cut the trees and make the boards, and transfigure nails and
hammers, but I put it all together myself and then levitated it into
place in the crook of these huge trees. You’ll love it inside.
It’s magicked to be huge. I actually started just the floor
when I was in training and put it in the tree to sleep on at night,
and then I came back to finish the rest of it just in case I need a
place to…well, get away from the school if I have to.” “Did
you come here when the Ministry officials came after you while in
detox?” Draco asked. “Yes,”
Harry said. “And…I’m taking a chance on letting
everyone come here. But…if I need to escape the school and
have a place to stay, I’ll either be here or in London at the
abandoned building where I used to live. Just so you know.”
Draco nodded and they soon came to the treehouse ledge. Harry
assisted Draco from the seat and with a spell, sent the seat all the
way up to the tower so far away. Harry opened the door to the
treehouse and they entered to find a lovely room as in a regular
home. “You’ve
modified this room in some major ways. This isn’t a treehouse
at all,” Draco said with a smile looking around. Harry laughed.
There was a fireplace, a sofa, several cabinets, a bed, a tapestry
rug and a table with four chairs. It was like some very small
apartment. “This is fabulous! I love it. Oh my god we could
stay here all the time.” “We
could,” Harry said pulling Draco closer into a small kiss. “I
keep several things here and Dobby knows of its location. I’ve
even connected the fireplace to the Floo network illegally. If I’m
here and you need to get here and see me, you can go to the kitchens
and tell Dobby. The back fireplace near the cold storage of the
kitchens is never used and is connected here directly. Say the
incantation to open the floo and give this location. Say ‘Potter’s
Playground’ and it will bring you here.” “Potter’s
Playground?” Draco asked with a grin. Harry shrugged. “I’m
not too good with names,” Harry said. “And…this is
like a playground to me. I’m undetectable here because of the
wards I have up over this place. You can’t apparate to here and
no unforgivables can be cast in my wards on the treehouse.” A
rumble told of the next set of visitors to the treehouse. Draco and
Harry assisted Neville and Debbie off the lift and Harry sent it
back. After several more times of this, everyone was in the treehouse
apartment sitting about on the furniture and newly created chairs
Harry had made for them. “I
love this place,” Ginny said looking around. “Very
cool,” Seamus said. “Welcome
to my house,” Harry said. “Sort
of small to be a house,” Michael said. “But
it’s bigger than a cupboard,” Ron said. Harry flipped him
off. “Please,
everyone, you cannot tell anybody about this place,” Harry
said. “I’m taking a risk by even revealing it to you. You
hold my very life in your hands by even knowing it’s here. When
the Ministry comes for me and I have to be on the run, I come here or
a few other places. So…please, please, please don’t tell
anyone you know of my hideout.” Harry was sitting on the sofa
leaned up against Draco behind him. Harry pulled up his knees and
slunk down looking like a small child. “You
look like a little kid like that,” Hermione said of the
position in which Harry sat. “I remember you at eleven years
old sitting in the common room like that on the sofa in pajamas.” “Me,
too,” Ron said with Hermione on his lap. “It’s hard
to believe you’re only seventeen, Harry.” “I
am seventeen,” Harry said nodding. “I never thought I’d
live this long. And if anyone in this room says something to the
effect of boy who lived I swear to all that is holy I will hex you
into next week.” The whole room erupted into laughs. “Boy
who lived,” Draco said with a laugh. Harry quickly turned and
got Draco into a hard Diatai hold and was pulling his head back in a
choking hold. Draco was wincing from the pain. “Do
you know that in this position I could snap your neck in one swift
move,” Harry said. “You die instantly because your spinal
cord is snapped in half.” Draco gave a gurgle of a response.
“Hurts, doesn’t it?” “Harry,
let him go,” Dean said. Harry let go and Draco punched Harry in
the arm. “You
asshole,” Draco said rubbing his neck. “Damn that hurt.
Teach me that.” “I
will,” Harry said. “Later. We’re on an adventure
right now.” “There’s
more?” Ginny asked. “Of
course there’s more. We haven’t had a risk of death yet,”
Ron said. Hermione and Draco laughed with Harry. “That’s
not funny,” Neville said. “That pulley seat scared me to
death already.” “Oh,
honey, that was fun,” Debbie said rubbing Neville’s back. “How
do you get down from here?” Dean asked looking out the window
toward the ground. “This is high up off the ground.” “It
had to be high up,” Harry said. “There are Randar beasts
in the forests that can fly or climb trees. Have you ever seen one?
Anybody?” All heads shook. “I
never heard of that,” Dean said. “What is that anyway?” “A
Randar beast? It’s a half cat-like creature with scales and two
sets of wings. They’re all black and hard to see at night. They
kill you by catching you and ripping off your head first and then
they sort of just…eat the rest of you,” Harry said. “I
killed about ten of them last summer and got scratched down my right
leg by one. That shit hurt.” “Oh
god,” Hermione scowled. “You need to be more careful.” “Careful
hell. Albus put me in the forest for three days,” Harry said.
“I was warded out of the castle. Well, I could have got in
easy, but…I wanted to win. And, as usual, I did.” Harry
laughed a bit. “You should have heard Albus laughing at Moody
because I won.” “With
you, winning means surviving,” Draco said. “I just
realized that.” “That’s
true,” Ron said. “No,
it’s not. The battle simulations are just that. Simulations,”
Harry said. “The real reason is because the Aurors needed
simulation training in capturing criminals. They couldn’t find
a criminal so they used me against them. They can’t catch me.
Oh god and Tonks…” Harry laughed. “She was so damn
funny. I knocked her in the mire about a mile from here and she
almost never made it out.” Harry laughed hard. “She
almost killed me over that. Oh god it was hilarious. I wish you all
were here over the summer. I have such interesting days here over the
holidays. All sorts of crazy shit. You wouldn’t believe it.” “Oh
yes, we’d believe it,” Seamus said. “You’ve
shown us stuff recently,” Dean said. “I’ll
be here for one more summer,” Harry said almost sadly. “And
I doubt I’ll have training this summer, so…I hope I’m
not bored. Everyone else will be graduated and gone and I’ll
still be stuck here. Again. I can’t get away from Hogwarts. “ “And
even if you do, Albus lives here and he’s your adopted father,”
Debbie said. “So
you’ll be here forever then,” Hermione said. “Isn’t
that wonderful?” Hermione teased. “Yeah.
Wonderful,” Harry said sarcastically. “I can hardly wait.
I’ll be eighteen in July. Oh god I can’t wait. I’m
so out of here then.” Everyone was in a discussion over their
plans after graduation when an eerie growl of howling caught their
attention from somewhere in the forest. “What
the hell is that?” Neville asked. “That’s not a
werewolf howl.” “Pinderats,”
Harry said. “It’s a cross between a werewolf and another
type of wild dog called a Prader. They can kill, but just hit them
with any spell harder than a nine and they drop like flies. Easy
kill. They’re nothing to worry about.” “Oh
I feel so much safer now,” Ginny said with sarcasm. “You
all need to learn how to kill these things,” Harry said.
“They’re everywhere out here. I argue with Albus that
there should be a course for sixth and seventh year students on this
type of training in the forests. These beasts do occasionally come
near inhabited areas and nobody knows anything about them.” “We’ll
just let you take care of them for us,” Draco said giving Harry
a squeeze from behind. “I
can’t be everywhere at once,” Harry said. “Draco,
you could conjure and kill the beasts of the forest with the grankas.
That would be easy for you. And I know that Ron, Hermione, Neville,
Seamus and Dean can throw up to level nine spells. Right?” They
all nodded. “And Ginny, I know you can hurl out that damn
stinging hex at a level nine. I remember it. Damn you.” “You
got what you deserved,” Ginny said. “And the next time
you do it, I’ll hit your sorry ass again with it.” “You
started it,” Harry said. “No,
you started it,” Ginny said. “Started
what?” Draco asked. “Harry
was at our house and we were playing a nice friendly game of
Quidditch with Fred, George, Ginny, me, dad, Bill and Charlie,”
Ron said sarcastically as Ginny and Hermione snickered. Harry crossed
his arms in a huff. “Then Harry started teasing Ginny about
being slow on her turns on a broom. Well, they raced and Ginny
‘accidentally’ kicked Harry’s broom and he hit the
house in a spin. Well they were on the ground and it was the funniest
thing I’ve ever seen. They were yelling at each other and I
just knew Harry would nail her with a curse, but Ginny drew her wand
and hit Harry with that terribly nasty stinging curse and he was
trying to get to her and she ran. Why didn’t you hit her with a
hex?” “I
can’t cast to girls,” Harry said. “They’re
weak and I’m sort of afraid of them.” Everyone laughed a
bit but Harry and Hermione. “I
think I believe that,” Hermione said. “I think you are
afraid of females.” “You
do have a problem with the female gender,” Draco nodded. “You
do. I’ve seen it.” “No,
I don’t,” Harry said as if it were stupid. “I’m
sort of…afraid of them. I’m a bit…rough and…I’m
just afraid I’ll hurt one. I couldn’t stand that.” “But
you’re mean to girls,” Draco said. “You are one
cold bastard to females.” “I
am because I’m afraid of them,” Harry said with a laugh
and a smile. “I am. I swear it. They’re just so…soft
and…weaker than me. I can’t just punch a girl or I’d
kill them. That’s part of the reason I hang with guys. I’m
terrified of women.” Harry laughed with everyone else. “And
that has nothing to do with the fact that you prefer males?”
Hermione asked with the head tilt. “That’s
true, I do,” Harry said. “Maybe it’s all related?
You think? Nah. I’m just fucked up in the head. I’m brain
damaged and have a scar to prove it. Oh. Watch this.” Harry sat
up and raised his hair so that everyone could see his scar. With a
wave over his forehead by his hand the scar was gone and Harry
dropped his hair and took off his glasses and stood in front of them.
“Do I look like me now?” “Hell
no,” Ron said with a grin. “Oh man. What a difference.” “How
cool,” Ginny smiled. “You look good.” “You
look awful. Put it back,” Draco said. Harry laughed. “You’re
so damn weird,” Harry said. “Do you think anyone would
know me in Diagon Alley if I went like this?” Harry asked them. “Hard
to say,” Hermione said. “You’re very recognizable
because you’re known.” “They’d
notice you from your hair,” Debbie said. “And…you
sort of have a defining walk about you, Harry.” “No,
I don’t. Do I?” Harry asked. “Yeah,”
Dean said. “You do. It’s like you’re in a hurry all
the time. You sort of walk fast.” “And
you keep your arms out a bit,” Seamus said.
“No,
I don’t,” Harry argued. “Yes,
you do,” Draco said. “And put that scar back before I
have to hex you.” “Why?
I hate it,” Harry said. “Because
it’s not you without it,” Draco said. “I’m
still me. I’m just me undamaged,” Harry said. “Harry?”
Draco asked. Harry snorted and put on his glasses and added the scar.
“Much better.” “You
have lost your mind. You have,” Harry said. “For the life
of me I cannot figure you out sometimes. You keep me in a state of
confusion. I don’t understand you at all.” Draco grinned. “I’ll
keep you guessing,” Draco said. Harry returned the grin. “You
do that,” Harry said. “I’ll figure you out one
day.” “When?
You’ve known Draco for six years already,” Michael said. “Harry
isn’t too bright,” Ron said.
“I’ll
show you bright,” Harry said. “You want to see bright?” “No,”
Neville said. “I don’t want to see anything. Please don’t
do whatever it is, Harry.” “Neville,
you are going to have to grow a set of balls, man,” Draco said. “Neville
is brave,” Harry said. “Very brave. He took two pain
curses for me in the Ministry from your dad, Draco. Did you know
that?” “No.
Hurt like hell, didn’t it? He’s hit me with it before. My
dad can throw some ‘crucio’ around,” Draco said. “Hell
yes he can,” Neville said. “I hate that fucker.” “And
I let him go,” Harry said sadly. “I’m so stupid.
But that’s okay. I’ll get him back. He tends to show up
when I’m around doing that thing I do. I’ll get him.” “Are
you going to kill my father?” Draco asked in humor. “Probably,”
Harry said. “You have a problem with that?” “No.
Not really,” Draco said seriously. “Don’t
say that, Harry,” Hermione said. “That’s not a good
thing.” “No,
it’s not a good thing,” Ron said. “But Lucius has
tried to kill you how many times?” “Four,”
Harry said. “Four times he’s tried to kill me.”
Harry nodded hard. “And four times he couldn’t do it. I
think he’s pissed off about that. Those damn Malfoys.” “Watch
it,” Draco warned. “Or
you’ll do what exactly?” Harry asked in humor. “Bitch.” “You’re
about to get it,” Draco said. “I’m going to send
you a curse.” “Do
it,” Harry said. “I’m not afraid of your sorry
Death Eater crap.” Draco stood to face off with Harry. “I
will hurt you,” Draco snarled. “You
can’t hurt me,” Harry said arrogantly. “You will
never win against me.” “Oh,”
Draco grinned. “Is that so?” “That
is a fact. Live with it,” Harry said up in Draco’s face.
“You are second rate, pal.” “I
see,” Draco said. “You want to make a bet on that?” “Anything
you can dish out I can handle,” Harry said with a grin of
confidence. Draco laughed softly. “Okay.
We’ll bet then,” Draco said. “And here’s the
deal. You already marked me with your little signature.” Draco
held up his wrist to Harry’s face. Harry nodded. “So
we’ll bet.” Draco stepped back and thought for only a few
moments before he made a circular pattern in the air with his finger
and created a black leather collar with a side plate that said
‘property of’ and then a blank space. Draco held it out
in front of Harry’s face and Harry laughed softly. “Are
we doing the bondage thing? You know I’m into that,”
Harry smiled. Ron snorted and the others simply grinned. “We’ll
do that later. But here’s the deal,” Draco said. “I’ve
never beat you at anything. Nothing. And I still won’t catch
that stupid mother fucking snitch again this year. We both know that.
But I can win at something against you because you can’t resist
it.” “What
is it?” Harry asked. “I’m
not telling you yet,” Draco grinned widely. “But we’ll
bet that if you can’t resist, you wear this collar with
‘property of Draco Malfoy’ for a week and you have to go
to all classes wearing it.” “Oh
my god,” Dean laughed. “Holy
shit,” Ginny laughed hard. “And
you’re saying I can’t resist whatever this is?”
Harry asked. “Too easy. You’ll lose and then you have to
wear it. Is that the deal? If I lose you wear it ‘property of
Harry Potter?’” Harry smiled. “Yes,”
Draco said. “I’ll wear it if I lose. But I won’t. I
know your weakness.” “I
have no weakness,” Harry said confidently folding his arms.
Draco snickered. “We’ll
see about that,” Draco grinned and then threw the collar across
the room and it vanished. “You’re mine this time,
Potter.” “We’ll
see about that, Malfoy,” Harry said. “You’ll lose.” “I
will never lose this bet,” Draco said. “There is no way
that I’ll lose this. No way.” “And
why are you so confident? What is it that you think my weakness is?”
Harry asked. “I’m
not telling you,” Draco said. “You know that I never
reveal my plan to you.” “Fair
enough,” Harry said. “And we have witnesses to our
arrangement.” “Yes,
and I think that they can come to witness your defeat by me,”
Draco said. “Harry
and defeat are never used in the same sentence,” Harry said
haughtily. “You should know that by now, ferret.” “Oh,
believe me, Potty, you will learn what the humility of losing is this
time,” Draco said. “And I simply cannot wait.” “So
when is this battle taking place?” Hermione asked with a grin
at the humor of it. “Friday
night,” Draco said. “Your common room in Gryff Tower.
There’s a Ravenclaw party that night and most of your dorm
mates will be absent.” “What
if there are others besides us there?” Ginny asked. “Then
they’ll witness the falling of a hero,” Draco grinned to
Harry who laughed. “I
am so turned on by this,” Harry laughed. “Draco, baby,
you are so hot.” “You
are one sick bastard,” Seamus said. Harry snapped his head to
Seamus. “Are
you saying my lover isn’t hot?” Harry gave Seamus the
look of painful death if he didn’t agree. “Hell
no. Draco’s a babe. I was just saying that you’re sick,”
Seamus reasoned. “Oh.
Okay,” Harry said and everyone laughed at the hilarity. “We
ready to go on some funky dangerous shit?” “What
exactly are we doing and where are we going? And where will we end up
and will we be back by dark?” Hermione asked. “Damn,
Herm,” Harry said. “You’re as bad as Albus
questioning me about crap.” Harry walked over to the far wall
and pulled down on a few ropes there, knelt and opened the hatch
leading down to the ground. “I hope you all can climb down a
rope. I forgot to ask you all that. Sorry.” “Can
everyone climb down a rope?” Draco asked. They all nodded but
Neville. “Nev?” “I
um…I never did it before,” Neville said. “I
have knots in the rope, Nev,” Harry said. “I’ll
watch you from the bottom and I won’t let you fall. Hell, if
you want to jump down I’ll catch you in mid drop with a spell.
We all ready?” “It
will be dark in an hour, Harry,” Hermione reminded. “And
that’s when all those creatures come out,” Ginny said. “See?
Women are just weak,” Harry said to insult the girls. Hermione,
Ginny and Debbie all came over to drag a laughing Harry back to the
center of the room. Hermione held Harry down on his stomach and the
three sat on him. “Let me up. Come on.” “No.
Not until you apologize,” Ginny said. “Hell
no,” Harry said trying to move. “I could get up but I
don’t want to hurt you all.” “We
know that. That’s why we’re not moving until you give us
a proper apology,” Debbie said. “You
know, Debbie, you’ve been hanging around these idiots too
much,” Harry said. “You’re becoming a bitch.”
Debbie reached down and the three girls began to tickle Harry
fiercely. Harry was notoriously ticklish. “Oh god! Stop it!
Help me guys!” “No
way,” Ron said. “You’re stupid.” “You
shouldn’t have said that, man,” Michael said and the men
laughed at Harry being tickled and laughing wildly with it. “Say
you’re sorry and that you’re weak and we’ll stop,”
Hermione said. “Hell
no! Oh god! Stop!” Harry laughed and tried to move but the
three held him down. “Please! No! Stop it!” “Say
it!” Ginny said with a knee in Harry’s back. “Say
it, Harry!” “No!”
Harry said in tears of laughter. “Okay! Okay! I’m sorry
and…” Harry burst in the more laugher. “Okay! I’m
weak! I’m weak! Just stop!” The three girls stopped and
let Harry up to dust himself off. “I can’t believe you
did that.” Harry picked up his glasses and put them on from
where they’d been slung over in the moment. “You
should watch your mouth,” Hermione said.
“That
was really dumb, Harry,” Neville said. “Oh?
Is that what you think?” Harry asked. “I had three women
on me, Neville. How many have you had?” The others laughed at
Neville’s expression. “You
bastard,” Neville grinned. “That’s
me. We ready?” Harry asked of climbing down the rope. “I’ll
go first and make sure there are no…well, nothing to kill you
down there and then you all come down. Alright?” They all
nodded and Harry took hold of the rope and effortlessly descended
downward all the way to the ground. “He
makes that look so easy,” Ginny said. “He
makes everything look easy,” Draco said. “I’ll go
next.” Draco went next and eventually only Neville and Ron were
left. Ron told Neville how to manage and eventually they were all on
the ground. It was still daylight, but the forest and all the trees
made things look darker. “It’s
too dark, Harry,” Seamus said. “Don’t
worry,” Harry said. “Stay close and I’ll protect
you. Come on.” “Where
exactly are we going anyway?” Ron asked. “There
are so many things in this forest I could show you,” Harry said
as he kept moving his hands and clearing away brush magically so that
they could walk easier. “There are the spiders, of course, and
the thestral dens, the boggy mire, the fairy clusters, unicorn herds,
the riverbeds with glittering sprite villages which is really
pretty…there’s so much here to explore. I love the
forest.” “I
hate it,” Dean said. “It’s scary and…creepy.” “There
are things in here that are not so nice,” Harry said as he
moved his hand and cleared away a fallen log for them. “But
most of it is pretty cool. I’m taking you to hobbits’
well and then over to the mountain caves. There’s something I
want Draco to have there.” “What
is it?” Draco asked. “Something
you and Hermione will want to take with you,” Harry said.
“Potion ingredient. Can you guess what it is?” “Where
does it grow?” Hermione asked. “In
one cave here,” Harry said. “I found the cave by
accident. I had to stay in the cave one time because I accidentally
made a…I mean…there was…um…well, I had to
stay in there for a few hours because of rain and I found these
things growing in there. I didn’t know what they were at first.
But now I know and I couldn’t wait to tell you all.” “So
the ingredients grow in a cave?” Draco asked. Harry nodded. “You
can give some to Snape if you don’t tell him where you got
them,” Harry said. “I don’t want him pestering me
about gathering any for him.” “Is
it Nundii moss?” Hermione asked. “Nope,”
Harry said with a grin. “Is
it Looritet mushrooms?” Neville asked. “Nope,”
Harry said.
“Is
it ruskus fern?” Draco asked. “Nope,”
Harry said. “You’ll never guess it.” “It
must be rare then,” Hermione said. Harry nodded as he looked to
her. “Interesting.” “Very
interesting,” Harry grinned widely. “You’ll be
pleased. You could actually sell some of it for a lot of money if you
wanted, but neither of you will do that. It’s too valuable to
each of you as potions extraordinaires to do something as mundane as
that.” Harry giggled to himself. “Oh god I hate potions.” “I
love it,” Draco said. “I just love potions. My favorite
class along with Arithmancy.” “Mine
too,” Hermione said. “Exactly my two favorites.” “Weirdos,”
Ron said. A shriek call of some distant bird made them all jump and
Harry laughed. “That
was a Jigger Lark,” Harry said. “Harmless. Big, but
harmless. You can eat their eggs, but the insides are blue. Sort of
freaky to eat blue eggs, but you get used to it.” “You
ate that?” Debbie asked in disgust with an awful face. “Sure,”
Harry said. “I cooked it myself. And right there are some
hudder tubes. You can cut those into strips and boil them with water
to make a very good hot tea. And the bark of these Icaras trees can
be ground into powder and added with water and the paste of sweet
ashberries to make a sort of bread. It’s very good. I’ll
show you how to do that one day maybe.” “How
do you know this shit?” Michael asked. “He
knows stuff,” Draco said dryly. “That’s all he ever
says.” “I
do know a bunch of stupid shit,” Harry said. “But the
thing is that ninety nine percent of all the crap I know is some sort
of survival skill. That makes me lacking in conversations at dinner
parties. I know very little of…topics of conversations at
those sorts of things. I have to go with Albus all the time and do
the appearance thing and…I never say anything because I’ve
never heard of …like…famous fashion designers, operas,
the social elite, great musicals and…stuff like that. Makes me
feel stupid.” “That
would be my thing,” Draco said. “I could tell you about
those things. Very simple.” “Would
you do that?” Harry asked. “I would appreciate that very
much. I spent two hours in the bathroom when Albus dragged me off to
General and Madame Liston’s Formal dinner party last June. I
didn’t understand a single word of what they were talking
about.” “What
were they talking about? What topic?” Debbie asked. “Something
about…something called Danderlies,” Harry said. The
others laughed. “I don’t even know what that is. What is
that anyway?” “Phylius
Danderlies,” Draco said with a small laugh. “Very notable
witch who is the pinnacle of the social elite. She’s a family
friend of the Malfoys. Very snooty woman and I just adore her. She’s
a total bitch, but she’s a shoe designer. Her shoes are called
Danderlies.” “Oh,”
Harry said in realization. “I didn’t know what that was.
I felt like an idiot. See? I know nothing about that sort of thing.
And who is…um…what’s her name…um…”
Harry thought hard for a moment as he cleared away more brush and
kept walking. “Hernetta? Hermetta? Something like that?” “Hernietta,”
Draco said. Harry nodded. “Hernietta is a cosmetics genius of
the Wizarding world. Did you see her?” “Yes.
She was in attendance at the last banquet, but I never met her
personally,” Harry said. “She wouldn’t come near me
or Albus either.” “She’s
a dark witch, I’ve heard,” Ginny said. “I’ve
heard of her as well, Ginny. I agree with you,” Debbie said. “All
this talk of shoes and make-up, Harry?” Ron asked. “Are
you a cross dresser?” “Sure.
I’ll go see Voldemort in full drag,” Harry said with a
grin. “I could actually do that. He’d shit a brick.”
Harry had to stop and laugh for a moment to get some control. “Oh
god that would be funny. I can see Albus if I showed up in a dress.
Can you imagine that?” “No.
I don’t want to imagine you in a dress,” Hermione said.
“Me
either,” Dean said. “But Draco would look smashing in a
dress.” “Of
course I would. I’m a god. I look simply stunning in anything,”
Draco said. “Or
nothing,” Harry said to agree. “Be careful over these, if
you get stuck with one of these briars off the vine, I’ll have
to cut it out of you. Neville, come here.” Neville came near
and Harry held his hand and pulled him along through the narrow
passage through the vines so that he didn’t get stuck. “There.
You’re okay. I was just making sure.” “Thanks,
Harry,” Neville said truly grateful for the assistance. The ten
walked along and talked about many things. Harry pointed out the
different areas and they strolled by a dried up riverbed with large
stones and small pools between the rocks. “See
that?” Harry pointed to the tiny things that looked like built
up anthills that lined one side of the river. “Those are homes
to river sprites. They’ll begin to glow slightly when it gets a
bit darker outside. And then they…” Harry stilled in an
instant and listened for a moment. “Shh!” Harry held up
his hand and walked slowly toward the riverbed and looked over.
“There you are.” “Who
is it?” Dean asked. “Snakes,”
Harry said lightly. “Want to hold one?” “One?
How many are there?” Seamus said. Harry looked back out into
the hole. “About…thirty
I guess,” Harry said. “Thirty
snakes?” Ron asked. “No. Let’s go.” “Hold
on a minute. They want something,” Harry said climbing down
over the side of the riverbed as the others came near to see what he
was doing. Harry got to the riverbed and jumped over the stones until
he came to the middle of the dried up river. Harry knelt to put his
hand down in the murky water. Several snakes came up over the rocks
and slithered about over Harry’s feet and one up his arm. Two
others slithered and climbed about on his legs. “Creepy,”
Michael said with a scowl. Harry was speaking to the snakes in
parseltongue. He looked to each snake in turn and nodded as he
listened and had a conversation with them. “Oh
cool,” Harry said smiling at them all. “What
is cool?” Draco called to him. “Draco,
I’m going to get you something,” Harry said. “Stay
right there. You’ll love this.” Harry slid off the rock
and into the waist high water full of snakes. “Harry…maybe
you shouldn’t do…” Draco said until Harry dived
into the water. “He is a complete lunatic.” “Did
he just…oh god,” Neville asked as they watched the water
for Harry to emerge. After about a full minute Draco was becoming
nervous. “I
wonder if he’s okay,” Draco said. “I mean…”
The waited a bit longer until Harry’s head popped up from the
water with heavy breaths. Harry climbed out of the slimy water and
did a spell to dry himself. Harry looked into his palm for a moment
and then came back over to the group and climbed up over the dried up
riverbank. “This
is for you,” Harry said putting a large glowing emerald into
Draco’s palm. “Oh
wow,” Seamus said as they all looked at it. “I
love it. Thank you,” Draco gave Harry a loving kiss. “It’s
so…bright.” “Do
you know what that is?” Harry asked. “An
emerald,” Draco said. “Not
just an emerald. Look closely,” Harry said. Draco held up the
stone for them all to see. “Is
that…is that a dragon tear?” Ron asked in excitement.
Harry nodded. “Yes.
Very rare. The first tears of baby dragons make these stones,”
Harry smiled of his find. “Oh
my god,” Draco said with disbelief. “I can’t
believe it. How did you know it was there?” “The
snakes told me,” Harry said. “They didn’t like it
there, so I removed it for them. Do you know what you can make with
that?” “Greudo’s
potions,” Debbie said. “Excellent, Draco. Oh god. Snape
will absolutely die when he knows you have that.” “He
will,” Draco beamed with a bright smile. “Thank you,
Harry. This is wonderful.” “It
was nothing. I’m glad you like it,” Harry grinned. “First
the is Gaelis ‘Brothered Fount’ nude and now this?”
Hermione said in jealously. “You asshole. You never give me
anything.” “You’re
not Draco,” Harry said lovingly to his dragon. “But I
will let you all each find something on this tour that you want. I
know something Ginny will love. We’re coming to it next.” “What
is it?” Ginny asked in excitement. “Surprise,”
Harry said taking Draco’s hand. “Let’s go.”
They continued to walk over the rocks of the dried up riverbed until
they were across and entered the other side of the forest. “Harry,
it will be dark in about a half hour,” Seamus said. “Are
you sure we’ll be back to the school by then?” “No.
We won’t be,” Harry said. “But we’ll be back
by curfew.” “But…but
there are…wild beasts and stuff,” Neville said. “And
I told you that I’d protect you, Neville,” Harry argued.
“Would you feel safer a weapon?” “Um…no,”
Neville said. Harry flung out his arm and created a large knife with
a sheath and tossed it to Neville who tied it around his waist.
“Thanks.” “Anyone
else need a security blanket?” Harry asked with a grin. “You
all have your wands, right?” “I
don’t,” Draco said. “But I don’t need it.” “I
don’t have mine,” Ginny said. “Me
either,” Hermione said. “See?
Girls are stupid,” Harry said. Hermione and Ginny each punched
Harry in the back. “And abusive. Females are just down right
mean and nasty creatures.” “Probably
because you insult them, idiot,” Michael said. “I
know,” Harry said. “I just do that so they’ll have
their hands on me.” Harry laughed and Draco elbowed Harry hard.
“I was teasing. You know you’re the only girl for me.”
Draco shoved Harry hard and he stumbled and fell on the ground. “You
bitch.” Harry lay on the ground and laughed for a moment and
Draco kicked his leg. “Shut
up, Potty,” Draco said extending a hand to help Harry up with a
jerking pull. Harry put his hands on each side of Draco’s face
for a nice kiss. “Does
everyone here know that I love Draco?” Harry asked them but
never leaving the gaze into the dragon’s eyes. “I
think you’ve made that abundantly clear,” Seamus said. “Well,
I hate you, Potter,” Draco said kindly with a grin. “I
know you do,” Harry said before he kissed Draco’s pouty
lips again slowly for a moment. “And I hate you, too.” “Sick,
sick, sick,” Ginny said. “Mentally disturbed.” The
others agreed. “Go
to hell,” Draco told them as Harry began to lead them again.
After a while longer of trekking through the forest and seeing all
the growth, the team could see a large crevice in the earth ahead. “Oh
no,” Neville whined. “That’s
hobbits’ well,” Harry said. “It’s actually a
deep ravine. There’s a plank I put across it so that you can
cross. I’ll add you all a rope because of the wind. I’ve
been to the bottom of it and the water there is thick and black. It’s
very interesting looking. Sort of like motor oil.” “Motor
oil? What is that?” Dean asked. Hermione and Harry giggled a
bit. “Um…it
goes into a muggle automobile,” Harry said. “It’s
slick and black. It’s a very thick lubrication to allow the
machinery inside to work.” The wizards who’d never heard
of such a thing just shrugged. Harry laughed a bit and then jerked
his head up and stopped making the others jump with a start. “What?”
Draco asked. Harry held up his hand for silence. “Don’t
move,” Harry said taking a few steps forward and throwing out
his hands and creating a set of the round razor-like granka blades. “Oh
shit,” Ron said looking around as the others were. “Shh,”
Harry said turning his head to the left. “There are three
Randar beasts. Just don’t move. I’ll take care of it.” “Oh
crap,” Dean said. Harry walked forward about twenty paces and
stopped suddenly again turning left and taking a slinging defensive
stance with the grankas and holding in a still silence for several
moments until two of the Randars jumped out of the darkness from
almost out of nowhere. Harry yelled and slung each granka hitting one
Randar across the throat where the granka stuck and the beast wailed
in pain. The other beast lunged and Harry dodged with a spin and
nailed it in the back of its skull with the other granka. It fell and
rolled around with screaming pain. The third beast appeared directly
in the space between Harry and the group creeping toward them. “Harry!”
Ginny yelped. Harry ran toward the Randar as it was moving stealthily
toward the group. “Hiyaaa!”
Harry yelled at the beast that turned its head back in Harry’s
direction and spun to pounce on him fluttering its large leathery
wings. Harry flung out a hand and swiped across the beasts’
face with a granka in hand. The large creature yelped and tried
another pounce. With lightening quick speed and accuracy, Harry made
another set of grankas and slung them with a yell. Each circular
blade hit the beast and sunk into the flesh of its sides. All three
of the Randars were quivering with whimpers in their painful deaths
as Harry stood to watch them. Each lay still after several more
quivering moments. “Oh
my goodness,” Debbie said breathing heavy with a hand on her
chest. “I
think we need to go,” Dean said in dread. “There
aren’t any more,” Harry said looking around. “They
move in packs of two or three. This one is a female and was being
protected by the other two males. That’s the way they move
about. We’re okay.” Harry grinned at them. “You…you
…” Michael looked at the creatures. “You use
grankas?” “Yeah.
I could have hit them with spells, but I didn’t,” Harry
said. “It’s just as easy to hit them with a weapon. And
the smell of their blood will keep others away. If you all want you
can go over to a Randar and put a few smudges of their blood on your
shoes and you’ll ward off more creatures if you want. You don’t
have to do that, but…you can if you want to. Take a look at
this.” Harry went over to the dead creature and pried open it’s
mouth with both hands to show three rows of teeth. The Randar’s
head was as large as Harry’s body “Isn’t that cool?
Three rows. Very neat.” Harry ran his hand over the teeth. “Oh
sick,” Seamus said. “Get your hand out of its mouth.” “I
was just admiring its abilities,” Harry said. “The jaws
are extremely powerful. And…hold on.” Harry flung out a
hand and created a large hunting knife. “If you’re easy
to get sick, you better not watch this.” “What
are you doing?” Hermione asked. “I’m
getting Hagrid some teeth,” Harry said as he began to cut
through the flesh around the teeth taking out the ones he wanted. “He
wanted some from the last female Randar I killed, but…the
other Randars ate the female before I could get them.” Harry
used the knife to dig out the large incisors on both sides. It was
difficult work and blood spurted all over the creature’s mouth,
head and over Harry’s clothing and hands. “How
can you just cut that thing up? That’s gross,” Michael
said. “You
have blood all over,” Ron said. “Blood
is nothing,” Harry said pulling hard on the last of the six
teeth. “There. Oh god, Hagrid will love that.” Harry
stabbed the knife he had into the skull of the Randar carelessly and
stood up. “Wow. How cool.” Harry said of the teeth in his
hands. “Those
teeth are huge,” Seamus said. “What does Hagrid want with
those anyway?” “He
trades them,” Harry said. “He collects and trades teeth
of beasts. It’s a hobby of his. He’s an oddball.”
Harry moved his hand over the teeth to dry off and clean them and
then over himself to clean off the blood. With another flick of his
hand, Harry created a small pouch and put the teeth into it and stuck
it into his pocket. “The female teeth are worth twice as much
as the males because the females are usually twice as fierce. I told
you all females are all mean.” Harry winked at Hermione, Ginny
and Debbie. “Yes,
we are,” Debbie said. “You’re
the only female here who hasn’t nailed me with a curse, Deb,”
Harry said. “You’ll have to do that sometime. But not
right now, please.” “Fine,
I’ll wait,” Debbie said sarcastically. The group laughed
with her. The group made it to the plank that was over the deep
ravine. It was becoming darker inside the forest and the hole looked
bottomless. “This
is terrifying,” Dean said as he crossed the plank holding on to
the rope Harry had given them. “Remind
me never to do this again,” Michael said crossing behind Dean.
When each was on the other side of the ravine, they all breathed a
sigh of relief. “Will
we have to go back the way we came?” Draco asked as they
followed Harry over the rocky parts going a bit higher toward a set
of caves. “There
are four ways we can go,” Harry said climbing over the rocks.
“The first is back the way we came. The second is to climb down
the side of a mountain.” “Forget
that way,” Neville said. “The
third is to swim the lake at the most narrow pass which is still very
long,” Harry said. “And
fight with the giant squid? No way,” Michael said. “What’s
the fourth option?” Hermione asked in dread. “I
can take you all at one time from the last cave,” Harry said.
“There’s an energy field there in a small pool of
glyting. If we all step in, I can take us all in a second back to the
dorm. Sort of like apparating. I could do it anyway, but the glyting
will make sure that you all stay separated and not blend in with each
other’s magical signatures.” “What?”
Dean asked. “I
didn’t understand that at all. What do you mean blend in?”
Seamus asked. “I
can’t explain it, Seam,” Harry said. “Just…just
trust me on that one. I know what I’m talking about. Okay?”
The others just shrugged. “Here, Ginny and Deb. This is what I
wanted to show you both.” The ten crossed over the last of a
few large stones, and then slid between two large rocks. They all
gasped at the beauty of the hidden rock garden. All over the dark
black and ugly jagged stones were smaller sparkling flowers made of
tiny jewel-like organic glowing stones. “They’re
beautiful,” Ginny said. “Can I touch them?” “Sure.
You can pick them and take them with you,” Harry said. “You
can cast a permanent charm on them, make a small hole in the back and
string them together to make jewelry. It’s very beautiful. The
mermaids in the lake wear them. Take as many as you want.” “They
are very nice,” Seamus said. “I want some, too. I’ll
send some to my mum.” “Harry,
can you make us some pouches?” Hermione asked. Harry flicked
out his hand and made everyone a pouch to pick their flower stones.
“What is the name of these flowers?” “They
are called Noisas,” Harry said. “Or flower stones. This
is a rich bed of them.” “My
mother has lots of these,” Draco said. “She uses them in
her hair.” “I
bet that’s lovely,” Harry said slipping an arm around
Draco’s waist as everyone else was picking their flower stones.
“You’d look beautiful with flowers in your hair, too.”
Harry said in that loving way to his one. “I’m
not wearing flowers in my hair, Harry,” Draco said softly to
him only. “You already think I’m a girl anyway.” “No,
I don’t,” Harry said quietly with pure honesty in his
eyes only to Draco. “I think you’re perfect. Absolutely
perfect the way you are. I would never change one thing about you,
Draco. I desire you every moment of every day because in my eyes I
see only you perfectly beautiful as you are.” Harry gave Draco
a slow deep and kiss of uninhibited longing. Draco’s arms
slipped up around Harry’s neck and Harry’s around Draco’s
slender waist pulling him close to align their bodies perfectly
within the kiss. “I love you,” Harry whispered onto
Draco’s lips. “And
I love you more than anything,” Draco whispered onto Harry’s
warm skin of his cheek as he trailed kisses there before Harry just
held him tightly to enjoy the closeness. “I’m
picking all red ones,” Debbie said. “I love red.” “I
have all the colors,” Hermione said. “So
do I,” Ginny said. “I like the yellow the best.”
All the other boys were taking a small pouch full of the stones for
their mothers or friends as well. “Do
you want some flower stones?” Draco asked Harry. “No.
I can’t touch them,” Harry said in embarrassment. “They
die when I touch them. The magic in my hands kills them.” “You’re
kidding,” Draco said. “No.
I can’t touch many things because of my hands,” Harry
said. “Watch.” Harry let Draco go and they walked over to
one flower stone. Harry picked it and it turned black instantly in
his hand. “Oh
how odd,” Draco said. “What’s
odd? Is it Harry?” Ron asked with a laugh. “Yeah.
Actually it is him,” Draco grinned. “Look at this. Do it
again, Harry.” “Do
what?” Seamus asked as they all gathered around to see Harry
pick another flower stone and it turned into black rubble in his
hand. “How
weird. What did you do to it?” Michael asked. “I
can’t touch them,” Harry said sadly. “They die when
I touch them.” “The
magic in Harry’s hands kills them,” Draco said. “How
terrible,” Ginny said with pity. “What about after the
spells are applied to them?” “I
still can’t touch them,” Harry said. “They turn
black and die. I can add the charms to them for you, but I can’t
touch the flowers or they die. I wish I could. I’d like to hold
them, but I can’t.” Harry looked longingly to the dead
flower stone which once glowed so brightly in it’s beauty, but
now was only black crust. “What
else can’t you touch?” Draco asked. “Lots
of things,” Harry said. “I can’t touch wormwood
anymore because it catches fire when I touch it. I can’t hold
any live plants or they wither and die. I can’t touch anyone
else’s wand either because if I do, I disrupt the flow of it.” “How
interesting,” Hermione said. “That’s interesting,
Harry.” “It’s
stupid,” Harry said in embarrassment. “I can’t
touch magnets either. They depolarize and stick to me.” The
others laughed a bit but Harry shook his head. “Oh god I’m
awful.” “You’re
fine,” Draco smiled genuinely. “You are sort of like a
toy. We just play with you to see what you can do.” “How
nice,” Harry said sarcastically. “Bullshit, but nice. Are
you all finished gathering your flower stones?” They all
nodded. “Okay. This way.” Harry led them up and over the
rocks to the base of a cave. There was a smaller cave to the right
and two larger ones on the left. “Hey, Neville, would you like
to gather some Epperly moss? There’s some in the first cave.” “Yes,
I would!” Neville said in glee. “I needed some last week.
Professor Sprout is totally out of it. We are on backorder for some
now from Cauldwell’s supply. How ironic that you should ask.” “Yes.
Ironic,” Hermione accused Harry who shrugged and led them to
the first smaller cave. The moss was all over the inside of the back
of the cave and Neville and Debbie were in pure heaven at seeing it. “Can
you possibly make us a pouch to put this in?” Debbie asked
Harry. “No,
you were mean to me,” Harry teased. “I’ll
be meaner to you if you don’t give me a bag,” Debbie
threatened. “What
sort of bag do you need? Tell me. Describe it,” Harry said. “A
large bag approximately this size,” Debbie drew in the air.
“Make the inside a weave of some type for air circulation
around the moss and the outside dark to keep out the light. Can you
do that?” “I
can do anything, Debbie,” Harry said swirling his hand and
creating a bag. “Perfect. You’re great, Harry. Thanks.”
Debbie took the bags to Neville and they began to fill the bags. “Are
you great?” Ron asked sweetly in his girly voice. “Shut
up,” Harry said in irritation at Ron’s teasing. The
others laughed with Harry over it as they waited on the gathering of
the moss. “This
is the best quality moss I’ve ever seen,” Neville said.
“Professor Sprout will be very pleased.” “Don’t
tell her where you got it,” Harry said. “Just tell her
anything except that I was involved in any way. And…you’ll
have to carry it and not let it touch me or I’ll kill it.” “Is
that why you were allowed to drop Herbology after fifth year?”
Hermione asked. Harry nodded. “I’m
not allowed in the greenhouses anymore,” Harry grinned. “I
kill everything in there when I walk in. I got detention from
McGonagall last year and she wanted me to fix the beams in her
personal quarters. I walked in to her rooms and killed every live
plant she had. She never let me forget that either.” Harry
rolled his eyes. “Oh and I killed Fudge’s fern in his
office today, too. Albus thought it was funny.” The others
laughed at Albus’ sense of humor. “Okay.
We’ve gathered enough for about two years I think,”
Debbie beamed with her smile at finding the moss. “I’m
sure Snape will want some of this, too, Neville.” “No.
I’m not giving Snape anything,” Neville said. “That
man hates me.” “So?
He hates everybody,” Ron said. They all laughed and followed
Harry and Draco up over the rocks to the mouth of the cave. “What
is it in here that you want to show us?” Draco asked. “What
plant?” “You’ll
see,” Harry said as he helped Draco up onto the lip of the rock
so that they could all enter the cave. “I’ll make us some
light. It’s very dark in here.” Harry swirled up a large
ball of light and pushed it into the cave so that they could all
follow it. They’d all went a bit into the cave when Harry
stopped and dragged Draco over around the corner and Draco gasped
with his mouth open. “Oh
my god!” Draco yelled. “Harry, oh my god!” Draco
went eyes wide as did Hermione when she saw it. “What?
What is it?” Ginny asked as the others gathered around to see.
“I still don’t know what that is.” “It’s
orthothrombic crystalline organic Heusjadite,” Draco said
breathlessly. “There is only one other known location of it in
the world. How on earth did you find this?” “I
find things,” Harry said simply. Draco, Ron and Hermione gave
Harry an odd look. “Don’t tell a soul and this stash is
all yours. And Snape’s after he has a fit demanding where you
found it.” “Harry,
they’re perfect,” Hermione said as they all entered the
tiny enclosed space. Harry made another huge ball of the brightest
light so that they could all see closely. “What’s
so great about that?” Ron said looking inside the tiny room
filled with the little white quartz like organic growths all over the
walls of the cave. “Ron,
imagine the value of everything you will ever own, multiply that by a
million and you may have the value of one of these specimens,”
Draco said. “Extremely rare is not even the word for these.” “These
Heusjadites are the most sought after ingredient in the world for
Potion Masters,” Hermione said. “There are only a few
grown each year and are fought over in the Wizarding world. Harry, I
wasn’t aware that you even knew what these were.” “I
didn’t,’ Harry said. “I learned it somewhere.” “Where?
When?” Ron asked. “In
the dorm. Today,” Harry grinned. “Just don’t ask.”
Draco giggled. “Shut up, Draco.” “Baby,
please make me something to put these in,” Draco said. “I’ll
need a sturdy carrier made of peek wood about this size.” Draco
held out his hands and described it. “With a handle if you
don’t mind. And could you line it with something soft…velvet
maybe?” “Sure,”
Harry said as he took both hands and flicked and spun them to create
the basket Draco wanted. “Is that okay?” “Perfect,”
Draco smiled. “Oh god, Harry, you’re too much. I can’t
believe you found these. You’re a genius.”
“I
thought you said I was an idiot,” Harry teased. “Well,
you are an idiot,” Draco said. “Except when you find
these cool things for me.” “You
spoil him,” Ron said of Draco. “Draco
was already spoiled,” Hermione said as Harry handed her a
basket he made for her as well. “Harry just keeps the
tradition.” “I
give Draco gifts,” Harry said. “All of you with
significant others give your partners gifts of your affections. I’m
no different.” “But
we don’t give them priceless minerals, dragon tears, and a
forty thousand galleon sculptures!” Ron yelled. The others
laughed. “Don’t
listen to them, baby,” Draco said as he picked another
Heusjadite and put it into the basket. “You’re just
generous.” “Yeah.
I’m generous. So there,” Harry taunted Ron with a grin.
“Besides, it’s Draco Malfoy, Ron. What would you get him
if you were me?” “I
don’t know. A diamond mine?” Ron said and everyone
laughed again. “I
don’t have one,” Draco said. “I’ll
find one then,” Harry teased. “I
actually believe that you will,” Ginny said. “Would
you be my boyfriend, Harry?” Michael teased putting his arm
around Harry and blinking his eyelashes sweetly in a flirt. “Sorry,
Michael. If you were a Slytherin, a Death Eater and wanted to kill me
I’d be totally attracted to you,” Harry said. “But
since you’re not…oh well.” “Damn,”
Michael said in feigned sorrow. “You’re
all insane,” Hermione said. “I know the reason Harry is
so goofy over Draco.” “And
what is it?” Dean asked. Hermione turned to Harry. “Do
you want me to tell them?” Hermione asked. “Could
I possibly stop you?” Harry asked with a grin. “I’d
like to hear this myself,” Draco said picking the last of the
rare flowered minerals. “Apart from the total obviousness of my
physical beauty, astoundingly bright mind, and complex and utterly
great personality, I’d like to know your opinion on the matter,
Hermione.” The others snickered at Draco’s vanity. “Harry
is totally attracted to anything he can’t control,”
Hermione challenged with a chin lift at her own brilliance. All the
others looked directly to Harry whose eyes were locked with
Hermione’s in a glare of defiance. “Who
would want a tame dragon anyway?” Harry asked in defense of his
position. Draco laughed softly. “She
does have a point,” Draco said. “She
has no point,” Harry spat turning away and walking out of the
tiny room where the gathering of the flowers was almost complete.
“Hermione is full of it.” “I
think she’s right,” Ron said. Harry turned to Ron. “Do
you want to die today? I could arrange it,” Harry said. “You
won’t do nothing to me. You love me,” Ron said. “And
I can prove it.” “Get
away from me,” Harry said pushing Ron away and walking to the
mouth of the cave muttering on about stupidity and red headed
weasels. The others laughed and followed behind him after a few
minutes. “Are we quite ready to go back?” “Yes,
miser dragon slayer, let’s go,” Seamus said. “I
hate you people,” Harry said. “Come on.” Harry took
Draco’s hand to help him up and over the rocks. When Draco was
by he assisted Debbie, Ginny, Neville and Dean. The other boys were
taller and stronger and they managed themselves. “You
help us but you’re smaller than almost all of us,” Dean
said. “No,
I’m not,” Harry said. “I’m just…just
fine. I’m an inch taller than Draco and…well, at least
I’m taller than Draco. I was being courteous. It’s that
Gryffindor flaw I have.” “I
thought you said you were a Slytherin?” Ginny asked. “I
am,” Harry said. “Partly. I’m half lion, too. I’m
a mutt mix.” “Oh
yes, those toxic genetics of yours,” Ron said as he jumped over
the hole in the rocks. “If
you only knew how right you were,” Harry said. “Okay.
Here’s the cave. Watch the floor. It’s very slick.”
Harry assisted Draco and Hermione down and the others came down
alone. Harry led them with a ball of light into the cave just a bit
to where there was a small shallow pool only a few inches deep of
sparkling blue and white foamy water. A stream of light was coming
from the top where the water was trickling down over the stones and
into the pool. “I think I’ll take us onto the lawn near
Hagrid’s so I can give him the Randar teeth. Is that okay?” “Fine
with me,” Draco said. The others nodded. “Step
into the pool and all take hands,” Harry said as they all
stepped into the pool and did as Harry asked so quickly without
question. “Now you all need to get naked.” Everyone gave
Harry a look. “I was just seeing if you’d do it.”
Harry laughed and Ron punched him in the arm. “Ouch. Damn.
Okay, ready?” Harry gave another laugh and then took Draco and
Hermione’s hand. “Three, two, one, go.” Harry
closed his eyes and pushed a flood of magic into the room, which lit
up bright like a lightening flash for a few seconds. After the light
was gone they were all standing outside Hagrid’s hut. “Oh
how cool,” Ginny smiled. “Did
you feel that tingly cold thing?” Seamus asked. They all nodded
and Harry was walking to the door of Hagrid’s hut and knocking
as they all came up behind him. Hagrid’s dog Fang was barking
inside. “Hold
on, hold on,” Hagrid was telling the dog. Hagrid opened the
door. “Harry, how are ye mate? And…well then…”
Hagrid saw the others. “I
brought you something,” Harry said. “And you’ll
love it.” Harry smiled and Hagrid motioned them all inside.
Hagrid came to sit in his chair at his table. Everyone took seats
around the table and their partners sat on laps. Harry sat on the
table and pulled out the small pouch and dumped the contents into
Hagrid’s upturned palm. “Great
Merlin,” Hagrid said in excitement. “Did ye get these
from a trader?” “No,
he got them from a Randar,” Draco said. “He
killed it tonight,” Ron said. Hagrid paled. “You
went in the forest with this lot?” Hagrid motioned to the
group. Harry nodded. “Yeah,”
Harry said. “We had a great time. I gave them all rocks.” “Rocks?
What rocks?” Hagrid said. Ginny opened her bag and showed
Hagrid the flower stones, Hermione pulled out a Heusjadite, and Draco
showed Hagrid his dragon tear emerald. “My stars. Where did you
get all them? Oh mercy, is that a dragon tear?” “Yes.
Harry got it from some snakes,” Draco said. Everyone nodded.
Hagrid looked confused at them. “At
the dry riverbed where the snakes gather in the tide pools,”
Harry said. “I was speaking to Polliot and he told me that
there was a strange stone that glowed from a dragon at the bottom of
the pool. He asked me to remove it and I knew it was a dragon tear,
so…I gave it to my dragon.” Harry took Draco’s
hand. “Oh, and Draco Malfoy and I are sort of together. You
know like…like that.” “Oh…well
then,” Hagrid looked to Harry and then to Draco for a moment.
“I see and…um…Albus knows about that and all?” “Of
course,” Harry said. “But I got you these Randar teeth
from the female.” “How
many was there?” Hagrid said looking over the teeth. “There
were two males with the female,” Debbie said. “Harry
killed them with grankas,” Michael said. Hagrid gave Harry an
odd look. “Grankas?
Why didn’t you use a spell?” Hagrid asked. “I
don’t know. I just…used the grankas,” Harry said.
“Same thing to me. I’m equally as accurate with the
blades as a spell. You’ve seen me cast the grankas, Hagrid.” “Ai,
I have,” Hagrid said. “Thanks for these. I can’t
wait till old Falton sees I got me hands on this many. I might end up
with that hypnum tail yet.” Hagrid and Harry laughed together. “I
could get you a hypnum tail, Hagrid,” Harry said with a smile.
“If you talk Albus into letting me out of here, you and I will
go to Nambia and I’ll personally kill it for you if you want.” “You
know he won’t allow it,” Hagrid said. “He keeps you
on a tight leash, Harry. With good reason. Look here. You took
students into the forest at night. He’ll have your hide.” “I’m
not worried about it,” Harry said. “Besides, I had other
reasons for taking them today. They needed to know things. Well, we’d
better go. Let me know if you get that hypnum tail from Falton and
what he says about your new collection of Randar incisors.”
Hagrid patted Harry on the shoulder hard and Harry winced just a bit
at the weight of the giant’s hand, but kept his smile. “Thanks
a lot, Harry,” Hagrid said. “And you lot don’t be
following him into the forest no more. You could get hurt.” “I
don’t think Harry would let anything happen to us, Hagrid,”
Hermione said as they all went to the door and out. Hagrid pulled
Harry into a hug of immense pressure and then let him go. “Bye,
Hagrid,” Everyone said. “Be
careful, Harry,” Hagrid said. “And stay out of trouble.” “I’m
never careful and I go looking for trouble. You know that,”
Harry said with a smile and a wave to him as the group left and
started their walk up to the school. “A
truer statement has never been spoken,” Neville said. “It’s
still early,” Debbie said. “Let’s go around and
take this moss to the greenhouses.” They all agreed and walked
to the greenhouses, which were locked. Neville, of course, as
Professor Sprout’s assistant had a key and they all entered
chattering away. Harry stood back from the greenhouses as the others
entered and began moving about around the trays working with the
moss. They opened the bags and all assisted putting the moss on trays
and on long tables to dry for use later. The conversations were all
about the plants inside the greenhouses and their assignments of the
past week. “Where’s
Harry?” Dean asked after they were all inside and arranging the
clumps. “Oh,
I forgot. He can’t come in the greenhouses,” Draco said.
“I’ll go back out with him.” The others helped
Debbie and Neville put the clumps of moss on a drying table arranged
so that they air would dry them. Draco went back out with Harry who
stood alone. “I’m sorry. I forgot that you’re not
allowed inside.” “It’s
okay,” Harry said. “I was just waiting.” “They’re
just putting the moss on a drying table anyway,” Draco said to
make light of the situation of which he was uncomfortable. “It
won’t take but a few minutes.” “Okay,”
Harry said. Draco came near and Harry put his arms around Draco from
behind. The night was starry and bright with the full moon. “Want
me to show you something special just for you?” “Yes,”
Draco said excitedly. “Look
up at the stars,” Harry said. Harry raised his hand in front of
them and wrote something in the air and then waved his hand in a
smooth motion across the sky. The stars in the sky moved to spell out
I LOVE YOU with the tiny twinkling stars. Draco gasped. “Oh
how cool,” Draco said. “How did you do that? I know you
didn’t move the stars.” “Do
you know that for sure?” Harry asked with a grin. Draco turned
to him in with an odd look. “No,
I don’t know that for sure,” Draco almost whispered in
awe. “Did you?” “Do
you think I could do that?” Harry asked softly gazing into the
silvery eyes of his lover. “Yes,”
Draco whispered in all seriousness. “I
only moved the light coming to us,” Harry said. “I didn’t
move the star, only it’s light.” “I
think you could do anything,” Draco said confidently. “I
can’t do everything,” Harry said. “But I can do
some things. Like this...” Harry leaned to give Draco a warm
kiss that filled them both with that slow burning desire and crashing
waves of blissful love. “I
love you,” Draco said with his eyes closed rubbing his cheek on
Harry’s slowly. Nothing on earth could compare to hearing those
words. “Draco…”
Harry whispered before their next set of tiny butterfly kisses. “Is
that all you two do?” Michael interrupted. “Harry
discovered that he likes to kiss now,” Ron said. “With
good reason. Didn’t we decide that Draco is the best kisser in
the school?” Harry asked. “No,
I think we decided I was,” Ron said. “I
think not, Weasel,” Draco said. “Anyway,
I’m making up for years of not kissing people,” Harry
admitted. “Draco’s my victim in that respect. He has to
take the torture of kissing me.” “I’ll
sacrifice myself to save others from that misery, Potty,” Draco
said. “Go
to hell, ferret,” Harry said. “Draco,
do you want to take these Heusjadite to Professor Snape?”
Hermione asked. “We’ll need to put them into a controlled
incubator to keep them moist and dark so they’ll keep
perfectly.” “Yes,
we need to do that,” Draco said. “Oh
no,” Harry said. “We have to do that? It’s
necessary? We absolutely have to?” Harry was wide-eyed with
dread. “Well…yes,
Harry. The jadeite will ruin if it’s not maintained properly,”
Draco said. “Is that a problem?” “A
problem? That’s a catastrophe!” Harry said. “That’s
it. I’m dead. How could I be so stupid? Snape will tell Albus
and then I’m fried for taking you all that far out. He’ll
skin me alive! Oh god…” Harry began to pace back and
forth with arms crossed over the lawn. “He’ll kill me. He
will absolutely kill me. I’ll be scrubbing the owlery until I
bleed.” “Hold
on. Maybe if we swear Snape to secrecy and promise to give him a few
of the jadeites then he’ll not say anything,” Hermione
said. Harry put his hands on his hips. “With
Snape? This is a perfect opportunity for him to nail me with
something,” Harry said. “Snape is just one evil fucker.
He loves getting me in trouble with Albus.” “Perhaps
he’ll be grateful enough for these minerals to keep his word,”
Debbie said. “No,”
Harry said quietly. “Well. Let’s take these jade things
down to the potions lab and then…then I’ll go tell Albus
myself before he hears it from Snape. I’d rather get one
punishment instead of several.” “We’ll
come with you,” Neville said. “Because we got the moss
that Professor Sprout needed, too.” “And…well,
we’ll come with you,” Ginny said. “We all went
willingly, so…we’ll all take punishment if that’s
required.” “Speak
for yourself,” Draco said. Harry laughed. “You’re
amazing, Draco,” Harry said. “You’re such an evil
bastard.” “And
you’re nothing but a four eyed scarhead with delusions of
grandeur,” Draco said stomping off toward the school. Harry
giggled silently to himself as he stood with the others watching
Draco walk away. “Isn’t
he great? I just love him,” Harry asked the others. Ron came to
put his arm over Harry’s shoulder. “Harry,
you’re a good friend and we need to carefully explain to you
about what love is. Because I really don’t think you have a
clue,” Ron said. The others laughed hard and they caught up to
Draco in a few moments. The group of ten walked the corridors down
toward the potions labs. Draco knocked on Professor Snape’s
door of his personal quarters and after several moments the door
opened to a sneering Potions Master. Snape looked them all over. “What
is it, Malfoy?” Snape asked and then glared at Harry. “We
need your assistance, sir,” Draco grinned. “We have some
very rare minerals which require a darkening and humid incubator.” “And
what minerals would that be?” Snape asked. “Orthothrombic
crystalline organic Heusjadite, sir,” Draco beamed. Snape
sneered hatefully and made to shut the door. “I’m
not in any mood for your foolery,” Snape quipped as he was
trying to close the door. Draco stopped it with his foot. “Do
you want detentions, all of you?” “Professor,
look,” Hermione opened her basket to show the little mineral
flowers. Snape’s eyes widened as Hermione handed him the
basket. “Where
did you get this? Potter?” Snape accused. “I…I
um…there’s a cave that…we sort of…um…”
Harry said. “Harry
found these,” Draco said. “He recognized them as very
rare and gave them to me and Hermione. We would be willing to give
you half of them if you keep the silence of their discovery from
others including the other professors.” Snape and Harry locked
gazes. “You
mean Albus,” Snape smirked. “You took the students into
the forest and now want to bribe me for silence? Is that it?” “Yes.
That would be exactly it, sir,” Draco said. “No.
I don’t need to bribe anyone for silence, sir,” Harry
said. “I plan to tell Albus of the discovery myself. Time was
an issue because the minerals require special environmental care. It
was at Draco and Hermione’s suggestion that we come to you
first.” “I
see,” Snape said. “Follow me.” Snape took the
basket and led the others down the hallways into another lab. The
students watched as Snape, Draco and Hermione set up the incubator
for the minerals. It took a half hour and eventually all the minerals
were placed into the box-like incubator for safekeeping. “And
what is your intended purpose for these minerals, Malfoy? Granger?” “Only
the study of them closely, sir,” Hermione said. “It’s
a very rare opportunity to study something so interesting and quite
unusual. The mere effort to find these jadeites was commendable.”
Snape shot Harry a narrow eyed glare. “Harry
found them previously and knew of my and Granger’s interest in
such rare potion ingredients, sir,” Draco said. “It was
Harry’s suggestion that we share them with you.” “How
generous,” Snape said with much sarcasm. Harry swallowed. “And
where is the location that you found such rarity, Potter?” “I
cannot reveal that to you, sir,” Harry said. “I’m
sorry. I was sworn not to tell.” “And
were the rest of this group sworn not to reveal that location as
well?” Snape asked them and settled his glare on Neville.
“Longbottom? Have you nothing to add?” “No,
sir,” Neville said. “I’d never find it again
anyway. I was totally lost.” The others nodded to that
sentiment as Snape looked back to Harry and narrowed his gaze. “I
will not give you detention or take away house points,” Snape
said. “Consider that my gratitude.” “Thank
you, sir,” Harry said. “And
given that these orthothrombic crystalline organic Heusjadite are
very rare indeed, I should like to propose that the entire seventh
year student body have opportunity to view and study them over the
course of the next week,” Snape said approvingly while gazing
into the incubator lovingly at them. “Sir,
Malfoy mentioned that these Heusjadite are an added ingredient in the
development of an invisibility potion,” Harry said. “Perhaps
if we may want to alert a certain group that may be interested in
that potion for security reasons upcoming.” “That
will need to be discussed at another time, Potter,” Snape said.
“However, I will begin to gather and concoct that very potion
as soon as you all leave my lab.” “Thank
you, sir,” Harry said. “Let’s go.” The other
students all left the lab and Harry sighed hard. “Fucker.”
Harry stomped down the hallway and took a right as all the others
took a left. “Where
are you going?” Draco asked. “Oh.
Secret passage. Come on,” Harry said continuing to walk as they
followed. “I think I need to go to Albus right now.” “Harry…”
Hermione was thinking. “Do you mean to tell me that you…” “Hermione,
please,” Harry said as they walked quickly. “I need to
tell Albus first. And…I don’t want to speak of it yet.
Just…wait until we get there. My mind is full of things I need
to work on for a moment.” Harry led them to a small room where
he placed his hand on the stone and it opened up a door. They all
followed Harry inside and the door closed quickly. “Potter?
Light?” Draco asked as each stood in the dark. “Lumos
torchelia estelas grandus maxius,” Harry said. “You need
to learn that spell. You could say it just as easy as I can. For
heaven’s sake. Now. This is very, very neat. You’ll feel
like you’re flying for just a moment and it will take your
breath, but this is a very quick way to get to the ground floor
without those damn stairs. It’s like an elevator. Hold on.”
Harry put his hand on the floor palm down and muttered a spell. The
floor swooshed them straight up quickly making them all gasp. When
they were at ground level the floor stopped suddenly making them all
jump into the air uncontrollably. “Wasn’t that fun?” “What’s
an elevator?” Michael asked. Harry and Hermione snickered. “A
floor that moves up,” Harry said simply. “Come on.”
Harry touched the wall and it became watery and they all stepped
through only two corridors down from Albus’ quarters. “He’s
going to kill me. I just know it.” “Don’t
worry about it,” Draco said. “We forced you to take us
there.” “Oh
yes that will work,” Harry said with sarcasm. “You forced
me to do something. Right. That’s lame, Draco. I’m dead.”
Harry came to the portrait and asked to come in and the portrait
swung open. Harry took a deep breath and entered. “Honey, I’m
home!” Harry yelled and he could hear Albus laughing in the
sitting room. “Where
have you been? I was looking for you earlier,” Albus asked and
the ten students came in. “Well. It looks like I have company.
Harry, make our guests some chairs, please.” Harry flicked his
hand and made four chairs. “We’ll need more than four.” “Couples
always share chairs,” Harry said in his confused state that
Albus wouldn’t understand such simplicity. Harry sat and
dragged Draco over. “I’m stupid and I have done something
to warrant punishment.” “What
have you done now?” Albus asked shaking his head. “Harry?
It’s something else everyday with you. Why can’t you
just be still for one minute?” “I’m
sorry. I’m just like this,” Harry said as the other
students tried not to snicker. Harry gave them a hard look. “I
took Draco and these with me…um…into the forest to my
treehouse and then we sort of went on a….well…a nature
hike…thing…sort of.” “You
revealed your hideout and you took students into the forbidden
forest?” Albus asked. Harry nodded. “Do you not know what
forbidden means?” The students covered their mouths and looked
away at trying not to laugh. “Yes,
I know what it means,” Harry said lowly. “But I had
reasons to take them.” “And
these reasons are what exactly? And what type of nature hike did you
mean?” Albus asked. “I…I
took them over the dry river beds, over hobbit’s well, through
the rock gardens and into the caves there,” Harry said. “I’ve
never been past the dry river,” Albus said. “Why did you
go that far?” “There
were things there that were needed,” Harry said. “In the
deepest cave there is a growth of orthothrombic crystalline organic
Heusjadite that Draco and Hermione harvested.” “Amazing,”
Albus said. “And how did you know it was there?” “The
flow told me,” Harry said. The other students looked to each
other with confused looks. Albus nodded his understanding. “There
was plenty enough for each of them and for Snape. And you know why I
went.” “Ah
yes,” Albus said. “The invisibility potion. Good plan.”
Harry nodded. “Are the minerals in stasis? Is Severus preparing
the potion now?” “We
just gave it to him,” Harry said. “The jadeite is in
stasis in an incubator, and Severus is preparing the potion even as
we speak.” “Very
good work, Harry,” Albus said. “But you shouldn’t
have taken the students without permission.” “Would
you have given me permission to take them had I asked?” Harry
asked. “No,”
Albus said. “That’s
why I didn’t ask you,” Harry grinned. “Besides,
they learned a lot about the creatures, plants, terrain and other
things. They even have tokens from their trip.” “Interesting.
Would you all care to show me what you brought?” Albus asked.
Each showed him their pouches of the stone flowers. “Ah…beautiful.
I have always loved the Noisas flower stones.” Hermione wisely
handed one of the stones to Albus and placed it into his palm and it
continued to glow. Hermione shot Harry a look, which he returned. “Why
is it that you cannot hold the flower stones, but the Headmaster
can?” Hermione asked Harry. “Harry
cannot hold them or they die,” Albus said. “Did you try
it, Harry?” “Yes,”
Harry sighed. “They die when I touch them. Just like everything
else I seem to touch.” “And
what reason did you tell the students that you cannot touch the
flower stones?” Albus asked with a grin. “I
simply told them that the magic from my hands is too much for the
stones,” Harry said. “And
nothing else?” Albus asked in almost mockery. “No.
Nothing else,” Harry said. Albus nodded. Hermione was on fire. “Harry?”
Hermione asked. “Would you care to explain further?” “No,”
Harry said shortly. “No, I wouldn’t. But thank you for
asking.” “Sir,
why can’t Harry touch the stones?” Debbie asked. “If
Harry wishes you to know he will tell you himself,” Albus
looked over his glasses at Harry. “Why
do you do that?” Harry gave the same look to Albus. “They
will drive me crazy with that crap until I spill the whole can of
beans. I can’t do that. They think I’m weird enough now.” “Your
friends will always be your friends, Harry,” Albus said.
“Regardless of what they know about you.” “They
know too much already,” Harry said with a grin. “Then
you did tell them what you are?” Albus asked. Harry grunted in
irritation and bordering on anger.
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Tomorrow Will Come
Chapter 13: Chapter 13
By: Kimberjingle
Chapter 13: The Forest Adventure, Not a What