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batsutousaiTitle: Reclaim
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
batsutousai
Beta:magickmaker17
Pairings: Harry/Tom(Voldemort), Salazar/Godric, Rowena/Helga, Sirius/Remus, Gin/Ted, Herm/???
Warnings: This will have graphic slash(guys on guys), not-so-graphic femslash(gals on gals), and not-so-graphic het(guy on gal or gal on guy)
Summary: Sequel to Abandon!
In love with the man he’s expected to kill and member of the esteemed Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter must fight in a war in which he is divided. Can he lead his world to peace?
Disclaim Her: Errr... I went to the dentist the other day and, much to my surprise, I had NO CAVITIES!! That never happens. *is totally serious, for once*
Key:
Mind-speak
:Parseltongue:
’Written thoughts’
°°Phoenix speech°°
-
Chapter 3
-
Harry smiled as the forms of his two godfathers slipped into the crazy Great Hall. "I’ll see you both later," he murmured to the people sitting on either side of him as he rose.
"Weasley?" Severus inquired discretely.
Harry winked. "Something like that." Then he slid down from the dais and through the crowds of students to where Sirius and Remus stood. "Good morning," he offered cheerfully.
"I don't recall there being quite this many children when I went here," Sirius commented grumpily.
"Of course not, Padfoot." Remus sighed, looking like he'd been having this conversation – or something like it – on and off for quite some time. "How have you been, Harry?"
Harry shrugged. "Well enough. Shall we?" He nodded to the doors behind the Marauders with a faint smile.
"Oh!" Sirius made an apologetic face. "Hullo, Harry," he offered as Remus led the way through the doorway.
Harry grinned. "Hey there, Siri. You okay?"
"Yeah." Sirius shrugged. "Remus wouldn't tell me what you two needed to do, though."
Harry gave Remus a sharp look. "Why not, Remus?"
"I did tell him he wouldn't want to come, you know." Remus rolled his eyes. "And we really didn't need you blabbing, Padfoot."
"I wouldn't blab!"
Both Harry and Remus turned to give the animagus dry looks.
Sirius gave them pitiful looks. "Never mind that. Where are we going?"
Harry let out a sigh and kicked at a pebble that he just happened to notice beneath his feet. "Azkaban."
"What?!" Sirius reared back, as if struck. "Why?"
"That was my question, actually," Remus offered dryly, giving Harry a pointed look.
Harry made a face. "Look, I know Albus is doing a check of my mail, so I didn't want to get into the reason too much through owls." He glanced up at the gate that they were steadily approaching. "Ron owled Herm earlier this week."
"That shouldn't be possible..." Remus murmured, frowning at Harry.
"No, it shouldn't." Sirius gave Harry a sharp look. "Unless he's escaped."
"My thoughts exactly." Harry nodded. "I needed a chaperone, and I knew Albus would allow it to be Remus."
"And you could call it official business and keep Voldie from getting ticked off, right?" Sirius shot back teasingly.
"Who are you, and what have you done with Sirius Black?" Harry replied, laughing.
"I finally knocked some sense into his head, I think," Remus offered dryly.
Harry shook his head with a smile. "I see that. Now." He turned to Sirius with a cool look. "Are you coming with us to Azkaban?"
Sirius took a deep breath. "All the dementors are out, right?"
"Yeah," Harry agreed.
"Then it's my duty as your godfather to accompany you to your doom," the animagus replied, offering his godson a shaky smile.
Harry stopped walking just outside the open Hogwarts gates of the school's grounds to give his godfather a sharp look. "Don't come out of a sense of duty, Siri. I don't want you hurt in any way when we both know I'll be fine without you standing over me."
Sirius let out a long sigh. "I'm not being given a choice, okay?" Then he pulled out a piece of parchment that had been crumbled and then folded neatly many times. "Here." He held the parchment out to Harry nervously.
Harry frowned, but took the parchment and read it over. His eyes narrowed and he let out an angry growl as he finished it. "Fucker," he hissed furiously.
"What is it?" Remus enquired, reaching for the parchment.
Harry scowled and set the paper aflame in his hand, earning him startled shouts from both his godfathers. "Albus is having Siri stick close to me off the school's grounds." His eyes softened slightly as he looked up at Sirius. "Since you're given no choice, and I won't have Albus questioning your loyalty without reason, I'm requesting that you come in your animagus form; perhaps it will help, and you may catch something that Remus and I don't."
"Like Ron's stench," Sirius agreed good-humouredly before shifting into his Grim form.
Harry and Remus traded looks. Neither of them liked this new ploy of Albus'.
-~/\~-
Azkaban rose, cold and unyielding, before the three travellers as their boat landed. You had to take a boat to the island, Harry had learned from Tom, after he'd decided to go check on Ron, since they had up shields against both apparation and disapparation that were even stronger than the ones around Hogwarts, and the wards extended for miles around the remote island. Luckily, though, it hadn't taken much for Harry to procure a boat trip to the island from the Ministry of Magic.
Harry felt Padfoot shudder against his leg and immediately reached down to pet him comfortingly, mentally cursing Albus in many painful ways.
A young auror with an out of place smile met them at the dock. "Mr Potter! This is a surprise!" he exclaimed.
Padfoot let out a low growl as the auror stepped forward to help Harry out. The young man stepped back quickly, eyeing the Grim suspiciously.
"Padfoot, that wasn't necessary." Remus sighed as Harry stepped from the boat easily and turned back to help the werewolf out. "Thank you, Harry."
Padfoot stepped onto the dock with a low whine and gave Remus a sad look. The other Marauder just frowned at him in response, but Harry laughed. "Oh, let it go, Remus," the younger wizard said, grinning. "He didn't mean any harm, did you Padfoot?" Padfoot immediately let out a bark of agreement, then hurried to beg pets from his godson.
"You're wrapped around his paw, aren't you?" Remus groaned helplessly. Harry grinned in response.
"Er..." The auror cleared his throat loudly, then gave them a stern look and started in on a practised speech, which Harry cut into immediately.
"I think all four of us know what we can and cannot do here at Azkaban, sir. If you would please lead the way, we're just here to see how Ronald Weasley is doing."
"Of course," the auror replied, flushing slightly. "Right this way." He spun on the balls of his feet, then led the way into the imposing building.
"You didn't have to be so rude," Remus murmured as they followed the auror in.
"The less time we all have to spend here, the better," Harry responded in a whisper, eyes sweeping the cells they were passing coldly. Most of Azkaban was empty, since, right after the dementors left, Voldemort had made a massive raid on the place, freeing all of his imprisoned people and setting quite a few others free, just to hassle the already overworked Ministry. Harry allowed himself a faint smile as he remembered the pictures of frazzled Ministry workers that had started appearing in the paper at that time.
"Here we are," their guide stated, coming to a halt outside one of the cells.
Harry stepped up next to him and tried to peer through the gloom of the cell. "Lumos," he murmured, raising his wand so the light slipped into the darkness. A sleeping form lay on the bunk in the cell, red hair falling over its face.
"As you can see, he's sleeping," the guard grumbled. "He's been doing that a lot of late."
Harry shook his head sharply, unconsciously rubbing at something that only he could see around his wrist. "That's not Ron," he offered in a cold voice, levelling his wand at the sleeping form. "Dispergo nitor!"
The spell connected with the glamour around the figure on the bed and destroyed it, revealing a sleeping man with short-cropped golden-brown hair and tanned skin. The auror next to Harry immediately gave a shout. "Jonathan!" He hurried to unlock the cell and check the other man's pulse. "Still alive. Thank Merlin."
Harry nodded and looked down at Padfoot. "Padfoot, this is where you come in. I need you to track down Ron's scent."
Padfoot gave one quick bark, then started sniffing around, going into the cell to get a better grasp of his scent before he started down the hall slowly, going deeper into the prison. Harry and Remus traded frowns before following the Grim-like dog.
The auror who had been guiding them hurried to catch up. "You knew he was gone," he huffed angrily.
"I had a hunch," Harry replied calmly. "He sent a friend of mine a letter, so I decided to come and check on it. We would have sent a forewarning, but we didn't want to put you all in a panic if there was nothing wrong."
"Oh..." The auror frowned. He clearly hadn't expected for Harry to have such a well-reasoned answer.
The three humans followed Padfoot silently for almost an hour, always going deeper into the chilled prison. Each time they passed a cell with a person in it, they would hear low moans or pleading cries for them to free the wretched soul. Harry and the auror ignored the cries with practised ease, and Padfoot was too intent on finding Ron to notice, but Remus winced at every cry. It didn't take Harry long to feel the need to place a Silencing Sphere up around them.
"Light at the end of the tunnel," Remus offered with a nervous little laugh as a speck of light appeared ahead of them.
"I've never been down this far," their former guide whispered. "I don't know anyone who has, actually."
"I'll bet my life that your friend Jonathan has at one point," Harry murmured, frowning. "Whether it was his own choice or not, is a different matter, however," he added as they all came to a halt before a large hole in the wall of Azkaban. The sky outside stretched far off into the distance, the sea thrashing beneath it violently.
"Who do you think made this?" Remus enquired, fingering the edges of the hole.
Harry frowned at the hole himself. "Could have been anyone. A prisoner back when the dementors ruled this place, perhaps even the dementors themselves. It could have been Ron's own little escape route, as well." He stepped out into the dull sunlight. "We're coming, Padfoot."
Padfoot let out a huff from where he stood, impatiently awaiting his godson and lover. Once the three humans had joined him again, he trotted around the corner of the building with a bark. Harry and Remus exchanged amused looks before following.
"Merlin!" the auror cried as he rounded the corner just behind Harry and Remus. The Dark Wizard and werewolf had to agree; before them lay a small dock with two boats tied to the pier.
"I think we know how he got off the island now," Harry muttered darkly.
"How did Voldemort invade the island, anyway?" Remus inquired thickly, kneeling to hug Padfoot.
"Self-made boats," the young auror replied numbly. "They must have had a party that docked here and emptied the prison from this exit while You-Know-Who himself and another group attacked at the main gates."
"Most likely," Harry agreed before pointing his wand at the dock and blasting it to pieces. "Now, to plug that hole..." he growled lowly before spinning on a heel and stalking back around the corner to repair the hole in the wall.
Remus offered a weary sigh. "Another manhunt."
"Of course," the young auror threw in carelessly. "We'll have to catch him. It's absolutely not allowed for a prisoner to be wandering around–"
"Interesting," Harry hissed in the older wizard's ear, smirking when the auror jumped. "How will the Ministry live this one down, I wonder," the Boy-Who-Lived added in his own careless manner before walking up to Remus and Padfoot. "We've done what we came here to do. Let's head back."
"I would like to make one last stop before we go," Remus offered smoothly as they started up the hill that would take them back up to where their boat was docked. Only Harry could see that the werewolf was tugging on his Junior pendent.
Harry glanced down at Padfoot, who was walking determinedly between himself and Remus. The animagus looked like he didn't plan on leaving them to go anywhere, either. "Padfoot, we need to make a report."
Padfoot shot Harry a look that clearly said, 'Well, you aren't going without me.'
Remus smiled. "Guess he'll just have to deal."
Harry rubbed at the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "Padfoot, do me a favour and try not to get me into trouble?"
Padfoot let out a cheerful bark. He'd try.
-~/\~-
Harry led the small group up the walk to the main entrance of Slytherin Manor. At the entrance, they were met with two Death Eater guards who blocked their passage, though that might have been because Harry, Remus, and Sirius had all drawn their hoods up to hide their faces from sight.
"Identify yourselves," the guard on the right, who struck Harry as new, ordered in a cool voice.
Instead of lowering his hood, as expected, Harry pulled out his pendant for his ticket past. The one on the left straightened sharply and inclined his head respectfully. "My Lord."
Harry smirked beneath his hood. "Rabastan. Always a pleasure."
"His Lordship is in his second study. I don't believe he was expecting you," Rabastan added as the newer Death Eater's eyes shifted back and forth between his co-guard and this stranger behind his mask.
"If he does expect me, I'll have to work harder to keep him from knowing my more spur-of-the-moment movements, won't I?"
"Probably," Rabastan agreed, laughter tickling his voice.
"We agree, then." Harry nodded with a smile before he slipped back into a colder persona. "A good day to you, gentlemen." Then he led the way into the Manor without further hampering from the two Death Eaters.
The three Order members continued through the manor to the Dark Lord's second study without running into anyone else, though Harry had sensed a house-elf, more than once, eying them warily from the shadows. The house-elves of Slytherin Manor were their master's best spies, and some of the most loyal Harry had ever seen. Harry didn't doubt that the Dark Lord would be expecting some cloaked guests by now.
Respectfully, Harry knocked on the study door, awaiting the curt call that allowed them to step into the room before he led his two companions in. No one spoke as Harry shut the door behind him. Harry pulled back his hood then, and smirked at the surprised look dashing across the serpent-like face of the Dark Lord. "Hullo, Tom," Harry offered, motioning for his two companions to take seats and make themselves at home.
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?!" Voldemort hissed, narrowing his eyes.
Harry smiled. He could feel the delight at his sudden arrival through the connection he shared with his lover. "Remus actually suggested we come at the last moment."
Remus pulled his own hood back at the mention of his name and inclined his head towards the Dark Lord respectfully. "Lord Voldemort."
Voldemort nodded in reply before turning to the third member of the party. "And what, pray tell, is Sirius Black doing here?" Deadly ruby eyes turned on Harry.
Harry's lips twitched with a faint smile. "Why are you always so paranoid?"
"I'm not paranoid!"
"Yes. You are."
"I am not!"
Remus let out a discreet cough. "Sirius is here because Albus has him tailing Harry, my Lord," he offered when the arguing wizards turned to look at him.
Voldemort shot Sirius a strange look. "Welcome to Slytherin Manor, Mr Black," he finally offered in a muted tone.
"Now there's a phrase I never thought I'd hear." Sirius snorted from beneath his hood.
The Dark Lord ignored the animagus in favour of looking to Harry questioningly. "Really, Harry, why are you all here?"
Harry's smile was gone in mere seconds. "We just made that trip to Azkaban."
Voldemort's eyes narrowed, though not at Harry. "He's gone." It wasn't a question.
"Yes."
Voldemort hit a button on his desk. "We'll look for him. You worry about Hogwarts for now."
"Of course."
Two Death Eaters walked into the study and bowed to their two Lords. "What can we do for you?" one asked in an empty tone.
"Ronald Weasley has escaped from Azkaban. I want him," Harry said coldly, eyes dancing with a dangerous green fire.
"And make sure it is understood that he is to be brought back alive," Voldemort added. "Dismissed."
The Death Eaters bowed again, then spun sharply and left the room, closing the door behind them.
"I will let you know as soon as we catch him," the Dark Lord offered, looking up at Harry calmly.
Harry nodded. "Thank you." Then he glanced back at his two companions. "We'd best return to Hogwarts before Albus send out a search party," he offered with a grin.
"With any luck, he'll send Hermione." Remus snorted with amusement as he stood.
"Uhg. The last thing I need is Herm complaining because I didn't tell her I was heading for Azkaban ahead of time." Harry groaned in response.
Remus laughed. "Well, I promise not to tell her where you've been."
"You'd deserve it," Voldemort threw in as he returned to his paperwork, earning him a startled look from Sirius. "Now let me finish this work."
Harry shook his head in amusement before tossing his hood back over his head. "Good day, then, Tom."
"Good day," the Dark Lord agreed, not looking up.
The three visitors left quietly, leaving a smiling Voldemort behind.
-~/\~-
Harry grinned at Herm, Draco, Anthony Goldstein, and Justin Flinch-Fletchley, who stood around him. The other four recent graduates were there to help Harry teach the new DA – or Duelling Association – that was going to start within the hour. People were trickling into the Great Hall slowly and finding seats in the chairs that ringed the Hall, having been pushed up against the walls. Most of the people there were current students of Hogwarts, former members of the DA, or members of the Order. Severus, Filius Flitwick, and Minerva all stood in the doorway of the Great Hall, greeting the newcomers and making sure they weren't Marked and not on their list of people who were considered safe.
"So, what are we teaching first?" Justin enquired easily.
Herm let out a heavy sigh. "The Shield Charm, apparently," she grumbled, shooting Harry a slightly disgruntled look. "At least, that’s what Harry decided."
"Hey–" Harry made a face, "–I can guarantee that at least a quarter of the people who show up today won't be able to cast a proper Shield Charm and hold it while being attacked."
"Are you sure the Headmaster made a good choice when he hired you as the Defence Professor?" Draco inquired dryly.
"Watch it, Malfoy," Anthony shot at the blond. "You have no idea how good Harry is."
Harry and Herm traded exasperated looks before Harry stepped in. "Anthony, it's fine. Draco, do try and behave yourself?"
Draco crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't know why you're blaming me for all this."
"Because you're a slimly Slytherin and a Death Eater," Anthony spat.
"Anthony!" Herm cried, horrified by his claims.
"I'm no more a Death Eater than Harry is," Draco spat, stepping forward so his nose and Anthony's nose were mere millimetres from one another.
"Gentlemen!" Harry called, eyes narrowed at the two. "Enough!"
"Really, Harry," a voice tutted. "You can’t even control your friends now?"
"You're not supposed to 'control' friends, Marcus," Herm muttered lowly, shooting the disguised Dark Lord a cold look.
Draco's eyes shot around to look up at his older leader. He swallowed at the warning burning in the teal depths. "...sorry..." he offered to Harry softly.
Anthony shot Draco an incredulous look, then turned to stare at Tom, who narrowed his eyes dangerously. "You too, Mr Goldstein," came the sharp order.
"Marcus." Harry rolled his eyes at his lover's way of handling arguments, then turned to his four partners. "Look, you guys–" he smiled slightly as Draco, Anthony, Justin, and Herm all looked over at him, "–the last thing we need is to have you all arguing about stupid things. You're all here because I trust you, in my own way, and I feel that I might need your help. You four need to learn to work together, even if it means putting aside your differences."
"It's only once a week," Herm agreed. "It surely isn't that difficult to act like adults for a few hours."
"Oh, very well." Anthony scowled, then turned to Draco, hand outstretched. "Truce?"
Draco grasped the Ravenclaw's hand firmly. "Truce."
"Great!" Harry said cheerfully, green eyes dancing at the victory. "If that's all settled, and if Marcus will take a seat, I think we can get started!"
"Go sit with Ula," Herm told the Dark Lord firmly, giving him a stern look.
Tom cocked an eyebrow at the young woman. "That's hardly a frightening prospect."
"She could have told you to go sit with Black and Lupin," Draco pointed out evilly.
"Uhg. Ula it is." Tom groaned before turning and wandering over to where Ula sat with her friends. The girl greeted him cheerfully, then forced Storm to scoot over so Tom could sit next to her.
Harry nodded to the three professors at the doors, letting them know they were starting, then hopped up onto the dais that the Staff Table normally sat on. The Hall quieted quickly once they realized that the five recent graduates were awaiting their silence.
"Welcome to the first official meeting of the new Duelling Association!" Harry called out, then grinned widely at the following cheers. As Harry had once observed, everyone knew him – or thought they did – and it showed when one looked at the variety of people that sat before him. Both Light and Dark wizards grinned up at him, thinking they knew him. "The first thing we all get to practise today is going to be the Shield Charm! If you can perform it properly without being attacked, then I or one of my four partners here will pair you with someone else and you'll have to prove you can keep your shield up against the Reductor Curse!" The Defence professor clapped his hands twice. "Now, if you could all get up, we can begin!"
Harry hopped down to stand between his four friends. "Dray, Herm, you two go to the right and help people. Anthony, Justin, you're on the left. Remember, when you pair people up, try and pair them up with others that are at about their level; I want as little damage as possible."
"Hey, Har?" Draco waited for their leader to look over at him. "What if the person doesn't have any opponents that are their level?"
Harry frowned; he knew that Draco was referring to Tom. "Pair them with the strongest person you can," he decided, "and hope they don't go too hard on them."
"Great." Draco rolled his eyes, then he and the other three recent graduates split to go their own ways.
Harry grimaced and headed out to go through the centre of the mass of people. This was going to be a long meeting.
-~/\~-
Harry tossed himself onto his couch with a groan. After spending three hours teaching witches and wizards who were both younger and older than himself how to cast a simple Shield Charm, Harry had endured another two hours of an Order of the Phoenix meeting where everyone argued. It didn't help that more than half the members of the Order wouldn't trust the three newest Slytherins even if you were to pay them. A large rift had formed the moment Albus had inducted Draco, Ted, and Blaise at the beginning of the summer.
Harry had never truly understood how difficult it was for the few Slytherins who belonged to the main fighting and intelligence of the Light until he'd attended a meeting with his three friends. Severus had done his best to protect the three other spies, but even he had started to crumble beneath the pure hatred shoved at his ex-students.
It was only after Harry had pulled out his wand and threatened, quite seriously, to start casting some rather nasty hexes at people that they left the three newest Slytherins alone. Still, their anger slipped through the silence and lashed at the defenceless members. Not even the barrier that Harry, Herm, Nev, Molly, Arthur, Remus, Sirius, Fred, and George created around them helped against that.
"And to think, I used to be just like them," Harry murmured.
A soft "merow" was the only warning Harry got before a furry form hopped up onto his chest.
"Smoky," Harry breathed, gazing into the kitten's blue eyes with a sad smile. "At least I know you won't be causing my undue stress, hm?" he offered teasingly. Smoky just butted her head against his chin, demanding to be petted.
As Harry ran his fingers over the speckled fur, his gaze was drawn to the large painting that he'd hung over the fireplace, which Tom had given him for his birthday. It had himself and Gin, each holding a twin, standing on either side of Herm, who was seated in a large armchair.
Harry would have given anything to have Tom spend the night, but Albus had forbidden it, since tomorrow was a school day. Not even the argument that they'd slept together on a school night last year had cracked Albus' will, and so Tom had gone home after sharing a kiss with Harry.
Smoky meowed again, as if sensing her master's distress, and Harry hugged her. "I miss Tom," the young man whispered to the part-kneazle sadly.
Harry fell asleep with Smoky purring reassuringly on his chest and his family smiling down on him sadly.
-~/\~-
"Harry!" Ula launched herself at her favourite professor with an excited look. "That meeting was brilliant!"
"I'm glad you thought so." Harry chuckled, watching as the rest of the second years filed in.
"It was okay," Ronan muttered as he took his seat next to Cyrus, who was doing a good job at pretending that the Gryffindor didn't exist.
"Have you met the new History of Magic professor?" Babs enquired of their professor as Harry pushed Ula towards her seat.
Harry frowned. "There's a new History of Magic professor?" he asked, blinking at the Slytherin.
"Yeah," Paloma offered, leaning back in her chair. "She claims she's Rowena Ravenclaw."
Harry's eyes widened. "Is she dressed in old-fashioned robes?"
"Yeah. They're really fancy, too," Juno agreed, "though not very well taken care of. Of course, she is a ghost..." She scratched at her chin, frowning.
Harry rested back against his desk with a contemplative look on his face as the classroom broke into gossip. Rowena? What would she have to gain by teaching students history? Well, okay, to be fair, she'd gain the knowledge that they'd actually know their history...
"Harry?" Ula cocked her head at the Boy-Who-Lived. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Harry offered the young Gryffindor a faint smile. "I believe your History professor is Rowena Ravenclaw. I actually met her a few days ago, and your description sounds like her."
"Well, she's not nearly as boring as Binns," Cyrus grumbled.
Harry smiled faintly. "No, I don't think she would be. She's a rather interesting person, actually."
"I can't wait to have a class with her!" Ula exclaimed, eyes shining with excitement.
"Oh, yeah." Juno glanced up from her fingernails. "She was asking about you, Potter."
"Asking about me?"
"Yeah. She wanted to know what we thought about you," Paloma offered.
"And what did you all say?" Harry enquired, fighting a smile. Way to be subtle, Rowena.
"I said you were one of the coolest teachers I've ever had!" Babs threw out brightly.
"Idiot, you've only had eight teachers," Ronan snorted, smiling at the Slytherin. "And we haven't even had a week with Potter, yet."
"But I knew him last year, too," Babs pointed out. "We all did. Harry's just a cool person."
"I'm touched, Babs." Harry chuckled, grinning.
Babs blushed a bright red. "Yeah, well, you've been really nice to me, even though you're a Gryffindor."
Harry winked at the girl, making her duck her head. "So, what did everyone else say about me? Do I want to know?" he teased, glancing around at his other Slytherins.
"I said that, you know, at least you know what you're doing," Morgan muttered, not looking up from his desk. "And that you're fair in the way that you treat all of your students."
"Yeah. I mentioned that you don't care what House we're in or which side we might be on in the war," Cyrus admitted, gazing up at Harry challengingly.
Harry just smiled. "Did she seem interested in the war?"
"Yeah." Juno frowned up at the professor. "How'd you know that?"
"Like I said, I've met her." Harry shrugged. "I mentioned the war once, then dropped it. She seemed like the sort to do her best to learn all that she can about everything."
"Yeah. She was extremely interested in both you and the war," Cyrus muttered, rubbing at his chin.
"Lovely." Harry rolled his eyes. "And what might you have said about the war?"
"I said it was stupid!" Babs declared. "Lives lost over the importance of blood! It's so pointless!"
"That's not entirely what the war's about," Harry said with a smile. "But a lot of its political and would probably go right over your head. I dare say that I wouldn't have understood the whole thing when I was your age."
"But, You-Know-Who wasn't around when you were our age," Ronan said sharply, frowning.
"Well, he was, but not in such a way that he was a danger to us," Harry clarified. "He was living through animals out in Albania for a couple years, after having tried to get his hands on the Philosopher's Stone in my first year here."
"How come he didn't get it?" Storm asked, leaning forward with big eyes. "Did you stop him, Harry?"
Harry smiled, but it was a sad smile. "Yes, but I almost got killed doing it." The classroom filled with both gasps and snorts, depending on the student and how well they thought of the Defence professor. Harry just grinned. "Well, anyway, I believe I'm supposed to be teaching you Defence Against the Dark Arts, not my history with Voldemort." The name earned him many jumps and even a few startled cries, which made Harry's grin widen. "Right. To Defence." The room filled with groans as Harry started in on his lesson.
-~/\~-
"Hello, Rowena," Harry offered, stepping into the History of Magic room.
Rowena turned around to frown at the young man. "Why am I not surprised to see you?"
"Perhaps because I just had the second year Slytherins?" Harry shrugged.
Rowena let out a snort. "And I presume they told you all about how there's a new History of Magic teacher who claims to be Rowena Ravenclaw."
"They did, actually," was the thoughtful response as Harry seated himself on one of the desks in the front row. "I asked them all about you, then told them that you were, indeed, Rowena Ravenclaw."
"You would." Rowena folded her arms over her chest darkly.
"So, have you been hearing good things about me?"
"Of course she is." Salazar Slytherin stepped out of the wall smoothly. "No matter who the student is, they cannot deny that you know what you're doing and that you're a fair teacher, despite being a Gryffindor." The Founder shot Harry a predatory smile. "They just don't know you like I do."
Harry narrowed his eyes at his confident. "And, if you like existing, they won't be knowing as much about me as you do," he threatened coldly.
Salazar rolled his eyes. "How many times must I tell you that I won't even tell Marvolo your secrets?"
"It'll never get through his thick skull," said a new voice as the ghost of Godric Gryffindor rose into the room from the floor.
"I wonder where he got that trait from," was Salazar's dry reply.
"You two are such children," Harry declared, a smile dancing upon his lips, before he turned to Rowena, who was watching the whole exchange with a look of quiet contemplation. "Have they always been like this?"
Rowena blinked at the green-eyed young man for a long moment before allowing a smile to take over her lips. "Yes. Ever since the first day they met." She shot her fellow Founders a sly look as they continued arguing. "Are they together again?"
Harry let out a long-suffering sigh. "No, but at least I got them to stop ignoring one another."
"How long did that take?"
"A good chunk of last year." Harry groaned. "How did you and Helga put up with them?"
"We hexed them silent and locked them in a closet," the Ravenclaw Founder replied matter-of-factly, earning her a loud laugh from the only living human in the room. "I don't think that will work too well any more, though..."
"We could always find a way to fix the walls of the closet so they can't get out," Harry suggested evilly, once he'd caught his breath.
"You know, I think I actually know the right spell for that, too..."
"All we'd have to do, would be to find the proper closet..." Harry tapped on his chin. "We could always used the Vanishing Cabinet, of course..."
Rowena let out a bright laugh. "Oh, dear! They'd probably murder you later!"
"Probably," Harry agreed, grinning. "But, don't worry too much. It wouldn't be the first time I'd had someone out for my blood."
Rowena's face darkened. "That's hardly something to be joking about, Harry."
"The little Gryffindor always jokes about death," Salazar said suddenly, floating over to rest next to the young wizard.
Harry's eyes hardened as he glanced up at the frowning female ghost. "Better to laugh about it than to cry," he said in a chilled tone. "I've spent too much of my life crying over others' deaths and blaming myself for them." He stood smoothly. "If you'll all excuse me, I have to get to lunch before Albus sends out a search party for me."
Rowena frowned at the young man's disappearing back. "He's quite different from the first time I met him..."
"You met him when Hermione was there, yes?" Salazar enquired.
"...yes..." Rowena agreed with a confused look.
"Harry seems to think he has to protect his friends from the real world," Godric offered. "Chances are, you'll never see him acting anywhere near that depressed when Hermione or Gin are around."
"What an intriguing young man..." Rowena murmured, rubbing at her chin thoughtfully for a moment before turning to Salazar. "What sort of secrets are you keeping for him, Sal?"
Salazar's eyes narrowed. "Don't even try it, Ro. Harry's secrets are something I will never tell you without his permission."
Rowena gave the other Founder a startled look, then glanced at Godric questioningly. Godric shrugged. "Don't look at me, Ro. He won't tell me a damned thing about Harry, and he's my Heir!"
"I don't break my promises," Salazar said stiffly. "Now, if you'll both excuse me, I have some things I need to do."
"Oh, go stalk your Slytherins, then." Godric snorted.
Salazar gave his once-lover a chilled look. "I do not stalk people, you pervert," was his sharp response before he slipped back through the wall.
Rowena rolled her eyes hopelessly. "I'm beginning to think that tossing you two into a closet again would be the best thing any of us ever did."
"And, hey, look on the bright side!" Godric agreed brightly. "You wouldn't have to worry about us killing each other this time!"
Rowena groaned.
-~/\~-
"Good evening, Juniors!" Harry called cheerfully as he stepped through the blood curtain that led from his room.
'Why the fuck are we awake right now?' Gin asked darkly.
"To see if you'd actually get up," was Harry's bright response as he took his normal seat at the head of the very small circle. Luna was, as usual, gazing up at the ceiling in awe. Herm was blinking at Harry sleepily from next to Gin. Both witches were holding a sleeping twin in their arms. Severus was scowling at where they could all hear Godric and Salazar bickering in the bedroom that Godric had included in his rooms. Rowena was blinking at the small group with a touch of amusement.
"Did you need anything, Rowena?" Harry enquired dryly.
"Just thinking about how few people you have," Rowena offered.
"That's because most of them have graduated." Luna hummed absent-mindedly.
Harry rubbed at the bridge of his nose darkly. "I should have had you lot recruiting people this week, shouldn't I have?" he grumbled.
"Probably," Severus offered, still glaring at the bedroom.
"I'm such an idiot."
'No argument here.' Gin growled. 'If we'd known you were going to call us down here tonight, we would have made sure to have some recruits.'
"Now, to be fair, the Juniors have never been an exceptionally large group," Severus stepped in, turning from the bedroom so he could watch Harry, concern drifting in his eyes. "It's hardly your fault, Harry."
Harry smiled up at the Potions professor. "I'm fine, Sevvie."
Severus let out a snort. "I haven't a doubt that you are."
"Well, here, how about we use our time down here to discuss possible recruits," Herm slipped in, also eyeing Harry's tired look with a touch of concern.
'Can't we just vote for bed inst–' Gin started darkly. Herm and Luna both moved to quickly swipe the bright lettering out of the air.
"I made a list," Luna offered in an airy voice as Herm leant over to whispered sharply in Gin's ear.
Harry shook his head at his two sisters. "Gin, if you want to go to bed, feel free to. Herm, Luna, stop trying to protect me."
But now Gin had noticed how tired her brother looked. 'Harry, when was the last night you actually SLEPT?' she demanded.
"Eh?" Harry blinked. "Er... Tuesday?"
"This past Tuesday? As in yesterday?" Severus asked, frowning.
"Uhm, no." Harry glanced down at his hands, letting his hair hide his face. "Last Tuesday, actually..."
"HARRY!" Severus and Herm both shouted as Gin glared angrily at her brother. Harry flinched.
"Do you lot mind not yelling at him?" Salazar requested dryly as he and Godric floated over to the group. "And I did tell you they'd find out, little Gryffindor."
"Very well, you win. What would you like?" Harry shot back, looking up coldly.
Salazar turned to Severus. "Would you happen to have some Dreamless Sleep on you, Severus?"
"I do happen to, yes," Severus responded, pulling out the small vial.
"No. Thank you, but no," Harry hissed sharply, eyeing the vial of potion warily.
'Luna, hold Gal for me while I help Severus get Harry to take his medicine.' Gin said before handing her godson over and standing. 'Big brother, do yourself a favour and just drink the stuff, okay?'
Harry glared at his sister and Death Eater friend. "No."
Severus and Gin traded looks, then both moved quickly to restrain the younger professor. Gin held Harry in a bear hug while Severus forced the Dreamless Sleep down Harry's throat.
"Can't say I didn't warn him." Salazar sighed as Harry slumped forward.
"Why hasn't he been sleeping?" Herm asked the ghost desperately.
Salazar shrugged. "Classes, the Weasel, not having Marvolo around, nightmares... Take your pick."
'What's he been having nightmares about?' Gin cried, hugging her sleeping brother tightly.
"Merlin..." Herm breathed, eyes widening. "I recall Ula saying something about hearing Harry screaming about Vernon, but that was months ago!"
Salazar nodded glumly. "Yes."
"Why haven't you told anyone, Sal?" Godric enquired, frowning heavily.
"I swore not to," was the firm reply.
Herm glanced over at the Potions professor. "Severus, if you could, somehow, talk Tom into coming by..."
"It won't work." Severus sighed. "Albus has actually forbidden him from coming onto the school grounds unless it's for the DA meeting."
'Does Harry know that?' Gin asked, frowning.
"This is the first I've heard of it, so I'll bet he hasn't." Salazar groaned.
"Harry's going to kill the Headmaster," Luna summed up all their thoughts with a furious look. It wasn't often that she'd stop looking like the rest of the world didn't affect her, but this was one of those times.
"Why does Albus have to keep doing this?!" Herm exclaimed, hugging Gerda to her chest as the child twisted in her sleep. If it weren't for the few drops of Dreamless Sleep in the formula both twins drank for bed, the babies would have already been awake.
"I think he believes that, by keeping Harry and Tom apart, Harry'll be more likely to remain his pawn," Godric offered coldly, glaring upwards in the general direction of the Headmaster's office.
'We can't keep feeding Harry Dreamless Sleep to get him asleep.' Gin said sadly. 'And I don't think anyone but Tom can help him right now, especially with Ron on the loose.'
Luna nodded. "Can Hedwig get into the Manor?" she inquired.
"Yeah. Tom worked her into the wards on their first day." Herm nodded, blinking at the Ravenclaw.
Luna stood, handing Gal back over to his mother. "Gin, can I borrow the Map? I'm going to write to Tom and tell him he needs to find a way to get Harry out of here and with him for a few days."
'Tell him Harry's not sleeping.' Gin suggested, pulling out the Marauder's Map and handing it over to her friend.
"Your first Hogsmeade weekend is this coming Friday," Severus mentioned. The staff had decided to cram a few Hogsmeade weekends into the beginning of the school year, just in case the Dark Lord upped the attacks so much that it became dangerous to allow the students off the school grounds.
Luna nodded. "Perfect." Then she spun and hurried over to the exit that let out near the kitchens. Even if she was caught by a teacher, she'd be fine, since she was a Prefect.
"We'd better all head back." Herm sighed.
"I'll put Harry to bed," Severus offered, leaning over to accept the younger professor from Gin, who'd continued hugging her brother through-out their whole discussion.
Gin smiled. 'Thanks, Severus.'
"Of course. Now, you go get some sleep, Miss Weasley-Potter; you have a test in my class tomorrow," Severus warned in a mock-stern tone as he rose with Harry cradled against his chest.
'Yes, Professor Snape.' Gin replied, rolling her eyes. 'Come on, Herm. Best make sure I get my sleep in.'
Herm laughed, handing over Gal to his godmother. "Oh, stop it." Gin just grinned.
-
-
A/N: Well, this series is moving a bit faster than I intended it to. *rubs at chin* I hadn't planned to have Harry return to Slytherin Manor for quite a few more chapters, but the whole fic was starting to drag, and I was running out of things for everyone to do, so I just added it in early. *sighs* Oh well. Can't win 'em all.
I was listening to the RENT soundtrack during the last part of this chapter, which is why it's so glum. *grimaces* Listen to angsty musical, end up with angsty chapter. Oops. *sweatdrop*
~Bats ^.^x
Abandon & Reclaim Series:
Abandon the Prequel: Sixth Year
Abandon Chapters:
01 || 02 || 03 || 04 || 05 || 06 || 07 || 08 || 09 || 10
11 || 12 || 13 || 14 || 15 || 16 || 17 || 18 || 19 || 20
21 || 22 || 23 || 24 || 25 || 26 || 27 || 28 || 29 || 30
31 || 32 || 33 || 34 || 35 || 36 || 37 || 38 || 39 || 40
41 || 42 || 43 || 44 || 45 || 46 || 47
Reclaim Chapters:
One || Two ||Three || Four || Five || Six || Seven || Eight || Nine || Ten
Eleven || Twelve || Thirteen || Fourteen || Fifteen
Epilogue
Side Stories:
Ginevra Weasley & Theodore Nott
Minerva McGonagall || Minerva McGonagall (again)
Author:
batsutousaiBeta:
magickmaker17Pairings: Harry/Tom(Voldemort), Salazar/Godric, Rowena/Helga, Sirius/Remus, Gin/Ted, Herm/???
Warnings: This will have graphic slash(guys on guys), not-so-graphic femslash(gals on gals), and not-so-graphic het(guy on gal or gal on guy)
Summary: Sequel to Abandon!
In love with the man he’s expected to kill and member of the esteemed Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter must fight in a war in which he is divided. Can he lead his world to peace?
Disclaim Her: Errr... I went to the dentist the other day and, much to my surprise, I had NO CAVITIES!! That never happens. *is totally serious, for once*
Key:
Mind-speak
:Parseltongue:
’Written thoughts’
°°Phoenix speech°°
Chapter 3
-
Harry smiled as the forms of his two godfathers slipped into the crazy Great Hall. "I’ll see you both later," he murmured to the people sitting on either side of him as he rose.
"Weasley?" Severus inquired discretely.
Harry winked. "Something like that." Then he slid down from the dais and through the crowds of students to where Sirius and Remus stood. "Good morning," he offered cheerfully.
"I don't recall there being quite this many children when I went here," Sirius commented grumpily.
"Of course not, Padfoot." Remus sighed, looking like he'd been having this conversation – or something like it – on and off for quite some time. "How have you been, Harry?"
Harry shrugged. "Well enough. Shall we?" He nodded to the doors behind the Marauders with a faint smile.
"Oh!" Sirius made an apologetic face. "Hullo, Harry," he offered as Remus led the way through the doorway.
Harry grinned. "Hey there, Siri. You okay?"
"Yeah." Sirius shrugged. "Remus wouldn't tell me what you two needed to do, though."
Harry gave Remus a sharp look. "Why not, Remus?"
"I did tell him he wouldn't want to come, you know." Remus rolled his eyes. "And we really didn't need you blabbing, Padfoot."
"I wouldn't blab!"
Both Harry and Remus turned to give the animagus dry looks.
Sirius gave them pitiful looks. "Never mind that. Where are we going?"
Harry let out a sigh and kicked at a pebble that he just happened to notice beneath his feet. "Azkaban."
"What?!" Sirius reared back, as if struck. "Why?"
"That was my question, actually," Remus offered dryly, giving Harry a pointed look.
Harry made a face. "Look, I know Albus is doing a check of my mail, so I didn't want to get into the reason too much through owls." He glanced up at the gate that they were steadily approaching. "Ron owled Herm earlier this week."
"That shouldn't be possible..." Remus murmured, frowning at Harry.
"No, it shouldn't." Sirius gave Harry a sharp look. "Unless he's escaped."
"My thoughts exactly." Harry nodded. "I needed a chaperone, and I knew Albus would allow it to be Remus."
"And you could call it official business and keep Voldie from getting ticked off, right?" Sirius shot back teasingly.
"Who are you, and what have you done with Sirius Black?" Harry replied, laughing.
"I finally knocked some sense into his head, I think," Remus offered dryly.
Harry shook his head with a smile. "I see that. Now." He turned to Sirius with a cool look. "Are you coming with us to Azkaban?"
Sirius took a deep breath. "All the dementors are out, right?"
"Yeah," Harry agreed.
"Then it's my duty as your godfather to accompany you to your doom," the animagus replied, offering his godson a shaky smile.
Harry stopped walking just outside the open Hogwarts gates of the school's grounds to give his godfather a sharp look. "Don't come out of a sense of duty, Siri. I don't want you hurt in any way when we both know I'll be fine without you standing over me."
Sirius let out a long sigh. "I'm not being given a choice, okay?" Then he pulled out a piece of parchment that had been crumbled and then folded neatly many times. "Here." He held the parchment out to Harry nervously.
Harry frowned, but took the parchment and read it over. His eyes narrowed and he let out an angry growl as he finished it. "Fucker," he hissed furiously.
"What is it?" Remus enquired, reaching for the parchment.
Harry scowled and set the paper aflame in his hand, earning him startled shouts from both his godfathers. "Albus is having Siri stick close to me off the school's grounds." His eyes softened slightly as he looked up at Sirius. "Since you're given no choice, and I won't have Albus questioning your loyalty without reason, I'm requesting that you come in your animagus form; perhaps it will help, and you may catch something that Remus and I don't."
"Like Ron's stench," Sirius agreed good-humouredly before shifting into his Grim form.
Harry and Remus traded looks. Neither of them liked this new ploy of Albus'.
Azkaban rose, cold and unyielding, before the three travellers as their boat landed. You had to take a boat to the island, Harry had learned from Tom, after he'd decided to go check on Ron, since they had up shields against both apparation and disapparation that were even stronger than the ones around Hogwarts, and the wards extended for miles around the remote island. Luckily, though, it hadn't taken much for Harry to procure a boat trip to the island from the Ministry of Magic.
Harry felt Padfoot shudder against his leg and immediately reached down to pet him comfortingly, mentally cursing Albus in many painful ways.
A young auror with an out of place smile met them at the dock. "Mr Potter! This is a surprise!" he exclaimed.
Padfoot let out a low growl as the auror stepped forward to help Harry out. The young man stepped back quickly, eyeing the Grim suspiciously.
"Padfoot, that wasn't necessary." Remus sighed as Harry stepped from the boat easily and turned back to help the werewolf out. "Thank you, Harry."
Padfoot stepped onto the dock with a low whine and gave Remus a sad look. The other Marauder just frowned at him in response, but Harry laughed. "Oh, let it go, Remus," the younger wizard said, grinning. "He didn't mean any harm, did you Padfoot?" Padfoot immediately let out a bark of agreement, then hurried to beg pets from his godson.
"You're wrapped around his paw, aren't you?" Remus groaned helplessly. Harry grinned in response.
"Er..." The auror cleared his throat loudly, then gave them a stern look and started in on a practised speech, which Harry cut into immediately.
"I think all four of us know what we can and cannot do here at Azkaban, sir. If you would please lead the way, we're just here to see how Ronald Weasley is doing."
"Of course," the auror replied, flushing slightly. "Right this way." He spun on the balls of his feet, then led the way into the imposing building.
"You didn't have to be so rude," Remus murmured as they followed the auror in.
"The less time we all have to spend here, the better," Harry responded in a whisper, eyes sweeping the cells they were passing coldly. Most of Azkaban was empty, since, right after the dementors left, Voldemort had made a massive raid on the place, freeing all of his imprisoned people and setting quite a few others free, just to hassle the already overworked Ministry. Harry allowed himself a faint smile as he remembered the pictures of frazzled Ministry workers that had started appearing in the paper at that time.
"Here we are," their guide stated, coming to a halt outside one of the cells.
Harry stepped up next to him and tried to peer through the gloom of the cell. "Lumos," he murmured, raising his wand so the light slipped into the darkness. A sleeping form lay on the bunk in the cell, red hair falling over its face.
"As you can see, he's sleeping," the guard grumbled. "He's been doing that a lot of late."
Harry shook his head sharply, unconsciously rubbing at something that only he could see around his wrist. "That's not Ron," he offered in a cold voice, levelling his wand at the sleeping form. "Dispergo nitor!"
The spell connected with the glamour around the figure on the bed and destroyed it, revealing a sleeping man with short-cropped golden-brown hair and tanned skin. The auror next to Harry immediately gave a shout. "Jonathan!" He hurried to unlock the cell and check the other man's pulse. "Still alive. Thank Merlin."
Harry nodded and looked down at Padfoot. "Padfoot, this is where you come in. I need you to track down Ron's scent."
Padfoot gave one quick bark, then started sniffing around, going into the cell to get a better grasp of his scent before he started down the hall slowly, going deeper into the prison. Harry and Remus traded frowns before following the Grim-like dog.
The auror who had been guiding them hurried to catch up. "You knew he was gone," he huffed angrily.
"I had a hunch," Harry replied calmly. "He sent a friend of mine a letter, so I decided to come and check on it. We would have sent a forewarning, but we didn't want to put you all in a panic if there was nothing wrong."
"Oh..." The auror frowned. He clearly hadn't expected for Harry to have such a well-reasoned answer.
The three humans followed Padfoot silently for almost an hour, always going deeper into the chilled prison. Each time they passed a cell with a person in it, they would hear low moans or pleading cries for them to free the wretched soul. Harry and the auror ignored the cries with practised ease, and Padfoot was too intent on finding Ron to notice, but Remus winced at every cry. It didn't take Harry long to feel the need to place a Silencing Sphere up around them.
"Light at the end of the tunnel," Remus offered with a nervous little laugh as a speck of light appeared ahead of them.
"I've never been down this far," their former guide whispered. "I don't know anyone who has, actually."
"I'll bet my life that your friend Jonathan has at one point," Harry murmured, frowning. "Whether it was his own choice or not, is a different matter, however," he added as they all came to a halt before a large hole in the wall of Azkaban. The sky outside stretched far off into the distance, the sea thrashing beneath it violently.
"Who do you think made this?" Remus enquired, fingering the edges of the hole.
Harry frowned at the hole himself. "Could have been anyone. A prisoner back when the dementors ruled this place, perhaps even the dementors themselves. It could have been Ron's own little escape route, as well." He stepped out into the dull sunlight. "We're coming, Padfoot."
Padfoot let out a huff from where he stood, impatiently awaiting his godson and lover. Once the three humans had joined him again, he trotted around the corner of the building with a bark. Harry and Remus exchanged amused looks before following.
"Merlin!" the auror cried as he rounded the corner just behind Harry and Remus. The Dark Wizard and werewolf had to agree; before them lay a small dock with two boats tied to the pier.
"I think we know how he got off the island now," Harry muttered darkly.
"How did Voldemort invade the island, anyway?" Remus inquired thickly, kneeling to hug Padfoot.
"Self-made boats," the young auror replied numbly. "They must have had a party that docked here and emptied the prison from this exit while You-Know-Who himself and another group attacked at the main gates."
"Most likely," Harry agreed before pointing his wand at the dock and blasting it to pieces. "Now, to plug that hole..." he growled lowly before spinning on a heel and stalking back around the corner to repair the hole in the wall.
Remus offered a weary sigh. "Another manhunt."
"Of course," the young auror threw in carelessly. "We'll have to catch him. It's absolutely not allowed for a prisoner to be wandering around–"
"Interesting," Harry hissed in the older wizard's ear, smirking when the auror jumped. "How will the Ministry live this one down, I wonder," the Boy-Who-Lived added in his own careless manner before walking up to Remus and Padfoot. "We've done what we came here to do. Let's head back."
"I would like to make one last stop before we go," Remus offered smoothly as they started up the hill that would take them back up to where their boat was docked. Only Harry could see that the werewolf was tugging on his Junior pendent.
Harry glanced down at Padfoot, who was walking determinedly between himself and Remus. The animagus looked like he didn't plan on leaving them to go anywhere, either. "Padfoot, we need to make a report."
Padfoot shot Harry a look that clearly said, 'Well, you aren't going without me.'
Remus smiled. "Guess he'll just have to deal."
Harry rubbed at the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "Padfoot, do me a favour and try not to get me into trouble?"
Padfoot let out a cheerful bark. He'd try.
Harry led the small group up the walk to the main entrance of Slytherin Manor. At the entrance, they were met with two Death Eater guards who blocked their passage, though that might have been because Harry, Remus, and Sirius had all drawn their hoods up to hide their faces from sight.
"Identify yourselves," the guard on the right, who struck Harry as new, ordered in a cool voice.
Instead of lowering his hood, as expected, Harry pulled out his pendant for his ticket past. The one on the left straightened sharply and inclined his head respectfully. "My Lord."
Harry smirked beneath his hood. "Rabastan. Always a pleasure."
"His Lordship is in his second study. I don't believe he was expecting you," Rabastan added as the newer Death Eater's eyes shifted back and forth between his co-guard and this stranger behind his mask.
"If he does expect me, I'll have to work harder to keep him from knowing my more spur-of-the-moment movements, won't I?"
"Probably," Rabastan agreed, laughter tickling his voice.
"We agree, then." Harry nodded with a smile before he slipped back into a colder persona. "A good day to you, gentlemen." Then he led the way into the Manor without further hampering from the two Death Eaters.
The three Order members continued through the manor to the Dark Lord's second study without running into anyone else, though Harry had sensed a house-elf, more than once, eying them warily from the shadows. The house-elves of Slytherin Manor were their master's best spies, and some of the most loyal Harry had ever seen. Harry didn't doubt that the Dark Lord would be expecting some cloaked guests by now.
Respectfully, Harry knocked on the study door, awaiting the curt call that allowed them to step into the room before he led his two companions in. No one spoke as Harry shut the door behind him. Harry pulled back his hood then, and smirked at the surprised look dashing across the serpent-like face of the Dark Lord. "Hullo, Tom," Harry offered, motioning for his two companions to take seats and make themselves at home.
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?!" Voldemort hissed, narrowing his eyes.
Harry smiled. He could feel the delight at his sudden arrival through the connection he shared with his lover. "Remus actually suggested we come at the last moment."
Remus pulled his own hood back at the mention of his name and inclined his head towards the Dark Lord respectfully. "Lord Voldemort."
Voldemort nodded in reply before turning to the third member of the party. "And what, pray tell, is Sirius Black doing here?" Deadly ruby eyes turned on Harry.
Harry's lips twitched with a faint smile. "Why are you always so paranoid?"
"I'm not paranoid!"
"Yes. You are."
"I am not!"
Remus let out a discreet cough. "Sirius is here because Albus has him tailing Harry, my Lord," he offered when the arguing wizards turned to look at him.
Voldemort shot Sirius a strange look. "Welcome to Slytherin Manor, Mr Black," he finally offered in a muted tone.
"Now there's a phrase I never thought I'd hear." Sirius snorted from beneath his hood.
The Dark Lord ignored the animagus in favour of looking to Harry questioningly. "Really, Harry, why are you all here?"
Harry's smile was gone in mere seconds. "We just made that trip to Azkaban."
Voldemort's eyes narrowed, though not at Harry. "He's gone." It wasn't a question.
"Yes."
Voldemort hit a button on his desk. "We'll look for him. You worry about Hogwarts for now."
"Of course."
Two Death Eaters walked into the study and bowed to their two Lords. "What can we do for you?" one asked in an empty tone.
"Ronald Weasley has escaped from Azkaban. I want him," Harry said coldly, eyes dancing with a dangerous green fire.
"And make sure it is understood that he is to be brought back alive," Voldemort added. "Dismissed."
The Death Eaters bowed again, then spun sharply and left the room, closing the door behind them.
"I will let you know as soon as we catch him," the Dark Lord offered, looking up at Harry calmly.
Harry nodded. "Thank you." Then he glanced back at his two companions. "We'd best return to Hogwarts before Albus send out a search party," he offered with a grin.
"With any luck, he'll send Hermione." Remus snorted with amusement as he stood.
"Uhg. The last thing I need is Herm complaining because I didn't tell her I was heading for Azkaban ahead of time." Harry groaned in response.
Remus laughed. "Well, I promise not to tell her where you've been."
"You'd deserve it," Voldemort threw in as he returned to his paperwork, earning him a startled look from Sirius. "Now let me finish this work."
Harry shook his head in amusement before tossing his hood back over his head. "Good day, then, Tom."
"Good day," the Dark Lord agreed, not looking up.
The three visitors left quietly, leaving a smiling Voldemort behind.
Harry grinned at Herm, Draco, Anthony Goldstein, and Justin Flinch-Fletchley, who stood around him. The other four recent graduates were there to help Harry teach the new DA – or Duelling Association – that was going to start within the hour. People were trickling into the Great Hall slowly and finding seats in the chairs that ringed the Hall, having been pushed up against the walls. Most of the people there were current students of Hogwarts, former members of the DA, or members of the Order. Severus, Filius Flitwick, and Minerva all stood in the doorway of the Great Hall, greeting the newcomers and making sure they weren't Marked and not on their list of people who were considered safe.
"So, what are we teaching first?" Justin enquired easily.
Herm let out a heavy sigh. "The Shield Charm, apparently," she grumbled, shooting Harry a slightly disgruntled look. "At least, that’s what Harry decided."
"Hey–" Harry made a face, "–I can guarantee that at least a quarter of the people who show up today won't be able to cast a proper Shield Charm and hold it while being attacked."
"Are you sure the Headmaster made a good choice when he hired you as the Defence Professor?" Draco inquired dryly.
"Watch it, Malfoy," Anthony shot at the blond. "You have no idea how good Harry is."
Harry and Herm traded exasperated looks before Harry stepped in. "Anthony, it's fine. Draco, do try and behave yourself?"
Draco crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't know why you're blaming me for all this."
"Because you're a slimly Slytherin and a Death Eater," Anthony spat.
"Anthony!" Herm cried, horrified by his claims.
"I'm no more a Death Eater than Harry is," Draco spat, stepping forward so his nose and Anthony's nose were mere millimetres from one another.
"Gentlemen!" Harry called, eyes narrowed at the two. "Enough!"
"Really, Harry," a voice tutted. "You can’t even control your friends now?"
"You're not supposed to 'control' friends, Marcus," Herm muttered lowly, shooting the disguised Dark Lord a cold look.
Draco's eyes shot around to look up at his older leader. He swallowed at the warning burning in the teal depths. "...sorry..." he offered to Harry softly.
Anthony shot Draco an incredulous look, then turned to stare at Tom, who narrowed his eyes dangerously. "You too, Mr Goldstein," came the sharp order.
"Marcus." Harry rolled his eyes at his lover's way of handling arguments, then turned to his four partners. "Look, you guys–" he smiled slightly as Draco, Anthony, Justin, and Herm all looked over at him, "–the last thing we need is to have you all arguing about stupid things. You're all here because I trust you, in my own way, and I feel that I might need your help. You four need to learn to work together, even if it means putting aside your differences."
"It's only once a week," Herm agreed. "It surely isn't that difficult to act like adults for a few hours."
"Oh, very well." Anthony scowled, then turned to Draco, hand outstretched. "Truce?"
Draco grasped the Ravenclaw's hand firmly. "Truce."
"Great!" Harry said cheerfully, green eyes dancing at the victory. "If that's all settled, and if Marcus will take a seat, I think we can get started!"
"Go sit with Ula," Herm told the Dark Lord firmly, giving him a stern look.
Tom cocked an eyebrow at the young woman. "That's hardly a frightening prospect."
"She could have told you to go sit with Black and Lupin," Draco pointed out evilly.
"Uhg. Ula it is." Tom groaned before turning and wandering over to where Ula sat with her friends. The girl greeted him cheerfully, then forced Storm to scoot over so Tom could sit next to her.
Harry nodded to the three professors at the doors, letting them know they were starting, then hopped up onto the dais that the Staff Table normally sat on. The Hall quieted quickly once they realized that the five recent graduates were awaiting their silence.
"Welcome to the first official meeting of the new Duelling Association!" Harry called out, then grinned widely at the following cheers. As Harry had once observed, everyone knew him – or thought they did – and it showed when one looked at the variety of people that sat before him. Both Light and Dark wizards grinned up at him, thinking they knew him. "The first thing we all get to practise today is going to be the Shield Charm! If you can perform it properly without being attacked, then I or one of my four partners here will pair you with someone else and you'll have to prove you can keep your shield up against the Reductor Curse!" The Defence professor clapped his hands twice. "Now, if you could all get up, we can begin!"
Harry hopped down to stand between his four friends. "Dray, Herm, you two go to the right and help people. Anthony, Justin, you're on the left. Remember, when you pair people up, try and pair them up with others that are at about their level; I want as little damage as possible."
"Hey, Har?" Draco waited for their leader to look over at him. "What if the person doesn't have any opponents that are their level?"
Harry frowned; he knew that Draco was referring to Tom. "Pair them with the strongest person you can," he decided, "and hope they don't go too hard on them."
"Great." Draco rolled his eyes, then he and the other three recent graduates split to go their own ways.
Harry grimaced and headed out to go through the centre of the mass of people. This was going to be a long meeting.
Harry tossed himself onto his couch with a groan. After spending three hours teaching witches and wizards who were both younger and older than himself how to cast a simple Shield Charm, Harry had endured another two hours of an Order of the Phoenix meeting where everyone argued. It didn't help that more than half the members of the Order wouldn't trust the three newest Slytherins even if you were to pay them. A large rift had formed the moment Albus had inducted Draco, Ted, and Blaise at the beginning of the summer.
Harry had never truly understood how difficult it was for the few Slytherins who belonged to the main fighting and intelligence of the Light until he'd attended a meeting with his three friends. Severus had done his best to protect the three other spies, but even he had started to crumble beneath the pure hatred shoved at his ex-students.
It was only after Harry had pulled out his wand and threatened, quite seriously, to start casting some rather nasty hexes at people that they left the three newest Slytherins alone. Still, their anger slipped through the silence and lashed at the defenceless members. Not even the barrier that Harry, Herm, Nev, Molly, Arthur, Remus, Sirius, Fred, and George created around them helped against that.
"And to think, I used to be just like them," Harry murmured.
A soft "merow" was the only warning Harry got before a furry form hopped up onto his chest.
"Smoky," Harry breathed, gazing into the kitten's blue eyes with a sad smile. "At least I know you won't be causing my undue stress, hm?" he offered teasingly. Smoky just butted her head against his chin, demanding to be petted.
As Harry ran his fingers over the speckled fur, his gaze was drawn to the large painting that he'd hung over the fireplace, which Tom had given him for his birthday. It had himself and Gin, each holding a twin, standing on either side of Herm, who was seated in a large armchair.
Harry would have given anything to have Tom spend the night, but Albus had forbidden it, since tomorrow was a school day. Not even the argument that they'd slept together on a school night last year had cracked Albus' will, and so Tom had gone home after sharing a kiss with Harry.
Smoky meowed again, as if sensing her master's distress, and Harry hugged her. "I miss Tom," the young man whispered to the part-kneazle sadly.
Harry fell asleep with Smoky purring reassuringly on his chest and his family smiling down on him sadly.
"Harry!" Ula launched herself at her favourite professor with an excited look. "That meeting was brilliant!"
"I'm glad you thought so." Harry chuckled, watching as the rest of the second years filed in.
"It was okay," Ronan muttered as he took his seat next to Cyrus, who was doing a good job at pretending that the Gryffindor didn't exist.
"Have you met the new History of Magic professor?" Babs enquired of their professor as Harry pushed Ula towards her seat.
Harry frowned. "There's a new History of Magic professor?" he asked, blinking at the Slytherin.
"Yeah," Paloma offered, leaning back in her chair. "She claims she's Rowena Ravenclaw."
Harry's eyes widened. "Is she dressed in old-fashioned robes?"
"Yeah. They're really fancy, too," Juno agreed, "though not very well taken care of. Of course, she is a ghost..." She scratched at her chin, frowning.
Harry rested back against his desk with a contemplative look on his face as the classroom broke into gossip. Rowena? What would she have to gain by teaching students history? Well, okay, to be fair, she'd gain the knowledge that they'd actually know their history...
"Harry?" Ula cocked her head at the Boy-Who-Lived. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Harry offered the young Gryffindor a faint smile. "I believe your History professor is Rowena Ravenclaw. I actually met her a few days ago, and your description sounds like her."
"Well, she's not nearly as boring as Binns," Cyrus grumbled.
Harry smiled faintly. "No, I don't think she would be. She's a rather interesting person, actually."
"I can't wait to have a class with her!" Ula exclaimed, eyes shining with excitement.
"Oh, yeah." Juno glanced up from her fingernails. "She was asking about you, Potter."
"Asking about me?"
"Yeah. She wanted to know what we thought about you," Paloma offered.
"And what did you all say?" Harry enquired, fighting a smile. Way to be subtle, Rowena.
"I said you were one of the coolest teachers I've ever had!" Babs threw out brightly.
"Idiot, you've only had eight teachers," Ronan snorted, smiling at the Slytherin. "And we haven't even had a week with Potter, yet."
"But I knew him last year, too," Babs pointed out. "We all did. Harry's just a cool person."
"I'm touched, Babs." Harry chuckled, grinning.
Babs blushed a bright red. "Yeah, well, you've been really nice to me, even though you're a Gryffindor."
Harry winked at the girl, making her duck her head. "So, what did everyone else say about me? Do I want to know?" he teased, glancing around at his other Slytherins.
"I said that, you know, at least you know what you're doing," Morgan muttered, not looking up from his desk. "And that you're fair in the way that you treat all of your students."
"Yeah. I mentioned that you don't care what House we're in or which side we might be on in the war," Cyrus admitted, gazing up at Harry challengingly.
Harry just smiled. "Did she seem interested in the war?"
"Yeah." Juno frowned up at the professor. "How'd you know that?"
"Like I said, I've met her." Harry shrugged. "I mentioned the war once, then dropped it. She seemed like the sort to do her best to learn all that she can about everything."
"Yeah. She was extremely interested in both you and the war," Cyrus muttered, rubbing at his chin.
"Lovely." Harry rolled his eyes. "And what might you have said about the war?"
"I said it was stupid!" Babs declared. "Lives lost over the importance of blood! It's so pointless!"
"That's not entirely what the war's about," Harry said with a smile. "But a lot of its political and would probably go right over your head. I dare say that I wouldn't have understood the whole thing when I was your age."
"But, You-Know-Who wasn't around when you were our age," Ronan said sharply, frowning.
"Well, he was, but not in such a way that he was a danger to us," Harry clarified. "He was living through animals out in Albania for a couple years, after having tried to get his hands on the Philosopher's Stone in my first year here."
"How come he didn't get it?" Storm asked, leaning forward with big eyes. "Did you stop him, Harry?"
Harry smiled, but it was a sad smile. "Yes, but I almost got killed doing it." The classroom filled with both gasps and snorts, depending on the student and how well they thought of the Defence professor. Harry just grinned. "Well, anyway, I believe I'm supposed to be teaching you Defence Against the Dark Arts, not my history with Voldemort." The name earned him many jumps and even a few startled cries, which made Harry's grin widen. "Right. To Defence." The room filled with groans as Harry started in on his lesson.
"Hello, Rowena," Harry offered, stepping into the History of Magic room.
Rowena turned around to frown at the young man. "Why am I not surprised to see you?"
"Perhaps because I just had the second year Slytherins?" Harry shrugged.
Rowena let out a snort. "And I presume they told you all about how there's a new History of Magic teacher who claims to be Rowena Ravenclaw."
"They did, actually," was the thoughtful response as Harry seated himself on one of the desks in the front row. "I asked them all about you, then told them that you were, indeed, Rowena Ravenclaw."
"You would." Rowena folded her arms over her chest darkly.
"So, have you been hearing good things about me?"
"Of course she is." Salazar Slytherin stepped out of the wall smoothly. "No matter who the student is, they cannot deny that you know what you're doing and that you're a fair teacher, despite being a Gryffindor." The Founder shot Harry a predatory smile. "They just don't know you like I do."
Harry narrowed his eyes at his confident. "And, if you like existing, they won't be knowing as much about me as you do," he threatened coldly.
Salazar rolled his eyes. "How many times must I tell you that I won't even tell Marvolo your secrets?"
"It'll never get through his thick skull," said a new voice as the ghost of Godric Gryffindor rose into the room from the floor.
"I wonder where he got that trait from," was Salazar's dry reply.
"You two are such children," Harry declared, a smile dancing upon his lips, before he turned to Rowena, who was watching the whole exchange with a look of quiet contemplation. "Have they always been like this?"
Rowena blinked at the green-eyed young man for a long moment before allowing a smile to take over her lips. "Yes. Ever since the first day they met." She shot her fellow Founders a sly look as they continued arguing. "Are they together again?"
Harry let out a long-suffering sigh. "No, but at least I got them to stop ignoring one another."
"How long did that take?"
"A good chunk of last year." Harry groaned. "How did you and Helga put up with them?"
"We hexed them silent and locked them in a closet," the Ravenclaw Founder replied matter-of-factly, earning her a loud laugh from the only living human in the room. "I don't think that will work too well any more, though..."
"We could always find a way to fix the walls of the closet so they can't get out," Harry suggested evilly, once he'd caught his breath.
"You know, I think I actually know the right spell for that, too..."
"All we'd have to do, would be to find the proper closet..." Harry tapped on his chin. "We could always used the Vanishing Cabinet, of course..."
Rowena let out a bright laugh. "Oh, dear! They'd probably murder you later!"
"Probably," Harry agreed, grinning. "But, don't worry too much. It wouldn't be the first time I'd had someone out for my blood."
Rowena's face darkened. "That's hardly something to be joking about, Harry."
"The little Gryffindor always jokes about death," Salazar said suddenly, floating over to rest next to the young wizard.
Harry's eyes hardened as he glanced up at the frowning female ghost. "Better to laugh about it than to cry," he said in a chilled tone. "I've spent too much of my life crying over others' deaths and blaming myself for them." He stood smoothly. "If you'll all excuse me, I have to get to lunch before Albus sends out a search party for me."
Rowena frowned at the young man's disappearing back. "He's quite different from the first time I met him..."
"You met him when Hermione was there, yes?" Salazar enquired.
"...yes..." Rowena agreed with a confused look.
"Harry seems to think he has to protect his friends from the real world," Godric offered. "Chances are, you'll never see him acting anywhere near that depressed when Hermione or Gin are around."
"What an intriguing young man..." Rowena murmured, rubbing at her chin thoughtfully for a moment before turning to Salazar. "What sort of secrets are you keeping for him, Sal?"
Salazar's eyes narrowed. "Don't even try it, Ro. Harry's secrets are something I will never tell you without his permission."
Rowena gave the other Founder a startled look, then glanced at Godric questioningly. Godric shrugged. "Don't look at me, Ro. He won't tell me a damned thing about Harry, and he's my Heir!"
"I don't break my promises," Salazar said stiffly. "Now, if you'll both excuse me, I have some things I need to do."
"Oh, go stalk your Slytherins, then." Godric snorted.
Salazar gave his once-lover a chilled look. "I do not stalk people, you pervert," was his sharp response before he slipped back through the wall.
Rowena rolled her eyes hopelessly. "I'm beginning to think that tossing you two into a closet again would be the best thing any of us ever did."
"And, hey, look on the bright side!" Godric agreed brightly. "You wouldn't have to worry about us killing each other this time!"
Rowena groaned.
"Good evening, Juniors!" Harry called cheerfully as he stepped through the blood curtain that led from his room.
'Why the fuck are we awake right now?' Gin asked darkly.
"To see if you'd actually get up," was Harry's bright response as he took his normal seat at the head of the very small circle. Luna was, as usual, gazing up at the ceiling in awe. Herm was blinking at Harry sleepily from next to Gin. Both witches were holding a sleeping twin in their arms. Severus was scowling at where they could all hear Godric and Salazar bickering in the bedroom that Godric had included in his rooms. Rowena was blinking at the small group with a touch of amusement.
"Did you need anything, Rowena?" Harry enquired dryly.
"Just thinking about how few people you have," Rowena offered.
"That's because most of them have graduated." Luna hummed absent-mindedly.
Harry rubbed at the bridge of his nose darkly. "I should have had you lot recruiting people this week, shouldn't I have?" he grumbled.
"Probably," Severus offered, still glaring at the bedroom.
"I'm such an idiot."
'No argument here.' Gin growled. 'If we'd known you were going to call us down here tonight, we would have made sure to have some recruits.'
"Now, to be fair, the Juniors have never been an exceptionally large group," Severus stepped in, turning from the bedroom so he could watch Harry, concern drifting in his eyes. "It's hardly your fault, Harry."
Harry smiled up at the Potions professor. "I'm fine, Sevvie."
Severus let out a snort. "I haven't a doubt that you are."
"Well, here, how about we use our time down here to discuss possible recruits," Herm slipped in, also eyeing Harry's tired look with a touch of concern.
'Can't we just vote for bed inst–' Gin started darkly. Herm and Luna both moved to quickly swipe the bright lettering out of the air.
"I made a list," Luna offered in an airy voice as Herm leant over to whispered sharply in Gin's ear.
Harry shook his head at his two sisters. "Gin, if you want to go to bed, feel free to. Herm, Luna, stop trying to protect me."
But now Gin had noticed how tired her brother looked. 'Harry, when was the last night you actually SLEPT?' she demanded.
"Eh?" Harry blinked. "Er... Tuesday?"
"This past Tuesday? As in yesterday?" Severus asked, frowning.
"Uhm, no." Harry glanced down at his hands, letting his hair hide his face. "Last Tuesday, actually..."
"HARRY!" Severus and Herm both shouted as Gin glared angrily at her brother. Harry flinched.
"Do you lot mind not yelling at him?" Salazar requested dryly as he and Godric floated over to the group. "And I did tell you they'd find out, little Gryffindor."
"Very well, you win. What would you like?" Harry shot back, looking up coldly.
Salazar turned to Severus. "Would you happen to have some Dreamless Sleep on you, Severus?"
"I do happen to, yes," Severus responded, pulling out the small vial.
"No. Thank you, but no," Harry hissed sharply, eyeing the vial of potion warily.
'Luna, hold Gal for me while I help Severus get Harry to take his medicine.' Gin said before handing her godson over and standing. 'Big brother, do yourself a favour and just drink the stuff, okay?'
Harry glared at his sister and Death Eater friend. "No."
Severus and Gin traded looks, then both moved quickly to restrain the younger professor. Gin held Harry in a bear hug while Severus forced the Dreamless Sleep down Harry's throat.
"Can't say I didn't warn him." Salazar sighed as Harry slumped forward.
"Why hasn't he been sleeping?" Herm asked the ghost desperately.
Salazar shrugged. "Classes, the Weasel, not having Marvolo around, nightmares... Take your pick."
'What's he been having nightmares about?' Gin cried, hugging her sleeping brother tightly.
"Merlin..." Herm breathed, eyes widening. "I recall Ula saying something about hearing Harry screaming about Vernon, but that was months ago!"
Salazar nodded glumly. "Yes."
"Why haven't you told anyone, Sal?" Godric enquired, frowning heavily.
"I swore not to," was the firm reply.
Herm glanced over at the Potions professor. "Severus, if you could, somehow, talk Tom into coming by..."
"It won't work." Severus sighed. "Albus has actually forbidden him from coming onto the school grounds unless it's for the DA meeting."
'Does Harry know that?' Gin asked, frowning.
"This is the first I've heard of it, so I'll bet he hasn't." Salazar groaned.
"Harry's going to kill the Headmaster," Luna summed up all their thoughts with a furious look. It wasn't often that she'd stop looking like the rest of the world didn't affect her, but this was one of those times.
"Why does Albus have to keep doing this?!" Herm exclaimed, hugging Gerda to her chest as the child twisted in her sleep. If it weren't for the few drops of Dreamless Sleep in the formula both twins drank for bed, the babies would have already been awake.
"I think he believes that, by keeping Harry and Tom apart, Harry'll be more likely to remain his pawn," Godric offered coldly, glaring upwards in the general direction of the Headmaster's office.
'We can't keep feeding Harry Dreamless Sleep to get him asleep.' Gin said sadly. 'And I don't think anyone but Tom can help him right now, especially with Ron on the loose.'
Luna nodded. "Can Hedwig get into the Manor?" she inquired.
"Yeah. Tom worked her into the wards on their first day." Herm nodded, blinking at the Ravenclaw.
Luna stood, handing Gal back over to his mother. "Gin, can I borrow the Map? I'm going to write to Tom and tell him he needs to find a way to get Harry out of here and with him for a few days."
'Tell him Harry's not sleeping.' Gin suggested, pulling out the Marauder's Map and handing it over to her friend.
"Your first Hogsmeade weekend is this coming Friday," Severus mentioned. The staff had decided to cram a few Hogsmeade weekends into the beginning of the school year, just in case the Dark Lord upped the attacks so much that it became dangerous to allow the students off the school grounds.
Luna nodded. "Perfect." Then she spun and hurried over to the exit that let out near the kitchens. Even if she was caught by a teacher, she'd be fine, since she was a Prefect.
"We'd better all head back." Herm sighed.
"I'll put Harry to bed," Severus offered, leaning over to accept the younger professor from Gin, who'd continued hugging her brother through-out their whole discussion.
Gin smiled. 'Thanks, Severus.'
"Of course. Now, you go get some sleep, Miss Weasley-Potter; you have a test in my class tomorrow," Severus warned in a mock-stern tone as he rose with Harry cradled against his chest.
'Yes, Professor Snape.' Gin replied, rolling her eyes. 'Come on, Herm. Best make sure I get my sleep in.'
Herm laughed, handing over Gal to his godmother. "Oh, stop it." Gin just grinned.
-
A/N: Well, this series is moving a bit faster than I intended it to. *rubs at chin* I hadn't planned to have Harry return to Slytherin Manor for quite a few more chapters, but the whole fic was starting to drag, and I was running out of things for everyone to do, so I just added it in early. *sighs* Oh well. Can't win 'em all.
I was listening to the RENT soundtrack during the last part of this chapter, which is why it's so glum. *grimaces* Listen to angsty musical, end up with angsty chapter. Oops. *sweatdrop*
~Bats ^.^x
Abandon the Prequel: Sixth Year
Abandon Chapters:
01 || 02 || 03 || 04 || 05 || 06 || 07 || 08 || 09 || 10
11 || 12 || 13 || 14 || 15 || 16 || 17 || 18 || 19 || 20
21 || 22 || 23 || 24 || 25 || 26 || 27 || 28 || 29 || 30
31 || 32 || 33 || 34 || 35 || 36 || 37 || 38 || 39 || 40
41 || 42 || 43 || 44 || 45 || 46 || 47
Reclaim Chapters:
One || Two ||
Eleven || Twelve || Thirteen || Fourteen || Fifteen
Epilogue
Side Stories:
Ginevra Weasley & Theodore Nott
Minerva McGonagall || Minerva McGonagall (again)
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no subject
Date: 25/8/05 01:53 (UTC)Shoopid Dumbles, and DIE RON DIE!!! *cough*
*is all excited-like*
no subject
Date: 27/8/05 17:40 (UTC)Class is evile....
*laughes again*
no subject
Date: 25/8/05 03:16 (UTC)no subject
Date: 25/8/05 03:16 (UTC)(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 25/8/05 03:28 (UTC)DIE DUMBLES!!!! How can the man be so stupid? He should know by now that Harry relies on certain people/things to cope with his troubles... ugh i just wanna... hurt him or sumthin.
And don't get me started on Ron... we'd be here all day.
Great chapter though... but then... you always have great chapters. I really love this story... i loved Abandon and i'm loving Reclaim... i can't seem to get enough of it. I've read Abandon a total of 4 times now. ^__^
Definitely worth the wait... besides... the suspense just makes it better when u finally get the chapter. *grin*
~Duana.
no subject
Date: 27/8/05 17:45 (UTC)*amused look* He's too dumb for that. And controlling. Can't forget controlling.
*snorts in amusement*
Oh, dear. *shifty eyes* 4 times? I think I'm scared. XD
*laughes*
no subject
Date: 25/8/05 03:54 (UTC)"To see if you'd actually get up."
I love that ::laugh:: That's just so your Harry.
Damn Ron. Damn Dumbles. ...Yay sex next chap?? ^.^
no subject
Date: 27/8/05 17:43 (UTC)Ehh.... *nervous laughter* Well, no sex next chapter.... *ducks flying objects*
(no subject)
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From:no subject
Date: 25/8/05 04:02 (UTC)no subject
Date: 27/8/05 17:45 (UTC)He's dumb like that. *shifty eyes*
no subject
Date: 25/8/05 04:26 (UTC)Loved the new chap. as always. Can't wait for more.
no subject
Date: 27/8/05 17:46 (UTC)no subject
Date: 25/8/05 05:18 (UTC)no subject
Date: 27/8/05 17:47 (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 25/8/05 10:05 (UTC)OMG CONSPIRACY = Did Albus let Ron out of Hogwarts? *suspicious* Um. Me, jump to conclusions? Psht. Nonsense.
Alas, Harry did not snog the bigeesus out of dear Voldie. I had my figures crossed but... .*shrugs helplessly and pokes the two Lords*
OMG. O.M.G. *has a giggle fit* I can just see this picture in my head; Tom, pretending to be Marcus, sitting surrounded by twelve-year-olds, fierce scowl in place while the girls eye him coyly under eyelashes and giggle and whisper with their neighbors. *bursts out laughing hysterically*
I like Rowena. ^.^ It's fun to see her trying to puzzle everything out, and figure Harry out. They should lock Salazar and Godric in a closet; I'm sure the boys could use the alone time. *innocent look* And Godric is right, they don't have to worry about those to trying to kill each other.
If they ever force fed Harry potions in front of lesser minions... They can't do that! It's detrimental to the Cause; to Harry's dominant status and his health (well, people are less likely to try to assassinate someone if it seems like they couldn't succeed). Geez. *pokes them*
Unsurprisingly, a fantastic chapter! I can't wait to see more. ;D
no subject
Date: 27/8/05 17:54 (UTC)*snorts* No, Dumbles didn't let Ron out. Not in his best intrest, seeing as how Harry's reacting, ya know?
*rotflmao*
*dies of laughter* Oh! Yes! YES!! *wipes tears from eyes*
Rowena's fun. XD
Closet. Yes. Should be fun. *mad cackle*
HA!
Piff. Herm and Luna are hardly "lesser minions". Lesser troblemakers, I'll go for. They're kinda like family, ya know. ^.^"
Yay!!
no subject
Date: 25/8/05 13:36 (UTC)sneaky old dumbly keeping harry watched and then denying him access to tom, hes gonna go to far soon and then whats he gonna have left? doesnt he get that the more he closes his grasp the more star systems, i mean students slip threw his grap?
anyway who lovely chappy! lanna
no subject
Date: 27/8/05 17:57 (UTC)Hee, hee. Star systems = students. *crackes up*
^.^
yupíííííííí!!!!!
Date: 25/8/05 14:35 (UTC)This chapter is great!!!!
Bear hug in return....
school *brrrrrrrr*.... have a good time packing *grin*
Re: yupíííííííí!!!!!
Date: 27/8/05 17:59 (UTC)Yay!!
HUGS!!!
Heh. Oh yeah. -.-*
no subject
Date: 25/8/05 14:48 (UTC)SS
no subject
Date: 27/8/05 18:00 (UTC)Ugh. Moving into college. *horror*
no subject
Date: 25/8/05 16:13 (UTC)... ps. Ur drawings nearly finished, I just gotta outline it then I gotta jack someone's scanner and i'll post it :D:D:D NO STRESSING *wags finger* ^.^
*Even more hugs* MW
no subject
Date: 27/8/05 18:01 (UTC)Yay!!
*many hugs back!!*
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 25/8/05 17:30 (UTC)btw, let me know how the move in goes! (i've been moved in for almost 3 weeks, it's freakin amazing
no subject
Date: 27/8/05 18:03 (UTC)Actually, rather well. The school's nice, so it's all good. They keep us busy here, tho. *heavy sigh*
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 25/8/05 23:59 (UTC)Yay for Rowena, she's cool. Boo for Dumbledore the old cunt.
no subject
Date: 27/8/05 18:04 (UTC)Rowena is cool, yes.
O.o Kinda the wrong sex to be a cunt, don't you think? *amused look*
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
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From:no subject
Date: 26/8/05 22:46 (UTC)Rowena made me laugh. Merlin the 4 Founders have more resemblance with the Marauders!
So you are leaving for college? lotsa packing? Shudder. I don't pack much went to college, although leaving college is a real bitch... I packed 5 packs of cloth and other things (well the temperature shifts from -20 centigrade to 30 C), 3 boxes of CDs and tapes, and 13 boxes of books, and I've already sold a lot... I'm a storage-ho...
no subject
Date: 27/8/05 18:06 (UTC)*giggles* they do, don't they?
Yes. Much shuddering. *headdesk* But it's nice here, so I can't really complain.
Re: yupRe: yupííí¡!!!!
Date: 31/8/05 09:35 (UTC)But what is this? I can...., I really, really can cook Dumbles and Weasel!!!!! Yay!!!!!! Hmmmmmhmm........ What recipe should I use.....?
*lunaticsmile*
Have a good time!Bye-bye!!
Re: yupííí¡!!!!
Date: 1/9/05 00:22 (UTC)Yes. Cook them and eat them with salt. Please. I don't need them hanging around my house!! *horrified look*
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Date: 31/8/05 10:17 (UTC)Bloody brilliant chapter as always. I almost gave a loud whoop when I found that another chapter was up and that would have been embarrasing since I am in school.
I so wish that all will be fine and Harry gets his sleep. And his shag with Tom.
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Date: 1/9/05 00:23 (UTC)*chuckles* I know the feeling. *is currently at her job in the library*
*shifty eyes* Yeah. About that.... *ducks under desk*
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