batsutousai (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
batsutousai) wrote2005-03-30 09:56 pm
batsutousai) wrote2005-03-30 09:56 pm
FIC: Abandon ~ 44 Pt2 ~ Tom(Voldemort)/Harry ~ R
Title: Abandon
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
batsutousai
Beta:magickmaker17
Pairings: Harry/Tom(Voldemort), Seamus/Blaise, Ginevra/Theodore, post-Ron/Hermione, Salazar/Godric
Warnings: This will have slash(Guys on guys, ppl.), Dumbledore bashing, Ron bashing
Key:
Mind-speak
:Parseltongue:
’Written thoughts’
°°Phoenix speech°°
Chapter 44, Part 1
-
Chapter 44, Part 2
-
-~*~-
"Uhm, Harry, that dog next to you…" Hermione drifted off, eyeing the giant black dog sitting on the bench next to Harry.
Harry grinned, scratching the dog behind the ear. "His name is Snuffles. Remus brought him." He nodded up to the Head Table, where Remus sat next to McGonagall.
'Oh, Merlin...' Gin sat on Harry's free side, staring at the dog. 'He... Harry, he looks like Padfoot...'
"Yeah." Harry nodded, smiling. "Isn't it great?!"
Hermione leaned forward to set a hand against Harry's forehead. "Harry, come on, I think you need to see Madam Pomfrey."
"Nope." Harry shook his head. "I'm fine."
"Why did Professor Lupin get you the dog?" Neville inquired, sitting on the dog's other side.
"Because." Harry's eyes glinted with mad delight. "Oh, lookie at Dray. He looks like he's seen a ghost!"
The group of Gryffindors glanced over at where Draco was coming towards them, face chalk-white. "Harry, that dog looks like a dog I once knew," the Slytherin hissed, sliding into the free seat between Hermione and Parvati.
"Perhaps that's because he is the dog you once knew," Harry offered, fully enjoying himself. "Aren't you, Snuffles?"
The dog hopped off the bench and shifted back into Sirius, smiling as madly as his godson. "Maybe."
Hermione let out a shout. Neville fell off the bench. Draco's mouth fell open in shock. Gin stared at the Animagus in surprise. Others in the Hall screamed, fell off their benches, or fainted.
Dumbledore shot the two black-haired wizards, who were laughing insanely, a disappointed look and stood. "If everyone could please calm down? Harry, Sirius, that was rude."
"Sorry, Dumbles!" Harry said through his laughter. "But we couldn't help ourselves!" Sirius nodded in agreement, wiping tears from his eyes.
"I'm sure." Dumbledore shook his head, obviously fighting a smile. "If everyone will please sit?"
Sirius slid back into the seat next to his godson and ruffled Harry's hair, giving both Hermione and Gin winks. "We'll explain later," he promised.
The Headmaster waited for the Hall to become silent before he spoke again. "Last night, Sirius Black was cleared of all of the charges against him and reinstated as Harry Potter's godfather. He will be remaining at Hogwarts for the rest of the week, perhaps longer. Let's make him welcome. Mr Malfoy, could you please return to your table?"
"You're explaining this later, Harry," Draco hissed before walking back to his table.
"Friendly kid," Sirius offered, grabbing a roll from the basket in front of him.
"Oh, he's better when dead people don't come back to life," Harry offered flippantly. "Alright there, Nev?"
"Yeah." Neville nodded. "Just a little startled." He poked Sirius in the arm. "I know I saw you go through that archway."
"He did." Harry leaned forward so he could see his friend. "Hell didn't like him, apparently. It shot him back out last year."
'And where has he been?' Gin demanded, scowling at her brother.
"St Mungo's," Sirius replied easily. "I was in a coma. I woke yesterday."
"That's why you got called off!" Hermione realized.
"Yeah." Harry scratched the back of his head. "How'd it go?"
"They were remarkably good," Seamus offered. "Well, they were after Gin threatened to take a page out of your book and turn them all into snakes if they didn't behave."
Harry cocked an eyebrow at his sister. "You did?"
'Of course. I wasn't about to deal with their shit when I could be worrying about what Dumbledore needed from you this time.' Gin replied.
"You're the best sister ever," Harry declared, hugging Gin tightly.
'Can't...breathe...'
Everyone laughed as Harry let her go. "Just keep Ted from murdering me, would you?" He nodded over to where Theodore was scowling at them from the Slytherin Table.
'Tell your guard dog to help you.' Gin shot back. 'Sirius, how have you been, anyway?'
"Dead." Sirius shrugged. "Not much to say, really. Except that no one thought to tell me about you not talking."
'I can't. Ron exploded a glass in my face when I didn't care about Percy's death.' Gin replied, watching her plate.
Harry wrapped the girl in a hug while Sirius let out a growl. "That's two strike– no, three strikes against him. Guess he's out."
"He's in Azkaban. What can you do?" Hermione pointed out uneasily.
"Hey, he's got Harry Potter on his side. He's already proven he can do anything," Dean pointed out. "I mean, really. Harry, is there anything you can't do?"
Harry blinked a few times before his eyes darkened. "Yes. I can't always protect everyone."
"Sometimes you need to sit back and let other people learn how to protect themselves," Sirius pointed out. "You can't blame yourself for something you had no power to prevent."
Harry blinked a few times at his godfather before letting out a sigh. "I'd forgotten that you always seem to have an answer for everything."
"Almost," Sirius agreed.
I've decided I like him, Tom announced suddenly.
Oh?
Yeah. He knows how to deal with your moods.
And you don't?
I can deal with your moods, but I'm not always there. Anyway, I suppose I have to give him some leniency. He is a Gryffindor.
You know, it's a good thing I'm not insulted by that.
You're no Gryffindor, anyway.
Yes I am.
Nope. You're a Slytherin in Gryffindor colours. There's a difference, Tom replied easily, mentally kissing Harry's scar. Finish your lunch, you imp.
Oh, fine. Bastard. Harry rolled his eyes and poked at his potato. "Hey, Siri?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't think Marcus hates you anymore."
'Marcus hated him?' Gin asked, frowning.
"Yeah. But it's okay now."
"What have I done right?" Sirius inquired.
Harry smiled. "You know how to deal with my moods."
"Now that is an accomplishment," Hermione agreed. "I still don't know how to keep you under control, and we've been friends for seven years. I have no clue how Marcus manages sometimes."
"Ditto," Neville offered.
Sirius shrugged. "You can't keep him under control, Hermione. You just have to go with it and help him through it, if he needs the help."
'Really? That's the big secret?'
"Yup." Sirius winked at the young witch. "At least, that's how Remus has always dealt with me."
The Gryffindors around them burst out in laughter and Harry smiled, shaking his head. I'm glad he's back.
And I'm glad you're happy.
Thanks, love.
Of course.
-~*~-
"Stay away from any cauldrons if you're going to be in here, Black."
"I was going to help my godson with the assignment, Snape."
"In that case, go out in the hall. He's blown up enough cauldrons without your help."
"As much fun as it is to see you going at one another's throats, please stop," Harry said in a rather bored voice.
The two wizards turned to glare at him. "Why?" Sirius demanded.
"Because the whole class is watching you and Ted's distracted enough that he's about to miss his opportunity to add the bat's wings," Harry offered in a matter-of-fact voice.
Theodore immediately returned his attention to his potion. "Thanks, Harry!"
Harry shrugged. "Just don't pay them any mind, is my suggestion. And, Professor Snape, you know I haven't blown any cauldrons up this year, so that argument is pretty much null."
Severus scowled. "Don't let him blow anything up for you, then," he ordered before stalking up to the front of the classroom.
"He reminds me of a child who didn't get his way," Sirius declared.
"And you remind me of a bully in grade school," Harry said evenly before Severus could shoot back a reply. "Sirius, please sit down and leave Professor Snape alone for once. You're distracting the class, especially Anthony."
"Yah! Thanks, Harry!" Anthony shouted, looking back to his potion, which was starting to bubble over the edge of the cauldron.
"How do you do that?" Sirius asked, sitting down in the chair Harry had conjured for him at the beginning of the class.
"Eyes in the back of his head," Hermione murmured, carefully adding the rat spit. "And near-perfect knowledge of the potion we're all working on."
"Oh..." Sirius frowned at Harry, who was busy chopping up something. "When did he learn potions?"
"Last year," Harry answered. "Mad-Eye helped me over the summer after I asked."
"And he still got the worst grades in the class." Hermione sighed, shaking her head.
"Oops." Draco grinned at the witch. "My fault."
"Ted and 'Bini helped you," Harry murmured, frowning. Then he leaned back slightly and dropped something into the cauldron behind him. "Pay attention, Morag."
"Oh, yeah... Sorry..." The Ravenclaw set the ingredient he'd been hurriedly cutting into Harry's open hand.
"No problem." Harry smiled before returning to his work table and finishing the cutting, fixing it so it looked more even.
Sirius blinked a few times. "You've got Lily's talent with potions."
"Oh?" Harry glanced up quickly, eyes questioning.
"Yeah. James could barely make his own potion, let alone keep an eye on mine. Remus was always the one who saved me from blowing something up. Lily was always helping her neighbours with things," Sirius explained.
"Did Dad ever get better?"
"He may have, if he'd had more time to learn. I don't know," Sirius replied, eyes downcast.
Harry set a hand on Sirius' arm soothingly. "I bet you he's still blowing things up in Heaven. Mum's probably yelling at him right now."
Sirius grinned. "He'd be side-tracked 'cause he's trying to get you to cause trouble in Snape's class."
"Obviously James has no clue how much trouble Harry causes by not being here." Draco snorted.
"What do you mean by that?" Sirius asked, working to not yell at the boy.
"Everyone depends on Harry's knowledge of the potion we're working on and his attentiveness," Draco replied. "For the first month of his suspension, things were blowing up all over the place in here. It was a nightmare."
"Actually, it was rather amusing," Blaise offered.
"You're saying that because you never had any trouble," Parvati complained as Hermione stopped her from putting the wrong thing in again.
"Professor Snape started telling me to not come to class." Hermione laughed. "He didn't want anything to happen to me that might harm the babies."
"Nobody told me that," Harry complained.
"We didn't want to worry you," Hermione offered, smiling at him. "You already had enough on your mind."
"Like how not to land on your arse." Draco snorted.
Harry elbowed the teen. "Can you beat your father?"
"Shut up, Harry."
Harry sniggered and winked at Sirius, who had a surprised look on his face. "Slytherins aren't all bad, Sirius."
"As long as you know how to talk to them," Hermione agreed.
"Or your name is Harry Potter," Parvati added.
"It's the Gryffindors that are horrible," Theodore offered.
"Says he with the Gryffindor girlfriend." Blaise snorted from next to him.
"Watch it, Blaise. You've got the Gryffindor boyfriend," Theodore shot back.
"Shut up, Teddy Bear."
"Make me, Fart Boy."
"You know, if I'd known that your nicknames would make way for insults, I wouldn't have given them to you," Harry said in a loud voice.
"Sorry, Harry," the two Slytherins chorused after exchanging looks.
"Make your damn potions."
"Yes, Harry."
"I thought you were calling him 'Master Potter' when he was yelling at you," Draco teased.
"Oh, yeah." Theodore and Blaise glanced back at Harry, who was scowling at Draco. "Sorry, Master Potter."
"I'll murder you later, Malfoy," Harry muttered before glancing at the two in front of him. "Potions."
"Yes, Master Potter."
"And don't call me master!"
"Yes, Master Potter."
"Argh!"
The room burst out into gales of laughter. Sirius was amazed to see Severus covering a smile. Well, I'll be damned. The git has a sense of humour after all...
-~*~-
"Don't you have that meeting tonight?" Hermione inquired in the common room after classes while Gin entertained Sirius.
"I can't take Sirius. He'll get in the way," Harry whispered.
"Go while Gin's distracting him."
"How?"
"I'm sure you know at least one Invisibility Charm," Parvati teased in a whisper, leaning over the back of his chair. "Dean was going to go get Seam from the library anyway. Go out with him."
"Thanks." Harry sighed before casting a silent Invisibility Charm. As a last thought, he added a Silencing Spell to it, to keep himself from making any noise that might alert his godfather to what he was doing. Then he got up and stole across the room to where Dean stood next to the door. He tapped the black boy on the shoulder and Dean grinned at him.
"Come on, then," Dean offered before stepping out through the portrait hole.
Oh, yeah. Those bracelets... Harry sighed, following his dorm mate. Once they were clear of the Fat Lady, Harry got rid of the Silencing Spell. "Thanks, mate."
"Sure thing. Though, I don't know if your godfather's going to think of shifting shape or not, but you might want to find a way to block your scent."
Harry shook his head. "Dean, that was positively Slytherin!" Dean laughed, shaking his head. "Here, let me concentrate a moment..." Harry murmured, stopping and closing his eyes. Dean stopped with him and watched in amazement as Harry slowly shifted from his normal form to the Marcus form that Tom used. Alright?
Yes. I promise not to leave for a while. Good choice, by the way. Poppy won't flip out.
Poppy might flip out anyway. Harry snorted, opening his eyes and dropping the invisibility. "What's that look for?"
"You're just full of surprises, Professor," Dean replied, turning and starting out again.
Harry grinned and fell into step next to his friend. "Hey, I like being tall, actually..."
Dean sniggered. "And that's one person you can emulate to a tee."
"Yup." Harry put his hands in his pockets and wiped his expression. "How am I doing?"
Dean took one look at him and cracked up. "That's funny!"
"Oy! I'm insulted!"
"Sorry, sir." The young wizard sniggered.
"Gryffindors." Harry sighed helplessly, sending Dean into peals of laughter again. "Here's where I leave you. Ta, Dean."
"See you later, Marcus!" Dean laughed, waving as Harry walked down the stairs, taking care to walk in the same way his lover did. This isn't all that easy. I don't normally study how you walk.
I know. You study my bum, instead.
It's a most lovely bum, too.
Pay attention to your surroundings, you imp.
Love you.
I love you too.
Harry smiled slightly and poked his head into the Infirmary. Poppy was working with something over by her potions cabinet. "Evening," he offered, stepping into the ward.
"Oh! Good evening, Marcus." Poppy smiled at him.
"Guess again," Harry replied before closing his eyes and quickly morphing back to his proper form, plus the red and silver hair. He'd found that it was easiest to return to the form he was most familiar with a while ago.
"Merlin's beard!" Poppy gasped, holding a hand to her breast. "Harry!"
The teen winked at her. "Family secret, remember? I had to get away from Sirius to talk to Sally-Anne."
"How long have you been able to do such complex changes?" the mediwitch inquired, calming down.
"Christmas, but I don't normally have a need for them." He ruffled his hair. "Need any help?"
"No." Poppy smiled. "Did you read that book?"
"Actually, yes." Harry settled on the closest bed to the woman. "Very informative. I'm sorry I didn't bring it back..."
"Don't worry about it," Poppy replied. "I have another copy, and I'm sure I'll get it back from you sooner or later. Did you have any questions?"
"Yes, actually." Harry frowned. "Saber told me once that you need the trust of your patient before you can heal them, but the book didn't really talk about that."
"It's not the best book out there," Poppy agreed.
"So, could you explain that? Why you need their trust, I mean. Do you always need the trust of the students?"
"That depends, actually. You need their trust because, otherwise, their magic might fight you. If you're stronger than your patient, which will usually apply for you, you probably won't need their trust so much; you'll overpower them and they won't fight you."
"So the magic acts on the patient's whim?"
"Yes."
"Can't that be a problem?"
"Yes." Poppy smiled. "St Mungo's, for example, always has a few very strong medics on staff for unconscious patients, in case they need their help casting the spells they need. It was a nightmare during wartime."
"And last year?"
"Not so much last year, actually. He hadn't quite got back into the swing of things by the time he stopped the attacks, so it wasn't so difficult."
"They send out medics with the aurors, don't they?" Harry asked, concerned.
"The medics usually get in the way." Poppy sighed, shaking her head. "Many aurors, though, have a basic understanding of medimagic and can act to keep a comrade conscious until a St Mungo's team gets out there."
"That's assuming they can find their hurt comrade!"
"Medics aren't violent, Harry." Poppy sighed. "Aurors are made for fighting. Medics are made for healing. They clash in combat. And Death Eaters could care less."
"All Death Eaters are required to learn basic medimagic; they understand it can save their lives."
"And when they've lost the raid, then what? Do they die if they can't apparate away?"
No. They put themselves into a magical coma and rejoin us when they can, Tom offered when Harry didn't have an answer.
"You don't know?" Poppy inquired, looking over at the teen.
"Magical comas." Harry shrugged. "I haven't the slightest."
The mediwitch smiled. "That wasn't covered in that book. Self-induced magical comas will make a witch or wizard appear dead, but will heal them. Aurors don't use them, though, because they've been known to fail. In fact, it's illegal."
"No wonder Death Eaters use them." The teen smiled. "Better dead than in Azkaban, I suppose. In the comas, do you know what's going on around you?"
"I haven't a clue."
It's fragmented, actually, Tom offered. You have some idea of what's going on, but it's not very clear.
Poppy smiled at him. "What's he say?"
"Oh." Harry scratched the back of his head. "I have to work on being so obviously talking to him, I suppose. He says it's a fragmented view. You've got an idea of what's going on, but it's not like you're actually there."
Poppy nodded. "Your unconscious self is in control, then. Interesting."
"I wonder how much medimagic background most of the Order members have..." Harry murmured absent-mindedly.
"I'm sure you can ask Albus."
"Probably. Come on in, Sally-Anne."
The blonde Hufflepuff stepped into the ward nervously. Her long hair was done up in pigtails and fell over her shoulders. She brushed one of them behind her as she offered a scared smile. "Hu-hullo..."
"Harry's not going to bite you, Sally," Poppy said, setting her potions back in their case and dusting her hands off and she turned to smile at the girl.
"I don't bite people. Leaves nasty marks," Harry agreed, earning him a swat from Poppy. "Hey!"
"Smart mouth." Poppy rolled her eyes. "Why don't you both come into my office, hum?"
"Good idea. The school has ears," Harry replied, ducking the next swat easily and running into the office, laughing.
Poppy sighed and set a hand on Sally-Anne's shoulder. "Come along, dear. He just wants to talk to you."
"R-right." The Hufflepuff nodded nervously and allowed the mediwitch to lead her into the office.
Harry was crouched in front of the gap between a bookcase and a cabinet, blinking, when the two witches came in. "Harry, what in Merlin's name are you doing?" Poppy demanded.
"Poppy, do you have a cat?" Harry asked, not turning his attention from the dark space.
"Why, yes, I do. Why?"
"Is she pregnant?"
Poppy frowned and walked over to look over Harry's shoulder. "Scamp! When did you get out?!"
Harry shrugged and let the mediwitch get at the cat. "She's beautiful, by the way."
"Thank you." Poppy smiled at the teen before returning her attention to the poor cat. "And how did you get out?!"
"The door?" Sally-Anne offered, coming over to pet the poor animal.
"No, it's spelled against her. I don't want her in the ward."
"Good idea. Could have someone like Hagrid in there..." Harry murmured, disappearing into Poppy's bedroom. "I knew it was a mess in here!"
"Harry Potter! What do you think you're doing?!" Poppy shouted, following the teen.
Harry was standing in front of a bookcase with a pile of clothing in front of it, frowning. "Found your hole."
"What?" Poppy blinked at Harry in surprise, the reprimand dying on her tongue.
"The hole, Poppy." Harry rolled his eyes and pulled out his wand. He shot a cleaning charm at the pile of clothing, showing that a few of the books on the bottom shelf were pushed to either side and a hole in the back of the bookcase that led to a hole in the wall came into sight.
"Oh, my! How'd that get there?!"
"I can come up with a couple reasons," Harry replied darkly. "Do you want me to block it?"
"Poppy can block it herself," Sally-Anne insisted from the door of the bedroom. She was glaring at Harry. "And you shouldn't be in her bedroom. It's rude."
"Sally, it's fine," Poppy replied. "Harry, please do. You think you know how it got there?"
"It could be another curious animal." Harry nodded, aiming his wand at the hole and spelling it shut. "Or it could be Dumbles pretending he's a Slytherin again. He does a rather good impression, too."
"Professor Dumbledore is a good man!" Sally-Anne called, scandalized.
"You don't know him like I do." Harry sighed, putting his wand away. "Fixed. I put a few extra spells on it, in case it is Dumbles."
"Thank you." Poppy sighed before setting her cat, Scamp, back down. "No more leaving the room, you."
"Like she'll listen." Harry snorted.
"I know. She reminds me of this little monster I know who goes by the name of Harry Potter," the mediwitch teased, ruffling Harry's hair.
The teen grinned. "Duh." Then he turned to Sally-Anne, who was still glaring at him. "Poppy tells me you're considering the Dark Order."
"Poppy!" The Hufflepuff stared at her mentor, horrified.
"I'm not a Light wizard, Miss Perks," Harry said coolly. "Shall we takes seats out in the office? You did point out that I shouldn't be in here."
"Did you have to tell her that way?" Poppy complained as they followed the shocked Hufflepuff out into the office.
"I'm a Gryffindor, Poppy. We have no tact."
"You have tact, Harry. I've seen your tact."
"I keep forgetting who I'm talking to." Harry snorted, taking a seat in front of Sally-Anne while Poppy sat next to her. "Poppy called me in here because she thinks you need to talk to me, and I agree. The usual argument for medics about joining the Dark Order – or so Voldemort has told me – is that they disagree with the constant killing. I happen to agree with this."
"You can't be Dark!" Sally-Anne declared. "You're Harry Potter!"
Harry sighed and tugged his pendant out from under his shirt. He forced the invisibility to drop for the two witches. "I'm Voldemort's second in the Dark Order, Miss Perks. Don't take things at face value. You currently have two Death Eaters as teachers and are working closely with a Dark supporter."
"Though I'm openly Light," Poppy agreed.
"It's hardly a good idea to be anything but openly Light in this school, Poppy," Harry pointed out, putting the necklace away. "Dumbles is a nightmare if he suspects your loyalties."
"Or so Marcus has told me." Poppy shrugged.
Harry snorted. "I figured." He glanced back at Sally-Anne, who was watching the exchange with wide eyes. "I'm in control of a small group of people who are publicly known as Death Eaters In-Training, thought only because Percy Weasley defected and 'spilled the beans', if you will. Privately, we're known as the Juniors and our main job is getting information for the Dark Order and collecting supporters. We don't do raids, except in the most extreme of situations, and I don't play Voldemort's game of using the Cruciatus Curse when someone does something wrong."
"It's the more mild section of Death Eaters," Poppy clarified.
"Yes and no. We run things a little differently. It's good for the Light wizards and students, of course. We don't have Dark Marks, really, so we make the perfect spies. For example, I'm a member of the Order of the Phoenix, but only my own people know about my true side because I have no Dark Mark to criminalize me."
"And you're a trusted person, anyway," Sally-Anne shot back.
"I am not." Harry shook his head. "Before we shut him up, Percy Weasley named me as a Death Eater. Dumbles only trusts me as far as he can throw me, and that's not very far, trust me."
"When was the last time Albus threw you?" Poppy enquired, amused.
Harry cocked an eyebrow at her. "What makes you think he's ever thrown me?"
"Actually–" A rush of sound out in the ward ended whatever Poppy had been about to say rather abruptly. "I'm sorry, Harry."
Harry nodded. "You two do your job. Miss Perks, consider my offer and find me later. Or tell Poppy and she'll have me come by again." He stood with a stretch.
"Thank you," Sally-Anne whispered.
"It's my job," Harry replied with a shrug. "Poppy, I can show myself out. Go."
"Right. Go pick a book to take, in case Albus catches you," Poppy ordered before hurrying out into the ward.
Sally-Anne called a book over with her wand and handed it to Harry. "Try this one," she suggested before hurrying after her mentor.
Harry glanced down. Wartime Medi-Magic was the title. The teen grinned and shrunk it, placing it into a pocket, before stepping out of the office.
Kamila Vance – Enid and Babette's Hufflepuff friend – and Ula were on two beds next to one another, while Enid and Babette were being held at bay by McGonagall. Enid saw Harry first. "Harry!" she called, breaking free from the Deputy's grasp and running up to him.
Harry frowned. "Enid. What happened?"
"Rockwell used some sort of Dark spell on them!" Babette shouted furiously. "I'm going to murder the little shit!"
"You will not," Harry replied firmly. "You will stay here. Poppy, do you know the counter?"
"Yes." The mediwitch nodded up at him.
"Good." He glanced back at the two first years, who were both standing in front of him, since McGonagall had let Babette go. "Rockwell hexed them? Where?"
"The hall outside my office." McGonagall sighed. "He ran."
Harry's eyes flashed. "I'll get him, then. Enid, Babs, stay here," he ordered. Once both girls nodded, he ran out the door. Tom! Any idea where Ronan Rockwell is?!
No, but I haven't left my room. Do you want me to search for him?
Harry tugged out the Map. No, I'll find him. Could you tell Dumbles to go to the Infirmary, though? He's in his office.
For you, yes, I suppose. Why?
He'll be able to help calm both Babs and Enid down, and, probably, help Poppy if she needs the help.
Oh, very well.
Thank you, love.
Of course. Of course.
Harry glanced back down at the Map, eyes frantically searching out the errant first year. On second thought, you get Rockwell. He's outside your office. I'll get Dumbles.
Thank you. I really didn't want to deal with that coot right before dinner... Tom sighed.
Harry snorted and came to a stop outside the gargoyle. "Sugar Quills!" he hissed. Once the stone creature was out of the way, he ran up the steps two at a time. At the top, he paused to knock on the door.
Got him! Where do you want him?
Hospital Wing, please, Harry replied as the Headmaster called for him to come in. He poked his head in and offered Remus and Sirius a quick smile. "Headmaster, we need you down in the Infirmary. Rockwell hexed both Vance and Thorald with a Dark spell."
"And where is Mr Rockwell?" Dumbledore inquired smoothly as he stood and headed for Harry, Remus and Sirius following.
Harry let the Headmaster walk next to him as they made their way to the Infirmary. "Marcus was going for him, sir."
"Do you know what spell he cast?"
"No. I only stayed long enough to make sure Poppy knew the counter."
"I see. And if she hadn't?"
"Then I would have hoped to Merlin that either I or Professor McGonagall knew while we sent someone else to get you and find Rockwell."
"Do you know what set Mr Rockwell off?"
"No, sir, though I can make a pretty good guess," Harry offered before opening the Infirmary doors for the three adult. Tom?
Almost there. Had to stun him to get him to stop kicking me.
Oh, dear... Harry sighed mentally and returned his attention to the present. Kamila was waking while Poppy was casting the counter on Ula. Dumbledore was getting a scattered story from the two witches who were awake. As Harry had suspected, Ula had been making peace with the three friends and Ronan, overhearing, had shot a couple of hexes blindly and run off.
Sirius set a hand on his shoulder. "Where were you? One minute you were sitting and talking to Hermione, the next you were gone."
"I had a pre-set appointment with Poppy," Harry replied. "You looked like you were having fun with Gin, so I opted for not bothering you."
"...oh..." Sirius nodded, face downcast.
"It's not that I don't like having you around, Sirius," Harry said, correctly reading the look on his godfather's face. "In fact, I love it, but there are some things that I need to do without you shadowing me, and this was one of those things."
"You could have told me."
"Like I said, you looked like you were having fun with Gin."
Tom chose that moment to walk into the Infirmary, a floating Ronan behind him. "Marcus!" McGonagall cried.
"He's stunned," Tom grumbled. "I got sick and tired of him kicking me."
Harry sniggered. "Finite Incantantum. Rennervate."
"Harry!" the Dark Lord complained as both the Stupefy and the Mobilicorpus ended at the same time. The first year fell to the ground with a loud 'thud' and a groan.
Harry came to stand above the boy. "Good evening, Mr Rockwell. Have you any clue how much shit you've just landed yourself into?" he asked brightly.
"Harry." Dumbledore sighed. "Move. Stand up, Mr Rockwell."
Harry walked back over to where Tom was standing with his godfathers. "You are one vindictive son of a bitch," Tom muttered.
"Don't call my mum a bitch," Harry shot back, leaning his back against Tom's chest.
"Fine. You're one vindictive godson of a bitch," the Dark Lord replied, wrapping his arms around his smaller lover and smirking at Sirius, who let out a growl.
"Oh stop it, both of you." Harry groaned. "Why must you act like a child all the time, Marcus?"
"It amuses me."
"Great. That explains everything."
"Harry?" Ula called from her bed. "Where's Harry?"
"Oops. Child calls." Harry winked at his lover and godfathers before slipping over to the girl's bed. "Hey, girlie. How you feeling?"
Ula blinked up at him. "Ronan hates me, doesn't he?"
"I don't know." He conjured himself a chair and sat in it. "What happened?"
"I was just taking a stroll and ran in to Clough and Kern and Vance outside McGonagall's office. Kern demanded to know what I was up to and I just told them I was going to Marcus' room, since I thought you'd be there. They asked why I'd want to talk to you and I said you'd invited me to stay with you this summer because my parents were going out of the country. And then Ronan hexed us and ran," Ula replied, eyes looking around wildly. "Is Marcus okay?"
"Yes." Harry smiled. "Professor McGonagall got you all down here and, since I was down here, I went and got Marcus to find Mr Rockwell while I got the Headmaster."
"What's going to happen to Ronan?"
"I haven't the slightest. Would you like me to find out?"
"Please." Ula nodded carefully.
Harry stood and walked over to Dumbledore. "Well?"
The Headmaster frowned at him. "Well what?"
"What are you doing to Mr Rockwell?" Harry inquired in a neutral tone.
"I don't think I'll tell you," Dumbledore replied.
Harry let out a sigh. "Albus."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily. "Detention every night for the next five days."
"With?"
"Professor Snape."
"Ouch." Harry winced before turning around and walking back to Ula's bed. "He gets detention with Snape for the next five days."
Ula grinned. "Good."
"And Marcus was calling me vindictive." Harry chuckled, shaking his head.
"He's right," Ula shot back.
"Harry?" Enid came to stand at the end of Ula's bed. "Is Thorald really coming to stay with you this summer?"
"Yes. He invited the little monster over to my house before I could disagree," Tom said, coming to stand behind Enid.
Enid glanced up at him and started giggling. "Professor, your nose..."
"What did you do?" Tom demanded of his lover.
Harry sniggered. "Nothing. Though, if you look behind you, I'm sure you'll find the culprit."
"BLACK!!"
"Oops." Sirius winked at the first year girls and Harry before fleeing the Hospital Wing, Tom right behind him.
"Oh, dear..." Remus smiled after them. "Someone should probably go save Sirius..."
"I invite you to try," Harry laughed, "but I wouldn't suggest it."
"Hm. Sexual frustrations," Poppy said, nodding. Everyone but Harry stared at her in confusion.
The Boy-Who-Lived fell off his chair. "Poppy!"
"What?"
"There are ladies present!"
The nurse laughed.
--------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
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), Seamus/Blaise, Ginevra/Theodore, post-Ron/Hermione, Salazar/Godric
Warnings: This will have slash(Guys on guys, ppl.), Dumbledore bashing, Ron bashing
Key:
Mind-speak
:Parseltongue:
’Written thoughts’
°°Phoenix speech°°
Chapter 44, Part 1
Chapter 44, Part 2
-
"Uhm, Harry, that dog next to you…" Hermione drifted off, eyeing the giant black dog sitting on the bench next to Harry.
Harry grinned, scratching the dog behind the ear. "His name is Snuffles. Remus brought him." He nodded up to the Head Table, where Remus sat next to McGonagall.
'Oh, Merlin...' Gin sat on Harry's free side, staring at the dog. 'He... Harry, he looks like Padfoot...'
"Yeah." Harry nodded, smiling. "Isn't it great?!"
Hermione leaned forward to set a hand against Harry's forehead. "Harry, come on, I think you need to see Madam Pomfrey."
"Nope." Harry shook his head. "I'm fine."
"Why did Professor Lupin get you the dog?" Neville inquired, sitting on the dog's other side.
"Because." Harry's eyes glinted with mad delight. "Oh, lookie at Dray. He looks like he's seen a ghost!"
The group of Gryffindors glanced over at where Draco was coming towards them, face chalk-white. "Harry, that dog looks like a dog I once knew," the Slytherin hissed, sliding into the free seat between Hermione and Parvati.
"Perhaps that's because he is the dog you once knew," Harry offered, fully enjoying himself. "Aren't you, Snuffles?"
The dog hopped off the bench and shifted back into Sirius, smiling as madly as his godson. "Maybe."
Hermione let out a shout. Neville fell off the bench. Draco's mouth fell open in shock. Gin stared at the Animagus in surprise. Others in the Hall screamed, fell off their benches, or fainted.
Dumbledore shot the two black-haired wizards, who were laughing insanely, a disappointed look and stood. "If everyone could please calm down? Harry, Sirius, that was rude."
"Sorry, Dumbles!" Harry said through his laughter. "But we couldn't help ourselves!" Sirius nodded in agreement, wiping tears from his eyes.
"I'm sure." Dumbledore shook his head, obviously fighting a smile. "If everyone will please sit?"
Sirius slid back into the seat next to his godson and ruffled Harry's hair, giving both Hermione and Gin winks. "We'll explain later," he promised.
The Headmaster waited for the Hall to become silent before he spoke again. "Last night, Sirius Black was cleared of all of the charges against him and reinstated as Harry Potter's godfather. He will be remaining at Hogwarts for the rest of the week, perhaps longer. Let's make him welcome. Mr Malfoy, could you please return to your table?"
"You're explaining this later, Harry," Draco hissed before walking back to his table.
"Friendly kid," Sirius offered, grabbing a roll from the basket in front of him.
"Oh, he's better when dead people don't come back to life," Harry offered flippantly. "Alright there, Nev?"
"Yeah." Neville nodded. "Just a little startled." He poked Sirius in the arm. "I know I saw you go through that archway."
"He did." Harry leaned forward so he could see his friend. "Hell didn't like him, apparently. It shot him back out last year."
'And where has he been?' Gin demanded, scowling at her brother.
"St Mungo's," Sirius replied easily. "I was in a coma. I woke yesterday."
"That's why you got called off!" Hermione realized.
"Yeah." Harry scratched the back of his head. "How'd it go?"
"They were remarkably good," Seamus offered. "Well, they were after Gin threatened to take a page out of your book and turn them all into snakes if they didn't behave."
Harry cocked an eyebrow at his sister. "You did?"
'Of course. I wasn't about to deal with their shit when I could be worrying about what Dumbledore needed from you this time.' Gin replied.
"You're the best sister ever," Harry declared, hugging Gin tightly.
'Can't...breathe...'
Everyone laughed as Harry let her go. "Just keep Ted from murdering me, would you?" He nodded over to where Theodore was scowling at them from the Slytherin Table.
'Tell your guard dog to help you.' Gin shot back. 'Sirius, how have you been, anyway?'
"Dead." Sirius shrugged. "Not much to say, really. Except that no one thought to tell me about you not talking."
'I can't. Ron exploded a glass in my face when I didn't care about Percy's death.' Gin replied, watching her plate.
Harry wrapped the girl in a hug while Sirius let out a growl. "That's two strike– no, three strikes against him. Guess he's out."
"He's in Azkaban. What can you do?" Hermione pointed out uneasily.
"Hey, he's got Harry Potter on his side. He's already proven he can do anything," Dean pointed out. "I mean, really. Harry, is there anything you can't do?"
Harry blinked a few times before his eyes darkened. "Yes. I can't always protect everyone."
"Sometimes you need to sit back and let other people learn how to protect themselves," Sirius pointed out. "You can't blame yourself for something you had no power to prevent."
Harry blinked a few times at his godfather before letting out a sigh. "I'd forgotten that you always seem to have an answer for everything."
"Almost," Sirius agreed.
I've decided I like him, Tom announced suddenly.
Oh?
Yeah. He knows how to deal with your moods.
And you don't?
I can deal with your moods, but I'm not always there. Anyway, I suppose I have to give him some leniency. He is a Gryffindor.
You know, it's a good thing I'm not insulted by that.
You're no Gryffindor, anyway.
Yes I am.
Nope. You're a Slytherin in Gryffindor colours. There's a difference, Tom replied easily, mentally kissing Harry's scar. Finish your lunch, you imp.
Oh, fine. Bastard. Harry rolled his eyes and poked at his potato. "Hey, Siri?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't think Marcus hates you anymore."
'Marcus hated him?' Gin asked, frowning.
"Yeah. But it's okay now."
"What have I done right?" Sirius inquired.
Harry smiled. "You know how to deal with my moods."
"Now that is an accomplishment," Hermione agreed. "I still don't know how to keep you under control, and we've been friends for seven years. I have no clue how Marcus manages sometimes."
"Ditto," Neville offered.
Sirius shrugged. "You can't keep him under control, Hermione. You just have to go with it and help him through it, if he needs the help."
'Really? That's the big secret?'
"Yup." Sirius winked at the young witch. "At least, that's how Remus has always dealt with me."
The Gryffindors around them burst out in laughter and Harry smiled, shaking his head. I'm glad he's back.
And I'm glad you're happy.
Thanks, love.
Of course.
"Stay away from any cauldrons if you're going to be in here, Black."
"I was going to help my godson with the assignment, Snape."
"In that case, go out in the hall. He's blown up enough cauldrons without your help."
"As much fun as it is to see you going at one another's throats, please stop," Harry said in a rather bored voice.
The two wizards turned to glare at him. "Why?" Sirius demanded.
"Because the whole class is watching you and Ted's distracted enough that he's about to miss his opportunity to add the bat's wings," Harry offered in a matter-of-fact voice.
Theodore immediately returned his attention to his potion. "Thanks, Harry!"
Harry shrugged. "Just don't pay them any mind, is my suggestion. And, Professor Snape, you know I haven't blown any cauldrons up this year, so that argument is pretty much null."
Severus scowled. "Don't let him blow anything up for you, then," he ordered before stalking up to the front of the classroom.
"He reminds me of a child who didn't get his way," Sirius declared.
"And you remind me of a bully in grade school," Harry said evenly before Severus could shoot back a reply. "Sirius, please sit down and leave Professor Snape alone for once. You're distracting the class, especially Anthony."
"Yah! Thanks, Harry!" Anthony shouted, looking back to his potion, which was starting to bubble over the edge of the cauldron.
"How do you do that?" Sirius asked, sitting down in the chair Harry had conjured for him at the beginning of the class.
"Eyes in the back of his head," Hermione murmured, carefully adding the rat spit. "And near-perfect knowledge of the potion we're all working on."
"Oh..." Sirius frowned at Harry, who was busy chopping up something. "When did he learn potions?"
"Last year," Harry answered. "Mad-Eye helped me over the summer after I asked."
"And he still got the worst grades in the class." Hermione sighed, shaking her head.
"Oops." Draco grinned at the witch. "My fault."
"Ted and 'Bini helped you," Harry murmured, frowning. Then he leaned back slightly and dropped something into the cauldron behind him. "Pay attention, Morag."
"Oh, yeah... Sorry..." The Ravenclaw set the ingredient he'd been hurriedly cutting into Harry's open hand.
"No problem." Harry smiled before returning to his work table and finishing the cutting, fixing it so it looked more even.
Sirius blinked a few times. "You've got Lily's talent with potions."
"Oh?" Harry glanced up quickly, eyes questioning.
"Yeah. James could barely make his own potion, let alone keep an eye on mine. Remus was always the one who saved me from blowing something up. Lily was always helping her neighbours with things," Sirius explained.
"Did Dad ever get better?"
"He may have, if he'd had more time to learn. I don't know," Sirius replied, eyes downcast.
Harry set a hand on Sirius' arm soothingly. "I bet you he's still blowing things up in Heaven. Mum's probably yelling at him right now."
Sirius grinned. "He'd be side-tracked 'cause he's trying to get you to cause trouble in Snape's class."
"Obviously James has no clue how much trouble Harry causes by not being here." Draco snorted.
"What do you mean by that?" Sirius asked, working to not yell at the boy.
"Everyone depends on Harry's knowledge of the potion we're working on and his attentiveness," Draco replied. "For the first month of his suspension, things were blowing up all over the place in here. It was a nightmare."
"Actually, it was rather amusing," Blaise offered.
"You're saying that because you never had any trouble," Parvati complained as Hermione stopped her from putting the wrong thing in again.
"Professor Snape started telling me to not come to class." Hermione laughed. "He didn't want anything to happen to me that might harm the babies."
"Nobody told me that," Harry complained.
"We didn't want to worry you," Hermione offered, smiling at him. "You already had enough on your mind."
"Like how not to land on your arse." Draco snorted.
Harry elbowed the teen. "Can you beat your father?"
"Shut up, Harry."
Harry sniggered and winked at Sirius, who had a surprised look on his face. "Slytherins aren't all bad, Sirius."
"As long as you know how to talk to them," Hermione agreed.
"Or your name is Harry Potter," Parvati added.
"It's the Gryffindors that are horrible," Theodore offered.
"Says he with the Gryffindor girlfriend." Blaise snorted from next to him.
"Watch it, Blaise. You've got the Gryffindor boyfriend," Theodore shot back.
"Shut up, Teddy Bear."
"Make me, Fart Boy."
"You know, if I'd known that your nicknames would make way for insults, I wouldn't have given them to you," Harry said in a loud voice.
"Sorry, Harry," the two Slytherins chorused after exchanging looks.
"Make your damn potions."
"Yes, Harry."
"I thought you were calling him 'Master Potter' when he was yelling at you," Draco teased.
"Oh, yeah." Theodore and Blaise glanced back at Harry, who was scowling at Draco. "Sorry, Master Potter."
"I'll murder you later, Malfoy," Harry muttered before glancing at the two in front of him. "Potions."
"Yes, Master Potter."
"And don't call me master!"
"Yes, Master Potter."
"Argh!"
The room burst out into gales of laughter. Sirius was amazed to see Severus covering a smile. Well, I'll be damned. The git has a sense of humour after all...
"Don't you have that meeting tonight?" Hermione inquired in the common room after classes while Gin entertained Sirius.
"I can't take Sirius. He'll get in the way," Harry whispered.
"Go while Gin's distracting him."
"How?"
"I'm sure you know at least one Invisibility Charm," Parvati teased in a whisper, leaning over the back of his chair. "Dean was going to go get Seam from the library anyway. Go out with him."
"Thanks." Harry sighed before casting a silent Invisibility Charm. As a last thought, he added a Silencing Spell to it, to keep himself from making any noise that might alert his godfather to what he was doing. Then he got up and stole across the room to where Dean stood next to the door. He tapped the black boy on the shoulder and Dean grinned at him.
"Come on, then," Dean offered before stepping out through the portrait hole.
Oh, yeah. Those bracelets... Harry sighed, following his dorm mate. Once they were clear of the Fat Lady, Harry got rid of the Silencing Spell. "Thanks, mate."
"Sure thing. Though, I don't know if your godfather's going to think of shifting shape or not, but you might want to find a way to block your scent."
Harry shook his head. "Dean, that was positively Slytherin!" Dean laughed, shaking his head. "Here, let me concentrate a moment..." Harry murmured, stopping and closing his eyes. Dean stopped with him and watched in amazement as Harry slowly shifted from his normal form to the Marcus form that Tom used. Alright?
Yes. I promise not to leave for a while. Good choice, by the way. Poppy won't flip out.
Poppy might flip out anyway. Harry snorted, opening his eyes and dropping the invisibility. "What's that look for?"
"You're just full of surprises, Professor," Dean replied, turning and starting out again.
Harry grinned and fell into step next to his friend. "Hey, I like being tall, actually..."
Dean sniggered. "And that's one person you can emulate to a tee."
"Yup." Harry put his hands in his pockets and wiped his expression. "How am I doing?"
Dean took one look at him and cracked up. "That's funny!"
"Oy! I'm insulted!"
"Sorry, sir." The young wizard sniggered.
"Gryffindors." Harry sighed helplessly, sending Dean into peals of laughter again. "Here's where I leave you. Ta, Dean."
"See you later, Marcus!" Dean laughed, waving as Harry walked down the stairs, taking care to walk in the same way his lover did. This isn't all that easy. I don't normally study how you walk.
I know. You study my bum, instead.
It's a most lovely bum, too.
Pay attention to your surroundings, you imp.
Love you.
I love you too.
Harry smiled slightly and poked his head into the Infirmary. Poppy was working with something over by her potions cabinet. "Evening," he offered, stepping into the ward.
"Oh! Good evening, Marcus." Poppy smiled at him.
"Guess again," Harry replied before closing his eyes and quickly morphing back to his proper form, plus the red and silver hair. He'd found that it was easiest to return to the form he was most familiar with a while ago.
"Merlin's beard!" Poppy gasped, holding a hand to her breast. "Harry!"
The teen winked at her. "Family secret, remember? I had to get away from Sirius to talk to Sally-Anne."
"How long have you been able to do such complex changes?" the mediwitch inquired, calming down.
"Christmas, but I don't normally have a need for them." He ruffled his hair. "Need any help?"
"No." Poppy smiled. "Did you read that book?"
"Actually, yes." Harry settled on the closest bed to the woman. "Very informative. I'm sorry I didn't bring it back..."
"Don't worry about it," Poppy replied. "I have another copy, and I'm sure I'll get it back from you sooner or later. Did you have any questions?"
"Yes, actually." Harry frowned. "Saber told me once that you need the trust of your patient before you can heal them, but the book didn't really talk about that."
"It's not the best book out there," Poppy agreed.
"So, could you explain that? Why you need their trust, I mean. Do you always need the trust of the students?"
"That depends, actually. You need their trust because, otherwise, their magic might fight you. If you're stronger than your patient, which will usually apply for you, you probably won't need their trust so much; you'll overpower them and they won't fight you."
"So the magic acts on the patient's whim?"
"Yes."
"Can't that be a problem?"
"Yes." Poppy smiled. "St Mungo's, for example, always has a few very strong medics on staff for unconscious patients, in case they need their help casting the spells they need. It was a nightmare during wartime."
"And last year?"
"Not so much last year, actually. He hadn't quite got back into the swing of things by the time he stopped the attacks, so it wasn't so difficult."
"They send out medics with the aurors, don't they?" Harry asked, concerned.
"The medics usually get in the way." Poppy sighed, shaking her head. "Many aurors, though, have a basic understanding of medimagic and can act to keep a comrade conscious until a St Mungo's team gets out there."
"That's assuming they can find their hurt comrade!"
"Medics aren't violent, Harry." Poppy sighed. "Aurors are made for fighting. Medics are made for healing. They clash in combat. And Death Eaters could care less."
"All Death Eaters are required to learn basic medimagic; they understand it can save their lives."
"And when they've lost the raid, then what? Do they die if they can't apparate away?"
No. They put themselves into a magical coma and rejoin us when they can, Tom offered when Harry didn't have an answer.
"You don't know?" Poppy inquired, looking over at the teen.
"Magical comas." Harry shrugged. "I haven't the slightest."
The mediwitch smiled. "That wasn't covered in that book. Self-induced magical comas will make a witch or wizard appear dead, but will heal them. Aurors don't use them, though, because they've been known to fail. In fact, it's illegal."
"No wonder Death Eaters use them." The teen smiled. "Better dead than in Azkaban, I suppose. In the comas, do you know what's going on around you?"
"I haven't a clue."
It's fragmented, actually, Tom offered. You have some idea of what's going on, but it's not very clear.
Poppy smiled at him. "What's he say?"
"Oh." Harry scratched the back of his head. "I have to work on being so obviously talking to him, I suppose. He says it's a fragmented view. You've got an idea of what's going on, but it's not like you're actually there."
Poppy nodded. "Your unconscious self is in control, then. Interesting."
"I wonder how much medimagic background most of the Order members have..." Harry murmured absent-mindedly.
"I'm sure you can ask Albus."
"Probably. Come on in, Sally-Anne."
The blonde Hufflepuff stepped into the ward nervously. Her long hair was done up in pigtails and fell over her shoulders. She brushed one of them behind her as she offered a scared smile. "Hu-hullo..."
"Harry's not going to bite you, Sally," Poppy said, setting her potions back in their case and dusting her hands off and she turned to smile at the girl.
"I don't bite people. Leaves nasty marks," Harry agreed, earning him a swat from Poppy. "Hey!"
"Smart mouth." Poppy rolled her eyes. "Why don't you both come into my office, hum?"
"Good idea. The school has ears," Harry replied, ducking the next swat easily and running into the office, laughing.
Poppy sighed and set a hand on Sally-Anne's shoulder. "Come along, dear. He just wants to talk to you."
"R-right." The Hufflepuff nodded nervously and allowed the mediwitch to lead her into the office.
Harry was crouched in front of the gap between a bookcase and a cabinet, blinking, when the two witches came in. "Harry, what in Merlin's name are you doing?" Poppy demanded.
"Poppy, do you have a cat?" Harry asked, not turning his attention from the dark space.
"Why, yes, I do. Why?"
"Is she pregnant?"
Poppy frowned and walked over to look over Harry's shoulder. "Scamp! When did you get out?!"
Harry shrugged and let the mediwitch get at the cat. "She's beautiful, by the way."
"Thank you." Poppy smiled at the teen before returning her attention to the poor cat. "And how did you get out?!"
"The door?" Sally-Anne offered, coming over to pet the poor animal.
"No, it's spelled against her. I don't want her in the ward."
"Good idea. Could have someone like Hagrid in there..." Harry murmured, disappearing into Poppy's bedroom. "I knew it was a mess in here!"
"Harry Potter! What do you think you're doing?!" Poppy shouted, following the teen.
Harry was standing in front of a bookcase with a pile of clothing in front of it, frowning. "Found your hole."
"What?" Poppy blinked at Harry in surprise, the reprimand dying on her tongue.
"The hole, Poppy." Harry rolled his eyes and pulled out his wand. He shot a cleaning charm at the pile of clothing, showing that a few of the books on the bottom shelf were pushed to either side and a hole in the back of the bookcase that led to a hole in the wall came into sight.
"Oh, my! How'd that get there?!"
"I can come up with a couple reasons," Harry replied darkly. "Do you want me to block it?"
"Poppy can block it herself," Sally-Anne insisted from the door of the bedroom. She was glaring at Harry. "And you shouldn't be in her bedroom. It's rude."
"Sally, it's fine," Poppy replied. "Harry, please do. You think you know how it got there?"
"It could be another curious animal." Harry nodded, aiming his wand at the hole and spelling it shut. "Or it could be Dumbles pretending he's a Slytherin again. He does a rather good impression, too."
"Professor Dumbledore is a good man!" Sally-Anne called, scandalized.
"You don't know him like I do." Harry sighed, putting his wand away. "Fixed. I put a few extra spells on it, in case it is Dumbles."
"Thank you." Poppy sighed before setting her cat, Scamp, back down. "No more leaving the room, you."
"Like she'll listen." Harry snorted.
"I know. She reminds me of this little monster I know who goes by the name of Harry Potter," the mediwitch teased, ruffling Harry's hair.
The teen grinned. "Duh." Then he turned to Sally-Anne, who was still glaring at him. "Poppy tells me you're considering the Dark Order."
"Poppy!" The Hufflepuff stared at her mentor, horrified.
"I'm not a Light wizard, Miss Perks," Harry said coolly. "Shall we takes seats out in the office? You did point out that I shouldn't be in here."
"Did you have to tell her that way?" Poppy complained as they followed the shocked Hufflepuff out into the office.
"I'm a Gryffindor, Poppy. We have no tact."
"You have tact, Harry. I've seen your tact."
"I keep forgetting who I'm talking to." Harry snorted, taking a seat in front of Sally-Anne while Poppy sat next to her. "Poppy called me in here because she thinks you need to talk to me, and I agree. The usual argument for medics about joining the Dark Order – or so Voldemort has told me – is that they disagree with the constant killing. I happen to agree with this."
"You can't be Dark!" Sally-Anne declared. "You're Harry Potter!"
Harry sighed and tugged his pendant out from under his shirt. He forced the invisibility to drop for the two witches. "I'm Voldemort's second in the Dark Order, Miss Perks. Don't take things at face value. You currently have two Death Eaters as teachers and are working closely with a Dark supporter."
"Though I'm openly Light," Poppy agreed.
"It's hardly a good idea to be anything but openly Light in this school, Poppy," Harry pointed out, putting the necklace away. "Dumbles is a nightmare if he suspects your loyalties."
"Or so Marcus has told me." Poppy shrugged.
Harry snorted. "I figured." He glanced back at Sally-Anne, who was watching the exchange with wide eyes. "I'm in control of a small group of people who are publicly known as Death Eaters In-Training, thought only because Percy Weasley defected and 'spilled the beans', if you will. Privately, we're known as the Juniors and our main job is getting information for the Dark Order and collecting supporters. We don't do raids, except in the most extreme of situations, and I don't play Voldemort's game of using the Cruciatus Curse when someone does something wrong."
"It's the more mild section of Death Eaters," Poppy clarified.
"Yes and no. We run things a little differently. It's good for the Light wizards and students, of course. We don't have Dark Marks, really, so we make the perfect spies. For example, I'm a member of the Order of the Phoenix, but only my own people know about my true side because I have no Dark Mark to criminalize me."
"And you're a trusted person, anyway," Sally-Anne shot back.
"I am not." Harry shook his head. "Before we shut him up, Percy Weasley named me as a Death Eater. Dumbles only trusts me as far as he can throw me, and that's not very far, trust me."
"When was the last time Albus threw you?" Poppy enquired, amused.
Harry cocked an eyebrow at her. "What makes you think he's ever thrown me?"
"Actually–" A rush of sound out in the ward ended whatever Poppy had been about to say rather abruptly. "I'm sorry, Harry."
Harry nodded. "You two do your job. Miss Perks, consider my offer and find me later. Or tell Poppy and she'll have me come by again." He stood with a stretch.
"Thank you," Sally-Anne whispered.
"It's my job," Harry replied with a shrug. "Poppy, I can show myself out. Go."
"Right. Go pick a book to take, in case Albus catches you," Poppy ordered before hurrying out into the ward.
Sally-Anne called a book over with her wand and handed it to Harry. "Try this one," she suggested before hurrying after her mentor.
Harry glanced down. Wartime Medi-Magic was the title. The teen grinned and shrunk it, placing it into a pocket, before stepping out of the office.
Kamila Vance – Enid and Babette's Hufflepuff friend – and Ula were on two beds next to one another, while Enid and Babette were being held at bay by McGonagall. Enid saw Harry first. "Harry!" she called, breaking free from the Deputy's grasp and running up to him.
Harry frowned. "Enid. What happened?"
"Rockwell used some sort of Dark spell on them!" Babette shouted furiously. "I'm going to murder the little shit!"
"You will not," Harry replied firmly. "You will stay here. Poppy, do you know the counter?"
"Yes." The mediwitch nodded up at him.
"Good." He glanced back at the two first years, who were both standing in front of him, since McGonagall had let Babette go. "Rockwell hexed them? Where?"
"The hall outside my office." McGonagall sighed. "He ran."
Harry's eyes flashed. "I'll get him, then. Enid, Babs, stay here," he ordered. Once both girls nodded, he ran out the door. Tom! Any idea where Ronan Rockwell is?!
No, but I haven't left my room. Do you want me to search for him?
Harry tugged out the Map. No, I'll find him. Could you tell Dumbles to go to the Infirmary, though? He's in his office.
For you, yes, I suppose. Why?
He'll be able to help calm both Babs and Enid down, and, probably, help Poppy if she needs the help.
Oh, very well.
Thank you, love.
Of course. Of course.
Harry glanced back down at the Map, eyes frantically searching out the errant first year. On second thought, you get Rockwell. He's outside your office. I'll get Dumbles.
Thank you. I really didn't want to deal with that coot right before dinner... Tom sighed.
Harry snorted and came to a stop outside the gargoyle. "Sugar Quills!" he hissed. Once the stone creature was out of the way, he ran up the steps two at a time. At the top, he paused to knock on the door.
Got him! Where do you want him?
Hospital Wing, please, Harry replied as the Headmaster called for him to come in. He poked his head in and offered Remus and Sirius a quick smile. "Headmaster, we need you down in the Infirmary. Rockwell hexed both Vance and Thorald with a Dark spell."
"And where is Mr Rockwell?" Dumbledore inquired smoothly as he stood and headed for Harry, Remus and Sirius following.
Harry let the Headmaster walk next to him as they made their way to the Infirmary. "Marcus was going for him, sir."
"Do you know what spell he cast?"
"No. I only stayed long enough to make sure Poppy knew the counter."
"I see. And if she hadn't?"
"Then I would have hoped to Merlin that either I or Professor McGonagall knew while we sent someone else to get you and find Rockwell."
"Do you know what set Mr Rockwell off?"
"No, sir, though I can make a pretty good guess," Harry offered before opening the Infirmary doors for the three adult. Tom?
Almost there. Had to stun him to get him to stop kicking me.
Oh, dear... Harry sighed mentally and returned his attention to the present. Kamila was waking while Poppy was casting the counter on Ula. Dumbledore was getting a scattered story from the two witches who were awake. As Harry had suspected, Ula had been making peace with the three friends and Ronan, overhearing, had shot a couple of hexes blindly and run off.
Sirius set a hand on his shoulder. "Where were you? One minute you were sitting and talking to Hermione, the next you were gone."
"I had a pre-set appointment with Poppy," Harry replied. "You looked like you were having fun with Gin, so I opted for not bothering you."
"...oh..." Sirius nodded, face downcast.
"It's not that I don't like having you around, Sirius," Harry said, correctly reading the look on his godfather's face. "In fact, I love it, but there are some things that I need to do without you shadowing me, and this was one of those things."
"You could have told me."
"Like I said, you looked like you were having fun with Gin."
Tom chose that moment to walk into the Infirmary, a floating Ronan behind him. "Marcus!" McGonagall cried.
"He's stunned," Tom grumbled. "I got sick and tired of him kicking me."
Harry sniggered. "Finite Incantantum. Rennervate."
"Harry!" the Dark Lord complained as both the Stupefy and the Mobilicorpus ended at the same time. The first year fell to the ground with a loud 'thud' and a groan.
Harry came to stand above the boy. "Good evening, Mr Rockwell. Have you any clue how much shit you've just landed yourself into?" he asked brightly.
"Harry." Dumbledore sighed. "Move. Stand up, Mr Rockwell."
Harry walked back over to where Tom was standing with his godfathers. "You are one vindictive son of a bitch," Tom muttered.
"Don't call my mum a bitch," Harry shot back, leaning his back against Tom's chest.
"Fine. You're one vindictive godson of a bitch," the Dark Lord replied, wrapping his arms around his smaller lover and smirking at Sirius, who let out a growl.
"Oh stop it, both of you." Harry groaned. "Why must you act like a child all the time, Marcus?"
"It amuses me."
"Great. That explains everything."
"Harry?" Ula called from her bed. "Where's Harry?"
"Oops. Child calls." Harry winked at his lover and godfathers before slipping over to the girl's bed. "Hey, girlie. How you feeling?"
Ula blinked up at him. "Ronan hates me, doesn't he?"
"I don't know." He conjured himself a chair and sat in it. "What happened?"
"I was just taking a stroll and ran in to Clough and Kern and Vance outside McGonagall's office. Kern demanded to know what I was up to and I just told them I was going to Marcus' room, since I thought you'd be there. They asked why I'd want to talk to you and I said you'd invited me to stay with you this summer because my parents were going out of the country. And then Ronan hexed us and ran," Ula replied, eyes looking around wildly. "Is Marcus okay?"
"Yes." Harry smiled. "Professor McGonagall got you all down here and, since I was down here, I went and got Marcus to find Mr Rockwell while I got the Headmaster."
"What's going to happen to Ronan?"
"I haven't the slightest. Would you like me to find out?"
"Please." Ula nodded carefully.
Harry stood and walked over to Dumbledore. "Well?"
The Headmaster frowned at him. "Well what?"
"What are you doing to Mr Rockwell?" Harry inquired in a neutral tone.
"I don't think I'll tell you," Dumbledore replied.
Harry let out a sigh. "Albus."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily. "Detention every night for the next five days."
"With?"
"Professor Snape."
"Ouch." Harry winced before turning around and walking back to Ula's bed. "He gets detention with Snape for the next five days."
Ula grinned. "Good."
"And Marcus was calling me vindictive." Harry chuckled, shaking his head.
"He's right," Ula shot back.
"Harry?" Enid came to stand at the end of Ula's bed. "Is Thorald really coming to stay with you this summer?"
"Yes. He invited the little monster over to my house before I could disagree," Tom said, coming to stand behind Enid.
Enid glanced up at him and started giggling. "Professor, your nose..."
"What did you do?" Tom demanded of his lover.
Harry sniggered. "Nothing. Though, if you look behind you, I'm sure you'll find the culprit."
"BLACK!!"
"Oops." Sirius winked at the first year girls and Harry before fleeing the Hospital Wing, Tom right behind him.
"Oh, dear..." Remus smiled after them. "Someone should probably go save Sirius..."
"I invite you to try," Harry laughed, "but I wouldn't suggest it."
"Hm. Sexual frustrations," Poppy said, nodding. Everyone but Harry stared at her in confusion.
The Boy-Who-Lived fell off his chair. "Poppy!"
"What?"
"There are ladies present!"
The nurse laughed.
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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 ||
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)
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