Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ (Harry Potter) How to Defeat a Dark Lord ❯ Four ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter FourSeverus ignored the questions directed his way when he left the room. Poppy, after taking in all the unused potions, decided to check on her favorite patient only to be stopped before she could take more then two steps towards the closed door, by the Potions Master pulling over and settling in to a comfortable chair in front of the door.

gSeverus, what is the meaning of this? You should have given him those potions. He needs them to gain back his strength,h Poppy said, frustration coloring her words.

gHe's asleep at the moment, Poppy. And trust me when I say that those potions are not going to help him any more then they already have. I think it would be best if you left. I also think you should take the Malfoys with you. They don't need to hear what I'm going to say at the moment and I'm sorry to say it, but neither do you. If Harry wants to tell you all later, that's his choice, but I can not and will not break the trust he put in me,h Severus said in tired voice. Moments later, the three of them left, but not without giving the Potions Master dirty looks.Ignoring the Headmaster, Severus turned his gaze to his cousin. gGidean, does the Clan still raise hunting birds to use for bonding? And does it also still have a wand maker? If so, how much is it going to take, to convince the Dane to either send some of both to us, or for us to go to him?hWith shock evident in his eyes even though his face remained impassive, Gidean studied the onyx eyes across from him. gLast time I checked, there were a few unbonded birds around. And the Clan still has the old wand maker, but you know as well as I do that those birds are Dane's pride a joy and he doesn't let just any one near them. And as for the wands, they are only made for wizards who are extremely powerful.h

gI know that. Why do you think I'm asking? What I want to know is if we have to go to him or if he can come to us!h

gTell me why. Those birds only bond with one who has no familiar, and for them to be taken away from the Clan... Well letfs just it's never happened before.h

gPlease Gidean, just ask him. If he needs to know who they are for, just tell him that both wand and bird are for the Boy Who Lived.h Knowing the reaction to that statement, Severus braced himself for the questions the Headmaster would have. Dumbledore sat silently for a few minutes, while drinking his tea. Going over the state of shock from Harry and the conversation that Gidean and Severus had, he started to put some things together. Blue eyes locked with black. gWhat happened to Hedwig and Harry's wand?h

gWhy Headmaster, I thought that would be obvious. The boyfs ~family~ destroyed them. You know the ones I'm talking aboutc the ones you constantly sent the boy back to, even after he's asked you not to.h Severus sneered at the Headmaster, eyes flashing a dangerous combination of black and violet.The usual twinkle in the headmaster's eyes turned into ice. Turning towards Gidean, he added his own plea to the request to the Dane. gPlease inform your Dane, that Harry is in desperate need of both wand and bird before he succumbs permanently to the Darkness. If he is willing to help us, we would all greatly appreciate it.h

gOf course, Headmaster.h Gidean rose from his chair and made himself comfortable on the floor, leaning against the wall. As his breathing deepened, his whole body became still until it looked like he was a statue. As time passed, the others in the room became lost in their own thoughts, only to be startled out of them by the quite voice of the man on the floor. "The Dane comes, but he would like to meet with the boyfs best friends. And then he would like to meet the boyfs family."As Gidean loosened stiff muscles and brought his mind back to the realm of the living, the Headmaster wrote out a note and made to a portkey to bring Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger to the safe house. Before he could send them off with his phoenix, a tapping at the window heralded the arrival of two very large eagles. As soon as Severus opened the window to allow them in, they, being considerate of their size, hopped to the floor and jumped/bounded to the door leading to Harry's room.

gI do believe, nephew, that Ebony and Jewel would like in to see the young man in question.h An entirely new voice interjected.Executing a deep bow in the direction he knew the Dane to be in, Severus replied with the exacting honor due to the leader of The Clan, and gave his reply. "My apologies, Uncle, but without permission from Mr. Potter, I cannot allow them or you in to see him. He is extremely sensitive to power flows at the moment, and I'm afraid that if the birds do decide to bond to him before he is awake, it will only cause more harm."Seconds passed by as the Dane thought about what Severus had just said. Finally, he decided to appear to the group around him, instead of remaining invisible to all. gRelax, Sev. I understand that you, unlike some others I can name, only have Harry's safety in mind. Do you know when he will awaken?hComing up from his bow, he crossed the room until he stood right in front of his uncle, and allowed the embrace he knew his uncle wanted. gHe should be awake soon. It will give us time to contact his friends and have them come here. I'm not sure exactly what he will say to us for making this choice for him though. He doesn't like things going on around him without knowing about it.hAlbus remained where he was as he watched the mini family reunion. He had not sent off the note, but had decided to wait until Harry was awake. Turning his attention to the birds, Albus attempted to approach them, but moved back in alarm when they started to hiss at him. An amused chuckle was directed his way, and in reply, he let his eyes twinkle to their fullest degree. gNot very friendly are they? I'm not sure if I want them near any of my students.h

Violet eyes met blue, but the Dane's eyes glittered in cold fury, gThey don't allow anyone near them except for me or their bonded. If they decide to bond with Harry Potter, I can ensure that they will be on their best behavior, and unless directed to they will not harm anyone unless they feel there is a threat.h

gIf I may ask....h Was all Dumbledore got out before he was rudely cut off.

gNo you may not. At this moment, I do not like you. Anyone who can send a child back to a family like that year after year does not deserve the trust that is placed in their hands. And unlike some who do not have the power to shut you up until all facts are known, I do.h With a wave of the Dane's hand, the Headmaster found himself bound to a chair and silenced as far away from the door to Harry's room as he could get while still remain in the same room.A slight tingle within the monitoring spell alerted Severus, that Harry was not only awake, but also listening at the door. The Brat had found away to deceive the spell. Raising his voice slightly he called out, gMr. Potter, do you know how rude it is to listen behind closed doors?hSeconds later, the door cracked open and Harry Potter made his way from the bedroom. Smiling slightly he replied, gAbout as rude as talking about someone behind their back.h Looking around the room, he noticed the Headmaster in the far corner. gYou know, for once that looks good on him.h A snort of amusement made his eyes swing to the only unknown figure in the room. Taking in the physical features, he glanced down to where his Potions Master was sitting. gBlood relation of yours, Sir?h Harry asked politely. Receiving a nod in answer, his attention went back to the unknown man and Harry let his magic out to 'taste' the new arrival. His answer sent his magic back inside himself fast. Shaking his head, Harry murmured, gDon't let Hermione find out. If she does, I'll never live it down.hTaking a deep breath, he slowly walked towards the visitor, as he rolled up his sleeve. Before anyone could protest, he offered his wrist while bowing deep at the waist. gMy lord, thank you for offering your help. In return please accept the gift of life from me.hStanding and facing the young man, the Dane returned the bow. gHelp is offered to those who are found worthy. Your gift honors me.h Taking the offered hand, he drew Harry up and placed his lips on the boyfs wrist. His incisors lengthened and pierced the skin and extended into the vein below. Taking the prescribed five mouthfuls of blood, he pulled his fangs back and gently licked the spot to heal the twin holes, before releasing the wrist. gThank you, young Harry. Not many know how to deal with my kind anymore.hHarry smiled and walked back towards where his professor was sitting, before sinking to the floor in front of the chair. gIn my forth year, Hermione was helping me do research for the Triwizard Tournament. She came across a section of Vampires that she thought might come in handy one day, and made sure the three of us knew the proper procedure in greeting and accepting help from them. I must say that I never thought that it would come in handy.h

gI see.h The Dane studied the way Harry sat on the floor near the Potions Master's feet. By all accounts, he knew that the two did not get along, but according to the posture of the two, his informants were wrong. gHarry, may I ask you a question and get an honest answer in return?h Holding up his hand to forestall an immediate answer he continued, gI understand if you refuse to answer anything I ask, but please understand that I only have your well-being in mind.hHarry snorted, gThat's what everyone tells me. 'We only have your best interests in mind'. Story of my life.h Sighing in resignation, he shrugged his shoulders. gGo ahead and ask. Just to warn you, though, you might not like my answer if I do decide to give you one.h

gMr. Potter, please show some respect for you elders.h Snape said in a too-calm voice, his foot tapping out an impatient pattern on the floor next to Harry.

gNo Sev, it's alright. I do understand his reactions.h The Dane quickly interfered. gHarry, could you please tell me why you are sitting on the floor near Sev's feet instead of in one of the free chairs?hA look of surprise crossed Harry's face, as he felt his professor still completely. He knew that Snape was not too happy with the question, but also understood that he would not say anything, as he waited to see how Harry would respond. After a few minutes lost in thought, Harry was ready to attempt an answer.

gThat, Sir, is an easy question and a difficult one. Both questions have the same answer. Trust.h Harry finally replied. When he felt Snape's foot start tapping again, he knew he gave the right response.

gWould you like to attempt to clarify that Harry? From what I understand of the relationship between the two of you, that is a most unexpected answer.h The Dane asked, puzzled.

gI'll try, Sir, and I'll start with the difficult answer first. You are correct in the nature of our relationship: it has not been an easy one. Over the past few years, though, I started to notice that every time I found myself in trouble, Professor Snape was always there to help me. That was the start of the trust between us. Since my Godfather died, I found myself lost, and he was the one who helped me find myself. As we trained together, the trust grew even more. We developed a set of codes that could be used at anytime, to alert the other if something was wrong. At the moment, I am still under one of those codes. The easy answer, I do not trust the Headmaster, and as long as he is in the room, I will stay where I know I'm safe.h

gI understand. One more question for now. What happened to your wand and owl?h The Dane asked, not really expecting an answer.

gAt the moment, Sir, I refuse to answer that for the simple reason of I do not know you, among other things.h

gAlright Harry, that's understandable. One of the reasons I'm here is because Sev asked about the Clan's bond birds for you. I brought two of the unbonded birds with me. They agreed to see if they would accept you, and, if they don't, tell if one of the other birds would be better. But only if youfre willing.hHarry looked up at his professor, an unasked question in his eyes. When he received a nod in response, Harry turned back to the Dane and nodded his acceptance to the birds.Harry started in surprise when the two birds bounded over to him. Reaching out slowly, he was rewarded with being able to stroke the soft feathers on both of their heads. Feeling a slight pressure against his mind, he carefully lowered his shields to let in what he knew would be one of the birds. Much to his and everyone elsefs surprise he found both birds willing to bond to him. Accepting the honor offered to him, he found himself being covered by two sets of very large wings.Getting over his shock, the Dane looked at Harry. gI don't think I have ever seen two birds bond with the same wizard before. It seems, young Harry that there is much more to you then you let on. Would you be kind enough to tell me which bird is which? It is just to make sure the bonding is complete.h

gOf course, Sir. Jewel is on the right and Ebony is on the left. If I am hearing correctly, they are life mates, and would like my permission to bring their offspring here to also find a bondmate,h was the immediate response.:THAT WOULD ONLY TAKE CARE OF ONE OF OUR OFFSPRING.: Ebony told him.:WITH YOUR PERMISSION, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF JADE WOULD BE WILLING TO BOND TO YOUR PROTECTOR.: Jewel continued.//Must I tell him that, or can we surprise him? It's not often that I can surprise him with things.//:BY ALL MEANS THEN, LETfS SURPRISE HIM. THIS WAY, IF IT DOES NOT HAPPEN, NO ONE IS HURT.://Thank you love.//Looking up from Jewelfs eyes, Harry noted the looks of everyone as they waited for him to stop talking with his birds. gEh, sorry about that. I was getting orders from Her Highness here,h he said while gesturing at Jewel. He turned to watch as Ebony worked his way up and out the window to retrieve his offspring.

gJust what orders were you given, Mr. Potter?h Professor Snape asked.

gShe would like to know how soon we can have Ron and Hermione here. She would really like to meet them.h Harry lied smoothly, while being buffeted upside the head by a wing for said lie.

gI see. I do believe that the Headmaster was going to send a portkey to bring them here. I think that is still over on the desk.h Snape told him.Before he could get up to retrieve said portkeys, Jewel made herself heard once again. :NO. DO NOT TRUST IT. IT FEELS WRONG.:Settling back down Harry looked at the Headmaster. gJewel says that the portkey feels wrong. She does not want me near it.hThe Dane stood and sauntered over to where the portkey waited on the desk. He looked it over and then reached for the note that was attached to it.~Ron and Hermione,We have found Harry, and have brought him to a safe location. When he awakens, I will bring him to Hogwarts. It has been asked of me to bring the two of you to see him. The enclosed portkey will take you to the school.Albus Dumbledore,Headmaster~The Dane looked over to where Dumbledore sat. gI see you are planning to remove Harry from this house. Unfortunately for you, only one of my blood can remove him from the protection of the wards surrounding this place. I don't believe either Gidean or Severus will allow that without a fight.h Casting a spell to make the portkey useless, he reactivated it to bring the other children to the safe house. gHarry, would you please write a note to your friends asking them if they would like to spend some time here with you?h

gOf course, Sir. How long should I ask them to pack for?h Harry asked, getting up slowly from his spot on the floor.It was Professor Snape who answered. gWe have a lot to go over before the beginning of term. Ask them to stay for the weekend. And if you would like you can ask Ms. Granger to bring the information for the bonds with her.h

gYes, Sir.h After writing the new note, Harry called Jewel over to him, watching in amusement as the eagle hopped over to him before using her wings to give her the boost needed to alight at the open window. Tying the note and the new portkey to her leg, he looked her in the eye in order to give her the name of the Burrow.//Since this is your time first flying there, are you sure you will be able to find the place?//:YES BONDED. WILL THEY BOTH BE AT THIS PLACE?://I'm not sure. If not, Ron will be able to get in touch with Hermione. Please take whatever note he gives you to her.//:I WILL. EBONY WILL BE BACK SOON. HE WAS ONLY ABLE TO CONVINCE JADE TO COME BACK WITH HIM://Thank you love. Go and stay safe.// Harry watched as Jewel launched herself out of the window, before sighing and turning back to the wizards in the room. Seeing four almost identical expressions, he knew it was time to face the music. Locking his gaze with that of the potions master, he narrowed his eyes. Today HE would be damned if he allowed these men to walk all over him without giving as good as he got.