Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ (Harry Potter) How to Defeat a Dark Lord ❯ Seven ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7

Harry stormed into the apartment above the twinsf shop, slamming the door against the wall and catching it as it bounced back. Angry energy crackled and swirled like a storm with miniature lightening flashing around him. Harry was not pleased with this new development and had no problems with letting those in the room know. His eyes swept around the room, glowing with the light of the killing curse before coming to a stop at Draco.

gDraconian Tristan Malfoy, can you give me one good reason why I shouldn't hex you into next month? Please explain to me why you didn't let me know that you had your parents with you,h he growled at the blondDraco tried to meet that gaze, but couldn't. His already pale features became even paler at the pure fury in Harry's eyes. gI didn't know how to explain to you that we all needed help during that confrontation. It was bad enough that I had to start insulting you in public. All I could do was hope that I wouldn't be cursed by you or those around you. Of course, there was the fact that I had no idea if I could manage to explain to you just what exactly I needed in the first place,h he tried to explain.Harry just sneered at him. gThat's funny, really it is. I had absolutely no problem giving you the information you needed to get in here. In fact, I can distinctly remember giving you the password.hDraco's eyes snapped up to finally meet Harry's. gYou didn't have to worry about any Death Eaters in the crowd watching your every move,h Draco snapped back.

gNo Draco, I just had to worry about Death Eaters trying to get their hands on my guardian, never mind trying to kidnap me in the process. Just what do you think could have happened if one of them tried something on us while everyone else was focused on you?h Harry asked, contempt lacing his voice.Harry was going to continue to give Draco a verbal beating but stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, his magic instantly grounded itself again. Looking behind him, he could clearly see the worry in two sets of eyes and the anger in the third. Harry's anger drained out of him as he turned back to study the blond before him. Noticing the way Draco shifted slightly and then winced before standing still once more as if he was afraid to move brought another realization to him.

gStrip, Dray. I want to see what that bastard did to you. Why didn't you tell me before that you were hurt?h Harry demanded.Lucius Malfoy finally gathered his wits about him. gMr. Potter. I don't see where you get off telling my son what to doch he started, only to stop when a hand was raised in his direction.Harry turned his attention to the elder Malfoy, and once more, a sneer crossed his face. gI don't believe I was talking you now was I? In fact, I clearly remember not saying one word to you. So if you would like to do me a real big favor and keep your opinion to yourself until I'm ready to hear them, I would greatly appreciate it.h He turned back to Draco and gave him a pointed look. gWell?h was all he said.Draco gave in to his own anger. gIf you wouldn't have cut off the bond, I wouldn't have to tell you now would I? You would have figured it out on your own. But no, you decided it was better to cut us off,h he sneered.

gI did not cut the bond. I'm not a total idiot,h Harry said, his anger returning. gI knew that if I did that, you and the others would have thought I was dead, and then the three of you would have done something really stupid yourself. Hell, I went through that pain myself and trust me, it's not easy to get over. I only suppressed the bond enough so you and the others wouldn't feel my pain: pain I wouldn't wish on anyone.h

gThe bond is there to tell us when you need us and when we need you. Merlin Harry, how could you even think to shut us out especially when you were in real danger? If we hadn't pulled you out of that hellhole when we did, you wouldn't even be standing here today.h

gBelieve me, Dray, I know what you did for me and I'm grateful, but you really don't want to feel what I'm still feeling at the moment. You wouldn't be able to handle it, trust me on this.h

gTry me Harry. Open up the bond and try me. I'm not as weak as you think I am.hHarry shut his eyes and shook his head. gIt never even crossed my mind that you are weak; I know that you're not. I can't open the bond Dray. I can't put you and the others through that. You have to understand.hDraco walked over and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, gYou can't decide that for us, Harry. You have to let us make that decision; we deserve that much from you," he said softly, before pulling Harry into a hug.Nodding his head, Harry rested his head on the shoulder of the taller teen, giving in. gNot without the others,h he whispered. gI cannot put them through this without them knowing why.h He gave a sigh of relief when he felt Draco nod his head in understanding.The moment was lost when he heard the sneering voice of one Lucius Malfoy. gIf the two of you would be kind enough to tell the rest of us what the hell is going on, we would greatly appreciate it.hHe was closely followed by Snape. gMr. Potter, I find myself having to agree with Lucius. I personally have a desire to know when exactly the two of you became lovers.hThe two teens shot apart. gLovers?h Looking at each other, they started to laugh. Draco calmed down enough to form a reply. gI'm sorry, Uncle Sev. Harry and I are definitely not lovers. I don't go for guys. Harry, on the other hand, does, but blonds are not his type.h Draco moved fast, despite the pain, to avoid being slapped by Harry. gWhat? It's the truth, Harry, and you know it. The three of us know that you prefer olderch was as far as he got.

gShut up, Dray, or I'll make sure you never have children. Do you understand me?h

gSorry, Harry,h he said, the smile on his face saying he wasn't sorry at all.Heaving a sigh, Harry turned his attention to the twins while ignoring the looks he was getting from his professor. gFred, can you please go to the Burrow for me? I'm going to need Ron and Hermione. I'm not sure if Dumbledore will still be there, but if he is, tell them that you found a family of snakes that would be perfect for my birthday present and you need their opinion before you buy them. Also tell them that you're going to need the snake kit they have to transport them. They'll understand. If Dumbledore isn't there, give my love to mum and dad. Invite them to join us for breakfast here tomorrow. George, I'm afraid I'm going to need you to raid your joke shop in order to disguise these three. Be creative. The less they look like themselves the better.hHarry watched as Fred left immediately for the Burrow while George, with a huge grin on his face, gave Harry a short bow and left for the storeroom. Knowing what was coming, Harry once again faced his guardian.

gExplain.h Snape snapped.

gWhich part?h

gLetfs start with the bond the two of you were talking about and just who the hell the 'others' are. Then continue with how you knew Draco was hurt.h

gFine. As long as you add Dray's parents into the category of being hurt, which, in this case, is just simple observation skills. I believe I learned those skills from you last year. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy are both holding themselves wrong as is Draco but are doing their best to hide the pain. It's as simple as that. As for the Blood Bond, well letfs just say that at the beginning of last year, Dray came to me for help. He didn't trust Dumbledore, not that I blame him on that account, and I'm pretty sure he didn't know that you where a spy at the time. I sent Hermione down to the library and she found a bond that allowed us to become siblings instead. We all agreed to the bond as long as no one found out about it. The Golden Trio added a secret member to the group. The bond was completed between the four of us, and we have the bond marks to prove it. Depending on what kind of danger and/or help we need, they either heat up or cool down completely. Dray's pissed off at the moment because the bond is supposed to tell us when another is in pain and is in need of help. I blocked off my end, not unlike what you did except I was unable to break it completely not that I would even think about it, even if there was a way for me to do so. I think that about covers everything, or at least all I plan on explaining at the moment. The rest can wait for until the others get here,h Harry told him.Harry completely ignored the shock that was evident on everyone in the room and the shame that he knew would be in Snape's eyes, though he knew it would also be well hidden. As he turned back to Draco, he gave the blond a knowing look. gDraco, I know you don't want to show me but unless you want me to remove all of your clothes myself, I suggest you take your shirt and pants off on your own so I can see the damage. I'll do a diagnostic charm to check for external injuries but I'm going to need to see everything on the outside. It's your choice, but I can tell you right now that you will not like it if I have to do it.hDraco searched Harry's eyes to see just how serious Harry was being. What he found there convinced him that he indeed did not want Harry to do it. He needed to do everything possible to keep Harry on his good side at the moment. Complying with the orders given despite the glare he was receiving from his father, he proceeded to remove his shirt, then his pants, leaving him in nothing but his boxers before once again meeting the anger that he knew without a doubt would be in Harry's eyes.Harry was indeed angry over what he saw. The pale flesh was covered in angry red whip marks, most of which still slowly dripped blood. He was just collecting his bearings before he started ranting about killing the mad man who dared to touch his brother when the Floo activated and spit out the rest of the Golden Trio along with Fred. Harry watched as both Ron and Hermione took in the damage done to Draco and then he proceeded to convince Ron that he could not go and take on the Dark Lord on his own.

gRon! Enough! It's not going to help Draco now. You know as well as I do that Riddle does what he wants and kills anyone who gets in his way,h Harry tried to reason. When Ron would not listen, he threw a desperate glance over his shoulder to Snape asking silently for help.

gMr. Weasley,h came Snapefs quite hiss. gStop this idiotic behavior immediately before I make you stop.h Snape's words did more to stop the red head then anything else anyone could have said or done.Coming back to himself, Ron took in the paleness on Harry's face and knew what his anger made Harry remember. gSorry, mate,h he whispered.

gIt's alright, Ron. I've already faced down Dray, and one more brother isn't going to bother me at the moment. It's the reaction I'm going to be facing in a few minutes when you find out what's going on that worries me,h Harry told him with a smile.Hermione watched the two interact and then took in the damage to her brother. Seeing Draco's parents holding back their own pain let her know one of the reasons why Harry wanted them there. Reaching for the snake kit sitting beside her, she handed it to Harry and waited for him to open it. gYou know, Harry, I don't know why you don't have an English password for this; it would make it much easier for us to get into it when you can't give it.h

gHermione, if it ever came to that, three drops of my blood will open it for you. That, and Professor Snape has a password for it,h Harry told her after he opened the box.

gFine. Tell us what you want done, then we can sit and discuss this lack of you we have in the bond.h A look of disapproval was clear in her eyes.

gThat's the other reason why I asked you here,h Harry said with a wince. gHas Dumbledore been to see you yet?h He asked, changing the subject.Sighing, Hermione just nodded her head. Knowing that until he was ready, Harry would not say anything else. gWhat do you want us to do Harry?h

gFor now, letfs just do a general healing on the three of them. I've found no real internal damage to Draco that will cause problems if not healed right away. I'll check over his parents just to make sure about them. The blue potions should be all that's really needed though,h Harry told her and watched as she took a healing potion and handed it to Ron with a nod of her head towards Draco to indicate that he should heal their brother before taking one for herself. She looked at Harry with a grim smile. gI'll let you deal with Mr. Malfoy. I think you'll have better luck with him then I will have.hHermione walked over to Mrs. Malfoy and gave her a small smile. gMrs. Malfoy, I'm sorry we had to meet under these circumstances. I'll see what I can do to heal most of your injuries. Harry will go over your internal injuries later to make sure you are in no danger,h she said, while leading the older woman away from the room.Harry returned her smile, then turned to Mr. Malfoy. Narrowing his eyes as he took in the elder Malfoy. gMr. Malfoy, I know that all of our meetings before now have not been pleasant. I assure you that I mean you no harm, I just want to make sure you are healed properly. But if you insist on fighting with me over this, I will make sure the next hour of your life will be a living hell. Now if you please, remove your shirt so I can see just what your injuries are.hLucius Malfoy only gave Harry a cold look gSince you are still underage and therefore unable to perform magic outside of school, I don't see how you will be able to force me to do anything,h he sneered.Before Harry could reply, a hand was placed on his shoulder effectively keeping him silent. Instead, Snape answered for him.

gLuc, Harry doesn't need to use his wand to get you to do as he wants. There are three others here that can make you do it. I'm sure my uncle and cousin will have no troubles helping him, and as his guardian, I myself would be obliged to help him as well. That's only if he wants us to though. He's managed to train his raw power to the point that he can do almost anything wandlessly.hShock took the place of contempt in the eyes of the elder Malfoy for an instant, before the sneer was firmly back in place. gThen why didn't he use wandless magic on his relatives? Could it be that he enjoyed what happened to him?hHarry saw red. The blind panic he felt at first was replaced by pure rage. gFor your information Mr. Malfoy, wandless magic does not work without will power. It's really hard to focus when youfre in the midst of a Voldemort-induced vision watching someone you care for being tortured, feeling the results of said torture yourself. Now, if you don't mind, remove your shirt. This is your last warning.hLucius just stared at him refusing to move. Harry's patience snapped. With a flick of his hand, he removed all the clothing on the man before him other than his undergarments. With another flick of his wrist, he had him in a full body bind.

gI warned you Sir. The easy way or the hard way, you chose the hard way. Now you have no choice but to hold still while I check you over.hIgnoring the glare being sent his way by the blond aristocrat, Harry placed his hand above Lucius heart and sent his power out. Coming back out of his self-induced trance, he met grey eyes and smiled. gYou'll be happy to know Sir, that there is no internal damage. If you give your word not to do anything stupid, I'll release you into Professor Snape's care. All you need to do is blink your eyes once to agree with me.hSeeing the blink of agreement, Harry waited until his professor was standing in front of Mr. Malfoy before releasing him. He then turned his attention over to his bond brother. Before he could move to make sure he was all right, Hermione called him into the other room.

gHarry, could you please come and check my results on Mrs. Malfoy? I think I know what's wrong with her but I want you to make sure. If it is what I think it is, I'm not even sure if you will be able to remove the damage,h she said in a near whisper.

gI hate it when you talk in riddles, 'Mione, really I do. I'll check her over and see what I can do. While I do that, can you please go help Ron? Also, please make sure that Mr. Malfoy is doing what he's been told and not giving Professor Snape too many problems.h

gOf course Harry,h Hermione answered with a smile. gThough I don't think even Mr. Malfoy will stand a chance against Professor Snape.h

gToo true. Ifd rather be on the safe side with this. If he's anything like Dray, Merlin knows he'll be putting up one hell of a fight,h Harry said with a grin.After watching Hermione leave to check on the Malfoy men, he turned to face a nervous Mrs. Malfoy. gMa'am, do you know what Hermione was talking about? And if you do, will you be willing to tell me? It's easier that way for both of us,h he asked her with a friendly smile.Nodding her head, Mrs. Malfoy dropped her eyes and took a deep breath to brace herself. gWhen Draco was a few months old, The Dark Lord hit me with an old and very rare curse. The nature of the curse was to make sure that I was never able to have any more children. He figured that as long as Draco was the only heir we had, it insured that we would do anything to keep him safe which in this case, meant doing everything that sadistic bastard said. We've both researched the curse and have never found anything on it. There is nothing for you to do.h

Harry's eyes flashed killer green before he made a visible effort to rein in his temper. gMay I look anyway? You never know, if it's a curse, I may be able to reverse the effects, especially if the curse was done in Parseltongue.h

A glimmer of hope flickered to life in her blue eyes as she nodded her permission. gIf the curse was written in Parseltongue, it would explain why neither of us found anything on it,h she murmured.

Harry smiled before carefully placed both hands on her stomach and allowed his magic to flow into her. A few minutes passed before he withdrew once again. gMrs. Malfoy, I'm not going to lie to you. There is a good chance that this won't work, but I'm willing to give it a try anyway. I can promise you, though, that if this fails to work you will have no side effects other then feeling lighter as I sweep away any other curse damage. Are you still willing to try?h

Mrs. Malfoy studied his eyes looking for something that would tell her what to do. A few minutes later, she took another deep breath before giving the answer Harry was waiting for. gWhat do you want me to do Mr. Potter? I will do my best to accommodate you.h

Smiling, Harry held her gaze. gAll you need to do is trust me. Well, that and to join your loved ones in the living room, relax on the sofa. I will do the rest.h Holding out his hand, he waited for her to make the final choice in trusting him. When she grasped his hand, Harry's eyes lit up even more. Helping her to her feet, Harry led her back into the living room and settled her on the sofa.Kneeling down on the floor beside her, Harry started to talk softly, explaining just what exactly he was doing and what he needed her to do. gMa'am, the healing I would like to do for you is far more personal then normal. You need to let me past all of your mental walls and go down into your magical core. It's the only way I can remove any and all curse damage. The easiest way for this to work is for you to meditate; that is also the safest way for me. Otherwise, when I try to access your magical core, your magic will fight mine and trust me when I say that a magical fight between cores is something I'll not wish on anyone.h Harry stopped talking long enough to take a deep breath and gave her a sly smile. He had something else he wanted to try but in order for that to work, he needed her complete cooperation. gMrs. Malfoy, I can also, if you wish, try to remove any other dark magic from your person,h Harry said carefully, hoping that she would understand.

Harry watched her eyes as Mrs. Malfoy processed everything he said. He saw a string of different emotions cross her eyes before a frown appeared, he swore he could hear her repeat his last sentence over again. When she figured out his reference to the Dark Mark, hope became the dominant emotion. Her eyes shone as she smiled at him. gMr. Potter, I understand what you are trying to tell me. Even if you cannot do everything you say, I still greatly appreciate that you are willing to try. Because of what you are willing to do for me, I would like to drop the formalities and ask that you to call me Narcissa. I believe that will be easier in the long run, considering the fact that you are now Draco's brother, and therefore technically my son.hHarry gave her a huge smile before replying. gWell then, Narcissa, I must insist that you call me Harry. You do me a great honour by accepting the bond between Draco and myself. I hope you are willing to extend that honour to Ron and Hermione also. Now, before we start to see just how badly we can piss of Tom, I need to check on the rest of your family. Please start to meditate. It will be much easier for both of us in the long run." Harry gave her another bright smile before joining the older wizards across the room.

Staying close to Snape, Harry prepared himself to face down one very pissed off Malfoy again. gHow are you feeling now Mr. Malfoy?h he asked politely.

gI am fine. I was fine before you got it into your stupid head to force me to do something I did not want to do. Now before I make you regret being alive, boy, I suggest you tell me what you did to my wife!h The voice was cold and clipped but what caught Harry's attention was the eyes. They were a swirling maelstrom of fury and cold as a winterfs blizzard.Harry took an involuntary step backwards and landed against Snape's chest, his legs no longer willing to hold him up. As arms came up around his body, pulling him closer, he heard gentle words of comfort whispered in his ears to combat the harshness from Mr. Malfoy. Harry made himself take a deep breath in order to force back the image of his uncle that popped into his mind while soaking up the warmth and comfort being offered to him by his guardian.Willing his legs steady, Harry took the step forward needed to tell Snape that he was fine. Harry almost instantly regretted it when the arms holding him up fell away. Instead of stepping back again, he mentally shook those thoughts from his mind and he forced himself to look in those cold grey eyes and respond. gMr. Malfoy, I have as of yet done nothing to your wife. I do plan on healing the damage your master inflicted on her about 17 years ago. What you will be doing while I attempt to heal the curse damage to her is to stay out of my way and remain absolutely quiet. Do you understand me?h

gI do not take orders from you boy and I don't need you telling me what I can and cannot do. Besides which, the damage you are talking about cannot be healed.h

gMy name is Harry. It would be to your advantage to remember that. As for the healing, I won't know for sure until I try. If you cannot do as I ask, I will have someone do it for you. Once again I ask, do you understand me?h Harry asked him as calmly as he could.

gIf you can do as you say you can, I will do my best to remain out of your way. But if you so much as hurt a hair on her head in anyway shape or form, you will regret this day for the rest of your life,h Mr. Malfoy warned.

gI won't hurt her. What I plan on doing will not harm her in any way. This I promise you,h Harry told him, truth evident in every word he spoke. Turning his back on the blond, Harry looked to Damean. gSir, I know you have given your help to me in more ways than one but if you would help me once more by making sure Mr. Malfoy keeps his promise to stay out of my way, by any means necessary, I would greatly appreciate it. I don't even want to think about what could happen if I'm disturbed while I'm in a healing trance.h

gOf course, young one. We will make sure he stays out of your way. Is there anything else we can do to help?h Damean asked.

gThe only thing I can think of at the moment is if you would be ready to catch any of us as we come out of the link. We will all be totally drained if I succeed.h

gThat we can do with pleasure. Be safe Harry.hHarry gave Damean a cheeky grin. gMe, sir? I always do my best to remain safe. It's not my fault that circumstances always manage to blow up in my face.h

gI'll keep that in mind when I start your training. Until then, don't do anything stupid,h Damean laughed.

gYes my Lord,h Harry said with a bow. Taking a half step back to place himself in contact with his guardian, Harry asked, "Professor, I would like your help in this. Can you please join me with my siblings on the other side of the room?h

gOf course, Mr. Potter. I would be happy to help you.h

gWould it be possible for you to stop calling me by my last name? It makes me think you still see my father instead of me," Harry asked in an exasperated tone.

gThe moment you stop calling me 'Sir' or 'Professor', I will stop calling you Mr. Potter. There is no need for that when I'm not giving you lessons. Trust me when I say that I no longer see your father when I look at you. I haven't seen him in you for a long time.h

Harry's smile lit up the whole room. gThank you Severus. Shall we go?h

Giving the teen a mock bow, Severus replied, gOf course, Harry. After you.h

Missing the looks between the three older wizards and the twins, Harry and Severus walked over to join the trio on the other side of the room. Ron and Hermione were just finishing treating the last of Draco's injuries when they arrived. Seeing the concern in Draco's eyes, Harry set out to banish the look. gShe'll be fine Dray, honestly. I only found some old curse damage that with all of us working together will be real easy to fix,h Harry told him, waiting for the others to read what he had not said.It was no surprise when Hermione eyes lit with surprise. gYou want us all to link together so that you have all the power you need to do the job, don't you?hDraco cut off any reply Harry could make. gIf the four of us all link our power, it will give you more then enough to heal her. When we do this, we almost have the strength back the dead. What else do you plan to do?hOnce more, Harry was stopped from replying when Ron added his comment. gI really believe that we should discuss your blocking the link first Harry. If you're planning what I think you are, you need to open up to us completely. After all, linking our power is a matter of trust,h he said thoughtfully.

Harry winced at the reminder. gI honestly hoped none of you would bring that up. It is possible for me to let you in without taking off the pain blockers I created,h he said.

gNo, Harry, Ron is right. Letfs get this done first. Then you'll have your full power when we go to heal Mrs. Malfoy,h Hermione told him.

gAs you wish. Dray, please let your mother know that we have something else to take care of first. Hermione, please check the snake kit to see if there will be enough pain potion for the three of you. Then the three of you better make yourself comfortable on the floor. This way, you won't have as far to fall,h Harry told them, watching as they did as he asked.Severus watched in concern as Harry massaged his temples. gIs there anything I can do to help Harry?h he asked as he wrapped the teen in a hug.

gNo Sev. I really don't want to put them through this but they are forcing the issue. They don't deserve the pain they'll be in,h Harry said as he dropped his head against Severus's chest.The others in the room watched the pair with varying degrees of amazement. Everyone but Damean and Gidean that is. They understood that Severus was providing the reassurance that his new ward neededc or at least, that was what they wanted to believe.Narcissa was the first to break the silence. gIs there something the two of you would like to explain to the rest of us?h she asked with an arched eyebrow.

gBloody mother hen,h Harry cursed under his breath as Severus laughed before he reluctantly broke the embrace.

gIt's not what you think, Narcissa,h Sev told her. gI was made Harry's guardian earlier today, and, at the moment, he needs a little reassurance.h

gIf you say so,h she smirked.Harry decided it was best to change the subject. He really did not want to think about the other possibilities at the moment. gIf the three of you are ready, we should get this done,h he said.Receiving nods of agreement, he watched as Ron, Hermione and Draco found spots on the floor. Taking a deep breath, he opened up the bond and was not surprised when all three started writhing in pain. After a few minutes, he closed it off again and handed out pain potion to them.

gMerlin, Harry! How can you handle that much pain?h Ron asked after the potion did its work.

gI'm used to it Ron. Do you understand now why I didn't keep the bond open?h

gYeah, mate. I just hope you feel better soon.h

gI should be back to normal in about a week,h Harry replied. gAre you ready to form the link?h
Hermione and Draco just looked at him in amazement. gDon't you think we can wait to do this until youfre no longer in pain?h Draco finally managed to spit out.

gWhy? I told you it doesn't bother me. I've lived with pain all my life. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can work on finding a way to kill Riddle.h

gHarry, Mate, do you honestly believe that the four of us will have enough power to remove the Dark Mark? That is what you are planning, correct?h Ron asked him.

gNo, Ron, I don't expect the four of us to be able to remove the Mark itself. I do expect the five of us to have enough strength to follow the connection and see what needs to be done to break the link. If nothing else, I hope to find a way to counteract the effects of the mark and, with enough study, find a way to remove it later.h Harry said into the silence.(What for itc you know it's comingc just wait for it.)

gWHAT?!h(Ah, I love it when I'm right.)