Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/615422.

Rating: Archive Warning: Category: Fandom: Relationship: Character: Additional Tags: Stats: Mature Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings M/M Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Lucius Malfoy/Harry Potter Lucius Malfoy, Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore, Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Severus Snape, Various Characters Creature Blood!Harry, Veela!Lucius Published: 2012-12-30 Chapters: 2/2 Words: 22988

Aftermath
by twisted_savior Summary

The drop of his wand signals the end of the final battle and of his own personal seven year struggle against Voldemort. What happens now? Fluff and smut of course!

Notes
See the end of the work for notes

Chapter 1
One last string of strange Latin words was shouted across the field. The snake faced man recoiled in fear as the meaning sunk into his skull, his own pathetic spell spewing from the tip of his wand as well. The raven teenager stood tall, even when the spells collided and produced a colorful mix of lights. All of the on watchers stopped mid battle to shield their eyes or use the distraction to flee. The light shone brightly from the top of the hill where the two well-known people had been engulfed by the light. A manmore like monsterwith a flat, ghastly colored face and a seventeen year old wizard with a mop of unruly black hair stood their ground against one another; one standing for the destruction of muggle borns and half-bloods, and the other as a symbol of eternal freedom for all. However, as the light faded, there stood only one lone figure with his arm still outstretched from his last spell. Everyone on the Hogwarts' grounds was silent. Not a soul dared to move a single muscle until the person still standing was identified.

Severus Snape sucked in a deep breath as a piercing pain ate away at his left forearm. Quickly glancing around, he noticed he wasn't the only one falling to his knees in agony while clutching his arm. The man he called his brother copied his motion at his side, his teenage son with him. Draco clawed at his robes to pull his sleeve away from his burning skin. A sharp intake of breath left the younger blonde's mouth. The slithering snake on his arm sank into his flesh and disappeared, the pain also beginning to ebb away.

"Did he actually do it? Did Harry truly defeat the Dark Lord?" Draco asked incredulously. Lucius raked his dull nails over the now unblemished pale skin of his arm. It was gone, both the dark mark and the figurative heaviness weighing him down from being at the will of another. The potions master prodded his flesh, also not quite believing it was finally gone. When the Dark Lord lost his physical body before, his mark remained. Now that the horcruxes were gone, He-WhoMust-Not-Be-Named was gone. He was truly dead.

"He did. Harry had to have. The dark mark is gone." Severus nodded as he responded, a small content smile spreading across his face. Lucius felt lighter at this. He couldn't remember the last time his blood brother had showed any type of happiness to anyone, even to himself in private. The older blonde turned his attention back to inspecting the field. The loyal Death Eaters were recovering from the shock and pain as well, most activating their port keys to escape being captured by the ministry later on. His blue-gray eyes trailed back up to the figure on the hill.

Harry stared at what was once the feared Lord Voldemort, but now a pile of blackened ash dancing away in the gentle breeze. It was finally over. After seven long years of personal torture under his watch and decades of the Wizarding world suffering at his hands, Tom Riddle was no more. He took a cautious stepped forward, but his exhaustion took over. His body swayed, legs giving out under him and allowing his knobby knees to meet the tall green grass. Still clutched in his right hand was his wand, his knuckles white from his merciless grip. A small chuckled passed

his lips as he relaxed the muscles in his hand and let his wand fall freely to the ground.

"It would be at that moment you completely quit on me, huh?" The raven asked aloud. Harry turned his head at the screams of distress breaking through his adrenaline haze. Black cloaked followers were grabbing at their arms and crying out in pain. His gem toned eyes spotted two heads of platinum blonde and one of pitch black among the crowd. The remaining Malfoys and Severus Snape were also feeling the effects of losing the dark mark. He wanted to apologize to them for all their sacrifices and thank them for everything they helped him achieve, for putting their lives at stake as spies for the light, for helping him train. Attempting to stand, fatigue and nausea washed over him. Seconds later, someone shouting his name echoed around him as he felt his eyes roll to the back of his head and his body collapse.

"HARRY!" A desperate voice yelled across the field. The war volunteers watched a lanky young man with flame red hair run on long legs to the side of his fallen friend. Ronald Weasley knelt next to Harry and placed two fingers at the pulse point under the raven's ear. He struggled for a short moment to feel a pulse, but when he finally found it, he released sigh of relief. His pulse was there, but entirely too weak. Ron could have sworn Harry hadn't made it. He scooped the smaller teen into his arms and ran, cursing the anti-apparition wards in place.

Expressionless faces of various aurors, teachers, students, and Order members watched as the young Weasley male bolted towards the castle with their young savior pulled tight against his chest. Lucius felt his son's smaller hand move over his own as a silent form of comfort. He smirked. Often he forgot how intelligent his son was.

The elder blonde had divorced Draco's mother a little less than a year ago when he decided to defect from the dark. His son was grateful, never wanting to be a Death Eater to begin with. Lucius explained to everyone that his reason was because he was tired of being under the Dark Lord's thumb and he never wanted to see the man his son would be if he let the sick bastard mold him. Narcissa, being the power hungry wretch she was, disagreed with him. Lucius had the divorce papers drawn up and carried out, leaving her as Narcissa Black once more. Unfortunately for her, Sirius Black named Harry Potter his heir. Since Harry became of age before Narcissa was divorced, the entire Black fortune was already stored into his bank account. Though, the older Malfoy had another motive to joining the light than he led on. Draco was well aware of the reason unspoken, being part veela with his own mate himself.

"We should follow them in." Severus said, seeing concern in Lucius' eyes. He straightened himself and offered a hand to his friend. The blonde man accepted, pulling his son to his feet as well, and trailed after the snarky professor through the Hogwarts gates.

The heavy oak doors to the infirmary were slammed open, a tired Ronald Weasley with an almost lifeless Harry Potter in his arms. Madam Pomfrey burst out of her office, ready to scold whoever was causing a ruckus in her work place. Seeing the condition of the raven, she ordered for the red head to lay him on an empty bed. She quickly waved her wand over him, mumbling a few words under her breath. When the result popped up, the old woman released a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. Smiling in relief, Poppy patted Ron's shoulder and walked over to her potion cabinet.

"Is he alright?" Ron asked, worried as to why she would just walk away from a patient. "Or is too late?"

The medi-witch grinned broadly at his concern. Waving her wand again, a plastic waiting chair pulled itself across the room to Harry's bedside. Her light brow arched as a group of three men entered the room as well, closing the doors behind them. She smiled invitingly to them and gestured for them to join Ron.

"He has a few minor injuries I'll have to tend to, but other than that, Mr. Potter here has exhausted his entire magical core completely. Normally, a wizard would be a squib after pulling off such a feat, but Mr. Potter is by no means a normal wizard. His core is already regenerating, whereas usually the core would have given up. He's more powerful than we are aware of; than I even think he is aware of. I'm quite sure that he'll be just peachy after a good long rest. I'll be keeping him under observation to ensure this as well." She explained, still fumbling around in the cabinet. A hand landed on Ron's shoulder. He jumped, twisting his body to face Draco.

"I'm glad to see that you made it." The blonde teen nodded at his friend. Ron had learned that Draco wasn't that bad of a person once he stopped the charade of being a Death Eater in training. He was then able to banish his "all Slytherins are evil" mentality. The blonde waved his wand, summoning three more plastic chairs and transfiguring them into comfortable arm chairs.

"Same to you. More powerful than we originally thought?" Draco asked the medi-witch. Severus also cocked his head, waiting for her to explain.

"I wonder if he knows this himself. If not, Dumbledore must know and Harry will demand an explanation." Ron replied, leaning back into his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. Severus waved his hand to run a short diagnosis. His eyes widened slightly in response.

"If Harry was aware he had this much power available, he wouldn't have let this war come to this point. He would have taken the Dark Lord down sooner and without us. We all know how against he was having us out there. Even so, if he exhausted his core, that must have been quite

the spell he laid out." Lucius and Draco nodded at one another, Ron still staring at his unconscious friend. Poppy rushed over to the bed with two potions in her hands and place them on the small table next to Harry's head. Her eyes met the potions master's. With a curt nod, he confirmed her suspicion.

"What of his other injuries?" Lucius inquired. She flashed the blonde a smile before returning to her work.

"His most severe are the three broken ribs from what looks like something had rammed into his side from the angling of the breaks."

"He was blasted through some trees before he reached Voldemort." Ron interjected. The elderly woman nodded while the other men winched.

"That's most likely where they came from." She leaned over the teen and cast a banishing charm on Harry's shirt. The darkened area over the left side of his ribcage looked gruesome. Small patches of other bruises and scratches stood out against his sun tanned body. Her fingertips hovered over the marking with a feather light touch. By instinct, Harry's body flinched at the contact.

"Oh yes, I spotted a few splinters. As you all can see, he has some open cuts. They aren't too bad, but we wouldn't want them to get infected. There is also some severe bruising, but that can be easily taken care of with some balm. Now, what really caught my attention were the layers of old scarring and bones that appeared to have healed without being set right." Her eyes flicked up to meet Ron's. He instantly averted his eyes to avoid her intense stare.

"Do you know something, Mr. Weasley?" The red head gave her an apologetic look.

"I'm not sure it's my right to share. We should leave that to him when he wakes." Madam Pomfrey agreed silently before continuing.

"As for what I said earlier, yes, Mr. Potter seems to be harnessing a level of power we have never seen before. It seems while dueling the Dark Lord he began pushing his body to its full magical extent. He started to crack what I believe is some sort of block that was placed years ago on his core, limiting him to just enough to get him by. I would guess about half of his true potential. Who put it there, I can't tell. But, since he has started to break through it, I can effectively remove it with a little help. Since it limits his magic, I'm sure it's also prohibiting his heritage." Lucius' jaw dropped.

"What do you mean by heritage?" The blonde aristocrat asked. Severus cleared his throat to speak to the room.

"Unlike popular belief, Lily Evans and I were very close friends. I loved her like a sister, and nothing more than that. James was in fact from an old pureblood wizarding family. However, Lily was no Evans. She was adopted when she was very young by the Evans family. There had always been some magic in the Evans family, Lily's adoptive grandmother being a witch herself so it wasn't that big of a problem when she received her Hogwarts letter. Lily was an Alfatt. They were an ancient elven family who were extremely powerful with Lily as their last in line until Potter was born. They aren't like the house elves we see daily. No, the Alfatts were an entirely different race. They were elementals who appear as ordinary wizards and can even hold a wizard's magic. They are absolutely beautiful, before and even more so after growing into their inheritance. Due to their appearance, they are often mistaken as veelas. When he came of age and there was no change, I assumed it simply didn't pass to him." Draco stood, moving closer to Harry's side.

He carded his pale fingers through the thick locks of inky hair. An elf, Harry was an elf. His finger grazed the patch of skin that used to hold his infamous scar. It had been so many months ago that his close friend had been lying here before, and the same group waiting for him to awaken after Voldemort destroyed the horcrux inside of the teen using the killing curse. When Harry had been deposited by Bellatrix Lestrange in the Great Hall with all the students present while laughing manically, Draco had lost all hope. The raven's body had fallen from her arms with a lifeless thud to the stone floor. Hermione had rushed over to check on him after Bellatrix left, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her hand flew over her heart when she finally caught his pulse. Once again, they were sitting here waiting for him to open his eyes.

"If you remove the block, his inheritance will come though, right? Will his inheritance change him?" He asked the medi-witch. She smiled softly at his concern. It felt like just the other day he was a rude, obnoxious twat firing his own hexes and curses in hopes to injure The-Boy-WhoLived. Her eyes then moved to the raven haired teen. The young wizard had done so much for the world and most of it without intention.

"He will mentally and emotionally be the same. Mr. Potter will have some physical changes though. Before you ask Mr. Weasley, no, he will not shrink down to three feet. Normally, an elemental elf would shrink, but considering how short he is, I doubt he will." Ron snorted in amusement.

"He's unconscious and people still tease him for being short." Draco bit back his laughter. Poppy glanced over the raven lying on the bed. If she were to assume, she would link the old injuries to his height, leading to undernourishment. But the Dursley's were supposed to protect Harry, weren't they? She shook her head to rid the off topic thoughts.

"So, you'll remove the block?" Severus asked, bringing back the serious air. Madam Pomfrey nodded.

"If I plan to, we should get this rolling. Removing the block on his core will also speed up his recovery rate." Snape stood from his chair to offer his assistance. The medi-witch handed him two potion vials after explaining which one to give him first. The first potion was a minor healing potion to close up the small cuts and scratches. The second was to numb the muscles throughout his body so that she could set the broken bones and reset some of the old ones. Lucius was at his side in a second with a lecherous grin. He parted Harry's pale lips with his thumb and gestured for his friend to pour the potion. The dark haired man resisted the urge to roll his obsidian eyes and did as he was instructed. The blonde's free hand massaged the teen's throat to encourage him to swallow the healing aid. When it went down, Severus uncorked the second vial and proceeded to pour it down slowly as well.

Poppy cast a tempus and then waited a few minutes more before casting another, timing for when the potion would take its full effect. Taking a deep breath, she set to work on first breaking the already healed bones. She did this in his wrists, left arm, and left ankle. She then moved to his ribs, pushing and prodding the bones into place as fast as she could. Severus watched her movements carefully while Lucius watched Harry's face for any signs of discomfort. Once the bones were in the right place, she waved her wand while whispering a few words and beamed at the men.

"There, all is fixed. Now if you men would join me, I can attempt to remove this block." Poppy laid her hands directly under the raven's diaphragm. She beckoned to Severus and Lucius to join her. Draco took the vacant seat next to the red haired teen, observing the adults layer their hands over the teen's stomach.

"Alright, I'm going to start. I need you two to focus on following me through Harry's body." The woman bit her cheek when she received their nods of consent. Closing her eyes, she concentrated her magic and pushed through Harry's mental barrier, hearing Snape comment on how the teen had improved greatly at guarding his mind. The group passed his memories, the secrets he held, and the information he knew well. They moved further along, passing deeper memories tagged with wild emotions. Poppy suddenly stopped, one memory catching her eye. It was of a young Harry, maybe five or six. He was kneeling on the ground with large eyes swimming with tears, begging someone from over his shoulder. Whoever he was pleading with was hidden from view, the person standing behind Harry's line of sight. A growl sounded from Lucius' throat. His blood brother gripped his shoulder, reminding him that it was memory, therefore it had already happened. The medi-witch gasped as a leather belt was brought down on Harry's back. The toddler cried out in pain as a red line appeared. It was repeated several times until there were actual bleeding lashes down his back.

"At least we know where those injuries came from." The potions master commented, pulling both Poppy and his friend passed the memories. They stopped when they reached what appeared to be a black box wrapped in heavy metal chains, but with a broken lock. She banished the lock with a simple thought, causing the chains to fall apart and leave the box vulnerable. She pushed the box with her mind, the sides crumpling and caving it before vanishing. Inside was what she could guess was a rosebud under a glass case and buried under a thick nest of vines. When she tried to

pull off the vines, she felt the prick of thorns. Another presence nudged her forward.

"Don't give up, Poppy. With success comes pain." Severus said in his same monotone voice. The medi-witch reached out and tried to pull the thorns apart again. The pain was there, but she tugged on them even harder. As she made progress, the outer layers began to wilt and unravel in her hands. The top layer of the plant was a dark brown, which spoke volumes about the age of the spell. Underneath were lengths of thorns that were bright ivy green. Her pulling soon became futile. She stared at the plant for a long moment until an orange spark flew out by her side.

"Burn it." Lucius cut in. She felt around for some extra power, already feeling her magic draining from being in Harry's body for so long. She thought of a quick incendio and watched the spiked vines disappear. Stepping forth, she tapped the glass. It shattered under the feather light touch, leaving the rosebud exposed. The group was amazed as the green outer casing of the flower peeled back to reveal the deep blood red petals of the rose expand out as it bloomed. Its color pulsed, sending the three adults wheeling out of Harry's mind.

Ron and Draco both bolted from their chairs when the older wizards were thrown to the floor. Draco first went to his godfather's side, who waved him off as he stood. The young blonde then went to his father who sat staring, dumbfounded, at the teen on the infirmary bed. Severus' gaze was also drawn to the boy. Ron helped Madam Pomfrey to her feet. Seeing Harry's face contort with pain, she flew to his side and began monitoring his vitals. Raw magic filled the room. The rest stood back to give her space to work if she needed it. Harry's emerald eyes shot open, back arching against the mattress with his mouth parted in silent cry of agony. His body tightened and convulsed before finally falling limp, head turned to the side with his dark bangs covering his face from view.

"What just happened?" Lucius demanded.

"He just had a large amount of magic be released into his body at one time. We need to let him rest so that his body can adjust to the change." The men nodded in agreement as the witch charmed the bed with an alarm to alert her if he woke without her around. Ron stood, walking over to his best friend's side. A grim smile slipped onto his features.

"You all can stay, but try not to linger for so long." She told them, retreating into her private office to catalog Harry's visit. Ron pulled the starched hospital issued sheet to Harry's shoulders, stopping to brush the locks of hair out of the raven's face.

"You know, I'll always remember the day I met Harry. Not the day I met him on the Hogwarts Express, but in our second year. He was so small and frail when I first saw him. I didn't think anything of it, you know, being raised by muggles and all that. Harry and I had promised to owl each other during the summer. When his letters suddenly stopped, I began to worry. The twins and I decided why not take a little trip and check up on him. There were bars on his window that

held him prisoner. He was thinner than I thought possible. Sometimes, I swear it was worse than Azkaban. Beaten to an inch of his life and treated like a slave, Dumbledore still forced him to go back there every year. I had never seen someone so broken. He'd flinch whenever anyone brushed his hand or tried to hug him. Even when Harry had Sirius to run to, Dumbledore still refused to let him leave the Dursleys. Everything before that year was a charade. His was so haunted by the nightmares, and thrust into a world where he was expected to be a savior and risk his life for something he had just learned existed. But he was so strong. Nothing got him down, he just kept pushing himself. Hermione didn't understand at times. She would push and push until he would reach his limit. This kid is brilliant. I know he lets me win in chess, but for his sake I don't say anything. He absorbs information like a sponge and knows how to manipulate it to his advantage. 'Mione gets to jealous sometimes when it's just us sitting around the fire talking and he knows that. He can outsmart her, think of solutions before she even understands what is going on, and can even answer her questions. He doesn't do it on purpose, it just happens. That's why he makes himself look dumb. He'll purposely miss answers on a test he is positive Hermione knows so she'll stand above us all. Yet, he still smiles for us. He still jokes around and enjoys the moments he can. Even through everything, he's so forgiving. I can't believe everything we've been through together. From the Chamber of Secrets to the horcrux hunt, we made it out alive. Seven years ago, he was told of a destiny he was so sure he couldn't live up to. Now, he's done all that and more." Severus was more or less surprised with this admission. Weasley seemed so much more mature than what he gave him credit for. Lucius was fighting back the urge to take the young raven into his arms and ease away the past pain. Ron's fingertips brushed over Harry's cheek. Draco moved to stand next to the red head.

"When we announced to the Order that we wanted to switch, I was shocked when Harry hugged and thanked me. He thanked me for not letting a mad man drag me through the mud. Later, he explained that he already knew we didn't join the Order to help the light. We joined Harry's side along with Severus. He thanked me for that too, saying he was going to need all the help he could get. I watched as he pushed himself through all the training and practice to prepare his self for the war. Since then, he's been like the protective older brother I never had. He even stood up against his own housemates for trying to hex me. I have to keep reminding myself that he's younger. Now that the Dark Lord is gone, I'm going to return that favor. I owe him so much, we owe him. The entire Wizarding world owes him, but he'll refuse to hear a single word about it." The blonde teen chuckled, flipping his bangs out of his pale face.

"His relatives were abusing him and Albus did nothing about it?" Severus asked, his dark eyes wide. Ron nodded in response.

Yes. He's a great actor. Everyone thinks he wants to be an auror after this. That's not true. He wants to be a healer. Yea, he's really talented with DADA, but look at where that talent led him. He wants to help people, but not with risking his own life. You know he thinks that he's being selfish because he wants to live? He also feels guilty for the deaths caused by the war." Ron turned back to face the older men.

"But none of that is his fault." Draco commented, twisting himself as well.

"He knows that, but he also knows that the war was truly between the Dark Lord and him. He'll forever blame himself for not being strong enough to take him down sooner." The blonde aristocrat responded, standing with his cane clutched in his hand. The room grew silent.

"We should check up on the rest of the school. They've had a few hours to get the fields cleaned up so I'm sure there is a total count of who survived and who didn't." Severus announced. Draco grabbed Ron by his collar and dragged him out of the room.

"We're going to check on the students, see how many are injured or worse." The young blonde said from over his shoulder as they left. The two teens went racing down the halls toward the dormitories. Snape and the older Malfoy gathered themselves and left the infirmary. They journeyed together down to the Great Hall where the rest of the Hogwarts staff and aurors were surely meeting.

The potions master entered first. All eyes in the room moved to his person. Questions about Harry and accusations of being Voldemort's right hand man began flying. When Lucius stepped into the room, they grew worse.

"Quiet." Dumbledore ordered. The two men could practically hear the crowd clamp their mouths shut, hundreds of teeth clicking together.

"Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy are in fact members of the Order. They have been serving as spies for the light as a way for us to undermine Voldemort." Half of the room cringed at the name. The old man refrained from commenting.

"They have already had their trials and were both pardoned for their crimes against the light. They are truly free men and you all should cease your unnecessary accusations." Dumbledore then switched his attention to the men standing in the door way.

"As reported, over seventy volunteers were injured and thirty six of them did not survive treatment. Approximately fifty aurors are at St. Mungos recovering, and less than twenty have fallen." The room went silent, mourning for the deaths.

"On the bright side, all captured Death Eaters were found guilty and will serve out their terms in Azkaban." The room cheered. Lucius frowned. What the room wouldn't give to see his or Severus' head on a silver platter.

"Now, about Mr. Potter" The headmaster gestured for the dark haired professor to speak up.

Snape cleared his throat and stared at the floor.

"He is currently residing in the infirmary. Potter seems to have exhausted himself and received a few injuries that have been healed. Only time will tell what will happen next." Albus nodded at this and went back to chatting with Minerva about how classes would proceed from then on. The room went back to celebrating with the news that their savior was doing well. Lucius grabbed his friend by the wrist, pulling him back into the hall and around the corner.

"Why didn't you mention the block on his magic?" Severus sighed and brought a hand up to message his temples.

"Lucius, I know who put the block there. Think about it. Who knew was the first group of people to meet Harry? Which would know how to block someone's magic?" Malfoy furrowed his brow.

"But he expected Harry to defeat the Dark Lord. Why would he limit the boy's power unless" The blonde drifted off at his brother's nod.

"I didn't switch because Dumbledore offered me sanctuary. I switched when I found out Lily was pregnant. When she gave birth to a son, I promised to look after him from the moment of Lily's death. When her son arrived here, I could see the full potential of his power. If I could, so could Albus. It wasn't long after that his potential didn't appear the same to me. It was at a much lesser level. I didn't understand why, but put it off as a fluke from when I first saw him. When Poppy told us of the block it slowly clicked into place. I've seen Harry perform a few spells wandlessly. They weren't very advanced, but it was only his first year of schooling. I've seen improvement since then, but not to the extent I would think James Potter and Lily's son could be able to do. I'm sure, without the block, he'll be able to do much more without his wand. Dumbledore saw him as a threat. He made the block so that Harry would be powerful, but only enough so that he could take the Dark Lord down, but not so much that he more powerful than Albus himself. He wants Harry under his thumb, to keep a leash on him."

"Does he suspect anything?" Snape shook his head in a negative answer.

"Not that I can tell. However, when he goes to visit Harry, he'll know for sure." Lucius turned on his heels and walked the opposite way.

"Where are you going, Lucius?" Severus called out, confused as to why he was parting with him. The blonde stopped and turned to his friend.

"To the library, I need to research if elves have life mates." Severus rolled his eyes. Leave it to the blonde Casanova to still be thinking about his mate.

"Oh. And Sev?" The dark haired man met his eyes.

"I'm telling you called Harry by his name." Severus gaped, frozen in his spot before storming after his friend, robes billowing behind him.

Hours later, a pair of vibrant green eyes fluttered open. Harry groaned, rolling over onto his side and rubbing his head. Using his arm, he pushed his body to sit up. His body ached, like a hoard of hippogriffs met him in the middle of a stampede. Next to his bed were three plush arm chairs and one plastic chair. He smiled, knowing exactly who had occupied those chairs earlier. He still needed to thank them. The room was dark, the sun probably having set hours ago. Glancing around, he noticed that not a single bed beside his own held a patient. The teen didn't know whether to be happy that he was alone or worried that so many had died and had no use for the beds.

"You know there is a feast going on in your honor right now?" Harry's head snapped up to the voice. Madam Pomfrey was standing in the door way of her private office, a motherly smile on her face. She came forward with a potion vial and tossed it to him. Stretching out his hand, he was shocked when the bottle flew into it. He stared at the woman standing at the foot of his bed.

"It's gone?" She giggled at his confusion.

"Yes, Mr. Potter. I removed the block for you. I'm surprised you knew about it. Do you know who placed it?" Harry scowled at the floor, remembering the night the block was put in place. He erased the ugly expression before looking back up at her.

"Unfortunately, yes I do. I was well aware of the person's intention and allowed it." He responded. She nodded and motioned to the vial.

"It's a pain reliever. Take it and you can leave." She smiled as he tore the top of and gulped the liquid down. He always hated having to sit around in infirmary and who was she to stop him. After waiting a few seconds, he could feel the potion's effects worm its way through his body, easing the stiffness and soreness. The raven haired wizard shot up from the bed and stretched.

"You might want toyou know." Madam Pomfrey started, using her hand to signal his bare chest. Harry sighed. He would have to walk all the way back to the Gryffindor dormitories and the raven stopped mid thought. The block was gone. He thought of the outfit he wanted and with the flick of his wrist, his current clothes changed. Oh yea, his wandless magic would definitely be useful. The teen smirked up at the medi-witch. She waved him off, turning back into her office. Harry didn't notice the change in his physical appearance from the glimpse he caught of himself in the window's reflection.

The Great Hall was bustling with noise. Every student that survived was accounted for and sitting at their house tables, joined by the Hogwarts graduates. The Order members and aurors were telling their tales of their days in the same halls the present students walk today. Most of the adults were enjoying their drinks and being merry with one another. Ron, Neville, Draco, Ginny, Hermione, Bill, and Charlie were all sitting at the very end of the Gryffindor table. Ron, of course, was busy shoveling twice his weight in food into his mouth. Ginny was trying to comfort Hermione. The bushy haired know-it-all was still upset from the previous argument with Harry and felt guilty for what she said. He was now lying alone in the infirmary after risking his life, once again, for everyone he cared about. Neville was still attempting to will away the dark stain of blush from his cheeks. His boyfriend, and mate, was taking immense pleasure in making lewd expressions at him as he snacked on a few strawberries. Draco flashed a feral grin as the sweet red juice dribbled out and down his chin. Charlie was filling Bill in on what the ministry was planning to do with the dragons that were under Voldemort's control and were captured. Bill stabbed his food blindly as he listened intently.

"So, Harry will be alright?" Neville asked aloud, gaining the small group's attention. Draco smirked, wiping the sticky juice from his chin and slipped an arm around his boyfriend's waist. Charlie stopped in the middle of his sentence to hear what the platinum blonde was about to say, Bill letting his fork drop to his plate. Both the girls turned to face Malfoy while Ron continued to eat.

"Yes, Nev. Harry will be fine. He's just resting now. He used a lot of energy and magic earlier." The brunette male nodded, settling himself in Draco's arms.

"Damn veelas." Ron muttered under his breath. A sharp kick found its way to his shin bone. He shot an annoyed look to his girlfriend as she innocently drank her pumpkin juice, smirk hidden behind her goblet.

"Watch your language, Ron." Hermione scolded, placing her goblet back onto the table top. Rolling his cornflower eyes, he went back to stuffing his face. Draco glanced up at the head table, silver eyes meeting his father's. Lucius sent him a small smile and curt nod. To his right sat

Severus Snape. The potions master was lost in thought, staring distractedly at his plate. The blonde teen turned his attention back to the table. Even surrounded by the people he considered extended family, without Harry, it felt like something was missing. He couldn't help but feel sorry. The celebration was for the raven's victory and the teen was left by his self to recover. Sighing, he retracted his arm from Neville and excused himself, explaining he wanted to see Harry. The others nodded, agreeing to meet up after the feast. However, when his eyes caught sight of a person waltzing through the doorway of the Great Hall with outstanding grace, his movements froze. The group noticed, straining their necks to see what he was staring at.

Standing in the entrance was a petite young man with slender shoulders and flawless golden skin. Framing his face were long tresses of raven black that reached his lower back. His almond shaped eyes were a bold emerald green rimmed by thick, dark lashes that cast shadows over the apples of his cheeks. The wire framed spectacles that he once wore were long gone, no longer needing them. The sharp edges of his ears poked out from under the heavy blanket of dark black hair. The teen's body was thin and had a slight feminine swell to his hips with gentle angles to his bone structure. He wobbled from one foot to the other, suggesting he was extremely nervous.

Ron was the first to move, and when he did, he realized the entire Great Hall had their eyes locked on the elf. The red head slowly made his way over to the nervous teen, stopping when they were standing face to face. Harry's eyes brightened at seeing his best friend before him. The raven launched himself into Ron's arms. Said teen laughed at the younger's excitement. He felt thin arms twine around his neck to pull him close.

"I'm so glad you're okay. I was worried when I woke up and no one was there. I kept thinking about all the things that could have gone wrong." Ron pulled back and ruffled the raven's bangs.

"We weren't exactly expecting you to wake so soon, more like later this week or something. You had a busy day." Harry laughed and hugged Ron once more. Noticing Hermione standing from the table from over Ron's shoulder, Harry took a step away from the red head and opened his arms to the girl. The brunette smiled broadly as tears streamed down her face. She took off in a run and wrapped her arms around him tightly, her face tucked into the crook of his neck as sobs tore from her body. Harry held her by her waist and swung her around in a circle before setting her back down.

"I'm sorry." He said. The witch broke away and swatted his chest.

"Stop saying you're sorry, Harry! You have nothing to apologize for. I need to apologize to you! I'm so sorry Harry. I was being so insensitive to your point of view and I over thought things. I kept thinking about what was best for the world, not what was best for you. I was so blindsided by the end being so close, and I was so tired that I just wanted everything to end, even if it meant sending you out unprepared. I'm so sorry for being such an imbecile! I never thought about seeing this from your view, the pressure put on you, or even the guilt you feel daily from not being able to defeat him sooner. I'm so, so sorry." The raven cracked a grin before hugging her again.

"It's okay, Hermione. I understand where you're-," she slapped her hand over his mouth.

"No, Harry. It's not okay. Stop forgiving me. Be mad at me for once!" The young witch shouted, gripping his shoulders and shaking him. She watched a smile split his face. Warmth shone bright in her verdant orbs.

"You know me better than that, 'Mione. I can't. I'm not one to hold a grudge." He patted her shoulder as he saunter over to the Gryffindor table. Draco was still frozen in spot, mouth parted slightly. Harry chuckled, shoving his hands into his denim pockets. The blonde slung his leg over the bench so he could stand at his full height. Madam Pomfrey was right. The physical changes were definitely impressive, but he still had the same welcoming presence. When Draco didn't make an effort to move, Harry gave him a curt nod. His head turned towards the head table, some type of energy of sorts grabbing his attention. Wild emeralds met silver tones from across the room. The blonde man left him speechless. Faintly, he could see a thin shimmery gray mist surrounding the aristocrat, making the teen's eyes widen considerably. He had read this in a book somewhere before and was hoping that what he remembered was true. Draco was a veela with a mate, so what were the chances that Lucius was as well? Did Lucius know who his mate was since it obviously wasn't Narcissa? From the aura, was Lucius even aware that Harry's elven side had picked him as a suitable mate? He imagined running up and throwing himself at the blonde, claiming his lips, caressing pale skin, rutting against him in the throes of passion. Two arms wrapping around his lithe waist broke him from his thoughts. His left hand came to rest over the arms, recognizing the person's touch. Reluctantly, Harry turned his eyes away from man. He wiggled about in the arms until he was staring up at a pair of similar gray eyes.

"I thought you were going to die when you left to face him. When you collapsed, I thought you did die. And when I saw you lying so still and white on the infirmary bed, I thought you were dead." Draco confessed, leaning his forehead against Harry's. The raven gave a watery smile, snaking his arms around the blonde's torso.

"Of all people, you should know it takes more than that to kill me. I mean, I know you damn well tried at times." He huffed. Draco had the decency to give an ashamed expression, stepping back from the elf with a sheepish smile. Grabbing Harry's hand, he tugged him to sit at the table. Soon enough, everyone was back to eating their meals and chatting animatedly amongst themselves. Every so often, Harry could feel eyes randomly lock on him from somewhere across the hall and catch the end bits of small groups whispering his name. The Gryffindor table opted to talk about what would happen tomorrow, informed the young savior of who passed and survived, when classes would start, how things would change without a megalomaniac breathing down their necks. The raven was somewhat content with the outcome, even though some many people had been lost, including the last person he thought of as family; Remus Lupin. He took a deep breath when Bill said this, tears pricking his eyes. Draco had put an arm around his shoulders, expecting him to cry. Instead, Harry shook the feeling and smiled to the group. He would mourn on his own time. The both of them knew that there was a possibility of one or both of them not surviving and had had said their good byes the previous day.

"His death was not in vain. Remy was aware of the risks and still went to war, just like all of us. He is a war hero, not just another casualty." Harry explained. Charlie smiled from across the table, plucking up a butter knife and his goblet. He stood and rapped the metal to the glass.

"I would like to make a toast. For all those who have lost their lives, I would like to thank them for their sacrifices; To Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, James and Lily Potter, and the rest of the Gryffindors." Harry choked when the man spoke his parents' names. A student from Hufflepuff stood next.

"To Sara Con Coco, Cedric Diggory, and the rest of the Hufflepuffs." The student said as he stood with his goblet raised high.

"To Luna Lovegood, and the rest of the Ravenclaws." Cho Chang said standing with her goblet as well, tears in her dark eyes. Seeing no one from Slytherin stand, Harry grasped his goblet and stood. He looked over the crowd with a serious expression.

"I didn't know the Slytherins on the side of light who died during the war, but I can say I'm still thankful that they were there. They don't get enough credit for their accomplishments and deserve better than that. I also want to thank three Slytherins who risked their lives as spies. To Draco Malfoy, Severus Snape, and Lucius Malfoy. To everyone who helped me, who helped the entire Wizarding World, thank you so much for everything you all have done. I couldn't have done it without you. Not a single soul lost will be forgotten, and definitely not by me. Cheers!" Harry thrust his goblet high into air. The room echoed with cries of cheers and applause.

Albus Dumbledore sat back and watched, clapping politely so that he wouldn't be noticed. He could feel it, the difference in the boy's magic. The increase made his magic recoil. Hell, he could damn well see the change! Narrowing his eyes, the old man scrutinized the room. Who could have removed the block? Maybe it came off while dueling with Tom Riddle? If that was the case, he would desperately need to restore it. The last thing he wanted was for the Potter brat to realize what he was.

When the celebration ended, most of the visiting adults were slurring their words and breaking into strange songs, dancing down the halls. Most were escorted home, leaving the students to go their separate ways to bed and the teachers to their personal chambers.

"Harry, my boy." An old voice croaked. Said raven clenched his fist and turned, waving for the others to keep walking and saying goodbye to the elder Weasley siblings since they were returning to the Borrow for the night. He sauntered up the head table and inclined his head. Why be impolite now? That could wait until they were behind closed doors.

"Yes Headmaster?" He answered with an innocent tone. Albus locked his twinkling eyes on the teen. Oh yes, something was definitely wrong with the young wizard's changes, too much like his mother indeed.

"Could you possibly meet me in my office before going to your dorm? There are some matters I would like to discuss with you." Harry plastered a fake smile on his face and nodded eagerly.

"Of course, Professor Dumbledore, but I will be bringing a few guests with me if you do not mind." The gray haired wizard stroked his beard. Clearly the boy was plotting. Harry never asked to bring anyone with him, not even his best friend. He usually favored being alone.

"I was intending on getting you alone, but you may do as you wish." Of course you were, thought Harry. He smirked mischievously as he bowed his head to the man. He turned on his heels, making sure to catch a certain potions professor eye while sending him a subtle hand signal. The other man used stroking his chin as way to hide his nod. The raven darted out of the hall to catch his friends.

"What did he want mate?" Ron asked as soon as he was in close enough range. The raven scowled.

"He wants me to meet with him in an hour. However, I informed him that you and Draco would be accompanying me, along with two others. I wouldn't want anything horrible to happen while I'm there." The two mentioned teens shared a look.

"It's my father and Severus, is it not?" The elf nodded in response.

"Who else would it be? I might need people to restrain me and they're the only two that stand a chance." Draco stopped walking.

"Wait, you know?" He asked.

"Of course I knew. That old fool can't hide anything from me. I'm the one keeping secrets actually, which reminds me." Harry smirked, flicking a lock of hair over his shoulder. Holding up his hand, he tensed his fingers and waited. The others watched silently. When Hermione was about to comment, a whooshing sound caught their attention. A stick came soaring down the hall, landing in the raven's hand. It was his wand. He grasped it in his hand and stared at it longingly. Sighing, he took both ends and put pressure in the middle, effectively snapping the item in two. Ginny squeaked at this.

"That was your wand, Harry! Why would you break your wand?" He smirked deviously and dropped the broken item into his inner robe pocket. He glanced up at the girls with a wolfish grin.

"It doesn't work for me anymore. I've had problems with it before, but when I was facing Voldemort, it just stopped. I said the killing curse, and nothing came out." Hermione looked shocked while the other two wizards had wide smiles of amazement.

"It doesn't work? Then how did you kill Voldemort?" The bushy haired brunette asked. He laughed, tossing his back and continuing his way to the headmaster's office.

"A true magician never tells his secrets. Are you guys coming along?" He retorted from over his shoulder. The boys ran to catch up, still amazed that the elf willingly destroyed his wand. Better yet, he didn't need his wand.

"What was that about?" Lucius asked his friend as he stormed down the main hall. Snape stopped, arching his finely groomed dark brow.

"What are you being indignant about now, Lucius?" He replied. The blonde gaped like a fish.

"I am a Malfoy! I'm not being indignant about anything!" He blurted out. Severus cocked his head. The blonde bit the inside of his cheek, realizing his friend was right.

"Ever since your veela recognized that your mate was of age and ready to be claimed, you've been more riled up than a werewolf before the full moon." Lucius slumped against the castle wall. The snarky professor was right after all. But he was a veela. They constantly fret and are possessive about their mates, even more so when they aren't claimed and left to run around doing who knows what.

"It's not like I've had the chance to tell him. When I first caught his scent, he was preparing for war. I couldn't send him out there with that on his mind. Then he was unconscious. What was I supposed to do, tell him while he was sleeping? Anyways, when we were in the library, I found that ordinary elves don't have mates, but elemental elves do. What if I'm not his mate, Sev?" The blonde ranted. Snape placed a hand on his blood brother's broad shoulder.

"Lucius, what you just asked was absolutely illogical. Your veela had informed you that Potter is your mate. A veela cannot live without his mate, rejection resulting in death. If that is so, wouldn't his elf tell him as well that you are his mate? Why would your veela mate to you someone who would reject you?" He brightened at this.

"Anyways, we need to meet Potter. Albus asked for him to be in his office and Potter wants us there as well. What for, I'm not sure. That was the hand gesture I'm guessing you were asking about?" The potions master went back to gliding down the halls after Lucius' nod. The blonde was going to be the death of him if he didn't hurry and claim the damn brat. Lucius simply matching his friend's pace with a small smile.

"I still don't quite understand. Why would he make himself seem dim?" Severus refrained from smacking his forehead.

"You need to hurry along your claiming of Potter. Your mind doesn't think clearly while your veela is obsessed with getting the boy to love you. Albus blocked his magic so he wouldn't exceed him in power. If he proved himself smarter than Granger, don't you think Albus would have been suspicious of it?" Lucius nodded and then shook his head, trying to knock loose the thoughts of his mate that were clouding his senses.

"Well then, let's hurry. I don't wish to have Harry alone with Albus."

A few minutes later, Harry, with Ron and Draco as company, waltzed up to the gargoyles guarding the headmaster's office door. He hid his smile with his hand when he noticed two Slytherin men also sauntering up to the statues.

"I presume neither of you know his current password." Lucius shrugged, like Dumbledore would actually trust him with it. Severus shook his head no also.

"I haven't been told any of the recent passwords." Harry sighed, walking up to the gargoyle and staring straight at it. After a short moment, Harry took a step back and muttered a phrase. The stone creature came to life with a growl, but moved aside.

"Blimey, what did you do mate?" The raven motioned for them to follow him up the spiraling

stairs as he explained.

"All of the statues in Hogwarts and on Hogwarts ground have a memory system that works similarly to our own mind's memory storage. It was designed by the Founders as a way to keep out any intruders and make sure no one was getting access to restricted areas. Therefore, I can use legilimens to see not only who the last to enter was, but also the password used." Severus almost stumbled.

"But when I was trying to teach you, you couldn't even keep me from your mind." Harry chuckled.

"Of course I couldn't. It's didn't help that I had an absolute git trying to teach me." The dark haired man pulled a face, but agreed silently. So he didn't play fair, who was going to tell him to play niceand live? Without knocking, Harry pushed open a heavy oak door to reveal the office. There was a large desk in front of a wall length bookshelf stocked to the brim with old tomes and strange knick knacks. Before the desk sat a two person couch and an arm chair. Waving his hand, Harry floated over a book and transfigured it into another matching plush seat. Ron and Severus both took the single seats while Lucius and Draco placed themselves at opposite ends of the couch, leaving Harry to sit between them.

The dark haired Gryffindor felt heat invade his face as he sat down, the elder Malfoy's intense stare watching him. His stunning molten pools of silver were following every slight twitch of his muscles with a look he had not noticed before. The petite raven had an idea as to why, but shook it from his head.

Dumbledore ventured in from his inner office, a wide, clearly shocked smile spread along his thin lips. The twinkle in his blue eyes was long gone, replaced by a knowing expression. Oh, there was definitely something being planned. He cleared his throat and sank into his chair. The old wizard opened his mouth, but audibly shut it when the teenage raised his hand to silence him.

"No, we would not like tea or any lemon drops. I'm not here to play games or solve your convoluted riddles, Headmaster. I know." Albus' eyes narrowed.

"I'm not sure what you are speaking of. What do you know?" Harry smirked, crossing his right leg over his left and letting his hands rest on his knees.

"What do you think I know?" Dumbledore furrowed his brow. What was this boy playing at?

"You know everything, don't you?" Taking this as his cue, the young raven stood. He dug in his pocket for something. Finding it, he slammed it on the headmaster's desk. Dumbledore reached forward, taking one of the pieces, examining it. Suddenly, it hit him.

"This is your wand." Severus and Lucius both looked stunned. If Harry's wand was broken, there were a lot of things that the teen wouldn't be able to do, being a healer for one. Harry nodded in response.

"I snapped myself on the walk here. Before you ask why, I don't need it anymore. My wand stopped working for me. A few months ago, I started to have some difficulty using it with simple spells, like summoning and charms. It then advanced to I couldn't transfigure with it, cast basic hexes or curses with it anymore. However, when I was dueling Voldemort, it completely stopped. When the killing curse passed my lips, my wand did nothing. Instead, it shot from my fingers. I didn't realize it until I woke a while ago. All those years ago, when you thought you had pulled the wool over my eyes, I was the one in fact that had tricked you. I may not have been raised with magic, but I know my taste of teas. There was something different. It wasn't the earl grey you said. It had a much more bitter taste, so much so I had to add more than two cubes of sugar. I remember falling asleep here, you drifting through my vulnerable mind and laughed as you put an inhibitor on my magic. When I woke the next morning in the dormitories and tried summoning my clothes, they lifted, but fell to the floor. I spent the next week in the library's restricted section. You limited my magic to the point I wouldn't be able to over throw you and I wouldn't be able to destroy the block myself. You failed though. My dueling with Voldemort made me push my core to its limit, beginning to break the block. Why don't you inform the ministry what you did to me? What you had in store for me after Voldemort was goneto slaughter me like a pig after I did your bidding!" The stained glass windows of the office cracked at the raw magic circulating in the room. Dumbledore's nostrils flared at the unexpected turn of events. With a heavy sigh, the old man sneered at the teen.

"I was doing what was best." Harry clenched his fists, the chandelier hanging above the raven's head shattering, raining sharp glass over him. Lucius resisted the urge to pull him into his chest, knowing it would probably terrify the boy. The other shielded themselves from the shards, not daring to get close to the enraged teen.

"The best for whom? You? It won't turn out the way you want it too. I won't die without a fight and you damn well know that. The Wizarding world will know what you've done and you will pay the price." He hissed out, tensing his hands.

"You're just like your mother, always chasing the truth. So you're an elemental elf, but you've known that as well haven't you?" By the devious smirk on the elf's lips, it was obvious he had.

"I've known since the summer after my third year and have been studying everything I could about them since. My aunt sent me to clean the attic, where I found an old box full with my mother's name written on it. Opening it, I was all these moving pictures of extremely beautiful

people who had pointed ears. There were letters in a script I had never seen before. When I asked my aunt about it, she waved me off. So I brewed my own veritaserum and asked her again." Severus interjected at this.

"YOU brewed veritaserum? We haven't even had the chance to cover that in class yet." The raven haired teen smirked.

"I'm the symbol of light. How would it look if I showed promise in a course Slytherins did? Anyways, I asked her again and she told me everything I needed to know, including the adoption and exactly who James Potter was to my mother. He wasn't just a boy who fell in love, no; he was Lily Evan's soul mate. Elves have mates. Did you know that, sir?" From the corner of his eye, Harry saw Lucius flinch as his words. Sucking in a deep breath to calm himself, he turned to face the blonde man. As the teen moved closer, the dark look in Lucius' eyes grew. Oh yes, Harry knew what that look meant now. Lucius was aware of who his mate was, but was surprised that Harry knew as well.

"We find our mates by the magical aura's they give off. When we come of age and begin to hunt for them, we are allowed the see their auras. We continue to see auras until we are claimed by our mates. These colors are basically windows to your soul. Besides the instinctual pull, my aura will match my mate's, and it does. I've found my mate, and I must say I more than pleased." Harry spoke with his eyes trained to Lucius' the entire time. A surprised smile turned the corners of the blonde's mouth up. The young savior took a few steps forward, reaching a hand out to the aristocrat. Long fingers intertwined with his own, pulling him to stand directly before the other man, his thighs bumping the blonde's knees. Severus wore a large grin that he didn't even bother hiding. Ron was shocked, his jaw dropping and eyes enlarging. Draco sat contently next to his father with his legs crossed, twiddling his fingers with a knowing smile.

"You can't be serious? He is your mate? He was a Death Eater, a Slytherin for Merlin's sake! They can't be trusted." Dumbledore shouted, outraged at this pairing. The three Slytherins in the room bristled, growling at the headmaster. Harry cast a sharp look over his shoulder, reluctantly tearing his gaze from his mate. He moved slowly away from his mate, losing their physical contact.

"You mean the sorting hat didn't tell you?" The elf asked in a dangerous tone. He chuckled darkly, slamming his palms down on the large desk.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about now?" The old man replied in his bewilderment. Severus was highly amused by the situation. Seeing the ever so respect Hogwarts headmaster lose his control because of a teenager was probably one of the most entertaining sights he had ever seen. Harry was clearly not the student everyone assumed he was. Oh no, he was so much more, and Albus was just as shocked.

"When I sat on that stool at the sorting ceremony, it went through everything I was thinking. He wanted to badly to place me in Slytherin, saying I would do brilliantly there. However, I begged for it not to." The twinkle was long gone from Dumbledore's eyes. A snorting laugh came from the corner of the room. Snape had finally given in, holding his sides as peals of laughter sounded from him. At this point, Ron was in a state of shock and simply staring off in the distance. Draco was surprised to hear his godfather's laugh. Even Lucius appeared thrown off at this.

"You're telling us, I would have had Harry Potter in my house? We would have never lost a single house cup or quidditch game, but I think we might have killed one another!" He tossed his head back as his laughter grew louder. Harry grinned broadly, turning his attention back to the old wizard.

"I know what I am. I knew of the block you thought I would never know about. No, I was well aware of everything and allowed it. I could have easily gotten Arthur and Molly or even Remus and Sirius to help me break it. Why, because I thought of the reasons you would want to keep me under your thumb. You saw me as a threat. You wanted me to do your dirty work so you could kill me off in the end yourself. Well here I am. You should be threatened. I will bow to you no longer. I will not allow you to look down anyone. You will get what you deserve, a cell in Azkaban with your name on it." Dumbledore shot up from his chair.

"As if the ministry would ever agree!" He shouted. Harry smirked.

"Please Albus, as much as I hate throwing my weight around, I'm Harry Potter. Who do you think they'll side with, especially when I show them my pensieve? I have everything I need; best friends, a mentor, and someone who will love me for who I truly am. Until then Albus, enjoy your freedom." The elf turned on his heels and sauntered towards the door. Both Ron (who had finally snapped out of his day dream) and Draco stood and hooked their arms through Harry's. The raven smiled at the deep growl he heard emit from Lucius' throat. The snarky professor smirked at the old fool shaking in rage behind his desk and marched out of the office, he robes billowing as usual.

"I still can't believe you knew all along. You had all of us going. How did you do it?" Draco asked.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell any of you. Believe me, I wanted to at the times it just became too much. I've kept Madam Pomfrey, Slughorn, and Remus under a wizard's oath to teach me their disciplines and not speak a single word of it unless I said a specific phrase. I used Hermione as a distraction as well since she was naturally talented at withholding information. She was also under a wizard's oath so that if anyone asked, she couldn't say anything. For example, I would take a test and finish in minutes, but then I'd go back and scribble some illegible and dimwitted things on the paper. I was helping 'her' study throughout the years, not the other way around." Severus appeared amazed. This teen was playing them all the whole time and did it soundly.

"All those eraser marks and scratch outs make sense now. Were you truly supposed to be in Slytherin?" The red head commented, taking his arm back from the raven's and shoving his hands into his pockets. Draco decided to keep clinging to the dark haired Gryffindor. Harry nodded once again.

"Yes, but, once again, I'm a symbol of light. I asked to be placed in Gryffindor. It was mostly due to the fact that the first group of people who were ever polite to me were sorted into Gryffindor and I was told that only little Death Eater spawns came from Slytherin. It didn't help what a certain ferret I met in Hogsmeade said to me, insulting my only friends. After seeing him be sorted, why would I want to be in Slytherin?" Draco had the decency to blush, embarrassed of his actions.

"I apologize for that, Harry." The raven haired teen nudged him in the ribs with his elbow.

"It's fine. Everything worked out for the better, did it not?" The young blonde punched his arm playfully as he pulled them apart.

"Can you see our auras?" Ron asked. Harry stopped, screwing his eyes shut for a second.

"Yours is almost a sky blue. It's relaxing and free, like quidditch." A huge smiled spread across Weasley's face.

"What is mine like?" Draco asked.

"It's a bright yellow, similar to gold. It's bold and screams for attention. I'm not surprised." Harry quipped. The blonde scoffed, but smirked anyways.

"What are Sev's and my father's like?" A deep blush dowsed the petite wizard's features. He looked up to the older wizards from under his lashes.

"Severus' is a green so dark it's almost black. It's very comforting, but green is also a color of wisdom. Again, I'm not surprised." The potions master smiled slightly, placing a hand on the teen's shoulder.

"Lucius' is exactly like mine. When I saw him in the Great Hall, I didn't realize it at first because I hadn't seen mine. But considering that I did pass a few people in the halls and didn't see an aura,

and then I see him and everyone has an aura, I knew he was my mate. Our auras are a very soft shimmery silver. I would think it's because we've both been through the hardships of life that have darkened our once pure white souls. We understand that there is no difference between the dark and light, but how you use the magic." The plain expression on Lucius' face melted away. His eyes lit up with happiness he had felt in years. He took three long strides forward, his arms wrapping around the young savior and lifting him onto his shoulder. Complaints from Harry could be heard as the two disappeared around the bend of the castle wall.

"Did my father just steal Harry?" Draco asked, staring at the spot the missing teen had stood. Ron turned on his heels, walking the opposite way as if nothing happened.

"Finally. I don't think I could survive anymore of his constant babbling about Potter. Lucius has had that boy on his mind since he caught scent of him and what's better, the boy hasn't been told that he's Lucius' mate. Hopefully, they can hurry this along. Lucius needs a good lay." Draco snapped his blonde head in the direction of his godfather, pointing an accusing slender finger at the dark man. Ron's barking laughter could be heard from down the hall.

"YouYou," Draco started, but dropped his finger. It wasn't even worth it.

Lucius put Harry back on his feet when he deemed they were far away enough from the others.

"So, how long have you known?" Harry smirked at the question. He knew Lucius wasn't talking about his inheritance as a whole. The raven kept his mouth clamped shut, waiting until they reached where ever the blonde was dragging him. After a few bends and long halls, they reached a large portrait of a women draped only in deep ivy sheets. It contrasted nicely to her pale olive skin and gray eyes. Her long burgundy hair draped down her spine in long waves a silk. Upon noticing the two arrive, she flicked her eyes up and greeted them with a curt nod. Lucius mumbled a password in French and waited a short moment for the portal to swing open. He pulled his little mate into the small living area, gesturing for him to make himself comfortable. Harry glanced around, taking in the soft cream colored couch and arm chairs, dark woods floors and paneling on the walls, two large book shelves crammed with old tomes and muggle books, the glass coffee table at his knee, the large brick trimmed fireplace, and of course bear skin rug before it. The elder Malfoy placed himself next to Harry on the couch he had gracefully plopped down on. With of wave of his hand, an old tea pot floated into the room on silver platter with two cups, a small glass bottle of milk, and a crystal bowl with sugar cubes from what Harry guessed was a small kitchen.

"So?" The blonde asked again, taking a sip of his hot tea. Harry smiled and continued swirling his tea with the spoon. Lifting it out, he pulled it into his mouth to clean off any sugary residue. When he pulled it back out, his distorted reflection caught his eye. His right hand moved hesitantly up to his right ear, fingers gently squeezing the pointed tip. A soft chuckle sound from him.

"Do I look different, like exceedingly so?" He asked. Lucius smiled down as his mate. The aristocrat set his china cup on the coffee table and tilted the elf's chin to look at him.

"From the time you turned seventeen, I knew you were my mate. I wouldn't care if you grew horns and a tail, you'll always be my mate. I've waited so long for my veela to point you out and I couldn't be happier. If you're ready, I wish to be yours." Pink dusted Harry's cheeks as he nodded slowly. Lucius leaned down, ghosting the raven's lips with his own. As their lips met, he watched Harry reach over with one arm to place his china cup on the table. Harry's vibrant eyes fluttered shut as a large hand trailed down his side, firmly gripping his hip while the other hand stayed on the side of his jaw. One of Harry's hands clutched the front of the other man's robes while the other was lost in his long blonde hair. The raven sighed in satisfaction, also allowing Lucius to thrust his tongue into the teen's moist cavern. Their kiss became passionate, both grasping the other tightly. Malfoy smirked, letting his other hand move to the raven's free hip. Picking him up, Lucius seated his mate so that he was straddling his thighs.

"You never answered my question." Lucius asked, breaking the kiss. Harry's face was flushed, his lips beginning to bruise from the kiss. The young savior cleared his throat and rested his hands on his mate's broad shoulders.

"We'll you'll have to hear the whole story then. Like I had said, when I found out what my aunt was hiding from me, I started to read up on what I would possibly be. I learned about the elements and how I was supposed to control them to a certain extent. I had to practice my control on my magic so if I ever did get the block off, I wouldn't go mad with power and be driven by the unstable magic coursing through me. I kept reading. When I found out I would have a mate already picked for me, I'm not going to lie. I was outraged." Lucius frowned, letting his long fingers card through the raven's soft hair as comfort. Did his mate truly not want him?

"First, my life was already stolen from me once because the Wizarding world was so hung up on the fact I alone would defeat Voldemort because of a prophecy from a woman who no one believes any other day of the week said so. I hadn't even heard of Voldemort until I was eleven. I was suddenly thrown into a life where I would have to stand on my own, again, and would possibly not live long enough to even see seventeen, especially considering my first two years at Hogwarts. But, that was what everyone expected from me. Even with Hermione being a muggle born, she still had the same expectations from me and would never allow me a moments rest. I blew up on her last week because I was so tired and frustrated. Voldemort wouldn't let me sleep from all the visions and the nightmares from past deaths. I wasn't eating because I couldn't hold down the food because of guilt, and I was exhausted from training with you and Severus. I had said something about Voldemort taking forever to move and that I might as well go up there myself and challenge him. I couldn't handle hearing about death after death because he still wasn't dead. She yelled and said it was foolish, bringing up Sirius's death. We got into a spat and I refused to talk to her until I saw her back in the Great Hall. It's not like I ever chose to live this life. Anyways, when I found out that if I turned out to be an elf, I would be assigned a person that I would be forced to bond with and was supposed to love for the rest of my life. I didn't know what to do. It felt like my life was once again out of my reach. But, when I turned seventeen, there was

this attraction I started to feel, pulling me towards you. I didn't really know what it was, maybe just a crush. I didn't think anything of it because of what the book said about finding my mate. I didn't see any auras, and I also believed that I wouldn't be elven. I was almost relieved that I would have my choice back. But, you're older than me with a son, so I figured I would be nothing compared to what you could have. Then I thought about the block and made the connection that it was possibly blocking my inheritance so I couldn't be with anyone because if I finally had it removed and I turned elven, there would be someone else waiting for me." The blonde nodded in understanding.

"That was when you began to shut yourself away, wasn't it?" The raven smiled in apology.

"That would be then. I felt so lost. The one person I felt attracted to I couldn't go after because I was so sure you would reject me and then there was Voldemort. Even if you accepted me, I didn't know if I would survive long enough for anything to come of it. However, when I woke earlier, I felt empty. I saw Poppy and she checked me over before she released me. I saw a few people on my way to the Great Hall and I noticed nothing different. When I passed a window, I finally saw my reflection. I saw an elf with a soft silver mist around him. It didn't hit me until I saw you though. I saw the same thing around you, and after that, I saw colors around everyone. That was when I knew for sure you were my mate. I didn't know exactly how to feel, whether I should be mad I didn't technically get to choose myself or that I should be overjoyed that the person I had fallen for was chosen as my mate. I could see Ron in blue and Hermione also. When I saw Draco's aura it amused me."

"And why would that amuse you?" He asked, arching he perfectly sculpted brow.

"It matches Neville's. I knew they were already an item, but it showed me that I could see the mate bonds between people. I wanted to tell you when I realized it was you. I grew so happy but then I thought of how you'd never accept me, so I kept my mouth shut and sat down. Yet, while we were in Dumbledore's office, I somehow mustered up the courage to reveal it." Lucius' hands brought Harry's down to twine with his own.

"Here I was thinking I was too old for you, that you would want someone your age. I don't know how anyone in their right mind could reject you. I admit that when I first met you, I thought you were an insolent little brat fighting for the world's attention like Severus had as well. But then I saw you in the graveyard in your fourth year. You were so different, the haunted gaze you had was almost heart breaking. You were only fourteen and fighting against the Dark Lord. I believed I was crazy and played it off as such. Then I saw you again at the Ministry building. Your expression when your godfather was taken by the veil hit me hard. You looked defeated, outraged, but most of all like a child who had lost everything. I didn't know what to do, so I left. That summer, I felt my veela begin to act up. It was before your seventh year during the summer training I saw you in a new light. I saw a teenager who was forced to sacrifice any chances of a normal life, a boy who never had a childhood, a young man so lost in a world of unbalanced light and overwhelming darkness who was working his way into my heart. When the last of July rolled around, I had the hardest time being around you without trying to touch you, steal you, claim you. When I told Severus, would you believe he actually laughed at me? I divorced Narcissa. The bitch

had been grating on my nerves for nearly a decade by then. When you approached me in the headmaster's office, I was overcome with joy to the point I didn't know what to do with myself, claim you on the desk or keep my hands to myself." Harry tossed his head back with a laugh.

"I'm glad we're on the same page then." The raven rocked his hips in a testing motion. Lucius bit the inside of his neck to hold back his moan. His hand moved down from his younger mate's hip and between his slender thighs, making circular patterns with his fingers. The elf rested his forehead against the blonde's. Lucius moved his hand to palm the teen through his jeans.

"How about we move somewhere more comfortable?" The elder of the two asked. Harry smirked, leaning in to nip at the pale column of skin. Taking that as a yes, Lucius supported Harry's body with his hands as the raven locked his legs around his waist. He made the journey to his inner chambers in quick, long strides, closing the door behind him. The last things that could be heard were a set of locking and silencing charms.

Bring Me Down
Chapter Summary

And the end.....

Harry's back molded the plush duvet around his frame, sighing in content as lips found their way to his slender neck intending on leaving bruising marks. A larger frame hovered over him, his body lying comfortably between the teen's legs. A hand slithered up and under the raven's shirt to grope at the bare skin. Lucius trapped a dusky bud with his fingertips, tweaking it to get a response. A moan dragged from the elf's perfect cupid bow lips. Malfoy bunched Harry's t-shirt up to his shoulders. Smirking, his mouth moved south to latch onto the teen's nipple, suckling the fleshy bud. Another, longer, moan escaped from the Gryffindor. The blonde flashed a wolfish grin, ceasing the abuse on the nipple and moving his hands to splay over Harry's smooth stomach. He relished in the soft feeling skin stretched over taunt muscle. He made sure he stopped at the navel to trace the round area. Moving along, he opened his hand and cupped the teen's groin with a growl.

"Oh hell" Harry groaned, arching his black slightly at the friction. Lucius pushed his palm firmly into the material of the raven's jeans. He could feel Harry's member harden from his touch as he palmed the teen through his jeans, Harry gasping and mewling all the while. He whined when the blonde removed his hand, opting to remove his own shirt and start on his mate's pants. Once the offending articles were gone, he plucked up the elastic of Harry's boxer briefs, resisting the urge to laugh as a dark red washed over the other's face.

"There's no need to be embarrassed. You're all mine and I'm going to love every inch of you." His hand dipped under the elastic band and tugged them down to the raven's ankles. Harry instinctively kicked them off, spreading his legs further as Lucius moved closer. The blonde tucked his hand under his lover's knees and bent them over his shoulder as his leaned down. Glancing up, he felt even more blood get redirected from his brain to his groin. His little elf's face was flushed, long hair tousled under his head, and beautiful verdant eyes dark from arousal. He closed his mouth around the head of Harry's length. The wet heat from the aristocrat's mouth sent the raven's body on fire. He bucked his hips inadvertently only to have two large hands pin his hips to the mattress. The blonde took him in further, humming around the engorged flesh. Harry wriggled and writhed under the older man. Cries of ecstasy soon filled the room as a tight coil of white fire pooled in his abdomen. The raven's hands were clutching the duvet, still attempting to buck his hips for more friction. Suddenly, his mate pulled away. A whimper pulled from his throat.

"Hold tight, young one. I'm not done with you yet." Lucius whispered as he reached over into the drawer of the table next to the bed. Pulling out a small jar of lube, he lifted himself to sit back on his haunches, Harry's legs falling to either side of him. He needed skin to skin contact and his own pants were preventing that. Ridding himself of his pants, he pulled Harry's legs up to rest on his

hips. His slipped three of his fingers into the slick jelly, then ringed his index finger around the teen's pucker. The raven flinched at the contact.

"Just relax, take a deep breath." Pushing the digit through, he felt the tight ring of muscles contract. The blonde used his free hand to tease the head of his mate's shaft as he curled the finger inside the younger man. Harry gasped, his muscles loosening from the pleasure. The foreign feeling was forgotten as the pleasure became overwhelming. Loose enough, Lucius thrust another finger in and quickly made a scissoring motion. The elf bit his lip, the action causing a sharp pain to dance up his spine. Malfoy changed the direction of his motion, a feral grin spreading across his face from the response he received. Harry shouted in pleasure, the sensation fully wiping away any traces of pain. He arched himself up from the bed to give his mate an even better angle to move at, pushing back hard on the digits. Lucius plunged his last finger in, thrusting furiously until pre-cum was dripping in pearly droplets from his lover and his own member was so hard it ached. The aristocrat retracted his hand and dipped his fingers back into the lube to slather himself up. He positioned himself before the teen's stretched entrance, and leaned forward to bring them face to face.

"Ready?" He asked, staring longingly into Harry's lust-filled orbs. The raven nodded, ragged pants escaping his mouth.

"Merlin yes, please before I explode." Lucius chuckled at the desperation in the other's voice. Clutching the teen under his knees, he began to sink himself into his mate's heat. Harry abused his bottom lip to hold back his yelp of pain, the feeling of being split into two, like something was ripping into his body. Once Lucius was buried to the hilt, he strained his neck to latch his lips onto the raven's, plundering his mouth. As Harry's eyes fluttering closed, tears fell from his eyes and gathered in his lashes. Their slick muscles fought for domination, the elf giving up in the end and letting his self be devoured.

When he was comfortable enough, Harry rocked his hips as a signal to move. Lucius let out a sigh of relief. He wasn't sure exactly how much longer he could have waited. The blonde pulled back out before slamming back in, both men groaning. Malfoy set a slow pace to get his lover accustomed to the action, a steady pace of in and out, withdrawing and slamming back. Soon they were at a punishing rhythm, the blonde thrust down in fast movements as the raven thrust up. The young savior was soon screaming in pleasure. Sweat beaded at his brow and long hair was beginning to cling to the moisture accumulating on his back. The coil in his stomach returned and was reaching an unbearable limit. With another thrust, the raven arched his spine sharply and cried out his completion with his lover's name. Feeling hot muscles clamp around his arousal, Lucius let himself be milked of his essence, grunting out Harry's name as well. Their body's came down from their highs and collapsed together in a gasping pile of tangled limbs.

"Amazing." Harry managed between pants. Lucius smirked, tucking his smile into his mate's neck. Harry muttered a quick cleansing charm on the both of them.

"Indeed." The blonde replied, rolling onto his side. Lucius pulled the teen close, wanting the comfort of finally being able to hold his mate. Harry snuggled into the embrace, sighing heavily as the other's chin rested on top of his silky locks.

"We should sleep for now. We'll have an encounter with Dumbledore in the morning." Lucius said, closing his eyes.

"It's to be expected. He won't lie down knowing I'm free to do as I please. He'll be ready to really put up a fight in the morning." Harry replied, closing his eyes as well.

"Don't fret, so will we." Sleep came surprisingly easy to the couple.

The morning sun broke through the blinds, long streaks of golden lights dancing over the floor. Harry inhaled a deep breath as he woke with the feeling of wholeness floating in his heart and a possessive arm draped over his waist. Yawning, he rolled onto his back and away from the solid chest he was using as a pillow. He stretched, the duvet slipping off of his body and the warm sun basking over his naked form. Cracking open his eyes, he grinned broadly seeing his lover's silver eyes observing his morning habit.

"Good Morning." Harry greeted, snuggling back into his mate's chest. Lucius leaned over and placed a kiss on the raven locks.

"Indeed it is." The aristocrat chuckled, pulling the elf close to him. After lying in a comfortable silence for a few moments, Harry spoke.

"I suppose we should get up. Dumbledore must not wait, you know." The blonde veela smirked.

"I suppose so then." Both climbed out of the bed, stretching, yawning, and complaints from Harry being tossed between them. The blonde chuckled darkly, grabbing his little mate's wrist and dragging him towards the bathroom.

"Since we're both in need of a shower" The man started. The raven haired elf laughed and allowed for himself to be led blindly into the other room.

A very dirty shower later, Lucius was dressed for the day in his usual black slacks and dark robes, clutching his snake head cane by his side. Harry emerged from the bathroom moments later. He was dressed in a V-neck forest green tee that clung to his slender frame with a black and white plaid button up over it that he left open and a pair of dark wash jeans that just so happened to be tight in all the right places. The teen had tied his long silken hair into a loose braid, allowing his pointed ears and piercings to be seen clearly. Lucius blinked at the glimmer of a two small metal hoops sitting in the cartilage of the younger's ears. The blonde sauntered over to his mate, his fingers gently caressing the thin pieces of silver.

"When did you get these?" He asked, genuinely curious. Harry's hand came up to his ear, surprised to find the piercings.

"Oh, years ago I had my cartilage pierced. I forget they're there sometimes." Harry explained absently. Malfoy nodded.

"Do you not like them?" Lucius shook his head furiously.

"Quite the opposite, I'm simply surprised I didn't notice them earlier." Harry sniggered and turned away to check his appearance in the mirror.

"I think we were a bit preoccupied earlier." He retorted. Lucius laughed in response.

"Ready?" The aristocrat asked, coming up behind the younger. He could practically feel the anxiety pouring from Harry's nerves.

"As I'll ever be, I guess." Lucius spread his arms to welcome his lover. Harry twisted himself to be wrapped in his arms tightly. With a sigh, the raven broke away from the embrace and made his way into the hall, his mate on his heels.

As per usual, the Great Hall was buzzing with early morning chatter. The entire staff had taken their seats at the head table whispering amongst themselves about this and that. The house tables were mostly full, surprising for the first morning of a week-long class cancelation. Hermione was the first to spot the raven.

"Harry!" She cried out as she rose from the table. He flinched at her volume and from also feeling a pair of glaring blue eyes lock onto his figure from across the hall. The teen glanced up at the old man, staring back with equal intensity. Albus gracefully stood from his seat, spreading his arms in

mock welcome.

"How nice of you to join us, my boy." The Headmaster said, sarcasm dripping from his words. Harry rolled his eyes, the entire room growing silent to watch the exchange. He felt the weight of two large hands drop onto his shoulders.

"Don't let him bait you, Harry. Think rationally. Be calm and take it on your terms." The raven nodded, his eyes never leaving the old wizard before him as he waltzed up to Dumbledore who had made his own way down from behind the table. The old wizard sneered as the teen sauntered up to him with a smirk.

"It's always pleasure to see you Albus." He could hear the gasps from the other professors from using his given name. Said man cocked his head. By now, the Great Hall had grown completely quiet, not a person dared to miss a single word spoken. His best friends were standing near his mate at a close enough distance that if needed, they could step in to help. Feeling the centering of Dumbledore's magic, Harry thought fast. He silently cast a shield around the tables filled with innocent bystanders and the people behind him. Lucius cried out the moment he felt his lover's magic wash over him. Even Snape stood from the head table at the feeling.

" Expulso!" The gray wizard shouted, thrusting his arm at the teen. Too concerned for keeping those around him safe, Harry didn't have the chance to protect himself. The ground underneath his feet exploded. He was sent flying, impacting the floor near the door on his back and sliding into the wall.

"HARRY!" Lucius screamed. Draco's hands were pressed flat against the shield while Hermione was running through her head ideas of how to overpower the shield. The brunette pulled out her wand, muttering " finite incantatem." Her magic was repelled by the shield and sent back at her, undoing the spell on her hair that kept it in less of a bushy mess. Ron shook his head.

"'Mione, you know we can't break his spell. We can only sit here until he lets us free." Ron dragged a hand through his shaggy hair, his concern for Harry causing his heart to plummet. The onlookers cheered out in relief when the elf pushed his body up effortlessly and stood in a ready position. Blood dripped in thin lines from the small scratches on his cheek. Using his thumb, he wiped away the drying liquid, also subconsciously healing the insignificant wounds.

"Attacking inside with other students so close to danger, you know better than that Albus." Said man growled and threw another spell. Recognizing it as the severing hex, Harry dodged by flinging his body to the left and threw back his own spell to disarm the man. A quick shield deflected Harry's disarming spell.

" Incendio!" Dumbledore called out. Harry's body tensed as he brought up his hands. The flame slowed before him and was swallowed by his hands, leaving the raven chuckling.

"I'm an elemental, remember? The elements are on my side! Fiendfyre." He shot back. The fire shot out like arrows from his hand, spreading out in the form of a large dragon. The vicious fire lit the room ablaze, sweat dripping from Harry's brow. The headmaster brought his wand up with a cry of the flame freezing charm. He let the flames run over him without a second thought. They were then absorbed into the shield behind him protecting the head table.

"You're only toying with me, boy. Let me show you how a true wizard duels. Obliviate." Harry's eyes widened slightly as the spell caught him. His emerald eyes screwed shut as he felt the spell rummage through his mind, searching for any and all memories regarding his heritage and knowledge of Dumbledore's manipulation.

Lucius slammed his fists against the shield. He could feel the shield beginning to fall, the magic growing weaker. Harry was losing himself in his own mind. The elf's eyes cracked open slowly, revealing two glazed over orbs. The shield was almost completely gone. The blonde Slytherin clawed at the shield. It couldn't go down like this. There was no way in hell he was going to simply stand by and let the old man erase everything he had been waiting for since he came of age. Suddenly, like a rubber band, the shield snapped back to full strength once again. The fog in Harry's eyes cleared, showing the rekindled fire burning in them. Draco glanced at his father in question. The older Malfoy turned his attention back to Harry, a broad smile spreading over his face from ear to ear.

"It won't work, Albus. Your mind games never truly worked before. Do you think they'll work at all now? You're the one that always said that my mother's love protects me. Didn't you think it would protect me from even you if it had to?" Dumbledore pulled his lips back in a snarl, anger evident. Spreading his arms, he brought them together to clap once, vanishing before everyone. The raven haired wizard could hear the cries of his fellow students and friends from behind his shield. He turned himself slowly, cautious that Dumbledore could appear anywhere. His eyes met his lover's eyes, deep concern filling them to the brim. Sucking in a deep breath, Harry relaxed his shoulders and used his magic as a probe, searching for the old man in the room.

"Harry, don't let him fool you." He heard Severus call out in the distance. Everyone knew that Dumbledore was a powerful wizard, yet no one knew the true extent of his power. The man could pull anything out from his sleeve. A crack of apparition shocked Harry, his eyes flying open to see Dumbledore standing before him. The old wizard clutched the teen's arm and opened his mouth to speak when the doors to the Great Hall slammed open.

"Albus Dumbledore, you're being charged for using magic on an unwilling child, putting a child's life at risk, neglect of a child under your guardianship, and for assaulting the same child on Hogwarts ground." Nymphadora Tonks stated in a strong voice, her hair a vibrant fuchsia to match her highly aggravated mood. She had her wand aimed directly at Dumbledore's heart,

waiting for him to make a move. Albus' face distorted into a shocked expression then scoffed at the woman.

"You may put me in Azkaban, but you'll never find him." In an instant, Harry vanished from the room with a loud crack. The shield around the bystanders fell because of his disappearance. Hermione flung herself to Ron's side, crying helplessly. The elder Malfoy lunged at the old man, gripping the front of his periwinkle robes, snarling and spitting in rage.

"Where the hell did you send him?" He hissed. The Headmaster tossed his head back as he laughed maniacally.

"To death's door! His appearance will activate my spell. You don't have the time to save him!" Lucius shoved the man away from him with a harsh glare, whipping around on his heels. The other two of the Golden Trio, plus Draco, followed Lucius from the room, the potions professor sneaking out as well. The aurors quickly detained Dumbledore by placing a magic absorbing cuff around his bicep so that he wouldn't be able to use his magic in captivity.

"He sent him to death's door. What the fuck is that supposed to mean? I swear to Merlin, if it weren't for the fact that the aurors were in there, I would have slaughtered him myself!" Lucius roared as he entered the empty potions class. Severus entered behind him, making a beeline directly over to the bookshelf and skimming the titles. Hermione stood still with a finger on the corner of her lip, deep in thought. Ron and Draco both settled on glaring down at the floor.

"To death's door. To death's door." The older blonde mumbled. A loud smack of a hard backed tome landing on the table shocked the room. Hermione was flipping through pages in the tome, Severus almost dropping a smaller text from his hands. Her slender fingers frantically flipped through the pages, a strained expression on her face.

"Death's door," She said, finally stopping on a page and tracing the sentence with his finger.

"It's a nickname for the veil at the ministry, the one Sirius fell into. It's a large archway that holds the souls of all the wizards and witches when they pass. It's like heaven in a sort except instead of God's, we pass Merlin's judgment." Ron nodded as she spoke.

"But Dumbledore said that he had set a spell that would be activated as soon as Harry appeared. That spell could be anything. An illusion that mentally pulls Harry into the veil or even something that physically forces him in." Ron explained. The room nodded with him. Severus cleared his throat before he spoke.

"Albus used what is known as the " porta motus," literally meaning a portal of movement. It's used to move something, usually, inanimate, to another location of the user's choice. Because Albus thinks of Harry as a possession, he could use the spell on him." Severus explained.

"Then we need to get to the ministry. I just got Harry as my mate and I'll be damned if I lose him to that old fuck." Lucius growled, standing and moving over to the fireplace with Severus behind him. When the teens stood, the blonde turned to them.

"I know that you all worry about him, but I'm not letting you all follow us. We don't know what to expect and I'm not risking your lives. Severus and I will go, retrieve Harry, and return." Draco gaped indignantly.

"I'm going whether you like it or not!" He argued. Lucius visibly winced. Never had he heard Draco raise his voice and definitely not to him.

"Draco, you will not," The younger blonde raised his hand to his father.

"I owe Harry a life debt. Not only that, but in some twisted way, he's about to become my stepfather. I'm not going to just sit back and wonder if you'll make it in time! Just let me go, we're wasting time now!" His father huffed and turned away.

"Fine, but you can only blame yourself if you get injured." Draco smiled with victory, tossing a wink to his red headed friend. Hermione curled herself into Ron's arms and watched as, one by one, they grabbed a hand full of floo powder and disappeared.

"You think they'll be alright?" She asked. Her boyfriend gave a watery smile.

"When Harry's involved, I never really know if anything will be alright, but I always hope so."

Harry groaned, rolling from his side to his back. His hand carded through the loose locks of hair that had come free from his braid. The feeling of bitter coldness bit into his exposed flesh, causing him to open his eyes. The raven pushed his body up from the stone floor with his right arm, twisting his head from side to side to observe his surroundings. What appeared to be filing cabinets lined the walls from floor to ceiling and a thick fog danced around the circular room.

"What the hell? What did that bastard do now?" The elf lifted his self from the floor, still looking around for a clue as to where he was. Turning fully around, Harry came face to face with a large portal. Inside of it was a swirling mist of souls begging silently to be freed. The room was mostly dark, the only light dangling over the veil. His chest suddenly felt tight. His thoughts flew a mile a minute around that horrible night nearly two years ago, the same night that haunts his mind every single time he tries to sleep.

"He sent me to the ministry?" He asked aloud. A shiver fell down his spine as soft footsteps approached him.

"Harry?" A voice called from the mist. The teens emerald eyes stared into the blurry depths. A single form edged closer, slowly coming into view. A thin man around six feet tall with stringy ebony hair and dulled blue-gray eyes was soon standing before him.

"Sirius?" The elf gasped out, eyes wide from shock.

"Harry, it's so good to see you. I've missed you so much." The spirit said, forced happiness in his voice not going unnoticed. He outstretched his hand, wishing for Harry to take his. The teen hesitantly brought his hand up, fingers inching towards his godfather's own bony digits. The other man suddenly jerked his hand away. Both of his hands clutched at his head, pulling the long strands of hair in what seemed like pain.

"Sirius? What's wrong?" Harry shouted, instinctively taking a step back.

"Dumbledore. Hehe...the imperious curse." The teen reached a hand out, but then cradled it to his chest.

"He wants me to reach for you, touch the veil, and die. That fucking bastard!" Sirius' hands relaxed, simply detangling from his wild nest of hair. The familiar brightness returned to his eyes.

"Harry! Oh, Harry! How wonderful it is to see you again! When did you get here?" He shouted, pure happiness pouring from him. The younger raven gave a grim smile at the repetition.

"The same to you Sirius. I've been here only a few minutes. II thought I'd never see you again. How is this possible?" The animagus sighed heavily.

"I wasn't killed before I was sent through the veil, Harry. Therefore, I'm forced to sit in what is pretty much the midpoint. Sooner or later, they'll make their decision of where I am to go." Harry nodded, aware but not happy.

"So there is nothing else? I miss you so much, Sirius." The other nodded. Suddenly, muted pops sounded throughout the room. Sirius' mouth dropped open and his eyes turned frantic.

"Harry, you must get out of here!" The teen flipped around. Dead corpses trudged towards him, limp arms dangling in front of them. The young wizard took a step back only to feel the veil's suction trying to capture him.

"No, this was his back-up plan. If I didn't jump in after you, he wanted to have the inferi force me in. It's impossible for me to escape. There are anti-apparition wards here. I can feel their constraint and with no portkey, I can't leave!" He cried. Sirius reached out, wanting desperately to help his godson. Harry took another step back, the silent call of the souls becoming whispers in his ears.

"Fire, Harry! You need to use fire to keep them back!" The teen jumped, thrusting out his arm.

" Incendio!" He cried. Thick flames burst from his hand, licking the corpses. The closer ones screamed from the heat, recoiling back to the edges of the room. Harry watched as the fire poured from his hand, still amazed at his ability to tame the elements. The whispering souls had lost their voices again and the suction of the veil had lost its grip on him, instead a soft tugging came from it. It felt like two arms embracing him, loving him. Lucius. The elf shook his head to clear his mind and set his face in a firm mask.

Sirius watched the teenager. He didn't use a wand like every other wizard does and the very same teen used to. It seemed almost familiar to him though, like he had known someone else with the same skill. He finally got a good look at his godson. He noticed the long black braid hanging down his back and the softly pointed ears poking out. Again, it was like he had seen this all before. But who?

Come. A voice whispered gently, the word echoing in Harry's ear. He whipped his head to the side it came from. No one.

Come. Your sacrifices must be paid. It continued in his other ear. He snapped his head to the opposite side. Again, no one was there. Something, more like someone wanted him in the veil. Was it a trick, someone trying to pull one over on him? Was all of it just to see him finally die? A heavy sigh left his lips. Pure defeat.

"Sirius,I can't hold them back forever. There's no way out." He turned to look back at his godfather, tears starting to gather in his eyes. There were so many things he would be leaving behind, his friends, his adoptive family, and above all his mate. His arms dropped to his sides, stopping the flow of fire. The animagus bowed his head, his heart clenching. The raven haired teen closed his eyes and took a cautious step forward.

"Harry, what are you doing? No! You can't, Harry! You don't have to do this! We can find a way to get you out of here. You don't have to sacrifice anything more, Harry!" Sirius shouted, trying to convince the teen against stepping into the veil.

"No Sirius, this is what I have to do. I can't really explain it, but I need to do this." The bitter cold air swept across his face and directly behind him was a mob of flesh craving inferi. Either way he went, there was no way out. His only choice became peaceful or painful? Harry sucked in a deep breath and threw his body into the veil.

Draco tumbled through the floo, rolling into his father's legs. Lucius glanced down, a smirk across his lips.

"Alright there, son?" The younger blonde huffed and quickly picked himself off the floor.

"Just fine, thanks for the help." Severus cleared his throat.

"Now if we're done being children, shut your damn mouths. We need to find Harry. The veil should be at the end of this corridor if I remember correctly." The men took off in a run, passing several more black marble fire places. Lucius almost slipped as they passed the room lined with book shelves filled with hundreds of thousands of swirling glass balls. The last time he was here, he was fighting against Harry. Now, he was searching for the love of his life. He chuckled under his breath, gaining strange looks from both his son and friend. The towering door soon came into clear view, its ornate molding slithering along the wood.

"This is it!" Lucius said, grabbing the two metal handles and pushing with all his strength. The doors opened to see a sight that stopped their hearts. In front of them were hordes of inferi, all marching towards the veil where Harry was standing. He had closed his eyes and spread his arms to welcome to feel of the veil. Dropping his self forward, the mist enveloped him.

"NO!" The older Malfoy screamed. The inferi turned sluggishly to face them. Rage consumed his entire being as he flicked out his wand, Severus doing the same. His veela growled, the loss of his mate the only thing on his mind. He could feel his heart tearing itself apart, the impossible pain of losing his other half. If there were helpful things that the Dark Lord had thought them, a quick way to banish a mass amount of inferi was one.

" 'Adolebit incessu mortuus'." They shouted in unison. Draco stood behind them both, peeking out only to watch the spells' effects. From their wands shot ropes of fire. They twined tightly around the inferi, burning them to ash before moving on to the next. In the matter of seconds, the floor was covered with nothing but ash. The teen wizard darted from around his elders, making his way to the veil. Lucius was close behind him, ready to stop him if needed. However, Draco skidded to a stop directly before the misty doorway.

"Father, he went in there." The blonde man sighed heavily. His voice grew thick in his throat. He turned away from the veil, gripping his son's shoulder firmly to direct him away as well. "We're just going to leave?" Draco cried and tried to wiggle out of his father's grasp. Lucius stopped short, twisting around.

"Draco, Harry didn't just go through some doorway. He voluntarily put himself through the veil, a place where spirits are kept. If we go in there to try to get him, we won't come out. No one has been known to return from the veil, Draco. We need to keep living for Harry. Let's go. We will be needed at a trial soon enough." The teen ripped his shoulder from the large hand and stormed back to the door, Severus waiting for his friend to reach his side before following.

'He's Harry Potter. Nothing is impossible. We will find a way.' Draco thought crossly. He grabbed up a handful of floo powder, calling out "Hogwarts' Gates" as he threw it down.

"Harry? Are you alright, Harry?" A shaky voice called out. Said teen screwed his eyes tight before rolling over on to his back. A calloused hand brushed back the hair framing his face. Cracking open an eye, Harry spotted his godfather. Opening both of his eyes, he pushed his body up while moving away.

"Sirius, youyou can touch me. II'm dead." Harry gasped out. Sirius closed his eyes and stood up straight.

"No, Harry, you're not dead. We're in limbo. We will die eventually." The older man explained.

"No, Harry, you're not dead. We're in limbo. We will die eventually." The older man explained. Harry sighed heavily, carding a hand through his dark hair. His thoughts switched to his friends. Ron and Hermione both left behind after their years of near-death adventures. Draco, the teen he had grown remarkably close to in the last year, would be left to deal with the public looking down on him for his past alliances. Severus would now be lonely on Friday nights when they usually had their late night talks and duels. And Lucius, the love he was never able to truly enjoy. He hadn't even been able to tell him he loved him yet. They hadn't gone on their first date. They hadn't experienced anything of being a true couple, just the simple need to bond after straining themselves for a year. Tears pricked in the back of his eyes.

"This is just my luck. Voldemort's gone and now I'm dead. Nothing can ever be easy for me." Harry pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes.

"Harry Potter, you will not die anytime soon. It is not your destiny to die so young." A deep voice echoed behind them. The teen jumped to his feet, clutching the pocket of his jeans. He swore when he didn't feel his wand, only the muscle in his thigh. 'You broke your wand, you dumbass.' He scolded himself. Not seeing worry on the other man's face, Harry allowed his shoulders to relax, but kept his hand tense, ready to defend. Sirius barely flinched, turning to face the person. Harry's eyes traveled up the figure. His robes were of a shimmering grey material and flowing behind him like water. His long white beard was tied at the end with a black ribbon, matching his long white hair but contrasting greatly his tanned skin. The man's face was etched deeply with wrinkles surrounding his blazing brown eyes. Harry's hand dropped limply to his side.

"M-Merlin." The young savior stuttered out. The elder wizard chuckled slightly.

"Harry, you've come so far. So very far and I'm so proud of you." Still in shock, Harry stood frozen to the floor. Sirius let out a barking laugh. He grabbed his godson's wrist and tugged him forward.

"Harry, it's alright to talk. It's just Merlin." The older man laughed, shoving Harry towards the legendary wizard. He stopped short and bowed his head in respect.

"There is no need to bow to me, Harry. I should be bowing to you." This struck the teen as odd.

"Why would you bow to me?" The raven asked, taking a step back to see the man in his full length.

"Mr. Potter, come, walk with me." Merlin said, turning on his heels and crossing his arms. Harry darted to his side. They journeyed for a moment and Harry finally able take in the surroundings. They had just left a rounded room with an open archway that was obviously showed the veil in the Ministry of Magic. There was a single armchair facing the archway, as if it was put there just

for someone, probably Sirius, to look through. The teen sighed. He could only imagine how hard it is for Sirius to sit and watch people go in and out of the room, his existence completely forgotten. The pair was now walking down a narrow hallway, candles hanging from the wall in antique brass holders. Soon, the hallway opened into a large room with two lounge chairs facing one another. The elder wizard took a seat in the one with his back to another archway. He motioned for Harry to take the other.

"Harry, you've faced every obstacle thrown before you without running. Even at times I was sure you were going to run or hide behind Dumbledore like a frightened young pup, you face it all head on. From when you were a child to now, I've never met a man who deserves to be told of his accomplishments more than you, a man who deserved a reward for all you have done without asking for anything in return. Now, Dumbledore was a man who I thought could live up to that, but his greed for the Deathly Hallows did nothing for him. When I saw Dumbledore's plan for you, I knew that was when I had to step in. With your elemental skills or not, you couldn't hold back that number of inferi. I called you into the veil. I took you away from the mortal world to meet me in my world, and that is when Sirius comes into play." Harry arched a brow, scratching the back of his neck absentmindedly. Merlin stuck out his hand and snapped his fingers. Sirius was suddenly by Harry's side, a shocked expression on his face.

"Your destiny has changed. I've changed it myself. A month ago, you were meant to die on this day, but there was a sudden change in your fate Harry that affected many timelines." The teen appeared surprised.

"Lucius. Dumbledore's goal was to keep me away from my mate, but I was united with my mate when my heritage broke through. No one planned for it to come about because of the block Albus put in place. But, how has that changed my fate?" Merlin smiled warmly, reaching out to pat the younger man's knee. With a laugh, he stood from his chair. Sirius began to jump up and down excitedly.

"You received Lily's creature blood! I couldn't think of why you looked so different. I think I've been in here too long. And you found your mate? I remember how Lily was after she found her mate. James and she clicked so perfectly once she turned seventeen. We were a bit surprised about how quickly they grew serious, but then we learned of her true family. Oh Harry, I can just imagine how happy youoh Harry. You left him behind. I'm so sorry, Harry." The teen's shoulders sagged heavily. Sirius sank to his knees beside the young raven.

"No, no, Harry did not leave him behind. He has left no one behind. Now as I was saying," Merlin said, gesturing for Black to calm down.

"There is new life in you, Harry, a very rare life. That life must be nourished and allowed to bloom so he can brighten this dark world. If you two would touch this, you can go on your way." Merlin thrust out his hand, the air growing tense around the trio. Harry jumped back as a small yellow orb grew out of thin air. The orb solidified from a light sphere to a small golden ball, the

size of a marble, attached to a thin black strip of leather. Sirius reached out a finger, waiting for his godson to do the same. Following his lead, the young savior reached out his finger as well and tapped the small orb with him simultaneously.

"I can't believe it." Draco whispered, sitting next to his father in the waiting area.

"Shut up, Draco." Ron scowled. He was sitting across from him, Hermione burying her face into his shoulder. Her sobs of anguish spoke volumes in the near silent room. Draco huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. The potions master was standing by the window, pretending not to be effected by the death of Harry Potter. Inside, his heart was dying. Once again, the young man had been forced to give up everything he had fought to have. He had sworn to Lily to protect her son, and he failed. Harry had lost everything to the deranged wizard: his parents to stop the Dark Lord, nearly his life to save Ginny from his bodily possession, a fellow student to stand against the Dark Lord at his return, his godfather and reputation in an effort to make the Wizarding world aware of the trouble that was brewing, and above all his own happiness. And now, he has given up his own life. That kid could never get a moment's rest. The door to the room slammed open, Lucius storming in and throwing himself down into a chair. The skin around his eyes was redden and slightly puffy, like he had been crying for a long time. The potions master couldn't blame him. When Lily had passed, he lost his best friend. He grieved for days, sobbing and being comforted by his loved one. And when his loved one was murdered, he could barely live with himself. Severus slowly moved across the room, placing a hand on his blood brother's shoulder.

"Lucius-," He started. The blonde glared up at him.

"Save it, Sev. I don't want to hear it. I finally get him and I have to give him up. I've waited my entire life for my mate. I deserve this. I hate this. Merlin, I hate this." He brought his hands up to scrub the tears away from his eyes. Snape sighed, retracting his hand and moving back to the window. There was suddenly a soft knock at the door.

"You all are needed in front of the Wizengamot. The jury is ready." Draco left the room in a hurry, the other two-thirds of the golden trio behind him. Severus moved to the door, glancing back at his friend before he moved into the hall. With a heavy sigh, Lucius stood. It was now or never, and he damn sure wasn't letting Dumbledore get away with this one. From his pocket, he pulled out a small black velvet box. Opening it, his slender fingers lifted a thin gold chain with a coiled golden snake pendent twined around the chain. Its eyes were small rubies. Overall, it symbolized both Slytherin by the snake and Gryffindor by the colors, both Harry and himself. It was perfect. The blonde man clutched the necklace in his fist, pushing himself up from the chair as well.

The moment Lucius entered the court room; a hush fell over the Grand Wizengamot members.

They looked down their noses at him, most still not trusting his alliance. Lucius took his place next to the potions master at the plaintiffs' table. Dumbledore sat contently in the chair in the middle of the room, smiling to himself. He moved to fold his hands in his lap, showing off that he wasn't chained down. The blonde man also noticed that the magic prohibiting cuff was also gone. They trusted him way too much, then again, the target of his aggression was...not available.

"Now, I call the court to order. We have witnesses Malfoy and Snape against the accused Dumbledore. Albus, you are being charged for neglect of a minor, abuse of a minor, manipulation of a minor, and using magic on an unwilling person. How do you plead?" The old wizard glanced through his half-moon spectacles at the judge.

"Why, my boy, innocent of course." Cries of outrage were heard from the opposing side of the room. The judge banged his gavel on his podium.

"Order, order in my court. Now to call the witnesses to stand." The trial carried on. Dumbledore denied everything under the sun. Lucius was centimeters from breaking. Severus was tapping his fingers hastily on the tabletop, cursing under his breath. At this point, Albus Dumbledore was going to walk away scotch free. Ron and Hermione had been forced to leave the room. When Albus declared that he had no clue of the danger Harry was out in at the Dursley's house, Hermione had stood from her seat, screaming about liars and how he deserved to rot in Azkaban. The only way to calm her was to stupefy her and have her boyfriend carry her out. Lucius clutched the necklace tighter, glancing over at his son who was sitting near the front. The youth's emotions were hidden by his stoic mask, not daring to show his outrage or upset. His eyes told a different story.

"Your honor, can we possibly project our memories as a form of evidence since we don't exactly have said minor here to testify?" Lucius asked. The man stroked his chin. Tilting his head down, he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"It seems we are not allowing that in this trial, seeing how memories can be so easily distorted." Lucius pulled at the ends of his hair. This was it. Dumbledore would walk free and Harry's death would seem pointless. His veela gnawed away at his heart. He failed his mate in the end. He pushed his arms out to grip the table, thrusting his body into a standing position. Severus stood as well, gripping his friend's shoulders in an effort to make him sit.

"If memories are too much of a risk to the court, then how about I call forth a man to testify?" A lean man in a long black cloak stood, the small heel of his dress shoes clacking on the tiled floor. He weaved between legs to get out of the narrow row of wooden seats. His long legs waltzed down the main aisle as a hand rose to his hood. In a swift movement, the cloth fell from around his head.

"Sirius!" Severus shouted. The animagus glanced over, smiling broadly. A strong tug at his heart

made him wince. He resisted his natural urge to embrace the man. Instead, he walked up the judges and leaned casually against the railing, like he was never declared dead or had spent the last two years in limbo.

"Black?" The Chief Warlock questioned. Said man raised a brow.

"Yes?" He asked back. The judge ran a hand through his hair.

"I want to ask how, but this trial needs to end. Do you plan to testify?" Sirius shook his head.

"No, it won't be me. But, he is on his way." As if on cue, the large doors in the back slammed open. In walked a teen around the age of seventeen, long raven hair blowing wildly behind him, piercing emerald eyes, and pointed ears. Lucius' jaw dropped, the muscles in his hands also going lax, allowing the necklace to clatter to the table. His heart fluttered from seeing his mate alive and well, but also made his chest tight from the anger the young one held. Sirius turned to hug his godson, pulling him tight against his chest. Lucius resisted the urge to growl, biting the inside of his cheek. The judge stood from his seat, along with the rest of the jury and audience craning their necks to see The-Boy-Who-Livedagain. Dumbledore stood from his seat, slamming his hands on the arms of the chair. Blood colored his face while it warped into a disgusted expression.

"Don't you even know how to die? At every turn, you come back. You can't even die right. You're a worthless freak! When everything is going perfectly fine, you show up." The old wizard yelled, finally snapping. Harry swallowed hard, memories of his uncle clawing at the back of his mind. Harry shook his head in pity.

"You think everyone is on your side. You believe that everyone can only see you as the most powerful wizard. Sending me to the veil was your worst mistake. Sirius cares too much to let something like the Imperious curse throw him. There has been one man watching me my entire life, watching you manipulate my every single move. He called me into the veil. He changed Sirius' destiny and let us return here to prove your injustice. You will not be free." Harry exclaimed. The teen then turned to face the jury.

"This man, Albus Dumbledore had controlled my life from the very second I was named TheBoy-Who-Lived. I was supposed to live with my godfather Sirius Black, but was instead placed with my mother's magic hating relatives. I was forced to do endless amounts of chores and was beaten if they were not done right, or even starved simply because they did not wish to feed me. When I was eleven, Dumbledore brought me to his office and drugged my tea. He placed an inhibitor on my magical core so that I could not reach my full potential, nor my creature inheritance, thus prohibiting me from finding my mate. In the end, this would have killed me. I am destined to be with my mate because we complete each other. Both him and I would have been dead within the next few years if we had not mated." Dumbledore fell back into his chair. He had underestimated the influence Harry had over the Grand Wizengamot members.

"Would you like me to continue, your Honor?" The raven haired elf asked.

"Impossible." The old wizard gasped out. Sirius chuckled.

"It's Harry Potter. Nothing is impossible." The teen chuckled. The judge hammered his gavel, demanding silence.

"That will not be necessary, Mr. Potter. You have done enough already." He then turned to the other judges presiding and whispered quietly. With a gesture, the jury was led out of the room once again. A cold feeling twirled in Harry's stomach. He could feel the sets of eyes boring holes into his body. He could see Draco sitting on the edge of his seat in the front row, tears sliding down his face practically unnoticed from how furiously he was wiping them away. He could also see Severus in the opposite corner of his eye. His face was frozen in shock. The raven wasn't sure if it was because he was shocked to see him living or to see his lover alive. Oh yea, that was an odd conversation all those years ago and definitely a story for another time. Harry shuddered at the thought. He knew Lucius was right next to the potions professor, but he didn't dare turn his head enough to meet his eyes. Then there was Dumbledore, sitting in his chair, fuming. The cold feeling turned into a freezing boulder resting in the pit of his stomach. Sirius placed hand on the back of his head.

"Are you alright?" The last marauder asked, worry etched in his eyes. Harry took a deep breath and nodded. The jury soon returned to the room, taking their seats quickly and whispering single words to one another. Their spokesperson stood and handed the slip of papers to the Chief Warlock. He scanned the paper before banging his gavel to gain the crowd's attention.

"A decision has been reached. Albus Dumbledore.you have been found guilty. You are to serve out the remainder of your life in Azkaban." Lucius flopped back down into his chair, a relieved smile crossing his features. Severus remained standing, waiting for the court to be dismissed. Harry turned on his heels and made his way over to his loved ones, his godfather at his side. He kept his eyes down, still not wanting to meet his lover's. There was a screeching of metal and ranting yells. It was then Harry felt the centering of dark magic. Centering his own magic, Harry spun around just in time to see Dumbledore fish out his spare wand and point it directly at his heart. The young elf flung out his arms, erecting a quick but strong shield. Whatever spell Albus had cast, the shield absorbed, strengthening it. Harry flinched. The lively twinkle in the man's eyes was back.

"I'll always recognize that shield, my boy. When erected, it doesn't reflect spells; instead it absorbs any magic that threatens it and strengthens it. It certainly is one of the best spells a student has ever created. Good luck to you, boy. After everything, you always did come out on top. Do me a favor though, raise him well?" Albus said. This shocked the raven. There was no fire, no threat, no ferocity behind these words, only honest sentiment, like the man had finally.given up. The

aurors crowded him, restraining him and dragging him away. Harry slowly let the meaning sink into his being. Merlin had mentioned something about a 'rare life.' His frantic eyes caught Sirius'. The man cautiously approached him.

"Harry, what's wrong? Tell me what is happening." He didn't feel anything at the moment. He took a deep breath, seeing if his lung were still capable of breathing. Slowly, he brought his arms down to his sides, letting the shield fall. Sirius watched him cautiously. The young savior watched Dumbledore be led away, turned into an apparition zone, and then gone, brought to Azkaban to serve out the remainder of his life. A heavy hand grasped his shoulder.

"Harry, are you alright?" Sirius asked, shaking him slightly. The teen let out an airy laugh, his right hand moving to rest on his stomach. He stared down at his flat abdomen, a broad smile on his face. His godfather very gently placed a hand over his, causing the teen to glance up. Sirius raised his brows in question. Harry answered with a quick nod. The other man jumped back with a loud cheer then lunged forward to capture his godson in his arms and twirl him around.

"Oh Harry, I'm so happy for you! Congratulations! You have to get bonded before it's time, you know that right? I can see it now, white and orange roses in an outdoor scene, you in forest green robes and Lucius in classic black of course. Oh, I get to give you away! Oh Harry!" He clutched the teen tightly to him before letting him go. This time both of his hands rested on his stomach. Was it really possible? Everyone knew that male wizards could get pregnant, but it was very rare without a potion or spell. They hadn't used either. He chuckled softly remembering the legendary wizard's words again. A pair of strong arms suddenly wrapped around his waist, holding close to the muscled chest behind him.

"Merlin, you scared the living shit out of me, Harry. When I saw you fall through that veil, I thought my life had ended. Please, don't ever leave me again." A velvet voice confessed into his ear. Harry chuckled, twisting in the arms to face his lover.

"I could never leave you. I care about you way too much to even think about it." The elf reached up to twine his arms around the blonde's neck, the blonde holding tight to the younger's hips. With a soft smile, Harry met his love's lips. Pulling away, Harry let out a laugh.

"Which reminds me, you need to tell Draco he's going to have a brother soon." Lucius laughed, not piecing it together at first. Suddenly, he snapped his mouth shut and stared down at the raven. His silver eyes were wide and full of joy.

"Are you sure?" Harry nodded, his long raven locks flipping around. Lucius smiled, pulling the teen against him.

"Telling Draco is the easy part. However, telling Severus may be the real challenge."

Fin

End Notes

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