Title: Rumours Part 9

Rating: NC17

Pairings: Harry/Draco, the whole Sirius/Remus/Snape kinda triangle

Author’s Notes: Snape’s talk of ‘fables’ in regards to angels is entirely the opinion of a non-muggle and definitely not an attempt by the author to put down the Christian religion in any fashion. (In fact, I believe in angels, to a certain extent.) Oh, and I noticed the wizarding world has other ‘insult’ words than the ‘muggle’ world, so I decided to make ‘slutva’ their insult word for the muggle’s ‘slut’, though sometimes they will shorten it.

Prologue.

Twenty Years Earlier…

As soon as Severus stepped into the room, he spied HIM. HE was seated second row from the back, in precisely the right chair as to catch the full light streaming in through the slightly fogged windows above, tinting caramel hair strands with a golden honey hue, marking pale skin aglow with a stark luminescence. Snape could barely breathe for the amazement of such a sight. He had taken muggle studies earlier in the year to keep his grade average up in the mid nineties. The dark haired wizard had the third highest grade average in the school, behind Lily and the God and he intended to keep it that way, if not surpass it. Not even his father’s increasing violence and alcoholism after being fired from the Ministry of Magic would cease his determination.

He would disprove his father’s drunk ramblings as to his patheticness and stupidity for once and all.

One aspect of muggle studies that fascinated Snape was the concept of angels. It seemed some muggles believed in these beautiful creatures of a divinity that went beyond all human perception. Looking at HIM, the wizard was instantly reminded of the distant muggle fables he had read concerning such creatures.

Oh please. He berated himself. He is pretty, but then, aren’t the hookers that Dad occasionally brings home to his bed?

Clearing his throat as to draw attention to himself did not lift the head, concentrating intently on the writing before him. Snape sat next to the studious boy and commenced to stare.

"Severus Snape!" Mcgonagall looked up from the head of the room. "I hope to see two feet on cures on Grindylows before you leave."

Snape nodded, took his books, parchment and quills out of his bag and placed them neatly on his table. Mcgonagall looked down to her own parchment, leaving Snape to concentrate on Lupin once more.

"So, why are you here, Lupin? Get caught out with Black in an animal coupling?"

The boy’s eyes blazed yellow-brown. Severus found himself unable to look away. "What are you implying, Severus?"

Snape pushed the fluttering in his stomach deep down.

"I am saying it is rather sickening being subject to your constant clawing at each other. If you insist on such vulgar displays, I only wish you would do it in front of people who won't be revolted at the sight."

Lupin shook his head a little and looked back to his parchment, a tiny smile touching his lips. Anger shot up Snape’s body, threatening to overcome him in a spillage of pure rage. He clenched his jaw so tight, it trembled from the effort and forced himself to look down at his parchment, head throbbing with anger, hand clutching his quill trembling a little. A low growl escaped his throat.

"Everything alright, Severus?"

HIS expression was so sympathetic.

Always so concerned with others, Lupin. I wonder if you would feel sympathetic towards me if you knew what I think of before I sleep every night. Snape felt his own, cruel smile touch his lips.

A lot of the time, Snape deliberately used the most degraded fantasies he could, if only to prove to himself that this wasn’t what he suspected it was. No, if he was to continue this absurd lust of such a pathetic boy as Remus Lupin, then he felt it right to mentally degrade him as much as he could.

But, as much as he tried, it would always end up the same. Snatches of tenderness would enter his mind, more erotic than his most depraved daydream involving the boy. His lone orgasm would often result of a tender, loving fantasy.

He often wanted to walk around the Slytherin common room and tear the place up. But then, that was not the conduct of Severus Snape. He was aware that it simply wasn’t in his character to go on a total rampage. No, better to keep his anger inside, allow it to fester, to poison his soul.

"Why you insist on being with Black is beyond me, Lupin." The boy favoured him with an unreadable expression, supple lips pursed, brown eyes penetrating straight through the other boy. "And James Potter is an arrogant show off. You certainly choose your friends poorly."

"And who would you choose for me, then, Severus? You?" He offered a genuine smile that did strange things to Snape’s stomach. His anger upped a level.

"No. For me to be seen with you would be too damaging to my esteem. However," A cold smile touched his lips, "I admit that you are… some what… attractive."

Snape cleared his throat loudly, causing Mcgonagall to look up a moment. Remus raised an amused brow. Severus could not cease the resentment from reaching his glittering orbs. He leant in closer to the boy.

"You would find my attentions somewhat more… stimulating…"

Lupin’s eyes widened a moment.

"Severus, I- I didn’t. I’m not." Remus cheeks blushed red. "I’m sorry. I’m just not… don’t see you in such a light."

The boy looked down to his books. Snape pushed the sudden shot of hurt deep down inside, convincing himself it was simply to test Lupin, humiliate him. He let out a derisive laugh.

"Really, Lupin! This confirms what I have always thought. Your vast self importance overcomes your reason. I would not touch you if I was offered all the galleons in Gringotts . Though it shall amuse the others that you were hesitant in denying my proposal. Black shall be most displeased."

Lupin looked to be rather shocked.

"It is not flattering to have one such as you be secretly interested, but I suspect I will deal with it as best I can."

"Me, interested in you?" Lupin’s eyes were suddenly glowing gold.

"You are one of the most disgusting, horrible men it has been my misfortune to come across my entire life. You are rude, selfish and mean." Remus suddenly gathered his books, shoving them harshly into his back pack. "In fact, I would rather take the consequences of not completing this hour of detention than be in the same room as you."

Snape watched him leave, obtaining a rather surprised glance from Mcgonagall. He decided that was good. That was what he had wanted. It was simple. He was obviously overcome with some sort of odd spell. Perhaps concocted by the Marauders themselves.

Snape began to gather all of his books into his pack once more.

Severus was drunk. This was a rarity for the usually pristine, wizard. In fact, he would rather not drink while the others seeped into ludicrisity, if only so he could hold, in his mind, an elevated position to them. Whenever he saw Lucius or Marcus’ pathetic antics while under the influence, he would favour each with a cold superiority.

This time, however, he had allowed himself to slip. After six hours straight of rapidly scouring dozens and dozens of books on enchantments related to lust, he simply could not find one that accounted for how he was feeling towards that ridiculously pretty, annoying Gryffindor.

He had taken out the gillywater as an ‘aid’ to study and soon found himself drawing rather precise pictures of the tawny haired boy. So it was that Crispin came across a rapidly sketching Snape surrounded by piles and piles of books in the Slytherin common room, hours after the others had departed for the dormitories.

"My oh my, Severus." The boy giggled behind him. "This does look familiar."

"He’s enchanted me." Severus slurred angrily. He spun around, angrily, nose crinkling a little from a faint smell touching his scent glands.

Snape shook his head. "Little bastard has me staring at him constantly!" He wobbled a little as he stood. "That ridiculous Black." A part of his mind noted the glow of Crispin’s eyes, the flush to his cheeks. Indeed, the man seemed to be positively glowing. "What does he see in him? Did you see the clothes he was wearing today? Bloody muggle jeans!"

Crispin collapsed into the chair he had just occupied. "Aw! Little Severus is in love! With a Gryffindor!"

Snape suddenly took out his wand and pointed it directly at the chubby boy. Crispin simply stared back, not the least worried. "Perhaps I should perform the Crucacius Curse on you."

He blinked, momentarily sobering and shoved the wand back into his robes. Crispin sighed.

"It’s alright, Severus. I can understand." His voice deceptively softened. "He is beautiful looking, even considering who he is."

Snape’s dark eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"And he is annoyingly kind to everyone he meets. He has been the star of many a pleasurable fantasy of my own."

Snape pulled out the chair next to him and sat down.

"Did you get drunk over this? Poor, poor Severus."

"I am not drunk, Crispin." Snape suddenly found he could barely keep his head up.

"I’ve seen you look at him." Snape pulled his hand back from Crispin’s pat. "It’s alright. I know a way of keeping Sirius out of the picture. Pretty little Remus deserves so much better, don’t you think?"

"Don’t you worry, Snape." His voice dropped to a whisper. The previous rush of energy now had the dark haired wizard placing his head on his palm, his eyes closed. "You can have that pretty Remus Lupin. In fact, I will make it a priority of mine."

Snape felt a sudden jolt of fear up his spine that he was too inebriated to comprehend.

"I’ll have him begging for you to take him." A giggle reached Snape’s ears.

"No, not beautiful. No, an angel. A right little angel."

Snape did not realize he had spoken aloud until he heard Crispin’s laugh.

"If you say so, Severus."

When Snape awoke the next morning, he barely remembered the conversation of the night before. He did, however, recall his last words to Crispin, much to his indignation and humiliation.

Twenty years later…

Lucius stopped arguing with the store manager long enough to spy Draco wandering to the back room of the shop.

"Draco! Stay within sight!"

The younger version of himself scowled and changed direction to the skull wand coverings on the left side of the dark magic shop.

"I refuse to buy this for over fifty galleons."

"I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t go any lower."

Lucius looked down at the potion he held in his hands, Incapitu, an all over muscle freezer that was impossible to break until a week had passed.

"I see. Well, I could-" Out of the corner of his eye, he spied his son disappearing into the back room. "Excuse me. We shall discuss this rather overpriced bit of water in a moment."

Lucius stormed to the darker space, strides that of a dignified, important man. His eyes attested to his anger. Blue flames flickered lighter tones of disguised fear.

"Draco! I told you-" He stepped into the darker room, ready to tell off his son for distracting him from the miserable man who simply did not have a clue that his pathetic sham of a shop was not worth its elaborate prices.

The rage stilled him momentarily, as he comprehended the sight before him. Draco stood with his wand out, pointed at the familiar chubby man standing by the change rooms. Lucius raced forward, roughly shoving his son to the side so sharply he collided into the wall opposite, causing a hooded reaper in a painting to rush out of the way.

"Wait, Lucius!" Wormtail pleaded. "I didn’t-"

"Corpulous!"

The larger man jumped and whimpered as tiny cuts started to appear over his entire body, bleeding copious blood down to the spotless carpet beneath him.

"Now, if you would tell me what you were doing with my son, before I deprive a certain man of his second in command." Lucius’ eyes were hard.

"Make him hurt, Daddy. Make him bleed more!" Draco stood next to his father, wearing an identical venomous expression.

"No! I wanted to tell him that I wouldn’t! I could never…" Wormtail pleaded. "I would never do anything untowards towards him."

"Nonsense!" Lucius stepped forward to press his wand against the man’s chest. "You slobber over Draco like a great ugly dog whenever you see him. You absolutely disgust me."

Tears glistened in the man’s eyes. "I wouldn’t do it. I couldn’t degrade him in such a way. You must understand that I can’t go against Him. He is my Master." He turned his eyes to Draco. "Sacrifices must be made." He whispered. "And I have waited too long to allow how I feel to overcome my destiny."

Lucius’ eyes narrowed. He didn’t understand what Wormtail was implying. The man once more looked over to Draco, eyes moving over him in a way that made Lucius want to tear his eyes from their sockets and force them down his throat.

"He is beautiful. You are blessed, Lucius." He was speaking so lowly now that Lucius could only just hear him. "But I won’t degrade him. Not ever. What happened to Remus… He was a good friend. I know you don’t understand. But I was absolutely sickened to discover the truth."

Lucius laughed. "A street full of muggles is no concern of yours, but you suffer for the rape of a ‘friend’ you have betrayed?"

Wormtail flinched at his words. "The Dark Lord will always have my priority. As he should with you. It hurt me to hear of Remus being violated. And Draco, doubly so. But our allegiance to the Dark Lord should overcome our torments."

Lucius drew his hand back and slapped the man so hard across the face, he was knocked to the ground. Wormtail whimpered, attempted to crawl away, only to have Lucius kick him in the ribs, hearing the bones crunch on impact.

Draco stepped forward, grey eyes sparkling with unsuppressed glee. Lucius drew his foot back for another kick, only to have Wormtail apparate, leaving a puddle of blood behind. He turned angrily to face his son.

"I told you not to go into this room. Are you deaf, Draco?"

The boy bowed his head in a sign of chastisement.

"As punishment, you will not have any pick of items from this store."

Draco put his head up, grey eyes lined with tears. "Oh, but Daddy, I had my eye on the-"

"I said ‘no’, Draco!" He stormed back to the front of the store. "Hurry up. I want to be out of this rats nest as soon as wizardly possible."

The boy followed meekly behind him, as he stepped up to the manager to argue prices once more.

The Evening before…

"Is he…?"

"Why is this…?"

"… to the room."

Harry felt a familiar hand stroke his hair and turned into the touch. He blearily opened one eye, then the other, fumbling for his glasses. He located them on the cabinet beside his bed and put them on. Three blurry red-haired shapes slowly came into view. He smiled wearily at his visitors, instantly recognizing the sterile white walls and sheets of the Hogwarts Infirmary.

"Ah! So, the prodigal son awakens!" Fred jumped up and slapped Harry on the shoulder.

"The Slytherin dormitory! Really, Harry!" Harry turned his head to see Hermione on a chair opposite, shaking her head.

He looked up to Draco smiling down at him, hand gently caressing his hair.

Harry turned away, shamed for the sudden memory to creep back into his mind.

"What’s wrong with that? Fred and I used to do it all the time-"

"Though that was more to play practical jokes on the Slytherins-"

"Until that bastard Snape found us."

"Area you alright, Harry? I bought along some chocolate frogs."

"Yes, I bet that was the first thing on his mind, as soon as he woke up." The sarcastic comment was rather tame, considering it came from Draco’s lips.

"Listen, I’m not in the mood today, Malfoy, so shut up!"

Harry continued to face away from his bickering best friend and lover.

"Well, really, Weasley. Do you really think Harry cares about eating, right now?"

"I was trying to make a nice guesture. Unlike some selfish people, I know that if someone is sick, they usually appreciate chocolate to make them feel better."

"I’ll go for Draco. Extended vicious comment to finish off Ron." George piped up.

Harry missed the angered look Ron sent his brothers.

"Maybe in your family, as you can’t afford proper medicine. Sure, don’t they give away free chocolate if you wait outside Honeydukes long enough, showing them your pathetic loser face?"

"Ouch! Give that a twenty!" Fred commented.

Ron was silent for so long that Harry turned over to look at him. He could see by the redness of his face that he was absolutely furious.

"I’m warning you, Malfoy. Shut up!"

Draco grinned, clearly in his element.

"Ron, just don’t let him get to you." Hermione spoke softly.

"Yes, I’m sure if they take one look at your ugly mug, they’ll pay you just to go away."

"Draco!" Harry favoured him with a glance that instantly closed his mouth, his scowl, however, did not disappear.

"Ouch! Draco, thirty! Ron…. Five." Fred piped up.

"That’s if they have money left from paying you to whore yourself out to them." Ron’s face instantly crumpled to remorse. Draco moved away from Harry, withdrawing his wand as he stalked angrily towards Ron. In that instant, Dumbledore strolled into the room.

"Ah, quite a collection of well wishers, Harry."

Draco repocketed his wand but continued to stare at Ron, daggers in his eyes.

"Ron, Hermione, Draco, Fred and George." He smiled at each of them in turn. "Would you please leave Harry and I alone a moment?"

The six departed the room, Draco and Ron continuing to glare at each other. Dumbledore swished the curtain around and sat down beside Harry’s bed. The boy’s innards collapsed. He had been found in the Slytherin dormitory. He would be expelled.

"I heard a rather interesting story today, Harry." Dumbledore favoured Harry with an impish grin. "Severus Snape is rushed to the Slytherin dormitory with a comatose Harry Potter on Draco Malfoy’s bed."

Harry felt heat rise to his face. "I can explain, sir-"

Dumbledore held up a hand. "No need, Harry. I am not too old as to recognize love when I see it. I only wish you wouldn’t break school rules when enacting it." Harry placed his head down, staring at his hands. "At least your father only had to break into the Gryffindor girls dormitories. The Slytherin common room is a lot further."

Harry looked up to see Dumbledore wink at him. He pushed his anxiety deep into the pit of his stomach.

"Is it… am I… expelled?"

The old wizard laughed a little. "No, Harry. Though, you would not be surprised to hear Professor Snape argue otherwise. I do not think it would be good at all to separate you and Draco, right now."

Harry audibly breathed out, his clenched stomach loosening in relief.

"Which brings me to my second point of discussion. Draco says you simply lay very still with your eyes and mouth open, completely comatose. And this was…" He brushed invisible dirt off his robes. "After you made love for the first time."

Harry felt as if his face was going to spontaneously combust. Dumbledore did not look at all enthused to be discussing such a subject, judging by his sudden extreme interest on the invisible dirt on his sleeves.

Harry jumped and took off his glasses to place his face into his hands. "Make it stop! Please, make it stop!"

"What is it, Harry? What did you hear?"

Harry wiped his eyes. "In court, when Draco explained what happened to him, I could, I could hear him and Marcus talking in my head. Marcus was saying the most awful things. And Draco was crying and screaming." He shuddered. "And I heard the Centaurs. And last night, it happened again." He looked away, not wanting the Head Master to see the tears run down his cheeks. "It was all in my head. Draco pleading with him to stop. Marcus was making these terrible sounds, while he was, he was raping him. I just couldn’t handle it."

Dumbledore nodded wearily. "I understand. It is as I expected. What has happened is rare but then, given Mr. Malfoy’s attack, rather understandable."

Harry wiped his eyes clean and snatched up his glasses from on top of the covers before turning to look to him.

"Did you know that, upon hearing the details of Draco’s assault, Percy had to depart the room to retch, half way through? That he survived such an attack is remarkable." He looked to Harry, face inscrutable. "Much like the scar on your head, the bond you have created with Mr. Malfoy has its own mark." He paused, bent closer to Harry. "Unconscious to Draco, he has discovered a away to cleanse himself a little of the shame by moving it over to you. It is not deliberate." He added, catching Harry’s look. "It is simply a defense mechanism for his body to try and gain some power back. He allows you to hear snippets of the attack precisely because he knows you are strong enough to deal with it. It is, if you can understand, a subconscious decision between you both that you should harbor some of the pain, to lessen the anguish for Draco."

Harry thought about this. It did make sense. If he could, he would harbor all of his lover’s anguish, if only to make him whole again. Dumbledore leant back in his chair once more.

"I have only heard of it in one other case. And I can attest that this mark is only a product of the strength of the love you have for each other."

"Will it go away?" Harry asked hopefully.

Dumbledore shook his head. "I am sorry, Harry. This is a soul mark. It will only go away when Draco is healed enough to cease it. I cannot say when that will be."

Harry turned away, breath starting to quicken. That he should continually hear his lover’s attack? He could not comprehend this at all. Bewilderment let way to anger.

"Do not blame him." Dumbledore said, quietly. "It is not a conscious decision on his part but an unconscious one on the both of yours."

The wizard stood up and touched Harry briefly on the shoulder. "Last thing. Your invisibility cloak." He threw Harry the silken material. "I just liberated it from the Gryffindor dormitory." He winked and smiled at Harry, then left ,swishing the curtains closed behind him.

"Ron!"

The redhead boy had stopped at the end of the corridor and was staring rather blandly forward. Harry rushed to catch up to him and looked in the direction he stared in, only to see blank wall. Ron blinked and smiled at Harry.

"You alright, Harry?"

The black haired boy nodded. "You ok, Ron?"

Ron frowned. "No. Not really."

Harry’s brows creased in consternation. "How is Percy?"

"Percy? Ah, Percy’s fine. I guess. I haven’t seen him."

"Listen, Ron-"

"Hey, Harry. I think I will go study in the common room."

Harry looked at his friend as if he had just had his nose replaced by a carrot.

Ron? Rushing off to study?

"I’ll see you later, Harry."

Harry watched, mystified, as his best friend continued down the hall. Deciding to find Draco, he began the trek to the Slytherin common room. It was only until he stood before the distinguished old man portal painting that he remembered that he had no idea what the password was.

"Can’t you just let me in?" He pleaded.

"Password! Password!"

"Rotarius."

His very drawling voice sent shivers down Harry’s spine. He moaned as he felt his arms suddenly grabbed behind his back, lips attacking the neck of his skin. The two collapsed inside the thankfully empty Slytherin common room. Draco slung down the invisibility robe and threw Harry back onto a couch, hastily crawling over him.

"I’m annoyed with you, Potter!" He tore Harry’s robes over his head, reaching his mouth down to deeply kiss him, tongue reaching down to the back of his throat. Harry was fumbling with the boy’s own robes.

"You shouldn’t have defended that idiot, Weasley." He managed to hastily undo the buttons on Harry’s shirt and threw it open, then moved his hands to his pants. Harry yanked his lover’s robes off and ripped at his shirt, tugging at the material and causing several buttons to pop.

"You were being the idiot, Malfoy!" He moaned as he felt Draco bite down gently onto his lower lip. Harry tasted metallic blood in his mouth as he slung the shirt from his shoulders. It occurred to him that if any other Slytherin stepped into the common room in that instant, they would have a lot of explaining to do.

He was so excited a tremor had overtaken his slim frame.

"No matter. As punishment, Ill just have to take you, right here." As he spoke, he tore Harry’s pants down to his ankles.

"Oh, really?" Harry suddenly rolled them off the couch so they lay on the rug before the extinguished fire.

"Oh, how dreadfully cliqued, Potter."

Harry tugged down the pants of his lover and leant forward to rub their erections together. Draco gasped beneath him. He then shrugged off their pants and boxers completely and gently nudged his lover’s pale legs apart.

"I guess I’ll just have to take you."

Draco froze, head turning to the side. "No."

Harry closed his eyes, willfully pushing the phantom voice far away from him. He moved off his lover and lay beside him, stroking along his cheek. Draco turned to Harry and gently kissed him on the lips, tongue slowly moving into Harry’s mouth to caress his tongue and gums, his hand stroking down the Gryffindor’s face. Harry moved forward, until their chests touched, remembering their first kiss, wanting to be as tentative as he had been then. Draco moved his hand down to push Harry’s shirt from him, as the raven-haired boy slowly moved the rest of his body forward to wrap his legs around his lover’s waist, their mouths still locked together. He gently pushed Draco’s shirt from his shoulder and started to moan as his lover gently began to rub against his opening, taking his glasses off before tilting his head back to kiss his neck and shoulders. Harry slid a hand down Draco’s back, drawing patterns on the smooth flesh.

"Are you sure?" His lover stopped to pant into his ear.

Harry concentrated his energies into moving his wand across the room to slide into his hand, then pointed the smooth wood at his opening. "Lubricous!" He threw it on the ground beside them and smiled up at his lover, using his hand to gently guide him in. Draco gasped once more and slowly moved in further. Once fully surrounded by Harry, he stilled, as though working out the sensation of being inside his lover. Harry wiggled under him impatiently. The two touched lips once more as the Slytherin slowly moved inside the Gryffindor, gasping into his mouth, his hands entangled in Harry’s hair. Harry moaned as he felt his lover hit his prostate, flaring pleasure through his body. Sensing his pleasure, Draco favoured him with a couple of sharper thrusts, both causing Harry to cry out. He released his lover’s mouth and licked down his chin to his neck, kissing slowly up the alabaster flesh. Draco momentarily froze, then appeared to accept the ministrations, giving litt! le moans that Harry had never heard in their lovemaking before and that he decided he loved. Harry could not help his own moans as he felt his lover hit his prostate consistently with every thrust. He tightened his legs around Draco, feeling him start to tremble as he neared climax. His thrusts were becoming faster now, more erratic. Harry cried out three times as the pleasure thrice thrilled around his body and clamped his mouth around the tender neck skin. He heard Draco cry out and start to throb inside him. Harry did not mean to draw blood as he bit into the tender neck skin in the wake of his own furious peak that had his own release between them. Draco collapsed on top of him, breathing heavily. It was several moments before either could speak.

They caught eyes once more and then mouths, before Draco gently drew out and started to search for his clothes. Harry rolled onto his stomach to watch his lover get dressed.

"I should tell you, Harry. I’m not really into s and m." Draco rubbed at his neck where Harry had bitten him.

"Sorry." Harry blushed. "Got a little carried away."

"Are you alright?" He stood up and got a face full of his own clothes.

Draco nodded. "I’m alright. You?"

Harry smiled. "I’m more than alright."

Both froze as the portal began to open. Draco swiftly picked up the invisibility cloak, rushed over to Harry and threw it over the both of them, just as two Slytherins stepped into the room, discussing Qudditch.

Just as well it wasn’t a few minutes earlier. Harry smiled to himself.

"This room has a peculiar smell."

Harry almost laughed, which would not be good, he realized, considering he was currently only half dressed.

"Smells like sex." The friend agreed. The face suddenly against Harry’s shoulder assured him that Draco was doing his own laughing.

It was on the way back to the Gryffindor common room that Harry overheard the two whispering men. Intrigued, he crept slowly down the narrow corridor to find himself at the door of a very familiar room. He had been inside quite a few times in his third year at Hogwarts.

Remus Lupin’s door was a little open. The two voices he recognized as he moved closer. A buzzing sounded in his left ear and he turned, swiftly, but saw nothing.

"It makes sense, Severus!" Remus was saying. "Go after Voldemort’s followers and he will have no power. Destroy him by breaking his infrastructure."

"Are you certain this has not a more…personal reason, Lupin?"

The silence continued for so long that Harry began to wonder whether or not something terrible had happened, such as Snape silently killing the werewolf. He would not put anything past the Dark Wizard.

"Crispin will only be implicated by his dark deeds with Marcus."

"I informed Dumbledore of this but he simply would not listen. So, I'll again implore you to allow this to go to someone else. It is too close to you, Lupin."

Again with the silence. When Lupin spoke next it was so low, Harry barely heard it.

"I am beyond the need for vengeance, Severus."

"So you will deny yourself seeing justice be done by the man who raped you. Very smart, Lupin. Very, very smart."

Harry stumbled back, covering his hand with his mouth.

The thought of nice, kind Remus Lupin…

Harry stumbled away, mind churning with confusion as to how to react to this news.

By the time he reached the Gryffindor common room, he was unable to control his sobs. The only one still awake was Percy, who instantly stood up and rushed over to Harry.

"Harry, what is it?"

Harry shook his head. If he were to tell Percy where he’d been, he would get into trouble. His mind went to the truth he had learnt and it twisted his stomach once more, causing another sob to tear from his throat.

"It makes sense. It all makes sense." He was talking more to himself. "Sirius, he wrote me this letter, not long after what happened to Draco…" Harry collapsed to an armchair. Recognition flickered in Percy’s eyes and he hung his head.

"I’m sorry you found out, Harry."

Harry looked up in surprise. "He told you?"

Percy gracefully sat in the chair beside Harry, then lifted his head and looked the fellow Gryffindor straight in the eye. "No. And I did not ask him. But, for me, it was obvious."

"It’s not fair!" Harry was aware he was whining like a little kid but didn’t care. "Why Remus? Why him? It makes no sense."

He suddenly remembered that Percy had experienced the exact same terror. Guilt dealt him a swift blow to the head.

"No, it isn’t fair. Remus Lupin is a remarkable human being." Percy concurred, nodding curtly.

"He is all right, Harry. You know him."

Harry shook his head. "It shouldn’t have happened. Marcus… Crispin. I’d like to take my wand to that family."

Though Percy did not move a muscle, Harry noted his eyes darken at his mention of Crispin.

"Simple vengeance is fleeting at best, Harry. We will obtain our justice."

Harry looked to Ron’s brother, noting the darker blue to his eye in his fervor.

Harry was reminded of the doll when he crept into his bed that night and spied it atop the yellow and red covers. The next morning, he was determined to find the truth. Draco, he could not find anywhere, however. Spying a group of frowning Slytherins in one corner of the library, he felt the urge to ask them. He decided against it. That would be a last resort. Turning, he abruptly ran into Goyle, who did not flinch from the rather heavy blow. Harry pushed down his pride.

"Goyle, have you seen Draco anywhere?"

"Ah… I heard he’s taken leave out of the school to go shopping with Lucius." The boy shifted a little on his feet.

Harry nodded. "Thank you."

It was at the entrance that the boy stopped him. He recognized a familiar Ravenclaw face.

"If you want Draco, he’s in the Gryffindor common room."

"Gryffindor? But, I just came from there!"

Stalking back to the common room, he realized the boy was the one who had whispered to Draco in front of the Gryffindor table, just after his attack.

"Jenanen Clentus."

The portal swung open and Harry stepped through.

And stilled.

And could not help the startled sob at the sight that presented him.

Draco, his Draco, on his hands and knees in the middle of the Gryffindor floor, moaning in time to the thrusts of the larger boy behind him, Xander Stevens. Xander looked up and winked at Harry.

The raven-haired boy shook his head in denial as to what he saw and rushed out of the room, head in his hands.

"Harry?" He didn’t hear the voice until he felt the touch to his hand. His heart felt as if it had been torn straight through with a massive hook, then stomped on a few times, leaving his entire body an empty, shriveled shell.

"What’s wrong, Harry?"

Harry could not talk a few moments, his words marred by constant chocks. Noting the puzzled looks from wizards around them, Hermione pulled him into an empty corridor.

"What’s wrong, Harry?"

"I saw Draco… in the common room… with Xander Stevens."

"Xander Stevens?" Hermione looked confused. She opened her mouth as though to speak once more but was ceased by Harry suddenly rushing forward, spying Draco walking past.

"Harry, I’ve just-"

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Harry noted a few people stopping to watch Harry Potter argue with Draco Malfoy. His lover’s grey eyes blazed anger, confusion and hurt.

"I saw you, with him. He was, he was… having you."

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Harry!"

"Don’t be so naïve, Draco." Harry noted with dim pleasure, the look of absolute anger, humiliation and confusion on the boy’s face.

He continued, allowing the rage boiling through his veins to overcome his reason. Harry stepped up close to whisper into his ear.

"Why? I don’t understand. You’ll let another boy fuck you but not me. No, Harry Potter’s not good enough to have you. You’re nothing but a-."

He stopped himself at the right time, knowing that for him to say the ‘s’ word would be going too far. He looked to the hurt pouring out of Draco’s eyes.

Draco stilled at the harsh words from his lover’s lips.

"Who was it?" He asked, strangely wooden.

"What, have you forgotten now that it’s over? Xander Stevens."

"Fine." Harry felt his sleeve being tugged as he was dragged down the corridor. Neither boy spoke as they made their way to the Gryffindor common room. Draco indicated the pass word, which Harry complied to. The portal swung open and both walked in to reveal Xander, putting the clothes back on… Janus’ friend.

"Do you mind?" Xander did not look the least embarrassed.

"What is going on?" Draco demanded.

"You really should watch where you leave hairs lying around, Malfoy, such as the collar of a distinctly Malfoy shirt in the Slytherin common room."

Harry felt as though a huge chunk of ice had just slid of his stomach. His mind went to his second year at Hogwarts.

But he was unconcerned for the moment. For a few moments, he was convinced that Draco was with another. And it had deadened him on the inside. But now, he felt ecstatic, jubilant. His heart soared.

"You can pretend all you want, Xander. But you’ll never have me. It’s pathetic you are resorting to such drastic measures. Be assured that I find Grindylows more attractive than either of your ugly mugs."

Draco swirled on his heel and stalked out. Harry rushed up behind him.

"Draco! I’m sorry. I’m so sorry." He realized he was attracting attention from the people around him but didn’t care. "I was an absolute jerk."

The boy stopped but did not turn. "It would have been preferable for you to actually find out the truth before coming to your rash decision about me, Potter."

"I know. I know. I was, I can’t describe what a moron I was."

Draco turned to look him in the eye for his final words. "You don’t need to be concerned about ever getting the chance to ‘fuck’ me, Potter."

He rushed away, leaving an open mouthed, tearful Harry Potter to stare at the spot he had left.

Most people on the final tier looked to be in very foul moods. Snape snapped at the slightest noise from anyone, even remonstrating Dumbledore for sneezing. Ron would not speak to anyone, simply slumped forward in his seat, arms folded in an odd defensive posture. Harry, himself, felt as though he wanted to throw himself off the tier in a melodramatic suicide. Draco had refused to speak to him the day before. It made it worse that Harry felt his anger to be entirely justifiable. To compound his feelings, Remus Lupin now sat on his tier, next to Sirius.

Both looked to be very down. Harry noted Sirius occasionally reaching over to touch his lover’s hand or cheek. He did not know why Remus had been replaced once more with Percy. The yo yo-ing of lawyers was beginning to be a little confusing.

He looked down to Draco below. The boy’s angry, stiff posture was instantly recognizable.

He suddenly heard a distinct cry in his head.

Draco.

So the ‘bond’ had not been severed. Indeed, Harry did not sleep at all the night before, his head filled with the sounds of Draco’s attack, certain, more pained phrases looping as though eager to torment him. He could not understand it. Was it subconscious on Draco’s part to want to push this onto him as vengeance for Harry saying what he had? Or was it simply because the word Harry had almost used had brought back ugly memories.

He suspected the latter to be true. For many of the repeated messages involved the ‘s’ word.

Harry tore at his hair, cursing himself. That one misplaced, unthinking sentence would cause so much damage. On the stage below, Percy stepped to the centre of the room next to Marcus. He had replaced his robes with a long, tailored coat, shirt and pants but kept the cravat. Harry noted him momentarily smiling at the curly haired girl in the third tier.

"You may be surprised to see me back as prosecutor. Let me assure you that this is not the case." The man stood completely still, allowing his voice to express the emotion his body did not. "Remus Lupin and I are sharing duties. This case, you will soon discover, goes beyond merely the rape of Draco Malfoy or myself." He visibly swallowed. "We will prove that it was not Marcus who started in kidnapping young men for his deranged pleasures, but that he merely continued, after getting a taste of it while sharing with his father Crispin Flint."

There was a collective gasp throughout the audience. Ron shot a glance at Harry. Sirius reached across to kiss Remus on the cheek. The only ones that did not look surprised were Dumbledore, Severus and Hermione. Harry looked to Draco below. He still held the intense expression, as though he did not care for what Percy had revealed.

"But this case has naught to do with Mr. Flint, however. This instant, he has been captured in his home and escorted to Azkaban. His trial will be at a later date. We merely mention him as his escapades directly relate to his son’s own sickness."

A short whisper from the bound man behind him did not turn his head. Though Harry did not hear what Marcus said, Dumbledore suddenly stood up.

"You will have your turn to speak later, Marcus, in which case you will be able to insult Mr. Weasley as much as you like. Are you all right, Percy?"

Percy nodded. "Without any further ado. Calling Karen Fletch."

Harry could not recall where he had heard the name.

A small, squat woman stepped up to the chair Percy offered for her. Her hair ran in dark red curls down her face and complimented her green dress.

"Mrs. Fletch. I know this must be difficult for you."

Her voice was gruff, in contrast to her pixie face. "If it will obtain justice for Jonas, I will accept whatever grief it causes."

Percy stepped over to stand beside Draco.

"Please tell us about Jonas, Mrs. Fletch."

"Jonas was my son. He was… a rather clever wizard. Constantly got A’s at Beauxbatons. Liked Quidditch. Was obsessed by the game. Was, in fact the seeker on his team. In his final year of school he went to the Silver Isles for a summer camp."

Harry suddenly remembered where he had seen the name written down. He looked to Hermione who stared resolutely forward.

"This was two years ago. Marcus Flint also attended the camp. His father was one of the co-ordinators." She shook her head a little, ran her hands through her curls. "They found him by the roadside, beaten, raped, three days into the camp. He refused to say what had happened to him. Simply said he wanted to go home. When he arrived back, he had been cleaned, completely. There was not an iota of evidence on him. My husband, Barry, enacted the hypnosis spell on him and he revealed what had happened." Her voice grew thicker and thicker with rage as she spoke. "It seems that bastard Marcus lured him out of the camp, into the forest nearby, where he was attacked and raped by both him and his father."

Percy patted Draco gently on the shoulder, as he stiffened at the mention of attack in a forest.

"Well, obviously, we were determined to take this boy and his father to wizard court, but Jonas refused to even talk about it. We pleaded with him but to no avail. We knew hypnosis spell was not evidence enough And with no physical evidence that nothing ever happened, we were forced to let it go." She stopped, took out a tissue from her breast pocket. "We knew he was down but… two weeks later my husband found the body in his room. He had turned his wand in on himself and uttered the Avada Kedavra curse."

Harry could not close his gaping mouth. He noted, on the stage below, an alert Marcus looking directly at the woman, in contrast to his usual sleepy eyed boredom. The woman cried a little in to the tissue. He looked to Percy and Draco standing together. Draco had revealed his own suicidal thoughts after his attack. He wondered if the same notion had entered Percy’s mind.

Percy stepped up to the woman and knelt beside her. "I am sorry for your loss."

Mrs. Fletch stood up ,causing Percy to do the same, wiping down his legs.

"You will suffer." She suddenly shouted at Marcus. "You will pay for what you have done to my son. What you have done to these two boys."

Marcus regarded her with an inscrutable expression.

"I am done." She nodded at Percy. "Thank you for allowing me to help in this process."

Percy did not excuse her. She simply walked out of the room before he could utter a word. He turned back to the front, looking as dazed as the rest of the crowd.

"I think that should be all for today. This is a lot for us to digest."

Harry stepped up to Draco as soon as he exited the building and flung himself down at his feet.

"I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry."

He looked up to identical disgusted Malfoy expressions.

"As much as it gratifies me to debase yourself this much, Harry, you are succeeding in humiliating me." Draco moved to step away but was stopped by a hand to his arm.

"Remove your hand from my son." Lucius warned.

"Can we at least talk?"

He had thought that absolute humiliation would be the key in loosening Draco.

"What do you want me to do. How many times can I say I’m sorry?" He felt frustrated. "I was angry. I didn’t mean it. It jus came out and I instantly regretted it."

Draco regarded him dispassionately a moment. "Fine. I’ll think of something adequate to punish you with and then perhaps I will forgive you. Until then, leave me alone, Harry."

Harry dumbly watched his lover move away before watching the others convulged in the courtyard outside the building. The Weasleys were now missing Bill and Charlie, who Harry was aware had to return to their jobs. Another exclusion that did intrigue him was Mr. Weasley. Currently, Mrs. Weasley was remonstrating an annoyed looking Ron. His thoughts went to the Malfoy family. Narcissa had not once gone to court to see Draco. But then Arthur Weasley had gone to see Percy’s testimony but had not appeared at any other time. He hoped things were well at the Weasley household. As well as they could be, considering. Percy stood talking to Penelope by the south wall. Noting him trail a hand through her raven curls, Harry abruptly looked away to the curved front archway leading into the courtroom. Hermione, Lupin and a hooded Sirius stepped out into the overcast sunshine. Harry walked up and pulled the girl a little away from the others.

"What’s going on, ‘mione?"

The girl smiled a little. "I thought you’d have guessed by now, Harry. Remus enlisted me to find out any information about other victims of Marcus. He thought that the best way to find out information would be if one of the students was subtly prodding the Slytherins for what they knew. He chose me because I was the one who proved it was Marcus with Draco. So I got Crabbe and Goyle to help me. They’re not too bad, Harry, once you get to know them."

Harry almost blanched. Hermione frowned at his reaction.

"Anyway, they helped me out because they thought it would bring Malfoy… Draco back to them. Crabbe found out through Janus and others this rumour that Marcus had attacked a boy at Camp a few years before. Dumbledore gave me permission to go to the Camp and do some investigating."

Harry suddenly had a revelation. "The two days you were away from school."

The girl nodded, pushed a little of her hair back. "I managed to track down Mrs. Fletch and convinced her to see Remus and Percy."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "I’m glad. I was beginning to think that maybe you were having an affair with Crabbe."

Hermione’s face pulled into an expression of such disgust that Harry laughed a little. The girl dissolved into giggles.

"This is strictly confidential." She said, when she sobered.

"I understand."

Harry turned back to look at Remus and Sirius. "If you’ll excuse me, ‘mione."

Remus smiled at Harry as he stepped up. The boy tried to smile back but only managed a half grin. He suddenly felt very awkward around the man, in light of what he had discovered.

"Alright there, Harry?"

Harry shrugged. "Ok."

"It is not a very-"

Harry noted Sirius staring at him in an unusual way.

"What?" He looked down to see if he had spilt quill ink on his robes, or had any thing else out of order

"What’s that in your bag, Harry?"

The boy looked to the bag slung down by his waist and blushed upon seeing that it was partly open.

"Oh, because I came directly from my class…"

He quickly zipped it up

"What is it, Sirius?" Remus whispered.

"Could you please open your bag, Harry?"

The boy felt his face burn as he did as his Godfather requested, unzipping the bag and pulling it open. Embarrassed by the constant jokes in the Gryffindor common room about his doll, he had placed it in his bag. It was this toy that Remus suddenly pulled up from the yellow and red back pack. Harry looked about to see if anyone was watching.

"Where did you get this, Harry?" The man sounded inawed.

"Well, er… Draco gave it to me."

He caught Sirius and Remus pass a look to each other.

"Do you know why?" Harry enquired.

Remus shook his head and handed the toy back to Harry. "Draco’s intentions are his own but I can tell you whose doll it used to belong to. Long before Lucius stole it off her, that doll was the very valued treasure of your mother, Lilly Evans."

Harry looked down to the item before him, mouth open in shock.

The dark haired Death Eater stepped into the room after his much maligned ‘master’, managing to conceal his surprise as to the reason for this convergence of men. He had been hastily called to this latest secret place for the meetings via the horrendous burning scar that shot pain straight up his arm.

He quickly noted the one missing from the group- Lucius Malfoy. All stood in a circle around what was revealed to be a small wrought iron bed. It was the occupant of the bed, however that stilled the breath in his throat. His pale arms were cuffed to the head board. Bare pale legs kicked out in a last attempt to free himself. Judging from the blood down his bare legs, he had already been violated.

Snape felt the bile rise in his throat, angry tears gathering in his eyes. If it didn’t compromise the entire fight against the Dark Lord, he would risk dying himself to utter the deadly Unforgivable Curse to every one of the sickening men in the room. He looked back to the figure on the bed, not believing his eyes. But there was no mistaking the silver-blonde hair, the alabaster skin. A turn of terrified head to him briefly revealed familiar grey eyes and pointed chin.

The main confusing aspect was of the unmistakable figure of Harry Potter, standing beside the bed and reaching tentatively down for his lover.