Chapter 32 -
Dumbledore paced in his office, as Harry and McGonagall stood with him, both were wearing their sleeping clothes. Professor McGonagall had brought Harry to his office in the middle of the night, Harry told him that he had a vision, Dumbledore believed that it was due to his connection with Voldemort so decided to listen to Harry and hear what he had to say.. Harry had started by telling him how his dream began with him in the hallway of the department of mysteries.
"And then the snake goes forward and I see this guy, grey hair and glasses, he was dressed in green robes and he was kind of fat." Harry said.
"Ah, that would be Derrick Parker." Dumbledore said to himself quietly, Derrick Parker was a long time member of the order.
"And then...and then..." Harry trails off and shakes his head, standing with sweat pouring down his face as he looked beyond tired.
"And then what?" Dumbledore asks without looking at Harry.
"And...and then I see him." Harry says eventually.
"Who?"
"That...Apophis, he snuck up on him, Apophis cast a silencing charm over him before hitting him with a bone breaker in each leg...right before he hit him with a killing cure." Harry said as he rubbed the tiredness out of his eyes. "And then...it ended and I woke up."
"During the dream were you standing next to the the victim or looking down at the scene?" Dumbledore asked.
"Neither...I...what the fuck is happening to me?!" Harry demanded.
"Mr Parker was on guard duty tonight," Dumbledore said to a portrait, ignoring Harry. "make sure the right people find him."
"Sir, I..."
"Phineas," Dumbledore said to another portrait, ignoring Harry once more. "go to your portrait at Grimmauld Place and inform Sirius and any others who are there about Mr Parker and tell them all to be careful."
"Bad news Dumbledore," The first portrait said. "he has been confirmed dead."
"That is bad news," Dumbledore agreed. "but we must quickly deal with this and..."
"Look at me!" Harry shouted, magic amplifying the sound and power of his voice. Dumbledore stopped and finally looked at him, Dumbledore looked shocked and worried. "What do you know?" Harry asked. "Tell me, now! No bullshit, tell me what you know!"
"Harry...I..." Dumbledore was cut off as Snape entered the room.
"You called for me headmaster?" Snape drawled, clearly not happy at being called up to Dumbledore's office at night.
"Yes Severus," Dumbledore nodded, eager to avoid answering Harry's question. "there is no time to waste. Harry need to learn occulemency, immidietly."
"I know occlumency." Harry interrupted.
"I am aware Harry but you must improve upon it if you are going to stop these dreams." Dumbledore replied. "Professor Snape will help you improve upon your abilities and..."
"Hell no!" Harry cut him off. "I am not letting Snape of all people mess around in my head!"
"Harry this is important! You must improve your occlumency and Professor Snape is the only master of the arts we have available."
"Well that's a lie, I know you know about occlumency so he is definitely not the only one available." Harry replied.
"Typical Potter," Snape snorted. "thinking that you can just demand the Headmaster to train you, just as arrogant as your father and..."
"Snape!" Harry cut him off as he glared at the potions master. "I know you are still pissed that my dad refused to take you to the ball or whatever shit you are angry with him for but be quiet! The adults are talking!"
"You little..."
"Quiet!" Harry shouted before turning to Dumbledore. "If you think I am letting this unprofessional man-child have access to my mind then you might need to see a mind healer because you have gone crazy. I wouldn't trust him to not spit in my food. My problem is not with occulemency, my shields are more than sufficent."
"Care to prove it Potter?" Snape challenged.
"Gladly, do you think you are competent enough to read my mind or should we ask the headmaster to hold your hand and walk you though it?" Harry sneered at Snape. Snape growled before pulling out his wand.
"Legilimens!" He yelled and pointed his wand at Harry, Snape entered Harry's mind and tried to read his thoughts. Dumbledore watched, expecting Harry to soon concede defeat, however he was more than surprised when Snape looked like he was struggling while Harry looked like he had roughly the same amount of energy as before Snape tried to read his mind. A minute later Snape exited Harry's mind, looking completely and utterly confused. "How?! How the hell is that possible?!" Snape demanded.
"Severus?" Dumbledore asked, wondering what was going on with his potions master.
"The brat managed to keep me out!"
"Well Snape, some people just have this thing called natural talent." Harry smirked, despite how tired he looked. "Now if you will all excuse me, I will be going, if I am going to waste my time then I am going to do it by trying to go back to sleep." Harry said as he turned around and left the room. Dumbledore was silent, deep in thought, only to be broken out of his thoughts when Snape spoke.
"Dumbledore, the dark lord is calling me." Snape hissed as he gripped his arm.
"Very well," Dumbledore said after a moment. "go on Severus." Snape nodded before leaving the room.
"Ah welcome Severus," Voldemort said as Snape arrived. "how are you?" He asked in a voice usually used if someone would be discussing the weather.
Snape paused and looked around, he saw death eaters kneeling on the floor as they usually did during the meetings but he also saw all three Malfoy's as well. Snape saw one death eater in front of the other death eaters, he was on his knees, his whole body was shaking, likely from exposure to the cruciatus curse. Stood next to him was Apophis, Apophis looked towards Snape.
"Half-blood, stop wasting our time." Apophis said in a warning tone. Snape nodded and walked into the room and kneeled down.
"My apologies my lord," Snape said to Voldemort. "I was in a meeting with Dumbledore, I had arrived as soon as I was able to."
"Of that I have no doubt." Voldemort said in a silky voice. "What was the meeting about?" Voldemort asked.
"Dumbledore," Snape drawled. "contacted me in the middle of the night and..." Snape was cut off by a strike to the head, he fell on the floor and looked up to see Apophis brandishing his wand.
"Cease your drawling half-blood, I warned you to not waste our time. The sound of your voice may please you but it irritates me, speak without wasting time." Apophis said impatiently.
"I cannot help but agree with my heir," Voldemort said. "my time is far too valuable to waste on you enjoying the sound of your own voice Severus, now speak and tell me what you know."
"Yes my lord," Snape said as he got up to his knees, resisting the urge to glare at Apophis. "Dumbledore is aware of your attempt to steal the prophecy."
"How?"
"Potter," Snape spat, Snape couldn't help but notice Apophis tilt his head slightly, clearly interested in knowing more. "I believe the boy had a dream or a vision, Dumbledore contacted me. He wanted me to teach the boy occlumency."
"You are teaching Potter?" Apophis asked.
"No," Snape shook his head. "Potter refused to accept me as his occlumency teacher"
"Why?" Apophis asked. "Why refuse to learn from you?"
"The boy has already mastered occlumency," Snape said after a few moments pause. "I had tested his shields my lord and I was unable to penetrate his mind shields."
"Really?" Voldemort asked in an interested voice.
"Yes my lord." Snape said. Voldemort turned to the shaking death eater.
"This is all your fault." Voldemort said in a cold voice.
"My..my lord...I...I am sorry!" The death eater cried.
"A sorry excuse for a wizard." Apophis spat.
"Indeed," Voldemort agreed. "you told me that you would be able to get in to the hall of prophecies."
"When one of the death eater's with me touched the prophecy he fell to the floor, shaking." Apophis said to the death eater. "That was when the alarms went off and I had to end him to prevent him from being captured and revealing more information. What happened to him after he touched the prophecy?"
"I...I don't know!"
"Your lack of knowledge has cost us a member of our ranks right as Dumbledore received confirmation that we are after the prophecy!" Voldemort snarled.
"My lord, I am sorry! Please! Please have mercy!" The death eater begged.
"Mercy?" Voldemort chuckled. "I am afraid I have recently run out, Apophis, how about you? Do you have any mercy left for our friend?"
"None at all." Apophis said in a cold voice before he flicked his wand, seconds later the death eaters lifeless body fell to the floor, Apophis hissed and Nagini walked forward and began devouring the body. Everyone watched in silence as the snake ate, it was only after she was done that they continued.
"Now, on to more pleasant business," Voldemort said as a smile appeared on his face. "Draco, have you fully healed?" Voldemort asked.
"Y...yes my lord!" Draco quickly nodded.
"Good, I am glad, I hope you are appreciative of the resources and time I have wasted on healing you?" Voldemort asked, Draco quickly nodded once more. "I do hope that you have also learnt your lesson about controlling yourself?" Voldemort asked in a conversational tone.
"Yes, yes! Yes I have my lord."
"Good, however I should warn you that if you ever do anything again that could jeopardise my plans then I will have my heir cut your tongue out and give him free reign with you for a month with him to torture you how he wishes, is that understood Draco?"
"Yes my lord." Draco said in a quiet voice as he cast a fearful glance at Apophis, he was not sure what had made Voldemort's heir willing to end his punishment early but he was thankful.
"Good, you may all go now, apart from Severus." Voldemort ordered. The other death eaters made no quick movements out of fear of punishment but it was clear that they all had no problem with leaving if you looked carefully at the way they left. Only Apophis, Voldemort and Snape were left in the room. "Severus, did Potter truly manage to keep you out?"
"Yes my lord, I do not know how the brat has gotten so good at occlumency but he was somehow able to do so." Snape answered.
"Hmm," Voldemort leaned back into his throne with a thoughtful look. "Potter continues to surprise me, tell me Severus, how much do you believe the boy knows about his connection with me?"
"I cannot say for certain my lord but I would be willing to bet that as of the moment he is perhaps aware of a connection due to the dreams that you have apparently set him and according to Dumbledore the boy's scar reacts whenever you are near." Snape replied.
"Hmm."
"Who taught Potter occlumency?" Apophis asked.
"I do not know," Snape said honestly, he could tell that Apophis wanted to go after whoever this person was. "the brat apparently has access to some books on the subject but I doubt that the brat has learn so much on his own."
"Hmm, I simply have one more question," Voldemort said. "you told us that Potter refused to study under you because he had already mastered occlumency, there are no other reasons for his refusal?"
"No my lord." Snape said, looking much calmer than he felt. Apophis took a step forward, likely to hurt Snape but was stopped by a gesture from Voldemort.
"Severus, I know when people tell the truth and I know when they lie and hide things, I am not calling you out on your lies in front of the other death eaters and for that you should be appreciative. Now I will ask again, is there any other reason for Potter's refusal?" Voldemort asked in a calm voice as his red eyes narrowed. Snape, resisting the urge to gulp, decided to answer honestly due to the fact that he was in no hurry to die.
"Potter...did not trust me to teach him the mind arts." Snape answered. Voldemort and Apophis looked at each other for several moments before Voldemort gave Apophis the slightest of nods.
"Crucio!" Apophis said as he pointed his wand at Snape, Snape fell to the floor and shook in pain for several minutes before he was released.
"Because of you Snape, and your idiotic behaviour, we have lost a valuable opportunity." Voldemort said in a cold voice as he glared at Snape. "If you were teaching Potter then you could have been weakening his mental defences and making it easier for me to access his minds but no, due to your idiocy Potter does not trust you to look into his mind and not damage anything. Put a silencing charm on him and continue." Voldemort added to Apophis who nodded and placed a silencing charm on Snape before he fired the curse again.
"Master Harry is upstairs." Dobby said to her when she entered Grimmauld Place through the floo place.
"Thank you." Fleur smiled at him before she walked upstairs, it was the start of the Christmas holidays and Fleur knew that Harry had come back for the holidays.
During his school year the two had exchanged many letters, despite the recent lack of physical contact Fleur was rather pleased with her relationship with Harry. Though she was hoping that he would soon take it to the next level, in the past it would be the boys who wished her to engage in a permanent relationship with her, she never expected the roles to reverse and the shoe to be on the other foot as the saying goes.
Fleur was well aware that she could easily get nearly any man she wanted, she felt she was lucky to work around Goblins, well not lucky as they could be quite rude and tiresome at times but they at least did not ogle her like the few human workers at Gringotts. The one who tried to most to get her attention was one Bill Weasley, a curse breaker who was temporarily in England for a few months before he would return to Egypt, Fleur had done her best to politely refuse all of his offers to go out for a drink but the man was not taking a hint.
Talented curse breaker he may be but he could not take a hint, the man had even offered her a position alongside him in Egypt and said that if she was interested then he could make a call and try to see if she could get an interview. On the one hand it sounded interesting but she had come to England for Harry, not to get transferred into another country. She was also well aware of Bill being the older brother to the red headed mess that Harry used to be friends with and she wanted no part of whatever family drama she was likely to get pulled into if she and Bill became serious.
Bill was not the best looking man that Fleur had ever seen but Fleur could not deny that he was somewhat attractive, though that might have been because Fleur liked his ponytail and earring. Hmm, maybe she could get Harry to wear one. She had no idea if she actually could.
One of the reasons that Harry intrigued her was the fact that he would not allow anyone to control him yet would not force his control on her, at least not beyond a few roleplay scenarios. In the past she would have boyfriends that would either do exactly what she said to the point where she considered them as human house elves while the very few boys who could resist hoped that Fleur would 'enjoy being dominated' and tried far too hard to do so.
Fleur...admittedly did enjoy it...but not when they did it. They felt like madmen trying to tame her like they were after some prize, Harry had always made sure that she was always at least a little happy with what was happening and had even gave her a safe word in case he ever went far beyond what she liked. Though why he chose 'mango' was beyond her understanding. When other boys tried to dominate her, there was no subtle caring in any of it, they tried to make her feel like an animal, there was no control. They tried to force her to do sexual acts in public like hidden blowjobs in restaurants, something she did not want to do, along with other things. Harry on the other hand went just under the line but not over it, no matter what he did he always made her feel special and good and he kept control in a natural way without going far too overboard.
But he also did not mind giving up control temporarily, he would allow her to take the lead as well and didn't really fight her on it. It was more a case of dibs, whoever called it first would be in charge. She was well aware that he had initially viewed her as just as a sex object for his pleasure and she viewed him as the same, yet somehow the two had grown into more than that. It was slow but it did happen, she was confident in her feelings for him and confident that he had feelings for her. She was not entirely sure what was holding him back but she was hoping she would find out sooner rather than later.
"I just don't know Sirius." She heard Harry's voice just as she was about to pass Sirius's voice. "I mean Fleur is brilliant and all, she really is." She heard Harry say, Fleur took out her wand and waved it so she was able to see through the wall, she saw Sirius and Harry sitting together and talking to each other. She cast another spell so she could hear what they were saying easily, she understood that this might be considered wrong but if she kept silent then she could learn Harry's feelings, maybe even learn if he loved her. She was doing this for love, what better defence is there?
"I know Harry," Sirius said with an amused smile. "You have said that already."
"Yes...I...okay," Harry paused to take a deep breath. "All I am asking is why did this have to be so complicated? I mean can't something just be simple for once?"
"Okay, calm down Harry." Sirius said as he patted him on the arm. "Let's just take this one step at a time, you like Fleur? Right?"
"Yes." Harry nodded, causing Fleur to smile.
"But you also like Tonks?" Sirius asked, Fleur's smile disappeared and turned into a frown when Harry nodded.
"Look," Harry said. "when I first saw Fleur I thought she was beautiful, when I first got with her I didn't really think of anything beyond how much sex we could have but eventually I started liking her. When I first met Tonks, I thought she was unique, I liked her from the moment I saw her."
"So the girl you've grown to like verses the one you've fallen for at first sight?"
"She fell on me actually but yeah." Harry smirked as he remembered their first meeting. "I...I was looking in some family books including the grimoire and I learnt something, when my grandfather and father met my grand mother and mother they both felt something special, they both couldn't describe it but felt drawn to the women of their life."
"Hmm," Sirius looked thoughtful. "James had always said that he felt a pull towards your mother and how he and her would definitely be together, he rejected all other girls in favour of your mother."
"So...is there like some ancient Potter magic or something that links us to one girl?"
"Maybe...or maybe you Potters are just emotional idiots who fall in love at first sight, who can tell for sure?" Sirius shrugged. "Now, let's discuss your options. First of all you could offer Fleur a position as your concubine."
"No," Harry said quickly, the speed of which surprised Fleur as to her it looked like he refused to even consider it. "Fleur deserves better than being a concubine. She's beautiful, smart and doesn't deserve to be just my concubine."
"I know that but I had to let you be aware of the option." Sirius said. "Now what happens with Tonks if you get with Fleur?"
"I don't really no, I mean I don't know if she likes me that way, I think she does, but if she does then I don't know how much she likes me. I think I would be happy with Fleur, I'd always wonder what would happen with Tonks though." Harry answered.
"Okay, and what would happen with Fleur if you got with Tonks?" Sirius asked.
"Well first of all I would feel like a dick because she wasted so much time where she could be with someone else waiting for me," Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "and then that's all up to her...but I am just so confused right now! I mean I like them both!" He said, Fleur could not help but notice the sincerity in his voice.
"If I might suggest something," Sirius said. "I believe I have your solution."
"Oh and what would that be?" Harry asked, looking very sceptical.
"Well, you are lord Potter right?" Sirius asked.
"Pretty sure I am, yes." Harry nodded.
"Well, how would you like to be Lord Black as well?" Sirius asked, surprising Harry.
"But you are Lord Black," Harry reminded him. "oh god you're not dying are you?!"
"No," Sirius snorted. "I am not dying, it's just...well this is really awkward...I can't have kids. Azkaban did a number on me and I can't have kids anymore."
"Damn, I am sorry Sirius!"
"It's not your fault, don't apologise." Sirius waved him off. "But currently the Black Family has me for its lord and you're my heir, what I suggest is I give it up and make you the current Lord Black or we can just stick with you being my heir for now and I give it you later. That way you could get with Tonks and Fleur, make one Lady Potter and the other Lady Black.
"I don't know Sirius, I don't know if that would work."
"Well do you like them both?"
"Yeah but..."
"Then it is only a matter if they like you, if they do then maybe you could make it work." Sirius said.
"Is that fair to them though? Either of them?" Harry asked, looking unsure. Fleur removed the spells, she cast a silencing spell on her feet and quickly turned before walking away. She had just reached the bottom of the stairs when she saw Dobby.
"Excuse me, please do not tell Harry that I was here!" She said, wanting to get out of here as quick as she can.
"If Master Harry asks then Dobby must tell truth." Dobby said apologetically.
"Fine but if he does not ask then please do not tell him!" Fleur said, she walked out before he could answer. Fleur quickly rushed back into her apartment, she locked the door and dropped onto her sofa as every word she had just heard ringed in her ears.