AN: I apologized that this is a little short. I had put this on AO3 for a while and forgot to update it here as well. Hope you enjoy it.

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~NicoDiAngeloLover7

Harry had just finished the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament as he narrowly escaped death once more at Lord Voldemort's hand. Only one word escaped his lips as he used the portkey back to Hogwarts as the near hysterical boy cried that Voldemort was back, "Blaise." His body still burned with the aftereffects of agony from experiencing the Cruciatus Curse by the Dark Lord himself. It had been like scalding knives had pierced every inch of him as he let out a piercing scream with all awareness lost while in the graveyard. Exhaustion was wearing thin on the Hogwarts champion as his body momentarily jerked every so often and never realizing he lost feeling in his legs until he was caught in the arms of Blaise Zabini. No surprise that the young Zabini felt the slight jerks that everyone else missed. Blaise didn't miss the calculating glint in the headmaster's blue orbs as his arms wrapped around the Gryffindor's waist. The Slytherin received glares from the youngest Weasley boy as he helped the raven-haired boy to where the Potions Master was standing in the shadows. The Slytherin didn't miss the suspicious look in the Head of Slytherin's eyes as he whispered the word potions. With a flair of his cloak were they off towards the dungeon under a disillusionment charm. Harry didn't make a sound as he was led towards Professor Snape's office.

"He's suffered under the Cruciatus Curse; I noticed when his leg collapsed underneath him. His body has been jerking occasionally," Blaise whispered to his Head of House. The Potions Master questioned his student no further as he grasped a few vials out of his personal stores.

"Potter needs to take these potions, Blood-Replenishing and my own Restoration Potion. It will ease the effects of the unforgivable that he's suffered under. He needs to also apply this, it's Murtlap Essence. I have a Calming Draught and Dreamless Sleep Potion if he needs it," Snape instructed towards the Zabini heir. "I need an explanation why Potter appears to have suffered under the Cruciatus Curse."

Blaise had just convinced the Gryffindor to take the Blood-Replenishing potion before dapping Murtlap Essence on the knife wound Peter Pettigrew gave the boy. "He said he saw the rise of the Dark Lord. It appears they have used a Blood-Binding Ritual," Blaise gestured to the wound on Harry's forearm.

Severus Snape didn't deny Blaise's words as he had felt the burning of the Dark Mark. He watched as a white scar formed as the only evidence of the Blood Ritual. It was a surprise to see his student who tended to avoid all his peers, treat Dumbledore's golden boy with utmost affection. Watching as Blaise made sure to grasp the arm of the Potter not too tightly before giving him the Restoration Potion to battle the effects of the curse that remained. It appeared that the raven-haired Gryffindor had been exposed to the curse a prolonged time if his actions were anything to go by. Harry relaxed against Blaise after the potion had been administered as he had been helping him to stay upright on his feet. The Zabini heir handed Harry the remaining two vials as he downed the Calming Draught and pocketed the second in his torn robes. The Potions professor did a quick analysis spell over the Potter boy before dismissing them both from his office. Harry muttered an almost silent thank you before rushing after Blaise. Naturally he missed the shocked look on the professor. Severus was beginning to realize he was seeing more Lily than he did James in their son.

It was in the two boys' usual spot at the lake did they talk about its recent events as Ron refused to speak with him after seeing the Slytherin catch his best friend before he could crack open his head. Hermione had finally come around and politely spoke with the young Zabini. As the young Granger was a muggleborn she knew nothing about his mother which was the way the Slytherin wanted it. Why have another student be prejudice against him other than the fact he was a Slytherin, not if he could help it. Though he was never fond of mudbloods, he saw what the friendship meant to the young Potter. Though he made sure to be kept aware what he said around the two Gryffindors as a precaution for if something was to slip out unintentionally and offend the two fourth-years. Even though he made sure not to let something slip, he informed both of them not to be insulted if he accidentally called her a mudblood as it was unintentional. Blaise could see Harry's green orbs narrow at him as he studied his words as if calculating what he said was the truth or not. The raven-haired boy relaxed once Blaise reminded him he was no Draco or his goons that he kept for protection.

"The Ministry of Magic is starting to accuse me of making lies when the Minister gave me the winnings for the tournament when I told him that Voldemort's back," Harry said softly.

"Not many are going to be accepting of his return, Harry. There was a lot of fear from the first war and not many are keen to believe that those times are returning. Better to believe that their problems don't exist; I'd be careful what you say around them. They can be very spiteful against you and your friends," Blaise cautioned the two Gryffindors though it was aimed towards the Boy-Who-Lived mostly.

"You never really told me what happened at the graveyard," Blaise whispered after Hermione had left back towards the common room.

All Harry had informed Blaise since he took him to Snape's office was that the Triwizard Cup had been a portkey that Professor Moody bewitched, though his real alias was Barty Crouch Jr. A man who had been sentenced to Azkaban, yet the headmaster had caught him attempting to get in the Potions Master's personal stores for more Polyjuice Potion, had casted Incarcerous, a spell to bind an enemy with ropes. It was then that Veritaserum was administered before the Minister could get to him as he suffered the Dementor's Kiss. Blaise knew the story about Peter Pettigrew and the betrayal that led to his parents' death with the innocence of Sirius Black. At first the Slytherin had doubted his words about the mass murderer until he was shown some of the letters his godfather had wrote and the fact that Harry was willing to take Veritaserum to prove it. After the story he saw how the pieces fit, almost everyone had heard about the Marauders since his mother had attended Hogwarts at the time. Stories how the Black's son Sirius was disowned for being sorted into the house of Gryffindor and eventually living with his best mate, Harry's father. It was a tale that had never been heard by the young Gryffindor beside him.

"You already know about the Blood ritual which you explained to me earlier. But the blood he used from me was taken by force, used a bone of Voldemort's father, and flesh of a servant. Pettigrew cut off his hand for his cause which Voldemort eventually healed. He killed Cedric right before the ritual; I saw it with my own eyes. In the past he had never been able to touch me due to my mother's sacrifice, by touching my scar he took several drops of blood from me by force. Voldemort then made me duel him and you were right I had suffered under the Cruciatus Curse. I don't know for how long as I could only feel pain, but he did the curse twice. Before that he had summoned his Death Eaters, I managed to get back to Cedric's body before summoning the cup," Harry voice held a monotone before it broke when he mentioned the Hufflepuff that died before him and yet asked the raven-haired boy to bring his body back to his father.

No matter how much convincing Hermione tried, Ron still wouldn't come around speak to his friend since their first year. That if Harry wanted to be friends with a slimy snake then he wanted nothing to do with the boy. Harry didn't take the news very well when Hermione finally got the nerve to tell him outside the common room. Harry had been currently in his sanctuary with Blaise at the lake, a spot that was firmly reserved for the two of them. They had been caught there once before, after which the fellows students got used to the sight of seeing them together. It originally created an up rise that the golden boy of Gryffindor was associating with a Slytherin. The fire dead down after a few days after seeing them almost combined at the hip.

Blaise had never liked the young Weasley brother to begin with and the spite continued as he listened to the Gryffindor girl. Ron Weasley had appeared too greedy about Harry's wealth despite that Harry was uncomfortable with all the attention. The fame was an attribute that the Weasley boy appeared to lust after. It didn't settle right with him about his attitude towards the young Seeker. An opinion that followed with Ron's twin brothers which Blaise had been greatly amused by. It came no surprise to hear that the raven-haired boy coerced the twins to take the money for their joke shop. Relief came for the Slytherin when Hermione announced that she refused to speak to the young Weasley after his comment that if Harry decided to hang around Slytherin, might as well be a junior Death Eater like his friend. Not only did it draw the line for Hermione, but Harry as well with Blaise at his side. The only reason he didn't have the heart to curse him as he would sink into the accusation of Ron believing he was right.