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The Dark Castle

Note: The DC will be in the background but it will be Harry-centered. Pairings: perhaps Harry/Snape or Harry/Draco? Both? Let me know what you think.

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CHAPTER 3

A week had passed since he'd met Damien at the hotel. Since then he'd been plenty busy. Damien kept their contact through a two way mirror Damien had obtained somehow. Harry spent hours of planning with Damien through said mirror. He had not bothered with the Dursleys and they left him alone mostly. He kept owling every three days and made sure he was spotted outside a few times a week so that they wouldn't get suspicious, should they not see him a day or two. Everything went according to plan so far. Damien had to restrain Harry's eagerness at times, Harry thought they proceeded too slowly. He wanted to increase their training so that he would be ready to claim the DC as his to rule. Whenever he brought that up Damien simply laughed at him, telling him he wasn't ready yet. So he kept on learning. Every day Damien told him of their culture, their ways and the lore of the DC. Harry learned to make a mental mind map, like a storing place to keep those facts. That way everything he ever needed to know was safely kept inside of his head, much like a database.

It wasn't easy. He had never been the one to study much and he was no prodigy. Perhaps he had once had potential but his elementary teachers soon took that away because of the Dursleys bullying. Yet Damien was patient with him, if he couldn't get it right Damien would start over from the beginning. He really was everything that Snape was not. With Snape he could barely remember a simple ingredient. With Damien he could remember more than he would during a whole year of study. Damien explained there were several different learning techniques and it was simply a matter of finding the right one suited for him.

Besides the mannerism of the Dark Castle and its inhabitants he learned about magical creatures, spells and tactics. Everything was purely theoretical. Damien said he didn't believe much in theory but it had to do until they could train for real. Once he went back to school it would be easier for them to meet up. Harry had never had any trouble sneaking around the ground before and he doubted he would get in any trouble this year. The only thing still concerning and slightly alarming him was that Damien expected him to learn the dark arts. The elf pointed out every palpable benefit it would give him, but still he hesitated. Ever since the first day he'd entered the magical world people had spoken ill of the dark arts and he had seen first handedly what they could do with a man. Voldemort and Snape was only a few glaringly obvious examples of that. Bellatrix another. People lost their minds over the dark arts. Hell, body parts went flying! Damien had tied to beat it into him that it would never happen to him. It was all about intent and something about how strong ones soul was. He wasn't sure he'd buy that argument but for the peace he didn't argue back. He simply asked Damien to wait with teaching him those parts.

Secretly he had an inner debate with himself whether to give it a try or not. Dumbledore seemed more inclined to believe in pureness and love. Damien on the other hand said love and pureness had nothing to do with it. It was all about will, and skills. Damien seemed to mix the meaning between souls and will, at least that's how Harry interpreted it. A part of him was scared to try it. Greater and better wizards than himself had fallen to the dark side. But then why did some people seem to be able to practice it and still keep their head above water? Surely one did not become wicked and evil simply from using it? Harry often felt his thoughts spinning in circles. At times he just wanted to give it a go and be over and done with it. Perhaps he should try it and then decide for himself.

"Knowledge is power Harry," Damien reminded him this particular day over the mirror. He had been told just that numerous times before.

He shook his head irritably. "I know. I just don't see why I need to learn about the old Wiccan laws. Surely nobody uses them anymore?!" he sighed while holding the mirror at arm's length in front of him.

Damien clicked with his tongue in disapproval.

"And just what do you believe it was you witnessed when Voldemort rose?" the elf asked. "It wasn't just dark magic. The ritual itself dates back to the Wiccan tide. The Wiccan magic I'm teaching you has nothing at all do to with that sad and foolish rubbish the non-magical people are playing around with." The elf shook his head. "I have never understood why anyone would believe poetic rhymes and some candle blowing would make a difference," he finished. Harry allowed himself to smile. Put like that it did seem foolish.

"Let them at it. It's not like they are harming anyone," he told Damien and the elf snorted.

"At least that much is true," the elf allowed gracefully. "Now let's continue. You have a long way to wander yet if you'd like to see the DC, and at the moment you are getting nowhere," he said in that particular blunt way of his. There truly was no beating around the bush with Damien he called it as he saw it, and that's all to it. Harry had learned during the last couple of days not to take offence by Damien's often blunt and sometimes hurtful words. He wasn't sure if all elves spoke the truth like that or if that was just a personal trait of Damien.

"So tell me what I have to do?" he said.

"You need to continue your studies of the world, and keep working on your mind palace. Once you get back at Hogwarts we will start the practical lessons," Damien reminded him and Harry nodded. He watched over the top of the mirror as a bird almost smashed into his window but managed so save itself at the very last second. He wondered if that perhaps could be an omen. Ridiculous, he decided.

"I will continue my studies," he promised. "I'm going back tonight, or rather early in the morning, remember?" he told the elf. Damien raised his eyebrows.

"I always remember what I'm told, unlike others," he said. Harry couldn't help but pull ha grimace. "Haha," he said sarcastically.

He could see Damien pacing since the background kept changing in the mirror.

"Now remember Harry, do not contact me until you are absolutely sure no one can overhear, also, do not fret should it take days to do so," Damien told him. Harry once again felt vaguely insulted.

"I do not fret," he spat. Only women fretted, damnit. Damien stopped his pacing and looked straight at him. "Sure you don't" the elf said unconvincingly before he began pacing again.

"I really don-" Harry began but Damien cut him off hurriedly and said; "I expect them to take you straight to the train station this time, in order to avoid any interceptions." Harry didn't need to be reminded of his last flight together with the order. He shuddered at the memory. "Why they never take you straight to Hogwarts I will never understand…" Damien muttered. "If I were to be head of security I would-"Damien stopped himself in what was sure to become a spectacular rant. "Never mind," he allowed. "What matters is that you follow their lead, and do nothing else! Promise me that," Damien said darkly and stared straight at Harry who nodded quickly.

"Certainly," he promised, well aware that his track record wasn't exactly spotless. Damien seemed satisfied with that.

"I will keep watch over you from afar but I will not intervene should it not be a matter of life and death." Harry nodded again. He expected no less. Damien was all for "though, Boohoo, get it right" it seemed.

"I get it," Harry told the elf and he really did understand what he had to do. Playtime was certainly over for him. He was entering a new chapter of his life and he needed to get it absolutely right this time.

"Break your word and you're out," Damien warned him before disappearing from the mirror and Harry only saw his own reflection staring back at him. He snorted out loud. It seemed Damien had a sense for the dramatics, not unlike a certain other Drama Queen he knew, not that he would ever tell Snape that to his face. He wasn't suicidal. With that last thought he decided to lay down for some shut-eye until the order would come and pick him up.

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The order arrived as planned.

"Wotcher Harry," Tonk greeted him and Harry managed a thin smile. He suppose it didn't look convincing but it was all he could muster at the moment. Some of his old anger came back when he stood there facing them in the he hallway. How dare they pretend like nothing had happened?! He fought hard to keep those feelings at bay.

"Hello Harry," a soft voice said behind Tonks. Remus was looking more haggard than ever. He seemed to have lost a lot of weight and he had dark bags underneath his eyes, telling the tale about several sleepless nights. Harry couldn't help but feel guilty when the man looked so bad while he did not. Perhaps he should look like Remus, grieve more than he'd already had. Was he in the wrong for moving past what happened? He wasn't over it yet, but he was getting there by focusing on the task at hand. What kind of personal hell was Remus currently going through? What did one say after what went down? Harry truly felt at loss.

"Hello Remus," he chose to say and hoped his eyes could convert all the feelings he had running though his head. He didn't know ether he succeeded or not but Remus mirrored his pale smile.

"We need to get going," another wizard said that he did not know. "Move quickly now before we are discovered!" Harry was ushered outside and was surprised when he saw a car parked up front. He had expected them to fly again. As if Remus could read his thoughts the man said firmly from behind him "We are not doing that again." Harry nodded as he was pushed inside the black car. This time he wasn't surprised when everyone followed behind him and yet there was still plenty of space to go around when they were all seated. He had been in a magically enlarged car before after all.

"Who's driving?" he asked Tonks who was seated next to him. Today Tonks wore pale green hair down to her shoulders. He wondered what that meant since she seemed to change hair color according to mood.

"It is better not to ask," the unknown man in front of him cut in and Harry felt rather annoyed with him. He was certain he'd never seen the man before. He was flabby, with a round face and a dark goatee and short black hair. His instincts told him not to trust this man. Was the order truly so desperate to recruit anyone to help them?

"Now now," Remus said in a calming voice "I believe Arthur is qualified to fly this automobile. He was an owner of one for several years after all," he continued softly. Remus always played the meddler between people. Perhaps it was a role much needed in his youth. Harry could imagine his own father and Sirius being a handful with their heated temperaments and together shit must have went down plenty of times.

Harry turned towards Remus. "Do you know where my friends are?" he asked and tried to flatten his hair, feeling self-conscious when he found everybody staring at him. He tried to ignore it much as he could.

Remus nodded. "I do. They will be joining you later. You can ask them questions when you see them. Just remember to not let anyone overhear you," he warned him. Harry nodded. He wasn't stupid, people sometimes seemed to think that about him.

"We'll be careful," He said instead. He had expected to feel more warmly towards his old acquaintances but he didn't. All of them were too strongly associated with Sirius. He could only feel pain and sadness looking at them. Maybe it wasn't right of him to shut them out but all he wanted to do was to get away from them. He, unknowingly to him, began to bounce his leg slightly in a nervous tick. This is torture, he thought. He suspected he'd have to sit with them for hours. Several minutes passed in awkward silence where everybody tried to avoid eye contact until he finally couldn't take it anymore.

"Do you mind if I sleep?" he asked and his voice although low seemed awfully loud in the car's backseat. "I really am tired," he felt unnecessarily forced to explain.

"Of course Harry, we'll keep a watchful eye. Keep your wand near and we'll wake you if needed," Remus said softly. Was it just him or did Remus look relieved? Harry felt something akin to hate well up inside of him. Lupin truly was a coward, not man enough to man up, be the adult and address the things between them huh? Things had seemed off since Sirius died, he suspected Remus blamed him for his friend's death. He couldn't very well argue with that, and the elephant in the room remained. In the next second Harry felt guilty. Of course he couldn't hate Remus, he just got frustrated with the man. This wasn't an easy situation and he hated it. The only way he saw out of it was to pretend to sleep. So he did.

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"Wake up Harry, we are here," Tonks said and shook him by the shoulder. Harry grunted out a greeting and yawned. His whole body felt stiff and his neck was aching. He was taken aback to see the sunlight streaming in though the car window. He sat up straighter. He remembered hearing bits and pieces of whispered quiet conversation, but had the whole night passed already? He hadn't even been that tired. His surprise must have shown because Tonks smiled at him.

"You're a deep sleeper Harry, you spent the whole night snoring in that seat!" she said and Harry felt his cheeks heating. He knew she was only teasing, no one had ever accused him of snoring before but he still felt embarrassed by it. There was only him and Tonks left inside the car. The others must be outside, making sure the coast was clear.

Harry looked out the window. "Where are we?" he asked as he tried to recover himself. If Tonks realized she didn't say.

"At Hogwarts of course, where else?!" she cried happily. Harry was truly surprised. He'd thought they'd escort him to the train station. "Come now, let's get out of this automobile, muggles, honestly!" she said and opened the car door. Of course she somehow managed to trip over herself and ungracefully fall out of the car. Remus came out of nowhere and quickly caught her, helping her to straighten up again. Now it was Tonks turn to have a heated face. Harry got out of the car more elegantly. In the corner of his eye he could see Remus' arms slightly lingering on Tonks shoulder and he wondered if there was something going on between them.

He took a deep breath and filled his lunges with clean fresh air. The air inside the car had been slightly stale. Since he was outside the car he could now see the castle in the distance. They were still on the grounds but near the lake. He supposed it must have something to do with the wards. He waited for the others to address him and tell him what to do next.

"Harry," Remus began once he had released Tonks and they had taken a prudent step away from each other. "Professor Snape will meet you at the gates. He will escort you to your common room," Remus told him. Harry pulled a face. Snape, great, he though.

"Now, I know there has been some bad blood between the two of you," Remus said and Harry fought hard not to roll his eyes. Biggest understatement ever! "But you really ought to give him a chance. Professor Snape is not the bad guy Harry," Remus lectured. Harry knew better than to argue so he simply nodded.

"Alright then," Remus said and cleared his throat, slightly awkward. "You must be on your way as we will be on ours." Harry pierced his green eyes on Remus amber ones.

"You're not coming with me?!" he asked incredulously. He had expected a hell of a lot more security. Remus shook his head.

"You are perfectly safe here on the grounds, but stay away from the forest!" he warned. Harry nodded none committedly. "I mean it Harry," Remus continued, using his sternest teaching voice.

"I promise," Harry lied with a straight face. He couldn't very well tell Remus he'd meet with Damien in said forest several times a week from now on. The forest was the only place to meet really. The magical plats and creatures caused a magical interference, making it impossible to determine magical signatures. They could not have asked for a better hiding place. While it would simply be idiotic to wander in there all by his lonesome he had been assured it was safe in the company of Damien, and he had come to trust that elf. They exchanged a few more awkward pleasantries before they parted. Harry felt very relieved as he had a few minutes to himself before he would met Snape. He didn't think he could take any more of that tension between Remus and himself. He felt powerless and didn't know how to make it right again so for now he tried to shake it off.

Harry was seated in the quiet common room up in the Gryffindor tower. He felt slightly unnerved by the silence. He wondered if anyone had ever seen it abandoned like this. His fellow students hadn't arrived yet. There was still an hour before the feast began so he needn't make his way down just yet. Meeting Snape had been a surprisingly quiet affair. The man had thrown a couple of insults at him, told him to be quiet and marched him up here and had then proceeded to dump his ass and tell him in a very rude manner, that he wasn't to be seen nor heard until the feast began. So here he was, waiting impatiently for the clock on the wall to tick faster.

"Bloody git," he muttered to himself as he thought of the man. There had been something slightly off about him. He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was but he was certain something was different. Of course Snape looked more tired than before, and possible he had gotten thinner but that was only natural since he had gotten back to the spying business. It's something else, Harry mused. It wasn't the clothes. The man looked as rigid and immaculate as ever. Hair's still greasy though, he though with a wry smile. Sarcasm in place, he decided. So what was it? Nothing was more annoying than unsolved puzzles. He was a curiously inclined person, always had been. Harry shook his head. He would just have to observe the man a bit further in order to find out what was going on. What worried him the most now was facing his friends again. The friends who hadn't told him anything about their summer, again. Don't fret, he could practically hear Damien's voice in his head telling him. "I'm not," he grumbled out loud and got up. He needed to move before he got stir crazy in this silence. Perhaps an inventory of the castle was in order before he faced his friends. And maybe, just maybe he would run into Snape and figure out what's so different about the man.

He had wandered down the halls aimlessly for about 20 minutes before something shiny caught his eye behind some drapes. He slowly made his way over and dramatically pulled the drapes apart. He snorted out loud. So much for dramatics. It was just a mirror, what he'd thought was something shiny was simply reflecting light. Nothing interesting nor mystical about it at all. He stilled and looked at his reflection. He supposed looked the same as before. Perhaps a bit older, a bit taller, his cheekbones were a bit sharper now. It's funny, he thought. He'd imagined he would look different somehow. He felt different. He raised his hand slowly and patted down his wild tangled hair. It was longer than before. He couldn't remember when he'd last cut it. His aunt couldn't be bothered with it this past summer. It didn't look bad, being longer. It looked a bit different but presented no big changes. It was still as unruly as ever much to his chagrin. He touched his lips with one long pale finger. His lips were soft. Instinctively his tongue came out to wet them. No, he wasn't bad looking he decided. Maybe he could invest in some new clothes and he would be considered well off in the looks department. He'd never considered himself vain, he'd never had much of an interest in clothes and such but he did realize he needed to step up his game if he wanted to be taken seriously and less spoken to as a teen. However, that didn't mean he would turn into a self-loving douche. He turned his back to the mirror and slowly started to drift down the hallway again. Yes, he would put that on his to- do -list.

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He stood on the second floor, watching the students arriving to the grounds. He estimated it would take at least another 30 minutes before Dumbledore officially opened the welcoming feast. He planned to stay away from his friends until then. He didn't want to take any chances with perhaps getting into an argument in front of the whole school, should he fail to keep his temper. Instead he pulled up his hood and slipped down to the dungeons unnoticed by the other students. He had no articulated plan laid out ahead of him, he just wanted to wander around unrecognized for a little while longer.

The dungeons was colder than the upper floors and he was thankful for his cloak. He never could understand why anyone would willingly live in the dungeons. It was dark, gloomy damp and frankly quite miserably down here. He supposed it fitted Snape well, with his snarky personality and overall misanthropic outlook at life. He passed a few portraits which were glaring at him. God this whole section needs an attitude adjustment, he though. Harry was almost outside of Snape's private chambers when a voice from behind stopped him.

"Hey!" the voice called out. "You there, with the hood! Who are you?" Harry closed his eyes for a second. He knew that voice and he had no desire what so ever to talk to said person. Harry tried to make himself emotionless like Damien and Snape both had tried to teach him, albeit with different teaching methods. He turned around slowly, making sure his hood was still covering his face with shadows. Draco Malfoy was standing a few feet away from him, with a look of concentration upon his pale face. Harry hadn't heard the blonde entering his hallway though a crossing one up ahead. He could hear water dripping from somewhere near, clearly running down the damp walls and pooling at the uneven stone floor. Malfoy took a step closer and looked closely at him. Oddly enough his goons were nowhere to be seen even though they were rarely seen parted otherwise. There was no other sound in the dungeon apart from the water dripping. Harry felt almost surreal, standing opposite of Malfoy. The candlelight's flames dancing upon the walls created the illusions of a glory behind Malfoys head and for a second he thought the blonde looked beautiful, almost like a medieval painting. He quickly pushed that thought away. He did not think a man to be beautiful!

"You must be new here," Draco finally said when Harry remained silent. Sometimes silence can be the greatest weapon, forcing the other part to speak and occasionally speak words not intended to be spoken. Draco took another step closer to him. Harry resisted the urge to take another one back.

Finally he could remain silent no more without it being weird. "Not at all," he said coldly to answer the question. Draco seemed taken aback and was thrown of his game for a second but he quickly recovered. He ran a hand though his hair and smiled cockily.

"Then you know I'm Draco Malfoy," he said with such self-importance that Harry wanted to smack him right in the middle of his perfect little face. They still stood with a couple of feet in marginal between them.

"I know who you are," he said truthfully, because come on! Surely he hadn't changed that much for his arch enemy not to recognize him any longer? Draco kept his smugness and smiled in satisfaction from being recognized.

"You do?" Draco said and took another step closer. "Perhaps we have some... common friends and goals then," said Draco meaningfully. Harry wasn't prepared for that. What could he possible say?

"I doubt that," he settled for and tried very hard to keep his voice even and emotionless. Without moving his head his eyes searched for some kind of an escape route. He really needed to get out of here before he wound up in a fight with Malfoy. Draco narrowed his eyes.

"What's your name?" Malfoy asked again and took several steps towards him, clearly intending to get close enough to rip off his hood and see for himself. Before Harry could take another step back a door swung open with a bang further down the corridor, making them both startle. Malfoy had instinctively stopped moving.

"Draco!" a voice called out sharply and they both immediately knew it was Snape. Said man came swooping down the hallway, his black robes billowing behind him like a classical movie vampire would. "Don't you have someplace else to be?" Snape said silkily to Malfoy when he came to a stop next to Harry. Harry suppressed a shudder from being in such a close proximate to Snape. Was he imagining things or had the air suddenly got colder?

Draco schooled his features in an emotionless mask, much like Snapes.

"I was just making new acquaintances sir," Draco responded. Snape just stared him down and Draco avoided his gaze and looked away, seemingly flustered.

"In that case…" Snape said and paused making Malfoys head shoot up and look into Snape's eyes as if the man had commanded it out loud; "I suggest you make your acquaintances elsewhere and during another time Mr Malfoy. The feast will begin shortly. Would be a shame for you to miss it," Snape finished in his deepest baritone. Malfoy didn't need it spelled out for him in any other way. He just nodded and took off. Harry relaxed his shoulders a bit when he saw Malfoys back getting further and further away. Only a second later did he realized it had been quiet for a second too long and he hastily looked up to see Snape studying him like an insect. He was certain the man was perfectly aware of who he was despite his hood. Nothing seemed to slip by Snape. It was as if he could smell people. Harry expected Snape to say something dramatic or take points, insult him or even shout at him but nothing happened. He found himself intimidated by Snape's stare and finally he could stand it no longer.

"That's it?" he asked in an almost whisper. He truly couldn't believe Snape didn't react at all. He felt like a mouse squirming before a cat. Snape raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking down at him from above. Despite being taller now he really had no chance with his 6' 2" against Snape's 6 ft 3¼.

"Finding you in places you shouldn't be comes as little surprise to me." The man replied just as quietly as he had. Before Harry could open his mouth Snape continued; "One could not be too careful of whom they speak to these days." With those cryptic words Snape turned on his heels and disappeared back to where he came from, leaving Harry standing there stunned. This is such a weird day, even for me, he thought. He walked down the hallway, with the intent of making it to the great hall. His own footsteps echoed down the stone corridor. Still there was no sight of anyone else. As he turned around the bend of the corridor he barely managed to hold back a shriek as something grabbed him and roughly shoved him up against the stone wall.

"What's your name?" Malfoy spat in his face and Harry felt himself relax slightly. He'd thought it was someone or something worse. Now when he knew whom he was up against he felt more secure. Snape's warning was still running though his ears but he decided to take a chance.

"The same as always, Draco," he said softly. Harry watched how Draco's grey eyes widened. He was shoved up against the wall again and the breath escaped him.

"You're lying!" Malfoy hissed at him, raising a somewhat shaking pale hand. Harry could tell Malfoy wasn't sure of himself even though he must have made the connections with his voice. The man before him was a hell of a lot stronger than he looked. He must have worked out over the summer. He didn't remember the blonde being so strong from earlier fights they'd been in. Perhaps he wasn't the only one changing. He stood stock still, letting Malfoy keep him in place with his bodyweight while the pale hand slowly lowered his hood. Malfoy looked stunned, and for an instant his grip went slack. Harry used that opportunity to get loose. He quickly put himself at a safe distance away from Malfoy.

"You've changed," Malfoy finally managed to get out. Harry tried to cover a wayward snort with a cough. He clearly hadn't fooled Malfoy who narrowed his eyes again. Harry was sure the blonde was desperately trying to figure out a way to use the situation to his advantage. He was doing the same thing after all. He had observed Malfoy enough throughout the years to have come to the conclusions that Malfoy was desperately trying to appease and gain his father's attention. Maybe, he could still be saved from Voldemort's clutches. Just maybe he could turn Malfoy, if not to their side so perhaps talk him into staying out of the upcoming battle. Harry hoped he wasn't wrong in his assumptions this time.

"How's it possible? You don't look like you used to" Malfoy said, clearly at a loss.

This time Harry did let a snort out. He pulled up his hood to cover his face again in case anyone else came by. He didn't need an audience. "Everyone changes as they grow," he replied softly. Draco didn't take that well. He reached for his wand but Harry didn't go for his. He wanted to avoid a fight at all costs. If being hexed was what it took to come to some sort of truce, then so be it.

"Why don't you insult me like you use to Potter?" said Draco coldly, pointing his wand directly at him. Harry shook his head and raised his hands in front of him to calm down the situation.

"Let's not go back to that," he told the blonde. "I'm tired of fighting with you. It's a bit childish, don't you think? Honestly Malfoy. We're adults now. That childish stage of ours is over," he tried to convince Malfoy. Perhaps talking was the way to go. Malfoy lowered his wand hesitantly.

"There's too much bad blood between us. We can never go back, not now," Malfoy told him though stiff lips. Harry noticed the blonde's hand shaking badly. He had observed Malfoy although last year and he knew the man was under lot of stress. Yet he knew Malfoy didn't want to serve Voldemort. Of that he was certain. He also didn't believe Malfoy was interested in joining the order. Malfoy had been misguided by his father ever since his birth. A few minutes of conversation would never erase those years but he'd be damned if he didn't try. Harry remained still against the wall.

"Maybe we can't go back but we could always move forward," he said in an attempt to come across as wise. "I have no interest in fighting you. You are not my enemy, Voldemort is," he told the slithering. Malfoy winced at the name and Harry's eyes involuntarily landed on Malfoys left arm. Had he already been marked? He didn't think so, not while in school. That would be foolish of the death eaters. "If you don't want my friendship that's fine. But we could at least stay civil. Think about it," Harry told the blonde and turned his back and stalked away. As suspected he wasn't hit by any spells as he left. This is just the beginning, he thought. I'll get Malfoy eventually.

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A/N So tell me. SS/HP or DM/HP, neither, both!?

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