- Finale -

There is freedom within, there is freedom without

Try to catch the deluge in a paper cup

There's a battle ahead, many battles are lost

But you'll never see the end of the road

While you're traveling with me

Hey now, hey now

Don't dream its over

Hey now, hey now

When the world comes in

They come, they come

To build a wall between us

We know they won't win

Don't Dream It's Over - Sixpence None the Richer

Marcus sat firmly underneath Harry in the Great Hall at the very end of the Gryffindor Table. Hugh and Adrian were across the table with Neville between them. Hermione and Viktor on the only free side. Ron was suddenly pretending as though they didn't exist.

No one dared to say anything against this arrangement. Harry was watching with curiosity as Neville blushed throughout the entire speech. He cast one glance at Hugh and the next at Adrian but nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary until the feast started and Marcus sent a kick to Hugh who cursed and slapped the table while flinching.

"Fuck! You arsehole!" Hugh growled.

"Stop it you prick," Marcus rumbled back.

"Fuck off, we can play with Gryffindors too you know!"

Neville's blush became even more severe and a few at the table who heard goggled at them. "I - I - it's alright."

"He likes it!" Adrian taunted snagging some rolls.

Harry simply stared and shook his head. "What is this, Adopt A Gryffindor?"

"Maybe," Adrian said silkily and nudged Neville. "Eat something, little one."

Neville blinked at him before finally realizing the feast had started.

"Yeah he needs all the energy he can get," Hugh teased causing Hermione to choke on her food and stifle a laugh.

Harry shook his head and Marcus scowled. If they become the cause of Harry's silent treatment, he'd kick their arse.

Neville grinned behind his roll at Harry who arched an eyebrow and sent him a questioning look. The blonde gave a sheepish nod and mouthed. "I don't mind."

That was fine, so long as Neville wanted the attention. He squeezed Marcus and shared his plate, considering the room was becoming rather limited.

By the time they all boarded the train Harry was so lost in thought he hardly paid attention to everyone clambering in the compartment around him. Instead, he sat against Marcus' side, he'd been restless last night, and he didn't understand why.

The dreams had been odd, of long and winding endless corridors each one the same as the other. It was like the hedge maze only without the trees and everywhere he turned had been a dead end.

"What's wrong with him?" Hugh asked nodding toward Harry.

Marcus glanced at his little beau and sighed. "Slept restlessly last night," he said tugging gently on the boy's pierced ear.

"Hm?" Harry met Marcus' stare.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine! I'm just thinking."

"Of?"

"The summer. I dread going back to the Dursleys," he said in disgust.

Hermione gave him a sympathetic look. "Perhaps you won't have to stay there too long."

"Hopefully, I don't want to imagine the hell I'm going to receive for what the twins pulled last year."

"What did they do?" Marcus asked.

"Dropped candy on the floor, my fat arse cousin went for it only to have his tongue engorged to the point of choking."

Adrian and Hugh burst out laughing and Hermione quirked her lip. Neville winced. "Those boys never stop huh? Like those Canary Crèmes."

Harry snickered as the blonde pinked at the memory. A thought suddenly occurred to him. "Oh!" The teen scrambled up and onto the seat and dug through his trunk. He pulled out a familiar velvet black bag. "I'll be back." He rushed out of the compartment leaving everyone stunned stupid.

Fifteen minutes later, he came back without the bag and grinned before plopping down in Marcus' arms.

"What was that Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I made a donation," Harry answered.

"Donation?" Adrian and Hugh asked.

Marcus' eyes widened. "That gold? Did you really give it to those twins?" He said realizing what Harry had done.

"Yep, what do I need it for? I feel shameful even taking the damn thing. So I gave it to someone who could really use it with the stipulation on getting Ron decent dress robes."

Marcus rolled his eyes; leave it to Harry to be kind to someone who didn't deserve it. That redhead needed to be smacked around a few times.

Hermione laughed. "Well, Mrs. Weasley will have enough to yell at."

Harry bobbed his head. "Keep her attention off me and Bill."

"Why Bill?" Hermione asked.

"He's in a ménage à trois and I'm thinking his mother does not like it."

Hermione gaped. "Are you serious?"

"He's one of them," Harry said good-naturedly.

She choked out more snickers. "Remus?!"

"Yes."

"Wow," she said in shock.

The rest of the ride was in relative silence. There were no visits from Draco and his friends, considering three aggressive Slytherins were a part of their company. Ron didn't show up at all and when Ginny came by to get Hermione, she glared at Harry.

The platform was bustling with loud parents and screaming children. Harry stepped off with Marcus and his friends. Ron brushed past him and didn't so much as look his way.

Mrs. Weasley frowned when she caught sight of him and his company. Mr. Weasley waved at him, obviously no tension between the patriarch. Harry waved back and then turned just in time to see Remus, Bill, and Romulus/Sirius.

Mrs. Weasley bustled over when she saw her son. "What are you doing here? I didn't expect you to come!"

Bill grinned. "Why not mum? I'm here to see to it that Harry has a half decent summer," he winked at Marcus and curled his arm around Harry drawing him closer.

The Slytherin said nothing, knowing very well what he was doing and he found it more amusing than not as Harry snuggled against Bill with a grin.

"I didn't know you were that close to Harry!" she said and shot Marcus a nasty look. "When did this happen?"

"When no one was looking, I was the one who changed his wardrobe, I was the one who dragged both the wolf and the cub with me and now I'm the one who has the pup standing behind me."

"I'm no pup!" Sirius growled but he had a glint in his eye as he weaseled Harry away from Bill for a hug.

Mrs. Weasley eyed him shrewdly. "You do know this isn't a joke? Remus? I am very surprised at you!"

"For what, Molly?" Remus asked in confusion as Harry wrapped his arm around his waist. "For living our life to the fullest, while we have the time?"

She goggled, completely speechless. Fred and George were grinning behind her. Mr. Weasley remained silent and pretended to pay no mind. Ron and Ginny were red-faced and embarrassed.

When Harry stepped back over to Marcus, Hermione squeaked and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "See you soon Harry!"

Mrs. Weasley shot Hermione a cool look, but the curly haired girl beamed and then turned to Marcus and to his utter surprise, she hugged him. "Bye Marcus."

Harry burst out laughing as the Slytherin stood there blinking in shock. No one but Harry had ever hugged him.
The girl blushed and brought her shoulders up in a sheepish gesture. He then smirked. "Goodbye Hermione," he said patting her on the head. It was the first time he'd ever said her name directly.

She did a very un-Hermione hoot much like a boy before spinning around and heading toward the Muggle world.

"Well, I better follow," Harry said solemnly. All the happiness he felt with Marcus truly accepting Hermione had dwindled.

Mrs. Weasley was still staring in shocked horror, mainly at the foreboding image of Marcus.

"Marcus?" Sirius addressed. "I believe you are with us?"

"I suppose," he said dubiously. He didn't like the idea of leaving Harry. He grabbed the boy possessively and practically lifted him off his feet. Sharply, he kissed Harry causing Mrs. Weasley to rear back and turn away right fast, but neither cared.

Harry moaned discreetly into him, everybody in the train station visually disappeared and all he could understand was the taste of Marcus' mouth. It was hard, hot, and desperate. The kiss told him more than words, his tongue slicing past Harry's useless defenses lapping and caressing until the world came back in full.

Bill was laughing; Remus was clipping Sirius over the head and those who were caught watching quickly turned away when Marcus snarled at them. Harry chuckled. "Well, I think I can make it through the summer with that goodbye note!" He stumbled slightly having forgotten his footing and kissed each of the three amused men on the cheek.

Adrian and Hugh said their quick goodbyes. To Marcus and Harry's surprise, Adrian hugged Harry while Hugh smirked and gave him a strange one-armed hug. It was awkward but Harry enjoyed it.

"Bye boys!"

As he disappeared from the wizarding world entirely, Harry's thoughts whirred around him, he knew that he had gained and lost friends. Most of the Weasleys he lost, namely Ron and Mrs. Weasley. He didn't know Ginny enough to count her as a part of it. It really did hurt more than Harry let on. Ron had been his first best friend. All the times the two had together and the redhead decided to let something like a Slytherin come between them. But there was nothing Harry could do about it. This wasn't Ron's life. It never would be. It was his life.

They were his choices and Marcus was his only choice and people could accept that or they could deny it. Whichever it was, Harry would live with it. It was their decision to allow prejudices to get in the way, not his.

Harry refused to let those judgments cloud his mind. Young he may be, but he wasn't stupid.

He headed toward the car park where he knew his relatives to be. Hedwig was fast asleep in her gold cage and he dreaded taking her back with him. She didn't deserve these people. He paused when he saw his Aunt Petunia standing with a huff, her nose up in the air. Dudley was next to her and if it were possible the great brute got bigger and not in a flattering way either. He was as short as Harry and he was like Crabbe or Goyle. The muscle he had was disgusting looking and his face looked even more ballooned.

Uncle Vernon was easily the crabbiest looking of the lot. He was glaring through beady eyes at Harry who slowly came toward them.

"Well boy? We haven't got all day!" He bit out sourly.

"Come back from that freak school, huh? Looking like a pansy," Dudley hissed as Harry piled everything in the boot.

"Better than looking like a slob," Harry drawled elegantly and slammed the door shut.

"What was that boy?!" Uncle Vernon demanded.

"You heard me, I called your son a slob."

"How dare you, freak!" Aunt Petunia screeched.

"Dare speak the truth?"

"You just wait till we get home boy!" Uncle Vernon snarled. "I've had it with you and you'll be punished for sure, criminal godfather or not!"

Dudley however wasn't laughing at his parent's treatment toward Harry, he was gawking at a figure. "M... mummy?"

Everyone turned and before Harry could realize that a shadow had crawled over them, Uncle Vernon was slammed against the hood of his silver car effectively denting it.

Aunt Petunia shrieked in terror and tried to cower behind her son who was shaking at the size of Marcus.

Harry smiled slyly and sauntered over.

"What was that I heard?" Marcus snarled. "You filthy disgusting Muggle, do you have any idea what will happen to you if you open your mouth again?"

Harry didn't touch Marcus to back off; he simply stood by the man with a calm expression.

"Who - a- are you?" He strangled out.

"You threaten what is mine? Do you know how many necks I've snapped because of threats? No, you wouldn't, you're a lowlife Muggle, and if you so much as lay a hand on Harry, I will kill you in the worst of ways. I don't need magic," he hissed viciously. "I'll first take your wife and then your son - and then when you're the last one left - I will take you and finish it. Don't doubt me fat arse. The last man to cross me was in a coma for three months, not even magic could fix him."

"Please, please! Stop!" Petunia sobbed.

"You treat Harry right or I will return and the outcome won't be pretty."

Dudley squeaked and spluttered an apology before hovering inside of the car, shaking so much that the car itself shook

Harry deciding it was best to intervene placed a hand on Marcus' bicep. Instantly, the Slytherin let go and took two steps back, arm curling around Harry as he did.

"See you soon, Marcus."

The red that filtered across his eyes cleared and he stared down at Harry with a softer expression. "You will." He gripped Harry's chin and kissed him goodbye for the second time.

He let go and shot the Dursleys another look. Uncle Vernon was panting and holding his neck. Apparently, the grip had been rather strong. Aunt Petunia was staring owlishly at the two and Harry cringed as he saw a rather - uhm - hungry look in Dudley's eye.

"Disgusting," Harry whispered.

Marcus snorted and opened the door for him. "I can't believe I'm letting you go."

"Not for long," Harry kissed his knuckles and slid into the seat next to his weirdo cousin.

"Definitely not." He slammed the door shut when Harry was completely inside.

He took a few steps back and grimaced as the car drove away. These feelings annoyed the living hell out of Marcus. He growled lowly and crossed his arms over his chest. That old man better have a damn good explanation for those lowlifes because if he didn't, they were dead.

If it weren't for the painful ache inside, Marcus would admit to himself that everything that happened since November was a dream. That he would wake up soon and find that he was staring back at Seth Flint, the man laughing at him as he thrust potion after potion into his hand, making him drink and hallucinate.

Marcus definitely had enough of those to know when things were real and fake. He shook his head and walked back toward men that were waiting on him. It wasn't a dream. It couldn't be.

It was simply too real and even if he was dreaming. He'd kill the person who woke him up.

Oh, my life is changing everyday,

In every possible way.

And oh, my dreams, it's never quite as it seems,

Never quite as it seems.

I know I've felt like this before, but now I'm feeling it even more,

Because it came from you.

And then I open up and see the person falling here is me,

A different way to be.

I want more impossible to ignore,

Impossible to ignore.

And they'll come true, impossible not to do,

Impossible not to do.

And now I tell you openly, you have my heart so don't hurt me.

You're what I couldn't find.

A totally amazing mind, so understanding and so kind;

You're everything to me.

Oh, my life,

Is changing every day,

In every possible way.

And oh, my dreams,

It's never quite as it seems,

'Cause you're a dream to me,

Dream to me.

Dreams - The Cranberries

*glomps Kamerreon with hugs and kisses* I luff her :) Okay now I nearly cried writing this! I hope the end meets expectations. I know people wanted the entire summer covered but I think it's best it ends on this note... I turned it over a few times and the push for the summer just doesn't work. Not with the flow of the chapters anyway. Anyway, thanks and I hope you enjoy this! Now onto other muses (laughs maniacally) (Sigh) I really don't have much of a life right now :)

Thanks to all the readers/reviewers/lurkers and the like :)