Whisper

Chapter 10: Lost Heaven-Full Metal Alchemist



They rested some more a few hours later and Evans all but fought for the right to keep watch. Kid was still traumatized by the effect of the memory and refused to let go of both of his guardians’ hands. He was even curled up between them as he slept, almost on both of their laps.



“Just wake me if there’s trouble,” said Evans sternly.



“I promise,” said Draco. Evans settled beside him and a few minutes later fell asleep. Some time later his head fell onto Draco’s shoulder, making the older man blush.



‘Think about something else,’ he thought shaking his head. The motion caused Evans to groan and shift in his sleep. Draco sat rigid till the teenager was completely asleep again.



He reviewed what he had learned so far. How he wished he had a notebook and pen. He started to use Muggle office tools in his everyday work life so he wouldn’t have to dip a quill in an ink well every few seconds. So far he had confirmed that the curse was the Nightmare Curse, also called the Dementor’s Curse, and he had survived several of Potter’s most unpleasant memories. But these memories were just the first step, not exactly worthy of the Dementor’s Curse. Draco suspected that he would get to the worst later on.



Draco felt wetness on his shoulder and looked over to find Evans’ eyes tearing up. A small hiccup could be heard when Evans breathed. He was crying in his sleep. Draco remembered doing something of the same sort when he dreamt of being alone.



“Evans? Evans, wake up,” said Draco shaking the teenager. “James, wake up. You’re dreaming.”



Evans’ eyes shot open, a few tears leaked out as he opened them and turned to Draco.



“Sorry,” he said wiping his eyes. “Nightmare. Stupid thing to cry over, I know.”



“On the contrary. I still cry in my sleep sometimes as well,” said Draco.



“Harry hasn’t cried in over sixteen years.”



“You mean Potter hasn’t cried since he was seven?!”



Evans shrugged. “Harry didn’t think much of it. He had nothing to cry about. His parents died when he was a baby and his relatives ignored him if he did cry, or beat him. Somehow, when he was little, he managed to shut down his pain receptors from emotional pain.”



“Survival instinct,” said Draco nodding.



“He hadn’t cried since then, not even when Sirius and Dumbledore died.”



“He took in the pain.”



Evans nodded. They remained silent. Finally Draco went to sleep and had a nightmare as well. The Dark Lord glared down at him with blood red eyes. He saw his father in the corner of his eye and yelled for help as a wave of pain shot through his body. He screamed and cried as wave after wave of fiery pain burned through his nerves, unable to move. In the distance he heard a voice calling him.



“-co! Draco, wake up. It’s all right.”



“Mother,” he said on the border of consciousness, blinking his eyes to clear them.



“You wish,” said the voice and Draco turned to find Evans and Kid looking at down at him worriedly, through Evans did have a slight smirk on his face. “Nightmare again?”



“What else do you dream about in this god-forsaken place,” snapped Draco getting up. “No offense.”



Evans chuckled and even Kid managed a giggle. “None taken.”



Draco frowned thoughtfully. “Did you call me ‘Draco’?”



Evans looked away, but not before Draco saw the blush on his face. “Well, you called me ‘James’.”



Draco smirked. “Does that mean we’re on a first name basis now?”



Evan’s shrugged. “If you are.”



Draco smiled at Evans, no, James, and held out his hand on impulse. James looked at him in surprise before reaching up and grasping it.



“Hi, I’m James Evans,” he said.



“Draco Malfoy.”



Kid squealed, which startled the two and grasped both their hands. James and Draco had to laugh at that. Draco picked Kid up and placed him on his back and James led them out of the room. They barely had gone up two levels when they felt the cold air. They were standing on the stair way, James carrying Kid and Draco behind them. Both looked around as Kid whimpered in James’ shoulder.



“Where’s it coming from,” asked Draco.



“I don’t know,” said James.



Both men looked around the corridor to try and find out where the Dementors were. Draco knew when he heard the wheezing sound of the Dementor’s breathing.



“They’re in front of us,” He yelled and started to run down. James followed behind. Draco managed to get a flight and a half down before he heard a yell and looked up to see James stuck in the sink step. Kid was trying to tug the older ego out.



“James,” he yelled and ran back.



“No, go,” yelled James. “Take Kid and go!”



“But what about you?”



“I’ll be fine. Go!”



Draco shook his head. He wasn’t going to abandon someone who needed him. Running back up the steps he grabbed James’ hand and pulled, bracing himself on a step.



“What the hell are you doing?!” yelled James.



“Saving your life! Now shut up and help me get you out!”



Jams looked to protest again if not a second pair of hands joined Draco’s both looked over to see Kid holding James’ arm by the wrists. The boy had a frightened yet determined look on his face.



“You may not give a shit about me,” said Draco glaring at the younger boy, “but you do care about Kid and I doubt you would leave him alone after I’m gone. Now help me. Hurry, they’re coming.”



James’ look defiantly at Draco, but still set his foot on the lower step. Draco and Kid pulled as James’ push till James’ arms popped, but finally they pulled James out of the sink step. The action had an unfortunate side effect. As soon as James was pulled out of the step all three tumbled down the stairs. Draco landed first on his back, James landed on Draco and Kid landed on both of them.



“Kid, get off me,” said James.



“James, your knee is in my liver,” said Draco.



“Ow! Draco, you kicked me!”



“Where?



“Private. Get off me!”



“You’re on me!”



Kid had gotten off them by then but his baggy pant legs unrolled and he tripped over them, falling back down. He landed on James who landed right on Draco. Both cracked their heads together painfully and held their foreheads. When Draco opened his eyes he looked up into the most brilliant green eyes he’d ever seen. What made it worst was that James was looking back with the same look Draco had on his face. Both had blushed, surprised looks on their faces.



Draco felt a tugging and looked up to see Kid with Draco’s robe sleeve in his hands, looking frightened at the stair case. Draco looked toward the stairs and saw the robes of a Dementor float into view.



“Move,” he yelled picking Kid up and grabbing James’ hand. He led them toward the Charms classroom.



“No,” yelled James tugging away. “Draco, you don’t want to go in there!”



“It’s either there or a Dementor’s gullet! Come on!” And he pulled James inside. Draco no sooner closed the door when the memory overwhelmed him.



(He laughed as his fiancée finished the joke she told. She laughed along with him, her vibrant red hair like fire in the light from the fireplace. Her bright hazel eyes shone as she looked at him. He had never loved her more then at that moment. She was his fiancée, his lover, friend, and confidant. He revealed to her secrets he hadn’t revealed to anyone else. When he told her that he was interested in both men and women she questioned him thoroughly till she was satisfied, and even then watched him like a hawk for months around men. It took him a few months before he told his friends. One was ecstatic that he told them, the other was nervous for weeks afterward. Only when he reassured his best friend that he had no interest in the red-head man from the beginning that his friend calmed down. Since then it was like old times.



“I’ll make some tea,” she said, kissing him, then getting up and went to the kitchen. “So how’s Ron? I haven’t seen him since he started working at Wheezes.”



“He’s doing all right,” he said. “He’s still studying for the Auror entrance exams.”



“I heard Amelia Bones would let you in without the exams.” She grinned around the door. “But I know you won’t.”



“I hope not. I don’t want any special treatment.”



“Harry, you’re Harry Potter. You’re going to get special treatment all your life.”



“Which is why I have you , and Ron and Hermione, and the rest of my friends.”



“Especially me.”



“Especially you.”



The next few moments were a deafening blur. He was thrown across the room by a thunderous explosion and he heard his fiancée’s agonizing scream. All he could hear was a ringing and his head was dizzy. He shook his head to clear it and he felt the heat around him. He looked around to see the fire spread to the living room.



“Ginny? Ginny?!”



“Master Potter, sir,” yelled a wrinkled house-elf. “Master Potter must leave.” The elf clutched a necklace around his neck like a life line.



“Not without Ginny!” And he ran into the inferno. “Go get Ron!”



He cast a Bubble Head Charm to keep his air clean and tried to put out the fire as he ran toward his fiancée. He found her on the floor, her robes severely burnt and her hair still on fire. He quickly put out the flames around her and turned her over. One side of her face was severely burn and ash clung to her. What scared him was that she appeared to not be breathing. He felt her neck for a pulse and his breathe caught when he couldn’t find one.



“Ginny? Ginny?! GINNY!!”



“Don’t bother with her, Potter,” said a voice. “If she was a true pure-blood she would have dodged the curse before the blast.”



He looked up and through the fire and smoke he saw a sheer of silvery blonde hair.



“Malfoy? Why?”



“If you’re thinking of my son then you have the wrong member of the family. As to why, your victory felled my family. We are registered as traitors. We’re ridiculed everywhere we go. And it’s your entire fault!”



“Lucius? It wasn’t my fault. You’re the one who chose the wrong side.”



“You’ve disgraced me and now you’ll pay for it!” And then he was thrown across the room and he blacked out.)



Draco come out of the vision with a gasp and staggered away. A whimper caught his attention and looked over to see Kid cowering in a corner. A short way away James sat against the wall, head down and arms propped on his knees.



“Ron arrived a few minutes after with Damage Control wizards,” he said. “But it was too late. We was gone and Ginny….Ginny was dead.” Jams held his head in his hands. Draco could tell he was trying not to cry, and it was working. Draco didn’t see one tear in the teenager’s eyes. “He kidnapped us, and tortured us.”



“Why?” asked Draco. “Why would he do it?”



“Because he was deranged!” yelled James, eyes flashing with anger as glared at Draco. “He blames us for his problems, through we tried to help your family. We tried to get your family back into status and Lucius blamed us!”



“What makes you thing we need your help,” yelled back Draco. “We would have gotten back into place on our own! Who ever said we needed your help?!”



“Because it was our fault!” yelled James, jumping to his feet. “You remember the ending of the war. Muggle-borns wanted the pure-bloods to be hung on the streets of Diagon Alley. Some even fought back! People were hurt, and when questioned they said it was for Harry Potter. To protect Harry Potter. It was our fault, and Lucius had every right to be mad, but the way he went about it was wrong, and that’s why Harry pressed charges.”



“That’s why father has a life sentence in Azkaban,” asked Draco, his anger now abated. It would make sense. Kidnap the Savior of the wizarding world and you’d instantly go to jail.



“Not just that,” said James, sitting on a chair.



“Oh, of course. Kidnapping was bad enough. Intent to kill is even better.”



“It’s not funny, Malfoy,” said James, reverting back to last name basis. “It’s worse then you think. He scarred Harry. For life.”



“What do you mean,” asked Draco, intent on getting answers.



James’ eyes narrowed and he glared at Draco, as if daring him to continue with the questioning.



“It’s nothing,” he said.



But Draco wasn’t fazed by the glare. He had faced a lot worse during the war.



“Tell me, Evans.”



“Leave it alone.” James had gotten up and started walking around the room. Draco could tell he was trying to keep his anger in check, but Draco was as stubborn as James, or Potter.



“I have the right to know….”



“Shut up, Malfoy!” And James slammed his fist on a desk in anger. The old wood bent with an audible crack and splinters dug into James’ hand. Draco jumped back, but not from the yell, but from the powerful blast of anger that was directed at him. If he didn’t know better he swore there was magic behind the blow.



Draco looked at the teenager and saw James blink away the tears that threatened to flow. Whatever had happened to Potter, it had scared not only the adult, but teenager and child as well. Kid, only whimpered when he was scared, James was trying to be strong for Kid, and Potter, he refused to cry. All three were different versions of Potter. Different stages in his life. Child, teenager, and adult.



“You told me you didn’t cry as a boy, I understand that, but why won’t you cry now?



“I told you. I haven’t cried in so long I’ve forgotten how.”



“That’s not the reason. Tell the truth.”



“That is the truth.”



“No it’s not.” Both were silent till Draco sighed. “I’m here to help, all right. Tell me what’s wrong and I’ll help.”



James glared before answering. “Crying just gets you nowhere. Crying is for children who want to be held and told everything will be all right. But everything’s never all right.”



“That’s your uncle talking,” said Draco with a smirk.



“It’s the truth!” yelled James.



All Draco could do was smirk. “And the truth shall set you free.” His smirk turned into a disapproving frown. “But you’ll have to cry sometime. It isn’t wrong to not cry, young or old. It’s a way to relieve pain and show happiness. It isn’t a burden. It’s a gift. It’ll hurt at first, but you’ll feel better in the end.”



James scoffed. “Saved your psycho babble for someone who cares.”



Draco’s smirk returned. “I thought I just did.”



To Be Continued