Only You Can Set Me Free

Oh, there are people who still read this. Though I no longer ask for them, I really do love getting reviews and comments, so…. *Eyes go all anime sparkly* Thank you so much! I admit that I do enjoy just getting those hits, but you reviewers make me writing this story worth wild. So, without further ado, on with the next chapter…

Authors Note: Ooops, Have to account for a few comments and questions posed by a few reviewers, I hope I can do it adequately for my great reviewers.

HazelWolf: Harry does not really know yet of the phoenix’s ability to get to places quicker by fire transportation. Though trust me, he will find out pretty soon, because the phoenix is a great deal easier to get a hold of, seeing as how he has two. I am pretty sure it will make things for the young man more convenient, seeing as how he has to take his broom around and keep track of it, making sure it does not get trashed, so on. Yet, I am sure he does not mind the broom for now, his real god father was the one that had gotten it for him in his third year… and he does love flying on that broom of his, ha ha… Oh, and as for dom Harry… hmmm…. ;-}

Lady Bahiya: Well, yes, I suppose Harry using Remus’s surname considering their family like status is a bit unorthodox, but in the few chapters he did refer to him as such, it was purely out of habit, just cutting out the professor part. Now, that he feels a bit hostile toward the man that so easily took his pride and freedom, he does it as a sign of indifference toward the older man. He is hurting and turns a cold shoulder to his adopted god father, who unwillingly caused the young man a great deal of embarrassment and pain. Hope that helps ^_^

Darkshadowarchfiend: Aww, I am not mean… I just love me some cliffies… *pouts* sorry... he he… Well, I can assure you Ron has something coming to him, no worries on that. Hmm, I think it is Lucius, I hardly know how to spell half their names… O_o

Ding: Hmm, well, I know, ha ha, urinating on Harry was a bit gross, but Lupin felt he had to mark his territory/ property… Ron is a prat in this story, and he really will get what he deserves…

Oh, and of course, thanks to Dragonqueen, Loveless, and Debbie. I am really glad you are enjoying the story.

Chapter 19
Harry to The Rescue… AGAIN!

The clouds seemed to pose more of a dilemma than Harry had initially anticipated. It was now three in the afternoon and he knew he was still quite a while from arriving at Hogwarts. Fawkes still flew near enough for the young man to see his crimson plumage. Harry mentally cursed the thick clouds’ existence as he leaned forward on his broom and sped up a bit.

‘Temper temper Harry, no need to use such vulgar language,’ the phoenix chastised, looking slightly abashed. Harry grinned as he squinted to see before him as the wind whipped at his face harshly.

‘Sorry about that, I forgot that you used to spend so much time with Dumbledore. I am guessing he never said one swear word in his entire life.’ The large bird admitted as much with a quick nod, sending Harry into a genuine fit of laughter.

‘I fail to see what is so humorous…’ Harry quieted down just long enough to make a liar out of the large bird.

‘I seem to recall a great deal of occasions before our pensieve visits where I would stand before his door and hear him screaming in ecstasy…’ Fawkes looked back at the boy nervously. The deer caught in the headlights look the bird exhibited was quite amusing.

‘Surely you are m-mistaken Harry… Dumbledore took his duty quite seriously. He would n-never partake in such activities to curb his carnal pleasures…’ Harry snickered as loud as he could in order to be heard, since when did the bird trip over his words? The magnificent bird knew he had been caught in his lie.

‘Oh Fawkes, you are not a very good liar. You have to learn to relax a bit and not be so uppity. I remember an occasion near the beginning of our lessons…” Fawkes’ beak fell open as he too remembered the occasion Harry talked of. ‘I had come up late and heard a really weird sound coming from his office. Upon leaning closer, I was all too sure of what our headmaster was doing. Who knew a man of his age could bellow so darn loud?’

‘Or a woman, for that matter…’ Fawkes mentally muttered. Harry smiled uneasily.

‘I could not look at Professor Trelawny the same after that…’ Harry shuddered at the memory of the woman’s unmistakable voice and high pitched screams of pleasure. He cringed now as he had when he had those many months ago, stumbling from the door and practically flying down the rotating stairs.

Harry, being so caught up in his mental conversation with the flustered bird, had forgotten about his rush to return to Hogwarts and his mate. Yet the talk had seemed to serve as a speed booster for the long journey. His attention was caught by one of the large school towers. Whooping in joy, Harry leaned forward enough to bring the front of his broom pointing downward, towards the increasingly large form that was the ground. Fawkes mimicked the boys’ action and performed his own elegant dive.

The wind whistled in his ears as he plummeted toward earth. Not caring one bit about the tears that fell from his eyes or the stinging whip of the wind, Harry smiled joyously at the thought of returning to his mate. He quickly jerked his broom upward and to a halt as he was not five feet from the ground. Hovering on his broom momentarily, the young man scanned his surroundings.

‘Good to be home.’ Looking at his wrist, Harry’s eyes watered happily. He looked upon his and his mate’s shared mark, the mark bonding them as true life mates. If Draco accepted him now, after his absence, was what brought a frown to the scar bearer’s face. He could not help but feel a nagging suspicion that his mate was in some kind of trouble. He knew he had to find the blond to make sure all was well.

Fawkes came to a halt near the boy, looking longingly at the tower in which his companions’ portrait hung.

‘Go on pal; go tell Dumbledore we will be here for a while. Brief him on our latest mission; I will catch up with you in a few hours so we can get another horcrux.’

Fawkes nodded and flew off to catch up with his dear old friend.

“Man, I feel like I am still in DA,”Harry thought amusedly, he flew slowly to the front of the school, landing upon the steps leading to the large front doors. Dismounting quickly, Harry ran up the stairs and at full speed toward the huge metal threshold. Practically panting in extreme joy, Harry threw himself at the door with all his might, expecting the door to fly open easily. Boy was he wrong.

He crashed into the large door with a huge thud, only to fly back a few feet, landing on the floor butt first. His eyes squeezed shut in pain as both his rump and arm throbbed painfully. Slowly getting up, Harry rubbed at his tender backside. Frantic chirping came from his pocket; he softly ran his hand over the worried Helios, quieting the baby bird momentarily. Seething, he kicked the door, automatically regretting the action when a sharp sting ran up his foot and leg. His broom flew from his hand and skidded away.

“Fucking door,” Harry ground out as tears welled up in his hazel eyes. He felt pretty stupid hopping up and down on one leg and yelling at the front door of the school.

Suddenly, he heard laughter and turned sharply, throwing on a cool, calm face.

“Will you be needing a little help there Harry?” The girl giggled, throwing her golden blond hair over her shoulder prettily. She held Harry’s fallen broom over her shoulder. Harry smiled and rubbed his sore bum once more.

“Luna, a pleasure running into you here my dear girl,” walking over to her, he grabbed her hand; leaned over it and gave the outstretched appendage a gallant kiss. Luna laughed at the boys’ uncharacteristic attitude.

“Why Sir Harry, you honor me,” she curtsied as Harry grinned at her.

“You saved me the embarrassment of yelling at an inanimate object in front of a good many people.” Luna giggled again and pulled the door open. Looking over her shoulder, she raised an eyebrow at the dark boy.

“Seven years and you still do not know to pull the front doors open, not push?” Harry blushed slightly and walked through the open door.

“I knew that all along… I was just, um, joking around…” Luna rolled her eyes and followed the boy into the main hall.

“Hey, you wouldn’t have happened to see Draco around, have you?” Luna thought quickly and shook her head.

“A bit earlier, he was looking for you this morning. I heard he got detention from McGonagall about mouthing off. Yet, I have not seen him since… Did you need something?” Luna smiled coyly at her friend, knowing exactly why Harry wanted to find the cute blond.

“Well, no, not really, I just really need to find him, that’s all. Hey, what were you doing out there at this hour anyway?” He looked down at his watch.

“Harry, it is only 4:38, it is still light out. I was just asking professor Hagrid about his sighting of a black unicorn, really rare, they are…” Luna smiled as the boy sighed at her antics.

“Luna, you seem to really love these weird creatures… Anyway, I really have to find Drake, at the moment. Catch up with you later, before my next journey.” Harry immediately bit his tongue, silently cursing his big mouth.

“Where are you going?” Luna was very inquisitive, Harry thought, smilingly.

“I have to find a few objects that will help me defeat Voldemort. I will be taking Draco and another with me on the quest.”

Luna blinked and smiled shyly.

“Can I come along too? I would love to be of help to you.”

“Well… It is a dangerous mission, not fit for women. Besides, it would mean missing school,” Harry finished quickly, wanting to search for his mate as quickly as possible.

Luna frowned.

“I went with you to the Department of Mysteries a few years back, to help you fight Voldemort… I was a woman back then as well if I recall correctly. I want to go now! Besides, I can miss a few weeks of school if it means helping save the wizard and muggle worlds.”

Harry sighed heavily.

“As you might recall, I did not even want you all to go then. This is different, I really have to go Luna, I will talk to you later!”

“No, now! I am going this time as I did last. I can be of help!” Harry sweated uneasily and thought of Draco again. He knew he would not win against this strong willed girl.

‘She does not even know of my condition, or the pack, nothing! I am loath to even think this… but she would be a good ally, as she was before, and the more help the better… If I want to start a pack and be leader, I will need to learn to protect and watch over a few people…’

“You can come, but there are things that you need to know.”

Luna smiled at her victory and stepped aside.

“Tell me when you can, you may go and look for your boyfriend-… Draco now.” Harry smirked at her and turned, running up the stairs leading to the Gryffindor common room.

^(~_~)^(~_~)^(~_~)^

Snape shuffled his parchments solemnly as his irritated lover stalked the head master’s office. Lupin paced to the window, believing he heard a fluttering of wings once more, this time it was just the wind blowing past and playing tricks with him. Fawkes had shown up out of nowhere just minutes earlier, landing beside a happy looking Dumbledore.

“Where could he be Severus? We have turned this place upside down and still, we have seen neither hide nor hair of Harry. I could not bring myself to ask anyone of his friends, they would worry. Draco would not even look at me when I asked of Harry’s disappearance when I confronted him as he and Hagrid prepared to enter the forest for their detention…”

“He must be off on that broom of his, blowing off steam after what happened last night. I am sure Draco will come around, he just needs some time to get used to this situation…” Lupin looked at his dark lover in complete sorrow. He had never meant to hurt Harry in any way.

Snape sighed and stood up, walking to his distraught werewolf and love. He wrapped his long arms around the shorter man and placed his chin on his lovers’ sandy golden locks. Inhaling his lovers’ scent, Snape smiled against the others’ head.

A sharp slamming sound called their attention to the swinging door and a very angry looking Harry.

The shorter man smiled and broke free from the potion master’s grip, striding over to the young man. Snape smiled too, yet stood back to let the two talk things out.

“Harry, I am so glad to see you-…” Remus finally noticed the boys’ angry frown and heard the boy growl threateningly. The alpha, slightly put off, glowered at the young man and growled in response, his wolf instinct taking over.

“Where is Draco? What did you do to him? Get rid of him because he is my mate, and not worthy of your highness??” Harry stared up at the startled headmaster in extreme anger. For his part, Remus was extremely confused and annoyed by the youths’ biting tone.

Growling, Remus walked up to the seething boy in a dominating fashion. The older mans’ eyes fixed on Harry, he growled at the dark boys’ insubordinate behavior.

Harry’s submissive instincts were beginning to take over, and the boy faltered slightly. Whimpering slightly, the hazel eyed boy, who stood at the same height as his leader, began to crouch, a subordinate mannerism.

‘What the hell am I doing? He can not control me like this, I said I would take control of my own life. I will not take this.’ Shaking his head, Harry stood tall and growled at the headmaster, hazel eyes locked with golden defiantly. Snape looked between the men a bit anxiously.

“Harry, stand down, I don’t want to hurt you…’ Remus, feeling very conflicted and pained by his wolf’s attitude toward his ‘godson’, did not know how to react to Harry’s attitude.

“I want to break from your pack. I want to be the leader of my own pack, for I will not try to overthrow you in yours. I will take Drake and Sirius into my pack.” Harry turned sharply when he heard none other than Sirius calling for his attention by clearing his throat. Confused, Harry walked to the liquid mirror and nodded for his godfather to continue.

“I don’t want to join your pack Harry, I can not join you. I will not choose sides here; I would have loved to be in a pack consisting of all of us. Seeing as how that does not seem to be the case anymore, I will not join either… Draco is serving detention with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest; you had better go get him…” Sirius faded from the mirror, leaving a startled Remus, a shocked Snape and a wide eyed Harry.

Tears falling down his cheeks, Harry quickly strode from the room to find his mate. Lupin fell weakly into a nearby chair, his mate wearily sitting on the arm rest of the chair, soothingly stroking his lovers’ back.

“I guess it is just you and me now Remus,” the marauder formerly know as Moony nodded slowly before sobbing in anguish.

{O.o}! {O.o}! {O.o}! {O.o}

“Alrigh’ there Draco?”

Draco heaved an aggravated sigh as he scraped some more fire newt droppings from the creatures’ cages. Shoveling the steaming droppings, the grey eyed boy mentally cursed the half giant.

“Just brilliant… No good bloody oaf…’ Draco finished his biting retort in a whisper. He straightened from kneeling on the soft earth and dusted his school pants with finicky swipes.

‘I could kill that uppity bitch McGonagall, then this bloody giant.’ Draco walked over to the large man; bucket in hand, to have the droppings inspected.

“Righ’ good batch there. These here droppings are grea’ for fire burn treatment potions. Poppy asked me to gather ‘er up some.” Draco rolled his eyes and shifted slightly from foot to foot.

“Yes, very amusing, can we get on to the next task? The sun is setting and I would love to shower and sleep after wallowing in filth all evening. Not that it is not a fit job for some of us that love to bathe in droppings…’ Hagrid scratched at his bushy head and grunted in embarrassment.

“Righ’ then, follow me. We got to go further in to the fores’ to see about a black unicorn.” Thinking for a moment, the large man smiled sheepishly and patted the young man on the back, sending the blond sprawling onto the floor. Blushing slightly, Hagrid pulled the cursing boy to his feet and tried to dust him off. Draco swatted at the giant’s hands and dusted himself off.

“I was jus’ going to tell you that I soul’ probably bring a weapon alon’, a lo’ of creatures in ther’ aren’t too happy with me at the mo’.” Draco froze in terror as he recalled the last time he was in the forest with the giant and Potter. He remembered almost pissing himself in fear. Hagrid seemed to notice the young man’s distress and set to reassure him.

“No problem, I won’ let any of those animals mess wit’ you.” Far from being assured, Draco sagged and committed himself to having to face whatever lay before him as he entered the gloomy forest once again. Hagrid nodded and headed off to his little shack to get his bow and arrows. Walking into the forest slowly, yet keeping an eye on the shack, Draco felt extremely vulnerable.

Rustling drew Draco’s attention as he swung toward the sound, wand at the ready. A ferret emerged from a nearby bush, scurrying toward the blond.

“Just had to be a ferret, didn’t it? Beat it you little nuisance.” Draco kicked at the little animal; it looked at him momentarily then continued to prance around the angry boy. Pulling his wand forward, Draco seriously considered throwing a curse at the little beast.

“Beat it you little…”

“Expelliarmus!”

Draco’s wand flew from his hand and he jerked to the left to see a smiling Ron. The ferret ran into the forest.

“Draco Malfoy, a pleasure running into you here.” Ron looked around, assuring their privacy. The blond raised an eyebrow in cool indifference, inside, he was rather worried.

“What do you want Weasley?” Draco looked over at Hagrid’s shack, panicking at how close the boy with the wand was to him. He was defenseless.

Noticing the blonde’s wandering gaze, Ron smiled at the other boy.

“Hagrid won’t be coming out for a while. I have Hermione is distracting him. Stupid girl is good for some things at least.” Draco’s mouth gaped open in surprise.

‘Thought that they were in together…’

“Now, I can take care of you once and for all. With compliments from my master…”

Draco’s eyes widened in confusion and fear. What master?

Ron stared at the startled boy for a minute or two to add suspence. The wind blew around them wildly. Finally, Ron raised his wand to the blond’s heart.

“Avada…-“

“PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!”

Ron froze and fell to the floor, stiff as a board. Draco sighed in relief as he fell to his knees. Looking up at his rescuer, his jaw stiffened.

Hermione held her hand out to help the boy up. He haltingly took the offered appendage and stood up, a bit shakily.

“Oh Draco, I am so sorry, I did not know he would go so far. He is so different, more vindictive; I did not know he would stoop so low as to commit murder.” Tears spilled from her brown eyes. Draco sensed that she was the submissive in her relationship with the red head.

“I could not stand to let him do anything to you. I came as soon as I could. He wanted me to stall Hagrid, but I could not let him hurt you, I am so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?”

Draco sighed and nodded slightly. He knew she was not to blame for the acts of hate he had suffered from the red head.

“Get away from him!”

Both turned in surprise to see an angry Harry bounding toward them. The dark boy, upon reaching his mate and the book worm, grabbed Draco into his arms and snarled at the bushy haired girl.

“Potter, I am fine… Let go! Mudbl-… Hermione saved my life.Weasley was going to use the killing curse on me but she ran up and saved me.” Harry’s eyes cooled down slightly as he looked at the girl wearily. He hugged his mate close to him comfortingly, Hermione looked on in silence.

‘I knew he had feelings for him…’ She smiled slightly.

“Thank you Hermione.” Harry was beyond embarrassed at having made a scene, even if his mate was safe. He eyed the girl critically and determined that she would do no harm to his mate. He looked upon the fallen form of his ex best friend and sighed in relief.

Upon hearing Ron’s murmured voice when entering the forest, Harry panicked. He knew Draco was in the forest as part of his detention, and Ron would probably take advantage of Harry’s absence and attack Draco. He ran as fast as he could toward the voices, arriving just as Hermione pulled Draco up. His protective instincts kicked in and he jumped in between his mate and the girl without thinking.

“I am sorry Harry, I did not mean any harm.” Hermione shifted slightly under the boys’ heated glare. His eyes softened a bit, she had, after all, saved his love. That did not mean he forgave her for ignoring him and letting him fend for himself over the summer. She was not considered a reinstated friend just yet.

“We should get back to the castle…” Hermione whispered and turned to her fallen boyfriend, muttering a quick levitation spell, she walked toward the castle, the red head hovering before her. She let the boys have their privacy.

Draco looked Harry over angrily.

“Where did you run off to? You told me nothing about leaving!”

“I am sorry love, I had to do something. I regretted leaving you behind, but it is very critical to destroying Voldemort.” Draco sighed and snuggled deeper into his mate. Harry smiled down at his blond lover and decided now would be the perfect time to tell Draco about his plans.

“Drake, we have to talk.”

Overview of next chapter: Harry tells Draco of his plans, Harry’s pack inadvertently grows larger and stronger. The trip to find the next horcrux is planned and Ron recovers to meet with his "master"…