WHAT IF LOVE KILLS

The pattern on the door was repeating the same letter dozens of times in fronå of Harry\'s face, entertwining and slithering, reminding him how twisted his fate had always been. But still he refused to believe they could possibly have brought him where he thought they had.

\'It\'s not happening. Not happening.\' the incantation he muttered under his breath didn\'t seem to work even in the magical world.

Snape, seeing Harry\'s unwillingness to move and probably tired of waiting, burst the door open in front of him and pushed the boy inside rather rudely. At once a dozen of torches sprang to live with flames and Harry found hiself standing in a hall not much smaller than the one in Hogwarts. But though looking alike, nothing ever felt so less homely for him. He might admit now that Privet drive was not so bad after all.

Snape in his turn either didn\'t see or didn\'t care (which was more likely) what was going on in Harry\'s mind. He went on through the hall and was stopped only on the farther end by a voice, undoubtedly coming from Harry\'s own throat but sounding nothing like his at all.Though it was a miracle itself he was able to speak in the first place.

\'I am not staying here, if that\'s what is expected of me.\' his voice was alarmingly hoarse, but adamant.

\'You are expected to do so and you will, Potter. You don\'t have to stay in the hall nevertheless, the house is big enough.\' As soon as Snape fell silent he continued stralling away.

\'I am not staying anywhere here.\' Harry, his back on his teacher made for the door. But Snape was surprisingly quick as if expecting something of that kind. He turned around at the sound of Harry\'s steps just in time to swish his wand and slam the door shut in Harry\'s face.

\'No- you- don\'t- Potter. You don\'t leave until I say you may. You just do what you are told to.\'

Harry closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths before he was able to face Snape a.
.

\'I don\'t know what you were all thinking of, but obviously not about my safety too much. I will not spend more than 5 minutes here.\'

\'Oh, yes you certainly will. And you actually may be up to months closed inside of this house.\' There was a powerful note of glee in his tone, he was too noticibly enjoying his own words. \'And as to your location again, I remember you saying professor Dumbledore would decide what to do and he did. Who are we to doubt his decisions?\'

Harry heard only too well that there was no slightest concern in this voice, but by the look of Snape\'s face you couldn\'t be absolutely sure if it was out of certainty or lack of care for his protectee\'s fate. Harry however not doubting the second was already fuming, calming himself down with great difficulty.

\'You are supposed to protect me remember? You and professor Dumbledore first of all. You are my Secret Keeper!!!\' he failed to notice how he had lost his temper so quickly but the fact remained that he started shouting on the second phrase.

\'Oh, Potter why don\'t you stop reminding me of that unfortunate fate of mine. It sounds so unreal that when you are not talking I even manage to pretend it is not happening.\'

Harry made a mental note he had been right thinking it was mutual for them but had no time to ponder on it to preoccupied at the moment.

\'So you have probably persuaded yourself successfully that this is the place we have to go while it might be not what Dumbledore meant at all. You just want me out of your way so much you do not care how or where. I am sure you would love to see me dead, wouldn\'t you professor?\' and getting no answer to it it Harry went on. \'I didn\'t have to get inside this house to know it\'s altogether evil. I don\'t want to stay here.\'

Harry hadn\'t intended to envoice his dislike and thought the sentence sounded quite casual. He was aware there was an almost pleading tone in his last one only when Snape narrowed his eyesrkinrking.

\'Now that you mention it Potter, I know why you are scared. It makes a right impression on little boys.\' and before Harry\'s slowed mind was able to absorb the insult he continued with no trace of a sneer in his voice this time. \'The Headmaster wants you here and all you need to know is that he is sure the place is appropriate and safe for you.\'

\'Since when is the Malfoy mansion or whatever hol hole is safe for me? Are they any relatives of mine? Or did I miss the point when the Malfoys became my godparents?\' Harry gasped as his heart gave an especially painful jolt in his chest.

\'As tired as I am to repeat this to you Potter but Dumbledore has his own reasons to think this \'hole\' a pl...\'

\'I don\'t care for any reasons if they are stupid enough to land me here!\'

\'Well that\'s certainly new Potter.\' Snape started fuming too. \'Since when did you care for what others advise you? Will anything ever teach you? How many more mistakes you should make to...\'

\'LOOK WHO IS TALKING! IT\'S NOT ME WHO HAS A DARK MARK TO REMIND ME ABOUT MISTAKES!\' Harry was visibly shaken by the time.

\'MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS, POTTER! MY MISTAKES ARE NO CONCERN OF YOURS!\' snapped his Potions master, voice heavy with restrained anger.

\'THEY ARE IF MY LIFE DEPENDS ON THEM! IT\'S NOT YOU WHO HAS TO STAY HERE!!!\' Harry swirled fing ing his both hands hard on the door. There was a loud thump and he just stopped there, panting, his aching fists pressed to the cold metal.

\'It looks dreadful, it feels... terrible. I... I don\'t... don\'t want to stay here... professor...\' he turned his eyes pleadingly on Snape.\' please...\'

Harry would be surprised to see how exausted his professor looked now, but he was too much bothered with his own perspectives to take in any details. Though he did point out with hope that there was no anger or usual smirk either in Snape\'s eyes or in his words when he spoke.

\'I know this is very unexpected but there is no place now you are perfectly safe, Po... Harry.\' The name was litterary forced out of his lips. He probably wanted to make his speech soothing though Harry doubted Snape himself knew why. He appreciated the effort nevertheless.

\'You must understand that no one can promise anything for anyone now, especially for you.\' Snape was speaking fast as if to ensure he would be able to say everything he intended to. \'Even if we put all the Order to your safety there will still be no guarantee. And we have other matters and people to take care of. But we are trying to protect you and if Dumbledore thinks it\'s the best option we have then so it is. And even you have to agree that he has a point. The place is guarded by its own magic from the world outside. Lucius had put all possible security measures on it, so no Muggles can find it and most wizards will never get past them if uninvited.\'

Not sure why but Snape\'s unexpected patience with him influenced Harry well enough to make him think and speak calm, to a certain extent of course.

\'How did we, I mean me and you, sir, get in if the house defends itself from univited guests?\'

\'Ah, well we had some help on this one. There are a lot of people involved in the plan. To provide the house with some bit of our protection from any other intruders for example. No one will find a way in. So you\'ll just have to stay put and wait. For now.\'

\'But if you say it has its own defensive magic (\'maybe that\'s why it made such an impression on me\', he thought along the lines) isn\'t the master of the house familiar with it?\' Harry\'s thoughts were running wild while on the surface he was trying hard to keep the tone of his voice calm to match his teacher\'s. It was his last and only opportunity to get at least a shred of information while Snape was in the mood to give it for some reason.

\'Isn\'t magimagic protecting and letting him in? I mean what if Lucius Malfoy turns up? He won\'t need knocking the door of his own house will he? I do not stand a chance against him in his domain.\'

\'You won\'t have to face him,.. Harry.\' it came out easier the second time. \'You forget, that Lucius is currently in Azkaban. I know, I know, Dementors are no use any more...\' he waved his hand irritably at the objection in Harry\'s eyes. \'but there are wizards and spells to keep the prison closed, and it won\'t be easy to escape with Dumbledore hepling the Ministry now. And even if he gets away he won\'t be able to just apparate in the house anyway. And if he actually chooses to get here it will be a hard work for he will be hunted down. If he fools the Aurors he won\'t be able to come close. There are members of the Orden guarding the boundaries. And if they all fail, if all of this goes wrong we will be the first to know. Too many \'ifs\' don\'t you think?\' Snape smirked and Harry was sure there would come a long-absent remark about his mental abilities. But even if it was on the wizard\'s mind he thought twice of it. \'And there still is the Fidelius Charm you forget about.\' he added smiling.

Harry still didn\'t feel too assured to find things funny.

\'And what if it doesn\'t work? What if it\'s not working?\' he said with one more serious question buzzing in his head.

\'That\'s a very powerful bit of magic, Potter. It workwork for your parents.\' he added in an undertone.

\'Yes it did.\' Harry half-smiled bitterly. \'until they were betrayed by their own ...\' he stooped, his question now written in his stare fixed unblinkingly on his professor, who folded his arms as if protecting himself before answering.

\'I do not expect you to trust me all of a sudden, Harry\' the name sounded almost natural now he had already been using it. \'But there\'s no other choice now.\' He was watching Harry silently for a moment or two. \'We wasted too much time, and I am sure you are tired. Let\'s go I\'ll show you where your things are.\'

And with that, indicating that the explanation was over, he turned around and rustled upstairs.

Harry was gazing after him in disbelief. There was something strange at work here: he, bound to stay in the house offoysfoys, Snape\'s polite explanations, Harry instead of Potter. He was watching his Secret Keeper\'s back moving ahead feeling rather giddy. And having no alternative whatsoever he followed the source of his surprises upstairs.

The house felt even colder inside than it did from a distance. Harry was climbing the huge marble staircase trying to persuade himself that those shivers he got were from the lack of warmth and not at all from the uncomfortable feeling the walls themselves gave away. It was a creepy place to be left alone in, with Voldemort and his Death Eaters after you, but he couldn\'t help enjoying the power of it.

It was the most obviously wizarding house he had ever seen. Nothing even close to the Burrow. The magic was palpable inside though there were no visible magical things around. Even the portraits along the stairs were not moving which Harry thought terribly strange. Though after a while, when his eyes got accustomed to the dim light, he understood that every figure in the long lane of Malfoys was indeed aware of their presence but too ly toy to show any sign of that, their eyes nevertheless following their ascent disparagingly.

He was definitely an unwanted guest here and the feeling of unease was increased by the tenseness of the silence. He hurried up just to pass all the snub-nosed faces as quick as he could so he stepped onto the first floor right after Snape, now silhouetted against one of the windows.

Couple of steps in Harry tripped over something large and had to bump into the wall just to prevent it falling over him. Whatever it was it fell on the floor with such a loud thud that it scared him into bumping against the wall again. Snape didn\'t bother to look around, the fact the boy was now used to, but his wand ignited thus reminding Harry to take out his. Whispering \'Lumos\' he continued to walk unconcerned and unwilling to know exactly what tried to hit harliarlier.

Now being able to see more of the walls around illuminated by the light Harry was strongly and painfully reminded of Sirius\'s house. He tried to shake off the memories of Grimmauld place pinning him sharp in the heart but couldn\'t help waiting for familiar sounds. The corridors, doors, knobs, snakelike ornaments, serpent-shaped chandeliers kept bringing back the thoughts about his godfather and at the same time repeating with every curve where exactly he was.

For the place undoubtedly looked (and felt) different. Just in an effort of keeping himself from thinking about the days he spent in London a year ago Harry concentrated on calculating how many houseelves were needed to take care of something this big and wondering if they would take orders from him, ignore him or make his life here even more unbearable than he imagined it to become soon.

\'Wish I hadn\'t freed Dobby after all!\' he thought, the house-elf\'s complaisant face vivid in his mind.

Halfway through what looked like the longest passage in his life they came to a hault in front of a large double-door. Harry stepped inside after Snape whose wand gave a little swish and with a soft muttering a fire was already cracking in a cavernous mantelpiece opposite the door. No light was coming now from the window occupying the whole wall on his left, but Harry could distinguish the silhouettes of the couch and some armchairs facing its glass. The flames of the fire were enough to see a bed on his right, one that was definitely more spacious than all the Malfoy family would need though in the huge room it looked quite natural. Another door stood ajar beside it.

There was a cling behind that made Harry jump and turn around hastily. He was looking at a solid wall of mirrors, not sure through which one exactly he came in and he wondered whether he would be able to find the door when he needed to or maybe he was not supposed to leave the roomall.all. He turned back to the fire again and stopped dead.

In front of him, above the mantelpiece there was a dimly-lit life-size portrait and its inhabitant, blonde, pale and snub-nosed in a family fashion was watching Harry with the look of utmost contempt, lips curled. Harry stared back wearing almost the same expression on his face, thinking of how many more \'pleasant\' surprises this house had in store him him and knowing he shouldn\'t jump with a conclusion that things could get no worse.

\'We thought you would feel more comfortable in Draco\'s room.\' he heard Snape\'s voice right next to him and taking his eyes from the said Draco Harry saw his professor\'s face smirking. In the red flames of the fire this looked more like a grimace and not as mocking as usual.

\'Your trunk is behind the bed, food downstairs in the kitchen. You\'re allowed everywhere in and out the house as long as it\'s within the gates but for once Potter be reasonable and don\'t trd brd break into those rooms that are closed and sealed. No one knows exactly what is hidden in here, most of them are certainly dangerous. I\'ll keep in touch with you every day and will come once in a while. Don\'t expect me too often though. Have a nice week.\' and with that Snape who had come back to his usual self rushed to the mirror that flung open as soon as approached and was gone in a second, long before Harry could utter a word. The sound of the footsteps were stopped by another cling of the door closing (\'It probably doesn\'t let in any sounds at all\' Harry thought dully) and now he was looking at his reflection that gazed back at him, puzzled, unnerved and more alert than ever.

The sight of Draco being not only an unfortunate addition to the decoration also hit Harry with something that didn\'t occur to him before, fully out of mere shock. What about the rest of them? He was so busy with the possibility of meeting Lucius here that he never raised a question of where the biggest part of the Malfoys were. What if they turn up? Even though Draco is at Hogwarts will he, Harry, be warned if he decides to come home? Where is Narcissa now and what is he to do if she comes? Is the house completely empty? If not who is in it? Why does nobody ever explains him anything???

\'Enjoying the full view of yourself, Potter?\' Harry jumped at the soun the the scoffing and so familiar voice behind him, stared wildly around but the room was empty. Everything was in perfect calm though he could swear he had just...

\'Jumpy aren\'t you? You should be in the right state after all.\' Harry looked at the portrait from which Draco Malfoy was smirking at him. \'Is it some sick joke? I hope you Potter do not really intend to stay here?\'

Harry, who definitely jerked the second time he heard the voice, was not surprised at Draco\'s image talking to him. But any more or less living reminder of any Malfoy could make the situation even less enjoyable.

\'For your information I actually am staying and I need no permission from you, Malfoy.\' Harry was finally able to get a grip on himself, and though dreading the idea of living here still couldn\'t feel satisfied at the displeased look on his schoolmate\'s face. \'I am not enjoying it but have to admit that this house gives me a clear understanding why you are such a bastard.\'

\'Oh what do you know about houses, Potter? Have you ever seen a decent one before? I\'m sure your family would find my bedroom too spacious after the hole they had probably lived in. Strange you can ever find a way into the Entrance Hall at Hogwarts without a map. Do you need one to get to my bathroom? Not that you are allowed to use it anyway.\'

Harry felt blood pounding in his ears. Draco\'s image turned out even less pleasant than its prototype if thas eas ever possible. Harry raised his wand hoping his anger would not impare his saying a spell and taking aim, wondering why on earth Draco was staring alarmingly at him instead of doing the same, he suddenly thought how stupid he must be now if he was about to jinx a portrait. He felt like there was a puncture in him and his fury evaporated in a second. Without saying a word he turned his back on Draco and made for his trunk.

\'Hey, Potter! Don\'t even think of sleeping on my bed! It\'s already enough that my house will be stinking months after you leave. We\'ll probably have to move out!\'

\'Why worry then, Malfoy, as long as you won\'t have to sleep in here after me?\' asked Harry flatly. He suddenly felt very tired.

\'Potter, I warn you, don\'t you dare touch anything...\' Draco\'s voice rose menacingly.

\'Oh, why don\'t you shut up?\' Harry who was leaning over his trunk now, pointed his wand backwards over his shoulder.

\'Silencio!\' and Malfoy\'s threats died out at once.

Harry took off his robes, noticing that there was some strange rustle inside of them but not interested enough and straightened up looking at the bed in a disgusted way.

\'I will not sleep on this, Malfoy, don\'t worry.\' he muttered and turned around to the window.

\'Locomotor couch!\' he said his wand out, directing it towards the fireplace. He set the couch close in front of it, came up to put his wand and glasses on the mantelpiece and lay down not bothering to look at blurred Draco above him, who was gaping silently at him obviously irritated.

It felt much better where he was now, all the space of the room cut to a little place, warmth of the dying flames licking Harry\'s face, balming him to sleep. He started imagining he would wake up to any other reality but this one and dropped off as soon as his thought had taken shape inside of his head.

***

Harry woke up to the same view bright in the sunlight coming through the window. It was impossible to try and get more sleep with it blinding him so he had no choice but to get up. He came up to his trunk, put on the first pair of jeans he lay his hands on. Then finally noticing how strangely out of focus everything was around him he put on his glasses and stuck his wand habitually in his pocket.

Draco\'s portrait was still sleeping, breathing deeply. Wondering if he was snoring but having no intention whatsoever of lifting the Silencing Charm Harry came up to the window to have a look around. The glass vanished right in front of him, letting him pass on a small terrace. The sky was magestic blue, and there were stains of colour on the deep green of the grass below.

Harry stood there taking in the morning air thinking. Soothing as the picture was the complete silence was still making him feel a bit uneasy though he was much calmer than yesterday. In this slightly daunted blessful state he was able to hear his stomach at last protesting that some more were not OK this morning. Feeling he could do with some breakfast (or counting the meals properly his yesterday\'s dinner) and quite unwillingly leaving the terrace Haleftleft the room for the corridor.

The house itself seemed much changed. Tremendous wall-sized windows in every possible side of it let in showers of light and there was no shadowy corner left init. Though it still didn\'t feel any comfortable and warm to Harry he nevertheless was no longer pressed with its gloom. Right before stepping onto the staircase he saw a tree-shaped pedestal whose function was indecipherable. He guessed it was the thing that had almost hit him in the evening.

\'What if it is one of the things protecting the house ? Maybe it attacks intruders as they go.\' Harry grinned. \'I wonder how come it didn\'t kill me in the first place.\' He thought cautiosly coming round it, looking at the high and obviously heavy form that today was standing upright bearing no sign of having fallen.

He was coming down the stairs making mental notices of everything around him (the house looked sunlit but too \'dark\' for him anyway) wondering where the kitchen could be and finally deciding he would need some help. Heading to one of the portraits however he understood that guidance would be difficult to achieve as long as the tall, lofty brunette, not much his senior, simply turned her back on him as soon as he opened his mouth to speak and left the canvas gracefully. Harry waited for a momentplusplussed, said \'Fine\'and walked on to the groundfloor, not seeing her coming back following him with her eyes, clearly intrigued.

There were more paintings on the walls of the hall that he didn\'t see the day before, among them the largest and most conspicuous one of the three his \'favourite\' Malfoys, all of them silent, Lucius screwing up his yes suspicio at at Harry. Plus moretos tos of them all, together and separate, mantelpieces, and mirrors, mirrors, mirrors.

\'Self-praising and complacent snobs.\' Harry muttered to the images, all of them more vivacious this time, some staring with alarmed surprise as he passed and some scowling and showing their teeth almost snarling, but all of them grudging. Harry was too concerned all the time, yesterday with his fate and today with his hunger that he didn\'t even wonder why all the Malfoys could see him if he was supposed to be under the Fidelius Charm.

Harry stood for a moment considering and then aware he would have to go at random set out for the closest door to his left. Pushing it open he found himself in the biggest library he had ever set foot in. He took several steps in uncertainly, pondering on whether to go on searching for food but his curiosity was too great for that. A private lodging in his opinion could not contain such a quantity of books, and he just had to have a look at those, wondering whether they all were on Darks Arts.

Harry came up to the nearest shelves and looked through the backs. For what he could see he was right in his thinking but how on earth there could be so many of those?! He took one called: \'Dark Years: How To See Then Coming\' to find it written in some sort of distorted English. Supposing that might be just too old for his liking he wanted something more up-to-date so he made up for the farther corner eventually passing a large table on his way.

A white spot on its surface caught his eye. He picked up what turned out to be the morning issue of the Daily Prophet, clueless who ever bothered to send him this but grateful nevertheless. It was then when the sound of doors flung open made him drop it back on the table. He turned around to the sound of rapid and firm footsteps and his insides made an insane jolt pushing him hard in the stomach which luckily was empty. Harry\'s feet glued to the floor as he was watching Lucius Malfoy stop several paces away from him, cold grey eyes narrowed maliciously.


A/N: Tell me what you think!