Familiar

Heksy…As always your cookies make my plot bunnies go nuts. They give me the energy to type nice long chapters. This is my longest chapter so far, hope ya enjoy.

Stasha…yay thank you, I really do consider dialog to be my weak point. I’m insecure about it, especially when I know how annoying it is to the reader when someone says something so clichéd and obvious.

Britt…love the Mr Burns fingers. Don’t worry I wont stop updating this till its finished so I’ll hold you to those reviews.

Varjo…I don’t want to be a shish kebab, so hopefully this chapter will make you happier. Hope its long enough too.

Mari-chan…it is a tasty pairing isn’t it, hhhhmmmm. I’m glad you like my fic so much but you’re gonna have to wait to find out the answers to those questions. Some of the answers shouldn’t be far off now.

HentaiZaru…Don’t worry you’ll find that out in this chapter.

Chrys…Just wanted to say I’m currently reading a Twist of Betrayal and I absolutely love it…so dark and refreshingly different. Ony thing why’d Remus have to die, he’d my fav character. No seriously his death was a really great touch. Thank you for recommending it.

To everyone else who reviewed thank you so much, incidentally someone sent me a blank review, don’t know if you meant anything by that or whether it was just a mistake, so let me know.


A/N…there is a point in this chapter that is from both Draco and Harry’s pov. So be aware that thoughts may shift between the two, it’s the very last section of the chapter.

Chapter 21 Second Day Blues

Harry returned to the Common room and sure enough Ron didn’t argue anymore, he just shook his head at Harry, offered him a smile and asked how it’d gone with Dumbledore. Harry took both Ron and Krai up to the dorm and told them everything, what the hat had said and everything he’d thought about after. They both agreed with him that Dumbledore had to be the one who blocked his memory.

He was watching Krai, unsure if he had hurt the snake’s feelings by considering him. Krai slid around his shoulders and offered him comfort the only way a snake could, by lightly squeezing his shoulders in its coils.

You were right to consider me Master, I would do such a thing if I must. But I would tell you that I had. A memory block is a terrible thing it is an invasion, an indecent act, entered into unwillingly it is a rape of the mind, who knows what you could loose. I would only use such a thing with your permission and then only if the memory was hurting you, something soul destroying and dark that you couldn’t understand or deal with. Something that leaving in your head would slowly destroy you until nothing but a shell remained. You my Master are strong, I don’t think that will ever happen with you. You didn’t hurt my feelings Harry, I may be your familiar, charged with your safety and general wellbeing but I am also a friend.

Thank you.

You are welcome Harry. Now we should turn our attention back to your friend he seems a little uncomfortable.

Ron did look a little bit uncomfortable, but then again to him, he and Krai had been silent for the last couple of minutes. Seeing their attention was back on him Ron spoke.
‘Harry I was thinking…if it was Dumbledore that placed the memory charm on you the most likely time would be fifth year after Sirius died and he told you about the Prophecy. It would be good strategy, he was forced to reveal stuff to you and then blocked part of the conversation, leaving you satisfied but still in the dark.’ Harry nodded, it made sense.

Either that or he gave you knowledge that he didn’t think you needed yet and blocked it to save him from having to explain it later. He could just remove the memory block. Was Krai’s thought.

Maybe. Harry answered. He relayed what Krai had said to Ron, the red head nodded in agreement. But neither of those seemed right to Harry.

‘I don’t think so.’ He said aloud. ‘Maybe like today Dumbledore’s control slipped and he showed his true colours. Maybe he got angry with me when I smashed up his office. I was still following him blindly then, he couldn’t risk me turning from him so he blocked the memory and acted like nothing had happened. He then told me how proud he was of me and how special I was.’ Sarcasm was evident in that last part, his Slytherin side was showing more and more often. Then again he did have a snake familiar, he was more like his ancestor than he thought.

‘That seems more likely mate. I can’t believe we trusted him for that long.’ Ron said in exasperation.
‘Don’t worry about it Ron, he has everyone confused.’ Harry thought for a moment he could think of nothing else to say on that subject. They discussed his ancestors, but came no closer to figuring out why Slytherin would have left. Harry was intrigued by his ancestors, he really wanted to know what had happened. Especially since it appeared that this whole curse had started with them. No matter how resigned Harry was to the possibility of death, he still didn’t want to do it.

But things had become more complicated since he first figured that out. Now there was Draco, his mate. He didn’t want Draco to suffer the same fate as him. The knowledge that Draco could die made his stomach knot with pain, the mere thought of the blonde dying made him want to howl and tear out his hair. He wanted to tear out the throat of whoever dared hurt his mate. The knowledge that there bond wouldn’t give him time to do so angered him to no end.

With a growl he was up and pacing, his hands were flexing and obsidian claws were shifting in and out of his flesh. He wanted to use them, sink them into his enemies and sink his fangs into their throat…to protect his mate…

Master…master…HARRY…calm down, no one will hurt your mate Harry. He’s safe calm down. The voice in his head was someone he trusted, reassuring, soft…there was a warm pressure around his leg. One he recognised. His mate was in no danger.

He opened his eyes, he was still in the boys dorms, but something wasn’t right. The red velvet curtains and covers were speckled with white.
‘You ripped into the pillows mate…you just suddenly snarled and these dirty great claws came out and tore through the bed like paper. You looked like that Wolfrine guy that Dean’s got a poster of.’

Harry was breathing heavily, trying to understand what Ron was telling him. He flexed his fingers, they didn’t feel any different. He glanced down, nope…there weren’t any claws. Then he spotted Krai, the snake was coiled around his legs, the snakes head was scratched and bleeding.

‘Did…did I do that?’
‘Yeh you did mate…It wasn’t your fault though. You weren’t yourself.’ Ron’s voice was a little shaky.
Harry dropped to the floor, his legs numb.
‘I’m sorry…I…’

Krai loosened his hold on Harry’s leg and slid up into his lap.

It wasn’t your fault Master. You thought you were protecting your mate. I tried to calm you, moved too fast. It happens when mates are involved. You did nothing wrong Harry. And speaking of mates…I wanted to talk to you about your Godfather. A second later Harry’s curious expression was back and Krai was inwardly smiling. Ron noticed Harry’s change in expression and moved to sit on the floor with his friend. He then took his wand out and fixed the covers and pillows. The next moment Harry had his wand out and was casting a healing spell on Krai. Relieved when the skin flowed together and the smell of the blood was cut off.

Inwardly Harry was cringing again, he’d liked the smell of his familiar’s blood.

Something was really wrong with him.

***

The next morning Harry was again bleary eyed and irritable. He was finding it hard to come to terms with his actions from the night before. Sitting there on the floor with Ron last night he had felt ashamed of his actions, so what if it was natural to want to protect his mate. If Krai hadn’t gotten through to him he might have turned on Ron. He’d gone to bed a few minutes later, not wanting Ron’s silent company, he’d crawled under the covers and had pretended to sleep when Krai slithered in next to him. But the snake wasn’t easily fooled and began to explain the usual behaviour of mating pairs both animal and human-like. He told Harry that since he was the dominant he’d be extremely protective of Draco and just the thought of him being hurt would bring out his aggressive side.

Harry would see other men as rivals for his submissive, other submissives would be tolerated but other dominants would be warned away and even attacked until the submissive accepted him. After that other dominants would be tolerated as long as the dominant trusted the others not to harm his submissive. In threatening situations the dominants blood lust could spiral out of control and only his submissive could calm him. Krai explained that the submissive would use the link they shared to do so. Krai also said that the familiar bond between the two of them had enabled him to reach through the blood lust and explain that his mate was safe. Harry had been dismayed to learn that he’d be unable to control himself. Or at least he was until Krai explained the reason for that.

Krai told him that the reason why dominants act that way is for one reason only, the sake of the submissive. The submissive could be hurt if the dominant is not strong or ruthless enough to deal with their enemies. Harry could understand that, he’d do anything he could to keep Draco safe.

A submissive is slow to anger and dislikes confrontations, because of that it relies on its dominant to protect it. A submissive will only fight when it’s dominant is in danger or when it’s young is threatened.

Harry had been a bit confused over that but since Krai was still explaining a submissives nature, he filed his questions away for later.

A submissive is slow to anger but once its wrath has been unleashed there is no stopping it until it destroys its enemy. Submissives have been known to fly into violent rages and obliterate their enemies. When its family is threatened the submissive will not differentiate between friend or foe and anyone in its way will be destroyed. The submissives anger once roused cannot be stopped until the submissive’s anger is exhausted. That is why dominants take care of the fighting, the after effects of their anger leave the submissives weak, sick and feeling guilty. A submissive cannot afford to be careful when protecting its young. The simple fact is that the submissives ruthlessness causes the dominant more worry and is seen as a last resort. Legislation is in place to protect both dominant and submissives as long as the threat is considered valid no action is taken against either of the pair.

Once all that had sunk in, Harry asked Krai about the young comment. He was a bit shocked that Draco could give birth to his children, it was one thing to hear it had happened to someone else but it was entirely different when it involved yourself. Krai had seen the look on his face and had laughed in a snakish way and had said he was looking forward to seeing his Master’s young. He told Harry that this was the most dangerous time, as the submissive was stressed from pregnancy and birth and considered everything barring their dominant a threat. Mated pairs often went into isolation until long after the birth. Harry’s head had been swimming by then and he’d been unable to sleep.

Add to that the fact that Krai had woken him up early to talk about Remus, having not got round to it the night before and he had way too many things going through his head. According to Krai Remus was acting strange because he had found his mate and for some reason was unable to be with him. It had taken a moment for his brain to wake up, but then he’d realised who else was acting oddly.

Are you telling me that my Godfather’s mate is Snape!

Yes, the dark one is his mate.

Is that why Snape is acting so oddly? He gave me that book in Diagon Alley and complimented me yesterday.

I don’t really know master but I have my suspicions. I observed the man yesterday and the only time that he appeared to be natural was when he was talking with you after the lesson…

When he complimented me?

Yes. I have heard of a spell and some potions that…make a two-leg act how another wants them to. Harry didn’t answer for a moment he was trying to figure out what Krai was on about.

Are you telling me that Professor Snape is under the imperius curse?

I believe so Master.

Bloody Hell! Harry couldn’t believe it he had always hated the man and thought the feeling was mutual, if Snape was under the imperius curse then how much of the past seven years had been true. He could be hating a man that didn’t really exist.

Who would do that?

Dumbledore! Krai stated firmly, as Harry silently berated his brain for not waking up yet.

Makes sense.Harry said. So what are we going to do about it?

For now gathering more information seems the best course of action.

Sorry I guess I’m just eager to meet the real Snape and see if he’s anything like the one I’ve always known.

Yes but there’s more at stake than that. Dumbledore obviously placed that curse on him for a reason and its also just as obvious that he’s unaware the man is slowly fighting it and is having the odd moment under his own power. Drawing attention to that would lead Dumbledore to take further measures, to prevent whatever it is he’s trying to stop from happening.

So we do nothing?

We have to! To do something now could create more problems. The most important thing is for you to forget your hatred of him and then hopefully when he has broken the curse further we can do something. And remember what I said last night and be careful around Remus, he is the dominant of their relationship and is agitated, he’ll be able to sense the difference in his mate and as I believe they have not completed the bond he’ll be just as protective and aggressive as you.

I’m going to fight my own Godfather.

No, you may fight him. Hopefully the love you share will be enough to dispel the anger but if not…

What?

Harry if you fight him…unless one of your subs stops you…you could kill each other.

I could kill Remus?

I won’t let you. I’ll do it myself.

WHAT?

Harry nothing is more important than keeping you alive. Werewolves have weakened immune systems, I could pump enough venom into his body to make it quick.

No!

Master…

No! If I am your Master then you will listen to me in this. If you bite anyone it’ll be me, I know your venom won’t kill me. It’ll knock me out, ending the fight.

It is not as simple as that Master, whether you were unconscious or not he would still kill you and you would do the same to him. At least my way it wouldn’t be you who did it.

Well I still won’t let you. And anyway we were fine yesterday in class.

Yes you were, but it might not always be so.

Yeh, but hopefully there’ll be another way to deal with it.

***

Blaise was a quiet slytherin, no one really understood his role within Slytherin house. Well no one apart from Draco that is. And last year surprisingly enough, Harry Potter.

His friendship with Harry had been an unexpected turn of events. He had always watched the Golden boy and un-like everyone else in his house had noticed a few things about him that just didn’t add up. Of course Blaise had kept all of that to himself.

He wasn’t foolish enough to upset the Golden boy.

That was Blaise’s position in Slytherin house, to gather information and relay it to Draco, their leader. Effectively Blaise had become a traitor to his house the day he accepted Potter’s help, he knew that Draco would have found an excuse for his behaviour, wanting to save his friend from their father’s wrath. But if anyone had ever found out that he had helped Harry in turn…he’d have been hanging from the top of the Grand staircase within the hour. No one would have saved him, no Slytherin would have dared.

That was one thing that made having a friend outside your house so worth while, apart from the companionship, the understanding and the laughs there was the knowledge that yes, maybe this friend would stick their neck out to save you. Potter was a good guy, it had been the best thing he ever did, becoming his friend. He’d been shocked when Harry had given him the answer, but then again what did he have to lose. He’d left the library deep in thought and the next day had come to a decision, they’d got potions homework that day and Blaise knew that Harry often went to the library alone for an hour before dinner. That’s what Blaise had been doing there the day before, he’d been following him, gathering information. He knew that potions wasn’t Harry’s best subject and sure enough there he was, head bent over some ponderous text. No one else was about, it was safe. He told Harry what he was looking for and where to look for it.

That day in the library all of the observations he had made about Harry Potter over the years had all clicked together to form a theory that was unshakable. Blaise had never told anyone about this and no one had ever figured out that Blaise was effectively a spy on his own house, after all it was Blaise’s job to do that. That day Blaise had realised who the true power was and had swore his loyalty to Harry, since that day he had passed on everything that he could about the goings on in Slytherin. He’d never expected to like Harry as a friend. And as a friend he had often advised the golden boy but not on the one matter that he wanted to. That was something he hadn’t dared bring up, Slytherins were famous for self preservation after all and he didn’t fancy Potter testing out his power on him.

For years Blaise had watched Harry and Draco, watched how every single day the pair of them would gravitate towards each other and renew their constant rivalry. Every time they came together Blaise would have to bite his lip to keep himself from laughing. Anyone with half a brain could figure out that the two of them would end up together, he’d always thought that if Potter were a girl Draco would be pulling his pigtails and pushing him over in the playground.

But finally things were changing. Draco had come around to his way of thinking, he hadn’t said as much but to a trained observer it was obvious. He’d noticed the glances between the two of them and knew what that heralded. He expected them to be together by the end of the week.

What he hadn’t expected was for Draco to corner him last night.

‘I know what you’ve done Blaise.’ Draco whispered. He then smirked at Blaise’s dumbstruck expression. ‘I’ve always known!’
‘How?’
‘A leader has to keep an eye on his men Blaise. You may be slytherin’s spy but I’m supposed to be one step ahead of everybody.’ He smiled. ‘I also know that you know I am of the same opinion.’ Blaise smirked, like true Slytherins they both knew exactly what the other was saying without giving too much away.
‘Yeh I knew.’
‘Good it makes thing so much easier.’ Draco stated.
‘What your attraction to Potter?’

Blaise smiled, seeing Draco’s mouth fall open had been worth the shock Draco had given him earlier.

Then Draco had smiled. ‘You are good aren’t you Blaise, I didn’t know it myself until yesterday.’ Blaise just smirked at him.
‘I know more than that Draco, I know you want him and he wants you and your going to do something about it soon. And knowing Harry he’ll turn the tables on you and scare you to death.’
‘What?’
‘The thought of intimacy makes you nervous Draco. It always has, not that I can blame you we all know the position your father intended you to take in Voldemort’s ranks.’
Draco shuddered.
‘Its taken me this long to break free of him Blaise. Why didn’t you ever say anything?’ Draco’s voice was harsh but low, the pain at his possible future evident.
‘You are my best friend Draco, but your father is voldemorts right hand man. If you couldn’t break free on your own you’d bring me down with you. I’m a Slytherin Draco, first and foremost in our minds is self preservation. That’s the reason you couldn’t break free from your father, it wasn’t safe for you to do so. What made you do it?’

Draco was silent a moment as he thought over his answer.

‘I don’t really know what made me do it. I think it’s something that’s always been in my mind and until now I could ignore it, forget it was there. But something happened over the holidays…I met someone in Knockturn Alley, someone who didn’t know my name. For once in my life I could be myself and no one could tell me it was wrong. We wrote letters to each other all summer, he had some of the same problems I did. I think by the end he’d convinced me to make my own way in the world and then he died and that’s what finally pushed me to do it. He didn’t get the chance to break away but I still had my chance.’
‘Sounds like the best thing that’s ever happened to you.’
‘It was.’ Then he smiled. ‘For now.’ Blaise snorted he was clearly thinking of Harry.

Blaise smiled. Draco had shocked him last night but everything was out in the open now. Both him and Draco were on the same side again, now all they had to do was get the other Slytherin’s on it too.


***

Draco Malfoy was not happy. All day yesterday he’d been catching glimpses of Harry and Draco hated to admit it, but the Golden boy made him hot and bothered. And not in the way he had done for the past six years. Harry Potter was gorgeous, powerful…then again he’d always been those things, it just hadn’t been as obvious before. And now, Draco didn’t know how it had happened but Harry was confident, sure of himself and secure in who he was. And that was one quality Harry had never had before.

He’d always been drawn to him in some way, from the first moment he saw him in Madam Malkin’s in first year. He’d found himself putting on his best Malfoy drawl and bragging. And then finding out that that boy was ‘the boy who lived’ and that he was supposed to hate him…Draco had never felt so conflicted in his life. But then Weasley had to interfere and the nurtured dislike for the boys family had kicked in and Draco had ruined everything. He knew that now. But back then he had blamed the boy who spurned his friendship for ‘a lesser wizard’. And then what followed were six years worth of hatred and petty fights…and underneath it all were these feelings.

He felt weak when he thought of him. He’d been regretting his actions on the train for the whole day and he was regretting it even more now…watching Harry sitting at the Gryffindor table chatting with Weasley. He wanted to be over there. And maybe he would have been if he hadn’t walked off and left Harry laying on the floor of the Hogwarts Express. He’d been scared.

He was going to talk to Harry, try and be friends again. But when he felt Harry beneath him, felt his fingers in his hair and smelled his scent…he just wanted to bury his head in Harry’s neck.

That was something he’d never felt before and it had scared him. He’d convinced himself that he wanted to be friends with Harry and he did but…he wanted more than that. He’d thought he could do it…just be friends and see if Harry wanted to take it further. He wanted Harry, wanted to be sheltered in those strong arms…wanted Harry above him, inside him, everywhere. The talk with Blaise the night before had helped but he was still nervous.

He’d just have to see if Harry wanted him.

***

He didn’t pay attention in lessons that day, he was too busy thinking about finding Harry. Having had no lessons with the Gryffindors today, he hadn’t seen Harry since breakfast that morning, the idiot Gryffindor for some reason hadn’t come to dinner. It was afternoon break now and he still couldn’t find Harry anywhere. Being unable to hold it off any longer he headed to the boys bathroom to relieve some of his ‘tension’ and lo and behold who would be there but the idiot he’d been searching for. What had he done spent the whole day in the bathroom.

Harry was staring at him, he had this strange look in his eyes…like he was torn, he couldn’t make his mind up what he wanted to do.

Harry for his part was dumbstruck, he’d been trying to avoid the blonde all day. Seeing Draco that morning had just reminded him of his actions the night before, the blonde looked tired and a little miserable and Harry wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around him and find out who had made his mate miserable.

‘We have to stop meeting like this Harry.’

‘Yeh…wait did you just call me Harry?’ Harry said looking at Draco a little curiously.

The blonde boy was biting his lip a little bit and gave a slow nod. He looked cute.

It was strange but hearing his name coming from Draco’s lips broke something inside of Harry. Looking at Draco now, Harry had had enough, he wanted the blonde and he was going to get him.





I bet you all really hate me right now don’t you. But I’m giving you what you want so as I said before keep that in mind when you swing your bats at me.

AND this is your last chance to tell me what you want Harry’s animagus form to be, only a couple more chapters and it will come up.

As always please if you’ve read, also review.

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