Born in Frustration

~Chapter Twenty-Two: Dissimulo Veneficus~

A/N resero – reveal
dissimulo – keep secret
veneficus – magical witch or wizard
Cooperio – cover
Obstructus – in darkness
Magnus – Magical

These will be the words for spells used in the next two chapters… Don’t go getting technical on me as I used an online Latin translator so bugger it if it’s wrong. Now on with the story…


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Draco couldn’t hide his amusement at Harry’s eagerness to learn how to conceal his magic. He found it infectious and began to become gleefully excited despite himself.

“When can we start? Is it difficult? How long does it last?” Harry asked in rapid succession, bouncing up and down in his seat.

Draco laughed out loud at the other boy’s antics. “Calm down, Harry,” he said teasingly. “There are two ways to hide your magic – I must warn you, though,” Draco said seriously, “both are considered Dark Magic.” Draco watched Harry carefully for his reaction…

Harry stilled and became very serious himself. “Dark?” he questioned.

“Yes,” Draco answered. “But realise this, Harry, some spells are only considered Dark Magic because the Ministry doesn’t want anyone to use them. These two spells were NOT considered Dark until the Ministry decided that they wanted to keep tabs on anyone doing magic, especially children.”

Harry nodded his head thoughtfully. “They won’t be able to tell what I’ve done, will they?” Harry asked, concerned.

“That’s where the first spell comes in,” Draco said with an evil grin. “You see, Harry, by Ministry Decree, all wands made have to have a detection spell, that way the Ministry can tell when magic has occurred. It doesn’t tell them who did the magic, however, just that a spell was cast. Even house-elves are spelled that way so that owners can’t use their elves to do magic for them. That’s why Dobby’s magic registered at the Ministry.”

Harry nodded his head; Dumbledore had told him that the Ministry could only trace magic, not who casts it. Harry thought that this was rather unfair and said as much. “I always thought that was unfair, children who live in magical homes can still do magic when they aren’t at school,” he griped.

Draco chuckled but continued his explanation. “There are loads of spells the Ministry has deemed Dark that really aren’t Dark at all. It’s all in how the spell is used that makes it Dark and any spell has the potential to be Dark Magic, if used to do harm.” Draco was in full lecture mode now. Harry sat back and let the boy continue, truly interested in what Draco was saying. “If you had been raised in a magical home, Harry, you’d have been taught this. I could cast any so called light spell and cause harm. For example--” Harry chuckled as his new friend started sounding more and more like Hermione Granger with each word he uttered – though he would never dare tell him that. “Reducto: If I place enough force behind that spell I could reduce a small wall to rubble in an instant. If I had a group of wizards cast that same spell at the same object, say a small home, the entire home could be reduced to ruins. Do you see what I mean?” Harry nodded his head again in agreement. “There are, of course, spells that are inherently evil, like the Unforgivables, but some spells are only deemed Dark or evil because the Ministry doesn’t want them used.”

“I understand,” Harry said. “So the spells you’re going to teach me are only illegal because the Ministry wants to be able to track magic,” Harry summarised. “I think you know how I feel about the Ministry, Draco. Teach me, please.”

Draco moved closer to Harry. “You need to trust me, Harry; because the first spell I’m going to teach you must be cast over the wand by someone other than the wand’s holder.” Harry looked up at Draco. The blond boy met his gaze without wavering. Draco understood that allowing anyone to do magic on your wand was a leap of faith. Harry needed to trust that Draco would not harm his wand. There was just no getting around this, though. Neither boy could cast wandless magic nor could Harry cast the spell himself, Draco would need to cast it for him.

“What will you do?” Harry asked.

“Remember I told you that every wand has a detection spell placed on it? That spell is called Resero Veneficus which literally translates to reveal magical witch or wizard. The spell I will perform is called the Dissimulo Veneficus, which is the exact opposite, basically concealing the magic from detection, making your wand untraceable.”

Harry wanted this badly but did he trust Draco enough to let the other boy perform a spell on his wand? Harry knew he needed to be able to protect himself, needed to be able to do magic without fear of persecution, but did he trust Draco…

“How do you know all this?” he asked.

“Did you ever wonder why the Ministry can’t trace Death Eaters, Harry?” Draco said with amusement.

At the mention of Death Eaters Harry paled.

“Look I won’t lie to you, Harry,” Draco cut in before Harry could protest. “My family are Dark wizards. We’ve always practiced the Dark Arts and this is one of the first things we, as pureblood children, are taught.” Draco grabbed Harry’s hands and held them in his own. “It wouldn’t be prudent for our magic to have a signature, therefore we remove it.” Draco brought one hand up to Harry’s face and cupped him under his chin, lifting the boy’s eyes to meet his own. “I promise I will do no harm to your wand and I will never tell a soul that you’re untraceable. I give you my Wizard’s Oath, Harry, on my magic,” he said sincerely.

Harry gazed deeply into the gorgeous silver eyes before him. Knowing that Draco was willing to give his oath as a wizard was a huge step as Harry knew that, to the pureblood in front of him, this was important. Purebloods didn’t swear on their magic unless they were truly sincere, so Harry nodded, slipping his hand from Draco’s he reached in his back pocket and handed Draco his wand.

The blond boy smiled genuinely and took the offered wand reverently. He turned toward the coffee table and cleared a place in the centre then Draco placed Harry’s wand in the middle and pointed his own wand at it.

“Dissimulo Veneficus,” he said clearly as he flicked his wand up in a straight line then snapped it back down, pointing it directly at Harry’s wand. A dark pink beam of light shot out from the end of Draco’s wand and into Harry’s; for a moment the wand seemed to absorb the light and Harry was just about to ask if that was it, when his holly wand began to glow and hum. It floated up off the table several inches, vibrating in a shimmering pink light, then in a flash the light blinked out and the wand dropped onto the table. Harry blinked several times and then looked up to see Draco smiling broadly.

“You can pick it up now, Harry. It’s done,” he said happily, his silver eyes glowing. “You’re now untraceable.”

Harry smiled back at Draco and reached for his wand. It felt warm in his hand and he looked around the room unsure of what to do; he really didn’t want to insult Draco, but he needed to know that his wand still functioned properly. He pointed it at a magazine on the side table, with a swish and flick he incanted…

“Wingardium Leviosa!”

The magazine obediently floated into the air, directed by Harry’s magic. Harry ended the spell and waited. If the Ministry could still trace his magic he should be receiving an owl any moment now.

Harry waited…

And waited…

And waited…

It was at least fifteen minutes before Harry smiled broadly at Draco. “IT WORKED!” he shouted, bouncing excitedly in his seat for the second time that afternoon.

“Of course it did,” Draco said smugly, “I’m Draco Malfoy.”

Harry giggled madly as Draco playfully jabbed him in the arm. Both boys leapt off the couch in fear as the sound of tapping from an owl on the front window began.

“Shite!” Harry exclaimed as he ran to the window and opened it. A large tawny owl hopped onto the sideboard with an official-looking letter attached to its leg. “Oh, gods, Draco, it didn’t work!” Harry bemoaned pathetically, untying the letter letting the owl slip back out the window.

“It did work, I’m sure of it,” Draco snarled grabbing the letter from Harry. He yanked it open and read the front page and promptly burst into fits of laughter.

“THIS IS NOT FUNNY, MALFOY!” Harry howled, tearing the letter out of Draco’s hands. When he got a good look at the official-looking Ministry letter he noted that it was purple. He’d never received a purple letter before. Then he read aloud…

“Issued on behalf of the Ministry of Magic. Protecting your home and family against the Dark Forces.” The sudden relief that swept through Harry’s body nearly made him topple over. He continued to read silently for a little bit, just to be certain and then he erupted into fits of laughter, joining Draco on the floor.

“That really wasn’t funny,” Harry said after he managed to calm down.

“Yes it was,” Draco replied.

Harry was going to argue, but then Binty popped in and announced that dinner was ready. The second spell could keep until after dinner…