Windows of the Soul

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Author's Notes: This story ignores HBP and DH; it starts the beginning of the summer before Harry’s seventh year. Thank you to my beta Sometimeselkie for all her hard work.
Warning: - There is smut and het sex in this chapter. If you don’t like then don’t read. Thanks.

Chapter 23 – The Ball

Harry spun Draco around the dance floor. As he passed Dumbledore and Minerva he smiled his thanks to her. Both professors smiled at the boys. Draco was very hot under the collar by the time the dance had finished, as he had been rubbing up against Harry.

He needed relief and he was going to get it.

Draco dragged Harry out into the bright, starry night, unseen by the two lovers already out there. Pulling Harry into a dark secluded alcove on the outside of the castle, he kissed his fiancé.

Before Harry could say anything Draco had knelt and opened Harry’s trousers, releasing his very hard cock, with a small moan from Harry. Draco swallowed his cock and proceeded to move his mouth up and down the hard shaft whilst rubbing Harry’s balls and gently squeezing the bottom of his cock in time to his mouth. Harry put a fist into his mouth to stop his moans and his other hand was twisted into Draco’s hair. With a smile, Draco put his finger in his mouth along with Harry’s cock and then put his wet finger into Harry’s very tight hole. Draco moved his finger in and out of Harry’s hole until Harry was writhing with passion. Draco added another finger. Harry didn’t last long and with a strangled moan, Harry came, shooting down Draco’s throat as his fiancé swallowed all he had to give and shuddered with his own release.

Draco knelt, trying to gather his thoughts to move, and Harry was gasping from his release. Finally Draco kissed the end of Harry’s cock and gently placed it back in Harry’s trousers, zipped them and stood up. Harry kissed him and cleaned them both with a bit of wandless magic. They stood in the moonlight and held each other, waiting for midnight and a new year for them both, a new start... together.

Oblivious to anything other than themselves, Elli and Zaytche were kissing. Zaytche tried to figure how the dress was staying up, sliding his hands inside the front, teasing her nipples and making Elli moan and writhe. Zaytche had had enough of teasing his witch; he pulled her dress up to her waist and flicked his fingers across her clitoris, smiling as he felt the wetness there. With one hand he released his cock from his trousers, and he tweaked one of her nipples with the other, making her moan loudly and causing Zaytche to kiss her passionately. Without warning, Zaytche lifted Elli, pressing her up against the castle wall and with a quick thrust was inside her warm channel. Murmuring encouragement, Zaytche started to move Elli up and down his cock. After a few minutes of this he had Elli digging her fingers into his shoulders whilst trying to get him to move faster, but he wasn’t going faster than he wanted to. When he could feel the start of his release he quickened his thrusts and moved one hand between them and rubbed her clit, kissing her. He brutally thrust into her and Elli screamed her release into Zaytche’s mouth and he came a couple of thrusts later, moaning his release into her shoulder. They stood pressed against the wall until they both could breathe again, then Zaytche gently pulled out of Elli and carefully lowered her to the ground. He took his wand out and cleaned them both, pulling her dress down whilst Elli pulled her dress together over her breasts.

There was no need for words, as they both felt that they knew what the other would say.

Zaytche kissed the end of Elli’s nose and reached inside his robes.

“You need to give this to the relevant person,” he said, placing a piece of parchment in her hand.

Elli sighed and snuggled closer to him. “I wish that I didn’t have to leave you so soon.”

Zaytche smiled. “We can be together when this is all over. I will get you a small house and I will visit you as much as I can.”

Elli furrowed her brow.

“I will be your mistress, then? Just hidden away then, I’m not to be seen in polite society. What about children?”

“No, not as my mistress. My companion, and you would not be hidden away, but I wouldn’t be able to take you anywhere in public. As for children, there won’t be any as I am still married; there won’t be any illegitimate children. I do have to think of the family I already have.”

Elli snorted. “Your family, yes, you do have to think of them. I made myself not think of it before, but I am your mistress.” Looking at him sadly, she quickly made the hardest decision of her young life. “I can’t do anything about the past, but I can about the future.”

Zaytche looked at her face and saw the determination and sadness there. “What are you saying, Orri?”

With tears in her eyes, Elli sniffed. “I am saying that I will be your go-between, but nothing else. This is the last time that you will ever have me.”

“I don’t accept that. I love you. If I could get a divorce I would, but you know that I can’t.” He placed his hands on her shoulders. “I won’t accept this; tell me you don’t love me.” Elli shrugged them off.

“I don’t love you. I know that you think you love me, but it was just infatuation and now it’s over.” She felt her heart breaking, but it had to be done.

Zaytche’s face was like stone. Elli turned to go and Zaytche grabbed her. “No, you’re not going until this is over.”

“It is over,” Elli replied.

As he spun her around to face him her hand caught his mask and it came off. He went to grab it, and Elli took the few seconds that she needed to turn and run.

Elli picked her dress up and ran towards the door of the castle, not looking behind her at the desolation in her lover’s eyes or the mask that lay on the floor.

Draco and Harry were speechless as they watched the scene in front of them. The man’s hair had changed as soon as the mask had come off, showing his distinctive head. Neither of them had ever thought that HE was the spy; they both knew that Elli was in love with her Zaytche, but not in a million years did they think it was him.

Elli clutched the piece of parchment and ran through the main doors, tears running down her face. She clicked her gift on as she searched frantically for her Tatko.

She found Severus and Remus over at the refreshment table along with Charlie and Tonks. Remus smiled as he saw his daughter coming towards him, but his smile slipped as he saw her distraught face, Severus followed his husband’s gaze and placed his hand on Remus’s hand in silent communication. Remus reluctantly agreed. Severus left the group and intercepted Elli before she reached the dance floor, diverting her to a door behind the teachers’ table which led to a small antechamber.

No words were spoken as Severus took in Elli’s tear stained face and her near-dead eyes. Before he could say anything, she thrust her hand out with the message in it. “Here, he wanted me to give you this.”

Severus took it. “Are you ok?”

Elli smiled weakly. “No, but I will be, Tatko.”

She waited while Severus read the note; she was startled when Severus grasped her hand. “Quickly, we need to speak to the headmaster.”

“Why, Tatko?”

Severus replied gravelly. “Because, according to this, there will be an attack this evening during the Ball.”

They both hurried out of the small room. Elli headed towards her Papa and Severus headed towards the headmaster and Minerva.

Elli got to Remus, and after telling him what Severus had told her they both turned and quickly walked over to Albus. Minerva and Severus were immersed in hurried discussion. Minerva looked at her goddaughter with questions in her eyes, but Remus shook his head with a mouthed, “Later.” Albus moved to let them enter the small circle; he nodded to Remus and placed his hand on Elli’s shoulder, after casting a Silencing bubble around them.

“Ah, Remus. As I was saying to Severus, this information is very disturbing.” Remus saw that the headmaster had lost his twinkle in his eyes.

Severus sighed. “What do you suggest then, headmaster?”

Albus took Minerva’s hand in his. “I suggest that we alert the chaperones and do nothing.”

There were outraged shouts from Severus, Remus and even Minerva. Elli just stood there quietly.

Severus was the first to speak. “We can’t just do nothing. We have to prepare for an attack; if we don’t, then children could be hurt or killed.”

Albus shook his head. “No, my boy. We only need to alert the chaperones. There is no need to worry any of the children, and if there is an attack then we will get the children to safety.”

Remus could feel his wolf rising and only relaxed a bit when he felt Severus’s hand take his.

Elli spoke quietly. “Maybe, Headmaster, you will need to bring the students that have wandered outside or into the corridors back into the Hall, so if there is an attack there will be no casualties there.”

Albus nodded. “Good idea, Elli. Minnie, can you take one of the Weasley boys and round up any stray students?”

Minerva nodded and left to find a Weasley.

Remus was still shaking. Albus turned to the small family. “Please understand. I am not taking this lightly, but I cannot cause outright panic over a possibility.”

“A possibility. If your spy says there will be an attack, then you can guarantee there will be an attack. Your spy does not lie,” Severus spat.

Albus looked at Elli whilst replying. “No, he has never lied to me. Not about what he has heard or been told as a Death Eater. But Severus, you know that he has lied about a lot of other things.”

Severus also looked at Elli. “Yes he has lied about things, but never about the important things in his life.”

“This is not solving anything,” Remus growled at the two men. He could smell Elli’s anguish and also something else. It smelled like...

The doors of the Great Hall swung open and the music stopped as everyone turned and watched as four men walked through it and towards the Headmaster.

The party stopped in front of the Headmaster, who smiled at them. “Welcome, Mr Malfoy, Misters Nott, Parkinson, Zabini, how can I help you?”

Lucius Malfoy sneered as he looked around the Hall until his eyes landed on his oldest friend who was holding hands with the werewolf...a werewolf.

Lucius looked at the scene with disdain. “Lowering yourself, aren’t you, old friend.”

Severus deliberately stepped closer to his husband. “I can only lower myself so far. After all, I am talking to you.”

There was snickering from behind them.

Lucius turned towards it and came face to face with Harry, Draco standing slightly behind him.

“Ah, there you are, Draco. I wondered where you were.” Lucius took a step towards his son and sneered as Harry stood further in front of Draco.

“Step aside, Potter. I need a word with my son,” Lucius sneered, his hand tightening on the head of his cane.

Harry stepped closer to Lucius. “Whatever you have to say to Draco can be said from there.”

Lucius nodded and looked at his son.

“So be it. It has come to my attention that you have disgraced the Malfoy family name by associating with undesirable wizards, so it is my duty as head of the Malfoy family to publicly disown you. As of this minute, you are no longer part of the Malfoy family, and as such have no right to its money, reputation or even its name.”

Draco, on hearing what his father had said, had stood upright with no emotion on his face. Harry could feel the shaking his fiancé was hiding. Turning to look at Lucius, Harry growled, “You have what you came for, Malfoy. I suggest you leave now.”
Harry placed his hand on Draco’s back.

Lucius smirked at the two boys and turned to Dumbledore and the others, his smirk firmly placed on his face. Dumbledore’s eyes had lost their twinkle at the disownment of Draco; Severus was fuming at his old friend. How dare he do this here, to his own son? Well, Draco was better off now. If Draco agreed, Severus would adopt him into his family. Remus stood quietly by Elli, feeling incredibly sad for his boys, but he knew that Lucius wasn’t here just for that if he had brought three other school governors.

“Oh, I haven’t come just for that. Headmaster, it has come to my attention that you have hired an undesirable. A Dark creature. Again.”

Dumbledore stood straighter and smiled. “You must be speaking of Remus, Lucius.”

Lucius impatiently nodded. “Yes, Dumbledore. That is who I am referring to. He is a werewolf and so cannot hold a teaching post here and so it is against the rules to appoint him to any job here.”

Dumbledore’s smile grew. “I know he is a werewolf, Lucius, but you see, he isn’t exactly a teacher, so he is not breaking the rules.”

Lucius looked at the old man. “Well, what is he?”

“It isn’t against the rules for the faculty to have their spouses live here at the castle, you see. Remus stays.”

“What? Who is his spouse?” Lucius blustered and looked around.

“I am, Lucius.” Lucius looked at a smirking Severus with his arm around Remus’s waist.

Throughout it all, Parkinson, Nott and Zabini had stood to one side watching whilst Malfoy took the lead. They now all looked worried, shooting looks at Dumbledore and Malfoy.

Lucius stepped closer to Remus and Severus, until he was nearly touching noses with Severus, angrily whispering, “You have betrayed our Lord so you will be punished. Maybe you will see your pet wolf die in front of you.”

Severus took a deep breath. “You will never touch any of my family, Malfoy, so I think you should go back and tell your Lord that his days are numbered.”

“Never. Traitor.” With that, he took a step back, lifted his wand, and went to hex Severus. There were gasps as the sound of flesh slapping flesh resounded around the Hall. Everyone stood in shock as Lucius Malfoy recoiled, the side of his face red with the hand print of the young woman standing in front of him, between him and her parents.

Elli shook with rage. She could feel the wolf start to rise and it would be a very bad idea if she allowed it to come out. She took a deep breath and growled at the man who wanted to hurt her family, who had hurt her brother Draco.

She growled. “I would suggest, Mr Malfoy, that you leave now before you upset my family any further.”

“How dare you, little girl,” Lucius spat at her.

“Oh I dare, Mr Malfoy, and I would again, so I suggest you take your flunkies and leave the school. You have nothing here for you anymore.”

Lucius glared at her, but when he looked at the headmaster he straightened his back and, with a nod to the three men, turned and strode out of the Hall.

No one noticed the tear that fell from Elli’s eye as she watched Zaytche walk out of the Hall with his fellow Death Eaters. She had always known what he was, but this had brought it home, especially after their fight. Maybe one day they could be friends as they could never be anything else.

As soon as his former father had left the Hall, Draco collapsed to be caught by Harry before he touched the ground. Poppy came over and checked Draco over; looking over at Harry, she smiled. “Don’t worry, he is just exhausted and this has been a big shock. Take him to your rooms, Harry, and just let him sleep.”

Harry picked Draco up and with the help of Pansy, Hermione and Ron he took Draco to their rooms and put him to bed.

In the Great Hall, most of the students had gone back to their rooms and the ball was now finishing. Dumbledore motioned for Remus, Severus, Molly, Arthur, the twins, Charlie, Tonks and Elli to follow him and Minerva to his office. Neville caught up with Elli and put his arm around her shoulders, giving her silent support.

They had all found somewhere to sit when the others minus Draco came into the room. Harry walked in and sat next to Remus. Severus came and sat next to Harry so he was in the middle of them both. Harry jumped when Severus put his arm round his shoulders. Everyone stared as Harry started to cry and then Severus pulled Harry to him and Remus placed his arms round him too in a family hug as his son sobbed into his husband’s shoulder.

No one made any noise as the two men calmed their son down and gave him comfort. Elli was torn. She wanted to comfort her brother, but she was hurting and no one knew, except Neville, who seemed to know something and was just hugging her shoulders.

Finally Harry stopped crying and wiped his face in the edge of his robes. Dumbledore gazed caringly at the boy who was like a grandson to him.


A/N: Sorry it has taken me so long to update, I thought I had posted this chapter, but found that I hadn't. Sorry, hope you enjoy and I will post the next chapter soon.