MINE

Thanks to Strife who helped me with some of the grammar and punctuation.


Chapter Six


“Father, have you seen my journal?” Draco worriedly asked, coming into his father’s study.

“Not since you were writing in it last week,” Lucius replied, looking up from some ancient looking parchments.

“Was anyone upstairs the past few days?”

“Bellatrix was up there, but came down empty handed,” Lucius said. “Can anyone read what you two write back and forth to each other?”

“No, it’s spelled so just us two can read it. I need to find it. Something doesn’t feel right,” Draco worriedly said.

“Stay here. I’ll check out Bellatrix’s place,” Lucius said, getting up.

“I’ll come with you,” Draco said. “I’ll be able to tell if the journal is there or not. It’s spelled to me or Harry, working kind of like a muggle beacon.”

“All right, but if there’s trouble, or it’s not there, apparate back home,” Lucius said, knowing he wouldn’t be able to sway Draco’s decision.



The two Malfoys’ were not able to go back to Malfoy Manor, as there were several Death Eater meetings and parties that they could not slip away from without raising suspicion. They did come back with very useful information, and the journal. Bellatrix had scoffed and thrust the journal back at Draco, telling him it was useless to her. The two of them, along with Severus, apparated to Hogsmeade Village, then flooed directly to Albus’s office to report their findings.

While Draco sat back, half-assed listening to the conversation around him, he opened the journal and began to read, getting more and more worried as he read on, and noticed the red spots splattered on the pages.


Hedwig is dead


And:


Draco,

I need you. Why haven’t you written back?

Draco’s heartbeat quickened as he continued to read.


Draco,

It’s been a week since Hedwig died. It was horrible. He burned her alive Dray, along with my school books, robes, and potion ingredients. He said he’s taking me out of Hogwarts to put me in St. Brutis’.

The beatings have gotten worse. Even more so when he comes back the day after, to see most of his punishments had healed.

Dudley came back and wasn’t allowed to see me. He’s put new locks on the door. When Vernon is at work, Dudley brings me some fruit and bread, as well as cleans me the best he can. Thank Merlin, he’s able to use magic to open the locks. Albus must have found a way for him to do this. Aunt Petunia is also beaten. I don’t know how bad, because I have not seen her, but I can hear her screams. He’s gone mental, Dray. Just the look in his eyes. I can’t use magic on him, because before I could even mutter a spell, he breaks my fingers, or ties me up while he beats me . . . or whips me.

I don’t know how much more I can take Dray. My body heals, but it’s taking longer, and it hurts so fucking much.

Harry

P.s. This one was bad. He’s using knives now.

“Gods, “ Draco muttered, and kept reading. Scared, but knowing he had to.

Draco,

This is Dudley. Harry spelled the journal, so I can message you in case he wasn’t able to. It’s the day before his birthday and he can’t get out of bed. I would take him out of here myself, but I’m afraid to move him, incase he’s really hurt. He’s not healing as fast and he doesn’t talk to me anymore. He needs help. NOW!
Dudley


“Has anyone checked on Harry lately?” Draco asked, getting up and interrupting their conversation. He placed a spell on the book so the others could read it. As they were reading, an alarm went off in the office.

“What is that?” Draco asked.

“The wards at the Dursley’s are breaking,” Severus said, getting up to head to the floo. “Mrs. Figgs house,” he clearly said, for Lucius, Albus, and Draco to immediately follow.


~*~


A few short hours earlier, Harry lay in bed, finally able to fall asleep after Dudley gave him a healing potion and a muggle sleeping pill. His body began to slowly levitate off the bed, a greenish glow surrounding his body. The foundation of the house began to tremble, as the wind outside began its ghostly howl, the velocity of the wind bending some of the trees in half.

As the greenish glow intensified, so did the quaking of the grounds and the wind outside. The wind swirled through the still broken window of Harry’s room, surrounding the still figure of Harry as he slept.

Harry woke with a scream of pain, his back on fire. He felt his spine shift, his skin rupturing open on his back, and screamed again, tears of pain falling to mix with the blood from his back onto the floor.

The screaming and shaking of the house soon woke up Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley. Vernon saw the walls of his bedroom begin to split from the quaking, then heard another scream. He took his gun out from the bedside drawer, and stormed towards Harry’s room, shooting out the lock, before barging into the room. He momentarily froze, as he first noticed the large bloody wings protruding from Harry’s back, then the pool of blood beneath the hovering body. Without a thought, he raised the gun and fired, hitting Harry on his thigh.

“DAD! STOP! What are you doing?” Dudley shouted, trying to get past the flying debris of the house to stop him.

“Ridding the world of one less freak,” Vernon sneered, aiming for Harry’s head.

“NO!” Dudley screamed, taking out his wand. “Expelliarmus,” he shouted, for his father to fly back against the far wall, but not before another shot was fired, missing Harry’s head, but hitting his shoulder.

“Harry!” Draco shouted, running up the stairs ahead of the others. They had heard the gunshots outside of the house, and hurried their way through the front door.

“Up here Draco!” Dudley called out. “And hurry.”

Draco began to step forward, but was held back by Lucius. “I tried already. The wind around him won’t let me get to him,” Dudley said. “Dad shot him twice with the gun. I tried to stop him, but was too late,” he added, nodding towards Vernon, who was still slumped down against the wall.

“Where was he shot?” Albus asked, stepping closer to Harry.

“On his thigh, and his shoulder. The last one was aimed at his head, but missed, when I used my wand to disarm him,” Dudley replied.

“He has to finish the change before we can get to him. His magic is shielding us from touching him. Draco, firecall your cousin Tonks, and have her and another trusted auror pick up Mister Dursley. Severus, go with him to open the fireplace so they can either floo in, or apparate, if they are able to by then. The wards are weakening more and more as Harry’s change is winding down,” Albus instructed.

“Is he going to be all right, Albus?” Lucius worriedly asked, after Severus and Draco left the room.

“I did not want them to hear this, but he may not live through this change Lucius. We will have to portkey him directly to the infirmary for Poppy to help him. When the wind stops, we must carefully keep him levitated, and place him face down on a stretcher. Dudley, do you remember how to floo travel?” Albus asked.

“Yes,” Dudley replied, not taking his eyes from his cousin.

“Go directly to Hogwarts, using the floo powder that I gave you. Say ‘Hogwarts Infirmary’. Tell Madame Pomfrey to expect Harry, and tell her what happened so she is prepared. She may want to get the creature specialist from St. Mungo’s to assist. Now go, and don’t delay. The wind is already thinning,” Albus kindly said to the frightened blonde man.

Draco, Severus, Tonks, and Kingsley Shacklebolt soon came into the room, just as the whirlwind around Harry dissipated. Albus quickly spelled Harry’s body to float in midair. “Draco, Severus, when we flip him over, you need to stand close to Harry, to hold his wings steady as we use the portkey.”

Albus gently lowered Harry onto the stretcher that Lucius conjured, then picked up a discarded, bloody shirt of Harry’s, and placed it on the small of his back, before turning it into a portkey that would take them directly to Hogwarts. With Draco, Severus, Lucius, and Albus touching Harry, they were soon standing in the familiar Hogwarts infirmary, where Madame Pomfrey and another medi-wizard immediately took over.

“Stay with him, and help where you can,” Albus said, gently touching Harry’s shoulder.

“Where are you going?” Severus asked.

“Privet Drive,” Albus replied, the twinkle gone from his eyes, as he left the infirmary.


~*~


Severus didn’t have time to dwell on what Albus may be doing at that very moment, as he assisted in healing Harry’s wounds. Lucius and Draco sat on either side of Harry’s head, stroking the matted hair or holding the still hands, looking in wonder at the claw like fingernails that were extended, as well as the wings. Dudley sat on the bed next to Harry’s, his body tense as he watched them work over the still form of his cousin. They tried to use as little amounts of magic as possible, as they were unsure of what Harry now was. The medi-wizard from the creature med-ward at St. Mungo’s, was unsure also. He had his suspicions, but did not have time to check more thoroughly in his records at that time.

The two bullets were removed by hand, cutting into the skin to retrieve them. Thankfully, the bullets did not hit any main arteries, but there was nerve and muscle damage that would take awhile to heal, even with the help of magic. Once Harry was awake, his natural ability to heal will also quicken the process. They did use magic to heal and close the bullet wounds, as well as the other wounds on Harry’s body . . . courtesy from his ‘loving’ uncle. Bones were also mended using magic.

After healing Harry’s back the best they could, Lucius and Draco levitated him, then turned him around, so they could heal the front of his body and face. Afterwards, they turned him again and levitated him to a private room on an enlarged bed, laying him on his stomach with his wings spread out at his sides.

“Any ideas on what he is now?” Lucius asked, stroking the feathery wings.

“I may have an idea, but I need to check some records first. If he is what I think he is, it’s been unheard of for many generations. It would help, to also know more about his family,” the medi-wizard replied.

“Harry found a shoe box a few weeks ago, full of old pictures and news clippings. There is a winged man in a few of them,” Lucius said.

“There is also what looks to be a Gringott’s key. If we could find out what vault it opens, we may be able to find out more about Harry’s family,” Draco suggested, sitting beside Harry’s bed to take his hand in his.

“Minerva and I will go to Gringott’s to find out if they can determine where the key will fit,” Albus said, just coming into the infirmary, with Minerva McGonagall at his side.

“What happened at home?” Dudley asked, stepping forward, now that everything had settled down around Harry.

“Your father will be taken to the Ministry of Magic, where he will most likely be tried for attempted murder and abuse . . . after he is out of the hospital,” Albus smiled. “Your mother was also taken to St. Mungo’s where she is being healed. She will be okay physically, but will need help emotionally in the coming weeks. I’ve also gathered the rest of Harry’s belongings, and brought them here.”

“You may stay here for now, Mister Dursley. Harry may want you by his side,” Minerva kindly said.


Severus and the medi-wizard returned to St. Mungo’s to search through the creature files, while Lucius and Dudley went with Albus and Minerva to the library, to look through the shoe box of pictures, and go through the Evans and Potters family history. Draco stayed by Harry’s side.

“I am so sorry I wasn’t there for you Harry,” Draco hoarsely whispered, laying his cheek on Harry’s hand, the tears flowing freely onto the blanket and Harry’s cool hand.

tbc