Chapter One Hundred and Two of 'A Brother to Basilisks'- Spinning Battle
Chapter One Hundred and One.
Title: A Brother to Basilisks (102/?)
Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling and associates own these characters. I am writing this story for fun and not profit.
Pairings: Eventual Harry/Draco and Ron/Hermione
Warnings: Angst, violence, some gore, AU from Prisoner of Azkaban onwards
Rating: R
Summary: AU of PoA. Harry wakes in the night to a voice calling him from somewhere in the castle-and when he follows it, everything changes. Updated every Friday.
Author’s Notes: This is a canon-divergent AU that starts after Chapter 7 of Prisoner of Azkaban. It will probably run to at least the mid-point of The Half-Blood Prince. It will also be long.
Chapter One.
Thank you again for all the reviews!
Chapter One Hundred and Two-Spinning Battle
Harry actually didn’t feel the pull on his magic at first. He was too busy concentrating on the battle, and his breathless hatred of Voldemort that sometimes he thought was actually Dash’s breathless hatred, and the need to watch his professors survive.
Severus has to survive.
But then Dash hissed, and Harry became aware of it in the same moment, the tugging on a piece of himself that was shallower than the soul but deeper than the deep bond. He reared back, not caring if he was doing it physically or not. At the moment, the inside of his head was all for him.
What is Voldemort doing?
Using your magic against Severus after that potion weakened Voldemort’s hold on his own magic.
Dash was trembling alongside, inside, Harry’s head, so alive with rage that Harry knew he would have liked to tear away and go to the battlefield after all, to destroy Voldemort rather than defend anyone. Harry reached out and put a firm hand on the back of Dash’s neck, in the real world or the one of memory and imagination, and said, Help me figure out how to stop it.
There is a way I knew as Slytherin. I will have to rely on your magic to cast it. I don’t have the same kind of magic anymore.
I don’t care. Do it.
Dash seemed to move through the deep bond for a second, because Harry’s eyes filled with deep blue sky and silver stars, overlaid on the vision of the continuing battle. Then Harry had the odd picture of Dash halting in front of a pair of ivory gates, and bowing his head to them.
The gates to your magical core, Dash said, when Harry sent a wave of silent questioning at him. You have to give me permission to access it. There is no way I could force it on my own.
I would never think you could, Harry said, touched even as he flung the gates open and invited Dash inside. He had been feeling, half an hour ago, that Dash was sometimes too much and he stood in his way when Harry wanted to do something. But now that fear was gone. Dash had responded with such a wave of coiling, striking love that Harry couldn’t even worry about what he would do with his magical core.
Sort of hard to stand in your way when I don’t have legs, Dash said, and flowed into his magical core, his power reaching out and threading through Harry’s in a way that felt like tickling. Harry laughed.
The point stands.
Oh, well, if we’re talking about the point.
Suddenly, the tugging feeling stopped. Harry turned to stare back at the battle, and immediately saw that Severus was still alive, although bleeding from a cut high on his left shoulder. And Voldemort, although he looked as evil as ever and he was still fighting, had the traces of a stunned expression on his face.
He really should learn not to mess with my bondmate, said Dash, in a dreamy voice. Harry supposed it was hard to handle a basilisk’s magic and his wizard’s magic at once. I will have to do something about that.
But they couldn’t do anything about it right now, other than cut off Voldemort’s access to Harry’s magic, so they just had to watch, Harry thought.
Oh? Is that right?
Harry blinked, and then Dash flowed in another new way, and suddenly Harry was touching a filthy, disgusting, slimy trail that made him flinch violently back, almost losing sight of the battle altogether.
The connection goes both ways, Dash said, in the happiest and most bloodthirsty voice Harry had ever heard from him, and yanked.
*
“Sectumsempra!” Severus yelled again, as he ducked out of the way of a curse that would have made him succumb to an accelerated bubonic plague. The Dark Lord had barely dodged Severus’s created curse once before. He would find out now whether that was only the product of Harry’s magic or not.
The Dark Lord turned to the side with fluid, inhuman grace. His eyes had stopped glowing green, and he looked a bit slower than before. Severus was not sure how much difference it would make to the battle, but he was grateful that at least the Dark Lord didn’t seem to be hurting Harry anymore.
As the curse missed, again, Severus called up all his power and carefully aimed his wand. He was going to do this. He was. He hadn’t used this spell in battle in a long time because it was such a drain on his power, and besides, he hadn’t had a battle to use it in. But the encouragement to himself surged in his veins, and his wand moved in the right pattern.
“Capitem frango!”
The Skull-Shattering Curse roared from his wand and straight towards the Dark Lord. He laughed, with a slight hitch in his voice, and started to turn sideways away from it.
Then he staggered. His voice was so loud that it sounded as if he was strangling. He reached out a hand and clawed at the air.
Severus stared. He had a moment to think this was some trick, that the Dark Lord should not have been able to fool him this way, and to wonder what the point of the trick was-
Then the Skull-Shattering Curse hit him. Severus saw a flash of grey and white from the back of the Dark Lord’s bald head, and heard Minerva and Filius cry out as if they had been hit themselves. He stepped back towards them without glancing away from the Dark Lord. Not even for suspicions that he had somehow hurt his allies could he look away now.
The Dark Lord tumbled slowly, gracelessly, to the ground. He lay there for a moment with a gleam of red coming from the hole Severus could see in his skull. Then he pulled himself up like a scuttling spider and turned his head enough to spit out what looked like a broken tooth, and some words.
“You will rue this day, Severus.”
The next instant, he vanished, and Nagini along with him. The shadow serpents that had been holding her at bay dropped to the ground and writhed about disconsolately, hissing.
“What just happened?” Minerva’s voice was soft and hoarse as she disenchanted her stones. They flopped to the earth, deadly weapons defanged in a moment. “How could you make him flee, Severus?” There was awe in her voice, which made Severus turn away from her again for a different reason.
“I didn’t kill him.”
“No, but you hurt him,” said Filius, and shook his head as though he was the one who had been hit with the curse on the back of the skull. “I just don’t know why. He was defending himself with his magic up until then, wasn’t he?”
“He was drawing on Harry’s magic, because of the-connection between them.” Not even to trusted colleagues did Severus actually want to divulge the existence of the Horcruxes. “I think Harry must have shut down the connection. That explains why his spells weren’t as strong after a few moments. And in the meantime, Harry might have managed to pull back on the Dark Lord’s magic.”
Filius frankly gaped, but Minerva was quicker. “You think he had Dash’s help?”
Severus nodded. “I’m certain. He might have come up with the concept on his own, but he wouldn’t have known how to do it.” He winced a little and hoped he didn’t sound as if he was disparaging his ward’s intelligence. It was only the truth.
“Well. Well, yes. I suppose.” Minerva shook her head as if she couldn’t believe it, and then shot a sharp look towards the village. “Do you suppose that he killed Molly and Arthur and the children, since none of them came out to help us?”
“We can only go and find out,” Severus replied, staring to walk. His private opinion was that it wasn’t true, since the Dark Lord would have bragged about that in order to demoralize them further, but he didn’t want to lay out for Minerva and Filius why he was so certain of that.
As it turned out, the Weasleys had sensibly remained inside their house when they saw the mist come up with shocking unnaturalness, and not come out even when they heard the battle. Only Molly, the twins, and the two younger ones were home, and none of them would be at their best in a battle.
Minerva was the one who told the story of it being the Dark Lord, and how they had known where to come, and she was the best one to deal with the Weasley boy’s loud inquiries about whether Harry was all right. In the meantime, Severus turned inwards and reached as hard as he could for the memory of the first time Harry had really relaxed around him.
The doe Patronus that leaped up in front of him took the message, “Tell Harry that we are safe, that the Dark Lord was here but left without killing anyone or injuring the Weasleys,” with a slight bob of her head, and disappeared through the wall. Severus leaned back with a long sigh, and began healing the cut on his shoulder that the Dark Lord had inflicted on him.
Minerva was trying to give him a sympathetic look, maybe because his Patronus had reminded her about his love for Lily. Severus ignored her almost effortlessly. He was already focusing on the future.
We will have to do something more proactive about the Dark Lord than we have so far.
*
“Harry? Are you all right?”
It seemed to Draco that he had asked that question at least seven times, far more than he should have to, but it was only now that Harry stirred and opened his eyes. He was lapped so far in Dash’s coils that only his head dangled out, and Draco couldn’t see if he was injured or not. He didn’t think so, though. Dash would probably already have been on his way to the hospital wing if anything had happened to Harry.
“Yes, thanks,” Harry whispered, and then smiled tiredly up at him. “Did Dash call you?”
Draco shook his head. “Remember, we were going to have dinner in Professor Snape’s quarters? I started on my way, and I found you here.” He nodded towards the dungeon stairs that went down behind them.
He wanted to ask all sorts of questions, to demand to know the answers, the way he would have been entitled if he was important to the war. Or one of Harry’s close friends. But he didn’t think he could. Both Dash and Harry were drooping. If he tried to ask them now, he would drive them away.
Then he saw the way Dash had turned his head towards him, and blinked. And stared. Dash was fluttering one eyelid in a way that made Draco wonder for a moment how he could have offended him.
He finally recognized the nearest thing Dash had to a wink, and grinned with relief before he thought about it.
“What?”
“I just wanted to ask you some questions,” Draco said, and ran a hand down Harry’s forehead. “If that’s all right?” Now that I know that Dash isn’t going to bite me for disturbing his bondmate.
“Um. Of course.”
Harry sounded puzzled as to why it would even be an issue, but then again, Harry didn’t always know his own best interests. Draco ignored the temptation to talk about that instead, and simply honed in on what he needed. “What happened?”
“Voldemort sent me a vision he was attacking the Weasleys, but Dash wouldn’t let me go and he wouldn’t go, and Severus went, and then Voldemort pulled on my magic, and Dash helped me fight back, so that we pulled on his magic, and Severus sent me a message by Patronus, and now I think everything’s all right, but I’m so tired I can’t even see what’s right in front of me, so I don’t know for sure.”
Draco blinked for a few seconds. Then he said, “Um, okay.”
“That didn’t make much sense, did it? I’m-sorry.” Harry broke off the sentence to yawn in the middle.
Dash turned his head slowly in Draco’s direction. Draco knew it wasn’t really a suggestion. Dash wanted him to leave, and preferably as soon as possible. He wanted to let Harry sleep.
But Draco stood his ground, because he really did need a few questions answered if only for his own peace of mind.
“How could Voldemort send you the vision? Did he show you what he was really doing right at the moment?” That was rather stupid of Voldemort, Draco had to think, and was especially glad that he’d never got into a position where he had to follow the Dark Lord.
Harry raised his hand and tiredly tapped the scar.
Oh. Of course. If Voldemort could attack Harry and use the Horcrux to resurrect himself in his dreams, there was no reason he couldn’t also send Harry visions when they were both awake.
“Do you think-” Draco stopped speaking as Dash’s tail sneaked into his vision. It really looked as if Dash was poised to swat him like an annoying bug.
“I think Dash would prefer it if you went away for right now,” Harry said, and his voice was so tired that his words were slurring. “Don’ want him to get upset. He’s feeling-pretty protective right now.”
The next instant, Harry’s chin tipped down on Dash’s scales, and he began to snore. Draco shook his head and turned to the basilisk.
“I want to know all about what happened to him,” he said. “You understand that, don’t you?”
He got a soft stare from under the closed eyelids. Then Dash bobbed his head and began slithering away towards Professor Snape’s quarters. Draco sighed and followed. He knew that meant he would get an explanation, but not nearly soon enough for him.
“Draco?”
And there was Professor Snape, back already. Draco stepped quickly up beside Harry. “Do you know what happened to him, sir?” he asked, nodding at Harry.
“I know that he saw a vision of the Dark Lord attacking the Burrow,” Professor Snape said. He looked as though he had taken a few curses to the shoulder, Draco realized, glancing at a smear of blood down the front of his robes. “And then the Dark Lord pulled on Harry’s magic and somewhat resisted a potion I had counted on to diminish his defenses. I think-I think Harry fought back.” Professor Snape shook his head and reached out to touch Harry’s chin with two soft fingers. “I don’t know if we’ll ever know how.”
“Harry said something about him and Dash pulling on the Dark Lord’s magic before he went to sleep.”
Professor Snape’s head snapped up. “I thought that might be it. That would explain some things, yes,” he said. “I had not realized the Horcrux connection between them was so powerful, or could be used for that kind of thing.” Then he sighed and nearly collapsed, catching himself with an outstretched hand against the wall at the last moment. “I should have realized it.”
“I don’t think Harry would be upset about it,” Draco said cautiously.
“I am quite capable of blaming myself, whether or not Harry does.”
“Um.” Draco paused, then offered, “Sorry, sir,” all the while not sure if this was something that needed an apology or not.
“Not your fault,” said Professor Snape, and sighed out. “And in truth, there is nothing to blame myself for. I did not know he could pull on Harry’s magic. Next time, I will be prepared for that. If there is a next time, of course,” he added softly, and looked down at Harry, cradled and sleeping, as Dash crawled beside them to the door of the professor’s quarters. “He may not use that tactic now that he knows Dash can fight back against it.”
Dash only gave them an enigmatic look and tapped his tail against Professor Snape’s door. The professor opened it, and Draco stood aside so Dash could slither inside first. He thought the basilisk wouldn’t be pleased if Draco got in the way while he was trying to lay Harry down in his bed.
“Draco.”
The hand on his shoulder was a surprise, and so was the professor’s solemn voice. Draco blinked up at him, and found the professor staring at him as if he wanted to use Legilimency on Draco for some reason.
“I want you to know that you have been important to Harry-more important, in different ways-” Professor Snape hesitated, perhaps because he thought Dash might come back in and object. But Dash had disappeared into Harry’s bedroom in the professor’s quarters, and after a moment Professor Snape shook his head and went on.
“In different ways than anyone else.” This time, the professor’s voice was lower still. “He will need me and his friends to help and support him through this, but he also needs you. If you feel left out of this battle, please remember that.”
“I always remember that,” said Draco, hoping the firelight would hide the way his cheeks flushed. “And I don’t feel left out of the battle. I feel left out of Harry telling me about it.” He glanced at the bedroom door again. “But I reckon he’s not going to, any time soon.”
“He will when he wakes. Magical exhaustion should heal quickly.” The professor hesitated again, and Draco watched him. Was he just concerned about Draco feeling left out? Or concerned about Draco running and reporting something like this to Father?
He needn’t be. I’ll never do something like that again.
“Would you like to stay with him?”
“Would Dash like me sitting by his bed?”
“I am asking what you would like, not what Dash would like.”
Draco bit his lip hard against the automatic retort about how Dash would be able to do any number of things to enforce his dislike. He could recognize what Professor Snape was doing, and it was more than welcome. He nodded sharply. “I’d like to stay, sir.”
“Then you may.” Professor Snape opened the door to Harry’s room, and Draco moved quickly inside, looking around. The décor all seemed to be blue and white, and Draco wondered if that was because any other colors would have looked too much like House colors one way or the other. The bed was huge, with blankets and pillows so thick that Harry looked as if he was drowning lying in them.
Dash lay draped across the bed. Draco thought he was asleep with exhaustion, too, at first, and then saw the way Dash lifted his head and flickered out his tongue. He nodded and sat in the chair next to the bed, which was a rocking chair, for some reason.
Harry’s face was pale, but he already looked better than he had when Draco saw him earlier. Little by little, muscle by muscle, Draco felt himself relaxing. He could even lean back in the embrace of the chair and think that he would wake up in the morning and Harry would be awake, too.
But he still wanted to do something the next time Voldemort tried to reach Harry through the Horcrux link, not just sit there helplessly. That meant he had to…
What? He wouldn’t be much help trying to go into Harry’s head and interfere with his and Dash’s bond, and Dash would never permit that, anyway. Which meant what?
Then Draco felt as though a lightning bolt scar of his own had opened in his brain. Yes, he knew. What he and Harry had been doing before the school year ended and the bloody Third Task happened, with Weasley and Granger’s help.
“Professor?” he called softly.
Professor Snape immediately appeared in the doorway and looked towards Harry before he seemed to realize nothing was wrong and turned to Draco again. “Yes, Draco?”
“Would you mind getting me a book on Horcruxes from the library so that I can read it? I want to find a way to sever the link.”
Professor Snape frowned. “Remember that Harry’s soul is also torn, and the Dark Lord is also his Horcrux. I do not think we can sever the connection between them now simply by removing the one in Harry.”
“But it would be helpful. And it’s not something Harry really has the time to research right now.” Draco leaned forwards and put as much pleading as he could in his tone. “I need something to do besides watch him.”
“You have the feeling that he’s not going anywhere, then?”
Draco noticed how tense Professor Snape was, and understood. He wasn’t sure that Harry would stay in one place and one piece for right now.
“Yes, I’m sure,” Draco said, and felt another little jab of strength in his spine that made him sit up straighter when he saw the way Professor Snape was looking at him. Maybe he could do something other than research Horcruxes. He could provide reassurance to Professor Snape, as strange as it seemed that he would actually need it.
There was a moment when Draco thought the professor wouldn’t leave. Then he nodded and did, probably to get the book Draco had requested.
Draco sighed softly and faced Harry again. Dash had dropped off to sleep this time, he was sure. Harry looked smaller than ever against the pillows and Dash’s bulk, not really like he was being protected.
But Draco would make sure he was. No matter how much he had to struggle through it, he would finally help to protect Harry as much as any of them.
I’m not going to be helpless again.
Draco took one more look at Harry’s pale face, his shallowly rising and falling chest.
Or let him be helpless, either.
Chapter One Hundred and Three.