"Now," Leo started, him and Howard in the living room of Grimmauld Place. "For this, you need defensive spells. I know a fair few of those." Howard watched as Leo paced the room before him, the man sat down on the piano stool. "You'll need the Expelliarmus charm, Stupefy charm, the Confundo charm, the Accio charm, the Incarcerous charm and maybe the Unforgiveable Curses if we have time." Leo informed Howard staring at the boy blankly. "English this time." He commented, Leo stopping and looking to the man hopelessly. "Anyway, we'll start with Expelliarmus. If you look at this book, you'll see the wand movements. You practice the wand movement with no chants and I'll be right back." Leo apparated away before Howard could reply, the man looking over the book anxiously. "What the hell?" He muttered, seeing multiple diagrams and difficult cursive writing.
"Kreacher!" Leo called once he had safely landed on the ground, the Elf looking from his cleaning closet to the boy. "Yes, Master?" He asked, Leo nodding. "Go fetch me a wand, please." Leo asked politely, Kreacher nodding. "Of course, Master." Kreacher complied, apparating away himself as Leo apparated back to Howard. "Shit!" Howard yelled, startled as Leo supressed his laugh. "I've got Kreacher to go and grab me a wand so we can practice." Howard's face morphed into one of confusion, Leo sitting down beside him. "You don't have a wand?" Howard asked, Leo shaking his head. "Oh no, I do have one. I just stupidly forgot to bring it with me when me and Ron stormed off. Harry still has it." Leo informed, Howard holding up Sirius' wand curiously. "Who's wand is this?" He asked, Leo sighing. "My Dad's." He answered lowly, Howard instantly regretting asking and clearing his throat.
"Sorry." The man apologised awkwardly, Leo letting a... smile take over his features. "It's okay! Do you have the movement?" Leo asked, Howard noticing Leo didn't want to talk about it anymore and nodded with a shrug. "If it's this then yeah." Howard spoke, demonstrating the movement with one wrong flick. "You go like this." Leo spoke, taking ahold of Howard's wrist and guiding him to do it the right way. "Oh! That makes a lot more sense!" He exclaimed, Leo laughing. "Now, remember that so when I have a wand, you can cast it on me." Leo informed, Howard turning to him. "What does it do?" He asked, practicing the movement so he doesn't forget it. "Oh, it knocks someone's wand out of their hand. You can be dramatic and catch it if you want." Leo answered, Howard nodding dreamily. "Cool!" He exclaimed, shuffling in his seat excitedly, Leo raising his eyebrows at the man.
"Just out of curiosity, how old are you?" Leo asked sarcastically. "Oi!" Howard barked with a grin, punching Leo's shoulder lightly as the boy laughed loudly. "I'm 49, for your information!" He sassed back, Leo looking to him as his laughter died immediately. "You haven't got long left, you know?" Howard's mouth fell open, Leo letting out a wheeze at the man's reaction. "How dare you!" Howard sassed once more, Leo laughing and surrendering. "I'm kidding!" Leo defended himself, Howard squinting his eyes at the boy. "Are you?" He asked, Leo staying quiet. "Hello-" "I may or may not be kidding." Leo answered quickly, yelling when Howard pounced on the teen. "Ah! Stop!" Leo laughed, Howard punching Leo's stomach lightly so it wouldn't actually hurt. "I'm not fighting the elderly!" Leo wheezed, out of breath, laughing again when Howard held the side of his face to the floor teasingly.
"I'm better than that!" Leo spoke further, Howard laughing. "Tell me your kidding." Howard ordered jokingly, Leo laughing. "Fine! I'm kidding." Leo spoke, Howard not moving an inch. "Are you dead?" Leo asked, genuinely curious as Howard started to laugh, letting go of Leo. "Ow..." Leo let out softly, rubbing the side of his face that met the ground. Howard just shrugged, sitting back down on his stool as Leo straightened out his pants. "That was unexpected." Leo snickered, taking deep breathes to catch his again as Howard shrugged, a huge grin on his face. "Master?" Kreacher asked, the two seeing the Elf in the doorway, a wand in hand. "That was quick!" Leo spoke as he knelt before Kreacher, opening his palms. "I went to Ollivanders and grabbed an astray wand, it's only an Alder wood wand." Kreacher informed, Leo testing the weight of the wand. "It'll do. Howard! We have training!" Leo cheered, Howard laughing as Kreacher awaited any other orders.
"Go get yourself something to eat, Kreacher." Leo informed with a loving smile, patting the Elf's head and leaving him to do whatever he liked. Kreacher just watched Leo show Howard the wand with a confused look before walking away slowly, a small smile forming. "This one still looks cooler." Howard challenged, holding up Sirius' wand as Leo nodded.
"That one will always be cooler."
----------=----------
"And last but definitely not least, Unforgivable curses." Leo announced. It was almost night now, Howard being taught for seven hours straight all throughout the day. Well, if you count the multiple snack breaks and nap times. "These ones sound dangerous." Howard spoke, Leo nodding and blinking to stay awake. "They are. They are the-" "Leonardo!" Both men stopped to see none other than Dobby atop the piano, Leo startled. "Dobby needs Leonardo to come to Malfoy Manor with him urgently!" Dobby claimed, Howard almost used to House Elves by now. "Uhm, why?" Leo asked, Dobby's eyes going wide. "Harry Potter and his friends are in trouble!" Leo's tired state vanished in a heartbeat, Howard startled as Leo's whole demeanour changed. "How dangerous would you say, Dobby?" Leo asked quickly, putting his blazer back on along with his two rings.
"Hermione Granger is being tortured and Harry Potter and Ron Weasley are being held hostage." Dobby informed, Howard's eyes going wide. "You're coming with me." Leo told Howard, the man startled before nodding mindlessly. "O-okay!" He spoke, Leo putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'll be there with you, just use your spells and you'll do fine." Leo assured, Howard nodding as Dobby tapped Leo's leg.
"Leonardo and his friend will apparate on Dobby's signal." The Elf informed, Leo nodding.
----------=----------
Harry and Ron stood at each side of the doorway, out of sight as Peter Pettigrew walked down the stairs to the large cell. He unlocked the door before opening it and looking inside confused, both boys jumping when a red ball of energy knocked Peter to the other end of the room, glued to his back. Harry was the first to make eye contact with Leo, his eyes fading back to their normal colour. "Leo?" Ron asked, Leo nodding. "The one and only. Come on, we haven't got all day." Leo urged, Ron speeding up first. "Is that Homeless Howard?" Harry asked, Howard nodding with a grin. "Yep!" He exclaimed, Leo shrugging their interaction off. "Who gets his wand?" Dobby asked, holding up Peter's wand as Leo shrugged again. "I'm going to ask you once more, Goblin. Think very, very carefully before you answer." Leo looked to where he heard Bellatrix's voice, his eyes glinting red as the group followed her voice.
Leo led the group, Howard sticking by his side in fear as Ron, Harry and Dobby followed close behind. "Who got into my vault?" BellaTrix circled Griphook as she interrogated the Goblin, Leo's eyes landing on Hermione's back as she laid down. "Who stole it? Who?!" Bellatrix continued, Leo seeing Hermione move slightly. "Liar!" Bellatrix raised her voice, cutting Griphook's cheek lightly. "Consider yourself lucky, Goblin. You're same won't be said for this one." Leo saw the Malfoy family just chilling around as Bellatrix creeped around Hermione's figure. "Like hell." Ron spoke, rushing up as Leo groaned, following after him. "'Expelliarmus!'" Ron yelled, Bellatrix looking to them before making eye contact with Leo, grinning. "'Stupefy!'" Harry knocked Lucius back, Draco getting up quickly. "'Expelliarmus!'" Howard chanted from beside Leo, the boy catching Draco's wand. "Wow!" He exclaimed, seeing Ron duel Narcissa and Harry duel Bellatrix.
Draco looked at the duo shocked, confused as to who Howard was before Narcissa got his wand back for him, Leo seeing Lucius get back up. "You can have Howie." Leo grinned to Draco, moving towards the man who was getting up. "Long time no see." Leo grinned as he heard Howard chant the spells they had learnt, Lucius scowling at the boy. "'Stupefy!'" Lucius yelled, BellaTrix's shouts dying down as Narcissa's increased, Leo stopping the spell in between the two. "What-" Lucius spoke before he was knocked back into his chair once more, Leo stood smugly. "It's not worth it-" "Stop!" BellaTrix screamed, Leo and his group looking to see the woman holding Hermione in a choke hold, her knife to the girl's throat. "Drop your wands." BellaTrix grinned, Hermione whimpering in fear as Ron kept his eyes on her. "Glad you could join us, Gryffindor." She grinned again, Leo's jaw clenching as Howard dropped Sirius' wand quickly.
"I said drop them!" BellaTrix scolded, Harry and Ron dropping their wands after Howard. "Pick them up, Draco, now." She ordered, the boy doing as told without hesitation, Leo's jaw clenching. "Well, well, well." The woman started again, Lucius keeping his eyes on Leo. "Look what we have here." BellaTrix walked forward with Hermione, Narcissa in between her and Leo. "It's Harry Potter, all shiny and new again. He bears the gift of Leonardo too. How thoughtful." BellaTrix laughed, Hermione taking quick breathes as she whispered in Hermione's ear. "Both just in time for the Dark Lord. Call him." She spoke further, Howard looking to Leo panicked, the boy already looking at him. "It's okay." The boy mouthed, Howard biting his bottom lip in anxiousness. Leo was pushed forward by Lucius, the boy tripping over Draco's foot and onto the ground as Draco flinched. Leo and Draco made eye contact as Lucius continued to walk forward, 'calling' Voldemort
Leo followed Draco when the boy looked up to the chandelier, everyone soon following when squeaking was heard. "What the..." Leo trailed off when Dobby was trying to unscrew the hinge. The Malfoy's seemed to watch awkwardly and wait as the light suddenly fell, Hermione scrambling to Harry and Ron once she was out of BellaTrix's hold. Leo, however, was held back by Lucius, the man quick to grab him. "'Stupefy!'" Harry yelled, Lucius flying back as Leo was passed to Narcissa, the boy looking up to the woman. "Lovely meeting you." He spoke breathlessly, Draco's mother trying not to pay attention to him. "Stupid Elf! You could've killed me!" BellaTrix scolded, Howard seeing Leo not with the group. "Leo!" He whispered harshly, Hermione looking to see only her, Harry, Ron, Griphook and Dobby. Along with Howard, of course. She had no time to talk as Howard moved past them, still with the group but now next to Harry, closer to Leo.
"Dobby never meant to kill. Dobby only meant to maim or seriously injure." Dobby answered to BellaTrix, Leo squinting at the Elf. Narcissa took her free hand and was about to cast a spell at Dobby... before he took it. "How dare you take a Witch's wand! How dare you defy your Masters!" BellaTrix yelled, Dobby glaring at her. "Dobby has no Master. Dobby is a free Elf. And Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and Leonardo Gryffindor and their friends." He declared, Howard moving closer to Leo slowly. Howard yelped when Harry grabbed his hand, the man quickly reaching for Leo as the boy did the same. BellaTrix threw her knife into the apparating group, Narcissa seeming to let Leo go before yanking him suddenly when their reaching hands grazed, the boy yelling when he watched the group disappear without him. "At least we have you, eh!" BellaTrix cackled, Draco looking to Leo panicked as Lucius got up again. "Dobby couldn't save them all, huh?" BellaTrix teased, Leo staying quiet.
-=-
"Leo?" Howard called, Hermione and Ron looking to the man. "Leo!" He yelled, panicked as Harry held Dobby close. Bellatrix's knife had hit the Elf in his stomach, him slowly dying in Harry's arms. "Bloody hell!" Ron let out frustrated, still holding Hermione close as she worried about Leo. "Dobby, no!" Harry shouted, shaking the Elf's dead body as Ron and Hermione got up and walked to him, Howard scanning the area. "Leo's still with them." Hermione informed, her voice trembling what just happened as Harry's face dropped, new tears forming at his eyes. "Leo! Leo!" Howard continued to call, climbing up a small hill not far from them.
"Leo..."
-=-
"Ah!" Leo screamed in pain when BellaTrix waved her wand towards him, feeling his leg cut in a spiral. "Sister!" Narcissa scolded, Draco watching Leo's blood slowly stain his brown pants. Leo, unable to get up, only closed his eyes and let tears fall, thinking this was the end. "He's for the Dark Lord." Lucius wheezed, out of breathe as he held Leo to the ground by his shoulders, the boy whimpering. BellaTrix dismissed Lucius and walked to Draco, the boy staring at Leo's leg. "Do you still have the wands?" She asked, Draco shaking his head as Narcissa kept her eyes on Leo's pained expression. "Shut it, will you!" BellaTrix yelled at Leo, the boy whimpering none-the-less and squeezing his eyes shut in pain. "Take him to the cells!" She ordered, Leo yelling in pain when Lucius dragged him up, ignoring his torn up leg. "Let go of m-me..." He stuttered, his eyes puffy as Lucius grinned. "I don't think I will." He smirked, Draco watching Leo lift his ring up and press it to his Father's side.
Lucius felt this too, not knowing Leo's ring was their and looking back up to him. "How weak you are!" He laughed, Leo glaring at him before jabbing the man slightly, a small red ball of energy shooting him away slightly. "Hey! You little-" BellaTrix yelled as he caught her wand, Leo groaning as he fell to the ground again before apparating away, Lucius being pulled back by Narcissa or he would've gone with him. Draco just stayed in his spot, stunned as BellaTrix kicked the glass on the floor in fury as she screamed.
-=-
The group looked up from their funeral for Dobby when they heard a scream. "What the bloody hell was that?!" Ron asked startled as Howard stood up quickly. Leo didn't hear anything as his whole pant leg was stained red fully, some extra blood dripping off as he saw a blurry cottage through his puffy eyes. "Leo!" Howard yelled, rushing to the boy's form as Ron and Hermione followed, Harry looking down to Dobby's grave before following. "Oh my God..." Hermione let out, horrified by Leo's leg as Howard crouched next to him, frightened for his only friend. "Hey, Leo! Look at me." Howard spoke, cupping Leo's face as the boy shook it, whimpering and sobbing. "You did something with Ron's arm, put that on him!" Harry spoke quickly, Howard, moving to Leo's pant leg. "Shh..." He soothed, pulling up Leo's pant leg as the boy winced and sobbed, his eyes buffering red. "Help him, Mione!" Ron urged, Hermione snapping out of her trance and grabbing the wand in Harry's hand. "'Accio purse!'" She yelled, her 'small' purse appearing ahead of her.
"Whatever you're doing, hurry up!" Howard yelled with his hands soaked in Leo's blood, seeing Leo's leg cut in a huge spiral, Ron and Harry's eyes widening. "Blimey..." Ron let out, seeing the cut go up further as Hermione shoved past him, Dittany in hand. "This'll only hurt for a second, okay?" She asked, not letting Leo reply as she dropped multiple drops on his leg, the boy screaming and hissing in pain. Howard moved to the boy's head, cradling it and petting his hair. "Who is he?" Ron asked Harry, Leo's cuts slowly sealing. "Howard..." Harry answered, watching some of Leo's blood soak into his hair. "That's Homeless Howard from Surrey." Harry continued, Hermione wincing at Leo's new spiral scar that travelled up his whole leg. "You're okay now..." Howard whispered, Leo's yells and sobbing quieting to winces and whimpers. "It's done, mate..." Howard continued, Hermione taking deep breathes and moving next to Howard, Harry and Ron moving to the two.
"Are we good now?" Leo asked through wheezes, Hermione scoffing through tears. "Sure." She answered, Leo smiling weakly and adjusting his head in Howard's lap, closing his eyes and drifting into a blissful sleep.
Howard only petted the boy's head for a while.
In peace for a while.
Awwwww! I love this so much OMG!!!
[2802 words!]
Hope you enjoyed!!
Byeeee!