Harry woke up with blurry eyes and stretched. It was still quiet in the Gryffindor Tower, he heard Ron's soft snore and saw Neville sleeping with his mouth open. A glance at the clock told him it was far from breakfast time, but he had a strange restless feeling in his legs that urged him to get out of bed.
With a deep sigh, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and let his feet dangle above the ground for a moment before letting the soles of his feet touch the cold ground. The cold feeling that crawled up his feet caused him to wake up with a bang, the reality of the previous night came in unfiltered and caused goosebumps on his arms.
He ran a hand over his face and took a shaky breath. He had kissed Tom. Fuck. He had kissed Tom and enjoyed it.
Where before he could have bathed in innocence and ignorance, he now had to confess that he had to take full responsibility for the kiss with Tom. Where he had previously been able to attribute his dreams to an increase in hormones and puberty behavior, now he could not deny that he had acted consciously.
He touched his dry lips with the tip of his tongue, moistening them gently and tasting them carefully. He sucked his lower lip gently into his mouth between his teeth and bit it. Though the touch of his teeth on his soft lip was gentle, the pressure of teeth on his lip reminded him of Tom's possessive touches. He moved his hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to Tom's ring, gently rubbing the smooth metal, as if the ring were the embodiment of the dark wizard.
He moaned softly as he seemed to taste Tom's taste on his tongue, a ghostly imprint the dark-haired boy had left on his lips. He could still feel the pressure of Tom's body against his, the warmth the wizard had left behind. Feverishly, he passed his hands over his chest and let them slide down until he came to the clearly visible outline of his cock, which made his pajama pants taut.
~"T-Tom, what are you doing to me?"~ Harry moaned, slipping imperceptibly into Parseltongue. He palmed his throbbing member and ran his hand up and down painfully slow. The soft fabric of his pants was dampened by the precum he spread with his movements.
A movement of Seamus turning in his sleep caused Harry to quietly get up to take a shower. Automatically, he turned to pick up Levi and take him to the hot, steaming showers, only to remember that the little Krait snake had gone with Tom. He, therefore, grabbed some clean clothes and quickly ran to the showers.
When he felt the warm water clashing on his skin, he imagined Tom standing behind him. He felt the dark-haired boy's graceful hands slide over his hips. Harry didn't have to try hard to imagine the hands, the frantic movements of their kissing were still fresh on his mind, like a movie on repeat.
Harry started lathering his body with a sponge and gasped as he ran the soft, yet rough material over his nipples. With slow and steady movements he circled his stomach, slowly sinking to his penis which stood proud and tall. As he ran the sponge over the tense and warm skin of his member, he squeezed his nipple with his other hand. Harry moaned loudly, but couldn't bring himself to worry that other boys might hear him- the feelings that washed over him were too overwhelming and overpowering.
~"Tom!"~ Harry hissed as he first touched his smooth, wet skin with his fingers. He dropped the sponge to the floor and replaced the sponge with his hands curling impatiently around his hard member. He felt his heart beating under the silky skin and gripped his cock tighter, looking for more friction.
~"Tom, I want you,"~ Harry sighed as he jerked his hips, eagerly pumping in his fist. He felt his ring heat upon his finger, the increase in the heat didn't hurt him now, it didn't burn. Instead, the ring seemed to spread a pleasant feeling, urging him to lose himself completely in the scorching heat of the passion he felt.
~"What would you have done if Snape hadn't disturbed us?"~ Harry heard Tom whisper in his ear.
Harry moaned and slammed his left hand against the smooth tiles on the wall and leaned that hand and his forehead against it while his right hand remained undisturbed by pumping. ~"I would have held my hands against the wall while you pushed unto me... You would move rhythmically against me as your hands grip my hips."~
~"It was a pillar, Harry,"~ Tom chuckled low in Harry's ear. ~"Would I just grab your hips, petit serpent? Or would I open your pants, pull it down, and then curl my fingers around your manhood?~
Harry bucked forward excitedly, spurred on by the sultry words whispered in his ear. With a laugh, Harry thought that this daydream was better than he could have dreamed and more realistic than any other fantasy. He bit his lower lip stoutly and moved even more rigorously in his fist.
~"Harry,"~ Tom growled as he ran his teeth over the curve of Harry's neck. ~"What would I do? Would I grab your cock and satisfy you?"~
~"Yessss,"~ Harry hissed breathlessly, ~"Fuck, it would be great if you stroked my cock."~
Tom grinned and pulled Harry tight against him. He bit Harry's neck and nibbled at his sensitive skin, leaving his skin ruddy. ~"I wouldn't touch your cock, Harry, you were very rude to me. You raised your voice to me and questioned my intentions and reasons for coming to Hogwarts. You were a very... naughty... boy,"~ Tom growled, almost animalistic.
Harry was now leaning against the cool tiles in Gryffindor's bathroom with both hands. He was no longer aware of his surroundings, the sleeping classmates had been forgotten, left in their beds far away from Harry.
~ "What are you going to do then,"~ Harry whimpered.
Tom didn't answer, the ring got hot and again Harry was overcome by a wave of desire that made him tremble on his legs. He swore that he felt two hands on his buttocks, slowly pushing the cheeks apart with the long fingers.
~"What?"~ Harry stammered, his voice twisted with lust. "Aaah!" Harry moaned with a low guttural sound.
He lurched forward, trying to get away from the strong hands that seemed to be holding his hips. Between his butt-cheeks, he felt a warm tongue licking from his supple flesh, deep into the forbidden place where no one had yet gone. Harry became hot and restless, the spot between his buttocks warm and smooth. His cock was so tense, so long and thick that he thought that a single touch was enough to cum.
~"Use your fingers, petit serpent,"~ Tom whispered seductively. ~"Use your fingers as you wish- as you wish my cock would fill you."~
Harry nodded frantically and reached for his buttocks with his hand. His mind was filled by Tom- there was no beginning and no end. There was only him and his lust. Slowly he penetrated his hole with his finger and gently moved up and down in it.
~"More, darling. I would use more,"~ said Tom breathlessly, his hands gliding over the smooth muscles of Harry's stomach. ~"Show me."~
Spurred on by Tom's words, Harry used two fingers in his now wet and relaxed hole. He curled his fingers experimenting, then raised his face in the warm spray of the shower when his fingers found a swollen spot that gave him immense pleasure. He moaned loudly and moved his fingers to that special spot again, now more sure in his movements.
~"Fuck, Harry,"~ Tom hissed through his wet hair as a man possessed. ~"Darling, you are so beautiful. Touch yourself, petit serpent. Come for me."~
Harry moved his hand to his tense cock and only moved up and down a few times before he came hard. White globs of cum landed on the dark, smooth tiles of the bathroom. Trembling, Harry tried to recover from the experience, to come back to reality. An unbelievable laugh escaped the dark-haired boy who shook his head at the bizarrely intense and realistic daydream.
~"Fuck," ~ he whispered as he washed away the evidence of his naughty acts with the water from the shower. He lifted his face into the warm rays and reveled in the sensation. ~"This set me on fire."~
~"Our passion is hot," ~ whispered Tom with a dangerous undertone. ~"You'll see I'm literally burning for you, petit serpent. I would burn for you whole villages, castles, and even the ship's masts crackle in the hot fire I start for you. You'll see, darling."~
***
Harry walked towards the great hall feeling astonishingly refreshed, a hop in his stride. He probably had a goofy smile on his face, but after morning and evening like his, someone was allowed to be a little wacky. He walked down the stairs contentedly with this and seemed not to notice the bustle in the corridors the closer he got to the Great Hall. He easily squeezed through the crowds of murmuring students without stopping, because so many of Slytherin's and Ravenclaw's students were up.
The hallway in front of the entrance to the Great Hall was extremely busy. He heard whispers and saw all kinds of people walking in official-looking clothes. Astonished, he circled around his axis to look at everything, causing him to hit a hard chest.
"Oof!" Harry moaned before falling backward.
A large, strong arm propped him up, and he heard the low but melodious chuckle that was familiar to him. He blinked before grinning broadly as he met Sirius with shiny hair in a red uniform. A large 'M' was embroidered on the chest in golden thread.
Sirius motioned Harry calmly to an alcove and turned his back to the crowd, obscuring Harry from other gazes. "Harry," he said with a mischievous grin. "What a coincidence to find you here."
Harry's eyes darted nervously across the crowd, searching for people looking their way. "What are you doing here?" he hissed rebukingly, pulling hard on Sirius' arm. "Should I remind you that you are a wanted criminal? If they find you, then-"
"Then it's a good thing they don't find me, hmm?" Sirius interrupted him. "They are so busy completing an investigation that Voldemort himself can dance naked in the dressing rooms of the common rooms without being noticed. Relax," he added with a chuckle.
Harry looked around the imposing figure of his godfather and saw that indeed no one was looking at them. The other wizards and witches in red were busy chatting with students from Durmstrang, like those of Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Harry cast his eyes to Sirius and noticed that his uniform had a slightly different design, but no less official look.
Sirius noticed his inquiring look and straightened his shoulders proudly. "I was an Auror in 1980 and still had my official uniform hanging in the closet. It was with a lot of skill to get into my old apartment undetected and was delighted to see that the wards hadn't fallen in all those years. Everything was exactly as I had left it; a cup still stained with coffee residue, a t-shirt I discarded on a chair, your father's letter about the monotonous life in Godric's Hollow-"
He swallowed uncomfortably, his eyes dimmed when those words had slipped away. A lone tear rolled down his cheek as he smiled wryly at Harry. "It was like yesterday when your parents died. It was like I'd just burst out the door to grab that dirty rat by the scruff of the neck and strip him of his skin and guts- wishing he had actually exploded with all those muggles."
Harry quickly placed a calming hand on his godfather's sleeve and smiled shakily. "Siri, it's all right. You've done what you could- you're here now."
This seemed to calm the older man, and he took a shaky deep breath. "You're right, Harry, I'm here for you now." His gray eyes moved slowly over the crowd in front of the Great Hall before examining Harry.
"Where were you last night, Harry?"
"I had gone to the Yule Ball with Daphne and Millicent, just before the end of the ball I escorted them back to the dungeons and then went back to the Gryffindor Tower."
"Didn't see or hear of anyone who had no business at Hogwarts?"
Harry's eyes darted to Sirius's, the gray irises gleaming at him with determination and concern. In his mind, he felt Tom's graceful hands in his hair, tasted his blood in his mouth as the boy bit him hard on his lower lip, felt the hard lines of his manhood move rhythmically against his. He saw that cruel, yet charming smile on Tom's young face when he met him on the seventh floor and heard him say once more, "I came here on a number of business, but mostly I'm here to see you, Harry."
He felt his blood grow cold and he tilted his head inquiringly as he cleared his eyes of emotion. "No nobody. How so? What happened?"
Sirius looked grimly at the entrance to Hogwarts where all manner of high-ranking officials congregated. "The mast of the Durmstrang ship has been set on fire," Sirius said in a low voice. "The students of Durmstrang who were present had been evacuated and placed with Slytherin. As you know, Ravenclaw Tower overlooks the Hogwarts grounds, including the lake. Several students have seen the ship's mast suddenly burn, a hellish fire with green flames that spread devastatingly around it. Besides, it's a damn diplomatic inferno; several ministries are involved in the investigation, there is talk of a major attack on the lives of the students of Durmstrang."
Harry looked out at the great doorway as if to witness the havoc his godfather had just described. He could still vividly remember seeing Snape run off with Tom. He saw Snape's firm grip on Tom's shoulder as he pushed him forward, away from Harry. Surely Tom couldn't have started this fire, what purpose could it have-
"Was anyone injured? Karkarov, was he injured?" Harry asked in a trembling voice, afraid of Sirius' answer.
Sirius raised his eyebrows questioningly. "No one was injured, the ship was damaged, but everyone was able to get away in time."
Harry breathed a sigh of relief, but he mentally pondered possible reasons why Tom might burn the ship's mast. He'd thought the man might be homicidal over the behavior of Karkarov, who'd slipped like a weasel between the cracks of justice and gave up the names of his brethren. Many of these betrayed comrades had ended up in Azkaban, or had died earlier. It was inevitable that Karkarov was high on Tom's list to kill, but he couldn't see how this fire fit into the picture. It didn't look like an action Tom would take...
"I understand your...boyfriend got away too," Sirius said softly. The term 'boyfriend' caught Harry's eye and looked up at Sirius in surprise. "At least, I assume he got away; they found no one among the burnt remains of parts of the ship. Everyone was counted for, no one has gone missing."
Harry cleared his throat nervously, the tops of his ears burning red. "I umm... I don't have a boyfriend, Siri."
Sirius playfully shook his head and gave Harry a big wink. "That's different from what I've read and heard. I admit, the Daily Prophet was faster this time than ever before. It seemed like several journalists were there- even Rita Skeeter was incredibly quick with her scoop."
Harry couldn't say anything and was grateful when he got his hands on the Daily Prophet- according to the print on the front of the newspaper, it was an extra early edition to get the latest news. On the front was a huge picture of Durmstrang's ship, the flames dancing sinister in black and white, possibly even more menacing than the green color Sirius had described.
He read the article carefully, looking for possible clues as to who had done this. When he couldn't find anything, however, he looked at his godfather who was watching impatiently. The man in question suddenly shook his head sharply to turn the pages in frantic movements until pages four and five were taken up by a single article by an article by Rita.
In large letters, above a gruesome drawing of Harry and a dark-haired boy with a neat haircut, it read: "The Warlock's Harry Heart?" Only Harry's face was clearly visible, whereas the other boy was portrayed with his back to the viewer. The boy was wearing a Durmstrang uniform, much like the one Tom had worn yesterday. The expression on Harry's face was lustful, an expression he'd seen in the mirror this morning.
The lines on Harry's face didn't make the drawing gruesome though, the action the boys took made it grotesque. Harry held in his hand a heart, which, dripping with blood, was offered to the boy from Durmstrang. In the gaping hole in Harry's chest lay another, dark and hairy heart that had been pushed in by the other boy.
"What the fuck is this?" said Harry, bewildered.
"Never heard of the Tales of Beedle the Bard?"
Harry shook his head in denial, staring silently at the drawing.
"Beedle the Bard wrote all kinds of fairy tales and children's stories, however, like any writer of the era, the storylines were a lesson to young witches and wizard- full of morals, you know? The story of The Warlock's Hairy Heart is familiar to most people in the magical community, even though the story was not rewritten by Beatrix Bloxam in The Toadstool Tales, as it traumatized her as a child. Because of this, the story may be less known among very young children who know the story of Babbitty Rabbitty and the Cackling Stump, but that does not make it less infamous among the older witches and wizards." Sirius paused and looked again around the hallway in front of the Great Hall. Everyone seemed to be busy, no one seemed to notice the pair hidden in an alcove. When the older wizard was reassured, he sighed deeply and looked at Harry intently.
"The protagonist of the story is a handsome, capable, and wealthy young warlock who saw emotions as a weakness, and decides to take measures to prevent him from ever falling in love, using the Dark Arts. The Warlock is tricked into thinking he is being envied for his "perfect" loneliness, which makes him all the more upset when he hears two servants talking about him; one servant takes pity on him, while the other makes fun of him for not having found a wife. This is a blow to the pride of the Warlock, and he decides to find a beautiful, magically talented and rich young virgin so that everyone will envy him.
The next day he is lucky enough to meet such a woman; although the girl is both "fascinated and repulsed" by the Warlock, he persuades her, along with her family, to come to dinner at his castle. The Warlock tries to flatter the young woman with words he steals from a poet. The girl replies that she would believe such beautiful words only if she thought he had a heart. The Warlock takes her to the dungeon of his castle and shows her an enchanted crystal chest containing his own beating heart.
Because the heart had been separated from his body for so long, it was shriveled and covered in black hair. The girl asks the Warlock to put his heart back in his chest, which he does. The woman is so happy that she runs forward and hugs him. However, the heart had been consumed by the dark magic used to remove it and had degenerated into a ferocious, beastly state, forcing the Warlock to take a real human heart. He rips out the girl's heart to replace his, but his own heart is too strong and won't allow him to use magic. Not wanting to be controlled by his heart, he cut his own heart out. Before he could replace his own heart with the girl's heart, he died over the girl's dead body with one heart in each hand."**
Harry stared at the eerie drawing and took a deep breath. "But we can do it," he said softly, "his heart is already in my chest, mine is almost in his."
Sirius pulled Harry into a short but no less sincere embrace. "I'm sorry, pup. It really is a crappy article; Skeeter describes a romance between a dark wizard and the innocent boy-who-lived who is slowly corrupted by his lover. The drawing suggests that the warlock is successful in his efforts and that you have accepted his dark heart. They do this very cleverly, Skeeter didn't write this herself, she stuck to the facts."
Harry had by now read most of the article and laughed scornfully. "She writes that the Dark Arts is taught at Durmstrang - which is correct - and describes my own past with the Dark Arts. She wonders if surviving the Killing Curse has left not only visible scars but also scars on my soul. The drawing only shows what the readers will think anyway."
Sirius put his hand on Harry's neck and squeezed gently. "Harry, even if you fell in love with Bloody Voldemort himself, I'd still be behind you. You are my only priority. I know better than anyone how fickle the magical community can be, how bloodthirsty they plead and beg for punishment - even when there is no solid evidence. Just say a word and I'll ban anyone from my life who doesn't support you. Fuck, I'd wear your name on my chest as a token of my allegiance to you. I am your godfather," Sirius concluded emotionally.
"Thanks," Harry whispered with a trembling lower lip. "You have no idea how much this means to me."
Again the smaller boy was drawn into the arms of the older wizard, a sob escaped Harry. For a moment the sounds around them melted away and it was as if they were standing alone in that great corridor in front of the Great Hall. For a moment Harry felt a bond with Sirius and knew that this man would never forsake him, no matter how dark his path might become in the future.
When they let go of each other, they could hear the buzz around them again. The influx of students made it even busier. Sirius seemed to notice this too and looked at Harry apologetically. "I have to go, pup. Now that I've seen you safe, I must make sure I slip away unseen."
"You're right," said Harry, grinning with a sly grin, "Go quick before they blame you for this too."
Sirius winked and threw back his long brown curls dramatically. "I am the only one who escaped from Azkaban, pup, with that responsibility, come very improbable stories and I am the eternal scapegoat. In that respect, not much has changed in my life; when I was a student here at Hogwarts, I was also blamed for everything."
Sirius placed a hand in the small of Harry's back and gently pushed it forward. Harry followed him meekly, suppressing a laugh that welled up inside him. It would be out of place if Harry laughed at an "unknown" Auror, a role the two of them had to play as long as Sirius was still on Hogwarts grounds.
"It was probably all your fault too," Harry muttered softly, avoiding the eyes of other curious children.
Sirius had turned up the collars of his robe, which managed to hide half of his face. However, it was only a matter of time before anyone would recognize him, Sirius' face too prominent to walk around unrecognizable. Their steps were measured and quiet, but fast, and they soon arrived at the entrance of the castle. All they had to do was squeeze through a large group of Ravenclaws being interviewed by three Aurors when Harry heard an Auror say, "That man... he looks like Black!"
Sirius increased his pace and moved nimbly through the group, without running and drawing any more attention to himself. Behind them, he heard a few protests and Harry swore he heard an Auror yelling for them to stop.
They were almost through Ravenclaw's group when Harry felt his stomach twitch with nerves. "Siri," he whispered tensely. "Did you have any plan to get away?"
Sirius chuckled laugh. "Yeah, I have one: I was planning to walk out the doors and get across the borders of Hogwarts as fast as I could. Then I will disappear."
Harry cursed softly and looked intently at a Hufflepuff who just then bumped into him. "So you have no plan, you came to Hogwarts willfully as fresh meat for the wolves."
"I had to see with my own eyes that you were unharmed and that the fairytale of Beedle the Bard would not come true."
Harry looked wearily at Sirius, "I'm fine, I'm more worried about you: I don't want you to be devoured by a bunch of bloodthirsty Aurors."
Behind them, they heard a loud voice: "You two! Stand still!"
Harry looked at the shadows in the corners of the great hallway. He felt his magic bubbling under his skin and concentrated to form those shadows into serpents. He finally saw five snakes slither quickly towards them, their bodies appeared to be solid, the only thing that betrayed that these snakes were not natural was their black scales which were darker than the blackest black.
Harry hissed under his breath but knew the snakes could hear him. With some well-placed orders, he directed the snakes to the group of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws. The group of students quickly noticed the snakes, which resulted in screams and uncontrolled movements of limbs. Pure chaos ensued, as well as a sufficient barrier between the two Aurors as they approached Harry and Sirius. With some satisfaction, Harry glanced over his shoulder to see one of the incorruptible Aurors being shoved in his face by a frantic Hufflepuff.
Sirius gave a high-pitched giggle as he felt the cold wind on his face. "Brilliant magic, Harry," he said with a twinkle in his eye. Not long after, they had traveled enough distance from the castle to get a better view of the Hogwarts grounds. He pointed to Durmstrang's ship, whose fire had now been extinguished. They didn't speak, but kept walking briskly without drawing further attention to themselves.
"Stand still!" came from behind them, closer than they thought possible.
Harry stopped in shock, where Sirius got a dark look in his eyes. Harry saw multiple emotions reflected in his godfather's gray eyes; fighting spirit and even bloodlust seemed to flicker in the gray pools, but what startled Harry most was the undiluted fear that dominated.
Harry watched the two Aurors approaching them, knowing that if they ran now Sirius would easily get outside the Hogwarts grounds so he could disappear. However, Harry knew that such an action would look terribly suspicious - even if he could talk his way out of such a mess, many eyes would still be on him, scrutineering his movements and actions.
He made up his mind and quickly unbuttoned Sirius' shirt. In his mind, he pictured Tom's drawings, the scribbles, and squiggles that mean the words "to disguise and forget." He hoped no more spellwork was involved, remembering Tom's lessons on Blood Magic. He knew, however, that such magic required a sacrifice and realized that the blood he'd seen on Tom's chest had been his own- a prerequisite for the ritual to work.
"I'm sorry, Siri," Harry muttered before placing the tip of his wand into the flesh of Sirius's chest. Harry knew the spell to carve with your wand and acted quickly. The little symbols in Parselscript were quickly carved into the flesh, hurriedly and roughly.
Harry had to compliment Sirius for his lack of response; his features were relaxed and his gray eyes were fixed on Harry. The corners of his mouth seemed to curl up in a smug smile, but that could also be Harry's imagination. It took barely half a minute to write the words, leaving Harry quietly taking his time carefully buttoning the clothes again.
"In Merlin's name, here you are at last!"
Harry and Sirius turned to the two Aurors, expressions neutral and curious. Harry felt his heart beating in his throat and he knew answering questions would be an embarrassing squeak - his throat felt swollen from the tension. He looked at his godfather and saw no difference in his appearance. Cursing Sirius' lack of time and short-sightedness, his sudden appearance at Hogwarts may have been well-intentioned, but it was undoubtedly stupid and foolish.
"We called you a few minutes ago," said a though-looking and stately man with a grumpy face. "Why didn't you stay in the castle?"
"I had concluded the interview with Mr. Potter and had been instructed by Scrimgeour to begin the paperwork. You know how he is with creating files," Sirius said with a charming smile.
The cranky Auror seemed unconvinced, where his partner began to grin cozily, reminding Harry of a good-natured Ron or Neville when he'd just met them. The second Auror was taller and more lanky, his blond hair tied in a messy ponytail. "Don't I know it," he said with a wink. "I think the old man will get a hard looking at all those criminal files when you see how hard he makes us toil on meters of paperwork."
"That doesn't explain why you kept walking when it was obvious we were calling you," said the grim Auror drawled.
"I have not heard you, nor have I heard you calling Mr. Potter's name- the very name that is in our magical world both familiar and infamous," Sirius said, bored.
The tall, wimpy Auror slammed his partner hard on the shoulder. "Leave them alone, Dawlish, you also complained this morning about Scrimgeour's overbearing tendencies."
The Auror-Dwalish- didn't blink and took several steps toward Sirius, drilling his gray eyes into those of the escaped convict. "You look familiar to me, it's on the tip of my tongue - it comes to me in a minute."
Sirius grinned mischievously, "I just have one of those faces."
"What did you say your name was?"
"I didn't say it, but don't you recognize a fellow Auror?"
"The uniform you're wearing is outdated," Dawlish said, disdain in his voice, "but it's official. Why aren't you wearing the new uniform?"
Sirius shrugged. "In my haste, I put this on, I saw no problem in it when I discovered my mistake." He stared at Dawlish and was imposing without appearing threatening. "Or will I get in trouble with this, colleague?"
The smiley Auror stepped in and pulled Dawlish by the hand and pointed to the ship, where Karkarov's posture was clearly recognizable in the light of the morning sun. "No problems, we thought for a moment you were Sirius Black- what a joke that would have been."
"Not a good joke, I'm afraid," Sirius said seriously. "That man is dangerous, I can't imagine what he could do at Hogwarts, or worse, with Harry Potter within reach."
Dawlish took another look at Sirius and seemed to find his unknown colleague very suspicious. However, the older Auror turned to his partner and nodded decisively. "It is indeed my intention to speak to Headmaster Karkarov. I'm very curious to see what the Death Eater has to say about the current developments."
He turned briefly to Sirius and nodded firmly, his icy gaze then shifted to Harry. "Mr. Potter."
As the two Aurors walked away, Harry heaved a loud sigh and ran a shaky hand through his hair. "Bloody Hell! That went well."
Sirius, however, seemed overjoyed and almost giddy of what had transpired. His gray eyes sparkled with energy and fun as he laughed loudly. "Did you see that, James? It was just like old times!"
Harry stiffened and felt his heart contract painfully from Sirius's slip of the tongue. He knew his godfather wasn't stable yet, but hearing his father's name opened wounds he didn't know existed. With a firm push toward the gate, Harry got Sirius moving again. "Let's not tempt fate, it's better if you go."
Sirius nodded and pressed a tender kiss to Harry's forehead. "Thanks, pup. I don't know who taught you about Blood Magic, and I don't know if I should be proud or worried yet, but thank you. I don't know what I would have done if they had recognized me."
Harry smiled but took a quick step back when he saw Cornelis Fudge and Dumbledore approaching. Harry cursed his luck and quietly wondered how he had come to meet them. Sirius saw the pair too and avoided Dumbledore's gaze, then politely greeted Fudge. He made an official-looking bow and said goodbye to Harry in a low voice. He then gracefully turned and walked out through the gate to disapparate.
Harry felt the eyes of both Fudge and Dumbledore burn into his back and he turned resignedly to the piercing stares. "Minister... Headmaster, what a surprise. If you'll excuse me, I'm not dressed to stay out for long."
He took a few steps away from the two when he heard Dumbledore speak. "That's no problem at all, Mr. potter. I was just showing Cornelis around our grounds, to show that the wards are still intact. We were just about to return to the castle when we saw you and the Auror."
Harry avoided Dumbledore's twinkling eyes and plastered a fake polite smile on his face. "I do not want to intrude."
"Nonsense," said Fudge jovially. "I've known you longer than today, Mr. Potter. I know better than to believe the lies from the Daily Prophet." The minister gestured to the castle and began to walk leisurely. Harry looked doubtfully at the minister and then at Dumbledore, but followed the other wizards meekly when he saw Dumbledore's suspicious look.
"You've read it," Harry muttered resignedly. "The article, I mean."
"Fame brings you false friends and true enemies," Fudge said slowly. "Fame is a beast that you can't control or be prepared for. All you can do is control how you are seen by the crowd, public image is malleable and versatile. You will always be known, Mr. Potter, but you decide how you are seen."
"But how do I do that?" Harry asked the minister, "Rita Skeeter has taken an aspect of my private life and turned it into something sinister, how can I improve my image?"
Fudge stopped walking and looked at Harry from head to toe. "Don't you think I get enough scandals as Minister of Magic? Look at today: the Prophet wrote in today's newspaper that I must resign because this act of terrorism could have happened. However, I will not be ruled by pity opinions, but take action and show decisiveness - all that one wants to see in a leader."
Harry could see the cold-blooded politician under the approachable and friendly mask Fudge was wearing. He realized that the man was under immense pressure, but that it did not hinder him from carrying out his duties. By presenting himself carefree and almost grandfatherly, he gave society the feeling that nothing bad was going on.
"Own the story spun by the newspaper, but give your own depth and meaning. Emphasize on the international exchange and with your own open-mindedness. Be charming and young, Mr. Potter, the people will forget this story, but they will never forget you- take control, use your image."
"I couldn't have said it better myself," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling, "but if I may add, don't underestimate the power of love, Harry. Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love."
Harry looked at the Headmaster in surprise, where Fudge's advice was practical and helpful, Dumbledore's advice the ramblings of an old man was muddled and repetitive. Perhaps he shouldn't judge too harshly and he meant well if Harry looked friendly people were inclined to listen.
"Err... Thanks, Headmaster, I'll keep that in mind."
Dumbledore nodded in satisfaction before walking again. The old wizard had folded his hands contentedly behind his back and looked calm and collected in spite of all the noise.
"I saw you're planning to go home this holiday," Dumbledore said suddenly. "While I appreciated the sentiment– the holidays are always the best moments to spend with your loved ones– I can't help but express my concern about the current developments."
Harry blinked in surprise and stared at Dumbledore. "What are you talking about? The attack- if it wasn't an accident- wasn't aimed at me, why couldn't I go home this holiday?"
Dumbledore looked at Harry from above his crescent glasses, his expression smug and concerned at the same time. "I can't help thinking you're safer at Hogwarts, the Dark Mark was cast in the Quidditch World Cup, a second Prophecy was heard and now this attack on the Durmstrang ship; everything points to Death Eater activity. You'll be safer inside the castle, where I can monitor your safety."
Harry bristled at Dumbledore's words. He had hoped to spend the holidays with Tom and Barty. He missed the long conversations he had with Tom this summer and wished to show his progress in his additional studies. Besides, Levi had gone with Tom and wanted his snake back. The fact that Dumbledore interfered with his plans was alarming, and he hoped the man was acting out of concern, not mistrust.
"You said yourself I'm safe with my aunt and uncle, I really don't understand the problem."
"What may worry Albus is that you could become another target for the misguided minds who perpetrate these attacks. You will be vulnerable on your journey to your aunt and uncle, besides, I can remember the summer before the last one when you blew up your aunt. Are you sure a vacation with your family is desirable and you wouldn't be better off staying here at Hogwarts?" Fudge asked Harry, his words chosen carefully.
Harry had a sinking feeling that while he wasn't banned from leaving for the holiday, his actions would be closely watched- his absence from his aunt and uncle would certainly be noticed.
"If I did go to my aunt and uncle, what would it mean?" so Harry asked slowly.
"I would use some favors to ensure your safety. Of course, I would prefer it if you stayed at Hogwarts, but if you insist on spending time with your family then that is in your right."
Harry nodded and put on a fake but wide smile on his face. "I understand your concerns, and while I'm not convinced that my safety is at risk, I will follow the advice of such distinguished wizards. I will remain at Hogwarts and will think about my public image- both of you have given me much food for thought."
Harry nodded his head to Dumbledore and Fudge, "Headmaster... Minister, it was my pleasure. Have a nice day."
Without looking back he walked briskly into the Great Hall, breakfast was now in full swing, many students were eating at the long tables and gossiping about recent events. Lost in grim thoughts, he rubbed the ring, which grew familiarly warm under his touch. The ring gave him a sense of safety and security, and knew that he could always communicate with Tom.
He wouldn't be allowed to leave Hogwarts by train, but if there was one thing Harry excelled at, it was ignoring rules.