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Gillyflower, Heliotrope and Hemlock.	By : Kimmimaru Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Sirius Views: 9034 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters or settings by JK Rowling. I make no profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 12
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Chapter Twelve

Too late to save myself from falling

I took a chance and changed your way of life

But you misread my meaning when I met you

Closed the door and left me blinded by the light

Elton John, Don't let the sun go down on me.

Hogsmeade was like a different place, Harry could hardly believe that once it had been a happy village full of all kinds of magical creatures. Now, it was a ghost town. He pulled his hood further over his eyes as he followed the tall figures of his father and friends to the other end of the village, the sky overhead was grey and featureless, the Three Broomsticks was empty with its door hanging off of its hinges and a chill wind picked up and blew dust into his eyes.

The group soon reached the Hogs Head pub, its creaky sign was missing and the door was ajar and creaking in the wind. James stared at it for a while before pushing it open, there was a tell tale scorch mark upon the front door that made his heart fill with dread. The party stepped into the bar and walked slowly to the back where they could enter the private living quarters. It was dusty and dim, Harry could taste the cloying scent of decay on his tongue. Sirius had his wand out as he brought up the rear, his eyes darted around and James opened the door that led to the private parts of the Inn. "I don't think he's here anymore." He whispered, his voice sounded harsh and bitter as he spoke but he seemed determined to see it through, all of them recognised the signs of a rather large fight. The tables and chairs were scattered every which way, the curtains had been torn down and the windows shattered. They searched the whole place but there was no sign of any other living being. "It's true then…he's gone." James muttered and slumped into a nearby sofa, dust puffed up around him in a choking cloud and made him cough.

"Poor bloke, I liked him." Sirius muttered as he pushed his hands into his pockets.

"How are we supposed to get into the castle now?" Remus sighed and he allowed his eyes to roam the room, they landed upon Harry who was staring up at a painting above the fireplace. "Harry?"

Harry ignored him, he reached up and wiped off layers of grime from the portrait to reveal a very young blond girl with vacant eyes. She smiled at them all vaguely. "Ariana, can you help us? We need to get into Hogwarts." Sirius raised an eyebrow and James shrugged, Remus watched in fascination as the girl began to walk away from them, as if she was going down a tunnel. After a moment she paused and looked back at them, she smiled and beckoned. Harry grinned and hoisted himself up onto the mantel piece. "Come on, she wants us to follow." He called to the others and stepped into what appeared to be a tunnel hidden behind the painting.

They followed the tunnel until it came out in a strange room, none of the marauders remembered such a room within Hogwarts before but Harry refused to answer questions as torches were lit along the walls, the ceiling was high and vaulted like that of a church and it was eerily silent. "Right…if I'm going to find the Diadem I'm going to need everyone to go out into the hall…" Harry pointed to the door leading into the castle. "Be careful and stay hidden under the invisibility cloak." He watched them follow his instructions reluctantly, he followed under his own cloak. They stepped into the silent hall way and the door disappeared.

"Where did it go?" Sirius hissed in surprise.

"Sh!" Harry replied sharply. The seventh floor hall was silent. The atmosphere was heavy and brooding as if with anticipation, he swallowed his nerves and began walking up and down before the blank stretch of wall. I need the place where all things are hidden…I need the place where all things are hidden…I need the place where all things are hidden… On his last pass he heard a sharp intake of breath and knew he had been successful, he turned to find a large, familiar door awaiting him. "Follow me, quickly!" He muttered and they went back inside the room, Harry let the cloak fall as he stared up at the mountains of objects. The cathedral like windows allowed thin beams of moonlight to filter down through moats of dust to highlight the piles. He managed to get his bearings and allowed memories of his last visit to the place re-surface. It was easy to guide them all through the seemingly endless maze until he found the spot where the vanishing cabinet had been in his own time, of course it was absent now. He found the ugly troll statue and eventually, after rummaging through the mish mash of objects upon the table he found it. A simple, thin circlet made of tarnished silver, written along the edges were the words: Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure.

"Is that it?!" James exclaimed, his tone was one of mixed excitement and disappointment. "It looks so…plain."

"This is it. This is Ravenclaw's Diadem." Harry breathed and stuffed it securely in his pocket, he turned on his companions and eyed them all carefully. "Now…while I'm here I need to get hold of the only thing that can destroy a Horcrux…" He whispered and he watched Sirius go pale.

"You'll be killed!" James muttered.

"Maybe but what good is having the Horcrux's with no way to destroy them? We'll fail if we don't try to kill the Basilisk! I have to do it…none of you can."

"Why not?" Remus asked. "We've faced Death Eaters and other dangerous creatures before…why can't we do it for you?"

"B-Because…well…" Harry sighed softly. "To enter the chamber of secrets you need to be able to speak parseltongue…"

There was a silence that Harry had not expected, he gazed at each of his companions in turn, his eyes lingering on Sirius' for longest. "Why?" James asked suddenly. "Why can you speak to snakes?!"

"When Voldemort tried to kill me he put a piece of his soul inside me, he gave me some of his own power…and that included his ability to talk to snakes."

Sirius grimaced. "Well, if that's it then what choice do we have? Harry has to go but he doesn't have to go alone." He straightened and turned in a full circle, Harry frowned as he rummaged in a nearby pile. Finally he exclaimed happily and turned back to the group with a grin and brandishing a mirror. "If we have these then we'll only be at risk of turning to stone, we won't be killed instantly."

"Excellent Padfoot!" James said and began searching for another mirror, Remus followed suit.

When they were all kitted out with hand held mirrors or shards of reflective glass, they set off again beneath the cloaks.

XXX

"So far we have managed to keep the rogue Death Eater's at bay, for now." Kingsley said slowly. "I want you and Miss Granger to remain hidden, if you were to be discovered you will be killed as a way of attempting to bring Harry Potter out of hiding, do you understand?"

"Unfortunately yeah, I do." Ron sighed and ran fingers through his hair. "Do you think he'll come back?"

Kingsley sighed. "If he is given the choice? I can't say…you knew him better than I."

Ron smiled a little. "You know what? If he's given the choice…I don't reckon he will come back."

That evening Ron lay beside Hermione, they had gone to the Burrow as they all felt safer there. His parents had been more than happy to have him back and he was now sharing his old room with his girlfriend. He wrapped an arm around her waist and buried his nose in the back of her neck, she sighed and took his hand in her own, silently their fingers entwined. "Stop thinking and go to sleep, Ron…We can worry some more in the morning." She muttered, Ron kissed the spot between her shoulder blades and let out a soft breath.

"He's going to be ok…he has to be."

"Yes, he will be."

XXX

The hissing noise coming from Harry's mouth set them all on edge, Sirius shifted uncomfortably as the sink began to move. It was amazing how, all through their schooling, they had been so close to a real life monster and had never even known. James watched a hole open up in the floor to reveal a tunnel. Harry turned to look at them, his eyes glittered in the shaky lights of their wands. "I'll go first…Its not far." He smiled before leaping into the hole.

Sirius licked his lips and glanced over his shoulder. "Remus, get down there…" He gave his friend a little push and watched as he too disappeared into the gaping cavern, James clasped his shoulder.

"See you at the bottom, Padfoot." He grinned and leapt.

Sirius paused, cocking his head to one side and listening intently. He was certain that there was supposed to be a ghost in the bathroom, perhaps they had driven her out at some point. Finally he shook off his nervousness and climbed into the hole.

Harry stood a little way off from the exit of the tunnel, he was surrounded by the light from his wand as he stared down the wide tunnel opening before him and lost himself in memories. Softly, like a whisper from the past, he heard a voice echoing in the caverns of his mind; Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it… "And I need all the help I can get, Dumbledore…" He whispered to himself as he lifted his wand high over his head so the light was thrown further afield. "What the hell am I doing?" He heard his father and friends fall out of the tunnel-slide and land in a heap on the pile of bones at its foot. With a deep breath he turned around and faced them. "Let's go." He said firmly and they stood and followed him down the tunnel, darkness receded from them as they walked, each foot step echoed sharply on the walls.

"We'll be heard!" Remus whispered.

"No, the snake won't come until its called…I…I have a plan but I'm not sure if it's going to work." Harry said and shook his head. "It could be suicide…but it's all we have."

"Well, let's get it over and done with then, shall we?" Sirius straightened out his robes and followed Harry confidently. "We can't let all our hopes die in this dingy place, I'd rather be torn apart by giant ants than die at the feet of Salazar Slytherin."

"Eloquent…shall we put that on your grave, Sirius?" Remus replied drily. "Here lies Sirius Orion Black; Did not die at the feet of Salazar Slytherin."

"Well, if I'm eaten by a dirty great snake you'd have to say that I did…" Sirius muttered absently.

"If you die down here, you can pretty much guarantee we're not going to be far behind." James said softly. "Our bones would rot here and not even Voldemort himself would be any wiser…"

"Well, aren't you Mr. Brightside this evening, Potter." Sirius mumbled sarcastically, James elbowed him in his side and he stumbled a little.

They came to a halt before a door, on it were two entwined serpents with life-like glowing red eyes. Harry once again spoke to it in that eerie hissing language and they snakes parted. Before them a great hall appeared in the gloom, Harry lifted his wand and shot a bright orb of shimmering light so that it hovered by the ceiling. They stepped inside and walked down a path way lined by serpentine pillars, it felt as if their eyes were following each movement. Ahead stood a massive statue of a man with a long beard and stern expression, Sirius halted and found himself staring up at Salazar Slytherin's visage. "It's huge!" He exclaimed in a soft whisper that echoed back at them as if there were many Sirius' all speaking at once.

Harry stared up at the statue, he squinted slightly and tried to recall the words Tom Riddle had used when he was twelve. "I'm going to call out the basilisk…when it comes cover your eyes and get back as far as possible. I…I'm not sure if this will work as its only supposed to follow the commands of its master…"

The three friends shuffled back yet held onto their wands as tightly as possible. "Alright Harry, do what you've got to do." James muttered. He felt both Remus and Sirius tensing at his side as he closed his eyes.

Sirius once again heard that sibilant hissing issuing from Harry's mouth, it seemed almost a sin that those kissable lips could form such evil sounding words, and yet he could feel it stir heat in his body, like a fire fanned by wind it spread through his body until he was almost tempted to open his eyes. There was a rumble coming from deep inside the chamber, Sirius' eyes clenched tightly and he gritted his teeth as the floor beneath him trembled. A loud groaning came from the statue far above their heads, he heard Harry gasp softly and then a heavy thud as something hit the floor. Sirius cracked an eye open, he couldn't help himself, the temptation to gaze upon Slytherin's legendary monster was overwhelming. The snake was humungous, its long emerald green body was coiled tightly around itself as it lifted its head and looked down at the boy, Sirius noted that it had its own eyes shut. Harry was talking to it rapidly, Sirius risked opening his eyes fully and the sight took his breath away. Harry looked so small in comparison the beast, his face turned upwards towards it and his wand hanging by his side. His voice sang with the hypnotic tones of Parseltongue and Sirius found himself feeling dizzy, a hand gripped his shoulder but he couldn't look away. Harry looked small but he radiated power, a power he had only glimpsed once before…a power he had seen in a man he had sworn he would kill. He took an involuntary step forward but James grabbed him and yanked him backwards again, he stumbled and almost fell as the spell was broken. The serpent hissed its agitation and its massive head swung in their direction.

"SHUT YOUR EYES!" Harry's voice echoed with command and Sirius shut them just in time. The snake hissed again and Harry answered, the parley seemed to go on forever until finally Harry sighed. "It's going to allow me to take a fang…" He whispered, "Don't move a muscle until I tell you to."

James nodded but kept his hand firmly on Sirius' shoulder. There was the sound of sliding scales and the noise of a struggle, a thump and a low hiss before once again there was the sound of something huge and heavy gliding upwards, away from them.

"It's fine, I've sent it back to sleep." Harry gasped.

"Why didn't you kill it?" Remus asked as he opened his eyes and blinked in the light.

"I…Well…I'm not quite sure but after speaking to it she seemed pretty reasonable to me…" Harry flushed a little but met each of their gazes. "I've ordered it back to sleep, it won't harm anyone unless someone commands it to and there's only myself and Lord Voldemort who can speak to it."

James shrugged. "Very well then, we have the fang…where are the Horcuxes?"

Sirius dipped one hand into his pocket and withdrew the ring and the locket, Harry took out the diadem. They placed them on the floor where they lay glittering innocently. He knelt and rolled the ring on its side for a moment with his head cocked to one side. "Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell me again where the Ressurection Stone is hidden?"

"I-" Harry went a little pale as he saw Sirius' fingers close around the ring.

"Hmm, I thought there was something strange about the way you looked at it." He smirked and took out a tiny little metal tool, slowly he prized the claws that held the black stone in place open and it dropped out onto his palm.

Harry lunged for it but Sirius was too quick, he dodged out of the way and rolled to his feet. "Sirius! There isn't time for this! We have to destroy it!"

"Why do we have to destroy the stone as well?" Sirius countered as Harry lunged again, he grabbed the boy's wrist with his free hand and dragged him close so their chests were pressed against each other. "Why shouldn't we have the Deathly Hallows as well? Voldemort's got immortality…we need something as well!"

"He's not Immortal! Put it back in the ring and let us get rid of it all! It's bad news, you can't leave a single Horcrux intact!"

"We have the cloak, we have the stone…where's the Elder wand?" Sirius' grip tightened on Harry's wrist, his eyes glittered with a dangerous lust. "If we just had that we'd be unbeatable! Don't you understand yet? We need to destroy him, we have to! I WILL GET MY REVENGE!"

"Sirius, listen to him…he's speaking sense." Remus said and reached for his friend, Sirius shrugged him off, his eyes never leaving Harry's.

James stood slowly, he pushed his glasses further onto his nose before fixing his eyes onto his best friend. "Padfoot, stop!" He commanded in a low voice. "Control yourself, you're better than this."

Sirius licked his lips, for a moment it looked as if he would ignore James in the same way he had ignored Remus before, with dream like slowness, he opened his hand and the stone slipped free. "Take it then." He growled, he stared into Harry's eyes for an intense moment before releasing him and stepping backwards. "Destroy it…" He turned his back and folded his arms across his broad chest.

"Sirius, what on earth has got into you?" Remus whispered, he stared at Sirius' back with worried eyes.

"It's the Horcrux's…they make people act strangely." Harry replied as he recovered from the shock of being so close to Sirius, he tugged on his robes absently and ordered his thoughts. "Sirius, come here." Sirius looked at him over his shoulder, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. Harry held out the fang to him. "It has to be you." He said quietly. "You need to destroy one of the Horcrux's." Sirius snatched the fang off of him and fell to his knees before the small pile of valuables, he stared at them for a moment before taking the ring and the stone and placing them before him. "It's going to put up a fight, the locket did when Ron destroyed it. Be careful, they use your fear against you…don't let him into your head."

Sirius stared down at the stone as he lifted the fang above his head, he could feel the eyes of his friends on his back but Harry's eyes seemed burn a hole right into his soul. His hand wavered a little as flashes of memory sent pain lancing into his heart, his face twisted as he re-lived the death of his lover. He saw blood gushing from his body, the way he twitched and screamed, the terrible laughter of his cousin…and then almost as if someone was speaking directly into his ear he heard a soft, hissing voice; "You could have been so, so much more than you are Sirius…You could have saved your lovers life, you could have been so great. You, the child first born but least loved, the child who was scorned and mocked for being different, the one who only wanted to stand out from the crowd. If you had only taken what was offered that night, if you had only bowed your head you could have prevented his death. Murderer. Traitor. Betrayer of the pure blood that courses through your veins! Pathetic child, always so lost, always so alone. You will never find love, you will never be anything but a filthy coward! What would your friends think if they learned the truth? What would Harry think if he knew what really happened that night when your cousin came knocking? You swore to protect him and you failed…you swore you would never betray him and yet you did…did those night time confessions mean nothing to you? Pathetic. Disgusting. You are no better than your father!" Sirius screamed suddenly as memories he had long since hidden spewed forth like a venomous fountain, he fell backwards and the fang fell from limp fingers as he covered his face and curled into a ball. "My fault. My fault. A-All my fault. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. F-Forgive me! Forgive me! I'm…I'm not my father! I d-didn't…I didn't want her to be hurt! I-I had no choice! THEY MADE ME DO IT!"

"Sirius!" Harry fell to his knees and rolled Sirius onto his back, they had all heard the words issuing from the ring like a black miasma as it hissed and whispered about long hidden secrets. Sirius was trembling like a child but when Harry's hand touched his arm he sat bolt upright, his chest heaved and he grabbed the fang from the floor and clenched his fingers around it.

"I'll fucking kill you!" He screamed and lunged at the ring, the fang pierced it, stone and all. There was a high scream that seemed to shake the very stone around them and Harry stared at the fury written across Sirius' face. The sight was truly terrifying. Sirius raised the fang again and it went straight through the metal as if it were butter. "DIE! DIE YOU BASTARD! EVERYTHING IS YORU FAULT! YOU AND MY FUCKING SHIT EXCUSE FOR A FATHER! DIE AND ROT IN HELL!"

Finally James grabbed Sirius and pulled him away, he yanked him into a rough embrace and Sirius sagged against him panting rapidly as he tried to control the flow of fury. "Siri, it's alright now, it's over…y-you killed it."

Remus knelt at his side and put a hand on his shoulder, Sirius buried his head in James' chest and gripped his robes so tightly his knuckles were white. "It's over now, its in the past…they can't hurt you anymore."

"They can…they can and they do…every night I dream of them, Remus. I hear their laughter as I led her into the basement…I can hear her screams as he…as he raped her…Christ, she was supposed to be my first girlfriend!" Harry tried his best not to listen or embarrass Sirius by staring too much but it was hard not to hear the confession as it came spilling from his lips. "My father asked me to bring her round and I wanted to, she was really sweet and I thought at the time being girlfriend and boyfriend meant holding hands and playing hide and seek…I-I thought she was coming round for tea…s-she was my best friend…my only friend…"

"It's over…you killed it." James muttered, pushing a hand into his friend's hair and dragging his head up so their eyes met. "None of it was your fault, Sirius. You're not alone, not anymore." Sirius nodded slowly, he seemed to pull himself together with a deep, shuddering breath as he forced himself upright.

"Yeah, you're right prongs…what am I doing, acting like a pathetic child?" He smiled shakily at them. "Sorry, I had you all worried there."

"That you did, Pads." James said and stood up, he brushed dirt from his knees before walking over and picking up the fang again. "What do I get to destroy?" He said with a tense grin.

END NOTE: If you're wondering why I did not have them kill the Basilisk, well, for starters I wanted to avoid repeating the scene from the chamber of secrets and this was the only way I could think of getting around that…and secondly I have a plan for future chapters so bear with me. Action will be coming soon I promise! I know, the Horcrux hunt seems so easy in this but trust me its going to get harder as time goes on. Hope you enjoyed.
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Gillyflower, Heliotrope and Hemlock.