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The Prophecy of Absconditus	By : AndromedanQueen Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male Views: 1570 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Penname: Page of Cups

Email: AndromedanPrincess@hotmail.com

AOL Screen Name: AndromedanQueen

Title: The Prophecy of Absconditus

Rating: R

Pairing: Ron Weasley/Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter/Blaise Zabini

Summary: Wherein Harry is being assaulted, Draco is doing the assaulting, and things are finally explained.
If you would like to archive me, please let me know where my story is headed.

I am not J.K. Rowling. I have no money. I live off of instant lunches and leave for class thirty minutes early so that I can get a space in the free parking lot. Needless to say, no copyright infringement intended.
Chapter Twenty-Three: Closure

Steam billowed from the Hogwarts Express as snow dusted the ground of Hogsmeade. Students milled about in a mass of black Hogwarts robes as they loaded their things onto the train. Ron dragged his trunk, following Hermione's lead as she walked onto the train. With their things tucked away, Hermione went to find an open compartment, and Ron went to find Draco.

"You can't be Head Boy," said Draco. He stood in the Hogwarts Exs cos corridor, across from Harry, and tried to wrestle Harry's Head Boy badge off his robes.

"Yes, I can."

"No, you can't. It's Head Boy. You're a girl, genius."

"Only on the outside." Harry pouted and dug into Draco's hand with his nails. "Ron, keep your boyfriend under control. He's going to tear my robes."

"But that's my job, love," said Blaise. He approached them from the other side of the corridor, wrapped his arms around Harry, and kissed the top of his head. "Malfoy, are you trying to take my girl?"

"What do I need Potter for whe've 've got Ron?"

"Gross," said Harry.

"What's that supposed to mean?" said Ron. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"No, but you and Malfoy . . . that's just weird. I mean, come on, everyone gapes at you. Your mother thinks it�s weirGinnGinny thinks it�s funny."

"Everyone gapes at you since you grew a vagina. What's your point?" said Draco.

"But that's different."

"How?"

"They're allowed to gape at me. How often do you see a guy turn into a girl? I mean, it's really weird. But the two of you? That's gross."

"Thanks."

"No problem, Malfoy. Any time."

"Yes, I'm sure you'll be on hand, Potter, any time I need a good kick in the ego."

"I'm always willing to lend an insult."

"And that's what makes you such a good friend," said Ron. "Come on. We have to catch up with Hermione. She said she'd get us a compartment and she'll be shirty with us if we take too long."

"Granger needs to get the bee out of her bonnet, honestly," said Draco.

"Nah, it's just that we hog all her best friends' time," said Blaise. "How would you feel if you were a part of their every excursion and then one of your worst enemies took your place? For the first time, Hermione wasn't an active part of their adventure, and she feels left out. The least you can do is try to be empathetic."

"Or Granger could get the bee out of her bonnet."

Blaise half-rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"I have to talk to my sister since I'm not going home for Christmas," said Blaise. "You find Hermione and I'll catch up later."

"All right." Harry gave Blaise a quick kiss and then Blaise passed them, heading down the corridor. "Suppose we should get going before Hermione pitches a fit."

"Suppose so."

Ron led the way Hermione had gone, and they found her about two-thirds of the way down the train. She sat alone, a ball of yarn and her knitting needles in hand. When they entered, she looked up, smiled, and peered behind Harry.

"No Blaise?"

"He's talking to his sister," said Harry. "He'll be along."

"What are you working on?" asked Ron.

"A blanket. My aunt's pregnant and I wanted to finish in time for Christmas."

"Better hurry, then."

"It's almost finished. I planned on working the entire train ride."

"Not even going to talk to us?" said Harry. He pouted, thrust out his full, lower lip, and batted the long, feminine eyelashes. Ron was glad he wasn�t dating Harry. He'd be able to squeeze anything out of him. "You don't love me anymore now that I'm a girl."

"Oh, Harry, hush up." The corners of Hermione's mouth pulled up. "I never loved you before."

Harry's jaw dropped and he crossed his arms over his chest, resting under the curve of his breasts. He stared down, shifted, and tried to set his arms lower on his waist. Draco, already chuckling at Hermione's comment, laughed as he leaned against Ron. Looking up, Harry frowned and dropped his arms to his sides, laying his palms against the seat. He stared out the window, pouting.

"First Granger finally gets the joke and insults Potter, and then Potter has problems with his new anatomy. This could be an interesting train ride."

"Thank you for your approval, Malfoy," said Hermione.

"You're welcome."

"I don't thank you," said Harry. "You can piss off for all I care."

"Potter, you've had those things for over a month now. How can you not have adjusted?"

"I've adjusted! I remember to use the girls' loo and I finally got the hang of hooking and unhooking bras. That takes work."

"I wouldn't know," said Ron.

"I didn't think I'd ever get to know, either."

"I appreciate having another girl around. Ginny and I are outnued,ed," said Hermione.

"Yeah, and we've got Malfoy, too. He's kind of a girl," said Harry.

"Piss off, Potter."

Harry leaned over, grabbed the front of his robes and held them up over the presly sly exposed cleavage as he shifted through his school bag. He pulled out a quill, a bottle of ink, and the Standard Book of Spells, Grade 7. Opening up to a marked page, Harry stuck the end of the quill in his mouth and chewed. His eyes roved the page and Hermione peered at Harry, smiling. Ron figured she must be hiding her pure joy at Harry trying to do his holiday work before the last day of holiday. Ron didn't want to think about holiday work; he only wanted to bask in his long-deserved rest. Absconditus took a lot out of a person.

The last four weeks had been trying. With Dumbledore and Voldemort gone, the wizarding world was in an uproar. The Daily Prophet refused to acknowledge any difference between the present female-Harry and the former male-Harry as if Harry had been a girl all along. Harry appreciated the lack of attention to his change in genitalia, but it was the perfect example of the general public behavior.

Getting back into the swing of lessons, schoolwork, and being Ron Weasley was the hardest part of all. With Voldemort's death, the entire Absconditus story emerged. Every magazine, newspaper, or other periodical did reports on the connections between the Prophecy of Absconditus and the Four Mages. He struggled between Ron and Ryan. Neither one held much leverage over the other.

When Leiss recovered, Ron pulled the story out of her. It was nice to put the pieces together, and he relayed the story to Draco, Blaise, and Harry after hearing it. As everything fell apart in chaos, Leiss provided a little sanity to the puzzle.

Alexis Gristick was the other blonde girl, the female Switcher of the Corona Romana circle. As pre-adolescents, she and Leiss were good friends. It was Hermione who put the final pieces together. Alexis was the inventor of the Switching Spell, admired as the most powerful and gifted Switcher of all time. Dumbledore died of the poison she left behind after Switching with him at the Three Broomsticks. She got inside to start the pre-workings of the siege, and took down the wards for the Death Eaters to cross over.

Back in the days of Absconditus, Hermione traced Alexis to a girl named Aurelis Dante. Her brother was Jude Dante, a man who died before Bade Mizar's birth. Lynx was her cousin, and when Larrissa became pregnant with Bade, they murdered Jude. They tried to murder Bade, too. He blocked their plan to take over the throne, but Bade's immortality got in the way. They framed Ryan because he was there, and he was foolish enough to be the perfect scapegoat. It was only a perk that he managed to fall in love with Bade.

On the day before the siege, Narcissa was in London for an alibi. She put the body-bind on Lucius and threw him in the Thames. They needed him out of the way, and she killed him just as she'd plotted with Aurelis to kill Jude years before. Lynx was a side dish, used to get the proper connections until he could be disposed of. Narcissa and Alexis tried to keep Harry busy with Voldemort while they took over Hogwarts and built their own army.

It wasn't over. Narcissa and Alexis were still out there, but Voldemort was gone. After that, Ron thought they could take on anything. He'd gotten far more powerful than he was sure Alexis or Narcissa ever intended.

At least that part was over.

Ron wrapped his arms around Draco's waist and buried his face in the space between the shoulder and the neck. He pushed back the robes and kissed the exposed skin, ect,ect, free of any markings. Draco was like smooth porcelain -- perfect for touching and admiration, a beautiful sort of ornament that he wanted to show off to everyone he met.

The compartment door slid open and Blaise walked in. Harry looked up from The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 7, where he embellished upon the cover, and Miranda Goshawk's name. Little doodles of squares, circles, and a couple of flowers in the corner ornamented the front. Blaise collapsed between Harry and Hermione, grabbed Harry's book, and tossed it to the floor. Harry moved his inkwell and parchment, and pulled the quill from his mouth.

"How was the talk with your sister?" said Harry.

"Eh. She keeps saying I can still come home for Christmas if I want to. I told her that I didn't. She got offended."

"My parents want me home, too," said Ron. "Ginny's going and my brothers are all going to be there. I told them to pop over and see us. They just might. Sorry about that."

"At least you have a family who wants you around for Christmas. I mean, I'm sure my mother wants me there," said Draco. "Of course, if I did show up, she'd probably want me as an entree or something. Probably an appetizer. I don't know if there's enough of me to be the main course."

"That's a nice image," said Blaise. "Draco Malfoy, medium rare."

"She wouldn't want to give me Christmas presents, that's for sure."

"Why aren't you going home?" said Hermione. "I'd think you'd want to."

"I do," said Ron. "I haven't been back to the Burrow in ages. I don't know. Ever since the palace . . . well, it just seemed like something I wanted to look into. I'll see them over summer holiday. It's my last holiday away from school. It won't kill them to not see me."

"And I want to check out the palace," said Blaise. "Do you know what you're going to do with it? I mean, it's yours."

"It's only mine because the Ministry's so grateful we killed Voldemort that they don't want to mess with me. They're probably afraid it'll upset female Harry Potter and my Mage friends."

"We'd kick their arses if they tried to take it from you," said Harry.

"Right."

"What do you plan on doing with it?" said Hermione.

"I don't know. I could give it to my mum and dad or something but I don't think they'd take it."

"You could live there after we finish ol.ol."

"It's awfully big for two people, don't you think?"

"Two people?" said Hermione. She eyed Draco.

Ron dropped his eyes to his hands, which rested on Draco's waist. He grinned.

"We're moving in together after this year," said Draco. "We want to be together."

"I approve," said Harry. "Now all the wizarding world has to do is legalize gay marriages. I'll write to the Ministry in your defense. If the four of us send enough letters, we could get it done. I mean, they owe us their lives. The least they can do is let you two get married."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Potter. We never said anything about getting married."

"Partly because it isn't legal, but that's beside the point," said Ron.

"I'll have you married yet," said Harry.

"You don't have to worry about that. You're a girl, now."

"Do you think I can have babies?"

"Probably. Why? Do you want to get pregnant?"

"Not right now. Someday."

"Now there's an image. Potter pregnant and bitching about his swollen ankles. You've got a hell of a woman on your hands, Zabini. Bet you thought it wouldn't be so bad, dating a guy."

"Actually, I like Harry any way, and I wouldn't mind having kids. I mean, someday. Not today."

"Great," said Hermione. "Ha you you and I can get pregnant and complain about men together."

"You need a man to get pregnant, Granger," said Draco.

"And what's to say I don't have one?"

"Right."

"I spent all my time at Hideout A and C with Ginny and Ernie Macmillan. You tend to notice people when they're around that much."

"Ugh, honestly? Macmillan? And you said that Ron and I are gross."

"I never said that."

"No, that was me," said Harry. "I don't see anything wrong with Hermione and Ernie. I mean, he's kind of a sod, but whatever gets you going. Good for you."

"Thanks, Harry. I think."

When the witch came by with the trolley, Harry and Ron bought enough sweets to make Draco grimace. While they ate, Hermione warned Harry about excessive sweets, and how they would all go to his hips. Blaise squeezed Harry's middle and told Hermione that Harry needed to gain weight.

Later in the ride, Ginny came by and announced that she and the entire Weasley clan should be expected at the palace sometime over holiday. Ron grunted the acknowledgment. Before leaving, Ginny looked at Harry, fell against the wall laughing, and big tears rolled out of her eyes to spill across her cheeks. Harry scowled, fingered his hair, and adjusted his breasts. Pushing a bra strap out of view, Harry looked to Ginny. She broke into a fresh batch of laughter.

Ron got one long hug from Mrs. Weasley when they arrived at King's Cross. Once he freed himself from her grip, they passed through the barrier. A Ministry car waited outside the station to take them to the palace.

Two days after Voldemort's death, there was a report of constant earthquakes in Malfoy City. The fear was so great that the city was evacuated, and a good thing, too, because overnight, Absconditus rose from underground. Since Malfoy Manor was on the hill that Alecto's Tower once sat upon, the Manor was destroyed, but Zabini Manor, Potter Manor, and Weasley Manor remained in tact. Harry wasn't sure if the continuing presence of the furies in Potter Manor was a good thing.

The Ministry gave ownership of the palace to Ron as the last remaining Alcor. Harry insisted it was the least they could do. With Malfoy City gone, Draco (the last remaining Malfoy that wasn't disowned or wanted) owned the space of land Absconditus occupied. He gave everyone that once lived in Malfoy City a place to live in Absconditus through letters with the Ministry. Memory Charms were everywhere except for Dawn and Nora Carey, who Draco requested be left alone. The Ministry gave Harry license to use Ministry cars whenever he needed them. Ron had to admit they were being spoiled, but so long as he was a part of the spoiling, he had little to complain about.

For Christmas holiday, Ron wanted to go back to the palace and see how Absconditus had rebuilt. Pictures were all over the Daily Prophet, but it wasn't like seeing it with his own eyes. Blaise, Harry, and Draco agreed to the plan.

Ron didn't recognize the landscape at first. It was dead and barren when he last saw it, still underground and deserted. They came in from the south, passed the hill that once housed Malfoy Manor and now sat beneath a marvelous white-marble tower that spanned to the sky. It glittered in the light, almost blinding.

Countryside stretched out on the left, covered in snow, and then the palace came into view. It wasn't big, but it wasn't falling apart like the one underground, and that made it all the more beautiful. Ron had memories, but it was nothing like seeing the palace again. He understood why it was called Dawning Light. The sun beat upon it and created a marvelous, magical aura that captivated him upon sight.

"Welcome home," said Draco, kissing the side of Ron's neck.

They unpacked the car, and the gates opened. Harry and Blaise ran ahead with reckless abandon when the Ministry cars drove away. They dragged their trunks behind them, scraping along the ground. Ron turned into Draco and placed his forehead against Draco's collar bone.

"Those two are crazy."

"They weren't able to be crazy before. Potter needs to act crazy once in a while. If he didn't, he'd be too moody to deal with. Merlin knows he's moody enough as is."

"Draco?" said a small, girlish voice that Ron at first assumed to be Harry. He turned and saw Dawn Carey standing behind them, her hands laced behind her back.

"Hi, Dawn."

"I got your letter."

Draco nodded.

"I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault."

"Yes, it was. I killed her."

"It was an accident."

"No, Dawn. That's the thing. I pointed my wand, I said the words, and I'm the one that killed her. You should hate me."

"I did . . . at first."

"Now?"

"I'm starting to understand. Thank you for telling me the truth."

"You aren't sorry you know?"

"Sometimes I am. Sometimes it's nice to know what happened. She would've forgiven you, too. Probably did even before . . ."

"Leanne was like that. I don't understand how."

Dawn shifted and looked to Ron.

"You must be Draco's boyfriend."

"Yeah," said Draco. "This is Ron, my reason for living. Ron, this is Dawn."

"Hi," said Ron.

"Hi. Listen, I won't keep you. I just wanted to tell you, you know . . . I don't hold anything against you."

"You're a better person than I am."

"Not better, just . . . I don't know. Have a good Christmas, Draco."

"You, too, Dawn."

Dawn turned, shivered in her rags, and walked back toward market. Once she was a good way gone, Draco grabbed his trunk and started to drag it toward the palace doors. Ron grabbed his own trunk and followed.

"Your letter?"

"I wrote her."

"I gathered that much. You told her?"

"Everything. The entire story. How I'm a wizard, what happened with my father, the Absconditus adventure. I needed her to know. The guilt was too much, and she wanted to hear it. She should hate me."

"You said that I should hate you, too, remember? And I don't. I love you."

"You're mental, but we've established that a long time ago."

"Very funny, Draco."

"Who's trying to be funny?"

They walked into the palace and set their trunks off to the side. Ron shook his head and little wet flakes flew off his hair. The rest melted, his blond hair sticking to his temples, forehead, and cheeks. Draco shrugged off his cloak, batted off the remaining snowflakes, and hung it on a rack by the entrance, his sleeves slipping to his elbows.

"The nice thing about this place is that it's already furnished," said Draco. "Granted, everything's antique, but that doesn't matter."

Ron didn't answer. Halfway through taking off his cloak, his eyes glued to Draco's arm. He shrugged out of it and let it fall to the floor. Grabbing Draco's arm, Ron turned it over and shothe the sleeve up. He dropped the arm and grabbed the other, repeating the process.

"What are you on about, Ron? Is there something on me?"

"No."

"Then what are you doing?"

"That's the point." Ron rolled up both sleeves and exposed the bare flesh. Both arms were clean and unmarked. "Your training Mark's gone."

Draco stared down at his arms and bit his lower lip. The last time Ron had seen Draco cry was in his parents' bedroom at Malfoy Manor, collapsed on the floor and bleeding. Now he stood there, tears welling in his eyes, and Draco laughed, pulling off his robes to reveal nothing but trousers underneath.

"We aren't interrupting anything, are we?" said Harry. He and Blaise walked out of the adjoining hallway that led to the servants' quarters. "No hanky-panky in the foyer."

"It's my palace, I'll have hanky-panky wherever I bloody well please," said Ron. He grinned.

"You know what I was thinking," said Draco.

"What?"

"I'm going to give up my gift."

"After everything we did to protect it?"

"Are you mad, Malfoy?" said Harry.

"Well, I mean, you're all going to get old and I'm going to stay just the way I am. You'd die and I'd go on living, and I don't want that. Besides, I don't think I'm afraid to die anymore."

Ron grabbed Draco's arm and rubbed at the spot just below the inside of his elbow.

"You don've ave anything foreboding hanging over your head."

Draco shook his head.

"No. I don't want to live forever. I want to live with you."

"Oh Merlin," said Harry, making choking sounds. Blaise laughed. "I'm telling you right now. I'm writing the Ministry. Come on, Blaise. You can write a letter, too. They're going to legalize gay marriages in the wizarding world if it kills us. Keep that immortality until they say yes, okay Draco? Or maybe we can use that as leverage. I can be killed now, you know. I'll threaten suicide!"

Harry's voice died down the hallway as he pulled Blaise away. Draco pressed his face into Ron's chest and inhaled.

"Are you really going to do it? Can you?"

"Of course I can. There's a spell. How else would they have taken our gifts? It'll require a little more blood, but it's worth it. Why? Thinking of getting rid of your gift, too?"

"Nah. I mean, sometimes I hate it, but it's part of who I am."

"You don't care that I get rid of mine?"

"I care very much. I want you to be with me."

"Good. Let's make a promise, though. No more soul-binding. We live this life together and that's it."

Ron laughed. "I promise."
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The Prophecy of Absconditus