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Draco Malfoy & the House of Seraphim	By : KaliDiah Category: Harry Potter Crossovers > General - Misc Views: 20461 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy, Angel, or Harry Potter or their associated characters, settings, or concepts. They belong to their various creators & distributing agencies, and have only been borrowed for entertainment purposes with no intent to profit.

Chapter List
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OMFG!!! IT'S AN UPDATE!!

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Guess who's back, back again. KALI'S BACK, TELL A FRIEND!

That's right kids, I have returned! As many of you know, I had to move, and that made for difficulty doing updates. Well, what's worse is, it seemed my computer didn't like my new apartment. It died. Luckily, I was able to get a new comp and slave up my old drive, so I could recover all my files. Unluckily, however, the new comp didn't have MS Works, which everything was in. Soooo, I had to get a converter. Well, I gots one, and what was the first thing I did? UPDATE!!!

This is a SUPER LONG chapter for you guys, with Twins, Draco's new pet, Neville, and the Boy in the Box ... ummm ... ya kinda had to be there. :D In any case, I hope you enjoy!

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Draco whisked through the morning crowd of Diagon Alley, dragging Blaise by the wrist. He slowed for nothing, and it was all Blaise could do to keep up without plowing anyone over. But, try as he might, he could not get Draco to slow down.

The blonde Slytherin was on a mission. The idea he had been struck with the day before while shopping with Dawn was at the front of his mind, and he didn't want to waste any time putting it into action. "What's the address?" he called back to Blaise.

"Number ninety-three!" Blaise answered, looking at the small scrap of paper Lupin had handed them before they had left.

Draco searched for the number, but it was difficult, as it seemed nothing actually was numbered. Finally he saw a doorway with the gold-plated numbers nailed above it. "This must be it," Draco said with satisfaction. "Come on." He once again yanked on Blaise's hand and dragged him up the stairs.

At the top there was a glass door with advertisement posters plastered all over it. Draco tried to open it, but it was locked. "Damn! They're not open yet." He peered in between the posters and saw movement. So, he knocked on the glass. It was only a few seconds before the door cracked open.

"Sorry, mates," Fred (or was it George?) Weasley said. "We'll be open in an hour, at ten ... hey. What the bloody hell are you doing here, Malfoy?"

Without preamble, he answered, "I have a business proposition for you."

A quirked eyebrow and a scoff of disbelief were the first reactions. "We have no interest in any kind of business you might have to offer. Now sod off. I have work to do." The redhead started to close the door, but Draco stopped it with a hand.

"It could land you mountains of money," Draco said in a sing-song tone. "Not to mention fame. Perhaps even your own Wizard Cards ..."

It was the last that caught the twin's attention. "What is it? In ten words or less."

Draco held up his hands, ticking off each individual word on his fingers. "Making Muggle electronics work in highly concentrated magick areas. Oh, look, that was only nine."

The Weasley's eyes lit up. "No one's done that before," he said, ignoring Draco's final comment.

"I know. But then, they're not you and your brother. If anyone can do this, it's you two."

The elated expression turned suspicious. "Why are you so ... nice all of a sudden? Is this for You Know Who?" Draco could tell the other was preparing to launch himself, most likely with fists flailing.

"No," he said in a calm tone. "It just needs to be done."

Without warning, the redhead unceremoniously closed the door on them, and Draco frowned. "Sorry about that, Dray," Blaise said. "I know you were hoping ..."

"Yeah," Draco said dejectedly. He snuggled into Blaise as the latter put his arm around him, and they began to descend the stairs. Suddenly, they heard the door open.

"Oi, Malfoy, you want to discuss business or what?"

The Slytherins turned to see that both twins were now standing in the doorway, the door opened wide. Draco nodded in answer to the question.

"Well then, get your ferrety arse back up here!"

Draco beamed at them and followed them into the shop. He had to admit, he was impressed. The shelves and counters were stacked with all manner of pranks and jokes. He was surprised that they had developed so much in such a seemingly short time. "Nice," he said.

"Thank you," one of the redheads said with a proud smile.

"Okay, for the sake of my sanity ..." Blaise started.

"And what makes you think we care about your sanity?" one of them asked as he went behind the purchase counter.

"I care about his sanity," Draco said, "and if you want to do business with me, you'll be nice to him."

Both twins rolled their eyes. The one behind the counter said, "Alright, Zabini. What can we do to ease your precious mind?"

Blaise smirked. "Which is which?"

The twin behind the counter pointed to the other, who was now arranging products on a small table, his back turned to the group. "Fred," he said.

Fred jerked a thumb over his shoulder toward the twin behind the counter and said, "George."

"You sure?" Draco asked. "I think you might be getting a bit ... forgetful in your old age."

The Weasleys looked at each other with wide eyes. "How did you know?!" George (who was actually Fred) asked.

"Mum can't even tell half the time!" Fred (who really was George) exclaimed.

Draco just shrugged. "I keep telling people there is precious little I don't know, but no one ever believes me."

"I'm sold," Fred said. "Now, on to business. Aside from the general concept of making Muggle electronics work in magick areas, what are the specifics?"

"Do you want only certain appliances?" George asked immediately after.

Not waiting for an answer, Fred continued, "Or do we get free reign on which ones to play with?"

"What about funding?"

"As well as we're doing, this would take a considerable amount of cash -"

"Something we're not overly abundant in."

Draco held up his hands to cease the verbal tennis match. "How does your family stand it?"

Both twins grinned brightly. "We don't think they do," George answered.

"We think they tune us out most of the time."

"Which makes it much easier for us."

"If they just paid more attention -"

"- they wouldn't be caught by our pranks so often."

Draco was developing a kink in his neck from swiveling his head back and forth. "Okay, could you at least stand next to each other?"

"I suppose we should try to ease his discomfort," George suggested to his twin.

"Yeah. After all, he is handing us the opportunity of a lifetime."

With that, George joined his brother behind the counter.

"Much better, thanks," Draco said. "Now, you will be funded. There is a short list of things that we definitely want worked on. After that, you're free to play with whatever you want, and we'll continue to fund you, so long as you are successful." Draco pulled a folded up piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to the twins, who unfolded it and poured over its contents.

"Interesting," Fred said.

"Yes, it's not quite parchment -"

"- and it's lined."

"Would have helped immensely in Snape's class."

"Oh, I know! Those essays were murder!"

"It's Muggle paper," Draco said with a touch of impatience. "What is important is the list. They're in order of importance."

"Ah, yes, of course," George said.

"Computers of all sorts."

"Telephones, especially cellulars."

"Stereos and radios of all sorts, including CD players."

"Televisions, VCR's, and DVD players."

"Video game systems."

"That it?"

"That we require? Yes. You are familiar with these things?"

"Of course," Fred said. "Dad's love of all things Muggle definitely transferred to us."

"However, and I hate to say it, but ... we know more about them than Dad does."

"Being inventors, we're rather prone to research."

"Yeah. Unlike Dad, we actually know what these things are supposed to do."

"Alright," Fred said, folding up the paper and handing it to his brother, who opened the register and put it under the change drawer for safekeeping. "Now, I'm assuming you don't want us to pull a Dad and enchant these things to do something they weren't meant to?"

"Exactly. Their main functions cannot be changed. However, if you think you can improve them, fine."

"Do we have a deadline?" George asked.

"At the time being, no. But I think you understand the sooner the better. Now, the trick is, we don't want these things simply enchanted. We want to develop a way to integrate Muggle technology and magick together. A process that can be repeated with any type of electronics, at any time."

"So, you don't want the magick to supercede the technology," George said.

"Precisely."

The twins exchanged a glance. "That might be a problem," Fred said when they turned back.

"We know more about Muggle things than Dad -"

"- but we're not one hundred percent sure how things work."

"I mean, we know about electricity and circuits and stuff -"

"- but the smaller details, we're not so sure."

Draco smiled and nodded. He then pulled out a small business card from his pocket. "I somewhat figured that. This is our resident genius," he said, handing them the card. "Coincidentally, her nickname is Fred."

"I like her already," Fred said.

"Is she cute?"

"What?" Draco asked, somewhat surprised.

"Is she cute?" George repeated. "And is she single?"

"Don't you think dating someone named 'Fred' would be a little ... creepy?" his twin asked him.

"Yeah, come to think of it ..."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Focus, gentlemen." Once he had their attention again, he continued. "On the back of the card is the Floo address, should you wish to speak with her. I strongly suggest you do so."

"Would we be able to create new things with this process?"

"I don't doubt it. This is why I thought of asking you."

"Another question," Fred said. "Who is this 'we' you were speaking of earlier? Is it the Order? And if it is, since when were you a member?"

George punched his brother's arm. "Fred! What if he doesn't know about the ... thing? Don't be giving out information like that!"

Draco chuckled. "I know about the Order of the Phoenix, and no, I'm not a member. Same with him," he said, jerking a thumb towards Blaise, who was busying himself with looking over the merchandise. "I'm affiliated with ... I guess you could call it an ally of the Order. A different Order. Order of Angelus, to be exact."

"So, you're working with Dumbledore?" George asked, somewhat suspiciously.

"Yes, and no. It's hard to explain." Draco was at a loss. He wasn't quite sure himself what the relationship was.

"The Order of Angelus is working toward the same goal as Dumbledore," Blaise said, not turning away from the shelves. "That is, the destruction of Voldemort and his forces. And don't flinch. He will not suddenly appear if you speak his name. In any case, beyond that, the Order of Angelus wishes to help the Wizarding world in general. They're hoping that not only will these new technomagick hybrids aid in the war, it will help the Wizarding world advance, and perhaps help ease Wizarding-Muggle relations."

"So, you're not affiliated with the Order of Angelus?" George asked.

Blaise finally turned to them and smiled. "Me? Nah. I'm just his boyfriend." He indicated Draco with a nod of his head.

Both Weasleys looked suitably surprised. "Boyfriend?" George asked.

"We never figured you for that sort ... okay, maybe we did."

"But it was only in jest."

Draco just shrugged. "I go where my heart leads, simple as that."

Fred nodded. "Good show."

Draco smiled. Though he didn't especially care what the twins thought of his relationship or his preferences, he was glad he wouldn't have to deal with any prejudice today. "So, gentlemen, do we have a deal?"

"Will there be a contract involved?" Fred asked warily.

"Yes."

"Then we'll wait to talk to Miss Burkle," George said.

"We want to make sure we're compatible."

"Yeah. Don't want to be stuck working with someone we can't stand."

"Oh, don't worry. Fred is very easy to get along with. She's very sweet. Just don't piss her off."

"Why not?" George asked.

"Because she just might open a portal that sucks you into a hell dimension."

The wide-eyed look on the twins' faces was priceless. However, it only lasted a moment as George spied Blaise beginning to pull back a curtain on the wall. "No!" he cried as he tore around the counter. But it was too late.

"Holy hell!" Blaise exclaimed. "Dray, you have got to see this!"

Fred groaned and put his head in his hands.

"I told you we should have put it in the back room!" George scolded his twin.

His curiosity really piqued, Draco joined Blaise in the small anteroom and gasped. He was surrounded by almost every sex toy imaginable. "What the hell?!" He went back into the main shop and stared at the twins. "Broadening your horizons, are you?"

"Something like that," Fred mumbled, his face beginning to match his hair.

"Seriously?"

Fred nodded. "We looked at the market for it in the Muggle world, and saw that it was booming."

"We figured we could make a mint."

"Only problem, we don't really have the money to get it started."

"And our main backer ... well, let's just say -"

"- it would be unwise for him to have his name attached to something like that."

"So, you're going to sell that stuff in this shop?" Blaise asked.

"No way!" Fred cried.

"We have our eye on a shop in Knockturn Alley."

"There's a door in our backroom that we were going to enchant to act as a portal between the two -"

"- so we could just go back and forth."

"But again, that takes money."

"Which we don't exactly have."

A deliciously evil smirk began to form on Draco's lips. He was going to meet up with Gunn at Gringott's later to finalize his new account that would be funded with the money they redirected from his father's businesses in France. According to Gunn, the first deposit was going to be quite hefty.

Not only did backing the twins' new endeavor seem like a worthwhile investment, but it seemed just downright fun. Draco loved sex and anything to do with it, and the thought of all those playthings in the next room was definitely getting him a little excited. "So," he purred, "you're looking for another financial partner for this business endeavor?"

"Yeah," George answered. "But, do you have any idea how difficult it is to approach people with something like this?!"

Blaise chuckled. "You haven't asked any Slytherins, have you?"

"Well, uh, no?" Fred answered. "Why?"

Blaise just turned to Draco. "I've got some saved."

"I'll be setting up my new account later this afternoon," Draco replied.

"Wait," Fred interrupted. "Are you two saying you'd be willing to back us?"

"If it has to do with sex, I'm all for it," Draco said honestly.

"Same here. Especially if we get to test new products."

"Ooohhh, good idea, Blaise," Draco crooned. He was already thinking of the fun that was possibly ahead of them.

George walked back to Fred and grabbed his sleeve. "May we confer?" Without waiting for an answer, he dragged his twin into the back room.

While they were conferring, Draco and Blaise stole back to the anteroom to get a better look at what they were getting themselves into.

"Oh, dear gods," Blaise whimpered. It was obvious he was playing scenarios out in his head. "Draco, this one vibrates!"

"Forget that! Look at this one!" He picked up a package and read from the back of it. " 'This ingenious toy features a clever new twist. Make your way down each ripple of the 5" corkscrew shaft to the flared base, then use the magick remote to active any combination of five thrilling modes. First, multi-speed vibrations will tease and titillate your sensitive nerve endings, providing unparalleled anal or vaginal delights. Second, cause the entire shaft to twist in whichever direction and at whatever speed you desire, the rounded ripples massaging you.' " Blaise made a squeaking noise, but Draco continued undaunted. " 'Third, the bulb-like tip is filled with tiny, pearl-like beads that rotate in the speed and direction of your choosing. Fourth, make it retract and thrust as hard and as fast as you wish. Finally, you can increase the width and length for a perfect fit. Use a combination of all five modes for the ultimate pleasurable experience.' "

"Oh my fucking gods," Blaise breathed. Draco could smell his arousal. "Can we steal that?"

"Take it home and test it," came a voice from behind them.

Both Slytherins whipped around to see the twins standing in the doorway, grinning mischievously. "We've decided to take you up on this offer," George said.

"We'll have an estimate of how much we need by this afternoon, if you care to stop back after your trip to Gringott's."

Draco and Blaise nodded furiously.

"Good," George said. "We'll also have a catalogue ready for you."

"That's great," Draco croaked. "Can we ... ah ... can we really take this?"

Fred shrugged. "Sure. Who are we to stand in the way of deviance?"

"Th-thanks," Blaise said.

"Um, we better get going. We have things to do, and you need to open your shop."

"Too right," Fred agreed. "We will talk to you later then?"

Draco nodded and let Blaise drag him to the door. "Oh," he said before they left. "What will it be called? I don't suppose you'll have the family name in it."

George and Fred looked at each other and beamed. Together, they answered, "Wicked Games."

"Indeed," Draco murmured as Blaise hauled him out the door and down the stairs.

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Harry was lost in thought as he continued on his shopping trip. Lupin had really thrown him for a loop. It was one thing for Harry to turn away from Dumbledore, but Remus Lupin? It was something Harry just could not conceive. It seemed as if his entire world was being stripped down and rebuilt, but he didn't have the new blueprints.

Even as he mulled everything over, he kept his eyes open for anyone he knew. However, he wasn't sure whether it was so he could talk to them ... or avoid them. He knew he should talk with someone about this, and for the first time ... EVER ... he wanted to. Just ... not right now.

So when he heard a very familiar guffaw, he stopped dead in his tracks. Shifting his gaze this way and that, it took almost no time at all to spot the tell-tale fire of his best friend's hair, especially as he was rather tall. He dared to step nearer, and could make out Neville, Ginny, and Hermione as well. But, as a cluster of shoppers moved out of the way, Harry's heart stopped. Hermione and Ron were standing very close together, and they were holding hands.

It took all of two seconds to jump to conclusions and determine that this was the reason they hadn't written. They were obviously too caught up with each other to remember poor Harry. His mind began racing through a plethora of scenarios, and only one seemed appealing. So, when Ron started to turn and lead the others in Harry's direction -- though Harry was sure he hadn't been spotted yet -- Harry did the only thing he could.

He ran.

Using his short stature to his advantage, he ducked into the milling crowd. Dodging people as best he could, he blindly made his escape into a small alley space between buildings. It was stacked with boxes and crates, some of them forming a partial wall midway down, blocking the view of the back of the alley to passerby. Harry bolted behind them and without thinking jumped into a (conveniently Harry-sized) crate and slammed the lid down.

He sat scrunched up and stone still, barely daring to breathe. He really hoped the others hadn't seen him, because the last thing he wanted to do was to explain what the hell he was doing in that crate. As the seconds ticked by, no one came. He allowed himself to sigh in relief and made to get out of the crate.

Had he not waited so long, he could have avoided what was about to happen.

But then, had he avoided what was about to happen, his life from then on would have been very different, and not nearly as interesting.

Voices and scuffling feet drew near, and he had just enough time to close the lid on himself again before someone dragged someone else behind the box-wall, only to unceremoniously slam them against the crate next to and slightly behind Harry's. Through the spaces between the slats he could see two sets of hips grind against each other, and it became quite painfully clear what was about to happen.

Harry gulped as quietly as he could, and weighed the merits of making his presence known in order to avoid embarrassment. But then, wouldn't that act itself create embarrassment? Not to mention, he would still have to explain what the hell he was doing in that crate.

Needless to say, it was not a happy day in Harry Land. Interesting, but by no means happy.

Well, he thought, I may as well see exactly who I'm turning into a voyeur for. He craned his neck up and around to look through the slats in the crate's lid.

Oh, dear God, please, just ... kill me now. Tell Voldemort where I am, give him a ride over and just let him kill me.

He grimaced as Blaise Zabini pressed Draco Malfoy against the crate, trapping him in a blazing kiss. Harry silently started cursing every deity he could think of, and surprisingly, that was a fair amount.

"What's gotten into you?" he heard Malfoy purr ... Purr? Yes, that was most definitely a feline-like purr behind his voice.

"Nothing ... yet," came Zabini's sultry reply.

Oh, God, no! I so don't need this!

"Are you saying you want something in you?" Malfoy asked. "Perhaps ... this?"

And Harry could not fight the urge to look. He saw Malfoy waving a package back and forth in front of Zabini's face, but couldn't make out what was in it.

"Actually, I would prefer you."

Harry was half proud and half disgusted as he deduced that the package must contain a sex toy of some sort. Then the implications set in, and Harry tried not to cry.

"I bet you would," Malfoy crooned.

Malfoy spun them around so that Zabini was now against the crate. Again they started snogging madly, almost-desperate hands drifting everywhere. As the kiss got deeper, their hips began to grind together again, producing small moans from one -- or both -- of them.

Now, Harry had enough room in that crate to turn away, but somehow he couldn't. He knew he should, but he just couldn't. Okay, if he had his wits about him, he might even admit that a small part of him -- absolutely miniscule, really -- didn't want to turn away. He was a sixteen-year-old boy who had never experienced more than a soggy kiss. Of course he'd be interested in anything sexual!

Right?

Through the lip-lock, it seemed like Malfoy was whispering something, far too softly for Harry to hear. Zabini chuckled in response. Malfoy then murmured something else, and Zabini nodded slightly.

"Okay," Malfoy muttered, giving Zabini's lips one more firm press before whipping around and taking the two steps to Harry's crate. Before Harry could even formulate what was happening, the lid of the crate was ripped off, and Malfoy peered inside. "Well, well, well. I knew we had an audience, but I had no idea it would be Harry Bloody Potter."

"What?" Zabini asked and hurried to look into the crate. "Potter? What the hell are you doing in that crate?"

Harry had to fight down the maniacal giggle as Zabini asked the very question he had been trying so desperately to avoid. As it was, he could only sit there, his arms wrapped around his knees as they were drawn to his chest, looking up with a definite deer-caught-in-the-headlights look.

Harry was somewhat alarmed as Malfoy's expression changed from one of amusement to one of concern. "Are you alright?" he asked, his tone soft.

Harry blinked in confusion, and was tempted to ask who the hell that was and what had he done with the real Malfoy? But then he looked to Zabini, and saw the concern mirrored there as well.

"I ... well, ah, see ..."

"Is someone after you?" Malfoy asked.

Now, Harry very well could have said that, yes, someone was, and that was the reason he was hiding. But for some reason, he didn't want to. The concern the Slytherins were showing was genuine, and he couldn't lie to them. "I'm actually hiding from Ron and Hermione."

Zabini's brow creased in confusion. "Why? Aren't they your best friends?"

"The jury's out on that one at the moment," Harry said, a bit more bitterly than he had intended.

Malfoy shifted his position so his forearms were resting on the edge of the crate as he leaned down more. "What happened?"

"Why do you care?" Harry snapped.

If he was expecting some elaborate explanation, he was out of luck. "Because I do," Malfoy answered simply with a small shrug.

That brought Harry up really short, and he found himself lacking any kind of retort. The only thing he could do was spill. "They've pretty much been ignoring me all summer. I only received one letter each, and nothing on my birthday, even. It wouldn't be so bad if ..."

Malfoy nodded. "If your godfather hadn't died."

Harry's eye grew wide, and he began to shake. "How did you know?"

"Blaise?"

"There's precious little he doesn't know," Zabini supplied with a smirk.

"Thank you," Malfoy said.

This worried Harry quite a bit. Just how much did Malfoy know, and how did he come to know it? Could he be trusted?

Malfoy continued on, oblivious to Harry's anxiety. "Why do you think they snubbed you like that?"

"I ... I think it's because, well, they seem to be dating now." Harry looked down at his knees and blushed. He felt like a complete idiot.

The eyebrows of both Slytherins rose straight into their hairlines. "Oh, now there's a terrifying thought," Zabini murmured.

Harry silently weighed the situation. Here were two people from his rival House, one of whom was his greatest school adversary. But, they weren't acting like rivals. It was clear that Draco was as interested in ending the feud as Harry was. If he hadn't been, he would have made fun of Harry over the fact that he was hiding from his own friends. Lupin had said there would be some changes this year. Was this one of them? Did Lupin know about this? Harry thought that Lupin had to know, and that somehow eased his mind.

Taking a deep breath, he decided to lay it all out on the table. "I mean," Harry started, "I'm happy for them an' all, but I suffered a major loss here. I needed them. And they just ... forgot I existed. And my birthday! At least Ginny, Luna, and Neville told me they would give me their gifts when they saw me. And if it weren't for the weekly letters from Neville, I wouldn't have had anyone who really understood to talk to. He was there when it happened ..." He trailed off, not exactly sure where his ramble was supposed to go.

"Would you like me to hex them for you?" Malfoy asked, almost conversationally. "I would have absolutely no qualms about doing it."

Harry actually chuckled. The irony was, Malfoy wasn't joking. "No. But thank you for the offer."

"Well, keep it in mind."

Harry peered into the blonde's steel grey eyes, and smiled slightly. "If they need hexing, you'll be the first I turn to."

The three shared a genuine smile as a somewhat companionable silence settled over them. Harry was still confused about this sudden shift in the balance, but he realized that he preferred this to the usual insults and ire Malfoy would throw at him. He didn't think he could handle Normal Malfoy at the moment.

Unfortunately, the moment was ruined by an all-too-familiar voice. "I'm telling you," Ron Weasley cried, all together too loudly, "I saw him duck down here ten or so minutes ago!"

"Then why the hell didn't you say something ten or so minutes ago?!" Ginny chided.

Malfoy, Zabini, and the Boy in a Box shared a look, and an unspoken agreement was formed. Malfoy quickly shut the lid of the crate and pushed Zabini against it. The Slytherins then resumed their previous snogging session.

"I was busy!" Ron said. "Eugh!" he cried, spying Malfoy and Zabini playing tongue hockey.

There were a few feminine gasps (Luna had joined them at some point), and a very Neville-like squawk as the others shuffled into the back of the alley behind Ron.

Malfoy and Zabini paid no mind.

"That is disgusting!" Ron cried, though Harry couldn't understand why. Now that this was his second time seeing it, he had to admit, it didn't look too bad.

Finally, the Slytherins deemed the interlopers worthy of an annoyed glare. "What's the matter, Weasel?" Malfoy spat, with a little more contempt than he normally would have, Harry thought. "Jealous?"

"Of that? No way!"

"Ron, shut up! Why must you be so homophobic?" Hermione demanded.

"Do not even tell me you didn't mind that!"

"I didn't," Ginny offered with a sly grin.

"Ginny!"

"What?! I can't appreciate two incredibly good-looking guys kissing each other?"

"NO!"

"I think your sister is entitled to appreciate whatever she wishes to," Zabini said calmly, then winked at the youngest Weasley.

"You stay out of this!"

"I've got a better idea," Malfoy snarled. "How about you and your little harem go away?"

"He's right, Ronald," Luna said, her voice dreamy, as always. "It's obvious that Harry is not back here, and it's rather rude of us to intrude like this."

"Oh, dear, Weasel. Lost your hero, did you? Bad form." Malfoy snickered.

"Fuck you, Malfoy."

"I'm rather busy at the moment, but I'm sure I can pencil you in for, say, next week?"

Ron grew pale as his eyes widened, and without another word, he turned and fled the alley.

Hermione just huffed and hurried after her boyfriend, Luna behind her. Ginny lingered for a few extra moments, that same sly grin on her face. Eventually she too left. Neville, who had been quiet and staring resolutely at the nearest wall the whole time, turned to leave as well, but Malfoy spoke up.

"If you wish to speak to Potter," he said quietly, "meet him for ice cream in half an hour, alone."

Neville shot him an astonished glance, but the couple had resumed snogging and didn't notice. So, he turned and left, hurrying to catch up with the others.

After a few minutes (longer than what Harry thought necessary), Malfoy and Zabini pulled apart. Malfoy again lifted the lid, but this time offered a hand down to Harry to help him up and out.

Harry looked tentatively at the hand. The same hand he had refused in friendship so long ago. The same hand that had trained a wand in his direction more times than he could count because of it. He then looked again into Malfoy's eyes, and saw that they were clear. All pretense was gone, the mask had been dropped. This was the real Draco Malfoy looming above him. But even so, he had to know. "Why?" he asked.

"It was obvious you didn't want to talk to Weasley or Granger at the moment, so it made sense to pretend you weren't here and send them away."

That makes sense, Harry thought. "But what about Neville?"

Malfoy smiled. "You had mentioned that, out of all your friends, he was the only one to keep in constant contact with you over the summer. I figured that he would be the only one you'd wish to talk to right now."

Harry nodded slightly. It was true. But the fact that Malfoy had not only recognized that, but had helped Harry as he had ...

"Well, you gonna stay in there all day? You have a half hour to kill before you go meet Longbottom, may as well spend it with someone interesting."

"Wait. Are you inviting me to ... hang out with you two?"

Zabini shrugged. "Don't see why not. If anyone can keep those pesky Gryffindors away ..."

"And that loony Ravenclaw," Malfoy quickly added.

"... It's us," Zabini finished.

"So," Malfoy said, moving his hand closer. "What do you say ... Harry?"

A bright smile swept across the Gryffindor's face. "I say we should have done this a long time ago, Draco," Harry said as he took the proffered hand.

Malfoy pulled him up, then went so far as to offer support as Harry climbed out of that crate. "I couldn't agree more," Malfoy said.

Harry looked between the Slytherins, and tried not to worry about how weird this all seemed. It's not like his life was ever normal, anyhow. Besides, maybe experiencing the other side of the coin would help him. "So, what are we doing?"

"Well," Malfoy said as they made to leave the alley, "I'm not sure how, but this morning I convinced Snape to let me get a pet."

"I'm telling you," Zabini said, "catch that man before his coffee and you can get all the diamonds in Brazil out of him."

The three shared a chuckle before Harry said, "The Magical Menagerie, then?"

Malfoy reached up and ruffled his hair. "And the Slytherins call you dumb."

"Do they really?" Harry asked softly, unable to keep his low self-esteem from rearing its ugly head.

"Yeah, unfortunately." They turned the corner on to the main throughway and headed toward the Menagerie.

But then another part of Harry made an appearance, and squashed that low self-esteem. "Well," he said, taking on a haughty tone, "wouldn't they be surprised as hell to find that the Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin."

Malfoy let out a loud laugh. "I knew it! There is no way you could get away with half the crap you get away with and still be a Gryffindor! Golden Boy or not, it's just not possible!"

"Finally, that Parseltongue thing makes sense," Zabini said.

"Yeah," Harry said with a smile and a nod. "Does this mean you two are going to try to corrupt me now?"

"Oh, you know it!" Zabini said.

Malfoy skipped a few steps ahead, and then turned to face him. "Come, Harry," he said, trying to make his voice ominous. "Join us on the Dark Side." He then grinned and waggled his eyebrows. "We have cookies."

Harry pretended to think a moment. "You know, I always liked cookies ..."

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As Draco made his way to the Magical Menagerie, he frequently stole covert glances at Harry. He was amazed that the Gryffindor was actually walking with him and Blaise. He had figured on a lot of groveling and apologizing, for quite a while at that. He never dreamed Harry would be won over so quickly. But then, he's probably as sick of this childish feud as I am, he thought to himself as he once again cast a sidelong glance at the raven-haired boy.

"What?" said raven-haired boy asked.

"What what?" Draco asked with a grin.

"You keep looking at me."

"Does it bother you?"

"No, but ... I'm just wondering."

"Well, I just never expected the three of us to be walking through Diagon Alley together. At least, not this soon."

"Yeah, I'm a bit surprised myself," Harry admitted. "I was planning on making amends, but I had no idea how to go about doing it."

"Me either," Draco confided.

"Well, then, looks like the Fates were smiling down on us, huh?" Blaise said, wrapping an arm around Draco's waist.

Had it been just six months ago, the blonde would not have allowed it. But now, he welcomed the gesture, and returned it.

Harry, noticing this, chuckled. "So, you two really are together?"

"Very," Draco crooned, giving his boyfriend a peck on the cheek. "Does that bother you?"

"Why would you care what I think?" He shrugged as they ascended the few steps to the shop. "In any case, I have no problem with it."

"Good." Draco couldn't understand why he was so relieved that Harry was okay with his relationship with Blaise. But then, he couldn't understand half of what had happened that day. He decided he was just going to go along with it, and be happy. This was going to make school infinitely easier.

But, he would worry about school later. Right now, he was going to finally get a pet. Draco entered the shop first, and was almost immediately set upon by a golden yellow furball.

"Shut the door!" the shopkeeper cried. "Don't let her out!"

Both Draco and Harry were pushed forward by Blaise, who quickly slammed the door behind him. However, there was no need to fret. Whatever the furball was, it was content to snuggle into Draco's arms.

"Um, hello," he murmured to the animal.

The shopkeeper quickly came around the counter and beamed. "Finally!" he said. "I have been trying to sell this fennemao for weeks, but she just would never choose anyone!"

"Huh?"

The clerk motioned for the boys to follow him back to the counter. "Fennemao are very, very rare. They're also very, very special. They are true familiars."

"True familiars?" Harry asked.

"Usually, what people call familiars are really just pets," Blaise explained. "True familiars will actually aid you. They'll get you items you need, lend energy when you need it, protect you. Some, like kneazles, even have special abilities."

"Quite right," the clerk said. "Fennemao are actually related to kneazles. They, too, can detect dark magick, among other things. The fennemao are the most powerful familiar. Because of this, they choose their masters, not the other way around."

Draco looked down at the strange animal in his arms. He could see that she was vaguely cat-like, with large kit-fox-like ears, and a bushy tail. She was primarily a golden caramel color with a white chin and stomach, dotted with various black splotches. The tip of her tail was black, as well as the top of her head and the tips of her ears. She made a cooing, chittering noise as she gazed up at Draco through eyes of pure cerulean that seemed to glitter.

"So, I guess I'm yours, huh?" Draco asked, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"She's cute," Harry said, moving in to get a closer look. Blaise moved to Draco's other side, and agreed with Harry's assessment.

She looked at Blaise, then Harry. Without warning, she sprung out of Draco's hold and landed on Harry's shoulder. She nuzzled and licked his cheek, then turned. Jumping clear over Draco's head, she landed on Blaise's shoulder and sniffed at his ear.

"Amazing," the shopkeeper breathed. "This is ... it's unprecedented. Once choosing an owner, a fennemao will generally not allow anyone else to touch them for about a week. It's part of the bonding process."

"So, what does this mean?" Blaise asked, scratching gently under her chin.

"Well, it seems she has chosen all three of you. Though I think you," he said, pointing to Draco, "are her primary master. However, she will also accept commands from you two."

"So, Malfoy, should we start picking out curtains?" Harry joked. "I mean, I already watched you two make out, you hid me from my friends, and now we're sharing a familiar."

Draco chuckled. "Don't jump the gun there, Potter."

"You're no fun."

"I beg to differ," Blaise said as the fennemao clambered back into Draco's arms.

Harry just rolled his eyes.

"Well, as she chose all three of us, I suppose all three of us should donate to her purchase," Draco suggested, even though he had yet to access the account Gunn had set up for him.

"How much?" Blaise asked.

"Fifty-four galleons. And you'll need care supplies, of course. And I suggest this book." He placed a medium-sized book on the counter. "This will tell you everything you need to know about her."

"I don't have any money on me at the moment, but I'll be going to the bank later," Draco said.

"Yeah, I don't have it on me either," Blaise agreed.

They looked down at the fennemao again, both feeling a bit dejected. Draco had to admit, he had already become quite attached to the critter. But ... fifty-four galleons? That was mighty expensive.

"What would happen if we weren't able to get her?"

The clerk's face turned grave. "Well, she would try to make her way to you, and any number of things could happen between here and there. I could keep her caged ... but, she would only end up hurting herself trying to escape."

The boys exchanged glances. None of them wanted that to happen.

"I can handle it," Harry offered.

"You can?" Draco asked hopefully.

"Are you sure?" Blaise added.

"Yeah, we went to the bank first thing, and I got out as much as I thought I would need for the year. With as much as I buy at Hogsmeade during the year, it's quite a bit. I can take care of it right now, and you guys could pay me back."

"Great!" Draco cried, beaming. "Let's do it!"

The fennemao gave a happy chitter, and squiggled in Draco's grasp.

"Wonderful!" said the shopkeeper. "Here are her registration papers, to validate that she is a purebred fennemao. Here are her shot records. I will need all three of you to sign the license."

"We're still minors, though," Harry said. "Can we sign the license?"

"Oh, yes, yes, of course! That is not a problem at all! But before that, you will need to name her."

"I have no idea," Blaise said.

"Me either," Harry added.

"Hmmmm ..." Draco stared down at her, willing her to somehow tell him her name.

Suddenly, she started pawing at his shirt, right where his lyre pendant was dangling under the fabric. He smiled as he said, "Muse. We'll call her Muse."

"Oooh, I like," Harry crooned as he scratched behind her ear.

"Me, too," Blaise offered.

"I think she likes it, too, if that purring is anything to go by," Draco said with a chuckle.

"Muse it is then," the shopkeeper said as he wrote the name on the license. "Now, gentlemen, if you'll sign this, I'll get everything else you'll need together."

The three moved forward and each signed their names -- Draco first, then Blaise, then Harry.

"Altogether, if comes up to sixty-eight galleons," the clerk said as he placed Muse's things in bags.

Harry dug out a leather pouch from one of his pockets, and upended it. "You count those out. I have a couple bags on me." Draco snorted, but began counting out the galleons in twos, after handing Muse over to Blaise. He had gotten to twenty-four when Harry dumped another bag on the counter.

"You know," Harry said, "it would be a hell of a lot easier if Gringott's had cheques. Or at the very least paper money. These coins get heavy!"

Blaise chuckled and he absently pet Muse's head. "Maybe you should write to the President of the bank and suggest it."

"I just might."

"There," Draco announced. "Sixty-eight."

"Wonderful, wonderful," the clerk crooned, pulling the money towards him and into a bag poised at the edge of the counter. "Now, if you boys have any questions or concerns, feel free to owl me."

"We will, thanks," Blaise said as they left.

"I don't believe it!" Draco cried as he got outside. He held out his arms toward the fennemao and she hopped into them. "I have a pet!"

"We, Malfoy," Harry reminded gently. "We have a pet."

"Fine, fine, we have a pet."

Harry chuckled as he slowed his pace. "I should go meet Neville now."

"Right. When do you want us to pay you back?" Blaise asked.

Harry thought a moment and shrugged. "On the train?" His face then lit up. "Oh, wouldn't that be lovely? Right in front of my friends?"

Draco laughed. "You really are evil, Harry James Potter."

"But of course," Harry agreed with a haughty smirk.

"I won't be on the train, though. I'll be going straight to the castle from where I'm staying. Blaise will be, though, so I'll give my portion to him to give to you."

Harry nodded. "Fair enough. See you on the first day, then!" He waved as he turned, then headed toward Florean Fortisque's, where Neville was waiting for him.

Draco watched him go, smiling. "That went unbelievably well."

"I know. The weight's off my shoulders. How about you?"

"Who needs a broom? I feel like I could fly right now."

Blaise cast a sideways glance at him. "You're not going to turn into a bat or anything, are you?"

Draco knew that his vampirism was going to be a target for much of Blaise's humor, but he didn't really mind. Blaise still loved him, and that was all that mattered. And now they had a pet. Draco looked down at Muse and his smile grew even brighter. "This has been a damn fine day," he murmured.

"And it's not even noon yet."

"Let's go to the bank. I want to see how much money I'm filtering from Lucius."

"And then back to see the Twins."

"And then back to the inn, to try out this wonderful creation of theirs."

"Oh, gods yes, let's go!"

With that, the Slytherins (and their familiar) hurried through the crowd to their destination.

***********************************************************************************************************

Neville was waiting under the shade of a large umbrella that ran through the center of a small table outside the ice cream parlor, looking somewhat apprehensive. He was deathly afraid that it had just been a prank, that Malfoy was trying to lead him into making a fool of himself. He was about to leave, berating himself the whole time, when he spotted Harry approaching.

This was not the Harry he had last seen on the train home from Hogwarts. Nor did he think this was the Harry that he had exchanged letters with all summer (though summer-Harry was a much closer match). This Harry was practically skipping through the crowd, a large grin spread across his face. No, this was a Harry Neville had never seen before.

And, to be honest, Neville had no idea how to handle it.

"Hi, Neville!" Harry greeted him cheerily.

"H-Harry," Neville said, nodding once. "I wasn't sure you'd come. I was starting to think this was just a practical joke."

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "No, not a joke. It wasn't my idea, though. That was all Malfoy. But hey, who am I to turn down ice cream with a friend? Have you had anything yet?" He smiled again.

Neville blushed slightly. "Um, no. I was waiting ... for you." If Neville was honest with himself, he would have to say that this Harry was somewhat freaking him out. "Are you ...?"

"What? Okay? Peachy? Sure! I'm great! In the course of forty-five minutes or so, my entire life just got a hundred times easier."

Neville furrowed his brow and frowned. "I'm almost afraid to ask, but ... how?"

"Here, why don't we get something to eat and sit down, and I'll tell you the whole story? What are you in the mood for? My treat."

After much spluttering and insisting that it wasn't necessary, Neville finally conceded and told Harry what he wanted. Harry went inside and placed the orders, then brought them back outside. They both dove into their sundaes without a word, and it was a couple spoonfuls before Neville spoke.

"Harry, why did Malfoy do that?" If there was one thing more disconcerting than an uber-happy Harry, it was a nice Malfoy ... any Malfoy. Not necessarily just Draco.

"Because I told him that out of all my friends, you're the only one who kept in constant contact with me."

"Oh." He paused to take another bite, and to give himself a moment to think. Harry had told Malfoy about them writing? Neville was pretty sure that was somehow significant, but he wasn't sure how. He then asked, "When did you tell him that?"

Harry smirked. "Just before you guys came into the alleyway."

Neville blinked a few times. "But, we ... we didn't see you." He instantly started running through reasons for such a thing, and Harry's notorious cloak was on the top of the list.

Harry snickered. "Draco and Blaise were in the way."

"In the way ...?" Neville's eyes widened as realization dawned. "You were ... in that crate?" At Harry's nod, his expression grew a bit stern. "Harry, what the hell were you doing in that crate?"

Harry nearly spit out his mouthful of ice cream and instead swallowed it the wrong way, causing him to choke. The choking soon turned to laughter, and the only thing poor Neville could do was look on as his friend seemed to lose his mind right in front of him. Other patrons and passerby glanced nervously at the Boy-Who-Lived, whispering to each other. Had Harry finally cracked? Neville dearly hoped that no one from the Daily Prophet was around.

Finally, Harry regained control of himself and, still chuckling, apologized. "There really is a reason that was so funny."

"Well, then, share!" Neville all but demanded. If there was a reason behind this version of Harry, he wanted to know it. Maybe then he could deal with it easier.

So, Harry told him about how he had seen Ron and Hermione holding hands, how he had ran into the alleyway and jumped into the crate. When Harry told him that he didn't want to have to explain what the hell he was doing in that crate, and then how Blaise asked that exact question, Neville understood why Harry had laughed so hard. He did so himself, though not as long.

"So, you heard us coming, and they hid you?"

Harry nodded. "Yep."

"Wow. How did you deal with having to watch them snog ... twice?"

Again Harry snickered, and shot him a glance that Neville couldn't quite decipher ... and he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to.

"It's really not that bad, Nev. I think after a while it would actually start looking kinda ... nice."

Neville's eyes nearly popped out of his head at that. "Are you serious?!" he asked.

"Yeah. I mean, come on! They're both very good looking ..."

"I never noticed," Neville said quickly.

"Uh-huh, yeah, sure. Everyone has noticed, Neville."

"Well, okay. But ... I never figured you were ..." Neville found himself at a loss for words. It wasn't that he was against homosexuality; it was just that suddenly learning something like that about someone he had shared a dorm with for five years was somewhat surprising.

Neville never did like surprises.

"I'm not," Harry answered. "At least, I don't think I am." He looked contemplative for a moment, and then shook his head. "No, I don't think I am, but I'm not going to completely reject the idea. Besides, I think I should actually have sex with a girl before I decide I don't like it."

Again, Neville's eyes grew wide. The entire conversation was growing surreal, like some twisted dream. The Harry he knew would not be so frank about something usually held so private. Not to mention, hearing Harry talk about sex was a bit like hearing his grandmother swear ... he was not accustomed to either, and it completely threw him for a loop.

Harry looked up from his nearly finished ice cream and frowned. "Nev? You okay?"

"I'm ... I just ... well..." Neville wasn't quite sure how he was.

"I'm freaking you out, aren't I?" Harry asked. At Neville's slight nod, he smiled. "I'm sorry. I just feel so ... free now. I feel like making amends with Blaise and Draco was just the first step. I feel like there are going to be a lot of great things happening this year. I never felt like this before, and I apologize if I'm going a bit overboard."

Neville flashed a smile of his own. Well, that, at least, made sense. Harry was just excited and hopeful. That Neville could handle. "It's okay. And I really hope you're right about this year."

"I'm determined to be right, even if I have to make it happen myself." Harry polished off the rest of his sundae, sat back, and regarded Neville. "So, what do you think we should do with the DA?"

Once again, Neville was caught off guard. Harry had gone from bright and cheery to business in a split second. Neville really was beginning to worry for his friend. "Well, um," he began. "We did talk about how we wouldn't have to hide it now that Umbridge is gone, right?"

Harry shook his head. "I think we may still have to. First off, we don't want the more unfriendly Slytherins finding out about it. They would tell their parents, who would then tell Voldemort."

Neville was proud of the fact that he no longer flinched when he heard the name. "That is true."

"Not only that," Harry said, leaning forward, "but I spoke with Professor Lupin earlier today. He's given me reason to believe we may not be able to depend on the headmaster much anymore."

Neville nearly fell out of his seat. "Okay, Harry. What the hell happened since the last time you wrote?"

Harry's brow furrowed. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"You were practically giggly about becoming friends with Malfoy and Zabini ("Draco and Blaise," Harry corrected, but Neville ignored it). Then you go from bubbly to serious in the blink of an eye. And now ... now you're talking against Dumbledore! What the hell is going on?! I need to know, because I hate surprises. I hate being left in the dark. Things are not making sense and I hate it when things don't make sense!"

"Neville ... Nev, calm down. I have every intention of telling you everything. All I can say right now is that things are not what we thought them to be ..."

"Are you saying Dumbledore is evil?" Neville asked, his voice a low challenge.

"No! But he's not exactly the paragon of light everyone thinks he is, either."

"How can you say that?!" Neville was now firmly convinced that Harry had completely lost his marbles.

"He knew, Neville. He knew everything. He knew Quirrell was playing house with Voldemort. He knew about the Chamber. He knew about Sirius and Remus and Pettigrew and my dad. He knew about Crouch posing as Moody, from day one. And he knew about all the shit Umbridge was pulling. He hid vital information from me, in order to control me. I told you about that prophecy, Neville. He thinks of me as his own little weapon. He orchestrated most of what has happened to me, and not just here at Hogwarts. I seriously think he put me with the Dursleys, knowing how they'd treat me, so that he could later come in and rescue me like some savior and I'd be loyal to him for it."

Neville took it all in. It was very hard to believe, but he knew Harry wasn't a liar. At least, not to him; Harry had always only spoken truth to him. "So, you're saying we can't trust him?"

"Oh, we can trust him ... to do whatever he thinks he has to in order to defeat Voldemort. Unfortunately, that means manipulating the hell out of people. I know it's all for the greater good, but this is my life we're talking about here! Hell, not even just mine! Ron's and Mione's, yours, Ginny's, even Luna's! And countless others. Did you know he orders the professors to teach substandard classes? To be honest, when Umbridge said we weren't living up to Ministry standards, she wasn't kidding. He's purposely dumbing us down."

"But why?"

"I don't know. Maybe to prevent another Tom Riddle from rising to power. Maybe so he would look more powerful, and we'd look up to him. I really don't know. All I do know is that we're not learning nearly everything we should be."

As much as Neville hated to admit it, it was all starting to make sense. Any other student had just as much chance to go through what Harry did, but they never did. Anyone could have run across Fluffy, and wondered what was under that trapdoor. Anyone could have figured out where the Chamber was. The Dementors could have been attracted to any of them. But it was always Harry. This did lend credence to Dumbledore having a hand in things. And really, the Headmaster had to have known how Harry's relatives were treating him (Neville himself had suspected mistreatment years ago, but never said anything until this past summer). How could a man responsible for an entire school, let alone someone as powerful as Dumbledore, allow that to happen ... unless it was part of his plan?

Gran was not going to like this. "Okay, so, we'll still have to keep this secret, or at least not let Dumbledore have much involvement," he said.

Harry smiled at him. "I knew you'd get it. It's not that I'm totally against him," Harry explained. "I mean, yeah, I'm pissed because of all this, but he is essentially working towards the same goal as me. I just refuse to be his weapon. I'll do this on my terms. After all, it's my future ... no, our future that we're talking about. You, me, everyone else at Hogwarts. This is our war, not his."

Harry had seemed to have had hit his stride, and Neville was expecting the inspirational music to strike up at any moment. Neville liked it when Harry got like this, because it made him feel bolder and stronger than he really was. He wasn't lying when he told Harry he'd follow him anywhere.

"Now," Harry said, leaning closer and lowering his voice, "I know we'll have Lupin's support. He's already told me as much. I think he hinted that we can trust McGonagall, too. He also said that there are going to be some changes at the school, for the better, but he didn't tell me what. So, I think we should wait a bit before calling the DA together again, just so we can get a feel of the new situation."

Neville nodded in agreement. "I think we should recruit some more people, too."

"I was thinking that myself, but the group is already pretty large as it is, and it would be hard to handle."

Neville understood where Harry was coming from. After all, Harry was the defacto leader of the group. He was then struck with an idea. "What if we split the group up into smaller ones? Like, beginner, intermediate, and advanced. That way, not only would you not have to watch over everyone at once, but they could learn spells more appropriate to their ability level."

"Neville, that is bloody brilliant! Heck, I wouldn't even have to supervise all the groups. I'm sure Ginny and Luna could handle the beginners, and Hermione and Ron could look after the intermediate level. That is, if they ever decide to talk to me again." Harry suddenly grew sullen, and Neville was beginning to get a migraine from keeping up with the other Gryffindor's sudden mood changes.

Of course, he totally understood this one. Harry had often complained in his letters of how neither of his best friends had written to him. "I guess they just got so caught up in each other..." he started in an attempt to rationalize their behavior.

"So, they are dating then?" Harry asked softly, his feeling of abandonment clear on his face.

"Yeah. I think Hermione wanted to tell you, at the beginning of summer, but I don't think Ron let her."

"Of course he wouldn't," Harry snapped, now bitter. "I mean, this is one thing he's got that I don't: a girlfriend. Oh, wait! I forgot about the nice house, loving family, and the Prefect badge!" Sarcasm laced his words as he crossed his arms and huffed. "He acts as if I have everything just handed to me on a silver platter, that I have a dream life. He just doesn't get that I would gladly trade it all in for his life!" Neville sat quietly. This wasn't the first time Harry had said all this to him, though it had previously been said in ink on parchment. But to hear the anguish in his voice and see it on his face was almost too much for Neville to bear. He was of half the mind to find Ron and beat some sense into him.

Harry sighed heavily, then sat forward again. "No, I don't have time for this. There is just way too much going on, too much to be done. I can't sit around and wallow in self-pity. It may not have been my fault I got this life handed to me, and it may not be the life I want, but it's the one I have to live. It's my life, and my choice how it's going to go from this point on. And one thing I don't want in my life is grudges, especially with friends. I'll talk to Hermione once we get to school. She always was the sensible one. If anyone can understand what's going on, it's her."

Neville nodded, then tried to think of something to change the subject. He found himself preferring the maniacally happy Harry that had first sat down than this one. "Have you gotten your new robes yet?" he asked.

"No. Is it true they've changed the style?"

Neville nodded. "I heard there will be a full uniform, not just the robes."

"They're gonna make me wear a tie, aren't they?" Harry asked with a small grin.

Neville chucked. "If they make me wear a sweater-vest or, worse, plaid, I'm dropping out."

Harry laughed at that, and Neville smiled. Mission accomplished.

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TO MY REVIEWERS

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE!

Sailor Black 666: No, no killing of the Harmony, either. :) Maybe someday I'll show you all how it's done, but not for a while.

Vigilante: Eh, Tom's not too bad. Too young for me though. And about the irony thing ... it's somewhat hard to explain, but trust me, it's there. :) I love Draco and Blaise, too. And yeah, Harry's going to do some serious growing in this fic ... except physically. He's still gonna be kinda small for his age. But, let's not get me started on THAT rant ...

Tinkerhell: I'm sorry about not going into detail with Draco and Blaise. I wanted to save it for later, and also wanted to show that this isn't the type of fic where every sexual experience is detailed graphically just because it CAN be. As nice as it might be, there's much more to it than just sex. In my eyes, Blaise has a very Mediterranean look about him. Darkish/olivish skin, ocean-blue eyes, and raven black hair. And he's pretty tall. Aimee and I are still deliberating on a middle name for Draco. Any and all suggestions would be welcomed. :) There won't be any Draco/Blaise/Mione in this story, and I promise it won't be all slash. I love the Narcissa I'm creating, and I hope you will too. :) And Evil DD is just ... it has to be done. We'll be seeing a LOT of Neville; he'll be growing quite a bit as well. And wow, you DO ramble, don't you? That's okay. I LIKE long reviews!

TP: Unfortunately, I can tell you that Cissa will not be able to be a spy. Wasn't that stuff with Draco and Blaise the sappiest stuff you've EVER SEEN?! I'm tired of stories that depict any and all relationships involving Draco as rough and sadistic. Dammit, he is just as capable of being sappy-sweet as anyone!! I'm glad the Petunia thing worked out. That will be focused on more, but much later. And I love introspection within characters. It just gives them so much more depth, ya know? And any self-pity Harry may have left will be promptly and completely squashed by a certain Slytherin, so you won't have to worry about that.

Adoxerella: That's it! Who wants to start a We Heart Neville Fan Club with me? As for possible HP/NL shippage ... none that I foresee, but the story may dictate otherwise. Ya never know with these things. Your question about Ron and Mione should initially be answered in this chapter, but there is STILL more to it, and will be divulged soon.

Warconq: When I first read your review, I had to show it off to everyone. "See?! It's a delicate and beautiful jewel! BEAT THAT!" Good gods, you people are good for my ego. :)

Theatre Chick: I love writing this Spike. It's so much fun. I can tell you that Mione won't get involved with any of the boys ... for the time being. Well, not beyond flirting. ;) And there will be much, MUCH focus on Xander in this story.

Tesgura: This chapter should answer your wonderings about the boys burying the hatchet. I know I could have made it more angsty and drawn out, but there are so many fics like that already. I wanted to try a different tack. Of course, this doesn't mean they're going to be Bestest Friends For Life right off the bat, but it will be a much more simpler transition.

lanna: Xander could use some action, but not with Mione. The only Student-Teacher lovin' goin' on in this fic will be between Draco and his Sires ... (well, during the school year, anyway, ahem).

Deadwrite: The Queen, huh? I liked that so much, I put it in my AOL message board signature. :)

Silver1: We'll get to see Lupin teaching Xander soon, and more with Dawn and her portals. Oh, this isn't just about DD's eebbilness. It's about everyone, and they will all get equal attention, just not all at once. :) They won't be running into Buffy and Company at ALL in this story, nor the next. But when they do, I promise it will be VERY worth the wait.

Ravenfrog: It's not easy with so many characters that I love. It would be easier if I didn't really care about some of them, but ... that just ain't gonna happen. :)

ValkyrieNiennaHelyanwe, Lissa Riddle, & Ferfer: I'm glad you're all enjoying this, and I hope you liked the update.
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Draco Malfoy & the House of Seraphim