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Draco Malfoy & the House of Seraphim	By : KaliDiah Category: Harry Potter Crossovers > General - Misc Views: 20464 -:- 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.

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OMFG!!! IT'S AN UPDATE!!

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

HOLY UPDATE, BATMAN!

So many people have asked if I've given up on this fic. The answer to that is simple: NO FREAKIN' WAY! I just hit a bit of a block, that's all. With the help of my Super Beta and my Co-Queen of the Literary Mind F*ck (yeah, I can swear in the story, but I can't bring myself to do it up here ... shaddap, yous), I was able to break through and come up with what I hope is a pretty durn good chapter.

You will notice that this chapter has one asterisk ( * ) beside it. That's because the first section is pretty slashy. Not full-on slashorama, but enough for you to say "GAH!" to. Oh, by the way, "gah" is my new word. I use it all the time. It's fun. Anyhoo, let me get the "official" warning in here, so you can get on with reading. :)

WARNING!!!

The first section of this chapter contains graphic depictions of nearly-sex between two males, as well as bondage and a mention of rape fantasies. If these things upset you, you are welcome to skip the first section and continue with the rest. Nothing else terribly important happens in that section, save the mention of a book that might play a pivotal role later on ... I have yet to decide.

With that said, if you don't mind it, read on.

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Three hours after they had parted company with Harry, Draco and Blaise were lounging on Draco's bed at the Leaky Cauldron as Muse took it upon herself to explore the room. The boys were flipping through the Wicked Games catalogue given to them by the twins. Draco was impressed not only by the sheer amount of product they had available, but the imagination they had put into some of them. He could see that this was going to be a very lucrative business venture.

"Look, Blaise, they have books, too!"

"They look like ... Muggle books," Blaise observed.

"Probably are. I mean, I haven't really seen any Wizarding books about sex ..."

"You've looked?" Blaise asked with amusement.

"Well, I ... um ... maybe. Lucius has a very extensive library, you know. If there were any Wizarding sex books, he'd have them. And I never found any."

Blaise chuckled and took the catalogue from his boyfriend. "This one is definitely Wizarding," he said, pointing to a large leather-bound volume. "Hmmm ... 'The Complete Guide to Unlawful Carnal Knowledge'." He peered closer and gasped. "It's by the twins!"

Draco laughed. "Why am I not surprised? What's it about?"

"Looks like a collection of spells. Stuff for pregnancy, protection against diseases, lust spells, all kinds of fun stuff."

"I want one," Draco said nonchalantly.

"Then you can get me one for my birthday," Blaise crooned. "After all, what's mine is yours."

"I like the way you think." Draco leaned over and lightly kissed the other Slytherin.

"I like the way you think," Blaise said. "That sex bracelet idea you presented to the twins was brilliant."

"Yeah, well, it was Dawn who told me about it in the first place. I'll have to owl them with the details later."

"Well, you know I'll be buying a bunch once they put them in their new catalogue."

Draco's eyes grew wide. "And just who is going to be snapping them off your wrist?!"

"Whomever you allow, love." He initiated another kiss, this one deeper than the one he had received earlier.

"Good answer," Draco murmured. He pulled the catalogue out of Blaise's hands and placed it on the bedside table. He then maneuvered himself on top of Blaise. "Very good answer," he whispered.

"Draco's a nympho," Blaise said in singsong tone.

"And Blaise is a bondage freak," Draco sang back.

This set both of them to laughing, though not for long. "So," Blaise said, wrapping a lock of Draco's hair around his finger. "I think it's high time we try out that little gift the twins gave us."

Draco swept his tongue across Blaise's lips. "Couldn't agree more." He dove into another kiss, making quick work of Blaise's buttons. Once the other Slytherin's chest was bared, he began feathering kisses down his torso.

"Draco," Blaise groaned. "Skip the romance, would you?" He was in no mood for foreplay at the moment. Ever since the twins had told them they could take the vibrator, he had been aching to try it out.

Draco quirked an eyebrow. "Whatever do you mean, Blaise?"

Damn his teasing. "You know what I mean," he almost growled.

"No," his lover purred. "I don't." He then leaned in close to Blaise's ear. "Tell me."

With a sigh, Blaise fought the urge to push Draco out of the bed. "I mean," he snapped, "that I want you to lock the door, put a silence ward up, tie me to the goddamn headboard, rip open that package, and fuck me senseless with that vibrator!"

Draco's eyes widened and flashed gold.

"Do you think you can handle that, Draco? Or is it too much for you?" Blaise knew that one sure fire way of getting Draco moving was to insult his ability to do something. Especially in regards to sex.

And it worked beautifully. Draco scowled slightly as he grabbed his wand and quickly cast the wards. He then yanked each of Blaise's wrists in turn, slamming them against the opposite posts of the headboard before securing them with magickal ropes. Blaise rather liked the fact that Draco hadn't bothered to remove the shirt he had unbuttoned earlier. "Better?" Draco growled.

Blaise tugged on his restraints and then smiled. "Much. Of course, it would be better if you got rid of my ..." He didn't have to finish, as Draco began yanking off his pants. "There we go," he crooned. He then groaned as Draco couldn't resist the urge to run his cool hands over every part of Blaise's body he could reach. The touches sent electric shocks through him, making him jump. He hummed with pleasure as Draco's hands drifted down his thighs, then calves, down to his ankles.

He was quite surprised (but unbelievably pleased) when Draco grabbed his right ankle and directed it to where his right wrist was tied (and he was none to gentle about it, mind you). He gave a cry of joy when Draco conjured more rope and secured his ankle just as tightly. He repeated the action with Blaise's left ankle. This left Blaise open and vulnerable ... and he loved it.

Draco wasn't kidding when he had teasingly called Blaise a bondage freak. He yearned to be bound and powerless, allowing his lover to do whatever he damn well pleased. He loved that he could trust Draco so implicitly. Of course, this was the only part of his life in which he allowed himself to be submissive; in fact, he was usually so assertive around others, that they had no idea he allowed his boyfriend to tie him up in every way possible.

He also enjoyed it when Draco decided to get rough. The fact that he could instill such passion in someone was rather confidence-boosting. He was pretty sure the fact that, in the deepest, most dark recesses of his mind, he super-secretly harbored rape fantasies as well had something to do with it. But not even Draco knew that.

He was brought out of his fevered musings by Draco's voice. "You really love this, don't you?" he asked softly, kissing his way gently down the back of Blaise's left thigh.

"Yes," he hissed. His need was becoming overbearing, and he tried desperately not to whimper. He couldn't keep himself from squirming though. He was sure Draco was enjoying watching him do so.

Draco chuckled and lifted himself from the bed. Blaise knew he was getting some lubricant, and would only be gone a second, but he missed his presence immensely. It was a short-lived feeling though, as Draco returned immediately. He wasted no time in preparing the dark Slytherin, for which Blaise was grateful. Blaise was then aware of the hardness of the Weasleys' creation, and he locked eyes with his lover.

"Ready?" Draco asked with a smirk.

"Oh, yes," Blaise confirmed with a nod.

Draco's smirk widened as he pressed a button.

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The next morning, Blaise begged his parents to let him spend the rest of the summer with Draco. After meeting Angel and being assured that Professor Snape would also be there on a regular basis, they agreed. Once back at the Hyperion, Draco introduced Blaise to everyone, then dragged him and Muse about, showing off his new home. With that finished, they set to work, reading the books they had just bought in Diagon Alley. Well, at least that was the plan.

More often than not, they ended up talking. They talked about their summers and Dumbledore. They talked about Death Eaters and Aurors and vampires. But most importantly, they made plans.

Draco knew he would have to tread carefully this upcoming year. Snape had told him the other Slytherins were to keep an eye on him. He was sure that if he tried to have a secret friendship with Harry he would eventually get caught. That's just how secret relationships worked, unless they were completely broken off before they were discovered.

But Blaise wasn't the one Draco always turned to when he needed an infallible scheme for nothing. "When you want to hide something really valuable," he said as he sat against Draco's headboard, "you put it where people would least likely look. In other words, right in front of their faces."

"What?" Draco stopped pacing past the foot of his bed and gazed at Blaise in disbelief. "I would be drawn and quartered if I flounced around with any Gryffindor, never mind Potter!"

"Not if you told the Slytherins that it was all a plan on your part." Blaise only waited a few moments to let the implication set in. "We tell them that we are pretending to be friendly with Harry, either to get information or corrupt him. Hell, even both!"

"Do you really think they'd believe it?" Draco asked uncertainly. It seemed simple enough, but would it work?

"Of course! Especially if you convince them that you are determined to show Voldemort that you are not a failure like Lucius."

Draco nodded, turning the plan over in his mind. It truly did seem plausible. He began pacing again, the wheels of his mind spinning. "And," he added, "if they knew you were in on it, it would get back to Voldemort, and he would order that your family be protected."

Blaise blinked a few times. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Draco stopped pacing and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. With a sigh he said, "Blaise, you know that's why I broke it off, don't you? I was terrified that my father would wipe out your family if he found out about us."

"Oh," Blaise replied quietly, bowing his head slightly. Draco hoped he hadn't hurt the other's feelings. He needn't have worried. Blaise looked up at him again, his expression thoughtful. "But now, if they think I'm working with you on the plan, Voldemort would see to it that my family was safe from Death Eaters. Including your father."

"Yes."

"So, we wouldn't have to hide our relationship?" The hope in Blaise's voice was undeniable.

"Exactly."

Blaise beamed and launched himself at Draco, smothering him in a clumsy hug. "Good gods, this is a brilliant plan!"

Draco laughed at his love's exuberance. "Yes, it is." Draco paused for a moment as a thought struck him. There were a couple other Slytherins he knew of that didn't support Voldemort. Would they too be interested in their plan? He voiced his question to Blaise, who in turn asked who Draco was thinking of. "Bulstrode and Lumineux. They're already signed up for the Supplemental Studies Program. May as well bring them in on this, too."

Blaise nodded. "I think that would be a good idea. Millie could pass it off as wanting to prove herself as well. And Delly, well, her family's like mine, neutral. It wouldn't be hard for her to convince the others that she's made a decision."

Draco nodded in agreement. Except for the headlock incident with Hermione Granger at the Dueling Club during second year, Millicent Bulstrode had kept a relatively low profile. Draco knew she had no desire to follow Voldemort, and could be easily convinced to fight against him instead. Chandelle Lumineux, on the other hand was so low-profile she may as well not exist. The shy fifth-year barely spoke up and kept to herself, but Draco was pretty sure she was anti-Dark Lord.

"Okay," Draco said. "We'll have to tell the other Slytherins that in order to make it convincing, we'd have to have a few skirmishes every now and again. Nothing too serious though, just for show."

Blaise smirked at him. "Really, Draco, do you honestly think any of them will pass up the chance to best you?"

Draco was confused. "Huh?"

Blaise rolled his eyes as he got up from the bed and stretched. "You're one of the best duelers in the entire school, let alone our House. You can expect those 'skirmishes' to be very real, simply because they'll want to prove themselves."

"Oh. Joy." Draco sighed again. "Ah, well. Not much we can do about that, is there? We'll just deal with it as it comes."

It was Blaise's turn to nod in agreement. "Right." A short silence drifted over them before Blaise asked, "Should we tell Harry, and whomever else we befriend on that side? I mean, it could be pretty bad if it got back round to him without us telling him that it's really the Slytherins we're playing."

"Good point. I really don't want to be at the business end of his wand if he feels he's been betrayed." Draco pulled a face to display just how unsavory he found that scenario.

"Me either," Blaise agreed, shaking his head.

"Alright, we have a plan. Now maybe I'll stop freaking out about this year. I'll talk to Severus about this, too."

"He really is a double agent?"

Draco chuckled. "Yep. I'm sure he'd help us with our little ruse, make it even more believable."

Blaise nodded, then flopped back onto Draco's bed with a sigh. Staring up at the ceiling he said, "This is going to be a rough year, isn't it? I mean, just the extreme amount of care it's going to take just to live day to day. We're going to have to watch our every step, our every word."

"Yeah, but we can do it. I know we can. After all, we are Slytherins." Draco grinned.

"Yes. Yes, we are."

"And who knows?" Draco asked as he lay down next to Blaise. "Maybe we can change our House from the inside out. We could start with the first and second years. Most of them are still undecided, and very impressionable. If we can get to them before anyone else does, we can lead them away from that path. Maybe we could get Harry and his friends to offer them protection."

Blaise turned to him. "Do you really think he would? I mean, our new friendship aside, I'm not sure he'd go out of his way to protect a bunch of Slytherins."

"Of course he would," Draco protested. "He's a Gryffindor. And I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I personally think he's the most noble of the lot."

Blaise let out a bark of laughter. "Don't worry. That secret will follow me to the grave."

Draco smacked Blaise's arm. "New rule: no talking of you dying on me, even in jest."

Blaise smiled as he rolled toward his love and draped an arm across his chest. "As you wish." He gently kissed Draco's cheek before snuggling closer.

An uneasy silence settled over them then as they mulled over their own thoughts. As solid as their scheme seemed to be, neither could shake the feeling that something was going to go terribly wrong.

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Harry had tried to put the conversation he'd had with Lupin aside, but found that he couldn't. He thought he could just flow with the new information, but found that rather impossible. His life had been turned upside-down -- again -- and he had no idea how to handle it -- still. The only thing he knew for sure was that he could not let Dumbledore manipulate him anymore. And in order to do that, he'd need to engage a part of him he had tried to suppress.

The truth of the matter was, Harry truly was a Slytherin, at least in part. Whether he was gifted that by Voldemort, as with the Parseltongue skills, or it was instilled in him by his upbringing, it was there and very much a part of him. He reluctantly admitted that if he continued to lock up that part of him, he would never be whole. And so long as he wasn't whole, he would never be able to defeat Voldemort.

He spent the first few days back from Diagon Alley thinking about his past. As he looked back, he could remember with crystal clarity many occasions in which he behaved in a very Slytherinic fashion. He had learned exactly what to do in order to keep Vernon from yelling at him and locking him in the cupboard. He learned how to walk silent and cat-like, so he could pilfer much-needed food at night. When Dudley and his gang tried to "play" with him, he had always stayed one step ahead, if not two. Granted, these were all survival skills, but it was a well-known fact that Slytherins were all about self-preservation. Even so, his Inner Slytherin didn't really come out until he got to school. Harry found that rather amusing in an ironic sort of way.

Gryffindors, when told not to pry into something, didn't manipulate the groundskeeper into spilling important tidbits. Gryffindors didn't hold their Defense Against the Dark Arts professors at wand-point and force them to go into the Chamber of Secrets. Gryffindors didn't blackmail their uncles into signing their Hogsmeade permission forms. Gryffindors didn't use their escaped-convict godfather as a threat against their family.

And Gryffindors certainly never tried to cast the Cruciatus curse.

All of this reflection led Harry to one thing: his Inner Slytherin was damn useful. And so far, he had used that instinct and those skills in the name of good. So what was he so afraid of? It was a part of him, just like everything else. Therefore, it was under his control, just like everything else. He could be as Slytherinic as he wanted and never go bad. This epiphany brought him great comfort and confidence. And it showed right away.

A couple evenings after said epiphany, the Dursleys and Harry were having dinner (which Harry had prepared completely on his own, thankyouverymuch).

"So, are you looking forward to going back to that freak school of yours?" Vernon asked before shoveling a large piece of steak in his mouth.

Harry knew damn well that Vernon really didn't care if he was looking forward to going back to school or not. The man just loved any chance he got to call Harry a freak. Calm, Harry thought. Stay calm. Less than a month to go.

He glanced up at Petunia, and she risked showing a bit of sympathy in her eyes. As little as she was able to give without being noticed, it meant the world to Harry. "Yes," he said calmly, not even deigning Vernon worthy of a glance. "I'm very looking forward to it." Normally, he would have ended it there. However, the newly unleashed Slytherin inside him insisted on saying its piece. His mouth twisted into a smirk, and before he knew it, words fell out of his mouth before he could even register what they were. "Just one more year, and I'll legally be able to use magick outside of school."

It only took a moment for the eruption. Vernon stood from his chair, knocking it over with such force the back of it cracked. "Are you threatening us, boy?!" he boomed.

Dudley snickered, positive of what would come next. Petunia shot worried glances between her husband and her nephew.

Harry just chuckled, almost involuntarily. He finally lifted his gaze up to his uncle's face, and gave another smirk that would have made Draco proud. "Is there a reason I have to?" he asked, his tone cold and full of malice.

As much as he knew embracing his Inner Slytherin was key to defeating Voldemort, it still scared him. He never knew he was capable of such callousness. Even as he tried to reign himself in, a small voice in the back of his mind told him this was needed. Vernon Dursley had hoarded power over Harry from day one, and it was time he knew exactly what he was dealing with. Harry was not in the least surprised that the voice spoke in Parseltongue.

It seemed the rest of the family was just as shocked as he was at his behavior. Vernon fell silent, amazingly. Dudley paled to almost translucency. Petunia ... well, it was clear she was extremely confused.

The silence was deafening, and Harry felt the need to fill it. "Once I am of legal Wizarding age," he said quietly, "I promise you I will leave this house and not look back." He glanced at his aunt, and could see a glint of hurt in her expression. Don't worry, he thought, though he knew she couldn't hear him. I won't abandon you. You, at least, have made amends. "I'll never bother you again, once I'm gone. Unless, of course ..." He paused as he glared coldly at his uncle. "Unless you give me a reason to." He stood from the table, looking at each of them in turn, trying to convey the desire to talk to his aunt in private sooner rather than later. "I really, really hope you don't give me a reason to." And with that, he left the kitchen for his room.

Once behind the shut door, he sank onto his bed. "This is going to take some getting used to," he said the empty room. He decided he would have to talk to Draco and Blaise about this. If anyone could teach him how to handle that side of him, it was them.

In any case, he was now sure that this change would be what he needed in order to take control of his life. The more he thought about it, the more determined he became. He honestly was tired of Dumbledore's manipulations. He had never been able to live his own life, regardless of where he was. He realized that yes, he was destined to fight in this war, but that didn't mean he had to submit to anyone so completely.

Gah, Dumbledore. Harry really didn't like it when his mind traveled toward the Headmaster these days. It became more and more apparent that Dumbledore was interested in only one thing: winning. He didn't really seem to care who got in the way, or who had to die for his success. What of the Diggorys? What had Dumbledore given them when they lost their son due to his own negligence? He knew Crouch was impersonating Moody, yet he let it continue. Dumbledore gave Cedric a moment of silence at the last feast of that year ... and that was it.

And what of Sirius? Harry hadn't heard word one from Dumbledore regarding his godfather. Of course, Harry was quite sure the Headmaster had no qualms about keeping the Black House as the Order's headquarters. And that reminded Harry ... did Sirius have a will? And if he did, would Dumbledore adhere to it? Most likely not.

Looking back on the past five years, Harry realized that what Lupin had said was true. He was nothing more than a weapon to Dumbledore. That's all any of them were. And this all led to a very disturbing thought.

What was Dumbledore really, if not an even more manipulative -- and therefore more dangerous -- Dark Lord in Light Wizard's robes?

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It had taken a while for Harry's mind to calm down enough for him to fall asleep, and now he wished he hadn't. Like so many times before, he stood in the cemetery where he was forced to play a part in Voldemort's resurrection. Where Cedric Diggory had died. He took a couple deep breaths and surveyed his surroundings, taking stock of the situation.

First and foremost, he didn't feel any alien emotions or thoughts, which meant he was just him, and not seeing this from another's point of view. Secondly, he seemed to be alone, though he swore he could sense something tickling the edge of his awareness. Though it didn't feel like a vision, or anything connected to Voldemort for that matter; it didn't feel like a regular dream, either. So he stayed on guard as he slowly made his way through the maze of headstones.

He seemed drawn to one particular stone in a place that was all too familiar to him. It was a grand thing, black marble with gold writing. His dream-breath caught as he read the epitaph.

Cedric Diggory

Forever A Champion

He knew that this stone did not exist in the real graveyard, though he wished it did. No one but he knew the truth of what happened there that night. Not really. Even those he had told would never be able to understand just what it was like. They didn't hear the high cold voice telling Wormtail to "kill the spare". They didn't see the curse hit the young man, or how he fell to the ground, or the expression that was frozen on his face.

They didn't have nightmares for months in which Cedric blamed them for his death.

But Harry didn't have those nightmares anymore. He knew there was no way he could take the blame for something that was so totally out of his control. And suddenly, he was enveloped in a bright flash, and when his vision cleared he was in a sunny garden maze, with high walls of flowery bushes.

"It's about time you stopped blaming yourself," a voice behind him said, "because I never did."

Harry whipped around to come face-to-face with the once-Hufflepuff, clad in his Quidditch robes. "C-Cedric?"

"Hullo, Harry," he answered with a wide grin.

"Are you ... real?"

Cedric looked to the sky in thought. "In a sense, yes. This isn't just a dream, if that's what you mean."

Harry could only nod in return. A few moments of silence passed before Harry's curiosity got the best of him. "Where are we?"

Cedric chuckled and pushed away from the wall he had been leaning against. "The Garden," he replied simply. At Harry's questioning glance he motioned him to follow. "The Garden is a place for those souls who fought against evil and ... perished."

"But, you didn't fight evil, really," Harry protested.

"In that moment, I would have. I was ready for battle, to protect you if need be."

This information shocked Harry so greatly that he stopped in his tracks. "Why?" he asked. "I mean, I know I'm the Boy Who Lived and all that ..."

Cedric chuckled again as he led Harry through the maze. "Had nothing to do with that. You were a younger student, and I was a Prefect. It was my duty to protect you."

Harry's heart swelled. "That ... that means a lot," Harry said quietly.

"I know. You might not have realized this, but I was very aware of how much you hate your status in our world. I mean, yes, you're the Boy Who Lived, but you're human first and foremost. Just like the rest of us. Besides, with all we had gone through that year, you had proven yourself someone worthy of my respect."

"Thank you," Harry murmured.

"I'm also glad to see you've figured out what's going on."

"Well, mostly. I'm still confused about some things."

"Like if Dumbledore knew what was going on with the fake Moody, why did he let it happen, knowing it would result in Voldemort's return? Like if Dumbledore knew Wormtail was posing as Ron's rat, why didn't he do something about it and nip this whole thing in the bud?"

"Well ... yeah."

"Think about it, Harry. What does Dumbledore want more than anything? And I don't mean a pair of warm cozy socks, either."

Harry laughed a bit, but then sobered. "To defeat Voldemort." He stopped again as realization hit. "And he can't defeat Voldemort if there's nothing to defeat! He had to let all that happen so Voldemort would be reborn, so he could turn around and defeat him!"

Cedric nodded and continued walking. "He wanted the credit, Harry. He didn't get any when you took him down the first time. The Wizarding world was raising their glasses to you that day, not him. He saw a second chance and took it. But he knows he can't do it himself. As powerful as he is, he realizes he's dealing with more than just a maniac."

"What do you mean?"

Cedric turned to him and frowned. "I'm afraid I can't tell you. But you'll be meeting someone soon who will be able to tell you everything. They won't treat you the way Dumbledore does. You'll be more than just a weapon to them. More than just an avenue to glory."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked. He began to panic as everything around him, including Cedric, began to fade to darkness. "How do I know I can trust them?!" he yelled.

"Because I do." The voice that answered from the darkness was not Cedric's.

It was his mother's.

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"MOM!" Harry cried as he sat bolt upright in bed. He immediately clamped a hand over his mouth and gazed around wide-eyed. If his uncle had heard him, he was in a world of trouble. He heard movement in the hall outside, and hurriedly hunkered down under his covers, feigning sleep.

But it was not Vernon Dursley. "Harry?" Petunia asked tentatively. "Harry, are you alright? I heard you ... calling for your mother." There was a great sadness in her voice that caused him to roll over and look at her.

"Just a weird dream," he whispered. "Did I wake Vernon?"

Petunia gave him an odd look, then laughed. "You forgot, didn't you?" Harry gave only a confused glance as an answer. "The boxing match?"

"Oh," Harry said, smacking himself in the forehead. He had forgotten that Vernon and Dudley had gotten tickets to attend a match out of town, and were staying the night at a hotel.

Petunia shook her head with amusement and sat down on the edge of Harry's bed. He fumbled for his glasses, and once on, he realized that she had brought something with her.

"I ... I have a gift for you," she said, her nervousness clearly apparent. She handed him a small box of black velvet. "Go on, open it." Inside was a beautiful ring with a silver lily and a golden petunia, their stems entwining to form the band. "Your mother had that made special, and she enchanted it or whatever."

Harry looked up at her with wide eyes. "This was my mother's?"

"Well, no. She gave it to me. She said it would help protect me. She gave it to me just before ... before they went into hiding." Her voice had dropped for the last part. "It was the last time I saw her. I yelled at her. How dare she bring that magic into my house?" She cast her gaze onto Harry's bedcovers. "I couldn't get rid of it though. She was my sister, and I knew she did it because she was worried for me. But by that time, Vernon's prejudice and my own bitterness had too firm a hold on me." She looked at Harry again. "I want you to have it. I don't know if it'll still protect you, but at least it will give you comfort. I hope."

Harry beamed as he removed the ring from the box and slid it onto his left middle finger. He wasn't surprised that it automatically adjusted itself to fit perfectly. "Thank you, so much." He gazed at the ring a few more moments before saying, "I'm sorry about earlier. I have no idea what came over me."

"I do," she said simply. "You are growing up. It's only natural for a young man to challenge his elders for his rightful place as an adult. That goes double for those who have ... controlled you." The guilt in her eyes was unmistakable. "God, Harry, I am so sorry ..."

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "We've been over this before. We're starting fresh, remember?"

"I know, but looking back and ... realizing what I helped Vernon do to you. What I did to you ..." She lowered her head again.

He lifted her chin with his right hand and smiled gently as he brought his left hand and the ring into her view. "And look what you've done for me now." She began to protest, but he just shook his head. "It may not seem like much to you, but it's the world to me. All of these little things that you've given me or done for me this summer have overshadowed everything that has come before it. You've given me a chance to have family. Real, blood-bound family. That is far more than I have ever expected. For that, I am more than willing to let the past go. I hope it means enough to you that you can do so, too."

She smiled, though he could see tears threatening to fall. She nodded. "I will try."

"Good. Now, get back to bed," he said with a grin. "I know I have a lot of yard work to do tomorrow, and I'll be damned if I fall asleep on the job because you've kept me up all night chatting."

Her jaw fell open as she stood, though he could tell she was amused. "Harry James Potter!" she chided playfully.

"What?" he asked innocently. "I'm only challenging my elders for my rightful place as an adult."

Petunia laughed all the way back to her room.

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Xander walked slowly through what seemed to be an abandoned military camp. He tried to find some sign of life, but there appeared to be none. He could hear no voices, or much of anything, actually. As the sun beat down on him, he peered between tents and bunkers and found no one. Despite the fact it seemed he was totally alone, he continued to creep quietly. If there was something hiding here, he didn't want to attract its attention.

It didn't seem to matter though, as he heard a very succinct click, and he knew instantly that a weapon had just been cocked behind him. Almost instinctively, he put his hands behind his head and slowly turned to where the sound came from. He almost fell over when he saw who held the weapon.

"Oh," the personality Xander had come to call "Army Dude" said. "It's you." He gave a quirky grin as he holstered his weapon. He looked just like Xander, although he seemed to be a few years older. He was decked out in the same type of outfit Xander had been wearing that Halloween when Army Dude became a part of him. "Stand down, you're okay."

Xander lowered his arms and exhaled deeply. "I'm glad I found you," he said.

Army Dude chuckled. "What? You didn't think you would find me? This is your head, after all. Where else would I be?"

"Yeah, I suppose. And I guess you know why I'm here."

"Sure do. 'Bout time, too. We've both been anxious for this."

"You talk to Hyena?" Xander asked with wonder.

"Of course," Army Dude said as he led the way to a tent. It was a relief to be out of the hot sun. "She's been getting more and more agitated in the past week or so. Surely you've felt it."

"Well, yeah, kinda ... Hold up. Did you say 'she'?"

Army Dude nodded. "Wait, you didn't know?"

Xander shook his head almost violently. He wasn't sure he liked the idea of having a female spirit or whatever inside him.

Apparently, Army Dude realized this. He sighed heavily as he sat at a table littered with maps and other schematics. He gestured to Xander to join him. "This could present a problem."

"Huh? Why?" Xander asked as he took the seat across from his other self. He didn't want problems. He wanted so much to be melded with his inner personalities, the way Remus had melded with his inner wolf.

"I can sense your emotions just as well as you can mine. I know you're having difficulties accepting that Hyena is female. You have to be willing to fully accept her in order to meld with her. Otherwise, it won't work. Now, yes, melding with her might cause a few changes in your personality, just as melding with me will. Just remember, she's a hyena. Female hyenas are different from female humans."

"Will I ...? I mean, it's not that I have anything against it. It's just, I never thought that I ..."

Army Dude laughed. "Worried you'll become flamingly gay?"

Xander blushed, bowed his head, and nodded slightly. "Like I said, I don't have anything against it, per se. I just don't want to be like that."

"You won't be flaming, I can tell you that much. Hyena may be female, but she is certainly not girly." Army Dude chuckled. "However, don't be surprised if you start appreciating the male form a bit more than before. In fact, with Hyena getting more and more restless lately, you may have already started looking in that direction."

Xander's eyes widened. "No I haven't!" he said, far too quickly.

Army Dude chuckled again as he nodded. "I thought as much."

"What is that supposed to mean?!" Xander didn't like the direction this conversation was going. But then, his sexuality always had been one of his most insecure points.

"You know damn well what it means," Army Dude responded, a small edge to his tone.

Xander quailed slightly and sank lower in his chair. He wasn't yet ready to admit that, yes, he did know what it meant. Maybe it would all be easier to sort out once he melded with Hyena. And that brought him back to the reason he was here in the first place. He was desperate for a change of topic anyway. "Alright, how do we do this?"

Luckily, Army Dude didn't pursue Xander's branching sexuality any further. "You're the one with the guru on the outside, remember?"

"Oh. Yeah." Xander blushed again, more heavily than before. "Hey, R-Remus?" he called to the sky, a bit nervous now. The echo of his voice, however, was groggy and restrained. After all, his physical body was lying comfortably on his bed in a trance state, Lupin sitting in a chair beside him, directing the meditation.

"I can hear you, Xander," came Lupin's soft reply from above, and Xander couldn't help but swallow hard. Okay, perhaps he would have to deal with this before he melded with Hyena. "Have you found him?"

Xander shook himself from his private musings (that weren't so private, considering Army Dude was chuckling to himself) to answer Remus' question. "Yeah. Now what?"

"You need both physical and eye contact."

Xander and his alter ego nodded to each other. They stood from the table, and met each other halfway around it. They lined up their palms to each other and locked gazes. "Got it," Xander said.

"Now, push. Not just physically, but spiritually as well. Will yourselves to meld together."

The two nodded again, and began pushing against each other's hands. At first, there was just the normal pressure of doing so, but Xander soon felt a slight tingling in his palms. He pushed harder, concentrating on becoming one with his alter ego. From the corner of his eye, it looked as if Army Dude's hands were starting to soak into Xander's. He forced himself to keep his eyes on Army Dude's.

The tingling slowly crept up through his wrists and forearms, and he knew for certain that Army Dude's essence was becoming infused into his own. Further up his arms the tingling swept, until they each had to take a small step forward. They were now so close that their chests were flush with each other, and Xander wasn't surprised when tingling started there as well. Army Dude began to glow a soft gold.

"Don't be afraid," Army Dude whispered.

"I'm not."

"Not of this. Of him. I know you miss Anya, but it's time to move on. You deserve it."

"I don't ..." Xander started, but he realized that now was not the time to argue. So he simply nodded and said, "Okay."

Army Dude smiled as he began to fade into a golden mist, which was then sucked into Xander's chest. The bonding was now complete. He could remember years of military training, though he had never truly had any. He could also feel a boost of confidence, and he smiled. "It's done," he called to the sky.

Suddenly, a long flight of stairs appeared before him. It was so tall that he couldn't see the top, but he knew that it was there. He also knew what he would find at the top, and he wasn't as nervous about it as he had been before.

There were just certain things Xander had to accept, and the fact that he had a thing for Remus Lupin was one of them.

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AUTHOR'S NOTES

Recently I received an email from one of my readers {{{huggles all my readers}}} that said they had found my story by way of a recommendation in ANOTHER fanfic. You can find said rec here: http://www.tthfanfic.com/story.php?no=6897&chapter=8

If, by chance you have a rec for my story anywhere, whether it be on your own profile here at AFF, on another archive, LJ, wherever, please let me know. It is a super ego boost and makes Kali feel so good about herself. :) Thankies!

TO MY REVIEWERS

meirta: As I said above, no WAY am I giving up on this thing. It's my baby. And I've always loved the lure of cookies to the Dark Side. I'm in the process of making li'l pixel posters (animated, of course!), and that will be one of 'em. Not much vampiry stuff this chapter, but there will be PLENTY next chapter. :::evil chuckle::: Might have to TRIPLE-asterisk that baby "¦

Vigilante: I truly am sorry for taking so long. Before, I had a great deal of it already written, so it was just a matter of coding and posting it. Now, however, I have to actually write before I can post. It hasn't been easy, but I'm working on it. Now, if you've got the Twins, you MUST have alternating speech. That's just how it works. :) Ronniekins ... Well, I don't really want to say much. Let's just say there will be a great many issues. And it's not that he's stuffy, just old-fashioned, like most of his family. As for the Two Freds, I'll prolly just end up calling the Twins "Gred & Forge". Not only does it alleviate confusion, but it's just FUN! And about Draco's birthday ... WOO-HOO! Aimee and I had pegged him for a Gemini, and were thinking May 26th or roundabouts. But this works out beautifully.

Silver1: The new friendship between the two Slytherins and Harry is going to be very amusing indeed. And I truly do love Neville to itty bitty pieces, and he is going to have such a huge role to play. I do hope the above, while not really involving Remus, helped quench your thirst. It's going to get interesting, very soon. Draco won't do anything to the sex bracelets ... he's letting the Twins take care of that. Bwaaahahahahahahahaaaa!!! (Oooh, hey, I'm getting better at that, ain't I?) As for Blaise becoming a member of the Order of Angelus ... eventually.

Willow5552001: I have an insane sense of humor and am easily amused. I'm not the type to angst over everything, so I just can't write it. Yes, I can get serious, but honestly, WHO is like that ALL THE TIME? Especially when you're dealing with characters like THESE?! :) Oh, you can certainly use the ritual, I would be so thrilled! And the site is just about ready to go up. Hopefully, by the end of this week.

Tinkerhell: Even if Harry isn't romantically or sexually involved with the boys, they will still have a very different sort of relationship. Yes, Ginny is a li'l fangirl. I don't know why, but something just told me that she IS. Kinda fits, don't it? Muse is one of my favorite creations ... okay, Aimee helped A LOT, but still. :::pets Muse::: Everyone loves cookies ... except Aimee. She prefers brownies.

EscagirlUK: Short and sweet. I love it. :)

Sakya, Ferfer, ASHLEY & chibifae: Wow, I love how excited you guys get. Makes me feel all warm and tingly inside. Perhaps I should get that checked ... ;)

Tinkerhell: YES!! :::punches air::: I AM WONDERFULLY DEVIANT!!! That rocks. I really AM such a deviant. And it's so nice to have people to share it with. NOT THAT WAY, YOU FREAKS! :::smoochies:::

auroraluciole: Hmmm, Draco Aiden Malfoy. Fiery Dragon of Bad Faith. Hey, Aims, what'cha think? Workable? :)

tp: I'm GLAD you liked the way I solved the animosity between Draco and Harry. That's what I was going for. I've seen COUNTLESS fics where there is much angsting and little reconciling. The way I see it, they were both fed up with all this childishness, they had both decided to make amends, so what the hell WAS there TO angst about? Ya know? :) Heh, Muse is gonna come in very handy later, and in a very unexpected way. I dunno if I want to hook Harry up with ANYone at this point. The story itself will dictate if I should or not. If he does, though, it will not be a long-lasting relationship, and not with one of the "main"� characters. At least ... not in THIS story arc. :::whistles innocently:::

warconq: HAH! So, I'm not the ONLY one who realizes that all of Xander's relationships fail because he hasn't met the right GUY! :) As for Willow and Buffy, they're really not doing ... ANYTHING right now. They're just going around, slaying as usual. The Watchers' Council is not cemented yet, as Giles was the one heading up that project. Since he's left ... :::shrugs::: I can say that Willow and Voldie will never meet. Or will they? :::ponders::: The way things or going, they might, just not in the face-to-face sense type of thing ... Huh? Oh, sorry, meandering again.

Matt: In THIS story, no. This is the first of three story arcs. Connor WILL come back (and play a major role) in the third arc. :)

Manfred: Well, your review just proves that my desired characterization of Dumbledore has come across successfully. :) Dumbledore's going to TRY to put the pressure on, but for the most part it won't work.

Mistress Titania: If you write that crossover, LET ME KNOW! I'd love to read it! :) You have NO IDEA how detailed I've gotten. I have actually WRITTEN OUT the Book of Angelus (it's almost complete), as well as another book for the Order by Draco, and a couple of other text books for the new program. Oh, and lets not forget the pixel art. :) And this story won't be over for a WHILE, so you need not worry about crying anytime soon.

Loki: :::quirks eyebrow::: "Dearest Darling?" :::waits for Loki to let go of the hug, then grabs, dips, and gives a big kiss::: Ah, mon chere, let us run away togezer, yes? We will see ze world, you an' I ... Huh? Oh sorry. Where was I? Oh, yes ... I like the way Draco and Blaise are fitting together. Blaise IS going to be a major player in all this, so we're going to see more character development for him. Dunno about Harry, and Connor will show up in the third arc (temporarily called Draco Malfoy & the Soul of the Savior). You'll need to wait it out though. :)

Stephanie: Ooooh, a pairing with Miss Burkle? Never thought of that ... Heheheheheh.

(another) Stephanie (or is it the same one? Hmmmm ...): I'M WORKIN' ON IT!! I SWEAR!!

fallen: I AM thinking about a website, and Aimee has even offered to host me (I really, REALLY lurve Aimee-chan). Once I get some other things settled, I'm hoping to be able to work on that. :)

coyo: O.O Um ... wow. Maybe I should start advertising. "Have a boring sex life? Forget Viagra! Forget Alvamil (sp)! Just read Draco Malfoy & the House of Seraphim!"� You can strangle Ron all you want, but be nice to Hermione. She's not THAT bad. As for Snape getting lucky ... never thought of that. As Aimee is the knower of all things Snape, I'll ask her who she thinks would be best. :) No, not Cissa, don't worry. She's already slated for someone. Yes, Remus and Xander are cute together. They'll get cuter, trust me. You don't have to worry about H/D/B in this arc. A LOT of people have said that Harry and Nev would be cute together, and I think they would too, just not in a long term relationship. Eh, we'll see on that. While there was a li'l slashiness in this chapter, the major fun will happen next chapter. I couldn't make Angel an idiot if I tried. He is damn SMART, thankyouverymuch. Yes, Spike IS a bit subdued, but realize he's been thrown into a completely screwed up situation. With so much going on at once, it's only natural he tone it down till he's more comfy. Once he IS ... look out! Damn, yet another offer for sexual favors. I should start looking into this ... ;) Dawn will have someone (of the opposite sex), but not for a WHILE.

evil_princess_kiara: Oh believe me, I get sidetracked too. I'm not just writing the story. I'm writing the books FEATURED in the story. I'm making PIXEL ART of ... well ... EVERYTHING. It all helps solidify the story for me, but it does distract me. But then, I'm an Aries, so I have the attention span of gnat anyway.

Deadwrite: GAH!! EMO!! GIT IT OFF, GIT IT OFF!!! :::shivers::: I. Don't. DO. Angst. Harry's gonna ... well, YOU read this chapter, so you should know what direction he'll be going in. :) As for the sixth book, that really won't have much bearing in regards to the speed at which I write. ALTHOUGH, I will incorporate certain things, if I think they are pertinent to and flow with my story (like characterizations, things about the Wizarding world in general, etc.).

Dayum, that was a lot of reviews! You guys rock so damn much, and I love ya for it. Next chapter will definitely be an adult oriented chapter (ahem). Till then, SEE YA!!
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Draco Malfoy & the House of Seraphim