Runaway Mate

Harry was floating on cloud nine while he road back to Hogwarts with Draco and Severus. He couldn’t stop looking at his ring... he kept getting scared that he’d wake up and find himself still the miserable boy who lived with his relatives and was abused by those muggles.

But every time he looked, the ring was still there...shining brightly.

Of course, a ring like Harry’s wasn’t easily missed by his old friends in Gryffindor... and rumors began to fly that Harry had switched sides because he was screwing someone... which was kinda true, but the rumors also said that he’d been screwing someone against his will and only followed that man (or woman) because of some potion or spell.

What this meant for Harry was getting even more harassment from Gryffindors and several members of other houses...harassments that were turning violent, because those people would try and de-charm or de-potion Harry. Several potions that he almost drank were revealed to be poison by Severus.

Of course, this set Lucius off, making him go super protective of his mate... especially when Dumbledore started to renew his interest in Harry. It started on January 15th, when Harry was called to Dumbledore’s office.

Like before, Harry was left alone in Dumbledore’s office, waiting for the Headmaster. He looked around at the Headmasters of yonder years. When Dumbledore finally appeared Harry was not impressed and wondering why the hell he was there.

“Harry my boy... we haven’t talked much. At least— not since you were resorted.” Dumbledore mused and sat down across from Harry. “Why is that?”

“I learned some things.” Harry said, looking straight at Dumbledore. “For example... my mother was in Slytherin...and she was best friends with Tom Riddle.” Harry smiled faintly. “The man you said killed her.”

“Harry...” Dumbledore sighed, but Harry cut him off.

“You knew that James was violent. I’m betting that you were the reason my mother never went to anyone. I bet you’re the reason why she had to try and run away.” Harry stood, staring at Dumbledore with a look that could freeze a normal human. “You know that James killed himself and my mother... and what’s more... you know you're responsible.”

For once in his long life the elderly headmaster was struck dumb. Harry used this time to leave the office... heading back to Slytherin common room so he could punch the wall in anger.

“BASTARD!” he screamed, punching a hole in the wall fist deep. He stepped back and stared at the wall, raising one eyebrow.

“Accidental magic.” Draco, who was sitting on a couch in the common room, answered Harry’s unanswered question. “Your angry and your magic reacts.... so why are you angry?” Draco asked, standing up and looking over Harry’s hand.

“Dumbledore.”

“I’m not surprised.” Draco smiled, letting go of Harry’s hand.”Well you didn’t hurt your hand... so why are you angry at Dumbledore?”

“He knew James kill my mother.” Harry sighed, leaning against the wall he’d just punched as Draco fixed the hole. “He kept my mother from getting help... he allowed my mother to be held captive by a man who abused and later killed her.”

Draco froze and turned to stare at Harry. “Are you sure?” He asked and Harry nodded. “My god.”

“I’m just lucky that I didn’t explode in his office.” Harry sighed, walking over to the couch and lying down. “I swear, if he tries to make some bullshit apology or excuse...” Harry sighed and leaned on Draco. “I don’t know what I’ll do... probably something violent.”

“We can leave if you want to.” Draco whispered, patting Harry in a friendly manner. “Dad will get us teachers.”

“If I run away... I’d feel worse.” Harry explained, pushing his hair out of his face. “There has to be some way to get people to see that James killed my mother and it was blamed on Tom...”

“Let the actual adults worry about that.” Draco sighed, helping Harry up before heading to their rooms. “We’re still kids. We deserve the chance to rest and goof off.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Two days later a package arrived from Lucius... addressed to Harry. When Harry opened the package he had to hold back tears... of joy.

Lucius had gathered up pictures of Lilly... alone, with Sirius, Remus, Lucius and Tom and several of her holding a little baby Harry. Tom had included several large round candles and a note showing a set up of an alter he’d used for some friends who’d died during his homeless days.

Harry made his mother a small alter in his and Draco’s room... an alter worthy of a woman who’d done what she’d done... save his life... Lucius had also take a copy of one of the pictures and put a wizarding photo graph of Lily into a little silver heart shaped locket. The picture was from a few weeks before she’d married James and she looked happy, smiling and laughing at some unheard joke... like the engagement ring that Lucius had given him, Harry never took the locket off... it was his version of worry beads.

(Author’s Note: Worry Beads are very popular in Greece -where I spent last summer- Worry Beads consist of several beads on a string which you flip around. Here’s a page: http://www.efosjewelry.com/img/use-worrybeads.gif)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry rolled his eyes at Draco when he saw the some of the Gryffindors had started a food fight among themselves. Due to his relatives denying him food when he was younger, Harry never understood how anyone could waste food like that.

Draco laughed, trying not to spit up his dinner. For school food, which wasn’t all that bad to begin with, the food was good and Draco wasn’t one to snub good food.

Truth be told, the Gryffindors started a food fight at least every three weeks, if not every two weeks. For the most part the other houses stayed out of these fights... Hufflepuff would join in every now and then, but Ravenclaw and Slytherin never joined in... one house was too smart and the other had too much pride... and was too smart.

“Think the Hufflepuffs will join in this time?” Draco asked Harry with a grin as Dumbledore and other teachers tried to stop the Gyrffindors... but no avail.

“No, desert’s too good.” Harry noted as Desert began to appear on the tables... first on Hufflepuff to stop them from flinging food, then to Ravenclaw and Slytherin and finally, when they calmed down, Gryffindor.

Desert was ice cream cake, chocolate, with little bowls of chocolate frogs down the middle of the table. Harry licked his lips comically as Draco laughed and started eating his own cake, while Harry did the same...

After dinner Harry was speaking with Severus and Draco left early... after all, by the time Harry would go back down to the Slytherin dorm no one would be out roaming the hallways.

This is how it came to pass that Harry was walking the hallways alone when he started to feel faint. Harry stopped and leaned on the wall, supporting himself with one hand as he tried to make the dizziness go away.

Harry whimpered as another wave of dizziness washed over him and fell to the floor, landing on his knees. He looked around, panicking as his vision began to blur and darken. Crying out in terror he fell backwards, unconscious... a dull burn seeming to pass over his tattoo of the Knot of London.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry woke in a small bedroom, lying on top of the covers... his locket and ring were gone. He stood and looked around... the room was plain and seemed to have been stripped of anything he could have used to escaped. Along with missing his locket and ring, his wand was gone and it felt like his tattoo had been scrubbed, as if someone thought they could erase it.

The room had no windows, only a lighter patch of the wall, as if something had hung there until recently. There was a simple wooden desk with a chair and the bed Harry had been laying on. On the floor was an old rug that had seen better days. Harry walked over to the door and tried to open it, but found it firmly locked.

He sat back down on the bed and reach up, to run his fingers over the locket, before remembering it was gone. He was about to curse when he heard the sound of the door opening.

Standing there, holding a tray of what appeared to be breakfast, was Ginny Wesley. “Hello Harry.” She smiled, putting the tray down on the desk.

“Where’s my locket? And my ring?” Harry asked, glaring at her.

“Oh, Ron’s making sure the charms on them are broken.” Ginny smiled, a smile which Harry took off her face by leaping at her and putting her in a punishing grip... one that Tom had taught him.

“Where are they?” He practically growled in to her ear... and Ginny screamed.

Harry heard people running and was confronted with Ron and Percy, who stared at him. “My locket. Give it back... and my ring.”

“Harry... “ Ron stared, but Harry didn’t let him finish.

“I don’t need a wand to hurt her. Give them back!”

Percy reached into a pocket o his robes and held out the locket and the ring, Harry waited for a moment, before pushing Ginny forward, knocking her into Ron as he grabbed his things from Percy and quickly put them back on.

Percy was the first to speak. “He must still have a spell on him.” He muttered, looking over at his younger siblings.

“We’ll have to get Dumbledore to come and double check.” Ron said and Ginny nodded.

“I’m not under a spell.” Harry practically spat.

“Harry... there’s no other explanation for why you’d go and ask to be resorted into Slytherin!” Ron stepped forward, as if to reach out to Harry... who lashed out, kicking Ron’s hand hard before pushing through the Wesleys and running down the hall.

Harry had no idea where he was or going... he only knew that he didn’t want to stay there. He could hear the three Wesleys chasing him as he ran into a dead end.

“Shit.” Harry swore, trying to find a way out as the three Gryffindors closed in on him.

TBC