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The Stag and The Snake	By : JBankai89 Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 9713 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, I gain nothing from this but a way to pass the time.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Chapter 7 – School Daze

Six years of being bounced like a human volleyball between a stable home life with Remus and Sirius, and a severely depressing one with the Dursleys was something Harry never managed to get used to. Going from a home where he was wanted, and his company was enjoyed, to one where he was treated like a dog that had rolled in something smelly never failed to give Harry a strange feeling of whiplash.

Coupled with his ever-delightful week he was expected to spend with Draco Malfoy each summer, it made for an extremely confusing upbringing. Harry had always been really thankful that he had Remus and Sirius, but even the reassurances that they'd always be there for him was cold comfort during those few weeks he had to spend with his blood relatives.

Despite Sirius had always said that things would get better with time, but Harry felt like it only got worse. Amazingly, Uncle Vernon had stopped verbally berating him, and instead took to ignoring Harry completely. This suited Harry just fine, but it did get lonely rather quickly. Sirius had taught him to write and use Owl Post early on, and his depressing weeks with the Dursleys were punctuated with tiny rays of hope in the form of Archimedes, an old, cantankerous horned owl who brought him letters every other day.

Harry, (Sirius wrote)

I know it's miserable there with the Muggles, but don't worry. Remus and I will make it up to you when you get back. Remember, it's only for a couple weeks and then you won't need to see them again for a good, long time.

Keep your head up!

Sirius

The words of encouragement weren't very comforting after spending a day being completely ignored and barely fed, but he dutifully wrote back straightaway. Harry was always reluctant to send the owl off with his response. It was nice to have a creature around that didn't look at him with disgust. Despite his less-than-friendly treatment, he was always reluctant to tell Sirius about specific problems he had with his relatives. Not that he was embarrassed, but Sirius's curse first, ask questions later mentality made it a little difficult to tell him what was going on without worrying that he might show up at Privet Drive and do some real damage. On more than one occasion he and Remus had to remind Sirius that it would be a little difficult to stay in contact if he was in Azkaban.

~*~

Harry was with the Dursleys when a particular letter arrived for him.

Harry often wondered how much easier the entire ordeal would have been if he had been with Sirius and Remus at the time. The chaotic whirlwind of events that followed were if nothing else memorable, if not a little hilarious in retrospect.

There was still a bitter taste in his mouth over his talks with Hagrid in those first few days of August. He felt betrayed by Remus and Sirius, especially as he recalled all the times he had asked them, 'Why did that person look at my scar like that?'. They never answered him, at least, not properly. His fingers traced his lightning-bolt scar. Why hadn't Sirius and Remus told him about Voldemort? Did they think he was too immature to properly handle it? It stung, and he had even contemplated ignoring the letter that had come for him, wishing him luck with his first term, along with apologizing profusely for being unable to escort him to Platform 9¾.

Among all the new information regarding his apparent fame, he had learned that he and Draco were not destined to be just friends. Harry was still uncertain whether he was thankful that Sirius had told him or not.

“This is the Betrothal Contract,” Sirius had said, showing where he, Remus, Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and a man named Pike had signed some ten years earlier. “It means when you turn seventeen, you and Draco are to be Bonded—Married.” Married! He couldn't even choose his own husband or wife! Harry was furious, and did not speak to Sirius for several days after that. The whole concept of marrying a bloke was confusing enough, but being forced into it was almost more than he could handle.

A few days before he was due to leave, Hedwig returned one evening with a tiny scroll of parchment tied to her leg, and with it another unpleasant reminder of his inescapable future.

I know you really don't want to think on this Harry, Sirius wrote, but be sure that you do not speak or acknowledge Draco Malfoy while at school. It will breach the Contract that I showed you, and the repercussions for breaking a magical contract are never an enjoyable experience. Your teachers are aware of the situation. Have a good term, we'll see about getting you here for Christmas.

As if he wanted any more reminders of his would-be fiancé.

True to his word to Sirius, he did not speak to Draco. It almost felt like revenge, being able to finally ignore him after years of being subjected to similar treatment at Draco's hands. At the same time, Harry got the shock of a lifetime on the train when someone said to him, “Anyone sitting there? Everywhere else is full.”

It was a strange experience, choosing a friend, and having them not ignore you. Harry almost didn't know what to do, or how to explain to Ron why he totally ignored and wouldn't even look at Draco Malfoy when he burst into their compartment with Crabbe and Goyle and attempted to take the rest of their sweets. Thank goodness for Scabbers.

Ron asked him multiple times in multiple ways what was up between him and Malfoy. “I mean, Harry,” he had said, “you won't even look at him. Why?” Harry couldn't answer him, no matter how often he asked in those first few weeks at Hogwarts. How could he tell his new friend what Malfoy was to him? 'oh it's no big deal Ron, he's just my husband-to-be, that's all.' Even in his head it sounded awful.

The other big shock Harry received was during his first week. Harry knew he recognized the Potions Master, it was a niggling feeling in the back of his mind. His face was familiar to Harry, but he couldn't place it. Of course, this feeling was heavily overshadowed by the snide comments and insults Snape felt compelled to shoot at him, as well as the deeply unsettling way Snape would stare at him. He caught him doing it sometimes at mealtimes, or during lessons.

Harry wasn't sure if Snape was trying to catch him doing something he wasn't supposed to, or if it was related to something else. He tried to not let it get to him, but he couldn't fathom why a man who he had never met before would despise him so completely.

Sirius & Remus, Harry wrote,

First week of lessons went OK. I made a friend already, Ron Weasley. He's like a saint compared to Draco.

But something has been bothering me. There's a teacher here and he teaches Potions. His name is Professor Snape, and I feel like I've seen him somewhere before. Have I met him, did I just forget? Maybe it's something I don't feel like remembering—he's about as nice as Uncle Vernon.

Don't worry though, I'm OK.

Harry

He didn't detail how nasty Snape had been—he didn't want Sirius to think that he couldn't take care of himself. Handing the letter to Hedwig, she took off into the deep blue evening sky.

It did not take Sirius long to respond, and Harry had a feeling that it was nothing short of a miracle that his godfather hadn't burst into the castle and throttled Snape.

Harry,

Yes you've seen him before, at The First Meeting ceremony when you were five, at Malfoy Manor. It was a long time ago, I'm not surprised you don't remember him. You were never officially introduced, but Remus and I had no idea he was teaching there. Let me know straightaway if he tries anything funny.

Sirius

Harry wasn't entirely certain what Sirius had meant by funny but he sent Hedwig back with a short note reassuring him that he would. He wasn't sure what was holding him back from telling Sirius or Remus about Snape, but he didn't want the others—the Slytherins especially, to think that he went crying to his guardians as soon as someone was mean to him.

While he and Draco continued to ignore each other at the insistence of their parents and guardians, they still found ways to heckle one another, albeit indirectly. From Draco challenging Ron to a duel, and just barely avoiding detention with Filch, to getting back Neville's Remembrall and subsequently finding himself Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. Harry found it highly amusing that Draco's blatant attempts at getting him expelled had failed so abysmally.

Most unfortunately, ignoring Draco was wonderful and frustrating at the same time. He loved throwing back at the other boy the same kind of treatment that he had experienced for years at the youngest Malfoy's hands. At the same time however, Harry was unused to having to pointedly ignore someone so completely, and nearly caught himself acknowledging him more than once.

Of course, it had to be Draco's ego that inevitably broke the contract's guidelines.

Harry remembered dashing from the Great Hall with Ron and his wrapped broomstick. He remembered Draco snatching it from him and proclaiming, “that's a broomstick. You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them,” before throwing it back. After that, his memory had become rather hazy.

Harry didn't remember blacking out, but he did remember waking up in the Hospital Wing. He remembered blinding pain so complete he could not lift himself from the haze long enough to know if he was alone or not. His body ached, angry boils danced up and down his arms, bursting the second his skin brushed up against anything. Distantly, he thought he could hear someone else screaming...or was it his own voice? He could no longer tell.

“Calming Draught!” Harry heard a woman's voice cry, “I can't do anything until they calm down!” They? Was he not alone in this haze of agony? He felt something cool touch his lips, and a thick liquid trickled down his throat. It made him choke and sputter, but almost at once he felt some of his tension leave him.

The next time Harry woke he groaned with pain, but it was nowhere near as blinding at it had been the last time he was conscious. It felt more like he had sustained bad bruises over a good portion of his body. He turned, and saw that there was a fuzzy form of someone sitting at his side. He pawed blindly for his glasses, and saw Sirius come into focus. “Sirius?” Harry was alarmed at how hoarse he sounded. The man had been crouched forward in an uncomfortable-looking chair, seemingly asleep. When Harry spoke, he jerked a little and opened his eyes. The dark circles he saw made Harry wonder how long it had been since his godfather had properly slept.

“Welcome back,” Sirius said with a weak smile, reaching forward to muss Harry's hair affectionately.

“It was Draco,” Harry said in a whispered rush, “he talked to me and then...and then...I can't remember.” Harry shook his head, trying to recall his memories, but even the small motion made him feel queasy. Pained tears stung the corners of his eyes. “Sirius, it hurts,” Harry felt himself tremble, and it took a great deal of self control to keep himself from crying.

“I know Harry,” Sirius said softly, moving to grasp Harry's shoulder as he always did when Harry was upset, but at the last minute pulled back. Harry was grateful, even the feeling of his pyjamas touching his skin was near-agony. “The contract punished both you and Draco for his stupidity. Lucius and I have it all sorted, and you'll both be back to normal soon.”

“How soon is soon?” Harry frowned, again cursing Draco for doing this to him.

“I'm not sure,” Sirius frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “Magical contracts are tempermental things. Usually they cease punishment once the proper enchantments have been performed, which was done yesterday afternoon. Now, it seems you just need to wait for your body to heal on its own.”

“Wonderful,” Harry gritted his teeth. “Well when you next see Draco curse him for me, since I can't do it myself.” Sirius huffed a breath in what was almost a laugh.

“And have Lucius throw one of his trademark hissy fits? No chance.” Sirius grinned when Harry laughed, then his face fell a little. “Your friend—Ron, he's been asking what happened. Your teachers and I settled on saying that you cursed each other, but incorrectly. I assumed you wanted to tell him about your, er, special circumstances in your own time.”

Harry cracked a faint smile. “Yeah, thanks.”

~*~

Following his stint in the Hospital Wing, Harry dutifully wrote to Sirius and Remus every week, reassuring them that he was properly avoiding Draco at all costs. After spending so much time being ignored by the Dursleys and the Malfoys both, it was nice to have someone who actually cared to know what was going on in his day-to-day life. While he had no illusions about Sirius and Remus being his actual parents, after so long without anyone who cared, they were just as good. Harry's only concern was how people would react to the 'Harry Potter Has Two Dads' gossip.

Those from Muggle families tended to give a little start of surprise, but Ron and everyone else from the wizarding families hardly batted an eyelash. “Why would that freak me out?” Ron had asked him after he told him about his family situation, after weeks and weeks of dwelling on Ron's worst-case-scenario responses. The amazing part was how genuinely confused Ron had been towards Harry's reluctance to tell him. “Two blokes together is just another kind of relationship. My mum knows a bunch of couples that are two witches or two wizards.” At that point Harry had tuned him out as he spoke, feeling as though a great band of tension had been removed from his back.

“Really Harry,” Hermione had said when he told her in hushed tones in the library. “Why would you be afraid to tell me that? If they are good to you, who cares if it's two men? Honestly. Besides, as far as wizarding culture is concerned, it's totally accepted. In Hogwarts, A History there are several passages about Betrothed students having to ignore one another, and at least half of them were same-sex couples...” Harry felt suddenly queasy at the mention of the word betrothed. What would Ron and Hermione say when they found out? Homosexuality was one thing, but with a Malfoy was another matter entirely.

~*~

Harry,

I've spoken to Dumbledore, and he wants you to either stay at the castle or go back to your delightful relatives for the holidays. Believe me, we did try to get you home for Christmas, but Dumbledore must have his reasons. I'm really sorry.

Sirius

The parchment was badly creased after Harry had read and reread the short letter over a dozen times that evening. He couldn't quite pinpoint why he was so angry, he'd missed Christmases with them before. He crumpled up the letter and tossed it into the fire, where it was consumed almost at once by the flames.

“Harry?” Hermione asked cautiously over the top of her Transfiguration text, “everything all right?”

“Yeah, spectacular.” He grumbled, nudging a partially charred log back into the grate with the tip of his shoe. “I can't go home for Christmas. Dumbledore won't let Sirius and Remus.”

“What?” Hermione blinked, “but, why? Is it anything to do with You-Know-Who?”

“I don't know,” Harry shrugged, still staring sullenly at the flames. “I mean, why would it? He's dead. Hagrid told me all about it. Sirius always says that Dumbledore has his reasons, but hell if I know what they are. No one tells me anything.” He crossed his arms, trying to put his disappointment out of his mind, with little success.

“Well, Dumbledore must have his reasons,” said Hermione reasonably, reaching out to gently touch Harry's shoulder, but he flinched away from her touch. She froze, and retracted her hand. “They say he's a genius, it's not like he'd want you to be miserable on purpose.”

“Yeah, sometimes I wonder,” Harry muttered, nudging at the fire with his toe.

“Come on Harry, it won't be that bad,” Harry turned to Ron, and cocked an eyebrow at him. “Me, Percy, Fred, and George are all staying too, it'll be great. You'll see.”

Sirius,

It's OK. I'll stay at Hogwarts for Christmas. Ron and some of the other Weasleys are staying too, something about their parents visiting one of their other brothers in Romania. Don't worry about it.

Harry

Harry sent off Hedwig the next day, still bubbling with frustration. He knew it wasn't Sirius's fault, at least, not really. He didn't want to have an inter-owl argument with his godfather about it, he knew that Sirius meant well by following Dumbledore's every wish, but sometimes he wished that he wouldn't. He kicked sullenly at the dropping-strewn floor as Hedwig faded into the distance.

~*~

Harry,

What in the name of Merlin were you doing atop the Astronomy tower, out-of-bounds, at night? You should count yourself lucky that I wasn't there, or I might've strangled you. Make sure you don't address Draco during your detention.

Sirius

Harry groaned and hit his head lightly against the tabletop. Every time he tried to completely forget the whole 'I-have-to-marry-Draco-Malfoy' thing, Fate—or Sirius, seemed to find new and creative ways to remind him of it.

“Harry?” Hermione asked, glancing curiously at the note in his hand, “everything all right?”

“Yeah, brilliant.” Harry tucked the parchment into his bag before she could get a look at it, grabbed a blank scrap of parchment and scribbled a note.

Sirius,

It's a long story.

Harry

~*~

Harry,

It's probably a good thing you're still at Hogwarts, or I might strangle you. What was going through your head? You're extremely lucky that you and your friends weren't killed. There is a fine line between courage and stupidity, and honestly I can't tell which side you were on when you decided that it would be a good idea to face off against a Dark Wizard like Quirrell alone.

Albus sent us an owl with the details of what happened, and I am astounded that you didn't bring this matter to a teacher instead of trying to handle it yourself. We are going to have a serious talk when we see you in July. Don't think you've heard the end of this.

Sirius

PS. We bought you some new dress robes for your week with Draco this summer. I bet you can't wait.

Had it not been a letter blatantly reprimanding him, Harry might have laughed. Though it apparently was from Sirius, he was fairly certain Remus had rewritten it and omitted a few choice swear words. The postscript sent nothing short of a wave of dread through him. He still hadn't told Ron and Hermione about that; in part because he was embarrassed, but mostly because he had no idea still how to break the news to them. 'Oh well,' he thought, tucking away the letter into his trunk, 'I still have seven years before I need to tell them.'
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The Stag and The Snake