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Beauty in Perfection; Stand By Me	By : PaulaS Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 2360 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
A/N I just wanted to mention here that references in the
text about 'cat' are meant to be terms of endearment between Harry and Draco;
ex, "the tow headed cat next to me." The only time that they are actually in cat
form will be told in a way that you will know they currently have four paws.
This is my way of expressing that to me the Animagus always has that aspect
within themselves. Harry and Draco know and understand this about themselves. Also
remember that they have thrown words at each other since they met; this hasn't
changed that much, just the words used.

" " indicates speech

' ' indicates thoughts

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Beauty in Perfection; Stand by Me

by imlittlelily

Chapter Seven

Breakfast Anyone? . . .

Draco Malfoy, Ice Prince of Slytherin,
walked into the Great Hall the next morning feeling totally blissful. He
detected a slight charge in the air, but the usually ever vigilant warrior
brushed it aside, bliss could do that to a person. He sauntered over to the
Slytherin table and sat between his cronies Zabini and Goyle.

Blaise asked him, "Where have you been? Snape has been
looking for you since last night and he is pissed." Blaise looked at his
friend with appraising eyes looking for any damage.

Draco shrugged with a smirk and reached
for his goblet; it vanished, along with his plate, and then as an after thought
his eating utensils. Draco looked up to the Head Table to see the glaring eyes
of his godfather directed towards him. 'I'm dead'. He thought. Draco looked down at the now
empty table in front of him and sighed. Blaise tapped the side of his leg and
passed him a slice of toast under the table. 'Just great! Was that supposed to
be some kind of joke or something?' Draco grumbled within his mind.

At that moment the doors of the Great Hall
opened again and in walked the-boy-who-lived. Draco gulped. How is it that after
two showers, count them 1 - 2; Harry still walked into the Great Hall looking as
though he had just been thoroughly shagged. Harry's hair screamed 'bed hair,'
even his glasses seemed crooked, probably from the Accio last night,
completing the whole look was the still swollen overly snogged lips split into a
blissful grin.

If Professor Snape had looked angry
before; now he was livid. He slammed his coffee mug onto the table and
exited the hall in a fervour of snarls and billowing robes.

Draco stood up, 'Oh yeah, I'm dead,' he
thought. 'Death
march. Dead man walking. Here I go. Bye all.' Draco's stomach rumbled its
protest at the blatant neglect as he walked out the door of the hall to go to
his godfather's chambers. He had made it a special point not to look at the
Gryffindor table as he exited.

At the Gryffindor table Neville and Ron looked at Harry and asked, "Think we
should go help?"

Harry looked to the Slytherin table and
saw Goyle and Zabini looking his way and giving a slight shake of the head,
"What, you want to save Snape?" Harry asked with a smirk.

Neville and Ron stopped to think
momentarily, "NAH," they replied in unison.

Harry shrugged and returned to his
breakfast.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Firewhiskey for Breakfast . . .

Severus Snape, Potions Master
extraordinaire, Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and
Death Eater Spy for the Order arrived at the entrance of his chambers in a fog
of anger the likes of which had never been seen expressed by him before. He
snarled his password and entered his chamber crossing his lounge in a matter of
a few steps. Once at his destination; the corner cupboard, he opened it and
pulled out a new bottle of Ogden�s Firewhiskey. 'Breakfast anyone?' He
thought angrily to himself. 'Fuck it.' He growled within the
confines of his brain, 'Firewhiskey for breakfast, you're in great shape old man aren't you? Make it a
double.' He proceeded to down it in one gulp and was in the process of pouring
another when the door to his chamber opened and admitted his spoiled
aristocratic prat of a godson.

He turned on him and snarled, "Just what
the HELL were you thinking!!? Take your damn brain out of your pants and pull
yourself together because this is not going happen - it stops here NOW!! Of all
the ass there is in this school you have to go and choose that
fucking-arrogant-bastard-that-lived."

"I have it on good authority that he isn't
a bastard, in fact, his father was a Marauder." Draco said as he looked
his godfather in the eye. Snape snarled in response, but by now, Draco's bliss had
completely evaporated. He attacked where he knew it would hurt the most, the cat
going for the jugular, so to speak. "Furthermore, I happen to take extreme pleasure in
his arrogance. Has it ever occurred to you that he may be the only one ever
created to be arrogant enough for me. I thrive on it. His passion and
fire is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I will not give it up."

Severus said in a silky smooth voice of
anger, "Like hell you will! There is too much at
stake here. Your hormones rate zilch in this matter! You have to take the mark
and help to destroy the bastard that is threatening to end our world." Severus
turned and threw his glass into the fireplace causing glass to fly throughout
the room. "He will probably fucking die anyway."

A fist collided with his jaw.

Severus lay on the floor looking up at
Draco. "Don't. You. Ever. Say. That. Again." Draco's voice was deadly
cold as he spoke and looked down at the man whom he had admired all of his life.
"He won't die on Yule; I will be right there by him. I refuse to cower in these
dungeons while he faces that lunatic bastard."

There was a fleeting look on
Sev's face, one that years of stoic expressionlessness could not hide from one
who knew him so well.

Draco's breath hitched. 'Merlin!!' He
thought. He pushed his godfather for the information he wanted, "Dumbledore isn't
planning on allowing him in on the battle. Tell me, damnit!"

Severus gave no response. The answer was
conspicuous by the silence that filled the chamber.

The room's temperature became chilled.
Draco spoke with soft coldness, "The bloody fool has no idea what he is up
against."

'Again with the cold voice,' Severus
thought. Severus had the feeling that that was when his godson was most
dangerous. He made a motion to get up.

Draco growled coldly, "I think you should
stay there Sev, unless you would like the feel of my fist again."

Sev scowled up at Draco.

"What was the fool expecting to do?"
Draco asked his godfather, "Chain Harry in the astronomy tower rafters
while people in this castle die? Hell, I thought you were intelligent enough to
know that something like that will never happen. Some of us want this war to be
over - NOW."

Severus replied from his prone position on
the floor, "I've already told you, this is how it is
going to be. The plan will not change."

"Like hell it won't." Draco
insisted. "Didn't you hear me
say that Dumbledore doesn't know what he is up against? Think about that Sev. In
the meantime, I have an appointment. Don't come looking for me."

"One question, godson of mine," Sev was
still very pissed so he asked as Draco approached the door, "just what are you
going to tell your mother? Hi Mum, by the way, I'm fucking the-boy-who-lived?"

"Well, Sev," Draco drawled angrily,
"since you seem to love to say that in such a snarky way I think I'll let you
handle telling her. Perhaps when you have properly satiated her passion would be
the perfect time." Draco turned and exited the chambers.

Severus lay on his floor looking up at his
blank ceiling wondering what Dumbledore was going to do now. He finally got up
rubbing his jaw. Damn, that boy had a fine right hook.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In a small clearing; Forbidden Forest . .
.

A young man sat in a forest leaning back
against a large oak; he was whittling and whistling as though he hadn't a care
in the world. All around him were signs of the forest creatures happily going
about the usual business of getting ready for the coming winter months. The
chipmunks and squirrels were forging in the dry leaves that covered the ground
looking for last minute goodies to help them through the winter. The birds in
the trees sang in harmony with the whistling of the young man.

The young man was focused intently upon
his project. He was carving a cat; a gift for someone he hoped could be a
friend. He stopped whistling to focus intently on a difficult part. He smiled
when it smoothed out.

The young man was being observed by two
sets of eyes; one molten liquid silver, the other bright emerald fire.

The molten silver eyes stepped cautiously
and silently on his paws into the clearing; pausing to sniff the scent of the
human before him. He walked forward a few paces.

"Showoff." The young man looked up
at the cat with a friendly grin. He placed the gift he had been working on into
a pocket of his robes and stood up.

The cat morphed into a tall silver blond
wizard. His own grin answered, "Always." Crossed hands clasped, as brothers and
the two shared a one armed hug. The hug shared by brothers and warriors
throughout time. "Glad to see you are well, D."

"Yeah, I am, thanks to a cat and an owl."
Dudley said with a laugh and grin.

The emerald eyed panther still watched the
two friends. 'They really are friends.' He thought as he stepped into the clearing
without taking his eyes from Dudley.

Dudley turned to the cat and gazed at its
beauty. "Hi ya, Harry."

Harry changed into his human form and
stepped forward; he smiled at his cousin and said, "Glad you are Ok. Dray told
me about the attack; he said everyone was fine."

D. nodded.

Draco opened the door to the cabin and
said, "We should go inside, even though we are
warded here it is best to be indoors."

"D, I called you here because I wanted to
be sure you were Ok but I also, that is we, have something we need you to
do for us." Draco decided to start the conversation because he could tell that
there was hesitation on the part of both cousins. He took three butterbeers out
of the never-empty cooler and tossed the others one. "Have a seat."

As they sat, he turned a chair around and
straddled it using the back as an arm rest. "What we need you to do for us is
vital to the outcome of this war. I tell you that because it will seem trivial."
He looked at Harry.

Harry took a sip of his butterbeer and set
the bottle down slowly on the table; his eyes turned to his cousin as he reached
into his robes and pulled out a folded parchment. He rested it on the table
under his fingers, took a deep breath and slid it across the table. He leaned
forward and said in a deadly serious tone, "Dudley, we need you to send an
anonymous message to a man by the name of Bill Weasley. He's a wizard who works
at Gringott's Bank in Diagon Alley; he is also a member of the Order."

"This is where we lose the simple part."
Draco spoke up. "Because we need you to go into Flourish and Blotts and buy parchment. The reason
you need to buy it there is because they have a brand that has no magical charms
on it. Also, when you go to pay you need to ask the clerk for ink and quill;
those are kept behind the counter. Tell them you have an appointment or
something and don't want to take the time to stop somewhere else." Draco said this
as he slid ten galleons across to D.

Harry turned to his cousin and told him, "We are asking you to do this for several
reasons Dud. This Bill Weasley is a genius; if we sent this parchment,"
he pointed to the parchment before him, "he would be able to read the magical
signatures of Dray, Hermione, me and his own brother Ron on it. That means, he
would know we sent it."

Dudley's brows rose at that statement.

Harry nodded to reinforce the statement
then continued, "That is why it is important that you copy
this message letter by letter and symbol by symbol onto fresh uncharmed
parchment. The symbols are runes. They must be precise."

Dudley nodded, "I know what runes are, mum
has some."

Arched brows in response to that
revelation, Harry continued
after a glance at Draco, "Dudley this parchment is the most precious weapon that
we have in this war."

Dudley swallowed, "I'd be at your side if
I could, Harry. That abhorrent lunatic is the reason you don't have parents and
we don't have any grandparents. People you and I both never got to know." He was
really beginning to wonder about the parchment. He looked down at it wondering
if he would ever know what it was.

"Dudley, look at me." Harry took another
deep breath and told his cousin, "It is an incantation and rune spell work to
create a ward against dementors."

Dudley paled. "Harry, I thought you said
before that the only way to make them go away was that charm thingy you did that
night in the alley."

Harry nodded again. He then went on
to explain further, "This is very old information that has
been lost for a long time. Dudley, there are 11 year old children in that
castle. You know first hand that a dementor has no thought as to who it kisses.
It will go for anyone in front of it; pureblood, muggleborn, non-wizards, all it
wants is the soul. If you succeed at this, Bill Weasley will share this
information with the Order and they will utilize it to keep everyone at the
school safe. That will make it as if you are not only standing at my side but
over looking all the students, faculty and Order members who will be there. You
will in essence be their Guardian Angel."

"It'll work?" Dudley asked
with an arched brow.

Both Draco and Harry nodded. "We got the information from a very
reliable source," stated Draco. "There should be enough cash there that after
you copy the parchment you can then take the message to the owl post in Diagon
Alley and send it. You can even sign it Guardian Angel if you want, just don't
use Phoenix Angel because that is the name of Harry's circle. We don't want any
connection at all where this is concerned." He stood as if to go with a look to
Harry.

Harry stood also and trying to lighten the
mood said to him, "Yeah, you kind of have that whole disappearing problem going
on." He turned to Dudley and said with a smile, "Safe journey, cousin."

Dudley nodded then said, "Harry, I carved this for you, I know it
isn't black, but you could magic it black with green eyes."   He pulled
the cat figurine he had been carving outside from his robe pocket.

Harry took the wooden cat and looked at it
closely. He grinned, "Thanks, D."

Draco approached his friend, "You have
helped in this cause more then you will ever know. I consider you a great friend
and brother warrior. Safe journey as you go into this fray for it will not be as
easy as this talk has made it seem. You will know how it must be when you are in
the alley, go in the shadows with caution and cunning." They embraced and the
trio parted.

Harry turned to watch his cousin head back
into the forest where he had parked his ride. He smirked and turned to Draco and
said, "Who knew, Dudley Dursley wearing wizard's robes. Did hell freeze or
something?"

Draco laughed, morphed into Icekat and
pawed his partner to do the same. The race back to the castle was on.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hidden Library; Hogwarts . . .

The Dream Team of research at Hogwarts was
gathered around a table searching for any legal means which would permit their
leader to use his gift of fire on the battlefield without legal consequences.
The task at hand seemed expansive yet they were undaunted. They were the best
after all.

Zabini grinned at his partners and asked,
"Do you suppose Harry has seen this one?" He was holding up a massive tome with
the title of Fyr: Ceremonie fore Batel, by Gryffindor James Potter.
"Damn this language is archaic," he looked up when Salz snorted and grinned at
him. "It doesn't have a publication date but according to this Gryffindor
James Potter, working with fire
before and during battle was a powerful gift, one that he had himself." At this
point Blaise
looked at his partners with a what else would anyone expect look. "He writes that
he used it quite frequently to the detriment of his enemies."

Hermione's voice was muffled as she said, "Put that one in the pile at the end of
the table after you make your notes. That way we can keep the ones we are going
to use separate. Won't have to plow through them again later." Hermione was up
to her dusty nose in another tome entitled, Fyr: The Productum of the
Devel?, by Darius Orion Strickland. She sneezed. UGH.

Fyr and Icekat came into the chamber
bantering back and forth in such a way as to remind their friends of the old
days when the two of them had been at continuous odds. Except now the two were
having fun at it. Strange how some things seemed to turn around.

"Fyr," Hermione looked up from her
research and told him, "I saw Professor
McGonagall and she wanted me to tell you that she would be able to see you at
4:00." 'Mione told her laughing friend.

Harry turned to her, all laughter gone
from his face.

"Damn, Fyr," Icekat said, "I hope your meeting with her
goes better than mine did with Sev. I wish I had broken his jaw." Icekat looked
at Fyr with concern.

"Hey Potter, catch," Zabini tossed the
tome he had been reading to Harry. He wanted to see his reaction.

. . . Gryffindor James Potter. Harry sat
down on a chair hard. "Merlin," he whispered. He looked up at Salz who just
smirked and shrugged. "Will I be able to take this out of this chamber, Salz?"
He asked as he flipped the old parchment pages. "I'd like to take it to my
meeting with Professor McGonagall if I may, perhaps it will help."

Salz nodded. "That would be fine, just tell her it has
been in the family for years and you would want it back. You will want to make
sure that Dumbledore does not try to keep it. I don't trust him. That last
meeting I sat in on he was dead set against you. Maybe a 'return to owner' charm
that is highly undetectable will protect it. There is a charms book on the sixth
shelf where you could find the information you need. If I recall it requires
rune work. Someone by the name of Woodard, Waylan W., yes that is who wrote it."

"Thanks, Salz. Vista, I'll trust you to
handle that while I go get cleaned up for my meeting."

"Harry, why do you call Hermione, Vista?"
Justin asked.

"She can tell you."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Fyr: Ceremonie fore Batel;
Appease your Professor with Charm . . .

Harry made his way up to Professor
McGonagall's office for his scheduled meeting. He had decided to forego the tin
of biscuits that Dumbledore had recommended and instead brought with him a
basket of assorted herbal teas and fresh honey. Under his other arm he carried
his copy of Fyr: Ceremonie fore Batel, by Gryffindor James Potter.
He had taken the time to review Blaise's notes and perused the book itself
quickly. He was definitely impressed. Hopefully his head of house would be also.

Harry knocked. "Come in," Professor
McGonagall looked up from a book she was reading to watch as Harry approached
her desk.

"Good afternoon, Professor."
Harry turned on the Potter charm and told her, "I hope you are
feeling better this afternoon."

"I'm fine, Mr. Potter," was her only
reply.

Harry sighed and thought, 'Oops, she usually calls me
Harry when we are alone.'   He upped the amps on the Potter charm and
told her, "I brought you this basket of tea and honey. Remus
told me once that my mum liked herbal teas when she was feeling stressful. I'm
sorry that you had such a shock yesterday. I did not intend for you to find out
about my gift of fire in such a manner."

"Well, Mr. Potter, thank you for the
teas." She looked at him over her spectacles and frowned. "What else do you have
there?"

'She obviously doesn't want to talk about
fire,' Harry thought to himself. "Well, Professor," he told her, "this is something that I wanted to share with you as a
means of an apology. I have this book with me because I would like you to take a
look at it. It was written by one of my ancestors; Gryffindor James Potter, it
has been in my family for many years." At this, Harry turned and glanced around
the room. He noticed a gentleman in one of the scenic landscapes on the wall
over the fireplace. He pretended to be studying the rolling Scottish hills
blanketed with a soft mist dancing along their ridges, all the while smiling at
the gentleman. "Oh excuse me, Professor, I was slightly distracted, Gryffindor
James Potter also had the gift of fire. He wrote very extensively about it here
in this book. Would you like to take a look at it?"

Professor McGonagall's face fell to the
book in Harry's hands. She seemed to have a pinched look about her so Harry
decided that he must try to ease her fears. "Professor, he was a good man. He
worked tirelessly in wizard government and supported this school both
financially and intellectually. He taught a class of defensive techniques;
similar to our own DADA. He also defended Hogwarts against an evil warlord by
the name of
Pernicious
Branbalder." (a/n1)
Harry gave her a sympathetic smile, "I know that you are frightened, you should
know that there is no need to be. My history should speak for itself if you stop
and think about it." He extended the book to her. Harry suspected that she would
take the book, she was definitely like 'Mione in that way, books held the
answers too many questions.

"If you would like," he tried to
encourage her with a soothing voice, "you may keep it for a
little while to study it; I would however, like it back, it is a family heirloom
after all." Hopefully she would not notice the calming and cheering charm that
'Mione had place on it. It was set to expire as soon as the professor willingly
handed it over to the next person, probably Dumbledore. They didn't want him to
notice anything amiss with the tome.

Professor McGonagall finally reached out
and took the book from him. "You aren't keeping any more secrets are you?" She
asked him with her best stern professor look upon her countenance.

Harry gave her a small smile. "Why
Professor, you know everyone has some secrets. I never really thought that you
would want to delve too far into that realm." He arched his brow, hoping that
the charm had become effective, and winked at her.

"Harold James Potter, behave yourself."
She actually seemed to be fighting down a blush. "You are behaving like your
father more each passing day. You'd best be off, I'm sure you have much better
things to do on a Saturday evening than to woo a fearful professor. Good night,
Harry."

Worked like a charm. Harry smiled, "Good
night, Professor." With one last look at the painting, Harry turned and exited
the office.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Schism - - Fusion; New Beginnings . . .

"Well it is easy to see why this side of
the castle is off limits to students." Vincent Crabbe stood a short distance
from the imposing structure of Hogwarts castle and surveyed the landscape around
him and his companion with a practiced eye.

The large red dog next to him morphed into
Ron Weasley and glanced around. "No scent of any rat. What is that over there?"
He was pointing to a low wall that seemed to have a vine covered arch gateway.
"Looks like it hasn't been opened in years. Hell, like it has been long
forgotten."

"Yeah, lets take a closer look, but don't
touch anything." Vince began to walk slowly toward the gate.

Ron snorted and thought, 'Can't believe I'm working
with a Slytherin.'

"Well, if it makes you feel any better,"
Vince's voice came through Ron's thoughts, "I
think the same thing, except of course Gryffindor would be the proper term."
Vince enjoyed a smirk as he saw Ron's shocked reaction.

He grinned at Ron and told him, "No, I can't read your mind,
ugh, now
there's a scary thought, it is just that I know you better than you think."

Ron shook his head. "There is no way you know anything about
me." Ron insisted stubbornly. "You and I have never spoken more than five words
in more than six years. All you have ever done is grunt and crack you knuckles."

Vince grinned enjoying the banter, "Shows you what you
know."

Ron glared. "Alright, tell me something
about myself."

Vince was studying the gate, without
turning his gaze from it, he told Ron, "You are 6'
2", 193 lbs. You are insanely crazy about Granger. You are terrified of spiders.
You goof off in divination. You prefer chicken to beef; the legs are your
favorite part and you have an insatiable appetite for sweets, of which �clairs
are your favorite. Would you like me to continue?"

Ron stood stunned by the knowledge that
someone he thought was his enemy knew so much about him.

All the while that he had been talking to
Ron, Vince had been sizing up the gateway. He turned as he asked the last
question, "Well? Okay then. You are an excellent chess player; yes, I
know everyone knows that but what everyone doesn't know is that you are
even better than your brother Bill who is considered to be a genius." Vince took
out his wand and waved it over the gateway whispering and frowned. "This gate
has a ward on it. We will definitely have to find out its purpose. Are you sure
it isn't on that map you have?"

By now Ron was scowling, "How do you know
about Bill? No, the map doesn't cover this side of the castle at all. Step back
and let me get some pictures. This digital camera may pick up any unseen
energies around the gate. Its a muggle thing, something about high speed film."
Ron took several pictures then turned and started snapping different views of
the surrounding landscape. "I think we should explore more along the walls this
way. When do you suppose the last time anyone came through this way was?" Ron
turned to look at Vince as he asked this question.

That was when disaster struck.

As Ron turned, his foot twisted on a stone
and suddenly there was no ground beneath them . . .

TBC

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(a/n1) Pernicious isn't even a name but I
wanted to use it here. It means; Highly injurious or destructive; deadly or
wicked. Bran means; raven in Welsh. Balder means;
prince from old Norse. Thus we have; Wicked RavenPrince.




~ ~ ~

Harry Potter and Related Indicia (c) 2001
Warner Bros. "Harry Potter", and all other proper names from the Harry Potter
book series are trademarks of Joanne Kathleen Rowling
and the TIME WARNER
ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY, L.P." IceKat & FyrToehhers is a non-profit, volunteer-run
Web site that is in no way affiliated with J.K. Rowling, Scholastic Books,
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All images and material related to the J.K.
Rowling novels is copyright Scholastic Books (US), Carlsen Verlag , and
Bloomsbury Publishing (UK). All material related to the
"Harry Potter" films is
copyright Warner Bros.
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Beauty in Perfection; Stand By Me