Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2003 19:58:43 EST From: DAG1064@aol.com Subject: "Trials and Tribulations 02" t/t, oral, masturbation Trials and Tribulations 02 By David George DAG1064@aol.com T/t, oral, masturbation Author's Notes: This story is fiction. All of the characters except for "David" and "Denver Peters" belong to the great JK Rowling. This episode deals with the issues of teenage depression and suicide. Trials and Tribulations 02 That afternoon Harry started therapy. I sat on the couch and held his hand as he started telling what happened to him since Dumbledore left him on the Dursley's doorstep. At first it was a case of simple neglect, Harry getting very little attention and food. As he continued on, I felt rage deep inside of me and closed my eyes to try and relax and deal with it. "David?" Denver Peters voice came through. "Are you okay?" I sighed. Even meditating wasn't helping. I opened my eyes to look at the tall handsome black man sitting on the couch across from us. Albus Dumbledore had recently hired him to teach Muggle studies and to be the school's counselor. "No. I `m angry because those people treated Harry that way knowing damn well it was wrong. They treated him horridly because he was different. Being different isn't a crime. Being different is what makes us unique," I said. Denver nodded. "I agree with you. A lot. But they did what they wanted to despite the fact that Harry was related to them, because they didn't approve of Harry's "differences". One of the reasons why they hurt him." "For the first five years all they ever called me was "boy" and gave me Dudley's old clothes to wear and stuck me in the cupboard," Harry said softly. "I used to dream of my parents showing up and taking me away from all that." Harry sighed and looked down at our hands, our fingers entwined together. "When I first started going to school I was relieved. I thought things would get better. They didn't. Dudley and his friends would tease me a lot and call me names." I thought back to my childhood and Ichiro. My world was Ichiro and nothing else. Loneliness my constant companion. No acquaintances much less friendships until now. "I hated them all," Harry confessed, his voice cracking. "I know that's wrong but I couldn't help feeling so much anger towards them." He drew a breath and sighed as I gently squeezed his hand. "I began to think that I was a bad boy. I wondered if I deserved it like they said I did," Harry said, his eyes brimming with tears as he looked out the window. I felt tears in my eyes as I slipped off the couch and onto my knees while holding his hands in mine. "No Harry, there is nothing wrong with you. You weren't a bad kid, you didn't deserve what they did to you. They are the bad people for doing all of that to you. Please don't think that," I begged. Harry looked down at me. "Why do you love me?" I looked straight into his eyes and saw so much pain. "I love you because you are you. You are a human being. A person. There's so much I love about you." Harry leaned forward and put his arms around me and cried on my shoulder for a time. I held his close to me and let him cry himself out. I held him for a long time until I realized he had conked out. I stood up after putting him on the couch and then picked him up in my arms and carried him up to our room. Ron opened the door for us and I laid him on the bed and removed his shoes. I stretched out on the bed next to him and took his hand in mine. The door opened a crack and Molly peeked in. I nodded and she quietly withdrew and closed the door behind her. I turned back to Harry and sighed. I let my thoughts drift and next thing I knew was knocking at the door. I sat up realizing I had fallen asleep. Harry had turned on his side and had his head on my chest, his arm around my waist. "Dinner," Ron whispered. I nodded and Ron left the room. I gently ran my fingers through Harry's soft black hair until he woke up. He sat up looking bleary eyed and blinked a few times until I handed him his glasses and he put them on. When he saw me he smiled slightly. "You must think I'm a crybaby," he said. I drew him close to me and held him in my arms. "Not at all. There is so much emotion you carry so deep inside of you and it's slowly coming out of you now and that's good. You can't keep it locked up deep inside of you. It's not healthy." Harry rested his head on my shoulder and sighed. "I don't want it to hurt any more." "Then tell us what hurts. Get it out of you. I'll be right here to support you. I'll be there to help you heal," I said. "Thank you. I do love you David. I want you to know that," Harry said. "I love you Harry. I'll never walk away from you," I said. We kissed in the room, again outside the door, in the hall, in the bathroom, at the top of the stairs, at the bottom of the stairs, and then in the living room. Harry closed his eyes and sighed as I held him close. I glanced at a tape player in the corner and it clicked into life. John Denver's "For You" started. It was one of Harry's favorite love songs. I sang the song softly as we danced close to each other. He clung to me the entire time. I hoped this would help change what he was feeling for the moment and it did. The song ended and the tape player clicked off. We stood there in the living room for a moment kissing once more. I loved him so much in that one moment. I wished I could erase his pain but I couldn't. I swore I'd be there every step of the way to help him survive this. The clinking of dishes intruded and the moment was over. I took Harry's hand and we walked out to the kitchen. "We thought we would sit outside tonight. It's a lovely evening," Molly said with a smile as she led the way outside. I smiled as I saw Albus and Denver sitting there. "You're in for a treat," I said. "Molly Weasley is one of the best cooks ever. You have not eaten until you have sat at her table." Denver smiled. "So I heard." Fred handed Denver the rolls with a smile on his face. "Rolls?" "I'd check that first. Strange things have been known when the Twins offer you something." I chuckled. Fred's eyebrows rose. "Are you insinuating we would deliberately spike something for a guest to eat?" Charlie smiled sweetly. "Chirp chirp?" The table broke up in laughter. We sat by the fire pit and watched the flames dance merrily. Not much was said, as all of us were busy with our thoughts. I excused myself and went into the house to use the bathroom. I detoured to the bedroom and retrieved my acoustic guitar and brought it down. I tuned it up and started to play. I really don't remember what I played that evening but it seemed to match everyone's moods. The songs were slow and haunting and I wondered just what everyone was thinking. Eventually it got late and Harry seemed tired, so we retired first. Over the next hour, Harry and I lay in bed together just idly talking about this and that while listening to people come up the stairs and go to bed. I decided when we got back to Hogwarts I'd leave the martial arts and weight training classes to others and concentrate on helping Harry recover. I decided to teach him the ninja arts and meditation in private. It would give him an edge over Voldemort when the time came. Eventually Harry fell asleep and I lay there for a bit listening to his soft breathing hoping he'd be able to sleep without any nightmares tonight. I slept on and off all night, checking Harry every time I woke up. I let him sleep and towards morning I closed my eyes and slipped into Getsumi no Michi and spent a little time meditating and recharging my batteries so to speak. When I woke up in the gray dawn I felt energetic. I slipped out from under Harry and kissed him on his forehead. He looked very peaceful and I was glad. I dressed in my sweats and clipped my Katana on my back and went down to go do my five-mile run. I cast a warning ward around the house and set out. The cool crisp air filled my lungs and I smiled. I hoped it would be a good day for a change. I ran down the dirt driveway and to the road. It was two and a half miles each direction so that was my five miles right there. Getting back to the house I checked for any trouble and there wasn't any. I went into the back and started my exercise katas. It felt good to sink down into the familiar layers of Getsumi no Michi and exercise. I sensed Harry waking up and coming down. He came out of the house and sat down in a chair with cups of tea and watched me work out. I slowed down and did my cool off routine and then sat down next to him and took the hot cup of tea from him and sipped it. "Thank you love," I said. Harry smiled. "You're welcome." "Harry, how do you feel about me teaching you meditation and the Ninja Arts?" I asked him. "Would give you an edge over him." Harry sipped his tea and I knew he was thinking about it from the serious look on his face. It would be his choice, not mine or anyone else's. His choice alone. I wasn't going to push him into it. I turned my attention to the rising sun and softly sung a song I knew by heart. It was a John Denver song, and I forget its name but it left an impression on me and it seemed to fit the moment. Harry set down his cup and took my left hand into his hands. He gently and slowly traced all of the lines in my left hand. Then he closed the hand into a fist and brought it up to his mouth and kissed my knuckles and then pressed them to his chest. He looked into my eyes and I saw something happening in there. I wasn't sure what it was. Harry leaned forward and we kissed. It made me feel warm inside and I hoped he had a similar feeling. Being in love is like no other feeling in the world. It was a feeling I always drew on when I was feeling in the dumps and always made me forget the bad feelings. Harry reached up and touched my cheek and rubbed it. "How about a shower?" he whispered. I smiled. "Sounds like an excellent idea." Harry led me up the stairs after he left the cups in the sink. He closed the bedroom door behind him and then turned to me. I was starting to pull my sweatshirt off but Harry stopped me. "Let me," he whispered. We undressed each other and then peeked out the bedroom door to see if the coast was clear then scrambled into the bathroom. Harry ran some hot water into the sink and washed my face. He applied the shave cream and very carefully shaved my face. Afterwards we stepped into the shower and washed each other clean. I loved feeling his hands on me. His gentle touch made me feel great. I returned the pleasure, taking the time to gently caress him. After the shower we lay on top of the bed naked, holding each other and kissing. We stayed there until the house was fully awake. I stood up and pulled Harry on his feet. I dressed him first and then he dressed me. We went down to breakfast together, hand in hand. The day began. Denver Peters arrived in the midmorning and he picked up from where he left off yesterday. He and Harry talked in the living room for nearly two hours. I sat in the kitchen and tried to concentrate on what Molly was teaching me about Apparating. Albus Dumbledore decided I needed to know how to do it and I agreed. It would be so useful and it certainly would help my Ninja skills. By the time Denver wrapped up the session, I'd learned the practical theory behind Apparating. All I had to do was start practicing it. I walked out into the back yard and envisioned myself at the base of the big leafy tree in the yard and closed my eyes. Suddenly I felt this very weird feeling and when I opened my eyes I was standing at the base of the tree. I grinned as Molly smiled. I practiced short "hops" around the yard while Molly instructed Harry. Molly must have been a very effective teacher because Harry was doing short "hops" around the yard. We ended up playing Apparating tag for another hour until Molly called us in. "Okay, here comes the test. If you can apparate in one hop to the Leaky Cauldron, you get your Apparating permits from the Ministry official who will be sitting there. He'll know if you did it in one or two hops. One hop is a perfect score, two hops is an outstanding, three or more is failing. Good luck," she said and released an owl. Harry was first. He closed his eyes and the next thing I knew he was gone. Molly counted off five minutes and then nodded to me. I closed my eyes and had a very clear picture of it in my mind. Next thing I knew I was standing in the middle of the bar with an excited Harry. It was so good to see the joy on his face. "We did it!" he cheered. The Ministry official handed up our Apparating permits and shook our hands. He also handed us a brown envelope. "Open these in private." We nodded and then apparated back to the Burrow. The envelope contained our Wizarding Licenses. Both of us breathed a sigh of relief. Harry had been told about the attack in the hospital and that made him angry. He worked through that one with Denver during that afternoon's hour session. I joined them and added my feelings to the discussion. The day's events had worn Harry out considerably so we retired early that night. We lay in bed together holding hands and talking about what we would be doing at Hogwarts this term. "David," Harry turned to me, "Let's keep the permits a secret. If people know we have them they'd want theirs and they would accuse Dumbledore of favoritism. We don't need that and neither does he. I'll send a note to him in the morning." "I agree, Harry. That's a good idea. We'll say something to Molly in the morning as well. Don't need the others getting mad at us," I said. Harry settled back down. The more I thought about it the more sense it made. It definitely would allow me to operate in secret in and around Hogwarts better. I wanted to try and plant some listening devices inside Slytherin House, especially around Malfoy's private area. After observing Malfoy and listening to the talk it seemed to me that he was the key to things inside Slytherin House. His father was inside Voldemort's Inner Circle therefore Draco was worth watching. Maybe I could scare him a bit. I turned the plan over in my head until I was convinced it might work. I'd have to discuss it with Dumbledore when we got back to Hogwarts at the start of term. Having decided that, I drew Harry close to me and we kissed good night and went to sleep with him in my arms. Diagon Alley. The Wizarding world's version of the Muggle shopping malls. One could buy or sell anything magical or related here. I went with Harry to Gringott's bank. We collected money from our respective vaults then rejoined the Weasleys out in front. I appeared to be relaxed but I was very alert for anything. There had been Death Eater attacks here in the past and I was ready for anything. Good fortune was ours and they never showed. Thank God for that. By early afternoon we had collected what we would need for the school year and met back at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch. I decided on the steak special while Harry had a barbeque burger while the others had different sandwich platters. I'll say one thing for that place and that is they had good cooks. I looked through the Daily Prophet for anything interesting. I found a small article in the middle of the paper. It was Rita Skeeter speculating on what would happen at Hogwarts this year. I sighed and passed the paper to Arthur. "I saw that this morning at the office," he said. "Quite a few people commented on it and I heard that Percy trashed her from one end of the Ministry to the other before Fudge shut him up." "There's hope for him then," I said. "I have speculated that one of the reasons why he became Fudge's personal assistant was to keep tabs on all of you. Percy probably staged the fight with you and Molly to protect you two." Arthur nodded as he scratched his chin. "If that's the case, then Percy did the right thing. I owe him an apology." "Don't do anything just yet. Let everyone think there's trouble in the Weasley Clan for now," I said. Arthur nodded. "Okay. I'll go along with that. But all of you need to get home now." Molly led us to the floo network and we flooed home to the Burrow. Back at the house we loaded our new school supplies into our respective trunks. I sat on the bed Harry and I shared and examined the dozen throwing knives I'd gotten. They were made of the best Damascus steel available. They needed a bit more work to be really razor sharp. I set them aside and examined the bow and the arrows I had gotten as well. The points needed a bit of work and they would be perfect. The string was perfect and so was the tension on the bow. I released the string and slid it back into the long tube and packed it away. Denver was downstairs talking to Harry and I walked out my door in time to hear Harry yelling. I rushed down the stairs in time to see Harry standing looking at Denver with fury on his face. "How dare you suggest such a thing?" Harry yelled. "I would never do that!" "Do what, love?" I said, coming up behind Harry. Harry turned to me. "He thinks I'm manipulating you to get what I need." I looked at Denver. "You insulted Harry. You insulted me. Time for you to leave and I suggest you never come back until you are ready to apologize for your words. Dumbledore will be informed of this. You know where the front door is." I followed Harry to the backyard. We walked over to the punching bag and Harry put on a pair of gloves and started working his anger out on the bag. It certainly became a very useful tool. Harry and I were constantly working out on it, me with my martial arts and Harry with the kick boxing techniques he was learning from me. In fact, I was teaching all of the Weasleys the martial arts. They all agreed it was a good idea. "Combine those skills with the wizard dueling techniques you've learned and you can be unbeatable," I had told them. We switched off after ten minutes and I pounded the bag for a bit. After my ten minutes I relaxed and sat down next to Harry. "Feeling better?" I asked him. Harry sighed. "Yes. Why couldn't he just simply accept the fact that I love you?" "I don't know, Harry. There has to be a reason why he said that. I'll send Dumbledore an owl and let him deal with the situation," I said. I sent the owl right after dinner and left it in Dumbledore's hands after that. Harry was feeling a little frisky that night and I was happy to see the Harry I knew coming back. He sneaked into the shower with me and we did a lot of touching and caressing while washing each other, my favorite kind of foreplay. Once in bed, he became a bit more subdued and started kissing me all over. I loved feeling his lips and tongue exploring my body and it turned me on a lot. I felt his tongue lick at my nipples while he stroked my cock up hard. I shivered in ecstasy. "Harry, that feels so nice," I sighed. Harry smiled up at me and then went back to work on me. He licked and sucked on both nipples and then slowly rubbed his front against mine as he came up for kisses. We kissed a few times and then Harry went back down to my cock. I sighed as he licked around the base of my cock and down to my balls. I lifted my legs giving him access to my balls and my hole. I felt his wet tongue licking at my balls and then gently suck my balls into his mouth. Then he started rimming my entry. Oh! Made me feel so good. I shivered feeling so hot. "Harry," I moaned. He had me drop my legs back down and then he took hold of my cock and slipped it into his mouth and began to suck on me. I closed my eyes and felt myself move into Getsumi no Michi and become aware of his thoughts, his feelings, and his pleasure. I moved into a sixty-nine and began to pleasure his uncut cock. We climbed the mountain of pleasure together and then explode into each other's mouths. We relaxed, French kissing each other, tasting our cum in each other's mouths. Then I began to pleasure his body, licking and sucking him everywhere. Harry shivered and moaned. I tried to return the pleasure twice over. We both got off once more as we trapped our hard cocks between our bodies and rubbed against each other while French kissing. Once we came down from our sexual high, I reached for a damp cloth and wiped him off and then he did the same for me. We snuggled down next to each other and went to sleep. The Hogwarts Express. An old steam engine taking us to the greatest school in the Wizarding World. Hogwarts School for Wizardry and Witchcraft. I stood on the platform 9and ¾ with Harry and the Weasley Clan. The day was unseasonably warm so I was wearing jean shorts, a t-shirt, and Doc Martin boots. I was relaxed and feeling good. The previous night's lovemaking had put Harry in a good mood. All of us climbed on the train once the goodbyes had been said and the departing whistle had sounded. All of us found a compartment and settled down. I broke out a deck of cards and we played gin rummy all the way back to the school. The sandwiches we got off the trolley were enough to hold us over until we got to the school. Even Malfoy's appearance at the doorway couldn't destroy our good mood. "Oh look!" I said as Malfoy opened the compartment door. "It's the world famous Ferret boy!" We laughed as Malfoy snarled at us. "You'll regret that." "I will? How are you going to do that, pray tell?" I asked. "You'll find out," Malfoy said. "Oh really? I don't think you have enough brain cells to even plan how to fart decently," I said. "Even having your bedmates with you won't help you any." He turned a deep red as he trembled with anger. He pointed at me and shook his fist. "No thanks. I wanked off already this morning," I said calmly. Malfoy slammed the door in fury and stormed off as the compartment rocked with laughter. Ron and Harry were rolling on the floor while Hermione was holding onto her sides. The Twins were hanging off each other. I had no doubts this little episode would be round the school by tomorrow morning. I opened a bottle of water and took a drink as a knock on the door sounded. I felt Harry stiffen and I knew who it was. The door opened and Ron rose. "This compartment is taken. Sit somewhere else," Ron snapped. "I need to talk to Harry and David," Denver Peter's voice said. Harry shifted uneasily in his seat. I looked up and looked into his eyes. "You are not welcome here. We will be talking in Dumbledore's office later. I will ask him to have you removed from the school," I said softly. Peters nodded and left the compartment. Harry sighed and rested his head on my shoulder. Ron turned and gently squeezed Harry's shoulder. That was enough to tell me what side Ron had taken. "Thanks for your support, Ron. Thanks to all of you," I said. Hermione spoke for all of them. "We stand with you and Harry no matter what." There were silent nods and I knew they were true friends. True friends are hard to come by these days. I never had true friends before and I was learning how valuable they are. We heard Hagrid's familiar voice as we stepped off the train. Harry turned towards the voice and smiled. Hagrid saw us and smiled back. Harry walked over and hugged him tight. "Good to see you, Harry. I was worried about yeh when I heard," he said in his distinctive accent. Harry smiled. "I'm okay, Hagrid. Got some good friends and the one I love with me." Hagrid nodded. "Good. They'll help yeh when you need it." "I know I can count on you, Hagrid. You were the one who helped me discover my Wizarding heritage. I owe you for that and someday I'll pay that debt of Honor," Harry said, taking the half giant's hand into his. Hagrid blushed. "Wasn't anything, Harry. It was me duty to see to it that you knew the truth. You needed to know." "Thank you," Harry said. Hagrid smiled. "I'll see yeh at the feast." He strode away with the first years behind him. We turned to the line of coaches and got into one for the ride to the castle. We talked a bit until it came into view. "Home again," Harry said softly. All of us agreed. We were home at Hogwarts again. We arrived at the castle and got out of the carriages. McGonagall approached us and looked at me. "The Headmaster and I need your help," she said. "Professor Dumbledore hired a band for the evening and they never showed. Can you help?" "Sure," I said, thinking fast. "I need my guitars, my small computer setup, and a few skeletons willing to pretend to play." She smiled. "Done. Thank you." While the Sorting Ceremony was taking place, I worked quickly behind the curtain to set up the band and to program the computer to play the songs I needed to. Dumbledore stood and made his announcements and introduced Denver Peters to the school. "Now for one last thing. I had hired a dance band to start the school year off right. Unfortunately they did not show up. So I have asked a fellow student to step in and provide the music this evening," he said and motioned to the curtain. It rose and I started the show. I played for an hour and a half's worth of dance tunes, even playing a song or two for Dumbledore. When I did ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man" I transfigured Dumbledore's robes into a very fancy tuxedo and he loved it. Didn't even know he could dance. All in all it was an enjoyable evening. We encountered Malfoy in the hall once more. He smirked at us. Doesn't this guy ever quit? "I thought I smelled Ferret," I said. "Naw. That's Malfoy's bad breath," Lee Jordan quipped. "I don't think they make deodorant for Ferrets," I cracked. That set off the Gryffindors as Malfoy snarled in anger. He clenched his fists and his two gorillas behind him did the same. "I'll get you for that," he snarled. "Oh promises, promises. You make so many of them if you were running for elected office you'd make the perfect politician," Fred cracked. "When You-Know-Who takes over the Wizarding World I hope he fries you worthless Weasleys," Malfoy yelled. I looked at Malfoy. "He's got to get through me first, Ferret breath. I hope he tries, because I'll kick his worthless ass from here to hell." Malfoy turned red with rage and shook his fists at us. "Gee, I think he's offering to wank all the guys off," I said nonchalantly. The hall erupted into laughter as Malfoy stormed off. I turned to see McGonagall coming up to us. "David, Harry, the headmaster wishes to see you," she said. "Miss Granger can lead the first years to the Gryffindor Tower." Did I mention that Hermione and Harry were made prefects? They were and I swore Harry looked like he had grown ten feet tall once he saw that badge. It certainly made a difference in him. We followed McGonagall to Dumbledore's office. "Gumballs," she said to the statue and it stepped aside and let us pass. We rode up the escalating staircase to the door and she knocked. "Come in," Dumbledore's voice sounded. McGonagall pushed the door open and we followed her in. "Mr. Potter and David." Dumbledore smiled at us from behind his desk. Denver Peters sat in a chair to the right of the desk and we were motioned to a pair of chairs to the left of the chair. I took one and moved it to the side of Dumbledore's desk. "Lady McGonagall," I said, indicating the chair. She smiled. "Thank you David." Dumbledore picked up a candy dish. "Lemon drops anyone?" I politely declined and Peters took two. Dumbledore set the dish back on the desk. "I have read David's letter and then asked Denver for his side of things. I am not happy with this. Yes, David is quite correct in his stand that the question that was asked of Harry was inappropriate. After hearing what Denver had to say, I understand why he asked the question. Now I shall say this. I have seen both of these young men together and it is my feeling that there is no manipulation between them at all. Harry is not taking advantage of David. David is not taking advantage of Harry. Both of them have come from less than ideal backgrounds and have virtually nothing to their names except for their love for each other, which I believe is very real and genuine. So I believe we now have the answer to that question and I suggest we lay that issue to rest. Prof. Peters shall apologize for his poor choice of words. Once he has, the sessions shall continue," Dumbledore declared. I turned to look at the black man. Peters stood up and offered his hand to Harry. "Forgive me, Harry. I should have never asked the question. It was poor judgment on my part," he said. Harry looked up and accepted the apology. Once that was done, we left the office feeling better about everything. "Let's get to bed. I'm tired," Harry sighed. That sounded like a great idea to me. Our new schedules were handed out at breakfast. I looked at mine and it matched Harry's. I looked over Ron's shoulder at his. "We have all of our classes together. Good. Strength in numbers," I said. Harry looked over at me and smiled. "I actually feel safe around all of you." I looked up. "Bad dreams last night?" Harry nodded. "I was standing in the Great Hall all alone." Ron sat next to Harry and grabbed his shoulder. "What I said, mate. We'll never walk away from you. Our word on that." Harry smiled. "Thanks Ron. I appreciate that." "Always nice to have strong friends around a person," a voice said. I looked up to see Denver Peters standing there. "That it is, sir. That it is," I said. He grinned and headed up to the staff table. The school day got started. The third week I put my scheme into action. I slipped into my ninja suit and made a trip into Slytherin territory. The place looked exactly like Gryffindor territory. I planted a few bugs here and there and then went looking for Malfoy's bed. I hid two separate bugs inside of his four poster bed and then retreated. On the way out I stopped and looked at a map of the school. The other three houses were clearly marked. I didn't see anything significant about it so I cleared out in the nick of time. Back in the Gryffindor dorm, I willed the suit away and set about fine tuning everything. I could hear a few voices talking about classes and the day's events. I even heard a few nasty words directed at Peters. I sighed and shook my head. I put the recording device away and closed my trunk. I went down to the commons room with a book and began to read. Hermione was the first in the commons room, waking me up. I stretched and yawned, standing up and scratching my right side with my right hand. "There you are. Reading again?" Hermione asked. I held up the book. "The goblin wars again. I think I'll wait for the movie to come out." There was laughter at my comments. Hermione crossed her arms and looked serious. I looked to see Harry coming out of the bathroom. He was looking ragged lately and I was starting to worry. I decided to ask for a weekend in the flat. It might be what Harry needs to unwind a bit. The other thing that bothered me was the new guy who started hanging with Malfoy. He had transferred over from Durmstrang and something about him made me nervous. Zachary Adams was taller than Malfoy, and had a muscular build. I knew I could best him in a fight, but the real problem was this guy actually seemed to have real intelligence. That scared me. I didn't want to turn my back on the guy. I followed Harry up to the dorms and to his bed. "Are you okay?" I asked him. Harry crawled up on his bed and picked up an old teddy bear and hugged it to him. I frowned. I didn't recall ever seeing Harry with a teddy. "Tired. Just tired," Harry muttered. I pulled his shoes off and then his pants. I pulled the covers over him and then gently ran my fingers through his soft black hair. Harry blinked a few times and then went to sleep. I closed his privacy curtains and went to my bed. I retrieved the listening device and checked it. There were a few references to Harry so I listened to them. One voice announced that Harry's Uncle was coming to trial next week. I sat up immediately. How in the hell had Zambini known that? Dumbledore hadn't said anything to us yet. I wondered if I should place a few bugs in his office. Having decided to, I pulled my shoes back on and made my way to the office. The gargoyle stepped aside and allowed me to go up. I knocked on the door but there was no response. I went in and looked around the massive office. I set a few bugs and then started to examine everything of interest. "Good evening, David. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Dumbledore's voice announced from behind me. I sheepishly smiled as I turned to face the old man. "Sir, you would make a great ninja." His eyes twinkled at the comments. "Thank you, David. How can I help you?" I told him I had overheard a group of Slytherins discussing the upcoming trial. Dumbledore frowned and stroked his beard. "Thank you for telling me this. It is true. The trial is next week Monday," he said. "You will be needed." I told Harry the next morning. He looked afraid. I held him close to me as he trembled. I wasn't looking forward to it myself. Dumbledore immediately told me to take him to the flat until Monday morning and I did just that. I brewed a pot of calming tea and left it for Harry to drink during the weekend. I held him close to me the whole weekend and that seemed to help him somewhat. Monday morning came and we met Albus Dumbledore in his office. He was looking grave. "Are you two ready?" he asked. I nodded. "I think so." We stepped through the fire and into the Grand Foyer of the Ministry. Harry stayed close to me as we headed off to the trial chambers. Denver Peters stood up at the doors and nodded to us. We walked in and took our places. I noted it was a closed court session and that made me feel better. Harry looked worn out and tired. I feared for his mental state. I looked to see the Weasleys enter with Hermione. I nodded. Harry would need support. I turned around and the trial began. When Dumbledore said that Dudley was having a rough time, he wasn't kidding. Dudley looked like he had lost a ton of weight. His clothes were extremely baggy on him. To make a long day short, a lot of the evidence against Vernon Dursley was damning. Even Vernon hung himself while he was on the stand. I had the distinct impression Percy wanted to jam the pencil down into Vernon's head from the number of pencils and quills he was breaking. I entertained the thought of turning him loose in the Forbidden Forest and hunting him down. But the biggest shocker occurred when Vernon got angry. "I treated him like that and used him to make Dudley turn against him because I didn't want him becoming one of them!" Vernon roared. I sat up and blinked. Dudley turned to his mother and opened his mouth in shock. "Dudley got a letter from that school before Harry did. We told them Dudley wasn't interested. But when all those filthy birds snowed us under I was afraid that Dudley would get his. We didn't want him becoming like that boy," she said, pointing to Harry as he sat there in shock. Fudge turned to Dumbledore. "Is that true?" McGonagall rose. "I can answer that. Dudley's name appeared in our book. The letters were sent out automatically. If a student turns us down he is moved to an inactive list. Harry was the exception." Dudley sat there in utter shock. "Mum?" "I am not your mother anymore," Petunia said coldly. Harry did an amazing thing. He stood up, went over to Dudley, grabbed him by the hand and led him over to us. He looked at Dudley. "I forgive you for everything," Harry said. Dudley looked down at the floor and then back up at Harry. There were tears in his eyes. "Thank you," he said. Dudley then turned to the judges and started talking. I had the feeling he wasn't holding anything back. In the end Dudley was turned over to Dumbledore and then we watched Petunia and Vernon get led off. Dudley got counseling from Denver for the rest of the year and got lots of help getting caught up. The Gryffindors reaction to his arrival was very cool. I knew Dudley would have to prove himself. Dudley started to punish himself by going with out food. He was starving himself and his weight fell even more. I had to stop him from destroying himself and it was Ginny who stepped in and helped him. She got him eating again and convinced him to take an exercise class, which he did and it improved his mental outlook a lot. But he eventually proved himself when during a fight Malfoy cut the chain holding the grand chandelier and it started falling. Dudley reacted in a burst of speed grabbed the chain and dug in his heels and kept it from falling on a group of first years sitting in the Great Hall waiting for an instructor. Snape arrived on the scene and took in everything and saw the danger to the first years. He used magic to secure the chandelier chain once more and Dudley lay on the floor in a great deal of pain. He had torn a few muscles in his left shoulder. He managed to get to his feet and before anyone could react, he swung a huge fist and laid Malfoy out cold on the floor. Snape turned to say something but Dudley snarled as loud as he could and Snape actually backed down. Once the stories were told and everything said, Dudley went to the infirminary to be helped and later awarded points for saving lives. Malfoy? He got detention with Filch looking over his shoulder. Harry continued to sink deeper into depression. Nothing any of us could say or do seemed to get though. Malfoy and his crew kept pushing Harry more and more. Harry started sinking to a level of a little kid, bursting into tears and running away from Malfoy. Something was wrong and it was getting serious. He even stopped talking to Denver and started accusing everyone around him of things. Our relationship stopped and I was really worried. He was skipping classes and he would be found sitting in dark corners clutching the teddy and whispering things. Harry was losing his mind and I felt utterly helpless. Zach Adams started taunting me every chance he got while Malfoy looked on. I decided it was time to look into this guy's background. Durmstrang returned my letter with a polite fuck you. That didn't help me any. "SHIT!" I yelled, pounding the table in the Gryffindor commons room. "Language," chided a voice from the portrait. I looked to see Snape standing there. "You're not the head of House here," I snapped. Snape walked over to me. "I am a professor here." "That's questionable," I said. "Your actions towards Harry are not helping him any. Your bias against Gryffindor House is not proper behavior for a professor. Word is that you are a Death Eater. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't chop your ass apart right here and now." Snape stared right at me. I stood my ground and met his stare with one of my own. I relaxed and let Shishogan (Life Death eyes) up into my eyes from deep inside of me. Snape shivered when he saw them and turned and left the commons room. I sighed and stood down. I got a cup of tea and stared into the fire. Harry was up in his bed with Ron sitting on his own watching over Harry. His nightmares were getting worse night by night. I wondered just how much longer Harry would last. Sooner or later the shit would fly through the fan and go everywhere. Said proverbial shit hit the fan Saturday night. I had just returned to the Gryffindor commons ahead of Hermione and Ron (Dumbledore regretfully took the prefect status from Harry and gave it to Ron) and walked in. The sight that met my eyes was horrifying. The commons room had been completely trashed. My Wakizaki appeared in my hand as I surveyed the room. I heard the portrait open and Ron's voice in the tunnel. "Ron, get everyone refuge in the closest house and then send a fast runner for Dumbledore," I said. Dudley squeezed in past Ron. "Can I back you up?" Dudley had been working with Denver and me to try and help Harry in additional to his studies with Hermione. I nodded and pointed out the direction he should take. Ron turned and went back out and closed the door behind him. Dudley and I searched the commons room first and then the boy's dorms. The dorms hadn't been touched. The only bed that had been touched was Harry's. It was obvious he had been here. "He's not here," Dudley said. I sighed. Where in hell could he be? I went through his belongings and discovered his broom was gone. I grabbed Ron's new broom and blew a window. "Stay here and tell Dumbledore I've gone after Harry!" I yelled as I mounted Ron's broom and flew through the window up into the night sky. I flew around the outside of the castle first. Then I started flying around the grounds. In the distance I saw what looked like someone by one of the Quidditch rings so I flew closer. It was Harry. Just as I got close, he kicked his broom away from him and I realized he was hanging by his neck from the top of the Quaffle ring. I put on a burst of speed and got there fast. I lifted him and swung my Wakizaki to cut the rope and he collapsed into my arms. I worked the rope loose and got him down on the ground. He wasn't breathing so I administered CPR. Moments later he was breathing again. I picked him up and mounted the broom once more and flew to the castle at a high rate of speed. I noticed a broom in the distance enter the castle by a window. I raced through a window and through the halls to the hospital wing. Lady Pomfrey raced over as I laid Harry down. I watched her working on Harry as Dumbledore and Denver raced in. "Harry hung himself from a Quaffle ring," I said not looking up. It was another hour before Lady Pomfrey walked over. "He's alive, but only just. He needs to go to the hospital," she said quietly. I knew what she meant. St. Mungo's. Harry was about to be committed and there wasn't a damn thing I could do. Sunday morning dawned. I looked up at the rising sun through red rimmed eyes. I hadn't slept a wink all night. Hermione, Ron, Dudley, and Ginny were there. Right at nine `o clock, a group of healers walked in. They examined Harry and nodded to each other. Then four large men walked in and bundled up Harry for the trip to St. Mungo's. They carried him out through the Great Doors and out to a waiting coach. I looked up at a balcony and saw the Slytherins slapping high fives and grinning. Malfoy looked very pleased with himself. "Pass the word. Malfoy and Slytherin House is to be considered the enemy. That includes Snape as well. Let it be known that I have declared war on them and that I shall hunt them and their slimy master that dares call himself a Lord," I said turning to Fred Weasley. "He shall die." Fred nodded. I turned and boarded the coach and rode to St. Mungo's in silence. I saw Dumbledore in the hall and turned away to watch Harry be placed into a bed and hooked up to an IV. The door closed behind us and the deadbolt clicked shut. I shivered at the sound. It was a sound that would haunt my dreams for a long time. I stayed until it was time to leave. I flooed back to Hogwarts. George Weasley was the first I met in the hall in front of the doors of the Great Hall. "The word has been passed. All of Slytherin House has been warned. The other Houses have promised support," he informed me. "Thank you George," I said, patting his shoulder. I strode into the Great Hall in my leather trench coat and pulled it off, revealing my swords on my back. Snape rose to say something. "Be thou silent," I said, my voice reverberating around the hall. I ate quietly and then went up to bed. As I crawled into my bed, I noticed the teddy on Harry's bed and picked it up. I held onto it all night long and I had terrible nightmares of Ichiro coming after me. I snapped wide awake at four in the morning and stared at the teddy. I had an idea that the teddy was linked to Harry's breakdown and suicide attempt. I got out of bed and found a plastic bag and slipped the teddy into it. Dudley appeared next to me. He saw the teddy in the plastic bag. "You had the same thought as I did. I watched a TV movie some time ago of this guy who got a cursed object from somebody. It projected horrible things into his mind and drove him insane," Dudley explained. I nodded. If the teddy had been cursed it would explain everything. "Keep that to yourself," I whispered. Dudley nodded and went to his bed and dressed. He followed me out once I dressed and we went to Dumbledore's Office. The gargoyle let us in and we found him at his desk along with McGonagall, Snape, and Sirius Black. Snape to his credit kept him mouth shut and seated. I placed the teddy on the desk and Dudley explained his thought. I added agreement. Dumbledore unwrapped the teddy and held it in his hands for a moment and then he put it back in the plastic. "Ten points to Mr. Dursley. It has been cursed, keyed to replay a person's worst fears and nightmares," Dumbledore said. "I suspect Malfoy and Adams," I said. Snape rose. "Can you prove it?" "I will in time," I said. Dumbledore nodded. "I must ask you to rescind your declaration of war on the Slytherin House. Professor Snape is willing to cooperate with the investigation into this matter." "No," I said softly. "Snape can and will promise you the moon, stars, and the planets, but he'll never help us, because that would mean betraying the sweet little bitches and bastards in the Snake House. My edict still stands." I turned and left the office and went down on the grounds for my morning run. I ran six miles that morning, going over and over in my head how I would prove the attack on Harry. I went into my weight room and worked out with even more intensity than usual. I appeared at breakfast and sat with Gryffindor House. I noticed a few of the Slytherins sporting black eyes already. "Hufflepuff House got in the first blows this morning," Ron whispered. "The slimy Slytherins pushed them too far and they retaliated." I nodded. "The war is just beginning." I flooed to St. Mungo's after breakfast. Denver was there, talking to a doctor. He saw me coming down the hall and nodded. "Harry slept peacefully last night," he reported. "No incidents." I nodded and guided him into the room and made sure nobody walked in while I told him of my discovery and Dudley's theory and Dumbledore's examination of the teddy. "That is a damned good job," he exclaimed. I nodded. "So what do we do now?" "We have Harry on antidepressant meds for the time being. I'm hoping that will repair his mind somewhat," he said. "I'll go into his mind in a few days when he's much more stable," I said. Denver blinked at me and I explained the process to him. The door opened and Moody walked in. The old Auror looked at Harry for a moment and then sat down. "Kid needs protection," he said. "I smell another plot against him." I leaned over him. "The friends involved?" He smiled. "Yes. Snape has bowed out for now, saying he'll work the case from another angle. He's scared of you." I smiled as I turned away. "Good." I returned to Hogwarts in the early evening after spending the day with Harry. A man named Shackelford had taken the first six hours of the night watch over Harry. He would be watched all night long. I walked into the Great Hall and people fell silent at my approach. I looked over at Slytherin table. They didn't look up. I noticed a few empty spots. I turned to my table. "No change," I said as I sat down. Hermione gently squeezed my shoulder as Ron handed me a sandwich. I wasn't very hungry, but I ate it and then sipped a cup of tea. "What happened today?" I asked. Ron grinned. "Harry's cousin sent three Slytherins to the hospital wing this afternoon. He's just as angry as you are." I nodded. "Nobody from there claimed responsibility yet?" "Not a one yet. Fred says he's working on a clue at the moment," Ron reported. I sighed. "Good." It was nearly a week later when I came back from the hospital from seeing Harry. He was stable now and there were slight signs of improvement. I felt encouraged by that. I walked into the hall and heard a voice from the shadows. It turned out to be Pansy Parker. She was terrified. "I know who did it," she said. I looked in every direction. "Let's go up to Dumbledore." Once in his office, I sat her down and offered her a cup of calming tea. "Here, sip this slowly. It'll help calm you." The door opened and Dumbledore, Snape, Fudge, and McGonagall walked in. Dumbledore sat behind his desk. We waited until Pansy had finished the tea. "I owe David a debt. He saved my life from that boy last term. I know who is responsible. I also know for a fact that^Å he is extremely angry. My father^Å told me to find out if I could," she said. I nodded. "I can put you into a flat for your protection if you wish." She shook her head. "No. I've come to realize that this isn't a game anymore. People are getting hurt. I can't do this anymore. I don't want to be a Death Eater." Snape nodded. "Good. We will help you if you wish. Just ask." She raised her head. "The person you want is Zach Adams." I nodded and left the office. I walked down towards the Slytherin dorms, my boots making the only noise in the hall. I approached Slytherin territory and prepared myself for battle. I pushed open the doors and stepped inside. Malfoy and his crew rose to meet me. Marcus Flint stepped in front of me. "You're not welcome here," he snarled. I ignored him as the Slytherins approached us. "I want Adams." "Why?" Flint asked. "He's responsible," I said. "Hand him over and the war ends." Malfoy shifted his stance. "He's not here." "Anyone aiding him will go down with him. My sources tell me Voldemort is extremely pissed off and wants the responsible person's ass," I stated. All of the Slytherins shivered at the name. A huge owl flew in a window and landed on a chair next to me. I looked at the name on the envelope. I tossed it to Malfoy. He caught it and read it. Then he looked up at me and nodded. "We don't know where he is. You sure it was him?" Malfoy asked. I nodded. "The source was accurate. We tested the teddy Harry had against a piece of Transfiguration and found a perfect match. The magical signature doesn't lie." Flint looked at me. "Your word? We give him to you and the war is over?" "Word of Honor," I said. "This isn't a game. This is fucking real life and death here. You need to reconsider what side of the fence you're gonna be on. It means the difference between long life and a very short one." I turned and left the Slytherin Commons room. As I left, Pansy came in and saw me there. She snarled at me and struck, her fingernails raking my face. "Ease up, Pansy!" Malfoy ordered. "He's here for a reason." I nodded and left. Now the ball was in their court. I went up to the Great Hall and to dinner. I walked up to the staff table and reached for the bottle of scotch that Snape liked and poured myself a glass and sipped it. I was tired. I wasn't sure what was to happen next. The doctors had approved my plan to go into Harry's mind next week. I would be monitored the whole time. I looked up as the hall began to fill up and took the bottle back to my seat and had another glass as Ron sat next to me. "How you feeling mate?" he asked. I sighed. "Damn tired. I want this thing over." An owl swooped down and dropped a note onto my empty plate. I picked it up. "He's in the library," the note said. I got up and headed for the library. Sure enough Adams was in there with a girl trying to feel her up. He saw me standing there. "How's your boyfriend?" he sneered. I stepped in close and unleashed a right cross into his face, knocking him backwards. I looked at the Slytherin girl. "Get lost," I said. She ran screaming out of the library. I turned to Adams. "You made a very big mistake," I said, grabbing him by the collar and jacking him up a wall. "Your magical signature in the cursed teddy matched the Transfiguration assignment you did today in McGonagall's class. It was confirmed a while ago." I tossed him on a table and then kicked the wand out of his hand when he jerked it out. I grabbed him by the neck and dragged him down the table, books smacking him in the face. He crashed onto the floor. I sat in a chair and waited for him to come up. "You guinea fuck!" he screamed at me, blood from his nose streaming down. "I'll kill you for that!" He charged and I stood up and blocked a blow and flipped him over my shoulder. He crash landed on the table and I stepped away from him. I looked up to see Snape, Dumbledore, Fudge, and Lupin enter the library. "Look out!" Fudge yelled as I tossed Adam's wand to Dumbledore. Adams had risen on the table with a knife in his hands and attacked. I side stepped the attack and parked my fist in his stomach. He dropped the knife and collapsed. I kicked the knife away and waited. Adams rose once more and attacked, landing a double fist to the side of my face. I kneed him in the stomach and raised him in the air for a body slam onto a pile of thick books. That ended the fight. I looked up to see an Auror named Dawlish examine the wand. He nodded. "This is the wand used to cast the curse," he announced. Zach started sobbing. "I want my revenge against Potter!" he screamed. "Why?" Fudge asked. Zach raised his bloody face. "His father sent my parents to Azkaban. My mother died in there. I was glad when the great Lord Voldemort killed them. I wanted more. I wanted Potter to suffer like I did. That's why I sent the cursed teddy. To make him relieve the moments of his mother's last seconds of life. Then when he hung himself from the Quaffle post I was so thrilled! I watched him hang himself. I watched him kick his broom away, watched him dance at the end of the rope and wished him a painful death. You spoiled it by saving him, damn you!" Zach attacked once more and I sidestepped the attack and got a sleeper hold on him. He flailed about, his eyes bugging him as he slowly passed out. Once he was unconscious, I laid him on the floor. Snape immediately checked him. "He's still alive," he announced. I sighed. "I kill only when it's necessary. The war is over. It's done." I returned to the Great Hall. I walked up to the staff table and picked up the bottle of scotch and downed a good sized swallow. I sat on the edge of the table. "Zach Adams was the responsible party. He was willing to sacrifice Slytherin House to gain his revenge against Clan Potter. He didn't care who got hurt just as long as he got to kill Harry. The reason why isn't important. The fact that he tried to kill someone is bad enough. The desire for revenge destroys that individual in the end," I said as I took another drink from the bottle of scotch. I looked over at Slytherin table. "The war against Slytherin House is over. Anybody goes after them answers to me, and then to Dumbledore." We looked up as the six Aurors carried a very deranged Zach Adams out. "I'll kill you all!" he screamed as they dragged him out. "I'll come back and level this place down around your ears!" The Great Doors closed and Dumbledore walked in, followed by Snape and Lupin. I stepped own from the staff table and headed for the stairs. I sat in the Gryffindor commons room with the bottle and slowly drained it as the night wore on. I looked up to see Snape sit down next to me. He poured himself a glass and stared into the fire. "One of my jobs is to try and keep the Slytherins away from Voldemort. It gets hard sometimes. This business has sent a powerful message to them. I think there are now a few less that will follow their parent's footsteps into the Death Eaters. Hopefully this war with Voldemort will end before any of them come of age to join him. Thank you for keeping your word," Snape said, and then left. The commons room slowly filled up once more with Gryffindors. I looked up to see them spread out around the room. McGonagall sat down next to me. "I really don't know what to say. I do want you to know I'll do anything possible to help," she said. Ron stepped forward. "On behalf of Gryffindor House, we offer our support to you and Harry. You guys are not alone." "Thanks, guys. I appreciate that," I said. I stood up and found myself unsteady. Fred and George quickly grabbed me as Ron took the bottle and handed it to McGonagall. "You've had enough," he said. "Please escort him to bed, dear brothers. Our Gryffindor brother needs to be clear headed." That was the last thing I remembered, being taken to bed by the Weasley Twins. I woke up the morning, the sunlight streaming in the window next to the bed. I groaned as my head reminded me why one shouldn't drink. I slowly sat up and opened my bed curtains. Neville walked in and handed me a cup of tea. "Something Snape asked me to give you," he said. I sighed as I sipped the tea. "I'll have to thank him. Anything happen this morning?" "Yeah. The Daily Prophet. Skeeter struck again," Neville said. I finished the tea and went into the shower. My head slowly cleared up as I got dressed and ready for the day. I came out to the commons room and we all headed down for breakfast. There was the usual buzz in the hall and I glanced at the headlines. "Deranged Student Stopped By David," the headlines declared. I tossed the paper to the side. I didn't feel like reading the article. An owl swooped into the hall and landed in front of me. I took the letter and read it. A smile crossed my face as I stood up. "What's up mate?" Ron asked. I leaned over. "Harry woke up this morning. Gotta go." Ron started jumping up and down as I walked to the fireplace. A moment later the hall was cheering. I looked up at the staff table. Dumbledore nodded, his eyes twinkling. I tossed some floo powder into the fire and went through to St. Mungo's. I walked into the ward where Harry was and met a Mundungus Fletcher. He had a smile on his face. "Your boyfriend is asking for you," he said, pushing me into the room. "Go see him, will ya?" I walked in to see a smiling Molly Weasley. She gave me a peck on the cheek and then I turned to see Harry sitting up, pillows propped up behind him. He looked tired and worn out. I sat on the bed and took his hand. "Hello sweetheart. So happy to see you're okay," I said. Harry managed a smile and then pulled me in for a kiss. The Weasleys, Fletcher, the doctor, and Dumbledore watched through the window as we kissed. "Harry will heal just fine," Dumbledore said, smiling. The doctor nodded. "I agree. He will need time to heal, though. Another two weeks and he'll be strong enough to leave. Excuse me." "Harry will be welcome at the Burrow, Albus. Molly and I can help them keep up on their studies," Arthur said. Dumbledore stroked his beard. "Let's wait on that for now. Let's see what happens in the next two weeks." He turned to see me stretch out in bed next to Harry and take him in my arms. Molly sighed and rested her head on Arthur's shoulder. "They look so happy together," she said. With that, the Weasleys and Dumbledore left the hospital. Fletcher settled down in his chair, remembering the girl he had loved once. He watched us fall asleep, Harry's head on my chest. "Now there's two people who truly deserve each other," Fletcher nodded. He turned back to the book he was reading and didn't see the rat in the hall. If he had looked closer, he would have seen the one silver paw. Peter Pettigrew slinked off to report to his master. He had a lot to report. He trembled in front of his dreaded master as the man in the high backed chair considered Peter's report. "So the Potter boy is awake. Good. The Adams boy is locked up on the fifth floor? Good. Then I shall pay him a visit and teach him a lesson for doing things without my authorization. The Potter boy is not to be touched unless I say so. I will play with the Potter boy until it is time for me to take his life away from him. But not before I've tortured him. As for his lover, he is mine also. Go, I need to plan the visit," Voldemort waved Pettigrew away. The little man backed away slowly on his knees. "Pettigrew?" Voldemort said, stopping the man. "Yes Master?" Pettigrew cowered. "Crucio." The Death Eaters present forced themselves not to turn away. ************************************************************************ Next episode: Voldemort goes visiting!