Perfect Hell

Note:

anything in italics is a thought, and anything in italics surrounded by these// are telepathic communication.

Chapter 3: Unanswered Questions

The snow swirled around the three black shapes moving slowly across the lawn. It attacked them indiscriminately, turning their lips blue and freezing their skin so much that it wondered whether they were alive at all. Still it kept up its assault, and still the shapes didn´t notice. They were too involved in their conversation.

Harry looked at Ron and Hermione as they bickered continuously. They had gone out during fifth year but realised it wasn´t going to work, as Ron was gay. Harry also knew his bread was buttered on that side, but was been glad he and Ron had never dated. His friendship with Ron was more precious than anything that could bring, especially now.

His friendship with Hermione had become even closer since he´d told her last year. Hermione had filled out well and was now the most beautiful girl in the school. She was glad to be able to be friends with a guy without having to worry about him falling for her. Without his two best friends, Harry was sure that he would´ve killed himself. Only a few of his friends still stood by him, and he valued the loyalty of those few more than they ever realised.

Sirius hadn´t been angry or disappointed with him. He´d told Harry that courage would´ve gotten him killed, and nothing would´ve been gained by it. But Harry knew Sirius was wrong, he would´ve gained his self-respect. Despite what anyone thought, no one hated Harry as much as he himself did, and that was what had changed him.

The group stopped suddenly, knowing only from years of experience that this was Hagrid´s hut. As Harry waited for Hagrid´s head to appear through the concealing whiteness of everything around them, other groups of black shapes stopped further away, obviously trying to ignore and humiliate Harry.

A half-smile played on Harry´s lips. Did they really think that by turning their backs on him he´d be humiliated? He didn´t care what they thought of him. His first and second years had taught him how quickly people turn. Their open hate didn´t hurt him. Not even his hatred towards himself could do that. Nothing could hurt him.

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Hagrid opened his tall door eagerly, and searched his students´ faces. They were all ignoring Harry, poor boy. It was hard enough getting through school, without having to deal with being put on a pedestal and always being measured short.

Malfoy and his gang were discussing something eagerly in low whispers, probably how to best get him fired. Or Harry expelled. Malfoy kept shooting viscious glares at Harry´s back. Malfoy was a bully, but he usually wasn´t this open with his hatred. Something must have happened.

The class gradually quietened, realising their teacher was watching. Slowly, he was earning their respect. Soon the whole class was quiet, except for the Slytherins.

"Malfoy, if y´ want to t´ teach the class `bout winged horses then go ahead. Otherwise, pay attention an´ follow me.´

The class followed cautiously. Hagrid was in a good mood, and any creature that could do that was usually dangerous. They all released a collective breath as they walked into the clearing. Even the Slytherins had to appreciate the beauty of these animals.

The winged horses were huge, pale white, with silken manes. However, it was their wings that made them so breathtakingly beautiful. The wings were transparent, with veins of gold, or silver, or both. Every imaginable colour and shade covered them in a spectacular and unique pattern. Hagrid watched their amazed faces appreciatively.

"Winged horses are very rare. This group jus´ flew in yesterday. They´re very friendly, but be polite. If they get angry or scared, they kick, an´ they´re strong."

The classes gazes at the beautiful beasts turned fearful as they remembered a similar warning for the Hippogriffs. Before Hagrid could worry, Harry stepped forward, completely confident. He went up to the first one and ran his hands over its side. The horse neighed softly and Harry continued.

The rest of the class, Slytherins first, hurried forward, determined to prove they were as fearless as Harry was. Even Draco seemed to enjoy the horses, and stopped Goyle pulling the tail of one.

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Draco loved the horses. This was the first time he had ever seen one up close. He also appreciated their delicate beauty and the ruby eyes that signified its pure heritage. It was like a priceless piece of art, sculpted to perfection.

He had managed to lose his House shadows. He needed to think out his plan, and they were distracting. He became so embroiled in his thoughts, he didn´t hear Hagrid´s roar to pair up and see if their horse was telepathic. He was only drawn back to the present by Harry asking him to pair up.

"What?"

"You heard Hagrid, and you haven´t got a partner. So move over."

Draco complied, cursing every god he could remember. How am I supposed to work with the one guy I´ve been fantasising about almost continuously for the past two days!

Draco smothered his discomfort with a sneer. "Want to go first Potter?"

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"Sure."

Harry slowly held out his want and reached up to place the tip between the horse´s eyes. At once, he was enveloped by a sense of peace and security.

//

Hello Harry Potter. //

//H-how do you know my name? // Harry stammered inside his mind.

//Telepathy has its benefits. How is your poor friend over there? //

Harry followed the gaze of those captivating blood-red eyes. //He´s not my friend! //

//He is your enemy. But you want more, don´t you? //

//It´s none of your business! //

//You can´t change it. It´s destiny. //

//I don´t believe in destiny //

//You should. //

A sound, similar to a sigh, entered his mind. //Since you don´t want to talk, let Draco Malfoy do this instead//

//Fine. //

"Your turn Malfoy," Harry spat out. Harry couldn´t believe it; the horse had actually made him mad! He was never angry, never lost his calm. Harry glanced at the horse as Draco held out his wand, and it winked at him. What the hell is going on here?

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The horse, Amethyst, looked at the pale boy in front of her. His thoughts were tainted with evil, but he could still change sides. Magic was deep in his soul, she could feel it. He could become a great asset.

//Hello Draco Malfoy. //

//What the...//

//My name is Amethyst//

//Shit! I hate telepathic creatures. //

//Why? //

// If you´re telepathic then you should know! //

//Because you hate people seeing past your mask to your true thoughts. //

Draco just stood with his arms folded and glared, trying to ignore the voice in his mind.

//Like your obsession with Harry. //

Draco broke his silence, // I am not obsessed with him. I hate him! //

//You can´t lie to me. //

Draco continued in his tirade, oblivious to the comment. //If you believe that, then you must be reading my thoughts wrongly. //

//Just like those fantasies about your father? //

//You bitch! //

// I´m a horse, not a dog! But really, isn´t torturing your father a bit too much? //

//It´s better than he deserves! // Draco replied fiercely. Distantly, he heard the shouting of his teacher, and Harry´s soft warnings.

//Farewell Draco. //

Draco removed his wand as quickly as he could without spooking the horse. Harry gave him a strange look before walking over to his small circle of friends. Draco looked back at Amethyst with an unguarded expression, before walking slowly back to the castle.

Amethyst watched until everyone, even Hagrid, had gone. Then, ignoring the rest of her group, she flew up into the air to the far edge of the Forbidden Forest. She watched almost indifferently as a black-robed figure put his wand to her head and she told him the two boys´ secrets.

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Draco paced across the desolate broom shed. The moon was only a tiny glowing sliver, almost swallowed by the never-ending blackness.

Draco cursed, glanced at his watch, and cursed again.

He turned around suddenly and looked at his handiwork. Only then did he allow himself a small smile, before resuming his pacing.

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As Harry ran across the snow-covered Quidditch pitch, he regretted lending Ron his Invisibility Cloak. Ron, as usual, wanted it to sneak to the kitchens and the Astronomy Tower. Harry knew no one could see him in the darkness, but he felt strangely exposed sneaking around the school without it.

His foot suddenly connected with something solid. That Harry guessed was the broom shed. He opened the door and was suddenly hit by a bright light. He felt himself fall, before he was caught by a pair of strong arms that dragged him across the shed, and summoned ropes that imprisoned him to a chair. He recognised the voice.

Malfoy!

"Honestly Potter, you´re lighter than a house-elf! What are you trying to do, starve yourself to death?"

"Malfoy, why have you gone to so much trouble on my account?" Harry asked sarcastically.

"You read my diary! Did you honestly think I was going to meekly let you go to Dumbledore?"

"I wouldn´t have."

"Yeah right. Hell, probably all of Gryffindor probably knows by now!"

"I didn´t tell anyone," Harry shouted.

"I don´t believe you."

"Whatever," Harry replied blandly.

"If you didn´t tell anyone," Draco said suspiciously, "then why did you ask me to come here? To rub it in?"

"No. I thought you might want to talk to someone."

"Well I don´t, and if I did, you wouldn´t even be on the list."

"Who then? Crabbe? Goyle? Pansy? Admit it, you couldn´t talk to any of them about it."

To Harry´s utter amazement, Draco started to laugh uncontrollably. "A hart-to-heart with Crabbe and Goyle? No one´s that stupid."

Harry waited until Draco´s laughter died down, "Talk about it, it´ll help."

"Who appointed you my guardian angel?"

"Me."

"Why should you? We´re enemies."

"Are we?"

"Of course we are. Gryffindor and Slytherin, opposing Seekers, He Who Lived and the son of a powerful Death Eater. How can we be anything else? Even if you had accepted my hand back on the train, we could never have been anything else."

"Just because your father´s evil, it doesn´t mean you are."

Draco chuckled mirthlessly. "Please, the only reason I´m not a Death eater is because I am weak."

"Could you work for Voldemort? Could you kill me, or my friends, in cold blood and blind obedience? Your father might be a suck-up, but that is one thing you aren´t"

"Dark magic is raw power. I love power.´

"You aren´t a slave to it."

"But I would´ve been if Voldemort hadn´t..." Draco trailed off.

"Could you work for him, and your father, now?"

The complete silence that surrounded the two youths seemed unnatural in its completeness. Harry had voiced the one question that Draco was afraid to answer, even to himself. After a couple of minutes, Harry received a reply.

"No. It wasn´t just the curses; I´m used to them. But what he did after that," Draco shuddered, "I could never stand that. It wasn´t just him raping me; it was the way he enjoyed it. It was that my father watched with a smile on his face. It was that my own mother laughed at it."

Draco made sure he avoided Harry´s gaze as he slid to the floor.

"You didn´t deserve that."

The comment was spoken in a whisper, but Draco heard it perfectly in the still room. As Harry´s words sunk in, a single tear slipped down Draco´s cheek. Countless more followed, as Draco cried out all the rage and fear and pain the memory brought back to him. Harry watched helplessly, unable to comfort the boy beside him, looking so scared and vulnerable. He watched Draco in empathy until he finished.

"Can you undo me?"

Draco looked up at Harry with unguarded eyes and a tear-streaked face. He looked so young to Harry at that moment.

"Finite Incantatem."

Harry tumbled to the hard wood floor as the ropes disappeared. He looked up to see Draco´s fearful gaze.

"I won´t tell anyone," Harry said instinctively, guessing at Draco´s anxiety.

"Why should I trust you?"

"Why would I lie?"

"Ever the true Gryffindor," Draco answered sarcastically.

"When you think about it, Gryffindor and Slytherin aren´t all that different."

Draco was about to reply, when his green and silver Prefect necklace started glowing. The same thing was happening to Harry´s scarlet and gold one.

"Shit!"

As one, they ran up to the castle. As Draco headed for the dungeons, Harry sprinted up to the Gryffindor Tower.

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Harry´s first thought as he entered the common room was of chaos. The room was filled with all the Gryffindors, Professor McGonagall, Nearly Headless Nick, and Peeves. Most of the first years, and a fair few of the second years, were crying. All the Gryffindor Prefects looked as though they were almost in hysterics.

"What is it?" Harry asked Ron urgently.

Ron turned to him with serious, fearful eyes. "You know Oliver Wood´s little brother Alex?"

Harry nodded mutely, horrible images of what was wrong running rampant in his mind.

"He was playing near the edge of the Forbidden Forest. His friends were about to get him when they heard him scream and saw him pulled into the Forest. They haven´t found him. And Harry, there was the Dark Mark above the Forest just after!"

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