Undisguised

For the first time, Neville really liked what he was reading. He was pretty sure that this wasnÂ’t what he was supposed to be reading, but that didnÂ’t matter. He was enjoying himself.

Fred watched from the corner as Neville read. The boy seemed to be really engrossed in what he was reading, even pulling out his wand and twirling it through his fingers absently. That was as much dexterity as Fred had ever seen the other boy use, and after six years of watching him take one fall after another, that was saying something. He nudged George in the ribs and directed his attention towards Neville. His brother looked amused and quickly pointed it out to the others around him.

Suddenly, a lavenderish beam of light shot out of the tip of the wand and shot across the room, and Neville let out a squeak. Fred watched as the beam flew from where it left NevilleÂ’s wand to hit Harry square in the back, between his shoulder blades. Harry slammed forward into the table that he and Ron had been hunched over, no doubt going over Quiddich tactics. The common room erupted in a roar, half running to Harry and the other half trying to snatch the wand out of NevilleÂ’s hand. They had all learned their lesson the year before last when he had changed Snape into a toad and then tried to fix it. They had lost major points for that one. Fred was not sure what was worse: NevilleÂ’s mistakes or him trying to fix them himself.

"Are you ok, Harry?" Ron asked, grabbing Harry and holding him to keep him from falling over again.

"UmmÂ… what?" Harry asked back, looking at him as if he couldnÂ’t see him. He raised a hand to his forehead, and it came back moist.

"What did you do to him, Neville?" Fred asked from across the room while taking a cloth from his robes and holding it to HarryÂ’s forehead.

"IÂ… uhÂ… I didnÂ’t do anything," the boy squeaked.

"Well, that was your wand, with your hand on it. If it wasnÂ’t you, then who was it?"

"IÂ… uhÂ… I guess me?" Neville looked none too happy. He reached into his robes. "IÂ’ll fix it."

"ThatÂ’s ok, Neville," Seamus said with a good-natured smile as he waved the boyÂ’s wand in front of him. He looked thoroughly amused. "We all saw what happened the last time you tried to fix one of your mistakes. Why donÂ’t you just hand that book over to Hermione so that she can look at it, hmm?"

Indeed, the girl appeared at his side so quickly that she could have Apparated there. He looked up at her, fright spreading across his features. Slowly he handed her the book, closed. She looked at him disgusted.

"What were you reading, Neville?" she snapped. "What spell?"

"UmmÂ… I-I think that it wasÂ…. w-was Erriviticus Monumentium," Neville stammered.

Hermione sat down where she was and started flipping through the pages. Several of the other Gryffindors surrounded Harry as he finally sat up on his own and shook his head as though there were three yearsÂ’ worth of spider webs inside, his dark hair scattering in fifty directions. He took the cloth from Fred and blotted his aching forehead with it. The cloth came back with blood on it.

"You ok, Harry?" Ron asked again.

"I think so. My visionÂ’s just blurry, and even thatÂ’s going away," Harry said weakly. "Though, IÂ’m really tired now. What was that?"

"Neville. He was studying and, well, hexed you or something," George said. "HermioneÂ’s looking over what he was reading. WeÂ’ll fix it."

"Does it look bad?" Harry asked, gesturing at his forehead.

"No, it looks like you hit the corner of the table," George said. "I will put a Healing Charm on it. It should heal nicely by morning. No one will even know it happened."

George pulled out his wand, and, touching its tip to the smarting spot on HarryÂ’s forehead, whispered something. Harry felt the pain dissipate.

"Ok. I just need to lay down. Can she do it while I sleep?"

"Hey, Herm," Ron shouted at her. "Can you un-hex Harry while he sleeps? He wants to lay down."

"Whatever," she said, waving a hand, not even looking up from what she was reading.

"Typical," Ron muttered as he helped Harry rise and climb the stairs.

"Harry?" Hermione shouted as Ron was about to lead him into the dorm.

"Yeah?" he called back.

"Are you feeling anything? Like youÂ’ve done something wrong or evil?"

"No. Why?"

"Just wondering. Go get some sleep."

Ron led him in and laid him down. "You get some sleep and IÂ’ll wake you in the morning," he said, then realized that heÂ’d wasted his breath. Harry was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

* * *

"Are you sure youÂ’re feeling okay, Harry?" Hermione asked him at breakfast the next day.

Hermione had told him what Neville had said the night before about the spell that heÂ’d accidentally cast. Erriviticus Monumentium was to make the subject feel as if everything that he or she did was immoral, the most evil thing in the world to do. Harry had to admit that that would be a very bad experience. He was sure, though, that it had failed. Hermione said that she was not sure that what she had done would help, which meant that she was sure that she had failed. Neville was not terribly apt at casting spells that he knew, much less those that he was trying to learn.

"IÂ’m fine. I think you fixed it, or else Neville messed it up. IÂ’m not wanting to kill myself for doing anything wrong yet." Harry looked at her over his spoon.

She gave him a pointed look.

Harry smiled in response. "I think that I would have realized by now that I was thinking that everything I did was wrong, immoral and evil."

"Do we still have the pitch tonight Harry?" Seamus asked as he walked by on his way out to the hall.

"I booked it," Harry turned towards him, the annoyed smile heÂ’d directed at Hermione melting easily into his typical friendly smile. "The Prophet said that itÂ’ll be a nice night. We should have a good practice."

Seamus nodded and left. When Harry turned back to the table Hermione was looking at him as if she still didnÂ’t believe him. He sighed. Only time would make her believe that he was fine. Sometimes she could be suspicious about everything. He looked up at the ceiling and saw the sky outside getting brighter. Grabbing his cloak, he headed from the room with Ron at his heels.

"Where are you going?" he asked Harry as he caught up with him.

"I have to finish that Zodiac lover crossing for Divinations and I want to get it done before Potions."

"So who did you choose?"

"UmmÂ… a Ravenclaw." HarryÂ’s eyes darted around like he was trying to find a way out.

"Someone I know?" Ron looked at him curiously.

"Uh. No. I donÂ’t think so."

"Well, who is she? You might as well tell me. You know that Professor Trelawney will pick you out of the whole class. She always does."

"Look, Ron. I know that you really want to know who it is, but in that case you should hope that Trelawney does choose me. I have to go. I really need to get it done."

"IÂ’ll come with you."

"No!" Harry said more quickly than heÂ’d wanted. "I mean, I just need a few minutes alone to get it done. ItÂ’s almost finished, and I canÂ’t have any distractions. You have to admit, Ron, when we are together without Herm then we donÂ’t get anything done."

"And thatÂ’s a bad thing?" Ron said with a grin. At the pointed look on HarryÂ’s face, he added, "Ok, ok. I get it. IÂ’ll see you at Potions."

"IÂ’ll see you there," Harry said. He continued walking until he turned the corner.

Sure that Ron wasnÂ’t following him, he took off at a run. He hoped that he wasnÂ’t too late. Running up to the Fat Lady, he shouted the password and dashed inside. Bolting to the back of the common room, he pulled out his wand and reached inside the hearth, making sure that neither he nor his wand touched the flames. Touching his wand to a stone high on the inside front of the hearth, he whispered something, careful to be as quiet as he could. There was no way to tell when someone would come in except the Proximity spell, but he needed his wand for what he was doing. Slowly a slab of the tower wall slid away to the right of the hearth. Letting the tip of his wand drop from the stone, he pulled his arm out quickly and dashed for the opening. He had only seconds, but after months of practice he had it timed exactly. "Lumos," he whispered as soon as he was inside, and followed the light of his wand down the spiral stairs just in front of him.

Harry had found the passage and where it led only that September, while gazing at the MauraderÂ’s Map. He didnÂ’t know why he had ignored Gryffindor Tower in his earlier pourings over the Map, but when he finally did study the Tower, he found this small room. It took him some time to figure out how to get into it, and by the time he did he was seeing someone, and found it perfect for their secret meetings.

He allowed his mind to wander as he walked down the stairs, back there, to when it had all started.

Harry smiled warmly at the memory as he stepped off the last stair. Kayden was sitting on the one table in the small, windowless room. He looked up as Harry came into the room and smiled. Harry walked over and kissed him deeply.

"I heard the conversation at breakfast," Kayden said when the kiss ended. He held him at armsÂ’ length, gazing into his eyes. "Are you sure that youÂ’re ok?"

"IÂ’m fine, Kayden." HarryÂ’s voice hardened slightly. "DonÂ’t you start. HermÂ’s been bugging me about it all morning and IÂ’m tired of telling everyone that IÂ’m fine. I just want to be here, enjoying your company."

"Whoa, tiger! Gentle down there. IÂ’m sorry I asked. Soft spot this morn, huh?"

"Kind of," Harry replied, a little more meekly.

Harry suddenly stumbled backwards. Wide-eyed, he stared at Kayden as if the boy had been dredged up from the pits of hell. Kayden jumped off the table and hurried over to him.

"Harry?" He asked. "Harry, are you ok?"

"W-what is that around you and how do I know that it means that youÂ’re afraid?" Harry asked, almost to himself, his voice rising quickly. "What are you afraid of? What is going on?"

Uncontrollable fear welled up inside Harry. He was like a deer caught in the high beams of his uncleÂ’s car, frozen, his heart beating furiously. He couldnÂ’t breathe, and KaydenÂ’s voice was growing more dim by the second. He tried to answer his boyfriend, to tell him that he was ok, but the words would not come. Blackness rolled in and all he could see was a brilliant blue halo around the person he loved. As unconsciousness overtook him his last thought was: I hope I donÂ’t get Kayden in troubleÂ…