The Serpent and the Eagle

Chapter Six - Pan's Ether

[Don't Let Go (Love)]

[En Vogue]

What's it gonna be

Cause I can't pretend

Don't you wanna be more than friends?

Hold me tight and don't let go

Don't let go

Have the right to loose control

Don't let go

I often tell myself

That we could be more than just friends

I know you think that if we move to soon

It would all end

I live in misery when you're not around

And I won't be satisfied 'till we're taking those vows

There'll be some lovemaking, heartbreaking, soul shaking

Oh, lovemaking, heartbreaking, soul shaking

What's it gonna be

Cuz I can't pretend

Don't you wanna be more than friends?

Hold me tight and don't let go

Don't let go

Have the right to loose control

Don't let go

I often fantasize

The stars above are watching you

They know my heart and speak to yours

Like only lovers do

If I could wear your clothes

I'd pretend I was you and loose control

There'll be some lovemaking, heartbreaking, soul shaking

Oh lovemaking, heartbreaking, soul shaking, oh yeah

What's it gonna be

Cuz I can't pretend

Don't you wanna be more than friends?

Hold me tight and don't let go

Don't let go

Have the right to lose control

Don't let go

Running in and out my life has got me so confused

You gotta make the sacrifice

Somebody's got to choose

We can make it if we try for the sake of you and I

Together we can make it right

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - 1996

'New timetables,' Draco said, passing sheets of parchment amongst the other sixth years.

'Ah, no way!' someone groaned. 'Double Transfiguration with Gryffindor first thing.'

Draco shrugged. 'So deal with it. Maybe we'll get to turn one of them into a gargoyle.'

'Well, there wouldn't be much left to do!' Blaise Zabini quipped. 'They're all as thick as stone anyway!'

The Slytherin table exploded with laughter.

'Oh, I have a new Gryffindor joke!' Pansy shrieked. 'This Gryffindor girl finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her, so she finds out who it is and waits to catch them together. She jumps out, her wand pointed at her head. The boyfriend says, "Please, don't do this!" and the Gryffindor says, "Shut up, you're next! Avada Kedavra!"'

The Slytherins found this hilarious and burst out laughing again.

Nott chuckled and said snidely, 'I'll bet not one of them got an "O" in their OWL's! The only "O" they'd ever see would be "Oh, you little twerp!"'

'Now, now, Nott!' Draco scolded. 'While it's true that Gryffindors are famous for being criminally stupid, distressingly ugly and having an egregious tendency to rush in where angels fear to tread...but that's no excuse to - '

He was cut off mid-wisecrack by a shout.

'Draco Malfoy!'

Draco looked up, and saw a vision of loveliness advancing on him.

'Just look at her, Greg,' he said to the boy to his left.

The boy had a tank-like physique, and his face was of the unfortunate kind that seems to have run headlong into a wall during boyhood.

'What about her?' he asked.

Draco sighed. Greg had also apparently been behind the barn when brains were being dished out.

'She's just gorgeous,' Draco sighed.

Greg looked at the angry girl as she approached, and scrunched up his face.

'Whatever you say, Draco,' Goyle muttered, and continued forcing chunks of bacon and sausage sandwich between his teeth.

'Cho, to what do I owe...' Draco said graciously, getting to his feet.

'I need to talk to you,' she said curtly. She noticed that the entire Slytherin table was watching her intently, and she added pointedly, 'in private.'

A chorus of jibes and taunts rose from the table as Draco got elegantly to his feet and followed her to the grounds.

It was a crisp morning; full of the promise of early autumn with darkening leaves on the trees and wilted flowers leaning weakly in the dew-laden grass, as if defeated. The sky was tinged with pink and laced with shades of umber and saffron as the rising sun entered the morning sky. The night, still reluctant to forsake the sky, lingered in the west, the morning star still burning defiantly amidst the darkness.

Draco inhaled the morning with a sense of deep satisfaction.

'So, what's wrong?' he began.

'Cho!' a voice yelled.

Cho turned and groaned. 'Oh, no...' she moaned. 'Not Michael.'

Michael Corner, a dark-haired Ravenclaw fifth year stood in the doorway, his expression confused and somewhat hurt.

'You didn't reply to any of my owls this summer,' he said, pouting.

'That's because I didn't want to,' Cho said with false brightness. 'Now why don't you toddle along into the Great Hall and eat your cereal, like a good boy, hmm?'

Tears welled in his brown eyes. His lower lip trembled and he said angrily, 'I really liked you, Cho. I wondered why you and Potter stopped going out, but now I see why!'

'Do tell,' Cho said idly.

'It's because you are a horrible, nasty, self-centred bitch!' Michael spat. 'And it's a good thing Cedric died when he did, or else you would have been just as awful to him too!'

Cho rounded on him, as enraged as a tigress.

'How dare you!' she yelled. 'I'm reporting you to the Head for this, you miserable little worm. Get out of my sight, and don't you ever dare mention his name again! You aren't even fit to lick his boots.'

Michael burst into tears and fled, crying.

Cho passed her hand before her eyes and sighed heavily.

'I didn't want to do that,' she said softly.

'Well, you did it absurdly well despite your...reluctance,' Draco said with a smile.

'No, he's just a kid!' Cho said, thoroughly embarrassed now.

'A highly annoying kid,' Draco pointed out.

'Very much so,' Cho agreed. 'But I came out here to talk to you about something important...'

'I figured as much,' Draco said, nodding soberly. 'I know what you wanted to say.'

'Really?' she asked.

'Yes,' Draco replied. 'We don't seem to be getting much of a reaction from Potter boy, so I reckon we should step this up a notch.'

'Like how?' Cho demanded. 'I'm not going to shag you in the Gryffindor common room while Harry's sat there doing his Potions homework!'

Draco chuckled. 'I'll have to remember that one,' he said. 'It might well come in handy one of these days.'

'I thought you'd have something like that in mind,' Cho said dryly. 'But that's...'

Draco cut her off.

'I also know that your conscience is getting to you,' he went on briskly, 'so I got you this potion.'

He held the small phial out to her. It was made out of crystal, and corked with a dragon's claw. Its black contents looked oily, and a greasy sheen of dull green was revealed as the rays of the sun pierced its container.

'Merlin's beard!' Cho gasped. 'How on earth did you come by this? I thought the last bottle and the ingredient list were destroyed by the Ministry two hundred years ago!'

Draco smiled wryly. 'The legendary Pan's Ether,' he said proudly. 'It removes all foolish moral ideas like guilt and conscience, leaving behind basic instinct.'

'Well, duh,' Cho said, rolling her eyes.

'There's no need for colloquial emphatics, Cho. Now, Pan,' Draco began, shoving icy fair hair back from his face, 'was an ancient Greek god, and he had no moral or social aspect whatsoever, and was simply the embodiment of pure, basic instinct. That's why this potion was named for him. It's said that he had a hand in its making, too.'

'But it's incredibly dangerous,' she gasped. 'It can leave a person with no conscience whatsoever!' Her voice lowered, and she glanced around her suspiciously. 'They say You-Know-Who drank it before he turned.'

Draco laughed. 'Only a fool would drink too much of that stuff!' he said. 'Father advocates that it tastes absolutely horrendous. He only had the barest taste of it after he lost a bet, in his final year of Hogwarts, and he has regretted it ever since.'

'And you want me to drink it?' Cho asked.

'Well, yes,' said Draco. 'I have no need of it, being a Slytherin.'

'I thought Slytherins were as human as the rest of us?' Cho asked.

Draco grinned. 'Ah, that would be telling, wouldn't it?'

Cho looked at the bottle again.

'And...can it be reversed?' she asked. 'I mean, if it goes too far, or if I drink too much...'

Draco frowned, not angrily, but in confusion.

'It can...' he said. The two words were drawn-out and frustrating to Cho's ears.

'You have "but" face,' she said.

'What?' Draco demanded.

'Your face has "but" written all over it!' Cho said emphatically. 'You were saying, "It can..." and I just know there's a "but" following those words. So spit it out!'

Draco calmed somewhat. 'I thought you were insulting me, there,' he chuckled. Seeing her face, he cleared his throat and continued. 'It can be reversed, but only if you find the Potion of Nemesis. And as far as I know, that's no picnic. It racks you with guilt about everything you did while under the influence of Pan's Ether, and the feeling of guilt never leaves you completely afterwards.'

It was Cho's turn to frown. 'You speak as if from experience.'

'My Uncle Tarquin's, actually,' Draco said with a shrug. 'He was father's younger brother. He and father took Pan's Ether together, because they both lost the best.'

'Was?' Cho asked. 'As in, past tense? As in, no longer with us?'

Draco nodded.

'What happened to him?' Cho gasped.

'Well, he took too much of Pan's Ether,' explained Draco. 'And he had no social or moral codes whatsoever! The Ministry forced him to take the Potion of Nemesis, and he was so tormented by all the things he had done that he committed suicide a year later.'

Cho gave a low whistle. 'Pretty nasty,' she muttered.

'Indeed,' Draco agreed. 'So just a drop should do, don't you think?'

'Tarquin...' Cho murmured. 'Don't I know that name from somewhere?'

'Yes,' Draco said sardonically. 'I've just told you it.'

'Tarquin...King Tarquin!' Cho said, snapping her fingers. 'He was a king in Rome!'

'Well done,' Draco said.

'But what did your uncle do?' Cho asked, curious.

'Murdered three old witches who looked at him funny in the street,' Draco said, 'with his bare hands.'

'Oh my...' Cho gasped.

'Quickly,' Draco urged, 'we've only got a quarter of an hour before we have to get to class. I'll keep watch and make sure no teachers are nearby.'

Cho removed the dragon's claw from the neck of the bottle.

Greasy black mist oozed out of the mouth for a moment and then settled.

'This do I drink to thee,' Cho quoted, and raised it to her lips.

Draco turned, and his grey eyes widened.

'NO!' he yelled. 'Don't drink it like that!'

Cho swallowed her mouthful, startled.

'Oh, nooo...' Draco moaned, watching her. He sank to his knees and put his head in his hands. 'What have I done?' he whispered.

Cho replaced the stopper and regarded Draco for a moment. The bottle fell from her hand and landed harmlessly on the grass. She smiled and said, 'Y'know, Draco, if people see you kneeling before me they might get the wrong idea...'

Draco looked up sharply, blinking his eyes as if to clear them.

'What?' he asked.

'You heard me, you great blonde buffoon,' she giggled. 'Get up, it's time for class.'

'How do you feel?' Draco asked nervously.

'I feel...' Cho hesitated and considered her emotions.

No qualms about her father. Let him cry all he wanted!

No worries about Cedric. Let the dead be!

No fears about right or wrong. And best of all, there were no doubts about Harry. He deserved this vengeance.

'I feel...fantastic!' Cho declared. 'Come on, we've only ten minutes to get to class. And I'm in double Potions!'

Draco retrieved the bottle and observed the contents. Slightly less than a third of the liquid was missing. He swallowed nervously.

He pocketed the phial, ignoring his damp robes.

'Bloody hell,' he muttered.

And that pretty much said it all.

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

Cho strolled into Potions class, feeling unusually happy. Normally this class made her feel oppressed with a sensation of dread, as if she were walking into a dodgy part of London, or as if she were walking into a dragon's lair.

That potion was really something! It was like the time in summer one of the guys had convinced her to try smoking a hand-rolled cigarette. It had tasted very strange, but she had ended up happier than she had felt in a long time.

This was the same kind of feeling. Everything seemed so much simpler!

Professor Snape eyeballed her with distaste.

'You look unusually happy, Miss Chang,' he said snidely. 'Care to share the joke with the rest of the class?'

'No joke, professor,' Cho said with an enchanting smile. 'I just love this class.'

Snape's face contorted, going from surprise to immensely flattered and then finally to his usual scowl.

'Be that as it may, you should focus more on learning this remedy to the most common love potions...' Snape grumbled.

'Will we be learning any actual love potions this term, Professor?' Cho asked.

Snape was surprised again, but this time he was a little angrier.

'No,' he said shortly. 'Why do you want to learn one so badly, Miss Chang?'

'She wants to use it on you!' someone muttered, sending a ripple of laughter about the class.

'Detention, Mister Aquinas,' Snape said idly. 'Well, Miss Chang?'

'No reason,' Cho replied. 'I'm just curious.'

'Yes, well,' Snape said nastily, 'remember that curiosity killed the kneazle.'

Cho, however, was laughing delightedly inwardly. Being Head Girl, she had access to every part of the library. She couldn't borrow restricted books, but she could study from them while in the library. And with a love potion, she could make Potter suffer even more than he already was!

Cho began to formulate a plan in her head. She could slip it into his morning pumpkin juice while he wasn't looking, or even bribe another Gryffindor to do it for her.

She sighed happily.

Being devious was fun! It was just a pity she hadn't been made a Slytherin...

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

It was approaching midnight in the Gryffindor Common Room.

Harry lay, half-asleep on a tattered sofa. His unfinished Potions homework lay on the floor beside it, the ink still damp and glistening on the rough surface of parchment.

Ginny paused in the doorway, and smiled at the sight.

On cat's feet, she padded forward in fluffy bedroom slippers towards his resting place. As tenderly as if she were his mother, she covered his sleeping form with a ragged red blanket.

'Should I wake you?' she whispered. 'You look so peaceful.'

'No need,' Harry groaned, sitting up. 'I'm not asleep.'

'You could have fooled me, what with all the snoring,' Ginny said with a smile.

Harry removed his glasses and rubbed sleep from his eyes. 'I was not snoring,' he complained. 'I was resting my eyes for your information.'

'And rehearsing your chainsaw impression?' Ginny teased.

'Shut up,' Harry grumbled. 'What time is it?'

Ginny glanced at her wrist and said, 'Umm...half past a freckle, eastern elbow time.'

'What?' Harry asked.

Ginny raised her arm, revealing the lack of a wristwatch. Harry chuckled appreciatively.

'Potions homework?' Ginny asked.

'Yeah,' Harry said, stretching out his weary limbs. 'I have no idea how I managed to get into that bloody class. I still have no idea how I managed to get an 'O' in it! Unfortunately, I'm stuck there until the end of next year.'

Ginny giggled. 'Still have your heart set on being an Auror, eh?'

Harry nodded and yawned simultaneously. 'Damn, I am tired!'

'You should really get to bed,' Ginny replied.

'I'm not sleepy anymore,' Harry said, half surprised. 'Thanks for reminding me to stop resting my eyes.'

Ginny giggled. 'You'll have to thank me somehow,' she said.

'Can I name my price?' Harry asked eagerly.

'You bet,' Ginny laughed.

'Umm...the blood of your firstborn child!' he said jokingly. 'No, wait, that's barbaric...'

Ginny burst out laughing. 'How about the last biscuit?' she asked, holding up the plate. It was all that remained of the seventh year's annual return to Hogwarts party.

'What's on it?' Harry asked suspiciously, wary of Canary Creams.

'The blood of my firstborn,' Ginny said, her lips twitching.

'Very funny...' Harry grumbled. 'And I never trust any food I find lying around here.'

'You sound like Moody,' Ginny said. 'Which is accurate, because you've been pretty moody lately. What went on at the Sorting?'

'I don't want to talk about that,' Harry said quickly

'Fair enough,' Ginny said, rising to go to bed.

'Wait...there's something I wanted to talk to you about,' Harry said suddenly.

Ginny looked at him, puzzled. 'What is it?' She sat back down.

Harry smiled and said, 'Well, it's kind of embarrassing.'

Ginny felt her heart quicken, but she forced herself to keep her hopes down, just in case she was disappointed again.

'How so?' she asked.

'Well, it's about yesterday, on the train,' Harry began. 'I wanted to say thanks to you for making sure I was alright.'

Ginny blushed. 'It's no problem,' she replied quietly. 'I just thought that Cho was being an absolute cow.'

Harry laughed. 'Yeah, I half expected her to start mooing at us!'

They both laughed appreciatively at the joke.

'But, really,' Harry said earnestly, 'you've always been there for me, Ginny. And I never noticed until I was in that carriage, letting myself feel so awful because of some girl who is as shallow as...as...'

'One of mum's frying pans?' Ginny proffered.

Harry burst out laughing. 'Good one,' he said.

'Thank you,' Ginny replied.

'But, I just wanted to say, Ginny...' Harry said softly. 'I'm glad you're always there for me...even if I don't always show it. And even if I ask for the blood of your firstborn in repayment!' he added with a laugh.

Ginny felt her mind burst like a Wildfire Whiz-Bang. He admitted he liked her! Well, technically...

'So who's next on your list?' Ginny teased.

'Well...' Harry began. 'There is someone, but I don't know if she likes me.'

Harry considered for a moment. It was true; there was someone he liked. He got a fluttering feeling in his stomach whenever he saw her, but he just thought it was indigestion or something. He had thought that they were lingering feelings for Cho, but instead of the one-sided waltz that his heart used to perform when he saw her, it was more of a feeble kick. When Cho kissed Draco, he was so upset because he knew he would have to let go on the idea of getting back together with her completely. It hurt, because he knew Cho, he had once thought he loved her, but these new feelings were stronger than anything he had ever felt for Cho, and more pure and honest somehow. He trusted Ginny, he admired her, he liked her...

'If I were you, Harry,' Ginny said tentatively, 'I'd have to be painfully honest with myself and tell that person. I learned a long time ago that if you just pine for them, you'll never get anywhere.'

'That's some really good advice,' Harry said, leaning forward.

'I do try my best,' Ginny answered.

'I owe you for that advice,' Harry pressed.

'And how shall you pay me back?' Ginny asked with a smile.

'I think this might work...' Harry said.

Their lips met. There was no explosion of senses or sensation of bruised lips. No visions of chubby cherubs or Greek gods, or haunting choirs of angels or phantasmal wedding marches marred the kiss.

All those cheesy romance novels had it so, so wrong...

There was nothing so tacky or melodramatic happening for them, at least not right now.

This was...meant to be. Nothing could ever separate them now, not now that they were here, together, making up for all those years of unrequited love with the kiss to end all other kisses...

'Christ on a bike!' came a voice.

Harry and Ginny jerked apart to see Seamus Finnegan picking up his books from the table.

'I thought you were going out with Dean!' Seamus said.

'Past tense,' Ginny retorted. 'Good night, Harry.'

'Good night, Ginny,' Harry said softly. He watched her disappear up the stairs to the girls' dormitory, and turned to Seamus.

'Don't start,' Harry growled. 'It's been a very bad night.'

'Not by the looks of it,' Seamus said, tight-lipped and angry. 'What's Dean going to say about this?'

'I had no idea they were still going out,' Harry said honestly.

'Well, they are.'

'Well...all right then,' Harry countered. 'I'm going to bed. I'll talk to Dean in the morning.'

'That is if he doesn't suffocate you first!' Seamus snarled.

Harry glared at Seamus until the sandy-haired boy backed down.

'All right, I get it!' Seamus said. 'It's none of me business. It's Dean's.'

'Not to mention mine, and Ginny's,' Harry rejoined.

'I won't say anything to him,' Seamus said, gathering up his books and shoving them heavily into his bag. He turned to go, and added, 'but I'll expect you to.'

Harry sat back down and watched the flames of the fire ebb slowly away into glowing embers. Wearily, he took up his Potions homework and made a half-hearted attempt at the remainder of it. Eventually, he shook his head in defeat and trudged up the stairs to his bed.

It had been a very long day.