What We Will

Chapter 3

A few hours later Harry returned to No. 4 Privet Drive. He was not quite sure what to expect after Dudley had thrown a party, but he was sure that Dudley would expect him to clear up. Previously Harry would have done what was expected of him, he could not have refused for fear of being thrown out of the house and he needed to stay within the wards on the house, under his aunt's protection.

He had just over a week and then he would be of age and Dumbledore could no longer force him to stay at Privet Drive. Harry had been disillusioned. He would not support Dumbledore and support his order, he did not trust the man. Once Harry had harboured feelings of trust and respect for the man, but that was over. Sirius' death had been the start of a downward trend. Dumbledore kept important information from him, he said that it was for Harry's safety; or for his own good - but Harry needed this information, needed to be kept informed, and if Dumbledore would not tell him, then he would find another way. So he had started to make contacts that could be useful. His friends could not be trusted, they thought too much of Dumbledore, acted as if his word was law, no one in Gryffindor would be useful to him.

Harry knew that he had a lot of influence, but he had not used it before, his fame had always made him uncomfortable. But now things were different, he would use whatever means possible to get what he wanted.

This project was too big for him to undertake alone, he needed someone who shared his view, whom he could trust completely. He had had a hard time starting his search. He didn't really know anyone who was not in Gryffindor, and hardly anyone who was not in his year. Harry realised that he had a lot of untapped potential in the lower years, but he still needed a partner, preferably female who could appeal to those he could not. Finally towards the end of sixth year he found Aeryn, a Ravenclaw. She was just at the end of her fifth year and she was everything he wanted.

They were good for each other. Aeryn was from an old, pureblood family and knew and understood all the wizarding customs that Harry found confusing., he really didn't know how to act in the wizarding world outside Hogwarts. Harry could not imagine life without her anymore, she knew everything he needed to know about wizarding culture and in turn he helped her with muggle technology. They had decided that phone and email were the best way to keep in touch when the couldn't meet face-to-face, as no wizard would know how they worked well enough to tract any calls or emails sent and information could be passed quicker than by owl.

In a few months Harry's life had changed drastically, but until he turned seventeen he would have to submit to whatever Dudley forced him to do.

~*~

Paul had said goodbye to Harry and Hermione in a bit of a daze. He had known about the wizarding world for a year now, but it had never seemed so real before. He had asked Alex to show him some spells when he had come home for the summer, but he had not been able to, as he was underage, and so he had simply forgotten about it. What he had seen Hermione do was astounding and she had claimed that they were only simple spells. And Harry...

Paul felt pleasant shivers pass through his body at the thought of Harry and smiled. His mind wondering to Harry's body, his fingers dancing over the buttons of his shirt and Harry kissing him...

Paul came out of his daze. Wait. Harry was a guy. He had been kissing a guy. He was gay. Uhh, he had not known that. Oh well, he understood why his last relationship had fallen apart now.

One thing he could not understand was that Harry wanted him. Harry was gorgeous and Paul did not see himself as anything special. He couldn't do any magic and he was only average looking. From what Paul had understood from Alex, Harry Potter was one of the most famous wizards in the world, although he was still slightly unsure on the details. Well frankly he didn't have a clue. Something about a guy Alex would only refer to as 'You-Know-Who', well Paul didn't know who and was convinced that Alex was only saying that to wind him up. Paul certainly didn't get why a famous wizard would want him when he could surely have anyone he wanted, but he was just glad that Harry had chosen him.

They had arranged a date on Friday and Paul could not wait. Harry had promised to tell him more about the wizarding world, never before had it seemed so interesting, but then again if Harry talked about drains Paul was sure he would still be fascinated.

~*~

Friday finally came around and Harry arrived at Paul's house at 7:30pm. He had realised an hour beforehand that he had nothing to wear as he had left all his new clothes at Paul's. He had not let the situation bother him greatly though, he had just called Paul and explained the problem. Paul had, of course, been most accommodating. No it was not a problem that Harry had left all his clothes at his house, of course Harry could change there.

It's just too easy, thought Harry, how can he not see what I'm doing.

He rang the doorbell.

~*~

"Hello," answered Paul smiling at Harry.

"Paul," said Harry stepping in and giving him a quick kiss. "Let me just get changed and then we can go." Harry swept his gaze visibly up Paul's body and Paul blushed. "Delectable."

"Thanks," said Paul blushing even more.

"I'll be down in a sec," said Harry heading to the stairs and down the corridor to Paul's room.

~*~

Paul and Harry walked into the restaurant and took their seats. It was a Chinese restaurant and the decor was dominantly red. The lights were low and tall taper candles were scattered around the room giving the restaurant a romantic atmosphere. Their table was in a secluded corner that was partially covered by a lattice screen. The waitress handed them their menus and left them.

Harry reached across the table and took Paul's hand. "I've missed you. I know I only saw you a few days ago, but it seems like an age."

Paul seemed to glow. "I've missed you too," he replied. "What've you been doing?"

"I'll tell you over dinner." Harry smiled, "Now what do you recommend? I don't normally get Chinese."

~*~

Aeryn sat in front of her laptop typing up and making scene of the information in front of her. Parchment was scattered all over her desk. She had gathered nearly all the information they needed on the subject but some was still being elusive. That was not a problem though. She would find it.

She picked up the phone and dialled.

"Tasselli," answered the woman on the other end.

"I need you to go to the Malfoys' ball tomorrow. 500 galleons have been deposited in your account for your use. We need the dark arts information."

"That's fine. I received an invitation and I'll confirm immediately."

"Good. Email me your report by Monday."

"Of course. Anything else?"

"Not right now. I might need you in Diagon Alley on Wednesday. Helen, wait for my call." And Aeryn hung up and turned back to her computer.

~*~

Chapter 4

Helen drifted through the crowd in the ballroom in Malfoy Manor. She looked stunning. Her mid-blue robes fell gracefully around her slim body, and it and her tanzanite jewellery brought out the colour in her eyes. Her blond hair was up in an elegant twist and she seemed to glide from place to place. Her gaze moved around the room to check that she was not being observed.

David smiled at her and moved towards her. He took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor. They danced a waltz slowly enjoying each others company. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes."

They split up and Helen went into the corridor and moved in the direction of the toilets. Halfway there she veered off and quickly made her way up the grand staircase in the main hall. At the top she split off and hurried in the direction of Draco Malfoy's suite. She made it through the outer door and closed it behind her. She warded the door and checked the three doors in front of her for detection and touch wards. One was clear but the other two showed traces of spells. Helen pulled out her wand and directed it at her eyes. She pressed the tip to first one then the other temple and blinked as her vision changed. Her eyes could now see the individual spells that were placed on each door. The spells were a mixture of colours and symbols. There were hundreds of different ones on the door, but Helen looked for the active ones.

Helen had spent two months learning spells that were likely to be placed on doors after she had accepted this job from Aeryn. She knew that Aeryn had a partner or was working for someone, but she had not been privy to that information. She recognised most of the spells on the door and the incantations and counter spells needed, but as she looked around she saw the faint silver outline of a door. It had been spelled to be unnoticed unless you knew it was there. Helen dismantled the spells on the door and walked into the room.

~*~

David walked along the corridor from the bathroom and Helen joined him at his side.

"Did you get what you wanted, darling?"

"Yes," she said with a dazzling smile. "Now let's enjoy the ball."

~*~

Aeryn read the report that had been emailed to her late on Sunday morning. Helen had found what she wanted, but it needed to be dropped off in person, she could not allow it to be sent by owl, it was too valuable.

The information that was required was found in a magical sphere. It was located in Draco Malfoy's suite in a hidden study that was charmed to be unnoticed from the outside, without prior knowledge of said room.

The rest was not relevant and Aeryn filed the details away, and pulled up an email to be sent to Helen.

I will be in Diagon Alley on Wednesday for a meeting and I will meet you then. Meet in the Leaky Cauldron at 2pm. I will also need you to entertain someone for 30 minutes. Bring David.

Aeryn

The response was almost immediate.

We will be there.

~*~

"Hello?" answered Paul, picking up the phone smiling happily. He was still on a high after his date with Harry on Friday.

"Hey, it's me," Harry said. "How are you?"

"Happy. I had a brilliant time on Friday. I really enjoyed myself," Paul answered softly.

"I did too. I really liked being with you." Harry replied, his voice sweet. Remember you are doing this for a reason, he kept rolling around as a mantra in his head. You need him, be nice. You like Paul. You like Paul. You like Paul. "Erm, anyway. I, er, have to go to London on Wednesday, and it's my birthday so I was wondering if you would like to come with me. But you don't have to of course; I just thought it would be nice..."

"Harry," Paul interrupted. "I would love to go to London, I don't have anything planned. What do you need to do?"

"Well I need to go to the bank and sign some forms about my inheritance, then I was planning to go shopping. And then on Thursday I have an appointment at the ministry to take my apparating test, but I don't think that'll take long."

"You going to stay overnight?"

"Yeah, I'll book us a room at the Leaky Cauldron."

"Hang on. When you say you need to go shopping..."

"Oh right, sorry. I was planning to go to the wizarding part of London, if that's okay with you and then stay the night at a wizarding inn, but only if you want to of course."

"You want me to stay with you? And be seen with you? I mean I would like to," said Paul who sounded unsure about the idea now. "But you're like really famous and I'm just someone that nobody has ever heard of and I've never been to wizarding London. When Alex went to buy his books and things last year I didn't go, so..."

"Paul. I really like you. I could never be embarrassed about being seen with you. And you obviously don't know what type of celebrity I am. I avoid meeting the press at all costs, I don't sign autographs and I don't care what people think about me. I've had lots of horrible stuff written about me in the past and all I can do is ignore it. I really hate being famous, and it's for something I don't even remember. I don't really get why people flock over me and want to see me. I'm nothing special. Do you know what I'm famous for Paul? Why people want to see me?"

"Well, not really," said Paul sounding a bit nervous. "Harry are you o..."

"Because I didn't die. Do you think that that deserves fame? For not dying?"

"Harry, calm down. You sound really worked up. I'm sorry. I would Love to come to London with you okay?" Paul seemed to have a smile in his voice. "Are you free now? Do you want me to come over?"

"Yeah. Can I come to you?" asked Harry and all the energy left his voice. He just seemed tired.

"Sure. I'll see you in a minute. Bye Harry."

"Bye Paul."

~*~

"Yes."

"Aeryn, my darling. How are you?"

"What's happened? Did you arrange it?"

"Not yet, but we're going to Diagon Alley on Wednesday. When and where do you want to meet?"

"What time will you be arriving?"

"About 11. I have a meeting at the bank at 12:30 am, and that might take a while, you know what the goblins are like. But I told Paul that I was going to spend the rest of the day shopping, so any time after 3 o'clock would be good."

"That will be fine. I have arranged for Tasselli and her partner to meet me in London and they can entertain Paul for a while. The Dark Arts information was recovered from the Malfoys and I will email you the information after it has been decrypted."

"That'll be fine. So I'll see you at 3:30 in the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Yes. That will be fine. Bye"

"I'll see you on Wednesday."

~*~

Paul was watching TV aimlessly, waiting for Harry to arrive. Hope he's okay, he did sound kind of upset to the phone.

The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," yelled Paul running down the stairs just in time to see his mother open the door.

"Hello?" his mother asked Harry pleasantly.

Harry looked very surprised to see her. "Erm, hi. I'm here to see Paul," he said recovering himself quickly. "Hi Paul," he said, motioning to Paul behind her.

"Mum. This is my friend Harry, I just invited him over. He's a friend of Hermione's. Remember we went shopping a few weeks ago." Said Paul intervening.

"Vaguely," she replied. "Will you be staying for dinner, or are you two going out?" she inquired, smiling at Harry.

"Erm," replied Harry looking at Paul who shrugged. "Yes. I'd love to."

"Okay then," and she moved away.

Paul practically dragged Harry up the stairs to his room, shut the door and locked it.

"Paul," said Harry turning to his boyfriend. "Did you tell your mum about us?"

"What? No, but it did seem as though she knew though."

"When she asked if we were 'going out'..."

"I don't want to tell her," said Paul without thinking.

Harry looked hurt. "Oh, I see. Well that's okay." Said Harry looking miserably at the floor.

Oh shit! What have I done? thought Paul. "Harry," said Paul pulling the downcast boy into his arms and kissing him softly. "What's wrong?"

Harry sat on Paul's bed and looked as if he was about to cry. "Nothing. It's okay. I understand Paul. It's fine," said Harry looking miserable.

"Harry. I may not be very perceptive, but I know something's wrong. Just tell me okay." Paul sat on the bed next to Harry. Harry didn't say anything, just leaned into Paul's embrace. "Tell me, okay? I want to know. It's upsetting you. Maybe I can help," Paul pressed.

"Paul. I understand. You don't want to tell them. That's okay."

Think hard. What does he understand? What don't I want to tell? Oh God, does he think...? Paul looked down at Harry and tightened his arms, trying to bring Harry as close as possible. I'll have to ask, I guess. Paul took a deep breath. "Harry. Do you think... Do you think... that I'm ashamed of you?" asked Paul in a rush.

Harry looked at him. "Aren't you?"

"What no, of course not. What would make you think that?" Paul lent down and kissed him. "I really like you Harry."

Harry smiled, but still looked upset. "But when you thought your mother knew..."

Paul looked slightly uncomfortable. "Well, it's not that I don't want my parents to know, it's just that I'm kind of nervous about it. I mean ... I really like you Harry, and I don't want anything to go wrong because my parents disapprove or something. It's just that you're my first boyfriend and I don't know how they'll react, you know? And it's not that I'm ashamed of you or anything," Paul added hastily seeing Harry's face. "But I really like you and I don't want anything to go wrong, so I was just keeping it a secret for now," finished Paul hopefully.

Harry smiled at him and Paul relaxed. "Yeah. I'm sorry Paul. I don't know what's wrong with me? I'm just a bit upset." Harry pushed Paul down on the bed and lying in his arms, and Paul hugged him to him protectively. "It's just that the Dursleys have always pushed me away when people came around, and pretended that I didn't exist and they hate me for being a wizard." Harry paused, "Can we listen to some music?" he asked turning his face to Paul.

"Sure," said Paul getting up and moving to his stereo. "What do you want to hear?"

"I don't mind. You choose."

Paul put a CD in and joined Harry on the bed again.

Harry didn't look inclined to say anything else.

"Harry, are you going to tell me? You only asked me to put some music on so that you didn't have to tell me, you just wanted me to distract me."

Harry turned so that he was lying facing his boyfriend. "You're a lot like Hermione you know," he said gazing at him.

"And you are still avoiding the issue."

"I know," said Harry morosely.

"Harry. I want to know. This is obviously bothering you and I really like you, so I want to know about you."

Harry sighed and turned so he was facing away from Paul. "I guess that I'm a bit insecure. The Dursleys have never cared for me, and I guess that I just want to be liked. In the wizarding world people always seem to want to be with me because I'm famous and the people I might like are scared to approach me because I'm so famous. And now that I've found you, and I really like you, I want to tell everybody about it."

"Harry it's not that I don't like you or anything, it's just that I'm a bit nervous about telling people, but I wouldn't mind if you told your friends... I mean if you want to." He pulled Harry round to face him. "Come here," and he pulled Harry into a deep kiss. Harry moaned and Paul deepened the kiss sliding his tongue between Harry's lips. Paul was gentle, but he was still demanding, coaxing Harry to respond to him.

"Now," said Paul pulling away. "Do you want to tell your friends?"

"Yes."