Coming Of Age

Coming of Age

Chapter Five - Cloud walking

Sunday 19th August 2001.

The following morning...

Ron sat on the wide window seat leaning against the casement recess, his legs stretched out along the upholstered cushion and his eyes closed. Beside him the window was open and a soft breeze floated the scent of roses into the first-floor bedroom. The sound of cat talk came from the garden, and he opened his eyes. The thin sliver of the moon cast just enough light in the garden for him to see Crookshanks and Kovack, the black and white cat from next door, sitting on the table talking to each other. Crookshanks had a strict hierarchy of who was allowed in his garden and Kovack, with his dinner jacket markings and white socks, was the only other cat allowed free reign of that territory. He even joined Crookshanks in terrorising the rest of the neighbourhood cats.

Ron sighed, still trying to make sense of his outburst at Harry's party. Fortunately, they had parted on good terms, but he still felt annoyed that Harry could bring out such indignation in him. This had surprised him, because it was the one emotion he hadn't expected when meeting his old friend again.

"Can't you sleep?"

Ron looked towards the voice. He could just make out the figure on the bed. "I'm just wallowing in self pity. Can you believe how stupid I was?"

Hermione slipped from under the sheets, found her dressing down and crossed to the window. She pushed his feet over and sat down opposite him, her own legs parallel to Ron's along the seat. "I was quite impressed actually. Ron Weasley ranting at the great Harry Potter," she smiled at him. "It'll be written up in all the history texts."

"It's not funny. We were lucky he collapsed, or he would have left and that would have been it." He stroked her foot, absently massaging it. "I know I'm supposed to be a hot tempered red head, but do I always get so carried away? Shouting like that?"

"You had your reasons. Actually, I think it worked quite well. You sort of shocked him into realising just how serious this whole thing is. If we'd just talked politely about it, we wouldn't have gotten anywhere."

"Do you know what really pissed me off?"

Hermione wanted to ask 'apart from Harry kissing me?', but somehow didn't think it would be a good idea. She still wasn't sure what she thought about the kiss herself. Harry tasted, well, just delicious, and it still made her legs tremble when she thought about it.

Ron charged on, not waiting for her response. "It was the way he sat there like nothing had happened. Like he hadn't run out on us. He said sorry for kissing you, but nothing about leaving. He's spent three years messing around with that camera of his, while we've struggled to keep a lid on things."

"He didn't know, Ron. He assumed Voldemort's death would be an end to things."

"Well, he should have realised. And what about that dig?" Ron waved an absent hand. "He's never heard me say 'Voldemort' before."

"It's true."

"It's not."

"It is. You still called him 'You Know Who' up to about a year ago."

"Oh." He looked thoughtful. "I guess so."

"Are you worried Harry's going to come back into our lives and change the status quo? That he'll want to run things?"

Ron shrugged. "Did you see the way Fred and George looked at him? Like the return of the Chosen One! If he'd told them to jump, they would have asked 'how high?'."

"Now who's being ridiculous?"

"Not!" He reacted like a petulant child.

"Are!" Hermione retorted in kind. "Ron, you didn't answer. Would you let him run things?"

"Sure. He'd look at me with those rotten green eyes and I'd be saying 'how high?' too. And that's what I hate about myself. I'd let him stroll back in and take over. Do you know what I thought the moment I saw him gain? It was 'Great. I can go and get on with my life again now'. Harry can take over."

"Oh, Ron." She moved forward, kissing him.

"I'm fed up being a hero." Ron's arms pulled her to his chest.

"That's not going to change, you know. Harry is clearly very happy with his life. He's going to want to sort this curse thing out, but we don't know if he's going to return to the fold afterwards."

He looked thoughtful, clearly debating the fact. "I guess. I just assumed he'd come back and everything would be the same as before."

"And despite what you've just said about wanting to get on with your life, you don't actually want that do you?"

"No." Ron's fingers curled in her hair. "I've spent my whole life playing second fiddle to everybody and finally I'm being taken seriously and doing a hell of a job at it. I have done a good job haven't I?"

She nodded. "I think you're wonderful."

"Angel." He kissed Hermione again and picked her up. "Everything's on hold now anyway. Harry's gone on holiday! Can you believe it - we tell him he's got a deadly curse and he goes off to the Italian Lakes." He carried her back to the bed and lay on his side beside her, propped on one elbow.

"Actually, it's probably not such a bad thing. You know, out of sight, out of mind. The further he's away from the trigger the weaker the effect of the curse should be." She touched his face. "And it will give everyone the chance to get used to the idea of him being back."

"Hermione," Ron took the hand from his face and kissed her palm, "do you still love him?"

"What?"

"Harry. Do you still love him?"

She mirrored his pose and thought for a moment. "Harry? Of course I do. I'll love him for as long as I live, you know that." Ron's jaw tightened. "You've always known that. You feel exactly the same."

"Yes." He reached a finger to her cheek and traced the contour of her face. "Are you...?"

Hermione caught his hand. "Ron, what is going on here?"

"Do you want to go back to him?"

"Ron!"

"I'd understand. When you two met ... the way you and he ... kissed. I would understand if you wanted to end our..." His voice squeaked.

"What are you saying? You don't think..." She pushed him down onto his back and would have banged his head hard if she could. "Oh, Ron. We were all shocked by what happened and I was as surprised as Harry about the kiss." She had been surprised and still was - pleasantly so as it happened. "Yes, I do love him. He's was ... is ... one of my best friends and I don't ever want to loose him again."

"Oh."

She kissed him briefly. "But you. I love you in ways I can't explain. You know that don't you? You can sense that."

"Yes, but..." Hermione kissed him again, hard and deep and he responded, mouth open against her. His grip tightened around the woman, holding her closely to the length of his body and one of his legs slipped round her thigh, pulling her even closer. When she finally released him, he took a very deep breath. "Okay, I get the picture."

"Do you? Do you really?"

"I thought you might go ... leave me."

"Never. Is that what this is all really about?" He nodded. "Ron, I'm here for the duration."

Hermione relaxed into his arms and held him tightly. Yes, Ron, she thought to herself, I love you more than life itself. But Harry? She felt a breath catch in her throat. That transcends and goes somewhere else. She was glad it was dark because she was sure her face was blushing red as she remembered what making love to Harry had been like.

Making love to Ron felt like she was the universe and he was the only other thing in that universe. He was - and always would be - the most perfect expression of love she could find. Her sun, moon and stars. When she was with Ron she didn't need anyone else.

Harry, on the other hand, was like a cloud drifting about on the breeze. A cloud she could never quite get a location on and never knew when or if it would lead to rain. And she never knew what sort of cloud he would be. Sometimes he'd be a big thundercloud and she would feel like she was in the middle of a storm with him sparking such strong emotions from her. Other times a little April shower cloud, refreshing and light. And high scatter clouds ... or...

But that was three years ago and Harry had Emily now.

She shivered.

But that kiss. Oh, that kiss.

********************

Monday 10th September 2001

Harry stood on the small balcony overlooking Winchester High Street. From the attic window his view encompassed everything from the Cathedral, to the Water Meadows and the huge Guildhall. It was a view to die for and the rent for the offices matched the location. But like the lighthouse, it had been love at first sight and he just had to have it.

The narrow building, which stretched way back from the street, had a state-of-the-art photographic studio, his lovely dark room and several Apple Macintosh G4 computers on which he and his graphics designer Ian produced animation and websites. He'd also converted the basement into a flat, a getaway during a busy day or somewhere to rest when pulling all-nighters.

The building was empty at the moment. Ian had been sent home (the man had been working all weekend) and Jill; his indispensable assistant was having a day off. He didn't want either of them around when Ron Weasley arrived.

It had been nearly three weeks since their meeting at Harry's party and the ensuing row, and Harry hoped the break would make things easier. Ron had wanted to meet immediately, but Harry told him in no uncertain terms that Emily was taking him away on holiday and he wasn't going to cancel. Ron had spluttered his indignation. He did not approve of Harry being so far from help.

So Harry had gone to Italy and had the most miserable time possible. It rained. When it wasn't raining it was plain cloudy. And there had been another of the curse attacks. The pain from it had been really bad, despite the distance, and the aftereffects seemed to last for days. Emily decided he had flu and Harry wondered whether 'flu' was on the list of curses the caster planned. Fortunately Emily also decided she wanted to play nurse, which wasn't such a bad thing,he reminded himself. He smiled at the memory.

The front door buzzer sounded over the monitor and Harry climbed down the three floors to the reception. He turned the deadbolt lock and opened the door. "You found it all right then." He waved Ron in.

"Hope you don't mind. I've brought someone with me." A second figure appeared in the doorway.

Harry's eyes opened wide at the sight of Sirius Black, his godfather and best friend of both his parents. The last time he had seen Sirius, Harry had been preparing to take on Voldemort in that final battle which had lost Dumbledore to them. Harry opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat as emotion surged through him. "Sirius. I..."

The solemn expression on the older man's face suddenly broke into a huge grin and he gathered Harry in a big bear hug, carrying him into the building. Once inside, he put him down and held him at arm's length, studying the young man's shocked face. "Are you all right?" He placed his hands on either side of Harry's face and looked deep into the green eyes which reminded him so much of Harry's mother, Lily. Then he hugged him again. "We've all been so worried about you."

Harry stood in the embrace and closed his eyes, fighting against the tears that threatened to run down his face. He hadn't expected this. Hadn't expected to have to deal with a reunion with the person who had been the closest thing to a parent he had ever known. And he didn't know what to say or do.

Warm hands gently stroked his back and Sirius spoke again. "Why didn't you come and talk to me, Harry? We could have sorted things out, you know. It would have been okay."

Harry pulled away, knowing Sirius' comment referred to him leaving Hogwarts. He knew he couldn't talk about it, not now, not on top of the emotion bombshell of meeting Sirius again. Instead, he tugged at his shirt and ushered his visitors towards the narrow staircase leading to the basement flat. "Come on down stairs," he said croakily.

The one room, with its kitchen, seating area and big bed, was flooded with sunlight from the huge French windows leading to a small courtyard garden. They were open and the sound of traffic was just audible. Laughter from an adjoining garden was accompanied by the smell of barbeque cooking.

Ron wandered out into the courtyard, leaving the two for a few moments. He took out his wand and quietly began checking for any problems.

Sirius watched Harry spoon coffee into the filter. He was surprised at how slight his godson was. In his memory Harry had been taller, more like James, but he was several inches shorter, and although muscular, he still looked like a strong gust of wind might blow him over. Was this really the boy who'd bested Voldemort on so many occasions?

Harry was acutely aware of Sirius watching him and he used making the coffee as an excuse to regain his composure. Finally he turned to face him, his gaze shifting up to reach the other's eyes. "I would have gone even if we'd spoken. I couldn't stay. Not then anyway."

"I know." Sirius rested a paternal hand on Harry's shoulder. "It must have been hard for you. When you want to talk, just remember this time you do have people who care for you. I'm here, always remember that."

"Thanks." Harry turned and picked up the coffee pot. "Ron, coffee?"

Ron slipped his wand away and strolled to join the two men. He sat at one end of the settee while Harry sat at the other. Sirius sprawled on the matching settee opposite. Between was a ceramic inlaid coffee table on which Harry had placed the mugs and coffee pot.

"How was the holiday?" Ron finally asked.

"Don't ask. It was a disaster. How are things here?"

"Well," Ron fidgeted a little. "Not great. We're no closer to finding out why this is happening. Hermione has come up with some more protection charms. She wanted to come today, but she has a tutor session." He saw Harry's questioning expression. "She started training as a Medi-Witch after Hogwarts, but got thrown out 18 months ago."

"Thrown out?"

"Yeah, it's all political. Anyway, she carried on studying with the people who got thrown out at the same time. Ginny was at Medi-College too. She didn't get thrown out, but left in protest." Ginny was Ron's only sister.

"That's terrible."

"They are both doing really well now, but neither will be able to legally practice unless the laws get changed." Ron looked over at Sirius. "Maybe it would be a good idea if you told Harry about the way things are, Sirius."

"Yeah." Harry reached for his mug. "Deputy Minister Black should be able to do that."

Sirius sat up. "It's more an honorary title, as far as Lucius Malfoy is concerned. But I do have a nasty habit of turning up at council meetings and shouting a lot. It's all a bit of a mess really, Harry. You remember how the war developed after Cedric Diggery died and Voldemort came back. His old followers came out of the woodwork and they started their persecutions again. Fortunately Dumbledore had made a lot of connections with other groups who were fighting against the Death Eaters. That didn't stop Malfoy getting Hogwarts closed down. But we actually won through. You destroyed Voldemort."

Harry's jaw tightened. "I remember."

"And at least there were no recriminations this time, like there'd been before, after your parents died. I think everybody was just grateful for the end of it all. Then in October 1998, Malfoy managed to get himself voted onto the Council, with special responsibility for reviewing what had happened during the conflict - they refused to call it a war. His role was to find out whether Voldemort had actually returned."

"He did, I was there. And Malfoy's a Death Eater. I saw him at the graveyard." Harry's fingers were messing in his hair.

"We know. But Malfoy managed to prove it was all a set up. The Dark Lord had not risen again and Albus Dumbledore had been responsible for all the troubles. Malfoy said Albus came up with the story about Voldemort's return to set people against each other and that Albus wanted to take over everything. Malfoy said that Muggle-born wizards and witches were in on the plot which would target pureblood families."

"You are kidding."

"I wish I were. The Minister of Magic unexpectedly 'retired' in the December and Malfoy was asked to take on the role. You should have seen the show he put on, Harry. At first he refused, saying he wasn't worthy. They begged him and the more he refused the more they begged. In the end he 'reluctantly' accepted, telling people his first action would be to try and heal the rift between pureblood and Muggle-born. Instead, he stopped Muggle-born wizards and witches from holding positions in any government organisation or institution."

"That's why Hermione got thrown out of Medi-College," Ron added. "Malfoy has set up a new Auror force made up of people we knew are Death Eaters. Their job is to track down people Malfoy claims were involved in the plot."

"My position at the Ministry means I've been able to get our own people into Malfoy's inner sanctum, so we have an idea of what he's planning. Sometimes I get word of people they are targeting. We spirit them out of the country if possible. George and Fred usually organise that part. Fortunately most of the foreign Wizarding communities don't believe what Malfoy's been teaching, but there are growing pockets of people abroad who are coming round to his way of thinking. Give it a few more years and who knows where we will be. Malfoy's Aurors have Carte blanch to use any methods they want to get information from people. Basically any person Malfoy takes a dislike to can find themselves hauled away. He uses threats on people to make them lie about others. He's already removed most of the people who were against him from the Council."

"What about you?"

Sirius smiled darkly. "He won't try anything on me, I can assure you of that. Some people still think I'm a mass murderer and that I secretly support Voldemort."

"And Hermione?"

"They took her in for questioning. She still won't talk about what happened. I told Malfoy if he didn't release her I would personally find something very painful to do with my wand. Don't know if that had any effect, but they released her without charge."

"It's like I said to you before, Harry." Ron leaned towards his friend. "No one knows who's going to be picked up next and everyone, even families like mine who can trace their lineage back generations, aren't safe. If Malfoy found out what we've been doing, what Fred and George use their shops as cover for, we wouldn't stand a chance. And now he's started on you. I dread to think what he's going to come up with next."

"You said Hermione's parents moved."

Ron nodded. "They wanted her to go with them, but she wouldn't. Not while you..."

"Not while I needed looking after. I've got a lot to answer for, haven't I?" They both looked at him, but said nothing. "I will make up for this."

"It's Malfoy we need to sort out." Sirius leaned forward and took a piece of paper from his pocket. "Severus gave this to me." He unfolded it and Harry saw it was his photograph of Isabel."

"Are you talking to him these days?"

"Reluctantly. Dumbledore made us promise to be civil to each other and on occasions we have been known to work well together. Severus recognised the other woman." He tapped the overlaid image. "Do you remember seeing her at the Quidditch World Cup Final? Ron recognised her as well."

Harry frowned and took the paper. Then it finally dawned. "It's Narcissa Malfoy. Of course! It all makes sense now." He reached down to a shelf under the coffee table and took out several sheets of paper. "I went up to Diagon Alley yesterday."

Sirius nearly dropped his mug. Coffee splashed over the side into his lap. "You did what?" He scrubbed at the wet patches with his hand. "What on earth possessed you to do such a stupid thing? What if someone had recognised you? Why did you think Ron arranged to come down here? Anything could have happened."

Harry waited for him to finish ranting. "I just needed to check I could get in there. I still have the robes I left Hogwarts in, so I wore them with the hood up. I was careful."

Ron said nothing. He just sat with his head in his hands.

"Malfoy was there signing something or giving a talk. Don't know what. He was there with Narcissa and Draco and I took some photographs of them." He spread the prints out on the coffee table. The others picked them up, studying each in turn. "When I took these, I saw the star-burst effect through the view finder, the same as when I took the original one."

Ron picked up the one of Lucius. There was nothing as distinct as the overlaid images of Narcissa and Isabel, but there was clearly the ghosting of another figure behind him. The photo of Narcissa showed only her, there was no sign of Isabel.

He took the print of Draco from Sirius and turned it towards the light. There was no other image, but it looked as if Draco was behind a dark shadow, while the rest of the print was in perfect sunlight. "Well, if it isn't the Prince of Darkness himself. Look at him, surrounded by evil." He threw the print down. "Whatever you are seeing, Harry, he deserves it after what he let happen to Dad and Bill."

"I know, but look at the one of all three of them." There was no overlay on this one, just the three Malfoys. Lucius smiling at his public, Narcissa smiling at Lucius. And Draco.

Draco looked terrified out of his mind. His grey eyes were washed to almost no colour at all and he looked like he was staring into the very depths of hell. For the briefest moment Ron almost felt sorry for him, but it quickly passed.

"You still shouldn't have gone. Not on your own. We think Malfoy is probably responsible and because he can't get to you directly, he's using this curse. Narcissa gave you the potion that controls it." Ron dropped the print onto the table. "Harry, we're no closer to finding out who he's using as the trigger."

"We've got to find out." Harry quickly told them of the attack during the holiday. "I thought I was drowning." He shuddered, the incident still fresh in his mind. "There must be a way, each time this has happened I have that contact with him. If he really is a 10-year-old then I don't know how he's managing to cope."

"Harry, there is something I'd like to try. In my seer work, we do a connection technique that can link us to the person we want to do a reading for. You've clearly got a connection with the trigger. This cloud you go to has to be somewhere important to him. We might be able to link you with him by sending you there. That way, it won't matter that the curse isn't actually being used."

"Okay."

"Really?"

"I'm willing to try almost anything,"

"We need somewhere quiet, where we won't be disturbed. It's too noisy here, even with the windows closed."

Harry nodded. "The studio should be okay." He rubbed his hands together nervously. "Ron, about Hermione..."

"Don't. It's okay."

"No. I'm worried about her after what you've just told me. She shouldn't be doing this protection thing if it's so dangerous. She should be with her parents."

Ron grinned his lopsided smile. "And you're going to tell her this? Harry, she hasn't changed. She's still the same pig-headed individual you remember and if she wants to be here then there is nothing you, I or anyone can say which will change her mind."

Harry shrugged, resigned to the truth of Ron's statement. "And Emily. She doesn't know anything about this or me being a wizard. If Malfoy goes after her to get to me, she's totally unprotected."

"The house is protected. Fred, George and Neville went there while you were away." Ron wondered for a moment whether Harry would be angry, but there was only relief on his face. "They've put up ward spells all around the grounds and building. We sorted out your car back on your birthday. When Emily's off the grounds though, there's not a lot we can do, short of giving her a guard."

"I think I'm going to have to tell her. She's got a right to know."

Ron wanted to tell him 'no', but decided they could discuss Emily later. "Shall we get on with this link?"

Harry took them up to the first floor, which had been stripped out to make one large room. The windows had been blacked out and the walls were lined with drapes used as backdrops. With the door closed, it was almost soundproof. Harry turned on one of the overhead spots. It produced a single circle of light in the centre of the room, casting deep shadows in the corners. "What sort of lighting do you want?"

Ron looked at the circle. "It's a bit bright." He watched Harry adjust the dimmer switch and raised a hand when he was happy. "That's good." He strode into the circle and stood in the middle, turning slowly clockwise.

Harry watched Ron for a moment and realised he was holding a crystal which he seemed to be using to get a direction. Ron carried on for several minutes adjusting and refining something only his inner senses could detect, and finally satisfied, he put the crystal on the floor at his feet and gestured for Harry to sit down. Ron joined him, directly opposite so that the thin doubled ended crystal pointed between them.

"Sirius, I need you to sit there." Ron pointed to the 3 o'clock position. "You're the anchor remember. You know when to bring Harry back." Sirius nodded and quietly sat. Harry saw he had changed into his robes. "Harry, have you got your wand?"

Harry nodded and called it out of the air, trying to make it look like he'd retrieved it from a pocket or something. He wasn't sure he wanted them to know about the way the wand was able to follow him.

Sirius, however, had seen and a knowing smile flickered across his face. Dumbledore had been right; Harry did have the Gift after all. He didn't need to use a wand for magic. Actually, Sirius reminded himself, all wizards and witches could do magic without wands to varying degrees, but for most people it turned into a very inexact science with more failures than successes. It also became very draining when not using a wand to focus the energy. But Harry didn't have that problem. He would be able to focus the energy with a thought and direct it with a flick of the wrist.

He also realised Harry had a very special wand. He remembered being surprised when Ron had shown him Harry's wand several months after his godson had left. Wands normally last forever, only destroyed by being broken. But Harry's wand had looked like it had died. But now it appeared perfect, as though it were brand new. Sirius had heard about wands that became so tuned to their owners they seemed to have the ability to almost 'think' for themselves. But he had only ever seen one before. It had belonged to Harry's mother. Lily had asked Dumbledore about the wand, and the professor had explained that they were known as 'Intuitive wands' and were very rare. Sirius was sure it was her wand that had helped save Harry's life 20 years before. That it had somehow deflected Voldemort's curse back at the wizard. Of course, there was no way he could prove it. Lily's wand had never been found. He would have to ask Harry about his own wand later.

Sirius watched the two boys place their wands on the floor, Ron making sure everything was correctly aligned. What if this didn't work? What if they couldn't find out the identity of the trigger? He had already decided to confront Malfoy anyway, but he needed proof of what the man had done. He took out his own wand, wishing he still had his first one, but that had been snapped when they took him to Azkaban.

"Are you using a spell?" Harry asked.

"No. This is all down to you and your powers of concentration. I want you to hold you hand over the crystal and concentrate on what being on the cloud feels like. You need to let go of any conscious physical thought. Go with the feeling and the emotion of being there. Then I want you to draw the cloud."

"Where?"

"Just in the air, in front of you. Use your hand."

"This is silly."

"Harry."

Green eyes stared back at Ron. "I was never good at this sort of thing."

"You can meditate, you can do this. Give me your glasses." Ron held out his hand and stared hard at his friend. "Now!"

Harry took them off, blinking as his vision blurred slightly. He looked at Ron and thought he saw a halo of light around him, but it disappeared almost immediately. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, listening to Ron's voice, which was becoming almost hypnotic as he spoke quietly.

Ron watched Harry closely and saw the rhythm of his breathing change. It was almost indiscernible, but Ron perceived the change and he knew Harry had moved into the altered state needed to make the link. "See the cloud, Harry. Now draw it in front of you."

Harry's right hand rose over the crystal and he slowly traced out the shape. As he did, it appeared in the air before him, drawn in lines of gold. The line sent shimmering particles to the floor, coated the crystal, wands and people with a dusting of gold.

"Remember what it feels like to be there, Harry. Picture it in your mind and step into the picture."

Harry's hand dropped over his wand, gold dust dripping from his fingers. As he did so, a burst of light came up from the wand, wrapping him in silver and Harry slid to the ground. Sirius leapt towards him.

"No!" Ron's voice stopped Sirius in his tracks. "He's okay. If you touch him, it will call him back."

"But..."

"Trust me, Sirius."

********************

The cloud looked exactly the same as it had on previous occasions, but this time it was golden, the same colour as Harry had drawn it. Harry stood for a moment looking at the gold cotton candy and wondered just where he was. Had he inadvertently stepped into someone else's dream?

He walked along the surface for the first time and was relieved not to sink into the fluffy mass. Instead, he seemed to walk on air, millimetres above the cloud. There was no sign of the boy and Harry wondered how he would be able to contact him if he only ever came to the cloud when something horrible was happening.

More importantly, he didn't even know if he was in the right place.

Reaching the edge, he looked over and was relieved to find the familiar building beneath him. He sat, legs swinging over open space and stared down. It looked like it was raining below and he wondered whether that really was the case or just another illusion.

"Well, Ron, I've made it this far. What now?" He flopped back onto the softness and sank a few inches into the cloud. It held his weight comfortably, flowing around his body and carrying him back from the edge. He stretched out his arms out to the side, enjoying the sensation of near weightlessness. His finger dug into the surface, sinking further, and he grabbed handfuls of the cloud, letting it rain down over his body. The touch was like snowflakes on his bare skin. He grinned a child-like smile of enjoyment.

Then he slowly turned over onto his front, feeling like he was swimming through the cloud. And found himself looking at a pair of feet. The feet were connected to leather-clad legs and he followed them up.

"What are you doing here?"

Harry's journey up the body forced him to turn over onto his back again. The figure wore a black loose fitting shirt and his hands were balled into fists on his hips. Grey eyes looked down at him from a pale pointed face, platinum blond hair falling forward.

Eyes opening wide, Harry tried to scoot backwards, but it was like trying to move on ice. He made it several feet before finding his voice. "Malfoy? Draco Malfoy?"

"Don't look so surprised, Potter. What did you expect? The Prime Minister, The Queen, herds of wildebeests sweeping majestically across the plain?" Draco Malfoy folded his arms and just stood there, legs slightly apart.

Harry returned the look and finally swore under his breath. Of course, the little boy! Now he remembered how Malfoy had looked that first time they had met in the robe shop and then on the Hogwarts Express. But Malfoy? Surely he couldn't be the trigger. How could his father do such terrible things to his own son?

Unless they were wrong and Lucius wasn't responsible for the curse after all.

He moved back a few more paces and sat very still.

Draco watched as Harry sank a little into the cloud, struggling to extricate himself. Maybe it was the hair or the glasses, but Draco always thought Harry looked just a little nervous or confused. At least Draco had an idea of what was going on, which was more than could be said for Potter.

Of course, Draco didn't understand why he was here, in his 'safe place'. He had never been here when things were okay and to find that Potter was there as well was even stranger.

"So, what are you doing here?" Draco repeated.

Harry wondered about standing. He felt at a disadvantage being on the ground while Malfoy stood over him. But he wasn't sure of his footing in the cloud and certainly didn't want to fall flat on his face. Instead, he tried to look nonchalant, but didn't think it really worked. Then he reminded himself why he was there. He'd come to help.

"I'm here to help," Harry finally said.

"Help?"

Didn't Malfoy know? He acted like he wasn't aware of the curse. "With the curse."

"Oh, that." Draco's head cocked to one side. "The curse."

Harry was starting to get annoyed by Draco's obvious indifference and was beginning to wonder what his involvement really was. The hairs on the back of his neck had started to rise and he shivered. Could he have stepped into some sort of trap? The stories Ron and Sirius had told him about Lucius Malfoy flashed through his mind and he debated whether a swift return to the studio might be in order. Then another thought overtook all the rest; he didn't have any idea how to get back. A pinprick of panic was beginning to grow in the pit of his stomach.

Draco suddenly flopped down to the ground in a movement so graceful that Harry was rather impressed. Draco clasped his hands around one knee, while his other leg stretched out before him. "I don't have a lot of time," he finally said. "He will realise something is going on and then I'll get punished."

Harry frowned, noting the change in Malfoy's demeanour. He had gone from cocky know-it-all to worried in the space of seconds and Harry was reminded of the expression on the photograph he had taken the previous day. "I know I've been cursed, and that someone's been linked to me through that curse. I also experience any curse put on that other person and it's not nice."

"An understatement," Draco interjected.

"And I know your mother was involved in casting the spell." Harry was completely gratified by the change in Malfoy's expression. Finally something Malfoy didn't know. "She poisoned me with the potion the curse uses."

"My mother knows about this?" Draco was perplexed. It was bad enough that someone who looked like his father was torturing him, but at least he had the satisfaction of knowing the real culprit was actually Voldemort rather than his father. But to hear his mother was involved was almost inconceivable. "Are you sure?"

"I know what she did. Whether she was aware of what happened, I don't know." Harry looked hard at Malfoy. "Are you coping?" Draco was still thinking about Narcissa and wasn't really listening.

"Malfoy?" Harry felt a strange tugging in his stomach and realised he was starting to be dragged back. "Malfoy, listen. I'm not sure how much longer I can stay here. Do you know why your father is doing this?"

"He's not my father."

"Lucius isn't involved?"

Draco sighed. "It's Voldemort."

Harry's eyes opened wide. "Voldemort? He's dead."

"No, he isn't. He's using me to get at you and he's got plans to kill you." Draco pulled back his shirt collar, revealing the scar at his throat. "He did this years ago. It sort of connects us through the curse."

"I..." Harry thought he might pass out. "Are you sure? About Voldemort?"

"Oh yes. He's..." Suddenly the whole story seemed ridiculous and Draco wondered what to tell Potter. Was he sure it was Voldemort? Did he really have any proof? But he knew he was right. Even here in his safe place, he could feel Voldemort's touch in his mind. "Look, Potter. I'm telling the truth. I don't know how to stop this, but believe me I want to."

Harry finally slipped out of his shock for a moment. "You have to get away from here."

"I can't leave. He's put blocking spells all around the estate."

"Can you break through them?"

"No," Draco shook his head. "He's taken away my wand and even with one, I'm not sure. I've checked and it's very powerful dark magic."

"Do you know what spells he's used?" The tug in Harry's stomach grew stronger.

"I don't know the name, but I saw it in a book in the restricted section at Hogwarts once. The book was called..." He clicked his fingers as he tried to recall. "Something stupid like Restricted Access: Keep your Family In and your Enemies Out. I do know it needs blood from the person you want to keep in."

The tugging sensation was almost painful and Harry got the impression everything was fading. "I can't hold this any longer. I will get you out of here. I promise." And everything went black.

"Harry!" Draco leapt at the fading figure and found nothing. He lay there on the cloud and realised he was shaking, the laid-back exterior fading away to be replaced by the fear he now felt constantly. Back down in his home, he was aware that Lucius was coming to his room. Voldemort would know that Potter had contacted him, know that Draco was trying to find a way out of his control.

He became aware of the Dark Lord's approach and knew this time the punishment would be directed solely at him. Potter would not feel it because the beating was not cursed but for real. A fist into his stomach. A cane across his back. A kick in his side.

Up in his safe place, Draco grabbed for Sheba and curled up into a defensive ball, trying to cut out the sound of his own cries.

********************

When Harry woke, he realised he was no longer in the studio but on the bed in the flat. He could hear Ron and Sirius talking quietly off to his left and the room was now cast in shadow. It had to be late afternoon.

He didn't move. At first it was because he felt dizzy and then because he didn't want the others to know he was awake. He needed time to think, time to understand what had just happened. But that didn't change the fact that what he really wanted to do was to sit up and scream at the top of his lungs 'Voldemort's alive!', but somehow that didn't seem like a good idea. Screaming 'Voldemort's alive and Draco Malfoy's the trigger!' seemed even worse.

What was it Ron had called Draco? The Prince of Darkness? Harry didn't blame Ron after what had happened to his family, but how would Ron react to finding out that Draco was the trigger? Would be still be willing to help knowing who it was?

And the others? Hermione had clearly suffered at the hands of Lucius Malfoy's Aurors. And the twins would no doubt feel the same as Ron. What about Sirius? Even Snape, for whom Draco was once his blue-eyed boy, might not feel so kindly towards him now. All had reasons to hate the Malfoy family. Would they think Draco was lying? Harry wasn't sure he really believed what Draco had just told him. But like it or not, he did feel Draco's pain and that most definitely was real. But everyone else only had Harry's word as to what Draco was suffering, and they might just think he deserved it.

Then there was Voldemort. Harry had no doubt the Dark Lord had the power to take over another person, but that meant Harry hadn't trapped Voldemort and Dumbledore's sacrifice had been for nothing.

He shivered at the thought, clutching at the blankets, and curled up a little as coldness ran through him. An image grew in his mind of Dumbledore and Voldemort being dragged into the cave, trapped by the icy crystal tendrils. He had always thought he'd betrayed the professor by sacrificing him in that way, but at least he had the knowledge that Voldemort was gone for good.

But now? If Draco was telling the truth then Harry had done Voldemort a favour by ridding him of Dumbledore, the one person capable of destroying him.

The groan he thought had been silent was clearly very vocal because almost instantly Ron and Sirius materialised at the bedside.

"Harry, are you okay?" The concerned face of Ron came into blurred focus. "Come on, talk to us."

"I'm fine," Harry finally managed to say and he realised Sirius was holding him.

"We shouldn't have let you try it," Sirius was saying, apprehension in his voice. "It was too dangerous."

Extricating himself from the concerned duo, Harry tried to find his glasses. "Look, it worked." Ron passed them to him and he put them on, his world returning into sharp focus again.

"It did? You got to the cloud?" Ron's worried expression changed to delight. "Wow, I didn't think it would, you not being a seer or anything."

"What about the boy?" Sirius asked.

As quick as a flash, Harry knew he couldn't tell them about Draco, not yet anyway. "He was there too." It wasn't really a lie, just stretching the truth a little.

"Is it Malfoy?"

Harry stared at Sirius and opened his mouth to speak. How could he know about Draco? Then he realised he was talking about the father, not the son. "Yes, it's Lucius who's responsible." He bit at his lip for a moment. "But it's more than that. I need to see those photographs I took." He made to get up but Sirius stopped him.

"Ron." Sirius gestured towards the coffee table. "Would you please?"

Ron returned with the prints and sat on the edge of the bed. "What is it?"

Harry picked up the photo of Lucius and stared hard at the ghostly image behind the man. Could it be the thing he had seen rise from the cauldron in the graveyard seven years ago? "The boy told me Voldemort isn't dead. It wasn't him I trapped with Professor Dumbledore. He said Voldemort has taken over Lucius Malfoy."

They both looked at him as if he'd gone completely mad. Then at each other to check they had both heard the same thing.

"Look at the photo." He waved it in front of their shocked faces.

"That could be anything," Ron blurted. "At the right angle it even looks like Nearly Headless Nick."

"LOOK!"

"Harry." Sirius' voice was very quiet. "If he is Voldemort how could you have been so close without your scar hurting?"

"I..." Harry dropped the photo and leaned back against the pillows. That hadn't occurred to him. "I wasn't that close. The camera has a telephoto lense. And I was off to one side." The excuses seemed very flimsy. "Maybe it's because he's in another body." He felt like a 16-year-old trying to justify some idiotic stunt and he was just about to concede defeat when a new thought sprang to mind. He sat back up again. "Look, when I thought I'd trapped Voldemort, nothing happened then either. Now, that either means being near Voldemort doesn't have the same effect since he used some of my blood in his resurrection, or he wasn't really Voldemort."

"Or, the boy is spinning you a lie," Sirius responded, studying the photo himself.

"But why lie? I know what he's going through, Sirius, and it's not pleasant believe me. We have to get him out of there."

"Where is he?"

He could hardly tell them it was the Malfoy estate without mentioning Draco. All sorts of ideas sped through his mind. He even thought about saying the boy had been kidnapped and was being held by Lucius, which actually wasn't that far from the truth. He looked into Sirius' eyes and took a deep breath, knowing he had no real choice. "I'm not sure, but I think it could be the Malfoy estate."

"I knew it." Ron looked triumphant. "They've kidnapped some poor kid and are using him. But you don't know who he is?"

Harry shrugged. "The boy told me Voldemort - Lucius, whatever you want to call him - has put up blocking spells which prevent him from leaving. Now, if we can find out what the counter-curse is, he could get out." Sirius was staring hard at him and Harry had to look away.He knows I'm lying, Harry thought.

"Hermione is the person to research that. Did he tell you anything about the spell used?" Sirius still stared at him.

"He thought he'd seen it in a book at..." Harry knew he couldn't say Hogwarts. "In a book he's seen and that it uses his own blood."

"Okay. We'll have to see if we can track it down. Otherwise we're going to have to go and get him out ourselves." Harry sighed, relieved Sirius finally looked away. "Ron, why don't you go and make some tea? And there's some chocolate in my bag upstairs"

Ron nodded and headed for the staircase.

Sirius suddenly took hold of Harry's chin and turned him round. The green eyes where huge as they met Sirius' dark gaze. "It's Draco isn't it?" He released his hold.

Harry nodded very slowly. "And his father is going to kill him."

"Why didn't you say so?" Sirius hissed, his eyes flicking to the stairs in case Ron should reappear.

"How could I? You know what Ron thinks of Draco. He hates him with a vengeance after what happened to his Dad and to Bill." Harry's voice was a whisper. "What's he going to do if I tell him this?"

"You could try. He might surprise you."

Harry chose to ignore him. "And what about the rest of Ron's family? And Hermione? And you for that matter? Are you going to help him?"

"We're doing this because of you, Harry. If Draco is helped at the same time then it's a bonus."

"Are you telling me that if you could get me out of this and leave Draco suffering you would?" Harry's eyes blazed. "I wouldn't let anyone suffer like that. Not even someone I hate. Sirius, that makes us as bad as the other side."

"Harry, he deserves it. Look at what Lucius has done."

"Before this, I used to sleep really well, Sirius, but not now. I wake at night in a cold sweat from the nightmares, reliving the curse attacks. I don't like to believe it's possible, but I something think I can feel what's happening to Draco even now when no curse is happening. It's a niggling sensation like something is making my skin itch. This isn't a game."

"I never said it was a game. None of us have ever thought that."

"And Draco isn't out there chasing down his father's enemies. Or do you think the sins of the father should be visited on the son?" Harry pulled away, surprised at his anger. "I'm not going to abandon him. I told him I would help and I will."

The sound of footsteps on the stairs reached them. "Okay. But you have to tell Ron."

"I will, but no yet."

"When?"

"I don't know!" He jumped to his feet, feeling momentarily lightheaded again. "How do you think I feel? Knowing it's him after everything he's done to me in the past? And what about Voldemort? God, if he's still alive everything I've believed is crap." He strode to the French windows and flung them open. "All I ever wanted to do was have an ordinary life. Why couldn't you all have just left me alone."

Sirius didn't move as Ron came back into the room. Ron saw Harry standing with his back to them, head bowed slightly. He looked across at Sirius and pointed a questioning hand at Harry. Sirius shook his head and mouthed 'leave him alone'.

Harry suddenly turned back, his hands on his hips, face set in an expression that said 'I am in charge'. "Okay, this is how it's going to be. Ron, the trigger is Draco Malfoy."

"What?" Ron looked like a 20-tonne truck had just flattened him.

"Whatever your views on Malfoy as a person are, I want them put on hold. Okay?"

"No, it bloody isn't okay." Ron's face was quickly becoming the colour of his hair.

Harry strode into the room, stopping feet from Ron. "Then I'll have to ask you to step aside and not be involved. What happens to the trigger, I get to experience and the only way to stop it is to get the trigger to safety. I have to get Malfoy away from his father."

Ron opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it. "What if he's lying? What if this is another trap?"

"He isn't lying. At least not as far as the fact he's the trigger. It probably is a trap and I think Malfoy knows what this is all about. And that is why I need you with me on this, Ron. I need someone I can trust to get me through this. Are you going to help me?"

"Of course," Ron spluttered.

"Without killing him?"

"I can't promise that. But I'll work on controlling my impulses."

Harry let out a long sigh and glanced across at Sirius. The older man nodded his approval. "Good." Harry reached a hand to his friend's shoulder. His legs suddenly buckled and Ron quickly caught him. "Now, can I have some of that chocolate before I collapse in to a big embarrassing heap?"

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