Rating:
R
House:
Schnoogle
Characters:
Draco Malfoy Harry Potter Hermione Granger Severus Snape
Genres:
Drama Slash
Era:
The Harry Potter at Hogwarts Years
Spoilers:
Philosopher's Stone Chamber of Secrets Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire
Stats:
Published: 07/17/2003
Updated: 08/11/2003
Words: 114,996
Chapters: 43
Hits: 388,758

Snakes and Lions

GatewayGirl

Story Summary:
When Ron and Hermione get together, they notice only each other. A nightmare prompts Harry to return alone to the empty Chamber of Secrets, and leads to a new look at an old enemy. Harry enjoys the company, but with Bellatrix LeStrange actively hunting him, how far can he trust a Death Eater's son? (H/D -- mostly friendship, progressing to mild slash) Sixth year. Rated R for unseemly behavior (drinking, stealing, and Dark Arts), occasional cursing (the non-magical sort), and off-screen violence.
Read Story On:

Chapter 11 - Fire and Flight

Chapter Summary:
Draco shows Harry some Dark Arts
Posted:
07/23/2003
Hits:
8,807


Fire and Flight



The next night, Draco left dinner early, and was already in the Chamber when Harry arrived.

"This," he said, punching the neon green inflatable chair he was sitting on, "is driving me insane. Back to Crabbe and Goyle, all bloody day, and anything they notice I do will make it back to Father. Pansy wanted to know why I didn't 'say anything' when you knocked over Hermione's beetle eyes."

"You probably should have," Harry advanced. "I mean, it would be uncomfortable, I suppose, but not as much as having you ignore me."

"How's your life?"

"About the same as before holidays, except Ron is offended by the family book."

"Hermione isn't?"

"No. Neville isn't, so she's not. Of course, Ron might change her mind."

"Did you see what Blaise did?"

"With the beetle eyes?" Harry grinned. "Yeah. That was actually creative enough to be funny." He sat down on the orange chair. "I wish we could talk in class."

Draco looked thoughtful for a moment, then shook his head. "Well, we can talk now, anyway." He frowned at Harry. "You've got the ribcage of something stuck to your robe," he noted.

"Great." Gingerly, Harry picked the brittle old bones out of the weave of his hem. "We've got to do something about that tunnel."

"I enjoyed the atmosphere, initially," Draco drawled, "but it has gotten tiresome. I trailed a mouse skull all the way to Slytherin, the other night. Congac or butterbeer?"

Harry considered. It was early, but he had a lot of work to do. "Butterbeer," he decided. Harry took the proffered bottle. "Cale," he said absently, as he wiggled his wand up the length of it.

"I had an idea for the tunnel," Draco advanced.

"Mmn?"

"The Bone-Burning Curse."

Harry flinched. The curse had been one of the available options for the Defense Against the Dark Arts essay evaluating an illegal Dark curse. "Did you find instructions in the restricted section?" he asked pointedly.

"Guess again." Draco smirked at him.

Harry bit his lip. "You learned it at home."

"Very good. You're a smart little lion, aren't you?" Draco stretched back. "Shall I teach it to you?"

No," Harry said quickly. "Draco, I am not doing any Dark magic."

Draco snorted. "Well, I am," he said. "And honestly, Potter, how often does one get a chance to do something like that with no harm to anything?" He smirked at Harry. "I've just been waiting for an audience. Come on."

"Do you think it will work?"

"It worked on the basilisk."

"Oh."

Harry took a sip of his butterbeer. It was far too hot. He really ought to pay better attention when casting charms. Reluctantly, he followed Draco out to the tunnel.

Draco stepped over the first few feet of bones, to position himself at the start of a long, straight stretch of tunnel, where they were thicker. Harry watched him draw his wand and take a deep breath. Draco's face was hard with concentration. He took another breath, sighted along the rock and bone strewn floor, and lifted his wand.

"Osum Crema!"

he bellowed. Red fire shot from his wand and blazed across the bones, flaring to blue on contact. Harry counted. In four seconds, all the bones in the hallway had been consumed, leaving only a thin layer of ash.

Draco laughed. Harry though an evil cackle might match the devastation, but this laugh was instead a sparkling of delight. Harry turned his attention from the flame-scoured tunnel to his friend. Draco was flushed and breathing quickly, and his pale eyes glittered in Harry's wandlight.

Like diamonds, Harry thought, or perhaps broken glass.

"You want the second stretch?" Draco asked, a bit shakily.

"No." Harry shivered. "You're frightening me."

"There are worse spells."

"I know. It's just how pleased you look."

"Ah. Yes, it's a brilliant rush. Certain you won't?"

"Completely."

"You may never get another chance to do this with no harm."

"Still. If I want a rush, I'll jump out my dormitory window, thanks."

Draco laughed again, a bit more steadily. "You're an odd one, Lightning."

Harry made no comment on his sudden nickname. He wasn't sure if it bothered him or not, but he was certain that now was not the time to discuss it. He walked beside Draco down to the edge of the ash, and Draco cast the spell a second time. He didn't ask about the third and final stretch, just did it, with an icy voice that reminded Harry of the elder Malfoy and a maniacal grin that was all his own.

"Let's go back," Harry suggested. They walked back to the chamber and Harry sat down. Harry noticed both of them were covered in fine ash, nearly up to the waist, with spots of it higher. Draco, who had stopped to finger some of the silky residue, had managed to smear it across his forehead and one cheek.

"That was fun," Draco said. He sat by Harry's feet and leaned lazily back against Harry's near leg, letting his head rest back against Harry's knee, so he could look up at him. "You should have seen the basilisk," he added. "It was worth the stink just to see it flare up. The entire chamber was twisting from fire shadows. I nearly passed out from the loss of air." He thought for a moment. "I probably would have, if it wasn't for the air purification charm I was using against the charnel reek."

"I wondered what had happened to it," Harry said. "The lack of dead basilisk was a bit nerve-wracking, actually." He wasn't sure how to react to Draco leaning against him, so he ignored it. He rested his near arm along the back of the chair, so it was safely clear of Draco's head.

"You thought something dangerous was here?" Draco suggested.

"Exactly."

Draco smirked. "You were right."

The Slytherin sat up straight and twisted quickly to look at Harry. "Let's go flying," he said eagerly.

"Now?"

"Right now."

"I can't."

"Why not? We'll take the tunnel to Hogsmeade, or slip out one of the garden entrances. No one will see us."

"I can't get my broom." Harry did like the thought of flying. "We could do it on school brooms," he suggested reluctantly. Draco made a disgusted face.

"Of course you can get your broom. Put on your cloak and go."

"I can't get in and out of the Gryffindor common room, now. It's early enough that there'll be people there to notice if the portrait hole opens."

"What, are your housemates going to report you?" Draco said incredulously. His eyes narrowed as he watched Harry's face. "They would, wouldn't they?"

"None of the sixth year boys would," Harry said defensively. "Actually, I'd pretty much trust everyone fourth year and over, unless that person is angry at me. Lavender, mind you, is angry at me pretty much constantly, and Ginny Weasley has spontaneous fits of it. You can't trust the younger kids, though – they take it too seriously."

"If a Slytherin did that we'd destroy him!" Draco snarled. "We'd be queuing up to put the boot in on him and competing for the best curses. I go in and out as I damn well please."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Borrow a broom for me, then?"

"And what am I to say about why I need a second broom? Shall I tell them it's for Potter?" Draco mocked.

"Slytherins are supposed to be sly, right? You can come up with something. Or tell them it's for me, if you'd rather."

Draco snorted. "Rather not. All right, Potter, I'll get you a decent broom. Meet me outside the Entrance Hall."

"By the roses," Harry countered. "Hagrid has exceptional night vision."

"Ah. Good to know."


Chapter 12 -- A spell to command ghosts