Second Chances

On Friday morning, Adrian met Damien outside of the Charms classroom, as they had done since the very first day of school. Damien's eyes were flashing with excitement in a way that Adrian hadn't seen in some time

"You'll never guess what Sera told me," Damien whispered excitedly to his twin as they took their seats.

"Then you'll have to tell me," Adrian whispered back matter-of-factly.

At the front of the class, Professor Flitwick began his lecture, oblivious to the boys' quiet conversation.

"Ella Weasley told Sera that there are thestrals at Hogwarts," Damien explained.

"What?" Adrian's whispered exclamation carried a little farther than he had intended and a few nearby students turned to stare. He blushed and turned his attention back to Flitwick's lecture.

'Thestrals at Hogwarts,' Damien scratched on a slip of parchment, which he showed to his twin.

'I don't believe it,' Adrian wrote back.

'Ask Sera if you don't believe me,' Damien scribbled.

Brows furrowed slightly, Adrian glanced at his brother and gave a small shrug as if to say 'So what?'

'Don't you want to see them?' Damien wrote.

Adrian rolled his eyes. "You can't _see_ thestrals, stupid," he whispered.

"You can if they're babies," Damien returned with a smirk.

Adrian's eyes grew wide. Damien was right, he knew. Thestrals only became invisible after their first year; one of the books Adrian had read about them had gone into a long-winded theory as to why the infants were visible, but it had all gone far over his head.

"Well?" Damien hissed.

"When?"

"After lunch," Damien decided.

Adrian nodded. They didn't have afternoon classes on Fridays, so they'd be free to investigate then, and the storm that threatened would give them some cover from prying eyes. Their plans set, the two boys turned their attention back to Professor Flitwick's demonstration.

After lunch, the twins met outside of the Great Hall and moved casually towards the entrance hall and the front doors of the castle, trying not to attract any attention.

"They're in the forest," Damien said, keeping his voice low to avoid anyone overhearing.

"We're not supposed to go in there," Adrian reminded his brother even as they slipped outside and headed across the grounds toward the distant tree line. Worry furrowed his pale brows.

"You're not afraid, are you?" Damien asked, holding his head a little higher to show that he, at least, wasn't scared.

"Not of the forest," Adrian scoffed.

"Then what?"

"Headmistress McGonagall," Adrian replied with a slight smile. "She'll be mad if she finds out."

Damien nodded. "Then we just shan't tell her, then," he said.

The duo paused on the edge of the forest, looking around to see if anyone was paying attention. Sneaking into the Forbidden Forest in broad daylight was not the easiest thing to accomplish, even on a stormy day when most everyone was safely tucked away inside the castle.

Certain that they hadn't been followed or detected, Damien jerked his head to one side, indicating that was the direction they were to go. He headed off through the trees, Adrian following close behind.

"Do you know where you're going?" Adrian asked, sounding uncertain.

"Of course I do," Damien replied haughtily. "Weasley told me just where to find them."

"I thought you lot don't like Gryffindors."

"We don't. But Weasley's different. She should have been in Slytherin."

Adrian said nothing. He merely followed his brother through the ever-darkening gloom of the forest, hoping that thestrals were the only creatures they would happen across.

After perhaps half an hour of walking in the rain, backtracking, circling, and generally wandering around lost, the boys found the beasts. They quite literally stumbled into the creatures; Damien walked face first into a warm, invisible wall and nearly fell into the mud. Only after they spotted two thestral foals did they realise that the unyielding wall before was an adult thestral.

"Bloody hell!" Damien breathed, his eyes passing over the strange reptilian horse-like creatures.

Adrian clutched his brother's arm, his eyes wide with delight and disbelief, unable to say a single word.

Glancing at each other, the boys grinned, each knowing what the other was thinking. Together they walked cautiously towards the foals. Adrian moved a little ahead of his brother, reaching out a hand to pat the creature's leathery snout before tracing his fingers over its skin and stroking the silky mane. He was dimly aware of Damien following his movements, petting the other thestral.

Even though the foals were less than a year old, they were fairly large, larger at least than their equestrian counterparts would have been at the same age. An idea struck Damien, and it clung tenaciously to his brain as he stroked the foal's mane.

"Remember when you tried to ride that Granian?" Damien asked with a grin.

"How could I forget? I've never been so scared."

"Granians are awful fast. Bet these would be easier to ride," Damien commented, glancing at his brother out of the corner of his eye. He wondered if Adrian would take the bait. He wanted to see if riding the foals was safe before trying it himself

"Maybe," Adrian replied, obviously not very interested in the conversation.

"You'd be too scared, anyway," Damien challenged.

"I would not!" Adrian replied before he could think better of it.

"You would. You're such a baby, really. Always going to Dad for hugs and kisses when you get a bump or a scratch."

"I'm not a baby!" Adrian answered hotly. Damien had as much as called him weak, and his own doubts told him it was true. He was determined to prove that he was not weak. "I'm not afraid at all," he said defiantly.

"Prove it," Damien said, smirking.

Throwing caution to the wind, Adrian fisted the foal's silky mane in his hand, pushed off from a nearby stump, and awkwardly straddled the thestral's back. The foal tossed its head, but otherwise stood perfectly still.

Adrian thought for a moment, trying to recall what he'd read of thestrals. If the books were correct, all he needed to do was talk to the creature to get it to do as he wished.

"Well, all right, then. I'd just like to circle around a bit," Adrian said uncertainly.

To Adrian's delight and amazement, the foal began to trot at an easy pace. He wondered if the creature were too young to fly, but then the thestral spread its wings and lifted smoothly into the air. Adrian let out a wild whoop and clung more tightly to the foal.

Glancing down nervously through the rain, Adrian could see Damien scrambling onto his own mount. A moment later, a piercing shriek rent the air, and Adrian nearly fell off his thestral in a moment of blind panic.

"On the ground! Now!" he cried as his brother let out another scream

As the thestral touched down, Adrian brandished his wand. Leaping from the creature's back, he tucked and rolled, coming to rest at the base of a large tree. Glancing up, he was shocked at the scene before him.

An unseen assailant had plucked Damien from the foal's back and was shaking him roughly. Adrian paused for only a second before casting the only spell he could think of.

"Petrificus Totalis!" he screamed.

Instantly, the shaking stopped. Damien hung in midair, shivering and crying. Blood soaked his robes.

Adrian tugged on his brother, ripping the bloodstained robes that were still clenched tightly in the thestral's teeth and sending both boys tumbling to the forest floor. Damien cried out at the impact.

Not knowing how long his binding spell would hold, Adrian leapt up and began trying to tug Damien upright. Damien cried out again, clearly in pain, and struggled to gain his feet. Leaning heavily on his brother, Damien managed to put one foot in front of the other, walking slowly and steadily in what Adrian hoped was the direction of Hogwarts castle.

Every step that Damien took was agony. He had never known such pain in his life. The feeling of his own blood running down his arm and soaking his robes terrified him, but the thestrals terrified him even more. He kept walking.

The rain made the trek through the forest much harder than it otherwise would have been. Damien kept slipping in the slick mud, and crying out in pain when Adrian jerked him to keep him from falling down. The light was fading quickly, and Adrian felt certain that they were lost.

"Can't," Damien panted after a time. "Please....stop."

"We have to get you back to Hogwarts," Adrian said, trying to keep the panic from his voice. "We need to get you to Madame Pomfrey."

Damien leaned more heavily on his brother, his head lolling forward in exhaustion.

"Can't," he whimpered.

A moment later, Damien proved that he honestly could not go on when he fainted and fell into the mud, bringing his brother toppling down on top of him. Frightened and frustrated, Adrian began to cry. His tears mixed with the rain on his cheeks, and he wiped both away angrily.

Steeling his resolve, Adrian tried to lift his brother to carry him back to Hogwarts. He succeeded only in tumbling once again into the mud. Sobbing, he forced himself upright again.

Desperate, he cast a lightening charm on Damien, not knowing for certain whether the spell would even work properly on a live being. Pocketing his wand, he tried again to lift his brother, and let out a small cry of relief when he was able to lift his brother's now much lighter body.

Inching his way along to avoid stumbling in the mud, Adrian turned again in the direction that led towards Hogwarts. At least he hoped it led towards Hogwarts. If not, he was certain his brother would bleed to death long before help could be found.

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

As Harry stepped from Hagrid's hut, heading back to the castle after having tea with his old friend, he spotted movement on the edge of the forest. He squinted his eyes at the indistinct shape for a moment, and then, certain that what he was seeing was a student, began to run toward it.

"Adrian!" he cried, as he drew near enough to recognise the two boys. "What happened?"

"Damien's hurt real bad," Adrian sobbed. "Please...you've got to hurry."

Harry took the injured boy from his brother's arms, alarmed by the amount of blood that coated his torn robes. Cradling Damien carefully so as not to harm him any farther, Harry turned and hurried toward the castle, knowing that Hagrid would see that Adrian returned safely.

Damien's condition alarmed Madame Pomfrey. She set to work quickly, ushering Harry from the room as she began to cast spells.

Harry headed for the entrance hall, wanting to see Adrian the instant he arrived at the castle. He hoped that perhaps an explanation of Damien's injuries would help in his treatment. Adrian, he knew, was the only person who could give such an explanation.

Just as Harry stepped into the entryway, Hagrid and Adrian burst through the oak front doors. Adrian felt to the floor, gasping for breath, and Harry moved to kneel beside the winded boy.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked.

Adrian nodded his head slowly, still struggling to breathe normally.

"Damien?" the boy gasped.

"Madame Pomfrey's with him. What happened?"

Tears gushed from Adrian's eyes. "Thestrals," he panted.

"Thestrals?" Harry repeated, confused. He looked up at Hagrid. "Why would a thestral attack a child?"

"Protectin' their young, I'd wager," Hagrid said in his thick accent. "Can't think o' nothin' else that'd make 'em act that way. They keeps to themselves, mostly."

Headmistress McGonagall rounded the corner, drawn by the sound of the wide double doors slamming open.

"What in Merlin's name?" she exclaimed at the sight of the mud and blood covered child half-sitting, half-lying on the floor.

"Damien Malfoy's been seriously injured," Harry explained brusquely. "I need to contact his father."

Harry gently hugged the shaking boy, then stood and turned to leave. "He's going to be all right, Adrian," he said reassuringly. He only hoped he wasn't lying to the boy.

Wanting to have as much information as possible when he contacted Draco, Harry headed down to the infirmary to ask after Damien and to tell Poppy how the boy's injuries had been sustained.

"The child's lost a lot of blood," Pomfrey told him, "and he was in shock when you brought him here. I've done all I can. The rest is up to him."

Feeling not at all reassured, Harry turned and fled in the direction of his office, intent on placing an emergency fire call. As he reached for the Floo powder, Harry checked the time on the clock above the mantle. Draco had said he would be at his parents' house until rather late, visiting with his mother, and Harry was certain that's where he would be now. Swallowing a knot of pure dread, Harry tossed the powder into the fireplace, connecting his office with Malfoy Manor.

Lucius Malfoy turned at the sudden hiss of flames in his cold fireplace. He recoiled at the sight of Harry Potter's head in his hearth.

"What do you want, Potter?" he hissed, his face contorting in a grimace of disgust.

"I need to speak to Draco. And I need to speak to him now," Harry snapped.

Lucius opened his mouth, perhaps to protest, and Harry spoke again.

"I haven't time for your bullshit, Malfoy. I need to speak to Draco. Go and get him or I swear you won't live to regret it," he said coldly.

Sneering with contempt, Lucius marched out of the study. A moment later, he reappeared with his son in tow.

"Harry," Draco said, surprised. With his attention focused on the face in the fire, Draco didn't see his father startle at his son's familiarity with the other man.

"Damien's been hurt. I think you should come to the school at once," Harry said without preamble.

Draco's pale face turned deathly white. "What happened?"

"I'm not entirely certain. All I could get out of Adrian was 'thestrals'."

"I'll be there as soon as I can," Draco assured him.

Harry disappeared, and the fire blinked out.

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

Turning from the fireplace, Draco addressed his father. "Tell Mother where I've gone," he said, fighting down a wave of panic.

"I'm coming with you," Lucius snapped.

Draco started to protest, but realised it would be utterly pointless. He dashed through the house and into the sitting room where he had left his mother some minutes before. After the briefest explanation possible, he kissed Narcissa on the cheek and Apparated to Hogsmeade.

Draco was already striding down the path towards Hogwarts when he heard the pop that signalled his father's arrival. He ignored the other man, ignored the rain that soaked his expensive robes, ignored the wind that whipped his hair into his eyes, moving as fast as the slick ground would allow. Within minutes he was bounding up Hogwarts front steps and throwing open the oak double doors. Lucius was less than two steps behind him.

Disregarding the strange looks they received from students and staff alike, the two Malfoys strode through the hallways of Hogwarts toward the infirmary.

Harry was waiting for Draco when he arrived at the hospital wing. He was, in fact, sitting beside Damien's bed with Adrian curled in a shaking ball on his lap.

Draco rushed to Damien's side, his eyes moving instinctively to check for the rise and fall of the boy's chest that would indicate that he was alive. He choked back a sob of relief as he watched Damien breathing. Taking his son's hand in his, he sat carefully on the edge of the bed.

Focused intently on the child lying in the hospital bed, Draco never saw Adrian recoil at the sight of Lucius. Harry, however, felt it, and felt the increased shivering of the boy in his arms.

"How is he?" Draco asked as Madame Pomfrey moved to check on Damien.

The mediwitch cast a few spells and then nodded her head. "He's improving. He isn't out of the woods yet, but his vital signs are stabilising. That's a good sign," she assured him.

Draco leaned down to kiss Damien's forehead and then turned to his other son. "What happened?" he asked once again.

"You should go out into the foyer to talk," Madame Pomfrey suggested. "Damien doesn't need to be disturbed."

Long experience with Madame Pomfrey had taught both Harry and Draco not to argue with the woman. As Draco rose from Damien's bed, Harry gently pushed Adrian off his lap. The three of them made their way to the foyer, and Lucius followed.

Once outside, Draco turned Adrian to face him, tilting the boy's face up so he could look down into his son's eyes. "Tell me what happened," he said calmly.

"Damien wanted to see the thestrals," he said.

"He shouldn't be able to see thestrals," the senior Malfoy said, fixing the boy with a hard stare.

"We could see the baby ones," Adrian replied, his voice hardly above a whisper.

"What happened, Adrian?" Draco prompted, trying not to let his exasperation show.

"We were just petting them. At first. Damien...erm...we thought it would be neat to ride them," Adrian said, not wanting to lay blame on his brother who might very well be dying.

"You rode baby thestrals," Draco said, scrubbing his face with his hands.

"I did. But Damien....a grownup thestral grabbed him. In its mouth. And shook him." The tears were flooding Adrian's cheeks again. Harry resisted the urge to gather the child in his arms, but just barely.

"Riding thestrals," Lucius interrupted, his tone one of contempt. "You've always been one for reckless, brainless stunts. And now you've gone and dragged your brother into it. If anything happens to him, it will be on your head."

"Father, please," Draco snapped.

Fire flashed in Harry's eyes. His hands itched to wrap around his wand and lay out Lucius Malfoy with some particularly nasty hex.

"I'm so sorry!" Adrian wailed.

"Sorry won't be of much use if Damien dies," Lucius replied coldly.

Adrian turned and fled, running blindly down the hallway. Harry and Draco both turned toward the older man.

"You're one to talk!" Draco snarled. "You, who gave my eleven year old the means to attempt suicide."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lucius replied in a bored voice that said he knew exactly what Draco was talking about but didn't care.

Harry caught Draco's wrist as the blond reached for his wand. "You've worn out your welcome, Lucius. I think you should leave," he said in a cool, level voice.

"I've every right to be here," Lucius insisted. "That's my grandson in there," he added, gesturing towards the infirmary.

"You've no rights, Lucius. None at all," Harry said threateningly.

Draco stood transfixed, watching the verbal volley and wondering just what in the hell was going on.

"Strong words," Lucius commented. "I hope you realise that enforcing them might very well cost you your...friend," he added, looking pointedly at Draco.

Harry's hand left Draco's wrist, his wand sliding from his sleeve as he raised his arm. In the split second since Lucius had spoken, Harry had brandished his wand and pointed it directly between the senior Malfoy's eyes.

"Give me a reason," Harry said, his voice hard as stone. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."

Pleased with the look of horror on his son's face, Lucius took a step backward and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. Slowly and deliberately, he turned and walked away.

Harry stood with his wand raised until long after Lucius disappeared around the corner.

"Do you mind explaining to me what just happened?" Draco snapped.

"Not now, Draco. I've got to find Adrian," Harry said, dismissing the other man's concerns completely.

Draco grabbed his arm. Harry turned to look him in the eye. "Find Adrian. But you will tell me what is going on between you and my father."

"I will," Harry promised quietly. He reached up and gently caressed Draco's cheek, a look of profound sadness in his eyes, and then he was gone, hurrying down the corridor in search of Adrian.