To See A Falling Star

Grim Prophet

by Lady FoxFire

June 1, 2003

"Harry," a voice hissed into Harry's ear as someone gently stroked the side of his face. " My perfect tool. My pretty little pet."

Harry snapped open his eyes, only to meet the infinite darkness that was his constant companion. The soft mattress cradled Harry's slim frame as he felt the heavy weight of another man pressing into him. "So beautiful." The man kept caressing his face, nuzzling his neck.

"Stop!" Harry cried out as he tried to escape the man, to escape the voice. " Please stop."

Fingertips gently but firmly caressed Harry's face and neck before slipping down to where his shirt was tucked into his pants. Slowly the hand pulled Harry's shirt out and slipped under the rough material of Dudley's old shirt across the flesh underneath.

"No!" Harry begged as he tried to push the man away. "Stop please!"

"Mine," the voice hissed venomously with pleasure once again as Harry struggled. "Without you, my pet, I would not have won this war."

"No!" Tears ran down Harry's face as fought to escape the voice, to escape Voldemort. "You're lying!"

"Oh yes, Harry. Yes. You won the war-- just as it was foretold." Voldemort rubbed his scaly face against Harry's as the voice whispered in Harry's ear. "And now it is time for me to collect my prize." Voldemort leaned into Harry, placing more of his weight on the slight boy.

"No!" Harry cried in despair as he tried in vain to push Voldemort off of him, as he tried to escape.

Voldemort hissed with menacing laughter at the sight of the boy's futile attempts to break away. He effortlessly captured Harry's hands as the boy writhed hopelessly with one of his own and pinned them down above Harry's head. "It is a shame you could not watch your friends gasp their last breath of life. It's a shame that you could not watch the death of your Godfather and his pet werewolf," Voldemort cooed gently into Potter's ear.

"Sirius?" Harry stopped his struggle. "He's dead?" he whispered in disbelief.

"One of Severus' more ingenues plans. Deny the werewolf his Wolfsbane on full moon lock the beast in the cage with your Godfather." Voldemort explain as he nuzzled Harry's neck. "Of course your Godfather was wearing a collar so he could not transform but I was kind, I did give him a silver dagger. It was interesting to watch--to see who would live and who would die."

Gleaming tears of anguish began to fall down Harry's pale cheek as he listen to the Dark Lord described with chilling detail the fate of his Godfather. Lovingly Voldemort kissed each of Harry's tears away.

"He wouldn't use the dagger," Voldemort said a trace of irritation and confusion in his serpentine voice. "He just smiled wistfully at the beast before it tore him to shreds. And in the morning the werewolf used the knife on himself."

Harry's body shook with grief as Voldemort held him close, caressing the young boy's body. "You're all alone now, Harry," Voldemort whispered into his hair. "Dumbledore is gone. The Mudblood is gone. And the Weasleys... are no more. Except for the girl. I've given her to my spy. It would have been a shame to lose their bloodline. And Snape always did favor the little red head."

"And now to claim what is mine," he said as he unsnapped Harry's pants. "Harry, Harry, Harry... wake up, Harry! Wake up!"

"NO! GET AWAY FROM ME," Harry screamed as he thrashed around in bed.

Sirius grasped Harry's by the arms as the boy fought against him. "Harry, wake up! It's only a dream!"

"Sirius?" Harry gasped frantically as his glazed unseeing eyes opened wide, and his body tensed waiting for the trap to be sprung.

"It's me, Harry." Sirius held Harry's hand and placed it on the side of his face. "It's me, Harry. It's Sirius."

"Sirius?" Harry's fingertips danced lightly over Sirius's face, mapping his features. "Sirius!" Harry cried in relief as he threw himself into the older man's arm and began to cry.

"Shhhh. It's alright Harry," Sirius whispered into the boy's hair as he rocked the weeping child, soothing the sobs that racked the sinewy figure. "It was just a dream. Only a dream..."

~*~

"Enter," Snape commanded distractedly as he continued to grade the essay in front of him.

Draco strode into the office with the pride and arrogance only a Malfoy could carry, with Crabbe and Goyle trailing being him like two trained guard dogs. The boys halted in front of Snape's desk and waited patiently for their Head of House to acknowledge them.

Snape finished marking the essay and laid it aside before reaching for another, never once acknowledging the presence of the three boys before him.

After being ignored for several minutes, Malfoy began to tap his foot impatiently, his patience running out with his professor. "You wanted to see us, Professor?" the silver haired boy drawled with biting impatience. Without sparing a glance up, Snape drew a thin red line through a paragraph on the parchment and wrote a short note next to it. The Potion's Master continued to ignore them. Draco crossed his arm across his chest; his eyes narrow at the insult of being so completely disregarded. "Professor!" he snapped.

"Do you know why you have been summoned?" Snape asked as he continued to grade the papers, never once lifting his head to look at the boys.

Draco brushed some imaginary lint from his robe as Crabbe and Goyle stood silently behind him. "I am assuming that it has to do with someone who impersonated me and attacked Potter."

Snape carefully laid his quill down on the desk and closed the lid to the bottle of red ink. "That is partially correct, Mr. Malfoy," Snape commented apathetically as he raised his eyes to the boys in front of him. His cold eyes studied each one of them as if they were interesting specimens for dissection.

"And how is my assumption in error, Professor?" Draco asked condescendingly as he looked down at his professor.

"You are here to learn of your punishment for assaulting on Potter and his mutt," Snape stated sharply in a cold starn tone.

Draco's nostrils flared angrily as he threw his shoulders back, and held his head high. "My father won't stand for this! I have witnesses that will state that I was in the common room when that fool Potter was allegedly attacked. I'll see Dumbledore is removed from the school for this slander of the Malfoy name!"

Snape sat in silence through Draco's rant, his lips curling back in a malicious sneering grin. "You presume too much once again, Malfoy. Your father already knows of your punishment and there is nothing he can do for you, boy. Dumbledore didn't order your punishment. The fool actually believes that you're innocent of the crime. This order comes from someone much more powerful than that old man."

Draco's confusion soon vanished as he realized of whom the Potion Master was speaking. He swallowed nervously as he unconsciously took a step back in fear, bumping into Goyle who looked on with a vacant expression forever plastered on his huge, frying pan-sized face.

"Yes," Snape hissed venomously as he planted his hands firmly on his desk and arose like a vengeful demon from Hell. "He is far from pleased by your childish prank. Your imbecilic, asinine assault on Potter has sent our plans back by months!"

Snape walked around the desk. "He is also displeased that you informed Potter of our plans. Plans that you undoubtedly learned from your father."

"No." Draco shook his head in panic. "Father didn't tell me anything. I made it all up. I didn't know anything."

"I don't believe you," Snape hissed inches from the boy's face, his voice dripping with malice. "You're not smart enough to conjure such a brilliant plan." Snape stared down at the quivering boy. "You undoubtedly overheard your father speaking of it. Hopefully, your father has learned to keep his mouth shut after his latest punishment. I'm sure he doesn't want to have the Dark Lord repeat it. Now the only question remaining is how should you be dealt with."

Goyle blinked his piggy little eyes. "Umm. Detention with Filch?" he suggested stupidly.

"I would hardly think that is the type of punishment that the our Lord had intended." Snape retorted menacingly as he looked down his long, hooked nose at the boys. "Perhaps I'll have you perform those acts you so lovely described to Potter." Snape said as he reached out and gently played with a lock of Draco's hair. "Do you think that is a good enough punishment?"

Draco stood still, his breath coming out in short, panic filled pants. His eyes grew wide as he struggled to control the inexorable fear that clung firmly to his heart. He stared helplessly up at the ominous, looming figure of his professor.

Snape's hand dropped suddenly from beside Malfoy's face. "You should consider yourself lucky that I do not share the same taste in men and children as some others." Snape turned his back on the boys and walked back to his desk.

"As for your punishment," continued Snape as he sat once again behind his desk. "For a time I thought of handing you over to your fellow Slytherins. However, I am afraid they will be too lenient with you. But I do believe I have come up with a better idea," Snape said as his mouth twisted up into an evil smile.

~*~

"This will never work," Seamus grumbled as he stared at the trap door that led to Trelawney's classroom.

"It will work Seamus," Ron said with a sigh, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall next to Harry and Snuffles, who were sitting on the floor.

Seamus looked up over at Ron then back to the trap door. "Yeah but are you sure?"

The boys groaned at the comment. "Drop it, Seamus before you jinx us all," Neville barked from where he stood guarding the stairs.

"Yeah but what if one of the teachers notices we're missing?" Seamus asked as he started to pace. "What if Snape notices and then figures out what we did?"

"I doubt Snape would do anything even if he figures out that we pulled the prank," Harry stated as he ran his fingers through Snuffle's fur, "He hates Trelawney just as much as we do. Anyway, you're forgetting that Hermione and Dean are using glamour charms so it seems like we're at breakfast."

"Fine, fine. But how are we going to get him up there?" Seamus asked pointing at Snuffles. "Magic?"

"We are wizards," Neville said rolling his eyes.

"We can't use magic." Ron sighed as he pushed himself from the wall. "One of the previous Divination professors had the tower warded because students were stealing some of the plants he was using to unfog the future."

A snort came from Harry. "In other words they were stealing the plants he was using to get stoned on."

"Exactly," Ron continued, sounding exactly like Hermione. "He had a ward placed on the tower that identified each spell use and who did it within the tower so he could catch the thief or thieves."

The boys and the dog looked at Ron questionably. Ron shrugged, "Hermione told me. So we can't use magic."

"So that's why Neville and me are along, manual labor," Seamus said huffily and crossed his arms, glaring at Ron and Harry.

"No. You're back up manual labor," Harry said with a smirk. "Anyway, you wanted in on the prank."

Seamus and Neville shared a looked between each other before looking back at Ron and Harry. "Okay," Neville said wearily, "so how are we getting Snuffles up there? He has to weigh at least thirteen stones."

As if summoned by Neville's question, a house elf wearing lime green tea cozies and a maroon jumper with a gold letter R on it, suddenly appeared in front of Harry. "Does Mr. Harry Potter, sir, need Dobby's help?" the little house elf asked as he looked upon his hero with big soulful green eyes.

Seamus and Neville looked down at the little house elf then up at Ron who just nodded his head and grinned like a mad man.

"Thanks for coming, Dobby," Harry smiled in the direction of Dobby's voice.

"It is not problem Mr. Harry Potter, sir." Dobby bubbled over with joy. "Dobby loves to help Harry Potter, sir."

Harry smiled and nodded his head. "We need your help, Dobby. We need to... Umm... Well you see..."

Ron smiled and shook his head at Harry. "Dobby, we need to get Snuffles into the classroom." Ron pointed at the trap door. "Can you help us?"

Dobby looked at the Gryffindor boys, then at Snuffles and finally at the trap door warily. "Why does Harry Potter's Wheezy want Harry Potter's Snuffles in a classroom? Mr. Harry Potter's Snuffles is to guide and protect Mr. Harry Potter, not to sit in a room."

Ron's shuffled his feet under Dobby's intense gaze.

"Dobby, you know about the things Professor Trelawney says about Harry?" Neville asked as he walked over to the little house elf. "She tells him how he's going to die a horrible death. That he's going to fall of his broom and break his neck or how one of his loved one will cut his heart out. The lies she tells gets everyone real upset, so we thought to play a small prank on her."

Dobby looked at Snuffles for a moment then at the trap door. Slowly an evil grin appeared on the house elf's face turning the innocently looking being into something truly frightening. "Dobby likes to help."

"Remind me never to piss off a house elf," Seamus whispered to Neville with a shiver. Neville just nodded his head and swallowed nervously as he stared at the grinning elf.

Just then the sound of someone running could be heard. All eyes turned towards the sound, as it grew closer.

"Shit! We're dead," Seamus mumbled.

Ginny rounded the corner at a run and sprinted up the stairs. She collapsed breathlessly next to Harry, thrusting an item into his hands. "From... Moony... He's... Keeping... Trelaw... Busy..." Ginny said as she gasped for air. "Got to get back. Want to watch later."

The boys bemusedly watched Ginny disappear down the stairs. "What just happened?" Seamus asked, his brow furrow in confusion.

"And who is Moony?" Neville asked as he turned to Ron and Harry.

"We'll explain later. First, I want to know something," Harry announced, holding up the brass square in the palm of his hand, "what is this?"

"Oh Moony, I think I love you," Ron said with a huge grin on his face and he took it from Harry.

"I'm sure he'll love to know that, but what is it?" Harry said as he climbed to his feet with Snuffles at his side.

"It's a recorder!" Neville said, the awe evident in his voice.

"A what?" Harry said in confusion

"It's a wizard camcorder. But when you view the recording you can move around so you can see everything, even the stuff behind the recorder," Seamus explain bouncing up and down like a kid in a toy store.

"You mean it's like a pensieve?" Harry asked cautiously

"No. You don't go into a memory it's just a recording of an event but it's more like a computer game in which you can look all around you by using a mouse." Seamus explained

"What's a computer?" Neville asked

"And how can mice help you with it?" Ron asked

Harry shook his head in amusement. "Prank first, Muggle technology later." Harry knelt down and reached out towards where he thought Dobby was.

Gentle Dobby took Harry's hand and placed it on his shoulder. "Mr. Harry Potter needs Dobby to help Harry Potter's Snuffles into classroom?"

"Yes, Dobby. We do need your help but I don't want you to get into any trouble," Harry said, giving his friend a gentle squeeze.

"Don't worry, Mr. Harry Potter, sir. Dobby's magic no show up on wards," Dobby said patting Harry's hand, trying to reassure the young wizard. "But Dobby was wondering..."

"What is Dobby?" Ron asked seeing the house elf blush.

"Will Mr. Harry Potter, sir, show house elves copy of prank?" Dobby ducked his head nervously. "House elves no like Trelawney. Would like to see what happens."

"It's a deal, Dobby," Harry replied with a smile. "But we better hurry. It's almost time for class."

Dobby nodded his head and snapped his fingers, the trapdoor swung open. The House Elf then turns to Snuffles. "Snuffles, no move," Dobby command. Before the dog could move a muscle he was floating in the air.

With his tail tucked between legs and his eyes closed tight, Snuffle whimpered like a scared little pup. "Be brave, Snuffles. Remember you're a Gryffindor... Gryffindor dogs aren't scary cats." Harry called as his dog floated through the trap door.

"Right," Ron said as he picked up a shining, silvery cloth that was sitting next to where Harry and Snuffles had been, "I'll just pop right up there, set everything up and be right back. Umm... Dobby?" Ron turned to the Elf for help.

With a smile of the House Elf face, Ron was soon floating through the trap door, Harry's invisibility cloak and the recorder in hand.

~*~

"The spirit world is very active today, my children," Professor Trelawney announced in a softy misty voice as she appeared in the firelight, her chains and bangles making a ringing noise whenever she moved. "The spirits demands I do a reading for each of you."

Trelawney slowly circle the room foretelling the future or important information for each of her students. "I'm afraid that your pet will become very sick, soon he'll be nothing but some fur and bones," she told Neville.

"Trevor's a toad," Neville said as he looked up at the teacher like she was insane.

"Ahh it must be the far flung future child," Trelawney replied patting Neville on the shoulder. "I am afraid the animal will die."

"Give up Quidditch," she cried out hysterically as she turned to Dean, "it will be the death of you!"

"Yeah right, and Draco is really an angel in disguise," Dean mumbled.

Professor Trelawney snorted at Dean's comment as Lavender and Parvati looked on in horror. "You really should listen to her, Dean. After all, she can foretell the future." Parvati said bossily.

Dean just shook his head in disgust while their professor turned her eyes on new meat.

"If only the Headmaster had listened to my prediction," Trelawney said with a theatrical sigh as she rested her hands on Harry's shoulders.

"Are you saying it's Dumbledore's fault Harry's blind?" Ron asked through clenched teeth as a number of students glared at the Divination professor.

"Of course not, child," Trelawney said as she waved off Ron's accusation. "However, if he had listened to me, we might have been able to prevent such a tragic accident."

"It wasn't an accident," Harry comment as he knocked Trelawney's hands away.

"You're right, my dear. You're right. It was the will of the Fates," Trelawney said, the back of her hand pressed against her forehead. "I fear the spirits are leaving us for now."

Lavender and Patil moaned in disappointment as the rest of the class rolled their eyes.

"So let us begin our studies of unfogging the mystery of the mind. Today we will be reviewing the use of crystal balls..." Trelawney began her lecture when a soft unearthly moan came from behind her. She swung around to see who was making the noise only to find Potter.

Trelawney quickly turned around to see who interrupted her only to find the pale faces of her students staring at Potter. Another moan escaped Potter's parted lips.

"Harry? This isn't funny Harry?" Ron said in a panic as he watched his best friend's head rock back and forth.

Trelawney grabbed Ron's arm as the boy reached out to touch Harry. "Don't touch him. He's in a trance," she said in awe as she watched the boy.

Slowly Harry reached out for the crystal ball sitting in front of him, blue electricity cracking between his fingers, jumping to the crystal ball. Suddenly, Harry stopped moving. "She is in darkness." A deep voice came from Harry's mouth. "She had angered them. She has angered the beast."

"What beast? Who is she?" Trelawney asked fearfully as she crouched down next to where Harry sat. "What did she do?"

"Lies," the deep voice echoed in the room. "She told lies. Lies of death. She has angered the beast."

"Who is she?" Trelawney demanded her voice squeaking. "What beast?"

Harry turned his head until Trelawney was looking him straight into his sightless eyes. "You are she." Harry whispered. Suddenly Harry threw his head back. "He comes!" Harry screamed before collapsing.

Trelawney rose from her crouch, her body shaking as she grasped at her chains and medallions. She looked around at the fright faces of her students. "I..."

A deep foreboding growl came from the darkened corner of the room. All eyes turned and stared into the shades that filled the corner when suddenly a black shaped appeared out of thin air. The creature jumped over the heads of Parvati and Lavender and landed in the middle of the table.

In the middle of the table stood a huge hound the size of a calf with eyes like fire. It bared its large white teeth and growled at Trelawney.

Trelawney stared right into the jaws of the dog, her nose wrinkled at the beast's bad breath. "It's a Grim," she simply said before her eyes rolled up in her head, and she collapsed to the floor.

~*~

"The next thing I know I was on the floor and Snuffles was licking my face," Harry innocently said as he popped a grape into his mouth.

"Yes but how did that dog get in there?" Lavender asked from her seat down the table. "It's not like it could have climbed the ladder."

Dean rolled his eyes. "The dog must have sensed Harry's distress over that fraud's prediction and thought he was endanger. I won't be surprise if Dumbledore had placed charms on the dog so that he could protect Harry," he said pointing at the dog under the table. "Come on just look at him. Have you ever seen a dog like that before? He's huge!"

"Oh come on Dean. He's just a dog," Ron sighed in irritation. "The next thing you know, people will be saying Snuffles is Sirius Black in disguise."

Harry choked on his drink.

"Ron! Please!" Hermione said looking up from her book. "You know how Harry is about that man."

"Sorry, Harry," Ron said looking down at his plate trying not to grin.

At that moment owls began to fly thought the window into the Great Hall. "Ron?" Harry called out as the hall descended into silence, the students watching the owls in confusion.

As if a dance, owls dove towards the tables, dropping the mail they carried for their owners before disappearing out the windows.

"Did I get my paper this morning?"

"...Special edition?"

Hermione placed her paper to the side, "I'll read it later," she mumbled as she turned the page of her thick book in front of her.

"Wonder what's happened," Dean said as he opened up his copy of the paper.

"Harry?" Colin Creevey called out from his seat among younger Gryffindors, who were chattering and pointing at an article in the paper.

"Yes Colin?" Harry sighed before he taking a sip from his glass.

"Umm. Is it true you're a virgin?" Pumpkin juice sprayed out of Harry's mouth and over Ron at Colin's comment. "I mean the Daily Prophet says you are but I figured that with you being you..." Colin shrugged his shoulder as if that explained everything. "Well you would have had plenty of offers."

"What do you mean the Daily Prophet says so?" Hermione asked as she hands a napkin to Ron as he tried to clean up before picking up her copy of the paper.

"It's on page four, Hermione," Colin explained as he turned his paper so that everyone could see a picture of Harry taken at the end of the Tri-wizard Tournament in the paper. "It has some thing to do with a Lee sang de Maggie." He looked down at the paper then back up at the others again. "What's a Lee sang de Maggie?"

Ron silently repeated Colin's words to himself; suddenly the blood ran out of his face as he dropped the napkins that he was using. "Le sang de Magie!" Without warning Ron reached over and ripped the newspaper out of Dean's hands.

"Hey that's mine!" Dean exclaimed in outrage as he glared at Weasley.

Ron quickly sorted out the paper and scanned the article. "Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed as gripped the paper tightly.

"Fudge can't do that!" Ginny whispered in disbelief as she read the paper over Ron's shoulder. "Can he?"

"Ron?" Harry asked, his voice betraying the concern and inpatients he was feeling. "What is it? What's Le sang de Magie?"

A soft whimper came from under the table as Snuffles softly nudged Harry's leg. Harry reached out and scratched the dog behind the ear, trying to reassure his Godfather

"It's French. It means blood of magic or magic blood." Ron stated as he ran a shaky hand through his hair, as Dean snatched his newspaper back. "It's an ancient wizard law."

"I've never seen it in any book on wizard history?" Hermione mumbled as she chewed on her bottom lips. "So what exactly is it, and what does it have to do with Harry?" Her eyes narrowed as she took in the embarrassed expression of a number of her fellow Gryffindors, pureblood and wizard raised Gryffindors

"It an embarrassment, Hermione," Neville comment his eyes resting on his plate, playing with his fork. "It's something one does not talk about outside of family. It's a deep dark secret of the wizard community."

"Would someone please explain to me what's going on!" Harry growled as he threaded his fingers through Snuffles' thick fur as the dog rested his head on Harry's lap. "What is it? And what does it have to do with me?"

"It's kind of complex Harry," Ginny said after a few minutes as the wizard born looked at anything but at Harry. "Le sang de Magie was a way of preserving the blood line and a way to give an injured witch or wizard security, a purpose for their life."

"Well that sound fine and dandy, but what does my sex life or lack of it have to do with anything?" Harry growled as he drummed his fingers of his free hand on the table.

"You're being sold as breeding stock," Hermione said as she looking up from the article.

Harry sat in stunned silence. "Excuse me?" he finally said after a few minutes had passed. "Did you just say I was being sold?"

"More like an arranged marriage," Ron said quickly, his face as red as his hair

"To the highest bidder," Hermione commented

Harry drummed his fingers harder on the table. "I'm being sold to the highest bidder so I can marry some girl..."

"Or guy," Neville said softly, the tips of his ears turning red. "There are spells to make you get pregnant."

"All right, let me get this straight. I'm being sold to the highest bidder so I can either get a girl pregnant or get knocked up myself." Harry growled.

"Yeah. After you've proven you can sire offspring, your new family can hire you out to other families."

"So I'm being sold into prostitution."

"And just like dog breeder, they want to know everything about the animal they're going to purchase," Hermione stated as she continued to read the paper. "They have everything about you Harry. Your height, weight, favorite food, your grade, evens how you prefer boxers over briefs."

A deep unearthly growl echo through the school as Harry sat at Gryffindor table drumming his fingers harder. "Let see if I got this now," he said through his clutch teeth, "The Daily Prophet published every detail of my personal life in the newspaper so that an informed bidder can purchase me for their whore house."

"It's not like that Harry," Ron said hurriedly as he tried to calm his friend. "Most of the families don't treat it like that. More like an arranged married."

"Harry," Ginny said softly so not to upset Potter farther, "many of the pure blood families... well... they're not pure blood. Often a family would take in an injured witch or wizard into the family. Any children born would only have one parent list so they could continue to say they're pure blood. Our great great grandmother Evelyn was a Muggle born who lost her wand arm in a fight; she learned to love her husband. Our family would never treat you as a whore."

"Do offence but do you really think your parents can afford to purchase me? I'm the bloody Boy Who Lived. Only someone with a lot..." The blood ran out of Harry's face as he stopped talk. "No," he moaned. "It's going to come true."

"What is Harry?" Hermione ask as she grasped Harry's arm trying to comfort him. "What's going to come true?'

"My dream," Harry whispered with horror filling his sightless eyes. "They'll outbid everyone until they own me. Then they'll give me to him."

Snuffles began to whimper and nudging Harry's hand with his nose.

"I was better off with Vernon," Harry said softly. "At least he would never rape me."

"Harry," Professor Lupin said the boy's name softly as he rested his hand on Harry's should. "The Headmaster would like to see you in his office."

"Of course," Harry's shoulders slumped dejectedly as he muttered those words before rising up and allowing Remus to lead him out of the Great Hall with Snuffles at his heels.

They left the hall in silence as those that were left behind chatted about Potter's future and his personal life.

"I'm sure that Dumbledore has a plan, Harry," Remus said as he guided the quiet boy down the halls.

"What does it matter," Harry replied softly. Remus and Snuffle shared a look of concern for Harry. "Everything I have and everything I have lost is due to magic. What difference does it make if magic take away my choice of lovers.?"

They walked along in silence as both Sirius and Remus tried to figure out a way to save Harry from this mess, to give his life meaning once again. "Cockroach caramels," Remus said when the reached the statue guarding Dumbledore's office.

Once they were in the office Sirius immediately transformed and grabbed Harry's by the shoulders. "Don't you say that," he hissed as he gave Harry a shake. "Don't you dare say that! What happens to you does matter!"

"Don't you get it Sirius? I've lost! I can't fight the Ministry. Not when the law is on their side. I'm going to be sold to the highest bidder like an animal, like a thing." Harry's voice took on a bitter, biting tone "And if it's hadn't crossed you mind Sirius I'll probably end up with Malfoy or someone else who is rich enough to outbid all others for me. And then I'll be handed off to Voldemort."

"I'm not going to let that happen. We can run away. I can protect you."

Harry shook his head. "It would be too much of a danger, Sirius. They've forgotten about you, but if I went with you, they'll hunt us down and they will find us. And they will give you the kiss. And I will still be handed over to my new owner!"

"I can assure you, Harry, that I am not going to let that happen," Dumbledore stated in a firm, commanding voice from behind his desk.

"How could you let them do that," Sirius growled angrily, his eyes narrowed as he stared at the Headmaster. "How could you let them sell Harry?"

"Unfortunately, my hands were tied. Fudge is unwilling to see the truth in front of him and is willing to hide the truth at all possible costs," Dumbledore explained as he sat down behind his desk. "I am willing to say he will have a number of howlers for this."

"But what are we going to do in the mean time?" Remus asked as he guides Harry to a chair. "I can imagine how happy Voldemort is knowing that he can buy Harry."

"Is there anything we can do? Can we delay the bidding or reject bids from people like Malfoy?" Sirius asked desperately as he stood next to Harry's chair, a hand resting on the boy's shoulder.

"Unfortunately, no. The law doesn't allow it. If a person has the money, they may bid," Dumbledore explained as he played with a lemon drop.

"So I could buy myself," Harry said. "After all I do have the money."

Dumbledore shocked his head. "I'm sorry, child. The law strictly forbids the person or family from purchasing themselves." The Headmaster looked at the defeated face of the young men in front of him. "How much do you know of Le sang de Magie?"

Sirius and Remus looked at each other and shrugged. "Only what Ron and Ginny were able to tell. That I'm begin sold into prostitution so I can either father or carry some man's child," Harry stated.

"Ah, I see." Dumbledore said stroking his beard in thought. "While I would like to say you cannot be passed around for a child's price, I cannot. It was a common way of spreading the line out so that it could not die out."

" The law itself is very simple. It states that any unmarried witch or wizard who is unable to perform magic safely due to injury must be married off in order to preserve the magic that is carried in their blood. A dowry of an amount determined at the time of the marriage is given to the family of the one who was injured to compensation for their lost of a loved one.

"At one time the families would carefully search for a suitable mate for the injured person, sometimes taking years. Often it took years for families to agree on a dowry. After the ministry was formed, a bidding system was put in place with a set of rules for the minimum bid for a person. The minimum bid is determined by the person's family history, if they're pureblood, nature of injuries, their own history, magic level... the list goes on. Everything is a factored into it"

Sirius snorted. "Why worry about the kids happiness when Galleons are involved?"

"Unfortunately yes," Dumbledore said as he nodded his head. "It wasn't unheard of for families to injure their own so they could collect a dowry nor for an enemy to injure someone so the may marry them."

"Now I've already talked to the Weasleys and they have agreed to purchase you." Dumbledore smiled as he changed the subject. "You'll enter a long term engagement with one of the Weasley's child... umm I didn't think to ask Harry but which do you prefer, boys or girls?"

Harry's face turned red. "Umm... Ah... Umm... neither or both. I don't know. I've never really thought of it. Normally I was just trying to survive the school year and potion class."

"What about the Chang girl?" Remus spoke up. "Or Hermione? The paper said your two where a couple."

"And the Daily Prophet also prints that I'm mentally unstable," Harry snapped. "Hermione and I are just friends. She more interested in Ron than anyone else. And as for Cho," he shrugged his shoulder, "I guess I was interested in her because she was a Seeker too."

"Very well, we'll leave that open," Dumbledore said with a smile on his face. "Personally I think young Bill would make an excellent match for Harry especially with his skills in curses."

"You mean you can decide who wins?" Harry blinked in shock. "No matter what the bids are?"

"No." Dumbledore shook his head. "Unfortunately I can not. But I can look at a number of the top bids and choice the one most likely to be able to care and protect you."

"And you would choose the Weasleys?" Sirius asked.

Harry snorted. "I'm not trying to be crude but the Weasleys can't afford me. Not against someone like Malfoy; he would simply outbid them."

"That's true Harry. Unless they have a sponsor." A smirk appeared on the Headmaster's face.

"A sponsor?" Harry, Remus and Sirius said in shock.

"Myself," Dumbledore said simply the corner of his eyes crinkled in merriment. "And if you would like I can use money from your account and your inheritance to help."

"My inheritance?" Harry's brow furrowed in confusion.

Dumbledore nodded his head, the corner of his eyes crinkled in amusement. "Your grandparents' accounts, which are being held in trust for you until you graduate from Hogwarts and of course Sirius's accounts."

"My accounts?"

"Harry was awarded everything in your name when you were sentenced to Azkaban," Remus explained from his chair next to Harry.

"But I can't take Sirius's money!" Harry said in outrage.

"The hell you can't!" Sirius exclaimed as he stared down at his godson. "If it keeps you out of the hands of Malfoy it's well worth it!"

"Think of it as a loan, Harry," Dumbledore suggested. "The money from the auction would become the property of the injured family. And since you have no family the money ends up going to you. Which would then becomes the property of your owner, in this case the Weasley."

"So they would pay the loans back," Harry said. "But isn't this illegal? You're my guardian and you're loaning people money so they can buy me."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Actually, there is no law against it. I can't imagine there will be an investigation after the sell is concluded."

"So Harry will be engaged to Bill or Ginny or perhaps one of the twins," Remus stated as he chewed his bottom lip in though.

"That's correct, Remus. The engagement will be in name only until each of them finds someone they want to be with, at which time the engagement will be broken and the Ministry will reconsider Harry's status of being unable to do magic."

"Get it in writing," Sirius mumbled, as he looked down at the floor, deep in though.

"What?" Dumbledore said in confusion.

"Get everything, all the agreement, all the promises in writing. If anything happen to Arthur and Molly, I don't want Harry pressed into marrying one of them."

"Sirius, they won't do that," Harry said in shock.

Sirius shook his head. "Harry you can't guarantee what will happen. What if Percy decides he can advance farther in the Ministry with you as his property? Do you think he won't share you if it means he'll move farther up the ladder."

"You make him out to sound like a Slytherin, Sirius." Remus said.

Harry sat in silence for a few minutes before he started to nod his head. "I agree with Sirius. Get it in writing."

~*~

Somewhere in North America, the sun slowly climbed above the horizon as a woman sat on her terrace watching the world come alive. Her long black and silver hair gently moved in the breeze and she raised her face to catch the warming rays of the sun.

"Madam," a house elf in tailored clothing said as he held a silver tray with a newspaper out towards the woman, "a special edition of the Daily Prophet has just arrived."

"How odd," the woman commented, brushing her hair from her face as removed the paper from the tray. "Thank you, Faris." She said as she opened the paper. "Perhaps Fudge has a hang nail and wishes to share it with the world."

The lady quiet sipped her tea as she began to read the paper. Her eyes widened as she read the headline her tea spilled out of the cup as her hand shock. "Faris!" she called out.

The house elf immediately appeared in front of her. "Madam, what is a matter?" Faris said his concern for his lady evident in his voice as he took in how upset she was.

"Light a fire, Faris. I need to call my solicitor immediately," she replied through clutched teeth, the paper crumpled in her hands.

While Faris worked to build a fire, the lady paced back and forth, the paper crumbled in her fist. "The fire is ready, my Lady," Faris announced as he stepped away from the roaring fire.

"Thank you, Faris." The woman took a couple deep-calming breaths before stepped up to the fire. Taking a tin on the mantle, she threw a fistful of powder from the container into the fire and called out in a firm voice. "Donovan and Kokoris."

The fire crackled for a moment before the face of a handsome man with a light touch of grey to his black hair "This is Frank Dovovan, how can... Brenna!" the man exclaimed with a dazzling grin as he realized who had just called him. "What is it? You look upset." The smile faded as he notices how upset Brenna was.

Brenna shocks the crumbled newspaper at Frank. "Have you seen this trash, Frank?" she said her voice cracking with angry.

"Ah, Potter." Frank nodded his head in understanding. "Yes. Truly a shame. Such a promising young wizard. Personally I think Fudge is a moron for trying something like this with him. But you know Fudge would do anything to make himself look good."

"Buy him." Brenna snapped a crazed look in her eyes

Frank blinked a couple of time at her statement. "Excuse me. Did you just say buy him?"

"That's is correct. Do whatever you need to, sell all my stock, and my companies if you need to, but buy that child," She commanded.

"Brenna, I don't think that such a good idea." Frank said nervously running a hand through his hair "You being you and all the rest."

"I don't care Frank. Just make sure to win Harry for me." Brenna's expression softens. "It's a family debt, Frank. I own that boy so much for what happened. And I'll be damned before I let Malfoy or anyone else get their hands on that child."