Can Love Survive...

Falling. Darkness. Pain. Screams of voices long stilled in the past....swirling images of people and places far from where they last thought themselves to be...and then when they thought they could take no more...when they thought they would become one of the wraithlike images that they were surrounded by...a bright light shone on them, and they came to their senses again....

"Ooff! What the...Malfoy? You allright?" Harry asked feeling more then a tiny bit sick. He had felt like he was on one of those faire rides he had once been allowed to go on back when he was younger, and swore he never would again.

"Depends on your definition of 'allright' Potter. If it includes feeling like I"ve been ripped apart then yes, I"m allright." Draco's voice shot back, obviously he wasn't in any better shape.

"Very funny Malfoy." Harry said looking round now at where they were, surprized they weren't where they should have been. "How'd we end up back here?"

"Back where Potter?" Draco said recovering himself enough now to also look, and he too was a bit surprized. "This isn't the tower room".

"Bloody brilliant deduction Malfoy. Oi..wait a minute, where's that snake?" Harry said finally realizing that he and Malfoy were no longer joined together.

"Like I know Potter? This is the first room I was in, isn't it?" Draco said now walking round and looking at things.

Harry glanced round again, it was the right room but..."Yeah, it is, but yet...it isn't."

Draco looked over at Harry like he'd gone nutters or something. "What do you mean. It either is, or isn't. Can't be a cross between Potter." he said grumbling.

"Sod off Malfoy. What I mean is...it is the same room yes, but not exactly like I last saw it. There's no candles on the desk for one thing, and well that...." Harry said pointing now at a tapestry he just spotted, "Wasn't there before. Also, everything else in the room seems newer, not like it's been just sitting round a 1000 years past. There isn't even any dust!"

Draco was bout to respond to this but suddenly a door they hadn't noticed was opened on the far wall, and a lady dressed in the oddest clothes walked in. At first she didn't see them, occupying herself in a wardrobe that neither boy had noticed, and in Harry's mind had certainly never been there afore, and when she turned round she gave off a little gasp.

"Och! Ya gav' me a right good scarin' lads. Now what ya be doin' up in 'ere eh?" she said accusingly and looking towards Draco.

Harry and Draco just looked at her in astonishment, barely understanding the thick brogue accent this woman had, it sounded like a cross between cockney and Scottish, but he couldn't be sure. Harry found his voice though and said, "Err sorry, we didn't realize that we weren't supposed to be here I guess."

"Och, nae ya lad...it's tha' one nae suppose ta be up 'ere now. Ya father be in a right state lookin' all o'er the castle for ya lad, ya best get a move on. If ya mum knew w'ere ya were at..." she said gazing up towards the ceiling.

"My..my father's here? Looking for me?" Draco said going a bit pale.

The woman looked at Draco as if he had gone daft. "O'corse lad! Why wouldn' he eh? Ya mathers are both allready greetin' the guests. Ha'f the magikin' worlds been invited to see ya lads."

"See us? For what?" Harry asked completely bewildered now.

"Och! One too many lumps on tha' noggin' o'yers I'd be wagerin'. Warned that father o yers growin' up in a place like this do that to ya both. Insistant 'e was thoug'. Said "Tarrah, it will all work out for the best." And look at ya's now. Dafter than a bat I'd wager." she said wagging a finger at Harry.

"Look lady we really dont understand what you're talking bout." Draco said giving her a typical Malfoy glare.

Tarrah just looked at him, then laughed. "Now don' be tryin' that on me lad. I brung ya into this world, and raised ya best I saw fit, despite ya father's attempts. Now...I'll pretendin' I didn't see ya's up in 'ere if asked an' give ya both 30 mer minutes. Afters tha' lad ya be headin' off ta ya room till the ceremony, an nae another words bout that ya hears? It's nae like ya won' 'ave the rest o' yer lives together lad for that." she said giving Draco a stern look.

Harry and Draco didn't know what to say, so they just nodded back at her. They hadn't a clue what was going on, and they weren't going to antagonize this strict looking heavyset woman further.

"Nows then, I put yer clothes yer mum picked out fer ya tonight in the wardrobe. If'n I sees a single crinkle before then I'll be flayin' yer hide meself lad. Yer parents want ya lookin' yer best they are!" she said giving Harry the once over. "30 minutes, an' don' think I wonnae be watchin' for ya Slytherin!" she said now giving Draco a reproachful look, then headed back out the door she'd come in, closing the door swiftly behind her.

The boys looked at the door for a minute, bewildered to say the least, then turned back to each other. This day was getting odder and odder, and neither of them knew what to do bout it. They were still obviously at Hogwarts, but this woman they knew they'd never seen before.

"Well...that was decidely..odd. Who does she think she is anyway?" Draco muttered glancing back at the door.

"Obviously someone who knows us both very well Malfoy. What ceremony is she talking bout though I wonder?" Harry said walking round the room now and opening the wardrobe to see what the woman had put in there. As he pulled out the clothing she'd brought in, he gave a little whistle.

He pulled out first what looked like a dress, but realized quickly it was really two seperate pieces, a shirt and trousers, but nothing like Harry had ever seen. The shirt was elegent, yet not flashy a'toll, the material obviously silk, and the colours were a soft blending of red and gold. The sleeves were puffy, and the collar bore lacing in white. The trousers were made of the same silk, only in swirling shades of silver and green. The trouser legs were tapered down from the hips, and a belt with a huge buckle of an interwining lion and snake sat round the waist. Also in the wardrobe were a set of long boots that came up to the knees, made of black leather as the belt was. It was the most beautiful outfit Harry had ever seen he thought.

"Malfoy...you ever seen anything like this before?" Harry asked wondring.

Draco came over and looked closer at the outfit, then stepped back, pale and subdued. Nodding his head he said in a strange voice, "I have Potter. But..."

"But what?" Harry said keeping his eyes on the outfit.

"That type of outfit hasn't been used in like 1000 years Potter. I've seen a replica of it at the Manor, and in some books...but that...doesn't look like a replica." he said quietly.

Harry turned to face Draco then, wondring why Draco's voice had such an odd expression. "A replica of what?"

Draco debated if he should tell Harry, he didn't quite believe it himself even. It couldn't be possible that this outfit, that woman even, were here. That they were even here, but the facts were the facts...this was real, not a dream.

"You going to tell me or do I have to guess? That woman's going to come back you know." Harry said impatiently.

"Fine Potter. If you must know....that's...that is to say..."

"Just say it allready Malfoy!" Harry said totally irritated now.

"It is..or was..a wedding outfit Potter! A man's wedding outfit...used for when two men got married in the wizarding world....allright?" Draco said in a huff and turned his gaze away from Harry's, walking over to the desk instead.

Harry stood there dumbstruck. He knew the wizarding world wasn't a'toll like the muggle world in those sort of relationships, he just never knew how accepted it was. He didn't get the chance to think further on it though as the door opened again, only this time it wasn't that woman but another man walked through. One that seemed vaguely familiar.

"Oi! Figured you'd be here in your room. I dont blame you, nightmare down there between everyone. You'd think they'd never seen people getting joined before eh?" the man laughed while walking over to Harry and clapping him on the shoulder. "Ah, Terra outdid herself she did on your outfit. I didn't even get anything half that nice when I married Areanna! Very well indeed brother!" he said giving approval to the outfit, which Harry quickly put back into the wardrobe and shut the door.

"Yeah, it's umm...quite nice...err..." Harry began. The man called him 'brother' but he knew he didn't have a brother, so this in itself was even stranger to him.

The man went over and sat on the bed as if it was commonplace to do so, and saw Draco now by the desk, and he looked at him for a second with a look Harry didn't want to comprehend. Harry swore the mans blue eyes had darkened, but it could have been just a trick of the candlelight for a second later they were twinkling again.

"Now I see why Tarrah was in such a huff lad. You should be down in your own room waiting shouldn't you?" he said staring at Draco, a colder tone was in his voice.

Draco assessed this wearily. "Should I? Didn't realize, sorry if I'm bothering you two." he said back in the same tone, not moving from the desk.

"Hmph. Of all the men in the world you could have had brother, I still dont know why you chose a Slytherin. Oh I know what father says bout them, but still....they are what they are...betrayers to us all. Even if you did grow up with this one...they show their true colours in the end now dont they." the man said keeping his eyes trained on Draco, his voice showing a trace of bitterness.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked before Draco could shoot back anything. Last thing Harry needed right now was an all out war in this strange place between these two.

"Nothing brother. Not going to mar what should be that happiest day of your life. Well I best get a move on, you know how mother can get round alot of people. One of the most powerful women in the world, yet cant say two words to people without getting nervous. Besides, Areanna's people will be here shortly, and I've got to be there when they do, the Tuatha's are a strange breed sometimes, even after all the years I'm married to one. Atleast our boys are only half faerie, they got good heads on their shoulders thanks Merlin!" the man said turning back to Harry now.

"Yes, right. I'll err...see you..later then..brother.." Harry said as the man got up and walked over to the door.

"Garic! Garic you here darling?" someone said in the corridor, then a moment later one of the most beautiful women Harry and Draco had ever seen walked in. "I should have know you'd be here. Honestly, do hurry now, you're mother is in a havoc and you're father has gone off discussing things with Salazar again. Men! I just will never understand you!" she said in a huff.

"Calm down Area, it will be fine. Draconus's mother will arrive shortly, she had to take care of some last minute preperations in the dungeons. Honestly Harric, I dont know why you would give up this lovely room for a dungeon after the joining, but each to his own I gather." the man, Garic, said taking his wife by the hand and looking at Harry.

"It's his choice darling. Now do come shall you? We'll see you both at the ceremony then." Areanna said smiling at the boys and leading her husband out, closing the door behind them, leaving behind two very stunned young men.

"Did she just...is what I heard...is this really happening?" Harry said, realization of what was going on dawning on him.

Draco didn't respond, just turned back round to face the desk to think on this. Suddenly his eyes fell upon a parchment on the desk that made his breath draw in, and he picked it up with a shaking hand. "P-Potter?" he said now reading the parchment again.

"Yes Malfoy?"

"I think...I think you should see this..." he said turning round and walking over to him handed Harry the parchment.

Harry read it, then gasped himself. "What in the world....?" he said convinced he wasn't seeing this, and that it couldn't be real. For some reason he read it outloud:

* * * * *

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Join on this day, October 31st of the lords year 995, and celebrate the joining of two houses of power!

Godric Gryffindor and Helga Hufflepuff, Salazar Slytherin and Rowena Ravenclaw bid you on this day to witness the joining rites ceremony of their sons at Hogwarts School of Witchraft and Wizardry.

Harric Jameus Gryffindor and Draconus Lucifer Slytherin will be joined promptly at 6 o'clock in the evening in the Great Hall, finishing out a lifebond made when they were yet still children roaming the newly built halls of this fine instution.

Their fathers were exclaimed to be happy, despite growing tensions between these two houses of power. They wish only the best for their youngest sons, and have provided them everything they will need to start off on their new lives together.

You may recall Godric Gryffindor's eldest son, Garic Gryffindor, was married 10 years back now to a Tuatha De Danann, they currently reside in the land of Tir Nan Og, making appearances when need be, and he was a staunch promoter of helping Hogwarts by being one of it's first graduating students.

Tobias Slytherin, Salazar's eldest son, has not been seen in nearly 10 years. It is rumored that he has gone over and joined in league with darker forces that have been brewing discontents in our world, but Slytherin refrains on comments about his eldest son, only saying that he has no contact with him at this time.

The ceremony comes at a time when a love story is much needed, and this reporter for one, will be most profoundly happy to be attending such a prestigus occassion. I assure you my readers that I will bring you full report on the outcome of such a well deserved union!

* * * * *

Harry finished reading the article, which oddly enough he found he had read outloud, and as his voice died away on the last word, his mind began to spin. "This...this cant be real Malfoy. Tell me it's not real..." he said walking over to the bed and sitting down still shocked.

Draco thought on this for a moment, his mind racing to grasp something he'd rememebered from a while back. "It is Potter...but...not in the way you're thinking..." he said going over to sit down next to Harry on the bed.

"Then what is it Mr. Know It All?" Harry said irritably and turning to him.

"Obviously, these two aren't 'really' us...I think..that the snake we saw used a form of remembering magic. This obviously is the past as it really happened, even though we never heard of it happening till now...in a sense, we're not really 'here', just inhabiting the bodies of the real Harric and Draconus. Does that make sense to you?"

"Sort of. What you're saying I think is...that for the moment, we're reliving the past through the real people's eyes so to speak...Come to think of it, I swear I've seen this before..." Harry said trying to think on that. "Of course! I have seen this...1000 years from now Malfoy. It was one of the papers inside the desk that I didn't bother to read because I didn't understand it! It was one of the ones written in a language I didn't understand, so I didn't bother, but the dates and the names I do remember."

"Ugg, you're such a git! It wasn't written in an odd language, just that it was written over a 1000 years ago, so it seemed strange to read I bet. That's not what worries me though...you didn't happen to notice anything...odd...about it all?" Draco said getting up to pace now.

"Well that would explain it I suppose, but what's odd?" Harry said watching Draco pace.

Draco stopped pacing then, and looked at Harry as if he was off his rocker. "I cant believe even you didn't spot it Potter. Hard to believe a Gryffindor created Hogwarts if they're all as stupid as you." he said with a smirk.

"Stop being such a sod Malfoy and....oh! Oh I do see it now! Of course!" Harry said glancing down at the parchment again. "The names...it's...they're...well they're our names, although slightly altered...but they are!"

"Give Potter the Order of Merlin, First Class! Bravo Potter, you figured it out. Do you see what it means?"

"Not exactly...what?" Harry said puzzled again.

"Gods Potter, think! We've been brought back here...because these two people...Harric and Draconus...they are us...1000 years ago! We must somehow, be their heirs in our time, you see?"

"Honestly Malfoy, even I know though that 2 men cant have children! Be realistic. Maybe these two are us now...or will be us...or...oh I give up, this is confusing!" Harry whinged.

"Nearly 7 years in the wizarding world Potter and you still know nothing. There are potions, spells for that, so that 2 men or women can have children you git. Half the wizarding world is probably gay, how do you think we'd have survived all these years if there were no children able to be born?" Draco said sneeringly.

"For chrissakes I'm not even gay, so how would I know that Malfoy? I do have a girlfriend you know!" Harry bit back, causing Draco to look at him sharply.

"And look how far that's gotten you Potter! I bet you haven't even gone all the way with a girl have you. Course not, you're too goody goody to defile some young woman and probably make her cry, while everyone round you is obviously playing the 'lets see who can shag the most' contest. Come off it Potter, you probably are gay, just dont even know it." Draco said mockingly.

"Oh right, and you're one to talk eh Malfoy? Shagged every Slytherin girl senseless now have you? Give me a break. Other then Parkinson, and I've seen the way you treat her, what woman would want you?" Harry shot back equally mocking.

"It's none of you're business Potter what I do with whom." Draco spat back, though Harry could see a hesitation in his eyes.

"Well it's none of your concern in my own lovelife either Malfoy so stay out of it."

"Fine I will. Let's just worry bout how to get the bloody hell back home so we can atleast be miserable to each other where we belong. I certainly dont want to be marrying you anytime soon!" Draco said turning away from Harry and looking anywhere else but.

"Agreed there, I definitely dont want to marry you of all people. So, you have any ideas how to get out of this?" Harry said getting up and going over to the desk to see if there was anything else there of interest.

"Well...actually...err...not really. You?" Draco said a bit sheepishly now.

"Not really either." Harry said now turning back to Draco. A sound however interrupted the boys as the door once again opened, only this time it wasn't woman nor man that entered.

"You! You're behind this aren't you!" Draco said coming out of a slight shock at seeing the blood red snake slither it's way into the room, the door magically closing behind it.

The snake reared itself up to it's full height, matching eye level to Draco, looking deep within his eyes. "Youuu are nottt Draconussss...." it hissed slowly.

"No really? What gave it away?" Draco said mockingly, not taking it's eyes off the snake.

"Though...I sssee Ssslytherin deep within youuu...the sssoul isss the sssame...."

"Err...Malfoy?" Harry said actually picking up on something.

"Stop speaking in riddles snake...tell us how to get home!" Draco said angrilly now.

"Err...Malfoy...."

"Yesss....sssame sssoul....differenttt time....I sssense a remembering ssspell...."

"Again you're brilliant deductions astound me snake. You brought us here, send us home. Now." Draco said advancing towards the snake.

"MALFOY! Will you pay attention allready?" Harry said exasperated.

"What the bloody hell do you want Potter? Cant you see I'm trying to get us home?" Draco said rounding on Harry now with a glare.

"You're talking to a snake Malfoy....do you get it?" Harry said nonplused at Draco's reaction.

"So? Obviously I'm talking to...a snake...Oh. Right." Draco said a bit more subdued. Turning back round to the snake he said then, "How is it I can understand you?"

"Youuu are a child of Sssalazar, why ssshould youuu nottt undersstand me?" the snake said still unmoving from it's place.

"I"m a what? What on earth are you talking bout snake. I"m a Malfoy, not a..a Slytherin. Everyone knows Voldemort's the last of the Slytherins. Give me a break." Draco said with a huff.

"Malfoy he doesn't know who Voldemort is, remember? Probably not even who Malfoy is. You're bloodlines might be old, but they dont go back this far do they?"

Draco thought on that for a moment. "Actually you're right Potter, surprizingly. The Malfoy bloodline didn't become existant until bout 100 years from now when my whatever great grandfather came here from France, though I forgot now who he married. It wasn't until bout 500 years ago our time that the Malfoys left Scotland and went south to Britain. I forgot why exactly on that too."

"Youuu are a Ssslytherin....I know myyy bloodlinesss child...." the snake said now to Draco.

"Malfoy...could it be possible that..well that when your grandfather came over here he married a decendant of Slytherin?"

"I have no clue Potter, never cared much for the family tree believe it or not. Just knew I was a pureblood, that's all that mattered to my father." Draco said shrugging.

"Well if we ever do get home I suggest you look it up. Meanwhile...snake, you did do this to us even if you dont know it yet, so how we get out of this?" Harry said turning to the snake.

"Ittt isss my decisssion thattt youuu were broughttt here to sssee whattt youuu were...to helppp youuu both on a journeyyy of sortsss..."

"On a journey for what? To see just how much more we could hate each other?" Draco said scathingly and turning to Harry.

"To sssee youur true ssselvesss....whattt you were....whattt youuu willl be..."

"We....we really are these people then? It's all real? This really did happen for us 1000 years ago?" Harry said turning to the snake.

The snake looked at Harry's eyes, again as if searching his soul, then nodded. "Yesss...real ittt isss...and wasss...for youuu..."

"Why?" Draco said.

The snake turned back to Draco and searched his eyes, his soul now. "Youuu finishhh the bonddd that wasss made nowww...thisss bodesss ill forrr the eventsss of thisss day thennn..." the snake said thoughtfully.

"Bodes ill? How so?" Harry asked.

"In thisss life...a bond wasss forged betweennn the two housesss...yourrr marraige to each otherrr wasss sealing a blood pacttt made yearsss ago by youuu both...yourrr love isss a symbol to manyyy to helppp defeattt the evilsss that lurks close byyy...of which you're brotherrr Tobiasss is attemptinggg to resssurect...."

"Not my brother I can assure you. So we're supposed to marry because of a blood bind? Those are illegal though, atleast in our time." Draco said sharply.

"Thattt youuu are both here nowww....then the bind will fail....from the future the pasttt comess back...so thattt the future will beee asssured again...." the snake said cryptically.

Harry thought on this, as did Draco. It seemed to make no sense until...

"I got it! I think anyway...somehow, we've been sent back because something's going to happen..something that will end the marraige, or maybe not even allow it happen a'toll. Therefore the bind will fail now, and in the future...in the future somehow..." Harry said turning to Draco. "In the future you and I will attempt it again." Harry said softly.

Draco stared at Harry as if he had two heads. "Your..your nutters Potter. Why in the hell, how in the bloody hell, would we do that? I think I'd remember any time I'd cut myself to create a blood bind with you of all people!"

"Not..not if somehow we were forced to forget. Or if one of us made us both forget. The scars Malfoy, did you forget? Where the snake in our time was coming out of? The same scar we both have?"

"That doesn't mean anything Potter, so what, we both have scars."

"Stop being a dolt Malfoy and listen! Obviously we did make a blood pact at some point in our lives...I'm guessing before Hogwarts even...and now we're being shown maybe why we did it...even though we might have thought it was our own choice to do it, something obviously forced us into the position to make it unwittingly back then."

"Why Potter? Why should it be us?"

"Becaussse youuu are the onesss that are meanttt to bring peaccce back ttto the wizardsss world...in thisss life youuu both are very importanttt in defeating the evilsss of Slytherinsss son...the ceremony isss the ssseal...withouttt ittt, there can be no peaccce...."

"Then something is going to happen to us...err...to them...before the ceremony...and the bond will never be able to take hold...could that be why?" Harry said thoughtfully.

"If that's true, then we just gave this stupid snake the means to stop it right?" Draco said.

"I ssshall ssspeak to my massster Salazarrr and tell himmm whattt I have heard...buttt I can make noooo promisesss..."

"Still, doesn't help us get home does it. Are we going to be stuck like this forever?" Harry said a bit worried now.

The snake shook it's head and turned back to Harry. "I can sssend youuur sssoulsss away...buttt I make no promisesss ittt will return to where ittt wasss..."

"Well I'm willing to risk it if you are Malfoy?" Harry said slowly.

Draco nodded. "Anything to get away from the thought I'd have to marry you Potter. Allright snake, what do we have to do?"

"Classsp youuure handsss togetherrr...I will do the resttt...." the snake said, and Harry and Draco joined hands.

As in the future it had done, the snake wound itself round Harry's body first, ending up as before round Draco's body, the only difference was this time there was no blood marks on Harry's arm like back in the tower room. As Harry and Draco closed their eyes, they were thrust into the same void they had before. The feeling of falling, the pain, the darkness. Then light, blinding light hit them, and they found themselves somewhere's else, somewhere Harry and Draco both seemed to remember, but it was so vague a memory they weren't sure.

They were in a park, or what appeared to be one, surrounded by buildings. They could hear cars passing in the street, and dogs were barking somewhere's nearby. There was noone there, just the boys, though somehow unlike previously, they didn't feel solid, more like ghosts watching a past memory.

A few moments later a gate squeeked, and a young boy maybe 8 or 9 years old, walked in and looked round, a happy smile on his face that the park was empty. In his hands he held what looked like a small basket, and the two invisible like boys watched as the very familiar boy hid it underneath a bench, then sat down and turned towards the gate as if waiting expectantly for someone.

Not more then a few moments later, the boys watched in shock as another boy practically flew into the park. This boy was also familiar, and had a happiness radiating from him that was obvious. The boy looked round a moment then grinned as he found what he was seeking.

"Your here! You got here first this time!"

* * * * *

Well sorry if it was a bit long...had to create alot more backround then I planned...hope was worth it though. :)

2002-03-15 8:20:29 PM