Harry Potter and Gaining Momentum

"Harry, are you going to tell me why we're here now?" Draco asked as Harry walked in the door of the girl's lavatory.

"You'll have to wait and see," he teased as Draco huffed. He walked up to the faucet with the snake on it and hissed 'open'. He looked back at Draco to see a look of fright on his face. "No need to worry, remember I killed what was down there."

"Oh, sure," he said trying to sound believable.

"Here," Harry said handing him a broom.

"And we need these for?" he prompted.

"To get down there. If you'd rather, we can slide, though the thump at the bottom is rather harsh," he said giving a flighty smile.

"Okay Golden Boy, let's go," Draco said trying his best to sound brave as the Gryffindor beside him. Harry nodded and mounted his broom. He jumped into the hole and started to steer his way down and though the tunnel. It seemed much longer this time as opposed to second year. The smell of the place only seemed to get worse. The damp and moist air was rotten with stench and muck. He landed on the bottom and instantly covered his nose. Draco landed beside him a second later.

"Please don't tell me this is your idea of romantic," Draco said in a disgusted tone. Harry thought for a fleeting moment that the old Draco was back.

"We defiantly have to do something about that smell," Harry said taking out his wand. "Orchideous Respirare!" Flowers then burst from the end of his wand and began placing themselves in the air. Harry waved Draco forward to follow him. By the time the got to the chamber, he had cast both the freshening spell and the cleaning spell more than ten times. As they walked into the main hall, Draco gasped.

"Is that the basilisk you killed you second year?" he asked in awe. There was in fact a huge snake, though rotted and disgustingly decayed, on the floor of the main chamber.

"Yeah, though it seemed bigger before," he said airily.

"Well I would imagine so, you were about a foot shorter, and it had all its flesh still intact," he said grimacing. "I still don't understand why you brought us down here. It smells horrible and gives me the creeps. Where are all the torches for light?" he asked looking around.

"There are none. We'll have to place some. Come on, let's get rid of that so we can get to work giving this place some light," Harry said to Draco, who just nodded still not understanding why they were there.

Harry approached the serpent first. He waved his wand a few times and murmured a few spells before he finally cast the reducio on it. He conjured a rather fancy jar and levitated the remains of the basilisk into is.

"Why are you saving it? Do you want to keep it as a memento?" he asked again confused.

"No, I'm sure that Professor Snape would like to have it for potions ingredients," Harry said handing it to Draco.

"Oh, yeah, I'm sure he would," Draco said rolling his eyes. Harry assumed the sarcasm was because Draco was still upset with Snape for challenging Harry to a duel.

Harry made his way around the room and conjuring torches. He would attach them to the wall by making the wall grab the torch to hold it in place, and then he put a drop of everlasting fire potion on the top of the torch to keep it lit. After he made his way all the way around the room, the chamber looked much more life-like, though, in a good way. It was cozier and not so eerie looking.

"Amazing what a bit of light does," Draco said nodding approvingly. He had been making his way around the chamber casting cleaning spells left and right. Draco, as Harry could tell in the beginning, was not one to regularly cast cleaning spells, but after about five minutes of casting, he finally got the hang of it. Harry had the urge to laugh at him every time he would come upon a couple spatters of blood from the basilisk and almost wretch his dinner up, but kept his comments to himself.

"It does, doesn't it," Harry also said nodding approvingly.

"So, now that the place looks decent, are you going to tell me why we're here?" Draco asked for the third time. Harry ginned before taking a small pouch out of his robes and sitting on the stone floor. "What's all that?" Draco asked sitting down next to him.

Harry pulled out a piece of fabric and put it aside. He then pulled out what looked like a bed and chairs that would fit in a dollhouse and put them aside also. Finally he pulled out miniature picnic basket and placed it in front of him. He stood up and began casting the counter to the reducio curse on them. The basket, and apparently its contents all returned to the correct size. He followed by restoring the chairs, then the bed, and finally the blanket. When he was done, Draco looked at him with a grin on his own face.

"You little sneak you," he said before pushing Harry back on the bed and pinning him down. Harry had a goofy grin on his face.

"Shouldn't we eat first?" he asked in mock seriousness.

"Only thing I'm eating is you right now, we have all night to eat what's in the basket," Draco said before driving Harry crazy by trying to devour his ear.

(Edited out, see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gaining_momentum_series/ for full chapter)

When they finally recuperated and cleaned themselves up, Draco scooted to the edge of the bed and dug in his trousers for something. Harry looked at him curiously for a minute before Draco emerged with what looked like a mini cigar.

"Eew, Draco don't smoke that thing. I don't want to kiss an ash try," he said screwing his face up in disgust.

"Their vanilla flavored Harry, it won't taste like that," he said as he took his wand and muttered something. He pressed his wand to the end of his cigar and took a drag.

"You're not kissing me now. I don't want to go back up to the castle smelling like that," Harry said defiantly.

"Come on Harry. Just kiss me once and if it taste that bad, I'll put it out," Draco said pleadingly. Harry rolled his eyes and moved to the edge of the bed, still naked and kissed Draco.

Harry had to admit, the smoky vanilla flavor of the kiss was a turn on, but he didn't like the after taste. He told Draco this and Draco beamed. He again picked up his wand and muttered something before opening his mouth and flicking it once. There was a swishing sound and Draco kissed Harry again. The taste of the cigar was gone and Harry's mouth too felt cleanly brushed.

"Fine, you can smoke you're cigar, but don't whine to me when it makes you sick later in life," Harry said lying back down and pulling a sheet over his nude body. Draco smiled warmly at his warning.

"That's why we have medi-witches," he said moving to lie down next to Harry.

"Well, anyway," Harry said wanting to divert the subject and knowing he needed to, "That's not the only reason I wanted to bring you down here, it was just the better reason," he grinned a little. "The real reason I brought you down here was because something maybe showing up in the Daily Profit soon. Your mother went to the ministry for sanctuary. She claimed to be under the Imperius curse, and they believed her. She also took a new potion that Voldemort has developed to counter Veritaserum, so theirs no way to know if she was lying or not," he explained.

"Well, all they have to do is ask me, I'll tell them she is," Draco said bitterly.

"It's not that easy. It would be your word against hers. Anyway, I'm not even to the good part yet. You also have to go back to the manor for the summer holiday. Dumbledore no longer has custody of you, and he Malfoy fortune is back in her control," he said as Draco started to have an outburst, but Harry held up a hand, "I'm not done, just listen. Because my Godfather Sirius died, the only people that can get custody of me are Neville Longbottom's grandmother, from my Godmother's side and only by marriage, and both Nymphadora Tonks who is Sirius's first cousin (once removed), and Narcissa Black-Malfoy who was also Sirius's first cousin and the niece of his mother."

"You're mother was the first to apply for custody. She's frozen both the Potter Fortune, and the Black Family Trust. I'm broke and if she gets custody, which it is looking very much like she will, I'll be handed to Voldemort on a silver platter," he finished looking a Draco for a reaction. His normally powdered pale face was now red with rage. He finally exploded.

"What the hell is she thinking!" he yelled making his voice echo off the vast cavern.

"She's thinking as long as she can hand me to Voldemort and he kills me, both the Malfoy and the Potter Fortune will go to Voldemort for his cause. There would be no end to it. Money means power in politics and with control over both the biggest single fortunes in the UK, he'd have the continent in under a year," Harry said gravely.

"You have to fight Harry. If you give in and my mother gets custody, it's over, there's no way we'll be able to beat him," Draco said as if he were pleading.

"I know that Draco, and we've taken precautions, but they're weak. Mrs. Longbottom and Tonks both are filing for custody for me. This will make it two against one. Though they'll all be fighting for themselves, it will make it harder for your mother to get me. Has your mother ever used an unforgivable on you?" Harry asked lightly wincing at the question.

"Why?" Draco said harshly, but then softened at Harry's face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to--," but Harry cut him off.

"I know. It's just, if she has, you can put the memory into a pensive and present in court to play against her. Other than that, I'm not sure what we can do to get her off our backs," Harry said again pleading with Draco.

"She has. My father gave her the order to punish me once. It was last year just after we got home from King Cross station. They had to undo all the jinxes that you and the DA put on me, and my Father, who should have been in prison at the time, made her put me under it as punishment. He came later and did it again when I said I wouldn't join the Dark Lord," Draco explained.

"That may not be enough, there's no way of knowing that she wasn't under the Imperius. I'd have to be on a day before you father was found out," he said looking at Draco. But Draco just shook his head.

"That was the first and only time she's ever done something like that," he explained. "What about your Aunt, is she going to file for custody also?" Draco asked.

"She is, but the chances of that happening are almost as bad as Tonks'. Tonks has the least chance of getting me because she's young, unmarried, and has a dangerous career. Petunia is a Muggle and most people in the wizarding world look down upon Muggles who try to raise a child of the wizarding world. Your mother and Mrs. Longbottom are the two who are the most likely. They're both pureblooded wizards and both well off. The Malfoys are more fortunate than the Longbottoms, but as far as social status, they're within the same ranking. There's also the prospect of other children. The court already knows that you and I have made amends, and they know that Neville is in my year at school and that he followed me to the Ministry last year. There's no doubt they know we're friends also. Tonks doesn't have any kids, much less kids my own age. The third issue is going to be my protection. We're hoping this is the one that will get your mother. The Malfoy manor, from what I've been told, is vast. So vast that wards would be stretched thin and could easily be broken, not to mention how well Lucius knows them. Tonks has a small flat, and my Aunt is living at Headquarters right now for protection. The Longbottoms have a large house, but small enough to have very strong wards. The lands have been unwatched by Lucius or Voldemort and will be harder to breech should an attack occur. This is our strongest defense against your mother, and the one we hope will give me freedom from her," Harry finished tiredly.

"Would it help if I testify for you?" Draco asked.

"I won't let you. If you betray your family, you could be taken out of the Malfoy Fortune. Should anything happen to me, you'd be broke with no where to go, I won't let you do that," Harry said taking Draco's hand.

"I don't care, nothing will happen to you as long as you don't get sent to the manor," Draco said. Harry bowed his head for a second, frustrated, and contemplating. He lifted his head back up and looked Draco in the eye before he closed them.

"'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches---born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies---and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not---and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives---the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.' The full prophecy," Harry said.

"What?" Draco said looking like he was on the verge of tears.

"I'm to kill or be killed. If I don't kill him, he will take over. If I kill him, the world will go back to normal. I'm not ready, hell; I don't think I'll ever be ready. I do know though that I have to try as hard as I can to build up my powers or I won't be able to. I can't do that under the roof of the Malfoy Manor. It would be impossible. I'd be so stressed out, constantly worried that the day was close that I'd be forced to fulfill the prophecy, and that because I was ill prepared, I would be the one to lose," Harry ended whispering.

"I understand," Draco said hoarsely taking Harry into a warm, tight hug and kissing the top of his head, then his lightening bolt shaped scar. "Your mark," he said after he kissed it. Harry just nodded to confirm.

***

"You came back late last night mate," Ron said as they made their way down to the common room to meet up with Hermione.

"Yeah, we had a lot to talk about," Harry said so not to elaborate. Ron just nodded and followed.

They made their way down to the common room and Harry saw Hermione curled up with a book on one of the chairs in front of the fire. How could she stand to be in front of the fire, Harry thought. Of course the castle was always cool, but the day out was beautiful and clear. Ron grumbled something about early classes as they came down. Hermione apparently recognized his grumble.

"Morning you two," Hermione said as she turned around in her chair to greet them.

"Morn'in," Ron grumbled still blurry-eyed.

"Good Morn'in," Harry repeated after him. "Runes today Hermione," Harry followed up.

"I know. You know, I was thinking, we should just ask the professor what it means," Hermione said referring to the mysterious rune on Harry's back, just below the neckline.

"About what?" Ron asked confused. Harry just shook his head slightly at the red headed boy. Some things never change.

"Harry's rune Ron," Hermione relayed exasperated. Harry just snorted at their behavior.

"Oh," was the dull response she received.

"Breakfast?" Harry asked so not to use up too much energy speaking. It had been late when he got back last night and the wards no longer gave him the energy they did before. Everyday it seemed his magic readjusted to them, but today he almost wished he still had the high of raw magic coursing through him. Hermione and Ron nodded at his request and made their way out the portrait hole and down to the Great Hall.

Upon arrival, Harry looked for Draco but didn't see him. Shrugging to himself, he took a seat next to Hermione and across from Ron and started to fill his plate with various foods. He really didn't want all of it, but he needed the energy. As he ate he kept an eye out for the doors to see what Draco looked like the morning after. He himself expected to be frisky after such an affair as last night, but he really couldn't blame Draco if he wasn't. After their discussion, the energy they had before seemed to fade away with depressed thoughts. It was like the beginning of the summer all over again.

"When I call your name, please come to the front and receive your certificate of apprenticeship. You must also sign a loose contract stating that you are an apprentice and that under this apprenticeship you are and will be abiding by any rules of Hogwarts and those of the individual professors. After you sign the magically binding contract, you will please take your copy and proceed to the atrium for further instructions," Professor McGonagall said after she stood. She motioned to the side chamber Harry used after his name was pulled out of the Goblet of Fire when she made reference to the atrium.

"Miss Susan Bones under the apprenticeship of Professor Molly Moon," Susan, from Hufflepuff, beamed as she jumped up and practically ran to the head table to sign her contract.

"Miss Mandy Brocklehurst under the apprenticeship of Professor Bernard Binns," Harry thought this was odd, apprenticeship of a ghost, but Mandy, from Ravenclaw seemed happy enough.

"Miss Lavender Brown under the apprenticeship of Professor Sybill Trelawney," Lavender squealed with delight and stuck her tongue out at Parvati as she glided up to the head table also.

"Mr. Justin Finch-Fletchley under the apprenticeship of Professor Rubeus Hagrid," Justin, again from Hufflepuff, looked shocked that he had been chosen and made his way up.

"Miss Hermione Granger under the apprenticeship of Professor Minerva McGonagall," Hermione, ever so Hermione, clutched her chest like she couldn't believe she had been chosen, Harry smiled and rolled his eyes at her, Ron just snorted.

"Mr. Neville Longbottom under apprenticeship of Professor Pomona Sprout," Neville beamed and stood shyly, fact turning beat red, and made his way up.

"Mr. Draco Malfoy under apprenticeship of Professor Severus Snape," when Harry looked at Draco, he had the urge to laugh. Draco, ever so coolly, stood up dignified and made his way up. It was then that Harry noticed he didn't even see the cat come in to the Great Hall.

"Miss Celesta Moon under the apprentice ship of Professor Victoria Vector," Celesta, from Sytherin, stood the same way Draco did, but did her with a pleasurable smile.

"Miss Parvati Patil under the apprenticeship of Professor Firenze," Parvati stood and gave Seamus a bow while smiling gleefully and made her way up with the others.

"Mr. Harry Potter under the apprenticeship of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore," Harry knowing this was already coming just stood and made his way up signed his contract, and stood next to Hermione.

"Mr. Adrain Pucey under the apprenticeship of Professor Filus Flitwick," Adrain, a seventh year Slytherin, the only seventh year so far, made his way up with no expression on his face. Harry all the sudden thought that if this boy doesn't learn how to smile, he's going to have a really hard time with cheery ole Flitwick.

"Miss Lisa Turpin under the apprenticeship of Medi-witch Madam Poppy Pomfrey," Lisa, from Ravenclaw, looked like she had a cup of coffee too many as she made her way up to join him and the rest of the apprentices.

"Miss Blaise Zabini under the apprenticeship of Professor Samantha Sinistra," Blaise, from Slytherin, was a kind of shock. Harry had no idea that this girl was more than a blockhead, though he would never say that out loud.

"These will be your mentors for the next one or two years depending on whether you are a sixth year of a seventh year. Thank you," McGonagall said making her way to the atrium with the students and professors following. Harry was surprised when everyone didn't break out in whispers when they were told of his apprenticeship, but he was happy with that.

When they were all in the atrium, when was, Harry supposed, magically expanded, he found Professor Bins, Trelawney, and Dumbledore waiting. Albus waved Harry over and Harry left Hermione to stand next to him. He put a hand on Harry's shoulder and bent down to speak to him, though he didn't have to bend down near as much as he used to, Harry was growing.

"This is all just formality, you already know the rules and obligations," he said standing straight again. Harry just nodded in compliance.

"Right," McGonagall began, "The professor you are with, or your mentor, will be your next-to-best-friend while you are remaining at Hogwarts. You are required to spend at least twenty hours a week with them. These hours may include extra tuition, advisory, special skills, or simple conversation. I would suggest both Professors and students take this opportunity to get to know one another. It pays to have someone with authority close in the future after Hogwarts. If you fail to meet these hours you will first be put on probation in which time you will be required to report to your mentor every for double the hours to make up. This will last six weeks before normality resumes. Now," she continued, "Because you decided to reach out to these professors due to their curriculum, you will have to take their NEWTS under the status of apprentice. This does make the NEWT harder but only because it is expected that the student received extra tuition in some way or another. So I must stress, please ask questions and seek help from your mentor anyway possible. When you leave Hogwarts, the apprentice and mentor relationship should be that of father and son and so on," she finished, but then Dumbledore spoke up joyfully.

"Or in some of our cases, Great Grandfather and Great Grandson." Harry cracked up at this, as did many of the professors. McGonagall gave him a stern look that made him straighten up and close his mouth, though his mouth still twitched and his eyes still twinkled madly.

Professor McGonagall walked to the corner of the room and retrieved two boxes and walked back to the crowd once again. She placed the boxes in front of Albus and motioned to them.

"Oh, yes," Albus said conjuring a chair and sitting down, "we have gifts for the students. The first is a ring you are all required to wear. This ring will let your mentor know where you are at all times so that he or she may find you at their convenience. You will also be receiving time turners. These time turners are approved by the ministry and are not to be over used. Do not abuse the privilege of a time turner. They are only to be used to get your homework done, or to get extra rest should you need it. I cannot stress this enough. Should you not use it efficiently, you will be revoked from its privileges. Also, do not tell the other students you have these. If they fall into the wrong hands you may cause serious damage to the other person, or to Hogwarts," he said looking over his half mooned spectacles. Everyone knew what he meant by this. Should a Deatheater's child get a hold of it, they would be able to disappear and give information to someone and come back without anyone noticing.

"I must also say that in times like these, should the grounds of Hogwarts be breeched, you will stand by your mentor in battle. The chances are rare but I will never again underestimate Tom Riddle, Lord Voldemort," he concluded as some people flinched and others, such as Susan Bones gave a small yelp then had the decency to blush. Harry and Hermione did already tell her that they all say his name, and after a week of classes, she should have been used to it.

After receiving their time turners and rings, they all made small plans with their mentors on when to meet next and departed.

***

Harry just finished Runes and was making his way to the DADA classroom to have his extra lesson with Professor Moon. He had meant to come by earlier, but didn't know that they were going to be announcing the apprenticeships at breakfast. He walked in the classroom to find Susan Bones, her apprentice, there.

"Ah, Harry, we were just wrapping up, I'll be right with you," Professor Moon said as she pointed a few more things out to Susan on a piece of parchment and walked her to the door. "Now, what were we doing?"

"Seeing if I can make spells veer off course. I've recently learned that I have a small gift with will magic and was wanting to see if I could make spells move without having to move myself," He reminded her. She nodded in remembrance and let him up to the front of the classroom.

"I don't have class for another two hours so we can practice for a while," she commented. Although Harry had Healing in an hour with Poppy, he just nodded. She guided him, by his shoulder to the opposite side of the room and turned to walk away. On her way, she stopped to take off her robes. "Always good to be comfortable when dueling," she said as she laid them on her desk. She looked at him for a second before he caught on and took his robes off too. He was wearing a simple black t-shirt and blue jeans underneath.

She strolled to the other end of the room, in what Harry could have sworn was a new walk with the way she was swaying her hips, but he didn't pay attention to it. It may have been the way she always walked, he didn't know, she wore robes. She got into a stance and raised her wand at him. He took the signal and raised his hand willing for any curses that were coming his direction to move around him. He nodded.

"Expelliarmus," she yelled as the beam of light left her wand and traveled toward him. He closed his eyes and concentrated hard. When he opened his eyes he saw the golden threads clash with the beam of light and push it off course. He smiled, though it took a great effort. She beamed at him and complemented him.

"Impedimenta," she yelled again and the golden stands of light automatically jumped from his finger and moved the curse off course again. While this was happening she yelled again,

"Incarcerus," and ropes shot towards him. The strands gold lights that were taking care of the previous spell split quickly and took care of the other at the same time. Harry was really beginning to feel spent from this exercise. It was exhausting to use will magic.

"Petrificus Totalus," she yelled in succession and the gold strands again split in halves and attracted the third spell thrown. Harry's head was now pounding and he held up his other hand to tell her to stop. He bent down to one knee and began to massage his temples with his forefingers. It felt like he was practicing Occlumency for hours.

"Alright Harry?" she said bending down and rubbing his back, he nodded yes, if only to make her stop touching him. She began to fiddle with his hair and though it did help soothe him, he was very uncomfortable with this sort of affection. He was confused. Was this the kind of affection a mother would give? Then he thought about Mrs. Weasley. This was exactly what she did the night of the third task. How could Professor Moon be so inclined to treat him like this so soon in the semester?

"I think you've had enough Harry. Come back tonight or tomorrow and we'll do it again," she said this time moving her hand from his hair and running a finger down his cheek. He nodded again and stood. He tried not to do so quickly for two reasons. One his head still ached, and two, he didn't want it to look like he was uncomfortable with her; she was helping him after all.

He gathered his things and made his way out of the room. He had healing next, he kept telling himself to keep his mind off the awkward way Professor Moon was treating him. He silently cursed Petunia Dursley for never showing him affection before so he could differentiate between that and affection Moon was showing.