The Protector and the Protected

The Protector and the Protected (Prequel to: Blood Runs Deeper Series)

Harry opened his eyes. All he could see was Peter´s
baby blue eyes.

Harry frowned as Peter grinned triumphantly at waking Harry, because that by itself was what Tom Cruise could really call: `Mission Impossible!´.

Harry felt around for his glasses, and found instead...

"Oh god!" Harry moaned in disgust, "What the hell is a mouldy sock doing here..." Harry eyes made slits as he realised... There was only one person so devious and such a wanker to do that... and that would be-

"Peter, you son-of-a-bitch!" Harry roared at his younger brother. "Have you seen my glasses?"

The vision was blurred for him, and since he was still in a groggy state, he couldn´t recognise anything.

Then a mocking voice rung. "I don´t know what you are on about!" Peter said in a posh mocking voice, "Have you gone blind?"

Harry immediately recognised the glasses that hung on Peter´s nose.

"Bloody hell!" Harry said, "Give them back!"

Peter drove a hard bargain. "I´ll let you have them if you do my homework for a ..."

"Peter Aaron Evans Potter!" came a harsh voice, "Give back Harry´s glasses at once!"

"Oh mum!" Peter said, pouting.

"Now!" Lily almost shouted, her eyes looking menacingly at Peter.

"Fine, mumsie!" Peter said defiantly. "Here you go, Gary!"

"Peter," Harry said warningly, "You call me Gary one more time and I´ll wring your neck until you are five hundred years old!"

"Fine, Barry!"

"Why you little..." Harry leapt at his brother, who screeched.

"Break it up!" came the voice of Harry and Peter´s father, James.

Peter poked his tongue out at Harry before going down to breakfast.

**

"Come on, dear!" Lily said to Harry, "We should be off
soon!"

"OK!" Harry said, and he picked his CD walkman, and pressed the play button.

Linkin Park´s "Point of Authority" came pelting out of the earphones.

"Don´t have it too loud, it will damage your ears!"

Harry turned down the volume slightly.

**

As they entered the M40 via Junction 1, they cruised in their Audi A4 X-reg at 90 miles-per-hour, Harry sat listening to the album Hybrid Theory.

Forfeit the game / Before somebody else
Takes you out of the frame / Puts your name to shame
Cover up your face / You can´t run the race
The pace is too fast / You just won't last

They passed Junction 2.

You love the way I look at you
While taking pleasure in the awful things you put me
through
You take away if I give in
My life
My pride is broken

Junction 3 was history.

You like to think you´re never wrong
(You live what you´ve learned)
You have to act like you´re someone
(You live what you´ve learned)
You want someone to hurt like you
(You live what you´ve learned)
You want to share what you´ve been through
(You live what you´ve learned)

Stopped to fill petrol at Junction 4!

You love the things I say I´ll do
The way I´ll hurt myself again just to get back at you
You take away when I give in / my life
My pride is broken

Junction 5 came and went.

You like to think you´re never wrong
(You live what you´ve learned)
You want to act like you´re someone
(You live what you´ve learned)
You want someone to hurt like you
(You live what you´ve learned)
You want to share what you´ve been through
(You live what you´ve learned)

The valley, and Didcot power station was in view in the distance as Junction 6 was being past.

Forfeit the game / Before somebody else
Takes you out of the frame / Puts your name to shame
Cover up your face / You can´t run the race
The pace is too fast / You just won't last

Junctions 7 and 8 were as if one. Then they exited and entered the A40.

You like to think you´re never wrong
(You live what you´ve learned)
You want to act like you´re someone
(You live what you´ve learned)
You want someone to hurt like you
(You live what you´ve learned)
You want to share what you´ve been through
(You live what you´ve learned)

Headington roundabout was where they were. They went straight on, and entered the hustle and bustle of the Oxford city centre.

You like to think you´re never wrong / forfeit the game
(You live what you´ve learned)
You want to act like you´re someone / forfeit the game
(You live what you´ve learned)
You want someone to hurt like you / forfeit the game
(You live what you´ve learned)
You want to share what you´ve been through / forfeit the game
(You live what you´ve learned)

As their journey came to a close in the St. Clements car park, they walked over lights and pedestrian crossings and then the college was in view.

It was a massive school, which stood with a enormous field behind it. The River Cherwell ran under a bridge beside it, and High Street was blockaded by cars busses and Taxies wanting to get in and out of the small city centre.

Harry smiled at his family; in a few hours he was going solo.

**

The Potters entered the reception, and gaped at the structure of it. It was magnificent, that was the only word for it. Harry knew for a fact that this school was over 500 years old, a massive accomplishment.

The accommodation was just as good; he felt like he was in first-class. His room was at the end of a load of other dorms, and he opened it to find-

"Oh... Hi!" said a red-haired boy. "I´m Ron... Ron Weasley... and you are..." he was stammering.

"Err... Hi... Name´s Harry Potter!"

Harry felt quite embarrassed to have his parents and the immature brother watching him conscientiously.

After a few moments of silence, Ron turned back to unpack.

Harry said his farewells to his parents and a forceful hug from Peter, and after Lily had burst into tears. Then Ron and Harry were alone.

"Phew!" Harry said breathing out happily. "You want any help?" he asked Ron.

"Err... Yes please!"

**

The weeks passed, and many lessons, days and nights passed.

Harry and Ron, had became quite good friends, some other boys in their year was:

Dean Thomas, from Jamaica.
Seamus Finnegan, from Ireland.
And, Neville Longbottom- the poor forgetful sod- who was from Coventry.

The school had two baths for every year, and it was found very conveniently, right next door to Harry´s room.

**

The college routine was up at Eight, breakfast at Eight-Thirty.

Lessons One and Two ended at Eleven for Break, and begun again twenty minutes, lessons three and four ended finally at One o´clock... Meaning lunch.

After lunch came the final two lessons... Then at Three-Forty-Five school was over pupils either went home or to their dorms.

**

Harry opened the door to the dormitory after a detention with his Geography teacher as he didn´t hand in his homework, and closed the door behind him. Ron was lying on his bed reading.

"Hellu!" Ron said, not looking up. "Just doing my homework!"

"Oh, what you got?" Harry asked, "I´ve got: Science, Geography aaand History!"

"I´ve got History too!" he pointed to the book he was reading.

"Yeah... Well, I´ll be over there!"

"OK!" Ron said. He´s thoughts moved quickly back to someone, a special someone.

Harry noticed that Ron´s gaze was slightly lower than usual, as he had found over the last few weeks, Harry felt suddenly very vulnerable.

"What are you looking at?" Harry asked Ron.

Ron gulped, had he been that obvious?

"What are you looking at?" Harry asked again.

"Nothing!" Ron said nervously.

"You were looking at me... You´ve been doing that for ages!"

"I was just thinking!" Ron said quickly.

Harry didn´t seem convinced but he said, "Okay then."

Ron smiled to himself. No more interrogation.

"Want to go and get some dinner?" Harry asked Ron.

"Okay. All this homework has made me hungry!"

**

Neville "Incompetent" Longbottom, was lying on his bed, his science teacher, Mr. Snape, had had a right old go at him... Neville opened his diary and wrote:

Date: November 22nd 2002
Hell broke loose yesterday! Mr. Snape, my science teacher, who I think is as near to the devil than the Devil himself could get, is so scary, he makes my grandmother look like a mouse. I feel that people are mocking me behind my back, except for a boy who has, since the beginning of term, looked out for me. It is really lonely that I have only one friend, and he is very popular. Oh bloody hell they´re back.

Yours truly,

Neville Longbottom

**

Harry opened up his diary, and started to write about the day. He opened up the Internet and went to http://www.dictionary.com, and looked up the word of the day and read the translation.

Date: November 22nd 2002

Time: 20:54
Word of the Day: Sublunary
Translation: This means earthly or Terrestrially

Today I found Ron looking at me again. What is up with him? He says that he is thinking. But what is it really? I feel that he is hiding something from me. I feel like he is the moon and I am the earth. He can see all of what I am doing, he knows of my inner dreams, my secrets; and he can´t be truthful to me. I hope that soon he can tell me. Many nights he is tossing and turning I go over to wake me, and his jumps out of his skin. He is half naked, as I am, and he hugs me. In that moment I feel somehow warmer and safe... What does thins mean? One cannot be sure whether he really is really that close to me. Though he once told me he loved me. That made my day - actually my life. My parents hated me, my brother walked all over me. But a few months before I came here, they were different, more caring, and more affectionate to me. I hope that someday Ron and I will be truthful, I bet I sound like a right old sissy, but hey... You can´t say anything! I am now going to write the poem, about the thing that means most to me. That is Ron.

Harry Potter.

**

Draco Malfoy was what people may call snobbish, but the reason for that was because of his family. His father is a bank manager, who works for HSBC in a branch about 20 miles away from where they live. His mum, works in a mental institute, and when she has nightshifts, she is always different afterwards. Then there was the affair, his dad doesn´t know about it, but Draco caught them, he swore on secrecy, and he was told to get on with his life.

Another thing that puts Draco through hell and back again, is the fact that he is beaten, by his uncle. His father may have his tempers and as scary as they are, Lucius Malfoy would never hit his son. He believes hitting his own `flesh and blood´ is satanic.

Draco has always been bullied for little things, that soon became bigger, and when he was eleven he thrashed out, and got expelled.

Magdalen College knew about this, but the parents did so many things to help him get in, that they were on the verge of blackmail. His family keep touch, but it gets less every week, in September it was at least one-a-day, know it is one-a-week (if he is lucky).

**

Harry opened the photo album, into which Ron and Harry had been putting their daily photos for the last month. Harry giggled as he remembered Ron writing lines while making an animadversion on the teacher. Harry looked at the photo of Ron sitting in the library with his pen on lined paper. Ron´s diligent work went down the drain when a shadow belonging to a Draco Malfoy stood behind him. Harry looked back on that day, the detention, and afterwards.

**

"Hello, Weasel and Snotty-Potty!" Draco was such a quidnunc, as his Dad used to call people who were interested in the latest gossip. "What is that mess?" Draco put the two discarded pages juxtaposed, and laughed maliciously. "What does that say? `I will never punch students in the...´ That is seriously ghastly, and Potty, you are friends with this vermin?"

"Oh, get a life!" Ron shouted, "Is that the best you could come up with? `Weasel and Snotty Potty´? Please, they have better insults in nursery!"

"Oh do they?" Draco said dangerously, his eyes challenging Ron. "What insult do you have for me, then?"

Ron burst out laughing, as Harry put up his middle finger from behind Draco.

"What?" Draco said.

Harry was laughing silently.

Ron said, "Well here is one: `You were one of the first to get a brain, before they were perfected!´ or `Grasp your ears firmly and pull; you might just be able to remove your head from you ass.´"

Harry was on the floor laughing, tears spilled from the corners of his eyes as he had laughed so much.

"Why you little..." Draco lunged at Ron.

People gathered round as Draco threw a punch at Ron, but Ron moved out of the range, and Draco smacked his fist into the wooden floors.

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" the crowd chanted. Harry kicked Draco in the ribs.

"Okay, break it up. Break it up!" came a voice. It was the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. A fifty-something man emerged from behind the Romance section of the fiction area. Dumbledore wasn´t the sort to give punishment, but he didn´t like fighting.

"Potter, Weasley and Malfoy, detention after school. Not a good start, especially for you, Mr. Weasley!"

Dumbledore´s eyes sparkled in dismay. "I hope this doesn´t happen again!"

**

After the detention, Ron and Harry sat down on the floodplains of the River Cherwell, Ron sighed and looked up at Harry.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked.

"Yeah," was Harry´s reply.

"God, it´s not healthy for a good-looking guy like you to be..." Ron realised what he had said, and wanted to eat his words.

"You think I´m good looking?" Harry asked.

"From a man to a man... Yes!"

"Thanks... you´re quite fit yourself," Harry said nervously.

"Me? Fit?" Ron was amazed at Harry´s words. "You can´t be serious!"

"Well, I am!" Harry said. "We must sound like right old poufs!"

Ron laughed.

"Well, we aren´t," Ron said quickly.

"Yeah, I know," Harry said. "You ever pulled a girl?"

"You mean made out?" Ron asked.

"Yes."

"Well, err... no." Ron was hesitant.

"Me neither," Harry admitted.

"Have you ever kissed someone else?" Ron asked, "I haven´t."

"Me neither," Harry said again.

"Oh... Well, gotta get back!"

Harry nodded. Then Ron did something that made Harry feel warm and fuzzy. He gave him a peck on the check.

"What was that for?" Harry asked.

"Nothing," Ron whispered, and he walked towards the bridge. Harry stared after him.

**

To Tell or not to tell? That was the question. And a certain Ronald Weasley had that question swimming through his brain cells, wrecking havoc wherever is went. Since the incident in the fields, Ron was now questioning himself. Gay, or not Gay? Ron´s feelings for Harry sprouted from an encounter when Harry walked in on Ron showering. Harry had asked if he wanted to join him, and Ron hesitated, then agreed.

Was this all Harry´s fault?

Comparing sizes was probably the funniest moment of Ron´s life, but Ron´s mind keep on going back.

Then a horrific thought entered his brain. What would his parents think?

**

Ron opened the door of the dorm, and walked in.

"Where were you?" Harry asked.

"I was in the ICT room, as you always hog the computer."

"Well, it is mine," Harry protested.

"Yeah... and?"

Harry pulled Ron´s collar and Ron fell on top of him. "Now, will you please stop arguing with me and tell me... is there anything the matter?"

"No."

"Why did you kiss me?" Harry asked firmly.

"I wanted to see how it was... I think I have a crush on you!" Ron said truthfully. Denial and realisation crashed into Harry.

"Oh," was all that Harry could say.

**

Neville opened the door to Mr. Snape´s office. He gulped and entered.

"Ah, I have been expecting you!" Snape sneered.

"You have?!" Neville said, very alarmed.

"Yes, I was the one who told you to come here, silly boy!"

"Oh, yeah." Neville mentally kicked himself.

**

Night. Day. The interlude between them is when this happened. In the middle hour... Five o´clock, post meridiem.

Jack was walking down the alleyway to the park, when he heard a cry of pain.

"Gimme the bloody money!" a man said, "or I´ll blow your brains out!"

"I haven´t got it, need... AHHHHHH... more time!"

"Shut your trap!" the man shouted.

Jack saw the man put out a small revolver. "I have given you countless chances...I´ve got no more patience with you!"

The man pointed the gun at him.

Bang.

The sound echoed in his brain, as if hollow. Thoughts quickly filled his mind again. Who is this man? Why point the gun at him? Because he wasn´t meant to see this!

Jack gasped, and turned to run.

Snap! Echo.

A twig broke under his foot. He had been spotted, was this is?

"Who´s there?" the man spotted Jack.

"Ah! You´ve made your last mistake, kid!" he sneered.

He pulled the trigger. The sound echoed yet again.

Missed.

Jack ran down the alley, and got away.

But the man knew where the kid lived. He had seen him say goodbye to his mum every morning. Revenge was his specialty, with a little help from another client that was in debt with the man.

**

Jack sat on the roof of his mansion; his parents were on their way back from work. He looked up at the stars, and saw `Orion´s Belt´ and `Sagittarius´, his star-sign. He was a Christmas baby, born on the 20th of December, 1991. He had a twin sister, who had been sent to a foster carer because his mum and step-dad couldn´t handle her. He felt his blood run cold when he remembered that day, when his mum had told him about it. Tears spilled out of his brown eyes, he sobbed as he remembered their last visit to her at St. Nicks. Jack sobbed for a few minutes, until a car pulled up to the gate, and rang the bell. Jack wiped his eyes, and went to see who it was.

"I am police constable Jones," the policeman said. "You parents had an accident." His words were drowned by the sound as if Jack´s brain was hollow, and a thumping noise from his heart sped up. He started to cry again.

**

Jack was sent to boarding school by his aunt. She felt that it would be hard on him to stay home, so he was sent to Magdalen College, the best school in the county.

**

Jack walked into the reception and talked to the receptionist, she pointed him in the direction of the dorm and Jack thanked her solemnly, and went in that direction.

**

"You what?" Harry´s voice was soft, but questioning.

"I fancy you!" Ron repeated.

"I heard you... It´s just... You like me... In that way, you mean!"

"How many times do I... Do I have to justify myself? I´ll kiss you!" and that was what Ron did.

Harry felt Ron against him, kissing him.

`This is wrong!´ Harry thought.

He pulled away and ran.

Ron stared after him, tears welling up.

**

Jack was walking up to the dorm, and a boy bumped into him.

"Sorry," Jack said, he then noticed the boy was crying.

"What´s wrong?"

"Who are you?" Ron asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Jack. Jack Price. Come with me, my dorm is just there!" he pointed at the door.

He thought that would help, but he was dreadfully wrong.

"I can´t go in there, he is in there!"

"Oh." Jack thought quickly. "Then shall we go for a walk?"

The boy said nothing, but followed anyway.

**

Harry was livid. "He fancies me?" Harry felt so disgusted. "Me? He fancies me?"

Harry tore out the pictures of them together. "He fancies me?" he repeated. He ripped out another still repeating those three words.

"He fancies me? He fancies me? He fancies me? He bloody fancies me?"

Harry looked felt so dirty, he grabbed his shower bag and headed for the shower room.

**

Neville caught up with Dean and Seamus. "I hate that git!" he said to them. "I hate him!"

"Who?" Seamus asked.

"Mr. Snape!" he clenched his fists. "Oh, I should kill..."

"Are you talking about me, Longbottom?"

**

"So he did that, did he?" Jack said. "Now, that is not right."

"You don´t care?"

"Why should I?" Jack said looking at him.

"Well... Most people think it´s unnatural... and they will beat the shit out of me!"

"Yeah, well most people are just lumps of shit!" Jack said softly.

"Thanks for caring and that... But you must be tired. May I camp out here tonight?"

"You´ll be freezing. I´ll get some stuff out here, OK?"

Ron smiled.

Credits Role:

Written by Chris

Betaed By Melissa (I luv you!)

Read and Reviewed by You (Hopefull)

**

Next Chapter:

You only see what your eyes want to see
How can life be what you want it to be
You're frozen
When your heart's not open

"Hey Ron, whatcha doing?" "Merry Christmas!" and "R U eva Gonna Txt me back?"

You're so consumed with how much you get
You waste your time with hate and regret
You're broken
When your heart's not open

Harry as asleep, when the crook (called Peter) tiptoed into the room; he got the alarm clock, and switched it with his own. He got the glasses, and painted the surface black and tiptoed out again.

Mmmmmm, if I could melt your heart
Mmmmmm, we'd never be apart
Mmmmmm, give yourself to me
Mmmmmm, you hold the key

"You do?" Ron asked, ecstasy came over his face, he lent in and kissed Harry, it felt so real.

Now there's no point in placing the blame
And you should know I suffer the same
If I lose you
My heart will be broken

Jack´s dream ebbed away, as his cat stretched beside him, and rubbed herself on Jacks chin. The teenager woke, and heard the sound of his auntie, rousing in the other room. Jack stroked the cat, and got up to get dressed then head down for some breakfast.

Love is a bird, she needs to fly
Let all the hurt inside of you die
You're frozen
When your heart's not open

Mmmmmm, if I could melt your heart
Mmmmmm, we'd never be apart
Mmmmmm, give yourself to me
Mmmmmm, you hold the key
You only see what your eyes want to see
How can life be what you want it to be
You're frozen
When your heart's not open
Mmmmmm, if I could melt your heart
Mmmmmm, we'd never be apart
Mmmmmm, give yourself to me
Mmmmmm, you hold the key
Mmmmmm, if I could melt your heart
Mmmmmm, we'd never be apart
Mmmmmm, give yourself to me
Mmmmmm, you hold the key

After the New Year, comes the beginning of the new term, for Magdalen College, Oxford. Harry walked to his room for the first time in two weeks, and opened the door. Inside was Ron, he was sat on his bed staring into space, half-naked.

If I could melt your heart

Chapter One of the Series: Blood Runs Deeper coming soon!