Author: Beren (aka Tasha)
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Warnings: This story is canon compliant until the end of Order of the Phoenix and then goes AU. None of the HBP or Deathly Hallows plot will be used, or the Horcruxes for that matter since this story was planned before we knew the details about those things, and hence has it's own fanon. This includes birthdays and other information that have since been revealed on Pottermore and in further productions.
Summary: The threat of open war in on the horizon. The Order and the Ministry are of one accord and both know that where Harry Potter is, Voldemort will eventually be. Preparations are being made and this time the side of the light will not be caught unawares.
Summer classes, sabotage, revelations about Draco's father, teaching and the final showdown with Voldemort all await Harry and Draco in this exciting sequel to Gold Tinted Spectacles (LJ | AO3 | Wattpad).
Author's Notes: This is the second story in the Hecatemae universe. It starts up just after the end of the first instalment and I advice reading that one first so you understand the premise. Thanks go to my sister Sophie for the beta reading.
It has taken me 12 years to finally get around to finishing this, I very much hope everyone enjoys it.
Link to other parts: LJ | DW | AO3 | Wattpad
New chapters will be posted every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
"Okay, what is this all about?" Pansy asked as she walked into the classroom they had chosen for the clandestine meeting.
It was nearly midnight and they'd all snuck out separately, having arranged the gathering by note.
"Harry and I are leaving the summer classes for a while," Draco said, once Ron had closed the door.
"So the sabotage is aimed at you?" Pansy said, looking directly at Harry.
He nodded.
"But that's not how we're going to spin it," he said.
"If the person doing this realises we're on to them they might just stop," Draco said.
"And that's bad why?" Ron asked.
"Because we want to catch them," Harry replied.
"We think this is Ministry sanctioned," Draco added.
"Fudge," Hermione said.
It seemed they were all of a like mind when it came to Ministry incompetence.
"Merlin's balls," Pansy said as if she was just realising something, "they're testing their hero."
"That was our conclusion too, Pans," Draco said with a nod.
"The moronic fools," was Pansy's conclusion on that.
"Fudge tried to have my wand broken once," Harry said. "He's been petrified of me ever since I tried to tell him Voldemort was back."
"He probably wet himself when he found out what you are," Pansy said, shaking her head.
"So you think it's one of the Aurors?" Hermione asked, pulling them back onto the main subject.
"The headmaster thinks one of them is an Unspeakable undercover," Harry said.
"That would make sense," Hermione agreed. "The saboteur has been using hideously complicated magic."
"I thought Dumbledore arranged everyone though," Ron pointed out. "Didn't he check them?"
"He said there were a few who were forced on him," Harry revealed. "I get the feeling he had to compromise to make the summer school happen."
"Also typical of Fudge," Hermione said.
Harry wasn't going to disagree with that.
"So the official story will be we are having our own classes because of Harry's unique abilities," Draco said.
"But?" Pansy asked.
"We will also be circulating the rumour that it's actually because I went totally ballistic after the latest incident and demanded Harry be taken out of the line of fire," Draco added.
Pansy lifted her eyebrows and slowly nodded.
"Makes sense," she said, "and we're here because?"
"The atmosphere is very tense because of what's been happening," Harry stepped in now. "If it looks like I'm being dragged out of things because of what the Gryffindors might see as Slytherin cowardice, it could wreck any peace we have going on at the summer school. We want you to make sure that doesn't happen."
Pansy looked over at Hermione and Ron, who were looking back at her. It wasn't as if everything was all sweetness and light between them yet, but the open hostility was gone.
"While you two paint targets on your backs, I suppose?" Hermione asked after a moment.
"Dumbledore has a plan," Draco said. "Don't worry, I'm not about to let Harry endanger himself any more than necessary."
"Good luck with that," Ron muttered.
"And so far all the incidents have been to test me, not hurt me," Harry added. "But do you think you can pull off your part?"
The three shared glances again.
"We'll have to plan," Pansy said eventually, "but I'm sure we can come up with something."
That was all Harry needed to know.
* * *
It wasn't announced to the school that Harry and Draco would no longer be in the usual classes, but everyone knew by breakfast time. The other rumour took a little longer, but Hermione mentioned it to Lavender under the pretext of explaining that Draco couldn't help being protective; it was instinctive now, and that was it.
For two days the couple had individual lessons, from the same instructors, in the History of Magic classroom. Draco was impressed that Harry managed to keep up the pretence quite so well, even with those people they trusted, just in case anyone was watching. He himself spent most of the time scowling and pretending to be paranoid.
Only a handful of people knew the truth.
What even fewer people knew was that the classroom was being watched twenty four hours a day with more than just eyes.
It was well known that, as headmaster, Dumbledore had a unique and interesting relationship with Hogwarts itself; one that could not be boasted by many in the school's history. It still has its secrets, but what no one had realised was that some enchantments which would have been blocked by the school to everyone else, were allowed to Dumbledore.
There were privacy wards on the school to prevent anyone from outside from spying on those inside, or any inside from spying on their fellows. The Marauder's Map was looking more and more like a work of pure luck or complete genius to Draco, because he had looked it up and no one was supposed to be able to use the Homonculous Charm in Hogwarts. He had to wonder if Dumbledore had had a hand in it somehow, because the headmaster was allowed to use such magic.
The History of Magic classroom now had several charms on it for the simple purpose of detecting and recording anyone entering or leaving it, as well as what they did in between. Harry liked to call it magical CCTV, not that Draco was sure what CCTV was and it was Muggle, so he refused to ask.
Harry also insisted on being part of the team keeping watch, at least for a few hours in the evenings. That was why he and Draco were hiding in the adjacent classroom with Tonks and the Marauder's map neatly hidden between them. Harry had been adamant that the map remain as secret as possible, even from Tonks.
The previous night had been easier, they had been stationed in the classroom with Remus. Since they both had to appear as normal during the day, they couldn't do more than a few hours, but Draco had not been surprised that Harry was adamant about being part of things. What had shocked him was how Dumbledore had looked to him and immediately agreed as soon as he had also approved.
As far as anyone not in the know about the map was concerned, Harry was using his abilities to see if he could spot the magical signature he had seen running away from the Quidditch pitch. That was true as well, but Draco had his eyes glued to the map. It really was an astonishing piece of magic.
Harry was sat on one of the desks, eyes closed, concentrating, Draco was right next to him.
[Someone's coming this way,] Draco said.
[Where?] Harry asked.
[Towards the dungeons,] Draco replied.
[Who is it?] was Harry's next question.
[That's the problem,] Draco said, [the name is blank.]
Harry opened his eyes.
[That's impossible.]
Draco pointed at the moving dot.
[Must be a charm the map was never designed to see through,] Draco said.
He felt the disquiet that caused in Harry.
[We should ask Tonks,] Harry said.
[We'll probably have to show her the map,] Draco pointed out.
[She's family,] was all Harry replied to that.
"Tonks," Draco said, "someone's coming."
"Is it our runner?" Tonks asked, immediately coming to attention with no sign of her usual clumsiness.
"I don't know," Harry said, "I haven't got them yet."
"They're on this," Draco said, lifting up the map.
"I wondered what you had there," Tonks said, walking over.
She whistled when could see it properly.
"I'm guessing no one knows you have this," she said.
"You are among a select few," Draco revealed. "The thing is, this dot should have a name. Know any spells that could hide someone from something that can see through the Animagus transformation, Polyjuice and invisibility cloaks?"
Tonks looked even more impressed.
"Did Dumbledore make this?" she asked.
"No, it was my father, Remus, Sirius and Peter," Harry revealed.
Draco was pretty sure Tonks went from impressed to awed.
"Wow," she said, "mega work. I can think of a couple of spells that might work, but they're on the restricted list."
"If it's an Unspeakable they could have dispensation though?" Draco asked.
Tonks nodded.
Harry closed his eyes again and Draco could feel his soulmate reaching out with his peculiar mind.
"Got them," Harry said, "but there's something confusing their magical signature. Must be the same spell."
"Time to alert the others then," Tonks said and swiped her wand.
Dobby appeared just about instantly.
They had decided to use Dobby as a messenger because House elves had total freedom in Hogwarts and it was possible any other methods they might have been able to use could have been detected by an Unspeakable. Given what the saboteur had pulled off already they were clearly incredibly skilled.
"Give the alert please, Dobby," Tonks said and the house elf bobbed his head once before disappearing.
Dumbledore was in a store room the other side of the classroom with Professor McGonagall and Remus was stationed in the corridor under Harry's invisibility cloak. Other members of the Order were due to take over in an hour or so, but it looked like they would not be needed.
Dobby popped back in only a few seconds later.
"Professor Dumbledore is saying he sees the intruder too," Dobby reported. "We is to wait until they is in the classroom."
"Thanks, Dobby," Draco said and the elf looked very pleased with himself.
"Everyone quiet," Tonks said and Draco looked down to see the dot nearing their position.
There were locking charms on the classroom, one of the safeguards Dumbledore had implemented for increased security. All the places where classes were to be held were locked where possible now, until they were needed.
[They've stopped,] Harry said.
[I can see them on the map,] Draco said.
They were right outside the door to the History of Magic classroom.
[They're doing magic,] Harry added, which was something Draco couldn't see.
It was only seconds before the person was on the move once more.
[Well those charms took them a long time to break,] Draco commented.
He would have been impressed with the person's skill if they hadn't already endangered Harry's life three times. That would give him a very dim view of anyone and he wasn't the forgiving sort.
"Stay behind me," Tonks whispered.
Draco nodded, putting the map in his pocket as Harry stood up.
Thanks to some very recent TLC, the door to the room they were in opened completely silently. The corridor outside was dark, but there was light shining from the crack in the door of the other classroom. Whoever it was, wasn't being that careful; they had left the door open.
[Wait,] Harry said suddenly and Draco reached out the grab Tonk's arm before she could go any further.
Tonk turned to them with a frown.
[What is it?] Draco asked.
[Door has extra magic on it,] Harry said, [I think it's a boobytrap for anyone investigating.]
"Trap," Draco mouthed at Tonks and pointed at the door.
Her frown cleared and she nodded. Just the other side of the door there was the slightest of rustles and Remus' head appeared, as if floating. He seemed to have paused when they did. Tonks made a hand signal at him and he nodded.
Draco made a mental note to ask about that later. Clearly there were some methods of communication they were not privy to.
Tonks pointed to herself and then the door before holding up three fingers.
[We follow her on three,] Draco said, just to make sure Harry got it.
He received a glare for his trouble, but he was not above being positive about these things.
Tonks held up one finger, then another, and then the third.
"Finite Incantatem," she said, wand pointed at the door and something went up in a puff of smoke.
Then they all charged in.
At the same time the lights went up and Dumbledore and McGonagall appeared with wands in hands. The figure standing next to the one of the desks near the windows froze.
"You are outnumbered and surrounded," Dumbledore spoke. "Be so kind as to turn around."
The man in question, because it was definitely a man was still for several seconds, but eventually did as he was asked, wand held pointing up in surrender.
"Duggan," Tonks said, clearly shocked.
"That's impossible," Draco added.
Duggan had been on a broom when the first incident had taken place; he could not have done it.
"Would you care to explain what you are doing, Mr Duggan?" the headmaster said.
Draco could see something behind the man on the desk. It was small and it was very hard to look at.
"Checking security," Duggan said, as if it should be obvious.
"No one is authorised to check security in this room," Dumbledore said.
"I took the initiative," Duggan replied. "Someone clearly has it in for Harry."
It almost made sense, almost. If Draco hadn't seen the map he might have believed the Auror.
"That's not Duggan," Harry said and surprised them all, even Draco.
"Of course I'm me," the other man protested.
"You may be trying to hide," Harry replied, "but I can still see who you aren't. You aren't Duggan. Now do you want to drop the act or are you going to make this difficult?"
Draco almost thought Harry was hoping for the latter.
"Polyjuice?" Professor McGonagall suggested.
"Or another manner of shape change," Dumbledore said. "We will have to determine which."
Then to Draco's shock, Dumbledore simply lifted his wand and said, "Stupefy."
Their saboteur looked equally surprised as he dropped to the floor without the remotest chance to defend himself.
"We will take this to my office," the headmaster said, all trace of the bumbling old man hidden beneath the role of leader of the Order of the Phoenix.
"I need to secure the scene for evidence," Tonks said before everyone moved off, "and we need to know what he was up to."
"I will assist Tonks," Professor McGonagall added, "just in case there are any nasty surprises."
Dumbledore nodded and the decision was made.
This entry was originally posted at http://beren-writes.dreamwidth.org/377060.html.