FicWad

by Neil R.S.

Chapter 01 Truth of his Curse

On a cold and rain filled day, Harry sat in his old bedroom at #4 Pivet Drive - which had been magicaly inhanced to fit 3 people and a house elf - atleast this time he wasn't alone, for Drace & Albus Dumbledore had managed to convince the Dursley's - in the kindest way possible, by saying that their kind would keep an eye on them and if they get word that the Dursleys had made any moves on the boys there would be trouble of the magical kind - that they should take in Draco & Blaise as well, because it was the safest place to have them stay over the summer.

So here they were, Harry, Draco & Blaise, all sat around in couchs around Harry's old room. Now you might think having more people there with magical abilities, the Durselys would treat Harry better, but no, they were upto their old stubborn selves. Not three days after the boys turned up there, did Vernon try pushing his muggle law onto them. Gathered Draco did sort of set fire to part of the kitchen - not knowing how to use muggle technology didn't help - and Blaise backed up the toilet on the lower level, trying to get rid of a potion that went bad - and only expanded when the ingredients mixed with water - but other than that, everything was going well and the next day, the boys were going out for a day, down to the local zoo.

Hartner Manor, the next day
To say that the atmosphere was calm, would be a lie, everyone in the Manor was in a rush. Sirius & Hestia were getting married on the same day as Remus & Emi. The weddings were scheduled for the second week of summer, so the boys where palmed off to the Durselys', much to both Harry & Drace's worry, Draco & Blaise's shock, but atleast they were together. The weddings themselves were booked at the resort on the coast of South America that Sirius owned, ie; Black Resort - thanks to something one of his relitives thought was a good investment back before he was even born - then a honeymoon on the small island off Hawii, for the two couples.

"Has anyone seen my robes?" asked a rather stressed out Drace, franticly searching not only his room, but most of the rooms around his.

Trying not to laugh herself silly, Dora pulled Drace aside and said in a mirth-filled voice, "Darlin, look down at what I am holding." She waited for Drace to do just that and look back up at her before she finished, "You are wearing your robes dear," then burst out laughing as Drace went beet red, then went to pack his other clothing, Dora still laughing behind him.

Lucius & his wife Narcissa had already packed, as had Morgen - (if you can't remember or haven't read the other story 'Making Wrongs, Right', Morgen is Blaise's mother), only having to pack for one - were sat around in comfy chairs in the loungeroom, just off the main lobby of Hartner Manor. Talking amoungst themselves about odd topics, from the weather, to buisness - Narcissa surprising them both at what she had picked up on over the years of being with Lucius - and being served tea & caramel tarts by Harkus, Drace's oldest house elf.

"This might actuly be a good month time away from here. Don't get me wrong, I do so love staying here, more so since Drace gave us our own wing of his Manor, but atltimes you just need to get away from this sort of thing... if anything, to find your bearings." Narcissa looked to her husband and smiled to him, before she continued, "Lucius and I are headed to his mother's old home in Canada for a few weeks after the weddings, so I do hope everyone has some fun while we are gone."

Smiling over her cup of tea, Morgen says, "Don't worry, fun will be had Cissa. Maybe not by Lord Hartner," she said as Drace rushed by the door with 4 bags, almost toppling him as he walked. "... but I'm sure it will be had. I'm going for a trip over to Australia myself. Apperently there has been a discovery of a new breed of magical flowers that were thought to have been wiped out by muggles 400 yars ago."

Walking into the loungeroom and flopping onto one of the spare couchs - Dora curling up in his lap - Drace said inbtween pants, "I... I think... thats all..." Looking up, as Lucius, Narcissa & Morgen all got up and started moving to the floo, Drace groaned, as he had only just sat down. "Okay comeon Dora, time to get this show on the road," then under his breath he said, "I hope Sirius & Remus know what they are getting themselves into," earning himself a slap across the back of his head from Dora who heard it.

London Zoo, Snake Enclosure, same day
Harry was starring down at a large snake, curled up under a warming lamp - the same apperant one from back before he recieved his Hogwarts letter - as Draco & Blaise - surprisningly Vernon & Petunia had taken aliking to them and ignored Harry, like the old days, which sort of suited him - were off checking out the tigers and other animals they didn't know much about, being magical and all. Smiling down at the snake, he looked around to see if anyone was watching, seeing no one was watching - not that anyone was there anyway - he turned back to the snake and started talking to it. His Parseltounge abilities kicking in without him knowing it. "Hello again my slithery friend."

The snake looked up and bowed, then spoke back, "Hello young Harry, what brings you out this way?"

"Just here with my relitives and two friends from school. Draco & Blaise are now apart of my Uncle's family... and mine too I guess, because he adopted me," said Harry, pride clearing in his voice.

"Thats good Harry, I wish you luck in your future my warmblooded friend." The snake stretched out its head alittle, slithering closer towards where the glass had been - Harry already removed it 'again' - nodded to Harry. "Thankyou again Harry and have a good day," said the snake, as he slithered away, causing chaos amoung the zoo goers and heading towards the small rodent exibbet, for an early lunch.

Draco & Blaise were coming up behind Harry when he and the snake started chatting and then when the glass vanished, they were starting to really become worried. Even more so when the snake slithered out of its encloser, but to their surprise, it just bowed and headed down the oppiste direction. Reaching Harry first, Blaise asked in a squeaky voice, "Harry, wha... what was that all about?"

Turning to his friends, "Oh that, I was just talking to my friend, I'm sure anyone in our world can talk to lots of animals. Snakes are rather friendly when you start talking to them, but lizards, now they are annoying little creatures," said Harry, shaking his head, as he had flashbacks of a skink following him around the backyard at the Dursley's and going on and on and on about his favorite bugs, before he came to Hogwarts.

Blaise & Draco shared a look, then turned back to Harry, Draco said, "Harry, I suggest you don't tell anyone about this, not anyone, but maybe Ron & Hermione, they would find out eventualy, but no one else."

Looking puzzled at them, as they walked out of the snake area and into the wide open enclosure where the tigers were. "Whats so bad about talking to snakes, I mean its not like I set him on anyone is it... well there was that time before I got my Hogwarts letter, I did sort of set that snake on my cousin Dudley, but its not like I did it on purpose."

"Harry," said Draco, as if he were talking to an child, "... not many people in our world can speak parseltongue, its a languge that only dark wizards & witchs have posesed in the past Harry, mostly. Look at it like this, Salazar Slytherin was a Parseltongue and you know how dark that man & his whole house is."

Blaise added, "We may have to do alittle research on this. See if we can find any spells that will prove it not to be evil for Harry. You know, Draco, like that old Druid fable from our childhood days, about the Wizard who came across a Druid community, befriended the people and before he left, was given the power to talk to the scaled animals. Who knows, it may be true... don't look at me like that, I loved that fable," said Blaise scrowling at them both. "Anyhow it may be worth a try, because I know for a fact, that Parseltongues only talk to snakes and not any other cold blooded creature, like lizards and most fables or fairytales in our world, have been proven to be real, so maybe this is as well."

The Dursleys
Stopping in his tracks, Blaise turned around and half yelled, half whispered, "Harry... Draco... I think you should come see this."

There, bouncing up and down on Harry's bed, was a female house elf - Dobby was off running erands - having the time of her life. Only stopping when Harry cleared his throat at the door. She turned and seen Harry, Draco & Blaise, looking at her stunned, so hopping off the bed, she said - in elf style English - "Misters Potter, Malfoy and Blaise, I's sorry to bother yous, but I hads to tell yous, to warn yous," said the small elf, as the boys came in and sat down, alittle 'less' worried.

Harry spoke first, "Tell us what this is about, who are you... would you please stop bouncing around and have a seat?"

Looking shocked for a few seconds, she started to ball her eyes out, but settleed down alittle, taking a seat on a chair between the boys. Clearing her throat she said, "I's be Winky sirs, I's be warning yous not to goto Hogwarts this year." Nodding in a no nonsence way, she continued, getting alittle teary eyed, "Terrible things to be happening this year sirs and yous shouldn't bes goin' n gettin' harmed... no no no." She stood up on the chair, grabbed hold of Harry & Blaise's collars and said, "Theres be deaths happenin' this year, yous gotta stay here n be safes," with that, she popped out of the room, leaving the boys more than alittle shocked.

After a long silence, Blaise spoke up, "I remember that elf now, she use to work for Minister Crouch and before mother & I came apart of your Uncle Drace's family, Harry, she was given to the Notts... we have to tell someone... we have to tell someone something," said an almost frantic Blaise.

"Calm down, we wouldn't know where to begin anyway, its not like Winky was of much help anyway, we don't have anything to tell anyone at all Blaise," said Draco.

Harry looked pensive while the others were going on, then straightened up, "Do you think it has anything to do with the death nibblers or... or that bastard?" asked Harry, still trying to come up with something else to call Voldemort.

"Maybe. I wish we still had a spy in there, maybe we could find out, but it really was too risky to have my father in their any longer," said Draco, looking saddened at the memory of when his mother told him what had happened. "So... back to reasearch then?" his belly took that moment to rumble, "... or maybe dinner first," they all laughed at that and tucked into the dinner that popped into the room with Dobby.

On the coast of South America, Black Wizards' Resort
"See Lord Black, Lord Lupin, we at the resort have arranaged everything that your girlfriends and their mothers have asked of us. Now gentlemen, would you please go backto your rooms, I'm sure that the mother's of the brides would murder you if they see you out here or found out you have seen the arrangements before the weddings and me for showing you," said a short tanned man in light robes.

Nodding, Sirius & Remus said their thanks and headed toward the open elevator - the hotel use to belong to muggles and some of the workers are squibs, so the resort just sort of stayed like the original plan, besides the wards spells & charms - pressing the botton for the penthouse level, Remus turned to Sirius, a smile playing on both their faces.

"I can't believe you are actuly going through with this Padfoot, I mean you of all people. I thought you'd still be single, but this... wow we're both getting married," said Remus, still in the stages of 'happiness' about getting married... the poor Were.

"True that, but hey, atleast we have two of the most beautiful witchs we could have." Going silent for a few minutes, Sirius then added, "I wish Hestia's mother wouldn't give me the evil eye everytime we are in the same room. Atleast her father seems to like me a bit more than she does. I guess it would be the same for anyone that has been with her daughter or like me, marries her. We'd never be worth it in her eyes."

Shaking his head, Remus just chuckled and said, "Thats actully funny. Emi's folks seem to like me, heck even her mother has been spending time with me, she even helped me choose my robes for the weddings. Pure silk, black robes with a red lined collar. They are quite beautiful actuly, I don't think I'll wear them again after this," said Remus, his eyes misting over alittle.

Patting his friend on the shoulder, as they stepped out of the elevator and headed down to the room, finding Drace in his room with seven very handsome looking dress robes before him and looking like he would rather go toe to toe with a Hungerian Horntail, then pick something out that would proberly cach fire if he kept starring at them like he was at the moment.

"Drace, why not just wear the one Dora picked out for you?" asked Remus, mirth clearly in his voice.

Looking up, Drace seen his advisors snickering at him, "Hey gents... erm... about that, I don't think Dora was paying much attention when she picked out those robes for me, I mean they have flakes of 'pink' between the threads and there is no way in the nine hells, that I will be wearing the dreaded pink," said Drace, turning his nose up at the robe hanging on a door. "I think I should just go with my normal clothing, no offence to you pair or the magical world at large, but I never did take to the whole 'magical people wear robes' business."

Both Sirius & Remus had a good laugh at the look on Drace's face - soon Drace joined in - as they all headed to the games room / personal bar half of the penthouse, for a few hours of relaxation before they had to do the whole 'practice wedding' for the real one was in a few days, why, none of the guys knew, but apparently it was 'normal'.

"Atleast Blaise & Draco will be with Harry having a bit of fun, while we are here," said Remus, pouring himself another Firewhiskey. "And its Harry's birthday soon, good thing you brought a few of your owls with us Drace, I don't think ours could have made it that far." Three out of five of Drace's Hawk-Owls Obilsec, Teal & Arcidia had came with them incase anything was needed to send away for or general 'mail' usage.

Looking somewhat worried, Drace stood up and said, "Oh shite oh shite oh shite, I forgot all about Harry's birthday." Rushing out of the room and over too his owls, wrote down a quick order, stuffed it into Teal's pouch, as well as five bags full of gallons and sent the large owl off to the store in Diagon Alley, to pay for the present he had already ordered and off to the Weasley's for Harry's b-day. Coming back, Drace said, "I wish Moody was able to come. Even with his duties, he could have worked out something, but atleast Aurthur & his wife Molly, managed to come and Bill. I wish their other son could have made it, I have heard a few things about their dragon handerler son, Charlie."

Outside on the beach
Lucius & Narcissa were laying, spread out on a couple of beach towels - getting some much needed sun - as they sipped their drinks and talked about their childhood, how much they missed out on and what they would do to make Draco's life better - snakes shed their skins, so why can't Slytherins - for as long as they could, now that they could see what a normal family actuly acts like, well a largely extended family. Lucius smiled, looking over at his wife and said, "You know, the last time I seen you smile like that, I proposed to you," he said with alittle humor sneeking into his voice.

Looking at her husband, Narcissa blushed and smiled more, saying, "And when you, Mr. Ragamuffin, when you found out I was pregnate with Draco, you whooped so loudly they could have heard you in France," she said, wrapping her arms around Lucius and kissing him firmly on the lips, then jumping up, pushing him back down and running down to the surf, with Lucius hot on her heals. Both of them acting like love struck teens.

Dursleys
"BOY GET DOWN HERE!!!" screamed Vernon after he had gotten home from work and found one of Harry's freak friends following him from work to home.

Harry, almost on auto-pilot, dashed down the stairs and was somewhat followed by Draco & Blaise. "What is it Vernon?" he asked, Harry had stopped calling Vernon Uncle since Drace had adopted him.

"Boy one of your freak friends followed me from work and I won't have any part of that FREAKINESS in MY HOUSE got it boy," said the overly fat man with a mostash that resembled a walrus mo.

Looking out the front window, Harry, Draco & Blaise all did a double take, before Harry & Draco sent up shield charms and Blaise tackled Vernon to the ground, as a spell of sickly orange flew through the place where he was just standing and burning a great big dirty hole into the oven, after going through the loungeroom wall. Draco was firing stunners back, while Harry took out a signalling mirror that Sirius had given him and Moody - incase there was trouble while Drace and the others were gone - Harry activated it and called Mad-Eye. "Mad-Eye, come in... we have trouble sir."

Mad-Eye, wasting little no time on pleasentries, got straight into it, "How many do you see son?"

Looking through the broken window quickly, Harry turned to the mirror and said, "Five sir, three around the fr... BUGGER that was close," he said as a purple light skimmed just past his right elbow, "... sorry sir... three at the front and two out the back."

"Okay, Shacklebolt & I wll be there in three minutes, hold them off until we get there son."

Putting away the mirror, Harry told Draco & Blaise what was happening, while firing off his own spells and some he learnt from Remus & Sirius, which used transfiguration on shrubs from the small garden that ran down either side of the pathway where one of the cloaked figures happened to be walking, into enchanted ropes, that begain attacking and tangling around the wizard, soon hanging him upside down.

"Draco, Blaise, you two take care of these two, I'm going to stop them jokers getting in through the back."

"Goodluck," said both Blaise & Draco, as Harry started throwing spells at one of the tossers that had already made it into the house.

By the time the Aurors came, half the front & back lawns looked like a dump and inside the house looked like a muggle bomb went off, which wasn't half wrong. But what surprised both Mad-Eye & Shacklebolt was the fact that three students, just three ordanary Hogwarts, 2nd year students had completely taken out five cloaked figures. All of which bared the Dark Mark on their left shoulder.

Looking around at the job the students had completed, Mad-Eye - a grin plasted across his face - turned to Shacklebolt, sending him away for a recovery team, then turned back and looked down at the young lads and smiled more, saying, "That was some mighty fine work you did there lads, mighty fine. How about when the Aurors get back here, we head down to the Mis-use of Underage Magic section of the Ministry and get this whole thing sorted out. I am sure they will understand that you three were working as undercovers," Mad-Eye snickered, mischief showing in his one good eye. No sooner had he said that, had a cleaner team come popping into existance. Not only repairing the house, but making false memories in all those around the area who had seen it or part of it, as well as Vernon.

Ministry of Magic
A rather prudish looking woman, sat behind a desk, inside a room with a door labled, 'Underage Magic Section', looked up and reguarded the three young boys, as if they were nothing but pests that needed to be stepped on, but she soon changed her tune when she spied Mad-Eye, clunking behind them. "Auror Mad-Eye, what a pleasure it is to see you sir. Are you here to get this boys punished sir?" she asked, hopefuly.

Smirking, Mad-Eye shook his head, "No, these boys are jounior Aurors," the witch looked shocked and surprised. "They were working and still are, undercover for us."

Nodding slowly, looking up to meet Mad-Eye's good eye, she opened her mouth, "Why..." before looking at him puzzled and being cut off before she could form more words to finish her question.

"This young lad is the reason why, see this is young Mr. Potter and who else to keep him cover n atleast blend in, then people his own age." Moody's lie seemed to be holding up. 'Now lets hope the paperwork will go through," Moody thought, as the tickets were cancled.

"Comeon lads, best get you back," directing them backto the portkey area, the boys said their thanks too Mad-Eye, who gave them all Junior Auror badges, before they vanished in a gust of wind, returing to Harry's room.

Black Resort, on the coast of South America
Looking rather razed Drace, stood with his girlfriend, to meet her parents. Sure, he is old - far more older than any wizards alive today - and sure, he has dealt with parents before and sure, he would rather run the opposite direction, but here he was, standing with Dora, waiting in a private booth that Dora had reserved for this exact event. Looking to her, he couldn't help but feel alittle happy when she smiled back, looking as beautiful as ever. Today her hair wasn't bright or spiked. No, today it was straight and black, matching her mother's hair. Her eyes however, matched Drace's, of crystal blue, which made Drace blush when he seen them the first time in their room, while making Dora giggle.

A couple walked towards he and Dora, not old looking, but not young either. 'That man', Drace mused 'deffiently a muggle and the woman, maybe a witch... yep a witch, Dora's smile can't get any bigger then that', he heard Darrk laughing over the bond as he said, "Now remember Drace, don't try to introduce yourself as 'Hrace Dartner' this time."

The couple stood before Drace & Dora. "Mum, Da, this is Drace Hartner... Drace, this is Andy & Teddy Tonks," said Dora, alittle worried, but trying not to show it.

Extending his hand, Drace took ahold of her mother;s hand, kissing the knuckles & half bowing, then taking hold of her father's hand - squeezing it with equal pressure and perhaps alittle more - and said in a clear voice, "Greettings Mr. & Mrs. Tonks, it is a pleasure to meet you at last. As your darlin daughter has told you, I am Drace Hartner." Turning slightly, he angled himself to the table, waving at it slightly, as he said, "Shall we take our seats and order?"

Recieving a nod, they all sat around the table and thats when the questions started. "Drace," said Teddy, "What is it exactly that you do?"

Looking to Dora, who only shrugged, Drace said, "Well sir, I would be lying if I said I had a job, but as it is, I do a bit of everything. I own most of the gold in Gringots and when I say most, I mean 85%, but one does need to keep busy, be that person magical or muggle like yourself sir. To be truthful sir, I'm what muggles would call a jack of all trades, I can pretty much do anything, even plug in a vcr... provided there is a manual," he added, recieving a laugh from Teddy & Andi, Dora just looked on, tilting her head to the side - not knowing what a vcr is, but her mother knowing because of Teddy being a muggle and all. "So, how about we order now, I'll pay for it all."

Smiling brightly, Andy looked at her daughter and said simply, "He'll do." Drace smiled and sighed happily, then went on with ordering his food, the others following in earnest.

Dora & Drace's Penthouse Suite
"So Drace," Tedd said, later that night at the mini-bar, "What are your plans for the future?"

Drace had to take awhile to think about that, because their was the future as a muggle, being 'maybe' 80 years, if he eats right, maybe 100 years, then there was a wizard, the same applied foreating right and living from 200 to maybe 300 years... than there was him. Being cursed and having to live as long as Darrk was apart of him, until the right person came along to bare his & Darrk's burden of a very long life. "Well, to tell the truth sir, I haven't really thought about it. Unlike most wizards out there, time to me doesn't really mean the same."

Looking puzzled at him, Teddy asked, "What do you mean by that, son?"

Sighing, he looked to Teddy, with sorrow clear in his eyes, "Sir I am what some in the magical world would call blessed or more to it, imortal. But truth is, I am cursed. Your daughter, my lovely girlfriend, will be dead and gone and I will still be here. Continuing down the path of life."

"I thought wizards only had a 200, maybe 300 year life, how did you get cursed like this?"

Taking in a deep breath, then slowly releasing it, Drace started his story, "When I was a small boy, there was a prophecy made about me and because of that, I was bitten by a creature that resembled a werewolf, the first actully and since then I have, well lets just say that he & I share this body. One body, two souls... sometimes it can be madderning," said drace, alittle more saddend then before. Taking a sip from his firewhiskey, he said "But know this sir, I will do everything in my power to take care of Dora and keep her safe."

Smiling at the young (okay the old man who looked young, maybe 25) who sat before him, Teddy nodded, "I have no doubt that you wouldn't treat her with the respect she deserves."

Drace smiled and said, "Yes, each woman is a Goddess in her own rights and should be treated as such," they both nodded after that, having alittle more to drink, before Teddy left with his wife, back to their room, while Drace walked to his & Dora's bedroom, getting changed for bed and the weddings practice the next day.

End of Chapter 01

AN 1: Okay, that didn't go as long as I thought it would. I sort of got distracted, but I plain to continue it in more with the next chapter, you know, the whole Wedding bit, moron Death Eaters... Lockhart rolls eyes

- P.P.