Title: To Live Forever
Author: Wyld Rose
Rating: Overall, R
Disclaimer: I only own the plot, JK Rowling owns the rest! I give credit to Matto for creating Professor Angren Yonn, and to Sarah Sei no Ai for creating Denethor and Tatheryn.
A/N Denethor and Tatheryn are in a homosexual relationship, and if that sort of thing offends you, you have been warned. They don’t do anything steamy though, so sorry if you do like that sort of thing hehe.
Chapter 3: Cold Eyes
The autopsy was permitted and after casting several spells, Madame Pomfrey was able to determine that the cause of death was unnatural, however it was not by poison or a curse. Panic was prevented mainly because the students assured themselves that this was an isolated incident. There were many speculations about how Theodore could have died, yet not a single one made sense considering the circumstances.
Dumbledore had learned through interrogation and questioning of witnesses that the student had been in the library since the early morning. Students passing by assumed that the Hufflepuff had fallen asleep while studying. Only until later in the evening did Amy, his girlfriend, go searching for him, worried that she hadn’t seen him since their morning class. Anyone who was in the library that day was questioned if they had seen anyone unusual in the library around 9:30am, the approximate time of death.
Several days passed and Dumbledore was no closer to solving the mystery of Theodore Murdock’s death. Eventually, the students went on about their typical lives, the curtain of depression lifting to allow the first chilling breezes of autumn.
Another, less disheartening, attribute about this year at Hogwarts, was the fact that the Defense Against the Dark Art’s class was not in progress until mid September. Dumbledore and the Ministry of Magic had a difficult time searching for a replacement of last year’s professor due to the negative gossip that waved over the wizarding world about how the position was cursed.
This year, the Gryffindors would have Defence Against the Dark Arts with the Slytherin house. Harry was not too thrilled with this idea, but at least he hoped the new professor would be neutral. As the students filed into their seats, they cast suspicious glances at the young wizard standing at the front of the classroom. Whispers ricocheted around the dimly lit room and the Slytherin students made a few offensive jests in the direction of the wizard.
"Surely that can’t be our professor this year," whispered Pansy Parkinson as she leaned to Morgan, "He’s as old as we are!"
"The little git probably gave Dumbledore a year supply of lemon drops or something to get in." Morgan responded, sounding rather disappointed. The wizard at the front of the classroom paid the gossip no mind as he moved behind a podium, clasping his hands behind his back. Once all of the students had arrived, the wizard cleared his throat, facing deathly silence.
"My name is Professor Angren Yonn, and I am the new Defense Against the Dark Art’s professor for this year." Professor Yonn smiled warmly to the class and stepped from behind the podium, hands still clasped behind his back. He appeared no older than 17 years, and had shoulder length hair the color of dark honey and intense brown eyes. He wore dark blue robes fastened with a silver Celtic cloak brooch. The students squinted their eyes, and leaned in to whisper to one another. He began to speak again, causing everyone to grow silent.
"I know what you’re all thinking. I appear to be as old as you," At this, he smiled again and stood in front of the Gryffindor students. Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown glanced at each other and blushed, covering their mouths with their hands to stifle giggles of adoration. Professor Yonn continued to talk, shifting his gaze to a group of snickering Slytherins in the back corner of the other side of the room, "As someone wise once said, ‘things aren’t always as they appear.’ I forgot just now who said it, but let me think a while and it’ll come to me. For our first lesson, we’ll discuss how to protect yourselves from possession. I know it may seem I’m starting off a tad extreme, but after discussing my lesson plans with Professor Dumbledore, I feel this lesson to be extremely important. But first, let me call the roll..." He returned to the podium and shuffled a few sheaves of parchment around.
The class began to whisper again, a few girls were cooing about how adorable their new professor was. Harry felt like he was the only one who caught the bit about protection against demonic possession. Everyone else was too wrapped up on how young Professor Yonn was, and how foolish Dumbledore could be at times (this came from the Slytherins, of course). It didn’t matter to Harry how old Professor Yonn was; he was extremely interested in today’s lesson.
"So, let me get this straight," Crooned a voice from the Slytherin side once Yonn had finished reading off the roll, "We are going to be taught how to protect ourselves from demonic possession. Are you sure you are old enough for this job?" This sent a ripple of snickers over the Slytherin students.
Professor Yonn nodded and responded humbly, "Yes, and if I could please have a volunteer for my first demonstration." He looked around as if searching and then pointed to the very back of the Gryffindor side.
Harry blinked as everyone turned to look at him, following Yonn’s gesture. Reluctantly, definitely not in the mood to be possessed by demons, Harry sulked up to the front of the class. He glanced around the room and noticed Draco shrouded in shadows in the back row of the Slytherin side. Draco had been very out of character so far this class, Harry thought, he had not made one offensive remark since class began.
Professor Yonn greeted Harry with a handshake and motioned to a chair next to the podium. Harry went to sit in the chair, feeling very uncomfortable, and Yonn produced a smooth dark green gem from a pocket inside his robes.
"This stone is a ward—it has a few enchantments placed upon it that will protect whoever possesses it from demonic possession. This is the simplest method of protection against demonic possession, because it does not require the energy of the individual of who is carrying it. The energy is already there. Now, Harry hold onto this stone, and I want the rest of you to watch..." Professor Yonn carefully placed the stone in Harry’s wary hand and then went to a desk set further back in the room. The moment Harry received the stone, he felt warmth penetrate deep into his skin. The warmth spread through out his body, and he felt encompassed in a cocoon of positive energy. Yonn returned to Harry carrying a small silver box etched in runes.
"Please, don’t anyone be alarmed...the demon in this box is almost harmless. Just a young succubus, is all. When she grows older, however, I will have to be rid of her, but for now she will work perfect in my demonstration of protection from demonic possession." Yonn opened the box, which appeared to be empty, and Harry braced himself. The entire class was watching, on edge, as Harry seemed to tense and shudder. He felt as if ice were being poured into his veins, his skin was clammy and he felt as if he would choke on his own tongue. Just as he was beginning to feel like the energy was being siphoned from his body, the warmth from the stone in his hand regained control over the succubus, driving her out of Harry’s body. The box glowed as well as it beckoned her back within its hinges. Professor Yonn closed the box and smiled warmly to the class. "You see, Harry is all right, just a tad frigid I’d imagine, but a nice chocolate frog should make him feel better."
Harry returned to his seat and immersed himself in lecture for the remainder of the class. After class, Hermione and Ron huddled around Harry to inquire about his experience with possession. Draco’s mind had obviously been elsewhere. Harry was rather thankful for this, however Draco would be sure to make up for it later.
~*~*~*~*~
Several weeks had passed, and everyone was just beginning to feel the stress of mid-term exams approaching. It seemed as if the only break away from studying and writing papers was at lunch, and the only light at the end of the tunnel was the legendary Yule Ball. The Halloween Festival was soon, however it would go by in a wink compared to the endless workload the students carried on their shoulders.
The Great Hall was crowded during lunch, and Draco wished more than ever that he could take his plate elsewhere. Crabbe and Goyle were especially bothersome as they rambled on about the new Defense Against the Dark Art’s professor, who Draco could care less about. To make matters worse, Morgan Moon had taken it upon herself to sit next to Draco, eyeing him seductively every chance she had. He ignored her completely, concentrating instead on the red-head that had just entered the hall. She paused at the Gryffindor table, most likely searching for a spot to sit.
"Would you look at that unfortunate frump. Those robes probably belonged to her mother when she was here...look, you can even see where they tried to patch it up," said Morgan in a piteous voice as she nudged Pansy.
"It probably hasn’t been washed since then either! You know those miserable Weasleys couldn’t even afford a dry cleaning," Pansy guessed, laughing with a snort. Morgan joined her, cackling behind her slender hand.
Draco bit off a piece of chicken and forced himself not to comment. Crabbe and Goyle were laughing along with Morgan and Pansy, and Draco thought that they sounded rather like a bunch of mating hyenas. He felt a jab in his arm and glanced over to find its source.
It was Denethor Cantaire, a fellow seventh year with unkempt spikes of sable hair and indigo eyes.
"You all right, Malfoy? Not acting much like yourself," Denethor asked, not really looking at him. Draco shrugged indifferently and pushed his plate away.
"I am fine," Draco said. He would explain his troubles to Denethor, but not in front of his lackeys, Crabbe and Goyle. Denethor simply nodded, his eyes wandering every so often to the Ravenclaw table. At last, a Ravenclaw with elbow-length alabaster hair met his gaze. Denethor felt momentarily lost in the Ravenclaw’s sapphire eyes, and a slight smirk crossed his face. The Ravenclaw returned the smirk with a soft smile and then looked back to his meal. It was Denethor’s turn to receive a jab in the side, and he blinked back to reality.
"D, you know, for once I think I’m beginning to understand how you feel," Draco said, noticing the silent courtship that just passed between Denethor and the Ravenclaw. Denethor’s eyebrows twisted in confusion, and then he noticed Draco was staring towards the Gryffindor table.
"Mm." Denethor nodded, trying to figure out who the subject of Draco’s gaze could be.
"I’ll explain later," Draco said quietly and left it at that. Denethor was extremely curious but was able to hide it well as he munched on the roll. Draco looked once more to the Gryffindor table and saw Ginny sitting near Hermione and Ron. The sparkling sunlight from the enchanted ceiling, he noticed, was weaving golden strands in amongst her wavy red tresses. Tearing his eyes away from her quickly, he sighed at himself.
Across the Great Hall at the Gryffindor table, Ginny was suffering the same nagging sensation of unease that Draco felt. The voices... the mystery of why the hallway was abandoned and forbidden... a poem she worked so diligently to improve in the possession of Draco Malfoy. Draco... Casting the Slytherin table a longing glance, her eyes rested momentarily on Draco, who seemed to be staring at his plate in deep thought. Just when she was about to shift her gaze to the ceiling, Draco’s gray eyes met hers and lingered for a moment. Ginny quickly averted her eyes to Ron, who was describing
how Snape tripped over his robes during Potions class, and a roar of laughter swept over their section of the Gryffindor table. Just then she noticed a lithe pale-haired figure exiting the Great Hall in a graceful sweep of sable robes. Her heart leaped from her chest as she toyed with the possibility of following him. As soon as she was certain it would not appear suspicious, she stood and followed after Draco.
~*~*~*~*~
Ginny came across Draco standing against the wall near the corridor that led to the dormitory stairwell. His eyes were void of emotion as usual, however she could tell by the slight clinch of his jaw that he was concealing a scowl. Approaching him gradually, her bottom lip was caught in her teeth as she noticed his hollow gaze shifted to her. To think that I was starting to feel something for him...She thought as his look made her feel as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her.
"I...was just heading to—,"she barely heard herself speak before his drawling voice cut her off.
"Following me, Weasley?" Draco had crossed his arms as he studied her. Do not care, do not care, do not care...He had to tell himself that more often now every time he saw her. Somewhere he was glad she had followed him, even though that wasn’t his intent for escaping the Great Hall. Morgan had rested her hand on his thigh under the table while she mused about how terrible the Gryffindor house would be at Quidditch this year. Crabbe and Goyle were hanging on her every word. Pansy turned the conversation back to Ginny and the Weasleys just as they heard the laughter erupting from the Gryffindor table. Draco was sick of their childish behavior and Morgan’s hand on his thigh made him want to wretch. So he left.
"N...no," Ginny responded as she began to walk past him. She was a terrible liar and she was sure he sensed that. Just as she was about to pass the threshold to the stairwell, she found herself blocked by Draco’s arm. His hand was clutching the elegant carvings on the threshold, dark robes draping from his arm like a curtain, making her feel all the more trapped. His other hand was resting behind his back, and he leaned down to her, cold eyes resting on her bottom lip which had found itself in the clutches of her teeth again. If only she knew how tempting he found that gesture.
"What are you doing? Let me through," Her brows furrowed in a mixture of confusion and annoyance. He obviously intended to bully her more, and the thought of warming up to him was set on a shelf to collect dust.
"I am blocking your way, what does it look like, Weasley?" He reached out to move a strand of her hair that had fallen out of place. The twisted combination of cruelty and affection—what Malfoy charm was all about, and Draco obviously personified that definition.
Ginny found the combination a trifle too much for her, and responded with her own combination of—blushing fury? Whatever it would be called, she took a couple of steps back and attempted to walk around him. The corners of Draco’s lips were tugged in an almost seductive smirk as he moved to block her again.
"Will you please move? Don’t you have something better you could be doing? Why are you doing this?" Ginny had a hard time keeping herself from falling victim to his charm, and attempted to conceal it by asking questions.
Draco moved closer, causing Ginny to back against a pillar, "No, I will not move. I have nothing better to do, and I am doing this because it amuses me."
"It amuses you be so bloody condescending all the time?"
"No. It amuses me to see that you are enjoying this."
Ginny felt the confusion of her emotions drowning out any sensible remark with which she could retaliate. Her cheeks were flushed with humiliation and anger, yet she made no move to escape him.
"What...what makes you think that?" was all she could muster, and she sighed in spite of herself.
"Because, if you weren’t, you would have resisted...at the least," he responded silkily and traced a fingertip down her jaw line. She bit her lip again, and he narrowed his eyes to make his smirk seem all the more alluring. Her expression, once taut with vehemence, relaxed as she gazed up at him dotingly.
"Ahem," a voice coughed nearby, causing Draco to back away from Ginny quickly.
"Oh, it’s you," Draco exhaled with relief to see Denethor with his arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.
"Don’t mind me, but people are starting to leave the Great Hall. Just wanted to let you know," Denethor said simply as the alabaster-haired Ravenclaw, Tatheryn, soon joined him, looking from Draco to Ginny and back again with uncertainty.
"What’s going on here?" Tatheryn asked, shooting Draco an accusing look. Ginny took this opportunity to slip away, her eyes trapped by Draco’s lingeringly as she walked past him.
"You weren’t harassing that poor girl, were you? Denethor, I hope you aren’t encouraging this randy behavior," Tatheryn’s graceful fae features were marred slightly by a sullen frown. Draco looked up to the ceiling, avoiding the possibility of a confrontation. Denethor slipped his arm around Tatheryn’s shoulders and pulled him near.
"Don’t get so worked up, gorgeous, Draco was just being himself," With that, Denethor pressed a light kiss against Tatheryn’s temple, causing him to blush madly.
"Stop..." Tatheryn gently pushed him away, eyeing the thickening crowd of students precariously. Denethor appeared momentarily hurt, but gave in and slid his hands into the sleeves of his robes.
"Come on, gorgeous, you’ll be late for Transfiguration," Denethor said, giving him a light tug. He wasn’t usually the one to be concerned about how late they were to class, but he had the sinking feeling that Draco needed some time to think.
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