52Chapter 8
Chapter 8: Uncomfortable Truths
Harry's POV
Harry tried so hard the night after to stay awake. After what had happened that morning he didn't want to fall asleep and wake up wrapped around Malfoy again. When he has realized he was resting on the blonde's chest and said blonde was wide awake, but not doing anything about it, his mind went blank and all he could think was run.
He knew it was dumb to hide in the bathroom, because he would eventually have to go out. Not that Malfoy let him hide very long.
When the other teen, unlocked the door and entered the bathroom, Harry had expected a fight or at least some yelling. Instead, Malfoy made a not so funny comment about him liking to cuddle and let it drop.
And so far, it hadn't come back up again. Hence him not wanting to have a repeat the next morning.
Unfortunately, some time in the night he must have fallen asleep because he was now awake, laying in bed pressed against Malfoy. His head was again on the other's chest and his arm was thrown over the other's chest, only this time Malfoy was still asleep, and he had his own arm wrapped about Harry's waist.
So small voice in the back of his head told him to let it go, relax and fall back asleep, because it felt good, he was warm and comfortable and something about having Malfoy's heartbeat, beating in his ear was soothing, but the rational voice in his head told him he wouldn't get lucky twice and that he needed to move before Malfoy woke up.
As gently as he could he reached down and slowly took ahold of Malfoy's arm, he tried to pick it up, but the blonde's hand twitched and the arm around his waist tightened. He sucked in a breath. That was not what he had planned.
He tried not to shift his body as he tried again, again the sleeping blonde tightened his hold when Harry tried to remove his arm
Harry mumbled a curse and reached for the blonde's arm for a third time.
"What are you doing?" a muffled voice asked.
Harry felt his face turn red, "Trying to get up," he replied, proud that his voice sounded confident and bored.
There was a sigh from the other boy and then Malfoy's arm was pulled away from him. Harry wasted no time slipping out of the bed and going into the bathroom. This time he didn't bother trying to hide, because if Malfoy was going to be angry it would have been when he was woken up.
Not that it put this weird morning cuddling thing out of his mind, because he knew sooner or later Malfoy would mock or tease him about it, and he knew that if he reacted in any way but indifferent it would become a thing.
He took a bath then got dressed.
When he came out of the bathroom, Malfoy didn't say anything other then they needed to go to Gringotts today, then the blonde pushed past him and closed the bathroom door.
Breakfast was quiet, neither of them speaking as they looked over their parchments and ate.
When Malfoy was done, he got up and grabbed his coat. Harry, having gotten used to it, just grabbed his own coat and followed him out of their room.
Once they were at Gringotts, Grimmhook ushered them into the same room as before.
"Mister Potter and Mister Malfoy, have you made up your minds?" the Goblin asked sitting them down on the couches.
"Yes," Malfoy answered when Harry just nodded.
"Good. Good," the goblin said. "May I see your Parchments?"
They both handed them over and waited as the Goblin read them over. Harry sat there nervous because if the Goblin was satisfied with their answers they would be returning to Hogwarts in just a couple days and while he missed the school; It was the closest thing he had to a real home. He didn't know how he would react to seeing his parents, their friends, Wormtail, or even the others like McGonagall or the headmaster.
Logically he knew he couldn't do anything. He couldn't hug his parents or attack Peter but he was worried that when it happened he wouldn't think about it logically and that he would just react.
He looked over at Malfoy and wondered if the other boy was worried about seeing his father. He didn't know much about Malfoy's relationship with his mother but surely, he would be happy to see her right?
"This looks to be in order," Grimmhook said placing the papers on the table between them.
"Only you have both left your names off."
"We'll need fake names," Malfoy replied. "We can't use our real ones."
"But we also don't know any names that would be safe to use, without someone knowing someone who could be related to whichever we choose," Harry added.
The goblin nodded.
"I was thinking of using a muggle name," Harry said not looking at the blonde, but he still heard the other take a breath. Knowing Malfoy was about to protest, he spoke quickly, "It would be safer. We wouldn't have to worry about unknown relatives trying to figure out where we came from." This time he looked over at the blonde.
The Pureblood was scowling.
Then he gave a smirk, "But wouldn't two Muggle-borns transferring at the same time, seem strange?"
He opened his mouth, but Grimmhook interrupted their argument before it really got going.
"There is no need," he said. "As I mentioned before, we have a plan in place. There is a small island magically hidden from the muggle world and few wizards know of or go there. We will say that you are from there and that as you are both a year away for maturity you have requested to attend Hogwarts to learn more past your homeschooling and to meet others your age before entering into the wizarding world." Harry just stared at him, the goblins really did have this worked out.
"Now would you like to be related or not?"
"Not," they said at the same time.
The goblin nodded.
"Do you have preferences for your first names?" he continued.
"Luke " Malfoy answered, obviously have giving it some thought. Harry was a little slower, sure he had thought about it, but he hadn't been able to make up his mind.
"Evan," he said because it was as close as he could get to either of his parent's names without it being obvious. He had wanted to use his father's name James, but with his father there it might be weird. He wondered if that was why Malfoy had gone with Luke?
"Alright," the goblin said, getting up. "Excuse me for a moment." Then he turned and walked away, leaving them alone in the room.
"Your dad?" Harry asked, looking over at the blonde.
Malfoy gave a short nod, "But not yours?" he asked looking up.
"Mum," he said with a shrug.
They fell silent, luckily Grimmhook and two other Goblins soon entered the room.
"Mister Potter, this is Igorth. If you will accompany him into the next room, he will place powerful glamour's on you, as well as show you have to remove and maintain them. And Mister Malfoy, this is Saomur, he will stay here with you and do the same for you. I will go to send this off to the school and wait for a reply from the headmaster. It should not take long, as I have already owled him once telling him I may have two students for him." With that the Goblin turned and left.
Harry rose to his feet and moved to follow the small Goblin in front of him, he gave a look over his shoulder at the door, the blonde had stood up to greet the Goblin, but his eyes were on Harry.
Then Harry turned away and followed Igorth into a different smaller room.
"Please Mister Potter, to the center of the room," Igorth said with a wave of his hand.
Harry did as he was told.
"Now this," Igorth said pulling out a necklace. The chain was thin and silver, but on the end hung what appeared to be a fang of some kind. "Is a dragon's tooth. Powerful magic, and it will power and maintain the glamour's we place upon you. The chain is enchanted as well. Protection spells weaved into that will cause it to warm if a spell or hex is aimed at you. It will also shield you from a good number of spells." Harry heard what the goblin said, even as he stared in wonder at the tooth.
He could remember hearing Charlie talk about how powerful different parts of a dragon could be, that's why they were popular ingredients in wands and also why dark wizards try to hunt and kill dragons that are protected on reserves like the one Charlie worked.
"Now, Mister Potter," Igorth said, oblivious to Harry's wandering thoughts. "This tooth can be used as a powerful focusing object. Much like a wand. So, after we place your glamour's, I want you to practice a few spells without your wand, to see if you can tap into the tooth's magic."
Igorth must not have cared much about his response because before he could utter a word the goblin placed the necklace over his head and when Harry felt it settle over his chest there was an electric spark that shot through him.
He gasped and reached for the tooth, without thinking about it. When his skin made contact, there was a hum and another spark hit him, and this time a wave of magic left him and the tooth before it rippled across the room, tossing the goblin backwards.
Then it was gone. Harry could still feel the tooth vibrating in his hand but the electricity and hum were gone.
"I'm sorry," he said rushing to help the Goblin to his feet.
"No need to apologize, Mister Potter," Igorth said. "Though that was unexpected," The goblin tilted his head and it was like his eyes focused in on Harry for the first time.
"Huh," the goblin muttered.
"What?" Harry asked, nervous that something was wrong.
"It appears the tooth was trying to break spells, that were already placed upon you. I believe, before we can place any glamour's we will need to speak to Grimmhook. Follow me." A bad feeling settled in Harry's stomach as they left the room and returned to the one from before.
When they entered, Harry stopped short because Saomur was now standing talking to a light blonde-haired boy with light blue eyes and a face a little more rounded than Malfoy's.
"Close your mouth Potter," the blonde said, his voice the same, and for some reason that relieved Harry. Maybe because with a new look it would be able to forget who Malfoy really was, but no way would he ever forget that entitled tone in the blonde's voice.
While Harry had been standing there staring Igorth had approached his colleague and they were talking in low voice's back and forth.
Malfoy must have figured out that something was wrong because he raised his brow in a silent, what happened?
Harry shrugged.
Malfoy scoffed like he didn't believe him but didn't say anything.
He watched the two Goblins talk, until Saomur nodded and walked towards him.
Harry was hit with an urge to back away, he didn't know where it came from, but it took effort to keep his feet from moving. He did however see Malfoy's head snap up suddenly and weird frown on the blonde's new face.
"Mister Potter, I wish to try a spell. Is that alright?" Saomur asked, and Harry wanted to ask what kind of spell? What for? And what was going on? But it was like he couldn't get his mouth to work. So, he just nodded.
The Goblin lifted his arm and waved his hand, from up to down.
Then suddenly Harry was surrounded in red lines or webs. He wasn't sure but they reached out from his body towards the Goblin and they were entertained and in a few places knotted.
His pulse raced and the urge to back away, suddenly become one to run. He gritted his teeth and made himself remain where he was.
"Shit, Potter" Malfoy gasped and moved towards him.
"What?" He asked, finally finding his voice, looking at the blonde.
"Those are bindings," the other teen reached out, he didn't touch the spell work floating in the air, but he did seem to follow one single strand to see where it lead and then another. Harry watched him. "Can you break them?" he asked Igorth and Saomur.
"We are unsure. We must wait for Grimmhook," Saomur said.
"Shit," he heard Malfoy mutter again and he was tempted to yell at him, but when he turned to look at him, the look on Malfoy's face stopped him. It looked like the blonde was examining and studying whatever these bindings were.
He was about to ask if Malfoy knew anything when the door opened and Grimmhook entered.
The Goblin took one look at the red webs and frowned.
Then like Malfoy he started looking over the spell work, without a word.
For several agonizing moments Harry just stood there and waited for someone to say something.
It was Grimmhook that broke the silence, "whoever placed these is powerful." Which cause Harry to roll his eyes, because he already had an idea who had done it. What he wanted to know why and what they did.
"They are old and strong," the goblin went on. "However, they appear to be weaken and I
believe we can remove them."
Harry breathed a sigh of relief.
"I think that would be a mistake." Malfoy's voice sounded cold as it carried through the room.