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Chapter Text

"Harry come here," Morticia Addams said, her hand opened towards the sky while requesting her eldest son's attention. Harry walked over to where his mother was standing in front of a sundial to look at what exactly she was talking about.

"See how the sun burns through the smoke and through the floating disc," She instructed.

In front of the two was a large marble sundial with incense burning in the center, the smoke spiraling up through citrine disc that was suspended above the dial. Time appeared to slow down as he watched, transfixed.

"Do you feel the effects?" She said softly to her son, who nodded.

The two stood there for what seemed like an eternity for them but only a couple of minutes to anyone not affected by the smoke in their lungs. Harry looked up to his mother then back down at the stone fixture in front of them.

"Time appears to slow down when the proper combination is made. The disc is made of Citrine, do you remember what is said of it?"

Harry nodded.

"Citrine is a gemstone of light, happiness, and thoughtfulness. It can be a shield of protection against negativity and can absorb it. Also called a sunstone due to the color and warmth it can make someone feel," Harry recited from memory. The past month before their travels around the globe has been spent on using elements from the Earth to aid in the magic they used.

"Perfect. Now, inhale and tell me what you believe the scent is," Morticia instructed.

Harry closed his eyes and moved closer to inhale the smoke on the dial, taking a few moments before speaking and leaning back.

"There's sage, to mask the bitterness of the henbane…" Harry began.

"Very good. There is also vetiver oil," Morticia explained.

Harry nodded and took another deep breath while they savored the moment before walking away from the sundial to rejoin the rest of the clan. Harry's younger sister was pouting while looking at their father.

"I want to see the sacrificial chambers," Wednesday demanded while her younger brother was looking over the edge of where exactly they were.

"I cannot remember if there was a door in passing, Wednesday," Gomez said looking around them for the said imaginary door.

Wednesday immediately frowned deeper.

"Fine. I'm pushing Pugsley off the cliff. Maybe some of the Aztec gods here with us will take him as a sacrifice," She grumbled while walking over to her brother, getting his attention and talking with him coaxingly.

Gomez laughed while the two kids played, glad they were enjoying the trip. Morticia and Harry glided over to where he stood and took his wife's outstretched hand before kissing it as he always did.

"Must we return home so soon?" Harry questioned once he saw his parents finish with their usual antics.

"Of course Harry! Your birthday party is tomorrow evening and I'm sure there is a stack of letters for you to read on your arrival to who will be coming to celebrate. Have you enjoyed your trip, old man?" Gomez asked brightly, grasping Harry's shoulder firmly to bring him closer.

"Of course I enjoyed the trip, Father. Maybe next time we can go inside the temples," Harry said.

"It was a shame that they had to close all of the openings due to loiterers and fools who don't understand the magnificence," Gomez signed.

"Before we go, I wish to give my offering," Harry said, pulling out a pouch of his satchel that was always on his person. His parents nodded and walked away towards their two younger children to wait while Harry walked to a stone altar alone.

Opening the dark leather pouch, Harry took out a few small items, one being a small vial to pour out onto the stone. Speaking softly, Harry bowed his head and walked back to his family to head back to their home to begin preparations for his twelfth birthday.

-

"Welcome back!" Grandmama screeched as the five walked through the front door of their macabre mansion. Lurch stopped carrying the stack of boxes and birthday decorations to groan at the arrival of the rest of the family, Thing standing on top of them, stretching with excitement only a hand could have.

Once settled Harry quickly checked the mail, hoping to see a bundle of letters from his friends to read what they were up to over the summer holiday. He even hoped to read a few notes regarding the attendance of some of his classmates at his birthday party. To his dismay, there were no letters even addressed to the eldest Addams son. Only a few bills and an unmarked letter addressed to his father.

"Why the frown, old man? Sphinx got your tongue?" Gomez questioned while puffing smoke from his freshly lit cigar. He looked at the few envelopes that Harry held, taking them and offering another cigar to his son before being refused kindly.

"It's nothing," Harry shook his head before heading off to his room to get ready for the celebrations. He walked up the stairs, trying to figure out why there were no letters. Lighting candles once in his room, Harry busied himself with deciding on an outfit for the party and packing his truck for school, keeping some room in it for any last minute birthday gifts. He even wrote to Sirius about the trip to the Aztec temples since he was away handling his own business in Europe. Harry originally asked for more about where Sirius was going or what he would be doing, but no one said anything to him. One thing Harry disliked more than a sunny say was being lied to.

The day of the party left a foul taste in Harry's mouth. Not because of Wednesday's new poisons or a new potion from Grandmama, but another taste altogether. He couldn't shake the feeling of something about to happen while dressing himself when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Harry called out.

The door opened and Wednesday walked in wearing her signature black dress and braided hair, her hands hidden behind her back.

"Hello my black dahlia," Harry said, mussing his hair in the mirror before turning to look at the shorter Addams child.

"I don't have a gift for your birthday this year since we went to those temples over summer break. So I won't try to kill you tonight," She stated simply.

Harry smiled gently while moving over to sit down at his desk.

"A gift that I will cherish, little sister."

Wednesday stood in the center of Harry's room and looked around. A moment passed before she spoke again.

"Will you help me with something?"

"Of course, Wednesday, what do you need help with?"

Wednesday walked over to Harry at his desk and pulled out a small book that she was hiding behind her back. He looked at the book then at his sister.

"I want to become an Animagus like Sirius. Not a dog though, that's rather boring."

Harry looked at Wednesday before looking at the book opening, a list of ingredients and the proper procedure of how to perform the forbidden spell written on them. Harry let out a sudden sharp laugh.

"Of course you want to do an illegal and complicated spell…" He grinned darkly, looking into the black eyes of his sister. "Yes. I will help you. But you must let me be here with you to oversee the spell as it progresses and to make sure you don't do anything permanent."

Wednesday nodded, her own dark and twisted grin matching her brothers'. Harry skimmed through the ingredients and the procedure to begin the transformation to see what would be needed and when this could take place.

"I'll make a copy of the ingredients and see what I can get to send home for you while at Diagon Alley. Had you told me this sooner I would have been able to gather the ingredients sooner and we could have started this before I left for school," Harry said.

Wednesday nodded, pleased.

The grandfather clock chimed nine and both of the Addams children looked at the time before laughter was heard from outside.

"They're here," Wednesday said, her smile fading back her blank stare. Harry nodded and set the book down on his desk.

"Weren't you supposed to have friends come tonight?" She asked Harry while they made their way out of his room and down towards the party.

"I invited them, yet I have a feeling there is an explanation as to their absence."

The two were about to descend down the stairs when there was a sudden thud that came from Harry's room.

"Did you plant a bomb in my room again, Wednesday?"

The young witch shook her head before walking down the stairs, leaving Harry to go back and investigate what exactly was making the commotion in his room.

Chapter Text

Another loud thud was heard out in the halls before Harry reached his room, his door now opened ajar. Pushing it open, Harry advanced into his room to see his trunk flipped over along with his desk chair. His eyes looked at the trail of destruction and assumed it was his brother who thought it was a grand idea to wreck his room before noticing a small pale figure on his desk.

Harry looked at the figure, immediately correcting himself from thinking it was his younger brother and recognizing it as a house elf. With slight confusion it stood on Harry's desk, making a mess of all that was under the bare feet. Harry shut his door, locking it before stepping closer to the creature, wondering where exactly it came from.

"Hello," Harry caught the creatures' attention with the gentle greeting, causing it to fall off his desk and onto the mess made on the floor. The creature looked up at Harry with large, tennis ball green eyes before scrambling back onto its feet. Harry watched as the house elf's ears flapped slightly with the erratic movements.

"Harry Addams! It's you!" The house elf spoke, nearly falling while climbing back onto the desk.

"I am… Who may you be?" Harry asked, picking up the book nearest his feet, the same book that Wednesday happed to bring him moments ago.

"Dobby, Sir; Dobby the house elf," the small creature said, wiping his bandaged hands on the sac it wore. "Dobby wanted to meet you, sir…"

"Meet me? Why would that be, Dobby?" Harry tried to piece together what the house elf was saying to him.

"It is an honor, Sir. Dobby has heard many things of you from his family," Dobby said to Harry. Harry listened while picking up his desk chair and sitting in it, not worried about the mess the small house elf created at his arrival.

Harry thought of what he had read about house elves, of their contracts to a family and how powerful they are. How powerful house elves were was also something that was not documented due to the lack of information written down over time, having only the servitude being the most prominent history of house elves that Harry could remember. The Addams boy looked at the creature standing on his desk while leaning closer before speaking.

"May I ask you some questions, Dobby?"

"Of course, Sir," Dobby squeaked, his ears perking up.

"How did you get in my room?" Harry started with a simple question, testing the waters to see what the small creature was allowed to say.

"Magic, sir," Dobby said. Harry nodded.

"Of course." Harry nodded. "Why did you come to my room? You would have been more than welcome to my home. Does your family know you are here?"

The sudden amount of questions seemed to upset the elf, making odd grunting before bursting out into tears. Harry was unused to such sudden expressions. The wailing of the house elf was loud, but thankfully, Addams family parties and celebrations are even louder.

"Too many questions, of course... I am sorry Dobby. One at a time," Harry sighed before trying again. "Why have you come to meet me, Dobby?"

The tears and wailing stopped at the simple question. Dobby looked at Harry before wiping his eyes and nose on the sac he wore, collecting himself. This was Harry's first time meeting a house elf, and based off of the readings he had done in the past, some things did not match up.

"Dobby hearing much of you, Sir," Dobby began.

"From the family that you serve?"

"Yes, Sir. They know how you became an Addams, Sir. They talk of the death of others that are around you," Dobby spoke, gripping the sack he wore in his long, bandaged hands.

"Who is your family, Dobby?" Harry took a calculated risk and pushed, knowing that a house elf was not to talk ill of the families they serve.

"Dobby mustn't say. Dobby has said too much already, Sir. Dobby needs to be punished," The creature whimpered, looking around for something to grab.

"Punished? Seems a bit, barbaric, is it not?" Harry said with amusement in his voice as the house elf grabbed a jewel-crested letter opener and was about to use it against itself before Harry took it out of Dobby's hands.

"Dobby's family punishes Dobby frequently. Even reminds Dobby to do extra punishments," Dobby looked quickly at Harry then grabs a floating candle that was near the two of them and tried to burn his hands with it.

"If you are looking for a proper way to torture yourself in the absence of your family, I may be of assistance," Harry said, twirling the letter opener in his hand while crossing his leg over the other.

Dobby stopped burning his hands to look at Harry.

"My family is highly proficient in many ways of torture and punishments," Harry grinned, pricking his own finger without batting his bright eyes, watching the house elf.

"Dobby understands now why his family is interested in you, Sir," Dobby said.

"Why is that?"

"They know you stopped He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. That you are a powerful wizard... But Dobby must warn Harry Addams not return to Hogwarts."

Harry's smile disappeared.

"Not return to Hogwarts? What on earth are you talking about, Dobby?"

"Terrible things will come to Hogwarts," Dobby said.

"That sounds quite exciting, Dobby. I do not believe you understand the sort of wizard I am," Harry watched the house elf.

Dobby looked frustrated while the young wizard spoke. Harry further explained that there was no threat to his life that he could not challenge or defeat on his own. Aside from himself, Harry pointed to the photos on the walls of his room that held various members of his family in the frames, talking of their own exploits and danger that followed each of them. The house elf nearly threw himself onto the floor before ramming his head against the wall in frustration.

"You must listen to Dobby," he exclaimed. "Please, Sir."

Harry was about to speak when shouting was heard downstairs, where the party was being held.

"I really should be down there, it is my party after all," Harry sighed, setting down the letter opener and standing, walking to the door. "You may join my family in the celebrations," the young Addams offered.

"Dobby... be a guest at Harry Addams' party... Oh no, Sir. Dobby can do no such thing!" The house elf stared up at Harry.

"Do you wish to harm me, Dobby?"

"No, Sir! Dobby wishes to protect Harry Addams, Sir!" Dobby shrieked.

"Pity, you would have been welcomed with open arms had you said yes," Harry walked out of his room, believing that the house elf would leave however it came into his room. There was a party to celebrate his twelfth birthday and this would be the only celebration Harry would have with his family before school started back up. Harry had to make it count.

Chapter Text

Harry rejoined his family down at the party once leaving the peculiar little house elf in his bedroom. The loud music and cheers of his family brought a grin to Harry's lips while graciously taking the gifts that were offered to him. Gomez sang loudly with Harry at his side once the desserts were dished and served to the large Addams clan. Soon the festivities would come to a close and the noise would die down. However, Harry quite enjoyed these grand parties, whether they were in his honor or for any other member of his family, meeting new relatives and exchanging stories with anyone who appeared in front of him was something Harry loved to do. There were a few guests that didn't attend his party, much to Harry's disappointment.

"Mother, I'm going to take a walk outside," Harry said to Morticia, who was sipping some sort of martini that had smoke coming off it while she said goodbyes to some of the guests. She smiled and nodded, knowing without being told that Harry was missing his friends from school.

Slipping out of the back of the house, Harry wrapped his cloak around his shoulders and walked through the backyard of tombs and statues. The romantic feel that the graveyard possessed was something that always stirred something in Harry's chest. After growing up watching both his parents tease and shower one another with affection, Harry planned to bring his own love one day to his family grave and woo them. He was a romantic, as were both his parents.

Harry sighed, touching one of the stones, falling deep into thought.

"Everything all right?" Came a familiar voice from behind Harry, bringing him back to the present moment in the graveyard.

Harry turned his head and smiled softly at his godfather. Sirius stood a few paces behind the younger wizard looking more tired than usual.

"Yes and no, I suppose. Are you all right, Sirius?" Harry questioned, looking a bit closer at his godfather.

"I'll be fine with a good nights sleep back home," Sirius replied, walking closer to Harry. "What has you all twisted, then?"

Harry looked around them before he began to walk again.

"I've been writing letters to my classmates over summer and no one has written back. They said they would too, which is why I am a bit confused with why they haven't." Harry trailed off.

"Perhaps it takes longer for the mail to arrive overseas then getting the post from another town?" Sirius offered to give Harry some hope that it was a delay in transportation not that his friends had forgotten about him while he was away from school.

Harry shook his head, knowing how quickly mail arrived from school when his family sent letters or packages to him while he was away. There was a reason for this, but Harry couldn't place it exactly.

"I was hoping that someone would come for my birthday party," Harry said after a moment. Sirius sighed and walked beside Harry and stopped him, easing him to sit down on a cement slab and kneeling before him.

"Harry," Sirius began, "Sometimes people lie even when they're your friends."

"They seemed different though, Sirius. How am I supposed to go back to school and face them? Torture isn't allowed there," Harry frowned.

"I'm sure you will find another way to talk to them. They don't have Addams blood in their veins so your torture would be more permanent unlike what it does with you, your brother and your sister. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded, shoulders sagging slightly. He looked back at the house and watched as some of the lights dimmed and shadows moving from each of the rooms. His birthday party was over. They would have to go back inside soon.

"Don't think so harshly towards your friends so soon. See what they say once you go back. Maybe you'll even see some of them when you go back to Diagon Alley for your supplies," Sirius suggested, standing up and dusting the dirt off his velvet suit. Harry nodded and stood to follow his godfather back inside.

-

Summer quickly came to a close with no letters still from any of his friends leaving Harry only to receive his second letter from Hogwarts with a list of supplies that he was to purchase. Harry looked through the list and frowned at the reoccurring name that was all on his list.

"Who is Gilderoy Lockhart?" Harry asked at breakfast to his family. Pugsley and Wednesday both shrugged before continuing to play with the food that Grandmama prepared for them. Gomez and Morticia were the next two to look at each other and shake their heads, not knowing the name that Harry asked about. Sirius sipped his coffee and looked at Harry before nodding.

"He's grown more famous overseas with different stories published in the wizarding world. I think there's an article or two in The Prophet up in my room if you want to read more about him?" Sirius offered.

"That would be helpful. Thank you, Sirius," Harry set the letter down and went back to his cereal.

"Would you like us to come with you to Diagon Alley like last year, son?" Gomez asked.

Harry looked at his parents, torn at the thought of going without them.

"If you wouldn't mind, Gomez, I would like to go with Harry this year," Sirius interjected.

"What say you, old man? Care to take a trip with your godfather? Bet he can show you a few of his old haunts," Gomez said excitedly.

Harry nodded, looking at the other mustached man at the table.

"Yes, I would like that."

"Then it's settled. I'll grab the newspaper upstairs and you get ready. We'll take the Floo Network and make a day of it," Sirius smiled, standing and sipping his coffee. Harry nodded, putting his focus back to his breakfast and drinking his own black coffee.

Both Sirius and Harry were ready and standing next to the Floo at half past nine.

"Before we set off I'll have to cast an appearance charm to change my face, unfortunately. I am still an escaped convict from Azkaban," Sirius winked at Harry, taking his wand out and waving it at his face. Quickly his hair changed in texture while his face was unrecognizable.

"it would have made things more interesting if you just walked around though. All out in the open," Harry said.

Sirius chuckled and conjured a mirror to look at his magical handiwork, nodding in approval.

"As much as it would make the trip more interesting, it would be an extra element that we can save for a later time. Now... Shall we, Pup?" Sirius said while stepping into the large hearth. A dark navy suit jacket with a black floral damask vest beneath it making Sirius' outfit look like a subdued variation of something that Gomez would have in his own wardrobe.

The younger Addams stepped closer to his godfather. A velvet, paisley print suit jacket hugged his torso, all layers complementing his growing adolescent form. Harry nodded and followed, his cloak wrapped around his shoulders, completing his ensemble of sleek black fabric.

"Diagon Alley!" Sirius called out with his arm around Harry's shoulder, the green flames wrapping around the two before transporting them to the wizarding shopping streets of Diagon Alley.

Harry and Sirius stepped out of the fireplace just off of the main street of Diagon Alley, stepping right into the masses of magical folk buzzing around so early in the morning. Taking out his list, Harry skimmed over his needed supplies along with additional items he wanted to look around, not quite sure when he would be back in the area.

"I'll need to pop off at some point to get a few personal things if you are alright with that?" Sirius questioned after they began to walk around.

"That's fine. I'll go to the bookshop for the textbooks while you do that."

The two walked and began their shopping, gathering parchments and inks that were needed specifically for certain classes for the upcoming year. Harry and Sirius went through the rest of their morning without any interruptions or issues, much to Harry's dismay. They grabbed a quick bite to eat at a food kiosk before splitting up to do their own personal shopping, Harry to Flourish & Blotts then a few others down Knockturn Alley and Sirius to wherever he needed to head off to.

Stepping into the busy bookstore, Harry noticed the crowd all the way into the shop, seeing the flashes of a camera going off along with a majority of women calling out to someone. Frowning, Harry ignored the chaos and went about searching for his school books, eyeing his list before making his way around the shop and adding things to his basket.

Chapter Text

Harry collected all the books on his list, along with a few extra things he found along the way that could be sent home to add to the family library before he heard a familiar voice. Looking up he saw a batch of redheads and then a pair of blondes.

Weasleys and Malfoys.

Leaning over the edge of where Harry was examining, he listened to the interactions between the rivaling families.

"Oh, it's you," said Ron, a look on his face as if he had smelt something worse then dragon dung. Hermione stepped beside her friend to look at the young Malfoy.

"Shocked to see you lot in here... Didn't think you could afford new school supplies, seeing as the lot of you get so much second hand already," The younger Malfoy sneered, walking right up to the group of Weasleys. "Your family will starve for a month to pay for all of those books."

Ron was red in the face, just about to say something before his name was called out from the chaos in the main part of the bookstore. Mr. Weasley walked closer with his twin sons.

"It's mad in here, let's go outside."

At this point, Harry watched as Draco's father stepped between the children to square off with the patriarch of the Weasley family.

"Well... Weasley senior," Lucius replied shortly.

"Lucius," Mr. Weasley said coldly.

Harry watched as the two older wizards had their verbal banter. Stepping down as the Weasleys walked outside, Harry spoke up to get his housemate's attention.

"Draco, playing nice, I see."

The younger Malfoy's head snapped up at the use of his name, looking at the young Addams descending the book-littered stairs. The blonde’s eyes roaming over Harry’s form in what Draco would call American muggle clothing.

"Harry... I didn't think you would be here," Draco's body language changed almost immediately at seeing his friend. Less defensive and more open. Quickly, Harry stepped closer; being slightly taller since the last time he had seen any of his friends, an inch or so taller than Draco now.

"I told you in my letters of my plans over the summer. Did you not get them?" Harry frowned.

"I did. I also sent a few letters in return," Draco mirrored Harry’s frown.

"I didn't get anything," Harry shook his head, thinking of any reason why there would be any issues between their exchanges before he remembered the house elf.

"Dobby..."

"What did you just say?" Lucius looked down at the two children, eyes locking with Harry's bright green eyes.

"That's the name of one of the house elves in Malfoy Manor," Draco said right after his father spoke, stepping aside with Harry and his father.

"The house elf came to my home," Harry explained. The older blond wizard frowned. "I live in America. Dobby nearly destroyed my bedroom and then punished himself in the most awkward way. He tried to warn me but he wouldn't say... Couldn't say."

"Why would that stupid little..." Lucius snarled.

"Perhaps I can pay for my things and we can talk somewhere else?" Harry held up his basket and gestured to where they could step away. The pair of Malfoys nodded.

"Of course," Lucius nodded tersely.

Harry headed towards the chaos deep in the bookstore to pay for the books he needed for the school year and his other desired items in his basket. There he made eyes with the man with golden hair, rich clothing and a smile that could blind even Thing. Deep in Harry's soul, he had a bad feeling about the popular wizard. Gilderoy Lockhart. If anyone who was taking Defense Against The Dark Arts at Hogwarts didn't know this man, they would be in trouble. Unfortunately for Harry, that would be his professor for the year and he was not pleased about it.

Harry finished his business in the bookstore; avoiding any photographers that were there for Lockhart and his obnoxious, fake smile. Making his way outside, Harry checked his pocket watch for the time. Not seeing Sirius anywhere, Harry decided to carry on with Draco and his father to Knockturn Alley.

"I nearly had to speak with the fawning witches about that idiot masquerading in the shop," Harry said walking up beside Draco who scoffed.

"Lockhart's a joke. I can't believe Dumbledore got him to teach us at school. All he cares about is himself," Draco sneered at the thought of the older wizard and the new Defense professor.

"There were no applicants for the position beside his somehow," Lucius stated while they walked away from the shops on Diagon Alley. "Not after that whole issue with Quirrell," Lucius stated.

Harry nodded and walked beside Draco, looking at the younger blonde's father and this walking cane, wondering if it had a concealed knife in it like some of Gomez's back at home. Being pulled away from his musing on the walking cane, Harry looked around for his godfather before making his own decision to continue his shopping with Draco and his father.

"I need a few things down Knockturn Alley, would you like to join me?" Harry offered to Draco.

The young blonde nodded just as his father spoke.

"We have some business in Borgin & Burkes," Lucius said, looking between the two younger boys.

"Perfect," Harry said, pleased.

The three made a few turns away from Diagon Alley and towards the dimly lit Knockturn Alley. Both Harry and Draco were catching up, telling one another about their summer that they missed out on while unable to write to each other, including the uninvited house elf that appeared in the Addams home.

After some time shopping, the two Malfoys said their goodbyes to Harry after their trip down Knockturn Alley, leaving Harry to look for his godfather elsewhere. After what seemed like an hour, Sirius reappeared beside his godson.

"Get everything you needed, Harry?" Sirius asked, pulling out some sort of candy from his waistcoat and offering it to Harry.

Harry nodded and patted his charmed satchel on his hip.

"Yes and then some. Where did you go off to for such a long time?" Harry inquired, reaching to take some of the offered sweets.

"I'll explain more when we leave here," Sirius looked around before motioning for he and Harry to leave. As they walked further away from the buzzing streets filled with magical folk, Harry filled in his godfather to what he had purchased in Knockturn Alley and his conversations with Draco and his father while they both finished the candy.

"Where are we going, Sirius?" Harry questioned as they went down a seemingly forgotten road.

"When I was enrolled at Hogwarts, I had three best friends. Your birth father, James, Peter, and Remus. We were inseparable at school, the four of us. Causing trouble whenever we could, too. Sadly, the wizarding war changed things for the worst. Leading me to be imprisoned and James killed."

"What happened to Peter and Remus?" Harry questioned.

Sirius walked, silence falling between the two for a moment. Harry looked up at his godfather's face, or rather, what his face was charmed to look like, unsure what exactly the expression was.

"Because of Voldemort, I found it harder and harder to trust people who were closest to me, including Remus. In turn, he believed I was the one who killed our friends and about a dozen innocent muggles." Sirius walked further away from the busy magical city before letting the conversation continued.

"And Peter?"

Sirius frowned, looking quickly at Harry before walking to sit at a large stone bench nearby. Harry sat down beside him, waiting for an explanation.

"Peter... He, well..." Sirius sighed, trying to word the sentence better before trying again. "Some say he died protecting you, James, and Lily from me and Voldemort. That I was the traitor who gave up their location to Voldemort not him; others believe he went into hiding and escaped any sort of punishment after Voldemort died."

"You as the one who betrayed them… That’s ridiculous. What sort of punishment could have been ordered?" Harry frowned. He was trying to make sense of this new information that Sirius was telling him but it wasn’t adding up.

"He would have been tried and possibly sentenced to death or kissed by a dementor.” Sirius almost shrugged at the last part, albeit unfazed. “But now I know that Peter was lying to our close circle of friends about his involvement with Voldemort. I put my trust in the wrong person and I regret that so much now."

“Was there any physical proof of betrayal?”

Sirius sighed and shook his head. “No. There were some whispers of speculation but he had not shown any unusual behavior among The Order and our friends…”

Harry was about to say something before Sirius spoke again while looking at his hands with a somber expression.

“The night James and Lily were killed and you were relocated by Morticia and Gomez, I went to see Peter at his safe house. He wasn’t there and that was wrong. I still remember the exact feeling when I saw nothing out of place from where he was staying; I knew I had to check on you, James and Lily. But I was too late. My best friend and Lily were dead and you were taken away. At the time, I didn’t even know by whom. I thought so much about that night while in prison, hoping that where ever you were, you were safe and loved…”

Harry listened, trying to put the pieces together and follow what his godfather was telling him. Under any other circumstance, Harry would have reveled in the pain that he heard in the voice talking to him. Being and Addams meant that torture and pain were just part of life, to enjoy and experience. But this was different.

“When I arrived at Godric’s Hollow, I was confronted with Dumbledore, who was looking for you. Dumbledore had told me that he had planned to bring you to Lily’s relatives who were muggles. I knew something went wrong. I wanted to kill Peter. I still do,” Sirius sighed. “That is when he betrayed me.”

“I hope he is dead… If he isn’t, I will personally rip him apart to make him suffer even the slightest bit of pain that you have endured,” Harry frowned.

“Oh Harry, I do appreciate that. But you don’t need to worry about that, all right?” Sirius gave Harry a forced smile.

Harry gave him a disbelieving look before nodding.

“Come on, pup. Let’s get back home. You don’t have much time left before going back to school and I’m sure you want to enjoy it and not listen to an old man ramble on about something that happened twelve years ago that can’t be changed,” Sirius said standing up and adjusting his vest and jacket while recomposing himself.

Harry stood up and dusted off his own clothes of any debris that could have collected while sitting down just as Sirius did.

“I do wish to hear the rest of what happened, Sirius,” Harry looked up to his godfather, who nodded and wrapped his arm around Harry’s shoulders.

“One day. For now, we can go home and enjoy what you bought today with the rest of the family.”

Harry nodded once more before the two wizards made their way from the bench they were just sitting on and back to the bustling city to head back home.

Chapter Text

Harry unpacked his purchases in his room alone, almost brooding over the conversation from earlier. Thinking about what he and Sirius spoke of and wishing he could remember eleven years ago to that Halloween to help in some way. To think that there was a wizard out in the world somewhere who was guilty and not being tortured was a thought that kept reoccurring in Harry's mind.

"To think that they wouldn't want the recognition of a job well done, too," Harry sighed, looking over at the stack of books on his desk that was obnoxiously large for his second year at Hogwarts. His eyes then focused on the section of books required for his Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

The younger Addams was not at all excited to be in the same room as the possibly delusional man that was going to be his newest professor at school. He packed everything needed, and then some, in his trunk before locking it up tight. The satchel that Harry usually wore was also packed to the brim with more personal items that were not needed at Hogwarts, but Harry felt they were needed as and Addams away from home, unable to get certain ingredients on school property.

Once completely packed and ready, Harry joined the rest of the family for dinner later that evening, filling them in on what they missed while he and Sirius were shopping. Talking about how he saw Lockheart in person at the bookshop, grinning like a maniac in front of all the cameras and witches all while talking about himself.

"He sounds insane," Wednesday said simply while eating her dinner.

Sirius snorted wine out his nose abruptly, finding Wednesday's blunt comment much more amusing than it should have been. Pugsley giggled at the odd sound that came out of the older wizard along with his making a mess with the wine. Lurch walked over and handed Sirius another folded napkin to clean up some of the spilled wine that was sprinkled around him.

"Quite possibly, Wednesday," Gomez laughed, a cigar dangling from his lips while handing one over to Pugsley who was on his third helping of dinner.

"He has to be," Sirius said once he recomposed himself, agreeing with Wednesday. Lifting the wine stain out of his clothing with a wave of his wand.

Harry was finishing his plate, wondering what Grandmama had created for dessert when his mother caught his attention throughout all of the chaos that was their usual family meals.

"Did you see anyone from school?" Morticia smiled behind her napkin before adding to the conversation. Harry was positive that she had eaten dinner with the rest of the family but he never caught her in the act. He only ever saw Morticia nibbling on toast in the morning or ripped up pieces of bread throughout dinner.

"I did see Draco. I spent some time with him and his father. No one else from my house was there from what I saw," Harry said, sipping from a pewter cup. A faint smile pulled at the corners of his lips at the mention of the other Slytherin's name.

"After what you have said about your friend over the past year, I am quite curious to meet him," Morticia said, giving Harry a knowing look. What she knew, Harry was not so sure of. He would make it a point to ask her tomorrow in the greenhouse when they all had finished breakfast when they had some privacy.

Dinner came to an end and those who wished to be excused left to their entertainment for the rest of the evening. Harry and Morticia sat at the table while everyone else dispersed while Grandmama made her way over to the table to sit down and place a tray of grey looking cookies at the center of the table. Lurch followed behind her with a large pot of tea, matching cups, and saucers.

"There's a new poisonous flower I got my hands on," Grandmama explained, eating something out of a smoking bowl.

"You always find new ways to recreate your signature dishes, Maman," Morticia said while taking a cookie for herself before preparing herself a cup of tea.

"I think I will be doing something similar with my friends this year. They'll need some immunity if I invite them here for any occasion," Harry said in between making his tea and trying the freshly made cookies.

"That is perfect timing, Harry!" Grandmama screeched, her face lighting up in a way that could only be described as manic.

"What do you mean, Grandmama?"

"Well, with what you brought me from your trip to Knockturn Alley, I can distill many different poisons for you to bring and incorporate in any of your drinks or meals," Grandmama grinned.

"That sounds perfect," Harry couldn't help but smirk impishly.

Morticia nibbled on her cookie, enjoying the new taste while watching her mother and son bonding over utilizing poisons in everyday meals. The three continued talking while eating their cookies and sipping their tea while the other half of the family was somewhere about the house.

Just a few months earlier after Harry had returned from school, Gomez had told the children that their lessons would go halfway through summer break for them to go out and create mischief and mayhem with what was left of the summer. That declaration was all Pugsley and Wednesday needed to wreak havoc around the neighborhood. Not that they needed much instigating, He mused. Harry, on the other hand, kept reading and studying to keep up with anything that could happen while away from home. One thing that Harry was sure of was that Hogwarts was not as safe as it seems. Not for an outsider like him.

-

On the morning of September 1st, the vultures circled above the Addams household. Harry levitated his trunk downstairs to be brought out to the car out front when mail was brought in by Lurch and Thing.

"Mail this early in the day?" Harry questioned while taking the single envelope and inspecting it. Lurch only groaned before walking away with Thing. Harry smiled softly as the two went off to some dark part of the house before bringing the letter to the addressed recipients.

"Mother, father, you have a letter," Harry called out up the stairs, letting his voice carry throughout most of the house. He looked at the handwriting that he did not recognize while waiting for Gomez and Morticia to emerge from one of the many rooms in the house and stop at the top of the stairs.

"Who is it from, my little hemlock?" Morticia asked while gliding down the stairs, Gomez at her side.

"I don't recognize the handwriting," Harry said, presenting the foreign letter to his parents once they were on the ground floor.

Gomez took the letter and opened it; reading the correspondence before handing it over to Morticia and having her read it, worry at his brow. With silence, she read the note before folding it back up and tucking it away in one of her sleeves.

"Thank you for bringing the mail in, dear. Are you all ready for school, then?" Morticia asked, directing her attention to Harry and changing the subject altogether.

"Just need to be driven to the platform before I go back to school for another year," Harry nodded, gesturing to the trunk.

"Perfect!" Gomez grinned, getting closer to Harry and wrapping his arm around the younger Addams' shoulder before pulling out a lit cigar from his breast pocket and handed it over to Harry.

Harry and Gomez walked over to the trunk to talk, moving it outside and into the car while Morticia walked down into the kitchen to be alone, pulling out the letter to read again and pacing. Someone coming down the stairs disrupted her thoughts and pulled her focus back to her surroundings.

Sirius walked downstairs, adjusting his waistcoat before catching sight of the mistress of the house.

"Oh, Sirius, it's just you," Morticia said, putting the letter away quickly, sitting down at her usual place at the table.

"Hello, Morticia. You seem... distracted. Is anything the matter?" Sirius asked, sitting down at the table to join Morticia.

Out of nowhere, Lurch walked out from the back room of the kitchen with a tray of hot tea and coffee for Sirius and Morticia. Morticia tipped her head and nodded at the butler.

"Thank you, Lurch. Please do go see if Harry and Gomez need any help with moving his school trunk?" She asked.

Lurch groaned but nodded, setting down the tray on the kitchen room table and walked out of the kitchen to find the two other Addams' in question.

"Morticia?" Sirius tried again, taking the teacup and filling it with whatever tea was brewed, the steam from the cup gave off hints of the plant Oleander. He then poured out his own coffee and added some cream, waiting for his cousin-in-law to answer.

"You are aware that Harry was not meant to survive as a baby, yes?" Morticia began after a moment, holding her teacup.

Sirius looked at Morticia before having some of his coffee.

"Well... Since Harry was introduced to Hogwarts, we have had... offers. You vaguely know of what Dumbledore has tried with our Harry, which I fear is just the tip of the iceberg," Morticia said into her poisonous tea softly. For once, Sirius did not see the sensual and strong woman that usually was at his cousin's side or presented in front of the children; Morticia was showing vulnerability.

"Is he in danger? Should I join Harry this year to keep an eye on his environment?" Sirius questioned.

"Perhaps." Morticia pulled out the envelope that was hidden in her sleeve. "This arrived just a while ago, ominous and threatening. Gomez and I will be leaving as soon as Harry is off to school."

"Why don't I take the pup to the platform and you and Gomez handle whatever it is that is written in that letter. No need to prolong the inevitable," Sirius suggested, finishing his coffee.

"I'll discuss this with Gomez once he comes back in side," Morticia nodded, sipping her tea.

"Give out a call or send Lurch or Thing to find me when you make up your minds."

Morticia nodded as Sirius excused himself from the table and leaving the kitchen. She watched the wizard leave the room before opening the letter to read once more, trying to make sense of its contents. She knew something was wrong, and not the Addams type of wrong. Gravely wrong. She and Gomez would have to leave immediately or she feared the unimaginable could occur.

Chapter Text

The sudden change of plans struck Harry as odd, even for his parents. They kissed him goodbye but without a second glance stepped right into the green flames of the Floo network. Harry remained motionless while the embers became nothing but smoke; unsettled.

"Harry," Sirius said from the hallway, pulling Harry away from the fireplace.

"Yes, Sirius?" He said once looking up at the older male.

"We best get you on the train and off to school, yes? Hopefully no more encounters with unknown magical folk until the holidays," Sirius chuckled, holding up Harry's cloak for him to put on, his double-breasted damask coat already in place.

Harry nodded, taking his cloak and wrapping it around his smaller shoulders, a serious expression on his pale features.

"Do you think everything is alright with Mother and Father?" Harry asked while walking out to the packed car while holding Hecate's cage. Sirius nodded after a few moments of silence in the vehicle.

"They are more than capable to handle themselves in any situation. It only seemed like a meeting of sorts, Harry. You have other things to worry about than what your parents are up to. I know I had plenty to think about when I was your age," Sirius said, attempting to get Harry's mind off of his parents.

Harry looked at his godfather as they drove off away from the Addams household. Sirius smirked while driving, noticing Harry's change in demeanor from worried to curious.

"My second year is when we found out that Remus was a werewolf," continued Sirius.

Harry stared completely focused on his godfather while he drove, not even noticing that they were no longer in their hometown.

"We went about our year taking care of Remus after his monthly turns, ensuring his safety and to keep his secret. We took notes for him while he was recovering, and so on. I want you to act like that with your friends, Harry. Create a bond that only death can sever."

Harry nodded in agreement, thinking of his small group of friends that he has made, even if they did not write to him over the summer.

The two drove a distance more before parking in a local shopping mall beside a tree stump. Harry looked around and frowned.

"Where are we, Sirius?"

"Unfortunately I cannot apparate with a whole car like your father. I can, however, use a portkey and bring us near the platform to get you off to school on time. Let's get your trunk and send you off," Sirius explained, cutting the engine and getting out of the car. Harry looked around outside and followed, understanding the method and reasoning of Sirius.

With the two of them, Hecate and Harry's trunk all surrounding the rather random tree stump, Harry was about to feel what it was like to travel by portkey.

"Hold Hecate's cage, Harry. I have your trunk. On the count of three, we will touch the stump and be brought to the park just a block away from the train station. Ready?"

Harry nodded, tightening his grip on his owl's cage.

"One... Two... Three!"

There was a pull not like apparating but almost like being in a blender, Harry thought. He felt like he was being pulled and twisted apart before landing in the park just as Sirius had said. Hecate screeched as they found their bearings but was quickly soothed and calmed down by Harry. Sirius grabbed Harry's trunk before moving to walk with it, gesturing for Harry to follow quickly to keep in the timeframe allotted and to not miss the Hogwarts Express.

"Just enough time to get you on the train," Sirius said, setting Harry's trunk on a trolley and looking at the pocket watch from his pocket.

Harry put Hecate on the trolley with his trunk and pushed it over to the brick wall between platforms 9 and 10.

"Harry if you need me, please don’t hesitate to send Hecate or firecall me. I will be here in an instant," Sirius said gently, hugging his godson tightly, smiling softly once Harry returned the embrace.

Harry nodded, taking a step away from Sirius, offering a brief wave before turning his back and pushing the trolley towards the enchanted wall, building up momentum.

Sirius began to turn away and fall back into the bustling crowd when he heard a great crash in the same direction where Harry was heading. His head snapped towards the noise; "Harry?"

Quickly Sirius pushed his way back to where he knew his godson was. Stopping once he saw the trolley knocked on its side and Harry on his behind.

"What's going on here?" A police officer questioned, making a face like Harry had intended to cause a great scene.

"Nothing at all, sir," Harry said, pushing himself off the ground. Hecate was screeching displeased, fluttering in her cage. Harry did his best to calm down his owl while Sirius stepped in to talk with the muggle officer.

"My godson just lost control of his trolley," Sirius said, helping to turn the trolley upright and put the trunk back on the correct ways.

The officer grumbled before walking away, muttering something about 'kids these days.'

Sirius looked over Harry once he was back on his feet, "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I don't know. The barrier seems closed off the platform."

Sirius touched the brick between the two platforms where Harry attempted to enter, frowning.

"That cannot be, Harry."

Harry was about to comment when the clock struck eleven on the dot.

"I've missed the train.”

"Meet me outside in the lot. I have a way to get you to Hogwarts," Sirius looked at Harry for a few seconds before a grin grew at his lips.

Harry nodded while the older wizard moved through the crowd and out of the train station. Carefully, Harry pushed his trolley out from the platform and towards the lot filled with parked cars, waiting for Sirius to return.

Fifteen minutes pass by before Sirius returned at Kings Cross Station. Harry nearly didn't believe his eyes when the loud motorbike pulled up beside him at the curb.

"Let's get you off to school, pup!" Sirius said, getting off the bike and quickly grabbing Harry's trunk, shrinking it down once there weren't any muggles nearby. Tucking it into one of the side compartments, Sirius made sure nothing could sneak out or get loose.

"We’ll drive a distance until it’s secluded and we can fly the rest of the way.”

Harry sat at the back of the seat, holding Hecate’s cage while Sirius walked over to take the cage from him.

We may do better to let her fly beside us once we're in the air," He said, pulling out a part of the seat and strapping down the metal base of Hecate's cage. Harry nodded; looking at his owl, glad to see she had stopped screeching once they got out of the train station.

"Ready?" Sirius mounted his bike, just in front of Harry on the seat. With a roar, the older wizard revved the engine and quickly and peeled off away from the train station.

It wasn't Harry's first ride with Sirius on his bike. It had been a while but he knew what was going to happen once they were far enough away from muggles to get into the air and makeup missed time.

"Let Hecate out of her cage," Sirius shouted over the roar of the bike, turning down a long road.

Harry nodded and unlocked the cage, freeing his owl and letting her finally free to fly. She soared into the sky above Harry and Sirius for a few miles before they joined her in the sky and above the clouds. Harry never grew tired of being in the bike with Sirius, there was more control than if he were on a broom. For the ride, Harry watches the ground beneath them changed to water and rolling hills before he began to recognize some of the landscape.

Approaching the castle, Sirius drove closer towards the Forbidden Forest and the quidditch pitch before looking for a safe landing area. While landing, Hecate flew off to the owlery where she knew to go while at school.

"Now off you go, pup," Sirius quickly said, handing over the still small trunk and putting it into Harry's side pouch.

"I'll talk with you soon," Harry said, holding the owl cage in one hand and fixing his appearance with the other, realizing that he still needed to change into his uniform before the sorting began.

"Go, go… Remember, if something happens, I can come right back," Sirius said, walking back to his bike.

Harry stepped away from the bike and his godfather; turning to look back to the castle and then walk while the roar began to fade and Sirius drove off into the sky.

Chapter Text

The Sorting Hat had finished it’s task of splitting the new first years to the four respective houses by the time that Harry had gotten to the castle. Once his trunk was back to its proper size, Harry peered through the windows of the Great Hall from the outside. Across the hall Harry looked over the professor’s table, noting Hagrid, McGonagall, as well as the other regular professors and Lockhart at the end. There was one professor that Harry did not see at the table. Snape.

Harry frowned, looking closer around the hall to see if the Potions Master when there was movement behind him.

"Mister Addams..." Came the cold voice from Snape right behind Harry outside of the Great Hall.

"Good evening, Professor," Harry said first before turning to greet the head of Slytherin house, turning his back on the window of the celebrations within.

"Why did you not arrive on the train with your classmates?" Snape questioned icily.

Harry looked up at the older wizard, knowing that there would be no one else employed at Hogwarts that he could trust more, especially after the events of the past few months.

"The barrier had been sealed off. My godfather had another way to get to the castle without being seen by muggles. Unfortunately, we did not arrive here in time to join the sorting," Harry explained, glancing over his shoulder and to the window where he was just looking.

"Be that as it may, your godfather or yourself should have sent an owl. Why did your parents not bring you here themselves?" Snape continued to question.

"They got called away after receiving a letter with mysterious circumstances."

Snape looked Harry over once more before stepping aside, "Join your classmates for the rest of the feast after you change into your uniform. Once you’re finished, report immediately to my office. You are exceptionally lucky that no muggle saw you on your way here."

Harry nodded, taking out his uniform from his trunk to change in one of the boys' bathrooms before heading down the halls towards the Great Hall. Snape watched the young Slytherin walk out of his sight before quickly heading to his office to send out a letter to Harry's parents to know what exactly happened to cause him to be late.

Harry changed quickly before slipping into the Great Hall to sit at the Slytherin table, with the rest of his classmates.

"Hello, Harry," Theo smiled while offering the pumpkin juice; Harry took the beverage once seated.

"Hello, Theodore. Everyone," Harry offered a faint smile to them.

"Why were you not on the train?" Draco questioned once all the greetings and explanations had been done to explain of lack of contact with one another while Harry settled down at the table. They each spent time explaining their summers while not too subtly complaining of the lack of Harry’s response to their letters. Food was moved around and Harry's plate was quickly filled with his favorite things that the castle's kitchens could conjure up once everything was sorted properly.

"There was a slight... detour," Harry said a bit softer, looking around the hall and making sure only the few he trusted heard what he was saying. Harry explained the blocked barrier, traveling and eventually arriving late as the rest of the feast was coming to an end. Harry didn't notice Snape return to the teacher's table or the few other stares he was receiving while the students left to go to their dormitories.

-

The next day, Harry and the rest of the Slytherins had their first class with Professor Sprout with Herbology. Multiple pots and various plants lined the greenhouse, filling the space with various floras. Harry always looked to see if there were any new and exotic plants that Professor Sprout had brought back to her classrooms to learn about. Thankfully, Harry had learned quite a lot of information on Herbology from his mother and his grandmother before even attending Hogwarts.

"Today we will be replanting Mandrakes," Professor Sprout called out to the class. "Who can tell me about Mandrakes?"

On the Gryffindor's side of the greenhouse was Granger's raised hand, as well as Longbottom’s. Harry knew that Longbottom had a green thumb as he always noticed various books on Herbology constantly accompanied the Gryffindor.

Harry raised his hand as well, having enjoyed raising a handful of his Mandrakes back home.

"Ah, Mister Addams. Please explain to the class," Professor Sprout called on Harry.

"The Mandragora are sentient plants whose roots have human-like qualities. When fully matured, a Mandrake’s cry could be fatal to anyone who hears it. It is part of the nightshade family."

"Very good. Ten points to Slytherin… Anyone else have something to add?"

Once more, Granger raised her hand over-enthusiastically.

"Yes, Miss Granger."

"Mandrakes are used to turn people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state."

Professor Sprout continues by explaining what antidotes call for Mandrakes in her full lesson. Granger's hand shot up a few more times while questions were asked by other students and from Sprout. They finished the lecture portion of the lesson and progressed to the practical part, where Harry was more excited. He hadn't had a good batch of Mandrakes back home for a few years now. Harry had planned to speak with Sprout before the end of the class to see where exactly she gets her Mandrakes.

"Now, everyone take a pair of earmuffs and pass them along for everyone to cover their ears. If you do not cover your ears, you will fall unconscious. Make sure each of your ears are fully covered. If they are not, you will pass out due to the Mandrake cries."

Once everyone's earmuffs were in place, Professor Sprout put pink fluffy ear muffs over her own ears before reaching into one of the large pots in front of her. Everyone immediately went to cover their already covered ears as Professor Sprout pulled out one of the young Mandrakes, in doing so, the plant let out a scream that could shatter glass. Once the Mandrake was fully removed from the one pot, she placed it in a new, larger pot before quickly covering the Mandrake with damp soil. The scream became a soft muffled cry by the time she finished.

The class was then instructed to step up to the tables covered with new pots for the existing Mandrakes. Harry and the rest of the second year Slytherins kept together, as most of the other second years did. A plant kept trying to bite some of the Hufflepuffs despite the warnings of Professor Sprout.

"Students! Please be careful when collecting more soil to not get too close to the Venomous Tentacula! It is teething and will be quite sneaky if you don't pay attention."

Harry glanced at the spiky, dark red plant, noticing it try to wrap around a Gryffindor before Professor Sprout smacked it to retreating. He'd plan to write to Grandmama to see if she knows where to get any back home to put in the greenhouse. If the rest of Herbology this year was going to be like his first day, Harry was going to be very entertained indeed.

Their next class was with Professor Lockhart and it did not go as well as Harry's other classes thus far.

"Must we put up with him for the entire school year?" Blaise said under his breath while he pulled out the books Lockhart required for his Defense Against The Dark Arts class.

"Something isn't quite believable with him," Draco agreed while sitting beside Blaise. Harry and Theodore took the seats just behind them while the rest of the students sat down and waited for the class to begin. Most of the witches in the class chattered and whispered with excitement.

"Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League... And five-time winner of Witch Weekly's 'Most Charming Smile' Award... But we aren't here for talking about that," Lockhart began, as he grinned obnoxiously. The girls giggled and swooned at every word while the boys rolled their eyes so hard they could have rolled right out of their heads.

"You have thirty minutes to complete the quiz before we carry on with the ‘business’ portion of this class," Lockhart said while he handed out quizzes to the class.

Harry looked at the quiz and thought it was a joke before looking at the man as he grinned at his own reflection.

"He really is insane..." Harry heard Draco say in his seat. Harry smirked to himself while filling out the answers to the quite vain questionnaire.

Thirty minutes pass and the answers gone over, leaving nearly every young witch sighing happily, some boys in silent laughter while others continued to roll their eyes. Harry merely observed as Granger collected 10 points to her respective house for having a perfect score on the quiz.

"Now for business," Lockhart stated while pulling out a shaking cage covered with a silk cloth. The chattering under the cloth caught any straying attention of the rest of the class that was not paying attention. Lockhart reassured the class that no harm would befall them whilst he was there with them. More importantly, Lockhart asked the class to not panic and not scream. At that point, Harry stared hard at the covered cage, eager to find out what was beneath it.

Dramatically, Lockhart pulled off the cover to the cage to reveal-

"Freshly caught Cornish Pixies!"

One of the Gryffindors laughed a bit louder, catching Lockhart's attention.

"Yes, Mister Finnigan?"

"Cornish Pixies? They aren't very dangerous are they?" The Gryffindor laughed.

"Don't be too sure of yourself, Mister Finnigan. Cornish Pixies can be quite tricky and devilish."

The moment Lockhart pulled the cover off the caged Pixies, the eight-inch, blue, loud, little creatures banged about within. They screeched and made silly faces at the students while they tried to escape the cage that held them. Some of the students made faces back at the Pixies, finding the little critters amusing more than a threat.

"Let's see what you can do with them!" Lockhart scoffed and stepped closer to the cage as the students laughed before he ripped open the cage and set the magical creatures free.

Immediately they began to knock over and destroy everything in the classroom. Students screamed and began to panic. Windows broke and inkpots were thrown about, spraying the ink on the students and furniture. Half the students were hidden under their desks while the others had run out. That had left a few students pressed against the wall while Neville Longbottom hung from the chandelier.

Harry couldn't help but smile at the chaos. Half of the class had run out while others stayed pressed against the wall. A few other classmates were hidden under their desks while they tried to avoid being harassed by the blue Pixies.

"Come on, then! Round them up!" Lockhart shouted to the class as he pulled out his wand to attempt to cast a spell to gather and control the Pixies.

To no one's surprise, the Pixies took the wand from the professor's grip and threw it right out the window right after the failed attempt to gain control.

The bell rang for the class to end and for the students to leave. Nearly every student had already left the classroom, leaving the mess and rogue Pixies for those remaining to take care of.

"Right then. Everyone left in the class can just... nip them up! Thank you," Lockhart announced as he avoided getting hit by Longbottom falling from the light fixture.

Harry stepped away from the wall just as Professor Lockhart ran up into his office and shut the door. Both Longbottom and Granger were the only other two left in the class, besides Harry and another Slytherin, to attempt to round up the Pixies. With a bit of strategy and inter-house cooperation, the Pixies were all collected and everyone was able to put together the classroom before they headed to their next classes.

Chapter Text

Gomez and Morticia took the Floo Network to an undisclosed building in New York City. There were going to face who sent the cryptic and curious message and hopefully get some answers. Quickly they moved through the crowds to go to the address that was written in the letter, stopping at a boarded up building. The door opened before either could knock.

“We could be walking to our death,” Morticia said softly, looking around while stepping inside.

“Hopefully,” Gomez said closing the door behind them, leaving them in complete darkness.

Movement was heard in the distance. Not quite footsteps but something sentient. Primal.

Morticia and Gomez were prepared for anything, their eyes easily adjusting to the surroundings due to previous conditioning and personal experimentations back home. The Addams’ enjoyed the time in darkness.

“Strangers, welcome,” came a disembodied voice in the distance. The movement turned into shuffling footsteps.

A single lightbulb switched on, illuminating a small area, showing shapes around Gomez and Morticia. Figures moved and a few other switches were turned and more lights came to life, glowing on desks and walls wherever a figure stood. If their math was correct, it seemed to be fifteen to two.

“So glad you received our letter. Please come in, have a seat,” a female voice called out, stepping closer to the light and to both Addams.

Approaching a table just in front of them, Gomez and Morticia moved towards the female figure, stepping into the lamp-light illuminating their host's face.

“You know who we are...how?” Morticia questioned. No matter the situation, Mortica always remained calm and level, to ground her husband and family. The natural balance between the two in any moment in time.

Chairs appeared beside the table as the female sat down, waiting for Gomez and Morticia to join her. Gomez was nearly vibrating with excitement as they approached.

“Our association has kept their eyes on you and Harry since the fall of Voldemort. No we are not allies of him, nor are we allies of Dumbledore.”

Gomez pulled out the chair for his wife before composing himself and sitting beside her. Both fully prepared to listen to the stranger and their possible offer. Morticia pulled out the letter that was sent to them that morning, setting it delicately onto the table between them and the person sitting opposite them.

“If you are not on either side, who are you?” Gomez inquired once he was sitting and settled, leaning in more to see the figure.

“My name is Miranda. I was the one who wrote the letter inviting you to meet us today.”

Morticia’s perfect brows twitched, disbelieving.

“Forgive me, but a single name does us little good. What is the association you are a part of?”

The figure waved their hand and finally the room was flooded with light, showing every person who was standing against the walls and the woman who was sitting with Gomez and Morticia. She was dressed in business attire, mid-thirties and most definitely a witch based off of the tingling feeling Gomez felt on his skin. He always knew who was magical.

“We are what is left of The Alliance.”

-

The rest of the first week of classes passed without any other incidents leading to the first full weekend of Quidditch practices. Harry hadn’t planned on being present to be outside, ogling at his classmates flying around on brooms tossing around balls, but he was asked by all of his friends to join them.

“Harry must you bring a book to go outside? We’re supposed to be cheering on our housemates and Draco,” Daphne said while they were making their way to the bleachers for the Slytherin house.

“It’s tryouts and then the first practice of the season. I highly doubt there will be any need to cheer, unless someone falls off their broom and breaks something,” Harry said with a slight smirk.

“We’re supporting Draco and Blaise and everyone else!” Daphne said again with a huff. “Theo, you agree with me, right?”

Theodore was walking behind the two other Slytherins while they finished climbing the stairs and sitting down at the front of the bleachers to have the best view.

“Daph, you know Harry isn’t that interested in Quidditch. I would have just invited him to one of our matches and not have to be out here so early in the morning when we could be sleeping,” Theo said sitting beside Harry.

Harry crossed his legs and pulled out his ancient looking book, enjoying the slight breeze that was passing by them. The book in hand was one of his many purchases from Knockturn Alley.

“What is that dusty old thing about, Harry” Daphne practically whined.

“It’s an old but still reliable book on Necromancy,” Harry said, showing the front of the book to his friends and waited for the response.

“That’s illegal, Harry!”

“According to whom?” Harry smirked, going back at his book. “It is only dark magic, my bleeding heart.”

“Your bleeding what?”

“It’s a poisonous flower,” Theo said while looking out at the quidditch pitch, noticing the Gryffindor team walking out onto the field, frowning. “What’s going on down there?”

“How do you even know that?”

“My mother had books on poisonous flowers for potions,” Theo said offhandedly, standing as he saw the Slytherin team also walk out onto the pitch.

Harry looked up from his book to look at Theo, making a mental note to discuss this topic further at another time.

“Oh, there’s going to be a fight,” Daphne remarked, following Theo out of the bleachers.

Harry marked his place and put his book away before standing and following his classmates down to the pitch to see what was going on. On the pitch the two teams were already snapping at one another with rude remarks. The Weasley twins were on the team and Harry knew that Draco followed his father’s footsteps with the prejudices towards non-purebloods. Something Harry felt was ridiculous and idiodic.

By the time the three Slytherins were on the field, Granger and the youngest male Weasley were also standing besides the Gryffindor team exchanging remarks. Draco and the rest of the Slytherins were bragging about the new brooms that were ‘gifted’ by Draco’s father, another ridiculous thing, Harry believed. Harry was about to let things go and not intervene when Draco stepped forward closer to the Gryffindors after Granger had made a snide comment regarding the new brooms.

“No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood,” Draco spat.

Harry sighed and stepped forward, pulling out his own wand, knowing what direction this exchange was going.

The youngest Weasley on the field was being held back by others on the team, angered by Dracos’ words, his wand out.

“You’ll pay for that one, Malfoy!” With a wave of both Harry and Weasley’s wand, the casted spell was backfired, knocking half of the Gryffindors onto the field. Some of the Slytherin team started laughing as the youngest Weasley began vomiting up slugs, the jinx that he was attempting to put on Draco. Harry ignored this, walking past his classmates and beside Draco, speaking low and even while putting his wand away.

“That is enough. You’re making a fool of yourself and our house. Talk with Professor Snape and practice later.”

Draco made a face, about to snap at Harry before he made eye contact with him and backed down. There were a few comments exchanged between the Slytherin team before they dispersed off the field and went back to their locker room.

“I’m going to the common room before lunch,” Harry stated, turning around and walking off the field and off the pitch. Quickly Daphne and Theo followed, still looking back at the sound of Weasley vomiting obnoxiously while being ushered off the field.

Both lunch and dinner came and went without any more incidents. Harry was walking back to the dungeons, about to enter with the rest of his housemates when Snape appeared out of nowhere.

“Addams, a word in my office.”

“Of course professor,” Harry nodded, excusing himself from the others to follow the Potions Master to his office.

Harry enjoyed stepping into his professor’s office; it reminded him of being back home in his father’s study. Dark, filled with books and other questionable objects in jars.

“I was informed of that happened earlier today on the Quidditch field. I will not applaud you for using magic to cause another student’s wand to backfire. However,” Snape drawled, walking behind his desk once the door was shut. “You de-escalated the situation, which I can approve of. I have already had a conversation with Mister Malfoy regarding this situation and provided appropriate punishment.”

Harry sat down after Snape did behind his desk. Silent and waiting for the point of this conversation.

“I have received word from your parents, assuming that they have not already done so with you?”

“Correct sir, I have not heard from them since before the semester began.”

Snape pulled out a letter from his desk drawer and held it out for Harry to take and read.

Sitting back down once holding the envelope, Harry pulled out the letter and read:

“Dearest Harry,
We hope you are having a dreadful start to your classes. Do show them excitement. We have been doing some traveling to find answers and to continue to keep you safe. If you need anything, do not hesitate to call on us with the gifts from last year, or to firecall your godfather.
With our undying love, Mother & Father.”

Harry continued to read the letter, this portion written to his professor.

“Severus,
We have met with an organization that is neither for Dumbledore or Voldemort. If for any reason we do not send any further correspondences, this is our address. We still ask you to watch over our Harry while in that school while we are away and unable to be there.
Our Gratitude. G & M”

Harry read the address before handing the letter back to Snape, questions bubbling in his mind. Thinking silently over his message, Harry planned to reach out to Sirius to see if he had any other information that could help him piece together the bigger picture.

“As requested of your parents, I will be providing more material for you to study and practice,” Snape said reluctantly, taking back the letter and placing it back in the drawer. Examining the younger wizard seated across him, Snape knew something was beginning to happen. Something that was out of his control and out of the control of both the Headmaster and the Dark Lord.

Harry understood that look, pensieve and calculating.

“When do we begin?”

“Now.”

Chapter Text

Dumbledore looked over a stack of letters he had received over the past week. Correspondences with other witches or wizards that supported him when he was younger and remained faithful to him to the present. He was somewhat pleased with the number of letters that have returned to him but it was not enough.

“The key is that boy. Without him, we will not be able to win,” he spoke aloud. Dumbledore was unhappy with his current number of blind followers, knowing he would have no chance to fend off Voldemort at this time.

Fawkes looked over at his owner, calm and pensive, having heard all of the older wizards musings and rants.

“I need another way to get to him…” Dumbledore said, thinking quickly.

Walking back to his desk, Dumbledore sat and began a new set of letters to send out to some of his students at Hogwarts to have them come to his office or do what he needs to be done without getting his own hands dirty.

 -

Classes, Quidditch matches, and a lot of homework continued for Hogwarts and so did Harry’s private lessons with Snape as the end of September came along. Most of Harry’s friends didn’t question where he went twice a week, entering the Slytherin dorms late at night after curfew. There were usually one or two students still up, studying, playing a game of chess or hanging out near the fire and this night was no different. Harry silently walked into the common room with a few new books that Snape had handed him to look over for their next lesson. There was something about the Slytherin common room that comforted Harry. The cold stone that covered most of the shared space, the faint sound of the Great Lake above them, the dim green glow of the lamps and eerie silence.

Walking past the elaborate mantle and its fire, he noticed a form asleep on the leather chair on his way to the boy's dorms. Stepping closer, Harry saw the distinct blond hair of Draco. As much as Harry wanted to let his friend sleep, he knew Draco would be dreadfully crabby when he woke in the morning. A vision Harry had only dreamed off.

“Draco,” Harry touched the other’s shoulder to rouse the wizard awake. With a faint groan, Draco’s eyes opened to focus on Harry who was looking curiously at him.

“What are you looking at?”

“Nothing at all, dear Draconis,” Harry said with a ghost of a smirk.

Draco frowned, waking himself further from sleep. “Why are you sneaking back into the common room so late? Did you poison someone or something horrible like that?”

“I do not sneak, there are merely no students to see me return to the common room when I have gone out.” Harry smirked at the thought of poisoning someone in the midst of the evening hours but he shook his head, “Sadly I did not maim or dismember anyone tonight. I did have one of my lessons with Professor Snape. I do this a few evenings a week.”

This new information made Draco even more confused.

“What could you possibly need to learn that you don’t already know from your strange family?”

“Things are happening around us that I need to be prepared for, even if I don’t know who the enemy is just yet. Professor Snape still has specific knowledge and skillset to guide me that cannot be done by my family nor with the distance between all of us,” Harry simply said.

There was a moment of Draco staring at Harry, opening and closing his mouth to say something but then stopping. Harry enjoyed when he did this to his friend.

“Whatever, I’m going to bed. I never fall asleep out here anyway,” Draco practically pouted, standing up and dusting himself off like he was laying on the floor. Harry watched the blonde, knowing that his fellow housemate does, in fact, fall asleep after late nights of hanging out with the others or even studying on his own. Harry believed that Draco felt safe enough here to close his eyes, or that he trusted those around him enough to let his guard down and be vulnerable. Harry admired that about him. Something that he does not feel at home.

“Night,” Draco said before walking away quickly to where his bed and dorm room was.

Harry sat in front of the fire for a few more hours, going over the notes and overall lesson that was done that evening with Snape. Non-verbal magic that Snape was not allowed to teach in a school or at all due to the dark magic it creates. Harry quite enjoyed the various types of magic he has learned this far, some spells or charms may not be to his personal preference but he stored away everything in his mind for another time if needed. He remained awake for a while more, the fire growing smaller as the night went on before deeming it an acceptable time to go to sleep.

The next morning was the first of October. Harry had decided over the summer that he was staying at Hogwarts for All Hallow’s Eve, something that wasn’t an easy conversation with his father. He was given a few different ingredients and tools to bring with him to school and was promised gifts all throughout the month since he was not going to see the Addams clan for a few months.

-

It was one Sunday that Harry was surrounded in the common room with his friends. He had begun to think of the group as snakes in their pit while together like this; a place of horror with those capable of torture or death if needed. It warmed his twisted heart to believe that any of those he surrounded himself with here would fight or die for one another. They would talk about various things from the week they hadn’t shared or did homework with another or just stayed for the company, as Harry did while sitting in his chair reading one of the many books that Snape had left for him to memorize.

Time had passed without Harry noticing while reading before he heard something unexpected.

“Come… Come to me… Let me rip you… Let me tear you… Let me kill you....” Harry heard in whispers around him. Silky and tempting words directed to only him by the looks at the lack of responses around the room. Something only happening to Harry and not to everyone, something Harry had quickly gotten used to. Grabbing a pen and pad to write down what the hushed voice said, Harry finished and tucked it into his satchel to keep on hand until he heard more to give a look around for the source of the voice. A curious thing to hear in a children’s school so late at night, too. Harry quickly noticed a certain accent in the individual words; an accent that he hadn’t heard since he was home.

“Mate what’s wrong?”

Harry looked up from his book that he wasn’t reading for some time if his friends had noticed, closing his book.

“Nothing, Theodore,” He responded with a calm tone that some would say is more chilly than soothing.

“You look like you’ve seen Snape in a dress… or worse,” Daphne said with a giggle.

“No, there is no need for any worry, dears. I merely heard something that you didn’t.”

The group watched Harry stand and pack up his things, burning questions now bubbling up and out of his companions' mouths all at once.

“What do you mean you heard something?”

“What did you hear? No one here said anything that was odd.”

“Why are you leaving?” Draco asked, closing his Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook.

Harry stopped and glanced over at the blonde before smirking ever so slightly before letting it disappear, acknowledging his question alone.

“I need to see where it came from, now don’t I? Whispers of death and maiming is rather exciting, don’t you think?”

Blaise shook their head and sighed, knowing if Harry would slip away without being under the spotlight of all these questions that he would get into who knows what other sorts of trouble alone.

“You aren’t going in search of a killing voice alone, Harry,” Blaise said, looking at their classmate.

“No? Do you plan to join me?” Harry tempted, holding his things in his hands, skimming over the faces looking back at him.

Theo and Daphne both shook their heads in unison while all muttering variations of ‘no.’ That left Draco and Blaise, just like the time last year finding the cerberus and the underground rooms that lead to the Sorcerer’s Stone. Blaise looked at Draco and groaned, knowing that if they didn’t go wherever Harry did there would be a bigger problem in the long run.

“Better to be involved than to be ignorant,” Blaise said, cleaning up their lap and tidying all their belongings to put them in their bag to drop off in their room.

Harry merely walked away towards their bedrooms to put his things away with Draco and Blaise following to do the same to their respective rooms.

Harry was in his room selecting various things before there was a knock on his door. Waving a hand and not stopping what he was doing, Harry’s door opened to let Blaise and Draco in.

“So what exactly did you hear before, Harry?” Blaise questioned.

Harry pulled out his cloak and set it on the bed next to Blaise before responding and taking a moment to stop and talk.

“If my hypothesis is correct, and it usually is, it was either someone or something calling out in Parseltongue. We are beneath the lake so it could be something in the water near us, but I believe it is within the school. Some snakes are quite dangerous to be left about so I would be the best person to find whatever is calling out to me.”

Draco looked at Blaise before speaking up, “So you hear an ominous voice from out of nowhere, it threatens you and that is the moment you decide to go looking for where it came from? Are you mad?”

Harry looked over his shoulder, giving a grin that Gomez would be proud of.

“Yes. Thank you for finally noticing.” Finishing up packing and preparing, Harry took his cloak and walked over to his door, waiting for the two to follow.

“Where do you plan to start looking? The curfew will be settling in too,” Blaise questioned.

“That is why I have my cloak, to not be seen or noticed,” Harry held up his cloak in his hand. “If we work our way up from here, we may hear something.”

Draco shook his head.

“You’ll be able to hear it, not us.”

Harry led the two out of the dorm room to the halls of the dungeon to begin their search for the mysterious voice. Every new turn Harry would say something in Parseltongue to see if it would spark a response with the unknown voice, hoping to get more information or a location to where it was.

Once curfew hit, Harry wrapped his cloak around his friends as they headed through the corridors on the main floor, making sure to not walk into any professors while they headed from their classrooms to their own offices or personal rooms. Harry knew they did this due to his late lessons with Snape. They turned a corner that led away from the Great Hall when the sound of movement was above them. Harry was first to stop, whispering out to see if that sudden advancement was the source of the voice. Draco nearly tripped as Harry stopped abruptly, hands bracing for impact on Harry to not fall over while Blaise nearly fell out from underneath the cloak which could have gotten them caught and on the receiving end of punishment and house point deduction.

“Why’d we stop?”

“Shh… I’m listening carefully,” Harry uttered, keeping the three of them pressed against the stone wall atop one another.

The slithering sound rushed over them but did not stop or speak out to Harry, causing some disappointment for the young Addams.

“Damn. It’s gone. I’ll try again tomorrow. Let’s head back to the dungeons,” Harry looked over his shoulder once the sound was gone.

“So this was all for nothing, Harry?” Blaise asked in hushed tones as they all began walking back down to the dungeons and to their dormitory.

“Not exactly, my dear Blaise. We now know that it is an exotic reptile, a large snake of some degree and that it travels through the plumbing.”

The two other Slytherins started at Harry’s head as they all walked skillfully in unison.

“You got all that from hearing it talk once and move about?” Draco questioned after a few moments of traveling away from the main floor. Harry nodded silently, noticing that Draco still was holding onto Harry’s form since being upstairs to keep balance. It was less tense than before which meant more to Harry would ever let be known.

The three made it down back to their dormitory and within the common room where there were no stragglers that evening due to classes the next morning. Harry removed the cloak and they began to step away one by one to head to their respective rooms, exchanging parting ways to their rooms with whispers of ‘good nights’ and mentions of speaking more of this incident when the sun rises the following day.

Chapter Text

As the days became shorter with the changing seasons, Harry’s friends noticed the lack of their friend outside of classes and make-shift study sessions in the Slytherin common room. Some figured he was off doing whatever an Addams does in October, others thought something was off, even for Harry. No one was able to catch him outside of class or in passing as if he just would disappear into thin air or become invisible. Even in their shared classes Harry was more reserved yet no one was bold enough to ask what Harry was up to. Draco continued to stay up to study in the dorms late in the evenings and didn't even see Harry return before turning in himself. He would never admit he was worried about the other boy to anyone else, or that he was fond of Harry’s odd company.

What the others didn’t know was that Harry had found a small quiet room on the seventh floor of the castle that no one ever came in contact with and made it his own. The room could change to Harry’s will if he required it. At the moment, it wasn’t quite a full classroom but more a study room that would fit in perfectly in the Addams home. He had found it one of the late evenings after a session with Snape followed by hearing the mysterious reptilian voice he had heard with the others. Harry had made the area his own safe haven within the walls of the castle; with a constantly lit cauldron with various potions being made, jars and bottles of elixirs or whatever Harry desired stacked on the shelves nearby. The walls were covered with miscellaneous supplies and objects that were from the Addams’ home that he had brought with him that had no place in his dorm room; the collection large enough to make Grandmama proud. Harry would do his work without any interruptions or if there was something that Harry believed he needed to make in preparation for the next time he met with the Potions Master, he would be ready. This room was something between being back home and being at school; a conglomerate of knowledge that he would apply with any problem that he needed to figure out on his own.

While in this hidden room, Harry had a lot of time to think in his silence. He hadn’t heard anything from his parents since he had begun his lessons with Snape and they received those two letters simultaneously. Not hearing from Gomez and Morticia wasn’t completely uncommon when they went away, yet with the message in those letters stirred something deep in the pit of Harry’s stomach. Flipping through the various tomes that had been collected from home, trips to different countries or with his recent trips to Knockturn Alley, Harry thought to see if there was a way to track or locate his parents through the physical letter that sat upon his desk. He had found a locator spell that was specifically used for objects, however there was not enough magic from his parents’ writing to apply the spell, even with an extra Addams touch.

“There has to be a way to find them,” Harry thought out loud, sounding troubled but mostly tired this particular evening. Tearing away from the written letter to glance at the clock, Harry read the time and began to clean up before locking the door behind him and heading back down to the dungeons to get some rest. Wrapping his cloak around his shoulders to make his way down to the Slytherin dorms, the young Addams thought of what sort of magic he could use to get more information. Stepping into the common room, Harry removed his cloak and slowly made his way towards the boys dormitories before his name was whispered roughly.

“Harry,” came from the couch in front of the fireplace.

Harry stopped and looked towards the area before gliding closer and seeing the wizard whose voice had called him over.

“Draco?”

The blond sat up, sleep still in his eyes and his hair mussed from being on the couch for an extended amount of time.

“Where the hell have you been? Stalking to and from this late at night in the darkness?” Draco huffed out while righting himself as Harry sat down beside him, his cloak folded neatly in his lap.

“I’ve needed to do personal study time outside of our academics, Draco. Have you worried to death over me?” Harry couldn’t help but smirk and watched his friend react to his words.

“No I wasn’t worried. Whoever gave you that idea needs to be thrown into the Forbidden Forest.”

Harry shifted a bit more to look at Draco a bit better, crossing his one leg and reading the blond’s face silently, picking up on a few things such as Draco attempting to keep eye contact but a blush unintentionally grew in his cheeks while maintaining the connection, making Draco look away and into the fire. He was taught by Morticia how to read an individual, their emotions, their aura and energy that was surrounding them to understand the person better.

“I know you’ve been trying to stay up to see me, my dragon. For whatever your reason is or was, I am deeply touched at your gesture. I wish I could tell you what is currently going on but I don’t have enough solid information to go to anyone for help or for comfort.” Harry said gently, black hair falling in the way of Harry’s emerald eyes.

“I hope you aren’t too stupid to do this on your own, whatever it is that you’re doing.”

Harry chuckled.

“I’m not stupid and you know that, Draco. But I know I can come to you now without question. I hope you are prepared for the chaos you have just welcomed into your life.”

The blonde paled slightly, cheeks still pinker than normal. “There was chaos the moment we met last year. Maybe I’m the stupid one?”

“Nonsense, Draco. You are quite clever,” Harry said before standing back up and looking at the other housemate. “We should head back to our rooms to get some rest before a new day begins.”

Draco nodded after a few still seconds, following Harry’s movements to stand and head together towards the boys’ dormitories.

“Just so you know, this isn’t the end of this conversation,” Draco said once he stopped at his door, looking at Harry.

“Oh I’m sure you will be close by when I disappear again, my white snakeroot. Not always wise to face things alone, no matter the reward or the wicked dangers. Best to share those moments with your dear ones. To relish and savor the trials and suffering… Have a dreadful sleep,” Harry said with a faint smile that could only be compared to his mother’s crimson smirk.

Draco was about to say something when Harry turned and disappeared in the darkness, humming faintly. Draco went into his room and looked around the dimly lit, silent room. Thinking about what Harry had said, Draco wondered what strange things Harry could possibly be up to.

“What does he know that I don’t?” Draco mumbled begrudgingly while settling into his bed. “Why doesn’t he trust me?”

Draco thought of all the possibilities of what Harry was doing when sneaking away late at night. Some of his ideas were more dangerous and morbid, which could be a strong possibility since Harry was known for the dark and unusual. The more Harry opened up to him the more absurd he was to show how crazy Harry is, not to mention the wild stories Harry described to Draco and his friends about his family. Draco drifted off while going through scenarios of what he and Harry could get up to, instead of Harry relying on no one but himself.

-

The morning came sooner than Draco wished, a bit more irritable and snippy than his usual self when heading to the Great Hall for breakfast while speaking to no one. Some of the others followed behind him, keeping a safe distance while talking about random topics a bit too cheerfully for so early in the morning, knowing how sour Draco can be without the proper amount of rest. When they all sat and began serving themselves breakfast, Draco was awake enough to notice there was one Slytherin missing: Harry.

“Where the hell is he now?” Draco said while sipping orange juice. There was chatter from just outside the hall that caught Draco’s attention along with others in the Great Hall, mostly because of the level of noise that traveled through the Great Hall. Grey eyes watching with the cup still pressed against his lips, ignoring his other classmates, Draco spotted the young, pitch haired, wild wizard, surrounded by school ghosts and a few other students from other houses.

“What the..?”

Harry was chatting animatedly with the other ghost, some Draco didn’t know who they were. He recognized one as Sir Nicholas, or as most students called him ‘Nearly Headless Nick,’ while some were just ghosts Draco had seen on the grounds in classrooms and in the halls. He never spoke to them or gave any much attention, even his own house ghost, The Bloody Baron. Draco and the students from all the houses watched; Harry let out a laugh that could chill bones if you did not know him. Harry’s laugh gave him goosebumps all over but it wasn’t because he was fearful or cold, this laugh was different. The close knit group of 2nd year Slytherins looked between themselves as they heard Harry speak with such a pleasant and upbeat tone they were not used to hearing.

“What is Harry doing with all those ghosts?” Daphne said, pulling Draco out of his own head to see Harry bow slightly and leave the group of specters to head towards the Slytherin table. Draco only shrugged while the group waited while Harry found his seat to the left of Draco and sat, bright emerald eyes looking back at them.

“Hello, isn’t it a dreadful morning?” Harry said, a smile still on his lips.

“Uh… sure?” Theo said after taking a bite of an apple.

Daphne giggled; “Did you make friends with the rest of the ghosts of the school, Harry?”

“I have, yes. I was speaking to Sir Nicholas who brought up his Dead Day party and he invited me to go. Of course I said yes, I haven’t been to a death party in some time now that I think about it. It’s a practice we Addams do at home. Some of the others joined in with our conversation describing how the party would be,” Harry made his plate and glanced at everyone once he had finished.

The other four stared in silence after listening to what Harry just said to them. Each held a different expression before one spoke up. They hadn’t seen Harry so excited or bright so early in the morning. Some could even describe Harry as perky.

“You are seriously going to a ghost’s party that is celebrating the day they died?” Blaise questioned.

Harry nodded while nibbling on some toast.

“This is exciting! Is it an open invitation? What do they do at that sort of party?” Daphne asked with more enthusiasm. Harry kept the smirk on his lips and told her exactly what the ghosts had told him, again getting animated while comparing what he and his family did at home called ‘Wake The Dead.’

Draco had never seen Harry so… alive. Even after his life was on the line and nearly died by Voldemort and Quirrell last year, Harry was composed and calm. As breakfast was coming to an end, Draco thought to himself, wondering if Harry was like this at home, or if this was something special that even his family was not privy to and not blink in that moment to not miss such a precious thing.

“Draco, darling?”

Draco was pulled from his thoughts to see his friends all standing, waiting on him to do the same.

“C’mon Draco, it’s time for classes. Don’t want to be late,” Theo said, head gesturing to the large doors of the Main Hall.

“Oh shut your mouths, I’ll be there when I want to,” Draco snapped while pushing to his feet.

Harry said something to the other Slytherins and they quickly left to head to their first class. Harry patiently waited for Draco with his arms crossed, amused at the grumpy behavior that the blond displayed.

“Harrowing sleep?”

“Shut up I slept fine,” Draco snapped while walking past Harry who followed with a smirk on his face.

“A shame, truly. Had you slept like the dead then we would have something to work with. That being said… In regards to last night, you didn’t have to wait up for me,” Harry said once walking beside Draco, tone softer and less bubbly.

“Don’t you know by now that I do things when I want, how I want, Harry? You said you were smarter than that last night.”

Harry sighed, knowing that playing with his food wouldn’t be productive at that moment. “This is true. I don’t plan to control you or make you do anything you don’t wish to do. Consent is very powerful.”

Draco frowned and looked to the raven haired wizard next to him, noticing the black shadow around his eyes that shimmered when the light from the windows crossed over the skin, emphasizing the severity of Harry’s emerald eyes. Those very eyes that distracted Draco for just a few seconds before recovering.

“What does that even mean? Cryptic much,” Draco huffed and pushed a few other students out of his way through the halls.

“Nothing you need worrying about, darling.”

They made it to the classroom in time, sitting in their seats before Professor McGonagall began her class. A smile pulled on Harry’s lips through the entire lesson, the students around him keeping their distance, believing Harry to be a threat. A tactic that Harry leant on without needing to demonstrate any skills he had to be a threat or a promise. He thrived off being a foreboding and ominous feeling that gave others chills and made them shiver with discomfort.

Chapter Text

At long last, Halloween had arrived. Harry had been diligent with his work and his lessons outside of the second year curriculum with Snape. He was seen speaking with the ghosts moreso around the castle, from what his classmates saw as the days got closer to the end of the month. His cluster of Slytherins were doing their own various activities within the castle while enjoying their day off. Harry sat outside in the chilly autumn air while doing some writing and going through some of the gifts his family (minus his parents) had sent him for his celebration of Samhain.

Harry could tell there was something off about the group of letters and parcels that Harry received, even though they were quite clever this year. Sirius had sent a letter that was checking in on him from somewhere in France, sending a few ingredients that would do well in his hidden room; consecrated soil, hair from a werewolf and a spellbook written in ancient Greek. His brother and sister combined their efforts in sending a new plague for Harry to spread around the castle when the thought struck him that will be saved for a rainy day. There was even a small gift for his friends that Grandmama had sent. In her letter that was attached, she said if they were going to stick around, they should start eating the finer things in life such as an Addams’ homemade meal. Each gift Harry knew was one of her classic dishes and a poison to get their bodies accustomed. He would see how they would react when explaining the gifts to his friends.

There was one letter that was missing from his package of notes and gifts. There wasn’t even any mention or word from Gomez and Morticia from his family. He looked out to the barren trees and quiet landscape, thinking just what his parents could be up to, if they were near death, or something much less exciting and romantic. Standing up, Harry dusted off anything that could have stuck onto his cloak from the ground and decided to walk outside a little more before heading inside to see if his head of house had any news of his parents.

Inside the castle, students were enjoying their own Halloween; the older students were allowed to go to Hogsmeade if they chose or stay at the castle with the younger students. The Great Hall had treats and themed foods for the day, floating pumpkins and candles took to the ramparts in the hall and later that evening, the school choir would be singing. Harry enjoyed how the castle felt in October, as if the whole castle had its own ominous chill. It was sentient after all.

Harry walked the mostly quiet halls as he made his way to the dungeons, distant laughter could be heard down one of the many winding halls as he stopped outside of Professor Snape’s office. Giving a firm knock, Harry waited patiently for his invitation inside by the older Slytherin.

Quickly the door snapped open and on the other side stood the dark and brooding professor, sneering at whomever interrupted his time away from the students and staff.

“Afternoon, Professor.”

“Addams. What brings you here when you could be anywhere else in the castle?” Snape questioned, suspiciously looking out of his office doorway and into the halls to see if there were any other students meandering by.

“May I have a word, sir?”

“Very well…” Snape stepped to the side, giving just enough room for Harry to step past.

Harry walked into the office and took a seat near the fire, not at the desk further in the corner where he knew his mentor would try and instinctively go to to keep his façade of not being interested.

“Oh, do have a seat,” Snape commented sarcastically, shut the door behind him and glided towards the fireplace.

Harry smirked at his comment, crossed his leg over the other as the older man sat down. “My question is concise: have you had any communication with my parents?”

To the untrained eye, Snape remained emotionless. Harry however, after endless hours of observing and training with the elder Slytherin, saw through the mask. “None, Harry. Perhaps it is time to go to the proper authorities?”

“They would be useless, I’m afraid. I could reach out to my godfather, or perhaps someone within the family that could try and track them down that lives on this side of the ocean…”

“Perhaps… I could do the same,” Snape suggested with a semi shrug of his shoulder. His attempts of being indifferent to the young wizard were failing the more he taught Harry. It was becoming more evident that Harry was wearing the man’s walls down, catching glimpses of a kinder man beneath the hard and rigid shell. A quite odd layer to hide, all things considered regarding Snape since he did work with Voldemort for an extended amount of time.

“Are you sure that you will be able to reach them?”

“I have connections that could be beneficial to this situation. Per the letter that was sent to you and I, there was an address that can be the starting point,” Snape nodded.

“Then I will say my goodbye for now and will wait to hear from you.”

“When I have the information, you will be alerted. Now, get out of my office,” Snape said with a snap. Harry stood and nodded, offering a small bow of his head before leaving Snape’s office and out into the halls of the school.

As Harry made his way to the common room, the strange yet familiar sound of slithering passed over him. Stopping and listening where the sound was moving, he followed.

“What are you,” Harry whispered in parseltongue, eyes above him.

“Death…. Must kill…” It hissed.

“Where are you?” Harry tried again, hoping it was like the other snakes he had spoken to growing up.

“Inside.”

In seconds the voice and the movement disappeared, leaving Harry in a darkened portion of the dungeons that the students didn’t often visit. Harry frowned, turning around and entering the common room to set some things down in his room. As he crossed the threshold, Harry collided with a certain blond wizard.

“Move you-,” Draco snarled immediately before realizing it was Harry and ending the sentence completely. The door shut behind Harry, the two standing nearly atop one another.

“Excuse me, Draco darling,” Harry said with a ghost of a smile on his lips.

Draco stepped back and to the side to let Harry into the common room and to put some distance between them.

“There’s no need to censor yourself just because it is me,” Harry said while removing his cloak and watching the blond.

“It’s fine, Harry,” Draco said a bit quicker than intended. He watched Harry remove his cloak and noticed the lack of uniform on his friend. “Where have you been?”

“Oh, here and there,” Harry started, turning and walking to his room, Draco following beside him.

“Harry, where were you all morning?”

Harry entered his room and set his things down first before responding; “I was out by the Great Lake for a while before coming back inside to speak with Professor Snape. Now I am here, with you, in my room.”

Draco watched the young Addams in silence but his curiosity was palpable.

“Ask.”

“What are you talking about? Ask what?” Draco said.

Harry sighed and sat on his bed, patting beside him for Draco to join him.

“I don’t need to read your mind to know you want to know everything that I have been doing without your knowing. I have no problem sharing with you, you only need to ask the right questions.”

With no hesitation, Draco began asking questions, some simple, others more detailed. The afternoon passed for the two of them with ease, a small chime from a charmed clock in Harry’s room sounding to alert the time for dinner in the Great Hall for them. The two were both reluctant to leave the quiet safety of the bedroom and out to see the others and celebrate Halloween.

Walking side by side into the Great Hall, Harry and Draco sat at their table beside their friends who had already begun eating the various dishes mixed with sweets along the table.

“Harry, why did you stay here at the castle this Halloween instead of going away like last year?” Theo had asked once the two had filled their plates.

“My parents and godfather are all away right now. It was best for me to stay here at school until their return,” Harry said with just enough vagueness to keep the intrigue but also answering the question. “It is also the anniversary of my birth parents’ death.”

The group looked at one another with wide eyes, even Draco looking taken aback at this new piece of information that was just said with no emotional response from the dark haired wizard. This was the first time Harry had ever mentioned anyone other than his mother and father or the rest of the Addams family. Blaise mouthed the words ‘birth parents?’ amongst the group in confusion who simply shrugged in return. Draco noticed something had changed with Harry since their talk in the dorms, something else on Harry’s mind that wasn’t there before, from his demeanor to his usual open and surprisingly bright self.

“Oh… I’m sorry to hear that, Harry,” Theo said softly. Harry just nodded and ate silently, listening to the others chat about their day after the dark turn of the conversation between Harry and Theo. Daphne was quick to lighten the mood up for everyone.

“Did you receive any gifts today?” She asked quickly.

“Hm?” Harry looked up from his plate then nodded, oblivious at the change in topic. He had never thought about what else this day represented aside from All Hallows Eve; there was Sir Nicholas’ death day anniversary as well as the anniversary of when James and Lily Potter were murdered.

“I know last year you exchanged gifts with your family, did that happen this year even though you are here for the holiday?” Daphne asked again.

“Ah yes I did receive a few things this year from back home,” Harry nodded. “My grandmother even put in something for you all, if I plan to keep you, that is,” He smirked, looking more like himself since arriving in the great Hall.

“We aren’t Runespoors that you can keep as pets, Harry,” Blaise said with a playful tone in his voice.

Harry hummed for a moment, contemplating the thought of actually keeping Runespoors as pets before responding. “I will take that as a challenge. However, there are other ways to keep you, but I will keep that to myself.”

The group just looked at Harry laughing with one another as the meal finished and the table was soon covered with desserts.

-

“So that’s it then?” Gomez said.

Miranda nodded.

“We do not decide what Harry does or doesn’t do, that includes which side of a war that does not include him. If you say this is the next series of events, you will need to reach out to him,” Morticia said diplomatically.

“Another war,” Gomez said with building glee, standing and pacing behind Morticia who remained sitting with Miranda. “Imagine the death count this time, Tish.”

“You do want to be on the winning side, do you not?”

“Winning doesn’t necessarily mean surviving, Miranda. We Addamses, we survive, winning or losing. If we are to be pulled into this upcoming war of yours-,” Morticia was cut off.

“This isn’t just our war, Mrs. Addams. This is a war for all magical people against non-magical people!” Miranda exclaimed, frustration in her tone.

“We have no issues with non-magical people,” Morticia said simply.

“Some of our family are non-magical people. Not that it is their fault,” Gomez sat back down beside his wife, taking her hand and kissing the pale knuckles.

Morticia's eyes narrowed on the witch before her. Skillfully, wandless and without any detection, Morticia pressed into the others’ mind and searched for the true reason for Miranda’s persistence; wizarding supremacy and the idolization of a specific wizard. Legilimency was as easy as breathing for Morticia; pairing such a skill with a mind with no safeguards such as Miranda’s, weaving through her thoughts and memories was child’s play.

“So what is your decision?”

“Is he here?” The raven haired woman asked, Gomez looked at his wife with a curious gaze.

“Who, Querida?” Gomez asked.

“He isn’t.”

“Gellert Grindelwald, Mon Cher… This introduction was to recruit us, gain the Addams Family favor as we hold some power in America. They wish to take control over the non-magical, and even overrule what the wizard world has going for them now, also. Not just over one or two continents, but the entire world. Isn’t that so, Miranda?”

Miranda’s jaw dropped.

“World domination? MAGNIFICENT-! That is even better than a war!” Gomez nearly screamed. His eyes were wide with excitement, letting go of Morticia’s hand and climbing onto the table. Gomez was vibrating with enthusiasm.

Any common man or wizard alike that were not familiar with the Addams man would think he had something wild or dangerous beneath his pinstriped suit to cause such a physical reaction. Anyone who knew Gomez would know he wouldn’t need anything additional to be dangerous. His magic was wild, as he was. Their magic was palpable, superior; it was no wonder why the infamous wizard sent Miranda to recruit them to join his cause.

“Even after Grindelwald’s ‘fall’ and incarceration, you still remain loyal. I must confess, your dedication to your leader is something to be envious of.” Morticia spoke delicately. “I believe we are finished here, Miranda. Come down, darling,” Morticia decided.

The cool, soothing tone Morticia used coated the wild of her other half, stroking it in such a way to be tolerable. Descending from the table back onto the floor with a swift jump, Gomez stood behind Morticia with bated breath of what their next steps would be.

“We will be in touch?” Miranda began with slight hesitation.

Morticia nodded, offering her hand to Gomez who gladly took it.

“Good day,” Gomez said with a grin and a wink before they disappeared into the shadows.

Chapter Text

Attending Sir Nicholas’ deathday party was the distraction that Harry needed from his own boiling problems. It was the ghosts’ fifth hundredth deathday and, in spite of not being involved with The Headless Hunt, the day should be celebrated regardless. Harry stood in the common room of the Slytherin dorms waiting for the others in order to all arrive on time and together. Harry had a sneaking suspicion that most were going because he was going, not because they wanted to celebrate Nearly Headless Nick’s deathday.

Daphne was the first to be ready, wearing a flowy, knee-length navy blue dress with a matching length cape. Her ash hair was curled and pulled slightly out of her face. An outfit that was age appropriate but still flattering, Harry thought, taking Daphne’s hand and kissing it, leaving her in a fit of giggles. Blaise was next, in a black button up and trousers; Theo in a grey shirt, his school tie and trousers. Harry would need to work on their fashion if they were going to be around the Addams Clan in the future, Harry mused before checking his pocket watch.

“He’s going to make us late, isn’t he?” Daphne sighed.

“He focuses too much on his hair for a dude,” Theo muttered and went to sit in an armchair nearby.

“Now now, Theodore, there isn’t anything wrong with caring about your appearance. I am in full support of one’s self image as it is the mirror of your inner self… However, time management is important too.” Harry said, adjusting Blaise’s collar to make it lay proper, his back to where both Daphne and Theo were sitting.

Draco walked out from the boys dorms with his hair slicked back, in an all black suit and tie, and a sneer on his lips. If anyone could guess, Draco was the one who definitely did not want to attend the party out of the entire group.

“Quit talking about me or I’ll give you lot something to talk about,” He snapped.

Harry turned around to comment on what his blond companion rudely said before stopping and closing his mouth. Draco was poised, like a viper ready to strike. It suddenly felt like a scorching hot knife was twisting in his gut and that he was going to vomit on himself simultaneously. Harry’s emotions haven’t been this severe since his arrival at the wizarding school so the only thing that could have made him feel so strongly was Draco. Taking a few seconds to recuperate and compose himself, Harry adjusted his velvet vest, tearing his eyes away from the icy silver ones piercing his soul. His eyes burned like the feeling that sat at the bottom of his stomach.

“We were just saying that you could use some time management, is all, mate,” Theo said, pushing himself out of the chair.

“Whatever. Let’s go so we can get this all over with,” Draco said, walking past Harry and out of the Slytherin dorm with an air of something different about him.

Harry walked with the group down the candle-lit hallway towards the deepest parts of the dungeon, very aware of his own body. He would need to speak with Morticia or even Gomez about this invading sensation.

Nearly Headless Nick greeted them as Harry and the others arrived.

“Welcome! Thank you all for coming! Do come in,” He said, gesturing for Harry and his friends into where the party was being held. Harry knew there were dozens upon dozens of spirits, ghosts and poltergeists that roamed the halls of Hogwarts, but they all were here to celebrate with Nick. Harry pulled attention away from his thoughts and to the party. Eerie music was being played, although to some it would seem it was more disturbing than enjoyable.

“See, this isn’t so bad,” Blaise said to the group.

“It is a bit cold in here though,” Daphne whispered as their breath was visible.

It made sense, Harry considered, that a group of undead party-goers would drop the temperature of the room, let alone in a damp, dark dungeon. Ghosts took energy from their surroundings to manifest. Why would ghosts living in a magical castle be any different?

“Shall we look around?” Harry offered, holding out his arm for Daphne to take and they walked further in, spotting a long table with what seemed to be food. Daphne kept close to Harry to keep warm/ It was a suitable distraction for Harry to not stare at Draco, who looked around and avoided walking through the ghosts that were near the group.

“They have food…” Theo pointed out as they all approached the table.

“Oh, it’s all gone bad!” Draco said, pinching his nose and turning away from the rotting food.

Upon further examination, the platters of food on the table were all expired by weeks. Luckily for Harry, Pugsley made these smells tame in comparison.

The ghosts were all wandering about mingling with one another when Sir Nicholas called for everyone’s attention, looking to make his grand deathday speech. Leaving the tables of rotting food, they walked over to where most of the other attendees were, hoping to put some distance between their noses and the foul odor.

“...Kill…”

Harry stilled once he heard the voice, very close to where they all stood. Quickly, he broke away from Daphne’s hold and followed the voice, not caring if he was the only one who could hear it.

“...So hungry…” It said, slithering quickly above Harry in the pipes of the castle that ran over the dungeons. Harry could almost feel the words pass through him as if one of the party goers walked through him.

“Harry?” He heard his name behind him but Harry cared little for anything but finding the source of the voice that he heard. He hadn’t heard anything, not a word or the sound of slithering throughout the castle in weeks so now was the chance to follow it. Harry’s footsteps grew louder as he traced the serpent of the dungeon, hand gliding across the stones on the walls, letting them guide him as he wasn’t able to just go through the walls or join the beast in the pipes above him.

“...Time to kill…” The eerie voice called out to no one, “...too long… need to kill…”

Harry cursed under his breath as he ran up the steps out of the dungeon, the others following behind him in confusion. They were too loud.

“Harry what’s going on?”

“Where are you going?”

“Everyone, if you could all be silent for just one moment…” Harry said hurriedly.

“Not until you tell us what’s going on,” Draco said sharply. His attitude was not needed, whether it was called for or not.

Harry didn’t think as he moved and covered the blond’s mouth with his pale, cold hand before he closed his eyes, trying to block out his one sense to heighten one of his others. He listened for the voice to speak again. The four all watched Harry with bewilderment, he was not at all acting like himself. And for an Addams to not act like themself is something that the quad didn’t know could actually be a possibility.

A moment of silence passed before Harry lowered his hand but didn’t move an inch away from the blond, anticipating for the voice to speak. Daphne was the first to speak to break the silence, worried.

“...Harry?”

Harry opened his mouth to speak when he stopped and turned, the slithering through the walls, pipes, halls was heard again, moving upward. At least, Harry could hear the movement. He ran with a thrill up more stairs leading the group towards the first floor where the Great Hall was hosting the Halloween feast. No one else would be able to hear a giant serpent over the noise of children. Whoever planned to set the beast loose knew the perfect time to strike.

“...BLOOD!...” The voice said with its own excitement.

“Blood?” Harry muttered, frowning as he ran. He may not have been athletic like his Slytherin quidditch classmates but he was quick enough to be difficult to be caught. A rather helpful quality if ever put in danger and needed to escape, if that were the desire in the moment.

“I'm sorry, come again?” Draco screeched out from behind them, his tone a bit too high, even for a pre-pubescent twelve year old.

“Blood. It’s saying something about blood…” Harry said as his feet moved on their own. He could walk through the halls blindfolded by now, not needing to stop and take in the surroundings at all while they were on the move. They turned another corner and another flight of stairs before Harry immediately stopped, having the others bump into him all at once once they caught up to the young Addams boy.

“Harry please, what is going on?” Daphne pleaded.

“Who is saying something?” Theo asked, the groups worry growing with every question.

“What is that?” Draco asked as he pointed in front of him down the hall.

All eyes left Harry and followed the direction where Draco was pointing at. The hall floors seemed to be flooded with water, a scattering of words were muddled in the reflection up on the wall. Harry looked up at the dimly lit hall walls to see the message written in bold, red, dripping letters. Written in what appeared to be blood; he would need to investigate further before coming to a definitive conclusion on the substance that made the message.

“A serpent couldn’t have done that…” Harry made his way down the hall with no consideration if the writer of the message was near. Hesitantly the others followed; even with the torch light that lined the halls, it was difficult to see anything else in the shadows until they closed the distance from the unnatural and mysterious message.

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE

“The chamber of secrets has been opened… Enemies of the heir, beware…” Harry whispered, standing in front of the cryptic message. He took a moment staring, memorizing this moment to be able to share it with his parents or even Sirius when he is able to see them in a pensive that wasn’t shared with his peers. The others were in stunned silence, standing at a distance from both Harry and the blood on the walls.

“Wait- What’s that?” Blaise asked just over a whisper, pointing to the other side of the hall, under a torch.

Harry stepped even closer, ignoring the ‘Harry’ that he heard someone say in protest but not recognizing from whom. Frowning, Harry made out the rigid shape of Mrs. Norris. Frozen. He touched the feline, not finding any wounds, thinking it could have been the source of the blood on the wall.

“Someone’s coming, we have to go,” Harry heard someone else say. Harry nodded, and backed away from Mrs. Norris to his classmates as students rounded the corridor. All abruptly stopped once they realized the entire scene in which Harry, Draco, Daphne, Blaise Theo all stood; feet wet and seemingly caught in the act of who knows what. The torches on the walls grew brighter as more people populated the hallways.

“Enemies of the heir beware?” Someone called out in the crowd of students.

Harry searched the expressions on his classmates’ faces as they looked both horrified and disgusted at the sight of the bloody message and Mrs. Norris. Someone took Harry’s hand and pulled at it for Harry to step back away from the growing crowd when louder voices called over the students.

“What’s going on here?”

Of course, Mr. Filch was the first adult to the scene. Harry would have been amused at the variety of expressions that crossed over the man's face if it weren't for the fact that he could be accused of creating the scene before everyone.

“MY CAT!” He shouted, the students behind him hushed.

“What is this commotion, Argus?” Came the voice of Professor Dumbledore, who passed through the crowd of students who all parted for him to get through. His gaze went from Filch, to the feline frozen then to the message on the wall. The longer everyone stood in the hall, more teachers joined them, gasping and urging the students to disperse and go back to their common rooms another way.

“He’s done this, Albus! Look at his face! No remorse!” Filch all but screamed at Harry, who kept his mask secure while the adults narrowed their sight on the collection of Slytherins and then on Harry.

Snape was the last of the staff to make it to the crowd of faculty. He walked past the message on the wall and to his students.

“What is the meaning of this? Where were you five?” He snapped.

“Severus, perhaps we can question the students somewhere that isn’t in the corridor?” Professor McGonagall said, stern but softly.

“You killed her! You’ve done this, you twisted little-”

“Argus!” McGonagall snapped.

While the attention was pulled away from the students and the message on the wall, Professor Lockhart stood in front of Mrs. Norris, examining her with exuberance.

“We should examine her, my office is closest. A shame I wasn’t here earlier, or I could have saved her. I know just the perfect counter curse,” Lockhart said a bit too cheerfully.

“What?” Filch asked with a sob.

Harry had seen grown adults upset but the way the caretaker was overrun with grief was beginning to be unsettling. Even for Harry.

“How could you possibly-” Snape started at Lockhart before he was cut off by Dumbledore.

“Yes, let’s go to your office. Argus, come,” Dumbledore coaxed the caretaker gently, his outstretched hand gesturing for Filch to move from the center of the corridor.

Lockhart helped move the frozen feline from its hanging position next to the message on the wall before Filch took her into his arms and started to sob. Dumbledore ushered him to the Defense against the Dark Arts office near while both heads of Gryffindor and Slytherin house stood in front of Harry and his classmates.

“Now, you five. Where were you?” Professor McGonagall started, crossing her arms and staring the second years down.

“We were invited to Nearly Headless Nick’s Death Day party, Professor,” Theo said first.

“You expect us to believe that?” Snape said with an indignant huff.

“It’s true. It was mainly Harry who was invited, but he brought all of us too,” Baise said, straightening his spine a bit more than his usual posture.

“Is this true, Mister Addams?” McGonagall asked, eyeing the Slytherins carefully.

“Yes, Professor. We were heading to the Great Hall, hoping to get there before supper had finished because there wasn’t edible food at the party. That is when we saw Mrs. Norris,” Harry said smoothly. Now was not the time to explain to his professors that he was hearing the voice of a disembodied serpent that was moving about the castle that was more than likely the source for the corpse of Mrs. Norris. Draco and the others all looked at Harry as he spoke.

Snape looked at the group with an accusatory glare, dark eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“You all will return to your dormitory now, no detours. I will speak with the headmaster if any punishment is to be given,” McGonagall sighed. “All except you, Mister Addams, Professor Dumbledore wished to see you in his office before dinner but we were unable to find you, so you will be accompanying me.”

“Professor, he didn’t do anything wrong,” Daphne chimed in.

“Innocent until proven otherwise,” Snape drawled dully.

“Off you go, before I deduct points for disobeying instructions,” McGonagall chided, pointing for the group to leave.

“I’ll ensure they get back to the dungeons without any detours,” Snape said while Harry stepped out of the close cluster that all but surrounded him, pulling his hand out from whomever was holding it. He’d need to speak with everyone when he got back to the dorm to see who’s hand that was in his.

Professor McGonagall directed Harry to follow her to where Dumbledore and the others went, seeing if they were still with Lockhart before going any further if not needed.

By the time Harry made it to Lockhart’s office, Filch was carrying Mrs. Norris away.

“Albus, is she…?” McGonagall asked as Dumbledore stepped out into the hall.

“She has seemed to be petrified, not killed, Argus is bringing her back to his rooms to keep her in a comfortable environment while we figure out how we can reverse her petrification,” Dumbledore said.

“That is somewhat better news, I suppose,” she sighed with relief.

Harry looked into the darkened classroom behind the headmaster, not seeing any light or movement.

“How could she have been petrified?” Harry asked. In his mind, there wasn’t anything he knew of that could cause pretrication.

“That is a very good question, Mister Addams,” Dumbledore replied.

“I’ll speak with Professor Sprout in the morning to see if there are any potions or remedies that she knows of to help Mrs. Norris,” McGonagall said.

“Very good, Professor. Now, if you will excuse Mister Addams and I, we have to take a trip to my office.”

“Yes, of course. Good night, Addams… Professor,” McGonagall nodded and stepped out of the way for the older wizard to pass.

“Good night, Professor,” Harry said to his Transfiguration professor before following Dumbledore silently.

The two made their way to their destination in silence. Passing the stone statue and heading up the spiral steps to the password protected office, Dumbledore walked to his desk to sit down while Harry stood in front of him.

“What was it that you had for me, Professor?” Harry asked, not wanting to stay any longer than he needed.

“This was sent for you,” Dumbledore pulled out a grey letter with a wax seal on it.

Harry stepped closer to take the letter from the older wizard’s hold.

“Thank you sir.”

Harry was about to pocket the letter when the older wizard leaned forward in his chair.

“Aren’t you going to open it? I believe it is the letter you’ve been waiting for, is it not?” Dumbledore said.

For a second, Harry hesitated, not wanting to open something that could be very personal in front of Dumbledore. He nodded and took a step away from the desk after taking it from the older wizard and opened the letter, beginning to read:

“Dearest Harry,
We write to you with great news. There is a war brewing and you are to be involved .if not, the center of it all. We are still finding answers to the growing list of questions but please know that your father and I are safe. When we have more to tell you, you will hear from us.
Yours Forever,
M”

Harry looked at the small cardstock in his hands, confused yet relieved to read the words ‘safe.’ Even though he knew his parents could take care of themselves, Harry was worried for their safety with each week that he hadn’t heard from them.

“Harry, my boy, what is it?” Professor Dumbledore asked while he stood back up and walked in front of his desk now, hovering in front of Harry. Waiting for an answer.

Harry folded the letter up and put it in his side pouch before answering the headmaster.

“Just a letter from my parents, Professor.”

“Ah,” Dumbledore tried again, attempting some humor. “It looks like you’ve seen a troll, were you given bad news?”

Harry shook his head, offering a polite smile while slipping the message back in its envelope and into his bag.

“No, sir. If you will excuse me, I must be getting back to the common room now.”

“Of course, Harry. Do have a good night.”

“Thank you,” Harry said, swiftly leaving the headmaster’s office and heading down to the dungeons without looking back or taking any detours. He needed to collect himself before answering his parents.

Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk, looking at the phoenix on its perch beside him.

“So they know… Oh Fawkes, how will I eliminate the entire family now?” He muttered, walking around his office and settling in front of his pensive. The phoenix on its perch clicked its beak but otherwise made no movement to make it seem like it was listening to the older wizard.

Chapter Text

“World domination… another war… Mi amor, why do you seem so somber?” Gomez asked his wife while they figured out where they were precisely before beginning their trip back home.

Morticia pursed her lips, mentally going over everything that was discussed before answering.

“Before we collected Harry, I had a vision; it was chaotic and blurred; I couldn’t tell many details. Unlike Maman, I am not as skilled a Seer as she...but I know I saw into the future.”

“Tish! You never doubt yourself!” Gomez stopped walking and pulled his wife close to him, studying her expression with such fierceness burning in his dark eyes.

“Gomez…” Morticia sighed.

“What was this vision then? You’ve never mentioned anything before…” Gomez frowned and waited, no one was near them on the streets to notice them. Not that he would have cared any, but his attention needed to be sharp; focused. He brushed his knuckles along her cheek, his concern growing. Gomez and Morticia never hid their thoughts or feelings around their family, but there were some instances where the situation called for private discussions. October 31st, 1981- no doubt was filled with trials and tribulations, losing James and Lily, the fall of Voldemort, adopting Harry into the family and so many more moments happening afterwards where Morticia and Gomez spoke softly to one another, weighing out all the variables to each possible outcome that they could prepare for. They never considered this possibility- another wizard looking to gain power from their name and from Harry. In their small part of the world, there were no threats, to them or to Harry.

Morticia recalled the vision: “It was three creatures pulling on a single string, fraying it until it separated completely. They loomed over an infant…” She started reciting, “Three shall split the one… Serpent, phoenix, dragon… None can prosper until the scales have been balanced. Death will welcome all who embrace it…”

Gomez stared at his wife, for once, silent.

“Do you remember the promise we made to one another, only a few weeks after having Harry under our roof?” Morticia continued.

Gomez searched his mind and his many years of memories with his family.

“There was something in the news regarding the Yorkshire Ripper that I was excited about over breakfast,” Gomez began to remember.

“We promised,” Morticia began, “that no matter who came to try and dig their claws into him, in his future, or in his family, that we would do whatever was necessary to ensure the safety of Harry and our family.”

Gomez nodded firmly, remembering better as she spoke of that specific conversation.

“We knew dark witches and wizards would be hunting Harry and it was only a matter of time before he would start asking questions about James and Lily. So we made sure to teach him everything we knew to have the best arsenal to defend himself,” she replied.

“We were left alone but were not idle,” Gomez couldn’t help but grin.

“Now he is more powerful than either of us could have hoped. Others have noticed now, so we must keep to our promise. We speak with Harry and give him the choice before someone decides to try and take that choice away.”

“I would love to see the man, woman or beast to try and take advantage of our son!” Gomez said with growing enthusiasm. “So, Querida, where to?”

“I believe we need to make a stop at Godric’s Hollow… Possibly speak with your cousin,” Morticia said, a smile creeping its way back on her crimson lips. “En face de la mort, on comprend mieux la vie.”

“Oh Tish… That’s French…” The look in Gomez’s eyes darken with lustful desire, pulling Morticia up against him, kissing her hand and up her arm before their lips joined. They take a moment of entanglement with one another, getting swept up in each other’s arms before simultaneously disapparated with a POP, leaving the street empty where they stood seconds ago.

-

“Sir, I spoke with them, just as you requested,” Miranda approached after standing just in the doorway of a small room. A high-backed chair sat facing a slow burning hearth with no other lights or signs of life could be seen to the naked eye. The crackling of the firewood was all that was heard before the witch spoke and only what was heard after for a moment.

“And?” A soft yet firm, male voice came from the chair. Still, no movement from within the room but Miranda loitering at the entrance.

“They have no allegiance with the other two. There is still hope…”

A hand grasps the arm of the chair, the form shifting in the firelight to look at Miranda directly.

“Do not speak to me of hope. We need them, we need dear, darling Harry to come to us, willingly and on his own volition, or this will not work. We will not be successful otherwise,” He says seductively.

Miranda nods and shifts the weight on her feet, silent as the man keeps his gaze on her.

“What… What will you do?” She tentatively asks.

There is a faint hum from the man as he grins, his eyes and teeth reflecting the flames in the fire.

“Me? I do not plan to leave this room... But you will deliver a message that will make it to young Mister Addams at Hogwarts.”

“Of course, Sir.”

An envelope is pulled out of thin air and into his hands, fingers touching the name addressed on its’ front. Miranda takes a step closer, hand reaching out to take the envelope slowly.

“It is only to be opened by Harry. I will know if it doesn’t reach him, Miranda. Is that understood?”

“Crystal clear, Mister Grindlewald.”

The man nods and leans back in his chair, dismissing Miranda to go do what she was instructed to do. Shutting the door behind her, Miranda gazed at the letter that was to make it to the magical school without any tampering.

Mister Harry Lońan Addams

-

For the next few days, all anyone could discuss was the message in blood on the walls and Mrs. Norris’ current condition: petrified not dead. Theories and rumors traveled through the school like wildfire, bouncing from student to student, even the professors were privy to the murmuring. One part of this entire mess was the wording on the walls, the chamber in question. No one knew about it when he had asked, and no professor would entertain the curiosity of wanting to know more about such a dark subject.

Harry had one more professor to ask, and in the middle of his History of Magic class, he raised his hand and took the chance he was waiting for.

“Yes, Mister Addams,” Professor Binns called out, glancing at the distant look on the other students’ faces. Some perked up when Harry had raised his hand, others stared out the large windows to find something, anything, to entertain themselves during the lecture.

“Forgive me for the interruption, but I was hoping you would be able to tell us more about a certain part of this school?”

“Yes?” The spectre questioned.

“Could you tell us about the Chamber of Secrets?” Harry asked flatly. No need to beat around the bush, so to speak.

The look on the professor's face was if someone had slapped him or offended his family.

“Mister Addams, I teach the History of Magic, not of fictional legends.”

“But aren’t all legends based on fact, Professor?”

Harry turned to see the wild-haired Gryffindor speaking up now. The students were all paying attention now, hoping to hear something new that no one else in the school would discuss. The ghost sighed after seeing that his students were finally paying attention to something he would be telling them.

“Very well, Miss Granger,” Binns started. “You are all aware that this school was founded by four of the most powerful witches and wizards of their time over a thousand years ago. Those four are the same who hold the names of your houses. Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. The castle was created to be a haven for witches and wizards from the dangers of Muggles, for at that time, death was the only option for a witch or wizard who was found out by the non-magical.

“As they brought students who displayed magic to the school, educating them how to use their magic, the founders started to have disagreements. The most known of the disagreements was between Salazar and the others regarding the selectiveness of the students that were being taught at Hogwarts. A rift grew between the four, and according to many books on the subject, this pushed Salazar out of the school.

“But what about the Chamber, Professor?” Another Gryffindor piped up.

A glare was sent to the student who interrupted Binns in his off-topic lecture. Harry smirked to himself, knowing that very few could interrupt the professor and not have any consequences. Especially when none of the other students put in any effort towards the class. Harry especially didn’t blame the professor for the annoyance that he conveyed as he was talking about something not in the curriculum which had all of the young witch and wizards’ full attention.

“It has been said, with little evidence to support it, that Salazar had created a secret space, a chamber, that none of the other founders knew about. When he was pushed out from this school, legend says Salazar sealed up that very chamber. Upon his departure, Salazar was said that only his true heir would be able to open the Chamber of Secrets and to unleash what awaits inside the chamber itself. No one knew where there was this secret chamber, and to this day, there hasn’t been any room or space in Hogwarts that hasn’t already been explored and documented.” Binns finished.

Silence hung over the classroom, processing what was just given to them. With no other interruptions, Binns turned his back to go back to his lesson.

“But Professor,” another Gryffindor, feeling bold, spoke up. “What is supposed to be waiting in the Chamber?”

Professor Binns turned back around to look at his class, all leaning in closer to him, on the edge of their seats in anticipation. He sighed again.

“Legend states that there was a beast within the Chamber of Secrets that would purge the school of all un-pure students. Meaning, all students that were not from purely magical families, would be targets and would face its wrath. Only the heir of Slytherin himself would be able to control this beast, to have it do their bidding, attack whomever they deemed unworthy.” Binns noticed the uneasiness of the students’ faces as he continued. “Again, there has never been any discoveries of a secret chamber and no secret beasts that lurked within the castle. Countless searches with headmasters and teachers that all have ended with no results. Only the impressionable would believe such a story. Now, if we can get on with the rest of the lesson, I will consider not keeping you later to make up for the time that was spent discussing such a ridiculous topic.”

The class groaned, the attention that was being held solely on the topic of the Chamber dissipated. It didn’t stop the soft whispers that continued as the lesson went on. Harry only paid half attention to the lesson, unable to completely focus as he heard the others continuing their discussion regardless of the lecture returning to normal.

“But only the heir of Slytherin could open it, even Dumbledore couldn’t have found it, right?”

“It has to be a Slytherin- the heir.”

“If that’s true, then one of the students in Hogwarts right now is the heir of Salazar Slytherin.”

“It said on the wall that the chamber was opened, so is that beast loose in the school now?”

“Was it the beast who wrote that message?”

“No- the beast did that to Mrs. Norris, right?”

The back and forth from all the students grew louder the more animated the further they went on. The thought that the beast that was dormant in the chamber, if the stories were true, has been woken up by the heir of Slytherin, and is loose in the castle tickled something dark in Harry. Figuring out who the heir was and finding out if there actually is a beast loose in the school right now raised the anxiety of the classroom. Harry ignored the questions that his classmates threw back and forth to one another, all being rather small-minded or simple.

“That is enough!” Binns snapped, finally putting his metaphorical foot down to the class to regain their attention. “There is no chamber. There is no ancient beast that lives in the castle. It is a myth! If one more student in this classroom brings up anything regarding this unfounded subject, they will be receiving detention. Is that understood?”

The class all nodded, in disbelief that the history professor had snapped and even threatened detention. The remaining time in class kept its focus on the topic that Professor Binns was talking about, with a bit more sharpness to his words until the class was let out.

Harry walked beside his housemates, mulling over what was discussed, even briefly, in class. Thankful that it was a Friday and they only had one other class for the day, Harry walked with his friends to one of the study halls instead of their common room before lunch would start. Might as well be productive before the winter holiday comes.

“Harry?” Daphne asked after most of the other students in the halls had gone their separate ways.

“Hm?”

“You’re thinking about finding the Chamber, aren’t you?” Blaise all but groaned.

Harry turned to look at the others, bright emerald eyes shining. Mischievous and planning five steps ahead.

“That voice? The one that I, no- that we followed all the way from the dungeons up to the bloody message on the wall?… It is connected to the Chamber. I plan to speak with that voice again and find out where it has been hiding all these years.”

The group all stared at Harry as if he had gone mad. As an Addams, someone is never too young to be brought over the edge to insanity. Unfortunately for Harry, he was still completely sane.

“We need to talk about that, by the way,” Draco huffed.

“Talk about what, darling?” Harry’s eyes lingered on the blond before he turned back around and started walking again, knowing the others would follow and keep up with their conversation.

“What happened that day before we found that message-!” Draco whispered harshly, grabbing Harry just above his elbow to pull him back to be surrounded by the others.

“It isn’t normal for anyone to hear voices, Harry,” Daphne whispered.

“Why are you behaving like this?” Harry rolled his eyes.

“Dark wizards have gone mad, claiming to have heard voices no one else could hear… If you are hearing a voice, you might be…” Theo said softly, not as harsh even if they all spoke in a hushed tone.

“Listen to me,” Harry straightened his shoulders, his voice less playful now. “I am not afraid of what I heard. Plus I have quite some time before I even consider going crazy.” He pauses for effect, staring into each set of eyes that stared back into his. “I have come from old magic, that has existed even before there was light and dark- Before good or bad witches and wizards… For you to assume that I would be so weak to have something like this affect me so, it wounds me… Not in a way that I enjoy.”

The four either had nothing to say or were gobsmacked at the declaration.

“I do not need any of you to join me,” Harry said definitively before taking Draco’s hand off his arm and walking away leaving the rest of his classmates behind him.

They exchanged quick glances with one another while Harry made his way down the hall. A mute standstill ending once Draco rolled his eyes and led the others down the hall to where Harry had already been, catching up after some shuffling. Daphne wrapped an arm around Harry’s and brightly started talking as if nothing had happened while they all made their way to the desired hall.

In a passing hallway stood Professor Lockhart pressed against the wall, eavesdropping on the students' not-so-private conversation. A diabolical grin growing on his lips, walking in the opposite direction, suddenly needing something from another part of the castle.

Chapter Text

Harry sat in the Great Hall, one of the first to sit down at the long, wooden table that quiet morning. The others had been late to wake up and Harry had a feeling he needed to be here and not wait for his friends. A cup and saucer appeared in front of Harry while he started to put jam and butter on some toast before it filled up with an amber liquid. Finishing preparing his plate, Harry took the glass in hand and sipped it, smiling to himself before reaching into his hip satchel and summoned a small vial out of it, pouring some of the contents into the hot liquid.

“Don’t let any of the professors see you doing that, Harry,” a soft voice said from in front of Harry. Looking up from his tea, Harry locked eyes with a wide-eyed Gryffindor.

“I’ll keep that in mind, thank you, Neville. It’s just a bit of Conium Maculatum.”

Neville’s eyes somehow got even bigger at the admission.

“You… you’re adding in Hemlock to your tea? But that’s poisonous!”

Harry shrugged and put the cup to his lips and smiled before sipping it. “It adds a little bit of a kick. We add stronger herbs to our tea and coffee back home. If you ever want to talk more about it, you are welcome to seek me out.”

The other student took a moment to process what Harry was telling him before more students started to trickle into the Great Hall.

“I’ll keep that in mind... Enjoy your breakfast,” Neville ended up saying while his housemates called out his name to get his attention. Harry nodded before Nevile went to sit with the other Gryffindor students.

Harry went back to his breakfast and pulled out just one of the many books he had brought from home from his satchel while waiting for his own friends to join him at the table and hoping that there would be an owl that would deliver something to him too. Harry was well through half of his breakfast before Draco and the others sat down around him.

“Morning, Harry. You’re up early,” Theo said while grabbing some orange juice.

Harry set his book down once he marked his place and looked at his friends, about to return the greeting when flocks of owls flew into the Great Hall, dropping letters and parcels onto the tables for the students. His attention stolen, Harry looked up to the birds soaring above them all.

“Are you expecting something?” Draco questioned.

“Hoping would be more accurate, Draco,” Harry said, not looking at anyone in particular as the others exchanged glances. He half hoped to receive another letter from his parents, or even something from his godfather. Harry hadn’t heard anything from Sirius nor from anyone back home since Halloween. Something had been keeping any correspondences from Harry and he was going to figure out who or what that was.

“So what are you hoping to receive? Early Christmas gifts, maybe?” Daphne said with excitement. “I can’t wait to see what your family gives you this year. Would be better than anything my parents get me.”

“You sound a bit ungrateful, Daph,” Blaise said before taking a bite of sausage.

“I am not ungrateful! Harry’s family just are more fun than mine, is all. Nothing wrong with that,” She retorted with a pout.

“More fun? You’re mental,” Theo muttered.

“No, I’m not waiting for early gifts for Christmas, Daphne.” Harry said to the witch and offered a faint smile, “But I have gifts to give you all that I will be excited to see you open... I’ll be staying here for the holiday again, if what I think is happening with my parents is actually happening.”

“Ominous…” Draco said with a bit of cheek. “So what are you hoping for?” He tried the same question again and to held back from asking about Harry’s parents when out in the open and not in their dormitory in the dungeon. Harry may not be afraid to be who he is but he also didn’t like to speard information that not everyone needed to know.

Harry’s gaze drifted to the blond’s before back up to the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall.

“Another letter from my parents…” Harry sighed. “Or from anyone.”

Both the castle owls and visiting owls dropped off all they had before leaving the students and staff to their deliveries. The chatter in the Great Hall grew louder than normal for being so early in the day. Nothing was delivered to Harry, no sign of Hecate or any familiar from back home. The Slytherin students around him offered Harry a gentle look.

“Maybe there is a delay? You know how some owls can get distracted-,” Blaise tried before being cut off.

“Those Weasley’s have a wonky bird,” Theo interjected while pointing to the group of redheads at the table beside them.”Maybe the letter from your parents is being carried by a bird like that?”

“So what if they do, Theo?” Daphne huffed.

“It isn’t the birds’ fault who their owner is,” Harry said without any bite in his words.

“Alright… Have you spoken to Professor Dumbledore about it? Maybe he knows something?” Daphne asked, trying to be more helpful.

Harry shook his head. “I want to try one more method of reaching someone before I speak to any of the professors.” Not that he wanted to talk to the headmaster about the lack of communication with his family. Headmaster Dumbledore would be one of the last people he would want to talk about his parents to, along with Professor Lockhart.

Draco watched Harry as he finished his tea and toast as the owls flew back out of the hall. He couldn’t put his finger on it but he knew something else was going on in that dark and twisted mind of the young Addams. The group finished their breakfast without any other mention of what Harry was waiting for or anything related to his parents before heading off to their first class.

The Slytherins walked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts class along with the other Griffindors, going to their assigned seats and waited for the self centered professor to come out of his office and start the class.

There were whispers all around Harry, mostly from the other students not in his house. Harry was keen on ignoring them, something he did regularly when around certain students or in specific classes but Draco looked over his shoulder and at the other students and glared at them.

“You lot better shut your mouths before Lockhart comes in or I’ll -,” Draco all but growled but was cut off.

“Or what, Malfoy? Going to tell your father about it?” The Weasley in their class, Ronald, scoffed, got out of his seat and walked over to stand in front of Draco, crossing his arms.

Draco was out of his seat and chest to chest with Ron in seconds, causing other students to get out of their seats and surround the two wizards, ready for a fight.

“Draco just ignore them,” Blaise said, keeping an eye on the office door where Lockhart was to be coming out of any second.

“Listen to your minion, Malfoy,” Ron smirked while the frizzy haired witch pulled on his arm to bring him back to his seat.

“Don’t instigate, Ronald,” Hermione scolded.

“Now now, everyone! Back to your seats!” Came the sing-song voice of their professor, leaning over the stair banister and watching the students with a smug grin.

Draco rolled his eyes and went back to sitting beside Harry and the others found their seats once more before looking at the professor and waiting for their lesson to begin.

“Save that energy for the new club the professors all agreed you should be encouraged to attend after lunch today.”

“What club, professor?” Hermione asked.

“Excellent question, Miss Granger. We have put together our great minds and decided that a Dueling Club would be beneficial to you students,” Lockhart explained while descending the stairs and to his desk at the front of the class. A wave of excited whispers and conversations boomed at the mention of the newly created club.

“We can talk more about it after lunch, so I expect you all to show up and can get an extra five points on their next exam!”

Harry ignored the professor, not needing to learn about the school's version of dueling when he was trained in many forms of offensive and defensive magic along with fencing and basic hand-to-hand fighting. He pulled out a different book than their class textbook to read when an charmed origami crane landed between him and the book. Looking up and around to see who sent the paper bird, no one was watching him but all focused on the readings from Lockhart’s textbook that the professor himself was reciting to the class.

Delicately Harry unfolded the crane to see what was inside:

“I can handle them so you don’t have to pay them any attention. Here for whatever you need, Harry.”

Harry read the unsigned message a few times before re-folding it back up and tucking it into his bag and went back to his reading, smiling to himself. The note may not have been signed but Harry knew the penmanship of who wrote the note and that made all the difference for Harry. The flame within the darkness inside Harry grew just a bit more and that is all he could focus on as the class went on around him. Maybe he did have a knight in shining armor, Harry mused, losing all interest in the lesson and continued to fall into a rare daydream.

“Harry?”

Harry looked up from his book and saw his friends all looking at him, no one else in the room anymore.

“You feeling alright, mate?” Theo asked.

“Yes, I’m fine, Theodore,” Harry said after a moment of reorienting himself then started to put his things away.

“If you say so… You were zoned out all class so we weren’t sure if those Gryffindorks got to you,” Blaise said in a light tone to keep any uneasiness out of his voice, leaning against the desk beside Harry.

“No, those close-minded people did not “get to me” as you put it. Just have a few more important things that have my attention right now,” Harry said, standing up and looking at his friends. His green eyes landed on the blond who wasn’t participating in the conversation. Draco’s mood was still sour from the beginning of the class, scowling while looking out the classroom door, not looking back at Harry.

“Let’s get to History of Magic. Least we have the Ravenclaws who can keep up with the subject,” Daphne said while dragging Draco out of the room, Theo and Blaise following them and leaving Harry to pull up the rear.

“Oh! Harry! So glad you are still here. Could you stay behind for a moment? I had a few questions for you, will only take a moment,” Professor Lockhart said, coming back out of his office and standing at the top of the stairs.

Harry looked at the older wizard and at Blaise who stood in the doorway while everyone else was in the hall.

“It’s fine, I’ll meet up with you in a few minutes,” Harry said. The taller boy nodded and walked out of the doorway, presumably to get everyone on their way to their next class.

Harry waited until his classmates were gone before turning and heading to the stairs that lead up to the Defense Against the Dark Arts office. Professor Lockhart walked into the office first and Harry followed, the door shutting on its own as Lockhart sat behind his desk, portraits of himself surrounding the desk.

“What did you have questions regarding, Professor? I do have History of Magic after this class so I can’t be late…”

“Oh don’t worry Harry, if needed I can write a tardy note for you to excuse you. Please have a seat,” Lockhart grinned, gesturing to the lush chair on the other side of his desk.

Harry looked at the shut door behind him then back at the professor before moving to sit. Noticing the grin of the professor’s perfectly shaped teeth was strained. Something was going on.

“I was asked to speak with you, Harry.”

“By who?” Harry asked from his seated position.

“Well by Headmaster Dumbledore, of course. He has great concerns for you and since you are well… he said you were avoiding him, but since we are closer,” Lockhart said, chuckling to himself with forced amusement. “He wanted me to pull you aside to talk to you about a few things...” Lockhart stood back up from his desk chair.

Out of the blue, a voice Harry hadn’t heard in a few weeks filled his head. His body stilling, holding his breath.

“...Must…Kill…”

“I’m sorry professor but I really do hate being late,” Harry said, pushing to stand.

“You are not excused, Harry.” Lockhart’s voice got an octave deeper, the smile, Lockhart’s mask, faltered. “You will be permitted to leave once we finish our discussion.”

Harry knew he had to leave, or the reptile would strike again. He was beginning to regret telling the others to go on without him.

“Professor Lockhart…” Harry started.

“Sit. Down,” The older wizard said firmly, walking around the desk and almost looming over Harry as he sat back down. “Very good, thank you for listening, Harry. I do wish for us to be able to talk like friends about all of the misconceptions that seem to be going on right now. So you will answer my questions and you will be able to leave once you do.”

Harry didn’t think the man in front of him was capable or smart enough to be so deceiving. Harry underestimated his professor. A mistake that would not be happening again. Furrowing his brows, Harry leaned back slightly in the chair to try and put a little bit more distance between the two of them since he wasn’t allowed to move.

“Ah, you’ve figured it out. I can see it on your face. Good that will make this easier.” Professor Lockhart pulled out his wand and pointed it right at Harry’s head, nearly touching where there was the faintest scar. “Do me a favor and don’t scream,” Lockhart said and cleared his voice.

The next words from the teacher’s mouth were not what Harry expected to hear. His grip on the bag in his hand tightened but his eyes were locked with Lockharts’.

-

Godric’s Hollow

Apparating to an outer street of Godric’s Hollow, Gomez and Morticia walked out from the shadows and towards the center of the quiet village to the church and neighboring graveyard. There was a passing witch or wizard in the street but they were paying no mind to the two sudden outsiders.

Before reaching their destination, Gomez and Morticia stopped in front of a half-destroyed home.

“It’s been twelve years since we have been here. Not one thing has changed,” Morticia contemplated.

“It’s enchanting! Cousin James’ home is like their own museum of death. Not one thing has been changed or repaired,” Gomez said, pointing to the hole in the roof of the Potter cottage. “A bit curious why no one has snatched up this gem in the twelve years since they died…”

“Come, mon trésor,” Morticia said, guiding her husband away from the preserved cottage and towards their desired destination.

Gomez gasped while taking Morticia’s arm and kissing it, “Oh Tish… when you speak like that… Drives me wild.” Morticia simply smiled at her husband while they walked, not needing to pay much attention, knowing Gomez would bring them to the graveyard where his cousin was buried.

Godric’s Hollow Cemetery was quaint with no living visitors in sight. Walking through the rows of tombstones and grave markers, Morticia read the names of the deceased before finding the polished stone with both James and Lily’s names engraved on it.

“Here, Gomez darling.”

He appeared beside his wife in seconds, dark eyes locked on the gravestone with his cousins’ name on it. “Let’s see what they have to say,” Gomez said, holding out his hand in front of him.

“Ab incunabulis ad mortem
Et e novo fiant tenebrae
Oriri ex tumulo
loquere et dic veritatem tuam, James Potter.”

Morticia watched her husband work, silent; Gomez hasn’t practiced necromancy in nearly a decade. For whatever reason as to why, he never mentioned it to Morticia. It wasn’t something that was of concern, Morticia knew that her husband had a unique way of doing things and he would never hide anything from her. Not intentionally.

Nothing changed for a moment before Gomez dropped his hand back to his side and pulled the taller witch closer to him in waiting. Another moment passed before a gust of wind blew past them. A mist creeped into the cemetery and swirled around the grave where they both stood before a form shimmered into existence. The specter of James Potter. Gomez smiled brightly once his cousin was visible.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, cousin!”

“Gomez Addams..?” James’ voice was weary and just above a whisper.

“We hope you have been resting comfortably all these years,” Morticia said gently.

“How is this happening? Why…?” James asked, taking in his surroundings.

“Long story short, old man, is that you and your lovely Lily have been dead for twelve years after Peter betrayed you for Voldemort, we took Harry in as one of our own and he is doing magnificently back in America. Happy, healthy and blooming into quite the viper. Now he is in his second year at Hogwarts. Voldemort was defeated but someone is trying to bring him back and Albus Dumbledore has his own plan that we don’t trust. Lastly we have a new player that is trying to rise to power and all three of these men want Harry, who is key to winning the war that will be happening in the near future.” Gomez spoke with a sudden eerie calm, the smile on his face disappearing.

The translucent form of James looked at the living couple with a frown.

“We wanted to speak to you, if you have a moment and weren’t too busy? This method was quicker than performing a séance, you understand,” Morticia further explained.

“You think… I’m busy? I’m dead. That’s ridiculous,” James shook his head. A moment passed after absorbing the information that was just put on him. “What did you need to ask?”

“If you say so…” Gomez took a deep breath before precisely going over what was going on and explaining in more detail about the third party that is interested in Harry, all of the issues that have been caught and what has happened since his death. The three continued to speak for a long time before the wind began to pick up again.

“The spell is nearly spent,” Morticia said softly to her husband, noting how the street lights were on and it was hours since their initial arrival.

“Before I go back… Is Harry happy? Do you have a photo of him?” James asked, his attention pulled from the previous subject that was being discussed.

Morticia nodded and pulled out a small purse out of thin air before holding out a photo of Harry to show the ghost.

“Proud doesn’t even cover the emotions we have for him, James. He is so strong and intelligent. Caring and devious…” Morticia said with a smile as she spoke about her eldest.

“He looks like Lily and I… but also like you two…” James commented while looking back at the Addams’. “Does he know about me and Lily?”

Gomez nodded.

“We made sure he knew where he came from, our family tree and all relations. I wouldn’t be surprised if he came here to visit eventually.”

“Thank you for clearing up those things for us. If we have any more questions we will come back. Otherwise I will reach beyond the veil as I usually would with my crystal ball back home,” Morticia said.

“Sure thing. Not going anywhere,” James joked. “Thank you for taking him in. I would roll over in my grave if he was put with Lily’s muggle family. Dreadful people, honestly.”

“Wretched. Not in the good way at all,” Gomez agreed.

“Rest easy, James.” Morticia said before Gomez raised his hand once more and said in a hushed tone:

“Te dimittam
Redi ad somnum tuum aeternum.”

With the wind, James’ specter disappeared leaving Morticia and Gomez alone in the dimly lit cemetery. Taking her hand, Gomez led his wife out of the rows of headstones and memorial tombs and back out to the street. They had more work to do before speaking to Harry. But they had more information than before and that was in the right direction.

______________________________________________________________
Translations:
Mon Trésor = my treasure (French)

Summoning Necromancer Spell (Latin)
“Ab incunabulis ad mortem (from the cradle to death)
Et e novo fiant tenebrae (and the darkness be made anew)
Oriri ex tumulo (rise from your grave)
loquere et dic veritatem tuam, James.” (speak and tell us your truth ____)

Te dimittam (I release thee)
Redi ad somnum tuum aeternum (Return to your eternal sleep)

Chapter Text

Harry sat fixed to a chair in the Defense Against the Dark Arts office, facing the end of Lockharts’ wand. Just as the older wizard opened his mouth, Harry quickly spoke, throwing him off his train of thought.

“Is it wise to torture a student, Professor? Not saying it would be my first time, but still... Not the best plan,” Harry commented.

“This won't be torture, Harry, not for me at least. I simply need information and if you don’t cooperate…” Lockhart’s intense gaze was met with a chilly grin. “I’ve been given special permission from the headmaster to do what is needed to get the truth. I’m sure that a sharp mind like yours can connect the dots.”

What truth could the headmaster be in search of that he believed Harry had the answers? He hasn’t spoken to anyone outside of the castle, not heard from his godfather or siblings. Only recently Harry had received the letter from his parents but even that didn’t have a lot of information to tell Harry. So what could the bigger picture be, he contemplated. Harry took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. Whatever Dumbledore wanted, whatever he wanted to pull out of Harry, must have been important enough to use any and all ways to achieve his goal. All while not getting his own hands dirty. Very clever, Harry had to admit. But he had dealt with much worse back home from Wednesday than even the darkest ideas that this false professor could conjure.

“Do your worst, Professor.”

-

History of Magic dragged for both the Ravenclaw and the Slytherin students. There were a few initial whispers as to where the young Addams wizard was but the lesson proceeded as usual. Soft snores from half the class were all that was heard along with the monotonous voice of Professor Binns. Draco and the others weren’t paying any attention to the lesson, exchanging worried looks while glancing at the empty desk where Harry would normally sit. The class finally ended, the four Slytherin students nearly running out of the room.

“Do you think he’s still talking with Professor Lockhart?” Blaise asked as Draco took point in leading the group.

“I have no idea… We can check there first,” Draco frowned.

“Harry wouldn’t skip class. He loves History of Magic. Probably the only one besides Granger who does like most of our classes…” Theo said while looking around them to see if anyone else was close by to hear their conversation. Luckily no one was paying the four any mind as they made their way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

“Harry?” Daphne called out as they walked into the empty classroom. There was no reply.

Draco looked around the room to see if any of Harry’s things were left out, finding nothing. Looking up the stairs that Lockhart would often greet the students at the beginning of class, he noticed that the office door was shut.

“Someone keep lookout at the door,” Draco whispered as he climbed the stone steps, keeping close to the wall to not immediately be noticed from inside the room.

Draco tried to position himself in a way that he could notice any movement without being seen himself but the office was empty and no one was inside. Not from what he could see.

“Well?” Blaise called out from the bottom of the stairs.

“It’s empty… Harry isn’t here.”

“Do we tell Professor Snape? We don’t have anything scheduled right now…” Daphne asked from the classroom doorway.

“Let’s check the common room before going to him. Maybe Harry went back to his room?” Blaise suggested as Draco walked down the stairs and looked at his friends.

Draco nodded and walked out of the classroom to head down to the dungeons and to the Slytherin common room to see if their friend was there before raising any alarms with the adults.

“He’s okay, Draco,” Daphne said softly while they walked.

“Of course he is,” Draco snapped. Draco wouldn’t entertain the idea that something bad could have happened to Harry. He was smarter than that. To be lured into a trap or to a situation where we couldn’t outwit his opponent. That wasn’t something his Harry would do.

They gave the password for the common room and quickly split up looking around for Harry.

“Anything?” Theo called out after they all met back by the fireplace where they usually sat and did homework.

“He wasn’t in his room or the bathrooms,” Blaise shook their head.

“I asked around and no one has seen him since breakfast,” Daphne said. “Where is he…?” She bit her lip with worry.

“We’ll figure out where he went, Daph, don’t worry,” Theo pulled her into a hug.

Looking around the room, Draco went through the list of spots he knew Harry would go to when not in class, considering he may have skipped class after talking with their professor. It was unlikely but not a completely unthinkable idea.

“We can check the study hall and the library,” Blaise suggested after a few moments of their own deliberating.

“I’ll go and speak with Professor Snape, you three check there and even by the Great Lake,” Draco instructed before they split up and left the common room. Before Draco left, he went back to Harry’s room to see if his “special” cloak was still there or if it too was missing. If it was gone, then Harry didn’t want to be found. It was Draco’s last hope before speaking to his godfather.

-

“So your plan was to use Gilderoy to get information out of young Mister Addams?” Professor McGonnagal asked the headmaster sitting behind his desk, watching her through the half-moon spectacles on his face.

“It is one of the many plans I have in motion, Minerva. Why do you sound displeased?”

The head of Gryffindor paced the circular office.

“Are we doing the right thing, Albus? He’s twelve. What harm can Harry even be to us?”

“He is the key to keeping Voldemort gone. After all, the sooner we dispose of the boy, the sooner we take care of what lies within him.”

Minerva stopped where she was to look at the older wizard.

“What are you talking about, Albus?”

“Can you not sense it? The darkness within him,” Dumbledore said, standing up. “Even if he was raised in another country, unaware of the evil piece of soul that lays dormant inside him, Harry is still a threat and needs to be dealt with.”

“Albus he is just a boy,” Minerva said, second guessing everything she had believed she was doing up until now. “We can teach him good and light magic. Cleanse him of whatever remnants Voldemort may have left behind from twelve years ago. We don’t have to- to kill him!”

“The only way to handle this is to remove him from the picture. He has already shown his skill and power is beyond his years. That is what I have Gilderoy doing right now. Sooner this is done, the better. The petrifications will cease and history will not repeat itself.”

Minerva shook her head; “There has to be another way. Speak with Severus, see what he can do, at least!”

The elder wizard just shook his head while looking at the phoenix beside his desk.

“We will keep the Dark Lord gone by taking out all connections to him. Not even Severus knows of my plan regarding Harry. You will not tell this to him, Minerva,” Dumbledore said calmly to the witch.

“I will not let you kill an innocent child, no matter what lies within him. I’m sorry Albus,” Minerva said before shaking her head and leaving the office.

Dumbledore hummed and stoked the plumage on Fawkes.

“Let’s see how successful Gilderoy is with his task… We can continue as planned without Minerva, right Fawkes?” The involvement of the Transfiguration professor wasn’t detrimental to the grand plan, Dumbledore mused while walking to sit back down at his desk. There were plenty of cards at play that he could use against his opponent, but he was patient and could wait to see what was the outcome of Lockhart’s interrogation.

-

Lockhart puffed while throwing his cloak onto his desk, anger and frustration radiating off of him. It had been an hour since separating the boy from his friends and the headmaster had ensured that this would be an easy task. Extract some information from the boy and wipe his mind so he would be none the wiser to the scheme that the headmaster had planned. Lockhart had thrown every spell, hex and curse at the young Slytherin but it barely did any damage. Even going as far to physically harm the younger wizard to get the information out of him was unsuccessful. His magic wasn’t dark magic, somehow he was at a disadvantage. Harry had laughed at a point as well. If he hadn’t warded the office after asking Harry to stay, anyone could have just waltzed into the office. Not something that the professor needed in that instant.

“Professor, is this your first time? I could offer suggestions…” Harry feigned concern. “Maybe some pointers… I have a book, Torture 101, back in my room that could help you-.”

“ENOUGH!” Lockhart snapped loudly. “I’ve had enough of your silly little comments. Answer my question, Addams!”

“Could you remind me what you were asking? I seem to have gotten distracted,” Harry said with a yawn.

Lockhart stalked back over to Harry, bracing his hands on each side of Harry’s shoulders and shook him.

“Distracted? Is this a game?” The older wizard scoffed and carried on with frustration, “My question, Addams, is-.”

With a sudden BANG, the sealed office door burst open, nearly being torn right off its hinges. Standing in the doorway was the head of Slytherin house and Draco behind him.

“Expelliarmus!” Snape shouted, waving his wand at Lockhart and watched the wand fly right out of his hands to the other side of the room. “What exactly are you doing here?” Snape hissed while stalking into the office. Lockhart immediately stepped away from Harry and moved even faster to put distance between him and the other professor.

“Draco, bring Harry to the hospital wing, I will meet you there, do not deviate. Understood?” Snape said over his shoulder, black eyes locked on the Defense Against The Dark Arts professor like a snake ready to strike its’ prey.

“Yes Professor,” Draco said, rushing over to Harry’s side.

“Hello, my dragon,” Harry sighed with a languid smile.

“Let’s get you out of here. Can you move?” Draco asked, looking to see if Harry was tied down to anything but not seeing any bindings.

“Of course,” Harry nodded and stood up. “He tried to bind me to the chair but it didn’t work. I’ve been sitting and waiting to see what he would do,” Harry laughed. “He really isn’t all that clever. Not sure who he killed or double crossed to get this position.”

Draco stared at Harry in disbelief.

“You could have escaped this entire time we have been looking for you all over the castle?”

“Well yes… If I couldn’t take care of myself I would have brought dishonor to the Addams name. But it has been a long time since I was tortured so I went along. Really clears out the cobwebs,” Harry continued while Draco grabbed Harry’s bag and brought him out of the office and towards the infirmary.

After a few minutes of walking, Draco stopped walking and pulled the two of them aside into an alcove. Tossing down the things he was carrying and looking Harry over.

“Draco, I promise, I’m fine,” Harry insisted but didn’t stop the other boy from inspecting him or whatever it was to make him feel better.

“You just said you were being tortured. How are you fine?” The blond snapped back with no bite in his tone. “Why do you look fine?”

“I’ve gotten worse back home from Wednesday… Plus I was healing myself while his back was turned and figuring out new ways to extract information out of me. It was pathetic, really…” Harry shook his head.

“Oh shut up,” Draco abruptly hugged Harry. Without any complaints or witty remarks, Harry wrapped his arms around the other boy and didn’t let go until Draco pulled away first. The line was blurred with who was comforting who.

Harry noticed the hue that the cheeks on the blond had gotten darker again but kept his comments to himself once the two separated back to an acceptable distance. Grabbing his belongings off the floor, Draco held them out to Harry.

“I still have to bring you to see Madame Pomfrey and let Professor Snape speak with you,” Draco reminded Harry, who fixed his appearance and nodded.

“Of course. Lead the way, Draco.”

-

“So we are just supposed to go on like we don’t know what just happened with Harry?” Theo questioned Draco, who gave a look of indifference.

“I was told to act like nothing happened and that Professor Snape had handled it. Whatever that meant,” Draco explained while looking around the crowd to see who else had turned up. The second year students all waited around the long table that was usually covered in food, but now it was covered in a celestial tapestry knotted at the four edges. The general mood of the room was of excitement. To learn how to defend themselves and to use the magic they have been learning in class as theory and applying it to something more physical. Draco hated leaving Harry back in the hospital wing, but he was pushed out by Madame Pomfrey and Snape. He trusted his godfather the most in the castle, possibly more than his parents, but Draco would never admit that.

“Hello everyone! Look at all of you so eager to learn!” A cheery voice called from the other end of the hall. Lockhart. “Thank you all for joining me after your lunches.”

“How is he here? Thought you said that Snape took care of it?” Blaise whispered quickly in Draco’s ear. Draco didn’t have the words to explain what his eyes were seeing.

“With all of the unfortunate attacks, Professor Dumbledore has given me permission to start this club to train you all the basics of dueling! Of course I was kind enough to accept such a task to make sure you all could fend for yourselves if it came to it just as I have. Any questions, you can read the complete published collection of my adventures found in all bookstores. We will go over a few things once my assistant arrives. Only a moment more, I’m sure!” Lockhart said enthusiastically. Some of the students rolled their eyes, mostly the younger wizards while the witches gushed at the Defense professor while he strutted back and forth on the table as if it were a runway.

Footsteps approached the Great Hall where they all were waiting, the anticipation building until black robes billowed in the distance.

“And here he is! Now I do not want any of you to fear, your precious Potions professor will still be in one piece after this club has finished for the afternoon.”

Snape sneered while Lockhart winked and grinned at the students, stepping onto the table and walking right up to the other wizard. To the naked eye, it would seem like Lockhart had not a care in the world, but Draco noticed the slight hesitation as the elder man approached. Draco smirked to himself, pleased that his head of house made an impression on the other professor.

“Watch how we approach one another, students,” Lockhart began. “Note how we both are holding our wands, in two of the common combative positions for duelling with a wand.” The two withdrew their wands and held them in slightly different ways then walking then stopping at the center of the table, spinning and walking away to each end of the table. “On the count of three, Professor Snape and I will cast our first spells.”

Both men took their stances before the count began.

“One… Two… Three!”

As the last number rolled off the tongue of Lockharts’ lips, Snape snapped his wand at the other wizard and shouted: “Expelliarmus!”

Lockhart’s wand flew from his hold and the students gasped and clapped. Quickly one of the witches went for the discarded wand to quickly bring it back to Lockhart. “That, boys and girls, was a perfect first spell to learn when facing an opponent! Expelliarmus is the disarming spell. Rather obvious, Professor, but it was important for the children to see it be demonstrated. Ah, thank you Miss Granger.” Lockhart took his wand from the witch then fixed his hair.

Snape rolled his eyes and surveyed the students around the table, taking in who was in attendance. Noting most of the second years present.

“Why don’t we have two students take a try. Let’s see…” Lockhart said quickly, noting the venomous glare that he was getting from the black haired wizard. “Finnegan, Weasley, how about you two come up and give it a go?”

The two Gryffindors grinned at one another before heading to the end of the table to climb up.

“Weasley’s wand is still broken! He’ll hex someone’s eye out and then it will backfire on himself!” Shouted a Ravenclaw in the crowd.

“Ah, yes, well we wouldn’t want that to cause unnecessary problems…” Lockhart sighed and looked around him.

“Perhaps someone from Slytherin house?” Snape drawled.

“Of course,” Lockhart nodded and hopped off the table as Finnegan climbed up.

“Goyle, get up here.”

The Slytherin handed off what seemed to be a few handfuls of snacks from lunch to his classmate, Crabbe, before quickly getting onto the table on the other end.

“Now boys, we just want to do another demonstration, then you all will pair off to practice disarming one another before we advance into other techniques and so forth. Now approach then return to your spot in position,” Lockhart instructed. Goyle and Finnegan went through the motions and both shouting at the count of three the disarming spell.

“Very good. Off you go and get your wands. Like I said, now pair off and we can get started with the rest of you.”

As the students lined up in pairs, there was a shrill from outside the Great Hall. Everyone stopped talking to see what was going on, Snape and Lockhart heading out of the hall to investigate. The second years all abandoned their spots to follow the two professors out into the hall.

Peeves was flying down the hall, screeching and shouting, “ATTACK! ATTACK! NO ONE IS SAFE!”

The Bloody Baron attempted to get more out of the poltergeist with little success.

“Peeves what is going on?” A student called out.

“GHOST OR LIVING!! WE’RE UNDER ATTACK!” He all but wailed and fled the hall leaving the crowd in confusion.

“Well that was bloody helpful,” Ronald scoffed and laughed with Finnegan. “What a load of rubbish.”

Snape walked down the hall where Peeves came from and stopped abruptly upon seeing the two figures frozen. Students from neighboring classrooms flooded out to see what the commotion was.

“S-Students, everyone go back to the Great Hall. Go, now!” Lockhart called out tentatively as a few of the other professors arrived at the other end of the hall. Even if he tried to mask his fear on his face, one could still hear the fear in Lockhart’s tone. Prefects started to corral the younger students away from the two bodies.

“What is-?” Professor Fitwick asked while pushing through the crowd of students.

“Is he dead?” Ronald blurted out, unmoving from his spot in the hall, ignoring Lockhart and the prefects. His elder siblings came up behind him to look at what was so interesting.

“That’s so rude, Ronald!” Granger smacked his arm.

“How can he be double dead? He’s already dead you twit,” One of the Weasley twins commented back, smacking the younger redhead on the back of the head.

“I meant Justin! Will you quit hitting me!”

Professor Dumbledore arrived and surveyed the problem amongst the chaos with the students, Madame Pomfrey following right behind.

“It seems that another petrification has happened,” Dumbledore said gravely.

“Everyone who is not in a class will return to your dormitories. Detention will be provided to anyone who ignores the instructions,” Snape turned to look at the students behind where he was blocking off the view. Students quickly dispersed in the varying directions, leaving only the professors and headmaster surrounding one Nearly-Headless Nick and Justin Finch-Fletchley.

“Bring them to the hospital wing, Pomona, Poppy if you could be so kind in helping. Yes, thank you,” Dumbledore said, shaking his head and frowning. The other professors went back to their classrooms leaving Lockhart and Snape beside the older wizard.

“If I were out here, there is a counter curse that could have helped these two. A shame, really,” Lockhart sighed with a somber smile.

Snape glared at the blond professor before stalking away, leaving him and the headmaster alone in the hall.

Harry sat reading in his bed while the commotion happened at the center of the castle. He turned the page in silence as hushed discussions grew louder before entering the infirmary. The partition that gave Harry privacy while he followed the strict orders from his Head of House to rest for the remainder of the day kept the rest of the hospital from looking at him. Not that Harry minded a good onlooker, but he was actually a bit tired from the excitement from his “torture” session with Lockhart. He was thankful for the temporary divider but as voices he recognized entered the hospital wing, Harry set his book down and let his focus be diverted, listening.

“Put Sir Nicholas over there and set Mister Finch-Fletchley down on the cot here,” Harry heard Madame Pomfrey instruct the others that she came in with. What had happened to Justin and Sir Nicholas?

“How is this even possible?” Another witch’s voice Harry recognized, Professor Sprout, asked.

“I don’t know, Poppy, but we will be needing those mandrakes of yours to grow quickly. We can’t risk more children. Any more attacks and we may need to send the children home.”

Harry frowned and pulled his legs up to wrap his arms around while waiting for the adults to leave and so he could investigate on his own. If the basilisk had made another attack, it wasn’t as vocal as it was before. Something was different this time and Harry couldn’t put his finger on it. The healing room grew quiet once again and Harry took that as his moment to see if the professors and medi-witch had left. Peering around the temporary divider, his green eyes scanned the dimly lit room with not one adult in the room. Slipping off his cot, Harry made his way to look at the petrified ghost first.

Sir Nicholas was darker with his shades of grey than his usual frosty grey appearance.

“Curious… Suppose no one ever documented what would happen to a ghost when approached by a basilisk…” Harry spoke softly to the petrified ghost. “I am truly sorry that you have to experience this… I’m sure they will all just fuss over Justin because he’s living. But you are as animated as he was when this happened. I’ll figure out what happened…”

Harry took a final look at the spectre that was lingering in the corner of the hospital wing and glanced over his shoulder at his classmate before deciding to return back to his cot to lay down. As his head hit the pillow and black lashes shut over emerald eyes, Harry heard the voice again.

“ ...Soon...She… Will…Die….”

Harry’s eyes snapped back open and sat back up. The voice was so loud. Nearly shouting in his head. No one else was talking in the room he was in, not even in the hallway.

She? Harry slipped on his oxford boots and slipped his bag around his shoulder before slipping out of the infirmary to follow the voice. Once out in the hall, slithering was more noticeably heard.

“...Soon…”

Harry quickened his pace, looking over his shoulder and above him, trying to keep along the piping he had figured out where it ran throughout the castle. Up stairs and turning corners, Harry was silently thanking whatever god that was helping him while he was on the hunt. The slithering lead Harry nearly into one of the doors of the castle; a bathroom on the second floor.

“...SOON…”

Pushing the door open and looking to see if anyone was inside, Harry slipped in silently.

“GO AWAY! Or do you plan to throw another- Oh, hello Harry,” Came the wailing of Myrtle Warren, the ghost who inhabited the girls' lavatory after dying in the very bathroom where Harry stood. All of his classmates would warn one another about avoiding the second floor girls bathroom to have no interactions with the “miserable, moping, Moaning Myrtle.”

“Hello Myrtle. Who were you shouting at just now?” Harry asked gently with a smile.

The teenage ghost sniffled while floating over to where Harry stood. If Harry had to pick a favorite spectre in the castle, he would choose Myrtle in a second.

“Some idiot girl throwing books after trying to flush it down the loo.”

Harry watched the pigtailed ghost, listening to her talk.

“She came in here crying and threw a book at me when I came close to her,” Myrtle quickly grew upset, the wailing beginning again. Harry let Myrtle go off to be on her own, telling himself to visit her the following day as he looked along the floor to see if the book Myrtle was talking about was still around.

Laying in a puddle of a bathroom stall sat a leather bound journal. Harry carefully picked it up and made a face at the poor treatment of the item. He was a firm believer in respecting books and all of your belongings, not letting them be tossed about or discarded.

“I’ll come back tomorrow to check on you Myrtle. I hope that girl doesn’t come back to bother you any more,” Harry called out while wrapping the journal in some disposable towels before slipping out of the room and back to the Hospital Wing. Without being noticed,Harry settled back on his cot where he was to stay until tomorrow only now he held a soggy journal.

Flipping open the wet cover, Harry searched to see if there were any identifiers or names that he could find. If there was a name, he could return the journal and speak to this girl that Myrtle was so upset over. Carding through the wet pages, Harry noted how there was nothing written within the journal, stirring some confusion until he shut the journal and noted a worn out embossing of a name.

T. M. RIDDLE

Chapter Text

As snow fell outside, powdering the castle grounds, the school dimmed the fires throughout the dorms while the students slipped into a sound sleep. Silence made its way through the castle, one that was more comforting than spooky. At least to Harry who was thankful to be back in his own bedroom down in the chilly dungeons and not isolated in the hospital wing where he was exposed.

Harry laid in his bed, staring at the stone ceiling of his dorm unable to drift off to sleep. Even with all of the recent excitement, he had never come across the issue of insomnia. Harry knew his father went through bouts of insomnia that always mixed with his manic episodes. One thing he did learn while observing his father was that being still wouldn’t do his mind any good. Lying about was unproductive, in Harry’s opinion. He needed to fill his time if he were to remain awake.

Slipping from his room, Harry walked out to the dim and silent common room. The glow from the green wall lamps kept the atmosphere but there wasn’t a spectre or student in sight. A table near the hearth held a half-played game of wizard’s chess. Probably a game started by Blaise which he abandoned because no one wanted to lose again to him.

Harry smiled to himself. He never would have thought that he would have such strong connections to his classmates, let alone four solid friendships. Not that he ever had issues socially, but he wasn’t usually approached back home when he went wandering. He was less of a solitary creature, more like a part of a pack or horde the longer he remained a student at Hogwarts.

Deciding to take a walk to the library, Harry made quick work to grab his invisibility cloak before heading out into the dark halls of the dungeon towards the upper levels of the castle. Between the dim glow of the hallway torches and the moonlight beaming in from the windows, Harry didn’t need any charm to light his way. Not that he needed one. A few years ago, Wednesday decided to cast a hex on him to blind him while adding uranium into his food , but it only caused his eyes to sharpen in varying shades of darkness. It also made his eyes glow a bit brighter, which he knew happened when he would feel intense emotion or magical power. Wednesday had quite the tantrum with the overall outcome but Harry enjoyed the side effects that the backfired hex provided.

Pushing the library doors open, Harry pulled off his cloak and set it down on a chair he would be using. Row by row, Harry skimmed the spines of books, looking for something to pass the time. Or even a book he hadn’t already read. Stepping over the rope that divided the Restricted Section from the rest of the library, Harry continued his search for new reading material. Eyes skimming over the tome titled “Secrets of the Darkest Art” and various other similar books near it, causing Harry to only walk a bit further before he circled back to the book written by Owle Bullock and pulled it from where it rested on the shelf.

Separating the chain from the book, Harry walked back over to the chair that his cloak sat upon, seating himself while he started flipping through the first few pages. He didn’t plan on remaining in the library all night, only enough to pass the time so he can head back down to his dormitory and get some rest.

Hours pass in silence as Harry read his way through the dark and forbidden book. He had only gotten past the first hundred pages before he began re-reading the same page. That was his sign to put the book back and head back to the Slytherin common room. There were only a few hours before the sun rose based on the clock he had passed in his travels from the library. For once, Harry couldn’t recall what he had read, truly marking how tired he was. He would need to go back to the library during regular hours to re-read all he couldn’t recall.

The following day, students enjoyed the fresh snowfall, playing outside between classes. Winter break was creeping in and Harry’s classmates were all talking about heading home, something he knew he couldn’t do. Harry didn’t envy his friends and classmates who went off with their relatives, but he did worry about his own family and what they were going up against while he wasn’t there.

“Harry? Are you listening?” Theo asked while the others all stared at him.

“Forgive me, Theo, what were you discussing?” Harry looked between his friends to see them all still staring. “What?”

“You were muttering about winter break,” Blaise said looking up from his book.

“Was I? That doesn’t sound right.”

“Maybe not. Are you not going home again this year?”

Harry sighed and shook his head. “No, sadly. My parents are doing a lot of travelling around the world and I need to continue with my lessons with Professor Snape.”

“Lessons with Snape? What are you talking about Harry?”

Once more Harry sighed. It was about time that they knew about what he was doing with their professor. So Harry began to explain what he was seeing Snape for, the extra lessons and everything else that has been happening. The three young wizards and witch all gaped at Harry.

“This honestly explains so much now,” Daphne said.

“How does it explain anything, exactly?” Draco scoffed.

“Well, haven’t you noticed that the Headmaster has been more of a shut in than last year? Plus he seems very involved with all the bad things that have been happening recently.”

“Don’t be daft, Daph. He’s our headmaster, he’s supposed to be involved,” Theo shook his head.

“Idiots,” Draco rolled his eyes then looked back at Harry. “I don’t care about winter break. My father always has meetings that keep him away from Mother and I. Annoying, really. We don’t really do anything without him so it just ends up being dull and boring.”

”Dray that isn't the point,” Daphne crossed her arms over her chest. “Harry needs us over the break, right Harry?”

Harry stared at her for a moment then to the others. She had no idea truly how dangerous things could get and she still was willing to stick beside him and do whatever needed to be done. It warmed his chilly heart.

“I wouldn’t say no to your company,” Harry nodded. Even if nothing happened, time with his friends would be good for him. At least that is what the little voice in his head told him while he was cut off from his family.

”Then it’s settled. We all stay with Harry this holiday,” Daphne said definitively. The others nodded in agreement except for Draco, who just stared at the young Addams boy.

“We can write up letters to send back home to let them know we are staying here,” Theo said. The others agreed and prepared for the days’ classes, talking about midterm assignments, leaving Harry’s mind to drift off again. The list of things that Harry had to focus on was ever growing. He needed to go back to the library to grab the book he was reading but it would have to wait until their study time or during one of the other meals of the day.

Reaching into his charmed bag, Harry pulled out the leather journal. The one he found in the girls bathroom. He had kept his promise and went back to speak with Myrtle, talking more about what she had felt and more of where the diary fell into the grand scheme of things. He could sense that magic was embedded within its pages but unsure how it was a magical object. Harry did enjoy speaking with Myrtle, feeling like she could fit right in back home if she were able to leave the castle. But Myrtle also seemed content in her toilet stall.

Pulling out a fountain pen, Harry flipped open the cover and skipped a few pages before he started writing on the water-damaged pages. Nothing of great importance, merely the date and what he had planned to do next, which included going back to the Restricted Section. Once his pen tip lifted off the page, the ink was absorbed and the writing disappeared. Quickly Harry looked around him to see if anyone was paying attention to what he was doing, thankfully no student noticed what Harry saw happen before his eyes.

“There are many enlightening books that are like the one you seek.

Harry had heard of sentient objects, even coming in contact with one directly when being sorted into Slytherin. But such a nondescript leather diary seemed more like a personal project in comparison to the Sorting Hat.

With curiosity getting the better of him, Harry responded to the line of cryptic writing with one of his own.

“How would a diary know about ancient texts?”

The ink disappeared once more and in seconds, a response reappeared.

“I was not always bound to this diary.”

Harry looked around him, at his friend and the rest of the students in the common room for a moment, almost as if he was making sure he wasn’t hallucinating. Not that it would be something he would be against, but right now Harry definitely wanted a clear head. After not seeing anything that sounded any alarms, Harry put his attention back to the sentient diary.

“You are Tom Riddle?” Harry didn’t have to make a large leap. Most people usually put their name in front of their books, journals or diaries. This one wasn’t very different, just that the name was printed on the back cover instead.

“Very clever. Yes, I am Tom M. Riddle, former owner of the diary which we are writing in.”

Something in Harry sparked to life. Excitement lit up his pale features, but Harry quickly masked the emotion so no one would notice the sudden change or put their attention to what Harry was doing.

“How did you end up in the diary? Spell backfiring?”

“That is a story for another time. Who do I have the pleasure in speaking with?”

“Harry Addams, second year Slytherin.” Harry took a chance in hoping Tom would not ask for more information than that.

“A fellow Slytherin. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Harry. I can tell you will be more interesting than the last person who wrote on these pages.”

Harry continued to write in the diary as the others around him worked on course work that needed to be finished. Not realizing it, Draco had been glancing at him on and off, not seeing Harry write in a journal before. Not that he didn’t think that Harry could write his thoughts down but more that he was doing that while out in the open. Draco knew Harry well enough to know that he was private with his thoughts and feelings, only expressing them when asked. It annoyed Draco most of the time but it made it easier to notice when Harry had an emotional outburst, good or bad. He would need to keep a closer eye on Harry, knowing he wouldn’t come out and say what he was writing in that journal, let alone why he seemed so excited about it. No one is ever that excited to write in a journal, at least that is what Draco thought, shaking his head and putting his attention back to his homework that needed to be finished before the next day.

-

“So you were unsuccessful?” Albus pressed from behind his desk, folding his hands in front of him. He didn’t need to raise his voice for Gilderoy to know the deep disappointment that the headmaster felt. The coldness of Albus’ eyes seemed to have deepened over the past year and a half.

“If I had enough time to pull it out of him properly, I would have been successful, Albus,” Gilderoy defended. “Severus and Draco Malfoy were at the door stopping me- I had charmed the office to not have anyone be able to see in. I know for a fact that no one could see in. Albus- Severus knows something is going on…”

Dumbledores’ stare bore into Lockhart, causing the younger professor to shift on his feet like a child being reprimanded before growing silent. His expression was neither pleased nor angered.

“Severus has not shown any indication that he is aware of what we are doing here…” Dumbledore said, finally standing up and circling the desk to approach Gilderoy. “I will give you one more chance, Gilderoy. Do not let any more setbacks happen. If you fail then I will need to take more drastic measures.”

Lockhart nodded before leaving the headmaster’s office to reformulate a plan to collect the information requested from the young Addams. This time without being put in the same situation as before then getting caught and threatened.

Unknown to the Defense professor, McGonagall’s feline form sat in an alcove, her eyes focused as she began to follow Lockhart to see what he was doing.

Lockhart didn’t notice the cat tailing him, so he continued until he turned into the unused girls bathroom that was occupied by Moaning Myrtle. Waiting in the shadows, McGonagall waited until the Defense professor emerged from the bathroom about thirty minutes later. Lockhart looked around as he walked out, giving a fake charming smile to any students who eventually passed him as he then made his way back to his office within the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Transfiguring back into her witch form, McGonagall considered following the other professor into the office to speak with him, to ask him what he was doing in that bathroom, but then it would give away the fact that she was following him based on suspicion not any facts. She preferred to have the facts before any sort of confrontation, best equipped in succeeding, she believed. McGonagall decided that only one other professor would be able to possibly share her suspicions and may know something about Lockharts’ involvement with what Dumbledore is planning along with knowing more about him than what he has let on. With a cleansing breath, the Transfiguration professor began to head down to the dungeons.

“Enter” Snape called out after hearing a knock on his office door.

McGonagall walked into the Potion Master’s office, spotting Snape behind his desk, quill in hand as he graded papers. Making sure the door was securely shut behind her before approaching the other professor.

“Severus,” McGonagall greeted, “Do you have a moment?”

“I have three classes worth of homework that needs to be graded, so, no,” Snape said curtly, not looking up from the parchment he was currently marking up.

“Severus,” McGonagall sighed. “I’m concerned that Albus is up to something that will endanger the students,” she continued and sat in the chair opposite of Snape’s across the large desk he was using.

Snape stopped what he was doing and looked up at McGonagall, eyes suspicious while locking with the concerned expression she had.

“What do you mean?”

“I know you don’t trust Gilderoy, he’s a bumbling fool… But Albus has this twisted plan and they’re working together…”

Snape set his quill down and moved to stand, heading to the small kettle set in the corner of the room and getting two cups ready. He never had company in his office but Snape knew this was going to be a long meeting with the other head of house.

“Start from the beginning, Minerva.”

-

Harry walked out of the library with his friends, turning down the hall and heading back down towards the dungeons. Snow was falling harder outside, so it limited the students to staying inside while the blizzard surrounded the castle.

“Since we all finished our homework and we don’t have anything else to do, want to play a game of chess, Harry?” Blaise asked.

“You just can’t get over the fact that Harry is the only one who can beat you in Wizards Chess, can you?” Theo grinned while nudging the other boy.

“Shut up, Theo,” Blaise said, shoving his friend back, starting a mock fight in the hallway, walking and pushing each other while laughing behind Harry, Daphne and Draco who all were amused by their antics.

“I would happily play another game of chess with you, Blaise, especially if you need a reminder of how to lose,” Harry said over his shoulder at the two boys.

“Here that, Blaise? Harry’s gunna wipe the board with your little chessmen,” Theo said confidently.

Draco rolled his eyes at the two behind him only making Daphne laugh.

“Oh come on, Draco, you know it’s funny,” She said, poking the blonde’s side. Draco swatted her hand away.

“The only thing that’s funny is watching Blaise being put in his place,” Draco said.

“Hey! Who’s side are you on?” Blaise shouted from down the hall, shoving Theo away long enough to catch up to the others.

“No one’s. It isn’t fun when you know the outcome,” Draco sighed.

“Besides Harry, no one can keep up with me,” Blaise said confidently.

“Maybe you should venture outside of the Slytherin house?” Harry suggested.

“You mean, Blaise challenging someone from Ravenclaw or worse, Gryffindor?” Daphne all but gasped. This earned another eye roll from Draco.

“Yes, that is exactly what I am suggesting. Doesn’t Hogwarts have a chess club? We aren’t the best of the best in the whole school, there are other talented students, you know?” Harry asked.

“They do… I mean, there is a club. No one from Slytherin has ever signed up though,” Blaise replied.

Harry frowned.

“Why?” He started before looking at his friends’ faces, “Oh not more of this elite, pureblood, ‘Better than you’ nonsense?”

There was a second of silence between the group, causing Harry to shake his head.

“Absolutely ridiculous, you know that? Back home there isn’t such things.”

“I’m sure there is, you just never noticed,” Draco countered.

“No, there isn’t. My family is old and involved with many other magical communities. I’ve traveled to other countries and interacted with different magical congregations and none hold such standards like you all do here in the UK. It’s very closed-minded for people to think one group of people are better based on blood-status,” Harry said with sharp passion.

“If it bothers you so much, why don’t you sign up?” Draco said with annoyance.

“Maybe I will,” Harry started, giving a hard look at Draco before nearly running into a half-giant who was walking around with something limp dangling in his hands.

“Hello Hagrid,” Harry said, quickly offering a polite smile while looking up at the wild-haired groundskeeper that was shaking off a layer of thick flakes of snow.

“Hello, Harry,” Hagrid smiled, “Sorry fer nearly knockin’ you lot over.”

“No worries, Hagrid,” Harry said, “We were just caught up in a conversation and I wasn’t paying any attention.”

“Harry, you don’t need to explain yourself,” Draco hissed.

“Why are you holding a dead rooster?” Theo blurted out, pointing at the bird being held in Hagrids’ hand by the legs.

“Oh- this is tha second one this term killed.” Hagrid explained, “I have to speak with the headmaster to see if I can put a charm around the pen…”

“Odd that just one was killed, wasn’t it? Any missing, Hagrid?” Harry asked while taking a closer look at the dead rooster at his eye-level. Inspecting the blood-coated feathers carefully with his fingers.

“Missin’? Not that I noticed…’ Hagrid replied.

“What has access to your chickens? I’m sure there are plenty of creatures from the Forbidden Forest who would take a chicken or rooster as a snack,” Harry began to think of what could have harmed the birds that were kept by Hagrid.

“Er- Foxes, maybe… There are a few magical animals who could ‘ave done it,” Hagrid said.

“Of course you’re interested in the dead bird. That’s totally gross,” came the snide remark from behind the group of Slytherins. Turning around, the five looked at a mixed group of students.

“‘Ello, Ron… ‘Ermione,” Hagrid said, smiling at the two Gryffindors and waving at the other students.

“Shove off, Weasley,” Blaise snapped.

“It is curious why Hagrid’s rooster was mysteriously killed,” came the soft voice of a blond Ravenclaw, Luna Lovegood.

“It is curious, Luna,” Harry ignored Ron and only acknowledged Luna.

“C’mon you lot, no fightin’,” Hagrid said, stepping between the two groups of students.

“We were leaving anyways. Let’s go you guys,” Daphne said, grabbing both Blaise’s and Theo’s arms and started pulling them from their spots blocking Harry and Draco.

“We’ll see you at Dueling Club,” Seamus called out from behind Ron before getting glared at from Hermione.

“That a threat, Finnegan?” Theo called back even with Daphne dragging him away.

The other students laughed at the exchange.

“Goodbye, Hagrid. Hope you figure it out,” Harry said before turning away to continue their walk back to their dormitory.

Hagrid waved with his free hand before starting to ‘shoo’ the other students so he could head to Dumbledore’s office to speak with him.

No one spoke until they were sitting in their usual spots by the fire in the common room.

“Why does he always have something to say?” Blaise said, setting up the chessboard.

“Because he’s an idiot. The whole ginger family is,” Draco spit out.

“Draco, really. Was that really called for?” Harry frowned, holding a pawn in his hand but looking at the blonde. Draco shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest. Harry shook his head before finishing setting up his pieces on his side of the board and starting the game with Blaise. Draco kept to himself while reading a book that Harry had recommended him to borrow from the library while everyone else entertained themselves, but he knew why Harry was quiet for the rest of the time they spent together for the rest of the day.

The following days students handed in their final assignments before the winter break was officially declared. There was one Dueling Club meeting before the holiday, and it seemed that the animosity between the Slytherin and Gryffindor students hadn’t lessened by the time they were paired off to use a new counter spell that was being taught by Lockhart and Snape.

Snape kept a sharp eye on the other professor, who kept glancing at Harry who was paired off with Neville, helping him more than exchanging spells. After his discussion with McGonagall, Snape knew that he couldn’t leave Harry alone with the other professor. The meeting with the Transfiguration professor confirmed the suspicions Snape already had about Lockhart and when he heard what Dumbledore had planned for Harry, he had put together a more intense lesson plan for Harry’s private tutoring sessions. In return, Snape had vaguely informed McGonagall of what he was doing for the Addams’ family; the private lessons while being the messenger between Harry and the outside world. It was agreed that no one else could know what they did, and they would see how they could keep the headmaster from getting what he wanted from Harry.

“What the hell was that, Malfoy?” Ron shouted across the room at Draco who was paired up with Crabbe.

“Merlin’s beard,” Lockhart said while immediately going to intervene with the conflict. “What is going on?”

“He threw a hex at me!” Ron shouted, holding up his fragile wand at Draco who looked smug. Ron’s hair turned an ugly shade of green, causing his classmates to laugh.

“No I didn’t, but I wish I did. You look ridiculous,” Draco laughed at the Gryffindor.

“Did anyone see Mister Malfoy hex Mister Weasley?” Lockhart asked while Snape circled around the students. Most shook their heads in response to the professors’ question.

“There is a spell that can easily clear up this misunderstanding,” Snape said while walking up behind a group of Gryffindors.

“Ah, yes, Professor Snape! How could I have forgotten such a useful spell!” Lockhart exclaimed.

Harry watched the interaction between the club members beside Neville.

“Go ahead, I didn’t hex you,” Draco said, holding out his wand to Snape as he withdrew his own wand.

“What is Professor Snape talking about?” Neville asked Harry.

“Priori Incantatem, it will show the last spells that the wand user casted,” Harry explained.

Snape casted the spell first on Draco’s wand, revealing that the last spell that was cast was the one the whole club was supposed to be practicing: Relashio.

“Told you, Weasley,” Draco said indignantly.

“Now, if everyone cannot cooperate with each other, we will have to dismiss the club,” Lockhart said while shaking his head. “Come now, who did this to Mister Weasley?”

There was an awkward silence over all of the students as the two professors looked over everyone.

“Very well, then. Everyone line up! If you will not admit your poor decision making, we will have to go through everyone’s wand and see who is at fault,” Lockhart said with cheery disappointment.

Harry and Neville joined the others while the students complained. Snape started at the opposite end of Lockhart, using the revealing spell to show what the last spell that was used by each student. Harry glanced at Draco who stood on the other side of the line with Ron, their wands away. Draco had his arms crossed, half pouting and half angry as he and the young Weasley stared at the other students to watch who either fessed up and admitted what they did.

“Detention and fifteen points from Slytherin,” Snape sneered when the spell revealed the jinx that changed Ron’s hair color and appearance, it now being a curly blue mullet, coming from Pansys’ wand.

“That’s the end of the meeting for today. We will revisit the conversation of continuing the Dueling club when we return from holiday,” Lockhart announced.

Hermione quickly corrected Ron’s appearance and whispered something to him before pushing him over to Draco and the others, Harry coming back around after saying goodbye to Neville.

“Go, Ronald,” Hermione pushed Ron closer to the Slytherins while she kept a length away.

Ron sighed when he looked at the other students awkwardly.

“Look, Malfoy…” He started.

Draco stared at the other wizard, waiting to see what word vomit came spewing out of the Weasley’s mouth.

“Sorry to accuse you before, or whatever,” Ron said quickly before turning around to leave, not waiting for any sort of reaction from Draco.

“Really?” Hermione huffed and scolded her friend as they made their way out of the Great Hall and out of sight.

“Well that wasn’t expected…” Blaise said, looking at Draco.

“I just can’t believe that Pansy tried to frame me. When I hex someone, I’m proud of it,” Draco replied.

“Of course, Draco. You are a proud git. We know,” Theo said and breaks out laughing when he gets a rise out of blonde.

“See what I hex you with, Theodore Nott!” Draco shouted, pulling his wand out. Blaise and Daphne stepped between the two to stop any more spells from flying in the air for one night.

A few steps behind was Harry, looking over his shoulder and watching Snape and Lockhart speak with Pansy, not paying him any attention. Harry couldn’t place the eyes that were on him, but something or someone was giving Harry the eerie feeling that he was being watched, maybe even hunted. Catching up with his housemates, Harry considered his options; there was one possibility that he hadn't heard from in weeks. The mysterious reptile that only Harry could hear.

Chapter Text

Gomez and Morticia arrived back at the Addams mansion with little incident after visiting James’ tomb. Letters were hastily written then sent out to a few different groups of people as their plan went into motion to figure out what they could do to best help their eldest son. Gomez even wrote out a missive to the Potion Master to keep him in the loop as well to ensure that he continued to keep a weathered eye on their son. Lastly, a letter was sent out to Harry to give him a limited update on things outside of the school just in case Harry’s mail was being monitored. The letter from Morticia accompanied a large parcel from the family as early Christmas gifts from the other members of the family inside.

“Wednesday, darling. Has Sirius been around while we were away?” Morticia asked her daughter over breakfast; Pugsley and Gomez were talking about a new type of explosive they were going to try once the meal was finished.

“No, mother. He’s been gone since you left. No letters or calls either,” Wednesday replied while stabbing at the goop on her plate. “Why- is he dead?”

Morticia frowned slightly before glancing at her husband, not liking the answer Wednesday provided.

“We can try a few things to see if we can locate him, don’t you worry, Tish!” Gomez said with reassuring enthusiasm.

Morticia nodded and continued to pick at her food throughout the remainder of their morning meal, quiet and contemplative. Gomez carried on with the conversation with his daughter, catching up with what happened while they were gone, asking where her younger brother was and what they were up to. Morticia excused herself and made her way to her greenhouse, thinking and working out a way to reach Sirius.

Softly, she greeted Cleopatra and fed her, sprinkling the concoction that was mixed to help her plants, magical and not, to grow and flourish. She would need to thank Lurch for looking after her prized garden once this conundrum passed. Morticia could let her subconscious work on the problem she needed to figure out while tending to her garden. Completing a once-over, Morticia moved on to the true reason for entering her greenhouse. Skimming various herbs with her perfectly manicured red nails, she plucked a few leaves from each stem, letting them settle at the bottom of a marble mortar and pestle that was sitting at a tall empty table that she would use for her magic work. She pulled a few more things off shelves or from under cabinets before she stood at the altar and began. Morticia lit a fire while clearing her mind to think of who exactly the intended purpose of this specific spell was for, setting a handful of small crystals on the burning charcoal. This divination spell was one that Morticia could recollect perfectly from her memory since learning it when she was a younger witch from her own great grandmother:

Grind and gnash Mugwart, Calendula, and Coltsfoot leaves
From the stem take Uña de Gato(Cat’s Claw), strip and cleave
Burn crystalled Camphor on a bed of charcoal
Pour oil made from berries of Rowan with all parts ‘til whole
Spread this mixture over whom you seek - Be thy name, picture or objekt
Use your minds eye, focus and projekt

One by one, Morticia added the ingredients into a bowl sitting on the charcoal: crushing, grinding and snipping away. Smoke began to swirl and rise from the bowl, one of the first signs that the spell was working. Morticia began to think of Sirius, where he said he was planning on going and his magical signature, pulling out a piece of paper from thin air that was his mugshot from Azkaban. This was a copy of the actual clipping that hung in the halls of their home, Gomez insisted that being sent to the prison and getting out was something to be proud of, Sirius had just laughed and shook his head at the time. Once everything was combined, Morticia spread the mixture over the paper and shut her eyes to complete the spell and get some much needed answers.

Visions of unfamiliar landscapes passed through her mind as the spell continued to work. Morticia kept her focus on Sirius and worked the spell, willing it to zero in on a location she could recognize. A glimmer of the French countryside stuck out while a black, scruffy dog ran through fields; she had been there before when she and Gomez were younger and traveled before the children.

Morticia let herself fall deeper into the spell, hoping other senses would pick up on things. All she could smell was the countryside and wet dog, which did make sense since she was tracking an Animagus. But she could hear howling in the distance. Howling not from dogs but something much larger, wolves or perhaps werewolves. Knowing who Sirius grew up with, it was likely to be the latter. Morticia knew that France’s laws regarding werewolves were more accepting than the Ministry of Magic, if she thought these things then so has Sirius.

Pulling herself back, Morticia let herself come back to herself in the greenhouse, ending the spell. She had some answers to share with her husband, but this was not enough to share with anyone else.

Opening her dark eyes, Morticia walked over to the nearest window and opened it for the smoke from the spell could clear out. Taking a slow breath, Morticia looked out the window and at their property. She could see Pugsley in the distance near the swamp with Lurch who was holding something that was half his size and as tall as her youngest son. She had noticed her youngest son was less coordinated and more focused on taking things apart than Harry was at Pugsley’s age. She knew Pugsley was different from her other children, and she savored his innocence and creativity. Both Harry and Wednesday were beyond their years with their studies and talents. Pugsley was a breath of putrid air. Solid with a single focus. Had it been any other mother, they may have thought less of Pugsley for these qualities, but Morticia knew this was what would make him a great man and strong wizard. She was excited to see what each child of hers would accomplish and contribute to the Addams clan.

Morticia left her greenhouse after everything was tidied up and sought out Gomez to speak with him about what her divination spell had shown her. With all the moving parts of this magical puzzle in motion, Morticia needed to sort out both the family’s intentions simultaneously considering Harry alone at Hogwarts. As capable as Harry was, he was only twelve and shouldn’t worry about wars; not in this modern day and age.

-

It had been some time since Harry himself was the target of dubious enemies. His siblings were more like challenges, never with malicious intent behind their actions, even if Wednesday insisted she hated everyone. Harry knew she kept the rigid, aloof exoskeleton so she could seem more threatening since she was lacking in physical presence, but Harry knew Wednesday. Knew she would do unspeakable things to anyone who would bring harm to her family if given the chance. According to Wednesday only she was allowed to maim and murder her family. But ever since Harry started going to Hogwarts, there were signs that there were people or parties unknown to him who wished him harm. Permanently. Harry wasn't that knowledgeable in necromancy to be okay with someone wanting to kill him. It was a subject that he and Gomez were working on together. It was also very hard to bring yourself back from the dead, not without doing unspeakable things beforehand. Harry wished he could speak with his parents or even Sirius to see what one of them would do; Harry made a mental note to himself to speak with Snape in the morning to see who he could reach out to, maybe even use his fire to make a call.

It was late and all his friends said their ‘goodnights’ and went off to their own rooms but Harry was curled up with a good book in his room, wide awake. ‘Good’ was a relative term; Harry smiled to himself as he grabbed a pen and opened up Riddle’s diary to pick up the conversation from before.

“Do you know about any reptiles that live in Hogwarts?” Harry decided to go right to the point, wanting to see what else this object knew; writing away his question on the blank page he flipped open to.

“A reptile living in Hogwarts? Like a pet, Harry? How would I know such a thing?” Tom replied. With ‘speaking’ consistently with the diary, the two were on friendlier terms.

Harry could almost hear the snark in the answer written in the diary. Not that he knew what Tom sounded like. But Harry was fluent in sarcasm thanks to his little sister. Sighing, Harry tried a different approach to the question.

“When you were a living, breathing wizard I mean. Not a possessed diary. Obviously.”

There was a moment before Tom replied. Harry thought as the seconds dragged on that he wouldn’t get a response at all to his question. This wasn’t a person he was talking to in real time, in person or over a phone call- something that Harry had to remind himself of nearly every time they had a conversation together.

“There were rumors that a beast lived within the school. No one saw it so it was dismissed.”

Harry stared at the smooth script as it was written on the page then watched it disappear. Harry frowned at the word choice. Beast not reptile.

“I think there’s an exceptionally large reptile, which may be this beast you mention, could be what was rumored during your time at Hogwarts. This reptile is actively moving around the castle in my time, petrifying students. Hunting.” Harry wrote, his heartbeat picking up in speed with excitement at the thought of this rumor actually being true.

Harry was trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces while having no idea what the whole picture was. If he could get some answers, then he may have a chance to get the upperhand.

“Tell me more, Harry,” Tom asked, so Harry told him his theories and thoughts on the beast he was trying to find in the castle. He didn’t notice the sun start to rise or the birds begin to sing while deep in his written conversation with Tom.

-

The Great Hall was garnished with various holiday trimmings. Tall Christmas trees decorated extravagantly were at the front of the hall where the professors’ table was, fairy lights were all mixed in with the garland that framed the windows and sat on the mantles of the fireplaces and it was snowing from the ceiling, enchanted and not true snow, but it still set the mood for the winter weather outside. It was thankfully a Friday and they were off for the next few weeks on Christmas holiday and not back until the first week of January. There was excitement in the air from all the students chatting with one another about their holiday plans.

“Who else is excited to not have classes?” Theo said to his classmates over breakfast while simultaneously loading up his plate. Daphne gave a little cheer while Blaise raised their hand while their mouth was full of pastry. Draco kept his grumpy silence as he put the same breakfast foods on his plate that he always did before grabbing some juice.

Harry hummed and spread a dark red jam onto his toast, not giving a real answer but still showing he was listening. He didn’t regret skipping out on sleep; there were more important things than resting, like getting answers. A phrase came to mind that he had read a while back when Harry was at home once his alarm sounded an hour before breakfast: "There will be sleeping enough in the grave.”

“What will we do first to start our holiday?” Daphne asked over her granola and fruit-topped yogurt.

“I plan on going back to my bed and sleeping as long as I can until my stomach makes me come back here for more food,” Theo muttered. “These exams were mental,” he continued with a yawn.

“I have to speak with Professor Snape about something before I can attempt to relax,” Harry said, making some tea for himself.

“Will you keep with your secret lessons with Snape, Harry?” Blaise asked while keeping their tone loud enough that only the group could hear. There was a decent number of students in the Great Hall to make it loud, but anyone could listen in on their conversation.

Harry shrugged. There was a pause on his lessons since there was increased suspicious activity in the castle. Harry didn’t have much time to speak with the Potions professor since the Lockhart incident. Harry’s thoughts have been more focused on the leather-bound diary compared to repetitive one-on-one lessons with the professor.

“I can ask him that too. There is only so much to be taught when you are limited by what is legal here,” Harry sighed and sipped his hot tea.

“What does that even mean?” Draco made a face at Harry, awake enough to contribute to the conversation.

“It means, Draco, that I can only learn what is allowed here at school for my age. If I were back home, there wouldn’t be any limits,” Harry replied.

“Are you talking about necromancy again?” Blaise asked between spoonfuls of oatmeal.

Harry nodded, “Along with other topics that Hogwarts doesn’t teach. At least not to second years.”

“Well you better see if Snape is even here. I heard a few Ravenclaws talking about him leaving Hogwarts to go somewhere over the break yesterday,” Daphne said while leaning closer to her friends, speaking in a lower tone.

“He never leaves, Daph. Don’t lie,” Theo rolled his eyes.

Harry looked at the staff table at the front of the Great Hall and noted that the Potion Master’s chair was empty, causing him to frown. There were a few other empty chairs as well that held teachers who normally would be watching over the students during their meals.

“Anyways, what should we do for Christmas? Last year was a bit hectic with everything going on with Quirrell and I have things for all of you to give,” Daphne said with renewed excitement on a new topic.

“When did you even have time to get us anything?” Blaise questioned.

“What makes you think we have something to give you?” Draco scoffed.

“Be nice, Draco,” Harry said to the blond. “I have gifts too, remember? For all of you.”

“We don’t go off school property, it’s a legitimate question,” Draco replied.

“For your information,” Daphne started with a huff, Harry smirked at the sass in her tone. “I had asked my family to send over things that I had picked out for you before school started.”

“That’s nice of you both,” Blaise smiled at both Harry and Daphne.

“There’s still time for you lot to do the same,” She said, finishing her breakfast.

“I’m not sure if it will apply to my family’s gifts to me. I haven’t heard from them recently,” Harry commented out loud.

The other Slytherins looked at Harry and then exchanged glances with one another. They knew it was hard on their friend to be away from his family, especially during the holidays with this being the second Christmas without them.

“Go see if you can catch Snape in his office,” Draco said, nudging Harry with his arm. “No need to worry for nothing.”

A small attempt at a smile pulled at the corner of Harry’s lips as he nodded. Draco was right; there wasn’t anything to be worried over without knowing the truth. Worrying wouldn’t solve any problems, only create them, something that Harry didn’t need for himself.

“See you back in the dungeons then,” Harry excused himself from the table to leave the Great Hall and head to the lowest level of the castle where the Head of Slytherin’s office was. Daphne said a hushed “Good Luck” as Harry walked away from the long table filled with students carrying on with their morning meal.

Harry had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that something was going to happen. He didn’t think he was able to have premonitions like his mother or grandmother, but the few times he had this sinking feeling, he was always right. Usually, bad feelings made Harry buzz with excitement, but this seemed to be a recurring feeling while attending Hogwarts.

Harry walked at a leisurely pace down the few levels of the castle to the dungeons, hearing harsh whispers from around the corner that he was about to turn down. Stopping right before the corner, Harry leaned as close as he could without being seen, tilting his head to listen to hear better before he considered interrupting or not.

“You idiots! My only job was to get close to Draco and now everything is ruined! You never listen to what I tell you to do!” came the more aggressive, female voice. He knew the voice belonged to Pansy without needing to hear any more.

“We did what you said, Pansy!”

“We kept them distracted just like you told us,” came the other two voices.

Harry noted they were also his classmates, Crabbe and Goyle. Former friends of Draco’s. Maybe not friends, but lackeys. They all had parents who were deatheaters when Voldemort was around. Harry suspected they grew up with one another because of this connection but it hasn’t been a topic that he has been able to discuss with Draco or the others.

“Yet he still hangs around with Addams! That is not okay!” Pansy sounded almost hysterical.

“What do you want us to do?”

“Maybe we need to send Addams to the infirmary again. Separate him from my darling Draco. Would serve him right for trying to take what was supposed to be mine!” Pany snapped. “Come on, let’s go,” she barked at the other two Slytherins.

Shaking his head, Harry waited until he heard the footsteps fade before leaning back against the wall and going over what he had just overheard.

“So she wants what she cannot have…” Harry said to himself. “How cliché.”

Peeking around the corner to make sure the coast was clear, green eyes only saw an empty hallway. The other second-year Slytherins had left, going who knows where, which was something Harry would speak with Draco about later. Draco knew more about Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle. Having the proper ammunition was key to taking down any threat. If Harry could even consider the other students' threats.

Knocking on the door where Harry was hoping his professor was behind, he waited to hear anything confirming that Snape was still in the castle and not what Daphne had overheard to be true.

“Enter.”

Harry let out a breath before opening the door and stepping inside to greet his professor. “Morning, Professor.”

Snape didn’t look up from where he sat at his desk, writing on various papers that were scattered on his desk.

“Addams,” was the only acknowledgement that Harry was given as he entered the wizards’ office.

“I heard rumors that you had left the school,” Harry started.

“Since when do you listen to rumors?” countered Snape.

“True, but I needed to speak with you, and if you weren’t here, then it would have made things more difficult.”

“Spit it out, Addams,” Snape sighed with annoyance, putting his quill down and looking up from what he was working on, giving Harry his full attention.

“Have you heard from my parents, sir? It’s been weeks… The last letter they sent was intercepted by Professor Dumbledore. So I was hoping you would have more information to share with me, even if my parents didn’t send me anything, maybe they sent something to you.”

Snape stared at Harry as he spoke, not giving any indication that he had or hadn’t received anything from Gomez or Morticia. Harry wasn’t able to push into his mind like his mother could, so he had to wait for an answer the traditional way.

“There have been developments with the other professors that have had my attention as of late,” Snape began, pushing out from behind the desk and walking towards a shelf covered with tomes and glass jars of things Harry couldn’t identify.

“You mean with Professor Lockhard?” Harry asked.

“Has something else happened?” Snape's head snapped to look at Harry. Not that he would openly admit it, but Snape had started to grow fond of the younger wizard. Harry was brilliant for his age, with an unparalleled drive to learn that Snape could mold into something extraordinary.

“No, professor,” Harry shook his head.

“Good,” Snape went back to searching for something on the shelf, pulling out a dark purple, weathered book and walking over to Harry but keeping near his desk. Snape opened the book and pulled out a few letters that were pressed carefully within it. “These are all I have received from your parents,” Snape held out the few letters and handed them to Harry.

Harry stepped closer to take the letters and look through them. He felt that sensation at the pit of his stomach again and in that moment, he was not enjoying it.

“I typically send nothing in return to keep everything as undocumented as possible, with the current state of things.” Snape walked back around the desk but didn’t sit right away, watching Harry as he read through the few pieces of paper that came from his parents.

Harry sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk, frowning, “I don’t understand.”

Snape didn’t respond; after working with Harry in his private lessons, he knew Harry would work out what he was thinking or feeling before he shared it. He didn’t impulsively blurt out things like the other students would, which was something that Snape silently appreciated.

Before Harry could say anything, a letter came out of the fireplace and landed on the desk between them. Harry stood quickly and stepped closer to see who it was from, not truly knowing if his professor spoke with anyone outside of the castle besides his parents. Harry knew it was wrong to assume without knowing all the facts, but his worry was too strong to ignore. Snape silently took a paper knife off his desk and unfolded the letter, reading it and sitting down.

“It’s from your mother,” Snape said while setting the letter down, not offering this one to Harry.

Harry let out a breath that he didn’t realize he was holding.

“You should have received letters and a few deliveries by now,” Snape continued.

Harry couldn’t place what was mixed in with his professor’s voice. Was it concern?

“I will speak with the headmaster to see if there are any holds on mail for you. Was there something else you wanted to bring up?”

Harry thought about bringing up the diary that he had in his bag but decided against it. He wanted to do research over the break before talking with his professor.

“Does it say anything in there about what’s been going on with them?” Harry stared at the folded letter on the desk. He wanted to read it but wouldn’t just take it. Harry was waiting for his parents to tell him more about what they were doing, and explain the war they mentioned.

“It does not mention their whereabouts or current plan. What were you expecting to be told?”

Harry hesitated for a second, considering not telling Snape about the war that his parents mentioned in the last letter. If anything, Snape may know more about that too.

“They spoke of a war. In my parents’ last letter to me that the headmaster had and gave to me… I was hoping they would have more information to share.”

Snape looked at his student, connecting the pieces of information that were unfolding before him.

“A war?” Snape leaned closer to Harry from his seat.

Harry nodded.

“I’m somehow involved. They didn’t say anything else. They probably figured that my messages could be read before I could get to them so they withheld information, maybe?” he continued while Snape just stared at Harry.

“There was the first Wizarding War, in which many died, including your birth parents. Lord Voldemort was defeated and all of his followers were either sent to Azkaban prison or went into hiding.”

“Besides you and some of my classmates' parents?” Harry asked. His question may have sounded innocent, but it was loaded and he wasn’t sure if his professor would take the bait to share more about his involvement with Voldemort. He didn’t have much to do on with that specific wizard and no one in the school would speak of him, which truly frustrated Harry.

“Yes, some of your classmates’ parents are former Death Eaters,” Snape answered only half the question. Harry picked up on it immediately. “If there is a new war developing, more would have noticed.”

“What if it wasn’t involving Voldemort? Someone else?” Harry asked. He didn’t say it directly but Harry was implying the headmaster was involved in unsavory behavior outside of the school.

“Very few had magical strength that rivaled the Dark Lord’s, Harry. Headmaster Dumbledore is one of them.

“No one else?” Harry knew there was more going on and needed answers.

“Not for a long time.” Snape folded up the newest letter and held out his hand for Harry to give the other letters back. “Now, go back to the common room while I get to the bottom of the issue of your missing mail. Do not make me take points from Slytherin house if I catch you breaking rules,” Snape finished.

Harry handed off the letters and nodded, “Yes sir, thank you for sharing those with me.” Harry turned to leave, already plotting how he could find answers without getting caught. He’d have to pull out his cloak to go about the castle unseen.

Snape watched Harry leave his office before unfolding the letter from the elder Addams and reading the message again.

“Severus,
We have growing concerns with Harry remaining at Hogwarts based on what is developing outside of the school. If you believe Harry is safe under your tutelage and supervision, we will let him stay there and finish his school year. If his well-being has been threatened or put in danger, he will be withdrawn from his classes and brought back home immediately. We await your response on the state of our Harry’s safety.
-M

Snape had to have a discussion with Dumbledore before he could reply to Morticia. After both he would need to speak with Minerva and again with Harry depending on what he learns. If this year was going to be anything like the year prior, Harry was going to be in danger once more. Harry had handled Lockhart before things could escalate, even if it technically put Harry in the infirmary per his instructions. But Snape could only do so much against the wizard who ran the school, not while something was going around the school petrifying any living thing that came in its way. Someone could be killed… Again.

-

Harry did what he could to distract himself while waiting to hear back from the head of Slytherin house to know if he would be able to get any mail. It was Christmas Eve with no news. Harry had beaten Theo in numerous games of chess and read through all of his books he had brought with him from home but nothing could keep his focus fully. Harry didn’t even want any packages; he just wanted a letter from his parents. Hearing from them would be a balm on the worry and homesickness he was developing.

In the morning, Harry and his friends would do an exchange of gifts, per Daphne’s insistence. They, too, were hoping that Harry would get his mail so he could be included in the exchange. Harry was pulling away from them as their holiday break went on, keeping to his room versus staying in the library or in the Slytherin common room. Draco had even tried to coax Harry to take a walk around the Black Lake or to the Forbidden Forest to get him out of his room. Harry politely declined everyone’s invitations. Harry only left after everyone went to bed under his invisibility cloak, spending sleepless nights in the library, trying to learn more about the First Wizarding War and any previous conflicts that could be revived for an encore.

Harry was skipping his evening excursion to give his body the sleep it craved. Whether Harry’s mind cooperated or not, that was another battle he would have to face head on. If his insomnia continued, he would need to see what his father did to get through it. Not sleeping when classes resumed wasn’t an option for Harry, even if he was learning more with the added hours with no interruptions throughout the night.

Harry had made himself some tea, trying one of his grandmother’s blends that he brought with him to help him sleep. If the natural remedies failed, he was going to see which spells would be best to give him some aid with sleeping.

Just as Harry was setting his cup down, there was a POP and a house-elf appeared in the center of Harry’s room.

“Dobby? Why are you here?” Harry was sitting on his bed in his night clothes, cross-legged, barefoot and finally ready for bed as the house elf materialized.

“Mister Addams is in danger. He must leave Hogwarts.”

“It isn’t safe for me to leave right now. Plus I have no way home, remember? I don’t live in this country.”

Dobby started to panic, looking around the room to find something to bring himself harm. Since it was Harry’s school dorm room, there were less life-threatening objects around compared to his bedroom back home in America. Dobby saw Harry’s letter opener on the desk and hastily made his way for it in a flash.

“Dobby, stop!” Harry snapped, climbing off his bed. “I will help you properly punish yourself but first you must tell me why I am in danger?” Harry quickly followed, taking the thin knife out of the smaller hand.

Dobby stopped resisting by giving up the letter opener and looked back at Harry, taking a shaky breath, his large eyes held so much concern.

“Dobby heard his master talking about the changes and threats at Hogwarts. Harry Addams is in danger!” Dobby insisted, frazzled and repeated himself again.

“What danger, Dobby? Are you able to say what?” Harry probed. Speaking with house elves had a dance to it, knowing that they couldn’t speak ill of their families.

Dobby bit at his lip hard, squeezing his mouth shut with a whimper before shaking his head.

“Okay. That’s fine…” Harry set the small blade back on his desk, pulling his chair out and sitting in it to be at a better level to speak with Dobby.

“Do you know if someone is trying to reach me? I haven’t gotten any mail from my family,” Harry asked, hoping this direction could get Dobby’s mind from harming himself.

Dobby nodded, wringing his hand.

“Dobby may have stopped the letters being delivered to Harry Addams…”

Harry blinked at the house elf with disbelief.

“Dobby… Please tell me you didn’t.”

“Dobby took all the mail for Harry,” Dobby squeaked, looking away from Harry and reaching for the letter opener again with renewed urgency.

“No, Dobby!” Harry grabbed the knife before Dobby could, standing up and knocking over his chair.

“Dobby thought if you didn’t get mail, you would want to go home…” the elf insisted before he started to hit his head against the desk with frustration.

“Stop hurting yourself for one moment. I need those letters, Dobby,” Harry quickly fixed his chair, put the letter opener back on the desk and then grabbed Dobby with both hands to pull him away from the desk. Dobby was fighting the compulsion to push out of Harry’s grasp to carry on with his self-inflicted punishment.

“Dobby, please,” Harry urged, his tone softer this time.

The house elf stilled completely in Harry’s arms before lifting his hand and snapping his fingers, nearly a stack of letters landed on Harry’s bed. The moment Harry saw the envelopes, he released Dobby.

Harry looked at the letters on the bed then back at the house elf, “Did you think if I didn’t get any letters from home that I would want to leave?”

Dobby nodded, his ears moving with the jerky motion.

“I have no way home, Dobby. Even if I was homesick or wanted to leave,” Harry sighed, moving to take the letter opener from his desk so he could use it to go through the mail. He fiddled with the letter opener in his hands, a behavior he did on occasion when needing to process information or come up with a solution to a difficult problem. He looked at the letters on his bed and felt relieved that his family had reached out to him after all.

“There must be a way for you to leave, Sir. Dobby heard his Masters,” Dobby started again, unmoving from his spot while Harry paced in his room.

The young wizard’s head snapped back to Dobby at the mention of his “masters.”

“The Malfoys are your family, but what I don’t understand is that when I met Draco’s father in Knockturn Alley, he was chilly but pleasant…” Harry thought out loud, sitting on the edge of his bed. “Was he simply being polite?”

“There are greater threats to come and harm Harry, Sir. Much worse things,” Dobby said with sincere worry. Harry nodded and looked at the small knife in his palm, wishing he had Sirius to talk to about all of this.

“If I tell you that I will speak with someone who may be able to help me leave the castle, would you stop blocking my mail?” Harry worded the question carefully. He didn’t plan on leaving, but the house elf didn’t need to know that.

“Yes, Sir. Knowing that Harry is going to be safe from danger will please my Master.”

This reply wasn’t what Harry was expecting.

“Dobby, is it Mister Malfoy who wants me safe?” Harry asked. All Dobby did was shake his head, his already wide eyes growing bigger with panic when he realized he said the wrong thing.

“Is it Draco?”

“Dobby must get back before his Masters find out and punishes Dobby. Please leave Hogwarts, Sir.” Dobby rushed over to Harry, wrapping his own hands around Harry’s hand that was holding the letter opener. Harry kept his hold firm so Dobby didn’t try to hurt himself with the knife while Harry was holding it.

Seconds passed before Harry simply nodded which was enough of an answer for the house elf, before Dobby disappeared just as abruptly he had appeared. Smiling to himself, the lack of answer was an answer all on its own. This conversation with the house elf was more informational than he had expected. He would return to this conversation after going through everything on his bed, Harry decided while scooting back to sitting with his legs crossed.

Smiling, he went through and identified each letter based on the styles of writing and different materials, each very distinct. Harry had a feeling he would be receiving things for Christmas in the morning, like most gifts appeared on the holiday. Harry’s gifts for his friends would be waiting to be opened alongside them.

There were three letters from his parents, one from Sirius and one that only had his full name on it. The name that was given to him when he became an Addams, Harry carefully examined an envelope which only had the name on it in beautiful script:

Mister Harry Lońan Addams

Lifting the crisp fold, Harry pulled out the thick cardstock of a matching color. The contents of the letter were written out in dark silver script. Reflective and elegant in the light.

“Harry,

I write to you with an important message that I request you to take a moment to consider.

You will soon, if not already, be targeted, manipulated, and tricked by many powerful wizards while they sink their teeth into you and sacrifice you for their cause. Simply put: A lamb for slaughter. But there is a third path you can take. Mine. I wish to offer another option in your future that is neither black or white, good nor evil. But one sculpted for the forbidden and unknown. For the misunderstood and the strange. For people like us.

I wish to discuss in better detail what we could accomplish together.

Your Hopeful Acquaintance,
G. Grindelwald”

Harry read the message over and over before running a few tests for any hidden or secret messages with no results. There was no return address, but that didn’t deter Harry in knowing where to send a response. Was this who Gomez and Morticia had spoken of? Did this G. Grindelwald know more about the war they mentioned?

Suddenly Harry recognized the name from one of the many books he had read from the library. This was the name of the man who was once partnered with Dumbledore. Grindelwald wanted to topple the Statute of Secrecy in America, to make a new organization to overthrow everyone. Information on the wizard had just stopped after there was documentation that Grindelwald was imprisoned. Quickly, Harry tucked the letters away in the trunk before securely locking it, grabbing his cloak and leaving his bedroom towards the library. The other letters could wait until the next morning to be read. This is something that he would need to read about right that second.