Magic is, in a nonquizzical sense, real... (original) (raw)

Title: Kairos

Chapter: Two/?

Author name: badfaith

Author email: anna@tomfelton.zzn.com

Author website: http://www.undisguised.net and http://nightfall.undisguised.net

Category: Angst

Sub Category: Drama

Rating: R

Summary: A Divination Project goes awry, sending Harry and Draco four hundred years into the Future. They soon learn that they must pay the price for their folly.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of J.K. Rowling's characters, places, or ideas, however, I do own my own ideas. Do not steal them.

Warning: This story contains slash, which is a boy-boy relationship. If that's not your cup o' tea, I suggested you find some that is, or you'll miss your teatime. Also, I suggest getting some Kleenex, because you most definitely will need it. If you have a weak stomach, do not read this.

A/N: Thanks for all your awesome reviews. Yes, I know the first chapter was a little short, but this chapter is longer! All I ask is that you review. ;)

Chapter Two

Soulmates

For I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright,

Who art as black as hell, as dark as night.

--William Shakespeare, Sonnet #147

He stood in the pale gray mist, unsure at what he was doing there. It seemed he had been standing there for years when a dark spot showed up in his line of vision. It seemed to be coming closer, the blackness sharpening into the outline of a person, running towards him.

They were looking behind themselves as they ran, haphazardly and stumbling. The figure was almost where Harry was standing, only a few yards away. They looked at Harry in a swift glance before looking once more behind them. Harry didn’t realize where the stranger was running until they were clasped about his body.

Help…..please. I……can’t escape it.

Then he looked Harry straight in the eyes, tilting his head up, white hair streaming down his back.

Harry. Came the pleading whisper out of Draco’s mouth. His gray eyes were filled with fear.

Harry. He repeated it like a mantra_. Harry, please. Harry, Harry, Harry…._

Harry!" He shot straight up in his bed, sweat running in rivulets down his shaking body.

"Harry, thank god you’re awake! Ron and I have been trying to wake you for ten minutes already." Hermione’s concerned face was a bit blurred in Harry’s vision, but he could make it out. He reached over and snatched he glasses off the stand. After putting them on he eyed Hermione, who was looking quite frazzled.

"What happened?" His voice was gritty, as if it had not been used for a long time. His throat was sore and he had a hard time swallowing because it was so scratchy. Hermione frowned and sat down at the end of his bed.

"You were screaming bloody murder, that’s what you were doing, Harry." Harry felt a flush of embarrassment and guilt, to have to drag his friends into his personal problems. "What was your nightmare about?"

Harry swallowed once more. He wasn’t sure he wanted Hermione or Ron to know. It seemed sort of personal. Between him and Malfoy, almost. "It was just a left-over from last time, Herm. Nothing to worry about."

She looked at him, not sure if he was actually telling the truth. In the end she just nodded, sure that he would tell her if he needed to.

"Where’s Ron?" Harry asked. The red-head was nowhere in sight. Hermione flushed guiltily, avoiding his gaze.

"He left. He’s waiting for me in the Common Room."

Harry understood. Ron was stretched as it was. He had a hard decision to make, and Harry wouldn’t deter him from his thinking.

"It’s all right, Herm. I understand." Harry reached out and placed a comforting hand on Hermione’s.

"You do?" The brunette sighed with relief. "I wasn’t sure you would." Harry squeezed her hand reassuringly and went to get out of bed.

"Do you mind, Herm?" He laughed. "I need to get dressed." She blushed a light shade of red.

"Oh no, not at all." She scurried out of the room as fast as she could. Harry just shook his head and chuckled.

He was heading towards the Library, intent on finding something out about Latrina Vernius.

Malfoy mentioned her yesterday. I wonder who she is?

When he got there he asked Madame Pince, and she gave him a funny look, but led him to the section anyway. She took four books off the shelf and plopped them in his hands.

He gave a startled oof at the weight of the books, and she scurried off, but not before giving him another strange glance before returning to her work.

Oh gods, Malfoy. What have you gotten me into?

He settled down at an empty table and spread out the books, studying them.

The smallest was brown and shiny, labeled in gold shiny letters : Soulmates and Their Attributes

Harry’s heart plummeted to the floor. Soulmates? Oh, god.

The next one smelled of roses, medium sized and blue velvety cloth. In sliver large print it read : How To Find Your Soulmate

Harry groaned.

Slightly larger than the last, a black book with white lettering stated : How To Harness and Use Powers You’ve Never Dreamed Of With Your Soulmate

Harry was now past humiliation, bordering on giggling.

The last one was large and massive, dusty film covered it. Harry puffed at it and wiped the grime away with a hand to reveal cursive silver words on a dark green cover : What Are Soulmates? The Complete Guide to Soulmates

And all of them were written by Latrina Vernius.

Harry decided to start on the smallest one and work his way up.

What in the world was Malfoy smoking? Was his last thought before delving into the world of Latrina Vernius and her "soulmates".

Hours later a suitably impressed and now obsessed Harry looked at the time and realized he had missed lunch, and was bordering on missing supper. He could feel his stomach rumble at the thought, so he closed the book he was on (How to Find Your Soulmate), and headed towards the Main Hall, but not before a still curious Madame Pince eyed him oddly as he left.

Harry entered the Great Hall and sat down next to Hermione.

"Harry, I haven’t seen you since this morning. What have you been up too?" Ron asked politely from across the table.

Harry grinned slightly. "Just reading in the Library."

Ron snorted and Hermione stared.

"Reading?" Obviously, her curiosity was peaked as she slightly leaned forward.

"Yes."

Hermione spluttered. "What?"

"What what?"

"No, what were you reading?" She huffed.

"Oh. Latrina Vernius." And Harry piled his plate high with food, missing the confused look on Ron’s face and the deep red blush of amusement on Hermione’s.

Full and satiated, Harry headed as quickly as he could back to the Library, leaving a confused Hermione and Ron behind, and a pair of silver gray eyes followed him as he left. As soon as he had sat back down next to the books he had left, an amused Malfoy straddled the bench next to Harry.

"Well, Potter, I didn’t expect you to be in such a hurry for our meeting." A smirk was displayed proudly on Malfoy’s pink lips.

Harry rolled his eyes, and flushed guiltily. (Truth be told, he had forgotten.)

"No, Malfoy, I was just coming here to finish reading a book I had started." Harry defended, albeit poorly with his red cheeks and short breath from running.

Malfoy’s gray eyes skimmed the title of the book nearest him, and smirked.

"Latrina Vernius, eh? Looking for someone who would want to kiss your ugly Scarface?"

Harry huffed and stared at Malfoy. "You’re the one that suggested I look her up."

Malfoy raised one elegant eyebrow. "I didn’t actually think you’d take my advice, Potter."

"Well, maybe sometimes any advice from any person is worth looking up or doing." Harry countered.

"Oh, Potter." The smirk was clearly evident, as was the frank amusement in Malfoy’s twinkling eyes. "There’s so much you don’t know."

Harry’s eyebrows meshed in confusion. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

Malfoy chuckled, quite unnerving to Harry as tingles raced down his spine. He was also aware of Malfoy’s legs straddling indecently the bench, forcing his slim, well-toned legs to spread apart, almost invitingly…

Pull yourself together, Harry!

"I think, Potter, that we should discuss what our aspect of Premonition is going to be." Malfoy smoothly changed the subject, jerking Harry from visions of benches and Malfoy, and what he could do with them.

"Maybe we should look up some books about Premonition and see what type of things it entails and is related to." Harry suggested.

"Perhaps. But -- " Malfoy stopped, an almost embarrassed look on his face.

"But what?" Harry asked, curious.

Malfoy sighed. "I was going to suggest something we could do. I’ve always been mildly interested in it, and wanted to explore it more. But -- "

"You didn’t want to suggest it and seem like a fool?" Harry butted in.

"No, Potter. I simply thought that it would be above your intelligence." Malfoy said.

"Well, what is it then? I haven’t got all day."

"Scrying."

"Scrying? Isn’t that where you look into something and it shows you a picture of something?" Harry asked, confused.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "It’s the art of receiving visions through a silver bowl filled with holy water. It was used in ancient times by Sorceresses and Sorcerers to spy on their enemies and gain knowledge. With the Scrying bowl, they could see things that had happened, things that were happening, and things that had not yet come to pass. In a way, it was the premonition way of the past. Quite useful."

"And you just happen to have one, don’t you?" Harry quirked an eyebrow in sarcasm.

Flustered, Malfoy answered. "Well, I’ve seen one in my Father’s study."

"Fine, Malfoy. This scrying idea of yours might just work and be interesting enough to get us a good grade. You get the silver bowl, I’ll get the holy water. We meet in four days at the Astronomy Tower, and from there I’ll show you an abandoned room we can use. 11:30pm sharp, in four days, Malfoy. Oh, and I just bet your Father has a book on how to do it, too. Bring that also. See you, Malfoy." Harry left a most utterly confounded Malfoy in his quake, but not before scooping up his four books. Once outside, Harry stopped and tried to gather his breath and still his quickly beating heart.