Draco woke up first. He only remembered pieces of the night before. As he woke up he remembered everything. It didn't surprise him that Harry was one of his mates. He'd felt a strange connection to him since their first year. Draco snuggled up against Harry and breathed in his scent. He smelled like vanilla with fresh strawberries, with a musky scent that was all his own. He felt fingers in his hair and looked up. Harry was gently running his fingers through his hair.
Harry whispered, "Good morning, Draco."
Draco snuggled close again and whispered, "Good morning."
Severus woke up then taking a deep breath. He blinked his eyes open and looked at the time. They had ten minutes to get to breakfast before class.
Severus sat up and said, "We're going to be late for breakfast."
Harry closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep again.
Severus said, "Harry, dearling, it's time to get up."
Harry grumbled under his breath. He sat up long enough to say, "I was up late last night, I'm sleeping in. Leave me be! Classes start too damn early anyway." Then he promptly fell back and started to fall asleep.
Draco laughed and said, "Looks like he's not a morning person, Severus."
Sev smiled and cast an Aguamenti towards Harry. Harry bolted from the bed and growled at them. Draco just laughed and Severus smiled. Harry stalked off to the bathroom grumbling about early classes, morning people, and mates being wand happy.
Harry had Transfiguration and Draco had Ancient Runes first today, so they parted ways and headed off to class. As Harry was walking to class, someone pushed him and he narrowly avoided falling over the banister. He heard a yell and looked down. Severus was rubbing his head and glaring up. Harry frantically motioned for him to come up the stairs. Severus stalked up the stairs and stood in front of Harry tapping his foot irritably.
Harry said, "I'm sorry Sev! Someone pushed me!" He paused looking down at his hand. "And it was a Gryffindor."
Severus looked shocked. He asked, "Are you sure?"
Harry nodded and said, "I'm positive." Then he held up the tie.
Severus looked mad then he asked, "Dearling, are you okay?"
Harry smiled and said, "I'm fine, love. The only thing that happened was I dropped some books on your head."
Severus said, "Okay, dealing, tell me everything that happened after you left my rooms."
Harry told him he'd been walking to class when he felt hands shove him into the banister and his books fly out of his hands. He grabbed his attacker to catch himself before he could fall and pulled their tie off. He was going to go get Severus but he hadn't had a chance yet.
Harry told Severus, "I'm not so sure we can trust Dumbledore anymore. We are not going to tell him what happened."
Severus nodded and made Harry go back to the dungeons with him. He didn't want Harry out of his sight. So Harry stayed in Severus' office working on an extra credit assignment for potions.
At dinner a lone owl flew into the Great Hall. The owl dropped a letter on Harry's plate and flew away. Harry opened the letter and quickly scanned it. At first he didn't see a second piece of parchment. The first letter said:
Mister Harry Potter,
Congratulations on coming into your creature inheritance. Whenever you have a chance you are needed at Gringotts. There are matters pertaining to your vaults and your creature inheritance that greatly concern those of us goblins aware of your circumstances.
Sincerely,
Matterhorn
Head goblin at Gringotts
Ps. here is a copy of the transactions to date.
Vaults
Potter: 10,000 gallons, 72 sickles, and 3 Knuts
Black: 1,000,000 gallons
Riddle: 1,000,000 gallons
Slytherin: 5,000,000 gallons
LeStrange: 20,000 gallons 59 sickles and 10 Knuts
Gryffindor: 2,000,000 gallons
Transactions: 90,000 gallons to the Dumbledore vaults, weekly. Made by Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.
Harry stared dumbstruck at the letter. Hermione and Ron didn't notice but Draco and Severus did. Harry made his excuses and fled the Great Hall. He made his way to the dungeons seeking sanctuary in Severus' rooms. He let himself in, since Severus had changed the wards to let him and Draco enter whenever they wished.
(back in the Great Hall)
Severus let Harry get a head start, then followed. He stopped at the Slytherin table after telling Draco to follow him. They looked in Severus' rooms first and found Harry sitting on the couch staring into the fire.
"Harry?" Draco asked quietly.
Harry looked at them and they saw the tell-tale streaks that told them he'd been crying. Draco hurried across the room and sat next to Harry and wrapped him in his arms. Harry started crying again. Severus sat on Harry's other side and wrapped Harry and Draco in his arms. They let Harry cry for a little while, all the while stroking his hair and rubbing soothing circles on his back.
Severus asked hesitantly, "What's wrong, dearling?"
Harry gave Severus the letter from Matterhorn. Severus didn't show it but he was beyond furious. Severus showed Draco the letter, watching as Draco became more and more enraged. Draco's eyes bled silver and his fingernails lengthened to deadly talons. He grabbed Harry and held him in his arms cooing softly to reassure his mate.
Harry spoke then. "I can't believe he'd do something like that. I've always thought of him as a sort of surrogate grandfather and he betrayed me."
Severus said," I know, dearling, I never thought he'd do this either. We need to see Matterhorn as soon as possible."
Harry nodded and said, "I know."
They decided that next Hogsmeade weekend they would go to Diagon Alley and see Matterhorn. Harry felt better after telling his mates about it. After about fifteen minutes Harry fell asleep so Severus carried him to bed. Draco followed close behind.
