Thank you so much to the people who reviewed Chapter 1! I was thrilled to get a good response to this fic, since it is by far one of my favourites! I hope you all enjoy this new chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters. They belong to JK Rowling. However, I own James, his sisters and cousins, as well as Maerad and her family!

Enjoy!

Of Darkness and Light

Chapter 2

Maerad, with her small stature, somehow succeeded in half dragging, half carrying James towards the headmaster's office. In his dazed state, James barely registered the journey from the seventh floor to the Entrance Hall courtyard where Dumbledore's office resided.

"Albus!" Maerad called out, as the gargoyle guarding the office let her through, without the password, James noted dimly. "We need you!"

Albus looked up from his desk where he was attending to some official looking documents. He smiled. "Maerad! What a nice surprise, seeing you 'in the flesh' as it were." He proclaimed, standing to greet the Seelie Queen. His smile faded as he spotted James. "James my boy, it's after curfew. What are you doing here?" he looked from James to Maerad, taking in the Caroller's grim expression, and James' pale face. "What happened?" he asked warily.

"James accidentally unsealed the painting." Maerad told him.

Albus sank back into his chair. "I see." He said gravely. He turned to the fire and threw some Floo Powder into the flames. Sticking his head inside, he held a short conversation before withdrawing and turning back to James and Maerad. "Your parents are on their way, James." He said, and James shuddered, he was in deep trouble when his dad found out. "Sit down my boy, you look worn out." He turned to the portraits on the wall. "Phineas, would you be so kind as to collect Severus and Draco? Armando, I would appreciate it if you would fetch Minerva." The ex-headmasters nodded and walked out of their frames.

At that moment, the fire flared green and Lucius and Harry stepped out of the flames. Forgetting that he would be in serious trouble, James leapt from his chair and flew into Harry's arms. "Dad! I was so scared!" he cried. "I-I don't know what happened! I know you told me to stay in the Common Room but I just wanted to take a walk, I didn't mean for it to happen!" he babbled between heaving sobs.

Harry sighed and held his son tightly. "It's all right James. Merlin knows I got into enough trouble when I was your age."

"Yes," Lucius said wryly. "You vanquished a Dark Lord and you were pregnant with this troublemaker," he jerked his head at their son, "when you were his age."

"Exactly." Harry sighed, and smiled encouragingly at James. "Not to say that you're not grounded for the rest of the school year, because you totally are." He told his son with dry humour, and James laughed through his tears.

It was then that Severus and Draco, followed by Minerva, Sirius and Remus (Who were joint Defence teachers) entered the headmaster's office. "Albus? What's going on?" Minerva asked bluntly.

"We have a rather large and serious problem on our hands, I'm afraid." Albus sighed. "James has inadvertently unsealed the portrait of the Unseelie Court."

Severus and Minerva gasped. As professors with tenure and long service at Hogwarts, they were aware of what this was. Harry and Draco, who had spent their final year at Hogwarts under Maerad's care, had some knowledge of the Unseelie, but knew little of its history. "Unsealed?" Lucius asked. "What do you mean unsealed?"

"You understand that my portraits through out the school are windows into Faery?" Maerad asked, and Lucius, Harry, Draco and the others nodded. "I am the Seelie Queen, the ruler over good faeries, albeit some rather mischievous ones. However, where there are windows into the pure areas of Faery, there are also windows into the corrupt, created by the Unseelie Queen. When the school was first completed, the Four Founders knew of my existence, as they were building on a place of power and needed my assistance to do so peacefully. We first transformed the nearby windows to Faery into portraits to better watch the students without them knowing of the existence of Faery, and we soon discovered how much easier it was to use the portraits to travel, even between worlds. It wasn't long after the school's official opening that the Unseelie began to wreak havoc upon the school, leaving their portraits despite the strict rules we have, to cause harm to the unsuspecting students. I assisted the Founders in binding the Queen and her minions into one single portrait, frozen in time by the seal upon the portrait, neither of the human world, nor of Faery. It was hanging down in the dungeons until about seventy five years ago, when the painting was moved into the Room of Requirement. They hung in limbo until James unsealed the portrait last night. For centuries, none but me knew about the Faery portals."

"Why move the painting after all that time?" Remus asked.

"Seventy five years ago Voldemort was at school here." Harry realised.

Albus nodded. "I feared he would find a way to unseal them and unleash the Unseelie on an already terrified wizarding world."

"How did you know about the portrait, if Maerad said that knowledge of the Faery portals was lost to wizards?" Lucius demanded.

Albus smiled faintly. "I met Maerad when I was eleven years old." He replied.

"By sheer accident I assure you." Maerad added dryly. "Nevertheless, I've been pleased to assist students in the capacity of a portrait over the years." She said, smiling at Harry and Draco, who returned her smile with ones of their own.

"So how did James unseal them?" Draco asked, putting his hand on his brother's shoulder as the boy buried his head in Harry's neck. Lucius stood with protective arms around his husband and sons. Beside him, Severus wrapped his arms around Draco's waist.

James answered before Maerad could, his voice muffled in Harry's clothing. "I went for a walk, to clear my head after I left dad and father's quarters." He said. "I was on the seventh floor when Mrs. Norris found me. I hid in the Room of Requirement and found myself in a room with all kinds of stuff in it. I found this," he stepped away from Harry and pulled the copy of Advanced Potion Making out of his pocket. "In an old cupboard."

Harry plucked it from his son's hand and looked at it. Wryly, he held it up to Severus and Draco, who both chuckled despite the seriousness of their situation. Turning, Harry threw it into the fire and let it burn. "Dad!" James protested, "That would've been really useful!"

"I know it would have!" Harry said cheerfully, "But you're not going to be using it."

"I'll explain later James." Severus promised, grinning at the boy's perplexed look. "Please continue your story."

"I decided to look around, which was when I found the book." James carried on, "I got to the back of the room and was about to head towards the door and back to the common room when I saw the portrait. It was pretty dusty, so I reached out to brush some of the dust off of it, and then there was a jolt and I felt my magic being pulled out of me. It hurt!"

"Just your fae power, or all of it?" Minerva asked him.

"Hmm… just my fae." James replied.

"She has no use for the magic of humans." Maerad confirmed.

"She thanked me." James shuddered.

"Yes, I suspect she did." Maerad replied grimly.

"I believe we need to go and inspect the portrait." Albus declared.

Before he knew it, James was being propelled back towards the seventh floor.

"Well, the good news is, she completely drained James' power and it still wasn't enough to entirely break the seal." Maerad announced. "The human world is safe, for now."

"And the bad news?" Harry asked acerbically.

"The bad news is that Faery is not safe." Maerad answered. "And we have to prevent my dear sister from getting powerful enough to break the remainder of the seal."

"Sister?" Harry exclaimed.

Maerad sighed. "Sadly, yes. Harry, where there is light there is also darkness, you know that as well as anyone." Harry nodded in acknowledgement of her statement. "Marishka and I were the first siblings to take the opposing thrones in over a millennia of Faery Kings and Queens. We were never close, even as children; she was swayed to the dark side early on, and groomed to take over the Unseelie, just as I was the Seelie. She was lucky to even survive to take the throne, as the Unseelie are prone to killing off the heirs to the throne in an attempt to get the throne for themselves." She sighed. "I'm getting off the topic. The fact is, while the human world is safe for the time being, it will not remain so for long."

"What do you mean?" Sirius demanded.

"Marishka will use her new found freedom to run rampant in Faery and absorb enough good magic to break out." Maerad said heavily.

"So we just have to find her and seal her back into the painting?" Draco asked. "That should be simple enough if we can find her while she's still weak."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple at all Draco." Maerad told him. "Unfortunately, because James is the one who unsealed her, James must be the one who recaptures her."

"What!" Harry cried, pulling a frightened looking James towards him. "How can he do it on his own? He can't possibly face down an army of evil faeries on his own!" Lucius put his arm around his distraught husband.

"He won't be alone, Harry." Maerad said gently. "He is the central point of the binding spell, but not the only point. It took five to seal her the first time, it will take five again, of both faery and human descent, maybe more. But James is special, he is not a half-blooded faery, nor is he a human who has become a faery. He is a human with fae power. One such as he has never been seen before, and likely never will again." She explained. "It makes him powerful, both as a wizard and as a faery, and someone whom Marishka should be vary wary of!"

"Still, I don't want him facing some deranged bitch with a power complex and a short fuse!" Harry, argued.

James untangled himself from his parents. "Its okay dad." He said gently. He looked over at Maerad. "I caused this, so I'll fix it. What do I have to do?" he asked firmly.

She smiled at him. "You must come with me to Faery." She said. "There I can both protect you and train you for what is to come." She looked James squarely in the eye. "I won't pretend this is going to be easy James. It is unlikely you will be welcomed by my subjects; they do not take kindly to outsiders, and Marishka will undoubtedly try to sway you to the Unseelie. It will be dangerous, but you will have the best protection I, as Seelie Queen, can offer."

"I understand." James replied, his voice hard. "I still want to do it."

"Are you sure, James?" Lucius asked him.

"Yes father." The boy replied determinedly. "I am sure."

"Very well, but we're coming with you." Harry announced.

"Dad!" James sputtered, surprised.

"A good idea, actually." Maerad said. "We will need you to complete the binding spell."

"Then I'm coming too!" Draco said.

"No, Draco. Its bad enough that one of my sons is in danger. I won't have you doing the same." Lucius said firmly. "I need you and Severus to stay here and take care of Miranda for me. Antigone and Ismene too. Besides, you can't leave Ariel and Toby here alone. They'll worry."

"He's right Draco." Severus said to his husband gently. He looked to his best friend. "We'll take care of the girls Luc." He promised.

"Thanks Sev." Lucius replied gratefully.

"We'd best get going now." Maerad told them. "Go and pack your things and meet me by your old rooms. I trust you remember where they are, Harry?"
Harry nodded and guided his son out of the Room and back into the corridor, Lucius hurrying behind them.

Harry, Lucius and James met Maerad out the front of the portrait of the Faery Garden. Maerad herself was already in the portrait. The rooms behind the portrait held many memories for Harry, and he smiled fondly at the recollection of his Seventh Year.

"Ready to go?" Maerad asked them gently.

Harry and Lucius both looked towards James. "Ready to go sweetheart?" Harry asked his oldest son.

James took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. I'm ready." He replied.

"Then lets get going." Maerad said with an encouraging smile for the seventeen year old. She reached out a hand towards Harry, and James started when her hand stretched out of the painting. Harry grasped it and allowed her to draw him into the painting with her. James was ushered through the painting next by his father, with Lucius following behind him.

"Welcome, my dear friends, to Faery." Maerad said cheerfully.

James' head swivelled from side to side as he took in the beauty of Faery. Every where as far as the eye could see there were trees and plants in the full bloom of spring, and tiny elemental faeries gambolled in the sunlight. Faery apparently ran on a different timeline to the human world.

"The Seelie Court isn't too far from here." Maerad said to them. "But we're to wait here until our guard comes for us. They should be here any minute… Ah! There they are!" she exclaimed, and waved enthusiastically to the approaching men on horseback, bouncing on her toes in her excitement. As if she were a small child rather than an ancient and powerful queen! James thought wryly.

He noticed, however, that the lead rider had returned her wave with one of his own.

"Cíaran!" Maerad called when the horsemen had drawn level with them and dismounted. "Its good to see you darling!"

The one called Cíaran, a tall faery with auburn hair and smiling sapphire blue eyes bowed to Maerad, and then smiled. "It is good to see you too, Grandmother."

"Grandmother?!" James exclaimed.

Cíaran flashed him a smile that made his heart stop for a moment. "Yes, I am the Queen's grandson. You must be James Malfoy. Grandmother has told me much about you."

James blushed. "None of it good I'm sure." He mumbled.

Cíaran laughed. "Quite the contrary." He assured him. "She has nothing but praise for you, isn't that right Grandmother?"

Maerad nodded sagely. "Oh yes." She replied with a smile.

Cíaran bowed to Harry and Lucius, and exchanged pleasantries with them, before stating. "We must get going. It shall be dark soon, and Unseelie activity is already increasing after dusk." He supplied a horse for his grandmother, and one for Harry and Lucius to share (Harry wasn't much of a rider, however Lucius was an expert), and boosted James up onto his own horse (James wasn't much of a rider either!), before settling himself into the saddle behind James and leading the pack towards the Seelie Court.

"I can't believe Maerad is a grandmother!" James said, to himself more than anybody else. "She doesn't look old enough to have children, let alone grandchildren."

"High Fae like us can choose our forms." Cíaran explained. "We have humanoid appearances, but because we have such long lives we can choose what we look like. I guess you could call it Grandmother's one vanity. Her age, that is, so she prefers to look childlike, something my mother and sister highly disapprove of."

James wondered what Cíaran's mother and sister would be like. Would they be kind and amicable like Maerad and Cíaran? He figured he'd find out soon enough.

As if Cíaran read his mind (which, in all fairness, he could probably do if was so inclined), he announced that they were approaching the gates of the Seelie Court.

Again, James' head swivelled from side to side as he took in the sights of the out ring of the Seelie Court. Amused by his antics, Cíaran explained as they entered the stables. "This is the Summer Court, ruled over by the Summer King. Who, incidentally, is a feckless moron with a love of ambrosia wine."

"Hey! I heard that!" an indignant voice sounded from the entrance of the stables.

Cíaran grinned. "He's also my best friend, so I can get away with saying things like that." He told the bemused James. "James Malfoy, this is Keenan, the Summer King."

Keenan, a laughing blond with a strong summer tan and chocolate coloured eyes, held out his hand, which James shook nervously. "Don't worry James, I don't bite." He said with a wink.

"Much." Cíaran muttered behind James, and Keenan grinned.

"Well, only if you want me to." He clarified, making James blush.

"Get lost Keenan!" Cíaran snapped, throwing a curry brush at his friend. Laughing, Keenan dodged the brush. "All right, I'm going!" he said, holding up his hands in supplication and leaving the stables. "Later, Cíaran!"

"Yeah, later." Cíaran mumbled. "Sorry about him." He said to James, "Keenan is incorrigible at the best of times." He smiled at the by now overwhelmed Malfoy.

"T-that's okay." James stammered. "But what's the difference between the Seelie Court and the Summer Court?" he asked.

"The Summer Court and the High Court make up the Seelie Court together." Cíaran explained. "Most of what we call the 'Court friends' reside within the Summer Court, since most of the High Fae will tolerate them, but don't particularly… approve of them. Within the High Court only High Fae can hold positions of importance. Hence why Keenan is a High Fae, but many of his subjects are not. It is the same within the Unseelie, which is made up of the Dark Court, and the Winter Court."

"What are the Court friends?" James asked curiously.

"Usually they are the offspring of faeries that have bred with humans, or humans that have become faeries. Keenan has the Summer Girls, girls who were once human who became Summer faeries to be with him." Cíaran shook his head. "There are others, but that is a tale for another time." He said as James succumbed to a yawn. "You are exhausted. Having you power pulled out of you like that has strained your body. You must get some sleep. Tomorrow we will begin your training.

* * * *

Keenan met Cíaran after the young prince had escorted James to his rooms in Maerad's palace. "You are very taken with him." The Summer King observed dryly. "And I can see why. He is quite exquisite."

"Back off Keenan." Cíaran said warningly. "You have your girls, lets leave it at that, shall we?"

"Please!" Keenan waved a hand in his friend's face dismissively. "Not my type. I prefer them strictly female."

"It wouldn't be the first time you stole a lover from me." Cíaran observed.

"Not in centuries." Keenan shrugged.

"Last decade." Cíaran reminded him.

"Really?" Keenan asked mock innocently, and Cíaran shoved him good naturedly. "Well, good luck, my old friend. It is quite clear you are smitten with the pretty thing."

Cíaran smiled goofily. "Indeed I am my friend, indeed I am."

The end of Chapter 2! What do you all think of Cíaran? I am aiming to bring to the story someone who will take care of and look after James as Lucius takes care of and looks after Harry. As a side note, I have borrowed Keenan and the Summer Court from Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely, since I though he was brilliant and a great way to add to the dynamics of my version of the Seelie Court. Wicked Lovely is a brilliant book and you guys should all totally check it out! Keenan and his subjects will probably make more appearances later in the story!

Until Chapter 3!