Harry Visits Malfoy Manor

Harry has received an invitation to Malfoy Manor. Set several months after Deathly Hallows. Lucius understands the expedience of being on Harry's side now and has invited him so that he can offer advice on how Harry can exert his influence in the Ministry. The setting is inspired by a segment of The Golden Age by Arsinoe de Blassenville and is used with the author's permission.

Harry sat at the ornately carved table in the magnificent oak panelled dining room at Malfoy Manor and could not help feeling just a little out of place. He had accepted Lucius Malfoy's invitation in part, out of curiosity. Lucius had promised to tell him how to deploy his influence most effectively now that he had achieved the status of 'Saviour' of the magical world. "I understand completely about not spreading my influence too thinly Lucius," said Harry. "You yourself were a past master in that art once." Lucius gave a nod of acquiescence. "I admit that I was indignant about your publishing an account of Voldemort living in your house last year," said Harry. "But really, any reflection on the matter shows that you were not truly his hosts."

"It pleases me no end that the old monster is gone forever," said Lucius. "As far as I am concerned he never truly returned." Harry looked at him quizzically. "I am perfectly sincere," said Lucius. "That – that thing that emerged from the cauldron that night – it may have had the dark lord's memories, but it did not act the way he had done. You must remember, it wasn't sane or even intelligent. It was entirely at the mercy of its own whims and obsessions. The insignificant shred of humanity the dark lord had had left can't have been enough to power the resurrection spell. I would never have been hoodwinked by such a creature. The dark lord of a bygone era was cunning and very persuasive. He promised that I could be his second in command and that together we would establish a new order in which wizards would never need to cower in the shadows again, but would create a golden age of peace and prosperity for all, magic and muggle alike." Lucius sighed and shook his head. "I was a gullible fool," he said.

Narcissa turned to him and squeezed his hand in a reassuring way. On her other side there sat a beautiful sylph like little girl with lustrous silver hair and startlingly blue eyes. "Don't be sad father," she said in her piping voice.

"I must confess, I never would have dreamed you would both adopt a muggle born orphan," said Harry. "Although Larissa looks as if she really is one of the family."

"A wise wizard can admit when he is wrong," said Lucius. "All the senseless infighting has left the magical community seriously depleted. We must find ways to keep numbers of witches and wizards up to be able to stand against the muggles. And you must know it is best for a magical child not to grow up in a magical household."

"I'd say," said Harry. "The Dursleys did nothing but humiliate me, locking me in the understairs cupboard for long periods at a time and subjecting me to periods of near starvation. They withheld all knowledge of who I was. They made out my mum and dad died in a car crash."

Lucius and Narcissa stared. "If I'd known..." said Narcissa, "If the magical community had only known... they'd never have allowed it. It was one of Dumbledore's Machiavellian schemes wasn't it?"

"I know Dumbledore wasn't perfect," said Harry with a wry smile. "He never took me into his confidences at all. He always withheld vital information from me, but expected me to die for our cause against Voldemort. His biggest failing was his belief in his own superiority. He thought he was too high and mighty to share secrets with anyone."

Narcissa's clear blue eyes registered shock. "So his idea was to make you willing to lose your life..." she shook her head.

"Dumbledore said that it was necessary for me to remain at the Dursleys so that he could invoke magical protection on my behalf that stemmed from my mother's blood kin still residing at the muggle house," said Harry.

"And who would have attacked you?" Said Lucius. "Apart from the lunatics; Barty and Bella – sorry dear," he added giving Narcissa a sidelong glance.

Narcissa sighed. "It's quite alright, I know she was a lunatic."

"When they were locked up, the rest of us who had made the mistake of following the dark lord just wanted to get on with our lives." Said Lucius. "I never held any malice towards you. I had never wanted him to attack your household. But he was showing signs of mental decay even then – he had this terrible obsession with targeting Lily and James, but never would explain why."

"And surely any supposed magical protection wouldn't have helped unless you were in the muggle house all the time?" said Narcissa, "were you?"

"No, the muggles took me out of the house a great deal," said Harry. "But it is late - let us leave the rest until tomorrow."

"Quite right," said Narcissa. "Come on Larissa, it's past your bed time."