Life's Work

Malus was irritated that he was sent upstairs like he was just another child. He was put in a room of craft supplies and Nurse Longbottom apologized as she set out a small camping cot with a single pillow and blanket. For Grandpa wanting to be here and saying he'd look after Malus, he had left him upstairs to talk with the remaining adults once Mrs. Potter and Professor Longbottom returned.

Malus watched out the window, still trying to wrap his head around the idea that Isabella wasn't going to come into the room, insisting he help her with homework with the threat of writing home to dad if he refused. He never thought he'd be sad to have a break from her, but then he remembered how Mum was fine one day, then gone the next. Malus would never get to hug her again. Never be told to do chores or let Isabella play with him… and he wondered... his mind reeled with the things he had taken for granted with his sister.

And even with all that, all he wanted to do was talk to Abigail. The night they were supposed to meet up in the come and go room, Malus thought Abigail had come early. There was a drink on the table beside a love seat he hadn't seen there before, but usually they came together or he was able to get up there first. He drank it and hardly realized what was going on as Ines—a year ahead of him and in Slytherin—came in.

The next thing Malus knew, they had been snogging for over an hour and the two broke apart, suddenly aware of themselves and that neither of them had intended any of this. They both rushed from the room and Malus hid out the rest of the night in the library. When he got back to his dormitory, Ines jumped in front of him, whispering quickly an explanation and apology.

"It was for someone else," Ines said. "I thought… I thought someone else would be there."

Malus didn't bother asking who, but apparently it was a two part love potion, which would make the two drinkers attracted to one another. Easier than a traditional love potion, but with obvious potential consequences.

"It's okay," Malus said, feeling his face burn as Ines continued to apologize. "It's just lucky Abby got stalled."

Ines relaxed and rushed to the girls' side of the dormitories, obviously as glad as Malus was that that conversation was over. He only needed to have one more, but by the next morning it became very clear that Abby had been up to the come and go room. And she refused to let him near enough to explain himself. After three days of trying, Malus sent Abby an owl, which arrived with the morning post. He watched as she tore it up without even opening the letter.

Malus tossed and turned on the makeshift bed, trying to sleep, though he couldn't. He had failed as a boyfriend, he had failed as a brother… and he just wanted the chance to make something right.

There was noise in the room next to his. He heard the distinct sound of a window opening and stood to see out of his own, wiping off the fog from his breath. He watched as Abigail climbed onto one of the larger branches of the tree on the side of the house, then shimmied down the trunk. Malus turned and grabbed his cloak and scarf, pulling on gloves and double checking his wand as he opened his window and followed suit, nearly slipping as the branch closest to him was smaller and less able to hold his weight.

Once on the ground, Malus followed Abigail's footprints in the falling snow until he could see her in the distance, walking down the main street of Hogsmeade towards the outskirts. She had her wand lit as she moved carefully in the shadows of the buildings.

It was another five minutes before they were at the edge of town and Abigail stopped, searching an area around a large boulder. Malus moved slowly, silently, as he came closer, pulling out his own wand. "Abby," he said gently.

Abigail started and turned to see him. Malus held up a hand. "What are you doing out here?" she demanded.

"Figuring out what you're doing," Malus said. "I think I have a pretty good idea."

Abigail turned back to the ground, scanning it with her lit wand. "They aren't going to let us help," Abigail said. "I have to see if they missed something."

"Your uncle's an auror, isn't he?" Malus asked, moving near her, lighting up his own wand and joining her.

"I still have to know," Abby said.

Malus glanced sideways at her every so often. The light bounced off the edges of her honey brown ringlets, making his heart pang with longing. They searched pointlessly for another five minutes before he broke the silence.

"About the other night—"

"Really?" Abby snapped, her eye snapping to his. "Now?"

"Why not now? You won't let me talk any other time."

"Our sisters are missing!" Abigail said. She bit her bottom lip, looking around them as though Isabella or Callie might just pop out from behind a rock. "And my cousin."

Malus bit the inside of his cheek. She was right. Sort of. He took his wand and kept looking, but eventually they knew there was nothing left here to find. Abby's aunt and uncle had already brought back whatever was here. They stood in the center, where maybe their sisters had stood.

"People don't just disappear into thin air," Abby said quietly.

"No," Malus agreed. "They don't."

"I have been more mean to Callie this last week than I've been to anyone. Ever," Abby said.

Malus looked towards her. Abby's eyes were filling with tears. She wiped at her nose with her sleeve. "I doubt that."

"She knew what you were doing," Abby said, looking at him. "She told me not to go."

Malus swallowed. "It wasn't my fault."

Abby rolled her eyes and walked away from him. She took long strides and Malus tried to keep up.

"Listen, Abby—"

"No," she said. "I don't want to hear excuses from you. I just want to find my sister."

"Please—"

Abby turned around, her wand pointed at Malus's chest. He stopped, eyes widening. Abby's lips were pressed together and a tear fell from the outside corner of her eye. "Stop," she said, her voice low.

"Please," Malus begged quietly. Abby turned her wand in her hand. She was the sweetest person Malus knew. He was sure she had never jinxed anyone. And he was sure she was about to do it for the first time. "At least let me work with you to find them," he backpedaled. "You're right. Our parents aren't going to include us. I want to find Isabella as much as you want to find Callie."

Abby digested this, her wand still at his chest. "And that's it? We focus on them?"

"If that's what you want," Malus said.

Abby lowered her hand and put her wand back into her pocket. "Fine," she agreed. "Let's go see if we can overhear anything, then."

Harry lead the way to Belvedere's house. It was a small cottage north of Birmingham, hidden away by brambles and hedges. The house of a man in hiding. He pushed open the gate first, the lot of them with wands out. They moved silently. Harry looked to James, who nodded and moved towards the back, Imogen following.

The lights of the house were on along the first floor.

"Stay in the shadows south of the porch," Harry instructed Scorpius. He nodded and all that was left was Lorcan. "Alright, you're with me."

The two of them went up the steps of the porch, and Lorcan knocked as though they were here for a friendly call. Harry looked at his son-in-law, the intensity on Lorcan's face altering his appearance in a way Harry had never seen. But then Belvedere wasn't an unfamiliar threat, but an acquaintance—maybe someone Lorcan had considered a friend. Harry couldn't imagine this level of betrayal. It was the brand of backstabbing only surpassed by Wormtail many decades ago.

"We'll find her," Harry said.

Lorcan looked at him and gave a single nod as the sound of heavy footsteps creaked the wood on the other side of the door.

The door opened and Belvedere stood there, wearing flannel pants and an oversized shirt. He froze, eyes shifting between the two of them.

"We need to talk to you," Lorcan growled.

Belvedere seemed to come to himself. He turned, throwing the door shut as Harry moved forward catching it. Lorcan didn't waste time, jumping from the porch and making his way north around the house. Harry pushed the door back open, and followed Belvedere inside, taking the corners slowly.

"We just want to talk to you," Harry shouted.

"You don't understand," Belvedere said frantically. Harry turned, the sound coming from a different room.

Harry moved carefully, trying to remain soundless as he moved along the worn wooden floor. There were knick knacks everywhere. The front table was covered in notebooks. "What don't we understand, Rupert?" Harry asked.

"I've worked on this for too long!" he said. He was farther away, on the opposite side of the stairs. He edged along the wall, wand in front of him. "It's the only way."

"It doesn't have to be," Harry said, hoping to keep him talking. The more Belvedere thought they knew, the more he could get out of him before the man clammed up. "We can help you figure it out."

"No, it's only Callie," Belvedere said. "Only one born a century, Potter. Only one!"

Harry came around a corner and stepped back, Belvedere swinging a muggle cricket bat at his head. Harry ducked and waved his wand to disarm Belvedere. The man turned, ducking into another hallway, the wood pounding with each step. Harry sent a stunning spell, but he dove out of sight. Harry ran down the corridor, skidding to a stop with the gust of cold air coming through the window Belvedere had gone through. There was a loud shout from the outside and a thud against the house. Harry stuck his head out the window, eyes wide as he adjusted his glasses.

Belvedere lay unconscious against the siding of the cottage, ass in mud and snow and certainly not dressed for the winter weather. James moved forward, squatting down to examine the man. Harry looked to the other side where Lorcan stepped into the dim light cast from a window, wand still pointed directly at Belvedere.

"Shit, Lorcan," James said, impressed. "Remind me never to piss you off."

Harry moved around the house, letting the others deal with Belvedere. A tea kettle in the kitchen whistled and Harry turned off the stove. There were papers with symbols and notes covering every inch of parchment. Harry waved them into a straightened pile. They would take them. They would take anything that might help them.

He moved slowly up the steps. It hadn't looked like the house was tall enough for a second story. In fact, it wasn't. As Harry entered the wide, short attic space above, he paused. The floor was covered with what almost looked like a model. It was similar to something Harry had once seen Dudley play with, until he got bored because the mountain landscapes didn't contain electronics or video to keep his attention.

Harry examined what was around the hole at the top of the steps. Green. Mountains. Rivers. It was beautiful, but unlike Dudley's boring old model, this one seemed to be expanding. He saw trees growing, and soft sounds came from the landscape. Harry could have sworn he saw animals move beneath the canopy.

"What's up there?" Scorpius asked from the bottom of the steps.

"Something we need more room to examine," Harry said. Scorpius made his way up, balancing beside Harry as he squeezed into the space.

"Bloody hell," Scorpius exclaimed. "What is it?"

"I think it's where they are," Harry said, looking around to red rock cliffs. "I just hope I'm wrong."

Harry reluctantly agreed to move Belvedere and his work to the Malfoy mansion. Scorpius was the first to suggest it.

"If my dad's going to insist on being around, we might as well make use of it," Scorpius said, his tone as full of irritation at his own idea as Harry felt in knowing it was reasonable. "It's large enough and there are plenty of charms there to keep out anyone we don't invite."

James and Lorcan kept the unconscious, tied up Belvedere at his place while the others went back to explain what was going on and ask Draco to utilize his house as a headquarters. As they entered the Longbottom's living room, they came onto a scene where Malus and Abby were being reprimanded by Lily for sneaking out in the middle of the night. As soon as Harry gathered the reason for their outing, he turned to his daughter.

"They're old enough to know what's going on," Harry said.

Lily paused. "Dad, that isn't—"

"Unless you want them in far worse trouble, let them stay," Harry said.

Relief came over Abby as she ran into Harry, hugging him. Lily glared daggers. Harry wouldn't take his assessment back. And there wasn't time to argue, regardless. They explained the plan and Draco was more than willing to be central to what was needed in the moment.

"We can lock the bastard in the dungeons," he said.

Harry felt ill. "No," he said. "We'll set him in a room."

"Don't be an idiot, Potter. He'll get out if—"

"No," Harry said more firmly. He was suddenly seventeen again, glaring at his enemy and not an unlikely ally. "That's where Dobby died. That's where Ron and I were forced to listen to Bellatrix torture Hermione."

Draco narrowed his eyes and bit the inside of his cheek, his lips pressed together with the effort at not snapping back as everyone else stood in the blanket of awkward silence from Harry's last words. Ginny stepped forward and put a hand around his arm.

"Not the dungeons," Harry said again.

"Fine," Draco spat. "But you better damn well make it impossible for him to get out."

"We will," Harry said.

Lily went upstairs to wake up Cara and everyone gathered their things, the lot of them taking the floo one at a time as Draco and Harry went back to get Belvedere and find a way to transfer his model from upstairs. "We'll store the model and notes in the informal dining room," Draco suggested, making sure he set the terms and remain in charge of the house.

Once everything and everyone was settled, they gathered around Belvedere, creating a partition to a room in the servant's quarters. He would only see Harry and Lorcan when he woke. Harry sat back in a chair and waited. He looked closely at Belvedere. He was almost a Santa Claus figure, with a white beard and a rounded out face and body. Harmless, he seemed. He didn't fight back at his house. He ran. It said a lot about him. He wasn't looking for a fight.

But why target a thirteen year old? One born a century, he said. One what? What did he think Callie was?

It was nearly two in the morning before he groaned, stirring in the chair he was tied up to. Harry looked towards the faux wall the others were watching from behind. Ginny was looking back, he was sure. He could picture her assuring nod as he leaned forward. Realization for Belvedere's predicament washed over the man's face.

"Let me out," he begged. "Please, let me—"

Lorcan looked stone faced, extending his wand. Belvedere stopped. He swallowed.

"I think it's time you started to talk," Harry said.

"You can't hold me like this," Belvedere protested. "It's against Ministry policy!"

"We're not with the Ministry," Harry replied calmly.

"Your son is an auror," Belvedere countered.

"He's not with us," Harry lied easily. James was behind the wall, watching. Belvedere didn't need to know that. It was clear he believed Harry as well.

"Where's my daughter," Lorcan demanded this time.

Belvedere licked his lips. "You have to understand, Lorcan, I had to do it."

"What?" Lorcan snarled.

"Do you remember what I was working on?" Belvedere asked. "Do you remember my work?"

"The manuscripts," Lorcan said. Belvedere nodded and turned toward Harry.

"In the third century, there were other worlds… other places. As several fell into war, we withdrew and cut ourselves off," Belvedere said.

"Other worlds?" Harry asked.

"Other… realms, yes," Belvedere explained. "Most people chalk it up to literature, but they're records. Historical records. There was one I was focused on. One in particular. One where the wars became bad enough that refugees joined our world before theirs was destroyed. But we still had their memories and their writings."

"And then it was gone."

"Yes, but I've brought them back!" Belvedere declared. Harry looked over to Lorcan. His wrist had gone slack.

"That's not possible," Lorcan said.

"It is," Belvedere said. "Memories keep a place alive. Writing memories can keep them alive. It's a slow pulse, but it's there. It exists until it's forgotten, in every sense of the word."

Harry saw intrigue mix with Lorcan's fury. "What does this have to do with Callie?"

"That's what I was missing all this time," Belvedere said breathlessly. "An oracle can breathe life back into the world!"

"What do you mean, an oracle?" Harry asked.

"An oracle is supposed to be a conduit to higher ways of being," Lorcan said, shaking his head. "They don't exist."

"Yes they do," Belvedere countered. He licked his lips. Sweat beaded along his hairline now. Behind the fear was a sort of excitement to finally have the chance to lay his thesis out to a captive audience. "They're rare. So rare, we think they don't exist."

Lorcan starred, eyes narrowed. "Callie?"

"Yes."

Lorcan shook his head. "You're wrong."

"She could see the future, Lorcan," Belvedere said, leaning forward against his restraints. "She knew things she shouldn't have."

"Callie's always been observant."

"Strangely so?" Belvedere asked, a glint in his eye. Lorcan's wand lowered. "Things you explained away because it seemed too odd for a child her age to know them?"

Harry thought about his daughter-in-law Emily and how she had insisted Callie knew she would have a daughter. Albus told him at one point that Callie had also been aware of their son, Arthur's, name before they told anyone else. But then, their Grandpa Weasley's name had been Arthur and Harry had always figured she guessed. It wasn't that wild a guess, after all. The rest was often attributed to a vivid and delightful imagination. Harry looked at Lorcan, whose eyes were shifting back and forth, thinking.

"Still," Lorcan said, coming back to Belvedere. "What is the role you have for her?"

"It's not my role for her," Belvedere excused himself. "You have to understand, Lorcan, it's the only chance! Do you see what it means? If there are oracles… if we can bring back whole worlds? We can bring back people! People we love!"

Deatheaters. It was the second time in this ordeal the old group came to mind. These people, who were so afraid of death, took no value of others' lives. Never.

"And what happens to Callie?" Harry asked.

Belvedere became shifty again. Whatever it was, it wasn't good news. "It's a beautiful world," he said. He looked to Lorcan. "I would have never done it if she wasn't going to be just as happy."

"She has to stay there?" Lorcan said, his breath catching at the end. He wiped a hand down his face.

"And the others?" Harry asked.

"They weren't supposed to be around her," Belvedere said. He swallowed. "It was just supposed to be her."

This was apparently more than Lorcan could take. He turned around, shoved open the door and slammed it behind him. Harry looked at a spot on the ground, gathering his thoughts and anger in. He could only imagine James and Scorpius on the other side of the room. Was it worse or better that they were innocent bystanders? What about Serena's family, who relied so heavily on her?

"How did you do it?" Harry asked. "How did you make Callie go?"

"I-it's a portal," Belvedere said. "She could see into it. She was fascinated."

"And she agreed?"

"Sort of."

"Explain," Harry barked and swallowed. He had to keep his temper. A task becoming increasingly difficult.

"I needed to make sure she went," Belvedere said. "The portal would only open in enough space. I put an enchantment on it to keep her attention."

If Belvedere could make a portal to whatever world or realm this was, it meant it could be repeated. Harry stood, pushing his own chair against the wall.

"You're going to let me out of this chair, aren't you?"

Harry walked steadily to the door. "A houself will be here to feed you in the morning," Harry said.

"Please! It was my life's work!" Belvedere said. "Please, understand!"

Harry exited amid his pleas, closing the door behind him. Lorcan was in the hall, fists against the wall. He shook his head back and forth with his eyes closed. Tears were already staining his cheeks. Harry stepped over, grasping Lorcan's shoulder.

"We have all his notes," Harry said. "We'll bring them all back."

"I should have known," Lorcan muttered. "I've done the reading. I should have seen it."

"How could you?"

"Because I should have known my own daughter," Lorcan choked out, looking to Harry. "I should have seen what she was capable of. If I had, I would have realized there would be people out there that would try to take advantage of her."

Harry leaned back against the wall. There were too many of them who had written it off for Lorcan to be the only culprit. "Callie is always eager to please," Harry said. "I should have had a closer eye on her."

Another door opened as everyone else came flooding out. Lily ran to Lorcan, the two embracing as they cried. Abigail was in Ginny's arms and Malus was arguing with Scorpius.

"Someone need to make him pay," Malus said.

"It's not going to be you, Mal," Scorpius snapped. Draco stood behind them, looking entirely uncertain about how he fit into their dynamic.

Harry walked over, putting an arm on Malus's.

"Malus, what do we always talk about in class?" Harry asked. The boy's attention turned to him, torn between what he wanted to do and the answer. He deflated slightly.

"Vigilance, not vengeance," Malus half muttered the mantra Harry had taken to teaching years ago.

"That's right. As soon as we have the others back, he's going to Azkaban for a very long time," Harry said. "Until then, he might have useful information. Understood?"

"Yes, Professor Potter," Malus said grudgingly.

"Let's get going on this," Ginny said. It took a moment before their group moved.

Harry passed Draco, who looked back at him, irritated. Finally, the Malfoy Harry remembered.

Every inch of Serena's body felt stiff as she woke, pushing herself from the rocky surface of the cave floor. There were birds chirping as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, looking around. Andreas had fallen asleep against the wall at the entrance of the cave. She didn't see either of the girls. Empty cloaks laid abandoned with Furina sitting on one, licking a paw. Serena felt a moment of panic as she looked around, half relieved as she saw the two of them staring out the other side of the cave.

Other side. It hadn't been there the night before. She pushed herself up. "Andreas," she said. Callie looked back at her, a wide smile on her face as Serena hurried towards them. "Get back from there."

Serena stopped as she saw what they saw, her jaw dropping. Rather than the wild grass and endless forest, they were looking at a long lawn, several hundred yards long. Groomed. Ending at a large palace. Marble, glistening in the morning light.

"What is it?" Andreas asked, breathlessly and still scratching his head as he stumbled towards them. He stopped and looked over at Serena, who exchanged a glance with him. "The cave ended before."

Serena nodded.

"That's because it's still coming back," Callie said.

"Coming back?" Andreas asked.

"Come on!" Callie shouted and set off running across the grass.

"No wait!" Andreas called after her, running behind. Serena followed, then stopped, remembering Isabella, who had gone to gather her cat in her arms.

Serena watched helplessly from where she was as Isabella caught up. Andreas had finally pulled Callie back to him. Her mood was entirely unaffected. "Andy, come on," Callie said.

"Not so fast," he said, looking skeptically at the building. "We don't know who we're facing there."

Callie put her hands on Andreas's shoulders. "It's for us," she said. Callie moved her hand to his and pulled him along.

Serena looked back to Isabella. "Trust her," Isabella said, with the first smile Serena had seen on her face.

Serena nodded and kept level with Isabella and Furina as they followed the other two. Even with Isabella's reassurance, Serena waited to be stopped by guards or at least whoever owned this place. They walked into the main hall, a wide staircase curving gracefully upward to the next story, twenty feet up.

"This way," Callie said, tugging harder as they took a right into more plain areas of the house. A thin hallway and they were spat out into the tiled kitchen, with a rough wooden table and a hearth for a fire.

"Think floo might work?" Serena asked Andreas.

"If we had any powder, maybe," he replied as he looked around.

Isabella let Furina down. The cat sniffed around and hopped onto the counter. Concern of the owner of the house fled Serena's mind, replaced by the thought of food. She went to a door that looked as though it led to a pantry. Nothing. Empty bags and boxes.

Andreas stood at her shoulder and sighed. "We need food," he said quietly.

Serena felt like crying. It was too much.

"No way," Isabella exclaimed.

Serena and Andreas turned. Where there had been counter space before, there sat plates with sausages and bread. Fresh fruit was in a bowl and even a pot of porridge steamed from the island in the middle. Furina mewled and ran to a bowl on the floor, eating the minced, cooked meat inside.

Isabella snatched a piece of cheese and ate quickly. Callie moved around the island to grab bread.

"Wait!" Serena said. "Wait, what if someone comes down—"

"It's for us," Callie said. "Come eat, Serena."

Andreas looked at her, waiting. Smiling. Reassuring Serena as she stepped over, half expecting the food to disappear as she reached out. Her hand touched a large pomegranate-like fruit, with a deep purple tint. She smelled the skin, a sweet fragrant breaking down any other apprehensions. She broke open the fruit and bit out some flesh, juice dripping down her chin.

Andreas laughed. Serena wiped at her mouth, still chewing on the fruit there.

"You missed some," Andreas said, wiping at a different spot, smiling as Serena blushed.

He turned to the food, grabbing bread and sausage, digging in with the rest of them as they all ate their fill, and then some. Serena sat back. It was amazing how a full stomach could make everything seem okay again. Possible, at the very least.

"Now what?" Serena asked.

"Now we explore," Andreas said. "It's for us, right Callie?"

The girl nodded, still smiling; obviously happy to deliver good news.

"Alright, but we stay together," Serena said.

Isabella picked up Furina and they walked back to the entryway. They explored what looked like an assembly hall, a beautiful grand piano in the corner. Callie ran to the middle, spinning in circles until Andreas said he would like to continue.

Plain rooms lined the kitchen and as they went up the stairs they found more unique rooms, filled with decadent furniture and objects. One room was filled with toys. Another was an office, with a light wooden desk. Serena moved through the space, picking up an unfinished letter in a language she didn't understand. There was a conspicuous lack of dust in the abandoned place. Isabella sat on a couch across from the desk as the others tried to open the drawers to see what was in there.

Serena moved to a side table near Isabella, looking in the drawer. There were various bits of string, quills, and old bottles of ink and alcohol. Clutter, really. Until she came to a little frame set, folded and the size of her hand. She pried open the golden filigree frame. On one side was the portrait of a lovely woman, with bright blonde hair, curled and pinned up. Her blue eyes turned up at the corners, giving her an attentive look.

It was the other portrait that made Serena stop. "Andy," she said.

He was at the desk, spinning a top with his wand endlessly to entertain Callie. He turned, smiling. "What is it?" he asked.

She held up the frame, showing him. Distracted, the top dropped as he moved forward, the smile sliding from his face. "Who is that?"

Serena shrugged. Callie moved behind Andreas, hanging off one of his shoulders.

"He looks like you, Andy," she declared.

Andreas exchanged a look with Serena.