Title: Seven of Swords
Author: Magpie quill
Summary: AU. Harry Potter has two lives: 1. The boy who lived and 2. Doitvite, the juggler. He thought that he could keep them apart but when it turns out that he's the mate of a Veela, problems arise. Ignores HBP. slash DMHP, child abuse.
Disclaimer: Many characters and places seen here are the property of J. K Rowling and Warner Brothers. Everything that you do not recognize from the Harry Potter books and movies is mine.
Warnings: AU, OC, DM/HP, slash, child abuse, complex characters, mild drug/alcohol abuse, Dumbledore bashing
The rest of the day passed slowly for Draco. Harry had come out of his room only to grab a plate of the dinner that one of the house elves had brought for them. Draco had tried to talk to him but it had little effect. Harry simply brushed Draco off and then returned to his room. With nothing better to do Draco had retreated into his own room to try and figure out the problem that was Harry Potter.
Glancing at the clock on the wall Draco was shocked to see that it was almost one in the morning. It hadn't felt that long. He was also no closer to understanding his mate then he had been the day before. Clearly it was time for Draco to admit defeat for the day and go to bed. He was just about to go and do just that when there was a noise from the common room.
It was small, not even something that Draco would have noticed if it hadn't been the utter silence of night. It was so small in fact that Draco was going to just turn around and continue preparing for bed. When it came for a second time however, Draco paused. Remembering the events of that morning, he decided it would be prudent to, at the very least, go and check that Harry wasn't getting into any trouble.
"Hey, how are you fee-" the words died on his lips as he stepped into the common room. Standing there were three people, none of whom was Harry. In fact looking at them Draco was positive they didn't even attend Hogwarts. Of course that conclusion was fairly obvious considering that all three were pointing, almost casually, guns at his head. Mentally cursing himself for leaving his wand inside by his bed, Draco pasted a bored expression on his face. "Bit late for visitors, don't you agree?" he asked casually, all the while looking them over.
Standing in front of him, not even the least bit disturbed at being caught breaking in, was without a doubt the oddest three people Draco had ever seen. An aging women and two twenty-something year old men was not normal, but it also wasn't so strange as to give him the creeps like he had now. No, the real issue was the way they held themselves. He had seen it once when he was 15 and a group of Death eaters came to the family manor. The "acquaintances" of his fathers had the same air about them as these three: Complete control. Only it was worse. The group in front of him hadn't learned how to bow and scrape, how to say consoling words while stabbing someone in the back. They were dangerous in a way that Draco had never seen before.
"Not really all that late," the taller of the two men drawled in a way that would have impressed even Draco's father. "Where is Harry?" It was then that Draco noticed something: These people had control but there was also the hidden promise of violence that Draco had only seen in his Aunt Bella. The idea was not pretty.
"Joseph, that's enough" the woman snapped. "You were allowed to come on the promise that you would be able to stay calm. Don't let me regret bringing you." For a moment the two intruders locked eyes in a battle of wills. Then the man, Joseph, looked away and stepped back from Draco. Satisfied the woman turned her gaze to Draco.
For the first time Draco really looked at her. Before his attention had been mostly on the men, they seeming to be the most obvious threat. Now though he wasn't sure. The woman was older, maybe fifty; her height was also nothing impressive (Draco guessed that she stood at barely 5' 4"). Even with the small gun pointed at him she shouldn't have been threatening. The woman was not dressed for a fight: a loosed skirt and blouse paired with a warm and clearly worn sweater as well as sensible shoes, she hardly seemed to be a threat and yet this woman scared him more then anyone else with the possible exception of the Dark Lord himself. It was her eyes, Draco decided. They were too sharp, too clear, for a woman her age. Looking at her gave one the feeling that she had seen everything and had survived it simply because she was too stubborn to die.
"Finished?" Her voice cut through his thoughts. Before he could even take a breath to respond though she was continuing on.
"My name is Mrs. Cathleen Dowell, and as Mr. Cero so nicely put it, we are here to see Harry. If you could get him, we would be much obliged." Despite the friendly tone, Draco felt a slight tingle of fear go up his spine.
"I'm sorry, you have the wrong room. Try the Gryffindor tower."
Mrs. Dowell looked him over as if trying to decide if he was worth the bullet that would be needed to kill him. Apparently he wasn't. The small gun Draco had been staring down suddenly disappeared. Both Joseph and the other still unnamed man put away their weapons as well.
"Well, I'm glad to see that Pamela was just over reacting as usual. Sit down and lets have some proper introductions." The woman said briskly as she settled herself into one of the armchairs, the men following her lead and flopping across the couch. Hesitantly Draco walked over to one of the remaining seats and sat down.
"I'm Draco Malfoy. Who exactly are you?"
"Like I said, my name is Cathleen Dowell. The boys are mutual friends of Harry's and mine. Joseph is the tall gangly one who refuses to cut his hair, and Daniel is the animal sitting next to him." Despite the comments, Draco could hear the affection in her voice.
"Mrs. Dowell, we are both big boys and capable of introducing ourselves." Daniel cut in. Turning to Draco he continued, "Call me Daniel and I'll kill you. Its Sal." Draco opened his mouth, and then wisely shut it again. 'Sal' may have been slightly shorter then Joseph, but not by that much. He was also built like an ox: broad shoulders, thick neck, all together he looked as if a hurricane could hit him and he wouldn't even flinch. Before Draco's mind could go much farther along that train of thought Joseph cut him off.
"I'm Joseph Cero and I'm going to tell you what Mrs. Dowell is too polite to say. We don't like you. Most likely were never gonna like you. You are alive because Mrs. Dowell decided that you weren't a threat to either us or to Harry. If that opinion changes for whatever reason we will not hesitate to kill you. Clear?"
Not trusting his voice Draco just nodded.
"Good." Suddenly the killer who was sitting across from him disappeared. In his place was a calm man relaxing in his chair, albeit with a gun in hand. There was no sign that this man had just seconds before threatened to kill a kitten let alone another human being. With a slight nod he turned to Mrs. Dowell "Your show here. What now?"
"When I said we should introduce ourselves I meant more then some threats and your names. Besides the lord knows Harry could use the sleep. We can wait to talk to him." Mrs. Dowell said dismissively, her attention still on Draco. "I'd rather get to know Mr. Malfoy here."
Unconsciously Draco sat up straighter. The woman was like a more terrifying version of Professor McGonagall, and until this minute Draco hadn't thought that was possible.
"I'm sorry, but I still don't really understand who you are or why you're here asking about Harry." Every inch of Draco's well-ingrained self-preservation side was screaming at him for saying anything, however, it was more important though to find out if these people meant any harm to his mate. Still right now, with all three sets of eyes focused on him in a rather unfriendly sort of way, Draco was more then a little nervous.
The odd group exchanged looks. Well, Sal and Joseph exchanged looks; Mrs. Dowell was still staring at Draco. Finally Sal spoke.
"Think of us as representatives for Harry's family. Were just trying to make sure that everything's on the up and up."
Draco just stared blankly at him.
"Sal, go easy on the man. He's a wizard, you know how they get about slang." Said a very familiar voice from somewhere over Draco's shoulder. Instantly everyone was on their feet.
Before Draco could even blink, Harry had been swept up into a huge bear-hug by both Joseph and Sal. The Veela in Draco was about to do something dumb when Mrs. Dowell stepped in.
"Both of you let poor Harry breath. Honestly, you saw him two days ago." She scolded, shooing them away. "Not that it isn't good to see you Harry, but you should be asleep."
"I'll sleep when I'm dead." Said Harry, shrugging Mrs. Dowell off easily. "Now what are you all doing here?" he asked walking over to Draco.
