When supper time came along, Harry was sleeping so soundly that Draco decreed that they should leave him be and save him some food for later. Somewhat to his surprise, Harry's friends agreed with him, so they sneaked out of the library and left Harry slumbering on the couch.
"Where's Harry?" asked Mrs Weasley as soon as it was clear he wasn't with the group.
"Asleep in the library," said Draco, as Professor Snape followed Dumbledore into the kitchen. Draco locked eyes with him. "Apparently HARRY had quite a difficult morning."
Professor Snape's expression did not change in the slightest. Disgruntled, Draco took his own seat as everyone finished gathering and supper started.
"It is a shame," Professor Dumbledore remarked. "But we must find a way to break through this block on his power."
"Is it wise to do that before –" Draco began, and was silenced by a particularly fierce look from under Dumbledore's eyebrows. Oh, that's right; Harry's friends weren't to be told of Harry's real power or of the drain on it. Pffft.
"Harry needs every advantage he can get," sighed Lupin.
"Harry has a block on his power? Really?" Granger asked. "Why, do you suppose?"
"How long has he had it?" Ron asked. "It can't have been very long, we'd have noticed."
"Not necessarily," Draco murmured. Ha, he was thinking. Get out of this one, old man!
"We're not sure," Dumbledore said smoothly. "We are working on the problem."
"Is this what you wouldn't let Harry tell us before?" Ginny asked.
"In part," said Dumbledore. "I'm sorry, children, but we must be extra careful when it comes to information about Harry, especially his power."
Draco saw every person his age at the table bristle at that 'children,' and smirked. Ginny slid him a speculative glance, and he gave her a minute nod.
"So," Ginny said brightly, "since we're talking about Harry and he conveniently isn't here, what about his birthday? What are we going to do?"
"When's his birthday?" Draco asked, interested.
"Day after tomorrow," said Ron, for once not with his mouth full. "We definitely should have a party. I don't think he's ever had one."
"I'll be happy to take care of refreshments," said Mrs Weasley.
"Triple chocolate cake," said Ginny.
"Oh, definitely," said Granger with a look of remembered bliss. She'd spent a lot more time staying with the Weasleys than Harry had, Draco realised.
"And clearly we'll have to go shopping," he said firmly, already planning possible gifts for the most wardrobe-challenged guy he'd ever met.
"It isn't safe," said Dumbledore firmly.
"We can't keep him cooped up here all summer – none of them," said Lupin. "It isn't good for them. I believe Miss Weasley had an excellent suggestion; that we use Glamour Charms on the kids so they can go out safely."
"Preposterous," Professor Snape began, but Dumbledore looked thoughtful.
"That's not a bad idea," he said. "It would give everyone a chance to get a change of scenery. There is also that matter of Sirius Black's will; the goblins have been requesting a meeting with Harry for some time. Remus, you'll need to be there as well."
Lupin nodded, looking haunted.
"Excellent," said Draco. "Shall we go tomorrow or the next day, then?" Shopping! His mind crowed. Oh, wait…money. He probably didn't have access to his usual vault any more; he couldn't imagine his father allowing it, even though he was in Azkaban and should have no say in anything. Draco had never been even slightly short of funds before. It was a chill and nasty feeling.
"We'll go tomorrow," said Mrs Weasley. "It will give Harry a little more time to recuperate from whatever you were doing this morning. I do think you were a bit too hard on him, Professor Dumbledore."
"War waits for no man," said Professor Snape coldly. "He must eliminate this block quickly; there is no excuse for it."
Draco happened to think there was a very good reason for it, but before he could say so Granger leaped in with a question about the Glamour Charms they were going to use, and the moment was lost. Draco went back to worrying about his financial situation instead. He did have some gold in various pockets in his wardrobes, he was sure, but hardly enough to do the kind of shopping he considered necessary.
How did Weasleys stand it, he wondered. Ginny hadn't seemed worried at all, but it must be torture to see things you wanted and not be able to flick a finger and have them be yours.
Maybe he could do a duplicating charm on the gold he did have?
Except that would get him nailed by the Ministry for underage magic use, since the house wasn't shielded and he wasn't dumb enough to think his wand didn't have even more monitoring spells than average. And even after the Ministry, the goblins would unwind his entrails for messing with money like that. Nobody in the Wizarding world ever attempted to counterfeit money; the goblins were lethally firm about their views on that.
After supper Ginny beat Draco to the plate Mrs Weasley had set aside for Harry, and the group of kids went back to the library, where Harry was still asleep. Ginny put the plate on the coffee table and went off to her room with Granger, presumably to plot about Harry's birthday.
"So, Weasley," said Draco gamely, "how about a game of chess?" He needed to distract himself from these depressing thoughts about money and hope that some sort of workable idea floated into his brain.
"You're on," said Ron, and they began. When playing an opponent up to his weight, Ron's true brilliance at chess shone through, and Draco was soon completely absorbed in the game. He lost eventually, but even he felt that it was to a worthy opponent.
Harry started to stir as Draco tipped over his king, and he gladly abandoned the chessboard to go over to him, smiling at him as he opened his eyes.
"Hi," said Harry, smiling back with a slightly puzzled air. "Is it supper time, then?"
"Way past," said Ron, persuading the chess pieces to go back into their box.
"We brought you some food," said Draco, indicating the plate.
"Thanks," said Harry, swinging his feet to the floor and running his hands through his hair, resulting in a look that suggested he'd recently been shocked by lightning. "I'm starving."
"So Dumbledore brought up some block you've got on your power," said Ron in a casual tone, coming over to sit next to Harry as he began to eat. "What's up with that?"
"Um – " Harry paused to chew and swallow. "What all did he say?"
"Just that you had this block and were working on it. So what's wrong?"
"Well, Draco thinks I did it to myself," said Harry with remarkable aplomb. Ron turned an angry gaze on Draco, but it melted as Harry went on. "And he could be right. I didn't know there was a block until he pointed it out, but he thinks it's because I'm nervous about consequences of doing magic when I'm not supposed to."
"Not an unreasonable fear, considering," said Draco, remembering Harry's tale of being pulled before the Wizengamot for casting a Patronus Charm.
"Yeah," Ron agreed. "So how long have you had it, then?"
"A long time," said Draco, when Harry cast his eyes down to his plate. "I wasn't kidding about that cracking mountains thing."
Ron turned a wide-eyed look on Harry, who was busy glaring at Draco.
"What?" said Draco. "He's your best friend, isn't he?"
"Yeah," said Harry, "but Dumbledore told me not to tell anyone…"
"I won't tell," said Ron. "So – uh – do you have this block even during school?"
Harry sighed. "Yeah. I've always made it a point not to stand out at school, ever since I was little and the Dursleys didn't like me getting better grades than Dudley. I guess my subconscious sort of took over the job and put this block on me, and now I can't get rid of it." He sighed again. "At least now I can feel it."
"Finish your dinner and don't worry about it right now," said Draco. "Think about this instead – what do you want for your birthday?"
"What?" Harry dropped a forkful of salad back onto his plate.
"What do you want for your birthday? We're all Glamouring up and going to Diagon tomorrow, and I need to get you a birthday present."
Both Harry and Ron were looking at him as though he'd lost his mind. "Why would you need to get me a birthday present?" Harry wondered.
Draco shifted a bit uncomfortably. "Well, even if I didn't – sort of – like you – you're my host. I can't ignore your birthday."
"You like me?" Harry asked.
"If this conversation is going where I think it's going, I'm out of here," said Ron, jumping to his feet.
"Relax, I'm not professing undying love," said Draco dryly. "But I do enjoy your company. Is that so strange?"
"Kind of, yeah," said Harry dazedly.
"Well, I do," said Draco, rather hurt by this. Did Harry think he snogged people he didn't like, for Merlin's sake?
Did Harry snog people he didn't like? Did Harry not like him as much as he thought?
"Okay," said Harry. "Okay." He smiled a little. "I have no idea what to ask for. If you want to get me a present, just pick something out."
"I do have excellent taste," said Draco, not at all modestly. "All right, Harry. By the way, Dumbledore said you would have to go hear Sirius Black's will read. I thought all that was already done; you have the house."
All the guilt and sorrow that Draco remembered feeling when he was in Harry's head and Sirius Black's name was mentioned now showed on Harry's face. "I guess they just need to have everything squared away," he said dully.
"Yeah, mate, it'll be okay," said Ron, with an irritated look at Draco.
"Well, you're definitely wearing some of my clothes tomorrow," said Draco. "You'll want to look your best if you're seeing the goblins about money."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Your clothes won't fit me, Draco."
"Your clothes don't fit you, either," Draco retorted. "Besides, I know a handy little charm for that, which you will be able to do with your handy unmonitored wand."
Harry brightened at that, and so did Ron. "That would be a good charm to know," said Ron, who was often to be seen in too-short clothing.
"I'll teach you both," said Draco magnanimously. "Why don't we go pick out some clothes now?" He led Harry and Ron upstairs to his new room.
In short order, and after only one snarky comment from Ron about the extent of his wardrobe, Draco had outfitted Harry with a pair of khaki trousers and a sage green button down shirt. He figured he'd save the Slytherin T shirt for a day at home.
"Now, the charm is Accommodo. You move your wand like this." He swung his wand in a wiggling motion over Harry's body as he stood there in the too-large clothes. Harry repeated the words and the motion, frowning in concentration. Instantly, the clothes fitted themselves to Harry as if they'd been tailored for him.
"Wicked!" approved Ron.
"Yeah!" Harry agreed.
"Try it on my clothes," Ron urged, indicating the inch of ankle that showed at the frayed hem of his jeans.
Harry waved his wand again and cried "Accommodo!" The jeans lengthened and shaped themselves to Ron's body, even smartening up some of the frayed hems.
"Not bad, Weasley," said Draco.
"Great charm," said Ron, grinning. "How long does it last?"
"Until you take it off. It can be cast up to three times on a single garment, but you have to be careful after that because the fabric starts breaking down," said Draco.
"You look great, mate," Ron said to Harry.
"Of course he does," said Draco. "Now we just need to do something about that hair…"
"Good luck," said Harry.
"If anyone can calm your hair down, it's Malfoy," said Ron. When Draco looked at him in surprise, he added, "He's had so much practise on his own."
"Prat," said Draco. "Okay, Harry, change back into your own clothes and we'll see about your hair."
But forty-five minutes later even Draco Malfoy admitted defeat. Harry's hair would not be tamed. The best he managed was a sort of controlled chaos, so that it looked a bit more styled than messy, but Harry and Ron laughed anyway.
"Shut up," said Draco. "I think your hair is cursed, Harry. This spell has never failed before."
"Well, I do have this whacking great curse scar on my head," said Harry.
"The evil of You-Know-Who knows no limits," said Ron solemnly, and all three boys cracked up.