Chapter 9 – Go To Sleep (Little Man Being Erased)
"Enunciation is key here Harry do you understand me?" Absently he wondered when the professor had decided it was proper to call him by his given name again. He was quietly waiting in Professor Snape's quarters as his Head of House explained the properties and use of Floo Powder. Harry however was too busy trying to calm his nerves to effectively listen to the man. He still wasn't sure of this, and if it hadn't been for his conversation with Flint a couple hours earlier, he wouldn't be going at all. Not that he fully trusted Flint - or any one person for that matter - but he had to trust in the favours owed to him under the oath. He had to trust in the magic, and that he had made full honesty part of the terms.
"Draco will go first, then you, and then I shall follow with your trunks. Whatever you do child, do not mumble. Speak clearly. A wrong pronunciation could result in you being sent Merlin knows where, and us unable to find you."
Harry nodded slightly when the Professor paused and looked at him. Sometimes he thought it would be nice if he could just disappear. To just go where he wasn't recognized. Where he wasn't a freak, or the Boy-Who-Lived. He didn't even need to be just Harry, he just needed to be safe. It would be preferable if he was alone, but ultimately he just wanted to be safe.
"I want your oath Flint." Whispered Harry fiercely, his eyes darting around the room frantically. Calmly Flint looked towards the kid making sure not to make eye contact with him as he finished the privacy wards with a sheathed wand. It was harder then the professor made it look.
"Does this count as one of my favours?"
"If you want it to, then yes." Marcus shrugged one shoulder as he slowly drew his wand. 'At least the kid stopped looking around the room.' He thought sardonically, 'I was afraid his eyes were going to spin right out of his head.' Indeed Harry was almost completely fixated with Flint's wand, at least when he wasn't focused on his body preparing for the larger boy to attack.
"Alright. Upon completing this oath of truth I Marcus Flint will owe Harry Potter one less undetermined favour as previously agreed upon. Do you Harry Potter consent to this?"
"I do." Harry said nervously.
"Then so mote it be. I Marcus Flint solemnly swear upon my magic and my blood that I will be completely truthful and sincere to Harry Potter in the preceding conversation." Harry flinched as a white stream of magic flew out of Flint's wand and swirled around his body ending at his lips. When the magic settled Harry quickly sprung his first question upon the older boy. Flint looked at him and smirked, but didn't say anything.
"What the fuck Flint? You swore you'd be truthful and sincere yet you're not answering a single bloody question!" Flint chided the boy's language before answering, a full grin on his face.
"As repayment of one of my favours I said I would swear the truth oath. I never said I would actually answer any of the questions. That will cost another favour Potter." Flint was both satisfied and a little frightened at the visible manifestation of Potter's anger through the magic that swirled around the younger boy. That amount of raw magic was impressive he had to admit, but the boy had to learn a lesson.
"Fine." The boy finally sighed and the magic immediately dropped its aggressive stance and seemed to cloak the child. . Flint could feel the desperation pouring off the boy, and as much compassion as he felt he was still a Slytherin. "Fine. By actually answering the questions that I will propose, I Harry Potter will concede that a second favour has been paid in full by one Marcus Flint."
"Much obliged, now what did you want to know?"
"I want to know how safe I'll be with the Malfoys. I want to –"
"Harry? Harry are you listening boy?" slowly Harry looked towards his professor.
"Sorry sir. It's been a long day." Snape peered at the boy through worried eyes, before nodding his acquisition and motioning towards the fireplace. Apparently Draco had already gone through.
"Once you arrive in Malfoy Manor, we will have dinner and then you may depart for your rooms. Will that be satisfactory?"
Harry nodded. "Yes sir." Even if he wasn't okay with it he was unsure whether or not anything would actually change from that arrangement. It was best to agree and make his hosts happy, then to disagree and risk their anger. Cautiously Harry took the proffered Floo powder and threw it into the fire. Taking a deep breath he stepped into the flames, and only releasing it when he realized that there was no pain and shouted "Malfoy Manor Foyer" before tightly closing his eyes when soot flew into them. He vaguely remembered Professor Snape saying that he should keep his eyes open so as to not miss his exit, but really how was he supposed to know which exit was which? At these speeds they all looked the same. His violent somersaults abruptly stopped as he was thrown out of, well, a fireplace. He did one last turn mid-air before slamming into something both squishy and rigid, and landing hard on his rear.
"Well, that's certainly one way to make an entrance Mister Potter" came a sardonic voice from the boots that were just in front of his nose. They were a dark grey leather that looked both soft and sturdy and seemed to be engraved with various runes. Harry quickly tried to right himself, but instead found himself tangled in, and stepping on limbs that were not his own.
"Oww Harry. For someone so small you pack quite a punch, although it could just be the bruises from those elbows of yours they're sharp as all Hades Potter."
"Sorry" Harry mumbled, taking care to right both himself and Draco. Both took notice when Snape stepped out of the fireplace as if he were taking a leisurely stroll. He was all grace and black robes, and Harry was infinitely jealous of his abilities.
"It's to be expected upon one's first time traveling by Floo Mr. Potter." Said that voice again. "Now where are your manners child?"
Harry shrunk into himself, but Draco bowed quickly and blushed a bright red. He cleared his throat and introduced Harry to his father.
"A pleasure to meet you Master Potter." the man, Lord Lucius Malfoy, said. Harry was a little startled. Being called Potter was one thing, but Master Potter? He was no one's master. Almost immediately he had noticed his error, the silence had stretched too long. He bowed like Snape had taught him, and shook the proffered hand. Etiquette had to be kept.
"You as well Lord Malfoy. I am sorry if I appeared rude, I was just admiring your décor."
"Ah yes, you have been living with Muggles have you not? It is unsurprising that you would be enthralled by your first Magical home." Harry was unsure if he was expected to respond or not, nor was he sure what to make of Lord Malfoy's tone of voice when talking about his relatives. Before he could think on it too long a voice called to them from the doorway. It was one of the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard, and certainly the most beautiful voice.
"I do apologize Severus dear, and Young Master Potter for my late arrival but the elves detained me momentarily. I hope that my son and husband have not been lacking in their duties, and that they have warmly welcomed you into our home upon my absence."
"Harry, this is my mother, Lady Narcissa Malfoy." Lady Malfoy was gorgeous. He didn't know if anything he said would do justice to her beauty. She reminded him of all those fairy tales Aunt Petunia used to tell Dudley before he grew too old to hear such girly tales. Lady Malfoy was the ultimate princess. She had long blonde hair which seemed to glimmer and shine even within the dim lighting of the entrance hall, done up in an elaborate mixture of curls and braids, and entwined with bells and feathers and rows of crystals, and she had eyes the colour of liquid silver. Harry couldn't help but notice that she was everything his Aunt wanted to, but would never be. She was even more graceful then Professor Snape, not to mention that the gown she wore probably cost more then Uncle Vernon's car. She greeted him with a dazzling smile, curtsied politely and gave Harry his first ever hug. He gasped a little when her arms wrapped around him before he could even properly rise from his bow, and was sure that he managed to stifle the flinch that accompanied the unexpected action. He coughed nervously in embarrassment, and resisted the urge to rub his arms or scratch at his neck due to the strange sensations. He was more then grateful when Professor Snape interrupted to present the Malfoys with a gift on his behalf.
"-and with this gift offered in good grace, we ask for your hospitality upon our stay in your home."
So far everything had been working well enough. He had been fed, watered and shown to one of the largest rooms he had ever seen, and considering he had been given a rather extensive tour of the interior of the estate that was saying a lot. However at this point in his exhaustion, the room could have been covered in potions ingredients and he would have been okay with it providing that he could still get to sleep. Dinner had been a lovely, but long ordeal. Lord Malfoy and Professor Snape kept to themselves mostly with a heated whispered conversation, while Draco and Lady Malfoy pestered him with what he was sure was every possible question under the sun ranging from what was his preferred material for use in his socks, to what was his favourite colour. Shortly after dessert had been served - some massive sugary confection that sent his stomach into spasms just thinking of ingesting it – the adults had noticed his stifled yawns and sent "the children" off to bed. Draco looked petulant at being left out of the adult conversations, but Harry was just glad that he could finally sleep. So, without much delay he collapsed onto the bed that he had been provided with, and fell into a rather deep sleep that for once had not been peppered with nightmares and other horrors. Due to his exhaustion he did not notice when Professor Snape came into the room to pull the covers over his shivering form, nor did he notice when Lady "call me Aunt Cissy" Malfoy kissed him on the head while patting down his unruly hair.
"He's such a sweet child isn't he Severus?"
"Hmm."
"I understand why my Dragon is as enthralled with him as he is, and is lucky that Harry has the time for him with all those who must be vying for his attention. It's no wonder Draco thought he needed to invoke the Alliance Rite to keep ahead of the competition. He's powerful, I could feel it the moment he crossed our threshold." She stroked the boy's head a moment longer before reluctantly, but gracefully, rising from the bed leaving Severus to escort her out of the rooms, and into the study where Lucius was waiting with a pitcher of Goblin Meade.
"Actually Narcissa, that is one of the things that I need to talk with you and Lucius about. They are not "vying for his attention" as you put it, quite the opposite in fact, as I am sure many of them are actively trying to kill him for daring to be sorted into Slytherin House." Narcissa stopped and turned towards Severus with a cold rigidity that reminded him of a predator bracing to strike at it's prey.
"And what does Dumbledore make of this?"
"He doesn't. If anything I would say he is quietly encouraging it."
Narcisssa looked at him shrewdly, as if he were the one that was harming the boy instead of protecting him to the best of his abilities. Extravagance and beauty aside Narcissa was one of the most fearsome opponents Severus had ever had the misfortune of coming across in any sort of metaphorical or physical battlefield. Lucius had chosen well when he asked for her hand in marriage, providing of course that he did nothing to invoke her ire. Severus would even dare to suggest that when pushed Narcissa could do even more damage then the entire Lestrange family combined, and without leaving a shred of evidence except for the victim's all encompassing fear of tinkling bells and crystal lights. Finally her gaze left his face as she proffered her arm for him to take. In spite of his skills in Occulmency, and his knowledge that there was none who could penetrate his barriers it took ever ounce of his being not to shiver at the sensation that Lady Malfoy evoked when she stared at him like that. It was as if she could see into his soul, and for all he knew of the Black family it was quite possible that she could. Nevertheless it was a position that he strived to avoid being in.
"You have much to make up for Severus." Penitence was not a new experience for him and he told her as such. She looked at him with sad but unrelenting eyes.
"Those were not your fault however much you may disagree with me, and if there was ever an occasion one for one to believe that they were your actions since then have more then made up for any perceived guilt Severus. But this you will not have to suffer through alone. Whether my husband has come to the conclusion or I will have to help him arrive to it, the Malfoy and Black families will stand with you and young Master Potter until death."
Much of the tension Severus had been unknowingly holding released itself upon hearing her words. If he were the kind to do so he would have let out a visible sigh of relief. Instead he patted the Malfoy Matriarch's arm twice while they continued the long trek through the Manor's many twisted corridors talking of the mindless non-consequential things socialites were prone to do while furiously thinking of battle plans. Dumbledore didn't know it yet but in his refusal to support the Boy-Who-Lived he had sparked another war. Only this war would be the kind that would race through shadows and whispered conversations, one that would dance in the moonlight and kill with an unfailing politeness towards its victims. It was a war that was fought through tea parties and social slurs – one where the silence of the action mattered more then the act itself. It was time for the Dark families to unite and show that the dark meant so much more then megalomaniacs who feel no pain. The balance of magic had been disproportioned for far too long with the Light purebloods in power, it was time for the Dark to take control lest it become obsolete. Narcissa was giddy with the excitement of it all.