Chapter 9
"Cissa, do you think Harry is safe somewhere?"
The blond aristocrat's muffled question forcibly jerked the Lady Malfoy away from her attempts at distraction from the situation. Turning, she sat down dumbly on the couch next to him. "I do not know, Luc." Her voice forlorn. "I hope he is."
"This place seems so different without their antics." Lucius spoke again, face buried in his hand. "Draco has been so reclusive since Harry... since Harry disappeared. I fear to tell him that all those research turned up empty in locating Harry yet again."
Sigh. "Luc, we have to do what we can. Our boys need us." The Lady of the manor tried to keep-up her flagging spirits with everything about her seemingly fallen into gloom. "I miss Harry so much, but there hasn't been a single useful lead! Not even a small clue!"
"Cissa, I cannot lose him. He is the last I have of Lily... dear Lily... He is our son too." Tugging his hair in anguish. "There has to be more we can do! I refuse to give up."
"He is our son as much as Draco is." Narcissa agreed. "We will not give up. There has to be something we have yet to try."
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"Albus, what is it?" The reticent Potions Master barged unceremoniously into the headmaster's office, uncaring of the usual courtesies. "Why have you summoned me with such haste?"
"Take a seat, Severus. I shall explain shortly." As the dour man sat, the wizened headmaster arranged his thoughts in order. Offering the younger wizard a cup of tea, he spoke slightly hesitantly. Wondering if he was doing the right thing in offering hope. "I believe I have a clue to Harry's whereabouts."
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"It's been six months, Hermione!" The blond snarled as he paced the Slytherin common rooms with restless energy. The other students giving the irate Malfoy a wide berth, and ignoring the sight of the bushy-hair girl in the Slytherin common rooms – they were used to her presence after so many years.
Sprawled beside the fire, the Gryffindor know-it-all poured through yet another thick tome in an endless toil. She refused to believe the books held nothing useful to them; she was sure one of them would contain clues that they could use to locate Harry. Without looking up at the agitated blond, she spoke somewhat shrilly. "I can count, Draco!" A brief pause. "Do stop that infernal pacing. It's really irritating."
With a growl, the Malfoy heir sat down beside her.
"Here." She passed over another dusty tome. "Take a look at this. I got it from the restricted section. I'm not through with mine yet."
"Hermione, all we've done is look through books! There hasn't been anything that bloody worked! Nothing useful at all!" Draco ranted. "I'm going crazier by the day. Isn't there anything more we can do?"
Finally looking up at the blond Slytherin, Hermione spoke softly. "Draco, I'm just as worried as you are about Harry. You know as well as I do that anything else we've done hasn't helped." Turning to gaze into the flames. "Your parents, Professors Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall, not to mention the Order, have been trying. We need to do things that will supplement their efforts, not replicate them."
"I know." He sighed. "I know. It's just – I can't sit here not knowing how he is, Hermione. He's my cousin – my brother."
"I know, Draco. He's my brother of sorts too."
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"My childe, why are you looking so disheartened?" The grey-bearded old man wandered to his side with his pair of wolves following.
"I cannot help myself, Galdrfadhir." Gesturing at the reflective pool. "I see them – and I cannot help but think it is all because of me; of my choice to leave." Emerald eyes revealed pain.
"Childe, you made a choice. Despite appearances, this..." the one-eyed old man motioned at their surroundings, "will help you seek out your destiny in time."
"Galdrfadhir, forgive my doubts. I am grateful. It is just that I wish my family can be assured of my well-being."
"My childe, you know the workings of Valhalla by now. It simply was not our way to take in the living. We cannot be seen to have made an exception, even for one that requires it."
With a nod, the dark-haired young man resumed staring into the pool's surface. A gnarled hand rested momentarily on his shoulder. "Bear with it, my childe. You have another six years more." Spoken low. "Much to learn from all who reside here."
"Will they remember me?"
"It would be but a year to them, childe. A dozen years for you, but only a single year for them." A cryptic answer, as the old man walked away slowly.
"Freki. Geri." The young man greeted the wolves that left their master's side to keep him company in his contemplations.
- finis for now
Author's Notes:
Hmm, another chapter – short, but hopefully informative? Ah, this is where things get more interesting as slowly the plot comes together. Forgive my mad-mutterings. There will be flashbacks to previous years and scenarios, but as said before in the last chapter, things are progressing along in the present timeline. Hopefully I can continue my updates even with my backlog of essays and upcoming exams. Hey, has anybody outlawed exams? It's my belief that they should. Heh. Oh well, one can dream eh?