Thanks for all the reviews on the first eleven chapters! Since you were all so nice to make posts, I'll do my best to answer them:
Xx starlight-moon xX, Marvolo doesn't mind dangerous games in the least, as long as the danger is not to him. ;)
Aoi Mitsukai, thanks for the support! :) I think the slash addicts have given up on me. There are plenty of other stories out there for them—they don't need mine to go that way.
Thanks also goes to everyone else who has followed the story this far. As usual, you guys rock! :D
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WARNING: This chapter includes minor spoilers for a couple of the books.
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Disclaimers: This is not a slash story, nor will it develop into one. The iffy references throughout the story are merely to add to the creepiness and not to indicate a HP/TR ship. By creepiness, I mean that Tom realizes it creeps Harry out, so he keeps it up for his own amusement. He's not romantically interested. This is what some call a "mentorship" story.... In other words, while HP and TR do have a budding relationship, it is strictly a platonic one; the same goes for Draco).
Furthermore, throughout the story I use a few quotes straight from the books. This practice should be taken as a compliment to JKR, since I couldn't word it better myself. ;p
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Author's notes: This story is for DarkFilly.
Please review! As you can see from the above, I love feedback!
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XII. The Plan
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Though Harry did not really want to deal with Dobby again, it seemed the best way to get his Invisibility Cloak back. He very nearly kept his plan to himself, but he had just given his word to Marvolo not to keep secrets from him. And although he still did not completely trust his guardian, he did hate to break his word. This was not like the lie he had told Professor McGonogall just weeks ago at school—that had been for the good of Hogwarts, really. Making and breaking a promise was something very different.
Marvolo seemed to like the idea of Harry's having an Invisibility Cloak, and he approved Harry's plan to get it back.
"It is not what I would call brilliant," he commented, "but neither is it reckless. Give me a report when it is done."
So Harry had enlisted Tally to fetch Dobby. The two house-elves did not think much of each other and Harry suspected that there was some history between them, but he did not ask.
Dobby appeared more frenzied than ever and kept up a stream of muttering. "Harry Potter should not be here—bad Dobby!—and Dobby should not be here either..." Dobby took a moment to bang his head against Harry's wardrobe.
"Dobby," Harry said, losing patience, "shut up and listen to me!"
"Yes, Harry Potter," Dobby said, slapping himself once across the face with a seeming finality.
"Do you know where my school things are?"
"Yes, Harry Potter. Harry Potter's school friends wished to divvy Harry Potter's things as souvenirs, sir. But Professor Dumblething insisted that Harry Potter's things be packed up and kept in storage, sir. Dobby heard it from Hogwarts house-elves. But Mr. Wheezy took Harry Potter's broom, and Harry Potter's girlfriend took his Cloak, sir."
"What—Hermione?"
"Yes, sir."
Harry shook his head. "Don't ever call her that again."
"No, sir." Dobby slapped himself again.
"Dobby, do you think you could get the Cloak back?"
"Er...yes, Harry Potter...but the Herminey girl will probably grow very suspicious when she finds it gone, sir."
"I know...I'll give you a message for her. But please, don't let yourself get seen. Hermione's parents are Muggles. You might scare them to death."
It took Harry a lot longer to write his message than he had thought it would. Hermione was probably worried sick. He couldn't just say, "Hullo, Hermione. Needed my Cloak. Hope you're well. Harry." He took a deep breath and set quill to parchment.
Dear Hermione,
I'm sorry I had to leave without saying goodbye. I know you're probably very worried and everyone's wondering where I am, but I can't come back yet. I'm writing because I need my Invisibility Cloak, and I didn't want you to think someone had stolen it. You can tell Ron you've heard from me, but please destroy this note and don't tell anyone else about it. The longer no one has word of me, the better. Please try not to worry. I'm well and safe for the moment."
Harry paused before closing the note. He hadn't really told her anything; the note would give Hermione more questions than answers. But he could not give her clues. She was just too clever.
I miss you.
—Harry
He folded the note and gave it to Dobby. "Don't you dare let anyone else see this note, got it? Only Hermione."
Dobby nodded solemnly. "If Dobby fails his mission, he will boil his head."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Just don't fail, OK?"
Dobby saluted and Disapparated.
He was back in less than twenty minutes, though his nose was all Harry could see.
Harry yanked the Cloak off Dobby. "I didn't say to wear it."
"Dobby is sorry." Dobby whacked his head against the floor since he was not near any furniture.
"Did you see Hermione?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Harry Potter. Dobby was careful not to be seen, but he watched Harry Potter's friend read his message."
"And...how did she react?"
"First she became trembly with excitement, sir, and read the note many times over very fast. Then she started to cry, sir. She cried and read the note a few more times, and Dobby thinks she was trying to memorize it. Then she tore it up and threw it away. She was still crying when Dobby left, sir."
Harry's throat felt very tight. "Thanks, Dobby," he said thickly. "You can go."
When Dobby was gone, Harry shut himself in his room, bolted both doors and sat on the edge of his bed, running his Cloak through his hands. He had hoped Hermione would take some comfort from knowing he was all right. Instead he seemed to have upset her more. Not for the first time, Harry thought of fleeing the Riddle House. His friends would hide him. Dumbledore would protect him. But at what cost? Marvolo was all composure on the outside, but Harry knew he concealed a wicked temper and a thirst for vengeance. He would not let anyone keep his heir from him.
Besides, their lives were tied, weren't they? Even if Dumbledore could protect him for a while, Harry knew he would have to face Marvolo again, sooner or later. He had started this thing and he needed to finish it. It was better not to involve his friends, no matter how much he missed them.
When he had regained his composure, Harry went to report his success as Marvolo had requested.
"Your plan went as you intended," Marvolo observed. "Why are you upset?"
Blast, Harry thought. He can always tell! "It's my friends," he said. "I know they're really worried. I just wish I could see them. Let them know I'm OK."
"That is out of the question."
"I know. But you asked."
"So I did. You are going to have to let these friends go eventually, Harry. They make you weaker."
Harry nodded, knowing there was no point in arguing. "It's hard, though. They were the first people I can remember actually caring about me." He waited, feeling awkward until Marvolo broke the silence.
"Perhaps I should ask Lucius to bring Draco along when he comes to discuss our trip to the Ministry. Would you like that?"
"Well...it'd probably help. Keep my mind off things. Thank you."
"I will send them word right away."
"When will they come?"
"In three nights. It will be an informal occasion, so you needn't wear a suit."
At first, Harry welcomed this news. Then it occurred to him to ask, "Will you wear a suit?"
"I will be conducting business. Yes; I will."
Harry nodded. "Well, it's my business, too. So I'll wear a suit as well."
Marvolo smiled slowly, the way that would have made Harry shudder if he were not beginning to get used to it. "As you choose."
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Draco, oddly enough, was true to his word. The moment he arrived he reunited Harry with his owl.
"Thanks so much," Harry said sincerely, opening the door on Hedwig's cage.
The owl ran up Harry's arm to perch on his shoulder and nibble his ear.
"Ow—nice to see you, too," Harry chuckled.
"It was no trouble," Draco said. "Thanks for keeping your end up."
Harry watched Marvolo and Lucius Malfoy walking away toward the study. "Oh, my end wasn't any trouble either. I think Marvolo thinks you're good for me."
"Oh, I am," Draco drawled. "So, have you got anyplace to play Quidditch around here?"
"No; too much risk of being seen."
"By wizards or Muggles?"
"Doesn't make much difference, does it?"
Draco smiled. "I think your guardian's rubbing off on you. You're choosing your words more carefully these days. So much for figuring out where we are. What do you do around here for fun?"
Nothing, Harry thought to himself. Aloud he muttered, "Oh, loads of things...get drunk, torture the house-elf..."
"Both very admirable pastimes," Draco replied, "but somehow I can't see you doing either one. I wish Father would let me get my Trace removed. Then we could practice dueling. You need it."
"Says you," Harry snorted.
"You know you couldn't best me."
"Bet I could if you'd stop cheating for five seconds."
A shadow crossed Draco's face, but it passed quickly. "If you really have to duel someone someday, do you think they'll bother with formalities and rules?"
"That wasn't exactly the point. We weren't supposed to be 'really dueling.'"
"All right, all right. What do you want—a written apology?"
"That'd be nice," said Harry with a smile. "Anyway, you need to teach me that spell—the serpent one."
"Serpensortia? All right, but it takes a lot of practice. Not really your style, either. Now Rictusempra, that was you all over."
Harry folded his arms across his chest. "Well, it had you in stitches."
"Should've got me again while I was down."
"I'm still warming up to dirty fighting. I'll do better next time."
Draco laughed. "Say, if you were to visit me at the Manor...the Ministry can't tell for sure whether it's an underage wizard performing magic if there are adult wizards living in the same house, you see. To do that they'd have to do a lot of bothersome digging and file for a Trace History, and it's just not worth it. But if they detect magic around an underage wizard someplace like your uncle's house where no grown wizards live, they've got you."
"So you're saying you do magic at home all the time and get off scot-free?"
"Not all the time...but a lot, yeah. But I think I'd rather be here without magic than home with it."
"You must really hate it there—almost as much as I hate being at the Dursleys' house." A thought striking him suddenly, Harry lowered his voice and asked, "Do they hurt you?"
"Not that it's any of your business, Potter," Draco snarled, looking away.
"Sorry. It's just that I'm starting to think we really have a lot in common."
"Hurrah. Let's start a club: Society for the Freedom of Abused Underage Wizards."
Harry smiled wryly. "Yeah. We can call it 'Without a Trace.'"
They laughed and Harry realized that it felt wonderful to have someone his age to laugh with. Maybe Draco was good for him after all.
"Come upstairs so I can put Hedwig in my room," Harry said.
"Do you think I can stay for a few days?" Draco asked as they headed upstairs.
"I dunno yet. I can ask, I guess."
"How much leeway have you got with him, anyway?"
Harry thought Draco looked hungry and jealous again. "To be honest, I don't really know. Some days I think he'd give me whatever I wanted, and other days it's like I haven't the right to ask anything."
"A bit moody, is he? Well, all the great ones are, I've heard. How does he treat you overall?"
"Still figuring that one out, too."
Harry put Hedwig's cage on top of his bureau with its door open so she could enter and leave it as she pleased.
"Well—what can you tell me about him?" Draco persisted.
After a moment's consideration, Harry said, "He's very clever. So clever it really scares me sometimes. And very powerful. And he's only sixteen—I can't imagine how powerful he was when...well, how powerful Voldemort is."
Draco was obviously shocked that Harry could say Voldemort's name so casually, but he did not comment on it. "If he comes back—the older one, I mean...will he and himself band together, or what?"
Harry shuddered. "I don't like to think about that. Whatever happened, I doubt it would be good news for me. I hope he never comes back."
When their curiosity overcame their caution, Harry and Draco went down to the study and Harry knocked at the door.
"Enter," Marvolo called.
Harry opened the door and led Draco into the room where Marvolo and Draco's father were discussing plans over glasses of wine.
"How's the planning?" Harry asked, instinctively moving to stand by Marvolo's chair. He did not look at Lucius.
"See for yourself," Marvolo said, gesturing to a chart spread over his desk. "Simple plans are often best. We will enter the Ministry by the visitor's entrance about four in the morning." He pointed out the entrance on the chart. "Because the security wizard would raise the alarm if he saw you, you will remain hidden under your Cloak. At an opportune moment, we will Stun the guard and I will adjust his memories so he will believe the night passed without incident. From there Lucius will lead us to the Department of Mysteries. The entire trip should take us less than an hour."
Harry had to admit that the plan sounded like it would work, and he was glad that Marvolo had said they would Stun the security guard and not kill him. "Sounds good," he said. "When will we try it?"
"Tomorrow night, unless you know a reason not to."
"Can't think of anything." Harry saw Draco trying to catch his gaze over the desk. "Er...could Draco stay over until then?"
Marvolo looked to Lucius.
"Draco has accompanied me to the Ministry before," Lucius said slowly. "It would not seem too unusual if he were to come along."
"Very well," Marvolo said. "Draco may stay. You will see that Tally makes him comfortable in the guest room?"
"Yes, sir." Harry stood there awkwardly a moment before saying, "If you'll excuse us...." He tried not to hurry too much as he made his exit.
Draco closed the door behind them. "Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"He really makes you nervous, doesn't he?"
"Which one?" Harry muttered.
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