Chapter 13: Stratagem

~Belief in a Lie So Beautifully Spun~

[Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England; August 28st 1996, 12:28 PM]

Severus returned shortly after the two departed, only telling the other occupants of the table that an unexpected visitor had dropped by and that Harry was needed in the study. The man refused to meet Harry's questioning eyes as he sought them out for some kind of explanation; he just continued to glare down at his empty plate which barely hid his distress.

No one said anything as Harry slowly rose from his chair. Lunch would begin without them it seemed, as the house elves started serving. Harry caught Narcissa's worried gaze and gave a small smile as he left the room in search of the study. He'd been there before, of course; it was just difficult remembering the way in such an excessively large house. He'd be lying if he said he weren't nervous and maybe just a bit scared.

When he finally found his way to the closed door of the study it seemed to take minutes for him to draw up the courage to knock, silencing the murmur of voices from within. The door was drawn open slowly to reveal Lucius standing there. Harry peered past him, shocked and confused as his eyes landed on the other occupant of the room who was still seated in a plush armchair beside the unlit fireplace.

~ LM/HP ~

[The Burrow, Devon, England; August 28st 1996, 3:20 PM]

"This is our family's biggest secret, you have to understand that Hermione. So, I need you to be honest with me when I ask how you know about this," Bill started, eyes watching Hermione's face closely as she thought out how best to answer him.

"Well, I suppose I should start out at the beginning… I was on my way here when I felt like something was wrong and went to check on Harry, but when I got there something was horribly wrong, and then there was Lucius Malfoy, except he was even more magnificent and grand, with great white wings and molten eyes; he saved us that night. I owe that man my life now, and I swore I'd keep the secret…"

"Wait… wait just one minute before you continue," Bill said looking at her clearly startled. "You found out about this through Lucius Malfoy? That seems highly unbelievable." At her look he amended quickly, "Highly unbelievable, but I believe you, of course."

"Well, yes, I don't think he'd planned on his night going quite like that either. Harry was dying, and I'm sure it would have killed him if it weren't for Lucius. Like I said, he saved us. After we were safe he wouldn't tell me more than what I'd already witnessed, only that he was sure I'd figure it out on my own in my own time," Hermione said, folding her hands in her lap hoping that she hadn't made a mistake by telling this all to Bill.

"He saved you? That may be the most unbelievable part of this whole thing. Once again, I add that I believe you; it's just all so unbelievable; the main reason being Lucius Malfoy's pure distaste for the human race. It's not an unfounded thing, no matter what you may be thinking, he does have his reason. I think he may have been the most disappointed on the day that Harry Potter was born with the blood of his mother instead of the divine blood that sets us apart from others," Bill explained slowly, looking down at his own spread fingers after setting the registry down onto the coffee table before them. "Did he say why he'd come? How he'd known to be there?"

"No, but I just know it had to be because of Harry," Hermione said in response, eyes slowly starting to tear up at thought of her battered and beaten friend lying almost lifeless on the cold floor with that thing looming over him. "Oh Bill, it was horrible. Harry almost died and I couldn't do anything but stand there and watch as that thing smiled wickedly at me knowing that that would be how it would end. It would kill Harry and then me and no one would have ever known."

"Hermione, Harry isn't Harry is he?" Bill asked, looking up from his hands as he turned back to face her before reaching out to clasp her trembling hands in his own.

"No… That thing isn't my Harry…" It felt so good to say the words aloud, to be able to finally tell someone the biggest secret she held. It also hurt. It was physical pain residing deep in her chest. It felt like a fist had wrapped around her heart and was attempting to keep her silent with the pain of its tightening grip. "My Harry is an angel…" She managed to finish in a gasping breath.

"Hermione…!" Bill moved his hands from hers to wrap his arms around her and draw her closer, letting her lean on his chest. It was a comfort she hadn't known she needed. The grip on her heart tightened further but she felt content there, and perhaps the truth was worth the pain.

"Wait, you said Harry was an angel?" Bill whispered the question into her hair, and all she could do was nod. "That's impossible," Bill concluded, pulling away to look at her shocked. "You saw Harry change into an avian with your own eyes?"

"Yes," Hermione couldn't understand why this was the part that Bill was stuck on and a bit disappointed that she was now held at arm's length.

"That's impossible…" Bill murmured to himself as he released her to reach back for the book on the table before them. "Harry Potter, the only son born to James Potter, an avian lord, and Lily Evans, a human, was born human."

"But, he was there, covered in cuts and blood, but still very much not human with wings of the inkiest black…" Hermione said slowly.

~ LM/HP ~

[Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England; August 28st 1996, 12:31 PM]

"So it's true…" Dumbledore sounded so sad as he looked at Harry and all but sighed the words as he got to his feet. He looked tired; the usual twinkle in his eyes barely a dim reminder of what use to be found there. He looked far older than Harry had ever seen him. "Harry m'boy, I'm so sorry…"

Harry looked from Dumbledore to the stoic expression on Lucius' face. "What's going on? Lucius?"

"Just listen…" was all Lucius said before ushering Harry inside the room and onto the leather sofa. Lucius took the seat next to him after securely closing the door. He was silent, but still Harry found his presence comforting in this moment of confusion.

"You'll have to excuse me professor, I don't know what's going on here..." Harry said slowly, watching the old man take his seat again. "How can you even recognize me? Why aren't you surprised?"

"Oh, Harry… I don't know where to start or what I should say. Seeing you like this is, well, expected," Dumbledore said slowly, alluding to what more he knew on this situation than the other two occupants of the room. "I'd checked the Forbidden Forest, but still, I refused to believe my own eyes and instincts. I'd hoped that it wasn't true, but seeing you now like this just proves all my fears have come true."

"Dumbledore…" Harry started, but a calming hand slowly wrapped around his own that was slowly clenched in his pajama pants. Now asking about returning to school seemed the pettiest thing in light of the situation that was unfolding.

"You have to understand that I never meant for any of this to happen. Lord Lucius has already informed of the state he had found you, and you will never know how much that knowledge now pains me. It was never supposed to have gone this way. We had hidden you with the best of intentions."

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions," Lucius mused aloud, and this allowed Harry to pick up on the barely concealed anger simmering just below the surface of Lucius's calm demeanor. Something horrible seemed to be going on, and Harry was once again found in the middle of it all.

Dumbledore visibly cringed at the comment as if admonished. Nodding his head, he conceded to the statement with as much grace he could muster in the aftermath of so many well-meaning bad ending decisions made so far in the past. "So much truth lie in those words, I cannot even begin to deny them. We'd hidden a teen away on the cusp of man-hood to find him turned a babe, all for a greater good that I begin to find myself no longer believing in. All these plans we make hurt too many people. Who are we saving if we hurt those that mean the most to us? By the gods, and Merlin himself, you were my godson, and I so readily agreed to trap you in abyss of unnatural making."

"What…?" Harry couldn't help but say dumbly. This was so much more than finding himself placed as an alternate in the place of the real Harry Potter, which is one of the many theories he'd dreamed up since finding out he was not in fact the real Harry Potter. A low rumbling vibration started beside Harry drawing his eyes to Lucius who now clearly showed the anger that he had kept so closely under check.

"What are you talking about old man? What. Did. You. Do?" Lucius's voice was cold and flat, and Harry found himself squeezing the hand in his lap trying to calm this man who seemed to be getting angry on his behalf.

"You are, indeed Harry Potter, but your parents were not James and Lily Potter." Dumbledore took a steadying deep breath before continuing. "You were born the first child to the late and great Lord Everett Potter and Lady Bedillia Potter, avian of very high standing, on July the 31st, 1956. Your younger brother, James, was born March 27th, 1960. Later he would have a human son with Lily Evans, born on the very day of your birth, in 1980. The baby would be named, Harry James Potter, after you as an honor to a brother who was no longer with him..."

Harry could feel Lucius stiffen next to him, as Dumbledore spoke of the past, his past, as he felt himself be swallowed up by a deep mere of confusion. This wasn't his life… it couldn't be… it just couldn't be…

"You were so young… You still had downy grey wings when we discovered the prophecy that would lead to your downfall and the downfall to all of your avian brethren. When you came of age, you'd fall into the hands of a dark wizard who would use you and the power you would bring him to rule and ruin the world as we know it. Your parents were terrified. They could not bear to see something so horrible happen to their precious first born, so we worked out a plan of action. Through my connections with the centaur tribe located in the Forbidden Forest a unique fai device was brought to my attention. It is often called a changeling cupboard, used to house potential changeling till their new homes have been decided. You were to be kept there until the threat had passed and the dark lord that was sure to be your keeper destroyed. Your parents did not live to see the day when the one know known as Voldemort fell, and those of us still keeping the secret of your whereabouts feared that his reign was far from over so you stayed hidden away. Or at least, you were until something changed. Someone had switched you with your own nephew, and I was too stupid and far sighted to notice, that is until now when it is so painful and blaringly obvious. I fear that danger is eminent, and I have failed you and your parents. I can only hope you can find it in your heart to forgive this stupid old man…"

And suddenly Harry could feel it; the pressure of memory and a life that was but was no longer his pressing down upon him. The smiling faces of parents that loved him, a younger brother who looked up to him, a blonde playmate who teased him for being two years his younger, and wizened old eyes lit up with pride clouded his mind, bringing tears to his eyes. That had been his life once. Those had been the people who had meant the most to him. It was so different from his life as Harry James Potter, so tender and gentle and loving and warm, all he could do was cry. Everything he had ever dreamed of had been everything he had once had. And once again, this was all due to one Lord Voldemort, formally known as Tom Marvalo Riddle.

Harry couldn't breathe; the room seemed far too small, lacking enough air to fill his lungs. As his vision began to blur, he caught sight of Lucius's face creased with worry as his lips parted in what could have been the form of Harry's name as darkness pressed around him.

~ LM/HP ~

[Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England; August 28st 1996, 3:20 PM]

Harry awoke in Lucius's room, tucked securely into the curve of Lucius's body, face nestled into the warm fleshy gentle slope of the man's neck. He could tell that Lucius was awake and alert by the hands that still soothed between agitated wings.

"How long have I been out?" he croaked, throat dry.

"Almost three hours." Lucius's voice came soft and warm, just as gentle as his hands that refused to still their gentle circles on his back.

"The other's must be worried…" Harry murmured into Lucius's collar bone, distress at the hour welling up in his chest. He didn't want to worry them. Just because he found out his whole entire life up until this point in time truly was a lie and he was someone entirely different and born some time ago didn't mean they had to suffer through any of it by his unexplained disappearance. Narcissa was no doubt worried, without him there to explain that he'd be okay and that it was fine. He'd be fine.

No… He couldn't lie to himself.

He wouldn't be fine. His life wasn't his life. He'd stolen it from his very own nephew none the less. And no small part of him was grateful for that. He'd saved someone else from the life he'd had to live up until now.

"They will understand," Lucius said softly, interrupting Harry's thoughts.

"Will they? Because I sure as hell don't…" Harry hissed in anger, at what he wasn't sure, welled up inside of him as he pushed against Lucius' chest. Perhaps it was anger at Dumbledore and his parents for doing such a stupid thing to try and save him. Perhaps it was at himself for the self-pity he still tried to keep at bay, because really, why did shit always have to happen to him? Perhaps it was at Voldemort, because of him his lives, both of them had been nothing but ruin and pain. Or maybe it was even at Lucius for not recognizing him, even if it had been so very long. "You didn't even recognize me!" was what his mouth decided to go with as he struggled further out of an embrace meant for a lover, someone dear and cared for.

He was more than a bit ashamed of himself for this being the thing his brain latched on to. But now, after remembering, he clearly could see Lucius as he once was, a boy only two years his elder, with dazzling silver eyes, soft close shorn platinum locks and soft downy grey wings. He could remember how those wings had molted and turned white like pure newly driven snow and how Lucius had teased him about his still soft stormy grey 'baby' feathers. He could remember how close they were, how happy they had been. It was a bit odd to see how much he had changed, but Harry could still feel the old Lucius there, still playfully waiting buried deep under the hard surface that Lucius had built up over the years that had happened between then and now. Harry didn't know what had made him change, but he didn't like it, not one bit.

"I have no excuses except for one being you are so very different from then, my dearest friend, and two being that it has been well over twenty years since I had last seen you. If you do recall, which by your indignation, I can only imagine that you do, you were still a petite wisp of a thing who still hadn't lost his baby feathers." Lucius smiled slowly, his words light and teasing before he became silent, and his eyes gained a faraway look. "That was the last time I saw you, you know. That summer you came to stay at the villa with me and my parents. You were going to that awful French school, and I'd go back to Hogwarts. We played outside under the sun all day, every day hoping the summer wouldn't end. Wings stretched to the sky; free, like we were meant to be. We were happy… I was happy…"

"Did you know then…?" Harry spoke softly, afraid to shatter whatever memory Lucius was lost in.

"That you were meant for me?" Lucius asked for clarification, and Harry nodded. "Not back then. I was young, and when we are young we have all sorts of thoughts. I may have hoped, and when you disappeared it may have destroyed any peace that I had ever hoped to attain during this lifetime. The older I got, and the longer I waited, the more I came to realize that it was you, it would always be you. I'd never have you, and I'd never be satisfied as long as I couldn't. I'd long since set myself up for a life lacking the one thing we all need, until that night when I felt you. I knew that it couldn't be you, but that whoever was calling out to me was mine none the less. I'll admit to some disappointment on my part, because I'd always thought that you were meant for me, no one else, especially not some other Potter boy who had supposedly been born lacking the heritage passed down through the years from most fathers to their sons. I suppose the heart I gave up long ago knows me better than I know myself, because it beat for you then and beats for you now."

As Lucius grew quiet again just staring at Harry in an open look of awe and wonder, Harry felt his anger abate, at least for the moment; any and all for this man, disappearing in the small distance between them, vanishing like bad nightmares, replaced by the warmness of good dreams and happy memories.

~To Be Continued~