Chapter 21 - part one -
They wrapped him around shock blankets because of his very low temperature. Clint isn't that affected, it might be because of the fact that he wasn't under the wind attack for as long as Draco was. Clint was actually besides him petting the owl and cooing at it. This was creeping him out, way more than the vent incident. The letter was safely hidden in his new jeans that one of the fire me were kind enough to give him.
"Let me get this straight, some hooligan pushed you, and then this guy-"
"My uncle's friend."
"Your uncle's friend went in after you because he knew you can't swim. And none of you saw who it was?!
"Afraid not officer, I was revising some Latin words in my mind, I wasn't aware of my surroundings as I should have."
"I thought the little punk was following me, but next thing I know he was screaming and dropping, didn't see who pushed him, but once I know who it is …" Clint growls at the end. The officer looks back at the teen. "Hard time you got there, dealing with a Yankee."
"Like you wouldn't believe." Draco answers grinning
"I heard that." Clint grumbles as he ruffles the feathers of the owl and lets it fly away. Draco picked that moment to push a paddle in the fire truck with his magic, letting the truck move away ever so slowly until someone noticed making him yell. The officer who was questioning them turned at the commotion, giving them the perfect window to escape. Clint moves with speed that Draco could never imagine achieving; he grabs the teen and hauls him as he runs past everyone, Draco managing to erupt a strong notice-me-not charm.
When they finally reached a relatively peaceful area, a spot in Hyde park. Draco let go of the ward and groans.
"Alright, I went through the veil for the second time, bringing a person with me, and didn't die … again. What do we do now?" he questions, feeling slumped, hugging the shock blanket closer to himself. Clint took out the letter while Draco did a drying charm on himself.
"To: Lord D. L. A. Malfoy. From: Grinotts?" this snapped Draco's head up at him and snatched the letter from his hands.
"Gringotts? Gringotts! How can this be from Gringots! Unless …" Draco bit his lips but opted to open the letter. Inside was the letter in the unmistakable Goblin font that they were so famous for. He couldn't believe it.
"Dear Lord Malfoy, you are called for the opening of well of the three deceased Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy nee Black. The requested participant is yourself and the will of the latter two shall not open without your presence. Please be informed that certain parties tried to pry open it with the act of the disintegration of a noble house. The fact that none of your vaults have closed and that your investments are piling up, not to mention your house elves still have a magical source to feed on, means that you are still alive, though hard to locate. We await your presence as soon as possible.
From: your Goblin manager, SharpFang."
"T-This is the invitation to my parents will o-opening … I never got it before …" he said, chocking a bit. He felt a hand on his shoulders making him look up to look at Clint, the man had a look of understanding on his eyes, making Draco breath and nod.
"I'm okay."
"You sure don't look like it."
"I just … I thought that … I'll never be able to come back home, that the last hope of seeing my home was that whole burnt district. I didn't think t-that … I'll somehow come back to my home universe. Do you know how low the possibility is? It was too low, I mean, surviving the veil in the first place was impossible." He breathes before looking back up at Clint.
"I'm home." He said happily, not believing this, all they need to do is go to the Leaky Cauldron, not the one burnt to crisps or had destroyed glass everywhere with the plates cluttered around. One where probably Tom the bartender was taking care of, with many witches or wizards were drinking or dining, some probably bunking in that area. His eyes glinted, showing true feelings after a long time of masking it.
"Lets go!" Draco said vanishing the shock blanket and standing up. Clint groans as he stood up and started walking. "This is too convenient Draco, there must be a catch." The archer said, but the teen wasn't slowing at all.
Truth to be told, with the time he spent in the other world he wasn't as disgusted with muggles or muggle sights as he was before, he can name them now with no problems – though he has to thank his eidetic memory for that one. It all became sterile to him, which will shock anyone who will meet him and knew him from before.
As they walked through the shopping district they stopped right at the electronics store. It wasn't as advance as what he was used to, living in Stark tower and New York in general. There were cube like television sets behind glass, protected by metal bars of sorts.
This wasn't what caught their attention, what caught it was Draco's face on the screens of the daily news.
"Told you there's a catch …" Clint commented, Draco wore his hoodie at that moment, knowing that he will become easily recognised.
"Many Nobles have disappeared lately through the last few years; one of the most notable was the youngest Lord Draco Malfoy. After the arrest of the cult members it was concluded that he was sacrificed in one of their rituals. Many other young children that were under their hands were too disillusioned to help them, and were put in mental hospitals. Today however was the first appearance of Draco Malfoy as he was pulled away, along with a man suspected to be another cult member, from the Thames River right under London's famous bridge. He was kidnapped right after questioning. If anyone sees him or the suspected cult member, please inform the nearest police station or call them with the numbers …" they flashed Clint's face, making him wear his hoodie.
"Cult members? What the bloody hell?" Draco whispers not believing this.
"Oh yeah, the guy who hates magic the most is a cult member." Clint grumbles.
"Great, now people will start looking for me. What happened here when I was gone? I was only away for a year, not any longer."
"It must be something big to make you famous." Draco was about to retort when he heard something else, he turns and watch.
"After the events of the terrorist attack that fallowed the whole of great Britain for more than a year, sir Harold James Potter, lord of the house of Potter and Black, was knighted for his direct hands in stopping said terrorist attacks. He then disappeared for a month or two. When he reappeared, he called in a conference and announced the reasons of the attacks. Whole hidden societies of cultist, who kidnap children at the age of eleven were the prominent reason." The anchor woman said.
"Bloody hell Potter." Draco curses, Clint jumped and looked at him with a questioning raised brow.
"It's not bloody realistic, when we arrested them they had technology unlike we ever seen, they tried to stun us or kill us with it. Luckily nothing like an old fashioned gun can't handle." A police officer said as he was interview by the news, this made Draco's stomach drop a bit, who did he shoot?
"Then sir Potter went into the story of how he was kidnapped and tricked by the society, saying that he was a wizard and sending him to a school which was hazardous in all health directions. Taught ancient and out-dated forms of modern subject, and subjected to assassination attempts on yearly bases. He then went into the story on how the whole society expected him to be their saviour right at the age of thirteen."
The year when it all started. It when he cried in the bathroom, when Potter found him, when he joined the order with Severus and his father. When Black was still thought to be a serial killer and the Tri-Wizard competition tried to mask it all. When it didn't work because Dementors attacked in the middle of the second competition, there were some deaths in the crowds. All of this went through his head, because it was a busy year, sometimes he thought that all of it could happen in three years and still be kept busy.
"They performed as a vigilante group, recruiting other children his age, most prominent Hermione Granger, found mysteriously murdered in her home right before leaving for her early admittance to Harvard. Later it was confirmed that she was killed by the same technology the cultist used."
"G-Granger …" he was horrified, how can things go this badly.
"Second was a whole family of red heads that were also part of the hidden 'magical' society, they were most notable to diverge from societies belief trying to branch to the modern world. They were found in their home, all slaughtered but the oldest, who later killed himself for the loose of all his family."
"The Weasely family?" his eyes were wide, though he never looked at Ronald Weasely eye to an eye, and his hate for them followed to his next life in the form of Jean Grey, even he wouldn't want an end like this for them.
"Lastly, the spies of the order who are well known to diverge inside the enemy lines. Severus Snape, lord Lucius Malfoy, along with Narcissa Malfoy nee black and their son Draco. Camera footage was found around the house showing that the Malgoys were attacked in the middle of the burial of their family best friend, Severus Snape, in their moment of mourning. All cases were shown to be backstabbed by said society's self proclaimed ministry. Not to mention the larger cases were they kill or discriminate anyone who they accuse as being 'werewolves, vampires, or creatures in general."
"K-Kill? T-This … this isn't the Wizarding world t-that I know." He stutters, all of what he saw was unbelievable, untrue even, they could never do that. Not after everything they have done, not after he, his father and Severus risked their necks on the line acting as their spies. He turns to look at Clint, he looked grim at the news, even if he didn't know anything and didn't feel what he felt.
Maybe he did, Clint is a spymaster, he must have felt betrayal before, it was a given in their profession.
"Ever since then Sir Potter is the main force to catch every hostile 'magical' using their own technology. He was also subjected to many assassination attempts from people all around the world. The Royal family took this as an offence to their own. But with the appearance of Draco Malfoy, there is hope that there are others as well who survived, police are trying their best to search for them now." Draco didn't continue to listen he turns around and walks, the same way he did when they entered the ministry in Clint's universe.
Said archer moved along with him.
"We need a change of clothes, they've already seen us with our current attires, especially since that they owned it." He grumbles, as they walked towards a busy street, there was no questioning as to wither it was a shopping district or not, it can already be heard from afar.
"Then we go to your house and hide in it? We'll look for a way to get back home that way." Draco froze for a second before continuing, hoping that the archer didn't see it. Unfortunately the archer did, and he sighed loudly guessing way the teen reacted that way to what he said.
As they moved to the shopping district, Draco paused feeling something ominous. He slows down next to the archer and looked straight to his eyes, sending a message through his telepathy. The archer nods. They treaded carefully, still looking normal. After a while, Draco understood why he felt threatened.
Between the crowds were two Aurors.
He curses as he caught one of their eyes, the man was wearing normal muggle clothing obviously in disguise. He walked closely to them, Draco instantly used his Metamorphmagus to change his colouring to fit Barton's. When the man reached them, Draco could instantly feel the notice-me-not ward being erupted.
"You there, what are you doing outside, it's prohibited to be in the muggle world." He demanded, Draco looks back at Clint with confusion. Of course they had an aura reader between them, of course that very same aura reader has to find them.
"What?" he said in a perfect American accent. If Clint was surprised, he isn't showing it, Draco lifted his hood off, this time Clint's eye brows lifted up for a split second. "Me and my dad came here for a visit, through muggle means anyways, he can't deal with apparation." He said, Clint instantly understood what was happening.
"Two yanks, what the heck are you two doing here, The British ministry of magic has put a lockdown in the area, how did you not know about this."
"I'm American, we don't have a ministry you idiot. We go under the Canadian ministry of magic and they don't send much messages to us." That was because the magic in America is daemonic magic, muggles who found ritual books dealt with demons to gain magic. They didn't know about the magical society when there was a ministry of magic for America, so they exposed the magicals and got themselves burned in the witch hunts. Thus leaving a large evil residue of magic, you couldn't ward a large area because of it, making all the magical move up to Canada, only few staying behind. All that was left were mostly dark magical creatures that are even more twisted than the rest of the magical world.
This was all in fifth year history curriculum; he needed to study it so he can pass the OWLs.
"Alright, I'll let you go seeing your situation. Listen here since you won't hear it directly from someone else. The ministry of magic is fighting with the normal muggle ministry, they're trying to find an even ground, but … there are rumours, that the second witch hunt will start here." Draco's eyes were wide, Clint's jaws tightened at that.
"A-Are they -Crazy!" He yelled, almost saying mad, luckily he changed it instantly. This was madness, insanity. A modern witch hunt, a modern witch hunt! The magical world knew nothing of advanced technology, though it is a bit behind from Clint's universe, it still had nuclear bombs, guns and blazing more weaponry.
"That's why all magicals are to stay in the magical world. These muggles can now spot a wizard or witch from miles away, we needed muggleborns to teach most of us Aurors' how to hide and keep a look out for any stray witch or wizard. We've been hard pressed for aura readers now."
"We know how to hide. We're Americans anyways." Clint said stoically, Draco nodded with him. "You have to learn from the hunters, or else you'll get hit by one of their salt guns." Draco added.
"Even so, you need to go there, I'll apparate you two now." he said before looking up, Draco was surprised to find his partner was a few meters away from them. He must have heard so he nodded at him saying he can do it.
"Wait, I told you my dad can't handle apparation."
"Unless he's a muggle, he can handle it." The man said irritated, he frowns before finally realizing it. "He's a muggle." He hisses, raising his wand. Draco stood right in front of the wand's pathway. "He's a druid! He can do ritiual magic only." The wand was still in its place, until the man finally let go grumbling. "Druids are rare."
"American." Clint added, smirking at Draco's eye twitch.
"What are your names?"
"Calvin Coulson. My son's name is Drake." He said smiling, all charismatic. Damn shield and their annoyingly fully trained agents. Damn master spy who can act even with no idea of what's going on. the Auror grabs them and apparates them, a loud crack could be heard behind them.
Another crack was heard as they reached the leaky Cauldron. Clint, as usual, dropped on his knees grasping his neck. Draco felt sorry for the man now, it seems that he couldn't handle magic at all.
"Never, and I mean never, am I going to do that again." He grumbles standing up, the Auror looks at Tom who was cleaning the glass with a napkin when they arrived.
"Two yanks Tom, they didn't know what's happening. See to it that they have a lodging." The man apparates away. Tom turns on them making Draco flinch a bit. It was only a day where he saw this place charred and destroyed. Now he can see the very same old man standing there, doing his job, though he looked like he aged even more than he last saw him.
"You two are really unfortunate, doesn't matter, I'll contact someone from Hogwarts to get you."
"W-why would you contact a school?" Clint asks, so he did listen to some of his stories. "You think they're going to leave you alone here? This place could be attacked any moment, only Aurors or ministry workers come here now. I send off every muggle born and their family to Hogwarts for safety."
"Who isn't going to leave us?" Draco asks, pressing for more information.
"The ministry, they think every muggle born is the reason for this, or anyone who doesn't fit that bill that he isn't British or who support the mugglborns. It already happened, poor Granger got executed for nothing, that girl was so bright." He said shaking his head, grief passed his eyes, so much that you didn't need to be trained to see it.
"I remember the moment she stepped here for the first time, she had one sharp mind that she could have whipped anyone with it. She was excited, she was a witch and that was all that mattered." He growls the last part. Draco's heart clenches a bit, so few friends he made, he couldn't call them friends, but they were more than acquaintances, at that time he didn't like opening up to people, didn't trust as much. He still didn't, but he can give chances now. He knew that he would have given them to Granger and Potter, just like he did with some Slyherins.
"They're executing them." He was able to hide most of his anger at this, but not all, the edge could be heard in his voice.
"Jeremy doesn't believe in the ministry, but he stayed in the job so he can bring them to me so I can send them off to Hogwarts … safest place in all of Britain. They finally used the battle wards, they should have done that a long time ago." Tom sighs, before shaking his head.
"You'll be going at the evening."
"Tomorrow, we have business here." Draco said in a commanding voice, making sure Tom wouldn't oppose him. After a few seconds he nods. "Midnight, whatever business you have will be finished by then. The sooner you reach that place the safer you'll be."
"I have a question, why battle wards?" Clint asked, making a fair point.
"Hogwarts is neutral in all of this, right now it acts as a school and a refuge sight. They can't side with the muggles because recently, all muggles who aren't related to a magical are trying to kills us. They can't side with the ministry because they want to kill muggleborns, Headmistress McGonagall then choose to be neutral, neither siding with anyone and helping as much as she can. She's doing a good job too, managing a school is hard by itself, protecting people and going against the ministry is something else."
Draco nods, he looks at Clint who was contemplating.
"We'll take a room." He tells Tom, he then turns at Clint and whispers. "You need to stay behind, I can't protect the both of us while going to Gringotts."
"Are you kidding!" Clint hisses at him. "I'm not leaving that ass of yours. I swear, you, Stark and Banner get in too much trouble, forget about the bank, you're already rich without it."
"I need to go there so I can gain my properties. My home is obviously ransacked, if they said that they took footage from there it means that even muggles have their eyes on it, probably waiting for me to get there. From what we gathered, they might want to use me as a face in this war."
"This Hogwarts looks safe enough."
"How in hell well we be able to plan for a way to get you back your home there!" he yells at this, before looking back to check if anyone heard. Luckily Tom went upstairs to look for a room. "We need a house, then we can go to Hogwarts so we can use their library to find anything to get you home. After that we go back to that house so we can do whatever ritual needed. My home in Wiltshire won't work, in Hogwarts we will be eyed too much, and freaking McGonagall will find out who I am just after a two weeks or even less. She isn't an idiot."
"Then I'm coming with you," Draco was about to interrupt before Clint covers his mouth. "Listen, I went through a freaking relic that kills whoever goes through it, if it weren't for that lady inside, I wouldn't be here. My job is to protect you by all costs, then I'll be able to get home."
"L-Lady?"
"Yeah, didn't you see a woman when you crossed the veil?"
"No, the first time I got through it, it was a man. What was her name?"
"Hela … shit. I met the asgardian equivalent of death didn't I." Clint mutters.
"No, no that's a good thing, if I didn't meet anyone when I passed the veil the second time, it means I'm immune to it after the first time. It means you're immune to it too! We can use the veil Clint, we can use it to get you back home."
"Draco!" he yells, making the teen flinch. "What's wrong, you keep saying 'your home' this and 'your home' that. It's like you think you won't be welcomed back. My job is to protect you doing your job here, then bring you back."
"…"
"You're an idiot. Nat sees you like a little brother, you know that. After you saved her from Hulk, she couldn't keep her eyes off of you, always seeing if you're safe. You don't know how many times she goes out and has to scare off some perverts from talking to you. Bruce sees you like a nephew or brother, and even freaking Stark watches over you sometimes. He feels like it's his fault that Coulson died, did you know that? You have that Parker kid too, right? He's probably waiting for you, and those Russian kids. Steve is overprotective of everyone anyways, hell even Fury acts differently with you. Thor likes you, and reindeer games likes like you. Don't you see! That place you made there, it's our home, not just mine, but ours. It's not just me who has people waiting for me, but you too. And it's my job to get you back." He trailed off the last part, making Draco clench his hands.
"Uncle Coul didn't die, and if it means that I need to go back through the veil for the third freaking time for me to prove it, then I'll do it." he said with determination. "You didn't have to give me a full speech about it too idiot."
"Ferret."
"Let's go, we won't have much time if we go through even more of this chick flick moment." He said, getting a punch to the arm from the archer. They set out and moved to the back, Clint obviously remembering how from their own universe. Draco tapped the walls before it opened up.
The place still held a depressing aura, just like when you-know-who was still in reign. Still, there were wizards and witches moving about doing their shopping, just not as happily as they did before. Clint and him moved along, catching some eyes, mostly scathing and hateful ones, because of their muggle clothing. This is ridiculous, the ministry must have spread the rumours that it was all the muggle born's fault that this whole war was starting about.
There are however, sympathetic looks, mostly shop owners. Clint noticed it all, his hands were now set in a possession to reach his bow when needed.
When they finally reached Gringotts, they didn't even pause to admire the standing structure, Draco went straight to a Goblin teller.
"I require the presence of SharpFang." He demanded, forgoing the ettiquete, he was so used to not giving them respect, but he paused before grimacing and adding. "I apologize for my manner, great goblin, but this is an urgent business."
The goblin was sneering but dropped it a bit to look calculating. "Why do you require the presence of the Malfoy family manager?" Draco looks around to make sure no one can see him, then turn back at the goblin.
He shifts his face to resemble back to his old one, surprising the goblin. It also shocked Draco, because he felt his whole face shift, not just the colours. So that was why Clint was surprised back then. Didn't he lose that ability?
"To the back, fast before news could be spread." The goblin demanded hurriedly, he dropped from his seat to move to the back. Draco and Clint right behind them. When they finally got into the room, the goblin entered before them, after a few minutes the goblin came out.
"SharpFang is now ready to see you Lord Malfoy and guest." He said before going back to the front of the bank. He sent a small glance to Clint, who shrugs. They both entered inside.
0o0o0
"Lord Malfoy, you have successfully evaded the ministry for about two years now, and even our own locating spells. Congratulations."
"You're welcome."
"As it is said, you are in a hurry, and time is money. Will we proceed with the opening of the will now."
"Yes." The goblin waved, and a scroll appeared on his desk, he didn't grab it, but used a metal rod with a flat square panel to give it to Draco. "It is spelled to be only touched by blood. If your parent's weren't dead, they would have been sent to Azkaban for this."
"You wouldn't tell the ministry." Draco said it as if it were fact.
"No we wouldn't." The goblin smirks, making Draco grin, this is the only attitude he ever liked from goblins. Draco conjured a knife non-verbally, to the goblin it seems both non-verbal and wandless. Thus, explaining the surprise on the goblin's face.
Draco nicked his finger and let a few drops of blood drop down, after that he covered his hands, still having problems with healing magic. The will finally opened. It flew up as it did, floating with a recorder by its side. It cranks up a bit before starting to play, sounding like an old record player.
"This is the last will of Lucius Abraxas Malfoy and Narcissa Druella Malfoy Nee Black.
I, Lucius Malfoy, being of sound heart and mind, leave a list of potions' books behind for Severus Snape, the list is concluded. I leave the house in Denmark for the Greengrass family, I knew you always wanted to live there. I then leave everything else to my son. To Draco, you need to go to the second basement of our house in Wiltshire to find a private letter me and your mother wrote. This is the last will of Lucius Malfoy." The part for his father said, Draco smiling bitterly at his voice, hearing it after a whole year, and for the fact that Severus will never get those books. Then came his mother's will.
"I, Narcissa Malfoy nee black, being of sound heart and mind, leave some books to my sister Andromeda Tonks nee Black, list concluded, I also leave a box of jewelleries you always wanted, both books and jewelleries will be sent after this will is read, a letter concluded in case you aren't present like I know you will do. I leave everything else i owe to my son Draco Malfoy. To Draco, please go back to the house and go to the second basement to find a private letter that we wrote to you. This is the final will of Narcissa Malfoy nee Black." Draco didn't know how to feel, at least he knew that his parents wrote off their private letters so that if anyone else was present, they wouldn't hear it. Draco stood there lamenting on it.
"So we need to go to your home."
"There is a third will lord Malfoy. The will of Severus Snape, though this one has already been read."
"By who?" Draco questioned.
"By lord Harold Potter and most of Hogwarts professors, since the majority were present, and the news that you are dead by the ministry reached us. No matter how many times we disagreed with them." The goblin sneers at this. "They have opted to read it."
This time, the goblin opened the letter able to touch it with no problems. The will, just like his parents', opened up as it flew up, floating in mid-air, the recorder started to play next to it.
"This is the last well of Severus Tobias Snape.
I, Severus Tobias Snape, being of sound heart and mind, leave two picture albums and journals of Lilly Potter nee Evans before her marriage as children to Harry Potter, we were friends back then." Draco's eyes widens at the information, Lilly Potter? She was the muggleborn that he was friends with as a child? This was too shocking for Draco.
"To Minerva McGonagall, I leave you my books of transfiguration that I have found in my family house. I do not need it and do not have any heirs to pass it down to, it is yours, list concluded. To Filius Flitwick, like McGonagall, I have left books of charms behind for you, and a few on duelling. To Pomona Sprout, I have found two crests of rare seeds, I leave one behind for you. You will receive it the moment this will has finished. To Poppy Pomfrey, a book I have written on most rare healing potions, it includes one for damaged nerves that could be promising for the Logbottoms, do not hold your hope to it however. Lastly, I leave everything else to my godson, Draco Malfoy." Thinking that it has finished, he stood up. Only for the goblin to gesture him to sit down, which he did.
To his shock, Severus didn't stop, and he still had a message, one important message at that.
"This is a message to Hogwarts staff, you have to issue the war wards on Hogwarts as soon as possible. Even with the fall of the dark lord there are some Death Eaters left in the ministry, they can evade capture or detection. I fear that they have already ensnared some minds to their side, it will start a war. They plan to lose bringing everything down with them. They plan to attack all muggles and muggleborns. I couldn't say anything before because of a silencing vow, but with my death I can. Any spies will be killed off after the war is finished, I just hope that you heard this soon enough. That means you Lucius, take Narcissa and Draco and go to hiding, if they knew you were spying on the dark lord, they will certainly do much worse." Draco grinded his teeth, a silencing vow doesn't kill you if you broke it, just like an unbreakable vow would. No, it would torture you so much that after a few months under the torture you might lose your voice. He couldn't imagine the reactions the Hogwarts staff showed while hearing this. He himself felt anger with how late this message has come, if only they heard it, but they needed to bury Severus before listening to his will, it was to show outmost respect.
"All muggle borns, blood traitos and magical creatures will be targeted, so protect those insufferable friends of yours Potter. I don't know much else, although I know it will be big, the best option is to distract them by a larger problem, after gathering every person you could, issue the ward and start the problem against the ministry of magic. They are still the enemies, trust none but a few Aurors.
This is the last will of Severus Snape."
"So they listened to him."
"They did lord Malfoy, every student and their family that wanted to are behind those wards."
"Then I need to go to Wiltshire, to get those letters."
"There is one final thing lord Malfoy. It appears that your lordship of the house of Black has been invoked, you are no longer the lord Black, however you are still a member of the house, thus letting you still use the family magics." Draco was silent for a moment, then a large grin started to stretch, it could be visible from ear to ear.
"You mean, I can finally stop using that bloody tall name!" he couldn't help it, this has been a thorn in his side for too long. Clint actually barked a laugh at this, remembering the teens face at the abandoned ministry building when he had to state his full name.
"You can still use it, though you do not need to write it in any official papers anymore."
"Who is the new lord?"
"Harold Potter." This wasn't surprising, not for a bit. Now that he can think, he finally understood why this whole war started, Severus left this message here. It was obviously too late, with the fact that the Weaselys and Grangers are dead, just like his own family. But it was heard soon enough to save the rest. Potter must have spun a story about the ministry being a cultist group who are controlling the rest of the Wizarding world and how that they needed to save everyone from them.
The video footage that the anchor woman must have given them more evident to this, father has installed it in case a muggle wanted to assassinate them and somehow found a wizard who will take a job. He would use the footage to the muggle police to capture both the wizard and the muggle competitor. The attack must have been released to someone in the order, they were after all a part of it. So Potter must have used it along side his story to start off this war, then he must have hidden himself or went to Hogwarts to hide until he was needed against the fight.
This has only proven one important thing to Draco, his home isn't being watched, he could go there now.
As he went outside he grabs onto Clint's arms who cursed knowing where this was going. A loud crack was heard.
0o0o0
"This is one creepy place to live in." Clint comments going through the rooms, they finally reached the one with the two basements. After reaching it, he looks around regaining memories, the memories of when they finally showed their allegiance. They captured Potter and his friends. Granger was about to be killed, but his father shot Bella at that instant, forcing her to let go of Granger.
Potter and his friends escaped with that house elf, Dobby, but they were left behind fighting off the rest. At the end they all had to run away from the house, the same way Potter did, by using a house elf.
He shook out his memories, then went to the dungeon. In there he went to the last part of it and held his hands to the wall. Like in Diagon alley, they needed to tap the wall in a certain way to open it up. He never went in there, his father always used it for his … collection.
Once he tapped it, the gate has started to appear, the wall disillusioned instead of moving breaks, leaving a big ark that covered the area from the ground to the roof. Breathing in, he walks inside, Clint was about to enter but Draco stops him.
"This is like a bunker house, it only lets a Malfoy inside. I'm sorry but you can't come in … and this is …"
"Personal, I get it."
"You can explore, I'm sure we had a range to practice your aiming, I'm sure you're itching to use your bow."
"Sure kiddo, just don't stay there all night and start to cry or something." He joked before moving out. Draco sighs and goes back in.
Just when Clint stepped off the stairs, he realized something.
"How the hell do I get to that training room?"
AN:- Irony is, that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows started on tv when I started to write this chapter. I was torn between writing this or watching. Did you see the supernatural reference there? This is the part where you take a break because i sure as hell did as well.
Chapter 21 – part two –
There were so many clutters, he didn't know where to start looking. He went through so many things and realized something. As he went deeper into the basement, less dark items would be found and more … childhood items were.
He stood in front of a crib, with quiditch designed mobile on top of it. The moment he touched it, and the snitch dis-attached itself from the mobile and started fluttering around it. The buldgers trying to release it self from the chain as it follows the snitch that is annoying them, he admits, it was funny to watch. The quaffle was also released and kept going through multiple hoops in multiple ways, taking a break a few times by reattaching itself on the chain.
"That used to be your favourite thing to watch as a baby." He stills once he heard that sound, slowly, ever so slowly, he turns to look at the far end. The wall held a large painting, said painting held two of his dearest people in this world.
"M-mum? Father?" So that was why he never got their paintings, the elves couldn't come in this room. His mother inside the painting weeps as she tries to reach out, but she couldn't, making her cry a sob as she turns to his father, crying on his shoulders.
This was surreal, they were a silver of who his parents were, not really them, their echo, he shouldn't feel this emotional.
But it was a part of them, all of their emotions right there.
"I always wondered why you call you mother like that and never me." Lucius said loudly, Narcissa still crying on his shoulders.
"You don't like it." He was wearing his finest robes, it was black, and looked like more of a trench coat than anything. A white and green double breasted vest that showed his house pride, Victorian patterns adorned it. A white cravat was around his neck. His tall hair is tied with a green ribbon and was pulled to the front to show its length. However, there was no beard that he developed after his time in Azkaban.
His mother however, she looks beautiful, there was no stress marks evident that she developed when Voldemort was using their house as a base. She looked young. Instead of that ugly green coat that she usually wore, she was wearing a short dress that reaches below her knees. The skirt like part of the dress was white with black lines at the bottom and many white laces followed. The top part was a vest like, it was also green and patterned the same way his father's vest was. The sleeves on her shirt was long and white, a black ribbon tie around her neck, followed suit with a green emerald necklace on gold chains. She wore black flats. Her hair was open, showing her multi-coloured hair in a vibrant way.
They were in the gardens, back in happier times. Four chairs were sat, one for him, his father, mother and lastly Severus. You can see many flowers, all dazzling, pretty and bright. They always had their afternoon tea there, they must have issued this painting when he was at school.
"I … thought I'll never see you again."
"Why didn't you come any sooner dragon?" his mother questioned, he tried not to cry, he really did. Yet it wasn't possible, tears were dropping now, as he looks at them after so long.
"And what are you wearing?" his father said in a disgusted voice, Draco chocked a laugh because he missed this, he messed his parents and his father's usual attacks on muggle clothing and his mother's beautiful voice and hair. He truly did mess it. He finally let go of them, and they managed to sneak back up to his life.
"I've been through hell. They tried to kill me, and instead I ended up in a new world, forced to live with them and accept everything muggle, then came back somehow ending up here. Mother, father, they backstabbed us. The ministry and the order, they backstabbed us, they killed the both of you and tried to execute me with the veil."
"Those scum." His mother hisses, his father still held her, this time to stop her from managing to get out of the painting, never mind how impossible that was.
"Another world, do you know how ridiculous you sound Draco." His father said, making Draco grin madly. "You didn't live through it. The veil is more than a way of killing, it's a passage to other worlds, I managed to pass through it and was dropped in a world where there was no magical society. All of them were dead, I was literally the only wizard left. Everything was destroyed or gone, everything."
"Oh, my poor child." His mother sobbed again, this time she sat on one of the chairs. His father sat back with her. Finally when she stops she looks at him with a look of longing before she smiled sadly, there was a hint of bitterness on her smile.
"What a little man he has become, don't you agree Lucius?" she said, turning back to Lucius, who didn't show any reactions, like always. "I wish I can be free of this painting, to hold you and embrace you." She continued without an answer.
"I wish so as well." Draco said, looking down.
"Yet, that is not to be. However, you are free Draco. Now, you can be happy, have the life we never managed to give you, even if we can't share it together-"
"Oh shut it you!" his father finally interjects, by yelling, shutting her up successfully. "Will you stop it, you make it sound sick woman. Why would you want him, he isn't the man we were hoping him to be, we didn't raise him like this, he was groomed to be strong, superior! Now he looks weak, he even wears clothes like those mudbloods." This was hitting Draco's heart like an arrow, every jab giving him a twist where it counts.
"Don't you remember what we taught you! How can you go against your heritage and back with those insects." He hisses the last part, Draco shrinks away from the painting.
"You were supposed to be more, instead, you were interacting with them."
"You did as well!" Draco interrupts, making the man sneer. He stood up, his mother following suit to bring him back on the chair and to cool down. But he was having none of it.
At the end, Narcissa said something that affected them both deeply, Lucius by making him regretful and Draco making him feel more loved.
"You should be glad Lucius, you should be glad for this gift that he is even alive. Not dead by those traitors, he would have then been here with us, in this painting, forever stuck." Lucius fell on the chair, his arms set on his legs as he covered his face with his hands. You can see that he was breaking down then and there. Narcissa turns back at him with a worried sigh.
"I hope you forget what your father said, he's worried over you. You don't know how nerve wracking it was, not hearing from you for a year or more."
"I'm sorry. But I won't change it, no matter what." This made his father look up at him. "Those people who you called insect father, were more than that, they were more than anyone is in the Wizarding world. They risked their lives to protect both me and their world, they're heroes, of all kind, from a golden Gryffindor hero to a sneaky Slytherin. No, they were more, and I'm glad I'm a part of it." His father didn't say anything.
"If they were living here in this world, they would have beaten all the death eaters with ease, the technology you always update yourself with, they have an even more advanced type. They're also-"
"I can see why you're more beautiful than handsome." His father interrupts, making Draco blink with how abrupt that was. "Excuse me?"
"Do you remember the ritual you underwent Dragon, you didn't do it whole. You were only part veela at that point, but you gained more of your heritage. It's so obvious, by this point, you're a half veela like I am."
"I … but you look manlier." He suddenly said, not really grasping how and where this is going. His father chuckled. "I got your grandfather's looks, you must have gained your mothers it's all there, uncanny really." This made Draco confused, weren't they talking about their different opinions about Muggles? His father started to pick up. "People always commented on how much we both look, but every time I look at you, I find your mother … Do you remember as a child, you always demand from us to act your bedtime stories." This made Draco smile with teary eyes.
"Narcissa would always read the story, as I make light figures act everything out … your favourite story was babbity rabbit, saying how idiotic those muggles were." He nods looking down.
"Do you also remember how enthusiastic you were when I taught you how to fly?" his mother asked, making him nod faster. "You were afraid at first, demanding to fly with me instead of being on your own broom."
"I remember."
"You were one spoiled child." Lucius said, smirking at this knowing how much he had a hand with it. "Don't act like it isn't your fault Lucius. It was always you, giving in more than needed. Draco was the world to you, you even vowed that you would do your best to make him safe." This made Draco look up, wide eyes looking at his father.
"I did, didn't I? The moment I held you Draco, the day you were born, I held you and I made an unbreakable bow, you and your mother as my witness. And then you gained your mother's arrogance."
"Oh stuff it you." His mother retorts, huffing and looking to the side.
"I had to satisfy both your egos, two people with the arrogance of the Blacks, and it was hard."
"Father …" Draco moaned, not believing this. This made Lucius smile before standing up.
"What is your goal from here on?"
"I… plan to go back to that world. The only way to get back there is to get back to the veil. I … don't know how to reach it without evading capture."
"There's a door through the courts, I used it sometimes to go to the department of mystery without notice. The only problem to this is that I used it before it was occupied by dementors daily."
"So we need someone who can cast a patronus, since I can't do it." He got it then, Potter, Potter can cast one, so he needs to look for him.
"I think I know of a way."
"Good, then pack us all to the master trunk." his father demanded, Draco nods before taking it out of his pockets, enlarging it, he opens up and starts to pack everything, even the dark relics. He made sure the dark ones are in a separate room. He looks at every item and finally realized something, every single one of them was a memory, of him as a child. He couldn't be any prouder of his parents.
The last to go in was the portrait, both demanding for him to get them out the first moment he gets.
0o0o0
Clint didn't question him on his red eyes or disarrayed self, he just accepted that whatever was on the letter was really emotional. They then got back to the pub, Draco changing his looks into Barton's again. This was too convenient for Draco's mind, after all, he was a paranoid person. The fact that he lost his ability then regained it when needed sounded suspicious to him, but he didn't dare question it, lest he jinx himself.
Wizards were more prone to jinxing themselves than Muggles, it was just a rule in life.
It was about nine when they got back, Clint promptly dropped himself on the bed. Draco followed suit, but not before putting some wards around them. When he slept, he couldn't feel the world around him, too tired to emotionally feel anything.
However, he did wake up when he heard noise only made when someone is in a struggle. He opened his eyes and grumbles as he gets up to the living room, only to be stunned at what he saw. Clint Barton was, and shall forever be, the strangest man he has ever met. Forget Stark, that man is eccentric, or Banner, Fury or anyone else. No, Clint tops it all.
There was a giant in their room, more precisely a half giant that is the professor of magical creatures in Hogwarts. He was fighting with Clint using his umbrella. The idiotic bird brain was actually on his back trying to choke him, his right foot was somehow stuck to the door. It would open and close depending on how they both moved.
The half giant was trying to swing archer with his umbrella as Clint deflects it with an arrow.
"Gerr-off me!" Hagrid yells at him, Clint replied it with a childish and loud 'never!'. Draco did the only thing he could possible think, he face palmed.
"Stop it, the both of you! Or you'll destroy this room!" he yells at them, already there were burn marks and arrows stuck to the wall. Some cracks, probably from the large oaf falling or something close. The bow was actually next to his feet. They were still at it, he was shaking out of rage now. At the end he sent stinging hexes at them, making sure that they will feel it.
Clint yelps, letting go of Hagrid and dropped, now becoming upside down right at the door. Hagrid actually jumped, once he drops on the floor it created shockwaves that promptly forced Draco into a jump himself without his consent, making him yelp. He drops on his behind making him groan. He will feel that later.
Hagrid was using a string of curses to describe his feelings, Clint rubbing his chest where the hex got him. The moment Hagrid looks up at him his eyes widens.
"You! They've been talking about you ever since you've been spotted on that muggle box! We all thought ya were dead. I was sent here by headmistress McGonagall to fetch ya up, didn't think I'd meet ya instead." He talked happily, as if he wasn't stung or wasn't fighting for his life a few minutes ago.
"Bloody hell, how did I even get on the news for it to escalate like this?" Draco said, he got up resisting rubbing his backside. "You, Banner and Stark, get in the weirdest situations." Clint sang, making Draco glare at him.
"I didn't get my foot stuck to the door upside down fighting off a half giant with one measly arrow." He drawls, Clint, being the adult that he was, stuck his tongue out.
After that he had to get ready and escape all attempts of the giant trying to befriend him or being nice to him as he spelled Clint's foot off. They were both in the Order of the Phoenix, so it was a given that they knew each other, although at that time he wasn't trusted by anyone but Granger and Potter, meaning that even Hagrid avoided him. Clint dropped with a thud and a loud curse.
Once they went out of the establishment, Draco raised a brow at what he saw.
"You're kidding me, we're going with that thing." Clint questions loudly, it was a motor cycle with a passenger seat. Draco then turns at the half-giant. "You do know that enchanting muggle devices is illegal right?"
"I 'aven't enchanted it. Sirius, bless that man, did. 'e gave it to me as a gift." The man rambled on happily as he rode on the bike, Clint was left to stare at it. "Even if this was Captain America's bike, I won't get on It." He finally said, making Draco groan and then push him on the passenger seat.
"You will." he replies before measuring the space, it'll be a tight squeeze … unless he shifts into a child.
He hasn't done it before, he could change easily now, after getting back to their world, but he never tried shifting into a child. Desperate times come to desperate measures he guessed. Sighing, Draco concentrates on the shape and size he needs, the feel of the body, the height he would need to get used to. He concentrated for so long, that when he opened his eyes, he felt a bit faint. Clint's mouth was wide open, along with Hagrid's wide eyed stare.
Draco pouts and holds his arms to Clint, who reluctantly but easily carries him.
"I didn't know you can do that." He admits, a strange emotion was on his face.
"Just like yer cousin Tonks right?" Hagrid said, making Draco nod, just like a child. That was when they took flight. Draco felt constricted with his now oversized clothes, though Clint was holding surprisingly well. He wasn't holding him tightly, but not loosely eother. There wasn't a possible way for Clint to drop him. This made Draco suspicious, usually bachelors were afraid to even touch a kid, either not wanting to – Tony – or afraid of breaking the child somehow – Steve and Bruce –. Unless they had younger family members, but Clint didn't have any of that, none of that was written on his files.
Unless he was like him? There was some information off his file like his own, to hide it, or to necessarily protect someone.
"You have a family don't you." Draco finally asks, Clint was suspiciously quiet, proving what he said.
"Yeah …" He finally replies.
"I'm sorry, I mean, for making you come here with me."
"It was my choice." He said without any emotions.
"What if you never saw them again?" Draco asks in that annoyingly high pitched voice, making Clint cringe, though he immediately returned to normal. "I'll see them again, I know I will. I got a confession to make kid, you science trio aren't the only ones who get into weird situations. I mean, I got mind controlled by the lord of mischief and lies. I always get back." He said, trying his best to hide his pain, and he was succeeding, if it were anyone but Draco who was listening.
"What are their names?" he asks.
"… My wife's name is…"
0o0o0
"'ere they are professor McGonagall." Draco couldn't help but jump off of Clint's lap and turned back to his original body straightaway. McGonagall was surprised about this, she nearly had a heart attack remembering how Nymphadora Lupin died a year ago, leaving her only child behind.
"Welcome to Hogwarts-"
"Finally living up to it's namesake being the safest place of all of Britain." She shuts her mouth hearing that, looking back at the teen. She paused as she saw who it was.
"Mr Malfoy, skipping a whole year I see."
"To tell you the truth Professor, the ministry killed me." He drawled, Clint got up and rearranged his bows and quiver on his back, making McGonagall eye it with suspicion.
"I'm Clint Barton, I was assigned this punk's bodyguard from Death herself." He said with a humorous bow.
"Well you stop calling me names." Draco grumbles at him.
"Not until you can shut your mouth." Clint replies, eyes smug.
"At least I'm quieter than you, Katniss. I'm a teen, what's your excuse?"
"Oh, so you're a teen now, not an adult, Dragon breath?"
"Legolas."
"Ferret."
"Will you two stop it." McGonagall abolished them both, making them both shut up with a click to their mouth. She looks at all of them, including Hagrid, then finally settles her eyes on him. At the end, she gave a smile.
"I am happy that the ministry is incompetent enough that they couldn't kill you."
"I'm happy as well, you didn't know how their dungeons felt like." It was here that McGonagall truly froze, horror itched onto her face as she pales down. Draco however became confused, where did that come from?
"Mr Malfoy, the ministry doesn't have a dungeon in its building, Wizarding Britain as a whole doesn't have but only one." She said slowly, this brought more confusion to himself. "I know that." So why did he feel like he told the truth? No, not possible … but he was sure that he was in a dungeon, maybe it was a figment of his imagination, or a dream. He was after all, going through emotional trauma at that time. Or did he just bury the memories away? He can do it with Occlumency.
Was he in Azkaban?
Shakily, McGonagall turns around and went inside, wanting them to follow her. "I'll be in me hut Professor McGonagall." Hagrid said, looking a bit pale after what he heard. "If it makes you feel better, I don't remember anything about it." He told the half giant before following the transfiguration mistress. Clint moved fasted to next to the woman.
"What's the deal with the dungeon back there?" Clint asks her, a bit confused. The headmistress looks at him for a long while before looking straight, still walking, and answered. "Azkaban is hell on earth, it's guarded by Dementors, the foulest creatures you could ever meet." Clint's face cleared of any emotion, he looks at the back to make sure Draco wasn't listening, glad to see that the teen was focusing more on the castle than anything.
When they did go inside, there was no one outside, since it's about 3 am. They kept walking until they reached the great hall, like he remembered at his third year of school, there were many people sleeping there.
"The other quarters are already filled, some creatures are with us as well." She said waiting for Draco's response to that. Draco didn't catch on it and didn't show anything that could possible show his distaste to them, more importantly, he looked as if he didn't care. This surprised her.
"I've slept in worse places." Clint admits as he went to choose an area to sleep on, Draco following behind. "I don't doubt it at all." McGonagall left feeling a bit alighted, knowing that there won't be any more problems in her hands. She left after conjuring them cots and blankets for them to sleep on.
What no one knew is that Draco was only lying there, not sleeping at all, he was still affected by his telepathy, or mastery over Occlumency. He didn't need much sleep, and already he has slept three hours, but he wasn't back in Avengers tower, he didn't have that window to look at and watch the city that never sleeps. He didn't have Tony to debate with or insult most of the night on his more ridiculous inventions. He just laid there, staring at the enchanted ceiling of Hogwarts great hall.
AN:- So ... did i do it justice?
Sorry guys, but there is going to be more of the breaks that i just did a few weeks ago. I'm just going to make it up by longer chapters. If i was away for longer than i should then i'll write a longer chapter, if i didn't, then you'll get my average 4000+ words chapter. I was pretty swamped, still am looking for scholarships, already failed one TT_TT But i should never give up! i will find one, or get into college with a side job.
On the other note, this fic just passed 100k words! that is an accomplishment to me. Can anyone guess what will happen next? How will Draco find potter to help him go through the court rooms? Will he even go through that way? Will he get into the war between muggle and magical ministries, is he going to turn into a Poster Face? Is he and Clint going to go through this alone? Will Clint ever get back home? Is Hela hot?