Chapter Ninety-Three

Love, Acceptance and Healing

Barty rushed into St Mungo's not caring that he didn't have a good (or any) explanation for how he knew Azkaban escapee Sirius Black even if the DMLE had all but declared him innocent after the attack at the Three Chasers. But after the Dark Lord had summoned him and told him what had happened, he needed to see him, needed to make sure he was alright.

Narcissa Black was seated at his side and speaking to them about things they had got up to as children. She looked up at him in surprise confused as to why he would be. She had been out of the country for awhile so had not been there when they had decided to start seeing one another.

'Ms Black, how is he?' asked Barty taking the other seat.

Black frowned but apparently saw something in his eyes, 'he was almost drowned by some Order members. He was deprived oxygen for some time and is now in a coma. We won't know how bad it is until he wakes up. You care for him, don't you?'

'We began dating a couple of weeks ago,' admitted Barty softly.

'Yes, I can see that working,' murmured Black smiling. 'Look after him, won't you, Lucius wanted me to check on the – Heir Slytherin.'

'He was asleep when the Da-Lord Slytherin informed me about Sirius,' Barty said. 'It didn't look like he was planning on leaving his side anytime soon.'

Black smiled, 'of course not – I wouldn't if it was Draco.'

Black left allowing Barty to take Sirius' other hand which he clutched tightly to. Barty didn't know where this was going, it was all so new, but he knew he liked the man and enjoyed spending time with him. Barty didn't want to lose this so soon after finding it.

'Come on, Sirius, you stubborn bloody fool,' Barty said. 'You broke out of Azkaban, you can survive this, please, please, oh Merlin, wake up. You were going to take me to see a film at a cinnamon – whatever that is – when the Ministry officially clears you. Please, wake up. Please. I can't lose you before I really know you. It's not fair!'

Harry groaned as he came to, his head hurt and despite just waking up he still felt exhausted. The curtains were shut but there was bright sunlight peeking through the edges. He was in his bed, alone which was unusual for him with that thought came the utter heartbreak.

Lucius.

No.

NO!

Harry curled up tight feeling his eyes wet with tears.

'Hadrian, he's alive,'

Harry looked up at the face of his father who must have been sitting by his bedside all day. That made Harry feel warm inside – nobody had ever been by his side when he was hurt and injured. Tom Slytherin looked worried and sad as he looked down at him.

'Lucius is alive,' Tom repeated. 'He's in St. Mungo's and is injured, but he's going to be fine.'

'Sirius?' croaked Harry.

Tom's eyes darkened, 'he's still unconscious – he was badly injured worse but he is alive so there is still hope.'

'Baby?' Harry asked.

'Fine,' Tom said. 'You're both just fine.'

Harry felt shaky, 'Dumbledore … I …'

'It wasn't your fault,' Tom said softly.

Harry sniffed, 'I killed him.'

'He would have killed you,' Tom said. 'He did kill James! He tried to kill Lucius.'

Harry sniffed, 'I know, then why do I feel like such … like … a monster.'

'You are not a monster,' Tom said sharply.

'I've killed four people!' Harry said.

'And I've killed hundreds more,' Tom said softly. 'You feel like you do because you are a good person in the way that neither Dumbledore nor I are.'

Harry sniffed again.

Harry's father touched the Master Mark on his right hand and ten minutes later Healer Whitehead entered. Tom was still looking concerned as Harry had barely moved. Healer Whitehead took one look at him and sadness filled his eyes.

'Hello, my Prince,' the Healer spoke setting down his bags.

Harry didn't respond.

'How are you feeling?' asked Healer Whitehead voice gentle.

Harry shook his head not sure how to express exactly how he was feeling.

'Has he spoken?' asked Whitehead.

Tom nodded, 'yes, a little.'

Healer Whitehead performed a check, 'physically he is well – dehydrated and low on sugar. Nothing a meal won't solve. I really do think you should see a Mind Healer.'

'He will be,' Harry's father said in a tone that brooked no argument.

'Baby?' Harry asked quietly.

'The baby is fine,' Whitehead said gently. 'A little stressed because of your elevated stress levels, so take it easy. I would recommend you take it easy for the next week at least – no strenuous exercise and try to avoid stressful situations as much as possible.'

Tom nodded, 'the Aurors want to speak to him.'

Healer Whitehead sighed, 'we can't delay that forever, but if it does seem to be stressing him out it would be quite within your rights to stop. I can be there if you like – the Aurors may be more inclined to listen to a neutral, professional than an overprotective father.'

'That would be helpful, thank you, Gregor,' Tom said quietly.

Healer Whitehead left soon after.

'What would you like to eat?' asked Tom still speaking to him as if he was a spooked cat.

Harry shrugged.

Tom sighed but go him a bowl of simple beef stew and a large slice of treacle pie.

'Please, eat,' Tom said.

'I'm not hungry,' Harry said.

'I know, but you need to eat,' Tom said quietly.

Harry just buried his face in his hands. But then he felt the bed shift and his father was pulling him onto his lap and just holding him. The way he had seen Petunia Dursley do to Dudley when they were very young.

'Hadrian, this … I'm not good at this … I never had much in the way of comfort when I was growing up,' Tom said running a hand through Harry's hair. 'I wish I could say the right things to take your pain away. I wish James was here, he would be good at this, but you just have me, and I'll always be there, no matter what. I love you and want you to … I want you to be safe and happy.'

'I know,' Harry said weakly. 'I love you too.'

Almost thirty-six hours had passed since the end of the attack on Malfoy Manor and Amelia was finally able to interview the young Heir Slytherin. Amelia would have preferred to speak to him earlier as he was at the heart of the attack. But she had seen him at the scene of the attack and understood why his father and healer had waylaid her to allow the boy time to heal.

'Good afternoon, Madam Bones,' Lord Slytherin said unhappily.

It was clear to Amelia that Lord Slytherin would prefer this not to be happening at all. Not that she blamed the man for being protective of his son after everything the boy had gone through in his life. Quite frankly that boy needed more protectors in his corner.

'Lord Slytherin, thank you for agreeing to let me interview your son,' Amelia said.

Lord Slytherin's eye twitched, 'Hadrian is still very mentally fragile. His personal Healer will be present, as will I. If it is too much for him, I will ask you to leave.'

Amelia nodded, 'that is fair. Hadrian is the victim here.'

Lord Slytherin led her through corridors which over the last few months were becoming overly familiar to her. It seemed a good chunk of her work was vested in issues from the Slytherin family and most importantly their enemies.

Hadrian Slytherin was sat propped up in bed with many pillows. He looked a lot better than he had done yesterday (but that wasn't hard). He paled as he saw her, and he seemed to be gripping the blankets under him very hard.

'Heir Slytherin, can you tell me what happened?' Amelia said gently.

The boy nodded, 'I was at Lucius', we were fast asleep in bed when Lucius woke me. It was late and dark, but I can't tell you exactly what time it was. Then Lucius told me that the wards had been breached that we had to leave. He woke Sirius and decided to confront the invaders himself believing he would have a better chance of fighting as Lord of the Manor. I … wanted to go after him, I was terrified that Dumbledore would be there, that he would die!'

Lord Slytherin moved to place a hand on his son's, 'Lucius is alive and safe.'

Heir Slytherin nodded taking a shuddering breath, 'Sirius and I made our way down to the drawing room – there is an old disused witch's hole there – a relic from the hunts. I didn't know if the old tunnel would be cleared enough to get us out, but I reckoned we could hole down there until help came. But when we entered, they must have known we would head there because there were eight witches and wizards there.'

'Eight?' Amelia asked sharply.

They had only arrested five and none of them were talking. Not that that was strange given the cult-like nature of the Order of the Phoenix. Still the fact that three had escaped that mess was worrying in the extreme.

'Did you recognise any of them?' asked Amelia.

'Lord Doge,' Heir Slytherin said.

Amelia blinked – what was Dumbledore thinking bringing his most loyal dog in the Wizengamot? Surely, he would be more useful doing his job rather than taking part in illegal raids? Dumbledore must have had to really scrape the bottom of the barrel. Well, that was one name that they had arrested.

'No one else?' asked Amelia.

Heir Slytherin shook his head, 'I think Sirius did so I guessed they were Order members.'

'Could you describe any of them to me?' asked Amelia.

'I was hardly paying attention to what they looked like,' snapped the boy. 'I was a bit preoccupied with their wands.'

Amelia nodded, 'I know, but any details could help.'

The boy settled, 'there was a very old witch – she had a walking stick; and a youngish witch probably mid-twenties with dark red hair; and a wizard probably Lucius' age in an Unspeakable robe.'

Amelia nodded, 'thank you – the latter two we already have arrested. The first, however, we do not have but we will certainly be looking into it. Go on.'

'Sirius stepped between us,' Heir Slytherin continued. 'Told me to run, to hide. I wanted to stay and fight but with my pregnancy I knew I would be a hinderance. I thought … I thought with them so focussed on the Manor that I might be able to escape through the grounds. I was at the front door when Dumbledore came appeared.'

Heir Slytherin took a huge shuddering breath, 'I considered running, but he sent a spell – I'm not sure what to the door. I don't think he meant to hit me – just warn me what would happen if I resisted. He told me Lucius was dead. I know he's not now … but then I had no way to know … and it hurt!'

Heir Slytherin took another shuddering breath and seemed to lean on his father more than ever, 'I told him that he couldn't hurt me not if he wanted to use my baby like he used me. He pointed out that I couldn't use magic because of the pregnancy.'

Amelia frowned, 'I was unaware of that.'

'Male pregnancies are powered by magic and takes great magical reserves to carry – which is why not every wizard can become pregnant,' Healer Whitehead said grimly. 'If the magical reserves run to low the wizard will either collapse or lose the baby. It is recommended not to use magic after the first trimester.'

Amelia nodded, 'okay go on.'

Hadrian Slytherin took another breath, 'he then said that he could hurt me … that if I miscarried he could simply rebreed me-'

'He said what?' Lord Slytherin looked absolutely furious.

Heir Slytherin didn't say anything, but Amelia felt horrified. She had come across a slew of horrible characters over the years but threatening to rape a seventeen-year-old was obscene. Amelia was really struggling to keep professional.

Lord Slytherin meanwhile held his son closer to him and hissed something in parseltongue. Amelia couldn't blame him for his fury at Dumbledore. Nobody could after hearing what that man had planned to do.

'He told me to move using his wand to gesture,' Heir Slytherin continued. 'I was scared if I didn't do as I was told he would knock me unconscious or something and I might miscarry, so I did as I was told.

'But I didn't want to go with him where he would hurt me, hurt my baby. I have a knife on me … after the attack at the Quidditch match and knowing that Dumbledore was still out there, and I can't use magic I thought it was a good idea to have a weapon. I didn't want to use it … I didn't … I just meant to get his wand away from him … but when I started … I … I was so scared! I didn't mean to kill him … I just wanted out of there …' the boy sniffed and wiped tears from his eyes. 'I don't even know how many times I … I don't know how many times …'

'Thank you, Heir Slytherin, I am sorry that this has been so distressing for you,' Amelia said.

'Did you find out how Dumbledore managed to breach the wards?' asked Lord Slytherin.

Amelia looked at them, 'he used some kind of twin wardborers where one had been planted on the outside and he could use the second one to activate it. We are still looking into how it was planted.'

Lord Slytherin nodded looking highly unsatisfied.

'Are there any other questions?' Amelia asked.

'Am … am I in trouble?' Heir Slytherin said quietly.

Amelia shook her head, 'even if I did charge you for manslaughter given that Dumbledore had broken into the place you were staying and tried to kidnap you at wand point no reasonable court would convict you.'

Heir Slytherin looked relieved.

Amelia looked sadly down at him, 'I probably shouldn't be saying this, but it wasn't your fault, and you were very brave.'

Heir Slytherin smiled weakly and just looked exhausted as he half lay in his father's arms.

Two days after the attack Lucius was being released from the hospital. The burns were still healing but the Healers were confident that his throat was fine and there was little chance of infection. He had to keep reapplying the burn paste every twenty-four hours.

The Manor was still out of commission with Gringott's best wardmaster still in the process of redoing the ward systems. The Dark Lord had offered him to stay at his manor for as long as was needed.

Draco was grinning brightly thinking that all was well because Lucius was out of the hospital. Draco was only about a month older than Harry, but he always acted so much younger thanks to the trauma Harry had suffered through most of his life. Lucius winced slightly as he moved in a certain way that aggravated his injuries.

'Are you in pain, father?' Draco asked concerned. 'Is it too early to be released?'

'St Mungo's has done everything they can,' reassured Lucius. 'I just need to heal, and I would much rather not do that at St. Mungo's.'

Draco nodded then smirked, 'and you want to see Harry.'

Lucius did not dignify that with an answer, but Draco was right. Narcissa had told him that Harry was fine – she had been sleeping when she had visited. But Lucius felt that he wouldn't feel happy until he saw his lover for himself.

Lucius couldn't help but peak in the room beside him to where Sirius Black was still unconscious. Black had got it the worst out of all of them. Barty was sitting by his bedside with his hand in his own, talking softly to the other man. Lucius hoped for both Harry and Barty's sakes that the man would pull through.

'How is he?' asked Lucius.

'No change,' Barty said heavily. 'The longer he is unconscious the worse is prospects are.'

Lucius and Draco flooed into the Dark Lord's Manor and were immediately greeted by the Dark Lord.

'Draco, Harry is in his room – you can go and visit him I would like a word with your father, first,' the Dark Lord said.

Draco threw Lucius a worried look but did as he was bid.

'Take a seat, Lucius, you are still healing,' the Dark Lord said sounding exasperated. 'Hadrian would never forgive me if something happened to you.'

Lucius nodded carefully sitting so that he was not leaning his sore back against the seat. Lucius wondered if the Dark Lord was going to blame him for putting Harry in danger, or leaving Harry alone, or …

The Dark Lord sighed, 'Hadrian told me what happened.'

Lucius gulped.

'That you chose to face Dumbledore to give him time to get away,' the Dark Lord said. 'I know I have been very critical of your relationship with my son, but I know few who would brave Albus Dumbledore, and you did so for my son.'

'I love him,' Lucius said simply.

'I know, and he loves you,' the Dark Lord said. 'Dumbledore told him you were dead, and it broke him. What I am trying to say is you have my blessing, not just my reluctant acceptance.'

Lucius blinked – this was not where he had expected this conversation to go.

'Now, let's get to my son,' the Dark Lord said. 'I don't think he will be completely convinced you are alright until he sees you with his own two eyes.'

Lucius nodded still feeling a little shellshocked, 'so Dumbledore got to him?'

'He did,' agreed the Dark Lord with a sigh.

'Well, you got to him in time,' Lucius said.

'No, I didn't,' the Dark Lord said grimly.

'But … the Aurors told me that Dumbledore was dead,' frowned Lucius. 'You are the only person I know who could take on Dumbledore.'

'He was already dead by the time I arrived,' sighed the Dark Lord.

'But … how?' Lucius asked.

Lucius had faced that man in a duel. Lucius had been woefully outmatched. Lucius knew perfectly well that fighting Dumbledore was in no way child's play. Who in the name of Merlin had managed to dispatch Dumbledore if it wasn't the Dark Lord?

'Hadrian it seems is quite skilled with a dagger,' the Dark Lord said darkly.

'Harry killed Dumbledore,' Lucius said blinking.

'Mmh, I was just able to pull him off Dumbledore, almost got a knife in my face for the trouble,' the Dark Lord said.

'Is Harry alright?' asked Lucius.

Lucius knew that Harry had nightmares about the resurrection ritual every so often. Killing someone else even if it was Albus Dumbledore would not help that Lucius was sure.

The Dark Lord got a look of worry on his face, 'not well … Hadrian has a kind heart … killing will never be something he does easily or enjoy, but even kind people can kill if they are pushed to the brink as he was.'

Lucius nodded as he made his way into Hadrian's room. Draco was sitting by his side and chatting casually about the latest Quidditch results. Harry seemed to be smiling but he was only half paying attention and when Lucius walked in his smile covered his face.

'Lucius,'

Harry leapt out of bed ignoring his father's remark of "no strenuous activity" and flung himself into Lucius' arms. Harry pulled him into a kiss and Lucius eagerly responded ignoring the Dark Lord's sight and Draco's sound of disgust. Lucius held back the wince as his bandages on his arms were joggled. Lucius was just pleased that Harry was okay.

'Are you okay?' Harry asked.

'Recovering,' Lucius said pulling Harry's hair out of his eyes. 'And you? I heard about Dumbledore.'

Harry's lips wobbled a little, 'not … it's been hard … I hate him … I wouldn't have cared if he died … but … it was so horrible … I … I feel guilty …'

'You shouldn't,' Tom said. 'If I had been there, I would have done a lot worse! For what he did to James, what he did to you, what he planned to do to you. Personally, I think he got off easy. Now, both of you would you sit down you need to take it easy and Lucius you are still injured.'

Harry nodded and pulled Lucius into his bed beside him. Lucius settled himself careful of his injuries but was relieved to see that Harry although traumatised was alright. They were all alright. And Dumbledore could never hurt him again!

'I'm glad you're alright,' Harry said softly. 'I thought … Dumbledore said you were dead … I love you so much.'

'I love you too, Harry,' Lucius said softly.