VIII. HERITAGES
A shrieking, spitting sound from the portrait of Sirius' mother that hung in the hall of the Black House was echoing through the whole floor. Narcissa was trying to remove the portrait to no avail.
She sighed and covered the portrait with the attached curtain and walked toward her son who was currently in the library.
"The sticking charm on the portrait is a strong one," Narcissa informed Draco.
Draco raised his head, abandoning his papers to pay his mother attention.
"Ah," Draco paused for a moment before continued, "There's actually a simpler way to remove it."
"How do you mean?" Narcissa furrowed. She had tried almost every removal spell and they all didn't work. Was there any other charm she didn't know of?
"Break the wall with hammer," Draco said simply.
Maybe Narcissa was already frustrated that she actually took the suggestion seriously and would really do that brutish method and risked a damage to the Black House.
"W-what?" Harry who was in the library as well surprised by that.
"Do you have other solution, Potter?" Draco raised his left eyebrow at Harry who was sitting in one of two armchairs in the corner. "Besides, it's not like a little hole on a wall can't be fixed."
Harry shook his head and continued reading a book about being a house lord in Wizarding World. Draco ordered him to read the book. How boring the book was, Harry kept reading it anyway. He had been so accustomed being in the library with Draco. While the Slytherin blond was busy with his papers on the desk all day, Harry would just sit in the corner reading books in comfortable silence. He wanted to master house warding as soon as possible.
"But, won't the house prevent someone from destructing it?" Harry asked a moment later.
"Good, Potter. You did read the book," Draco nodded in approval at the book on Harry's lap. "But with your permission, the house will allow it. Haven't you read that page?"
Harry sticking his tongue out at that, making Draco blinked in amusement.
"Very well. I'll do as you suggested, Draco. I can't stand her tantrums anymore. That is, if Potter all right with a hole on the wall?" Narcissa looked at Harry. When the master of the house gave her a nod, Narcissa walked back to the hall where the Walburga Black portrait was installed.
"Mother will fix the wall after she put away the portrait in the attic, of course," Draco conversationally informed Harry. He casted Tempus and called Harry. "Potter, a break. Lunch time."
And Draco walked out of the Black library toward the kitchen. Harry put away his book and followed Draco without a word.
It had been like that for the past two weeks. Narcissa was busy with her interior designing of the Black House, while Draco and Harry occupied the library from morning to afternoon. Draco watched Harry's meal times strictly. He set Harry's diet menus himself and made sure the Gryffindor didn't skip nutrients potion every morning.
It was unnerving for Harry at first. It seemed like the tall blond was controlling him. It even irritated Harry that every morning the blond would cast the medical checkup on him and Harry could do nothing but to let him. Well, he just let him because, apart from too annoying to hear Draco lecturing him about the importance of healthiness and the balance of something whatever it was Harry didn't understand, Harry was secretly felt happy that for the first time in his life, there was actually somebody who cared about him. Even though it was the arrogant Draco bloody Malfoy with his smug face whenever his "Harry Potter balanced diet program" checkup showing progression each morning, feeding his already huge ego. Harry was sure by the time they were back to Hogwarts, he would be as round as the first year Neville Longbottom and would be a new laughing material for Draco Malfoy and his cronies. Git.
~o~
For the first time since he was declared a wizard, Harry didn't want to go back to Hogwarts. He felt so reluctant.
"Potter, I know you are an idiot. But you are absolutely most definitely a total idiot shrimp without the existence of a brain. This is the first time I ever heard someone said they didn't want to go back to Hogwarts!" Draco stared at Harry incredulously.
Harry suppressed his attempt to roll his eyes at the overexaggerate words.
"I think I'll be safer here," Harry mumbled. Though, he doubted he would be safe in the house alone. But at least he wouldn't have to face Dumbledore. The old wizard must be very disappointed at him after what he had done few weeks ago. And he felt so reluctant to meet people.
"Potter, actually I don't give a damn whether you will attend Hogwarts or not this year. But if you stay here, I guarantee there will be lots of parties taking interest to force-visit you here. And that means you'll endanger my mother because she will stay here until I am assure the Malfoy manor is safe for us." Draco pressed his hand hard on Harry's chest, pushing the Gryffindor flat on the hard-wooden door of his bedroom.
It was the last day of their holiday before they take the Hogwarts Express tomorrow morning at King's Cross Station in London. Which conveniently only twenty minutes walk from Grimmauld Place.
Draco had finished studying all the Malfoys fortune papers. His next schedule was to sterilize the Malfoy manor from Voldemort influence. For this, he needed to visit his father in Azkaban. Draco was granted authorization to visit the prison this noon for an hour. After visiting Lucius, he planned to make a stop at Diagon Alley to collect books he would need for his sixth year. He reminded Harry about that, too. But the Slytherin was surprised by Harry's refusal to go to Diagon Alley. Which lead to their current fit outside of Harry's closed bedroom.
"But I have finished reading the book. And you have taught me about the house warding. Now I know how to protect this house from unwanted intruders. Your mother will be safe with me here." Harry reasoned. Draco bit his bottom lip at the last two sentences, unsure Harry would be capable of doing so.
Draco glanced at Harry's bitten bottom lip. Then he raised his eyes back to Harry's fluttered eyelids.
"Whether you like it or not, you are going to Diagon Alley this afternoon. Expect me to pick you up in one hour. Now I'll leave my mother's safety to you, Potter." Draco turned his heels and was about to leave the hall when he felt Harry's grip on his left elbow. Draco turned his head to Harry in annoyance.
"Where are you going?" Harry asked with his eyes wide open. His grip on Draco was tight.
Draco studied Harry's face. It looked as if the younger teen was...panicked?
"I have a matter to take care of. Take my absence as your opportunity to practice your 'House Lording'. See if you can manage the house for one hour." Draco raised his chin in challenging gesture. 'Lording' wasn't even a word. He could laugh at himself for that later.
"But…" Harry didn't know what to do. This whole time at Grimmauld Place, Draco had taken a role as the patriarch figure during their stay at the Black House and it felt so right and Harry was already comfortable with that. Even though it was his house now, Harry felt like he wasn't ready to hold responsibility of the 'Lording', as Draco called it. The safety of Wizarding World demanded from him was so much more than enough for Harry. He didn't want to be burdened by another responsibility. He liked when Draco took care of everything for him. He didn't mind the slender blond made decisions for him. As long as he was safe.
"Potter, I'll be late. Just lock the ward like I taught you and you'll be fine. House is safe. Mother will help if there's something." Draco pulled away from Harry's grip. The later teen lowered his gaze to the floor, biting his lips. Draco sighed in annoyance, "Look, just send your Patronus to me if you feel something is wrong. I'll Apparate right away home. Just make sure you open the anti-Apparition charm for me in the entrance hall. You remember how, don't you?"
"How did you know I can cast Patronus?" Harry asked.
"Potter, you're stalling. Do you remember how to open anti-Apparition only for particular person?" Draco asked again.
"Ah, how you can do Apparition already?" Harry furrowed.
"Potter," Draco hissed in irritation, "You can do Apparition, too!" Now that Draco remembered, maybe it was Harry's underage Apparition that time that had alerted Dumbledore and the Ministry.
"Dumbledore taught me. For something…" Harry bit his lip again. "Uh, and yes, I remember how to limit access to this house for certain person."
After a timid nod Harry gave to Draco, a moment later the blond Disapparate from the Black House entrance hall toward the Ministry of Magic to be assisted by an Auror in visiting Azkaban.
~o~
An hour later Draco returned to Black House. He was greeted by Harry's presence in the entrance hall. The teen was standing rigidly at first, but relaxed immediately at the sight of Draco before him. If Draco was amused by the shorter teen, he didn't show it. But the dreadful face on Draco set the raven-haired teen in alert.
"What's wrong?" Harry pulled out his wand in steady motion.
"Nothing. Just unpleasant journey," Draco lied. He would not tell Harry how frightening it was surrounded by Dementors.
Harry studied Draco's face. Satisfied for whatever he was looking for, Harry slipped his wand back under his sleeve.
"All is well, I see," Draco greeted Harry. Both eyebrows rose arrogantly. "Wait a moment, I'll put this in my bedroom then we go to Diagon Alley." Draco tilted Lucius' walking stick, showing it to Harry. The walking stick, as The Malfoys' heirloom, was passed down, from father-to-son. And now Draco took possession of the cane after his father was sent to Azkaban.
A minute later Draco returned to the entrance hall. His mother had just finished decorating his bedroom.
"Um, can I just give you my supply list and shop it for me? I mean, I'm sure my books are in your list as well… I'll give you the galleons now." Harry gave Draco the hopeful eyes.
"Might as well take me as your house elf, Potter," Draco spat.
"Good idea! Why don't we just ask Kreacher to get them for us?" Harry suggested hopefully. "Besides, it won't do us good if the Ministry caught us doing underage Apparition!"
"…"
Draco looked Harry in the eye. And then in one swift movement, Draco grabbed Harry's arm and Disapparate to Diagon Alley with Harry to Side-Along.