Last Time
He stood after several minutes of preening to himself to make a cup of tea, grabbing some biscuits while he was at it. His homework was done, his tutoring was at an end and he didn't have any extra work to do, so he'd suddenly found himself with several hours of free time that he hadn't planned for.
He ate some biscuits, drank half a cup of tea, just absorbing a bit of peace for a few minutes, but then he sat up and pulled his creature law reform towards him.
He had a lot of work to do on it and a lot more information to add in after he'd taken it to the coalition. He was in a unique position of having several uninterrupted hours to write for it and, damn it, he was going to do his very best to make those hours productive. He didn't know when he'd next have the chance.
Chapter Thirty-Five – Testimony and Tears
Harry had been excused from homework for the weekend by special request, as Umbridge's trial had started and this weekend Harry was being called up as a major witness. He was supposed to be staying at home for the weekend, as most of his time was going to be spent in the courtrooms of the Ministry being questioned, nigh on interrogated, for his version of events, but he had changed his mind and instead, he would travel to and from the castle. He and Rabastan were still playing their little ruse and he didn't want to see or speak to Lucius or Xerxes.
The biggest piece of evidence he had were the scars still on his right hand. They could only have been made by a contract quill, now he just needed to prove that Umbridge was the one to force him to write those words that had permanently scarred him.
He was nervous, despite that he'd been called up before the Council of Magical Law before to answer for his use of magic in front of Dudley, this seemed different. He was a witness for a start and not a defendant, but this time he would be speaking to the entire Wizengamot and the Council of Magical Law in a trial that could very well see Umbridge to Azkaban for the rest of her miserable life.
"You need to eat something, Harry." Draco nagged.
Harry just shook his head.
"You shouldn't be so nervous." Pansy told him. "Think of all you've done in your life. All you have to do here is tell the truth."
"I've had to write a witness statement." Draco told him. "I included that Umbridge was going to cast the Cruciatus curse on you in her office. She's already going to prison just for that. So, tell them what you know to be the truth and then you can come back and I'll be in your rooms to comfort you."
"I don't think I can do this." Harry said worriedly.
Draco gave him a strange look before he stood. He took Harry's arm and pulled him to his feet as well, before leading him from the Great Hall. They went to a broom cupboard in the entrance hall and Draco pulled the door closed behind them.
"Is this where you keep pulling Blaise?" Harry teased weakly.
"I'll let you have that one because I know you're nervous, but what's really going on, Harry?" Draco asked him. "You can debate anyone under the table. All you have to do is tell them what Umbridge did to you. You're not even the only witness, a hundred other students have been called up to testify her use of that quill."
"I know I'm the main witness because I'm the one who accused her first, I'm just worried that I'll mess it up, Draco."
"How can you?" Draco asked with a frown. "Harry, you're just telling the truth. You're an experienced member of the Wizengamot now and an experienced debater besides. You can do this."
"I hope so."
"I know so!" Draco insisted. "What has you so unsure of yourself?"
"I feel like the Wizengamot members are against me." Harry confided. "I lost my last debate and now I'm being called up in front of them as a witness…it'll be the first time I'm seeing them all since that loss."
"Harry…" Draco sighed. "They're not going to go against you in this, you're one of them. Umbridge is guilty and they can't hide the results of their votes like they could with that vampire. Their decision will be headline news. If the public sees that they've acquitted her after they've read all the things she's done to students, they'll be hounded out of their seats, there will be an inquest, there might even be talk of abolishing the Wizengamot altogether. They won't take those sorts of risks."
Harry settled a little at hearing that, but mostly at how much sense it made. The members of the Wizengamot couldn't risk going against him in this because it had been all over the papers, ever since Umbridge had been first arrested, they all knew what she had been doing while she was at Hogwarts. About the students she had harmed, how she had used the Ministry as an excuse to assume almost complete control over the castle and it had even been 'leaked' that she had tried to cast an unforgivable curse on an unnamed student, though that article had heavily hinted at Harry being the one to suffer that latter fate, which had caused absolute uproar among the public. There had even been protests held within the Ministry and parents bombarding the school governors with howlers. People didn't want their children at a school where a crazed woman had been causing them permanent harm, where she had tried to use an unforgivable curse on a minor under her care.
"What if they have Dementors there, Draco?" Harry asked, voicing yet another thing that was bothering him.
"Cast your patronus and get out of the room?" Draco offered with a shrug. "They shouldn't be there until she's sentenced and that won't be until all the evidence is presented. It shouldn't be while you're there, not if father has had any say in it."
Harry was still nervous, even as he checked his pocket watch and saw that it was about time that he headed to the Ministry.
They exited the broom cupboard and Draco slid a bar of Honeydukes finest chocolate into his hand.
"I'll have more waiting for you in your room later." Draco promised. "You'll be fine, though."
Harry smiled a little weakly. He didn't feel fine at all.
He had to go to Dumbledore's office to leave the school this time and he didn't like that either. His headmaster had to formally escort him to the courtroom, despite that he came and went freely by himself when he was called to a Wizengamot meeting.
He took a deep breath, gave the gargoyle the password he'd been given, and then went up to the office.
"Ah, Harry, how are you this morning?"
"I would kindly like to get this over with and get back to the castle, Headmaster." Harry said, putting on a brave face, not letting any of his nervousness be seen.
"As you wish, Harry."
Harry had given up on getting the man to be less familiar with him. He was only going to be in school for seven more months and then he would be out of Hogwarts for good and then hopefully he wouldn't need to deal with the man all that often…or at all, though he wasn't so naïve as to think that Dumbledore would ever leave him alone.
"I see you have some chocolate ready."
Harry looked at the bar that Draco had given him. "I'd rather have it and not need it than face the Dementors without it."
"A wise decision. We are a little early, would you like some tea before we leave?"
Harry was instantly suspicious, but he hid it well. "No, thank you, Sir. I'd rather go now."
"If that is what you'd like." Dumbledore agreed easily. "After you then."
Harry flooed through to the Ministry first, but Dumbledore was half a step behind him. Harry brushed the soot from his robes with a casual hand as he waited for Dumbledore, then he followed beside the old man as he was led down into the depths of the Ministry, to the old courtrooms.
There were polished wooden benches placed outside the rooms and Harry sat on one of them, trying to control his nerves as he waited to be called in.
"You seem rather scared if you don't mind me mentioning it, Harry."
"Nervous more than scared." He corrected, sitting back and turning to the chocolate in his hand. He opened the wrapper and snapped a piece off, eating it to make himself feel better.
"You have nothing to be nervous over." Dumbledore told him, aiming at being reassuring, but it sounded so false to Harry now that it set his teeth on edge.
Harry ate more chocolate to keep from answering.
"You shouldn't be in there for more than an hour. I know that you have been given a few days off of your homework, but I'm sure you won't be wasting your entire weekend."
"I know. I am grateful not to have homework though, I have a lot I need to do."
"I have heard talk of a new creature reform law. May I read it? I could give you some valuable input."
"No, thank you." Harry said simply.
"Harry, I could help you with it."
"You had your chance to change the laws, Headmaster!" Harry snapped. "You had decades to do something about the state of the laws, to help those who needed it while you were sat in my stolen seats and you didn't! It's my turn now."
Dumbledore said nothing. He looked quite stunned and Harry turned away from him, popping another chunk of chocolate into his mouth.
He had meant every word, of course. If Dumbledore was so interested in the laws and in changing them then why hadn't he done so when he'd been the Chief Warlock? When he was occupying Harry's two seats and had had the perfect opportunity to do just that? No, he was only interested in them now because Harry was fixing them, and either he wanted credit for doing so, through him, or he wanted Harry to leave loopholes as the current laws had. Harry wouldn't accept either excuse or any other besides. This was his law reform, no one else's.
"I just want to help you, Harry."
"I have nothing to say to you." Harry replied harshly. "I don't need help with anything."
"Remus seems to think otherwise."
Harry had to force his hands not to curl into fists. He'd have to pay another visit to Remus it seemed, and remind him that he didn't appreciate having his business spread around to people he no longer interacted with. He had not said anything about rethinking his adoption, his family, or his engagement, he had been upset about the Wizengamot and the fact that Lucius and Xerxes hadn't supported him. He and Rabastan were sorting that out now with their ruse. He didn't need anyone else shoving their noses in.
"Remus is mistaken and I will be speaking to him about passing information over when I believed we were having a confidential conversation."
"He's worried about you, Harry." Dumbledore insisted. "He's so very worried, especially after your last visit. He felt that he had to come to me. He said that you were very upset and he just wanted to help."
"Well, he went the wrong way about it." Harry snapped.
Feeling the anger clouding his mind, Harry tried to clear it away, to get his mind back on the trial and what he needed to say. He couldn't though, he was too angry and his thoughts were chasing over Remus' betrayal.
It was in his mind now, he couldn't get it out that Remus had told Dumbledore, of all people, about his little crisis of Pureblood etiquette. He breathed deeply, he breathed out for longer than he breathed in, but nothing helped and the hot anger was burning through him, making him feel like he couldn't think. He wondered then if Dumbledore had mentioned it to rile him up on purpose.
That helped him to calm down a little, thinking that this was another of Dumbledore's manipulations. He popped some more chocolate into his mouth, sucking on it this time, letting it melt slowly on his tongue.
"Here, Harry. You'll be called in very soon, have a drink."
It was a simple glass of water and Harry did need a drink. Harry hoped that Marcus's runes held up, as he took the glass and drank half of it.
It smelt like water, it tasted like water and he felt no different. He placed the glass on the bench and tried to get his head in the game. He needed to be at his most eloquent. He could deal with Remus later.
It didn't really help, he was distracted and he hated Dumbledore, and Remus too, even more for putting him in this position. He'd needed his head in the game, but now all he could think of was Remus going to Dumbledore and telling him everything that Harry had told him.
He was called to enter the courtroom and the immediate swoop of nerves in his stomach made him feel dizzy. He took some more water and left his chocolate bar on the bench as he stood, brushed himself down and made sure that he was still presentable, he took a breath and then he entered the courtroom, ignoring Dumbledore's 'good luck, Harry' as he did so.
The benches were full, there were reporters there, and Umbridge was sitting, chained to a chair right in front of him. He had to walk in, his legs feeling like they were filled with lead and he had to sit next to her. Thankfully, his chair did not have attached chains and he wasn't pinned to it in any way.
"Harry James Potter, you are here as a witness, and the chief complainant, in the trial of Dolores Jane Umbridge."
It was Runcorn who was speaking, as the Chief Warlock, in place of the Minister who hadn't yet been selected. To give all seventeen-year-olds a fair chance at voting, and because some of those seventeen-year-olds would be in Hogwarts, the election had been extended until the winter break. Harry was glad at that moment that it wasn't Fudge who was going to be questioning him, though he would be questioned after Umbridge's trial to find out if he had any knowledge of what she had been doing at the school. He was already trying to distance himself from her and her actions in interviews, insisting that he didn't know anything about what she had been doing at Hogwarts, but he had signed all of the educational decrees that Umbridge had put into practice in the school and he couldn't hide any of that now that The Daily Prophet had uncovered all of them. If Umbridge went down, then Fudge would almost certainly be occupying the cell next to hers.
"Please, tell us of your complaint in your own words, Lord Potter-Black." Runcorn offered.
Harry took a breath and tried to ignore the feeling of hundreds of eyes on him. The attention felt like insects crawling over him, trying to burrow under his skin. He had the urge to rake his nails over himself just to be sure there was nothing there.
It was worse than he had been expecting, as he tried to outline everything that had been done to him by Umbridge, but he was oddly tongue-tied, his mind was still playing over Remus telling Dumbledore his private struggles, on him telling Hermione, Ginny, and likely Ron too, to bother him when he'd made it clear that he didn't want them near him.
He repeated details that he'd already mentioned, he almost forgot to tell them that she had tried to cast the Cruciatus curse on him in her office, and he fumbled over his words. He had never been so terrible with his words before, not even before his adoption.
He felt humiliated all over again and he couldn't even look up at anyone, he kept his eyes on the stone floor in front of him. He tried to hold back the tears threatening to fall. He was still angry and that made him want to cry even more. His voice wavered a little as he recounted the desperate attempt that Hermione had come up with to prevent Umbridge from casting the Cruciatus curse on him in her office. How they had lied about a weapon of some sort to distract her from cursing him and how they had gone into the forbidden forest hoping to lose her so they could head back to the castle, back to safety, and how the centaurs had found them. He glossed over much of that, knowing that the Wizengamot were likely to use it as an excuse to persecute the centaurs. Harry wouldn't be able to handle that sort of guilt on top of what he was already carrying. Instead, he'd said only that they had merely chased Umbridge off and had led him and Hermione back to the edge of the forest.
Once he was done with his account of events, he was asked questions from several members of the Wizengamot and the Council of Magical Law and he answered them as best as he could. He was questioned about inconsistencies with his events compared to Umbridge's testimony, he was asked to clarify several points over and over to check that his story remained consistent, and he relayed exactly the same information each time, but despite that, he felt that he'd already blown his testimony by being so ineloquent and as soon as he was dismissed by Runcorn, he stood and fled the courtroom.
"Ah, there you are, Harry. You took longer than I expected."
That made Harry feel even worse and he stormed off.
"Do you not want a drink or your chocolate?" Dumbledore asked.
Harry just shook his head. He'd left it unattended and though any potions wouldn't work, he couldn't trust that they hadn't been cursed or otherwise tampered with via a spell.
He just wanted to be alone. He was angry, he was upset, and he had lost all confidence. This debacle just proved it.
"Harry, a word?"
Lucius had caught up with them, it was almost funny to imagine him running in his court robes, as that was the only way that he'd been able to catch up to them, but Harry was too overwrought to deal with any more right now.
"Please, not now." He begged.
"Harry doesn't wish to see you!" Dumbledore said sternly, having heard Harry's mumbles.
"I will see my son whenever I wish!" Lucius said, his tone pitched dangerously low, silky soft. Harry knew that tone and his shoulders pulled in. "Harry, a word, now."
Harry trudged over to Lucius, but he was barely holding onto his outburst.
"Do you want me to come with you, Harry?" Dumbledore asked him.
"No, I don't!" Harry snapped.
"Come with me."
Harry was led to an empty office not too far away from the Atrium. He bit his lip and kept his eyes on the floor, trying not to cry.
"What is the matter, Harry?" Lucius asked him gently.
"I was terrible!" He burst out. "I couldn't keep my story straight. I could barely speak!"
"I noticed that something was wrong, but you were not as bad as you believed. You got all the relevant information out and you were easily understood. Why were you not yourself?"
"Can you not guess?!" Harry demanded, looking up, tears in his eyes.
"Rabastan?" Lucius offered.
Harry forgot for a moment that he and Rabastan were playing at breaking their betrothal.
"Not just that, but everything." Harry said. "I feel like I can't do anything anymore."
"Because you lost one debate?"
Harry snapped his head up, his previous anger that had been pushed aside coming back tenfold.
"No! Not just because I lost in the Wizengamot but because you went against me! You shove Pureblood etiquette down my throat until I can recite it in my sleep, telling me how important it is to support allies and family, and then at the first opportunity you prove to me that it was nothing but lies!"
"I am more sorry than I can say if that is how you truly feel. I am sorry, Harry." Lucius said sincerely. "I thought at the time that the biggest lesson to you would be that you cannot win every debate, without thinking of what you'd already been through. I didn't take the other circumstances into consideration and I can only apologise for it. Can you forgive me?"
"Never…" Harry said, his voice hitching, and he saw Lucius's grey eyes widen a little. "Never do that to me again" Harry said, sniffling and reaching up to rub the tears from his eyes.
"I swear that I never will." Lucius told him and Harry knew that he was being sincere, and it was only that that had him stumbling into Lucius for a hug, blinded by his tears as he cried.
"You truly have been deeply affected by this, haven't you?" Lucius asked as he held him.
Harry nodded, clutching at Lucius, crying on him.
"Then I am truly sorry to have done this to you. It will never happen again. I will be behind you one hundred per cent."
Harry swallowed, huffing, trying to calm down, but it felt so nice to be held.
"I screwed up the trial." He moaned.
"You didn't. As I said I could tell that you were not yourself, I know you well by now, but you got across the information that was needed and your story didn't change when you were questioned."
"I felt tongue-tied, like my tongue was too big for my mouth, and I couldn't keep the events straight. Knowing that most of those people saw me losing a debate only recently kept playing on my mind, and Dumbledore was winding me up beforehand. I could have done so much better."
"Hush now." Lucius said, stroking Harry's hair and rubbing his back. "Calm yourself. I only have ten more minutes for a recess before I have to go back to the courtroom. Will you go home?"
"I can't. Not with the state of things at the moment."
"I can't believe that you forsook Rabastan. He is devastated you know?"
"I know. I am too. But as I said to Draco I just couldn't interact with Xerxes after what he'd done. How could I sit at the same table as him? Or sit in the parlour having tea, playing nice, knowing that he'd turned on me in public? Rabastan and I would never have survived that, so I decided it was better to cut ties now, rather than wait and then go through a messy divorce later down the line when we might have children involved when I finally admitted what I already know now. I cannot forgive Xerxes and my relationship with Rabastan would never have survived that breakdown of alliances."
"You have forgiven me." Lucius pointed out.
"You have admitted your mistake and apologised to me. You're my father and family means everything to me. I would forgive you just about anything once, but Xerxes…" Harry shook his head.
"So you are done with Rabastan, just like that?"
"No, it is difficult. I found myself writing him a letter just the other day before I realised what I was doing and threw it into the fire. Giving him up is the hardest thing I've ever had to do, I love him with all that I am, but our relationship can't survive the stress that Xerxes has put on it. I'd end up resenting Rabastan and I never want the love I feel for him now to turn to hate."
"Allow him to plead his case, as you have allowed me, and I'm sure that he will pledge never to go against you again, just as I have."
Harry made a play at looking uncertain and he brushed more tears from his face with his sleeve before Lucius grimaced and fished out his own handkerchief to wipe Harry's face for him.
"If you can get everything that you wished for just by agreeing to hear Xerxes out, surely it's worth listening to a heartfelt apology for five minutes and then you can decide from there."
"I won't have this happening again."
"Believe me, Harry, Xerxes and I have more than learned our lessons. We will never go against your lead again."
"Was it mother who made you say that?" Harry asked with a small grin.
Lucius snorted a soft sound of amusement. "Your mother didn't make me say it, my apology is sincere, but there's no denying that she is the reason that Xerxes and I will never go against you again." Lucius said wryly. "Your mother is a very formidable woman."
Harry managed a little, slightly wet, chuckle.
"She loves you very much and she's very protective of you. I am too. I am sorry that my actions caused you to doubt your place among us, but it is still among us, Harry. You are my son, as much as Draco is. I realise now that I need to treat you both differently in order to support you both. I didn't understand that before, I thought it was better, because you were adopted, to make sure that you were being treated equally, so that you wouldn't squabble, or think that you were any less our child than Draco is, but I see now that that was a grave mistake on my part. You are different boys, you are already a lord, you already sit the Wizengamot, my treatment of you must differ to that of Draco and you're both going to have to understand that."
"I already knew that." Harry said, nodding.
Lucius gave him a rueful smile and shook his head in disbelief.
"Of course you did. Go home, Harry. Now that we've heard your testimony we won't be much longer. Your mother wishes to see you as well."
Harry nodded and he finally let go of his father and rubbed his face, making sure that no traces of tears were left.
"I must go, I'm already bordering on being late back to the courtroom." Lucius grimaced at the very thought of being late and Harry laughed, getting a gentle push.
Harry left the office and he was momentarily aggrieved to see Dumbledore standing, waiting for him.
"Harry, there you are. Are you ready to go back to the school?"
Harry shook his head. "I'm very sorry, Headmaster, but I've changed my plans. I'm going home for the weekend after all."
"Harry, you don't have to go home, you can stay at the castle if that is what you want."
"It's not." Harry replied. "I feel that it's best if I go home for a few days."
Dumbledore looked very worried, but Harry didn't care. It looked bad, having decided to stay at the castle and then being pulled into an office with Lucius for fifteen minutes and then suddenly deciding to go home after all, but he just didn't care. He moved away from Dumbledore and towards the fire banks.
"Harry, please reconsider. I feel that going home will not be what is best for you." Dumbledore said.
"I don't appreciate you trying to stop me from doing anything." Harry said, a hard edge to his tone. "I'm going home."
"Go, Harry." Lucius encouraged, as he stood there watching, making sure that Harry did go through the floo safely and wasn't waylaid or kidnapped.
Harry took a fistful of floo powder and threw it into the flames, calling out Malfoy Manor, and then he was gone. If nothing else he could really use Narcissa's comfort after what he'd just been through.
Harry hadn't anticipated that Rodolphus and Rabastan would be sitting with his mother in the parlour when he went home. He hadn't thought of it and he stopped suddenly as soon as he caught sight of them both.
"Harry." Rabastan exclaimed, leaping up and coming to him, but they were unfortunately still playing a ruse, so Harry took a few steps back, away from his love when all he really wanted to do was burrow into him and not let go.
"Why are you here?" He forced himself to ask.
Rabastan seemed to realise that they had to play out the ruse still. "I…we came to be here when our grandfather came back from the trial. I wanted to know that you were okay after your testimony."
Narcissa was there then, holding him, almost shielding him from the two Lestrange brothers.
"I didn't think you were coming home, sweetheart." She told him, almost as an apology for the Lestranges being there. "Not that you aren't always welcome, of course. I am very happy to see you."
"Why are they here?" Harry asked, making his voice angrier.
"Harry, please, I love you." Rabastan said softly.
"That's why I can't have you here."
"You love him. He loves you, why isn't that good enough for you?" Rodolphus snarled.
"Stay out of this, Dolphus!" Rabastan snapped.
"Just stop it, please. I embarrassed myself in the trial, I can't handle any more aggravation."
"What do you mean, sweetheart? What happened during the trial?" Narcissa asked him gently.
"They didn't bring in Dementors, did they?" Rabastan asked in horror, moving to reach out to him, to comfort him, but Harry turned more into Narcissa, lamenting that they'd started this ruse and he couldn't get the comfort he needed where he wanted it.
Harry shook his head. "No. I…I got tongue-tied. I could hardly speak. I repeated details, I almost forgot to mention that she'd tried to cast the Cruciatus curse on me, I was a complete mess. I could barely get my words out."
"Why?" Rabastan asked him concernedly.
Harry shook his head. "I just kept thinking that the people staring at me from the benches were the same people who had watched my defeat a few weeks ago. That they were the ones who smirked and laughed at my failure and I…I fell to pieces."
"You truly have lost all confidence in yourself, haven't you?" Rabastan asked sadly.
"I can't do it anymore. I don't want to."
"Oh, darling, please don't do this to yourself." Narcissa said gently, hugging him. "You've had a setback, that's all."
"You should have seen how terrible I was speaking in the trial, Mother! I felt so stupid."
"You're not." Rabastan said firmly.
Rabastan stepped forward and pulled Harry away from Narcissa and then hugged him tightly. Harry took a moment to indulge in the love and security of his fiancé's arms before he tried to push away, but Rabastan held him closer.
"No. I am not giving up on you and I won't allow you to give up on yourself, or us. I have told my grandfather my thoughts and he is going to apologise, Harry. He will never go against you again. I promise you that. Don't push me away."
Harry sniffled and clutched at Rabastan tighter. He didn't have the willpower, nor the inclination, to carry this ruse on any longer. If this had been a real argument then he would never have given in so easily, but it wasn't, and he just wanted Rabastan to hold him.
"I want my ring back." He demanded.
Rabastan chuckled. "You will have it over the winter break, I promise."
"Oh, I'm so glad I didn't have to give you a slap upside the head." Narcissa told him and Harry turned to give her a crooked grin. "Rabastan was the best person for you, the worst thing is that you knew it too and you still broke off your engagement."
"That didn't mean I could reconcile what Xerxes did to me. How was I supposed to behave around him, knowing that he'd all but stabbed me in the back in the Wizengamot? The relationship between Rabastan and I, no matter how strong, wouldn't have survived the animosity. I still require an actual, in-person apology, I got one from father, but as long as what you say is true..." He directed at Rabastan. "…and Xerxes is sincere in his apology, then I will forgive him just this once. Never again though."
"There will never be a repeat of this." Rabastan swore to him.
Harry was so very happy that their little ruse was now at an end and he sat next to Rabastan and cuddled into him.
Rodolphus reached over and ruffled his hair like he usually would and Harry sent him a crooked grin as well.
"No lecture?" Harry asked him.
"No. You resolved your issue without one and I do understand that my grandfather was foolish in his dismissal of your alliance with our family. Regardless of that, had you not made up, I would have done everything in my power to protect my brother and punish you for causing such hurt to him."
"Rodolphus!" Rabastan growled.
"I'd do the same for Draco, so I understand." Harry nodded.
"Have you and Draco made up now?" Narcissa asked. "He has been very worried, and very upset, at your separation."
"He apologised to me and then hugged the life out of me." Harry chuckled.
"I will do the same." Rabastan assured him, pulling Harry in tighter to his body.
Harry laughed and turned to snuggle into Rabastan. "I missed you."
"I missed you as well." Rabastan assured him. "Catch me up on what I might have missed, there is bound to be a lot that you have done while we weren't talking."
"Not really. I've been very focused on my homework and making sure I can keep up, though I am on the sixth rewrite of my creature law reform." Harry informed him.
"The sixth?" Rabastan asked in shock.
"You were only on the second re-write when you went to school." Rodolphus told him.
"I've rewritten it four times this term. It's now five rolls of parchment and I shored up every loophole I could find after that Wizengamot debate. It's much better now, but I'd realised that the first few attempts I'd made were too politically worded. I can't write that reform as a politician, it needs to be harsher, more strict, and not leave any leeway. It's so much better now."
"Then I cannot wait to read it." Rabastan said proudly. "I can't believe you've had the time to re-write it so often."
Harry nodded. "It was needed. It's all I've been thinking about since that Wizengamot meeting."
"Have you been keeping up with your homework?" Narcissa asked him sternly.
Harry immediately nodded. "Yes, Mother. My schoolwork always came first. I'm on top of it all."
"What about Quidditch?" Rabastan asked him, as a needed distraction.
Harry grinned then. "Gryffindor beat Slytherin, thanks to my daring capture of the snitch right over the Professors' bleacher."
Rodolphus rolled his eyes. "Of course you did. Slytherin has no hope with you as a Seeker."
"None at all." Harry agreed. "Hufflepuff are leading on points, though. They absolutely massacred Ravenclaw, so our next game is even more important."
"You have Hufflepuff next?" Rabastan asked.
Harry nodded. "In March. It's Ravenclaw Slytherin next, in February. If Ravenclaw can actually beat them, being the current bottom marker, then Slytherin will drop under them in points and if we can beat Hufflepuff, we'll overtake them in points and become top."
"Even though I am not there, I will be cheering for you." Rabastan insisted.
Harry chuckled at the sour look on Rodolphus' face at the thought of his little brother cheering for the Gryffindor team.
"You have to cheer for me too, Dolphus!" Harry insisted.
"Never." The man scowled.
Harry laughed harder and gave him a cheeky grin.
"I thought you always backed the winners?" He asked faux-innocently. "That'll be me!"
"That remains to be seen. Perhaps all the Slytherin team needs is a stern talking to."
"You can't flog a dead horse." Harry told him, still grinning.
Rodolphus sighed as if hard done by, but Harry knew the man better by now, and he knew that Rodolphus, for all his arguments to the contrary, was rather fond of him.
"Don't call your brother a dead horse, Harry." Narcissa told him, but she too was smiling, teasing.
Harry laughed at the joke, feeling calmer, more settled, but then it was never these three that he had been angry with.
Speaking of the devil, the door to the parlour opened and Lucius entered the room. Xerxes was behind him.
Harry stiffened and Rabastan felt the change in him immediately, as he stroked a hand down Harry's arm soothingly.
"Harry." Lucius greeted, coming to him and cupping his chin, tilting his face left and then right. "You are looking better."
Harry nodded.
"I assume from your position that you have decided to accept a reengagement with Rabastan?"
"That remains to be seen." Harry replied tightly, his eyes zeroing in on Xerxes.
Rabastan's arms tightened around him. Harry could all but feel the glare being directed at Xerxes. Rabastan loved his grandfather, indeed, he saw Xerxes as a father, but that Rabastan was willing to go against such a loved person for him was heartwarming.
Harry had never wanted to come between them, but then he hadn't put them into this position, Xerxes had.
"Harry. I would like to apologise to you for my behaviour." Xerxes told him. He sounded sincere, but Harry needed a verbal affirmation that this would never happen again.
"I don't think you quite understood how much your actions affected me." Harry prompted.
"I didn't, no." Xerxes agreed. "Rest assured that it will never happen again. My only regret is that I didn't put more thought into my actions before it came to this. I will not go against you again, Harry. Not in public."
Harry inhaled deeply, considering the words and weighing them up to how he actually felt. He was still hurt and he knew it would take time to see if Xerxes' words rang true. He needed to see proof and the only way that would happen was to give it time.
He took a breath and looked up at Xerxes. He could give it time. He meant what he said, though. If it ever happened again, he would not forgive the same transgression twice. He couldn't afford to do so with the career path he'd set himself on.
"Will you forgive me, Harry?" Xerxes asked.
Harry nodded. "I will. Just this once." He said firmly. "It will never happen again."
Xerxes nodded in agreement and Rabastan relaxed a fraction. Harry eased back and settled into his fiancé.
"I believe you'll be happy to hear that your testimony went over very well." Lucius told him.
"How could it when I was so abysmal?"
"You were not." Lucius refuted immediately.
"Those I spoke with assumed it was emotion caused by what that woman had done to you." Xerxes explained. "Not a single one of them condones her actions. Regardless of their personal feelings for you, you were a child put at her mercy and she abused you."
"None of them will excuse what she did or tolerate any of her reasons for her abuses of children under her protection. There is no excuse that she could use for the things that she did to mere children." Lucius agreed. "Regardless of your differences with the members of the Wizengamot, none of them would verbally condone child abuse in a courtroom. Umbridge will be going to Azkaban, Harry. You will receive justice for what she did to you."
Harry swallowed and turned to tuck his face slightly into Rabastan's neck. It was still a little overwhelming, and unbelievable, that something was being done to right the wrongs that had been done to him by Umbridge. Deep inside he had thought that maybe nothing would come of this, or that Umbridge would still get off with nothing but a slap on the wrist. To face the very real possibility that she was going to Azkaban for the rest of her life was making him feel a little overwrought.
"Do you need a moment?" Rabastan asked him quietly.
"I'll be okay. Please, keep holding me."
Rabastan's arms clenched about him even tighter and Harry felt the kiss on the top of his head. It made him smile despite feeling rather emotional.
"It would be amounting to social suicide if they did any different, Cissa." Lucius said in answer to something that Narcissa had asked, clearly about the other Wizengamot members.
"You would dissuade them if they were thinking otherwise?" Narcissa questioned with narrowed eyes.
"Yes, darling." Lucius agreed immediately. "If I heard that any were thinking of voting to save Umbridge from Azkaban I would have words. It is not needed, however. Not a single person in that courtroom wishes to save her because it will be at the expense of their own reputation."
"Exactly that." Xerxes said, nodding his head. "She is accused of child abuse while in a position of power and influence over children. We've already heard hundreds of statements and, of course, Harry's testimony to that fact. Many of their own children or relatives gave statements against her. Lucius is correct, it would be social suicide to side with her now."
Narcissa gave a pleased little smirk. "Good."
Harry had to smile at that too and he wriggled a little in pleasure. Rabastan felt it and his arms squeezed tighter for a moment.
"Your family loves you."
"I love the feeling." Harry answered.
"I love you." Rabastan told him.
"I love that feeling even more."
Rabastan nuzzled into the top of his head and Harry wrapped his arms around him tighter. Pimsey served them tea and Harry just sat and listened. He didn't add anything to the conversation, but it was cathartic to him to just reconnect with these people again after everything that had happened.
The table was silent after Albus wrapped up his conclusion of the events that he had been witness to that morning.
"I fear that Harry is now beyond our reach." Dumbledore sighed to the members of the Order of the Phoenix as the silence stretched on.
"Do you believe that it is potions, Albus?" Moody growled.
"Lucius Malfoy certainly has some control over Harry. There is a tight hold there, something that I cannot see. Lucius took Harry into an office for just fifteen minutes and Harry came out of the room looking shaken and pale. I could tell that he had been crying. He told me that he had changed his mind and that he would be going to Malfoy Manor instead of back to Hogwarts as he had originally planned."
Albus recalled the moment and he once again felt the tension in the air as he had looked at Harry. There had been something unsaid between them. Perhaps a cry for help?
"I, unfortunately, no longer have the authority to help Harry. He said very clearly that he wanted to return to Hogwarts, but he was just as firm when he told me he was returning to Malfoy Manor. Without his cooperation, there was nothing that I could do to help him. Not while Lucius Malfoy is his parent."
"He's having doubts, Albus." Remus insisted worriedly. "He's scared of them and I can't leave James and Lily's son in such a situation. We can see the clues, the hints at what his home life is truly like, he needs us to rescue him. He's crying out for us to help him and we're doing nothing!"
"Until he comes to me and tells me that he needs help, there is nothing I can do. Harry has made it very clear that I am nothing but his headmaster and in such a role until he tells me that something is wrong I cannot help him. I have given him ample opportunity to tell me what is going on and he has continually refused my help."
"Could he be cursed?" Emmeline Vance asked. "Perhaps he has a tongue-twister curse placed upon him so that he can't mention what they're doing to him."
"If that is true then this situation is even more grave than we imagined. Lucius is certainly no fool, he has Harry in his power, he has a hold over him and if they are using a curse to keep Harry from speaking then our only hope of rescuing him is gone."
"There must be something else that we can do!" Remus burst out angrily. "We can't leave him in an abusive situation. Can't you open an investigation into Harry's home life? Cite fear of him being abused, the Law Enforcers have to take that seriously, surely?"
"I fear that interfering in such a way might make Harry run further towards the Malfoys and away from us."
"How much further away can he get?" Kingsley asked in his slow, deep voice. "If you are serious in thinking that Harry is being abused in that house then surely rescuing him from that will help to mend the broken bridges."
"Not if he's been cursed, or dosed with potions. Whatever is being used is very strong. We might also have to consider that it's an emotional hold and not magic. Lucius Malfoy certainly has something to hold over Harry, to force him to do as he wants, and Harry is not speaking to me about what that might be."
"We can't just give up on him." Remus said desperately.
"I will bring the accusations of child abuse to the Law Enforcers. If Harry still holds his silence over what is happening then he truly will be beyond our reach."
"Make sure they know that we fear he's under the influence of potions or a curse to stop him from speaking."
"I will do my all to see him back where he belongs." Albus insisted. "I will give them all the information I have. Harry is staying at Malfoy Manor for the weekend, if they move quickly enough then they can raid it tomorrow and hopefully catch them in the act of harming Harry."
There had been no physical marks on Harry that he'd been able to see. But recently Harry had taken to wearing long sleeves at all times, or a jumper while he was not in lessons and dressed down. There was also magic that didn't leave marks…like the Cruciatus curse.
"This is our last chance to bring Harry back." He said seriously. "If we fail now…he will remain beyond our reach and he will be even more against us. If the Law Enforcers find nothing of concern then we have failed to protect Harry and he will hate us even more."
"It has to be now that they're hurting him!" Vance insisted. "Why else would Harry decide to go home so suddenly, after speaking to Malfoy in a closed office? He's being forced back there to be punished or perhaps they lost control of him and they're reapplying whatever spells and potions are being used to keep him in line?"
"I agree. He's been in school for almost a whole term, now would be when any potions would have to be reapplied. Potter is strong, he can resist the Imperius curse even, so perhaps whatever curses are being used have to be re-established and if Potter is showing signs of rebellion, it would explain why Malfoy forced him to go home to have them reapplied instead of waiting for the winter break, which would have been a more natural time to reapply any spells or potions on him."
"Have you had any luck in getting Harry to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas?" Remus asked.
"None. He is stubbornly insisting he will be going home to spend Christmas with his family." Albus sighed wearily.
"It has to be now." Moody growled. "You need to report your fears of abuse now, Albus. The Law Enforcers will need time to investigate and we can't risk missing the moment of abuse."
Albus nodded and stood. "I will go now. This is our last chance to rescue Harry, after this, we will need to consider more drastic measures."
Harry was startled awake by the soft crack of Apparation in his room and he jolted upright, his left hand groping for his glasses while the right tried to snatch his wand from the bedside table.
He put the glasses on and slumped, coming down from the adrenaline hit.
"Kreacher." He sighed, sitting back upright. "What happened?"
"An order meeting, Master."
Harry nodded and he climbed out of bed and he went to get his dressing gown, slipping it on before leading the way to his little personal living room attached to his bed suite.
"Have a seat, Kreacher." Harry offered, pointing to a chair. "Tell me everything."
Harry was furious when Kreacher finished his report. He was shaking and he knew that he couldn't waste any time.
"Go back to Grimmauld Place, Kreacher. Keep an eye on all of them for me."
Kreacher nodded and left and Harry hurried from his room, down several corridors and around the other side of the manor, in the guest wing. It was two in the morning. He went to Rabastan's room and he entered, going straight for the bedroom.
He was confused to shake his lover awake only for Rodolphus' tousled head to come into view.
"I knew that you'd try to slip into bed with Rabastan!" Rodolphus growled sleepily.
Harry blinked, then rolled his eyes. "That's not why I'm here! You need to leave, right now. The Ministry is coming to raid the house."
Rodolphus was up quicker than Harry would have imagined and while he was dressing Harry went to Rodolphus' room to wake Rabastan. He couldn't believe the idiots had switched rooms. Just what did they think of him?
"Harry, you know we're not supposed to see one another alone. How did you know that I was in Rodolphus' room? You woke him up, didn't you?" Rabastan asked, giving a look to the bedroom door as if expecting his big brother to come striding in.
"You need to leave now." Harry said. "The Ministry is planning a raid. Dumbledore has told them that I'm being abused here and the Law Enforcers will be coming. You need to go."
Rabastan got up just as quickly as his brother had. He was just finishing dressing when Rodolphus entered with Xerxes.
"Harry, what has happened?" The older man asked.
"My order spy got in touch. Dumbledore has gone to the Law Enforcers to tell them that I'm being abused at home. They're coming to raid while I'm here, they're hoping to catch my parents in the act of hurting me."
Xerxes looked serious and severe. He nodded curtly. "I will take Rabastan and Rodolphus to Lestrange manor. I am very glad that your order spy is so diligent."
"Me too." Harry nodded, panting with stress, running a hand through his hair.
"We're safe." Rabastan told him, cupping his face and giving him a kiss.
Rodolphus growled as it had been a full kiss on the mouth, but it made Harry smile.
"Go now. I'll speak to you soon."
The Lestranges left and Harry had to go down into the parlour, just for a strong cup of tea to bolster his nerves. He was trembling with the thoughts of what might have happened to Rabastan if Kreacher wasn't spying on the Order for him.
"Pimsey." He called out.
"Young master, you should be sleeping." She chastised him.
"I know, but there's been an emergency. Can you get me a cup of strong tea, please?"
Pimsey nodded, looking worried. She popped away and came back a few minutes later with a pure white china cup edged with real gold on a matching saucer. Harry blew on the tea and then took a sip.
"Thank you, Pimsey." He said softly.
"Young master, do you want me to wake master and mistress?" She asked.
Harry shook his head. "No. Leave them, I'll tell them in the morning. It was more important that I got the Lestranges out of the house."
That could have been disastrous. They'd have all ended up in Azkaban for harbouring known escapees of the prison. Thank Merlin for Kreacher and his invaluable position as his spy. Everyone always forgot about the house-elves. Even the Malfoys and the Lestranges, knowing that he had an inside spy on the Order, did not once think that it was Kreacher who was passing along information. It was to their detriment and his benefit.
Tomorrow the manor would be raided. Law Enforcers would look for signs of abuse. They'd look for evidence that he was under the influence of potions or a spell. They would tear the manor apart and Harry hated the very thought of such an invasion. The Order had a lot to answer for and Harry couldn't wait to unleash both barrels on Dumbledore when he got back to the castle.