The Leader

Chapter 68

Harry wasn't surprised to see Lady Malfoy leading the progression into the room. She was strong as ever, determined and resolute. There was no doubt she had made her parents proud; her strength of character was most definitely her crowning moment. He respected her a great deal of it, and it was just too bad she hadn't managed to give that kind of character to her son. Whom, he had come to realize that Draco was very much his father's son. Draco had become more like his father than Severus could stomach. He had tried to correct Lucius' deplorable behaviour, but the damage was already done. His conduct was just disgusting, he acted like an eleven-year-old even now.

"Lord Potter, good morning, thank you for having us," Narcissa said respectfully, inclining her head, trying too hard to make up for her sons' earlier failings that saw them banished from here. Yes, it was a small hut, yes it was amongst werewolves and vampires and all manners of creatures, but they'd been safe. Although, ultimately, she and Draco were safe in another country, and had all the wards possible, but being alone with only her son…had been getting to her, she didn't dare go outside too often or make friends. She couldn't risk their lives.

"Thank you for coming, Lady Malfoy," Harry said, returning her respect and politeness. "Would you like breakfast or brunch?"

"I'd very welcome some brunch," Narcissa agreed, a small smile appearing on her face it was genuine.

"Dobby, brunch for all of us please," Harry called out.

Severus entered the room just as Dobby disappeared to do as they bid.

"Hey! That's our…" Narcissa's nails dug painfully into her sons' knee. "Ouch! Mother that hurts!"

"Will you once in your life keep your mouth shut!" Narcissa hissed at her son, tears blazing in her grey eyes, furious, ashamed and so very tired all at the same time. "I'm so damn tired of it," regretting the words after they were spoken, but not enough to apologise. Her son needed to know how to behave himself. Her husband had ruined their son, and she hated him just as much as she loved him.

Draco's face twisted into something dark, spiteful before he became blank. "I'm sorry mother, please forgive me." He said quietly. He knew the blood sucker could hear him, but he loved his mother more than anything else in the world. She was all he had left, and ever since he realized his father was wrong…he'd been struggling a lot. His mother was the only thing keeping him anchored.

"Please, enjoy," Harry gestured to the food that had appeared during their argument. He had a goblet of blood, which naturally was human. Severus' goblet was next to Harry's as he sat down next to him to claim his for his own.

"How are you doing Narcissa?" Severus asked quietly, as Narcissa picked up her eating utensils to eat.

"We're coping, far better than most would be in our situation, at least we have the means to see it through." Narcissa said, her smile less bland than before.

"Just because you're coping well and have the means, doesn't supersede your right to complain about it." Harry pointed out, sensing the frustration bubbling in Narcissa, frustration that had nowhere to go, she needed an outlet.

"Oh? Is that so? I'd love to see you complain." Severus said wryly, smirking as he rose the cup to his lips to drink.

Narcissa pursed her lips, swallowing the food so as not to laugh and send it flying everywhere. The mortification would surely kill her if such an incident happened. Oh, it was so good to see Severus again, just being here, listening to him, she relaxed and was more than happy to just listen.

"I don't have anything that requires complaints," Harry pointed out smiling innocently only for a second at most. Too quick for the humans in their midst to notice.

Severus snorted, eyes gleaming, "If you say so." Pouring so much doubt into the words as possible.

Draco huffed when it became clear nobody was going to talk to him. Or pay him any attention whatsoever.

"So, what can we do for you, Lord Potter?" Narcissa asked him, picking up a cup of coffee, exactly as she remembered it always requested in Malfoy Manor. The House-elf still remembered, and it made her feel a little gratitude for the thing. "For surely, you haven't brought us here to listen to my son."

"No, I didn't, and that time was a one off, if any attempts are made at insulting me or my people…well, his life shall be far worse off for it." Harry promised.

Draco merely clenched his jaw, clearly not taking any chances when it came to the vampire.

"How can we help?" Narcissa prompted again, she didn't care about any of that, she was just glad to get out of the house, to do something else than sit there and read books then re-read them because she couldn't stand the silence in her own thoughts again.

"It's how I can help you," Harry told her, "I can give your son a magically configured arm and hand."

Draco gaped, understanding all too well what that meant. There was no way he was that powerful! He couldn't really be as powerful as the Dark Lord! He hadn't been able to keep up with Mudblood Granger when they were eleven for Merlin's sake.

"You could?" Narcissa swallowed thickly, the realization of just how powerful Harry was dawning for the first time. "You will be able to end this war…and I'll be able to return home, won't I?" sounding more hopeful than she would have liked but the thought of returning home to all she knew was too much for her stalwart composure.

"I will end this war." Harry proclaimed seriously, giving a definitive nod. "Voldemort won't survive the next time we meet. Even if I do die in the process, I'll take him with me. Of that you have my word."

Severus growled lowly in his throat, very unhappy with the thought of losing Harry.

"Will I be able to use the hand and arm?" Draco asked, his tone seemingly much more respectful than anyone had managed to get out of the blonde in the past.

Narcissa glanced at her son in very real surprise, but pride too.

"It will act like a normal limb," Harry told the blonde, "Nobody will know it's a magical limb unless you tell them."

"You mean it's going to be the same colour as…the rest of me?" Draco's eyes widened; he'd seen the Dark Lord gift limbs to the Death Eaters who lose them in battle. They were silver though, not skin coloured, clearly the Dark Lord either didn't care about the colour or couldn't get them skin coloured. It was more likely he couldn't configure the magic the same colour as the wizard, since having silver limbs sort of gave away whom you were during raids that he did. Or maybe the Dark Lord just didn't think about it.

"It's going to be coloured, but whether it will be your actual colouring I can't say," Harry informed him coolly, not quite as welcoming but nobody could blame him. Their past (both meetings) were quite fraught to say the least. Harry would likely never forgive the brat for what he said about his.

"If need be, we'll come up with a colour," Severus promised. "I'll come up with a colour." Correcting his slip up, truth be told, Harry was doing enough for Draco, without adding to his already immensely heavy load. It was a burden Harry bore stoically without a single complaint. Despite his earlier words, he did wish Harry would complain about something, anything really.

"When are you trying it?" Draco asked eagerly, absently touching the lump that was half his arm. He still wasn't used to it, and to be honest touching it really felt weird. So, so weird. He barely touched it at first out of fear of it hurting, but now? It was partly denial – he had lost his arm his dream of being a potions master – and more importantly, partly because he honestly felt like he had his arm half the time.

"After brunch," Severus told him, his tone firm. He noticed that Narcissa was actually eating today. The times he'd visited he'd noticed she wasn't eating much and that she was losing weight. Narcissa was already a thin woman, she didn't need to be losing more. If she lost any more weight, she'd become gaunt, and he wasn't going to allow it.

In fact, he felt guilty for not making sure she really was doing well after having her entire life upturned. She couldn't rely on any of her friends, whom she knew would give her up in a heartbeat to protect their own. How did she know? Because Narcissa would do the same. She'd been raised to believe family first, and she would make sure that was the truth.

"Is there anything we can do to help her?" Severus murmured quietly, so low that neither Narcissa nor Draco could hear.

"Given what they think of us, why should we?" Harry asked darkly, it was one thing to take a measure of guilt Severus felt over removing Draco's arm and not having an apprentice, another thing entirely to go all out trying to help them.

"For me," Severus shamelessly took advantage of the fact Harry would do anything for him. He knew Harry was doing this for Draco as well as Graham and Tonks. He cared too much about his people, even if he gave off the vibe that he couldn't care less. He hadn't gained all these people's loyalty by not caring, and if anyone was stupid enough not to see it, well that was on them.

"Then find her something to do," Harry grumbled, he didn't really want anything more than he had to when it came to the Malfoys. The boy had truly coloured his view of him by how they'd met, the way he'd derided Hagrid. His attitude during their first year at Hogwarts. Draco Malfoy felt as if the world owed him just by his mere presence in it.

"That's the problem," Severus replied, his tone wry, "I don't have a clue what she could do."

"Why do we need to help her in the first place?" Harry asked, turning to face Severus in query.

"She's lonely, and it's not a good place to be," Severus confessed, a haunted look on his face, "Being strong only helps you go so far."

Harry sighed; they were not making any show of not speaking to one another now. He knew how it felt to be lonely, both when he was actually alone and then as part of a crowd. There was no such thing as being alone at Hogwarts, a castle it may be, but he'd never been on his own he'd had two shadows following his every move. "How much does she actually like kids?" the Malfoy's might know they were talking, but likely couldn't hear what they were talking about.

"Yes, she would have loved to have had more than just Draco," Severus told him seriously, "She wanted a little girl, unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be."

"Must have been a sore spot when her sister had a girl," Harry said wryly, "Not only that but she had a gift of Metamorphamagus."

"Likely, privately," Severus conceded, "Jealous I've been given to understand is a normal reaction." Acting as though he'd never been jealous before in his life.

Harry smirked before turning to face Narcissa himself, his gaze intense as he stared her down. "If you find yourself bored of your abundance of free time, now that Draco will remain in the area for at least the next few days." Harry turned to face Draco at his barely articulated complaint. "This is experimental magic that I created, I'd like to see the results first-hand…and ensure there are no drawbacks or hiccups. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Sir," Draco said inclining his head respectfully, he wanted that arm and hand badly enough to be respectful until he got what he wanted.

Harry just smirked, well aware of Draco's game, and respecting him for it regardless of the fact it was him he was trying to play.

"You were saying about free time?" Narcissa asked, drawing Harry's attention to her, very pleased with her sons' manners, even if she astutely knew what he was up to.

"Most wizards and witches with…children who are bitten and turned, whether they're vampires, werewolves, or children abandoned for not having active magic…they're abandoned on the streets to survive the brutality of it." Harry slowly told them, giving Draco a look that suggested he keep his mouth shut unless he wanted to lose his voice entirely. "Once children have reached a certain age, they're more likely to be able to survive the harsh realities not to forget the winters on the streets…but they shouldn't have to."

Narcissa swallowed thickly, she gave a small nod, she was aware, she just didn't like to think about it. Whether she had money or not she couldn't fix society. She preferred not to dwell on it too much, "It takes more than one person to really change the world." She said sombrely.

"Indeed, and a village to raise a child." Which was what they did here.

Draco rolled his eyes, having no empathy for anyone that wasn't someone he cared about, and those he cared about? Very rare indeed.

"You might want to tell her everything," Severus said dryly, putting the now empty goblet on the table, now empty of blood.

"There are children here that could use a parental figure, all different ages, races, abilities, and creature statuses." Harry told her.

"Except the werewolves, they tend to gravitate towards their own, forming a pack, the latest children with lycanthrope to end up here each ended up bonding with an Alpha." Severus went on to explain, "Reg bonded with Jack and Edith bonded to Fenrir."

"Last night a three-year-old girl who is showing signs of being a Firestarter was abandoned," Harry added.

"Wait, what? Seriously? A Firestarter?" Draco blurted wide eyed, "I thought they were just a myth."

Harry arched a brow, "What makes you believe that?"

"Aren't they just wizards and witches that are more prone to fire being their accidental magic?" Draco asked, surely there couldn't be a real thing like a Firestarter.

"What do they teach at Hogwarts?" Harry asked exasperatedly.

"To be fair, you wouldn't have learnt any of this at Hogwarts either or any other school you happen to attend." Severus pointed out dryly.

Harry smirked, conceding the point, "Wizards and witches aren't the only things that exist out there Draco. Firestarter's are just the beginning, there are people who are able to project, telekinetic, the ability to move things with their minds, those that are purely Occlumens or Legilmens, magic isn't just wand waving people. Although these abilities I've found come from their creature inheritance, vampires, werewolves, sirens, and so many other creatures." Hogwarts education was truly disgraceful, it would be one of the many things he planned to ensure changed when he took over.

"There is a group that rotates to look after them, there are not many, but Harry wants to give them stability." Severus continued when Harry stopped. "However, the usual group are going to have…tasks they need to perform in the coming weeks."

"It will be quite a performance." Harry added grinning, it was all teeth.

Severus smothered his amusement, knowing exactly what Harry was going to do, he'd been there for the discussion. It meant a lot of meandering around Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, but they'd do anything Harry asked for the safety and family they'd gained through joining them. "Most of them have been here a while and aren't as…traumatised." At least the ones she'd be looking after wouldn't anyway. Edith and Reg are still traumatised but Narcissa wouldn't be near those two.

"You want my mother to play at babysitting?" Draco arrogantly commented, more amused than anything.

"Hopefully she'll do a better job at raising them, however briefly, than she did you," Harry coolly stated.

Draco flushed floridly red, but amazingly enough, remained silent despite the jab.

"You must really want that arm," Harry said impressed, "Either that or nearly dying has given you a sense of your own mortality."

Draco remained silent.

"It must have been even more traitorous knowing that it was because of your own father that you were at deaths door." Harry added, "You liked to bring up my orphaned status a lot at Hogwarts…"

Severus pressed his arm against Harrys, knowing likely what he wanted to say and stopping it. Harry could be rather…vicious when provoked. Or even when he wasn't provoked. Although, he hadn't heard Draco going that far, and if he had, he would have reprimanded him. In private of course, he never reprimanded them in public. They got enough fodder from the rest of Hogwarts without him adding to it all. Plus, his private lectures were way worse than any conceivable public diatribes.

"Is it something you could do?" Severus asked after a respectful few seconds' so that it didn't look like he was talking over Harry, he continued. "If you are busy, we can find someone else to help." Embellishing it so that Narcissa didn't think this was a pity thing. Which it was, but she didn't need to know that. Helping her save face regardless of her answer.

Grey eyes flickered up to black, there was a lot of Sirius in her, but Severus had never truly noticed. After all, Narcissa was a lady, she epitomised high society. While Black acted like a Muggle-born, there was no strength in him, he was just…pathetic really. It was hard to believe they'd grown up in the same life.

"Yes, yes, I'd love to help," Narcissa replied immediately, wiping her mouth with her napkin.

"That's great…" Harry replied, pausing when the door opened, and Rick wandered in. Harry inclined his head, requesting he come closer and give him his report.

"They attacked Diagon Alley as you suspected," Rick told Harry, speaking loud enough for Draco and Narcissa to hear, but only just.

"Where they there?" Harry asked, straightening up, exuding leadership from his very pores.

Draco felt a little envious and baffled that this guy sat across from him had accomplished so much and they were the same age. He hadn't even succeeded in gaining his Mastery, he hadn't really begun his Apprenticeship. It wasn't something he could do while a war was going on and his father didn't really approve. He didn't think Malfoy's ought to work. He settled on awe, because what Harry Potter had become was something to aspire.

"They were there, they saved thirteen people, families," Rick said, inclining his head, "It's a good job you sent them when you did."

"And the reporter?" Harry then asked, or more like commanded.

"Has the memories, whether the article gets published or not, remains to be seen, we'll know by late this evening," Rick informed him, names weren't used when they had company. In fact, Rick was surprised that he was being this loose tongued with the Malfoy's here.

"They won't let the paper be published; the Ministry will put a stop to it." Severus commented, not saying it to be spiteful but genuinely believing it. "It would damage them to have the public turning against them and the laws they have so heavily in place." He said it when the idea was first suggested.

"Which is why it's been sent out to three other reporters, independent reporters," Rick commented, "They have decent reputations, nothing like the Daily Prophet numbers, but this will get around regardless of whether it's in the newspaper." Which was kind of the point.

Narcissa suddenly couldn't wait to get the newspapers and the magazines tomorrow. There was a far larger point at play, not that she knew what it was, but something was up, and she wanted to know. She didn't ask, she knew very well she wouldn't be informed the inner workings of what plan they have. Just having a puzzle to solve made her feel more alive than she had since her husband had been killed and she and Draco went on the run.

"They'll publish it, I've made a…little incident forthcoming in the Ministry tonight." Harry said smirking devilishly, "Really, I'm rather enjoying having the twins in the now, their creations are…bordering on genius."

"You're not referring to the Weasley twins?" Draco gaped, but he did concede Harry's point they were very intelligent. Honestly, he wondered whether the twins were really Weasley's they were far slyer than their brothers and sister until she did.

"I am," Harry commented confidently.

It never dawned on Draco to wonder why he was getting to hear this sort of information.

Severus groaned, "I wouldn't wish those devils on anyone, not even the ministry…I think," he answered.

Rick smirked, "They've gained the Prewett smarts." He confided.

Severus' gaze sharpened on Rick, wondering if he was a Prewett or a Weasley, he could be from either family. The hair, it was identical to all the Weasley's and Prewett's. Both of them were renowned for having ginger hair. He didn't dare ask; it would likely be opening wounds that had likely not closed entirely, just waiting to be a festering sore.

"Finished?" Harry asked the two Malfoy's who were more interested in Rick and Severus' conversation than anything else at the moment.

Once both Narcissa and Draco confirmed they were done, the table, meal, cutlery and all disappeared.

"Come here," Harry gestured for Draco to step closer to him, as he stood, his chair disappeared too.

Draco exhaled, before stepping closer, unconsciously holding his injured arm closer to him in protection.

"Extend your arm, you'll feel a pinch, numbness then pins and needles as if your hands went numb and just wakening up." Harry explained, at least theoretically.

Rick and Severus ceased their conversation to watch closely, Severus out of worry and concern, Rick out of sheer curiosity. It wasn't every day you saw magically powerful people managing to create limbs with pure magic. Not even Dumbledore was capable of that. "I hope this works, Graham is finding it difficult…"

"Roll up the sleeve," Harry added, not touching Draco, letting him go at his own pace. He could smell the terror wafting from him. Whether he was scared of him, or the spell not working or failing, he didn't know.

"As is Tonks I believe," Severus added quietly.

Draco gasped as the magic took hold, struggling against an invisible hold.

"Easy, let it do it's work," Harry said, sounding soothing, like he was dealing with a child. If Draco did have some of the Black madness, he might always be immature.

For a whole tense minute, they waited, watched as nothing happened, then it began to mould, knitting and creating an arm out of nothing. The colour identical to Draco's pale flesh, you truly could not differentiate between where the cut off was, and the magic started.

"Ahh!" Draco gasped knees buckling as he grasped his upper arm, almost writhing in place.

"Draco!" Narcissa cried out, fluttering around her son, scared out of her mind.

"Harry knows what he's doing," Severus eased Narcissa away, Harry's green eyes were glowing, pulsating with power as he continued to pour power and magic into Draco's new arm. They were almost at the wrist now, so not long to go, unless the fingers were far more difficult. "Just let him work, Draco will be fine. There's nothing dangerous in the ritual, I've looked it over." Trying not to disturb Harry or distract him, so he said only what he needed to in order to get through to Narcissa who was too emotionally raw right now.

Narcissa was held up purely by Severus, as she watched her son crying out, begging Harry to stop. Yet as he continued to do whatever he was doing, she saw fingers begin to grow, gasping softly, mesmerised, he looked like he had both arms again. "Merlin," she murmured breathlessly, the breath-taking wandless, non-verbal magic magnificent magic, she was in awe.

The Dark Lord did not stand a chance, and Narcissa felt true hope for the first time since she was a young child. It was just a shame her husband wasn't here to see this, for he would have felt the same she was sure.

Or perhaps not, she thought, it was after all, Lucius' fault they were here.

Draco continued to squirm and writhe, but the magical hold prevented him from moving his arm at all. He was however, hunched in on himself in an attempt to stop the pain, an instinctive reaction but one all the same. He wasn't screaming, but the discomfort was unbearable.

Then it stopped. Just like that.

Harry was watching him impassively, "How did it feel?" the 'arm' fell uselessly to his side, before Draco brought it up to his face, his fingers stretching and curling, tightening into a fist. Awe splayed out for all to see, as Draco realized he had two hands again, he could brew potions again. His dreams…his dreams weren't crumbled to ash after all.

Draco couldn't help his reaction at all, as the tears stung his eyes, "Its…it's perfect," he choked out, before he sobbed his heart out. The soft yearning for the simple life he'd had, turning to delight and sheer undiluted happiness by the likes he hadn't felt since he was a young boy again. "Worth it." He added in choked wonder, then his mother was there, and Draco hugged her, truly hugged her.

Harry allowed the mother and son to embrace, turning to Rick, "Let me know if the Daily Prophet article goes through or not." He told the Elder vampire.

"I will do," Rick agreed, "How long until you do the others?" in other words how long until he recovers with such an immensely heavy magical load he'd just expanded on Draco Malfoy.

"I can't risk weakening myself given the fact a battle could be imminent, a few days with potions to boost my magical strength." Harry said, "And in that time I'll know everything I need to know about the process." Draco would be telling him everything soon enough. It was the least he could do in thanks.

A/N – Yep another update 😉 lol I know it doesn't happen very often anymore does it? And I also know I've added the twins in rather suddenly since they've not been mentioned since the time, they were tracking Bill. Will I just type out what happened between that or do you want to see a flash back to the actual times? Either way is perfectly fine with me…who am I kidding? I hate flashbacks although to be fair it's not actually the Flashbacks it's getting them in the right places and how they take from the story but if I start from the beginning of the chapter it might not be so bad or could end up worse. I could just have the story continue without the inclusion of the Weasley twins overly much…and is Rick a relative of the Weasley family? Or will it just be another mystery that remains unsolved? R&R please and enjoy your weekend and stay safe xx