A/N: I didn't make up the Nundu.  For those of you who were wondering about it, here's the description that I got from the Harry Potter Lexicon (http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/index-2-text.html): "The Nundu is considered by many to be the most dangerous beast in existence. It is a gigantic leopard, native to East Africa, whose breath carries disease and death. Whole villages have been wiped out by the Nundu."  (excellent site, by the way – I have yet to find a better resource for the research I have to do for this story)  Hopefully that helps.  (Oh, quick note to Iris Shinra and anyone else who was wondering – Su Li, the girl killed by the Nundu in the last chapter, is a Ravenclaw in Harry's year.  I haven't made up any students in this story.)

~~ Chapter Sixteen: When Dursley met Malfoy ~~

            Few voices were heard on the train as it carried students away from Hogwarts.  There was nothing that could be said.  Every time a conversation was attempted, it would always end with someone mentioning that a student was dead and Hogwarts was closed because of it.  No one knew when, or if they would return.

            To Harry Potter's right sat Ron Weasley, to his left, Draco Malfoy.  In the seat facing them were Hermione Granger and Oliver Wood.  Under normal circumstances, the five of them would be chatting ceaselessly.  These, however, were not normal circumstances, and they were silent.  Across the aisle were Percy Weasley and Penelope Clearwater.  Penelope, with her head resting on Percy's shoulder, was shaking with grief.  Percy was no longer shedding tears, but there were stains on his face from when he was.  The Ravenclaw prefect and the Head Boy were devastated over the incident, and it would be some time before they would realize the guilt lay not in them.

            Finally, Ron could bear the silence no longer, and he spoke.  "Are you going back to Malfoy Manor, Draco?" he asked.

            Draco was surprised that Ron was speaking to him, but he managed to push it aside and give a reply.  "No.  My father doesn't think it's safe.  We'll be staying in our summer home near Cardiff.  Are you going home?"

            Ron nodded.  "Yeah.  What about you, Oliver, Hermione?"

            "Same," Oliver replied.

            "Me, too," Hermione said.  "I'm so sorry you have to go stay with the Dursleys, Harry.  They really give Muggles a bad name.  My parents are Muggles, and they're nothing like the Dursleys."

            "I may not have to," Harry said.  "The Malfoys offered to take me in."

            Hermione looked a little surprised, but she managed to hold in the rude comeback that was swimming around in her mind.  "That's very nice of you, Draco," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

            Oliver nodded in agreement.  "Yes, it is."

            "Hopefully, we can get the Dursleys to agree," Draco said.

            Harry almost smiled.  "Knowing your father, that shouldn't be a problem."

            Harry led Draco and Lucius Malfoy up the walkway to the door of 4 Privet Drive, the residence of Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley Dursley, the only living relations Harry had.  He lifted his hand to knock on the door, but then stopped and looked at the Malfoys.  "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked.  "I really wouldn't want to make your opinions of Muggles any more negative than they already are.  Most of them aren't bad at all, but you wouldn't think so from the Dursleys."

            Lucius nodded.  "If that is so, then all the more reason for us to get you away from them."

            Harry never thought he'd see the day when Lucius Malfoy would show him kindness.  He knocked on the door.  A few seconds later, the pounding of footsteps could be heard, and the door flew open.  Standing in the doorway was the chubby body of Dudley Dursley.  A grimace appeared on his round face.  "Mum!  Dad!" he cried.  "It's Harry!"

            Vernon and Petunia Dursley were soon at their son's side.  "Good heavens, boy!" Mr. Dursley cried.  "What are you doing back already?  We just got rid of you a month and a half ago!"

            "They closed the school temporarily, Uncle Vernon," Harry explained.  "A student was killed."

            "Well, it serves them right," Mrs. Dursley said with an indignant upturning of her nose.  "That's what happens when you study magic instead of behaving like a normal person."  She then noticed the handsome, refined man standing behind Harry and a younger version of him who looked to be about Harry's age.  "Who are you?" she gasped.

            Lucius was a little surprised.  He wasn't used to people not knowing who he was.  "My name is Lucius Malfoy," he said, "and this is my son, Draco.  Harry is a good friend of his."

            "Harry doesn't have any friends," Dudley spat.

            "You'd be surprised," Draco retorted.

            "I have a summer home outside of Cardiff," Lucius continued.  "Draco and I will be staying there until Hogwarts reopens.  We would like Harry to stay with us."

            "Absolutely not!" Mr. Dursley cried.  "We have no idea who you are!  For all we know, you could be one of those… those magic freaks."

            "I assure you that I am not a freak," Lucius replied.

            "We will have none of this," Mrs. Dursley said.  "That… place closing is the best news I have heard all day!"  She narrowed her eyes at Harry, then cast Draco the same disapproving, suspicious look.  "It's a pity the student killed wasn't one of you two."

            Lucius was about to do something he would have later regretted, but he was saved by the sound of a female voice calling out, "There you are!"  He turned around to see who it was, and his heart nearly stopped beating as he recognized the approaching woman.  It can't be, he thought.  But it was.

Alina Terringer.

            "What's keeping you?" Alina asked, walking up to Lucius and taking his arm.  "The cab driver is getting impatient.  I had to slip him a twenty to keep him waiting."

            "What are you doing here?" Lucius hissed under his breath.

            Alina lifted her head up and whispered into his ear.  "Severus told me what you were planning to do," she explained in a tone that was not particularly kind.  "No offense, but I think I can deal with Muggles better than you can.  Just trust me."  She then kissed him on the cheek and then faced the Dursleys with a large, friendly smile on her face.  "You must be Mr. and Mrs. Dursley," she said.

            "And you must be Mrs. Malfoy," Mrs. Dursley said patronizingly.

            "I prefer Lady Malfoy, if you don't mind," Alina responded.  "Sir Lucius here doesn't like to brag about his knighthood, so he probably didn't tell you."

            "What is she doing here?" Harry whispered to Draco.

            "Beats me," Draco whispered back.

            Mr. Dursley's mouth dropped open.  "Sir Lucius?" he repeated.

            "Oh, you can't possibly expect me to believe you've never heard of Sir Lucius Malfoy," Alina said.  "The Malfoys are among the oldest and most influential patrician families in the country."  She looked at Lucius and smiled.  "Isn't that right, darling?"

            Dudley looked at his mother.  "Mum, is Harry friends with nobility?"

            Instantly, the attitude of the Dursleys toward their visitors changed.  Mrs. Dursley stammered to find words, and finally came up with, "Won't you come in, please?"

            Alina smiled sweetly at them.  "Why, thank you."  She and Lucius followed the Dursleys inside.  Harry and Draco exchanged looks of disbelief, then went inside themselves.

            Mrs. Dursley led them into the living room and invited them to sit down.  Alina thanked her, and she and Lucius sat down on the couch.  Harry and Draco leaned up against the wall.  "This is kind of funny," Draco whispered.

            "This is hilarious," Harry returned.

            "C-can we get you anything to drink?" Mr. Dursley asked, opening the refrigerator.  "I think we have some sherry in here somewhere…"

            Alina's bemused smile returned.  "No, thank you.  We only drink amontillado on Tuesdays."

            "You're scaring me, Terringer," Lucius whispered to Alina.

            "Just play along," Alina replied.  "Pretend for the next ten minutes that you're madly in love with me.  Smile, flirt, anything."  She turned her attention back to the Dursleys.  "It was just horrible when that student was murdered," she said.  "Everyone is terribly frightened.  There's a serial killer on the loose, you know.  I'd lock your doors and keep a gun under your bed if I were you.  The headmaster didn't want to endanger the lives of any more students, so he closed the school at once, and it will remain closed until this madman is caught.  The killer might try to come after other Hogwarts students, and I would hate to endanger the life of your adorable son."

            Lucius was starting to get into the act himself.  He pasted on a smile and looked at Alina.  "That's one of the many things I love about you, darling," he cooed.  "You're always thinking ahead."

            Alina giggled.  "Oh, Lucius, you're so sweet."

            Lucius looked at the Dursleys.  "Our home in Cardiff is much more well-protected than yours.  Harry will be safe there, and with him there, you wonderful people won't be in any danger."

            "Oh, we're going to Cardiff?" Alina asked.  "I thought we were going to our residence on the French Riviera."

            "We stayed there last summer, remember?" Lucius replied.  "Or was it the one in Tahiti?"

            "It was Tahiti, dear."

            Lucius snapped his fingers, as if remembering something.  "Then we stayed on the Riviera over Christmas."

            "That's right, we did," Alina said.  "I couldn't remember if we stayed there or at the one in Switzerland."

            "This is really funny," Draco whispered to Harry.

            Harry just nodded.  He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, he would start laughing and blow their cover.

            "But anyway, Cardiff," Alina said.  "Yes, Cardiff will do.  It's smaller than the Riviera – only forty acres instead of sixty – but it will do."  She looked at Harry.  "Harry, dear, are you all packed?"

            "Yes, P- Lady Malfoy," Harry said, almost forgetting Alina's pseudonym.

            "Excellent," Alina said.  "I'll have the cab driver load your bags immediately."  She then looked at the Dursleys with a slightly embarrassed look on her face, as if she had forgotten about them and then remembered.  "It is all right if he stays with us, right?"

            "Of c-course it is, L-lady M-m-malfoy," Mrs. Dursley stammered, who was blown away by the thought that Harry was friends with nobility.

            Alina smiled triumphantly.  "Oh, thank you, thank you.  Don't worry, we'll take good care of him."

            Lucius stood up.  "Well, then, if that's settled, we must be off."  He gave Alina his hand and helped her to her feet.  "Come, darling.  Harry, Draco, are you ready?"

            "Yes, Father," said Draco.

            "Yes, Sir Lucius," said Harry.

            Lucius nodded.  "Then come along.  We've still got a ways to travel."  He looked at the Dursleys.  "Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley."

            "Take care, dears," Alina added.

            Harry and Draco just waved.  Neither one of the boys thought they would be able to say anything without laughing.

            "That was amazing, Professor," Draco commented when they were a safe distance away.  "How did you know we were coming?"

            "Professor Snape told me," Alina answered.  "When I heard that you were going to be dealing with Muggles, especially Muggles like this, I thought my experience in handling them would be of service."

            "How did you do that?" Lucius asked.  "They completely believed you."

            "Oh, it's easy," Alina said.  "Just make them believe that you're rich and powerful and you'll have them eating out of the palm of your hand.  Of course, you're already rich and powerful, but not in any way that you could have told them."  Then she winked.  "Besides, it's not like you didn't already look the part."

            "You were very good," Lucius said, still in a daze from the success of the undertaking.  "I never realized you were such a fast thinker."

            "You weren't so bad yourself," Alina replied.  "The Tahiti thing was a very nice touch."

            "You had them right after 'Lady Malfoy'," Harry commented.  "They really didn't know what hit them."

            "I personally thought the 'amontillado on Tuesdays' thing was the best of all," Lucius said.  "Do you think they even realized that today is Thursday?"

            Alina smiled and shook her head.  "I don't think so."

            "Where are you going, Professor Terringer?" Harry asked.

            "I don't know yet," she answered.  "I was asked to speak about my field at a school in Switzerland, and I may go there until Hogwarts opens again."

            "Why don't you stay with us for a while?" Draco offered.  "There's more than enough room, and you could help Harry and I with our studies."  He looked at his father.  "Would that be all right?"

            Lucius hesitated before answering.  Considering his history with Professor Terringer, he didn't know how he would feel sharing a house with her.  But on the other hand, it would certainly help the boys gain an edge in their learning, and offering would be the right thing to do.  He almost laughed at himself as that thought entered his mind.  When did I start caring about what the right thing to do was?, he wondered.  He looked at Alina.  "You will be welcome with us, Professor Terringer, if you so desire."

            Alina was surprised, but she managed to hide it.  Although Draco had planted the thought in his head, all Lucius had to do was deny it.  Instead, he extended an invitation to her.  Two weeks ago, she would have refused it with every fiber of her being.  But now, after all that had happened… perhaps he really had changed.

            "Thank you," she said.  "I will accept your kind offer."

A/N: Ooooh, Alina's staying with the Malfoys… bum bum buuuummm…  Hope you enjoyed this chapter.  I had fun writing it – Malfoys and Dursleys, ha ha.  Just the idea makes me crack up.  In other news, though…  I know I've updated this story pretty consistently every few days, but things are getting pretty hectic with Christmas and other things.  I'll try to maintain the frequent updates, but I can't make any promises at this point.  (Quick note to VoyICJ – No, I'm not out partying.  ^_^)  Thanks to all my readers and reviewers; it really makes my day when I get up in the morning and see that more people have read my story.  Keep reading!

~ This chapter is dedicated to my grandma, who died this morning.  RIP, Grandma.  I love you ~