Do not own Harry Potter, and am not JK Rowling. Own a Les Miserables program, and an I heart NY t-shirt. You would not want, because I would bit your arm off before I let you have it. You could, however, have my T.A.T.U. CD, though I would miss it greatly.
Funny how in the world of Potter, being American is an excuse.
And now to my reviewers, because you wrote me something, and it's only fair I reply:
Joana: You can definitely say wow. You better like Draco more than Kali, but I'm glad you like her. She's such a mess, she needs a little bit of love (besides her red-headed Weasley love, that is).
Skye: Not to worry. I am writing like a maniac. A maniac, I tell you.
Daisy8781: I am one of those people who gapes when learning someone hates Ron. I just don't understand it. Alan and Ron Weasley, what more do you need in this world. I love Draco, but I can understand where the hate comes from. But Ron? Sorry, am ranting a bit. My poor little Weasley.
Anoxy: I have not planned on doing the resurrectus charm with Harry's parents. Maybe in another story.
Jen: Writing this story is quite a challenge, and I would love to keep all of my ideas in it, but with it being so long…I just could not write everything that I would have liked. Maybe in a separate fic one day, when I actually have time.
Tine: Harry is an eavesdropper! Remember when he was in the three broomsticks and under the table when he heard about Sirius being his godfather. Harry overhears a lot that he shouldn't. I mean, his whole first year was spent stalking Snape and eavesdropping into his conversations with Quirrel.
The Insane Floo Pot: From writing fics, I've learned that one of the hardest parts is thinking up Christmas presents that aren't completely trite and overdone. Hence the broom. Quite funny, yes?
For those who were touched by the scene with Dru and anyone, I am very happy you liked it. I was not sure that I had done it very well, and that I got emotions lost somewhere in there. Perhaps this is because I view my story from a critical standpoint. Ah well.
Everyone else, thanks for reading. Now, ignore me, and read the chapters, because that's why you're here in the first place.
Part Thirty-One: Triumphant Return
Kali shifted out from beneath Ron's arm to peer over Snape's shoulder. To her right, the scenery was rolling by as the Hogwarts Express bustled toward Hogsmeade, returning the students to school after their winter break. With the holidays over, there were two weeks left until the next term would start, part of which would include initiating Draco Malfoy back into classes. This, also, perhaps would include adding Servius Atwater to the list of Hogwarts students through the exchange program that had been reinstated once Voldemort was defeated. Dumbledore claimed it was an excellent way of forming bonds with foreign wizards. Both Kali and Snape thought it only slightly short of torture. Only Hermione, who fondly remember Servius as the boy who told her she was beautiful, was hoping for his arrival mid-January.
"What are you grading?" asked Kali, still leaning over her father's shoulder.
"Seventh year Gryffindor exams."
The eyes of Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Kali nervously shot to the pile. Snape did not look like he was in a good mood, and he was grading their exams. This couldn't be a good thing.
"Daddy, you scare me when you get like this," she said. He glared at her before angrily scribbling on the parchment. "Maybe you should try a sedative. A strong one. One that's used on hippogriffs."
"I'm not that bad, Kailah," he said, shortly.
"Yes, you are. The vein in your forehead starts to throb and you look like your going to have a breakdown. It scares me."
"Kaliah, what is this?" He brandished a piece of parchment that she recognized as her exam.
"My exam," she stated, simply. "What about it?"
"I'm referring to the essay, Kailah."
"My diagram?"
"You call this a diagram?" he asked, waving it at her. Harry and Draco started laughing upon seeing the little stick figure drawing and the smiling sun. The flowers in the picture looked like they were dancing. "You made a mockery of it."
"I'm sorry, Daddy. I got bored."
"I do not like to be mocked, Kailah."
"May I suggest isolation?"
Snape's eyes narrowed. "You know what, Kailah? You really aren't a Gryffindor."
"I'm not a Hufflepuff."
"No, you're a Slytherin. You enjoy tormenting others, me especially, far too much."
"Well the Sorting Hat said I had some of my father in me. I guess that means you've got no one to blame but yourself." Snape made some sort of unintelligible grunt before going back to the exams. "I thought you were going to be doing all of your grading at the Weasleys."
"We had a very busy holiday," was his curt reply, scribbling an angry 'D' and throwing the exam aside. At the top of the parchment was the name 'Neville Longbottom'. Hermione, Harry, and Ron stared at it, as if it were predicting the outcome of their papers as well. Professor Lupin gave a soft chuckle.
"Speaking of the holiday," said Hermione, looking pointedly at Ron, "did you end up going through with it?"
Kali and Ron exchanged glances, each looking a tad sheepish. Ron nodded.
"Did it go well?" asked Hermione, now sounding excited.
"Did what go well?" asked Harry. "I still don't know what you had planned."
Draco rubbed Harry's arm, trying to offer comfort. "Don't feel bad, Harry. I'm even more in the dark than you are."
"But Ron's my best friend," protested Harry. "I should know."
"Well, Kailah's my cousin and I don't know."
"Shush, you two," said Hermione, sternly. She turned her attention back to Ron and Kali. "Tell me what happened. I want to know everything."
"Well - er - we talked and then Daddy walked in on it," said Kali, casting a sideways glance to Snape, who, at hearing this, put aside Hermione's perfect score and looked up at them.
"Oh," was all Hermione could say. Ron and Kali nodded their agreement.
"I don't get it," whined Harry.
"Then allow me to explain it to you, Mister Potter," drawled Snape. "Mister Weasley thought it would be a good idea to use the Resurrectus Charm on Drusilla."
Harry, who clearly had no idea what the Resurrectus Charm did, said, "Isn't she dead?" Draco roughly elbowed him in the ribs. "What?"
"And you walked in?" said Lupin, softly. The tone of his voice was enough to make Harry fall silent, if not realizing the grandeur of the charm. "Gods, what did you do?"
"I think I fainted," said Snape. "Things were blurry; I'm not really sure."
"You did faint," said Ron. "Then you fell down the stairs and hit your head."
"So that's where that bump came from," he mused.
"It was, by far, the greatest experience of my life," said Kali. "Not you fainting, but meeting Momma . . . she's every bit as sweet as people tell me she was."
"Yes, she was," said Lupin. "What was it like seeing her after all these years?"
Snape visibly swallowed. "Painful. She was right there. Solid. I could reach out and touch her but nothing I could do would keep her there. She's even more beautiful than I remembered."
"I feel like I'm forgetting her sometimes," said Lupin. "Lily and James, too. I hate that. You shouldn't forget those you love."
"I can understand that sentiment," said Snape. "I hate it, too. I'm thankful that Kailah got to meet her, though. And I got to see Dru one last time. That makes the pain worth it." Kali wrapped her arms around her father's torso in a hug.
"I love you," she said.
"Love you, too," he gently replied.
"What did you talk about?" asked Lupin.
"Just about everything going on in my life. I told her about my relationship with Ron, and she especially loved the idea of Harry and Draco together."
"You told her about us?" the couple chorused.
"Not at first, but I mentioned you and she thought it was funny you were friends. Then I told her you were dating. That really gave her a shock."
"Probably a bigger shock than realizing she was dead," added Ron. "But she didn't go nutters about anything the way she did when we told her Sirius went to Azkaban. She wouldn't even let me finish the story before she started advocating his innocence."
Both Lupin and Snape softly laughed at this. "That's Dru all right," said Lupin. "Did you tell her about Peter?"
Ron nodded. "She figured she was dead, Harry's parents were dead, why couldn't Wormtail be a traitor? After hearing it was Sirius who was charged with the crimes, I think she would have believed it was anyone so long as Sirius was innocent. She refused to believe it was Sirius."
Lupin and Snape nodded. "She always was foolish enough to put her faith in Black."
"She was right," said Lupin. "Drusilla would have never believed it. We should have never believed it. Sirius was my friend and he was once your friend, too. We should have known better."
"Sirius was once your friend?" said Ron, looking confused. "But you hate each other."
"Ron," said Harry, "I promise to fill you in later so long as you promise to fill me in. I'm getting the gist but that's basically it."
"It's nice to understand what's going on," said Draco.
"I agree," said Kali. "It must be a family thing. We're too smart and quick-witted for them."
"It's a Potter and a Weasley. What do you expect?"
Kali nodded. "True."
"We're so much better than they are."
"Well that goes without saying. However, it seems that we've fallen for them. I believe that creates some sort of a problem."
"It makes us worse than they are," said Draco, feigning horror. "Gods, I've sunk to the level of a Potter."
"I'm starting to feel very unloved," snapped Harry.
"Starting?" said Ron. Kali and Draco laughed.
"You know we're just playing," said Kali, ruffling Ron's hair. Snape rolled his eyes.
"As you can see, Mister Weasley," said Snape, "my daughter does have a sick sense of humor despite her many protests. Isn't so funny now, is it?"
"Not entirely," Ron admitted.
"You two are far too sensitive," said Kali. Snape gave her a pointed glare before going back to grading the exams.
The Hogwarts Express rolled into Hogsmeade sometime around six o'clock. Carriages were waiting to take the students back to Hogwarts, fully refreshed from the holiday break. Draco had barely begun to unpack, now in his dormitory in Ravenclaw, when David came bounding in and plopped himself down amid the mess Draco sprawled across his bed.
"How was your holiday?" asked David, who had stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas. Draco shrugged.
"Good. Harry attached an arm to a broom so it could catch the Snitch for me," said Draco. David looked at him blankly. "Er - I guess you wouldn't get it. How was your holiday? Something happened. I can tell by that smirk you're parading about."
"It's not a smirk, and I'm not parading, but something did happen over break. Blaise decided to stay here, you know."
"Yeah, I know. His mum went to visit Blaise's sister in Ireland at the last minute. Blaise didn't fancy going with as his baby sister never stops crying. Why? Does this something have to do with one Blaise Zabini?"
"Perhaps," said David, cocking an eyebrow and smirking. "What do you think?"
"I think it did. Spill."
"Okay. We shagged. Twice. And now we're together."
Draco seemed to brighten at this news. "Does that mean he's off my back and won't be making Harry paranoid as he watches his every move?"
David shrugged. "I guess. I'll keep him preoccupied."
"You do that. Please. I love Blaise but he drives me bloody crazy." David laughed at Draco's words.
"Well he doesn't drive me crazy, and that's what really matters."
"You would say that," joked Draco.
Once he was unpacked, they met up with Terry, Padma, Mandy, and Lisa in the common room. The six went down to the Great Hall together for dinner and, once there, Draco soon found Blaise joining them. Draco was glad to see Blaise happy and, more importantly, having something better to do than dig in his business. Nosy was never a good look on Blaise, anyway. It was something he should leave to the professionals, like Harry. The rest of the seventh year Ravenclaws had taken the news well, and Blaise was especially pleased with Draco's approval.
He had just finished eating when a voice behind him said, "Mister Malfoy."
Turning around, Draco saw Dumbledore standing behind him. Forming a smile, Draco said, "Hello, Professor."
"If you're finished here, Draco, perhaps you would like to accompany me to my office. I believe we have some matters to discuss regarding your studies."
Draco gave a short nod. "Yes, sir. I'll see you guys later in the common room."
"See you, Draco," Mandy called, as Draco got up and left with Dumbledore, an assortment of good-byes chorusing behind him.
The walk to Dumbledore's office was in silence just as their last walk had been right before Draco's resorting. It had all seemed like such a long time ago to Draco that he had gone to the headmaster's office with a request to leave Slytherin, and yet it seemed like only yesterday. Things were like that a lot lately, especially once a day when Draco would take a shower and have to stare at the faded scars covering his skin.
"Licorice Wand," Draco could vaguely heard Dumbledore say. They went up the spiral staircase, Draco coming after the headmaster, and they entered the circular office.
As they entered, all the portraits turned their attention to the entrance, peering at Draco and whispering to each other until Dumbledore silenced them. The headmaster took a seat behind his desk and peered at Draco over the top of his half-moon spectacles. Fawkes turned his head, also to inspect the visitor, and Draco ruffled the bird's feathers before sitting down. Part of him was starting to feel like the suicidal boy in the zoo again.
"Sherbet Lemon?" asked Dumbledore, holding a bowl of sweets out to Draco. He shook his head.
"No thank you, sir," he replied.
"Welcome back to school, Mister Malfoy. I understand you spent the holiday with Sirius Black and Professor Lupin."
"Yes, I went with Harry."
"Your boyfriend," said Dumbledore, nodding. Draco could feel himself starting to blush. "I trust you found the holidays enjoyable and are prepared to resume study. How are things going in Ravenclaw?"
"I'm adjusting about as well as I can."
"I'm pleased to hear it. You're having no problems, then?"
Draco shook his head. "None at all, sir. In fact, I'm doing a lot better than I have been in over a year. No problems in the least."
"That brings us to the most important matter, then. You are still doing your independent study, tying up a few loose ends, I presume. As you know, the new term begins in two weeks and I believe you had shown some interest in rejoining lessons upon the start of new term. Are you still interested?"
"Yes, sir. Very much so."
"You understand that you would have to follow the Ravenclaw class schedule instead of the Slytherin as you have transferred?"
"Yes, sir. I'd still like to get back to my regular classes. The independent study was good for me at the time, but now . . . well, I think I'd just like to get back to something that's somewhat familiar."
Nodding, Dumbledore said, "That is fine. Your professors will be informed of your decision, the proper alterations will be made, and you will return to classes on the fifteenth of January. Your new timetable will be sent by owl closer to that date, if it suits you."
"It's perfect. Thank you."
"No need for thanks, Mister Malfoy. It is my job to make sure my students are being taken care of. If there are any questions you may have in there future or a problem arises, please don't hesitate to come see me. You could also go to any one of the other professors. As he is your new Head of House, I'm sure Professor Flitwick would be more than happy to offer you assistance, and there still is always the option of Professor Snape. The trust you hold for him does not have to waver merely because you've transferred houses."
"I never thought it did, sir, but I'll keep what you said in mind. If I have any questions or problems, I'll ask someone to help me instead of holding it in and cutting myself to deal. That is what you're saying, isn't it?"
A kind smile curled over the headmaster's lips as he looked at Draco, his trademark twinkle prevalent in his eyes. That was what he had been saying, wasn't it? Draco was sure he hadn't completely lost it enough to become that paranoid. Dumbledore's head cocked to the side, about to speak, and Draco braced himself for the worst.
"Perhaps I am saying something of the sort," said Dumbledore, choosing his words carefully. "I do not want to see any of my students in such a position, and between the two of us, it pains me to have seen you there twice. Your record is against you, and I do not want to see you back in that position for a third."
"I don't particularly care to be in that position, Professor," said Draco, shifting, "but I will give you my word to seek help if I start to feel depressed."
"Then I can ask no more of you. Thank you for your time, Mister Malfoy, and please keep in touch."
"Yes, sir." Draco gave a short nod before heading out the door, down the staircase, and back into the hall. Students were shuffling down the halls, stragglers who had yet to head back to their common rooms before curfew. Shoving his hand in his pockets, Draco headed off in the direction of the Ravenclaw common room, his robes audibly swishing around his feet as he walked.
~*~
The two weeks between the return from the holidays and the start of second term had its highs, lows, and events (however significant or insignificant) for every student attending Hogwarts. Hermione had been going crazy with her homework and obsessing over her N.E.W.T.s. She could be found most nights behind a large pile of book in the Gryffindor common room or in a corner of the library, color coding notes and repeatedly dragging her fingers through her hair. Ron and Kali had taken to studying together in the privacy of the Head Boy room, sticking to the schedule Hermione had mapped out for them. On the seventh of January, two weeks after confessing their love for each other, their school books had laid forgotten as they made love for the first time. Kali, somehow, didn't think the shagging jokes were going to be a part of her daily routine anymore.
Draco and Harry, however, had found themselves in a world solely theirs. On one of Harry's many after-hour treks around the castle, he had come upon an empty, abandoned classroom on the fifth floor. They had decided to make it their own, and could be found studying there almost every night. It gave them the quiet Draco and Harry both craved, a chance to be away from judgment of their peers, and other distractions. In addition, it gave them the privacy Draco needed on his bad days when all he could do was cry and hang on to Harry, his only hopes being to make it to tomorrow. Those days would take a toll on them both, and Harry struggled, wishing there was something he could do to make things better for Draco.
The Monday before Draco was scheduled to return to classes and second term would start, Colin Creevy and a Ravenclaw sixth year, Amanda Driver, left Hogwarts on an exchange program. In their place came Allison Monroe and the dreaded Servius Atwater. Kali had glared at her cousin through the Sorting, and Draco was willing to bet that Sorting Hat was loving Hogwarts this year, getting used so much. Allison had been a Ravenclaw, but Servius had been made a Hufflepuff. The jokes were never going to stop. Draco almost felt bad for the boy. Then again, it was only almost.
