Last Time
No one had cared before. No one had taken the time to make sure that he was safe, or happy. In fact, there had been those who had known, who had seen the signs, those few who he had told, and they hadn't done a damn thing to help him. Why shouldn't he have seized the Malfoys' adoption and support with both hands? Why shouldn't he bask in their love and care for him? Why shouldn't he take all of their advice and guidance? He deserved it and he was finally coming to realise that this is what a family was meant to be like. This is what he should have had all along. He would not now, or ever, willingly give this up. Never.
Chapter Thirty-Seven – The Festive Season
It seemed a waste to come back to school for a mere week before they would head home for the winter holidays, but Harry knew that if he wrangled another week out of his schoolwork then he would fall behind and he couldn't afford to allow that to happen now that his tiny amount of free time had been quickly filled up again.
He had eaten breakfast at home on the Monday morning, after a late night that had almost gotten him into trouble as he hadn't wanted to leave Rabastan even if it was only for a mere week, but he was feeling tired and slow now as a result of his late night and early morning combination, entirely his own fault of course, but he couldn't regret it too much as he'd spent his time snuggling with Rabastan and sharing soft kisses that had made Rodolphus so uncomfortable he'd had to leave the room.
Harry Apparated back to his own rooms within Hogwarts and packed up his satchel with the books and homework assignments he needed, but for the most part, he had been let off most of his late-week assignments last week in preparation for the court trial at the weekend so he didn't have many pieces of homework to hand in, but all of the ones he did have were completed to his usual high standard.
He made his way down to the Great Hall. He had a little time before their first lesson, Charms, and he wanted to catch up with Draco and maybe gulp down a quick cup of tea to see if it could actually rouse him a little more.
"There you are." Draco called out, making to stand, but Harry waved him back down before sitting beside him.
"Everything is fine." He assured Draco first and foremost.
"You didn't come back to the castle." Draco said worriedly.
"Father apologised to me for his behaviour in the Wizengamot and he convinced me to go home for the weekend, as originally planned."
"Xerxes?"
"He has also apologised and both have assured me that nothing like that will ever happen again. I will hold them to that declaration firmly. They will not get a second chance from me."
"You have made up with Rabastan?" Blaise asked, but he was looking at the very familiar blue tungsten ring on Harry's finger.
Harry smiled. "I have, yes. I got the apologies I sought and Xerxes knows that if he dares go against me in public again that it will affect the continuation of his bloodline. I love Rabastan, but I will not be disrespected by my in-laws."
"How was the trial?" Theo asked him, his tone gentle and soft, aware that Harry might not want to speak of it.
Harry shook his head. "As awful as I imagined. There were no Dementors though, which I can only consider a plus given how the rest of it went. They interrogated me for hours, but that wasn't even the worst part of the weekend."
"What happened?" Draco asked protectively.
"Dumbledore meddled again, of course." Harry told those grouped around him softly. "He took exception to me changing my mind and going home for the weekend."
"It was your decision to make where you felt most comfortable after the trial!" Astoria cut in, furious on his behalf.
"What did he do?" Draco demanded.
"He ran to the Law Enforcers with allegations of child abuse. It will likely be in tomorrow's papers as father is furious, but they raided the manor yesterday looking for evidence of my abuse."
All of their eyes widened in horror and disbelief.
"Rabastan?" Blaise questioned quietly.
Harry shook his head. "I was warned the night before by my Order spy. The Lestranges were safely out of the manor by the time the Law Enforcers raided it and we were more prepared because of it, which was a good thing in the end. Their leader slipped and named me as a child, so I immediately invoked my right to parental representation, as was my legal right. But I was questioned, I was checked for spells and potions, then I was carted to Saint Mungo's for a physical exam with a whole team of healers while I was watched like an insect by the Law Enforcers, who felt the need to give a running commentary on my body and what it looked like, and if that wasn't bad enough, after that I had to have a mental evaluation by a mind healer!"
"They literally tried everything they could to split you from your family." Theo said, disgusted.
Harry nodded. "That was their ultimate goal, I'm sure. Dumbledore was behind it. He's lost control of me and because of Marcus' runes, his little ploy to dose me with mind-controlling potions has failed. He hasn't been able to regain control of me and this was a very desperate attempt to try to split me from my new family in order to isolate me. I fell to his bidding the last time I was isolated and alone, left in the muggle world with no clue as to who I actually was, so he hoped it would work again if only he could split me from the Malfoys."
"I take it that as you stayed at home for the rest of the weekend that all his attempts failed?" Draco asked worriedly.
Harry nodded and hummed, taking a deep drink of tea. "Yes. Nothing was found. They couldn't find any recent signs of abuse, naturally, and the mind healer, a very nice, patient man named Sebastian Vasey, actually told them that he thought it would be the worst thing possible for me to be removed from my adoptive family."
"I'm so sorry that this happened to you, Harry." Astoria told him gently.
Harry gave her a smile for noticing how bothered he was by it all. "It was expected." He sighed, taking another sip of tea. "Dumbledore wants his little figurehead back within his grasp. I just didn't expect him to accuse the Malfoys of child abuse, not after he knew what the Dursleys were like and how they treated me. The results of that is what lead to me being adopted in the first place." Harry gave a humourless smile. "It's just funny, in a backwards way, that I was left to rot with the Dursleys, being starved, beaten, made to work like a house-elf, and locked in a cupboard and not one person cared or did anything to stop it, but now that I'm with a family who are loving and supportive, now suddenly the allegations of child abuse start. Where were they when I actually needed them?"
"Don't rile yourself up thinking of it." Draco said soothingly. "You're where you belong now and you're doing so well. Look how far you've come in a little over a year."
Harry smiled and finished the rest of his tea. He reached towards a fruit bowl and he took a banana.
"It wasn't all bad." He insisted, even as he peeled the fruit. "Healer Vasey wants to keep seeing me and I agreed that maybe it's for the best given what I've been through. My body is finally healthy and where it should be, I've decided it's time that my mind is the same."
"That's wonderful news, Harry." Pansy told him, smiling.
"Mother and father are pleased too. They've been trying to get me to see a mind healer since I joined the family, I'm just a little stubborn."
Here his friends all laughed at what was likely an understatement and Harry smiled.
"It took me being forced by the Law Enforcers to go and see one, but I liked Healer Vasey, he was very calm and there was just something about the way he spoke, how he was willing to just sit and listen to me, that made me want to open up…to an extent at least. But he thought I'd benefit from speaking to him more and I agreed, so all that spare time I'd freed up by getting rid of Marcus and his tutoring is now going to go to therapy, but I don't really mind. It's important."
They were spared from the oddly heavy, rather private topic of conversation by the ringing of the bell, signalling they had to head to their first lesson. Harry jammed the last piece of banana into his mouth and grabbed a glass of pumpkin juice to wash it down before picking up his bag and walking with Draco to Charms.
Harry gave Dumbledore points for not dragging him to his office the moment he got back to the castle, but he wasn't overly surprised when he received the note from Professor McGonagall to go to the Headmaster's office after lessons on Tuesday evening.
He considered refusing. He considered flooing Lucius to ask him to come and stand witness for him, but then he thought that perhaps it might be about the Horcruxes. It was unlikely, but it was a possibility, so Harry decided to go alone, but he couldn't hide how unhappy he was. Dumbledore had once again meddled in his life and tried to have him removed from the Malfoys' care. To him, it was unforgivable.
Still…Harry was going to be a little shit about the orders given to him and he ate dinner before he went to the man's office. He took his time as well and he didn't rush himself.
He was well-fed and a little sleepy by the time he reached the seventh floor. He'd prefer to be going back to his rooms to do some homework before he went to bed, but instead, here he was, knocking once before opening the door without being bid. Since being adopted he'd found all of the small, niggling ways he could be rude without being rude enough for anyone to call him out on it.
"You wished to see me?" Harry asked, walking across the office and sitting himself in a chair without waiting to be offered a seat.
"I did, Harry, yes."
"What is this about?" Harry asked, maintaining eye contact and daring the man to mention the raid and child abuse allegations.
"I am sorry for what happened over the weekend, Harry."
"Are you?" Harry asked venomously. "Are you sorry that you tried to ruin my life yet again by telling lies to the Law Enforcers or are you sorry that they found absolutely nothing and I have to stay there?"
"I cannot help you if you don't ask for it." Dumbledore told him softly.
"Help with what?" Harry demanded. "I am safe. I'm well looked after and properly supported. What do you think I need help with?"
"They are Death Eaters, Harry. I am very concerned for your wellbeing."
Harry inhaled deeply. "They have shown me nothing but love and care. Your concern is misplaced."
"I am worried that they're just biding their time, Harry. Voldemort has returned, you can't deny this. Not to me. I fear that they are under orders from Voldemort and he will kill you when the time is right."
That was a legitimate fear as Harry himself had thought it in the beginning, but he knew better now.
"You need to trust me and my judgement." He said sternly.
"I am afraid that your judgement has been compromised, Harry. That is why I asked the Law Enforcers to check on your safety."
"They found nothing! I even had to go to the hospital to see a team of healers and a mind healer! They found no spells, no curses, no potions, nothing!" Harry snapped. "I am fed up with the games! I don't want to be in the middle of this game of tug-of-war any longer. Just…just leave me alone."
"I can't do that, Harry. You know I can't."
"Then I'm going to be left with no choice but to report you and your behaviour to the school governors and to the Minister when they are duly elected in a few weeks."
Dumbledore just gave him a sad, disappointed look, but it had long since stopped working on him and Harry felt nothing but vindictive rage. Dumbledore deserved all of this and more for meddling in his life and for trying to take him away from the Malfoys.
"I am trying to help you, Harry. To prepare you for what is to come."
"Don't bother." Harry said angrily. "The Malfoys have done more for me in less than a year and a half than you have ever done for me in my entire life! I am happy, I am healthy, I have a future and I'm working on my future career and helping my community."
"So you will be willingly blind to the coming war? You will just ignore it until it is too late and make it that much easier for Voldemort to take over?"
"Your opinions and theories are your own." Harry said.
"Do not do this, Harry." Dumbledore burst out, showing the first signs of emotion. "The war has already begun. Rufus Scrimgeour was assassinated and this election is the first sign of the war to come. Pius Thicknesse is a puppet acting on Voldemort's orders."
Harry scoffed, even as he knew it was the truth.
"Harry, you must listen because it is the truth."
"Rufus Scrimgeour was killed by a crazed man who wanted revenge for his relative being locked up in Azkaban."
The Prophet had reported this last month, that the Aurors had found the one responsible for killing their Head of Department and that the man had 'confessed' to his crime. Harry knew it was a set-up, but he didn't care as it kept Rabastan, the actual perpetrator, safer.
"This is a lie."
"Oh, go figure, the newspapers lying again and printing false headlines. What would I know about that?" Harry demanded savagely. "At least they interviewed the criminal and he confessed! Some would say that a confession is the ultimate proof of guilt."
"Confessions can be coerced."
"By Aurors?" Harry questioned. "The supposed 'good guys' of the Ministry who catch all the bad wizards? I am aware that the newspapers lie, that gossip magazines print entirely fabricated stories, but you're asking me to believe that Aurors would lie and pin the blame for a murder on a man who hadn't committed this crime because…why? They've questioned this man, his confession must match up with the injuries done to Scrimgeour and they must have had a reason to question him in the first place, or have you forgotten that I know how the laws work now?"
"Scrimgeour was murdered by Death Eaters, Harry." Dumbledore insisted quietly. "He was going to run for Minister and Voldemort had him taken out as he was too much of a threat."
"I'm sorry, but I would think that Amelia Bones is more of a threat to the campaign than some old Auror." Harry said cuttingly. "Why hasn't she been murdered if that is what you think happened to Scrimgeour?"
"I am not sure, though I am worried that she will be killed just before the election, which will leave Thicknesse as the only candidate, making him Minister by default."
"That isn't how the election works!" Harry snapped angrily. "If either candidate dies before the election then another candidate will be chosen and the campaign will start anew."
"We have been without a Minister for almost half a year, Harry. The election can't be put off for much longer."
"It will be put off for however long it takes to pick the next Minister. That is the law."
"The Wizengamot can circumvent the laws, as you know yourself."
Harry tried not to show any outward signs of just how distressed he'd been when that innocent vampire had been executed. No crimes had been committed, but still the Wizengamot had vetoed the laws and voted to execute him regardless.
"As you know yourself." Harry stated harshly. "How many people didn't even get trials when you were in charge?"
Dumbledore had the grace to look uncomfortable with Harry's questioning.
"The Wizengamot is full of Purebloods. It is not always possible to redirect them or influence their voting habits."
"You could have done more." Harry insisted. "Sirius never had a trial and you left him to rot."
"I truly believed that he was the secret keeper for your parents, Harry. I performed the spell myself."
"You never wanted to know why he'd turned on them? You never thought to question him? You decided that he was guilty, so he didn't even warrant a trial? Is that justice? That is what you did to an innocent man while you were in charge of the Wizengamot, so don't you dare try to tell me how the Wizengamot works or how it should operate."
"I will admit that I have made mistakes…"
"Too many of them." Harry said angrily, unrelentingly. "The worst of them was putting me with the Dursleys. That was on you. Sirius was on you!"
"My intentions have only ever been towards the greater good."
"The thing about the greater good, about the bigger picture, is that you stop seeing people as people, you stop seeing them as individuals! You instead see them as pieces to be moved, to be sacrificed at the right time just for other people that you've declared more important to survive. You have no care for the lives you ruin or the misery you sow, as long as you get the results you want. I won't have that for myself. I want no part in any of your schemes or plots and I'm removing myself from your grasp and your intentions to murder me!"
A tear shone on Dumbledore's cheek, but Harry remained unmoved.
"I believed I was doing the right thing for you by placing you with your only remaining blood family."
"Blood means nothing when they abuse you!" Harry raged, leaping to his feet and slamming his hands down on the desk in front of him. "Do you think I give a damn about the Dursleys after how they treated me? Do you think I care about them? That I love them? I don't! That place was never my home, it was a prison! I went there to suffer and you allowed it. You sent me back year after year, knowing I wasn't happy, that I didn't want to go there, and you still sent me back!"
"I didn't know how bad it was, Harry. You must believe me."
"You didn't want to know!" Harry hissed. "You ignored me, you didn't even come to check that I was being treated well. You didn't care how I was treated as long as I was still alive to do your bidding with Voldemort!"
Harry was panting. He was so angry that he couldn't keep control of himself or his emotions. He tried to calm his breathing, but he couldn't.
"I'm done." He said, still hissing, almost slipping into Parseltongue. "I want no part of any of this. No part of your war. I want nothing to do with you! I will take my exams in just five months and then I will graduate in June. Do not speak to me, stop dragging me to your office for talks, I want no part of any of it!"
"You know that Voldemort won't leave you alone, Harry. I fear for you."
"Don't." Harry snapped. "I've made my own choices this time. This is what I have decided for myself. You saw me to harm and suffering. The same as you did with Sirius! Your good intentions got him killed and would have seen me dead also, all for your idea of the greater good. I'm not going to allow that to happen. I am breaking all ties with you and if you carry on seeking me out, I'll have you removed from the Headmaster's position!"
"Harry, please. It needs to be done."
"Find someone else to be your toy. I'm done being played with."
Harry turned and went for the door. He was half expecting to be attacked, but Dumbledore just sat at his desk, crying silently. Harry shut the door behind him and headed back to his rooms. He needed to send a letter to Lucius immediately, just in case Dumbledore tried anything in the coming months. Perhaps it would be in the New Year, after Harry had come back from the winter break, but he refused to leave things to chance, not when things were finally going his way and his future was looking brighter.
Harry had made it to the end of the week without any more talks with Dumbledore. In fact, there were rumours that Dumbledore had left the castle on 'urgent' business but Harry didn't really care as he settled into a train carriage with Draco, Blaise, Theo, Astoria, and Luna. He had Kreacher to spy on the Order at Grimmauld Place so if Dumbledore was there making plans then Harry would know soon enough, but it was more likely that he was hunting the Horcruxes by himself given that Harry had refused any further trips to hunt them down when the destruction of each one took him that little bit closer to being murdered.
Harry had given Pansy a Christmas gift before he'd left, only something small, but he knew that she was going to miss the usual fanfare of Christmas as she was remaining in the castle, and had admittedly loved the pureblood parties over the winter break, and her parents had likely disowned her too, meaning no gifts for Christmas. Harry remembered what that felt like, so he wanted to make sure that she'd have at least one gift, though he would be disappointed if Giovanni didn't give a gift to the mother of his child. But Harry wasn't sure how their relationship was progressing outside of the contractual baby growing. He didn't know if Giovanni even liked Pansy, in which case he might not even think to give her presents.
It was four days now until the Christmas Eve Ball, which was being hosted by the Notts. Harry had a feeling that Theo's revenge on Daphne was going to take place there, as, from what Rabastan had told him, Theo had all but begged his father to insist that they hosted the ball this year.
Theo was too pleased with himself. He was almost bouncing. He definitely had something planned and he was eager for it to come to fruition. Harry couldn't wait.
"Why aren't you doing your homework like you did the last time?" Blaise asked him suspiciously.
"It's already done." Harry assured him. "Dumbledore is under close scrutiny from the governors and the teachers have been told to scale back how much homework we get."
"Is that why we had less? I thought they were actually being nice because it was Christmas." Theo said.
Harry shook his head. "I told Lucius and Xerxes about how much homework we were being set and Lucius took his concerns to the other governors. Particularly how many students had had breakdowns since the start of term. As students, we shouldn't be so stressed that we're having breakdowns all over the place. More than fifty students have had to go to the hospital wing since school started just three months ago. Xerxes called it a disgrace and father agreed. The governors have insisted that our workload be scaled back to a reasonable amount that can actually be completed in a few hours."
"Ah, so it's you we have to thank for it?" Blaise teased.
"The governors." Harry insisted pointedly. "But father was most displeased when I told him about what Snape, in particular, expected of us. His homework assignments alone took me ten hours before I started on any other subject. It's impossible to ask us to do ten hours of work for every subject before our next lesson, which might be the next day! It's no wonder so many of us have been feeling stressed or having breakdowns."
"I'm glad of it." Theo said. "I was starting to feel the strain myself."
"Half of that is due to my sister, I am sure." Astoria replied cattily. "I had heard that she'd slept with that Gryffindor."
"I hadn't heard this." Harry replied, frowning.
"That's because you're not a gossip and don't really care for it. But it was the boy below your year, Harry." Astoria told him. "I think his name is Daniel?"
Harry shook his head. "Daneel. Daneel Laurier. He's an alright guy, good at Gobstones, never had any interest in Quidditch, but he's not the sort of person I thought would turn Daphne's head."
"Everything with a pulse turns Daphne's head." Theo said angrily. "She went to Hogsmeade with a guy from Hufflepuff, then she was supposed to be with a younger Slytherin, now she's with Laurier all in the space of two weeks. I honestly can't keep up."
"When are you getting rid of her?" Blaise demanded.
"Yeah, you must know you're worth more." Draco added. "No offence, darling." He told Astoria.
Harry grinned, wondering when Astoria had become 'darling' but he tried not to tease Draco over his growing feelings for Astoria, he knew he could be the same with Rabastan. It was so sweet though to see their burgeoning relationship going from strength to strength, knowing that he had had a small hand in forcing Draco to pay more attention to his betrothed.
"None taken." Astoria assured him. "I have known for a long while what my sister is like. It was because of her behaviour that I never tried anything with anyone else. It was why I made the choice for myself to remain pure until my wedding day. I never wanted to be compared to her. I was embarrassed by her. I still am. I hate that she is my sister because her behaviour reflects badly onto me also."
"It does not." Harry told her. "Her actions are not your fault, Astoria. Believe me, I see you both as two different people."
"You are too kind, Harry." Astoria told him, though she was smiling. "Most wouldn't see us as different. The actions of one family member reflect on all family members. People think that I sleep around just because of Daphne's reputation. I have even had some people approach me for…for those sorts of things just because they think I am like Daphne."
Harry was horrified as Astoria was underaged.
"Who would dare?" He demanded angrily.
"It is not so many, and they have trailed off since I am always with Draco now." She replied, giving her betrothed a soft smile.
"I will look out for you more, is it while you are at Hogwarts or during the parties?"
Astoria was a little uncomfortable with the talk, but Harry was insistent and demanded an answer to his question.
"It is mostly during the parties. Some of the adults drink firewhiskey and they forget themselves under the influence. They are mostly old bedpartners of Daphne's who think I am like her and get off on having young girls in their beds. It's sickening."
"I will protect you during the parties." Draco assured her, two red spots of anger on his pale cheeks.
"I will keep an eye out too. They won't say such things to you ever again, Astoria. I'd rip them to shreds, I swear it." Harry said, just as angry.
Both Blaise and Theo also swore to look out for her. They all knew that she was nothing like Daphne, that such talk made her uncomfortable and that she shouldn't be exposed to it.
"You boys are all too protective." She complained, but she looked pleased too.
"Given what you've just told us, I think we have a right to be." Harry pointed out.
"I agree." Draco told her firmly. "They don't have the right to say such things to you and they will not in my presence or I'll curse them out of existence."
Astoria squirmed a little and Harry purposefully let the silence linger for a moment and then changed the subject.
"Rabastan has mentioned that he has a surprise for me over the winter." He said, aiming for casual, but Astoria shot him a grateful look regardless.
"Oh? Do you know what it might be?"
"Officially, no." Harry said with a smile.
"Unofficially?" Blaise prompted.
"I think he's chosen a honeymoon destination. He thinks that he's subtle, but he's really not." Harry chuckled. "He's been asking strange questions in his letters, things like if I'd ever been skiing, if I preferred hotter climates or colder, that sort of thing. He was fishing for information."
"Naturally you led him to your preferred destination." Astoria teased.
"Of course." Harry said with a grin. "Somewhere hot and sunny with beaches. I have no interest in skiing even if it is a pastime of the wealthy."
The mood calmed after Harry had changed the subject to something so light as his impending honeymoon, though he wasn't looking forward to the wedding planning he knew that Narcissa would force on him over Christmas. She would insist that his wedding was getting closer, that it was only seven months away and everything needed to be sorted well in advance. Harry sighed. At least Rabastan was helping out more now and he would likely have a massive stack of ideas for Harry to sort through after he'd rightfully pointed out that he had more to do than Rabastan did.
Unless Voldemort had a mission for his fiancé or gave him orders, he couldn't do anything or go anywhere as he was a fugitive and Harry had used that to get Rabastan to do more of the wedding planning. He had such a small amount of free time, now even less as he was going for therapy, and he'd pointed out how unfair it was to dump all the wedding preparations onto him as well. The final nail in the coffin had been Harry's threat of postponing the wedding for a year because he had too much on his plate to plan it. Rabastan had sworn that he would speak with Narcissa and that he would brainstorm ideas to take more of the pressure off of him. Harry greatly appreciated it and he would show as such by enduring the wedding planning with as much patience as he could muster once he got home.
"Are you sure you want me to make your wedding outfit, Harry?" Astoria asked shyly, and not for the first time either.
"I'm sure, Astoria. I don't know who else I would trust with it. I haven't been in these circles long enough and I wouldn't trust that someone else wouldn't ruin my wedding outfit or make me look stupid just to be petty. Don't feel overly pressured though, I like simple, minimalistic, nothing fancy or over the top. Just a nice suit and matching over robes. I've seen your designs and some of the pieces you've made and I like your style."
Astoria smiled and she nodded. "Okay, but I might have to borrow you for a few weekends when we get back, just so that I can get the fit and style right."
Harry nodded. "Anything you need. I just want mother to stop harassing me over it."
"No, I'm happy to do this for you. More than happy! I get to have Harry Potter, the Lord Potter-Black, wear my first ever released outfit for his wedding. It's a huge honour, Harry."
Harry felt his cheeks heating and he coughed. "I just want to get bloody married."
"How did you convince Rabastan to do the planning for you?" Blaise asked with a smirk.
Harry grinned. "I told him if he didn't then we might have to postpone the wedding because I was doing too much to fit the planning of it in as well."
The others laughed, because anyone who knew him and Rabastan knew that they could hardly wait for their wedding as it was. There was no way that either of them would willingly choose to wait any longer than absolutely necessary.
"I can't believe that he actually believed that!" Blaise laughed.
"I think it was more that he was afraid that I would keep my word. Or perhaps that I truly didn't have enough time to fit in the wedding planning and it wouldn't be ready in time. Either way, he has agreed to collect ideas and I will look them through with him now after Christmas."
"I am invited to your wedding, aren't I?" Luna asked.
Harry turned to her and kissed her cheek.
"You are absolutely invited, Luna. Everyone here is invited…except Draco."
"Excuse me, I am your brother!" Draco cut in, glaring at him.
Harry laughed. "Fine, but I don't want you commenting on my hair or anything."
"You…you are doing something with it though, aren't you?" Draco pleaded.
"Nah, I thought I'd leave it natural for my wedding. So that it's more true to real life, you know?"
"No, I don't know! You will be doing your hair perfectly for your wedding day, Harry!"
"Ack, now you sound like mother!" Harry teased.
"Wait until I tell her you don't want a stylist for your wedding day! She'll absolutely freak on you, she might even faint."
That worried Harry and he frowned, not pleased that any decision he might make would be devastating enough to make Narcissa actually faint. Maybe having a stylist wouldn't be so bad, but he refused, point blank, to do his hair in any sort of ridiculous style. He would not have pins, jewels, fake curls, hairnets, or a fucking tiara, which had been suggested once…and then promptly never brought up ever again after his anger almost broke the fine china.
They ignored the food trolley that came around, Harry still too nervous to eat after Dumbledore's plot to dose him with potions. Narcissa had sent him and Draco one of their 'monthly' care boxes just before they were due to come home filled with sweets, chocolate, sandwiches and pumpkin pasties. They had enough bottles of pumpkin juice to give The Three Broomsticks a run for their money and they even had homemade shortbread. One of the few recipes that Narcissa knew that had been passed down from mother to daughter through the Black bloodline. That she had actually taken the time to go into the kitchen at the manor to make him and Draco shortbread for the journey home almost had Harry tearing up.
Harry pulled out a book and he happily sat reading for a few hours. It was a long ride back, but he was excited to see Rabastan again, who would once again be waiting at the manor. He hoped that they got to go to The Garnet Swan during the holidays too. Rabastan had assured him that they would go out, just the two of them, and honestly, Harry had been spoilt. He absolutely loved The Garnet Swan, from the tasteful seasonal décor to the delicious food. Of course, it helped that it had become, in his mind at least, his and Rabastan's restaurant. Their go-to place to meet up and talk, and just spend some time together. Maybe it wasn't the restaurant at all and it was just spending time with Rabastan, but they could hardly test that theory when The Garnet Swan was about the only place they could meet in public and remain safe.
Harry was tired when the train finally pulled into London. He made sure that everything was packed, even as he stifled a yawn.
"We'll see you in four days." Theo was saying, then he turned and caught Harry in a small, one-armed hug and Harry made sure to hug Luna too, kissing her cheek.
"Have a nice break, Luna. We'll see you for the Winter Ball, yes?"
"Oh yes." Luna said with a wide smile. "I wouldn't miss it."
Harry gave her a soft smile and kissed her again, on the other cheek.
Theo helped Luna get her trunk down and then saw her from the train as Harry got his own trunk down, watching with a grin as Draco cast a featherweight charm and then carried both his and Astoria's trunks from the train while keeping her close to his body in the press of students rushing onto the platform.
Harry sighed and he followed after Draco. Lucius was easy to see as he was tall and platinum blonde. Harry made a beeline for him.
"Draco, there you are. Where is Harry?" Harry heard Lucius ask. He sounded stressed and anxious and Harry frowned.
"I'm here." He said, pushing his way through, still rather short for his age thanks to the Dursleys, but he was getting better.
Lucius' eyes swept over him, around the platform, and he put an arm around him as people started jostling too close.
Harvey Greengrass came to collect Astoria, nodding approvingly at Draco's protective position. He watched with impatience as Draco and Astoria had a rather lengthy goodbye.
"Come along, sweetheart. Your mother is waiting and you will see young Draco again in four days." Harvey insisted, taking his daughter's hand and giving her a gentle tug, his other hand picking up her trunk.
"I will see you soon, Astoria." Draco called after her.
"Are you both ready?" Lucius asked them.
"Yes, Father." Harry answered.
Lucius was being unduly protective of him as he was once again tucked under his father's arm and Harry wondered what had happened in the week he'd been away, but he didn't question his father or his behaviour in public, he just rolled with it despite being confused and concerned.
Draco noticed as well and he pulled in tight to Harry's other side, wrapping an arm around him as if to prevent Harry from being fucking abducted or something.
"Let us get you home quickly." Lucius said quietly, all but confirming that something had happened, or that he had information that something would happen. They shoved their way through to the floo banks, where a large queue had formed and Lucius tutted impatiently.
His grey eyes were restless, always moving as he checked every face near them, his hand tightening on Harry's shoulder and taking a small section of his jumper into a fist, clinging to him.
Harry was frankly worried and suspicious and he felt his own paranoia rear its head as he started looking around as if he knew what he was looking for.
"Harry, you go first." Lucius insisted as they reached the floo banks.
Lucius didn't let him go until it was time for Harry to actually step into the emerald flames.
Harry heaved out a relieved breath as the familiar receiving room met him and Narcissa was there to fuss over him.
"Did you have any trouble?" She asked worriedly.
Harry shook his head, almost trembling as she heaved out her own relieved sigh.
"What is happening?" He asked softly, feeling frightened.
The floo flared behind him and Narcissa pulled him protectively behind her, her wand in hand, but it was Draco who stepped through.
"Mother, what is it? Has someone tried to get to Harry?" He asked, just as worried.
"Wait for your father." Narcissa told them gently. "Harry, Rabastan is waiting for you in the parlour."
Harry nodded, but he was too nervous to leave. He wanted to know what was happening. He wanted to know what his parents had heard and why they were acting like an attack on him was imminent.
Lucius flooed in and he too heaved a sigh of relief.
"What's going on?" Harry asked uncertainly.
"Let us go to the parlour, Rabastan is worried about you." Lucius said, taking Harry's elbow and almost escorting him there.
Harry had to smile as he saw exactly how worried Rabastan was. He was even pacing, wrinkles etched into his forehead and around his mouth. Rabastan all but ran to him when he turned and saw him, his hands holding him tightly and pulling Harry into his chest.
"Okay, I've endured this enough in silence. Now just what is going on?"
"Severus paid us a visit last night." Lucius told him, settling into a chair, reaching for the small measure of firewhiskey that was waiting for him and taking a healthy sip. "Dumbledore, it seems, is fed up of waiting for your cooperation, especially after the events you described in your last letter. Severus told us that Dumbledore was planning to take you from the platform, from right under my nose."
Harry tried to dredge up some anger, but all he felt was tired and he sunk into Rabastan, who held him close and tight.
"He's getting desperate." Harry said quietly. "He tried to excuse the raid on the manor as concern for my welfare. He tried to tell me that you were all just biding your time until you handed me over to Voldemort. He knows that he's lost me as an ally. There's no way I'm going to let him murder me."
"He wants to murder you?" Draco demanded in a horrified whisper. "And you're still going to Hogwarts?!"
"He can't do it yet." Harry waved off and from Draco's increased look of horror, Harry was being too blithe about it all. "Don't forget, Draco, I'm used to people trying to kill me. Until I was adopted it was Voldemort trying to dispose of me. It was my own relatives whose abuses were getting so bad I thought I'd never get out of that house alive. Now it's Dumbledore. It's different people, but the sentiment is the same, I'm used to it."
"He won't get to touch you!" Rabastan insisted angrily.
"No, we have thwarted his attempts today." Lucius agreed.
"Did you see him?" Harry asked worriedly.
"Not him, but there was an unfamiliar person who didn't collect a child and didn't take his eyes off of you. Either he was one of Dumbledore's Order or he was Dumbledore himself disguised but Severus' information was correct, they were planning to snatch you, of that I'm certain."
Harry swallowed nervously and Rabastan bent his head to kiss him. It was becoming too real now. That Dumbledore had planned to snatch him and perhaps imprison him at Grimmauld Place, to dose him with potions, and when that didn't work, maybe curses and spells to get Harry to behave how he wanted.
Harry didn't want that for himself. The very thought of it made him sick, but the most apparent emotion he was feeling was white-hot rage. How dare anyone try to make him a puppet? How dare anyone think that they could treat him however they fucking wanted?! He'd had enough of being led around by the hand, he was digging his heels in and putting his foot down, no more. Never again.
"Dumbledore needs to be taken out." Rodolphus growled.
"Not even Voldemort could do it." Harry waved off. "It needs to be done more cleverly than just killing him. He needs to be taken down politically. Remove his power through his influence in the wizarding world, starting with the position of Headmaster. I did plenty to remove his power at the Ministry when I claimed my own birthright and got him kicked out of the Wizengamot. If his reputation is in tatters and he has no influence then we can get him thrown into Azkaban and then we can kill him there a lot easier than we can on the outside."
Rodolphus stared at him, almost in shock.
"He's trying to kill me, Dolphus. If it comes down to me or him, I'm going to make sure that it's him." Harry replied savagely.
"We cannot do this hastily. It has to be done gradually so that no one suspects." Lucius said, but he was considering the idea. "I can convince the governors to remove him as Headmaster given his treatment of you, Harry, but you might have to have an interview to tell them your complaints in your own words, are you willing to do as such?"
Harry nodded. "Yes. I want that man out of my life. He's trying to convince me to allow myself to be murdered! I won't have it."
"You can use the Law Enforcers' raid on the manor as an excuse, surely." Xerxes put in. "That was clearly harassment of a student under his care."
"He kept on at me to let him help me, to remove me from my family even though I kept telling him that wasn't what I wanted."
"Have him removed on harassment charges, then we can slowly build a case against him and have him in Azkaban, where most of his power will be drained away. We could even have a rogue Dementor do it." Xerxes mused.
"Enough talk of this." Narcissa cut in. "This is a time for celebration and festivity. Harry is here safely, we can plan how to be rid of Dumbledore after the New Year, but I don't want my boys to miss out because of this."
Harry smiled at her and let out a heavy sigh, turning into Rabastan and cuddling in.
"I missed you." Harry told him.
Rabastan smiled at him, a nice, soft smile that Harry loved.
"You saw him a week ago!" Draco complained.
"Excuse me, you have your betrothed with you at Hogwarts. You can see Astoria every day and I can't even meet Rabastan in public. He can't even visit on Hogsmeade weekends. All I have is a few hours after Wizengamot meetings unless I have another health scare or another trial. You won't even have the chance to miss Astoria before you see her again, though please, let me know how you deal with it next year when you've graduated and she is in her final year at Hogwarts."
Draco just laughed and Harry sniffed and turned back to Rabastan.
"At least I won't be the one dealing with a wedding and babies next year." Draco pointed out with a grin.
That unexpectedly made Harry go all soft inside. The thought of his first child…the start of his own blood family…it excited him and his heart felt swollen with love.
"I can't wait for our first baby." He admitted.
"You had better!" Narcissa told him, suddenly as stern as Professor McGonagall. "No babies before you are married, Harry. I mean it!"
Harry laughed. "What if our baby is born…?"
"No!" Narcissa cut in before he'd finished his sentence, which went against all of her previous lessons on etiquette and it amused him greatly.
Harry laughed harder. "We're getting married in seven months, even if we conceived them now, they wouldn't be born before we are married, so…"
"NO!" Narcissa told him sternly. "No, Harry, you will be responsible and focus on your studies first. You will pass all of your exams and you will graduate. You will be married and then, only then, can you conceive your first child."
"Do you need a talking to again?" Lucius asked him, making a play at sounding displeased, but those grey eyes were amused.
"Oh, hell no! Once was bad enough." Harry said with a giggle.
"We will content ourselves with picking baby names for now." Rabastan assured the elder Malfoys.
"Rabdolphus Lestrange." Harry said, trying to keep a straight face and then laughing.
"I think that Rodastan Lestrange works better." Rabastan insisted.
Harry laughed so hard that he had tears forming.
"It is a disgrace that you find the naming traditions of our ancient bloodline so amusing." Rodolphus told them, but he had that glitter in his dark eyes that Harry knew meant he was teasing, even if his growly tone sounded like a warning.
"What would you name a child then?" Harry asked, still huffing, trying to control his laughter.
"Clearly Rodolphastan is the superior name."
Harry lost it and he laughed so hard that the tears finally fell.
"I notice that you are picking all boys' names, what if you have a daughter?" Xerxes asked them, also clearly amused with them all.
"Rodina." Harry replied without hesitation.
"Oh, I see you already have a girl's name picked out, is that perhaps why you are having such fun with the boys' names?"
Harry grinned. "It's too much fun playing with the boys' names."
"Whatever makes you happy, darling." Narcissa told him, smiling. "Would you like some tea before dinner?"
Harry hummed. "Yes, please."
Harry sat back, resting on Rabastan, just absorbing the comfort of his fiancé. Pimsey arrived with tea and Harry made himself a cup, waiting for dinner. They had four days before the Christmas Eve Gala and five days before Christmas Day. Harry was ready for it and he was excited to be back with his family for the seasonal celebrations. Dumbledore and his schemes could wait.
Albus was sitting at the table in Grimmauld Place, wondering how things could have gone so wrong. He had lost complete control of Harry and despite his best efforts, he couldn't regain that control. It had been a year and a half, a little less than that actually, and all of his plans were in the dust.
He had hoped that by telling Harry about the Horcruxes, and about himself being one, that it would spurn him back to his side to defeat Voldemort but it had had the opposite effect.
Harry truly was beyond his reach now that the Malfoys had sunk their claws in deep. They were filling Harry's head with all sorts of ideas and now Harry had lost sight of all that Dumbledore had been attempting to teach him. There was nothing more that he could do to convince Harry to work with him, so other measures now needed to be employed.
The locket in the cave had been false. He couldn't find who had known, besides him, about the Horcruxes. He couldn't find the real locket. If he couldn't find and destroy all of the other Horcruxes then there was no hope. Without Harry, there was no hope for them. He had lost all control and Harry refused to do as asked, so now it was past time to move on to plans that didn't require Harry's cooperation.
"Did you get the boy?" Severus asked, holding a glass tumbler of potion in his hands.
Dumbledore looked at Severus closely, the dour man was even more sour than usual and his sallow appearance seemed even worse in the flickering candles of the basement kitchen.
"You look tired, Severus."
"I spent all night brewing this potion. I've had an hour of sleep because of Potter. Where is he? This needs to be taken within the hour or it'll have been a waste."
Dumbledore closed his eyes.
"You didn't get him?" Severus snapped angrily, slamming the potion tumbler onto the table.
"Lucius, it seems, is even more protective of him than first imagined. He kept Harry under his arm from the moment he stepped off the train until he was through the floo and Harry and young Draco had an arm around one another. There wasn't an opportunity."
"That was your only opportunity, Albus! Couldn't you have stunned the Malfoys and taken him?"
"There were too many people on the platform. I had hoped for subtlety."
"So when subtlety was lost, you did nothing?!" Severus demanded angrily. "You could have come to me and told me. I've spent the last four hours standing over a cauldron, watching this potion for just the right consistency just to stir it, and you didn't even bother to tell me that you hadn't gotten Potter!"
"I am sorry, Severus. You are right, I should have told you. I am just so upset for Harry. He is trapped and he doesn't even realise it."
"You were expecting some sort of insight from Potter?" Severus sneered.
"He has changed in the last year and a half, I know that you've seen it, even if you don't want to admit it."
"He is quieter and less rude, at least." Severus allowed.
"We will lose this war without him, Severus."
"Then you should have grabbed him when you had the chance, regardless of how many witnesses there were. I gave you Polyjuice potion, no one would have known it was you. Potter could be here, having this potion stuffed down his miserable throat, and all of your problems would have vanished."
"I did not want to use violence against him, Severus."
"You're planning to kill him, Albus!" Severus snapped. "How much more violent can you be?"
"It is a necessary conclusion, but that does not mean we have to be cruel to him."
"You're setting him up like a pig to slaughter, yet you baulk at kidnap?"
"I had hoped that it wasn't needed." Albus said sharply. "I had hoped I would have no need to take him, nor dose him with potions."
"Yet here we are." Severus replied, stepping back and leaving the innocent-looking tumbler on the table, the murky potion within catching the candlelight.
"Harry is being difficult, he doesn't understand that everything I have planned is for the greater good. Lucius Malfoy has undone fifteen years of work and while Harry remains with him, under his poisonous influence, we have no hope."
"So where do we go from here? How do we save Lily's son while you are still so insistent on babying him?"
"It will be more risky, but it will have to be done at Hogwarts."
"You will be the main suspect, Albus! Lucius will immediately call you into question."
"That is why you will be the one to do it." Albus insisted.
"I will immediately be under suspicion as the Potion's Professor!" Severus raged.
"There is no one else. We are running out of time, Severus. Once Harry graduates in June, we will have no opportunity to do this. It has to be in the next five months, failure will mean the destruction of our world as we know it. It will mean uncountable dead, innocent lives lost, innocent children and muggles too."
"You would see me to prison!" Severus snapped angrily. "Or is that for the greater good as well?"
"I can protect you."
"I won't do it. You will have to find someone else. I have done much, I don't like Potter, he's an arrogant brat, but I will not put myself in Azkaban for him."
"Severus, please."
"No. I know that I owe an unpayable debt. I know that my past mistakes are being held over me, but you cannot ask this of me. To willingly risk myself going to Azkaban. You are the one that lost control of him, not me."
"The Malfoys gave Harry dreams, they gave him aspirations. Why would he ever want to sacrifice anything when he has a fiancée? When he has plans for children? When he is planning out his future career? The war and what needs to be done cannot compete with that."
"You purposefully left him in an abusive home so that he wouldn't have anything to live for?" Severus asked softly.
"It was needed. It was for the greater good, Severus, and Harry needs to be made to see that."
"An impossible task." Severus insisted.
"It is now." Albus agreed. "Hence the need for this." Here he pointed to the potion still on the table.
"I will not be the one to dose him. I will not risk Azkaban for anyone, not even you."
"If only Remus hadn't slipped and sent that letter to Miss Granger, I could have lured Harry here and gotten Remus to do it."
"I warned you that the effects of that potion on a werewolf were untested. Too little and he would know what you had done and he would warn Potter. Too much and he would become overly concerned and act independently of your orders. The dosage is too fine a margin to mess around with near the full moon. You were concerned that he didn't have enough as he was acting strangely, so I dosed him again and the results were worse."
Albus sighed wearily. "I was worried that the effects of the full moon were throwing off the potion and that he would tell Harry. I need a way for them both to reconcile, so that Remus can dose Harry here."
"Potter was never one to cut those he sees as family out lightly. The Weasley brats turned on him first, as did Granger. Potter kept coming to see the wolf because he didn't turn on him and that was why we chose to use him to get to Potter. Have Lupin send the brat a letter of apology, ask the boy to come here for an in-person apology and Potter might just be swayed, even if he comes just to yell, that is the only opening we'll need."
Albus sat in thought, thinking through the idea.
"It is the only way." He sighed sadly. "We will need to carefully dose Remus again. I am sorry to have asked you to brew this potion only for it to go to waste, but I need to ask you to do it again."
"The potion will only last two hours after the brewing is completed or it will expire. It has to be made to be ready on the day that Potter comes. The wolf will have to give Potter a date and we have to hope that Potter adheres to it."
"I believe a consequence of Harry being raised in a pureblooded society is that a heavy influence is placed upon punctuality. I am sure that if given a date and a time then Harry will abide by it."
"I will brew the potion for the wolf, then. Get Lupin to write the letter personally, Potter knows his handwriting by now. I need at least five days' warning before the meeting in order to brew the potion meant for Potter."
"I do not believe that Harry would come before Christmas. Nor do I think he would miss out on the festivities he apparently so enjoys with the purebloods now. I will make the date for the third or fourth of January, just before he is due back at Hogwarts for the new term. With some luck, with the rush to get the boys back for their new term, nothing amiss will be noticed with Harry's behaviour."
"We are leaving a lot to chance and luck, Albus." Severus snapped. "If we fail, we could both end up in Azkaban."
"It will not be us doing anything, Severus, but Remus. He will be the one to write the letter to Harry inviting him around and he will be the one to dose him. Harry will never know that either of us were involved."
"I believe that that might be too blindly hopeful."
"Perhaps. He may even suspect, but he will have no proof of anything and once he is dosed, we can keep him that way and he will not question me again. But this needs to be done, Severus. We cannot win this war without him and the sacrifice he needs to make for the rest of the world."
"What do you intend to do about the Malfoys?"
"I will keep Harry in Hogwarts for the rest of the year. Once he graduates in June, they will be unable to do anything. He will be a legal adult and no longer a schoolboy. Harry will be free to do as he pleases."
"If Lucius demands to have Harry removed from the school?"
"I will refuse on the grounds of the safety of my students, the same as I am refusing Lord Parkinson to remove his daughter, Pansy. She does not want to leave the school for fear for herself and her unborn child. When Harry has that potion in his system, he will say the same thing when questioned by the governors. They would not dare to remove a child who is claiming to feel threatened and unsafe outside of the castle."
"I wouldn't underestimate how cunning the Malfoys can be." Severus warned.
"I understand that there will be risks. I will try to limit them as much as I can, but for now, this is the only plan that we have. Harry has proven to be uncooperative time and time again. If he will not make the sacrifice willingly, then he must be forced to do it for the good of the entire wizarding world."
Severus nodded his agreement and Albus sighed as he stood to his feet.
"How long will you remain away from the castle?"
"Until the new term begins." Albus replied. "There is a vitally important lead that I must chase up first."
Albus offered nothing more and Severus knew better than to ask.
"I had best get brewing for the wolf, then."
"I will think on what to write to Harry to have him visit Grimmauld Place. We will be back on plan soon enough, Severus."
Severus didn't believe that was true, but he said nothing as he strode from the basement kitchen of Grimmauld Place and headed back to Hogwarts to start brewing yet another complicated, delicate, and very illegal potion. This one would work, he knew, because Lupin had been taking them for months, but the one meant for Potter…he already knew that that one wouldn't work, so all of this was for nought and he knew it, but he couldn't let on that he knew as such.
He would need to go back to see The Dark Lord and update him on Dumbledore's plans. The old man was getting desperate now. Very soon, with a time limit of just five months, he would be willing to do anything. He might even try to kill Potter himself. After he went to The Dark Lord he would have to pay another visit to Lucius and warn him to keep a closer eye on his son. If potions failed then Severus was sure that Dumbledore would move on to use curses and he was aware that the runes carved into Potter's neck by Flint would not cover curses, only ingested potions.
He was being figuratively pulled apart by his two 'masters' and Severus just wanted the peace and quiet of his own company in a potion lab. He didn't want to keep doing this. He didn't want to be a spy any longer or keep juggling such delicate situations that could easily get him killed if he spoke the wrong word or performed the wrong action. One way or another the war needed to end and there was only one conceivable way that Severus could see that happening now...and it involved the death of the man he'd left sitting at the table behind him.