Spoiler Warning: This story is a sixth year fic that follows on from the events of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. As a conseqeunce this story contains *major* spoilers for book 5. You have been warned.
Revised Version Posted 22nd June 2003
SNAKE HEALER: THE MALFOY MUGGLE LOVER
CHAPTER 5: ARGUMENTS
About eight hours and several annoying ministry officials later a fuming Harry found himself back at the entrance hall of Malfoy Manor, after being placed in the temporary custody of Narcissa Malfoy. The major part of his anger was directed towards Maria Malfoy, who had done a disappearing act sometime in the hour between when Harry had left his mother's cousin to grieve for her son and husband while he got help and the said help arriving to survey the crime scene. The rest was directed towards Professor Dumbledore who for some inexplicable reason had failed to recognise Harry under his disguise and had assumed that Harry was in fact Lucas Malfoy. Harry understood the confusion, after all he did look and sound like a Malfoy, except for his scar which was covered by a disguise that the headmaster had cast himself. Even so it didn't abate his anger at the headmaster, as the old man should have known better. In the end Harry stopped protesting about his identity and pretended to be Lucas, which of course left him with the unpleasant task of telling the headmaster that Harry Potter was dead. The headmaster appeared extremely grave upon hearing the 'news' of Harry's death, weariness and sadness replaced the ever-present twinkle in the headmaster's eyes. He looked old and tired, far older than anybody could possibly be. He'd recovered pretty quickly though, although the old man's humour didn't return, and escorted Harry to the ministry where he faced a barrage of questions and interviews that lasted several hours. It was only then, after the law enforcement authorities had finished with him that he learned about Maria's disappearance and the temporary stay at Malfoy Manor that followed as a consequence. He hadn't been impressed, and had not bothered to hide his displeasure at this. Of course the fact there was absolutely nothing that Harry could do about this just made things worse, but without another option he had choice but to accept the situation.
And if all that wasn't enough meeting Lucius Malfoy merely brought back the horrific memories of the night before and the two further deaths that he had caused. Of course his mind told him that both men had wanted and accepted their fates and that one of them would have been killed by Voldemort sooner or later anyway. Then there was Sirius and the Dursleys, yet more deaths that he had been partially responsible for, but had been too busy or too distracted by Lucas to deal with properly. Having said that he had talked them through with Janus, who had been a great help in convincing him that Sirius' death was not his fault, but he hadn't fully finished convincing Harry that he was not responsible for the Dursley's death.
Harry didn't say anything to Lucius as the blond death eater walked into the Ministry holding room where Harry had been waiting, nor did he say anything when Lucius greeted Harry politely and led him to the ministry fireplaces so they could floo back to Malfoy Manor, two dangerous looking Security guards flanking Lucius throughout his time at the Ministry. Instead he simply glared at the man until they arrived in Malfoy Manor, where Harry spoke.
"What do you want with me?" he yelled accusingly the moment they were alone. There was no small measure of desperation and anger in his voice as well, "What is so important about me that means you have to murder your own family to get to me? Why can't you just leave me alone?"
Lucius didn't even pay any attention to the last question, as the accusation in Harry's second question had riled him far too much. Malfoy's did not harm or betray each other, even if they found themselves on opposing sides of a war as Damien and Mikhael Malfoy did in the 1500's.
"I did not murder my own brother!" Lucius roared angrily, incensed by the accusation, "I would never harm a member of my own family."
"No of course not, you got Voldemort and I to do your dirty work for you" Harry sneered coldly. Whilst Lucius' temper intimidated a lot of people Harry was not one of them, "Wouldn't want to get caught would you."
"Janus died because he was an obstinate fool," Lucius snapped as the blond man lost his composure, "He refused to join the dark lord and died as a consequence. There was nothing I could have done about it."
"You had plenty of time to arrange our escape," Harry argued in response, directing the large amount of guilt he felt for Janus' and especially Lucas' death at Lucius, "Besides what about Lucas? He needn't have died."
"We had no choice!" Lucius snarled viciously, trying his best not to lash out at Harry for daring to argue with him, "The dark lord was after your blood and wouldn't stop until he had killed you. We had to fake your death or he would have killed more innocent people in the effort to get you."
"And since when have you, a snivelling little death eater, cared about whether I live or die?" Harry sneered coldly, ignoring the insinuation that if they had escaped more innocent people would have been killed. He couldn't of course deny the fact that Voldemort was or had been obsessed with killing him, but he was pretty confidant he could have survived a summer of Voldemort pursuing him without getting everyone around him killed, he and Maria had survived the attack after all. Besides in Harry's opinion a summer of watching his back for a crazed dark lord was infinitely better than a summer at Malfoy Manor with the Malfoy family for company.
"Since the moment you were born you ungrateful brat!" Lucius shouted forcefully, exasperated by the boy's unwillingness to back down. His heir, Draco, knew better than to force an argument when his father was angry, but Harry obviously hadn't learnt that yet, "I promised to do everything in my power to keep you alive, and I intend to keep that promise whether you like it or not."
"Don't lie Malfoy," Harry spat bitterly, spitting the family name as if it were some kind of deadly poison, "You couldn't keep a promise unless your life or your fortune depended on it."
Smack! Lucius had finally lost control and hit Harry hard in the face, causing the Gryffindor to glare at Malfoy even more fiercely. The blond could only tolerate insults to his honour so far and Harry had just stepped over the line, "I may be a Slytherin and a dark wizard, boy," Lucius hissed vehemently, "But I am no promise breaker. I am an honourable man and do not break the promises I make." Harry scoffed at this, the idea of a honourable Malfoy was ridiculous; he was far too Slytherin.
"A goldfish would be more honourable than you are, you pathetic death eater," Harry snapped, the angry fire in his eyes blazing even fiercer than ever, "You lost all your honour the moment you joined Voldemort."
"Perhaps you should follow your mother's example, boy," Lucius replied harshly, glaring fiercely at the younger man, "She trusted me to keep a promise and so should you."
"Keep my mother out of this," Harry hissed, outraged by the older man's gal in bringing the boy-who-lived's mother into the situation, "You know perfectly well that she wouldn't go anyway near the likes of you."
"Then explain how on earth I can conduct an affair with a woman who won't go near me," Lucius roared, just as angry as before. Harry stared at Lucius in stunned silence, shocked not by the viciousness of the tone but by the words he had just heard. His anger was momentarily forgotten as he tried fruitlessly to process this new revelation, the one that destroyed the perfect image of his perfect parents. Needless to say he refused to believe a word the death eater said, and not just because he didn't like what he was hearing.
"Don't you dare insult my mother like that, Malfoy," Harry hissed even more fiercely than before, whilst the tone of voice had no effect on Lucius Malfoy, who was used to the far darker moods from Lord Voldemort, it still would have caused many people to flinch.
"I'm not, you insolent brat, you're the one insulting me and your own mother by suggesting that two ministry co-workers can't have an affair." Lucius yelled in reply. He wasn't all that bothered about Harry insulting Lilly, any feelings he had for the woman were long gone, he just didn't like the principle of someone insulting their parents, especially if the said parent was dead. It didn't rest easily with his sense of family loyalty.
"Then stop making such ridiculous claims about you and my mother," Harry screamed. The fact he was disturbed and upset by these claims showed itself in his increased anger, "She wouldn't have touched you if you were the last man left on earth."
"Fine," Lucas sneered, not amused by the hysterical antics of his illegitimate son, "I'll prove it to you."
The angry patriarch summoned a house elf and asked it to bring a photo album to him. The elf reappeared moments later clutching a green and silver photo album with the Malfoy crest emblazed on the front. Taking the album from the house elf without thanking the creature Lucius flicked through it until he came to a photo about a third of the way through the album and handed it to Harry. It was of Lucius and Lilly kissing on a fine summers day while having a picnic. Harry looked at the photo before meeting Lucius' cold emotionless, eyes an expression of horror on his face. He dropped the album and ran out of desperate denial, searching for somewhere he wouldn't encounter his mother's former lover.
A slightly calmer Harry stopped running about half an hour later, when he reached a forest towards the edge of the Malfoy estate. The run had relaxed him slightly allowing him to think rationally about the situation and process what he had heard and seen, of course that he didn't mean he liked it. Deciding he was sufficiently far away for him not to be disturbed he sat under the shade of a tree, and began to think everything through.
His peace wasn't to be though, as he was soon disturbed by one of the last people he wanted to see: Draco Malfoy.
"Who are you?" The blond boy sneered as he approached Harry; it was clear from his expression that the disguise did not fool him, making Harry wonder whether he had overheard the argument in the entrance hall. Even so Harry thought it was worth maintaining the pretence of being Lucas in front of the Malfoy heir for a while longer.
"Good Morning Cousin Draco," Harry drawling cheerily, putting on his best Lucas impression, "Although it appears that the Malfoy perfection has escaped you this morning. A pity as I was looking forward to encountering someone almost as perfect as myself." Of course the words made Harry sick, the Malfoy family was the epitome evil and far from perfect, but it was the sort of thing that Lucas would say.
Draco smirked before responding, "It is you that is the imperfect one, although you make a fair impression to the contrary," He drawled. Harry fixed him with a mock glare, again because it was what Lucas would have done, "Whilst you would fool many people, it is clear to me that you are neither a Malfoy nor my cousin."
"How dare you make such an outrageous accusation! Of course I'm a Malfoy!" Harry shouted, feigning the anger that Lucas would have made at such a comment. As for Harry the comment had merely enflamed the sinking feeling that he had been feeling ever since Lucius had shown him the photo, and he'd read the date it had been taken: August 12 1979, just a few months before he must have been conceived. Of course he desperately hoped he wasn't a Malfoy, but he was afraid that he was as a lot of evidence pointed that way.
"Then explain the argument you had with my father in the entrance hall." Draco queried with a taunting smirk, "Lucas would never refer to my father as Malfoy, nor would father have an affair with Aunt Maria."
Harry sighed, dropping the pretence of being Lucas, although he certainly wasn't going to tell Malfoy who he really was, "I have no need to explain myself to a conceited, arrogant wannabe death eater such as you, especially when the explanation would involve revealing my true identity." he said fiercely, glaring at the blond.
Malfoy glared straight back, the anger and annoyance hiding the curiosity that was desperately trying to work out the boy was, a task that wasn't easy when the boy was disguised in both body and voice as his cousin. But then he realised something, the boy wasn't disguised as his cousin, sure they could have passed for identical twins, but the boy in front of him was subtlety different in a way that only a Malfoy would be able to perceive. To an outsider all Malfoys looked identical, but Draco knew otherwise, you just had to know where to look. The difference was in the eyes, and in height. Lucas was slightly taller than Draco and even when he was sitting down it was clear this boy was not. The there were the eyes, which were the give-away. Whilst they and the same colour as those of his cousin, they were also unique and instantly recognisable as those of Harry Potter, his worst enemy and the boy who had turned him down during his first year. Draco smirked, thinking that having Potter coming to live at Malfoy Manor was adequate revenge, even if it would mean putting up with Gryffindor's golden boy for the rest of the summer.
"Potter," he sneered coldly before breaking into a vicious smirk, "Or is it Malfoy? Although I hope it is the former, as you would be a disgrace to the family." Whilst he felt slightly guilty for insulting his family, it was certainly worth it when he saw the flash of pain and hurt in his eyes before it was covered up with a mask of anger.
"As if I would want to be a Malfoy," Harry spat in response, showing far more venom then he had used against Lucius, "I'm not a spineless self-important pompous prejudiced ass who worships a psychopathic mass murderer."
Draco's cold grey eyes clouded over with anger upon hearing the insult to his family and his future master. The Malfoys were noble purebloods of the highest order, the crème of wizardry, and as such were certainly not spineless nor pompous, they had no need to be. Malfoy's were powerful, well bred and Slytherins, who respected the powerful and those who recognised the inferiority of muggles and mudbloods, as well the dangers they held for the wizarding world.
"Watch your words, Potter," Malfoy hissed, his tone of voice betraying the fact that he had nearly lost control of his anger, "You might just be talking about yourself."
Harry didn't hesitate to respond, sounding somewhat more confidant than he actually felt, "I don't care who or what my father is, Malfoy. I am and will always be nothing like you or your death eater for a father. I am ten times better then you and all other dark wizards."
"Brave words from a brainless Gryffindor with a death wish," Malfoy sneered in response, his voice returning to its previous cold and taunting nature, "I gave you the choice, Potter and you chose the losing side. You should be praying that you're a Malfoy; it's your only chance of survival. You wouldn't want to end up like your precious godfather would you."
Just as at the end of his fourth year, Harry's control snapped upon Malfoy mentioning a victim of Voldemort. Hearing the blond mention his godfather's name brought forth all the resentment he the anger towards the blond for his arrogant behaviour and for his allegiance towards Voldemort. He didn't waste any time in jumping off and firing off a jelly-legs curse. Of course without extra help it didn't knock anybody unconscious, but it still felt good.
He didn't remain unaided for long, however as Harry saw some one dart out of the forest out of the corner of his eye, shocking him so much that he didn't even try to dodge the tickling charm that had been sent his way in time. The last person he expected to turn up to Malfoy Manor was Remus Lupin. Through the charm induced hysterics Harry he saw the newcomer disarm Malfoy and cast a strong banishing charm on the Slytherin, before removing the curse on Harry.
"You OK?" Harry's former professor asked, sounding slightly concerned about his ex-pupil.
"Yes, although I would be better if he weren't here," Harry replied gesturing dismissively towards his worst enemy, "But seriously what are you doing here?" Harry asked, matching the werewolf's worry, "Couldn't Malfoy get you prosecuted for trespassing?"
"I'm here on Ministry business," Remus answered with a shake of his head. He looked over at Harry, and frowned at the depressed look on the boy's face, "What's the matter? You don't look particularly happy."
"Neither would you if you'd just been through what I have in the past twelve hours," Harry snapped in response. It was an automatic reaction to the awful events of the past few hours as well as the remnants of his anger that resulted from his argument with Lucius. Instantly realising what he had done, he apologised for letting his temper get the better of him yet again, "It's just that I'm having a bad day that's all and I don't want to top it off by having you thrown into Azkaban."
Remus smiled sympathetically, cheering up the boy up slightly in the process, "I won't, trust me. Besides, Dumbledore asked me to apologise for the way he treated you earlier, we can't be too careful, with the spy and everything."
"I suppose I don't exactly look or sound like myself at the moment," Harry commented sadly. His Malfoy look and voice was annoying greatly, even though he'd only had the latter for twenty-four hours.
"It doesn't matter to me. You're still Harry Potter where it counts." Harry smiled weakly at the reassurance; there was however a slight nervous edge to the smile deriving from his fear that he was not a Potter. Whilst he no longer wanted to a replica of his father, he most certainly didn't want to be a Malfoy either. His lack of reaction didn't go unnoticed by Remus, who commented on it and asked what the problem was.
"Nothing," Harry responded a little too quickly. He was met by a sharp glare that made him feel somewhat guilty for hiding his problems from his mother's friend. He began to explain his argument with Lucius, theorising that Remus had a right to know about his mother's supposed infidelity.
The origin of the 'Dracohen Na Kakunnan' spell is important later in the plot. In this fic James used it when he died, to great effect. However, it was not the cause of the rebounding killing curse, which was an entirely seperate phenomenon
MJ also asked why Harry and the others didn't just escape. I know Lucius gives some basic reasons in the chapter, but I want to go into a bit more detail. Firstly, Janus didn't want to escape, he wanted a confrontation and martyrdom, to show Harry and the world that not all Malfoys (or people from other dark families) are evil. The fact that this also provided a good mechanism for introducing the Healer Legend was also an issue. As for the others, Lucius and Janus agreed that the only way to keep Harry safe was to fake his death. Of course having Harry and Lucas swap places also means that Harry is sent to Malfoy Manor to live with Lucius, which further increases his safety (In their eyes) and allows Harry to get to know the Malfoys 'good' sides. As such Maria's disapearance was part of the plan, even if Harrry knew nothing of it beforehand. I hope I've addressed MJ's other concerns in this chapter, although I do want to add that Harry won't figure out that he is the Healer in the legends until he starts to take an interest in healing the rift between Slytherin and the rest of the school. At the moment he's simply not interested in what he sees as internal Slytherin business.
Finally I ought to explain that Dumbledore knows about the wizard bond cast in Chapter One, and feels that with its protection (it still holds even though Harry escaped), and the disguise he is safe from harm and won't be turned. Of course this doesn't explain why Dumbledore failed to acknowledge Harry as Harry at the beginning of this chapter, security is one reason but there is another which won't be explained for a long time yet.
Thank You to all those who reviewed chapter four, your reviews were most appreciated. If you want me to e-mail you when I update this fic leave your e-mail address in your review.