A New Defense Student
"Never attribute to stupidity what can be adequately explained by malice." (Anonymous)
The 2nd of September proved to be a cool, grey day. A light rain fell, darkening the red brickwork of St. Pancras Station in London as Lucius, Eleanor and Draco apparated behind a builder's portacabin that blocked half of a fenced off sidewalk just outside King's Cross. Lucius hissed as he found that he had materialized with his feet in the middle of a yellowish chalky mud puddle that now spattered his flawlessly polished boots.
He had reluctantly agreed to wear a pair of pinstriped trousers and a knee-long wool coat with slightly flared velvet-lined sleeves that could pass for vaguely mugglish if one didn't pay too close attention. He had even pulled his blond hair back with a simple black leather strap instead of his usual velvet bow. But he had insisted on his fur hat, and he had not parted with his silver tipped serpent cane. He still looked conspicuously flamboyant despite his grumblings that he was now indistinguishable from muggle scum.
Eleanor put her hand in the deep pocket of her long coat, slipped her fingers around her wand and vanished the dirt from her lover's boots before Lucius decided to pull out his wand from his cane in public. She had put on a pair of grey trousers, black ankle-high boots and a blue cashmere sweater. She remembered the wizard's appraising glance as she had got dressed earlier in the morning.
"Hideous," he had sneered, only half in mockery. "At least it makes me look forward to undressing you later on to get these muggle eyesores out of my sight."
Draco warily watched his surroundings standing guard over a pile of suitcases and a large cage containing Hermes, the Malfoy eagle owl, that had apparated alongside them. He wore carefully pressed trousers and a wool sweater in the regulation grey, green and black of Slytherin house. Over the summer his hair had grown out long enough so that he could now wear it tied into a small pony tail at the nape of his neck.
"Wait here for a minute," said Eleanor as she briskly walked off and returned a few minutes later with a cart for their baggage.
Lucius growled something about levitation spells and house elves as he helped his son to load his supplies. He carefully placed Hermes' cage on top of the suitcases and threw a large black silk cloth over it to hide the owl.
They cautiously made their way into the station glancing around them and spotting other wizarding families in more or less successful disguises making their way to the enchanted pillar between platforms 9 and 10. Before them a family consisting of a stocky, sandy-haired man, a tall long-faced woman in what looked like a purple dressing gown with ruffles and two blond girls all vanished into the masonry.
A fat muggle in a business suit who had just stepped off a commuter train seemed to watch them with a slightly dazed expression, then rapidly blinked his eyes, shook his head as if to clear it and waddled off in the direction of the exit.
"Go on, Draco," said his father, and all three of them followed the woman in the purple gown.
Eleanor took a deep breath as she stepped out of the grey light and stench of fast food and diesel fumes of the station and into the golden glow of steam and coal smoke of platform 9¾ where the Hogwarts express was waiting to take on its young passengers for the next school year.
Lucius leaned in and quietly talked to his son. "Now remember, Draco, you are completely unaware of any threats to your life. Treat Crabbe and the other Slytherins exactly as always. We do not want to give away the game and lose Professor Snape as an informant. Keep the bezoar hidden and don't mention it to anyone. Don't forget to drink the bezoar water every morning. And make sure you inconspicuously hold your hand with the ring over any dishes you plan to eat and watch the stone very carefully…"
The younger Malfoy laid his hand against the older man's arm. "Father," he said, half annoyed at the barrage of instructions. "I know. We've gone over it at breakfast, remember? I can take care of myself."
Then he smiled as a realization seemed to strike him. "Don't worry about me, okay? I'll be fine. I'll write in the secret cipher you taught me, and I'll mail you using Hermes, like I promised."
Lucius took a deep breath and ran his hand over the collar of his coat before pulling off his right glove and formally holding out his hand to his son.
"Very well, then, Draco. Be vigilant, remember your family and do the Malfoys proud this year. No matter what has happened, you don't have to take an insult from anyone."
Draco looked quite solemn as he shook the proffered hand, but then, on impulse, he let go of it, moved in and hugged his father. For a moment Lucius remained stiffly rigid, then he raised both arms, hesitated and returned the embrace.
As the two men stepped back from each other and Eleanor approached to take her leave of Draco she noticed a grim smile on both their faces that seemed like the badge of some secret understanding. She realized she was unsure all of a sudden how she should say her goodbyes. She somehow felt that by rights Narcissa ought to have been in her place to see off her son.
Repeating Lucius' gesture, she also stretched out her hand, only to find that the younger Malfoy had decided to hug her as well. For a moment she heard him whisper into her ear.
"Take care of him," he said. His voice sounded every bit as sure and commanding as that of his father. She briefly tightened her embrace to let him know she would.
Draco nodded one more time at both of them and walked towards the train without looking back. Eleanor watched him haughtily acknowledge a group of fellow Slytherins further down the platform and lazily cuff a Gryffindor boy two or three years his junior who had been inattentive enough to dare get in his way.
Lucius looked at her and sighed. His lips compressed in a grim smile. "Let's hope we've done the right thing," he said and offered her his arm as he turned to leave. Despite the effusiveness of Draco's embrace he would neither embarrass himself nor his son by joining the other parents on the platform and indulging in something as undignified as waving to the parting train.
They had almost reached the enchanted pillar when Eleanor suddenly heard a voice call out her name behind her. Both she and her lover turned and she saw a young woman in official robes detach from a group of aurors that had obviously been ordered by the Ministry to secure the safe departure of the train, now that everyone knew Lord Voldemort was back. "Professor Sartorius," she shouted as she ran up to them. "I'm so glad to see you."
Lucius soft sigh of "Merlin!" was lost in the quick clatter of her shoes and a moment later a young witch stood before them grinning excitedly. "Marigold Brannock," said Eleanor. "Good morning." The auror happily shook her hand, but quickly ducked her head and blushed under the wizard's quelling glance. "Morning, Mr. Malfoy," she mumbled, sounding rather intimidated.
The red-haired witch regarded Miss Brannock, who now started waving at someone among the other aurors to come and join them. Marigold had been one of her first Defense students at Durmstrang. She had proved to be very apt at her studies and after her graduation had become a fully commissioned auror for the Ministry of Magic in record time. Earlier in the summer she had been ordered to keep tabs on Eleanor to prevent her from assisting Lucius during his exile.
Eleanor had managed to escape her, causing Marigold to be arrested and rather severely beaten by the other aurors by mistake. Still the young witch seemed to have forgiven her for it and had been instrumental since then in securing Ministry help in order to protect Malfoy Manor and its inhabitants against Lord Voldemort. In exchange Eleanor taught Marigold and a group of her colleagues and friends Defense against the Dark Arts once a week. This very evening would be another workshop.
Lucius voice cut short Eleanor's train of thought. "Miss Brannock, we certainly appreciate your effort in running after us merely to wish us a good morning. But unless you have any other important news to impart that would necessitate our continued presence in an enchanted muggle railway station we would like to take our leave of you now." He sounded decidedly impatient.
"Um, yes, certainly," stammered the young auror. "I understand, Mr. Malfoy, sorry to delay you. But – I wanted you to meet someone, professor."
Another auror had left his colleagues and now strode over to them. Eleanor looked at a lanky young man in his mid-twenties with a shock of ash-blond hair, close-set hazel eyes and a rather narrow face.
He smiled at them and stretched out his hand as Marigold handled the introductions. "This is Marius Woollett. He has just joined us from the Edinburgh field office and would like to participate in our Defense workshop tonight if he may. Marius, this is Mr. Lucius Malfoy of Malfoy Manor and Professor Eleanor Sartorius."
Lucius demonstratively clasped his snake cane in one of his gloved hands and put the other one behind his back, but the red-haired witch shook the proffered hand and smiled back.
"Of course Mr. Woollett, I'd be glad for another student. We normally start at half past five and train until about seven. I would recommend you apparate in the company of Miss Brannock, as she knows her way around the wards that currently guard the Manor. Please wear comfortable robes that allow you to move with ease. I look forward to working with you."
The two aurors took their leave as the Hogwarts Express began pulling out of the station with some rather spectacular puffs of steam, and among all the waving, running and shouted goodbyes Lucius and Eleanor quietly turned and continued their way towards the exit.
"I can't help thinking," said the wizard, "that it's a very high price to pay for our protection to have the house invaded by a horde of aurors every week, half of them probably mudbloods. And on top of that Miss Brannock usually stays for dinner…"
Eleanor sighed as they reentered the muggle part of the station. "True," she replied. "If we had the house invaded by Death Eaters, we could at least be sure they are all purebloods – well, as long as Voldemort decides to stay home. Don't get me wrong, Lucius, I'm not thrilled at having that extra chore, and I could think of several better ways to spend the evening with you tonight, but for the moment I prefer it to the alternative. We have got some useful information and a lot of help out of this deal, so far."
They left the station and carefully made their way back to the sheltered spot by where they had apparated. Lucius pulled a small golden key from his pocket and held it out on the palm of his hand for Eleanor to touch. "Portus," he murmured with a last disgusted glance at the muddy wet pavement and the blue builders' cabin.
Eleanor watched a middle-aged witch with her hair in a long black braid gracefully sail through the air and with a yelp of surprise impact with a thick wall-padding made from griffin-feathers and dragonhide at the far end of the Silver Hall which on occasions like this served as a dueling room because of its generous size. She slid down the leather and landed in a heap on the polished marble floor. Her attacker, the young auror whom Marigold had introduced earlier at King's Cross quickly sped over to her to see if she was all right.
"Don't run into the line of fire, Mr. Woollett!" shouted the red-haired witch, but it was too late, a badly aimed, but very powerful expelliarmus spell cast by another student hit the wizard straight in the chest and catapulted him to the back of the room. He smashed through two of the large chandeliers in the process, leaving a trail of shattered crystal and silver in his wake. The wall-padding barely cushioned his impact, and he collapsed with a resonant smack on the floor.
"Stop! Everyone stop immediately," hollered Eleanor. "Wands down this instant!" She cursed under her breath as she ran over to the auror who slowly pushed himself up on his hands and knees shaking his head in a daze.
Her other students joined her. "Are you all right?" they called as they surrounded Marius Woollett.
"I'm so sorry," apologized the young witch who had cast the spell.
The auror blinked. "Yeah, I'm fine, I guess. My head hurts."
Eleanor crouched down and looked at him. "You have a shallow cut over your left eyebrow," she told him. "You better go and wash that out and put some myrrh ointment on it. There's a bathroom as you exit the ball-room on your right. The potions cabinet above the sink has some in it. It's labeled. Marigold can go with you."
Woolett was already back on his feet and steadied himself against the wall padding. He pulled out a handkerchief and held it against his injury. "It's no big deal, I'll be fine. I can manage without help. So sorry about the mess."
He walked off slightly unsteadily with his steps getting surer as he moved on. "Be back in a little while," he called to them.
The other students watched him. "Oh no, Mr. Malfoy's chandeliers," gasped Marigold as she noted how the wizard carefully stepped over the smashed pieces that littered the floor. "He'll crucio us all when he finds out."
"Now, now," admonished Eleanor. "I won't have it rumored that Mr. Malfoy is in the habit of casting the Unforgivables. I have to say, though that I'm not impressed with Mr. Woollett's clumsiness. Everyone who calls himself an auror should know one doesn't run into the middle of a wizarding duel. Now we'll have to see if we can repair the damage."
She walked over to the first chandelier, pulled out her wand and pointed at the mess of twisted silver and glass at her feet. "Lucernam repairo!" she incanted and couldn't help but exhale with relief as the fragments lifted up in a whirlwind of sparks and rearranged themselves in their original state.
While she didn't quite expect a cruciatus, she would have hated to have to tell her fiancé that she and her students – half of them probably mudbloods, as he had put it – had just demolished some seriously expensive antique silverware. She would have to ask the house elves to remove the chandeliers before the next training session, just to be on the safe side.
"Well, I think we've all had enough action for tonight," she told her students. "Let's spend the rest of the evening recognizing and blocking dementia spells. We've already begun practicing last week, but we need to get better. I'd like everyone to settle down with a partner facing away from each other so you cannot see when a curse is cast. Watch yourselves very carefully for any signs of incipient madness and perform the appropriate blocking spells. I'll help out if things get out of hand."
A few moments later everyone had taken their positions and apart from the odd hysterical giggle or demented bark or howl nothing could be heard but murmured curses and counter-curses. Eleanor watched the aurors for any signs of dementia that got out of control, so she could intervene, but otherwise found her mind wander.
The strain of the last few months was beginning to get to her. From the moment of Lucius' arrest and incarceration to this very morning when she had to watch him say goodbye to his son, knowing full well that he sent him directly into mortal danger there had barely been a moment of respite. She did not know for how long they would all be able to hold up. Currently they were steering a precarious course using alliances that were at best tenuous.
The aurors were helpful to a certain degree, but still knew that the man they protected had been one of the most avid Death Eaters himself. You could see in their eyes that they sometimes thought he deserved all that was coming to him. Even the new auror – Woollett – had shaken his head in disbelief, when Marigold had shown him the mural of the Malfoy family tree earlier before the workshop.
"Impressive," he had admitted after careful scrutiny. "We Wooletts only go back to about 1750 or so. But how can anyone with such an ancestry debase himself like that. – Meaning no offense!" he had added quickly, seeing the scowl of disapproval on his instructor's face.
"Well Mr. Woolett, you are still young. Let's hope that you will always make perfect choices in your life," she had answered.
Next to the aurors of course there were the members of the Order of the Phoenix. You only had to go down the list to realize there was little love lost between them and the Malfoys.
Albus Dumbledore – suspended by none other than Lucius himself, if only for a very short time. Afterwards Lucius had used any underhanded tactic he could think of to discredit the man.
The Weasleys – Lucius almost got their youngest child killed by Voldemort's old diary, and he had been in a physical altercation with Arthur himself, as she had found out from Draco the other day. For wizarding folk that was pretty involved. She herself had seen them trade venomous insults at the Ministry.
Nymphadora Tonks – Lucius' own niece by his former marriage. However, both held nothing but deep-seated contempt for each other. She had been able to observe them during Lucius' bail negotiations, and the scorn had been almost palpable.
The famous Harry Potter – the young wizard had been involved in the infamous magical duel with Lucius at the Department of Mysteries during which the boy's godfather had died, though not at her lover's hands. And in any case Harry was by now almost as famous for his epic rivalry with Draco Malfoy at Hogwarts as for surviving Voldemort's attack.
She hung her head: the list could be continued indefinitely. Surely all of them would get so much of a kick out of seeing their former enemy down that they could be hardly relied on to help at all.
The only man who had stood up to his word so far had been Severus Snape, powerful occlumens, Death Eater and spy for the Order, he had faithfully reported what he knew to Lucius and had helped them withstand a massed attack at the end of August because he had been able to forewarn them.
She admired him for his daring and for his loyalty so far. Still, even his true motivations remained hidden behind a carefully constructed façade of arrogance and cold, self-serving interest. Her latest encounter with him at Flourish & Blotts had been typical.
He would taunt and sneer and assume the basest motivations in anyone – and then provide some real help in a fleeting moment of humanity as he had slipped her the note about the threat to Draco's life. He was an enigma to her – but she would take any help she could get. By Merlin, it was a rare thing to come by these days.
Her musings were abruptly cut short when suddenly an auror bolted by her on all fours, jabbering like a chimp on accellerans potion. Obviously he had been overcome by a rather skillful delusion curse. Eleanor swiftly followed him with raised wand and shouted: "Simulamentum dissolvo!" The wizard slowly stood up straight with a dazed expression on his face and before he could say anything, a large clock at the far side of the hall struck seven.
Everyone got up and sheathed their wands. Eleanor quickly checked her students for any remaining spell damage – it wouldn't do to release a bunch of partially demented aurors back to their duties, and it would certainly win her no favors with the Ministry – and dismissed everyone with some homework until the next week. Libby the house elf showed up to accompany them out past the wards.
"Where's Woollett," the red-haired witch asked Marigold who had remained behind.
"I don't know," she said. "Hope he didn't have a fainting spell in the bathroom. I'll go check."
Just then the tall skinny auror reentered the ball-room and waved at them as he walked over. "Sorry to be late," he said cheerfully. "Was feeling a bit dizzy after the hit and went into the garden for a minute. Did I miss any fun?"
"Well, Mortimer thought he had turned into a monkey, that was good, but otherwise you might want to rush. The house elf is showing everyone out," said Marigold.
Woolett shook Eleanor's hand. "Thank you for tonight's lesson," he smiled. "May I come back next week?"
She shrugged. "Provided you don't try to get yourself killed again, certainly. Take care now. We'll see you next Thursday."
Woolett turned and quickly ran after the other students while Marigold and Eleanor took a few moments to tidy up the Silver Hall and then made their way down the echoing corridors of the Manor to the dining room where the house elves were busy putting the last touches on dinner.
