DISCLAIMER: Nothing is mine. Shame.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This was written in response to the Draco's Detour challenge on Page of Peril and thus is out of date as far as HBP goes, so no spoilers.
Pairings: who was I kidding, really? Of course this'll be slash. Can't quite bring myself to make this Draco/Pansy, it's been Harry/Draco in my head from the start so I'll stick to that. There is another slash pairing which will be revealed next chapter.
Anyway, on to chapter three.
Part Three: Dumbledore
Albus Dumbledore was enjoying a quiet afternoon's reading when a familiar owl flew haughtily in and landed on his desk. As he reached forward to remove the letter the owl was carrying, Albus could almost fancy the creature was expressing it's distain of the clutter surrounding it, beak held high, eyes constantly darting around the room, claws gingerly shifting about on the desk.
Unfolding the scroll, he quickly read the note enclosed.
Albus,
I have something of interest to you.
Meet me.
Narcissa
Smiling he smoothed the brief note out on his desk and cast a series of spells over it, seeking not the veracity of the contents but the location of the sender.
"There you are," he muttered in satisfaction, gathering up his wand and apparating to the revealed location.
0 0 0 0 0 0
"No wards, Narcissa?" he asked calmly, ignoring the startled look on Draco's face.
"Briefly removed, Albus," she replied calmly, clearly not really surprised by his sudden appearance.
Looking around the small, colourful room, Albus' calm was shaken when he studied the magical signature rolling off the walls. "Black magic?"
"That'd be me."
"Sirius?" Truly startled he staggered back into a hastily conjured chair, sitting down heavily. For a moment no one said anything, studying him carefully. Finally he spoke, a lively note in his voice showing he had, to some extent, recovered from the shock of seeing Sirius back from the dead. "Congratulations Narcissa, you've finally undone me."
He had truly enjoyed the challenge she provided during her school years, but he had never felt any pressure from the challenge, it was merely a mental workout. Now however, staring at the man he believed dead, he had to give her her victory as completely as she had won it.
"Thank you Albus," she returned, smiling slightly, "but the time for gloating has passed. What are we to do with him?"
"First tell me how you pulled him from the veil."
Narcissa laughed, a genuine emotion bubbling up from under her calm exterior. "He was never there Albus, it was all smoke and mirrors. I allowed Lucius to believe I was helping him, but in taking on Sirius he had gone too far. He allowed himself to forget what I owed to my family, to forget which duty I would place forefront."
"So you show your hand at last, and to our side."
"And Lucius will follow, or never leave Azkaban."
At this Draco exclaimed loudly, and Dumbledore's eye was drawn to the student he had not even noticed. The boy looked worn out, all guard was dropped and his confusion was showing clearly.
His mother, however, paid no notice, simply waiting for Dumbledore to take charge, and he did, quickly returning to himself.
"We need to get out of here quickly," he ordered briskly, the 'old fool' act well and truly cast off. "Narcissa, you take Sirius, the similarity in your magical signatures will make the apparition easy, and I'll take Draco. The castle is expecting us, just concentrate on my office."
With a loud crack, Draco watched his mother disappear, and could not suppress the tension that ran through his body. "Don't even think about it Draco," Dumbledore warned softly, "you don't want to annoy your mother and if nothing else you must be feeling a curiosity as to what will happen next."
"I don't understand," he replied finally, after a brief internal struggle. "I don't know my mother any more."
"Then know your self my boy." Dumbledore threw his wand on to the bed and folded his hands behind his back. "Here I am, utterly defenceless and totally at your mercy. Take out your wand. Do it," he insisted as Draco demurred. "Cast a spell on me, any spell. Now!"
Eyes wide with fear Draco cast "Expelliarmus!" A second wand shot out from under Dumbledore's robes and the old man smiled his approval at the move.
"Good boy, following your instincts, excellent. Kill me."
"What?"
"You know the curse, you've used it before. If you truly believe in all your father has told you, kill me now and join Voldemort today. You will have more power and glory than Harry Potter could dream of having, you will rise above your classmates, and above your father. I am not afraid to die Draco, nor of having you be the one to kill me, if you can. Two little words, Draco, that's all it will take." Dumbledore's voice was soft now, and oh so matter of fact.
Draco starred at the old man, assessing what he said. He had removed the second wand, a wand which he could not have known about. He believed he had truly stripped Dumbleodre of any conventional protection, and the hands held behind the back would hinder any display of wandless magic.
Dumbeldore watched the internal struggle before him with baited breath. Death held no fear for him except in the consequences it would have on the boy before him. He believed Draco to be within his grasp, able to be saved if only he could first be broken. He could only pray he was right.
Slowly, Draco's face became calmer, his hands steadier.
Slowly one hand raised up, wand pointed straight ahead.
"Flippendo."
Dumbedore shot backwards, colliding with the floor with a thud.
"Your wands, sir," Draco stood above him, holding the sparking wands gingerly between thumb and forefinger. Dumbledore took them, accepting the hand which outstretched to help him to his feet. "You can't deny you deserved that, Headmaster."
"Indeed not, very Slytherin of you."
"Why take such a risk?"
"If I was right in my assessment of you, then there was no risk, if not, I deserved all I got."
"You made no move to defend yourself."
"No."
Draco stared at him for a moment before changing tack slightly, "what house were you in at school?"
Dumbledore just smiled and held out his hand. "Your mother will be worried."
They apparated together with a loud crack.
0 0 0 0 0 0
The first thing that he saw when the earth stopped spinning was Narcissa, clutching her son to her chest, shaking.
"Don't worry Narcissa."
The slap was another thing that took him off guard, and Dumbledore took an involuntary step back at the attack. "You bastard, there was no reason…"
"There was every reason Narcissa and you knew it. Sit down."
Three chairs appeared behind his guests and they obeyed, the issue clearly at an end.
"We need to manage this carefully, alive or dead, the truth about Sirius' stay in Azkaban was never divulged, and as such you are still a fugitive. However, there are certain people who should be appraised of your return, for want of a better word." At this juncture footsteps could be heard on the stairs, and the large wooden door opened slowly.
"Albus?"
"Come in, but close the door behind you."
With a curious look on his face, Remus Lupin entered the room, followed by an irritated looking Severus Snape.
Sirius, who had raised his head at the interruption, felt a smile slip across his face as he spoke, "hello baby, I'm back."
END CHAPTER THREE
What did you think?
Thanks to those who reviewed – nice to know someone is reading this!
Lovedbytheangels: yeah, it'll be Harry/Draco – I'm too much a sucker for that pairing for it to be anything else I think,
Night Essence: I like those stories cus there is a huge branch of family Draco doesn't know, which is kinda sad really.
Katie: yeah, I like my Narcissa.
Kari Morgana Black: while I do like Pansy/Draco, I think it needs to be written by better people than me. That said, there is part of me that wants to write it someday. This'll be Harry/Draco though.
ura-hd: Thanks
Siren Duveil: Thanks
Dragonsnap: Thanks, I thought it was pretty different, hope you still like it.
Cat: Harry will find out soon, but there are other things to sort out too…
Lady Constance Malfoy: Thanks
CompleteGeek: Thanks blushes Romance will be Harry/Draco and Sirius/… (tell you next chapter).