A/N: I just wanted to wish Mandraco good luck. I hope you get O's on all your O.W.L.S. (Or are you taking N.E.W.T.'s? I never pay attention.)

CHAPTER 7: THE GOOD SON

"Gabrielle 'as prepared a cage for 'im. She iz even calling 'im Janus."

Lois sighed. "That's a relief. Malcolm's always getting into some sort of trouble. I told him he would end up behind bars one day if he kept it up. Can you let me know how long it will be before he gets better."

Madame Delacour laughed at the joke. "Ze doctor sez at least a month, but if you remember not to call 'im by 'is real name, we can send you a weekly letter. By Owl."

Business settled, the two mothers talked about small things. About how foolish their children were being. How they were both reckless at times. And most of all how it would be better if they both kept going to different schools. With mutual understanding, they said their goodbyes.

In timely fashion, there was a knock at the door almost as soon as the fireplace cleared. Lois went to the door and opened it to see David Winter standing there with Malcolm and Ginny Weasley.

"What happened?"

"I completely forgot to have someone tell you, Lois," David said apologetically, "but we were delayed while Malcolm and I took a detour to Saint Mungo's."

"What happened?" Lois immediately rushed over to Malcolm and felt his forehead.

"Hey, I'm okay, lady," Malcolm said with annoyance. As David squeezed his shoulder hard, Malcolm winced slightly. "Um, sorry, uh, Mom. It this thing I got."

"It's not contagious," David said hurriedly. "But it sometimes causes Malcolm to say strange things."

Lois looked confused and worried. "What is it?"

David kept a straight face as he gave her the preplanned excuse. "He has what we call a magic cold. The weather is terrible in Britain these days. It's not a normal cold, per se. It's lodged in his brain." He noticed the incredulous look on Lois's face but continued anyway. "He's not in danger or anything. Luckily, it reduces his ability to perform magic, so he can't accidentally hurt himself or others, but he does get confused easily."

"Confused?" Malcolm asked snidely.

"Shut up, Malcolm. Go on, Dave. What can I expect from him?"

David smiled, mostly because he knew Lois was buying the lie. "He'll forget obvious things. He may say strange things . . ."

"Such as 'Hey, I'm okay, lady?"

"Exactly. And he may act strange at times. But it'll pass eventually. We're not sure how long it will take, but you will notice improvement over the next few days."

Lois, during this time had taken Malcolm into a hug and was holding him protectively. She was even maintaining her worried look.

"Is there anything I should do? Medicine or something?"

"Mostly you just need to correct him if he's doing something wrong."

"That'll be all the time." She grabbed Malcolm's chin, forcing him to look up at her, and smiled. "Maybe you'll forget some of those things you do and I won't have to yell at you as much."

"Uh, Sure, lady. I mean Mom."

"What you're going to do first thing is get out of those clothes and take a bath. And wash your hair real good. You've got grease or something in it."

Malcolm smiled. "I don't remember how to take a bath."

Lois smiled back. "Then I'll have to give you one myself."

Malcolm snapped his fingers. "I just remembered., Mom." He turned around and began walking toward the kitchen.

"GET BACK HERE," Lois yelled, as she pointed down the hallway. "In case you've forgotten, It's the first door on the left. And use plenty of soap."

After Malcolm disappeared into the bathroom, Lois sighed. "I only wish he had forgotten how he acts."

David smiled politely. "You could try telling him that he has. It wouldn't hurt for him to develop a few good habits while he's 'recovering'."

Lois nodded gratefully. "It's worth a try." A pause. "If it works, can the other boys get sick as well?"

"I'll look into it," David assured her.

"That was strange," Lois said as an afterthought. "He's never been able to snap his fingers before."

"Maybe you just haven't noticed."

"And his eyes are a different color."

David frowned. "Are they?"

"It must be that cold," Ginny said with authority. "I caught one a couple of years ago and it turned my hair blue for three weeks.

Lois hid a smirk. She didn't know what was going on, but if David was involved, she wouldn't let on until she had a chance to speak with him in private.

Malcolm walked into the bedroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. Dewey was sitting on his bed watching him.

"Top drawer, left," Dewey said.

"What?"

"Your underwear and socks."

"Thanks. Do I have pajamas."

"No."

"Oh." Malcolm discarded the towel and dressed for bed. "This bed's mine?"

"The middle one, yeah. Malcolm? Is this cool with your dad?"

"Well, he was ticked at me, you know, for screwin' up, but when he heard that guy's offer he went along with it. My old man likes the idea of havin' the feds owe him a favor." Malcolm climbed into bed, "Dewey?"

"Yeah?"

"Good. I got your name right. And who's the runt?" He pointed to the miniature Malcolm sleeping in the corner bed.

"Nob."

"Stupid name."

"It's short for Norbert."

"Oh, that makes it a lot better." Malcolm laid his head back on his pillow. "This is stupid. Why don't you just tell your folks? They'll freak a bit but if they find out it'll just get worse."

Dewey looked at Malcolm. "Louis, Malcolm disappeared once before."

Malcolm looked up. Dewey seemed almost in tears. "I bet I don't want to know what happened."

"He almost died. He was cut up and he was poisoned and he got away only by luck. I never saw Mom that upset. If she finds out he's missing again . . ."

"Who did it?"

Dewey stifled a sob. "Vo - Voldemort."

"But he's dead? My old man told me."

"He came back."

"But . . . but he don't know where you live."

"He stopped by a couple of days ago. Just to say hi."

"Oh. Man. And now I'm in the middle of this sh– , uh, stuff."

"Good save," Dewey told him. "Mom can hear curse words from across town."

The door opened and Lois was there. She scowled at Malcolm and grabbed the towel off the floor. "I swear, some things never change. David told me you'd forget things. Don't you know not to throw wet towels on the floor?"

"But Mom," Dewey complained. "He always does that."

"That's beside the point. Malcolm, from now on I want you to remember. And remember this as well. You're mowing the lawn first thing tomorrow. In case you've forgotten, you're the only one who doesn't complain about it." Lois walked out, closing the door.

"Is that true?" Malcolm asked.

"Yeah," Dewey acknowledged. "You're a real nerd."

The door opened before Malcolm could say his next word.. "And watch your mouth, young man," Lois told Malcolm. "I know what you were going to say."

Malcolm was tempted to say a few choice words when the door opened again, and Lois scowled at him.

"Don't even think about it."

When the door closed, Malcolm turned to Dewey. "How does she do that?"

"I wanna fly a broom." The young boy in the robin's-egg-blue robes was adamant.

"No, you don't," Francis said assuredly. "Sleepy Hollow is a western ranch. What you want is a horsey ride."

"I wanna fly a broom."

"You're only seven. And your folks said you want to ride a horse." He grabbed the reluctant boy's hand and dragged him to the corral. "You see, look at that beautiful white pony. That's Buttercup. She is the sweetest horse you can find."

The boy kicked Francis.

"And that other horse, the grey mare. She's Tympani. You can't get a smoother ride from any other horse."

Francis pushed the kid away as the boy went to kick him again. The boy landed on his butt in the dirt. He looked up as he saw another man leading a mangy black horse from the barn.

"What's wrong with that horse."

"Oh, you don't want to ride him. That's Black Death. You can walk him just fine but if you get on his back, he goes crazy." Francis looked the boy in the eye. "He can smell fear. Anyone who tries to ride him will be thrown from his back in a minute. Unless he's in a playful mood. Then he'll run across the plains and drop you off in the middle of nowhere." He gave a mock shudder which impressed the young boy.

"Only someone without fear can ever ride him. I knew a guy who did. His name was One Eye Pete, and he was afraid of nothing. People said he was even more dangerous than Black Death. But he climbed on that horse and it carried him everywhere, as gentle as you please. He was a dangerous man, and that is one dangerous horse."

True to form, the boy shouted, "I wanna ride him."

"NO," Francis said in mock horror. "It's too dangerous, I tell you. It's madness."

"I'm not afraid. I wanna ride him."

Francis shrugged his shoulders. "Okay. Your folks said I had to let you ride the horse of your choice." He waved to Sven who was walking the horse, and he brought Black Death over to them. Francis picked the boy up and placed him on the horse's bare back.

"He won't wear a saddle so you have to grab hold of his mane." Francis let go of the boy, and the horse slowly walked forward, heading toward the trail that it always took riders on. The boy was in heaven as Francis called out, "that's amazing! He didn't even grumble."

The boy rode the trail, never even complaining about the smell. As he and the horse disappeared around the bend, Sven turned toward Francis.

"Vy you let him go wit Holly like dat. She need her bath."

"Her bath can wait. How'd she get so dirty and stinky anyway?"

"Dat last rain. She won't take da bridge an' walks tru da svamp."

Francis nodded. The kid was old enough to know how to swim.

"Malcolm," Hal said cheerfully as the boy came out of the bedroom. "I heard you were sick. Anything serious?"

"Naw. Just some kind of cold. That guy who brought me home said it'll make me act funny an' forget things."

"Did you forget about mowing the backyard?"

"Nope. It's already done." Malcolm paused. "Um, Dad? That ba . . . uh, Ginny and me are going over to Dabney's. You know. Watch a movie or something."

Hal smiled knowingly. "You like her. Don't you."

"Yeah," Malcolm said carefully, "but she tells me I'm like a brother to her. An' she's got plenty of 'em. She should know."

"Well, Malcolm," Hal said as he put his arm on the boy's shoulder. "You need to find a way to tell a girl you understand how she feels, and you're old enough for me to tell you my secret." With his free hand, he reached over to the shelf and grabbed a tape. "This is the greatest movie ever made. Casablanca."

Malcolm frowned. "I thought the American Film Institute said Citizen Kane was the greatest movie ever made."

"What do those people know? That's just some dumb movie about a guy who misses his sled and there's some snow globe in there or something. Malcolm, take my word on this. When you hear Bogie say, 'play it, Sam,' you put your arm across her shoulders. And when the plane takes off, tell her you love her and move in for the kiss."

Malcolm looked incredulous. "And that's supposed to work?"

Hal shrugged. "It worked on your mother, and on a few other girls I tested it on, but don't let your mother know that. She thought I was being spontaneous."

"Sure. Thanks, Dad." Malcolm took the tape and walked quickly out the front door where Ginny was waiting on the porch. "You ready, Babe."

"Yeah, Kiddo," Ginny answered with a grin. "What's that?"

"I told . . . my dad . . . we were going to watch a movie. He gave me this one."

"Movies? Hermione's told me about them. I'd like to see one."

"Sure." Malcolm looked at Ginny and tried to smile. Deep inside he was wishing he had never heard of Malcolm. As they walked, he decided to ask a question. "Ginny, Dewey told me that Malcolm almost got killed last June. Was it really that bad."

Ginny looked away and nodded her head. In a broken voice she said, "I found him."

Malcolm decided not to ask any more questions. He wasn't liking the answers at all. To add to his misery, he heard Nob's voice and the sound of running footsteps.

"You forgot. You invited me along," Nob said as he ran up and grabbed Malcolm's hand.

"I'm sick. I forget things," Malcolm answered gruffly.

"You see," Ginny told Nob as she grabbed his other hand. "It was an honest mistake."

"It's what the real Malcolm would try to do," Nob insisted. "He always tries to ditch me."

"Then we share something in common," Malcolm said, and laughed at the face Nob made.

"How sure are you that this will work," David Winter asked. "I've broken a few dozen regulations already and now I'm trusting my career to a bunch of underage kids."

"I'm nearly of legal age," Draco drawled. "Beside that, as myself I know almost every person of ill repute in the British Isles, thanks to Father's parties. When I become Malcolm, I will also have the brains to figure out the pieces of the puzzle. Nob?"

The boy grinned and hugged Draco, who immediately transformed into Malcolm.

"I do believe," Draco/Malcolm explained, "that this is the first time I wanted this to happen. Now all I need do is grease back my hair and change clothes . . ."

"NO," Malcolm shouted. "You're not going to pretend to be me."

"No, he isn't," David said smiling. "He's going to pretend to be Louis Renault."

"Those are my clothes he has."

"We washed them. They're now safe to wear."

"As I was saying . . ." Draco sighed. "As Louis, I have the third piece I need. The ability to travel in questionable circles. Everyone will assume I'm someone's brat . . ."

"I AIN"T NO BRAT."

" . . . someone's obnoxious brat, and not give me a second look."

David Winter paused. "Why can't you do the same thing while you were Draco."

"Because everyone knows I'm at home with my mother. The Aurors are watching me every minute."

"And Reese is staying with you because? Oh, No. You didn't."

"No. Nob did."

"Reese is at your house pretending to be you?"

Draco smiled and left the room to change. When he came back he resembled Louis very closely. "I'm set. Ginny?"

Ginny smiled as she walked up to Draco. She kissed him and handed him an envelope. When he saw this David began to ask why but Draco saw the look and answered before David could get a word out.

"Mister Winter. Nob's spell doesn't make me look like Malcolm. It turns me into Malcolm. You might be curious to know that Reese, as me, can perform magic spells. He even plays a mean game of Quidditch."

"Then the letter?"

"Addressed to the first person I want to talk to. This way, I know how to find him."

Having said that, Draco, who was now Malcolm, transformed into an owl and flew out an open window, the letter clutched firmly in his claws.

Louis smiled with a mild relief when Draco left. It wasn't jealously, not exactly. It was that they watched that movie while waiting for David Winter to arrive. Draco and Ginny were sitting on the couch. When the moment came that Hal had told him about, he saw Draco put his arm around Ginny. And when the plane took off, Louis was positive that Hal had given Draco the same instructions.

"Malcolm," Lois called out. "Get in here."

"I didn't do it."

"Didn't do what?"

"Whatever you're accusing me of."

"I didn't accuse you of anything. What did you think I was accusing you of?"

"If you're not accusing me of anything then why did you yell for me."

"I didn't yell."

"Well, why did you call me?"

"Your little girlfriend wrote me a letter, telling me what a great kid you are and that I should let someone as smart as you go to her school. See this owl? Does it look familiar?"

"No. It looks like an owl."

"Malcolm, this owl looks like you when you're an owl. I thought you'd recognize yourself."

"Mom, I don't look in the mirror much when I'm an owl."

"What about all those pictures of you?"

"They always make me look smaller than I really am. I wouldn't have known this owl looked like me if you didn't tell me."

Lois looked at Malcolm. "Well, Gabrielle says that the owl was a gift from you and her sister."

"Then that explains it. Mom, she must have picked out the owl. I might have been there at the pet store but I honestly don't remember any of it."

Lois sighed. "Anyway, Gabrielle said to tell you that she name the owl, Janus."

"Janice? Mom, I may have forgotten a few things but I do know that this owl is a boy. Why'd she give it a stupid name like Janice."

The owl nipped at Malcolm's finger when he pointed.

"OW. You Stupid Bird." Malcolm pulled his fist back to hit the owl.

"DON"T YOU DARE. Malcolm, that is a defenseless bird. Put your arm down. And she named it, JAN-US, not Janice. It's a Greek god or something."

Malcolm scowled at the owl.

The owl scowled back.

I don't know what Gabrielle sees in that Malcolm kid anyway. He's such a jerk.

Lois would confide to David but that would not be for another two weeks. This is how the conversation would go.

She poured out the coffee then sat with him at the kitchen table. "He's getting better, but it seems to be a slow process."

"I was hoping they were wrong," David said sincerely, "which is why I didn't tell you. Because of what happened, his memory loss, he will recover but it could be a while. Under the usual circumstances, he would have been back to normal by now."

Lois sighed. "All those things that happened to him. At least he isn't in any danger now. I've talked with the local school. They'll let him go there so he can stay at home. It's either that or that French school where that girl goes to. God knows what Malcolm will do if I let him go there."

"He could go back to Hogwarts," David mentioned. "There's a new Minister. I know the man and I think I have enough pull to get him to lift the expulsion. And he would be safe there. Safer than here I would imagine. I assume Dewey is going back."

"I completely forgot about him."

"And there's the question of Reese."

"He's not here. He's visiting friends."

David nodded. "I know. He's pretending to be Draco while Draco is . . . away."

Lois turned and looked sharply at David. "Did Malcolm tell you? Or was it Dewey? I want to know which one . . ."

"It was Draco," David said firmly. "And before you ask, he is in some trouble, but as long as they don't think he is who he really is, Draco should be able to handle himself. He will have a miserable summer but it's no more than he deserves for running off the way he did."

"What happened to him."

"I'll be honest with you, Lois. Draco is in a position where he's doing odd jobs for someone. Running errands. Watching for people. Things like that. It's nothing he hasn't done before. And it turns out that he is in the perfect position to spot someone we're looking for. I've agreed to pull him out of his predicament as soon as he locates this person for us."

Lois frowned. "And what exactly is he doing right now?"

David smiled. "I believe he is standing on a corner, it's raining all over England today if you didn't know, waiting to see how many people enter a particular house. After all the trouble he's caused, I think he deserves it."

"Has anyone told Narcissa?"

"According to Arthur Weasley, she is very happy with the Draco she has. She will be genuinely sorry to have her real son back."

Lois snorted. "That woman is mad. She likes Dewey as a person. And now you're telling me she prefers Reese to Draco."

David sighed. "I thought you might be upset."

"Why. Everyone's fine, even if they're not where they should be. Draco will come home soon enough. I know Reese is enjoying himself. And Malcolm will get better."

"About Reese. I checked with Glen Levitt Academy and they are very much surprised by the fact that Reese passed. As a result, they are forced to offer him placement for the upcoming year."

"Doesn't do us a lot of good," Lois told him. "We can't afford it. And we've already signed him up for the local high school." She looked at David. "Why are you suddenly interested in where my children go to school?"

"They're in danger. We've decided that it would be best to make arrangements to keep them as safe as possible. And as strange as it sounds, putting them in the middle of danger is the safest place for them. Keeping them here will make all of your children, and you and Hal, open targets."

"The American Government wants to protect my children by sending them out of the country?"

"When I said WE, I didn't mean the government. We're more of, um, an international organization. Unofficial, of course."

Lois nodded. "Dumbledore?"

"He's in charge."

"Fine," Lois said, "but I'll be honest with you. We came back with nothing in this house. Malcolm doesn't have a meal ticket any more. I can't afford to send Reese to any private school, much less his old one."

"I know someone. They'll have enough money to buy clothes and books but it will be a no-frills year."

Lois smiled as she pulled a letter out of her pocket. "Malcolm's girlfriend has been writing me."

David was mildly surprised. "She wants Malcolm to go to Beauxbatons?"

"She wants more than that," Lois said with a laugh. "Here's her last letter. After you read it, tell me what YOU think would happen if I sent Malcolm there."

David read the letter with curiosity then returned it. "I think Malcolm would have an . . . interesting . . . time. Did you show Malcolm this letter?"

"No, But I told him the parts he needed to know."

David smiled. "I should have guessed. I will try to get word to Draco, then." He paused. "Why did you go along with this?"

"You were involved, but I haven't had a chance to talk to you. As soon as I realized who the kid was, I talked to his dad."

David nodded. The rest of the conversation was brief, and David left to return to his office.