The Count of Azkaban

Chapter 10

As soon as Harry heard his name, his head whipped around to see Draco.

"Damn! My cover is nearly blown." Thought Harry to himself. Although he was sure that he could very easily prove that he was anybody but the boy-who-killed, he did not want even a single shard of connection with his previous life. Obliviation was an option but Voldemort was a master legilimens.

Harry was surprised to see nothing on the face of Draco, as if he had not heard it. Bewildered, Harry turned his head towards Ginny or Lady Ginevra and saw that all the blood of her face had flushed off, leaving her skin unearthly white. Being a red-head, she was cream white anyway, but this was very unsettling. Suddenly Harry realized that it was her thoughts that he had heard. She had been so shocked that her mind had screamed out aloud. Harry, probably after a very long time had mistaken between the two.

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Ronald Weasley was in the foyer of the bank. He had to speak with Draco and have his line of credit extended. The Chuddley Cannons was killing his finances. Truth be told, he was bankrupt. But being the showman that he had become, his lavishness was inversely proportional to his financial health. He had been sure that a little blackmail would help him get the money he needed to tide over. He had been waiting for nearly ten minutes when his proverbial patience or rather the lack of it made him walk to the receptionist once more.

It was the same girl we saw an hour or so earlier speaking with blade. Ron strutted off to the counter and spoke quite rudely with grace.

"Where is Mr. Malfoy?"

Grace looked up and saw the furiously red face of Ronald Weasley. He was not a very popular man albeit a rich one. Had it not been for the fact that he was the chairman's brother-in-law, he would have been surrounded by the guards at the moment.

However, he was who he was and she would be facing the brunt of his ire.

Collecting herself, she looked up and looked straight into Ron's eyes and said, "Mr. Malfoy is in a meeting and rest assured, I have sent him a message regarding your arrival. He asked that you wait here in the lobby till he gets free and calls for you."

"What do you mean you have sent a message or wait here in the lobby? Do you know who I am? I can have you fired in a second. I don't believe you are doing your job. I have never ever waited in the lobby like a nobody." His shouting would have gone on had Scattermigger not arrived in the lobby to tell Mr. Weasley that he may need to wait a bit longer. However, before anything could be said, Grace, who had been reduced to tears, took her bag and ran off the bank.

Nobody saw her leave as all the attention was on the scene Ron was making. Well all except one.

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Blade had walked out of the office after Harry had left with Draco. He was just about to disapparate when he heard the loud shriek of an uncivilized person. As he saw the poor girl reduced to tears and run away, he had a sudden inspiration. Call it an instinct, but his life was but a string of decisions made on instinct. As always, he believed in them. They had never let him down. As grace was passing him, he started walking behind her. Before she could cross the disapparation wards and leave, he put a hand on her arm, stopping her.

Grace had never ever been humiliated like that. She was from a proud old pureblood family which had stayed neutral throughout. Although, it had cost them her parents, she was still a part of respectable family. She had never had the chance to go to Hogwarts. Instead, her older sister had home-schooled her. Now, at the moment, she was working here not for money but because she did not want to sit idle. No-one had ever spoken to her like that and she could not bear it anymore.

Picking up her things, she walked off. She knew that leaving like this could mean her instant dismissal, but she did not care. As soon as she was about to pass the wards, a strong hand touched her arm, albeit gently. She turned around and saw the face of the man she had spoken to an hour or so ago. Something in his eyes stopped the rant which would have surely escaped her mouth a fraction of second later. A few moments later, she recognized the look. It would have been very akin to the angry look in her eyes at the moment, but it was mixed with honesty and trust. Somehow, she felt herself forced to trust this man.

As grace stopped and turned to see him, blade had been prepared for the tongue-lashing the girls are famous for. Surprisingly, grace looked at him and turned stopped. She just stood there; for a few moments. Blade felt it was the time to speak. He said, "I am Blade. We just met. I saw what happened just now. If you want to talk about it, we can stop for a bit of tea."

Grace was astonished. Not only for the strange offer from a man she hardly knew; but also because she found herself nodding and accepting the offer.

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Cho Chang Weasley was, unfortunately for Ron, was shopping for some new clothes at attire', the new French boutique which was in rage. The prices were atrocious, but so were the clients. A single dress could keep ten families living comfortably for a year. So, it was the obvious that it had become the latest club of snobs. And so it happened that one of the dress-makers was in the bank during the entire scene.

"Have you heard?" Simone, the pretty and small French dressmaker started to spread the gossip around. She started by speaking with Eleanor Crabbe, the wife of Vincent Crabbe. As was usual for the gossip mongers, the snippet of the sentence was enough to have most of the ears trying their hardest to not miss a syllable of the newest gossip.

"What my dear Simone?" Eleanor said in a tone which clearly wanted to give the impression that she was already privy to the news but wanted to hear it anyway. Not fooled at all, Simone continued and told the entire chain of events which had occurred at the Gringotts. A few garnishes were obviously added, for flair. By the end of the narration, many women had their hands on their breasts with oohs & aahs escaping every now and then.

The one person, who had turned red at such embarrassment, was the wife of the man in question. She tried to discreetly apparate away, which was highly unlikely as her apparition was quite loud. There was a burst of sniggles as she disapparated. Such is the treacherous and lonely world of snobs.

Though one thing is sure, if Ron was to come back at night, he wouldn't have much of a rest.

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The relief in Harry's mind and the amazement in Ginny's heart were probably not that different in the degree of emotion felt inside. Now to the credit of both, if one was to see them, he would be hard pressed to say anything of much consequence had passed, except for the paling of Ginny's pallor.

Observing protocol, showing he was a man of high birth and station, he bowed gently. Their eyes met and surprisingly for both of them, they had a conversation. Strangely, time had not eroded their silent communication. It was not unlike the ones they used to have while dating in secret. Harry was apprehensive about his identity being known, but his mild legilimens probe told him that she could be trusted.

Ginny was in great turmoil as well. As soon as she saw the man Draco introduced, her heart recognized the man. Although, years of hiding her true self hid the fact and so did her body. There wasn't a single change in the posture of her body. Only her eyes lit up for a second and she paled for a few seconds. In less than a fraction of a second, she stood with the same straight back and the elegance and style which separated her from the wannabes of the wizarding world. The color in her face returned to normal too. Draco was so busy looking at Harry, he missed this important detail.

Although she was glad that Harry was alive, she had a lot of anger which was threatening to burst up for his betraying her, making her believe that he was dead.

But all of this would be settled later; at the old place, at the old time. That is what their eyes had spoken and agreed. Now was the time with Draco.

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Draco was totally oblivious of the mayhem happening around him. He was a master legilimens, but both Harry and Ginny were talented. He didn't stand a chance.

At the moment, he was mentally planning on how to get close to the count and come into his good graces.

"My dear Count! Allow me to introduce my wife, Lady Ginevra to you." With that, Harry bowed a bit once again, which was appropriately reciprocated.

Now turning to Ginny, Draco said, "My Lady! I need only mention one small thing to you which would make all the ladies of London swoon. Our esteemed count here has decided to spend an amount of nearly five billion galleons for the present year and he has chosen our city as the venue for his lavishness." Although Draco had said the words the butter up Harry, in all his excitement, he had overlooked the fact at how utterly common he looked at the moment.

"Let's head to the hall and have a bit of tea." Draco continued. Nodding, Harry followed Draco as Ginny started to walk beside him. A few moments later, all three of them were sitting comfortably on a sofa, with a cup of earl grey in their hands and assorted pasteries and biscuits lying down on the table in front of them. The house elves had clearly tried their best.

"So, my dear count! Where have you decided to put up for the year. I sincerely cannot see a parsonage as yours living in a Hotel or a common house." Draco asked. He had several properties which were enormous and well made. He wanted to lend one of them. With their special charms and wards, he was bound to find out everything that happened there.

"Come Lord Malfoy! You must have read my dossier and if I am correct, your many contacts would have already told you some things about my lifestyle. Do you really suppose that I would be badly lounged, even if it was for only a year?" Harry said in the same cold tone that he had used in the office while talking about the letter of credit.

Draco was clearly disconcerted. All his ploys were falling flat on their faces.

"I am aware and was only trying to offer you what I have to you, should it be of any use to you."

"I am grateful for the offer but my lounges are nearly prepared. As a matter of fact, they should be completed by the time I return." Harry said offhandedly, sounding a bit mollified. He had been using his different moods to unsettle Draco. The longer he was on his toes, the better it would be for him.

Draco knew that the count had bought the island of Azkaban, but he felt that it was probably as an investment. After all, nobody buys junk for that price. He had had no information on any unknown or foreign purchases being made in any of the surrounding areas. As his bank was the sole arbitrator of such deeds, he would have found out. That was the reason he had thought of offering the count one of his many manors. He would have to find out where the count lived. He didn't want to ask out. He was very unsure of how the count would treat such a query. An introduction to the chairman of LeBeau was very important to him.

Ginny, however had no such qualms. She wanted to see Harry in as much hot water as she could without going overboard.

"So where are you putting up count?" she asked in the demure way as if asking where he bought the tie-pin.

Harry was not ignorant of the workings of Ginny's mind. So he answered truthfully. He took out a gold card, magically engraved. One could see the white palace shining in the moonlight on the card. On the top was a simple name, The Count of Azkaban.

Ginny was totally be-spelled by the vision of beauty she saw in the card. She was also aware of the significance of the island to Harry. She was speechless.

Harry took out another card and gave it to Draco.

Draco was speechless. It was, undoubtedly, the most beautiful palace he had ever seen.

"Unfortunately, I have some things to take care of. I would like to take your leave." Harry said, standing up abruptly.

Both of them nodded as Harry used the floo once more to go to the bank and then disappeared from there.

(((o)))

Blade was looking at the smiling girl in front of him. In the last half an hour, she had calmed down and now, with her hair down and smile on her face, she looked like an angel. With all that he had found out about the girl, he was sure that his instincts were correct. The count should know of this. Promising to meet again, and getting her floo address, blade left to meet the count or wait for him.

(((o)))

Draco returned to his office to find a harried looking Scattermigger. A few moments later, he was seeing red as he heard of Ron's activities and of the receptionist's departure. He was getting angry. Ron had left, after creating the scene but it was not a minor disturbance. Draco's patience was running thin and Ron was using the last of his lifeline.

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Ginny was looking at her hands as tears were slowly falling of her face into her lap. She had been numb from the shock of seeing Harry alive, and a bit angry. Now she was getting angrier at Harry for making her believe that he was dead when it was apparent that he was not. On the other hand, one part of her was so happy that her heart nearly threatened to burst up. But utilizing all the patience she had had to develop over the last many years, she waited till dusk.

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Harry had entered his private apartment just a few moments ago. As always, a glass of his favorite wine was on the table, cooled to the exact temperature that he liked it. "Stout" Harry mused.

Before he could do much, he heard a slight knock and the door turned into a one way mirror. It was one of many security tools his company had become famous for. He saw Blade, looking a bit excited. Harry wondered what it was as he, without even moving, unlocked the door.

"Count! You have to hear this." With that blade told him all that had happened with Ron's visit at the Malfoy Bank. Although the information was useful, but not that important until he came to find out the name of the receptionist. Well actually the full name. Her name was Grace Anne Zabini, the younger sister of Blaise Zabini. A few seconds later, Harry apparated through the wards, directly into the Zabini Manor.

He was just about to take his first step when he felt a stunner head straight towards him.

Author's Notes:

Sorry. I have been busy with something and have been late in the last few updates. Hope you like it.

PS: I have been asked by few of the reviewers regarding the age of Harry. Let me clarify, nowhere have I mentioned his actual age, just that he looked that old.

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