Chapter 38
Draco adjusted the umbrella as he sat at a desk on the rooftop of his villa and looked out across the landscape. A house elf had deposited his morning juice and departed leaving a cooling charm surrounding it against the morning sun.
The villa was in an agreeable location, and it had been one of his family's assets that he had wanted to investigate. As Potter seemed to be taking his time and inconveniencing himself and Daphne Greengrass in the process, it gave him the opportunity to explore the island of Crete and the Malfoy estate's presence here.
Which was minor, very minor, it was probably why his father had had very little to do with this villa; its comparatively small grounds and almost zero influence. The groves and lands of the grounds were managed by muggles who paid a fee and a selection of the harvests to the estate, which itself was managed by a wizarding family who lived elsewhere; whom his family had maintained ties to going back several generations.
The monies were not great from the arrangement, but the villa was well kept and it was a rather interesting experience to visit somewhere that his name was met with vague awareness or even friendly acceptance.
Most interesting, it was almost disconcerting at times.
Settling down in front of the old desk, that despite its spells and charms had been ravaged by the weather, he had needed to banish one of the house elves as it would not cease its apologies for letting allowing the desk to come to its current state.
It seemed an ancestor of his liked to sit atop the villa and perform his work, seated here looking out across the landscape. It was something that he had taken to doing. Although the umbrella was a necessity; he had no desire to look like those who tilled the fields, some standards must be maintained.
-/
The envelope was still there, he had looked at the photo that was contained within it.
It had been late the previous night when the owl had arrived, and he had been drinking, and had only briefly looked at the photo within before putting it away, passing it off as too much fine alcohol having passed his lips.
But now, once more and in the light of day, unfettered by the previous night's excesses he could once more look over the letter and its contents.
Merely by the letter stock he knew it was from one of his father's informants, or rather one of his father's former informants, they were now solely his informants. His father had stepped away from the public eye, and almost entirely spent his time away from his mother also; his father's time was spent away with others who had survived the war.
His mother likewise also cultivated relationships with those who had survived the war, but she did not, as his father did hide herself away, although she removed herself from Malfoy Manor to another of their properties within the United Kingdom.
It had fallen to him to engage various groups to cleanse and ultimately renovate the manor, to attempt to wipe the memories of the past away.
Picking up the letter, and cursing silently to himself, the letter and his thoughts of the past he opened it and retrieved the single photograph.
It had become no less graphic since the previous night.
It was a relatively long exposure photograph taken by an expert photographer.
The subject was a man held down by ropes, there was a look of abject terror on his face, an expression Draco knew all too well.
But the elements of the photo, what was happening to the man, it was something he had never seen before, and there was something alien about it, something unfamiliar, outside of his knowledge.
Alien in the sense of the word, but also in the other muggle sense of the word, something that; had it not been for his experience with Potter he would not consider even musing about. He would instead put it down to some ancient enchantment, perverted spell from the depths or something other.
Now though, looking at this image, this was not something wizarding, or at the very least it was a perversion of something wizarding with something else.
There were green tendrils of what looked like vines bursting out of the man's skin as wizards outside the frame of the photograph bathed him in spells.
When he looked at the image, he could feel his response to seeing it.
The sensations, the thoughts, the reaction that only wizards could have to things was the same as when he had encountered those angels, and again at Potter's farm estate. While it was removed somewhat, given that he was looking at an image he recognised it as a similar reaction.
There was but one individual he thought to contact concerning what he saw in the image.
It was not his agents, or rather his father's former agents, now his agents whom he used to acquire or act in certain circumstances. But rather a man whom he had not thought of at all until their recent...Draco had yet to truly quantify what his recent time together was, 'adventure' was a term he had heard Potter use during their time in the 1970s.
The term betrayed much of the weight that was forced upon them during that 'outing'.
But it had forced him to re-evaluate Potter, as a wizard and an individual from his original assumptions based on their Hogwarts experiences.
His time with Potter in the past had been a revelation of a sort, of Potter, his conduct and his dedication.
Dedication was something Draco knew very well, and at one point he might've doubted Potter's dedication to wizarding life, but having witnessed Potter's interrogation of a man when they were in the past, that drive of Potter's. It was fascinating to witness. And from what he gathered from Potter and Greengrass it was an action that Potter had performed several times before.
Those actions Potter had taken; to preserve from perversion of the 'Mad Cow' Ginny Weasley's ideals and manipulations of wizarding culture. There was something truly mad about attempting to pervert the course of wizarding culture through time travel, especially at a time such as when they were.
Draco removed a piece of parchment and a quill from the desk's drawers and settled back in his chair, musing on what to write to Potter.
There was nothing he was willing to admit to Potter concerning this photograph. Least of all that he; Draco Malfoy thought of Potter when he saw it, rather it had taken him some length of musing to consider Potter's skills as useful to this.
There were also other things that they should discuss; the muggles Ian and Barbara Chesterton.
They had offered them sanctuary when they were in the past. It mattered not that they were Potter's associates. Not to Draco.
That was something his mother had taught him, that all wizards should know, sanctuary offered must be acknowledged and repaid. He had considered seeking them out alone, but social rules would be obeyed and they were Potter's associates. Visitation would be made by himself, Potter and Greengrass, as they arrived in the past, they should return together.
That issue, however could be revisited upon when Potter had finished 'dealing with' the Baron and Baroness, however it was that Potter had decided to settle the matter with them.
Draco cursed to himself as he realised that his quill had leaked onto the parchment as he was caught mid-thought musing on what to write to Potter.
Instead, he merely placed the photograph in an appropriately sized envelope and sealed it with his seal. Potter was intelligent enough to deduce from whom and likely even where it was from, if Greengrass's perception of Potter was at least slightly accurate.
Summoning a house elf Draco dispatched it to send the letter, cleaning the quill he replaced it within the desk and finished his juice.
-/ - \\-
Draco slid on a white light linen jacket, placed an equally pale hat atop his head and walked to the rear of the villa, unlike some fools of wizards he did not apparate from within any of his properties, all had anti-apparition wardings present and maintained ready.
He, and his family still had many enemies, and many more of his forbears and associates had been killed in the night through badly warded properties.
However, there was such a point where security became an inconvenience, and warding the grounds was difficult and would attract more attention. There were of course, security measures around the grounds, but considering his status here, or lack there of they were not as severe.
-/
Walking in town was something of a liberating experience, with no one knowing him, or even acknowledging him, even now that he had been here for a few weeks, it was interesting. An experience he had not likely discovered had Potter not forced himself and Greengrass into...Draco did not think of it as hiding. He was not hiding, merely removing himself from active view in England.
His mother was the only individual whom he had informed that he was not dead, contrary to the rumours that stated otherwise, and there had already begun rumours of his demise.
Although, there were always some rumours that he, and the rest of the Malfoy line had been removed by some incompetent squib or other lowly wizard. The war may have ended, but grudges lasted much longer.
It was therefore somewhat annoying that Potter found that he had to remove the Baron and Baroness, they were interesting company to keep. There was of course a small amount of danger when frequenting their soirees, but the information gathered and exchanged more than made up for some caution.
However, the power they wrought with those statues, was very dangerous. A wizard with less scruples or intelligence who found themselves in the past could wreak havoc on the present. As the Baron and Baroness had done so.
Draco mused as he walked along the row of shops, just how many wizards and muggles had fallen out of favour and deal with by the hands of those statues.
-/
There wasn't a large enough wizarding population on the island for wizarding-only establishments. But he had discovered a few locations that did stock a range of wizarding beverages. It also gave him opportunity to utilise his Greek. One of the many languages his father had insisted he have a working knowledge of. You could not be cheated if you could speak the language, was a phrase his father had never said to him, but something one of his many instructors had said when he was learning during the breaks between his Hogwarts education when others 'holidayed'.
The drinks, muggle or wizard he could consume at the villa, but there was something...refreshing sitting in the cafe, watching other's lives pass by. While this was something he could do in England, were he to venture into the muggle cities. But here, in the sunshine it was quite pleasant, far more pleasant than in cities such as London or Edinburgh where he often felt suffocated by the muggles transports and conveyance devices.
Sometimes he even allowed himself to relax and not suspect every single person was ready to extort him or end his life. Though resting in the back of his mind was the potential of these things to happen.
But leaving the villa meant he could ignore, albeit briefly the tasks that awaited his attention there. Even when he was secluded away from his regular duties there were still things to be seen to.
-/
A few days later Draco found himself once again watching the primarily muggle life pass him by, the muggles doing their work, continuing their passage through their mundane lives. It was relaxing, and spending time here was almost relaxing.
Then someone stepped in front of his view and Draco tensed, his hand going immediately to the wand he had within his jacket pocket. There were still some people who walked around with holsters strapped to their wrists but doing so in polite, and even impolite company was particularly gauche. He'd noted that not even Potter had lowered himself to such a level of social ineptitude.
"Draco Malfoy?" The man asked, his inflection suggested to Draco's ear that English or such refined names as his were not his first language.
Draco took in the man, he was wearing a muggle worker's uniform, which seemed to suggest he was employed by a company, or perhaps an individual called DHL.
"Yes," Draco answered cautiously, not rising from his chair he looked up at the man.
The man nodded and placed a box made of corrugated paperboard on the table next to his drink and cake, something of an indulgence for him, but it was rather flawed yet still delectable. While the house elves were experts in food preparation, there was something he found interesting in a not-perfect construction of a foodstuff.
Perfection could become so tiresome sometimes.
The man handed him a bulky muggle device and a thin synthetic writing stick, like a pencil, though much shorter and thinner.
"Sign there," He motioned with a grubby finger.
Where the man was motioning was an illuminated area which also bore his name and below it the word 'Signature' in a functional typeface.
Draco attempted to sign his name, but the device or the writing instrument failed to function correctly and his signature was rendered as just a scrawl.
"Never works right," the man commented as he took the device back from him and departed.
Draco watched the yellow muggle conveyance progress up the street before he turned his attention to the box.
It was addressed with his name on it, and the name of the cafe that he was sitting in front of.
Draco tensed again and looked around the cafe and the street for some sign that someone was watching him. Spying on him.
The thought annoyed him greatly, but he had been careful everyday he had ventured out. No one from England knew him here, and if anyone were to seek to harm him, doing so here would be the worst place to do it.
If he were to try and kill or harm him, he'd do so when he departed the villa or where he apparated to near the town. Not here, in view of muggles.
Draco returned to the box, looking at the various warning labels; concerning what could not be posted in the box, there was a customs declaration as well though in transit the statement seemed to have become scuffed. He knew well about these declarations, though not of the muggle design, the wizarding equivalent was just as irritating but only biding when sending items to diplomatic locations and other locations such as that.
The wizarding post was much less interfered with than the muggles' so called efficient postal system.
On the back he found a small tag that indicated that one should rip across the lines to gain easy access to the box.
It was an efficient system, especially as he did not have his letter opener nor could he easily remove his wand here.
Draco mused he could have returned to the villa and removed the contents there, but the box had been addressed to him here at the cafe.
That intrigued him enough to explore the contents of the box here.
Pausing before he opened the box he motioned to the waitress for another drink.
Inside the box was a large, though it could be held in one hand, muggle telecommunications device. It was recognisably a 'telephone'.
There was no included documentation with the device inside the box, nor any indication of who had sent it or why.
Then it started to make a noise, it was harsh noise that he had heard from many muggles devices before.
There were several buttons on the device, numbered buttons and also two others a green one and a red one.
Draco had seen muggles using devices such as these, and they seemed to use a button to begin and a button to end their use of these device.
Draco pushed the green button and raised one end of the device to his ear.
"Malfoy, you are as intelligent as I thought." Came the voice of a smug sounding Potter.
"There are plenty of wizards that are not as stupid as the people you associated with at Hogwarts Potter."
Surprisingly Potter chuckled. "You are right Malfoy on that count."
"What do I owe this device delivery and your" Draco paused searching for the word. "Call to me?"
"Can't I just call, have a chat with you" Potter paused and his tone changed slightly. "Draco?" It sounded like he had been instructed, no doubt by Greengrass to address him on a first name basis.
They had been through several situations that would warrant a first name association Draco had to admit that, silently of course to himself.
"No, Potter, we did not converse at all following our time at Hogwarts."
"Times change Draco. And might I note that you sent me something."
Draco raised an eyebrow and smiled briefly as the waitress placed another hot drink down before him.
"I thought that it might be on your particular experience level Potter."
"And I thank you for bringing it to my attention. I won't ask how you came by the knowledge, I expect you have various tendrils in various places." Draco noted the odd turn of phrase 'tendrils'.
"A man of my standing has several sources of information," he replied.
"As do I Draco," Potter added his voice calm. "You should know that it has been dealt with." Draco knew what Potter did when he 'dealt' with things.
"The wizard?" Draco asked curiously.
There was some silence. "All infected individuals were dealt with, and everyone else involved was debriefed with extreme prejudice."
Again Draco knew what Potter was talking about and even knew what he had done, having seen Potter's work first hand.
"I see," was all he said.
"I thought I'd also let you know the Baron and the Baroness and their abode have been dealt with." There was a permanence to Potter's tone with regard to 'dealt with'.
Though considering how Potter dealt with things this could mean anything.
"Dealt with?"
"I'm sure you understand Draco I can't reveal my operating procedures with even you," Potter paused all too confidently. "But their residence is secure and has been cleansed of any trace of them."
"I see Potter," Draco said as he took a sip of his drink and then turned the box over, wondering if there was a tracking spell on the box, he asked Potter just that.
"Nothing so simple. I've picked up some skills since Hogwarts Draco. Finding your villa was not easy. It is a rather nice abode by the way."
"Thank you," Draco found himself saying without realising it, and briefly forgetting that Potter had managed something of a feat finding his lodging using only what he had sent him.
"I am not at my lodgings at the moment Potter."
"No, but parcel tracking is a wonderful thing."
"I take by your tone Potter that there are an innumerable ways you could have contacted me and located me instead of that."
"Very perceptive Draco," Potter sounded amused. Maybe Potter just liked to converse with a wizard that, unlike the male Weasley had more intelligence than a ghoul.
"Does this mean Potter I may resume my regular schedule now that you have finished dealing with elements of wizarding society?"
"Yes. Draco." Potter said calmly. "By the way, you can keep the phone, my number's already there should you need to contact me urgently."
"You're very presumptuous Potter. Have you forgotten about magic?"
"It's shielded against most magic, and no I haven't Draco. As I said just in case. We should also get together and see Ian and Barbara."
"I agree Potter," Draco affirmed.
"Good, well. Be seeing you Draco."
"Potter." And then Draco looked down and pushed the red button on the phone with a satisfied smirk.
-/ - \\-
A/N:
When I was musing on where Draco would be in Europe my first thought was somewhere wintery and cool. Maybe he's in large chalet somewhere, or hanging out in Finland or Norway, or in a castle in France of Germany.
That's where my imagination went immediately, and that's why I haven't written that.
Instead, it's pretty much the opposite.
I did consider changing how I'd written the previous chapter (I started this one before I posted the previous chapter) so Draco would say 'somewhere in the world' instead of specifically mentioning Europe. But I think he, and the wizarding world that relates to the Malfoy line etc is tied to Europe.
I messed around with this chapter for a while, and I played with the idea of having Draco meet some aliens or something. But it just seemed a bit awkward. It's still Draco Malfoy and he's not Harry, upon seeing anything alien and dangerous to his person Malfoy would not go in spells a blazing.
Now to the battle with the second Krynoid, that's what the image showed, another Krynoid taking someone over. Or more to the point the lack of a second battle.
It's another thing I messed around with, and once you've written one battle sequence with a huge alien plant creature where is there to go?
It'll continue to be mentioned and deconstructed a bit next chapter, but there won't be a blow by blow action sequence as I did previously at Hogwarts. It's something I've done already and while I wish to continue the ideas from it I don't want to write another battle sequence like it.
Thanks for reading.
