"I know what it is. I'm more concerned about why you'd be doing one. Planning something big without me?"
Draco pressed a hand to his head. Greg's voice was loud. "In two weeks, I'll be helping the Hogwarts professors in a ritual to move the ghost."
"A bit early, usually you'd want to do it soon before."
"I figured it would be unnecessary to even do. And I thought I had the time and night to myself." Not really, not for his part in the ritual anyway. It was a requirement for him. If Severus and Filius were to take part, it would be optional for them. It would increase success though if the two were not strong enough on their own.
"Ah." The way he said it, he could feel Greg's eyes on him. The man knew he did nothing unnecessary. Sometimes he fell into the pattern of his childhood - believing Greg to be an oaf due to his lack in conversation. However, Greg was a Slytherin, a Lord. He was someone to contend with, someone who knew him better than any other outsider.
The man walked further into the room now. Turning to stand in front of Draco. His eyes scanned Draco's face first and then looked at his neck and hands. "Do I want to know what happened?"
"No."
The man made a clicking noise in the back of his throat. "What Dark wizard did you pick a fight with?"
"Snape, I didn't expect Potter to back him up."
"I know for a fact that an auror would have more sense." Greg's lips twitched downward.
"Vega came to my defense, and I got between him and Potter."
Greg looked at the dragon. "I don't see a scratch on him. Did he stop on his own or have you done repair work?"
"He stopped on his own," Draco watched Greg carefully. This would be the deciding factor.
The man raised a brow, "Looks like it took a while for him to come to his senses."
"Yes," this time Vega answered, looking directly into Greg's eyes. "It will not happen again."
Greg's gaze went back to Draco, before turning back to the dragon. He reached out and patted its head, "I hope not, doesn't look like Draco would survive it."
The man then eased himself onto the chair before the powder mirror. "What's up with your eyes? Side effect of being eaten alive by a dragon."
"My eyes?" Draco asked.
"They've gone from grey to white looking." The man inspected himself in the mirror, brushing his hair.
"Must be the cleansing ritual. Speaking of which, I need the next basket."
Greg didn't leave the seat, but he turned to look at Draco. "I'd like to know why your eyes are white first."
"And I just told you. Do you mind fetching the next basket, Vega?" The dragon did his beckoning.
He looked down at this one. Damn, hawthorn berries. He scattered them. Instead of simple conversations - it was like everyone was speaking in his ear, yelling really. He gritted his teeth and pushed his head back.
"I thought the dark magic cleanse only hurt in the beginning - what have you been up to?" Greg raised a brow in question, although didn't appear condescending. He left his seat and moved closer to the bath though, concerned.
"The cleanse is amplifying his crafting magic - increasing his connection with the manor." Vega said quietly.
"And this is causing pain?"
"Everyone yelling in my ear causes pain," Draco hissed out, even his own voice echoed unnaturally in his head. "If my mother comments one more time about my choice in carvings, I swear I will go insane."
"You can hear them."
"All of them, and you too. Like an echo chamber." Draco couldn't bear to continue explaining. His own voice sounded terrible too.
"Can I help?"
Draco raised a finger to his mouth, in an ask for silence. The man's lips twisted upward in a smile, but he obeyed. He took several steps back and leaned against the sink to watch.
Draco forced his hands to release his tight grip once again. He kept his eyes on Vega and Vega kept his eyes on him.
He eventually put his head back, neck hitting the rim of the tub. They were such a talkative lot. The whisperings about what he was so preoccupied with were starting to become the main topic. Thankfully politely out of earshot of his mother. Then they noticed that Greg had left them. Now they wanted to find him too.
With ease, he locked the hallway leading to the bedroom and bathroom attachment.
"The last basket if you would."
Grass. Thank goodness. He scattered it in the tub with a sigh. It didn't increase much of his experience. He waited fully, allowing himself to relax and ignore the pounding of the door in the hallway.
"Do you want to delay them momentarily?" Draco asked, pointing behind him.
"No, not particularly." Greg didn't budge from his spot next to the sink. "I've never been very good at speaking with your mother."
With a sigh, Draco grabbed the towel beside the tub and got up. Vega moved to the side allowing Draco to exit.
Greg turned around to give him privacy.
Thankfully the sound decreased the moment he was out. However, his ability to feel the breathing of the manor didn't dissipate like the other noise. He reached his wand by the sink next to Greg and casted a drying spell.
Just as quickly, he then shaved his face – he'd been looking haggard. Then he grabbed the clothes on the counter. Not quite suitable for guests, but they would have to do it. He hadn't brought robes. If the muggles were to deliver the coffin today, he wouldn't need them. He had been intending to go to bed after collecting blood and sleeping it off. He dressed and then altered the material to look more sophisticated with a spell. "Jiffy, a robe."
Immediately one popped into his outstretched hand. Perfect choice, as always. He pulled it on. He was about to turn to the door when Vega extended his potion.
He drank it. And it hit him harder than even his most potent potion did. Good choice in low dosage. He slid down the cabinet wall and attempted to hold in laughter at the sight of the room and how strange it was with all the baskets. Were there multiple ships on white crested foam of the stained-glass window? Oh, was that a mermaid too? He started laughing more.
"I suspect you haven't eaten in a while for the cleansing ritual. How long?" With no answer, Greg looked to the dragon. "How long has he gone?"
"Two days," Vega supplied.
"How much dosage?"
"It was his lowest dosage," The dragon replied as it sat on the floor beside Draco.
Draco wrapped his arms around Vega's neck. The dragon slid his head on his shoulder. If not for the constant knocking of Potter he could have fallen asleep. Within a minute, he was back on his feet, straightening his robes.
"Apologies," Draco said with a hiccup.
"Not at all," Greg said, laughter in his eyes. "This is going to be great. Your mother is going to be fun to handle. Good luck telling her you're fine."
Draco couldn't even glare, in fact, he was laughing again - and not caring that he was doing so. He leaned against the wall in the hallway, realizing that going out in his current state was probably going to cause him a lot of problems long term. He was crying - he was laughing so hard. It was as if someone had casted a tickling charm. At some point it wasn't even funny - but his body wouldn't stop.
Greg lingered patiently, leaning against the opposing wall. "I've not seen the effects last this long, but I must say it's quite amusing."
He was going to attempt to tell the man off, but instead only another hiccup escaped his lips. It caused another fit of laughter. The world seemed a bit fuzzy in the corner of his vision - he wondered if it were the tears or if the potion was beginning to impact his sight.
"Are you sure you're going to be able to meet your mother like this?" Greg asked, watching him with mirth.
It wasn't like he had much he could do about it. He needed to see her eventually, sooner rather than later or she'd take slight to the fact he did not greet her. Although she likely already would. He closed his eyes and leaned back, attempting to catch his breath between hiccups. His mother had rarely been angry with him, annoyed perhaps, but it was a fact that she'd feel slighted over something so small as manners.
He was laughing again, his body now sliding down the wall as he felt he lacked the ability to stand. Potter's pounding on the door was harder than before, and he could feel it in his legs. Of course, this made him laugh too.
Greg followed the movement and sat down across from him. There was a glint in his eyes - as if he were absorbing the memory to use later.
Against him? Perhaps. Against him in public? No, never. How had he ended up in the man's good graces was beyond him. Out of all the people who'd been in his life, Greg had come so close to death because of him and yet still the man had stuck beside him. Even when Draco had continuously abused his power as a child, had insulted him when he reached majority, threatened him with dark curses as an adult. Still the man hadn't budged. Surely Greg had much better friends. Why had the man even thought to make him a godfather?
He was still laughing - he couldn't stop even though he was trying - but the tears were not joyous now. He put his head against his knees, attempting to calm his mind and thoughts. The hiccups were becoming unbearable now. What was causing this? Usually, this phase would pass within a minute. The fact it had been more than several was a bit terrifying. The low dose of mood enhancement - that usually wasn't too perceptible to him, was causing his mood to swing in rapid directions.
"You're not going to be able to talk to your mother at all - are you?"
That got him laughing again and shaking his head. He couldn't imagine what she'd think of him if she saw him now. No doubt she'd send for at least eight mind healers.
"Jiffy," Greg called out.
The house elf came, didn't look at Greg - only at Vega and Draco. Then it was gone again. It returned immediately with a glass of water and sat it before Draco. It vanished again.
Draco could hear it on the other side of the door of the bedroom, asking if the guests would like to take tea in the gazebo outside. There were some angry retorts to the elf, but the elf didn't budge. Insisting that they go outside to enjoy the gardens. The knocking ceased and Draco could hear their footsteps lead outside.
The hiccups went with the water, and he closed his eyes, resting his head against the wall. His stomach hurt from the laughter. After a while his eyes opened. "That was hell."
Greg gave a bark of a laugh, but the smile didn't reach his eyes this time. His expression grew somewhat darker. He looked down in thought for a moment and rolled his shoulders back. "I have a feeling you may not be able to get rid of them that quickly."
Draco tilted his head in acknowledgement.
"The Sethcoria, the girl that Severus and Filius have been researching. The child was Bella's and yours - wasn't it?"
Draco was stunned. One, by the fact it had been discussed so openly. Second, that Greg had jumped to the conclusion. Third, he had no idea of what to say in response.
"Never mind. I know for a fact it was, you would have told me otherwise. It's only when it directly concerns you do shut up about anything, otherwise you can yack forever - even if its on a topic like flobberworms. They haven't found a way to undo the ritual, not without parental blood. So they don't know. And you, doing this cleansing ritual - are fully preparing to undo it." The expression grew even darker, "You're intending to do it without anyone present. Early."
Greg paced.
Draco's heart hammered in his chest. He tried to form words, he'd barely uttered a noise when Greg turned back to him.
"This whole time I thought you were broken by a war and your damn aunt." He gave another barking laugh that had no humor. His expression became callous. "Instead, you're a wreck because of your own actions. Tell me, if my Madeline hadn't had magic what would you have done to her?"
