A/N - Hello everyone. I finally have a new chapter for this story and I hope you like it even though it's on the short side. Before we get to that I feel like I should explain something. Some of you might be reading my newest story, the X-Men / Harry Potter crossover Lightning, Part 1, and you've seen that I've been updating it every week so far. So why can't I do the same with this story, right? Well it's like this. I deliberately held back from posting any of Lightning until I had a lot of chapters written. That's made it possible for me to post new chapters once a week (at least for now). This story, on the other hand, started life as a one shot. Then I added another one shot when I felt like it, and another, and another, before finally turning it into a continuing story. I've never had any advance chapters for this tale "in the can" so to speak and since I'm not a particularly fast writer it can be a long time between updates. The only thing I can say is that I'm not abandoning this story even if updates get excruciatingly slow at times.
I don't own either Harry Potter or Dungeons and Dragons. They belong to their respective creators. The only things that are mine are the story itself and any original characters I might come up with. Please read and review; I always appreciate feedback. Constructive criticism is welcome, however no flames please.
15) INQUIRIES
When Daranni arrived in Bahamut's audience chamber he filled her in on what Harry had told him.
"Oh dear" said Daranni, "if Lucius is willing to strike Draco in public like that then who knows what's happening to that boy in his home."
"Indeed" said Bahamut, "the question is, what can we do about it?"
"What authority do we have to interfere on Earth in this matter?" asked Daranni, "we have no familial connections to the Malfoys."
"We don't" said Bahamut, "but Sirius does. He's the head of the Black family now since Arcturus passed away. Narcissa is a Black by birth so that makes Draco a Black by descent."
"But he's a Malfoy first" said Daranni.
"Perhaps" said Bahamut, "perhaps not. Let's see what Sirius has to say."
"Fine" said Daranni, "but before we do that I want to see if we can get more information."
The next morning Hedwig delivered a short note to Harry from his parents at breakfast. When he was finished he considered the best way to do as they asked. It wasn't something he could do in public as it meant talking to Crabbe and Goyle. Although it was fine for him to be seen doing that as they had already established friendly relations in front of the school if the subject he wanted to discuss with them got out it could well be bad. Fortunately an opportunity presented itself the very next day.
It was just before lunch and Harry was finishing up a lesson with one of his father's chief clerics. He was still in his dragon form when the lesson ended and the cleric left. He turned when he heard people approaching from the greenhouses and saw the first year Ravenclaws and Slytherins heading his way on their way to the castle for lunch. Everyone was getting used to his dragon form by now and there weren't any double takes by the students when they saw him. Harry crouched down and lowered his head to speak to his friends as they went by.
"Hello everyone" he called to them. Just about everyone stopped to say hi.
"How was your morning?" asked Hermione.
"Not bad at all, thank you" Harry replied, "did you see some interesting plants today?"
"Better not let Neville answer that" said Terry quickly, "or we'll be here all lunchtime."
"The short answer is yes, we did" said Daphne speaking up.
"Good" said Harry, "that's what class is for right? I'll see everyone soon at lunch." Most of the students then headed for the castle doors but Harry asked Crabbe and Goyle to stay a bit longer.
"Sorry to delay you" he said, "let me turn human again and we can talk more easily." A moment later a human Harry was standing with the other two students.
"So what's on your mind Harry?" asked Crabbe.
"Well" said Harry, "that thing with Malfoy and his father two days ago? Does that happen a lot?"
"Why are you asking that?" asked Goyle.
"It's actually my parents who are asking" said Harry, "I went home right after the incident and told my dad about it. Yesterday I got a note from both my parents asking me to find out more.
"Okay" said Goyle, "but why do they want to know?"
"I told my parents about the sorting" answered Harry, "they were both concerned about how Malfoy's parents might react to that. It seems that my godfather went through something similar. All of his family was in Slytherin except for him. After he got sorted into Gryffindor his parents started to abuse him a lot. Eventually it got so bad that he ran away from home when he was 16 and moved in with my father's human parents."
"I see" said Crabbe, "and they worry that something similar might happen to Draco, especially after the incident with Mr. Malfoy?"
"Yes" said Harry, "I know that Malfoy and I aren't friends but that doesn't mean I want anything bad to happen to him."
"That's good of you" said Goyle, "to answer your question I, well I don't really know to tell you the truth."
"Draco gives himself a lot of airs" said Crabbe, "and he struts around like he's the lord of everything. You wouldn't think someone like that would be abused." The two boys looked at each other as if this was something they'd never considered before.
"You know" said Goyle, "now that you mention it there are times when it doesn't seem, well, right, if you know what I mean."
"I'm not sure I do" said Harry.
"We've put up with Draco lording over us a lot" said Goyle, "but I wonder if he's just putting up a mask?"
"If he was being abused he might do that" said Harry, "if he didn't want anyone to know."
"That's common for pure blood families" said Crabbe, "especially Slytherin ones. People try to keep up the perfect look so no one thinks anything could possibly be wrong. My family's like that."
"So's mine" said Goyle, "but my parents don't hurt me. They might yell at me if I do something wrong but they don't hit me."
"Same here" said Crabbe.
"That's pretty normal" said Harry, "my parents are the same way. But Mr. Malfoy struck Draco with his cane in front of the whole school."
"That's not like him" said Crabbe, "I've never seen Mr. Malfoy lose his temper in public like that."
"If you had to guess" said Harry, "do you think Draco is being hurt at home?"
"After that incident I don't know what to think" said Goyle, "I never saw anything like that when I was at Malfoy manner."
"To be fair we were guests" said Crabbe, "I don't know what to think either. If Draco is being abused will you help him?"
"That's why my parents wanted this information" said Harry, "they intend to try although I don't know what they'll do."
"That's all we can ask" said Goyle. With that they all went in to lunch.
Later that day Hedwig arrived at Bahamut's palace with Harry's note about what he'd learned. Bahamut thanked Hedwig for the delivery and sent her back to Hogwarts with a long strip of bacon in her beak. After he read the letter he summoned Daranni to meet him on the back terrace. When she arrived he showed her the letter. They both agreed to contact Sirius, let him know what was going on, and see what he might want to do about the situation.
When he heard what Bahamut and Daranni had to tell him he agreed to look into it. Having been an abused child himself he was sympathetic toward Draco's possible plight even if he didn't particularly like Draco or his mother. He'd never liked Lucius though so a possible chance to bring him down a bit could not be passed up. He began by inviting Narcissa Malfoy, who was his cousin, to join him for tea at Black Manor a few days later. Narcissa was very surprised to get the invitation and normally would have refused it but as Sirius was now Lord Black she considered it more prudent to accept.
The two cousins shared tea together on the back terrace of Black Manor. For a while they made small talk about such trivial things as the weather and the state of each other's health before Sirius put down his cup and looked at Narcissa with a solemn expression.
"I heard about what happened between Draco and Lucius a few days ago" he said to his cousin, "is Draco all right?"
"I don't know" said Narcissa, "he hasn't written home since then. Lucius was very upset about Draco's sorting."
"That was quite clear" said Sirius, "what about you?"
"I don't really know what to think right now" said Narcissa, "I'm not obsessed with Draco being a Slytherin, after all the most Slytherin people often are in other houses, but Gryffindor? That shocked me a lot. Malfoys don't go to that house."
"But Blacks might" said Sirius, "I did."
"You were a rebellious exception" replied Narcissa.
"And proud of it" said Sirius with a grin, "maybe Draco has a hidden rebellious streak you don't know about. He is the son of a Black."
"I hope not" said Narcissa, "although I admit it might not be a bad thing after what Lucius did."
"Does he often act that way?" asked Sirius without any hint of mockery in his manner. Narcissa put down her cup and looked at him.
"Why are you asking me this?" she asked him, "it's never concerned you before what goes on in the Malfoy household."
"That's true" said Sirius, "and that was probably very wrong of me. I know we look at life very differently from each other but we are still cousins."
"If I were to say yes" said Narcissa, "what would you do?"
"That might depend on what you wanted me to do" said Sirius, "as Lord Black I can claim you back for the family and claim Draco too as he is the son of a Black."
"You could" agreed Narcissa, "but you've never liked me or Draco very much. Would you really be willing to give us protection from Lucius if we needed it?"
"Yes" said Sirius, "family is still family. Is it something you would want?" Narcissa leaned back in her chair and considered the question.
"Lucius is firmly committed to the Dark Lord's pure blood supremacy" she finally said, "I also believe pure bloods should be on top but I don't like the things that the Dark Lord did to achieve his goals. I don't want Draco to follow his father down that path either but I'm not sure if I can prevent it. I also don't want to think about what Lucius will do to Draco if he refuses to become a Death Eater."
"If Draco was under the protection of House Black – " began Sirius.
"Yes, yes" said Narcissa cutting him off, "that's true, but what would the price of that protection be?"
"I hadn't thought that far ahead to be honest" said Sirius, "I'm just concerned with making sure another child doesn't have to suffer from family in the way that I did."
"Then I suggest you think about it" said Narcissa as she put down her cup and stood up from her chair, "and when you come to a decision let me know and we'll talk. Good day Lord Black and thank you for inviting me to tea this afternoon."
(To Be Continued)
A/N - And that's all until next time. Meanwhile I hope everyone is staying safe and well in these dark times.
