Chapter 5: Of Memorials and Mischief
"Oh …" Theo breathed. "Firenze said Draco was fighting a darkness for a long time–"
"Eltanin told me I could become as Draco designed me," Hermione added in a small voice.
"So, my namesake constellation actually created the Mage?" Draco asked, befuddled.
"Ron's right, this isn't literal," Theo answered. "Even some of the poem isn't – our names aren't literally Herodius and Alitis. I don't believe the stars literally talk to humans, but the symbolism stands. The Devil's Shadow is the Darkness. The Elemental Mage is Draco's Secret; she's the manifestation of his Light, and the only one who can banish the Shadow forever – the Darkness knew she was coming and tried to corrupt her, and it tried to keep her from bonding with us."
Hermione was very white.
"So, Draco's Chosen is … humans?" Harry asked.
"Wizards," Ron clarified. "I think Draco's gift was Light magic, which he gave to some of the humans. But like Gangrous said, there's technically only Light and Dark intention, so it's like the Devil gave wizards the potential for Dark magic."
"And each wizard faces a battle within themselves and will either rise with the Light or fall to the Darkness." Hermione murmured. "Souls who turn dark are consumed by the Devil – by Hell. This is a myth in Muggle religion as well."
"So, when Draco's Secret came to pass, it could either destroy the Light or the Dark completely." Ginny said. "Hermione's the Secret?"
"Her power comes from Light magic," Theo murmured. "Light magic must be sentient as well, and it gave Hermione her powers in response to the great darkness."
"And Voldemort was the trigger?" Blaise asked, baffled. "There's been loads of Dark wizards before–"
Harry had taken the book from Ron.
"… the Devil's Shadow spread like no other … the greatest manifestation of Shadow– Yeah, that's Voldemort. He spread Dark magic more than anyone 'cause he created so many horcruxes. And after we destroyed them maybe the Darkness got weaker, so the Mage was born."
"Maybe if I hadn't come back to Hogwarts, I wouldn't've awakened, or whatever." Hermione mumbled.
"I don't think it's quite as precise as Hogwarts, Hermione, sorry," Theo teased as he thumbed through his massive pile of notes. "Another part of the Mage legend suggested that she would come to be where Darkness has its heart, which is Britain, technically, if we believe Voldemort was the epitome of Dark magic."
"No wonder the Dementors loved him," Harry grumbled. "He drew them in like a magnet."
"He also made other wizards Dark," Draco pointed out. His voice dropped a little. "I always felt like just being around him made everything feel darker, like his evil was contagious or something. Some of the Death Eaters were just sort of … unpleasant, I guess, but after they joined him, they became even worse."
"Except you," Hermione said softly as she stroked his hand.
"Draco never took the Mark though," Blaise said. "And neither did Narcissa. I wonder if that's why."
Draco frowned at Blaise. "Y'know, I saw the Mark being given and I know how it acted. It wasn't just a tattoo; the thing was practically alive. My father felt it through the Mark when Voldemort was becoming more powerful … isn't that kinda like how you sense when Hermione's in danger?"
Blaise looked concerned. "And we can feel when she's weakened … it does kinda sound the same–"
"You're not saying every Death Eater carried some of his soul, too?" Harry asked weakly. "That means we technically never defeated him 'cause there's still Death Eaters out there–"
"He couldn't resurrect himself from a teensy sliver of soul embedded into a Dark Mark, Harry." Hermione said reasonably. "Even if Draco's right, and his soul technically still exists in several people's arms, it'll only affect those people and not anyone else."
Ginny frowned. "What if one of the rogue Death Eaters out there gets possessed? They'd be pretty terrifying–"
"I reckon it's mostly focused on where Hermione is," Ron replied. "If this legend is even partly true, she's basically its greatest enemy."
Hermione couldn't hide her pale cheeks. Harry squeezed her hand.
"It's why you've got us," he reminded her quietly.
"Speaking of us," Draco piped up. "McGonagall agreed to suspend my sentence for two days given that I stayed here for Easter. She gave me permission to leave out of Hogsmeade next weekend and return to the Manor. It might've not been Pansy working with Goyle, but he had someone with him, and I want all of you to be able to access the Manor so we can take Hermione there if something goes wrong again."
"All of us?" Ron asked. Draco nodded with a sigh.
"Never thought I'd see the day I'd invite a Weasley to my Manor but yes, all of us. Except I don't think you're allowed to leave school, Junior." He smirked in Ginny's direction.
She smiled politely but pointed her wand directly between his eyes.
"You shall address me as Ginny or My Lady. Those are your only options, Ferret-face."
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On Saturday, Harry, Ron, and Draco ended up at the same table in the library waiting for the others to return from an Ancient Runes study group. Draco shifted in his seat uncomfortably. He was used to the Guardians in a group; spending time with Harry and Ron without Hermione – or at least Ginny – as a buffer was strange. He debated slipping away to the Slytherin common room to escape the awkwardness when Harry suddenly spoke up.
"You really never got the Dark Mark?"
Draco felt his cheeks go pink and he slowly shook his head. Harry looked disappointed, which Ron noticed.
"Er– isn't that a good thing?"
"Yeah, obviously … it means I was wrong, though."
Draco gave a loud, fake gasp. "The Great Harry Potter was wrong about something?"
Ron chortled and Harry scowled.
"When we ran into you and your mum in Diagon Alley that time, you didn't let Madam Malkin roll up your left sleeve. Then you went into Borgin and Burke's–" Harry was cut off by Ron stepping on his foot. "What? It doesn't matter now, anyway."
"You followed me, didn't you?" Draco narrowed his eyes. "Just like you spied on me on the train. How often did you sneak around tailing me?"
"All year," Harry answered impatiently. "But that's not the point–"
"ALL YEAR!?"
Ron smacked his best friend on the back of the head. "Are you mental?!"
Draco was bright red and staring in horror at Harry, who sighed.
"Look, I thought it made sense that you were a Death Eater! We know the truth now; I'm just wondering what you showed Borgin to scare him."
"You were following me all year?"
Ron tapped his quill impatiently on the table. "Go on, Harry, you started it. Tell Malfoy all about how you were obsessed with him."
"I was right," Harry growled. "You and Hermione thought I was off my rocker–"
"Which time?" Hermione cut in as she slid into an empty seat. Harry scowled at her tiny grin.
"Our daft mate here thought it'd be fun to tell Malfoy how he tailed him for sixth year trying to catch him at some Death Eater thing," Ron answered exasperatedly. Hermione looked at her boyfriend's red face and rolled her eyes.
"Well, we're all friends now, it hardly matters–"
"Of course, Hermione," Harry said underhandedly. "Just like it no longer matters that you slapped him, or hexed him, or that you brewed an illegal potion to investigate him, or–"
Draco tore his gaze away from Harry and gaped at his girlfriend.
"Wait, you did what?"
Hermione glared at Harry furiously, who shrugged innocently.
"That was a brilliant event to bring up, Harry Potter, since I never even left the girls' loo but the two of you morphed into Crabbe and Goyle and actually infiltrated Slytherin!"
Draco was now deep scarlet and he stood up in horror so fast his chair fell backwards.
"YOU WHAT!?"
Unfortunately, this was too much for Madam Pince, and the quartet was sent packing.
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"A girls' toilet!?"
"You were stalking me, you son of a–!"
"What?"
"You were acting like a Death Eater!"
"How the hell did she–?"
"–Heir of Slytherin!"
"… into a cat?"
"What?"
"I did not!"
"You started it!"
Ginny was required to lock the door and conjure bright sparks inside the third-floor common room to make the five angry, laughing, and/or confused wizards stop yelling at each other.
"ENOUGH!" she yelled in a voice channeling her mother. "SIT!"
None dared argue. Blaise laughed behind his hand as he pulled the frustrated Mage into his lap like usual. Beside them, Draco sat scarlet and fuming. On the other sofa sat an exasperated Harry, an exhausted Ron, and an amused Theo.
"I wondered how long it would take for those old rivalries to come out and play," Theo chortled. "Now, I think it's only fair that we clear the air?"
"You two will laugh with them," Draco growled at his friends. "I'm outnumbered by Gryffindors!"
Hermione sighed and pulled one of his tightly fisted hands into her lap.
"Draco, we all hated each other, but it's in the past now. You think any of us would break the bond over what we did as kids?"
"Kids," Draco scoffed. "Potter stalked me around the school only two years ago–"
"Two years ago, you let Death Eaters into the school," Hermione said plaintively. "One of them was Greyback, and he permanently injured Ron's brother that night."
Everyone was silent for a moment.
"Look," Hermione said with a sigh. "We've all done things. Not all of them were good, or even legal, but we must move on. You think I would've kissed you a few years ago when you called me a Mudblood? Would you have kissed me after I smacked you? Would you have willingly been friends with Ron in first year after he gave you a black eye?"
Ron chuckled. "I forgot about that."
"Hermione's right," Harry said. "It's all over, and there's far more important things going on now."
"Says the one who brought this up in the first place," Draco grumbled.
"Hey, I just wanted to know how you threatened Borgin!" Harry defended. "If you didn't have the Dark Mark, how'd you make him do what you wanted?"
Draco sat still for a moment. Hermione looked at him curiously, and he could practically hear her brain whirring, trying to conjure an explanation. Ron momentarily glanced down at Draco's arms and frowned a little.
Draco sighed and rolled up his sleeves to the elbows, showing bare skin.
"Happy, Weasley? I never had it. I had a fake one that day."
"A fake one?" Hermione asked disbelievingly.
"I didn't think you were that desperate to prove your loyalty," Blaise teased. Draco would've hit him if his friend didn't have Hermione in his arms, so he had to settle for giving him an irritated look.
"Only those in the inner circle were marked," Theo said. "My father wanted me to finish school before I got it, just like Crabbe and Goyle."
"Well, they made an exception for me 'cause my father messed up," Draco mumbled. "I was told I'd be granted the honour of the Mark if I killed Dumbledore."
"So, where'd you get a fake one?" Ron asked, confused. Draco pursed his lips and didn't answer.
"Be honest with us, Malfoy, and we'll be honest with you," Harry said simply. "And I might even forget that you broke my nose and tried to send me back to London on an empty train."
Draco's old smirk suddenly appeared. "Well, you deserved it, Potter," he drawled. "You used a curse later on that hurt more than my nose."
Harry rubbed the heels of his hands in his eyes. "Yes, yes, I did. That was a bad one. But to be fair, you poisoned Ron."
"I almost died," Ron complained.
"You got my father arrested," Draco countered to Harry.
"You set a snake on me once."
"You called me ferret a hundred times."
"You called Hermione Mudblood a hundred times!"
"You insulted my family!"
"You insulted mine!" Harry and Ron said together.
Hermione had her face in her hands again and Theo was laughing under his breath.
"Alright, you lot, I think it's pretty clear that you were supposed to be friends all along, and some wands got crossed," Ginny said in irritation. "You're too much alike, no wonder you fought all the time."
Draco wrinkled his nose as he looked at the other two, who scowled right back.
Ginny turned her head back and forth. "SEE!?"
Blaise stifled his laughter behind Hermione's hair. Harry cracked a smile and before long Draco and Ron were almost grinning, too.
"Alright, Potter, tell me everything you did when you pretended to be Crabbe and Goyle, and I'll tell you about my edible Dark Mark."
"EDIBLE–?!"
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It was perhaps a good thing that the motley crew of girls and Guardians spent the evening laughing about Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, brewing illegal potions in girls' toilets, and stalking each other around the school under Invisibility Cloaks, because the next day none of them laughed once.
It was the second of May, the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts.
It was Sunday, but even Hermione left her homework alone. The heads of house reminded their students to dress formally and during breakfast the Great Hall looked quite sombre full of grey and black dress robes. When everyone finished eating, Professor McGonagall stood.
"On this day, one year ago, fifty people gave their lives in defence of Hogwarts and its students. It is because of their sacrifice that we could return to live, learn, and teach here. It wasn't easy to return Hogwarts to its former state, but through much perseverance and effort from the survivors of the war, we managed a seemingly impossible task. Today, we not only remember those who fought and died for us, but those who gave their time and magic to restore Hogwarts.
"In January, a donation was given to Hogwarts, and the beneficiaries wanted nothing in return but a say in how the funds should be spent. A portion of the donation was set aside for this anniversary. I invite you all to a special ceremony now on the grounds where we unveil the Memorial of the Battle of Hogwarts."
The heads of house slowly directed their students out of the Great Hall and down to the grounds. The crowd was organised into lines facing the lake, reminiscent of the day the school welcomed Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Not far from Dumbledore's marble tomb stood a tall statue draped in a white cloth. Before the statue stood Kingsley Shacklebolt, Arthur, Percy, and Charlie Weasley, and two dozen other Ministry officials.
The very large but very quiet crowd of students and teachers listened as Kingsley made a speech in his deep voice. He honoured the fallen, praised the victors of the Battle, and spoke of how far the wizarding world had been able to progress in the wake of the war.
Harry was grateful not to be mentioned by name. Decorum slowly vanished among the older students as everyone sniffled and leaned on each other for support. None of the teachers scolded Parvati when she abandoned her place with the Gryffindors to stand with Terry, and nobody minded when Ginny backed up into the row of eighth years so she could hug Harry.
"… donated this memorial, which will be unveiled today. It was carefully crafted with a specific purpose. We said farewell to our loved ones one year ago, but we will never forget their sacrifice. They live on through us; thus, as we remember them, they do not die."
At Kingsley's nod, Professors McGonagall and Flitwick stepped forward and Vanished the white cloth from the statue. Hermione stood still in Ron's arms as tears ran down both their cheeks. They knew this was coming, but it wasn't easy to see. They spent much time with Professor McGonagall discussing the best way to honour those they lost, and it was Harry who envisioned this.
The memorial was a golden phoenix, the elemental symbol of fire, resilience, and rebirth. An everlasting tear formed in its golden eye, symbolising both sorrow and healing magic. Its talons clutched the Sword of Gryffindor, and the outstretched wings pointed to the east and west. The wings contained exactly fifty feathers, and on each feather was engraved a name in beautiful script. Special protection charms were applied so the gold would withstand the elements and the names would never tarnish or fade.
They couldn't rise from the ashes … but in a way, they would live forever as a part of Hogwarts.
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Draco was right; Malfoy Manor was nothing like any of them remembered. Though the tall hedges and iron gates were the same, the Gryffindors didn't enter with a sense of dread washing over them; the very air around the estate felt friendlier. Draco passed through the gates first and turned to formally welcome the others across.
The Manor's sweeping lawns were lush green and expansive gardens blooming with plants of every colour swept the skirts of the white-grey building. Stone waterfalls and fountains provided a lovely trickling sound which accompanied the gentle stir of the wind through the aspen forest to the west.
Hermione barely registered the landscape; she was busy fighting back a pang of nerves at the thought of meeting Narcissa properly. She had no idea what the woman thought of Draco's relationship with the Muggle-born girl he held captive in his bedroom for weeks.
Draco gave his mother notice of their arrival, but he agreed not to tell her about their bond in a letter. Draco said simply that he had several more friends who wanted to live with them after school ended and wanted to bring them round first. According to Blaise, Narcissa would be pleased as a Puffskein for the company.
Harry had grinned bashfully when Draco "invited" them all to move into the Manor after Hogwarts – Hermione rather thought he was a bit too informal and made it sound more like a demand. Ron had raised an eyebrow and gone quite white, though Ginny beamed even though her wand remained trained in the direction of Draco's eye as usual. Hermione wondered what Mrs. Weasley would say when her two youngest told her they were leaving the Burrow for Malfoy Manor. She wasn't ready to burden the rest of her surrogate family with their secret quite yet.
"I only had to welcome you through the gates once," Draco explained as he opened the massive front door with a light touch. "Now that I've granted you access to the Manor you can Apparate directly into the foyer, or Floo into the drawing room."
Hermione let out a squeak as he suddenly reached down to sweep her into his arms and carry her over the threshold.
"We're not married, Draco," she giggled at him.
He returned a smirk, but his cheeks had gone slightly pink. "Perhaps I just felt like carrying you."
Blaise coughed and poked Draco in the ribs on his way through the door, and the startled blond almost dropped his girlfriend.
"You prick!"
Draco quickly turned to Theo who held his arms out in surprise as Hermione was dropped into them. Draco started racing after his malicious friend, whose cackles of laughter echoed through the marble entry. Harry and Ron sniggered as they listened to the distant sounds of jinxes exchanged.
"Are they always like this?" Hermione inquired of Theo as she locked her arms around his neck.
"Oh, this isn't so bad. Wait 'til they're trying to curse each other off their brooms," With a chuckle, Theo set Hermione on her feet as a tall, sweeping figure entered the room.
Theo promptly stepped forward, the picture of poise and formality.
"Madam Malfoy," he murmured, his dark hair brushing his eyelashes as he bowed to kiss her hand. "I beg of you to forgive your dastardly son and his reckless adoptive brother for their blatant disregard of all semblance of formality and allow me to make introductions in their place given their utter lack of respect for social protocol."
Hermione's heart pounded. Were all the pure-blood families so formal with each other? Her parents raised her with good manners, but she hadn't exactly attended finishing school. She snuck a glance at Ron, who was clearly trying to keep a straight face, although Harry looked just as worried as Hermione felt.
To their great surprise, Narcissa Malfoy burst into laughter.
"Young Theodore, you know I hardly expected anything less than the most mature of my three sons to greet me appropriately." She playfully swatted at Theo's hand. "And I believe this is no less than the eleventh time I've insisted you call me Narcissa."
As Theo straightened up from his bow, Hermione was overcome with relief to see him grinning, albeit blushing slightly as Narcissa leaned up to kiss his cheek. Hermione was amused at Theo; normally Blaise was the more playful Slytherin.
In an elegant twirl of satin skirts, Narcissa promptly redirected herself towards the three Gryffindors, still wearing a light smile. Hermione thought back to the war and realised she hardly recognised this woman as the pale, terrified figure who feared for her son's life.
"I must tell you how pleased I am to welcome you properly to my home under much more desirable circumstances," Narcissa reached for Ron's hand first. He flushed and seemed unsure whether he should bend to kiss her hand or not, but she merely held his hand in both of hers. "Mr. Weasley, there has been much tension between our families in the past, but I do hope the trials we have all endured will allow us to disregard old grievances and attempt a fresh start? I understand you lost a brother during the war, and I offer my sincere condolences."
Ron swallowed carefully and bowed his head in polite acknowledgment.
"I hope for the same, Madam Malfoy, and I offer sympathies to the hardships your family sustained."
Hermione almost felt her jaw drop to the floor at such a polite sentiment uttered by Ron Weasley, the boy who chewed with his mouth open.
Narcissa finished speaking with Ron and took Harry's hand next. "Mr. Potter, as if the weight upon your shoulders during the war wasn't enough, your defense of my family to the Wizengamot was nothing less than heroic to me. I wish I could thank you with more than my humble hospitality."
Harry was only a little pink as he replied, "It was no trouble, Madam Malfoy, and you owe us nothing, but, er– we're grateful for your hospitality–"
"I believe you mean my hospitality," came a drawling voice from the threshold behind them.
Hermione turned; it seemed Draco and Blaise had chased each other out another door and around the building. Despite his ruffled clothes and windswept hair, Draco adopted his most condescending smirk and leaned against the wall as the epitome of the king in his castle.
Narcissa planted both hands on her hips and stared down her snarky son with a scary-mother look that would've made Mrs. Weasley cringe. Harry took a careful step backward.
"Though tradition demands that the eldest male heir is indeed master of Malfoy Manor, I remind you that the reconstruction of the old spells was completed under my watch, Draco Lucius, and I will not have you doubting my magical prowess nor my ability to cast you off the family tree and banish you forever from this site should you continue to behave in such a manner."
Hermione felt Harry tense at the same time she did. Perhaps they should leave the room?
"Ah, but Mother, you know Dear Blaise and Young Theodore would follow me to the ends of the earth were I to be banished. Perhaps you've had your fill of my adorable face, but I'm quite sure you would be saddened for eternity if the two of them were never to be seen here again." Draco's eyebrow raised threateningly as his voice dripped with disdain.
Narcissa's expression did not falter. Her perfectly straight spine reminded Hermione of Professor Gangrous. Narcissa turned her head ever so slightly in Theo's direction, who immediately took two long strides to stand at her side. He raised her hand gently to his lips and turned back to Draco, who was still tousle-haired and flushed from racing around.
"I think, Draco darling, that your dear mother here has the advantage since I have hardly seen her appear so lovely, and yet you stand there as a flushed underclassman with no cordiality to be had under that nest of atrocious hair." Theo simpered, stone-faced. Ron coughed into his hand.
"I shall second that," Blaise announced suddenly from the threshold. He indelicately elbowed past Draco and took Narcissa's other hand, which he kissed and held to his chest as if it were a treasured object. "Such a truly atrocious mess you are, how could we possibly choose you?"
Narcissa simply tilted her head at her son, not having changed her expression in the slightest.
Draco broke first. "Bloody traitors," he grumbled.
Hermione finally burst into giggles, which caused the rest of the room to erupt. Narcissa smiled broadly and kissed Blaise's cheek in greeting before sweeping her pouting son into her arms. Ron teased the Slytherins as Harry and Hermione exchanged perplexed and amused looks.
Narcissa kissed Draco on the cheek and playfully shoved him towards his friends before she finally stepped up to Hermione and clasped her hand.
"Miss Granger, I also hope that any previous interactions between us might be disregarded, and we can begin anew? I am truly pleased to have you here, and so utterly ashamed of these three miscreants for behaving in such a manner."
"Oh, Madam Malfoy–"
"Narcissa, dear."
"Narcissa, you mustn't blame them. You and I both know that positive female influence can only do so much to encourage boys to grow into men."
Harry and Ron shot equal glares at her, which promptly made Narcissa's smile grow.
"Too right you are, Miss Granger."
"Hermione, please."
"Hermione, dear, I'm impressed you've taken it upon yourself to attempt to tame three additional teenage boys; I do hope they haven't been too challenging for you."
Hermione let out a huge, fake sigh. "I do believe they will be the death of me."
Narcissa swept Hermione from the room smiling and murmuring about tea while the boys glared daggers at their backs.
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