Chapter 38 – Duty Calls
Draco grumbled unhappily as he prepared for the day ahead of him. He had the morning off in order to go to his first – of many – Healer appointments. If he was honest – if only to himself – it wasn't the appointments that had him acting like a hippogriff who had sat on a Chupacabra, but the fact Harry wasn't going to be with him. Originally Harry had agreed to going to St Mungo's with the blond then waiting outside for the test to end so they could go for a walk through muggle London before heading back to the school. That plan went out the window the previous day when an owl arrived just after classes let out with an official court summons addressed to the younger teen. Since the seal on the bottom had been of the Elven High Council, the dark-haired demon didn't dare deny them his presence at the recommended time.
The blonde sighed in resignation as he cleaned his mouth of toothpaste with a face washer. He knew that he was being slightly petty over this – and if it was something to do with what was revealed at the birth of the twins then he knows he will feel even more horrible and guilty than he already did: But Merlin damn it! Harry was his mate and, in the week and a half that had passed since the New Years party at the Orphanage it felt like everyone was conspiring against him and Harry being together for longer than it took for Draco to run a finger across his mate's cheek bone.
Thanks to the bond between them, Draco could also feel Harry's annoyance and frustration with the continual interruptions on their time and it wouldn't be long before the younger male would snap. This thought perked up Draco's spirits as a plan started to come together and he nodded firmly at his reflection. Tonight, he and Harry would have time together even if he had to kidnap his mate and seek asylum with Willa and Nicholas.
~~~Ilovelazydays~~~
Harry strode confidently into the Council Hall at the time indicated on the summons; his tail being the only indication that his calm and confident demeanour covered another, more explosive emotion.
"Hello there, Young One," a welcoming and familiar voice said from a room just off the main walkway, "May I ask why your magic is at such odds with your demeanour? You are normally much better at keeping it under control than this."
Turning to face his ex-mentor in the Healing Arts, Harry bowed and attempted to reign in his chaotic emotions to try to control the roiling magic that was just under his skin. He failed.
"Come and sit with me," Lady Evangeline said with a soft frown. Her once Apprentice hadn't lost control like this since he was nine and just beginning to learn how important control was for ta Healer. "I have a wonderful drink mix that was delivered just this morning and I insist on you joining me for a cup."
"I would like that My Lady," Harry said with an attempt at a smile, "but I am late for a summons to the Council Chambers."
"I insist youngling," the elven elder stated as she guided him into her office with a hidden frown. She hadn't been notified of a meeting at this time of the morning – Nor of Harry being summoned. "If any of the other members give you trouble for it, I will deal with it. Now, what has your emotions all a-flutter?"
Harry decided to give in to the inevitable and told the older woman what had been going on since the twin's birth: including the change in Tom, the interfering of everyone on his time with Draco and the bond that was reacting to the lack of time they'd had together. When he got to the letter summoning him before the Elven Council the previous evening, leading to him needing to change his plans of a day with Draco, Evangeline frowned.
"Did you bring the parchment with you?" she asked.
Harry nodded and handed it to her, watching with fond remembrance as she waved a hand over it, causing a pompous, sneering voice to read out the words written there.
Once the short missive had been read out, Evangeline was furious. She took a steadying breath and, with faux calm, lifted her cup and took a delicate sip.
"I shall accompany you when you go to the council Chambers after we have finished our drink. What do you think of it?"
With that, both Healers involved themselves in discussing the merits of the odd, but refreshing, beverage they were currently indulging in.
~~~Iwouldn'tmindoneofthosetobehonest~~~
Harry stood before the closed doors of the Council Chambers – two hours after he was supposed to have been there – with his ex-Mistress on his arm. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward as the doors opened.
"What," Evangeline asked, removing her arm from Harry's, "was the meaning of summoning one of the country's best Healers as though he was a criminal and without a twenty-four-hour notification?"
The members of the council who had liquid in their mouths of some kind found themselves spitting it out in shock.
"I assure you My Lady," one of the elves who had been lucky enough to have had an empty mouth at the time of their arrival stated, "that we have no idea what you are talking about."
Without another word, Lady Evangeline re-cast the spell she had cast in her office and Harry watched the rapidly paling faces of her fellow councilmen.
"We asked one of our secretaries to write a request for a meeting with the Healer who took over the Zabini pregnancy and birth at his leisure," one of the few female members stated. "We have believed that an elven birth that is not attended by an Elven Healer results in the death of the child for so long that we have questions about why this one didn't result in death."
"There is also a rumour going around that he has offered his aid in the coming investigations," the oldest member of the Council added, "We wanted to know how he could help. We will get someone else to write a proper request for his time and his messenger boy can deliver it to him."
"I wasn't aware that messengers could answer Court Summons," Harry stated dryly, not amused that those present were either ignorant of what his robes signified or ignored their purpose.
"I will make note of that for the next time I am unduly summoned before you on another day my mate had to go through a series of invasive and degrading medical tests."
The council looked at Harry is disbelief.
"You are the Healer in question?" one asked incredulously.
"I am," Harry stated emotionlessly, "These robes aren't just for decorative purposes you know."
It was then that they noticed the robes he was wearing differed from anything they had seen before except in days of old where Healers wore different robes to distinguish them and their rank to the general populace.
Evangeline giggled softly at the chocked gasps of shock and horror as those before them realised just what – or rather: WHO – they had just insulted with their ignorance.
"We may as well go over what you needed since I am here anyway," Harry continued, internally smirking at the faces on the people before him, "After all, my plans for the day have already been completely ruined by one of your employee's arrogance."
Internally cursing the underling who put them in this position, the Elven Council settled in for an important – but difficult for them to hear – discussion.
~~~IwouldsayifeltsorryforthembutItrynottolie~~~
Draco wondered around muggle London feeling completely lost. He was on a two-hour break from the exams he was having and had decided to look for a surprise for Harry. Needless to say, he had been, as of now, unsuccessful.
"You look a little lost," a cheerful voice said next to him, making him jump.
"Only a little?" he asked dryly, a hand on his chest as he recovered from his fright, "I was sure that I had 'TOURIST' tattooed on my forehead with how overwhelmed I feel."
The lady chuckled and moved back to a comfortable distance where Draco could assess her properly. She was rather short; only five foot two, maybe five foot three on a good day – and rather rotund in shape. Her eyes and hair were a dull brown and her face revealed her to be in her mid-forties. Now that his basic observation was over, he noticed that even though she could be described as plain at best, her hair was well cared for, her eyes and face lit up with her easy smile and her kind personality shone from her, making her, if not beautiful, rather pretty.
"Oh, my goodness no," she laughed, "Nothing as drastic as that. You have the same look on your face as my partner did the first time she came to London: She's from just this side of the Welsh border so it was an eye-opening experience for her."
"I can understand," he replied with a self-depreciating smile, "I live close to Manchester and attend a private boarding school in North Scotland so the only time I come to London is to get the train to and from school. The only reason I'm here now is I had a specialist appointment and my boyfriend was call away for a meeting, so he couldn't come with me like we planned."
"It is a shame he couldn't be here with you. Maybe I can be of help instead."
Draco smiled thankfully at her.
"That would be wonderful if you could. I'm looking for a book shop or second hand or Antique or Junk Store. Harry and I haven't spent much time together lately so I thought I would buy him a gift to make up for it."
"Oh, that is simply the sweetest thing I've ever heard!" she squealed. "There are several shops in relatively close proximity to us here. Just walk down any street from here and you will find them. The street we are on has a second-hand bookstore walking north and to the south is an Antiques store. If it is literature you are searching for, give it a miss because he deals mainly in furniture with the odd decorative ornament."
Draco nodded and made a mental note to bring Harry into London to see what other things interested him.
"Now, if you go down the road just across from us you will find several junk stores and down the street where the blue car is coming from, you will find a specialty book store. The owner stocks a lot of New Age stuff: You know – holistic and Alternative medicine, Crystals, she even has some things on the history of medicine through the ages."
Draco's eyes lit up in delight.
"That is the shop," he said with a half-smile. "My Harry is a Healer and positively inhales everything that has to do with healing."
"Would you mind company?" the woman asked with a good-natured chuckle. "I'm actually heading that way myself. Oh, Dearie me, I apologise for my poor manners. My name is Mabel."
"Pleased to meet you Miss Mabel, I am Draco."
Draco bowed to her and extended an arm politely.
"It would be an honour to escort you there."
Mabel laughed heartily and linked her arm through his offered one.
"You, my dear boy, are a charmer. It is lucky I am older than you by a fair few years and have no interest in the male form or you would break my heart."
Draco chuckled good-naturedly as they started towards their destination.
"And those are the reasons why I did offer my arm," he admitted. "That and you admitted to having a partner. Harry and I are Courting. Allowing an unbound person to touch you in a familiar or semi-familiar way is a sign of disrespect towards your partner. The only exemption is family and friends who have absolutely no interest in them."
"Ah," Mabel said with a knowing smile. "Would I miss my guess if I were to say you and your family follow the old ways?"
Draco, who was opening the door to a small, softly lit shop that had various crystals in the window on display, froze in shock.
A soft, tinkling laugh from inside the shop bought him back. He playfully glared at the ginning Mabel before pouting, making her laugh joyously.
"You," he said as he hid his face in his hands, "really, really suck."
"At least life with her is never boring," the owner of the tinkling voice said.
Not caring if she made Draco uncomfortable, the woman walked over to Mabel and gave her a soft kiss to the lips in greeting before turning to face him.
"Draco, this is Briallen: My life partner. Bree, this charming young chap is Draco. He's here to find a gift for his boyfriend."
As they exchanged greetings, Draco found himself analysing the new woman. She was petite in both structure and presence with light golden blonde hair and ice green eyes.
Mabel stifled her laughter as Draco and Bee sized the other up. It was obvious to her that while on Draco's part it was pure curiosity, Briallen inspecting him as though he were a threat to her territory.
"It is lovely to meet you Miss Briallen," Draco said with an honest smile and a shallow bow. "Whomever it was that named you was obviously not a seer as comparing you to the delicate beauty of the primrose does not do your beauty justice."
"OI! No charming my girl!" Mabel called out playfully. "What would your Harry say if he saw you right now?"
Draco chuckled, his eyes twinkling with humour.
"I do believe he would tell me that I should go into either Law or Politics and then kidnap your Dear Briallen so she could tell him about everything in the store."
He then laughed outright and added:
"And once we were back at school, he would stomp on my Father's foot in retaliation for him being the one to teach me how to charm people."
Neither woman could help but burst into laughter at hearing the young man's words.
"It is a pleasure to see one of the Ancient Clan in my humble shop," Bree said, having thawed at the absolute devotion she had heard in Draco's voice when he spoke about his mate.
"I will admit to being surprised to find one of the Old Clan running a store in the centre of London, but I will admit it suits you," he replied.
Briallen smiled at him and, after linking arms with Mabel, waved the platinum blonde male further into her store.
"Mabel mentioned something about a gift for your Harry … Let us see if I have what you are looking for."
~~~I'mgoingtohavetowritethesetwomore,theyweresuchfun~~~
Harry sighed and rubbed his temples in exasperation. It was almost lunch time and all that the Council had done was argue. A cup of tea was placed before him along with a small plate of biscuits and he smiled thankfully at the woman who gave it to him.
"Are they always like this?" he asked Evangeline as she received a cup as well.
"No," she said with a sigh after thanking the woman, one of the few who had, "most of the time they are much worse."
The female elf who had served them giggled softly at the look of horror that appeared on Harry's face.
"Just the other day they spent over four hours debating over whether or not it was a good morning," she sighed in exasperation, continuing as though she hadn't heard him. "In the end it was decided irrelevant because morning had passed to afternoon while they were arguing."
Harry allowed his head to rest on his crossed arms in an effort to not scream. He, after a valiant fight, managed to succeed but not before his tight control over his magic was lost; resulting in the shadows dousing the lights.
"Do you have something to add Master Healer?" one of the Councilmen asked.
"Yes, in fact, I do," Harry stated. "Why, exactly, have I been here for this long in order to clarify my usefulness in the coming trials only to get a headache from sitting here listening to you all arguing over whether it is a good idea to include me before you even know what I can do?"
He held up a hand to stop anyone from talking while he took a mouthful of tea to sooth his empty stomach.
"It goes to show just how out of the loop the Elves have become in their arrogance. The signs are all there for those who aren't brainwashed into thinking that their race is better than the others."
"What signs are they?" one of the more curious elves asked.
"The fact that not one of you knew what my robes meant when I showed up this morning for one," Harry dryly responded, causing all ten of the Council members to flush in embarrassment.
"The manner in which your chosen secretary addressed him is another," Lady Evangeline continued, still very much annoyed at the way her fellow elves had treated her first, and only, apprentice.
"And that you don't know what I am and how I can help is another," Harry finished.
"You are a half-breed," one of the males sneered, "Not much good for anything except what you are trained in from birth."
As one, both Harry and Evangeline turned and gave the speaker a look of pure disdain that had more than one of his peers moving away from him in the hope of not being hit by the resulting storm they could all feel building.
"Point four is this belief that my blood bound sister and I are half-breeds," Harry stated fully annoyed. "what in the name of Darkness gives you people that idea?"
"Your ears," the lady who served their tea responded when it because obvious no one in the Council would respond. "It is taught that any being that isn't all one creature is a half-breed, and thus beneath us."
"So how do they explain Gryphons, manticores, Hippogriffs and the like? Harry asked.
"No such things exist," the youngest council member stated with finality.
Harry looked at him incredulously.
"Next you are going to tell me that Demons don't exist."
"They don't," was his reply, "and if you believe they exist then you shouldn't be a Healer."
Harry shook his head and whimpered.
"We have a lot of work to do My Lady."
Evangeline nodded her agreement and heaved a sigh at the thought.
"What in the name of all things green are you talking about?" the oldest member demanded.
The two Healers ignored them as they began to make list after list of things that they needed to bring to the attention to both the Healer's Association and to the International Committee of Magical Beings [ICMB].
Not liking the fact he was being ignored, he pushed his magic out in an attempt to force one, if not both, into submission. He wasn't prepared for three individual magics to violently repel his attempt.
"Tiberus (pronounced Tie-Bres) Vrania! How DARE you!" Evangeline yelled, her magic lashing out. "Do you know how many laws you just broke! Not to mention how many treaties you just endangered with your foolishness?"
"We have treaties?" the only female that hadn't spoken asked.
Harry just stared at her incredulously.
"What do you mean 'We have treaties'?" Evangeline shrieked. "Of course we have treaties! Every race has treaties with their neighbours so problems concerning territory, produce, cultural differences and the like don't develop into war! You should have been shown or told about the treaties that have dire consequences for your people if they are ever broken when you joined the council!"
Harry hurried to calm the older Healer before her magic blew something up and he somehow managed to get her back in her seat and sipping at her tea.
"As it is," Evangeline scowled at them over her teacup, "Now Harry and I have to clean up this mess. Not only did that idiot over there break several magic given laws, he also may have irreparably broken six treaties: One of which is between the Elves and the Vampires."
Harry allowed his head to smack onto the table with a loud THUNK!
"All I want," he moaned tearfully, "is to spend some time with my Dom. I didn't want to have to deal with a group of beings who have become so arrogant in their separation from the rest of the world that they don't even teach their younger generations about the outside world!"
Harry glared at the Elves who had opened their mouths to protest his words while he did his best to send assurance to Draco down their bond.
"I am tired," he said with a glare, "The bond between my mate and myself is stretched almost to its limit and is wide open so he knows some jumped up poor excuses of a blood bag tried to assume dominance over me. This, on top of not having time together has lowered my normally high threshold for handling stupidity, so please forgive me for my bluntness."
He took a fortifying mouthful of whatever it was that Evangeline handed him and took on the air of a teacher.
"Hippogriffs, Manticores and gryphons do exist; as do Demons. Hippogriff feathers are used for children's quills for when they begin learning to write because they are stiffer than other feather types and their manure is one of the best all-purpose fertilizers you can get. Manticore fur is a prized commodity in the wand maker's community and its blood and saliva are important in many potions that deal with courage, luck and in several sweets that result in the voice becoming deeper."
When Harry winced at the growing headache, Evangeline took over after laying a hand on the back of his neck to help in any way she could.
"Gryphon blood is used in potions where the truth is either forced or guided from the recipient. As such it is the main ingredient in Veriteserum and all places of judgement are required to have at least four working gryphon quills in every courtroom for witnesses to write their accounts down truthfully by Law agreed upon by all member of the ICMB."
She frowned down at Harry in confusion as she noticed her magic wasn't helping the headache ease in the slightest before continuing.
"As for the dragon dung about Demons not existing," she snorted, "well, you
Have all been in the presence of one all day. Seeing as how today has been a complete and utter waste of time and the only person gracious enough to give him anything to eat or drink outside myself was someone you lot treat as a servant, I will be taking him to my office where he will have some soup to help with his headache then I will be escorting him home. I will leave a notice for him requesting his presence in two days before he and I begin to sort out whatever the Hell has gone wrong since I left all those years ago."
Without waiting for a reply, she helped Harry to stand and guided him from the room.
~~~goEvangeline!~~~
When Harry and Evangeline arrived at the gates of Hogwarts, they were met by Draco, Blaise and Hermione. The older woman's eyebrows rose as she felt Harry's magic reaching out towards Draco. When she handed the younger male to his mate, she gasped as she felt a dull POP! As not only Harry's, but Draco's magic realigned and relaxed.
"What was that?" Hermione asked, rubbing her ears.
"I don't know," Blaise said as he steadied Draco who had begun to sway.
"That," Evangeline stated grimly, "Is one of the reasons I am here."
"Then please allow us the honour of escorting you to our rooms," Hermione smiled, honestly happy to see the older elf. "How did your day go?"
Evangeline gave an inelegant snort in answer.
"That bad, huh?" Blaise asked with a half-smile. He was more aware of what the council was like than the average teen and had no illusions about them.
"Today was the biggest waste of time I have ever experienced," Harry answered tiredly from his spot in Draco's arms. "I swear we could have exchanged most, if not all, of them with toddlers from the day-care centre and got more done."
"You aren't wrong," Evangeline agreed with a grin, "You also seem to be rather content right there."
"I am," Harry admitted, "and if I have my way, I'm not going to be moving from this spot for a while."
"I'm not complaining,' Draco said, hugging his mate tighter to his chest, "Though it will be difficult to eat like this."
"Soup in a mug," Harry stated blithely. "You will also be seating to eat so you will have one arm free."
Draco laughed. That more than anything reassured him that Harry was truly okay and not suffering from whatever made him reach for his Dom's magic.
"Lady Evangeline! What a pleasant surprise!"
"Albus!" Evangeline greeted back with just as much joy but much less exuberance that the eccentric old man.
"My you haven't aged a day since I last saw you," the Headmaster stated after kissing he back of her hand in greeting.
"And yet you have aged in body, but not in mind nor soul," was her reply to him. "I must come and have a pot of tea with you in the future to catch up on what has occurred over the past fifty or so years."
"Oh, that would be delightful!" Albus exclaimed, happily clapping his hands together. "Alas, I see you are currently in the company of this charming quartet, so may I assume it won't be tonight?"
"Headmaster Dumbledore," Harry responded respectfully. "Lady Evangeline is here to ensure I got home safely and to instruct Remus and Sirius on a few things that have come to her notice. I also suspect that she wishes to talk to Potions Master Snape about something. That means she will be here until at least dinner time and will then have the time after then to share stories with you."
Both older people chuckled at his audacity.
"You wouldn't be trying your and at match-making now, would you Little One?" Evangeline teased.
"Of course not Mistress," Harry blinked sleepily. "As far as I'm concerned no one is worthy of you: Your mate – when you find them – has a high chance of developing that worth after several hundreds of years, but it is definitely not the Headmaster."
Harry yawned and snuggled deeper into Draco's arms.
"No offense Headmaster," he mumbled.
Albus Dumbledore just chuckled light-heartedly. It was refreshing having the two young demons at the school. To be honest, the two young ones were the breath of fresh air he had needed since his mate had passed on and their children had flown the nest.
"None taken young demon," he replied, eyes twinkling brightly, "but I must ask … If you weren't planning on match-making, why so intent on getting us together?"
"My Lady and I are about to dive head first into a royally fucked-up mess as we and the solicitors, lawyers and Auditors the ICMB sends, try to clean up whatever the Hell is going on with the Elves," he mumbled. "I have Draco, Rinie, Blaise and everyone else to keep me from doing something I won't regret to the idiots. My Lady does not have that luxury. Sure, she has me and Rinie if she is desperate for a break, but we can only talk about a limited number of things due to our age and lack of worldly experiences."
"So, you are hoping that the two of us meeting up for tea every few days will give me the time and distraction needed to destress over the stupidity of my kinsmen," Evangeline murmured with fond exasperation. She should have realized the boy would try something like this; He just had to mother everyone he cared about.
"Well in that case," Albus stated with a joyful clap of his hands, "I shall enjoy being a distraction. I'm sure I can even convince Mother and Arianna to come for a few hours every now and then. Mother needs someone else to talk to since Father passed on and, to be honest, I believe Arianna will be very welcoming of some time away from her."
"I see I have no choice in the matter," Evangeline gave in with fond amusement.
"You always had a choice," Harry mumbled, his eyelids drooping dangerously low, "but this way I don't need to stun you and force calming draughts down your throat before knocking you out with a dreamless sleep and then going back there to give them a piece of MY mind."
As one body, everyone who had seen Harry displeased shuddered and when they had collected themselves to look at the teen and expecting puzzled amusement from him, they discovered he had finally given into hi body's demands of sleep.
