a/n1: Hello and welcome to the next installment of the-story-I-should-update-more-often! I promise that I won't abandon it, but my brain chemistry isn't very forthcoming. However your lovely reviews always make me smile, so that's motivating! ;) Betaed again by the amazing reynardinepttr. Enjoy!
3rd June 1998 18:05
"Hello, my name is Daphne and I have anxiety."
"Hello, Daphne," the group answered as one, and Neville was suddenly very glad that he had decided to change his appearance a bit. While he doubted that the Slytherin princess would recognise him, he didn't want to risk her making a scene.
"Do you want to share a bit more, Daphne?" the group counsellor asked gently.
Daphne nodded. "That's what I'm here for, after all." That comment made the group chuckle and Daphne smiled hesitantly. "I can't go into details on some things, to protect my privacy, but I will try to explain the situation as clearly as I can."
The counsellor nodded encouragingly and Neville leaned forward. He was very curious how the girl would translate their world's issues for muggles to understand. (That she was even talking to muggles was already mind boggling.)
"I grew up in a very conservative family, that was very proud of never having married under our assumed station," Daphne began quietly. "We didn't talk about the relatives who did. My father insisted that my younger sister and I should be perfect, noble brides and that grades weren't important for that. He insisted that we were not to mingle with 'commoners'. In my last year at school, others with that mindset started to terrorise said 'commoners', which included everyone who wasn't from a very old family. Like my friend Tracey."
Neville raised an eyebrow; he hadn't known that the Carrows had targeted Slytherins as well.
"There was a time where she barely ever came back to the dorm unharmed," Daphne whispered, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. "I learned to care for her wounds as well as possible, since she wasn't allowed to go to the nurse. A month ago, the tormentors were finally persecuted, but I still have nightmares of not being able to help her. And...for two weeks now I've had panic attacks, I fear the most innocuous things. I'm afraid of insects all of sudden, of loud noises, storms, driving...the list goes on. My old nurse, I met her while shopping recently, told me what was happening with me and about groups like this one. And here I am. I'm sure father would be livid." The last sentence was said so quietly that Neville wasn't quite sure whether he had imagined it.
"That is really quite a lot," the counsellor said calmly. "Thank you for sharing, Daphne."
The group repeated the thanks and Daphne sat back down. Neville was unsure what to do - he had planned to talk today. But now? How would Daphne react, knowing that someone from, well, the other side of the conflict was present?
He rubbed his nose, whispering the charm that would turn it back into its original shape. Next he stroked his eyebrows, returning them to his own. Those spells had saved his life during the last year more than once. Then Neville decided to be selfish and tell his story. He stood up, nodded to the counsellor and went to the podium. He still looked a bit different than usual, but the changes should be enough that Daphne could recognise him. She would probably feel better knowing just who was talking.
"Hello, my name is Neville and I am here for what I recently learned is a post-traumatic stress disorder." He stopped to let them greet him. Then he took a deep breath and continued. "Some of you have maybe seen me around in the last month, but I never spoke up till today." He looked over to Daphne who stared at him with narrowed eyes. "Before I begin, I have to say something to my previous speaker. I'm sorry I didn't help Tracey, we didn't know that they targeted their own house mates."
There were a few startled gasps, and Neville was quite sure that only seventeen years with a Slytherin family and the last year under the Carrows kept Daphne from flinching. The counsellor swivelled around in her chair to look at her and then back to Neville.
"If it makes you uncomfortable, to have your classmate here, you can tell me and we will find another arrangement," she told Daphne earnestly.
"It's okay," Daphne said quietly. "I don't mind him."
"I'm glad to hear that," Neville said with a small smile. "For those of you, who are currently wondering what is happening here: There are four houses at our school. One is mostly attended by the conservatives' children, the other three are a more healthy mix. The conservative house and one of the others, which has the most 'commoners', have always been rivals, be it with house points or sports. But with the addition of two new teachers the rivalry turned violent to a point where some students were hiding outside their dorms to be safe." Neville wondered how he should continue without telling too much, the others would expect to have heard of something like this in the national news. "While I myself would have been mostly safe from the treatment by the conservatives I decided to help those who weren't, and therefore made a target of myself. I tried to get as many students to safety as I could, but apparently I missed a few out of the conviction that the students wouldn't attack their own house mates." Here Neville smiled sadly at Daphne, who returned it with a small nod.
"Like Daphne, I have nightmares of not being able to help. Sometimes I close my eyes and can see the scared eyes of a firstie, who was beaten up by older students. I duck when I hear loud voices or banging doors, hiding behind the next thing I can find. I get angry. I was shy and awkward before, and now I don't feel right in my own skin," Neville concluded quietly, holding Daphne's gaze, trying to tell her with his eyes how sorry he was. That she could trust him not to talk about her problems.
o0o
After the meeting Daphne came to him, stretching her hand out. "I don't think we have ever been really introduced. I'm Daphne."
Neville smiled a bit. "Hello Daphne, I'm Neville."
"Would you accompany me part of my way?" Daphne asked pleasantly, but Neville saw the steel in her eyes.
"Of course," he answered with a small nod and offered her his arm.
As soon as they were out of earshot of the group Daphne spoke up again. "I trust you won't go blabbing about what I told the group."
"Without a question," Neville said quickly. "I would never do something like that."
"Good thing you're a Gryffindor," Daphne muttered.
"Will you do me the same courtesy?" Neville asked, a bit peeved by her comment about his house.
"Naturally," Daphne said easily. "It would entail explaining what I was doing there in the first place."
Neville chuckled. "Of course." They fell silent for a moment. "How is Tracey doing?"
Daphne's shoulders stiffened. "Physically quite well, the healers say there will be no permanent damage aside from the scars."
Neville nodded. He understood what she wasn't saying. "Will she come back to repeat the year?"
"I don't know. I don't think she has decided yet," Daphne answered, looking into the distance.
"May ask you something?" Neville watched her closely until she nodded. "Why didn't you try to talk to us about protection?"
"Would you have believed and trusted us?" Daphne asked, resignation clear in her voice. "We are used to protecting our own, we were used to it being us against the rest of the school. You're just as used to 'Slytherins are the bad guys'."
Neville sighed deeply. "You're probably right that there would've been voices asking not to trust you. But I would have figured something out, I think."
"You're one of the most likeable of the lot," Daphne conceded. "Maybe we would have even trusted you to help us."
They had reached the small alley Neville had been using to apparate. Daphne pulled her hand from his arm and turned to face him.
"I don't mind having you at the group," she said finally. "I think it will be good to have at least one person who'll understand what I mean when I tell them that I'm dreaming of a monster with red eyes."
"And you will understand why I feel uncomfortable in my own skin, in that new me the press is painting," Neville said quietly, with a small nod. "Maybe we can help each other."
"I would like that," Daphne whispered and then she was turning on the spot to apparate away.
The last thing Neville saw of the witch, was her sad smile.
5th June 1998, 14:08
"Draco! Good to see you!" Mary Tonks greeted him, smiling brightly as she opened the door.
Draco smiled at her in return. "Thank you for having me."
"Of course! When Tom said you'd be over before going to the tattoo shop we were delighted," Mary said, ushering him inside.
"Mum, where should I put the cake?" Lucinda called from the kitchen while Draco was taking off his shoes.
He raised an eyebrow. "Cake?"
"You'll see in a moment," Mary replied with a wink and led him into the living room. "Happy birthday, Draco!"
Frank, Haley and Lucinda stood around the table and Thomas was coming over to greet Draco with a clap on his back. Draco was completely stunned by what lay before him. They had made a cake with green and white candles, hung a few balloons in green and silver and were grinning broadly at him.
"Now, since Haley is the only one in this family who can sing," Frank said, coming over to stand next to Draco. "We'll spare your ears and just wish you a very happy birthday and many happy returns. We weren't too sure what to get you as a present, so we thought we'd throw you a muggle birthday party instead."
Draco was still stunned, but a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Thank you, for all of this," he whispered. "This…is actually not all that different from a wizarding birthday."
Thomas shrugged. "All the better, then the culture shock won't keep you from trying that extremely delicious cake mum made."
Lucinda laughed. "Speaking of cake, can we eat?"
o0o
When Draco and Thomas left for the tattoo parlour half an hour later, Draco was still trying to comprehend their reason for throwing a birthday party for someone they barely knew.
"You're family, even if we aren't related by blood," Thomas said as if he had read Draco's thoughts.
"But you don't really know me," Draco tried to argue.
Thomas waved his answer away. "Maybe, but I think you could use some family that isn't crazy like your other aunt. And if you learn more about muggles that wouldn't hurt either," he said with a friendly shove.
"By the way, I wanted to warn you," Draco said, suddenly a bit uncomfortable. "Since you're coming to my party tonight. Pansy is pretty open towards muggles, but she's still prejudiced, so don't be offended if she says something strange. Theo will probably speak to you, but I'm not so sure about Daphne, Millicent and Tracey."
"It's okay, there will be others there, right?" Thomas said with an easy smile, and Draco was once again reminded that Thomas was much more innocent than his schoolmates and himself.
"Yes, the Weasley siblings save for the youngest and the oldest brother. Hermione and Luna. Luna is eccentric even for our standards, so don't take her too seriously," Draco said, a small smile playing at his lips.
"Well, as long as nobody tries to use magic on me it should be fine," Thomas said with a laugh, while he pushed open the door to the tattoo parlour.
Unlike last time the tattoo parlour wasn't empty. Another man, probably an artist, sat behind the front desk, speaking to a rough looking guy whose arms where completely covered in ink. Draco only barely resisted the urge to grab his wand and turned to Thomas for direction on how to deal with the situation.
"Hey, how can I help you guys?" the artist called over after a moment. He too was heavily tattooed, and at least the designs on his left arm looked like he had done them himself.
"I have an appointment with George," Thomas answered easily. "My cousin's accompanying me."
The other costumer turned to them and gave them a once over. "Aren't you a bit young?"
"No, actually," Thomas said brightly.
Then the huge guy turned to Draco. "Nice knuckles, you into fighting?"
Draco looked down at his hands, startled that the glamour had already faded again. The charm lasted shorter and shorter each time he applied it. "Got into an argument," he shrugged, hoping that that would be the right answer.
The big guy laughed. "Not your first either, was it? Don't worry, I'm the last guy who'd judge you for letting off some steam on some arsehole's face."
"Jimmy, stop corrupting the youth," George scolded lightly, entering the room with a cup in his hands. "You can step through," he said motioning to the backroom. "Do you want something to drink?"
Thomas squinted at Jimmy, shook his head and went into the backroom. Before Draco could follow Jimmy caught his arm.
"I meant what I said," he said quietly, looking at Draco intently. "And you look old enough, so, if you're interested come by Jimmy's Repair and Replacement on Muddlester."
Draco shrugged him off. He followed Thomas and just barely resisted casting a cleaning charm on the part of his arm where Jimmy had grabbed him.
oOo
18:53
After three hours of horrified fascination on Draco's, and pained stubbornness on Thomas's part the tattoo was done and covered in cling film. Thomas had stern instructions to change the wrapping and clean off excess blood and goo as soon as he returned home that evening.
That meant it was nearing seven o'clock when Thomas finally came back downstairs and signalled Draco that he was ready to go.
Thomas had chosen slim jeans and a polo shirt, looking much more refined than he had earlier in the day with his tank top and 'baggy pants'. Draco still didn't understand the muggles' fascination with those damned things.
"Since I can't apparate with you, we'll travel via portkey," Draco explained, holding up the muggle coin he had charmed for the occasion. "It's only slightly more comfortable. But thanks to some nicely done spellwork you should be able to portkey right back here when you say 'Portus'."
Thomas nodded along. "Alright, let's go then."
"Have fun, boys," Mary said with a warm smile.
"Don't drink too much," Frank admonished with a wink.
Draco tapped the portkey with his wand to activate it and counted down the seconds until departure. To be honest, he didn't like portkey travel, mostly because he had never managed the art of landing on his feet. So, when they arrived just outside Nott Manor Draco had to, once again, pick himself up from the gravel path. The fact that Thomas hadn't fared any better didn't do much to console him.
"If this is slightly more comfortable than apparition I'm so glad that I'll never have to live through that," Thomas said, sounding like he was only partly joking. He was rubbing his shoulder and Draco wondered, whether it had been that good an idea to portkey here with Thomas freshly tattooed.
"Are you alright?" he asked carefully.
"Yeah, just a bit rattled," Thomas waved off his concern. When he turned to the gate, he chuckled. "This thing looks way too much like something from a horror film."
Draco swallowed tightly. Knowing what happened at the manor and sometimes the grounds, there was more than enough material for a dozen of those stories. "Let's just hope that the changes Theo made to the wards will work. But that you're seeing it at all is a good sign."
"Guess so," Thomas shrugged, looking a bit uncomfortable. "But, don't laugh. I feel like something doesn't want me here."
Draco sighed. "That would be the wards. They're old and as far as I understood they could only be convinced to let you pass because you have latent magical potential."
Thomas looked at him with wide eyes. "What do you mean latent magical potential? I could be a wizard?"
"Your children could be," Theo said, approaching from the other side of the gate. "If you had them with someone who also has latent magical potential. A squib for example, or the sibling of a muggleborn."
"Theo, you were taking your sweet time," Draco grouched. "What kept you?"
"I was helping George with the fairy lights and couldn't just vanish on him," Theo shrugged. "Stop complaining, Draco."
"Let us in and we'll see about it," Draco teased. He was glad that they were still able to banter as easily as they had before this whole mess.
Theo pointedly rolled his eyes at Draco and raised his wand. He started chanting in an ethereal language that sounded somewhat like Norwegian. After a minute or two the gates shimmered like hot air in the summer sun and Theo motioned for them to step through. Draco saw Thomas stumble a few steps in and grabbed his arm to steady him.
Powerful, old magic coursed through his veins and Draco panicked when he noticed that he couldn't move. He felt as if something was picking through his brain, even if they were much more careful than the Dark Lord or his aunt had ever been. Then, with a last surge of power, Thomas and Draco were pushed out of the hold of the wards and fell on their bottoms for the second time in not even half an hour.
"Bloody hell," Thomas groaned, rubbing a spot on his right forearm. "What the hell just happened? Why does it itch like this?"
Draco rolled up his sleeve in alarm when he noticed that he felt an itch in the exact same spot. "Morrigan strike me!" he exclaimed with big eyes, jumping to his feet. "Theo, we have a situation!"
Theo stepped closer and looked down on Draco's arm. "Thomas, show me your arm."
Thomas picked himself up and showed the growing red spot to Theo. Thin red lines grew more visible by the second until they formed a clear picture.
"Draco, what is this?" Thomas asked, fear palpable in his voice.
Theo answered instead. "A bind rune, a result of Draco grabbing you in the middle of ancient magic. Honestly, Draco, you should know better."
"He is a muggle! This shouldn't be possible!" Draco hissed, rolling his sleeve back down, hiding the bind rune on his arm.
"A muggle with enough latent magical potential that the wards accept him," Theo said tartly. "Thomas, congratulations, thanks to this idiot's stupidity you're now officially a Malfoy."
"What?" Thomas gaped at Theo and Draco honestly couldn't blame him.
"The kinship doesn't have to mean that," Draco argued weakly. "Not that I don't like you Thomas, and we are already related by marriage. But this should only mean-"
"Sorry, mate, the oþala is clearly the anchoring rune for the other two," Theo said with a shrug. "If it was the týr rune, you'd be brothers in arms, yes. But like this. I think the wards decided that he needed to be related to you proper to pass."
"Father will have a heart attack," Draco muttered, rubbing the rune.
"How long will it be visible?" Thomas asked quietly. "I don't think I want to explain to my girlfriend why I cut a rune into my arm."
"It should vanish overnight," Theo said, taking another look at Thomas's forearm. "I'm sorry this happened."
Thomas still seemed a little bit dazed. "So what does this mean exactly? Am I his, I don't know, brother or something?"
Theo frowned. "Or something. I don't know if you heard of the concept of the ward?"
"Only in my own, muggle context," Thomas said, frowning. "If someone is orphaned, they get appointed a guardian for legal matters and such. Or people who are unable to make decisions because of age or disability."
"It's basically the same in wizarding culture," Theo explained. "You're technically a ward of the Malfoy family now, even if your parents are still alive."
"Yes, your father will have a heart attack," Thomas said, turning to Draco. "And mine too."
"The thing is," Theo threw in, clearly suppressing a smirk. "I think Narcissa will be delighted to have a second son to dote on."
"Even if he is a muggle?" Thomas asked dubiously.
"Who knows, my mother seems to have forgotten the last twenty years of hatred towards muggles and muggleborns anyway," Draco groaned, burying his face in his hands.
Thomas patted him on the head. "Hush, at least now I'm officially allowed to tease you."
"I hate you," Draco pouted, glowering at Thomas through his fingers.
"If you're done with your family bonding," Theo drawled, amusement tinging his voice. "I think we have a party to get to."
"I hate both of you," Draco said, stalking off down the gravel path. "It's my birthday, you should be nice to me."
a/n2: So, Draco triggered some ancient magic again. What do you think about that? If you're wondering which runes I used (or generally what the heck I'm talking about) take a look at my tumblr (evolutionsbedingt) where I'll post an explanation tagged as #runes and #arbitrary jurisdiction. Are you excited for the birthday party? I certainly am! Looking forward to reading your reviews and see you (hopefully) soon! :)