A/N: Warning for mature situations, it's rated M for a reason.
"Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are." ~ Machiavelli
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"So, are you going to tell me why I'm really here, Lucius?" Morwenna propped herself up on an elbow and arched a dark eyebrow at the handsome wizard in her bed. He'd sent an invitation for a 'meeting', and a portkey to this apartment.
"Can't I just have missed you?" He teased and stroked a finger along her hip, a playful smile tugging at his lips. The act fooled no one, but it was a necessary part of the game.
"I know you better than that." She snorted and moved, straddling his waist and looking down at him. "I do wonder though, what could I possibly do for you? I'm head of the Department of Family Services, but I highly doubt anyone's leveled a complaint against you and Narcissa. I don't think there's anyone in our world that suicidal." She stroked her fingers down his chest. Her long hair fell around her body, waves of black silk that highlighted rather than hid anything from view.
"I need you to open a formal investigation into the home situation of one of Draco's classmates. It needs to be done quietly." Lucius said, enjoying the view of the beautiful witch on top of him. Morwenna was nearly ten years his junior, and from a minor pure-blood family. She was however, uncommonly gifted in politics and had risen to the top of her own department in only five years at the Ministry. More than that, he knew she'd be a welcome ally in his move to strike a new order of things.
"And which child would this be?" She asked as she scraped a nail over his nipple.
"Harry Potter." Lucius' expression never faltered.
Morwenna chuckled and leaned down to kiss Lucius. "So, at the conclusion of this formal investigation, am I to assume you want custody?" She asked and nipped his bottom lip.
"As ever, you see things as I do." Lucius smirked. "And in return, I would owe you a favor." He said, running a single fingertip down her spine.
"You most certainly will." She said and moved back, off of him. "I'll open the investigation and if I find sufficient evidence to remove the boy from his muggle relations, we can discuss my price." She got off the bed and headed towards the bathroom.
Lucius remained relaxing in her bed. "There are times I wonder if you aren't Salazaar made flesh again." She was one of the most shrewd, calculating women he'd ever known.
"Hopefully I'm better looking." She threw the comment over her shoulder and started the shower. She had a lot of work to do if she was to pull this off without the Headmaster stopping her. She closed her eyes and let the hot water cascade over her body. She would need all her cards in place before Dumbledore got wind of what she was doing, so that she could push through the guardianship before he could amass any forces to stop her.
Lucius paused at the door of the bathroom and smiled, watching her through the glass. He appreciated her on many levels, aesthetically she was exquisite. Morwenna was petite and curvy, in all the right places. Her vibrant blue eyes could drive even the coldest man to distraction. More so than the physical, Lucius loved her mind. She was cool, calculating, and supremely Slytherin in her sensibilities. He moved then and slipped into the shower with her, determined to make the most of their afternoon tryst, now that business had been dealt with.
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Morwenna looked at the door of number 4, Privet Drive and repressed a shudder. She was quite used to dealing with muggles but something about this house was utterly depressing in its mediocrity. There was absolutely nothing to distinguish it from any other home on the street. She took a breath and strode up the drive and raped sharply on the door. She'd dressed as a muggle today, in a dark blue business suit and matching heels. No need to alarm the neighbors, after all. She was also certain that Dumbledore would have a watcher in the neighborhood and she did not want to draw any undue attention to herself.
Petunia opened the door, confused by the woman on her doorstep. "May I help you?" she asked warily. The woman had an air of authority around her, though she couldn't imagine what she wanted.
"Mrs. Dursely?" Morwenna smiled charmingly. "I'm from the Department of Family Services, and I was wondering if we could have a little chat." She asked and then lowered her voice. "From the Ministry of Magic, that is."
Petunia's eyes darted immediately to see if anyone was watching. "That unnatural child is not here." She whispered furiously.
"I am fully aware of that, and unless you want me to make a scene, I suggest that we go inside and discuss this like rational adults." Morwenna said realizing that this woman was anything but rational.
"Fine." The woman snapped and gestured the woman inside, all but slamming the door behind them. "Now what do you want? We promised that man, Fudge, that we'd take him back next summer so long as weren't bothered."
"I'm here because there has been a formal complaint lodged about the treatment the boy has received while in your care. It's my job to investigate all such claims." She explained calmly, growing more and more concerned with each moment.
"Complaints! We give that good-for-nothing freak a roof over his head, and food off our table and he tell lies about us?" Petunia ranted, incensed.
"I see." Morwenna frowned and pulled her wand out. "Petrificus totalis." She cast and shook her head. She left the woman standing there and began her investigation of the house. She frowned at the sight of locks on the outside of one of the bedroom doors and upon inspection, it was clear this was Mr. Potter's bedroom. She noted the rickety state of the furniture and Spartan nature of the room, especially in comparison to the one across the hall. In her tour of the home she found not a single photograph of the Potter boy. She was coming to realize that Lucius was correct; the boy did need to be removed from this place.
Any lingering doubts she had were erased as she came into the kitchen and cast priori memorea. It was a spell designed to reveal the negatives memories of a home. Pain, acts of cruelty, and violence left a stain, and could be called up by someone that knew what they were looking for. Before her eyes she watched a small, dark-haired child being manhandled, struck, berated and hauled off to a dark little cupboard beneath the stairs. Horrified she went to look at the cupboard and found a moth-eaten old crib mattress and another lock on the outside. She continued to watch the parade of events and had to quell her rage. She watched the boy, too small to see the top of the stove burn himself, only to be struck with the hot frying pan and berated for burning the bacon. By the end of it, she had to wipe tears off her face and she took several minutes to compose herself.
She went out to the hallway and ended the spell on Mrs. Durseley. "You, madam, will sit down and listen very carefully to what I have to say." She said and backed the woman into the living room at wand point. "I've seen every dirty little secret this house has to offer and you are very lucky that I haven't cursed you within an inch of your miserable life." Her blue eyes were intense. "Instead you are going to sign this document, waiving any rights you have to the guardianship of Harry Potter. He will never return to this house again, and you are never to seek him out. If I ever find out that you have tried to contact him, I will personally bring you up on charges of child abuse. Is that in any way unclear?" She handed the woman a document.
"I sign this and we never have to see him again?" Petunia asked, and at the woman's nod she signed the paper. "You'll keep that man from contacting us as well?"
"Man?" Morwenna asked.
"Dumbledore…he forced us to take the brat in." She said and handed the document to the woman.
"When this is all said and done, he should not have any reason to contact you." Morwenna said and tucked the paper away in her briefcase. "Good day Mrs. Dursley." She nodded curtly and turned on her heel, leaving the house.
Once safely out of sight, she apparated back to her offices to begin drawing up the paperwork. She'd placed the memory of the visit in an official vial and made two copies. One would be stored with the file, the second in her department vault and the original would be placed somewhere safe. Given who the boy was, she had to be prepared for a battle on this one. She grabbed a piece of parchment and began a letter to Lucius.
L,
Acting upon your request, I paid a visit to the home of the child in question. I was appalled at what I discovered and fear that things are much worse than you suspected. The child's guardian has ceded rights to the child; as such I will be considering applications for custody at this time. I will have to meet with the child, and take his statement, and then interview the candidates. I will inform you when we will meet to that end. Speak of this to no one; secrecy is our only ally at this time.
~M
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Narcissa wandered down to the pitch and saw Draco running drills with his flying instructor. She sat down in her lounger and watched her son. She did love to watch him fly, there was always such a smile on his face when he was up there.
When he finally came down, he headed over to see her. "Mother." He said and kissed her cheek.
"You looked wonderful up there, little dragon." She smiled and offered him a lemon cake. "Did you enjoy your lesson with Master Davies?" She asked.
"I did, thank you mother." He said and smiled. "He gave me some good things to work on this year at school."
"Good. Now, have you written to Harry yet and invited him for a visit?" She asked.
"Not yet." Draco pouted and looked down. "Do I really have to, mother?"
"Draco, darling, we've spoken about this several times." She sat up and turned to face him fully. "Mr. Potter is an important figure in our society, regardless of your own personal feelings on the matter. Your father made certain mistakes when he was young, and unfortunately you will be judged by those mistakes unless you take pains to undo them. That means befriending Mr. Potter, and taking a more accepting stance towards muggleborns. I know it's not easy, little dragon, but the family is counting on you." She stroked his cheek. "Do you understand?"
Draco sighed, shoulders slumping. "I understand mother."
She leaned in and kissed his forehead. "That's my sweet boy." She smiled. "You will be a great man one day, and all great men are judged first by the company they keep. Do you really want to be judged by the likes of Crabbe and Goyle?" She made a bit of a face.
Draco nodded quietly. "I suppose you're right, mother." He sighed. "I'll go and write to him this afternoon." He promised.
"Thank you, darling." She smiled and relaxed back, sipping her tea. "We will also be having a Yule Ball this year, and I would like you to give careful thought about who you would like to invite as your date. Remember to consider what we've talked about this summer as well." She reminded her son.
"I will mother." He said quietly and finished his tea and cakes with her, trying to rework his thinking after years of listening to father rant about the muggleborns and blood-traitors. After tea he walked back up to the house with his mother and went to his bedroom to change out of his flying clothes.
Next he sat down at his desk and pulled out a sheet of parchment and began to draft a letter to Potter. He didn't want the boy to come over, but it would please his mother. He didn't know yet what game his father was playing but he was up to something.
Dear Harry,
Look, I know I've been a prat the last couple of years but I just want to say that I'm sorry. I was angry that you didn't want to be my friend, and then jealous when you got put on the Quidditch team as a first year. My dad's right, we could gain more through friendship than we can by harping at each other all the time. So, let's try and start fresh. I'll try if you will. If you want to come on Thursday afternoon we can get in some flying and I can show you around the Manor a bit.
Let me know.
Draco
He sneered at the paper, but it was true. Potter had hurt his feelings and he'd all but sworn to make the other boy's life hell. Maybe mother was right, maybe it was time he started acting like a Slytherin instead of a spoilt brat.
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TBC