Chapter 6: The Best Laid Plans

(a/n Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is I'm not abandoning this story. I will be working on it all summer and hopefully finish by fall. HOPEFULLY. The bad news is after this update I won't update again until the July. I'm sure you will notice a lot of stories will be slowing up the same as this one, just be patient. Remember to use Story Alert if you haven't chosen it before, and now use Author alert as I'm starting other stories as well. Check out my new HP stories 'A Storm in Hogwarts' and 'Darien and Harry Potter.'A Storm in Hogwarts this story brings Storm of X-Men fame to the HP universe, I'm trying not be campy but it's a little difficult. Prologue:Chapter1is a lot of background info on the story, so remember the story starts with chapter 2 which will post at the end ofJuly. Darien and Harry Potter is the story of Harry Potter and his older brother Darien, Darien is a good kid, but his family and Dumbledore think he's the child of the prophecy, Darien loves his little brother Harry, but unfortunately no one else seems to, or do they? Voldie is lurking to do some dirt. Read and find out. Enjoy the reads. Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and crew but God knows I wish I did. ;o)

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Privet Drive

July 1st 8 p.m.

Harry wanted to go to sleep but his mind just wouldn't let him. He wasn't sure if it was because it was too early, or that he now had nothing to do. His thoughts kept going back to the past. How he loathed the past. He missed Sirius so much. Sirius was wild, and scruffy and even a bit crude. He was a notorious prankster that even the Weaseley twins revered, but the thing that most surprised Harry about Sirius was that he had truly loved Harry. At first, it was simply because Harry was the son of his deceased best friend but he grew to love Harry for Harry. He was like a parent, a real parent. He didn't get to see Harry as much as either of them would have liked, but still it was quality and not quantity. The words that Mione said to Harry about his 'Hero complex' stabbed him worst than anything Voldemort had ever done to him, it was worst because he felt it was true. If he wasn't trying to play the hero, if he wasn't trying to save the day, then he would still have his beloved Godfather, but he didn't listen to Hermione, and Dumbledore was no where to be found, and for some reason he never thought to look in that bloody mirror Sirius had given him. To ease his own conscience he prayed that Voldemort was so deep in his mind at that time that he prevented Harry from remembering the mirror, but Harry would never know for sure, not without confronting Voldemort and asking him directly; still, if he did, could even trust the answer?

The pain from Vernon blows somehow seemed fair in light of his loss of Sirius, punishment for his stupidity for falling in to the trap, nearly getting most of his friends killed, and actually getting his godfather killed. Death seemed to have followed him all his life, and he was tired of it.

The house was quiet, and Harry just lay in his bed on his back with hands under his head. Lost in memories of death, and fear of more to come when the door to bedroom opened. He sat up, placed his hands in his lap and looked down as someone entered the room.

"Hey freak, whatcha doin'? I'm bored." Said Dudley as he stood in the doorway.

"Just thinking Dud, just thinking." Harry said, and then he thought, this would be a good time to put the plan into action. "Dudley, I know that this summer your friends Piers, Malcolm and the rest are gone for football camp and won't back until a week before school starts.

"Yea, so what of it?" Dudley said.

"Look I know you want to get on your school's American Football team this year. And well, I can train you." Said Harry.

"What do you know about sports and stuff?" Inquired Dudley.

"More than you would think. I've been on my house team at school since first year, and we've won the house cup more four out of the last five years. I know how to train for a sport Dud, and I can help you train for this one." Said Harry.

"What's in it for you?" Dudley said looking at Harry suspiciously.

"Well, you just stay off my arse for the rest of the summer and we'll call it even. Come on Dud, I can help you. You will, of course, have to stay on your diet but with the exercise and some jogging you should be able to be a line backer or whatever for your team this fall. I promise." Said Harry. "Besides, you don't have anything else to do this holiday, right?"

"I'll do it, but I want something from you. If we start this, you don't get to run off to your freak friends. If we start it you have to stay until a week before school starts. After all, I won't have trained just to have you leave and have it be for nothing." Said Dudley as he leaned in the doorway.

Harry hadn't expected that, he wasn't sure if he wanted to go to the Burrow this summer anyway, but he did like having the option. If he made this deal with Dudley then he couldn't go to the Burrow at all, what exactly was he getting out of this? Freedom, some free time without stressing about Dudley snitching him out to get him in trouble, was this worth losing the option to go the Burrow?

"Can I think it over?" Said Harry.

"Sure you have until noon tomorrow." Said Dudley, as he turned and waddled back to his room.

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Malfoy Manor

July 1st 8 p.m.

Since coming out of the bathroom Draco hadn't spoken much. He hadn't really looked at his mother but has marveled at everything, single thing in his room like it was new to him. He got down on all fours and examined the carpet, listened to it, tasted it, felt it, looked at it and smelt it. He did the same with his desk, the dresser, wardrobe and every single stick of furniture in his room. He acted like he just landed on earth and everything provided a completely new sensation to him. After two hours of going over his room. He went to the door, and continued to sense it in every way he could. Narcissa was torn by this behavior, she had done something similar when she came into her inheritance but it wasn't this intense. He still ignored her presence. She knitted her brow and followed him. 'Could this be the brain damage the healer warned me about?'

Draco walked down the hall and looked at the carpet in the hall, the paintings that lined the walls, and the little tables that sat under some of the paintings. He used every sense he had on all of it. Narcissa thought of calling Lucius, but then thought really what could he do, but look down on her son. No, calling him would be useless and at worst, counterproductive. It took Draco an hour to examine everything in the hall, and finally Narcissa couldn't take it anymore and she called him.

"Puff, darling?" She said softly so as to not startle him.

Draco turned and looked at her like he'd never seen her before. He walked over to her and touched her cheek. She leaned into his touch; maybe he was okay. Then he ran his fingers over her eyes, and then to her forehead. She realized that she was just something else for him to sense. He didn't see who she was. Tears began to build in her eyes, had she lost her Puff?

"Puff, Puff, Honey say something to me. Please, it's been hours." Pleaded Narcissa as she held Draco's face in her hands to force him to look at her in the eyes.

"Tired, sleepy." He then turned and headed back to his room.

Narcissa was not feeling good about this at all. 'I'll give him a couple of days, to let him accustom himself to his senses, but if it's not better soon, I'm getting the healer back here.'

Narcissa followed Draco to his room; it was 10 p.m. He simply got on in his bed and went to sleep on top of the covers in the robes the healer had gotten out of his closet earlier. Narcissa took out her wand and banished the clothes back to the closet where they came from then waved it again, and clean white cotton pajamas appeared on Draco. She waved her wand a third time and the covers rolled back to the foot of the bed, and then came over and covered Draco. He curled in the warmth of the covers and sighed, never waking. Narcissa took the seat at his desk, and stayed there watching him, after a couple of hours, she got into the bed with him and held him, he snuggled into his mother, in haling her scent, sighed and slept peaceably.

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Privet Drive

July 2nd 7a.m.

Harry was up and making breakfast before Aunt Petunia had thought to knock on his door to wake him. She was about to knock when she smelled coffee downstairs. She went to the kitchen to find Harry at working making breakfast. She had already awoken Dudley and Vernon and had she would just be around the house today, she didn't feel the need to get anymore dressed than then the dressing gown she had on. Harry was just putting toast in the toaster when he turned to his aunt, he kept his eyes down and said, "Aunt Petunia…"

"Yes, boy" she said, as she opened the paper that sat on the table.

"Aunt Petunia, a brochure arrived last month about art classes this summer at university starting next week, and I was thinking…" Harry said quietly getting nervous. He then turned to take the toast of the toaster put in the next few slices. He buttered the finished toast, and turned back to Petunia.

"You were thinking what boy, I don't have time for your little freaky half conversations." She said as she was getting irritated.

"I was thinking that you could take a class or two at university. I saw some paintings you did in the garage last year before you had them put in storage. They were beautiful, a little raw, maybe but beautiful. I figure if you went to university you could get really good and be an artist." Said Harry quickly as the toaster clicked. Harry turned and quickly began to butter the still warm toast and load more slices into the toaster. He then went to the fridge and took out bacon, and eggs.

"I can't go back to school. I'm too old, besides who'll take care of the house." Said Petunia.

"You are not too old to go back, I've read it in the brochure that they had loads of older students, and I could take care of the house, just leave a list for me before you go to class and I will have everything done by the time you get home. You know you don't have watch me anymore, I'm older nothing will happen." Said Harry, as put the bacon on and started to mix the eggs.

Petunia thought on this. In high school, art was her favorite subject and she did love painting so, she had even planned to go to university and major in art, but then she discovered that her younger sister, Lily was engaged to that Potter. Petunia was the eldest daughter it was she who should marry first. She was already dating Vernon when the announcement was made over a family dinner, and she got jealous. After hearing the announcement she knew her parents would go all out on a wedding for her oh-so-special sister. By the time, Petunia would want to marry she figured she would get a lesser wedding since they would no doubt be indebt from Lily's wedding. Vernon wasn't at the dinner but Petunia knew she could talk him into marrying her, so she announced that she too was marrying as well. Lily and James congratulated her and asked her when the date of the wedding was? Petunia thinking quickly said June 10. Lily and James were delighted and said they would attend, though their own wedding wouldn't be for a year, and hoped she and Vernon would attend their wedding. It was wizarding tradition for the groom's family to pay for the wedding, and Lily and James decided on a Wizarding Ceremony. Petunia was angry. If she had known that her parents wouldn't have to pay for Lily's wedding she would have never made the announcement. She felt trapped like she had to go through with it now, or look like a jealous twit.

In marrying Vernon the first thing he did was demand that she not go to school. He said his wife didn't need to do anything but take care of him. At first, it was okay, it was just Vernon and she could paint in what is now Harry's room when all the housework was done. Things were going good until two years later when she discovered she was pregnant. A short time later, Lily discovered that she was pregnant as well; their children would be in the same year just a month or so a part. Vernon made Petunia give up her painting, saying that chemicals were bad for the baby and her, and she agreed, though it broke her heart. Now Harry presented her a chance to have her dream again, to go to university and major in Art, even if it's only part time and during the summer she could still get a degree it will just take a while. Harry had lit a fire in her.

By the time Vernon and Dudley came downstairs breakfast was ready, and the table set, everyone had a place but Harry, who was still on punishment for another day and wasn't allowed to eat, so he just started to clean the kitchen while they ate. Petunia was set, she was going to go, and she was going to tell Vernon now.

"Vernon." Said Petunia, as she looked at him across the table. Vernon didn't look up but grunted that he was listening. He was an eating machine not be interrupted.

"Vernon, I've decided that I'm going to university this summer to major in art." Said Petunia calmly.

"What?" Spat Vernon. Food flew out of his mouth and sprayed the table.

"I said I'm going to university this summer and I'm majoring in art." Said Petunia resolutely.

"Oh no you are not! You have a son to raise, (pointed at Dudley) and you have to keep an eye on that! (pointed at Harry)" He face was starting to turn red with anger.

"No wife of mines I going to leave this house to chase after school boys." Yelled Vernon.

Petunia got an idea. Yes, she can go, if this works. "Vernon, there's only one school boy I want to chase after." She said as she got up from her chair and walked around the table, passed Dudley and over to Vernon. She wrapped her arms around his big beefy neck and said, "You're the only school boy I want to chase, so how about this, I go back to university, and make sure my classes ends with enough time for me to come home and fix dinner before you get off from work. With Harry here for the summer holidays, he can take care of most of the housework, and I can finish up after class. And if you let me go, and pay for my classes books and supplies, we'll play one of your favorite games." Petunia purred in his ears. Dudley and Harry both could see where this was going and they were both starting to feel nauseous. Dudley pushed his plate away half way through his second helping.

"It is way too early in the morning for this." Dudley mumbled as he drank his milk.

"What game can we celebrate with Pet?" Said Vernon with a bit of drool in the corner of his mouth.

Petunia kissed the side of Vernon's fat neck as Harry started to clean faster he did not want know too much about this, he figured his therapy bills after the war and the abuse in this house would be high enough; knowing too much about their personal life would send it into astronomical figures.

"Well, baby," purred Petunia "School marm and the naughty school boy, of course."

Vernon eyes grew huge and a wicked smile creeped onto his face. That did for Dudley, he excused himself from the table and ran to his room, or the bathroom, which Harry wasn't sure but he knew where he wanted to be. Vernon squealed in delight. Harry shuddered and a small…'Eeeewwww.' escaped his lips.

"Say something boy?" Said Vernon as he glared at Harry.

"No sir, just saw this rather difficult stain on the counter I couldn't figure out it was." said Harry as he wiped the clean counter.

"Vernon, baby, don't forget when you come in tonight to borrow Dudley's school uniform." Said Petunia as she headed up the steps, wiggling her hips with a bit of flair.

"Yowser!" Said Vernon.

That did it for Harry; he ran to the bathroom and threw up food he had only dreamed about eating. "Damn, mental image, will haunt me for the rest of my life." thought Harry. "I swear Vernon and Dumbledore are splitting my therapy bills after I get out here."

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July 2nd 7 a.m.

Malfoy Manor

Everyone was asleep.

(A/N: They are not early risers at Malfoy Manor, only made the exception the day before for Draco's birthday.)

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July 2nd 9 a.m.

Malfoy Manor

Narcissa awoke in Puff's bed. Her son had his arms wrapped around her waist and he was nuzzling in to her chest in a quiet and innocent slumber. It reminded her of when he was very young before she had to relinquish much of his upbringing to Lucius. Back then; she would sleep with him sometimes, mothering him. She loved being with him, he was sweet and innocent and just a joy to her. He was a bright child though; he learned the full alphabet by the time he was two. Somehow seeing how bright he was was what probably cost her him until now. Lucius wanted an heir, more a clone of himself really to take on the family name. When he realized how smart the child was, he figured he should begin to mold him right away. And insisted on being the one to arrange his lessons, and decided that Narcissa should take a back seat to him, in all things pertaining to his son. What Lucius didn't realize was that the reason Draco was so bright was because of his mother. She had infinite patience with him, and would make his failures fun and his successes a celebration. Learning with Narcissa was a joy, win or lose, and so the boy learned quickly. This was not the case with Lucius. Failure was all but an occasion to lament if not torture the child, and success, only gather a weak praise for the now attention starved boy. Lucius called it Maximum Parentage with Minimum Effort.

It broke Narcissa's heart the way Lucius treated her son. She wanted to teach him so much, to show him the world in all its' glory. But as Puff had not come into his inheritance yet, he was more wizard than veela, so wizarding laws prevailed and Narcissa, while still protective of her son, had to restrict her affections, and give her love in measured doses according to Lucius. Narcissa wanted to rebel and leave and take her son with her but Lucius foresaw this possibility and went to the Dark Lord. Voldemort had a solution, a spell that would let Lucius tap into Draco's magic and bind Narcissa to his will. It was dark magic and dangerous for both mother and child, but Lucius would have things his way and if it risked his family and through loss of Narcissa himself, then so be it, he would not be denied.

The magic required a large amount of Draco's blood and truly about forty Death Eaters descended down upon Malfoy Manor when Draco was three. Narcissa was definitely more veela than her husband any attack on her child brought the veela in her to the fore, and she was a force of nature. She did not have a bird form as full veela do, but she did get razor sharp claws, and fangs did grow from her canine teeth, and she became much more difficult to curse, only the strongest spells would have any effect on her at all. And her own spells were amplified five, maybe even ten fold, she was casting curses, slashing, and biting like a demon from hell and truly she took out thirty of the forty Death Eaters that came to subdue her. It took five cruciatus curses being trained on her at once to bring her down, and even then she fought. Finally, Lucius got close enough to use a spell used for subduing mad veela, Narcissa couldn't believe the level of his betrayal, no veela ever revealed that spell in the presence of Non Veela, NEVER, that law was one of the ten sacred, that no veela may break. Once the spell had her subdued, he added 'petrificus totalus' as well, just be doubly sure. Then he took Draco, performed 'oblivate' on him and then gave him a dreamless sleeping draught. Now Lucius was ready to drain the boy's blood. Narcissa was helpless all she could do was watch as her husband cut the boy's wrist and then slowly watched a bowl that looked to Narcissa to be have the boy's body size fill with his life's blood. She struggled and wanted to scream for him to stop, but she couldn't move, she couldn't speak, all she could really move were her eyes and they were wet with tears.

By the time, enough blood was collected from Draco; quite literally he was barely alive. Still Lucius did not waver in his plan he proceeded with the dark magic. He took, the boy and blood to the courtyard in the back of the manor. The Death Eaters in attendance brought Narcissa, who was still spellbound. It was a full moon, and nearly midnight, the most magical of hours. The moon shone over the dark event brightly silver with a tinge of red to it. Lucius took the blood and poured it on the ground in a circle large enough for his wife to be lain in. He had had her placed in the circle, and started chanting words, that most were amazed he could even speak; words that were nearly as old as magic itself. He chanted these strange words for 30 minutes. Then concluded in English, "As long as this blood flows through his veins, your will's struggle against me will be in vain." Narcissa felt hot, the blood circle glowed, and then caught fire. Lucius walked through the flames, with the remainder of the blood in the bowl. "Drink." He said.

He put the bowl to her lips, still spellbound she could do nothing, but stare at him in horror and revulsion. He opened her mouth poured the blood in and then massaged her throat to make her swallow. When she finished all but the last swallow, he looked at her and smiled. "You and he, are now mine, now and forever." He drank the last of the blood.

After that night, Narcissa lost herself. She was suddenly only Lucius Malfoy's wife. She still felt like herself at times, when he was busy and not thinking about her or Draco. In these times, she loved her son as she wanted and he came to love her. However when Lucius thought of her, she became the cold bitch, he wanted her to be. The ice queen, who didn't seem to care one bit for her son, only about keeping up the Malfoy name and appearances. During one of the times she was herself, Draco told her that Harry Potter said, "She looked like she smelled dung under her nose." Draco, of course was livid, he was promising to curse Potter all over creation for that remark. But Narcissa said, "Don't hate him for that, I probably did look that way at the time. I think it's funny actually." And truly she did, sometimes she would be in front of mirror when she felt herself returning to whom she really was and the expression on her face as it faded away did look like she smelled dung, at least to her. She thought Potter was rather astute.

Lucius' plan and the spell worked brilliant and had Draco not been veela would have lasted for the rest of his life. However, Draco was veela, and that meant that when he came into his inheritance, his blood would change, as would his magic. The blood of the spell and the blood of Draco no longer matched and so the spell had been weakening slowly for months, as Draco's blood and body prepared for the transformation. Narcissa felt more and more like herself for longer periods, though she kept them hidden from Lucius at first. She wanted to take precautions against a repeat of the spell. The main precaution she took was to get in contact with the Veela Council. She worked tirelessly to get in good with the leaders. After eight months she was on good terms with them all, and she made sure that Lucius knew it, she also in formed them of the spell the he had placed on her before, and agreed not to punish Lucius for it because of Draco. But were such a thing attempted again, it would not go well for him, or his master because the Veela would then finally choose a side in his little war. There was even talk of putting Narcissa on the Veela Council as she had no real ties to Voldemort or the light, and was thought of as a wise and gracious woman, a wonderful addition to the Council as several keep leaders were retiring soon.

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Draco opened his eyes, and looked up at his mother. He smiled, "Hello Mother, what are you doing here?" He asked in a yawn.

"Are you okay, Puff?" She asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. I think it was just a wee bit of sensory overload. I sort of got lost in the sensations, everything seemed so new, and yet the same. It was so overwhelming." He said with his head on his mother's stomach.

"Yes, it is amazing but you were lost in your senses for the entire day, you had me so worried, you should have adjusted to it in about an hour or so, but I guess, you Tweeners do things your own way." She said with a small smile.

"Aw bloody hell!" Draco yelled as he sat up suddenly.

"What?" Cried Narcissa as she sat up quickly as well.

"You cancelled my party didn't you? Damn it." Said Draco.

"Honestly, Puff, you scared me half to death. I didn't cancel it I postponed it until you are better. We can have it after you've mastered your senses and new abilities. After all, we don't want a party filled with people madly lusting after you, now do we?" Said Narcissa.

"Oh, I don't know about that, Mother, depends on who's at the party." Said Draco playfully.

"Why you…" Said Narcissa as she playfully smacked him on the back of his head.

"Of course, you realize, that's child abuse." Said Draco as he got out of bed.

"And your point being?" Said Narcissa as she got out of bed and stretched.

-----------------End Chapter 6---------------

(A/N 1: First I'm still looking for a beta. Second: Next time. At last they meet, but where or where shall that be? And what is up with Draco, was it just sensory overload? Is Harry's plan really this friggin simple? If things go right, Dudders and Petunia will be off his back, but what about Vernon? Where are Ron and Hermione? Who is the new DADA instructor? SO many questions, you have to come back next time to get answers to at least half. ;o) Oh don't worry, we are not doing a day to day thing any more next chapter big time jump… hopefully, all this and more next time. P.S. I got a few complaints about the mental image of Vernon and Petunia playing 'games,' well, all I can say is that they are a legal married couple and what happens behind closed doors I feel the need to hint at. LOL But for those of you who will be complaining yet again this will be the last mention of their private lives. I don't think we'll be returning to Privet Drive after next chapter. So just tolerate it this last time please. PLEASE REVIEW! Thank you.)

(A/N 2: It has been brought to my attention that Voldie was a spirit when Draco was three because Harry dispatched him when he was one and half, so how did Lucius get the spell from Voldie? Here's how... THE DIARY of TOM RIDDLE. Lord Voldemort was calling himself that at Hogwarts and it is well known that he knew more dark spells than anyone at school even at 16. So any more questions? How's that for covering my butt. lol )

(A/N: 6/28/06 Sorry for this taking so long to update. I'm trying to fit alot into the next chapter, and it's taking awhile, I'm thinking it will actually have to be split up into the next three chapters instead of just one. So this fic is NOT dead. I just have too many ideas, is what's slowing this down. Also I'm writing 5 different stories at once, so it's really slowing this down. For the first six chaps, it was just this story. I need to learn time management. Feel free to read Darien and Harry Potter another story I'm writing it's pretty nice if I do say so. I'm working on it's update as well. The other three stories are still in development. So I hope to have updates for Darien and Harry Potter and Obsession, Madness and Love by 7/4/06. Wish me luck. No guarantees.) PLEASE review both stories. Oh and this fic is approaching 10,000 hits. HORRAY! WANT MORE REVIEWS. To those of you who have reviewed. THANKS. And to those who haven't, please do, I love reading them, it makes this all worth while. Well, catch you all on the fourth. Catwriter)