DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and all other characters and locations belong to J. K. Rowling.
Chapter Fifteen – Dining Among Dragons
Tucked between a long dinging room and what had once been the servant's quarters, a sprawling kitchen was found. Dishes coated with dirt and grime were piled in a basin upon the floor, a moth-eaten cloth draped over the edge. Along the shelves, carefully labeled jars rested, their contents long since molded and decayed. Grimacing at the mess he'd wandered into, Harry drew his wand and peered around. He ran his fingers through the thick dust layered upon the pale wooden counters, chewing his lip as he searched for plates that appeared relatively clean. A loud crash from behind him had him whipping around and leveling his wand, wide emerald eyes locking with amused orbs of ice.
"Jumpy, Potter?" Draco asked, stepping gracefully over the pots he'd knocked to the floor. Reaching out slowly, he placed his pale digits on the tip of Harry's wand and pushed it away from his chest.
Drawing a deep breath, Harry tightened his fingers around his wand before sliding it away. "What have I told you about making a mess?" He mumbled, turning around and pulling a drawer open. Inside, he found a jumbled mix of silver and gold flatware, all dusted with cobwebs. "We'll have to wash some of this stuff if we're going to use it."
Arching a thin eyebrow, Draco shot the raven-haired wizard a disdainful look and used a three-legged stool to boost himself up onto a section of counter. "Knock yourself out," he stated, lifting a hand and examining his nails.
Rolling his eyes in disbelief, Harry picked up a small bucket and exited the kitchen through the narrow door they had entered. The sun was already sitting low on the horizon, orange and red fingers stretching across the aqua waters of the ocean. Swinging the bucket lightly, he peered around the little fenced in area, heaving a sigh of relief when his gaze landed on a small well. At least he wasn't going to have to wander around in search of water. Stalking toward the stone contraption, he dropped the bucket and tugged on the rope, surprised at the weight on the other end.
Minutes later he walked back into the kitchen and set the bucket down, sloshing water over the cobblestone floor. He raised an eyebrow when he found Draco gone, momentarily wondering where the blond had disappeared to before he shrugged his shoulders. Pulling his wand free of the pocket he'd stashed it in, he eyed the counter before flicking the length of wood carefully. A small flash of gold light consumed the counter before fading, leaving behind a sparkling section of wood that had been freed of dirt. Selecting a pair of silver plates from the pile in the basin, he scrubbed them thoroughly and placed them on the clean counter.
He almost slammed his head on the edge of the wooden counter when a triumphant shout echoed through the kitchen. Hissing softly, he dropped the handful of flatware he'd been washing back into the bucket and rose. "Draco?" He called, wiping his wet hands on the front of his shirt.
The door on the other side of the room flew open, crashing against the tall shelf standing beside it. Stepping back into the kitchen, the blond held a long bottle above his head and grinned. "1559," he announced, setting the wine bottle reverently down on the counter. Grinning happily, he ran a thumb over the cork and glanced at Harry. "Very well aged."
"Great." Muttered Harry as he sank back to his knees and fished around the murky water. Shaking his head over the blond's enthusiasm, he gathered the silver flatware and placed it atop the clean plates. "Why don't you go and pull back the drapes in the dining room? It'll be dark soon." Scooping up one of the plates and a long knife, Harry left the kitchen and headed back outside.
His eyes flicked to the empty cliffs where the dragons were usually sprawled, finding it unsettling to see the area devoid of life. Allowing the plate to bounce against his thigh, he turned the corner of the manor and halted. Three Mage Dragons all sat around the crispy cow, drool pooling beneath their muzzles as they stared at the carcass.
"Hey guys," Harry said nervously, stepping over the flicking tail of Druid. He swallowed as the dragon rumbled loudly, red eyes locked on the prize. Hurrying forward, he dropped the plate into the long grass and eyed the burnt cow. The feeling of being watched was unnerving and he fumbled the knife as he glanced up. Finding three pairs of eyes resting firmly upon him, he drew a deep breath and caught up the sharp blade. Working quickly, he cut several lengths of meat from the deceased animal's flank and plopped them onto the plate. "Thanks."
He was almost at the edge of the house when the angered snarls started. Tossing a look over his shoulder, he cringed and gagged before hurrying toward the back door. Watching three hungry dragons fight over the remains of the cow was not something he wanted to see.
XxXxX
Draco set his bottle of wine down on the long dining table and put his hands on his hips. The room was massive; a formal dining room designed to seat at least forty people. Rapping his knuckles on the table, he dragged out one of the chairs and settled himself atop the dark red cushion. Nodding his head in approval, he stood up and walked to the first curtained wall. He batted the long material with his hand, narrowing his eyes as he prepared to leap back should a flurry of bats flee the swinging cloth. Chuckling at his imagination, he caught up the dragging material and pulled it slowly back from the window, letting the remaining daylight flood into the room.
He'd freed two windows of their encumbrances when he found it. Not another window hidden behind a set of long curtains but a painting. Slack-jawed, he let go of the red drape and stepped back from the wall, wide blue orbs locked on the image. Inhaling slowly, he reached over and grabbed his bottle of wine. A thwack on the cork with his wand relieved the bottle of its seal, allowing him to raise it to his mouth and take a long pull.
Breathing deeply, he turned in the direction of the kitchen and opened his mouth. "Potter! Explain this to me!" He shrieked, one long finger leveled at the painting. "Now!" Crossing his arms, he flopped back into the chair he had selected and kicked the legs of the table.
"I was in the next room, Malfoy, you didn't need to yell." Harry grumbled as he poked his head into the room. He arched an eyebrow as the blond uncrossed his arms and gestured at the wall before him. Turning, he stared in shock at the painting hanging upon the wall, half of it still hidden behind a bright red length of cloth.
"Explanation." Draco hissed, glaring at the wizard in the image. The older wizard could have been his brother or his father. Eyes of the palest blue stared back at him unblinking while long blond hair tangled in a gentle wind. Wrapping his fingers around the neck of the wine bottle, he pulled it closer before taking a long sip.
"Are you sure you want one?" Harry asked, stepping completely into the room. His fingers caught in the length of curtain still covering half of the painting, drawing the material back from the second figure. He smiled as he revealed the raven-haired witch, her emerald eyes glowing ethereally. The blond wizard standing next to her wore a small smile, one of his arms encircling her narrow waist.
Draco gaped in shock at the pair in the painting, raising a hand and rubbing it down his face as he tried to figure out what was going on. Propping his bottle of wine on his knee, he leaned forward and gestured at the painting. "The witch is Raveana Draconis and the wizard . . . the wizard is Reginald Malfoy." He took a consoling draw from the bottle, glancing at Potter.
Nodding his head slowly, Harry went into the kitchen and collected the plates and flatware. Returning to the dining room, he placed everything on the table and sat down across from Draco. "You know who she is?" He asked, tipping his head in the dark-haired witch's direction.
"She held and played the Dragon's Maw; the same flute I have. It was her attempt to save the Mage Dragons that got her killed in the end." Draco whispered, attempting to remember everything that Blaise had told him about the rebel witch. He glanced down at the plate Harry had placed before him, wrinkling his nose at the smell of well-cooked meat.
Harry nodded slowly as he cut a little piece of meat from the hunk sitting on the silver plate in front of him. Popping it in his mouth, he closed his eyes and moaned at the taste. Still chewing, he opened his eyes and met the blond's gaze across the table. "I'm related to her." He said into the silence, smirking as Draco's mouth fell open and the bottle he held tipped dangerously. Chuckling in amusement, he slid another cut of meat past his lips and sat back to finish his dinner while the blond contemplated that little tidbit of information.
XxXxX
The Great Hall was quiet, which was very unusual considering the fact that it was dinner. Generally students would be talking excitedly over the end of another day and the slowly approaching weekend. However, the recent epidemic of owl flu had put a sour note on the entire student body. Students who were used to corresponding with their family daily were left in the dark, cut off from parents and older brothers and sisters. Rumours were flying as everyone frantically tried to figure out how long Dumbledore and the Ministry would keep the facade going. Harry Potter was missing; end of story.
Sighing, Blaise leaned back on the bench and glanced in the direction of the Head Table. The teachers were all pale faced and exhausted, either from fighting off angered parents over fire calls and floo visits or tending crying first years. Grinning, he turned his gaze to the Gryffindor table. Eyebrow hitching, he elbowed Pansy and gestured her gaze toward the Lions lair.
A hushed debate appeared to be occurring amongst the sixth years, all of them shaking their heads in disagreement with something one of them had said. Forks were clanged upon plates and glasses as they argued, their voices rising and falling away as they were shushed.
"Can I have everyone's attention please?" Dumbledore's voice carried through the large hall, bringing silence almost immediately. Waving a hand to draw their attention, the grey bearded wizard stood behind the staff table. "I know this has been a very tough week for all of us. I remind you that all hope is not lost. Aurors and other ministry officials are currently searching for our missing students and will not stop until they are found. As for our ill owls, it has been suggested to me that handing your letters and other correspondence over to your Head of House will allow for some contact between the student body and the outside world. We wouldn't want any of you missing out on important events or news, now would we?" Offering the students a smile, Albus Dumbledore sat back down and picked up his glass of pumpkin juice.
As soon as the Headmaster had seated himself, numerous voice rose up in argument. Barely veiled insults were aimed at the members of the staff as the students rebelled. A flash of red and gold robes had the four houses quieting as Hermione Granger approached the Head Table, her head held high.
Halting before the table, she folded her hands and raised her gaze. "What assurance are you prepared to give us that our letters will actually be sent to our parents?" The witch asked, tipping her head and narrowing her eyes as Professor McGonagall sputtered in disbelief.
"Miss Granger, how dare you question the integrity of this staff!" Professor McGonagall stated in a horrified voice. Shaking her head, the older witch frowned and glanced at Dumbledore. "Five points from Gryffindor and detention with me tonight."
"That's what I thought." Hermione muttered, whirling around and stalking from the hall in a huff. Casting anxious glances at the staff table, Gryffindor House fled the great Hall after one of their top students. As if by some unknown contract, the rest of the houses followed quickly, leaving only a handful of students perched nervously around the room.
"I'm guessing they're trying to relieve some of the tension." Pansy said around her cup, pushing her plate into the center of the table so she could prop her elbows on the dark wood. The slight bob of her head in the direction of the teachers had the sixth year Slytherins nodding.
"I have detention now." Blaise grumbled, tapping the watch he wore with his index finger. He grabbed his book bag from under the table and stood, stretching slowly. Catching Pansy by the sleeve, he dragged her a short distance away from the table. "Get the word out, I want everyone writing home, renewing their magazine subscriptions, ordering stuff by mail. Flood Snape with so much mail he won't know what to do with it."
An evil smile slid across Pansy's face and she nodded in silent understanding. "I'll put the word out."
Nodding, Blaise spun around and headed for the doors. "Oh, and Pansy, arrange a meeting with Granger and Weasley, make it as soon as possible." He added over his shoulder, jamming his hands into the deep pockets of his robes. Perhaps it was time to seek help from someone older and more experienced in the ways of trickery and deceit, he thought as he ran his fingers down the length of his wand. Snorting at the thought, he trudged down the stairs into the darkness of the dungeons.
XxXxX
Harry sighed and sat back in his chair, letting his headrest against the wooden back of the seat. His fork and knife lay across the silver plate he had emptied as he contemplated Draco across the table, a small smile playing over his lips as he observed the slight quiver of the blond's hands.
"Can I have a sip of that?" He asked, indicating the bottle of wine the blond clutched. He muttered thank you as the other wizard handed him the glass, raising an eyebrow as he shook it lightly. "It's empty."
Sneering half-heartedly, Draco grabbed the long-necked bottle and peered doubtfully into its depths. "There's more where this came from." He mumbled, plunking the bottle down and sighing as he glared at the portrait. "She looks like you."
Harry glanced up and followed the blond's gaze to the painting, smiling softly as he met eyes the same startling green as his own. "Thank you." He said, using the tip of his finger to pull Draco's empty plate closer. Rising carefully, he stacked the dishes together and carried them into the kitchen, placing them among the other dirty dishes.
"It wasn't a compliment," Draco snapped, stumbling over the pots he'd dumped on the floor earlier. Straightening, he raised a hand and smoothed his hair back, curling a lip as Harry laughed. Muttering something rude under his breath, he stepped around the remaining clutter and leaned against the counter across from Harry. "How the hell are you related to her?"
"She's a Potter, disowned by her family." Harry replied as he knelt down next to the bucket of dirty water. Cringing at the grime floating on the surface of the water, he dipped his wand into the bucket and swirled it around slowly. A carefully pronounced charm had the liquid clearing. He flicked his fingers, gesturing for the blond to pass him the dishes resting next to his elbow.
"Oops," mumbled Draco as he elbowed the plates off the counter. Grimacing at the dirty floor, he knelt carefully, overbalancing and falling into Harry amid the dirty plates. Smiling innocently, he offered the raven-haired wizard a fork and removed his other hand from the pail of water.
"How often do you drink wine, Draco?" Harry queried in concern, accepting the fork and dropping it into the bucket. It was becoming clearer by the second that the blond was drunk, and it was actually quite amusing.
Shaking water off his hand, Draco reached out and used the back of the other wizard's shirt to dry his wet fingers. "One glass during dinner at the Manor." He mumbled, his fingers wandering into Harry's shaggy hair. Grinning, he locked his digits in the locks and tugged lightly.
"You're drunk." Harry winced, reaching up and pulling at the blond's hand. Biting his lip when Draco's grip tightened, he let go and went back to washing the dishes, attempting to ignore the fingers lazily massaging his skull.
"I am not!" Draco gasped in offense, pale eyes widening.
Setting the dishes aside to dry, Harry stood carefully, yanking the blond to his feet where he wobbled gracefully back and forth. Sighing, the dark-haired wizard slowly escorted the blond up the stairs to the bedroom they had used the night before. Halfway down the upper hall, the pale-haired wizard went limp.
Rolling his eyes, Harry managed to get the Slytherin into the room and onto the bed. Collapsing gratefully atop the warm covers, he froze as Draco snuggled up next to him, a slender arm wrapping itself around his neck. Glaring at the ceiling, he sighed and wondered how the blond would manage to blame this one on him.
XxXxX
Harry peered around slowly, raising his eyes to the star filled sky above him. The moon was full, hanging low in the sky. Beneath the pale orb, the ocean churned calmly, its water crashing soothingly upon the cliffs. He wiggled his toes in the cool grass, lifting a hand to ruffle his hair as crickets chirped softly from their places among the blades.
"You have done well," Raveana murmured, appearing next to him silently. Her dark skirts rustled as she folded her arms and tipped her head back to examine the night sky.
"The picture in the dining room, why was it hidden?" Harry asked, walking closer to the edge of the cliff and sitting down. He crossed his legs and glanced over his shoulder, fingers stirring amidst the grass twisting gently around him.
"Worry not about the past, Harry, worry for the future." The witch whispered, gliding forward to stand above him. She dipped her head, locks falling over her face artfully in a maneuver he'd seen Draco and Pansy demonstrate on occasion. "You must protect them, even the smallest dragon needs guarded."
"The past makes us what we are, it defines us." Harry argued, pulling blades of grass from the ground and tossing them gently into the air. His eyes tracked their swirling path, fingers already working at tugging another handful free of the ground. "And the dragons seem perfectly capable of protecting themselves."
Raveana nodded her head in agreement with the statement, shifting slowly to stand behind him. "They are quick to act, slow to think." She said quietly, raising a finger and pointing at the shadowy figure floating out over the churning sea. The dragon flapped long wings, vanishing into the darkness as quickly as it had appeared. "Protect the dragons and they will protect you."
Before Harry could turn to look up at the witch, she placed the tip of her boot in the middle of his back and shoved, sending him rolling forward over the edge of the cliff. Screaming, he fell toward the broiling surf.
A/N: Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and review!
GryffieGurl – Yah, it would be a really long walk back to Hogwarts. Hedwig is going to be a lifeline between Hogwarts and our wizards.
kasmo – Think of the dragons as a wolf pack, the hierarchy is always flexing. Basta saw Black Lady's attack on a Esdra as a threat so he put her back in her place.
IvySnowe – Yah, if only it were so easy. lol, I love being able to stick little lines like that anywhere, its one of the joys of writing.
Shinigami – Draco's finally caught on that the dragons can understand and he's trying to get Harry to talk to one of them in order to prove his theory. Blaise assumed that someone would be watching the owlery so he came up with a plan to get Hedwig out. The parchment he had was nothing really important or that would get him in trouble if he got caught, Hermione and Ron were with him under Harry's invisibility cloak and passed Hedwig the real message while Snape escorted Blaise from the owlery.
NinjaoftheDarkness – lol, you weren't the only one thinking dirty thoughts when you read that line. I originally wrote it to play that way, but it could have been either I suppose.