The Eye Of The Gazer

Chapter 9

Just over a week later, Draco Malfoy stepped out of the fireplace in the cold, unused drawing room of Malfoy Manor, and shook himself in disgust. He was covered in soot, his trip had been less than ideal. It had been necessary to take a diversion due to various chimney repairs along the London orbital route, and his journey had been both longer and dirtier than he had planned. He had been travelling for many hours, initially apparating in stages to cover the distance between the south of France and the north. Then when Draco had become weary, he had changed to the floo network, for apparition requires complete concentration to avoid the danger of splinching, and should never be done if a wizard is overtired. But now he was home again from Provence, it was not long after midnight, and he wanted nothing more than a hot bath and his bed. Draco rang the bell beside the fireplace to summon a house elf.

He climbed the stairs, and made straight for the bathroom. He was not really paying attention in the semi-darkness, the landing was lit only by a few candle lanterns containing night lights. As he approached the bathroom door, he realised it was shut, and he saw a light around the edge, showing that the room was occupied. He was about to turn away and go to the bathroom at the other end of the landing, when the door opened, and out walked a young woman. She was wearing a black silk dressing gown that Draco recognised as his father's, but she was obviously not expecting to meet anyone, for she wore it open, the belt hanging loose. Draco was greeted by the unexpectedly attractive sight of a pair of pert breasts with nipples semi-erect from exposure to the air, the pleasing curves of a female belly and hips, and a pair of shapely legs, the dark triangle of the woman's pubic hair plainly visible against her smooth white skin. Her face he noticed not at all when confronted with such pretty bodily nakedness.

Draco smiled, and said, "Well, well! So he's back in the saddle again at last! Hello, I'm the son, Draco Malfoy."

The young woman stared at Draco in horror, gave a sound between a whimper and a sob, gathered the dressing gown closely around her, and rushed off without a word in the direction of Lucius' room. Draco gazed after her, slightly bemused by her reaction.

The following morning, Draco walked slowly downstairs, yawning. He felt much better today following a good night's rest in his own bed, hastily remade with fresh linen by two house elves as he had taken his longed-for bath. He wondered where breakfast would be served. When he had left the country over a year ago, his father had been in such a permanent state of drugged drunkenness that he had missed many normal mealtimes, and when he did eat, it was usually in his study. Draco reached the entrance hall, and looked around for a house elf to ask. However, his nose seemed to be telling him that food was to be found in the morning room. He felt a pang: his mother had frequently enjoyed a late breakfast there, preferring to catch the rays of the morning sun when it shone, rather than eat alone in the dark, palatial formal dining room.

Draco entered the morning room, reminded once more that his mother was dead by the décor: he had forgotten momentarily that Cho Chang had redecorated the Manor. Lucius was seated at the table, and looked up as he entered. Draco saw he was expected, a place had been laid for him: no doubt the woman at the bathroom door had told Lucius of her encounter. She did not seem to be here herself, no other places had been laid: doubtless she was one of many again, and did not merit being offered breakfast.

"Good morning, Draco," said Lucius, "This is an unexpected pleasure. You did not warn me you were planning to return. Sit down. You need to order your breakfast from the house elves. I stopped having a buffet selection when I was left here alone. But there is fresh coffee here if you would like some."

Draco greeted his father cautiously in return as he sat at the table, and helped himself to a cup of the proffered coffee. He surreptitiously eyed his father to see what kind of state he was in. He had been told by his correspondents that Lucius had stopped the heavy drinking and the laudanum, and he was pleased to see that this appeared to be the case. If one ignored his scarred face, his father looked healthier and happier now than he had for three years.

Lucius then said, "Draco, I wish you had not said what you did to my companion last night. She was very embarrassed indeed. She would not stay to meet you properly, she refused to eat breakfast and left very early."

Draco's reply was delayed by ordering his meal from an obsequious house elf, giving him a little time to get over his surprise. In general, Lucius shouted or growled his rebukes at his son, this mild expression of displeasure was completely out of character. He wondered at the idea of being introduced to one of his father's paramours over breakfast. This situation had never arisen before: firstly of course, his mother had been alive, and then after an unseemly short period of time, Cho Chang had moved into the Manor as Lucius' consort. Therefore breakfasting openly in the Manor with a lover had always been out of the question. He was also surprised by what Lucius had said about the woman's reaction to his flippant remark.

"Embarrassed at what I said?" he asked his father cautiously. "I wasn't rude to her. I know she was upset, I thought she was just surprised to see me."

Lucius gave his son a pained look. "I know you did not intend to be rude," he replied. "It was indeed not your fault that you frightened her. But she is very shy. Your remark made her feel – well, as if you thought she was a woman of easy virtue."

Draco looked at his father in disbelief. "Who is she?" he asked incredulously. "How on earth have you found yourself someone so sensitive? It's not your style at all. Some of your other women even used to proposition me, not run away like frightened virgins."

Lucius' expression became inscrutable. "I'll thank you not to discuss her in that manner," he said in a voice like ice. "All you need to know is that she is a respectable witch of good family. Now," his voice softening again, "Let us change the subject. Is there a particular reason that you have decided to come home now, or have you merely concluded your Grand Tour? Tell me where you have been and what you have seen. The last time I heard from you, you were in Venice. You look very well, by the way. Travel must suit you."

"You look very well yourself," replied Draco, "Much better than when I left."

"That would not be difficult. I had become a self-indulgent wreck, I admit it. But I have stopped taking laudanum altogether now, and have enough self control only to take a whisky now and again, and actually to savour the taste instead of merely swallowing it to get drunk." Draco noted silently to himself that his father's temper had also mellowed considerably.

"I came home for two reasons," he said, "First, I think I have finished my Grand Tour. I finally reached Venice, and met some of their greatest wizards. I wish that England had defended her witches and wizards the way that the Venetians did so long ago when we were all persecuted and forced into our present way of life."

"Indeed!" replied Lucius, "You do well to remember the historical outrages performed by Muggles against the magical world. So many of our womenfolk suffered at their hands. There was a time when many a pure blood wizard could not find a witch to marry, so many had been put to death in various barbaric ways in the name of their bloodthirsty god. 'Suffer not a witch to live,' they said, claiming it was stated thus in the book they slavishly followed.

"Yet you tired of Venice, witch bride of the sea, even with its special magical community? We are a higher percentage of the population there than anywhere else in Europe, because one of our own was once a Doge of the city, and refused to allow our persecution. How so? I thought you would tarry there a good while longer. My old friend Stregone would have been happy to accommodate you for as long as you wished."

"I was not exactly tired of Venice," said Draco, still wondering at his father's moderate tones. By now, they would normally have been at loggerheads: in the past it had been virtually impossible to speak to Lucius without incurring his wrath in some way after a very short conversation. "Stregone sends you greetings by the way. I was sorry to leave his house. I liked Venice very much indeed, yes it is a magical city. I didn't leave because I was weary of the place, but because I had a reason to return to Provence." Draco's fair skin was now a little flushed, and Lucius looked at him searchingly.

"I wasn't alone in Venice," continued Draco, "I had a companion from Provence with me, who enjoyed the city as much as I did. We travelled there together, not only to see the Venetian lagoon, but also to see whether or not we would still like each other as much if we spent more time alone together."

"Ah," said Lucius, "Cherchez la femme! Who is she, Draco?"

"She is Gabrielle Delacour. She's very beautiful. She's very blonde, like mother was." Draco produced a photograph. Lucius looked at the picture of a young woman with long white-blonde hair, like his own had been before it turned silver. She smiled out of the photo, in which she sat on a garden seat, and blew a kiss to the camera, then laughed and waved the photographer away. Her beauty was apparent, but there was more: Lucius felt an attraction to her that far superseded what one would normally expect from her appearance.

"Delacour? I know the name."

"Yes. Her sister Fleur was in the Triwizard Tournament when I was still at school. They both went to Beauxbatons. Gabrielle was brought to Hogwarts to be placed in the lake for Fleur to rescue for the second task of the tournament."

Lucius suddenly glared at Draco. "Just a minute," he said, "Fleur Delacour? She had a relationship with the eldest Weasley boy, did she not?"

"Yes," replied Draco, but then he added swiftly, "But it didn't last. They were supposed to marry, but Fleur called it off. I understand Bill Weasley was very upset indeed," he finished with a maliciously gleeful smirk.

Lucius smirked too. "Ah, so she finally saw the error of her ways. No doubt she realised her offspring would probably have red hair and vacant expressions. I take it you are planning to marry this girl? I would have been most annoyed if you had been about to become the brother-in-law of a Weasley! They are related to us far too closely as it is through numerous marriages! But tell me about the Delacours. Are they pure blood?"

Draco had been dreading this question. He knew that Lucius would be bound to enquire about Gabrielle's bloodline. His fear showed on his face. He saw Lucius' expression change in an instant. "Draco," he said in a voice far more like his old self, "What is this woman? You haven't taken up with a Mudblood have you?"

"No, Father. Both her parents are wizarding folk. Her father is pure blood. Also, the Delacours are well known in the French wizarding world, they can trace their ancestry back to the days of the Norman conquest. Gabrielle's mother is a witch, and her mother's father is a wizard. His family has a long wizarding history too." Draco avoided his father's eyes and swallowed. "Gabrielle's second grandmother is a Veela."

He waited for the explosion. Lucius hated half-breeds, with a special venom reserved for the spawn of giants, such as that lumbering idiot Hagrid. He had never heard his father speak about Veela, but Draco assumed that they would fall into the same category. This could be even worse than having a Muggle for a grandparent in Lucius' eyes.

Draco forced himself to look at Lucius. His father's face was more thoughtful than angry. "Well?" he asked, unable to bear the tension anymore.

"Veela you say? Well that explains the irresistible attraction I felt from the photo. I think – yes, I think that a Veela grandmother is something I could accept. Veela are, after all, undoubtedly superbly magical females, and in no way related to Muggles. Veela and wizards have been spouses frequently throughout history, and have produced some of the most beautiful and powerfully magical offspring. Draco, my son, I provisionally give the union my blessing. But I would like to meet Miss Delacour for myself first before I give my final approval."

Draco was of age, and had no need for his father's permission to do anything, having already formally approached Monsieur Delacour for his daughter's hand in marriage, but he refrained from mentioning this, his relief was so great at Lucius' reaction. This relief was also because he now had no need to use the argument that he had stored away in case of his father's objection to the marriage: the fact that Cho Chang had one Muggle grandfather, and thus his little half-sister was therefore not pure blood herself.

This thought reminded him to enquire after Bryony. Lucius smiled fondly, and Draco wondered if Lucius had ever smiled in the same way over him when he was a young child. He had been very jealous at first to see Lucius the doting father when Bryony was born, for he could not recall ever having been the object of such affection himself. But Bryony unaccountably loved Draco unreservedly in spite of his attempts to rebuff her, and she had soon won him over with her sweet personality. He too now smiled when he asked about her.

"She has started her education," Lucius informed his son, "So I see less of her than before. She now has a governess."

"I'd like to see her. She must have grown since I went away."

"I'm sure you'll see a change, children grow fast at that age. She will like to see you too. She has often asked after you since you left, and she is always eager for news of you. If she recognised an owl from you, she always demanded that I read the message to her. She especially liked those photos you sent from different places. I believe Miss Currer has helped her to arrange them in an album."

"Miss Currer is her governess?"

"Yes. She lives at Gildenford Hall. Bryony likes her very much. Her lessons are until two o'clock each weekday. If you wish to visit her, you could go this afternoon."

So at two o'clock, Draco apparated in the grounds of Gildenford Hall, was admitted to the house, and asked to see his sister. He was led to the schoolroom by a house elf, and was about to open the door when it was opened from the inside. He found himself face to face with a rather plain and severely dressed young woman, who was so startled by his appearance that she blushed deeply.

"I'm sorry to shock you. I just got back from Provence last night, and wanted to see my sister. I assume you're Miss Currer? Draco Malfoy." He held out his hand. The young woman took it, and shook it as a reflex action, but seemed unable to speak. She stared at him like a frightened fawn. However, Miss Currer's small charge had heard her brother's voice, and a loud squeal assailed Draco's ears. Miss Currer was suddenly pushed impatiently aside by Bryony Chang as she rushed to greet Draco. Her brother bent down and swept her up in his strong arms, hugged her fiercely, and then set her back on her feet. Both were utterly delighted to see each other, both wore equally wide smiles. Bryony spoke rapidly, not waiting for Draco to reply, and then pulled him into the schoolroom to show off her album of Draco's travel photos.

Neither noticed that Jane Currer had slipped quietly away.

Note:

It is true that Venice protected its citizens from accusations of witchcraft during the Spanish Inquisition. This was primarily because the property of a condemned witch was confiscated: half was given to the Church, and the rest divided between the judge and the prosecutors (who were primarily clergy or inquisitors).

Venice, as a self-governing city state, was very protective of its citizens' property rights, and its Council refused to allow the Inquisition to confiscate property in this way. Only Venice in the whole of Europe defied the church on this point, and established a treaty with the Pope so that the property of a condemned witch was retained within the family.

This resulted in a reduction in the number of accusations of witchcraft, leading to the suspicion that many false accusations were made in order to acquire property.

The Church passed heretics condemned to death to the secular authorities for execution. In 1521 the Senate of Venice refused to approve such executions. Venice felt its own power undermined when its citizens were tried by what it viewed as a foreign court. Later, the state of Venice took over witchcraft trials, but the penalties were less. Conviction could instead mean public humiliation and more severe penalties such as banishment.

A wizard as Doge of Venice is entirely my own invention.