EDIT: I removed the tags from the wrong word.doc sorry. I have edited them away now.
Here is chapter 6… earlier than I originally planned.
I am dead; I only got 200 out of a maximum of 600 points in the mocks. I need at least 400 to get into the college I want! I hope I do better on the real exams!
Words: 6,260
Chapter 6
Convict
Sirius Black crouched down behind the rose bush outside Number 4, Privet Drive. He'd been resting on his haunches for the past twenty minutes trying to catch a glimpse of his Godson, Harry Potter. Unfortunately for him, Harry didn't actually live at Number 4. He groaned as his leg gave a spasm. He was stiff, and cramped all over from kneeling in the same spot for twenty never-ending minutes. He craned his neck, trying to look over the top of the bush.
Beaming, he caught his first glimpse of Harry since the boy was a baby – minus that picture in the Daily Prophet, the same issue he'd seen Wormtail in; but that wasn't actually Harry in the picture, it was the golem, but Sirius didn't know that.
Sirius frowned as Harry bent down and began weeding. A tall, gangly looking woman with an abnormally long neck followed the teen out of the house and picked up the watering hose. With a smirk, she aimed the hose at Harry and turned it on. The boy spluttered and shivered, and Sirius growled in anger.
Of course, it wasn't really Harry that Petunia was watering. She was watering her bushes; heather, holly, she had some foreign grasses, and of course her rose bush. The wards made Sirius see Harry in place of one of the bushes; and wouldn't Dumbledore be happy to know that Harry wasn't being treated very nicely?
Sirius placed his hands flat on the ground and began to move forward slowly, his belly practically touching the ground. He was alongside Harry now, but the boy didn't seem to notice anything funny. Petunia did though, and gave a sniff; her face was screwed up in disgust as she smelt Sirius (who hadn't washed for a long while now). She shifted to the left, which suited Sirius fine, because now he was closer to Harry. He reached out a hand and brushed against the boy's ankle. He drew it back with a low gasp. Harry felt strange and he was as thin as a twin. That was probably because Sirius had grabbed a bare branch and not a leg, but oh well.
He tilted his head forward, trying to catch the direction of the wind and he sniffed. His nostrils flared, but the only scent he picked up was Petunia's, his own and various flowers. It was as if Harry wasn't even there.
Petunia's eyes widened as she noticed a man in her bushes. Of course, that freaky dark haired girl had been here a few weeks ago and warned her about Sirius Black being one of 'them'. Petunia was supposed to ring the freak boy's phone number if she saw Black. Which she most definitely did.
With an agonized groan, she turned the water hose on the rose bush… and thoroughly drenched Sirius Black. He gave a whimper, and as he jumped up to run his body shifted and he turned into a large black dog, commonly referred to as a Grim throughout Wizarding society. Petunia carried on spraying water in the running mutt's direction, until he was out of sight. Then she kept up watering her garden until she was completely satisfied… and then she rang the boy's number.
XXX
Atticus had answered the phone. Ryder was at the Malfoy's home, not that Petunia cared but Atticus had informed her of that fact nonetheless.
"How is your Husband? And your Son?" He asked cordially.
She sniffed, in an offended sort of manner, and replied stiffly, "fine."
"My family are well also. I hope Mr. Black didn't give you any trouble?" He sounded patronizing, and Petunia was tempted to hang up the phone. But then it occurred to her that Black might come back, but these freaks would send Potter, but Black might come back… She sighed.
"He was spying on us. I demand you make him leave!"
"He won't leave until he sees Mr. Potter. Ryder will be there as soon as. He may have to stay for the summer; it won't be easy to take him back with Black hanging around." Atticus smirked down the phone, as if he could sense her brewing horror.
"But we don't want the freak all summer! He only ever stayed a day or two before!"
"Mr. Potter is not preferable to a Muggle murdering psychopath? Mr dearest Petunia, you need to sort your priorities." He laughed and she fumed.
"Fine, send the brat. But don't expect us to be happy." She snarled and pressed the 'end call' button before slamming her phone down on the table.
Atticus Rochairt chuckled to himself as he went in search of his wife. He found her in the parlour, curled up on the couch with a book open and propped against her lap. She smiled up at him in that way of hers that screamed 'I know what you're going to say' and closed her book.
"Draconais will not be pleased." She giggled. The idea of those two boys together never stopped pleasing her.
"Nor will Ryder, but this particular fallacy is integral to the overall charade." Atticus frowned. "If Black was on our side, along with Malfoy we would be in a much better position. Narcissa is a Black, as is the wife of my Cousin. So they would have to abide us, as per the familial agreements." He smiled, "Dumbledore would have no chance to hurt Ryder, not with all of us against him."
The familial agreements were inter-family unwritten laws. Most Purebloods follow them religiously. Take the Black family for example; when Regulus Black became a Death Eater, Sirius was willing to join as well in order to protect his baby Brother, to protect his family. However, when Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor, his family were allowed to turn on him and bully him in private, but they were sworn to protect their family member from any other Slytherins who taunted him.
If Sirius took Ryder's side, then Bellatrix and Narcissa would have to as well publicly at least, even after they found out he was Harry Potter. Through Bellatrix, so would Rabastian and Rudolphus Lestrange, his estranged Cousins – in Voldemort's Inner Circle, which would come in handy keeping Ryder safe from the Dark Lord. Through Narcissa, would come Lucius Malfoy who had already taken their side, and would help further strengthen the Black ties.
Atticus sighed, Pureblood family matters truly was a taxing affair.
"We should tell him soon," Violet smiled, and gracefully stood up from the couch.
"Come then, we shall floo." Violet took his outstretched hand and together they headed to the main anti-chamber. Each threw a handful of floo powder into the fireplace, and cast 'Incendio' before stepping into the green flames and disappearing to "Malfoy Manor".
"Ah Atticus, my friend," Lucius greeted as he poked his head suspiciously around the open door. "I was wondering who would floo in at such short notice." He lowered his wand, and tucked it away into his pocket.
"I apologize for intruding without notice. I must speak with Ryder, if I may?" Atticus dipped his head slightly in means of apology and Lucius nodded back, accepting.
"Of course, follow me. Ah Violet," he greeted her when she stepped from the floo – having arrived after her Husband – and kissed her right hand, "good to see you. It must be important, this talk with Ryder then?"
"I'm afraid so. He has to leave for a while, Lucius."
The blond frowned, "Draco will be despondent." He groaned. Violet let out a small laugh as the trio made their way to Draco's bedroom where the boys were amusing themselves.
Draco looked up from his book as the door to his room opened. Ryder lay on his back vertically along the bed, his head in Draco's lap, as Draco leant against the headboard. Ryder's book was closed and lay on his stomach; his hands were better occupied running over Draco's thighs than turning pages. The blond flushed lightly as his Father raised an eyebrow at Ryder's actions. The brunette smirked and sat up.
"Mother, Father, Mr. Malfoy; a pleasure to see you all here. Is something the matter?" He grinned cheekily; his hand was still on Draco's thigh indecently close to his crotch.
"Come home Ryder. We need to speak with you." The boy groaned.
Turning to face his fiancé he smiled softly, "I'll see you soon ok? Try not to fall in love with Potter while I'm not around." He grinned and ducked as Draco smacked him with his book, while scowling. "Love you," he whispered as he followed his parents from the room.
Lucius frowned at the comment; he knew Ryder was really Harry, but Draco didn't. He also knew that Draco was attracted to Harry because Harry reminded Draco of Ryder on a subconscious level – for reasons Draco didn't comprehend. The sooner the rouse was over with, Lucius thought, the better.
XXX
Ryder headed to the parlour where Sufi the house elf had insisted his parents were already waiting. He closed the door behind him and turned to face his Mother who had already started speaking. "So, how did your NEWTs go?" Violet asked when Ryder entered the parlour and gratefully sank down into an empty chair.
"I won't know until August Mother, you know that." Ryder sighed and closed his eyes. This couldn't have been why they interrupted him and Draco? He didn't get enough time with Draco as it was!
"How do you think you did then?" She asked.
Ryder sat up and frowned at her, "considering I was unconscious for one of them, and will probably lose marks for having to reschedule, and I didn't really have much time to study with the Chamber being opened and everything… I'm screwed aren't I?" He whined slumping back into his chair as Atticus and Rose entered the room.
"I'm sure you did fine darling," Violet smiled and turned to Rose, "I'm sure you both did." The 12-year-old girl beamed, and her Brother wished he had never heard the word 'Hogwarts'.
"Just one summer of peace is all I'm asking for dear gods and goddesses," he stared imploringly at the ceiling. "Just one summer." Atticus coughed nervously and Ryder turned to face his adoptive Father. "What?" He asked, not sure he really wanted to know.
"Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban." Ryder gave him a 'so-what' look. "And he's looking for you. You're going to have to spend the summer with the Dursley's encase they post a team of Aurors."
"Why me? What's wrong with the golem?"
"Black is an animagus, Ryder, his sense of smell is heightened. He will know you aren't truly there."
Ryder groaned. With a growl, he stood and stormed out of the room as he went to pack.
He stomped back into the parlour moments later, a trunk floating beside him and Hedwig his snowy owl perched on his shoulder. "So what is so important about Sirius Black?"
"Sit down dearest," Rowena said softly, as Rose handed her body over to the elder spirit without a fight. Ryder slumped into a chair, groaning in annoyance. He knew he was in for a history lesson now, or something of the equivalent. The time they were wasting now would have been better spent with Draco, Ryder thought with a sulk. "Sirius Black was the Secret Keeper for your old Parents, Ryder. When they went under the Fidelus Charm, Black was supposed to keep their Secret and protect them. At the last moment, James Potter and Black decided to switch to Peter Pettigrew; Dumbledore I'm certain already knows this. When the Secret was told to Voldemort, your old Parents were killed."
Ryder was hanging off the edge of his seat; it wasn't as dull a conversation as he had feared. "Black went on a rampage when Dumbledore suggested Pettrigrew told; I was there, I heard. He was accused of slaughtering Pettigrew and blowing up twelve Muggles before laughing and apparating away. He then tried to take you from Rubeus Hagrid, who would not hand you over; unfortunately."
"Accused? You mean he didn't do it?" Ryder hadn't really cared much – or enough to ask – about his old Parents, nor the circumstances surrounding their deaths. This was really the only other conversation he had had about them, that didn't include the initial adoption explanation.
"No, he didn't. Pettigrew cut off his little finger and fled in his animagus form, that of a rat. Black was sentenced to life in Azkaban without trial." Rowena smiled sadly.
"So why am I worried about him?"
"You and I know he is innocent, but the Aurors do not. And they will strive to protect their Harry Potter. If you are not there Ryder, there will be trouble and your Father could very well occupy a cell right beside the recaptured Black, if Dumbledore finds out about our living arrangements. Not to mention what he'll do to Rose as he tries to get to me." Ryder swallowed heavily.
"I don't want any of you to be hurt." He said vehemently.
"I know, love," she stood and moved towards him, drawing him into a hug. "And that is why we lie and why we wear masks to hide out true intent. We do so to keep our loved ones safe."
"False face must hide what the false heart doth know?" He quoted with a grin.
"Not quite Ryder. Unlike tragic Macbeth we do not plan the murder of Dumbledore; just his utter ruination." Atticus smirked evilly. Sometimes that smirk was referred to as the 'grin of the man who knew your home was on fire and your wife and children were burning alive at this very moment'. Of course there was also his grin that said all of that along with 'and he set fire to your house' at the end. The second was the grin he gave when Rowena spoke.
"You may not, but I intend to bathe in his golden blood." She smirked and Ryder laughed as he caught the quote.
"Back to the topic at hand then," Ryder interrupted. "He set up Black, and now Black is back and trying to see me? How should I act?"
"If anyone can see you, act clueless. The Muggles would not have told you anything so act as if you know nothing more than what Dumbledore or those infernal Weasley's may have let slip. When alone, you may behave as you wish." Violet hugged her Son and left the room. Atticus followed her, tapping the watch at his wrist while staring meaningfully at Ryder.
"I suppose I should get going?" Rowena nodded and left. Rose smiled up at her younger Brother – who was slightly taller than her – and pressed a kiss to his cheek, before she too left the room. All alone, Ryder for one brief moment wondered what it would have been like had Rose never have come for him as a child. He shuddered at the thought of living with the Dursley's all the time, and thought no more on it.
XXX
"Now you listen here boy," Vernon Dursley growled the moment Ryder walked through the door, with his 'skin' in place. "My sister, Marjory, is coming to visit and she doesn't like you or know about your kind so you will be on your best behaviour!" He snarled. "Is that understood?"
Ryder raised one eyebrow and resisted the urge to laugh. Didn't the Muggle realize that he was a fully qualified Wizard now that he had completed his NEWTs? He raised his Durmstrang wand – which the British Ministry couldn't trace – and pointed it at the fat Muggle's nose. "I think you are the one who does not understand." He grinned at the shudder Vernon produced.
His wand was a beauty. It was 12-inches and made of blood oak that had been lacquered to give a slightly red sheen, with a polished handle of onyx. The lacquer had been set in a specific pattern, made to look as if it were a vine swirling around the wand from handle base to wand tip; it even had miniscule red leaves growing from the main vine. A ruby had been embedded in the very end of the handle to serve as a focus stone as Ryder's wand only had one core. The core was, unsurprisingly, blood; a sample of blood had been taken from a Master Vampyre – rumoured to be from Count Dracula himself, Ryder's Grandfather – and crystallized before being absorbed into the blood oak wand.
"Very well boy," Vernon stuttered moving out of Ryder's way. Ryder began to walk up the stairs, his trunk floating behind him. "But… I'm warning you!" He stopped when Ryder turned his head to glare at him. With an eyebrow raised, the teenager carried on ascending the staircase as Dursley floundered at its base, a silencing charm firmly in place.
XXX
This wasn't good, Ryder thought, or maybe it was. No it wasn't! He was dead meat. Rowena would kill him, he sighed.
His 'Aunt' Marge had majorly pissed him off. She kept making under handed comments about his kind and his parents (the Potter's) and it did grate on ones nerves after a while. In the end, he had stomached as much as he could. He admitted he made a bad move but at least the officials were bound to pass it off as accidental magic; provided he hid his blood oak wand well enough.
'Aunt' Marge had swelled up like a balloon thanks to a nifty enlargement charm Atticus had taught him to combine with a wind summoning spell; nice, quick way to inflate a balloon… or an annoying Muggle.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Rowena couldn't say it was obvious; Dumbledore would over look it if the officials did. Maybe it was a good thing? He was out of that house before he killed any one, and it's not like he was in real danger anyway! Not from Black at any rate.
The Knight bus may have killed him sure, but at least Black got a proper look at him first – from beneath another bush in his Grim form – and was marginally satisfied for the time being. And he was free for the rest of the summer.
He knew he couldn't go home, nor was he willing to go back to the Dursley's. So he headed to the next best place; Diagon Alley. He could stay at the tavern for a while, Fudge would find him eventually, he knew, and they would all stop searching for him and would leave him alone.
"This is your stop Mr. Longbottom," Ernie the ticket inspector called. It took Ryder a few seconds for his brain to kick in, and remember that was the name he had falsely given. He stood and got off of the Knight bus.
With a smile he entered the Leaky Cauldron. Home sweet home, he thought as he approached Thom the barman. This was his home for the next two months.
XXX
It was August at last. Anxious tapping at his window woke Ryder. He had run into the Weasley family – who were back from Egypt now – in July and they had been unhesitant in inviting him to spend the rest of the holidays at their home. He had accepted rather than be left alone in Diagon for another month and a half. It got rather boring after the first month, Ryder knew from experience.
He quietly got out of the small bed that was pushed beside a second bed, in which Ron slept, that was cramped in a small room that belonged to Ron. The owl was silent once the window was opened and Ryder gratefully took the letter from the owl's beak. He conjured a mouse and let the owl feed before shooing it out of the window and climbing back into bed.
By the light of his blood oak wand Ryder inspected his letter. It was yellow parchment with his name written in green ink across the front. On the back was the wax seal, with the Durmstrang seal forced onto its surface. Ryder cracked the seal while holding his breath.
To Mr. Ryder Hammond,
I am pleased to inform you that you have graduated from Durmstrang Institute with honours. I am aggrieved to notice you did not attend the graduation ceremony, nor I am informed do you have any inclination to return for the celebration before the following year starts. Must it to do with your family business that takes you from us so often? Not that I am prying, you understand.
Nonetheless, I give you, your results. I am exceedingly pleased. You are a credit to our Institution and all others and I, here, on premises will be sorely lacking of your company.
Dark Arts – O+
Defence Against the Dark Arts – O
Charms – E
Transfiguration – E
Healing – O
Ancient Runes – O
Arithmancy – O
Animagus Training – T (theory) – O+ (practical) – A (overall)
You received a 'troll' for your Animagus exam, as you were absent without notice. As you have already obtained an animagus form your Training grade has been raised to an 'acceptable'. It is my sincerest apology that I was unable to reschedule that examination for you. If you would have only told me why you were not available things might have been different, but again I do not mean to pry.
I am most thoroughly pleased by bother you and your Sister's results. I wish you luck in your future.
Sincerely, Highmaster Igor Karkaroff.
As he and Rose were the only two students attending Durmstrang that lived outside of the Eastern Countries, the Highmaster always wrote to them personally because they were not registered with the Bulgarian Ministry. Also because they weren't registered, Karkaroff had no reason to tell the Ministry about their animagus forms or the fact that Ryder had two wands; nor was he likely to tell the British Ministry for that matter.
He folded the parchment up and handed it to Hedwig, his own snowy owl. With a finger to his lips he opened the window and the owl silently flew towards Wiltshire, and Lestrange Manor.
His parents should be pleased, he thought, he got better results than he expected.
XXX
Draco grinned smugly as he petted the neck of the Hippogriff Harry Potter had ridden on. He was rather pleased that the same Hippogriff had bowed to him as well as Potter, but he wasn't telling anyone that. He was happy also that he could prove that Potter wasn't all that!
Buckbeak, the Hippogriff, only bowed to Draco – unknown to him – because he was the mate of the young two legged one the giant one was fond of. Harry, being Ryder who was Draco's fiancé, automatically made it possible for creatures to tolerate the snooty blond teenager.
Of course then Draco had to open his big mouth and wear Buckbeak's patience completely thin.
"…You big brute," was all Ryder heard followed by a shriek as the Hippogriff reared up on its back legs and slashed its front legs forward towards Draco.
The blond boy could only raise an arm up to protect himself. Ryder could do a lot more. With a casual flick of his hand, that looked to anyone watching as it he were putting his hand in his pocket, Ryder cast a wandless and wordless spell that undoubtedly saved Draco Malfoy's life.
The spell in questions was 'accio' but Ryder only put enough power into the spell to take Draco out from under the Hippogriff – it wouldn't do to have Draco fly back into him either.
Ron elbowed him, jeering the terrified blond, and Ryder let the spell go too soon. Buckbeak caught Draco's arm, and everyone but Ron shuddered at the resounding crack. Draco, himself, screamed in pain and fear. He had never been very fond of Hippogriff's to begin with, and this incident certainly didn't help.
Hagrid had picked the boy up and carried him towards the Infirmary, all the while Draco moaned about suing the School. Harry potter could only watch as his fiancé was carried away, unable to follow after him like their friends did.
That night, Draco was kept in the Infirmary for observation. Madame Pomfrey wasn't as curt as she appeared to be towards the boy; she just disliked how he milked certain situations for pity. But then, who could compete against Harry Potter? And Poppy Pomfrey had a sneaky suspicion that Draco Malfoy was vying for Harry's attention, in a romantic sense it would seem.
Also that night, Harry Potter was sneaking out of the Gryffindor Tower and making his way hidden by an invisibility cloak towards the Infirmary.
Harry leant over Draco's bed and removed his 'skin'. Ryder frowned and pulled back the blankets that hid most of his love from view. His arm was already swathed in rivers of white gauze. Draco gave a pained gasp as he turned in his sleep and disrupted the sore arm.
The blond tensed slightly. He lowered the shields his Godfather, Severus Snape, had taught him to erect and allowed his empathic ability to flourish for the moment. He knew there was someone in the room, even with his eyes closed, and he knew they were close. He wasn't too worried however, because the feelings he was picking up weren't dangerous to him.
The person was sad, scared, slightly angry but not enough to cause Draco concern, and they were relieved as well.
He slowly opened his eyes; his magic had begun to recognize the magic of the person beside him. Before his eyes had even adjusted to the dark room he called, "Ryder?"
"I'm here love. I came as soon as I could."
Draco didn't know what Ryder did now that he had graduated from Durmstrang, and it had never come up in a conversation so he never asked any questions. He assumed Ryder worked wherever Atticus worked – if he worked – or he stayed at home all day. He most certainly didn't transfer to Hogwarts or offer to teach, Draco thought rather bitterly.
"It hurts, Ryder." Draco whined.
"Didn't you take a pain potion?" The brunette asked as he began to unwind the gauze from around Draco's arm. The arm was mostly yellow and green, and very sore looking. The bone that had been broken had been reset and fused back together with magic.
"I'm allergic and Pomfrey doesn't have anything else to give me. It hurts so much," he sniffled softly. Ryder smiled sadly at his love; then he smiled.
"I'm going to heal you. Well I'll take the pain away at any rate, and if anyone asks just tell them you woke up and it didn't hurt anymore. You won't be able to explain why the bruises faded so fast so I am terribly sorry to leave those horrid things to mar your perfect skin." Ryder gave a roguish grin and laughed as Draco gave a snort of amusement.
He cast a rather dark pain-relieving spell, but he made sure not to wish any ill intent upon his Dragon at the same time. When the spell was done the blond smiled and poked himself in the arm, grinning wider as he felt no pain. "Thank you!" He beamed.
Ryder wrapped the arm back up carefully and kissed the top of Draco's head. "Now don't go looking for attention tomorrow ok. I guarantee you, Potter will not give two flobberworms about your arm." He sneered, "in face that abominable Weasley boy will probably convince Potter you're faking. Be careful that Weasel doesn't try anything."
"I will, I promise." He paused. "And I don't show off for Potter!" He snarled.
"Of course you don't." He laughed softly, leaning down and capturing Draco's pale pink lips in a sweet kiss. "I love you," he whispered against Draco's flushed cheeks before moving back to the rose petal lips. Capturing them again was easy and Draco happily opened his mouth and allowed his tongue to be dominated. When they drew apart Ryder smiled sadly. "Go to sleep love, I'll see you soon." He cast a wandless sleeping charm on the blond.
When Draco was asleep, Ryder tucked him back into the bed and recast the rune 'skin' around himself. He left the Infirmary as quietly as he arrived.
From the door to the Office, Madame Poppy Pomfrey smiled to herself and gave a self-satisfied nod. She knew there was something strange about Harry Potter's looks; she just knew it. She was right: that wasn't how Harry Potter looked at all. That wasn't even the boy's name.
"Well, Ryder, they'll be some curses thrown when Mr. Malfoy finds out the truth," she closed her office door and headed to bed. She'll start preparing the Infirmary for the two boys' arrival tomorrow, ready for whenever the truth might leak out.
XXX
Severus bloody Snape I am going to kill you, Ryder raged mentally as the man burst through the doors off the Shrieking Shack and pointed a wand at Sirius Black. If only Ron and Hermione hadn't of been with him. If he could have spoken to Sirius and Remus on their own, things might have been easier.
Snape wouldn't have interrupted them, nor would Ron have a broken leg, nor would he have detentions until he graduated if Snape had anything to say about the night's excursion.
Ryder smirked; he'd just had a brilliant idea. A most brilliant idea if he did say so himself. Inconspicuously he drew his holly and phoenix feather wand and shouted, "Expelliarmus," in Snape's direction. He winced as the man slammed against the back wall with a crack. Then he pulled his own time turner out of his pocket and three spins later, he was ready to implement his plan.
In five hours Ron would be dragged to the Shrieking Shack by Sirius Black; he and Hermione would follow and be interrupted by Snape. Five hours should be plenty of time.
He touched the node on the base of the Whomping Willow and the tree stilled long enough for Ryder to slip under its branches and into the rabbit-like hole at the base. He followed the low ceiling tunnel to the Shrieking Shack where he knew for a fact Black and Remus Lupin were already waiting.
"Mr. Black, fancy seeing you here." Ryder smiled; his 'skin' was still in place.
Sirius Black – shoulder length black hair and grey-blue eyes – spun around to face his Godson. "Harry? Is that you?" Ryder nodded curtly and Remus nodded as well. Remus Lupin was Defence Professor for that year. "I can explain." The man suddenly cried, remember why this was the first time in so long he had seen his Godson.
"I know," he smiled. "My family explained that you are innocent."
"The Muggles?" Sirius wrinkled his nose in disgust.
"No, and if you're going to meet them, we better hurry. You have to be back in less than five hours with time to spare." Remus and Sirius exchanged glances. "I have a time turner. It goes without saying that this conversation will never be spoken of again, understood?" The adults nodded and with a flick of his blood oak wand Ryder turned his time turner into a temporary Portkey.
A few hours later, Sirius sat in the Lestrange's Study looking vaguely dazed while Remus was looking around him in awe. The Lupins were poor and Half-Blooded and Remus himself was a Werewolf; he would have not have been used to the splendour that surrounded him, unlike Sirius who was Pureblood to the core.
"So, we pretend that Harry isn't Harry and that we all love Dumbledore and you don't Obliviate us?" Black asked, making himself sound rather dim-witted, as this was the seventh time he'd asked that same question.
"Yes," Atticus' answers had gotten shorter and shorter.
Suddenly the fireplace flared to life, and it could only have been Lucius – because he knew about Harry/Ryder he was provided with the Study password without fear of catching Ryder without his 'skin' on. Lucius Malfoy, indeed, did step through and did a double take upon seeing the convict and the Werewolf in the room.
"An explanation if you please, my friend?" The blond drawled eyeing Atticus warily.
"They know," the black haired Vampyre murmured.
"The VIP list gets longer and longer, doesn't it Lucius?" Ryder laughed. He removed his 'skin' after arriving at his home. "No longer feeling so special?" The blond reached out and swatted Ryder across the head.
"Do not tempt me boy, I can refuse to allow you to marry Draco if you continue," he mock threatened and Ryder crossed his arms and pouted.
"You're engaged?" Remus asked confused.
"I didn't mention it?" Ryder shrugged. "Yes, to Lucius' Son. He doesn't know yet, and I must say I'm looking forward to telling him. I'd rather he not fall in love with Potter in the time being, it would be very hard to compete against ones self for another's affections." Sirius and Remus – even after having everything explained to them three times – looked confused.
Lucius noticed the looks on their faces and sighed, "Gryffindors!" Ryder elbowed him, only half insulted. After all, he should have gone to Slytherin.
They were brought back to the School with half an hour to spare. By then Black had realized there was no point trying to gain freedom through Dumbledore, who would only ship him straight back to Azkaban. So, exactly five hours from when Ryder turned the dials on the time turner, they were back where they began. Each remembering, but none of the three letting on to the fact.
And when they lost Wormtail, Sirius thought – while he was disappointed in a way – it was for the best because Dumbledore wouldn't have helped anyway.
That was the first of two major occasions Ryder had to use a time turner for Sirius Black's benefit. Having a Godfather was hard work, Ryder decided.
XXX
Ryder entered Malfoy Manor along with Draco and the blond's parents. It had become customary from around last year for Lucius to pick both boys up, while the Hammonds collected them from Durmstrang. However none of the children attended Durmstrang any longer, but they still couldn't just show up out of the blue and collect Harry Potter.
Vernon Dursley, every end of year, without fail, collected Harry Potter. Lucius Malfoy then relieved Vernon of Harry Potter. Draco stayed with Narcissa until Ryder had removed his 'skin' and then both groups met up and Draco was happier than ever because he missed Ryder so much.
It worked out well for everyone.
"So my Dragon, tell me what happened this year?" Ryder asked as the Malfoy's settled themselves down inside of their shiny silver Mercedes Benz. "Tell me everything."
"Well, you know about the Hippogriff right? Well, did you hear about after that? Apparently, Sirius Black was on the grounds! He even got into Gryffindor Tower because that lump Longbottom had months worth of passwords written down; what a moron!" Ryder listened attentively, already knowing what had happened but pretending to be surprised. Both elder Malfoy's listened as well, so Draco wouldn't have to give the same speech twice – even though they both received detailed letters weekly.
"Oh, Greg got sick over Easter break but he's ok now." Draco finished off. Wizards didn't celebrate Easter, but Dumbledore being a Muggleborn fanatic had included the holiday to please the Mudbloods that infested the School. None of the Purebloods were happy about the fact.
"So, Ryder, how did you do on your NEWTs?" Lucius asked as the conversation – or Draco's monologue – died out.
"Well enough. I only got an 'acceptable' in Animagus Training because I was hospitalised during the Theory test for family reasons and Karkaroff couldn't reschedule unless I explained the reason for my absence in front of half the exam board officials. So not happening." He drawled.
"How did you not get a 'troll'?" Draco asked curiously.
"Oh I did, in the theory. They had to give me an 'outstanding' for the practical though, because I achieved and can successfully transform into my animagus form."
"I suppose that rounds off to an 'acceptable'," Lucius agreed, "congratulations."
Narcissa said nothing she just nodded. She was still a little at odds with how clever the Hammond Twins seemed to be. She wasn't jealous per se, but she was unnerved, especially by the behaviour of Rose. Of course she didn't know that the spirit of Rowena Ravenclaw was sometimes in possession of Rose's body, so her behaviour was usually overlooked.
Draco was always horrified by it though. He kept expecting Ryder's family to get really annoyed with Narcissa and break the engagement because of her behaviour. Luckily, the thought never crossed Atticus' mind.
They had travelled faster than expected and now, as Ryder looked out the tinted window, Malfoy Manor had come into view.
"We're almost home," Ryder smiled.
Draco lent closer to Ryder, and lifting the brunette's arm he placed it over his own shoulders. The blond smiled, "I'm already home." Ryder was actually tempted to coo. Instead he just dropped a chaste kiss to Draco's forehead and tried not to blush at the looks Lucius was sending him.
Three years down, Ryder thought, four more to go before we're of age and I can marry the beauty beside me. He smirked: he was home, Draco was his home, and wherever Draco may lead. As sappy as it sounded. At least now he knew how Voldemort felt.
XXX
"False face must hide what the false heart doth know?" – 'Macbeth': Macbeth: Act 1, Scene 7.
"His golden blood." – 'Macbeth': Macbeth: Act 2, Scene 3.
Well there you go, another chapter done and dusted so to speak. Chapter 7 will be out as soon as possible but I really do need to study (do you notice that no matter how often I say that, I never get around to any actual studying?) Anyway, my laziness aside, please review!
I expect at least 10 before I'll post the next chapter… I got 25 or something for chapter 1, then it dwindled to 10 and now I only get around 6 per chapter. It's upsetting.