Chapter 8 The Escape

A very shaken Draco was brought up to the headmistress and she escorted him to his guardian. Turning the boy over to Harry she said before leaving them. "I'll expect an explanation as soon as possible."

Harry grinned at the woman. "I promise that as soon as I have one so will you."

Putting an arm around the teen he escorted him to the couch and helped him sit. Harry conjured a cup of cocoa and passed it to Draco before sitting down himself. He turned his body so that he was facing the boy and motioned for him to sip. Draco hated to admit it even to himself and he would die before he ever said it aloud but just being in the same room with Potter made him feel safer and calmer. He sipped the cocoa that Harry had given him. It was the perfect drinking temperature and had a lot of marshmallows bobbing in the dark brown liquid. Just the way he liked it. How on earth had Potter known that?

Harry let Draco drink about half the cocoa before he softly asked, "What happened Draco?"

It took two additional cups of cocoa before the story was finished and the team decided that it would be best if the boy bunked down for what was left of the night in Duncan's bed. Although the team didn't think the creatures would come back tonight Harry wasn't willing to take a chance with his ward. Draco whined a bit about the sheets not being satin and the pillows not being fluffy enough for him before Harry silenced him by offering to have Kingsley escort him back to his own dorm.

Vernon woke up at the unacceptable hour of 06:00 A.M. to a funny chittering sound. Crawling out of bed he opened the door leading to the hall only to be shocked by what appeared to be thousands of small monkey like creatures swarming in his hall way and going in and out the boy's old bedroom. His mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water he stared as carpet was ripped up from the hall floor and little creatures started scrubbing the bits of carpet padding that had stuck to the wood floors. Softly closing the door he went over to his still peacefully sleeping wife and considered briefly just crawling back into bed on the hopes that he would wake up several hours later and find out that this was just a bad dream but remembering what had happened to Dudley when he was bit by one of them he decided that the better course of wisdom would be to wake his wife up, try to get to his son and try a strategic retreat from the house before calling that troublesome brat and having him come deal with this problem.

Idly Vernon noticed that even in his mind he didn't call the boy freak anymore. He guessed he hadn't since the time he had watched the boy battle those freaks in white masks after they had hurt him and his wife with their sticks. Strange how he felt so calm about the invasion of his house by what were obviously magical animals but time and experience had taught him that his nephew would come and help get rid of them when his wife called him. Vernon chuckled to himself. He guessed that if you had to have a freak attached to your family it was best that he was stronger than the competition out there, besides if Vernon was honest with himself he had to admit that the way he had treated the boy in the past made it extraordinary that the boy was even willing to acknowledge them as part of his family at all let alone be willing to help them. It pained Vernon to admit it but that the boy did show strength of character and loyalty that he, his wife and his son lacked. He sometimes wished he could go back and change the past, perhaps not have been so hard on the boy, perhaps even have allowed Dudley and the boy to have become friends. Ah well, nothing to do for it now. The past was dead.

Vernon leaned over his wife and gently shook her to wake her up. "Petunia, wake up. You need to call your nephew. Those white things that attacked Dudley are out in the hall way tearing up the carpet."

Petunia snorted softly and turned over mumbling, "Five more minuets dear."

Grinning at his wife Vernon shook her again. "Wake up Pet. If I have to get up early so do you." Her eyes reluctantly pulled open although they looked like they could close again any second Vernon had to mark them being open as some sort of victory. It was then that he heard something hitting the bedroom window followed by a soft tapping sound. Vernon glanced over and the light shinning in showed his son tapping on the window. Throwing it open he helped his son in off the ladder that was leaning up against the house.

"Dad, those things that bit me are all over the house. We gotta get out of here." Dudley was covered in sweat and smelled a bit ripe but his father was happy to see that he was ok.

"Were you out running when they came?" he asked.

"Everyday, you know that. Look, when I finished I opened the front door and they were in the entrance hall scrubbing it up. There must have been thousands of the things. Harry didn't say so but when that doctor person looked at my ankle he did something and got some yellow beads out of the bite. I think they were poison. We can't stay here. I got out of the house fast and got the ladder from the shed and came to get you two."

Petunia had by this time come fully awake. "Duddykins, go on back outside in the yard and wait for us. We'll get dressed and join you there in a few minuets ok?"

Dudley nodded sharply before descending the ladder once again. Petunia turned to the closet and pulled out a pair of seldom used dress slacks and matching shirt and got dressed. Vernon followed suit and after gathering up his wallet and car keys he helped his wife out the window and onto the ladder. He was pleased to see his son at the bottom of the ladder holding it steady for his mother.

The three made it into the back yard and to what they hoped was safety. The only problem was the amulet that Petunia used to call her nephew was downstairs in the kitchen on the table. Vernon peered in the window on the kitchen door and was shocked to see hundreds of the little white creatures in HIS kitchen taking down his cabinets. The dishes were stacked on the table and one of the creatures was tapping each plate, bowl and cup and causing them to vanish. His eyes bugged out as he watched four of the creatures grab onto one of the cabinet door and pull it loose. Dropping the door the four entered the cabinet and started pulling out Petunia's pots and pans.

Gulping he backed away from the door and turning to his family and stuttered out "Cccar, now."

Petunia took in the fear in her husbands eyes and without any argument she herded her son around front and into the back seat of the car. After taking her place in the front passenger seat her husband climbed into the drivers seat and started the car up. Pealing out of the drive he stomped on the accelerator and fishtailed down the road before gaining control of the vehicle. "Slow down Vernon or you'll get stopped by a bobby, we're safe now."

Whatever her husband had seen had frightened him pretty badly. Petunia was almost afraid to ask him what it was. Her memory was very clear about the two times before when she had seen her proud husband reduced to near panic and both times had involved those dead eater people. "Vernon, what was it?"

"Those white things were ripping out the kitchen cabinets and one of them was making the dishes vanish. Pet, if they can do that to dishes just think of what they can do to us." He slowed the car down and pulled off the side of the road and enfolded his wife in his arms in a hug. Shaking at what he feared was a close call he mumbled "I didn't see the amulet. I don't know what to do now."

Dudley reached over the seat and patted his fathers shoulder in comfort. "Do you remember the place that you took Harry to a few times in London? We could go there. Someone will help us find him."

Vernon looked back at his son with a thoughtful expression on his face. "The train station?"

Dudley shook his head no. "Not the train station. That Diggle place. You know, where Harry goes shopping sometimes."

With a decisive nod Vernon restarted the car and pulled out onto the road. It was almost six hours of driving to reach London but Dudley's plan was a good one and although he had only taken the boy there three times he was fairly sure he could find the place again.

Breakfast was a rather subdued affair that morning. Harry spent most of it fielding questions about where he had been the night before and what those things were that had invaded the school and from Seamus 'Was Dean really gonna be ok?'

From the 'Puff's' table a new group sent him longing glances and sighed in envy as Draco was much to his displeasure forced to sit down at the Gryffindor table for breakfast. He watched with slitted eyes as Potter kissed Ginny Weasley good morning. 'I hate that guy, I hate him, hate him, hate him.' He mumbled over and over in his mind as he watched the poof seat the girl that should have been his. Couldn't they all see that Potter was gay? No one else but a poof would have his hair that long and wear it in a ponytail yet just because HIS girl was wearing a ring given to her by Potter they all overlooked that fact. Ginny and Potter were supposed to be engaged but Draco knew it was just a diversionary tactic and a clever one on Potters part to make people think he was straight. Well, as soon as the two broke up he was going to move in and catch Ginny on the rebound. She would turn to him for comfort and he would marry her and and and…

After the group ate Harry stood up and pulled his love close for a hug. "I have to take Malfoy and Snape to Gringotts today. Hopefully we won't be gone to long love but I've been putting off doing a complete inventory of their vaults and now it needs to be done." He closed his eyes in bliss as she snuggled a bit closer to him and cuddled against his chest. He loved the smell of the perfume she used. "What are you planning on doing today?"

"Umm." Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and pulled his head down for a long kiss before she answered him. "I scheduled a quiddich practice for this morning. I figure there's no sense waiting till next year to learn to work together is there?"

"Slave driver. You're gonna be worse than I was when I was captain. I at least didn't make the team practice before the old year ended."

Ginny giggled at his words. "At least you won't have to worry about me getting you up before 05:00 like you did to us. You'll be gone and graduated."

"Graduated yes but not gone. Remember, I'm coming back in the fall to teach and I'll be your new head of house. Better go easy on those guys or I may make you sit detention with me every night for the full year."

"Promise?" she purred in his ear.

"I hate to break this up but if we want to get done sometime today we have to go. Minerva said that Snape will meet us 9:00 in the main lobby of Gringotts this morning and it a quarter till now." Kingsley said

Ginny's face got red and she hastily released her boyfriend but instead of letting her go too Harry pulled her close for one last kiss. "See you soon love." He murmured as he finally let her go. With a wink and a wave the girl turned and trotted out the doors of the great hall.

Harry motioned for Draco to join them as he scooped up a cloth napkin and turned it into a portkey that would take them to the Leaky Cauldron. Holding it out he instructed the others to take hold and with a quick 3,2,1 the familiar feeling of a hook behind the navel accompanied by disorientation usually achieved by portkey travel had Draco on the floor and most of the rest stumbling a bit before they caught their balance.

Kingsley raised an eyebrow and said in a soft voice designed to go no further than the small group. "Illegal portkeys Harry?"

Harry grinned at the man as Draco looked on with anticipation of Harry getting in trouble. "Not for me. I needed to learn how to make them last summer for safety reasons. The Minister of Magic agreed with my reasoning and wrote out a dispensation for me as well as having me trained in the making of them. Its one of the few things that Scrimgeour did for me that I am grateful for." Harry shrugged. "I'm allowed to make and use them without reservation provided I use normal caution."

The entire group was impressed. The making of portkeys was an exacting magic and not easy to master. Most people could not do it even if they received proper training but to be honest at least Harry being able to was following true to form. He after all mastered a Patronus Charm at the ridicules age of 13 and if rumor was to be believed he had become an Animagi in a few short weeks of study the summer he turned 17 and the number of wizards or witches that could perform wandless magic could be counted on one hand but to do all of your magic wandless? Unbelievable!

"Ok then. Well let's get to Gringotts and get started. I really don't want you to be outside of protective wards to long with those creatures out there." Shacklebolt said as Draco scowled in annoyance.

The group made its way to the lobby of Gringotts and Snape as promised was seated in the visitors lounge waiting for them. Draco ran over and hugged his Godfather then immediately started to complain about the horrid treatment he was being made to suffer at the hands of his guardian. He had started to work himself up into a wonderful state of righteous indignation before Snape sighed and said softly "Enough Draco. I know you don't like the situation but learn to live with it. You have no choice you know."

Harry and his bodyguards had stayed back to allow the potion master and his Godson time to greet each other in privacy before Snape stepped forward and held his hand out to Harry to be shaken. "I want to thank you for the accommodations you have provided for myself and Narcissi." A small smile graced his lips and he finished with, "The potion lab is truly a joy to work in but I was wondering where you came across some of the ingredients you have there. I would have thought some of them were impossible to find let alone acquire. I am impressed."

Harry smiled as he took the man's hand and shook it. "A lot came from Voldermorts private stores. Some were donated by interested parties and some were grown on the grounds in the greenhouses. I even purchased some of them. Have you had any trouble ordering things that you need to continue your work sir?"

"No problem. The account you set up for me has been more than up to my modest needs. I have sold some potions and have had the profit added back into the original amount. There is now a surplus of funds above what you started me out with I believe."

Harry's smile got even larger at those words. "Good, we'll leave that alone for now but once school is finished I'll go over that account and any excess profit can be added back into your own vault."

The two continued to talk as the walked over to the guard. Draco stood there dumbfounded at the fact that Severus and Potter seemed to be actually getting along for once. How unfair was that now.