Harry's Future, Part 30
Harry stood in the backyard of the Burrow, looking up into the clear, cold, Christmas night sky. He was well protected from the cold with his major Christmas present, a heavy, well made cloak that bore the embroidered emblem of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. It was presented as a joint gift of the Weasley siblings. Bill and Charlie had come up with the idea as a way to thank Harry for the idea of the Quidditch camp that had been so much fun for the two eldest brothers. It was pure coincidence that Harry's gift to the two of them had been silver whistles and finely made wooden clipboards, fit for any aspiring Quidditch coach.
He had excused himself from the hubbub of a Weasley Christmas celebration by saying he wanted to try out the cloak and see how warm it was. He had been looking up into the night sky for ten minutes or so when a light breeze brought a hint of scent to his nose and without looking he said,
"Hello, Fleur."
"Bonsoir, mon frere. Que fais-tu?" she asked softy as she came to stand at his side.
"Hmmm? I'm just looking at the stars," he said quietly. "It's funny, you know. When I was a student studying astronomy I was only trying to remember the constellations so I could pass my exams. Now I see them up there and find them strangely comforting."
"'ow so, 'arry?"
"I look up there and see the familiar shapes and if I come out tomorrow night, they will look much the same. I know they will change position a bit over the year, but next Christmas I can look up and see pretty much the exact same picture. I guess it lends some sense of stability to a hectic and somewhat tumultuous life," he said with a smile.
Fleur hooked her arm in Harry's and gazed upward. She let her eyes sweep across the sky and then gave a little laugh and said,
"When I was a leetle girl, I would look up and theenk how preetty the stars were, like diamonds on deesplay for me. Thees days I have not geeven them much thought. I theenk I have been meeseeng sometheeng," she said and then turned to look more fully at Harry. "You are troubled, mon ami?"
"I don't know that I would say troubled. Confused maybe, conflicted. I feel I'm moving towards a major crossroad in my life, Fleur. I've been given the opportunity to do something that I would love to do and would probably do pretty well at. But to do it I would be turning my back on what I've helped create at the Ministry. It feels like I would be abandoning my post. So I guess I'm looking for one of those road signs that the Centaurs talk about to try and help me decide which path I should take," he said with a sigh.
"I know wheech road that I would direct you to, but I weell not do so, 'arry. I am afraid you must make that choice yourself. But I weel say that eet ees getting cold out 'ere and you should come een and be weeth your family. Come," she said as she gave his arm a light tug.
Harry looked over at her and smiled and with a nod he turned around and let Fleur lead him back into the warmth and noise that was a Weasley Christmas. As they came into the kitchen Bill caught sight of him and called out.
"So Harry, how did the cloak work out?"
"Perfect, Bill. Didn't feel a bit of cold, except on my face," he said with a smile.
Ginny came up and handed him a cup of heated, spiced punch. She shared a quick look with Fleur and then reached up to kiss his cheek.
"Ooo, Harry, your face feels frozen. Come into the living room and warm up. Here, let me take your cloak and I'll hang it near the tree."
As Harry made his way to the living room he thought to himself that no matter what he did in his life, giving the house remodeling to his adoptive parents was the best thing he'd ever do. Having this kind of gathering with the growing clan in the old Burrow would have been unimaginable. There was an added air of joy in the house tonight as it was announced on one hand that Percy and Audrey were engaged with the hope of a late spring wedding and on the other that George and Angelina were expecting their first child sometime in mid-summer.
Added to this was the profound sense of relief for all to have seen Abagail fully engaged with her 'family' and apparently enjoying herself as well as anyone else. Her presents were not as elaborate as last year. She had given each couple a small water color of varying scenes from around Hogwarts. She in return was practically inundated with art supplies of all sorts from just about everyone. Her absolute favorite, however, was a simple silver necklace from which dangled a small but intricately wrought charm of a dragon, given to her by Harry.
As he walked into the living room proper he saw her sitting on the floor near the tree, looking at some of the items lying there, all the while fingering the tiny dragon. Harry smiled a bit and let Ginny guide him to an empty spot near the fire. She kissed his cheek again and then left him to help her mom with some snacks she was arranging in the kitchen. He gazed into the fire, feeling the warmth seep into the skin of his face.
"All the stars where they belong, mate?" Ron's voice intruded on his reverie.
Harry looked around to see Ron looking at him from across the room.
"Yeah, Ron, everything is where it should be, at least up there," he said.
"What about down here?" his best friend asked.
"I'm not sure about that, not yet anyway," Harry responded with a lopsided grin.
Ron nodded but chose not to pursue it any further. He knew Harry had a great deal on his mind and he was getting more the enough 'help' from the others. He felt his job was to try and take some of the pressure off.'
"Fancy a game, mate?"
Harry looked up and smiled.
"Yeah, that would be a great idea, Ron."
Ron grabbed the set from a shelf in a bookcase that flanked the fireplace. They took a spot at the far end of the big kitchen table nearest the back door. In moments he and Ron were absorbed in the game and only barely conscious of what was going on around them. They were a number of moves into the game when Harry sensed more then saw someone settle into the chair next to him. After making his move he looked over and saw Eleanor sitting next to him.
"Do you play?" Harry asked.
"A bit. Not up to you or Ron's level but I find it interesting. My dad taught me how to play as a way to help me improve my Quidditch play. The strategy part of it. Do you mind if I watch?" she asked.
"Not at all. Just no bludgers, ok?" Harry said with a straight face.
Eleanor laughed and nudged him with her elbow and then turned to watch Ron make his next move. All in all Ron racked up four wins that night, two against Harry, one against Eleanor and a surprisingly difficult match against Audrey who had noticed the match against Eleanor and asked if she could have a crack at the master.
It was close to midnight by the time the party had broken up and those that were going home left and those that were staying had made their way up to their guest rooms. Bill and Fleur had been installed in the largest of the guest rooms to accommodate the crib that Mrs. Weasley had acquired to make visits easier for them. Ginny and Harry had their usual room and Abagail was in hers. The others had said their farewells and Disapparated home.
Harry lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling. Ginny was tucked against his side, her quiet even breathing indicating that she was already asleep. Harry was thinking back over the evening just past, particularly when he was standing outside gazing up into the night sky. While it was true when he told Fleur that he was looking at the stars, what he didn't say was that he was paying particular attention to the constellation Draco. While he didn't put any faith in astrology he sometimes wondered what it was that the Centaurs saw when they looked to the stars.
As he began to drift off to sleep he passed through that gray place he often found himself in and on the very edge of his awareness he 'heard' that dry, cold voice he had come to associate with his other self. He had to strain to comprehend it but he was sure it 'said',
"Be wary, the kin stirs."
His eyes shot open and he felt a chill slide through him. He slid out of bed and pulled on his robe and slippers. Quietly he slipped out of bed and made his way downstairs. He pulled his cloak from it's hanger by the Christmas tree and slipped it on and quietly made his way out into the backyard. He looked up and found the dragon constellation and he wasn't sure but it looked as if the stars had dimmed slightly. After a few moments the cold started to seep into his bare ankles and head. He went back inside and after hanging up his cloak, he sat down by the fireplace. The fire had been banked but he stirred it up a bit and then added some wood and watched until it flared.
As he often had before, he stared into the flames, looking at the way they danced across the wood as it was consumed. He let the flicker and flare coax him into a semi doze until he noticed a form taking shape. Without conscious effort he focused on the form and soon it resolved itself into the shape of a dragon's head. It brought to mind the brief glimpses he had gotten of the hybrid he had killed but this time he was able to see the eyes. To him they seemed oddly aware and totally mad. The dry, cold voice in his head said,
"Behold the kin."
The form slowly dissolved back into the flames from whence it came. He hugged his robe more tightly around himself and continued to contemplate the flames. After a while a voice broke into his thoughts.
"Harry? What are you doing down here?" Ginny asked.
"I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to disturb you," Harry said.
"What's wrong, sweetheart?"
"I think the hybrid the spooks are working on is alive. I feel it."
Ginny came over and sat down next to Harry and wrapped her arms around him. She pulled him close and he covered her hands with his.
"What will you do, Harry?"
"Not much at the moment. So far as we can tell, they haven't done anything illegal. So we keep looking for clues and watching and wait until something happens and hope we're ready to deal with it."
That morning Mrs. Weasley found them asleep on the couch, the fire a pile of embers and ash. She covered them with a blanket from the basket next to the couch and began making breakfast as quietly as she could. Ginny was the first to wake up and as carefully as she could she pulled away from the still sleeping Harry and walked into the kitchen.
"Morning, Mum," she said through a stifled yawn.
"Good morning, dear. Whatever were you two doing on that couch?" Mrs. Weasley whispered.
"Harry couldn't sleep so he got up and came down here. I woke up and found he wasn't in bed so I came looking for him. He said he felt that the hybrid dragon was alive. He could sense it somehow. He said he doesn't think he can do anything about it now because they haven't openly broken any laws. He's very worried. At some point we both fell asleep."
Mrs. Weasley's expression turned grim but she said nothing. Ginny began to help her mother and a few minutes later the sound of small feet rapidly descending the stair case announced the arrival of Abagail. As she got to the bottom of the staircase she saw Harry slumped on the couch under the blanket. She slowly walked over and stood next to him. Ginny and her mum watched as she stood there a moment and then her head snapped up. She turned around quickly with a horrified expression on her face. Ginny motioned her over and she nearly ran into the kitchen and into Ginny's outstretched arms.
"He's going to have to do it again? It nearly killed him last time," she said, her voice trembling.
"Take it easy, Abagail. We don't even know for sure if he's right about the other dragon. And if it does come down to a fight, I doubt he'll do it from a broomstick," Ginny replied.
"You mean dragon fighting dragon. And I was going to ask him to pose for me today. I'm glad I found this out first."
"What do you mean, pose for you?" Ginny asked.
"Well, I've been working a lot on sketching magical creatures that Hagrid works with and I thought maybe Harry would let me sketch him when he was a dragon. Maybe in the field across the road, but I couldn't ask him to do that now."
"I think that might not be the best idea, no," said Mrs. Weasley. "Let's see how he's doing when he wakes up."
Abagail just nodded and began to help Ginny and her mum with the breakfast. They all stopped and looked when they heard Harry stir but it was only to slip down and stretch out, his head resting on the arm of the couch. He had slipped out from under most of the blanket and Abagail quietly went over and recovered him. She thought he must be dreaming because his eyes were moving under their lids.
Perhaps half an hour later, Fleur came down the stairs wrapped in a heavy robe with slippers on her feet and her hair slightly disheveled. She looked into the kitchen with a slight frown since everyone was being so quiet. Ginny looked meaningfully towards the living room and Fleur caught sight of Harry and her eyes went wide. She looked back towards the kitchen and Ginny waved her over. After some whispered conversation she quietly crept into the living room and crouched down next to the couch. She looked at Harry's face and noticed the same eye movement and as she watched she saw the lids flicker and half open. She let out a small startled yelp and sat back on the floor. Ginny hurried over and was about to offer her sister-in-law a hand up but Fleur stopped her and hissed,
"Look at 'es eyes."
Ginny looked and under the half closed lids she could see the slit pupils of the dragon. She knelt down and laid a gentle hand on his forehead and felt the skin was moderately warm but not alarmingly so. She leaned in and kissed his cheek and gently said,
"Harry, sweetheart. It's time to wake up. We have breakfast nearly ready."
While she was saying this she gently caressed his cheek and the lids began to sink down and then after a moment slowly opened, his eyes normal again.
"Oh, hello there, love. Morning already? Wow, that was weird," he said as he began to sit upright.
He didn't have his glasses on so everything was blurry. Ginny took them from the little table next to the couch and put them on for him.
"Ah, that's better. Blurry just doesn't suit you," he said with a lopsided grin and then as he looked around he saw Fleur sitting on the floor.
"What in the world are you doing down there, Fleur?"
"Oh, uh, well, Geeny and I were goeeng to play a leetle joke on you to wake you up but you looked so sweet and peaceful, we didn't 'ave the 'eart to do eet, yes, Geeny?" she said.
"Yes, that's right," Ginny replied, going along with Fleur. "How are you feeling, Harry, and what was so weird?"
"I'm ok, a little sleepy still and starving but okay. As for the weird part I was dreaming I was the dragon and I was flying around Hogwarts, like I was on patrol and I could sense something was out there but I couldn't see it and then I was flying around the Burrow and then the Ministry and back again. It felt like I knew something was going to happen and I couldn't figure out where. The funny part was I didn't feel anxious or panicky. Just watchful and willing to wait."
"Well that doesn't sound too bad, Harry," Ginny said. "As to the other stuff, breakfast will be ready shortly and then if you need to you can go back to sleep."
"Hmm, ok. Are those Abagail's rolls I smell? Is she over there?"
"Right here, Harry," came the softy reply.
"What? I don't get a good morning from you," he said with a grin.
Seeing his mood was good she smiled back and then ran from the kitchen into the living room and launched herself onto the couch where Harry caught her up in a big hug. Ginny looked at Fleur and with a wink they joined in the melee. About this time Bill came down the stairs with little Victoire held in his arms. He looked at the rugby scrum on the couch and laughed.
"What's the matter, Harry, the harem in revolt?"
"Bill, what kind of thing is that to say?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Easy, Mum, I was just kidding."
"Perhaps, but it was an unseemly thing to say," she said holding a ladle in her hand. "Especially when one of those involved is your own wife."
"I surrender," Bill said, his scarred face trying to control a grin. "Harry, ladies, my abject apologies for suggesting anything untoward is occurring."
At the sound of Bill's voice Fleur had backed away from Harry and was now glaring at her husband and Ginny and Abagail were sitting on either side of their victim who was struggling to get his glasses straightened. Abagail looked at Bill and said in her best superior tone,
"Professor, we are not his harem, we are his guardian angels."
"Yes, Miss Westwood, in all honesty I believe you're right," Bill said, the mocking tone gone from his voice.
"Alright, children, enough of that. Come sit yourselves down and have some breakfast," Mrs. Weasley ordered, her ladle held like a field marshal's baton.
Fleur claimed her daughter from Bill, giving him a dirty look and a nudge with her elbow as she did. Bill just shrugged and looked at Harry as Ginny and Abagail were hauling to his feet.
"Well, Professor, what were you doing on the couch all night?" Bill said.
"Well, Professor, I was having trouble sleeping and came down here. I've got a very strong feeling the hybrid dragon is alive and well," Harry replied.
"Are you sure, Harry?" Bill asked, suddenly all business.
"Like I said, it's only a feeling but it seems to be rooted in my other self and it is very sure."
"Good lord, Harry. What now?"
"I watch and I wait and prepare as best I can. I suppose I'll have to start those experiments that the Heads were suggesting."
"What experiments are those, 'arry?" Fluer asked.
"Changing at will, seeing if anger brings it on spontaneously, and just learning how to be a dragon I guess," he replied.
"Would you be willing to work on that here today, Harry?" Ginny asked.
"What do you mean, Gin?" Harry asked.
"Abagail was going to ask you to pose for her as the dragon so she could do some sketches to go along with the other magical creatures she's done. After what you saw last night we thought that might not be a good idea, but you seemed to be in a good mood when you woke up and if you need to spend some time like that getting used to it, I thought it might be a good way for you to spend some time together," she said.
"Hmm, I guess it would be ok. You aren't expecting anyone out here today, are you, Mum?" he asked.
"No dear and as you know we don't get much in the way of passing traffic," she said with a little smile.
"Ok, after breakfast, we'll give it a go, alright, little one?" Harry said.
"This is great, Harry, thanks, you're the best."
"Well, this should be something to see," Bill remarked.
Harry dove into his breakfast, hungry from the night before and the expectations of what the morning would bring. He was half way through his second plateful when Mr. Weasley came downstairs, dressed and ready for the office.
"Well, we are up early aren't we? No work today, Harry?"
"No, sir. I had a few vacation days left for the year so I'm using them up. It will give me some time with the mighty mite here," Harry said, smiling at Abagail.
Mr. Weasley sat down and helped himself to tea and some eggs and toast. By the time he was done Harry had demolished the contents of three plates full. The others around the table looked on in amazement.
"It must be a hollow leg. I can't figure out anywhere else he could put it all," Ginny said.
"My bet is it's converting directly into energy, like in the heart of the sun," Bill said.
"Leeve the poor boy alone," Fleur admonished them. "'e 'as much to do and needs all the energy 'e can get."
Harry just smiled a satisfied smile and sat back and finished his second cup of tea.
"Terrific breakfast as always, Mum. Thanks."
"You are more than welcome, Harry, dear," she replied.
"Alright, little one, get yourself bundled up and let's see what we can do," he said to Abagail.
"Yes, sir, Mr. Potter, sir," she said with an ear to ear grin.
"You're making her very happy, Harry," Ginny said as they too rose to go and get dressed.
"It's not a big thing, Gin. Your reasoning is sound and if it makes her happy in the process that's all the more reason. I figure I might as well do what I can while I can."
Harry was already walking away from the table when he said the last and he failed to notice how alert everyone became. As he climbed the stairs with his wife, those that remained at the table looked to one another with no small concern. Mrs. and Mr. Weasley began a quiet but serious conversation. In less than half an hour Harry was standing in the middle of the winter browned grass with Abagail across the road standing in front of the wall that ran the length of the house.
"Ready?" he called.
"Yes, Harry, whenever you are," Abagail called back.
She was done up in a heavy cloak, wool cap and wool knit gloves with the fingers cut back to the first knuckle. She had a sketch pad and a handful of pencils at the ready. Harry gave a wave and within the space of two heartbeats the average sized man was replaced by a very unaverage sized dragon. While they were still able to speak to one another they planned for Harry to stand on all fours so that Abagail could do a quick reference sketch and then she would come close and work on detailed sketches of various body parts such as the head, neck, legs and so forth.
As Harry stood still the 'dragony' part of his mind, now stronger in this form, was amused at the lengths he would go to make this small creature happy. But on the outer edges of his new awareness he could feel something stirring. Something unnatural, something not right for this world. He concentrated on this feeling, trying to get a sense of direction or distance but it wasn't strong enough. He wondered if the creature had just hatched. Something else was trying to intrude on his awareness and as he focused on it, it resolved itself into a tapping on his left foreleg. He swung his massive head down and around and tried to focus on what was making the tapping. Apparently, Abagail was unable to make herself heard so she settled for the simple expedient of walking up and pounding on his leg with her fist. Harry snorted once, which caused her hair to blow back behind her and then he tilted his head so that his ear was closer to her.
"Harry, please. Could you hold your head right there so I can get a more detailed drawing of it, please?"
Harry first used his head to nudge her back a short distance. Then he settled himself down on his stomach and brought his head around so that it was directly in front of Abagail.
"That's terrific, Harry, thanks."
He watched as her hand moved quickly across the paper, her eyes flicking back and forth from his face to the pad and back again. When she was done with his head she asked if he would extend his leg so she could get details of his clawed foot. The she drew the entire leg, then the rear leg. The she walked down and drew up his tail. Lastly she took a short walk and turned around to sketch the details of his back and sides. By the time she was done her face was red and her fingers were cold and stiff. But her sketch book was full and her smile was wide. She walked back up to stand in front of his head which he was holding just above the ground. She reached out a tentative hand and touched his snout between the broad nostrils.
"Thank you, Harry, this was really special."
Harry responded with a wink and then gave her a bit of a bump with this snout which set her to laughing. Abagail began walking across the road and Harry was preparing to make the change back when he heard a shout. He saw Charlie race out of the backyard and Harry mentally smiled. Charlie came to a skidding halt in front of Harry and once more the great head came to a hover just above the ground.
"Harry, my god, I can't believe I'm talking to a dragon. Anyway, Harry, would you mind holding on just a bit. I really would like to get some measurements here, would you mind?"
Harry shook his head and let his tail straighten out behind him. Charlie grinned and pulled out a notebook and began pacing off the distance from Harry's snout to the tip of his tail. Then he came back and measured the length and breadth of Harry's forefoot and the claws thereon. Lastly he asked Harry if he would stand on all fours and with a small device and some calculation of lengths and angles worked out the height from the ground to the top of his back.
Charlie finally came around to stand before his draconic brother-in-law and said,
"Thanks, Harry. I appreciate it more then you can imagine."
Harry pulled back and once more, within two heartbeats, was back to his human self. He walked over to where Charlie was standing. Abagail had gone into the house to warm herself up. The others had been watching from the big living room window.
"How did you know, Charlie?" Harry asked as he walked up.
"Ginny remembered that I was planning to spend the day with Eleanor in Holyhead and she asked Kreacher to come find me," he said.
"Eleanor? What did you tell her?" Charlie said.
"I didn't tell her anything, I just brought her along," he said and turned and pointed to the window.
Harry looked over and saw the lithe Harpy's chaser staring at him wide eyed, her mouth covered by one hand.
"Guess I better go say hello," Harry said.
The two wizards walked up the path to the front door and the door swung open and Kreacher let them in.
"Thank you, Kreacher."
"Master Harry is most welcome. Kreacher remained in order to give Master Harry this message from Gringotts bank. Also, Mrs. Weasley has asked Kreacher to remain and share a recipe, if Master Harry will allow."
"Of course, Kreacher."
Kreacher bowed and stepped out of Harry's way as he closed the door. Harry turned towards the small group in the living room. Abagail had been stripped of her cloak, hat and gloves and was warming her hands in front of the fire. Ginny and Fleur were looking at him with neutral expressions while Eleanor stood by the couch with a stunned look on her face.
"Hello, Eleanor. Welcome to my world," Harry said with a crooked smile.
She tried to say something several times and then gave her head a small shake. Finally she was able to say,
"Harry, how, why?"
"It happened when I took that trip to Europe. When I was confronting that old wizard I was so full of anger, rage I guess, that I thought I was going to fly apart. The next thing I know, I was a dragon. Apparently I'm a spontaneous animagus."
"Animagus, Harry? I thought that you had to turn into something usual or real or, or I don't know. And the size difference. Where does it all come from?"
"I don't know, Eleanor. I mean Professor McGonagall turns into a cat which is quite a bit smaller then she is. Peter Pettigrew was a rat, again even smaller still. My dad was a stag which was a least twice as big as he was. I don't know how it all works but Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall thought it was what I had to do or have done to me to contain all my powers and anger," Harry said.
A funny expression passed over Eleanor's face and she looked at Harry again.
"Mass equals energy," she said quietly.
"What?" Charlie asked as he had come to stand next to Eleanor.
"Harry, you were raised as a muggle, right?" she asked.
"Yeah, until I got my letter at eleven."
"Do you know what atoms and molecules are?"
"Sure, we covered that in my last year of muggle school," he replied but not sure what she was driving at.
"Harry, I'm a half-blood. My dad is a wizard and my mum is a muggle. Her oldest brother is what muggles call a physicist. He teaches at a university. When I was younger I spent several summers with he and my aunt and he taught me some things about physics. Simply put, all the stuff around us is made of atoms and molecules, they call it mass. Apparently, mass is just frozen energy. All your power, all your anger, I wonder," she said, grasping at something. "All that energy would have pulled you apart but instead it was converted into mass and the only living thing on land that would have that much mass would be a really big dragon."
"But how?" Harry asked.
"I don't know, Harry. Fate, nature, the magic in that old castle, or something we have no idea about. I mean why do we have magic powers and muggles don't? Whatever it is it's the most amazing thing I've ever heard of. And you can just switch it on and off?"
Harry nodded and said,
"Yup, and fly and spit fire, the whole ball of wax."
Eleanor sat down next to Mrs. Weasley who was holding Victoire cradled in her arms. Charlie sat down next to her with his arm around her shoulder. Harry sat down on the couch opposite flanked by Ginny and Fleur.
"As I said about how, Eleanor, I have no idea. Hermione thinks it may have been there all along. Some things that have happened seem to suggest some draconic aspects if you think about them. The important thing about all this is that it has to stay a secret. I hope you can understand that," he said.
"I can appreciate that, Harry. Frankly, unless someone actually saw what I saw today they'd think I was crazy. You know, I bet it would explain why you're such a natural flyer. It's all instinct," she said with a small smile. "Wow."
Harry's attention shifted to Charlie as a thought worked its way to the surface.
"Charlie, how big does a yearling dragon get?" he asked.
"On average, about forty percent of its adult size, which is still pretty large."
"How long does it take to reach full size?"
"Eight to ten years, but it varies by species and gender," Charlie said.
"Then I doubt we have much to worry about for a while. If I've only started to become aware of it now it could be years before it's big enough to be a threat," Harry said, a small smile lighting up his face.
"I'm sorry, Harry, but I might have to rain on your parade a bit," Charlie replied. "First of all we don't know anything about the nature of this hybrid creature. What they are doing may have altered its growth rate. Heck, for all we know they started with a mature dragon and infused the aspects of the basilisk into it. I wouldn't count on anything at this point, Harry."
Harry looked crestfallen but then recovered a bit.
"Well, we're no worse off then we were. It's the waiting that bothers me so much," he said as he let out a sigh.
"How do you stand it, Harry?"
This came from Eleanor. Harry looked at her and said,
"First of all, what choice is there? These things have to be done. Secondly, it's gotten to be a habit I guess. Since I was a first year it seems I've been doing these crazy things and getting away with them so I just keep doing them," he said. "And lastly I have the support of a wonderful family that helps me get through the tough times."
Eleanor looked at the expressions on Ginny and Fleur's faces and then at Bill and Charlie and Mrs. Weasley. Then she looked back at Harry and said,
"Maybe I don't have the right to ask this but what about when you don't get away with it Harry? How long do you think your luck will hold out?"
Harry looked at her and then over to the flames in the fireplace. In a quiet, somber voice he replied,
"That's the question I've been asking myself quite a bit lately."
No one said a word for a few moments. Looking for a way to lighten the mood, Ginny tapped the note Harry still had in his hand.
"What does Gringotts have to say, Harry?"
"Hmmm, oh, well, let me see."
He broke the seal and unfolded the parchment and began to read. His eyebrows pulled down and then shot up and he mumbled,
"Well, I'll be a crumple horned snorkack."
"What is it, Harry?" Ginny prompted.
"They tracked down that piece of property up north. It's in Derbyshire. Some of its unique features include a collapsed farmhouse and a warehouse with most of the roof caved in."
"Harry, you can't be serious," his wife exclaimed.
"That's what it says. They go on to describe the remains of a partially underground chamber that's also quite heavily damaged," Harry said mildly.
Eleanor was looking around and seeing the looks of shock and surprise said,
"What? What's this all about a farm with a bunch of ruins on it?"
"It would appear," Bill began, "that the piece of ground where Harry had his fight with the smugglers and killed that Death Eater and where he fought the first hybrid dragon and led the rescue of his ambushed team belongs to him through inheritance from his god father, Sirius Black. The irony of it is almost too much."
Harry sat back and started to laugh, low and softly. After a few moments he stopped and thought. Then he said,
"You know it does make a certain amount of sense. If the property had belonged to the Blacks it's very possible that it was made accessible to Voldemort, who we suspect may have been behind the idea of merging the dragon and basilisk so he could communicate with it and control it. You were the one that mentioned that to me, Charlie, remember? Probably Bellatrix or Narcissa Malfoy arranged for them to use the property."
Charlie simply nodded.
"Perhaps they were able to salvage some essence of the basilisk I had the run in with my second year or they had access to another, who knows, but it was Voldemort's creature after all. Once Riddle was out of the picture Travers took it on himself to make it accessible to the smugglers as a way in to the scheme," Harry said as he looked into the flames again.
"But who's behind the new hybrid? Is it just the spooks playing with their toys or...," Harry spoke, almost to himself, and then he sat upright. "Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy. He's the only one left that had a direct connection to Voldemort as well as easy access to the Ministry. He was always there spreading his 'charm'."
"Are you sure of this, Harry?" Charlie asked.
"Of course I'm not sure. I'm just stringing along bits and pieces but it's something to look into," he said and then he looked towards the kitchen. "Kreacher, I need your help."
"Yes, Master Harry."
"I need to you go to the Ministry and have Milligan come here right away."
"Immediately, Master Harry," and the little elf was gone in the blink of an eye.
Harry stood up and walked into the kitchen where he began to pace up and down the length of the table. The others simply sat and watched. Within moments there was a knock at the kitchen door and Harry moved to open it. Milligan was there and Harry waved him into the kitchen. From the living room the others could see Harry show the investigator the note from Gringotts. Then they discussed something in tones no one else could make out. They could however see Milligan's face and as the discussion went on his usually bland expression started to brighten up a bit and by the time they were done talking he wore a half smile. He nodded once and with a clap on the upper arm from Harry he was off through the back door.
Harry walked back into the living room with a satisfied look on his face. He sat down next to Ginny and said,
"I once told Lucius Malfoy that we were keeping an eye on him but it was only partially true. That's all going to change. Milligan and his people are going to track him down and trace his movements in the past and follow him around the clock. We may have just gotten a break."
Ginny gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek and Fleur added one of her own. Eleanor just shook her head, then said,
"When the Minister announced your appointment as Chief of Magical Law Enforcement my dad wondered why he would promote, and I quote, "a kid, no matter how talented he might be" to such an important post. I think I know why now. I'll have to tell him about it one day when this is all over."
Harry shrugged his usual shrug which got groans from both Ginny and Fleur and then laughs from the rest of them. Harry joined in and then was interrupted by a groan of his own, from his stomach. He looked over at his mum and asked,
"Um, are we having lunch anytime soon?"
The laughter got much louder.