Disclaimer and AN: These guys and environmental surrounds still belong to JK Rowling and her Warner people. I have no money, so please don't sue…
ooOOoo
Chapter 48: Quarantine
Through the howling welter of distorted time ran a black horse and its rider.
Draco gritted his teeth and hung on as time shifted around and (excruciatingly) through him, snarling against his kidneys and threatening to turn his sinuses inside out. On the trip out, Simon's pace had been smooth as silk. Now each stride jolted up and through into Draco's skull like an iron spike. Every bump of the sacks against his knees was a new broken bone. And the colours of groaning time ricocheted off his retinas in every shattered hue of migraine.
Well, this sucks.
ooOOoo
Somewhere off in the distance an owl hooted. Harry looked around, not really hoping Hedwig would have made it through the Blockade, but you never knew… Merlin, but he missed Hedwig. Was she all right, wherever she was? He sighed and slouched back. Hermione conjured some comfortable couches, thank Merlin. This extra long one stretched across the road. At least something tonight wasn't completely stuffed up – if he had to sit around in the middle of the night like a parent waiting for their teenager to get home long after curfew, he might as well do it in comfort. Luna snuggled up under his right arm didn't go amiss, either, although it was a little bit shameful to feel pleasure in comforting her given how upset she had been. She'd calmed down, luckily, and now kept her shadowed eyes on the half-open gates. Her long pale hair was tinged golden in the yellow light of the lamp Harry had conjured up behind the couch. He told himself he'd done it for practical reasons, not just to show Hermione she wasn't the only one who could fashion furniture out of nothing.
Hermione, who had smiled proudly at Harry's efforts then fixed the lamp so it stood properly upright instead of at a slight lean, was sitting on Harry's left, Ron on the other side of her. She had her arms folded across her chest as she sat, waiting it out, eyes heavy-lidded with tiredness. It wasn't like her to be so stolidly patient, and Harry recognised and appreciated it. Ron was asleep with his head on Hermione's shoulder, mouth open as he snored softly. Occasionally Hermione would rouse enough to flick a wand and get rid of any drool.
Practice for marriage?
It was the closest Harry had come to smiling this evening.
Beyond Ron, Hagrid took up a good third of the sofa. He sat silently, waiting, the expression of patience on his face similar to Luna and Hermione's. Fang dozed at his feet, stretched out uncomplainingly on the road. No-one had objected to the shaggy black dog curled up at the far end of the sofa. Snuffles' eyes gleamed faintly – it was hard to tell if the Animagus was dozing with his eyes half shut or not. It wasn't as if they'd been waiting long, but already Harry had had to deal with Lupin, who'd arrived with Ron and heard of Draco's disappearance with thinly-disguised horror and hurried off to warn Dumbledore that it was possible Death Eaters could get the secret of travelling through the barrier from Malfoy.
Harry resented Lupin's immediate assumption that they were in new danger, but appreciated the fact that even if Draco hadn't gone to betray them to his father (which Lupin hadn't actually stated, but from his expression it was obvious he had strong suspicions in that direction) it wasn't a stretch of the imagination to see Death Eaters get the information out of Draco whether he gave it willingly or not. Harry shivered and tightened his arm a fraction around Luna. It was good Ron had stayed, too, even if he was currently sleep-mumbling into Hermione's hair something about wool growing out of his nose. It made Harry think he was doing the right thing giving Draco the benefit of the doubt for another few hours before participating in a full-blown Hogwarts panic.
Snuffles looked up, ears flicking as he caught a new sound in the night.
Harry looked over his shoulder.
No Death Eaters, just a weary werewolf: Remus, walking back down the road, a large wicker picnic basket floating along behind him. A loaf of bread poking up out of it was pale under the moon.
Maybe it was because he was tired, but Harry had a momentary impulse to tell Remus they wouldn't need a jar of bugs for a badger… He winced. It had been a while since he'd thought of that. His jaw tightened as Snuffles' tail whacked softly on the sofa cushion, remembering…
Leave it, he told himself sternly. Now wasn't the time for the past.
Remus, just as tired as that boy who'd brought food from the kitchens for Harry and a badger but greyer and more lined of face now, sat on the sofa arm down the other end from Harry. He patted Snuffles' ribs and ruffled the hair behind the dog's ears as Snuffles sniffed at the basket with growing interest.
"Professor Dumbledore wants to wait a little longer," Remus said without preamble. "He agrees that, yes, there is potential for You-Know-Who getting strategic information from young Malfoy, but thinks we should give him a little bit more time." He shifted uncomfortably, which was odd as even the arms of the sofa were very comfortable, and added with a touch of quiet worry, "His very words were, 'I'm sure Simon won't let Mr Malfoy stay out too late'." He sighed and ran a hand through his greying hair, and Harry realised Lupin didn't normally look quite this bad more than a day or two after his transformations. The moon was four or five days past full, he hazarded, looking up.
"Maybe he put a homing spell on the horse to make sure we wouldn't get into too much trouble with him," Harry offered. "Remember how he ran into the castle that day? And he's never run away into the Forest when someone fell off him. Simon could've run away really easily, you know."
Remus sighed. "Harry…"
Luna tucked her sharp chin down and glared at the gates. "Professor Dumbledore trusts Simon. Perhaps we should, too."
There was a silence. Snuffles blinked, pale eyes concerned.
Hagrid stopped it becoming any more awkward and coughed to clear his throat. "Great man, Dumbledore. And that Simon's terrible good wi' the kids."
"He bit Harry the other day," countered Remus. "I know Malfoy has been nipped a few times – I overheard him in the Infirmary talking to Madam Pomfrey yesterday. And what's this about falling off? I hope you're using cushioning charms. And what if he stands on you?"
Was this what Ron got from his mum on a regular basis? Harry suddenly realised having parents could have a downside. "He doesn't stand on you. The last time I fell off he jumped over me. He's very careful like that." He carefully forgot to say that the reason he'd fallen off was because Simon had bucked Harry off over his head. Thus the jumping, because Simon didn't want to change course and Harry was suddenly right in front of him. That wouldn't help matters. Nor would telling Remus that horses don't stand on people because they are finicky about their feet and don't like standing on squishy things like people.
Remus looked like he wanted to argue the point, but glanced down at Snuffles. Something in the dog's face must have persuaded him to let the matter lie. For now.
"Anyone hungry?" he asked. "The house elves put together a basket. Food for dogs, too," he added, and smiled, momentarily puzzled. "For some reason I had the oddest idea to ask them for a jar of food a badger might like. Any comments on that, Harry?"
"No badgers here tonight, sir," Harry replied.
Hermione looked down, a faint tightness between her eyebrows. Harry was reminded of his mother that Saturday morning in the Infirmary, trying to start a conversation with Remus to distract him from the rest of the room arguing his fate, and felt a twang that felt almost like guilt.
Lupin smiled again quickly, tightly, without real humour but with a real attempt at warmth. "Well. Never mind. I've got some rabbit for the dogs… it's raw, so if you don't mind you'll have to hop off the couch for that, Snuffles, and remember to share with Fang…"
The dog slid off the couch before Remus finished the sentence, looking back hopefully. Fang's nose twitched and an eye opened at the sound of his name. The other popped open at the sight of the basket, and the boar hound stumbled to his paws to stand next to the taller, shaggier canine.
Remus took the opportunity to sink down next to Hagrid, who smiled down at him. "Ah, now that was kind o' yeh to think of old Fang."
Fang drooled happily and beamed up at Lupin the Food Bearer.
"Not at all, Hagrid. Here you go, you two… although it's meant to be bad form giving dogs food before you give it to the people…"
An eye-roll from Snuffles as he snapped up one of the skinned rabbits told everyone what he thought of that theory. He took it back out of the circle of lamplight and settled down. The moist grinding of a dog picking at a small, bony carcass could be heard. Fang was less fussy and wolfed down his rabbit in a few seconds, then yelped.
Hagrid grabbed his dog by the scruff of the neck, pulled his jaws open and – to another yelp from the dog – fished out the small bone stuck in the top of Fang's mouth.
"Sorry," said Lupin.
"Ah, teach him not to gobble down his food."
"Will it?"
Hagrid looked doubtfully at his dog, now licking his paws for the last taste of rabbit. "Mebbe not." He slapped Fang's side affectionately. "Daft old thing."
Snuffles made a sniggering sound.
"Is he choking on his rabbit, too?" Hermione asked, leaning forward a little. "Oh, go back to sleep Ron," she said when he made a snorting, snurpling, waking-up sound.
Snuffles looked up at her and gave a minute shake of his head.
"Sometimes," Luna said in her slow, dreamy way, "I think that dog is almost human. Oh dear – are you sure he's not choking on a bone? That was a terrible cough. Poor old thing. Ah, no, he seems to have recovered now."
The poor old thing tried to look inconspicuous as he went back to slowly dismembering his supper. Lupin scratched his back with the toe of his boot. It looked uncomfortable, but Snuffles gave a distracted wag of his tail.
A moth attracted by the lamp zoomed into Harry's ear. He squeezed one eye shut in a lopsided grimace. "Right. That's it. When insects start trying to nest in my brain, that's the outside of enough. And – hey, wait a minute, did anyone tell Trudi and Bulstrode that Malfoy's a complete pillock and probably trying to run the Blockade?"
Remus nodded. "I saw them after I saw the headmaster. They'd just come to see him – I sent them back to Slytherin dormitory."
"Did you tell them why?"
"Did I need to?"
Harry wasn't sure it was safe to reply to that. Lupin sounded mild, but even he wouldn't let Harry get away with telling him how to do his job. Plus it wasn't right that Harry should need to tell the professors how professionalism worked. Harry filed that one mentally under 'brick wall – banging of head against'.
That file was already bulging with mental notes.
Lupin didn't follow up, thankfully. Which meant Harry didn't feel obligated to say that he had strong doubts Millicent and Trudi had obediently trotted back to Slytherin. Harry was about to suggest they move the watch indoors, when Snuffles looked up.
"Wuff."
"What is it, boy? Can you sense something?" Luna leaned forward.
"Is little Timmy lost in the old mine again?" said Lupin.
Snuffles wrinkled his muzzle disdainfully as the werewolf smiled.
"Wuff." The black dog got to his feet. Accompanied by a low rumble, the dog's hackles began to rise as its nose turned to the barrier.
"Snuffles?" Harry said, taking his arm from around Luna and standing up to squint into the pearlescent mist.
"Grr."
One of the gates shimmered, the iron bar almost touching the barrier rippling slowly. Was it an effect of the lamps? Harry checked quickly – no, the lamp glowed with the same steady yellow light; even the occasional moth blundering around behind the shade only threw odd shadows, it didn't bend the night around it. The gate squeaked as it moved in a breeze that never reached the couch.
Harry took out his wand. "Hermione, wake Ron."
"Snnk-k-whazzat?"
Ron was awake. Hermione whispered something into his ear and he blinked, unfolding his long, lanky form out of the sofa, he and Hermione getting up as silently as Luna and Remus until the lamplight spilled five shadows down the road towards the gates, Snuffles almost disappearing in them as the Animagus paced silently towards the gates.
A larger shadow towered over them as Hagrid stood. Fang whimpered and crept behind the sofa. Hagrid shook his head. "Death Eaters, Harry?"
Harry braced himself. "Get ready. I think –"
The barrier swirled and spat forth a galloping horse, silver shoes striking the ground silently, eyes wild and teeth bared.
The horse skidded to a stop in front of the group, rearing up to its full height as Snuffles leaped forward, barking loudly to stop the horse running down the students. For a moment the horse danced on its back legs, then it came down again, sides working like bellows, legs trembling and slightly splayed with exhaustion, the whites showing around its eyes and veins standing out over the black hide like a map to midnight.
Draco's hood had fallen back and his blond hair fell over his face, which was equally pale. Lips clenched over chattering teeth and his eyes were as wild as the horse's. He stared at the people in front of him as if they were strangers.
Fearing he was under the Imperius, Harry's fingers tightened on his wand.
"Mr Malfoy – are you all right?" But as Remus started towards horse and rider, the horse reared again, striking out with its front hooves. Draco struggled with the reins.
"Simon!"
Luna.
At the sound of the familiar voice, Simon settled back onto all four hooves again and whinnied with human-sounding relief as she ran up to him.
"Simon…" Luna took the bridle with one hand and smoothed her hand along the neck that gleamed with sweat. Flanks heaving as he sucked deep lungfulls of air, Simon ducked his head against her shoulder as Luna hugged him. "Simon, you daft idiot… why'd you do something so stupid…?" she whispered, her voice cracking.
"Malfoy – you okay?" Harry asked, stepping forward cautiously. Luckily Remus had stopped before Simon panicked and bolted, and Snuffles had tactfully retired to the couch, touching noses with Fang who was peering around the side.
"…Potter?"
"Yeah. You're back at Hogwarts."
"Ah. Good."
He didn't look entirely overwhelmed with joy. Harry only needed the lamplight to see the lines of tension around Draco's mouth and the way the Slytherin trembled.
"So," Hermione said, putting her wand away, "you did it." She didn't sound approving.
Draco blinked and focussed on her. "Granger… Yeah – uh, the time shift… it's a few hours. About four and a half, but I'm not really sure…"
"Brilliant," Hermione said with satisfaction. "So that takes out any possibility of upsetting the standing temporal wave."
"Exactly." Draco blinked hard, seeming to come back to himself at last. He dropped the reins now that Luna was holding the bridle. "So if the barrier comes down, it won't negate Hogwarts out of existence."
"What's this?" Remus said suspiciously.
"A hypothesis I've been working on," Hermione said. Even Harry could tell she was hoping Remus would let that stand for now.
Draco only seemed to notice the presence of two professors then. He smiled tiredly at Hagrid. "They worked. The shoes… absolutely perfect. Dementors out there. Simon… Simon runs pretty fast…" He slapped the still-gasping Simon on the shoulder. "Er… is he going to be all right?"
Harry couldn't see Luna's face from that angle, but Draco flinched from the glare she sent up at him.
Hagrid beamed back. "He's only a mite tired. I knew you two would be fine. There now, didn't I say Simon would get him back safely?" he said to the others.
"Does this mean we're supposed to thank the horse?" Ron snorted, and yawned. "Daft creature – you should've done us all a favour and left Malfoy on the other side. Still, that was bloody brave – consider yourself an honorary Gryffindor, Malfoy."
"Oh, God. I hadn't thought of that." Draco grimaced tiredly. Was it Harry's imagination, or was he frightened to get off Simon? One of Draco's hands was tightly wrapped in the mane, but Draco didn't seem to notice. "Look, I know how this looks, but it was done out of purely Slytherin motives – I was out of bribes."
Hermione nodded sagely, but looked like she was struggling not to smile. "And the fact that research has been advanced… what did you see out there? How is everyone? Is You-Know-Who in charge of the world yet?"
"Er, there were Dementors, I saw… look, I need to get off Simon before he collapses. He's just run several miles and charged down Dementors, not to mention travelling through the barrier and back..." He patted Simon's neck proudly.
"So you two did all right?" Luna asked mildly.
"For a given measure of 'all right'."
"Well, it's good to see you back safely," Harry said, although the words stuck in his throat like feathers. He added under his breath, You great prat.
In a mercurial shift, Draco was suddenly grinning so hard it was a miracle the top of his head didn't fall off. "Nice to see you, too." He looked down at his hand, brief surprise mapping out on his face – it seemed he had to tell it to let go – then swung one leg over Simon's neck (and, in Harry's estimation, was bloody lucky Simon didn't throw his head up and knock Malfoy off backwards) and slid down the horse's shoulder. When he landed he staggered, and had to steady himself by grabbing one of the stirrups. "Whoops."
Simon pulled free of Luna's hold and turned to nose at Draco's shoulder.
Draco patted the velvety nose, his hand visibly trembling in the poor light. "Well done, old chap. Hell, you look done-in," he added guiltily.
"He looks terrible," Luna said in her matter-of-fact way. There was a certain tension in her upper lip, but maybe it was just a trick of the light. "So do you. Are you sure you're not hurt?"
"Pretty sure. I mean, my shoulder's a bit sore from the Weaselb –"
Smack!
Draco reeled back, clutching at the saddle for balance with one hand, the other covering his eye. "Argh! What in Merlin's name was that for?"
Luna rubbed her knuckles. "I'm sorry, do I really need to explain to you how BLOODY STUPID you were taking Simon through the barrier like that? You could have KILLED HIM!"
Remus stepped up and put a restraining hand on Luna's shoulder. Luna stood, fists clenched, breathing heavily through pinched nostrils.
Draco glared at her warily from his one good eye. "A vocal disagreement might have been preferred, yes. Needless to say, I'm sure all of Hogwarts realises you are less than happy with my adventurous spirit."
Luna put her hand on a bewildered Simon's nose before he could bite her. "That was necessary," she said to the horse. To Draco, she said, "Don't you ever put him in danger again."
Draco took a deep breath, seemingly reining in his temper, and replied, "He was in danger the moment he came to Hogwarts. It's more likely Death Eaters will break the Blockade at a time of their choosing than we will, and when they do, do you really think they will be accepting of a Muggle animal? Simon will be target practice. Anything he can do to help us find out the parameters of the barrier is in his interest just as much as ours."
Luna was silent, a muscle in her jaw working as she stared Draco down. Neither of them blinked. It was as if the others, people, horse and dogs, had faded into scenery.
A moth flickered between them.
Luna nodded. "Next time you talk to me first. And Harry."
Draco's eye narrowed. "So you can exclude me at will? You're claiming Simon, now, you and Potter?"
"No. Simon belongs to Simon. As is right. But we three are responsible for his welfare – not just because the headmaster assigned us to him, but because we care for him. And he for us. So we need to discuss matters before making unilateral decisions based on secrecy and ego."
Harry held his breath and sensed others doing the same. Remus tightened his hand on Luna's shoulder, disregarding the horse's glare at him, and levelled a neutral, measuring look at Draco.
Draco took a deep breath. "Fair enough. But next time you argue with me, you do it with words. I'm not allowed to hit you back 'cos you're a girl."
Luna ducked her head. "Yes. And if you don't listen we can sort things out with hexes."
Draco smiled slowly. Or showed his teeth, which might have been the same thing. Or might not. "So. That's that. And I owe someone two apples."
Turning back to the saddle, he untied the fastenings of one of the sacks slung over Simon's withers and dropped it on the ground, twirling one hand. "Ta-dah!"
"What?" Harry snapped, as Luna took Simon's reins and ran her wand over the horse. Simon pushed his nose forward to be petted, but Luna was busy frowning as she scanned for injuries. Simon sighed. "Ta-bloody-dah what?" said Harry.
Draco planted his hands on his hips and scowled at him. "It means I did it. I thought 'eureka' was a little too advanced for a pleb like you."
"And 'eureka' would be in the wrong context, anyway," Luna said primly. "Look at his knees. What happened, hmm?" The soft voice was definitely for Simon, brushing his nose against the back of Luna's neck.
A panicky expression took up residence on Draco's face. "What's wrong with his knees?"
"They're skinned." Luna waved her wand. "There. All better."
Simon nosed at her shoulder.
"Must have been when he stumbled…"
"Simon doesn't stumble. Why did he stumble?"
Remus put a hand on Luna's shoulder again; perhaps he worried she would take another swing at Draco. Her scowl was murderous. As was Simon's expression at the sight of Lupin touching Luna. The horse's ears lay flat back against the skull.
"The Dementors. They…" Draco rubbed his face. "I didn't know they would affect a horse. I was actually counting on him being impervious to them. But that… He… Simon couldn't see them but he knew they were there. And… Look, can we talk about this later?" The pinched look was back about his mouth. "Simon's going to get a chill if we stand around yakking all night."
"Hm." But Luna switched her wand and a folded blanket appeared, floating down to lie behind the saddle over Simon's hindquarters. Apparently Simon was fine now – or not too far away from that happy place – because she no longer looked like she wanted to murder Draco on the spot. Although she still had that certain thinness to the upper lip Harry had learned to be cautious of. Maybe it was a good thing Remus was here. Harry wasn't sure enough of his own standing with Luna to stop her if she suddenly decided to exact bloody revenge on Malfoy for gallivanting around on her horse in the middle of a war zone. And, looking at Simon who was standing with his head lowered, still breathing hard, Harry wasn't too sure he wanted to stop her.
He rested a hand on Simon's head, relieved when Simon pressed forward just enough to let Harry know the horse recognised him and was glad of Harry's presence.
Draco seemed to finally sense that whatever he'd done must have been massively wrong if it had upset Luna so badly, because he stepped back to sling his arm over the saddle. "Look, everything's fine. Better than fine, in fact. And none of you," he added defensively, glaring from Harry to Luna to Hermione, not leaving out Lupin and even Snuffles, "seem to get that."
Hagrid coughed. Harry folded his arms. "You could have been killed. Worse, you could have got Simon killed."
Draco flushed under the lamplight. He seemed about to say something, but, with one last filthy glare at Harry, he turned on his heel, snatched up the sack (which appeared light for its size) and marched off.
Remus frowned and was about to say something when Draco paused, swore under his breath, and turned around. The high dudgeon effect was ruined when Draco stomped back and untied the other three sacks from the D-rings of the saddle. He would have left again, but Simon bent his head around and bit his shoulder. Gently, but when Draco tried to shake himself free, the horse pulled him backwards and off-balance.
Draco dropped the sacks and bowed his head. And that was when Harry noticed that Draco was shaking slightly, just like Simon. He'd been focussing on Simon because Luna had been. But now he saw Draco was in equally bad shape. With a pang of guilt over his last remark, Harry was about to step forward when –
"Hey! Malfoy!"
They turned to see the blocky shape that could only be Millicent Bulstrode, flanked by three of the younger Slytherins, hurrying towards the gate.
"Draco! What's going on?"
But Trudi was already running past her with her wand out and fire in her eyes. "Stu-"
Draco rallied at the sight, the bone-deep weariness Harry had glimpsed quickly disappearing under the Malfoy veneer as he straightened and held up a hand. "Stop, Trudi! He's not hurting me. He's only biting my cloak, not me. He just… doesn't want me to leave yet. Put your wands away. Now, please. You know how he feels about them." He put a hand on Simon's nose. "It's all right, old chap. I'm not angry with you."
Simon dropped his mouthful of fabric, sighed, and sniffed at the sack Draco was still holding. His breathing was settling remarkably quickly, although Harry noted the way the black ears flicked at every sound in the night.
Millicent, Trudi and two Slytherins Harry only knew by sight (second years, perhaps) had reached them now, tucking their wands into their robes or up their sleeves, but with glares at Harry, Ron and Hermione (and Trudi's glare at Luna should have sent Luna up in flames) to show matters weren't settled.
As if they ever were between Gryffindor and Slytherin, Harry thought with an inward sigh. Merlin, but it was getting old… He exchanged a look with Lupin, who seemed to have the same thought. Both looked away immediately, neither comfortable standing on this common ground.
"Professor Lupin," Millicent gasped, only just seeing him. She appeared to be reconsidering matters.
"Hello, Professor Hagrid," Trudi chirped up anxiously. "Is everything all right? We looked all over the castle for Draco – has he been out on the horse all this time?"
Hagrid's beard moved in a smile. "Aye, looks like. And he's back safe and sound. So is Mr Malfoy."
"And in desperate need of cocoa," Draco put in. "I'll just go and put Simon back, then I'll come and tell you –"
"No," interrupted Remus, making Hermione and Ron, who had forgotten he was there, jump. "No, it's not time for cocoa. Or discussing a jolly good lark with your chums. It's time to find out what your real motives behind tonight's escapade were. What you just did, Mr Malfoy, was reckless and irresponsible."
"Told you he's turning into a Gry-oof!"
Hermione had elbowed Ron in the ribs. Just in time – Remus didn't look in the mood for light banter. And Draco's pale cheeks were going scarlet.
Draco stepped away from Simon, giving the horse a last pat on the neck. Luna had the reins. Harry watched Draco and Simon carefully – both looked ready to fall over. Couldn't Remus see that?
"Mr Malfoy, I shall take you up to the Infirmary right now, and you will be isolated from the rest of your friends until you have given your professors a good explanation of –"
"– But I –"
"Silence. You've acted disgracefully, endangering not only yourself but Hogwarts and its occupants. You –"
He broke off.
A tall black horse had slid between Remus and Draco, ignoring Luna's tug on the reins.
Dark eyes glinted with undirected malevolence, the ears were tilted back and the head lowered with slightly more than mere exhaustion. This close, it was easy to see the fine tremor in the horse's slender legs – or it was for Harry. Why not Remus? Simon was close to collapse, but he wouldn't take threat to his humans lying down. And Harry doubted a stallion who'd just been dealing with Dementors was going to be reasonable when confronted with a growling werewolf.
"No offence, sir, but I think we'd better have this conversation tomorrow," Luna said.
"And am I supposed to be ordered around by some non-sentient herbivore?" Lupin replied tersely, watching Simon with distaste.
Simon's muzzle wrinkled.
"Well, maybe in this case, sir. He's got his old expression on of 'I've had a really bad day and now am utterly fucked off'," Luna said blithely.
Lupin's eyes widened at profanity from Luna. He wasn't the only one surprised – Harry thought his eyebrows would fly off his head he'd raised them so fast. Hermione's face was a study of careful non-expression. As for Ron – had there been a clunk when his jaw hit the ground? Draco appeared mildly puzzled; perhaps he thought he was imagining things. Millicent had her hands clapped over Trudi's ears, and was glaring at Luna.
Then Lupin shook his head and snorted softly with laughter. "God. I find myself relating to a horse, now."
"I'll see 'em back to the castle if yeh were wantin' to see Per'fessor Dumbledore and let 'im know that Draco and Simon are safe back, like," Hagrid said cautiously, resting a massive hand on Remus' shoulder.
"First I need to know what Malfoy brought back in those bags of his."
Draco shrugged. "Fair enough." He squatted down to open one of the sacks.
"So," Millicent said slowly, wearing that I'm-a-bit-slow-on-it expression which no longer fooled Harry, "why exactly are you out here getting detention from Professors Lupin and Hagrid, and being daft enough to argue with a pair of Gryffs in front of faculty, for that matter… I'll not ask about the horse. Or Luna. But what exactly is going on? And why are you wearing Muggle clothes?" she added, spreading her hands in mingled disgust and astonishment at the sight of Draco in trousers and a jacket.
"Because I didn't want anyone who saw me thinking 'ooh, there goes a wizard'," Draco sighed. He rummaged in the sack. "And it turns out our Trudi is a really good designer – you'll be designing robes for some of the better boutiques one day, Trudi – and made these for me. Call it a disguise, if you will. Sorry I didn't tell you exactly why I needed the clothes, Trudes. Oh, and I got something for you, Milli'… Here we are." He pulled out a paper bag that rustled, and Simon's nostrils rippled as the horse whinnied softly and the pointed ears shot forward with undisguised greed. Draco stood, turning a shoulder to the horse before Simon could raid the rustling bag. "I wasn't sure if you liked it soft or hard, so I got you a mix."
Harry wondered if this was some sort of Slytherin secret code, and if so, did he really want to crack it? He was astonished by Millicent's reaction to Draco's words.
From the bag Millicent pulled out a box, and she stared down at it for a handful of seconds. Then she wrapped her arms around Draco and hugged him so tight she lifted him off the ground and he squeaked as she almost crushed his ribs.
"Ha ha!" she crowed. "Yes! Brilliant! Thank you, Draco! Hey… get out of it, horse!" she growled, dropping Draco.
But instead of attacking Millicent for her unprovoked hug of Draco, Simon was sniffing enthusiastically at the box.
"I think he likes liquorice," Millicent said, snatching the box to her chest and stepping back. Luna had to tug on the reins quite strongly to stop Simon from following. Simon shook his head angrily. Memories of Dementors could be healed by the smell of liquorice, it would seem.
"Well, I got peppermints for him," Draco said calmly. "I also got some fudge for Potter but I think I'll keep it for myself after all the fuss he put up. Oh, no I won't. Here you go, Potter. I'm a magnanimous sort."
"Magnanimous sort of what?"
Draco was too slow to grab the bag of fudge back.
"Sorry," Harry grinned, "but I need some sort of compensation for waiting here for you. It may be summer but it's not like it's warm or anything, you know." He opened the bag and offered a piece to Hermione and Ron. Luna shook her head when offered – she was too busy trying to keep Simon from standing on Bulstrode. Hagrid took a piece with a wink at Harry.
"Huh." Draco proceeded to ignore him and dug around in the bag.
Perhaps he knew Harry was itching to ask him what the hell he'd been doing, and didn't feel like answering that yet. Or not in front of the teachers, which made sense. Maybe he'd have said something to Hagrid, but not with Lupin around…
Sudden anger warmed Harry. Why did Remus have to stick his big nose into things that didn't concern him? When did Snape turn into Severus, and Lupin turn into Snape?
Harry distracted himself from that unhappy line of thought with another square of fudge. It was delicious – obviously from Honeydukes, which made the best fudge anywhere.
"Well, while I'm still being magnanimous, I even got something for the Weasel." With a smirk, Draco pulled out a small packet of jelly slugs. "I'm sure he'll enjoy them. Ah, those happy memories from childhood are so precious…" As Ron's face contorted, Draco handed them to Hermione, who looked like she didn't know whether to laugh or not. Ron was going scarlet, but he didn't say anything. Lifting one eyebrow to show he was impressed at Ron's forbearance, Draco gave Hermione some chocoballs, which she took with a gracious "Thank you, Malfoy" that seemed to satisfy both of them (if not Ron).
"Hagrid… I thought you said once you like toffee – see if those don't break your teeth… Luna… I've no idea what you like, so I got you appledrops. Here are the peppermints for Simon – see if you can use them to lure Simon away from poor Millicent – oh, for pity's sake, Milli', give him a piece… There. Now he doesn't know if he likes it or not." Simon was tossing his head up and down as he mouthed a piece of liquorice, obviously in two minds about whether he should spit it out or keep chewing.
The horse settled for drooling liquorice-scented saliva but unfortunately didn't stop shaking his head, and Millicent and the younger students backed off hurriedly before they could be splattered with gooey black horse spit.
"Oh – that reminds me…" Draco pulled a small, flat box from the pocket of his jeans. "Potter. Got something extra for you."
It was a box of handkerchiefs. "Gee. Thanks."
"See if you can teach Simon to use them. Now. Trudi."
With a flourish and a slight popping noise as the box came out of the bag and expanded back to normal size, Draco pulled out the biggest, fanciest box of chocolates Harry had ever seen. With a slight bow, he presented it to Trudi, whose mouth formed an O of astonishment. "For everything you've done to help me, Trudi. Don't expect me to forget about it," he said, briefly very serious indeed, and there was a flash of something determined about him. Harry had glimpsed something similar in Lucius when he told Severus he was free of his parents. But the difference between Lucius and Draco was that Draco wasn't expecting a future reward out of it by selling out someone who trusted him.
Maybe that was the key difference between Lucius and Draco.
Trudi was holding the box like it contained diamonds as she smirked at the Slytherin second-years. They were slightly mollified when Draco handed them a novelty bar each. "Thanks for looking for me – sorry to put you to the trouble.
"I've also got some chocolate – but I'm sure if I offered that to Professor Lupin, he'd see it as a bribe. And I'm still finishing off my last lot of detention." Draco shoved the chocolate bar back in the sack as Lupin rubbed his chin. "Isn't that right, sir?"
"Given the amount of detention you're going to get, another month's worth for bribing a teacher would be a drop in the bucket. But no, thank you."
"I wasn't offering," Draco said. And Harry realised that Draco, despite his advice in the Infirmary to Harry about how people grow and change, had some personal grudge against Lupin.
"Glad to hear your integrity stands intact. Now. What's in the other bags?"
"Stuff for Hermione – her projects needed some extra ingredients – and I picked up some letters. I believe there's one for you."
Expression bland as milk, Remus touched the top of the indicated sack. There was a soft pop and a small square envelope appeared.
He touched it with his wand, earning a hooded glare from Simon, and nodded. "It's for me."
The parchment crackled as he took it out and unfolded it. He scanned it quickly. "Tonks. She says…" He sighed and folded the paper. "Never mind. Suffice to say, I'll allow the bags into Hogwarts. Hagrid?"
"Aye?"
"Can you see to the horse? Best if I take Mr Malfoy up to the Infirmary to have him checked over for hexes. I also intend to isolate him for the next few days, just in case."
"What?!"
"Now, then, Draco; that's fair enough. Yeh migh' have caught any number o' nasty hexes out there. Best to quarantine yeh fer a bit."
"But I have to…!"
"Have to what, Mr Malfoy?" Remus asked smoothly.
"Nothing." Draco's expression closed down and turned sulky. He swayed. Millicent put out an arm and caught him as he staggered.
"Come on – let's get you to the Infirmary…"
Draco cast an urgent look at Harry. Harry, sure Lupin and Hagrid weren't looking, nodded and mouthed I'll see you later.
He looked down to see Snuffles watching him. Harry glared, and the dog cocked an ear innocently.
"Come on, Simon," Luna said, pulling the reins.
Simon's neck stretched around, pulled by the bridle, until his nose pointed towards the paddock. His hooves, however, stayed firmly planted. Luna might as well have been trying to uproot the Whomping Willow.
"Now what?" Lupin asked tersely from further up the driveway, gingerly putting a hand on Draco's shoulder to pause him. "Harry – is that horse going to follow Luna or not?"
Harry rested his hand on the horse's neck, feeling the prickle of drying sweat. The cant of the ears showed Simon was still anxious. The way the horse eyed the Slytherins confirmed Harry's suspicions. "I think I know. I'll see him back safe," he said to Simon, nodding towards the group of Slytherins. "You and Hagrid… and Snuffles? Yes, and Snuffles," he added as the shaggy black dog gave the tiniest nod to show he'd heard, "will look after Luna."
And when Harry had caught up to Draco and Remus, stepping between them, he looked back to see Simon relax and acquiesce to Luna's tug on the reins. Harry nodded to himself.
"What was that about?" Trudi asked, as the tired horse was led off through the darkness towards his paddock, Snuffles casting one last look back to Harry and Remus as if to reassure them he'd keep an eye on things. Harry felt unaccountably better for it.
Harry smiled thinly at Draco. "He just wants to be sure Malfoy here gets back safely. Simon began the job – he expects me to finish it for him."
Draco tilted his head, sneering. "Oh, come on…"
"Okay. Let's go," said Harry, deliberately misunderstanding.
ooOOoo
Inside the Infirmary, Lupin said, "You can go to your dormitories now."
And Harry nodded. "I only said I'd see Draco to the Infirmary." He smiled with false sweetness. "I promised Simon."
Draco rolled his eyes, but looked mildly amused. "Well, we can't go around breaking promises to horses."
"No," Harry replied, as Millicent and the younger students exchanged looks that clearly said 'Potter's off his rocker – again.'
Draco stilled, abruptly serious. "No. We can't do that. Potter –" He broke off at the sight of Madam Pomfrey hurrying out of her office.
Harry, who'd been turning towards the door, paused. "What?"
"I didn't realise I'd endanger Simon – not more than I thought he already was. I thought he deserved to have some role in shaping his fate. Can you check him tomorrow? The Dementors, they…" He cast a quick look at Hermione, who was almost bursting with the need to ask questions, Ron (bursting with the need to get back into more congenial Gryffindor company), and the Slytherins, who were hanging on every word. "There were so many. They really scared him. He must have thought he was going to die."
Harry nodded, hearing what Draco couldn't say. "He's home now. He's safe. Admittedly as safe as anyone can be. All of us together – we'll keep it that way for him. And you're right – he's got as much right to take part in the safety of Hogwarts as any one of us."
And he hoped Draco knew who Harry was really talking about.
Draco.
Harry.
Everyone at Hogwarts – everyone fighting against Voldemort.
Even tall, black, bad-tempered liquorice-thieves.
"All of you, back to your dorms," Lupin said.
Harry recognised the signs of someone at the end of their tether. He waggled four fingers at Draco in farewell, getting a puzzled look in return. Harry rolled his eyes. It wasn't like he could give out major hints with Lupin watching him like a hawk – or like a wolf. "Give him something to stop nightmares," he whispered to Madam Pomfrey as he passed her. She gave him a startled look, but Harry thought he saw her nod.
The Gryffindors parted from the Slytherins on the top of the stairs. Harry was on autopilot finding his way back to the common room, where he promised Hermione he'd get her list of questions to Malfoy. He did remember finding his bed, which was the next best thing to heaven, and setting his alarm, promising Ron it'd not wake everyone else in their dormitory.
And he pulled the drapes around his bed and slept without nightmares for four hours.
That was when the alarm went off.
Snarling silently about Dark Lords who kept trying to take over the world, necessitating decent people sneaking around in the middle of the night when they would much rather be fast asleep dreaming about playing Quidditch on horseback, Harry got up and found his Invisibility Cloak.
ooOOoo