Chapter 24 – The Clan Revealed
Harry approached the topic of the family dinners again after the Veela Council agents departed. "Draco, I reviewed the books about the week of the initial bonding and the interaction with family." He paused and Draco nodded encouragingly. "From what I read, tradition clearly states that only immediate family should be included. While I feel that Ron and Hermione are the closest thing to siblings that I'll have and Neville would have been my god-brother if I hadn't been put with my Aunt, they aren't immediate family." He frowned slightly and reluctantly added "Neither is Remus Lupin."
Draco leaned over and laid his hand over Harry's. "The point of the tradition is to help each of us form a closer relationship with the Mate's family. Our bond expands to include them to a lesser degree; it eases us into a relationship with them. I wouldn't be surprised if it helped you to agree to give Severus another chance after the Occlumency disaster."
Harry blinked in surprise. He had agreed to the truce because he knew Snape would be a part of their lives and he wasn't willing to drive a wedge between Draco and his godfather. But had the bond helped with the decision? "As strong as the bond is between you and Draco, it is likely that it helped smooth over the pain and aided you in your decision" commented Ortinoth. "Bond mates support one another; you wanted to help your bond mate keep his relationship with his godfather, so you agreed to a… cessation of hostilities."
The Gryffindor realized that Draco was still speaking and returned his attention to him. "If Weasley, Granger, Longbottom and Professor Lupin are who you want me to accept as your family, then we'll include them."
The blonde received a warm smile in return. "That's very considerate of you sia'thurirl." Harry's eyes crinkled in amusement and he continued "Who are you and what have you done with Draco Malfoy?"
The Slytherin smirked "A Malfoy always knows when to make concessions to attain the greater reward."
At Draco's insistence, the teens reviewed the Black properties for Sirius' bequest to Harry. "Harry, we must abide by your Godfather's wishes, and it is my duty as the new Lord Black to ensure his bequests are granted. He had no way of knowing we would become bond mates."
Harry ran his hand through his hair, messing it up even more. "I know, but it seems a bit silly since we are bond mates now. OK, I don't have anything in France and your family has a castle in the Loire Valley. What about the townhouse in Paris for me?"
Draco searched through the pages and pulled out the sheet about that property. "Let's see, built in 1860 it has six bedrooms, four bathrooms, dining room, sitting room, living room, kitchen, the building is built on a courtyard with several balconies overlooking the courtyard. Other than that, it only states that the condition is "good" which probably means it needs refurbishing." He looked up at his Mate. "It might be nice to have a place to stay if we want a weekend in Paris."
Harry chuckled. "I can't even conceive of visiting all these properties often enough to make keeping them worthwhile, but that one sounds fine to me. I can probably rent it out if we decide not to use it regularly. From what I understand, property in Paris is rather limited."
Draco nodded and quickly penned a note to Gringotts for the bequest and gave it to Harry to sign as well. "Perhaps we can make a tour of all of our holdings this summer, just to see what we really have. I enjoyed seeing Castle Black."
Harry agreed and asked "What would you think of sending a house elf around to each property to take pictures, or asking the staff at each holding to send us pictures so we know what to expect?"
The blonde raised an eyebrow. "I would never have thought of that. I never asked any house elves to handle equipment that sensitive, but if it appeals to you, we can always try."
The Gryffindor grinned "It might take a while for whoever we assign to get it right, but it would give us an idea of how much redecorating is needed, or whether a place needs more staffing to get the grounds in good shape. But I like the idea of touring all the properties this summer."
A tapping on the owl portal of their chambers brought Draco to his feet. He smiled as he recognized his mother's eagle owl.
"Hello Aphrodite" he said as he offered the owl a treat and untied the shrunken package from the offered leg. "How are you?" He scratched the regal owl who accepted the ministrations haughtily as her due. Harry chuckled and muttered "Even their owls are conceited."
Draco cast a quick "Engorgio" on the package and then grinned and handed it to Harry. The Gryffindor looked at him in surprise. "From my mother" smirked the Slytherin.
Harry opened the box and took out the note.
Dearest Harry,
Until we have the opportunity to go shopping, I took the liberty of having Draco's tailor Marcel send swatches of materials. I suggested that you would appear best in the darker jewel tones, so those are included in a variety of fabrics. There are also various brocades for vests or doublets, and suggestions for both formal and informal robes. Do you have a particular style you prefer or are you partial to the traditional robes?
Please identify the colors and fabrics that you prefer and Marcel will be sure to have them available to begin designing new clothing for you when we visit.
Lucius and I are looking forward to dinner tomorrow.
Love to you and Draco,
Narcissa Malfoy
Harry held up the squares of material and looked at Draco with an expression rapidly approaching horror. "Doublets? I need doublets? What in Merlin's name is a doublet anyway?"
Draco laughed at the dismay on his Mate's face. "A doublet is a tight-fitting jacket. They're worn for specific occasions, and you'll only need a couple of them. Do you remember what that Hufflepuff…what is his name…Macmillan wore for Halloween last year?"
Harry frowned trying to remember. "He had a Scottish kilt and a bagpipe that made a bloody annoying screech."
Draco nodded. "The jacket he wore in addition to the kilt was a doublet."
"Oh" Harry said with relief. "That wasn't so bad. Just a normal jacket them. I can deal with that. But what about all these?" He fingered through all of the large squares of material.
"You had better choose those you like or perhaps those you hate and don't want to see again, and be prepared for Mother to review your choices tomorrow night."
Harry grumbled for the next several minutes as he pawed through the swatches to the intense amusement of his lowaar.
After a quiet day spent catching up on their homework the following day, Harry and Draco were joined by his parents and godfather for dinner. When the meal was complete, they stood to move from the table to the sitting area in front of the fireplace when a tapping sounded at the owl portal.
Harry went to open the window and found a tawny owl wearing a collar with the insignia of the Veela Council. The bird nodded to the boy and held out a foot so that Harry could untie the scroll. He offered the bird water and a treat, which was accepted. With quiet "hoot", the owl nodded at the scroll.
Harry asked "Are you waiting for a reply?" At the answering hoot, he added "OK, hold on." He walked into the room looking at the scroll and then met Draco's eyes. "It's addressed to both of us from the Veela Council." He offered Draco the scroll.
The blonde took the scroll and unrolled it, reading quickly. "The investigators completed taking all the testimony in one day and submitted it to the Veela Council today" he began. "The Council ruled that Bulstrode's actions were a deliberate attempt to interfere with the bond of a Veela and his Chosen. The attack upon Madame Pomfrey, the attempt at Line Theft and Bulstrode's lack of remorse was also considered during their deliberations." He read more and then smiled coldly. "She was found guilty and is subject to the penalties imposed by the Veela Council per the Treaty of 1239." He looked up at Harry. "One potential penalty would be that she act as the carrier for any children we want to have."
A look of distaste crossed Harry's face. "I don't know about you, but even if it had none of her genes, I wouldn't want her to carry a child for us. Besides, it's supposed to be an honor, isn't it? I don't want her honored with anything after what she did." Both teens were too involved to notice the shocked expressions on the adult faces and the shared glances at the discussion of children.
"Agreed" replied Draco. He looked down and continued reading. "In that case, we have the option of offering her to other Veela couples for service as a carrier for fifteen years. If accepted, she would be under compulsion spells to cause no harm to the child or herself during those years and would have a minimum of four months between pregnancies. At the end of the sentence, if Mind Healers feel she is a threat to anyone, she will be obliviated to a child's age. Alternately, we can demand that she be sterilized through the removal of her womb and imprisoned for no less than ten years."
Harry looked at him. "What do you want to do, Draco? The assault was against you. I will support your choice."
The blonde looked at the parchment again. "If she serves as a carrier, she could probably carry one child every thirteen months, so being forced to carry and birth a dozen or so children she would have no claim to would almost be an acceptable penalty, if it weren't that her family could twist the public perception that she was acting selflessly through that service. I don't want any honor coming to her or her family through her actions." His face tightened. "Sterilizing her followed by a prison term leaves her with no social standing. She would be a disgrace and pariah to her family. She wouldn't find a decent matrimonial match as she couldn't produce an heir. That sentence would be my choice." He looked at his parents, who nodded curtly in agreement.
"So be it" Harry replied. He was actually surprised that a death sentence wasn't an option, but death would be too quick as far as he was concerned. The teen retrieved a quill and ink for Draco who responded briefly to the note and signed his name. Harry signed his confirmation below Draco's signature and then returned the scroll to the owl which departed immediately.
He sat back down next to the blonde and asked quietly "Are you OK sia'thurirl?" Draco laid a hand on his arm and nodded. "I will be."
The blonde turned to his Godfather and deliberately changed by topic by asking "Have you had a chance to read much of Salazar Slytherin's journals yet, Severus? What can you tell us?"
Harry listened for a while to Severus talk with passion about the Salazar Slytherin journals, as Lucius and Draco asked many questions. Gradually his mind wandered to the bond with Draco and the impact on his life. While he would have liked to mind wipe Bulstrode, he supported whatever Draco found appropriate. He considered the week's activities as the bond "settled". He regretted giving up his daily exercises with the lowaar, but being separated from Draco would have strained the bond, just as sleeping in separate rooms had. Even so, Harry missed his elemental training.
"I wonder if the elemental abilities are 'the power he knows not'" he mused to his lowaar. "Or is it the transformation to my dragon form?"
"Either could fulfill the prophecy" Ortinoth admitted. "You know that the Clan doesn't place a great deal of confidence in prophecies as they are always open to a variety of interpretations. We prefer to make our own paths and decisions, rather than be bound by an ambiguous prediction."
Charok added "When Voldemort is permanently defeated, what will happen to his marked servants? How will your bond mate's father and godfather be affected?"
Harry mulled that over. "When he tried to kill me as a baby and the Avada Kedevra rebounded, their Marks faded but remained. However he wasn't really destroyed; he still existed in an incorporeal form."
"Perhaps he wasn't expecting any resistance and had no active shields nor time to respond" commented Treith. "I would be interested in examining a Mark and seeing the magics involved."
"Lucius" Harry began at a lull in the conversation "may I see your Dark Mark?" He cringed mentally at the shocked looks he received. "I have a theory I want to validate" he added as an excuse.
After a moment of hesitation, Lucius pushed his left robe sleeve up and remove the links from his sleeve cuff. He rolled it back exposing his forearm. Harry moved next to him and looked intently at the black mark of a skull with a snake emerging from its mouth. The teen removed his wand and tapped it on the mark intoning "Evnek douta arcaniss vur irthosi" to provide a focus for the Juanth Darastrix magic. He offered control to Treith who began tracing the magic inherent in the mark.
"Similar to the slave brands used before we left this world" offered the Spellcrafter as he wound his way through the magic. Suddenly he stopped and pointed at a strand of the spell. "This is not good, ghergo'ir" he muttered. "See how it touches his magical core? Then see how it leads off? Let us follow it." Treith dove into the magic to discover that Lucius was one strand in a large web reaching back to a large black pulsing aura. "Voldemort" Harry identified from the feeling surrounding the fetid aura. Treith quickly retreated back along the web before Voldemort noticed them.
Harry looked at Treith with concern. "Why does it touch his core? What is the significance?"
"My theory would be that the so-called Dark Lord is capable of using the link to siphon his servant's magic. It would give him a nearly infinite amount of magic in a battle or duel. He could drain his servants of their magic and probably their life as well to sustain himself." He dove back into the strands of the Mark unique to Lucius and saw a thin thread wrapped around his life force as well.
"Then if Voldemort was prepared, he could drain all of his servants of their life and magic" Harry whispered to his lowaar in shock. "Perhaps it didn't happen before because he has to consciously initiate the drain to save himself and didn't have time with the killing curse."
Harry looked up from Lucius' arm, oblivious to the stares he was receiving. He moved over to Snape and lifted the man's arm while saying "May I see yours Professor". The Potions Master stiffened, but did not resist as the teen pushed up his sleeve. Harry stared at the Mark again tapping it with his wand and demanding "Evnek douta arcaniss vur irthosi". The result was the same; Severus' mark was linked tightly to his magic and life as well.
The dark-haired teen released Severus' arm and leaned back, rubbing a hand over his bleak face. "Bloody hell" he muttered. Without being conscious of his actions, he moved to the fireplace and stared down in it.
"Now what" he asked his lowaar. "If I confront Voldemort, I kill everyone marked. Most of them deserve it, but I can't take Draco's father and godfather from him! Do I have to ambush Tom so that he doesn't have a chance to respond?"
"Harry?"
The teen turned at Draco's hesitant question, and was surprised to find the blonde standing next to him with a hand on his arm, peering into his eyes with concern. "Harry, what is it?"
The dark-haired teen ran a hand through his hair and flushed as he realized everyone was staring at him. "I'm sorry sia'thurirl; I didn't mean to be so rude. My mind was running at frantic speeds." He turned to the adults and laid a hand on his chest as he inclined in a bow of apology among family. "Please forgive my insensitive actions."
Lucius looked at him with an impassive face while Snape was frowning. "What exactly did you see?" asked the former. The Potions Master added "And what language were you speaking?"
Harry tried to ignore the second question and answered the first. "As you can imagine, the Mark is part of a vast web tying each Death Eater to Tom Riddle. What I didn't expect is that it has a strand around your magical core and your life force."
He paused as Narcissa's face filled with understanding and she laid a hand on her husband's arm. Lucius and Severus were both expressionless, not revealing anything with their faces. He considered not continuing but at his lowaar's urging added "Riddle has the ability to drain both your magic and life to save himself. My theory is that he wasn't expecting the killing curse to rebound so didn't have an opportunity to begin the drain at Godric's Hollow. I was just wondering whether that meant he had to be killed in a definitive strike or ambush rather than in battle, so that he can't drain either of you beyond our ability to heal you."
Silence reigned for several long seconds before Draco stated "Bloody hell". Harry smiled with no amusement. "My thoughts exactly, sia'thurirl."
"Mind your language boys" murmured Narcissa absently. She stopped and looked at Harry. "What did you say, dear?"
Harry looked blank before he realized what he had said. "Sia'thurirl means my constant friend or partner."
She tipped her head. "In what language, Harry?" The Potion Master added "What did you say when you tapped your wand to Mark and in what language?"
"Bollocks!" Harry thought. He shifted uncomfortably and felt Draco's hand squeeze his arm in comfort. "Perhaps it is time, ghergo'ir" proclaimed Ortinoth, followed by the affirmation of the remainder of the lowaar.
Harry looked at Draco, seeing only curiosity and support in his eyes. He glanced at each of the adults and then sighed. "I am under a Wizard's Oath that prevents me from sharing that information unless you are willing to swear an oath not to share the information with anyone outside of this room."
Draco immediately withdrew his wand. "How do you want it worded, Harry?"
Harry tried not to wince and replied "Would you swear to hold what you learn this evening in absolute secrecy, not sharing it in any way with any entity except those in this room until I revoke the oath?"
Draco raised his hawthorn wand and said clearly "I, Draco Lucius Malfoy-Black, do solemnly swear to hold what Harry James Potter tells me this evening in absolute secrecy, not sharing it in any way with any entity excluding those in this room until he revokes his oath. So mote it be." His wand flared as the Oath was made.
"This involves the information you withheld from the Headmaster about where and with whom you spent your summer, Mr. Potter?" asked Severus.
"Yes sir. I am not ready to reveal this information to the Headmaster, the Order or to Tom Riddle."
While Severus considered that information and weighed the possibilities, Narcissa stood and approached her son's Mate, withdrew her wand and spoke her own Oath. "I believe my Occlumency skills sufficient to keep the Dark Lord from obtaining any information" she said to her husband as she returned to her seat.
Harry wondered what was going through Lucius' and Severus' minds. Surely they each held secrets they didn't share with Voldemort or the Headmaster? Lucius apparently made his decision and withdrew his wand to give his own Oath.
Severus would not be rushed and Harry waited patiently, trying not to consider how to proceed if he chose not to be included. Finally the Potions Master sighed and said "What is one more secret to conceal?" He stood and gave his Oath.
Harry took a deep breath and then looked at Draco. ""Draco, you asked me who I considered my family so that we could spend time with them this week. This past summer, I was adopted and I spent my holiday with my adopted father. He and the Clan corrected the lifelong neglect, restoring me to the health I would have had were it not for my relative's abuse." He looked at the Potions Master. "It was there that I brewed every potion from first year forward, besides reviewing every spell I had been taught. They also taught me some new skills." He looked at Draco with embarrassment. "I wasn't trying to deceive you, but I didn't want it to become public knowledge either."
Draco looked at his Mate with hurt showing in his eyes. "If you ask me to keep someone confidential, I will Harry."
"It's just…I have enough publicity with being the bloody Boy-Who-Lived. I didn't want to add something else to the mix and this is pretty significant."
"Just come out with it Mr. Potter" demanded an impatient Severus.
"The language is from the Juanth Darastrix." As faces frowned trying to place the name, he added "they are also known to humans as Elder Dragons".
In the stunned and disbelieving silence, Harry hurried to add "They left this world approximately twelve hundred years ago by opening a portal to another world. Many of their close-kin, the members of other species adopted into the Clan joined them, but some stayed behind, such as my ancestor. The Clan opens the portal every generation to confirm that the descendents of their Kin are well. When Aironth discovered that I was neither healthy nor happy, he made contact with me at my relative's house. After several visits, I accepted his invitation to visit the Clan and spent most of the summer with them. It was during the summer that we shared our blood and blended our magic. He is my opsola, my Father and Sire. I am his iejir'deevdru, his blood son."
The shock showing on the faces would have been amusing if he wasn't concerned. "There's a bit more" he added uncomfortably.
Draco found his voice first. "More? More than you being Dragon Kin? Salazar's snakes, Harry…that's incredible by itself. What else could there be?"
"Well, when a Juanth Darastrix dies, their final burst of magic imprints their consciousness on to the other members of his or her line." At their blank looks he continued "Their consciousness remains in the background of their descendant's mind to act as advisors and gives the outdweller access to their ancestor's memories and knowledge. When Aironth adopted me, I gained his lowaar."
He looked at the Potions Master. "One of them, Charok, is a Potions Master among other things. He was the one who had me re-brew every potion we ever learned, and taught me others as well. He is the one who suggested improvements to the Facticius Corium recipe and Treith, who is a Spellcrafter, helped with developing the Assimulo Vita spell.
"Harry" Draco squeaked and then cleared his throat and tried again. "Harry, how many dragons are in your mind?"
The teen chuckled at his bond mate. "Five. Ortinoth Flamewing, whom I call Naflopsola or Grandfather; Ydraith Trueheart whom I call Nafldask or Grandmother; Treith Ice Breather, the Spellcrafter, Azreth the Cunning and Charok Acidtongue. They make a lively chorus at times; they offer me unconditional support, as well as their advice and training."
He looked at Draco whose face was still showing amazement, but was now tempered with…smugness? "Do you remember when we visited Potter Manor and you were surprised at the Beatus Vita doors? Ydraith told me that Aironth spoke to the Beatus Vita on behalf of my ancestor as the Manor was being designed and convinced it to make the gift."
"Aironth…isn't that the same name as the one who adopted you?"
"One and the same. Clan-born live for thousands of years." He looked at Draco and chuckled. "That's one of the reasons I'm different this year. It's hard to be as reckless or quick-tempered when I have literally thousands of years of experience in my mind tempering my reactions."
"A living Dragon Kin" Narcissa breathed with a broadening smile and visible pride. "Our son is mated to the only living Dragon Kin."
"With all due respect, while Mr. Potter did produce an enhanced Facticius Corium recipe, how do we know he hasn't been placed under some spell or compulsion to simply believe these things?" Severus evaluated Harry with a critical eye.
"Hmph" muttered Treith. "And here I was beginning to tolerate your bond mate's godfather. Very well, may I assume control of your magic ghergo'ir?"
"Uh, sure" Harry responded mentally. "Do I dare ask what you are going to do?"
Under Treith's prompting, Harry waved Draco back to his seat. He felt a draw upon his magic and hid a chuckle as Treith explained what he was doing. A glow encompassed the teen drawing all eyes to him and then five distinct columns of light separated and began to shimmer, solidifying into his lowaar in their human forms. The other four in the room stood in awe.
Ortinoth stepped forward; in appearance he was a distinguished late middle-aged man with a V-shaped ridge clearly visible on his forehead. His waist-length golden hair was bound by a metal band and his golden eyes had cat-like pupil. He was clad in golden scale armor and radiated authority and power. With an elegant bow bestowed from patriarch to those younger, his deep voice reverberated in the room "Nightly blessings to you. I am Ortinoth Flamewing, Guardian and Protector."
He turned to Ydraith who inclined her head graciously as matriarch to younger beings. Her long flaxen hair was complemented by her white-gold dragon hide rune-embroidered tunic and skirt with a golden dragon scale belt. "I am known as Ydraith Trueheart, Guardian and Healer. Harry is my beloved Autgabin or Grandson." Her golden eyes met and seemed to bore into the very soul of each of the Malfoys and Severus, as if making sure they were aware of her protection of the young man.
Treith was clad in all white with his silky white hair bound behind him and eyes of the palest cyan. He inclined his head and laid his hand upon his chest giving a peer to visitor depth in his bow. "I am Treith Icebreaker, an Artisan Spellcrafter." His brief smile revealed rather sharp canine teeth.
Azreth had what first appeared to be raven hair, but when the light danced upon it, it became apparent that it was the deepest green. He wore dark green dragon hide boots and trousers, a black vest with green embroidery and a dark green shirt. Repeating Treith's bow he announced "I am Azreth, sometimes called the Cunning, an Academic Historian." His gaze swept over them one by one.
Charok's deep black hair glistened and his black scale armor was iridescent in the firelight. His obsidian eyes seemed to have no pupil. With a brief bow he announced "Charok Acidtongue, Master of several professions." He glanced briefly at Severus Snape and allowed annoyed good humor to show as he admitted "I failed to consider the Headmaster's hair in the potion as well." Severus' lips twitched in response.
Ortinoth spoke again, gesturing to the five. "We are the lowaar to Harry Potter. He is our Blood Kin and a member of our Clan. He has undergone numerous hardships and has risen above them to become a young man of honor, integrity and compassion. We are exceedingly proud of him." He turned to Harry and smirked. "If they seek more proof ghergo'ir, you had better find more space."
With a paternal bow to Harry who immediately returned a full familial subordinate obeisance, Treith released the magic and the lowaar faded.
After several seconds of silence, Draco whispered hesitantly "More space, Harry?"
The Gryffindor smirked at the stunned audience. "Just as the Juanth Darastrix have a human form, I gained another form as Blood-Kin." Draco's eyes widened in realization as Harry glanced at the Potions Master. "I trust that was sufficient proof that I am neither hallucinating nor under a spell or potion, Sir?"
"That demonstration may be considered adequate, Mr. Potter" Severus replied dryly.
Sia'thurirl = my constant friend/partner
Lowaar = Indwellers
Evnek douta arcaniss vur irthosi = Reveal your magic and secrets
Juanth Darastrix = Elder Dragons
Ghergo'ir = Young one
Autgabin = Grandson
