Gratuitous pun warning.
Chapter 25: Happy Holidays
Krait did not bother to inform Harry that her father had contacted her that morning to ask if she had yet succeeded in becoming pregnant with Potter's child; nor that she had said that it was too early yet to be certain. Krait was not about to be overly honest that she was three months gone with another child; especially as her father would take a dim view of her having Severus' child when she was supposed to be getting pregnant by Harry. It crossed her mind however that a grandson of Voldemort's would do him as well as a body to use as a son; and it might not displease him if she birthed a boy, regardless of the father.
And that she would do all she could to oppose; and was glad that her children were born of the Blood Group and protected by it from possession and – she fondly hoped – being made into a horcrux at all.
-/-
Krait and Harry were due to visit Malfoy Manor for the last few days of the holidays; and Draco had warned them that he was to be inviting Dudley too. Harry was cautious but prepared to hope that Dudley really was improving with keeping – Krait's irreverent description – and had to admit he had managed to exchange several quite civil letters with his cousin.
"Have to buy him an owl of his own" said Krait cheerfully "Pity his name isn't Titus."
"What?" said Harry.
"Haven't you ever wanted to get Titus an owl?" quipped Krait.
Harry groaned.
"Seeing as you're next thing to teetotal that's awful!" he protested.
Krait grinned.
"But how could I resist?"
-/-
Draco used muggle trains – with strict instructions from his cousin Abrax – to Little Whingeing in Surrey where the Dursleys lived. It was fun to use muggle transport, like and yet not like the Hogwarts Express, and enlivened with Abrax's charms on the wheels shouting 'Voldemort-demort, Voldemort-demort' all across the countryside. The eclectic – no, electric wire overhead flashed blue from time to time, and Draco pretended to himself that all that uncontrolled energy didn't make him nervous. It wasn't REALLY uncontrolled after all; and just because it looked like lightning and was made of the same stuff as lightning did not mean it would strike everyone in the carriage dead. Besides, the carriage was some sort of cage, Krait said, that electricity couldn't get into. Farday or some such name. It went faster than the Hogwarts express too, but the line ran the whole way and did not have to use a wizard gate the way the Express did in one of its tunnels to avoid a large muggle conurbation. They had enough trains of their own, you'd think they'd not have noticed an odd one extra, but that was the way it was.
Draco got out of the train at the Little Whingeing stop and presented his ticket at the barrier as if he had ridden muggle trains all his life. He was unaware he received a hard look from the inspector for such blatant honesty, wondering if this lad was pulling a fast one; and strolled out. It was fortunate the settlement had a train station; the large drill manufacturer where Vernon Dursley worked was a big firm with plenty of workers, many of whom commuted from the poorer end of the nearest town by train, and made keeping a station running worthwhile even under the tender mercies of Doctor Beeching, of whom Draco had never heard. Vernon of course drove to work from the better end of town; and Draco was planning to return to Wiltshire by car, the family Rolls Royce, with Dudley. He had just had a fancy – to the bewilderment of his father – to ride the trains on the way. Jark, the goblin driver understood.
"Good trip, Mister Draco?" he asked as he held the door for the boy outside the station where he was waiting.
"Most edifying" said Draco. "The electric flashes are a little unnerving but Krait says it's quite safe, the carriage is a, er, Farday Cage."
"Faraday, Mr Draco" said Jark, who had been given permission to correct Draco. "It'd even keep you safe from a lightning strike, and that's far more powerful even than the live rail on the underground or the overhead cables. Not that you want to go messing with either, mind."
"I wasn't planning to, Jark" said Draco "The more I learn about technology, the more respect I have for its dangers. It's just DIFFERENT to magic; but just as risky."
Jark nodded.
He enjoyed his chats about engineering and technology with Master Draco; and was of the opinion that the lad understood more even than muggle-mad Arthur Weasley.
The big silver car purred up to the side of number four Privet Drive making less noise than one of Mrs Figg's cats.
Dudley was watching out of the window, eager and ready. Petunia hovered, half afraid, half flattered that her son was invited to stay with one of the big names in the wizarding world; for it truly was jealousy of her sister that had driven her antipathy, and her ambition for her son was enough to overcome more antipathy than she felt. Vernon had vented his spleen; but Petunia had emphasised how important the Malfoys were, and how foolish it would be to antagonise them. And Vernon had to admit that Draco at least looked remarkably normal – normal for a real toff, anyway – and arrived in reasonable forms of transport. He had been half afraid that his son would be whisked away by broom or something even more outlandish like the flying car those red haired twins were supposed to have owned!
Dudley had lost weight; and looked better for it. Draco held out a hand.
"Big D – and most of that big part is muscle now! You've done well, you look very fit, I am impressed."
Dudley flushed in pleasure and shook the proffered hand almost shyly.
"I – I'm looking forward to spending some time working out with you" he said "I think I'd make a better showing now."
"I wager you will" said Draco. "Madam Dursley – servant, Mr Dursley." He bowed stiffly. "Have to carry your bag the standard way, I'm not seventeen yet so the other way isn't permitted out of school" he added cheerfully, more for the effect such open reference to magic had on Vernon than to impart information. He was not disappointed; Vernon went purple and huffed angrily. Draco grinned. "Chin-chin old bean" he said, facetiously, having been introduced to PG Wodehouse by Krait and enjoying the effect of upper class foppishness on Vernon too as he swept Dudley down the path and saw him tenderly bestowed in the Roller by Jark, appearing no more than a wizened little old man to muggles.
"I say, what kind of er creature is your chauffeur?" Dudley whispered as Draco settled beside him. Draco was startled.
"You can see he's not human? You've more talent than an ordinary muggle then; guess your mother carries it in her heritance" said Draco. "He's a goblin. Maybe if you practice you'll be able to see house elves too."
"Wait a bit – Harry said something about an elf doing magic that got him into trouble a couple of years back; he was telling the truth then?"
"Harry always tells the truth, even when it's inconvenient. It gets him in no end of trouble" grinned Draco. "Ah, THAT's a long story and does not reflect well on my family I fear… .I think we'd better catch you up on some parallel history. If you can see goblins for what they are, then when you get married there's a chance any kid of yours might be a witch or wizard."
"My parents would be furious!" gasped Dudley.
"Your father would; but I rather suspect your mother would be delighted" said Draco. "I found out she wanted to go to Hogwarts with her sister and was bitterly disappointed; we're hoping to set up a college to take muggle relatives that teaches some of the same classes to try for a better understanding, so by the time you're breeding in ten years or so we should be well away to take Harry's second cousins there if you want even if they're not magically active. You'd have been less afraid of it if you'd learned more about it, wouldn't you?"
"Yeah…yeah I guess I would" said Dudley, not bothering to refute Draco's claim that he was afraid of magic. "I s'pose that's why dad don't like it either; but it ain't no use talking to him about it because the very mention of that world has him in a fury. I guess if I do have kids at any time and they can do it he'll have to accept it."
Draco privately thought it unlikely that Vernon would ever accept magical relatives; but a man so choleric who did not watch his weight was also quite likely to be dead of a premature heart attack before any grandchildren of his were old enough to cause him apoplectic fits for their abilities. He decided not to mention this belief to Dudley however!
-/-
Lucius was distant but civil; Narcissa was distant; and Charlotte was kind. Draco introduced Erica and Nathan as his half siblings and Bella as a cousin. Dudley had never anticipated playing with children; his idea of playing with children younger than himself was scattering them with his bulk and making them cry. Draco however plainly expected his friend to play nursery games with the small ones – the little girls sighing at Nathan, two and three years younger than them – and Dudley found it surprisingly good fun. He was taken aback to have soft arms around his neck for a goodnight kiss when Charlotte came to take the children off for their bath and bedtime story; and was surprised to find he rather liked it.
"Engaging brats, aren't they?" said Draco. "I'll tell you their background some time; Charlotte's my dad's mistress however and officially they're my half siblings. What do you think of exploding snap?"
"er…good game actually" admitted Dudley. "I guess I might even get the hang of it enough to play with Harry in the long holidays."
"Yes, he'll like that" said Draco "It's one of those games that's ineffably childish but such good fun it doesn't matter. Do you play cricket?"
"Er.. I've played" said Dudley "I'm not any good though."
"Oh, then you have an advantage over me" said Draco "Apparently we're starting a cricket team in summer; you might run through some rules with me so I know what I'm doing!"
The evening just flew! The meal was a little nerve-wracking for middle class Dudley, especially since he had trouble seeing house elves and the dishes seemed to serve themselves until he stared hard enough to start to discern the servants. That was a small victory; seeing things wizards normally hid. And that meant all he had to worry about was using the right knife; though Draco had told him how to start with the outermost cutlery and move in. Harry would be arriving the next day, .Draco had said; and that was a little nervous too.
"I'll wake you for the run shall I?" Draco said as he left Dudley in a magnificent, if rather gloomy guest room. "The others are joining us for that."
"Uh, yeah, thanks" said Dudley.
"Don't forget, no electric light, I've put a pe-trol lighter by your candle" said Draco.
"Ta!" said Dudley, moved that his friend should think of such things that were so minor and yet so important!
-/-
It felt too early when Draco roused him; and it was dark.
"Not much fun at this time of year is it?" said Draco "I hate getting up in the dark. The elves have heated some water for a quick wash before; they'll have a deep hot bath ready for us when we return in that unpleasant state of both sweaty and cold."
"You don't like it either? I thought you were hardy and tough and laughed at discomfort!" said Dudley.
"Nobody LIKES it" said Draco "It's a measure of how hardy you are that you endure it for the sake of fitness. And that's important for our types too, the fitter you are, the longer you can sustain a spell, or keep casting; and in battle that can mean the difference between living and dying."
"You talk as though you expect to fight a lot" said Dudley "I know there's some kind of reason Harry has to live with us even though he hates it as much as I always used to hate having him; and it's to do with relatives and protection from someone nobody is allowed to say the name of but that's all I know.
"Ah, dear Fishface – it's what we call him" said Draco "Names have power; a powerful wizard can hear his name spoken and gain knowledge of the person who spoke it and some of what has been said. Next time you go on a train though, listen to the wheels; my clever little cousins Abraxus and Hawke enchanted them to say his name all the time, so if he listens he won't half get a headache! Right, let me fill you in while we wash and grab a slice of toast…."
Dudley had a full, if rapid, history lesson of what had been happening both at the time of his own birth and during the last few years. He was so shocked he even forgot to eat!
"You mean this er Fishface has been trying to KILL Harry? Why didn't we know?"
"Your father didn't want to know" said Draco. "You're man enough I think to take knowledge about our world and deal with it."
Dudley flushed, pleased at the compliment; and resolved to live up to Draco's expressed opinion – as Draco hoped he might!
They had just finished a hurried breakfast when Krait, Harry and David turned up from somewhere – Dudley thought perhaps he would rather not ask – chattering cheerfully. Introductions were made to David who cheerfully admitted to having come to visit Lucius to discuss nuclear fission.
Dudley preferred not to ask about that either.
"You can't make magical atom bombs can you?" he asked Draco in some alarm however. Draco laughed.
"No; but we need to make sure that non magical atom bombs have counters in case anyone else out there decides to have a nuclear temper tantrum" he said "My dad was well shocked to learn about them; it's a case of defence of the realm and all that."
He did not add that part of the defence of the realm was defence of the wizarding realm from English muggles and tactical nukes.
Dudley was amazed at how much he enjoyed the run. He had been enduring runs on his own, heartened by the thought of Draco running at the same time; but the whole business actually became enjoyable with the esprit de corp when there were several runners.
"I really wish I could join you to run every morning" he said wistfully "Though you're still a lot fitter than me."
"Time and determination will sort that" said Harry. "I – I guess we could fit you up a gateway; a bit like the way you get onto platform nine-and-threequarters. We do have gates to each others' houses, but not mine because of what your father might say if he found out. But if you INVITE us to, it'd be ok I guess…."
"all right…. I'd have to walk through a wall or something?"
"Yes…how about if we set it up in the cupboard under the stairs where I used to sleep? I can feel that pretty well, which helps setting things up. We all come out in one of the loos…it's a long story" said Harry "But it made sense at the time."
"It's where we meet, where the Chamber of Secrets opens – did anyone tell you about that?" said Krait.
"Yeah, Draco filled me in a lot…say Harry, I didn't know you were such a hero."
Harry flushed.
"I don't feel a hero" he said "I guess I blunder about doing what I have to do because somebody has to."
"I – I guess I'd rather help than hinder" said Dudley. "I didn't understand… Draco explained a lot. He – he's rather fine, isn't he?"
Harry grinned.
"He is now" he said "When he first came here we didn't get on at all."
Dudley nodded.
"He said he was spoiled and a bully – like me. Harry, can we start again? I know you've only got one more holiday at home, but….perhaps it'll be better?" he thrust out a big pink hand.
Harry, taken aback for a moment, gaped; then took it.
"You bet" he said warmly "I think we can be good friends with a bit of give and take. I never MEANT to do magic when I was little you know, and cause you grief. Though I enjoyed it happening as I got older, especially the snake."
Dudley paled at the memory.
"I guess you couldn't help it any more than I could help being strong – and not always knowing how much I might of hurt you" he said. "Start over?"
"Yeah" said Harry, meeting his eye.
It was an easy task to legilimens Dudley; and Harry was suspicious of the sudden change of heart. His probing however showed it not as sudden as it seemed; as Dudley had written to Draco, the Dementor attack had remained in his memory and scared him badly; and Harry's taking a stand between them and Dudley had made a great impression on the boy.
The attentions of posh Draco Malfoy had not gone amiss either; and Dudley was assessing himself next to the Malfoy boy and finding there was much he wanted to change. Harry gave a genuinely warm smile of pleasure.
Life was going to be much easier next holiday; even if Uncle Vernon proved to be difficult.
-/-
The last few days of the holiday were pleasant for the guests at Malfoy Manor; and Draco did not by word or gesture show that he had not enjoyed the questions Voldemort had subjected him to through the scrying glass.
He was supposed to be funking the job set him anyway; for the little creep to sneer at him was only good for their cover and a way to break his mother away from his hold too. Draco had not tried the Parseltongue order on her yet, for he did not trust her ability to act if Voldemort himself turned up at Malfoy Manor while he was back at school.
It would have to be done at the last minute; this he had discussed with his father, and Lucius had concurred.
It was going to be a busy term!