Friend or Foe?
Harry groaned as he blinked the sleep out of his weary eyes. The last thing he remembered he had been sneaking back to his bedroom after a long day of avoiding Dudley and his gang.
...Wait...Why was he thinking about that right now? Harry had been kidnapped! He was in some odd room. It was richly supplied. The bed he was laying on was...soft...Very soft as a matter of fact. There was a large fireplace across from his bed. The marble stone of the fireplace was all he needed to look at to realize that he wasn't in Hogwarts anymore.
Harry slowly sat up and as he did a house elf appeared.
"Master Harry Potter Sir!" Dobby exclaimed in delight.
"Dobby?" Harry questioned.
"Yes Master Harry Potter Sir? How can I help yous?" Dobby asked as he bobbed his head frantically.
"Where am I?"
"The manor lord asks me not to says but to take yous to see hims as soon as yous wakes up."
"Dobby? Please?" Harry pleaded as he got out of the bed.
"I's sorry Master Harry Potter Sir, but I made a promise." Dobby's ears drooped.
"I understand." Harry sighed as he began to follow the odd elf.
"Oh thank you Master Harry Potter sir! I knew yous were great, oh so great, and kind too, but your greatness knows no bounds!" Dobby proclaimed.
Harry blushed at Dobby's praise.
"I'm not that great." Harry shook his head.
"Oh yes yous are Master Harry Potter Sirs! Yous stronger than love potions and curses and-" Dobby's eyes widened as he realized what he was saying.
"What?" Harry asked flatly.
"The lord of the Manor told me...He asked to be able to tell you himselves." Dobby muttered before he grabbed a lamp.
"Bad Dobby! Bad!" He began to bash his head against the lamp.
"Dobby!" Harry stopped him.
"Thanks yous Master Harry Potter Sir." Dobby grinned with crossed eyes.
Apparently Harry hadn't been fast enough and he was still more than a little stunned.
"When did you find out about the...the, love potions and stuff?" Harry asked.
"I heard from the lord of the manor, and I investigated. It's true! They...they did that! But Dobby must not say anymore, can't break promise further!" Dobby mumbled.
"Who's they?" Harry asked weakly as they stopped in front of a door.
"Ask the lord of the manor please Master Harry Potter Sir." Dobby opened the door, bowed respectfully to Harry and popped away.
Harry drew his wand and carefully entered. He had entered a library. One at least as large as Hogwarts' library. It was richly decorated with dark woods and plush chairs. One chair held a figure Harry didn't immediately identify.
"Please, you won't need that here Master Potter." The smooth voiced man assured him.
Harry was immediately put on guard.
"You!" Harry yelled in shock.
"Yes me. But evil wizard or cunning strategist? That's the question isn't it?" The man said as he waved a hand, inviting Harry to sit near him.
His head was wreathed in long, rich, blonde hair. His robes were made of the finest silk, and he held a richly studded cane.
"Lucius Malfoy." Harry whispered as he trained his wand on the wizard.
"Relax Master Potter. I have some information for you that you might find...interesting."
"Information?" Harry asked in wonder.
"That's right. For example, why does the Dark Lor-Voldemort always look for you? Why where your parents killed? How does Dumbledore fit in all this?" Lucius said as Harry apprehensively drew closer.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"Before you ask, I'm not a dark wizard. I'm a survivor of a persecuted line. Do you know what the true Malfoy ideology is? Our motto is: Sanctimonia Verum or, "Purity of Truth". We aren't bigots like we've been posing to be."
"For some reason I don't believe you. Your son-"
Lucius interrupted.
"Has been following my orders. You see during the last rise of Voldemort, I had three brothers and two sisters. Myself being the youngest. We were pro-equality. However, on one day...'Death Eaters' attacked five locations. Each of them where not too far from my brother's and sister's locations. The Order of the Phoenix intercepted them...and all of my family members were 'accidentally' killed by 'friendly fire'. You want to know the strangest part of that? Not one 'Death Eater' was captured, injured, or killed. Yet all five of my siblings died. All on the same day. Merely a few minutes apart. Coincidence? Hardly."
"I don't believe it..." Harry muttered.
"I have the original reports of the Aurors, before they were exchanged for the replaced ones. I also have the memoirs of my brothers and sisters. It took me years to get the evidence. But I've always known the truth. You see, because the Malfoys were pro-'Mudblood'," Lucius spat the word out in disgust as he put up a couple of fingers 'quoting' the word. "we were all but exterminated. I knew there was only one way to keep the Malfoy line safe. 'Bend' to the nutcase's will."
"So you bent to Voldemort?" Harry glared.
"No. Voldemort is merely a puppet. He's going to be destroyed once you're to be killed."
Harry's eyes widened.
"Oh, Voldemort thinks he's powerful, and in some ways he is. But, most of his 'followers' are either like me, or plants by the true evil wizard."
"What do you mean?"
"Voldemort is merely a way for a certain wizard to become the most powerful. To control everything."
"Dumbledore would never allow that!" Harry protested.
Lucius smiled ironically. And a second later Harry paled.
"You're not suggesting that-" Harry began.
"You're right I'm not." Harry felt relief but Lucius continued. "I'm telling you." Harry's heart fell.
"I can't believe it." Harry replied.
"Oh why not?"
"Well...He's not a dictator." Harry began.
"Really? The minister is a foolish man who does exactly what Dumbledore suggests. He controls the Wizangamot, our governing body, he's in charge of the ICW as well. He's the Headmaster of Hogwarts to boot. What position of power doesn't he have?"
"The Department of Magical Law enforcement?" Harry asked weakly.
"He's got Auror plants, and he's got the ultimate control over that too via the Minister."
"Department of Mysteries?" Harry tried again.
"He's got the Head Unpeakable in his pocket."
"Ummm..."
"I hate to break it to you but I can prove that he's got total control. Just come to a Wizangamot session. Ask Agusta Longbottom to pass this bill." Lucius handed him a stack of paper.
Harry read through it quickly.
"A bill to allow muggleborns to hold seats on the wizangamot?"
"I can promise that Dumbledore will be against it." Lucius assured with a wry smile.
"When is the next session?" Harry asked.
"In just two hours to be honest. I took the liberty to have your trunk brought here. I know you have an invisibility cloak." Lucius smiled faintly.
"How am I supposed to talk to Mrs. Longbottom?" Harry asked with raised eyebrows.
"Just go via floo. She'll still be at Longbottom Manor." Lucius pointed at a fireplace that had a large jar on top of it. Flames were already flickering.
"Okay, I'll try." Harry agreed as he accepted his shrunk trunk from Dobby.
Besides, if Malfoy's wrong I'll be able to get away and to Dumbledore. Harry thought with an internal smirk.
A few minutes later Harry had contacted Neville and he agreed to allow him passage.
"Hey, Nev." Harry greeted him as he sprawled out of the fireplace.
Neville laughed.
"I used to think that I was clumsy." Neville grinned at Harry.
Harry blushed.
"Anyway, you wanted to speak to Gran?" Neville asked.
"Yeah, thanks." Harry nodded in agreement.
Neville led Harry though the winding house and met with Agusta Longbottom in the parlor.
"Hello Mrs. Longbottom." Harry bowed politely.
Augusta's eyes widened in surprise.
"Come in Harry! Oh, I've been waiting for this day for years." She smiled in delight.
"This day?" Harry asked in confusion.
"The Longbottom's and Potter's have been closely affiliated for years. Economically, Politically and Romantically. For example, you and Neville are third cousins. I've asked Dumbledore to allow a visit for years...but, oh at last!" Augusta quickly stood and hurried over to Harry.
She quickly pulled him into a hug.
"We're...we're related?" Harry asked in a stunned voice.
"Of course you silly boy? Did you forget?"
"I've never been told I have wizarding relations!" Harry replied in a shocked voice.
Neville chuckled darkly.
"Almost all pureblood families are connected somehow. The Potter's are fourth cousins to the Malfoys. You're a cousin of the Weasley kids. You're also related to the Blacks through marriage. The Potters...Are related to the Greengrass family through marriage as well." Neville explained.
"Why that's one of the duties of your magical guardian to tell you!"
"Who's my guardian?" Harry asked quickly.
"I'm not sure, but Albus Dumbledore seems to act like it." Augusta replied as she sat Neville and Harry down.
"Oh." Harry blinked in surprise before he shook away his shock and sat the papers on top the the small white table.
"What's this?" Augusta questioned as she waved her wand over the papers.
"No enchantments...that must mean it's political paperwork..." Augusta mused before she began to flip through it.
"What's that Harry?" Neville asked.
"Lucius Malfoy asked me to take a look at that. I figured I needed to find someone that's not attached to Voldemort to see what they thought."
"Counsel then?" Neville asked.
Harry nodded quickly as they waited for Augusta to finish reading the papers.
"Well, if ol' Malfoy's written this he must be getting back to his roots! It's about time!" Augusta smiled in delight.
"Gran?" Neville gaped in surprise.
"He was once part of the Pureblooded movement 'the Moderates' they desired to see equality but to respect the ancient lines and traditions." Augusta smiled happily.
"So the MALFOYS Were GOOD GUYS?" Neville gaped.
"Calm down dear." Augusta chided.
"Wait...can you tell us about the past?" Harry asked.
Augusta nodded faintly.
"Back around sixty years ago there was a trinity of Lords of ancient houses ushering in a new age. Charlus Potter; your grandfather Harry, My husband, and...Scorpio Malfoy. They were
working together for several things. Other houses allied with them, most notably the Bones, and the Greengrass houses. These three were pushing bills such as the Fair Job bill. It's the
bill that allowed werewolves to hold jobs until that hag Umbridge passed the anti werewolf legislation. A disaster suddenly happened. Charlus, my husband, and Scorpio lost
their lives to a terrible illness. Then, tragedy struck the house of Malfoy. Death Eaters killed Lucius' brothers and his sisters; all on the same day. This however, was merely a beginning.
The Bones were all but wiped out by assassinations, and then the house of Greengrass lost all but one son. It's truly terrible what that...that monster did." Augusta explained.
Harry's heart sank. Lucius had told the truth.
But...if Lucius was telling the truth then those who supported the bill would be in terrible danger.
"Can I take my grandfather's seat?" Harry asked nervously.
"You've been able to take it since you turned eleven Harry. Is that another thing your Guardian 'forgot' to mention?" Augusta asked.
"I guess so." Harry muttered.
Four hours later, Harry was walking away shocked, he had seen with his own eyes. Dumbledore and the Weasleys (yes they had a seat!) had blocked the passage of the bill. Harry had almost had it pass through but then Dumbledore and Molly Weasley stood up and shot the bill down.
Augusta had hastily pulled Harry away from the chambers. She had muttered that she had put the pieces together and before Harry could blink twice he was in Longbottom Manor once more.
"It won't be safe here for too long Harry. I never thought that Albus Dumbledore was the Leader of the bigotry!"
A voice Harry once felt delighted to hear filled his veins with ice.
"Augusta, you don't trust me anymore?" Albus asked as he entered the room via Phoenix.
"There's no way that Fawkes follows you loyally." Harry commented as he tried not to panic.
Neville was paling beside him.
"Boys, go to the ally I mentioned before we went to the Wizangamot. You aren't ready to face Albus." Augusta ordered.
"But gran!"
"Now Neville!" She snapped.
The two boys' heads shook a negative.
"Sally!" Augusta yelled and a house elf popped up.
Augusta had to dodge a pale yellow beam from Dumbledore's wand.
"Take the boys to Harry's home and then have him tell you where to find our ally." Augusta ordered as she fired a silent reducto at Dumbledore who simply dispelled it in mid flight.
"Yes Mistress." The house elf obeyed and before Harry and Neville had time to object they were standing near number four Privet Drive.
"Gran!" Neville yelled.
"I takes yous somewhere safe and then gets Mistress." Sally promised.
"Malfoy Manor!" Harry said in a hasty whisper.
It wasn't like he much of a choice. Dumbledore and the Weasley's were working against him after all and anyway, if he was fast enough maybe they'd get Mrs. Longbottom saved too.
I kinda got this idea while I was thinking about the fic called "The Pureblood Conspiracy." By Nom9de9Plume. In it however, almost every pureblood is a bad guy. So I asked myself...What if...the bad guys were 'good guys' and the 'good guys' were actually the bad guys?
But a problem arose: How could Lucius Malfoy be a good guy? He's a monster! Unless...Dobby was actually a gift to Harry (he didn't know because Lucius asked him to keep it quiet) but Dobby was bought from another family not long ago. He bought the crazy house elf because of his obsessive loyalty to Harry. (knowing that it'd help him) and then helped Harry 'free' Dobby. Because Dobby got the sock from Lucius (who wasn't his owner at that point.) Dobby made it look like he was free and 'blasted' Lucius.
As to Dumbles...he uses charms to make people forget frequently. (A super lockheart if you will.) And pins the evil on the purebloods that aren't directly under his control.
As to Molly...I figured that Arthur isn't able to be in on it. His passion for muggle things is too deep to be faked. So, he left Molly to the Politics (his seat) since he hates politics and he'd rather play with muggle things anyway.
Yes, this is one of those 'turn the world upside down' kind of things.
Now, I'm not gonna explain anymore in this AN but you get the idea I hope. If you have questions on how they made it look like that just ask in a review or PM me and I'll answer as much as I can without giving too much away...