Harry potter and the Time of Retirement
Everything related to Harry Potter belongs to JKR
Chapter 56 – Year 3
Two days after his disastrous, yet necessary, meeting with the headmaster Harry was preparing himself for his planned, and by that point even usual, Christmas lunch at Malfoy's.
For a while he had been uncertain whether he should go or not – he was still cross with Black, had little remaining interest in Draco, and was done with social interactions anyway, at least for a while. Black himself, actually, had wrote him by owl expressing displeasure for his sudden sickness at his Yuletide dinner and offering to come and pick him up before going to the Malfoy. A message that Harry merely threw into the fire, with a large shrug.
Still, he did promise to the hosts that he would go and it was true that whatever food was on the menu would be orders of magnitude better that anything he could cook or transfigure by himself. So 'off we go' he thought, locking the main door from the inside before apparating right into the courtyard of Malfoy manor. A suspiciously shaped package, prepared for Draco, was in one hand; a bouquet of flowers in the other.
The manor, as usual, was both cold and enchanting. 'More of a museum than a house' thought Harry, still appreciative of the old, spacious building and the well curated park. The latter, in particular, was covered in snow while the pathways were spotless; and who knows how much care was required to keep it that way? 'I should really buy my own elves. Even one' thought Harry, shaking his head and knocking on the main door.
"Welcome to Malfoy manor, sir" said the usual random house elf that opened the door, letting Harry in. With sudden displeasure, Harry noticed how he hadn't thought of Dobby in months, maybe a year. Was he even still alive?
"Hello. I am Harry Potter, I should be expected" said Harry, immediately walking behind the elf he had been invited to follow.
Without giving any more thoughts to the luxurious hallways of the manor Harry arrived in the main hall. It was packed full with people, mostly older couples, just like the years before. He couldn't see Black around yet but he had little doubts he would show up eventually. Still following the elf, he approached the elder Malfoys just as his presence was announced.
"Oh, young Harry! Welcome, once again. I am glad to see you could make it this year, too" said Mr. Malfoy, giovially, as the people around him spared the usual set of curious glances towards Harry.
"Thank you, sir. Merry Christmas, to you and your family" answered Harry while offering a smile to Mrs. Malfoy, clad in a shining long dress. "And this year, I am not unprepared. I doubted I could find a present worthy of note, but I hope these will be appreciated" he added, offering the bouquet.
"They certainly are, Harry, we are grateful. And merry Christmas, of course" said Mrs. Malfoy, picking up the flowers. "Forgive my curiosity but is that a cup?" asked Mrs. Malfoy, nodding towards the other package in Harry's hands.
"And inside joke between me and your son, Mrs. Malfoy" said Harry, half smiling.
"Related to Quidditch, I am sure" commented Mr. Malfoy, amused. "You are all growing up so fast, next year we might even ask for you to remain and talk with us. For now, Draco and his friends are in his rooms. Do you want to join them?"
"I do, sir. I haven't seen most of them for a while, after all" added Harry, with a bitter smile and a purposeful stare aimed at his host. He remembered very well who was responsible for him missing half of his second year at Hogwarts, after all. Noticing the implied message or not, Mr. Malfoy didn't lose a bit of his composure.
"Please join them, then. There is still some time before lunch" said Mr. Malfoy, looking at the house elf that had remained next to Harry for the whole time and that immediately gestured for Harry to follow him again.
"Have fun you boys" said lightly Mrs. Malfoy, smiling and turning around.
"See you later, thank you" said Harry, walking away. As he left the main hall he swore he could recognize a scraggy head of hair walking inside, but he neither slowed nor stopped for it.
It didn't take long for the house elf to lead Harry to his destination, a trip he felt he could do by himself at that point. Opening the door, he stepped inside the large room filled with boys and girls of all ages. In the center of it, as usual, was Draco Malfoy surrounded by his classmates from Slytherin and, forming their own groups, several other known faces.
"Oh, Potter" greeted Malfoy, with a nod. "My parents warned me you have been invited, but even they weren't sure you could make it. Glad to see you did."
"Your family's parties are becoming my Christmas tradition, Malfoy" said Harry, a slight smile on his face. Then looking quickly at everyone else, he addressed them. "Hello, everyone. Merry Christmas, or Yuletide."
Several greetings answered him, some more some less heartfelt. Some of the faces surrounding Harry focused on the package inside his hands. "Potter, is that a cup?" asked Zabini, curious.
"It sure is" said Harry, smiling and offering it to Draco. "For Christmas, and to celebrate your first Quidditch cup last year."
"Classy" murmured Parkinson, as Greengrass next to her was nodding appreciatively.
"Oh, thank you Potter" said Draco, awkwardly. "I feel embarrassed now, as i wasn't sure of your presence I didn't prepare you anything."
"It's ok, three invites in a row are a good enough present" said Harry. "Plus, inside the cup there are some handpicked sweets. In case you wanted to share them with all of us."
"He does" proclaimed Nott with a smirk, drawing giggles all around.
"After lunch, sure" said Draco, placing the present on a nearby table. "So, Potter. Small talk aside, what happened to you? First time I heard of someone quitting Hogwarts."
"True" added Parkinson. "The girls in Hufflepuff say that you moved back to your family home."
"Is there even a Potter manor?" asked Greengrass, cautiously. "I know your family has old roots, but…"
"Sorry Potters, you are not that impressive" concluded Zabini for her, rolling his eyes.
"I resent that" said Harry, amused. "Old doesn't make us justice, we are an offshoot of the Peverells. And sure, our family house might be modest, but our vault isn't."
"To each his own" said Draco with a shrug, obviously comfortable in in his self-assurance. "So you must be back to Godric's Hollow eh? I know there are still many wizards in there."
"Hannah Abbott claims you two are neighbors now" added Parkinson.
"I think Dumbledore comes from there, too" said Nott.
"He does, but I haven't seen him once during the whole summer" commented Harry.
"Nevermind all that, who cares" said Zabini. "What happened last year, Potter?"
"Technically, it is still this year" countered Nott, drawing an exhasperated look from Zabini.
"Are you still hanging on that old story?" said Harry. "I would expect everyone to move on by now."
"It involves Gryffindors getting in the infirmary, of course we care" said Draco, smugly. Harry wasn't smiling, though.
"Not a nice thing to say, Malfoy" commented Harry, coldly. "In any case, I don't plan to share the details with anyone."
"Come on, don't be boring" said Parkinson, smiling invitantly.
"Sorry, but I came here to get gossip, not to give it" said Harry, keeping his irritation hidden inside. "You are the one attending school, anything nice to share?"
"Not really" said Nott, shrugging.
"We have several new professors, but nothing to write home about" added Parkinson.
"Lupin, Defense's new one, is competent at least but…" started Greengrass, amused. "Let's just say he needs a new wardrobe."
"Professor Snape doesn't seem to like him" said Draco. "And I mean more than anyone else."
"I can imagine" said Harry, almost casually. "I think Lupin is part of a group that bullied him, back when they were all students."
"Really?" asked Zabini, surprised. "Now, that is something new" confirmed Parkinson.
"Are you sure about this, Potter?" asked Greengrass, skeptical. "There are already too many, clearly unfounded, rumours circling professor Snape around the school."
"Clearly unfounded" conceded Harry with a nod, as even Draco next to him was shaking his head, trying to hide his smirk. "Yet I am relatively sure about this. My dad was part of that group too and that is why Snape was set on me from the first day, or so I have been told."
"Mmhhhh" commented Nott. "It does make some sense."
"He never liked you, true, but I always assumed it was because of your…" said Zabini, stopping midway. "Notoriety?" He finally concluded, unsure.
"It still felt a little weird, how much it resented you" added Parkinson. "He normally focus on Gryffindors."
"My dad was one, and so were his friends" said Harry, shrugging. "Probably not a coincidence."
"Poor professor Snape" said Greengrass, smoothing her dress. "Seems like he had a rough school time."
"I am not surprised to learn Gryffindors were rude and uncouth even back in his days" commented Parkinson, smugly.
"Good thing you are a Hufflepuff, Potter" said Draco. "Might not be a prestigious house, but it is still respectable."
"I think you said the exact same thing about my family, back in first year" commented Harry, amused.
"Because it's true" said Draco with a smirk, as there was a round of polite smiles around the group. "Nothing wrong with being just another respectable wizard family" added Nott, nodding wisely.
"This makes me wonder, what about the missing Slytherins? Crabbe, Goyle and Bulstrode?" asked Harry. "I never see them at your parties."
"They are invited, of course" said Draco, stiffly. "My family would never exclude them."
"Crabbe and Goyle never come to formal events, they hate them" said Zabini. "Since they were little" added Nott "so their parents gave up. But I think those are here?" he half stated, half asked to Malfoy, who nodded in return.
"Poor Millicent, she doesn't feel welcome" said Parkinson, as Draco blushed, lowered his eyes and murmured that it was not his fault.
"We keep giving her advices on her looks, and she should lose some weight too" said Greengrass, shrugging. "The dear girl should not neglect her appearance so much."
From then on, the conversation moved to a mix of well meaning and half mean comments about their year mates, until they were all called for lunch.
Throughout the meal Sirius, that had been sitting once again aside Mrs. Malfoy, sent several conspicuous glances towards Harry who, having been placed once again next to some of the Slytherin boys, had tried to ignore as well as he could.
Which was not by much, since Black's situation was highly amusing for him: next to Sirius there was one, admittedly quite attractive, witch in her early thirties that, with clear help from Mrs. Malfoy, had been chatting up Sirius pretty much constantly.
The latter didn't even seem that displeased, probably due to the beauty of the lady. Nevertheless it seemed like the older witch would have to work for her prey, if that really was her intention, as Sirius gave her little more than some polite conversation and charming smiles.
Harry, together with the other younger guests, got to stand up and leave the table long before the older guests were done with post-lunch coffees and chats, something that didn't displease him one bit. There was only so much stuffy talks with strangers he could take anyway, and what the Slytherin boys had planned for – another quidditch confrontation, to make up for their defeat at the previous year's party – suited him more.
It was more than an hour into their matches – and the frowns on the faces of his opponents more than showed how Harry didn't cut them any slack – that Black joined them in the garden. Stopping close by to Greengrass and Parkinson, that had remained on the ground and were chatting between themselves while enjoying the show, he started staring at them. With a sigh, Harry waved at the other players and flied back to the ground.
Landing right in front of Sirius Harry rose an eyebrow in a silent question, and challenge. The man smiled uncertainly, before starting to talk.
"So, Harry" he began. "I think you are feeling better?"
Harry just scoffed at this. "Apparently" he said, adding nothing more. An awkward silence followed, and Harry just shrugged, before getting ready to fly again.
"So, nice seeing you. Let me know if you start dating that lady from lunch."
"Harry, wait" said Sirius, suddenly. "Listen, I am sorry. We might have… let the situation get out of hand, me and Moony."
"No, really" commented Harry, rolling his eyes. "I didn't notice."
"He is sorry too, he is afraid he offended you" continued Sirius. "And he wants to meet you again, no lectures this time."
"I heard that promise already" said Harry, sighing.
"Well, this time it's true" confirmed Sirius, grimacing. "If for no other reason that whatever you said to Dumbledore that night, he insists that having you coming back might not be wise for now."
"Does he" said Harry, smirking with satisfaction. "Good, good."
"What did you even tell him, anyway?" asked Sirius, suspicious. "Never seen him so displeased, it was almost personal. I hope you didn't insult him or anything."
"Oh, no, no" denied Harry. "I might have… hit a nerve, that's all. A painful one for him."
"Dumbledore is the one wizard I wouldn't want to get mad at me, Harry" said Sirius. "Make sure to say you are sorry next time you meet him, ok?"
"We are probably beyond that" said Harry, shaking his head. "Still, I'll see what I can do."
"Make sure you do" insisted Sirius. "And come and visit us again. I'll let you know when Remus comes back for dinner, and you are already invited."
Harry sighed again, but said nothing – and Sirius seemed to be satisfied that way.
"So, are you playing quidditch with your friends? Who's winning?" he finally asked.
"Friends is a bit of a stretch" said Harry "and I am, for now. They wanted a rematch since last year's party, but I fear they will end up disappointed."
"Yes, for what little I could see you fly very well" said Sirius, nodding and showing an hazy stare. "Your dad would be proud."
"Sure, sure" said Harry, not particularly moved. "What about you, I saw you flirting up with a woman all meal long."
"She is still beautiful, can't deny that" commented Sirius, embarassed. "But her behavior was as polished as her jewellery. I am not really a fan of that."
"If you reject her, be polished yourself" said Harry. "She must be a friend of your cousin, don't embarrass her."
"Who, the lady or my cousin?" asked Sirius, with a smirk. "I know, I know, both. I can handle them, kid. Be glad you don't have to deal with these things yet."
"Both glad and sad" answered Harry, a wishful smile on his face. "So, any other news?"
After that, they chatted for a while as the Slytherins up in the sky started a whole new set of games and tricks. Eventually, Sirius left and Harry got ready to join the boys again before being stopped by the girls waving at him.
"So, Harry" started Parkinson, as he got closer to them. "That was your godfather, the infamous Mr. Black, right?"
"Infamous?" asked Harry, amused and surprised. "For what?"
"We don't have many former prisoners of Azkaban around" said Parkinson.
"And none that belongs to a prominent family like the Blacks" said Greengrass. "He is related to plenty of other families, including the Malfoys."
"Or us Potters, too" admitted Harry. "We have a Dorea Black somewhere in the line. But aren't we all distantly related, anyway? That's hardly noteworthy."
"Still" said Greengrass, shrugging. "He is unusual enough. And I heard my mom saying that there are a couple of ladies that consider him their last chance to marry well before they hit forty."
"Good luck to them" said Harry, laughing lightly. "For what he tells me, they might be wasting their time."
"He should still settle down, eventually" went on Greengrass. "He is weird enough as he is, but he could still turn around."
"Is that your opinion, or your mother's?" asked Harry, smiling. The girl, surprised, giggled lightly. "My mother's, true" she finally admitted.
"My mom thinks the same" added Parkinson. "And sometimes she pesters me about starting to look around or something. It is a bit annoying" she concluded, before blushing a little as even her friend sent her a weird, amused stare.
"I am not a big romantic myself" said Harry. "But third year might be too early for looking around, I think."
"Nevermind this" said Greengrass, politely stopping the awkward topic. "Have you visited his house? I have been told it's impressive."
"Grimmauld's place?" asked Harry for confirmation, as she nodded in return. "If he did some maintenance it would be, true. Right now it needs a lot of cleaning up and repairs. There is only one elf left there, and it's half mad anyway."
"Creepy" said Parkinson, amused. They all went on for a while, until Harry joined back the other boys in the sky as the girl kept on gossiping. The party, and the day, didn't last long after that.
Back home, that evening, Harry set things down and tried to relax.
'What an eventful Christmas' he thought, with some scorn. That was not what he wanted, at all. Sure, some excitement and entertainment were ok, but some. Fighting with all of the adults in his social circle was not.
'I can't believe I am going along better with a bunch of kids than anyone else' he though, shaking his head. 'That must tell something about me… or about them.'
Giving a look towards the kitchen, Harry dismissed the idea of preparing dinner. He had more than enough at Malfoy's, and the food served was excellent anyway. He could wait until tomorrow's breakfast.
Walking up the stairs, he considered what to do in the coming days. 'I could finally visit the apothecary' he considered. 'It's really time to cash in.'
Looking outside of a window, he could see at some distance the house of Hannah – and some shadows that, judging by the size, were probably her parents. Nothing special was happening in her house, but it still gave a small throb of nostalgia to Harry. He had not forgot how it was to have family members at home, even when in different rooms.
Frowning, he thought of Dumbledore, too. 'He might already be gathering the Horcrux. Starting with the diadem, I am sure' he thought.
Eventually, the man would be back to ask for more. So long as he didn't get cursed, once again, by the protections laid down by Riddle.
'I can't avoid him' thought Harry, while undressing for the night. 'Nor should I. This time, Riddle must be killed even if I have to work with Dumbledore.'
Changing into soft, comfortable nightwear and picking up one book to read, Harry went back downstairs. He still had some time left for tea and reading.