oooOOOoooOOOooo Chapter 32
A few days later, Harry was called up to Dumbledore's office. Harry, Hermione, and Gabrielle, followed by Moody and Kingsley, walked with Harry up the spiral stairs to the Headmaster's office. They found someone completely unexpected inside.
"Malfoy," hissed Moody. Harry pulled his wand fast and looked ready. The person turned around. It was Narcissa Malfoy.
"Mr. Potter," she said.
"It's Lord Potter," said Harry, firmly. Jean Claude would be ashamed if Harry let such a slight from an enemy go by without a word.
Narcissa looked down, demurely. "My mistake," she said. "I meant no harm. I am merely very familiar with your name but not very familiar with your lordship."
"Lordships," said Harry. "Headmaster Dumbledore, did you need something?"
"Yes, Lady Malfoy has asked to speak with you. She says it's urgent. I'm uncertain of the nature of her call," said Dumbledore without the usual twinkle in his eye.
"I've come to seek asylum," said Narcissa.
"What does that have to do with me?" asked Harry.
"I am willing to make an exchange to secure my position," said Narcissa.
Harry felt a wave of fear and anger come over him.
"What exactly do you expect to exchange for what?" asked Harry aggressively.
Narcissa looked coolly back for a moment before her facade broke. "I don't have anywhere else to go. Lucius… he did terrible things. Draco is set on following in his father's footsteps. I can't do anything to help him. Next year, I'm sending him to Durmstrang to be educated. I just can't stay in my own home until then. Draco has forbidden it. Now that he's Lord Malfoy, I can't make him do much of anything. He has only agreed to go to Durmstrang because his father wanted it. He intends to continue his father's legacy," Narcissa said. Her voice breaking on the last word.
"We should call the aurors. If she's ready to turn on the dirty little bugger, we should get it on record," said Moody.
"Draco hasn't done anything truly wrong. Lucius was the mastermind of this terrible plan. Draco merely heard it. He might be on the way to Nice right now!" said Narcissa.
Harry felt a thrill of fear run through him. "Who's going to Nice?"
"Your former friend, Ron Weasley. There is a back door to the Malfoy enclave that only family members know of. Lucius told him where the door is located before he was killed. He gave the Weasley boy the money for an international portkey. I don't know when he plans to go but I know they thought the distraction of the tournament would be an ideal time!" cried the woman.
Harry's face turned red with rage. He looked at Dumbledore with his teeth bared. Dumbledore didn't wait. He went to the floo. He called the Weasley home.
Molly was out cold before the fire in the kitchen. She was snoring loudly.
"Molly!" cried Dumbledore. He pulled back and called Arthur at work.
"Arthur, Molly's unconscious before the fire. There might be a situation with your son! Please, we need your assistance," said Dumbledore.
"I'm coming," said a concerned Arthur. He ended the call with Dumbledore and ran for the floo exit in the Ministry.
"That bastard had better not come near my children!" screamed Harry. Harry jerked out his mirror and called Jean Claude.
"Papa!" cried the teen.
"What is it, Harry?" asked Jean Claude.
Arthur's head popped back in the fire. "Molly's been dosed with a sleeping draft. Ron's missing!"
"Shite!" cursed Harry.
"Ron? Is that the batard who attempted to kidnap your children?" asked an alarmed Jean Claude.
"It is. He's working with a bloody Malfoy to find a way into my enclave," Harry said. He turned to Narcissa. "Tell me where the entrance is."
Narcissa watched Harry for a moment. "Promise me you'll grant me sanctuary if I do," negotiated the woman.
"If you don't tell me now, I swear I will find a way to see you behind bars!" spat Harry. Madam Bones popped through the floo and Narcissa believed him. Still, she looked at Dumbledore.
"We will find accommodations for you," said the Headmaster. Narcissa nodded.
"There is a trap door that opens into the nursery. It was meant to be a way to escape with the children if it was ever needed. There's an outlet by the water. A rock that looks like a small bear," said Narcissa.
Jean Claude didn't wait. He was yelling at aurors who flooded from the room.
Harry ended the call and called Dan and Emma. Dan answered.
"Harry?" asked the man. The man appeared to be sleeping.
"Dan, where are the twins? Where's Emma?" asked Harry.
"They're in the nursery. Emma was teaching them the alphabet before their nap. I decided to start my own nap right away. What's wrong?" asked a groggy Dan. He was shaking off the feeling of tiredness. In a few moments, he was alert and awake.
"Ron's coming. He knows a secret entrance that'll take him right to the nursery!" cried Harry.
Dan jumped up. He opened the lock box beside his bed and pulled out his loaded service weapon. He checked the gun and put the mirror with Harry in his pocket, so Harry could just barely see over the inside of the pocket. Dan walked quickly but stealthily down to the nursery. He paused. He could hear talking.
"... I'll kill you too, muggle. Get out of my way or I swear, I'll do it," said a voice Harry knew well. It was Ron.
"Please, son, you don't want to do this. These are innocent babies. Please, put down the wand and we'll get you the help you need," begged the woman. Harry's boys started to whimper in upset.
Dan peeked in the room through the crack in the door to prepare his aim. Ron had his wand aimed at Emma. The boy grit his teeth.
"I'll kill them just to end that racket!" cried Ron. He lifted his wand, meaning business. Dan burst in the door and shot the little traitor before he could blink. Ron was hit in the right shoulder, his wand flew out of his hand. Emma jumped forward and grabbed it. Dan moved in front of her, his teeth bared in vicious, deadly anger. The baby boys were crying now, the loud noise scared them to death. The boys weren't the only ones who were alarmed by the sound. Harry's security team poured into the room. Jean Claude and his aurors were right behind them.
"Secure him," boomed Jean Claude, pointing at the bleeding and crying Ron.
"I'm dying! I'm dying!" cried Ron. No one cared. They put him in magic suppression cuffs and zapped a cauterization charm at his wound. Ron screamed in pain.
Dan and Emma turned to the babies and picked them up, cuddling the precious dears close. Soon, they were swept out of the room just as Ron was swept out of Harry's enclave.
No one noticed the brief look of disappointment on Narcissa's face. She schooled her features.
Jean Claude called Harry's mirror. Harry looked at the thing. Jean Claude's calmly in control face shown back.
"We have the perpetrator in hand. We will search this entire enclave for any additional entrances or exits," spat Jean Claude.
"Please," said Harry. His heart was thundering in fear for his children. Hermione and Gabrielle put a grounding hand on his back.
"They're safe, mon amour," said Gabrielle, quietly.
"You got there in time," said Hermione.
"I think your family would be best suited to stay at our home tonight. We will have aurors placed outside their rooms," said Jean Claude.
Harry relaxed a bit. "I want to come home," said Harry.
Jean Claude didn't know Narcissa was in the room. "Stay the course, son. We have your enemy in our grasp. He will not escape. You have a goal to achieve and you are close to that achievement."
Harry grit his teeth. He didn't want to stay at this damn school. His family was in danger!
"I know how you feel, my child, but you must succeed at this. Bigger enemies are afoot," said Jean Claude. "Nicholas and Perenell have been informed of the change in date for the ritual. They will be ready to attend you."
Harry sighed. "Fine. I swear, if any of these arseholes touch my children, then I will end them all!"
Madame Bones couldn't help but agree. "You can use any force necessary to protect yourself or others from a threat of death."
Harry looked at her face. He glanced at Narcissa and nodded. Narcissa watched him coolly in return.
"I'll call you when I get back to my rooms, papa. Please, keep Julius and Jameson safe," begged Harry. Jean Claude looked behind him.
"They are already on their way to my home, son," said Jean Claude. He showed Harry the line of people filing through the floo.
Harry relaxed a bit more. "Alright. I'll call you in a few minutes."
"Bene," said Jean Claude. He ended the call and went to oversee the collection of evidence at the crime scene.
Harry turned back to Dumbledore.
"May I go?" asked Harry, hurriedly.
"Please, may I go with you," said Narcissa. Harry blinked.
"You want to stay with me?" asked a dubious Harry.
"My son cannot see me. He is my head of house. He can order me to do things and I must comply. He holds the family magic to which I am bound," said Narcissa.
Dumbledore studied her. "You could be under such orders as we speak."
"Yet, I am not," said Narcissa. Dumbledore looked crafty.
"If you will bind to Harry as a vassal, we will allow it," said Dumbledore.
Harry scoffed. "You want me to bind this witch to my family?"
"No, as a vassal to your overlord. Your magic would overrule any family magic to which she is bound," said Dumbledore. "Then, we would know no one else is controlling her."
"Yeah, but we don't know what she'll do when she's controlling herself," countered Harry.
"I'll swear an oath that as long as I am in your household, I will do no harm to you or your family," said Narcissa. It was a very Slytherin statement, though the Gryffindors in the room didn't see it.
Harry huffed in annoyance. This was taking unnecessary time.
"I would suggest it, Harry," said Dumbledore.
Harry looked at Narcissa. "You really want to be under my control?"
"I do not fear you," said the woman, coolly.
"Nor I you," said Harry with a sneer to his voice.
"Then, let us be bound," said Narcissa.
Harry looked at his ladies.
"I'm not sure, Harry," said Hermione, cautiously.
"I support you, mon amour. Whatever you choose," said Gabrielle.
Harry looked ready to say no.
"I will turn guardianship of Draco over to Headmaster Karkaroff. Draco will leave with him at the end of the school year," said Narcissa. She looked down for a moment then up. "We are family, Mr. Potter. Your great grandmother was my aunt, Dorea Black Potter."
"It's Lord Potter," said Harry in a hard voice.
Dumbledore looked at Harry encouragingly.
"We'll need a contract. I am willing to grant you sanctuary in my home until the end of the school year. You'll swear on your life and magic that as long as you're in my household, you'll do no harm and allow no harm to be done to me, my family, or my friends," said Harry.
"I accept," said Narcissa. Dumbledore started writing. He handed the contract to Hermione. She read it, as did Gabrielle, before Harry had his turn. Narcissa read it and signed, then Harry followed suit.
Harry curled his lip but pulled out the elder wand. As he watched this woman, he decided she was just like his aunt Petunia. Harry wished with all his heart that none of the people like them or their children were his family. He thought of Andromeda and Tonks and wished they were his family, instead of this bint. He cast the spell to make Narcissa his vassal.
Narcissa cried out when she was hit. She fell forward and felt bereft. The Black family magic had left her. She could feel it. She had been cast from the family. On Privet Drive, Petunia also cried out and fell to the floor. The blood wards cracked away from the property and floated towards Harry's family home in Nice. In Azkaban prison, Bellatrix LeStrange cried out and fainted. No one helped her. Tonks and Andromeda suddenly felt buoyed and loved. They didn't recognize the Black family magic anymore but they were fully subsumed back into the family.
"What did you do?" asked Narcissa. She looked at the symbol on her shoulder. It was very pretty, even if Narcissa felt revulsion at the sight.
"I made you my vassal," said Harry, as if the woman was daft.
"But the Black family magic, it left me. I could feel it. You cast me from my family!" said Narcissa. She cast a spell and her family tree appeared. She and Draco were no longer listed under the Black family. Narcissa looked at Harry in surprise and anger.
"Sorry," Harry said, flippantly. "I just wished that you and your ilk were no family of mine," said Harry. "Sometimes my magic makes things happen that I don't intend."
Narcissa pulled herself together, even though she felt an ache in her heart. She was without her family magic for the first time in her life.
Harry stared at her for a minute while she composed herself. Dumbledore shook his head sadly but didn't say anything.
"Come on. We need to sneak you into the dorms," said Harry.
"Just take the floo," said Moody. He never took his eyes off of Narcissa. Kingsley was standing between the woman and Harry.
Harry growled and led the woman through the floo to his private space. He stomped through his house up to the guest suites. "Here, pick any room that's not taken," said Harry.
Narcissa walked regally into the first room available and looked with a judgemental glance around the room. "Quaint, but it will do."
Harry rolled his eyes. "The elves will bring you anything you need. Just, stay in here and stay hidden," said Harry.
Narcissa inclined her head but didn't answer. Harry turned and left the room. He went down to the sitting room and called Dan and Emma again. They were sitting together in a guest room at Jean Claude's house, rocking the sleepy babies.
"Mum? Dad?" Harry asked. Dan and Emma looked up. They saw Harry with Gabrielle and Hermione at his back.
"Thank goodness you're alright," said Hermione.
Emma smiled at Dan. "Thanks to my heroes. Harry, how did you know I was in trouble?" asked Emma.
"I didn't. Narcissa Malfoy came to me at Hogwarts. She told me Ron knew about the hole in my wards and meant to use it. I called you right away," said Harry.
"Thank goodness for small miracles," said Emma.
"Or suspect timing," growled Dan. Moody nodded his agreement.
"Very suspect," spat Harry's head of security.
"What did she want? I know it must have been something if she was willing to talk," said Dan, belligerently.
"She wanted sanctuary," said Harry. He waffled for a moment. "I made her my vassal."
"That witch?" asked Tonks, who was standing behind Emma. "She's bad news, Harry. Her name might be Malfoy but she's a Black, through and through."
"Not anymore," said Harry in angry satisfaction. "I cast her out of the family."
Tonks laughed. She thought for a moment. "Did you wish she wasn't your family when you made her your vassal?" asked Tonks.
"I did," said Harry.
"Did you wish anything else?" asked the woman. Harry thought about it. He winced. He looked at Tonks.
"I might have wished you and your mum were my family instead," said Harry.
Tonks snorted in laughter and crashed into the wall. She cast a spell and double checked for herself. She cackled in vicious glee.
"You sure did cast Narcissa out. You cast everyone out except me, my mum, my dad, Padfoot, Reggie, and Julius and Jameson. We're true Blacks with access to the Black family magic now!" gasped the woman as she laughed hard.
Harry couldn't help but feel a little smug. "They're no family of mine. I'm glad you are," said Harry.
"So am I, little cousin," said a grinning Tonks.
"Just be careful with that viper at your back," growled Dan.
"I'll keep my eyes peeled for trouble," huffed Moody. "If she steps one foot out of line, we'll see her before the Wizengamot.
Harry couldn't help but agree.