Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
-oOo-
Chapter 8
17 Feb 24
-oOo-
This time on Duel of Fate: Will Harry get along with the Malfoys?
-oOo-
April 16, 1995
Wiltshire, England
Harry looked around the grounds with a dispassionate expression. He was upset, hurt and furious at the man he was walking next too.
Lucius Malfoy was a man that Harry had already learned like things to occur in a certain way, and if you didn't do what he wanted, then there would be consequences. There had been no threats yet, but Harry had seen the man's hand or arm jerk, like he wanted to strike Harry, when Harry told him he didn't have any normal Wizarding robes to wear on him. He only owned one set of robes outside his Hogwarts, and they were all in his trunk or armoire at Hogwarts.
The man sniffed. "When we get inside, you will let one of our elves take your measurements and will come down to dinner at seven in proper attire. Do you understand?"
Harry just nodded.
Mr Malfoy turned a hard eye to him. "Do you understand?"
Harry nodded again. He hated the man's son and was starting to understand why Malfoy was the way he was.
Harry didn't miss the man's nostrils flare. "You shall answer me properly. A nod or shake of the head is below someone of your station and you will act as such. If you do not port yourself in the proper way, there will be repercussions."
Harry kept his impassionate face on. "Yes, sir. What do you mean someone of my station?"
The man sniffed. "Surely you were told that you are the heir to the Potters and Blacks?" There was a hint of unhappiness at the end of the statement.
"I was made aware not long ago," Harry replied petulantly. The narrowing of Mr Malfoy's eyes should have been a warning, but Harry didn't want to be here.
"Watch your tone, Mister Potter. I do not take cheek in my house," the man told him.
They had been walking through manicured lawns that reminded Harry of grand manors two hundred years ago. A white peacock was displaying itself towards them as they walked up the gravel path to the steps.
"I didn't ask to be here and after this week I never plan to come back," Harry replied.
The man gave him a hard look. "You are my ward. You will follow my rules. If you were not the heir to the Blacks, I would have you shipped off to Australia tomorrow, but as you are important, I will train you in the proper ways of our society. If you disappoint me, you will not do so again."
Harry just returned the man's glare. He wasn't going to bow to anyone. "I am not your ward. Madam Bones said I would have a choice in two weeks."
"A mere technicality. I will be your regent, and if you care to get any of your inheritance, you will do as I say," the man snapped in irritation. Harry had been arguing with him since the end of the awards ceremony. He had given his medal and winnings to Hannah, much to Mr Malfoy's ire.
The doors swung open. Mr Malfoy stopped in the centre of a large atrium. It was made of white and black marble with a huge crest of the Malfoys in the stone floor. What wasn't marble was dark woods that looked expensive and were carved to look like master's works everywhere. Paintings looked down on him. Tables with artifacts and fancy vases were scatters around the hall in nooks or before windows. Everything screamed wealth. Harry didn't like it. Not at all.
Grace Hall had its display of wealth, but it felt more comfortable. It didn't try to flash the wealth the Bones' had. The hall was like the peacocks… flashy.
Mr Malfoy was taking his gloves off as a small house elf rushed out into the atrium. "Master Malfoy is back," the squeaky thing said.
"Ah, yes, Dibby," the man said with a scowl. "Take these and ensure they are cleaned properly."
"Yes, sir," the elf said, its hands shaking as it took the gloves. Mr Malfoy took his travelling cloak off.
"Make sure that gets a brush down," Mr Malfoy ordered. "If you damage any of those, I'll take it out of your hide."
"Yes, sir. Master is too kind," the small elf said, bowing and then rushing off towards a side room.
"Lucius, is that you?" a woman asked.
Harry looked up the grand staircase to see a rather tall woman step up to the balcony. She was a rather attractive woman with piercing blue eyes, long light blonde hair, a rather pale complexion and imperious expression.
Harry tightened his grip on his backpack. He was going to get out of here as soon as he could.
"I have retrieved Heir Black-Potter. Can you get one of our elves to get him proper clothes? I have a few contracts to see to before dinner, then I will take him alone in my study," Mr Malfoy instructed his wife.
"Yes, my lord," she replied.
"Now, go," Mr Malfoy demanded.
Harry didn't let his emotions show on his face, but Mr Malfoy's brow furrowed lightly at the blaze in Harry's green eyes. Harry didn't say a word, just turned on his heels and walked proudly up the stairs in his jeans and t-shirt. He did have a nicer suit, but he wasn't going to wear that for the Malfoys.
Mr Malfoy turned on Harry and stalked off into another room.
Harry didn't miss how Mrs Malfoy watched him as he walked up the stairs. She was judging him, and he felt he was coming up lacking. When he got to the top of the stairs, he locked eyes with the woman. They didn't say anything for a few long moments, as though each was waiting for the other to go first. Harry had no intention of giving them anything without resistance. He had really wanted to go to Grace Hall and spend the rest of Easter break with Hannah.
After the silence had gone past uncomfortable to oppressive, Mrs Malfoy finally said, "Are you going to introduce yourself?"
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Harry Potter."
The disapproval was almost palatable. "I know even Muggles have better manners than that. Try again."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Harry Potter." He waited a few seconds before saying, "Ma'am."
The woman's placid face didn't waiver, but her eyes took on a sharp edge. "I can see we have much to correct. What are you wearing?"
"My favourite jean trousers and a Ramone's shirt," Harry replied. "I'm not wearing robes outside of school."
There was a challenge in her eyes. "You will do as told in this house. You are a ward and will only gain privileges if you earn them."
"I am not your ward, Misses Malfoy," Harry replied.
"You are our ward. We are the closest relations to the Blacks, and you are a Black. When the adoption papers go through, we will change your name to Black and you can give the name Potter to some third son or something," she instructed.
"Bloody fuck, I'm a Potter," Harry replied, his anger finally breaking a bit.
Her hand lashed out. Harry was fast though. His training in duelling had his hand come up. She may be older and bigger than him, but Harry was strong from his training. He grabbed her wrist before her hand could touch his face. "I'm sure the WCS would love to hear how you treat a ward."
The woman looked shocked that Harry had caught her hand, her eyes widening. There was a magic buzzing in his hand that she flinched at. She pulled her hand back, taking a few steps back, her other hand going to rub her wrist. They stared each other down for a moment. "Dobby," she eventually called out.
The same house elf that had come to help Mr Malfoy suddenly popped in next to them. "The Mistress Malfoy called?" the elf said. The elf was looking at him with huge green eyes. Harry thought it was adoration on his face.
"Show Mister… Black-Potter… to his rooms. Have Remy measure him and get him three pairs of robes and four outfits for the week. Mister Black-Potter is not to come down for any meal without proper attire," she told the elf.
"It's Potter," Harry said back.
She didn't say a word. Her mask was back. Harry could see the slight hint of a frown at the side of her face. Dobby took Harry's hand and guided him away. She didn't turn. A short distance away Dobby took him up a flight of stairs to the second floor. During the walk, Harry could tell the house elf wasn't treated well. The tea cozy that was wrapped around him was dirty and worn. It was probably a bright white with the Malfoy crest on it at one time, but now, even with the elf's magic, it was greying and had a few spots on it. A very faint outline of a crest was over his left breast, but Harry couldn't make it out.
"The good master is to be next to the young Draco," Dobby told him.
"Fecking great," Harry muttered. He already wanted to go, but where would he go and would the WCS come looking for him? It was only a week he had to deal with this place.
-oOo-
That night…
Wiltshire, England
Harry stepped into the hallway in the same jean trousers but a new t-shirt with a mouth phone and the 'Weird Sisters' across the front. Dobby was waiting for him.
"Master Malfoy says yous needs to come down," the small elf said. He was gripping his ears.
"I was told to only come down if I dressed like a wizard. I don't have any wizarding clothes," Harry told the elf.
Poor Dobby's eyes went wide as saucers. "Dobby gets the Mister Potter robes. Mister Potter must put them on."
Harry shrugged. "I don't have any robes in my room."
Dobby started to ring his ears. "Dobby gets you robes. Dobby do as told. Dobby not punish himself."
Harry didn't want to torture the poor elf. "Can you show me where the dining room is, Dobby? I'll explain what happened to them. You did as you were told."
The unfortunate thing looked relieved.
Harry followed Dobby down the stairs, and through a large set of doors off the main atrium. The dining room was large, with a table that could easily fit twenty, but set for only four. The senior Malfoys sat at either end. The blonde ponce that always gave him a tough time was in the centre of the table and an empty spot was just across from Draco.
Mr Malfoy's eyes narrowed at Harry. "Mister Black-Potter, I told you my expectations earlier today. Why are you not dressed appropriately for this table and this house. I will remind you that you are my ward and will do as I say."
"My name is Harry Potter, not Black-Potter. I told you I don't have any wizarding robes and I am not your ward," Harry said rather defiantly.
The man looked ready to pull his wand. "I was told you received a full wardrobe this afternoon and that your other clothes were taken care of."
"I wouldn't let the elves take my things. I am not your ward, and I told them it would be stealing to take my stuff," Harry said back.
Mr Malfoy looked to be grounding his teeth. "I know you received robes. Go back to your room and put them on or you don't eat."
Harry shrugged his shoulders and turned around. When he got to the room with Dobby trailing behind him, he slammed the door loud enough he was sure that the man could hear it downstairs.
-oOo-
April 17, 1995
Wiltshire, England
A knock came at his door in the afternoon the next day. His stomach was grumbling for food, but he was too stubborn to do anything about it.
He didn't bother to call out or anything as the knock came again.
He rolled over on his bed. He had three notes to go out. One to Hannah, one to Professor Flitwick and one to Madam Bones. He still felt betrayed by her, but wanted out of here and didn't know anyone else to trust. Professor Flitwick needed to know what was happening to his apprentice, but Madam Bones was the head of the DMLE. Surely, she must have some power to help him.
After the third knock, the door opened.
"Listen, boy, I expect you to open this door when I knock," the form of Lucius Malfoy demanded as he walked into the room.
Harry didn't look at the man as he lay on his side.
He heard the cane clack on the floor as the man walked to the foot of the bed. "Get up. There are guests coming for dinner and you need to get washed and dressed. I expect you to be ready in two hours."
Harry didn't say a word, hoping it would infuriate the man.
"I said get up," the man snapped. He felt the magic but wasn't ready for the sheets and blankets to suddenly be ripped out from underneath him. Harry cried out as they wrapped around him, and he was dumped on the floor.
"When I tell you to move, you move. The people visiting will be potential wives for you, so I expect you to be on your best behaviour and keep your mouth shut until you can be taught the proper ways, Heir Black-Potter.
Harry was scrambling to get out of the pile he was in on the floor. "I'm not marrying anyone," Harry managed to spit out as he threw the blankets over his head.
The elder Malfoy was staring down at him. "You will do as I say. The prestige of the Blacks is worth far more than you will ever know. Having the proper marriage will go along way to get rid of the stain from your mother."
Harry felt enraged. His wand had become trapped somewhere and he wanted to curse the man. "Fuck you! My mother was a great witch, and I am a Potter, not a Black."
The man's cane lashed out. Harry just barely got his hand up. It stung like crazy as it slapped into his hand. His other hand came up and grabbed the cane. The man was totally taken by surprise and dragged forward. Harry ripped the cane out of the man's hand, and it snapped as he drove it into the floor.
"You little…" Lucius said, his face a mask of rage as his wand came up.
"Lucius!" Mrs Malfoy snapped from the door.
Harry glared at the man defiantly.
The man sneered before pointing his wand at the cane. It snapped and cracked back into place and mended itself. He summoned it to his hand and then turned to his wife. "He is to be ready for six."
She nodded and Mr Malfoy stalked out of the room.
Harry glared daggers at the man's back.
"Dobby," Mrs Malfoy called. The little elf came up to her. "See to it that Heir Black-Potter is bathed and dressed on time."
"Yes, Mistress Malfoy," Dobby said. She turned and Harry was left with the over excitable elf.
-oOo-
That night…
"Where is Heir Black-Potter?" Lucius asked Narcissa as they waited for the Greengrasses and Changs to show.
"I sent Dobby to get him," Narcissa replied.
Draco sniggered. "He can't even show to his own betrothal."
"Quiet, Draco. You are to be seen, not heard tonight," Lucius said was with a hard eye to his own heir.
The pale boy swallowed hard and then stood tall. At least he had one child in the house that did as told. He missed Narcissa's slight frown. She had stepped in a few times when he had been disciplining Draco, but the lessons seem to be sinking in.
Dobby came down the stairs, his hands wringing. "Where is Heir Black-Potter?" he demanded of the elf, his displeasure already apparent.
"The Heir Black-Potter is not feeling well. He is refusing to come down," Dobby said, his eyes cast to the floor.
Lucius was simmering. He had to get this done in the next few days while he had been given custodianship over the boy. He had to be betrothed. They had to go to the goblins to give him full access to everything and the boy had to be cowed.
"I will make him come," Lucius told them.
"Lucius, don't do anything rash. The boy still must choose us of his own free will, and if he does not, anything you do until then will be overturned," Narcissa warned him.
"The boy will be imperioused if I have too," Lucius told them. It was too important to get his hand on the Potter and Black vaults. From what he knew, the Potters were about as wealthy as them, and the Blacks even more so.
When he entered the room, he heard the boy throwing up in the toilet. Scowling, he was forced to leave him up there as he entertained the potential matches.
Little did he know was that Harry was using some joke products from Zonko's. Nor did he know Harry had treats in his bag that was keeping the boy from starving.
-oOo-
April 18, 1995
Wiltshire, England
Harry was ready to leave this place. He had tried to sneak out of the rooms earlier but had been found and told he would not be let out of the rooms without wearing wizarding robes. Harry had gone back to his room, trying to figure out another way to get out.
At lunch time he was invited to the dining room. Harry wore his jean trousers and a long sleeve shirt that had a baby floating in a pool with the word 'Nirvana' across it. It was one of the American bands that had become popular at the orphanage in the last few years. He wanted to see if Mr Malfoy would develop a tick.
When he entered, all three Malfoy's were sitting where they had been last time. Mr Malfoy looked less than pleased.
"You will go back up and get changed into robes. I was able to convince the Greengrasses to return today and talk about your coming betrothal," Mr Malfoy said.
Harry scowled. "I am not getting betrothed."
"You will do as I say," the man demanded.
"Bloody hell, I will!" Harry retorted. The man's wand tightened around the end of his cane. Harry's palm was still bruised by where he had grabbed it yesterday. He wasn't sure he didn't have a broken bone or two either, as he couldn't close it and it was a little swollen.
"Listen, boy, you are my ward. You do as I say. Now, go get changed. Have lunch and tea is at two," the man ordered.
"I don't have any robes," Harry said with a cheeky smile.
The man scowled. "I know you have robes and proper wizarding attire. I paid for them myself."
"Yeah, I got a little cold after getting sick last night. Those robes were really warm," Harry replied.
"If the robes were so warm and you are cold, why did you take them off?"
"Who said I put them on?" Harry shot back.
Draco was watching him with huge eyes. Harry had a feeling that meals were quiet affairs.
The man looked a little confused. "I don't get it. How could they be warm if you didn't put them on?"
"There was no wood for my fireplace, so I needed something to warm the room," Harry said as though it was the most obvious thing.
The man's eyes bulged. "That was over two-hundred and fifty galleons worth of clothes!"
"Not my money," Harry shrugged. "Do I get to eat, or should I go back to my room?"
"You will go to your room and not eat anything for the next two days, then you will pay for the new wardrobe and join us," the man ordered.
Harry gave the man a shite-eating grin. "I'm sure the Child Services board will love to hear that. Maybe I should go send a letter to them now?"
"You will do no such thing. Dobby, lock this brat in his room."
"Dobby, can't sir," Dobby said, his hands pulling his ears out.
The man's voice was dripping with venom. "You can't?"
"Master Harry is not family or ward. Dobby can not due to laws," the elf said.
The man glared at the elf. "I will deal with you later. Now, get upstairs."
Harry shrugged. "Fine. I will need to use your floo or an owl shortly. I have a few other letters to go out as well."
"I forbid it," Malfoy said.
"Ok," Harry said. His wand came out. "Expecto Patronum." The stag he so loved came out. "Prongs, tell Professor Flitwick…"
Mr Malfoy got up. His face was red with rage. "Why you little shite! I'll teach you to defy me."
"Lucius, NO!" Lady Malfoy suddenly exclaimed.
Harry hadn't expected the man to pull his wand. Harry just managed to dodge the first, "Crucio!" when the second was racing towards him. Harry's wand pulled up a marble tile. It shattered when it was impacted by the spell.
He managed to dodge the third before he was clipped by the sickly red spell. It felt like red hot pokers were suddenly coursing through his body. He couldn't help but scream.
"I'll teach you your proper place, you mudblood bastard."
Draco's face had gone white while Lady Malfoy had her wand out.
"You are my ward. The Black and Potter wealth is mine and I only need you alive to make some little kids. You can be imperioused for the rest of your life for all I care," Lucius snapped at him.
"Lucius, stop you fool!" she cried out. "He will be tested for mind control before the board."
The man's vicious face turned to his wife. It stopped the spell. Harry, fighting through the pain and using all his training and occlumency skills, pushed his wand up. "DEPULSO!"
The man wasn't expecting it as he was yelling back at his wife and was blasted off his feet, into the large window behind the head chair and out the house.
Harry pushed himself up as the woman screamed and ran after her husband. Draco was just looking at him. Harry stood, his body shaking. He needed to get out of here. "Where is the floo?"
Draco just looked at him. "My father is going to kill you," the boy said more out of fear than anger.
"Floo?" Harry managed to get out as Lady Malfoy crawled through the shattered window.
"Study," Draco told him.
Harry nodded. Not knowing where the study was, he just knew he had to get out of here. He turned, stumbling out of the dining room. A door was open down a hall and he could see a lit fireplace. He managed to make it to the fire, find a tin of green powder and throw the entire tin in before there was movement outside the room. The fire blazed green.
"Grace Hall," he said, hoping that Madam Bones wouldn't mind him showing up.
"Shut the floo!" a man screamed just before he stepped in.
-oOo-
A few minutes later…
Harry felt like he had been spinning for ages when he was suddenly ejected from the fireplace. He was thrown onto the floor and skidded a good five feet before he came to a rest in a heap. He couldn't help but groan. His body still felt like it was on fire from the Crucio curse and the buffeting of the floo. The pangs of hunger hadn't helped either.
"Harry?" a girl asked. "HARRY!"
"Ow," he said as Susan got to his side. It hurt to move at all. His hands were shaking, and his wand fell out of his hand. It was too painful to hold it with the broken bones and the way his nerves all sent painful signals to his brain.
"Oh, Merlin. What happened to you? TIPSY!" Susan called out.
"Get… Amelia," he got out.
A small elf ran into the main atrium. "Missy Susan call Tipsy?"
"Get Harry to a bed! I must call my auntie," she said in a panic. "Harry, just hold on. What happened to you?"
"Malfoy… Cruciatus curse," he said.
She gasped. "Get him a pain potion. My gods! What did he do?" Susan sounded close to losing it.
It was a little while later to have Susan standing in the hallway outside the room Harry had been given to stay in. Hannah was with her. She had her arms around her worried friend. Her auntie came out of the room with a rather severe look on her face.
"Susan and Hannah, you are to stay here. You are not to leave. I must go into the Ministry. Aunt Rose will be a short bit more to take care of him, then he is not to be disturbed tonight. Do you both understand that?" her auntie said in the most severe tone she could ever remember.
"Yes, Aunt Amelia," Susan said.
"How is Harry? Can I go in and see him?" Hannah asked. Her hands gripped Susan's tightly.
"Not right now. Not tonight. I'm sure your mum will let you in tomorrow. Stay out of Aunt Rose's way," auntie ordered.
"What happened to him?" Hannah questioned, only having gotten the little bit that Susan knew.
Her aunt pursed her lips. "There is an active investigation. I can't tell you. If Harry says anything, I must ask you to tell me."
Hannah looked close to tears as Susan wrapped her arms around her friends back and midsection. Hannah leaned heavily into her. When her auntie walked away, Hannah sniffed. "What did they do to him?"
"I don't know, Hannah, but he'll be alright. Your mum is a great Healer," she tried to bolster her friend.
-oOo-
A few hours later…
Wiltshire, England
Amelia was ready to crucify Mr Malfoy. He had used the Cruciatus curse on a child! The bastard of a man had used an Unforgivable! The moment or two Harry had been under its effects had done enough damage that he needed a few days of nerve regeneration potion. What was galling her was that she had to catch the man, and verify that his wand had cast the spell, or it never happened the way Harry told her. She couldn't use memories or veritaserum. That had been a law passed a few years ago. She suspected it had been backed by Malfoy and Parkinson money, but she couldn't prove it. Now, she had to prove beyond any doubt that he had.
Five Aurors accompanied her as she walked up the drive towards the house. So far, the wards had not stopped them, and if they were to be activated now, they were already inside some of the worst of them.
Her lead Auror, Scrimgeour, oversaw this operation, but she wasn't about to let this happen without her. She had already started to care for the boy in the little bit she had known him, and knew it would devastate her niece, Hannah, should she lose him.
They walked up to the doors and knocked. A moment later a small female elf opened the door. "Hellos. What can Itsy be doings for yous?" the elf asked.
Rufus held out the paper. "I am Head Auror Rufus Scrimgeour of the British Ministry of Magic. I have a search warrant for the property of Mister Lucius Malfoy to find his wand and ask about an alleged incident earlier today," Rufus told the elf.
"Master Lucius is in the study. Itsy will go get hims. Yous can come in," the small elf said.
They moved into the large atrium. Rufus and her were in the centre as the other five setup positions around them. She was starting to feel nervous that the oily man had just let them in like this.
A few minutes later a rather impeccably dressed and regal looking Mr Malfoy came out of a hallway below the grand staircase. "Ah, Amelia, Rufus, what is this about a warrant?"
"Lucius Malfoy, their has been an accusation about an Unforgivable Curse used on someone that was given to your care. We are here to investigate the accusation. Please hand over your wand," Rufus said.
The man looked concerned. Oh, yes, the man was a good actor. She knew that. She watched him as he took the wand out of the top of his cane. Everyone around him stiffened until he flipped it over and held it handle first. "I trust this is about the way my ward ran away today? He was quite upset about something, and I expect he will be brought back soon?"
"Your ward is currently under Healer supervision for injuries that he did not have when last seen in Italy. Wizarding Child Services has been notified and your allowance to have him for the week has been revoked. I have filed a petition to remove you as a possible guardian," she told him, unable to keep her mouth shut to see how much pain Harry was in and the way his body had been shivering earlier.
Lucius brow furrowed. "You can't do that, Amelia. I was given his custodianship, and Mister Potter will return, or I will file charges that a ward of the Malfoy's has been kidnapped."
"Mister Malfoy, there is no record of Mister Potter being your ward," Rufus said, giving his boss a look to remain quiet. She was supposed to stay out of this.
"I can guarantee you that the Minister signed the paperwork and Mister Black-Potter is now my ward," the man said.
"There is no evidence on the wand, Head Auror," a man said from next to him.
"How many spells were you able to get?" Amelia demanded.
"Almost two hundred," the Auror said. "There is no trace of any dark magic or unforgivable," the man said.
She pursed her lips and gave the smirking man a nasty glare.
"Now, where is my ward?" Mr Malfoy asked as he took back his wand.
"He is not your ward. Minister Fudge has no authority over this case and if I find out he signed a custodianship document for Mister Potter then I guarantee he will be going to Azkaban for interfering in the blood succession of a Sacred Twenty-Eight heir. If your signature is on the papers, I will have you too, Lucius," Amelia snapped.
"Head Bones, I must ask you to leave. You are actively involved in this custodian dispute," Rufus said to her.
"Yes, Amelia, you must leave and fetch my ward. I think you will find the documents quite legal," Mr Malfoy said with a shite-eating grin.
She huffed. She kept her mouth closed until the Aurors took their statement and then had to leave. As they were just past the wards, Rufus grabbed her arm. "I told you you should have stayed back. You may have just hurt your case to with the boy as much as Lucius just did."
"He hurt a child, Rufus. A child I should have had since his parents died. A child that should rightfully be mine to protect," she hissed back.
"I am not denying that, but if you hadn't just spouted off like that, I could have taken him in for corruption if he actually got Fudge to sign an illegal custodianship form. Think, Amelia! I know you are better than this," Rufus snapped at her.
She glared at the man as rage ran through her. She had just botched that. "Bloody hell! I'm such an idiot."
"No. You are a concerned parent and parents do stupid things when their children are involved. Now, go home. Make sure Susan and Harry are well. Don't come in tomorrow as I try to resolve this. I will have Shacklebolt arrest you for interfering in an investigation if you do," Rufus told her plainly.
She looked at the man with a raised brow. After a moment, she signed. "Give me notice when I can come back into the office," she told him.
Rufus squeezed her arm in an affirmative way. "I will. Now go take care of your niece and the boy."
After a nod, she turned and apparated away.
-oOo-
Later that night…
London, England
Hannah was in her nightgown as she tried to open the door as silently as possible. Harry's door was only two down from Susan's. Her bare feet padded across the floor. To her it sounded like her footsteps echoed around the walkway and the main atrium to her left. She didn't care though as she made it to Harry's door.
She let out a soft breath to find it wasn't locked. Turning the knob, she winced when it clicked. She looked around, praying that no one had heard her. When she was convinced no one had, she pushed the door open.
A small light was coming from a gas lamp next to his bed. Harry was lying in bed, a small sheen of sweat on his forehead. Not liking how he looked, she closed the door and moved to the chair next to him.
After a moment, she sniffed and pushed the sweat filled hair off his forehead. "What did they do to you?" she asked in a whisper.
"You are looking at the effects of the Cruciatus curse," a soft feminine voice came out of the corner behind the door.
Hannah screamed. She jumped up and put a hand to her chest. In a chair was her mother. She looked tired as she watched over them. "Merlin, mum! What are you doing here?"
"I should ask you the same thing since I instructed Amelia to keep you out of here," her mum said. After a yawn she got up.
"I was worried about him. Did you say the Cruciatus curse?" Hannah asked. She felt as though the floor was falling out from underneath her.
Walking over, her mum held out her arms. Hannah fell into them. "Keep your voice down. Yes. I would say he was exposed to it for upwards of a minute or more. It is a nasty thing and the stronger the emotions and power behind it, the faster the damage occurs."
Hannah felt tears at her eyes again. "Will he be alright?"
"He will be, but it will be a few days. The regeneration potion causes the sweats. He'll have to take them each night for the next three, but he'll be right as rain by the time you get on the Express," her mum assured her.
Hannah moved so she could see her boyfriend. "Why?"
"I don't know. Now, you should get some sleep. Harry will be up sometime in the morning and I'm sure he will want to see you," she was told.
"Can I stay just a little bit? Please, mum?" Hannah pleaded.
There was a moment of silence. "Just a little bit. Sit in that chair and don't touch him."
"Yes, mum," Hannah said. She sat in the chair, pulled her legs up and leaned her head on the side of the high back. A moment later, her mum put a blanket over her.
"He'll be alright, Hannah. Now, if you close your eyes, that is fine too," her mum said after kissing her forehead.
"I can't let him out of my sight," Hannah told her.
It was about ten minutes later when Rose watched her daughter fighting the sleep she needed. Within twenty minutes Hannah's mouth was open as she lightly snored. She smiled at the young couple, hoping this was the last the poor boy would have to suffer.
-oOo-
The next time on Duel of Fate: Lucius, Cornelius and Augusta get hints they may have gone too far this time… A fat spider prepares for his next juicy meal.
