Chapter 7: Life without Harry

Ginny was sitting in the comfortable warmth of the fireplace on 13th May 2010. The summer was peeping around the corner but still there was a nip in the air. She was facing Draco, Hermione, Ron, Luna and all their children who were playing in the background in the Malfoy Manor. Katie, Zabini, Pansy and Neville were making all of them a tasty dessert. Weasely seniors and Narcissa were in the room above. The families of Bill, Percy and Charlie had gone back to their guest rooms even as Fred and George was making all the kids roll on the floor with laughter. It was Hermione's idea that they spend their time together till the weekend to plan things.

Ginny sighed "It feels strange that Harry is not with us in the thick of things even though the fact is that it is he who has started this mission and is in the active forefront. It is also strange that he is now acting as a Muggle and now I am having to keep track of his flight and hotel movements. Kreachera just informed me that they are settled in for the day and nothing untoward has happened yet on either Muggle or Wizard front. It is probably foolish of me but I am worried about him."

Hermione tightly embraced her. "Such is the natural reaction of any loved one. I am also apprehensive because he went there to protect me. Had it been possible to persuade him, I would have told him to stay here and protect me but a virus like Lucas ought to be sniffed out and someone like Harry and Athena are perfectly placed to give the chase. Besides he has not just all our combined intelligence as a support system, he also has Dudley and family keeping him comfortable as a Muggle."

Ginny giggled, "Yes! Who would have imagined that? Harry hated that place with fervor."

Draco smiled, "Things do change, Ginny. Harry and I were hateful rivals for 7 years but here I am, concerned about Harry. We grew close in the last war and choose to remain that way. Everything should go smoothly but just to be prepared Ron and I have agreed with Neville that we both train in Hermione's presence in our great hall. Harry is our strategic leader but it helps that we all know our own roles perfectly. Luna is now the person who would be contacting Dudley. We have also complied with Athena so that all of us in this house know our unique identifiers. I have also logged thoughts that are simply not mine and are a sure sign that I am possessed. If any of you see me talking spiteful about Hermione, my children or any of you DA and OP members, you can take it as a confirmation that I am possessed."

Neville reentered the room and gathered all people there except those who had retired (owing to tiredness) and treated them to a sumptuous feast of chocolate mousse and flaming ice-cream.

Amidst much laughter they were settling into a comfortable post dinner chat when things shook them up.

Like a horror movie scene, the Patronus of Minerva McGonagall visited them all in the drawing room announcing, "Hermione and Draco, please Apparate right away outside Hogwarts Gate. We all need to talk to Aurelian right away."

Panic gripped the room. Hermione took a scared look at Draco. She wondered aloud, "Has Lucas already taken the first step by targeting our son?"

Draco shook his head but from his sweat beads it was apparent that even he was tense. Meanwhile everyone else in the room was instantly at a battle ready mode, assuring Hermione that they were all available to her at a moment's notice. Despite herself, Hermione smiled in gratitude. Then they (Hermione and Draco) went to the lawn and apparated to Hogwarts.

As soon as their feet landed on the lush green grass outside Hogwarts Castle, they noticed the giant form of Hagrid rushing them in through the main gate. Both of them acknowledged the gentle giant, who was a paternal figure in Hogwarts. Hermione could no longer maintain her mask of calm. She shook Hagrid's arm as she asked, "What is the matter?"

Hagrid managed his best reassuring smile, "Our Headmistress would give you the details. Things could have gone very wrong but at this moment, things are fine."

Professor Horace met them outside the Headmaster's Gargoyle.

"Treacle Pudding", Professor Horace called out with a hint of a smile as the stairway opened. All of them barring Hagrid made their way to the Headmistress Office.

Hermione quickly surveyed the room. A grim faced Headmistress was at her plush velvet chair and holding a stern expression as she looked over Teddy and Aurelian. Meanwhile, Teddy seemed to be shaking violently in anger and was doing all he could not to lash out. Aurelian was squirming under Teddy's steady gaze. At the left end of the room were the current 4 head-teachers of each house and the 8 House Monitors and the School Head-boy and Head-girl. All were silent but the Gryffindor Monitor was ready to kill Aurelian with her very eyes but her dangerous sparkling look was in perfect contrast to the outpouring love she had in her expression for him.

"Hermione and Draco, I am sorry to wake you up at this hour but the situation is grim enough to warrant a comprehensive open discussion with all parties involved. What happened today was a serious disciplinary breach that endangered not just Aurelian's own life but also other students, staff and teachers who care for him. I am too angry to give a coherent statement so Teddy will talk now. Teddy, please repeat everything you told me from the beginning of last weekend."

Draco and Hermione calmed each other before they sat back to listen.

The headmistress spoke out "Err Hermione! I am sorry to intervene but there is one thing we need to clear. Your ring of 15 invisible guards tail you to offer you protection but honorable as they are, we would rather keep affairs within our school private. Of course at any point, should you encounter any danger they are welcome to hear out."

Hermione nodded and sent a visual thought display message to her head guard that though they were to guard her, they were to cast a ruffling sound charm to keep her interaction with Hogwarts private, until she passed on a message to the contrary. Once she got the confirmation that the magic was done, she smiled at Teddy to start.

"Last weekend after our Potions class, I was about to come out for lunch when I heard Aurelian's voice whispering softly to another male voice. I am pretty good at recognizing voices but this one was absolutely new to me. That fact by itself gripped my attention.

"Do you think we can get this ready by next week, Aurelian?"

"Do not worry, I have observed Mommy at her research lab many times. I noted down all her experiments when I had the chance. This potion would be ready after school on Thursday. We will use this at our secret location in the Forbidden Forest."

The very name sent chills down my spine but Aurey was calm and composed. I decided to silently observe him. To keep him safe, I alerted all our teachers, Headmistress and Hagrid. The unanimous advice was to observe him from afar and get to the bottom of this mystery.

Today afternoon with Professor Horace signaling me, I excused myself early and gathered my foolproof observation kit. Aurey stayed back after the class and again I heard that voice.

"Did everything go smoothly, Aurey?"

"Things are going just as planned. Our experiment will be a roaring success tonight. I will conceal this potion in my special bottle and we will slip out of the school compound after Fang and Hagrid sleep tonight. We both are taking risks but for the name of Science, it is all worth the effort."

The other boy agreed, "Science, Magic and our own personal fortunes would change after tonight."

I did not know whether to admire Aurey or lash out at him. If a boy my age can change science and magic, future held bright for our kind. For all my observation, all I could make out was a deep red liquid that Aurey poured into his bottle.

Taking the help of our Headmistress, I attached an invisible tracker to his arm after stunning him with a sleeping spell. Now all his movements and interactions would be observable to all of us sitting in this room and Hagrid.

Despite knowing that Aurey was in safe hands, I hid myself in the dark shadows of the common room. After midnight, Aurey went past me into the lawn. I silently tailed him. He left the School Compound via an unused exit and was shortly joined by a taller boy. They reached a temporary hut where Aurey took out the test tube. I was sufficiently close to them now to hear the entire conversation.

"This liquid is dangerous. I would like to personally hand over this to your aunt and guide her recovery. Let us go now"

The boy shook his head, "Give it to me, Aurey. I will take care of it."

Aurey firmly refused. "Like I said, this liquid needs to be vaporized at a certain temperature and inhaled at minutely fine volume. Excess or deficient intake can wreak havoc with the body."

"Aurey, I am sorry to do this to you." Saying this, he whistled and four masked men stepped through the doorway.

For the first time, fear flashed in his eyes. "You do not intend to use my patented technology for cancer therapy, do you?"

One of the four men laughed. "That would be a contradiction when we ourselves are a cancer to civilized society."

Clutching the test tube tightly, he asked, "What do you want to do with this?"

Another man spoke, "Usually that stuff is secret but since we are now going to kill you anyway, please note that this will aid in blowing your mother off and at least 400 more people during the Quidditch Friendly."

"Okay, we have wasted enough time. Goodbye boy and thanks for ignorantly helping us. Av.."

"Expelliaramus," I shouted as that man's wand came to me.

There was shouting from all directions.

"Incarcerous", saying which our Head Girl tied up the older Hogwarts Boy.

Hagrid scooped up Aurey as Fang attacked a dazed masked man.

"Confringo", said our Head Boy and blasted the 2 remaining death eaters off the ground. Before they could act further, all four masked men escaped without retaliation. The brief confrontation was over within a minute.

Looking back, I saw the reason for their meek departure. A formidable contingent of Hogwarts Teachers and Students were standing behind us (including our Headmistress, All 4 Heads of Houses and all members of our Dueling Club). The four were thoroughly outnumbered.

Most of us are now here in this room. I could not contain my anger at Aurey anymore and in front of all, I smacked him hard on his back, which he accepted gracefully. I was preparing for another one when the Headmistress restrained me.

"Keep Calm, Teddy. We need to get to the bottom of this mystery. We will call his parents first." Saying this she sent you the Patronus. Now let Aurey explain what he was doing in the Forbidden Forest."

Hermione took Teddy's palms into hers as she said as tears rolled down her cheek, "We will never be able to thank you enough for protecting Aurey and saving his life."

An instant later her demeanor changed and she fixed a cold stare at Aurey that sent chills down his spine. Hermione was the disciplinarian and a loving mother while Draco spoiled his son. Today however he got no reassuring look from his dad. Draco was staring hard at him.

Hermione said, "Aurey, I think you appreciate that you are in mighty big trouble here. Your actions put your own life in danger and also those of other Teachers and Students here. Your only hope of leniency would be telling the whole story in minute detail."

"Yes, indeed Mummy. Firstly, I am deeply sorry for all the trouble my secret actions have caused. No activity, however vital, needs to be kept a complete secret from my own School and it is you people who helped me when I was in trouble, despite my selfishness. Besides, deepest thanks to you Ted for saving my life. The Hogwarts boy concerned is Alfred, 2 years my senior. He met me at the Great Hall after a Sunday Feast with a disturbed and pained look in his eyes.

"Hello Aurey, I am Alfred. I have reliable sources who tell me that you are deep into Healing Research."

"Yes, how do you know? I do that privately in the afterschool hours."

"That is not important. It is vital however is that you are a godsend to me now. My aunt is suffering from early stage throat cancer. The Healers are unable to find the exact source of the tumor. She needs a new form of treatment. Can you make the Cancer Potion, Aurey?"

"I have most of the steps figured out and I can do it within one month after all forms of testing. However what would be my benefit in all this?"

"Well, we can patent your discovery and you can receive a fat royalty each month. In addition, you're Mummy and you will have your names published in the Healers' Weekly-The most reputed new Magical Healing Magazine in England. Besides, you get to save a life."

I agreed that it was a win-win situation. I get money, fame and I save a life. I started working on the potion. The working notes of this was what you (Mummy) had put down in your Experiments Journal when you were performing your Healing Research 3 summers back. I soon realized that something was missing. The end potion that you designed was deep red in color whereas mine was Green. It was at that point I realized that this potion is highly reactive and can easily be used in explosives. Probably that is the reason why you did not note down a vital step.

For 3 weeks, I bent over my back trying to find the missing ingredient and I finally cracked the code 3 days back. Then I had an epiphany. Experimenting on gnomes, I found that the potion was far more potent when inhaled as a vapor in regulated quantity. I was so happy with my efforts and your initial work that I sent it to the Healing Ministry for a patent with a suggestive set of experiments to prove me right. By this time, I knew perfectly well how to write a Science Report. I got the approved patent (named Hermione Malfoy Granger and Aurelian Malfoy Cancer Vapor Therapy) in a single day and yesterday morning I received 1000 Galleons, the first of such weekly sums for perpetuity. I was pleased that I was changing Science and Magic and expressed as much to Alfred. True to his word, an owl delivered this week's Healers' Weekly, where our discovery was praised in glowing terms and it said that English Magical Community is privileged to be led by such an intelligent person.

Up until 2 hours ago, I considered only the positive aspects of Science. Only now I have realized the hazards of misuse in Science. In the past 3 weeks I had set up a temporary lab in the Forbidden Forest to allow me uninterrupted flow of my experiments. Ironically, my aim was that people may try to misuse my research and try to harm others using my discovery. Little did I know that this was all just a setup? They wanted to kill you after finishing me and my own discovery was to be their weapon. They would have succeeded but for Teddy and the brilliant Teachers and Students here. I do not have words enough to express my remorse."

Draco sighed and looked at Professor McGonagall, "Professor, is Alfred from the Slytherin House?"

She shook her head, "No he is from Hufflepuff. This type of targeting is completely different from earlier patterns under You Know Who."

"Before we talk to Alfred, I would like to know something from Hermione. Did your experiments display possibility of an explosion within the body so that the subject became a living bomb, capable of Mass Terrorism?"

Hermione nodded, "I realized that though my motive was healing, this was certainly a possibility. In fact as a side experiment, I did research on exactly this possibility. We used specially bred Gnomes for this. The only difference between testing subjects in human experiments and magical experiments is that we magically restore full health of our subjects post research and release them into the wild. The results were disturbing. Unregulated excess intake of this potion could cause the body to explode and many of my subjects were close to this threshold before I ended my research. I memorized a vital part of my testing and chose not to publish my work. I never realized Aurelian's scientific curiosity could lead us to this situation today. I have always pushed him to obtain knowledge but what he did was unethical."

"I am truly sorry, Mummy. You gave me the passion for Science and I kept even you in the dark. My noble intentions do not cover the fact that I stole the research from you. I do not have your vision to realize that by not publishing your research, you were protecting society in general. If it does make you feel better, I vow that henceforth all my research would be under informed consent of you and my teachers."

Professor McGonagall spoke, "We believe you, Aurelian. However on the grounds of your breaching multiple school rules, we are placing you under probation. One more such insane act and we will have to expel you. I hope you have learnt your lessons Aurey. Okay, off we go to Madam Pomfrey. Alfred was in shock and is now being treated."

Despite the usual insistence of Madam Pomfrey about visitors visiting Hospital Wing, today she had no objection as 20 people took up seats encircling the weak form of Alfred, now being given Saline Drips.

"Alfred, we need to know why you lied to Aurelian and what was your actual motive? Speak slowly and take rest, but we need to know a lot of things from your perspective."

Alfred nodded, "My sincere apology to our school and especially to Aurey. He believed in my ailing aunt story. Apart from this I did ensure the Patent and the Publication. I knew from the beginning about their sinister motive. I was helpless however. My parents are under their watch in Germany. I could not inform anyone in School. I knew no good would come of this but what shocked me was their decision to kill Aurey. I froze from within. In one moment of clarity I realized that both he and I (as a key witness) would die and so would Aurey's mother and 400 odd people. My parents could also be dispatched away in a whiff. All my efforts of the past 2 months would go to naught. Our game was over but with your intervention, we are both here. I can't thank you all enough from the bottom of my heart."

Hermione spoke up, "Children make mistakes because of exactly who they are: children, innocent spontaneous pure souls who take life at face value unlike overanalyzing rational judging adults. Parents can ensure proper guidance by showing them the right path provided they earn their children's' trust. I do not know about Alfred but I am sure about the fact that Aurey trusts Draco and Me (Aurey affirmatively nodded). What all you children need to realize is that as adults, our vision is more panoramic. We see situations from multiple perspectives: economic, financial, scientific, health, Nature, societal, religious and even security. Our life is a whole big functional matrix from which we choose the best available alternative with least pain. I am not telling that these complications are good, just that before making a vital decision that goes against well-made adults rule like the one about the Forbidden Forest, it is good to be informed of the full potential fallouts of any such action and then take the action. An adult the child can trust to give complete information is just such a person and I believe we both (Draco and Me) perform that role in his life. Children with their spontaneity and adults with their broad vision can make for a great team, just like Aurey picked up on my skills and I encouraged his brave and noble heart to go where it felt like. What Aurey did was both right and wrong and henceforth it is his choice. It is always so."

For the first time that night, Aurey lost his emotions as tears fell from his face, "I love you Mummy. I can happily accept any punishment you mete out so long as you forgive me and believe that I can be a better son. All my spark is after all from you and Dad. All said and done, I choose to be your better son."

Hermione and Draco tightly embraced Aurey as others stood numbed with emotions.

Hermione spoke, "We are angry, Aurey, because we love you. You are precious in our life as are all children for most parents. We are dealing with a lot of complicated security situations and we did not need to know an attack attempt on our beloved son by our target. Uncle Harry is also not here so without him we feel more vulnerable. Your guilt is your biggest punishment and the rest can be decided by this able school that gave us everything. Also remember that when your sister joins here after many years, she ought to feel proud of her brother's stories and not embarrassed. Legends have permanence here. We ought to go back to her now."

Aurelian agreed, "Yes Mummy. Please go back to her. I am reassuring you and this school that henceforth I am a changed man."

Hermione and Draco personally thanked each person standing in that room and waved their farewell before they hugged Hagrid and Hermione conjured a special treat for Fang, remembering his earlier taste. By the time they returned to the Malfoy Manor facing a room full of alert anxious faces that included adults who were woken up after they left, it was a little beyond 3am. Still tiredness did not hamper either of them.

They recounted the entire incident in detail. All of them agreed that it would not be wise to discuss strategy at 4am but they should at least let Harry and Athena be aware. Hermione decided to personally do that the first thing next day. Luna was to update Dudley. Then they all retired to rest.

Hermione leaned against Draco, "Time is so unpredictable, Draco. A melancholy tinged day that started out with us coming together ended in absolute mayhem. Within all this context one thing is absolutely clear to me. You, My Babies, my family and Friends form the crux of my life. We faced a war successfully when Aurey was 3 and are about to face another when our precious daughter Erwina is turning 3. She needs us more than ever now and again we have uncertainty hovering over us. This time I am not even sure if this attack was actually a motive or it was meant to distract our energy from something more sinister and long lasting. I hate when people target kids. It just breaks my heart."

Hermione tenderly looked at her daughter sleeping peacefully in the crib.

Draco lovingly embraced her. "This is not a war Hermione. We are eliminating the root cause this time so it is but natural that we will see many such dirty tricks. Together we will make it through. Let us just relax now."

The final thought she had before sleeping was a Russell Crowe version of the Scar Faced Devil's Agent Lucas about to be electrocuted and she landed him a ferocious slap on the face for creating Voldemort out of Tom Riddle and now targeting Aurelian in a battle against herself.

She was going to incapacitate him permanently, she took this vow and for her this vow was as precious as every gulp of breath she took to keep alive.

A/N: Okay, how do you think this plot is going? Is this attack purposeful or a mere distraction? Please read and comment. All of you are precious readers to me.