Harry brushed himself off, looking down at the new robes that he had gotten with Hagrid. He hadn't thought he'd be using them this soon, but it was good he got them. As Harry walked out of his room, Draco looked over, his gaze flicking up and down Harry's robes. "Simple, yet elegant. Nice choice, Potter." Harry could see Draco's elegant onyx and emerald colored robes, which seemed to fit him well.
"You look pretty good for a peacock." Harry grinned, as Draco snorted, "Says the overstuffed fox. We'd better get down before Mother sends one of the elves up for us." Harry smirked and nodded, the two heading downstairs to find Lucius and Narcissa ready; their gorgeous black robes seeming to shimmer with different shades of black as they moved. As Narcissa saw them, she smiled. "Alright, boys. Let's hurry, Harry's Uncle and Aunt will be waiting for us."
Taking Narcissa's hand, Draco took his father's as the two apparated, reappearing in the backyard of Number Four. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia joined them in merely a moment, the door opening as Harry heard the apparition pop behind them as Lucius went away with Draco, knowing that they would return for the Dursleys.
Narcissa nodded. "Alright, let me bring Harry, and then myself and my husband will be back for the two of you." Vernon was holding Petunia's hand, as soon Harry felt the signature squeeze of apparition once more, finding himself in the apparition point for the Ministry, where Draco and Lucius were already discussing.
"Alright, Draco. Your mother and I will be right back. Stay here and don't go wandering off." Lucius said as Draco nodded in acknowledgement. There were a pair of soft pops, and Draco and Harry were left behind. Harry and Draco moved to the side, making way as a wizard popped in next to them and left the apparition point. "You'd think there would be easier ways for magicals to move groups." Harry muttered.
Draco shrugged. "There is, technically. Portkeys are a good method, but they're expensive to create and normally only the ministry is allowed to make them. My father never considered getting a license before, but I'll mention it to him for the future."
"Especially if my Aunt and Uncle come to more of these events." Harry said, which made Draco nod in agreement.
Just then, a voice shouted, "Harry!"
Harry turned, seeing a familiar face walking up to them. "Neville! What're you doing here?" Harry asked, as the chubby boy grinned. Behind him, Harry could see a grizzled old witch, her magic thrumming deep within her. The power of the old witch was quite palpable, at least to Harry.
The old witch, Augusta Longbottom, had always had a keen eye for seeing those who could make waves. However, this time was different; seeing the young Potter that her grandson had mentioned so much made her inner voice scream at her. The boy was relaxed and calm, but had an air of almost animalistic excitement about him. Madame Longbottom nodded to the boy, giving a polite curtsy. "You must be Heir Potter. My Grandson tells me much about you."
Harry gave a graceful bow. "A pleasure to meet you, Regent Longbottom." Harry said, his eyes glancing over her robes, where the crest of the Longbottom family could be seen. Augusta nodded, as Draco made a similar gesture.
"I didn't know you'd been invited to the Easter Ball, Harry! Hermione has me and Ron trying to read every book in the castle, trying to find out who Nicholas Flamel is." Neville whispered with a soft groan underneath.
Harry couldn't help but give a giggle. "She's still focused on the third floor?"
"Like a niffler on a galleon." Neville sighed, rubbing his forehead; Draco snorted at the comparison. There was a pair of popping sounds as Lucius and Narcissa left the apparition room escorting Vernon and Petunia. The two looked a bit green around the edges as they stepped forward, Harry hurrying to them.
"Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, this is another friend I made at Hogwarts. Heir Neville Longbottom of the House of Longbottom and his older sister, Regent Longbottom." Harry explained with a sly grin at Neville. At Harry's comment, Neville turned as red as a beetroot.
Augusta's eyes widened for a moment before she gave a laugh. "Oh my, Heir Potter has himself quite a silver tongue. I am Neville's grandmother, not older sister. Augusta Longbottom. A pleasure, Mr and Mrs…?" Neville looked at Draco making a gagging motion as the silver-haired boy seemed very close to losing his composure.
Vernon stepped forward, taking Augusta's hand and shaking it. "Dursley. Vernon and Petunia Dursley." Vernon said, with a bit of a delay before adding, "A greeting to the esteemed Longbottom house from our unseated one." After he spoke, he looked at Petunia, who nodded.
Lucius raised an eyebrow as Narcissa took his arm. "Wonderful to see you again, Dame Longbottom." Harry noticed no hand was offered between the two when Augusta noticed the silver-haired pureblood. "A bit strange for someone like you to escort two muggles to the Ball. Going soft, Malfoy?"
Harry almost heard Lucius' teeth scrape together as the man clenched them hard. "Oh, these muggles are quite unique. I'm sure that you will find such as you get to know them." Narcissa quickly spoke up, trying to gently shift the subject away from the current topic.
Augusta nodded. "Alright, Neville, let's head to the ballroom. Shall we go in together?" Augusta asked, looking at Harry, and then to Lucius.
"I'd appreciate that, Madame Longbottom." Harry said before Lucius could say anything. "Both Heir Longbottom and Heir Malfoy are my friends, after all."
Augusta showed a bit of surprise for the barest of moments before nodding, walking with Neville as the three families moved together. Harry felt Uncle Vernon's hand on his shoulder, and a slight whisper. "I hope that we don't make a fool of ourselves, lad. At the very least, we'll do our best not to make you look bad."
Harry smiled at Uncle Vernon as the man returned the gesture, the three families heading into the ballroom. They walked towards the threshold of the massive entry door, led by Lucius and Augusta.
"Lady Regent Augusta Longbottom and Heir Neville Longbottom, of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom!" Harry heard an announcer shout as Augusta entered first, before Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco moved up to the threshold.
"Lord Lucius Malfoy, Lady Narcissa Malfoy, and Heir Draco Malfoy of the Magical House of Malfoy!"
Harry took a deep breath, taking Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon's hands, and stepping through, hoping that the announcer would focus on his title, not his aunt and Uncle's. Much to Harry's surprise, what he heard wasn't a bad thing. "Lord Regent Vernon Dursley, Lady Regent Petunia Dursley, and Lord Apparent Harry Potter of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter!"
There was a collective murmur from the filled ballroom. Suddenly all eyes were on Harry and his aunt and uncle. He hadn't expected an introduction for his Aunt and Uncle whatsoever, so hearing them with the title of "Lord Regent" and "Lady" was especially astounding.
Heading down the stairs of the ballroom, they were immediately approached by no less than a dozen witches and wizards. "Lord Regent Dursley, a pleasure. I am Lord Jacob Flint, Noble House of Flint. I wish to give you a special welcome to the Ball today."
Harry saw his Uncle raise his hand, shaking the man's own. "A pleasure, Lord Flint. The House of Potter appreciates the gesture and thanks you for the greetings in the spirit it was given."
Harry saw his Uncle shake the hands of several other members of other families. The Ogden Family, the Bulstrode Family, and Harry even heard the name MacMillian. Harry's head swam. Did he have to remember all these names? It wasn't long before the small crowd was broken up by a tap of a cane. "If you excuse me, Lord Regent Dursley and I have some business to attend to."
Lord Macmillian, who was about to open his mouth, quickly stepped away. Vernon sighed as the crowd quickly dissipated. "Ah, Lord Malfoy. Thank you." The corner of Lucius' mouth twitched as he simply nodded, walking up. Gesturing for a table, Harry saw Neville and his grandmother moving up to the same table so they would all be seated together.
Moving to sit down, Lucius peered at Augusta, only to get the old witch's grin in response. "Can't afford to let you corrupt the 'Lord Regent of House Potter', can I?" The old witch's sly grin didn't waver for an instant, as Lucius' smirk turned into a full grin as he replied, "Quite."
Taking his own seat, Harry made his way to sit next to his Uncle, who had Aunt Petunia at his left. As he did, he heard a voice behind him.
"Ah, Harry my boy. Imagine seeing you here." An old hand took his shoulder, before the familiar figure of Albus Dumbledore moved to take a seat on Harry's left before Draco could sit down.
"Headmaster Dumbledore! This is quite a surprise. Normally you do not grace these Balls with your presence." Lucius said, peering over with a suspicious glance at the old man. The surprise on his face was matched by that of Augusta's, who looked at him as well.
"Why, I couldn't say no to the invitation when Harry was invited as well, of course. The boy needs a steady guiding hand to assist him in remaining firmly in the Light." Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling. Deprived of his seat next to Harry, Draco moved to sit next to his father. Harry could see a sour look on his face at the man who stole his seat.
"So you are the famed Albus Dumbledore mentioned in the lad's Hogwarts Letter? A pleasure to meet you. I am Vernon Dursley." Vernon reached over to shake Albus' hand, but the old man simply smiled, his eyes giving that familiar twinkle.
"And you must be Vernon and Petunia Dursley. You have taken care of Harry quite well so far." The old man peered over his glasses. "Quite well."
Uncle Vernon kept his had up for a moment before lowering it, a flicker of annoyance on his face at the spurned handshake. Harry saw his Aunt turn a bit pale, before speaking up. "Professor Dumbledore, how did you know that I got an invitation?" Harry asked, trying to shift the conversation.
"Ah, I am close friends with Cornelius, and he flooed me soon after giving you the invitation, Harry my boy. He wished to make sure that I knew, since he assumed that you were at Hogwarts for the Easter Break."
"How interesting, Headmaster, because I specifically told Fudge that Heir Potter was returning home with me that day." Lucius' interruption caused Dumbledore to peer over at Lucius. "Ah. Perhaps he simply forgot? The position of Minister is a heavy one, I understand. It is one that I have refused no less than three times."
The tension in the air was palpable, but calmed slightly as dinner arrived. Gentle music was playing in the air as Harry looked around, seeing all of the people in the massive hall. Soon, everyone was eating, as Harry saw Augusta and Lucius were both keeping an eye on Dumbledore.
Dumbledore ate lightly, finishing before the others. "Now, Harry my boy, I must insist that you return to the safety of your Aunt and Uncle's home immediately following the Ball. Your safety is paramount, and Malfoy Manor is—"
"One of the most secure homes in the country, Headmaster. Or is the fact that I was on a side different to yours giving you the audacity to speak such in front of me and my wife? We have been hosting young Potter at our home for the past several days."
Dumbledore sighed and shook his head. "I did not mean to cause insult, Lucius. I am merely worried for the boy when he is outside of Hogwarts' wards." Dumbledore said, steepling his fingers.
Lucius set down his fork and knife, shaking his head as he stood up and pressed his palms to the table. "I would prefer if you avoided such disparaging comments in the future, Headmaster. After all, we've been down this path before. I hope you remember that I gave as good as I received back then."
Dumbledore shook his head morosely. "Please excuse my impertinence, Lucius. I will refrain from such comments in the future."
Harry saw Narcissa's hand gently rest on Lucius' shoulder as the man seemed to calm down. His fury gently waned as the Lord slowly sat back down and quieted himself.
"I'd prefer to return to Malfoy Manor until the end of the break, sir. Besides, there's some information today that will make things difficult for my aunt and uncle with the wizarding world; I'd rather be at Malfoy Manor to ride the waves out. I'm expecting many letters and well-wishes, you see."
"Oh? And what might that be, my boy?" Dumbledore asked, an intrigued look on his face. Harry also noticed a flicker of annoyance on the man's face; but it was such a quick movement that he privately wondered if he had seen it at all.
"You'll see, Headmaster. Minister Fudge should be announcing it shortly." Harry looked over at Draco, who smirked and nodded at him. Turning to Augusta, Harry nodded. "Madame Longbottom, I wanted to speak with you about something private. Would you be able to put up a privacy charm around us?"
Augusta peered over, putting down her fork and drawing her wand. With a quick flourish, a glittering orb was formed around them. "Yes, Heir Potter? Is this official?"
Harry straightened his robes and nodded, "I believe it is, Madame Longbottom. You see, while at school I couldn't help but notice Neville's magic seemed to be a bit weak. However, I do not believe someone of his stature could have such weakened magic, but then I noticed the wand he was using."
"That's his father's wand. He uses it to keep his father's memory alive." Augusta said, shaking her head.
"I was afraid of that. You see, when I was at Diagon Alley at the start of the week, I went to visit Ollivander to ask him a few questions. Unfortunately, my wand doesn't allow me to use all of my magic due to a defect in how my magic works." Harry heard some gasps around the table. Admitting such a thing was taboo in the wizarding world, after all. Harry could see Dumbledore's eyebrow rise, as if he was listening intently from the other side of the privacy ward.
A chill went down Harry's spine. Did the old man have a way to pierce privacy wards? Shaking his head, Harry calmed himself. Of course he didn't. The man was using no magic. He must simply be paranoid. Taking a breathe, he continued his conversation with Augusta.
"While we were discussing about my wand, the topic came upon Neville. I discovered Neville hasn't received his own wand, and Ollivander mentioned that you should take Neville to him as soon as possible. He also requested I mention that wands do not work the same for every wizard."
Augusta seemed to be deep in thought. "I see, Heir Potter. This is entirely my fault; I assume you understand what heirloom wands are?"
Harry shook his head, as Augusta nodded and spoke, "In older pureblood families, sometimes a wand that an older member uses becomes attuned with the blood of the family and becomes able to be used by any member of the family. I had hoped that my son's wand could become such an heirloom, but it seems that my hopes are in vain."
"Gran…" Neville began, but Augusta shook her head. "Neville, I may have stunted your first year in Hogwarts because I was valuing your father's legacy over your future. Will you forgive me? We will go and get a new wand as soon as the Ball is over."
Neville's eyes watered as he began tearing up, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "Y-yes, Gran. O-Of course."
"I love you, Neville. And I want to do what's best for you. I'm sorry." Augusta hugged her grandson, as Neville hugged her right back. After a few moments, she dispelled the privacy charm, allowing the others to rejoin them.
Harry saw Petunia and Vernon smile, as Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. They all soon returned to their meal as the hug finished.
Fifteen minutes later, the music soon stopped as Fudge stepped onto the stage and put the tip of his wand to his neck. His voice echoed loudly through the ballroom, "Ladies and Gentlemen, before we begin the dance for the evening, I do have an announcement to make." Harry could see a cameraman and a rather lanky young witch move to the front of the stage, seemingly poised for a good picture.
"For the first time in centuries, the Ministry has registered a pair of animagi that are so talented and so magically powerful, that they have done what has not been done since the time of Merlin himself. Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, if you would come to the stage."
Harry gave a gulp, as he and Draco stood up. It was time, Harry thought. The eyes of everyone in the ballroom were squarely on them as they headed up to the stage next to the Minister.
"For the first time since Merlin himself, the Ministry is proud to announce that these two boys, Heirs of their own families and the next generation, have successfully performed the Animagus ritual and become magical creatures!"
There was an excited murmur in the crowd, as a flash blinded Harry for a second. Fudge's hands moved to take Harry and Draco's shoulders, leaning forward between them so they could both hear him whisper, "Why don't you show them the majesty of your forms?"
The murmurs became exclaimed shouts as Harry and Draco changed their forms at the same time, Harry's solid silver fur shining in the ballroom's light and Draco's scales glistened with their onyx shine. The shouting soon became a roar; a roar that made Harry's ears fold back a bit.
"Indeed, imagine my surprise that not one, but two boys underwent the Animagus ritual at the incredible age of eleven! Not only this, but they have become magical creatures: a Cadmean Fox, and a Drake Gryphon!"
Draco spread his wings and gave a majestic screech, while Harry focused his magic to have his tails give off a magical glow. Another flash indicated another picture, as Harry couldn't help but mentally roll his eyes at Draco's dramatics.
The action certainly had a good effect on the crowd, however, as it immediately prompted a loud applause that echoed through the room.
"Now, due to this monumental feat, the Ministry would like to congratulate the two boys and the families that sired such incredible talent. Thank you, Heirs Malfoy and Potter, and congratulations for your impressive feat!"
The applause continued as Harry and Draco turned back into their human forms, shaking the Minister's hand within full view of the camera.
A bit overstimulated, Harry felt his magic twitch a bit. Glancing to Draco, Harry saw the silver-haired boy standing tall, seeming to bask in the limelight.
Sneaking a deep breath, Harry attempted to mimic Draco's prideful stance, walking down with him from the stage to the continued jubilation. The crowd parted, allowing the two to return to their table.
"Now, without further ado, we return to the Ministry Easter Ball." Fudge said, removing his wand from his throat and moving from the stage. After a moment the music began anew, and several witches and wizards moved to the dance floor with their partners.
Dumbledore immediately spoke when they came to sit down. "Harry my boy, that was magnificent! You have become an animagus, and a magical one at that. I knew you had been doing the ritual with Minerva, but this comes as quite a surprise. I'm quite proud of you, my boy."
Harry smiled. "Thanks, Professor."
Lucius took Narcissa's hand, taking her up to the dance when the band began a waltz while Harry sat and talked with Draco. As he watched over the Ball, he suddenly realized how bored he was. Dumbledore had gotten up and was over speaking to Minister Fudge, as Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia seemed to be discussing things with another group of wizards. Even Neville and his grandmother seemed busy, talking with a few wizards and witches Harry didn't know.
"How much longer do we have to stay, Draco?" Harry whispered to his friend, the only two who remained by the table.
"It's normally an hour or two before the Ball ends, Potter. Now you know why I find these dreadfully boring. Maybe when we're older, we can dance too."
Harry snickered. "Yeah, but then we have to bring a girl to dance with. What, would you bring Hermione?"
Draco's face went pale. "Don't even joke, Potter!" Seeing the reaction he wanted, Harry snickered once more and leaned over.
"Want to explore the Ministry? I bet they wouldn't miss us."
Draco peered around. "What's the matter, Potter, didn't bring a book?" It was Draco's turn to snicker, now.
Harry huffed, crossing his arms. "No… I couldn't fit one in these dress robes."
Draco laughed before teasing his friend a bit. "Well, you'll just have to deal with being bored, I suppose."
Harry flopped back into a chair. "I don't like being bored."
Soon enough, it was the end of the Ball and everyone was beginning to leave. Lucius guided Vernon and Petunia away when a rough voice cut them off.
"Never knew that Lucius Malfoy was a muggle-lover. How the mighty have fallen."
Harry saw a rather gaunt man wearing older robes walking forward, catching the group as they entered the entrance hall. Lucius stiffened, before frowning. "Cantankerous Nott. I didn't expect to see you at the Ball today." Lucius replied, Harry seeing the man's shoulder's tense.
"You know that I come when I see fit, and a little birdie told me that this Ball would be interesting. Lo and behold, here we have Lucius Malfoy, cavorting with muggles. Are you going to marry your son off to a filthy muggle now, Lucius?"
Lucius' eye twitched. "Such things are beneath mentioning at the moment, Lord Nott. I have guests."
"What you have with you are little more than animals, Malfoy. They shouldn't be allowed in the magical world, let alone on the grounds of the Ministry. If you start throwing your lot in with them, perhaps I should start treating you as such too, you filthy blood traitor."
Harry stepped up at that. "Did you know that Blood Traitor is a term that was invented only in the past thirty years? In fact, it seems to have been invented entirely by one person; Lord Voldemort."
Harry saw all of the magicals around him flinch from the name, allowing him to continue speaking without interference.
"Yes, did you know that Lord Voldemort named almost three dozen families as Blood Traitors, and sought to eliminate them? It's rather interesting, you see. Considering that the Death Eaters killed so many witches and wizards of pureblood stature, I find it surprising no one mentions that Voldemort and his minions were responsible for ending more than a dozen lines over something that he invented."
Harry crossed his arms, looking as much of a pureblood prince as Draco did in this moment. "So if you truly espouse that muggles are lower than witches and wizards, I assume that you utterly despise the Dark Lord for killing so many purebloods, correct? And that you are firmly against Lord Voldemort?"
Another flinch from the name rounded the gathered witches and wizards, as Nott's face paled. "I-I was under the Imperius, boy. Everyone knows that. Same as your precious friend's father."
"Oh, that's true. But then why are you espousing the very thing that Voldemort claimed? What was his campaign fifteen years ago? Oh yes. 'Muggles are subhuman filth, and must be kept from the magicals.' It certainly sounds to me like you agree with him."
"You little bastard. The Dark Lord is not someone I follow. I just feel that such filthy blood shouldn't be allowed in the Ministry!" Cantankerous Nott snarled in rage.
"Ah, and there is the root of the problem. Who says that my aunt and uncle truly have filthy blood? They are members of my family; married in, of course, but a member of my family nevertheless."
Nott growled like an animal backed into a corner. "Watch your tone, boy. You're naught but a little whelp, with a silver tongue and nothing but book knowledge. The world works far differently than your books."
"What's all this then?" Harry heard, as Augusta Longbottom came into the entrance hall. "Nott, are you here for a reason, or blustering about like the overgrown peacock that you are?" The old witch had a fiery voice, stepping forward with Neville behind her.
Seeing he was now outnumbered, Cantankerous Nott growled and whipped around. "Remember what I said, Malfoy. Do not choose who you wish to be around lightly. I know I'm not the only one of the Traditionalists who saw you slumming it with muggles tonight." With that, the man turned and left through the floo, the green fire soon making him disappear from sight.
The tension in the group lessened as Harry sighed. "Thank you, Madame Longbottom. I'm worried what he might have said if I had continued the topic."
"No, you were quite eloquent, Heir Potter. No thanks are needed, you just get your Uncle and Aunt home. It was a pleasure speaking with you, Vernon, Petunia." The old witch nodded to the two of them as Lucius, a bit pale, turned and led the Dursleys to the floo as the worried-looking Narcissa assisted in guiding them. Harry sighed, before hurrying to join them.
The day after the ball, Draco rushed into Harry's room holding the silvery key. "Ready to try to find where this goes, Potter?" Draco grinned from the doorway. Harry yawned, groaning as he sat up with Amber coiled around him. "Nnnngh… five more minutes, Draco."
"Come on, Potter! Where's that Slytherin ambition? Who knows what this key could be protecting! It could be a ton of Black Family secrets!" Draco said with a grin. "We could find so much with this key! Maybe a secret library…" Draco trailed off teasingly.
That had Harry up and getting dressed, Amber hissing with an annoyed tone as she slithered out into the hall to find Dobby. There was a squeak moments later, as it sounded like she had found him quite quickly.
"Alright, I'm dressed. Let's explore the manor!" Harry grinned. This would be like when he explored Hogwarts, but this time Draco was here. With that, they were off. The two friends began to explore, moving around the manor's unused sections. Harry opened a room, but there was nothing in it, not even dust.
"Your House Elves seem to really enjoy cleaning to keep this place this spotless," Harry said as he looked around. "There's nothing, no cobwebs, no dust, no real indication this place isn't really used."
Draco laughed. "Yeah, House Elves love cleaning. It's how it's always been." Draco said as he opened another door, finding an old broom closet. Harry seemed curious at that, peering over at Draco and asking, "But why?"
Draco's nose scrunched. "Oh no, I know that look. You're going to want to spend hours in the library researching House Elves now, aren't you?" Harry grumped a bit at how his friend had easily recognized his habit. He shoved an old side table aside, checking for secret passages. "But aren't you even the smallest bit interested in how House Elves work? I mean, they are living beings, so why do they like serving people so much?"
"It's because wizards are strong. Purebloods have the strongest magic so they like serving us." Draco said snootily as they searched. Harry's eyes glanced down the hall, suddenly seeing a flicker of magic.
"Hey, I saw something that way, Draco." Harry said, rushing down the hall. Draco snorted, "You and your eagle eyes. I swear, Potter. You would have done great in Ravenclaw." Still, the silvery-blonde pureblood hurried to catch up as the two headed around the corner. "I've never been in this section of the manor before." Draco said, looking around quizzically.
As they rounded the corner of the hallway, Harry saw a pulsing shadow from a large door at the end of the hall. It was strong, obviously warded, as runes of darkness and shade seemed to flicker with ancient magic around the edge of the threshold.
"Uh— is that the door?" Harry asked, pointing. "That feels really really powerful."
"I think that's something left over from when the Blacks gave the Manor to the Malfoys. Maybe it's filled with dark artifacts!" Draco grinned. Draco's comment made Harry worried, frowning as he replied, "Wouldn't that be a bad thing? I thought there were laws and such against Dark Artifacts."
"The Ministry only labels things dark when they don't understand it, or it deals with the Old Traditions of wizardkind, Potter." Draco spat. "Dumbledore is the worst about this. He says anything that isn't what he agrees with is Dark and should be forgotten."
Harry seemed surprised. "But wouldn't it be best to save the knowledge? I mean, Binns told us about Merlin's Decree, right? It means that the most powerful rituals and magic can only be passed down by word of mouth, and can't be written without damaging the written word." Harry remembered the letter sent to him by Ollivander, and the comment about his Wild Magic. Was that considered Dark?
Draco snorted again, "That's exactly why. Father's always said that Dumbledore is the worst thing that's ever happened to Hogwarts. He's a hundred years old, and refuses to teach what he knows to others. Not only that, he actively prevents students from honoring magic with the old ways."
Harry shook his head. "I don't think Dumbledore's the worst thing that happened to Hogwarts, Draco. I think your dad just doesn't like him. Anyways, shouldn't we check and see if the key works on this door?"
Draco nodded, reaching out and touching it. This was a mistake, as Harry saw the magic build. With a scream, Harry grabbed his friend's hand, yanking it away. "Draco! Don't!" Where Draco's fingertips had been moments before a lashing blast of darkness shot out, disintegrating a small moth that had taken wing close to the door from a nearby window.
Draco looked nervous, looking at his hand. "W-what the hell? I-I'm Heir Malfoy! The Manor's wards shouldn't react to ME like that! I know Mother has never let me down this wing before, but it shouldn't be that dangerous!" Frowning, Harry eyed the door. "Unless it was spelled that way on purpose. Try the key, Draco."
Draco reached up with the key, his hand shaking a bit. "I— you do it, Potter." Draco shoved the key at Harry, as Harry smirked. "Well, I guess you definitely don't have qualities of a Gryffindor then."
"Bite me, Potter. I don't want to lose my hand." Draco pouted, crossing his arms.
Harry took the key and raised it, moving it to the door. As he did, a keyhole appeared in the sheer door, almost like it was accepting it. The key slid inside, and with a soft click, the wards receded and a blast of old, stale magic slid from the door like air escaping from an airlock.
Instantly the hallway felt bleak and dreary, but to Harry the hall suddenly was alive and breathing with magic. The presence made Draco shiver, but Harry saw the magic dance around him, prompting Harry to grab the door and push it open; the ancient door creaked open slowly.
As the door opened, Harry saw a series of shelves filled with objects similar to those he saw in Borgin and Burke's. The magic within them was powerful; Harry could see a small black stone that glimmered like shadows, a black unassuming book, and a small silver figurine were on the shelves closest to Harry.
"Wicked." Both boys said at once, as Draco peered over the shelves. His father had never mentioned anything like this! Harry curiously wondered if Lord Malfoy knew of this hidden room.
"Do you think I could take one of these?" Harry asked, looking at the black book expectantly. The magic pulsed around it, as his scar gave a gentle throb, making him wince a bit. "This book makes my scar twitch."
"Maybe it's a book on garlic recipes, and your scar is hurting just like when you're with Quirrell." Draco laughed, as he looked over a small black gauntlet.
"Oh, I know what this is. It's a Gauntlet of the Magus. It's said to be used in a ritual to make yourself stronger!" Draco said as he peered over it. "It takes a pureblood's blood and can be used to empower a child to make them stronger than their parents. The Wizengamot made this illegal almost a century ago, because people thought muggles were somehow mimicking the effects."
Harry glanced at the book again, before moving over. "Whoa. Wouldn't that be useful for students going into Hogwarts?"
Draco shook his head. "I hear it exhausted the user of it and often killed them, draining their life as well as their magic if the person using it wasn't skilled enough with magic to control it. It was even worse if someone cast magic on the person doing the ritual; the magic would be rebounded back multiple times stronger than what was used to cast it."
Oddly enough to Harry, the final part of that caused a bit of déjà vu through his mind. Shaking it off, he peered over the gauntlet but of course didn't touch it. Continuing to move around, Harry saw a shelf with many books at the end of the storage room.
"Look, Draco, books!"
"Oh no. Potter, look away, before you become ensnared— and he's gone." Draco mockingly groaned, as Harry rushed over heedless of Draco's words.
"Hm? What'd you say?" Harry asked, prompting a snort from Draco as he looked over the book's titles. He could feel the magic pulsing out from them, almost seeming to entice him. "These books are really strong, Draco. I can feel their magic."
Draco walked over, reaching out. "I can feel them too. It's definitely weird." Draco said, frowning.
"Do you think we could take a couple of these books with us?" Harry asked curiously. "Look, Draco! There's a book on Atlantis here! Atlantean Runes: Hidden Mysteries. Merlin above, I really want to read that."
Harry reached out to it, taking hold of the book's binding when suddenly the magic shifted. The magic seemed to take shape and form above the books like a silent protector, forming into a black crow that stared directly at Harry, who quickly froze.
"Uh… Draco? Is that supposed to happen?" Harry asked curiously.
"A crow is the symbol of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black. Potter, take your hand from the book! It'll attack you because you aren't a member of the House of Black!" Harry panicked as the Crow continued its unblinking gaze at Harry. Without breaking its gaze, the spectral crow jumped on his hand. Panicking even worse now, Harry yanked and pulled his hand, trying to remove it from the book to no avail. He gasped, "M-my hand's stuck!"
"Well, nice knowing you, Potter." Draco said mournfully; the blonde seemed to genuinely mean it, too, which frightened Harry even further. Harry did his best, twisting and turning, even trying to use his own magic to counter the magic on his hand, but nothing seemed to work to shake the magically-generated bird off. The crow didn't move an inch, continuing its unblinking, unmoving, and eerie gaze. The crow continued its stare a moment longer before it leaned down and pecked Harry's arm, drawing blood that stained the spectral crow's beak red.
"Ow!" Harry shouted, tears in his eyes. Was this his fate? Was his arm going to be pecked and ripped by a magical crow, because he so foolishly didn't obey Lord Malfoy's warning?
Of course, Draco's comment didn't help Harry's panic. "It's doing some sort of blood ritual! It's going to curse you! I'll go get Mother or Father!" Draco shouted and shot out of the storage room, leaving Harry behind as the boy started to hyperventilate in sheer terror.
The crow's beak glistened with the crimson of Harry's blood, peering at him as Harry saw the blood at its beak slowly begin to fade away. Once it fully faded, the crow gave a loud caw and spread its wings. With a sudden flap of its larger than normal wingspan, it burst into a cascade of black sparkles.
"The Heir of House Black is always welcome to the secrets of the Black Family." Harry heard, a deep ancestral voice that echoed around the room. The book, formerly as unmoving as an anchor, slid off the shelf into Harry's hand as the sparkles surged around him. Harry felt the magical presence inside of him pulse, the red gryphon appearing and flying around Harry's body. The black crow reappeared as well, the two spectral beasts flying and dancing around each other before bowing to Harry and disappearing.
"What— What was that?" Harry gasped out, holding the book as his chest heaved from the terror he had felt moments before.
Seconds later, Lucius burst into the room with Draco at his side. Harry saw Lucius' wand raised, as a spell was glowing at the tip. Seeing his friend free of the shelf, Draco hurried over and quickly looked all around him. Lucius' voice boomed in the hallway, "Potter! Are you alright?" Lucius' eyes were a mix of fear and apprehension. If the Boy Who Lived was cursed by Dark Magic in his home, he'd face Azkaban, if he was lucky enough to make it to trial. The man's wand flicked over him, as a diagnostic spell glowed around Harry.
Once the spell finished, Lucius let out a relieved sigh, "You seem fine, Heir Potter, but what are you and Draco doing in here? How did you even open the door? It's been sealed for a decade!" Lucius frowned as he realized the danger was over; now was time for discipline of two overly-curious boys.
"Any of these objects could have harmed the two of you. These were heirlooms, given by the Black Family to myself as part of the dowry, except for a few of the objects which were given to me by... a close friend." Lucius stopped, hesitating for a second before he caught himself and continued, "The key was lost shortly before Draco was born, and I was unable to find it for the past several years." Harry trembled with the aftereffects of adrenaline from what had happened. He had truly been a fool. But even as he recovered from the worst scare of his life, he kept the book he had taken close to his chest.
"The book said I was Heir of House Black." Harry said after a moment.
"Heir of— what?" Draco sputtered. "I thought I was Heir, Father? Because Sirius Black is in prison, the closest living male with Black blood should be Heir! Potter wouldn't lie about such a thing; I saw the Black Crow of the House of Black's family magic!"
Lucius looked at Draco and shook his head as he responded, "Draco, now is not the time. Come with me, Potter, and leave the book here."
"May I please take it, sir? I want to read it over." Harry said, clinging to the book. Lucius reached towards Harry, though seemed to think better of it and instead placed a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Potter, I'm unsure how exactly you were able to remove the book, but Draco tells me you do not lie about such matters. If you hadn't been of Black blood, you would have found your blood completely drained by the book as soon as you had touched it. Draco did well coming to me; I may have been able to stop it if it came to that. You were very fortunate, Potter, since it seems you have some Black blood in your family tree. But understand this: You should never touch books in a Manor House without permission of the Heir or Lord, am I clear? This is a mistake that could have killed you."
Harry gulped. "S-sorry sir. I was good with that in the Malfoy Library, because the books felt… wrong to me somehow. Like they would attack me if I touched them. These books feel like they're singing to me." Harry gestured around, and at the bookshelf.
Lucius paused for a minute, tapping his chin with a finger as he thought for a moment. After a second, he turned around. "Very well. As long as it doesn't happen again. Draco, I believe you have the key to the door. I am proud of you for finding it, but I am disappointed you didn't bring it to me first." The pureblood held out his hand, causing Draco to look a bit sheepish. Without hesitation, Draco quickly moved to the door and removed the key, handing it to his father.
As Harry moved to leave the storage room, his gaze fell upon that black book once more. It felt strange and made his scar hurt again as he saw it. Still, he shook his head and walked past as Lucius closing the warded door behind them. The massive, ancient door seemed to disappear as Lucius put the key into his pocket.
-Author's Notes-
We're so close! With today's release, there's only 2 more chapters in this book. I can't believe I'm getting close to finishing!
Please make sure to take some time and vote on the poll on my profile, it'd mean a lot! If you're reading this on AoO, then you don't have to worry, I will be posting everything as individual books thanks to the Collection system.
As for those reading on Fanfiction, I need you to vote so I can figure out if I should keep all the books together, or separate them! Let me know your opinions by voting on the poll.
Note that there will be a 1 month hiatus after the end of this book for me to establish a backlog of chapters; I want to make sure to never miss a single scheduled update for you guys, and the 12 chapters of book 2 I have aren't even fully proofread yet, so I definitely need to knuckle down.
If you want to help out and proofread the story and offer your thoughts, please join the r/hpfanfiction official discord server (link in my profile) and pop me a message. My discord username is on my profile. Make sure to send a message and not just friend request, or I'll think you're a bot! If I get enough interested people, I may just make my own Discord server.
Harry Potter is not owned by me, and is the property of JK Rowling.
