The days following James's return were almost pleasant. Harry kept using the parchment, James kept his mouth mostly shut in front of others, and Regulus was more inclined to listen to Draco than ever before. They settled into a routine, and while Draco struggled to adjust to life with James constantly lurking, James took on his new role with gusto. He attempted to solve every one of Draco's problems, his favourite of which was getting Regulus out of the ring. It was 'intellectually challenging and something we can bloody do from inside this abhorrent manor.'
In contrast, Regulus shut down when the topic of the rings came up, going silent and pretending to occupy himself with other matters. Draco was convinced that he was afraid of getting his hopes up only to have them crushed, and despite James's return, the one person who had a wealth of knowledge about the rings, they still didn't have many promising leads.
"My magic has to be around somewhere, or else it would have released Regulus's soul years ago. The same goes for him and my ring," James said as he propped his feet up, leaning further back in his chair.
"So what? You're trapped in a loop?" Draco said with a frown.
James sighed. "We got into the loop somehow, so there's gotta be a way out. Say you have some advanced rune books, right? If we could partially release my soul, my magic might return long enough to transfer Regulus's soul to his body."
Draco nodded, searching through the stack, already several books in mind. James continued, "The body part is still tricky to me. You said Regulus already had ideas there?"
"We have had several," Draco corrected. "Regulus made me learn a disturbing amount of bodily restoration spells. We know where he died, so hopefully, it's just a matter of retrieving it and getting it to working form."
James hummed and peered over Draco's shoulder as they read runes together. That's how it was most of the time, with James enthusiastically tackling whatever he could, whether he was welcome to it or not. Regulus was quiet, letting James's fresh perspective rule conversations. Where James had no qualms about speaking whenever or wherever, Regulus waited until Draco had been silent for some time, not wanting to interrupt his conversations with James. Draco was thankful for it, but wouldn't have minded more excuses to ignore him.
Although it did get easier to filter out James's commentary, Draco could grudgingly admit sometimes it was a tad amusing, but it was almost unbearable when it came to Harry. He wanted to police everything Draco wrote on the parchment. He over-analysed every response from Harry. After only two days, Draco enforced the rule that James had to be at least three paces away from the parchment, and if he wasn't, Draco would take off his ring without warning. That's how Draco found himself waiting for Harry to respond as James pouted from across the desk.
Umbridge has the locket.
How?
Mundungus is the one who robbed the house and sold it to her. We are working on a plan to get it, but have you heard anything about what is going on at the ministry?
Nothing more than the trials for blood purity. Why? You aren't going to go to the ministry, are you?
We have to.
You don't have to get yourself killed.
We won't. Hermione has a plan.
And you think a seventeen-year-old witch knows how to break into the ministry?
It's Hermione.
Draco scoffed as Regulus read over his shoulder. Thankfully, James didn't know that Regulus wasn't beholden to the same rules.
"This is the opportunity to get Sirius," Regulus said.
Draco turned to him. "Are you mad? Harry could be killed for this stunt and you want to get yourself killed alongside him?"
"You wouldn't entertain it when the ministry fell, and we may not get another chance. Besides, Harry is going to do it either way. Someone needs to get that horcrux."
Draco spluttered, "But it's far less risky for me to go to the ministry."
"Maybe, but how do you explain your interest in hunting down a locket to the Dark Lord?"
"How would I explain my interest in the veil?"
"If Harry is there at the same time, you can just deflect to that. He'll be far more obsessed with Harry slipping through his fingers."
"I am not risking it for Sirius," Draco said firmly.
James, who had been standing obediently three paces away, listening tensely to half of the conversation, suddenly interrupted, "Sirius?"
"It's nothing," Draco said dismissively.
"No, tell him," Regulus said.
"You said Sirius was dead," James pushed.
Draco grimaced. Despite Regulus's protests, he had refused to tell James the truth. He didn't want to risk another supporter of Regulus's hair-brained plan. "Well, technically I said he fell through the veil."
"What's the difference?" James asked, confused.
Draco gritted his teeth, staring defiantly at Regulus as he spoke. "Regulus thinks he can get Sirius back out of the veil."
"He's not dead? We can bring him back?" James said excitedly.
"No," Draco said with finality.
"But you said -"
"I said Regulus thinks he might be able to bring him back."
"Then what I said stands. Regulus can bring Sirius back."
Draco gaped at him. James had no idea what Regulus was actually planning, it was blind, brainless, trust.
"I'm guessing that means it's two versus one," Regulus said smugly and Draco scowled. "Ask Harry when he plans to do this."
Draco gripped the quill tighter. He knew it was a bad idea; there was a very real chance Regulus's soul wouldn't return in the attempt, and now that James was around to get Regulus back, it made Draco all the more bitter. But they were both looking at him hopefully, James with an enthusiastic smile and Regulus with his intense gaze. Draco owed Sirius Black nothing, but he was important to people who were now important to him. He clenched his jaw tighter and wrote.
Tell me the plan.
Hermione thinks I shouldn't. She doesn't think I can trust you.
I can help.
When Harry took seconds to respond, Draco panicked, figuring it was suspicious if he pried too hard. He needed Harry's trust.
At least tell me when you are planning on doing it. I can let you know if the Dark Lord will interrupt anything.
The response was still a little slow.
It depends but probably in a few weeks.
James had quietly snuck in closer and both he and Regulus were watching over his shoulder. "We can work with that," Regulus said and despite not being able to hear Regulus, James smiled. Draco cursed.
Each night, true to his deal with Regulus, Draco acted as a go-between. Despite Draco's doubts, Regulus had kept up his end of the deal remarkably well. He was good at tempering James. Some of the highlights included encouraging James to think before making unneeded comments, explaining why it was a horrible idea to start attacking Death Eaters that showed up at the manor, and describing why Draco wouldn't actually be safer with the Order. James not only listened to Regulus's points, but he was receptive. He was an idiot, but at least he was an idiot that was willing to learn.
Draco desperately wanted to tell Harry about James. It was wrong to keep a secret of that magnitude especially since he knew how important family was to Harry. James agreed with him, although more reluctantly. Understandably, he said it would be bloody weird to be so close in age to a son who didn't remember him, but he stood by the fact Harry had a right to know. Regulus was the holdout.
"And is it really worth it when Harry ruins his cover, finds his way to the manor because he wants to meet his father and gets himself killed?"
It wasn't. Draco couldn't deny that it would be safer to wait until he could tell Harry in person and he could see James with his own eyes, but he still despised Regulus for being too rational. He didn't have to deal with the guilt that Draco did.
Unsurprisingly, James also wanted to know all about Harry, which was probably the most frequent topic of their nightly chats. He wanted to know every little thing that happened in the last decade. Draco had intentionally been vague about his relationship with Harry, and James wrongfully assumed that Draco wanted to destroy horcruxes first and then befriended Harry afterwards. In his mind, it was unfathomable not to try to destroy the Dark Lord. Regulus told Draco to be upfront, saying that James would be hypocritical not to understand, but Draco hated the idea. It was painful to think about Harry and part of him was terrified James wouldn't approve of him, so they kept to topics James would want to hear, like how Harry was a prodigy at Defense Against the Dark Arts or how he'd become the Triwizard champion.
James and Regulus's conversations also got progressively more uncomfortable once they got past the initial shock of their situation. It was awkward, and Draco had newfound sympathy for Regulus watching him with Harry the past year. Neither had the guts to ask or admit or ask anything important, favouring vague questions and statements that practically said nothing. Draco debated just lying to both to get out of the emotional purgatory. Regulus was still obsessed with James but felt unworthy, which was completely unfounded considering how Regulus had kept Draco alive in the past year.
James was harder to understand. Objectively, Draco knew that he'd married someone else and that he probably loved her, but he was so happy and hopeful at everything Regulus relayed through him. Through various comments, Draco quickly learned that James was under the wrongful assumption that Regulus had hated James after they ended things, which was also ridiculous considering Regulus had made him a ring. You couldn't just casually do it for your would-be enemy.
He was particularly annoyed one night after Harry hadn't responded on the parchment when James asked, "I heard about Regulus's father dying, can you ask Regulus how he took it? It happened before he died right?"
Draco grimaced but asked Regulus. "Tell him I killed him."
"Are you serious?" Draco hissed. Did he really want James to know that?
"Tell him. He should know." Draco frowned but did.
James paused in a moment of shock. Conflicting emotions crossed his face in rapid succession. "That's good, well, it's shite Regulus had to do it, but I am glad he's dead." Draco stared open-mouthed. "What you thought I'd be appalled? Orion Black was a piece of shit."
"But you -"
"I told Regulus for over a year that he needed to leave his family behind. I'm happy he got the balls to do it, even if it was a bit late."
It was such a Gryffindor response Draco shouldn't have been surprised.
"What did he say?" Regulus asked, nervously watching Draco.
"He's happy for you."
"Oh," Regulus said simply and his eyebrows rose slightly.
"What else happened after that?" James continued, and Draco cringed, knowing that was dangerous territory for Regulus.
Regulus, unsurprisingly, responded with his self-sabotaging view of himself. "He knows that already. I fought for the Dark Lord, tortured some people, found the horcrux and got myself killed."
Draco's annoyance grew. It was like Regulus was determined to scare James away, and James wasn't going anywhere. Decided, he said, "He spent the year thinking he couldn't go back to you because you wouldn't accept him with the Dark Mark."
James perked up, and Regulus protested, "That's not what I said."
Draco continued, "You know he ended things in the first place because he didn't want to put you at risk and thought you'd be appalled he had the mark."
James shook his head. "But he still took the mark willingly. He didn't use the ring."
Draco snorted. "He got the ring after the mark. You were too late."
James gasped. "No, I -"
"What are you doing?" Regulus asked at the same time, furious.
"Moving this along. I am sick of you refusing to be honest and me having to deal with the consequences." He turned to James, "He still loves you, even if he won't say it. I doubt he ever stopped." Then he turned to Regulus, "James is getting you out of the ring whether you like it or not, I'd consider that a pretty big testament to how he feels."
He looked between them, satisfied by their dumbstruck expressions. "I'm cutting this short. I'm off to bed."
After that night they stopped dancing around their feelings in favour of not talking about them at all. It was not what Draco expected, but at least it made his job as an intermediary less uncomfortable.
Throughout most of August, Draco had been able to remain unnoticed at the Dark Lord's meetings. James, true to his word, kept his mouth shut and Draco's mind was left untouched. But like everything in his miserable life, the peace could only last so long.
Charity Burbage was suspended above the table. Truth be told, Draco hadn't recognised her until the Dark Lord named her as the professor of Muggle Studies.
"Draco, would you like to demonstrate how you deal with the members of the Hogwarts staff?"
Out of his peripheral, he saw James whip his head towards Draco and stiffen. Draco said with fake calmness, "I wouldn't want to take the honour away from you, my Lord."
The Dark Lord cackled, "Oh, but I am telling you to show the others how it's done."
Draco swallowed. This was some sick test and he knew he couldn't do it. Maybe he could just curse her? He felt the Dark Lord brush against his mind, curious about his apprehension. Draco struggled to stay composed.
"Take the rings off," Regulus whispered urgently and Draco did. There was nothing else he could do. Subtly he reached for James's first.
"What are you doing?" James hissed before disappearing. He removed Regulus and the memory ring next. Immediately, he felt strange, like he was missing something, but the Dark Lord was still looking at him. He needed to act.
"Crucio," he said trying to keep his voice steady. The woman screamed and Draco was so taken aback by the sound he dropped the curse.
The Death Eaters around him started to laugh. They doubted him; he needed to prove himself. Standing, he gripped his wand tighter and said louder, "Crucio."
The woman screamed, and Draco kept up the spell. He poured his frustration and determination to prove himself into it. The magic flowing through him made him feel powerful and he focused on the woman's pain until his Aunt Bella started clapping. He dropped the curse, intentionally this time, and Burbage went slack.
The Dark Lord waved his hand. "Yes, very good Draco, but you should finish her. She is polluting young wizarding minds. Can you believe she wants us to treat muggles as equals?"
Draco plastered a scowl on his face as his mind raced. He could do this; he had killed Dumbledore. It's just a single spell. It would give him and his family security. He could do it.
"Severus," the woman was pleading, "Help me."
Draco steadied himself and raised his wand, he could do this.
"Avedada Kedavra," Snape said before Draco could even get out a sound. Draco let his wand arm drop, embarrassed by the relief that coursed through him.
"I couldn't stand her whining any longer," Snape said coldly, returning his wand to his robes as other Death Eaters murmured their agreement.
The Dark Lord appraised Snape quietly, meeting his eye. "It was annoying, wasn't it?" He turned to Draco, "Perhaps next time, Draco. I am certain it won't be too long before we have another professor at our mercy."
"It would be my pleasure," Draco replied, taking his seat with a bow. The Dark Lord ordered Nagini to take care of the body. Not wanting to see the snake's meal, he lifted his gaze to the head of the table, and the Dark Lord quickly tore into his mind.
He was testing his sincerity. He lingered at Draco's nervousness and uncertainty, but Draco pushed the night he killed Dumbledore to the forefront. I can do your bidding, Draco thought as the Dark Lord saw how steadily he spoke and cast the killing curse on the headmaster.
It lasted only a matter of seconds, but Draco was exhausted from the onslaught. The meeting was cut short, and Draco, still in a daze, sat there breathing deeply.
"You did well, but I think it might be time to resume our training," Bella grabbed him from behind his chair, curls brushing his neck and she leaned over him.
"Get off," he grumbled, trying to stand but her grip was too tight.
"Let him go, Bella," his mother snapped.
"You should be excited. I'll give you more opportunities to show your power." She leaned in closer. "I've decided to help you get Potter."
Draco didn't know if he was thankful for the help or not. He should be accepting whatever help he could get, but something didn't feel right. His mother dismissed Bella and toted him away. His father followed solemnly.
When they made it into their private dining rooms, Draco shrugged her off. "I'm fine."
"Can you even do it?" His father said, stepping forward.
"What?"
"Could you have killed her? You hesitated. You looked weak," his father spat.
"I tried. I was going to if Snape hadn't meddled."
"It wasn't good enough," his father said, anger flaring. Without his wand, Draco wondered if his father would hit him.
"He is your son." His mother stepped between them. "He did well. I, for one, am glad Severus stepped in."
His father snarled at her. "This is why we are disrespected. We let others take our pride."
Draco clenched his teeth. His father was the reason this was happening in the first place. He had been the first disappointment. The thought came unbidden, and he was repentant of it instantly.
"I won't hesitate again," he said. His father gripped his arm too tightly.
"See that you won't," he shoved Draco and despite his mother calling him back, Draco retreated to his rooms, feeling ashamed.
He collapsed heavily into the bed. He didn't know how to feel. He was teetering on the edge of being respected and being disgraced. It was frustrating that people couldn't just see his worth. He knew he was capable; he was better than the rest of them.
The rings clinked softly, as he shifted out of his robes. He pulled them out and frowned. There were three of them. It was usually two, but he must have gotten another one recently. He wracked his brain and couldn't remember. Maybe he was going mad like Bella.
He put them all on in quick succession and promptly keeled over. It was too much as his brain caught up and it hurt. The person who he was without any knowledge of Regulus and Harry was split even further than before. The events of the night replayed themselves now with his full memories. He lunged for the waste basket and promptly puked.
"Are you okay?" James asked.
"Try to breathe," Regulus coached.
But Draco couldn't. Part of him had enjoyed torturing Burbage and worse, he had almost killed her. The spell might not have landed, but he was going to try. If Snape hadn't stepped in that moment…
James hovered over him and said quickly, "What happened? Why are you acting like this? It's freaking me out." Draco could only groan in response, clenching his eyes shut.
"Ignore James, and don't try to talk," Regulus said calmly, and Draco nodded. His nausea was too strong anyway.
After a few more minutes, he looked up to them both and nodded. "I'm okay, he didn't get any information."
Regulus sighed and returned the nod. "What happened? Did you kill her?"
Draco's stomach rolled, but shook his head, "I used the Crucisatus curse, but when it was time to finish her, Snape stepped in. He killed her."
"Thank Merlin."
"That prick," James cursed.
Despite his exhaustion, Draco stood and rounded on James. He didn't need to hear his childhood prejudices right now. "Do you ever take a second to think? You say you're so smart, but you just don't get it, do you?" James opened his mouth to protest, but Draco continued louder, "That prick stopped me from doing it. I was going to do it. I was supposed to kill her."
James looked rightly taken aback.
"I'm calling off the deal tonight. I assume James said something out of line. Go to bed," Regulus said.
Draco looked between them, waiting for an objection and took off their rings. Regulus would want him to relax, but he couldn't. Still vibrating, he decided to write to Harry. Revealing the parchment, he was surprised to see words from Harry already there.
Are you okay?
Draco wasn't, but he could bring Harry down with him.
I miss you
I saw what happened.
What do you mean?
Remember how I told you I see what the Dark Lord sees sometimes? I saw you torture her.
I don't blame you. You didn't have the rings on. He was forcing you.
Draco blinked at the words. As much as he craved them, he didn't feel like he deserved the kindness.
I was going to kill her.
But you didn't. You need to leave the manor. We have a safe spot. I could convince Ron and Hermoine.
Draco's eyes watered as he wrote some of the hardest words he'd ever written.
I can't.
Why? The mark is still broken, right?
I need to keep you safe. It's easier to do when I know what the Dark Lord is planning.
I don't care.
I need to research. We need to get the other horcruxes. Nagini is here.
We could figure it out.
Draco knew he couldn't leave. They had to destroy the Dark Lord. No matter how badly he wanted to leave this forsaken place and run to Harry, he wouldn't risk their best opportunity to have a future.
I miss you
The next few days were filled with haphazard plans. Regulus coached him through when to take off the rings again and ideas to make it less painful to put them on. James made him test rune combinations. They both made him plan to break into the Department of Mysteries to get Sirius. He received his Hogwarts letter the day Snape was officially named the new headmaster, so he also had to prepare for the school year.
It was a welcome surprise that he would be able to return to Hogwarts. Apparently killing the previous headmaster was not in fact grounds for expulsion. His father insisted that he should focus on his task to get Harry and abandon school altogether, but Draco needed to go back. He couldn't stay in the manor, so he made some excuse about Harry possibly returning to school. Of course, he knew Harry wouldn't be there, a fact that made his heart heavy, but between that excuse and his mother being adamant about him returning, his father quieted his disapproval.
Knowing it was better not to allow his mother to accompany him, he snuck out of the manor to get his supplies. Diagon Alley was grey and sad. He vaguely remembered that it was similar last year, but he had been so concerned with sneaking to Borgin's he hadn't paid it mind. The colours had always been too much for him, but this was perhaps too far in the other direction.
"This is depressing," James announced as soon as they were in full view of the street. Draco ignored it along with the various other complaints. James had been excited for his first outing in wizarding London since his death, but Diagon Alley under the Dark Lord's rule was not what he was expecting.
They were efficient in their stops, in and out with what they needed. No one else was lingering either. They were about to venture to Knockturn Alley when James stopped dead in his tracks.
"What is that?" He was pointing at the loudest shop on the street. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
Draco sneered, "Think Zonko's but more annoying."
That just seemed to make James more excited. "You have to go in!"
"I don't think I'd be welcome."
"C'mon everyone's welcome to pranks," James said walking like a moth drawn to a flame. "Do it for me. I need a laugh."
"I don't owe you anything," Draco grumbled as he walked to the front of the shop.
It was outrageous. It was more crowded than other shops, completely disjointed from the disaster going on in the world. James's eyes were big as saucers as we oohed and awed over everything. Regulus had a more scrutinising eye, pausing on the same objects that also spiked Draco's interest. Some of them were truly ingenious.
"What I wouldn't have given for this back in the day." James was pointing to a pile of candies. "The stunts we could pull. Say Draco, you think you could get some."
Before Draco could bite out a retort, a voice sounded from behind him.
"Is that who I think is?"
"Why, George I quite think you are right." Draco turned to see the Weasley twins stalking towards him and promptly curled his lip.
"What would a Malfoy possibly be doing here?" George asked.
"I always thought they had too much arse to kiss to have time for our establishment," Fred said with a smile as they stopped in front of him.
George turned excitedly to his brother, "Does this mean we've made it? A Malfoy is here to kiss our arses?"
"Are you refusing to serve me?" Draco interrupted with a sneer.
"Nah, we'll just double the price."
"Whatever," Draco spat and tried to push past them towards the exit.
"Wait." One of them grabbed Draco's arm. "What are you really doing here? If you are trying to turn us into Voldy, you'll regret it."
He bristled at the nickname as James shouted at them, outraged on his behalf, "Let go!" Of course, they didn't hear.
Draco straightened himself, "I was here because I am curious, that's all, but clearly nothing here is worth my time."
George gripped his arm tighter. "Why didn't you turn us into Umbridge after Dumbledore's Army was caught?"
"What?" That was not the question he had been expecting.
"We know you heard us in the loo. Why didn't you turn us in?" They both stared intently at him.
Draco wracked his brain. That felt like a lifetime ago, but he had ignored the twins. He'd already handed over Harry to Umbride, Regulus had encouraged him not to and, "I was tired." He felt oddly exposed at the admission, knowing he probably should have come up with a retort about how they weren't worth his time. They both evaluated him before their grins returned.
"And here I thought you had a crush on us."
"Ah, but George, He would only have interest in me. I'm the attractive one."
"Listen, it's bad for business to have your lot here," George said ignoring his brother. Draco scoffed but didn't deny it. He was getting unfriendly looks. "But you can owl us."
"So you can send me sabotaged goods?"
"Order and find out," Fred said with a wink.
Confused by the whole interaction, Draco left and headed for Borgin and Burkes.
"I don't know if I should be impressed or annoyed at those two," James said, "but you should order some of those puking pastilles. Genius that."
Regulus added, "You might as well try to get some of that darkness powder."
"I'm not ordering from those imbeciles," he told them firmly and they walked silently until they reached Borgin and Burke's.
As he entered, Borgin greeted him with a hasty bow. "Mister Malfoy."
Burke appeared out of the back room. "What are you doing here?" he barked as Borgin's eyes filled with fear.
"Is the cabinet still working?" Draco asked.
"Why? Plan on bringing more killers into my shop? Even after your stunt, they kept coming by. They destroyed a lot of my merchandise."
"Mister Malfoy, I apologise - " Borgin started, but Draco held up his hand.
"Not sure if you've gone senile, but I own the cabinets," Draco sneered at Burke.
"Then you are free to move it out of my shop. It doesn't work."
"What did you do to it?" Draco asked sharply.
"Do you promise to move it?" Burke asked, meeting his eye.
Draco nodded. Burke pried off a plank of matching wood from the side. "What's that?"
"Keeps this cabinet thinking it shares a location with the other, so when it tries to transport things it thinks it already has. Easiest way to make it non-functional without breaking the existing charms."
"Can I see?" Burke passed over the plank.
He hadn't heard of tricking objects into thinking they had a magical source before. As he readied the cabinet for transport back to the manor, he glanced from Regulus to James. Maybe the cabinets weren't the only things he could tie together.