Chapter 12: Lucius Malfoy
Harry looked out of his window gloomily, idly petting Hedwig, who sat next to him.
"You're not still moping about that are you?" Ron asked as he came forward.
Harry had forgiven them after much cajoling and pleading, as they two didn't know Sirius was innocent.
"I had a chance to have a family Ron." Harry said quietly instead. "A proper one."
"Come on mate." Dean told him. "We got to get on the train."
"Sure you can't sit with Hermione and I?" Ron asked hopefully.
"Me and Hermione." Harry commented absently as they left for the train. "Hermione and I is used in subjects, but me and Hermione is used in objects."
"Huh?" Ron asked, confused.
"If Hermione and me isn't the subject you use I." Lyra told him icily as she came forward.
She still hadn't forgiven the two Gryffindors for Pettigrew's escape, Sirius's near demise, and their near kissing by the dementors. Ron made a rude gesture at her before walking away.
"Come on." Lyra said, pulling Harry with her. "Luna just got a message from the Nargles."
Harry stiffened before running with her all the way to the express. He knew what a message from the Nargles meant: Luna had a prophecy. They rushed into the carriage only to stop abruptly. Susan had carved runes into the doorway and walls of the cabin to expand it beyond imagination. When once they had been squished in even with expanding charms they could all fit comfortably.
Harry put Hedwig up with the other pets before sprawling himself across one of the seats and plopping his head in Hannah's lap. Hannah laughed and pushed him off, leaving Harry in an awkward position.
"For Merlin's sake." Lyra rolled her eyes. "I'm gone for a few seconds."
"The world needs you to run dear Lyra." Draco swooned dramatically, before giving a wicked smirk as they all chuckled.
"So really, what did the Nargles say? Harry asked.
"It was creepy." Ginny grimaced. "Her eyes went all blank and her voice wasn't hers."
"What did she say?" Harry asked again.
"She basically let out a spiel about how the darkness was approaching, but we were all so freaked out we couldn't catch all the words." Ginny said.
"It's just that we couldn't figure out what the darkness was." Luna said calmly. "I can't even remember giving the prophecy."
"The only darkness I can think of is Voldemort." Harry said grimly.
"But he's dead." Blaise pointed out.
"I fought him in my first year." Harry pointed out. "He lived somehow, and now he's trying to get his body back."
"And Pettigrew is going straight to help him." Daphne said softly.
"Being in Slytherin will be more dangerous." Lyra stated.
"Well it's a good thing you have the entire summer to study up." Fred gave a grin.
They settled down to a game of exploding snap, and soon Harry's robes were singed. Dean had left a while ago to sketch the countryside, while Susan, Ginny, and Hannah were playing with the pets. Fred and George had gone to prank people with Lee, and Blaise was reading.
"What's that knocking?'' Draco asked.
Harry looked out the window to see a tiny fluffy owl holding a letter bumping against the window. With a coo Susan opened the window and let the fluffball in.
"This is an owl?" Blaise asked with a raised brow.
"He's cute." Ginny laughed as the fluffball chirped at Hedwig, who glared stonily at the fluff. Persephone, Lyra's owl was laughing, and Imperius, Draco's owl, was asleep.
"Who is it from?" Seamus asked.
Harry opened it and quickly scanned it. When he saw the name his heart raced in excitement. "It's from Sirius!" he told them. All of them knew that Sirius was innocent.
Dear Mini-Prongs (and any of his friends),
I won't tell you where I am for fear of this letter being intercepted, but I can tell you that I will be seeing you very soon. I want to thank you again for listening to me in my time of need. I can't begin to describe the hell that Azkaban was, and if it weren't for you I might be in there at this moment. I would also like to apologize for getting Remus Lupin kicked out, wherever he is. I know that he was one of the best teachers, because we used to be friends as kids. The fact that he was blamed for my escape is completely unfair.
-Padfoot
P.S., I thought your friend Ginny might want to keep the owl since her family has lost it's rat
"Awesome!" Ginny gushed.
"Now you need to name him." George grinned.
"How about Pig?" Fred finished.
"Pig." Ginny looked thoughtful. "I know you meant it was a joke but it actually sounds cool. What do you think of Pigwidgeon?"
"He's a Scops Owl." Daphne stated as she looked up from her book. "I can tell."
"So many different types now." Hannah laughed. "Hedwig is a snowy owl, Imperius is a screech owl, and Persephone is a barn owl."
"Auntie said I could get a cat this summer." Susan gushed. "If my grades were good."
"So you're getting a cat." Blaise concluded. "I'm going to get my ear pierced."
"Cool." Lyra grinned at him.
Harry briefly wondered what he would like like if his ear was pierced before he ignored it. No use being jealous after all.
They hung out a little more before Fred dramaticized Harry's staying at Malfoy Manor.
"Forge, Harry's leaving the nest!"
"Not Harry!" George gasped. "He can't be fleeing the nest!"
"Oh shut it." Harry grumbled as they all laughed.
"You know that you can't come over until July though." Lyra told him. "We're going to Italy with Blaise and mother didn't know that you would stay over or she would have bought you tickets."
"Tickets?" Harry asked.
"We're taking a magical train like the express." she grinned.
"I didn't know the Wizarding World had more trains." Harry stated in awe.
"Some things can't be read Harry." Lyra states sadly.
"Well you'll teach me all of it."
"Hey!" Draco interrupted them. "What about me?"
"You don't matter." Lyra teased, and they all laughed.
Soon they reached the station, and Harry said goodbye to his friends.
"Ready to go boy?" Uncle Vernon asked him nastily.
"Obviously." Harry replied. "And remember, I can do magic."
His uncle had forgotten because he paled slightly before pulling Harry out. The moment they were home Harry took this things out and brought them to his room. It was still expanded thanks to Dobby's work, and Harry grinned. He hadn't contacted the elf in forever.
"Dobby!" he called, and the green elf appeared. He was looking better after Harry's newest shipment of cloth, and wore a bright blue jacket on top of a pink shirt, green pants, and snitch covered socks.
"Master Harry Potter sir!" the diminutive house elf exclaimed.
"Hey Dobby." Harry grinned. "Could you bring some butterbeer?"
He popped out and came back in with the frothy drink. Harry grinned and sat down to think. He rather liked the idea of practicing his potions. Mind made up, he grabbed his potions kit and headed to the kitchen. The Dursleys had gone out for dinner and would be back later, so Harry made himself a sandwich and went up to the potions lab. He wanted to try brewing polyjuice like Hermione did in second year.
Harry's summer had gone well. The Dursleys had mostly ignored him, and Harry had been content with writing letters, brewing, and practicing spells.
Hey Harry,
I got my ear pierced! Mother took me to the same Italian place she got her piercings and I now have a yellow diamond in my ear. I enclosed a picture. How has your summer been? Muggles treating you well?
-Blaise
Hey Blaise,
Wow! I didn't think you'd actually pierce your ear. You look pretty good, and I'm pretty sure the rest would agree. How has your summer been? Italy treating you well? My summer's been decent. I mostly brew, eat, read, practice spells, and write you guys.
-Harry
Hi Harry!
How has Pigwidgeon been to you? It took me a while to train him to calm down. He only responds to Pig at this point, and if he gets annoying don't be afraid to smack him softly. He actually volunteered to be the quaffle in a game of quidditch if you'll believe it! Ron says hi, and so do the twins. At this point after Errol I have the only owl in the house (not counting Hermes, Percy's owl) so everyone says hi. The Twins want to know if you pranked the muggles yet, and just in case they had me send you a bag of their newest inventions. They're called Ton-Tongue Toffees, and they make your tongue grow incredibly long.
-Ginny (Fred, George, and Ron)
Hey Gin!
How has your summer been? Pig was fine, and the Toffees were amazing. Dudley won't come near ten feet of me now, and the memory is beautiful. I couldn't stop laughing.
-Harry
Hey Harry,
Imperius broke his wing thanks to a muggle bird catcher, so Draco and I wrote this letter together. Stupid muggles. Imperius is healing, but Persephone was fine (Thank Merlin!) My summer has been good, and we are coming to pick you from the muggles tomorrow. Remember to pack. Italy was amazing, and I got to spend time at a salon with mother and Blaise's big sister Camila. Draco and I can't wait to see you. Mother has already set out a room in our wing.
You have never been to the Manor before so I thought I'd describe it. There are three wings: children, adults, and guests. All of five suite bedrooms with inbuilt bathrooms and walk-in closets. Downstairs we have the drawing room, dining room, family room, living room, and kitchens. Under that is the basement, and under that are the dungeons.
We can't wait to see you!
-Lyra and Draco
Harry closed his black trunk with an idle flick of his wand and looked idly at the letter Lyra sent him. With another flick of his wand he had it levitated silently, one of the only spells he could do silently. Pack? Check. Move Dobby to the Manor? Check. Tell the Dursleys?...
Oops. Harry knew he had forgotten something. Ah well. They would just be surprised. Harry went downstairs with his things and entered the kitchen, where Dudley was watching TV.
"What are you doing here boy?" Vernon sneered.
"I'm going." Harry stated. "My friends will be here in a few minutes and I'm not coming back."
"You invited the freaks here?" Vernon spluttered.
"Yeah." Harry shrugged. "And we're not freaks."
At the moment Lucius Malfoy and Draco popped in by portkey.
"Draco!" Harry grinned, crushing his friend in a hug. He noted that he was a little taller than Draco now, and that the Italian sun had caused his platinum blonde hair to turn a little darker. Draco's face of course, was still pale like always.
"Mr Malfoy." Harry greeted respectfully, nodding his head in inclination.
"Mr Potter." he replied calmly. "Shall we leave?"
Harry took a brief look at the discombobulated Dursley's and grinned. "Let's go." he told them, shrinking his belongings and placing them in his pocket.
Mr Malfoy pulled out a quill and held it out to them. "Ready?" he asked, before they were whisked away.
They landed on Malfoy Manor grounds and Harry was immediately struck by its beauty. Lush green trees were scattered around the garden, and Harry could see a maze of flower hedges to his side. A forest was behind him, and Harry saw that it was denser than the Forbidden Forest, but brighter.
"Damn." Harry breathed. "You're house is wicked Draco."
"I know." Draco stated smugly. "Lyra and mother are in the drawing room."
Harry followed his friends into a mammoth, Victorian manor with arching windows, huge paintings, long hallways, sweeping ceilings. They entered the drawing room, and Harry looked down from the gold and silver chandelier to see a cute girl with blonde hair cut in a pixie cut.
Harry had a moment of confusion before he looked at her face and saw her sparkling grey eyes. "Lyra?" he asked in confusion, wondering why she looked so much better.
"Hi Harry!" Lyra greeted him cheerfully, giving him a hug. Harry hugged her, burying his face in her hair to control his red face.
"You look really good with the new haircut." he complimented her.
"Thanks!" her smile brightened, before she grabbed his hand. "Let me show you your room."
She led him through more hallways and rooms before they stopped in a long hall of rooms. "Here." she said, stopping at a room. "Mine is to your left, and Draco is to your right."
Harry stopped inside the room, his mouth agape. It was huge, with light blue walls and a huge window. Harry vaguely noticed a closet and bathroom with teal stones inset to the walls, but he chose to collapse onto the four poster bed with green sheets, pulling Lyra with him.
"It's amazing." he laughed, his hair wonky.
"Well I'm glad, but can I get up?" Lyra smirked.
"Oh." Harry muttered, his face flaming red. "Sorry."
"It's alright. Just get settled, and we'll get you for supper in a little."
Harry set his things out before going with his friends for supper. Dinner was nice, and Harry had a healthy conversation with his friends.
"So you like the haircut?" Lyra asked.
"It looks awesome." Harry grinned.
"Is the meal good?" Mrs Malfoy asked delicately.
"Yeah." Harry nodded. "It's great Mrs Malfoy."
"I would like you to know Mr Potter that if anything bad happens during these next few years the Malfoys will not ally to dark or light: we are sticking to the grey." Mr Malfoy stated.
"Well that's great." Harry grinned. "I'd hate to fight you."
"I'd win." Lyra smirked.
"I'd win." Harry replied.
"I don't have a say in this do I?" Draco asked.
"No." they laughed.
"Would you two like to take the duelling room?" Lucius asked.
They grinned and ran up. Harry noticed that the adult Malfoys were watching but he really didn't care.
"Usual rules?" he asked with a grin.
"Five minutes. Start the timer Draco." she replied, and they began dueling.
Immediately Harry crouched down and shielded from her opening barrage before he sent his own back. A stunner and petrifier, followed by a hidden incarcerous and a grey spell that gave someone a concussion. She blocked all of them and dodged the last before she let out a dark spell that sprayed thorns in a wide arc.
Harry knew this spell required a special shield, and murmured, "Clypeum." to block.
He grinned widely and let out his own dark spell, one that caused acid rain to fall on his opponent but Lyra used an invisible umbrella to block. Not waiting for her to recover he let out a binding spell but she dodged and let out a wave of spells.
Harry knew this spell and understood that most of the lights were sparks so he did nothing, just gathering his power for a mass spell. While the sparks wore off she shot a small barrage of simple spells at her before preparing his bigger spell: one he had learned from Professor Flitwick.
"Percute manum tuam daemonium scriptor!" he yelled, and a glowing red hand emerged and rocketed into Lyra's side. She flew to the side and crashed into the wall that was thankfully cushioned.
"Damn." Harry hissed, rushing to her size. "Enervate." he muttered, aware of the fact that everyone else was crowded over Lyra too.
Her eyes fluttered open, still unfocused, and they slowly concentrated on him. "What the hell was that?" she hissed.
"Demon's hand." Harry said sheepishly. "Professor Flitwick used it on me once. You alright."
"I'm alright." she groaned as she got to her feet, wobbling a little before gaining balance. "Nothing a little sleep won't fix."
"You two duel excellently." Narcissa praised. "I myself was not at that level at your age."
"We've been duelling together for a while though." Harry said. "We knew each others basic spells and weaknesses so we were able to use some of the more dubious spells safely."
The next few weeks went by that way. They hung out, played quidditch, duelled, practiced, and even got to visit Hogsmeade.
"Butterbeer is better during winter." Harry said.
"Definitely." Lyra laughed.
"So you got your patronus working but never saw it?" Lyra asked in confusion.
"I passed out and forgot about it until now." Harry shrugged.
"Let's see it!" Lyra asked, her grey eyes wide in excitement.
Harry closed his eyes and thought about staying at the Manor. He thought about laughing with Lyra and Draco, running through the gardens, duelling, eating.
"Expecto Patronum!" he said, and out of his wand a silvery shape wooshed out. As it took a form Harry was awed to see that it was a wolf. He was beautiful.
"He's beautiful." Lyra whispered.
"And your animagus." Draco said.
"We should become animagi." Lyra decided.
"Huh?" was the general reaction.
"After the World Cup we have a month of break. We can use that time to keep the mandrake leaf under our tongues so that when school starts all we have to do is meditate."
The world cup came up and Harry was excited. They entered the campsite through portkey and entered a beautiful tent with peacocks tethered outside of it.
"The peacocks Lucius?" Mrs Malfoy asked in an amused tone. "Really?"
"They are part of the family Narcissa." Lucius sniffed.
Harry grinned and raced to grab a room. He got the one in between Lyra and Draco's. In the evening they went down to the games. The only bitter part was when he saw Ron.
"So you abandoned us to hang out with Malfoys Harry?" Ron asked incredulously.
"I didn't abandon you." Harry rolled his eyes. "But they asked first."
"You could have asked us." Hermione said in a bossy tone.
Mrs Weasley said nothing, but Harry could see her disapproving glances and pursed lips. Mr Weasley was a little kinder though, giving Harry a small smile.
"Well you're always welcome at our house Harry." he stated. "No matter what."
"Yeah." Fred grinned. "If Ron won't take him we will!"
After the game, Harry couldn't say what had been his favorite part. Had it been when Krum caught the snitch? When he attempted the Wronski Feint? Harry couldn't remember all of it, only that the broad grin plastered to his face wouldn't slide off, and that Lyra had kissed him on the cheek in excitement when Ireland won.
"The Irish really got their pride on!" Draco commented when he heard the loud noise from outside.
"It's not the Irish." Lucius told them, his face pale. "This morning I was contacted by some of my old 'business associates.'I left, but they still went through with the plan."
"Dobby!" Harry called loudly. The little elf popped in.
"Take us home." he commanded, and with that the Malfoys and Harry were whisked away.
"This is bogus." Lyra signed bitterly, throwing the newspaper to the side with a flump.
In the aftermath of the Quidditch World Cup the most peaceful thing for them all was the sit down with the mandrake leaf and talk through sign language. To keep them safe they didn't stop by Diagon Alley personally, and Mr Malfoy went by to pick up what they wanted. Harry upgraded the defenses on his trunk, and now he had to prick his finger for a blood check as well as a voice password that changed every week.
Soon their month with the mandrake was over and they were going back to Hogwarts.
"It feels good to talk again." Lyra trilled as they boarded the train to their usual compartment.
"Hello." Luna said as she floated in. "Do you know that this year Hogwarts will share her castle?"
"You won't tell us will you." Draco scowled.
Luna gave him a small smirk before going back to her magazine.
"I don't know." Harry shrugged. "All I know is that we had to buy dress robes. Did you have to buy a dress Lyra?"
"No." she said. "If I have to mother will send it to me."
"Oh, you guys." Blaise puffed before lugging his trunk up to the shelf and sprawling onto a seat.
"Hey Blaise." Harry grinned.
"Have you gotten your form yet?" Draco asked. "I read somewhere that it would match your patronus."
"Maybe." Harry shrugged. "My mind is always so chaotic it's taken me a while to organize it.
"How are you organizing?" Lyra asked.
Harry grinned at her before closing his eyes and retreating into his mindscape. It was a forest. Each tree was a day of memories, and each leaf a certain moment in that memory. As one got deeper into the forest the memories got older. In the very middle was a hole of brambles and thorns, full of memories he wanted to keep hidden. His forest was protected by animals that he was trying to create, but currently he had to find a pool of water.
When he was in his mindscape he was in his animagus form, but there was no water. He had been searching for a long time.
"You won't find it." Luna's voice broke him out of his reverie. "You have to look where no water can be found, in the place of hidden things."
Before Harry could respond he felt a jolt on the train and it started moving. The rest of the gang joined them, and Harry was taught how to expand the compartment himself.
"Why are you always reading?" Lee asked.
Harry grinned at him, running a hand through his messy black hair. "In Defense I'm learning spells that are at a Masters level."
"Damn." Leeo whistled, shaking his head of dreadlocks. "Like what I did to the dreads?"
"So Gryffindor." Draco sneered, before smirking. They were red and gold now, with black only showing at the tips.
"Mum flipped out." Lee laughed.
"I missed you guys." Ginny confessed, her hair being intricately put up by Luna. "Memories from the Chamber came back after the attack on the World Cup."
"You should have told us." Lyra said.
"I would have sent you some Dreamless Sleep." Blaise told her. "Mum keeps a potions cupboard since her recent husband is a potions master."
"You never did tell us what happens with your mum…" Seamus commented idly, slouched from where he was on Dean's shoulder.
"Mum's like an ending path." Blaise commented. "If you're rich and going to die, marry her. She'll make the ending amazing and the death will come quickly and painlessly."
"Poison?" Harry asked. "Spells? Accidents?"
"Traditionally poison." Blaise shrugged, twisting his diamond earring with one hand.
Dean ripped the piece that he had painted out of his sketchbook and held it up for them. It was of a vial of green poison, and since Dean had magical painting sets the poison was bubbling in a dark dungeon.
"That's really good." Daphne praised.
The rain became heavier and heavier as the train moved farther north. The sky was so dark and the windows so steamy that the lanterns were lit by midday. The lunch trolley came rattling along the corridor, and Harry bought a large stack of Cauldron Cakes for them to share.
The journey was soon finished, and they split into two compartments to change into their robes.
"It's cold and wet." Lyra commented.
"Magical umbrellas." Harry told them. "They were made in America. Just say guarda-chuva in your mind. It's wordless."
As the train doors opened, there was a rumble of thunder overhead. The rain was now coming down so thick and fast that it was as though buckets of ice-cold water were being emptied repeatedly over their heads. Everyone in their group had used to spell and were protected from the downpour of rain.
"Hi, Hagrid!" Harry yelled, seeing a gigantic silhouette at the far end of the platform.
"All righ', Harry?" Hagrid bellowed back, waving. "See yeh at the feast if we don' drown!"
First years traditionally reached Hogwarts Castle by sailing across the lake with Hagrid.
"Ooh." Daphne shuddered. "Am I glad that I'm not sailing across the lake in this weather."
"Even the Nargles are hiding." Luna shivered, as she pulled her robes closer to her and boarded the carriage.
"We're back at Hogwarts." Harry grinned broadly, pulling a shivering Luna next to him.