Windbound 8/??

[herumtreiber]

Title: Windbound 8/??
Chapter: eight
Author:herumtreiber 
Genre: post DH, slash, romance, adventure
Disclaimer: The world and characters of Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling. Nor do I make any money from the writing of these stories.
Rating: R
Warnings: Sexual content
Epilogue compliant? Epilogue complaisant
Chapter length: 2280 words
Beta: None.
Summary: Draco/Harry, Ron/Hermione, Hannah/Dean, Justin/Daphne, Ginny/??? My take on the Marriage Law. Should they obey the government’s edict or fight it the Muggle way? This leads to marriage equality. Plus there’s a twist exploring how a Horcrux operates. Good!Lucius, finally:) Hufflepuff house is amply represented here.

Table of contents


Chapter seven

October 4th, 1998

Hogsmeade

On Sunday, Draco and Justin made their way to the Three Broomsticks.

“Why couldn’t we go to Puddifoot’s?” grumbled Draco.

Justin shook his head; the Slytherin appeared to be in a bad mood. “Terry doesn’t want to face the pink cherubs. Sorry mate, but Hannah and Susan took his side.”

The Head Boy smirked. “Majority rules. That’s why I love democracy!”

Draco swotted Justin’s arm. “You would! Now please make it work for me? So I can marry whom I want?”

“Patience, Draco” - said Justin as they walked past the railroad station - “the slow majesty of the law and all that.”

“Just as long as it happens while I’m alive,” replied the blond wistfully, kicking a pebble off the cobblestone street.

Draco was right. Madam Rosmerta glared at him the moment he entered her inn. It would take some doing until the buxom proprietress forgave his casting Imperio on her.

The blond sighed as he got up from his seat and went to the counter.

On the other side, Rosmerta waited for the Slytherin boy to speak, her arms akimbo. Draco abashedly lowered his eyes and tried to explain his reasons for his actions.

Rosmerta snorted angrily whilst the blond haltingly explained the constraints he laboured under the year when Dumbledore died. But when Draco mentioned that Voldemort specifically threatened to kill his mother, her gaze softened.

After Draco finished his awkward explanation, Rosmerta grabbed a mug of butterbeer and shoved it into his hands. Draco managed not to spill the liquid; when he looked up, Rosmerta offered a curt nod and motioned towards their table.   

Draco nodded in return and walked back to his friends. He knew she’d not forgiven him yet, but his explanations were a step in the right direction. Actually, she’s right. I wouldn’t take it so kindly if someone imperiused me, whatever their reasons. I hope I’ve enough time to change her mind, thought the blond as he sighed.

Draco shivered as he approached their table.  Winter was approaching fast, it seemed.

“… she’s so old! 39!”

Draco pushed the butterbeer towards Terry, lifting an eyebrow inquiringly.

“The prat here” - explained Hannah whilst she glared at Terry - “is talking about Anastasia Warbeck.”

Seeing Draco’s uncomprehending look, Susan lifted her arms exasperatedly. “Don’t you read Witch Weekly, Draco? She’s Celestina’s cousin!”

Draco exchanged a look with Justin, and both rolled their eyes.

“The woman’s so old!” moaned Terry as he sipped the comforting drink. “I like the Weird Sisters and all, but still! Damned Marriage Law!”

Draco couldn’t help but agree with that sentiment, thinking about the constrictions imposed by the Law and his grandfather Abraxas.

“Ouch!” exclaimed Terry when the Head Boy smacked his head.

Terry glared at Justin. The curly-haired Hufflepuff scowled at him. “Enough with the nonsense, Terry” - drawled Justin - “I’ve seen pictures of Anastasia. She seems a nice woman.”

Justin gulped his butterbeer and then continued, “You shouldn’t just look at her age, beauty or blood.”

The Hufflepuff motioned with his mug towards the door. “These things - they only separate us.”

Terry exchanged a martyred look with Draco. The blond sipped his butterbeer and shrugged. Justin could be fierce when he wanted to.

“Wow!” said Hannah.

After sipping her drink, she whistled admiringly. “Justin, you sound like Harry!”

The Hufflepuff girl turned to look at Draco and winked. “Why don’t you go with Draco to that rendezvous of his?”

Draco blushed and said nothing. He knew better than to open that can of worms in front of the Snoopy Duo.

"How is it going with Robert Lehmke?" said Hannah, winking at Susan.

 Hannah apparently woke up with a mean streak today, thought Draco, she could make a great Slytherin! 

Susan coughed, sputtering the diet cola she’d been drinking.

She glared at Hannah and brushed her plaited hair as she sought to compose a response.

What’ll I do with these piranhas I call friends? mused the blonde Hufflepuff.  

"We went out yesterday,” replied Susan whilst she fiddled with her napkin. “We went to Puddifoot's and watched you” - she motioned to Draco - “as you were leaving with Harry. You looked so cute!"

The girls sighed dreamily whilst the blond snorted.

"We had a very good time,” continued Susan when Hannah eyed her inquiringly. “Robert, he wants to find a job in the Muggle world, ‘cause the selection here is awful according to him--”

Susan sipped her butterbeer, looking at Madam Rosmerta who passed their table with a scowl on her face. Justin crossed his arms and reclined in his chair. He was curious what this job was.

Draco, seeing that Susan was engrossed in talking, grabbed the sugar quill that was on her plate and started sucking it.

“You are either a Healer or a Quidditch player,” continued Susan. “Auror, Potions Master -or you work for the Ministry - according to Robert. He’s not sure what he wants to do.”

Draco looked up from his stolen quill, hearing that. The blond was not sure what he wanted to do now that Voldemort was finally gone thanks to Harry. At the moment, his plotting against the Marriage Law and the vague ideas he had regarding gay marriage occupied all his thoughts - and a certain green-eyed Gryffindor kept intruding.

“… like to try for something that mixes sociology and science,” finished Susan proudly.

I wonder if muggle sociology is the same as ours? For starters, what is this sociology? thought the blond musingly.

Susan blushed under the scrutiny of her friends. Terry winked at her and then turned to Hannah, sipping delicately form his glass of mead.

Susan lifted an eyebrow, waiting for that exchange. Few people knew about Terry’s chameleon moods. He could have been put in any house; he was sometimes as ruthless as a Slytherin.

"How are things with our delightful chum, Mr. Smith?” asked Terry bitingly. “I heard he tried to kiss you yesterday?"

Susan exchanged a satisfied nod with Draco whilst Hannah blushed. Finally Hannah replied heatedly, “That git! Apparently the spell Ginny used on him made him as randy as a weasel!”

Draco snickered, thinking about Weasel pestering Hermione.

“He accosted me outside our Common Room and kissed me!” Hannah glared at her drink as if it was Zacharias Smith. “It was rude! Grabbed my wand and stupefied him - took him to Sprout’s quarters. She gave him detention for a month! Hope that teaches the prat a lesson.”

Hannah pushed her glass away from her and leaned towards Terry. “Never toy with me!”

Terry gulped and then sipped his drink, making the mental note to stay in quiet Hannah’s good graces. The petite Hufflepuff had an even temper, but when she got angry she let loose, which may be the reason Draco let her alone in the past… and now.

"Do you want help with a prank?” asked Draco solicitously, leaning towards Hannah. “Still have some things Weasley sent me.”

Seeing the Hufflepuffs baffled looks, Draco added, “Not the Weasel, his brother George.”

Draco nursed his butterbeer - its warmth felt good in that chilly day. He sighed and explained, “Can’t stand overbearing, patronising people like Smith!”

Hannah exchanged a look with Susan while Justin shrugged. Then you can’t stand yourself, Draco, thought the Head Boy - wisely keeping his mouth shut.

"I'll think about it, Draco,” said Hannah. If that prat Smith bothered her again, being turned into a weasel would be the least of his troubles.

HDHDHDHDHDHDH

After a leisure stroll through Hogsmeade, Draco and Justin made their way to the Hog’s Head, to meet with Lucius.

“My father can’t come to the meeting,” said Justin after they came out of Honeydukes. Draco stuck his hand in his bag, and finally took out a sugar quill.

Whilst he sucked on the sweet, Draco looked at his friend, cocking his eyebrow.

“My father is busy in the House of Commons,” explained Justin. “He’s trying to get votes any way he can.”  

After they arrived to Aberforth’s inn, the innkeeper motioned towards an empty table.

The two Hogwarts student sat and waited impatiently for the Malfoy patriarch.

Finally, Lucius appeared. Draco noticed with some alarm his father’s haggard face. Lucius’ usually pristine mane was messily tied up in a ponytail. He was dressed immaculately, though.

The man greeted his son and his friend as he sat down.

Motioning with his cane, Lucius cast privacy charms. He coughed delicately. “As you know, the vote in the Commons takes place tomorrow.”

Lucius greeted Aberforth, who put a delicate glass of elf wine in front of him. Holding the glass in a certain way to inhale the aroma of the aged wine, Lucius nodded to Justin. “That’s why your father couldn’t come, Justin.”

Lucius sipped the wine and nodded approvingly to Aberforth, who had returned to his place behind the counter. Dumbledore saluted the blond hoisting a mug of ale.

Draco fidgeted in his chair, hoping his father would get to the point. His whole future depended on the outcome of the dratted vote, after all!

 “Jason tells me that in the current political climate,” continued Lucius as he stared fixedly at the glass, avoiding his son’s gaze. “The Government would carry the day - by ten votes.”

Draco's face fell whilst Justin touched his shoulder, muttering, “It’ll be all right, just wait and see!”

Noticing his son’s despair,  Lucius continued rapidly, "But there’s a campaign carefully nurtured by your father, Justin.”

The elder Malfoy smirked at his son whilst he sipped the elf wine.

“What does the dratted campaign say?” asked Draco wonderingly. When he noticed his father’s disapproving frown, Draco drawled, “Sorry for the language, dad. But it’s my bloody future at stake!”

Lucius sighed. Indeed Draco was bound to be nervous, what with the Marriage Law breathing down his neck - not to mention bloody Abraxas’ crazy codicil that forced the Malfoy heir to marry lawfully before he was thirty!

“The campaign - which has been televised.” Lucius frowned, wondering what in Merlin’s name that meant. Shaking his head, the Malfoy patriarch continued, “Whatever, the campaign asks a probing question, why is the government so interested in animal breeding that there has to be a law regulating it?”

Stupid Marriage Law, as if people needed to be wed to have children! thought Draco indignantly. If wizards truly are in danger of dying out, why, the vaunted muggleborns can replenish our numbers easily!

Lucius put down his drink and rubbed his cane, sneering. “The Ministry will be hoisted by their own petard. In formulating the Marriage Law as they did to fool the muggles, they opened their flank to a campaign full of innuendo and ridicule.”

Lucius sighed admiringly when he thought of Jason’s astute ploys. Lucius had no doubt his muggle friend would have made a superb Slytherin. “This sly question has been asked in TV spots.”

When Draco looked at him inquiringly, Lucius just shrugged. He had no idea what that was, and if Draco thought he could enlighten him - he was wrong. Draco would have to ask his muggleborn friends.

Lucius finished his wine. Then he put the glass on the table and motioned for Aberforth to refill it.

“This has been most successful where my connections cannot reach.” The Malfoy patriarch waited until the innkeeper filled his glass before continuing, “Together Jason and I - we’ll probably carry a block of 330 votes in the Commons.”

Draco nudged Justin’s elbow. The Head Boy turned to his friend and said tentatively, “I think that the votes are enough?”

Lucius nodded. “Indeed. If this happens, the Bill will be defeated by the muggles, therefore the Marriage Law will not become the law of the realm.”

Hearing this, Draco smirked triumphally. He lifted his glass and said, “So that means the dratted Law won’t be metamagical, even if the Wizengamot has approved it!”

Justin smiled and clapped Draco’s shoulder, seeing his friend’s relieved expression. “So the geas won’t be activated - the silly Law won’t be magically binding!”

Lucius explained another part of their plan. "The vote? It’ll weaken the Muggle Government, moving them to pressure the Ministry.”

Justin reclined on his chair and gloated. “Yes, given that Her Majesty’s Government themselves will face the scrutiny of the European Union and the UN, thanks to our complaints."

The Hufflepuff looked at Draco, frowning. “We have to remember that the Law is still valid on the Wizarding part of Britain, though.”

 

After they left the Hog’s Head, Draco asked Lucius, "Father, how can I change the Serpent's Map?"

As was his wont, Lucius answered in cryptic sentences, "You have all you need, Draco.”

Draco scowled hearing this answer whilst they sauntered through High Street.

Lucius waved his cane at the stores they were passing through. “The name? It’s a clue.”

He put his hand on Draco’s shoulder, whispering conspiratorially, “Remember all that we’ve learned through the years! The Map cannot be changed using a wand."

Draco frowned at his father. Why in Merlin’s name does dad have to be so mean? Why doesn’t he come clear? thought the blond grumpily.

Lucius admired the silk shirts on display in Gladrags. He smirked fleetingly, satisfied that he had piqued his son’s curiosity; then he turned to Justin, waving his towards the trees near the railroad station. "After the vote Jason will call me on that telephone thing of yours. I’ll send my owl to the castle to let you know the results.”

Draco shook his head, hoping that the vote would go according to their plans, because he didn’t want to be forced to marry Lavender!

Chapter nine

Comments

[lijahlover.livejournal.com]

Yay for an update how brilliant!

[herumtreiber.livejournal.com]

Thanks! ♥

I'm working on the next part :)