herumtreiber

Title: Reality twists 11/39
Chapter: Renaissance
Author:

herumtreiber
Genre: Post DH, romance, adventure, time travel
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or related characters. Nor do I make any money from the writing of these stories.
Rating: R
Warnings: Angst, Hermione bashing
Epilogue compliant? No
Chapter length: ~2,587 words
Summary: Harry/Draco/Daphne. Draco in Azkaban, plus time-travel. Explores the idea of powerful magic pitted against a nuclear bomb and the implications for the world. Noncon - evil Hermione and Ron – Atlantis may appear later on, and another meaning of the Prophecy. How a Time Turner can win a game. Very ecological use of the Fidelius charm; Dementors abound, but...

Table of contents

10. The Quidditch game

On Monday, during dinner, as the Slytherins were still feeling slightly euphoric after the unexpected victory, Draco felt a push against his mind. He knew then that Granger still sought to dominate him, to impose her will no matter the cost.

Their charms worked efficiently at containing the danger of the mental, magical probe. He was incensed and decided he'd get payback, public payback, for this latest escapade. The charms allowed him to enter the mind of the caster, when they were attempting to subdue him.

Draco did just that. He took a quick look at the Gryffindor table to see where Granger was seated. Next he mentally coaxed her, "Grab Thomas's crotch and rub it softly, until he is moaning and begging for more."

"Now push your chair backwards, take off your cloak. Kneel next to Thomas and carefully open his trousers and underwear and pull them down."

"Now softly touch his erect member and lick it. Going from the base to the crown in lazy motions. Put it in your mouth and suck it."

Draco had cast a low-level notice-me-not charm on the couple while this was going on. He'd moved their chairs by magic until they were clearly visible. Then he took off the charms and made them noticeable.

The Gryffindors were horrified to watch the behavior of the proud lioness. Many were put off their meals. Finnigan was enraged and barely restrained himself from hexing Hermione. However he went up to her and bitchslapped her.

Harry was dumbfounded. He could not believe what his eyes told him. He knew the Imperius curse intimately, and he could swear that Hermione was not under Imperius. But to behave in such a way, it was highly disconcerting for him.

Hermione was reeling as she hurriedly put on her cloak and dashed out of the Great Hall. Why she'd suddenly decided to give head to Dean Thomas, she'd never know. She had only been trying to coax Malfoy into the right Side, to have the correct responses, and things happened from there. It was odd; she had been thwarted by both Malfoy and Harry. Lately her mind spells didn't seem to work for Harry.

She'd just have to research more.

With a deep sense of inevitability, Draco whistled for his Eagle owl Barnabas. He took the missive and gave it to the owl, saying "Daily Prophet, care of Rita Skeeter."

Draco felt pinned by a stare. He looked around and noticed Potter looking intently at him, as if he would glean the secrets of the Universe this way. That was why he had to hurry.

Currently Potter was distraught, and the plan could work, but soon he would return to be the inflexible bastard he knew so well, with Granger running interference.

He could not chance that, the Charm had to be disarmed, lifted off this reality for it to be truly free.

oOoOo

The next day, Tuesday, Draco made sure to wear his dragonhide clothes, although they were itchy and cumbersome. He thought about using healing spells on them, but reluctantly decided against it. He wanted the Charm to be completely convinced of the validity of the escape clause, with no recourse whatsoever to technicalities. Therefore he would not use magic at all, or not much anyway. He used healing salves instead, which he applied liberally to his dragonhide clothes.

Eventually he was ready to go on, but first he wanted to say good-bye to his friends. He called on Pansy, Millie, Daphne, Goyle, and Blaise to stay.

He started, "Something may come up. I have a plan, as you all know, I love plans. However, it might well be the case that I end up dead." He raised his hands to forestall the questions.

"I believe that my end would be justified, if I succeed. You have been the best Slytherin friends. We were coerced by our families to react in certain ways, yet we managed to grow somewhat closer to each other. You made the experience of being in Slytherin not only about power and blood, but friends and – dare I say it? – love."

"I will always remember you. Even twenty years from now, if I should live, the memories will remain with me, giving me strength, and belief and courage."

He turned to look at Daphne and said, "I'd like to speak with you for a moment, Daphne."

When the others had gone and Draco and Daphne were alone, he took out a letter, bearing the Malfoy arms. He also got out the worn-out photograph. He delivered the letter to Daphne saying "Just some details to organize." He gave the photo to her, saying "The most precious belonging of mine. I want you to keep it for me, Daphne. If all ends well, you can give it back. If not, you can keep it."

"What I said to them about the memories, Daphne, I know it's true because the memories of you and Scorpius have truly lent me strength and peace. I love you, and if the world were a fair place, we would live a happy life. Still, the world needs me, and I must attend to it, or it will cease to be. If the worst happens, I want you to continue your life, get married and have kids. You are a wonderful mother, as you are a wonderful person; never forget that, Green Eyes."

Daphne was visibly crying and sobbing, all appearances of a pureblood lady being discarded in her grief. "You come back to me, Draco! Or I swear I will get a necromancer to bring you back and then I will dispatch you myself for leaving me alone!"

Daphne continued: "I know you have to fix the world and that goddamned Charm. It's been so little time since I got you back and now you might leave me again! Of course I love you, Dragon, and I have since Fifth year. I only imagine that misbegotten future had at least one good idea in putting us together."

"Our son, I love him, judging from the photograph. Yet it's a more wistful, paler love compared with the wrenching sobs, the intensity of feelings you have when you remember him."

"Draco, I want that intensity! I want to love and protect Scorpius so much that it hurts. And you are going to help me! You will find a way to give me back my son!"

"I know you said it was impossible, like a needle in a haystack or something, but I know you, Draco. Once an idea intrigues you, you won't let it go. You'll plan to get what you want, and eventually you will do it the Slytherin way. It's one of the many reasons I love you."

"So, Dragon, you'd better come back to me, or suffer the painful consequences."

Draco and Daphne made their way to the Great Hall. Draco couldn't help but feel a little like a condemned man about to be Kissed. All the parts of his plan would go into effect soon. His interactions with Potter, for 26 long years, gave him the most profitable path to take. Once, he'd made it a point of honor to be able to drive Potter to towering rages, and he would do that again.

They arrived to the Slytherin table and Draco sat apart from the others. When Daphne tried to sit beside him, he added, "Not today, Green Eyes. I want a little solitude."

Daphne sat with Pansy and Millie. She noticed that there was a portion of the table occupied exclusively by Draco. Thankfully there was no shortage of space, some Slytherins having dropped from Hogwarts.

Soon most other students arrived and started chattering about their day. Daphne noticed an unusually subdued Gryffindor table. Maybe they didn't like the antics of the lioness?

The owls bearing the post arrived. Many owls also delivered theDaily Prophet.

A hush descended upon the Great Hall. Draco could see many eyes furtively sizing him up, and going immediately to Potter. It seems people were aware of the lethal combination that had just gone into effect.

Granger nudged Potter and passed him a Daily Prophet newspaper, turned to page 4.

Potter read the notice of births, weddings and similar announcements, and he paled. He visibly sought to compose his face but failed miserably. His face got red, and there was the ominous sound of cutlery moving by itself and glasses breaking, when Potter lost control and let accidental magic go free.

Potter wrenched the newspaper from Granger's hands, and made his way to the Slytherin table. Draco saw him coming and unobtrusively moved his wand to cast a magic-free zone. Of course it wouldn't stop Potter, but would nudge him in the right direction.

Potter stopped right beside Draco and shouted, "What's the meaning of this, Ferret?"

Draco replied smugly, "Do you mean the notice in the newspaper? Can't you read?"

Potter answered, "Don't mock me, Ferret! It says here that your parents are going to adopt Teddy Lupin! I can't believe it!"

Draco drawled coolly, "Better believe it! Mother and father are tired of the Dark things and want to start another family. We are related by blood to little Teddy. My aunt Andromeda has been kept carefully informed. She approves wholeheartedly. She will live in the Manor and she will influence decisively Teddy's upbringing. Teddy needs someone who will be there for him, not a father who offered himself as a useless sacrifice to appease the ghosts of his friends, or a mother who recklessly endangered herself without caring about what would happen to her newborn child."

Draco was pleased to notice the faint winds that stopped suddenly at the boundary of the no-magic zone. Potter was indeed in a towering rage. Time to apply the finishing touch, matador.

Draco announced smugly, "As befits a new beginning, my new brother will change his name. He will no longer be Teddy Lupin, he will be known as Antares Malfoy. He won't have his old godfather. His new one will be Slughorn." Then Draco contemptuously went back to his breakfast, leaving a fuming Harry on his back.

Because of the no-magic zone, he couldn't use his accidental magic to blow off steam. He wanted to hurt Malfoy so much, that Fawkes appeared and deposited the Sorting Hat on the floor. Without losing a moment, Harry eagerly thrust his hand into the Hat and grabbed the Sword of Gryffindor.

Harry was tired of it all, the confusion in his mind, the anger roiling in his blood, which sometimes felt so foreign. He had lost his best friend. His other friend acted like a slut, in an incomprehensible way. His once girlfriend avoided him with good cause, because he knew that if he were given the chance, he'd take it and force his will on her.

He was losing his touch. He hadn't won the last duel with Malfoy, and he'd lost in the Quidditch pitch. But this, this was the depth of utter betrayal.

Teddy would be adopted by the Malfoys. He would lose all connections to his parents, his name, continuing the Lupin line, it would exist no more. He would no longer be Harry's godson!

Although a part of him urged caution, it was overruled by the taunting, the sneers, the utter calculation of the Slytherins and their boss. He would strike and get rid of that menace, now.

Harry shouted, "Listen to me, Ferret. You will write to your ferrety parents and tell them that they can't adopt Teddy!"

Draco turned, looked at Harry with an infuriating smirk, and contemptuously said, "I don't think so, Potter. They eagerly look forward to having another son. And frankly, you don't scare me one bit."

Draco turned his back on Potter. Harry lost all sense of proportion, and thrust the Sword of Gryffindor into Draco's back.

In attacking so cowardly and treacherously, the escape clause was duly met. There was no escaping the inflexible logic of its design. Godric Gryffindor had honestly believed that no Heir would behave in such a way. If they ever did, then they weren't heirs of his. Honestly Godric expected that his heirs would rule the world one day. It was easy to direct the attention of the other Founders where he wanted it, to suggest they use the Charm on his heir instead of Hogwarts. If he betrayed their intentions, then it was only with the best idea in mind: a peaceful world under one Heir.

A convoluted piece of magic, the Charm had existed for a thousand years. It had influenced many people, and lately it had grown to have a rudimentary voice of its own. It knew warmth when it adhered to Gryffindor ideals, no matter how old-fashioned. It knew intent when it shaped the heir into the kind of person Godric would approve of. It knew contentment when it guided the heir into the correct train of thought, emphasizing the detached qualities of leadership, the need to use and break people to the leader's will.

But eventually, the Charm was magic, subject to the rules of its creation. What the world could not do from the outside, was done from inside by the Gryffindor heir.

The Charm was disarmed; it was lifted off from the world.

The world rejoiced. People noticed the strains of a Phoenix song, the smell of white roses in spring, there were numerous flashes of light and the floor trembled ominously.

Daphne saw Potter thrust the Sword into Draco's back. Draco stood up, seemingly in pain. His cloak was getting soaked with his blood. He took out the Sword and muttered softly some healing spells to assist him. Then Draco, with more strength this time, intoned "Accio Draco Malfoy's wands!" And three wands came out of Potter's cloak and reached Draco, what were apparently the Elder wand, a hawthorn one, and Potter's old wand. After pocketing them, and grabbing the Sword securely, Draco Apparated away.

Daphne blinked and saw Potter spear Draco. She was horrified to see that the Sword cut deep, deep enough to reach the other side. Draco bled, and Daphne was dismayed to note that he was dying. She went to his side and held his head as his life seeped away. She saw when Draco looked for her with eyes gone numb with pain, and muttered "Our son…will see." Then Draco died.

Daphne was reeling, confused, until she remembered what Draco had told her happened when his older self appeared. Apparently, if the number of time-traveling Observers was too high, reality was strained and events like this happened. She could only hope it would be so, because she found unendurable the thought of Draco dying.

She gingerly opened her eyes and watched the Hall in pandemonium. Potter had been dragged back to the Gryffindor table by confused housemates. What lifted her heart was the fact that Draco was not there. Apparently he had Apparated away, sauntering like the good Slytherin he was.

She thanked Merlin she had not looked up and seen his dead body, because then she would have surely flipped.

Now the world had been saved, and Draco lived! That meant he would work towards reuniting his little family, and Daphne would help in any way she could.

AN: Antares is a star in the constellation of Scorpius.

12. The last player