Reality twists 19/39

[herumtreiber]

Title: Reality twists 19/39
Chapter: Needle in a haystack
Author:herumtreiber 
Genre: Post DH, romance, adventure, time travel
Rating: PG-13
Epilogue compliant? No
Chapter length: ~2,666 words
Disclaimer:  I do not own Harry Potter or related characters, nor do I make any money from writing these stories.
Warnings for the fic: Angst, violence, noncon, character deaths (not the protagonists)
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


18. Weasley

Harry used the time to recuperate from his ordeal. Two days later, an imperious Eagle owl arrived bearing a letter, Harry read:

Hogwarts may be found several miles from Hogsmeade, in Scotland .

That was all that was written. He felt his stomach lurch as he imagined having a confrontation with an irate Draco.

Daphne's easy acceptance and camaraderie had been balm for his soul, however, she had warned him about Draco's temper. He would surely feel put upon, looked down, because Harry had gone off gallivanting without letting him know.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

In Hogwarts, Draco was getting ready to tear the bed to pieces and throw it in that witch's face. The gall of Abbott! She should have let him go long ago, but she insisted on keeping him under observation because of that damned charm!

Fortunately Draco remembered what he had done to the caster, and that had been rewarding.

Draco paced to and fro. Narcissa watched him warily as she herself carried little Antares into the room. Andromeda looked sardonically on. Narcissa had to admit that her sister had the makings of a great Slytherin. It was she who suggested bringing Antares to Hogwarts, and it had turned out to be an unqualified success.

Antares seemed to thrive in the magical atmosphere of the castle. The students looked interestedly at the obvious Malfoys and the kind lady.

Draco was in the middle of muttering some curses under his breath, when he noticed the new arrivals. He grinned and greeted them, "Hi Mother, Aunt, Antares." He kissed Antares's forehead and the baby opened his arms. Immediately Draco embraced him and took him from Narcissa. He started talking to Antares about the wonderful things they would do when he was old enough, as he rocked him.

Narcissa and Andromeda realized that Draco made a great big brother and would be a superb father when his turn came. Narcissa thought sadly that Draco should have had many siblings. She had the sneaky suspicion that some Dark Arts use had caused infertility in Lucius, so Draco was left as the only child.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Harry was nervously waiting in Malfoy Manor. He was ready to return to Hogwarts – and Draco – when he received an owl from Daphne asking to wait for another hour.

The hour was almost gone, and he anxiously twisted his robe's hem as he prepared to Apparate when a slim figure approached. Daphne narrowed her eyes and joked, "Ready to go without me, Harry? How rude!"

Harry fretfully smiled and replied, "What news do you bring?" Daphne answered seriously, "I'm afraid not very good. Headmaster Snape went to see him and apparently relayed some of what happened to you. There were crashing noises heard afterwards, so you may assume that Draco was pissed."

"For what it's worth, I find myself agreeing with some of his views. It seems clear that you're afraid your relationship with us will inexorably lead you into Dark Arts use. Harry, sorry to disabuse you of the notion, but if Draco really wanted to reign supreme in the Dark Arts or the world, he would do it: he's got the charisma, the money, the connections, the magical prowess to do that, if he so wished. He wouldn't need you at all, in fact, you would be a colossal stumbling block in such a plan."

"I don't know what Draco will say. I will tell you this: if our contact so besmirches you as you've led us to believe, then by all means search for other friends like the redoubtable Granger and Weasley. Oh, excuse me! I forgot, the one raped your mind, the other your body! But even so, you'd forgive them in a heartbeat, for they are Gryffindors, and thus unconquerably Light!"

"Sorry to be quite blunt, but there are times when it pays to be so, when you have to make the person aware of the consequences."

"Harry, this was not the only noteworthy incident of an insufferable Weasley. In my mind, I can picture several instances when an overbearing git Weasley hurt you deeply, most notably during the Three-Wizard Tournament. It amazed us that you did not retaliate at all, that you did not defend yourself and put a stop to the git's airs, you simply forgave him, light as rain. And he did it again."

"You never did correct him, Harry. I can picture in the Weasel's eyes how that made everything OK. You were his friend and would surely forgive it all."

"I don't want you to have that kind of relationship with us! I want you vibrant, full of will, full of desire. If something pisses you off, by all means let us know! In a sense this has always been true, your interactions with Draco had been full of hate, but always had a core of truth. We will build on that, if you let us."

"Please Harry, don't use the Dark Arts excuse as a shield behind which you can hide your feelings, and don't go around gallivanting like a herd of constipated rampaging hippogriffs."

"There is no such thing as Dark or Light. There are spells with Darker intent, hurtful and deathly. Those spells can be used by anybody, you don't need a Dark label to employ them."

"Mind-controlling spells are the worst of the lot. Dark Lords seldom use them, but your friend Granger was a consummate expert on them, even before leaving Hogwarts. As a matter of fact, she dabbled in them since Third Year, aided by the esteemed, Light Headmaster Dumbledore."

"We are not your Keepers. We could never be. We hope to become your mates someday. If you don't want to tell us where you're going, fine, but let a responsible person or persons know!"

Then Daphne approached and kissed a surprised Harry. Harry was a little taller than she, and fitted perfectly into her pert figure. Harry discovered that blondes do kiss better. It was sweet and loving, it felt as beautiful as the patterns made by butterfly wings, and just as free. It healed his mind a bit from the ordeal. It had a different kind of passion than the kiss with Draco. It was heart-warming.

He realized then that he could never leave them voluntarily. He understood the heavy weight of facing difficult odds and imagining what the future would bring, the perils caused by evil people that could afford to wait for the slow majesty of the law to pass them by, using it to perfect their deadly strike again.

Daphne and Harry separated, and she said, "Time to face the Dragon, Harry!"

Harry gulped as he was Apparated alongside Daphne.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHR

When Harry entered Draco's Infirmary room, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He could see a happy Draco making faces at his little brother as Narcissa and Andromeda smirked.

Draco saw Daphne and Harry suddenly appear, and instead of flying into a rage as everybody expected, he opened his arms.

Harry ran to him followed closely by Daphne. There they were, the Silver trio and the baby Malfoy. Of course Draco, being the observant Slytherin he prided himself to be, had noticed their swollen lips and glazed looks. He rolled his eyes at their backs.

Daphne retorted, "No rolling of eyes!"
Draco answered surprised, "How did you know?"
She replied neutrally, "It's obvious for anyone who knows you."

Andromeda was mentally patting herself on the back. Her plans to tame the Dragon and have Daphne bring the Lion at the right moment seemed to be working.

Draco continued to talk to Antares, he promised him the best broom and was singing the praises of the Slytherin Quidditch team when he was thwacked by Daphne, Harry, and Antares. He weakly glared at them and shut up momentarily.

Narcissa called up the House Elves and ordered a light repast, accompanied by vintage butterbeer. They ate with relish, except for Antares, who was given a warm bottle of milk by his mother Narcissa.

Presently Draco started, "After I eventually woke up in here, and managed to track down that man Rhodes and interrogate him, he told me about Weasley's plans."

"He was the darling of the guards and could do anything he wanted in there. He performed for them. He was also a Veela and could ensnare them into doing his will. He even got to be the plaything of the Warden, with access to his office and all those artifacts. Eventually he came into contact with Dumbledore's painting."

"The former Headmaster suggested that, in order to make Harry more amenable, he had to be broken first. Weasley came up with the idea of luring Harry to Azkaban. They planned to keep you there for months, until you broke. Without anyone knowing where you were, they might have succeeded. Just think about that, Harry."

"Regarding McGonagall, she had detailed plans to insure the success of the ritual that would initiate the Protection Charm. She opened the wards to the former Death Eaters and trapped us in the Great Hall. However, she had made arrangements in case things didn't work out. It was fortunate for us, and indeed the world, that Neville Longbottom showed true wisdom and courage in declining the apparently easy path. McGonagall, nonetheless, had located several other possible heirs, including Seamus Finnigan."

"What the investigators would have found would have been evidence that she tried to do something, however ineffectual, however pitiful and late, to correct the situation, exactly what Dumbledore did in the Three-Wizard Tournament farce. Dumbledore still holds sway in some parts of the Government. She would have been let go free."

"Granger was a walking bombshell. She mentally commanded you for years, she tried to do the same to Neville and me. Several times I let her go, punishing her where appropriate and trying to make her less of a walking landmine. She would not understand. She thought that ordering other people around was her calling, even when they detested her and wanted nothing to do with her. There's no doubt in my mind that if she had lived, she would have gotten out of prison thanks to her powers and then she would have mercilessly hunted and killed us."

"I have no regrets for what I did, because I did it for my family, for you. I would've explained this to you sooner, Harry, but you just up and left."

Harry just snuggled up to Draco and said, "Sorry!" Draco hugged him back just as fiercely, taking care not to smother Antares, who was clinging to his side.

Daphne, after unobtrusively taking some photographs and hiding the camera, hugged them.

Harry watched them, his budding family. He recalled his idea about Scorpius and decided to tell them.

"Hey guys, I remember what you told me about…" Harry interrupted himself and looked inquiringly at Narcissa and Andromeda. Draco reassured him, "They know, Harry. You can tell the truth."

Harry continued doggedly, "I remember what you told me about your son. You could never have him again because it was the chance meeting of sperm with the ovum in such a time. There are millions of germinal cells, thus the possibility of conceiving the same exact son are something like finding a needle in a haystack."

"You're forgetting magic! And you are purebloods! Magic can help us if we use it wisely."

Harry smirked and added triumphantly, "Hermione had her uses. She created a spell that could be used to reveal the provenance of certain objects, it needed the original object or a part. I remember that, and know how to mesh it with a protection spell. When the time comes and it is cast, it will track the sperm and egg that will become Scorpius. It will let you know when it is the right moment to make love, it will protect and guide the correct sperm to the ovum."

The blonds looked amazingly happy, until Draco's visage darkened and he said, "It's a good idea, Harry, but you forgot that Scorpius lived in the future. There's nothing of him remaining now." Draco looked down and gingerly touched his cheeks with his fingers, belying the traces of tears.

Harry visibly crowed as he answered, "Of course I know that Draco! I also know that magical paintings and photos hold some amount of the magic of the person they portray, or how do you explain the talking paintings or the moving photos? I also know you always carry with you that old photo of you, Daphne and Scorpius."

"I solemnly assure you that upon that tattered photo we will build our happiness!"

Draco blanched and asked, "When do you want to do this, Harry?"

Harry replied breathily, "No time like the present."

When the moment came for Draco to part with the photo, he almost didn't want to do it. The photo and the memories it held had truly sustained him during many difficult times. He despaired of ever seeing it again. Then he looked at Antares as he was playing with Narcissa and imagined what it would feel like to have Scorpius again, some years hence.

Grudgingly, he gave the photo to Harry. Harry recognized Draco's struggle and used a duplication charm to make a copy of the photo. He gave the copy back to Draco, who lovingly folded it back into his robe.

Harry concentrated powerfully his magic and his will. He wanted the spell to work. He intended the spell to succeed, and so invested his innermost resources.

Harry intoned, "Centrum veritas Scorpius, Veritas aeternum, Protego!" He swished and brandished his wand with verve and poise, like the consummate Wizard that he was.

The photo disappeared in a shower of golden sparks, until just two small glowing spheres were left. Immediately they started to drift towards Draco and Daphne and entered their stomachs.

Harry timidly asked, "Did it work?"

Draco answered with a smirk, "Ask me again in seven years, 2 months, three days and 4 hours!"

Harry asked shortly and somewhat irately, "What?"

Daphne replied, "I'm sure that's when the conception will occur, and I am sure that it will work, because you cast it, Harry, with power, and hopefully with love."

They continued talking at leisure and drinking butterbeer.

Draco suddenly asked Daphne, "Hey Daphne, what happened with the camera?"

Daphne visibly choked on her butterbeer. However, she wasn't a Slytherin for nothing, and managed to answer nonchalantly, "I don't know, Draco. I heard McGonagall took things from several students to prepare her alibi." It was true, it was also irrelevant.

Harry noticed the predicament of his fellow blonde, and decided to help her with the distraction. He challenged Draco to catch the Snitch.

When Draco raised the issue of Severus's order to stop playing Quidditch, Harry replied coolly that it wasn't Quidditch at all, just a game of one on one.

Draco agreed and the Silver trio went to the pitch. Antares was taking a nap and Narcissa and Andromeda stayed with him.

Harry and Draco went at it with gusto. Daphne nominated herself for the role of referee. Her method of dealing with infractions was swift and painful: a thwack upside the head. She made sure to take away Draco's time-turner, whereupon he scowled at her.

The game was delightful and easy, everything that their history had prevented from coming to pass. Free of the expectations of the others, they enjoyed an intense, physical challenge. They wanted to win, but they also wanted the recognition of the other.

Eventually Draco won, and he had the decency not to crow too much. Of course, it might've had to do with Daphne's warning glare.

The day that had seemed so foreboding for Harry ended up with him wrapped in the embrace of two-thirds of the Silver trio.

20. The second time