herumtreiber

Title: Reality twists 21/39
Chapter: The fourth twist
Author:

herumtreiber
Genre: Post DH, romance, adventure, time travel
Rating: PG-13
Epilogue compliant? No
Chapter length: ~2,173 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

20. The second time

As Daphne's birthday approached, Harry became more frantic, pestering Draco about information concerning her parents. At first Draco replied that they were surprisingly easy to get along with, and very supportive of her, in his view there was nothing to worry about. Harry uttered then the fateful question, "They were good to you the first time, will they also be good the second time?"

Eventually Draco became a little excitable. Daphne visibly reined her need to throw pillows at them and generally be sulky and moody, after all, she did want birthday gifts.

It was the day before her party. Draco had invited Harry to Diagon Alley and Muggle London to get a new wardrobe. In his view, Harry looked resplendent in his dark-green robes, with white shirt and cummerbund. Harry had tried futilely to argue against that combo, but Draco's glare and his comment that her parents liked that finally tipped the scales.

Back in Hogwarts, Harry received an Origami letter requesting an appointment in the Room of Requirement. At first he thought it was Draco, but the letter smelled like lilies. His instincts told him it was a svelte blonde who wasn't a Seeker.

Harry went to the date and had a relaxed dinner and conversation with Daphne. They soon fell to kissing, and in very little time they had shed their clothes. Harry shyly wanted to ask a question but Daphne, as was her wont, easily guessed what it was, "You are my first, Harry."

Harry replied, "I, but shouldn't you wait for Draco?"

Daphne commented, "He won't mind. In fact he suggested it. He said it would be a good way to diminish tension in his bondmates, he also threatened you with fire from a real dragon if you hurt me."

Eventually they made love, and Harry was very gentle, even to the point of igniting Daphne's ire in such a way that she groaned, "Faster, Harry!"

It was a wonderful feeling, the afterglow with Daphne, and Harry pondered the differences and similarities with Draco. Harry thought that some people would disagree strenuously with the new direction his life had taken, mainly Gryffindors, but the change was enriching and rewarding on its own.

Draco was daydreaming about his mates, the blonde and the dark-haired one, when a light came up from the aisle, and he sensed something enter his room. Immediately he grabbed the Elder wand and pointed it toward the disturbance, which acquired a shape and turned out to be Moaning Myrtle.

Draco had a soft spot in his heart for Myrtle. When he felt himself in the brink of despair and no one knew or helped, Myrtle had been the only sentient being he had trusted with the information. She had supported him wholeheartedly, even held him in her heart more than Potter, which appealed to his ego.

In the other reality, she was oftentimes his only bulwark against the Gryffindors' and Slytherins' pranks.

He greeted her amiably and listened to her conversation, never acting in a condescending way with her, which he knew she detested. He felt she had something to tell him. However, when it seemed that finally she was going to talk about it, Harry entered the room. Myrtle looked flustered, or as blushing as a ghost could look. She muttered that she had to go back and hurriedly sank into the wall.

For Daphne's birthday, Draco had a portkey prepared to take them to Malfoy Manor. His parents, brother and Aunt were waiting for them, along with Severus and the Greengrasses. It was then that Harry and Draco presented Daphne with their gifts. Harry's were a new Strato broom like his and also a Golden Snitch, which had the following sentiment inscribed: You've got my heart.

Then Draco offered his gifts, he said, "I've brought more presents for some of you. I have a hunch that the troublesome times are not over, and I don't want you to be unprotected. These bracelets have Protection Charms integrated into them. They will be invisible for non-Malfoys, those Charms should keep you safe for a while. I know you must be thinking about the Gryffindor Protection Charm and the problem it caused."

"These ones are similarly constructed, with the proviso that they will only last two months. After that time, the Charm becomes inactive. It must be forever so if reality is to be allowed a free development."

Draco took out a silver bracelet and put it on Daphne, he took another silver one and put it on Harry. Finally he took a golden one and put it on his mother.

They had a good celebration, the food and wines were superb, and they danced happily. Harry tried to prove he danced better than Draco, so they engaged in some healthy competition, which was fine until Daphne, tired of being dragged here and there by the two Seekers, solemnly thwacked them and told them to grow up, or dance with each other.
They took her at her word and danced energetically with each other. Draco observed that Harry took to dancing like he did to flying and performing magic: with gusto and panache.

The next day after breakfast they had a serious talk with Michael and Daisy Greengrass, Daphne's parents. Michael started by asking Draco a serious question, "What are your intentions toward my daughter?"

"I love her, I want her to be the mother of my children. I intend to marry her soon after finishing Hogwarts. As you know, I'm Lord Malfoy, I have no shortage of riches, but I have lacked good memories and warm love. Daphne and I can work well together."

"The Malfoy inheritance is enormous. People will look for ways to thwart the family, that's why there must be an undisputed marriage between the heir's parents. But I also have some plans of my own and the inheritance rules concerning bondmates are much more agreeable."

"There's also Harry, whom we love. As you know, the purebloods follow etiquette their own way and only insist in the need of a proper bonding ceremony."

"We intend to bond with Harry, and with his help and participation, our family will be strong and happy and loving."

Daisy asked Harry, "What are your intentions toward my daughter, Mr. Potter?"

Harry answered passionately, "She is a spitfire, and she can bend others to her will. She is beautiful and warm, and very easy to love. She is what I would like in a wife, or a bondmate. I have no doubts about Draco's and her feelings, and I only hope they have the same feelings towards me. I would be honored to bond with her and Draco."

Michael consulted his wife silently, with a very intense look, as if weighing her opinion carefully through the nuance of facial movements. He said finally, "Then I will expect to see you draw a schedule, Draco, including any kind of objection that could obtain and how to circumvent it. Is the Fidelius charm still active in Hogwarts?"

Draco answered affirmatively. Michael didn't look very worried. Harry looked triumphantly, a little smugly, towards Draco, when Mrs. Greengrass added, "And of course the ceremonies will have to be planned precisely in advance, and I will need you for that, Harry."

Harry's face fell, and both Draco and he looked accusingly at a smirking Daphne, who smirked until her father said, "Daphne, you'll have to coordinate the wardrobe of all the ladies, and you know how particular wizards can be regarding proper attire for the important ceremonies. You'll have to be on your feet."

Draco had an ominous foreboding. Things would surely get heated, with Narcissa, Daisy, and Daphne trying to plan the parties. Maybe it was time to concoct another brilliant Draconian plan to be elsewhere.

They returned to Hogwarts, and in the afternoon there were knocks on the door as some third years, like Palomar Patil, Harper Finch-Fletchley and Annie Smith, stopped by to chat with them. This became something common. The third years would stop by three or four times a week and talk about their schoolwork, families, magic. They were nice, agreeable students.

And so the months of March and April passed serenely by. The future bondmates grew closer together, and all seemed well.

Draco had a dream, in it he was able to see Scorpius. His son asked, "You've been good, dad?" Draco replied, " Yes, I have, I expect we will meet someday in the flesh, again." Scorpius answered, "We will. However the dark times are approaching. I'm afraid you have to make sure that the Protection Charms work on the bracelets, they will soon need them. Just remember the definition of magical limits. Not everything is as it appears."

Draco asked, "What's going to happen? Why is the world interested in the Malfoy affairs?"

Scorpius solemnly answered, "Because you freed us, you freed the world, and asked nothing in return, not even acknowledgement. The world feels constrained to help you with hunches and ideas. Because reality may not be eternal, matter decays and magic fails. Only love lasts forever."

In the morning Draco made sure to make his rounds of the bracelets and make sure that they still worked. Because they had to prepare the final exams, they were all a little hectic. Harry, Draco and Daphne didn't feel enough energy for a loving experience, so they just plopped in their respective beds.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Draco was wrestling with Potions class without Harry to share the burden and banter – and flirt - with, when a timid First Year passed him a note from Andromeda, asking to meet with him in his quarters.

With deep foreboding, Draco went. He found Andromeda crying, trying to console a blond, sobbing Antares. Daphne sat immobile, as if wanting to lend strength through her presence but barely maintaining her inner balance. Severus had a perfect mask, as befits the successful spy and former Head of Slytherin.

They informed Draco that Narcissa had been abducted that morning, and Harry… They didn't want to tell him, so they took the memory from Andromeda and put it in a Pensieve. Draco had to see this. He mentally berated himself for having fears. He would see what it was that discouraged and disheartened them so and deal with it. He flicked the Pensieve to exposition mode and the memory played.

He saw Narcissa and Andromeda with Antares. Harry approached them, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. He took Antares from his mother and cooed, "Come on, Antares, time to go to your grandmother."

When the baby was with Andromeda, Harry took out his wand. He started swishing and flicking it perfunctorily towards Narcissa. Whatever the spell was, it obviously couldn't penetrate the Protection Charm, Narcissa's bracelet was clearly visible to Draco.

Harry got angrier and said, "It's time to rid the world of the Malfoys. Your foolish son believed me when I pretended to be sorry for what I did to him in the future! He is as foolish now as he was in the other world. I will destroy his precious mother and future brother, like he killed my precious Hedwig!"

"It was easy to plant the suggestions in Hermione's mind so when your son raped her fine thoughts he would find the evidence that would convince him of my innocence! It was I who manipulated brilliant Hermione into learning those spells and using them."

"The spell I invented for them for their son, it won't work! One day the dates are different from the other, when they should be the same, not a proficient spell at all! But I had to use Scorpius' photo which Daphne passed to Draco and nearly lost the day of the trial!"

Then Harry proceeded to try a different spell, a more powerful one, with more baroque swishes which he performed lackadaisically. It didn't work. While he was brandishing his wand and had his wand hand raised up, Narcissa tackled him. She appeared to fight futilely with him, and the only result was that his sleeve on the other side rose up all the way to the elbow, showing unblemished skin.

Harry manhandled Narcissa into walking ahead of him and went out of view of the Pensieve.

Draco could hear Antares crying. He went to the little blond boy and held him in his arms and promised him, "We'll get them back, Ant!" He motioned for Andromeda to take Antares to the bedroom. He felt he was near exploding, and didn't want to have his brother near.

Draco was seething. He nearly shouted into the door, "The escape clause for love seems to be betrayal!" Then he started conjuring china that he threw against the wall.

He commanded, "Leave me alone! Except you, Severus, I have need of the master spy, the quintessential Slytherin." Later he announced, "All gloves are off!" He took out a Galleon and wrote something on it.

22. The studious spy