The Privy Councilors 24/33
Oct. 15th, 2011 09:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
herumtreiberChapter: The fateful class
Author:
Genre: AU to HBP, romance, adventure
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or related characters. Nor do I make any money from the writing of these stories.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Epilogue compliant? No way!
Chapter length: ~4,280 words
Summary: Draco/Harry, Luna/Neville, Ron/Hermione, Narcissa/??? Harry is about to be sent to Azkaban. The story explores Wizengamot politics and the fight against evil Dumbledore - where he gets vanquished early and does not prattle on and on - but is he gone? Plus de-aging. Someone returns whose name begins with a S. (And my revenge on characters whose accents are hard to read – like Hagrid and Fleur ;-)
Table of contents
23. MAD: Mutually Assured Deaging
I can tell you
my love for you will still be strong
after the boys of summer have gone.
(Boys of summer, Don Henley; Mike Campbell)
In the morning, Harry woke up from a refreshing dream. He felt two strong arms around him and panicked a bit. He opened his eyes and looked cautiously around: Draco had his arm around his waist, and a seemingly giant Sirius had one arm around his shoulders. Sirius appeared to be back!
Harry screeched and the Purebloods woke up. Draco eyed with some surprise Sirius' normal height, saying nonchalantly, "It's great to have you back, Sirius! You were awfully missed by everyone, Remus wants to see you and discuss the CoMC class with the lethifolds."
Because it was the weekend, they would have some time to adjust to Sirius' and hopefully the Twins' return.
Breakfast at Draco's was very touching. People would come up to Sirius and either slap his back or hug him a little, except for Narcissa who gave him a bear hug and Remus, who easily lifted him from the floor, flaunting his Werewolf strength. How dare he? Sirius remembered when a chocolate mousse had been considered more important than him. Remus needed to be pranked!
Hermione hugged him delicately, Ron with strength and vigor.
Then Neville, Luna, Blaise and Pansy walked in. With them were the Twins, showing their correct age. They both looked a little bored and uncomfortable. The combined gazes of those present managed to make them nod to Sirius, who nodded back, ending the prank war.
Draco was torn between amusement and anger. He was amused that both the Twins and Sirius appeared so childish, he was angry that they would get into another prank war. He needed to handle the situation!
He said in a loud voice, "Fred, George, sit on my right; Sirius on my left. I told the elves to bring you agreeable things." In the Twins' plates there were blueberries, which they had grown to love, whilst the Marauder had cereal breakfast.
Everyone fell to eating, conversing in a quiet manner. When they finished Draco continued, "You might be interested to know about the long conversation I had with the Headmaster. He viewed with a very jaundiced eye your exploits, Fred and George. He proposed to expel you from Hogwarts! He also wanted to fire the teacher of Care of Magical Creatures, that's you, Sirius!"
Sirius shouted angry, "Why, I didn't do anything?"
Draco replied, "Apparently for being five years old. As I said, the situation seemed dim for George and Fred and you. I interceded on your behalf, pointing out diverse things. The conversation lasted one hour. At the end he remained entrenched in his position, until I used Slytherin guile and offered him something he had always wanted."
Harry waved his arms. "What, Draco? What has Snape always wanted?"
"He wanted me to be the potions assistant in Seventh Year. He's always been afraid that the potions class could go bad without him. This way, he rests assured for that period of time."
Draco glared at the pranksters. "Thanks to you three dunderheads, I've made a commitment I was uneasy with. If I hadn't done that, you would have already left. Remember that when you think about pranks! You all thought it would be wonderful to prank Sirius but you did not consider the danger of Bellatrix. You deaged yourselves but were left vulnerable to other attacks."
Fred and George looked down to the floor, trying to hide their smirks.
"In return from my support, I want you to promise that you won't prank any of us." Draco frowned at them until they started to nod their heads.
Draco continued suavely, "Of course that includes member of the family and familiars."
The Twins adopted a more pinched expression and it was plain to see that they were looking for loopholes in Draco's promise but they all duly agreed and Draco finally let them go.
Some hours later, Draco and Ron were speaking to Harry and Hermione. The Purebloods had decided to tell the others about the little phone-elf scam. They were a little scared of the fallout, but they needed to do that.
Ron said, "Do you believe in phone-elves, Hermione?"
She answered defensively, "Why do you ask that, I don't know what to believe in anymore!"
Draco looked intently at the witch. "A normal reaction. You are faced with opposing explanations, you must choose whatever suits your worldview better. What you must always be aware of is how deep the explanations go."
Ron went on, "It would seem fine to believe something that anybody already believes in, which has proof and has lasted for many years. Exactly like Dumbledore's schemes and conniving plans."
Draco added, "What we want you to believe, Harry and Hermione, is in yourself. Trust your instincts. Gather information, meditate, come to conclusions and act. You must always, always be aware that there might be more that meets the eye, that things could not be what they seem."
Ron sneered. "You were almost ready to abandon your belief in ekeletronic-magnetic waves because of the occurrences of some phones belonging to Draco, you, me and Harry. There are no phone-elves, Hermione. Those waves of yours still reign supreme."
Draco added hurriedly when he observed Hermione preparing to throw a tantrum, "This was no idle prank of ours, but retaliation for damaged Pureblood pride! You two delight in any error we make with the strange Muggle words. You don't appear to recognize that we've never lived in that world, we've only visited it. I admit it overwhelms me from time to time, but I have grown to like it a lot."
Ron growled. "What I do not like is when you two are laughing at us behind our backs, planning our outings to the Muggle world so we can provide you with the most entertainment! That is outrageous and needs to stop!"
Draco clapped his fellow Pureblood's shoulder. "So you see why we did what we did. You have been far from innocent parties."
The next day, people were having breakfast. In the Teacher Table, a harassed Werewolf tried to counter Sirius' ideas for an enlightening Creatures class.
Sirius said, "Come on, Remy! The lethifolds are ready, but the students must be ready too, or they will be smothered and eaten, as you put it. I need you to teach them the Patronus Charm tomorrow."
Finally Remus bowed to the inevitable and agreed on the lesson. Sirius positively shined. Ever since he had returned, he had retained a certain innocence of youth that disconcerted people. One of them was the Headmaster. When he met Sirius and prepared to chastise him, Sirius didn't bristle or glare back. He just listened for a while and said, "Ok, Snape. I understand where you are coming from."
People were distraught, they would miss the entertaining fights of Snape and Black, just like they missed the fights between Malfoy and Potter.
Remus eyed desperately a chocolate cake he wanted to eat but he was afraid that it might have a potion. A blonde girl approached him and gave him a wristband composed of two pieces of leather joined haphazardly. She said, "This will tell you if it is safe to eat something. When there's a potion or poison, the band will become smaller and will stick to your arm tightly, until the dangers pass away."
Remus bowed. "Thank you very much, Luna!" He put on the band, and seeing how it wasn't tight, he decided the cake was safe to eat. He proceeded to devour it, with an admiring, though frowning Sirius watching.
DADA class was very interesting that day. They all got to practice their Patronus charms. Of course Harry's was the strongest, but it had changed. It was no longer a stag, but a lion! Likewise Harry needed slightly more time to put himself in the frame of mind that would allow him to create a strong Patronus. His harrowing experiences were still too recent.
Hermione's Patronus had the form of a fox, something her friends expected. Ron's was a beautiful snowy owl, which many of them confused with Hedwig but really was Hermione's Animagus form.
Pansy's was a bear, Blaise's a beautiful eagle, Luna's was a dark panther, and Neville's was a strange ball of light. It shined with very bright colors, projecting a feeling of calmness and peace.
Draco found that his Patronus was a bat, which didn't surprise him. After all, the memory he used to power the charm was of a heated snog with Harry when he had looked at Draco with much love and desire. Draco believed he had looked back at the bat Animagus in the same way.
But Harry and Hermione were angry for the phone deception. They should learn to distrust more!
Harry wanted to forgive his Pureblood, he had chortled with inner glee when the blond's Patronus turned out to be a bat! But Hermione insisted that their friends had to be properly chastised for what the deception. They should be left to stew until they rotted or came back and apologized.
Harry tried to point out that they had valid points: he and Hermione used their partners as entertainment, laughing at them behind their backs. The two never explained correctly the right words, or even laugh at them openly, Instead they did it the cowardly way. No wonder the redhead and blond wizards had been so enraged, they came from a culture that was very proud.
Hermione did not prevail on Harry to follow her strict viewpoint. Given what happened later, Harry realized that it didn't do anyone any good when he was Hermione's bitch.
The other councilors noted the time the four were spending apart. They grew worried. Blaise and Pansy devised Slytherin plans, but unfortunately they were even more Byzantine than Draco's and slightly impossible to execute. Neville spoke with all of them and offered to mediate any possible dispute. They thanked him carefully and went on their ignoring business.
Luna Saw and Observed. She came to some conclusions which she shared with all of them. "They grow apart with time. They might think that the rift will heal, but it might be too big by that time. They desperately need something right now that reminds them of why they became friends."
Narcissa inwardly smirked and realized she had what was needed. It was time to talk to Draco. Luna had a very valid point.
The Twins didn't contribute anything. They were mulling over the promise they made to Draco. This would have been a perfect opportunity to prank the four annoying students! Maybe they could have been forced to share a room, or forced to take Veritaserum. The possibilities were infinite.
The quiet voice of Sirius drew them in by its hypnotic and passionate quality, "Our bond is about to break, it can't take much more. If it does, it cannot be brought back!"
On Wednesday night, Harry and Hermione got to the Gryffindor common room and found Draco and Ron expecting them.
Hermione huffed and glared at them whilst Harry fidgeted uncomfortably. Finally Harry said, "Hermione, please leave us!"
She spluttered, "W... what? Why?"
"Because you are far from being so pure in this matter. Your pride gets to be annoying. After all, my relationship with Draco remains that, my relationship. You are not invited."
It was strange and wondrous what being a Slytherin entailed. It implied a love of intrigue, passion, secrecy, playing with power. Slytherins try to model their behavior after that of the snake which guards its nest and kills those who dare threaten or destroy it. It was very difficult to catch a snake unawares.
A snake always anticipates the movement and acts beforehand, Within a wider interpretation this meant that before they leave you, you leave them, before they beat you, you beat them.
Inside, Draco had been perplexed at first by Harry and Hermione's hysterical reactions. When time went on and they did nothing, expecting him to show up and grovel, Draco got increasingly mad.
It got to the point that he considered casting them aside. But that day, Harry took his side and shooed away the interfering Hermione. Draco decided to remain with them.
The blond smiled at Harry. "I've thought long and hard about your parents' attitude to you. They effectively gave your life for you as Dumbledore, the goatmaster, would have us believe. Or your father killed Voldie and Dumbles killed your mother. Either of the two possibilities showed that your parents cared for you. It's very strange seeing them urge you to give yourself up and die for the common good."
Harry shuffled his feet on the wooden floor. "So? What d'you think?"
"I don't know why did they behaved so with the Hallows. It is my belief that they spoke under the command of Dumbledore, saying the words he fed to them. Dumbledore was the repository of old knowledge about magic. I've the hunch that your parents favor you, Harry. I intend to prove it tonight."
"How?"
"Using the Deathly Hallows."
"Sirius destroyed the Resurrection Stone."
Draco visibly gloated. "I used a time-turner to go back in time and rescue that resurrection thing. You didn't see me because of the Invisibility Cloak. Don't believe what you see, Harry."
Draco hugged Harry, murmuring against his tousled hair, "I submit to you that Dumbledore was prepared for the configuration of the Hallows that occurred when you used them. He was expecting you, as it were. Like a good host, maybe he can conjure the images of your parents, perhaps he even commands them in some sort of geas beyond death. All that it mattered is that it served his purpose to control and use you, as he has always done. We will use his Hallows with a twist. It won't be you using it, but mother. I hope that you can stay in the room under the Invisibility Cloak. I'll be nearby. We are ready, I think, to learn one of Dumbles' secrets."
They went to Draco's rooms and upon entering, discovered Narcissa playing chess with Sirius. It was strange to see him all grown up, but it was very nice.
Narcissa went to the bedroom and retrieved the Stone, the Cloak and her wand. Harry got under the cloak and Draco went to the other room, after using a spell so he could hear everything that transpired.
Narcissa explained to Harry, "I am going to use the Deathly Hallows to command your parents to appear here. Let's hope that whatever sets up the menu recognizes that I am not you and acts accordingly."
She took the Stone, grabbed the Elder wand and touched the Cloak. She asked in a very loud voice, "I demand to speak to the Potters!"
For a moment, it seemed to Harry as if his own scene with the Hallows would reappear. However there was a long moment of discontinuity and a sense of menacing shadows that were creeping slowly around them. One moment by the door, now by the bed. It would seem these shadows would have them for their own until Narcissa ordered in a stern voice, "Obey the voice of Black and cease attack. Toujours pur."
The shadows disappeared and the room reappeared. Narcissa repeated her order, more impatiently, "I want to speak to James and Lily Potter."
Soon the figures of James and Lily Potter condensed. Narcissa asked shrewdly, "How can I be sure you are the real ones? Tell me something that only you know about."
James replied, "Once I played a prank on Snape and caused his knickers to be shown!"
Lily said, "I remember you, Cissa. I recall there was one member of your family you were very fond of, the redoubtable Sirius Black."
Narcissa continued briskly, "Fine, you are you. What is the last thing you remember? Are you under a vow of obedience?"
James replied, "The last thing I remember clearly is standing up next to a dead Voldemort. He looked so normal. I tried to go to see Lily but someone shot a stunning spell on my back."
Lily, as was her wont, had detected the main concern of her friend and proceeded to explain clearly, "We are not under an obedience Vow that I know of. But there are aspects to our death that you must know. I hope you will share this with Harry, for they concern him as much."
Lily touched James' hand. "We started to fight in the war under the enthusiastic leadership of Dumbledore. He projected a charismatic image of an infallible old wizard. It was easy to forget he was a man, too. Dumbledore seemingly took us under his confidence. We thought we understood when he told us about the Prophecy, how our son would be important."
James squeezed Lily's translucent hand and continued. "We prepared to go into hiding, choosing as Secret-Keeper the traitor who would sell us out with the active connivance of Dumbledore. Albus appeared so worried about us as he discussed with us Voldemort and his horcruxes. He said that in war great sacrifices are necessary."
Lily looked to the floor, sighing. "What we believed at that time was that he should have horcruxes of us to be used at a later date if we needed to become incarnate again. We were so foolish, we felt so cherished and protected, and we disdained security measures, like checking the arms of the Secret-Keeper. to see if he was a Death Eater."
James growled. "We duly made the horcruxes, and a little while later we disappeared from the stage, Dumbledore having obtained what he wanted. The trouble is that he doesn't intend to raise us from the dead. We are here so our visages and memories can be exploited more easily to hurt Harry."
Lily finished. "So we endure in this no man's land, briefly aware of scenes where we parrot what Dumbledore wants."
Narcissa was enraged."No one should be made to suffer this. Do you want me to find a way out for you?"
Lily replied, "No, Cissa. It is necessary for us to remain temporarily in this state. If we are definitely free from Dumbledore, then you can do what you want. Now we want to protect Harry."
Narcissa asked, "What would you say if I asked your opinion about Harry going to present himself to Voldemort, allowing the Dark Lord to kill him because Harry is supposedly a horcrux?"
Lily replied, "I would say go there and kick the hell out of Voldemort. The whole thing is moronic. It was Dumbledore who killed me, he was the one who cursed Harry with that fake scar. It's part of his crazy schemes."
On Thursday they had their class of Magical Creatures right after lunch. Today it would be in the Dueling Room, a mysterious room that the headmaster had kindly provided to the Creatures teacher, Sirius Black.
Ron walked next to a subdued Harry. There was no sense of unhappiness coming from Harry, just wariness and the need to care for his mate. Ron looked at Hermione and wondered when she would come off from her high horse, when she'd stop behaving like a mighty princess.
Draco appeared to be all right. He talked animatedly in a group comprised by Pansy, Blaise, Neville, Luna, and the Twins. He had also said hello to Harry and Ron, ignoring Hermione.
The students arrived to the Dueling Room and got inside. They congregated by houses, instead of the more relaxed attitude they had adopted lately. The Slytherins were whispering animatedly, as Harry looked longingly at them.
No one noticed when the door was quietly closed and secured, or when side doors opened containing the dangerous lethifolds.
A Gryffindor screamed as he felt he was being asphyxiated. Soon the more impressionable ones were either unconscious or shooting useless spells at the cloak-like beings. They had forgotten they were impervious to magic and only the Patronus charm could work against them.
Soon several Patronuses were active, amongst them Harry's, Ron's, and Hermione's.
The Slytherin side of the room was in deep disarray. The home and school life of a Slytherin were not generally conducive to warm images that could provide the fuel for the spell. As a result only Pansy, Blaise and Draco created successful Patronuses.
By that time, people had tried to leave and found the entrance blocked both magically and physically. There was an air of despair in the room.
Harry made a small pause from shepherding the Gryffindors to look for a blond mop of hair and didn't find him! He saw that the situation of the Slytherins was critical and made to go there. Hermione interrupted him, saying, "Where are you going, Harry? We need you here!"
Harry replied irately, "Over there they need me much more, here there are four of you. Leave me alone, Granger!"
When the situation of the Slytherins became critical and it was obvious they would lose people, Draco assumed the role of a general, directing the rescue and delivery of the unconscious ones; using Blaise's and Pansy's Patronuses to keep the lethifolds at bay, and wielding his bat Patronus to harass the deadly lethifolds.
However, Pansy herself was attacked and her Patronus had to defend her. The lethifolds used this moment to approach the Slytherins. Like a true general, Draco knew what he had to do. He had to be the sacrifice, the last soldier doing his duty so others could escape.
Draco chose a corner and used his Patronus on the lethifolds. The magical beasts let the others go and concentrated their attack on Draco. No matter how fast Draco was, he could not keep dodging lethifolds for long. Two got to him and started asphyxiating him.
There was pain, overwhelming ache coupled with the feeling of having done something right. There was also a small moment of wistfulness and longing before pain rose in him until mercifully Draco lost consciousness.
As the lethifolds asphyxiated him, he lost his source of oxygen, of air and life.
Harry went near the Slytherin corner and saw that they were indeed in great danger. They only had Pansy, Blaise and Draco to cast Patronuses. Apparently they had constructed a random zone where the lethifolds could not enter due to the effect of the Patronuses. There were still some Lethifolds loose there.
At that moment Harry felt an immense pain on his chest. It felt as if they were taking his heart out, which meant that it was Draco. Perhaps he was near death. Harry tried to cast a Patronus but couldn't summon enough energy.
So it would come to this? He'd lose the blond and not even be able to say goodbye?
Then Harry heard, "Expecto Patronum!" coming from two sources, Sirius and Narcissa. Eventually a grim Patronus and a lioness Patronus were fighting the evil lethifolds.
Sirius soon saw his friend's features and relaxed a little. That feeling grew when he realized that the blond was breathing, albeit shallowly.
Then Severus appeared and after being informed of events concerning his godson, took out three potions from his potions belt and gave them to the unconscious Draco.
Sirius prayed to whatever god cared for rebellious, angry youths. Teenagers that proved to be the source of heroes, the stuff of legends, defying their own images time and again. Maybe at the end, they felt that it was not enough. He prayed to see his cousin once more, full of life, fire. Redemption and revenge all in one.
And perhaps the god, moving in his mysterious ways, replied; or perhaps the potions worked in providing Draco's body the needed oxygen. He started breathing more normally again.
Pansy and Blaise, tired from the battle and from expending all that energy, saw this and started crying sweet tears of relief.
Sirius interrogated them and they in turn asked Sirius. Turned out that the doors were charmed to stay closed and the teachers could not break the spell, not even Sirius. He had the brilliant idea of getting hold of Narcissa and her Elder wand. That did the trick and opened the doors. The teachers went inside and quickly subdued the creatures.
Sirius was intrigued that the sabotageurs waited until all the students were inside and then released the lethifolds.
Narcissa called on Kreacher and ordered him to take Draco to the Manor and put him in his bed. The elf took hold of Draco and popped out.
Sirius wondered aloud whether to resign from his post and got a bashing from Narcissa. She huffily informed him that the room had been sealed, other teachers were aware of this and would lend support if needed.
Furthermore the Headmaster believed in him. He may not like the Marauder, but Snape knew what Sirius could do.
Faced with this, Sirius could suck up the punches. If they got too many complains, then all of them would have to handle the affair.
Narcissa angrily asked where Remus was when he was needed. Probably schmoozing with her niece!
