Pilfered Progeny - Stolen Dreams

Where in the world was he…? For a few moments Draco couldn’t seem to see anything, but it was far from dark where he was. He realized he was seeing after all; there was just nothing to focus on. Everything was white; and he stood in vast plain of billowing white fog. He was dressed in the style he was accustomed; wizards robes but of purest white silk. He ran his hands over his flat stomach, feeling grief well up in him. He would never get to know his son, nor share him with Harry. His eyes ached, trying to focus on something when nothing was there. He began to slowly walk, wanting to find something, to see something…



It felt like he had been wandering aimlessly for hours when he saw something; a shape coalescing out of the fog. It looked like part of his father’s sitting room; his father’s favorite chair done in white with a white snake upon its back, a fireplace with strange blue flames low over the coals, and a second chair just like his father’s but with a griffon emblazoned on its back.



Happy to see anything, Draco hurried forward to this small spot of sanity in this strange, featureless world. He stopped when he saw that the chair with the griffon on it was occupied.



The man in the chair looked as if he was expecting him, smiling at him as he approached.



“Well, if it isn’t Draco Malfoy… I do have to admit I didn‘t expect to meet you.” he said in a kind voice.



Draco found himself staring at the man seated in the chair so relaxed. He looked to be in his twenties, with hazel eyes behind round framed glasses. His hair looked windswept and stuck up in the back, and the jet black of its color was startling against all the white around them. Draco couldn’t help but see Harry’s face in every line of this man’s face, his lips, all except his eyes. He blinked, finding his voice but unable to really put what he meant into coherent thought. “Are you…? I mean… “



He chuckled softly. “Am I James Potter? Yes, Draco. I am. I’ve been waiting here for quite some time for your father; I’m prepared to wait many more years as well.”



“So that means… I’m dead…?”



“Yes… and no.” The man gestured to the chair before him. “Have a seat, Draco. I’d like to talk to you a while.”



Draco didn’t hesitate; he moved to the chair and sank into it, staring at the man who looked so similar to his husband. “How do you know me?”



“How can I not know you? You look so much like my peacock, there’s no one else you could possibly be. And Lucius told me way back in school that he intended to name his first born son Draco. Some silly family tradition or something along those lines…”



“Peacock…?”



He chuckled once more; he seemed to have quite a jolly temperament. “Oh, yes. Your father was absolutely obsessed with fashion. If anything came into fashion you could be sure that Lucius was the first to have it, and the first to know of any sort of change coming down the line even before any of the girls did…”



“He still does, truthfully…” Draco admitted with a soft smile.



“I’d be disappointed if he’d changed that much.” James smiled.



“So you remember…? About father, about all of it…?”



“I do remember I was in love with your father. It was a strange time, Draco… wizards having children was not something generally approved of by the world in general; witches who got pregnant were sent off to a private school until after the baby was born. Marriages were still arranged, especially in pureblood families…“



“They still are by some, not that it did my father any good…“ Draco said with a soft smirk.



“We’ll get to that.“ James answered with a grin, making Draco feel a bit uncomfortable; did Harry‘s father disapprove of their bond? “Anyway; your father was betrothed to your mother when she was born, an agreement between the two heads of family. Lucius and Narcissa grew up together, and were very close all through their childhood. Everyone except them expected the two of them to get married.” James smiled at him. “But that was before we met.”



“Father’s told us a bit about that…” Draco said, hoping to hear more.



“Well, I’ll let him give you any details about that time… it is rather personal.” he said wistfully. “After it was no longer possible to hide the fact that I was pregnant, the teachers notified our fathers of the situation. My father, his father, and Narcissa’s father met to discuss what to do; from what I understand Abraxus told the others that he would ‘take care’ of the problem. I went home for spring break and was taken away then by Abraxus Malfoy to a villa up in the mountains, I couldn’t tell you where.” he looked a bit troubled.



“Did the baby live?” Draco asked.



“She was born. I didn’t see her but a moment or two before she was taken away. Even now those memories are really… distant. It’s hard to focus on them and get any of them to make sense, but she was born and she was healthy at birth… then she was gone. I have no idea what happened to her after that, but I want you to tell Lucius that his Kitty said that the baby was a girl, and that she had his blonde hair but my hazel eyes.”



“Kitty…?”



“Pet name. He called me Kitty. He can explain if he wants.” James said with a grin. “Now, to the subject of my son…”



“I love him, Mr. Potter.” Draco began.



“Please; I never did stand on formalities in any situation. Call me James. And I know you love him. You two aren’t just a married couple; you’re bound both heart and soul to one another.” James smiled reassuringly.



Draco felt himself relax; he had nothing to worry about at all. “You‘re waiting here alone? Where is Lilly…?”



“She‘s gone on. When she‘s ready, she‘ll discover her past life. I‘m not ready to go on yet, I won‘t go on without my Lucius.” he said with a smile.



“Oh. So, do we just sit here and wait for our loves to meet us?” Draco asked, prepared to do exactly that.



“I will. You, however, cannot.” James answered.



“What…? Why…?”



“You have to go back, Draco.” he said, leaning forward a bit to emphasize his point. “You stay here, and those five children that you rescued who bear the Dark Mark will be dead within the year at the hands of the Ministry. When that occurs I know my Lucius will be here with me much too soon, as he will attempt to take out the entire Ministry on his own.”



“But how can I change the future for them?” Draco asked worriedly.



“You must remind Harry that little Mallek is his CLONE. That means that not only does Mallek possess his magical power, that power carries the exact same magical signature as Harry’s. You don’t have to wait for Mallek to be old enough to understand how to alter the marks; HARRY CAN DO THAT HIMSELF.” he said.



“Harry can… Then Harry can control the children as well through the marks…”



“Yes, exactly; though I don’t think you could make him do that to them.”



Draco paused, remembering something that Harry had said, wishing that he could ask what his father desired. There was no better time to do that than right now. “James…? Can I ask you something…? Not for me, but for Harry.”



“Of course, ask anything.” he agreed, looking curious now.



“Mallek. Harry isn’t quite sure what to do with him. He’s considered giving him to Severus, but…”



“Please, tell me he isn’t serious about that…! Do NOT give that child to Snivelus!” he said with the first negative attitude that Draco had seen, a sneer curling his handsome lip. “I really don’t care what kind of man he’s turned out to be; that man and I never did get along, even before I started dating Lilly. I’d hate to see what he would do to a child that looked like me.”



“Severus wouldn’t…” Draco began.



“Of course you’re going to defend him but I’m telling you. Don’t give him to THAT man.” James said firmly. “Give him to Lucius if you must find him a home. But do not give him to Snivelus.” he repeated, then the man came to his feet, extending a hand to Draco. “Come on, on your feet, son.”



Draco rose and without any hesitation, James pulled him into a warm hug. “Tell your dad that his Kitty is waiting for him but if he shows up too soon I won’t talk to him for at least a decade.” he said with a warning growl and chuckle.



The blonde wizard returned the hug, “Thank you; I will tell him…”



“Now go on; you’re to seek out the garden.” he instructed, letting him go reluctantly. “I can’t go with you; this is my place until your father comes. Go to the garden. You’ll find what you need to find there.”



“All right. Thank you, James.” Draco said with a bit of sadness. He was glad he had this chance to talk to Harry’s father, but wished he had more time to get to know the man. “Thank you for everything…”



“Nonsense. Go on; you should not have to wait long.” James said, stepping back from him. “And tell Harry for me that I’m proud of him. He’s everything that I hoped he would be and more.”



“I will.” Draco said, turning to go. He took a few steps away from the comfortable scene then looked back, finding that both James and his little ‘waiting room’ had faded away into nothingness.





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Angel hesitated, frightened by her new surroundings. Everything was colorless, flat and featureless. There was nothing to see no matter how hard you looked, though it seemed that there was something there if you stared hard enough… it looked like an intensely heavy fog bank stood just out of arm’s reach. Where was she? Where was the hospital and… oh. Maybe she could find her papa here if she looked hard enough. Her daddy needed him and so did she.



“Papa…? Papa, are you here?” she called out. It wasn’t cold but she was shivering, her arms wrapped tight around herself. Her voice seemed to simply stop right where she was, hanging in the thick air as if it was even too foggy to allow sounds to pass through. Everything felt like it was wrapped in cotton. Angel began to walk slowly. The ground was firm and it didn‘t make any sense that she would find her Papa if she just stood in one place. She knew he was here somewhere. She just had to find him… “Papa!” she called once more. “Papa, we need you!”



She saw a shape and hurried forward faster; the fog seemed to swirl and move away to show a garden of pure white. The tree trunks, leaves, flowers and grass were all of the purest white, and there were statues of angels and cherubs scattered here and there. She ignored all of the beauty, hurrying onward.



Finally she saw him; her papa was seated on a bench dressed in pristine white wizard’s robes, his hair gleaming and his face unblemished and showing none of the pain she had seen on his face back on the bed. “Papa!” she said, rushing to him, her face suffused with joy.



He looked at her, startled and surprised. “Angel! Angel, how…? How are you here?” Draco asked her in a soft voice.



She ran to throw her arms about him. “Papa, I’ve come for you, I’ve come to bring you back…”



“I need to come back, love, but I can’t. My body is tired and all worn out. I can’t live in it anymore…” he said, allowing the child to crawl into his lap and putting his arms about her.



“I can fix it papa; I know I can if you let me try.” she gazed at him pleadingly. “Daddy needs you and I don’t want to go back in those foster homes I can’t…”



“You will never go into foster care again, Angel. Your daddy loves you and your daddy wants to be with you…” Draco soothed, giving her a soft kiss on the top of her head and holding her tight. “You will always have a home with Harry and also with my father and mother…”



“Daddy is broken without you.” she whispered, not surprised to find that she was crying now. “Daddy needs you so much…”



“Broken…? What do you mean, broken…?“ he asked her in a worried tone.



“I can see it, he’s all broken inside, he’s too sad and too hurt. Daddy is like Mama was… if you leave us forever he wont be able to do things right and they’ll take me away… I love Nonno and Nona but I want to be with you and daddy…” she said in a heartbreakingly sad tone, clinging tight to him. “Please papa… I need both of you…”



Draco held her close several long minutes but to little Angel it felt like an eternity; she wanted so bad to simply try to fix her family. “What can you do, little one, to make anything better?” he asked her.



“l can fix things. You saw me, Papa, with the flowers… let me fix you like that.” she said with the confidence of a child that she could achieve anything that she could envision.



Draco stroked her hair with a tender hand, gazing a long moment at the little girl who had brought so much joy to their lives. Angel must have been who James had talked about when he had said that someone would be along to fetch him and bring him back. “Yes, love. I want you to try. I need to come back.” he said.



She hugged him tight, her eyes bright with happiness and tears. “I can do it papa, I know I can!” she said happily, then she slipped down off his lap and hurried off with a purpose. She needed to find her way back, to get back and fix things... but how had she gotten here?



The little girl slowed down, looking around herself. The garden was gone now; faded away into the fog. Her papa was gone, she was alone again. How could she find her way, she didn\'t know where she was! Fear began to well up in her heart... she had to find her way back or they would both be lost...!



"This way." a soft, kind voice spoke. "Come along now." she turned her face to her right and saw a shape in the fog. She started toward it at a half-run; maybe he could help... As she neared she saw a man that looked like her daddy, but different somehow. He smiled with a very kind smile and reached a hand to take hers.



"Can you show me the way back?" she asked him, gazing up at the man who was her grandfather in life.



"I can. And you are right, my dear. You can help him. You can make it so that Draco can go back to Harry. Its not his time to be here, and not yours either. But then, you were always the one to leap headfirst into any kind of situation to save someone else, Lilly..." he said with a soft grin.



She gazed up at him and her smile grew. "They need each other." she answered. Lilly... that name was her name too, as much as Angel was her name, she knew that...



"I\'ll get you back, nothing to worry about." James assured with a smile.