Shadow Play

Chapter 6: Friends and Family

Harry groaned as he looked over homework assignments during a teacher’s break. October was quickly ending and Halloween fast approaching. McGonagall wanted all teachers to keep an eye out for pranksters and troublemakers as this time of year gave the students and excuse to frighten each other. Harry didn’t mind the small stuff, a healthy scare was good for the soul, but drew the line when a pair of Gryffindor boys made the seventh year Slytherin’s neckties into snakes. Some were poisonous and Harry discontinued he spell quickly enough before the students were harmed.

“Late night?” asked Hermione with a smile. Harry smiled back.

“Yeah, still not used to a teacher’s schedule,” he said.

“Well, we have our long nights and we also have our shorts nights. I prefer my nights with Ron.”

“Whoa, Hermione way too much information,” said Harry covering his ears.

“Agreed, Granger,” said Draco walking with a sheet of papers in hand. “The thought of what you and the Weasel do is enough to make me go looking for a Dementor.”

“Well, aren’t you lucky I don’t ask what you do with your bed partners,” said Hermione with a smirk. Draco looked at Hermione with a disapproving expression.

“I do not take bed partners,” he said sitting down at a nearby table. Moving his wand at the coffee kettle always kept full and warm at the corner of the room, he filled a cup, put in two lumps of sugar and cream and Levitated it to settle beside his stack of papers.

“Then where do you go every weekend,” asked Harry smiling over at the Potion Professor. Draco gave Harry a disapproving look.

“I don’t ask what you do with your personal days, Black,” he said.

“I was just making civil conversation, Draco,” said Harry still smiling. he generally liked to annoy or tease the blonde. It was fun watching the different expressions coming from the cool mask Draco always wore after a particularly good joke. “I mean since we know watch other so well, that’s what friends do.”

“Black, you know everything about me, yet I know next to nothing about you,” said Draco.

“That’s not true,” said Harry. “You know a lot about me.”

“Like what?”

Hermione giggled at Harry’s smirk. “Why don’t you make a list, Draco,” he said. “You’ll figure it out.” The bell rang to signal a new class and Harry and Hermione stood.

“And we’re not friends,” said Draco as they left. Harry smiled at him as he left the room.

“Is it just me or did you just give him permission to out you,” asked Hermione as the walked down the hall away from the Professor’s Lounge.

“Just giving him something to do,” said Harry. “He cunning enough to be a Private Investigator and he’s wasting his talents as a Potions professor. I don’t think that’s fair.”

“I suppose you’re right,” said Hermione. “Halloween is a few days away. What are you going to do?”

“I thought I’d stick around your place till Halloween weekend. There isn’t much to do around here except keeping the students from hurting themselves. And I promised some friends I’d see them before the month was up.”

“Why can’t you invite them over?” asked Hermione. “Rose and Hugh would love to see you again.”

“I was thinking about that,” said Harry. “Here’s my class. I’ll see you later.”

“Aren’t you early,” asked Hermione. “Not exactly in character.”

“That’s why I’m going on a walk down memory lane. See you at dinner.”

“Later then,” said Hermione as Harry walked down the corridor with his hands in his pockets.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Draco straightened the snake green robes and smoothed the sides of the shirt underneath. The brooch with the Malfoy crest was pinned securely to his collar and his hair was combed in place, and in different style then the shoulder length his father had wanted him to have.

“I’m no Lucius,” he said to himself before heading to the door. Ishara gave him one last hiss before curling up on the rug by the fire. Halloween was that Sunday so Draco had one day free to settle family affairs. Draco was not looking forward to Halloween. It was one of his least favorite holidays. Through he pretended to enjoy it with his class mates and colleagues, he secretly hated Halloween.

Straightening his robes on last time he turned a corner and almost ran into Pansy.

“Whoa, business robes,” she said in amazement. “You, uh, going somewhere?”

“Out,” said Draco walking around her and continued down the hallway. Pansy followed him.

“Obviously. You wouldn’t be wearing that get-up if it was just around the school. For a moment I thought I was looking at Lucius.”

Draco turned to her with a furious glare. “I’m not Lucius,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Whoa, down, Dragon. I know you’re not your father. You’re still alive, aren’t you? I just wanted to know where you were going. Is that so wrong?”

Draco sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Pansy. I’m just really….”

“Out of it?” suggests Pansy and Draco nodded, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I understand, Draco. Why don’t Blaise and I come over tomorrow? We’ll get your mind off being a Malfoy, and later you can go to a bar and get laid.”

Draco smiled at his friend and gently shoved her. “I have morals, Pansy. I don’t get laid with strangers.”

“That’s where introduction comes in. come on, Draco. We never went anywhere and Blaise was the last serious relationship you’ve had. Just because you can’t find love doesn’t mean you just throw it away.”

“I didn’t throw it away,” said Draco, reaching the entrance hall doors. “I just put it on hold, sort of.”

“Sort of?”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Pansy,” said Draco opening the door and walked through. He walked past Hogsmeade and Disapparated right outside the village. He Apprated in London, casted Perception Charm, walked down the sidewalk till he came to the abandoned clothes store that was the entrance to St. Mungo’s Hospital for Maladies and Injuries.

“I have come to see Narcissa Malfoy,” said Draco taking down the charm. He felt himself pulled in and stood at the front desk of the hospital. Sighing Draco walked up to the desk as Healers ran back and forth from room to room. Patients waiting to be seen to sat along one wall with various magical or non magical ailments.

“Good day, Mr. Malfoy,” said the witch stationed at the front desk. She was chewing a Bertie Botts Every Flavor Bubble Gum by the look of the package on the desk.

“Hi, Hilary,” he said taking a clip board from the witch and signed it.

“She’s been waiting for you,” said Hilary smiling as she took the clipboard. Draco gave her a friendly nod.

“I’m sure she has,” he said and went to the elevator. He pressed for the fourth floor and waited for the elevator stopped. When the doors opened he was greeted by an olive skinned Healer with black hair and eyes.

“Mr. Malfoy, Hilary said you were in,” he said.

“Healer Long, how has she been since my last visit,” asked Draco. Walking out of the lift and followed Long down the hall.

“She has been as normal as a person can be in her condition,” said Long. “She becomes lucid for a moment at times and that’s when she’s screaming your name and of her late husband’s but other then that she has been the same.”

Draco nodded. They had just entered the high security isolation room. Healer Long lead Draco to a room with a two sided mirror in it. Draco looked through it to see a once beautiful woman with wavy sun gold hair and turquoise blue eyes. She wore a simple white dress holding a doll like it was a baby.

“She’s been calmer since you gave her the doll,” said long. “She’s had fewer attacks and became easier to handle.”

“How’s her medication? Is it on time?”

“Yes, I supervise the whole thing. I even keep your shipments in a Password Charmed cabinet like you asked, keyed to my voice only. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were as paranoid as Lucius was.”

Draco’s eyes flashed as he glared at the Healer. “Careful, Long. You may be an old family friend, but I still pay the funds.”

Long smiled and nodded. “Of course,” he said. “I’ll let you in.”

Long took out his wand, tapped the door while muttering a password, and turned the handle to let Draco inside. Draco paused for a moment before walking inside the room.

“Tap when you want to leave,” said Long. Draco nodded and Long closed the door.

In the ten years that had past since the last battle between Harry Potter and the Dark Lord, Draco struggled to regain the respect the Malfoy name had. Lucius had sunk into depression not long after the Ministry confiscated most of their assets and killed himself after a year. Narcissa had gone mad at the sight of her dead husband and lost her mind. She was now in St. Mungo’s Mentality Ward closely watched by healers since her first suicide attempt. Draco visited at least once a month and it was always awkward when he did.

“Hi, Mother. It’s me, Draco,” said Draco. Narcissa didn’t say anything except a wizard lullaby o the doll. On her wrist Draco could see the bandages wrapped around them to protect her from future suicide attempts. “Adrian McDonald had been given detention. He’s a third ear that would have given me a run for my money. The one who gave him detention was a new DADA James Black. He’s a hands on guy, kind of like Lupin had been, but also strict. He prefers to make them do things without any magical help. Always late, always reading Muggle crime scene or horror novels, interested in Quidditch, and an outright flirt if you ask me.”

“It’s all right, Draco,” crooned Narcissa to the doll. “Daddy will be home soon, and he’ll bring back a souvenir for his little Dragon.”

Draco went on as if she didn’t say anything, but listened to her all the same. “There’s something about him, Mother. Something familiar. I can’t put my finger on it. Ad to make matters worse, he looks like Potter. He could be Potter’s twin or something.

“Don’t be scared, Draco. There are not boggarts in the closet. Mummy took care of all the nasty stuff.”

“Pansy’s fine. She and Blaise are coming over tomorrow. I keep telling her she needs to have a baby. She’ll mellow out, after the pregnancy anyway. She kept saying she’ll think about it, but she has been saying that since she and Blaise got married.”

Narcissa started humming the lullaby again, so low that Draco had to strain his ears just to hear it. “Soaring in the sky, flying so high. The dragon smiles freely. Looking at the sun, fears start to run, for he was a fledgling.”

Draco cleared his throat and blinked to clear his eyes. It was the song Narcissa had made up to help him sleep at night as a child, when he was scared of the dark and thunderstorms.

“School’s fine. Students are kids and Granger is being civilized. She would say I was the one being civilized. Some of the older years are getting rambunctious, but that’s just hormones.”

“Lucius, look at Draco!” said Narcissa bouncing the baby doll on the floor. “He’s walking!”

“I’m not seeing anyone. Not from trying either. I was lucky Father died when he did. If he found out I was gay he would have had a hippogriff. You would have understood. You have a cousin who had a husband and a wife, if I remember correctly. I’m happy with my life. I always work better alone. I’m….I’m happy.”

“Just wait, Lucius. Soon our little wizard will be more then a Malfoy. He’ll be the best.”

Draco cleared his throat to keep from crying. He had seen worse from his mother, but it was the “baby Draco” moments that got to him. Draco knew his parents loved him. Lucius protected him from the worst of the Dark Lord’s wrath and Narcissa risked her life to keep Draco safe. He wished there was more that he could have done for his father before Lucius died. He was even considering marrying Pansy despite his attraction to men instead of women, but after Lucius died he considered it for a long while, till he dropped the idea, backed up by Pansy who was insisted on it, and dated Blaise. They had dated for two years before both broke up in mutual agreement.

“I miss you, Mum. I really want you back, but I know it’s not possible. But I’m holding on that someday you’ll see me, Draco the man and not the child. Even if it is for a moment, I want you to see me.”

Walking over to Narcissa he smoothed back her hair from her face. It still felt like silk between his fingers. The assistants were taking good care of her. Leaning down he kissed the top of her head gently.

“I love you, Mum.”

Turning back to the door he tapped it gently and waited for Long to open the door.

“Good night, Draco.”

Draco turned back at Narcissa sharply but she was holding the baby doll gently and was crooning another lullaby.

“Draco?” said Long through the open door.

“I’m coming,” said Draco and walked out of the room.

xxxxxxxxxxx

“Uncle Harry!”

Rose and Hugh immediately tackled Harry as soon as he walked through the door of Grimmuald Place. When he had decided to travel he had given the deed of the ancient Black home to Ron and Hermione to live in since Ron was trying to become and Auror and Hermione was still promoting rights for sentient magical creatures, not that she stopped trying even after getting a degree in teaching. Kreacher had died long after the Last Battle and they buried him next to Dobby with Regulus’ locket around his neck. Since Hermione had become a teacher she had been returning over the weekends to keep it clean, with the help of Rose who acted as a surrogate mother to her two brothers.

“Oh no, it’s attack of the redheads,” said Harry pretending to fall over as Rose and Hugh tackled him. “Quick, someone get the tear gas. They’re everywhere!”

“You’re silly, Uncle Harry,” giggled Rose. Harry looked up at her with a silly confused face.

“Would you like me to be serious instead?” he asked.

“I would prefer you being Harry James Potter,” said Hermione walking into the foyer with her arms crossed. “Twice in two months. Getting tired of playing pretend?”

“Only around you guys,” said Harry, breathless from playing with Rose and Hugh. “Hey, you tow, can I get up?”

“Sorry, Uncle Harry,” said Hugh and both got off him. Hermione looked past Harry in surprise.

“Oh, you’ve brought guests,” she said.

“Yeah, I did,” said Harry looking behind him. Standing nervously in the doorway was a woman and small boy. The woman had wavy gold hair and aqua blue green eyes. Her skin was slightly paler then the boy next to her, giving her a sickly look, but she held the boy’s hand firmly. The boy looked around Rose’s age with jet black hair and bright green eyes.

“Hello,” said the woman with a Scottish accent. “We’re sorry to intrude on your home.”

“No, no, it’s all right,” said Hermione. “It’s just rare that Harry brings guests over.”

“Hermione, you remember Mary Wallace and her son James,” said Harry taking Mary’s free hand and leading her inside.

“Oh, of course,” said Hermione in realization. “Harry’s friend from his trip to Scotland. Was that six years ago? Harry’s told us about you.”

“Harry said it was alright to come over,” said Mary nervously. “Even through I’m a uh….What was that word wizards use for non-magical folk?”

“Muggles, Mary,” said Harry reassuringly. “And it’s all right to talk to Hermione. She’s Muggle-born.”

“It means I was a witch born from non-magic parents,” explained Hermione at Mary’s confused face. James was looking interestingly at the sitting room and Rose and Hugh playing a wizard child’s game. Julian watched from a play pen set in the corner of the room. “I’ll make tea. Ron, we have guests!”

“Harry’s here,” called Ron from upstairs.

“With guests,” called up Hermione as she went to the kitchen.

“Mummy,” said James in a quiet voice. “Mummy can I watch them play?”

“I don’t know, Jamie,” said Mary looking anxiously at Harry.

“It’s all right,” said Harry. “It’s a kid’s game, Mary. Harmless.”

Mary seemed to a bit reassured by that and turned back to her son. “Go ahead, Jamie. Just be careful.”

Jamie smiled at Mary and went to join Rose and Hugh. Mary watched her son join the red heads nervously. Harry put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“It’s all right, Mary. He’s a wizard. This is his world. He had better warning then Hermione or I did. We thought we were freaks.”

“I know I shouldn’t be scared,” said Mary. “He’s supposed to learn about magic, and you’ve been helping a lot by coming over and teaching him, but why does it make me so nervous?”

“Because, as fantastic as magic is, it can also be dangerous,” said Harry. “A wand is like a gun. It can be used to protect of to kill. I should know.” Harry sighed. “I guess that’s what being a parent is all about. Worrying over your child even through you know it’s the right thing.”

“Oh, Harry, I’m sorry…. ,” started Marry but Harry cut her off with a wave of his hand.

“No, it’s all right. I’ve made my choice.”

“But, Harry, all you had to do was ask….” said Mary before Ron walked down the stairs.

“Did Hermione say Harry brought guests,” asked Ron as he came down and noticed Mary. “Oh, hello.”

“Ron, you remember Mary Wallace, and her son Jamie,” said Harry. Ron had a confused look till Hermione walk in carrying a tray of tea.

“Harry’s Muggle friend from Scotland,” reminded Hermione. Ron made an “o”. Hermione sighed annoyingly and set the tea tray on the table. “Supper will be done soon.”

Harry grinned at the children. “And after that we can have….”

“Candy!” said all three children. Hermione smiled as she shook her head.

“Just brush your teeth afterwards,” she said as she and Ron left to finish preparing dinner.

Harry smiled and turned to Mary, only to see her having trouble breathing and her skin became paler. She was clutching the wall like a life line.

“Mary, are you okay?” asked Harry worriedly. Mary nodded.

“Yes, I just need to sit down,” she said. Harry lead her to a chair and sat her down. Reaching into her purse he took out an inhaler and a bottle of pills. “Thank you, Harry.”

“Mummy,” called James at the sight of his mother. “Mummy, are you sick again?”

“Mummy will be okay, Jamie,” said Harry pouring a cup of tea and handed it to Mary along with two pills. “She just needs to rest is all.”

Jamie crawled up beside his mother and curled up next to her. He laid his head on her chest and wrapped his arms around her neck.

“I love you, Mummy,” he said. “Get better soon.”

Mary smiled down at him and wrapped her arms around her son. “I love you too, my little wizard,” she said. Harry watched with a sad but happy look.

“Dinner,” called Hermione. Rose put the game away while Hugh helped with serving dinner. Harry telling Jamie all about Exploding Snap and Jamie eagerly listening. Harry went over to play pen and picked Julian up.

“Hey, Juli, are you ready to eat?” he asked setting the baby on his hip.

“At, at, at,” garbled Julian excitedly. Harry smiled at the baby and turned to see Mary’s face. “What?”

“You’re good with kids,” said Mary with a smile. Harry smiled back.

“That’s why I’m a teacher,” he said and led her to the dining room while carrying Julian on his hip.

TBC