A Dark Time For The Light

93

The next meeting of the Death-Eaters was to be held at Malfoy Manor whence Lucius had invited the inner circle for a spot of grouse-shooting on the ‘glorious twelfth’ of August, the start of the season, a few weeks away. The party was to last a few days and the co-conspirators organised their next recconnaisance on the house.

Harry and Draco went north on the bike to visit Aunt Marge. As they were seated around her dining table, Marge remarked, “Is this the boy you were all cut up over?”. Harry beamed and nodded, “The very same. It took us nearly two years to find each other again, but we live together now, we both work hard and we intend to marry”, as he said this Harry took Draco’s hand under the table. The woman saw the gesture and smiled, “You don’t need to hide from me, Harry, in fact love has come back into my life since I saw you last, he’s a lovely man, his wife passed from cancer a few years ago and his children are all grown up. He’s, er, he’s a Magical, used to work in a department at your Ministry of Magic, but he’s been retired a while now. He reckons that he-who-will-not-be-named probably thinks he ie dead or too old and senile to be a threat. I met him at my bowling club, he’s called Reginald”.

Harry smiled, “That’s wonderful. I’m happy for you. I don’t suppose this pleases your brother too much, though”. Marge snorted out a laugh, “My blasted brother and I had a huge falling-out after I saw you last. He was and is a bullying abuser and has bred another just like him and his wife is still the insufferable prig that she’s always been. They are no loss to me. My nephew is on a one-way course to prison, they’ve bloody ruined him, whereas you, young Harry have matured into a very nice young man, despite all the tragedy in your life. I truly never knew that your parents and yourself were Magicals, Harry and I’m sorry for your brutish treatment at my brother’s hands. That’s why I never cashed the cheques you sent me, I thought it was the least I could do”.

Harry reached his other hand across the table and clasped hers, “Thanks, Aunty”, the woman sniffled and smiled. “Now I’m going to take Snapper for his evening walk. You can have the room you slept in last time, the bed’s made up. You may like to take a shower. Don’t flood the bathroom and don’t frighten the neighbours”, she winked as she fastened the lead to a wriggling Snapper’s collar, “I’ll see you in about an hour or so”, she left.

“She seems all right, your auntie”, Draco noted as they climbed the stairs, having washed up quickly and tidied up. “She’s not a bad old stick”, mused Harry as he led them to the room they would share, he shuddered slightly as he entered and Draco quizzed him. “This was the room I spent the first night in, you know, the night we were separated. She was good to me, made sure I ate and stuff”, his voice was quiet. Draco gathered him up and kissed him, “Let’s make a few happier memories”, he murmured as he deepened the kiss, but Harry drew away, “No, love, I don’t think I could, not here, it would be disrespectful somehow, sorry”, he blushed, but Draco understood, “That’s all right, but you are showering alone then, I can’t resist your beautiful wet body under the shower, now get out of here”.

Marge had actually bought two new pairs of pyjamas and dressing gowns when she’d made the arrangements for Harry and his boyfriend to visit, “So you never need to bring night clothes when you stay over again”. Harry had grinned at this, not having the heart to inform her that he generally wore nothing but Draco and a smile to bed.

Their host returned to find the boys curled up on her sofa roaring with laughter at a comedy sketch show on the TV. She made them all cocoa and sank into her comfy armchair, the dog on the sofa with the boys who made a fuss of him. She asked if they minded if she put on the programme that had been recording while she was out and they both said ‘no’. “We’re fans, too. I cannot miss an episode, we’re recording this at home”, said Harry. So she wound back the tape and they watched. As a dark-skinned liquid-eyed man came on the screen, Marge sighed. Harry looked over at her and giggled, “So, you’re a ‘Sayid’ fan are you?. Me, I think ‘Boone’ is cute and Draco is a fan of ‘Sawyer’”, which earned him a swat on the arm by his beloved and a laugh from his aunt at the two of them. They all watched, rapt.

She peeked in on them in the early dawn. They were deeply asleep, clad now only in their pyjama trousers, the blond spooning around her nephew, an arm flung protectively around him, his face buried in the thick messy hair. Harry’s arms held her little dog to his chest. She thought the little tableau extremely sweet as she went back to bed. Her nephew certainly had excellent taste in men. His boyfriend was polite and had beautiful manners, not to mention that he was stunning to look at and they were so obviously in love, she murmured a prayer for them to keep each other safe and happy, then slept again.

Harry was in raptures over the contents of the tin box they unearthed the next morning, “Aaagh, the Marauder’s Map. I’d forgotten I still had this”, as he unpacked things. His tiny Gringott’s key on it’s chain he hung around his neck, he stuffed a piece of shimmering material into his rucksack. Marge left them to it as she prepared lunch. After they’d eaten, they took their leave of her and set off home. “Don’t be such a stranger, Harry. If it is not too cheeky to ask, I’d love to come to your wedding. I promise not to show you up, by being too Muggle or anything”. Harry hugged her, then Draco did, “I’ll remember that, Aunty. I really will”, then they climbed onto the bike and eased away.

They didn’t hear the scream when she discovered the parcel with 10k in it that they’d left on the kitchen table with a note to ‘Take a cruise with your new man. Enjoy. Love from Harry and Draco. xxx’.

Back in London, Harry’s stash of goodies was forgotten for a while as Draco leapt on his Harry after they had barely got through the door, they didn’t make it to bed, Harry laying them out on the living room rug, where they made hot, sweaty love until they dozed for a while.

Harry examined his stuff later. He unfolded his Map, Draco at his side, then touched it carefully with his wand, murmuring, “I hope this goes undetected”, before intoning, “I solemnly swear I am up to no good”, and the thin tracery of lines started to map out Hogwarts. He touched the key at the edge of the Map with his wand to change floors and when the plan before them was the basement and Dungeons, they got the shock of their lives. There were feet moving slowly, distractedly, going into one room after another, the feet would enter each room, stand still then turn and leave again.

There was a name next to the feet in the little waving banner: Rubeus Hagrid.

In seconds, Harry was on the phone to Remus, “How far outside school did the Marauder’s map work?”. Remus was puzzled, “I dunno, Harry, your dad used to take it home at the holidays and it was Sirius who set the boundaries up, why?”. “Because I’m sitting here at home with it, I just activated it and it’s showing me Hagrid wandering around the dungeons at school”. There was a long silence at the other end. “We need him here, Harry. He shouldn’t be alone up there”, Remus eventually said. Harry agreed. Severus came on the line, “I suppose I should go and get him. Your bike, Harry, will probably not take his weight, what was the machine your godfather used to ride?”. Harry thought a moment, “Dunno, but it was big and British, Probably an old Norton or Triumph or Beezer. I think it was an ex-services machine”. Severus grumbled, “We’ll go and get him then. I’d like you two with me, though, we didn’t exactly get on, or perhaps you and Ron would be a better combination or Hermione, maybe”. They all agreed to think about it and speak again the following day.

In the event, it was Hermione who accompanied them. With a sigh, Severus said, “I’ll take her pillion with me, then you bring her back. It’ll allow us to get there faster if you’re on your own”. Harry had re-checked the Map several times and Hagrid was still there, his feet staying mainly around the Gryffindor tower area or pacing up and down in the corridor outside Dumbledore’s office, occasionally in the kitchens or moving slowly through the East field where the cemetery was.

Harry kissed his beloved hard as he climbed onto the bike. He donned his helmet and was off to pick up Hermione. Draco trailed back into the flat and called Alastor. Hagrid would need to be dowsed when they all got back.

Hermione got on the back of Severus’ bike with a heavy heart, her lockpicks stowed in her bag. The ride was hard and wet. A deluge opened over them not far from Newcastle and a drizzling soaking rain followed them north. It was early evening as they pulled up outside the walls of the school. The bikes were stashed in some dense greenery and Harry soon found the little side gate again. Both Severus and Hermione caught their breath when they saw the ranks of headstones before them. “I know, it’s quite a shock”, murmured Harry, threading his arms around both of them. Severus caught Harry’s hand, “In the thick of his illness, Rem said he wanted his ashes scattering here, with the other casualties of the war”, he whispered. Harry and Hermione both hugged him, all three cried for a while.

Harry pulled them apart and tapped his Map again with his wand, “Let’s go and find him, guys. Take him home”. This time, they didn’t use the passage. Hermione picked the large padlock on the front doors instead and they got one of the huge doors open to find a wild-eyed Hagrid on the other side, his wand pointing directly at them as the door creaked open.

“Hagrid, it’s me, Harry, don’t do something you may regret, please”, Harry stepped up to the huge man. The wand clattered to the stone, dropped from nerveless fingers, then Harry was snatched up into huge arms and swung around, “Oh, Merlin, Harry Potter. I can’t believe it’s really you”, then the helf-giant spotted Harry’s companions, “Miney!!”, he exclaimed, swinging Hermione around in a bear hug. He put his two young friends down and thrust a hand out, “Professor Snape”. Severus shook the hand, “It’s Severus, Rubeus. Times have changed. Changed so much. I’m actually Snape-Lupin now in any case”. The huge man clasped the ex-potions master to him, crushing him, “You lot are like a vision out of ‘eaven. I can’t believe it. ‘Ow did yer find me?”. Harry chuckled, “Let us in, Hagrid and we’ll tell you”.

They wandered through the darkening castle slowly, Severus and Hermione taking everything in, the wanton destruction and ruination all around them. Harry was more amazed by Hagrid himself. His beard was now mere stubble and his bushy hair was now chopped off near to his scalp. He had lost a tremendous amount of weight and despite his height seemed almost skeletal, his skin a deep weathered brown, his hands gnarled and swarthy.

He had based himself in the Gryffindor common room and this is where he led them via a detour to the kitchens where he kept his store of vegetables fruit and roots that he had harvested from the crops gone wild in the old Herbology greenhouses. There was a half a wild pig hung in the larder and he sliced off four large chops and set to work cooking for his guests. Harry told him of getting his Map back and this had led to his discovery.

Hagrid spoke of hiding deep in the Old Forest after the Final Debacle, living with Aragog and the Centaurs, the care he had shown Magical Creatures standing him in good stead as he had to rely on them to survive, “I’m a bit ‘ard to ‘ide, Harry, bein’ the size I am. I’ve tried ter lose a pound or two, like, but I’ll always be ‘uge. I can’t come back wi’ yers. I’d be an instant target”. Hermione leaned forward and touched his arm, “Look, Hagrid, we’ve all been through a lot since that day. We’ve all changed. None of us is the same person we once were. This has damaged us all, hurt everybody. Please come back with us. We have a home for everyone that needs one. You’ll need to have an Auror look you over”.

Harry smiled, “I asked Draco to arrange Alastor for when we get back, to dowse you. Please come back, be with us all again. I know Ron would love to see you again”. Hagrid was thoughtful, “Yers all live in London?”. Harry nodded. “I dunno ‘bout that. I’m a country boy at ‘eart, an’ even though this place is a sad ol’ wreck, me ‘eart belongs ‘ere”. Harry smiled with wet eyes, “Me too, Hagrid, but we’ve all got different lives now and we are all together. Once you’ve been passed to join us, you could elect to live with one of the other cadres, the Scottish lot live in the countryside, we’re not all townies”.

They all spent the night in the old upper sixth Gryffindor girls dormitory. Harry and Sev had thought about sleeping seperately but Hermione begged them not to leave her on her own and as the girls’ dorm was the least damaged, they all elected to stay in there. Much to Hagrid’s amazement, his three guests all brought these strange contraptions out of bags and pockets and conducted conversations into them that made them all smile before they all settled for the night. The only one that got any significant sleep was Hermione, she was back in the bed in which she’d spent her school career. Hagrid was soon snoring his head off in Lavender’s old bed.

Harry heard repressed sniffling to his left and snuck over to Lavender’s old bed in which his ex-teacher lay. He took Severus into his arms as the man sobbed quietly against his chest. Dawn found them twined together, Severus under the covers and Harry, fully dressed, stretched out beside him, their faces tear-streaked, Harry’s mouth in Severus’ hair.

The next day, they went exploring with the same sinking heart that Harry and Draco had on their previous visit. Severus howled in grief as he walked across the broken glass that littered his laboratory. He moaned in pain as Harry showed him Draco’s bed in his old dorm and the words daubed above the lad’s bed. He revisited his own private quarters, his furniture in shards of wood, their feet shuffling through inches deep shredded parchment and glass, half a life’s work in ruins around their feet. He sank down onto a stool in his old lab, clutching at his own hair, he let his grief take him over. Hagrid stayed his distance respectfully while Harry and Hermione threw their arms around the black-haired man and held him as he grieved.

Hagrid was somewhat astounded as two of his favourite people hugged and comforted their once-hated Potions master. Life had indeed changed for these three. They were obviously friends now. In that moment, as he watched them, Rubeus Hagrid decided to go to London with them.

Red-eyed, the foursome left Hogwarts. Hagrid admired Severus’ bike as he climbed on, “No’ as good as Sirius’, more powerful though, prob’ly comfier, too”. Severus allowed himself to laugh. Hagrid gazed at the man, “This really ‘as changed you lot. Never ‘eard you laugh before, Sna-Severus”. Severus shrugged and they all set off. Hermione had a few books stashed about both bikes filched from what remained of the library. No-one had seen or heard hide nor hair of Irma Pince since the Final Debacle and this saddened Hermione to her soul.

The ride home was sombre, but at least the traffic was fairly forgiving. Hermione woke up somewhere in Hertfordshire, taking her hands out of Harry’s pockets and lifting her head from his back. He flicked his indicators in turn until Sev noticed and both bikes pulled onto the hard shoulder as Harry answered his phone. Draco.

“Alastor’s here at the flat. How far away are you?”. Harry’s mood lightened considerably, hearing his lover’s voice. They were home less than an hour later. Hagrid greeted Alastor warmly then submitted to a brutal dowse from a tired old Auror and was instantly passed. Severus took him to the Guest House and both Minerva and Poppy were delighted to see him. Poppy clucked around him, worried at his weight loss, but that night Rubeus was a happy man, even though the sound of traffic kept waking him up in his new home, he realised that this is what he needed, to be with his own kind again. That night he slept the sleep of the dead.

Severus tipped into Remus’ arms and was rocked and hushed as he wept again, “Fuck, Rem, that was terrible. All the graves. My old lab a wreck. Oh God”, and was held in strong capable arms.

Harry wearily climbed the stairs into his flat to be greeted by cooking smells. He wolfed down the fry-up that Draco had cooked. They curled up to watch their favourite series, but by the first advert break, Harry was sound asleep. Draco flicked the ‘record’ switch and pulled Harry up with him and led them both to bed.

Ginny wrapped her emotional and exhausted lover in her arms at the dinner table and spoon fed her stew after the others had left the table, then hefted her against her side, taking her to bed, then holding her tight as grief washed over her once again, held her until she slept, then let her own tears fall into that curly brown hair before sleep finally claimed her.