FIC: Surrender the Grey (22/30)
Aug. 24th, 2005 07:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
emmagrant01NOTE: This is the first draft of this story. The final version can be read HERE.
Title: Surrender the Grey
Author: Emma Grant
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Draco Malfoy returns to London after five years of self-imposed exile to start a new life with Harry. But will the secrets of the past destroy everything they've worked for?
Sequel to: Left My Heart. This will make much more sense if you have read that first!
Disclaimer: Not my characters, no copyright violation intended.
Length: 150,000 words
Status: COMPLETED November 2, 2005 (Posted March 2 - November 2, 2005)
Notes:
1. Please don't archive this story yet! This is the first draft, and in the next few months, it will be revised and edited. I'll post the final version on my website and a few other select archives, but in the meantime, feel free to link to this post.
2. There aren't enough words to say THANK YOU to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jedirita, hazelhawthorne, and charlotteschaos for beta-ing this story! These are some of the hardest-working betas out there, and they deserve lots of snaps for putting up with me for eight months.
3. Even though the backstory of this fic only assumes canon up through Order of the Phoenix, I stole a few cool ideas from Half Blood Prince. Cause they were cooler than mine...
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21
(22)
Hermione and Guadalupe were sitting on the sofa when Draco stepped out of the fireplace. They glanced up at him, and then turned back to each other.
"Your children are beautiful," Guadalupe said.
"Thank you," Hermione replied as she wiped at Cally's face with a spit-coated finger. The child squirmed away, grimacing.
"Would you like to have more some day?"
"Mom!" Manny hissed from his seat at the kitchen table. He was scanning a copy of the Prophet.
Hermione cast him a sideways glance, her smile a bit smug. "Oh, I don't know. We'll see. How many children do you have?"
"Four," Guadalupe replied. "But Manny is my baby."
Manny grimaced and buried his face in the paper again.
"Why do you talk funny?" Cally asked, peering up into Guadalupe's lined face.
"Because I'm from Texas, sweetheart," she replied.
Draco grinned and crossed to the table where Manny sat. Even though things were still tense between them, Draco felt more comfortable with him than with women talking about children.
"There's a story in here about that explosion at the Death Eater gathering," Manny said as soon as Draco sat. "Someone's claimed responsibility for it."
"Who?"
"A group calling themselves 'The Dark Lord's Chosen'." He snorted. "What is it with these people and weird names, anyway?"
"What else does it say?" Draco asked.
"They claim they were trying to 'assassinate the traitor Lucius Malfoy'. Your father has certainly rubbed a lot of people the wrong way."
"He does that," Draco sighed. "Does it say anything about him?"
Manny shook his head. "Just that he hasn't been seen since he was released from the hospital on Saturday." Manny looked up from the paper. "Where's Harry?"
Draco whirled towards the fireplace. "He was right behind me."
They looked at each other.
"Shit," Draco spat, sprinting back to the fireplace. He grabbed a handful of floo powder and shouted Harry's address. Almost immediately, he was spat out on Hermione's hearth again.
"What happened?" Hermione asked, eyes wide.
"His floo wards are up," Draco said. "But I don't understand. He should be the only one who can close them. Where'd he go?"
They all stared at each other for a moment, uncertain. Draco climbed to his feet and began pacing the floor, mind racing.
"Maybe someone intercepted him on the way here," Hermione said, her forehead wrinkled with worry.
"Is that possible?" Manny asked.
Draco nodded. "But it's very difficult to do. They would have had to time it precisely." He felt a tightness in his chest -- what if something had happened? What if--
There was a whoosh of green flame and Harry stepped out of the fireplace behind him. He smiled at Hermione. "I didn't think you'd be back from meeting with Snape yet. How'd it go?"
"Where the fuck were you?" Draco cried. At the same moment, Hermione and Manny said much the same thing, with the result that the room erupted in shouting.
Harry backed up against the fireplace, stunned. "What? I just made a little detour on my way here!"
"You should have told me!" Draco spat. "We had no idea what had happened to you."
"I'm sorry!" Harry replied. "I remembered there was something I needed to do at the last minute. Geez."
Draco gritted his teeth and looked away, angry and relieved all at once.
"Well…thank god you're safe," Hermione said, shooting Harry a stern look.
Harry looked somewhere between flustered and annoyed, but he didn't respond. He twisted the ring on his hand instead, as he often did when he was agitated.
Draco took that hand in his and squeezed it. His heart was still pounding, and he was nearly overwhelmed by an urge to hug Harry.
Harry squeezed back. "Sorry," he whispered.
"It's all right," Draco replied with a sigh. He'd give Harry shit about it later. For now, there were more important things to discuss. He forced himself to turn back to Hermione and Guadalupe. "So… how did the meeting with Snape go?"
"Fantastic," Hermione said, glancing at Guadalupe. "He's going to start working on the inversion potion right away. It may be ready as early as tonight."
"Tonight?" Draco asked. He felt his stomach drop. So soon? Harry squeezed his hand and released it.
"And he had some very good ideas about substitutions you likely made in the potion," Guadalupe continued. "I need to do some lab work to check, but it's possible we've found an explanation for your memory loss."
"He was very interested in your work, wasn't he?" Hermione said to her. "He'd even read that paper about the impact of European magic on New World magical traditions."
Guadalupe waved her hand in dismissal, but smiled all the same. "Severus is a very intelligent and knowledgeable man."
"Are you really going to invite him to speak at your conference?" Hermione asked, a tone of awe in her voice.
Draco didn't have to look at Harry to know he was rolling his eyes.
"Yes, but that isn't important now." Guadalupe turned to Harry. "My understanding is that you're fairly certain who was involved in the spell and that you have identified two of the three binding objects."
"Yes," Harry replied. He held up his hand. "Ron's ring and Draco's bracelet. I just don't know what my key was."
"You don't have any jewelry of sentimental value, then?"
"No," Harry replied. "I even searched my flat today, but I couldn't find anything. I just don't know what I would have used for a key."
Guadalupe tilted her head at him. "Why are you calling it a key?"
Harry paused, looking surprised. "Well, we've both been dreaming about it, and in our dreams, he… Ron talks about keys."
Guadalupe frowned. "I've never heard anyone use that term for a binding object before. It isn't standard in the historical literature, at least." She paused, and then raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure the dream isn't referring to a literal key?"
Harry and Draco stared at each other.
Harry sucked in a breath. "Fuck. Is it really that simple?"
"He said 'Harry already holds the key'," Draco told him. "It never occurred to me he really meant a key."
Harry dug in his trouser pocket and pulled out a key chain with three keys on it, shaking his head. "Of course -- I had just bought the flat. It was the most important thing to me." He held one key up and it glinted in the lamplight. "It was probably the most important metal object I had at the time." He grinned at Draco.
Draco exhaled, relieved, and turned back to Guadalupe. "I suppose we're ready, then. I just hope we have it all right."
"There's one more thing," Guadalupe said, still frowning. "Headmaster Snape and I agree that if at all possible, we should attempt to cast the counter spell in the location where the original spell was cast. Black Magic binds to place as well as people and objects, after all. Do you have any idea where the spell might have been cast?"
Harry looked at Draco, face blank. Draco swallowed. "Actually… I do."
+++++
Six excruciating hours passed before they heard from Snape that the potion would be ready that night. The news was greeted with mixed emotions from everyone but Guadalupe.
Hermione had burst into tears three times at the thought of having to see her son's blood spilt for the potion. She and Manny had talked to Harley about it earlier in the day, and Harley had agreed without hesitating.
"I don't think he understands," Hermione said again, voice quivering. "How can he?"
"Sweetie, he's talked about nothing since," Manny said, stroking her hair.
"But he keeps asking how much it will hurt," she whimpered. "What if--"
"If he doesn't want to do it, we can't make him," Manny reminded her. "It has to be his choice."
"But--"
Harry pulled Draco aside and whispered, "Are you sure this is going to work? I have a bad feeling--"
"Don't worry," Draco said. "It will."
"I can't believe we're just going to waltz into your father's house and expect him to stand aside while we do this."
"We don't even know that he's there," Draco retorted. "Besides, we won't waltz. We'll do a proper salsa, at the very least."
Harry gave a humorless snort, shaking his head and rubbing at his chin with one hand.
"You two need a depilo," Hermione said. They turned to see her shaking her head, a look of patient exasperation on her face. "You look positively scruffy."
"I like it," Harry said, grinning at her. "I might even grow it out."
"Nice Chia beard you've got going there," Manny remarked, smirking at Harry.
Fortunately, this jibe sailed right over Harry's head. Draco laughed so hard he could barely breathe. He'd needed to laugh too -- he wasn't sure when it would happen again.
+++++
"Hello?"
"Heather, it's Draco. Can you talk now?"
"Draco! Oh god, you're-- Lucius was furious that he couldn't find you! If he knew I was talking--"
"Then he mustn't find out. Where is he now?"
"He's here." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "He's been meeting with strange people all day."
"I need you to do something for me, all right? It's very, very important."
"I… okay. I'll try. But--"
"I need you to get him out of the house tonight, and keep him out for as long as possible."
There was a pause on the other end. "I don't know if I can."
"Heather, this is a matter of life and death. I know it will be difficult, but…" He switched tactics. "He's in danger. I think something's going to happen there tonight. If he's in that house, he may be killed."
She sucked in a breath. "Does he know about this?"
"No, and it's extremely important that he doesn't find out. I'm going to take care of it, and he can't be involved. He can't even know about it, all right?"
"Okay," she breathed, sounding frightened. "I'll think of something. Be careful."
"I will. Thank you."
Stupid Muggle bint, he thought as he turned Hermione's mobile off. You'd better come through.
+++++
Severus Snape's cloaked and pallid figure looked completely out of place in Hermione's suburban living room. He sneered at the furnishings and frowned at the décor, refusing to sit and declining Hermione's offer for a cup of tea. Draco would have laughed were it not for Harry scowling at the man from across the room.
"I must get back to the school," he said at last, an expression of annoyance on his face. He'd come to deliver the potion inversion, and he seemed disinclined to stay longer than necessary.
"You're not going to help us break the spell?" Hermione asked, still holding a cup tea out to him. She seemed to view him in a new light, given Guadalupe's praise of him.
"I will leave you in Dr. Gomez's capable hands," he replied, pulling his cloak about him. "I can assure you she is more of an expert than I." He nodded at Guadalupe, who smiled warmly at him.
Draco couldn't remember anyone ever looking as if they actually liked Snape. Harry muttered something under his breath, but Snape didn't seem to notice.
"Good luck," Snape said as he turned to the fireplace. "You'll need it."
A moment later he was gone, his cauldron of bubbling grey potion left on the table.
"Well," Guadalupe said, clapping her hands together. "I suppose we're ready."
Hermione looked at Harry, who seemed lost in thought. "Manny and Guada are going to transport the potion. I'm dropping Cally off with a sitter, then Harley and I will meet you there."
Harry nodded and turned to Draco. "Ready?"
"Almost," Draco said, staring at his hands. "I need to make a phone call first."
+++++
The road leading up to the castle was dark and quiet. Draco shivered, his cloak not enough to keep him warm in the chilly spring weather. Harry walked beside him, looking around anxiously.
"I don't like this," Harry whispered. They had come first to get into the chamber under the castle, where Draco was certain the original spell had been cast.
"Heather promised to keep him occupied," Draco said. "And I've got a backup plan. You've got Hermione's mobile, right?"
"For the third time, yes," Harry sighed. "And I still don't think that's much of a back-up."
Draco shivered and didn't reply. He hoped they wouldn't need it.
The castle loomed above them, dark and foreboding. It didn't look like anyone was inside at all, but that did nothing to prevent Draco from feeling nervous. They stopped before the large front door.
"Want me to do it?" Harry asked. Draco nodded, and then watched as Harry cast a series of spells to detect wards and security charms.
"Nothing," Harry said, frowning. "That can't be right."
Draco agreed. "It's a big place, though. Maybe--"
"Hang on," Harry said, tilting his head. "Foscumenta." Glimmering threads of green light appeared, crisscrossing the door.
"Ah," Draco said. "Looks like the same curse we used to keep on the front door at the manor. Clever."
"Can you take it down?" Harry asked.
Draco smirked. "Of course." It required a series of complicated spells, but it wasn't a problem -- he'd been able to do it drunk back when he was a teenager, on nights he'd snuck out to go to gay clubs.
Once the door curse was gone, he turned the handle and pushed it open. The foyer was dark and quiet. There wasn't even any light above in the corridor at the top of the stairs. It appeared that no one was there. Draco took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Their footsteps were muffled against the Persian rug as they crossed the entryway, through a parlor, and into the room Lucius had taken Draco to the week before. They stopped before a blank wall.
Harry turned to Draco and frowned. "Now what?"
"Ebby," Draco said.
"Ebby?" Harry repeated.
"Ebby is happy to see Master Draco again!" a small voice said from the vicinity of their knees.
Harry made a sound of surprise and stepped back, already pointing his wand towards the creature.
"We need to get into the room under here," Draco told her. "Can you open the door for us?"
"Oh yes," Ebby squeaked, a bit more loudly than Draco would have liked. She waved one long-fingered hand at the wall, and a doorway appeared.
"Keep watch, Ebby. If my father comes, I want you to find a way to warn us."
Ebby nodded and disappeared with a pop.
Harry was still staring at the spot where the elf had disappeared, looking confused.
"Come on," Draco said. "We've not much time."
They descended the stairs into the darkness, with only wand light to guide them. The further they descended, the more eerie and dank their surroundings became. When the underground chamber opened up before them, Draco heard a gasp beside him.
"I've dreamed about this place," Harry whispered. His words echoed off the shadowed walls.
Draco felt an odd chill pass through him. "Help me light these torches."
In the flickering light the room looked smaller than Draco remembered. He turned on the spot, and then nodded at Harry. "It's time."
"We're lucky there weren't any wards on this place," Harry said.
"I suppose they would make the castle too easy to detect," Draco shrugged. "He does have a death threat hanging over him, after all."
"True," Harry replied. He pulled a small disc from his pocket and placed it on the floor, then waved his wand over it.
After an entire minute had passed, Draco and Harry looked at each other. Had it gone wrong already?
And then Hermione apparated next to them, a white-faced Harley in her arms. "Sorry," she said. "I was arguing with this one and didn't see the apparition beacon come on." She set Harley down, and he promptly wrapped himself around one of her legs, face buried in her thigh. "He's not apparated before," she explained. "Where are Manny and Guada?"
"Not here yet," Harry said, glancing around the room.
"This place is creepy," Hermione remarked, nose wrinkling. "Where are we, anyway?"
"Scotland," Draco told her.
With a wet squishing sound, a cauldron appeared next to the beacon. They all jumped back, startled. Seconds later, Manny and his mother appeared, along with a very reluctant-looking Severus Snape.
Draco grinned at him. "You decided to come after all?"
"We needed his help porting the potion here safely," Manny replied.
"And it is an event of interest, I suppose," Snape replied, doing his best to seem annoyed.
"Well then," Guadalupe said, directing them away from the cauldron. "Let's not waste any time." She reached into her pocket and produced a small bag, the contents of which she sprinkled in a circle around the cauldron.
"Salt," Manny said, apparently in response to a question from Hermione. "Keeps evil spirits away." The tone in his voice suggested he thought it was rubbish.
"Oh yes," Hermione said, sounding as if she were studying a particularly fascinating bug. "Salt was considered a very magical quantity in the era this spell comes from."
Harry shifted his feet next to Draco, and Draco realized with a start he hadn't had a chance to say what he'd been planning to. He had wanted to tell Harry he loved him one more time, that he always would, no matter what happened tonight. Harry turned to look at him, and they stared at each other.
"We're ready," Guadalupe said. She was standing outside the salt circle, the flickering light ghosting over her face. Snape stood across the circle from her, eyes narrowed at Draco and Harry.
"All right then," Harry said, stepping forward.
"The three of you will step inside the circle. Once inside, no part of your body can leave it until the spell is complete." She looked at Harley, who had finally released Hermione's leg. "Do you understand?"
He nodded at her, staring across the circle with a blank expression on his face.
"When you enter the circle, hold the focus object in your left hand. Step in at the same time."
They positioned themselves around the circle, shifting a bit when Harley insisted on standing in one particular spot. Harry gave him Ron's ring, wrapping his small fingers around it.
"Hold it tight," Harry said, stroking the child's hair. Harley nodded, then looked up at the ceiling. Harry dug his key chain from his pocket and pulled the key to his flat off, then clenched it in his fist.
"Now," Guadalupe said, and the three of them stepped into the salt circle.
The potion was bubbling away; Guadalupe had lit a portable fire under it. It smelled oddly like seawater and almost looked iridescent in the torchlight.
Draco glanced toward Snape to see him studying the scene with interest. Their eyes met, and a mask of indifference settled over his features once more.
"First, blood," Guadalupe said. She waved her wand and three small vials appeared in the air before them.
"How do we…?" Harry asked.
"With that," Snape said, and a small silver knife emerged from the cauldron itself. A grey sheen of potion slid off its surface and it sparkled in the dim light.
"Who first?" Draco asked.
Guadalupe shrugged. "It doesn't matter. But we must add the blood at precisely the same time."
"I'll go first," Harry said, reaching for the knife.
"The forearm would be best," Snape said with trademark disinterest.
"Really?" Harry muttered. "I'd never have guessed." Holding the knife in his right hand, he made a quick cut across the inside of his forearm. He whispered a spell and the blood flowing from the wound formed globules in the air above his skin. He captured the blood in the closest vial and then passed the knife to Draco.
Draco repeated the process, aware of Harley's eyes on him as he cut himself. He clenched his jaw to keep from grimacing at the pain, not wanting to frighten the child any more than necessary. When his blood filled the vial, he handed the knife to Harley.
Harley held it in his hand and stared at it for a moment. Draco held his breath -- if Harley refused, it was over. But then Harley nodded, as if making a decision. He pressed the blade against the pale skin of his forearm, slicing into his own skin.
Hermione sobbed, though the sound was muffled against Manny's shirt. Everyone else was silent.
Tears welled in Harley's eyes as he stared at the blood streaming from the wound he'd made, but none fell. Harry cast the spell to collect the blood, and Harley watched it dribble into the vial, almost looking fascinated.
He hadn't said a word, and he'd done it without making a mistake. They all had been worried about entrusting such a small child with this responsibility, but so far he was doing well.
His face went blank for a moment, and then he looked over at Hermione, who was still sniffling into Manny's shirt. "It's okay, Mummy," he said.
"Very good, Harley," Harry told him. "Press your hand against the wound." Harley nodded and looked up at the ceiling again, seeming dazed.
Guadalupe walked around the circle once, examining the vials of blood. "We are ready to continue," she said at last. "Severus?"
Snape stepped forward and waved his hand. The vials emptied themselves into the potion and purple smoke began to spiral up. Snape studied it and then nodded, satisfied.
"Are your objects ready?" Guadalupe asked.
"Oh, no," Harry said. Draco turned to see him staring at his key. The blood seemed to drain from his face. "Fuck."
"What?" Draco asked.
"This isn't right," Harry replied, shaking his head. "Oh god. This is a copy. It's got the locksmith's logo on it. I had this one made a year ago." He looked up at Draco, eyes wide. "This can't have been the one I used."
Draco sucked in a breath. "The other key, the one you gave me--"
"Yes! That must be the one." He looked at Draco expectantly.
Draco swallowed. "I don't have it with me. It's at the flat." He looked away, the sinking feeling in his stomach making a turn towards nausea.
Everyone was silent for several seconds, uncertain what to do.
"Master!" a voice squeaked. Four wands pointed out the house elf who had just appeared, and she cowered behind her hands.
"Ebby!" Draco felt his heart sink.
"Master Lucius is coming!" she cried, peeking at them through her fingers. "He has beaten the deceiving Muggle and is coming here with other men! Ebby is warning Master Draco, as she promised."
"Fuck," Draco said.
Ebby disapparated with a pop, and they heard footsteps on the stairs.
+++++
Go to Part 23
Note: Yes, yes -- that was an evil place to leave it, I know! I'm excited to be getting to this part of the story at last. In my original outline, I had allowed one part for what turned out to be parts 21-23 (oops), so you'll note that the total number of parts has changed. (It's already longer than LMH... :-P) At this point, my goal is to finsh this draft of the story before The Witching Hour in early October). I hope to have the final draft ready to post sometime around the holidays.
Thanks to all of you for your patience in following the story over the last six months! We're almost there. :-)
ETA: I hope I've fixed all the typos. :-P You guys rock!
Title: Surrender the Grey
Author: Emma Grant
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Draco Malfoy returns to London after five years of self-imposed exile to start a new life with Harry. But will the secrets of the past destroy everything they've worked for?
Sequel to: Left My Heart. This will make much more sense if you have read that first!
Disclaimer: Not my characters, no copyright violation intended.
Length: 150,000 words
Status: COMPLETED November 2, 2005 (Posted March 2 - November 2, 2005)
Notes:
1. Please don't archive this story yet! This is the first draft, and in the next few months, it will be revised and edited. I'll post the final version on my website and a few other select archives, but in the meantime, feel free to link to this post.
2. There aren't enough words to say THANK YOU to
jedirita, hazelhawthorne, and charlotteschaos for beta-ing this story! These are some of the hardest-working betas out there, and they deserve lots of snaps for putting up with me for eight months.3. Even though the backstory of this fic only assumes canon up through Order of the Phoenix, I stole a few cool ideas from Half Blood Prince. Cause they were cooler than mine...
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21
(22)
Hermione and Guadalupe were sitting on the sofa when Draco stepped out of the fireplace. They glanced up at him, and then turned back to each other.
"Your children are beautiful," Guadalupe said.
"Thank you," Hermione replied as she wiped at Cally's face with a spit-coated finger. The child squirmed away, grimacing.
"Would you like to have more some day?"
"Mom!" Manny hissed from his seat at the kitchen table. He was scanning a copy of the Prophet.
Hermione cast him a sideways glance, her smile a bit smug. "Oh, I don't know. We'll see. How many children do you have?"
"Four," Guadalupe replied. "But Manny is my baby."
Manny grimaced and buried his face in the paper again.
"Why do you talk funny?" Cally asked, peering up into Guadalupe's lined face.
"Because I'm from Texas, sweetheart," she replied.
Draco grinned and crossed to the table where Manny sat. Even though things were still tense between them, Draco felt more comfortable with him than with women talking about children.
"There's a story in here about that explosion at the Death Eater gathering," Manny said as soon as Draco sat. "Someone's claimed responsibility for it."
"Who?"
"A group calling themselves 'The Dark Lord's Chosen'." He snorted. "What is it with these people and weird names, anyway?"
"What else does it say?" Draco asked.
"They claim they were trying to 'assassinate the traitor Lucius Malfoy'. Your father has certainly rubbed a lot of people the wrong way."
"He does that," Draco sighed. "Does it say anything about him?"
Manny shook his head. "Just that he hasn't been seen since he was released from the hospital on Saturday." Manny looked up from the paper. "Where's Harry?"
Draco whirled towards the fireplace. "He was right behind me."
They looked at each other.
"Shit," Draco spat, sprinting back to the fireplace. He grabbed a handful of floo powder and shouted Harry's address. Almost immediately, he was spat out on Hermione's hearth again.
"What happened?" Hermione asked, eyes wide.
"His floo wards are up," Draco said. "But I don't understand. He should be the only one who can close them. Where'd he go?"
They all stared at each other for a moment, uncertain. Draco climbed to his feet and began pacing the floor, mind racing.
"Maybe someone intercepted him on the way here," Hermione said, her forehead wrinkled with worry.
"Is that possible?" Manny asked.
Draco nodded. "But it's very difficult to do. They would have had to time it precisely." He felt a tightness in his chest -- what if something had happened? What if--
There was a whoosh of green flame and Harry stepped out of the fireplace behind him. He smiled at Hermione. "I didn't think you'd be back from meeting with Snape yet. How'd it go?"
"Where the fuck were you?" Draco cried. At the same moment, Hermione and Manny said much the same thing, with the result that the room erupted in shouting.
Harry backed up against the fireplace, stunned. "What? I just made a little detour on my way here!"
"You should have told me!" Draco spat. "We had no idea what had happened to you."
"I'm sorry!" Harry replied. "I remembered there was something I needed to do at the last minute. Geez."
Draco gritted his teeth and looked away, angry and relieved all at once.
"Well…thank god you're safe," Hermione said, shooting Harry a stern look.
Harry looked somewhere between flustered and annoyed, but he didn't respond. He twisted the ring on his hand instead, as he often did when he was agitated.
Draco took that hand in his and squeezed it. His heart was still pounding, and he was nearly overwhelmed by an urge to hug Harry.
Harry squeezed back. "Sorry," he whispered.
"It's all right," Draco replied with a sigh. He'd give Harry shit about it later. For now, there were more important things to discuss. He forced himself to turn back to Hermione and Guadalupe. "So… how did the meeting with Snape go?"
"Fantastic," Hermione said, glancing at Guadalupe. "He's going to start working on the inversion potion right away. It may be ready as early as tonight."
"Tonight?" Draco asked. He felt his stomach drop. So soon? Harry squeezed his hand and released it.
"And he had some very good ideas about substitutions you likely made in the potion," Guadalupe continued. "I need to do some lab work to check, but it's possible we've found an explanation for your memory loss."
"He was very interested in your work, wasn't he?" Hermione said to her. "He'd even read that paper about the impact of European magic on New World magical traditions."
Guadalupe waved her hand in dismissal, but smiled all the same. "Severus is a very intelligent and knowledgeable man."
"Are you really going to invite him to speak at your conference?" Hermione asked, a tone of awe in her voice.
Draco didn't have to look at Harry to know he was rolling his eyes.
"Yes, but that isn't important now." Guadalupe turned to Harry. "My understanding is that you're fairly certain who was involved in the spell and that you have identified two of the three binding objects."
"Yes," Harry replied. He held up his hand. "Ron's ring and Draco's bracelet. I just don't know what my key was."
"You don't have any jewelry of sentimental value, then?"
"No," Harry replied. "I even searched my flat today, but I couldn't find anything. I just don't know what I would have used for a key."
Guadalupe tilted her head at him. "Why are you calling it a key?"
Harry paused, looking surprised. "Well, we've both been dreaming about it, and in our dreams, he… Ron talks about keys."
Guadalupe frowned. "I've never heard anyone use that term for a binding object before. It isn't standard in the historical literature, at least." She paused, and then raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure the dream isn't referring to a literal key?"
Harry and Draco stared at each other.
Harry sucked in a breath. "Fuck. Is it really that simple?"
"He said 'Harry already holds the key'," Draco told him. "It never occurred to me he really meant a key."
Harry dug in his trouser pocket and pulled out a key chain with three keys on it, shaking his head. "Of course -- I had just bought the flat. It was the most important thing to me." He held one key up and it glinted in the lamplight. "It was probably the most important metal object I had at the time." He grinned at Draco.
Draco exhaled, relieved, and turned back to Guadalupe. "I suppose we're ready, then. I just hope we have it all right."
"There's one more thing," Guadalupe said, still frowning. "Headmaster Snape and I agree that if at all possible, we should attempt to cast the counter spell in the location where the original spell was cast. Black Magic binds to place as well as people and objects, after all. Do you have any idea where the spell might have been cast?"
Harry looked at Draco, face blank. Draco swallowed. "Actually… I do."
+++++
Six excruciating hours passed before they heard from Snape that the potion would be ready that night. The news was greeted with mixed emotions from everyone but Guadalupe.
Hermione had burst into tears three times at the thought of having to see her son's blood spilt for the potion. She and Manny had talked to Harley about it earlier in the day, and Harley had agreed without hesitating.
"I don't think he understands," Hermione said again, voice quivering. "How can he?"
"Sweetie, he's talked about nothing since," Manny said, stroking her hair.
"But he keeps asking how much it will hurt," she whimpered. "What if--"
"If he doesn't want to do it, we can't make him," Manny reminded her. "It has to be his choice."
"But--"
Harry pulled Draco aside and whispered, "Are you sure this is going to work? I have a bad feeling--"
"Don't worry," Draco said. "It will."
"I can't believe we're just going to waltz into your father's house and expect him to stand aside while we do this."
"We don't even know that he's there," Draco retorted. "Besides, we won't waltz. We'll do a proper salsa, at the very least."
Harry gave a humorless snort, shaking his head and rubbing at his chin with one hand.
"You two need a depilo," Hermione said. They turned to see her shaking her head, a look of patient exasperation on her face. "You look positively scruffy."
"I like it," Harry said, grinning at her. "I might even grow it out."
"Nice Chia beard you've got going there," Manny remarked, smirking at Harry.
Fortunately, this jibe sailed right over Harry's head. Draco laughed so hard he could barely breathe. He'd needed to laugh too -- he wasn't sure when it would happen again.
+++++
"Hello?"
"Heather, it's Draco. Can you talk now?"
"Draco! Oh god, you're-- Lucius was furious that he couldn't find you! If he knew I was talking--"
"Then he mustn't find out. Where is he now?"
"He's here." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "He's been meeting with strange people all day."
"I need you to do something for me, all right? It's very, very important."
"I… okay. I'll try. But--"
"I need you to get him out of the house tonight, and keep him out for as long as possible."
There was a pause on the other end. "I don't know if I can."
"Heather, this is a matter of life and death. I know it will be difficult, but…" He switched tactics. "He's in danger. I think something's going to happen there tonight. If he's in that house, he may be killed."
She sucked in a breath. "Does he know about this?"
"No, and it's extremely important that he doesn't find out. I'm going to take care of it, and he can't be involved. He can't even know about it, all right?"
"Okay," she breathed, sounding frightened. "I'll think of something. Be careful."
"I will. Thank you."
Stupid Muggle bint, he thought as he turned Hermione's mobile off. You'd better come through.
+++++
Severus Snape's cloaked and pallid figure looked completely out of place in Hermione's suburban living room. He sneered at the furnishings and frowned at the décor, refusing to sit and declining Hermione's offer for a cup of tea. Draco would have laughed were it not for Harry scowling at the man from across the room.
"I must get back to the school," he said at last, an expression of annoyance on his face. He'd come to deliver the potion inversion, and he seemed disinclined to stay longer than necessary.
"You're not going to help us break the spell?" Hermione asked, still holding a cup tea out to him. She seemed to view him in a new light, given Guadalupe's praise of him.
"I will leave you in Dr. Gomez's capable hands," he replied, pulling his cloak about him. "I can assure you she is more of an expert than I." He nodded at Guadalupe, who smiled warmly at him.
Draco couldn't remember anyone ever looking as if they actually liked Snape. Harry muttered something under his breath, but Snape didn't seem to notice.
"Good luck," Snape said as he turned to the fireplace. "You'll need it."
A moment later he was gone, his cauldron of bubbling grey potion left on the table.
"Well," Guadalupe said, clapping her hands together. "I suppose we're ready."
Hermione looked at Harry, who seemed lost in thought. "Manny and Guada are going to transport the potion. I'm dropping Cally off with a sitter, then Harley and I will meet you there."
Harry nodded and turned to Draco. "Ready?"
"Almost," Draco said, staring at his hands. "I need to make a phone call first."
+++++
The road leading up to the castle was dark and quiet. Draco shivered, his cloak not enough to keep him warm in the chilly spring weather. Harry walked beside him, looking around anxiously.
"I don't like this," Harry whispered. They had come first to get into the chamber under the castle, where Draco was certain the original spell had been cast.
"Heather promised to keep him occupied," Draco said. "And I've got a backup plan. You've got Hermione's mobile, right?"
"For the third time, yes," Harry sighed. "And I still don't think that's much of a back-up."
Draco shivered and didn't reply. He hoped they wouldn't need it.
The castle loomed above them, dark and foreboding. It didn't look like anyone was inside at all, but that did nothing to prevent Draco from feeling nervous. They stopped before the large front door.
"Want me to do it?" Harry asked. Draco nodded, and then watched as Harry cast a series of spells to detect wards and security charms.
"Nothing," Harry said, frowning. "That can't be right."
Draco agreed. "It's a big place, though. Maybe--"
"Hang on," Harry said, tilting his head. "Foscumenta." Glimmering threads of green light appeared, crisscrossing the door.
"Ah," Draco said. "Looks like the same curse we used to keep on the front door at the manor. Clever."
"Can you take it down?" Harry asked.
Draco smirked. "Of course." It required a series of complicated spells, but it wasn't a problem -- he'd been able to do it drunk back when he was a teenager, on nights he'd snuck out to go to gay clubs.
Once the door curse was gone, he turned the handle and pushed it open. The foyer was dark and quiet. There wasn't even any light above in the corridor at the top of the stairs. It appeared that no one was there. Draco took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Their footsteps were muffled against the Persian rug as they crossed the entryway, through a parlor, and into the room Lucius had taken Draco to the week before. They stopped before a blank wall.
Harry turned to Draco and frowned. "Now what?"
"Ebby," Draco said.
"Ebby?" Harry repeated.
"Ebby is happy to see Master Draco again!" a small voice said from the vicinity of their knees.
Harry made a sound of surprise and stepped back, already pointing his wand towards the creature.
"We need to get into the room under here," Draco told her. "Can you open the door for us?"
"Oh yes," Ebby squeaked, a bit more loudly than Draco would have liked. She waved one long-fingered hand at the wall, and a doorway appeared.
"Keep watch, Ebby. If my father comes, I want you to find a way to warn us."
Ebby nodded and disappeared with a pop.
Harry was still staring at the spot where the elf had disappeared, looking confused.
"Come on," Draco said. "We've not much time."
They descended the stairs into the darkness, with only wand light to guide them. The further they descended, the more eerie and dank their surroundings became. When the underground chamber opened up before them, Draco heard a gasp beside him.
"I've dreamed about this place," Harry whispered. His words echoed off the shadowed walls.
Draco felt an odd chill pass through him. "Help me light these torches."
In the flickering light the room looked smaller than Draco remembered. He turned on the spot, and then nodded at Harry. "It's time."
"We're lucky there weren't any wards on this place," Harry said.
"I suppose they would make the castle too easy to detect," Draco shrugged. "He does have a death threat hanging over him, after all."
"True," Harry replied. He pulled a small disc from his pocket and placed it on the floor, then waved his wand over it.
After an entire minute had passed, Draco and Harry looked at each other. Had it gone wrong already?
And then Hermione apparated next to them, a white-faced Harley in her arms. "Sorry," she said. "I was arguing with this one and didn't see the apparition beacon come on." She set Harley down, and he promptly wrapped himself around one of her legs, face buried in her thigh. "He's not apparated before," she explained. "Where are Manny and Guada?"
"Not here yet," Harry said, glancing around the room.
"This place is creepy," Hermione remarked, nose wrinkling. "Where are we, anyway?"
"Scotland," Draco told her.
With a wet squishing sound, a cauldron appeared next to the beacon. They all jumped back, startled. Seconds later, Manny and his mother appeared, along with a very reluctant-looking Severus Snape.
Draco grinned at him. "You decided to come after all?"
"We needed his help porting the potion here safely," Manny replied.
"And it is an event of interest, I suppose," Snape replied, doing his best to seem annoyed.
"Well then," Guadalupe said, directing them away from the cauldron. "Let's not waste any time." She reached into her pocket and produced a small bag, the contents of which she sprinkled in a circle around the cauldron.
"Salt," Manny said, apparently in response to a question from Hermione. "Keeps evil spirits away." The tone in his voice suggested he thought it was rubbish.
"Oh yes," Hermione said, sounding as if she were studying a particularly fascinating bug. "Salt was considered a very magical quantity in the era this spell comes from."
Harry shifted his feet next to Draco, and Draco realized with a start he hadn't had a chance to say what he'd been planning to. He had wanted to tell Harry he loved him one more time, that he always would, no matter what happened tonight. Harry turned to look at him, and they stared at each other.
"We're ready," Guadalupe said. She was standing outside the salt circle, the flickering light ghosting over her face. Snape stood across the circle from her, eyes narrowed at Draco and Harry.
"All right then," Harry said, stepping forward.
"The three of you will step inside the circle. Once inside, no part of your body can leave it until the spell is complete." She looked at Harley, who had finally released Hermione's leg. "Do you understand?"
He nodded at her, staring across the circle with a blank expression on his face.
"When you enter the circle, hold the focus object in your left hand. Step in at the same time."
They positioned themselves around the circle, shifting a bit when Harley insisted on standing in one particular spot. Harry gave him Ron's ring, wrapping his small fingers around it.
"Hold it tight," Harry said, stroking the child's hair. Harley nodded, then looked up at the ceiling. Harry dug his key chain from his pocket and pulled the key to his flat off, then clenched it in his fist.
"Now," Guadalupe said, and the three of them stepped into the salt circle.
The potion was bubbling away; Guadalupe had lit a portable fire under it. It smelled oddly like seawater and almost looked iridescent in the torchlight.
Draco glanced toward Snape to see him studying the scene with interest. Their eyes met, and a mask of indifference settled over his features once more.
"First, blood," Guadalupe said. She waved her wand and three small vials appeared in the air before them.
"How do we…?" Harry asked.
"With that," Snape said, and a small silver knife emerged from the cauldron itself. A grey sheen of potion slid off its surface and it sparkled in the dim light.
"Who first?" Draco asked.
Guadalupe shrugged. "It doesn't matter. But we must add the blood at precisely the same time."
"I'll go first," Harry said, reaching for the knife.
"The forearm would be best," Snape said with trademark disinterest.
"Really?" Harry muttered. "I'd never have guessed." Holding the knife in his right hand, he made a quick cut across the inside of his forearm. He whispered a spell and the blood flowing from the wound formed globules in the air above his skin. He captured the blood in the closest vial and then passed the knife to Draco.
Draco repeated the process, aware of Harley's eyes on him as he cut himself. He clenched his jaw to keep from grimacing at the pain, not wanting to frighten the child any more than necessary. When his blood filled the vial, he handed the knife to Harley.
Harley held it in his hand and stared at it for a moment. Draco held his breath -- if Harley refused, it was over. But then Harley nodded, as if making a decision. He pressed the blade against the pale skin of his forearm, slicing into his own skin.
Hermione sobbed, though the sound was muffled against Manny's shirt. Everyone else was silent.
Tears welled in Harley's eyes as he stared at the blood streaming from the wound he'd made, but none fell. Harry cast the spell to collect the blood, and Harley watched it dribble into the vial, almost looking fascinated.
He hadn't said a word, and he'd done it without making a mistake. They all had been worried about entrusting such a small child with this responsibility, but so far he was doing well.
His face went blank for a moment, and then he looked over at Hermione, who was still sniffling into Manny's shirt. "It's okay, Mummy," he said.
"Very good, Harley," Harry told him. "Press your hand against the wound." Harley nodded and looked up at the ceiling again, seeming dazed.
Guadalupe walked around the circle once, examining the vials of blood. "We are ready to continue," she said at last. "Severus?"
Snape stepped forward and waved his hand. The vials emptied themselves into the potion and purple smoke began to spiral up. Snape studied it and then nodded, satisfied.
"Are your objects ready?" Guadalupe asked.
"Oh, no," Harry said. Draco turned to see him staring at his key. The blood seemed to drain from his face. "Fuck."
"What?" Draco asked.
"This isn't right," Harry replied, shaking his head. "Oh god. This is a copy. It's got the locksmith's logo on it. I had this one made a year ago." He looked up at Draco, eyes wide. "This can't have been the one I used."
Draco sucked in a breath. "The other key, the one you gave me--"
"Yes! That must be the one." He looked at Draco expectantly.
Draco swallowed. "I don't have it with me. It's at the flat." He looked away, the sinking feeling in his stomach making a turn towards nausea.
Everyone was silent for several seconds, uncertain what to do.
"Master!" a voice squeaked. Four wands pointed out the house elf who had just appeared, and she cowered behind her hands.
"Ebby!" Draco felt his heart sink.
"Master Lucius is coming!" she cried, peeking at them through her fingers. "He has beaten the deceiving Muggle and is coming here with other men! Ebby is warning Master Draco, as she promised."
"Fuck," Draco said.
Ebby disapparated with a pop, and they heard footsteps on the stairs.
+++++
Go to Part 23
Note: Yes, yes -- that was an evil place to leave it, I know! I'm excited to be getting to this part of the story at last. In my original outline, I had allowed one part for what turned out to be parts 21-23 (oops), so you'll note that the total number of parts has changed. (It's already longer than LMH... :-P) At this point, my goal is to finsh this draft of the story before The Witching Hour in early October). I hope to have the final draft ready to post sometime around the holidays.
Thanks to all of you for your patience in following the story over the last six months! We're almost there. :-)
ETA: I hope I've fixed all the typos. :-P You guys rock!
