Hey all!

To confirm - I make no claim (obviously) to the characters below, but am really happy to have had the chance to play with them and make something that is, I hope, enjoyable to read.

I do want to say a massive thank you to the fabulous LadyKatie who has been 'with me' on this from the start. I really have valued your input and feedback on this as it has developed.

I will also admit that this is my first story so please be kind if you choose to review. I am very open to constructive feedback and comment on the story so please, if you have time and would like to please, either comment or drop me an email on phill2818 at hotmail .co . uk

Harry Potter and the Unforeseen Hero

 

Chapter Seven: Weekend at Home

It was with limited surprise that Draco detached the parchment that had been tied to the rather regal looking screech owl and after breakfast read allowed for Harry and Ron's benefit just prior to their first lesson

Dear Draco, Harry and Ron,

 

I hope that you are well and that you don't mind me sending you this owl?

 

I have to say that I found our meeting last Saturday to be a truly engaging session and wanted to offer you my assurance that this will be a productive use of all our time. I know that the Wizarding world will be thrilled with the opportunity you are providing. I do believe it is important that the community not only understand your activities and struggles but also that we as a collective unit of people learn from this experience to ensure it never occurs again.

 

I must confess myself frustrated, two weeks to hear the next instalment is a long way off. I am hoping you may find it possible to meet with me this coming weekend in order to continue your tale?

 

Hoping to hear from you,

 

B.Cuffe

"You owe me five galleons" Ron said looking at Harry and Draco looked quizzically at his lover

"Ron bet me that Cuffe would want to meet in advance of our next scheduled meeting and I had said I thought he would wait. Looks like I was wrong!" reaching to his pocket Harry passed over five of the gold coins

"Come on in then you lot" the hulking, walrus faced potions master had said as he opened the door into the dungeon classroom

The potions lesson was, complex to say the very least. It had never been Harry or Ron's strongest suit and to say that they were grateful they had Draco working with them was an understatement.   He had stopped Harry adding the fresh rat's liver early and grabbed Ron's wrist as he began attacking the potion.

"You are supposed to stir it Weasley not whisk it!"

"Sorry, wasn't thinking"

"No problem" and he released his wrist as the ginger boy adopted a careful circular striking motion.

When Slughorn performed his usual round robin of the classroom he paused over the three's attempt at the Wolfsbane Potion and offered his congratulations at a "near perfect attempt"

Draco disappeared after their potions lesson for his free period whilst Harry and Ron attended their divination lesson. They then reversed roles and Harry and Ron started to make their way through the mound of homework whilst Draco toiled with Arithmancy. They met for lunch outside the Great Hall and collected a range of foods before being joined by Pansy and heading to the lake for an impromptu picnic.

"So what are we going to do about Cuffe?" Harry finally asked as he swallowed a bite of chicken

"Well we either meet him or don't. I would say it's down to us, wouldn't you?" Draco replied

"Yeah I guess! What do you want to do Ron?"

"Not worried mate. I have no plans this weekend anyway"

"You could come stay with us if you wanted? We are planning to go home after classes on Friday"

"Harry mate, no offence but the last thing I want to do is get in between you and Draco at home" Ron said and grinned

"It won't be like that Ronald! We can contain ourselves you know!" Harry replied looking steely eyed

"Well until we get into the bedroom anyways. Come on Weasley, we will leave the silencing charm off and you can listen. I bet you would love it" Draco turned to look at Ron and smirked

"Draco!!" Harry had exclaimed and then hid his face in the blonds shoulder

"You know that Harry makes this little noise if I... OUCH!!! You bit me!! The man is insatiable"

"Carry on and I will draw blood!" Harry threatened

"I think guys you have just proved why it would be a bad idea!" Ron said

"Pansy could come too! She could protect your honour and I promise to put up the silencing charm" Draco offered

"Well Draco, I think it's rather rude of you to assume that a lady such as myself is free at such short notice" Harry snorted as Pansy had said the word `Lady' and for this he was given an icy stare.

"So are you busy Pansy or am I just being reprimanded for making the assumption?"

"As it happens I have no prior engagement however, I would thank you not to assume"

"Great so it's settled then!" Draco announced to the group at large

"And Cuffe?"

"Well as I see it, the sooner we do the blasted things the sooner they will be over" Ron said

"Agreed. Why don't we have him come to us on Saturday?" Draco put in

"Fine, fine! But not too early ok?" Harry did not want to loose his second Saturday in a row to getting up early. He was rather fond of his Saturday morning lay in and didn't want it disturbed yet again.

"What am I to do whilst you are off for hours at a time chit chatting with this journalist?"

"Well Pans, we have a fantastic garden, a large library and an impressive collection of muggle films"

"What are films?"

"Trust me Pansy. They are amazing. I tried to talk mum into letting me get some but she wouldn't let me. But honestly you will be hooked for hours" said Ron

"Well on your life be it Ron. If I get bored I shall hold you personally responsible" the tips of Ron's ears flushed red but he didn't argue.

The rest of the week passed as most weeks at any school did filled with homework and lessons. Perhaps the most amusing thing that happened on the Wednesday evening was that Harry had told Draco to "go ahead" into the common room as he had wanted to speak to Ron.

"What's up Harry?" Ron had questioned.

"I want to see if Draco has forgotten the door!!" Harry whispered and smirked wickedly. The job of gaining entry into the common room had been a form of Russian roulette ever since the collective group had ascertained the payment that was required to gain entry into the common room. Draco had steadfastly avoided having to open the door; always so proud of his appearance he had avoided the door after Pansy's tree like impersonation in the first week.    

"You have been planning this haven't you?" Ron grinned back at his best friend

"Yeah course!! Draco covered in leaves and twigs. That's worth its weight in gold. Why do you think I have been making such an effort to avoid drawing attention to the fact that we are going back to the common room?"

At that moment Draco reached out his hand and closed it around the handle. Immediately the door clicked and opened but as he stepped across the threshold he realised his mistake as Ron and Harry fell about into fits of hysterics just behind him. Harry walked quickly up behind his lover and wrapped his arms around him from behind "Oh Dray, you make such a marvellous tree!!" and he buried his head into the blonds shoulder.

"Oh very funny Potter. You never wanted to speak to Weasley at all did you? You just wanted to see this didn't you?"

"Do you forgive me?"

"Forgive you? No of course I don't forgive you" and he disentangled himself from Harry's grip and moved quickly up into their room, slamming the door behind him. Harry could contain himself no longer and collapsed giggling onto the floor.

"Harry, mate that was amazing" Ron managed to splutter out a few minuets later.

"Yeah it was but you don't have to go upstairs and face the mood now" Harry grinned

Harry had slunk up the stairs and into the room to find an irate Draco sitting at his desk working on some homework "Hi Dray" Harry offered

"Don't you Dray me Potter"

"So you haven't forgiven me then?"

"Such intellect"

Moving over and rubbing his boyfriend's shoulder Harry began to kiss Draco's neck "So what do you think I might need to do in order to secure your forgiveness?"

"I don't know but don't think it will come easily"

"No I didn't expect it would come easily. I anticipate it being very hard" and he reached to feel Draco semi through his trousers.

An hour later the two lay resting on the bed drawing breath "Well Dray, your forgiveness was very hard. I might not be able to walk tomorrow"

"May it serve as a reminder" he grinned and pecked his lover on the lips "Now before I was so rudely interrupted I have Arithmancy homework to complete and if you want the weekend to yourself I am sure there are things you should be doing too"

The rest of the week was plain sailing though Draco steadfastly refused to open the common room door and both Harry and Ron soon learned that it was not wise to broach the subject of Wednesday evening again as they both narrowly avoided a well cast bat-bogey hex from Draco when they had mentioned it the following morning.

As it was the four left Hogwarts via the floo network back to Secrecy Avenue late Friday afternoon to be greeted by Kreature who had prepared Harry and Draco's favourite meal as a welcome home present. That evening they introduced Pansy to muggle motion picture films. They had started her off with a nice easy film a Disney production called Aladin. She was enthralled and took in the spectacle with raptured.

So it was that the following morning they ate breakfast and explained how to use the various muggle devices and left her a pile of films to watch when Kreacher had announced that Mr Cuffe was waiting for them in the study.

"Hello Gentlemen, I can't tell you how grateful I am that you could accommodate me in this matter"

"No worries, the sooner we do it, the sooner it's finished. Right?"

"Of course, of course"

"Would you like to pick up where Draco left off last time or is Harry continuing?"

"I guess it would make most sense if Draco continued and we got up to the same time frame?" Harry suggested looking at his lover

"Ok, well as I was saying at the end of our last meeting, Mother was to be seeing Father in Azkaban. I did not attend so I cannot tell you what actually happened during this meeting but I can tell you when she got home and came up to my room..................................."

"Mother, are you ok? You look quite pale"

"Thank you Draco, I am quite well"

"How was Father?"

"As well as can be expected; it's a wretched place" and lowering her voice to a bare whisper she continued "he asked me to pass you a message.   He concurs that the situation with the Dark Lord is quite precarious. Our first duty is to the Malfoy line and the family, no matter what. Service to the Dark Lord may no longer be enough and we must be prepared to protect the family and ensure our survival"

"I understand Mother"

"Do you Draco?" She gave the youthful blond a piercing look.

"I am not sure that you do! The Dark Lord is all-powerful and must be feared however; we cannot be naive enough to think that he cares about the Malfoy name. He is interested in us as long as we remain useful and the number of incidents makes me, I mean us, think that a little insurance would be wise. Your father would have you enter his study and retrieve a memory he secured there many years ago, when the Dark Lord was last powerful.  You will find this memory in the blood volt" The blank shock that covered Draco's face earned him a slight smile from his Mother.

"Yes Draco, the blood volt. You know of course where it is located?" he nodded "You Father has asked me to make this clear. You are to retrieve the memory and nothing else. He will know if anything else is disturbed, so I urge you son to heed these instructions. You are the first Malfoy in known memory that has been granted access before he inherited the privilege, do not misplace this trust"

"Of course Mother, the memory and nothing but the memory"

"You will require a Pensieve and your father has given you permission to use his"

"When will it be safe to look?"

"I am told very little these days but you would be wise to wait until he is not in the house"

"Continue to keep a low profile Draco"

"Of course Mother"

 

The clock chimed midnight several days later and Draco had crept stealthily to the window and watched as Voldemort had exited the mansion, flanked by Death Eaters, walked a short distance before disapparating. Making his move he cast a quick disillusionment charm and called for a house elf. With a crack it appeared, glancing round the room its brow furrowed, looking puzzled.

"Tizzy, over here" the elf shot a foot into the air

"Yes Master"

"Go to my Father's study quietly and check if the room is empty. If it is, come back here and fetch me"

Giving a low bow the elf disappeared with the faintest of pops. Moments later the elf was back.

"Sir, nobody is in the master's study" the elf proffered her arm in the direction she had last heard Draco speak and he grasped it as they moved from one location to another with another faint pop.

"Thanks Tizzy, you can leave now"

After the elf had disappeared he moved swiftly to the domineering bookshelf and reached for the ladder that was a mobile fixture of the shelves. Rapidly Draco relocated the steps and climbed to the 7^th from top shelf and reached for the blood red book. Pulling it back the adjoining set of false books hinged out into the room revealing an embedded metallic box. Reaching quickly into his pocket he pulled a small silver knife and wincing slightly he cut the forefinger of his left hand and pressed it to the metallic box. With an imperceptible `click' the box opened to reveal the ultimate Malfoy treasures. Draco had always considered `The Blood Volt' as a somewhat ironic name. It sounded so grand, so prominent that the first time he had seen it as a child he was astounded that it was nothing more than a midsized safe. The memory was easy to locate, a glass vile with a white haze emanating from it. Picking it up he closed the safe and carefully moved the faux books back into place. Zipping down the stairs he moved to his Fathers desk and pulled open the middle draw that housed the Pensieve.

Quickly he poured the memory into the Pensieve and immersed his head into the events that were now unfolding before him..............................................................................

"Now Mr Cuffe, I don't mean to be awkward but I cannot reveal at this time what occurred in that memory or it will quite steal Harry's thunder when we return to his story"

"And Draco has learned not to steal Harry's thunder" Ron offered grinning and Harry punched him playfully in the arm as Draco raised an eyebrow and looked down his nose at the ginger haired Weasley. "What I can tell you however is that I watched the memory and discovered some interesting facts. But that I had greatly over estimated the time I had available and found myself in a situation. I heard a door open and shut a short distance away from where I was and although I would have liked to have saved the memory I cast a destruction spell at the Pensieve and I pushed the draw back shut. I summoned the house elf again and transported myself back to my room. Just in time as well, because I watched the door opening!"

"Wow" The reported muttered under his breath and continued "a lucky escape!"

"Indeed. I think if he had caught me red handed it would have been Avada Kedavra for me. The Dark Lord is at his most dangerous when he is angry as Harry will attest to. But how he ever discovered I had seen the memory I don't know"

"Oh shit, I know! Draco I know!!" Harry all but gabbled at the blond.

"What how?" The blond looked flabbergasted

"In my dream, when he spoke to Wormtail and summoned Snape, Bellatrix and Dolohov. It must have been in the study! At the side of the room was a huge tall bookshelf.   I only saw it for a moment but there was definitely a desk and I couldn't be sure at all but I think the middle draw was open"

Draco groaned and clapped his hands to his face "The draw couldn't have shut properly can it? But how did he work out that it meant trouble for him? I had destroyed the memory"

"Did you destroy the memory in or out of the pensive?" The reporter looked up questioningly

"It was in; I had no chance of removing it in time"

"There is your answer Mr Malfoy. A Pensieve is an extremely powerful magical object, as it would need to be in order to project memories. Even if you had destroyed the memory the Pensieve would maintain what is known as `Trace Magic'. That is to say that the Pensive will always hold remnants of the last memory it had projected until it was replaced by another"

Draco's head thunked down onto the desk in front of them "Ughh! How could I have been so stupid? I signed my own family's death warrant"

Gingerly Harry leaned over to the blond and pulled him back and into his arms. "If you don't mind Mr Cuffe we will take a short pause and recommence presently"

"Of course, of course. As and when you are ready"

Harry led the blond to the kitchen and sat him down at the table. "Oh Harry, how could I have been so fucking stupid?!"

"Hey now! You did nothing wrong. Don't be silly. You are not the deranged madman here Draco"

"No but I let the madman find out. It was my mistake Harry. My Father wouldn't have made that mistake were our roles reversed" and his voice cracked. The steely composure threatened to break. Harry couldn't stand to see Draco upset. It was such an infrequent occurrence as he himself had the emotional tendencies and he pulled his now sobbing lover into his arms.

"Draco listen to me, please, yes you did make a mistake but nobody could have foreseen that or I am sure you would have destroyed the entire Pensieve. I didn't know that Pensieves had trace magic and I am sure that Ron didn't either. Yes it was a mistake and yes it could have been avoided but no you couldn't have avoided it if you didn't know to do anything different"

The blonds sobs cracked and he drew in deep lung full's of air. Keeping his head buried in Harry's shoulder he muttered "But you didn't get your parents..."

"Well actually Draco, using your logic, I did" The tear stained face moved from Harry's shoulder and into his face. Gently Harry moved his thumbs up and wiped away the trail of tears.

"How do you even go about figuring that out?"

"Well if I hadn't been born then there would have been no prophecy, no prophecy then no deaths"

"But Harry that's just ridiculous"

"Yes, I know it is. But it's no more the truth than blaming yourself for something you cannot choose. Remember this Draco; its all about the choices we made and continue to make. You cannot control the actions of a madman no more than I can"

"Yes I understand that but it was my carelessness that caused this. You just by being alive cant be held responsible for your parents deaths"

"We will have to agree to disagree on this point Draco, because you can't make an informed choice without knowledge. If you are missing the knowledge you are simply acting in good faith"

"Maybe. But it hurts. I know you didn't know my parents and whenever you met them they were always awful to you but they were still my parents and I love them"

"Draco, of course it hurts. I think about Hermione everyday and do you think Ron goes a few hours without thinking about her? Of course it hurts and I don't want to take that pain away from you. It's what makes us human and real but you have to understand that the pain doesn't make it your fault. I Love You"

"I Love you too Harry. So much it hurts"

"Well then, listen to me ok? This is not your fault. Your parents were casualties of war; the same as mine and the same as Hermione and all the others. But after all isn't this why we are doing these interviews? So that we as a community of people we learn from these mistakes and never let it happen again. I will say this only one more time. You, Draco Malfoy, are not responsible for a madman and his actions"

Draco sniffed and the faintest trace of a smile cracked the very edges of his lips "Thanks Harry"

"Hey; anytime. You know that right? God knows you have picked me off the floor enough times"

"Kreature" Draco called softly

"Yes Master Draco"

"Can you please organise some lunch for four and bring it through to the study"

"But of course Master. Kreature lives to serve" and he bowed deeply

"We going back then?" Harry questioned

"Yeah better had or we wont learn those valuable lessons will we?" Leaning forward Harry pressed his lips to the blonds' and tried to transfer as much love in the kiss as he could.

"Keep that up Potter and we will be going upstairs not the study"

"Oh no you don't Mr, March!" Harry said and pointed to the door.

"Sorry about that" Draco offered as they re-entered the room.

"Not at all, not at all. I fully anticipated when Minerva approached me about this project that it would not always be easy. I want you all to know that you have my confidence and my word that I will never exploit or publish any vulnerability I learn of as a result of these meetings. You have my oath as a Wizard"

"Well sorry anyways and to make up for it Kreacher is busily preparing some lunch"

"Sounds perfect" Mr Cuffe had said

"Shall we eat and then Harry can take up the tale once again?" Draco proposed

"That would be fantastic, thank you for your hospitality"

"No worries. If it's ok with you I am going to rescue Pansy and she can eat with us while we break"

"A pleasure"