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Power Plays Chapter 26
🕑 Added 2023-12-04 16:59:01 +0000 UTCHarry was heartened to see the Malfoy house-elves looking much better than Dobby ever did. They were clean, well fed, and had proper uniforms now. But more importantly than all of that, they looked happy as they delivered platters of delicious-looking food to the long dining table that everyone was sitting around.
Compared to the table that had been in here during Voldemort’s reign, this dining table was far more intimate. There were only a dozen seats around it, and the table was much smaller to account for that. Narcissa sat at the head of the table, and Draco was opposite her. Astoria sat to Draco’s right while Daphne sat to his left. Harry was next to his incredible girlfriend, and his godson Teddy was on his other side. Tonks sat across from Harry and was quite busy changing her hair into various colours, much to the amusement of Delphini, who sat in between Tonks and Narcissa and was happily clapping along with each change.
“I can do it too!” Delphini exclaimed with the glee that only a child could produce. She scrunched up her face in focus, and then her hair suddenly turned a bright pink.
“Delphini!” Narcissa exclaimed, aghast at the sudden change.
“Alright, kid!” Tonks cheered her on.
As Narcissa rushed to get Delphini’s hair back into its natural colour, Daphne leaned in close to Harry’s ear. “She’s not a metamorphmagus too, is she?” She asked.
Harry gave a slight shake of his head. “No, that was just normal magic,” he explained. “We would have seen other signs by now if she was a metamorphmagus.”
Narcissa huffed as she slumped back in her seat and stowed her wand away. “While I appreciate your help amusing Delphini, she really doesn’t need to be causing any more trouble than she already does,” she said to Tonks with a chastising look.
“Changing her hair isn’t any trouble,” Tonks protested. “Teddy and I do it all the time. See!” She exclaimed, pointing across the table at Teddy who had suddenly shifted his hair to match Harry’s black, messy hairstyle.
Delphini clapped with excitement, and suddenly her hair was turned to match Harry’s too.
For a moment, Harry's scar twinged when he saw Delphini looking like him. In her face, he could see glimpses of Bellatrix’s features, and even Tom Riddle’s, before he became Voldemort. A flash of Bellatrix’s cackling face moments before he killed her filled his mind. Seeing her features with his messy black hair on her head seemed so sick and twisted, and yet he knew that it was utterly innocent.
But then her hair was back to its usual dark, curly locks, and Harry forced his eyes away from the young girl. Her parents' flaws weren’t her fault, no matter how difficult it was to move past sometimes. Still, he kept a close watch on her. She seemed to think of him like an uncle, and Harry felt like he was some days. Others, he felt like a jailer, making sure that she showed no signs of any underlying malevolence.
Now wasn’t the time to have more of those dark thoughts fill his mind. This was supposed to be a happy get together, a bonding between four family lines who were so closely intertwined. The Potter, Black, Malfoy, and Greengrass families all deserved peace after all they’d suffered.
“I think he’s going to propose soon,” Astoria stage-whispered across the table to Daphne, much to Draco’s annoyance.
“Who said anything about that?” He asked with a sharp tone.
“Obviously not you,” Astoria grinned back at him. “But I’ve got a sense for these types of things.”
Draco rolled his eyes. “Of course you do.”
“Ignore him,” Astoria said to her sister. “He’s just being sour because he had a rough day.”
Draco opened his mouth to retort back something sarcastic, but he stopped himself at the last minute. It was a show of how much he’d grown over the past few years that he was able to ignore any slight against him, self-perceived or real, and move on, even with Harry at the table with him.
“You’re right, I’m sorry,” he apologised politely.
Daphne raised an eyebrow. “Looks like you’ve got him whipped into shape.”
“Yup,” Astoria giggled. “You almost wouldn’t believe it unless it came from me, but Draco’s been coming with me to St Mungo’s! He volunteers to read to some of the kids who are sick there while I have my appointments.”
Draco reading to sick kids? Harry cracked a smile at that.
“Something funny, Potter?” Draco glared at him.
“Not at all,” Harry replied, suppressing a chuckle. “I just didn’t know you had it in you to be a genuinely kind person.”
“Do I need to put you in your place too?” Daphne asked with an all-too-innocent tone.
“No,” Harry sighed after a moment.
“Seems like I’m not the only one who’s whipped,” Draco joked lightly.
Daphne leaned forward, placing her head right in between Harry and Draco’s sightline to one another to stop anymore bickering from happening. “Are you doing alright?” She asked Astoria concernedly.
“It’s fine,” Astoria waved her off.
Daphne bit her lip and reclined in her chair a bit. “Is it the blood—?”
“Trust me,” Astoria said a bit more forcefully. A sad smile came across her lips. “I’m doing okay, really. I’m as healthy as can be expected. They’re just started running some tests to see how I’d handle pregnancy—”
Draco nearly spat out his wine at that. “Pregnancy?”
“Yes, Draco,” Astoria rolled her eyes. “When you propose—”
“If,” he corrected playfully.
“When,” Astoria repeated. “Children will be our next big milestone.”
Harry watched as Daphne hid the concern that had been plain on her face just a moment ago. She was always so good at masking however she was feeling, but he’d learnt a great deal over the past several months that they’d been together on how to read her. Even if he wasn’t always able to decipher what she was actually feeling, he was quite good at picking up when she was lying with her expression, or at least not telling the entire truth.
Her concern for her sister wasn’t gone, but she wanted to hide it for now. She’d deal with it later in private, maybe with Harry around to support her.
Across the table, Draco took Astoria’s hand into his own. Unlike Daphne, he couldn’t hide the concern in his eyes over Astoria’s health. He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb in a calming, circular manner. It was clear to everyone just how much he cared about Astoria.
“Enough about me,” Astoria said, forcing a smile onto her lips. “Harry, I hear that you’re going to be giving my sister another headache tomorrow.”
“Yes, he is,” Daphne said with a teasing glare sent his way.
Harry shrugged. “If the Wizengamot would get off their arse and do their job properly, I wouldn’t have to show up to keep fixing their mistakes. Besides, they just want to drag this out as long as possible to annoy me.”
“That part’s true at least,” Daphne agreed, “but the Wizengamot are doing their jobs. They’re trying to make sure that everyone gets a fair trial.”
“The evidence is all the trial we need,” Harry huffed. “The Parkinson family is clearly guilty of harbouring dark artefacts.”
“Yes, but we don’t know if it’s just Leopold who was in the know or if his wife or daughter were aware of them too,” Daphne pointed out. “And it’s only through a trial that we’ll find the truth of it.”
“You’re right,” Harry sighed. “I’m just sick of having to come in and explain myself over every little thing.”
“It’s ridiculous,” Draco agreed, surprising even Harry with his words. “Ever since you became the Head Auror, crime’s been down across England, not just in the popular spots like Diagon Alley. They should be thankful that you’re making their lives easier.”
“Easier in the future,” Daphne argued gently. “Right now, we’re swamped with trials because of my boyfriend’s brilliant work. Even Madam Bones is getting tired of having to sit in on so many trials.”
“I think she’s just tired of having to see me so much,” Harry commented sullenly.
Ever since Susan’s death, things hadn’t been right between him and Amelia. There was a tension there that wouldn’t go away. Some days, she looked like she wanted to strangle him. Others, she wanted to cry on his shoulder. It was uncomfortable to say the least, but she kept shutting him down whenever he tried to talk with her outside of a professional capacity.
Everyone understood Harry’s shift in mood. Even though he’d never told anyone except for Daphne, he knew that she retold part of history with Susan back to her sister. As such, no one made any stupid jokes at his expense over this.
“Well, things will die down in another six months or so at the rate you’re going through criminals,” Astoria said hopefully. “The Death Eaters are practically all in custody, and enough pure-blood families have to be seriously considering disposing of anything that could get them arrested now that Harry’s the Head Auror.”
Daphne nodded her head encouragingly. “Definitely,” she agreed, leaning her head lovingly against his shoulder.
Harry smiled down at her and planted a chaste kiss on her forehead before he took another sip of wine.
Draco opened his mouth to speak, only for his eyes to flicker over Harry’s head as he noticed some movement.
One by one, everyone fell silent. Even Teddy, who had turned into quite the chatterbox over the last few months, was following everyone else’s lead. The only person who didn’t seem to react was Narcissa, who just kept eating her meal silently while avoiding looking up at the figure who’d just entered the room.
Lucius Malfoy stumbled over to the table, a half-drunk bottle of whiskey in his hand. The liquid sloshed violently in the bottle but never quite spilt out. He staggered around the table, looking around for an empty chair when there clearly wasn’t one. He ended up in between Tonks and Astoria, and when he settled his hand on the back of Astoria’s chair, Draco pushed himself back from the table and stood up. He stared his father down, but Lucius didn’t even seem to recognise the sharp look his son was sending his way.
The years since the war hadn’t done Lucius any good. His already pale skin was now looking positively pallid, and he seemed far more frail for his years than he should. His long, blond hair was shaggy, unkempt, and greasy from days without washing. His robes were as expensive and formal as ever—likely thanks to the hard work of the house-elves—but Lucius didn’t seem to fit them anymore.
Harry knew that Lucius had been living like a hermit since the war’s end. He rarely left the house, other than for any mandatory summons to the Ministry. Beyond that though, Harry knew very little about what he got up to every day, but based on the bottle in his hands, Harry had a good hunch.
“Where’s my seat?” Lucius slurred, asking the table.
“Nice of you to join us, husband,” Narcissa replied evenly. “I recall you saying that you didn’t want to join us tonight.”
“Yeah, well…” Lucius mumbled before lifting the bottle of whiskey to his lips.
Draco’s wand was in his hand in a flash, and he summoned the bottle right out of Lucius’s hand. Lucius rounded on Draco then, looking furious and ready to fight, but Draco didn’t back down. He vanished the bottle and then sat back down in his chair, his eyes never leaving his father’s face.
Then, like it’d never been there at all, the fury from Lucius’s face disappeared. It was replaced with a truly sad look that told the room that he knew just how much trust, respect, and love he’d lost from his family.
No one stopped Lucius as he slowly walked back out of the room. Nor did anyone say anything when Narcissa quietly summoned a house-elf and asked her to bring Lucius some supper in his room.
The mood lightened back up after that. Supper was delicious, as it always was whenever Harry and Daphne went over for a visit. Strangely enough, these suppers almost felt like a get-together at the Burrow with all of the Weasleys. Despite their past turmoil, the familial bonds binding everyone together was almost making these meals into a wholesome, family event. It was something Harry would have never predicted nearly six years ago when the war ended, but here they were.
It made Harry happy to see Teddy and Delphini getting along. The two kids were swiftly becoming fast friends. Perhaps it was the fact that they were both outcasts in a way: Teddy was the son of a werewolf and Delphini was the child of two notorious Death Eaters, not that anyone outside of this room and a few select people at the Ministry knew. Tonks and Narcissa were getting on as well. Besides Andromeda, who was often busy working at St Mungo’s as a mediwitch again, Tonks and Teddy were the last bit of her original family that Narcissa had left. Without Lucius lording over her and Draco, she seemed much more willing to do what made her happy, and that meant reconnecting with her family.
Astoria and Daphne were happily talking with each other, catching each other up on the latest bit of news in their lives. They were obviously very close, and it was nice that they had these meals to catch up with each other.
Draco was another great surprise too. Despite his eagerness to make fun of Harry and vice-versa, the two men got on better than Harry expected. He supposed it helped that their significant others were sisters, so it gave them yet another reason to get over their childhood conflicts. It didn’t make what happened back then okay, but Harry understood that they were both different men now, and he couldn’t go on blaming Draco when he’d changed for the better.
The meal tapered off when Teddy and Delphini started getting sleepy. Narcissa collected Delphini to go to bed, and Tonks did the same with Teddy. Harry, Daphne, Astoria, and Draco said their goodnights to them but stayed in the dinning room for just a little bit longer talking before they too decided to call it a night.
When their plates were cleared and their glasses empty, the four of them got up and headed for the entry hall.
“It was lovely seeing you again,” Astoria said as she gave Harry a tight hug.
“You too,” Harry replied as he hugged her back. He let her go and swapped places with Daphne, who had given Draco a small hug of her own. “Draco,” Harry said, offering his hand.
As Harry shook Draco’s hand, Draco pulled him in a bit closer to whisper something
“Can we talk for a second?” Draco asked as he jerked his head over towards a small room near the main entrance.
“Sure,” Harry answered, casually following him into the room while Daphne and Astoria continued to chat away happily.
Draco didn’t close the door, but he swung it over to try to block most of the sound from filtering out to the two women. He had a pretty serious look on his face as he turned back to face Harry, and Harry already knew what it was about.
“There’s still been no sign of Cyrus anywhere, Draco,” Harry told him honestly.
The Aurors had been searching for Cyrus ever since he mysteriously escaped custody. There was never any official explanation as to how Cyrus Greengrass and Nerys Orpington managed to escape, nor had there been any signs of either of them since. Truthfully, Harry figured that they’d left the British Isles all together. Perhaps they were hiding out on the continent, or maybe in the Americas.
But that answer wasn’t satisfying. Knowing that two of the integral members to Bellatrix’s plot to bring down the Ministry were still out there was dangerous enough, but it was made worse by the fact that one of them was his girlfriend’s own father. He supposed that Draco was the only other person who could truly understand his situation.
Draco just sighed like he’d been expecting that answer. “I figured; I know you’d tell me the second anything comes up. I just… look, don’t get mad at me, all right? I’ve been talking to some of my family’s old contacts—”
“Draco,” Harry groaned.
Draco’s eyes flashed with anger. “I don’t have much of a choice,” he hissed. “Astoria wakes up screaming in the middle of the night. She’s having nightmares that her dad is going to come back and hurt her and Daphne.”
“He never hurt them before though, right?” Harry frowned.
“No, I’m sure he hasn’t,” Draco confirmed. “But she’s still scared that he might. I mean, they always thought that he supported pure-blood traditions and whatnot, but they knew just how much support he gave to the Death Eaters. It’s like the rug’s been pulled out from under Astoria’s feet, and now she feels like she doesn’t know her father anymore. He never hurt them before, but who’s to say what he might do now?”
Daphne had expressed some of those same thoughts to him in private, but she didn’t seem as scared as Astoria was, at least not on the surface. It would be hard to say that a mind as clever and analytical as Daphne’s hadn’t considered the real possibility of her dad coming back to hurt them. She’d never let Harry see the fear though; that’s just the type of woman that she is.
“Even still, you can’t be getting yourself wrapped up in all of the pure-blood nonsense again,” Harry emphasised. “I know you’re not like that anymore, but not everyone will see it that way.”
Draco bit his lips as he mulled over Harry’s words. “I’m not doing anything too dangerous,” he explained. “It’s mostly been suppers and casual meetings. Everyone’s skittish of me given how I helped put away quite a few Death Eaters after the war, but I’m hoping it’ll change. Someone’s gotta know something, and I need to know it. As soon as I learn anything, I’ll pass everything on to you so that you and your hero complex will be satisfied, but you can’t ask me to keep my nose out of this. I… I love Astoria so much, and I can’t stand to see her tormenting herself over this.”
Harry’s heart softened at that. He could understand Draco’s motivations. Hell, he’d do anything he could to help Daphne with any problems she was facing.
“For the record, I still think what you’re doing is absolutely mad,” Harry said pointedly. “But, if you’re still going through with it, just be careful okay. Astoria cares more about having you in her life than seeing her dad locked away behind bars. And please come to me if you need any help.”
“I know,” Draco nodded. “And thanks, Harry. I won’t hesitate to reach out to you if any problems come up. If there’s one thing a Malfoy knows how to do, it’s rely on nepotism.”
Harry chuckled at the joke, and Draco did too.
When they stepped back out into the entry hall, Daphne and Astoria were both staring suspiciously at them. “What was that about?” Astoria asked curiously.
“I was just threatening Potter that he better keep treating your sister right,” Draco lied easily as he slid an arm around Astoria’s waist and hugged her to his side.
It was clear that Astoria didn’t believe him, but from the relaxed look on Harry’s face, she didn’t seem too concerned with what they’d actually been discussing. “Uh huh,” Astoria rolled her eyes. “Boys,” she muttered under her breath.
“Are you ready to go?” Harry turned and asked Daphne.
She nodded, and Harry stepped over to her side.
The two couples said their final goodbyes, and then Harry and Daphne disappeared back into the floo.
Comments
jp9901
Ah yes, the calm before the storm. Regardless, I love to see the family have a peaceful moment with one another.
