No More Hogwarts
"Three Poisoned at Yule Ball—Malfoy Heir Suspected!"
“This writer has it on good authority that during last night’s Yule Ball, the young Malfoy heir poisoned one half-blood and two Muggle-borns. Draco Malfoy, much like his father, seems to have inherited not just his looks and house but also his beliefs. Read more on page 13,” Jason read aloud from his bed in the infirmary.
Draco sat silently on Hermione’s bed, still in last night’s dress robes, tears streaming down his face. “I didn’t do anything! You know I wouldn’t hurt you, right, love?” he pleaded, looking up at Hermione with eyes swollen and red from crying.
Hermione gently smoothed back his hair. “I know, love.”
“I’ll even let you into my mind to see,” Draco offered, desperate to prove his innocence. “I care about you, and our friends, very much.”
“Darling, you’ve been reassuring your girlfriend all night. I’m sure she understands,” Narcissa interjected as she approached Hermione’s bedside. “Honestly, dear, please go shower and change. I’ll stay with her.”
Draco hesitated, whining for a few moments before both women gently ushered him away.
“Hello again, Jason, Roy,” Narcissa greeted the boys, who were also recovering nearby.
“Narcissa, as beautiful as ever,” Jason quipped, winking.
Roy tossed a balled-up sock at him. “Hello, Mrs. Malfoy.”
“It’s Ms. Black now, but do call me Narcissa,” she corrected, a tight smile on her lips. “Do you three have any idea who might have done this?”
“I have my suspicions, but this isn’t a place where we can talk freely. You understand,” Jason replied, gesturing vaguely around them. “But it looks like they got what they wanted.”
“You think they wanted to frame Draco?” Hermione asked, sipping her water. “If the framing was successful, it would drive a wedge in our group.”
After the poisoning, house-elves searched all the students’ belongings, finding a vial of poison in Draco’s trunk. His very locked, very warded trunk. Hermione knew from experience how difficult it would be to break through those spells and replace them, something beyond the capability of most students.
“-yne, I must urge you to reconsider,” Dumbledore’s voice drifted into the room before the doors burst open. Dick Grayson practically ran to Jason’s side, with Tim and Hari close behind. “Little Wing, are you okay?”
“Wow, thanks for the concern, Dickie,” Roy said dryly, sipping the tea provided by the infirmary. His eyes met Dick’s, filled with blue fury. “When you started dating my little brother, you became dead to me.”
“I’m fine, Dick. Moody and Snape were competent for once,” Jason reassured his brother, patting him on the back. “What’s going on?”
Dick sat on Jason’s bed, his expression serious. “I have orders from Bruce to pull you guys out of school. It isn’t safe.”
“What about the tournament? I thought Hari had to participate, or something bad would happen to him,” Hermione asked, trying her best to ignore Narcissa, who had begun braiding her hair.
“It could damage his core, yes, Miss Granger,” Dumbledore chimed in, a little too cheerfully. “He must stay. You may withdraw your other brothers if that is your wish.”
“We can’t leave Hari here, Dick,” Tim insisted, tugging at Dick’s leather jacket.
Dick effortlessly picked Tim up, placing him on his knee. “The rule is Hari has to compete, not that he has to stay on the grounds.”
Roy stifled a laugh. “Oh, Merlin.”
Dumbledore’s eyes narrowed, losing their usual twinkle. “Could you elaborate, Mr. Wayne?”
“My family will be pulled from your school, taught at home—the one we have here in England—and return only for the tournament tasks,” Dick stated, his glare rivaling Bruce’s. “It works better for everyone. Sirius can return to his treatments in Switzerland without using a Portkey every week. Jason can help Charlie recover, and Roy can practice his teaching. It’s a wonderful plan.”
“If you’re removing the boys, I can take Draco out as well,” Narcissa added. “We can do classes at the Black family home. It has a wonderful library and a dueling room. Hermione, you should join us!”
“I can’t sanction this,” Dumbledore spoke, trying to maintain his composure but clearly struggling.
Dick stood to his full height. “You don’t have a choice. The Headmaster already agreed with me.” He motioned to Professor McGonagall, who entered the room with a few Aurors at her side.
“Albus, your presence is requested at the Ministry,” she said firmly.
“I see,” Dumbledore replied, his voice humming with resignation. “Very well. May we revisit this topic after the second task, then?”
“Doubtful,” Jason responded curtly.
Dumbledore walked out of the room, following the Aurors.
“So, Hermione, want to be homeschooled with us?” Hari asked, rocking on his heels with a grin.
Hermione sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I’ll think about it.”
--
James let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “This is great. They can finally have some normalcy.”
Regulus snorted. “Nothing is normal if Cissa is going to be teaching them. She’s a beast.”
Lily hummed, playing with Jason’s hair as he tried his best not to twitch too much—a little game she enjoyed teasing him with now and then. “That means we can be near Charlie again. We can ask her to investigate Moody—Crouch.”
James smiled, a hopeful glint in his eyes. “Yes, perhaps we might be able to save him.”
“This will be interesting,” Regulus muttered as he flipped through the pages of an old, leather-bound book, his thoughts already spinning with the possibilities of what was to come.
Lily’s fingers paused in Jason’s hair, and she looked up at her loves. “Do you think Narcissa will really go through with it? Teaching all of them, I mean.”
“She will,” Regulus replied confidently. “She’s fiercely protective of those she cares about. If she sees this as the best way to keep Draco—and by extension, the others—safe, she won’t hesitate.”
“True,” Lily agreed, resuming her playful game with Jason’s hair. “But if anyone can manage it, it’s Narcissa. She’s got that Black family protectiveness.”
Regulus hummed, a slight smirk on his lips. “You know, there’s an old tale that says the Black family descended from dragon companions.”
James raised an eyebrow, a teasing grin forming. “Oh, is that why you’re all insane and ready to kill for the things you love?”
Regulus chuckled, leaning into James as he kissed his cheek. “And don’t forget collecting pretty things.”
“Collect pretty things? What pretty things do you collect?” James laughed, intrigued.
Regulus looked between James and Lily, his voice full of certainty. “I have two pretty things right here.”
James and Lily’s faces turned bright red, their blushes deepening. James smirked, shaking his head. “Smooth, Black. Very smooth.”