Chapter 2
Harry spent the rest of the night alternating between staring anxiously at Teddy and staring anxiously at Malfoy. At some point, he brought Teddy with him into Malfoy’s room and sat in the armchair next to the bed. Harry had no idea what Kreacher had done to make Teddy finally fall asleep, but, given that the baby was smiling in his sleep, the tuft of hair at the top of his head changing colour, Harry was pretty confident that it wasn’t some horrible dark magic.
Malfoy groaned and opened his eyes. “Wha-“ he started to talk, but soon remembered what had happened.
Harry cast a silencing charm over Teddy, hoping he wouldn’t wake up from their conversation. He watched as Malfoy started to panic. “Don’t move, Malfoy. Your skin is barely stitched together. I’ll doubt it’ll hold if you move.”
Malfoy stilled. He looked at Harry. “I’m not in Azkaban,” he observed.
“No,” Harry frowned. “You were cleared.”
Malfoy snorted. “I wasn’t cleared, Potter. I was pardoned.”
“So?” Harry asked. Malfoy rolled his eyes. Harry frowned. “Did you think I’d send you to Azkaban after you showed up like that?”
“No,” Malfoy said softly. “You were always far too trusting.”
Harry nodded. They looked at each other in silence.
“You have a baby,” Malfoy noted after a while.
Harry snorted. “Full of observations today, aren’t you?” He shifted the baby in his arms, feeling pins and needles in his shoulder. “This is Teddy Lupin. I guess he’s your cousin.”
Malfoy paled a touch and nodded. He was silent a bit longer, but then said quietly, “Thank you.”
Harry raised an eyebrow. He didn’t think Malfoy was capable of saying those words. “What happened?”
Malfoy shrugged. “I was at St. Mungo’s, dropping off some bloodwork. Someone cursed me.” At Harry’s look, Malfoy rolled his eyes. “Potter, you were the only person in the Wizengamot willing to pardon me. Many people want me dead.”
“That’s not true,” Harry frowned. “It was unanimous.”
Malfoy rolled his eyes again. Harry was starting to hate the smug git. “No one would dare go against the saviour.”
Harry frowned but decided to drop it. “How did you get here? The house is under Fidelius.”
Malfoy nodded tiredly. Quietly, he murmured, “Last year, Severus gave me a piece of paper with this address. He gave me an emergency portkey to take me here if I was ever in a situation where I couldn’t apparate. I vowed not to tell anyone of it.”
Harry breathed in sharply. “An unbreakable?” Malfoy nodded. Harry sighed. “What is with Snape and unbreakable vows?”
Malfoy half-smirked, but quickly rearranged his face into a frown. “I wouldn’t have come here if I knew it was yours. You don’t have to deal with this.”
Harry shrugged. “Add it to the list.”
Malfoy kept frowning. He looked at Harry carefully. “I owe you several life-debts.”
Harry shrugged. “Apparently a lot of people do, according to Hermione. I’m not planning on following up on any of them.”
Malfoy gaped. “You can’t do that!”
Harry looked taken back. “Why not? I don’t need anything from them. The war’s over.”
Malfoy growled in frustration. “You might not have any respect for Wizarding traditions, Potter, but I do,” he ground out.
Potter opened his mouth to argue back, but a voice interrupted them in the doorway. “He’s right, Harry,” Hermione said quietly.
It was Harry’s turn to gape. Glancing at Ron, who was standing just behind Hermione, it was clear that he seemed to think so too. “What?” Harry demanded.
Hermione flounced into the room and sat on the arm of Harry’s chair. She sighed, and Harry could tell he wasn’t going to like whatever she said next. “Look, Harry. Whether you like it or not, you are the leader of the Wizarding World,” Hermione started, rolling her eyes at Harry’s expression. Before he could interrupt, she continued, “Kingsley may be Minister, but only because you support him. You are the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. People respect you.”
Harry raised his eyebrow, wondering where she was going with this. “We can agree to disagree on that, but what does this have to do with life debts?”
“Nothing,” Hermione said calmly. “It has to do with wizarding tradition. No offence, but you have no idea what you’re doing.”
Malfoy smirked, “That much is obvious.” Harry held up a hand before Ron attacked the wizard they had just healed.
Hermione frowned. “Voldemort is dead, yes, but he was only the figure head of the blood purity movement. You may not like it, and believe me, I don’t, but the purebloods have every right to feel the way they do about muggleborns.”
“Excuse me?” Ron exclaimed indignantly. Harry gaped at her.
“Well, obviously, I don’t agree with them, but I can see why they hate people like me,” Hermione said quickly. “They’re scared.”
Malfoy stared at her with appreciation. “You’re smarter than you appear, Granger.”
Hermione rolled her eyes. “I thank you for the compliment, Malfoy,” she said dryly. Turning to Harry and Ron, she continued. “Honestly, did you two ever pay attention in History of Magic?” Taking one look at them, she sighed. “The blood discussions have been a source of tension in Wizarding society for over a hundred years. I know you’re not going to like to hear this, Harry, but some of the decisions Dumbledore made were not good for wizarding society.”
Harry rolled his eyes. “I know that, Hermione,” he said dryly. Ron, Hermione and Malfoy looked at him in shock. Harry shrugged. “He raised me to be a slaughtered. He kept me at the Dursley’s because the blood wards were strengthened whenever I spilled blood on their land. I’m not exactly his biggest fan,” he laughed humourlessly. “He did what he had to, to kill Voldemort. So did I.”
Hermione nodded with satisfaction. “I’m glad you know you were manipulated,” she said.
Harry shrugged. “It worked, though.” Ron and Malfoy looked horrified, but Hermione nodded grimly.
“Well, he was doing questionable things before you were born, too,” Hermione continued. “In addition to the whole Grindelwald debacle, he changed a lot of laws about muggleborns. You know, once upon a time, we were told of our magic before we turned 11. The Ministry knows if you’re magical when you’re born. It makes no sense for us to be denied the truth. It puts people in danger.
“Anyway, Dumbledore changed the rules. I’m not really sure why, probably he hoped we would have an appreciation for muggle culture, unlike wizards like Grindelwald. All of a sudden, muggleborns started being introduced to the Wizarding World with no knowledge of the Old Ways. The purebloods weren’t happy. I mean, of course they weren’t, their culture was being erased. Hardly any wizards and witches today practice the Old Ways. People don’t even really celebrate the holidays,” Hermione said sadly.
Ron nodded at this. “We used to celebrate Midsomer Midwinter, Samhain and Beltane in secret.”
Harry frowned. “Why in secret?”
“Because practicing the Old Ways has become synonymous with being Dark,” Malfoy said without preamble. “I’m surprised your parents celebrate, Weasley.”
Ron shrugged. “We may be blood-traitors, but we’re still purebloods. Olim in via da fortitudinem.”
“The Old Ways give strength,” Hermione translated for Harry’s benefit.
Malfoy sighed sadly. “It’s not just a saying, you know. Our magic becomes weaker if we don’t provide it with the proper respect.”
Harry looked up in surprise. “Do you think that’s why I’ve become more powerful?” Draco looked at him with confusion. Harry sighed. “When I killed Voldemort, I took his magic. I don’t know how or why but ever since then I’ve been much more powerful. Is it because Voldemort used to practice the Old Ways?”
Malfoy frowned. “I’m not sure. I doubt it. By the end, the Dark Lord didn’t practice much. He was a psychopath. He forgot what he was fighting for.”
At Harry’s confused look, Hermione sighed. “When Voldemort was younger, before he went mad from making the…” she trailed off, glancing uncomfortably at Malfoy. They had decided not to tell anyone about the Horcruxes. As far as the three were concerned, the less people knew about them, the less likely they’d be to create them. Harry nodded at Hermione, indicating he understood. She continued. “Anyway, before he went properly dark, he wasn’t trying to kill muggleborns.”
Ron and Harry looked at her with surprise. She continued, “The purebloods wanted to take them away from their families and raise them in the Wizarding World. That way, the culture is preserved, and no one is risking revealing magic to muggles.”
Malfoy nodded. “That’s what my father joined for, originally. At least, I think. Also, because the Dark Lord was crazy powerful, and it was suicide in Slytherin house to go against him.” He looked at them. “Don’t get me wrong, he knew what he was doing. He didn’t have any qualms about killing muggleborns. He wasn’t a good person by a stretch of the word.”
Lucius Malfoy had died in Azkaban a week after the battle. Harry had to admit he hadn’t mourned the loss, but he felt sorry for Malfoy now. “Sorry for your loss, Malfoy,” Harry said quietly.
Malfoy snorted. “No, you’re not. I’m not either. He was my father – he was suffering, now he’s not.” He shifted awkwardly under their gaze. “You were saying, Granger.”
“Right, yes,” Hermione startled into action. “Well, I obviously don’t condone taking children away from their parents, but I understand their concerns. Anyway, with all the changes Dumbledore made to centuries old laws, combined with the overall weakening of magic, the purebloods got angry, scared and defensive. That’s how Grindelwald rose to power and that is how Voldemort rose to power. Just because Voldemort is dead, doesn’t mean the issue’s closed.
“If we don’t start acknowledging the Old Ways now, we will either get dragged into another war, or a whole culture will disappear. I’m not okay with that,” Hermione said with determination.
Malfoy looked at her appraisingly. “You continue to surprise me, Granger.”
Hermione tried not to look too pleased. “Anyway, Harry, you are the leader of the Wizarding World now. If we want to make changes, we have to start at the top. That’s you.”
Harry felt heat rise to his cheeks. “But I don’t know anything about the Old Ways.”
Malfoy gaped at him. “Nothing?” he asked outraged. “You’re a Potter for Merlin’s sake. Not to mention the Head of an Ancient and Most Noble House.”
Harry shifted uncomfortably. “Several, actually,” he frowned. “How am I supposed to know the Old Ways. No one even told me I was a wizard until I was 11.”
“What the fuck?” Malfoy asked incredulously. “If Dumbledore wasn’t already dead I might try to kill him again.”
Ron made for his wand, but Harry stopped him. “He was joking, Ron. Well, not really, but he wasn’t threatening us.”
Malfoy looked slightly apologetic but didn’t say anything.
Harry turned to Hermione, “So what’s this got to do with life-debts?”
Hermione shrugged. “I think you should have people honour them. Formally. I’ll have to do some research, but I’m sure it can be mostly symbolic. The people need to see that you respect the Old Ways, and they will too.”
Malfoy nodded his agreement. Suddenly, Hermione gasped. Ron and Harry groaned. At Malfoy’s confused look, Ron explained, “That’s Hermione’s I-just-had-an-idea gasp.” Hermione elbowed him. Ron turned to look at her. “Ow. Am I wrong?”
Hermione deflated. “No.” At their looks she perked up and started to explain. “Malfoy how many life-debts do you owe Harry?”
Malfoy looked as uncomfortable as Harry felt. “Three.”
Hermione nodded thoughtfully. “Would you like to repay them?”
“I would like to honour the ways of the Old. I owe Potter a debt. I can’t formally ask to repay them, as I am not standing up, but yes, I would like to repay them. I don’t want my magic to get any weaker,” Malfoy said quietly.
Hermione looked at Harry questioningly. “What if he was to repay you by teaching you the Old Ways?”
Harry shrugged. “Er, I guess. It might be a good idea. If he’s okay with it.”
Malfoy looked thoughtful. Finally, he nodded. “I was raised my whole life to be a noble Lord. I know how Potter needs to act, and I think I know how to use Potter’s influence to restore the Old Ways in wizarding society. If we do this right, we might be able to prevent another war.”
“You don’t sound hopeful,” Harry noted.
“There will always be another war,” Ron and Malfoy said at the same time, looking as shocked as Hermione and Harry. Harry couldn’t help but laugh at their expressions.
Teddy started to stir, and Harry knew it was time for breakfast. “We’ll leave you to rest, Malfoy. I’ll have Kreacher send up some breakfast.”
They trio made to leave, but Malfoy stopped Harry at the last minute. “Thank you, Potter. I think you might have just agreed to save the Wizarding World again.”
Harry smiled tiredly. “Yeah, I reckon I just did.”