Chapter 10
Malfoy’s seat at the dining table was empty when they returned, a note in its place.
‘Potter,
I was called away on urgent personal matters. To the left of this note is some correspondence that needs addressing – I have drafted responses but I will not send them until you’ve read them and given approval. Use your signet ring. Speaking of, please get an owl. Kreacher is fed up with going to the post office in Diagon Alley.
I will not be available tomorrow. You have a meeting with Head Auror Robards at 10 sharp in the morning. Please be on time. I know you’d prefer to floo directly to his offices, but I think you should make an appearance in the atrium of the Ministry. As much as you would like to be, you are not a normal wizard. The people need to know you are still there, involved in the rebuilding of the wizarding world, still fighting for them. Madam Malkin has finished all of your non-formal robes – they are in your wardrobe. I’d suggest some plain black robes with the dark red cloak – it is invocative of the Auror uniform. Dress for the job you want and all that.
If you intend on being seen in person, I’d recommend bringing both Weasley and Granger. They’re part of your team, after all. They should stand two feet behind you as you are walking but move in front of you if the press becomes too much. Don’t answer any questions, and don’t shake any hands. Say that you will be addressing concerns shortly. Keep your public appearance short and sweet – just enough for them to take a few candid photos. Don’t bring Teddy – you need to cultivate your image as a war hero, not a teen-aged parent.
I look forward to hearing of your visit to Potter Manor.
D. Malfoy.’
Harry frowned, a little disappointed, and perhaps a touch jealous, that Malfoy wasn’t waiting for him. Passing the note to Hermione, he said, “I don’t know how I feel about using you two as my body guards.”
Hermione was silent as she read. She sighed, “I’m not particularly keen on the idea of being in between the press and you, either, but he is right. You’d be two vulnerable if you were by yourself, and if you took anybody else it would raise too many questions.”
Harry couldn’t help but quietly think that he didn’t have anybody to take, anyway. Ginny was still underage, and if he brought her people would no doubt ask about their non-existent relationship. George was still too fragile. Bill and Arthur were working. Molly would be babysitting Teddy. His heart sank a little as he remembered everybody else he used to have to guard his back was dead.
“I do hope Malfoy is alright,” Hermione said, dragging Harry from his thoughts.
Harry raised a brow. “Why wouldn’t he be?”
Hermione rolled her eyes. “’Urgent personal business’ is posh speak for someone close to you is sick. Probably Narcissa.” Clocking Harry’s expression of worry, she added quickly, “I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
Harry nodded, but grabbed a blank piece of parchment. It was thicker than the stuff he usually used and picking up the quill resting in the ink pot next to it, he realised that it too was much fancier than the one he had found in the bottom of his school trunk. Glancing at the note to see how he should structure it, he wrote:
‘Malfoy,
Thank you for your note. Potter Manor was fantastic. It’s beautiful. You would like it, I think. There is a portrait of my dad. It was nice to speak to him.
I hope you and your mother are well. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help. I’ll have Kreacher take this to you, and he can get you anything you need. He’ll love waiting on your mother – she’s a true Black.
I’ll do as you say tomorrow, but I’m not looking forward to it.
See you soon,
H. Potter.’
Folding it in thirds as Hermione showed him, he poured a bit of dark red melted wax that was sitting in a small bain-marie onto the letter and pressed his signet ring onto it.
The end result was pretty messy, but Harry knew that Malfoy would be pleased that he at least attempted to be proper. He couldn’t help the flush of heat that spread across his cheeks at that thought. Why did he care so much what Malfoy thought of him?
As Harry fell into bed that night, he forgot to uncork the bottle of Dreamless Sleep on his bedside table for the first time since the Battle.
Waking the next morning, he felt more awake and refreshed than he had been in many months. Teddy had only woken up twice to be fed and had fallen asleep fairly quickly both times.
Over breakfast, he read over the letters Malfoy had put aside for him. Two were from Kingsley, with updates on Greyback’s trial and details regarding the meeting with Robards. Malfoy’s response was concise but cordial, thanking him for keeping Harry informed and involved. Harry was surprised at how much Malfoy’s words sounded like Harry’s, if a bit more thought-through and proper. One was from Hagrid, inviting Harry to lunch sometime this week. Malfoy had hit the nail on the head with his response, asking for him to come to Grimmauld Place instead. Harry loved Hagrid, but his food left a bit to be desired. Harry copied the letter word for word onto a new sheet of parchment but replaced Grimmauld Place with Potter Manor and explained a bit about the property.
Another letter was from McGonagall, thanking the Harry, Ron and Hermione for their help at Hogwarts over the past few weeks, as well as an additional thank you to Harry for the significant donation he had made. To be totally honest Malfoy had organised all of it, and Harry had just signed off on it. Nevertheless, it felt good to be doing something helpful for a change. A further donation had been made to St. Mungo’s for those injured during the battle.
Seamus and Dean had written with an invitation to their engagement party. Harry was thrilled for them. A lot of people had been getting married recently, Harry supposed the war had made everyone realise just how short life was. Ron, Harry and Neville were to be their best men.
Neville himself had written with an invitation to Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Ginny, Dean, Seamus and, notably, Malfoy, for drinks at a muggle pub local to him. He had included a brief explanation in Harry’s, saying that his grandmother had heard from Narcissa what Malfoy and Harry were attempting to do and that she was thrilled. Apparently, all of the ‘Old Crowd’ was. Harry had no idea who that was, but Harry was pleased that Malfoy was invited too. Harry penned a quick acceptance back, asking if it was alright if George came too, thinking it’d be good for him to get out for a bit.
Malfoy had also drafted a formal letter to The Prophet, outlining a hefty donation from Harry for them to ‘conduct an extensive internal review.’ Harry smirked as he read the letter, personally thinking Malfoy’s not-so-veiled threats were pretty amusing.
Making sure all the letters were properly formatted and signed, Harry sealed each one. He called for Kreacher.
“Master,” the house elf cracked into the kitchen.
“Hey Kreacher. How were the Malfoys?” Harry asked anxiously.
The house-elf looked quite dejected. “Mistress Black is not being well, Master. Is raving and screaming at Kreacher. Master Malfoy is calming Mistress down with potions.”
Harry frowned. He hadn’t known Narcissa was quite that unwell. “Did Malfoy say he needed anything?”
“No,” Kreacher said. “Master Malfoy is thanking Master but is saying it is under control.”
Harry nodded. He supposed there was nothing else for him to do. “There at a Ministry safe house, right?” he asked.
“Yes, Master.” Kreacher said, his ears drooping. “It is not being fit for the home of a Black.”
Harry nodded, wondering if Malfoy and his mother would want to move into Grimmauld Place if Harry, Ron and Hermione moved to Potter Manor. It would certainly make much more sense and keep the house from being empty. He’d ask next time he saw Malfoy. Changing the subject for the incredibly depressed-looking elf’s sake as well as his own, he asked, “Is it possible to mail-order an owl?” Harry wasn’t quite up to facing Diagon Alley.
Kreacher nodded. “Kreacher be getting Master an owl. What type is Master wishing?”
Harry sighed. He still grieved for Hedwig – his first magical friend after Hagrid. “I don’t mind,” he said. “Not a Snowy. Something that won’t tire from large distances.”
Kreacher looked very happy as he nodded. “Kreacher is getting Master an Eagle Owl. Master Regulus was having an Eagle Owl,” he said matter-of-factly.
Harry shrugged, happy enough with that reasoning. “Thank you, Kreacher. Can you please take these to the Post Office and have them sent out?” he asked, handing over the letters. “You won’t have to send anymore once I get an owl,” he promised.
Kreacher nodded eagerly and cracked away.
Harry wandered upstairs and into Teddy’s nursery, surprised to see Ron sitting quietly with a sleeping infant in his arms.
“I’m stuck,” Ron whispered, not wanting to wake Teddy.
Harry chuckled, sitting down on the floor next to his friend’s armchair. “Rooky mistake.” He glanced at his watch. “He’ll wake up soon for his next feed anyway.”
“Thank Merlin,” Ron grumbled, but looked down at Teddy with such care in his eyes that the effect was ruined.
They sat in comfortable silence for a bit, before Harry sighed. “I’m worried about Malfoy.”
“Mate, when are you not worried about Malfoy?” Ron asked with a smirk.
Harry rolled his eyes. “No, I’m worried about Narcissa. Kreacher said she was raving and screaming.”
Ron nodded. “She was in Mungo’s for a few weeks after the trial. Apparently, she caused some damage when she put up her mental shields against Voldemort when she lied to him about you being dead. That’s what the healers think, anyway.”
Harry looked at him in surprise. “Where’d you hear that?”
“Mum. She went to visit when Lucius died,” Ron explained, shrugging. “Said that no one deserves to be alone in grief. She volunteers at Mungo’s a lot now, to keep her mind off Fred.”
Harry frowned. Ron hadn’t really talked about his older brother since the battle. “How are you going?” he asked quietly.
Ron sighed. “I’m not great,” he admitted, biting his lip. “It hurts. More than I thought it would.” He blew softly on Teddy’s forehead to remove a stray blue lock from the baby’s face. “I’m glad I’m not at the Burrow. That’d be too much.”
Harry nodded. The two never really talked about their emotions, unless they were yelling at each other - part of what Hermione called their ‘toxic masculinity’ - and knew Ron was feeling uncomfortable being so vulnerable. “I don’t want to live by myself,” Harry said quietly. “I know you want to live near Hogwarts, so you can see Hermione. I’ll get used to it. I’ll just miss you both.”
The three of them had been living together for almost nine months. Before that, Harry and Ron had nearly always shared a bedroom. Harry wasn’t sure how he’d feel when he was suddenly alone.
Ron frowned. “Are you going to move into your castle?” he asked.
“I think so,” Harry nodded. “It’s certainly much nicer than here. Plus, I think it’d be good for Teddy to be around Remus.” At Ron’s look, Harry added, “I know it’s not really him. It’s just a portrait. But I didn’t know what my mum or dad looked like until I was 11. I don’t want that for Teddy.”
Ron nodded. “Still, it’s a big house. You sure you’ll be okay?”
Harry shrugged. “I’ve faced worse,” he said self-deprecatingly.
“Do you think you could get more portkey ring things?” Ron asked suddenly.
Harry shrugged. “Probably. Why?”
Ron grinned. “Well, if Hermione and I had one, I could live with you. She could live with us on the weekends. I mean, we’d have to ask McGonagall, but she’s hardly going to say no – not to Hermione. I could apparate into Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley to work in the shop.”
Harry grinned, feeling much better all of a sudden. “You’d really do that for me?”
Ron nodded. “If you’ll have us,” he said nonchalantly, as if he hadn’t just offered Harry the solution to all of his problems. “Hermione wants to track down her parents in the Christmas holidays though.”
Harry nodded. He was surprised she hadn’t wanted to go before school went back, actually.
Ron looked at him through the corner of his eye. “Actually, I wanted to ask you something,” he said, seriously.
Harry raised an eyebrow. “Everything alright?”
Ron nodded, shifting Teddy slightly. “I think I want to ask Hermione to marry me. When we find her parents, I want to ask for their permission. Ginny told me that’s a thing muggles do. Since you’re her family, too, I wanted to talk to you first.”
Harry’s face split into a wide grin. “Of course, you have my permission! I’m so happy for you!” he exclaimed.
Ron smiled, looking a little relieved. “I know it’s a bit soon, but I don’t really care. I know I want to spend the rest of my life with her, and I’m not going to wait any longer.
“She’ll be thrilled, Ron,” Harry told him confidently. Teddy seemed to think so, too, as he blinked his eyes open and started fussing.
Ron gratefully passed Teddy into Harry’s willing arms. “I haven’t got a ring yet, but Ginny said she’s going to help. I’d never find one on my own.”
Harry smiled, thanking Kreacher as he cracked in with a bottle for Teddy. “Can I come too? Not that I know what to look for, but it’ll be fun.”
Ron clapped him on the back. “I believe that’s your official duty, best man.”
Harry’s cheeks heated up. “Really?” he asked. “I thought you’d want one of your brothers.”
“Don’t be an idiot. You are my brother, Harry,” Ron said, a touch fiercely.
Harry’s cheeks were no doubt brighter than a tomato by now. His eyes started to water, but he blinked them away. He’d always considered Ron and Hermione his family, but it filled his heart to know they thought of him the same way. He wiped the formula on Teddy’s chin with a muslin wrap. “Thank you,” he said quietly.
“Get used to it,” Ron grunted. They’d both had their fill of emotions today. “I’m going to have a shower.”
Harry couldn’t wipe the smile off his face for the rest of the morning, even as he was changing Teddy’s nappy.
Just short of an hour later, the three were dressed semi-formally, and were dropping Teddy off at the Burrow. Harry dressed as Malfoy had directed, and Ron and Hermione were both wearing plain black robes over some training blacks that Malfoy had procured them.
“Wow,” Ginny said as they emerged from the green flames. “You three are a sight.”
Harry shifted uncomfortably under her appraising look. “You think so? It’s not a bit much?”
Hermione rolled her eyes. “Harry, you just defeated Voldemort. You need to look the part,” she said, gratefully accepting a mug of coffee from George. “Besides, if we present a united front, it’ll be harder for the press to rip us to shreds.”
Harry gulped, not particularly fond of the idea of being torn to shreds. He hugged Teddy closer to his chest. “Can’t I just stay here?” he pouted.
“Absolutely not,” Ginny admonished, plucking the baby from his arms. “Come on, Teddy, your godfather has to go and be a badass now.”
Sighing, he kissed Teddy on the forehead. “See you soon, Teddy.”
Glancing at Ron and Hermione, he grabbed a handful of floo powder and threw it at the hearth. “The Ministry,” he said, trying to muster up some courage.
“Let’s go and face the wolves,” Hermione said grimly.