Chapter Text
Chapter 25
Harry liked his cane. He secretly hoped that he didn’t heal fully just so he could keep it. Although, he wished he didn’t have to use it during finals as it got in the way more than it helped. As he could talk to most of his animals they were barred from the examination room. He wanted it to be known he wasn’t a cheater, although Deli had somehow snuck into every exam room he was in. The only time she let him out of her sight since the Quirrel incident was when he was asleep because she knew Jethro and K-9 literally slept on top of him so he wouldn’t be going anywhere. Harry smiled to himself as he felt out the Transfiguration Practical, slightly annoyed that the Professor had obviously written most of the words wrong.
Harry could understand that he couldn’t review the test to make sure it was written correctly but he had heard that there was someone who was hired to copy his exams in each class into Braille. He had to wonder if Professor McGonagall had refused help because all the other exams were fine or if someone had purposely given him a worthless sheet of paper with the words Transfiguration Final written at the top. Harry sighed and raised his hand, hoping to get the attention of the person officiating the exam.
“Yes Mr. Potter?” Harry smiled in the direction of the voice.
“Hello Professor Flitwick, I seem to be having a problem reading my exam. Yes, it is in Braille but there are no words. It’s like someone just put random dots on the page and hoped they were making a sentence.”
Professor Flitwick’s eyebrows melded together in confusion. “I do apologize Mr. Potter, however, that is the only Braille test that was given to me. How about we do this instead. You come up to the front, bring all your things, and I’ll read the questions to you. You can copy them down how you have been for tests previously.”
Harry smiled and nodded his thanks as he began to pack his things. When finished he stood up and held out his hand for his professor to take as he really didn’t know how to get to the front of the room. The Professor took him by the wrist and slowly led him to sit at the examiner's desk and began to read out the questions. Harry answered them as quickly and diligently as he could, he didn’t want to run over his time. Thankfully, they finished just as the bell went to signal the end of class. Harry smiled and handed his teacher his answer sheet. “Thank you for this Professor, I really appreciate it.” Flitwick laughed lowly.
“It was no problem my dear boy. Now run along, I see a crup anxiously awaiting your return.” Harry smiled and nodded as he put his typewriter away and put his bag onto his back. This was the last exam until the Leaving Feast the next day so he could at least relax for a while. He slowly felt his way out of the exam room, leaning heavily on his cane as the pain potion he had taken earlier wore off. He had to take them with food so either he would have to talk Professor Snape into giving him a snack from the house elves or wait till dinner. He smiled at the thought. Since the Quirrell thing the Professor had become doting in his own dour way.
He always made sure Harry had enough to eat, even from the teachers table and when he was in the common room late at night the Professor would talk to him until he fell asleep; tell him about his parents and their respective friends. Harry didn’t much like his father and his friends, mainly Sirius and Peter Pettigrew but the Potions Master had told him that his mother wouldn’t have married a horrible man so he must have changed as well as his friends. Harry would hold out that maybe his father had changed but he wasn’t so sure about the other two.
As Harry made his way to the dungeons, Jethro guiding him and K-9 running around them in circles, Harry thought about all that had happened this year. He couldn’t help but smile. Yes, he had almost been killed but he had made friends. Friends! Something he never thought he’d ever have and now he had, at least, five in Greg, Vince, Blaise, Pansy and Draco. Harry chuckled. Draco was a bit more than a friend though wasn’t he? Granted he had only seen his eyes in the Mirror of Erised but he had read the book Lady Malfoy had given him from cover to cover at least five times so he knew. Granted this was probably a milder connection than what Draco felt but still, it was there.
When Harry got to his Professor’s office he knocked and waited until the silk over steel voice called him in. “Mr. Potter, to what do I owe this visit?” Harry grinned.
“I need more pain potion sir and I was wondering if you could get a house elf to get me some…. apple slices or something to take it with?” Harry felt the smile on his HOH’s face.
“Of course Mr. Potter, please, follow me into my private quarters and we shall have an early tea.” Harry’s grin turned into a wide smile and they followed the Professor into his rooms. He would miss their late-night talks when he was at the Dursley’s but then again, them and the memory of his friend, Draco, would most probably keep him sane.
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The ride from Hogsmeade Station back to Kings Cross was shorter than Harry had expected. Maybe it was because he had wanted it to last longer. Harry sighed, at least something that he had wanted had happened, the cane was still in use. Granted, he didn’t really need it but hey, it was his cane and he’s use it for however long he bloody well wanted to. As they waited for the train to be relatively empty to get off the five friends said that they would be in touch by way of letters and Harry smiled sadly. Even if he somehow got letters, he knew his Uncle would burn them before he even knew of their existence.
When the train was relatively empty they gathered their things and made their way to the platform, to their waiting loved ones. Harry, being injured as his shoulder really was still in pain, was having Draco help him get onto the muggle platform with his parents where his ‘family’ should be waiting. As he said goodbye to the others he felt something...off. Harry looked around but when he didn’t see anything he chalked it up to the dread rising in his throat at the thought of returning to Private Drive. When they had made their final goodbyes Draco, Harry and the Lord Malfoy exited Platform 9 ¾ only to find no one waiting for Harry. At least, the Malfoy men said they didn’t see anyone resembling Harry’s relatives on the platform.
Harry thought this might be a gift, that or Vernon was running late, which was more plausible than any other excuse. “Maybe they stayed in the parking lot,” Harry suggested. Lucius nodded, pretending he knew what exactly that was, and lead the boys in the direction it hopefully was. Thankfully the Malfoy sense of direction was correct but there was still no relatives. Lucius’ eyebrows furrowed and he leant down to whisper; “Tell me the address and we’ll apparate.” Draco went a little green and Jethro whined. K-9, made no sound, as he had been forcefully taken to Malfoy Manor for the summer hols and Deli, who was in Harry’s trunk, sighed. They all hated that particular form of transport though Harry was fine with it, he had a strong stomach you see.
They gathered in a near empty alcove and Harry gave the address before they huddled together and popped away.
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The house was empty, no, not just empty, it was bare. There were no signs that the house had ever been inhabited. Harry’s breath came in sharp pants. This was too good to be true, he had to be dreaming although he really wished he wasn’t. There was a For Sale sign with a big red Sold over it though so maybe he wasn’t dream. Draco grinned. “Does this mean that Harry stays with us?” The elder Malfoy sighed. “Sadly no, this means we need to have a conversation with one Albus Dumbledore.” Harry sighed. Of course it was too good to be true.
******
The Headmaster met them in a private room in the Leaky Cauldron to discuss what was going to happen with Harry and his living arrangements. Things were not going well.
“Seeing as I am his magical guardian he will stay with me over the summer break.” That was the sentence that tipped Harry’s anger into high gear. Granted Dumbledore didn’t know that they knew he was spouting a load of bollocks but it still caused Harry to stand to his feet and slam his hand on the table.
“You, Albus Dumbledore, forget yourself. You may have been my magical guardian, yes I mean in past tense, but you are no longer eligible to make decisions for me. You see, according to wizarding law if a situation like this were to come up the abandoned party would stay with his mate and or his mates family.”
Dumbledore smirked. “Well Harry-”
“Mister Potter to you.” Harry cut in. Dumbledore twinkled harder.
“Very well, you see Mr. Potter, you do not have a mate so-” He was cut off by Harry’s laugh. “How stupid could you possibly be! If I didn’t have a mate do you really think I would have brought this up? And before you spout out rubbish about it being impossible for to have a made at such a young age keep in mind that it’s not. It’s rare yes, but not impossible. Who is my mate you wonder? Well, let me introduce you to Draconius Lucius Malfoy, Heir to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Malfoy.” Draco gave the Headmaster a cheeky wave as Harry continued. “Now you’re going to say, ‘You can’t possible know that, you’re blind!’ You would be right Headmaster, however, thanks to you leaving the Mirror out for me to find I could, at that time. Know what I saw Headmaster? My family, and what is a family without a mate eh? I saw his eyes in that moment and even though it was just a reflection of what his real eyes are the connection was still made. Now, this was strictly a courtesy meeting. I am spending the summer holidays, as well as any other holidays, with my mate and his family. Do you have any questions?”
Dumbledore was fuming. “How do I know you are not under some type of compulsive magic?”
Harry sneered. “Really Dumbledore, I know you were in Gryffindor but at least prove that you have some brains. There are always tells when a person is under a compulsion and you know them, well you should anyway. This meeting is over Headmaster, you would do well to remember that. You are dismissed.” With that Harry sat down and a strong wave of magic pushed the Headmaster into a forced apparition and he landed in his quarters in Hogwarts. Harry looked over at the Malfoys and grinned.
“You got Harry.”
~Fini~