Of Lions and Wards2 Chapter25

Chapter Twenty Five: New Allies:

Narcissa knew that her son would not be happy being brought here to Grimmauld Place. However she was not caring how he felt about it at the moment as she was tending to Severus. It was strange she thought how two women from opposite sides of the social scale could have become friends because of their shared care and concern of one man. Yet it had happened, Narcissa had been brought to Grimmauld place for her safety (the cover story was she had been arrested) and had heard what had happened to Severus. She had surprised Molly with insisting she help care for him and so after only two days they were friends. Right now she had to go in and wake him as he was needed in the kitchen by Aberforth. She liked Aberforth but was still unsure about Dumbledore but knew he was in his own way trying to do what was right.

"Severus?" She said sitting across from him on the bed brushing a lock of his dark hair out of his face. "Severus I hate to wake you but you are needed in the kitchen."

"I have chocolate for you." Molly added.

"Hnn, now that is a bribe Molly and you know it." He said waking fully and opening his eyes.

"Yes, if only to get you to take your potions." Molly said.

"I hate that stuff." Severus said.

"Well you did make it, you need it." Narcissa said handing him a vial of nutrition potion. "Maybe now you will think about taste in your potions?"

"It would destroy the effect of the potion." Severus said downing it and refusing to show how bad it tasted. "That would not do anyone any good."

"No you are right it would not." Molly said handing him the promised chocolate.

"By the way while you were sleeping today I got a chance to get to know your son." Narcissa said. "He is a very sweet young boy, very well behaved."

"I am surprised, he has Sirius Black in this house as an influence."

"He really looks up to Remus." Molly said. "He listens to him, they have a lot in common."

"Brains for one." Narcissa said. "Sirius has no brains, pity but then all he needs to do is marry to carry on the Black name."

"If he lives that long." Molly said. "You almost killed him with that last round."

"I was no more harsh with him than I am with Lucius." Narcissa replied primly.

While they were talking Severus got up and drew on his robes over his night shirt. As he was not planning on leaving the house and he did not feel particularly well he did not bother to fully dress. He did run a comb through his hair, made sure he was clean shaven and followed the women out slowly. His body still ached from the days of torture and that was not going away anytime soon. He was grateful his son had not suffered badly from him being gone, then again he refused to sleep alone and Severus allowed his son to sleep with him. It helped Max as he was worried he had lost his father after just getting to know him. However with Severus around all the time Max was a happy little boy spending as much time as he could with his father.

"So Draco is in the same house as Harry and the house is still standing." Severus said as they walked down. "Miracles still happen it seems."

"Well I think we all know what happened the last time they fought." Molly said.

"Yes my arm was sore the rest of the day from those brats." Severus growled.

"Yes well I did try to keep Draco from being a brat but his father." Narcissa said rolling her eyes. "I am going to hex him off the planet one of these days."

"Get in line, there are quite a few that want to do that." Severus said.

"I know, he is a prat but I love him despite that." Narcissa replied. "I can't help but love him."

"So shall we see how Harry and Draco are fairing?" Molly said steering the conversation away from Lucius Malfoy.

"Yes lets." Severus said.

Down in the kitchen Draco was sulking and glaring at Harry who was glaring right back. Neither boy said a word to the other and Remus had taken on himself to sit between both of them. He would head off a fight before it started that much was clear. Sirius was pacing the room while Tonks was once more dressed conservatively and had not changed her looks from "normal mode" today. Harry glared at Draco not liking the boy in his godfather's house. He reminded him too much of his father, a man he had helped beat up one week ago today. He wished Lucius Malfoy was still here so he could continue torturing him, he was sure Lucius was alive and well laughing at them all.

"What are you looking at scar-head?" Draco shot at Harry.

"How nice it would feel to knock you down." Harry replied.

"That is quite enough!" Remus said in his best teacher's tone.

"Stupid Slytherin!" Harry shot at Draco.

"Claw-less cub!"

"Balls-less bastard!"

"I said enough!" Remus said getting up and grabbing two boys by an ear each.

"Let go of me wolf!" Draco snarled.

"Ow Remus that hurts!" Harry whined.

"Ah Severus you are up then." Remus said still holding onto the boys' ears as he saw Severus walk into the kitchen. "Feeling better?"

"Have them under control?" Severus asked glaring at the two boys.

"Of course, ah Mrs. Malfoy," Remus said as Narcissa came into the room. "They would not listen to me, had to take Draco in hand."

"That is quite alright professor." Narcissa said glaring at her son. "If he does not start behaving he will be over my knee, apologize to Mr. Potter."

"I am sorry Potter." Draco said sulkily to Harry.

"Harry your turn then." Remus said.

"I am sorry Malfoy." Harry was just as sulky in his reply.

"Good, now sit!" Remus said.

The boys sat and rubbed their sore ears but did not dare say anything. Aberforth came in with Dumbledore who was not looking very pleased. Then again he was not happy his brother had gone behind his back and done what he had. Still that was Aberforth for you, he did what he thought was right and he had called this meeting to set a few things straight. He dropped a sack on the table and took out the ruined diary first and put it on the table holding back the others for now.

"Who knows what this is?" Aberforth said holding up the diary.

"The diary that my father managed to get destroyed so that the dark lord was upset at him?" Draco said.

"I destroyed it because it was killing Ginny!" Harry said hotly. "Voldemort was inside it."

"Harry Potter stop saying his name!" Severus hissed.

"I will not sir, he killed my parents, put a death warrant over my head, I think I have a right to use his name sir."

"Mr. Malfoy," Aberforth said walking up to stand over the boy. "What is the one thing you want to do above all else when you leave Hogwarts?"

"I want to play Quidditch sir." Draco said very quietly.

"I see, a noble ambition." Aberforth said. "You want to be happy, make others happy. So that being said do you really wish to serve Voldemort?"

Draco fidgeted in his seat, what did he want to do? He knew his father probably expected it of him and he really did not want to let his father down. He loved him so much but then he really did not want to kill or hurt anyone. He was not a fool he knew what Voldemort had his followers do and he really did not want to do that. Still the dream of wizard supremacy was hard to turn one's back on. Would he be doing the right thing? He searched deep inside and realized that yes he would be doing the right thing if he refused to serve the dark lord as he really did not want to!

"He has made Horcruxes." Sirius said quietly to Draco.

"He did what?" Draco said revulsion on his face, clearly he knew all about these by his reaction. "He could not, no-one is that evil these days to make one."

"He did not make one." Dumbledore said looking keenly to his brother than the boy before him. "Am I right in my thinking that he made six?"

"Six?" Draco said turning very pale. "Six but, that means, how, excuse me."

He ran out and was gone for a moment to throw up. Harry was taking this a little better as he had been told about Horcruxes a few days ago by Sirius. Still his own head reeled as he realized what this meant. Six, the greatest of evils done not once but six times. Harry had a feeling God was not happy with how one of his own had badly abused his soul. Draco came back and Severus slipped him a potion that Draco downed.

"So what do you need me to do to get rid of him?" Draco said. "That is why I am here right?"

"You remember the thing I confiscated from you boy?" Moody said limping up to him.

"Yes sir." Draco said, "what wait that could not be, I just thought it was fascinating!"

"It's a Horcrux boy, not so keen to touch dark stuff now are you?" Moody said smiling grimly.

"Kindly stop tormenting my godson." Severus snapped at Moody.

"Oh shut up you over grown brat." Moody said.

"Make me." Severus said taking his anger of the ministry out on Moody.

"Let's concentrate on what needs to be done." Dumbledore said heading off a fight. "How may did you destroy?"

"Diary, locket, cup, ring." Aberforth said throwing each item on the table. "This one is yours to do Draco."

"Me?" Draco said as Aberforth held up the silver circlet in his hands. "But why not Potter? Why does he not do this?"

"Because he has to kill Voldemort and you need to prove you're really on our side." Aberforth said. "You destroy this you help destroy Voldemort."

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"It's the diadem of Ravenclaw." Draco said. "Really you can be so thick."

"Be nice Draco!" Narcissa warned. "If you like sitting down at all that is."

"How do I do this?" Draco said.

"Try this." Aberforth said handing him a sword. "From your house, its Salazar's, Severus found it a few weeks ago, as if someone put it there for him to find."

Draco studied it carefully as well he should. It was of the finest goblin made steel and the hilt had gold worked into it with emeralds on the ends of the hilt. It was perfectly balanced and Draco thought he felt the power of Salazar going through him. He took the sword and with one graceful strike he cut the diadem in half. At once there was a scream of pain and he dropped the sword to cover his ears. But like before it did not last and he looked down to see a tar like substance much like blood seep out. He looked up a new look on his face, a noble look that made him look more like a man than boy.

"So where do we go now?" He asked.

"I think I will invite snake face to school." Harry said.

"Harry don't you dare." Severus said.

"Why not?" Harry said. "He really needs to be schooled."

"Nice one Potter." Draco said smirking.

"Aw our pup is growing up!" Sirius said acting as if he were to cry. "I could cry I am so proud."

"Yes that he is." Remus said. "I vote we let him make the next move, and hopefully it will be his last."

"I am sure you will wish to let Ron and Hermione know what has been going on." Molly said to Harry. "You may use the floo to tell them."

"Why do they get to know and Crabbe and Goyle do not?" Draco groused.

"Because Harry's friends are loyal and can be trusted." Moody said. "Yours cannot."

Draco sulked and Harry grinned as he took the floo powder from the fireplace and called out the hospital wing of Hogwarts and went to speak to Ron and Hermione. As they had been hurt in the battle, Ron's arms were heavily bandaged from getting attacked by brains from what he called the brain room and Hermione was hit with a horrible curse that kept her in bed and taking ten potions a day. Harry told them quietly what he had done and how Draco had helped them by destroying one himself. Hermione was thoughtful, yes Draco was Slytherin but that did not mean he was wicked or bad. No just ambitious, already she was very upset at what Umbridge had done to Severus and so glad she was gone from Hogwarts. Moody was coming back to finish teaching defense against the dark arts and as Severus was still wanted by the ministry Slughorn would take over for him until his name was cleared, things were back to as normal as they could be.

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I know it sounds strange that Draco would know about Horcruxes at first. But if you look at his family, Malfoy dad, Black mum then it does make since. At the very least his mother would have taught him about them and possibly how evil they were. Which is why I think she never really was on ol' Voldy's side, she was more concerned about her son, which is why in cannon she went to Severus when she learned what her son was being forced to do. So her taking a chance to stop Voldemort here is not out of line.

Do please review!