Harmony Not Understood

The day after the match, Harry visited the office. No one was inside the entrance hall as he passed through it, but in the main office he found everyone hard at work. Hermione looked up as he walked in.

"Morning Harry. If you’ve got time to spare, could you go through that pile of paper over there? Honestly, Nilorn’s robes must have has a pocket enlargement charm on them for him to be able to hoard this much in them!"

Nodding, Harry sat by the mound of parchment she’d pointed to. The room buzzed with a mild enthusiasm, no where near the normal cheerfulness but certainly the best recently. Smiling, he got to work.

Sorting through each of the pieces one by one. Harry learnt quite a bit about Nick Nilorn. His job had placed him in the same department as Orenda, in the same group of Obliviators. And by the amount of scheduled drink and meetings written on the scraps of paper Harry had in front of him, the two were quite good friends. He found this quite strange, as another scrap named Nilorn as a former Hufflepuff, a house Orenda had set down in Hogwarts folklore as ‘The greatest lot of idiots known to wizards, Muggles or otherwise.’ On the 47^th piece of paper recording a meeting, Harry was about to break into a rendition of the infuriating Muggle song ‘Its a Small World’ when Ron jumped up with a yell.

"I think I’ve got something!"

Everyone crowded round him as he started to explain. "It’s a list of codenames. At least, I think they are. Look. The top 5 are ticked off. The first one is ‘Shrieking Serpent’. That would be Astuci. You remember how her eyes were almost reptilian in colour? And a banshee’s voice box is self-explanatory. Then.... ‘Scottish King is Duncan Dhaet because...Duncan was the murdered king in Macbeth isn’t he? That might be it."

" ‘The Stringed Instrument’ will be Viola Salsang." Pointed out Lyca.

"And the ‘French Flower’ will be the Delacours." Added Hermione.

Lupin pointed at the next one on the list. "‘Keeper of the Skye’ is Meaghan without a doubt."

"So, what is the codename of the tip-off?" asked Harry, raising his eyebrows in question.

Ron squinted at the paper, "After Meaghan, there’s only one name given."

"Which is?" Asked everyone in chorus

He frowned. "‘The Latin Dragon’"

Hermione and Lupin exchanged looks of confusement. Hermione returned her gaze to her fiancée. "That’s it?"

He nodded, "In its entirety."

"An aggressive person from Latin-American?" offered Lyca

"An Italian dragon keeper?" suggested Ron.

A chill ran down Harry’s spine as a thought hit him. "Hermione...what’s Latin for dragon?"

She looked up at him, "Draco, why.... oh!" She realised what he was thinking with a start. She went pale, brown eyes concerned. Harry turned to Lupin.

"Please tell me I dreamt that the Malfoy’s had Veela relatives."

Harry parked the car outside Malfoy Mansion and looked at the only other person in the vehicle. "This is it Lyca." He said, shoulders slumped as he sighed audibly.

She grinned. "Cheer up Harry. Malfoy is all talk. He needs our help just as much as Meaghan did."

Harry laughed bitterly. "You try telling him that. Malfoy thinks he’s invincible. The day he willingly accepts help is the day I give up wizardry and live with the Dursleys. It’s never coming. I dont know why Hermione sent me anyway."

Lyca raised her eyebrows, "You dont? Well, how about the fact you are the only one of us he has even an inch of respect for. Oh, and the small factor that you saved his life!"

Harry scowled, "Not intentionally."

"Intentionally or not, he wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you. He owes you!"

Harry sighed again. "And I’m going to go waste that favour on persuading him to let me save his neck again, right?"

"Just so."

"Great, I’m glad you clarified that." He said gloomily. He looked down at Lyca. "Give me a good luck kiss before I face the dragon’s wrath,"

Her golden eyes glittered with mischief. "Anything to oblige."

Harry knocked on the door quite apprehensively. It had been a long time since he’d seen Draco Malfoy. As he stared at the door, he saw not the roughly carved oak, but a replay of the last time he’d met his school rival.

In seventh year, Harry had gone after Voldemort. To this day, he didn’t know what had possessed him. And Draco, poor stupid Draco, had followed. He had probably planned to swear allegiance to the Dark Lord, as his hatred for Harry had reached a peak.

What Draco didn’t know was that Voldemort had murdered Lucius Malfoy, and killing the heir would only be a bonus prize

Had Harry not seen him when he had, Draco would have been dead meat. Whereas Harry had hidden, Draco had gone straight to Voldemort. But before he could give away Harry’s hiding place, the Death Eaters had started clamouring. The Dark Lord had pulled out his wand and knocked Draco out cold. However before he could kill the boy, Harry had sprinted out. All attention had swung to him. At the end, with Voldemort defeated, Harry had lifted the unconscious Draco, and carried him back to school unceremoniously over one shoulder.

That had been the last Harry had seen of him. Whilst he had got swallowed up in the events, Draco had spent three days in the Hospital Wing before being sent home early. He hadn’t spoken to Harry since before Voldemort’s downfall. Harry wondered how he would react as he knocked again.

Lyca watched Harry disappear around the corner before tapping a small button hidden by the radio switch with her wand. A large microphone and speaker appeared on her lap. She spoke into it.

"Ron? Hermione? Just thought you’d like to know Harrys just gone in."

Ron answered. "Ok, thanks Lyca," he audibly rolled his eyes, "I don’t why we're bothering with this. I mean this is MAL-"

A loud cough from Hermione stopped him in his tracks. Lyca barely suppressed a giggle as he continued. "Of course, he is NEARLY as important as the rest of the victims...."

Hermione’s voice came down the speaker next. "Contrary to my fiancée’s beliefs, Malfoy is as important as the rest of them. Make sure that when Harry comes, he brings Draco and the rest with him."

The door was eventually answered by a pretty young woman with wispy dark blonde hair and grey eyes. She smiled at Harry who smiled back. He barely knew Malfoy’s wife, Blaise Zabini, but she had been in his year. When he said who he wanted to see, she pointed a door in the hall out to him before heading into another room, from which came the sounds of a gurgling baby.

Harry turned to the other door. Before he opened it however, he heard two voices arguing on the other side. He stood still trying to make out what the were saying...

"I don’t care! Its out of the question Severus."

"For Merlin’s sake! Do you want you and your family to be trophies on the wall Draco?"

"Severus, I will not let anyone help me. Least of all him."

"You know Draco Malfoy, I’ve had you down as a lot of things. Selfish, smug, foolhardy, rash; at one point even evil...but I have never accused you of being an idiot. That is, not ‘til now."

Harry knew it was time to announce his presence. He knocked three times on the door; three square raps that broke the silence.

"Come in." Came the cold emotionless voice of Draco Malfoy.

Harry stepped into the room. It wasn’t particularly special as rooms in mansions went, but it was definitely grander than Harry’s flat. But, he thought to himself as he gazed round the huge parlour, at least my flat has a feel to it. The room here was bereft of all life, except for the two other men there.

Malfoy glared at him angrily. "What the hell are you doing here Potter?"

He was sat in a chair on the far side of a desk. On the side nearest to Harry sat a greasy haired professor who had turned spy at Voldemort’s second rise. Harry nodded to Snape, the man who had never really forgiven him for getting to The Dark Lord first. The older man did not return the nod, but looked at Harry with deep black eyes that hid all emotion beneath their cold surface.

Harry turned his attention back to Malfoy, who regarded him with a look of icy suspicion. "And good morning to you too Draco. Tell me, do you welcome everyone with that good humour, or just the people who have prevented your hasty departure from this world?

His old archrival scowled. "State your business Potter. I have many things to do today."

"My business? Well, surely you must have heard about the killings. And I believe the Prophet reported the motive this morning. Sorry, have you suddenly lost the ability to read?"

"What are you babbling on about now Potter? This has nothing to do with me." Snapped Draco in frustration.

Harry, who now stood by the desk, put his hands on it and leaned in. He spoke in a chilling voice. "It has everything to do with you Malfoy. Everything. You’re Miseresse Malfoy. And this person knows it. You’re the next on the list."

"How d’you..."

"How did we know you were Miseresse? Oh for heaven’s sake Malfoy, everyone knows what lengths your family went to in order to keep its blood ‘pure’. Half your female ancestors are Veelas, just because your forefathers refused to marry Muggles or Muggleborn witches."

Draco stiffened for a couple of seconds before returning to his normal contempt look. "Ok, you’ve told me. What else do you want."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Well, I would have thought that obvious."

"Wizard I am, mind-reader I’m not. Please tell me what you and those Muggle-loving colleagues of you want. Tell me now, or get out of my house."

Snape’s eyes flashed from Harry to Draco then back again. From the look on his face, he half-expected Harry to lose his calm. But Harry kept his cool. "I came here to take you and your family into hiding, until the danger has passed."

Draco’s face hardened. "No chance."

"Are you mad? Do you want to die? Do you want your wife and child to die?"

"We Malfoy’s are perfectly able to look after ourselves Potter!"

Harry leaned in further. "If you are so able a family, how come your father was killed by Voldemort, and the only reason you weren’t was because I stupidly intervened! Looks like it was a waste of time!"

Draco shot up out of his chair, eyes like blazing ice. "How dare you bring that up! Get out!"

Harry stood up straighter, rage bubbling up inside him. "Someone needs to remind you that you aren’t invincible Malfoy. You have no idea how many people put their necks on the line in order to keep you safe from him when he was after your father. To die now because of stubbornness would be like spitting on the graves of war heroes."

Draco, face contorted in malice, spat on the floor in front of him then looked up with his scornful sneer. "Then I spit Potter. There is no way I will accept help from you."

Harry snapped. But somehow, Snape must have seen his burning fury reach its peak, for he quickly stepped between the two of them. Giving Harry a warning look, he turned to Draco. "I suggest you talk privately with your wife about this. It is a joint decision remember. Come on Potter. We’ll wait in the hall."

After Blaise had gone in and shut the door behind her, Harry turned angrily on Snape. "Why didn’t you let me go for him! He disgusts me..."

Snape waved the remark aside. "Because, Potter, despise it though you do, Malfoy is in danger. And I happen to know that Blaise is the only one who has any chance of talking him into this."

"No one is going to change his mind Snape."

"Incorrect as usual Potter. Blaise is an outwardly quiet version of her late aunt. And Katalin Zabini was the most vicious, ambitious and manipulative Slytherin I have ever studied with or taught."

"Late?"

Snape’s face darkened as if he relived some fearful memory in his mind. When he spoke again, his voice was bitter. "Both Katalin and her brother, Blaise’s father, became Death Eaters. They were never the closes of siblings, but...well, the Dark Lord encouraged distrust between members. He played us off against one another. Katalin and Donavan drifted further and further apart. Then, finally, Katalin was sent on a solo mission of high prestige. I had been told by Voldemort to fly on broomstick overhead, out of sight, to see how she did. She had the victim’s head in a bag and was walking the path to the Riddle house when Donavan stepped out from the shadows. She knew what was happening. I remember, she threw the bag away and yelled at him that he was cheating his way to glory. He just smirked, aimed his wand, and killed her where she stood. He checked her pulse very matter-of-factly, picked up the bag, and walked back to the meeting."

He shook his head, not attempting his look of loathing and disgust. "Potter, you have to decide whose enmity you value most. A serial killer, or that the disrespectful pureblood in there who you’ve hated for years. Right now, schoolboy rivalries are just nor important enough. I had to decide myself. Side with my life-long enemies, or keep watching my power-hungry housemates, my so-called friends, commit all sorts of atrocities to reach their ends."

Harry scowled. Though he hated to admit it, Snape had a point. He didn’t like getting lessons in moral values from the Head of Slytherin, especially one that had a grudge against him, however well he hid it now. But he would have to live with that fact.

Suddenly, the door opened, revealing a calm controlled Blaise followed by a ruffled looking Draco. Blaise smiled. "My husband has changed his mind."

Draco muttered something under his breath and was promptly elbowed for his pains. Glaring at Blaise, he spoke slowly. "If you are still willing to give us a place of hiding..."

Harry glanced briefly at Snape before nodding. "Of course."

Blaise grinned triumphantly. "I’ll just go get baby Calum." She disappeared into the other room.

Draco rubbed his sore arm before turning to Snape. "Will you sort out things here Severus?"

The man nodded. "We’ll get some independent Aurors in here to housesit. They won’t pry."

As Draco agreed, albeit with a grimace, Blaise returned with a snoring carrycot. "Lets go. We’ll get other stuff sent up later."

Harry passed them the invisibility cloak. "Hide under this. Don’t take it off until I say. Now, lets get going."

Harry, Lyca and the Malfoys pulled up outside the offices about an hour later. With a lot of grumbling from Draco; husband, wife and baby were installed into the converted cellar. After setting the last ward in place Harry dusted his hands and turned to Lyca. "It’s been a long day. Hermione owes me one!"

Lyca hugged him. "I’m so proud of you! How did you get him to come?"

Harry smiled a knowing smile. "I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again; never trust a smiling Slytherin."

"You mean Blaise..."

"Yes."

Lyca whistled, impressed. "I didn’t know she had dragon quelling in her blood."

Harry kissed the girl’s forehead. "Something we all need to learn is that what you see is not always what you get. Come on. Let’s not hang around here all day. We’ve got a murderer to find..."

Together, they walked slowly up the stairs.