Transition

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Transition By Firesword
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~ Chapter Twenty-Two: An Adventuresome Pair ~

Monday, 6th July 1998.

The morning was sunny and the clear air filled Harry with a peculiar sense of cheerfulness. He leaned forward and studied the herb garden below. He noticed movement under a bush of mint leaves; it was a pair of squirrels and they were foraging on the ground. The house's two Persian cats -- Sneaky and Starry – that were only intent on chasing each other, startled the squirrels and Harry watched the two little animals scamper for the nearest tree at a dead run. He laughed as the two cats tumbled around and bit playfully at each other's tails. Starry – the female cat was given the name because of the patches of silver fur that ran along her forehead and spine – braced herself, snarled, and bat at the other cat with her paw. Then she bounced and sprinted away, and the chase began all over again.

"Starry! Sneaky! No playing in the garden!" Bluestone yelled. Harry could smell scrambled eggs that wafted up and hit his nostrils.

So, our bedroom is above the kitchen, Harry mused.

Harry focused his attention on the trees that provided a calm and pleasant view to the bedroom. The pines lined the edge of the forest, a barrier that separated nature away from the world of humans. Starkmind had told him that there were a few ancient oaks and yews scattered inside the forest, and had hinted that they were good natural hideaways.

Rays of sunlight continuously changed its angle as the sun rose higher and higher into the sky. Harry was so mesmerized by the dancing golden light that he did not hear Draco's call. He only became aware when Draco touched his shoulder.

"It's too early to daydream, Potter," Draco said with a crooked smile.

"I'm not daydreaming, ferret," Harry replied, turning around to face the Slytherin.

"Not ferret, love. I'm a fox," Draco corrected. "I thought you knew. I even have a license, you know."

"I dismissed them as rumors," Harry said and walked towards the door. A slight noise stopped him however. When he glanced over his shoulder to check out what it was, his boyfriend was glaring at him. "What?" he blinked in confusion and wondered if he had said something wrong, that provoked such a reaction.

Draco muttered something under his breath and took several menacing steps forward. Without warning, the wizard disappeared. In his place, a silver-white fox regarded Harry with an icy gaze. Draco Malfoy, in his Animagus form, trotted forward and in contrast to his previous behavior, started to twine his lithe body around Harry's shins.

"Well?" Draco asked as soon as he returned to his human form.

"Bloody cute." Harry grinned when an irony struck him. "It's funny that you, who was so curious about the Dark Arts, can be as fair as day."

Draco made a face. "I saw you change into a black wolf once, during that time when you and your friends were ambushed on the way to Hagrid's class." His expression turned into a pleading one. "Just once, please. I'd like to see a wolf up close. I just want to be sure that my memory wasn't playing tricks on me."

Harry laughed and made his change. He sat patiently on his haunches and sniffed at the air. Draco smelled excruciatingly wonderful that it made him giddy. His boyfriend knelt on the wooden floor and hesitantly touched his muzzle.

"Your eyes are still vibrantly green," Draco observed. "And right here," the wizard caressed the spot beneath each of Harry's eyes, "the fur is darker. Must be the mark of your glasses."

The wolf could sense that Draco was gaining confidence with each touch. He did not know if he should feel relieved or regretful that Draco did not consider scratching his belly too.

"Just as I had seen, but this time in greater detail, of course. You are truly magnificent!" Draco declared and got up to his feet. Harry took that as a signal to change.

"Can we go down for some breakfast now?" Harry asked.

"Grouchy Gryffindor. Oh, all right – let's go and have a bite of breakfast."

They left their bedroom door open and headed for the staircase.

"Is it just me, or do you feel weird walking around without wearing shoes?" Draco asked him.

"It does feel weird," Harry admitted. "But it's comfortable so I don't have any complaints."

"You know, I was half-afraid that all the walls would be blue in color," Draco said quietly.

"Oh?"

"Have you really looked at the kitchen and dining room? I mean really looked at them?"

Harry stared at his boyfriend and continued to walk down the stairs. An abstract painting in the colors of red, orange and gold greeted them at the foot. Someone was humming a tune in the living room and Harry poked his head through the archway. An arm snaked around his waist and Draco peered over his shoulder. Then they watched as a busy Starkmind rearranged the furniture.

"Good morning, lads," Starkmind said gaily without turning around.

"Good morning, Ela," Harry replied with a straight face. Draco gave him an astonished look.

"Ela?" Bluestone's voice emerged from behind the teenagers. Draco yelped in surprise and Harry bumped his head on the wooden archway.

"That sounds like a girl's name," Starkmind commented with a disdainful expression.

"You just have too long a name, dearheart," Bluestone said with a chuckle. "His proper nickname is Aviel, Harry. I, however, prefer to call him by his full name." He checked out his husband's work and nodded in approval. "Breakfast's ready. Eat before you continue." He turned back to the two younger wizards. "What are you planning to do today?"

Harry and Draco exchanged thoughtful looks. All four trooped into the dining room where their morning meal had been laid out neatly. Harry's mouth watered immediately at the sight of scrambled eggs and bacon.

"Well, we thought about exploring the rest of the house..."

"And I intend to bring Harry to Diagon Alley and do some shopping," Draco added. "He needs more clothes. Proper sorcerer's robes. Then we're going to the mansion and collect certain things."

The married couple exchanged mischievous looks. "That means we have to sit down and create the roster."

"What roster?" Harry and Draco asked at the same moment.

"Dealing with the household chores, of course," Bluestone replied meekly. The expression on Draco's face was so comical the other three could not help but laugh. The Slytherin looked injured and ate his breakfast sulkily.

"Are the two of you going to Apparate or would you rather use the Floo Network?" Starkmind asked curiously.

"I'm not at all confident translocating myself at such great distances as yet," Draco confessed. "So, I'll Floo."

Harry sighed. "I don't like them both at all," he muttered. "Do you want anything?"

Bluestone pursed his lips in thought. "Well, as long as you're going to Diagon Alley, why don't you stop by the Apothecary and get me some willowbark, hellebore and..." He stopped when he saw the three wizards trying to hide their smirks. "What's so amusing?" he demanded.

"Why don't you go into the lab and list out what needs to be replenished?" Starkmind suggested blandly.

"You have a lab?" Draco's tone was incredulous.

"It's right outside – about ten metres away from the house."

When they had finished eating, Harry offered to help Bluestone with the dishes while Draco followed Starkmind into the living room to shift their huge, cream-colored couch away from the fireplace.

Harry noticed with great amusement that while Bluestone dealt with the plates in the Muggle way, he used magic to clean the base of the pan. "You don't like to scrub pots and pans," he stated as he stacked the clean and dry plates into a cabinet.

"I avoid it whenever I can," Bluestone agreed. Music drifted into the kitchen and the Veela started to hum. "Do you think you'll get bored living here in the magical world, Harry?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, you can't watch television for one thing."

"I don't watch television all that much, Bluestone. I can always bring Draco to watch a movie in the theater if I want to badly," Harry replied with a slight smile. "But I will miss the Muggle songs."

Bluestone laughed heartily. "You don't have to worry about that. We have a gramophone." He gestured at the archway. "The only thing that may be a problem will be acquiring the gramophone records. Starkmind had complained a long time ago that not many recording companies in the Muggle world are producing such items."

Then his charming face brightened up. "Why don't you and Draco go ahead and explore the upper floors first? Then you can come back down and check out the laboratory."

"All right ... but don't I have to clean up or something?"

"We'll get to that later. You need to know a bit of spells to make sure the floorboards remain in good condition. Since the two of you are going to take turns caring for the garden, you'll have to revise your Herbology and gardening skills."

Harry nodded and sauntered to the living room. Draco was holding onto a piece of record and Starkmind was obviously explaining something to the Slytherin.

"– so you mean, the dance does not have any set of rules?" Draco was asking.

"Just as long you keep the audience in mind and not do anything inappropriate," Starkmind said. "We were just discussing about Veniera," the half-Veela said to Harry.

"Veniera?" Harry frowned for the term sounded familiar. "I'm not sure – oh! It's some kind of dance."

"Yes – but a dance reserved only for lovers. Anyway, only a certain kind of couple would be able to pull it off," Starkmind added. "I think I have a book that describes the dance somewhere in the library. It should be in the 'Hobbies' section."

The two young wizards went off to check the third floor of the house, and discovered that it had a balcony almost the size of a small bedroom. Draco commented that it made a great place for chitchats. Harry thought it was probably an ideal place to study. Sturdy white columns supported the roof and shaded the open space. There was even a park bench on the balcony that overlooked the laboratory Bluestone had mentioned. Huge potted plants decorated the otherwise stark area and there were strange vines artistically wrapped around the railing.

They withdrew from the balcony and Harry made sure that the door was securely closed. Draco had entered a room located beside the 'porch'. It was quite spacious but it was devoid of any furniture, except for the pale blue curtains that obscured the window. Draco shrugged and took Harry's hand as they walked across to enter yet another room. It was even more spacious and it contained two large office desks; both were covered with books and parchments. There was also a huge oval table at the smaller end of the room. A sewing machine, a huge box filled with spools various colored threads and ribbons, and more half-finished costumes, rested on its surface.

"What do you think this is all about?" Draco queried as he lifted the edge of a sleeve. Harry merely shrugged in reply.

The library was beside the large workroom and the silver-eyed wizard grew dreamy-eyed as they browsed each section. They even found the book about Veela-styled dances. When the illustrations proved to be as good – or perhaps, deadly – as a live Veela in front of them, they thought it would be wiser if they read it at a more appropriate time.

"Let's get our robes and shoes," Draco said. Harry, who was still blushing, nodded. His boyfriend raised an eyebrow but did not say anything.

~*~

"I think that is all," Bluestone said as he checked the list. The four of them were inside the living room and stood before the fireplace. "Be careful," he cautioned the two wizards.

"We know," Harry replied, folded the list and tucked it into his pocket.

"Don't stay out too long."

"I'm sure we'll be home before dinner," Draco said.

"I doubt it," Starkmind said sardonically and winced when Bluestone punched his arm lightly.

"You first," Harry said to Draco.

"Right – I'll see you in the tavern." Draco took a handful of the Floo powder and stepped into the large fireplace. "Diagon Alley," the Slytherin said in a clear voice, and then he disappeared in a bright emerald inferno.

Harry waited for a few seconds before he stepped into the just-vacated fireplace. He smiled at the married couple and closed his eyes. As soon as he flung the metallic-grey powder, he was sucked into the vortex. He cringed as his ears were filled with a deafening sound. Then he landed on the floor with a soft thud and cautiously opened his eyes.

Draco had a damp handkerchief ready and gave it to him wordlessly when he emerged from the fireplace. "Thanks," Harry muttered gratefully and began to clean his glasses. The Leaky Cauldron buzzed with human conversations and activity. Harry's presence in the tavern went unnoticed and the two slowly made their way to the bank to get some money.

While a crooked-nosed goblin led Draco away, Harry followed Griphook down to his vault. A feeling of unease plagued him as the goblin maneuvered the cart; it was as though Griphook knew something that he probably should know. However, the creature was silent, and only gave the wizard a slight bow once the vault was opened.

Sixty Galleons should be enough, Harry thought. While he was keeping his money inside the pouch, he suddenly remembered the twins. I must be getting old! Maybe I can persuade Draco to drop by, just a while....

When Harry returned to the main hall, Draco was frowning and the Slytherin was talking to his guide at some length. His boyfriend was still brooding when Harry approached.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked, tilted his head to one side and gave his boyfriend a curious look.

"Nothing bad. Just that I got a shock of my life when I found out that I am several million Galleons richer than I had been before," Draco replied with an awed voice.

"Do I dare ask how that happened?" Harry inquired as they descended the marble staircase and walked out onto the street.

"My father had a separate vault containing the Malfoys' valuables and his 'honest', hard-earned money," Draco replied in a serious voice. "I wonder if my mother is aware of this."

While they chatted, the twins' joke shop loomed closer.

Harry tugged lightly on Draco's sleeve. "Draco, can we–?" he asked, pointing his chin at the joke shop.

"What – oh." Draco absently entered the shop, and left a surprised Harry outside. There was a loud crash and Harry could hear people shout angrily.

"What in the he – Harry!" Fred's outraged yell quickly turned into a joyous one when the dark-haired youth stepped in through the door.

Harry grinned in greeting, then winced when he realized that Draco had stumbled into a display shelf and was trying to get up to his feet at the moment. Harry efficiently set the boxes that had dropped down on his boyfriend back onto the shelf with a spell.

"Oi – you could at least pay attention to your surroundings," George said scathingly to their distant cousin.

"Hello Fred," Harry said, embraced the wizard, and then shook George's hand.

"What are you doing here?" the twins asked as Harry reached out a hand to help Draco.

"Shopping, I guess. We have to go to and get some potion ingredients as well as some clothes."

Fred chuckled. "Better get something to suit the job, mate! Otherwise no one would take you seriously."

"How's everyone?" Harry suddenly asked.

"Lazy – at least where Ginny and Ronniekins are concerned. They've been sleeping like pigs for the past few nights," George said. "Ron is still mad at you – or both of you," his friend added thoughtfully.

Harry sighed. "So what is Ron going to do in the future?"

"He'll be helping us out in the meantime." Fred smirked.

"You'd better pay him, you two. There's no such thing as free labor," Harry warned.

"We know, we know."

Draco cleared his throat loudly and the twins glared menacingly at the platinum-haired wizard.

"I know, Draco. Well, have to go. We sort of promised Bluestone and Elaviel that we'd be back before dusk – and Draco has got to go back to the mansion to get some stuff."

"Well, all right. But before you go, how about trying out our latest invention?" Fred said with a wide grin. He casually lifted a box from the shelf behind a counter and presented it to Harry. The emerald-eyed wizard laughed while Draco muttered something inaudible and listened to Fred in resignation.

~*~

Shopping for wizard clothes had taken less time than Harry had expected, now that he knew what kind of robes suited him. However, he still had to have help from his over-critical boyfriend when it came to colors. Draco Malfoy abruptly began to lecture Harry about what colored robes would not suit him when the Slytherin saw Harry trying on a light beige robe.

Although he was quite embarrassed at Draco's vehemence and the way Madam Malkin stared at the two of them, he enjoyed seeing his boyfriend shudder theatrically. Then he went out of his way to pick out something Draco would find revolting.

Draco was a master when it came to clothes and Harry could not find any fault with the Slytherin's choice ... except that Draco tended to choose very tight trousers. He felt slightly grumpy about it. He was uncertain if he liked the idea of other people admiring his boyfriend's firm bottom.

They paid for their shopping and stepped out of the shop. A sudden growl coming from Harry's stomach evoked a snicker from Draco. He looked sourly at his ivory-headed counterpart.

"Let's go and eat something at the Leaky Cauldron," Draco said mildly. They dined in a private parlor and had smoked beef for lunch. Then a suspicion that Harry had for a long time was proven true. Draco was definitely a sweet tooth, no matter how much he complained about eating chocolate too frequently. Harry tried not to smile as he watched Draco eat a chocolate fudge gâteau.

"Why didn't you buy that maroon robe? If you wear a white shirt, you would look good in it," Harry commented.

"I'm not that adventurous to try and wear something from that color range," Draco replied, and then sighed in satisfaction as he ate the remaining crumbs of his cake. "You surprised me by buying that dark emerald sleeping robe though. You look terribly Slytherin-ish."

"Is that good or bad?" Harry quickly pulled his legs away and just in time too, because Draco aimed a kick at him from under the table. It was amazing how his boyfriend managed to maintain a bland expression all the while.

"And if that wasn't enough, you had the gall to look sexy in it as well."

Harry decided not to mention to Draco that that comment had aroused him.

An hour later, they were out in the Muggle world and Harry raised his wand. A loud bang reverberated along the alley walls as the Knight Bus pulled to a stop. Harry saw his boyfriend look at the bus dubiously. Suspicion filled Harry but motioned the Slytherin to board the vehicle.

The conductor was not Stan Shunpike whom Harry had met four years ago, but a solemn-looking man. He was not talkative either, which was a relief, and led Harry and Draco to an unoccupied bunk at the far end of the bus. Harry paid for their tickets while his boyfriend told the conductor where they intended to go.

Harry secured their shopping bags with a charm and lay down on the bed. Then he tugged at Draco's arm, and his boyfriend rested beside him.

"What are you doing?" Draco hissed.

"You'll see," he said with a faint smile and held his boyfriend tightly. Draco was about to respond when the bus jerked forward. Draco gasped and his face turned deathly white.

"Bloody hell!"

"You've never ridden on the Knight Bus before," Harry observed.

"This is mad!" Draco squeaked. "This should be banned! Merlin!"

Harry buried his face in the crook of his Draco's neck, and it muffled his laughter.

"Harry! This is not amusing!"

~*~

Inside Draco's mansion.

Harry could not help but feel apprehensive as they walked down the hallway. Draco seemed to sense his uneasiness and stopped suddenly.

"Do you hate me, Harry?" Draco asked quietly.

"No, Draco. I don't," he said and embraced the Slytherin in reassurance. He pulled away but did not remove his arms from Draco's waist. "It's rather quiet. Don't your mother live here?"

"After what happened?" His boyfriend snorted. "This is not a home, love. Not when my father saw signs that the Dark Lord was alive. Mother says she bought a house in Manchester, but she is staying with the Goyles at the moment. I wonder why is that."

"Renovation works?" Harry suggested.

"Huh. Probably." Draco then shook his head. "Let's go up to my room and we'll get the rest of my things. Then we'll stop by the library and pick up some paintings."

"But just how on earth do we bring back all of the stuff we have?"

Harry sensed movement behind him, whirled around, and pointed his wand dangerously at the intruder. A small form quickly scuttled behind a huge vase for cover.

"Mister Potter! It's only Dobby coming to help!" a voice screeched.

Harry let out an explosive sigh. "Don't do that!"

"Dobby is truly sorry, sir," the house-elf apologized and crept out into the open.

Draco watched the two of them with a slightly amused expression then tapped his foot impatiently. "We haven't got all day, Harry, and I'm not too sure I want to come back here a second time."

"All right, Draco. Lead the way," Harry said, rolling his eyes sarcastically.

However, the house-elf went ahead. They barely reached the landing when there was an explosion and Dobby was flung backwards by an enormous force. Harry's ears rang and he shook his head furiously.

"This house belongs to me. Get out, get out!" Loud, mad laughter filled the mansion.

Something about the voice chilled Harry and he thought he should know to whom it belonged. However, Draco was the first to identify the voice. He pushed Harry away and drew his wand. His face set into an unreadable expression.

"This house is mine, Kreacher. You had better leave before I decide to do something permanent about you," the Slytherin threatened and blew a vase to mere shards. "Damn ... I thought Mother gave him a sock or something," Draco muttered darkly under his breath.

Kreacher? Harry breathed in deeply and controlled the sudden anger that welled up in him. Beside him, a dazzled Dobby banged his head against the railing and clapped his hands once. Brilliant white light immediately filled the mansion and there was suddenly a shriek of pain.

Then Harry could hear someone else mutter a command and the mansion plunged into darkness.

"The light hurts him, sir," Dobby told them. Then the little creature narrowed his eyes and clapped again. Then he muttered a spell unknown to the two wizards. Kreacher shrieked in agony and desperately tried to banish the light. However, he failed to do so. When Kreacher came out from his hiding, Harry's stomach churned at the sight of the maddened creature. Kreacher let out a snarl that made the hair on Harry's neck rise and then gestured at the air. Dobby responded in kind, which enraged the creature further. More glass shattered and Harry flung himself at Draco, to protect his boyfriend as much as he could. The duel between the house-elves continued.

"Any ideas?" Draco asked him in a muffled voice.

"Let's knock him senseless and then bind him."

"Should I chop off his head?"

"Draco! That's utterly barbaric!"

"Hmmm."

The two wizards cautiously lifted their faces and pointed their wands at their target. Draco used the Blasting Curse at the creature while Harry performed the full body bind curse. Dobby let out a sigh of relief as Kreacher hit the far wall and slid down to the floor, insentient.

"Incarcerous," Harry and Draco muttered at the same time. Thick ropes appeared out of thin air and settled to intertwine around the unconscious house-elf in a deathly grip.

"That ought to be enough," Harry panted. Something shiny caught his eye and he swore in surprise. "Draco! Drop that axe!"

"Why?" his boyfriend asked almost petulantly.

"There's no need for that, young Master," Dobby piped up. The house-elf went behind Kreacher and hauled the unconscious one up. "Dobby will send this one back to Professor Dumbledore. He will decide what's best for it."

"I will never understand your customs," Draco declared. "I thought you came here to help us with our things."

"Dobby did come to help, sir, but this one is more important."

"Never mind," Harry interrupted. "Dobby can come back later." The house-elf nodded.

"All right. Come on, love," Draco said. "I have plenty of things to bring back. I wonder ... do you fancy wearing some of the clothes my father used to wear?" The axe disappeared and he smoothed his hair back with his free hand.

~*~

Three hours later...

"Are you sure that all these paintings are curse-free?" Bluestone asked his younger friends dubiously.

"Yes," Harry replied. "I'm quite surprised that they weren't. Did you know that there are golden statues in his home that eat Doxies?" The emerald-eyed teenager looked at his boyfriend sardonically. "Of course, they will eat anything that moves one feet around them. I thought I even saw a Dementor's tattered cloak still in the mouth of one of the statues." Draco blinked calmly and remained silent.

Bluestone looked at the two of them carefully and finally stopped to study Harry. The Gryffindor appeared tired but it was the state of his robes and shoes that caught the Veela's attention. "Oh dear," he said.

"Oh? What happened?" Starkmind came up to join them, and he carried a portable whiteboard under one armpit.

"This ... fellow ... forgot to warn me of man-eating statues," Harry grated in annoyance. "How would you like your boyfriend without legs?"

"Harry, you know about the dangers of the mansion," Draco said patiently. "You really should have expected them in the first place."

"I know, but it will not cost you anything to tell me!" Harry growled then suddenly pulled his boyfriend for a fierce kiss. "You are such a troublesome Slytherin sometimes!"

"Ahem." Bluestone's voice was a little strained. Then he blinked his eyes helplessly.

Draco did not stop kissing and Harry forgot that they had an audience in the hall, and his hands grasped the Slytherin's firm bottom. Bluestone heard Draco let out a soft, needy moan. The two young wizards did not witness it, but Bluestone paled and turned around slowly to face his husband. The whiteboard fell to the floor unnoticed as graceful hands slipped underneath Starkmind's shirt and pinched at the nipples gently.

Starkmind responded by tracing Bluestone's arousal through the Veela's loose trousers. "The bedroom might be more appropriate," Starkmind said breathlessly.

"No," Bluestone purred, and listened attentively to his husband's rapidly beating heartbeat. "Let's go out – to the grotto."

Starkmind's eyes fell to Bluestone's crotch and gave a low, playful growl. "I really have no complains about Harry and Draco living with us," he said absently as Bluestone led them out to the woods behind the house. "This is really exciting."

~*~