Circles of Influence

Tuesday 4th November

'Letters'

To Prof. Dumbledore

From C. Hardnose, MoM, Dept of Education

Please expect a representative from our department on Thursday for a routine inspection.

---

Dear Ron,

How are things at school? You never write to us, Ginny writes all the time. Did you have a nice Halloween? We went down to the village bonfire with the Lovegoods, it was wonderful. How is Harry? Please ask him if he would like to spend Christmas with us. Charlie will be home for Christmas but Bill is staying in Egypt. We miss you.

Love Mum.

---

Dear Mother,

I think it would be best if I stayed at Hogwarts over Yule, I do not want to risk putting you in danger. Perhaps you could come to the school for a short visit?

Your loving son,

Draco

---

Dear Fred and George,

I hope you have been behaving yourselves and looking after your brother and sister. Your father will be coming to see you play Hufflepuff next week. He says to ask if Harry will still be playing Seeker or not? He will take you out for dinner in Hogsmeade afterwards if you like.

Love Mum.

---

HERMOINE GRANGER

YOU R AN EVIL GIRL I NOW YOU TURND HARRY POTTER GAY BECAUSE HE WOOLD NOT BE YOUR BOYFREND BUT I CAN MAK HIM BETER AND THEN HE WIL NEVER SPEEK TOO YOU AGAIN AND YOU WILL BE SORRY! YOU AR UGLY AND I WILL MAK YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU DONE TO HARRY AND THAT OTHER BOY TOO!!!

*HARRYS GIRL 4EVER*

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Wednesday 5th November

"I haven't seen any of it," said Hermione. "Professor McGonagall is screening all our mail. All we got this morning was a letter from Ron's Mum."

"There was nothing in it about the article," Ron added, at the look on Harry's face. "Just the usual how are you and why don't you write more. Oh, and she wants you to come to the Burrow for Christmas."

Harry looked pleased until Hermione added, "Just you, not me or Draco.

"Well, she knows you'd be able to go home for Christmas," Ron said impatiently. "And Malfoy probably can't risk leaving the school anyway."

"I'm staying at school with Draco," Harry said, taking Draco's hand under the table.

"Well, I had guessed that much," said Ron. "But I still had to pass on the message."

"Do you think she believes the paper?" Harry asked Hermione.

Hermione sighed. "I don't know. Not inviting Draco doesn't really tell us anything, but..."

"Not inviting you does," finished Harry.

"It doesn't really," Ron protested. "Maybe she just believed the bit about me and Hermione, I'm sure she wouldn't believe any of that other crap."

"Then she doesn't think I'm using Harry, she just thinks I'm using you," said Hermione tightly. "I don't see how that's any better."

"That's not what I meant."

"Face it, Weasley," said Draco. "Your mother ..."

"Stop talking now, Malfoy," snapped Ron. "Before you say something I need to hit you for."

"Ron!" objected Hermione. "You don't even know what he was going to say."

She looked at Draco to continue and he just shrugged sheepishly, "Actually, he had a point. Do continue explaining the vagueries of your family's psyche." He gestured to Ron to go on.

Ron scowled. "What I meant," he said doggedly, "is that my Mum isn't too great with us bringing girlfriends home, it makes her uncomfortable, so if she thought we were going out she probably wouldn't invite you over for Christmas. But really, who knows what goes on in her head, I just don't think you should assume she believes the worst. I'm sure she doesn't believe what that woman wrote."

------------------

Staff meeting

"Professor Dumbledore has asked me to talk to you about an upcoming school inspection," announced Professor McGonagall. "There will be a representative of the Department of Education arriving tomorrow. I'm sure they will be sitting in on some of the classes and may want to interview some of you privately."

"It's a bit last minute, isn't it?" said Madame Hooch.

"Very irregular," muttered Professor Vector.

"Didn't even know there was a Department of Education," added Professor Sprout.

"That is as may be, but we must endeavour to make them welcome. Please answer any questions they have about your teaching methods, but I must note that you should not be required to answer questions which fall outside the scope of your job... particularly any that may be asked about the personal lives of your pupils." She looked at them one at a time. "I hope you understand me."

Professor Sinistra rolled her eyes. "This is about that article in the paper isn't it?"

McGonagall sighed. "The Ministry was very clear on the fact that this was a routine inspecion, utterly unrelated to any current events that may or may not have just been reported in the gossip column of the Daily Prophet. If that answers your question."

Madame Hooch snorted. "Bloody beaurocrats. Don't worry Minnie, we'll keep our traps shut and let you and Dumbledore deal with it."

"Thank you," said McGonagall looking vaguely relieved.

------------------

To Professor Albus Dumbledore,

I am most concerned about the recent rumours regarding my son and Mr Potter. It is worrying enough to know that my sons life is endangered by other students in your school to the extent that he cannot move around alone or eat meals with his housemates. The current situation is unacceptable and I must insist you weed out those students who are causing trouble and quash these ridiculous rumours, it is hard enough for Draco to cope with our family's recent misfortune without this kind of additional stress. It is a sad day when two boys cannot be friends and comfort one another in times of need without being accused of homosexuality.

Sincerely,

Narcissa Malfoy

---

Dearest Draco,

I understand that you are worried but it seems to me that it is at school you are most at danger. I will come and visit you soon as I wish to speak to the headmaster anyway.

Your loving Mother,

Narcissa

--------------------

"Those fucking reporters!" snarled Sirius on hearing about the upcoming school inspection. "Will they want to speak to Harry do you think? As his guardian I could say no, couldn't I?"

"You can't act as Potter's guardian until you're officially cleared of all charges," said Snape witheringly.

"He's right," agreed Dumbledore. "Until Peter Pettigrew's trial is over and you recieve an official pardon..."

"If you do," added Snape.

"The Dursley's remain Harry's legal guardians," Dumbledore finished, giving Snape a dry look.

"Fuck!" swore Sirius, looking around for something to kick.

"We need to make sure they have no reason to suspect the allegations are true, obviously the ridiculous notion that Mr Malfoy and Miss Granger are using magic to control Harry will not be a problem. However the board is unlikely to react well to any proof of a sexual relationship between the boys and they could call for expulsion, it has happened in the past."

"It has!" said Sirius looking worried. "I never heard of it..."

"Not since before your time, Sirius," Dumbledore said calmly. "We will need to speak to the boys, if you will go and fetch them we can continue this."

Sirius left the room and Snape and Dumbledore sat silent for a while, awaiting his return with Harry and Draco.

Eventually Snape said, "What do you think they have in mind? The Ministry that is. It seems odd that they would get involved over some gossip. I suppose it's Potter's name that stirred up such a fuss."

"Perhaps, perhaps not. They have not been able to track down Lucius Malfoy and after the items they found in his house they are desperate to arrest him and quash the rumours that he is with Lord Voldemort. They may be hoping that Draco will know something. Fortunately as inabsentia guardian of every pupil in the school I can demand that none of them are interviewed without a teacher as a witness, I will not have Ministry officials interrogating my pupils. There is nothing helpful Draco can tell them that I have not already passed on to the relevant authorities."

"And if they think Draco is endangering Potter?"

The door knocked and then opened as Sirius arrived back.

"Do sit down," said Professor Dumbledore as the boys entered, accompanied by Sirius. "Tea?"

"Yes, please," said Harry, feeling the need more for something to fiddle with than for refreshment. Draco nodded.

Dumbledore poured the tea for them and settled back, regarding them over his cup. "We are to recieve a visit from the Department of Education tomorrow," he said finally. "They are calling it a routine school inspection." He watched Harry but it was Draco who spoke first.

"There's no law..." began Draco, but the headmaster stopped him with a raised hand.

"There is no specific law that you have broken," he agreed. "But there were allegations of such, easily disproven of course. More important, however, are the rules that this and all wizarding schools in this country are required to uphold. It is not against the law to cheat in your OWLs but it is against the rules and does lead to expulsion."

"And what do the rules say about us then?" Harry asked tightly.

Dumbledore replied gently, "The rules say that it is not permitted for pupils to share a bed or to engage in sexual activity on school grounds. They also, most unfortunately, still state that any boy who propositions another boy or is involved in a so called 'unnatural' relationship with another boy should be immediately expelled."

Draco's half spoken surprise was audible over the moment of eerie silence.

"Harry..." began Sirius.

"But Finch-Fletchley..." Draco said at the same time.

Dumbledore held up his hand for silence. "These rules are only partly enforced, by unspoken agreement there is a blind eye turned unless teachers feel intervention is necessary and the punishments are token. No-one has been expelled for getting involved with another student since before I became headmaster."

"But that won't matter now, will it," said Harry blankly. "Because it's me."

Sirius stifled an impulse to punch something.

"However unfair it seems, we must at least give the impression that there is nothing... improper going on," Dumbledore answered, his distaste at the situation evident. "The risk of the Ministry deciding to interfere is too great. You must remain in your dormitory tonight and tomorrow night, Harry. I will not ask either of you to lie to the inspectors, only to tell them no more than is their business to know. I trust your judgement."

"And if that isn't enough?" asked Harry. "If they want us expelled?"

"That will not happen."

Harry stared at him for a long moment. "Right then," he said finally. "We'll just get along to bed then, our seperate beds of course." He stood to leave. "If that's all right?"

"Of course," said Dumbledore. "However if Draco could wait, I would like him to go and speak to Severus before he retires for the night."

Sirius and Harry left the room and Draco tried to look attentive rather than generally annoyed at not getting to say good night to Harry properly. A few minutes of small talk later Snape showed up and they walked together back to Draco's room.

"I will be blunt, Draco," said Snape after they had closed the door and sat down.

"For a change?" Draco quipped.

Snape glared him into silence. "There is every chance the inspectors will be out for anything they can find. You must not get angry and say anything stupid, Draco. We do not know what their exact reasons are for the ionspection."

"But I..."

"I will say one name... Mrs Weasley."

Draco fell silent. "Right," he said. "Don't get angry and say something stupid."

"Good. If we can just get through the next two days I'm sure everything will go back to normal... whatever that is."

---

Harry lay awake in his dormitory listening to the others sleep. McGonagall had been to see them while he had been speaking to Professor Dumbledore and they had assured Harry, quite vehemently on Seamus part, that they wouldn't tell the inspectors anything about him and Draco. Harry knew they meant it but still didn't trust them not to slip up by mistake, didn't trust someone not to say something. It wouldn't take much and who knew what they knew already or what they intended. Was it just Draco they were after or both of them? He was never sure with the Ministry. One minute they were pardoning him for blowing up his aunt, the next minute they were refusing to listen to him about Voldemort being back and saying he was mad.

What if Mrs Weasley had written to them after she read the article, she was bound to have read it. It must have confirmed all her worst fears about him and Draco.

He tossed uncomfortably. His feet were too cold and the rest of him was mysteriously too hot even though he was used to having an extra warm body in bed with him. This year was absolutely the worst, he had never felt so... helpless. So unable to fight against what was going on. He almost wished Voldemort would rear his head again, or Draco's father, so he could feel the familiar strength and adrenaline rush of the fight, the powerful triumph that had shot through him when he and Draco had cursed Voldemort and escaped from under his nose. He knew it was silly, knew it wasn't really like that when it was happening, but somehow Cedric's death seemed so far away now and sometimes it was easier to remember the winning than the terror. Easier to face death than to be faced with expulsion from Hogwarts and loss of not just Draco but everything that meant anything to him.

-----------------------------

Thursday 6th November

When Harry arrived at breakfast that morning there were two newcomers at the head table. One was a sour faced woman with her lips pressed together so tightly they looked sewn shut, the other was a bald sweaty man with darting eyes who reminded him unpleasantly of Wormtail. He glowered at them over his toast. Thanks to these nosy, disapproving people he had lain awake all night worrying about what they would ask him and he hadn't even had the comfort of a familiar body beside him to distract himself. At least he would see Draco after breakfast in double Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Except he didn't, because Draco didn't arrive.

Noting Harry's distracted state Hermione whispered, "He's probably just had to talk to the school inspector."

He knew Hermione meant to be reassuring but the thought that Draco was currently being interrogated by someone who had the power to have him expelled and looked like they would be more than happy to do so was far from comforting. He would give anything to know what was being said right now.

As a result of his distraction he nearly got detention and he suspected only the fact that his teacher had guessed what was bothering him had saved him from it.

He didn't see Draco in lunch either and as the meal finished up Professor McGonagall approached him.

"Potter," she said gently but firmly. "If you would come with me."

Hermione grabbed his hand and squeezed it quickly as he slid out from the table. He gave her and Ron what he hoped was a reassuring smile and followed McGonagall out of the Great Hall.

As soon as they were through the doors he began questioning her. "Has Draco been with the inspectors? Did it go okay? What did they ask him?"

McGonagall held up her hand for silence. "Mr Malfoy was interviewed by them this morning and then observed in a class. I was not present at the interview and have no idea what was asked."

"But someone was with him, he wasn't left alone with them."

"Professor Snape was present for the interview just as I, as your head of house, will be present at yours."

"Is it now?"

"Yes."

"They're not making much pretence that they're here for a routine inspection are they," Harry growled.

"They wish to speak in depth to one pupil from each house, entirely randomly chosen of course."

"Who are the other two?" Harry wondered.

"Justin Finch-Fletchley and Terry Boot," she said tightly.

"Justin," breathed Harry.

"Well, here we are, " said McGonagall stopping in front of a closed door. "Ready Potter?"

Harry felt his stomach lurch and for a moment he thought he might bring up what little lunch he'd eaten. "No," he said weakly. "But we better go in anyway."

"Just don't answer anything you don't think is their business," she told him. "They don't have any rights to the details of your personal life."

Harry nodded and she rapped twice on the door then opened it.

Stepping inside Harry was faced with the harsh, unblinking stare of the woman he had seen at breakfast. "Harry Potter, I presume?" she asked, giving him a look worthy of Aunt Petunia.

"Yes," he answered with a near croak, coughing to clear his throat of the lump lodged in it.

"Sit down, please." Harry sat in the hard wooden chair facing her across a virtually empty desk. "My name is Miss R Presse. I'm just going to ask you a few questions about life here at Hogwarts. Nothing to worry about." She gave a tight little smile that looked a bit like a grimace. "First of all, how old are you Mr Potter?"

"Fifteen."

"You are a 5th year Gryffindor, correct?"

"Yes."

"And what classes do you take?"

Harry told her, starting to feel more and more relaxed as the questions continued.

Had he had enough support choosing his OWL level subjects? What did he think of the meals here? Did he feel his homework load was too heavy?

"And who would you say were your closest friends here at Hogwarts?"

"Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger," he answered promptly.

"They are both Gryffindors too?"

"Yes, that's right."

"You don't get on well with the students in the other houses then?"

"I get on okay with them mostly," Harry said carelessly. "Except the Slytherins, I don't get on with them at all. Well aside from Draco obviously."

"That would be Draco Malfoy, correct?" she said.

Harry started, realising he had brought up exactly what he hadn't wanted to talk about. "Yes," he stammered.

Next to him, McGonagall's eye twitched slightly, but she said nothing.

"And you and Draco get on well?"

"Um... yes." Harry thought about trying to explain better but decided it was safer to stick to short answers.

"You spend a lot of time together?"

"Uh... I suppose. He..." He floundered for how to explain and sound innocent at the same time. "He can't really hang out with his old friends anymore, cause of what happened with his Dad."

"And does Mr Malfoy visit you in Gryffindor Tower?"

"Um... sometimes. But mostly I see him in class or in his room." Harry paused. "With Ron and Hermione, that is," he added. "We all visit him in his room together."

"And your other friends get on with Mr Malfoy then, Hermione and Ron?"

"Yeah, we're all friends."

"But you didn't mention him before when I asked who your close friends were."

"Well, I've been friends with Ron and Hermione longer. I only started being friends with Draco this year."

"And how did that happen?"

McGonagall cleared her throat. "I really don't see what Mr Potter's friends have to do with the running of the school," she remarked.

"We are interested in the House structure," Miss Presse said looking annoyed. "How the different houses interact and whether it is causing unnecessary tension within the school. As such Mr Potter's friendship with Mr Malfoy is very relevant." She put an accent on the word friendship that Harry did not like at all. "So," she continued. "You were about to tell me how you and Mr Malfoy became... close."

"Draco wasn't getting along so well with his Dad," Harry said shortly. "Hermione and I got to talking with him and we realised he wasn't so bad. The other Slytherins turned on him for hanging out with Gryffindor's and so he started spending more time with us. And for what it's worth I think the House structure is just fine except that the Slytherins think they're better than everyone else, but that's mostly their parents fault I expect. Draco used to be the same till he stopped listening to his Dad so much."

Mis Presse looked like she couldn't care less about Harry's opinion on the House structure. "I understand Mr Malfoy doesn't leave his room without an escort due to the belief that his life is in danger."

"His life is in danger," said Harry tightly. "He's been attacked twice already all because he saved my life!"

"From his father?"

Harry exchanged a look with Professor McGonagall, they had agreed that now was not the time to bring up Lord Voldemort and whether he was back or not.

"That's right," he answered.

"And you don't believe Mr Malfoy was at all involved in his father's plan?"

"Of course not!"

"Then you must be very greatful to him for saving you and your friends."

"Yes, we all are."

"He must be lonely, with only the three of you to speak to, locked away in a private room."

"I suppose," Harry hedged.

"Does he ever ask you to stay late in his room, to... keep him company?"

Harry froze at the question, unsure how to answer.

"I... we all have to be in our House by 9pm," he said.

"And you never stay out later with Draco?" she coaxed. "Never bend the rules a little?"

"No," said Harry flatly, lying through his teeth. This had gone far enough.

After that, no matter what she asked, she got nothing but surly monosyllabic answers from Harry and after a while she gave up.

"Well, that will be all Mr Potter. Thank you for your time."

Harry heaved a sigh of relief and quickly stood up and headed for the door, Professor McGonagall following him.

"Professor McGonagall, if you could wait just a moment. I'd like a few words with you alone."

Harry didn't pause, he just kept going to the door and out into the hallway. Glancing at a nearby clock he saw he had missed his Spell Creation Class but could still make it to Herbology if he hurried. He decided he may as well go, he didn't want to do anything to give a bad impression while the inspectors were here.

He arrived in Herbology, made his apologies to Professor Sprout for being late, and headed over to the bench that housed Hermione and Ron.

"Are you okay?" Hermione whispered immediately.

"Was it awful?" asked Ron.

"It wasn't great," he replied. "But I don't think I said anything too stupid. She's definitely after me and Draco though, asking all these questions about how we became friends and whether I stay late in his room. Have you seen Draco?" This last was directed at Ron. "Was he in class?" He knew Ron should have had Muggle Studies with Draco this afternoon.

"Yeah, he was there, but I didn't get a chance to talk to him. That bloke was observing the class and Draco was sitting on the other side of the room from me cause he got there late."

"Speaking of that bloke," hissed Hermione.

Harry looked in the direction she was indicating and sure enough the twitchy man had entered and was speaking to Professor Sprout. He watched him carefully with ducked head as Hermione explained briefly what they were supposed to be doing. The man spent the whole class lurking in the corner with a notebook and quill and Harry felt as if his eyes were always on the three of them.

By the time dinner was drawing to a close Harry was going out of his mind with the tension of not knowing what had happened in Draco's interview or even having seen Draco since last night in Dumbledore's office. The desire to go to Draco's room after dinner was almost physical, like a rope was tied around his waist and Draco was tugging at the other end trying to reel him in. But instead he followed Hermione and Ron slowly back up to the Gryffindor Common Room, dragging behind sullenly.

Hermione dropped back eventually and tugged on his arm saying, "Come on, Harry, it's only a couple of nights after all. Stop moping."

Harry tugged his arm back a little more harshly than necessary. "I'm not moping," he growled. "I'm worried."

"Well stop it, it's going to be fine. This time tomorrow they'll be gone and nobody will have told them anything because the only people that know anything are your friends and they won't make the same mistake again. Did it seem like they knew anything more than they read in the paper?"

Harry shook his head as they climbed through the portrait hole after Ron. "I don't think so, it seemed more like they were fishing to see if I would give them anything to go on. And I'm sure I didn't."

"Then stop worrying."

Harry did stop worrying a little after that but he still wished he could see Draco to be sure his interview had gone all right, though he supposed if it hadn't they would have had something to go on in his own interview, having spoken to Draco first. And really he mostly wanted to see Draco so he could forget his tension in the other boy's body.

As he sat staring sightlessly into the fire he thought about touching Draco, being touched, pressed down into the sheets. Since Halloween they had only had sex once more, on the Sunday night before the paper had come out. Three times in total. He wondered how long it would be before he couldn't remember exactly how many times they had done it, wondered if it would ever become just something they did instead of this amazingly huge thing that he still couldn't quite believe he'd really done. He hoped never. He was just thinking about taking himself up to his bed to contemplate sex with Draco somewhere a little more quiet when the portrait swung open and in stepped Professor McGonagall followed by Miss Presse. Any arousal Harry had been feeling immediately shrivelled to nothing.

"Please continue whatever you are doing," announced McGonagall looking put upon. "Miss Presse would just like a few words with you."

Harry's hands tightened into nervous fists as he glanced around the room.

Miss Presse dislodged some second years from a table with two chairs in the corner. "You don't have to wait, Professor McGonagall," she said. "I'm sure I can handle this."

"I don't mind," McGonagall replied taking an armchair from a sixth year and turning it so she could see Miss Presse clearly.

"Perhaps you misunderstand. I would prefer to see the children interact without a teacher present."

"Unfortunately that will not be possible," said McGonagall coldly.

The Gryffindors watched the growing disagreement with wide eyes.

"Are you afraid to let the children speak freely?"

"What makes you think they cannot do so in my presence?"

"The fact that you are afraid to let them only implies that you have something to hide."

"Or perhaps the fact that you are so desperate to get them alone implies that you have questions to ask them which you do not want me to hear," challenged McGonagall.

"I have nothing to hide," sniffed Miss Presse. She raised her voice, "Mr Ron Weasley?"

Ron gulped and Harry went slightly pale. It wasn't that he didn't trust Ron, it was just that he might say the wrong thing by accident.

Ron sat down at the table and Harry craned to hear what she was asking him but her murmured words were too quiet. Fortunately Ron felt no such compulsion to whisper, although his initial "Yes" "No" "I suppose" answers weren't terribly informative. Harry fidgeted. McGonagall glowered. Hermione bit her lip.

"Actually," said Ron loudly, going bright red. "I don't think that's any of your business."

Miss Presse whispered furiously.

"If you want to know about Harry," Ron replied angrily, "Why don't you ask him? He's sitting right there."

Miss Presse looked furiously embarassed and Harry caught Professor McGonagall smothering a pleased expression. "Miss Presse," she said. "I do not think it is appropriate to be asking students to discuss their classmates behind their backs. "

"I was simply trying to ascertain... that is... " she glanced around the room and was met with only blank stares. "I think I am finished here, I can see myself out." She stood up, gathered her notes, and left the common room.

Ron rolled his eyes at Harry with a relieved look and Harry smiled at him thankfully.

"Well," said McGonagall, standing up. "I suppose I better go and keep an eye on her. Goodnight."

Once McGonagall had left, Harry and Hermione joined Ron at the corner table to find out what he had been asked.

"It was mostly nothing," he told them. "Then out of the blue she asks me if Harry's ever 'touched me in an inappropriate manner'!"

Harry couldn't help but blush angrily at this.

"So I told her it was none of her business and she only keeps on with how she understands it might be difficult to talk about but it would be best for everyone if I just told her about anything I had seen Harry do that might have made me feel uncomfortable or threatened and that if I told the truth I wouldn't get into any trouble!"

"She thought it was you," Harry realised. "In the article, she thought you were the person quoted."

"I guess," said Ron. "Doesn't really matter, she didn't get anything from me or from you and I'm sure she didn't get anything from Malfoy either and tomorrow she'll be gone and we can just forget about her stupid inspection."

"I hope so," said Harry. "I really do."

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tbc