Breaking All the Rules

Chapter Sixteen

Breaking All the Rules

Family Ties

~*~~*~~*~

Leveret's secretary walked into the room smiling. "We have word from La Isla, Sir."

"What do they say?" Leveret asked intrigued.

"The Professor said that our marker was on the island with Mrs. Thomas. Apparently, he had her posing as his wife to get around questions being asked. When she was found out though, they fled."

"Fled? Where to?"

The smile he was sporting suddenly started to fade. "We haven't been able to trace them yet sir, but we will very soon. We're working on it now."

Leveret raised an eyebrow. "And how do you suppose to do that?" he said coldly. "You can't even get the difference between a mark and a client here."

His secretary looked pleading. "They took someone with them sir. A teacher. We are using her amulet now."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Who is she?"

***

They walked through a most densely wooded area through a gravelly path that crunched under their feet. The soil on both sides full of shrubs was grainy and smelled strong of natural earth. They walked for a while before Blaise began to comment on his grandfather's choice of residence. Draco turned around. "If you wanted to be left alone wouldn't you go somewhere that nobody would want to go?"

"Yes, but that doesn't meant hat when you invite people over that you can't give them a portkey that takes them straight to your home. You know, I always wondered where you got that tear the page in half thing from. Figures why you won't teach me."

"Family tradition. We don't share those, remember, Blaise?"

"But I am family."

"You're a second cousin, Blaise."

"So, that's still family."

"No, Zabini. I'm not teaching you. When we meet him you can probably ask him yourself." They continued walking until they met a small clearing that was just covered in grass. They stepped out of the trees and into it looking around.

"You'd think he'd put it here wouldn't you. It looks perfect for a home."

"Yes," he said in a thoughtful way as if he were working something out, "it does doesn't it?" he said smiling. He looked at Blaise and nodded in the direction of the clearing.

"What?" he said.

"Tune in, tell me how you feel," he said

Blaise turned to him. "You want to know how I feel. I'll tell you-."

"No, I don't want to hear it, Blaise. Please, just tell me what's there."

Blaise sighed. "Fine." He narrowed his eyes in concentration before relaxing them and looking straight ahead. "There," he pointed directly ahead of him. "There's someone in there." Just then someone appeared as if they were walking through a door. They turned around and shut it behind them and, as it shut, the whole house became visible. It was a comfortable looking country bungalow with a thatched roof and flowered garden. They were all standing just outside the gate.

He was an old man but not the kind that crouched whilst they walked. In all honesty he looked as healthy as the rest of them on the other side of the gate. He walked with the unmistaken pride of the Malfoy name, not so different to Draco or Lucius themselves. It was quite funny.

He reached the gate and opened it all the while smiling brightly.

Draco," he smiled as he opened out his arms.

Draco, who had looked solemn the whole time suddenly burst out into a bright smile and more or less ran to his grandfather to hold him. "I thought you were dead," he said quietly.

"Yes, well, better in the long run wasn't it? Come on turn, let me look at you." Draco obliged him and did as he was told. "Ah, you've grown a lot since I last saw you. I grow more regretful of that every day."

Draco looked at him. "It wasn't your fault. I couldn't return your letters, I was forbidden to."

"Yes, I know. That's why I continued writing, to give you some hope. Then I realised that Osiris took longer to return them every time. I also noticed the missing foot. That's when I stopped sending them and got you a new one. I figured she needed a rest anyway."

"You mean, he didn't kill her?"

"Kill her? My grandson's owl? I dare say, have you no confidence in me at all, lad?" At this he held out his hand. Draco watched it wondering what on earth he was doing. A few seconds later, a dark coloured eagle owl flew through the trees and landed near his wrist. "She had a broken wing too," he said looking at her. "It took months before she was able to fly again," he said as he watched the reaction on Draco's face. It was pure shock and amazement. "She hunts in the forest at night and sleeps here during the day. She stayed outside until you were here though, I think she wanted to surprise you." Draco wasn't listening, he was still looking at the owl perched on his grandfather's arm that was watching him with those familiar dark brown eyes.

"She's beautiful."

"Yes, she keeps herself tidy for your return I suppose." He looked behind his grandson to the small group that stood in silence watching them. "And who are these delightful people?"

Draco turned around to face them. "Grandpa, this is Blaise, he's a very good friend of mine that you probably remember."

He nodded I remember him, just as big as you are, if not more. You've both outgrown me I must say."

"This is his-." He stopped wondering if he should go further. "Erm, this is his Julia, another friend of mine. This," he said pulling Ginny toward him, "Is Ginevra, Ginevra Weasley."

"Weasley?" Ginny almost flinched, waiting for a long lecture on her family name. He smiled at her. "Nice to meet you, love." She smiled and he looked at Draco. "And how does your father feel of this? Furious no doubt," he laughed jokingly.

"Lucius is in Azkaban, Grandpa." His face became solemn.

George nodded, the light in his eyes dulling a little. "I see, well come in, come in. I've had Callie fix you something to eat." He turned to go back inside.

"Grandma's here too?"

He continued walking. "Of course she is, how do think I reached this age? Without her I wouldn't have lived this long. There wouldn't be anything to live for."

Draco smiled and followed him in waving to the others to follow also. George opened the door and they were greeted with the sight of a very cosily decorated home that smelled delicious.

"What is that gorgeous smell?" Blaise commented as he walked through the door. "Is that... garlic bread?"

George turned to him and almost laughed. He looked at Draco. "Still got that good nose has he?"

Draco laughed. "You have no idea. You really have no idea of the things he knows about food."

"Got that from her no doubt." He pointed with his thumb behind him. Draco assumed he was pointing to his wife.

"Is that my little Draco I hear?" they all heard coming from around a corner. It must have been the kitchen as it was where the smell was coming from. Draco smiled.

"Yes Callie it is," George commented rolling his eyes.

There were various noises coming from the kitchen before she emerged removing an apron from around her waist and smiled brightly as she discarded it and looked at the range of men before her and choosing Draco to squeeze the life out of. "Oh, my sweet grandchild, how you've grown!" she said.

"Erm, thanks Grandma," he said through a constricted airway. He peered at his grandfather. 'I can't breathe,' he mouthed.

"Callie, you're killing the boy, let him go."

"I'm just happy to see him, aren't you?" she argued as she loosened her grip. She didn't let him go though. "I haven't seen him in forever and you don't want me to be excited?"

"By all means Callisto, be excited. Scream to the top of your lungs for all your excitement, just don't crush his in the process," he reasoned.

She rolled her eyes and held her grandson's hands to look at him better. "He has your eyes. They didn't change as he grew older. He got that from you too," she said lovingly.

"He's changed more than you know Callie," he said eyeing his grandson. Draco watched him warily wondering what exactly it was he had to tell him. "And he has Lucius' eyes." He looked away.

She gasped suddenly at a new subject. "Where is he? Is he alright?" she said with the same loving yet worried tone that Mrs. Weasley sports. Ginny almost smiled at how alike they were. It was almost unbelievable that these people were Lucius Malfoy's parents.

"He's -," Draco began about to give his grandmother the bad news.

"Fine. He's fine." George looked at Draco and gave him a look not to continue.

Her smile continued. "Oh, well as long as he's safe that's alright with me."

Draco nodded a little and looked to the ground. "Yes, grandma. He's erm... he's locked up tight."

She touched his face and then ran her eyes over the others in the room. She studied the dark haired man curiously. "You," she said. "I know you." She narrowed her eyes surveying his features.

"It's Blaise, ma'am. Blaise Zabini."

She exhaled a gasp. "No! It can't be?" She moved in front of him and looked him up and down with wonder. "Not this tall, handsome man before me. This man cannot be the small boy I knew, it's impossible."

Both Draco and his Grandfather rolled their eyes dramatically.

Blaise nodded with a slight blush. "It is, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Oh, come here." She pulled him to her and gave him the same bone crushing hug she had given her own grandson. "It's lovely to see you dear. It's been so long. Are you hungry?" Blaise's eyes lit up.

"You cooked?"

"Of course I did, what, you expect him to cook meals? I'd prefer the house to still be standing by the time I eat thank you." She took his hand and led him to the kitchen. Ginny and Julia followed them.

Draco turned to his Grandpa. "You said, in your letter, that you had something to tell me."

He nodded and went into a small room with a desk in the middle and shelves that decorated the walls with books. He went to a drawer and took out a piece of parchment. It hand been folded three times along its width and had a seal stamped with a coat of arms.

He recognized the coat of arms.

"It was sent to me yesterday. It took me by a great surprise. One because you were still alive and two because of the nature of it. I knew you always had a certain strand of your father in you but I had no idea it would go this far. Assassination, Draco, this is your profession? Whatever happened to your dreams, you still have them don't you? You always had your dreams when you were here, at least until your father came for you."

He looked up at him. "I chose what I chose because the situation called for it, Grandpa. It had nothing to with a change of dreams or my father. He was nowhere to be seen by the time I became what I am. Not that it didn't come right back to bite me in the ass."

"Interesting. What happened?"

"Ginny."

"Who?'

"Ginevra, she happened. She's my mark, Grandpa. I was supposed to kill her three days ago. I guess since I haven't delivered they are going to me and every family member I have." He read through the letter. "Wait, this is addressed to my father."

"That's exactly why I didn't want to tell Callie anything. I wondered why it was sent to me, Mr. Malfoy. I now realise that, since the two other actual Mr. Malfoys are unreachable, the owl came to the next best thing." He raised an eyebrow.

"Boys," Callie said from the door, "Lunch is ready."

George turned to her with a smile. "Be right there."

***

Leveret's secretary ran into his office panting. "We've found her sir. She's still in England." He stopped to catch a few breaths and swallowed hard.

"Good, find her and make sure that they get the message. Send one of our best to track her down and make sure it's done. I want no mistakes. Something is going on with them and I want to know what it is."

"Yes sir." He turned around and left the office on his mission.

***

"Are you staying?" Callie asked her grandson as they walked out to the river. It was a beautiful day, made even more so by her special visitors. She couldn't tell how happy she was but she was sure it could show as she hadn't stopped smiling all day.

"Staying? No I don't think we can, grandma. There's too much to do and I doubt we have enough time as it is." He stopped as they neared Avon River. He looked out over the bank and sighed as he remembered the small parts of his childhood he had spent there. "I missed it here, you don't know how many times I use to want to run away and find you and George."

"Now, don't lose your manners, Draco. His name is Grandpa to you."

Draco smiled. "I miss that too," he laughed quietly.

"Oh," she said sadly. She pulled him toward her and hugged him tightly. "We missed you too, love. Don't worry though, I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of you in the future," she said pulling away. She looked at him pointedly. "Aren't we?" she said a little more forcefully.

"Erm, yeah of course," he said hiding his surprise. Her look softened again as he replied.

"Sorry to interrupt," they heard behind them. They turned around. George was calling them from the house. "But we have a slight situation here."

Draco frowned and looked at Callie who immediately did the same. They both hurried back.

"What's going on?" he asked as they entered through the back door.

Blaise got up. Draco watched him carefully, he looked a lot more stressed than usual. "Julia's gone."

"What?" he said frowning.

"Osiris started acting strange and flew out the window. Julia said she could feel... something, I don't know what it was." He sighed frustrated. "She just ran out," he said as if he couldn't believe she could do it. "I followed her but I lost her."

"You can't sense her?"

"That's the thing," he continued as if it were obvious, "I can't - sense - anything." He sat back down and raked his hands through his hair. "I don't know where she is, Draco, and I'm getting worried because she's not answering me."

"Okay, erm... well do you have anything of hers; perhaps we can schrye for her."

"I don't have anything. Draco I have to find her."

"I'm sure she's fine."

"We don't know that, Draco. I don't know it for sure." Draco surveyed his friend. Blaise had been born with his gifts and had only discovered them when he was seventeen. After training with them, using them and having them at his advantage for so many years, to just lose them for no apparent reason when he really needed them, it must be hell on him. "I can't fell her anymore and," he said looking at him, "usually when I can't, there's nothing there to feel."

Callie sat down next to him. "Blaise, dear, don't work yourself up about this. I'm sure she's fine, maybe..." she said thinking of a logical solution. "You know maybe you just can't sense her because she's too far away," Callie tried as she rubbed his back. "Can you sense people that are too far away?"

Blaise calmed down a little. He paused as he thought. "No," he sniffed.

"There, you see?" she said smiling. "That's probably all there is to it."

"I guess." Draco watched him in concern. Blaise looked up at him and stood up. "We have to go out there and find her."

Draco nodded. "Right behind you."