The Azkaban Letters (WIP 2024) - Chapter 37 - Romaine - Harry Potter (2024)

Chapter Text

Friday 10 January 2003

Draco stood behind the library counter, perusing a book on Transfigurations that the library had just received in the morning's mail. Counter was a generous term to use for the piece of furniture. It was just another metal table but thinner width-wise and raised higher. He requested the book last July after being in his library position for a month. To his delight, he discovered Azkaban was now on the lending library list. He could request books from other libraries to be sent to Azkaban for a short time. Of course, the books requested had to be cleared by the Head Warden and, to Draco's amusem*nt, also by Hogwarts' librarian, Madam Pince.

Once he determined that the next two N.E.W.T.s that he would pursue would be in Herbology and Transfigurations, he'd placed the order for Conquering Conjuration. He was having trouble turning the pages as his fingers were ice cold. Conjuration was the most advanced form of the four types of Transfiguration. The other three: Transformation, Untransformation (reversing a transformation), and Vanishment, which he felt confident about. They'd touched upon Conjuration towards the end of sixth year, but his energy had been focused on something else. His understanding from Blaise was that McGonagall had her own handouts for the advanced students in seventh year and dedicated the whole year to the craft.

He'd wanted to add Alchemy as a third field of study, but that is where the limits of imprisonment were reached. Potions were difficult enough, but at least he could use his imagination to play out the method. Alchemy was more of an art form. Yes, there were the basics, but so much depended on the environment, including temperature and humidity, not to mention the required specialised equipment. There were too many variables that could be manipulated for him to control.

He glanced around the sparse room made up of bolted-down metal bookshelves lining the lime and horse-hair washed stone walls, the only room he'd come across with this type of treatment. It acted as an insulation to maintain the coolness in summer and warmth in winter. Not that it was very successful. The centre floor had a few tables and chairs, which were also secured in place, where prisoners could sit and read if their privileges allowed them. Only a handful of convicts besides himself were authorised to check out a book for a weekend. The others were lifers in good standing with academic backgrounds. How they survived the Dementor years, he didn't know, and he knew better than to ask. His attention perked up as two new prisoners entered his domain. His eyes flicked over to the guard at the entry, who didn't seem alarmed. He swallowed hard as they crossed the floor approaching him. He couldn't fathom how Alecto and Amycus Carrow received permission to be here after being recaptured three months ago. The last time he'd seen them was on the Astronomy Tower. Both had spoken and even taunted Dumbledore right before Snape had cast the Killing curse.

"Alecto, Amycus, how can I help you?" Draco asked in a casual manner that belied the terror he was feeling. They'd wholly ignored him during meals up to this point, and he'd almost forgotten they were here…until now. His first impression of them close-up was that their years on the run hadn't been kind. They'd always been of plain face and short, roundish stature, but now they were scarred and emaciated even after a few months of solid meals. Draco took quick notice of the guard. His back was to the room.

"Wanted to read that book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," Alecto said. "Lost my copy."

"Did you? Sorry to hear that. It is a book worth keeping around, but unfortunately, we don't have it on the shelves here."

Alecto leaned forward against the counter table. "Heard you could order a book from Hogwarts or elsewhere." Draco wanted to step back but held his ground.

"Yes, but you'd have to have permission from Head Warden Greengrass and Madam Pince at Hogwarts to receive it," Draco replied. "I'll have to check to see whether you have the permissions to place an order."

"Hmm, will you now? You could just order it for me."

Draco cleared his throat. "I could, but it wouldn't go through. While it's a third-year-level book, it contains information on highly dangerous creatures. It's not in my fields of study, so I wouldn't have cause to order it."

"As useless as your father," she sneered but backed away from the table. "Amycus, I'm going to take a little walk; why don't you talk with our friend here." Draco's brow furrowed as he watched her move towards the room's perimeter. He thought about warning her that the books were charmed with protection spells and would note who touched the book. But chose not to. It might be his only recourse to proving that he was not helping them do whatever they were planning.

"So, Malfoy, why aren't you on the seventh floor with the rest of us?" Amycus asked. Draco's attention swerved away from Alecto to her brother as the convicted wizard raised the sleeve of his left arm, showing his Dark Mark. Draco willed his facial muscles to still.

"Dunno. You'd have to ask the Warden. My father was here when I was admitted, and they put me next to him. I wasn't aware that the rest of the Death Eaters were together until now."

"f*ck," Alecto yelped from the left side of the room. She was frantically shaking her hand. "Could've mentioned they were protected, you little sh*t."

"Okay, that's enough," the guard said from the entryway door. "You two, let's go. Now the Warden is going to know you were here." The corner of Draco's mouth quirked up. "You, DM97DE24, better have the right story to tell the Warden why you let these two prisoners in here."

Draco snorted. "Guard Woolsey, you know, and I know that everyone who enters here has to go through the check-in system with the guards. You guards still check my permissions every morning. I assumed that the Carrows had your approval."

Guard Woolsey raised his hand and pointed his wand at Draco. "You better start watching yourself then, boy."

"I reckon I should," Draco responded as the guard left with the Carrow twins in tow. He ran across the room to see what book Alecto had touched. Its ancient-looking leather cover was a light shade of green, with heavily patinaed brass embellishments. He didn't recognise it and thought he knew all the books here."Celtic Creatures of the Highlands by Erick Potter? What the hell?"

"Don't touch it, DM97DE24," a deep voice said from the doorway. Draco froze in place. Each step of the warden's boots resonated in the solitary space as he approached him.

"I didn't, sir," Draco blurted out. "I just wanted to see what book Alecto would be interested in. I haven't seen this one here before."

"It was placed here early this morning by me. AJ78MM03 ordered it, and I approved the order."

Draco's eyes narrowed. There was something he knew he was missing in what just happened and what Grayson had said. He collected his thoughts momentarily and recognised that it would be best not to question the situation. "Will Andrea be reading it? I'd be interested as I have a correspondence with Pantea Zabini about different categories of faeries."

"I'm aware," Grayson said. AJ78MM03 will not touch this book, much less read it, for a few weeks yet, but you will."

Draco shook his head. "Pardon?"

"You do have a choice. If you agree to terms, a note will be put in your file to reduce your sentence by a few years. If you disagree, a simple Obliviation will cure your remembrance of the book." Draco blinked his eyes repeatedly, trying to process what Grayson was saying in real-time. Both were startled by a new guard's presence at the door. Grayson lifted his gloved hand and waved the door shut and locked.

"Is this task, job, whatever it is dangerous?"

Grayson tilted his head; his eyes rolled up and to the corners. "Possibly, but I have it in my powers to reduce any risks."

Draco's hand flew over his mouth to stop the laughter that wanted to escape. He had no idea what the f*ck the Warden was requesting of him. A deep chuckle reverberated from Grayson's chest. "Okay, Draco, I'll lay it out for you."

Draco found his head shaking again. The Warden using his name only occurred on top of Azkaban during his magic release sessions, and then he only appeared rarely. Usually, it was a high-level guard standing in. A hint of mirth was in the blue eyes staring at him.

"Andrea, as you know, is a Celtic folklore historian. She was approached by Alecto in casual conversation about the fae present in the UK."

"Wait, when would they've talked? Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt, sir."

"No, I'll allow it for now. Alecto's cell is next to Andrea's."

"Andrea's a Death Eater?"

Grayson barked out a short laugh. "Yes, what do you think that MM stands for?"

"Sorry, I don't know. I thought all Death Eaters had the DE designation."

"Muggle Massacre. She was responsible for the murder of all fifty or so residents of a small town near Arisaig in Scotland in 1977. Don't ask me where that is beyond it's on the West Coast," he said with a smile. A smile Draco thought that didn't belong in this conversation. "Guard Woolsey overheard snippets of their conversations over the past few months."

"Wait, so this was a set-up?"

"Yes, we needed to know if you were involved in the procurement of the book and to verify that Alecto knew exactly which book it was."

"No. No, I wasn't. Why would…Oh, yes, my position here."

Grayson thinned his lips. The facial expression reminded Draco of his father. It was one he gave when he expected Draco to understand something that he thought was apparent. Draco maintained complete eye contact with the Warden as he ruminated over what else he was missing. "Oh, oh, my letters with Pantea in discussing the different types of faeries. I'm sorry, Warden Greengrass, but is there something dangerous about Celtic faeries? I mean, besides the sentient faeries and their trickeries?"

"Ah, good question. I don't know. I don't want Andrea to know that I know she's involved with Alecto, to ask. Woolsey, they believe, is a Dark Arts supporter in deep cover. He had my approval to bring the Carrows in here."

"Wow!"

"Yes, wow! Now, I want to know if there is anything in that book that can't be found in other books. Something to do with the fae in the UK that could be dangerous. It came from Hogwarts' archived books that students cannot access. Madam Pince couldn't remember seeing it before and was surprised it was on the list of books owned by the school. She had to dig it out from deep storage. Obviously, the request should've been declined, but I can smell a nefarious plot a mile away."

Draco shuffled his feet. They were tired of standing still so long on the cold stone floor. "And Andrea will have access to the book in a week or so?"

"Yes. I'm sorry to say she's currently suffering from a bout of food poisoning after this morning's breakfast. And I do mean that literally," Grayson said with a smirk. Also, reminding Draco of his father.

"So, you want me to read the book and note anything I find of concern. Is that it?"

"Yes, that is it for now. I did consider moving you to the seventh floor to listen in on Death Eater gossip, but I'm afraid your betrothed and others would have my head." Draco laughed this time. He thought of his father as having a powerful and dangerous persona but was downright nervous about being married to a Black witch.

"And for this, you'd put a notice in my file?"

"Yes, but it depends on what you discover. We'll have to plan on how we track what Andrea reads in the book."

"There are spells for that, sir. I mean, I couldn't cast them, but you could. In fact, if you don't mind, sir, could you cast a glamour on the book so I could read it here without others knowing?"

"Brilliant. Yes."

Sunday 12 January 2003

"I've missed this place, this room especially," Ron said with a mouthful of blueberry waffles. Hermione clenched her teeth and shook her head. Harry snickered. Some things always stayed the same. The breakfast room in Potter Castle was exceptionally bright, with the morning sun reflecting off the frosted trees and blanket of snow outside the windows.

"Welcome any weekend, but especially glad you could make it today."

"Where's Daphne and the kids?" Hermione asked.

"Hogwarts. They and Astoria and Blaise left last night. I wanted another night here. Blaise said Maggie's been acting up. Think we needed some alone time," Harry said, rubbing his slipper covered foot over her side as she lay under the table. "By the way, your cat is making the rounds of the Common Rooms. He visits Andromeda for some reason and Pan in their respective areas but has become somewhat of a mascot for Gryffindor. He might be getting a bit more fluffy in his old age."

"I'm not getting him back, am I?" Hermione sniffled.

"Unless you plan on joining Hogwarts staff, I don't think so. He and Hisser even seem to have settled their differences. But you should pay him a visit after the ceremony today. f*ck, can't believe it's been five years."

"And you're still alive," Ron added. Harry growled at him.

"How's the new recruits?"

"Good. Greg is a fantastic instructor, but we all know he's biding his time to get into the field until his father is captured. Millicent came home for the holidays. She'll be returning for good in June but not to St Mungo's. Opening a private practice shop in Nocturne Alley."

"And you, Hermione? Any word on the Wizengamot seats?"

Hermione set down the mug of coffee she was sipping on. "No. Scrimgeour could push it through if he wanted but prefers to let it brew in the pits of the Wizengamot. All they do is edit the same legalese over and over."

"Damn. Let me know if you think Elias could help or his tome, and I'll ask him. But are you enjoying the transfer out of the Beasts and Beings Laison Department?"

"It's only been a month, Harry."

"Sorry," Harry said. He felt bad knowing he was pressuring her, but five years had passed, and still, the Wizengamot hadn't budged on opening up their seats to families that weren't purebloods. "At least I'm not asking when you two will have a kid."

Hermione and Ron both laughed. "Hate you," she said to Harry, then turned towards Ron. "We should go soon. I promised Molly I'd be on time for the Coven meeting, and, Harry, I know she still wants to see your quarters."

"I'll shower and be there soon."

While Diagon Alley had a major victory celebration to acknowledge that five years had passed since Voldemort's demise, the one at Hogwarts was more subdued. It consisted of speeches recalling the war years and naming students, professors, and staff who had died, followed by a celebratory lunch. It was important to Harry and others, including the Headmistress, that the students always be told the truth about the war so as never to repeat it. Later in the afternoon, the students would have time to themselves and those who had their standard permission slips signs would be allowed to visit Hogsmeade.

In Diagon Alley, Scrimgeour and other politicians gave their speeches and then enjoyed the winter carnival-like festivities for a set amount of time. As the Minister played no role in the takedown of Voldemort, he gave the minimum required of him to celebrate the day.

Harry sat at the Head Table in the Great Room with Daphne on one side and Andromeda, holding James, on the other. Charlotte, Teddy, and Victoire were at the Hufflepuff table with Pantea, now a fifth-year Prefect. Additional tables had been brought in for parents and guests, where House affiliation went by the wayside. Harry quickly noted that one table had been commandeered by the Coven, not on staff. They were in their traditional robes and pointed hats. He did a quick surveillance, noting that while Narcissa was in attendance, Lucius was nowhere to be seen. Another table was filled with gingers, with a few exceptions for their spouses. Fleur's eyes were concentrated on her daughter at the Hufflepuff table while she held another in her arms. Angelina was heavily pregnant as she sat between Fred and Charlie. George was at their shop in Diagon. Lee Jordan had been working there for the past two years after the twins failed to recruit Ron away from the Aurors. Lee stayed there for the day, helping George with the brisk business that would come with the Victory celebration.

A wide smile was produced in seeing Remus, Lyall, Florean, and Jarvis laughing loudly. Jarvis had become the Hogs Head’s on-site local celebrity. Many old-timer Quidditch players could be found there listening to major Quidditch games on the wireless in the pub but mainly they came for companionship and relive their own golden years playing. After the ceremony, Harry, Daphne, and a few others would wander down to the Bed and Breakfast. "Whoa," Harry muttered, seeing Pansy leave the Coven table, walk over to the Weasley contingency, and sit down next to Ginny, also wearing the Coven garb. Ginny turned her head and gave Pansy a quick kiss. He heard Daphne snicker.

"You knew?" Harry said.

"She's been going to most of the Harpies' games for a few years now. I never knew Pansy to be a fan of Quidditch besides to cheer Slytherin in school."

Harry turned and lifted James out of Andromeda's arms as he began to fuss. "Well…good. I'm happy for both…I think." Daphne elbowed him. He gave a wink and grin. It felt like another sweet spot had emerged. "Should we pass this little boy off to Remus during the speeches?"

Walking down High Street in Hogsmeade with James in the pram and Charlotte helping to push it along brought forth a sense of contentment to Harry. They rarely made public appearances as a family but did so every year on the twelfth. Last year, conditions were near blizzard. Today was bright and crisp. A warm front was expected that evening, bringing a deluge of rain. They passed the Three Broomsticks without entering; they would do so on the way back to Hogwarts for a final round of hot chocolate. Every establishment hoped the famous family would ring the bell overhead their doors. The Potter family perused along until they reached Honeydukes. "Go on," Daphne said to Harry. "I'll keep going with James and meet you at Flicker." Harry glanced over to Ron and Greg, and they gave an assured nod. Ron and Greg stepped to each side of Daphne.

Harry felt confident that he, being alone, could protect his daughter. He'd been the Defense Professor for two years, and unknown to only a few, he was still ready for battle anytime he stepped away from his castle or Hogwarts. But even with the latter, he kept his silver knife strapped to his calf and Cloak of Invisibility folded in his pocket. Added to his gear for the innocuous walk down High Street in Hogsmeade was Draco's wand, along with his own and the Portkey that would take him home.

Daphne would shake her head when she saw all the treats he and Charlotte had purchased, but then he knew she indulged as much as he did. Charlotte's lips were cherry red from sucking on a blood pop. He was sure he looked like a Muggle who'd never been to the magical village as he gawked at the new shoppes, restaurants, bakeries, and more that were continually popping up. Minerva had literally squeed with joy when a few entrepreneurial free house-elves opened Charming Cheeses and Condiments in September. The original started in Diagon Alley last spring, and it had been franchised out to all of the wizarding villages by the beginning of autumn. Hermione had miraculously pushed through the House-Elf Reformation Act. Harry and Ron had planned for months how they would console Hermione when the Wizengamot shot it down, but all the planning had been for nought. The Minister had put his wand on the scale. Why he did it, she wouldn't tell, but soon the division was renamed to Beast and Beings Laison Department and at the end of the year, Hermione had transferred to the Minister's office as an advisor. The Potter house-elves chose to stay in service to the family, with Noddy not speaking to Harry for a month when he asked if she wished to be a free house-elf. The silent feud ended with Noddy admitting she would like to visit the new bed and breakfast for a weekend once a quarter.

He'd seen the shops as they were being built and opened, but that feeling of awe never left him. The town was thriving not only in shops like Astoria's candle shop, Flicker but also in more cottages spreading into the valley and flats above the stores.

Astoria's Flicker was more than a candle shop Harry discovered upon his first visit. Oh, it did have candles of every type, from tapers to barrels, with multiple wicks that could brighten a whole room to near daylight when lit. But her jar candles were the most popular. It was those that drew out her magical talents. There were ones to calm, others to inspire and energise, and Harry's favourites, ones to enhance a positive mood in any room, depending on the situation.

The bell tinkled overhead as he and Charlotte entered Flicker. Daphne gave him the side-eye when she spied the large Honeydukes' bag holding the bounty. James was out of the pram and in his aunt's arms. Whilst Auntie Story loved her niece and nephew, the store spelt trouble with their presence. Harry handed over the bag to Daphne and picked up Charlotte. Flicker reminded Harry once again that the Greengrass witches loved their Gothic décor. He wasn't surprised to see that Ron and Greg had each made a purchase. The overall scent of the store was enticing enough that if Harry didn't know better, which he did, he'd say a bit of Amorentia was involved. There were reasons other why Harry was glad that the marriage between Draco and Astoria had not happened, but at the top was now Astoria had her shop. It was beneath the status of a Malfoy to be in retail, even though Narcissa visited often, but the Greengrass family fully supported her.

The restoration of the Hogs Head into a Bed and Breakfast had been the main instigator of Hogsmeade's revitalisation. More and more new businesses popped up as more and more tourists became attracted. Not only were the building's exterior and interior revamped, but it catered to wizards, elves, and werewolves alike. Breakfasts came with a night's stay, but afternoon high tea attracted those who wanted to celebrate special occasions. There were rooms designated for each. Today, though, the group would just occupy the pub. While heavily upscale in its renovation, it still felt like a local pub, and some disagreement over Quidditch could lead to a brawl at any moment. Harry was happy to see his favourite bartender, Petra Parker, tending the keep. Lyall had met her when recovering at St Mungo's. She was an older witch with long grey hair, which she wore in a braided bun. She had lived alone in the country, and only by lousy luck had she been in Diagon Alley picking up a new owl the day Fenrir's pack attacked.

"Potter Pack, table by the window," she yelled as she pulled on the beer tap, filling one of many pitchers they would have.

"Thanks, Petty," Harry said as she personally brought over Bubble Juice with a swirl of raspberry syrup for Charlotte and bowls of Weasley's Roasted Dragon Nuts for everyone else, which, despite having eaten to his fill at the feast, he couldn't resist taking a handful.

"Ah, the wee one's getting big. Will there be another?" Harry burst out laughing as Daphne sprayed her sip of the Dragon Scale Amber across the table.

"Pick on them, Petty," Daphne said, pointing to Ron and Hermione.

"Oh, stop," Hermione said a little terser than Harry thought necessary. "Petra, is Florean in? I wanted to talk to him about tomorrow's meeting at the Ministry."

"No. Won't be back for a few hours. He and Lyall are giving a big exclusive tour of Hogwarts. First one the Headmistress has allowed, but honestly, who could say no to the Galleons that the fancy ones were donating to the cause."

"Which cause, Petty?" Daphne asked

"Plumbing, dear. Our Hermione, here, finalised an agreement between the school and Merpeople to clean up the Black Lake. Not sure what spell you used to make that happen," Petra added with an exaggerated wink to Hermione. Ron's arm went around Hermione's shoulders, giving her a squeeze, making it obvious how proud he was of her.

"It wasn't too hard. The Merpeople have ways to keep their part of the lake sanitary, but when the Giant Squid became ill, and the Grindylow population had decreased by half, they reluctantly agreed. They're going to allow folks into the lake to build a filtration system."

"How did I not know this, Hermione?" Harry asked, picking up James from the pram next to him before he fussed too much more. James immediately reached for the now dishevelled braid Harry had flipped over his shoulder. "Our view is of the lake, and we haven't seen any dead Grindylows floating about."

"Mate, the squid ate them," Ron said. "The Grindies were poisoned by the waste going into the lake, which affected the Giant Squid."

"Bleck," Astoria spouted out. "Can we change the subject? But good for you, Hermione. I always hated the idea of us polluting the lake."

"Did you get Moaning Myrtle's okay?" Harry asked, knowing she wouldn't hex or throw anything at him with James in his arms.

Harry stared out the castle windows in their bedroom quarters. It was too dark to see the lake. When the fireflies and seasonal spring faeries came in late spring, the lake and land around it became enchanting. "I still can't believe that after the ceremony we ended up talking about sh*t flowing into the lake."

"I think it's a good sign, Harry." He glanced over to Daphne. She was setting her tea on the bedside table and lit the nearby chamberstick. No matter the night, she liked to read before sleeping and sip her tea as she did so. A soft smile came over his face as she untied her dressing gown and laid it over the nearby chair. Harry raised his wand to the fireplace, increasing the flames when he saw her shiver as she slipped into bed. It was January, and the castle was cold.

"Why's it a good sign?" he asked as he lay down on his side close to her to help increase the warmth. His fingers trailed down her arm, covered by flannel. Daphne sighed exaggeratedly as she leaned to the side, set her teacup back on the bedside table, and closed her book, putting it next to it. Harry knew that sigh. He loved that sigh. It was a teasing one of faux annoyance.

"Because," Daphne whispered as she turned to face him. His hand cupped her chin while he leaned forward for a kiss. Her lips were soft; they always were. "Because," she whispered again. "Because of you and what you did five years ago. Now, people can worry about and attend to polluted lakes instead of whether they will live or die. And if they died, would it be by a familiar hand."

"Jesus, Daphne. I didn't…"

"Expect something so deep?" she cut in with a grin. "You know I like it deep, Potter."

Harry rolled onto his back in laughter. "God, you're a minx."

Monday 13 January 2003

"Hey, love, Rastaban just delivered your scroll from Draco," Daphne said, sitting on the side of the bed. "Brought you some coffee. I have an early tea leaf reading session with the fifth years. Kids are still sleeping, and Colsey's here."

"Mmm, thanks," he mumbled as he reached for his glasses. "Hope you see good things."

Harry set down the scroll, having only read part of it. He brought his hand to his mouth while looking absent-mindedly out the window and thinking about why he did know about that book. Why it sounded familiar. He squinted as memories and conversations flitted about in his thoughts. He didn't remember reading it…"Hermione," he shouted. She'd been in the library the night before his and Daphne's wedding. She had a stack of books she was going to read and mentioned that book…and…and Harry mentioned he wanted to read it. Why?

He stood abruptly, disturbing the table and causing his mug of coffee to tip over. "f*ck, there shouldn't be a copy there or anywhere." He glanced at the mantel clock. His first class wasn't for another two hours. He cleaned up his mess and stepped to the short hallway off the kitchen nook leading to the kids' bedrooms and play area. "Colsey," he said, seeing the elf knitting in the playroom. "I need to go to the castle for a bit. I should be back in an hour. I'll have lunch with Charlotte and James later today since I'll miss breakfast."

Maggie was by his side barking the moment he Apparated into the Entryway Hall of the Potter Castle. "Hey, girl," he said, bending down to pet her. "Come on, help me find the book." The dog followed him into the library, where Harry spent a few minutes scanning the shelves of books to find the green leather he remembered. It had been well worn, and if he recalled correctly, the spine was broken. "Oh, for f*cks sake, Accio Erick Potter book. What?" he spat out as a dozen books floated from differing shelves towards him. Maggie jumped up, trying to grab one or two. None of them looked to be the one he was searching for. He held out his arms, capturing them all, and set them on the library table. "sh*t, I was sure…" he said, but then stopped as the green leather book in shabby shape came floating in from the hallway.

"What the hell?" he heard a familiar voice say from upstairs. Harry laughed as he snatched the book from the air, left the room, and looked up.

"Hey, it's just me. Got a moment?"

"Sure, be down in a few. Have to be at work in thirty."

Harry sat on one of the sofas near the fireplace. The corner of his mouth lifted as the flames increased to diminish the chill. He missed the castle responding to him like this. Daphne had had a few good laughs when they first went to Hogwarts to live. He'd walked around waving his hand to light candles or pointing and beckoning at objects for them to come to him. Hogwarts was having none of his antics. He wasn't its Master. He cracked open the book to where a silver ornamental bookmark had marked the page. His heartbeat quickened. The chapter title was Baobhan Sith.

"Oh, forgot about that," Blaise said as he stood behind the sofa, looking over his shoulder.

"Did Pantea see it?" Harry asked as he skimmed the first few paragraphs.

"No. It wasn't one of the books she had selected. I saw it a year ago in the library and thought she might like it until I read that chapter. Those Dark Faeries are brutal. Are they still around?" Blaise asked as he rounded the sofa and sat in the chair beside Harry. Both of them smiled as two mugs of coffee and fresh slices of lemon-blueberry bread appeared on the coffee table in front of them. "I kept the book in my room because I didn't want her discovering it. I meant to talk to you about it, but…"

"No. It's fine. You did the right thing. Maggie!" Harry yelped as the dog hopped on the sofa and lay down. She looked up at him, giving him a confused look. Harry turned back to Blaise. "Is this your doing?"

"Maybe."

"She sleeps with you, too?"

"Maybe."

Harry chuckled. "Just don't tell Daphne."

Blaise thinned his lips. "Wait, she knows, doesn't she?"

"She might've said not to tell you."

Harry sighed, took another sip of coffee, and gave Maggie a few long pets over her head and muzzle. "So, are they around?" Blaise asked again.

"No. Well, they are, but they are not able to hurt anyone. They're trapped under cairns built above their resting place. Quite a few were on the battlefield that night. Oh, oh, sh*t!"

"What? Did one get knocked over?"

Harry narrowed his eyes, thinking about who he saw duelling before he Disappeared back to the castle to find Voldemort. "No…but there were Death Eaters there, and one or two of them might have been curious about what they were. This book, Blaise, is one of the few texts, maybe the only one, that has information on them. The rest were banished by the Hogwarts Governors over a century and a half ago."

"Why?"

"All of the Baobhan Sith were eventually cairned. Erick Potter, the book's author, helped lead that effort. It was decided that because they were so lethal, it would be better if they were forgotten. So, all references made about them were destroyed or at least hidden away. I learned about them from Charlotte and asked Lyall. He's the one who told me about what the Hogwarts Governors had done. The cairns are protected from being disturbed. I checked and added a few of my own spells."

"Okay, but why are you here now summoning the book? About gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry, mate. I thought it was still in the library. We should survey the books there to see if others mention them. I'm glad Pan didn't find it. I wonder if Hermione read about them as she had it in her stack to read around the time of the first Samhain we spent here." Blaise cleared his throat, showing his annoyance with Harry's nattering. "Oh, yeah, I'm here because, in Draco's latest letter that I was reading this morning, he asked if I had a copy because he had one now in the Azkaban library. It came from Hogwarts through the library lending program. It had been in storage there. He didn't say anything more about who ordered it or why."

"Potter, I need to go, but you need to tell Grayson."

"Yeah, no, it might get Draco in trouble."

Blaise stood and drained the last drops of his coffee. "You need to tell him…today."

"Thanks for coming on such short notice," Harry said to Grayson as he and Maggie led him up the central stairs of the castle. "Need to go up these corner spirals," Harry added, leading the way to his bedroom quarters. "This is my personal area. You've seen the sitting room, but we'll go to my office. It's the only room where ghosts nor house-elves can enter."

"Being quite mysterious, Harry. I was surprised to see your Patronus waiting for me in my office. Thankfully, no one else was there."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I wasn't thinking straight," Harry responded as they climbed the last set of stairs from his bedroom to his office. "Okay, we can sit at the end of the room."

Still in his Azkaban uniform, Grayson took his time walking over to the sofa and chairs, seeming to observe what belongings Harry kept in his personal space, which wasn't much besides books, notebooks, and ledgers. The Potter Grimoire sat on his desk. Harry raised the fire to a decent level and stepped over to his leather chair with the back to the east windows. Maggie lay down at his feet. He withdrew the scroll Draco had written to him and handed it to Grayson. "Please, just the first few paragraphs. I haven't read the rest as of yet."

"I see. Why are you showing me this? It could get Draco in trouble. He could lose his position."

Harry sighed. "Grayson, don't pull that bullsh*t with me. It's obvious Draco is looking for information about this book. He's worried."

Grayson snorted. "Should he be worried?"

"Yes. We all should. I have my own copy. The original. The only people who read it besides me, which I did earlier today, are Blaise and possibly Hermione. Blaise thought Pantea might be interested in it, but once he read a certain chapter, he hid the book in his bedroom so no one else could find it. Grayson, I need to know who requested the book. What is in it has been kept away from the community for over a century and a half by orders of the Hogwarts Governors." Grayson frowned. "They wanted the people to forget that the Baobhan Sith existed or at the least that they were some fanciful legend."

"The what?"

"The Baobhan Sith. You don't know what's in the book?"

"No. Merlin, I just asked Draco to read it and explain why a certain prisoner would have requested it. Why this book and not any other."

"sh*t, okay," Harry said and rose to retrieve the book from his desk drawer where he'd placed it after talking with Blaise and reading the chapter for himself. "Here, read the first few paragraphs." Harry watched as the colour left Grayson's face.

"These are real? They aren't a legend?"

"They're real, but Erick Potter, the author, put cairns over their resting spots, which stops them from rising. Lyall believes that only the local families living here for a few centuries would remember them. That would be the Scamanders and maybe Minerva."

Grayson puffed out an exhale. "The requester is an old Death Eater. She's been in since '78 for the mass murder of a Muggle town on the West Coast. But she's been talking with Alecto Carrow as their cells are next to each other. I don't know which one of them instigated the conversation. Andrea may know about them as she was a renowned Celtic historian."

"Alecto might have been the one."

"How so?"

"The battlefield on the mountain, before I went to the castle, is where the cairns are. Alecto could've seen them or some other Death Eater and been curious. They're slightly structurally different than the prehistorical Muggle mini ones, though they serve the same purpose in marking the spot for internment or where something of importance was buried.

Grayson sat back and rubbed his hands through his short but somewhat stylish blond hair. Harry had always wanted to ask why he didn't keep it long but now wasn't the time. "Alecto, from what I've observed in her previous incarceration and now over the past few months, has never struck me as very bright. Street smart, yes, but academically, not so much."

"Hmm."

"There were other Death Eaters there, yes? Do you remember who?"

Harry snorted. "A lot of them. Parkinson and Pettigrew were dead before then."

"Excuse me. How do you know that? Even the Aurors couldn't get anything but garbled words from Mulciber when he was interrogated about how Parkinson ended up with his body bitten in two and Pettigrew drowning in Loch Lochy."

"Yeah. Off the record, Grayson. I was there. Ron knows. The only other Death Eater I could identify was Bellatrix. There were originally four and then six; all wore Death Eater masks. I didn't know it was Parkinson until later."

"What was it…off the record. And you say Ron knows. Ron Weasley, isn't he an Auror?"

"Ron and Hermione know everything. They are my best friends, and we learned long ago not to keep secrets from each other. Our friendship supersedes our professions. And it was a Kelpie. It liked me, the Death Eaters, especially Parkinson, not so much. As to Pettigrew, he was in his Animagus form, a rat, and got kicked into the loch for pissing off the Kelpie."

Grayson brought his hand to his forehead and burst out laughing somewhat manically. "And here I thought you'd told me everything."

Harry shrugged. "Yeah, well, a lot of stuff has happened in my life. I'm sure something else will pop up later."

"That's fine, Harry," Grayson said, reaching over and tussling Harry's hair affectionately. Harry had to blink. It was a familial action that he wasn't used to coming from any older wizard other than Arthur. But the moment vanished with Grayson asking, "Was Bellatrix also on the battlefield?"

"I think so…wait, yes. I remember hearing her. She's the one who announced that Voldemort had left and to retreat. And she was the one who recognised what the water creature was."

"Bingo. She and Alecto were cohorts, or rather, Alecto was one of her minions when imprisoned before the breakout."

"f*ck!"

"Yes, f*ck. But we still don't know why Alecto or Andrea would want this information."

"Do you think Draco has read the book already?" Harry asked. Grayson snorted while giving Harry a side-eye. "Yeah, stupid question. Of course, he has. But you can't let anyone else read it. You'll have to charm the text. Between Draco and I, we could figure out what to put in its place."

Harry lowered the scroll but remained tightly gripped in his shaking hands. The story was so sweet, and the ending even sweeter, as the mother unicorn nuzzled the boys' necks in thanks. A woodland faerie told the boys that an eagle had flown down and snatched it away from its mother in the field.

Teardrops fell on the parchment. "Draco, I'm so sorry," Harry cried out. It had been five years since Draco had felt the need to close his eyes, to escape to that other world.

Friday 17 January 2003

They followed the creek, now a river with the melting of snow. It wound its way out of the glen towards Loch Lochy. But they weren't headed for the Loch, but upstream, they'd cut over to hike up towards the mountain top. Disapparation would've been more efficient timewise, but if something had disturbed the cairns, then this was likely the path they would've taken up the mountain. The river wound its way out of the glen, cutting large swathes here and through the red rock and steep mountain.

The wind wasn't blowing as furiously as it had the previous times he'd been on the sparse mountaintop. Now it was covered in patches of brown weathered grass and more white quarts than he remembered. But still, gusts of winter winds were blowing across, making them both shiver. It would snow later that night, and the grounds might only be clear enough to survey the cairns again in March. The rare bit of rain in the warming front that came over earlier in the week melted the snow and left mud. Today, with below-freezing temperatures, was the first time the area became accessible. The ground had frozen again, and today coincided with when Harry's classes and Ron's work schedule wouldn't be interfered with. "Mate, they're all accounted for and don't look disturbed," Ron said as they finished their second counting. They'd left no footprints and had been perfectly silent as they scrutinised the area. Ron was in his Auror field uniform, which included a molkskin satchel. It carried a first-aid healing kit, surveillance equipment, various weapons, and a portkey that led directly to St Mungo's. Before they left the castle, Harry had handed Ron an iron blade and medallion on a leather string to wear around his neck.

"It just feels different," Harry said.

"Beginning to sound like your wife."

Harry punched Ron on the arm when Ron accentuated his comment with a roll of his eyes. "And it smells different." Ron stopped in his tracks. He tilted his head, and his nostrils flared as he sniffed the cold frigid air. The gusts had taken a break.

"That it does. I thought it may have been from the wet patches of dormant heather. Sweet, right?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, but not a good sweet."

"One more pass, mate, but let's see if we can tell where the smell is coming from this time." Harry kept his head down, facing the desolate landscape with only mountain heath and gorse poking out between the larger rocks. Both lifted scarves over their mouths, which Harry noted they should've done earlier.

Harry stopped by a cairn, the one furthest away from the others. It was a beautiful spot on the mountain near a rock overhang. The scent was nearby. He crouched down to the earth. The smell became overwhelming. He swallowed hard what he was sure was bile. "Here!" he choked out. He stood and kicked the earth with the tip of his dragon-skin boot. The ground was soft. It shouldn't have been. He kicked harder, and red earth flew around them. He looked up at Ron, whose face filled with horror, which he was sure reflected his own, when a mask they hadn't seen for years poked through, staring at them with empty eyes. The scent was no longer a whiff of sweet but thick and rancid. Harry's hands flew up, and he stepped backwards. Ron stayed stoically in place. He reached into his satchel and pulled out a small camera. Even in the tenseness, Harry had to smile. How Ron had got a hold of a Muggle Polaroid camera but guessed it came from Hermione. Ron glanced over to Harry, giving him a jerk of his head, signalling for him to return. Harry returned with his wand drawn. Methodically, more dirt was removed from the Death Eater mask with the brush of air emanating from Harry's wand. His heart stopped when another appeared next to it. Ron took a few pictures before Harry covered them back up, working to make it look undisturbed. After more photos were taken of the surrounding area, they Apparated back to Harry's sitting room at the castle.

"I'm going back to the Ministry to see if there's a match for the masks. I'll send Toby to let you know the results."

"The Death Eaters had individual masks?"

Ron shook his head, seeming surprised that Harry wasn't aware of that information. "Yes, but subtle differences. It wasn't until three years ago, when we'd collected a few, that we noticed a ranking on them. Mulciber's has five straight diagonal lines engraved in silver. Right above the left eye. The newest recruits only one."

"What have these ones got?"

Ron pulled the photos out and shuffled through them. "Jesus, six. This could only be one of a few."

"And the other?"

Ron's eyes narrowed as he turned the picture from side to side. "Dunno. Haven't seen anything like this one. It doesn't have a stripe and looks more fanciful."

He could feel Charlotte's presence nearby. The Portrait Room always had a bit of a chill, but ghost cold was different. "Erick, love, Harry needs to speak with you," she said. Charlotte's painting looked at both of them quizzically. It was the ghost version who told Harry he had to go to the Portrait's Room immediately and speak with her son. Erick Sr, in his portrait, stirred. It took him a minute to what Harry could only call waking up. Harry couldn't remember how long it had been since he'd spoken with this ancestor. Brigid, his wife, was wide-eyed and wide awake.

"Is it…is it the Baobhan Sith?" Brigid asked.

"It is," Harry replied. Erick immediately became fully alert.

"Tell me everything!"

"Erick, do you think one of the Dark fairies has risen? Could they last that long? I mean, it's been 150 years since you cairned them," Harry asked after finishing his story.

"It's Rodolpho Lestrange's," Toby, Ron's Patronus, barked at Harry in the Portrait Room, interrupting the conversation. "No record of the other. I'll be over tonight to discuss."

"Yes and no," Erick replied. "Yes, they can last that long, Harry. They're immortal. In their current state, they are what we would call dormant. I believe what you found is a new one. She would've had to have purposefully disturbed one of the other cairns to be turned, and then she or someone else would have put the rocks back in place. Whoever did this was methodical."

"Oh, hell. And the masks and the smell? Is that her?"

"No. It is one or two of her kills. Their decomposing bodies are feeding her in ways that are quite gruesome. As you know, the Baobhan Sith are not only a combination of faerie and vampire, but also succubus."

"Oh f*ck."

"Well, yes," Erick said with a sly grin.

"Erick!" Brigid said.

"Sorry, dear, but it's best Harry know what he's in for. Harry, the bodies must be removed and burned before you can place a cairn over this Baobhan Sith. And, you should know these Dark creatures hunt in flocks. If there's not another one on-site, there soon will be."

"sh*t."

"However, soon is a relative term. As they are immortal and this one has a body or two sustaining her, soon could be tomorrow or a decade."

"She couldn't just wake the others?"

"She could, but this witch and it is a witch to have broken through the cairn protective spells, doesn't trust her older sisters, which is quite unusual. It tells me she doesn't know much about what she's become, but the instinct to have a frolic of faeries will be present. Now, to control the situation, it is important that the victim be removed with the sun directly overhead. I see you have an iron medallion."

"Yes, I read that iron deterred them in the chapter."

"Well, you will need iron gauntlets, too. And bring that Deerhound of yours. She'll be able to sniff out any other Baobhan Sith or other kills that may be hidden. She'll need an iron collar."

"Erick, aren't vampires deterred by silver?"

"Yes, but the Baobhan Sith at their base are Faeries. Faeries are repelled by iron. We don't know when this mutation or breeding of creatures occurred, but some of our earliest texts written by magical beings in this area mention them. Well, not by name, but by description."

"Will the creature try and stop us?" Harry asked, hoping against hope that the answer would be no.

"Yes, most definitely, but she'll be weak. Her succubus charms will be lessened, but vampires have great strength even while weak. What won't be weakened is her faerie attributes. She'll try and trick you to have some control over you."

"Don't speak your full name, don't bargain with her, and don't accept any gift she tries to give you," Brigid said.

Harry nodded to her. He was familiar enough with faerie trickery. Many Hogwarts students were surprised with the lessons on faeries in their first year of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Purebloods and most half-bloods raised by a magical parent knew about some of their ways, but for Muggle-borns, they were quite innocent and were often drawn to faeries' beauty. However, most students, never minding their background, found the review informative. Usually, their understanding of faeries was based more on legend than fact. While faeries weren't classified as Dark, the repercussions of being tricked by them could cost your mental health. They didn't physically take you to another realm, which no one could prove existed if you fell for their antics, but your mind lived there. Harry had visited the Janus Thickney Ward at St Mungo's at Lyall's encouragement just prior to teaching his first year. He talked but mainly listened to the two residents caught in this faerie mind trap. It had startled him how much their discussions of where they were and who they were talking to reminded him of the entry to the underworld he had visited and where Draco went when meditating.

"Auror Weasley, it's a pleasure to formally meet you. I know we've seen each other at gatherings but haven't had a chance to speak alone," Grayson said, standing and holding out his hand as Ron entered Harry's study. Ron looked at Grayson questioningly but held out his hand for the shake.

"Ron, Grayson was Obliviated the morning of the wedding. I'm guessing he doesn't remember meeting you at the lantern," Harry said. "Come on, have a seat. I was catching Grayson up on what we saw today and that you took some Muggle photos. Why don't you start with what you know."

"Yeah, not much more than what I sent Toby to tell you,"
Ron said as he made his way over to the matching leather chair across from Harry. Grayson had commandeered the sofa. "The mask with the six stripes is definitely Rodolpho Lestrange, and the other is a mystery."

"May I see the pictures?" Grayson asked. Ron nodded, withdrew them from his satchel, and set them on the coffee table. "Yes, definitely Rodolpho's. And the other," he said, examining it more closely. "This is a mask for someone who has been picked to be branded but has not yet been branded. I've seen a similar one before. Auror Weasley, if you inspect Warren Wilkes' file for 1976, a picture might be kept as evidence of a similar mask."

"Was he a student?" Harry asked.

"Yes, a braggart Slytherin, more so than even me. He was in my class and showed off a mask similar to this one in our dorm room on our last night at Hogwarts. He was boasting about being called by the Dark Lord to join the Death Eaters and would be branded on his eighteenth birthday and would get his first mark on the mask. He was killed by Aurors on a raid within a week of leaving Hogwarts."

Ron cleared his throat. "You knew about the marks on the masks?"

"Yeah. It was common knowledge…at least, I thought it was. The more marks, the closer you were to the Dark Lord's Inner Circle. Lucius, like the Lestranges, including Bellatrix, has six." Harry listened closely, but then his thoughts wandered to something he'd never considered. Draco must've had a Death Eater's mask.

"Draco might know whose it is. It would be safe to ask him without involving anyone else."

Grayson rose from the sofa and stepped over Maggie at Harry's feet. He began pacing the room. Ron looked over to Harry. Harry shrugged, not knowing what his father-in-law was thinking about so intently.

Sunday 19 January 2003

Draco sat at one of the library tables, wrapped in his sleeping blanket. The library was especially cold this morning. From the windows up high in his cell on the tenth floor, it looked like a storm was in effect. A blizzard, to be more precise. He didn't question Guard Woolsey when he approached his barred door and said he was bringing him to the library. He gestured to the blanket and said he might want to bring it with him as he'd be in the room for a while. Draco sipped his now cold coffee. The plate of breakfast that had been waiting for him was now empty, and he'd moved it to another table thirty minutes ago. The library was usually closed on Sundays.

He tapped his fingers on the metal table, trying to calm his nerves. He couldn't chance to close his eyes and meditate to soothe his worries because he didn't have the luxury of trusting the guard as the Head Warden did. Maybe he was going to bring the twins in to rough him up. Maybe Andrea was feeling better and wanted access to the book. That f*cking book. It had taken Draco only a few hours to detect what either Alecto or Andrea wanted it for. Maybe the Head Warden would be coming in so Draco could tell him what he'd found. The Baobhan Sith he'd never heard of before. Never knew there were such things as Dark Faeries. No wonder the book had been hidden far away from students at Hogwarts, he thought to himself. Asking Harry had been taking a chance. He knew it, and he probably shouldn't have done it. Maybe the Head Warden did read their letters. Maybe he would be… His thoughts ceased as the sound of the lock on the door clicked. As the door opened, he heard the Head Warden say to someone, "Two hours. You'll have to get it done in two hours." Draco blinked hard, not believing his eyes as an Invisibility Cloak fell.

"Harry? Harry? What? What's happened?"

"Shh, shh. Everything's fine," Harry said, rushing over to him. Draco tried to stand, but his knees turned to jelly. Harry caught him and held him tight. "It's okay," he mumbled repeatedly, kissing Draco on the cheeks and lips.

"What is it then?" Draco asked, not wanting to stop the kissing, but he needed to know why Harry was here. Was his mother ill? Was his father dead? Harry pulled back but kept a tight hold on Draco's arms.

"I'm here about the book. We need to talk. I'll tell you everything, and then you and I must change the text before Andrea reads it." Draco slid out of Harry's arms back onto the chair.

"Tell me everything," he said.

Whilst Draco listened intently to everything Harry was telling him, he kept pinching himself to make sure he was in the then and now, that this was real. Harry, his Harry, was talking to him like an equal, confiding in him, and asking for advice. The green eyes showed excitement, but Draco couldn't miss the moments when they softened, as if Harry couldn't believe he was sitting here either.

"You're staring."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Okay, it's the scruff. I'm deciding whether I like it or not."

Harry rubbed his jawline and chin. "Well, let me know when you decide. Got tired of shaving during the holidays."

"Makes you look older. Are you going to grow the beard long?"

Harry chuckled. "Uh, no."

"Good. Now show me the pictures of the masks," Draco said. Harry reached into his travelling cloak and handed over the small stack of photos. Draco rifled through the captures of the cairns on the mountaintop and the area where the masks were found until he came to the pictures of the masks. "sh*t."

"What is it?" Harry asked excitedly. Draco glanced up at him, giving him a fast grin. "Definitely Rodolpho's. Rabastan's has only five stripes."

"Really? Grayson said he would have six, too."

Draco huffed. "No, he wasn't as bright as his brother. He got the five out of pure loyalty. He thought of the Dark Lord as his god. It's the other one, Harry. I think this is Pansy's. The decorations are more than what most of us put on ours. And if you look at the softer marks on the right cheek, it's an abstract flower. I've seen her make this design before. Is she missing?"

"No, she's well alive and dating Ginny Weasley. Attends all of her games."

Draco burst out laughing. "You're lying, you wanker."

Harry snickered and held up his hands. "Merlin's truth. But this would make sense as we know that Bellatrix was trying to make Pansy her protégé. Your mother told me that the lessons resembled what Bellatrix did to you. She could've easily taken the mask and given it to Rodolpho."

Draco winced as a jolt of pure fear in remembrance of those times shot through him. Harry's hand reached over to his and held it. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up."

"It's okay. I'll be alright. But, Harry, from what you've told me and from what's in the book, it might actually be Bellatrix who's in that pit, and she has plans to turn Pansy into one of these creatures.

"Oh f*ck. We're going to have to face her," Harry said. "Me and Ron."

"You'll need more."

"We can't let anyone else know. Blaise is an absolute no because of Pan, and I'm not bringing Grayson. The family would never forgive me if something happened." For the second time, Draco broke out in laughter. "What?"

"God, Potter, Grayson Greengrass didn't become Head Warden just because he's been here so long. He's ruthless when he needs to be. My father thought he would be a pushover when Astoria and my betrothal were being negotiated. He wasn't. The agreement is ironclad, with only Astoria being able to break it off. If I even attempted to, the Greengrasses would receive the majority of my inheritance."

"She's not going to," Harry said.

"I know," Draco said, nodding his head. "We discussed it in the past and still correspond regularly. She's happy with her life as it is. But her father, Harry, is someone I do fear as did my father, and it's not just because of the power he holds over me, it's because, as I said, he can be ruthless when there's a cause. Never get in a physical fight with him. I've seen him knock prisoners twice his size out with a single punch."

"I'll think about it," Harry said with a sigh. "I could also ask Lyall."

"No! f*ck no. Don't get a werewolf near her. You, especially as the Defence Professor, know that cross-contamination between species can be unpredictable. From what your ancestor has relayed, no one knows how these Dark Faeries came into being."

"Okay, okay," Harry replied. "We should get going on changing out the book text. It would be nice to have some time together before I leave." Draco was sure he blushed. It certainly would be nice, he thought. "Erick helped me outline what he believes the changes should be depending on our choice. Oh, and he gave me some random dated words to throw in there to make it read like he'd written it himself."

"Potter, I'm perfectly capable of writing period English," Draco drawled. He realised how posh that came out when he saw Harry thin his lips, trying to avoid sniping back.

"You'll have to do the magic," Draco stated, changing the subject. Harry surprised him with a mischievous smile.

"Grayson said you could help me with this. But only with spells relating to the task," Harry said while withdrawing two wands from his pocket. Draco stared at his hawthorn wand, which he knew Harry had used in the duel with Voldemort, as if it were a foreign object. He hadn't seen it for six years. "You can pick it up. You have permission," Harry added. It rolled over to Draco with a flick of Harry's fingers. Draco's eyes widened; he pulled back from the table. Now, he knew this wasn't real. He felt faint. Confused. Harry rushed over to him from his chair. "Draco, love, are you okay. It's okay, I can do it. You don't have to touch it." Draco looked up at him with a lost expression.

"This is real? I—I have permission?"

Harry picked up the wand, placing it across the palm of his own hand. "Yes this is real, and you have permission. It will be tested on my way out to ensure only basic spells you're usually allowed to do and spells for this task were the only ones cast." Draco nodded in silence. Hesitantly, he reached out and plucked the wand from Harry's palm. He grasped it tightly.

"It's mine? Is it still mine?"

"Try it, love. Call the book over. I have my copy here. We should ensure the text is the same as they were hand-scribed back then."

"Okay."

Draco sat at the library table, reviewing their changes for the third time. Not that he could alter anything now. Harry had left a while ago. They didn't know if it was Alecto or Andrea who wanted the book, and they didn't know the purpose of their wanting to research the Baobhan Sith, but the changes would lead the reader to believe the Dark Faeries were mainly of legend. However, local wizarding folks believed a family of witches that had moved to the Highlands from the continent were evil and buried them alive. They put cairns over their graves to stop their spirits from rising for revenge. According to the new script, Erick had personally dug up the cairn sites at nighttime and found only remnants of bones. Draco closed the book and stood from the table to put it back on the bookshelf.

His fingertips brushed his lips as he unmindfully scanned the surrounding book titles. They felt plump, and the skin around them felt rough from Harry's trimmed moustache and beard. He was sure each moment of the two hours they'd spent together would be forever ingrained in his long-term memory. He'd been jealous of Daphne when she and Harry first married, but Harry's feelings for him remained. However, now, he was envious of everyone who got to spend time with Harry. Time to chat, time to work together, time to just be near each other. Draco closed his eyes tightly, fighting back the tears that wanted to flow. He thought he understood what he was missing before, but now he truly knew.

Monday 3 February 2003

"Good morning, Andrea. It's good to see you again. I'd heard that you were ill," Draco said in a highly measured tone. He'd practised saying it the whole weekend before. The witch he took to be a few years older than his parents. He speculated that Lucius must've known her at one time at Hogwarts. She was tall and lithe, with her greying hair fashioned in a perfect French braid. Her chin was pointy but not as much as her nose was. The grey uniform did little for her fair colouring. The one thing Draco found significantly interesting about her appearance was her eyes. They were the palest of blue, almost transparent.

"Yes, I survived the Warden's special porridge."

"Pardon?"

"The Head Warden had me poisoned, Draco. Bit of a sad*st, that one. But still better than the Dementors," she replied. Tepidly, she walked towards him at the counter. "Now, I requested a book; I believe it came from Hogwarts a few weeks ago. Alecto was given permission by Guard Woolsey to retrieve it for me but was unable to. Do you know anything about that situation?"

Draco tightly curled his toes, the only thing he could think of to relieve the stress he felt without her seeing his apprehension. "Oh, yeah, she and Amycus came in. Touched some book over there," he said, pointing in the general direction. "Zapped her pretty good, and then they left."

"I see," she said, staring directly at him. He could feel the tingles of her trying to do a wandless Legilimens. He'd learned the hard way that his aunt was the true sad*st, but she did teach him to Occlude. "Did you happen to read the book?"

Draco cleared his throat. "Andrea, I don't even know what book you're talking about." She rolled her eyes, showing that she didn't believe him. "All I know is that Alecto tried to take a book off the shelf. I was going to see what book it was because she and Amycus being allowed in here was quite unusual. However, the Head Warden entered the room before I could and locked the door behind him. He wanted to know exactly what happened as the protocol had been broken. The Carrows were not supposed to have been allowed entry. I was shaken afterwards and went back to my cell. When I returned the next day, I didn't see any book that looked strange to me. And I thought it best to leave the situation alone."

"Phht. You're telling me that you weren't even a bit curious? You didn't check the logs of what book came in from Hogwarts."

"Of course I was curious," Draco sighed. "I did check the logs but the book name was blotted out, but I did see it came from Hogwarts. I couldn't imagine Hogwarts lending a dangerous book to Azkaban. At that point, I left the situation alone. My father grilled into my head while he was here not to get involved in any situation that could cause trouble. This smelled like trouble, and I wasn't about to dig any further."

The corner of her thin lips curled up. She gave a brief snort. "Fine. That I can believe. I've known Lucius since he entered Slytherin. He's always been slippery. Never once in the three years before I left did I know him to get caught making trouble. It was always his friends who were blamed and punished. I'm sure he passed that skill on to you. However, we all had a good laugh when we saw his sorry arse thrown into a cell."

Draco chuckled in response. He took a deep, cleansing breath as she stepped from the counter table and walked towards the bookshelf containing the book of interest. He opened his Transfiguration textbook on Conjuring and didn't take even a peek her way. The spells he and Harry put on the book would track which pages Andrea read.

"Bullsh*t," he heard her mumble sitting at the library table furthest away from. "Utter bullsh*t."

"Something wrong, Andrea?" Draco asked nonchalantly. She looked up at him and gave a heavy sigh.

"Nothing for you to worry about. It's just my memory. This place is finally taking its toll on me. I read this book when I was young…before Hogwarts. My Da gave it to me for my eleventh birthday. Found it at an estate sale of some ancient wizard near Inverness. Da was always bringing home junk from those types of sales, though he called them his treasures. Even then, I was interested in our Celtic history, so it was a welcomed present. But when I came to Hogwarts, they snatched it from me that first night. Never saw it again."

Draco's brow furrowed. He stepped away from his counter and walked towards her but stopped on the other side of the table. His hands rested on the back of the chair. "Andrea, are you saying this is your book?"

She gave him a soft smile. Her pale blue eyes teared up. "Yes, it's mine. I had the key to the lock, but when they took it from me, they broke it," she said. Her fingers played with the damaged metal bits. "But I remembered one of the chapters differently. I wish there was a Pensieve we could use or an active portrait of Erick Potter Sr. He's the author. Don't suppose your betrothed could ask her sister if there's one in the Potter Castle?" she asked with a cackle.

Draco coughed. "Yeah, that wouldn't be suspicious," he smirked. He wanted to ask her, 'Why now?' but refrained. It would show too much interest. "Anyway, I am glad that you found your book. I should get back to my studies."

"Draco," she said as he walked away.

"Yes," he replied as he turned back to face her.

"It's possible your father has a copy. I mean, since your family goes back so far."

"Andrea, the Manor was raided by the Aurors soon after Dumbledore fell. And then the Dark Lord and my Aunt Bellatrix lived there. I'm sure it would've been seized between the two if there was a hint of anything Dark." He immediately wondered if there had been a copy in his father's study. The Aurors would've likely missed it, but his aunt, no. Or it could have been moved down to the caverns.

"I didn't say there was anything Dark in this book," Andrea snapped.

"No, but I assumed when you said it was taken from you at Hogwarts."

Andrea narrowed her eyes. Once again, he felt the weak Legilimens spell try to break through his Occluding. He pushed forward an inconsequential memory of the Dark Lord and other Death Eaters sitting around the dining room table eating. "Will you ask?" she inquired.

Draco shook his head. "No, I will not. I don't care to be on the wrong end of the Head Warden's wand or fist or lose my privileges. Now, if you think there's something I might actually be able to help you with, then ask. Otherwise, I do need to get back to my studies. I'm on a schedule."

"Of your own making," she snorted.

"Yes, of my own making. Enjoy your book, Andrea," Draco said, turning back around and walking to the counter table.

"Okay, Draco. I'll ask. Have you ever heard of Dark Faeries?"

Draco took a moment to gather his strength and look non-plussed when he turned around. "No." She looked disappointed. He returned to his open book and read a page or two. "Andrea."

"Yes."

"I might have. I have a memory of Grandfather Abraxas telling me a story about some kind of faeries that lived in the Highlands, which killed hunters and hikers. Dad overheard him and told him not to tell me about such silly legends. I remember it because that night, I had nightmares, and my mother blamed Abraxas. It caused quite a family row. That is my only recollection."

Draco refrained from smirking when he saw her face light up. "Do you think Lucius thought they were legends or just did not want your grandfather scaring you?"

"Oh, definitely legends," Draco said with a chuckle. "My father didn't spare telling me about Dark Creatures. Do you think they're real?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. I thought I remembered reading that they were real in this book, but Erick Potter definitely says they are legends. But Alecto said she saw…"

"Don't! Don't tell me. I don't want to know anymore, especially if it concerns the Carrows. I think if these Dark Faeries were real, we'd know about them. It would've been taught in Defence, right? It's not like they'd let folks wander the Highlands without being warned."

He curled his toes again, waiting for her reply. She stared at him far too long for his liking before she nodded. "You're right. We would've been warned."

Friday 16 March 2003

Maggie hadn't taken kindly to being Apparated to the mountain top but recovered quickly and began her job. She foraged ahead of them, her nose to the ground. Around each cairn, she would stop, sit, and then give a howl. Harry and Ron watched intently as she neared where they found the masks. Today was the first time since their discovery that the grounds were somewhat visible, with only patches of iced snow remaining. And when the earth wasn't a giant mud puddle. Maggie began to furiously bark, running in circles near the spot but not at the spot; she sniffed the ground again and nosed into a hedge of brambles.

"Oh God," Harry said, holding his stomach as his dog lifted up her head, holding a femur bone in her mouth. Ron rushed over with Harry in tow. The brambles were set back from the jetty overhang in a crevice between two large stones.

"Someone has been snacking," Ron said.

"f*ck, Ron," Harry coughed out. He called Maggie over and directed her to drop the human bone. With reluctance, she obeyed. Ron, with his wand, cleared the brush.

"Looks to be three...no, wait, four bodies. The bones have all been stripped clean. From the marks, I'd say wolves, buzzards, and nature itself."

"And there's more masks," Harry said as his wand helped push away the red dirt nearby. "No wonder they haven't been spotted for years."

Saturday 21 June 2003

If they belonged to those who wore the masks, the bones had been Rabastan, Rowle, Yaxley and Goyle. Harry and Ron couldn't have the Aurors up on the battlefield where the cairns were. The rock formations would be too obvious, and a thorough investigation would ensue. Instead, they preserved the crime scene and recreated it on another nearby mountain. As best they could tell, the elevation, the soil, and the rocks creating the crevasse, along with the brambles, were similar enough not to cause suspicion.

Two weeks later, Harry called the Aurors with a discovery he and his dog Maggie made while hunting for red deer. Not that he'd kill them, but Maggie's breed was bred by Muggles to find them, while Wizards bred them to find magical remains. Only a few knew they were also experts on finding Dark Faeries. Along with the masks, bits of marrow remained in the larger bones and were tested. The results came back positive for magical beings but little else. The proof for Goyle Sr came from Greg. He identified his father's teeth. The front two were a tad crossed and a molar missing in the bottom right. Knowing his father was indeed dead brought him relief, along with the greater possibility that he could join the other Aurors in field investigations.

They waited until Summer Solstice to remove the remains of who they thought to be Rodolpho Lestrange from the site they'd marked on the battlefield mountaintop. In February, each of the three had set up their anti-intruder spells, hoping one would be tripped if the Baobhan Sith rose from her place in the earth. Further testing on the retrieved bones dated their demise to between three to four years prior. No further magical remains had been found, but Erick Sr had told Harry that there might be Muggle ones about. Ron inquired the best he could in the local area for reports of missing persons hiking near the mountainside. Two had been reported where the bodies hadn't yet been located.

According to Erick Potter's writings and discussions with Harry, The Baobhan Sith were called forth when a lonely male wandering through the area wished for a partner to share the night with. The faeries wore long green dresses, which hid their red deer legs and cloven feet. But their beauty and enchanted ways enticed the man or group of men to dance and drink with them. The wine they brought was of their own making. Erick had no doubt it contained an aphrodisiac. It would be when they had been making merry and full of spirits that the Dark Faerie would strike. They did so with their dagger-like, long, hardened nails. Blood would gush out from chest gouges, and all of it would be consumed, leaving white flesh and organs along with bones covered by shredded skin. Sometimes, to appease the succubus in them, if a faerie became enamoured with a particular traveller, she would take them into her hole in the earth, and they would suffer a slower and even more inhumane death. Females would follow the same fate unless they were magical, and one of the faeries fancied a witch to be one of them. Then, there was a different process, one Erick was never able to observe.

The weather on the mountaintop was still cool the third week of June, which made wearing iron chain mail over their chests less cumbersome than in the heat of August. The gauntlets were a nuisance. Maggie did not seem bothered with her collar. They Disappeared directly from Harry's Castle. Daphne had given Harry hints that she knew he was up to something but didn't press. Harry figured she'd done a reading for him again, and it foresaw that he would be fine.

"It's over there by the overhang," Harry said to Grayson, pointing to the north end of the flat part of the mountaintop where, years prior, the battle had initially been held. "Or just follow Maggie," he added.

"Give me a few minutes to orient myself," Grayson said, standing still while looking over the landscape. The heather was just now perking up and, in a few weeks, would start its initial bloom. "It's beautiful up here. I'd like to paint it."

"Leave out the cairns," Harry replied.

"We should start," Ron said, stepping forward. "I don't think we should leave Maggie alone at the site."

Harry moved quickly across the terrain. Ron was right; he didn't want Maggie to disturb the hole before they were all in place. They'd rehearsed it best they could when their schedules allowed, but none felt comfortable in not knowing what would happen when the earth above a Baobhan Sith was disturbed.

Ron and Harry began to clear the spot where they found the masks with their wands. Grayson busied himself with building a funeral pyre with tinder they brought from the castle woodlands and fire-starting crystals Astoria sold at her shop, which became a popular item with Squibs. Harry and Ron stood with their wands out; being bent over or kneeling left them too vulnerable. Iron or no iron, it was likely the Dark Faerie would be furious. They covered their mouths with scented scarves as the sweet, sickly smell turned putrid. Erick and Brigid had told them that their experience was that if there was a body, it would be about a meter down. "Oh sh*t," Ron said as the first hint of rotting flesh appeared.

"Keep going," Grayson encouraged. "Harry, you clear the head and body, Ron, the legs and feet."

"I'm not sure he has feet," Ron said. "It's like f*cking pink jello."

"Doing great," Grayson said. "Remember, Harry, Erick and Brigid did this multiple times. You and Ron are very capable." Harry turned his gaze to Ron, who gave Harry a wink. "Almost there. A bit more around his torso. Ron help Harry clear it."

"Torso? It's a puddle of putrid sludge. I'm just glad he's face down."

"Okay, we're ready to raise him. Ron, you and I will do that together. Harry, start the fire and be prepared if our Dark Faerie shows up.

"Stay," Harry said in a deep, commanding voice to Maggie when she began to growl. The remains of who they assumed was Rodolpho Lestrange began to rise. Maggie's low growl increased. Harry held onto her collar with his left hand, and his right hand held out his wand made of holly. The ground below shook as the body rose higher out of the makeshift grave.

"Kill me," a weak voice cried out. "Kill me!"

Ron's wand wavered as he lifted his scarf, turning to the side to vomit. The body lowered. "Kill me."

"f*ck this," Grayson said and flicked his wand. Whatever plans they had to carefully transfer the remains to the fire went to the wayside as there were no remains. Rodolpho was somehow still alive. The body flew onto the pyre. Bulging eyes in what Harry guessed was a face stared at him as the flesh burned.

"No!!!" a voice rang out from below. Maggie slipped out of Harry's hold on her and ran to the open pit, barking furiously. A blur of green flew straight up in the air and landed in front of Grayson. "You! You killed my husband!" she screamed. Harry knew the minute he saw her face it was Bellatrix. Not the cruel, sardonic-looking woman he knew before, but this one was beautiful despite spitting out at Grayson. Her face had softened, her eyes larger and luminous. But then her claws came out and went to strike Grayson, but then she flinched back. "Iron. You chicken sh*t, come and disturb me wearing iron," she spat out. "You think I'm going back to Azkaban?" she asked, then laughed manically. "Oh darling, Grayson, I'm immortal. I'm what our Dark Lord could never be…Immortal. And you," she added and spun to face Ron. "What's your name. You look like a Weasley."

Before Harry could remind Ron not to say his name. Ron said, "Toby."

"Liar. Oh, and I already know yours, baby Potter. But wait, you're all grown up now," she said as she slinked over to him. He looked down to see if he could spot her deer legs and cloven feet, but the dress hid them all. "How…how did you…what year is it?"

"2003, Bellatrix," Harry said.

Her dark eyes closed for a moment. "It's too bright. I—I need to leave now, but one of you will be coming with me," she said with a smile Harry could only describe as dazzling.

"Bellatrix, no one is going with you. You're going back on your own, or the sun will kill you," Harry said.

She laughed. "Darling Potter, the sun does not kill me. Are you trying to trick me?" she asked as she moved even closer to him. Maggie ran forward, placing herself between the two. "Oh, you have yourself a puppy." Harry didn't respond besides placing a hand on his dog's head, petting her as she snarled. Ron and Grayson had moved up behind Bellatrix with wands at the ready.

"Stupify!" Ron cast out. She threw her head back and cackled. Her long black hair caught rays of the overhead sun and glistened.

"Incarcerous!" Grayson added. The ropes slipped off her and slithered away as snakes.

"Aren't you all adorable, thinking you could take me on. Don't you know, I can't die. But I just can't decide which of you I want to bring with me into an everlasting affair. You boys would be sweet, but you," she said, pointing to Grayson, "you would be delicious."

Grayson laughed. "Bellatrix, you're fooling yourself if you think you could have any of us, especially me. Don't you remember, I'm the one who controlled the Dementors? Do you still have a soul?" Harry froze. He never knew that Grayson had any involvement with the Dementors. Ron's brow was furrowed, and Bellatrix stopped laughing.

"They're gone. I was told they were gone," she said, sounding frantic. "I'll make you a deal. Your lives for one other."

"We're not negotiating," Harry said. He was becoming concerned as her eyes were becoming wilder. Erick was right, she didn't know her own creature history. She was becoming panicked.

"You bring me Pansy Parkinson, and I'll let you all live."

"She's dead," Ron said. Bellatrix spun to face him.

"No. No, my sweet girl is not dead. I would know. She belongs to me. The Dark Lord gave her to me. Alecto swore under oath that she'd bring her here."

"Bellatrix, stop this nonsense," Grayson said. She turned once again to face him. "Pansy is dead, and Alecto with her brother are in Azkaban."

"No!" she yelled and then jumped on Grayson, screaming in pain as she came in contact with the iron, but it didn't deter her. Maggie leapt at her, biting her red deer legs. Ron and Harry grabbed onto her arms, trying to pull her off. She turned onto Harry, slashing him across his face. Ron cast more spells, including Unforgivable ones with no effect.

"Stupify!" Harry spouted with a mouthful of blood. She fell back, hitting the ground. Harry stepped over her with a wand he'd never used before. It once belonged to Dumbledore and then Draco, but its allegiance was to him for the last six years. She began to stir. Before he could cast another spell, Grayson leant over and punched her in the face. Her eyes blinked. She looked stunned, and then they rolled up, leaving her unconscious.

"Get her in there now!" Ron said. Harry cast the spell, and her body levitated off the ground and over the pit, where she was dropped below. Quickly, they all three filled the hole with the piles of dirt they'd removed.

"Here, I have the stones," Harry said. "But you two will have to do it. I—I can't see very well."

"Harry?"

"You stupid, stupid, man."

"What?" Harry muttered, bringing his hand to his aching head. It was slapped away.

"Don't touch. Millicent worked damn hard to clean you up. And if you're lucky, the scarring will be light. The one across your jaw is the most severe; you might have to grow that scruff back. We had to shave you."

"Ron? Grayson?" Harry mumbled as he tried to open his eyes. Orange eyes were staring at him from a perch. "My room?"

"Your room. I didn't want the kids to see you like this. Daddy is playing with Charlotte and James up in their suite. But I'm not ever speaking to him or Ron again. Bastards wouldn't tell me what happened to you or even tell Millicent what caused the gouges." Harry swallowed hard.

"Sorry."

"Don't sorry me," she said. Harry reached out to touch her face. Her cheeks were wet.

"I am sorry, Daphne. And if I could tell you everything, I would. However, I can say that Bellatrix and Rodolpho Lestrange are no longer."

Daphne gasped. Harry stroked her face again.

"No one can know, sweetheart. Ron could lose his job and probably your father, too."

"Is it…is it related to those bones you found?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, it is, but that's the most I can confirm." He attempted to sit up in his bed but was pushed back down. "Okay, okay, I'll stay. Where's Maggie? Is she okay?"

Daphne snorted. "She was once we got that iron collar off of her. If you must know, she's sprawled across my bed. Been snoring for an hour." Harry thinned his lips

"Would you like some tea?"

"Yeah, that would be great. Um, I need to speak with Narcissa and Andromeda." Daphne narrowed her eyes. "Sweetheart, I won't be telling them anything more than I've told you, but they need to know their sister is gone. You're welcome to join."

"I'll invite them for tea, but in your sitting room with you on the sofa. You shouldn't talk too much. I don't want the packing to come loose."

"Okay. Love you," he said as she leaned over and kissed him on the forehead, where another scar had been fading more and more each year.

TBC