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Not As It Seems	By : SailorSol Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 4953 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Not As It Seems

Chapter 11

Christmas had arrived, and for the first time, Harry was not spending it at the school. Aquila arrived on the last day of classes to take him and Draco with her. She sweetly invited Snape to spend Christmas with them. He declined, saying that he had to make certain that the students did not blow up the castle over the holiday.

�Just owl us if you change your mind, Professor,� Aquila said, smiling at her husband. �I would be more than pleased to have some more mature company over the holidays.�

She beckoned to both boys, and they shrank their trunks, pocketed them, and followed her down the steps. She pulled out a silver and green scarf to use as a Portkey. They were reaching for it when there was a commotion at the top of the steps.

As if it had not been planned out all along, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, Millicent, and Blaise came running down the steps, dragging their trunks behind them.

They arrived at the trio, out of breath, and looking slightly panicked.

�Can we join you?� Pansy asked. �I have no desire to go home for the holidays and listen to my father spout more pureblood ideals. You took Draco in so he could determine his own future. Will you help us, too?�

�I could hardly turn down such a heartfelt plea, Miss Parkinson,� Aquila said, smiling. �I know your father fairly well, and I certainly empathize with your desire to make your own decisions.� She looked up to where Dumbledore and McGonagall were standing in front of the castle�s doors.

�If their parents come for them,� she said. �You will tell them where their children are, won�t you Headmaster? I wouldn�t want them to worry. I will have them all back the day before classes start. You have my word.�

�I applaud your efforts, Miss Black,� Dumbledore said. �I will relay your message to the concerned parents.�

�Thank you, Headmaster,� Aquila said. �All right, everyone, grab on. This will just be one quick trip.�

***** *****

As promised, the Portkey trip was short. They arrived at the same place that they had Portkeyed to the first night. Aquila wound the scarf around her neck, and then led the way to the manor. There was a thick mantle of snow all over the grounds and the buildings. Harry could see where some children too young for Hogwarts had built a snowman, but the shape of the sculpture in particular left no doubt that some magic was involved in its making.

When they reached the manor, Aquila made certain that they all took off their outer clothes, now liberally coated with snow. She beckoned particularly for Harry to follow her and led him into the drawing room.

An enormous pine tree, decorated with glass ornaments and what looked like real icicles, stood in a corner. The space under the tree was almost completely covered in presents.

�I know you haven�t had time to get anything for anyone, Harry,� she said. �I�ll take you and the others that need to shop to Diagon Alley this afternoon.

�That�s very thoughtful of you,� Harry said. �I�ve never shopped for Christmas presents before.�

�Then I will help you with that, as well,� Aquila said. �We will have a public confrontation with Mr. Parkinson and Mrs. Bulstrode, just to keep up appearances. Don�t worry; Severus will be joining us for Christmas dinner. He and I have decided that we�re tired of hiding everything. Severus is going to come here for Christmas, and he�s going to come back with the lot of us, as a hastily married man. He�ll be able to start being kinder to you, but not to any of the others. Gryffindors are Gryffindors, after all. You�re just special, that�s all.�

�Do I have time to change?� Harry asked.

�Yes,� Aquila said. �Come and find me in the parlor when you�re ready.�

Harry dashed upstairs and quickly changed out of his school uniform and into some of the clothes that Lucius and Draco had helped him with during the summer. He washed his hands and face and ran a comb through his hair, before he barreled down the stairs and into the parlor.

In the parlor, Aquila was sipping some hot tea while she watched Bellatrix bounce the latest Snape, four month-old Gertrude, on her lap.

�I�m ready,� Harry said. He was still uncomfortable around Bellatrix. She had a mad gleam in her eyes, the legacy of her years in Azkaban. He had to admit, though, that she was gentle with the baby, and when she looked at her daughter, there was no madness in her gaze.

�We�ll be back by dinner, mother,� Aquila said, setting her tea aside and rising to her feet. �I�ve got Harry, Pansy, Millie, and Draco to take shopping. I�ve the lists that you and Rudolphus gave me, as well. I�ll get everything everyone needs. You just relax with Gertie, there, and everything will be fine.�

Aquila led Harry out of the parlor and over to the overlarge fireplace that was their connection to the Floo network. Pansy, Millicent, and Draco were waiting, along with a man that Harry didn�t recognize. He reminded Harry of pictures he remembered from some of Dudley�s books, of Vikings.

***** *****

The trip by Floo to the Leaky Cauldron was as disorienting as usual. Harry followed right behind Draco, and the unknown man steadied him as he stumbled out of the fireplace.

�This is Karl,� Aquila told Harry. �He will take you and Draco to do some of your shopping, and then I will take you and leave Millie with Karl and Draco. That way, you two can shop for one another. Millie and Pansy have been best friends since they were babies, and they always have trouble buying for one another. You can help Pansy, and she can help you.�

She beckoned to the girls, and the three of them left the Leaky Cauldron.

Karl looked down at Harry and smiled at him.

�Let�s go, gentlemen,� he said. �We do not have all day. I know that Ms. Black will have the girls at Fortescue�s by lunch time.�

Their first stop was Flourish & Blotts, for more books. They stopped at the apothecary for potions ingredients and a few unusual items for the various lists that Karl had. Then, he led them past and through other parts of Diagon Alley, so that they could buy presents.

Harry bought Aquila a black scarf with green snakes chasing one another along the border, and a silver clasp to go with it. He bought Remus a box of gourmet chocolates. He bought a bottle of lilac perfume for Bernadette, and a bottle of lily of the valley perfume for Hermione.

For lack of anything else, he bought several boxes of chocolates for any random individuals he might have forgotten. He could send one to Ginny, and give one to Desdemona, since he knew nothing about what they might want.

He got several cashmere scarf and glove sets for people he didn�t know well, and got special black silk sets for Voldemort, Snape, and Lucius Malfoy.

�Very well done,� Karl complimented him after he watched Harry make notes about which wrapped box was for whom. �I am sure that the recipients will appreciate them. Such a thing is always safe.�

�I don�t know what to get Draco,� Harry said as the two of them followed Karl towards Fortescue�s.

As predicted, Aquila was there with Pansy and Millicent, surrounded by bundles and bags. Pansy and Millicent were clutching one another�s hands while Aquila had some intense words with a well-dressed witch that bore a resemblance to Millicent.

When they drew near, she looked at them and then gave Aquila a look that promised retribution.

�This isn�t the end of it,� she said. �You can�t just take a woman�s child.�

�Perhaps not,� Aquila said. �I can give sanctuary to a girl, nearly a grown witch, who has begged it of me. Do not come near me or my wards again, Bulstrode, or I�ll bring you before the Wizengamot.�

�Not if I bring you before it first,� she hissed, and then pulled her robes tightly around her and strode off quickly.

�Well,� Aquila said, turning to the three of them. �That was interesting. Are you boys hungry? We can have ice cream, if you want, and then eat when we get home, or we can go have a real meal and be a bit later, shopping.�

�Real food, I think,� Harry said. �Too much ice cream might not be a good thing.�

�Right,� Aquila said. �Off this way, then.�

She led the way to a place Harry had never noticed before. There was a pair of dark wood doors with polished brass handles. One door was open, inviting people to enter it. Delicious smells were coming from inside.

�Welcome to the Dragon�s Lair,� Aquila said. She led them in, and spoke to the hostess, a pretty witch that looked to be about Aquila�s age.

***** *****

After an excellent lunch, Pansy listened to Harry�s problem with Draco and immediately took him by the hand and nearly ran to an extreme end of Diagon Alley, with Karl following as quickly as possible.

She stopped at the entrance to Wanda�s Gifts: �We Have Everything for the Most Discriminating Witch or Wizard� and smiled at Harry triumphantly.

�This is the perfect place,� she said. �There are all kinds of things in here. I�m sure you can find something perfect for Draco, and I hope I can find something for Millie.�

�I�m sure you can,� Harry said. �Look, if nothing else, someone once told me that you can�t go wrong with accessories. I got a scarf and a clasp for Aquila.�

Pansy looked at Harry, an expression of wonder on her face.

�That�s brilliant!� she exclaimed suddenly. She threw her arms around Harry and peppered his face with kisses.

�I know just what to get her!� she exclaimed. �Come with me, they have ones for boys, too!�

She led him to the rear of the shop, where there was a case of Hogwarts-related items. There were cloak clasps, tie tacks, lockets, charm bracelets, lapel pins, stick pins, hat pins, quill holders, inkwells, bookmarks, book covers, warm ups, wand holders, brushes, combs, hair clasps, book bags, diaries, teacups and saucers, tea pots, flatware, entire place settings, stadium blankets, cushions, and stuffed animals.

All of them came with either the different house crests or the Hogwarts crest on them. There were also scarves, robes, jumpers, and ties that resembled the school issue, but were of higher quality.

�This should make it easy,� Pansy said. �Just find something you think that Draco would like, and get it for Slytherin.�

�What do you think he would like?� Harry asked, looking at the vast array of goods available.

�You could get him a cloak clasp and a tie tack,� Pansy said. �They have a tie tack that�s a snitch. You could give him that.�

�And they have a lapel pin that�s a Firebolt,� Harry said, smiling. �That would be perfect. I think I�ll get teacup set for Professor Snape and someone else, too. Maybe Mr. Malfoy would like one, too.�

�What should I get Millie?� Pansy asked, looking at everything.

�Why not get her a charm bracelet,� Harry said. �They have all kinds of charms. You could start it with a Slytherin crest and a book charm. I�ve noticed that she�s usually reading. It�s a pity she and Hermione didn�t get to know one another.�

�Perhaps there will be time later,� Pansy said. �I�ve noticed that the new twins are very interested in her.�

�One of them is in your house,� Harry said as he paid for his purchases. �Why don�t you ask him?�

�Maybe I will,� Pansy said, pulling out her own moneybag.

***** *****

Christmas morning dawned freezing cold, and snowing. Harry opened his eyes at dawn. He had Draco wrapped in his arms, and his face pressed into Draco�s silky hair. He looked towards the window of his room, and smiled when he saw, beyond the drawn drapes, fat flakes drifting downwards, filling footprints and turning the grounds of the manor into an untouched wilderness.

Harry looked down at the other boy in his arms, and then leaned down to kiss him.

Draco woke without opening his eyes, and leaned into the kiss. He opened his eyes as the kiss ended and smiled at Harry.

�Let�s go see what Father Christmas left us,� he said.

It took the two of them less than ten minutes to get showered and dressed and to head downstairs.

In the parlor, Voldemort, Bellatrix, and Aquila were sitting together, sipping something from cups, while several of the younger resident children circled the tree, trying to decide which gift to open first.

Harry found the gift he had bought for Draco and he brought it over to where Draco was prowling through the presents. He waited patiently until Draco found what he was looking for.

Eyes almost glowing with triumph, Draco turned to Harry with a red and gold package in his hands.

Harry held out his present, wrapped in green with silver ribbons. He smiled tentatively and offered it to the other wizard.

They ended up exchanging packages, and then sitting down to open them immediately.

When Harry finished unwrapping the gift and opened the box, he started laughing. Draco�s laughter joined his, and the two of them sat back, looking at one another and laughing.

Aquila came over to see what the merriment was about, and then she returned to her parents, smiling.

�Like minds,� she said. �They both bought the same present for each other: a Firebolt lapel pin, and a snitch tie tack. Quidditch players, to the core.�

�They do seem meant for one another,� Voldemort said, sipping meditatively at his tea. �It is a good thing that Lucius does not object.�

�Considering his pursuit of Professor Sinistra, I would say not,� Snape�s voice intruded on the conversation. He sat down next to his wife and accepted a cup of tea from her hands.

�Excellent,� Voldemort said, watching the two teenagers. �Perhaps by this time next year, there will be more Malfoys on the way.�

�Are there already more Riddles, My Lord?� Snape asked.

�As a matter of fact, there are,� Voldemort said, offering his cup to Bellatrix for more tea. �Narcissa�s pregnancy was confirmed a week ago. I have hopes of another set of twins.�

�There aren�t any twins in the Black family,� Aquila said. �On the other hand, your chances of being a multiple patriarch of many, many Riddles has gone up considerably. Ginerva Weasley is the sister of a set of twins that are nearly as clever and powerful as Castor and Pollux.

After he and Draco recovered their wits and their breath, Harry looked over to where the �grown-ups� were sitting, his eyes sparkling with a joy he had rarely felt before.

�I believe I have only seen that expression in his face once,� Snape said. �When he caught the snitch for the first time in a Quidditch game.�

�The truth of Harry�s upbringing has been sobering for all of us,� Voldemort said. �When the war is over, there will be no more abused Wizarding children. I am tired of adults manipulating children for their own ends.�

Aquila got up from her seat, set down her teacup, and then clapped her hands together sharply.

All of the children looked up.

�Breakfast is ready,� she said. �Take the one present you�ve already unwrapped and go eat. When you are finished with breakfast, we will all gather in here for the rest of the presents.�

Obediently, the younger children picked up their discarded wrappings and put them into a trash basket that never seemed to fill, and then they filed out of the parlor and into the dining room.

TBC
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Not As It Seems