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Well, Ain't That Strange?	By : SpeedyTomato Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male Views: 56074 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 12
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and make no money off this story

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
- 14
Just a reminder of what's on my profile; reviews complaining or whinging about the lack 'o sex in stories will get deleted. If you want a smut-filled romp, you need to find another story to read.

Beta'd by the most amazing Tenchi, who I can't thank enough for all the hard work she does for me!

And thanks to Lynn who works with me when it comes to flow, continuity and other issues

Chapter 12

Pleased with what he was hearing, Tom nodded. “It went according to plan, good! We'll keep having some Death Eaters show at both places, of course, to ensure it looks good, but won't engage. I'm going to see if I can't keep Bella under control enough to have her do some of it alone and, maybe, step it up slightly without venturing into the realm of violence. That second trip to Azkaban, after you cast that spell on her, didn't help matters when it came to some parts with her. Thankfully, I was able to get her out quickly, but it's deteriorated some of her stability again. That won't help. I do want her seen, though. Doing that will only help what all of you are planning and keep Albus off his game. Let's see what I can manage with her.”
Sitting there with his hand on Draco's back, rubbing it softly, Lucius nodded, “If I may, a suggestion?” Seeing the Dark Lord motion for him to go on, he said, “Just use her around Privet Drive. We'll work something else for the Burrow. Arthur has been good about assisting in what we're doing, so I don't want to break my word to him. I can ensure that either I do what is needed there or I can get his permission for someone else to take over if I can't. And, if Narcissa isn't adverse to it, have her go under a glamour with Bella. That should be enough to hold off problems.”
“I can easily do that,” Narcissa said, nodding and looking around. “As we aren't doing anything violent, I don't see where I couldn't pull off what is needed and keep her focused.”
“I think we'll go with that,” Tom nodded. “It's at least a start. With Mr. Potter no longer there, it won't look odd for us not showing up as often. If we play it right, we can make it look like we're confused and not sure what to do. Then, if we do need something else, we can come up with another plan. Let's see what comes.” Changing topics, he asked, “Is everything going as planned with the house?”
“We're on schedule there,” Lucius told him firmly with a nod. “It's just going to take time to get it done. The way I see it, it's going to be a race to see if we get it done before the bonding is revealed. Though, honestly, I believe the latter will come into play very soon. I don't see Albus being content to let Harry stay around Sirius for long. That's too much of an influence on Harry. I'm sure that the Burrow will come up when he's sure he's got something in place with the wards that won't allow us through. Let's see what we get a foreshadowing for before we start looking in that direction.” Looking around, he added, “And once Sirius is cleared, I expect that part to come faster, honestly. He will have nothing over Sirius' head to stop him from fulfilling that role. Then we're going to dance in where the bonding will come into play because Sirius has already ensured that he's worded things in such a way that Harry can't go anywhere without him. Harry, as a minor, is now under his guardianship due to the bond and the magic he invoked with some of what he said. Once Albus tries, he's going to get an inkling that something isn't right then start to dig. Once he does, he's going to find out what the reason is. That's when I'm going to start to worry about what could come. Because it's going to unleash hell for Sirius in what he'll have to deal with on the matter, from many. I don't see the readings we attached to it or even Arthur and Remus confirming it going to help with some. Then we chance it going public. That has me even more worried.”
Taking that in, Tom gave a slow nod, “I agree.” Stopping, he blew out a breath then looked down at his desk, thinking it over before saying, “I'm not sure how much help I'll be with that end. I can try, of course, at least to hold it off, but it's not something I can do much about. What I will do is start on the end with Wormtail tomorrow. That will kick off a mass of problems, for all kinds of people, and cause an uproar. Sirius should be cleared within a week. If we play that right, and stir the pot, something I think I can manage, then it'll keep the focus there for as long as we can manage. That may help. At least with part. It won't with Albus, we know that, but it will with the public. Let's see what I can do. There are a few contacts I have with various news outlets. Those I might be able to work with to see how much of an uproar I can cause. Give me a couple of days to drop some things in their direction and see if we can't get them to cast the Fiendfyre for us. Then we'll go from there.”
“Just let me know what you can manage and I'll pass it along,” Lucius told him, pleased with that. “We can then work from there with what's presented.”
“How is it going with the bonding? Any issues?” Tom asked, curious about that.
“We're good there. It's been fully sealed,” Lucius told him cryptically, sure Tom and Narcissa would get what he meant without giving details that might upset his wife and son. “I can honestly say, and I want no offense taken by anyone,” he started, looking between his wife and son. Seeing them nod, he continued, “When we did, it was the first time in my life I've felt complete and whole. It was—I can't even begin to describe it. Which tells me it's all in place. That's good and what we need. It can only help matters later on down the line if Albus tries something foolhardy. If Sirius can't put a stop to it, I can that way. As he won't know about me, he won't have a way to get around or work with it as he won't know where it's coming from.”
“That's something you may want to mention to Sirius,” Tom told him pointedly in a firm tone. “Between the two of you, I'm sure you can get something in place now to work so that if Albus manages to skirt around Sirius, he won't be able to do so with you. That I'm sure you're going to need, especially when the bond comes to light with Sirius.”
“I will, tonight,” Lucius told him with a nod. “We'll work something out in some way. And get it in place as quickly as we can manage before anyone thinks to try anything.”
“Good. You do that. And assure him that come tomorrow, the last of the evidence needed to clear him will be in the Ministry's hands. I’ll ensure that. Then we go from there and I'll see what I can ignite. I might be able to arrange it very quickly. Let me see what I can do.” Seeing Lucius nod, he pressed on, “Is there anything else I need to know about? And is your plan working with the cat?”
“We're good on that front,” Lucius assured him. “No one senses anything amiss. I'm just being wary about transforming back is all, what with as high on alert as everyone is. Other than that, there's nothing to pass on. We'll see what pops, of course, but we're good at this juncture. And plan to press on how we set it up.”
“Good,” Tom nodded, pleased. “I have a few things to pass along to you, more to keep you abreast than anything else, but they aren't of any concern.” Seeing Lucius nod, he began to fill him in.

Watching the two competent elves scurry around and clean, Sirius grinned before taking a sip of his butterbeer. Oh, this was good. He had a fake bill of sale for them, of course, but they were ones that were now bound to the three of them, having been Malfoy elves. That was enough to tell Sirius that they knew what the hell they were doing and wouldn't cause problems. It was doubtful that Kreacher would be much of an issue with them either. They would know how to handle the elf and deal with it. Perfect.
Looking around at the cleaned kitchen and the elves scurrying about, Remus gave a pleased nod. “This is good! So much can be handled now without us worrying about it.”
“Exactly,” Sirius grinned. “And we don't even need to cook anymore. Even better.” Giving Harry a nudge, he joked, for the sake of Charlie and Bill, who were waiting for full nightfall to move the hippogriff, “It also means that spoiled cat of yours doesn't have to eat the kibble we got him. As he turns his nose up at it, you can start feeding him human food again.”
Grinning at that, Harry nodded, but said nothing. He was sure that Lucius would appreciate it, that's for sure. “I can't help it. He likes it. If I don't feed it to him, he's just apt to take it off my plate anyway.”
“Like I said; spoiled,” Sirius laughed, knowing Lucius had done that a couple of times by now to fulfill the role of the super spoiled feline.
Giving a shrug, Harry just grinned bigger. Sipping at his own butterbeer, he asked, looking at Charlie and Bill, “You're not going to have a problem moving Buckbeak, are you?”
“We're good there,” Charlie assured Harry. “We have it all planned. I know a good spell to tranq him with. Once we do that, we'll disillusion him and float him out then Apparate him to the Burrow. It should go just fine. I've had to do this with a dragon before, so it's something I have practice with. Buckbeak will be far easier, trust me!”
“Oh yes,” Bill agreed, chuckling. “We don't have to worry about getting singed if Buckbeak burps or snorts like we would with a dragon. So, we aren't worried. It'll just be awkward to Apparate him is all. We'll handle it fine and he'll be happy when he wakes up. Hagrid is going to meet us there and talk to him.”
Remus was about to ask a question when a loud meow was heard as the door swung open. Looking over and seeing Lucius strut in then hop up on the bench beside him before stealing a chunk of the roast they had for supper off his plate, he couldn't help but chuckle. Reaching out and petting the cat, who then purred before walking over his lap to get to Harry, he said, grinning just a little, “I tend to agree with Sirius; spoiled is a good word for him.”
Petting Lucius when he plopped in his lap, purring up a storm, Harry gave him a small chunk of his own roast while grinning. “Alright, I admit it,” he said with a shrug.
Reaching over and giving the cat's head a rub, Sirius sighed then said, “We can deal with it. You just have to watch your plate if you're eating something he likes.”
“Yeah,” Harry said with a nod. Petting Lucius, he told Sirius, “And you're no better with him either. Who was it that had a riot chasing him around then with the cat chasing him back?”
“I admit that was a riot!” Sirius grinned, thinking about how much fur they had left behind at the Dursleys after their romp through the house. He was also damned sure that was part of the reason Harry was kicked out after they left. As it helped, more than Harry's relatives would ever know, with the situation, he was even more pleased with what they had done. So far, Albus has no idea the real reason those wards went. Perfect.
Chuckling at the cat, who was sitting there looking completely smug, Charlie shook his head. “I had no idea you were a cat person, Harry. Even Hermione and Ginny aren't as bad as you when it comes to spoiling Crookshanks.”
Giving a sheepish grin, Harry shrugged, “We just took to each other, that's all. Nothing more than that. It's like something connected.”
“That's all that matters,” Bill said with a smile. “Some animals are like that with their humans. As long as Sirius doesn't mind, I don't suppose it matters. You'll just have all kinds of people squealing over him when you go back to school is all.”
“I doubt they'll get far with him as attached as he is to Harry,” Charlie snickered, shaking his head. “Alright, let's get this done. It's dark enough now that we won't be seen.” Seeing nods, he stood and headed towards the room Buckbeak was in with everyone following behind.

Looking at Lucius after he laid out Voldemort's suggestion about him being the backup to ensure no one could pull anything with Harry, Sirius thought it over then gave a firm nod. “This is the way to go, I think. That way our arses are covered if the old man tries anything. Plus, with your name obscured on that paper, he'll have no idea what's stopping him if finds a way to get around me. Yeah, we need to figure out how to do this.” They were holed up in their room for the night. Moving Buckbeak had gone fine with no glitches, thankfully. After that was done, the only one left in the house was Remus. So, they planned to just hole up and relax, something they hadn't had much of a chance to do yet. Plus, he and Harry wanted filled in on what was going on with the house and everything else.
Shifting in his chair and taking a sip of his wine, Lucius then sat the glass on the table by the chair and said, “I think something fairly simple will work here. As the bond is fully in place now, I believe just the statement of if someone wiggles around you to try something with Harry, they would have to go through me to approve it will be all we need. It should be in place now, actually, since I said that. However, the next time there is a meeting with the old man around, I'll do something like that in my cat form. The meowing might not be understood, but it should be effective as we all know that form.”
“We'll do that,” Sirius said, pleased with this. “Let's see what Remus can come up with that might help shore it up and make damned sure that we have all bases covered. You know the old man; if there is wiggle room, he's going to find it.”
“Wouldn't doing it front of Remus or Mr. Weasley work better? I mean, with Lucius being himself while doing it? They will be like witnesses and we don't have to chance anything seeming off,” Harry suggested, looking between the two from where he was sprawled on the bed.
Glancing to his godson, Sirius then looked at Lucius, who was nodding. “Yeah, I think that might be the way to go. It should be just as effective. Remus can probably find the perfect way to word it too. I think that's what we need to do.”
“As do I,” Lucius conceded. “Good suggestion, Harry.”
“I'll get with him tomorrow to see what he can come up with for us then go from there. I'm sure we can find a way to get all of us together long enough to do this,” Sirius said. Kicking off his shoes, he flopped back on the bed, resting his head on Harry's leg with a groan. Figuring that's all that needed to be said on that topic, he asked, “Alright, on to Wormtail—we don't need to prepare much for that, honestly. Everyone on this end is expecting me to end up cleared soon, so it's just a waiting game. I was wondering what the other end meant by 'stirring the pot'.”
“That I'm not sure of,” Lucius admitted. Looking between the two, he said, “I don't think it's anything to worry about, honestly. The feeling I get is that he wants them to focus on the Wormtail part to keep people's attention no matter what else is revealed. It should work, at least for a time. However, it won't keep Albus' interest that way and he may try with Harry. And I know of no way to deter him, honestly.”
“I don't either,” Sirius sighed, smoothing down his goatee. Propping himself up on his elbows, he shook his head. “We just need time to get that house ready.”
Not sure what to suggest there, Harry did have a question, though. “When it comes to this mess—what happens when it comes to me going to school? I mean, obviously, I can't without the two of you. Does it register somewhere or something? I'm asking because if it does, we have problems! And people are going to end up finding out, fast, especially since we just did the bit with Lucius and made it official.”
“Good question,” Sirius said, looking at Lucius. “Any idea? You were on the Board for a long time. I don't know anything about this kind of shite.”
Brow furrowed, Lucius looked down and thought it over. “It's not something that happened often, so I'm not sure,” he said after a minute or so. “I think, maybe, it's going to trigger something. What I don't know though. It would have to as it would need special provisions because of the bond. I think, maybe, it would draw from the papers we filed. My name shouldn't come into it because it's obscured, but Sirius' would. And that would need to be seen by officials at the school to deal with housing.” Shaking his head, he added, “If I recollect, most pull the younger party out so there aren't issues with the bond and others.” Looking back up, eyes a little wider, he said, “With Minerva being so close to Albus and her being the one that would get the paperwork, we might have an issue. It being summer break might assist, but that official paper might have already hit if something is triggered. And it'll be only a matter of time before she finds out. When she does, she's going to tell him.”
“Fuck!” Sirius groused, rubbing a hand over his face. Sighing and sitting up again, he looked at the floor and said, “Which means we need to come up with something to work with this, fast.”
“We do,” Lucius agreed, looking dour.
“That bit you mentioned to me before about just saying something--” Harry started, looking at Sirius. Seeing his godfather nod, he pressed on, “Why not just do it once it's a sure-fire bet you're getting cleared. I mean, we have the proof and Lucius is protected. That way we hold off the uproar that can come because we let them find out another way. Or just do it now. Even before then. We have the proof of it. Plus, Remus and Mr. Weasley can back us up, what with them helping and Mr. Weasley doing the bonding. That way we know what we have to deal with and can start while the other plays out. It's coming, we know it, we just do it on our terms and go from there. It has to be better than them digging. I know Lucius is protected, but it would keep them from looking too hard and finding something wonky.”
Thinking that over, Lucius looked at Sirius, who was glancing his way then said, slowly, “That might be the best way to do this, Sirius. It's not going to be fun, but you know that. Plus, it gives you the time to tend to other matters. I'm going to say start the paperwork to pull Harry out of school. We can't chance them even thinking he's going back because I would have to be involved. To get that paperwork done and through the Board takes time. And it won't look odd that you would do that because of the bond.”
Looking down at the floor, Sirius thought it over then gave a slow nod. “Yeah, we need to do it this way. Let me get Arthur over here tomorrow and get together with him and Remus so I can warn them hell is about to come over it. Then we prepare to do it at the next Order meeting. I can bet my wand we'll have one in a couple of days when it looks like I'm going to end up cleared. I say I drop the bomb then. If I do it, we might as well do it big. Can you get your hands on the paperwork for school or should I get a solicitor to do that?” He asked, looking at Lucius.
“This one—you need a solicitor,” Lucius told him firmly. “That I can help set up now. Give me a day or so to manage. It won't look odd you hired one, with what is going on. Then we go from there. I know several that we can use and reveal the whole mess to so they know how complex it is. This may help in plenty of other ways.”
“Yeah, I'll let you set that up. Let me know the time and place then I'll get there with Harry,” Sirius sighed. “Fuck! I didn't even think about the school and what that might trigger.”
“None of us did,” Lucius sighed, shaking his head. “We'll manage to navigate through this, don't worry. It just means unleashing the hell we knew was coming sooner was all. It also may help keep it out of the public eye because Albus isn't apt to want this revealed to anyone because of what could come of it.”
Sighing, Harry looked between the two then said, “This is going to be bad to deal with. No one is going to like it, especially when they find out how long we've known and hid it.”
“Fuck 'em,” Sirius said firmly. Shaking his head, he added, “I don't rightly give a damn what they think. There isn't anything they can do either. That bond is unbreakable and it started long ago. We just press on and deal with the worst of it. The only thing I hope is that Albus will hold true to form and do everything in his power to keep this from getting out there. Because, if it gets out there, plenty are going to realize he helped hide me over the years. That won't make him look good either. He can't want that, especially with the mess going on right now.”
“I'll get with the Dark Lord and see what he can pull out. He has some contacts that might be useful to keep it hidden. Just—not with everyone. If someone noses around too much and that paperwork ends up revealed, it's out there for all to see. Let's just see what we can do to hold it off and burn the Fiendfyre of Wormtail as hot as we can. That will be big enough that other things might slip beneath notice,” Lucius said. Slumping, he then added, “Let's—we'll get with the other two tomorrow and work from there. Then we can plot out what we have to do with the meeting. I'll help all I can with that. For now, let's try to relax. It's been stressful and sleep will only help clear our minds so we can plot this out easier.”
“Easier said than done, Lucius,” Sirius snorted, grinning at that. “You're right, though. Yeah, let's get some rest.” Patting Harry on the back, he sent the young wizard off to the loo first.
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Well, Ain't That Strange?