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À Tout le Monde (Set Me Free)	By : SpeedyTomato Category: Harry Potter > Threesomes/Moresomes Views: 74217 -:- Recommendations : 5 -:- Currently Reading : 10
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and make no money off this work of fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 25
- 26
- 27
Beta'd by the most wonderful, amazing and stupendous Tenchi. Woman, you are the best and love you for all you do for me!

With help from Lynn who works with me when it comes to flow, continuity and other issues.

Chapter 26

Lucius was seated at the dining room table, head in his hands. By this point he realized his whole life, and everything he had worked for all this time, was in the loo. Everything. If what Sirius had done wasn't bad enough, Draco was in Azkaban. So far, there was nothing anyone could do, including his Solicitor, to get his son out of that hellhole. His Solicitor had spent yesterday and part of this morning at the Ministry trying everything he could think of to get Draco out, arrange a trial, something. It wasn't working. The order in the paper had laid it out and there was no wiggle room in it. At this time, there was nothing they could do. And, with the position he was in with the lack of funds, he wasn't able to toss the money around he had in the past to either finagle something that could get his son released or, at the very least, do what he could to make Draco more comfortable. And it rankled. Badly.
With a heavy sigh, he lifted his head then took a sip of his tea. While it was tepid, he didn't have the energy to warm it up. It was about noon now, but he didn't have the wherewithal to send for his lunch. In fact, he wasn't the least bit hungry. And he really didn't want to dine alone. Narcissa wasn't back yet, so he would wait. At least it would serve to have some continuity of his life with her there. For a time, maybe, he could delude himself into thinking his son was at school and push aside the mess he was dealing with. He doubted he could manage it, though.
At the moment, Narcissa was at the Ministry sending a care package to their son. She had requested their Solicitor find out what they could send and about visiting hours. From what he read, they wouldn't be able to visit Draco for two weeks yet. There were only two visiting days a month, every other Saturday. As they just had one, they now had to wait two weeks for the next. Even then, it would take time and effort to get to the disgusting prison and it was only for a half an hour. However, she had managed to get a list of what she could send and loaded up the best she could.
While it wouldn't be the same as when he was in school, with the sweets and the such, they had sent along all they could in the way of comfort items, for entertainment, food and the like. Thankfully, since Draco wasn't actually convicted of a crime, they could send along plenty and would. It was the least they could do for their son. He made sure that she sent along extra of the food since he knew the guards would more than likely eat plenty of what they sent. They would call it taste testing for whatever reason. If they sent extra, he should have plenty. She was also setting up deliveries from merchants on the approved list for bigger comfort items or other areas. They would do all they could while he tried everything he was able to think of to get them out of this mess.
With a heavy sigh, Lucius straightened up and downed the rest of his tea then refilled his cup. While the situation with Draco was bad and an area which had most of his focus, the matter of what they could wiggle with Sirius was another pressing matter. He had an appointment with their Solicitor again this afternoon to see what Sirius' terms were. At this juncture, he was ready to agree to almost anything the man wanted if they could just get Draco's bastard status revoked. It would make life much easier for all of them.
Honestly? His first thought after Draco was arrested and this matter was fully hitting, the repercussions becoming evident, was to go to the Dark Lord to see what he could do. After all, he had sprung Bella and the rest from a prison he shouldn't have been able to. He was discounting even mentioning it. Firstly, the fact the Dark Lord was irate over most of his funding being pulled. And he was in his sights because the money he donated to the cause kept plenty running. Couple in his loss of a job and the information that came along with it, and him asking was a bad idea. To add to that, there was the fact that Draco would be the one benefiting and he was sure that the Dark Lord would take it to mean he could use his son for anything because he would be beholden to him for the rescue. Very bad idea, that. He didn't want his son to end up in service to the maniac because he was dead on certain the Dark Lord would use his son to take out his displeasure for his own failures. No. He wouldn't. Seriously considering such a step would be the very last resort if nothing else he did worked.
After downing the last of his tea, he poured himself another cup then began to sip it. While this whole nightmare was bad, he needed to focus. As he sipped his tea, he picked up the letter from his Solicitor. This afternoon he had the meeting with Stephen Bloode about what they could manage. As of now, neither he nor his Solicitor knew what the terms were, which he didn't like because they had no way to plan for what was coming. Either way, he was going to do what he could. He doubted there would be any terms that he would refuse. As long as he could get Draco's bastard status revoked, he was sure he would readily agree.
When he heard the front door open and Narcissa call his name, he straightened up and waited once he told her where he was. He was sure she would still be plenty upset and need to talk, so he planned to let her. Once she discussed it with him, they would go over what little strategy they had for this meeting. She would be with him, of course, so it behooved them not to rile Stephen Bloode. They needed to stay calm and work with whatever the terms were. Only then could they start to deal with some of what had been tossed in their laps the last few days. He already had a plan in place to get this moving as fast as he could manage and at least release part of the fund back, so they needed no spanners tossed into the works to make it worse.

“Damned good job, Harry,” Sirius told him, giving him a clap on the shoulder from where he was standing behind him. “You picked that spell up fast.” At the moment, the three of them were in the backyard taking the first steps teaching Harry some new defensive spells. Though Harry was picking them up quickly, the issue Remus mentioned was coming into play.
Harry was trying, he was, but with all he was dealing with because of the bond, it was a trial to work with. While Harry was fine with the spells, the issue came in with him waiting for them to tell him to keep practicing, try again, whatever. He wasn't doing it on his own like he normally would. So, they had to keep encouraging him to act like he used to and try it until he had it down on his own, no matter how long it took. While it was frustrating for all of them, though he assumed it was worse for Harry, they were managing. By now, he was doing much better than when they started. Then he had waited for them to tell him exactly what to do and when to try. He was at least letting that off some once they initially walked him through how to do the spell.
“I think we need to work for an hour or so a day on defense,” Remus told Harry, putting a hand on his shoulder and giving it a squeeze. “With as fast as you pick up defensive spells, we can probably do one a day, easily. Maybe more. While it'll probably be some time before we have to go out and worry about whatever, it's better to get them down.”
“Something we can do,” Harry answered with a nod and small smile. “Gives us something to work on as well,” he then added very quietly.
“It does,” Sirius agreed with a clap on the shoulder. “Once you get in a better place, we'll take on school. Just not right now. Neither of us are up to that yet, with some of what we're dealing with. It'll come and keep us busy.” Then he began guiding Harry over to the small pond so they could sit down for a while. He assumed it was time for a break, for all of them. Though Harry was doing better, there was still probably a ton of frustration to deal with on his end because this wasn't what he used to do. They needed to let him settle for a time before they tackled anything else similar. He thought it might be time to knock off for the day so Harry had time to calm down and not make what he was dealing with worse.
After Harry and Sirius sat down on one of the benches there, Remus sat on the other side of Harry, leaning back. He then summoned an elf to bring them some refreshments. Once all of them began drinking, he said, “The meeting with the Solicitor and Lucius is this afternoon. He's going to let us know how it goes. What are your thoughts on it? We've all read what he wrote, of course, but you know Lucius better than we do.” While it was just talk to keep them occupied, he was curious what Sirius thought. Though Sirius didn't subscribe to so much of the Pureblood twaddle, he knew it well and the personalities involved. So, he could speculate better.
“I think he's going to give in, completely,” Sirius said with an evil chuckle. “Look, Lucius loves money almost more than anything in the world. The only two things he loves more are Cissy and Draco. Combine the two, because this is heavily factoring in Draco, and I'm damned sure he's going to give us what we want. And he knows it won't be a cakewalk for him. There are spells on the agreement that are magically binding, so he can't wiggle around then go back to that evil arse. He will have to toe the line I set in the agreement. And, with what Rufus wants added in, he'll have to uphold that as well. I'm not signing off on shite until Bloode owls that he has the signed paperwork from Rufus in hand. From what he said in the last owl, if Lucius agrees, Rufus will be in that office in a half an hour, tops, and lay it all out. Once it's hammered out, I'll sign.” However, after he finished, he gave an evil grin then added, “Tomorrow. He can squirm for one more night. It won't kill any of them.”
“Do you think Lucius will agree with whatever Rufus wants? I mean, from what you've said, he has to give up everything and knows the kind of danger he'll be in if he does.” Harry asked softly, leaning against Sirius as he sipped his drink. While it was still a bit of a struggle to ask questions, he was managing. Each time he did it grew easier and he wasn't feeling the horrid sensations as much, so he kept on. He hoped it would soon stop and it would go back to the way it was before Dumbledore visited.
Sirius thought over what he was asked, putting a hand on the back of Harry's head and rubbing it as he did. After a few moments, he said, “I think he will. Anything to get the money and Draco's bastard status revoked. I'm also sure he's going to wiggle something to get the brat out of Azkaban. If he gets the chance, he's going to take it. After all, Rufus knows the information Lucius can give, on plenty. It's well worth letting the little oik out of jail. And I'm also sure that it's all going to involve them going into hiding under Ministry watch. Rufus is no fool, not only will the three of them need the protection, but Rufus will be able to keep an eye on him that way so he can't find wiggle room to contact the other side.”
“We all know Lucius would try if he gets the chance,” Remus added. “He's slippery that way and always was. Everyone needs prepared for him to try.”
“My end is,” Sirius assured him. “Bloode knows to shore up everything every way he can. I made it clear there can't be any wiggle room. He assured me it's worded in such a way, with every spell they can legally put on the document, there isn't any. We can take that for what it means. Lucius can't do shit and will either sign or I don't budge. That’s it. Only option there is in this game.”
“We'll just have to wait and see what comes tonight then,” Remus observed. Then he smiled and chuckled softly, “It should be interesting to hear what was said. To be a fly on the wall for the meeting!”
“It should. He's going to give me a complete rundown of the meeting, so we'll be able to visualize some of it. And we can only imagine the look on Lucius' face when he realizes there are no negotiations. It's my way or no way.” Sirius added, grinning evilly again.
“Is he going to make sure Draco is on a leash? We know even Azkaban might not knock some of the crap off,” Harry asked, fingering the label on his bottle of butterbeer.
“It's in there, I made sure of it,” Sirius nodded. “If Lucius signs, Draco is bound by it as well. He won't be able to do anything. One move from him that has the intent of trying and it breaks the agreement. If it's broken, there are no second chances. Period. It's spelled out as clear as he could make it.”
“Let's hope even the short stint in Azkaban knocks some of the cockiness and arrogance out of him,” Remus sighed, shaking his head.
“It should,” Sirius told him. “It does to most. I'm also sure Rufus is going to add his own spin in there if it becomes part of the negotiations. He's not likely to let it go on and will add his own punitive measures in if Draco makes one more dance in that direction. We all know, from all he's put out there, he's not playing anymore. So, it's now up to Draco and his parents to make sure it doesn't edge that way again.”
“Should be interesting,” Harry observed, smiling a tad. While he hoped that even the short stint in Azkaban would stop the crap with Draco, past experience with the brat told him not to hold out hope. He would wait and see. He honestly did hope so, for more than one reason.
After pulling Harry close, Sirius changed topics to the spells they worked on, asking Harry what was hardest on picking them up so they could gear the lessons a certain way. The easier they made it on all of them, the better off they would be.

As Lucius listened to his Solicitor discuss the details of the 'proposal' from Sirius, he felt his gut catch fire yet again. He really wasn't sure what to expect when it came to what Sirius wanted, but what he heard wasn't anything he had pondered. Hell, he hadn't entertained the thought it meant cutting all ties to the Dark Lord, magically enforced, and stop giving aid. Then there was the part about agreeing to what Rufus wanted. Oh hell, this was worse than he had imagined. And it was made clear that the only negotiation that would come into play was from Rufus. Sirius wasn't willing to bend a millimeter on anything said.
When he felt Narcissa take his hand, he gave hers a squeeze as he tried to focus on what was being said. While he would let Solicitor Singleworth handle all the dealings, he needed to know so they didn't have to confer much. This was—he didn't know what to do. While he desperately needed Draco's bastard status revoked, for more than one reason, if he agreed to what was proposed, he sentenced himself, and probably his family, to death for as long as the Dark Lord was alive. He was damned sure that any Death Eater out there would have no problem handing them over to the maniac.
As Bartan made sure everything was covered so they knew every provision to the deal, Lucius leaned over to his wife when she whispered his name. Then he waited to see what she said.
“Oh, Lucius, this is—horrific.” She observed, paying attention to what was being said as well. Already her gut was clenching over what Sirius wanted, sure it could mean disaster if they agreed. “What are we going to do?”
Lucius, too, was listening in to all of what was said, wishing for a stomach soother as he was sure this was only going to grow worse. Anything Rufus could want would paint a large target on the backs of all of them, probably staying long after the war ended, if the 'good' side won. “I don't know,” he whispered back. “If we don't agree, we'll never get the money back and Draco will always be labeled a bastard. Nothing can ever change it. I don't think I need tell you what that could mean for him in the future, in plenty of ways. I don't think we have much of a choice, Narcissa.”
“If we do agree and concede to what Rufus wants, can we negotiate to have Draco released?” She asked, hoping they could manage. If they could, it would be more than worth the ego-shattering provisions they had to agree to. Her son home was what she wanted more than anything else. There would be problems, of course, but nothing they couldn't overcome.
“Let me see what we can manage with Rufus,” Lucius sighed. He realized that he was already leaning towards agreeing to anything the other side wanted on the matter, as much as it pained him to admit it. If they did this, they might as well get all they could out of the matter. Well, they would have to negotiate something for protection as well. None of the properties he had could protect them from the Dark Lord or his followers. It was just the mere idea he was going to cave to everything was all. Never in his life had he taken such a step and it rankled, badly. He would though, for his wife and son. He was certain that if he could find a way to release Draco from prison and revoke his bastard status and didn't take it, Narcissa would never forgive him. The mere thought was something he didn't think he could live with. After all, he loved his wife with all his heart and felt the same way about Draco. So, it was time for the hard choices.
When the two solicitors finished and he was asked if he had any questions, Lucius cleared his throat and lifted his chin. Then he stiffened his backbone and asked, “What is Rufus' stance and will he be open for negotiations?” Then he waited. Almost everything he planned would ride on what was said.
“I'm not sure on negotiations,” Solicitor Bloode told Lucius honestly. “However, Minister Scrimgeour did say that if you're willing to agree to Sirius' terms, I'm to contact him and he'll come to discuss his terms. Are you willing to do so, Mr. Malfoy?”
“I am,” Lucius told him, though he felt his stomach burn hotter and the unfamiliar feeling of defeat. He was about to give in to everything and knew it. It didn't matter. In the end, his son and wife meant more to him than following the Dark Lord. Merlin help him, he was painting a bigger target on them than even Potter had on him.
“Let me go contact him and see if he can come in. We'll then proceed from there,” Stephen said, trying not to grin ferally. Sirius would get what he wanted, just as he planned. And it would help their world immeasurably. “I'll send for refreshments while you wait. In the time you have, make sure you're prepared for what you want to discuss with the Minister. I'm certain his time is short.” After hearing affirmations, he swept out to contact Rufus. He was confident if Lucius was taking this step, in the end the negotiations would go just how his client wanted. After all, Lucius even pondering it was a bigger step than he ever took before.
When Solicitor Bloode left the room and the standard privacy wards slipped into place, Lucius slumped slightly. Yes, it was time. All he hoped was he could wiggle enough to get Draco out of that awful place. He would give up everything he could to manage. He didn't care what it took.
Since he had taken that mental step, he found it easier to admit he would do almost everything Rufus wanted. It was just a matter of getting him to agree.
When Bartan said his name, he honed in on his Solicitor. Then he began rattling off the one item he wanted out of the negotiations, besides the standards that was. Yes, it was time his ego went in his elegant pocket and he did the 'right thing' by not only Draco, but his wife. While his father would be furious, he didn't care. No, he had a wife and son to protect and it was time he did so. Even if it was from themselves, in Draco's case. He just wanted to make sure they were all safe when he signed the papers. Because it was going to take more than just him to protect them for the foreseeable future.
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À Tout le Monde (Set Me Free)