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Darkness Within The Light	By : crimson96 Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 8759 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 26
- 27
- 28
Author's Note: Chapter 27 is here! Yah! I just want to take a moment to say"thank you" to everyone that has added this story to their favorite list, or to their alert list, or has left a review. From Eris and yself, it is all deeply appreciated, and we hope that everyone will continue to enjoy reading our story. The more people that read and enjoy the story, the more we enjoy writing each word of every chapter. So we hope that everyone enjoys this chapter and Chapter 28 will be forthcoming soon.

Chapter 27: Tangled Branches

"You!" Draco wrinkled his nose as the visitor stepped across the threshold, wearing the same stupid, floppy hat he had sported the last time they had met. As before, he was dressed like a Muggle and seemed to be entirely unashamed of it. His eyes looked bloodshot, as if he had been drinking.

Ignoring Draco, the visitor spoke in his strange accent, not mispronouncing anything, exactly, but drawing out the vowel sounds so that his speech sounded off somehow. "Arthur. It's been a while. And Molly, it's good to see you again, though I wish it were under better circumstances."

"Janus," Molly said as she crossed the room and kissed the man on his cheek. "It's been far too long. Arthur and I owe you our thanks for this."

Janus waved a hand and shook his head. "Any friend of Remus… Besides, these boys won't be any trouble." Janus turned to face Harry and Draco. "We meet again, as I said we would, although I didn't intend for it to be like this."

Arthur and Molly exchanged a look of surprise. "You've already met?" Arthur asked.

Janus nodded. "It was at Remus and Tonks' grave."

"Well!" Arthur said as he raised his hands into the air. "This makes it much easier then."

"Exactly right, Arthur," Janus said, eying Draco. He stepped forward, and Draco brushed his hand across the handle of his wand in warning.

Janus stopped and smiled as Harry placed his hand over Draco's. "Once again, Harry, you spare my hide from being cursed. To answer your question, Draco, yes…it is me."

Draco snorted, slapped Harry's hand off his, and folded his arms across his chest. "I think I'd rather take my chances with the Ministry."

Janus shrugged. "Fine with me, but you might want to think about the consequences for others instead of thinking about yourself so damn much. If the Aurors find you here, your friends Arthur and Molly are in just as much trouble as you."

"They're not-" Draco began. He glanced from Molly to Arthur and changed his mind about what he had been about to say, "-doing anything wrong!" he finished lamely.

"And yet our friend Kingsley is ready to sign their arrest warrant the second a certain tow headed brat is found in their house." Janus glanced over his shoulder at Molly and Arthur. "I'm sorry, but it's the truth."

"And how do you know that?" Draco demanded. He doubted someone like Janus could get anywhere near the Ministry, let alone be told its secrets.

"I have ways of finding out information," Janus said as a cold edge crept into his voice. "However, now is not the time for this. You and Harry must come with me."

"Draco, stop making a fool of yourself. We don't have time!" Harry said as he tossed the knapsack over his shoulder. "Now come on, we have to go!"

"Oh alright, Potter. If my company will make you happy!" Draco snapped.

"You two can argue like old maids on the way there, I don't care," Janus said. He looked at Arthur and Molly. "Can we leave through the kitchen door? If time is as short as I figure, the Ministry team should be here within the next few minutes."

"Certainly," Arthur replied. "Is there anything else that Molly and I can do?"

Janus stopped at the kitchen door and glanced back over his shoulder. "No. You've both done more than enough. Now it's time for you and your family to be safe. I'll handle these two from here until the trial."

Janus led Harry and Draco past the Weasley garden and down toward the pond at the bottom of the hill. A high-pitched cry came from above, and Draco looked up to see Orion circling down. He extended his arm for the eagle, who landed gracefully and proceeded to preen himself.

"Stay here," Draco told the bird. "I don't know where I'm going, or when I'll be back for you, so just hunt rats or gnomes or something. If there's a storm, Arthur and Molly will let you in, but don't bite them. Or Ron, I suppose. Ginny... just steer clear of that one." Orion made a soft, low keening sound before taking off, sending a breeze past Draco's face with the powerful strokes of his wings.

"See that?" Janus said as he pointed toward a long, shiny, metallic object lying on the ground. "That's our way out of here. It's my own personal portkey."

"What is it?" Draco asked as he examined the shiny stick. It had a rubber grip on one end and a metallic bulge on the other. "Titleist? What's that?"

"It's a golf club, Draco" Harry replied. "It's a club that Muggles use to play this sport of theirs."

"Exactly right, Harry," Janus said. "It's also good for teeing off on someone, especially if he has a certain attitude." He smirked at Draco. "But don't worry, I won't ruin a perfectly good driver on you."

"I'd like to see him try it," Draco whispered under his breath.

"Alright now, Harry, you take the middle, and Malfoy, you take the other end. Hold on tight," Janus ordered, and the three of them spun out of sight.

Harry could feel the force of the spinning around his waist as the three hurled with the portkey toward their unknown destination. He clutched the golf club, and strained his neck to see Draco barely hanging on to the other end. Fear danced in Draco's eyes as Harry stretched out and took hold of his arm with all of the strength that he could muster. He strained to hold onto Draco and could feel his own grip beginning to slip when a firm hand took hold of his arm. Harry glanced up against the strong pressure blowing against his eyes and saw Janus holding his arm and smiling.

"Don't worry!" Janus yelled over the howling wind. "Not much further now! Both of you brace yourself for impact!"

Harry tilted his neck down and could see the spinning green and brown mass hurling toward his feet. Seconds later, the spinning slowed as the three landed on the ground, Harry and Draco collapsing to their knees while Janus gently touched down in perfect form.

Janus helped Harry to his feet, and reached for Draco's hand only to have his assistance swatted away.

"I know how to get up from the ground. I don't need your help!" Draco pulled himself to his feet and brushed away the dirt from his clothes. "Where are we, anyway?"

"About four miles from home." Janus pointed north.

"So you're no better at setting a portkey than Harry is at aparating." Draco snorted. "What are we supposed to do, walk the rest of the way?"

"Walk, crawl, do cartwheels- whatever floats your boat. Need me to carry your pack?" Janus held out a hand, but Draco shook his head and settled the straps more comfortably on his shoulders.

"It's to throw off anyone who might be tracking us by magic, isn't it?" Harry asked.

"That and the fresh air." Janus took off in the direction he had pointed, setting a pace that left Harry short of breath.

"So," Draco said, panting slightly. "I thought you were American. What are you doing over here?"

Before Harry could elbow Draco for his rude question, Janus glanced back over his shoulder. "I'm from the States, but I pretty much grew up here, in these woods." He raised his hands in an expansive gesture.

"That makes no sense," Draco said.

"Stop prying!" Harry growled. This time, he did elbow Draco, landing a sharp blow just below his rib cage.

"No, it's alright." Janus stopped abruptly and spun to face them. "You've been handed over to me, and you don't know me from Adam. I know how that feels."

"Who's Adam?" Draco asked.

"A figure of speech." Janus waved a hand. "It's not important. Let me just get this out of the way. When I was a kid, seven years old, to be exact, my parents took me to Britain on vacation. There was... an accident. I survived. They didn't."

"I'm sorry-" Harry began.

Janus turned and began walking again. After a long silence, he continued his story while still maintaining the same grueling pace. "I woke up in Saint Mungo's surrounded by people in long robes and crazy hats. I didn't think any of it could be real, and then this old man with a white beard and half-moon glasses comes to see me. He tells me about my parents, and when I'm done bawling, he says I'm 'special' and there's a school where I can learn about my 'gifts,' but I have to wait a while, and in the mean time, there's a man who can take care of me."

"It was Dumbledore," Harry murmured. "With the glasses and the beard."

"Just like him to let anyone into Hogwarts," Draco added. "Who was it who took care of you?"

"Remus Lupin," Janus said with quiet reverence. "He became my father."

They continued in silence. The sun began to set behind the trees, and Janus pressed on without slowing, as if the darkness didn't bother him. After Draco took a branch to the face and cursed about the possibility of losing an eye, Janus reached into the pocket of his duster and pulled out a small flashlight, which he handed to Harry. After what Harry guessed to be another hour of hiking, they reached a neat little house with its porch light shining.

"Janus?" Harry called out as they walked past a dark red colored Muggle car that sat in the driveway of the house. "Is this yours?" His fingers lightly traced over the gleaming metallic paint. "It's beautiful! Dudley always wanted a car like this. It's what he talked about all of the time, but Uncle Vernon always said they were too expensive." He moved around to the front of the car and noticed the white stripes that extended from the lights over the bonnet of the car. "It looks brand new."

Janus turned around as he reached the door to the house. "You like my little toy, do you? Not many wizards, other than Arthur, can say they own a Muggle car. I do use it occasionally, and it is a helpful deterrent against unexpected house guests."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Harry murmured to himself.

"I don't see what the big deal is. It's just another ridiculous looking Muggle contraption!" Draco said as he walked past Harry, not bothering to give the vehicle a second look.

"He never will understand, will he Harry?" Janus asked looking over Draco at Harry.

"No, I guess he never will," Harry replied, still unable to take his gaze away from the winged logo.

They entered the small house and walked through a narrow corridor that opened into a living room. Wooden paneling covered the walls, and the polished hardwood floors gleamed under the electric lights. Framed photographs, some moving, some not, lined the walls. A large clock sat against the opposite wall as it ticked away each second of the hour. A mahogany colored sofa sat against another wall along with an end table. Placed upon the end table was an antique white colored lamp that had floral designs etched onto it. A small glass table with black trim sat in front of the sofa. Across from the sofa and table, covering the opposite wall of the room, was a large cabinet that housed both books and a small television set.

"Have a look around." Janus extended his arms outward. "Go ahead and make yourselves comfortable, since you'll be staying a while."

Harry studied the pictures along the wall, while Draco walked over to the books.

"These pictures. It's you in them?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Harry. Me and Remus," Janus replied as he pointed a finger at the photo the showed a much younger Remus Lupin.

Draco moved past the books and stared at a picture that did not move. He tilted his head to both sides, as if waiting on the picture to do something. "This stupid picture is broken. It doesn't do anything!"

Janus smiled as he walked across the room and stood to the side of Draco. "That picture is not supposed to do anything."

"Manchester United?" Draco asked as he read the words at the bottom of the picture. "What's that?"

"You really don't know much about the Muggle world do you?" Janus said as he smiled at the picture. "Manchester United, Man U, one of the best football teams in Britain, and also my favorite." Janus noted the confusion on Draco's face. "This is Old Trafford, it's their stadium." Janus sighed as he tossed his hands into the air and let them hit the side of his legs. "Harry? A bit of help here, please. You know a bit about Muggle life and all. Make him understand it all."

"Manchester United," Harry began, "is a Muggle football team. In a way, it's the Muggles' version of Quidditch, but without broomsticks, bludgers, a snitch, or any hoops."

"But why-?" Draco began before Harry placed his hand in front of his lips.

"Don't ask me to explain it all, Draco, it's a Muggle thing."

"But you're a wizard." Draco frowned at Janus in genuine confusion. "Why do you want to be reminded of the fact that you're a mu- a Muggle-born?"

"Why would I want to forget? It's my heritage, a part of who I am. Besides, we don't use that term- or the one you were about to use- in the States. Things are a bit less compartmentalized there. Oh, we don't announce ourselves as wizards, but we don't share your ivory tower elitism, either. All men created equal, et cetera, et cetera."

Draco scoffed. "It's not elitism, it's the natural order!"

"Ah- the natural order, the rallying cry of bigots and tyrants since time immemorial, and probably what my ancestors said when they burned your ancestors for witchcraft." Janus grinned at Draco's scowl.

"Do you have anything to drink?" Harry interrupted. "It was a long walk."

"Of course! Where are my manners?" Janus disappeared around a corner and called in a loud voice, "I hope you both drink coffee. I never could get used to drinking hot tea."

"What? Never could…he's mental," Draco repeated in a low voice. "It's bad enough that he's proud to be a descendent from wizard-killing barbarians, but who doesn't drink hot tea?"

"You're picking fights and looking for reasons not to like him," Harry accused. "Stop it."

Draco muttered something that Harry didn't hear. He was too busy studying the pictures of Remus and Janus grinning as they held up a caught fish or posing in front of the cabin. Harry felt a surge of envy-fueled resentment and quashed it by reminding himself that Janus had lost his real parents just as he had.

"There are lots of memories in this house. It's why I kept it." Janus' voice came from behind Harry, and when Harry turned around, Janus held out a tray with three steaming mugs.

Harry took one of the mugs and nodded his thanks before pointing to a picture of Remus helping a young Janus onto a broomstick. "He looks so happy. It's just strange that he never said anything..."

"About me?" Janus handed a mug to Draco before continuing. "Did you ever ask?"

"Er, no." Harry looked down at the floor. He had hung on Lupin's every word as he talked about James and Lily, but he had never asked about Remus himself.

"So he kept a Muggle son a secret." Draco shrugged and looked pointedly at Janus. "Can't say I blame him. Being a werewolf is embarrassing enough. The better question is where you were during the war. Were you watching a football match while Lupin was losing a duel?"

Janus dropped his cup onto the floor, shattering it. "For your sake, Draco, I had better not hear you talk about my father that way again. Not unless you want a scar on that pretty face."

"Draco, apologize!" Harry hissed.

"Don't try to defend him, Harry. If Draco wants to say something then he can go right ahead, but I warn you now, Malfoy, be wary of the words you choose!"

Harry glanced from Draco to Janus. The former seemed coiled and about to strike, while the latter had the stiff, hunched posture of a dog with its hackles up. Janus' hazel eyes had turned a dull black, as if the life within them had momentarily disappeared and was replaced by some unknown entity.

"Draco, just apologize and be done with it," Harry said as he reached over and turned Draco's chin with his own index and middle finger. He saw the fire once again burning in the pale blue eyes.

Draco shook free from Harry's fingers. "Alright, fine then! Just keep your fingers off of my face, Potter!" Draco snapped his attention back to Janus, whose features had calmed as the color began to flow back into his skin. "I am sorry. I know that you are trying to help us, and I apologize."

"Accepted." Janus looked down at the shattered mug, his eyes glazing over. "And it's a fair question. Hell, it's the same question I ask myself! When things got bad with Voldemort the first time, Remus pulled me out of Hogwarts and sent me back to my grandparents in the States. I built a life there.

"He never told me how bad things were in the second war. We had our own troubles over there, dark wizards trying to expand their territory. Remus never said he needed me. Every time I asked, he said I was doing enough where I was. He promised me he wasn't in danger. And I believed him." He turned his back on Draco and Harry and strode into the kitchen area.

"I hope you'll watch your mouth from now on, Draco!" Harry spat, slapping Draco's shoulder. "Whatever you do, you will not say anything like that about Lupin. I can take your little insults, but you will not do it in front of his son. You should show Janus the respect that you show Teddy. Both of them are his sons, regardless of how it came to be."

"That's different! Teddy's a Black as much as he is a werewolf, and he's my-" he frowned in concentration. "Cousin? Nephew? Nevermind. It doesn't matter. He's family."

"And Janus is his brother," Harry said, managing to keep his face expressionless. "That makes him your-"

"Don't say it! Don't you dare! Alright, fine! Just to keep you from being a complete git, I'll watch what I say." Draco lowered his voice. "But no matter what you say, I still don't trust him. Something still doesn't quite add up about him."

Janus re-entered the room, towel in hand, and wiped up the spilled coffee and picked up the broken shards of the cup.

"You know I could have repaired that for you?" Draco said.

Janus glanced up as he sponged up the last bit of coffee. "Thanks, but in this house I ask that no one performs any magic."

"What?" Harry and Draco both asked together.

"That's rule number one here. No magic. The last thing that we need is to draw unwanted attention. If I know the Ministry, they will be questioning everyone you know. That's why I did not mention to Arthur or Molly where I lived. Just in case other methods of questioning are used."

"Veritaserum?" Harry quickly asked.

"To name one way, yes, Veritaserum. But there are other, more crude ways of finding out information," Janus finished as he wrapped the broken fragments into the towel, and walked out of the room.

"Rule number two," he continued from around the corner, "do not walk down to the village unless I am with you. When we go, we blend in. I'm a Muggle, and you're my visiting cousins."

"Why should we act like Muggles?" Draco asked. "Surely you don't think Father would…"

"I don't put it past anyone to have eyes in any village or city. No, I don't think it would be Lucius, but the Ministry has many contacts, as did Voldemort. With your picture posted in the Daily Prophet it'll be easy to find you among a crowd. That's why the two of you will dress and act like Muggles.

"Third, I don't want the two of you to think of this as a prison. You can go outside. I have set up barriers that will allow you to go so far into the woods that surround the house. There is also television that you can watch. I mainly use it to keep track of any unusual Muggle news. That's how I know what's going on in the world. That, and I have reliable contacts that are within the Ministry."

"Spying on the Ministry?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow. "That's a dangerous hobby."

"I don't call it spying. It's not like I had someone bullying other Ministry officials to get my way. Does that sound familiar, Draco? Lucius was very good at that."

The color quickly drained from Draco's face, as Janus continued before he could speak.

"I see it more like keeping abreast of things that happen within the Ministry." Janus sighed as he looked at the clock. "It's late. I do have a few questions to ask you, but they can wait until morning. Come on, I'll show you to your room."

"Room?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry but I only have the one spare bedroom with a bed that the two of you will have to share. That is, unless either of you prefer to sleep on the floor," Janus smirked as he led them down a small hallway and into a room on the left.

He flipped on a light switch that bathed the wooden walls with a soft glow. A single bed sat in the room while a wardrobe and trunk stood opposite the bed.

"You can place your clothes and things in there," Janus said pointing toward the closet and trunk. "It was my old trunk when I attended Hogwarts. This bed is the one that I slept in, when I was younger. It should be big enough for the two of you. The bathroom is across the hall, and my bedroom is at the end."

Harry and Draco stood gazing at the bed. "Well, I'll leave you both to it then. Good night." He closed the door and left both wizards staring at the bed.

"There aren't enough pillows!" Draco huffed. "How am I supposed to sleep next to you like that?"

"That's for you to figure out, Malfoy!" Harry sassed as he picked up his knapsack and walked across the hallway to shower.

"Tergeo!" Draco cast the cleansing spell before perching on the edge of the bed. The room was clean, but the whole house had an odd smell, as if someone had been brewing potions. He looked over his shoulder, half-afraid that Janus would burst in to bite his head off for casting a spell, but the house remained quiet, save for the sound of water flowing through the pipes.

The room's one tiny window was closed, and when Draco crossed the room to open it, he found it stuck. The air was hot and thick with humidity, and he felt a trickle of perspiration between his shoulder blades. Bad enough to have to share a bed with Potter, worse when the two of them would both be sweating like pigs.

He passed the time unpacking both their knapsacks into the trunk, wrinkling his nose when he touched the stiff blue Muggle fabric of his jeans. He pulled the zipper up and down a few times, practicing for when Janus would want them all to look like one big, stupid Muggle family. Having to put the jeans on would be unpleasant as it was, and needing help from Harry again would be... He flushed and dropped the garment into the trunk. It would be horrible.

The bedroom door creaked open, and Draco spun to see Harry with a towel around his shoulders, wearing only a pair of black undershorts.

"Shower's yours," Harry yawned, tossing the towel on the floor like a slob before falling onto the bed and rolling close to the wall.

"What's the point of showering?" Draco asked. "It's like a bloody oven in here! Especially since we've got nothing to sleep in but our robes. Or our Muggle clothes. Take your pick."

Harry chuckled. "Do you really expect..." his grin faded as he studied Draco's face. "You're serious, aren't you?" He turned on his side, propping himself up on one elbow like some calendar pin up.

"I'm not going to sleep in the same bed with you if that's all you're wearing!" Draco pointed to Harry rather than looking at him. The longer he looked, the harder it was to mount a coherent argument against either Harry's lack of clothing or their sharing a bed.

Harry sighed and shook his head. "I thought after last night we were beyond this."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Draco folded his arms across his chest, still refusing to look at Potter.

"Yes, you do. Narcissa told me she had to pry you away from me. You were there, beside me, I remember it. Draco..."

"Don't! I thought you were unconscious. Half-dead is more like it! And it wasn't so blasted hot, and you were wearing proper clothing."

"Fine. You win. I won't argue." Harry shrugged and rolled over to face the wall.

"Well?" Draco prompted, waiting for Harry to vacate the bed.

"Well, you've got the floor or the couch. Take your pick." Harry yawned ostentatiously and then put the pillow over his head and curled into a ball.

"Whatever, Potter!" Draco snatched the other pillow from the bed and stormed into the living room, slamming the door behind him. Once again, he looked around in expectation of Janus and his black-eyed rage, but no one came to chastise him.

A shaft of moonlight came from a front window, providing Draco with just enough light to make his way to the couch. He settled in with his pillow, removed his shoes, and lay on his back, staring up at nothing. The clock ticked, chimed the hour, and continued its incessant ticking. He kept seeing Harry in his mind's eye, and he half-wished he had taken a longer look at Potter's barely clothed body. If he had, his mind might not be racing in circles, imagining the exact contours of Harry's wiry thighs or trying to recreate the precise way Harry's body narrowed from shoulder to waist.

It would have been so simple to take off his own robes and get into the bed with Harry. In the close confines, they would have been hip to hip and shoulder to shoulder, unable to avoid touching. Temptation would have been like the Imperius curse, driving Draco's actions, absolving him of all responsibility.

Draco felt a rush of shame as he realized his hand had moved under his robes. He sat up briefly, making sure he was still alone. He was, and so he continued to touch himself, imagining that the friction came from grinding against Harry's body. He pulled his robes up and his undergarments down, giving himself more freedom.

In his mind's eye, they were entwined in the tiny bed, even their undergarments cast off. He was on top of Harry, Harry's thighs squeezing against his hips, they were kissing- No, Harry was bent over the bed, facing away from Draco and squirming underneath him, or he was on his knees, taking Draco into his mouth-

Bright light stabbed through Draco's eyelids, which flew open. He sat up, frantically pulling his robes back into place and stammering, too startled and humiliated to form a complete sentence. His face burned, and his eyes were glued to the floor, unable to look up and see who had interrupted him.

"Just don't leave a mess, and get back in that bedroom when you're done. There are extra wards on that room." Janus' matter-of-fact tone came from the entry way.

Draco looked up to see the American standing in the doorway, his face expressionless.

"How long were you there?" Draco demanded.

"About two seconds. Which is two seconds longer than I wanted to be." Janus' mouth twitched until he lost control and broke into a grin.

"And what are you doing out at night?" Draco scowled. "Aren't you supposed to be protecting us?"

"I was patrolling, looking for anything that might make trouble."

"Convenient." Draco snorted, noting that Janus' eyes looked even more blood-shot than they had. "If any whores or bottles of firewhiskey come after us, I'm sure we'll be safe."

"Think you have me pegged, huh?" Janus laughed. "Whores and bottles of firewhiskey. I'll remember that in case anyone guesses what I'm really up to." He winked and grinned, but for a moment a dark shadow seemed to pass over his eyes, and Draco shuddered.

"If you think you can scare me, you're wrong," Draco said coldly. "Whatever it is you were doing, whatever it is you are, I've seen worse. I've done worse. I am worse. And you'll find that out if you ever let anything happen to Potter."

"Whoa! Easy, tiger!" Janus raised his hands, palms outward. "We're on the same team here."

"So you say." Draco watched Janus disappear into the kitchen. A moment later, a thought occurred to him and made him jump up from the couch and follow the man. "Ah, Janus..." Draco said softly.

Janus set down the glass of water he had been drinking and tilted his head to the side, motioning for Draco to continue.

"About when you came in, er..."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Janus said, waving a hand magnanimously.

"Yeah, right. And you won't say anything to Potter, will you?"

Janus pulled a chair from the kitchen table, turned it around, and straddled it like a stool. He leaned forward with his chin on the backrest, regarding Draco with an exaggerated thoughtful expression. "Now that depends. Can you keep your hands off your wand- I mean that literally, by the way- and your smart mouth shut? If I keep getting threatened and insulted, I might just let it slip that I walked in on Draco Malfoy and his one true love."

"That's blackmail," Draco snarled.

Janus shrugged. "I prefer the term 'leverage'."

"Fine!" Draco nodded, but swore under his breath and added, "You could have been a Slytherin."

"Who says I wasn't?"

Narcissa woke from a light, anxious sleep, nightmares still flickering in her brain. She tasted phantom blood, smelled the scent of hard-packed earth, felt it under fingernails even though when she looked at her hands, they were white and clean. Remembering where she was, she rose quickly from the bed, not wanting to lay in it a moment longer than necessary. The room she slept in had belonged to Nymphadora, which meant that this very bed had probably been shared by a half-blood shapeshifter and a werewolf. Andromeda had promised that the sheets were clean, and Narcissa had cast both "Tergeo" and "Scourgify" before lying down, but even so... She shuddered as she slipped her feet into a pair of borrowed slippers and changed from the sleeping gown she wore into a set of her sister's robes.

She followed the scent of fresh coffee into the kitchen, where Andromeda stood watch over a percolating pot, cradling Teddy and singing one of the nonsense rhymes they had both heard as children.

"Did you sleep well?" Andromeda asked, glancing over her shoulder.

"I- yes," Narcissa lied. Something on the wall had caught her attention. A set of narrow wooden shelves held a moving picture of Ted Tonks, a wedding portrait of Remus and Nymphadora, and framed newspaper clipping with a black-and-white photo of Draco.

"Not the most flattering picture of him, is it? I didn't have a proper one," Andromeda murmured, jerking her chin toward the photo.

"Because I was a poor sister and kept you from your nephew? If you insist on reminding me of my failings, perhaps I would be better off in the hands of the Ministry," Narcissa said bitterly.

"I see where your son gets his disposition, but it's even less charming for a person of your age and gender." Andromeda shook her head and moved into the kitchen where she pulled two sets of cups and saucers from a cabinet. "Must you make this so difficult?" With a wave of her wand, she summoned a silver pitcher of cream and poured a generous portion into each cup. Sugar cubes followed, and finally she poured in the strong black coffee.

Narcissa bit her tongue to stifle a complaint about the adulteration of a perfectly good beverage. Forcing a smile, she took one of the cups. Still holding Teddy with one arm, Andromeda took her own cup, and Narcissa followed her to the back door, opening it before Andromeda could request that she do so. Outside on the patio were two wicker chairs and a matching wicker basket lined with blankets for Teddy. The early morning chill felt refreshing, and Narcissa savored the contrast between the hot mug in her hands and the cool breeze. Soon Teddy was nestled in the wicker bed and both women were perched on the chairs.

"When you came to the Burrow, Draco knew you," Narcissa said, keeping her voice even in fear of rousing Andromeda's temper yet again.

Her sister nodded. "We had met before." She took a long sip of coffee, eying Narcissa over the rim of her cup.

Narcissa sighed, though it came out sounding like a groan. "So you want me to ask; then I will ask. How could you possibly know him? How could he treat you like-"

"Family?" Andromeda arched an eyebrow.

"Yes."

Andromeda tilted her head to one side, biting her lip as if deciding how much longer to torment Narcissa. Finally, she broke into a grin and laughed. "We met when he came to visit Teddy. Harry brought him to my door! Can you imagine the surprise... I open the door and there stands Teddy's godfather in the company of... Well..." Andromeda cleared her throat, averted her eyes, and picked up her cup again.

"Of course." Narcissa flushed slightly, feeling foolish.

"You're not surprised," Andromeda said flatly, looking confused and disappointed. "You don't find it odd that Harry felt the need to bring Draco here to meet his godson?"

"Did you hope to shock me?" Narcissa chuckled humorlessly. "It is far too late for that; Draco told me his true feelings for the Potter boy, and even had he not, I saw-" She flinched, closing her eyes.

"Yes?" Andromeda leaned forward, resting her right elbow on her knee and her chin on her fist.

"I saw them in bed together!" Narcissa spat out the words, not wanting to drag out the moment. Andromeda raised an eyebrow and began to smirk, and Narcissa quickly waved a hand, flushing furiously and shaking her head. "No, not as you're thinking! You always did have a filthy mind! I saw Draco sleeping next to Harry after they rescued me from the Manor."

"Perhaps they were only-" Andromeda began.

Narcissa snorted. "Do not patronize me. And do not remind me that Potter is a half-blood or that your own mongrel daughter and her beastly husband at least gave you that-" She pointed to Teddy. She had been about to say "creature" but the word hitched in her throat as she eyed the infant's puffy cheeks and tiny body. When she regained her voice, she whispered, "that precious grandchild."

"Cissy..." Andromeda sighed, rose from her chair, and crouched next to Narcissa, placing a hand on her upper arm.

"Draco will be like you," Narcissa continued, sniffling. "Like you and Nymphadora and Ted and Remus! They'll whisper about him behind his back, call him horrible, horrible names. He will never be quite equal, never quite whole. He might as well have been born a half-blood or a Weasley!"

"He might as well," Andromeda agreed.

"So much for sisterly comfort," Narcissa muttered, feeling her temper rise. The momentary flare of anger caused the tears to recede, and she dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve, embarrassed.

"And what do you expect me to say, exactly?" Andromeda stood and turned sideways so that her profile was outlined against the backdrop of the sunrise. "I was as shocked when Harry dragged Draco across my doorstep, as you no doubt were when Draco told you the truth! I had thought you were lost to me, Cissy, and I had no reason to think that Draco was anything but a dark, twisted soul in his father's image. Imagine my astonishment at finding out that he is no different than my Nymphadora was, that he's capable of change, capable of love. Imagine how surprised I was, Narcissa. And how proud."

"I suppose," Narcissa murmured. She glanced down from the pink-tinged sky to Teddy's basket-bed, where the little metamorphmagus was changing before her eyes. He sprouted a bristling shock of white hair that reminded her of a hedgehog's quills, and when his tiny eyes opened, they were dark violet.

Andromeda followed her sister's eyes and smiled. "Would you like to hold him?"

"You're sure he's not infected?"

After rolling her eyes, Andromeda reached into the basket, lifted Teddy, and held him out to Narcissa. "Draco isn't afraid of him."

"No, he isn't." Narcissa bravely nodded, set her coffee cup next to her chair, and held out her hands, proud that they weren't trembling. If Draco could overlook Teddy's parentage, surely she could, too.

Instead of placing Teddy in Narcissa's hands, Andromeda put the infant on her sister's shoulder. He felt warm and limp, and Narcissa quickly put a hand on his back to steady him. His fingers began to explore her hair. Once he had a firm grip, he tugged hard, as Draco had so often done, and she found herself smiling as her eyes watered with the pain. "He is strong!" she observed, laughing.

"Strong, healthy, and magically gifted, like his mother," Andromeda agreed.

"Draco's children would have been beautiful," Narcissa sighed, absently stroking Teddy's hair, which changed in color and texture, reverting to the soft, blond curls she had come to think of as part of his "true" appearance.

Andromeda shrugged. "That would have depended on the mother, wouldn't it?" Not waiting for an answer, she continued, "You do realize that I am not Teddy's appointed guardian, don't you? That would be Harry, which I suppose would make Draco his guardian, too, if the two of them stay together."

"They will." Narcissa closed her eyes, remembering that strange talk in the garden. There will never be anyone but Potter! She had never been more certain that her son told the truth.

"Then if Draco is one of Teddy's guardians, I suppose that makes him your-"

"Don't say it!" Narcissa laughed, and Teddy responded by making soft gurgling sounds in her ear. "It's strange enough to have a sister again! I don't want to dwell on the tangled branches of our family tree. Let's just-"

A set of three sharp banging sounds made them both fall quiet. Andromeda took Teddy from Narcissa, set him down in his bed, and held up a hand in a gesture for continued silence. "I'll see who is at the door," she whispered. She drew her wand, murmured a spell, and strode into the house, closing the door securely behind her.

Narcissa craned her neck, simultaneously scanning for an attacker and assuring herself that the person knocking at the door was a friend, Molly Weasley, perhaps, or Hermione Granger, or even a traveling saleswizard hawking cleaning potions or enchanted cookware. Something in the lower part of her field of vision caught her eye, and she looked down to see the white wicker of the seat of her chair. Blinking on confusion, she raised her hand in front of her face only to find her view of the garden unobstructed.

"A vanishing charm," she muttered to herself.

The door to the patio rattled, and she rose from her seat, moving to kneel behind Teddy's basket. If the unexpected visitor did turn out to be a foe, she could grab the child and run while Andromeda held off the attacker with her wand. She held her breath as the knob turned.

Draco awakened to the tuneless song of a bird outside the bedroom window. He groaned and rolled over, covering his ears with the pillow. The morning chirps seemed to echo in his head as he rolled back over.

"Too early…" Harry murmured as he continued to sleep through the noise.

"Easy for you to say, Potter," Draco whispered as he tossed the pillow at the window, hoping to scare away the bird.

His tactic failed, and the bird shrilled even louder than before. Harry flailed in his sleep, his legs jerking as if he were trying to run lying down. Even when Draco scooted to the edge of the bed, Potter's limbs still brushed him while the bird continued it's diabolically cheerful serenade. Draco wondered which was worse- remaining here or risking another encounter with Janus.

Choosing the lesser of the two evils, he rolled out of the uncomfortable bed, not caring if he awakened Harry or not. Draco marched across the hallway and into the bathroom before stepping into the living room and sitting down on the couch.

"At least in here, I won't be able to hear that bloody bird," Draco said to himself as he swung his feet up onto the cushions. He laid his head down, expecting the smooth, cool touch of leather, but instead his cheek came into contact with something soft and furry.

An ear-splitting screech was followed by several stabs of pain in his skull and then a protracted hiss punctuated with spitting sounds. Draco screamed as his hands reached for whatever it was that had just attacked his head. The thing darted off of the couch and leapt across the floor in two strides, settling onto one of the long bookcases and peering at Draco with its blue eyes. A long, low growl came from the animal as the living room lights quickly flickered on.

Janus came running into the room, sporting a large blue shirt that had the word, "jayhawks" emblazoned with red tint on the front, along with his black shorts. "What's going on in here? What…oh it's you, Draco. You decided to wake up the house with your screaming, I see?"

"It wasn't me! It was that beast over there!" Draco shouted while he held his hands over his bleeding scalp.

"Socrates! Have you been a bad kitty?" Janus said as if he were talking to a baby. "Did the mean old Slytherin scare you, boy?"

The Siamese cat mewled as he jumped off the shelf and began to rub around Janus' feet, purring. "Where have you been all night, huh? Out chasing rats, or do you have a female companion that you've yet to tell me about?" He picked up the large cat and took him into the kitchen, motioning for Draco to follow.

Draco walked into the kitchen, eying Socrates and swearing under his breath. Janus put the cat down, and it found its way to a full food dish under the kitchen counter.

"Have a seat," Janus pointed at the small breakfast table. "I'll get the peroxide and gauze."

"What's that? You mean you aren't going to use magic?"

Janus stopped rummaging under the kitchen sink and looked back across his shoulder at Draco. "And why would I need to use magic on something as simple as a scratch?"

"How do I know that you stupid feline doesn't have some sort of wild cat's disease?

Janus paused again in his search, glancing from Socrates back to Draco. "I think you'll live, Draco. Not stop being such a baby!" A few seconds later he stood back up with a large, white box and a clear, plastic bottle in his hands.

"Alright, let's see the damage here. Move your fingers."

Draco lowered his hands and sat down in one of the chairs.

Janus clicked his tongue and shook his head as he bent to examine the wounds. "Sox got you real good. Does it hurt here?" He pressed his finger down onto the scratch, sending a wave of fresh pain through Draco's scalp.

"What do you think?" Draco snapped.

"I'm only kidding. He barely broke the skin. Unfortunately, the scalp bleeds more easily than any other part of the body." Janus continued prodding at the tender skin. "You scared Socrates, that's all. Normally, he has a very sweet disposition."

Janus took the clear plastic bottle and poured some of the liquid inside it onto one of the cloth pads. He raised the pad above Draco's head, and a moment later, Draco howled as if his hair were on fire.

"For the love of Merlin!" Draco shouted as he rose from the chair. "What did you do to me?"

"It prevents wild cat disease," Janus quipped. "Now sit back down and quit being such a wuss."

"I'm not-" Draco snarled, flushing. He sat down and folded his arms. "Fine. It's not that bad. Just get it over with."

"That's the spirit." Janus wet another cloth and continued to dab the fire-potion on Draco's head. "So what were you doing out of bed this early in the morning? Snooping around the living room, trying to find some dirt on me? I thought after our little conversation last night that you might want to try and have your own leverage over me. Is that about right, for a Slytherin?"

"No!" Draco growled. "Now you're being paranoid. I couldn't care less about your dirty little secrets. I was getting away from a bird, that's all, and – aah!" Draco howled as Janus made a final hard swipe with the wet cloth.

Harry rounded the corner and stopped abruptly at the sight before him. "What's wrong? What are you doing to Draco?"

"Good morning, Harry," Janus smiled as he forcefully padded the wet gauze pad onto the last scratch. "I'm tending to Draco's little scrapes here. He and Socrates said 'hello' to one another this morning. I had to break out the peroxide to celebrate." He pointed to the top of the large refrigerator where the large crème colored Siamese cat sat, watching the events from above.

"I didn't know you had a cat," Harry said as the large cat meowed toward Harry while rubbing the side of his face against the edge of the appliance.

"Are you finished yet?" Draco shouted, dizzy from pain.

"Yes, go on." Janus tossed the gauze into a trash can and turned to put the bottle away.

Draco hastily got up, turning the chair over in the process, and stormed out of the kitchen. As he marched down the hall, he heard Janus mutter something about a "typical Slytherin."

Andromeda put her hand on the back door knob and turned, jiggling it to give Narcissa warning. The vanishing spell should last at least an hour, but that assumed she had cast it correctly, and she was out of practice. As she opened the door, she turned back to smile over her shoulder.

"It really is good to see you, Kingsley. We can talk out here. I was having coffee and taking Teddy out for some air." She bit her lip to stop herself from prattling more. The minister followed her onto the patio and turned his head slowly, surveying the garden.

"Teddy is a bit young for coffee," Kingsley observed.

"Yes, of course!" Andromeda laughed nervously. "The coffee was for me. I brought Teddy out here to watch him."

"Then who was your companion?" Kingsley pointed to the base of each wicker chair, and Andromeda's heart jumped as she noted the two coffee cups.

"Ah, that's, er, embarrassing, really." Her hand went to the front of her robes where she fiddled with her collar, thinking furiously. "It's habit, you see. One cup for me, one cup for Ted. Ted Tonks, my husband, not Ted Lupin, the baby. Oh, I'm not crazy! I know he's gone, it's just a little ritual of mine, a reminder."

"I see." Kingsley looked unconvinced. He raised a hand to shield his eyes from the rising sun and scanned the garden again.

"Minister, to what do I owe the honor of your visit?" Andromeda asked.

"I don't need to remind you of the sacrifices made in order to achieve our current state of relative peace."

"No," she agreed. "I'm the last person who needs reminding." Teddy began to cry in his bed, and she knelt down to pick him up before sitting down in her chair. She hoped that Narcissa had vacated the other, and she held her breath until Kingsley had settled himself without incident.

"And I do not need to convince you of how important it is that we send a strong, united message, that we show the public there is no escape for those who aided Voldemort."

"I am at your service, Minister. As always."

Kingsley steepled his fingers and leaned forward so that his fingertips brushed his chin. "When was the last time you saw Narcissa Malfoy?"

Andromeda winced, not bothering to hide her reaction. "The last time I saw Narcissa Black, I had just told our parents that I was marrying Ted Tonks. They asked me to choose, you know- Ted or my family. You can guess the result. That's how it always works when one asks a woman to choose sides.

"Well, Cissy thought I was selfish for choosing to corrupt myself and defile my family name. I thought she was brainless for being unable to see past our parents' prejudice. Words were exchanged. It's not a night I care to dwell on."

"And you have never seen her since?" Kingsley pressed.

"I thought of sending an owl when Nymphadora was born, but..." she shook her head. "When Draco was born I thought surely, surely there would be word from Narcissa, but no."

"Then you never knew your nephew, Draco? You haven't seen him? He has not contacted you?"

Andromeda shifted Teddy into a comfortable position on her chest and looked over his head to meet Kingsley's eyes. "I saw his picture in the Daily Prophet next to a story about a trial."

"And you kept it and framed it. I saw it in the kitchen as we walked past."

"So I'm a sentimental fool." She shrugged. "I lost my daughter, my husband, my older sister, and for all intents and purposes my younger as well. Whatever else he is, Draco is family. And no, he's not here, I've not seen him nor spoken to him. If I may ask, why are you concerned over a brainless twit like Narcissa and a child like Draco, anyway?"

"Allowing any suspect to escape trial is an invitation to our enemies, an announcement that we are weak." Kingsley sighed in frustration. "Do you have any idea where your sister and nephew may be? A family property, a childhood hiding spot?"

Involuntarily, Andromeda's eyes swept the garden. She shook her head. "Nothing like that."

"I see." Kinglsey rose suddenly, his wand flying into his hand. Facing away from the house, he called, "Homenem Revelio!" He marched the length of the garden, looking behind every shrub.

"How touching that I've earned your trust," Andromeda murmured under her breath.

"Trust is a luxury forbidden to ministers," Kingsley replied. He turned in a slow circle before meeting her eyes. "Think carefully about where your loyalties lie, Andromeda."

"I have, Kingsley." She bit her lip to keep from saying more. The minister's words nearly echoed those her father had said all those years ago, but she was older and wiser now. Even though she felt the formidable Black temper rising in her, she forced a smile. "My loyalty is to my grandson. Now, unless you'd like to watch me change his diaper..." she raised an eyebrow.

"No, thank you," Kingsley returned her smile with a trace of his old sense of humor touching his eyes. "If you hear from Draco or Narcissa..."

"You can trust me to do the right thing, Minister. Always."

"I hope so." Kingsley opened the back door and made his way to the front, walking slowly and turning his head to look in every corner.

Once he had gone, Andromeda latched the front door and rested her back against it, clutching Teddy to her chest and taking deep, slow breaths. All of the fear she had hidden from the minister hit her at once, making her head spin and turning her knees to jelly. When she had calmed herself enough to walk again, she made her way to the patio.

A loud "thud" came from her left, and she spun to see Narcissa rising from a crouch. Before Andromeda could ask, Narcissa said, "I climbed the trellis."

"I wondered where you were hiding. If you were hiding!" Andromeda laughed. "When he cast Homenem Revelio, I half-expected to see you standing in the garden wringing your hands."

"Like a brainless twit?"

"Cissy!" Andromeda groaned. "You could hardly expect me to speak well of you!"

"No. No, of course not." Narcissa bit her lip and looked down, brushing dirt and bits of clematis petals from her robes. "Andromeda..."

"Yes?" Andromeda prompted, wishing Narcissa would get on with whatever she wanted to say. Teddy was truly starting to fuss now, and in a moment, he would begin to wail.

"If you had sent an owl after Nymphadora was born, I would have answered." Narcissa stepped closer to Andromeda and reached out a hand toward Teddy, who wrapped his left hand around her index finger, his right fist still tangled in Andromeda's hair.

Half an hour later, breakfast was placed on the table, consisting of sausage, eggs, and bacon; the mouth-watering aroma filled the small house. Harry looked up from his plate to see Draco slink silently into the kitchen and take a seat.

"Glad you decided to join us, Draco," Janus said cheerfully. Draco did not bother to acknowledge Janus or even look at Harry. Instead, he chose to keep his gaze down, looking at the plate before him as they all ate.

As Draco complained about his rubbery eggs and overcooked sausage, a russet-colored barn owl flew in through the open kitchen window and landed gracefully on the table, shedding a feather onto Janus' empty plate.

"Well, hello!" Janus said sitting his coffee down and untying the rolled newspaper from the owl's leg. "And what new drivel does the Daily Prophet have today, old girl?" He lightly stroked the owl's feathers as she hooted. "Oh, sorry, you're a bit late for breakfast. I'm afraid you will have to go find a mouse."

Harry stared at the owl with open admiration. "She gorgeous! What's her name?"

"Harry, I'd like for you to meet Artemis." The bird turned her cream colored face around and stared at Harry before flapping her wings and hooting. "Seems she likes you. That's rare for her to do that to a stranger."

"Can I touch her?" Harry asked, remembering how soft Hedwig's feathers had felt.

"Sure, I think she'll let you," Janus answered as he unrolled the Daily Prophet.

Harry slowly reached toward the owl, careful not to make any sudden movements. His fingers lightly touched the feathers; the texture felt almost as smooth as silk. "She's so soft," Harry admired as he allowed his whole hand to lightly pet the owl. "Ron and Hermione bought me another owl, Ramses."

"Artemis and Ramses. Perhaps one day they should meet and see what happens between them." Janus winked.

"Yeah, maybe they can," Harry added, although he was so engrossed by the beauty of the bird that he didn't really hear himself speak. Artemis took flight and flew out the kitchen window, leaving Harry with a single feather.

Behind the Daily Prophet, Janus let out a low, dog-like growl.

"What?" Draco asked, pushing his empty plate away.

Janus threw down the paper, and once again, dark flames flickered in his eyes. His next words came out in a low, husky rasp. "Desperation is the raw material of drastic change."

"Huh?" Harry and Draco both asked.

"Desperation." He sat more upright in the chair, his left hand lightly drumming on the back of the newspaper. He flipped the Daily Prophet over, allowing Harry and Draco to read the page. Two pairs of eyes read each line of the article, never blinking. Their mouths simultaneously drooped to form an "O" shape. Harry's hands begin to tremble with anger as he read each word, the article cutting deeply into the sensitive memory of the Daily Prophet lies regarding Dumbledore.

Draco finished reading first and pushed the newspaper away from him, as if the article weren't about him. "It's rubbish!" Draco commented tilting his nose upward. "It's all lies, and Daily Prophet rubbish." He swatted his hand at the paper as if it were an irritating fly. "We all know the Prophet does things like that to garner attention."

Harry finished reading the article and looked over at Draco, his eyes wide with fear and many thoughts of what his life would be like if he lost Draco to Azkaban. "Draco, this is serious! This isn't some Rita Skeeter spew!"

"Twenty thousand galleons, fresh from Gringots, to anyone with any knowledge about Draco or Narcissa's whereabouts." Janus pointed a finger at Draco. "The Minister has just turned up the heat on you. How many people would gladly turn in a Malfoy for twenty thousand? That is too tempting of an offer for just about any witch or wizard. Desperate measures." Janus jabbed his finger on top of the moving picture of Draco.

"So I guess you'll turn me in so you can collect the money and buy more stupid Muggle junk?" Draco snorted as he ripped the newspaper from the table, thrashing it into the floor.

Janus did not move an inch, nor did he respond to Draco's theatrics. Calmly, he raised a finger to scratch his cheek. "As tempting as twenty thousand galleons is, I don't need it. My loyalty isn't to the Ministry. The important question now is why the Ministry is doing this."

"Right," Harry agreed. "We have to be rational about this."

"Easy for you to say, Potter. It's not you that could be sent to Azkaban. Besides, I am more worried about Mother."

"I am sure that Andromeda will take care of her, and keep her safe."

"Harry's right," Janus agreed. "Narcissa never took the dark mark. It's your neck I'm worried about, Draco. Now, just what have you done that makes you worth twenty thousand galleons?"

"I haven't done anything!" Draco snarled. "No one killed my father; he's still alive, and as for his minion, that was Ginny Weasley, not me!"

Janus tilted his head and then shook it in confusion. "Either I need another cup of coffee, or you're not making sense. Harry, care to fill me in?"

"Sure." Harry took a deep breath and started the story from the beginning, with Draco and his luggage case showing up at Harry's front door. When he got to the part where Draco's silver dragon knocked Lucius into the bookcase, Janus raised an eyebrow and grunted in admiration.

"A Patronus, Draco. I am impressed," Janus said with mock applause.

"Shut up! Ridiculous American cou-" Draco stopped himself before completing the word. "What are you smirking about Potter, go on and finish your bloody story!"

Harry continued, and when he mentioned Phillipe Moreaux, the cup slipped out of Janus' hands, spilling coffee all over the polished wooden table top.

"Phillipe? Janus asked, ignoring the spilled coffee. "Phillipe Moreaux?"

"Well, we didn't know his full name then, or exactly what he was. He only said that Lucius had wanted him to find Draco and me, and bring us back to Malfoy Manor. Draco surprised him, as his attention was on me, trying to choke me to death. Several stunning spells and a Patronus, again from Draco, allowed us to escape and apparate to the Burrow."

Janus placed his index finger over his top lip while his thumb gently rested the bottom side of his chin. "Hmm. Well, the both of you are damn lucky to be alive. Not many people can cross paths with Phillipe Moreaux and live to tell about it. Go on Harry."

Harry took a long sip of his own lukewarm coffee and then told Janus about the Burrow, Kraven's visit, and the raid on Malfoy Manor.

"So Phillipe is working with Lucius!" Janus said as he continued to stare ahead at Harry. "The plot thickens, and I'd bet dollars to donuts that someone else is involved."

"Why makes you say that?" Harry asked.

"Just a thought that I had, but Moreaux was banished to Nurmengard years ago. The only way to get out from there would be through a powerful wizard, like Dumbledore or Voldemort. Both of them are dead. That leaves one other option. Someone with the perfect bargaining chip struck a deal, and now this monster is loose again."

"Was loose again," Draco corrected. "Like Potter told you, he's dead. Ginny couldn't beat him fairly, so she dropped a chandelier on him. He's one less problem now."

"I beg to differ, Draco," Janus responded placing his hands upon the table and lacing his fingers together. "I know Phillipe Moreaux. You might say we have a bit of history with one another, and I know that it will take more than a chandelier to stop him."

"I tell you he was dead!" Draco shouted rising up from the chair to stand above Janus. "I saw it myself."

"Fine. You are allowed that opinion, but has there been official confirmation of his death? Where is your proof? Seeing someone lying under a chandelier is hardly qualification to say he's dead, Draco! The only way he'll die is if someone Avada Kedavra's the man. Hell, even then, I'd need to shake hands with his ghost before I'd believe it. Then, you can say that he is dead."

Janus raised his fingers to his forehead as if staving off a headache. "Alright, let's get back to the Ministry. Why are they not warning the people about Moreaux, and instead focusing everyone's attention on Draco and Narcissa?"

"Ha!" Draco barked. "I knew it. Just like Fudge, Kingsley is bent!"

"Shut up, Draco!" Harry glared into Draco's eyes. "Kingsley is a good man. He would not resort to doing something like this."

Harry looked around to Janus, hoping for affirmation. "Would he?"

Janus shrugged. "It's difficult to say. Taking control in a position like the Minister of Magic and having to rebuild a world after Voldemort is a tall task. I will say that something does not seem right."

He got up, grabbed a small notepad and pencil from the drawer by the sink, and scrawled a note.

He stepped over to the window and called out for Artemis. The large barn owl flew to the window. "Alright, girl I need for you to take this note, and be quick about it." He softly kissed the wing of the owl and she flew off from the window.

"What was that?" Draco asked.

"A note to my contact seeking confirmed information, Draco." He paused as he looked at both young wizards. "In the meantime, we need to see about getting some food for this house. I need for the both of you to go and change into some Muggle clothing."

Before Draco could argue, Harry took him by the elbow and lead him back to the bedroom. As soon as the door was closed, Draco began to rant in a low voice.

"I knew there was something wrong about him! Surely you see it now!" Draco pulled off his robes and stood in his underclothes, his arms crossed angrily over his chest.

"Yes, he hates tea, he has a cat, he likes Muggle sports, he's the bloody devil," Harry rolled his eyes, reached into the trunk, and tossed Draco his jeans.

As they both pulled on their Muggle pants, Draco continued. "He's sadistic! After his bloody cat attacked me, he put a stinging potion on my head."

Harry laughed as he shrugged into a tee shirt. "It's not a stinging potion. It's peroxide. Muggles use it to help cuts and scrapes heal. He has a 'no magic in the house rule,' remember? He was trying to make sure you don't get sick."

"Well, I still don't like him!" Draco retrieved his shirt from the trunk and put it on. Fastening his buttons, he added, "He's opportunistic and manipulative!"

"And what makes you choose those words?" Harry wondered.

"He's bla- Never mind." Draco flushed furiously. "It doesn't matter. He's friends with Phillipe Moreaux, for Merlin's sake!" He fiddled with his left sleeve, trying to roll it into a neat cuff.

Sighing in frustration, Harry crossed the room, took hold of Draco's sleeve, and rolled it for him. "He said they had crossed paths. It didn't sound like they were friends to me."

"Still... what was he doing that he ended up crossing paths with someone like that?" Draco asked.

"So, to sum it all up, he's sadistic, he's manipulative, he's- what else? opportunistic?- and he's crossed paths with Phillipe Moreaux." Harry rolled Draco's other sleeve and grinned. "Sounds like someone else I know."

"I'm serious, Potter!" Draco's eyes widened with genuine distress. "I hate it here. I want to go back to the Burrow, or Grimmauld Place, or anywhere."

"I know, Draco." Harry sighed and finished adjusting Draco's sleeves. Noting that Draco had buttoned the shirt all the way up to the top, he took the liberty of undoing the top two buttons and settling the collar into a more natural position. Draco was so busy hating Janus, apparently, that he hadn't noticed Harry violating the standing order to keep his hands to himself. He let his hands slide over Draco's shoulders, and he squeezed in what he hoped was a comforting fashion.

A sharp knock at the door made Draco dart away, and a moment later, Janus poked his head in. "You ready to go?"

"Yes," Harry said quickly. For a moment, he shared Draco's intense dislike of Janus.

"Good. When we get to town, you'll both fit in and stay quiet. Harry, that means no magic. Draco, that means no wand." He held out his hand expectantly.

"Not bloody likely!" Draco spat.

"Why?" Harry asked Janus.

"Because I can trust you to control yourself, Harry. Draco, on the other hand, doesn't understand simple rules, as evidenced by the fact he cast a minor charm at around ten thirty last night."

"Draco!" Harry groaned. "What did you do?"

"It was only 'Tergeo' and only because I don't know how clean the bed is." Draco waved a hand dismissively. "It doesn't mean I have no self-control, and it certainly doesn't mean you have the right to take my-"

Janus looked at Draco and mouthed a word. Harry guessed it might have been "leverage".

"Fine." Draco handed over the wand and mouthed something back. Harry was quite sure it was "bastard".
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Darkness Within The Light