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Harry Potter and the Unusual Alliance	By : RikuRocks Category: Harry Potter AU/AR > Slash - Male/Male Views: 5752 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Harry Potter, nor am I making any money from this work of fiction.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
Chapter 8: Secret Doors and Unsettling Revelations.

Harry woke abruptly but calmly, wondering what had woken him. He turned over and was about to go back to sleep when something nudged his shoulder and a soft voice said his name. His mind sharpened and he realized the thing that was nudging him was a hand, before the voice stated his name again quietly.

Harry opened his eyes and saw a white blur that almost appeared to be glowing in the moonlight. He was about to ask when a ghost a taken residence in Grimmauld Place, when his mind finally caught up.

�Draco?� He mumbled as he reached for his glasses.

�Who else would it be?� The blonde�s soft voice gained a dry touch to it. �Come on; if we�re going to arrive at the manor near dawn, then we have to get ready to leave now.�

�All right, I�m moving,� the green-eyed boy grumbled as he located his glasses before crawling out of bed and rummaged through his trunk for some clothes. He noticed that Draco was wearing the clothes he had loaned him, and that they appeared to have been cleaned.

A half-hour later found them quietly slipping out the front door of 12 Grimmauld Place. Ron and Hermione were not there yet -Harry suspected that Hermione was pushing Ron along the same way Draco had been doing to him- so they waited across the street.

�The house has a lot of protective spells, doesn�t it?� asked Draco, and Harry noticed that the silver-eyed boy was scanning past the house as if he could not see it. Then he realized that the pallid boy probably could not.

�Yeah, your great uncle put a lot on it when they lived here, then Dumbledore added more later on.� Harry found it oddly easier to speak to Draco about the house and its former occupants. He thought it was because they were the pale Slytherin�s family, although he was not sure if it was because that meant Draco understood what Sirius had told Harry about growing up there, or because he simply did not have to mention Sirius when explaining things.

A few minutes later, Hermione and Ron slipped out the front door and scanned the street for a moment before spotting the other two and heading over. Harry waited until the four teens were standing together before whispering to the others. �I think we should walk to the next street over before we Apparate, to make sure no one hears.�

�Okay, good thinking, mate,� Ron agreed as Hermione and Draco nodded their consent.

Harry could not help but grin when he noticed that his two best friends, who were walking slightly ahead, had their arms linked. He was about to make a teasing remark when Draco, who was walking beside him with his hands shoved in his pockets, swung his elbow out to hit Harry�s forearm.

Harry looked over, and the ashen blonde shook his head once as he watched the raven-haired teen through the corner of his eye. The bespectacled teen shrugged, deciding that the other boy was right. It was not the time for that and his friends would tell him if he actually needed to know anything.

When the quartet turned onto the next street, they noticed a small playing field up the block that looked as though it had not been tended to for some time. Harry indicated the field, the others nodded, and the four headed towards it. After they were certain that no one was watching the park, Harry spoke again. �Okay, you�re sure we don�t need to know exactly where we�re going.�

Ron stifled a laugh, Hermione rolled her eyes, and Draco shook his head.

�Would you like me to perform a Side-Along-Apparation with you?� asked the pale Slytherin dryly while managing to look sincere.

�That�s actually a good idea Harry,� Ron said grudgingly. �You�ve never done this before and you never even took your Apparition test.�

�Neither did Draco,� Harry retorted before turning to the blonde, �But fine, give me your arm.� He reached for the slender limb, but the ashen teen moved back a step.

�Would you mind grabbing my other arm?� The blonde held out his right arm, and Harry was reminded of his first Side-Along-Apparation with Dumbledore, as well as the injury he had sustained beforehand.

The bespectacled boy nodded and gripped the offered appendage, ignoring the suspicious look that Ron was casting at Draco. Harry was thinking about asking the blonde if he could mention the incident with the Dark Mark to his friends later, when he felt the familiar uncomfortable sensation of being squeezed through a tight rubber tube.

Just when Harry thought the pressure was too much to stand, it was gone. He gulped some of the fresh morning air and heard Draco take a few deep breaths beside him.

�I don�t care what the instructors say, I still haven�t gotten used to that feeling,� Draco murmured as he leaned onto a tree.

Harry chuckled, �I completely agree. You�re all right though?�

The silver-eyed boy nodded, �And you?�

�Fine;� the raven-haired teen realized they were standing in a small space between a large hedge and several trees. �Is this it?�

�We�re at the edge of my mother�s garden,� Draco answered softly. �I thought it would be wiser to arrive somewhere hidden.�

�Good thinking,� Harry answered and lowered his voice as well. Then something occurred to him. �Where do you think Ron and Hermione will arrive?�

�Probably near the front lawn, we should have though about that before.� Draco turned his head in the direction that Harry assumed the front lawn was located. �I said I�m okay, you can let go now; I�m not going to drop or anything.�

�What?� The green-eyed boy looked down and realized he was still holding the thin boy�s arm. He immediately released it. �Oh, sorry, I just-�

�You�re just thinking like a Gryffindor,� Draco cut in, but instead of the usual condescending tone he used when referring to Gryffindors, his voice sounded almost fond.

Harry shrugged one shoulder. �Let�s go see if we can find Ron and Hermione.�

The pair slowly and quietly moved across the edge of the garden, and then Draco ducked through a spot of the tall hedge, where there was apparently an opening in the fence on the other side. Harry followed through, and upon straightening, saw his best friends walking towards them.

�Are you all right Harry?� asked Ron as he threw another mistrusting glance at Draco.

�I�m fine Ron,� Harry said a little more forcefully then he meant to, �How about you two?�

�We�re fine,� answered the redhead.

�Harry, what was the name we called your godfather when he was in his Animagus form?� Hermione asked casually, causing Harry to stare at her as though she were insane. Ron chucked quietly, which earned him a glare from the bushy-haired girl.

�I love you Hermione,� the redhead muttered when he stopped chuckling. He turned to Harry, �She thinks we should ask each other questions only we would know the answers to, to ensure that it us and not Death Eaters in disguise. I think she took all those Ministry flyers a little too seriously.�

The bespectacled teen stifled a chuckle of his own. �We called him Snuffles, okay Hermione? �If that�s your real name.�

Ron practically had his fist in his mouth to stop himself from laughing and Harry was shaking with the effort of repressing his own amusement. Hermione had her arms crossed and her expression was far from pleased. Draco wore the smallest of grins as he shook his head at the other two boys.

�Well we didn�t all arrive together; it could have been someone else,� the brown-eyed girl huffed.

�She does have a point,� Draco drawled before turning to the bushy-haired girl. �How did you describe the scent of the Amortentia in our first potions class last term?�

Hermione blinked in surprise before blushing and stating as evenly as she could, �It smells differently for everyone��

�True, but you announced two of the scents it presents to you in front of the whole class, and I doubt anybody reported home about it,� the pale Slytherin responded.

�Freshly mowed grass and new parchment,� the bushy-haired teen mumbled while blushing deeper.

Draco simply nodded once; Harry had to think for a moment, but decided that it sounded familiar. Ron however, turned on the blonde with a glare. �Why would you remember that?�

Draco calmly turned to the redhead and answered, �You can�t possibly be jealous; that would be ridiculous. I could see if it was about Harry, but Granger?� He sighed when the taller boy�s glare did not let up; �If you must know, it�s second nature for me to memorize small details about the people around me.�

�All right, now that we all know we�re who we say we are,� Harry cut in as Ron was opening his mouth to retort, and rather harshly it appeared, �Can we get inside? The sun�s going to be up soon.�

The others murmured their agreement and then the four teens made their way to the manor. A soft grey light was starting to cascade over the horizon in the east, the first sign of the approaching dawn.

Draco looked at Harry as he asked, �How do you want to try getting in?�

�Let�s try the entrance that Snape used. It sounded like it was well hidden,� the raven-haired boy answered after thinking for a moment.

The quartet walked toward the southwest corner, until Draco stopped them beside a large yew. The ashen boy walked around the tree once, then ran a slender hand over a knot in the trunk. He stepped back and pulled out his wand, then taped the centre of the knot and the ground rumbled slightly under his feet. He stepped back just as the grassy ground dropped into a staircase leading down to a stone passage.

They all moved around the tree to look down the passageway. �Any idea what�s in there or where it leads?� asked Harry as he looked from the dark channel to Draco.

�I have no idea if there even is anything down there.� The blonde replied as he and the others stared into the dark passageway. �I don�t know exactly were it leads, but I believe it�s in the west wing, near my father�s study.�

Harry nodded, �All right,� he turned to Ron and Hermione. �Draco and I will take the front, you two stay behind us, and everybody keeps their wands ready. Okay? Lumos.�

He turned and descended the stairs, holding his illuminated wand out before him. Draco walked beside him and silently lit his own wand.

Ron and Hermione entered a few paces behind them, each murmuring Lumos as they went. The passage was narrow enough that two full-grown men would have difficulties walking through it side by side. It smelled of moist stone, but was quite clean. Their wands were the only source of light, and they could not see a turn approaching until they were upon it.

The four teens came across nothing more then some common spiders (Harry had to stifle a laugh when he heard Ron�s breath hitch) until they finally reached the end, which appeared to be a solid stone wall.

�I suppose there�s a password, then?� Harry asked and again turned to the ashen blonde beside him, whom he noticed looked rather eerie in the wand light.

The silver-eyed teen sighed, �So it would seem.� He ran one of his pale hands over the wall before dropping it and looking thoughtful.

�Any idea what the password is?� Ron asked somewhat testily.

Draco shook his head slowly. �I�m thinking.�

The redhead looked at the blank stretch of wall before them. �Pureblood�err, Morsmordre� Dark Lord�Lord V-�

�Ron, I doubt it would be anything that obvious or incriminating,� Hermione cut in reasonably. �Abraxas;� she shrugged at Ron quirked brow, �It was worth a try.�

Draco suddenly spoke in the clearest and loudest tone that Harry had heard from him since Hogwarts. �Oderint dum metuant.�

The wall disappeared; behind it was a stairwell leading upwards.

�What did that mean?� asked Ron with a frown.

Draco answered in the soft, more subdued voice he seemed to have become accustomed to using. �It�s a quote from Lucius Accius, an ancient Roman tragic poet. It means 'let them hate, so long as they fear'.�

�How did you come up with that?� Harry asked.

�I was thinking it would have to be significant to my father, impressive to the Death Eaters, easy to remember, but difficult to guess.� Draco shrugged a thin shoulder. �My father has some books of Lucius Accius� works; they used to be my grandfather�s�I�ve often wondered if he named my father after him.�

�I tried his grandfather�s name�maybe that started the train of thought;� Hermione offered when Ron still did not seem satisfied. Apparently, that did it, because he shrugged and finally stopped trying to stare down the blonde.

�Well then, let�s keep moving.� Harry stated just before he and Draco started up the stairs.

After walking through a corridor, which was warm and lit by small candles that floated above their heads, they came across a door. After opening it, they had to push away a tapestry, which apparently hid the door from view, and entered a long hallway with several doors and windows.

�We�re inside,� Draco whispered.

�Which way is your fathers study?� Harry whispered back, not quite sure why, but deciding it was better to be cautious.

�This way,� Draco said after glancing down both sides of the hall and turning. They walked past several old silver framed photos hanging on the wall. Most of the photos� occupants seemed supercilious, but some eyed the four teens suspiciously as they passed.

At a heavy oak door with a silver serpent knocker, Draco stopped and cautiously turned the polished silver doorknob, before slipping in and glancing around. He motioned the others in, and then turned on a lamp.

The soft light cascaded over the dim room, showing a large polished desk of a very dark wood, two matching armchairs with green velvet cushions in front of a simple elegant fireplace, and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lining the walls. There was a portrait hanging over the fireplace featuring an old man with long white hair, wearing very regal robes, asleep in an antique armchair. A silver plaque on the lower edge of the frame named him as Lucius Malfoy�s father.

Draco placed one slender finger over his own lips to tell the others to be quiet, and then he stood on one of the chairs to pull a dark green velvet curtain over the painting.

After he stepped down, he turned to the others and pointed out different shelves as he quietly spoke. �The book that I learned about Horcruxes from is on that shelf, most of the books there seem to cover dark artefacts. Those shelves contain my father�s spell books, mostly Dark Arts, as I�m sure you would imagine. Potions, antidotes, and books on their ingredients, Herbology and magical creatures, are over there; I�m most familiar with that section. I have no idea what the books on that shelf cover.�

Hermione walked over to the shelf that contained the book that mentioned Horcruxes.

�Which one did you find Horcruxes in?� Draco walked to the shelf and pulled out a large, ancient looking book. He opened it and flicked through some pages before pointing something out to the bushy-haired girl.

After a moment, Hermione was completely absorbed in her pursuit of the many books covering the walls. Ron and Harry were browsing through the Dark Arts books, and Draco was pulling out several books from around the room, apparently having memorised their locations.

When Harry was tired of looking through the books, which did not take very long, he walked over to where Draco was looking through a book written in a language that Harry did not recognize. He tapped the pallid boy in the shoulder, causing him to startle.

�Sorry.� Harry kept his voice low. �Why don�t we try to get in the hidden room here while Hermione and Ron keep looking through the books? Hermione�s great at this sort of thing, and you�ve already pulled out the books you wanted.�

Draco nodded and returned the book he had been reading to its proper place before walking over to the �unknown� book section. �This is the opening, but we have to figure out a password again��

�Abraxas�Narcissa�Draco�� Harry did not actually believe any of these would work, but decided he may as well try the obvious ones firsts. �Okay, do you have any ideas?�

Draco had been watching him with a raised brow, looking as though he could not fathom why Harry would even try those words. �Well, the same qualities that the password at the other door had would apply here as well.�

�Has your dad ever had any pets?� Harry knew he should not have asked as soon as the words crossed his lips.

�Father, not dad,� Draco corrected before adding in a quiet neutral tone, �And no, Malfoys aren�t suppose to make such attachments as they create an unnecessary weakness.�

�But you have a pet owl.� Harry pointed out. �I�ve seen him at Hogwarts.�

�The family has a courier owl,� Draco drawled, �It�s not as though I play with him or show him affection.�

�You stroke him and give him food off your plate when he delivers messages to you at school,� Harry countered with a wry grin.

Surprise crossed Draco�s features for a less than a second, and then he was regarding Harry with a slight grin of his own. �I could definitely see you as a Slytherin. Ho-� The blonde stopped talking and looked thoughtful for a second before addressing the bookshelves before them; �Ultima Thule�

The entire bookcase swung forward like a door to reveal another room just as large as the one they were in currently.

Harry and Draco cautiously stepped in, then the blonde pointed his wand at something on the wall and the room lit up as several torches lining the walls burst to life. They walked further in, and saw that there were two desks on opposite ends of the room. One was very clean and well organized, much like the desk in the room that connected to this one.

There were shelves of books and few strange devices and artefacts behind it, as well as a large foe glass. The other desk was covered in scrolls and books. The shelf behind it held several books, but mainly jars and vials of a large variety of substances. It reminded Harry of Snape�s office in Hogwarts. There was even a small table with a caldron sitting beside the desk.

Draco had walked over to this desk and was looking over its contents. �Severus must have used this area,� the pallid boy commented as he browsed through a book that�s pages were covered in a tight scrawl Harry recognized. He had seen it in his potions book at school during their last term.

�What is all of this for?� Harry asked as Ron and Hermione made their way into the hidden room and began looking over the books and items on the shelves by Malfoy�s desk.

�It looks like he�s been inventing and altering potions,� Draco drawled absentmindedly as he continued reading the book in his hands, �Or attempting to, at least.�

Harry tried not to sound too bitter at the thought of Snape helping Voldemort, �I guess Voldemort wasn�t as sure of Snape as Dumbledore was, if he had Snape working under the nose of one of his most powerful and loyal followers�no offence, Draco.� He added the last part as he looked at the blonde, noticing his silver eyes had suddenly widened.

Draco shook his head. �Not you, this. No wonder Greyback kept coming here, Severus would have needed a werewolf to test this on; He probably had Greyback bring it to some of his followers or pack, whatever they�re called.�

He handed the book to Harry. It looked like some sort of odd journal, with notes, equations, graphs, and seemingly random lists and remarks covering the pages. Harry understood none of it, so he looked back at the pale Slytherin. �What is this, a potion recipe?� Draco nodded, but said nothing, so Harry continued, �What does it do?�

�It�s designed to force a werewolf to transform into his wolf shape under the moonlight�even if the moon isn�t yet full.� Draco took the book back. �It doesn�t look like he�s been successful thus far.�

�Well that�s good,� Harry responded, but then frowned, �Why would Voldemort want a potion that does that anyway? Wouldn�t he need a better Wolfsbane potion? Wait�if Snape made a potion that makes a werewolf transform one way, couldn�t you make one that transforms them back during the full moon?�

Draco stared at the brunette for a moment, and had a feeling that the blonde was preventing himself from showing his amusement at Harry�s ignorance. �I can only assume, but V-Voldemort probably wants this potion so that he can have his werewolves fight as wolves regardless of when he needs them, instead of waiting for the moon�s cycle. The standard Wolfsbane potion would work with this. They would still have to take several doses over the course of the week, but they would keep their minds.

�I�m flattered that you consider my potion skills to be on par with Severus�, but what you�re suggesting is far more complicated than even the most talented potion master in the world would try. It�s complicated, but it�s actually theoretically easier to bring out the wolf than the wizard�only that no one wanted to transform them into vicious monsters before now.�

Harry resisted the urge to snap at the wan boy, stating that they were not all vicious monsters, because he knew that was not how Draco had meant it. Harry glanced around and noticed that Hermione was watching them nervously. Ron had stopped looking through the artefacts on the shelf beside him in order to look at Harry with an uncharacteristic calculating stare, as if he were working something out in his mind.

Draco turned and began looking over the contents of the shelves behind Snape�s desk. Hermione pointed to something on the shelf before her and asked the blonde what something was, and Harry walked over to Malfoy�s desk while the ashen Slytherin was explaining.

Ron had returned to the shelves behind the desk as Harry opened the desk�s drawers. It had a distinctly empty quality to it, as a desk in a crowded Muggle office that has been cleaned out hastily in preparation for a new user after its previous one was sacked.

�If there was anything important kept in here, I think somebody beat us to it,� Harry mumbled to no one in particular as he closed the last drawer.

Hermione returned to the study, where she chose more books to add to the considerable pile she had already elected to take back with them. Draco took several vials and jars from Snape�s shelves and stuffed them into his bag along with the books he had selected from the other room. He then began making notes from Snape�s potions journal. After he finished, he stuffed the notes into the bag as well and then joined Harry and Ron at the shelves behind his father�s desk.

The pale Slytherin inclined his head toward an odd silver orb that Ron was holding. �If you�re going to take that Weasley, make sure you don�t have it in the same room as Lupin. It has an undesirable reaction to magical creatures.�

Ron held the non-threatening looking object up at eye level. �What does it do?�

Draco shrugged a slender shoulder. �I�m not sure, but it�hurts them.�

�Then we should take it to figure out what it is,� Ron said as he placed the orb in his own bag, which contained considerably less books then Hermione or Draco�s did. �You Know who is going to have magical creatures on his side; it might come in handy,� He added when he saw the expressions on Harry and Draco�s faces.

�If we can find a magical creature to test it on, we might even be able to come up with a way to counter its effects or at least reduce the severity,� Draco added before Harry could launch the protest that he was about to. The raven-aired teen remained silent when he realized that both of the other boys had solid points.

Then an idea struck him. �We can use Kreacher if we can do it without Hermione finding out,� He offered.

�Or we could just trap a doxie or one of the other creatures that are already plaguing the house,� Draco suggested.

�Kreacher is plaguing the house,� Harry countered.

�You haven�t heard the screaming that comes out of the creatures that get locked in a room with this thing,� the silver-eyed teen responded, and his tone and expression were suddenly quite grave. �It seriously hurts them.�

�We could keep the sound-�

�Forget it, Mate.� Ron cut Harry short of whatever argument he was going to make.

�Hermione will figure out we�re up something and then it�s only a matter of time before she finds out what. Personally, I don�t want another lecture on house elf rights.�

�Fine, if you�re both so set against it�� Harry turned back to the shelves. The fact that Ron and Draco had just managed to not only get through a conversation without arguing, but actually share an opinion had not been lost to him, and he wore a small smile at that thought.

Ron started inspecting another object on the shelves and Draco pulled out a small glass case that had been hidden on the top shelf. There was a small assortment of what Harry could only describe as bric-a-brac inside of it.

The blonde cast Specialis Revelio on the case, causing it�s seam to glow red as the glass took on a yellowish hue. �A blood seal and an unbreakable charm,� Draco stated as Harry opened his mouth to ask.

�At the rate this summer is going, I am definitely going to brew some more blood replenishing potion,� Draco commented dryly as he looked at Harry expectantly; �The knife...?�

�Oh�right. Here;� Harry pulled the knife out of his pocket handed it to the blonde, who once again cut open his palm and allowed the blood to run onto the class case. The pallid Slytherin discarded the lid without bothering to recast the secret revealing spell or heal his injured hand. He pulled out an antique brooch shaped like a bird, and stared at it with a mixture of concern and confusion.

�What is it, Draco?� Harry asked in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. Ron shot him an odd look, but the green-eyed boy ignored it. He had a feeling this was important. �What�s the matter?�

Draco�s voice was even more troubled than his expression as he answered. �This is the brooch that Rowena Ravenclaw was wearing in that portrait we found inside Slytherin�s locket. Why would my father have this?�

His silver eyes appeared to be lost in an unsettling thought for a moment and then he turned and laid the brooch on the empty desk behind them. He took out his wand and began to cast the same complex spell that he had used to identify the locket as a Horcrux. As he finished weaving the delicate pattern in the air over it, the brooch took on an eerie moss-green glow.

�It�s a Horcrux!� Ron�s eyes were wide with astonishment.

�One of the others must not be one then,� Harry muttered and ignored the sinking feeling in his stomach.

�Until Draco voiced his concern, �Or there are more then we thought.�

�You must have just�assumed wrong when you thought you figured out what the Horcruxes are,� Ron stated accusingly.

Harry finally found his voice, and was surprised at how defending it sounded. �I don�t know, Ron�I have a hard time believing that both Dumbledore and Draco came up with the same wrong items independently of each other.�

Ron was looking at Harry with that same uncharacteristically thoughtful expression. �Yeah�I suppose you�re right,� He answered slowly.

�I think we should move on to one of the other rooms,� Draco suggested quietly, �Unless either of you aren�t finished here.�

�I�m finished.� Harry answered as he turned from Ron to Draco. �Where�s your Mother�s sitting room? Or are one of the other rooms closer?�

�Mother�s sitting room is the nearest. Then the bedrooms are all on the third floor and the drawing room is on the ground floor.� Draco drawled as he hitched his bag up on his shoulder after stowing the brooch in it. Then he noticed the puzzled expressions on the other two boys� faces and added, �We�re on the second floor now.�

�All right then, let�s try to get into the hidden room in your mother�s sitting area, then we�ll check out the private compartments in the bedrooms, and then we�ll try the secret chamber.� Harry looked from Draco to Ron, to see if either showed any signs of protest. Both boys just nodded and started leaving the room.

Ron stayed with Hermione, who was still pouring through the many obscure and rare books that covered the walls of the study, as Harry and Draco moved on to Narcissa�s sitting room. While it was still on the same floor, the room was on the other side of the manor, and that was further then Harry had thought.

�Does-err�did�� Harry stopped speaking when he realized how cruel or rude the question would sound.

Draco turned his head slightly, to look at Harry as they walked side by side down the long and empty hallway. He arched one pale eyebrow, �Go on��

�Well, it might be personal�and it might sound mean, but I don�t mean it to be, I was just wondering;� The bespectacled teen decided to pause here, so that the pale boy beside him could stop him if he wanted to.

The silver-eyed teen frowned slightly, �Well, if it�s too personal I may not answer, but I promise to try and take your question in the manner that you intend it, all right?�

Harry, who was slightly surprised and quit relieved, nodded before speaking in the gentlest voice he could manage. �Did your parents ever spend any time together? ...Or with you, for that matter? I mean, in a place this huge -with all this cold stone and angry paintings- and just�it doesn�t seem to hold any warmth or comfort at all.�

Draco seemed to be thinking for a moment before he quietly responded, �Did the home you grew up in reflect its owner�s personalities?�

�Well�yeah, actually it does, now that you mention it.� Harry rubbed his neck as he thought. �My relatives are uptight, devoid of personality, and completely obsessed with impressions. Their house is neurotically clean and tidy, so it looks great at a glance, but makes you rather uncomfortable after you spend any decent amount of time there. The Burrow is crowded, cosy, and comfortable, and so is the Weasley family, and from what I heard, the Blacks� house represented them pretty well before we cleaned it out.�

�Then I suppose a house can tell you a lot about its inhabitants,� Draco answered softly. �My family was -or is- also obsessed with appearances. They were cold, surrounded by anger, and devoid of warmth and comfort, just as you say this house appears. There were some good times though, my mother-� The blonde turned is face away. �I�m sorry, it�s just-�

�Don�t-� The bespectacled teen cut in, realizing that now was hardly the time or place for this type of questioning, and silently cursing his stupidity that he would upset the other boy now of all times. �Don�t apologize. I�m sorry; I shouldn�t have asked that, it too soon after�err, everything.�

Draco nodded, �Yeah, it is, thank you.� He indicated the hall ahead, �It�s not much further.�

They continued in silence until they reached another door with a silver knocker and a silver and amethyst doorknob. Draco stopped in front of the door, as did Harry.

They slowly slipped into the room, the first thing that Harry noticed was the smell of flowers, he figured that this room probably overlooked Narcissa Malfoy�s garden. The second thing that Harry noticed was the amount of photos of the Black family. Some people he recognized from the photos that Sirius, Lupin, The Weasleys, Hermione, and him had removed from Grimmauld Place, others he did not. �Who are all of these people?�

�They�re my mother�s family. There�s one of my mother with her sisters and cousins;� Draco pointed to a large photo in a silver frame. �I�ve always liked that one. It was the last one taken of all of them together.�

The occupants of the wizarding photo were a teenage version of Bellatrix Lestrange, another young witch that had to be Andromeda Tonks, and an even younger Narcissa Malfoy. On one side of the photo stood a boy, several years younger than Narcissa, with dark hair and a slightly familiar face, Harry assumed it was Regulus Black. Standing on the other side of the photo, was Sirius, probably a couple years younger then he was when he met Harry�s father for the first time.

Harry had not expected to see Sirius among the photos; after all, he had been a blood traitor who was burned off the family tapestry at his mother�s house. He did not realize that he was still staring at the photo until he heard Draco�s soft voice beside him. �It sort of reminds me of that portrait in Slytherin�s locket.�

Harry nodded slowly. �Yeah�it reminds me of it too.�

When Draco responded, his voice was so quiet that Harry almost didn�t hear him. �Sorry, I didn�t mean for this to be a shock.�

�It�s all right. Where�s the hidden room?� Harry asked as he pulled his eyes away from the photo of waving children.

Draco moved across the room to a space where a large portrait was covered by a purple velvet curtain. �Toujours Pur�

The covered portrait opened just like the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, revealing another room, nearly half the size of the one hidden behind Lucius Malfoy�s study.

�Not quite as secretive w-is she? I mean, her blood family�s motto isn�t quite as hard to guess as your father�s passwords,� Harry commented as they entered the hidden room.

�She�s not a Death Eater, so I suppose she expected that fewer people would try to get in here,� The silver-eyed boy answered, but he sounded distant as he looked around the room. He quietly cleared his throat before turning to Harry; �Is there anything in particular we�re looking for in here?�

The green-eyed boy shook his head as he looked around the room. It almost reminded him of a small, expensive antique shop. There were glass shelves along the walls and a few glass showcases in the centre of the room.

Where the other hidden room seemed to be used as an office of sorts, this one appeared to be more of a collector�s show room. Harry felt as though he was seeing another side of Narcissa Malfoy. There were items that were no doubt heirlooms of her family, as well as things she must have acquired through school and after she was married. One case seemed devoted to her pregnancy and Draco�s early childhood.

The surprise that Harry felt must have been evident in his expression, because Draco looked at him and said, �Blood -as in family- mean a lot to her. She has always thought it was important to remember where you came from. I suppose this is her way of remembering.�

As he looked over a case with items carrying the Black family crest, Harry suddenly found himself appreciating the fact that Narcissa and Draco were related to Sirius. If they could come over to the right side, then maybe his family would be remembered differently. If one of them survived, then at least Sirius and the places and people he had grown up around would be remembered this way.

�She even kept the photos and belongings of people who were blasted off the tapestry at the Black house,� Harry pointed out, not sure how to ask his question, but feeling that Draco would understand anyway.

With a nod, the blonde answered his unspoken question. �My mother doesn�t care who they try to remove from the family tree. She doesn�t actually speak to those who are, at least, not that I�m aware of, but she doesn�t forget them. I asked about it once and she said that Andromeda and Sirius still played a part in making the family what it is today, and that they should be remembered.�

�She�s right.� Harry suddenly decided something; �Let�s move on to the bedrooms. I don�t think we should disturb anything here.�

�I agree,� answered Draco solemnly.

They closed the hidden door behind them, and left both rooms as quietly as if they were exiting a sacred tomb.
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Harry Potter and the Unusual Alliance