Chapter 109: Chapter - 112 : A Warm Welcome part - 3
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After exchanging a few words with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Draco and Harry split off from the rest of the group to wander through the aisles, discussing Snape's summer homework while occasionally grabbing a book of interest. They'd just paused at the back of the store to examine a series of books on human transfiguration when a soft voice startled them from their conversation.
"Draco?" the two boys spun on their heels and found themselves facing a pale, slightly unhealthy looking Narcissa Malfoy.
"Mother?"
"Oh, it is you, darling," Narcissa cried reaching forward to enfold her son in a hug that rivaled Molly Weasley's. "Oh, thank Salazar you're alright. I was so worried when you disappeared, I'd thought…" she paused and looked up at Draco with tear filled cornflower blue eyes. "Well, it doesn't matter what I was thinking, you're fine, you're safe. You are safe right?"
"Yes, I'm safe, mother," Draco said. "I'm sorry I left you, but I had to get away, he was going to mark me. But how are you? Did the Dark Lord punish you for my disappearance?"
Narcissa pulled her robes tighter around her thin frame and arranged her face into a carefully haughty expression, but Harry could see the fragility in the way her hands trembled and the dark shadows marring her otherwise flawless skin. "Nothing I can't handle," she said bravely.
"Oh, mother," Draco whispered, sounding as if he were near tears. "This is my fault."
"No," Narcissa said sharply. "We both know that if you had stayed the Dark Lord would have either marked you or killed you. You made the right choice."
"Isn't there anything we can do for you though? You're in danger. Why don't you leave?"
"And go where? The Dark Lord knows every property owned by the Malfoys, from the villa in Italy to the chalet in France."
"There must be somewhere."
"Perhaps I could be of assistance," Harry offered quietly.
Immediately, the attention of both Malfoys were focused intently on him. "You can?" Draco asked, desperately latching onto his friends arm. "Harry, what can you do?"
"I could possibly grant you asylum, Mrs. Malfoy, but it would require no small sacrifice on your part."
"Name it," Narcissa said without a moment's hesitation.
Harry wandlessly erected several privacy wards. "I'm sure that you are aware that this past June my godfather, Sirius Black, was killed in the Department of Mysteries, by your own sister as a matter of fact."
"Yes," Narcissa said eyeing Harry shrewdly, "I also saw the damage you inflicted upon her for that act."
Harry smiled coldly. "If Voldemort hadn't shown up it would have been a lot worse. But that's not what I wanted to discuss. My godfather's will was read not too long, and, to make a long story short, he named me his heir. Which means-"
"-that you are now the head of the Black family," Narcissa gasped.
"Exactly."
"What does that mean for us?" Draco asked.
"It means that, as the head of the Black family, it is my duty to do whatever I can to protect my family, but that obligation extends only to those who bear the Black name."
"Oh."
"I still don't understand," Draco said in frustration.
"The only way Mr. Potter can grant me asylum is if I bear the Black name," Narcissa said. "And the only way that is possible is if I divorce your father."
"Oh."
Would it be correct to assume, Lady Malfoy, that your husband has no intentions of changing sides?" Harry asked.
Narcissa nodded.
"Then would it not be in you and your son's best interests to get away from him while you still can?"
"It would," she agreed. "But what you're asking…if I divorce Lucius I might as well publically proclaim that I have joined the light side, for that is how the Dark Lord will see it. Betraying him would not be beneficial toward my continued health."
"Nor would allying yourself with the losing side."
"The losing side?" Narcissa repeated.
"Yes," Harry drew himself up to his full height, which was overall quite impressive, and smiled a small, but confident smile down at her. At that moment he looked uncannily like his godly father. "Mark my words, Lady Malfoy. Voldemort will be defeated, and I will be the one to do it."
Narcissa looked at the barely sixteen year old boy, the child no older than her own son, in something bordering on awe. This was what Lucius had hoped for when he had pledged himself to the Dark Lord's cause; a strong, confident, but above all else powerful leader. Unfortunately, while the Dark Lord was certainly strong, powerful, and maybe a bit too confident, he was also utterly insane, and not the good type either. But Harry Potter, he was everything she'd hoped for and more.
When Narcissa Malfoy spoke, her voice had lost that hint of fragility and now held the understated strength that had made her the formidable Lady Malfoy she'd once been.
"You are young, Mr. Potter," she said softly, "but you have a power about you that will make you a very formidable opponent in the coming war. If I agree to your terms, can you swear to protect me to the very best of your ability?"
"I can."
"Then I accept your offer, Mr. Potter."
Unfortunately, the process of granting Narcissa Malfoy asylum from the Dark Lord was a bit more difficult than making an offer and receiving an acceptance. For some reason, the elder Weasley's were less than pleased with the deal struck up in the back of Flourish Blotts; Harry spent several long minutes trying to explain to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley why the choice he'd made had been the right one, even if he hadn't sought their counsel before making it. But when that proved fruitless, Harry ended the conversation by stating quite plainly that he'd made his decision and he was sticking to it. Not only would it be dishonorable if he rescinded his offer after already coming to an agreement, no matter how tentative, but Draco was his best friend and he would never forgive himself if he allowed his friend's mother to return to a place where she could be killed just for blinking wrong.
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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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