52Chapter 38
Harry POV
The next week was peaceful. Blaise returned to Hogwarts and the Weasley's returned to their homes. His godfather's and Draco had given him space after his reading of the wills. He used that time to do some reading and having Bill retrieve the correct documents for him. It was easy to get Remus to sign the acceptance of custody paperwork though the wolf spent an hour reassuring Sirius it was temporary until he was cleared in which the animagus told him he was an idiot they were sharing custody. Harry had spent the entire hour in Draco's lap laughing at the two men.
He also talked to Remus and Siri about the Potter seats in the Wizengamot. That was a longer conversation, that the custody. In the end it was agreed that Remus would sit in Harry's seat for as long as Harry wanted. Sirius would be too busy with his own seats once he was free.
Bill and the twins were still searching through the Manor. So far, Bill was in heaven because of some of the ancient Potter and Peverell family heirlooms. Harry hadn't known who the Peverell's were until Bill and Remus gave an excited lecture about 3 brothers and the legends surrounding them. While Harry and Sirius agreed the part about meeting and beating death seemed far fetched they agreed that with a family that old and powerful it was probable that whatever Dumbledore was looking for was something handed down from that part of Harry's family. That suspicion helped to narrow down the Weasely's search.
What he hadn't told his godfathers about was the letter from Lucius telling him to contact one Amelia Bones head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Which he had, he sent her a lengthy letter, in which Draco had spelled to only open when she agreed to keep everything, including his involvement, secret until everything was set up. He wrote her about Sirius lack of trial and the confrontation with Peter Pettigrew in his third year. He even found a way to send her copies of his memories from that night and the night of Voldermort's return. Showing her how Pettigrew had helped resurrect the Dark Lord. Proof that the man was a Death Eater and a traitor.
Miss Bones replied two days later, apologizing at length for the lack of trial and for her own failure to notice said lack of trail. She asked if he knew how to get hold of Sirius and if the man would be willing to come in for a retrial.
Harry replied earlier this morning. He hadn't bothered to ask Sirius. He would drag the man into the Ministry himself if he had too. Though he requested that maybe she start the inquiry about the lack of trail without bringing up a retrial just yet. He mentioned an article that would be released the next morning that she could use as a reason why. He knew the article was coming out the next morning because Luna and already sent him an advanced copy, with a note that she was happy that he was okay and couldn't wait to for him and Draco to return to school.
Outside of all that businesses stuff Harry was happy. He got to spend almost nonstop time with his mate. Learning more about both Draco, his family, his inheritance, and their connection. He also got to hang out with Remus and Sirius. Getting to spend time with his two godfathers without any Order members constantly interrupting them or Dumbledore trying to keep them apart was amazing. He learned more about how Remus fit into the marauders. While the man was quiet and was obviously the moral centerpoint of the group, he also had the same knack for causing mischief and pulling pranks as his two best friends.
There was also the small fact that having the two marauders and the twins in the same place for any real amount of time was the perfect grounds for a prank war. Harry and Draco had managed to avoid it for the most part, often by redirecting the trouble makers at each other.
For the first time in his life he had a home. He'd always imagined Hogwarts as a home, but it was nothing compared to this. Here he felt happy, content, and safe. He woke each morning excited to spend time with the others. A large part of him didn't want to go back to school, he would rather stay here and spend time with his family. The thought of going back and having to pretend and fake his loyalty and friendships made him nauseous. He didn't want to go back and be pulled into the headmasters game. He didn't want to deal with his fake ex friends, or have to worry about Voldermort trying to kill him. He just wanted to stay here and be a normal magical teenager.
Draco had been understanding when Harry mentioned all this in the dead of night. They had been laying in bed Harry's head on Draco's chest, his mate pulled him tight and whispered, "We won't be playing the headmaster's game, the old coot will be playing ours. We are going to make him pay for everything he has done to you Harry," There had been a gentle kiss on his forehead,"I promise."
"As for the backstabbing traitors you will only have to pretend to be their friend long enough to end it. Me and Blaise are much better for you." Harry chuckled. "As for the Dark Lord, I'll be by your side." The words were meant as an encouragement but Harry's stomach dropped. The thought of having Draco dying at his side scared the hell out of him. He couldn't admit that to the proud blonde because Draco would just tell him off for being stupid and try to reassure him that everything would be okay.
He had horrible nightmares that night of Voldermort killing Draco, he woke the next morning already planning ways to keep his mate as far away from the final battle. He couldn't, wouldn't lost Draco. So far, his best plan was Lucius Malfoy. While Harry had no real love for the man, he knew Draco's father loved his son and would do anything to protect him. He just hoped that meant Lucius would be willing to force his son away from his mate and the fight if the need ever came.
"Harry?"
Harry looked away from the book he hadn't been reading to see Remus standing next to him.
"Yeah?" He asked, wondering how long the man had been standing there watching him while he had been lost in thought.
"It's time," Remus said looking a little pale.
Harry swallowed and closed his book.
He followed the werewolf out of the room and into a small potions lab towards the back of the cottage. The small room was full, Bill and Snape stood over a boiling cauldron talking in hushed voices. Charlie and the twins seemed to be comforting Sirius who looked extremely worried. Draco stood leaning against the far wall watching them all. Harry moved towards the blonde, standing close to him.
"Where's the auror?" He whispered.
"Father's getting him," Draco whispered back not looking at him. Harry could tell his normally pale mate was even more pale. He understood. What they were about to do was wrong, but necessary.
Darryl Owen was an auror that in recent years had made his hatred for Death Eaters very clear. He advocated for any and all Death Eaters to receive the dementor's kiss without going to Azkaban. He even tried to insist any wizards that were allegedly Death Eaters being kissed, starting that it was better to stop them now before they could do any harm. He even tried pushing laws against Dark Wizards. In the words of his mate, the man was a menace.
What made Owen perfect for Remus and Draco's plan was the man's clear hatred for The Boy Who Lived as well as Dark Wizards. Harry had shivered when he read the man's interview from last year. He blamed Harry for not killing the Dark Lord correctly when he was supposed to, and even stated he was only back because Harry had failed again at stopping him. He was the ideal, as someone who would want to kidnap both Harry and Draco.
Although it left Harry feeling guilty, the man would be punished for a crime he didn't commit, Sirius had told him that the man had gotten away with horrible things, beating and curses against dark wizards. All because he was an auror and said they were Death Eaters resisting arrest. It had been Remus that finally convinced Harry to go through with it. The werewolf had pulled him aside and showed him an article in the Prophet where Owen had insisted Sirius be killed on sight if found. That the 'murderer' was better off dead than sent back to Azkaban.
Sure it didn't relieve all Harry's guilt but it helped.
"You will both have to take a full bottle of this," Snape said, tearing Harry from his thoughts. The dark haired man handed him and Draco one small potion bottle each. Harry knew what they were. It was the reason most of the room looked pale. The potion was a reverse to the nutrient potion, custom made by Snape and Bill.
It wouldn't kill him or Draco but it would help make it look like they had been held prisoners for over two months. It had taken Bill and Snape a week to brew and Harry wasn't looking forward to drinking it.
He eyed the bottle and then looked at Draco. His mate gave him a reassuring smile and pressed the bottle to his lips, drinking it all in one go.
Harry winced when Draco coughed and doubled over, holding his stomach. Harry almost dropped his own bottle when he reached forward to help him. It only took a second for Draco to stop coughing and straighten back up.
Harry flinched from the sight. Draco's face looked sunken and his eyes seemed dull. Stepping back so he could see Draco in full, he noticed how much thinner his mate looked. His once perfect fitting clothes now hung loose. The proud blonde's hand shook and Harry reached and grabbed one. Giving it a squeeze before he drank his own potions.
It burned, which he thought distantly would explain the coughing. Then a sharp pain radiated through his stomach and Harry gasped and wrapped his arms around his stomach, willing it to stop. When it was over he felt light headed and shaky.
He opened his eyes to see Snape helping Draco to a small loveseat, that hadn't been there before. He pushed off the wall, he hadn't realized he was leaning against, to move towards them. But his legs wobbled and if Sirius hadn't appeared at his side catching him. He would have fell.
"I'm tired," he muttered leaning against his godfather.
"I know pup." He heard. His eyes were drifting closed and the last thing he was aware of was Draco's warmth and scent, when he was placed on the love seat next to his mate.
Sirius Pov
"They'll be okay, Black." Sirius looked over at Severus who despite his words was running his hands through his own godson's hair. He wanted to snap and yell at the bloody Slytherin but he didn't. Not when he saw his own worry mirrored on the other man's face.
"We got them," one of the twins said, walking up behind them. Sirius swear Severus almost growled at the young redhead before he stepped back. He understood the urge when the other twin moved beside him and looked down at Harry.
"You have to go met Mister Malfoy," Charlie said moving to stand by his younger brother. "Once you have Owen in place, we will bring them."
He nodded and patted the dragon tamer on the shoulder. He turned towards the door to the room to see Severus already walking out of it, Remus was standing there waiting for him.
"It will be alright," Remus whispered as they left the room, Siruis looked back over his shoulder one last time. Harry and Draco were both passed out on the small loveseat, the twins sitting on the arms watching over them. Which Charlie transfigured their clothes to looked dirty and torn. He sighed and turned away. He trusted the three Weasleys to look after his pup. He just wished he could be the one staying behind to keep an eye on them.
But no. His job was to meet with Lucius Malfoy and help set up a cabin that Owen owned. Sirius was responsible for making it look like the two boys had been held there for the two months they were missing. Malfoy's job, one that Sirius didn't envy, was going to charm and change Owen's memories. Making the man himself believe the lie.
When it was done, they would send a message to the twins and Charlie, who would apparate Harry and Draco in. While this was going on Remus and Bill had to head back to Grimmauld Place. They would conveniently be there when the call came in that Harry and Draco had been found. They wanted people they trusted as part of the rescue. And Severus had to return to Hogwarts so that Dumbledore didn't get suspicious.
When he apparated to the location Severus had given him. He found Lucius Malfoy already there, wand pointed at the dark brunette kneeling at his feet. Sirius took a deep breath and walked towards them. The elder Malfoy looked up when he heard him, saw who it was and returned to whatever he was doing to Owen. Not thinking he could stomach watching the two men, he walked past them and into the cabin. The place had a thick layer of dust that Sirius charmed away, and broken furniture scattered around the living room. It seemed Owen hadn't been there in a long time. Sirius sighed and started repairing everything he could. Anything he couldn't he vanished. When the room was reasonable, he moved on to one of the two bedrooms.
It made his skin crawl to transfigure a piece of rope into metal shackles. He bound them to the wall leaving two sets of cuffs hanging a few inches off the ground. He then summoned a few thin blankets and scattered them along the floor around where the restraints hung. He added a couple discarded plates and moldy food. When he was done he wanted to throw up. The room looked old, dirty, and smelled sour. The blankets on the floor were not much better and with the moldy food a few feet away from where the boys would be found, it painted a pretty dark picture.
He heard footsteps behind him and turned wand raised, only to find the elder Malfoy ignoring his wand and looking over the room. It must have met his satisfaction because he gave Sirius a nod and walked away. Lowering his wand Sirius followed after him.
"I have summoned food for three for several days, and gave him a few distant defensive marks." The blonde said when Sirius entered the living room behind him. The dark wizard was standing behind Owen who was passed out on an old battered couch.
"Can you give them marks that look like they are from the metal cuffs?" He asked instead of telling the man he was impressed. He hadn't thought about making it look like the two boys had fought back. It was smart, neither Harry nor Draco were the type to sit back and let someone hurt them.
"I can." Malfoy said. With that said and the cabin done. Sirius sent off his patronus, letting the three Weasleys know they were ready. A few seconds later three pops could be heard outside the house. Sirius followed Malfoy out of the house.
He heard the man gasp at the sight of his son.
"It's the potion," he told the man. Not wanting him to think that him and Remus had done this to his child. He saw Malfoy nod before he took his son from Charlie's arms and headed back into the house. Sirius walked towards the twins who held Harry between them and did the same. He carried his godson into the house, passed the vile man on the couch, and into the bedroom.
Malfoy was already kneeling on the floor whispering to his somewhat conscious son. The younger Malfoy looked a little out of it but seemed to understand his father because he held up his wrists and mumbed a few words back to him.
Sirius couldn't watch the man chain his son. So he looked away and sat Harry down just a foot or so away. Part of him was grateful the young man remained asleep unlike his friend. He didn't think he could stomach putting chains on Harry while he was awake and aware of what was happening. As carefully as he could, he took the shackles and cuffed them over his godson's thin wrists. Then watched in awe as both boys, both asleep again, unconsciously moved towards each other.
He looked up towards Malfoy and saw the man looked resigned. A throat cleared from the door away causing both him and the blonde to look towards Charlie, who at least looked sorry about interrupting them.
"We should get going. Owen's partner should be checking up on him soon. And we don't want to be here when he does." Sirius nodded, but before he stood up and leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on Harry's forehead. Then he pushed to his feet and left the room as fast as he could so he didn't risk changing his mind.
He was grateful when they apparated back to the cottage and Fred and George grabbed his arms and dragged him towards the small bar in the main living room. One of the twins, George he was almost positive, poured him a glass of firewhiskey. He thanked them and downed it.
When the redhead poured him another he chuckled lightly and looked around the room. Charlie was sitting on the couch running his hands through his hair, looking nervous. The twins had joined him in his drinking. He knew Bill and Remus were at Grimmauld Place. Snape was at Hogwarts and Lucius Malfoy had returned home. Everyone was in place and all that was left was to wait until they got the call that Harry and Draco had been found.