5,019Last Time
Harry inhaled deeply and smiled as Rabastan's arm tightened slightly around him, his fiancé tilting his head to look at him, checking on him. Harry smiled up at him and pouted his mouth, Rabastan chuckled softly but dutifully bent to kiss him. Harry was going to heal from this. He would come back stronger.
If it was Rhadamanthus who had done this to him, though, Harry knew the man wouldn't live for much longer. That could only be counted as a good thing.
Chapter Forty-Eight - Healing
Harry's recovery was frustrating more than anything. He was too exhausted to do much and his brain was too slow to do any overly strenuous thinking.
It had been three days since he'd been freed from the hospital and he was already over being fussed and waited on.
He had so many get well soon cards that he'd started sticking them to his sitting room walls just to get them out of the way and off of his table. He still didn't really care for the cards or well wishes of strangers, but he supposed it was nice that they were thinking of him, it was just hard to trust their motive. Did they only care because of his name? Or did they only care that a student had almost been murdered while in school? He couldn't be sure. He supposed that it didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things because one thing was certain, none of these people knew him as an actual person.
Harry left his bedroom, or rather his bed suite as he called it, as he had a bedroom with an en suite bathroom and his own personal sitting room. He'd slept late, but that was becoming commonplace. It was almost ten in the morning and he knew everyone would be worried, but he was feeling better today. Not great by any stretch of the imagination, not like he could start taking on the world again, but better than he had been in recent days…or even weeks. His knees didn't feel as weak, his muscles didn't tremor, and his head wasn't as foggy.
"Harry, how are you feeling, darling?" His mother asked, leaping to her feet as he appeared in the parlour. "Do you want anything to eat or drink?"
Harry shook his head, even as he allowed Rabastan to wrap his arms around him and settle him in a seat.
"No, Mother. I don't need anything just yet. I'm alright and I didn't mean to cause any worries by staying in bed for so long, I just let myself sleep. I think I woke up early, maybe five in the morning, but it was just for the bathroom. I went back to bed afterwards."
"It was five forty." Narcissa told him, even as she slowly sat back down.
"Pimsey?" Harry asked with a chuckle.
"The elf, yes. We have her watching you, just in case. She seems fond of you." Narcissa said, as if she couldn't understand it.
"I like her." Harry said, even as he turned to rest himself properly on Rabastan. "Where's Dolphus?"
"He has a health checkup." Rabastan told him, rubbing at his back gently.
"Where do escaped criminals get health checkups?" Harry asked curiously.
"There are three healers who are related to Death Eaters, Harry." Rabastan told him, chuckling. "It's not just politicians and Wizengamot members who are Death Eaters. Healers also cannot say anything about who they treat, or why, given the patient confidentiality laws. They'd go to prison for breaking those laws and very few are willing to risk Azkaban for such trivial reasons."
Harry rolled his eyes and then settled more fully on Rabastan's chest. A hand went to his hair, stroking through it and Harry hummed softly.
"Where's Draco?"
"He was getting a little fretful, so I sent him over to the Greengrasses' so that he might spend some time with Astoria, as we'd prefer if she didn't come here while you are resting."
"I wouldn't mind, truly." Harry said, lifting his head just slightly off Rabastan's chest. A large hand gently pressed it back down and then went back to stroking through his hair soothingly. Harry hummed again with pleasure.
"It's not about if you mind or not, Harry. It's etiquette." Narcissa told him. "You shouldn't have to be forced to endure hosting duties while you're ill and those who wish to visit should know better than to push that onto you while you're recovering."
"Are father and Xerxes in work?" Harry asked so that he could change the subject before he got a lecture, then he frowned. Wasn't it a Sunday?
"No, darling. Your father is meeting with the Minister to do with your situation and Xerxes has some letters to send, but he'll be back for lunch."
"Has any more information come out?" Harry asked then.
"We haven't had any visits to tell us otherwise." Narcissa assured him.
Harry nodded against Rabastan's chest and he exhaled, letting himself go boneless as he just let himself rest and relax. He was getting better, but it would be a while before he was properly recovered and, in a way, it was a good thing that the purebloods were such sticklers for etiquette as Harry hadn't bathed, or dressed in anything other than pyjamas, since the day he'd been admitted to Saint Mungo's nine days ago. He just wasn't up to facing that amount of activity, even though he had started to feel slightly better. He still found certain things, like climbing the stairs, draining, let alone trying to peel off his pyjamas and then dress himself in actual clothes. The last thing he wanted to do was push himself too hard, too quickly and ruin the merest bit of progress he'd already made.
The floo in the receiving room sounded a chime that they could hear all through the manor, like a soft version of a doorbell, and Harry sat bolt upright, worried for his fiancé, who gave him a reassuring smile and a gentle kiss.
"I'll just head to the bathroom." Rabastan said as he stood, leaving Harry on the settee and then heading deeper into the manor as Narcissa headed out the other way, to the receiving room, to see who was visiting them when the approved list of visitors to their manor was very limited while he was recovering.
Harry placed a cushion down against the arm of the settee and then rested against it, so he was propped slightly upright but wasn't using so much energy by sitting bolt upright by himself. It was the little things, small niggles, that got to him. Like not being able to sit upright without noticing how tired it made him feel. His body would start to tremble if he tried.
"Harry, darling, you have a visitor." His mother announced.
Harry was expecting the Law Enforcers to have come to give him a report, but it was Professor McGonagall who appeared behind his mother, looking worried and fretful.
"Hi, Professor." Harry greeted with a tired smile. "I'd stand to greet you, but I fear my legs won't hold me up for long enough."
"I want you to stay lying down, darling." Narcissa encouraged. "Professor, may I pour you a cup of tea?"
"No, thank you, Missus Malfoy. I am here, as acting Headmistress, to check on Harry on behalf of the school."
"That's nice." Harry said, smiling.
"He is on some strong potions." Narcissa explained. "He has a hospital appointment tomorrow, so we will keep the school informed of the progress he has made."
"Do the healers believe that Mister Potter will be well enough to complete his final term of schooling?"
"I'll make sure of it." Harry said seriously.
"They haven't said anything on the matter." His mother replied. "But, given his improving condition, and two more weeks of rest for the Easter break, Harry should be well enough to attend school for his final term."
Harry nodded along and Professor McGonagall looked relieved.
"I am very happy to hear as such, but the school is going to need you to be signed off by a healer before you come back, Potter."
Harry carried on nodding. Narcissa placed a hand on his head, stroking through his hair.
"He's been through a lot. His father and I are not pleased that this happened to him in the school." Narcissa said sternly. "We're going to need assurances that this won't happen again. That poison got through the stringent screening the school has implemented and found its way to my son. He could easily have died from it."
"We are allowing the Law Enforcers full access to investigate." McGonagall insisted. "Once they find how it was allowed into the school, that loophole will be shored up, I assure you."
"Hate that this keeps happening to me." Harry murmured from the settee.
"You will be protected, darling." Narcissa told him, still stroking through his hair. "Your father and I will ensure it."
"Didn't think something like this would happen at school." Harry said.
"It should never have happened." McGonagall said. "It shouldn't have been possible, all mail sent to the school is screened for dangerous substances. The Law Enforcers are investigating thoroughly."
"Could…could it have come on a student after the break?" Harry asked, frowning.
"You mean if they had brought it on the train after Christmas?" Narcissa asked him.
Harry nodded.
"No." Professor McGonagall said, shaking her head. "All students returning to the castle are screened as they enter the castle. Anything dangerous would have been found. We will find how it entered the castle. I am just sorry that this has happened to you, Potter."
"I'm going to be fine." Harry said softly. "The healers are pleased with my recovery. It could have killed me, but it didn't."
"I am very pleased to hear that."
Harry nodded and he smiled. "No one gets to kill me. I have too much I want to do."
"Professor McGonagall, Harry is very tired and I would like him to rest some more. If there was nothing else?"
McGonagall took a last look at him before turning to Narcissa. "No, I just wanted to check in on Mister Potter to see how he was. If he cannot return for his final term, there are other options we can provide for him, so please, keep the school informed."
Narcissa angled her head to put her nose in the air, as if offended by the very idea of Harry not being able to return for the last few months of his final year. Harry would crawl through it if needed, but there was no way he would repeat a year.
"Harry will not be repeating his final year." Narcissa said waspishly, as if reading his thoughts.
"That wasn't what I was suggesting. Not when he is so very close to graduation and with the marks his Professors have estimated he'll receive. The Ministry has contacted the school and, if for whatever reason, Mister Potter cannot return to the school for his final term, he will be allowed to take his final exams at the Ministry over the summer."
Harry actually perked up a little at that. If he stayed at home then he could see Rabastan every day, there would be no threat to him from others, he could work on his law reforms, and he could still take his exams.
"Harry will be well enough to return." Narcissa insisted firmly.
Harry blinked and frowned. Surely it would be better for him to stay home? It would be safer. He wouldn't have lessons, so he could focus everything on his revision work, and he could pick up more for his law work in preparation for his career shift after his graduation.
"I will leave you to rest. I will see myself out."
Harry turned his frown on his mother, who didn't relax until some silent, unseen sign marked Professor McGonagall leaving the manor. Only then did she turn back to him.
"What is the matter, darling?" She asked, bending slightly to cup his frowning face.
"Wouldn't it make more sense for me to stay home?" He asked her. "I'd be safer, I could spend more time with Rabastan, I'd be able to focus on just revision work and have more time for my law work, and I could still take my exams."
Narcissa gave him a gentle smile and a pat. "You wouldn't graduate, darling. It would go on your record that you'd taken your exams late, in a Ministry facility, and yes, the situation would be considered as extenuating circumstances, but it could still be held against you that you hadn't technically graduated your formal education and I would not have that for you. Let yourself experience all that life has to offer, Harry. You have a few months left of formal education, I will not let you cheat yourself now."
Harry hummed as he realised the issue. Given that he was seeking to become the Minister for Magic, it could be argued that he wasn't fit for the position because he hadn't graduated, despite that he had taken his exams. Another one of those pesky loopholes that the purebloods loved to exploit when they wanted to.
"I'll go back." He said softly. "Can I have some tea now, Mother?"
"Of course you may, sweetheart. Are you hungry at all?"
He shook his head. "Not yet."
Rabastan came back into the room, after subtly making sure it was safe to do so, and he came to sit beside him once more. Harry eased himself up and then rested on his fiancé, accepting the cup from Narcissa, and he took a careful sip.
"You look a bit pale, Harry." Rabastan fretted. "Was it the Law Enforcers?"
"No." Harry said. "It was Professor McGonagall, she came to see how I was on behalf of the school. She wanted to make sure that I was going to be well enough to finish my final term at school. I will be. I promise. I'm not going to repeat a year and I will graduate. I won't give my enemies the satisfaction of doing otherwise, nor my political opponents the opportunity to use any of this against me."
"Your family are behind you." Narcissa told him firmly.
Harry smiled, satisfied. He was starting to feel better, day by day. He had two full weeks now to prepare for his final term. He would be taking his exams in just nine weeks, in early June. When he went back to Hogwarts it would be just seven weeks until the exams, and that was it. Once his exams were over…that was it.
He had nine weeks now to prepare for the rest of his life and he wouldn't allow anyone, especially not Rhadamanthus, to ruin that for him.
Monday morning saw Harry dressed for the first time in more than a week as he was escorted to the hospital for a scheduled appointment to check on his progress. Even then, Draco had helped him and he'd had to do most of the undressing and dressing while sat down. Afterwards, he'd needed a couple of minutes to get his breath back, to ease his shaking, aching limbs. His body was behaving as if he'd run a marathon, not merely dressed himself. It was incredibly frustrating.
He was in a private examination room, waiting on a healer, as Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco, who had steadfastly refused to stay at home, watched on. Draco was even holding his hand as an added support. It made Harry smile as he hadn't indicated that that was what he wanted…it was Draco who was nervous and needed the silent support.
The door knocked and a healer in lime green slipped into the room.
"Good morning, Mister Potter. I understand we're checking on your progress today."
Harry hummed tiredly.
"How have you been?" The healer asked him, even as he flipped open the folder to read the notes on his medical history.
"Tired mostly." Harry admitted. "I've been resting a lot and sleeping more often than usual, but I'm still tired."
"That's to be expected as you recover." The healer said with a nice smile. "Listen to your body and rest as much as you can. You shouldn't be doing anything strenuous at all."
"He's not." Narcissa said seriously.
"I'm going to run some diagnostic charms, is that alright?" The healer asked.
Harry nodded and, slightly nervous himself now that the time had come for the actual check-up, he squeezed Draco's hand, even as he shifted himself more upright in the bed.
The wash of magic made Harry uncomfortable, but he endured it. Draco's hand was an anchor that Harry clung to and, as the examination went on for a while, Draco's hand got tighter on his.
"Well, I am pleased with the progress you've made in the four days since we last saw you, Mister Potter." The healer told him. "Have you been keeping up with your potions?"
Harry nodded. "Yes. I haven't missed any."
"What about the damage done?" Lucius inquired.
"All of the damage done is healing well thanks to the continued consumption of the potions." The healer said. "Are you feeling any better in that regard?"
Harry nodded. "Yes. I'm not in any pain and I'm feeling stronger when I walk. I'm not sleeping as much during the day as I was when I was first released, though I'm still spending most of my time sitting or lying down."
"That's a good thing." The healer assured him. "You should still be resting as much as possible. Have you had any stomach troubles?"
"Not as such, but I'm not feeling very hungry so I've been eating less. Not…not like missing meals or anything." He said, wanting to assure the healer of that. "But I can't finish a whole meal."
"That's likely due to the amount of potions you're taking, I'll adjust the dosage and see if that helps." The healer told him. "But, don't worry so much about how much, or little, that you're eating, as long as you have no pain and you're listening to your body, how much you're eating is unimportant at the moment. Keep yourself hydrated, though."
Harry nodded his understanding. Draco squeezed his hand in silent support and Harry relaxed a little further.
"You haven't vomited at all?" The healer asked next.
"No." Harry replied. "I have felt a little dizzy at times, but that was just after I was released from the hospital and it hasn't been in a couple of days now."
"No periods of unconsciousness or missing sections in your memory?"
"None." Harry said.
"No confusion or any misunderstandings of where you are or those who are around you?"
"No. Literally, the only things I'm struggling with are fatigue and not eating as much as before."
The healer made some notes in Harry's folder with a self-inking quill.
"I'm pleased with your progress, Mister Potter. You're healing quicker than we'd expected and with fewer side effects. Given your progress, I don't believe it's necessary for you to come in every few days, though, of course, if you start to feel unwell or show any unusual symptoms we'll need to see you straight away. That said, I'll give you an appointment to see you again in a week, just to make sure everything is still heading in the right direction."
The appointment card was given to Lucius, as was Harry's prescription renewal for more of the potions he needed to take, but that was it, his appointment was over and Harry was heading back home with Narcissa on one side of him and Draco on the other. Lucius was going to get his potions first.
It was reassuring to know that he was on the mend. That, currently, all signs were positive for a full recovery. It was a weight off of his shoulders and Harry smiled as he made it back home.
"Go and get your pyjamas back on, Harry." Narcissa encouraged. "I want you to be comfortable. I will have a cup of tea waiting for you."
"Thank you, Mother." Harry said softly, before going to do as she'd suggested.
It took him longer than usual to climb the stairs, to get changed, and to hobble back down again, but there was no longer a risk of him falling. He was feeling stronger, even if he did need to take breaks in between simple tasks, such as stopping to rest after he'd pulled his clothes off and then again after he'd pulled on the freshly laundered pyjamas.
When he finally made it to the parlour, Rabastan and the Lestranges were waiting for him. As was Lucius.
"I hear that everything went well, Harry." Xerxes said, pleased.
Harry nodded. "Yes. The healer said I'm recovering well and there are no complications. As far as he can see, I'm still set to make a full recovery, though he's going to adjust the dosages of the potions to see if that improves my appetite."
Harry went to sit beside Rabastan, but Rodolphus pulled him in between them so he could ruffle his hair.
"Oh, bugger off, Dolphus. You're so rough-handed." Harry complained, turning and trying to merge himself into Rabastan for protection from his rough-handed brother.
"Harry, watch your mouth." Narcissa cautioned him.
"Yes, Mother." He said, squashing himself closer to Rabastan.
Rodolphus was looking too happy as he continued to scratch at Harry's scalp with his fingers.
"Basti, make him stop." Harry complained.
"Enough, Dolphus." Rabastan said, giving his brother a narrow-eyed glare, tugging Harry into his lap and then putting him on the other side of him, away from Rodolphus…not that the long-armed manic couldn't reach him still, but, with a smirk, Rodolphus backed off.
"Thank you, love." Harry said, giving Rabastan a kiss.
"How are you feeling, Harry?" Xerxes asked him seriously. "The appointment wasn't too strenuous for you?"
"No, I'm feeling alright, though I might need to rest for a while after doing so much today." Harry insisted. "I'm getting better day by day. I'm still feeling tired and heavy, but I've got none of the issues that the healer asked after."
"You mentioned to him that you're off your food?" Xerxes pressed.
"I did and I was told it was because of the potions I'm taking. The healer wasn't worried. He told me not to push it and that it was more important to keep hydrated than to eat, though he has changed my potions to see if that will help with my appetite."
That made Rodolphus immediately sit forward to pour him a cup of tea.
Harry took the cup that was thrust at him with a smile. "Thank you, Dolphus."
It was the small things that showed that Rodolphus cared about him. He might never say it out loud, he might never admit to it, but he showed it in all the ways that he could. Harry knew that he cared.
It made Harry smile to himself as he took a healthy sip of tea. He was going to be receiving numerous cups of tea from now on, glasses of water and pumpkin juice too, so he was going to have the opportunity to strengthen himself by using the bathroom more. He could already see it.
Rodolphus snapped his gaze to Harry when he felt the burning in his forearm. The Dark Lord had called him; his brother and grandfather as well by their expressions.
"Is he asleep?" He asked Rabastan.
His brother nodded. "Yes."
"Have you been called?" Lucius asked, watching them and their sudden activity.
"Yes, I will let you know anything relevant, Lucius." Xerxes said.
Rodolphus helped Rabastan ease Harry onto the settee and he couldn't help but place a careful hand on the soft hair, petting gently.
"Don't wake him, Dolphus." Rabastan chastised.
Rodolphus gave his brother a smirk, petting a moment longer before turning away.
Harry had fallen asleep quickly after his hospital appointment, exhausted from all the activity and fuss and, given that he hadn't moved quite so much in, at least, ten days, they were expecting him to sleep for an hour or two, which gave them plenty of time to attend to their Lord.
Rodolphus hoped that the Dark Lord had gathered all the information needed against Rhadamanthus and that this would be the punishment. He was ready to see the man gone, to have him out of their lives for good. He had tormented Rabastan for too long. His threats against Harry couldn't be allowed to stand. And, truly, Rodolphus had never forgiven the man for forcing him into a marriage with Bellatrix Black, of all people. He'd hated her then and he hated her even more now.
The 'gifts' given to Harry over the years came to mind. The women's lingerie which was meant to humiliate and degrade Harry. Then the threatening painting when Harry had just laughed off the scraps of pink silk and lace and just a few months ago, for Christmas, Rhadamanthus had gifted Harry the head of a house-elf. It had been dead for at least a week to give it a more odious smell, but it hadn't decayed so much that it was unrecognisable. Rhadamanthus had spent a small fortune to purchase the elf, just to kill it so that he could gift Harry the head in the box, knowing how much it would upset Harry to receive it. Rodolphus should have known then that Rhadamanthus' obsession with Harry had become dangerous, but he hadn't done anything. His inaction meant that Rhadamanthus had been able to try to kill Harry as he pleased. He wouldn't allow it to carry on. He wouldn't allow Rhadamanthus to have another chance to kill Harry.
The manor he apparated to was dark, but welcoming. Like going home after a long time away. Rabastan was beside him, their grandfather just behind them. He was ready for this, whatever the outcome, Rhadamanthus would end up dead, he was sure of it.
Rodolphus was very pleased, and eager, when he walked into the parlour to see Rhadamanthus already panting on the floor, twitching uncontrollably. He controlled the urge to laugh, but not his amused grin at the pleasing sight.
"Welcome, my friends." The Dark Lord greeted, his wand held lovingly in his hand.
"My Lord, did you uncover all of the information needed?" Xerxes asked.
"I did, Xerxes." That high, cold voice said quietly. "Rhadamanthus has confessed all to me."
Rodolphus reached out to steady Rabastan beside him. He knew how protective his brother was of Harry and the urge to attack Rhadamanthus with their fists like a muggle was going to be strong…just to get out the overwhelming rage and disgust and their need for vengeance.
"That he was the one who tried to kill Harry?" Xerxes asked.
"Tell them, Rhadamanthus." The Dark Lord ordered.
Rhadamanthus dribbled out a mouthful of blood and panted hard.
"Yes, I've been trying to kill that stain for five months." The man said furiously, pushing himself up onto his forearms.
Five months was longer than they knew about. Rodolphus' fist clenched and his other hand held on tighter to Rabastan, just in case.
"You went against my express order." The Dark Lord said, highly displeased. Those ruby eyes were enraged.
"I did it for you, my Lord."
Rodolphus sneered at the blatant lie.
"You did it for yourself!" Xerxes snapped. "You went against orders merely because you disliked Harry."
"That wasn't it. He's a halfblood! He's destroying our society while everyone just watches! I couldn't wait until the orders finally changed to kill the little wretch. He was doing too much damage in the interim."
"That order was not going to change." The Dark Lord said coldly. "I had agreed to protect young Harry in exchange for his help."
"My Lord, he's dangerous to our traditions! He's changing our society!" Rhadamanthus pleaded.
"He is doing my work, Rhadamanthus." The cold voice said furiously.
Rodolphus had the pleasure of seeing Rhadamanthus' face fall in shock.
"My Lord, he's planning to pass a reform of creature rights into law." Rhadamanthus said. "He wants to give them equal rights with us wizards!"
"On my orders." Their Lord said, staring at Rhadamanthus dispassionately. "That reform will allow those under my influence to move more freely, without suspicion or being legally stopped for blood testing. You compromised my work, Rhadamanthus. I was using young Harry as a mouthpiece. He is popular within the limelight due to his name, having him doing my work for me takes away the suspicion of the work he's doing."
Rodolphus smirked as Rhadamanthus mouthed wordlessly.
"Crucio!"
Rodolphus' smirk stretched into a grin as Rhadamanthus started writhing around the floor, screaming, accompanied by another spray of blood from his mouth.
"You disobeyed my orders for your own reasons, Rhadamanthus." Their Lord said, his free hand moving to touch the end of his wand as he broke the curse.
"I didn't know, my Lord." Rhadamanthus tried, gasping for air.
"It shouldn't have mattered." Their Lord told him coldly. "Whether you knew my plans or not, you went against my express orders to protect Harry Potter. You put several of my plans at risk and almost killed someone that I had granted my protection."
Rhadamanthus was wise enough to not speak, though Rodolphus was a touch disappointed as he'd been enjoying the torture. He gave a glance to Rabastan, but all he saw on his brother's face was vindictive rage, an eagerness to keep watching, for more to be done to avenge them and Harry.
"Forgive me, my Lord." Rhadamanthus begged when the silence became too much and Rodolphus' face pulled into a sneer of disgust at the grovelling.
"You are valuable to me." Their Lord carried on softly. "Your work is valuable to me…yet, I cannot have you acting absent my orders."
Rodolphus tried to hide his eagerness, clenching his hands into fists to control himself.
"It will not happen again." Rhadamanthus swore.
"I am not concerned with any future attempts. You disobeyed me, Rhadamanthus and I cannot abide disloyalty. As punishment, we will see if you can endure."
Rodolphus could hardly contain himself. No one could withstand their Lord's punishment. He would keep going until they died and all of them there knew it. This was a favour to their grandfather…to Harry.
He had the pleasure of seeing the flash of panic on Rhadamanthus' face as, he too, understood what this meant.
"My Lord, I am loyal, I am valuable…"
"You went against my orders for your own gain." Their Lord said. "You are of no use if you cannot follow instructions."
"I…"
"Crucio!"
Rodolphus clenched his teeth together to keep his grin hidden as he watched his so-called father writhe around the floor.
The curse was lifted and Rhadamanthus heaved in deep breaths, his body spasming out of his control.
"Crucio."
The screaming was delightful. It sent a thrill through Rodolphus' spine, letting his blood sing as he watched.
Rhadamanthus started spurting blood from his nose and only then was the curse lifted. He was beyond speech at the moment, all his energy focusing on gasping for breath as if he were a brainless fish.
His grandfather's hand on his arm had him straightening his back and stepping away, back from where he'd unconsciously started moving forward, wanting a closer view.
"Ah, Rodolphus, perhaps you would like to add to this moment?" Their Lord offered.
Rodolphus stepped forward again, knowingly this time, and he drew his wand.
"Lacero!" He cried, dredging up every ounce of pain and hate for this man who was supposed to have been his father but had only ever caused him and Rabastan distress and anger and hurt.
A good-sized chunk of flesh was ripped out of Rhadamanthus' shoulder, spurting blood across the floor. He'd purposefully avoided the neck…he didn't want this to be over so soon. Rhadamanthus had decades to make up for, after all, and Rodolphus was prepared to make sure he took that payment in flesh and blood.
His next curse tore at the inside of the lungs and he watched with cruel delight as Rhadamanthus coughed up bloody globules of his own organ, his breathing raspy and laboured as he tried to use his ruined lungs to keep breathing. It wouldn't kill him. Not yet. Not so quickly, but it was cathartic to watch the man who had tormented him and his brother, Harry too, sprawled on the floor, face smeared with blood, trembling with pain and fear, as he coughed up bits of his own lungs and struggled to inhale.
"Please, my Lord." Rhadamanthus tried desperately.
"Crucio." Xerxes spat callously.
Rodolphus stepped back a moment, allowing his grandfather to take out his own anger and frustrations as he centred himself and caught his breath after using two very dark, very powerful curses so close together. They had time. Harry was asleep, they had nowhere they needed to be, and Rhadamanthus wasn't going anywhere while he was still alive. They had time, and they were going to use it to rid themselves of this stain on their family once and for all.
It had been four or so hours. Rabastan was anxious to get back to Harry, to make sure that he was alright still after so long apart. But this…this had been a long time in coming and he was enjoying himself. There was a part of him that hoped it could go on for several more hours, but his love and worry for Harry outweighed his desire for revenge.
"Rennervate." Their Lord said almost lazily as he once again revived Rhadamanthus, who had passed out, perhaps from shock or maybe even blood loss at this point in the day's entertainment.
Rhadamanthus was beyond speech now. His mind had started to go an hour past and, without the mind, the fun was easing off. Though the visible fear and the screams were still amusing and very satisfying.
"Defringo."
Rabastan grinned as his curse caused Rhadamanthus' leg to break clean in half, causing the man to wail and blubber as the bone twisted up through the skin so that it was visible.
Rhadamanthus no longer recognised them, only that they were the ones causing him pain, and he kept trying to crawl away from them on his stomach like a worm. Rabastan wasn't convinced that he even knew he had magic anymore, as he hadn't tried to use it.
Getting tired now from the overuse of magic, Rabastan took a moment to catch his breath after his latest curse. Rodolphus, who had expended even more magic than him, was breathing hard, as if he were winded.
"My friends, this shall be the end of our fun." Their Lord said, staring down at the sobbing Rhadamanthus with gleaming eyes. "There are things that still need to be done and evening approaches."
Rabastan was still trying to catch his breath, but his mind went straight back to Harry. They had been gone for hours and Harry usually only slept for an hour or two if he needed it, and though the activity of that morning, with his hospital appointment, had wiped out a lot of Harry's energy, he doubted that Harry had slept for five hours, so he would have missed them. Even so, he was completely sure that Harry wouldn't shed a tear for Rhadamanthus or what had happened here today. Harry would surely be glad that the man was now out of their lives for good, especially after having it confirmed that his suspicions were correct and Rhadamanthus had been the one behind his poisoning.
Rabastan took one last, long look at the pitiful, bloodied mess that was his father. A hateful man who had never loved him and had tried to destroy him by murdering the only person he'd ever loved; Harry.
"Avada Kedavra." Their Lord said calmly, almost disinterestedly, showing absolutely no signs of magical overuse or exhaustion despite how many curses he'd cast in just a few hours. He was much too powerful.
The green curse washed over the pitiful Rhadamanthus and then dissipated, leaving behind the mangled corpse.
Rabastan took a deep, cleansing breath. His first without the poisonous, toxic Rhadamanthus alive. It felt very freeing.
"Rabastan."
He looked up immediately as his Lord called his name, ready and willing to do anything asked of him.
"Keep close to young Harry. He must be protected."
Rabastan nodded seriously. "Yes, my Lord. I will."
"I will have Nagini clean this up. It has been a time since she was so well fed."
Rabastan had one last smirk at his father's expense, to know that he was going to become food to a beast. Denied a funeral or any dignified send-off. It amused him and he turned away, very ready to get back to Harry.
He left the manor with his brother and grandfather. None of them spoke. There was nothing to say.
Malfoy Manor was quiet as they arrived and Rabastan eased himself down, relaxing as he took in the familiar surroundings. Nothing seemed out of place, which was reassuring that Harry was calm and resting.
They headed towards the parlour, not surprised that Lucius intercepted them on the way.
"Ah, you took longer than I expected. I assume that everything has been dealt with?" He asked.
"All taken care of, Lucius." Xerxes assured. "How is Harry?"
The brief flash of worry ramped up Rabastan's heart rate.
"What happened?" He asked, panicking.
"Nothing to fret over." Lucius said, waving a hand. "Harry was briefly overcome by nausea and he vomited. Narcissa insisted on calling a healer to check Harry over and it has been determined that the vomiting was caused by the changed dosage of his potions. He's been put back onto the potions he was taking before and he's now feeling better. He's resting."
Rabastan didn't wait, he went hurrying for the parlour to check on Harry himself, but he eased down when he saw that Harry was sleeping on the settee, tucked under a blanket. He looked paler than he had been in recent days and Rabastan hurried towards him and hunched down, placing a hand on his forehead to check for any fever. He was a little warm, but not overly so.
"He is feeling better, Rabastan." Narcissa said from behind him. He hadn't even noticed her and he had rudely barged into the room, ignored her in her own home, and he'd fussed over a sleeping Harry, disturbing his rest.
He took a breath and stood to face her. "I apologise, Narcissa. I was just so worried about him…"
"Apologies aren't necessary." She assured him. "But it was caused entirely by the new potion he was taking and not anything more malicious. He is feeling much better and he's resting, as he should be."
"Did he manage to eat anything?" Rabastan questioned.
"Little bit." Harry's sleepy voice came from behind him.
Rabastan turned so quickly that he almost overbalanced as he went back to his knees, fussing over Harry.
"How are you feeling, my love?"
"Better." Harry said, giving him a lopsided smile. "I saw some of Rhadamanthus." He confessed.
Rabastan's heart missed a beat. "You saw that?" He asked in horror, thinking back over the last several hours in which he, his family, and their Lord, had unleashed all manner of horror onto Rhadamanthus. The most powerful and damaging curses that they knew, including some that had been invented by the Lestrange family decades ago, merely for the purpose of causing pain and terror.
Harry nodded, his eyes drifting closed again. "I'm glad he's finally dead."
"Are you sure it was the new potion that made you vomit?" Rabastan had to ask.
"Healer said it was." Harry told him, cracking his eyes open a slit to peer blearily up at him again. He looked so tired and drawn and Rabastan hated it. Harry blinked at whatever he saw on his face and then he smiled. "I wouldn't shed a single fucking tear over Rhadamanthus." He insisted. "I don't care how he was disposed of, only that he was. I did hear that Nagini was getting a snack. Should have given him to Greyback instead."
"Greyback prefers warm flesh." Rodolphus imparted as he entered the parlour.
Harry pulled a face and Rabastan was worried he would be sick again.
"Dolphus." He said warningly.
Harry merely chuckled. "So, warm flesh to Greyback, cold flesh to Nagini?" He asked, craning his head back to look at Rodolphus.
"That's right." His brother told him, placing a hand in Harry's hair and ruffling it, curling his fingers to scratch his nails against Harry's scalp.
"Left ear." Harry directed sleepily.
Rodolphus moved his hand to scratch by Harry's left ear and Rabastan smiled as Harry let out a sound of relief. What was more amusing to him was that Rodolphus had actually done as told.
"Are you feeling sick?" Rodolphus asked Harry.
"Not anymore." Harry said. "The healer put me straight back on the potions I was taking before, instead of the new ones that were meant to help me regain my appetite. I think they ended up doing the opposite." He said dryly.
"So you will be having issues with eating again?" Xerxes asked.
"I never got a chance to start getting better with it. I ate a little of my lunch, took the first potion, and then I was sick. The healer did say it was more important that I stayed hydrated and to not stress so much over how little I'm eating. She was not happy that the healer at Saint Mungo's changed what potion I was taking, though. She says the one I was on before was better for me and, given that it has never made me throw up, I have to agree with her."
"She said that you shouldn't have had your potions changed?" Rabastan asked, his anger stirring.
Harry yawned and twisted a little to look at him. "She said that the potion I was on before was better for my recovery than the one the healer prescribed when I went for my check-up. The new potion would have helped my appetite, as intended, but she said that that wasn't more important than my overall healing, for which the potion I was on before was the best choice. I'm back on that potion again. At least for another week and then it can be revised. But she said it was too early to mess with my potions and she's going to talk to the healer who prescribed the change, but I am feeling better. I was only sick the once and it hasn't happened again since."
Rabastan gently brushed the hair from Harry's face and kissed his brow. Harry smiled at him.
"Is there anything that you need, darling?" Narcissa asked.
"Can I have some tea, Mother?" Harry asked, wiggling about and, taking the hint, Rabastan helped Harry to sit up. He took the opportunity to sit beside Harry, pulling his fiancé to rest against him.
"Of course." Narcissa answered, already checking the teapot.
"Did Rhadamanthus admit his part?" Lucius asked seriously as everyone settled down and was served tea, all of them after Harry, who was their priority with such emphasis being placed on his hydration.
Xerxes gave a pointed look to Harry, who lowered his cup and gave a sharp smile.
"I saw some of it." Harry told the others. "I am not upset and hearing details won't change anything as I watched it."
"In that case, yes, my son admitted to trying to kill Harry for five months."
Rabastan saw Harry pause and his cup lowered back from where he'd been going to take a drink.
"The first chocolates came in January, so what did he poison before then?" Harry asked seriously.
"I am very sorry that my adamance on tradition put you in danger, but it seems Rhadamanthus had access to some of your drinks over Christmas, Harry."
"He came into my home and tried to poison my son under my nose?!" Narcissa snarled.
"He is dead now, Narcissa." Xerxes said. "I assure you, we more than made up for what he did to our Harry."
"I had stomach aches over Christmas." Harry said thoughtfully.
"You didn't say." Rabastan said immediately.
Harry sighed. "I didn't know it was poison, Rabastan. I thought I was overindulging on treats. I stopped eating quite so many and the aches went away, but, of course, Rhadamanthus was removed from the manor on Christmas day. I didn't know to make the connection."
"If it makes you feel better, Harry, he was also planning on killing me." Xerxes told him.
Rabastan's fist clenched. It was bad enough that Rhadamanthus had been trying to kill Harry, but the man had been trying to kill his own father too. The head of their family. Their Lord had been particularly unhappy when a pain delirious Rhadamanthus had admitted to this and the next several curses had been what had snapped his mind.
"Patricide?" Lucius asked. "Were there no limits to how low the man would have stooped?"
"Apparently not. The bottle of very finely aged firewhiskey was still in my study, untouched. I hadn't had cause to open it yet. It was tested and found to contain the very same poison that was being used to dose Harry. Naturally, I wouldn't have had any defences to it and I would have died over Christmas if I had trusted anything my son had given me."
Rabastan held Harry closer and he was thankful that nothing that Rhadamanthus had planned had happened. He had been caught out in all of his plans due to the protection that Harry had been given and, during the torture, he had named co-conspirators who were also going to be dealt with. Corban Yaxley and Philip Nott. They would be left to the Dark Lord, however. He, Rodolphus, and their grandfather had been given their orders. They would be dealing with the ex-councilman Barney Kent's co-conspirators in the next few weeks.
The man's death had been reported in the paper and Harry hadn't even recognised the man who had argued with him in the courtroom. It was being blamed on 'an unknown assailant', but they knew from the puppet minister, Thicknesse, that the priority was being given to Harry's poisoning and not to the murder of a councilman. They preferred it that way, but the murder of Barney Kent was being pushed to the side and all the public stories were still about who had poisoned Harry, about how he'd been poisoned while at Hogwarts. They had controlled the release of information about what Harry had been poisoned with to coincide with the news of Councilman Kent's murder and, as they had predicted, the news that Harry had been dosed with dragon poison, and that a dragon handler from the Peruvian reserve was being extradited to Britain for trial, had vastly overshadowed the councilman's murder.
Perfect planning on their part, with perfect timing, and the outrage of the wizarding public on Harry's behalf had kept all other news rather subdued as it was overlooked by the newest release of information on Harry's murder attempt.
Rabastan's hand went to Harry's hair and there was no sound from Harry. He twisted a little to look down, but Harry was fast asleep on his shoulder. He smiled and wrapped his arm tighter around his fiancé, leaning further to the side so that Harry was more reclined. Harry needed all the rest and sleep that he could get, especially after he'd vomited earlier.
Which reminded him about the healer who had changed Harry's potions too early.
"The healer, the one who changed his potions." He said, breaking the comfortable conversation. "Was he checked?"
Lucius looked at him seriously. "I don't believe it was malicious, Rabastan. Harry complained of having no appetite and the healer tried to accommodate that with different potions."
"It was an oversight and I will not have that man overseeing Harry's care again." Narcissa said sternly.
Rabastan shared a look with her, the both of them very protective of Harry and they were in agreement. That healer would not be touching Harry again, or making any medical decisions for him. He was not happy that he had tried to rush Harry's healing merely for a lack of appetite and had put him at risk.
The distraction came as the door to the parlour opened and Draco entered with a stack of homework for Lucius to look through.
"How is he now?" Draco asked, looking at his brother worriedly.
"He is resting, darling." Narcissa said. "He has kept down a cup of tea and he insists that he's feeling better."
"Yeah, but it's Harry. I can't trust anything he says now." Draco pointed out unhappily.
"It is difficult, I understand…" Lucius said calmly. "…but we do have to trust him, Draco. He is feeling better. He wouldn't lie to our faces about it."
Draco still looked worried and Rabastan felt it too, as his arm pulled just a touch tighter on Harry's soft, sleeping body, but he had to trust him. He had to trust Harry when he said he was feeling better.
"Draco, darling, come here and have some tea." Narcissa interrupted, acting as a needed distraction.
They couldn't constantly wind themselves up over Harry's health or what had happened to him. Lucius was right that it was going to be difficult, but they had to move on. They had to trust Harry.
Rabastan bent to press a kiss to Harry's head. His fiancé snuffled in his sleep and Rabastan had to smile at the adorable sound.
"Here." Rodolphus said, handing him over a cup of tea. "Drink this. Harry is sleeping and he's fine. Take care of yourself."
Rabastan took the cup and drank. His other arm stayed around Harry.
The parlour shifted back into calmness. Lucius and Draco were going through the latter's completed homework, Narcissa had gone back to her novel, and Rodolphus was talking quietly with their grandfather. Harry was resting and he was calming down and each muscle was relaxing in turn. Rhadamanthus was dead and he could never again target Harry. Yaxley and Nott would pay for their part in these plans, whether that was torture and death, or just torture, their Lord would decide and Rabastan would accept that, no matter how difficult if they were allowed to live, but they would never target Harry again if they knew what was good for them. Disobeying orders once should be a death sentence in Rabastan's opinion, twice…? What they had done to Rhadamanthus would pale in comparison to whatever was done to someone who had disobeyed orders twice and he was sure they wouldn't live through the experience. No. Harry was safe. He was safe and feeling better and this would never be repeated.
It took Harry thirteen days after his initial collapse on the twenty-seventh of March to start feeling better, which had been set back by the bungling of his potions that had cost him some much-needed strength and recovery, but he was now back on track. It was a further two days after that before he started to feel more like himself. He could walk up and down the stairs without fear of falling if he let go of the bannister and he no longer felt as weak, his muscles no longer tremored and he wasn't getting breathless from just walking through the manor as he needed; he was regaining his strength and his vitality. He had managed to finally bathe himself, with Rabastan's supervision, and he wasn't hurting or aching anymore, his mind was clear, and he was feeling so much more himself than he had in months. It was only then that he realised exactly how affected he'd been by this. It was only then that he realised how far he'd fallen and just why Draco had been so worried about him. It had happened so gradually that he hadn't noticed, but Draco had seen the change in him. Harry should have listened and then maybe it wouldn't have gone so far as to cause his collapse and almost death. He'd put too much faith in Marcus' runic protections and he'd almost died because of it.
Now that he was feeling better, though, and more himself, his overprotective parents had finally allowed him to have visitors and even then, they hovered and fluttered around him as if he was going to be poisoned all over again.
Blaise embraced him gently, not even a hint of his usual flirtations or teasing. Astoria was teary as she kissed his cheek and expressed her relief that he was alright. Luna seemed to be utterly wretched as she clung to him and Harry hugged her tightly, stroking her blonde hair and murmuring reassuringly, even as her fiancé, Theo, tried to ease her off of him, looking just as worried himself.
"Are you sure you're feeling better, Harry?" Astoria asked him.
Harry nodded. "I really am. Better than I have felt all year, in fact."
"Have they found out who did it?" Blaise demanded protectively.
Harry looked at Narcissa questioningly. He hadn't been told not to tell them, but he wasn't sure if he was allowed to. His mother nodded her head, just slightly.
"It was my supposed father-in-law." He said tightly, still furious that the man had tried to use his love against him.
"It was Rhadamanthus?" Theo asked, shocked.
Harry nodded. "You know the expensive chocolates I was receiving? They weren't from Rabastan at all, they were from him."
Harry could feel the shock of his friends, it had taken a while for it to sink in for him as well. He was infinitely glad that he hadn't shared those chocolates with anyone else. The guilt of that alone would have killed him.
"He tried to kill you using gifts you thought were from Rabastan?!" Astoria asked.
Harry nodded. "Unfortunately so."
"What poison was it?" Blaise asked him gently. "I know what the Prophet is reporting, but is that actually true or…?"
"That was actually true. It was a poison brewed with the venom of a Peruvian Vipertooth." Harry said. "Very potent, very illegal. It should have killed me instantly, and it would have if I didn't have personal protection from harmful, ingested substances. I owe Marcus my life."
"Marcus Flint is not a man I'd want to have me bent over a barrel and he's my cousin." Theo said frankly.
"Thankfully, we're friends." Harry said. Even so, Harry was expecting this to cost him his firstborn child. If Marcus had a son, it would cost him a daughter or a bearer son. If Marcus had a daughter, it might cost Harry his firstborn son. It made Harry feel sick, as he hadn't wanted to force his children to marry. He would betroth them for protection, as was common pureblood practice, but he'd ultimately wanted to leave their marriage choices to them. In this case, however, he might not be able to give them a choice and he hated that he'd have to swallow those feelings down and accept what happened in the future. He owed his life to Marcus, which would mean his future children owed their very existence to Marcus. He would need to speak to Marcus and hope, as Theo had put it, that his supposed friend didn't bend him over a barrel for this life debt.
"I still can't believe that you were poisoned." Astoria said. "You were ill, clearly, but I would never have suspected poison because…"
"Because I didn't drop dead." Harry finished as Astoria trailed off. He chuckled. "I know, it's still strange to me too. I don't think anyone would have suspected poison, even knowing about the runes. Honestly, who would? It was happening to me and I had no clue. Even Draco, who insisted that my illness was more than mere stress, had no clue that I was actually being poisoned."
"That's true enough." Draco said, sitting beside Harry, an arm wrapped around him in a show of overprotectiveness. "Poison didn't even cross my mind, I thought the hypocalcaemia might have come back as Harry wasn't taking enough calcium."
"I'm taking in enough." Harry told him. "I have milk every morning, I'm eating more porridge with milk, and I'm eating leafy dark greens. That will never come back, I'll make sure of it. I couldn't prevent someone from trying to poison me, however."
"We are working with the school to implement safeguards now, darling." Narcissa spoke up, looking away from her book to him. Harry smiled at her.
"I saw that the papers were blaming Dumbledore." Theo said. "That could work in your favour if Rhadamanthus has already been dealt with."
"I'm not saying either way, I'm not supposed to know who did it." Harry pointed out. "The Law Enforcers are still chasing down leads, but they are investigating Dumbledore as a potential suspect. I don't think he'll be returning as the Headmaster. The court of public opinion will take him down, I'm sure of it, they won't let him go back to being in charge of children. Not now."
"That can only be considered a good thing." Draco said from beside him.
Harry hummed. "It means I won't have to have the runes reapplied. There's no rush for protective measures with him gone and Rhadamanthus dealt with. I'm going to have to be careful over the things I eat and drink, however, and question where they've come from, which will be annoying."
It was even more frightening now that he'd almost been killed with food, even if it was just chocolate. There was always a moment of hesitation now before he put something in his mouth. A small niggle, a question of 'will this kill me?', thankfully, it was easily handled and he could cover up any hesitation, but he was worried that this behaviour wouldn't stop. He'd almost died because someone had poisoned something that he'd eaten. He couldn't afford to let something like that happen again, so he always hesitated, wondering if what he was going to eat would hurt him. Kill him.
"We're just so glad that you're alright, Harry." Luna almost sobbed.
Harry shuffled forward and, ignoring Draco's arm supporting his waist, he took her hand in his.
"I'm going to be fine, Luna. All the damage is being healed with potions and the healers insist that I'll make a full recovery before the new term. This will be just a bad memory soon enough."
A very bad memory. One he was going to have trouble forgetting, if he ever could. Perhaps he needed to visit Healer Vasey for a talk in the hopes that that would make him feel better. He didn't want to spend the rest of his life fearing everything he put in his mouth. He'd ask Lucius to set him up an appointment, given that he didn't feel strong enough to use the floo to do it himself.
Pimsey served tea and Harry thanked her, as he always did. Luna did the same, but no one even grimaced over it anymore. They'd gotten used to it, which caused Harry to smile triumphantly at his 'little win' as he saw it.
Lucius entered the drawing room and his eyes found Harry.
"Harry, Runcorn wishes to know if you'll be able to attend the dinner party he's scheduled or if he should postpone it."
"I'll be able to attend, Father." Harry insisted. "I'm feeling stronger, another six days to recover some more, and I'll be up to handling such engagements."
"Are you sure, darling?" Narcissa fretted. "We don't want you to push yourself too hard, or too fast. You have a chance to rest properly for an extended time and you should take advantage of that."
Harry was already fed up with resting and sitting still. He was feeling better and his legs were able to hold him up without wobbling. He was starting to feel restless. He wanted to start getting back into his usual routine, but he was being held back and he didn't like it. He wanted to get up and start stretching himself again, to push himself and see what he could do now that he was feeling so much better. Not too much, he didn't want to have a relapse or cause himself another collapse, but he did want to try to push himself a little. He needed to know if he could.
"I'm sure, Mother. I don't want to delay my plans. I need them to go through and, ideally, I'd like that to be before my exams as I don't want to be distracted by worry over my reform."
Draco gave him a stern look and Harry raised an eyebrow in question.
"You're taking on too much again." His brother said sternly.
Harry gave a soft laugh. "I'm no longer being poisoned." He pointed out with a smile. "I'm recovering well and I'm starting to get my energy back. I'm not doing too much, I'm just feeling better…more normal."
"Is it really that significant a difference?" Blaise asked him.
Harry nodded. "Yes. It happened so gradually that I didn't really notice it happening at first, but going the other way, as the poison was siphoned from my system and I'm recovering day by day, I can notice it like a glaring signal. I'm feeling so much stronger, I have my energy back, my mind…before, it was like trudging through tar and it was difficult to keep myself on topic without meandering off. I didn't know what was wrong, so it was natural to assume that it was stress and I was just doing too much, but now…" Harry chuckled to himself as he considered his thoughts, his mind juggling several different things effortlessly, he didn't know how he'd managed to convince himself that being unable to think was normal. "..now, I'm back to my best and the only thing slowing me down is the damage done to my body that is slowly being healed. A few more days and it'll be like none of this ever happened."
No one argued with him and Harry bent forward to pick up his tea to drink.
Things would take time to get back to normal, but that poison was no longer in his body, affecting his mind or his functions. He'd gotten through the last several months while being almost fatally poisoned, so the next several should be much easier. He was almost looking forward to his exams just to see how well he faired…almost.
The Lestranges had become exceptionally protective over him. Harry had expected it from Rabastan, but not really from Xerxes or Rodolphus, but they seemed to be trying to make up for what Rhadamanthus had done to him. They didn't need to and Harry had already had this conversation with them, but the behaviour persisted and Harry let it go and decided to just enjoy it. He liked being hugged and he liked that Rodolphus would ruffle his hair and Xerxes would ask him how he was. It made him feel closer to them all. Like he truly was a part of the family and not merely a way for the stalled Lestrange family to gain a new generation.
Harry was drifting. He usually did now through his recovery and it wasn't unusual for him to have a few naps throughout the day, though that was getting less and less. But when eight O'clock rolled around he found it difficult to keep his eyes open.
Tonight was no different and he heard the murmur of voices over his head, the beat of Rabastan's heart as Harry rested against his fiancé's chest. Someone was holding his hand, the skin was too rough and the grip too tight to be Rabastan, so it had to have been Rodolphus. He wondered what had woken him this time and he frowned. Surely the Law Enforcers, who dropped in every so often to update him on any changes in his case, wouldn't come this late? They usually kept to public hours to inform him of anything they'd found or if something hadn't panned out, unless they'd had a major breakthrough, that was. Harry shifted and sat up a little, peering around.
"Sorry, Harry." Rabastan said, grimacing, looking very apologetic for having woken him.
His fiancé had been trying to slip out from under him, passing him over to Rodolphus to hold.
"What?" Harry asked sleepily, not fighting the change, even as he wrapped his hand around Rodolphus' finger, his other hand holding Dolphus' robes as he found a soft piece of fabric to press his ear against on Rodolphus' chest.
"I just need the bathroom, I'll be quick." Rabastan assured him.
Harry hummed. "Dolphus is comfy too. Woke up because I thought I heard the floo."
"You did." Xerxes told him from an armchair adjacent to him. "Your father has gone to see who it is so late."
Harry hummed, not truly interested as he cuddled with Rodolphus, whose free hand had gone to his hair and was tugging and pulling a little too much to be soothing enough to get him back to sleep, but he was trying, at least.
"Harry, there is someone here to see you." Lucius' voice interrupted.
Harry opened his eyes and looked over in confusion. If it was the Law Enforcers, then why was Rodolphus still holding him?
It wasn't any Law Enforcers, it was Lord Sarpedon Carrow carrying a very teary, red-eyed Adrastos, who was in his pyjamas, but in floods of tears.
"Lord Carrow." Narcissa greeted, standing and immediately playing hostess. "Can I offer you some tea?"
"No, Lady Malfoy, thank you and I apologise for the very late, unsociable visit, but as I explained to your husband, Adrastos absolutely would not settle tonight in his demands to see your son, Lord Potter-Black." Sarpedon said, looking embarrassed and a little aggrieved to even be standing in their parlour with a crying nine-year-old in his arms.
Adrastos was staring at Harry through wet eyes and clumped eyelashes and Harry smiled at the adorable sight.
"I'm alright, Addie." Harry said, pushing himself upright using Rodolphus' body. A large hand helped steady him as Harry wiped the sleep from his eyes. "I just get very tired more easily."
Addie fussed and kicked out until Sarpedon had placed him on the floor and then he darted away like a little rabbit, right at Harry.
"Addie!" Sarpedon cried in alarm. "Carefully! Lord Potter-Black is still…recovering." He finished with a sigh as Adrastos took no heed and just bowled right into him.
Harry was feeling fine, though, a little tired and sleepy, but otherwise completely fine as he picked up Adrastos and cuddled him on his lap, letting the little boy clutch at him and cry.
"I thought you were going to die." Addie cried, his voice muffled as he'd buried his face into Harry's jumper.
"Nah, nothing can kill me off, Addie. Plenty of people have tried and failed. I'll be here forever." Harry said, making light of what had happened to him because Adrastos was still a child. It wasn't appropriate to tell him that he had almost died, and would have if not for the fact that he was a Horcrux and had runes carved into him by Marcus Flint.
Rabastan came back into the room and he only paused a moment, blinking over the additional people and Harry with a lapful of Adrastos. He came over carefully, sitting back beside Harry and watching curiously.
"Everyone was saying you were poisoned." Addie told him, still clutching him tight.
"Yes, I was." Harry said gently. "But I'm getting better every day now. I'm feeling much better in the last few days and I'm recovering more by the day with the potions I'm taking."
"You're really going to be okay?" Adrastos asked in a soft, sweet voice and Harry couldn't help cuddling him closer for a moment.
"I really am." Harry insisted.
"I was so worried about you."
"So I see, but there was really no need. I'm going to make a full recovery." Harry said, using gentle fingers to wipe away the lingering tears before cuddling Adrastos back into his neck.
He wondered if he would be doing this with his own child one day. If he would be comforting a nine-year-old who was experiencing feelings too big for them to deal with alone. It made him smile and soften his touch as he petted brown hair and murmured nonsense to calm Adrastos down.
It didn't take long before the young boy sagged in Harry's hold, his weight all but doubling as he fell asleep.
Lord Sarpedon saw and quickly came to take Adrastos from him, the both of them taking care not to wake the child as Harry handed him over and then sunk himself back into Rabastan.
"I am sorry about this." Sarpedon said. "He truly wouldn't settle tonight and he demanded I bring him to see you before he would sleep."
"It's fine." Harry waved off with a smile. "He's a child and had to deal with the thought that I might die after we were so recently introduced. That would affect anyone, but I am feeling better. I'm finally recovering and, despite still needing to rest more and sometimes sleep a few times through the day, I'm feeling fine."
"That is very reassuring to hear, Lord Potter-Black." Lord Sarpedon said. "I will not take up any more of your time, but thank you for being so kind to him. I tried my best to keep it from him, but he found a newspaper that hadn't been discarded and he read the article before he could be stopped once he realised it was about you."
"I don't mind, especially not if it has put his mind to rest just to see me. I am still alive and I'm going to be fine. I'll be back in Hogwarts in a little more than a week, even. I'll be back in the Wizengamot before you've had a chance to miss me too."
"Oh, we have already missed you during the trials of the others involved in that potion's disgrace." Lord Sarpedon assured him and that made Harry smile tiredly. "Two more of them are left and then we can move on and take measures to prevent it from happening again."
"I've been kept informed on what is happening." Harry said. "I didn't want to be kept out of the loop, even if I'm not attending personally. But I will be very active in the Wizengamot when I do make my return." Here, Harry smiled. All of the Death Eaters knew what was coming. They wouldn't like it, not one bit, but they'd been told to vote for his creature law reform solely on the clause that made it easier for them to move without legally being stopped. It was negligent to allow people like Greyback so much freedom, but for the normal, everyday creatures, it was going to be life-changing and truly, they were the ones Harry was doing it for, even if, as a consequence, he was leaving loopholes for those like Greyback too. But woe betide any Death Eater that chose to oppose him and this law reform, especially with Rhadamanthus' body being slowly digested by Nagini.
"You are getting ahead of yourself, Harry." Xerxes chastised. "Let yourself rest and heal, first."
Harry waved that off too. "I'm feeling better." He said. "I'm still a little more tired than I usually would be during the day, but the potions are working."
"Well, I will leave you to rest more." Lord Sarpedon said, adjusting his hold on Adrastos. The child must have been very heavy.
"I will see you out." Lucius said, indicating the doorway.
Harry sagged back against Rabastan, stifling a yawn as Sarpedon carried the sleeping Adrastos out.
"That was rather unexpected." Xerxes said. "You are very capable when it comes to children, Harry."
Harry hummed tiredly. "They're just little people. I'd have treated an adult in that much distress the same. The way I'd like to be treated if I was in that much emotional upheaval."
No one said anything and Harry was left to drift back into his previous state of half-consciousness.
He didn't like that Adrastos had been so upset by his poisoning that he'd been crying and unable to sleep over it. He was glad that Sarpedon had brought little Addie to come to see him, so that Harry could reassure him. Hopefully, now that he had reassured him, and Adrastos had seen him alive and well, if a little tired, Addie could sleep peacefully.
"Do you want to go to bed, love?" Rabastan asked him.
Harry hummed, half-asleep already. "Yes."
Rabastan shifted, then stood and Harry complained wordlessly when he felt a draught at his back. Rabastan picked him up quickly, easily. Harry cuddled in and sighed happily.
Rabastan had progressed to the point where he could easily carry Harry down the hallway, up the stairs, and to Harry's room.
"Stay with me."
"I will." Rabastan assured him.
Harry knew that his parents had Pimsey watching him, just in case, so there wasn't going to be any issue with their behaviour, or the lack of trust they'd incurred during their betrothal period.
Harry settled against his pillow and cracked open his eyes just to watch Rabastan take off his robes and underclothes. He smiled sleepily as he watched his fiancé strip down to his shorts.
Rabastan climbed into the bed with him, under the covers, and Harry cuddled right up against him, relishing touching bare skin even if he couldn't act on it…not yet, at least. Rabastan shuffled him around as he got himself comfortable and Harry exhaled deeply. If nothing else, this situation had given them the chance to get closer and they were now allowed to sleep in the same bed together after Harry had complained that he slept better with Rabastan than without him.
His parents wouldn't let this behaviour last once he got better and went back to Hogwarts, he knew, but he and Rabastan would be married very shortly after he graduated anyway, so that was a moot point really. Right now, Harry absolutely had no spare energy for any risqué behaviour. He just wanted to sleep in the comfort of Rabastan's arms and for now, at least, he could do just that.