32AN: Hello, everyone! After I updated so many of my other HP stories, I felt the need to do the same to this one too. While this chapter isn't extremely plot-heavy, it does have a few important scenes and revelations. I hope you all enjoy the chapter and as always, I had a blast writing this chapter so far, even if certain scenes alluded me as usual lol.
After the first Wizengamot meeting, Harry was swamped with attending galas and helping Bill prepare for the shops they were planning to open later in the year. Between all of that and restoring the Potter Mannor, Harry had little time to sit down and relax. In two more days, he would be attending another Wizengamot meeting regarding the trials of the Lestrange brothers, and that alone made his stomach twist in unease.
Truthfully, he could only provide accounts for the older Lestrange brother, as he had fought against him countless times during the war. Rabastan Lestrange was something of a mystery to him, however. During the entirety of the war, the younger Lestrange brother had never once aimed a wand at him.
And the more Harry thought about it, he soon realized that Rabastan Lestrange had never aimed a wand at anyone during the final battle, unlike his brother or his brother's wife. Rabastan Lestrange had always kept to the shadows, avoiding the fight unlike his comrades. Truthfully, Harry had never seen the youngest Lestrange brother raise a wand in the entirety of the war. It was Rodolphus Lestrange who had shown up in the Department of Mysteries to apprehend them.
It only made Harry more curious about the wizard, wondering what truths would be uncovered during his trial. There was something in the back of his mind telling him not all was as it seemed among the Lestrange family, and that perhaps Rabastan was forced into a bad situation because of his blood. His heart dropped, remembering Regulus Black and the pressure he felt to join the Death Eaters because of his family name and heritage.
He made a mental note to ask Lucius about Rabastan Lestrange, as his friend would have known the younger Lestrange fairly well after countless years together. Perhaps his friend could shed some light on the situation for him before the trial dates were planned, that way Harry could go into it with more information.
At the thought of Lucius Malfoy, Harry felt a small smile blossoming across his face, a soft warmth spreading through him at the mere thought of the older wizard who was quickly becoming someone Harry deeply cared about. They had agreed to meet up for dinner on a weekly basis, usually the night before Wizengamot, that way they could discuss the events together and plan arguments they wanted to raise.
Harry often found himself gravitating to the older wizard, even during the days they hadn't scheduled to meet up. It felt like there was a force pulling him to the regal man, and while he might have tried to fight it off even a few months ago, the pull was too strong to ignore. It beckoned him closer, allowing him the luxury and honor of getting to know the man Lucius Malfoy had suppressed for far too long.
Their friendship was already a strong one, despite it only having been a thing for a little over a month. It felt like he had known Lucius for years, his heart already trusting the man with information he hadn't been able to tell some of his other friends yet. Harry wasn't sure why that was, but he didn't fight it. It felt right.
Glancing at his watch, Harry sighed and moved to stand, gathering the freshly bottled potions that Severus had laid out for him, pausing when he noticed a pastry on the counter, a preserving charm in place. Plucking the note, he snorted at the familiar handwriting, smiling fondly at the contents on the parchment.
You have been overworking yourself recently and I have a strong inkling that you have yet to eat anything today.
Severus.
Smiling in gratitude, Harry took the pastry, sliding the note into his pocket. While Severus had opened up over the years with him, it always warmed his heart when his other Godfather noticed his struggles. It wasn't that Sirius or Remus didn't notice, but Severus was always more observant than the others, and he was always there to offer him a hand if he needed it.
Taking a final bite of the delicious pastry (that he was fairly sure Remus had baked) Harry was flooing to St. Mungo, the potions secured in his bag.
Dusting off his appearance, Harry made the familiar trek to the werewolf attack ward, pausing as he passed through the Janus Thickey ward, lingering for a moment at a door that housed a broken family. He had only been in that room once and it had broken him to see the horrors that had been inflicted on the family.
"You'd be proud of Neville," Harry whispered, a small smile forming on his face. "I know I am," He knew the inhabitants in the room wouldn't understand a single thing he said or even be aware of anything going on around them, but he still wanted to utter those quiet words.
His heart clenched at the memory of Neville receiving a gum wrapper and how quickly the boy slipped it into his pocket, not taking the simple gift for granted. It had made Harry tear up back then, and when they had ended up back at Hogwarts, Harry had pulled Neville into a private hug.
"I'm so sorry," He had said, letting the other boy hug him back, feeling the tenseness in his friend's shoulders as the boy sniffled.
Even now the memory made his heart ache painfully as he continued on, finally reaching the destination of the werewolf attack ward. He took a breath and entered a specific room, coming face-to-face with Lady Greengrass again.
"Lord Potter," The woman smiled at him, looking tired as she rubbed her eyes. "I wasn't expecting you to visit today. Lavender just fell asleep, she-" Harry watched as her kind eyes filled with tears, turning even more bloodshot. "She is having a rough week. Her muggleborn friend that was also attacked died of her injuries yesterday," Harry felt his heart sink at the information, his bag feeling heavy as he went to sit beside the witch.
"Jessica Edwards?" Harry asked in a strangled voice, grimacing at the nod. "I'm sorry. I wasn't aware her injuries had become more severe," Lady Greengrass sighed, giving the wizard a small, sad smile.
"I wasn't aware either. The healers explained that the amount of blood she lost led to her developing reoccurring infections that were growing harder and harder to heal," Harry listened, frowning more at the words. "It eventually developed into an infection in her bloodstream, but since her blood was already depleted…" The witch trailed off and Harry got the picture, a small sigh escaping.
"I was actually planning on visiting her after I was done visiting with Lavendar," Harry rubbed at his eyes as well, wishing that there was more he could have done. "I had brought these for her since it'll take a little more time for Lord Fenrick's plan to officially reach all of the wizarding community," Lady Greengrass watched with wide eyes as Harry passed her the bottles of fresh wolfsbane, a pained choke escaping her at the generosity of the young wizard.
"You didn't have to do this, Lord Potter. I was willing to pay for her potion until she was either able to or until the ministry issued the free ones," Harry sent her a small smile, shrugging a bit.
"All three of my godfathers are experts at brewing these potions, and considering one of them is a werewolf too, he wanted to help out as much as he could," Harry thumbed the bottle, thinking about the deceased muggleborn. "I could donate these anonymously," He began, glancing at the kind witch with a small smile that didn't quite meet his eyes. "I don't know anyone else besides Lavender and Jessica that were turned, so I'm unsure of how I can get these to others that need them," A warm hand took his own and Lady Greengrass squeezed it.
"I will handle that, Lord Potter. Before my husband passed away, he worked as an administrator here for decades. I can ensure that these bottles end up in the hands of people who need them the most," A genuine smile formed on the wizard's face, his respect for the woman once again increasing.
"Thank you, Lady Greengrass. I appreciate it," She squeezed his hand again, a glint of affection in her eyes.
"We should be the one thanking you, young man. You're the one going out of your way to help those less fortunate and asking for nothing in return," She smiled at him, more affection glowing in her eyes. "And please, call me Juno." Warmth bubbled in Harry as he nodded, his heart growing just a bit lighter after the depressing news.
"In that case, call me Harry,"
The two continued to converse until another hour had passed. Harry sighed, looking at the watch that Mrs. Weasley had given him right before the start of the war.
"I'm sorry, Juno, but I have another visit I want to make before I head home." The witch reached over to pat his forearm, giving him an understanding look. Before he made to leave, Harry remembered something. "I nearly forgot to give her this," Harry tapped his bag with his wand, summoning a bag of wrapped caramels. "I went to Diagon yesterday and stopped to get these since they're Lavender's favorite caramels," Juno was rapidly blinking, taking the bag of sweets as a small, bittersweet smile formed across her face.
"These were her grandfather's favorites too. Samuel got her hooked on these when she was a child," Juno said with a small chuckle, looking nostalgic. "Thank you, Harry. For these and for keeping me company today. I'll tell her you stopped by when she wakes up again," Harry nodded, smiling in surprise when he was pulled into a tight hug that reminded him of Molly Weasley's embraces.
"It's not a problem at all. Thank you for ensuring those potions get donated," Harry said, bidding her a subdued farewell. He took a breath once he left the room, steeling his resolve as he went to the top floor, his heart thudding loudly in his ears. As soon as he entered the ward there was a friendly smile and wave waiting for him, the wizard standing up to greet him.
"I was beginning to wonder if you were coming in today." Harry forced a chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Sorry, Alonso. I got caught up with visiting another friend here." The wizard's smile softened more as he patted him on the shoulder.
"Don't you dare apologize, Harry! With how often you visit anyway, you may as well work here already," Harry found himself releasing a genuine chuckle this time, thinking about how accurate the words were. The hand on his shoulder tightened and Harry felt himself sigh, dreading to look into the man's eyes, knowing the tight squeeze usually meant bad news.
Not that Harry was surprised.
"No new improvements?" Harry asked in a voice that was uncharacteristically small for him, the head healer shaking his head as he led the younger to the set of chairs outside the door, sitting beside him. When Harry looked at Alonso, he felt his heart sink at the solemn look in the usually mirthful eyes.
"This isn't a conversation I like to have, Harry, but I have to give you my honest observations. We have done everything we can for her, but none of our potions, spells, or rituals are working. Her prognosis is only going to get worse from here, I'm afraid. If someone fails to awaken from a magically induced coma by the third month, there is less than a one percent chance of survival, and it only decreases as the days go on until they die in the stasis." Harry clenched his eyes shut as hot tears seared his eyes, his breath stuttering out.
"All healers have sworn an oath to remove the patient from a magically induced coma at the end of the fourth month if they have not awoken." Harry could hear the pain in the man's voice, the regret flowing between them in heavy waves. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this Harry, but she has one month left before we are forced to end the stasis."
"I-" Harry choked out, rubbing his eyes as more tears filled his eyes. "I understand," He finally said, a heavy lump forming in his throat that felt like someone was strangling him. Part of him wanted to be angry, but truthfully, Harry had seen this man and his entire team work nonstop to heal his friend. They were doing all they could. "Thank you for everything you've tried to do for her so far," Alonso smiled sadly, waving his wand and summoning a box of tissues.
"I wish there was more I could do. That young woman in there is a hero. I hate to see her life cut so short," Harry blinked away another round of tears at the words, slowly standing up.
"Is it okay if I go in? I…I want to talk to her. Tell her myself," Harry could swear there was a wetness in Alonso's eyes as the Head Healer nodded, opening the door for him. "Thank you," Harry mumbled.
When the door shut behind him, it felt like the loudest sound in the world, everything feeling like slow motion as he sat down in a well-worn chair.
"Hey, sorry that I'm so late today," Harry said, grasping the pale hand gently. "I was visiting Lavender Brown in the werewolf attack ward. Her grandmother, Juno Greengrass, is such a lovely woman. She's going to make sure my donation of Wolfsbane potions gets to those who need it," He swallowed, voice cracking as he tried to clear his throat.
"I don't know if I told you this last time I was here, but Bill Weasley and I are opening two shops together in Diagon. One of them is going to be called Potter's Renewed Runes and Wards, and the other is going to be called Bill's Banished Curses," Harry said, eyes watering more. "We'll go out and adjust wards and runes, or even uncurse items that people send us. We're also going to teach classes so that anyone can learn if they want," Harry continued, still holding the pale hand close.
"Did you know that Bill, Fred, and George joined me in claiming their seats in Wizengamot?" Harry asked the silent room, smiling just slightly at the memory. "All four of us aligned as neutral and we all sat beside Lucius Malfoy. He's been a huge help in my acclimation to Wizengamot." A more genuine smile formed as he thought about the blonde-haired wizard. "He's an amazing person. He's promised to help me destroy Dumbledore's fame and reputation," He smiled more.
"All five of us kept voting against Dumbledore and the absurd policies he wanted to implement. Lucius just passed a new legislation that takes away the headmaster's ability to hire the staff in Hogwarts, giving it to the Board of Governors instead. We're slowly but surely stripping him away of his power and credibility, and it helps that Amelia Bones despises him too. Merlin, Ron and Hermione would have loved-" Harry cut himself off, choking on a sob as he covered his face, his tears falling freely.
"Ron and Hermione would have loved to see these Wizengamot meetings," Harry said, choking on his words as he held the still hand tighter, the weight of the situation crushing him. "I joined Wizengamot for them so that their sacrifices wouldn't be in vain You-" A soft sob escaped as he struggled to get his voice back. "You would have loved to see these meetings too, Luna. I've been working so hard to improve the rights of werewolves and other creatures. You and Hermione would be so proud of-" Harry had to stop, another choked sob escaping, unable to hold it in anymore.
"I miss you so much, Luna. Merlin, I wish you would wake up." Harry said, words tumbling out as his frame trembled with his silent sobs. "Please wake up," Harry begged silently, his heart constricting tightly as he looked at the pale girl, her once bright hair dull and lifeless. "Please wake up," He begged.
All he received was silence, which truthfully didn't surprise him, but he kept on.
"They're giving you-" Harry sucked in a breath, caressing the pale fingers in his hand, wishing they would twitch and show any signs of movement. "They're giving you one more month to wake up before they take you off the stasis you're in." He rubbed away the tears that wouldn't stop, wanting to hear her dreamy-like voice more than anything. "So please, Luna. Please wake up," Harry begged, holding her hand for what felt like an eternity.
Deep down, he knew she wasn't going to wake up. That didn't stop him from being there for her, even as his magic reached out and felt how lifeless Luna was, and how her life would never return.
Not even the Master of Death could bring her back.
When Harry had left the room, his feet carried him back to the chairs, noticing the concerned gaze of the Head healer.
"Take some time before you use the floo, Harry," Alonso said, coming over to look at the younger wizard, trained eyes catching onto his fatigue. "I'll have one of the workers in the cafeteria send up some coffee," Harry flushed, shaking his head.
"You don't have to do that, Alonso-"
"Nonsense. We both need a bit of caffeine. I have another six hours left in this shift," Harry winced at the words. "And you received some devastating news. Our mental states often bleed into our physical health as well," Harry felt his lips twitch for the first time in what felt like years.
"I didn't know you were a mind healer too," Harry teased, lips twitching more at the bright laugh that left the other wizard.
"Don't tell the others, please. Otherwise, they'd send all of the patients to me," Alonso teased back as he went to wave his wand, sending the note to the cafeteria. "Ah. I have another set of rounds about to start. Help yourself to the coffee when it arrives, Harry," Alonso called, heading down the hall and vanishing into another ward.
Harry barely had to wait five minutes before a pot of coffee and a set of cups levitated to the front desk. He watched in fascination as the pot poured itself into the cups, one of them making its way to him.
He stuck out his hand to grasp the handle, clearing his throat which was still sore from crying.
"Thank you," Harry mumbled to the pot of coffee, taking a small sip and letting it invigorate him, hoping it would provide him with needed energy. As he continued to sip at the hot liquid, he failed to notice a familiar figure come up to him.
"Harry?" Harry nearly choked on his coffee, looking up to see Lucius Malfoy, a small smile on the man's face that Harry found himself returning, despite the circumstances. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."
"I try to visit every Friday," Harry confessed, hoping his appearance looked better than he felt. "Visiting a friend?" Harry asked, feeling himself flush as those gray eyes seemed to bore into him, almost like they were looking into his very soul.
"A Death Eater who defected," Lucius admitted, going to sit beside the younger wizard. "Instead of killing him, the Dark Lord had decided to make a spectacle of it. He would nearly be tortured to death, only for them to stop and start the process all over again," Harry felt nauseous at the words, his stomach twisting at the vile things Voldemort and his crazed followers must have done to the poor man.
"What about you?" Lucius asked, the concern in his voice obvious to Harry who felt himself slumping, the weight of everything catching up to him again. He felt himself trembling, unaware of the way Lucius frowned at him, the concerned glint multiplying. Harry also missed the privacy charm that surrounded them, keeping them away from any prying eyes.
"I-" Harry swallowed, dimly aware of the way the older wizard had wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him closer. He pressed into the comforting embrace as tears slid past his eyes, a secret leaving his lips that no one other than himself and the healers knew.
"I'm visiting Luna Lovegood," Harry confessed, eyes slipping shut as warm fingers brushed along his nape slowly, taking away all of his tension within moments.
"Luna Lovegood..." Lucius mumbled, still carefully thumbing along Harry's nape. "Wasn't she the one who helped Neville Longbottom kill Nagini?" Harry nodded, throat clogging at the memory.
"No one knows she's technically alive. Everyone thinks she's dead. I…" Harry rubbed at his face, feeling far older than eighteen. "I don't know how to tell them the truth. I didn't want them to get their hopes up, so I kept it hidden from all of them. Her prognosis isn't good." He let himself be tugged even closer, wishing he could just vanish into the man's arms and not face the world. "At the end of the upcoming month they're taking her off the stasis she's under," Harry let himself relax into the hold, letting the gentle caress on his nape ground him.
"I don't know what to do," Harry confessed in a small voice that struck Lucius to his core, his heart aching for the younger man in his arms. "I feel horrible for keeping this a secret from everyone, but I wasn't sure how to them the truth. The Head Healer informed me that it's extremely unlikely that she will wake up, and her chances are growing slimmer each day." He sighed, still pressed against Lucius' side. "She's already been added to the list of fallen students and fallen war heroes. Everyone has already mourned her. How…how do I even change that if she does wake up?" When Harry went to look at Lucius, his cheeks burned with a dark flush as a hand cupped his cheek, rubbing away the tears that were falling.
"Even now you sacrifice your own well-being for others," Lucius mumbled softly, thumb rubbing away another tear. "You don't have to carry this burden alone anymore, Harry. I'll be right here," The declaration moved something inside Harry, his chest exploding with warmth as he carefully wrapped his arms around the older wizard, a content sigh leaving him when the embrace was immediately returned.
"Thank you," Harry said, beginning to pull away after a few minutes, flushing at the soft look in the beautiful gray eyes. "I've only been aware of her state for about two months. With everyone in her family deceased, there wasn't a next of kin for them to contact. She was also…unrecognizable when they brought her here. It took them weeks to reconstruct her face," Lucius withheld a grimace, not wanting to imagine the horrors inflicted on the young witch in the other room. "They went against protocol when they contacted me, but they were forced to make some exceptions for those who fell during the final battle," Lucius nodded, recalling when the act was passed in Wizengamot before Harry had joined.
"I feel horrible for keeping this secret from them," Harry admitted, smiling sadly. "I suppose you're right about how I am sacrificing my own well-being for others. I-" Harry stopped, forcing down any tears that wanted to rise. "I know Luna isn't going to wake up. My magic knows she isn't going to," Harry said, biting his lips hard enough to almost draw blood. "I don't want to subjugate anyone else to mourning her a second time. I can handle it again. But I won't let anyone else deal with that pain,"
I know Luna isn't going to wake up. My magic knows she isn't going to.
Lucius could feel the raw power from those words, something inside telling him that Harry did have the ability to sense her pending death. He had only felt a fraction of the younger wizard's power in the past, and like before, it only made him more enamored with the man.
Despite that raw power, Lucius watched with an aching heart as the beautiful green eyes dulled, their usual spark fizzling out.
He was going to fix that.
"Would you like to accompany me to dinner?" Lucius questioned softly. "I think we could both do with some distraction and the place I was planning on visiting offers privacy to those dining. We wouldn't be disturbed." With his heart fluttering in gratitude, Harry nodded.
"I'd love to." He said, his heart fluttering again at the handsome smile on Lucius' face.
Just as Lucius had promised, dinner was a small affair. There were no onlookers or paparazzi following them at every turn. Even the other people dining paid them little attention, invested in their own meals and conversations.
"I come here when I'm not in the mood to socialize with other Lords or Lady's," Lucius confessed and Harry smiled to himself at the words, thinking about how much he was growing to enjoy the quaint, but lovely restaurant.
"It gets draining." Harry agreed. "This feels more…personal," He admitted, recalling some of the other restaurants he had been forced to attend, where it felt like everyone was watching his every movement. "It's nice." He said, sending another thankful smile to the blonde wizard. "Thank you, Lucius. I needed this."
"It's my pleasure," Lucius mumbled, watching as the green eyes seemed to regain some of their vibrancy. "My estate is open to you as well, Harry. If you feel the need to escape and find solace, you are always welcome in my home." As the words were spoken, a subtle finger brushed against Harry's hand. He responded in kind; subtlety brushing back and absentmindedly curling against it.
"Thank you," Harry said with sincerity, a beautiful smile on his face that knocked all the breath out of Lucius' lungs. "Once I finish restoring the Potter estate, the same sentiment applies to you, Lucius. You are welcome to my home anytime too." There was a gentle, but powerful moment that passed between the two, something indestructible forming between them.
"You're restoring the Potter estate?" Lucius asked as the moment passed, making no effort to remove his hand from Harry's. The pair had unconsciously gravitated together, both of them seeking out the other's touch during the powerful moment they shared.
"I am," Harry grinned a bit, a touch of bitterness behind it. "I love living with my godfathers, but I want a place of my own. Growing up, I never really had that," Harry admitted, usually hesitant in sharing information from his past and the abuse he faced as a child. "My muggle relatives hated me because I was magical. They made sure I understood that their home was not mine and that I was unwanted and unwelcome in their home."
The glint in Lucius' eyes made Harry swallow hard, flushing to himself as the man spoke up in a dark voice.
"I see. I take it that is part of the reason you have been working on a proposal to have a wellness check for Muggleborns?" Flushing more, Harry nodded, unaware that their fingers had now laced together, their magic slowly passing between them.
"Obviously there are some Muggles who love and support their children. Hermione's parents were always asking for her to bring home books so they could better understand things for her. She…she knew she was lucky in that regard. Not all Muggleborns or Half-Bloods have the privilege to grow up in a loving home like that. I think if we take the ones who are abused or neglected and place them with a wizarding family, we can potentially strengthen the wizarding world. There are many families here that would love to have another child, regardless of their blood status. And of course, there is still the possibility of blood adoption, where they can completely change the genes of the children-" Harry stopped talking as he flushed more, realizing he was rambling. "Sorry. Got carried away." He chuckled, flush still staining his cheeks as Lucius smiled at him fondly, eyes softer than ever.
"Don't apologize. I love to hear your ideals," Harry found himself internally cursing his mother and father's pale complexion as his cheeks continued to burn, the words kickstarting his heart. "And as always, they hold merit. There was a similar proposal years ago that was never passed because of Lord Dumbledore," Harry grimaced at the words, already knowing why it had been blocked. It would have made him angrier, but the warmth from Lucius' hand calmed him.
"Of course he did," Harry snorted dryly. "He wouldn't have wanted me to be removed from my loving relatives because of the blood wards, so he would have taken every measure to stop that bill from passing. All in an effort to keep me safe from Voldemort," There was an odd beat, in which Lucius spoke in a slow voice, the displeasure evident.
"Blood wards only work to an extent, especially if the person being protected feels unwelcome in the home." Harry swallowed at the dark tone, unable to tear his gaze away from the anger that was growing in the silver eyes. "The moment you started to feel unwelcome in that house, the ward's power would have dropped drastically." Hearing the words firsthand made Harry huff to himself.
"That manipulative bastard," Harry mumbled. Lucius hummed in agreement, unintentionally squeezing the younger wizard's hand gently, eyes blazing.
"We will take him down. I already have a private investigation for Alastor Moody in progress. I'm sure they will find damaging evidence against Lord Dumbledore too," Harry's lips twitched into an infectious grin, a delighted gleam entering the green eyes.
"Merlin, you're the best, Lucius," Harry chuckled, oblivious to the dark flush that stained the man's cheeks and the devotion that was shining in his eyes. "Thank you for everything. I can't imagine doing this without you beside me. There isn't anyone else I would want beside me anyway," The older wizard swallowed hard, the words causing his heart to burn.
"I can't imagine being anywhere else either," Lucius mumbled, eyes landing on the beautiful smile, tracing the curvature slowly, unabashedly as he smiled back, getting lost in the eyes that always captivated him. Somehow, that smile only made them look more enticing. Everything about the man in front of him called to him; his kindness, his beauty, his intelligence. Even the smallest of smiles made Lucius absolutely melt, wanting to make the man smile every day for the rest of their lives-
Lucius nearly sucked in a breath at how far his devotion truly went, unable to ignore his burning heart.
There was no denying it.
He was utterly in love with Harry Potter.
AN: Yep. Lucius has realized he is in LOVE with Harry lol. Harry is not close behind, because these two are already gone for each other.
Also;
Originally I was going to have Ron be the one who was not technically 'dead' which would have made things even harder on Harry in keeping the secret from Bill and the twins, since they're so close. But after a lot of thinking, I thought about how stubborn Molly Weasley is, and how she would not rest until she was able to bury her youngest son. (So because of that, I decided to go with Luna being in a dying state instead, even though I really wanted to use Ron)