Draco moved into the room and sat at the table where Harry indicated. Harry bit his lip as he sat and grabbed the wine bottle, pouring for Draco and then himself. "So. What was our first date like?"

Draco pondered. He stared at the light reflecting in the ruby colours of the wine. "We never really had what you'd call a first date."

"Oh. Then how did we-"

"We sort of…fell into bed that first time." Then he reddened.

Harry stopped in mid-pour. He looked up at Draco. "Oh. I guess that takes care of all those awkward silences." He tried to laugh lightly but it came out strained.

"I suppose I should explain-"

"You don't have to."

"I want to."

"Not if it will-"

"Potter, do shut up. Do you want to hear this or not?"

There was that flair of anger again in those grey eyes. It was a bit exciting, really. He finished pouring his wine and replaced the bottle upright on the table. "Go ahead, then."

"All right. Well…" Draco's eyes roved the room, looking for clues as to how to continue. "How much did Hermione tell you? About me?"

"She didn't. She said you should. But I understood that to mean that your past was less than stellar."

"An understatement." He took a gulp of wine. "She told you about Voldemort."

"Yeah. What a lunatic. Glad I killed him."

"And she told you about his Death Eaters."

"A greater bunch of losers I never hope to meet."

"Uh huh. Well, lucky you. You've just met your first one."

Harry didn't move. "You didn't. Not really."

"I did." He extended his left arm and began rolling up the sleeve. Faintly, on the skin of the inside of his arm, Harry saw what looked like a skull with a snake emerging from its mouth. "That's the Dark Mark. He used it to summon his followers. My father was a Death Eater, his right hand man. I was raised to it. I wanted it. But when I found out what it really meant, I wanted out. But by then, of course, it was too late."

Harry felt a little ill. "Then why was I interested in you?"

Draco sighed and took another long drink. He rolled his sleeve back down. "God knows, Harry. You said you fell for me in second year. But I was always hateful to you and your friends. There was never any good in me. At least I never thought so. But you somehow saw it all along. It wasn't until the war was over that I could make up for what I'd done."

"Did…did you go to jail?"

"No. I should have done. But Dumbledore saw to it that I didn't. They took away my wand and I lived like a Muggle instead."

"For how long?"

"Two years."

"And what was I doing all that time?"

"Forgetting me, I hope. I am given to understand you were busy rebuilding Hogwarts-which I was responsible for destroying, by the way-and you were living your life. Meeting…meeting men."

Harry thought about that, which raised more questions than it answered. But he couldn't very well ask Draco about that. "What about you? Did you have many boyfriends?"

He chuckled, though it wasn't a pleasant one. He reached across the table for the wine and refilled his glass. Harry hadn't even tasted his. "That's the thing. I thought I was straight. Never knew, you see. Too busy running in fear of Voldemort and listening to my father to know what I was. So when I lost my job and my flat in the same day and ran into you, you took me in. You got me a job at Hogwarts. You showed me I had some worth. And slowly, though I didn't realize it was happening, I fell in love with you. And then I knew."

"And then we-"

"Yes. We certainly did." He drank down the glass.

Harry sat back. "You know as far as first dates go, this one is pretty lousy."

Draco laughed at that and set his glass aside. "I still don't know why you took up with me. I don't know why you loved me then and I don't know why you love me now. Or… did." He lowered his gaze to the table.

"There was obviously something about you worth saving. I can see that. And…you're damned attractive."

"So the truth comes out at last. It's because I'm a boy toy, eh?"

"There are worse fates."

"Yes there are."

They gazed at one another pensively. "We have dinner. Want to eat?"

Draco nodded. "Might as well."

Harry dished up the food from covered plates and they ate in silence for a bit. "You know," said Harry after a pause, "I think it's your cleverness I admire."

"Oh? How do you reckon that? You don't really know anything about me."

"Well you must be, mustn't you? A Slytherin, a Death Eater, you survived the war, you're working on this problem of mine. I don't think I'm nearly as clever. I like it in Hermione, too."

"Hermione and I seem to have a lot in common these days."

"Oh?"

"Well, I asked her to be my Matron of Honour at the wedding for one."

"You didn't!"

"Are you laughing at me, Potter? Because that is something I can't abide."

Draco's narrowed eyes were perfectly serious and Harry stifled the laugh threatening to bubble up his throat. "No. It's…really brilliant."

"Yeah, well. I'm also her girlfriend, apparently."

Harry was turning purple, he was sure of it. But he would not laugh.

"Oh go ahead," Draco growled.

Harry let it rip while Draco blushed. He calmed himself enough to say, "You're a good sport about it, Draco. I'll give you that."

"I really wish we were talking about something else, like romantic things."

"Like our honeymoon? We can talk about that, if you like. Where did we go?" Harry took up his glass and swallowed the wine.

"Provence. And it was very romantic."

"Did I like it?"

What Harry could only describe as a Slytherin smile stole across Draco's face. "Do you know the only thing you asked me about Provence before we left?"

"No. What?"

"Whether they had big beds there."

It was Harry's turn to blush. He pushed the food around on his plate with his fork. "Hermione told me-" What could he say? That they shag a lot? That they seem to be very randy with one another? "You know that I don't remember ever…that is, that I can't recall actually…having sex. With anyone."

Draco suddenly looked very attentive. "I realize that."

"I'm not talking about anything tonight, you understand. Just that it will seem like the first time to me when we do. And I'm frankly a little nervous."

"Don't be. I know you well enough."

"I know. I feel comfortable with you. That's good."

"You have my magic in you."

"Your what?"

"My magic. When we married, there were these joining spells and they doubled our magic. So my magic is sitting in a place behind your heart. Don't you feel it?"

"Is that what that is?" he said breathlessly. "I wondered about that." He touched his chest and smiled at Draco. "Now I know I can trust you utterly."

"Of course," he said, voice shaky. "I'm your husband, Harry."

"Yes, you are."

"And…I love you."

Again, their gazes locked.

"Look, Draco. There's no need for that other bed. Even if we aren't…intimate…we can still share a bed. We are, after all…um…spouses."

"Would you really feel comfortable doing that?"

Harry nodded, more certain this time. "Yes. I trust you."

"Maybe you shouldn't," he said under his breath.

"Maybe you shouldn't," said Harry, a small smile playing on his lips.

* * *

They talked a long time into the night. Finally Harry couldn't keep his eyes open and Draco took his hand and led him across the room to sit him on the bed. He knelt and took off Harry's shoes and socks and lovingly set them aside. He undid his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Er…I can do that."

Draco looked disappointed, but he stepped back and headed for the other bed. But Harry retrieved his wand and aimed it at the second bed. "Finite!" The bed disappeared with a whoosh of air. He smiled at Draco. "I learned that one today."

"Harry…"

"It's all right. I told you." He peeled off his shirt and when he stood to remove his trousers he felt his face warm again. He kept his shorts on and slid quickly under the covers. "Which side?"

"I take the other," said Draco. He walked to the far side and sat on the bed, removing his shoes and socks, shirt, and trousers. Clad only in shorts, he, too, delved under the covers and lay on his back staring at the ceiling. Harry doused the lights and they both breathed.

A pause. "Draco, what really made you love me?"

"You are such a woman, Potter, you know that?"

"Okay, so what? I still want to know."

He sighed heavily. "It's all those sodding Gryffindor traits. You're honest, loyal to a fault, brave…and very kind."

"Things…you wish you were?"

"Don't be an idiot."

"And what made me love you?"

"Damned if I know."

"Can I make a stab?" Draco only snorted in reply. "I think it's because you try so hard; so hard to be big and bad; so hard to be brave and strong when you're not. Your feelings get hurt so easily because they're so close to the surface and you have to be right all the time. All that is very endearing."

"You must be mad."

Harry smiled. "Must be."

There was a long silence and then Draco spoke hesitantly. "I tend to get…very jealous. I guess I'm a bit possessive."

"A bit? I noticed. 'There'll be no more talk of the girl'," he said in his best imitation of a Draco drawl.

He could almost hear the frown across the bed. "I don't like the idea of you kissing other people."

"It was a girl!"

"You're the one who thought you were bisexual."

"I thought I might be. But I'm not, okay? I'm very homosexual, if you must know."

"I do know."

"Then don't be ridiculous."

"I have every right to be ridiculous if I want to."

Laughing, Harry said, "Right. Go ahead, then."

Draco was laughing now, too. "I will."

"You know what else you are? You're sweet."

"I'm n-" Draco sighed. "Well, thanks."

Harry rolled over to face him. He could barely see his profile, limned by moonlight. "And I really like you. Seems I don't need to remember much history to know that."

Draco slowly turned his face to look at Harry. All Harry could see was the glitter of his eyes. "I like you, too. And I'm so very much in love with you. I wish I could kiss you again."

Harry's breath caught.

"But I won't insist. Too much of that damned Gryffindor nonsense rubbing off on me."

Harry considered for a moment. Even from the distance Draco tried to keep from Harry, he could certainly feel the warmth from the Slytherin. And suddenly, he didn't seem too keen on being alone on his side of the bed. "Must be some of that Slytherin rubbing off on me. Because I find that I'd like to kiss you, too. I mean, if that kiss from earlier was any indication of your normal skills, I think I'd like to sample more. Strictly research, you understand."

"Of course." Draco slid closer.

Harry was finding it hard to catch his breath. And he also wished they hadn't extinguished the lights so hastily. He wanted to see Draco. Draco in heat was probably something to behold. Hands were reaching for him, sliding under him and he was brought up against warm skin. And an erection. They looked at each other across the pillow for a moment before Draco leaned further and kissed him. His lips were warm and his tongue even warmer. With mouths locked together, Draco's tongue made a leisurely perusal of Harry's hot mouth with Harry desperately trying to catch up. His hands found Draco's hair and he couldn't believe its silky softness. He ran his fingers through it and angled his body so that as much of his skin was in contact with the warm flesh of his husband. He was beginning to regret his earlier shyness and wished they had discarded their shorts.

The kiss went on and changed to one of more desperation; noses bumping, nostrils flaring, teeth nibbling. Draco broke away from Harry's lips and mouthed his neck and Harry threw back his head giving him more flesh to find. Draco did. His mouth meandered down Harry's chest, kissed and licked, and then fastened on a nipple.

"Oh! Draco!"

Draco stopped and looked up. "I'm sorry. I was getting carried away."

"Well…don't stop now. I mean…carry yourself away, by all means!"

He looked at Harry in the dark. "Are you sure? We don't have to."

"I want to. I really do." That sounded a little desperate. But after all, wasn't he? "You'll go easy on me, won't you?"

"It's funny your being the virgin this time. You were so gentle with me my first time."

The blood was draining from his head and steadily heading south. "Was I?"

"Yes. Now I can return the favor."

Draco continued from where he stopped, flicking his tongue at the reddened nipple and moving to the other. Harry arched his back into his lover's lips and made a small whimpering noise. Draco chuckled against his chest.

Each centimeter that Draco moved down his body, Harry's flesh firmed up and he wondered, he hoped he knew what Draco planned.

Fingers hooked over the waistband of his shorts and slid them down. Lips sought tender flesh. Hands coursed over thighs, dropping down between them. He felt hot breath there and his whole body tensed. When Draco's mouth opened over his cock, Harry moaned, hips rising. Exquisite torment! Now he knew what that meant.

Draco's mouth was warm and moist on him and he felt him sucking, tongue licking deliciously over the head. How could he have forgotten the feel of this? How could he have forgotten Draco's talented mouth and nimble tongue?

Oh! And he was getting close. So close. He felt Draco spread his thighs and run his hands roughly up the inner flesh and oh! That was too good. The hands moved further and scooped up behind him, grabbing his arse cheeks and splitting them wide. And a finger twitched just so at his entrance. Harry bucked. He couldn't help it. It shoved his cock further down Draco's throat but his lover didn't seem to mind. He hummed while he sucked and the sensations went straight to his balls. The finger at his arse pushed a little, toyed, and Harry suddenly had no choice but to rear up and expel his orgasm. Waves of pleasure enveloped him, and he jerked his hips with each faltering thrust. He pried opened his eyes in time to watch Draco swallow, drag his tongue over the slowly shrinking organ, and lick his lips. He smiled up at Harry and Harry nearly fainted.

He lay back on the pillow and gazed up at Draco now looming above him. "Oh my God," he gasped. "That was bloody amazing."

"Oh Harry. I love sucking your cock."

The words alone were enough to make it twitch again. He looked down but he couldn't see Draco's erection. But he had a pretty good idea as to where it was aiming right now. "What…what about you?"

"I don't want to rush you." His voice was husky and seductive.

"But I'm probably used to this, right?"

"Physically, yes. Psychologically, I don't know."

He squirmed. "Well, I think it is safe to say that psychologically, I'd like to give it a go."

"You sure?" At first, it seemed as if he was trying to give Harry an out, but when he edged closer and pressed the hard tip to Harry's cleft, it gave little room for doubt that he was hedging his bets.

Harry sighed. "I'm sure. Do it, Draco. P-please. I want you to."

Draco smiled again and leaned over Harry. He whispered a charm and Harry felt the coolness of lubrication coating him inside and out. That was a strange sensation as well as a pretty neat charm. Draco locked eyes with Harry and pressed harder. Harry felt it stretch him and he tried to relax and keep a neutral look on his face but the urge to wince and cry out to stop was strong. Stretched more than he imagined, Draco's cock pushed further, but once it breached the tight muscle, it didn't hurt anymore. Harry relaxed into it and marveled at the strange fullness. Draco seated himself fully and then paused before he drew out, changed angles, and plunged in again. Harry cried out. There was something deep inside of him that truly liked what Draco was doing. No doubt about it. Something he kept hitting that sent hot shots of pleasure trembling through him. Grey eyes still on him, that smile returned and each time he hit that spot inside Harry, the smile would get that much broader.

Harry was hard again, and he reached for his erection, squeezing and pulling on himself. Between that and Draco's thrusting and the changed look on the Slytherin's face that meant he was close to coming too, Harry let loose again. Draco soon followed and hot liquid shot upward into him. It was beyond words. He just stared at Draco's face, mouth hanging open from gasping and pure astonishment.

Draco stayed in him as long as he could, but his arms began to tremble on either side of him and he finally had to draw out and roll to the side. Cum streamed down Harry's thighs and the twitching muscle in his arse finally relaxed. He breathed or tried to and used the rest of his energy to turn his head to look at his…lover? Husband? Miracle man?

"Like that, did you?" was all the blond said.

Harry nodded. "You could say that."

Draco's eyes finally left their lock on Harry's and they perused the rest of him. "So, this is what we usually do."

"And we're still alive?"

Draco laughed. Harry decided he like Draco's laughter very much. He leaned over and planted a kiss on his mouth. Draco blinked at him. "You know," said Harry, "it just may be that I fall in love with you all over again. Would that be all right?"

Draco couldn't seem to speak for a moment, and when his voice returned it was hoarse and low. "That would be brilliant."

"So that makes me pretty lucky. Falling in love with the same man twice."

"If it's one thing Harry Potter has in abundance, it's luck."

"Then lucky for you, too."

* * *

Harry awoke refreshed if not a little sore, and he stretched and peered over at the man beside him. Draco was sitting up, cheek on his hand, looking at Harry.

"Do you make a habit of that?"

Draco smirked. "As a matter of fact, I do. Every morning."

Harry reached over to grab his glasses and slipped them on. "Won't you be late for classes?"

The dreamy look that had come over Draco vanished, replaced by panic. "Oh shit!" He leapt out of bed and Harry caught a glimpse of a long length of pink and porcelain skin before he disappeared into the bathroom.

Harry laughed and settled down into the sheets. He may have lost his memory but he was certainly making a lot of fine new ones. It could have been worse. He could have tried to make a go of it with Serenity Hudson! He shuddered at the thought.

His laughter died. He supposed it was really no joke. What happened to him had disrupted the lives of three pretty important people, not counting himself. And there was something blatantly sinister about it. Though that, too, could have been worse. It could have wiped out his entire personality. He was glad it left that much at least. That left something for Draco to love.

Draco. He couldn't keep his mind off of him. And he hadn't just been making pillow talk last night. He really did think he was falling in love with him. But so soon? Though wouldn't such an emotion be easier since he was already in love with him? He wished he could remember their honeymoon, though he imagined it was something like last night, only more so.

The mere thought of it made him sore. But it also made him smile.

After a very long interval, Draco finally emerged, hair glossy, skin smelling of cologne, and on the whole, looking positively gorgeous. Harry closed his mouth.

Draco rummaged in his wardrobe, picking out clothes. "Look Harry. It's going to be a busy day for me, but I will get back to help as soon as I can."

"I'm all right. I know Hermione will be around."

"Good."

Harry watched unabashedly as Draco dressed, sorry to see his body covered centimeter by centimeter. He sighed.

Draco gave him a sidelong look and smirked. "I guess once you've had Malfoy you just don't get over it."

Harry lay back and smiled. "I guess you're right."

Draco turned to face him. He was dressed impeccably: black silk shirt, tight black leather trousers, black boots, and covered overall in a black robe. "Well I'll tell you a secret." He bent over him, his mouth hovering hotly over Harry's. "Potter is pretty hard to get over, too." He leaned further and kissed him, a long, sensual tongue duel and then drew back. "I'll see you later, Harry love."

Harry love. That was nice. "Hey!" Draco got to the door, his hand just touching the handle. "Er…what do I call you?"

He smirked. "'Oh God', usually." He departed in a swirl of black robes and left Harry chuckling under the bedclothes.

* * *

Later when Harry was bathed and dressed, he sought out Hermione in the library.

"Harry!" She looked up with a bright smile and then she paused, angling her head. "Something different about you today."

Harry blushed. Did it show? "Nothing different," he said, turning away toward the bookshelf.

"You didn't come to dinner last night. Neither did-" She smiled even broader. "Oh. Hooked up, have you?"

"Hermione!" He darted his glance past the shelves but saw no students lurking there. He turned back to her with a sheepish expression. "Actually, yes." She pressed her hand to his warmly. "I guess you were right. We are fated for one another. He's…fairly irresistible."

"You two are so good together," she said, clutching a book to her chest and wearing a ridiculous smile.

"Yeah, I heard that he's your best girlfriend."

"Is he still going on about that? Honestly. We just like to shop together."

"Sounds like a girlfriend to me," he muttered.

"Speaking of girlfriend, we've got to have a chat with yours."

"Mine? Oh…Serenity Hudson. Yeah. How do we find her?"

"She's Ravenclaw, right? We'll go to Flitwick. He's head of house for Ravenclaw. He'll know."

"I won't have to be alone with her, will I?" he asked, walking down the corridor with Hermione toward Charms.

"Of course not! That would be a terrible idea if she's under the influence of a love potion."

"Good. I don't fancy what Draco would say if he found out."

"Jealous, is he?"

"Quite. He should certainly know by now that I have no interest in girls."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. We had a nice…dinner…last night."

That ridiculous smile again. Girls. Honestly.

They reached Charms just as it was letting out. They waited until all the students left to enter the classroom. Flitwick sat on a tall chair looking over a mound of parchments on his desk. He looked up and smiled on seeing Harry. "Harry! And Miss Granger-oops. My apologies. I mean Mrs. Weasley."

"Hello, Professor," she said. "We need to find a student. Serenity Hudson."

"Oh? Well I won't ask as I'm sure it is important lest you wouldn't enquire." He reached for a large book at the head of his desk and dragged it forward. Opening the cover, he scanned down the list of names. "Let me see. Miss Hudson, would be in…Potions." He raised his head with a smile.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other. Uh oh.

They left the room at a run, barely casting a "thank you" over their shoulder.

They ran down several flights of stairs-got waylaid when the staircase decided to change-and then caught the next stair down, skidded around the corner, and burst through the dungeon door.

Too late. Draco was already bearing down on Hudson, his cold voice tearing apart her potion.

"Professor Malfoy!" said Harry in a more strident voice than he wanted. Draco looked up, surprised to see him. "We need to speak to Miss Hudson. Now."

Draco straightened. A sneer crept across his mouth. "I'm not done with her."

"Yes you are."

Eyes wide, Draco took a step back. "What did you say?"

"We urgently need to speak with her…if you wouldn't mind."

Harry saw Hermione clutch her wand but keep it out of sight. Clearly she was used to dealing with the more dangerous aspects of Draco Malfoy. Harry tried to swallow but his throat had suddenly gone dry.

Draco lifted his chin and glared down his nose at Harry. He did this a long time before he flicked a glance at Hudson, who was trying not to cry, though her face was red and blotchy. Finally, he jerked his thumb behind him. "My office. I'll go with you. Treeloft, you're in charge till I get back."

Malcolm Treeloft stared at the tableau of teachers and the famous Hermione Granger and at Serenity Hudson almost reduced to tears and nodded tentatively. "Y-yes, sir."

Hudson slowly rose as if she was on her way to the gallows. Hermione stepped between her and Draco and allowed her to lead them to the office in the back of the class. Harry followed with Draco taking up the rear. When they were all inside, Draco closed the door and aimed his wand at it. "Colloportus!" He rounded on Harry. "I suppose you think you are justified by coming into my classroom and ordering me about!"

"We didn't want you to hurt her."

"She's a student! I would never have hurt her."

"Or take unnecessary points, or give her a detention, or humiliate her in class-"

"Potter, you are interfering where you do not belong. I'm warning you-"

"And I'm warning you-"

"Both of you!" They glanced at Hermione. She was looking wild-eyed at the rest of the room. While Harry and Draco argued, objects had risen from tables and hovered while books slipped off of shelves. The room was trembling. A cast iron cauldron rocked slowly across the floor.

Draco stepped back. "Trebled magic," he whispered. "Harry, we can't argue anymore. We'll hurt someone…or kill ourselves."

"Trebled magic?" Now Harry looked around the room. A low rumble still reverberated through the stone walls, as if a train were roaring through a tunnel.

"Not only do you have mine but also a bit of Voldemort's."

"Yuck." But this sentiment didn't stop the room. He looked desperately at Draco.

"We've got to concentrate," he said.

Harry nodded and tried his best to concentrate through his fear as did Draco-and the room gradually began to quiet. Hermione had her arms wrapped around a trembling Hudson, but her free arm held her wand at the ready. Once the danger passed, Harry turned to Draco. "I…I didn't know."

"Didn't think you'd want to know." Draco looked at him a bit contritely. "I'm sorry I yelled."

Harry tried hard not to look at Hudson. "I know why you're upset but this doesn't help. We need to talk to her. Wouldn't that be more constructive than tearing down her self-esteem?"

Draco chewed on his lip. He raised his eyes slowly to the girl. She cringed when he lifted his face. "Sorry, Hudson. But you are a student and Harry is a teacher. And he's also mine." Draco didn't look proud of saying that but he looked satisfied that he had said it.

Hermione released Hudson's fingers from her robes and sat her down. "Miss Hudson, you may have guessed that we were made aware of your…interest…in Professor Potter." Harry stood back behind a chair, using it like a shield when the young Ravenclaw turned toward him.

"It has nothing to do with the lot of you. It's what's between Harry and me."

Draco lunged, but Harry gave him a warning look and he stopped. After an angry moment, he whirled away and made himself stand against a bookcase.

"Miss Hudson," Hermione went on. Harry was relieved she was conducting this interview. "How long have you had these feelings for Professor Potter?"

She looked at Harry and then at Hermione. "Are you trying to take him away from me?"

"No one is," she said kindly. "We'd just like to know."

She rolled her shoulders and tossed her long, shiny hair over the left one. "Since Saturday."

Hermione crouched lower, resting her hands on either side of the armrests on Hudson's chair. "Was there anything special about Saturday? Anything or anyone you saw? Something you might have drunk or touched?"

"No… Unless you mean those cursed Muggle things Har-Professor Potter was looking at."

Everyone froze. Hermione looked back at Harry. He stepped closer. "Serenity," he said breathlessly. "What 'cursed Muggle things'?"

"I don't know. You had a box of them. I touched the mug and you yelled at me and took points."

Hermione recovered and asked, "Where is this box now?"

"I don't know."

Draco moved in. "A box of cursed things. What was Harry doing with them? And where did they come from?"

"It sounds like something from the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office," said Hermione thoughtfully. She looked up suddenly. "Ron!"

As one, the three of them ran from the office. Draco grabbed the doorframe and leaned back in. "Hudson, you've got detention. See Mr. Filch at six tonight." Then he left.

They ran up and up the stairs to Harry's Defense classroom. When they screamed through the doorway, none of them had breath enough to speak. The entire class turned around to stare, and Ron jumped to his feet.

Hermione recovered first. "Ron," she gasped. "Did your father-" She swallowed more air and tried again, saying it all at once. "Did your father bring a box of Muggle artifacts to Harry?"

Ron's wide-eyes stared blankly for a moment until light dawned and they suddenly widened further. "Blimey! My dad!" He ran up the stairs to Harry's study when he pulled up short suddenly and quickly turned to the classroom. "Baskem, you're in charge till we get back."

Reggie Baskem looked behind him as if there were some mistake. "Who? Me?"

Harry, Hermione, and Draco ran through the class. Draco paused at Baskem and grabbed his arm. "Don't try to teach anything, Baskem." He pulled away but turned back. "Don't do any spells, either." He spun again but stopped and pointed at Baskem's round face. "In fact, just don't do anything. That goes for the lot of you," he said to the class, pursued the others up into Harry's study, and closed the door.

Ron was throwing floo powder into the flames of the fireplace and stuck his head in. "Ministry of Magic, Misuse of Muggle Artifacts!"

They couldn't see his head immersed in the green flames but they could hear the conversation. "Dad! Dad!"

"Mr. Weasley? Are you looking for Mr. Weasley?" came the disembodied voice from the other side.

"Yes! It's an emergency!"

"Right!"

Footsteps and then a very long pause. Harry fidgeted with his wand. He hadn't realized he still had it in his hand. Finally, footsteps approached. "Ron? What's the matter?"

"Dad! Thank Merlin! Did you by any chance bring by a box of Unfixables to Harry on Saturday?"

"Why yes, I did."

"Oh God! Dad, listen carefully. Do you have any idea what some of that stuff was?"

"Not a clue. Except that one of them might be a love charm of sorts. It didn't seem to work all the time. The others were just quite perplexing-Good Lord! That's not responsible for Harry-" Mr. Weasley made a choking sound. "I'll never forgive myself-"

"We've got to find that stuff. Can you floo over here to help?"

"Yes, yes of course!" Ron stepped back and suddenly the flames in the hearth whooshed and Arthur Weasley stepped out. He took in the sight of the four of them and strode toward Harry, engulfing him in his arms. "Oh Harry! I am so sorry. I'll never forgive myself!"

"It's all right, Mr. Weasley," he said voice muffled by the older man's knitted waistcoat-assuming that this was Mr. Weasley.

Ron peeled him away from Harry. "Dad, we need to find the box. Any ideas?"

"No. I just left it in Dumbledore's office with Harry."

"And Serenity Hudson probably saw it in Harry's office," said Hermione. At once, they started to look around the study.

"Now don't touch anything in the box," warned Arthur.

"What did these things look like?" asked Draco.

"Well, there was an iron, a mug, a snow globe, and a wireless."

"Ten to one the mug was the love charm," said Hermione, peering behind a large skull of some magical creature.

"Yes," said Arthur, who stopped poking at a vase with his wand to look up. His forehead wrinkled with worry. "He didn't touch that, too, did he?"

Harry shrugged. "I might have done. Don't remember."

They continued looking, opening drawers, pulling shelves apart, shifting cabinets. But after a time it was evident that it wasn't there.

"What about the classroom?" suggested Harry.

As one, they all headed toward the door. Harry reached it first and pulled it open but stopped dead in the doorway. The students were still sitting frozen at their desks, obviously afraid to move from Draco's last admonishment.

Harry took in all the wide eyes and frightened expressions from the second years and cleared his throat. "Er…class dismissed."

Benches scraped as the students scrambled to leave, not stopping to fill their book bags but trying to juggle their books under their arms and dragging bags behind them. Once they were all gone, Draco threw his wand arm forward and the door shut with a loud bang.

They all headed toward a far corner cluttered with a large wardrobe, a trunk, lots of books piled one on top of the other, boxes, and the odd chair or two.

"Wouldn't hurt to clean out your classroom occasionally," muttered Draco.

"Top on my list," said Harry.

They aimed for the boxes and carefully moved each one.

Until one rattled.

Arthur held his hand up. "That's it," he whispered. Cautiously he moved forward, pushing some other boxes out of the way. Draco located it first and grabbed the box.

"Be careful!" said Arthur. "Don't touch anything inside!"

"I know that!"

He used his wand to prod the things. "I see them. There's an iron, a wireless, a mug, and-"

Harry saw Draco go pale. The Slytherin leaned in, his wand pointing into the box.

"Oh no," he gasped. "Oh no!"

"What is it?" asked Hermione, pushing forward. "What's the matter?"

"The s-snow globe."

"Yes?"

"It's…Malfoy Manor."


On to Chapter Seven
"The Evil That Lies Within"

Back to Chapter Five
"Clues"

Chapter Index
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