While Harry was talking, Draco leaned back and adopted a pose where he was clearly deep in thought. A few moments after Harry finished, he said, "You're right. It is an opportunity." He looked Harry in the eye and slightly smirked. "Yet, again, I find myself having to thank you. It's getting to be a habit."
Harry chuckled back and said, "As I've told you previously, the Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin. I am capable of employing strategy, cunning and guile."
While the two boys had been talking, Sirius who had been silently listening from the doorway - quietly slipped away. He was gently smiling to himself as he left.
When Sirius walked into the parlour a few moments later, where Narcissa was sitting, she looked up and asked, "And just what has you grinning like a loon, Sirius?"
With mock-horror he replied, "I'll have you know my expression was one of dignified pleasure."
With a soft snort she asked, "Whatever it was, what brought it on?"
Taking a seat of his own, he replied, "Harry has just convinced young Draco that the dissolution of the marriage contract between he and Heir Parkinson is actually a good thing."
"Oh?" she asked, quite interested. "And, pray tell, how did he manage that?"
"By demonstrating to him how, with the contract out of the way, Draco now has the opportunity to form an alliance with a House of the Grey through another contract," he smugly replied. "And, this way, Draco gets to choose who that will be."
Smiling back, she said, "Interesting. Even more so, for the truth of it." Looking speculatively back at her cousin, she said, "You and I should have thought of that."
"True," he acceded with a small nod. "However, this way was better. Draco got to hear it from a peer."
"Then let us hope we'll now see improvement in my son's mood," she said.
an
A few moments later she asked, "Am I allowed to know what happened to cause young cousin Harry to pay a visit?"
"He's not allowed to just turn up out of the blue to visit his godfather?" he asked with a smirk.
"Of course he is," she scoffed. "However, you and he immediately sequestered yourselves in the kitchen. That implies more than just a social visit."
"It was," he acknowledged. "Harry is still coming to terms with the depth of the Potter family history and finances. He seeks me out, from time to time, to ask for advice. I'm just thankful he does. I'd hate to think of the hash he could make of things if he didn't."
"You're also thankful he wants to spend time with his godfather," she offered. He only gave a small nod back in agreement.
"Would you... consider allowing Draco the same pleasure and letting his godfather visit?" she carefully asked.
This was an uncomfortable subject for the both of them. Sirius thought about it for a few long moments before he said, "I'll allow it based on certain conditions."
Inwardly pleased, she waited for him to elaborate trying not to show emotion one way or the other.
Listing them off, he said, "At all times he is here, he must remain civil to everyone else who is here at the time. That includes myself, Remus and Harry, at an absolute minimum. No sneering, let alone snide remarks. "He cannot have anyone else accompany him. I will not allow my home to become known to any Death Eater, or Death Eater sympathiser. And all such visits must be both arranged in advance, and approved of by myself.
"If he is willing to meet those demands without question, he may visit."
"Thank you, Sirius," she gratefully said. "That's most agreeable of you. And, for what little its worth, I agree with your reasoning."
Sirius responded with only a slight nod.
To change the subject before Sirius changed his mind, Narcissa thought for a moment before returning to the previous matter. She opined, "Young Harry shows signs of being much alike Great Aunt Dorea. I can see her influence on him. He is much different than what Draco's letters home purported him to be."
"He is an enigma at times," admitted Sirius. "I can see signs of James, Lily, Charlus, Dorea... even myself... within him. He is both a Potter and a Black. I'm pleased he seems to have adopted the best of the personalities of both Houses."
Narcissa could only nod in response.
When Harry returned to Greengrass Farm, Hermione immediately asked, "How'd it go?"
"We managed to switch out the portkeys without either Narcissa or Draco learning of the tunnel," he replied, relieved. "Sirius and I locked ourselves in the kitchen. Then I carried on a one-sided discussion, telling him all about the so-called difficulties I was having with the Potter accounts. As planned, while I was gabbing away at an empty chair, Sirius bounded down the tunnel as Padfoot and switched them out.
"I'd almost run out of things to complain about before he returned. I was even thinking of whinging about how difficult my wives have been, of late, when he finally came back."
From across the room where she was working on something or other, Daphne wadded up a ball of parchment and threw it at him without a word.
"Desperate measures, love," he smiled back.
She just annoyance.
huffed
back
at
him
in
mild
"How's the ferret and his mother?" grinned Hermione. "I don't know about her as I didn't see her. He, however, is depressed," he replied. "It seems Olaf Parkinson has cancelled that faux betrothal contract between Draco and Pansy."
"Ouch!" winced Daphne. "That's a major, and very public, slap in the face."
With a shrug as if he didn't care, he said, "I managed to convince him, I think, that it gives him an opportunity. He can now use how he's currently unattached to find himself a bride from the Grey Houses. That should work in his favour to help pull House Malfoy from the Dark and closer to the Light."
"How'd he take that?" asked Daphne.
"Quite
well,
I
think,"
he
replied.
"He genuinely hadn't seemed to think of the positives the breaking of the contract allowed him. But, at least, I've managed to give him a few things to think about for now."
"He never loved her," said Daphne.
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