Ghosts (part 2 of 2)

Puddle of Mud

Chapter 14- Ghosts (part 2 of 2)

Dean watched from the living room window as the black limosine pulled up to the driveway, and looked quickly in the direction of the kitchen. Petunia was standing by the stove, chatting with an elderly lady he knew as Abarella Figg, and oblivious to the new comers. Dudley must have heard the car, because he politely excused himself from the small group of business men he was talking to and moved to the door. Again watching the limo, he saw the driver open the passenger door, and stepped aside for a man with dark hair to step out.

Harry was dressed in a pair of jeans, sneakers on his feet, and a black ribbed, high collar sweater. He wore a long black leather jacket over it, and when Dean looked closer, he saw that there were dark brown leather gloves on his hands, one of which helped Kain out of the door. He was dressed very much like his Dad, in a pair of tight black jeans and a hunter green ribbed sweater, with a normal neck line. He wore a short leather jacket, with black leather punk gloves, spikes at the writst. Dean smiled at the Triple Goddess necklace he wore, and at the two pendants on the chain he wore. Earth and Fire, quite appropriate.

Harry pushed his hair back out of his face as Dudley opened the door and walked out. His green eyes widened in shock at the sight of his cousin, and he quickly put himself back in check. He hugged him tightly, and felt his throat tighten as Dudley’s lithe frame shuddered.

“It’s alright, I’m here.” he whispered soothingly, feeling Narcissa step out of the limo, “I’m right here.”

“I’m glad you came.” breathed Dudley, who had just met Draco’s gaze. “Who are they?”

Harry turned back to his family, and mentally winked at Draco as Dudley nearly tripped over himself. The Slytherin had chosen to wear a pair of black slacks and a fitted black turtleneck. His heavy grey woolen top coat and Slytherin scarf gave the definite impression of wealth, as did Narcissa’s long black skirt and grey silk blouse. She wore a black velvet cloak over her outfit, and both mother and son wore black leather gloves. Harry stepped up, hand at the small of Dudley’s back, and started introductions.

“Dudley, this is Narcissa Malfoy, a pureblood.” he said, and watched in amazement as his cousin kissed the back of her hand, and she smiled at him.

“Pleasure to meet you Ma’am.”

“Pleasure is all mine, Mr. Dursley. I am very sorry to hear about your father.”

“Thank you.”

“Harry, I really think that we should be going.”

“Of course. Kain, come say hello.”

Kain walked over, and his gaze met Dudley’s. The once fat boy looked at him, then at Harry, and then at the blonde man and Narcissa. He knew there was a connection, but couldn’t place his finger on what.

“Kain, this is my cousin, Dudley. Dudley, Kain.”

Kain glared at the hand Dudley offered, and slid into the limo without so much as a backwards glance at Harry. Draco’s eyes narrowed and he stood straight by the door.

“Kain.”

“After everything he did?! I will not shake hands with that.”

“Get out here and applogize.”

“Dad knows I’m not-“
”Now Kain.”

Harry put a hand on his Mate’s shoulder and gave him a look that Dudley knew meant ‘drop it.’ He’d seen that look when he’d made cracks about Harry’s parents.

“I believe that’s my cue to get him out of here.” Narcissa said with a small smile, “I’ll meet you at the Cauldron later, Draco.”

Draco nodded and gave his mother a small hug and a kiss on the cheek before Harry did the same. Dudley again said that it was a pleasure to meet her, and the limo left. There was only one person left to introduce…

“Draco Malfoy.” the Slytherin said cooly, extending his hand.

“Dudley Dursley.” was the somewhat shaky reply as he shook Draco’s hand, “But you knew that already, didn’t you?”
”You so much as harm a hair on my Mate’s head,” Draco whispered so Harry could just barely hear, “and you’ll be-“

“Draco!” Harry intervened, putting himself between the two.

Draco kissed him quickly and made his way into the house, where Dean ushered him into his own little corner. Harry smiled at the bottle of Butterbeer he saw Dean hand his lover, and at the chuckle Draco allowed. He knew this would be hard for his Mate, but so far so good. He turned his attention back to Dudley and found him looking between Draco and himself.

“He just kissed you!”
”Yes, he does that a lot.”

“Is-is that normal for, uhm, Wizards?”

“For gay Wizards, yes.”

“You’re gay?”

“And very much involved with that gorgeous blonde man that Dean is flirting with.”

“So then, when he said ‘Mate,’ he meant…”
”Dudley, Draco and I are, well, we’re sorta married. I don’t want to talk about this here, and most definitly not in front of all these Mugg- excuse me- people. Least of all Aunt Petunia. I promise, I’ll answer all your questions later.”

“Will Dean be there?”
”If you want him to be. And if Draco makes you uncomfortable, he’ll-“
”No. If he’s ‘with’ you, then he’s fine. I trust you, Harry, and I suppose if I’m going to learn about what I may be, I have to learn to trust others as well.”

“I’ll warn you now, Draco can be a very intense person. An even more intense Wizard. And a fearsome Animagus. I would think before you speak around him, and for that matter, around Kain.”

“Speaking of that little bugger, who is he? He looks very much like Draco, but he’s got you in him too. Is he-“

“What are you doing here?”

Dudley didn’t even give Harry a chance to properly look at his aunt, he stepped between them that fast. Petunia looked around her son with daggers for eyes and Harry put a hand on his cousins shoulder. He saw Draco look at them, or at his aunt as the case may be, and knew that it wasn’t going to be pretty if he stepped in. He told his lover to hold back, and let Dudley speak.

“I invited him, Mum. Dad was his un-“
”He is no relation of mine. I want you out of this house. I never want to see your ugly face here again, you bastard!”

“Mum, please.”

Petunia pushed Harry back out the door, and he tripped over the loose brick, falling down the three steps. Dudley felt something in the air change, and saw the gas flame on the stove surge up around his mothers pot. The fire in the hearth flared, and he saw Dean grab Draco by the arm. There was something very off with this scenario.

“You alright?” he asked Harry, helping him to his feet.

“I’m fine. I think Draco and I should leave.”

“No, she’s just all worked up. She’ll be fine.”
”It’s not that I don’t want to tough it out, it’s the fact that I’m worried for her safety. Draco is, well, he’s very protective of me.”

“Was that him that made the fire flare up like it did?”
”His element is Fire, and anything thusly related to it, will obey him. I’m surprised he hasn’t torched Aunt Petunia yet.”

Dudley cast a worried glance into the house, and Dean nodded at him. He took Harry’s arm and walked him to the end of the drive, where they waited for Dean and Draco. Pale hands found Harry’s face, and silver-blue eyes locked with emerald. Dean took Dudley’s hand as Draco pulled his Mate into a tight hug. He knew this was hard on both of them.

“Do you really want to leave?” Draco asked softly.

“No, but you don’t want to be here.”
”I’ll stay if you want me to.”

“I know, but I don’t want you to feel obli-“

“Dudley! Get in here, we have guests to entertain!”
”I’m not coming back up unless you agree to let Harry stay. It was his uncle that died, Mum.”
”Fine, but none of his funny business, or he and his friend can leave!”

Dudley smiled reassuringly at them, and motioned for them to head back to the house. Draco fell exactly two steps behind Harry, wanting to look as if there was nothing going on between them, and Dean smiled sadly. He knew how much the Slytherin wanted to just hold Harry, but in this place, it would be quite out of place.

“Let me take your coats.” Dean said, helping Draco out of his top coat and hanging it and the green and black scarf on the rack behind the door. “Harry?”
”Thank you Dean.”

Harry made his way into the living room pausing for the briefest second to look at the cupboard under the stairs. Draco put an arm around his shoulders and ushered him to the couch. He sat down, putting Harry at his feet on the floor, and Dean and Dudley took the two chairs across from them. The other people were starting to leave, and Draco saw Mrs. Figg out of the corner of his eye. He leaned down and kissed his lovers cheek and stood up, walking over to the old Witch. She moved into the kitchen with him and made sure Petunia was out of hearing distance.

“This is not the best place for Harry to be right now.” she said, making sure he saw her wand.

“And that’s why I’m here.” he replied, checking his watch meaningfully.

“You’re here of your own free will then?”
”Obviously you haven’t read the Daily Prophet recently. Harry and I are Mates.”

“I know that, just as I know that Dudley over there is half Elf.”

“Funny that it should take so long to make itself known.”

“It would not have, if someone didn’t unlock it 5 years ago.”

“What?”
”I’ll send an owl to your room at Hogwarts explaining what I know, but for right now, all you need to know is that Petunia will try her damnedest to make Harry feel like he’s responsible. Dudley had mentioned a few friends of his coming for dinner, but I don’t think he told her they’d all be Wizards, or that Harry would be among them.”

“How close will you be for damage control?”
”I’m not leaving. I told Petunia that I thought it best I stay while Harry’s here, just in case.”

“Good thinking. You know about Dean then?”
”I knew before he was even introduced to Dudley. I am part of the Order, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.”

He had just walked out of the kitchen as Petunia shut the door and turned to glare at Harry. Dudley was on his feet and moving to start introductions.

“Mum, you remember Harry.”

“Hmph!”

“Hello Aunt Petunia.” Harry said quietly, meeting her eyes for a split second before looking at the floor and then back at her. “I’m sorry to hear about Uncle Vernon.”
”No you’re not.”

“Mum, please. Harry is my guest.”

“He used to live here, Dudley, he’s not a guest.”

“Since he left of his own accord, he is a guest. Now if you could please be civil, I’d like to introduce you to Harry’s flat Mate.”

Draco had to smirk at that one. It was the perfect cover for them, yet the way Dudley said ‘mate’ implied more.

“Draco Malfoy, ma’am.” he offered her his hand.

“Malfoy? Hm, that sounds very familiar.”

As she shook his hand, Draco let a small warning tingle pass through her, and she looked at Harry with daggers for eyes.

“Did you have any connections with UDEA International?”

“My father owned it.”

She, as well as Harry and Dean, looked at him in shock. From what they knew, UDEA was a Muggle law firm, and Lucius Malfoy made no attempt to hide his dislike for Muggles. Why would he own a law firm? Draco felt his lovers confusion and linked to him

<Oh, they know, it was just a matter of pinning it on them through the Muggle legal system that was the problem.>

Harry smiled and looked around his aunt at Mrs. Figg. He walked up to her and hugged her. Much to Petunia’s horror, she hugged back.

“Hello Harry. My how you’ve grown up since last I saw you.”

“A good five years have passed since then, Abarella.”

“And they’ve been quite kind to you and your Mate.”

“As they have been to you, too.”

“Flattery will get you no where Mr. Potter.”

“Now I wouldn’t say that.” Draco laughed, moving to hug her. “Hello Abarella.”

“Draco, you are looking more and more like your mother every time I see you. How is she doing? Is she well?”

“She’s quite well, thank you. In fact, she’s in town for a few days.”

“Is she? Well, I’ll have to make it a point to get together with her then. We old ladies have so much to catch up on.”

“I’ll tell her to stop in, or would you prefer she call?”

“Oh no dear, just tell her to drop in. My door is always open, as is the floo. Petunia, why don’t we check on that pasta?”

As Petunia and Mrs. Figg retired to the kitchen, Harry immediately grabbed Draco’s hand and sat them down. Dudley and Dean sat back in their chairs, and the blonde boy let out a sigh of relief.

“That,” he said, “went better than I thought it would.”

“Yes.” agreed Harry, “I thought for sure she would make a huge scene out of it.”

“You don’t mess with Fire, or you’ll get burned.” Draco whispered, kissing Harry’s cheek.

“What did you do?”

“Just gave her a reason to think twice about what she says and does.”

“Well, thank you.”

“Any time.”

Mrs. Figg called them all into the dining room for supper, and Harry reluctantly sat opposite Draco. He was however, quite happy to be seated between Dudley and Mrs. Figg, as opposed to his aunt.

~!*!~

Morgana watched as the limo pulled up to the end of the drive, and Kain bolted out. She cringed as his power reached her, and sent a blast all her own back at him. He stopped in the middle of the drive and immediately went to Snitch. His green hooves were glowing darkly ((sounds wrong, but it works in my head)), and his ice-blue eyes looked around him for the threat. He ignored the light that was emitted from the door as it opened and Mrs. Figg, Harry and Draco stepped out. The elderly Witch stopped dead in her tracks when she saw him, and he circled around, still looking for the power he’d felt. Morgana smirked, her eyes flashing red as a coven of bats flew out of nowhere and at him.

“What in the world…?” Mrs. Figg exclaimed, stepping a bit closer.

“Snitch!” Harry shouted, seeing the young Stag thrash at the bats.

“What? Where?” Dean asked, looking around.

Harry let his pendant materialize around his neck, it’s green light glowing brightly as he ran towards his son. The bats attacked him too. Draco watched with narrow eyes as one of the bats tore his lovers cheek, and before Dean could even think about stopping him, walked forward. They all saw the smoking foot prints he left behind as he materialized both his pendants, the Dragon struggling against its magical bond.

“The Dragon’s Eye…” Mrs. Figg breathed, pulling her wand out as Dean did the same, “Did you know?”
”I work for the Ministry, of course I knew!”

Just before he stepped into the flurry of flying black things, Draco took Harry’s hand, and put a hand on Snitch’s antler. One by one the bats disappeared in little bursts of flames, the last one being swatted away by a vine of Devil’s Snare. Snitch looked up at the two and shrugged mentally. Draco’s eyes were glowing red, just as Harry’s were green, and the linked their fingers together before turning back to the small audience. Petunia had a look of pure hatred on her face, and she whirled around and stormed into the house.

“I knew it! I knew it! I knew that he wouldn’t be able to stop from using that damn magic! His mother was the same way. Could never keep her freakishness to herself. Had to show it off!”

Harry whirled around, hair flying away from his scar as his glowing green eyes glared at his Aunt. How dare she speak about his mother that way!

“Oh no you don’t! I will have none of that funny business near my house!”

Out of nowhere, Vernon Dursley’s ghost appeared, floating before Harry. As the dead bastard went to hit him, his fist went straight through, and Dean snickered to himself. Dudley smiled, and then full out laughed as they all watched Vernon get madder and madder, trying to hit Harry. Soon they were all laughing, and climbing into the limo. Snitch was last, and snorted at the ranting ghost before returning to his human form and climbing into the limo.

“You idiot, you’re dead! You can’t hurt them.” Morgana nearly screamed, walking out of the shadows and pushing the ghost.

“You said I could-“
”I said you could harm them, but I didn’t think you’d be so stupid as to think I meant physically! You’re a GHOST, you HAUNT people!”

~TBC~