The Malfoy Power Play

The next morning Harry dressed in his best robes and accompanied his aunt and uncle through the fireplace to Malfoy Manor. Abraxas, Druella, Lucius, Narcissa and Draco were waiting to greet them.

'Welcome to Malfoy Manor, my boy,' Abraxas said jovially. 'Happy Christmas.' Harry clicked his heels together and made a short bow.

'Happy Christmas, Grandfather,' he said. 'It is an honour finally to meet you. Thank you for inviting me to spend Christmas here in your beautiful home.'

Harry greeted Druella in much the same way, but also kissed her hand and claimied to have initially mistaken her for Narcissa's sister, rather than her mother. Druella cracked a half-smile in response. Uncle Lucius was standoffish, only nodding briefly to acknowledge Harry's greeting, whilst Aunt Narcissa was gracious enough, but kept giving Harry suspicious looks. Finally Abraxas introduced Draco.

'This, Aries, is your cousin,' he said to Harry. 'I know Draco has been looking forward very much to having a friend his own age to play with.'

The cold glare Draco gave Harry made him suspect that the other boy was not quite so eager as his grandfather believed. Abraxas, however, did not appear to notice anything amiss, and promptly packed both boys off to the playroom. Harry left his aunt and uncle reluctantly. He had not failed to notice that no one had spoken any words of greeting to them.

Draco took Harry up a flight of stairs to his playroom, a large room with windows overlooking the beautiful grounds and shelves lined with all manner of toys. Once they were inside, Draco shut the door.

'This is my playroom,' he announced in no uncertain terms. 'And these are my toys. This is my house, and those were my mother and father.' He sniffed. 'I do not intend to share them.'

Harry was confused for a moment, then he understood. James, having also been a spoilt only child, had warned him of this possibility. Draco was scared that Harry was moving into his territory. Harry thought it best to clear that up right away. He stood up very straight.

'Well, my playroom is bigger,' he retorted. 'It overlooks my garden at my house where I fly every day on my broomstick. I have lots of my own toys, and if there's anything else I want my uncle will buy it for me.'

'The Squib?' Draco scoffed.

Harry glared at his cousin. 'They're my Squibs, and I do not intend to share them, either.'

Draco stifled a small chuckle. 'Well, so long as we're clear on that, then.'

'Right,' Harry said, tongue firmly in cheek. 'I won't steal your parents if you promise not to steal my Squibs.'

Draco couldn't hold it in any longer. He laughed aloud and offered Harry his hand. Harry shook it and grinned.

'I'm glad that's settled,' Draco said brightly. 'Do you want to see my train?'

Shortly before dinnertime, Pollux, Irma and Cassiopeia arrived through the Floo, followed presently by Arcturus and Melania. They all fawned over Harry to various degrees, but Arcturus and Pollux were by far the worst. They hovered over him like vultures over carrion.

'What a handsome young lad,' Arcturus said, tousling Harry's hair. 'He reminds me very strongly of Orion at this age.' He gave Harry a fond look. 'Orion was your grandfather, and as fine a wizard as any. If you take after him, you'll do well.'

Pollux crouched down next to the boy and grabbed him by the shoulders. 'You know, my boy, you don't look like the sort to waste all day sipping tea in the library.' He smiled hungrily. 'I can see the fire in your eyes. You've inherited your grandmother's spiritedness.' He chuckled in admiration. 'Walburga was a fine witch. It' s only natural you'd take after her. Your father's the same way.'

Arcturus murmured darkly about excess of spirit leading one straight to Azkaban. Abraxas shoved his way into the conversation.

'I have to say, I think Aries takes after Regina more than anyone else,' he said loudly to no one in particular. 'And how could it be otherwise, when he spent the first six years of his life with her?'

Harry caught Draco's eye through the midst of the swarming relatives. His cousin was scowling at him resentfully. Harry made a face and shrugged apologetically. Draco smirked back, relaxing just a bit.

'Come over here with me, Aries,' Arcturus commanded, pulling his great-grandson away from the others. 'You're looking a bit pale. All these people must be overwhelming you. It's a sign of good breeding not to be able to abide the masses.'

He led Harry into the parlour, Pollux and Abraxas following close behind.

Melania watched the unfolding madness with a sigh.

'I do hope they don't tear the boy to pieces,' she observed to Irma.

Irma nodded. 'I wonder who will come out on top.'

'That should be obvious, Irma.' Cassiopeia smiled wickedly over Melania's shoulder. 'Whoever's the most ruthless.'

That evening Marius and Clytemnestra lay awake in bed long after everyone else had gone to sleep.

'Things seem to be going as well as could be expected,' Marius said cheerfully. 'Aries has them eating out of his hand.'

Clytemnestra sniffed. 'I wish someone would actually speak to us occasionally. I haven't had more than two words from Abraxas since we arrived.'

Marius shrugged. 'Considering that until recently he pretended you didn't exist, I should think this was a major improvement.'

'I know,' Clytemnestra said in a small voice. 'It's only that I've dreamt for years of my homecoming to Malfoy Manor, and I'd rather hoped things would be different.'

Marius placed his hand gently over his wife. 'Give them time, my dear. Perhaps, eventually...'

'There is no time, Marius,' she snapped. 'We're not young anymore, and even now, the only reason they tolerate our presence is because of Aries. The moment one of those three manages to take the boy under his wing, you know we'll be out in the cold.'

Marius smiled. 'As for that, my dear, I don't think you need to worry. Everything is going just as I planned. I intend to present my compromise tomorrow after dinner.'

His wife frowned. 'Don't you think Aries needs someone stronger than us to watch out for his interests?' She paused. 'James is so adamant that Sirius is innocent, do you think perhaps we could get him out of prison, somehow?'

'How exactly would you do that?' Marius snorted. 'We have no evidence, and right now the only people who believe in Sirius's innocence and care enough to do anything about it are a portrait of his dead best friend, a couple of Squibs and the boy who's posing as his son.'

Clytemnestra winced. 'I suppose I see your point.'

'Aries actually asked whether perhaps one of his influential grandfathers might be able to do something,' Marius said with a smile. 'He doesn't like the idea that someone is languishing in Azkaban unjustly.' He sighed and shook his head. 'But we don't even know for sure that Sirius is innocent, and I would rather keep ourselves as far away from any sort of investigation as possible. You know very well what might happen if anyone discovers who Aries is.'

'We go to Azkaban,' his wife whispered.

Marius nodded grimly. 'And Aries goes back to that awful cupboard.'

.....

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