𝐖𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐔𝐏 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋

Chapter 20

Harry was tempted to return to Draco but he knew he had to wait just a little longer in the apartment he and Ginny once shared. Harry knew someone else was going to pay him a visit sooner or later and shortly someone apparated in his home.

Rumors spread really quickly in the Wizarding World, Harry mused, and he looked up to face Ron, who looked furious.

"What did you do to my sister?" Ron almost shouted, "She is bawling her eyes out! Tell me it isn't true… tell me you really didn't…"

Harry was waiting Ron to be mad at him but suddenly Harry wondered why should he be? Really it…

"…isn't your business, Ron!" Harry exclaimed, standing up.

"Yes, it is! You hurt my sister for what? Malfoy? Draco Malfoy? I feel betrayed too, Harry! He was our enemy for so long!" Ron shouted. "He hurt us over and over again…he was a Death Eater, dammit! And suddenly, out of the blue, you leave my sister who had been by your side since forever for him? Really, Harry, this is my business too!"

Harry knew Ron was right and it hurt too much to realize that if he was in Ron's shoes Harry would have said the exact same things.

"Ron, try to understand, it happened! We…" suddenly the truth of his own words hit him, "…we've been dancing around it since we met…"

"What?" Ron exclaimed and Harry knew there was no way Ron could understand. Harry remained in silence and suddenly Ron started talking again: "You betrayed us all, Harry! I…I… don't know if I can call you family anymore…"

"I suppose you can't…" Harry said and he didn't need to turn around to know that Ron had disappeared from his life without another word.

As Draco watched life going from outside his kitchen's window he knew that one thing was absolutely certain. Draco was bored, like, really, really, bored. So as if to make his point clearer to the only other inhabitant of his muggle house (that is to say his owl), he sighed:

"I'm bored!" and the owl couldn't care less as it continued sleeping over the fridge. Draco sighed again and realized for the first time how much he missed Harry. He wanted to laugh because just some months ago he hadn't wanted to even hear Harry's name. Life was really full of surprises.

Talking of surprises… Draco blinked as he saw Mrs. Dunham for the first time in weeks exiting her house and in a matter of minutes he wasn't bored anymore. Draco was terrified. His pulse started to quicken. Draco didn't want to start to do house chores! Go away! Go away! Go away! But to Draco's surprise Mrs. Dunham wasn't walking towards his house.

"Where is she going?" Draco wondered aloud, awakening Harry the owl who cheeped in frustration. Then Draco had an idea. A wonderful idea. "Hey, Harry…" he said to the irritated owl, "Let's go spy Mrs. Dunham to see where she is going. What do you say?" Draco looked at the owl. Harry looked at him with its big eyes and… turned his back at him. Draco pouted. "I won't give you chocolate cookies anymore if you don't!" Draco said then and suddenly he felt Harry's weight on his head. Really, his owl's desire for chocolate cookies was quite an advantage. Did normal owls eat chocolate cookies? Harry must be one of a kind.

Anyway! Back to Mrs. Dunham. "Let's go!" Draco exclaimed and Harry peeped in agreement. Draco took his coat, put his shoes really quickly and with the owl following Draco started his spying session.

Draco hid behind a tree and looked at Mrs. Dunham. "Strange… she seems to go to the supa-dupa… no, it's isn't called like that…" Draco thought and as soon as he understood that Mrs. Dunham hadn't realized she was being followed Draco stopped hiding behind the tree.

Soon he realized that Mrs. Dunham wasn't going where Draco supposed she went as she didn't turn right where the super-market was. Now Draco was more intrigued but suddenly something happened that made him forget all his spying work.

Mrs. Dunham bumped into a large man who, without apologizing moved on. That wasn't, though, what made Draco forget what he was trying to do. The fact was that Mrs. Dunham bag fell from her arms and fell on the pavement, opening and showing everyone its inside. Draco stared open-mouthed as something that looked like a stick fell from her bag, but Draco wasn't a muggle to pass it as such.

Mrs. Dunham kneeled to take the stick from the floor and abruptly Draco pointed at her and shouted: "Witch!" making everyone who passed by look at him disapprovingly. Mrs. Dunham turned abruptly to him, shoving the wand into the bag.

"That isn't a nice thing to say to an old lady…" someone said.

"Oh, kids these days…" someone else added.

"Tsk…" another said.

Mrs. Dunham just cursed and looked back at Draco, who instantly closed his mouth. Harry the owl took the opportunity to sit on Draco's head. Everyone forgot what had happened only a moment before and stared amused at the owl on the young man's head.

"Isn't it a little early for them to be awake?" someone said and Harry chirped as if to say: 'finally! Someone understands!'. Mrs. Dunham took Draco from his arm as everyone was still occupied with the owl and whispered:

"Let's go to your house…"

Draco was still too surprised to say anything. In a moment they were back to his little house and Mrs. Dunham closed the door as soon as the owl was in.

"You are a witch!" suddenly Draco said again. Mrs. Dunham sighed. "You are a witch and you made me do ALL those chores without magic?"

"Is that all?" Mrs. Dunham asked.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Draco exclaimed.

"I was in incognito…" Mrs. Dunham said. "Every ex-Death Eater has someone to take care of him or her in their first steps in their muggle life. No one was supposed to realize the one who was taking care of them was in fact a wizard…" she said and took the wand from her bag. "I suppose you are special…" Mrs. Dunham smiled.

"You are not going to oblivate me, forget it!" Draco exclaimed. Mrs. Dunham laughed and put the wand again in the bag.

"You are really one of a kind, you know…" Mrs. Dunham said. "No other Death Eater had been so kind to me as you have…"

"I…" Draco was taken aback. Mrs. Dunham laughed again.

"So, I think I should tell you all the truth…" and as soon as the words left her mouth something started to happen. Draco watched mesmerized as Mrs. Dunham started to get bigger, taller… manlier. Her white hair colored black and her chin became more prominent.

"You are a man?" Draco screeched. Mrs. Dunham (or should he say Mr. Dunham? Draco didn't know anymore) smiled at him.

"I am a metamorphomagus, really…" he said and laughed again. "Call me Mark Dunham, that's my real name…"

"You must be kidding me…" Draco said and then he started to grin. "Wait till I tell Harry!"

As if on cue the door opened and a disheveled Harry entered Draco's house. Draco smiled and Harry was taken aback as he came face to face with a broad man.

"It's Mrs. Dunham!" Draco exclaimed. "Isn't this cool? She... he is a metamorfomagus!"

Life was really full of surprises.