Under the Stars

The Birthday Party

Swimming lessons carried on with great success and by the end of the hottest week of the weather, which culminated in some tremendous night-time thunderstorms, Harry was able to swim a satisfactory distance to the jetty and beyond.

It was during this period that Narcissa also wrote to Arthur Weasley, asking him to come to the Manor on official business to look at Lucius's book collection as well as investigate the 'Safe Room' that was hidden off Lucius's old study. She still hadn't gone in there – she'd never liked the feel of the place. She added, as an afterthought, that the Minister for Magic might like to attend too as she believed some of the content might be highly sensitive.

The three of them stood at the open window watching Harry and Draco diving off the end of the jetty with much hilarity.

'Harry doesn't know you're both here and I'd like to keep it that way,' she had said when they arrived. 'When he's here, this is a safe haven for him. He and Draco have finally had the opportunity to become friends without anyone interfering...' she didn't need to spell it out for them to know she was referring to Lucius. 'The world is a brighter place with them at ease with one another and it gives me much joy to hear them laughing or see them being boys again after too many years of having to act on the expectations of adults.'

'He's certainly happier than I've seen him for years,' said Mr Weasley. 'I am very grateful, Mrs Malfoy. And your son is a wonderful reflection upon you, it's nice to see him relax in our company when he comes to The Burrow. His apology was quite unnecessary but most welcomed by Molly and myself.'

She covered it well, she didn't know that Draco had been visiting The Burrow, let alone that he'd apologised to the Weasleys. 'Please,' she said instead, 'call me Narcissa.'

'Arthur...'

They shook hands.

It was after they'd investigated the Safe Room and catalogued and cleared a large number of Dark Artefacts straight into remote deposit boxes for the Unspeakables to investigate that they stood at the window, drinking iced limeade. She welcomed feeling the warmth of the sun after the chill of the room.

'Too much Dark Magic,' she muttered. 'I never knew Lucius had half those things.'

'We're grateful, Mrs Malfoy,' said the Minister, 'that you came to us.'

'There is another matter, Minister Shacklebolt, that I wish to discuss.'

'Shall I leave?' asked Arthur.

'Actually, I rather hoped I would have your support in this, Arthur. You see, I want the Ministry to stop asking for Harry to be involved in this, that, or whatever. He doesn't tell me, I don't expect him too, it's not my business, but he clearly hates what's being asked of him. He would just never turn you down because he believes it's his duty in the same way that finding Horcruxes and defeating Tom Riddle was his "duty". He is a boy, no matter what our Wizarding World decrees – you only have to look out there to see that. He needs to recover some of his childhood that was first taken away by those awful Muggle relatives and then by our world. He turns up here every Tuesday lunchtime in a foul mood until Draco drags him outside and Harry can relax again because they both run around, laze in the long grass, swim, fly, climb trees, watch the animals, and just live. You are an intelligent man, Minister, I'm sure you can work out why it is Tuesdays that he has agreed to and not another day of the week but the build up and wind down still takes it toll. On top of that, there are the ridiculous press demands. I'm sure Arthur knows this better than I, but Harry is a very private young man. I think, Minister, it is time for you to step up and say, "thank you, Harry, for everything you've done, now go and enjoy life doing whatever it is that you want to do". If he wants to stay involved, then let him partake in something he's interested in but believe me when I say he doesn't want to be a Ministry man. If you don't believe me, ask him yourself because I'm sure no one has, and if they have, they haven't listened.'