The Contract

Chapter 132

Harry and Rabastan were having lunch, it wouldn't be long before they were separated again. Unfortunately, Harry's Hogwarts education was important. They were intending on enjoying their time together while they could. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere was wonderful. A harp played quietly in the corner, the quiet din none disruptive. Unlike Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, now that had been awful, never again. Between the sobbing inconsolable teenagers, crying and screaming toddlers - although they couldn't be blamed - and loud and abrasive adults. It wasn't atmospheres he was used to anymore. Especially when he just wanted to have a conversation with his nearest and dearest. Harry should have known there was a reason it was never picked by his family.

"...I'm going to Draco's then Vincent's tonight, if you want to join me," Harry said as he ate a small portion of his salmon. Seafood meals weren't always to his liking, but sometimes he was in the mood for one. Today was such a day.

"Have you finally succeeded in getting them all to let you do the wards without payment?" Rabastan asked amused, Harry was half indignant half overawed by the entire thing. He knew most of them had already agreed, just doing enough to save face in his opinion. Then again, Harry's abilities were...priceless really.

"No," Harry grumbled, before brightening up and saying, "Instead I asked for copies of the rare books I knew they had." he'd had the help of his friends of course, and the copy might be worth only a third of the genuine article but still worth a lot. Not that Harry wanted it to sell, he loved reading, and they were favoured subjects. He'd have taken them if he didn't care about them either way. This had been his way of them all winning, they got to save face, while Harry got to protect those closest to him.

"Nicely done," Rabastan replied, a sly smirk gracing his features, "But I had no doubts about it." When Harry wanted something, he found a way to do it. He should know, he was the biggest example possible. Harry had figured out a way to get him and his brother out of Azkaban just to make his father happy. Such a simple reason, that long ago, he would have sneered derisively at. Luckily Azkaban had forced him to grow up in a way that life outside of Hogwarts hadn't.

"It took the Parkinson's the longest," Harry confessed, adding some salad to his salmon before eating it. "I think they figured out what I was doing before I got the second sentence out of my mouth." Having a whole new respect for the Parkinson's family.

"Definitely not," Rabastan shook his head, drinking from his glass of white wine, "Lord Greengrass knew what was going on before you spoke to him." he was by far the most intelligent of the lot, even when pitted against Lucius and Narcissa.

"Do you think so?" Harry queried, drinking his lemonade. A thoughtful look on his face, "I mean Daphne is very close to her father."

"Nothing to do with her informing him, he's just smart enough to know how we Slytherin's work." Rabastan nixed the idea that Daphne had informed her father. "You could have requested the originals or at least one of them in exchange for the work."

"I know," Harry said in agreement, no smugness, but he did have a deep sense of pride over his abilities and capabilities. He'd created the runes that had ultimately safeguarded his family, protected them when they would have passed otherwise. It was no wonder they wanted the runes added to their homes, who wouldn't? especially when newer magic was coming out that circumvented their wards. Just like it had circumvented the wards at the Lestrange's place of residence.

"Of course, you do," Rabastan said wryly, "And still you decided against getting your money's worth?" shaking his head in mock ruefulness. This here was the reason that Harry had ultimately not been put in Slytherin. Although, Rabastan would deduce that at least 40 or 45 percent of his personality was deeply ingrained Slytherin tendencies for sure.