House of Caliban

Chapter 24

Narcissa was attempting to make Draco and Haylan get along with a forced Black Cousin play date.

In other words, Narcissa shoved Draco into Haylan's office where he was already talking with Tonks, and locked the door behind her.

Haylan had just sighed.

Draco had been sure Haylan (Potter) would get pissed at either him or his mom for daring to do such a thing. But instead, Haylan just seemed to accept the antics of Narcissa and go back to his conversation with Tonks.

Draco stood awkwardly in front of the door, not sure what to do with himself.

Tonks rolled her eyes. "Come and sit down cousin, Haylan won't bite."

Haylan grinned, "Tonks might though. But yes do come sit down and help yourself to some tea. I doubt Narcissa will be unlocking that door anytime soon."

"Can't you just unlock the door yourself?" Draco asked confused.

"Well... yes I could. But I don't have a good reason to not indulge your mother's meddling, so I might as well let her." Haylan reasoned, taking a sip of his own English breakfast tea.

Draco cautiously sat down. He had a hard time handling that his old school nemesis was now the bloody Caliban Lord and Emperor. On one hand, he wanted to needle Potter to get him to react like he had back in school. On the other hand, Emperor Caliban had just returned Draco's magic to him and he wasn't eager to lose it again.

"Is that why you are letting Mother have so much control over your relationship with Blaise?" Draco couldn't help but ask.

"What do you mean?" Haylan asked with a frown. Tonks just sat back to enjoy the show, wondering if she could get one of the house elves to bring her popcorn.

"I mean... you're the emperor, right? So why do you let Mom and Uncle Siri interfere in your relationship with Blaise? You don't need to listen to them or stay away from Blaise, but you have been and I don't understand." Draco huffed frustrated.

Haylan smiled a soft smile that made his features look less harsh and more like the Potter that Draco remembers.

"A couple of reasons I suppose. First is that the vows that Blaise and I have decided to use if and when we decide to get married require us to not indulge in sex between us beforehand. If we had sex just because we couldn't control our hormones then we would have to find new vows that wouldn't be as powerful and could result in one of us getting hurt down the line. I want as much power and protection as I can get from our vows. Being with me is dangerous and I don't want anything to happen to Blaise more than I want to pin that man to a wall." Haylan stated simply, causing Draco to blush slightly. He did not want to hear about his best friend and godbrother having sex, ever.

"What else?" Draco asked cautiously.

"I was raised in the muggle world Draco. I knew nothing until I received my letter at eleven. Your Mother and Aunt have had to catch me up on Wizarding culture and traditions over the last couple of years. I am Emperor of the Wizarding World, not the muggle one, and I love being a wizard and magic. I want to respect the decades and centuries of wizarding traditions even if I personally did not grow up with them. One of these is the betrothal contract and all the stipulations that come with it. Some of this is out of respect for Mother Magic because some traditions feed the belief in her and in return, she continues to bless us with magic. Now as I have spoken with her personally she doesn't care one way or another if and when Blaise and I have sex, but that doesn't give me the right to ignore this tradition. It doesn't hurt anyway except maybe giving my betrothed blue balls, but he will live. "