Breaking Free (Book 3 of the Lost Potter Series)

Lying in Wait

There was nothing new for two days. Harry was constantly popping back and forth between the two residences, but Draco was more or less confined to either pacing the room or resting on the sofa. He was rationally aware of why he was being confined as such, but that didn't stop the constant anxiety and restlessness, waiting for anything to happen.

He and Harry made futile attempts at conversation over the days, but usually they fell flat before it could properly distract them. Draco continued to get annoyed anytime Harry's eyes glazed over for long stretches, when it was obvious he and Olivia were talking, though Draco couldn't pinpoint why that made his mood turn especially sour especially with he and Harry were not talking every moment of the day anyway.

Two days in, Death Eaters appeared at the square outside of the residences. At least, that's what Harry reported after another supplies run, as the room they had barricaded themselves in lacked windows.

"Who is it?" Draco asked at the statement, though he was quickly scarfing down the food provided once Harry had untied the parcel.

"No idea, they're both masked." Harry deadpanned, looking even paler than he was before he left those few hours ago.

Draco paused a moment, "You can still recognise Death Eaters with their masks on if you know them well enough. All of the masks are personalised to the individual wizard's tastes."

Harry also paused a moment, though his eyes remained in focus as he simply pondered, "That... makes sense, actually. But I think you're the only one who knows all the masks."

"I'd rather not take a peek outside unless necessary. Is either of them black with a dark silver weirdly-octopus-like marking on the forehead?"

Harry's eyes fully went unfocused now, though only for a moment, "No, one is grey with black circles and the other is copper with some green around the eyes."

Draco tried to recall specific masks, but none of those most familiar to him matched the description, "No one important, I don't recognise the colourings."

Harry let out a long breath, "Well, silver linings."

The next day, Harry bolted upright out of his sleep with unfocused eyes, which was honestly a sight that sent a chill down Draco's spine. He was already awake by the time Harry did so, as Draco seemed to be the earlier riser out of the two, but waited for Harry to be the one to speak. When he seemed to stop talking with Olivia, he visibly slumped back on to the armrest, and seemed almost ready to fall back asleep. Draco, however, was not about to let Harry get away with the shock.

"Well? What was that?"

Harry slowly blinked at him with his large, uncovered green eyes, as if barely processing Draco's existence, let alone his question.

"Olivia shocked you awake. It was something important, and it was good news, but not important or good enough for you to be running over there. So what was it?" Draco spoke slowly, though he sounded harsher than intended.

Harry vent over to pick up his glasses from the floor to address him properly, "Patronus message from Sirius, he and Remus are safe but they're not moving around much or disclosing their location so that Sirius doesn't get the chance to make a martyr out of himself. Oh, and apparently the Daily Prophet is dragging my name through the mud, but that's no surprise with the Ministry being under Death Eater control and the Daily Prophet being the Daily Prophet."

Draco scoffed slightly, "Are you making jokes? At this early in the morning?"

Harry rolled his shoulders around and cracked his neck as he stretched, "Again, silver linings. Though it's mostly out of relief after hearing Remus and Sirius are safe."