Shadow Council 128F

*****

Wednesday looked around, visibly surprised by what she was seeing.

“Potter has a home like this?” She asked, slightly unbelieving.

“So it would appear,” Xander chuckled, leaning back against one wall as she examined some of the old supposed torture devices. “We’re trying to decide if it was a literal dungeon for holding prisoners, or if Harry’s grandparents were just really freaky.”

Wednesday grimaced, withdrawing her hand from the rack as she turned to glare at Xander, who was just grinning at her entirely unrepentantly.

“I do not need that image in my mind, Alexander.”

“Neither did Hermione and Harry, but I needed to put it in all of your minds, Wednesday Friday.”

She rolled her eyes, huffing only slightly as she turned around.

The old Keep was a lovely place to spend the remainder of the summer, she decided. The spells maintaining the place were breaking down, which allowed it to be delightfully muggy and damp with the English weather, and the basement certainly had a vastly better personality than most places easily available.

“It will do,” She returned her attention to Xander.

“Cool,” He said, eyes twinkling.

Wednesday sighed, knowing that he was up to something.

“What is it?” She opted to ask him flat out, that being a simpler approach than attempting to decode Xander’s Xanderisms.

“Well Harry needs a favor,” He told her, that ear to ear grin starting to worry her.

“And now I’m considering that a hotel room may not be so bad,” She mused aloud.

“Oh don’t be like that,” Xander waved her off. “He’s going to a party and could use another bodyguard.”

Wednesday just stared, before she spoke in a flat tone. “Really?”

“Well, he could also use a date if you’d prefer.”

“I am beginning to think that may be preferable to my current choice of date.”

“Ooh, ouch,” Xander held a hand over his heart. “That hurts.”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

“True.”

She sighed, “What party are we speaking of?”

“Something with the Queen,” Xander shrugged. “It’s a coming out of the closet party or something for Harry.”

She just shook her head, “I am not Potter, Alexander. Those jokes mean nothing to me.”

“Damn it, you’re right. I wasted that one on you,” Xander muttered. “I need to save my good jokes for the right target.”

“You need to find some good jokes first.”

*****

Andromeda looked over her sister, worry in her eyes.

“You’re looking… well,” She said finally.

Narcissa shot her an annoyed look, “I look a mess.”

“Well, considering the circumstances,” Andromeda offered weakly.

“Leave it be, sister,” Narcissa said tiredly. “Since that monster came back, life has been rather less than ideal.”

Andromeda refrained from pointing out that her sister had, in many ways, made her own bed as far as that particular bit went.

Aloud she just sighed, “What is it you want from me?”

Narcissa closed her eyes, “I apologize, I haven’t been sleeping well. I need…”

She shook her head, “No. What I need doesn’t matter right now. Andy, could you find a place for Draco? Just until school starts again?”

Andromeda frowned, “I suppose, but why not just send him away? The Malfoy’s have homes all over the world.”

“Yes, and He has access to every one of them,” Narcissa hissed. “There have been whispers that he will be assigning missions to the children shortly.”

Andromeda nodded, “That would be a problem.”

“I need Draco out of the house, and away from Malfoy properties,” Narcissa insisted. “Ideally somewhere that the Dark Lord won’t want to remove him from.”

Andromeda stiffened, just then seeing where Narcissa was taking the conversation.

“Cissy,” She said warningly, “Draco and Harry do not get along. What you’re asking is… it’s asking for trouble, and you know it.”

“What about Alexander?” Narcissa asked. “I know he’s in the country already, and his family name will be of interest to the Dark Lord. I’m certain it will hold him off for the summer, just the idea that Draco is getting closer to the Harris line?”\

Andromeda shook her head, sighing, “I won’t make any promises, but I’ll check. In the meantime, Draco can have a room at my place until we figure out something more stable… but, Cissy, you know that we can’t exactly sit on him for the rest of the Summer. If he goes to the Dark Lord of his own accord…”

“He will not,” Narcissa said cooly. “I will see to it.”

“Fine. Fetch him, you know where to find me.”

“Thank you, Andy.” Narcissa slumped in relief.

“You should leave too.”

“I cannot,” Narcissa said simply. “If I do, the Dark Lord will be certain that something is wrong. He’ll kill Lucius, and likely become even more aggressive. We cannot hold him at bay for long, but while he is content to allow Lucius to make political moves…”

Andromeda sighed, “Yes I know. He’s not out actively murdering his way across the countryside. Fine, but I do not like this.”

“What is there to like?”

*****