The Ordeal Of Being Known

3

Draco frowned at the chalkboard in his study, his hands on his hips.

He'd added 'crazed fan?' to the notes under the Who? line, because it was possible. Likely, even.

Next to Who? was a new section, Why? because every curse had a purpose, and this arsehole had to have some sort of motive, other than inconveniencing Harry with muteness. It certainly sounded that way, with their prophetic rambling. This section was filled with half-thought-out scribbles, like remove HP as political figure, belittlement, qualms about hero status, and other little notes that just weren't adding up.

Draco still had no clue, after puzzling over it for days. He thought about everything the attacker had said, about how Harry played the part of a hero to appease the masses, and no one really knew anything about him. But so what? So he was a private man, but fulfilled what he probably felt he was obligated to do as a war hero people looked up to. How was that a problem for anyone else? Did they want the spotlight, instead? Did they have some sort of political agenda? Were they just bored of watching Harry play his role?

"I have seen it, and you will be known." Okay, so they had a dream or a vision or visited the future and saw someone getting to know the real Harry. Did they want that privilege for themselves? Or someone else? And most of all, how does hiding Harry's voice help someone get to know him?!

Unless... Draco frowned harder. Hiding Harry's voice did limit his healing options quite a bit. It was really something only a Healer Legilimens should handle, and Legilimency was indeed a very fast and intense way to get to know someone. But Legilimency shouldn't be used to just get to know somebody, it was horribly invasive, not to mention dangerous if done incorrectly. Draco certainly wouldn't trust a Legilimens who cast on him just to get to know him. He'd rage and rant that the prat should have just asked him to go for a pint, instead, like a normal person. He wouldn't want anything to do with someone like that.

But it was possible that if the attacker had foreseen someone getting to know Harry, they might have foreseen him seeing a Healer Legilimens, too, and done something to him to warrant such an interaction. Seeing as Draco was the only Healer Legilimens in England, it was even possible the attacker had intentionally pushed Harry towards Draco. He thought about the attacker's final words, their vague excitement and anticipation: "I am sorry to make you misplace this memory, as well, but do not worry. He will find it."

He thought about how easy it was to find that missing memory, how it had dragged him in against his will and gotten him hooked on the puzzle, on the mysteries he wanted to solve. He felt something like lead fill his stomach-this curse could involve Draco as much as it involved Harry. Wasn't that just his luck?

He knew, in his bones, that Harry would be livid if he found out he and Draco were pushed together against his will by someone who claimed they knew best. His childhood was thrown away by a prophecy, it was completely unfair that another should follow him into adulthood. He'd been a pawn for most of his life, and probably valued his free will and independence greatly, now that he had it.

Worst of all, he hadn't wanted to interact with Draco in the first place. If Harry thought someone knew he'd have to go to Draco, he would jump straight into suspicion that Draco himself had made it that way.

"But do not worry. He will find it." "He" sounded like a friend, or someone this person knew. If Harry believed his attacker knew Draco personally, Draco probably had a one-way ticket to Azkaban in the near future. Bloody Seers.

And if someone did push Harry to Draco, they certainly didn't do it out of the goodness of their hearts, or with Draco's interests in mind. This would be a terrible plan to give Draco business, which he honestly didn't need, he did well enough for himself. No, if someone wanted Draco involved with a curse on Harry Potter, it was more likely that Draco was supposed to take the fall for it. He was certain no one would fight that accusation, especially coming from the Saviour. No one would question it. Draco began to sag with dread-this had been a terrible idea.