The Boy Who Lived

Emergency Meeting!

'Did you know about this?' he suddenly accused, turning to her.

She smiled. 'I knew something of your heritage, I researched it thoroughly so that I could take you from that awful family. I didn't know you had a duchy and castle attached to your name. I suspected that as the Potter name is recorded as one of the Ancient and Noble houses, you might have a title.'

'We can blame Pansy, you know.'

'No, we can't,' she scolded. 'You would have found out on your birthday...'

'I know. Mum...' he paused. 'There's something else you need to know...'

She smiled softly, 'you and Draco?'

'Yes,' he said with a deep exhale. 'He's my soulmate.'

'You've bonded?'

Harry blushed but she tutted.

'I wasn't born yesterday, Harry. And Soulmate Magic has been around a lot longer than your tender twenty-two years of age.'

It was at that moment a highly excited Letty pushed a mushroom and spinach omelette under Harry's nose, demanding that he ate it as it was full of good proteins, and Dromeda stepped through the Floo, apologising for holding up proceedings. Harry was somewhat relieved by being saved from an excruciating conversation, no matter how worldly Minnie claimed she was; she was still his mum! He wolfed his omelette down as he greeted everyone. People made to take a seat at the long table but Harry immediately stopped them.

'I don't think we need to be that formal...' Harry suggested, all too aware of what he'd seen through Voldemort's eyes and the parallels. He noticed that Draco looked relieved. He sat on the arm of an armchair that had been pulled into the room the previous day, Draco was sitting in the chair already, nursing a mug of tea. Harry took a sip of his own black coffee. 'Thank you, all of you, for coming. It seems all a bit dramatic to be summoning you, especially as I know some of you have been in similar meetings and we hoped this was all in the past, I'll start by staying this isn't like the build up to events four years ago. However, I need to ask that we start by all agreeing to a Binding Vow of Secrecy. If you're uncomfortable with this, I understand and you are welcome to leave before we proceed.'

No one moved beyond George taking a noisy slurp of his tea.

'Right...' he cast the spell, murmuring quietly, and noting the widening eyes of those who were not so familiar with his ability to perform wandless magic. 'Thank you,' he said, as the tendrils of white binding magic faded from between them. 'First things first, the location of Beaumont Hall is a secret, I ask that it remains that way. Second, I have a problem and I've asked you here either to simply keep you in the loop of what's happening or to ask for your help in any way you can. Obviously, I don't want this information getting out into the public domain.'

Harry paused, allowing the gravity of the situation to sink in. There was some shuffling of feet but no one spoke. It was, he found, particularly comforting to feel Draco's presence beside him and he couldn't help thinking back to their schooldays when this would have been a prime opportunity for Draco to try and gain a hold over Harry. He welcomed the change and the moment cemented the feeling of life being more settled now they were no longer warring.

'Some of you have been aware for a while that I have been able to perform wandless magic, perhaps not so obvious is the fact that my magic is becoming wilder, occasionally accidental. It tends to leak out if I'm highly emotional. This, for the most part, is controlled. I manage it through various means like meditation and running; Hercules helps too,' and Harry ruffled the dog's hair when he sat to attention at the mention of his name. 'However, of late, I have found it's taking longer and longer runs. During the last twenty-four hours or so, I've need to use intensively difficult or complex magic for prolonged periods to actually make a difference. Things have changed substantially in that sense.' He paused again, offering his audience a chance to keeping absorbing what he was saying. Draco and Mione were the only ones who really knew the extent to which the magic veered towards uncontrollable.