Inked Dragons

'My position is firmly under Harry...'

'No, I'm manipulating him.'

'Does he know about us?' Draco turned around, glaring at Harry with cold grey eyes.

'No. I wouldn't do that to you. Just give me Monday at work to finalise some things, then I'll take the rest of the week off and we'll spend it together. I'll fill you in on everything but it's okay with your father, in that I'm in control of the situation far more than he is, but also, he chose this. He approached me. Look, you said it yourself, Malfoys back the winning side. And I'm going to win this against Twarmer. You father clearly thinks so too.'

'Are you saying my father is working for you?'

Harry nodded once slowly.

'Why is he even doing this? What does he have to gain? He only makes moves like this if there's something to gain from it.'

'It's begrudging, that much is clear. He doesn't like me but he likes Arum Twarmer even less. From what I've pieced together; they went to school together and there was some kind of "bond" from back then-'

'MY FATHER! Oh gods...'

'Not like that, you daft sod. They were both in Slytherin House. Twarmer's a few years younger but they were friends of sorts or something-'

'Was Twarmer a Death-Eater?' Draco said, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. 'I never saw him at any of the meetings at the Manor.'

Harry moved a bit closer to Draco and tentatively touched his arm to offer reassurance. He recognised the deadening in Draco's eyes whenever those days of the past emerged in their conversations.

'There's no record of it and he's denied knowing Voldemort under oath after the first war but that doesn't mean he's not. I have my suspicions but that maybe just because I don't like him. Anyway, it appears that Arum Twarmer has, in essence, tried to bribe your father with the impossible to persuade him to fund his Supreme Mugwump campaign. You father is not an idiot. He knows the offers that Twarmer has made are as shallow as his aimless grin and the only thing Twarmer could possibly change is the ruling that has exiled Lucius from England. But even Arum Twarmer, as Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, can't change the small print of your Trustee Covenant that would get his money and Manor back. Nor can he change the sentence that would send your father straight back Azkaban for breaking the terms of his exile. The terms of his exile are very clear in specifying that one Lucius Abraxas Malfoy II must not, under any circumstances, get his sticky fingers embroiled in British politics again. Your father knows, at heart, it can only be deemed as in his benefit to "aide with investigations into corruption in the Ministry" because otherwise he'll find himself in Azkaban rather quickly if anyone discovers his dealings with Twarmer. Besides, he doesn't trust Twarmer not to backtrack the conditions of his offer after he wins the election—if he wins the election. Your father believes that unless he is stopped with some sort of finality, Twarmer will win because he has that way of winning people over and convincing them he's the best man for the job, even though everyone seems to know he'll never see any of his promises through because they are always too outlandish to be true. And if that doesn't work, he plays dirty.'

'Politics was a fickle game. Why has my father come to you?' Draco reached out and softly touched Harry's cheek, forgiveness apparent.

Harry smiled wickedly. 'He trusts me. He thinks I'm a sanctimonious and honourable Gryffindor buffoon. And although I can't change his sentence or the small print of his Trustee Covenant either, I can keep him out of Azkaban and that is far more appealing. Add to all this that he thinks I'm on the way up - what was it you said downstairs about always having a foot in each camp, just in case. He gives off strong vibes that he doesn't like Gawain Robards, thinks I ought to be replacing him... or will be soon. He was most unhappy about Gawain coming out to Bayeux. Mentioned that he thinks Gawain is an odious, weak-chinned, toadying man who's out of his depth. You father is quite a discerning judge of character sometimes. Gawain puts your father in mind of Peter Pettigrew and he's right. I can't unsee that in him every time we meet in the office. It's enough to overshadow any possible redeeming features. So, according to your father's logic, if it became known that he has helped "Harry bloody Potter", there is more potential for long-standing forgiveness of the Malfoys by the Wizarding World in general, given that both his wife and son have helped me out already. It's funny... he can't quite bring himself to say you've both saved my life...'