A Mother's Love (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Part 19

"You keep looking over there. Are you afraid of something?" Draco says next to Harry.

Draco and Harry returned to the tradition of the last few weeks before school starting, Draco would stay over at Harry's house. Today Hazel is out at work leaving the boys on their own. They aren't fully alone with Hazel familiar patrolling the grounds and the few house elves keeping the place clean. Harry is caught once more looking over at where Hazel room is. Down her own mysterious wing she did not want him to go into.

"No. Mom told me to stay away but why?" 

"Oh so now that she is gone you want to go check it out." Harry glances to Draco.

"Yes, as long as you come with me."

"So you want to drag me along into this mess. Partners in crime, shall die together then?" Harry and Draco both flinch at the word die but the pang in their chests was a dull ache due to the word thus follows of being dead together. "Fine by me."

The two head over to the hallway and see it is just the rest of the house. Dark mahogany wood floors with black walls and crystal chandelier lighting the path. Harry and Draco open every door. Some did not open with nob or unlocking spell so they did not try to press further against it. The rooms they did have access to is an office with one side having the desk and the other side having a huge library. A fireplace and couch faces them at the doorway adjacent. The next room they have access is a room with a lot of portraits.

"Who enters this chamber of nobles?" Draco grabs Harry wrist with one hand and the other has his wand pointed to the man who bellowed out to them.

"Um, Harry James Potter Darkwood and my friend Draco Lucius Malfoy." The door shut behind them and many sleeping portraits come to life. Harry takes out his wand getting ready for a trap.

"A potter adopted into the Darkwood family?" A young slender lady that resembles a lot like Hazel speaks next to the portrait of the man. "Oh but so handsome."

"You look a lot like my stepmother."

"That is because i am your step grandmother dear. Hazel is my child born. I am Vera Darkwood and the man that screamed would be my husband Garcia Darkwood." Harry feels ecstatic in meeting Hazel family members. His step family.

"But wait, are all these portraits...?" Draco drifts off staring at the huge room with frame by frame of portraits of men and women.

"Yes. We are all bloodline members of the Darkwood family. We value eternity among other things so we made sure our descendants send our soul into a portrait to stay with the living a long time." Vera explains with a gentle smile on her face.

"It is a shame our daughter never showed you to us when you were younger. We could have taught you more than she does." Lord Darkwood grumbles with narrowed black eyebrows. He crosses his arms as he leans on the frame of his painting. He is clad in black velvet robes with black pants and silver undershirt. Vera is wearing a gorgeous purple dress with Citrine gems decorating the bust.

"Calm yourself dear. Hazel has a means of teaching the lad. Also it would overwhelm the young child if he meets us at such a young age. Remember you showed Hazel the family portrait when she was thirteen." The woman kind yet stern voice allowed Harry to trust no danger is coming to them and so he tucks his wand away. Draco glances over at him and see the serenity in his eyes so he relaxes but for precaution he keeps his wand at his side in hand.

"I am thirteen." Harry says.

"Oh wonderful. It should be a tradition for the next generation to see this room when they are thirteen. Best age yet to learn from the wise elders." Vera Darkwood raises her head in pride.

"Potter and Malfoy!? Together, in the same room. By merlins beard, it is the end." A young man a portrait above Vera Darkwood exclaims. Dark curly hair, fair features and hazel brown eyes with a wild look in them.

"Oh do not worry dear. That is your great step cousin from my side. He lost a few marbles working at the ministry department of prophecies. All the whispering drove him a bit mental. It does not help when he is a seer himself." Harry glances over to Draco and find the boy slightly nervous with the forced grin on his face.

"You okay?" Harry twists his wrist pulling it so his hand can hold onto Draco's. Feel better already.

"Yeah. Overwhelmed i guess. I think the Darkwoods are the only family with family portraits this many."

"Oh would you look at the time. Haha, time for dinner young ones." A lady on their right with a red ruffled dress and a bit of a big body with red dyed hair says.

"The time! Oh dear, certainly need not be late for dinner. Oh no, no, no, bad things happen to those that are slow. Must go, go, go." A nervous wreck of a man with white aged beard and hair with a crazy look in his eyes holds up a watch. A blue velvet coat with black pants and a white top hat with a gold swirling background.

"Oh, shush dear. You don't want to scare the young children?" The red haired lady and old man are beside each other.

"That would be your grandfathers third cousin and her husband. Carol and Tigger Darkwood. Both met in the department of time. Nasty works with time turners. Anyway, off you go and please visit soon." Nodding at his step grandmother, Harry leads the frozen shocked Draco out of the room.

"That was interesting." Draco says since they are out of the room.

"Yeah. A bit overwhelming but still, why would mom hide this from me?" Draco looks past his shoulder and his eyes widen in fear. "Draco, what is it now?"

Someone clearing their throat behind him makes him freeze and turn to see Hazel with arms crossed and a narrowed glare on both of them. Harry seem to be a magnet for trouble and now he has to include Draco in the mess as well.

"Welcome home mom." he tucks his head now nervous.

"Straight to dinner and then to bed. We will talk about this in the morning." They nod and walk away, more like hasten, to get out from under the powerful witch gaze.