Days went by at Malfoy Manor as usual. Vacations were nearing to an end. Harry had successfully spotted the diary in the Malfoy library. He was planning on taking the diary four days before the vacation ends. That way it will create less suspicion on him. He has fully planned the whole recovery process. The diary was actually kept at the very end of the library between two cursed books. If anyone tries to touch the diary they will obviously have to touch the book and will get cursed quite severely. But the trick to retrieve it was very simple. One who actually knows what to look for can easily get it. Once he found out about the cursed books, he has used the books in the Malfoy library itself to get detailed information about the curses and their counter curses. He has gone to the Diagon Alley one day and brought a diary similar to the one that had been made into horcruxes. Harry has then proceeded onto engraving the name 'TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE' much like it had been on the original one and doused it with every dark magic he has gained knowledge of by reading in the Malfoy library. It was a highly Slytherin move and Harry was rather proud of it. He was just waiting for the scheduled day.
On the other hand his relationship with Lucius has become somewhat more than just tolerable. After a while he understood that Lucius Malfoy was as much as a teenager as he was. He now was spending a rather peaceful vacation. Just like every day, Harry was heading towards the hall to find Lucius so that they can go outside for some time. As he neared the hall he heard muffled voices. He quickly hid himself behind a wall and listened.
"... are you sure that it will be safe there?" someone asked in a low voice.
"Yes, I'm absolutely sure. No one will go to search it in that old house. It's all wrecked." The unmistakable voice of Abraxas Malfoy came second.
"But isn't Riddle Manor an obvious place someone will look if they want to find it?" asked the first voice.
"How will someone assume such an expensive cup was lying somewhere in a wrecked building?" Abraxas Malfoy sounded confident. But Harry wasn't listening anymore. He has got the location of the last existing horcrux. Coming to Malfoy Manor has been a rather profitable tour in Harry's term. He quickly moved away from his hiding place before anyone could notice and headed towards the hall as if nothing had happened.
At the sound of Harry's footstep the conversation halted automatically.
"Lord Malfoy, have you happened to see Lucius? I've been searching him for a long time but couldn't quite find him." Harry asked with his same plastic smile.
"No, Mr. Potter. Maybe he is in his room doing his homework. Why don't you check?" Abraxas replied smiling slightly. Abraxas was actually slightly impressed with the boy. He has noticed that the boy seems to have a great interest in dark arts. He has almost completed reading every book there in the library. Abraxas has also noticed him practicing the spells in the dungeons and was doing so with great efficiency. He was certain that this boy can prove an invaluable asset to their group.
"Ah, so this is young Mr. Harry Potter? Gentleman what is your parent's name?" The man whom Harry now recognized to be Antonin Dolohov asked.
"I'm sure Lord Malfoy has informed you that I'm an orphan and have no idea of my parent's identity, Lord Dolohov." Harry said politely but strongly.
Dolohov was taken aback by the ferocity of his voice. "I'm sorry; it must have slipped my mind." Dolohov answered quickly.
"Do try to hold the information's you get; you never know when someone may backstab you because you didn't hold onto your information correctly and securely." Harry retorted politely and with that he left the halls, leaving behind a stunned man and another impressed one.
It was a night when his plans were going to come into play. After dinner Harry went to the library as usual. He extracted some books from the racks and started reading. When it was nearly three in the morning he set down onto his work. He first went for the cursed books and removed each and single curses using strong counter curses with the help of parsel magic. After he lifted all the curses, he slowly reached for the horcrux and retrieved it. Harry then quickly placed the fake diary and completed his task by putting all the curses that were placed on the two books back. He examined his work for some time and went to his room and kept the diary with the ring, which were placed in a special compartment locked by parseltongue password. Harry soon went back to the library where he continued with his reading with a happy heart.
The night before the end of the vacation, something strange happened. After dinner Harry was heading towards the library as usual. There were a few books left that he plans on finishing tonight. Harry was in a very happy mood. He will be able to meet the Marauders again after a long time. The whole day he was smiling like an idiot. Lucius has many times questioned his sanity today. His relation with Lucius has become a rather strong one. Lucius seems to be confiding in him about his feelings a little. Harry had slowly and steadily understood that Lucius Malfoy was just a regular teen with a lot of social and family pressure on him that forces him to act in a certain way. Harry was determined to change that.
"HARRY!" The loud voice of Lucius broke him from his train of thoughts.
"What?" Harry asked turning around. He saw that Lucius was watching him with somewhat of an exasperated and confused expression.
"Merlin Harry, what happened to you today? You are acting all strange the whole day." Lucius exclaimed.
"Nothing Lucius; what's happened so important that you are shouting like a banshee!" Harry sighed.
"I'm doing nothing of those sorts." Lucius said indignantly."I've just came here to inform you that father is calling you."
"Why? Have I done something wrong?" Harry asked rather nervously. Has he discovered that the diary has been exchanged?
"Let's go and hear from him, shall we?" Lucius said rolling his eyes.
Harry went with Lucius towards the room which seems to be the place where Abraxas has called them. Number of different possibilities and escape routes were swirling around his mind.
"Father, I've brought Harry." Lucius' voice broke him from his reverie.
"Come in." Abraxas' voice came through the door.
As Harry entered the room behind Lucius he froze. Abraxas Malfoy was sitting on a throne like chair in the middle of the room with a trembling Dobby standing a little far away from him. The room was a rather large one and had a long table in the middle with several chairs on each side.
"Come Mr. Potter and have a seat." Abraxas Malfoy's voce rang in his ear.
"You wanted to see me, Lord Malfoy?" Harry asked in a polite voice after taking a seat on the left side of Abraxas. He didn't let his fear show in his voice. His heart was pounding madly in his chest.
"Lucius have informed me that you live in an orphanage where you have to do all your chores alone. Is it true?" Abraxas asked.
"Yes, Lord Malfoy; all the children in the orphanage had to earn their pocket money which they get by doing the chores there." Harry informed him stiffly. Though he was getting a little confused as to where it was going.
Abraxas sneered at that."Such a strong wizard as yourself should not be forced to do menial jobs." Abraxas said disgusted.
"I've got used to it. It's not a big deal really." Harry said barely managing to keep a straight face.
"No, I'll not let such atrocity go on. As you seem to have bonded over this particular house elf over the vacation, I've decided to gift you this one so that you can have more free time to carry on with your quest for knowledge and perfection. I'll not take no for an answer Mr. Potter." Abraxas said in a professional tone.
Harry was stunned beyond belief. He couldn't find the right words to say at the moment. At last he managed to reply."T-Thank you, Lord Malfoy; I highly appreciate your thoughtfulness and kindness."
Harry didn't hesitate much after that. After confirming that Dobby was his now, he performed the bonding spell that bonded Dobby to himself. He then ordered the elf to go at Hogwarts and work with the other elves till he calls for him again. Harry was ecstatic that now he had the house elf he needed to collect the locket. Every plan was coming together for Harry.
Harry was sitting in the train with Lucius and some other Slytherins. He looked out of the window wondering about the time, he'll be meeting The Marauders again. Coming to think of it, Harry was yet to decide whether he should really continue meeting them. The sole purpose of him avoiding them as a human was to keep them out of danger; and if he kept meeting them in his animagus form, then it won't be very long that they will find out about this way of his.
"Harry," he heard a voice beside him call his name; making him come out of his thoughts.
He turned to see Lucius looking his way. "Yeah; you were calling?" he asked politely.
"Um, yes actually. I want you to meet this guy from second year. He's Sirius Orion Black's brother; Regulus Arcturus Black. I thought you might recognize him...um since you happened to talk to him..." Lucius trailed off looking at Harry carefully.
"Yeah, I was just...confronting them for something." Harry said shrugging. "Nonetheless, I would love to meet his brother. Where is he?" Harry said looking around the compartment.
"Well, that's me...And...I guess I know what were you confronting my brother for. He may have pulled a prank on you, didn't he?" a very young boy asked. His hairs were just as long as Sirius but it looked longer because of his short height. His brown skin matched amazingly with his brother.
"Um, actually, yeah, kind of; he tried to pull a prank but was unsuccessful." Harry said shrugging, but smiling anyway.
"You caught him?" Regulus asked making his eyes wide and pulling his eyebrows up.
Harry gave a small laugh at his amazed look. "Yep, I caught him." he nodded.
"You are the first person to catch him. I've been the victim of his pranks a number of times. But he always ends up getting scolded by our mother, as it's very obvious that he is the one who had pulled the prank." He said jiggling his head vigorously.
Harry smiled at the innocence of the boy. "Really," Harry asked in feign amazement.
The boy nodded. But Harry's smile faltered as a frown appeared on his face. He was yearning to ask the boy more about the relationship between him and his elder brother; but he chose not to, seeing his company in the compartment.
Lucius noticed the frown on his face. "Harry is something bothering you?" he asked a bit concerned.
Harry turned to him and gave a slight smile while shaking his head. "No, I'm fine. I just need to use the loo. I'll be in a few minutes." He said getting up from his seat.
As he came out of the compartment, he headed for the bathroom at once. He needed a bit of alone time. He needed to figure out a way to make the relationship between Sirius and his younger brother better. The only way to save young Regulus Black from becoming a death eater was to improve his relation with his brother. Harry had enough faith in Sirius to alter his brother's mind. The young man had his own charms on people.
But Harry wasn't lucky enough to get alone at the moment. He was immediately met with one of the people, he was trying to avoid for the last month.
"I'm sorry, excuse me," Harry said not meeting their eyes.
"Potter, we need to talk to you. You have been avoiding us for the last one and a half month." Remus said blocking his way slightly.
"Re—Lupin, I don't want to talk to anybody right now. Please excuse me; I need to go to the bathroom." Harry said still not looking into his eyes.
"You can call me Remus if you want, but we need to talk to you right now. What were you doing in the Malfoy Manor?" Remus asked directly.
This time Harry looked up in his eyes; his green eyes piercing into his eyes. "I don't understand how come it's any of your business, where I spend my holidays." Harry spat with utmost venom he could muster in him.
"Okay fine, you come with me, please. There's something you'd like to know." Remus said in a polite voice.
Harry outright laughed at this. "I need to know something from you; me? C'mon Remus, you know that it's not the truth. The truth is something exactly opposite to what you are telling. So come off it; and let me go." Harry said in a low voice. He pushed through the slight gap beside the tall boy and walked away.
Remus stood there exasperated and slightly curious. "From Moony to Lupin, and then again to Remus; quite fascinating, Harry." Remus said with a small smile which could be mistaken as a smirk by anyone.
As soon as Harry entered the loo he broke down crying after closing the door with difficulty. He could not let any of the Marauders know anything. It will most probably become the repeat of the previous events. Again, they will be hurt because of him. He had to remain strong, and fight the war that was imposed on him since he was a one year old baby. It was the only way to ensure least number of people getting hurt. He kneeled on the bathroom floor while shaking with sobs.
Lucius, who was sitting in one of the closest compartment to the bathroom, heard the muffled sounds of sobbing. He shot up from his seat and ran to the bathroom. As he neared the bathroom, he saw people looking at the same way with confused expressions.
"What are you looking at? Get back to your own works." Lucius snapped as he passed the confused faces.
"Harry, is that you?" Lucius said thumping the door with his fist.
There was no answer from inside the bathroom. He could only hear the sobbing sounds that escaped through the wooden door.
"Harry! What happened, why are you crying?" Lucius tried again.
Harry looked up from where he was sitting on the floor. He must have forgotten to put a silencing charm on the door. He didn't want to talk to anybody right now. He was too out of his mind and senses to talk with anybody.
"Go away, Lucius. Leave me alone." Harry shouted from inside the other side of the door.
Lucius frowned. Did I do anything again to make him feel sad? Lucius thought. "Harry, did I do anything; are you upset because of me?" Lucius asked in a loud voice in attempt to be heard over the sobs.