Narcissa was furious about the Third Task naturally but also oddly grateful to her 'black sheep' cousin. She knew Sirius and young Potter were behind the terror her Draco had gone through but they had also allowed him to get far enough through the task to make an honourable showing. She doubted it was an accident that Draco was the only Champion to be released by the eels. She was not so grateful through that they would not pay for the embarrassment at the end. Lucius always hated the elf that had been his father's personal valet. After Abraxus's death from Dragon Pox (subtly assisted by his doting daughter-in-law's potions), Lucius took great joy in torturing the elf in his father's place. Now the elf supported by Potter had obviously taken the chance to get his own back by humiliating her son. All three of them would pay for that.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the snap of Apparition announcing Lucius's return home. To her surprise instead she found another man lying in the middle of her sitting room floor that she recognized instantly. That man was holding a gash in his throat that was bleeding profusely. Only one man could access Malfoy manor directly into this room; a room that had once been his private planning room.
"My Lord?" she said in a tremulous voice.
"Potter…. beast… poison!" the Dark Lord gasped out.
Narcisa quickly pulled her wand and with a nod of permission from the Dark Lord started casting healing spells on husband's Master. It seemed he'd only received a little poison into his blood but the damage to the throat even then was significant. Whatever the poison was it was a strong one. Finally a bezoar was given to counter any lingering effects. The Dark Lord had passed out from the blood loss so she levitated him onto a nearby couch she'd transfigured into a bed fit for royalty.
The Dark Lord taken care of, Narcissa's thoughts turned to personal concerns. Where was Lucius? Was he hurt too? Killed? Taken by the Ministry? She had to know.
The Malfoy Lady walked quickly to the floo to start making calls. But then she stopped and let out a scream at the sight of the mangled, bleeding bodies that littered her entryway floor.
....
Harry woke the next morning to find the sun had been up for several hours. As he sat up he felt a twinge on his side where some type of magical fire spell had burnt him. Madam Pomfrey had helped a lot but it was still tender. He glanced around the room expecting to see his roommates asleep in their beds. He did, but he also laughed at what else he saw.
Ron was curled up under a blanket at the foot of his own bed. Based on the long blonde hair on the head lying on the pillow, it seemed Ron's Slytherin girlfriend had managed to claim his bed. Curled up at her feet Harry wondered if Ron's animagus form would be a dog.
To his other side, Hermione and Ernie were asleep on a conjured futon. They were spooned together and seemed to be very comfortable together. Harry wished for a camera to capture the sight. Padma was in the chair that was normally his desk chair but was currently transfigured into an easy chair like Vernon had in the living room of Privet Drive. Asleep in Neville and Dean's beds were Sirius and Remus.
Harry felt a sudden burst of warmth in his chest. This is what having a family was really like - not what he'd grown up with at the Dursleys. He quietly got up and made his way to the loo and his normal morning routine before waking his friends and family.
....
Albus Dumbledore sat in his office doing paperwork. He supressed a groan as he moved one roll of parchment to his 'Out' tray - where it promptly disappeared only for another to appear in its place. Merlin, he hated paperwork.
After the death of Ariana and Gellert's leaving, all Albus wanted to do was be a teacher at Hogwarts and do magical research in his free time. He loved seeing young minds absorbing information and discovering new magic in equal measures. He hadn't wanted to fight Gellert but the Ministry said they needed his help and so he went. After the fighting stopped, all he wanted was to go back to the teaching and research that made him happy. But the people just wouldn't let him.
First it was the public cry that made him Headmaster after Dippet's retirement in 1956. Popular sentiment all but forced the Board of Governors to make their hero-professor the new Headmaster. Deputy Headmaster Wencit, who had been next in line for the position was disappointed but understood Albus had not campaigned for the job. The old Care of Magical Creatures professor stayed on for a bit to help his former subordinate learn his new job.
Then in 1962, they told him they needed him to be Britain's new representative to the ICW, a position much like that of an ambassador to the Muggle United Nations. It was only an occasional position they told him. Plus his acclaim as the Defeater of Gindelwald would guarantee a high level of respect from the other delegates. Since he had already turned down several attempts to place him as Minister of Magic, Albus acquiesced to the role of ICW Mugwump in order to quiet the demands.
To his surprise he found he enjoyed the debates and compromises that typified ICW meetings. He quickly became known as a peacemaker and arbitrator but with the magical power to back up his quiet words. Still, he was shocked when several normally conflicting nations joined to make him Chief Mugwump in 1967. Since it allowed him to successfully settle a long running argument between the American Department of Magic and the Canadian Ministry of Magic and stop a border war between the Russian Ministry and the Chinese Magical Imperium, he agreed to the position.
.....
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