Chapter 21

Flhoyer sat patiently on his folded legs and gazed at the painted with the chalk-stone and cranberry syrup pentagram. He was dressed in the long loose white silk robe with the currently raised hood. Countless sewn-in pearls glittered from the cloth in the torches' uneven lighting. Well, in all honesty the number of pearls was actually counted and noted down in the bill from the shop where he ordered this wonder-cloak, not that he cared to remember this useless bit of information, he was more concerned with the total amount of galleons at the bottom of the receipt.

The part of the cave system that Ryan currently occupied was heavily warded by himself. He took all the possible precautions to defend himself and the area against his own summonnings in case anything went wrong. Such strange ingredients as cranberry syrup and such extravagant attire as the pearl-robe were discovered through trial and error and some unholy experiments on his summonings, or more precisely a summoning.

Finally the pentagram's lines flared with fire and in the center of the circle appeared the most peculiar creature - the red fluffy mini-lion, called Lefus, whose shoulder height reached two feet maximum. He was the subject of his first attempts at summoning and later on experimenting with the likes and dislikes of the Underworld inhabitants. For example, pearls proved to absorb the emitted malevolent demon energy and cranberry syrup invoked an allergic reaction in his summonings. He still hadn't defined what element of the syrup acted as an allergen – the cranberry part or one of the various chemicals used in the syrup production. Ryan, though, was not certain that the same deterrents would work on different Underworld apparitions, whether dickens, demons, or archdemons. There had to be similarities but only the trial and error method could help to single them out.

The main problem with being a Summoner was the severe lack of information. The few grimoires that Ryan had read were short. Apparently the life of the owners was of the same length proportion. This Calling was considered dangerous for a reason. One must be cautious when dealing with the Underworld. That's why the number of creatures he summoned to date was four and none of his summonings were notorious or very powerful. His favorite was, of course, the dickens Lefus.

"…mmoner! Bloody bastarrr… Oh…" Lefus looked around and his black eyes with yellow slit pupil zeroed on the mage.

"Welcome back, my favorite fluff-ball. How are you doing?" Ryan smirked under his hood.

"Being better," growled out the dickens. "What do you want, Summoner?!"

"I want many things… But as about what I want from you... Are you able to track pieces of a split soul?"

"Well, it really depends on the circumstances such as distance, number of pieces, the time required…"

"Can you or can you not?" Ryan interrupted the babbling.

"Not really," Lefus sat on his haunches staring wide-eyed at the freaky Summoner. He was nothing like the stories usually told about them – monsters, torturing the summoned apparitions into submission by causing pain. No, this Summoner was much more creative and it didn't bode well for one to disobey him. The last time he tried he was sent back to Kymala (local name for the Underworld) with his fur pink-coloured. No, the Summoner did nothing to physically torture him directly, but that couldn't be said about both moral and physical humiliation and pain he had to endure from the other dickens once they saw his new outlook. The next time Lefus was summoned and his natural colour returned he became much better behaved.

"Are you sure?" the white figure asked disappointed.

"Very."

"And who can?"

"The most demons I believe would be able to do that though not those of the lower standing. Middle-level power demons."

"Anyone in particular?"

"Are you sure you are ready to die, Summoner? Not that I care all that much, but you must realize that M-Class demons cannot be compared to myself, you won't get away unscathed from summoning one of them."

"I am just asking…"

"You really would be better off seeking those soul pieces by some of your conventional magical methods, Summoner."

"I know that, I am just pressured in time. So, name? Or do I have to read another PG-rated cheesy novel to you?"

Lefus shuddered. That was exactly what he meant by creative torture.

"Well, I know about Azarus. He is not the brightest one in the fold, but capable of the task."

"Thank you, Lefus."

"You are quite welcome. Perhaps, you'll finally kill yourself and free me from this tenancy."

"Now-now, that is not a nice thing to say. And here I thought to grant you a day on Earth…"

"You… you would?!" the dickens was shocked and disbelieving.

"There would have been conditions, of course… Well, anyway, that's beside the point now, as I see that you are too mean to favor you over my other summonings…"

"Hey, Summoner, there's no need to be so judgmental. I was just worried about your well-being and trying to instill some reasonable fear in your numb-skull!"

"Suuure…"

"Oh, please!" scoffed Lefus. "Don't play the offended part here! What are the conditions?"

"Very well…" the long-suffering sigh that followed sounded absolutely fake. The summoner really didn't put his heart into his little performance. "First of all, you'll have to spy as long as you have to on one mage Ollivander to find out whether he has a grimoire or another storage of all the information he gathered during his too long life. All that inconspicuously, of course. After completing the task, you will be able to stay on Earth for 24 hours, but you will be free only to observe, and not interfere, see, but not touch, and you must not be discovered."

Lefus grinned. "You have yourself a deal, Summoner."

From what he heard from the Summoner, Earth had changed a lot during the hundreds of years that the two realms had no contact. This excursion would be a well-deserved reward.

Draco greeted Ryan as soon as he stepped through the Floo. He hoped that today their meeting will be less business-like and he will have more time to spend with his chosen mate. The manor tour seemed like a convenient excuse to do that.

Well, at the very least his student seemed at ease in his company. Draco chose to get the tutoring out of the way first and then work more closely on wrapping the net of careful seduction around Ryan.

"Are you free today for that manor tour?" asked Draco as soon as they finished another potion in the laboratory.

Ryan extinguished the fire and carefully bottled up the Dreamless Sleep potion, which was, of course, perfect. He seemed to contemplate the proposition briefly.

"Yes, I don't have any engagements to attend to. If it won't be a lot of trouble…"

"No, no trouble at all. I quite enjoy your company, Ryan."

The object of his desire smiled wryly. "As do I. Shall we?.." Ryan gestured vaguely in the direction of the door.

"Of course. Are you hungry? We can have some lunch if you wish too."

"I would like that."

"Pinkle!" At Draco's call his favorite house-elf popped into existence.

"Yes, Master Draco?"

"Please, arrange a lunch for two in the forest dining room."

"Right away, Master Draco."

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And that is where his plans suffered a drastic change. What he had planned to be a semi-romantic lunch for two, turned out to be an unofficial introduction of his chosen candidate to his parents.

The dining room in itself was a masterpiece with wall-paintings depicting a sunset of the sparse pine-tree forest and furniture with wooden leave carvings and the material - an elegant blending of warm green and gold colours. In Draco's mind this sight was meant to induce Ryan into the mild state of awe. In contrast, when they arrived, the dark-haired beauty just had the chance to glance at the splendor before his eyes stopped at the regal pair already situated at the small dining table.

"Mother, Father, it is surprise to see you here."

His father smiled faintly. "Isn't it, Draco? A wonderful coincidence it is. Narcissa and I just happened to decide to have our lunch in this soothing room... Why don't you introduce us to your guest?"

"Of course. Ryan, the man you see is my father Lord Lucius Abraxas Malfoy and the fair lady is my mother Narcissa Black Malfoy. Father, Mother, my companion is known as Lord Ryan Lilland Flhoyer."

Ryan who looked absolutely calm and cool, anything but surprised, bowed lower his head and bending his back just a bit. For a moment, Draco felt envy. From what he saw he was the only one here agonizing about the impromptu introduction.

"It is great pleasure to meet with the parents of Draco. You raised him well."

"I should hope so," nodded Lucius. "Please, join us in our meal."

And so they did. The whole affair seemed a bit stiff, in Draco's opinion, but he was wise enough not to voice or otherwise express that opinion. Narcissa, who had finally regained her charming manners, was having some small talk with Ryan about insignificant things, while his father was mostly silently judging the new arrival, gauging his manners, state of dress (which while smart was not much to talk about, but that was an oversight Draco planned to correct in the future), and cutting the easy-going conversation with sharp questions, like what were Ryan's plans for the future – spreading knowledge, how old he was – seventeen; how did he feel about the current political situation in the Wizarding Britain – abysmal, even muggles weren't as pathetic in their attempts at intrigue.

Thankfully, his father didn't latch onto the muggle aspect of the conversation. Perhaps, the Second War events really changed his view on a number of things.

"Just out of curiosity, how would you describe the wizarding world of Britain in general?" asked Lucius provocatively.

Ryan, of course, answered without hesitation. Did he actually practice an answer to that question?

"Illogical, brain-washed and stagnant."

"Quite a young idealist you are, aren't you?"

"Quite," again Ryan didn't even blink.

"Perhaps, you even want to change it?.." Lucius proposed lightly.

"Perhaps. There is always hope."

"Hm-m."

Seeing that the plates were already abandoned in lieu of the conversation and deciding that enough was enough, Draco turned to his father and proclaimed decisively:

"I believe it is the time we left you to finish this delicious lunch, as I still have to give my guest the tour of the Manor." The young veela's eyes drilled holes in his father's face.

"Of course, my son. I hope, you will enjoy our Manor, Lord Flhoyer."

Ryan folded the napkin and carefully put it near his empty plate. "I have no doubt about that. It was a pleasure meeting you, Lord Malfoy, Lady Narcissa…"

Finally! Draco escorted Ryan out of the room, throwing a not so subtle glare over his back at Lucius who just gazed back at him with his trademark stony expression. The Malfoy heir narrowed his eyes, conveying a message that they would have to talk about this meeting later on.

The rare smile found his way onto the patriarch's face, and Draco was confused as to what it could mean. One thing he wasn't proficient at interpreting was Malfoy's smiles. Smirks and poker faces – these expressions he was much more familiar with. Later…