Thank you to all my reviewers and to my beta DalkonCledwin

Draco Malfoy was sweating. It had been a week since the First Task and he could feel the noose tightening around his neck. His rather foolproof plan to eliminate Harry Potter had failed spectacularly. Not only that but his involvement was quickly rooted out. The Dragon Handler had folded under interrogation and the batches of Polyjuice potion had been discovered. It did not take long to discover one was for the Muggle he stole some hair from and the other was for Draco's form. Sure it was all circumstantial evidence and could easily be squashed in the Wizengamot, but Harry Potter-Andrus was not taking it to the DMLE. He was handling it himself and that thought truly scared Draco. It scared him so much he appealed to the only person he was positive would protect him.

"You must help me, Mother." Draco was kneeling on the floor of his mother's office begging for help. "Sirius still listens to you. He might be able to sway Potter-Andrus."

"I wonder where I went wrong with you, Draco. Did I breastfeed you too long? Did I spoil you too much? Was I too lax in discipline?" Narcissa Malfoy shook her head in sorrow at her son. She really did wonder where she went wrong and if she could avoid the same trap with a second child. "I remember telling you that Harry Potter-Andrus was not a man to cross. I warned you that he was far more powerful and vicious than you could imagine. Did you listen to me? No. You thought if you could eliminate Harry you would be Lord Black. Even if you were right you completely botched the assassination."

"I am next in line after that tattooed heathen." Draco insisted hotly.

"No, Draco, you were never in line for the Black titles and fortune." Narcissa stared down her son. "Nymphadora is next in line after Harry. After her is Charlie Weasley. You never stood a chance of inheriting, ever."

"What? I am of a male of Black Blood. I should be..."

"No, you are not. Your father's family has some strange family customs that have sprung up in the last century. You look so much like your father because while I carried you, you are naught but a clone of him produced by potions and rituals." Narcissa interrupted her son with cold hard facts. "I love you dearly, Draco, but you have made your bed and now you must lay in it."

Draco's eyes widened. This revelation caused a whole new list of worries for him. Being of Black Blood he would have been somewhat protected as Pureblood customs almost demanded that probable Heirs compete for the right to be Lord. It was also impossible to declare a Blood Feud against someone who was so closely related. Being an outsider to the Black Family as well as the Potter Family, Draco had practically declared a Blood Feud himself by his attack on Harry Potter-Andrus.

"Merlin's Balls!" Draco's voice was so low it was a wonder he heard himself. Shaking off the sense of dread, he looked to his mother hoping there was a touch of good news to be heard. "Does anyone outside of the Malfoy family know?"

"Well, Lord Black has been informed recently. He knows of your plot and if you had been a Black he would have likely given you the Black Mark. I do not need to tell you that would be an almost literal death sentence." Narcissa sighed. "And as he is Harry's godfather...For what it is worth, I am sorry Draco, but I doubt you are long for this world."

Even as she said that Narcissa wanted to weep. She did love her son and husband, but even she knew it was their choices that would get them killed. She had no doubt Lucius would make an attempt to save Draco despite the threat he had given him a few days prior. Given that Harry had killed an enraged Dragon, Narcissa was just wondering when she would end up widowed.

"So you will not help me?" Draco asked hoping to guilt his mother into helping him.

"I cannot, I am a Black. If I help you against the Heir of my House…" Narcissa left it hang there for a moment. "All I can suggest is beg forgiveness and attempt to make amends. Swear yourself to him if you must."

"A Malfoy kneels before none." Draco replied automatically. "I will just have to be proactive and succeed this time."

"So this is Malfoy Manor?" Harry looked over the massive gothic monstrosity of a mansion. It had obviously once been a beautiful manor, but it seemed as if someone with a great amount of money and very little taste had many additions added on just for the sake of having a bigger home. "Obviously Lucius is compensating for something."

"You think?" Sirius chuckled as he bounced on his heels. "So shall we knock?"

"The Wards here are simply amazing." Nymphadora was scanning the edge of the property with her wand. "There are Muggle Repelling Wards, Wizard Repelling wards, Anti Apparition Wards, Anti Portkey Wards, Flame Freezing Charms, Anti Lightning Charms, Animal Repelling Charms, Anti Elf charms. Anti Goblin charms...you name it and there is a good chance it's layered here."

"Sounds impressive." Fleur nodded as she regarded the home. "Obviously there are wards against Good Taste as well."

"So knocking is out. Damn." Sirius stopped bouncing and shook his head.

"Well, we know they do not have any House Elves and Narcissa and Draco are at the school, so I was thinking we nuke it." Harry grinned evilly as he reached into the dimensional pocket and began pulling out a massive shoulder-fired missile. It was a Naruni improvement on a Wellington Industries design.

"What the bloody hell is that?" Sirius' eyes were wide with glee. "And can I get one?"

"Please tell me that is not an actual nuclear warhead." Tonks glared at Harry promising much time alone if it was.'

"No, not an actual Nuke." Harry rolled his eyes in exasperation. "It's a Naruni BFM-1 Disposable Missile System. This one is a K-Hex High Explosive Warhead. I got it off a Nimro who was terrorizing a Dwarven mining outpost."

"And just what are you doing with that Missile, mon Amour?" Fleur raised an eyebrow as she looked over the nearly six foot long monstrosity. "I thought we were 'ere to send a message."

"We are. Lucius is currently in the Blue Rose enjoying the company of a strapping young man I am sure. Narcissa and Draco are at Hogwarts." Harry started explaining. "And we just witnessed the cleaning staff leave and we know they don't have an elf anymore. So I thought maybe Malfoy Manor needs to be renovated. I mean look at it. It's just crying for help."

"Oui, it is, but some'ow I do not think a Missile will help with renovations." Fleur commented dryly.

"Oh, but one of the hardest parts of renovation is demolition. This little baby will take care of that without a single problem." Harry chuckled. "Besides, the clumsy attack on me could have killed you if you drew the Horntail or Tonks as she was part of security. Believe me, this is them getting off pretty light."

"Well, when you put it that way…" Tonks weighed everything in. "What are you waiting for?"

"A countdown." Harry responded with a wide grin. "Everyone cover your ears."

"Fine, I will provide the countdown." Fleur relented after a moment. "Trois… Deux… Un… Feu!"

Harry having shouldered the weapon as Fleur confirmed she would give the countdown aimed the massive weapon towards one of the windows. The Manor was some three hundred yards from the property line, so Harry was not too concerned with the possibility of being caught inside the blast radius. He just made sure the others were beside him rather than behind him so they would not be cut in half by backblast.

When Fleur gave the order to fire he pulled the trigger. There was a quarter second delay as the missile's rocket engine ignited. With the whoosh of solid fuel converting to gas the missile flew off the launch rail and barreled towards the Manor at five hundred miles per hour. In just over a second the speeding missile smashed through the leaded glass window and deeper into house until it struck a magically reinforced wall. Fifty kilograms of K-Hex explosives detonated creating a massive shockwave that pulverized stone, splintered wood, shattered glass, deformed metal and basically completely annihilated Malfoy Manor. After four seconds all that was left was a one hundred yard diameter crater in the middle of the property.

"Whoa!" Came the simultaneous response of Sirius, Tonks and Fleur.

"Good thing that I asked Kreacher to clear out all of Narcissa's stuff." Harry said after a moment. "Otherwise i might be in trouble." Chuckling at how his companions were staring slack jawed at what he'd just done, Harry just tossed the now ruined launch rail inside the property line. "So, who's up for some ice cream?"

Malfoy groaned as he slowly came back to consciousness. He remembered leaving his mother's office enraged that his mother would not help him. He'd made a fair impression of a rampaging Erumpent on his way down to the Slytherin Dorms. At one point he remembered seeing one of his distant cousins, Luna Lovegood. As usual he had made a snide comment and took out some frustrations on her with some painful and embarrassing hexes. After that the world had gone black. Now he was hanging upside down in one of the long forgotten cells in the sub basement of Hogwarts. This would be bad enough if not for the hooded figure who was reading a copy of the quibbler.

"When my father hears of this…" Draco attempted his usual threat but was silenced by feminine laughter.

"It's amusing you think you will live long enough to know who you were threatening." The hooded girl chuckled. "I have been patient with you Malfoy, I did not harm you when you called Hermione a Mudblood. I did not harm you when you crowed over the fact that people were being petrified. I let slide your conduct against Buckbeak. There are many other instances, far too many to list now." Closing her magazine she approached Draco. "Now, however you have stepped across the proverbial line in the sand. You hurt Luna Lovegood and that I cannot abide."

"Oh come off it Loony Lovegood isn't worth anything." Draco sputtered. "A Mudblood has more worth that that bint."

The resounding crack of a backhanded slap echoed in the room as Draco swung back and forth suspended from the chains. His cheek was rapidly reddening and some blood filled his mouth.

"Luna Lovegood is worth a hundred thousand of you." The girl's voice was full of cold fury as she spoke. "She is kind, sweet, caring and far more intelligent than nearly everyone in this school. She is the only reason you have survived this long. But because you put her in a coma, she is not here to convince me to keep you alive."

It was at this moment Draco really knew fear. He had been afraid Potter-Andrus might kill him, but it paled next to this. Whoever this girl was she sounded more devoted to Lovegood than his Aunt Bellatrix revered Voldemort. She had already proved to be violent. He had no doubt she would kill him, unless he could think quickly.

"Can I see the face of my executioner at least?" Draco reasoned if he could recognize the girl he could prevail on her better nature or make her squeamish.

"Of course." The girl chuckled as she drew back her hood and revealed herself to Draco.

"Oh bloody hell!" Draco knew all too well there was no reasoning with this girl. He was already dead, she just wanted him to know why.

"Oh, and Pansy wants you to know this is partially because of third year." The girl's smile widened. "Goodbye Draco. Silencio! Diffindo!"

Draco tried to scream but it was pointless. His voice could not overpower the the silencing charms. He could feel the blood dripping down from his neck as he bled out.

"AAAAAAAAHHHH!" Draco Malfoy sat up in bed screaming his head off.

"Mr. Malfoy!" Poppy Pomfrey was normally stern but understanding with her patients. However Draco had gotten on her bad side since day one. His stunt during second year with Buckbeak had net helped his cause any. "Please refrain from screaming in my hospital. I have patients and their guests recovering here."

"Wha..what happened? I had my throat slit…" Draco was almost hyperventilating out of sheer panic. "Who saved me?"

"I don't know about your throat being slit, Mr. Malfoy. However you did collapse in the Hall due to low blood sugar. You are most fortunate that Ginevra and Luna carried you here. There could have been serious complications." Madam Pomfrey explained as she ran her wand over Draco's torso. "Hmm, your heart rate is elevated. I will need to perform some special tests, Mr. Malfoy it seems you might have developed Diabetes."

For a moment Draco wondered if it had all been some weird stress induced hallucination. However that moment of self delusion ended when he saw Ginny Weasley giving him a positively predatory grin. He'd know that look anywhere, the photos of Aunt Bella all had the same hint of madness.

"Sure...sure...I'll just rest here while you do that, Madam Pomfrey." Draco barely kept the terror out of his voice. Meanwhile the only real thought going through his head was: Gingers are scary!

Lucius Malfoy left a generous tip for his masseur. The man had worked out all the tension Lucius had developed in his shoulders over the last week. Now with what seemed to be the weight of the world off his shoulders he was headed home to prepare a night of surprise romance for his wife.

Turning on the spot Lucius thought of the Master bedroom on the fifth floor. With a soft crack he appeared just where the entrance to his walk-in closet had been a few minutes prior. The shock of seeing that his home no longer existed was quickly followed with him hurtling to the ground. He didn't even have the time to draw his wand or attempt another apparition before he landed, a sharpened hunk of rebar puncturing his left knee as he landed. Not that Lucius knew as the landing had knocked him completely unconscious.

"Mint Glow Worm?" Harry shook his head as he looked at the menu. "Fiery Cinnamon? Chocolate Darkness? What kind of place is this?"

"The best magical Ice Cream parlor in the world. The Mint Glow Worm uses a little known caveworm that glows even in daylight." Tonks explained with a wide smile. "The Worms themselves are also kinda minty if you cook them right."

"Oookay, I think I will skip that flavor." Harry shook his head. Finally he found something about this world that just topped the level of weirdness back home. "You people sure have some strange taste in sweets."

"Perhaps, but if you can't be adventurous with candy then when can you be." Sirius Black tried to sound sage-like, but it was spoiled when his face lit up in glee. "Yes, they brought it back!. I will take a triple of the Blood and Chocolate and put it in a sugar cone."

"Blood and Chocolate?" Harry muttered looking to Fleur and Tons for an explanation. Both women just shrugged as the flavor was last seen in the early seventies. "Nevermind, just get me the Chocolate Darkness in a bowl please."

"Mint Glow Worm cone, a double." Tonks ordered. "What? I am addicted to mint."

"Bananas on the Rum." Fleur ordered as it was her turn. "So when do you think Mr. Malfoy will discover what is left of 'is Manor?"

"Well, I'm hoping pretty soon. It'd be much more interesting for him if he discovered it before the Aurors tell him." Harry chuckled. "It's just not the same impact otherwise."

"Actually, I'm hoping he apparates right to his bedroom." Sirius grinned widely at the thought.

"Surely he isn't stupid or lazy enough to do that." Tonks shook her head at the absurdity her uncle being that dim.

"What in the blazes could do this much damage?" Auror John Dawlish was one of the first responders to Malfoy Manor. He had seen the last few years of the Wizarding War, but not even Voldemort' worst attack had left a crater in bedrock like this.

"According to the War Stories of Alastor Moody, any number of muggle weapons." Amelia Bones had come out onto the scene in the hopes that she could find something that would put Malfoy behind bars for any amount of time.

"Are you saying a Muggle Bomb did all this?" Dawlish had heard a few of the stories about the War with Grindelwald. He had imagined a bomb to be little more than the equivalent of a bombarda.

"Not any I have heard of, Auror." Amelia stepped through the rubble scanning for any sign of what might have happened. "A warded home should still be standing. Given how heavily Lucius warded his home, there should have been only broken glass."

"I've found Lucius Malfoy." Kingsley Shacklebolt called out. "He's wounded and unconscious."

"Well, get him to St. Mungo's and keep him under heavy guard." Amelia shouted back. "Get the Unspeakables here to search for any dark artifacts. I have to call Scotland Yard and see if we can borrow one of Squib EOD specialists."

"So you think it was a muggle?"

"No, I am damned sure this was Mr. Potter-Andrus, I just want to know how."

"Okay, I now understand what they mean by Chocolate Darkness." Harry chuckled as she shook his head. His entire body was cloaked in shadow after he had finished his bowl of ice cream. It wasn't that he was covered in inky darkness, he just appeared to be standing in deep shade, no matter where he stood or how intense the light source. "This could be a useful method of nighttime camouflage."

"Oh, now that would have been a Marauder favorite after this delicious concoction." Sirius nodded as he finished the last of his cone. "You never realize what kind of craving you might get when you become an animagus. This Flavor saved me from buying gallons of cow's blood so i could get Kreacher to make Blood Cake. Your father acquired a practical addiction to carrots, apples and grass. Trust me you have not seen it all until you have seen a drunk man grazing in his back garden."

Tonks and Fleur could not keep from giggling as that image was brought up. There was just something too ludicrous about a grown man on all fours chewing on the lawn.

"I imagine that would be one of the weirdest sights in the megaverse." Harry had to admit as he pictured it in his head. "Can't imagine my Mother was all too pleased about it either."

"She really didn't have much room to complain. She was too busy trying to use arithmancy to prove that Hydrox was better than Oreos." Sirius chuckled. "And she was writing her equations on James' back in lipstick and mascara... while he was grazing."

"Do I want to know what they were drinking to be that drunk?"

"Little Man's Hammer." Sirius shrugged. "Basically Dwarven Tequila."

"I am offering two thousand ounces of twenty four karat gold for this contract." Alain Delacour was well beyond nervous but he was not letting it show. He would have preferred to deal with his wife's in house talent, however seeing Mr. Potter-Andrus kill a dragon shot that idea out the window. "I want the target dead with minimal collateral damage."

"Two thousand ounces is a substantial bounty, Mr Delacour." The hooded figure on the left said with some interest in their modulated voice. Absolutely nothing could be determined from their appearance save that they were tall and humanoid. "Do you have a preferred method?"

"No. I just want him dead and out of my daughter's life. You can kill the Metamorphmagus if you must, but I need my daughter left alive and relatively unharmed." Alain barely kept his voice from quavering. "And I need it done quickly, before they consummate their relationship. If they do, I have to terminate the contract."

"Hmm, that could be problematic, but if you include the ten percent termination fee that will not be an issue." The second figure said after just a moment. "Do you have the information we requested?"

"Oui, a full dossier on everything my wife's organization can confirm. There are wizarding photos of him in action during the First Task." Alain said as he slid a thick envelope across the table. "It's imperative this does not make it back to me at all."

"We understand Mr. Delacour. We never met you and there is no reason to believe we ever will." The figure on the right chuckled. "Do be sure to have payment prepared. We tend to work quickly and expect payment to be timely."

"Of course, I am a businessman I understand these things." Alain nodded before he rose from his seat and made his way out of the empty pub.

The figures waited until the man was completely gone before they opened the envelope as the contents spilled out they sorted through them. Without word or comment they examined every document, report, and then analyzed the photos. If anyone had been around, it would have seemed extraordinarily creepy.

"We will need to abandon this outpost, Cousin." The one on the left finally spoke. "And we will need to eliminate all trace we were here."

"It's just the one. He may be of Andrus clan but we have twenty warriors, that should be enough." The one on the right argued. "Even if he did slay a dragon."

"You didn't recognize him did you? This is Harrison Potter-Andrus the Hero of the Dalthur system." The left one sighed as if it was obvious. "I will not risk our initiates against him. We need to eliminate Mr Delacour and leave this world before the Andrus Clan comes. We risk exposure if we face him. The Andrus clan is not like the others. They do not believe we are as innocent as we claim. I know the temptation, but it's not worth it."

"I cannot let him slip between our fingers like that." The right one huffed. "You take the initiates and scour our presence from everything. I will take the contract alone. Whether I succeed or not you leave this dimension and mark it as off limits."

"If he discovers the plot…"

"I will make sure there is no evidence,"

"You seem to have done quite the number on Draco." Luna observed with a small smile gracing her lips. "I have not seen my poor dear cousin so scared since I described an Eyekiller to him. You would think the child of the Rotfang conspiracy would be better able to hold his emotions in check."

"Well, I might have given him a few nightmares." Ginevra Weasley shrugged. "Ones that will come back every time he is stunned, sedated or under a sleep charm. Even Dreamless Sleep and Draught of Living Death."

"Oh my, that is just plain vicious." Luna shook her head. "I blame myself. I noticed the wrackspurts and delayed too long in confronting you."

"You saved me before that damned diary could do much more than teach me a few new tricks." Ginny replied, her voice almost ice cold as it spoke about the diary. "Malfoy brought this on himself. If I hadn't been there with healing charms you would have seriously hurt."

"That is true, but this is almost like the Marietta incident. Do you really want me to tell Dean that he needs to punish you again?" Luna's suddenly stern voice told Ginny how serious the situation could be.

"I did not physically hurt him. And I left it so he can get normal sleep without the nightmares." Ginny tried pouting a little. "I learned my lesson since Marietta."

"I see that you have." Luna sighed. "I do this or your own protection. Marietta was easy to buy off with an Enlargement Potion, we might not be that lucky again."

"I still say she wouldn't have talked." Ginny groused. "No need to give her a set of E Cups. She's tried to use them to lure Dean away, twice."

"We both know that is pointless, Ginny. Dean knows you keep yours tucked into that undetectable expansion bra the same way i keep mine tucked away." Luna chuckled softly. "I do wonder why the other girls don't use them?"

"Oh, some do. Except for the ones you made they can't hide more than three cup sizes." Ginny shook her head. "Poor Susan has been maxed out since her second year."

"Holy Nargles! What we can see is...no wonder you never see her run." Luna chuckled.

"Now, Mon Amour, I must speak you you about the Yule Ball." Fleur had waited until Tonks would be the only witness to this conversation with Harry. She really didn't want to have it and she would much rather accept the invitation she knew he wanted to extend. She had caught him practicing a few times after all. "Monsieur Crouch made it very clear to moi that Champions are not allowed to escort each other to the Ball. It is a new rule, but one that was made prior to 'Alloween."

"Oh." Harry had been hopeful that he could escort Fleur as well as Tonks to the dance. He had already asked the Auror and she had been actually ecstatic at the thought. Something about how it would not be right to just go with one or the other. "Well, that ruins our plans."

"He's lucky that rule was changed prior to Halloween. If I had found out he just implemented it out of the blue, he'd have to pull down his pants to order fish and chips." Tonks growled her hair turning orange as she did so. "We were going to escort you, Fleur. Big romantic date for the three of us."

"Oh, now that makes it even worse." Fleur barely kept the sadness from her voice. "Now I regret only burning 'is silly 'at."

"Oh, I have a solution." Harry chuckled gleefully as it came to him. "Would your sister by my date to the Ball while you take the lovely Nym?"

"I knew you were brave, mon amour, but not that brave." Fleur stared wide-eyed at Harry for his suggestion. "Ma petite soeur is more protective of moi than a mother dragon is of 'er eggs. This will not be a date, it will be an inspection and interrogation. Especially since it is all too obvious 'ow we feel about each other. Nym may come under the microscope as well,"

"I understand her opinion is important, but yours is much more so, both of yours."

"Okay, for that one, we are going shopping..." Tonks grinned.

"Shopping? That's a reward?"

"At Frederick's of 'Ollywood." Fleur continued knowing exactly what Tonks was thinking.

"Oh." Harry nodded as images of lace, g-strings, fishnet and satin filled his imagination. "Well, yeah that would definitely be a reward."

Apolline Delacour was still reeling from the events of the First Task. Her daughter had easily enchanted her dragon in a phenomenal display of magic and Veela allure. Apolline was not sure she was even a quarter as powerful as her own daughter and the thought was not a pleasant one. Then there was Harry Potter-Andrus slaying an enraged nesting Hungarian Horntail. Tossing back a double of Firewhiskey the Veela shuddered. She had angered a man that was quite capable of killing her any time he wished. She had wanted to never feel powerless and vulnerable again, yet here she was the victim of her own hubris.

"Janelle, I need to speak with you." Apolline called out to her receptionist. She could have used the intercom, but it was hardly needed the werewolf had exceptional hearing even in her human form. Watching the petite brunette enter her office she gathered her thoughts. "I want you to prepare the Organization for a rapid change of hands, Janelle. I fear that at best my daughter will be taking the reins from me and at worst it will come under her control after my Will is read."

"Are you ill?" Janelle had some genuine affection for her boss. Even though Werewolves were not ostracized in France, it was hard to find a career that made allowances for their condition.

"No more so than I have been for many years, Janelle." Apolline offered a small smile to one of her favorite employees. Janelle was efficient and kept her moral objections to herself. "As my mother warned me when I started this enterprise I have finally picked a battle I cannot win. I want you to make note of this, no matter what happens to me I want no reprisals unless my daughters both approve of them. I expect you to stop any such attempts at all costs."

Janelle's eyes widened at that statement. There had been numerous attempts on Apolline's life and the Veela had always rewarded those who took initiative in responding to them. The change in policy was more than a bit surprising. "But Madam…"

"No buts, Janelle. If I am killed, in all likelihood the man will be Fleur's chosen." Apolline cut the woman off. "I have seen what he can do and I will not have people needlessly dying for my sin. He slew a dragon, Janelle. He slaughtered a nesting mother dragon alone."

"Mon Dieu!" Janelle whispered in awe. "Perhaps you can attempt to win his favor."

"I doubt anything I could do now will stay the sword hanging over me. Even if I could I cannot change who I am." Apolline glowered for a moment. "Now tell me how Project Reforge is coming?"

"The Runic arrays have been completed and the device has been fully charged." Janelle shook off the desire to tell her boss that it was never too late until you were dead. "The enchanters report they have successfully merged your memories with the Phobos Draught and the device is now soaking in the potion."

"Good, good. Perhaps my daughter is protected after all." Apolline smiled sadly. "It's a shame I will likely be dead before she can thank me."