Fic: Promised - Chapter 36
Title: Promised
Author: neddiheht (Ashavan Doyon)
Artist: ritalaura2000
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: All ATWT characters the property of P&G/Telenext. Harry Potter and the characters associated with that universe belong to J. K. Rowling, Warner Brothers, and Scholastic. No copyright infringement intended. No profit made from this fiction.
Characters/Pairings: Noah/Draco, Luke/Neville, Luke/Noah, Draco/Harry. Some mention of other fun pairings not involving Luke, Noah, Draco or Harry.
Word Count: 205,207
Warnings alternate universe, graphic sex, arranged marriages, mpreg, some mention of non-consensual sex. This is a Nuke fic set largely in the Harry Potter verse and combined with a Drarry pairing.
Summary: Luciano Grimaldi was a perfectly happy young wizard. His family carefully neutral during the war, he has found happiness in the years since Voldemort's fall with herbologist, hero, and friend of the Savior, Neville Longbottom. Only he's just been informed that in the tradition of ancient pure blood families, he was promised at birth, in an offering to keep his family safe, to the son of infamous American Death Eater Winston Mayer.
Noah Mayer is a very unhappy wizard. In love for years with fellow Death Eater Draco Malfoy, the two young men have secretly found solace and love in each others arms, dreading the day they knew would come. They are promised, in the traditions of the oldest families. Promised to young wizards who didn't know. Married, for all intents and purposes, almost at birth to strangers who will doubtless hate them. Now they must surrender to duty and obligation. Now they must turn their backs on a love they know and risk everything for what might be. Noah always knew he hated pure blood traditions. This was why.
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Previous Chapter
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Chapter 36
"Minerva," came the quiet voice of Albus Dumbledore from his portrait.
"Yes, Albus?" asked Minerva, her voice serious as she continued work on her latest set of futile letters pursuing a new occupant for the defense against the dark arts position. Too many still considered it cursed.
"The sword, Minerva," said Dumbledore.
McGonagall looked to the customary resting place of the sword of Godric Gryffindor. The sword was gone. "Albus?"
"Just now. Any worthy Gryffindor can call the sword..."
"But only two students in living memory have ever done it," she said quietly. Being headmistress had some privileges. She apparated immediately to the steps of Grimmauld Place and knocked on the door.
Kreacher answered the door finally after several minutes of knocking, the portrait in the hallway beyond muttering quietly in the background. "Headmistress McGonagall," said Kreacher quietly. "Master Potter had not informed me to expect you."
"Quickly Kreacher," said McGonagall striding confidently into the hall. "Where is Harry?"
"I'm here, Minerva," said Harry groggily.
Minerva rushed to the foot of the stairs to look up. Harry was there, indeed, dressed only in a pair of jeans that was rather obscenely tight. Draco Malfoy stood behind him, looking somehow aristocratic despite being in a similarly half-clothed state, wearing only a pair of elegant trousers. Harry's hair was even more unkempt than usual, and despite Draco's cool demeanor, his hair, usually so carefully coiffed, was also mussed. Minerva quickly climbed the stairs to look at him.
"The last thing a portrait said to you in my office?"
"I'm not polyjuiced, Minerva, and I frankly don't remember exactly. But it was Severus, and it had to do with being promised to him," said Harry, indicating Draco.
"I'm disturbing something," said Minerva awkwardly.
"Of course not," said Harry at the exact time that Draco said "Yes."
"I'm sorry, Mister Malfoy. Harry... the sword. It's disappeared from my office."
Harry's face paled. "It wasn't me. We were just sleeping."
"Mister Longbottom?" asked Minerva.
"Maybe," said Harry thoughtfully. "The sword has presented itself to him before. But Minerva... no one has seen him in days. Not since he got out of the hospital for his obliviation."
"You have no idea where he is?"
Harry shook his head. "Grimaldi might know... but I thought... well, really, we all thought that's who he was trying to get away from. He was just hurting too much."
"Mum might have some ideas," said Draco softly, setting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "She just spent a couple days in his head putting his memories back together, maybe she saw something that would give her an idea where he's gone."
"That's brilliant, Draco," said Harry, reaching up to hold the hand on his shoulder. "Why don't you check with her and I'll check with Ginny and Grimaldi."
"Hurry, boys," said Minerva seriously. "The sword presents itself only to those in most desperate need."
Harry nodded. He knew that only too well. "Just let us throw on some clothes and we'll go. You might check with Hermione at the Ministry. She might have some ideas."
"Mister Weasley?"
"He's been away... it's in season for him you know, for Quidditch. Neville's more likely to go to Hermione... or Luna, maybe," said Harry.
"I'll check with Miss Lovegood then, and with Miss Granger at the Ministry after," said Minerva. "Meet me back here in, let's say, an hour?"
"You really think this is serious?"
"Yes, Potter, I do. And Potter... do put on some decent clothes. Those Muggle garments are far too tight and rather distracting."
Harry blushed, the color coming up his torso and into his face, and quickly disappeared upstairs. Draco nodded to the professor as she spun away.
"Mister Malfoy."
"Yes, headmistress?"
"Do right by that boy."
"I am promised to him," said Draco. "I will fulfill my vows."
"Is it so hard to admit that there's more to it than vows and obligation, Mister Malfoy?"
Draco looked at her very seriously, his gray eyes softening. "No," he said softly. "Not so hard. But I just... I just said good bye to Mayer. And I think you know, I loved Mayer. It's hard to be sure just what my heart is feeling, and I would trust it before I hurt Harry again by saying the wrong thing."
"So instead you hide behind the obligation of it all?" asked the headmistress.
"My promise to him was sincere and from the heart. It was from me, not the Malfoy family. And I made it risking the name I cherish over all things. I think that should tell you my feelings on the matter."
Minerva hesitated, but nodded to the shirtless boy and hadn't gone more than two steps before she disapparated.
She appeared back in her office and flooed directly to the Ministry, quickly making her way to Hermione's office on the ninth floor.
"Professor McGonagall?" asked Hermione, pulling back her hood. "I... I wasn't expecting you."
"I don't suppose that you called for a sword in a moment of desperate need?"
"Harry!"
"It wasn't him either, Ms. Granger," said Minerva
"It's Mrs. Granger-Weasley, headmistress. Neville?"
"Has been missing for days," said Minerva. "Since he got out of the hospital, as I understand it."
"Ginny?"
"Potter is checking with her. It would be helpful if we knew where Longbottom was, however. Only two Gryffindors have called the sword in living memory... if it wasn't Potter..."
"Neville is at St. Mungos, headmistress," said a voice behind Hermione. "He asked me some days ago to cast a confundus charm for him that would conceal his presence there. He wanted some time with his parents alone."
"You've seen him since?"
"Yes," said Noah quietly, "though not since Luciano and I returned from Oakdale. I didn't want him to feel... well. I know how I would feel if Potter showed up to show me Draco's promise token. I had no wish to put Neville through that."
"St. Mungos. You are sure?" asked McGonagall.
"I am," said Noah, pulling forth his wand and dismissing the confundus with a wave. "You should be able to apparate there now, if you wish."
"Mrs. Granger-Weasley, I will expect you at headquarters in half and hour."
"We don't even know if something is wrong..." said Hermione.
"The sword presents itself at desperate need. Either Longbottom called it, or some other Gryffindor is in the worst sort of trouble." Minerva nodded at Hermione once and then apparated.
Minerva arrived at St. Mungos to a flurry of activity. Aurors. Minerva made her way confidently to the Longbottoms' room to the sight of Kingsley Shacklebolt stepping out of the room holding the sword of Godric Gryffindor.
"Kingsley?"
"Minerva... what brings you..."
"Where's Neville?"
"He was here?" asked Kingsley. "We suspected, given that this is his parents' room, but..."
"Kingsley..." said Minerva, her voice carrying that edge that her students knew was a warning. And of course Kingsley had been one of those students once.
"We found the sword, and a dead mediwitch, killed by the Killing Curse. We were alerted by the Longbottoms. They awoke spontaneously from their Dreamless Sleep, screaming."
"There is no sign?"
"There was a powerful confundus charm, but it dissolved a short time ago."
"The confundus charm was Noah Mayer, helping Longbottom remain hidden from his friends for a time," she glanced at Kingsley and shook her head. "It's unrelated. Don't waste time on it."
"Then what?"
"I don't know. The Order is assembling at headquarters."
"Minerva, there's really no need..."
"We protect our own, Kingsley."
The Minister took a deep breath. "Very well. I'll be there." He presented the sword to her. "For its return to Hogwarts. It's already been inspected."
She took the sword with a grateful nod. "Thank you, Kingsley. I'll see you shortly."
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This story is written as part of the Nuke BigBang challenge. Check out the other authors' and artists' great work!