Power Plays Chapter 65

St Mungo’s was as quiet as any of them could expect. In the wake of Harry’s tenure as Senior Auror, Britain had become a relatively peaceful place. There were the odd beds lingering about with elderly folk dealing with one ailment or another, but the more serious wards were bereft of an influx of patients.

While most witches and wizards being brought into the hospital would be examined by a healer first, Astoria was already well-known here and was quickly gathered up by a team of healers upon the Knight Bus’ arrival. Harry, Daphne, and Draco all ran alongside the bed as it was wheeled in by professionals, who quickly guided her up towards the fourth floor where her familiar room was waiting for her.

All they could do was sit back and watch as healers came rushing in. With the curse gone from her body, there were far fewer concerns that something could go wrong, but everyone decided that it was still best to take precautions.

As Astoria laid back down in her hospital bed, Andromeda came into the room.

“Alright, you lot, out,” she said, waving at Harry, Daphne, and Draco.

“I’m staying by her side,” Draco insisted strongly, still holding onto Astoria’s hand.

“Fine,” Andromeda said curtly. “You two then. Out.”

“I’m staying too,” Daphne insisted.

Andromeda let out a huff of frustration. “This isn’t a pub you can sit around for hours in. We have important work to do and—”

“Please,” Astoria spoke up from the bed, her face cringing with pain as another contraction struck her. “Just leave them be. They’ll stay out of the way.”

Andromeda looked sharply at Harry. “If you think that you’re staying too—”

“Don’t worry,” Harry held his hands up in surrender. “I’ll leave, as long as you’re okay with that,” he said to Daphne.

“Go,” Daphne nodded, barely paying attention to him as she hurried over to Draco’s side to watch over Astoria.

“It might take a while yet before she has her baby,” Andromeda told him. “Go home or loiter around in the tearoom if you really want. Either way, we’ll have someone come get you after Astoria’s given birth.”

“Thank you. And please floo me if there’s any complications,” Harry replied quickly as he stepped past a healer rushing in with a floating tray behind her. He ducked under it and squeezed through the doorway just as the door slammed shut behind him.

He knew that Astoria was going to receive the best possible care here. Andromeda would make sure that nothing bad would happen to her. He just hoped that Draco would remain calm enough throughout the whole process so as to not upset Astoria too much.

Staying around in the waiting area didn’t seem fun, especially with Delphini pouting at home. He decided that it would be best to return back to Greengrass Manor and settle down there until he heard any news.

However, just as he was making his way back towards the lifts, he spotted a shambling figure making their way over. Draped in a pale-white hospital gown, they clutched at the railing that ran along the wall for support, barely able to keep themselves standing. From beneath their sleeves, Harry could see bones pushing out against their pallid skin. And atop their head hung limp, wispy white-blond hair.

The face that looked up at him was not one that Harry recognised immediately. Even in the darkest moments at the Battle of Hogwarts, the man’s face had never looked so sallow. After the war, he’d become an alcoholic and put on a bit of weight, but all of that seemed to have shed dangerously fast off of his body. Now, he looked like nothing more than skin, bones, and regrets.

And yet even still, those grey eyes were strong enough to maintain malice within them as he looked upon Harry.

“Potter,” Lucius coughed out. “Out of my way.”

Harry took a step aside and allowed the man to continue trudging forward. Only when Lucius was just barely past him did he speak up. “Where are you going?”

“Where do you think?” Lucius spat.

“So, after all this time, you’re finally going to be there for your son?” Harry raised an eyebrow at the man’s back. “Not when Astoria was suffering from her curse? Not when your family was in danger?”

Lucius rounded on him then, nearly falling over as his unsteady balance challenged his sudden movement. “I fought to protect my family when we were in danger and look at what happened! I couldn’t stop him and Narcissa—”

His words broke off as a coughing fit wracked his body. Lucius let go of the railing and dropped to his knees, doubling over at the waist as he tried to hack up whatever was plaguing him.

Feeling bad for the man, Harry knelt down to help him up, but Lucius just batted his hands away. “I don’t need your pity,” he said. “Just leave me alone and go on hating me and I’ll go on hating you.”

“I don’t hate you,” Harry said instinctively, and the moment he did, he realised that he was telling the truth.

Once upon a time he had hated Lucius. He’d nearly killed Ginny with Tom Riddle’s diary, abused Dobby terribly for years, and spawned a child as awful as Draco used to be. But those were things that’d happened long ago. His fiery anger towards them had cooled, and now he was left with little more than disappointment that a man would stoop as low as that. The fact that he’d abandoned Voldemort and the Death Eaters at the Battle of Hogwarts did little to truly redeem him in Harry’s eyes either.

“You’re a broken man who lost his wife while trying to fight alongside her,” Harry said carefully, trying to make his words not sound insulting in any way. “And really, I don’t think you care what I think about you anyway. What matters is how your family feels about you. Isn’t that right?”

Harry was met with nothing but a gruff vocalisation as Lucius stood up and grasped onto the railing. He wouldn’t meet Harry’s gaze.

“You’ve disappointed Draco for years by not being there for him,” Harry told Lucius bluntly. “Even when he and Narcissa chose to become better people, you wallowed and blamed everyone else for your own faults. I thought that you fighting alongside Narcissa would be the catalyst for your change for the better, but you’ve gone right back to wallowing, only now it’s here at St Mungo’s without your family around.

“Draco told me that you’ve been refusing to speak to any healers about your mental state, and from the look of you I’d have to guess that you’ve been refusing to eat. Let me guess, they force you to take vitamin potions and that’s all that you’ll agree to? I can only imagine that you’re trying to punish yourself for everything you felt like you’ve done wrong, but that’s just cowardly. Once again you’re choosing to run away from the chance to be better.”

“You were right before,” Lucius said bitterly. “I don’t care what you think.”

“Bully for you,” Harry retorted, not caring in the least what Lucius said. It was long past time someone told this to him straight. “Well, just so you know, Andromeda’s not going to let you in to see Draco and Astoria. She’s got that place locked down tight, and even if they were allowing people in, do you really think Draco would be happy seeing you looking like this? You’ve been a horrible man for most of your life, Lucius, but you’re still his bloody father. He’d hate to see you looking like this, and it’d take away from a beautiful moment between him and Astoria. Go back to your room and make a change for the better. Start having proper meals and regain some strength so that you don’t look like you’re about to keel over dead. Or go stand outside of Astoria’s room until maybe they let you in or you pass out from exhaustion if you really want to make this day all about you.”

These were some of the private sentiments that Draco shared with Harry only when they were both drunk mixed with Harry’s own thoughts on the situation. It was a rare thing for Draco to speak about his father much, and he always tried his best not to be too harsh to the man who raised him, but sometimes his frustrations bubbled to the surface.

“Your son misses you,” Harry said a bit more gently. “He was heartbroken that you wouldn’t even put yourself together enough to attend Narcissa’s funeral. If you want to be in his and your grandchild’s life, then you need to fix your own life first.”

Lucius’ head hung low now. He was staring at his shoes as he breathed heavily. Then, his shoulders heaved slightly as a silent sob struck him.

“You need to want this,” Harry told him.

Silence was all he was met with.

Harry feared that he’d pushed the man too far, but then he heard a quiet whisper.

“I do.”

“Then go back to your room and start getting better,” Harry said. “I’m sure that Draco will let you know when his child is born.”

Slowly, Lucius began treading back the way he came from. Harry watched him go and then waited for several more moments before he continued his path towards the lifts.

He really did hope that Lucius changed for the better. Astoria’s dad was dead; it was unfair for a child to grow up without a grandfather around to help take care of them. Maybe this was the push he needed, or maybe it’d just be another stepping stone that he’d trip over and fall flat on his face.

The lift came slowly down from up on the fifth floor where the visitors’ tearoom was. A few other evening visitors were inside, making their way down to other floors. At once, flickers of recognition lit up their faces, and Harry was sent into a round of handshakes and greetings with everyone. It was good to make a positive appearance to the voting public given his planned role in Daphne’s government.

One by one, they all got off the lift at their respective floors until Harry and a couple of others got off at the ground floor. He said his goodbyes to them as he headed down the corridor that led to the reception area where he’d be able to leave from.

He smiled at the witch behind the desk and stepped outside into the cool London air.

“Fancy seeing you here, Auror Potter.”

“Aurora Calderon in the flesh,” Harry smiled as the woman stepped out from the shadowy alleyway nearby holding a long smoking pipe in her hand. Her soft brown hair was cut into a wavy bob that just barely missed touching her shoulders, framing her angular face and sharp brown eyes. “Quite a coincidence meeting you here.”

“It is indeed,” she agreed, her American accent sounding out of place in Britain.

Liar, Harry thought to himself. She’d been watching him. How many other wizards so integrated into society ever chose to step out into the muggle part of London instead of taking the floo inside of the hospital? He always came out here when he was working just to have a moment of fresh air before he returned back to the underground Ministry.

“I hope that everything is alright,” she continued before placing the pipe to her lips.

“My fiancée’s sister has gone into labour,” Harry told her. There was no point in hiding the news; everyone would hear about it once the baby was born. He didn’t want to bother asking for whatever lie she’d prepared to explain why she was here too.

“My congratulations then,” Aurora smiled as she took another step closer to him. “I assume then that your fiancée is with her sister now?”

“She is,” Harry nodded.

“Good for her, being so supportive.” Aurora’s smile grew predatory. “I hope she doesn’t stretch herself too thin. Why, Rhys and I were just speaking about how hard-fought of a campaign she’s been running.”

“I don’t rightly care for what Rhys has to say,” Harry said, turning away slightly from her. He hadn’t expected to meet her out here tonight, but clearly she had if she was waiting around for him. Whatever game she had planned, he didn’t want to make it too easy for her.

“Sorry, I forgot that you two are like cats and dogs,” Aurora chuckled.

“I don’t respect an evil man like him,” Harry retorted.

“He can be a bit of a bad boy, but I hear that you’re one too,” Aurora said as she stepped around into Harry’s direct view. She had a sly smile dancing on her lips. “Sleeping with other women when you have a fiancée? That sounds quite naughty to me.”

“I won’t even begin to comment on such baseless rumours,” Harry replied.

Aurora hummed in amusement. “I heard from one of your conquests just how good in bed you are. She made it sound like it would be a life-altering experience. And she said that you’d definitely be interested in a pretty-little thing like me.”

Who wouldn’t be? Aurora was a very pretty witch, and she knew it. Ever since she arrived here in Britain working at Rhys’ side, plenty had taken note of her. Her slim figure, long legs, and incredible smile left men’s eyes following her every step. But of course, Harry wasn’t so easily pulled in and fooled by her looks. Besides, Daphne was a million times more gorgeous than Aurora ever could be.

But he still needed to play along just a bit.

“Did she now?” Harry rolled his eyes. “And why would I ever be interested in one of Rhys’ cronies?”

“Because if you really are as good as she said you were, I might be willing to let a few of Rhys’ secrets slip,” Aurora grinned. “Maybe even something to do with the attack on your fiancée.”

She delivered that last line like a killing blow, blissfully unaware of the fact that it was Daphne who’d orchestrated the attack on herself. She was trying to reel him in with lies and false promises. It was an admirable effort, really, and Harry knew that if he was as ignorant as she thought he was, he would’ve so easily agreed to what she wanted.

Which was exactly what he was about to do.

“You know what happened?” Harry asked, closing the gap between the two of them as he looked her seriously in the eyes.

The satisfaction that crossed her gaze was plain to see. Harry knew exactly what was coming next. She’d get him to follow her someplace private, and then she’d enact whatever scheme she’d worked on. It was exactly as Harry had hoped it would go. He was ready to go wherever with her, foil her plot, and then get the information that he really needed from her. He needed to know what Rhys was really up to during this election. He was far too quiet for his normal self. He had to be planning something big.

“Maybe,” she teased him. She went to take a step back, but Harry reached out and grabbed her wrist, showing a hint of desperation. “That’s not very gentlemanly of you.”

“Don’t play games,” Harry warned her. “If you have information, then tell me. Otherwise, I’ll take you into custody and—”

“Wouldn’t it be far more fun if you handcuffed me back at my flat?” Aurora winked at him. “One night, and I promise that I’ll spill what I know.”

“Do I need you to give me an unbreakable vow?” Harry asked her.

Aurora laughed loudly. “Please, Harry. I’m a woman of my word. Give me one good night, and you’ll get everything I promised and more.”

Harry glanced back at the entrance to St Mungo’s, as though questioning everything.

“Time’s ticking,” Aurora said.

“Fine,” Harry replied instantly. “Where are we going?”

“To my flat. It’s not far from here. We can have a nice walk,” she said, grabbing onto his arm. “Just follow along with me.”