Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Behind the Fog (Backup Upload) ❯ Behind the Fog (Backup Upload) 2nd Chapter ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Anything you recognize is property of JK Rowling. Additionally this is not my story. I am uploading this to my own account in support of the author the story belongs to who has been struggling with hackers.

The thing I've most been dreading as a fan is that the story would be removed from the site by the hackers and the author wouldn't have access to their old chapters when the situation was eventually brought under control in the event the site moderators wouldn't be able to give the author their account back.

For anyone interested the author goes by Hancock23 on Fanfiction -dot- net. I will remove the story from my account when Hancock23 has gotten the story safely uploaded elsewhere or has been safely given their account back on Fanfiction -dot- net. Without further ado I give you a backup upload of: Behind the Fog by Hancock23.

PS: This Backup Upload contains minor edits for grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Plus some rewording/restructuring of sentences so they make better sense and flow better. Hope you don't mind me becoming something of a Beta Reader for this Backup Upload Hancock23.

Chapter Two - Bonding and Resolve

Draco was summoned to the headmaster's office the very next day. When he arrived, he noticed Dumbledore seated behind his desk and in front of it; Snape, Potter, Lupin, and a handsome man Draco assumed was Sirius Black. He had read in the Prophet that Black had been found innocent after the incident at the Ministry of Magic over the summer, but he had been too preoccupied with other things to actually take much note.

"You asked for me headmaster." He said, in a polite but cold voice.

"Yes, please have a seat Mr Malfoy." Draco took the open one next to his godfather. He however, did not say a word, choosing to sit and wait patiently, his face betraying none of what he was feeling, which at that moment, was admittedly nothing.

"You were accused of grave matters in yesterday's Daily Prophet." The old man said, and Draco continued to look imperiously at him before he answered.

"I do not believe there is a law against taking any person as a lover, even the dark lord." He said. No change in expression, no hint to the world that he almost vomited even as he said those words.

"I see." Dumbledore said sorrowfully. "I was hoping we were all wrong in our conclusions this time."

In the old man's 'sorrow', there was disgust and Draco could not stand to be in that room any longer. He no longer cared what they thought, but he did not want to stay there and hear them think it.

"If that is all." He said and began to stand up, but he did not get far.

"Sit back down Draco." Severus Snape said in a voice that brokered no arguments, and he took back his seat.

"Please refer to me as Mr Malfoy, or simply Malfoy professor Snape." He said catching everyone by surprise, especially his godfather, but Draco had made a choice. All those years he had waited for his godfather to save him from the hell that was his home, but he hadn't.

As it was, he would wait no longer, and no longer would he consider the man as his family. The sooner he let go of these attachments, the sooner he could protect himself from further hurt and disappointment.

"Professor?" Draco called, raising an aristocratic eyebrow to the headmaster implying that he did not have the time to waste sitting around with them.

"Recent events have unfortunately necessitated your cooperation in…." Albus began and Draco just wanted to be gone.

"What you mean to say is that Potter is an elemental wizard, and I am unfortunately his mate. We all know that I am not allowed to say no, so just cut the tale. Inform me by owl when you decide to complete a bonding." He said, and once again began to stand up.

"How do you know that?" Potter demanded angrily, his hand painfully gripping his arm.

Harry hated this. He hated that he had to bond with a person he had hated at first sight. When he read that Daily Prophet a few days ago, he had at first been reluctant to believe it, but then, he had remembered Malfoy's actions for the last five years and had to admit it wasn't implausible. The boy wanted power.

He hated that he could not best Harry in anything but academics, it was not so hard to believe that he would resort to seeking power in that manner. Since Severus Snape had helped save Sirius at the Department of Mysteries the past summer, Harry had begun feeling a certain respect for the man, so when he had spoken to him about the situation, and Severus had not denied that the Malfoy heir was the sort to do anything for power Harry had become certain that giving Malfoy the benefit of the doubt was not necessary.

"It doesn't matter how I know, what matters is that I would rather not beat around the bush, when I can just get this matter done with, and continue on with my life." Draco remarked, glaring heatedly and prying his arm from Harry's grip.

"Do you think that being bonded to Harry will clean the mess you have made of your name, not that it was a respectable one to begin with?! Perish that thought, because no amount of repentance can absolve you of the sin of being you." Sirius Black said angrily as he stood up.

His face betrayed his frustration. He obviously hated the idea of his godson being bonded to Draco, but he also acknowledged that it was the only way for Potter to defeat Voldemort.

"Your logic is quite flawed Black, I am not Potter; I do not need any acknowledgment or acceptance from anybody." Draco said with a look of disdain on his face. "If I cared to clean up this "mess" as you called it, I assure you Potter would be option Z, rather than option A."

"Draco," Snape started, but was cut off.

"Malfoy, Professor Snape. I do not believe we are familiar enough to use each other's given names." They were all stumped, and by the time they recovered, the blonde was long gone.

"What in the world was that?" Harry asked, looking to Severus for an explanation, but the man seemed just as shocked. He had expected Malfoy to rave and rant and maybe even throw a few curses around, he did not know how to deal with the cool indifference.

"I don't know what is wrong with him, but something has changed with him." Snape said with a frown, apparently having come to the same conclusion about how his godson would react.

"The hot headed Draco is easy to deal with, I have no idea how to deal with that one." The Potions Master admitted.

"At least he agreed without being asked." Remus Lupin, who had not said a word before, commented.

"Yes, but I am concerned with his attitude." Dumbledore said. "You will have to keep an eye on him Severus."

"I know." The Potions Master said, his brain trying to figure out just what had happened to change his godson so.

"I want to do this as soon as possible." Harry said. "The faster we bond, the faster I can forget about this. Good thing that an elemental bond is not as demanding as magical creature bonds."

"Thank Godric for small mercies." Sirius agreed. "Although you will have to live together, and consummate the bond at least once within three months of the bonding. After that, you will be free to live different lives."

"Yes, thank Merlin." Harry deadpanned.

Three months of living with Malfoy, three months of sharing a bed with him. Having sex with someone who considered having a monster as a lover acceptable, three months in which he wouldn't be able to touch Ginny. Three months was a very long time in his eyes, and it gave him nausea.

"I think we should perform the ceremony before the weekend arrives. Lucius has instructed Draco to go to Hogsmeade every weekend, and he might just take him home if he finds out about this. We can't let that happen." Severus opined, and the others agreed.

Friday evening came faster than anyone wanted. Draco'd had a hellish week, and although he was glad that the weekend was here, he dreaded the bonding ceremony that was to take place after dinner. Blaise and Pansy had helped research everything there was to know about being bonded to an elemental, and Draco was happy that the whole ordeal would be virtually over after three months, but that presented him with a new problem.

Bonding with Potter without his father's consent would cut him off from his family's fortune. Malfoy laws did not allow for disownment, but he had yet to inherit his coming of age gift so he had no money except the portion of his pocket money that he had not managed to spend. It was quite a lot since the school term had just started, but because he would not be getting more over the Christmas break, he had to be careful with his resources.

Everything in him resisted the idea of taking anything from Potter, even a single knut was unacceptable because he felt expecting and accepting one thing would lead to a slippery slope of expecting, which could only lead to hurt and he did not want that. He could not take any more of that.

Luckily for Draco, he had options. Only his two best friends knew that he was exceptionally gifted. Exceptionally gifted was a humble way of putting it really. He was a true genius, the kind of which had not been born since Merlin if headmaster Arwin of the Arwin Institute was to be believed. Not that the man knew the little genius he communicated with via owl mail was Draco Malfoy; and if it could be helped, he never would, especially not now that Draco had such a huge scandal hanging over his head.

For years, Draco had been inventing spells and potions, but he had no way of patenting them without the consent of his parents. Asking them for consent would have opened up a can of worms that he had never wanted opened. The moment he had received notice of his impending bonding with Potter on Friday evening, Draco had contacted Arwin and requested his aid in authenticating his inventions. The man ran a school for gifted children, and he had been more than happy to help.

He had used some of his money to retain a solicitor, and once the bonding was complete, he would be considered an adult and thus able to conduct his own dealings. In the meantime, Blaise, who had already received his first inheritance had fronted him one hundred thousand galleon in case of any unforeseen issues. If it was anybody else, Draco would have refused, but he knew Blaise would never use this against him, and were he in the opposite situation, he would have done the same thing.

Friday evening, dinner went faster than Harry would have liked, and when the other students left for their beds, a small group remained in the hall. At the Gryffindor table was: Potter, Granger, Weasley, Longbottom, Finnegan, Thomas, and the Weaslette. At the Ravenclaw table was Luna Lovegood, and at the Slytherin table: Draco, Pansy, and Blaise. At the teachers' table: Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape.

Soon, the doors to the great hall opened to admit the rest of the Weasleys, Sirius, Remus, and a smartly dressed witch Harry didn't know. The witch went to the Slytherin table.

"If everyone will gather to the front of the hall." Dumbledore said, and everyone moved directly in front of the high table, where two tables facing each other had been erected. Malfoy and his three companions took one table, and Harry and his took the other. The teachers sat at the high table.

"To begin," Dumbledore started. "There are a few issues that must be agreed on before the ritual, and Harry has allowed me to present the terms to you Mr Malfoy."

Draco nodded and sat back in his chair to listen. "The circumstances surrounding this mean that you Mr Malfoy are doing this without parental consent, which will have dire ramifications on your inheritance. Am I correct in assuming that you are yet to receive your coming of age inheritance?" The headmaster asked and Draco nodded.

He saw Ronald Weasley sneer and Potter smirk. Pansy and Blaise glared at them in response, but Draco just rolled his eyes.

"In light of that, Harry has generously agreed to provide you with the same stipend you receive from your parents until you finish your education in Hogwarts, and a sum of ten thousand galleon to settle after you leave Hogwarts. In exchange, you are to not lay claim to his estate, or assume any responsibility on his behalf, in case of any eventuality. I believe these terms are fair, don't you Mr Malfoy?" The headmaster pressed on; Draco had never been so insulted but he did not show it.

Pansy and Blaise, however, did not maintain such poise, and he could see them snarling angrily. Draco nodded to the female sat to his far left.

"I am Marina Vaughn Clark, and I am Mr Malfoy's solicitor." She said as she unrolled some parchments she had in front of her.

"Ms Vaughn Clark." The headmaster acknowledged with a small nod and a frown.

"Mr Malfoy will agree not to lay claim on Mr Potter's estate or assume responsibility in any eventuality, but he also expects the same consideration form Mr Potter." She said looking straight at Harry who snorted.

He wanted to ask 'what estate', and say that he 'wouldn't be caught taking responsibility for Malfoy even in a life or death situation' but refrained.

"I agree." He answered simply.

"Mr Malfoy also wishes to forego your generous monetary offer." She said and Harry frowned.

What the hell? Typical. It was just like Malfoy to spit someone in the face, even when being shown some decency, but who was he to care?

"What do you think you are doing Draco?!" Severus Snape shouted at his godson. He hadn't been able to speak to Draco since the boy had agreed to the bonding, and the other Slytherin had begun treating him like he did all his other teachers.

"I know you have never been in a situation where you had no money, but you will regret not taking Potter's offer when you find yourself unable to buy those expensive chocolates you so enjoy." The man sneered with derision.

"Professor Snape, I am well aware of what I am doing and I assure you, I would rather eat your greasy hair than accept a single knut from Potter." Draco said, shocking the occupants of the hall into silence. "About my Switzerland chocolates, please feel free to tell me "I told you so", when you find I can no longer afford them."

Snape was stumped. What the hell happened? Draco had respected him and looked up to him all his life, but now he treated him like some distasteful thing he found beneath his shoe.

"Moving on," the solicitor said. "If by an accidental chance my client conceives during the mandatory consummation of this bonding, Mr Malfoy requests that you give up all parental rights over the child. In exchange, he will not expect any help, monetary or otherwise in raising the child; You are to have no say whatsoever in their life."

Harry was shocked. He hadn't thought about children, but he should have. Contraceptives failed sometimes and accidental children arose regularly from such a situation. What would he do? The child would be part his, but also part Malfoy's. Could he deal with that? Could he ever love it? Would Ginny allow him the child? He didn't think so, and he didn't think he would want any part of it.

"Alright." Harry agreed, stomping on the small doubt that was telling him not to agree to such a thing so easily.

"Mr Potter, this means that you are not to be involved in the child's life even if Mr Malfoy happens to pass away. He will choose rightful guardians, and you will not be involved no matter the circumstance."

Harry took another minute to think, and another to stifle the doubt once more. "Okay. I agree." He declared, and the solicitor nodded before standing up.

"Take a minute to go through this document before you sign." She said as she handed it to Harry. The contract was more detailed than he had expected, and he let Hermione look at it over his shoulder. He signed when he was done, and when Hermione was satisfied that he was not being tricked.

When Malfoy did the same, the solicitor made four copies. One for him, another for Malfoy, one for the Ministry's records, and final one for her own records. Dumbledore then produced a contract on Harry's behalf, and they repeated the same process.

"May I have the bonding rings?" Dumbledore asked, and Harry rummaged in his pocket to produce a box which held the rings. They were simple gold bands.

"Mr Malfoy has provided his own ring actually." Marina Vaughn Clark explained on her client's behalf, and passed a ring box to Dumbledore. It held a single platinum and white gold ring, and it was at this point that the fact that Malfoy would not give anything to or accept anything from Harry really sunk in. "Our research has shown that there is no requirement for the bonding rings to be the same for the ritual to be complete."

"I see; That is correct. Very well Mr Malfoy." The old man said, and held the platinum band and one of the gold ones out for all those present to see. He muttered a spell at them, and the rings glowed for a minute before they settled back into their original state.

"Boys," He called, and Draco and Harry walked to stand right before him.

They repeated the words of the ritual like actors rehearsing for a play, and slipped the rings onto each other's finger without further ado. When Dumbledore called for a sealing kiss, Harry froze, but Malfoy did not seem to have the same issue. He leaned in and without closing his eyes, placed his lips on Harry's impassive ones for a full three seconds before pulling away, and walking back to his friends and solicitor. He felt nothing. Everything that he had ever felt for Potter was no longer there.

"Not the most exciting wedding I have ever been to." Marina Vaughn Clark commented dryly when Draco arrived at her side.

She had a mischievous smile on her face though, and Draco could not help but return it. From their correspondence before meeting today, Draco had not known if he would like her, but now that he had met her he was delightfully surprised to learn that he did. She was smart and tactful, having not brought up the elephant in the room even once.

No mention of his supposed lover, nor any untoward fawning over him or Potter. Yes, she would do nicely. "From the stories I have heard about your relationship with Mr Potter, I admit that I had expected that one or both of you would be marrying a transfiguration monstrosity." She said.

Draco looked at her in disbelief for a minute, before bursting into genuine amused laughter. The sound was like a beautifully played musical piece, and everyone in the room turned to stare in shock. Pansy and Blaise had heard Draco laugh before, but it had been a while since he had been able to. It made them smile as they listened to the almost foreign sound.

While Potter's ilk had more than enough reason to not have heard Draco laugh so genuinely before, Severus was having an epiphany as he realized that Draco was the source of the amused laughter; He had never heard his godson laugh before, and for the first time he wondered why. The rest got over their shock and just looked horrified, as if Draco Malfoy had no right whatsoever to laugh.

"It was touch and go there when the headmaster was reading the terms of the contract, but I refrained. I am beginning to have second thoughts now. Marrying the giant squid would likely have been preferable to the boredom of this debacle." He said, and this time the solicitor was the one to burst out with laughter, as she imagined trying to keep her face straight as she read a contract to a Harry Potter turned giant squid.

"I am glad you refrained, I am not sure I would have been able to keep my calm." She said in between gasps. Yes, Draco thought, she really would do.

"I should be heading back. You had said something about a project you would like my services on if today went well?" She asked, her voice suddenly serious and Draco nodded before taking her arm and taking her a distance away from the rest. They were not focused on Draco, but he did not want to take any chances. Pansy and Blaise naturally followed.

"Yes, I would like to retain you from now on, well into the foreseeable future. I am happy with your services today, and I can tell that we can get along, which is important because I will be entrusting you with my very life."

"I understand." She said. "I offer my more sensitive clients a chance to make an unbreakable vow to ensure complete trust."

Draco nodded. He would take that chance, because this woman standing in front of him, would soon have the tools that could easily destroy him. "Thank you." He said.

"For some reasons which I will explain later, I cannot leave Hogwarts for the time being, so I will speak to the headmaster and see if you can't come to Hogwarts tomorrow and Sunday so that we can discuss things. Are you available?"

"I do not normally take clients on the weekend but I understand your situation, what with school, so I will come."

"Thank you."

"However, could you ask the headmaster about the possibility of me staying the night tomorrow, instead of going back and then coming again the following morning? As you know, I have to travel quite some distance."

"Yes, of course."

Marina Vaughn Clark was a lawyer from France. Draco had known that no English solicitor would unbiasedly work for him, and he wanted someone he could trust so he had acquired a list of lawyers from France. He wanted someone young who could be versatile in their way, someone affordable, and someone who had a good record. Marina Vaughn Clark had fit the bill - young since she was only 21, affordable, and the records of the few cases she had worked on showed a brilliant and versatile mind. He could work with her, and they would grow together. Shaking himself from his thoughts, he walked to the headmaster.

"Excuse me Professor Dumbledore." He said cutting short a comment Bill Weasley was making to the headmaster. The Weasley first born looked at Draco with curiosity rather than the open hostility the other members of his family were regarding Draco with.

"How may I help you Mr Malfoy?" The old man asked.

"I would like to request permission for Ms Vaughn-Clark to come back tomorrow morning, and spend the night in the castle so that we may continue with our business early Sunday morning." Draco said.

The headmaster frowned. "Is it necessary that she spends the night?" He asked and Draco nodded. "Ms Vaughn-Clark does not reside in England, and due to the urgent nature of this affair, there is a lot that needs to be done and I have only the weekend, what with classes."

"I see." The headmaster seemed to weigh the options before nodding his agreement. "I will have an appropriate room prepared for her tomorrow, but this is only a one-time arrangement." He warned. "Any further business must be conducted through mail or on Hogsmeade weekends when I will allow her into the castle in accordance with the Hogsmeade schedule."

"I appreciate that headmaster." Draco said, and went to where the solicitor sat with Pansy and Blaise. She raised her brow and he nodded causing her to stand up.

"Well then, I will see you tomorrow at ten. I have to make sure everything is in order before I head back here." She said.

Draco nodded, "I will walk you to the gates." He declared, and took her arm in his like the perfect gentleman he had been taught to act as. He returned ten minutes later, ready for bed.

"Boys, we will take you to your quarters now." Dumbledore said. "Just you tonight." He warned when he saw Granger and the Weasleys ready themselves to follow. "It will be your choice to inform your friends and family of their location after you have talked about it. The wards are set up so that no one who is not approved by both parties can enter."

Draco nodded but Potter started to protest. His arguments were quelled by a look from Snape. "Goodbye you lot, I will see you soon." Harry called to his friends and family, while Pansy and Blaise hurried towards Draco.

"Goodnight darling." She said and kissed his lips briefly, followed by Blaise who shocked everyone by doing the same thing instead of giving Draco a hug or something.

"Will you need us to join you and Marina tomorrow?" Blaise asked in afterthought, as Draco began following the headmaster.

"Negative. No need for all of us to be stuck inside." He said. "Besides, you have to go to Hogsmeade to buy me a wedding present." He smiled mischievously. His two friends rolled their eyes at his antics, before they also left the great hall for the dungeons.

Uploader's Note: This Has Been A Backup Upload of Chapter 2 of Behind the Fog by Hancock23.