Harry Potter and the Vulnerability Charm Part II

Chapter 7: The Playdate

TW - mild violence

Snape was none too pleased about this playdate. Originally he said no but after observing Harry and Tommy together - and getting a bound magic contract from Lestrange ensuring his safety - the helicopter parent resigned himself to apparating to Tommy's household to drop Harry off this weekend. "Are you sure you're okay? Got everything?" he double checks Harry has all his safety things in his bag. He would never call himself an overly vigilant parent... except when it comes to this. 'Reformed' Death Eaters aren't always what they seem.

"Yup Daddy!" Harry assures.

"Okay," Snape breathes out heavily. "But promise me something Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Promise me you'll have fun,"

The child breaks into a beaming smile. "I promise!" he hugs his father, giving him a kiss on the cheek before entering the Tudor-designed home.

An eerie aura enveloped him as soon as he arrives, making him nervous. It's creepy. Everything is old, cobwebs hang from black chandeliers. However, he brightens up a little when Tommy runs in from one of the back rooms hidden behind a staircase. "Harry!" he pulls him into a hug.

"Hiya Tommy," he smiles. "Your house is weird,"

"I know," Tommy pouts, looking up at the ceiling. "I don't like it very much, it looks like the orphanage,"

"You were in an orphanage?"

"Yup, my Mummy adopted me! I think," Tommy has trouble remembering anything before Lestrange. But he remembers an orphanage. And fire.

"I'm adopted too!"

"Duh," Tommy giggles. "You don't have a mum, only a Daddy and an Uncle. That means you're adopted!"

"So you already knew?" Harry pouts too. He'd hoped he had told Tommy something interesting about himself. But it's not interesting if he already figured it out.

"Boys! What's taking so long?!" Lestrange demands from the back room Tommy had ran out of. His smile drops, Harry notices his body tense. Just like Daddy when he's nervous.

"Come on," Tommy takes Harry's hand. leading him through. He's whispering, but he doesn't need to be.

"What are we doing?" Harry whispers too.

"Mummy wanted to ask you questions,"

Harry wonders why. He's had friends over for playdates before and none of them got asked questions. He always thought the relationship between his coach and her son is a little weird though. She doesn't act like his Daddy does. But he guesses if Tommy is adopted, and his just been recently adopted, they might not be as close yet.

Harry enters the room that reminds him of his Daddy's spooky study. There's a deep fountain in the centre of black marble tiling. Vials of things line the walls on overflowing shelves. Maybe she is just like his Daddy!

"Harry Potter," her smile is creepy too, it looks insane, her eyes glassed over and the edges of her black mouth curled up menacingly, like the Cheshire Cat from Alice and Wonderland. Harry whimpers - something is wrong. "Come over here, would you please?" She beckons him over.

She's sitting by the fountain. With tentative steps he walks over. She holds out a goblet filled with unknown black liquid that seems to shift on its own volition. "Do you like blackcurrant juice?" she hands him the goblet.

"Yep!" he agrees, lifting it to his mouth. Blackcurrant juice is yummy!

"That's unfortunate, because this tastes nothing like it," Lestrange sighs, forcing the liquid down his throat.

Harry panics, waving his hands in the air. Before his body relaxes, eyes becoming glassy just like hers. His mind is fogged and his vision blurry. Each action he does feels compliant, like it's not by his own will. Lestrange removes the cup from his lips. Tommy watches, afraid from the corner. Sorry Harry, he thinks to himself, holding back tears.

"Alright," she smiles down at him. "You're going to answer all my questions with the complete truth, aren't you?"

Harry nods like a zombie.

"Good. Tell me everything you know about Albus Dumbledore,"

He does. He answers all her questions, including the ones about Hogwarts defences, his Daddy's potions projects, the castle layout. Passwords Daddy told him in case of emergency. Such valuable information, Lestrange grins. Her plan is working perfectly.