The Wizarding Award Scheme Programme (or W.A.S.P. for short)

9. Four Owls

The following morning, during breakfast, no less than four owls arrived during breakfast: three carrying post for Malfoy, and one for Harry. Harry fed all of them treats, not least because he was always prepared with a few treats lurking in depths of his pockets whereas Malfoy had never had any to hand. Malfoy waved the owls away, not looking up from the three letters, one of which bore the Malfoy seal. Harry noted that Malfoy's face had paled somewhat but he put that particular letter to bottom of the pile.

Harry turned his own letter over in his hands, it bore a muggle stamp and had been forwarded on from Hogglestane Croft, the property he owned on the edges of Hogsmeade. After Kreacher had died, he had sold Grimmauld Place on, no longer feeling obliged to hold on to Godfather's house. Instead, he'd invested in the secluded country house in a large estate away from prying eyes. He shared his home with Teddy and Andromeda, the latter of whom lived separately in the Gate House but was often away travelling. It was having the large mature grounds that Harry loved to go home to, somewhere he could escape to, and roam freely with Teddy during the holidays. He had the option of using a private Floo between his office and his home but with Teddy starting at Hogwarts, he found there was no need to live there during the week though he often went home at weekends when he didn't have obligations at Hogwarts. However, now Draco had added to the distraction of staying at Hogwarts during the term time and he was starting to miss the comfort and space of his home.

Harry's heart was beating wildly as he carefully slit open the envelope with his thumb. He couldn't help the smile that crossed his face, he felt like he was glowing. An official moving-in date had been set for 1st June.

He looked to Malfoy and saw the blond-man looked decidedly pale as he read through the letter bearing the Malfoy seal. His own elation forgotten as Malfoy glanced at him and nodded towards the tent.

Harry got up and shouted across the camp, 'right, everyone, start packing your stuff up for today's walk. I'll be inspecting in ten minutes.' Then he followed Malfoy into the tent.

'Unexpected news, good news and odd news,' Malfoy said seriously. 'The unexpected news is that the lawyers are activating my power of attorney due to events at the manor last night...'

'What ev...' Harry started but Draco held up his hand to stall Harry's interruption.

'...as of now, I am responsible for the Malfoy estate and all business ventures. The good news is that Astoria has agreed to my terms, she signed the papers yesterday and returned them, I just need to sign them too and very shortly I shall be a free man and Scorp will be permanently in my care.' A relieved smile adorned Malfoy's angular face briefly but quickly fell away to be replaced by one of worry. 'The odd news is that my father is in St Mungo's. It appears that he fell to the bottom of the stairs at the manor on his way to bed last night. Mother says he was at the top, which is the best part of a four-meter storey and a considerably phenomenal feat considering they are U-shaped and long and have two corners...'

'You suspect...?' Harry stepped closer to Malfoy who was, if anything, looking puzzled.

'Nothing, of course. It seems he was alone; my mother was visiting Aunt Dromeda at your place and didn't find him until my father's house-elf contacted her first thing this morning. You see, the house-elves had the night off, well, Dotty went with mother but the rest weren't there either. She writes that St Mungo's fear that his situation is irretrievable – that is, although alive, he suffered an intracerebral bleed and is currently in an induced coma. Whenever they try to bring him out of it, he immediately goes into seizures...'

'You should go, Dray,' Harry reached out and touched his arm.

'Potter! I don't need false concern from you over my father.'