Harry Potter: Fire Lord Black

Arthur moved the stack of used books away from Lucius's cane.

"My work is honest," he said. "I would rather mend a schoolbook than buy respect by the shelf."

"A useful preference when mending is all one can afford."

Molly told both men to stop. The children around them drew closer instead of moving away, and the photographer abandoned Lockhart for the prospect of a better scandal.

Edward watched Draco. The boy's satisfaction came before any understanding of the dispute. Lucius had marked someone as inferior; Draco responded as though agreement were part of being his son.

"At least my father knows what belongs in the wizarding world," Draco said. He looked from Ron's worn robe to Hermione. "He does not collect Muggles and Mudbloods."

The word silenced the nearest customers.

Ron lunged. Harry caught one arm, while Fred and George blocked the other path around the display. Hermione stood very still, books pressed against her chest.

Edward stepped between Draco and the aisle.

"Do not use that word again."

Draco stared at him. "What?"

"If you think Granger is wrong, identify the mistake. If you think she lacks skill, prove it in class. Her parents do not become an argument because you want one quickly."

"You are taking her side."

"I am objecting to your language. Those are not the same thing."

Lucius's gaze settled on Edward with sudden attention. Arthur looked equally surprised, though less suspicious. The room waited to see whether the disagreement would become another contest between families.

Draco flushed. "Father says people like her weaken our world."

"Then your father can defend that claim himself. You still choose the words you speak."

Lucius tapped his cane once against the floor. "My son does not require correction from another child."

"Then correct him as his father," Edward said. "Public contempt makes him look unable to argue without ancestry."

The reply was more daring than wise. Edward felt that as soon as it left him. Lucius did not raise his voice, which made the danger easier to see.

"The House of Black has developed modern sensitivities."

"It has developed an interest in evidence."

Arthur gave a short, unwilling laugh. Lucius turned on him.

"And what evidence does your household offer, Weasley? A Muggle obsession, a disgraced department, and children dressed from a charity bin?"

Arthur dropped his books onto the counter and struck Lucius before anyone expected movement. Lucius drove him backward into a shelf. Encyclopedias fell, customers shouted, and the photographer's flash burst above the struggle.

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Edward pulled Draco away from the two men. Harry and the twins dragged Ron back while Molly and a shop assistant tried to reach Arthur. Hagrid entered through the crowd, seized both fathers by their collars, and separated them with humiliating ease.

"Enough," he said. "Children present, books everywhere, and neither of yeh acting old enough to own a wand."

Arthur's lip bled. Lucius's hair had come loose across his forehead. Each looked prepared to continue until Molly ordered Arthur outside and Hagrid placed himself between them.

In the confusion, Ginny's cauldron overturned. Her second-hand books scattered near Lucius's feet. He picked up one battered Transfiguration volume and thrust it toward Arthur.

"Here. The condition suits your household."

Arthur snatched it and gathered the remaining books without checking the pile. Edward noticed only that Lucius used the movement to restore his composure. He did not see what passed between the covers.

Draco pulled against Edward's grip. "Let go."

Edward did. "Will you apologize to Hermione?"

"No."

"Then at least understand that I will challenge the word every time you use it."

Draco looked wounded in a way anger could not quite conceal. The invitation to Grimmauld Place had made him expect unconditional support. Edward had wanted an ally and had not considered how quickly Draco would interpret that desire as agreement.

Hermione shifted her books to one arm. "I do not need a Slytherin to rescue me."

"I know," Edward said. "The word was still wrong."

She gave him a guarded nod, neither forgiveness nor gratitude, and followed Harry toward the door. Ron looked back long enough to say, "You still stood beside him."

"Yes."

That answer dissatisfied everyone because it contained no simple change of allegiance.

Outside, Molly examined Arthur's lip while the twins supplied unhelpful advice about duelling technique. Ginny stood apart, hugging her books. Lockhart resumed signing as if the fight had been arranged to promote his next volume.

Lucius repaired his collar with a charm. "Draco, we are leaving."

"Edward invited me to Grimmauld Place," Draco said. His tone made the invitation sound suddenly uncertain. "Mother agreed."

Lucius looked to Edward. "Does the invitation remain?"

"If Draco still wants it."

Draco lifted his chin. "Of course I do. I am not frightened by one argument."

The statement avoided the substance, but it was still a choice to continue rather than retreat behind his father. Lucius considered them both.

"I will escort you to the boundary. Narcissa expects Draco home before dinner."

They walked away from the shop in a silence broken only by the tap of Lucius's cane. At the public Apparition point, he checked the written address and Kreacher's confirmation.

"The Black collection contains material that should not be treated as school entertainment," he said.

"Private rooms remain sealed," Edward replied. "We will use the west library and Regulus's study. Kreacher will be present in the house."

Lucius nodded. "Good. Draco, observe before volunteering the family's name to any proposal."

Draco's expression tightened. "Edward has not even told me the proposal."

"Then you have your first useful fact."

Lucius placed one hand on Draco's shoulder and Side-Along Apparated with both boys to the Black estate boundary. Kreacher waited inside the iron gate, wearing a clean tea towel and an expression of solemn importance.

"Welcome, Master Draco," he said. "Kreacher has prepared tea and Acid Pops."

"He remembered?" Draco asked, surprised.

"Kreacher remembers the preferences of Black family guests."

Lucius inspected the visible wards, exchanged a few quiet words with the elf, and turned to Edward.

"You chose to correct my son in public."

"The harm was public."

"There are people who will call that disloyalty."

"Then they define loyalty as silence."

Lucius's expression offered no approval this time. "A noble answer. Expensive, if used without judgment."

He told Draco when the carriage would collect him and Disapparated.

Inside the gate, Draco kicked a loose stone from the path. "You embarrassed me."

"Yes."

"You could have spoken afterward."

"Hermione heard the insult then. Everyone else heard it then. A private correction would have protected your pride by leaving her alone with the public injury."

Draco did not accept the reasoning, but he listened through the end of it.

"Are you going to lecture me all afternoon?"

"No. I am going to show you the library and ask whether you want to help change things. You may decide I am unbearable and leave at the scheduled time."

Draco glanced toward the old house. Curiosity competed with resentment.

"Show me the library first. Then I will decide how unbearable."

They followed Kreacher inside. The argument at Flourish and Blotts had not ended prejudice, created friendship, or exposed the object hidden among Ginny's books.

It had established one boundary before Edward asked Draco to cross any others.