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lomonaaeren ([personal profile] lomonaaeren) wrote2008-04-12 02:46 pm

Chapter Sixteen of 'Changing of the Guard'- In the Dragon's Head



Thank you again for all the reviews!

Chapter Sixteen—In the Dragon’s Head

Draco stepped into the pub and glanced around twice before nodding his head slowly. He supposed the Dragon’s Head could be called a normal place, without any large offense against good taste saved the stuffed dragon’s head hanging from the ceiling. Hungarian Horntail? Or Welsh Green? The head had decayed somewhat before the wizard who preserved it applied any magic, and shreds of discolored skin clung to the bony eyesockets and long, pointed fangs. Draco did not think this aided patrons in discovering the dragon’s species.

“Welcome, welcome, sir. May I escort you to a table?”

Draco turned to the bartender hastening towards him, a small, plump witch whom he was gratified to discover recognized good breeding when she saw it. “Perhaps you can,” he said, “if the man I am here to meet has not already arrived. His name is Brian Montgomery—“

“Oh, yes, sir,” said the witch, and Draco was intrigued to see a mixture of horror and delight in her eyes. “Him what’s been in all the papers!” She looked at Draco, seeming to recognize him as the other person in the papers then, but didn’t do anything other than to wave her hand at a table on the far side of the room. Brian rose to his feet when he saw Draco, smiling extravagantly.

Draco never took his eyes from the other man’s face as he made his way towards him, even when he had to duck the corner of the dragon’s jaw. He wondered idly what the proper description of his relationship with Harry Potter was now. Were they rivals? Lovers? Partners in the confrontation of extreme social prejudice against anyone who dared to kiss another person of the same sex in public?

“Draco!” Potter said, somehow managing to slur his name, which Draco had never thought possible, and then flung his arms around Draco and planted an enormous, smacking kiss on his cheek.

At the moment, the proper description would be “drunk,” Draco thought incredulously. He had decided that Potter was too good an actor to want to lose control around him. Wasn’t he worried they would end up in bed together again if he consumed alcohol in Draco’s presence?

“Brian?” he asked, barely managing to say the proper name in his surprise. “Are you all right?”

“Just—just the news and all.” Potter took a deep breath, then tilted the bottle of Firewhiskey he had back and gulped noisily from it. “Your father,” he explained, when Draco went on staring at him. “Counterstrike.” He shivered, and his fingers tightened on the bottle. “This is a bigger task than I ever imagined it would be. I mean, we’re fighting for you to be free of your parents, that’s one thing, but now we’re crusaders?”

*

Harry watched the expressions on Draco’s face as he took yet another drink of the Firewhiskey—or seemed to take one. In reality, a very useful little spell cast on the membranes of his throat caused the drink to vanish as it touched them. Harry was proud of that spell, one he’d managed to rework and perfect from a book Hermione had given him for his birthday two summers ago. It had taken him a while to make sure all his saliva wouldn’t dry up along with the liquids he put into his mouth, but eventually he’d “taught” the spell to distinguish between those substances native to the human body and foreign ones.

It was a unique variation on a spell that had been uncommon in the first place, and that meant Draco was unlikely to sense it.

Harry had felt his senses stream into high alert the moment Draco stepped into the pub. Something was wrong. He paid too little attention to the dragon’s head, which had made Harry gawp the first time he entered the place. His gaze was too focused and alert on Brian’s face, too searching. He leaned back with his fingers steepled in front of him when they sat at the table, which was a gesture Harry could see Lucius making, but not Draco, particularly not when they were involved in fighting something as devious as Counterstrike. Draco always showed more of excitement, of life; his gestures in serious situations, like the meeting with the Manager of Metamorphosis, included leaning forwards and make small sideways motions of his hands. This was more the way he had behaved immediately after Harry showed off his magic in the Malfoys’ dining room: restrained because he was dealing with an onslaught of his own thoughts and emotions at the same time he was attempting to deal with the person in front of him.

Just as he hadn’t understood exactly what was wrong that time until he realized how Draco must view his magic, Harry didn’t know the exact nature of the burden Draco was laboring under now. It could not be that Narcissa had told him the truth; Draco would have stormed in then, or simply cast a painful and humiliating curse whilst Harry wasn’t looking. Any lesser disaster, Harry was confident he could deal with, even if he didn’t understand the cause.

“Brian,” Draco said soothingly, “it’s not that bad.”

Even the way he says my name is wrong, Harry thought, fighting the temptation to cock his head to the side the way he usually did when playing thoughtful. Right now, he was playing drunk. I wonder if he has second thoughts about the blowjob, too? Too intimate for him, too open. A man like Draco Malfoy rarely lets people close.

Harry felt relief score his insides. Draco’s own wariness would make Harry’s decision to retreat from him easier. He was more likely to decide Brian’s uncouth, rude behavior now was reason to let him go.

It was relief, and only relief, that made his throat ache as if he had swallowed acid, Harry told himself, and tipped the Firewhiskey bottle up again. Those other emotions didn’t exist, didn’t belong to the persona he was acting out right now.

*

Potter did have better acting abilities than he had realized, Draco thought, and folded his fingers like his father so he wouldn’t tap them on the table in his agitation and give himself away. If he hadn’t possessed the knowledge he did, he might even have believed that Potter really was drunk. After all, it would fit Brian’s personality to indulge in extraordinary gestures of despair, and this was certainly one of those—drinking in public where anyone could see him and someone disgusted with his behavior might be tempted to take the opportunity to settle the score. Potter had chosen a convincing, purposeful act that really left him in no danger whatsoever if he needed to move fast.

But what is his purpose?

To drive me away, of course. A Malfoy can’t have a partner who’s a drunkard, and he must know that. I was right. The connection between our minds meant I came too close to finding out who he really was, and he’s scared. Trying to make me think my choice of actors wasn’t such a great choice after all, trying to disassociate himself from me.


He really must find out how Potter managed to swallow all that alcohol and yet keep from getting drunk, Draco mused as he reached out a hand now and laid it on Potter’s wrist. A Sobriety Charm cast beforehand wouldn’t do it; Draco knew that from painful experiments during his own teenage years.

“Brian,” he said softly, and waited until the other man’s blue, blue eyes met his. Potter had green eyes, but they were the same intensity of color as these and had the same direct, steady gaze. The more Draco studied Potter in his mask, the more surprised he was that he hadn’t recognized the other man at once. “I don’t think this is wise, do you? We can’t let my father see that his action caught us by surprise.”

Potter snorted, rolled his eyes, and dragged his hand away to tip the bottle into his mouth again. Draco narrowed his eyes as he watched, but no, the Firewhiskey really did flow into his throat, not vanish just before it did. Extraordinary. “No one will know we’re drinking over that,” Potter muttered.

“Which we are you referring to?” Draco asked, lifting his eyebrows. “Do you perhaps have a small man in your pocket?”

Potter slammed the bottle down with a clink that made the witch who owned the pub glance over at them, then leaned forwards. “I got something in my pocket,” he said, with an exaggerated wink. “But it’s not small!” He giggled and lunged over the table to plant a kiss scented like rotten meat on Draco’s lips.

Draco clenched a fist and waited until Potter drew away from him. The tactic to irritate him was working, in one sense; Potter’s rudeness pricked along his dignity like a spur on a horse. But that was the effect Potter wanted to achieve, and, as such, Draco would not allow him to achieve it. He had to make a habit of evaluating Potter’s movements now and countering them on principle, unless they seemed more likely to serve Draco’s purposes than hinder them.

He makes me change my plans, my reactions, my feelings, every instant, Draco thought, and for a moment wondered if he could stand a lifetime of this.

Perhaps simply start countering these tactics, and he will realize that he needs to do something else—something that might be more serious, but less annoying. This time, when Draco reached out and snared Potter’s wrist, he didn’t allow himself to be shaken off.

“My father is conceited enough to think we’re drinking over him, even if we aren’t,” he murmured, and then waved his wand and cast a Sobriety Charm on Potter. The other man couldn’t quite hide a wince as the spell gripped his mind and forcibly cleared it. Draco clamped his teeth down on his lips so they could not twitch into a smile. A Sobriety Charm on the sober had less effect than on a truly drunk person, but it was still uncomfortable. “Should we go elsewhere to discuss Counterstrike, or do you consider yourself capable of having a serious discussion in the presence of alcohol?”

For a moment, Potter sat with his eyes closed, breathing lightly. Then he reached out, sighed, and covered Draco’s hand with his. “Thank you for that,” he said softly. “I—panicked, I suppose. I’ve never been good in a crisis—“

Liar, Draco thought fondly. Such a liar.

“—And resorted to a solution that used to be a lot more frequent with me than it is now.” Potter smiled, but his eyes were shadowed. Draco thought the shadow was probably pure Brian. Potter, with his need for control over what other people thought of him, wouldn’t allow himself to drink often. “I’m ready to discuss this rationally, I promise.” He squeezed Draco’s wrist in turn and leaned forwards until Draco had to struggle to keep his eyes from crossing. “So. Do you have ideas of your own about what our strategy against Counterstrike should be, or do you want to hear some of mine?”

Quick on his feet. Ready and able to switch strategies when he realizes that the one he’s using right now isn’t working.

Draco shuddered a little and knew his voice was hoarse with lust—though lust composed of far more than simple physical longing for sex—when he replied, “Let’s hear your ideas first.”

*

Harry smiled. That required some doing, when what he really wanted was to grimace, but he did it. He’d done harder things, after all, including pretending that everything in his life was normal and fine when Ron and Hermione made pointed inquiries, and spinning a delicate fabric of lies concerning the people who worked for the Charity and his relationships with them.

He thought he should have been able to force Draco to back off with his acting. Or, correction, he should have been able to do that if Draco meant nothing to him. But even he had sensed a certain desperation in his gestures, a falsity to the acting that undermined him. Draco did mean something to him—too much, given how he would despise Harry if he knew the truth about any of this. So Harry gave up the pretense of panic for now, and began another long-term plan instead. If he could not make Draco think Brian too uncouth and low-class to associate with, he could and would trick Draco into grand plans that needed his support and then desert him in the middle of the action.

Oh, he would take steps to ensure that Draco’s life wasn’t endangered, of course. But if he got Draco involved in fighting Counterstrike with an effort that needed two to continue and then buggered off, Draco should despise Brian with all his heart and soul as a result. And it would cut off a pattern of acting that obviously wasn’t working.

Harry was also confident of his ability to weave a plan that would draw Draco in within the week’s deadline that Narcissa had given him. And sudden, strong action now was likely to draw Lucius’s attention and make him more likely to disown his son. Harry could see no drawback to acting as if he meant everything he was saying for a time.

“There’s one advantage to not actually being part of the pure-blood social circles, though it does rather limit the opportunities to practice one’s dancing,” he said, with one of Brian’s flashing smiles at Draco. Though not one of Harry Potter’s usual expressions, it did not hurt to smile like that. What hurt was seeing Draco respond instinctively, and knowing that he wouldn’t respond to the real Harry Potter the same way.

The real Harry Potter is nothing but a cloak of shadows over a figure of ashes, and you know it.

“What’s that?” Draco whispered, leaning near enough that his breath stirred the hair just above Harry’s ear. Harry shivered and resisted the urge to toss his head back. Draco found all his sensitive spots without even trying, which wasn’t half-fair.

I’ll just have to do the same thing, Harry thought, and moved his thumb so that it brushed across the center of Draco’s left palm. Draco’s breathing deepened. Harry murdered the wish that he could hear that sound forever, instead of just for another week, and soldiered on.

“You notice what the gathering undercurrents are before the pure-bloods notice it themselves,” Harry explained. “There are some things that even people as clever as you are can’t notice, Draco, probably because you belong to scattered social groups and rarely step outside them.” A compliment can’t hurt. And it might relieve some of the futile large wishes if I make the small ones come true. “People across all sorts of circles and factions and families in Great Britain are getting tired of the constant social pressures against their freedom of expression.”

Draco blinked for a moment, but said, without a change in tone, “Self-expression is a fad imported from Muggles, really. Traditional pure-blood culture deals with restraint, the control of the self.”

“Traditional pure-blood culture, yes,” Harry said. He was speaking utter truth now, as far as he knew, except about the vantage from which he had observed the culture. He’d had plenty of chances to interact with it in the past few years, far more than Draco could have dreamed of, and probably more than Draco himself had had. Draco was as limited by his insider perspective as the member of any other small group in the larger society. “And I’m sure that worked fine for your parents, and it still works fine for them. Probably it would have kept working for the younger generation, too, if not for the war.”

“The war didn’t sever the continuity of our culture,” Draco snapped back instantly. His brow was furrowing, and Harry knew he didn’t like the direction the conversation was heading, for multiple reasons. “We’re still determined to hold on to things like the dances, the marriage customs, the funeral customs, the—“

“And that’s praiseworthy,” Harry interrupted impatiently. Yes, his vision is just too entwined with the barriers, perceiving the barriers as part of reality. “But dances and marriages and funerals are something different from the perspective that being gay is disgusting, Draco. Or do you really disagree with me?” He stared hard at Draco, waiting. What Draco said next would determine the argumentative tactics that Harry had to use on him.

*

You sound almost as though you believe it, Potter, Draco thought, and bit his lips to keep from smiling. Or perhaps he would have blurted out something unfortunate? In truth, Potter’s words had stunned him and set him back on his heels. He was no longer as sure as he had been that this newest attack was just another strategy to push him off-balance.

Potter leaned too near, spoke too persuasively. His eyes blazed as if he had spent time thinking about this, and constructing arguments—another skill, like disguise, that Draco never would have associated with the Boy-Who-Lived. Didn’t he just cast Disarming Spells at people he disagreed with, and have those spells kill them by incredibly lucky coincidence?

You cannot make assumptions about him, Draco thought. And yet, that is what you keep doing.

“Imagine that I do agree with you,” Draco said. “Imagine that I think certain—shopworn—attitudes unfortunate, and less important than the customs that we have preserved for centuries. What of it? That attitude is a rooted part of pure-blood culture now, and you cannot imagine people would be much more eager to give it up than to give up the way we get married. With the population lower than it was before the war, there are some new converts to that attitude, in fact.” Draco felt his mouth fill with a sour taste. People like Marigold Moonstone, who really believed not only that men and women needed to sleep together to have children, but that men and women could find satisfaction only in each other. Whoever had thought that one up was clever, Draco admitted grudgingly. Some adolescents who would fight against the notion that they should have children merely to boost numbers would swallow pretty words whole.

“You haven’t listened to me, Draco,” Potter said, with an iron patience in his voice that Draco was inclined to call the first indication of Potter’s true personality he’d received. Brian would have laughed his sarcasm off, or reached out and touched Draco’s cheek to show he appreciated his perspective. Potter simply spoke on, with a determination to share his thoughts that Draco found irritating and charming both at once. “There is a division in pure-blood society now. The people who believe that homosexuality is wrong and that breeding is all-important are mostly older. People like your father, your mother.”

Draco opened his mouth for a moment, thinking of Marigold, and then closed it again—because all the other names that filled his head were, indeed, people of his parents’ age. He thought of Pansy, with her Muggle lover, and Blaise, with his refusal to care what other people thought of him. Though neither of them was doing exactly what Draco was, those rebellions also showed them reluctant to conform to society’s codes. Pansy hid her lover, but if she had been the perfect daughter of tradition that her mother and father wanted her to be, she never would have thought of finding a Muggle attractive in the first place.

And there were others. Draco had found some of his lovers among half-bloods and Muggleborns, but not all of them. Constrained by the ancient idea that the only woman you were supposed to sleep with was the one you were married to, other pure-blood sons sometimes turned to each other for physical release, or out of curiosity, or simply because men in the exact same predicament were unlikely to betray them. And Draco had known some pure-blood girls who made a regular habit of sleeping with their own sex, too. Since some of the old guard actually thought two women couldn’t have sex together because of the lack of a cock, they were even more likely to assume “close friendship” between their daughters than they were between their sons.

“Say that I thought you were right,” Draco said. He knew the tone of his voice had changed, but he couldn’t help it. Brian—Potter, damn it—

Does he have the slightest clue how dangerous he is? He could change the world by himself if he had the ambition.

And maybe he did now. If there was one thing Gryffindors tended to care about, it was social injustice. Draco licked his lips, and it was his turn to lean closer, seeking out the lights and shadows in those brilliant eyes, noticing all the things that Potter didn’t want him to notice.

“Is there any way of gathering all the disaffected into a single movement?” Draco asked. “It hasn’t happened so far, despite fairly severe oppression. We do things like sleep with our friends under our parents’ noses for thrills instead.” He smiled and let his fingers play over Brian’s knuckles. “Or go to Metamorphosis.”

“Metamorphosis is closed for right now, so that temptation is shut from them.” Potter was still speaking with the firm tone that made Draco’s cock stir. He could be so much, just by himself. I know at least some of Brian’s qualities are innate to him. Why does he hide behind a mask instead of using them? The publicity can’t be that bad, especially with his lies absorbing part of the brunt. “And I think what’s held them back so far is the lack of a leader—and a sparking incident. If you look at Muggle history, revolutions are quite often only potential until someone makes a stand, or refuses to be dragged from his home, or fights back against the police during a bar raid.” Potter smiled for a moment, probably at a private recollection of some Muggle history book he’d read. Draco wanted to know what it was.

He wanted quite a bit, he thought. Down, boy.

“So you suggest a sparking incident,” Draco murmured. “But from what I’ve studied of Muggle history, you can’t really plan revolutions.”

“I don’t think we need to, in this case,” Potter said, half-closing his eyes. “Like I’ve said, the rebellion is there. Suppressed. And your generation is not significantly weaker in magical strength than your parents’ generation, nor are they wanting in understanding of the world. We need to show people that the stand can be made, that’s all. Preferably in a place where younger wizards outnumber older ones.”

Draco laughed in spite of his resolve not to, because the perfect location had immediately suggested itself to him. It seemed almost as if the world were organizing itself in obedience to his and Potter’s wishes.

That is not so, he reminded himself, because that dangerously twisted thinking might easily take root in his brain. It is only that Potter is teaching you to see in new ways, and so you look with open eyes at things that were present all along.

“You know a place?” Potter’s eyes were narrowed, his smile devilish.

Draco nodded.

*

Draco hummed under his breath as he entered his bedroom. He and “Brian” had spent the rest of the afternoon planning, and chosen a place, a time, and a specific action that would spark the rising they wanted to happen.

He was certain, now, that Potter’s intelligence and strategizing ability and understanding of pure-blood culture were native to him. But was his sense of humor part of his disguise? What about the way he sometimes sneaked looks at Draco, nearly in spite of himself, as if his brain needed those glimpses to work? Or the way he had reached out and caressed the back of Draco’s hand, absently, during the times when Draco expressed some doubts or worries about the plan?

The more Draco thought about it, the more he became convinced that Potter had some deep reason to hide himself—and that the reason would not be easily discovered.

He would, he thought, send a letter to the Manager of Metamorphosis. That was even more of a long shot than writing Potter’s friends; Metamorphosis closed whilst handling a case, and the Manager typically replied to no owl post until the case was done with. And he might not know the truth about Potter’s identity even if Draco could reach him, or be willing to answer questions.

It didn’t really matter, Draco thought. It was still worth trying, because anything was worth trying to win the contest against his father and to have Potter.

I’m fully engaged on all levels. There’s no drawing back now.

Chapter 17.

[identity profile] ravenqueen55.livejournal.com 2008-04-12 07:21 pm (UTC)(link)
I love this story more and more with every chapter. I love the alternating points of view; getting to see their reactions and thoughts to the same things is fabulous.

Were they rivals? Lovers? Partners in the confrontation of extreme social prejudice against anyone who dared to kiss another person of the same sex in public?

I couldn't help but read that last sentence as if the entire thing was hyphenated, and it made me laugh!

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 01:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks! I really doubt this would work without the alternating POVs; I generally use one only when I want there to be a little mystery in the story.

And, well, the last sentence sort of was meant to be read that way!

[identity profile] ura-hd.livejournal.com 2008-04-12 07:28 pm (UTC)(link)
I hope Draco will outsmart Harry :)

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 01:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, in this case he has on most levels, except that he thinks Harry means to stay by his side throughout the entire revolution they're raising.

[identity profile] devilpops.livejournal.com 2008-04-12 07:47 pm (UTC)(link)
There is a permanent atmosphere of conspiracy in this fiction, I love it !
Please, please let me translate Changing in french. You're not going to regret it.
Thanks for the update -
DP.

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 01:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you!

And sure, you can have permission.

[identity profile] star-faerie.livejournal.com 2008-04-12 07:54 pm (UTC)(link)
A delightful chapter.

I wonder if Draco will be able to out smart Harry, or if something else will intervene.

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 01:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you!

At the moment, I'd say Harry's growing feelings are more of a problem than Draco's knowledge, particularly if Draco tips his hand by contacting the Manager of Metamorphosis.

[identity profile] firedraygon97.livejournal.com 2008-04-12 09:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh no, Draco's going to give himself away! XD The whole, "He knows that I know that he knows..." thing will be very, very amusing.

Looking forward to hearing more from Narcissa and Pansy, especially when Harry and Draco start fighting Counterstrike. Lovely chapter. ♥

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 01:35 pm (UTC)(link)
I forget how many levels of knowledge can build like that before an audience starts finding it confusing. Four or five, I think. I'm going to try to collapse the tower a little.

And thanks!

[identity profile] elnischan.livejournal.com 2008-04-12 10:29 pm (UTC)(link)
It's simply perfect! I need more in a really short time!
It's just soooooooooo good.

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 01:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! The next chapter should be up on Tuesday.

[identity profile] snottygrrl.livejournal.com 2008-04-12 10:42 pm (UTC)(link)
i hadn't had a chance to read last chapter, so i got a treat of two chapters today. [*dances*]

this story is so v. clever. i adore draco, and poor harry, i'm just so afraid he's going to want to use that pensieve. [*wibbles*]

can't wait for more of the story. ♥

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 01:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Good for you!

Harry would have to feel that his life as Harry Potter really wasn't worth living, even with the masks, before he reached for the Pensieve. Of course, it might not take much for him to do that.

And thanks!

[identity profile] tray-la-la.livejournal.com 2008-04-12 11:52 pm (UTC)(link)
eeee! great chapter. i so wanted draco to let out a frustrated sigh in the middle of their conversation and just say, "Potter..."

but the suspense is too glorious! i'm very excited to see if what draco writes to the manager tips harry off.

one question:

People like Marigold Moonstone, who really believed not only that men and women needed to sleep together to have children

does this refer to mpreg, or to the idea that you need a loving, sexually active marriage to have an heir, instead of the pseudo-arranged, sexless ones so popular in pure-blood fanon?
Edited 2008-04-12 23:52 (UTC)

[identity profile] guardians-song.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 12:40 am (UTC)(link)
I think she meant, they believe "OMG BABIES ARE SO IMPORTANT NO ONE CAN LIVE WITHOUT THEM"... and also, she mentioned female/female pregnancies in the first chapter. Go back and peer at the description of the lesbian he was helping out - it was strongly implied magical women had SOME way to get pregnant without a man. If I'm wrong, sorry...

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[identity profile] dark-delusions.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 01:21 am (UTC)(link)
I meant to comment on the last, utterly delicious chapter, but schoolwork rose up and distracted me....and then this chapter went and topped it

I am absolutely delighted by the complexity of the layers of knowledge within the fic, and how the balance of power shifts continuously, as more information is revealed to different "players" in the complex strategy game.

So far, the major shifts so far have been....

Draco Goes To Metamorphosis:
Harry starts out with the power over Draco, both have power by knowing that Brian & Draco's relationship is a charade.

Narcissa Figures Something Out
Narcissa gains power from Harry.

Draco Learns Harry is Brian
Draco gains power, Harry and Draco (if both work together) could potentially have power over Narcissa, who would lose the power she gained from Harry

and... if Draco sends the letter to "The Manager"...it potentiates another shift of power, depending on what he reveals (that he knows Harry is Brian, if he suspects something with Brian, etc) and how Harry reacts ...

and this isn't even takeing into the "power-shifts" from their emotional and physical relationship...

And since I entertain myself trying to figure out what your titles mean:
"Since some of the old guard"...... all I can say is, oh this is going to be good

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 01:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! One reason I have the power shifting so often is that I don't want this to seem like a story where anyone "wins" too easily. Draco and Harry really are equals; one isn't inherently stronger or smarter than the other.

And I think you're right as far as the shifts in knowledge, though the shifts in Draco and Harry's emotional relationship are meant to be equally important.

It also depends on if Harry reads his post or not :). Traditionally, he waits until one case is done before he does.

"Changing of the Guard" works on several levels, I think, and one of them is introduced in this chapter.

[identity profile] duchessa.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 02:48 am (UTC)(link)
Doesn't the customers ever wondered why Metamorphosis would only handle one case at a time? If The Manager's job is only to give the profiles and other businessy discussions, and that he rarely interfered in the case itself, the agency should be able to handle more. What excuses did Harry feed his clients?

I really like Draco's pov here. Curiosity, fondness, admiration, want, but then he's also vindictive enough to enjoy the sobriety charm. Lots of romance fics seems to forget that no matter how much you like a person, there will be moments where you have less than pleasant thoughts towards them.

It seems that Harry is gaining here. Draco managed to counter his first tactic, but seems to be sucked in with his second. I hope he will keep in mind that Harry's 'betrayal' was just another way to push him off, if it happens - or that Harry's plan gets interfered somehow.

The real Harry Potter is nothing but a cloak of shadows over a figure of ashes, and you know it.
T_T Harry...
It does bring up the fact that we haven't seen much of Harry interacting with others as Harry though. How much was Draco's analysis correct?

I get the feeling that the repercussions are going to be larger than Harry would ever dream of. A revolution, eh?

And you're probably sick of hearing this by now, but I love this fic like whoa and any update always makes my day. You're awesome, really.

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 01:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Mostly, Metamorphosis just says, "This is the way we've always done it, take it or leave it." It's so mysterious anyway that the clients just accept that as part of the price. It also helps that Metamorphosis has a reputation for absolute discretion, for never betraying a client's secrets, so they don't pry in return.

Draco can't forget or forgive Harry's betrayal that quickly. It will be quite a while before he stops enjoying things like the sobriety charm, and maybe never, given that the relationship has always held an edge of rivalry.

Something will interfere in Harry's plan. Whether it's enough to stop Harry from doing what he plans to do, I don't know at this part.

How much was Draco's analysis correct?

Which one are you referring to?

And no, I don't get tird of hearing that. Thank you!

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[identity profile] duchessa.livejournal.com - 2008-04-13 19:02 (UTC) - Expand

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[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com - 2008-04-14 12:18 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] kawanale.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 04:33 am (UTC)(link)
Oohoo, now that Draco has decided he wants Harry, not Brian, it is going to be interesting to see how Harry as Brian will handle the next week as he tries to get Draco to dump Brian before Narcissa comes blazing in with Malfoy Eruption #5. Hehe.

Keep up the good work! Cheers. :-)

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 01:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Harry is confident there are things he can do that Draco will not forgive him for, no matter who he is. And there are. It's just whether Harry can actually get there before something else trips him up.

And thank you!

[identity profile] raphsody606.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 01:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Holy hell woman. Wow.

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 01:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you!
tari_sue: (Default)

[personal profile] tari_sue 2008-04-13 01:22 pm (UTC)(link)
This is such a great story, possibly even better than your others! Can't wait for the next chapter :D

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 01:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks!

[identity profile] verschreibsel.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 02:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh I love the twists and everything. How everyone works against everyone and nobody knows everything expect maybe us but I don't think we do know everything.

Oh I hope you continue soon! Please!

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 02:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, welcome to the club. I don't know everything, either. I usually have more idea of where the fic's going, but it's interesting working without a net.

And the next chapter should be posted Tuesday.

(no subject)

[identity profile] elisebanana.livejournal.com - 2008-04-13 17:08 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] beatnikspinster.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 03:47 pm (UTC)(link)
This story keeps getting more and more interesting. I love that I have no idea how where it's going next. Draco's impressions of Potter/Brian and his apptempts to outwit him are funny. And the heat between them is powerful.

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-14 12:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you!

I have a few, um, 'powerful' scenes planned a few chapters in advance, as Harry loses more and more of his emotional control.

[identity profile] elisebanana.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 05:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Awesome chapter! Is Draco's letter to the Manager going to reveal that he knows Harry is Brian? Or just ask if the Manager has any more information about Brian? Because I really really want Harry to know Draco knows!

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-14 12:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you!

I doubt that Draco would be that open and risk tipping his hand. He doesn't know the Manager is Harry, but for all he knows, the Manager might show the letter to Harry.

[identity profile] lunasky3.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 09:41 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't want to be redundant and say everything others have said so..... yeah. lol. I'm just waiting now for the nest twist (can't wait 'till Tuesday)

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-14 12:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you!

[identity profile] martinstjohn.livejournal.com 2008-04-13 11:36 pm (UTC)(link)
You're still doing a realy great job of weaving this story together. I am genuinely eager to see how this one will resolve itself. Excellent conflict and characterizations. Pant puff.

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-14 12:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks!

It'll be a while to go as far as the resolution. If I'm right about the story's length, it will have close to 50 chapters, so we're about a third of the way through.

[identity profile] inviticus1.livejournal.com 2008-04-14 04:38 am (UTC)(link)
My apologies for the delay in leaving a comment ... tax-weekend took over everything else, unfortunately. There are several threads just within this chapter, that when pulled together, produce a visceral image of the two men that to me, is striking.

"But that was the effect Potter wanted to achieve, and, as such, Draco would not allow him to achieve it."

“I—panicked, I suppose. I’ve never been good in a crisis—“

"Liar, Draco thought fondly. Such a liar."


I just burst out laughing at the point, and I'm not even sure why. Perhaps it was that despite the numerous examples (in canon) of Harry dissembling, this was just utterly amusing. Harry's spinning another delicate fabric of lies which encapsulates so much of what is going on below the surface and it isn't even working anymore.

He thinks he "... would trick Draco into grand plans that needed his support and then desert him in the middle of the action." I'm not sure, but I would say that a Master strategist he is not.

"The real Harry Potter is nothing but a cloak of shadows over a figure of ashes, and you know it." This is a stupendous realization and to me is the possible turning point of the entire fic.

"Does he have the slightest clue how dangerous he is? He could change the world by himself if he had the ambition ... He could be so much, just by himself. I know at least some of Brian’s qualities are innate to him. Why does he hide behind a mask instead of using them? The publicity can’t be that bad, especially with his lies absorbing part of the brunt." Is this a realization that may be at the heart of Harry's struggle and what may (or may not) force the issue with the Dark Pensieve?

"... fights back against the police during a bar raid." Stonewall redux (I about keeled over), Harry knowing that piece of American GLBT history left my heart on the carpet.

Best regards and thanks!

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-14 12:22 pm (UTC)(link)
That's all right. Hope the tax weekend went well!

I think Draco might be judging Harry's past success in lying partially by his own; he fooled the teachers some of the time but not all the time. And at this point, I think Harry's lies won't work because Draco will just assume they are lies from the very beginning.

Harry doesn't really care about the success of the plan at this point, just making sure that Draco spurns him. And making Draco look ridiculous in public would go a long way toward achieving that. (One of the reasons Draco has gotten past his anger so far is that the more humiliating things Harry/Brian did to him have been done in private).

Ah, but Harry has to decide that he has a problem with being shadows and ashes, first!

Draco will indeed hold the perspective that Harry should be public, and push hard. As for whether it will tip Harry's balance with respect to the Pensieve, I can't tell you yet.

And thank you!

(Anonymous) 2008-04-14 10:07 am (UTC)(link)
Smart, smart, Draco. He's slowly figuring out the being that is Harry Potter, or what's left of it at the moment (I understand it's not really gone, but for lack of other words, it kind of fits. As most things 'Harry' are not really there, but being repressed).

Interesting that he figured out Harry's acting, not to mention the reason behind it. I actually expected it would take him longer time to start distinguishing between Harry and Brian's traits. He only knew him a bit during school, after all. And his attempt to read each action and reaction and trying to identify them as Harry or Brian started for real just in this chapter.

Draco thinking fondly of Harry being a good liar, that seems just so Draco. He really appreciates and even admires Harry's ability to fool people, doesn't he? I do too!

Harry teaching Draco about views of purebloods on things, now that's interesting. I really like how you explain the ways of the purebloods so well. The things Draco's saying about them actually make sense, even if his perspective on things was a bit narrow in the beginning. It think it's normal for people who do not know different, would think that way.

Most fictions where pureblood societies and their customs play a big never really explain them, so most of the time Draco is just spouting some pureblood nonsense about his blood being pure and magic being diluted and whatnot. The conditions in your story actually are a bit similar in some ways to my life, where customs and traditions are very important in the daily lives of people (not mine, though. I live in an Asian country, but I was raised in Europe). People are trying to maintain these all intact, but that doesn't mean that their ways of seeing things don't change over time (altough regarding some things, they're still as old fashioned as they come! Ehem, 'some things' actually reads 'sex and everything associated with it'). So, yeah, I really admire how you put that in your story.

Ah, the Manager and Metamorphosis finally gets involved. And post not being replied doesn't mean it's not being delivered. Some more house elf magic, maybe?

I'm really enjoying this story, and in one of your previous comment replies you said you'll never tire of hearing what a great story this is. So, here goes: your story is totally awesome! I almost (yes, almost, I'll wait bravely - for now.) can't wait for the next unexpeted twists you'll reveal!

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-14 12:25 pm (UTC)(link)
There probably is some more of Harry left- some positive traits that include the one Draco's seeing- but Harry's repressing them so hard he won't acknowledge their existence.

Ah, but he probably isn't right about every reaction; nor is he all that right about Harry's reason for acting. He doesn't understand Harry's intense love of acting, for one thing.

And yes, Draco really does appreciate the more Slytherin traits. He thinks they would be excellent ones in someone who would have to be as involved in as much of his life as Harry would.

I'm glad you like the explanation of pure-blood culture. I actually do like some of the fanon conceptions (like their expressing emotion less), but I agree that they mostly don't receive explanation. I'm trying to explain it here, even though I'm mocking it at the same time.

And even "ancient traditions" often aren't all that ancient; conceptions of sex and gender in the US, I know, changed quite a few times during the twentieth century.

The Manager's post goes to Metamorphosis, though. In this case, Draco couldn't use a house-elf to find out more than he already knows.

And thank you so much!

[identity profile] grey-hunter.livejournal.com 2008-04-14 11:00 am (UTC)(link)
oooh revolution, shiny!

And a letter to the manager? ;) Looking forward to how Harry's going to play that one!

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-14 12:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Yep. Though at this point Harry isn't really thinking on that scale.

If he receives the letter in time. The Manager's post is usually left untouched until Metamorphosis opens a new case. And Draco will (hopefully!) be a little circumspect in his letter.

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[identity profile] grey-hunter.livejournal.com - 2008-04-14 12:46 (UTC) - Expand

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[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com - 2008-04-16 13:28 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] chaser89.livejournal.com 2008-04-14 01:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Gah, I love your fics. I friended you, hope you don't mind. So much easier to keep up with, then. But anyway, you are right up there with my favourite fanfic authors! I love your Harry!

[identity profile] lomonaaeren.livejournal.com 2008-04-16 01:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Not at all!

And thank you! I'm pretty fond of him myself. :)

[identity profile] weis07.livejournal.com 2008-04-14 07:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Finally, after long, long struggle with reality I have enough time to read all your stories that I missed.
I love this story just as I love any other with well-balanced power and cunning, passion and tenderness, possessiveness and care. In this particular fic I sense fascinating play involving struggle for real personalities and for real freedom. Freedom to be himself maybe? It’s intriguing to see how Draco, who came from guarded and self-restrained pureblood society, slowly but surely sets supposedly unrestrainedly-griffindorish Harry free. At least I hope he will.
The concept about masks and disguises under which Harry hides his true persona is interesting and well-though. It pains me to see his disregard of himself (Is there such a phrase, I wonder? My absolutely no-native English can be very uncontrollable sometimes, sorry). But at the same time I found a bit of relief that he at least can breath a little through his other personas. But that’s not the same. One must be himself at least time to time and have faith in himself at those moments. I hope Draco will teach Harry that he, Harry, is more than worth it.
I like powerful and self-assured Draco. No. I adore him. That is Draco Malfoy how he must be in the first place. He has great potential and I like it how you twist his fate into something really special, into something that matters. There are too many fics with just powerful Harry who often doesn’t know what to do with that kind of power and in the end does small and insignificant things. And here we have cunning and powerful Draco to guide him, to show him his real worth. I like it how you get them together. They are good to each other.
But there is one thing that constantly irritates me – Hermione. Oh, and other Weasleys time to time, but thankfully we don’t see them too often. I don’t like their narrow-mindedness. And about Hermione – her belief in her moral superiority is incredibly irritating. Incredibly. Please, don’t be offended. As character she is well-written, but in real life I (personally) despise people with that attitude, who think that they know what is right and better for others and try to control everybody. I think this is rubbish. And considering your Harry’ personality he is quite capable to take care of himself without Hermione’ constant supervision and mothering. For me Harry’ submission to that kind of treatment seems… unnatural. He is so much more than Hermione. Maybe that’s why he’s hiding from her too – he doesn’t feel safe as he is with her? And sometimes she is just what said in canon – “just books and incantations”. In this fic, for example, Harry and Draco are much wiser in heart and people matters; they are so much more capable and open-minded (and interesting).
It’s just I was re-reading “Wondrous Mirror” recently and that thought about Hermione was nagging me constantly – how is that possible to not support close friend in something that important? How it’s possible to told him that some social (outer) bonds are superior to basic humans needs? How is that possible to endanger friend’ health and sanity and tell him that he must to stop feeling? I don’t understand it but I know that there are such people in real life.
But regarding this story – if Harry HAD to hide his true personality from his friends, if he feels that he can’t be safe, can’t be himself with them and they ate it – what kind friends they are? Oh, I know – when it all will come out they will accuse him that he hadn’t enough trust in them. I wonder were they supportive in the first place? Not likely considering Ron’ reaction to Harry’ homosexuality and Hermione’ nagging about his exile.
Thanks Merlin that he has Draco now. Hopefully Draco can protect Harry from his so-called friends.
But enough words. I thank you for another wonderful story and wish you luck!
(and sorry about mistakes)

[identity profile] damedbx.livejournal.com 2008-04-14 09:01 pm (UTC)(link)
This story keeps getting better n better! hehehe. Great chapter! I cannot wait for more! :D

[identity profile] crovelle.livejournal.com 2008-04-15 03:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Great chapter!
Looking forward to the next! =)

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