hehe im alive

sorry about not updating since literally march, i've been working on Infinitesimal, Drarry Oneshots 2, and HP&TRP, as well as reviewing and editing other people's stories and keeping up with college classes

(that's not me asking for pity, it's simply an explanation)

this isn't a promise for more common updates, it's simply an unpublished chapter i had already made a couple months ago

nonetheless, this chapter is dedicated to Kokumotsu

They land outside, and after Harry regains his stability from their landing, he views the tiny cottage in front of them.

"This is where you grew up?"

Felix is tense. "Yes."

"Well, let's fuckin' go," Draco sighs. "One step of many to get done."

After a few steps forward, Harry turns and realizes Felix isn't there. He turns around completely to see the blonde boy staring blankly at the house, unmoved.

"Felix, let's go."

He doesn't move.

"Felix."

"Last time I was here..." He takes a deep breath before continuing. "Last time I was here, my mother was alive. And attempting to leave my father."

"Why?" Harry breathes, joining him where he stands. Draco sighs heavily and comes over as well.

"He's a fucking asshole. He tried to keep her with him, but she refused to marry him. She dedicated a lot of her time in trying to study magical bonds, inspired by my great-great-whatever grandparents. He hated it."

Felix runs his hands roughly through his already-messy hair. "She tried to leave him last time I was here, and he threatened to kill me if she tried, and I left and I have no idea if she stayed."

"Felix... I'm so sorry," Harry whispers. He feels sick to his stomach, thoughts of Vernon surfacing in vague memory. "We can go in, if you want. You can stay here."

Felix rubs his face and shakes his head. "I'm fine, it's whatever. Let's just get this shit over with."

Harry takes his hand with a smile. Felix draws his hand away.

"Don't do that, not while he's here. I wouldn't suggest you mention your relationship, either," he mutters, pushing open the door.

The door makes a small noise when it opens, and there's the sound of something falling to the ground and running footsteps before a man wearing only boxers and crumbs is pointing a wand at them.

Immediately, Felix flinches, and Draco wraps a protective arm around the younger boy, glaring at the man in front of him. Harry keeps a hand on his own wand in his pocket, but doesn't draw it.

"Are you Turner Gonzalez?" he asks in a cool voice.

It's funny, he learned how to start an investigation a year before, when he had decided he wanted to be an Auror. He had job-shadowed and studied and learned how to conduct Auror investigations.

Now the Aurors have collapsed and he is using them to find out about a couple from over a hundred years ago.

Funny how things work out.

"Who's asking?" comes the gruff voice, wand still aimed at him.

"My name is Harry Potter. This is-"

"Blaise Zabini," Draco cuts in smoothly, and it's only then that Harry remembers that the Malfoy name isn't one to be thrown around when trying to get on someone's good side.

Funny, when the world is ending and you forget little things like that.

"We're conducting an investigation on possible leads to take down the Death Eaters," Harry continues. "And we think you may be able to help us."

"Did you tell them I could help, Felix?" Turner says, ignoring Harry and Draco completely. 

"I-"

"I'm not doing you any favors, boy. You're the reason your mother is dead."

Felix stills completely, and Draco pushes him behind Harry and him.

"What makes you say that, Mr. Gonzalez?" Harry says, trying to keep his anger in check. They won't get any answers by pissing him off.

"He left, and she had more time to focus on her silly project, which got her in that alley in the first place." Turner is trying to peer around Harry and Draco to see Felix, and Harry moves a little closer to Draco to block his view.

"Alley?" Draco asks while Harry moves.

"Did he not tell you anything? Why is he a part of your investigation, he's useless," Turner snarls. "They took her from the alley. She was asking too many questions and they got suspicious and now she's dead."

On the last word, he pointedly glares at the space between Harry and Draco's shoulders.

"We have a few more questions, can we sit down?" Harry cuts in smoothly.

"Who did you say you worked for?" Turner asks suspiciously.

"An underground branch of the Ministry," Draco replies when Harry's mind blanks.

"Ah." Turner leads them to a bland living area- if you could even call it that- and sits on a beat-up brown armchair that looks like it's seen some shit. "Ask away."

His eyes follow Felix as the blond boy sits on the couch between Harry and Draco. He is completely tense, his whole body rigid and alert.

"We'd like to ask about Mary's project," Harry says, resting a comforting hand on Felix's back. Turner's eyes follow the movement and narrow slightly, but he looks back up at Harry.

"How does that help anything?"

"We'd like to specifically address her findings on the bond of  Eleanor and Francis. We believe we've found another couple similar to them, but they're struggling with their control of the bond, and we need as much detail as we can get."

Turner glares. "You come into my home, after my wife has died, asking questions about people from a hundred years ago? That bond and that fucking kid is the reason she's dead."

"She's not your wife," Felix mutters. Draco elbows him and shakes his head slightly.

"What did you say, boy?" Turner shouts, standing, and Harry is flooded with sudden memories of Vernon. "She's more my wife than she was ever your mother! Always out doing her project-"

"She couldn't be a mother to me because you wouldn't let her!" Felix shouts back, standing despite Draco trying to hold his arm. "You hated me, you wanted me gone, and you never let her talk to me!"

"You were a mistake-"

"I'm her son-"

"You're a MISTAKE!" Turner roars, and Felix flinches so hard that it makes Harry feel physically ill.

Harry stands as well, laying his hand across Felix's chest to keep him back. "This has become extremely unprofessional, Mr. Gonzalez. Please keep your temper in check. Draco, if you would take Felix outside, I will continue the interview-"

He only realizes his mistake when Draco's eyes widen, horrified, and Felix makes a small noise.

Fuck.

"Draco? Draco MALFOY?" Turner yells. "No Malfoys are Ministry officials! Who are you people? I'll kill you, this is breaking and entering-"

"Mr. Gonzalez, we'll just be leaving," Harry pleads as Draco says "We apologize for the inconvenience, we'll go."

Turner whips his wand out again, aiming it at the boys, and Harry shouts "Incarcerous!" before he can say anything, effectively tying the man up and sending him falling to the floor.

Harry quickly removes his wand and tosses it across the room before taking several steps back, eyes trained on the furious man. Out of the corner of his eye, he notices Draco taking a small picture off of a shelf.

"We deeply apologize, Mr. Gonzalez. This is for safety measures only. The bonds will ease and disappear after an hour. We'll be going now." Harry pushes Draco and Felix out the door, grabbing their hands tightly and Apparating away.