Chapter41:“Home”fortheHolidays
DraoandHarrypartedwaysatthetrainstation,soHarryouldhavetimetotelltheDursleysthatDraowouldbestayingwiththembeforeDraometthem.DraowasgoingtoarriveatPrivetDriveafewhoursafterHarryandhisretives.
DraonoddedtotheHouseElfwhohadbroughtthearriage,disguisedasastrethlimousine,toKing’sCross.“Itrustthehorsesknowwheretogo?”heaskedasheopenedthedoortothearriage.
“Yes,MasterDrao.Theyistakingyouthere.”
DraonoddedandsatbakagainsttheplushseatsasthehorsesmadetheirwaythroughthebusystreetsofLondon.
Whenthehorsesstoppedanhourter,Draowasoutsidearun-downshopontheoutskirtsofLondon.Butheknewthiswasonlypartofafaadetokeepthemugglesaway.Theywouldn’thaveenoughtopayforanythinginsidethisshopanyway.
Inside,theshopbeameoneofthemostbeautifulpesDraohadeverseen.ThiswasKutterman’s,aspeialtyshopthatsoldjewelryofaqualitysoperfettheywerepeerless.Forgeions,thefamilywhohadownedtheshophadreatedoneofakindmasterpieesfortheMalfoyweddingrings.AndDraowasnotonetobreaktradition.
“Ah,MisterMalfoy.Itisgoodtoseeyou.Youlookjustlikeyourfather.”Themanbehindtheounterwasold,withgrayhairthatwasslowlyturningwhite,whosepleasantfeatureshadlitupwithasmileasDraoentered.
“Didyougetmyletter?”
“Yes,MisterMalfoy.Theringsarefinished,butwe’restillputtingthespellworkonthem.Youanseethemifyouwant.”
“Iwouldliketo.”
Hefollowedthemanintothebakoftheshopwherethetworingssatonaworktableofivory.
Theydidnotmath,beauseinorderforthespellworktobindtheringtoitsownerompletely,theringhadtobeunique,asitsownerwas.Bothringswerebandsofdiamond,withthedateoftheweddingandtheMalfoyrest,engravedinminutedetailinptinumontheinsideoftheband.Andthatiswherethesimiritiesstopped.Drao’sringwasenteredwithanobsidiangemsurroundedbyamethystsandsapphires,allsetinptinumsettingsonthediamondband.Harry’sringwasenteredwithanemeraldinbetweentworubiesandfoursmallopals,setalsoinptinumsettings.
Whenfinished,theywouldbespelledtofittheownerperfetly,toadjustasneededinordertoslideonandofftheringfingeroftheowneraswished.Theywouldalsobespelledwithmultipleprotetionspells,whiharewhattookthemosttimetoset,asoneneededtospelledontopoftheother.
“Theywillbereadyonthedayofyourweddingaspromised,”theoldmanpromised.
“Thatwillbeperfet,”Draoreplied.
HarryenduredaompletelysilentarridebaktoPrivetDrive.Hisunlewasfuming,heouldtell.He’dexpinedthatanotherstudentfromHogwartswasgoingtobestayingwithhimthatsummer,andhisunlehadgoneompletelysilent.Thiswasthealmbeforethestorm,heouldjusttell.
Andhewasright.TheminuteVernonwasinsidehisownhome,withAuntPetuniaandDudleyashisattentiveaudiene,heexplodedinanger.Heyelledaboutthenerveofsomepeoplewhotookadvantageofthegoodnessofothers,andhowheallowedonefreakinhishouseandthatwasenough.Inthemidstofthis,HarrynotiedDudleywaslookingathimstrangely,orrather,lookingathisrighthand.
“What’sthatonhisfinger?”DudleyaskedabruptlyandbothofhisparentsturnedtolookatHarry’shands.
“Whyareyouwearing—”