Magnificent Seven 1. Chapter 1

THE MAGICAL AND THE MAGNIFICENT chapter 1

Magnificent 7 ATF AU - X-Over - Harry Potter

Slash Ezra/Vin (very mild)

Disclaimer: I own neither The Magnificent 7 nor JK Rowling's Harry Potter books or the movies based on them.

Okay, I have been tinkering with this story and have reached the point where I am happy to post. I have several chapters written that only need polishing and will hopefully post a chapter per week. I hope you enjoy.

A/N A couple of really good stories have used the combination of Mag 7 & HP so I thought I'd have a go. Since this is overwhelmingly Mag 7 based I am only publishing in the Mag 7 fandom. While I think it fair to presume that most mag7 fans have at least a passing familiarity with the world of JK Rowling I don't feel the same can be said for HP fanfic fans. For those who are unfamiliar with the world of Harry Potter read on. For those unfamiliar with fanfic HP read on also.

In the world of Harry Potter Harry is destined to defeat the evil Lord Voldemort. He is aided by his friends Hermione, Ron, Prof' Dumbledore & Remus Lupin among others. Draco Malfoy and his father are the baddies and Prof Snape hates Harry….However…in the world of fanfic Draco is often portrayed a lot like Ezra, as someone who rebels against their upbringing but faces opposition from those who don't think a person can change. While Ron, Hermione and even Harry are not always the perfect little heroes that Rowling portrays. So be warned that some characters may seem quite out of character even though they would be recognised in fanon. Not necessarily for Ron or Harry fans (not that Harry is bad but he's not the focus of the story - and I admit that I do find him a little too good to be true, heck he makes JD look tardy! ) Hermione and Draco, however, are sympathetically portrayed.

A/N 2 - Nathan does not come across well for part of this fic but he sees the light eventually, bless him. You know me I love our poor put upon healer. This may not be a fic for Josiah fans - he may not even want to see the light but I am willing to be persuaded (he's not actually a villain - well not unless the readers wish it LOL)

A/N3 The team are still Denver ATF but some of them have that little bit extra.

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Are you sure he's gonna fit in Chris? I mean I know you got all tingly with him in Atlanta an' all, but he doesn't seem to have a clue about the wizarding world; even squibs know their heritage. Of course if you had the idea of giving Nathan some squib company then that's backfired on ya bigtime. I've seen love at first sight but never hate at first meeting." Buck chuckled at the memory of the scowl on Nathan's face the moment the boy from New Orleans that they had found at the FBI in Atlanta opened his mouth.

"Firstly Bucklin; you know how sensitive Nathan is about being a non magical from a magical family - we don't use the sqib word around the office. Besides Nathan has no idea that Ez is in any way different. Heck even Ezra has no idea as far as I can tell. Secondly, do you have to use the word tingly? And do you have to make an innuendo out of it? thirdly; I hired him because he's the best damn undercover agent in the country" Before Buck could interrupt and point out the southerner's other reputation Chris headed him off. "I know the rumours. You believe them?"

"No."

"Well then. And anyway I didn't get a tingly feeling, as you so annoyingly put it."

"But you said he triggered your radar as soon as he walked into the room."

"He did, and that's what's got me intrigued. It wasn't a normal feeling."

"Tingle." Buck reminded him with a smirk.

Chris sighed; he hated the word but it was accurate and he couldn't think of a suitable alternative for the feeling he got when around someone with magical powers. He could feel anything from a mild tingle for a squib to the feeling of being dunked in ice cold water and then sat in front of a hot fire for a wizard or witch like his late wife sarah. Most, like Vin, and Buck being somewhere in between. That was what made Ezra so unusual.

"Uh huh." he gave in to the name.

"So what sort of feeling was it if it wasn't a tingly one?"

"That's the thing. It wasn't a feeling at all, it was a sound. Like a bell." Chris's features softened and a small smile lit his face. "Like a clear, small, crystal bell. Never heard anything like it before."

"So does he have power?"

"I'm sure of it. But I don't know what kind and I don't think he has a clue; but it's growing. It's stronger now than when we met. As though being round us is bringing out his latent qualities. He's gonna need our help Buck, and soon."

"Is he dangerous? Or IN danger?"

"I haven't the faintest idea; for all I know making people hear bells IS his power."

"But you don't think so." Buck could sense an excitement in his oldest friend that hadn't been there since they'd met Vin Tanner who turned out to be a rather unique shaman sentinel, his shamanic power negating the need for a separate guide to keep his senses under control, although when combined with another of power his own would become greater than that of any other sentinel, his connection to his soul mate enabling their individual powers to mix. Depending on the talents of his potential partner it promised to be a possibly awesome result.

"That bell was like a herald Buck. I just don't know what it was heralding."

With more seriousness than he would have believed himself capable of before the team was founded and before he finally admitted to himself that which Chris had been telling him for years, that his animal magnetism was actually a manifestation of his empathic power, Buck asked

"Do you think he could be an angel?"

"Heck Buck. This is Ezra Standish we're talking about. I don't know what he is but he sure ain't no angel!"

They both laughed at the mental picture of the small, dark chestnut haired and jade green eyed man with a halo and large fluffy white wings. They both stopped laughing and stared at each other when that picture looked disturbingly, well, angelic.

"Nah!" they muttered.

As if to confirm their denial a sudden stream of what was, quite possibly, some of the most innovative and multilingual cursing ever heard by human ears came floating elegantly across the room, and all delivered in a deceptively soft, sweet southern drawl. It was followed almost immediately by the equally elegant man himself. Vin was at his side smiling, eyes twinkling with humour at the diatribe.

"What happened?" Chris asked Vin; no point in asking Ezra since his reply probably wouldn't even be in English, at least not in an English that he would recognize. Ezra glared at all three of them as Vin explained.

"Nathan insisted on trying to give Ez a medical, and demanded access to his medical records. Ezra pointed out that he'd already had a full medical after his transfer from the FBI" At this comment Ezra, still not trusting himself to speak, nodded emphatically, Vin smirked, "Anyway, Ezra told Nathan that if he wanted to see his records he could go and qualify as a doctor." This time Ezra was the one to smirk, he'd been quite pleased with that put down.

"Ouch!" uttered Buck with a wince. He wasn't even remotely annoyed at Ezra's treatment of their medic. The undercover agent had been at the sharp end of Nathan's tongue since joining them three months before.

At the same moment that Chris opened his mouth to try and act as peacemaker, despite an overwhelming urge to shoot both men, Nathan stormed into the office, followed by the other members of the team, Josiah and JD. Both agents seemed bemused by the normally even tempered medic's display of ire. As soon as they saw Ezra the cause became clear. Nathan immediately crossed to Larabee to make his appeal.

"Chris; make this southern fried idiot hand over his notes. Tell him that everybody else has and there's no reason for him to do any different; unless he's got something to hide."

Ezra's poker face was firmly in place but when Nathan made his concluding comment Vin could swear he saw a flash of fear in the pale jade eyes. When it had gone all that was left in it's wake was anger.

"Please Mr Jackson, I am sure that there is a lot that the medical profession can do these days for people who have delusions of grandeur. Being an EMT is a worthy occupation. There is no need to pretend to have skills and qualifications that you do not possess." He held up his hand to forestall reply. "And since you do not possess said qualification I tell you once again, for the last time. My private life is my own business; keep your goddamned nose out!"

"Least he said it in English this time" said Vin, his voice still light and friendly but the sparkle in his eyes having been replaced by a smouldering anger. Nathan's behaviour was tantamount to harassment. Chris shared his opinion but the air desperately needed to be cleared so, with serious trepidation he allowed the argument to continue.

"The health of the team IS my business. If you're hiding something and the rest of the team suffer for it I'll be the one picking up the pieces."

'Dammit' thought Ezra. 'Why wasn't the official medical enough for the irritating man? Blood pressure fine, cholesterol fine, weight fi…, well nearly fine - ish…please, malnourished was such a subjective term.' But he'd heard from a reliable source, JD, that Nathan went further; noting old scars, questioning old fracture sites and digging into psych evaluations. There could be no other reason for these unwarranted intrusions than prurient curiosity. Well no way is he poking and prodding this body, this mind. He can't; he mustn't. I WON'T LET HIM.'

As Ezra's internal panic spiralled out of control the others in the office began to experience a strange prickling sensation, like static electricity. The hairs on arms and backs of necks stood up and the ground beneath them began to shimmy. Without any warning Ezra gasped as if in intense pain and his eyes rolled back into his head, although he remained standing. As he seemed to stop breathing completely his eyes righted themselves, the pale jade was now a sparkling deep green and without a word or a gesture books, files and ornaments began to hurl themselves across the room. Buck narrowly avoided a heavy manual on fire prevention whilst one of Josiah's philosophy tomes caught JD a glancing blow on the arm. JD yelped, more from surprise than any pain and Ezra's eyes lost their intense hue, turning a shocked gaze toward the sound.

Ezra looked about him at the group of shocked agents; at the debris, and at JD, rubbing his arm. 'Oh God! Dear lord, no! It had happened again, and he had hurt JD. They would kill him, quite rightly. 'Must get away before I hurt someone else' was his all consuming thought.

Chris couldn't move. Not through the shock, although Ezra's burst of uncontrolled magic had indeed been shocking. No, this was also Ezra's work. The others had come to the same conclusion and they watched helplessly as Ezra fled the room, and no doubt, the building. It was nearly two minutes later that the paralysis suddenly gave way to movement.

As they staggered and stretched JD gasped and pointed to the far wall where one word, in blood red, was repeating itself in large copperplate lettering, Ezra's handwriting. One word which caught their collective breaths.

'SORRY'

Nathan walked over to the wall and ran a finger through the liquid; he sniffed it and grimaced,

"Blood"

"Shit!. How did he do that?" muttered Buck.

"Doubt he's even aware that he has" replied Chris, "he's distraught."

"He was scared of us" confirmed Buck, "I felt it. What is he, Chris?"

Chris Larabee had recognized the power signature as soon as the books began to fly but before he could tell the others Nathan interrupted with his own theory.

"A monster, that's what he is. Some sort of evil demon." JD and Buck laughed nervously. Magic they were ok with, but demons, no way! Besides, Buck reasoned, he had felt no evil or hatred, just fear, confusion, horror and shame.

"Shut up Nathan!" spat Vin with unexpected and uncharacteristic venom. "You started this; houndin' him, bullying him. No wonder he lost it, it's a wonder he didn't do this weeks ago. And in case you didn't notice the moment anybody came even close to getting hurt…", he ducked his head toward JD, "Ezra cut off like a switch. Freezing us in place was only so's he could get away from us. He probably thinks we want to kill him; after all that's what the FBI did in Atlanta, and he was only accused of being on the take there, not performing magic."

Nathan didn't want to get into a row with Vin but he was disappointed in the normally perceptive tracker. He thought that the quiet Texan had more moral fibre. It wasn't right to side with someone just because they were both magical. He turned to Chris instead, after all it was his fault that the freaky southerner was here at all.

"How come you hired another magical? Ain't three enough for you?"

This was an old argument; Nathan's anti - magical stance would hold more water though, if it didn't sound quite so much like jealousy.

"Firstly Nathan, I've told you before, I'm not magical" reminded Chris with a touch of frustration in his voice. "I sense it but I don't perform it. And secondly, I had no reason to believe that Ezra was anything other than what I had read in his file, a brilliant, if unorthodox, undercover agent, until I was in his presence. I based my decision on our need for the best agent for the job. The magic was an unknown quantity, it didn't influence my decision and I quickly realised that he had no clue as to his true nature. And if you're saying that I show favouritism to Vin or Buck then I'm really disappointed in you. After all how would you react if I turned down a valuable, suitable candidate because they were black, or female, and we already had enough of 'their kind'." Before Nathan could reply Chris stormed on.

"Y'know Jackson I give you more freedom than any other agent, on any other team, to access our medical records 'cause I figure it could save lives, but it's still a privilege, not a right. Ezra was the one with the rights; he had every right to refuse you and you had no right to goad him." Nathan's head dropped at the reprimand but the apologetic pose also hid the hatred in his eyes. Not hatred for his leader but for the 'creature' that had gotten him into this position.

Chris took a deep breath. He hated having to chew out any of his men, well except Ezra, but then to Ezra their verbal sparring was like a kind of sport; one that they both enjoyed and were well matched in. He dragged his attention back to the present situation.

"Now ladies, if I might have your attention?….thank you. I want this place tidied and all resources aimed at finding Ez. We have one very scared, very confused wizard out there."

"Oh wow! Cool" squealed JD. He blushed as Chris rolled his eyes and Buck chuckled with an excited twinkle in his. "Well" JD justified, "we've never had a wizard before. I mean it's like fairytales and legend; there's just something special about it."

Buck and Vin nodded; Vin noted, though, that Josiah was keeping very quiet. He'd shown a fatherly interest in Ezra when he'd first come to Denver and it didn't seem natural for him to be so inactive now; perhaps this was his way of showing his concern. '_Still, have to keep an eye on that' _he mused.

Nathan simply glowered, '_trust the slimy snake to be everything I should have been. I don't believe for a minute that he was unaware, he's playing us. A dark wizard if ever I saw one',_ knowing better than to rock the boat any further the medic kept his thoughts to himself.

There's definitely something special about Ezra" confirmed Chris, "even allowing for the fact that he's a wizard there's something different."

"How so?" Buck, too, had sensed something very different from his experience with Sarah, but that could just be a natural difference between witches and wizards.

"I don't know" Chris puzzled. "His power is different yet totally familiar. I think I might call in an old friend from England; he went to school with Sarah. But first we have to find our own little Merlin. God knows where he's gone."

" 'Kin track 'im."

It was little more than a whisper, but given the subdued atmosphere in the room everybody heard it; all heads turned toward Vin, who, always wary of undue attention, blushed a fetching shade of pink.

"Of course! Your sentinel senses!" exclaimed Buck. Trouble with Vin, thought Buck fondly, was that he was so self-effacing it was easy to forget that he had any supernatural abilities at all; yet he was, at least until they learnt the extent of Ezra's magic, the most powerful of them all.

Vin didn't bother correcting Buck by telling him that the real source of his link with the 'new born' wizard was only partly due to his heightened senses. He wasn't sure how their ladies man would react to the full truth. At that moment Chris caught his eye, a questioning look on his face. Vin saw the hazel eyes widen as he guessed the truth and the normally ice cool sentinel blushed even deeper.

'_Oh boy!' _Chris mused as the team left the partially tidied office, the bloody writing having thankfully faded; he didn't want to have to explain that to the maintenance department. Thank God that other teams were used to his team not being the quietest and hadn't reacted to the sound of flying objects during Ezra's tantrum. This was turning out to be quite a day. Since meeting these men he had had a lot of eventful days but none so peculiar as this; definitely a day of discovery. Discovering a new wizard was amazing enough; discovering that one of your best friends is at some point probably going to try and claim said wizard as his soul mate, and lover had to top it all he thought with a chuckle. He tried to consider what this would mean for Vin and Ezra and the team as a whole but his brain threatened to melt so he just concentrated on the most important thing, finding their seventh. At that his meanderings gave way to concern. Ezra was probably terrified. '_Definitely going to have to contact Remus' _he decided.

TBC

A/N Well there it is. What do you think? Be aware that this will be Draco friendly - though not the Draco of the book or movies.


	2. Chapter 2

The Magical and the Magnificent

Disclaimer: Don't own either The Mag7 boys or the Harry Potter franchise, unfortunately.

A/N Thank you for the lovely comments. Couldn't resist putting up another chapter so that you can get a feel for the story - and I have absolutely no patience :D We meet some of the HP cast in this but it will be a while before the younger ones appear. Don't worry if you aren't familiar with the world of HP as I explain things as I go and it's heavily AU. But if you have any questions or ideas I'll be happy to answer them.

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Although Team 7 had magical talents they were, at least most of the time, just like any other federal agency. It was a decision taken right at the beginning, to limit their use of magic, as explaining the resulting inconsistencies and oddities in their reports was not often worth the hassle; so now they were being introduced into a world much different from their normal experience. As Chris led them into the small out of the way pet shop in downtown Denver multiple jaws dropped at the aviary full of all types of owls. As Chris wrote his letter to Remus he explained their use as the magical world's version of the postal service resulting in looks of incredulity.

"Owl Post!" JD grinned at the term given to the service and his natural bounciness reached Tigger like proportions.

"Gives a whole different slant on you're check's in the mail!"

"Buck!" In retaliation for the look of irritation that the store keeper gave him Chris left it to Buck to tell JD just why he couldn't have one as a pet.

Once outside the city Vin quickly began to get worried and frustrated, Ezra was, whether intentionally or not, blocking him and his heightened senses were useless because the southerner's unique scent was negated by his car acting as a shield. The ancient Sentinel Guardians had never had to deal with steel, plastic and reinforced glass. After a few minutes concentrated effort Vin had to admit to the others that he was stymied. Silence reigned as various ideas were mentally considered and discarded until Buck spoke up

"Vin I know you have limited empathic and psychic abilities besides your heightened senses, is that how you were planning to track him?"

"Yeah, but my powers aren't strong enough to break through."

"Well you can track emotion and I can't, but my empathic ability to feel emotions is greater than yours, so is it possible to combine our efforts somehow?"

"Stop the car Chris!" Vin was elated but it quickly turned to self reproach for not thinking of it himself earlier.

Vin and Buck quickly exited the car and found a clear patch of ground sheltered from public view.

"Okay Buck, I want you to take both my hands and concentrate on Ezra, only Ezra." Buck nodded and took up his position facing Vin. Both men closed their eyes. The others stood by fascinated, JD as usual, got impatient when nothing had happened after a couple of minutes.

"When is something going to….Whoa!" As he spoke the air around Buck and Vin began to crackle with static and a shimmering pale green aura surrounded them. The aura pulsed rhythmically, like a heartbeat. Ezra, Chris realised, and if that pulsing reflected Ezra's heart rate then it was far too fast; no wonder Vin was worried. As suddenly as it had arrived the phenomenon vanished. The two men staggered slightly, their clasped hands now supporting each other. Nathan stepped forward but they both straightened and waved him away which just increased the look of disapproval on the stern features.

"Got him." Vin's voice was rough with exhaustion and Buck was wiping the sweat of effort off his forehead.

"Where?" Chris asked as they got back in the Ram and he keyed the ignition.

"Your ranch."

"What!? Why?" Buck could answer that one; he'd picked up several conflicting emotions and when put together they formed a horrible picture.

"It's the only place he knows where he won't hurt anyone, no people to damage when…" Buck stopped, swallowing hard, his face paling.

"When what?" Chris commanded.

"When he totally loses control of his magic. He can't hold it in much longer and when he releases it he's sure that it will kill him and anyone near him."

"And will it?"

"Probably, yes" Buck replied, his voice breaking. He gave a sudden and unexpected chuckle though his expression was one of sorrow. "He's even made sure that he's far enough away from the stables so's he don't hurt the horses."

"He just wants it to be over Chris; he sensed us" added Vin, his voice almost unrecognizable with tension. "He said goodbye."

They were approaching the ranch house now and Chris took on a determined glare.

"He ain't going anywhere; not on my watch. Vin, I want you to go out to him and keep him calm and in one piece for me" At his friend's immediate nod Chris added, "Vin, I won't order you to do this, it could be very dangerous…." he tailed off at the look of indignation on the trackers face. "Okay" he acknowledged. As they pulled up and exited the truck Chris came to the end of an internal debate.

"That letter I owled won't reach it's target in time, I need Remus here now. I'll have to go fetch him."

"How?" asked Josiah, his tear filled eyes hardening. Like Adam and the apple in the Garden of Eden, once bitten the taste of the fruit becomes an addiction. For Adam it was knowledge but how much worse to open oneself to the dark world of magic. Josiah feared that the crows of his youth were returning. It did not bode well.

"No time to explain" Chris replied. "Vin take the pick-up and get to Ez. I'll get help to you as soon as I can."

"On it."

Larabee, followed anxiously by the remaining four of the seven, dashed to his bedroom where he rummaged frantically in his nightstand drawer. He gave a grunt of satisfaction as he pulled out a pepper shaker.

"Um, Chris…" began Buck.

"No time Buck. This is a portkey. It is spelled to take me to wherever Remus is. He left it for me after Sarah's funeral in case of emergencies; I reckon this counts."

"What will it do?" JD's love of technology had never had to cope with pepper shakers before.

"It will make me disappear, so don't panic; I'll be back soon, hopefully with Remus." He saw the sceptical looks and grinned evilly. "Trust me guys!" With that parting comment he tapped the base of the shaker, mumbled a word and vanished.

M*7

Remus Lupin was trying very hard not to glare at Severus Snape. He was above this sort of petty bickering but if it was inevitable he would conduct himself with dignity.

I repeat Severus, I absolutely refuse to drink a potion that will turn my fur pink!"

"Surely, Lupin, it's a small price to pay for increased potency in the wolfsbane potion. It's not as if anyone will see it. You are a werewolf and as such will be confined. You are not going to a fancy dress party"

"I'll see it." Remus was determined not to sulk. He knew he would lose because Snape was in the right, but why did it have to be pink! Anything but… "Red."

"What?" Now it was Snape's turn to be nonplussed.

"If you can make my fur red instead of pink I'll drink it."

"Well, I suppose it's feasible, but adding so many extra blood bugs will make it taste vile."

"Severus your potions always taste vile, it's one of your greatest pleasures, to watch your victims suffer."

Before a smirking Snape could reply there was a sudden shift in the rooms atmosphere and they were joined by a tall blond man in a black suit holding a silver pepper shaker.

"Chris!" Remus stepped forward to greet the agent as he simultaneously gestured for Snape to sheath his wand.

Chris silently thanked God that it had worked, he hadn't really had much faith in it working after so long.

"What's wrong?" Lupin could see the anguish on his friend's face. Snape, not actually having been asked to leave, lurked as only a Slytherin would or could, and listened with interest to the rather intimidating looking muggle.

"I've sent you an owl Remus but things are moving too fast. One of my men is about to die; his magic is spiralling out of control and he could take others with him." Remus introduced him to Snape and Chris quickly explained about Ezra's predicament and their fears for him. Before either wizard could comment the door opened and an old man entered who, Chris thought, looked like he had taken on board every fictional wizardly cliché ever described, yet despite the twinkling eyes, colourful robes and long white beard a sudden shiver of apprehension slithered down his spine. He shrugged it off as being among so many powerful wizards, it was enough to set his radar onto overdrive, or possibly an over reaction to the situation, he recognized the headmaster from Sarah's many stories about her schooldays. He was one of the good guys.

"Welcome Mr Larabee, my name is Albus Dumbledore, headmaster here at Hogwarts. Care for a lemon drop?" he held out a paper bag.

"No thank you sir, I'm in a bit of a hurry."

"Don't fret dear boy, he is strong, he can hold on a little longer." Dumbledore turned away from the confounded ATF agent toward Snape. "I believe your conclusions are correct Severus." he commented as he viewed the bottles that the potions master had picked out as soon as he had heard Ezra's symptoms. I think that you will also need the dreamless sleep potion."

"Even after he is stabilised?"

"Oh yes. Ezra's dreams are a long standing affliction that he will well do without while he is vulnerable."

Snape nodded, Lupin raised an eyebrow and Chris just concentrated on trying to keep his breathing even. He was used to being in charge, in control and at this moment he had never felt so out of his depth. Just how did the headmaster know so much about Ezra? Even Ez hadn't known about his magical capabilities, that had been obvious from his panic. He knew that the answers would have to wait but the questions would be asked, he would make sure of it.

Dumbledore turned back to the scowling agent.

"I know that this may seem very confusing and frightening to you Agent Larabee but I also know that you will rise to the occasion. Any choice of Sarahs could do no less. A most remarkable witch.

"Thank you Sir, she always spoke very highly of you too, of all of you in fact." Chris's sweeping gaze encompassed everybody in the room finding it odd to finally put faces to some of the names he had heard so much about. Snape's eyes widened at his inclusion but he was not entirely surprised. Sarah had been one of the more tolerable of his fellow students and had, unlike his nemesis James Potter and his club of so-called Marauders, Remus having been the least annoying of the group, always treated him well.

"She was a kind person and an exemplary potions student" he confirmed. Chris saw, by the look of shock on the other two wizards faces that compliments were rare from the other 'man in black'.

"Thank you Professor Snape. Please…" he begged them all, "I need to get back to Ezra. He won't hesitate to kill himself if he feels that he has become a danger to others."

Dumbledore's placid countenance dropped to be replaced by a puzzled frown as though something had just tipped out of kilter and Snape queried curiously "Is he so altruistic?"

Chris sighed, explaining Ezra was impossible at the best of times. "It's more that he values his own life less than other peoples" At Snape's raised eyebrows Chris waved a hand randomly through the air, "You'd have to meet Maude to understand."

"Maude?"

"His mother."

"Alright, I'm ready" called Remus, who had retrieved a few essentials, including a spare cloak and wand from his own rooms using the 'accio' spell.

"Good luck gentlemen" commended Dumbledore, his twinkle re-established as he handed them a new portkey in the guise of a garden gnome.

M*7

Buck, JD, Nathan and Josiah stared at the now empty spot where their leader had been standing just a few seconds ago.

"WOW!" gasped JD as he bounced on the spot.

"Useful." Buck had an immediate vision of how, with a gadget like that he could spread his wonderful loving to more than one grateful lady in an evening.

'_Not right_.' Nathan Jackson hadn't voiced his opinion out loud because it wouldn't have been taken well but he was prepared to do anything required to protect his fellow team members; the damn southerner was unpredictable at the best of times. He would do whatever was needed but until then he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut and hope to God that he wouldn't have to intervene. None of them understood just how dangerous a Dark Wizard could be and he would bet the farm that Standish was as dark as they came. He still couldn't understand how such an amoral man could have been gifted with so much power when he, himself, who could have done so much good with half the talent had been so unfairly denied. A little voice inside of the medic whispered that it was hardly Ezra's fault but he was in no mood to listen to it.

Josiah sighed. The crows were gathering.

After several minutes not daring to move they began to pace or fidget. After thirty minutes they began checking their weaponry. At forty-five minutes, just when they were about to start demolishing furniture in frustration there was a 'something' and Chris was back, along with two strange looking men in, of all things, black floor length cloaks. Each carried several odd items.

"Boys, this is Professors Remus Lupin and Severus Snape," He indicated each in turn. Before anyone could ask questions Remus spoke up in his gentle, slightly raspy British accent, a sort of English Vin.

"We must hurry. The poor child has battled very hard but I fear he is losing the fight now." As they unhesitatingly followed the wizard's lead and headed towards the Ram and Buck's truck Nathan commented in a scathing tone

"He's twenty seven, hardly a child."

Remus frowned and both Chris and Snape glared. As the vehicles, one driven by Josiah, the other by Chris were speeding toward their target, a small black thundercloud in an otherwise clear blue sky, Remus explained his comment.

"In the magical world most witches and wizards begin to 'leak' magic as children; I would have thought you would be aware of this phenomenon Mr Jackson, being a Squib." Chris interrupted before Nathan could reply.

"Nathan's mother kept his knowledge of his heritage and the magical world to a minimum for reasons known only to herself."

'I know alright' fumed Jackson silently, 'but I ain't telling my family's dirty secrets to no-one' Buck cast their healer a curious look, his empathy picking up some confusing and very negative emotions. Jackson noticed the scrutiny and brought his wayward feelings back under control. The negative signals vanishing as quickly as they had come had Buck dismissing them quickly from his mind, heck they were all under a lot of pressure. Meanwhile Remus had picked up his tale again.

"I see. Well it's one of the first lessons we learn, how to control our magic. Ezra has never had that advantage; he is the magical equivalent of a three or four year old, but his power is that of a fully grown adult. Not knowing how to channel the power is quite literally killing him."

M*7

No-one was supposed to find him. Didn't they understand the danger? Did they want to make his last memory one of guilt at hurting the people he had come so very quickly to care about, and in one case to l…love? _Dammit_! He didn't want to go on like this, he only wanted an end to the pain, but they were too close; he didn't know how he knew this, he just did and that scared him just as much as the other strange happenings.

Ezra looked up and saw a vehicle in the distance. '_Vin! Oh, please no; he mustn't see me like this. ._' And then the pain returned tenfold and he couldn't even think any more. Colours had faded to shades of grey and sound became the hiss of white noise. Only Vin retained his colour and clarity and only the sweet Texas drawl made any sense. It was as though his senses had latched onto the only thing that didn't bring with it pain and fear.

"Hey Ez" The sharpshooter squatted down in front of Ezra who was slumped under a lightning struck tree. He wanted to cry as he watched Ezra try desperately to pull himself together.

"V…Vinnn. P…please…make it stop. God make it stop."

"Chris is on his way Ez; he's found someone to help you, but you've got to hang on."

"C…can't Vin. Hurts s…so much. Don't understand what's happening to me." Before Vin could reply Ezra was hit with a spike of intense pain and the top of the tree he was resting against exploded, showering them with ashes. He screamed; a sound of pure animalistic agony tearing from his throat. Vin, ignoring Ezra's weak gesture encouraging him to move to safety moved in behind him and gathered the slightly smaller man into his arms, adding his power to counterbalance Ezra's in a last ditch effort to diffuse the forces which were nearing meltdown.

TBC

A/N Hope you enjoyed that but don't expect an update every day - you know what I'm like LOL


	3. Chapter 3

The Magical and the Magnificent chapter 3

Disclaimer - still don't own either the boys or the HP crew.

A/N So glad you are enjoying this. A special thank you to those reviewers without reply addresses including glo-MAC I really appreciate your comments.

As the sky became increasingly darker and Ezra's breathing became more erratic the Ram and truck drew up and everybody tumbled out looking about them with trepidation at the blackened grass surrounding the two men and the lightning arcing overhead. Neither man under the tree seemed aware of their arrival.

Nathan instinctively began to move forward in response to the obvious distress Ezra was displaying; he hadn't moved more than two steps before the gaunt wizard, Lupin, barred his way.

"Please Mr Jackson, I would not want you to be injured." '_Or anywhere near this emotionally vulnerable man'_ his instincts added silently. Remus walked slowly forward the few steps that separated him from the two men. Two men who radiated more raw power than he had ever known possible. This could turn out very bad indeed. As he approached the blasted tree Vin raised his head from where it rested on top of Ezra's chestnut curls. His team mates gasped as they saw his eyes; they were no longer sky blue but a strange aquamarine, a mix of blue and green.

'_Part Vin and part Ezra'_ Chris realised. '_They've bonded'_

Vin stared hard at the stranger and suddenly seemed to see something in the Englishman that made him give a respectful nod. The others didn't know it but Vin's wolf spirit was acknowledging Lupin's werewolf.

Another heartrending scream from Ezra broke the moment.

"Ezra listen to me." Remus reached forward and, placing his hand under Ezra's chin, gently lifted his head until their eyes met. "My name is Remus Lupin; you must do exactly as I instruct you." At Ezra's tired yet undefeated shake of the head, 'no' Remus' voice took on an authoritative tone. Chris shook his head at Vin's questioning glance; this was out of their hands now.

"You have no choice Ezra; not if you want your friends to live." Remus hated being so blunt but he needed the southerner to keep fighting, and it was working; he could almost see the Agent draw on his last reserves of energy.

"Good, Ezra. Now take this, it's a wand." Lupin practically forced the wand into his hand. "Now I want you to imagine that this is a crayon and we are going to redraw your magical landscape." Both Lupin and Snape gulped nervously as the twelve inch holly wand suddenly transfigured into a twelve inch child's crayon without any spell being cast. Remus gave no sign to Ezra or the others that this was in any way unusual. "That's good Ezra. Now, your magic is going to come out, you can't stop it, but you CAN change it."

Ezra's confused gaze told Remus that he didn't understand but Vin's nod showed that he had grasped the situation. Having given as much of his energy as he could an exhausted Vin leaned in close to his friends ear and spoke softly.

"Just do what the man says Ez; I know you don't understand and it's gonna take too long to explain, so please just trust me."

"A…always. But please m…move away in case I…"

Ezra's voice gave out but Vin had gotten the message and was ready to protest when Remus shook his head. Knowing that Ezra didn't have the strength for an argument Vin backed off and wearily made his way over to his friends who were standing with sombre, anxious expressions. Chris put a comforting hand on his shoulder and squeezed. It was all up to Remus now.

"Alright Ezra, what I want you to do is really very simple. I want you to think about the best thing in your life; can you do that for me?"

Ezra gave a small tired smile, "Vin" Over by the Ram were a mixture of puzzled looks and gentle smiles. Once again Vin was blushing, knowing that Ezra felt their closeness too; he, himself, felt the long awaited feeling that came with the connection to the other half of your soul, a feeling beyond brotherhood and even beyond lovers. It shared space with the terror that Ezra might not survive this torture; he just hoped that if the man who had become everything to him did not survive then neither would he.

Remus wasn't surprised at Ezra's choice, he had felt the strength of their connection. It should work well with his plan.

"Good Ezra. Now, I want you to concentrate, not on Vin himself, but on everything that Vin makes you think of; use all of your senses, all your memories and your imagination. Just what is Vin to you? To the world? Then show me. Release all of those feelings through the wand and draw me a picture. I'm going to back off now so do it as soon as you are ready, ok?"

Ezra was past replying, the pain had reached unimaginable levels and his head felt strange, but he was already thinking of Vin.

Remus joined the others and just as the bombardment of questions began there was a sudden unearthly scream which shocked them all into total silence. Snape had heard the cries of Voldemort's victims yet nothing had compared to this.

Before anyone could recover a shaft of pure white light burst from the wand, no longer a crayon, but a gleaming silver sword set with sapphires the exact same shade of Vin's eyes. The shaft of light hit the black cloud overhead and it shattered and flew apart in thousands of black glass shards which never actually hit the ground but caught the light, reflecting it like multiple prisms, each contributing rays of colour to the once black sky. Ezra, on his knees, the sword held aloft, could barely hold on as the power continued to cascade from his body and mingled with tears from his eyes. As his tears fell so did the rain, warm and clear, shaped like perfect teardrop crystals. The teardrop rain caught the colours and there was a collective gasp as rainbows began to form; hundreds of them shimmering in the rainy yet cloudless sky. And still the energy surged forth as the rain hit the ground and the ground literally sank at its touch forming a lake which quickly filled at a rate that wasn't matched by the rainfall. Any rain that wasn't contributing to the lake was hitting the dry grassland and flowers began to spring up around them and around the lake. There were spring flowers and summer blossoms and small shoots of green that promised a grove of trees for the future.

All eyes now instinctively returned to Ezra who, head bowed in exhaustion once again held the wand in its natural form, the beam of light much narrower than before. Ezra was in a trance-like state and fancied that he was, at least in part, inside Vin's mind, or at least that part of it that held his visions and dreams. For some reason he couldn't help but think of owls…how peculiar! As the picture in his mind, or was that Vin's mind? coalesced Ezra felt the most powerful surge yet begin to travel up his spine toward the impossibly colourful sky.

Thinking that it was over one or two of the seven made to move forward and were halted in their tracks as Ezra threw his head back and looked to the rainbow filled sky. The energy beam climbed higher and higher until there was a sudden burst of blinding light at its apex. As they watched something golden swooped from the ball of light and headed toward them. Everybody but Vin ducked as the Shaman smiled and held out his arm. As the others squatted or kneeled they saw a magnificent eagle owl land on the outstretched limb and they knew intuitively that although completely real it had not existed moments ago.

Later nobody would be able to say just how long they stood there shocked and bewildered. Even the normally unflappable Severus Snape had paled, if further whitening of his pasty skin were possible, at the sight of such a perfect magical creation. He had seen many impressive illusions, but this was no ersatz oasis; it was real and would remain so; although the rain had stopped and the rainbows faded the rest was now permanent and would adopt it's place as a part of the landscape.

Vin was the first to break free of the shock as his owl gave a sharp cry and launched itself from the sharpshooters arm toward the collapsed form under the once dead, now verdant, lightning tree. As Vin began to run toward his soulmate the others snapped out of their collective stupor to follow.

The owl perched imperiously in the upper branches of the tree while Vin lifted Ezra's head and placed it gently in his lap, desperately seeking with his ultra sensitive hearing for a heartbeat. A sigh of relief escaped him, it was faint but it was there.

Snape quickly took charge and shooed everybody but Vin, Chris and Remus away from the unconscious undercover agent. Nathan clenched his fists in frustration. He may not trust the undercover agent and he may trust wizards even less but he was still the team medic dammit! It was his job to care for that team. It was more than a job to him, it was a privilege…a right. The wizarding world may rate him, as a squib, somewhere between useless and pitiable but his team valued him, at least they did till now. How could he compete with all the flashy hocus pocus of people like Snape. Nathan watched as Snape waved his wand in a complex dance over the supine figure, muttering spells rapidly, and read the complex array of symbols and numbers that floated before him. After a quick consultation with Lupin he produced three differently coloured bottles and unstoppered them. Jackson scowled. Was even his EMT job to be taken from him in the name of magic. Snape poured each of the potions quickly into Ezra's mouth; the potions being spelled so that the recipient would automatically swallow whether they were conscious or not. A Godsend of an innovation, although why it had to be Neville Longbottom, the most inept potions student he had ever had the misfortune to teach, of all people, that came up with it he would never know. As soon as the last potion slipped down his throat Ezra's colour improved and his breathing became deeper and more even. Snape and Lupin exchanged a look of satisfaction. That had been far too close.

"Mr Snape, will he be ok now?" asked JD timidly. The computer whiz kid had been around the paranormal, living with Buck, for nearly two years now but he'd never believed anything like this was possible. It had been awesome but the pain he'd heard in his friend's screams and the sight of his almost lifeless body had scared him badly. The others waited with equal anxiety for the Wizard's reply while Vin didn't dare take his eyes off the raising and falling of Ezra's chest.

"It's PROFESSOR Snape young man," the black haired wizard corrected acerbically. Lupin rolled his eyes and his mouth quirked upward. Snape glared at the werewolf and continued. "To answer your question Agent Dunne, yes, I do believe that Mr Standish will make a full recovery."

Faces and tightly held bodies relaxed and Vin released the breath he hadn't known he was holding.

"However" Snape continued, "he will be completely exhausted for several days. I have never seen such a vast amount of built up magic, nor such a result from it's release. I doubt if he will even be able to feed himself for the first two or three days."

"Don't worry Sir, we'll take good care of him." replied Buck, his normally cheery voice unusually soft and solemn.

Snape retrieved another potion and handed it to Vin. "Drink" he commanded. Vin obeyed automatically and had to bite back a sharp Yes Sir! Only after he had downed the vile drink did he think to ask its purpose.

"You gave your energy to your friend, this will help replace it. It is a pepper-up potion" Vin had to admit that he felt considerably less tired.

"What is going to happen to all this?" asked Josiah, flinching as the owl, seemingly satisfied with Ezra's condition, resumed its place on the Texan's shoulder. '_It's not natural. Only God has the right to give life and to create something from nothing' _he thought, not daring to voice his opinion with so many wizards about.

Remus glanced round admiringly. "Well, I suppose it will settle down and become part of the landscape. Although both spring and summer flowers are blooming now by next year they will follow their natural courses. As for the lake, I would suggest waiting a few weeks and then stocking it with fish; it's deep enough to be in no danger of drying up; I suspect from the way it filled that it is some way connected to an underground spring." As Remus completed his assessment a sparkling, large, silver fish with a greenish blue tint to it's fins leapt from the water and dived back down with a splash. "My he was thorough" he mumbled bemusedly.

"We'll call it Ezra's Meadow" declared Chris astounded that Vin had been the inspiration for such beauty. He wondered if he had been the only one who had noticed that the owl's eyes, rather than the traditional amber, were a very distinct shade of jade green. He smiled to himself and remembered his Sarah, his green eyed witch. Now Vin had his own green eyed witch, well wizard, and if experience was anything to go by, Vin was in for some interesting times! As Josiah lifted Ezra into the Ram, glaring at Snape who had offered his magical services for the task, Chris took a last look at Ezra's meadow and wondered how the hell he was going to keep it a secret from his neighbour Nettie Wells. He hadn't realised that he'd spoken out loud until he received an answer.

"Don't worry Chris" said Lupin quietly as he appeared almost silently beside him. "I've put a charm on the area. Only the people present at its creation or those invited to do so will be able to see it; except for the owl, that will remain visible because it is not confined by the land."

It took them longer than normal to make the journey back to the ranch house owing to every bump they hit drawing a gasp or whimper from the unconscious undercover agent. After several winces and hisses from various passengers and a permanent growling noise from Chris the road suddenly became as smooth as tarmac. Chris raised an eyebrow and glanced at Remus. Remus just smiled a smile that would rival the Mona Lisa and waggled his fingers in explanation, then nodded toward Snape who was trying to ignore the whole affair. 'No point in pouring potions down a persons throat if the heathen countryside chooses to undermine one's efforts' thought the hawk nosed professor, scowling as Chris smirked at him and then nodded his thanks.

'Bloody Yanks' he decided.

This time the offer of help with moving Ezra was accepted, nobody wanted to disturb the sleeping man, so Remus levitated him into the main guest room where he was magicked into pyjamas, silk, at Vin's insistence and subjected to examinations by both Snape and Nathan who was mollified a little at Chris's insistence on his inclusion before being left to sleep. Vin took up a seat at the head of the bed and his owl perched itself on top of the wardrobe. Nobody commented; they knew that one of them would sit by his bedside until he woke, taking turns if necessary. The remainder of the seven and their exotic guests congregated in the large lounge where Josiah and Nathan automatically left to go through to the kitchen to start on coffee, tea and snacks.

"I could save them the time and trouble" Remus whispered to Chris, unhappy at the thought of putting anyone out. They had all been through so much. He communicated his thoughts to the leader of the seven.

"Please don't, it's ok; they need to have something normal, something routine at the moment. This has all been a bit fantastic and more than a little frightening."

Remus nodded his understanding and the men began to settle in various chairs and on various couches, casting looks which varied from wonderment from JD to suspicion from Nathan as he came back in with a large tray of beverages. Josiah soon followed with sandwiches and potato and corn chips with dips, his face as calm as ever but his eyes showing concern, which nobody would assume was anything other than natural since Ezra brought out the father in him.

There was a few moments companionable silence as people ate and drank. Remus tried hard not to chuckle at Snape's new love/hate relationship with Doritos; frowning at the corn chips taste and texture yet unable to resist taking another, and another.

Chris took a few moments to plate up some food and coffee for Vin and on being reassured that they were both ok he returned to the others. Vin in turn knew that Chris would pass on any relevant information when they were done.

Vin sat by his soul mate's bedside. His fear of a few hours ago still a strong memory, one that made him shiver for what could, so easily, have been. But thankfully it was no more than a memory now, and if he had ever had any doubts about his and Ezra's destinies being entwined they had been answered overwhelmingly under the lightning tree. Their spirits had meshed seamlessly and he had felt the power that Ezra carried inside of him. He had also felt the terror that the overload had caused. It made him angry that nobody had ever taken the trouble to explain to his love just what his gift entailed and how to control it. And somebody must have known because power like Ezra's would have been heralded by a seer's visions or prophetic writings. If this had happened in his own tribe a spirit as strong and yet as vulnerable as his love's would have been protected and nurtured. Vin made a silent decision that at some point the would take Ezra to his people and show him that his gift was nothing to fear, was, rather, to be celebrated. He would also take the opportunity to check for any prophesies.

Watching his Ezra sleep Vin smiled as he recalled the most important thing he had learned today. That his love for the southerner was not one sided. He had felt the love he had projected to the skittish man shyly returned through their link. His hopes were now high that they would soon be able to make that link permanent. He knew that they would have Chris's blessing and Buck was such a romantic that he loved seeing others in love no matter what their age, race, or orientation. Vin suspected that his empathic nature magnified happy thoughts and feelings; Buck was happiest around happy people and no-one stayed miserable for long when they were around Buck. Not so much a vicious circle as a fluffy one! And Vin couldn't imagine JD being anything other than supportive; the kid didn't have a prejudiced bone in his body. A frown briefly crossed his face as he contemplated Nathan and Josiah…them he wasn't so sure about.

Before his thoughts could take him down a darker path sounds from the heap of blankets that cocooned his chestnut haired partner indicated that the wizard was waking up. Sure enough the pale yet intense jade green eyes were soon gazing sleepily into his own blue orbs.

"Hey Ez, welcome back."

TBC

A/N Whatever happened to a once a week post I ask myself? Oh well, as the saying goes - I can resist anything but temptation! Hope you enjoyed and a Happy New Year for those who celebrate it. Now I must really get on with coming to terms - regular updating is on my New Years resolution list….Oh dear! Well let's hope I have better luck than with previous years resolutions.


	4. Chapter 4

The Magical and the Magnificent Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own neither the Magnificent 7 or The Harry Potter franchise.

.

"Hey Ez, welcome back."

"W…What?" Ezra found that his voice was nothing but a hoarse whisper and wondered why he suddenly sounded like a smoker with a sixty a day habit.

Then he remembered the screaming….and the magic!

Vin watched as the southerner's memories returned in a rush and his breathing rate increase in alarm. He reached out and without hesitation caught up a beautifully manicured yet trembling hand and stroked it reassuringly.

"It's okay Ez, everybody's fine. And you're gonna be up and about in no time. You're just all tuckered out that's all. All that magic plain exhausted ya."

"Magic." Ezra remembered what he had done; what he had seen…but magic?! Surely magic wasn't real. Yet he knew instinctively that it was. So what did that make him…besides a freak? He had always known that he wasn't normal but he had managed to keep it hidden…mostly, even from himself for the most part. But now they had all seen just what a monster he really was!

Except….

Memories of the past day ran before his eyes like a movie. Memories filled with Vin caring… holding him and telling him that everything would be okay.

"You were there. You stayed!"

"Of course I stayed you idiot!" Vin gave Ezra's hand a playful tap, "Where else would I be?"

Ezra was starting to put things together now though his mind still seemed sluggish due no doubt to his exhaustion.

"I felt something….your mind in…in my head! You have power too? Magic?"

"Kinda, but a different sort to yours. Not all of Team 7 are as ordinary as you might think Ez. And nobody thinks you're weird. They just want you to feel better soon."

Ezra nodded absently. In truth it was all too much to take in. As the thoughts and revelations whirled in his tired brain that mighty organ searched desperately for something simpler to process. Suddenly his eye was caught by something on the bedspread…. Something pretty….he should know what that was. He had a vague recollection of an owl with green eyes.

Vin followed his suddenly silent partner's gaze.

"It's a feather from the owl you created for me" he said affectionately, watching as Ezra's long slender finger stroked the golden brown feather. Vin could still feel the rush of the initial connection between him and his owl as it had landed on his arm and the moment he looked into the green eyes which were as new as wet ink yet held the wisdom of the ages. Somehow, although he should have been shocked, he had taken it in his stride when a quiet voice whispered, almost trilled, inside his head the name 'Corinth' Being a shaman Vin was used to talking to spirit animals who had their own names and he wondered if Ezra had brought a spirit animal into the human realm but he didn't have time to puzzle it out, or wonder if the communication was a one-off thing. His Ezra was awake.

"Soft."

"Uh huh" Vin confirmed as he looked into the wonder filled green eyes, smiling at the sudden inarticulateness of the normally erudite agent.

"Kitten" Ezra commented as the soft feather reminded him of a kitten's fur.

Vin got the analogy but laughed at how cute his partner was being.

"It's not a kitten Ez, it's……"

Vin's gaze tore itself away from Ezra's face and down to the source of the new sound in the room. He sighed softly and picked up the golden brown, green - eyed ball of fluff and cradled it gently as it meowed plaintively.

"Sorry" whispered Ezra, his face flushing a delicate shade of pink.

"It's okay Ez, couldn't be helped. You just go back to sleep and I'll get…." he tipped the cat slightly to check earning himself an indignant feline hiss… "him a saucer of milk or something."

Ezra was asleep before Vin finished speaking.

M*7 M*7 M*7

All eyes turned towards the bedroom door as it opened and widened in shocked surprise at Vin's little companion.

"Anybody got some milk or tinned fish or something for this little fella?"

"Please allow me" offered Remus as he conjured a bowl of water and a dish of kitten food. "May I enquire what he started out as?"

"A feather. Ez thought it felt soft, like kitten fur I suppose, then next second we have this furball where the feather used to be…He didn't do it on purpose!" Vin's last comment was defensive as he saw the disapproving scowls on Nathan and Josiah's faces.

"It is perfectly normal Agent Tanner" replied Snape as he cast a seemingly jaundiced yet secretly admiring glance at the uniquely coloured cat.

"How is he, besides the…" Chris asked as he waved a hand at the cat who was now eating happily.

"He's tired." Vin hesitated and then admitted. "I think that he thinks that ya'll are gonna reject him; see him as some kind of freak." He held up a hand to stop the inevitable protests that were forming - except Nathan, he noted, who looked like he rather agreed with that conclusion. Repressing the urge to growl at the medic he continued.

"He figured out from our contact in the meadow that I ain't normal either and I told him that not everyone on the team is as they seem, but he's not up to more'n that yet. I think it's best if everyone tells their own story when he's more awake.

'_Yeah, so's he knows which of us to target; which of us isn't like him…is inferior' _thought Nathan with distaste and more than a little fear. The part of him that was the caring healer and that part of him that was the rational scientist pointed out to his other half that he was being unfair, judging without evidence, or even a crime to pass that judgement on. That part of him also pointed out that he was better than that and that if he wasn't then Ezra was better than him! But that other half, the half that hated magic, with good reason as far as he was concerned anyway, reminded him that no matter how fragile and scared the undercover agent appeared to be he would eventually show his true colors and the rest of the team would need him there to pick up the pieces. His reasonable side countered that if he was going to turn murderous then when he was experiencing unimaginable pain would have been a good time to do it; and as a medic he knew without a doubt that that pain had not been a con - he still shivered at the sound of the screams. Yet instead of unleashing havoc the southerner had created beauty.

Nathan blocked out his arguing 'devil and angel' sitting metaphorically on his shoulders. He was getting a headache! And he didn't want to have to take one of his own herbal 'potions' as the others called them. '_Ironic'_ he thought. If the team were right about anything it was that his herbal remedies, while effective, especially for Vin whose Sentinel genes were intolerant of many modern medicines, they were all utterly foul tasting. Dragging himself back to the moment he listened as the surly black haired wizard, Snape, he thought the man had introduced himself as, began to speak.

"I do think, gentlemen, that Agent Standish needs to begin his training as soon as possible, at the very least he should learn how to shield himself and others from his magic until he has full control of it."

Chris remembered Sarah's stories of life at Hogwarts school, where wizards and witches learned about how to use their magic, especially those not born directly into the wizarding world.

"Isn't Ezra a little old for wizarding school?" he asked worriedly yet with a glint of humor. The mental picture of Ezra in a pointy hat and cloak was just too cute. But there was a serious side. He couldn't afford to lose his undercover agent while he trained yet until he was trained he posed a threat to those around him, and most especially to himself. They had been lucky this time.

Remus was just about to reply that they would think of something when an owl tapped at the window. JD rushed to welcome the creature and they all noticed that it wasn't Vin's owl which the sharpshooter had left in Ezra's room to guard his mate; they also noticed that it had a scroll tied with a red ribbon attached to it's leg.

Once admitted the owl flew straight to Remus who removed the missive and fished an owl treat from his robes. The owl snatched it with a hoot and left immediately which indicated that a reply would not be needed.

Remus read the letter silently and then chuckled. The headmaster was always one step ahead of them. His chuckle died as a sudden shiver went through him for no apparent reason which was odd since he normally only got feelings like that close to the full moon.

"Well!" snapped an impatient Snape while the others were still coming to terms with seeing owl mail in action.

"Buuck!" JD wheedled.

"Nope" Buck replied though he suspected from JD's puppy dog eyes that he was fighting a losing battle. Didn't need any empathic skills to sense that, it was written all over the kid's face.

The kitten had been unimpressed and had curled up on the hearth rug for a well earned nap…it wasn't every day that one came into being, let alone via a feather!

Remus cleared his throat, ensuring attention from all in the room but the sleeping kitten and read aloud the letter from Albus Dumbledore.

Dear Remus and Severus,

I trust that all is well with Mr Standish and any potential catastrophe has been successfully averted. I do, however, feel that Mr Standish should be made aware of our world and his own abilities as soon as possible. Given his age I do not think that Hogwarts is a suitable venue for this procedure. I also do not feel that it is a good idea to separate him from his friends. I would be grateful, therefore, since we are in the summer holidays, if you, Remus, and you, Severus, would stay in Denver and give Ezra all the assistance you can.

Good luck

Albus Dumbledore (headmaster)

P.S. I suggest that a visit to Diagon Alley would prove beneficial. A trip to Hogwarts can also be arranged for Mr Standish and his companions if so desired.

"Is he psychic?" rumbled Josiah, concerned that yet another paranormal area might be more fact than fiction.

"Not as such" replied Remus thoughtfully - it had been a most remarkable coincidence - "but there have always been rumours that he is a seer."

Noticing some confusion over the difference Snape added in the tone that had instilled dread into countless young boys and girls unlucky enough to be placed in his potions class.

"Psychics inhabit travelling shows and pretend to read minds or contact dead aunts for money, whereas seers have a genuine ability to receive and interpret prophecy, often experiencing visions or receiving word of possible future events. In our world the genuine reading or blocking of reading of minds are called legilemency and occulemency and can be learned by any competent wizard or witch." Snape reflected that for a boy who was supposed to be destined to save the wizarding world Harry Potter was a hopeless occulemens, whereas his own Godson, Draco Malfoy was a natural at both disciplines….of course with a father like Lucius such skills were a necessity if one were to survive the day past breakfast!

Remus coughed delicately to bring the potions professor out of his reverie and when he took notice he found that both Agent Larabee and Agent Tanner had already left while Agent Sanchez was clearing away the remains of lunch. He quickly snatched the bowl of corn chips and wondered if the substance used to give that tangy cheese flavour could possibly overcome the bitter taste of the blood bugs in the wolfsbane potion. He would definitely need to do more research on the matter. He casually munched a chip as he pondered, while being totally aware of the glare directed toward him from the squib, Agent Jackson. He hadn't survived spying against The Dark Lord for these many years without being wary of people around him, and Jackson was radiating enough fear and hatred to satisfy a boggart's appetites. He would need to be watched.

A burst of laughter caused his gaze to switch to Messrs Wilmington and Dunne. They would need watching too, though for entirely different reasons. They reminded him far too much of the Weasley twins. He shuddered at the memories of pranks past.

M*7 M*7 M*7

Chris stared down at the sleeping southerner. He looked so small and young when he was asleep. When he was awake and his silver tongue was working it's own magic he could seem ten foot tall, but not now. He could see the unnatural paleness of the ivory skin and the hint of dark circles under the closed eyes. Both confirmed the toll that today's ordeal had taken. He also watched Vin as he fussed over his….his? '_Hell, damned if I know what to call it'_ Chris thought ruefully. He had no issues with two men being together, and this coupling had destiny stamped all over it. He also didn't doubt that aside from mystical influence the two were genuinely attracted to each other. He had been watching them make cow eyes at each other since Ezra had joined the team. He was glad for them. He had seen the loneliness in each of them, even if they pretended to be independent, needing no-one; he recognized the loneliness because he saw it in his own mirror every morning, though that had grown less with this strange crazy new family he had gathered round him. He hoped that they would find that same love and companionship that he had found with Sarah, everyone deserved that at some point in their lives including his best friend and his pain in the ass undercover agent. His thoughts darkened a little as he wondered if everyone on the team would be as happy for the young couple as he was.

He shook the feeling off, he was no seer, and instead wondered how he was going to prevent Ezra from turning his home into a petting zoo and Vin from fussing the poor new wizard to death…and that was just while he was asleep. Lord knew how protective Vin would be when the green eyes finally managed to stay open for more than a few minutes at a time.

As if on cue the long dark eyelashes fluttered and Vin was poised over the bed, a bowl of soup, spelled to stay warm courtesy of professor Lupin, in hand looking for all the world like a mother hawk about to feed her chick. Chris snorted at the mental image of Vin dangling a juicy mouse in front of an open mouthed and chirping Ezra. He was rewarded with a glare from the sharpshooter that rivalled his own but any comment was forgotten as Vin's attention was captured by the jade green, slightly bloodshot, eyes which were in turn trying to focus on the blurry figure before him.

"Vin?" Ezra squinted, then opened his eyes wide, repeating the process until his vision cleared.

"Hey baby." Vin smiled and set the soup on the bedside table so that he could get his Ezra in a suitable position to eat without choking. Ezra allowed the manhandling partly because it was Vin doing the handling and partly because he believed that his brain processes had turned to mush at the endearment 'baby' Then he spotted his boss, Chris Larabee, standing at the end of the bed and his gentle bemusement turned to stark terror. Suddenly Vin couldn't make contact with his love at all! He had, quite literally, been shut out. There was an invisible yet impervious barrier around Ezra. He could touch the bed but hit a solid 'wall' when he tried to touch the man in it.

Chris sighed as he saw the expression change. Did he really inspire that much fear in the young Atlantan? He walked slowly around to stand by Vin only to find that Ezra had enveloped him in another separate cocoon. As Vin realised what his mate had done a flicker of pride and pleasure at being protected by his soul mate

showed on his features and halted Ezra's panic from escalating into dangerous territory.

Chris saw the emotion and smiled.

Ezra frowned at the expression on his leader's face. Did he have the power to break the protection he had unwittingly erected?

Chris winced at the distrust and worry on the southerner's face. It was disconcerting to think that his smile was scarier than his glare! Nevertheless he kept up the smile and hoped that it's genuineness reflected in his eyes.

That was the easy part. The hard part Chris realised, was knowing the best words to use to gain the southerner's trust. Nobody knew or used words better than Ezra - problem was that he could imbue them with whole levels of meaning that the speaker never intended. Some might call it paranoia but personally he called it Maude Standish. If ever there was a more mistrustful woman he had yet to meet her. He had, however, and unfortunately, met Maude and the fact that Ezra had survived to adulthood let alone be as well adjusted as he was, which wasn't saying much!, after being raised by that creature was a minor miracle. Luckily for Chris as he battled to find the words that would unlock the southerner's protective walls Vin stepped in. A man of as few words as Ezra was of many he always seemed to find exactly the right thing to say. And in this case Chris was surprised at how simple those words needed to be.

"It's okay Ez; he trusts you and he ain't mad at ya, just worried for ya; and as long as you're shutting him out you're shutting me out too, and I need to be near ya Ez…I nearly lost you."

Ezra was distraught that in his haste to protect himself and Vin from Mr Larabee's wrath he had hurt the man he loved. Chris's smile had unnerved him. For some reason people often smiled just before inflicting damage upon his person!

"Ah…Ah'm sorry Vin, Mr Larabee…."

Chris didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the never before seen look of abject contrition on the southerner's face but as he reached out he found the barrier to still be in place.

"It really is okay Ezra, I'm not going to hurt you…or Vin. You can get rid of the barrier now."

"Umm…" Ezra blushed and both Chris and Vin immediately understood his dilemma. Chris sighed and opened the door to call for one of the wizards to come and help Ezra undo what he had so easily and without conscious thought done in the first place. He just hoped they would get past this magical 'toddler' stage without a major catastrophe. He sighed again…it was Vin and Ezra, who was he kidding…they were doomed!

TBC

A/N Thanks to MAC for giving me the idea of the owl telling Vin it's name. She reminded me of the most excellent Dragonriders of Pern series of books by Anne McCaffrey which I read years ago and highly recommend which contained a similar process. Also for those unfamiliar with HP terminology a boggart is a creature that feeds by taking on the appearance of your greatest fear. Next chapter should bring in some other HP characters. A new chapter of Coming To Terms in a couple of days but if I don't post this now I'll start meddling with it. Thanks for reading.


	5. Chapter 5

The Magical and the Magnificent ch.5

Disclaimer: I own neither the world of Harry Potter in any of it's forms or the Magnificent 7 - I just do this for fun and the love , and because I'm a masochist.

Sorry it's been a while but I've been away from the word processor doing real life stuff. Hope you enjoy this instalment. Those waiting for the next chapter of Coming To Terms - it should be up in a few days.

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Professor Snape quirked an eyebrow at the slight hint of desperation in Agent Larabee's voice. He would never admit it but he had been impressed by these men, or most of them anyway. He could see how Sarah had found Larabee worthy, he had both compassion and integrity coupled with an intimidating attitude that rivalled his own. Seeing the widower had forced memories of his own past to the front of his mind. His own schooldays had been far from pleasant thanks, in part, he had to admit to his own behaviour but also due to the boy who had made his life a misery, James Potter and his little gang nicknamed The Marauders…well Lupin wasn't as bad as the others he supposed and looking back things might have been a lot worse without the werewolf to keep his fellow Gryffindors in line but in an effort to banish those humiliating years he had also buried more pleasant memories; memories of people like Sarah Connelly who had gone out of her way to be nice to him even though it cost the gentle witch her friendship with the girl who would become Mrs Lily Potter and mother of the so-called 'great' Harry Potter…Well! that name was enough to ruin his less melancholy thoughts so he concentrated on what, or rather who, seemed to be disturbing the Agent's equilibrium.

"May I be of assistance?" he enquired as Chris ushered him into the room.

"I hope so Professor. You see Ezra woke up a little concerned about my reaction and he's somehow put up some sort of invisible shield around himself, and another around Vin. And now he…"

"He cannot dispel them."

Chris wasn't surprised to hear the lack of astonishment in the Englishman's voice. Being a teacher somewhere like Hogwarts must mean that he had seen just about everything.

"I suppose you get this sort of thing a lot?" he asked and was rewarded with the same expression he tended to receive from Ezra when he asked what the undercover agent considered a particularly stupid question. He shuddered at the thought of another Ezra; one was just about all he could handle and even then only on a particularly good day.

Snape swept past him and Chris wondered if that was why Wizards wore cloaks…for the dramatic factor. God help them if Ezra picked up on that; how the hell would he explain that one to Travis! He could only hope that Armani didn't do dress cloaks.

Mumbling something in Latin that Vin couldn't quite catch, even with his Sentinel hearing, Snape waved his wand and both Vin and Ezra felt a shimmering sensation as the spell dissipated.

"Thank you Sir…sorry, Professor" Ezra corrected his error with a whispered hint from Vin. Snape raised an eyebrow but made no biting comeback as he would usually do; at least this one had some manners and respected the proper use of titles.

Snape went as far as to hold out his hand in greeting and as Ezra shook it in returned acknowledgement Snape realised how rarely he was treated with even the most basic of common courtesies. Lupin always did, and Albus…well Albus treated everyone as though they were nine years old. He always expected a pat on the head to accompany the habitually proffered lemon drops.

"It is a pleasure to finally speak with you Agent Standish. I trust that you are recovering from your ordeal?"

Ezra wasn't quite sure what to make of this man…this wizard. Hell, he still couldn't get his head round wizards being real let alone meeting one. His brain veered sharply away from the acknowledgement that he himself was also of that ilk and took refuge in his poker face and neutral tones.

"Ah'm fine thank you Professor."

Snapes eyebrows rose slightly. He would be very surprised if that were the case.

A sudden cough caught Ezra's attention and he turned toward Vin who was slowly shaking his head from side to side, his smile indicating that his disappointment in his friend's less than honest reply was only partly genuine. Besides, the Texan couldn't protest too much since he would do the same thing if their roles were reversed. It was the growled "Ezra!" from Chris that had him clarifying his statement to the potions master.

"Maybe a little tired…a little bit of a headache."

Snape pulled a small bottle from his robes and practically thrust it under Ezra's nose. It was an almost neon green. "Drink" he commanded and Ezra obeyed without complaint while Chris felt a twinge of jealousy that the other man could get his men to behave better than he could…he'd pay good money to possess that particular type of 'magic' but suspected that it was more decades of taming school children than any wizadry that resulted in that kind of power.

It was Draco all over again thought Snape as he watched the new wizard choke down the particularly bitter potion. His Godson could play up a splinter into an almost mortal injury if it suited him but the Malfoy scion hid genuine illness or injury as though they were crimes to be punished…and knowing Malfoy senior they probably were. It looked like this Ezra was cut from the same cloth. Maybe he should introduce them, he mused. Draco was being torn in different directions as he matured. Lucius's allegiance to The Dark Lord, position as the despot's right hand and hatred of all things muggle was presumed to be shared by his only child but Draco had a sharp mind and a curious nature which had led him to form his own opinions, about The Dark Lord at least…and Snape knew from personal experience that it didn't take long once met to realise that Voldemort was a raving lunatic. The muggle issue was trickier since Lucius had been careful to keep his heir from being exposed to the muggle world and any contact he had had was courtesy of muggle born wizards and witches who soon learned to loathe purebloods with a passion. Snape's mouth twisted into a grimace as he pondered just why the muggle-born's hatred of purebloods was never called prejudice. Once again he was forced to drag his thinking back to the present moment…these people were very distracting! His final thought before the ongoing situation reclaimed his attention was to confirm his initial thought that it might be a good idea to introduce his Godson to these people, to Ezra. A sort of Muggledom 101! Yes, he would have a quiet word with Mr Standish later…now didn't seem to be quite the time he decided as he watched Mr Tanner feed Mr Standish spoonfuls of vegetable broth while the new wizard gazed adoringly into his other half's eyes.

Chris adjusted his mental image of his two friends from birds to cats as he watched Ezra sip daintily from the proffered spoon. He half expected the southerner to begin licking his paws after he finished. Unfortunately he didn't keep that thought to himself and the result of the far too verbal comment had him backing away from the bed and the fully grown snow leopard that reclined on it where his undercover agent had been laying a moment ago.

Vin grinned and looked admiringly at his beautiful soul mate in awe. Chris would deny to his dying day that the sound that escaped from his own throat was in any way a whimper and Snape closed his eyes in an effort to dispel the sight of a wizard of only a few hours standing performing, albeit unwittingly, one of the most difficult of spells…and doing it with wandless magic. It was in fact a nearly impossible feat which led the potions professor to the inescapable conclusion that it was entirely possible that the southern born wizard was a natural animorphmagus, a wizard who could change forms at will. He made a mental note to contact Nymphadora Tonks, a young witch who had a similar capability, it was just another thing that Ezra would need help with. Ezra, meanwhile, gazed in fascination at his own tail and wondered if anyone would have the decency to pass him a mirror!

"I had better fetch Professor Lupin. This is closer to his area of expertise." Snape proclaimed in his usual bored tone although he had the same look in his eyes that Chris recognized from experience; the look of quiet drained bemusement that anyone who had to deal with either of his troublesome two of Vin and Ez got eventually. He had no doubt that it would be the look on his own face if it wasn't for the slight hint of hysteria that presently occupied it. The panic lessened slightly at the reassuring level tone of the Englishman despite the realization that Snape was not un-shocked by events himself. After all it wasn't every day that your friend became your pet kitty cat……if your idea of a pet kitty was a beast nearly as long as JD was tall with enough fangs and claws for the contestants of a beauty pageant. Trust the appearance conscious southerner to be beautiful though! Just had to be an exotic breed didn't he. Chris decided that he was going to enjoy teasing the man when he became normal again…But what if….

"Er, Professore? He will turn back won't he?"

"Yes Mr Larabee, although I would refrain from making any more comments which trigger his imagination for the next few days, at least till this settles down and we can procure a wand for him."

"Will that stop him? I thought you used a wand to DO magic, not to stop it?" Vin broke off from scratching behind Ezra's ears to ask his question. He worried about Ezra not being able to control his magic but he didn't much care for him being prevented from using it either.

Ezra just wanted Vin to carry on doing what he had been doing…and there was this particularly sensitive spot on his tummy that could do with some attention too.

"The wand acts as a focus for the magic Mr Tanner" replied Snape as his voice slipped into his lecturing tone. "It is a conduit between thought and action, if you will. Rather than stop his magic it helps him hold it in place and direct it with purpose. At the moment his imagination is connected directly to his magic. The result is essentially harmless but quite frustrating for all concerned."

Ezra yawned, his massive white fangs glinting, though one gleamed with a shine of gold, while his green eyes sparkled with mischief just before giving Vin a soggy wet lick from chin to hairline. Vin responded immediately to the challenge and the pair were soon play wrestling on the quilted bedspread, Ezra giving playful nips and purring while Vin proved that cats are just as ticklish as humans.

Chris stared in fascinated horror. He couldn't decide whether the sight was adorable or indecent! God! These two would be the death of him!

M*7 M*7 M*7

Josiah had left Chris's ranch house as soon as was polite. It was as much as he could stand to spend the slightest amount of time among such evil as the two English sorcerers. It tore at him that Ezra was being drawn into their world but as dark as the two wizards were they weren't stupid. If he was to save his surrogate son's soul he would have to play a careful and watchful game. As he made himself a hot cup of coffee and settled into his favourite armchair he felt the release of the tension of the day. This place was more than his home; more than a simple two bed roomed house, it was his sanctuary. It was blessed and protected with all manner of sigils and wards. He picked up the photo album that he had retrieved from the chest in the corner and gazed on the smiling and oh so innocent face of his younger sister, Hannah. He traced the smile that had all too soon faded into an almost permanent sneer after meeting and joining with the cult that had groomed her and recruited her to their own satanic beliefs. No, they weren't the same as the witches and wizards of the true magical world…and that Chris's wife had been one of those tainted souls had been an unwelcome shock; he had long gotten used to Chris Buck and Vin's unusual talents but they were just extensions of their humanity, being in tune with the people and earth around them but being an actual witch was something else, something that made his skin crawl… they were unnatural, an abomination in the eyes of God. He brushed away a tear as he remembered his failure to save his sister from the torments of her own mind, the efforts of the deprogrammer he had hired driving her to take her own life rather than rebuild it, and he vowed that he would not make the same mistake with Ezra. Hannah had destroyed her soul by taking her own life and while Josiah might not be able to fight the powerful magic that had consumed the young southerner, though God knew that he would try his hardest, he would take the lives of any who threatened the boy's eternal salvation rather than see him cast down into the pit where he had no doubt his sister resided until God saw fit to grant her mercy - even if he had to take Ezra's life himself to achieve it.

M*7 M*7 M*7

Professor Snape had to admit, though only to himself, that he was impressed by the American wizard's self control. Once the mechanics of his spontaneous creations and transformations had been explained to him they had immediately been reduced in their frequency. That he could shut down his emotional reactions so completely seemed to be a source of sadness for his friends and Snape didn't have to guess why. It was a character trait displayed by both himself and Draco. Individual reasons for the necessity of the ability may have differed but the need for self-preservation lay at it's heart. It was a common thread among those of Slytherin House, one of the four Houses of Hogwarts. He didn't doubt that Ezra would have made an excellent Slytherin, though with his obvious bravery in the way he dealt with his recent experiences…a Griffyndor House trait…his intelligence, a noted feature of those of Ravenclaw House and his love of animals, made manifest by his incessant creation of the creatures, which belonged to the caring Hufflepuff House it was probably for the best that the Sorting Hat which decided a new pupils placement had never been set upon his head, it would probably have blown it's brim! Still, he couldn't help but be grateful for that inbuilt self control at the moment for without it new flora and fauna would be popping up all over the State of Colorado!

At that moment Buck exited Ezra's bedroom carrying a large bouquet of flowers. At Snape's raised eyebrow, it being the norm to take flowers into the patients room not receive them from said invalid, Buck blushed a fetching shade of pink.

"Got a date tonight and I didn't have time to get her anything" the gregarious - and Snape shuddered at the sheer power of the man's joviality - agent beamed, only to do a comic double-take as a small cloud of green and blue butterflies burst forth from the posy.

Snape sighed. Creating an object like the flowers purposefully was a step forward in the magician's control but he supposed that one couldn't expect perfection too soon. Buck quickly recovered his equilibrium as he enjoyed the sight of the pretty iridescent creatures. He opened the door to let them out and shrugged at the intimidating black robed figure.

"Don't say anything Prof' He was so pleased at creating the flowers for me."

Snape drew a long bony fingered hand across his brow and nodded his acquiescence. It was much easier to just agree to these people's requests. They reminded him of the warmth that he had lost when he had begun to associate with Voldemort and Lucius, even though he was really spying for Dumbledore. The world of the death-eaters as The Dark Lord's followers were called, was a cold and unforgiving place where requests were demands and failure to comply resulted in pain or death. To feel nothing but exasperation was like a holiday…still it would be even better to be back home in his potions lab; potions were wonderfully predictable and never made demands or tugged at your emotions. He cast a glance over at Lupin who was deep in conversation with what could only be described as Standish's other half, his soul mate Vin Tanner. They seemed to be getting on famously but then despite his shyness Lupin always did make friends easily; about as easily as he, himself, made enemies. Snape idly wondered if he and Lupin could have been friends back in their schooldays. Maybe, if Lupin hadn't been part of James Potter's group; he would like to think so anyway. He sighed and then mentally castigated himself for foolish dreams. It was far too late to speculate on what might have been. He pushed aside the thought that there was still the possibility of what might yet be. Optimism was not his forte.

M*7 M*7 M*7

It was three days before either Nathan or the two Professors would allow Ezra out of bed for anything but the most basic of bodily necessities, and he had practically had to beg that dignity of them. The next two days were spent building his strength and consuming, in his opinion, far too much food and countless obnoxious potions…and the occasional bowl of milk when his self control slipped. Not that the sudden onset of feline characteristics seemed to bother most of the others who took every opportunity to pet him and dangle bits of string in front of him…a personal affront for which he showed his disdain, and his claws, though he was careful not to do too much damage. But the worst thing about his enforced rest was the constant hovering of his well meaning mother hens. Not only was all this caring completely beyond his experience it also prevented him from talking privately with Vin about these new and intense feelings he was having for the sharpshooter. Vin had explained some of it but he was still confused. He hoped that Vin felt the same way; his eyes and his words so far seemed to indicate that he did but Ezra was used to being let down by his own mis-placed hope and he really couldn't see what someone as special as his blue eyed Sentinel would see in a tarnished ex conman with trust issues.

By the weeks end his self appointed doctors had decided that Ezra was once again fit enough to resume light activities and a trip to Diagon Alley was duly arranged. Vin watched as his Ezra prepared for their trip. He hoped that after this they would get a chance to be alone and talk things through. He needed to reassure Ezra that what they were feeling was real. He knew that the southerner had a tendency to doubt his own worth and would back away if not given some indication that his feelings were reciprocated, and he wasn't about to let his soul mate get away now. He had no doubts that he would be able to convince him of his love and being a man who preferred to use actions rather than words he couldn't wait to start that convincing! It was the alone part that was proving to be the problem. What with Snape and Lupin educating Ez in his magic and Josiah asking him all manner of questions about how he was feeling about his sudden power - and there was something in the tone of their resident philosopher's voice that set the hairs on the back of his neck standing which was silly because it was Josiah, their voice of reason and undeclared father figure to Ezra - and add in the others fussing and fretting and it was a wonder he even got to say good morning and goodnight. And now, to top it all, they were going to some sort of magical shopping mall in London of all places! Heck, he'd always wanted to travel but he'd never imagined travelling by coffeepot; he just hoped that the portkey knew where it was going.

M*7 M*7 M*7

The sudden disorientation faded slowly as those of the seven that had volunteered to travel, being all but Nathan who had claimed a prior appointment though Vin had his suspicions that the EMT didn't want to have contact with a world that had been denied to him; it was a suspicion shared by all his friends and knowing how sensitive the squib was about the subject they didn't make any comment. To say that they were less than impressed by the shabby bar, or pub as Lupin had called it, would be an understatement but that paled as they were led past some very oddly dressed people to an alley out the back. It was a disappointment that was quickly quashed as Lupin tapped his wand on a series of bricks in the dead end wall and they miraculously parted to reveal, quite literally, a whole other world.

"WOW!" JD's exclamation spoke for them all as Remus and Severus led them into the bustling Diagon Alley.

M*7 M*7 M*7

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, known collectively at Hogwarts by their supporters as The Golden Trio, chatted excitedly as they stood in Ollivander's awaiting the return of the proprietor with Harry's wand which had needed recalibration after a run-in with a cohort of Voldemort's, also known as He Who Must Not Be Named by those who opposed and feared him, henchmen. Harry gazed at the row upon row of wands in their slim boxes and marvelled at how far he had come since his first visit when he was eleven. His reminiscing was curtailed by the intrusion of a particularly vicious and, to his mind, funny comment by his best friend Ron Weasley about the only other customer in the shop besides the three of them. The target of the insult showed no emotion and Harry didn't expect him to…he was a Malfoy after all.

Seeing that his comment hadn't had the effect on Draco Malfoy that he had hoped Ron spat, none too quietly, "At least the bloody ferret is keeping his vile little trap shut for once!" He winced as Hermione rebuked him for his behaviour, burying his resentment at her defence of the blonde pureblood even though he knew she hated him as much as he and Harry did. It was just in her nature to be polite.

Hermione sighed and looked towards Draco's slender and elegant form. The hope that he hadn't heard any of her boyfriend's comments were dashed by his body language. Damn! She frowned thoughtfully; Ron had been right about one thing though, the normally vitriolic replies had been noticeable by their absence. A Draco without a barbed comment ready to fling in his own defence was not natural. Not natural at all…it was intriguing. She wondered if she dared engage the Malfoy heir in conversation to see if she could unravel the mystery but one glance at the twin looks of loathing on her companion's faces told her that it would be a very unwise move. Besides, what was she thinking! Malfoy was her enemy - well Harry's enemy which amounted to the same thing. Being an extremely intelligent witch Hermione knew that there was a flaw in that thought somewhere but being an insecure sixteen year old girl she put her unease aside.

Suddenly, just as Mr Ollivander returned from the back of his shop the front door opened and the strangest collection of individuals either the proprietor Draco or the Trio had ever seen entered.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

The Magical and the Magnificent chapter 6

Disclaimer: Neither the delectable seven or the world of Draco Malfoy…err I mean Harry Potter belong to me, mores the pity.

A/N Just a few notes. Firstly for those familiar with Harry Potter fanfic this type of plotline will come as no surprise. It's (on the HP side) Draco centric with possibly some Dramione (Draco & Hermione). Manipulative though not evil Dumbledore. Ron bashing . For those familiar with the books or movies but not fanfic this departs from canon into AU territory - just go with the flow. And for those who are HP virgins most unusual terms and concepts are explained within the story but to avoid confusion I'll say now that the evil villain Lord Voldemort goes by many names - to those who oppose and fear him he is He Who Must Not Be Named or You Know Who; to those who oppose and don't fear him he is Voldemort or if you really want to annoy him Tom Riddle which was his pre despot name. To those who support and serve him he is The Dark Lord (and those who don't really support him but daren't let it show) His supporters are marked with a deaths head tattoo and are called death eaters. Purebloods are those born to a witch and wizard and especially those who can claim purity of blood for generations; halfbloods have one magic parent and one ordinary ie muggle ( like Ezra) and those born magical from two muggles are called muggle born or the more insulting mud blood ( Hermione Granger). See, that was simple wasn't it! Oh and the ability to talk to snakes is called parseltongue. It's rare but both Harry and Voldemort have the ability.

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Harry immediately spotted his friend and surrogate uncle Remus Lupin and called out a hello as did his friends. Draco also noticed his Godfather, Severus Snape and sent him a very small smile and a slight incline of the head in greeting. A motion that was returned in kind. It was the closest either dared come to showing emotion, after all emotions could so easily be exploited into fatal weaknesses.

Draco was grateful for the influx of strangers and Severus. He had been finding it increasingly difficult to keep , what was it the weasel had said? Oh yes, 'his vile trap shut' But keep it shut he had and it gave him a sense of satisfaction to successfully control his temper - a feat seldom managed by his autocratic father. Draco was determined that his seventh year would mark a new direction. He was sick and tired of the constant juvenile feuding, much of it he would freely admit being his own fault; he was sick of the blessed Harry Potter, of his father's tyranny and The Dark Lord's increasing influence over his family. But most of all he was sick and tired of…himself. He could not see himself surviving to old age, or even eighteen in this hostile world and he wanted to die as Draco Malfoy, not Lucius's heir, Voldemort's minion or Harry Potter's enemy.

The problem was working out just WHO Draco Malfoy was. Yes he was rich and yes he was a pureblood snob but that was how he was raised and over the years the bratty little eleven year old that had attended Hogwarts for the first time full of his father's prejudices had matured into a boy who in truth was no more prejudice against muggleborns and half bloods than anyone else - though he didn't dare to reveal it. He glanced across at the muggle born witch Hermione Granger and wondered if she realised that her pureblood though poor boyfriend Ron Weasley was almost as much of a snob as he was, though in a different way, seeing muggle borns as fascinating oddities rather than, as highborn purebloods did, a potential threat to the magical world. In their second year he had watched as the Weasley patriarch patronised Grangers muggle parents and nobody had blinked an eye. It was far more subtle than his own insulting behaviour which now made him cringe to remember but it was still insulting for all it's politeness and smiles. At least his own behaviour treated them as people and not some sort of fascinating and quaint museum exhibit.

Draco watched as Harry was introduced to the group as the Boy Who Lived and the Saviour of the wizarding world by Lupin. He wanted to laugh at the distinct lack of awe on the assembled faces but kept his 'mask' neutral. These men were not easily impressed which would hopefully stand them in good stead while they were in his world. As he watched the wizard among them, and presumably an impressive one given his Godfather's respect, not offered often or lightly, shake Harry's hand he wondered what might have been different if Potter had accepted his own hand of friendship that first time they had met. He was, in a way, relieved that it had been refused since it had been a ploy by his father to turn the boy who lived to the dark…but what if he had accepted and Potter had helped guide him to the light instead. He mentally rolled his eyes at the thought. With Weasley at his side telling him what to think and who to trust there was never going to be any friendship between himself and Potter. He doubted whether even the red haired Weasley's friends were aware just how deep the hatred of the Malfoys ran in the Weasels family. Well except for the twins he supposed. Fred and George Weasley didn't have the ability to take anything seriously enough to hate it. Draco thought that he envied the twins more than just about anyone he had ever met.

Draco stepped forward to greet the new arrivals who had just finished meeting the Trio. Although his thoughts had been partially elsewhere he had been aware of everything going on around him - to do anything less was to court disaster and personal injury, or worse.

"Draco. I would like you to meet a new wizard, Ezra Standish." Snape's voice carried it's usual disinterested tone but Draco knew his Godfather well and this dark haired and green eyed man had somehow managed to impress the taciturn professor..

"Draco Malfoy Sir, pleased to make your acquain…"

"DON'T SHAKE HIS HAND!"

Both wizards halted their movements and Ezra gave the red-headed boy a look of polite inquiry while Draco sighed softly. 'And so it begins again' he thought sadly.

"He's a Malfoy" explained Ron slowly and deliberately, as though speaking to someone who spoke a different language. Or someone who was a bit simple minded.

"And?" Ezra had an idea from his talks with Professor Snape where this was going, and he didn't like it. He had been in Draco's position too many times himself.

"and so he's bad" stated a confident Ron who was becoming surer by the minute that this wizard wasn't too bright - well how could he be if it had taken him this long to discover his powers!

"He's on the dark side like his father" agreed Harry although with a little less spitefulness in his voice.

Chris and the others waited. This was Ezra's call. Much as they wanted to interfere this wasn't their fight.

"Ah see." Ezra paused for a moment and then turned his back on the red head. He held out his hand once again and pretended not to notice the gratitude in the pale blond boy's silver grey eyes. They shook hands and Ezra proceeded to introduce his colleagues while Ron Weasley, blushing a colour to match his hair fumed silently. Harry Potter shook his head and made a mental note to have a talk with Remus about putting these people right on who they should and shouldn't mingle with.

Hermione kept quiet, as unusual as that was for her, and watched the introductions being made. She wanted to see what these outsiders made of the situation. She had been feeling rather out of sorts lately, like she had no room for her own thoughts and ideas anymore - not that she would ever consider going over to the dark side but things were seldom as black and white as they looked and that perhaps some issues and people belonged in the grey. People like Snape who was a death eater but whose loyalty lay with the side of light and had been a spy for more years than she had been alive. Or Draco who wasn't given any choice but to follow in his father's footsteps. The trouble was that being surrounded by those who refused to entertain any doubts she knew that if she tried to talk to Ron or Harry she would be shouted down or cast out of their circle and she didn't make friends easily; she couldn't afford to lose the ones she had just to satisfy her curiosity.

She watched as the good looking American with the exotic accent ignored Ron to offer greetings to Malfoy and her stomach gave a little flip. It just about broke her heart to see the fleeting look of gratitude on the Malfoy scion's face at the show of simple courtesy. That heart beat faster at the sudden thought - could that be the reason that Draco was so quick to lash out at them? Because it was easier to get his attack in before anyone else? Was there more to Draco Malfoy than a loud mouthed pureblood snob? Had they been misjudging him all this time? She wasn't stupid; she knew that as the most influential of the students in his school House of Slytherin Malfoy had an image to maintain but it had never occurred to her before that maybe that was, to some extent at least, all it was…an image.

Before she could take her thoughts any further she was being introduced to the odd bunch of men and blushed like the schoolgirl she was as they greeted her, her blush turning positively crimson at the compliments from the moustached man who was, she was sure, a natural born flirt who would compliment any female from schoolgirl to granny with equal sincerity. She almost burst into laughter as she saw Ron scowl. He seemed to be the only one taking it seriously.

Ron Weasley sucked in a deep breath as he advised the new wizard not to shake Malfoy's hand. He had done virtually the same for Harry years before but that had been different; they were the same age and Harry had automatically listened to him because he was the more experienced wizard having spent his whole life in the magical world. But these were grown men and pretty scary some of them looked too. The blond dressed in black looked almost as evil as He Who Must Not Be Named! Ron wondered if Prof Dumbledore was aware of them yet. He supposed he must be if Remus was with them, though he might just be keeping an eye on Snape. He didn't care how many times they told him that Snape was one of the good guys he would always be an oily evil git! No, he didn't trust these muggles one bit and as for the wizard with them…come on! Who hasn't discovered their powers by the time they go to school? He must either be thick or lying. He would get his dad to check them out at the Ministry. Arthur Weasley may only be a lowly cog in the Ministry, working in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts department but he had the ear of Dumbledore. In fact it was Dumbledore and his dad who had entrusted him with the task of befriending Harry that first day at school and guiding him in the right direction and he liked to think that he'd done a good job. At least he'd kept him from mixing with dark wizards like Malfoy even if he couldn't seem to keep him from risking his life every year in some fool stunt. But these men might be too much for him to handle and Harry was looking a little too impressed for his liking. He couldn't for the life of him see why though. They were just a bunch of muggles and a half brained wizard…probably not much more than a squib.

Harry was impressed despite himself. He hated Malfoy, although not as much as he hated the senior Malfoy or Voldemort and it rankled to see these newcomers treat him like a human being. It didn't bode well that they seemed to get on so well with Snape. The new wizard was obviously pretty powerful, he could feel the magic of the man. He smiled to himself as he realised that he was now not the only one to be ignorant of his magic until older - though the man who was obviously in his mid twenties at least had beaten him by a country mile since he had discovered his status at eleven, though he doubted if the American received the news in a disused lighthouse miles out at sea by a half giant with an umbrella! He sighed and hoped that they would prove to be on his side; he didn't want any more enemies and a few new friends would be good; especially ones who liked him for himself, like Ron and Hermione, rather than because he was The Boy Who Lived. Honestly it was hardly his achievement that he was part of a prophecy and had survived the killing curse cast by Voldemort when he was a baby. Dumbledore had told him that his parent's love for him and their sacrifice of their lives for him had protected him so it was their achievement not his. But what worried him the most was that he was getting used to the adulation. It had annoyed him that the newcomers hadn't been impressed by his title and yet surely that was what he had always wanted - to just be a normal boy, to just be Harry. He was confused…and from the look on Hermione's face she was confused about something too, only Ron seemed sure of his feelings though by the scowl on his face they weren't good feelings. Hell even Malfoy was looking bewildered. Who would have thought that he and Malfoy would have something in common….in fact what if they had more than just their confusion in common?!

To say that Draco Malfoy was surprised at the American's reaction to him was rather like saying that Buck Wilmington was friendly. It just didn't do the situation justice. Draco had never seen anyone not evil go against the wishes of the Golden Trio before and he could tell from his Godfather's expression that this wizard was not a supporter of The Dark Lord. Even so he was shocked though not, he noted with glee, as shocked as the weasel.

A polite cough from behind the shop counter broke into the meet and greet session and all eyes turned toward Mr Ollivander, the proprietor of the oldest and most prestigious wand emporium in the magical world. He was holding what until just a few days ago the seven would have presumed to be a wooden stick.

"Mr. Potter, your wand." Ollivander handed over the recalibrated wand with an air of polite exasperation. Honestly, he thought, when would the younger generation learn to take better care of their wands! Of course he had been thinking the same thing of each generation for the past several decades. But the trio were rougher on their wands than most though he supposed that they had more excuse than the general populous. As he was being thanked and paid he couldn't help but wonder about the strange group of men who had entered his shop. Professors Snape and Lupin he, of course, recognised; he had sold them both their first wands and he could also detect that while there was a lot of mystical energy in the shop only one of the newcomers was actually a wizard. Listening to the conversation he came to the conclusion that it was the dark haired wizard who was in need of his services. But first things first.

"Young Master Malfoy, what can I do for you today?" Ollivander held no great liking for Lucius Malfoy but his son was always polite and courteous, at least to him.

"Mr Ollivander, you should see to our visitors first. Malfoy can wait." Harry may not have been as outspoken in his loathing of Draco but he couldn't resist the opportunity to put the little prat in his place.

"Harry!"

"Way to go Harry!"

Hermione's rebuke and Ron's praise came at exactly the same moment but before Draco could offer his place in line to the visitors and good manners dictated that he should no matter what Potter's opinion Ezra was insisting that he take his proper turn in line.

"No, please, this all takes some getting used to; Ah insist that you go ahead while Ah orientate mahself."

Draco saw nothing but sincerity in the pale green eyes and nodded his thanks.

"My errand is quite simple and will only take a few moments" he acknowledged and then winced as a familiar voice spoke up.

"What's the matter ferret boy, Your Snake Lord shove your wand so far up your a…"

"RONALD BILLIOUS WEASLEY HOW DARE YOU!"

"But 'Mione…."

"I'm ashamed of you using that kind of talk" Honestly sometimes Hermione wondered whether she was Ron's mother rather than his girlfriend.

"But it's only Malfoy"

"I don't care if it's Voldemort himself you will show respect."

"Yes 'Mione." Ron dipped his head and thanked his stars that she didn't threaten to wash his mouth out with soap…his mum would have. He looked to Harry for support but frowned when all he saw was the same look that was on all the other men's faces….humour. That was so not fair! Even Snape's sneer had a jolly edge to it!

After Draco had retrieved the item that his mother, Narcissa Malfoy had ordered he decided to hang around and watch the new wizard get his wand…besides he wanted a word with Severus…Lucius was getting more and more insistent that he take the dark mark this year and he didn't know what to do.

Ollivander had to admit that this was a first. While he had sold many adults replacement wands he had never had to find the right first wand for one before. Of course at the end of the day it was the wand that chose the wizard but with several thousand wands in his stock it could become a time consuming task…….the wand that he had handed the wizard suddenly emitted a loud crack and the umbrella holder in the corner exploded….and often a destructive one.

"Dear Lord! Ah'm so sorry, I didn't mean…."

"Don't worry Mr Standish" Ollivander said with equanimity as he delicately retrieved the wand and placed another in the elegant hand "Wands can be tricky."

"Don't worry sir" Harry sympathized as Ezra reluctantly took the proffered wand "The same thing happened to me when I got my first wand."

"Me too." said Draco, much to Harry's surprise.

"Indeed" confirmed Ollivander "Mr Malfoy and Mr Potter were two of my most destructive customers.

Both boys blushed and Ezra waved the new wand, pretending not to notice as his friends took a couple of steps back.

Nothing.

"Hmm" muttered Ollivander.

Over half an hour later Ollivander was surrounded by a heap of wand boxes and his hmms had become even more distracted while Ezra was becoming positively embarrassed.

"He's obviously nearly a squib. It only took me ten minutes to find my first wand" whispered Ron to Harry and Hermione.

"I don't think so" Harry disagreed and Hermione nodded her agreement before adding,

"It's often the more powerful wizards who have the most trouble" she confirmed. "I took nearly twenty minutes…I was so embarrassed. That was a nice thing you did reassuring him Harry."

Harry blushed at the compliment and revealed that by the end of the half hour it had taken to choose his own first wand he had begun to doubt whether he was a wizard at all.

Ron wished he had never brought the subject up.

Suddenly, as yet another wand was consigned to the growing pile a rattling could be heard coming from deep within the storage shelves. With an "Excuse me a moment" Ollivander went off to investigate. Vin gave Ezra's shoulder a reassuring squeeze and Chris and Buck muttered comforting words. Further reassurance came from Remus and Professor Snape while almost everyone laughed, excluding Josiah who was caught up in his own dark thoughts and Ron who was still fuming over the time issue, as Draco told how he had blown his father's eyebrows off when he had wielded a particularly unsuitable wand. Ron's bad mood increased at Harry and Hermione's 'betrayal' in finding something that Malfoy said amusing.

Ollivander returned with a rather odd look on his face and an extremely old and dusty box in his hands. He held it almost reverently and the sight of the wand inside it drew a gasp from the normally unflappable potions professor. Harry didn't know what was going on but he could sense that something was up. Hermione picked up on Harry's sudden interest and shushed Ron as he began to suggest leaving to go get an ice cream.

"What is it Sir?" Ezra was an undercover agent and it didn't take him but a second to realise that something unusual was going on.

"Try this one Mr Standish. It isn't very often that a wand calls for it's wielder."

Ezra took the wand from the slim black box. He noted that unlike the others Mr Ollivander didn't touch this one. He also noticed that it wasn't quite as plain as the others. It was about eleven inches long and made of a dark wood, possibly ebony. Around the top were a series of runic symbols carved into the wood and embedded in a spiral pattern down it's length was a thin vein of silver. The tip was set with a small emerald. Fearing what this wand could do if the plain ones could make things explode he gave it a gentle wave. A shower of blue and green sparks shot out of the end of the wand and coalesced into an aqua cloud before dispersing.

"WOW!" JD's familiar exclamation made the rest of the seven chuckle.

"Trust you to have to have a fancy wand Ezra" Chris's gentle tease made them chuckle all the more but it soon died at the looks of shock on the faces of Remus, Severus, Draco and Hermione.

"What's wrong?" asked Chris. There was no way he would let Ezra take possession of anything that might hurt him.

"It's Salazar's wand." Hermione's voice held a trace of awe and as she identified the wand both Harry and Ron's expressions darkened. Draco, on the other hand, bowed slightly not quite knowing how to respond to the wielder of the wand that had once belonged to one of the four founders of Hogwarts…Salazar Slytherin. No-one had ever been the inheritor of a founders wand before.

"Um, is there perhaps something Ah should know?" asked Ezra worriedly as he stood among the stunned audience.

With a sudden sense of foreboding which mingled with more than a hint of excitement Harry said something to Ezra. If you had asked him later just what it was he couldn't have said. It was the fact that the other wizard answered him that was the shock.

"Why are ya hissin' Ez?" Buck was confused

"No he ain't" countered Vin as he moved closer to his mate in a protective stance.

While Harry, Hermione and the two professors looked stunned Ron looked plain menacing and soon had his wand pointing at Ezra.

On hearing Vin's comment Harry spoke to him as he had to Ezra. Vin shook his head. "Can understand the language of snakes but I can't speak it" he confirmed.

"What the hell's going on!" snapped Chris sensing that everything was about to go to hell in a handcart. Give him an arms raid any day.

"He's evil!" Ron replied with a sneer, not taking his wand off the southerner…well not until Hermione gave his arm a sharp slap and told him not to be an idiot. It was obvious to her that the man was confused not evil. Harry didn't know whether to be worried or delighted. He had never met anyone who spoke parseltongue before other than Voldemort.

"Gentlemen, children. I think we should all take a moment to calm down and assess the situation." Snape's commanding voice broke through the babble and just as his pupils at school did they obeyed instantly.

"Er, assess what may Ah ask and why did my answer to Mr Potter cause such a fuss?"

"Your answer weren't in English Ez" said Buck gently.

"Indeed Mr Standish. Your reply was in what your friend called the language of the snakes and what we in the magical world call parseltongue. It is very rare."

"And the situation y'all need to assess?" Ezra pressed. He looked again at his wand. It seemed to have caused all the furore.

"The situation that by the looks of things you seem to be the true heir to the House of Slytherin….a position claimed by Lord Voldemort, the most evil wizard in the history of the magical world."

"Oh!" replied Ezra. There wasn't really much else he could say.

TBC

A/N Any problems figuring stuff out? Drop me a line and I'll endeavour to explain. Hope you enjoyed.


	7. Chapter 7

The Magical and the Magnificent Chapter 7

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A/N The obliviate spell causes the recipient to lose all memory of a given subject or a period of time. It can be used as a weapon but also to protect the individual from information that can be obtained under torture. A felly tone is a common mis-pronunciation of telephone in a world that doesn't have them. Quidditch is a sport involving flying on broomsticks and scoring goals through hoops. Also this is more of a descriptive episode than action but next chapter sees us back in the US where more will be going on. Still, I hope you enjoy.

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"I think that perhaps we should pause to take stock of the situation over lunch…perhaps at the Leaky Cauldron?"

Everybody nodded their agreement at Professor Lupin's suggestion. The air was thick with tension and confusion and it didn't take a genius to notice that the federal agents had gathered round their seventh with all the protective stance of a mother dragon round her hatchling.

Professor Snape held back a little as the others filed out of the shop and turned to regard the shop owner. Ollivander gave the Potions Professor a rueful smile and nodded his head in understanding. Snape raised his wand and muttered a single word.

"Obliviate."

The door closed behind Snape and Ollivander shook off a sudden dizzy spell and wondered why business had been so slow this morning. He hadn't had a customer all day.

M7*M7***M7*M7

As they walked back to the Leaky Cauldron Chris exchanged looks of concern with Buck and Vin, Josiah was also looking perturbed but he had been wearing that expression for days and to be honest Chris was getting a little sick of it. If anyone should be offering support to their seventh it was the man who had styled himself as a father figure to their undercover agent. But that wasn't what was uppermost in Chris's mind at the moment. What had him and no doubt the others spooked were the expressions of shock, awe and anger on the faces of their new acquaintances. Hell! Even professor Snapes permanent scowl had slipped to reveal momentary astonishment. Just what was this 'heir' business about? Why Ezra? Why such mixed reactions? Why the hell did he keep asking himself questions he didn't know the answers to? Chris Larabee considered himself to be a fair man, a patient and understanding man - of course he was the only one who did but what did that matter - However right now he was out of his depth, which was making him irritable, as was his 'magic radar' which was driving him crazy due to the level of magic in the alley. The very walls positively oozed magical residue which wasn't surprising since it was pretty much the heart of the wizarding world. And to top it all Vin…. Well, Vin was, there was no other word for it, Vin was growling! That was all he needed! The leader of Team 7 glanced round to see who was threatening his Sentinel's mate - a mate so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he was uncharacteristically completely clueless; it was a state which gave Chris a perverse pleasure in witnessing, somehow confirming that his undercover wizard wasn't perfect. He sighed when he spotted the source of his sharpshooters ire.

The red headed kid! He gave Vin a disbelieving look that held just a hint of amusement intended to push home the ridiculousness of finding a kid threatening to Ezra, or indeed any of them, and smiled when Vin had the good grace to blush, although it had to be noted that he still didn't take his eyes off of the angry Weasley. Chris's smile dropped as he realised what Vin had been aware of all along; that Ronald Weasley may be young but he was still a wizard and therefore more of a threat than your average gun runner. Vin smirked back at his boss as he saw the penny drop and they both moved in closer to a still preoccupied southerner.

Ezra managed to drag himself out of his thoughts as they all sat down in a private room at the far from salubrious pub that they had originally been transported to. He was mildly shocked to find that he had been unaware of his journey there and even more shocked to discover that he had automatically trusted his companions to watch his back - well that was a first! Thinking on his emotions since discovering that he was somehow connected to what appeared to be a figure of extremely ill repute he was surprised to detect amongst the turmoil and, though he would never admit it to a living soul, fear, there was a constant thread of concern… love even! It was supporting him and somehow anchoring him, and it was coming from Vin! They really did need to talk because while he suspected that the Texan who was dearer to his heart than anything or anyone had ever been before was almost certainly aware of what was going on between them he, himself, was not. Which also meant that he was not in control of the situation or his own emotions and that was unacceptable. He should be reading these people, judging their potential as a threat to his companions and working out a way to resolve a situation that was radiating more tension than a thousand Larabee glares… and instead he was sitting quiet as a mouse having just ordered shepherds pie and a pint of … butterbeer? He shook his head in bemusement. He had been raised to handle , manipulate even, any obstacle but he was as out of his depth as he could ever remember being. His only consolation was that pretty much everyone at the table seemed to be in the same position - except maybe Josiah who had been wearing the same worried visage that they all now shared since this dream or nightmare… he wasn't sure which, had begun. Something was very wrong there and he was pretty sure that he was at the heart of the profiler's distress but now wasn't the time to drag their dirty linen out in public. He forced his attention back to the moment as the meals arrived along with the odd but surprisingly tasty beverage.

"Wow This is great; much better than root beer."

The other newcomers nodded and even Josiah seemed to relax a little which more than one occupant at the table noted with relief.

"You drink roots?" Draco Malfoy had been told that muggles had strange ways which wasn't exactly being disabused by the turn of conversation. Of course he had also been told that muggles ate any magical babies that they found and drowned their parents at sea - he was pretty sure that that wasn't true though he had never met anyone quite like Chris Larabee before and could see how the rumours might have started - if he were typical of his kind.

JD spent the next few minutes giving the magicals, as he'd come to think of them, a potted history of soft drink production in the US. While it wasn't exactly the topic of discussion that they had come to have it did bring down the tension levels. Vin smiled as JD worked his own particular brand of magic; there was no actual supernatural power behind it but being able to put people at ease like he did was certainly a gift. Lord knew it took talent to make soda interesting.

Eventually though, as was inevitable, the conversation turned to matters at hand and as leader Chris felt it was down to him to ask the questions that had put his undercover agent under the spotlight.

"So, would anyone like to tell us just why the reaction to Ezra and his wand? Just who is this Voldemort and how dangerous is he… and why do some of you wince at the sound of his name?"

"Just who or what is Slytherin, besides a school house?" added Buck who couldn't understand the importance of a school in all of this.

"Why so many different reactions to Ez?" Vin needed to know just who he had to keep an eye on to keep his soul mate safe. Some of these folks may be teenagers but he had seen Lupin and Snape treating them with a level of equality that wasn't common in his own world and wasn't going to underestimate his potential enemy. Just because only one of the kids had been obvious in his dislike didn't mean squat. He certainly hoped, though, that at least some of them would turn out to be on their side - it would make a nice change in their profession!

"Perhaps we should start with the name which should also go some way to understanding why an heir to Slytherin might be viewed with caution" Remus Lupin's suggestion was met with nods of acceptance all round and by silent vote he seemed to have been elected as the spokesman.

"Over a thousand years ago there were four very powerful wizards and witches. Few portraits remain of them and no moving ones at all which we now believe to have been a deliberate choice" Chris silenced the imminent queries as to moving portraits with a glare. They couldn't afford to be sidetracked and since he had seen one when he had port-keyed to the school he could explain it later in private. Lupin carried on oblivious of the underlying unspoken conversation going on.

" These four wizards and witches decided to found a school for magical children who had till then been educated at home with varying degrees of success. Each founded a House which eventually came to reflect the particular qualities of their founder. Helga Hufflepuff was a caring, hardworking and loyal woman and that is the sort of person the sorting hat, the device used to decide placement, puts in Hufflepuff House. Rowena Ravenclaw's House reflects her intelligence and logical mind and those like our trio here" Lupin indicated Hermione, Ron and Harry, "are sorted into the House of Godric Gryffindor - whose bravery and sense of justice were even back then legendary."

"And Slytherin?" Chris wasn't sure that he liked kids futures being decided in such an arbitrary manner but supposed it may have had something to do with his American upbringing versus British tradition. What he still didn't understand was why a Founder of so long past would engender such a reaction today.

"That is the issue I'm afraid and it always has been. Our House name, to a great extent becomes our own identity, at least as far as we are perceived by others" Instead of continuing Lupin magicked two sheets of parchment and two quills, which made eyebrows shoot upward.. quills? He gave one set to Harry and one to Draco.

"Gentlemen if you would be so kind to inscribe the qualities that you believe your opposing House possesses and those of your own House"

Both boys were used to obeying their teachers unquestioningly although Vin noticed Draco checking with Snape for his permission first. Not surprising since the Professor was head of his House. Within moments each boy had complied although it took Harry a little longer due to the not so helpful whispered suggestions of his fellow housemates.

"Gentlemen I believe that this will illuminate the problem. Mr Potter has described the qualities of his house as follows:

Courage; Honour; loyalty; bravery; strength."

The members of the seven nodded in approval - sounded like an ATF recruitment poster.

"Mr Malfoy has described his House attributes as:

Intelligence; ambition; independence; will and adaptability."

The seven nodded again and heads turned toward Ezra; they had all recognized the qualities displayed daily by the man they had known for three months. Perhaps this hat had a point. Although none would hesitate to point out if asked that their Ezra also possessed the qualities of Gryffindor House as well.

"I don't see the problem" admitted Buck. "All those traits are positive."

"Ah but the problem comes, I would presume, in how the houses view each other Mr Wilmington. For it also reflects attitudes of the adults who graduate into the real world to their fellow citizens… maybe even as far as dictating government policy?"

Both Lupin and Snape nodded their agreement of Ezra's observation and the problem became more obvious as Lupin went on to read the second part of the list.

"According to Mr Potter… with assistance from his fellow housemates… Slytherins are - Sneaky, untrustworthy, criminal, bigoted and, and here I think I hear the contribution of Mr Weasley" Lupin clarified with a hint of censure, "Evil, slimy gits… I am unsure whether Americans use that particular colloquialism but I am sure that you realise from the context that it is hardly complimentary; it generally indicates someone who is not a nice person…"

"Ahem!" Snape added a raised eyebrow and a glare to his interruption which had the desired effect of bringing his fellow professor out of lecture mode. He resisted the urge to smile, an act which would in all probability bring on the apocalypse, at least if his fellow Slytherins were to be believed and contrary to Potter's opinions Slytherins could be just as honest and noble as any other human, they just had the brains to realise that sometimes lying was a necessity to survival.

"Ah, yes, well anyway" Lupin blushed at his diversion from the topic and turned back to the lists. "Mr Malfoy lists the less than positive attributes of Gryffindor house thus: Gullible, judgmental, inflexible, prejudice idiots."

They all took a moment to let those comments sink in before JD asked the question that had been on most of the seven's minds.

"But how does what school kids believe affect Ezra and what does it all have to do with this Voldemort guy?"

"Because if I read the situation correctly Mr Dunne, and I usually do" Ezra added with a small smirk and Snape was struck by the similarity between his godson and the undercover agent. "Those who are prejudged as unworthy in society before they even become a productive part of that society will tend to gather together and chew over their grievances against the dominant power who have passed that judgement upon them. If those disgruntled souls also happen to have money and influence they can achieve power and…..

"Hitler!" JD's shocked realisation was shared by those who knew the name while whispered explanations filled in those who didn't.

"Are you saying that Voldemort exists because Gryffindors think Slytherins are slimy gits?" Harry was incredulous but he also felt the first stirrings of doubt. He had been taken out of the muggle world at a very impressionable age and had believed implicitly in the teachings of both his magical adult mentors and his peers on what was right and wrong in his new home but what these men were saying… that the attitudes he now believed were facts were responsible for the likes of Voldemort and Malfoy… that his own attitude to the younger Malfoy was only helping to produce a new generation of death eaters…" He paled at the implications.

"Please Potter! The world doesn't revolve around you, you know. There are more factors involved in creating us 'slimy gits' than the great Harry Potter's influence"… 'like being beaten half to death and crucioed into a coma by your own father who just happens to be as insane as his master' Draco added mentally as he surprised Harry with his insightful observations. He resisted the urge to smirk, though he wasn't entirely successful and was shocked to hear an amused giggle from Hermione Granger. He was even more shocked to read the fact on her face that her amusement was genuine and not at his expense! It almost made him feel happy, as did the scowl the laugh engendered in the 'weasel'

"Mr Malfoy is correct Mr Potter" Snape was proud of the restraint displayed by his godson and also by his ability to understand the hidden thoughts of others without magic. It was a useful weapon when surrounded by the kind of monsters who orbited Voldemort's life and could spot a legilimens a mile away. He had trained his protégé well. "The attitude of you and your kind did not create The Dark Lord, his own insanity did that, much as your 20th century despot's did, but those attitudes do nothing to solve the problem and in fact only serve to perpetuate it."

"I have to admit that until forced by this conversation with our visitors I hadn't realised how our school, founded to help the magical world, has in fact helped lead to this divide." Lupin didn't add out loud that he was also worried that Dumbledore hadn't seemed to realise it either. He couldn't have since it was his personally proclaimed mission to enforce House pride and House difference within Hogwarts. He wouldn't do that if he was aware of the consequences… would he?' Lupin shook the disturbing idea off for now but it gave him that same unsettled feeling that he had felt when the headmaster had met Chris at the school. His inner turmoil was broken by Buck whose empathic senses were being overloaded with the general air of angst felt obliged to try and break the tension he had inadvertently caused.

"Heck! I only asked what was in a name! Seems to me what you guys need is a dose of good old fashioned fun. Far too much brooding going on here."

Chris smiled at the look of general astonishment. Not so much for Buck's comment, he suspected, but more for their own realisation that the atmosphere had slipped into such gloom without their feeling that anything was amiss. These people had been living under a cloud for far too long… their whole lives in the case of the kids. And if there was one thing Chris knew it was living under a cloud. The black miasma of depression still threatened to engulf him on occasion but not nearly so often since he had found his new family. He looked carefully at the tired and unsure faces of the kids and it gave him an idea… but first he needed some answers about this new Hitler. As much as he felt for these folks his first priority was his seventh.

Vin was relieved when Chris turned the conversation back toward the immediate threat. Much as he liked these guys… well most of them… his overwhelming urge was to protect his mate, and the Lord help anyone who got in his way.

The rest of the meal was spent with a potted history of the life and times of Tom Riddle and his rise to being the most feared Wizard of all time. The seven were horrified at the depravity and cruelty condoned and encouraged by the madman. Harry was quiet for most of it, especially the part he played in the man's last defeat, it always embarrassed him that his survival as a baby was somehow credited to himself when all he had done was lay there. It had been his parents sacrifice in protecting him, their love, that had rendered Voldemort's killing curse not only ineffective, leaving him with nothing but a distinctive lightning bolt shaped scar above his eyebrow, but had also backfired on the evil wizard and driven him back into years of incorporeal darkness before he had risen again to provide the present threat. But he was also, despite his own embarrassment impressed at Draco's added comments and observations on the present actions and state of mind of the monster. It made him go goosebumpy all over as he realised that Malfoy had to live in such close proximity to the haunter of his own dreams. Maybe Malfoy's life hadn't been the bed of roses that he had imagined. He exchanged a glance with Hermione and could see that she was thinking the same thing. 'Why does growing up have to be so complicated' he thought with a sigh. Another glance, this time towards Ron, told him that there was no danger of the red head growing up anytime soon… 'lucky sod' thought Harry just before a suggestion from the leader of the visiting agents shocked and excited him more than just about anything… except perhaps a good game of Quidditch.

"Sounds to me like you need to step back from all this for a while… and maybe some of you need to see a little bit more of the world than you have so far" Chris's attention lingered on Draco and Ron as he began to voice his idea and, whether by long association, inbuilt abilities or just plain people reading ability, his team understood his intentions and were nodding their support, except for Josiah who was practically ferocious in his scowling disagreement… a disagreement which Chris ignored since the man obviously had his own issues that he wasn't prepared to share. "So I was wondering, since I understand that there are still some weeks before you return to school whether you would like a trip to the muggle world, to Denver with us to be precise. See how the other half lives and get a fresh perspective on this upcoming war."

"Figure sometimes ya can be a mite too close to things to see 'em clearly."

Everyone jumped at Vin's voice. Chris wouldn't have been surprised if some of them had forgotten he was there, the man could blend into the scene like a chameleon.

"M…muggle world? Actually live with muggles?" Draco was both horrified and fascinated. He had never been even as far as muggle London let alone across the muggle ocean but he had always been curious… not that he dared to voice his interest around home for fear of his father's own brand of re-education.

So caught up in his own feelings was the Malfoy scion that for once he didn't read his fellow teenagers views. If he had some of them might have surprised him.

Hermione was immediately in favour of the idea. Of her friends she was the most travelled and had been to America before but never to Colorado and never with actual people who lived there. It was always hotels or campsites. And she also agreed with Mr Larabee's reasoning. It was only by listening to their outside point of view that she realised how insular her own was becoming. She was also stunned by the fear and lack of ridicule in Draco's comment. Some might mistake his words as derogatory but Malfoy had never stuttered as long as she had known him and that indicated apprehension to her, not superiority. She wondered just what he must think the outside world was like… what terrible tales he had been told. She found herself excited at the idea of showing him the truth. She hoped he said yes, she certainly would be if given the chance. With that thought she turned pleading eyes on the two professors who had the power to say yes or no.

Harry was immediately thrilled at the idea. If nothing else it would get him away from his guardians, the Dursleys, for the summer. No bullying from his cousin, no cooking, cleaning and gardening, regular meals and having his friends with him! Brilliant! He spared a moment to feel guilty at being away from a world that needed him but he was only a portkey away and perhaps without him about Voldemort might take some time off from murder and pillage too. He also registered surprise at the trepidation on Malfoy's face. Surely the overly confident pureblood couldn't be scared of some little old muggle living? He was about to laugh and make a cutting comment when he had a flash of memory… his first days in the wizarding world when he was eleven. How strange and frightening it had all been. How much worse it could have been without Hagrid to steer him through it and without Ron to be his friend… his first ever friend. How scary the idea of a world without magic must be to a boy who had never known anything but. He decided that maybe he would just keep his mouth shut for now, and seeing Ron about to do what he had just contemplated he gave him a quick sharp kick under the table and a shake of the head in warning. He then looked to the professors for permission. He may be the destined saviour of the wizarding world but he was also just a kid and needed permission for just about everything, which really annoyed him; but he had a secret weapon… his puppy dog eyes seldom failed, well not with Lupin anyway.

Ron was horrified at the thought of spending time in the muggle world… he had seen some of the odd things his muggle obsessed father had brought home including light bulbs, batteries and a teeny felly tone.. A bigger version of which he had used to speak to Harry while he was staying with his muggle uncle for the holidays and which he had been laughed at for shouting into… well how was he to know, Little Whinging was a long way away from his own house so it had made sense to shout. His ears turned as red as his hair at the remembered humiliation but he was soon cheered by the look of horrified superiority on Malfoy's face. It would serve him right to have to live like a common muggle for a while. He knew that while they were both purebloods it would hit the rich boy harder than himself since the highborn little purists were kept segregated from such things as lowly muggles. Oh yes! He was looking forward to seeing the brat suffer. If, of course, they got permission to go. He looked beseechingly at professor Lupin. As much as he hated the thought of staying with these scary muggles in their magic less mundane world the thought of a scared and suffering Malfoy was too good to resist.

Ezra and Vin exchanged a long suffering look. They really needed to talk and, Ezra mused with an unexpected dart of desire, touch and… bond?… now where did that come from? Vin felt his love's confusion and excitement and squeezed his thigh reassuringly under the table. They would make time, even with a house full of little witches and wizards. He reached out and with his free hand gave Buck a vicious pinch which made the empath yelp and mutter something about cramp to his sudden audience. He still chuckled at the emotions he could feel coming from the new couple. He relaxed with a sigh. He did so love people who were in love… almost as much as he loved doing the lovin' Being an empath had it's good side. He glanced at the young blond wizard as he felt his uncertainty and fear… poor kid! Kind of reminded him of how Ezra had been when he first joined them, still was to some extent. He vowed to show the boy that muggles were nothing to be afraid of, that he could have fun in the muggle world.

Snape felt for his godson. The unusual display of fear was only to be expected. While in many ways Lucius had raised his son to be an adult before his time and while he had seen things no child should witness and endure terrible pain he was, as far as the outside world went, far too sheltered. It would do him good to learn the ways of others especially since it was The Dark Lord's intent to kill, and have Draco kill, as many muggles as possible. It was just unfortunate that he would have the troublesome trio as his companions. He would have to ensure that Larabee was aware that his charge needed to be protected from his own peers as well as potential enemies, for if Lucius was to find out that his son's opinions were diverting from the pureblood line then the consequences could be fatal.

Lupin nodded his agreement at Chris's suggestion. It would be good to get the kids away for a while… to get a fresh perspective. And maybe to learn that even Slytherins were human.

"We'll have to get your parents permission of course" began Chris only to see the look of disappointment on the young Malfoy's face and kick himself for not realising that a bigot like Lucius Malfoy would never agree. He was saved by his undercover agent's intervention.

Ezra was used to finagling permission for things as a youth. With an absent and uncaring mother it had become a necessity. "Or of someone who could act in loco parentis, given the suspicion of the parents illegal activities."

Draco was surprised at both his own disappointment in not being allowed to do something which he found frightening and his gratitude to the new wizard for his intervention. All present feelings, however, were put aside for dread and terror as a very familiar voice easily carried across the small room. All heads turned to see who had entered and Larabee felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up at the sheer malevolence of the man's magical signature. Buck almost gagged at the feelings he was absorbing and Vin bared his teeth while moving closer to his mate. JD, even with no magical ability at all realised that this man made their own 'bad element' of a leader look like the tooth fairy and Josiah was certain that he had finally met the devil face to face.

"Draco. Would you care to introduce me to your new friends?"

There was nothing in the words to cause alarm but they all felt as the temperature in the room seemed to drop.

Draco stood straight and tall but nobody needed Buck's empathic ability to sense his terror.

"Father."

TBC

A/N Hope that was okay. Next chapter we go back to Denver where relationships develop and truths revealed make Harry ponder his past choices.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and I don't own the magnificent seven… but then neither does J K Rowling.

A/N Thank you so much for your support for this odd little fic. For those not familiar with HP speak Avada Kedavra is the ultimate in unforgivable curses - the death curse, and since I don't have any HP books in the house at the moment I'm not sure of the spelling but as it's not in the dictionary we'll have to make do. And the Crucio spell delivers mind numbing pain without leaving a mark - sort of like a magical tazer. Legilimens is the ability to read thoughts and occulumency the ability to prevent it. Ezra's ability is a variation on legilemency.

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Ezra almost winced as the tension in the room ratcheted up suddenly to almost palpable levels. He, too, felt the malevolence rolling off the newcomer. Tall, distinguished and impeccably dressed, leaning casually on an ornate ebony cane with a serpentine head for a hand grip that Ezra was sure was more for show than need the physical similarity between the adult and the blond haired teenager was unmistakable. Ezra maintained his poker face but wanted to smile as he became aware of his team mates reactions; going on high alert as though they were in the middle of a bust, everybody concentrating on protecting their undercover agent. He was quite moved by the way they automatically extended that same watchful readiness to cover Draco too. The Gryffindors might not like the young Slytherin but nobody threatened a kid on Chris Larabee's watch. Even Josiah was looking more like the grizzly papa bear they all knew and loved.

For himself Ezra was not scared of this imposing man, not that he underestimated the danger he presented, quite the contrary, but he had seen his type before, felt the fear and the physical violence at the hands of many so-called uncles and step-fathers during his youth. Instead Ezra was angry, though he was too professional to show it. He was angry on behalf of the child who faced what he had all those years ago. He wanted to rip the bastard's throat out!

'Now where did that come from?' he thought with alarm. An alarm compounded by the sudden strange rippling feeling inside him. Sudden comprehension dawned. 'No! no, not now - never show your hand this early in the game!'

A sudden warm presence entered his mind at the same moment as an equally warm hand pressed gently on his thigh under the table.

Vin! Ezra let the soothing balm of Vin's love push away the anger and the urge to change form. He breathed a silent sigh of relief while Malfoy senior exchanged greetings with Snape and Lupin, the cultured voice oozing insincerity, and dropped one hand down to squeeze the warm calloused appendage that had brought him back from the brink in unspoken thanks. Losing control in such a situation could have had disastrous consequences.

As he returned his attention to the scene before him, the distraction of his near change having only taken seconds although it had felt like an eternity, he felt another far less welcome intrusion into his mind. Instinct kicked in as he immediately realised that Malfoy was trying to break into his thoughts and memories. Snape had warned them about this; he had called it legilemency and had explained that to shut out the probing invasion took practice and magical skill, neither of which his team possessed. Without realising that what he was doing was nigh on impossible even for a skilled magician he immediately created a scene in his mind, much like he would create an undercover scenario, and used it as a firewall; he then pushed that same scene, adjusting perspective and detail slightly to account for individual differences, into the minds of all those present in the room except Lucius Malfoy himself. He knew that at least some of the wizards were capable of blocking or deceiving the intruder but he didn't have time to figure out who could and who couldn't so he went for a broad spectrum solution and then as all good undercover agents did he tried to look as innocent as possible, said a quick prayer to St. Anthony, patron saint of hopeless causes, and mentally crossed his fingers. He had kept the scene as true to actual events as possible just like his mother, Maude, an accomplished conwoman had taught him. He also added little touches of exasperation and irritation towards the Gryffindors knowing that the emotional antagonism would appeal to the man's hatred of Harry and his friends. It wasn't that much different than stroking the ego of a gun baron or drug lord really, just taking things from a different angle. He felt the moment that Lucius gained access and thanked his lucky stars that the wizard had decided to start his secret trawl for information with him and not his friends.

Snape didn't let his shock at the sudden addition to his memory show but his quick glance around told him that he wasn't the only one to have received this particular 'gift' He hoped that Lupin would be as quick on the uptake as he had been and would instruct his Gryffindors to play along. He was quite impressed, despite himself, for Severus Snape didn't impress easily, that the muggles hadn't as much as flinched at the magical intrusion. He supposed that they were more used to adapting quickly to events than most muggles, and probably more so than the magical world's own police force, The Aurors, who could be a little slow on the uptake and a little too quick with a wand for his liking, but then he was always a prime target for their attentions when it came to a death eater investigation; it came with the territory.

Vin smiled slightly at his lover's ingenuity and promised dire retribution upon the man who was now scouring his mind for information. Once he had gotten what he came for, or at least Ezra's version of it, Vin added a little something of his own… well it was hardly his fault if one of his private fantasies just happened to leak into his thoughts was it? He tried not to smirk as the presence shot out of his mind at the speed of light and the pale and imposing figure in front of them suddenly looked a little pinker in the face. Serves him right!

Chris Larabee silently communicated his orders to his team in the only way he knew how - he glared his instructions to let the scene implanted stay and not try to shut out Malfoy as he sought the truth, or at least what he thought was the truth. Ezra had outdone himself this time… sneaky little weasel! He'd never been more proud of his newest agent than at that moment. Still struggling to come to terms with his own heritage and powers he had automatically sought to protect them by using those same powers that scared him.

Josiah was scared; scared and puzzled. He knew as God was his witness that magic was evil, the work of Satan and that the agent he had begun to see as a son was tainted by the devils touch. Yet here before him was a man, no, a creature, who positively exuded malevolence. He was the same as these new people they had met… the same as Ezra and yet, he wasn't. It was supposed to be simple; magic was evil and had to be stopped but if Malfoy was what he had expected evil to feel like and even the other wizards loathed and feared him then what did that make them? And Ezra? He prayed for guidance as he gritted his teeth and let the forced scenario play out in his head. He had caught Chris's look and as much as he wanted to resist all forms of magic he didn't want to antagonize his boss. And perhaps this helpful magical gesture meant that Ezra was not yet beyond redemption. He prayed harder… for himself and for Ezra.

Buck just wanted this man to go away. His very presence hurt in more than just a physical way, it hurt his very soul. Sometimes being an empath was no fun at all. He gave an exasperated glance toward JD who as usual seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. That boy had tons of brains and oodles of courage, Buck mused, but as much common sense as Ezra and as little respect for danger as Vin. The thought of what the kid could become with those two as mentors made him both proud and terrified. He noted that the cold statue of a man was blushing and wondered what that was all about but then the man was inside his head; he concentrated on not feeling the emotions of the malevolent monster and not passing out from the emotional touch of evil. JD was too busy being awed at having this firewall built inside his head to notice Buck's discomfort. He immediately recognized what it was and who had put it there. It was like being part of a computer program, like the movie Tron AND he was participating in magic! Cool! He didn't resist as Malfoy probed his mind and was almost sorry that the experience was over almost as soon as it began. He might have been a mite proud, or possibly annoyed to discover that Malfoy had spent the least amount of time in his brain… it seemed that the constant flow of thought incorporating computer programming, old Star Trek episodes, movies and baseball statistics, all of which were unfamiliar to the snobbish wizard were far too much to handle!

Lupin was astounded. This should not be possible! his mind screamed behind the natural defence he had erected as soon as Malfoy had entered the room; and also behind the alien scene playing out in a loop in his brain. But the werewolf wasn't a member of the Order of the Phoenix for nothing and a quick shared look with Snape told him all he needed to know. He caught the attention of Harry, Hermione and Ron and while Lucius attention was directed elsewhere he shook his head and mouthed an instruction to play along. Harry had been playing this game with Malfoy and Voldemort's other supporters since he was eleven and immediately schooled his thoughts to embrace the scene given him. In truth he was glad of it; the ability to keep out a legilemens had never been his strong point. Instead of wondering just how the American wizard could accomplish what he couldn't the young wizard instead concentrated on protecting his friends, a task he had been doing willingly for several years. He knew that Hermione would follow his example; in fact he knew that she, being the smartest witch of their generation, would already have it all figured out and a glance confirmed that she was ahead of him. The sudden expression of pain from Ron confirmed that while he hadn't gotten the point at first Hermione had made sure that he had it now.

All this had taken mere seconds. Seconds in which Lucius Malfoy stood silently waiting for his presence to be felt to maximum advantage and for his son to explain himself. His initial suspicions had been assuaged by his peek into the party's minds. Honestly! Not discovering your magic until you were grown was unheard of; but then those living in the muggle world, magical or not, were little more than animals. He resisted the urge to chuckle at the dislike he had seen in the muggles minds for the so-called Great Harry Potter. It seemed that even mere primates had good taste!

"Well Draco! I'm waiting."

Draco was momentarily stunned by the images entering his head. He was an expert occulemens and such an invasion, even for helpful reasons should not have been possible. It was also not necessary in his case since Lucius had long since given up trying to access his mind. He sometimes thought that it was one of the few things he had accomplished that had made his father proud. But the American wizard, and it was obviously he, had no way of knowing that. Seeing no harm in the images he allowed them to remain and was surprised to detect encouragement and support tagged onto the end of the scenario. Having a stranger's support bolstered his fragile defences and he pulled himself up a little taller as he rose to face his father.

Lucius listened impassively as his son repeated the same scenario that he had already witnessed several times in the gathered minds. Draco knew that his father had bought the lie but that didn't mean that he was out of trouble yet. Associating with Harry Potter was not an acceptable use of the Malfoy scion's time.

M&M M&M M&M

"Ah, Lucius? If I may have a word ... in private."

Lucius turned his ice cold gaze toward Snape at his intrusion and away from the blond haired man who seemed to be in control of this rabble. Take HIS son, the Malfoy heir and potential heir to The Dark Lord himself - if cards were played right - to the muggle world to live with commoners! It was unthinkable!

"Not now Severus!"

"Very much now Lucius" the potions professor replied; his quiet, calm tone in contrast to Malfoy's barely controlled rage. This wouldn't have been Snape's first choice as a course of action. He would much rather have gone behind Malfoy's back and spirited his son out of the country but thanks to the innate honesty of Chris Larabee, who had come straight out and asked... well informed may be a more accurate term... the man that he would like ( was definitely going to) take Draco to Denver for the remainder of the summer, they now had a highly irritated Dark Wizard ready to Avada Kedavra them all. Honesty, in Snape's not so humble opinion, was not always the best policy. The ATF Agent would never have been sorted into Slytherin - bloody Gryffindor through and through.

M&M M&M M&M

"Can you honestly say that you condone this abomination Severus!" asked Lucius in his cold clipped manner after they had stepped into the privacy of a side room, erecting a magical wall of seclusion around it.

"I know that this may have come as a shock to you; it most certainly did to me Lucius. Imagine my horror when I found myself spending the afternoon at the zoo - inside the animal enclosure!"

Snape watched Malfoy's mouth turn upward in as near to a smile as he ever came. Really it was all too easy. A little bit of bigotry and any type of insult to Potter and the man was as happy as a lark. It made him feel tired beyond his years and rather unclean; and he wondered, not for the first time, whether he was getting too old to play these double agent games. But this was important. He didn't know why but he was sure that it was essential to protect the southern wizard, that lives could depend on it... their lives, his godson's life. And nothing was more important to him than Draco. The world could go crucio itself into oblivion and he wouldn't turn a hair but every mark on Draco, left because he couldn't prevent it without compromising his undercover position; every wince of pain and frisson of fear tore him apart. And if telling a few lies to a raving ego-maniac got his boy out of this mess for even a few weeks it was well worth it.

"Yes, well, it must have been a traumatic experience for you Severus but I do not see how it benefits either of us or the Dark Lord to have my son mingling with vermin. What if they corrupt him? Have you considered that? I would hate to have to kill my own son because he has been contaminated by muggles."

And he would have no hesitation; Snape knew this but he also knew the psychpath's weaknesses were his loyalty to, and urge to impress, Voldemort, and his own ego.

"Surely you have more faith in your own abilities than that Lucius? Do you really think that a few weeks among those peasants can undo the work of a lifetimes indoctrination?" He didn't wait for an answer, satisfied with the expression of smug self belief that had replaced the disgust and anger. "Besides" he continued "I will be there to ensure that his head is not filled with muggle or Gryffindor nonsense. And most importantly this gives us an opportunity to change our strategy on Potter."

"How so?" Malfoy was intrigued despite himself. Potter had been a thorn in his side for far too long. It wasn't easy to justify your continued existence when you were constantly being bested by a floppy haired teenager. The Dark Lord would only take so many failures and if it weren't for his interest in Draco and the family's wealth and political connections he would have been Ava'd a long time ago. Loyalty only ran one way with Voldemort.

Snape relaxed slightly at the curious tone but not too much. One never relaxed totally around Lucius unless one was stupid or had a deathwish. And Severus Snape was neither stupid nor suicidal.

"It has become obvious that while Draco and Potter as enemies may be good for a few barbed insults and childish pranks the Boy Who Lived is too well protected for any serious retaliation. However if we can insinuate Draco into their group for even a short time, albeit on the periphery, they may well give away important information and Draco might also be able to plant some disharmony among the Trio. It couldn't hurt and may help give us a distinct advantage in the upcoming war." Seeing the interest war with doubt on Malfoy's face Snape delivered his closing argument geared to appeal to the senior Malfoy's weak spots.

"We don't need it to work long term. The end of this war of attrition is nearly at an end and the Dark Lord is getting ready to move. But in an environment alien to both parties and with the Gryffindor mentality of seeing the good in everyone I think that it is possible to achieve great things. Besides, Lucius, you underestimate your son. He is a true Slytherin after all."

Stroking the maniac's ego was so beneath his talents mused Snape with disdain but it was working. He could almost see the wheels turn in the twisted mind.

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"Daddy not happy with his precious little ferret then?" His snide comment didn't have the effect he had desired. Draco ignored his taunt and Lupin gave him a look of intense disappointment. Hermione slapped his arem none too gently but said nothing.

Ron had been glared and kicked into silence all morning and he was sick of it! Since when were they supposed to protect the feelings of the stupid ferret who had been their enemy since their first year at Hogwarts. Well maybe he could understand that mouthing off in front of Malfoy senior would have been a bad idea - that was one scary wizard. But all this pussyfooting around the slimy git of a son was giving these muggles the wrong idea. They didn't seem to understand how to treat a Slytherin. Not surprising he mused as he watched the team from Denver talking quietly amongst themselves; it didn't help when one of their own was the heir to Slytherin ... and why did Hermione go all gooey eyed when he spoke in that annoying accent of his anyway? He directed a glare to both Ezra and Hermione - neither of them took a blind bit of notice but Harry did and he didn't know whether to laugh or frown at his oldest friend's antics.

Ron's hatred of deatheaters and Malfoy was understandable Harry mused, but where was this antagonism toward Ezra and Hermione coming from? Surely Ron wasn't jealous! Couldn't he see that Hermione was merely being her curious self and was fascinated by the new wizard and the mystery surrounding him? And as for Ezra, he must be ten years older! Not to mention that, at least going by the looks he was exchanging with his long haired colleague, he was gay. Harry would have thought it funny but for the realization that if Ron's judgement about such a trivial matter could be so screwed up then what did that say about his judgement when it was needed in the war. Could he trust Ron to cover his back when he faced Voldemort or would he be too involved in petty vindictiveness? It was a sobering thought and not one that he wanted to face just yet. Instead he tried to take an interest in the discussion that Hermione was having with the youngest of the muggles, JD. He shook his head in bemusement; he had thought that there were two worlds, the world of muggles and the world of magic but there was obviously a third... the world of the computer geeks and they spoke an entirely different language.

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"Very well Mr Larabee. I must say that I have grave reservations about this trip but Severus has assured me that you people are the right sort and will treat my son in the manner to which he is accustomed. If I have your word on that then I will allow Draco to accompany you to this Denver"

Chris managed to keep a straight face at the obvious insincerity and loathing behind the urbane facade and it was only years of dealing with petty federal officials that enabled him to do so. He thanked the aristocrat for his trust and wished that he could pull out his gun and teach the man the true meaning of fear. A slight cough from Buck pulled his thoughts back from the brink and he gave a brittle smile instead. His expression darkened, however, when Malfoy senior demanded a private audience with his son before their departure. He noted Snape's slight shake of the head warning him not to intervene and vowed to get the full story behind their private discussion later.

Snape knew that Lucius was planning to give the boy his instructions and he hoped that the bright teenager would see the truth behind the ploy.

Draco moved toward the side room like a boy going to the woodshed, or at least that was how it looked to Buck. He could feel the tension rolling off of the young man and, to his surprise also off two of the young Gryffindors. The rest of them were a mix of baffled and resigned; except for the red head who Buck noted with distaste was positively gleeful. That one needed a trip to the woodshed himself!

Several minutes passed before Lucius swept out of the side room and with a regal nod in Snape's direction stalked from the room.

Snape and Lupin immediately moved toward the little room fearing the worst. That the room had been covered with a silencing spell was bad enough but not surprising given Malfoy's paranoia but that he had exited alone set alarm bells ringing.

The sight that met the two wizards and the small crowd gathered behind them in the doorway turned their stomachs and made each man , and some of the children, vow to be the one to exterminate the blond monster when they met on the battle field.

Lying unconscious on the dusty floor, his breathing ragged and his body twisted in pain was Draco.

Harry exchanged a look with Hermione and Remus Lupin. Perhaps Draco Malfoy wasn't the enemy they had thought him to be. Perhaps in his own way he was as much of a victim as they had been all these years.

Severus knelt beside his godson and gently brushed back the dishevelled hair. He silently promised to free him from his tyrant of a father if it was the last thing he did. Even if he had to disobey Dumbledore to do it. Some things were more important than the war and he would not stand by while his boy was crucioed anymore.

Josiah stood shocked at the sight of the abused child. For the first time he saw these wizards for what they really were... human beings. And no human being deserved to be treated like that.

Chris couldn't help but think that the sooner they got out of the country and back home the better because he didn't think he could hold his men back for long and if they ran into Malfoy again then blood would be shed... hopefully.

TBC

A/N Didn't get to Denver this chapter but that's the way the muse wanted it and who am I, the humble writer, to argue! Definitely Denver bound next chapter. Hope you enjoyed.


	9. Chapter 9

The Magical and the Magnificent chapter 9

Disclaimer: I own neither the Seven nor Harry Potter or anything related to them.

A/N Okay, the time of year I have sent them to Denver in is August. British summer school holidays run for about six weeks from mid July to the end of August and they have already been out of school for a couple of weeks. In the stories they would have gone to Diagon alley later in their holiday but I've already tweaked that. A mobile phone is, of course, a cell phone. I'll use whichever term fits the nationality of the character because that's how they would think. There isn't much Ezra in this chapter so sorry for that but I'm sure he'll make up for it next time.

A/N2 The Wingardium Leviosa spell levitates things.

WARNING: There is a scene involving the physical abuse of a child at the beginning of this chapter - nothing too bad but just thought I'd mention.

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Draco wasn't scared. Malfoys didn't 'do' fear. It was a weakness that he dare not give in to. He knew what was coming and he knew that to protest would only prolong the punishment, not to mention endanger anyone who might dare come to his aid. It was as much a test as a torture he reasoned as he locked eyes with his father and stood straight and tall aqs he had been taught. The cruciatus curse was Lucius favorite form of discipline. It was worse than a beating but left no physical signs - although one had to be judicious in its use otherwise insanity was a danger. But Lucius was an expert.

And so was Draco. But at taking pain, not giving it. Lucius pointed his wand and Draco watched impassively as the cruel mouth turned up into the sneer that passed for a smile before the lips softly, in almost a verbal caress, issued the command

"Crucio"

The pain was instant, total and blinding.

Draco dropped to his knees, his back arching as wave after wave of burning pain swept through his body. He automatically bit down on his lip to stifle the cry that wanted to escape.

He felt the last of the agony leave him and knew that Lucius had lowered his wand but he didn't relax his guard , he knew his father better than that... and sure enough the wand once again was directed toward it's target and a fresh agony, even longer in duration than the last flowed through him.

Once more Lucius held his son in a bubble of pain, his anger at Draco being foolish enough to get caught up with muggles warring with his twisted pride at his heir's stoicism. He debated continuing the lesson but he had a pressing appointment at the Ministry and he supposed, albeit grudgingly, that there might be an advantage to be gained from Severus' plan so it wasn't a complete disaster. He sheathed his wand and stood over his son's trembling form. Peering down he waited until glazed eyes re-established contact once more.

"Remember where your loyalties lie Draco. Severus will explain your duties in due course. Do not fail me."

With that Lucius stalked from the room. He didn't need to clarify what would happen if Draco disappointed him. His son knew his duty was to his family and the Dark Lord above all else.

As Lucius left Draco finally gave into the pain and slipped into darkness but he did it as silently as he had suffered. His training was too deeply ingrained to do anything else.

M*M*M*M

Chris Larabee was furious and horrified but fury was winning out. He took another look at the exhausted and pain wracked child... CHILD! How could an adult do this to a child? His own child. He turned to pursue the senior Malfoy only to find a gently restraining hand on his arm and a sorrowful but firm gaze meeting his own fire filled eyes.

"Remus? I have to catch him! That bastard needs to be locked up... or worse."

Remus almost smiled at the promise in those eyes but he didn't. Unlike the lawman from the muggle world he knew how things worked here and he wasn't looking forward to explaining it to the incensed man.

Meanwhile Snape had helped his Godson to his feet and was guiding him back into the main room. He berated himself for not seeing this coming. Although it didn't surprise him that Lucius would inflict pain on his own son but he had hoped that, as was usual, it would be done in the privacy of Malfoy Manor. He had already devised a plan to prevent it, at least on this occasion, he just hadn't fully anticipated Lucius' boldness. A small part of his mind tucked away the observation noting that his newly acquired 'courage' to exhibit violence in a semi-public space could be exploited at some stage - overconfidence was a weakness. But most of his attention was focused on Draco who was now conscious but still a little befuddled and uncoordinated, his muscles still twitching randomly. Snape wished he had the correct potions on him to alleviate the after effects but by the time he could send for some his Godson would have recovered.

"Professor Snape Sir?"

Snape's head shot up at the intrusion and he scowled automatically only to register surprise at both the item thrust towards him and the person attached to the proffered chocolate bar. He gruffly thanked Harry Potter for the chocolate and Harry mused that it was the nicest the professor had ever been to him.

For his part Snape felt a twinge of guilt. It was no secret that he hated Potter because of the relationship he, himself, had had with the boys father, James while they were both students at Hogwarts. But he was aware that he wasn't being fair to the boy. It was wrong to blame the son for the crimes of the father and he had to admit that he had been an annoying git - still no excuse for the way he had been bullied though. But Harry hadn't been that bully and one thing that Severus Snape wasn't was a hypocrite so since he hated that people judged Draco on his name he couldn't very well do the same. For now though he simply took the offering with a pained little smile and a nod, the mumbled thank you Potter sounding like it had been pulled from his mouth with pliers.

If Nathan had possessed psychic powers he would have heard the combined mental calls of 'I wish Nate was here'. In fact those of the seven present had simply exchanged puzzled glances at the unorthodox remedy. Vin thought that chocolate as medicine was something that their EMT should certainly adopt - better than his horrid herbal brews any day.. Hermione noticed their confusion immediately.

"For some reason chocolate has a reviving effect on people with magical abilities. I hear that even in the muggle world chocolate is being found to be good for you."

"It's an aphrodisiac."

Buck's confident statement earned him a slap to the head from Chris and a 'not in front of the children' glare from Josiah. The rest of his team mates simply rolled their eyes. They knew their amorous empath too well.

"Beats cod liver oil" added Harry with a shudder of remembered childhood enforced medication by his aunt Petunia. Harry still couldn't believe that Lucius would do that to his own son. He had felt the effects of the cruciatus curse himself but at least it was at the hands of the enemy. He shook his head sadly. His whole world view was taking a battering and he didn't think it was going to end any time soon.

While Severus and Remus aided Draco Hermione arranged for tea, sweet and strong. Not as restorative for magicals but the muggles were looking a little shocked too.

"My apologies for that unfortunate incident." Draco, with half a bar of Honeydukes finest and a cup of tooth rottingly sweet tea inside him felt strong enough to try and put the last few minutes behind him. While a part of him was pleasantly surprised at the sympathy he was receiving, even from the most unexpected sources, he was still embarrassed that the trio had witnessed the reality that was his life. Another part of him, the slytherin curiosity, was wondering just what Severus had done to win his father's permission for this trip.

"It was hardly your fault Draco." Remus was no innocent and he was aware that life for purebloods wasn't as idyllic as some liked to think. But to actually see the after effects of a parent abusing his child. He glanced at a still slightly shocked Chris Larabee. Not all that shock was due to the actual assault. Telling a muggle that the magical world had no laws protecting children from parental abuse had made him ashamed of his own heritage. For all their advantages in life owed to their magical abilities his people were woefully backward in the field of human rights.

"Still, it was... quite unpleasant for all concerned" A snort from Ron Weasley made Draco pause. "Well almost all" he amended and was gratified at the glare Granger sent the red head's way. That look was usually reserved for platinum haired slytherins.

"Is there really nothing we can do?" JD wasn't quite as enamoured of this new world as he had been when they first arrived. How could a society condone torturing children?

"Not really" Draco replied matter-of-factly, not really understanding the young agent's horror. This was the only world he knew of after all. "It's best to let it lie. Father will have forgotten the chastisement by now and to remind him may make him think of things that we would rather he didn't consider."

Nods of grudging acceptance were given and, as usual, Buck found himself being the one to lighten the tone. Part of him wanted to beat the crap out of Malfoy senior but his upbringing as the son of a hooker had shown him the less pleasant side of life from a young age. Not that his mother had ever mistreated him, she was golden, an angel but she hadn't always been able to protect his innocent eyes from the ugliness of the world including her own suffering that had ended in her murder.

"So, is everybody ready to hit the Mile High City? Got to get some legal cash and pack... oh and don't forget your passports..."

"What's a passport?" Draco's mildly curious voice stopped him in his tracks.

'Oh boy' this was going to be trickier than he thought.

"We could always..." Remus held up a yo-yo that they were all sure must have been another port key, either that or the gaunt professor had completely lost it.

"Nope."

"Chris?" Josiah was intrigued despite himself. He still wanted to loathe all of this unnatural business but the fact that these were people and not monsters, well with one notable aristocratic exception, had finally hit home and his natural psychologists curiosity was rapidly asserting itself. He also realised that he owed his team an apology and an explanation.

"We want to give Draco and Ron here a taste of the muggle world" - he really didn't like that term, it seemed a little insulting for some reason but he didn't know what else to say so he gritted his teeth and ignored his disquiet - "We should start out right with non magical travel."

"Are we going by car?" Ron liked car travel and although he had never needed a passport, his world having different travel arrangements, he felt a smug satisfaction that he at least knew what one was. Both Harry and Hermione had them.

"No Mr Weasley" replied Severus in his best condescending tone, a tone born of years of teaching little wizards. "We will need to fly and cars do not fly."

"My dad'[s car does." Harry nodded his agreement at Ron's declaration.

"Quite." The acerbic reply told a suddenly blushing Weasley that Snape, too, remembered the case of the Ford Anglia and the willow tree. Ron decided against further comment.

"So" continued Buck as though the interruption had never happened "Hermione and Harry will need to pack... preferably something a little less, er, cloaky guys. The only time you won't look out of place in one of those things is on halloween. And you'll need permission from your folks."

Hermione nodded happily. Her parents were pretty easy going and trusted Remus to look out for her while Harry shrugged amicably. His aunt and uncle would agree to anything that let them pretend that he didn't exist and he had a passport from the time they had been forced to take him with them to Spain. Who knew that orphanages didn't take temporary guests.

Chris's added reminder that Draco and Ron would need passports and that Ron would need permission was cut off half way through the several suggestions on how to obtain the not quite legal documents by an hurrumph from across the table. They watched as with a tap and a muttered word the two tea cups in front of Snape disappeared and two new British passports sat in their place.

Draco, on being asked by Chris, assured the ATF leader that he would have no trouble in purchasing new clothes, the concensus being that it would be unwise for him to return home so soon, but his attention was focused on the small picture in his passport. 'Fascinating', he mused as the picture failed to move; he shook the book to no effect.

"If you need money" Remus offered.

Draco smiled, a little sadly Hermione thought, as he assured the wizard of his financial security. "One thing that a Malfoy never lacks is money."

'But what do you lack Draco' Hermione thought, her view of her childhood enemy had been turned on it's head this afternoon and she was curious as to what really made the slytherin tick. Perhaps this trip would give them all a chance to get to know their rival better. She certainly hoped so... she might even get a decent conversation for once if they could stop themselves from flinging insults at each other for five minutes. It was no secret that she and Draco were the two top students of their year. Of course Ron and Harry were convinced that it was favouritism that got Malfoy his grades, especially with Snape in potions but she had seen his methodical potions work and had listened to him give answers in other classes. That was something you couldn't fake. It might be nice to have a conversation about something other than quidditch for a change.

"Um, Chris?" Even JD, not the most sensitive to the emotions of others, could sense the discomfort that the question had caused the young wizard and took the opportunity to change the subject and bring up a little matter that seemed to have escaped the team leader's attention.

"What JD?"

"Well since we arrived here by magic... how are we going to get back - we don't have our passports with us either."

"Hot damn!" Buck slapped his own forehead and Chris blushed - a rare event.

"Professor Snape" he muttered "Could you possibly..."

At Chris's request more teacups vanished to be replaced by little books... and then they disappeared to be replaced by American documents as Lupin whispered in his colleague's ear. A blushing Snape was an even rarer occurrence.

M*M*M*

"No magic at all?" Draco looked faintly disturbed as he gazed out the observation window at the very large aircraft sitting on the tarmac.

Hermion shook her head confirming his fear.

"Then how does it... you know... stay up?" He pointed upward, his long elegant fingers waving an abstract pattern.

Hermione's five minute lecture on the principals of flight reduced his oncoming terror but only because his brain had begun to shut down in self-preservation.

Harry, felt an unexpected burst of sympathy for his childhood enemy - he had been at the sharp end of many a Hermione lecture. He should think himself lucky that she hadn't gotten started on the mistreatment of house elves yet. Just in case she did he grabbed Draco's arm and pulled him away toward the shopping area. Any animosity Draco felt at being manhandled by Harry vanished at the mention of the magic word - shopping!

Chris was thankful that Josiah seemed to be acting a little more like his normal self. His organisational skills had been much in demand. Busting a nationwide arms ring was never as difficult as trying to get seven adults and four teenagers onto a flight when one of the adults kept muttering about a lack of air sickness potions and the four kids were combining their magical talents to adapt a spell for holding objects in the air, wini-something levito-sa or some such silly name - just in case the 'injuns' failed, Draco had advised. And this from a boy who thought that flying through the air at a hundred miles an hour on an oversized stick was safe!

Josiah was surprised to realise that he hadn't thought of his charges as unnatural or evil for several hours now. He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing but looking at the youngsters, not much younger than Hannah had been, he couldn't bring himself to denounce their souls, not without surely losing his own.

M*M*M*M

Chris wasn't prepared to even guess or ask how Ezra had managed to upgrade the entire party to first class - not all of the southern man's talents were supernatural in origin - he decided to just sit back, easier with the extra leg room, and enjoy it. He glanced around at the very mixed bunch and relaxed as he saw that everyone was seemingly occupied contentedly or asleep. He did notice that Snape and Remus were taking turns in keeping a watch over the children. That wasn't surprising considering that they were teachers but he knew that it was more than that. Their watchfulness had the same quality as his did when on a mission or back in his SEAL days. It was a chilling reminder that these new friends were at war.

Looking away he spotted Vin and Ezra talking quietly, shoulders touching the only sign, to those who were aware, of their emotional closeness. He felt a little sorry for them; they needed time alone, God knows that when he was courting Sarah he would done pretty much anything for every precious hour spent alone with her. But all this business had been a rollercoaster ride with no getting off mid run. He hoped that they would be able to get more quality time back home and that Vin's need to claim his soulmate could wait until then. He smirked to himself; they were headed to the mile high city - not the mile high club, although if Buck didn't stop chatting up that stewardess one of them might be earning his badge before they landed. He snorted; who was he kidding? Buck probably had frequent mile high flyer points already!

The flight went without any problems and Harry was a bit disappointed that they hadn't gotten to try their adapted Wingardium Leviosa spell. Still he had had a really good chat with JD and had been amazed at just how out of touch he had become with modern muggle technology. Having left that world when he was eleven it wasn't surprising but he would bet, he thought, as he held a slim dark red device in his hand, that there weren't many kids today who didn't get their first mobile phone until they were sixteen - and had to have even the most basic of it's functions explained to him. It had also surprised him how quickly Draco had caught on, after all at least he had known what a mobile was; the pureblood didn't even understand the concept of the telephone. He sighed as Ron shot him another petulant glare. Ron had refused the blond's gift of a phone stating that because the giver was a Malfoy the device was probably evil. That was ridiculous and Harry felt insulted that Ron had so little trust, not in Draco which was understandable given their history, but in his best friend. Harry had been with the slytherin when he had purchased the phones for them all - it had been a nice gesture... and that was a weird concept in itself - a nice Malfoy. He chuckled at the sight of Snape peering at the small screen of his own phone. The saving grace of the thing, according to Snape, was that it was black. He then sighed as, by the hurt look on Ron's face, he had misconstrued the laugh to being directed at him. Honestly! He wished that his friend would grow up.

Any other musings were forgotten as they disembarked. They had arrived. They were in Denver, Colorado. A place where nobody knew him as the boy who lived. It was exhilarating...he was a normal boy, at least for the next couple of weeks.

Chris prayed to every God he knew as they went through passport control and at the total lack of suspicion or concern from security went on to thank those same deities that Snape was on HIS side and had no ambitions in the gun running department. He craned his neck to look over the sea of people around him looking for the one person he had figured would be able to organise things from this end with an efficient military precision - and spotting that diminutive person was proving impossible until Vin pointed to a speck in the distance. Sentinel eyesight was a blessing.

There she was. Tougher than Vin's beef jerky snacks and more weathered than the landscape she blended into. Older than Methuselah, at least according to her, and honorary den mother to seven ornery overgrown trouble magnets - also according to her.

Nettie Wells.

M*M*M*M*

To say that Nettie Wells had been surprised to receive a call from Chris Larabee in England was an understatement; she hadn't even known that they had left the country! To hear that he needed her help preparing for six visitors including four teenagers had, quite frankly, rocked her. There was more to all of this than just hosting a visit by friends of his late wife she reckoned but she wasn't one to pry and if she needed to know more she would be told. And there had to be more because her adopted 'son' Vin Tanner had also gone off without telling her and that was something the caring young man would never do without good reason.

She gave the newcomers a once-over as they collected their baggage and had to conclude that they were a peculiar bunch. The two men she had been introduced to as Professors looked like they had lived harder lives than sitting at a desk but instinct told her not to press for details. She didn't think she would get far with the man, Snape, who seemed to be even more enamoured with the color black than Larabee, going by his suit, tie and shirt which were all singularly dark, had that stand-offish quality that she always associated with the British... and green eyed undercover agents... but the Professor's was taken to the nth degree while his companion was as self-effacing as the other was arrogant but with a bone deep tiredness about him that concerned her. Yes indeed, life had not been kind to Remus Lupin. Such strange names, although Ezra was hardly the norm these days for baby names. She had a hard time believing that Ezra Standish had ever been a baby unlike the four teenagers before her, looking round in wonderment... and they hadn't even left the airport yet!

The children were also a strange bunch but extremely polite and considerate, not letting her lift any cases. She detected a slight air of tension but put it down to nerves; Chris had told her when he phoned to make arrangements that some of the kids had never travelled to the States before. The young woman, Hermione, was a delightful girl and she resisted the urge to chuckle as she ordered the boys about like a mother hen... reminded her of herself as a young'un. The red-headed boy seemed to have issues with the blond who was as near to terrified by the look of it as a tourist could be outside of a war zone. And the most relaxed one, she noted, was the black haired lad who had the most unusual scar on his forehead. She would bet there was a story behind that.

"Well people, If'n you come with me we can get going. You'll be staying at Chris's place for tonight but it'll be a squeeze. Figure we can work something better out tomorrow. My niece Casey is there getting everything ready. She's real eager to meet you all and has plenty of ideas for places to go and things to see."

The group nodded and verbalised their thanks and followed like a line of obedient ducklings as the small woman led them to the waiting cars. Everything was loaded up and they were soon on their way. She sat in the front passenger seat while Chris drove and with a bemused rubbing of her ear decided that she needed to get them de-waxed as the blond couldn't possibly have just asked Hermione why the horses in the field they were passing didn't have wings!

TBC

A/N Well they did get there - just! But I figure that nearly four and a half thousand words is enough for one chapter. Next chapter will have bonding between most of the kids and some sightseeing. And maybe poor Vin & Ez will get to talk. And Nathan still has to be dealt with.


	10. Chapter 10

The Magical and the Magnificent chapter 10

Disclaimer: Neither the magnificent 7 nor the world of Harry Potter belong to me.

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Draco was determined to keep an open mind. All the years of indoctrination his father had subjected him to, the shared pureblood snobbery of his fellow Slytherins, the fact that he was sitting in a muggle vehicle between two of his worst enemies - well none of that made it easy. But then Draco had decided fairly recently that he didn't much like easy. Being rich had it's plus points and he wouldn't want to be poor but there was something to be said for achievement. Knowing that your school results were the result of hard work and innate intelligence rather than pressure on the teachers by a powerful parent. The achievement of deceiving his father - that had been a sweet moment and worth the pain, and now the achievement of not only meeting muggles without a panic attack, well maybe a little one, but being treated like an equal to the golden trio by these Americans, something that would never happen back in his own world. Perhaps it was a sign that he didn't have to be as hated as his father, or as evil, to survive. Perhaps he could even in some way help the side of light because he may be the Malfoy scion; he may have been brought up to believe in pureblood superiority and all it's attendant prejudices, not that all pureblood aims were as bigoted as the light liked to make out, but he wasn't idiot enough to follow the deranged and dangerous self-styled Lord Voldermort with his psychotic ramblings and ludicrous aims at magic world domination. Then he heard another derogatory comment slyly directed his way by one Ronald Weasley and he sighed. Yes he would keep an open mind. As open as a window - a window which he might one day happily shove the red headed git out of... from a great height. Defenestration... such a lovely word.

"Defenestration?"

"Pardon?" Draco was startled by Hermione's quiet query and then he blushed... Good Merlin had he spoken out loud?

Hermione was about to repeat her question because random words spoken with such passion made her curious but then she noticed the rosy blush on the pale cheeks and the almost guilty glance towards...

"Oh!"

Well, mused Draco, she wasn't known as the smartest witch of our age for nothing. Just about to apologise his mouth dropped open in shock as instead of getting angry Hermione giggled!

"I know" she whispered "I've wanted to do that many a time myself." At the look of shock on the blond's face she laughed again. "Gryffindor common room IS up the top of a tower you know. Sometimes after one too many conversations about the joys of Quidditch it's almost irresistible to see how well he flies without his broom."

Before Draco could quell the shock and a strange sense of excitement at sharing a moment of normality with a supposed enemy the call came from the front seat that they had reached their destination.

Harry Potter looked around him in awe. He couldn't believe that he was on a proper American ranch. It might not have been a big working ranch with massive herds of cattle but it had horses and a corral and he was taken immediately back to his childhood and one of the few times he had been allowed to watch tv with the rest of the family. Old western movies on a sunday afternoon. He almost laughed as Ron gave him an odd look - he obviously didn't get the cultural thrill, being from the magical world as he was, but he did catch an air of excitement from Hermione, not that he could imagine a young 'Mione watching westerns but she did love new people and new places. She had been just as new to the magical world as he was on their first trip to Hogwarts but hadn't so much as batted an eyelid at the strangeness of it all and it didn't surprise him to see her pointing details out to Malfoy; no way would she be able to resist playing teacher. He wasn't sure how he felt about her sudden lack of antagonism toward their so-called enemy... he wasn't sure how he felt about the sudden distinct lack of evilness from the peroxide pest either. He shook his head and decided to go with the flow, it usually worked for him, after a fashion, and it made a change from worrying about getting killed before lunch.

"This way children, follow me." Nettie's cry was obeyed immediately as not only the children but the adults, too, followed along like obedient little ducklings.

"Hey pard" Buck hung back a little to catch Chris' attention. He still couldn't believe that he'd gone across an ocean by magic, flown back and had brought back the oddest collection of souvenirs since the penguin he'd smuggled out of the zoo when he was nine.

"Strangest couple of days ever huh?" Chris sounded faintly bemused at his own part in events.

Buck nodded at that statement. "And it's gonna get stranger I reckon... which is why I think we ought to fill Nettie in on everything."Chris frowned thoughtfully. He hadn't wanted to involve Nettie in what could prove to be a dangerous world but Buck was right. There was no way they were going to keep the truth from her especially as she had agreed to take in Hermione for the duration... It seemed that her slightly old fashioned sensibilities became unsettled at the idea of a young girl sharing accommodations with grown men no matter how totally she trusted them. He suspected that it was impressionable young girls that she didn't altogether trust. But then it had only been a couple of weeks since she had found her nineteen year old niece, Casey, in the barn with JD doing a little more than feeding the horses.

"I think you're right Buck." Buck beamed at his friend's agreement. His happy face faded as he realised that his Boss was smiling.. ooh that was never good.

"And since it was your idea you can be the one to tell her." With a slap to the back Chris left Buck standing in the doorway doing a passable impression of a goldfish.

"Aw heck!"

Hermione had to admit that she was glad to see another girl and Casey had been very welcoming. It seemed she would be sharing a room with her at Mrs Wells the next day and for the duration of her stay. It unsettled her for a moment; she wasn't used to being separated from her friends unless she was home with family but then she remembered how annoying Ron and Harry were being lately and figured she would enjoy the change.

"So anyway it's a bit short notice but I've made a list of places you might like to visit while you're here... and the guys too of course. Do you ride? because we have horses that you can use and there's some of the best riding in the State... sorry I tend to babble when I'm nervous and I've never met anyone from England before. I guess Ezra is the closest. He went to school there for a while... some place called Eton, do you know it?"

Hermione nearly choked on her orange juice but merely nodded. Eton was one of the country's most prestigious boarding schools. There were certainly hidden depths to her new friends.

"Okay boys. Harry and Ron this will be your room, hope it's okay."

Both boys thanked JD and Ron looked round the plainly furnished but clean room with it's twin beds and fellytone on the bedside table. He had been worried for a moment that they would have to share with the ferret but it seemed that the Americans were beginning to see sense because both Malfoy and his slimy git of a Godfather would be housed in the peculiar new wizard's house. Larabee obviously didn't trust any of the Slytherins or would -be Slytherins around his friends.

"It's great JD thanks for going to all this trouble."

"It's our pleasure Harry. Listen I'll show you how to use the computer later and you can see if there's anywhere in Denver you particularly want to go... Casey's been talking about Spas and shopping malls." He and Harry shared a look of male solidarity while Ron looked confused but aware that somehow Spas and shopping malls went against the male psyche. There were some truths that were universal.

M&M M&M

As everyone was assigned rooms for the night and Buck followed Nettie to the kitchen which was already producing delicious smells Nathan contemplated the visitors and his feelings towards them. He certainly hadn't expected Chris to return with children. It was hard to hate kids no matter what their origin. Heck it was even hard to hate Ezra despite the fact that he drove him crazy, tilted his whole moral compass and now that his magic had been discovered filled him with a sense of jealousy that both angered and shamed him. Angered because if it had been himself that had been blessed with that power he could have helped so many people and done so much good for the world whereas no doubt Ezra would use it for personal gain. And the shame he felt was because of that very same thought and knowing deep down that he was doing the southerner a injustice simply because of his own feelings of inadequacy. But he couldn't help it; seeing these people who could do magic as though it were as simple as breathing brought back memories of his own childhood and the disappointment in the magical side of the family as they had to face the unpleasant fact that they had produced a squib. From that point nothing he could do was good enough; oh not for his parents or his half sisters from his father's first marriage who being muggles didn't carry the taint of failure that his mother's family had seen in him or judge others on the same basis, but for his grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and cousins. They had given him and his mother hell and he had watched their hatred steal the life and soul from his mother like a Dementor's kiss until she had taken her own life. To this day he had hated the kind who had destroyed a very important part of his life. His hatred had only grown when he had seen how easily the black haired professor had eased Ezra's suffering with magical potions. All the training he had undergone, all his dedication seemed to be for nothing. All the times he had watched his team mates suffer either at the scene or in some hospital and had been able to do so little for them... and all because he had been born a failure.

It was at that moment that he realised that his true hatred was of himself and he felt guilty that he had been taking it out on the others. One of Nathan Jackson's greatest strengths, not that he was aware of it himself, being a modest man, was his ability to acknowledge his faults and, more importantly, do something about them. He looked again with a fresh eye at the visitors around him, not being quite up to facing his feelings towards Ezra yet. Three teenagers with all the excitement of teenagers all over the world... and excellent manners, and another who stood slightly apart and seemed entirely bewildered. Nathan had become an expert at reading body language in his time with Team 7. Lord knew that if he hadn't his charges could bleed out while declaring quite convincingly that they were fine! And body language was saying that the new group had another Ezra on their hands. The platinum blond kid was aloof, scared but covering it well and insatiably curious. He felt a pang of guilt as he had instinctively connected Ezra with fear and put it to one side to deal with later. He couldn't help but chuckle as the boy who had been introduced to him as Draco Malfoy by Buck and 'the evil bouncing ferret' by the red headed Ronald Weasley for reasons he didn't know although he was pretty sure that there was no love lost there, cautiously approached the light switch that JD had just flipped in the next room. He watched as the boy stared at the lightbulb and then the switch... back and forth, back and forth before tentatively pressing the switch off and then on again. Nathan immediately felt bad that he had chuckled because the boy blushed and hung his head. Pushing aside his own issues he approached the boy he had embarrassed.

"Sorry Draco I didn't mean to offend you, I guess electricity is something we take for granted and it's odd to see it through someone else's eyes... may I call you Draco?

"Please do Mr Jackson." Draco didn't let his nervousness show. This was the first time he had been, to all intents and purposes, alone with one of the Americans and while the man was not quite a muggle he was still an unknown quantity.

"It's an unusual name... Draco." Nathan could ask himself why the heck he had chosen the most skittish wizard for his first friendly contact but he had to admit that like the rest of the seven he never did anything the easy way if he could help it.

"It means dragon... not ferret no matter what some might say" The slight twitch of the lips told Nathan that this serious young man probably had a dry wit but from the glares that he was receiving from a certain redhead he seldom had the chance to use it. He winced as he wondered just how many times he had given Ezra that self same look.

"I'm a squib." Nathan didn't know what made him make that confession to a total stranger, let alone a teenage boy who from his manner was probably a rich pureblood but as he said it his pride forced him to stand straight and tall and make eye contact with the silver - grey eyed blond.

Draco knew that he was expected to react with horror. It was pretty obvious to anyone with even a limited experience of the magical world that he was a pureblood and as the name suggested blood meant everything to his class - except that he had seen enough blood spilled in his few turbulent years and had come to the conclusion that blood was blood; not that he'd ever tell his father that.

Nathan was surprised by the lack of reaction, he had expected a little more... hysterics to be honest.

"Yes Agent Jackson, and I am a pureblood... worse, I am a Malfoy. But I am beginning to learn that there is more to being a man than that which we learn from our parents."

Nathan had a feeling that there was quite a story there but that this wasn't the time or the place. Instead he gave the nervous young wizard a bright smile and offered to explain the inner mysteries of electricity.

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Nettie bustled through to the kitchen alone to get supper ready. She had a feeling that she wouldn't stay that way for long. Something was definitely going on. Chris Larabee didn't dash off over the ocean at no notice and come back with a bunch of interesting but very odd people for no reason and that reason had to be a doozy. She couldn't wait for an explanation and as the door to the kitchen creaked open... she would have to remind Chris to get that hinge oiled... and Buck stepped in, removing his hat and nervously twiddling it in his hands. Nettie resisted the urge to laugh; he looked like a schoolboy called to the principals office.

"Here you go Buck, make yerself useful and pop these biscuits into the oven for me."

"Yes ma'am" Buck dropped his stetson onto a nearby chair and hastened to comply. He ignored the little voice inside his head that accused him of delaying tactics.

"And then you can tell me exactly what's going on here."

'Damn!'

Hermione had been given the tour of the ranch house by Casey and had rejoined the others who had gathered in the living room. Ron was discovering the delights of Hersheys while Harry was engrossed in a coffee table book on the natural wonders of Colorado. She couldn't quite work out what Draco was up to until he peered round the back of the television presumably to see where the characters on the screen were going to - she stifled a giggle, she thought it was adorable. She cast a quick look towards Ron to make sure that he hadn't seen the gesture. For some reason she couldn't fathom the idea of her childhood friend taunting her childhood enemy didn't appeal.

"Do you think that we fooled Lucius Severus? You know him better than most and the last thing we need is Voldemort spreading his wings in this direction."

Snape pursed his lips and thought carefully about Professor Lupin's question before answering. Lupin wasn't the only one wanting an answer to that question as the other adults gathered round the pair.

"Lucius Malfoy is a difficult man to fool but he has a blind spot where muggles are concerned... his own ideas of wizard and pureblood superiority will not allow him to think that he could be outwitted. And Voldemort while being very powerful is still heavily reliant on his deatheaters for information; I doubt he is aware of any of you as more than a blip on his horizon."

As the teenagers were drawn into the world of gaming and the adults continued to discuss the politics of the magical world Buck was endeavouring to explain the unexplainable.

Nettie Wells had made sure all was going well with the dinner before sitting opposite Buck to hear his story. She was intrigued; Buck wasn't by any means a reticent man but he was obviously stumped on how to begin.

"Just tell it straight Buck... no point in pussyfooting around."

So Buck did. He hadn't known quite what to expect but hearty laughter surely wasn't it.

"Lord Buck but you do have a vivid imagination. Ezra a wizard and all those children wizardlets... evil plotting and Sarah was a witch!"

Buck wasn't sure if there was such a word as wizardlets but he wasn't going to be the one to call her on it. But as for the rest, well he'd expected horror or confusion, even disbelief but the actual reality of that disbelief was hard to tackle. How the heck did you tell Nettie Wells that she was wrong? A sudden creak of the door brought an unexpected answer to his prayers.

"Hello, can I help? The boys are busy killing monsters on the playstation and I'm not seeing the thrill."

"Hermione love, just the person I need. I was wondering if you could help me convince Nettie here that magic is real... she's having a little trouble with..."

"Buck Wilmington! Don't you dare use our young guest in your practical joke. It's bad manners and I thought you knew better."

Hermione bit her lip in amusement at the puppy eyed look Buck was sending her. How could she refuse such a plea.

"Mrs Wells... I have to say that Buck has been telling you the truth" she saw the downturn in the old lady's mouth and forged on before she could be shot down. "It's really not a practical joke and I can prove it!"

Nettie was at a loss. She was a practical sort of woman but she was also a good judge of character and possessed of an open mind so she gestured to Hermione to proceed. It would be interesting to see what trick the pair had planned if nothing else.

Interesting wasn't the word for it. Nettie watched opened mouthed as the young Brit pulled a stick from her skirt and waved it at the washing up waiting in the sink muttering a few words in a language that wasn't english. The result had her jumping to her feet and then just as promptly sitting back down again. The washing up was doing itself!

"Good Lord!"

Buck was suddenly worried that he'd gone too far. Nettie was no spring chicken. But he hadn't reckoned with her pioneering spirit. Or her sharp mind.

"My dear" she turned to Hermione and patted her on the shoulder, "You can help in my kitchen anytime!"

With the tension suddenly released Buck went on to explain about the wizarding war and Ezra's sudden and dramatic discovery of his heritage, his creation of the meadow and the near death experience that preceded it. He didn't mention Vin and Ezra's fledgling relationship. He felt the poor woman had been through enough shocks for one day. Hermione then stepped in and explained about meeting the team in Diagon Alley and Draco's treatment at the hands of his father. Nettie was alternately shocked and downright angry that a father could treat his son in such a fashion or that a boy as young as Harry could be seen as a weapon in a war.

Another creak of hinges heralded Chris's entry into his kitchen and one glance at the group and the Disneyesque scene at the sink told him that the deed had been done. He gulped as Nettie gave him a look that said that she knew he'd passed the buck... to Buck, and that there would be consequences.

"Well Christopher!" He waited for the flack. "Dinner is just about ready so why don't you get our guests in here. Young Harry and Draco are nothing but skin and bone, they need some good home cooking inside them."

Chris nodded and left the room. That little speech had told him two things. Firstly that she was saving her scolding for later so she could do a proper job of making him feel like he was five years old. And secondly that she had taken the children under her wing and Harry and Draco especially. He grinned as he made his way back to the living room. With Nettie protecting them Voldemort had better crawl back under his rock because she was scarier than any witch.

TBC

A/N Next chapter the tourists go sightseeing and maybe Vin & Ez will finally get time to have that little talk.


	11. Chapter 11

The Magical and the Magnificent

Disclaimer: Don't own. Life isn't fair.

A/N Sorry for the long delay and lack of replies to emails but my computer died at New Years and unlike Ezra I'm not rich enough to pop out and buy a new one so its taken this long to save, buy and get used to this laptop. Hope you enjoy and sorry if I generalize a little but all my research and part finished chapter were lost with the old computer (I know, should have backed up!)

Draco woke after a surprisingly sound sleep. Of course he had cast protection wards around his bed and alarms at both door and window but he wouldn't have put it past his father to have changed his mind and sent one of his deatheater assassins after him. It didn't do to underestimate Lucius Malfoy, not even if you were the only son and heir to both name and fortune. Both his parents were still young enough to produce a replacement and had already proved themselves to be ruthless in that department though the doctors had put his brother's death, the brother he had never met, who had died before he had been born and who just coincidently had been born deaf, down to 'natural causes'. Nothing at all to do with being an imperfect specimen. He knew that there were those including Potter and Granger who ridiculed him for his constant striving for perfection but they didn't realise that his very life could depend on it.

It was just one more thing that he hated Weasley for. As a fellow pureblood he must have been aware of the dangers of being an imperfect scion even if his own family didn't follow the darker pureblood practices yet he had never once corrected the others incorrect assumptions… well almost incorrect. He had to admit that he was a bit of a vain git… though only to himself and his magical mirror. Strangely enough that very hatred he had of Weasley's deception was also the root of his jealousy of the Weasley family as a whole (though not Ron who was completely insufferable in Draco's opinion). That caring family bond that was so rare in pureblood families was like watching a banquet from outside the window and being unable to join in. It was what might have been… if only. Draco didn't cry at the thought of his dead brother even though he had endured a lonely childhood, he had learned years ago not to cry, but he did take the lesson on board hence the added security. And on top of the ever present potential threat of death he wouldn't put it past the Weasel to have some nasty ideas up his sleeve. When it came to pranks Ron had a vicious streak that neither of his twin brothers Fred and George possessed. Both the joke shop owning twins created their jokes from a position of wanting to spread fun whereas Ron's aim was humiliation and pain – at least where he and other Slytherins were concerned. It saddened the heir of Malfoy that he understood Ron's reasoning better than Fred and Georges.

Shaking off his attack of melancholy Draco rose and gazed out the window at the impressive and unfamiliar scenery. A glance at the other bed immediately informed him that his Godfather was already up and about. Not surprising since he sometimes wondered if the potions professor ever really slept. Insomnia was a hazard of the profession… potions, not teaching. Some brews needed attention at specific times and an eye of newt added at the wrong moment could prove disastrous. It was the only part of potions that he hated but he'd already decided upon it as a career… imminent war, death and family obligations such as an arranged marriage and estate management notwithstanding so he supposed that insomnia was an inevitability. He quashed the little voice in his head that pointed out that he really had only two destinies open to him… serve Voldemort or die and headed to the ensuite bathroom for his morning ablutions. He only had an hour until breakfast – hardly enough time to fix his hair let alone anything else!

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To say that Ezra was surprised when he was forcibly dragged into the linen closet by a strange pair of hands would be an understatement, he hadn't even known that Chris had a linen closet! However as a seasoned undercover agent he was always expecting the unexpected and it wasn't as though he had never been the victim of an attempted kidnapping…. It WAS the first time that his assailant had pinned him to a wall and proceeded to kiss him though… well there was that cougar wife of a mafia style crook who took a strange liking to his undercover persona that one time. The instinct to fight these particular attentions or change and rip his attacker to shreds quickly died however as his soul immediately recognized its soulmate and responded accordingly.

"V…Vin, we mustn't. Guests. House. Chris….. mmmm!"

Several moments later Ezra tried again.

"Vin! Get a hold of yourself… VIN! Yourself Ah said!"

Buck, sent to the linen closet for a drying cloth grinned and carried on walking – the dishes could dry themselves, quite literally given their guests. He grinned at the positive romantic vibes emanating from behind the closed door and his mustache quivered. There were times when he absolutely loved being an empath.

Back in their make-do love nest Vin finally broke away from trying to inspect his mate's tonsils. "Sorry Ez, but I was gonna go crazy if'n I had to wait any longer. Seems we never get time alone so I thought mebbe I could make some." Before Ezra had a chance to reply a look of anguish crossed the Texan's face. "Hell Ez, I'm sorry, I never even asked if you wanted me in this way… maybe you feel you have to… You've had so much happening lately, I just took it for granted that you'd feel the same way but maybe…"

Ezra was a man of words. Indeed he would quite happily use ten words where one would do but in this case, seeing the distress bloom on the face of the man he had come to love, he kept his words to a minimum while conveying everything he needed and wanted to say.

"Mr Tanner!" The sharp tone and use of his last name interrupted Vin's flow of thought and haunted blue eyes met their twinkling pale jade counterparts.

"Of course I want you, you idiot! Now shut up and kiss me."

Vin beamed once more and closed in on his mate to reacquaint himself with those lips. Just before he made contact, however, a beautifully manicured hand stayed his action.

"Vin."

"Yeah Ez?" Had he changed his mind already?

"The name is Ezra… Ez – Ra."

"Sure Ez."

"Ah give up!"

Vin chuckled. "'Bout time."

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"Okay gang, so have we decided where we want to go today?"

As expected Nettie's enquiry was met with a verbal riot of ideas, some of which showed a little lack of understanding of non magical customs and society.

"I'd like to see a muggle quidditch game."

"It's called 'base the ball'"

"That's baseball you idiot, and it's nothing like quidditch."

In between Ron, Harry and Hermione's argument came suggestions of 'a general sightseeing tour' a trip to a National Park; riding and stopping all other voices dead in their tracks Draco's polite yet hesitant pureblood tones.

"Miss Casey has mentioned a phenomena called the spa and I saw an advertisement for one that claims to be able to do for a person what we wizards have only ever used spells and potions for. I would be intrigued to see whether their claims can be substantiated."

The momentary shock soon wore off and once again voices were raised. Harry, Snape, Lupin, Chris and Buck (being the only two humans who couldn't dredge up a prior commitment excuse for the morning) instantly saw the implications of Draco's innocent suggestion and protested accordingly in a united male solidarity as did Ron who though he hadn't the vaguest idea what a spa was didn't want to do anything that a Malfoy did on principal. However despite their garbled objections to a morning of pampering the men knew that they had lost the battle the moment Casey and Hermione uttered a synchronized squeal of delight and began planning while assuring the men and Draco in particular that they wouldn't be disappointed. The members of the seven who had escaped the terrible fate held in their mirth at the look of horror on their leader's face and the sudden realization on Buck's that where there were Spas there were women. Ezra blushed and handed the girls his members card to Denver's top spa, his glare rivalling Chris's as chuckles drifted his way.

Giving in to the inevitable Chris shrugged and decided that he could always threaten the staff with his badge (his gun being a little over the top even for him…probably) if they came too close with the wax strips. Promising everyone a trip out to a baseball game next day seemed to restore macho equilibrium for the most part until Ron was informed of just what a spa was and flatly refused to go.

"Don't worry I'll stay with Ron and we can explore the city together – after all I doubt that even such a well respected establishment can do much to beautify a werewolf."

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To say that Remus Lupin, who had spent most of his life being shunned for his lycanthrope status, was shocked by the rather awed and definitely not unfriendly reaction from the muggles was an understatement.

"So do you change at the full moon or can you change at will?" JD received a slap across his baseball cap for his intrusive question but Remus didn't mind he just wasn't sure that they understood that he was a monster, at least in the eyes of magical law – or a legendary creature as the statute books called him, along with the ogres, fairies, vampires, veelas and the rest. Not that they were all treated the same within that law. While both weres and vampires were shunned and in the case of vampires who were their base selves all the time whereas werewolves only lost their minds so to speak once a month (and not even that with the wolfsbane potion now available) were not tolerated to live if discovered, having veela blood in the family was less objectionable, probably because most veela genes were to be found in purebloods Remus mused cynically casting a surreptitious eye at the platinum haired and silver eyed Malfoy – a dead giveaway with blonds being the least common hair colour among magicals and platinums only usually found in the veela royal line. Still it was hardly the young Malfoy's fault that he had inherited the veela good looks of whichever genetic donor had slipped into the family mix several hundred years ago and he wasn't going to spend the next hour explaining the attitudes of his people towards those who were different. So he smiled and answered the question set.

"Control for werewolves has always been somewhat of a holy grail but we have a potion that prevents us from becoming feral at the full moon, so I assure you that none of you is in any danger from me."

"Never thought we were Professor Lupin" Nettie huffed, as though to presume that having a werewolf about the place was anything other than normal was an insult. Nettie took most things in her stride and she'd already judged the gentle professor and found him to be a good man.

Harry was a little confused. He had spent almost half his life in the magical world and the rest in the muggle one and both had less than tolerant attitudes to werewolves. At least the fictional ones in the case of humans and he had always presumed that if muggles knew they were real they would react the same as magicals but they weren't. He himself adored Remus and looked up to him as both a mentor and a friend but even he was terrified of the werewolf when it was let loose. It made him realise that not all the influences of his elders had necessarily been good… though even Remus would caution against underestimating the wolf inside. And the likes of Remus were few and far between, most weres being on the side of the dark.

Josiah, seeing the confusion and worry on the children's faces quickly stepped in. Obviously preconceptions were being challenged and he didn't want the situation to deteriorate into a discussion that might spoil Lupin's welcome. Having decided that he wasn't as anti magic as he had been he realised that he rather liked the shabby professor who had obviously had a hard life like so many of the people he tried to help.

"After your trip to the spa perhaps some of you would like to join me in a trip to the zoo. I'm sure that we can find some animals to interest you, even if we don't have any flying horses" And what kid can resist animals he thought. These kids needed something normal in their lives for once.

With Nettie adding the idea of a picnic the day was set and Draco eeped in a distinctly un-Malfoy like way as Casey and Hermione grabbed an arm each and marched him out to the cars… he had a strange feeling that he had just been made an honorary girl!

Harry chuckled until Hermione reached out and swept him up into line. He exchanged a nervous look with Draco and for once there was no malice involved. Hermione looked smug. It was a start.

Ron trailed along behind and fumed silently. He didn't like this at all. He was going to have to owl his Dad about this new development.

TBC


End file.
