Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Draco Malfoy muttered a prodigious stream of curse words as he climbed onto the back of the injured dragon and tried to remember exactly how he had ended up in this predicament.
xxx - One Week Earlier
Draco checked the items tucked inside his slightly battered satchel one last time as he glanced around and nervously knocked on the door to the Minister's office.
It was still a rare occurrence for him to leave the security of his secluded cottage, preferring the solitude of his property in the country to the stares and awkward conversation that usually accompanied an appearance in public. At best his social interactions during those times were uncomfortable. At worst they could be downright hostile.
The resentment directed towards Draco and his family came as no surprise to him. The Malfoys had been known Death Eaters in both wars. The second time they had not only supported Voldemort but their home had ultimately served as the Dark Lord's base of operations. Even before that, Draco had not exactly been on a mission to win a wide variety of friends during his time at school. The few people he had been close to in his youth had either perished in the war or abandoned him when it was revealed that his beliefs weren't in line with the rest of Voldemort's followers.
Draco would be the first to admit he had been incredibly lucky that he and his mother had avoided his father's fate. Narcissa had been deported and now lived in exile in Switzerland while Draco had been sentenced to one year of house arrest and two years of community service, which (to his great relief) he had been allowed to serve somewhere other than the Manor.
He now spent most of his time scouring through the vast repository of books and artifacts he had taken from the Manor, using his skills in alchemy to research and create counterspells and antidotes to the various relics of dark magic that had captivated his father.
As part of his parole agreement Draco routinely filled out reports on his findings and forwarded them to the Ministry for review. In the past, these had always been met with a polite form letter acknowledging their receipt so it had been quite a surprise when his recent filing prompted a request for a personal meeting with the Minister of Magic himself.
The door opened and Draco was escorted inside where he found himself standing in the towering presence of Kingsley Shacklebolt. After the obligatory exchange of greetings the Minister got down to business.
"Before we proceed, Mr. Malfoy, I need to inform your participation in what I am about to share with you is completely voluntary. You can say no, walk out of here and return to life as you know it. If, however, you do accept our proposition I believe we can make it worth your while," the minister said as he handed over a stack of papers.
Draco scanned the documents and looked up in surprise. "Is this what I think it is?"
Kingsley nodded. "A full and complete pardon for both you and your mother, which means, among other things unrestricted access to travel and the chance for Narcissa to move back to Britain if she desires. A rather lucrative job with the Ministry would be yours, if you want it. Either way, it means a clean slate and freedom to pursue whatever path you like."
"Sounds too good to be true." Draco cautiously laid the papers back on the desk. "What's the catch?"
The Minister leaned back in his chair. "What do you know about the current Dragon Pox situation?"
"I know that the outbreak seems to have originated somewhere in a remote part of Eastern Europe and that it appears to be the same sort of pox that almost decimated the wizarding world centuries ago. I know it's virulent and that if current projections hold it will begin to gain a foothold in Britain within weeks. If keeps growing at the present rate then in a few months time we will almost certainly hit pandemic levels. All efforts to concoct a preventative or a cure thus far have proven unsuccessful. To date, anyone that has contracted the disease has died within a week."
The older man nodded grimly. "Are you familiar with the works of Sanare Medens?"
"I've come across the name before. From what I recall he was an ancient healer who supposedly wrote a detailed treatise on the original outbreak hundreds of years ago. Most scholars agree that he was the one who developed the only known cure for this strain but it has since been lost to history."
"Correct. Legend has it that his process for brewing the potion was housed in the library at Alexandria. Before it's destruction the scroll was 'liberated' by a petty thief named Cucullo who sold it to a man named Pertento. Even back in his day Pertento would have been described as 'old school'. He believed that knowledge should only be shared with those who prove themselves 'deserving' of it. The scroll containing the cure was passed down in that family until the line was about to die out. Following Pertento's instructions, the last heir reportedly hid it inside a cave located in a remote region of Eastern Europe - a cave which is supposedly guarded by a series of tests so the seeker could prove their worth."
"That's a lot of legends and suppositions," said Draco.
"So we thought. But recently we uncovered a source with promising information regarding the potential location of both the cave and the scroll."
"Really? How fortuitous. Who is this deliverer that shall save us all?"
Kingsley slid a second file across the desk. When Draco opened it the first thing he saw was a photo. It took a moment for it to register who the subject was since she wasn't wearing radish earrings, outlandish eyewear or an extravagant hat.
"Merlin's Beard! You can't possibly mean to tell me you are pinning all your hopes on the claims of Looney Lovegood."
A soft voice from behind him said, "Actually, it's Looney Scamander now. Granted, it doesn't quite have the same ring to it, but you can't have everything I suppose."
Draco winced as the Minister stood and greeted the diminutive blonde witch warmly before moving towards the door. "As much as I'd love to stay and witness this touching reunion, I have a meeting that I can't reschedule so I'll leave Luna to explain the details to you."
Luna waited until Kingsley had left the room then turned to Draco and smiled. "Hello, Draco Malfoy. It's been a long time. How have you been?"
Draco didn't even try to hide the derision in his voice. "Oh, just ducky, thanks for asking. And yourself?"
If she noticed his condescending tone she chose to ignore it. "Fine, thank you. Sorry I'm late. How much has Kingsley explained about the expedition?"
"What expedition?"
"The expedition I'm leading to find Pertento's scroll."
"YOU are leading an expedition? You can't be serious."
"Why not me?"
"B-because you..."
"Because you think I'm a mentally deficient lunatic?" Luna's smile didn't waver as Draco began to splutter out a reply. "It's what you were thinking, wasn't it? Honestly, I much prefer if people just say what they actually mean, don't you? It's so much easier that way. If that's something you think you can manage, then this should work out fine. If not, that's okay as well. No hard feelings. I'll tell the Minister this will be a solo mission."
"Solo? You mean..."
Luna nodded. "Yes. The area where the scroll appears to be located is a highly disputed territory. The smaller the group the more likely we can get in and out undetected. Two was the number that the ministry settled upon, although I'm sure one would be fine with the Powers that Be."
Draco's eyes flicked to the official portrait of Shacklebolt on the wall as he wondered what kind of a mad man would send this tiny slip of a witch into the unknown by herself.
Luna made herself comfortable in one of the plush seats in front of the desk. "Now, so I won't bore you with information you already possess, please tell me what you know about Nicholas Flamel."
What the hell, Draco said to himself. As long as I'm here I might as well amuse myself. He leaned back and folded his arms.
"Nicolas Flamel was a famed wizard and alchemist. Born in Switzerland in the late 1300's and educated at Durmstrang, he is probably most well known for the creation of the Philosopher's Stone which he used to concoct an elixir which greatly extended his lifespan. He was approximately 500 years old when he destroyed the stone in 1992 in an effort to keep it from 'You Know Who'. This action meant there was no more elixir and he died shortly thereafter."
"That's quite good," said Luna. Draco smirked until she crossed her legs and continued, "Except that Flamel was French, not Swiss. He was born in the early 1300's - 1326 to be exact - and he attended Beauxbatons, not Durmstrang. Though I'm sure you knew all of that and were just testing me."
Draco shifted uncomfortably. Show off, he thought.
"And while most of what you said about the Stone was correct, you failed to mention that his decision also cost the life of Perenelle, his wife, who had been at his side for over 600 years."
Draco was grudgingly impressed. "You know of Perenelle?"
"Of course. She was not only the love of Flamel's life, she was also his colleague. Many of the notations in his private journals are in her handwriting."
"How would you know that?"
"Because I've seen them."
"And where would you have seen Nicholas Flamel's private journals?" scoffed Draco.
"In my sitting room. I own most of them," answered Luna.
"That's impossible! They were stolen years ago."
"They weren't stolen," said Luna.
"They were reported missing just after his death."
"Just because people don't know where something is doesn't mean it has been stolen, Draco. When he realized his time was running short, Flamel gave most of his personal effects to a trusted friend. It took some convincing to talk him out of just burning them. Once he was persuaded that arson wasn't the best course of action, he and Pere agreed to turn the documents over on the condition that they remain hidden unless there was a dire need. Apparently they were worried someone might once more try to recreate the stone for nefarious purposes."
She chuckled, "Flamel was quite a stubborn old bird by that point. Not to mention surprisingly strong for someone who was almost a septecentenarian."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Are you implying that you actually met Nicolas Flamel?"
"Sadly, no. He passed away when I was eleven. He was quite close with my husband's family, however. They were the ones he entrusted with his books and personal journals."
"That begs another question. You've got a new name and mentioned a husband. Where is he? Doesn't he mind his wife setting off on some expedition with another man?"
"Seeing as how he died almost a year ago, I don't think it he'll complain too awfully much."
Damn, Draco thought. The name finally registered as he vaguely recalled a distant headline. "Luna Scamander. You were married to Rolf Scamander? Grandson of...."
"Newt Scamander. Author of 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'. Yes. That was him."
"My condolences. I didn't realize that you and he..."
"Really? How refreshing. At least now I know you haven't spent the last couple of years poring over the tabloids."
Anxious to change the subject to a less delicate topic, Draco asked, "Listen, I can't be the only person with knowledge of Flamel available. So why, exactly, am I here?"
"Because it would seem that you are in possession of this." Luna reached into her bag, pulled out a worn leather journal and rifled through the pages until she came to a drawing of an elaborate key. "You mentioned it in your last report to the Ministry."
He reached for the book but she pulled it away. "Apologies. I can't show you anything else without swearing you to secrecy. Sorry. Kingsley's rule, not mine."
Draco glanced towards the door. "Fine but we'll need a third person to do the binding for an unbreakable vow."
Luna rose from her chair and extended her hand towards him. "Not if I agree to take your word and your handshake as your vow."
Draco was stunned. Her willingness to accept his word so unconditionally was more than enough for him to question her sanity. His gut instinct was to walk away and leave this crazy witch to her harebrained quest but the desire for a new life for both himself and his mother - as well as the opportunity to view even a small portion of the legendary Flamel archives - ultimately won out.
"All right but let's get one thing straight up front. I'm not in this for any other reason than the pardon the Ministry is offering my mother and myself. Don't delude yourself into thinking there is anything else involved here. Understood?"
"Understood."
"All right then. You have my word." Draco gave her hand a obligatory shake and let go as soon as humanly possible. "Now show me these papers that everyone seems so taken with."
Luna pulled out a map along with several journals and began going over the basics with him. He was studying the map when she mentioned the length of time she was estimating it would take to reach their destination on foot.
"On foot? Have you forgotten you're a witch? Why not fly or apparate?"
"Not possible. Like I said before - the scroll is hidden in a highly disputed territory. The way things are right now, if we were to be discovered it would almost certainly trigger an international incident. That eliminates apparation as an option because all of these forests," she gestured at the better portion of the map, "are warded by at least three foreign governments to detect unauthorized entry - not to mention the fact that we don't have any idea of the exact location to which we'd need to apparate. Two humans on foot can walk around unnoticed because we aren't much bigger than most of the indigenous wildlife. I considered flying but some of the landmarks mentioned in the journals are quite small and need to be seen from the ground to be located."
Draco nodded as he began to see the issues regarding the travel situation then pointed to the other items Luna had laid on the table.
"You've explained how you got the Flamel journals. How did you come by these other materials?"
"Daddy was always intrigued by the legend of the scroll and spent a good part of his life collecting whatever he could find on the subject. My parents actually searched for the cave once themselves when they were our age. It seems that they got close but turned back when they realized Mum was pregnant with me. Their plan was to try again once I started at Hogwarts but circumstances prevented that from happening."
"Why are you only coming forward with this information now?"
"I didn't know what I had until very recently. I only saw the map once when I was a little girl. Honestly, I assumed it all got destroyed along with my family's other belongings during the war."
She began fidgeting with her wedding ring. "And it took a long time for me to go through my husband's things after he died. I only got around to the back closet a week ago. That's where I found a box tucked away on the shelf. Inside were parts of Daddy's collection that Rolf had discovered in our vault at Gringott's. He had started to cross reference them against his family's Flamel archives. It seems that Pertento's cave was the last thing my husband was working on before he died."
"And he hadn't shared that with you?"
"Apparently his plan was to put it all together and give it to me on my birthday, along with a promise for us to attempt the expedition in memory of my parents. However, Rolf died before anyone realized the true extent of the pox outbreak so we didn't understand the urgency at the time."
"Yes. Uh...right." Finding himself once more in tricky conversational territory, Draco turned his attention back to the documents on the table. "Okay - I understand the need for a small party but why us specifically?"
"Do you want the official answer or what I suspect is the real answer?" asked Luna.
"Both, if it's not too much trouble."
"No trouble at all," said Luna. "The official answer is that we possess unique items and knowledge that no one else does. I have the map, Flamel's journals and other pertinent documents as well as knowing how to read my father's rather cryptic notations. In addition to owning the key, you have done more research in alchemy than anyone since Flamel, making you an invaluable resource in decoding the scientific notations in Nicholas' journals. You are also a dab hand at potions, which will be crucial in verifying the authenticity of the scroll when we find it."
"All right. Now let's set aside the official gibberish. What is the other answer?"
"Ah, yes. Well - I believe the real reason we've been selected is the Ministry considers us expendable."
"Expendable?"
"We are both single with little to no direct family to speak of. If we succeed they look brilliant for sending us out. If we fail and are never heard from again then not too many people around to kick up a fuss."
Draco snorted, "Oh, like Saint Potter and his crew wouldn't raise hell if you disappeared without a trace?"
"I didn't say I wouldn't be missed, Draco, but the truth is that it would take more than Harry, Ginny and Nev to convince the entire wizarding world I hadn't just wandered off on some foolhardy quest that led to my unfortunate demise. With my family history, most people would consider it a sad but foregone conclusion. In your case, the assumption would be either that I blackmailed you into participating or you had followed me out of selfish motives - most likely to make a profit on a cure."
Draco would have argued with her if he hadn't known in his gut that she was right. Instead he said, "You don't sugar coat things do you?"
"I never really learned that skill. I tend to call things as I see them. Do you think you can put up with that?"
" I don't have much choice, now, do I?" Draco turned his attention back to the map and pointed to a section on the far right corner.
"Why does it go all fuzzy here? Is there where your parents turned back?"
"Ah. I see Kingsley neglected to tell you the most important part of the story."
"Which is?"
"No one that has gone past that point has ever come back alive."