Screeches of outrage, triumph and laughter rang through the air at the house the following game night. It was a very disgruntled group of Slytherins that later found themselves seeking sleeping arrangements outside of their normal rooms.
Harry lay alone in his bed. He was too furious with the Slytherin win to even miss the presence of his lover. He knew they had cheated somehow, he just couldn't figure out how. In fact, tonight they had used yet another version of the Trivia Pursuit game. And while they all, especially Draco, seemed to be enjoying their time in the Muggle world, Harry just Iknew/I there was no way that Draco knew the apocalyptic event that had the internet abbreviation of TEOTWAWKI was "The end of the world as we know it." It just wasn't possible and Harry was determined to figure out how they cheated.
It was a very sullen group that gathered for breakfast the next day, with the exception of a cheerful Dudley and a perpetually, overly cheerful house-elf. Within hours, the ice was thawing between Remus and Severus; the gentle werewolf couldn't stand seeing the snarling of his mate. Shortly after, the glaciers further melted with the making up between Pansy and Hermione. Harry however, was not nearly as forgiving. He was determined to figure out what Draco had done.
Even when the blond showed up with a box of chocolate frogs, which Harry accepted coolly before shutting the door in his lover's face. Hours later Draco returned with a large bouquet of flowers, that Harry accepted with a nod of his head before giving them over to Dobby to take care of. So it went for the rest of the day, every few hours Draco would return with another gift, a proclamation of love, both of which Harry accepted before closing the door in the other man's face.
By evening, Hermione and Remus had started to plead Draco's case, telling Harry how miserable he was making his boyfriend. Harry felt guilty at their words, but stood firm. He would let Draco back in as soon as the other man confessed to how they had cheated.
The weekend passed extremely slowly. Draco's attempts to make up to Harry getting more and more lavish. The house was filled with flowers, chocolate of every type in each room, including large bags of M & Ms which Draco told Harry he got himself at a Muggle store. Clothing was building up, both Muggle and wizarding, to the point that Harry began to think they would have to add another closet to the room. There were toys of all types, wizarding and Muggle. Harry almost broke down when he was given a large box of Legos. It was very difficult for him to remain angry when he was given a fancy sticker book and several packs of stickers. It was obvious that Draco was spending a fair amount of time traveling the Muggle world doing his shopping.
By the time Monday came around, even Pansy and Dudley and Severus had started arguing Draco's case. Pansy however, shifted her gaze when Harry asked how they won the game the other night. Harry knew he was correct and he steeled himself to continue to give Draco the cold-shoulder.
Still, a deal was a deal. So he joined Remus and Hermione in the kitchen. They were all dressed according to the deal. The Slytherins came into the kitchen with the leashes that would be attached when they reached Diagon Alley.
Silently, the group Apparated to the meeting point. There the leashes were put on to a glaring group of Gryffindors. Dudley had Flooed to The Leaky Cauldron and was meeting up with them. It was the first time he had been there since they had gotten him his wand and he was in just as much awe as before.
As they made their way through the Alley, they drew a large crowd. Eventually Remus and Hermione relaxed and began to go with the flow. Hermione even convinced Pansy to take them in to Flourish and Botts where she spent far too much time perusing the books for Harry's comfort. But when given the option to go outside and wait, he simply glared at Draco and declined.
Severus spent a good portion of the time smirking at each of the sad looking Gryffindors. He did however, have the self-preservation to not say anything. But, while Hermione and Remus relaxed and browsed the books, Dudley was wandering and even showing some interest in a Charms text, Harry was sullenly glaring at his partner. He had come very close to hexing some unfortunate soul who had dared to take a photograph of the group. At that point Severus had confiscated Harry's wand snarling that he would get it back when he grew up.
Slowly the group wound there way down to where Weasley Wizard Wheezes was located, but agreement, their final location before returning home. When they got there it took nearly the entire group to restrain Severus. Even Harry found himself drawn into the fray, protecting the twin menaces. Covering their front windows was photographs of all of their trips. A picture of a giant Penguin with his arm around Snape, a sopping wet Draco and Severus stalking away from the water ride, Severus playing the ring toss game, Draco and Harry with arms thrown in the air during one of the more wild rides, Remus and Severus, arms around each other as the looked through a book in the mall, and the most damning photo of all, Harry being thoroughly kissed by Severus while Remus and Draco each sucked on a side of his neck. It was this picture that caused Harry to spin and advance dangerously on Hermione. He was jerked back when he reached the end of the leash being held by Draco who was advancing on the twins with murder in his eyes.
Harry spun towards his former professor. "Severus, give me my wand," he said, his voice low.
"No way Potter, they are mine," the man snarled.
"I don't want the twins. I want that little…witch," he snarled back.
"What do you mean?" the black eyes focused on him intently.
"I mean, she is the one that took them and gave them to those two menaces. You can hardly expect them to not take advantage of it, but SHE is the one…" he drifted off, unable to continue.
Sensing the rising threat, Pansy and Hermione exchanged looks before Apparating away. Harry nearly screamed in frustration at having the object for his outlet of days of anger and aggravations suddenly disappear. He decided that Severus' goal of the twins would make an excellent consolation prize. When he turned back to go after them, he discovered that they were also missing, along with his cousin.
Remus was torn between laughter and dismay at the events that were unfolding. The photos were wonderful and captured all the recent events wonderfully. His own personal favorite was the one with him and Severus and Harry in the embrace in the museum and he made a mental note to request a copy for himself. However, others were rather mortifying, especially for the two parties that prided themselves on keeping out of the public eye as much as possible. He knew he was going to have to run interference or risk the destruction of the shop as the two furious wizards attempted to find their targets. And it was clear that Draco was not going to be much assistance as he was also sporting a murderous expression.
Quietly, he transfigured the robes that he and Harry were wearing into something more acceptable and removed the collars they were wearing. He rested a hand on Harry's shoulder and felt the younger man shudder as he drew in his magic.
"Severus," Remus approached his mate. "Why don't you and Draco go back to the house. Harry and I will take down the pictures and join you in a few minutes." He didn't even flinch as the steely gaze of the Potions Master turned on him.
A couple of loud pops later, and Harry and Remus were standing alone in the shop. Surprisingly, the patrons of Diagon Alley had decided it was in their best interests to not enter the shop filled with enraged and powerful wizards. Remus locked the door and turned the sign in the window over to read "Closed" before turning back to the young wizard.
"Just take down the photos Harry," he said softly as he started working on one of the windows. It didn't take the two long before all the photos had been removed.
Harry heard noise from one of the back rooms. After all the pictures had been taken down, he realized he had calmed enough to talk to the twins. He carefully made his way down the hallway to the twins personal quarters.
All of his hard earned calm fled when he heard the conversation in the other room. Dudley was discussing the new Charms book he had picked up, and some of the charms that he had already learned thanks to his wonderful Charms instructor.
Harry saw red. He Apparated back to the house in a wave of fury.
"Draco Lucius Malfoy!" he bellowed as he reached the house. The blonde entered the room, his face pale.
"Yes Harry?" he asked.
"The Protean Charm?" Harry asked, his voice shaking in anger.
"Er…a modified form," answered Draco, his face growing even whiter, one hand reaching behind him for the doorknob.
"How did it work?" Harry snarled.
"Well, Dudley would write the answers on a piece of paper and it would appear on the paper that each of us had," Draco explained nervously.
Neither noticed the whoosh of the Floo during their discussion. It wasn't until Dudley interrupted.
"Harry, don't blame him. It was me," he muttered.
Harry turned on his cousin, eyes flaming. "Why?"
"Um, because I REALLY didn't want to suffer through another day like the museum. Whatever you did to them, I think they wanted to make you pay," Dudley was looking at Harry's feet.
"So you helped them cheat? Damn! I am surrounded by Slytherins!" Harry growled.
"Well, sort of. Draco insisted that he was enjoying the trips and everything, he just hated losing," Harry looked up at his boyfriend at this. Draco nodded, hopeful.
"We agree that we want to continue the trips, but there are other games, I even picked one up yesterday. Something called Pictionary that I thought we could play, but just not have the outings based on the games anymore. And maybe everyone can agree on the place, because I saw a paper booklet…I think Hermione called it a pamphlet, about a Lego world and Severus and Pansy and Remus and I all think it would be an okay place to go to, and Severus found one about the Tower of London and wanted to visit there and we are mostly having fun, but wanted to do everything together," Draco broke off his ramble nervously.
Harry stood there in a stunned silence. He looked back and forth between Dudley and Draco.
"That's pretty much what Draco told me before I agreed to this. I also suggested that maybe a circus would be good. I know you used to always look so upset when we came back from there. I think Professor Snape might be willing to go to that…as long as we keep the clowns away from him," Dudley finished his own ramble with a wry grin.
Harry felt overwhelmed. He didn't know if he should be angry or happy or what emotion he should be feeling. Finally, he settled for kissing his boyfriend senseless. Dudley watched, smiling, as the blond picked up his cousin and raced up the stairs.
When Remus arrived back at the house, followed shortly by the girls and almost immediately followed by the arrival of the twins, Dudley informed them all with a grin that Draco and Harry would probably not be seen until the following day.
Hermione squealed in delight that they had finally made up, pestering Dudley until he told her the whole story. He then found out why the others in the house hid tales of misdoing from the young witch as she scolded him for twenty minutes solid about cheating. Then, as her scolding ran out, she flung her arms around him and gave him a big hug, thanking him for fixing the last of the problems.
Dudley found himself alone once again in the room, the others having fled as Hermione had wound herself up for the lecture. The twins entered, cautiously looking around before coming in fully.
"Um, is it strange that I find you two the only sane ones?" Dudley asked.
The twins started laughing, each looping an arm through the newcomer and offering samples of chocolates and other "tasty treats." And so it was that Muggle Mondays become a regular event in the Potter household. Preceded by the Friday night Game Nights with the person or team that won choosing the Muggle event of their preference.