The Life Debts

This ficlet has been floating around in my mind for some time. In canon, Harry saves Draco's life, at the risk of his own and Narcissa does the same for Harry. Yet, this does not get addressed anywhere. So here's my take on what should have happened, soon after Voldemort's demise.

The spells were cast, the Killing Curse backfired on its caster, killing the evil wizard who had determined the course of Harry's life since before his birth. The Elder Wand had flown high in the air towards him and he plucked it out of the air with his Seeker's reflexes.

He was immediately mobbed by the castle's defenders, while the remaining DeathEaters stood around, too stunned by the demise of their lord to act. When the crush subsided, Harry looked at his best, truest friend, drew her to him and kissed her; a long, meaningful kiss, telling her exactly his feelings for her, the feelings he had had for her since Halloween of their first year. Her returning kiss confirmed the love she had held for him ever since that night too.

Two red-haired Weasleys looked on in resignation, knowing that any romance they'd had, any future hopes they'd had with Harry or Hermione were now relegated to friendship. It would be a long time for both before they could manage friendship with the new couple.

Harry then came back to the here and now and remembered what had to be done to fully secure their victory. A quick Sonorus charm and he began giving out orders. "Followers of Voldemort! The battle is over, he has been vanquished, never to return. Surrender your wands to the Hogwarts defenders and stand down! Kingsley, I need you to come here with the Malfoys and their wands."

So demoralized were the DeathEaters that they capitulated without a fight. Some of the defenders stood guard, while others dealt with the wounded, of both sides. Messages had been sent and soon healers from St. Mungo's apparated into the Great Hall and began to treat the wounded. Meanwhile, the couple saw that other parties were carrying off the far too many dead on both sides to chambers off the hall to be placed under stasis charms until burial.

Then Kingsley arrived with the three Malfoys in tow. Harry and Hermione looked at them, with a certain dispassion. "Thank you, Kingsley. We have business with Narcissa and Draco. Draco Malfoy, do you acknowledge the Life Debt you owe me from last night, incurred in the Room of Hidden Things?" Though he scowled with his dislike for the Gryffindor pair, magic forced him to affirm his debt.

"Likewise, I freely affirm the Life Debt I owe to Narcissa Malfoy from early this morning. This is a situation that none of us really wish to share, am I right?" The two Malfoys curtly nodded.

Harry smiled. "Neither do I. Fortunately, I know something about Life Debts that allows a solution." Pointing the Elder Wand at Draco, he continued. "Draco Malfoy, I hereby transfer the Life Debt owed to me to your mother by blood, Narcissa Malfoy." There was a dual flash of magic, signifying that the debt had been passed from son to mother.

"Narcissa, we now are indebted to each other. I suspect the idea is as distasteful to you as it is to me?"

"Indeed, Potter, and do you have a solution?" Her continued antipathy for the victor to one side, they could tell she sincerely sought a way out of this dilemma.

"I do, in fact. Kingsley will give you your wand, for the time it takes for us to complete and unbreakable vow that neither of us will ever call in the debts we owe the other. Then he will take your wand and you three will go into custody. Have we an agreement?"

The blonde pureblood nodded. Kingsley conducted the ritual, with Hermione covering the Malfoys, insuring none of the three could act against them.

When the vow was made, Harry held Draco's wand out to him, point first. "Draco Malfoy, I freely return to you your wand." Draco pulled it from Harry's grasp, then Kingsley confiscated it, then led them away.

He turned to his best friend, the witch whom he loved. "Hermione, pull up your left sleeve." She did as he asked, baring the cursed scars given her by Bellatrix. "Episky." The strength of the Elder Wand allowed the spell to heal her, as if it never had happened.

"Thank you Harry."

"You're welcome Hermione." He kissed her tenderly. "It's going to take two or three weeks before things get sorted out. The dead need to be buried, the Ministry needs to start working, we need to see if Gringotts will let us in without killing us first. But then, off to Australia and your parents. After they get their memories back, I've a question for you."

She smiled brilliantly at her wizard. "All those things will work out fine. When you ask, the answer will be yes." Then she drew him in for a long, satisfied kiss.

Finite Incantatem

A/N: This was a detail that always bothered me about the Battle. Even with the weird way JKR has handled the entire concept of the life debt/wizard debt, I think both incidents qualify. So, I've tied them together and added a dollop of Harmony; as if you thought I wouldn't!

The idea that life debts can be transferred to blood relatives comes from the story Unexpected Assistance by SymphonySamurai id: 8584266. This is also the recommended story.

Thanks to texan-muggle for making sure this is readable.

As always, your input is valued. In FFN, your hits, follows, favorites, reviews and C2s are the only way I get 'paid'. And it is better than gold, IMHO!

Posted: 02/19/2016
Words: 971