Title: Of Shield and sheath

Pairing: future DracoxHarry

Summary: A foolhardy Dumbledore attempts to change fate, he gains more and less then he bargained for. Creature fic. Future Mpreg.

Author's Note: For Jannafrancine who has guessed a small portion of this story's plot. Sequel to Cadmus and the Phoenix.

Prologue- of Shield and sheath

This Light will change from false to true

Its strength shall boost the hue

A sheath and shield they shall be

For none can stand against the sea

The one marked as equal

Has an equal indeed

Together they face the darkness that hides

Alone it bides, waiting to feed

Fear is its weapon

Love is its fear

Strength in weakness,

Weakness in strength

Dumbledore scowled at Sybil Trelawney, when he'd summoned her for tea and used a potion to make her give him a prophecy about Harry she gives him this?

That Harry's companion/consort was a Malfoy? This he would not tolerate.

He sneered; Albus doubted James or Sirius would condone such a reality. He certainly wouldn't allow it.

A sheath and shield? What did that mean? That the infant Draco was Veela? Veela lived to cherish their spouses, to comfort them and protect them. This was not a reality he would allow.

He would have to tread carefully; Harry and Draco could not be allowed to be together. Not even at the price of gaining the support of the Malfoy Family, they had proven that they were not to be trusted. He wasn't going to offer Voldemort's bane to a high-ranking servant on a silver platter.

Sybil came out of her trance and seemed shaken, "What happened?"

Albus forced a smile, "You dozed off for a moment dear one. A combination of a warm fire and a comforting cup of tea perhaps?"

Sybil blushed, "My apologies…."

"Think nothing of it. No harm is done. You may go prepare for your next lesson."

"It was a pleasure sharing your company Headmaster."

"Albus please, you are no longer a student. As a fellow professor we are on more equal ground are we not?" Albus said with a forced twinkle in his eye.

She left; her soft-soled slippers treating silently down the winding stair leading back to the griffin that hid the entrance to the Headmaster's Tower.

Albus clenched his wand hand in a fist; there must be another way other than whoring the Potter heir to the Malfoy heir.

He would find it!

Had he not already changed destiny by separating the Mudblood Evans from the Halfblood Prince heir and turning her affections to James Potter?

It worked then and he'd work something for Harry out.

Anything rivalled seeing that sweet innocent babe with the bastion of Darkness, Draco Malfoy.

XoooooX

A charm went off in his office; the Potter's Fidelius Charm hidden abode was under attack. He knew they'd switched from Sirius at the last minute. Lily had always been a horrid liar and James wasn't much better. A shame since he was an Auror but most likely that was only because of the War.

Albus strode lazily down to the Gamekeeper's cottage, he saw Hagrid with another one of his 'pets'. "Rubeus?"

"Wocha be needin' Dumbledore?" the grizzled half-giant asked in his drawling accent.

"I need you to accompany me to Godric Hollow. I believe the Potters are in danger and I may need your assistance."

Albus knew of Hagrid's giant ancestry through his mother Fridwulfa and Giants had some aspects of spell immunity. He had no compunctions against using the ever-loyal groundskeeper as a human shield. He had his uses…

Hagrid stood and thumped his chest, "Anythin' fer the cause."

Albus smirked inwardly, knowing it was true. While the wards were supposed to not allow Apparition it wasn't strictly true. They were tuned- it wasn't common knowledge of course, to the Seated Headmaster.

He took full advantage of that when he Apparated them to the edge of the Wards of the Potter's cottage.

What he found when they arrived was disturbing to say the least.

The wards were shattered, which meant the one anchoring them was dead. The wards had been anchored to James Potter's life. A foolish choice but they'd not listened to him.

Out of the shadows came a grief-stricken Severus Snape.

"We're too late…she's dead…" his voice was cold, distant as if drained of life.

It left Albus more than a little smug, "Did she said anything?"

Severus glared, "Nothing worth repeating. I held her in my arms; I felt her body grow cold. She's dead and I might as well be too."

"Where is young Harry? Is he alive?"

"I returned him to his crib after ascertaining he was uninjured, Lily's body protected him. I think it was more her magic but I didn't have time to examine the remnants. Black is here."

At the mention of the man, Sirius emerged sobbing and cradling his godson in his arms. "I'll care for him James. I promise…."

Albus' voice was firm, "Don't make promises you can't keep to a dead wizard. It's foolhardy. You have unfinished business for you not? I'm going to hide Harry away where he will be safe. He deserves better than to grow up the spoilt pampered Darling of the Wizarding World. I'll need to examine the ruins to see if he is still in Danger from You-Know-Who."

Reluctantly, Sirius handed Harry over to Hagrid, "Take my bike. It's not exactly legal cause it flies but it will do you more good than me. I've got a rat to chase." His concern for Harry had evaporated into anger that burned like a torch. He Apparated away at once…

"Where are you taking him?" Severus snapped.

"That is none of your concern, Severus." Albus had to add insult to injury, "He's not your child after all; he's James'. He even looks strikingly like his sire does he not?"

Severus growled, "I owe it to Lily…"

"She betrayed you, she slept with your enemy. She gave herself and her heart to another. She bore another man's child. You owe her nothing." His words were weaved with a nonverbal spell akin to the Imperious but not quite illegal.

Severus went cold; "I have no business with you or him."

"You still work for me. I expect you to continue at your post. I will not now or ever accept a resignation from you Severus."

Severus nodded sharply and disApparated on the spot.

Albus smirked, that was too easy.

For a skilled Legimens Severus was weak to him…

He turned to Hagrid now that they were alone, "I have things to take care of. I want you to take that bike, and drive it from Somerset to Surrey. I will meet you at Number Four Privet Drive, near Magnolia Street in Little Whinging."

Hagrid frowned, "That's not a Wizarding community."

"No, it is the home of his only blood relation. Until I discover what happened tonight, I can place him under blood wards." His tone was soothing but the vocal glamour made him impossible not to obey.

Hagrid nodded dumbly, "I'm meet you there in a few hours."

"I'll be there after dark tomorrow."

"Why?" Hagrid protested.

"I have things to take care. I have to inform the Order."

"Oh."

"Now go!" Albus said with hard, cold eyes but a calm voice.

XoooooX

Minerva tried to argue with him about leaving Harry here…

"Albus…they are awful. They don't understand anything. Why do you think this is the right course of action?"

Albus sighed, giving her his 'wise owl look' "Now Minerva, don't you see? He'll grow up a pampered little Prince in our world. They'll write books about him. The Ministry might make today or last night rather 'Harry Potter Day'. He needs to grow up as normal as possible. He needs time to discover who he is a person, before he learns of our world, his parents' sacrifice and what good he has wrought already at such a tender age."

Minerva sighed, "I'll trust you Albus but under strenuous objection." She transformed herself back into a cat and stalked off.

Albus glared at her, interfering wench! He'd have to remove this memory from her. Damn her for being his second in the Order as well as in Hogwarts.

He heard the familiar sound of Sirius' motorbike.

Now Sirius' words had proved prophetic, he wouldn't need it anymore.

One whisper in someone's ear that their Secret Keeper had betrayed the Potters and the whole Wizarding World believed that person was Sirius Black.

'You couldn't trust a Black.'

'They are all Slytherins at heart….'

Now that infuriating dog couldn't come along and trying to claim his rights as Harry's guardian…

It helped that he gave up his rights in front of witnesses…

Hagrid was sobbing as he handed Harry over.

Albus snatched him up not caring for niceties; he just wanted this over. He placed Harry in a basket. He tucked an envelope with money in it and a letter before levitating it to the front stoop of Number Four.

Lily's magic hating sister lived here; he had no false hopes that she would be kind to the boy. If he were lucky, he would grow up believing he was worthless and lived only to serve others. A little sheep to be raised for the slaughter…

Who would hang on his every word and obey him…

What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?