Prologue

3rd November, 1981 - Malfoy manor

⌠Lucius! Think! A mere child, little more than one year old, vanquishes the dark lord! Think of the power!■ ⌠Bellatrix, do you realise what you▓re saying? How could we kidnap the boy-who-lived? Dumbledore will have all sorts of wards up and the need to find him first.■ lucius exclaimed.

⌠We don▓t kidnap him then. I▓ll adopt him. I, a well respected head of a prominent pureblood family, after that brat of a cousin got himself sent to azkaban, and sadly infertile. And we have found him. Severus told me. He▓s with some disgusting muggles in surrey.■

Lucius raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. ⌠Look, with your influence, and┘Generous charitable contributions, Fudge will accept in a moment.■ ⌠We▓ll raise him well, intelligent, and pureblood. All that power, Lucius, and fighting for us.
Face it, the Dark Lord is gone, and soon someone must take up that mantle. Our someone.■

⌠Ok,■ Lucius sighed ⌠But this will not be easy■

⌠I did not expect it to. But I expect you will make it work. And keep Dumbledore out.■

⌠Yes, Bella,■ He said, reaching for the floo powder.

Ministry of magic, later that day

⌠Minister, think┘A poor child, Harry Potter no less, subjected to such filth? He needs to be cared for, nurtured, the way only wizards could■

⌠Malfoy, normally, yes, but the rumours about your family┘┘■ ⌠Have all been proved false, Minister, and I have someone else in mind.■

⌠My dear sister in law, sadly infertile, but simply longing to have children. The head of the most ancient and noble house of black, she could more than care for a child. And make sure he associates with the right sort, if you understand.■ ⌠Malfoy-■ ⌠My apologies, minister, I must have dropped my purse┘■ ⌠No, quite alright. You will have a hearing, lucius.■

⌠And minister, you understand Dumbledore need not be informed?■ Lucius said, dropping another sack of gold on the minister▓s desk.

⌠Of course, of course┘.■

31st July, 1991, Black Manor

⌠UP, Harry!!!■ Harry Black groggily stirred. Then swore, as an owl had just pecked his face.

⌠Get of me, you bloody hooligan!■ He shouted, and then roughly grabbed the letter attached to the animal▓s leg.
⌠I▓ve got your letter; now bugger off┘.Bloody animals.■

Dear Mr Potter

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress

⌠Mom!■ he shrieked ⌠I got my letter!!!!■

Bellatrix Black smiled. It was rare, but more than worth it. She was the sort of woman who was astoundingly beautiful, in the dark, brooding way.

⌠Great! But come here, I got a special present for you this year.■

⌠Cooler than my snakes?■

⌠Much cooler■ Bella said, laughing at her son▓s enthusiasm. He was reasonably tall, for his age, with long black hair, and almost glowing green eyes. He was pale, apart from his brow, where a bright red scar, the only legacy of voldemort on the boy, resided.

Bella reached into her robes, and pulled out a velvet box, about the size of the palm of her hand, dark green in colour.

⌠What is it? It looks like jewellery┘.■

⌠It is. But first, I have to inform you that, sadly, you no longer get an allowance. But -■ ⌠WHAT?!?!?!■ ⌠Let me finish, boy, or you will get nothing. As I was saying, this more than makes up for it.■ She chastised, handing him the box. ⌠I give this to you in trust, and I hope that you can manage the account properly. I will have our solicitor handle properties, but you can manage stocks, as it will give you a good idea of what to do.■

Harry opened the box.
Then fainted.

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Minutes later, when he finally regained consciousness, he couldn▓t stop thanking his mother.
Then, after the clinging had stopped┘ ⌠Mother, darling, as your bestest and favourite son┘.■ ⌠Harry, you▓re my only son, what do you want?■ ⌠Can I floo Draco, and then go to diagon alley?

Bella frowned, but then relaxed. He was eleven now, he could look after himself. If he had a wand, more than look after himself, too.

⌠Yes, but first, you go straight to Olivander▓s and then keep your wand on you at all times. I▓ll give you money for the wand, go to gringotts after.■

⌠Yes, mom┘■ Harry drawled.
⌠Good. And don▓t use so much powder. You take a fistful then talk for 30 seconds.■ ⌠Ok, that▓s great, but hurry!■ ⌠Kids!■ Bella exclaimed, muttering darkly.

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Harry laughed fully, as he watched his albino friend tumble onto the floor of the leaky cauldron. He instantly shot up, with as much dignity as he could muster, and strode to the bar.
⌠Sole heir of the ancient and noble house of Malfoy can▓t even floo without tripping over his own feet.■ Harry said.
⌠Oh shove it, black. Go get your forehead cut open again!■ The blond boy shot.
⌠Low blow Malfoy. Do I need to remind you of the time a bloody muggle kicked your ass?!■ ⌠He was a hardened criminal, a trained thief!■ ⌠Draco, it was a 15 year old hoodlum.■ He sniggered.
⌠Tom, could you open the back for up? We▓re yet to get our wands┘■ Malfoy said, ignoring Harry▓s comment.
⌠Certainly, young sirs, right this way.■ The old man tottered off, not waiting for them. It was slightly annoying. Out back, he had already started tapping the bricks, muttering to himself.

⌠There you are, young sirs.■ He croaked, with a toothy smile, as the archway opened.
⌠Thanks, Tom.■ Harry said, handing him a tip. Malfoy just scowled, but unwanting to seem impolite, begrudgingly dug one out. A very measly one.
⌠Merlin, Draco, your worse than a weasley.■ ⌠Hey!■ Draco cried indignantly.
Harry just laughed, ducking a swing. ⌠Come on, my mum said I have to get a wand first, safety conscious as she is.■ ⌠Safety conscious? The only reason she knows how unprepared people are for battle is becau-■ He couldn▓t finish the sentence, as he found himself lifted off the ground and pushed against a wall by the larger, dark haired boy.
⌠Finish that sentence in public Malfoy, and I▓ll demonstrate the castration curse my mother taught me. Need I remind you that your father was also in the Dark Lords honourable service?■ ⌠Put me DOWN!■ Malfoy shrieked.
⌠Ok■ Was all that was said, as Harry suddenly let go, leaving Malfoy crumpled in a heap.

With Malfoy muttering darkly, Harry just admired the architecture. It was slightly haphazard, yet comforting.
Eventually they reached Olivander▓s, and opened the creaking door; the first thing they noticed was the dust.
⌠Merlin, with the amount of customers he must get, you▓d think he▓d have a house-elf or something■ ⌠Or a dozen, for this mess.■ ⌠Aah, mister Malfoy, Mister Potter, I thought I▓d be seeing you soon┘■ An eerie, ancient voice spoke from behind them, in the shadows, creaking like the stale door.
⌠Black, mister olivander. I am Mister Black now.■ ⌠Really? How curious┘Anyway, I assume you two want wands?■ The old wizard queried.
⌠You think? We▓re in a wand shop.■ the blond boy muttered, causing the darker to smirk.
⌠Yes, sir, we do. Although Draco may want some tact, too, if you have any.■ Harry answered, chuckling.
⌠Let▓s get started then. Which is your wand arm?■

An hour later, Draco was still not fitted.

⌠One last wand, Mr Malfoy, or I shall have to make a custom wand, wish shall be time consuming and expensive.■

⌠My family is one of the richest in Europe, old man, I doubt a mere wand could dent its vault■ Draco sneered.

⌠11 inches, thestral hair in runespoor blood, Mr Malfoy.■ The old man sighed, handing the agitated boy the wand.

Immediately, Draco brightened. ⌠Ahh, I shall take it.■, flicking the wand, sending black and silver sparks shooting from the end.

⌠Good, good. Now Mr Black, should I start on you?■ ⌠Indeed, Mr Olivander, you should.■

Wands and minutes passed, yet still he found no suitable wand.
The old man placed wands within his grasp, only to snatch them away, letting Harry actually wave only a few.
Then, after what seemed like an age had passed, he felt a warmth creep through his fingers.
Briskly flicking his wrist, the sent a bejewelled serpent, of green and silver sparks, soaring from his wand tip.
⌠A good indicator of your future house, if I ever saw one■ Mr Olivander chuckled ⌠although that you should choose that wand is most┘┘.interesting.■ ⌠Why?■ ⌠Because, Mr Black, the phoenix that gave the feather which is core to your wand gave one other feather, a rarity in itself, but what is more curios, is that your brother wand, my dear boy, gave you that scar. We can expect great things from you, Mr Black, great things.■

Awe on Harry▓s face, he exited the shop,
Distracted for the next few minutes, as the wandered to gringotts.

⌠Draco!■ Harry suddenly snapping out of his stupor ⌠I simply must show you something!■ ⌠What?■ the pale boy replied irritably.
⌠You▓ll see.■ said Harry, grinning.

Entering gringotts, Harry insisted Draco wait over in a corner, which the smaller boy begrudgingly accepted.
⌠Goblin, I need to be taken to the Potter family vault, and Draco Malfoy▓s trust fund. The potter vault fist, please. And make sure the goblin driving the cart doesn▓t tell Malfoy the destination, it is a┘surprise.■ ⌠Do you have Draco Malfoy▓s key, and the potter signet ring?■ The goblin scowled, clearly loathing each and every living thing.
⌠I have the potter ring, but Draco has his key. It doesn▓t matter here though, does it? I wouldn▓t be able to access and thus steal from them without it, so I see no reason to bar me from approaching it anyway.■ The goblin gave a sly smile. ⌠Yes, I suppose you▓re correct. GRIPHOOK!!■

Five minutes later, they were off.
⌠Tell me where we▓re going, black, or I▓ll gouge out your eyes with my new wand, and I don▓t want to spoil its finish.■ Harry laughed, but didn▓t comply.

⌠A few minutes longer, draco, that▓s all.■

Finally, they stopped in front of a grand door, set into the wall of the tunnel, with no key hole, or other point of entry.
⌠Boy, cut your hand, let the blood fall into the bowl, then press your ring against the door.■ the goblin smiled, and unpleasant sight. ⌠If it accepts you, the door will open. If not┘┘..■ ⌠Wait, your birthday present was the whole bloody potter family?!?! You lucky git!!!■

Harry just laughed, and opened the door.

September 1st, platform 9 ╬, kings cross station.

⌠Stop your molly coddling mother; I can more than handle school. Though I am disappointed that uncle lucius couldn▓t stop dumbledore letting the mudbloods in.■ ⌠It can▓t be helped, Harry, There won▒t be any in slytherin though, you shall be ok.■ ⌠Of course, mother.■ Harry said, with a look of disgust. ⌠I▓m going to find Draco, if that is acceptable?■ ⌠Yes, son, it is. Do well at school. Do well in slytherin.■ Bella smirked.
⌠Goodbye, mother.■ Harry said, calm as always, while other bawled around him. ⌠I shall look forward to Christmas.■

And with that, Harold James Black-Potter left for Hogwarts, snakes round his arms and raven on his shoulder.