Chapter 3: Letters
Two years later
Harry stretched as he awoke, he groaned as he realised he wasn't in his bed.
"Hadrian what are you doing up?"
Harry blinked looking around to see his father enter the room.
"The letters didn't come yesterday, father, I wanted to wait and see if they came during the night, I must have fallen asleep,"
Lucius chuckled. "Yes it does appear that way doesn't it,"
"What if we're not supposed to go to Hogwarts, father? What if we're squibs?" Harry asked his eyes wide.
Lucius snorted.
The very idea of Harry being a squib was laughable. When he was angry he could control the very elements that surrounded him, and Draco had very nasty spouts of magic when he was angry too.
"You're both going to Hogwarts, trust me my boy," Lucius said clapping his son on the shoulder. "Now how about you go to bed and get a bit more sleep?"
Harry shook his head. "Mr Binim is coming today to continue our lessons and I won't be able to get to sleep,"
Lucius chuckled.
Out of the two twins it was Draco who loved his sleep.
After their explorations at the Ministry two years ago the two boys hadn't been to work with their father again.
They'd been found in a court room near the department of mysteries and they had only been found due to many explosions that blew craters in the floor of the room.
Lucius had been so humiliated that he'd punished them for two weeks and hadn't taken them back since.
Instead he had hired a teacher for the boys so they had something else to focus on, neither had been happy but there had been nothing either could do about it.
It was apparently one of the better decisions Lucius had made as both boys seemed to enjoy their lessons and were on their way to becoming above par wizards.
"Hadrian?" Lucius asked stopping his son from going out of the room.
Harry turned, the morning sun catching on his blonde locks.
"Yes father?"
"You and Draco both know how proud I am of you both don't you?"
Hadrian nodded with a slight grin. "Of course father,"
Lucius gave a nod of his head and Harry continued on his way.
Draco looked up as he writ about the heating charm as an owl screeched. He looked towards his brother and snickered as he saw Harry looking absentmindedly at the Quidditch pitch in their back yard.
The screeching got louder and Harry was startled as an owl slammed into the window.
Draco burst out laughing at the complete shock on Harry's face.
"Priceless, Hades,"
"Shut it Drake," Harry said rolling his eyes and letting the owl hop onto his arm.
It was carrying two very large letters.
He untied them and as soon as he did the owl escaped back out of the window.
With an excited grin Harry threw a letter to Draco.
"On the count of three," Draco said. "One,-"
"Three," Harry interrupted excitedly.
As one they pulled their letters out.
Dear Mr Hadrian Lucius Malfoy
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to join Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Term starts on the 1st of September and we hope to see you there. Enclosed is a list of the necessary items required for your terms.
Sincerely
Deputy Headmistress
M. McGonagall.
Harry burst out of his seat. "Whoopie!"
Draco laughed as he watched things start to float and tinkle in his brother's excitement.
"Hades," he said interrupting.
Harry blinked and everything went back to normal except for the wide grin on his face.
"We're in," Draco said his eyes shining with his excitement.
Harry nodded a laugh escaping him.
As if reading each others minds they ran from the room startling their sleeping teacher and ran towards their mother.
"Mum!" they shouted. "Mum, mum we're in!"
Narcissa looked up from where she was talking with Patricia Parkinson.
The two boys ran in beaming.
"We're in, we're in, we're in!" they chanted running in circles.
Patricia raised her eyebrow chuckling.
"Hogwarts?" she asked curiously.
Narcissa nodded. "It's the only thing that's been on their minds for a week or so when Lucius let slip he knew when the letters were coming,"
Narcissa watched as her sons celebrated their new acceptance and bit her lip. The manor would be quiet without the pair of them home.
On the first of September the boys were decked in their finest robes, their trunks were packed with everything they'd need and more. Harry even had his shrunken broom.
Both had a pet owl, Harry's was a pure white and Draco's was white with black and brown splodges.
"Are you boys ready?"
"Yes father," they chimed.
"Fingers on," he said tapping a fork and making it into a portkey.
Narcissa smiled as her boys did as their father said. They were whisked away and she followed an instant later.
The boys gaped at the majestic red steam train. The platform wasn't nearly as busy as it would be yet and that's the way they preferred it. It allowed them a bit of privacy in their farewell.
"Are you going to see cousin Sirius today mother?" Harry asked blinking.
Narcissa nodded and smiled softly as he produced a letter for the man. As the years went on they were getting fuller and fuller each time.
"Boys you know I expect you both to go to Slytherin," Lucius said pulling their attention.
"Lucius," Narcissa said sharply.
Lucius grinned and the boys snickered.
"We will love you no matter where you're placed," Narcissa assured her twins.
The boys nodded before looking back to their father.
"Be good and make sure you don't associate with anyone beneath you,"
"Like mudbloods?" Harry asked cocking his head.
Narcissa winced at the term but Lucius nodded.
"Stick together because you can only truly depend on each other," Lucius added.
"And behave," Narcissa added.
The boys nodded and they all hugged.
To anyone else the dry eyes alone would show that their affection was false but that wasn't the case, they loved each other very much they just weren't ones for open affection.
"See you at Christmas," they chimed before grabbing their trunks and hauling them onto the train with their owls.
Narcissa rested her head back onto her husbands chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I'll miss them,"
"Indeed the manor will be rather quiet,"
Sirius looked up as he saw his usual visitor by the door.
She silently passed him a thick letter.
"He went to Hogwarts today," Narcissa said softly.
Sirius nodded looking down ashamed that he couldn't be there to see his godson off.
"He's happy, Sirius and that should be enough for now,"
"And what about when he's older? When things get more difficult? I should be there for him to rant to,"
"He got an owl, I'm sure you'll receive more letters,"
Sirius sighed and nodded.
"I've got to go and I don't think I'll be visiting for a while,"
Sirius nodded and watched her turn and walk away. He pealed the letter open and smiled at the unique stamp Harry had started to use. It was a panther's face with a strike of lightening behind it.
Dear cousin Padfoot,
I'm scared, we got our Hogwarts letters today and I don't want to disappoint anyone. I can tell father wants us to go to Slytherin but I don't know, I think Gryffindor would be good too but I don't want to leave Drake. I'm just going to let the hat decide.
Father has been telling us that we're above those born to muggle heritage, I know you don't like the term he uses so I won't use it here. I agree that we purebloods are far more superior in some ways but I don't agree with the lengths taken to ensure that Muggleborns are kept away. It's just like they're a different race to us is all they have a right to be here too.
Draco and I want to be Animagius, I tried a potion the other day to see what my animal would be and isn't it awesome, if I turn I'll be a panther. I like panthers they represent free spirits and I like to think that I'm a free spirit. The only strange thing was that it said I'd be a black panther, I'd have thought with my hair colour I'd be a white panther but meh you win some you loose some. Draco would be a white tiger if he turned and I think its cool how we're both big cats, rare big cats at that.
Don't tell anyone but the other day I found out I could speak to snakes. I didn't tell anyone, not even Drake knows, I heard that means you're a dark wizard but Sirius I don't feel dark.
Anyway I best go, mum wants us to pick up our school stuff, I'll write you, I'm getting an owl today so I can write every week. I know you can't write back but that's ok, you can give me letters when you can.
Hades.
Sirius cracked a smile, even in the hell he was in Harry was still his lifeline without knowing it.
