Okay, I want to thank everyone who has already reviewed. Frankly I wish that more people reviewed but I'll take what I can get. The reviews are quite helpful and keep me writing. I might seem slow at times but that is usually because I've become busy with life matters. Between politics and writing and all the other things I do it can seem that I'm neglecting the fan fiction stories that I write. So while I have the time I will try to pre-write as many chapters as I can.
And now to the story.
The War of Lords: Book One.
Chapter Three.
Harry awoke early on the morning of 17 July 1991. It was only a few days away from his birthday and he was sure that Lucius and Narcissa had something planned, they always did for his birthday. Draco was probably still asleep as he wasn't as much of an early riser as Harry. He willed his bed made, despite the fact that he knew that the house-elves would make it for him he had learned that with the amount of magic he possessed he could simply will things into happening. He wasn't sure if that fit the description of a lord as the book Narcissa had him studying said it did, but he could do it and didn't think it was something to over worry about.
He and Draco would be going to Hogwarts he knew, even though their letters from the school hadn't arrived yet. He could remember being in the library when Lucius and Narcissa had their row over it. Lucius wanted the boys to attend Durmstrang, but Narcissa was addemate that that school was too far away and she wanted both of "her" boys close at hand in case something happened. Lucius lost that row, indeed Harry mused he lost almost any row with his wife that involved either him or Draco, even if he never would admit it. Indeed the only reason that Harry knew that he wanted them to attend Durmstrang at all was that the argument he heard in the Library was overheard as neither Narcissa nor Lucius knew that he was in the library doing research on pure-blood customs and was standing in a shadow while they were at the main table in that particular room of the Manor.
Harry dressed himself in his favorite silk shirt, which was a dark hunter green (which Narcissa said showed off his eyes), and a pair of black trousers. He always was dressed when he went to breakfast, also unlike Draco who was known to come down in his pajamas but that was his habit. He made his way down to the breakfast room where he and the Malfoys ate unless they were entertaining guests when they would use the formal dining room.
Harry had come to the door of the breakfast room and entered. Lucius was sitting in his chair waiting for the morning post and papers to arrive while the house-elf Moressa (who was the mate of Morak) was bringing the tea service.
"Good Morning Lucius." Harry said and then walked up and hugged the blond man. He always hugged Lucius in the morning.
"Morning to you too, my boy." Lucius said, hugging him back and then ruffling his hair so it looked even more messed put than usual. Harry's hair was always messed up no matter what he did, no matter how much gel or potion he put on it, not even the grease like substance that Severus had given him seemed to work, so when he was about nine he decided to just not bother with it anymore, it was annoying but the only other option was to shave his head and he wasn't about to do that. The muggle, Vernon Dersley, used to harass him about his hair but none of the Malfoys ever did so he figured it really never was a problem.
Harry sat down in his seat next to Lucius at the table. Moressa brought over the tea service which was set up for five rather than the customary four. Harry noticed the tea service setup and asked, "Lucius, is Uncle Sev coming then?" Severus Snape was the only person that Harry had ever addressed by a family title, preferring to call Lucius and Narcissa by their names instead. He didn't think it disrespectful in the least either, Lucius and Narcissa were Draco's Mum and Dad not his...His were murdered by the Dark Lord Voldemort. Snape however was a special case for Harry, even though Severus Snape and his birth father had been bitter enemies Snape did not hold that against Harry, indeed he went out of his way when he wasn't teaching at Hogwarts to teach Harry potions which the boy had a natural talent for. Besides in Harry's mind Snape was more of an uncle than that dead muggle ever could have been.
"He is, and we will be going to Diagon Ally to get you and Draco the required supplies and equipment for Hogwarts this year. I hate putting that stuff off to the last minute." Lucius said lighting a fag.
"Yes, so we wont be going to Durmstrang then?" Harry said.
"Now where would you get an idea like that?" Lucius questioned.
"I was in the library when you and Narcissa had an argument about it...but I guess you didn't see me." Harry said, knowing that neither knew he was even there..not even his magical aura had given him away because they both were so used to it with him living in the house for over five years now.
"Moody, is that you under polyjuice?" Lucius joked.
"No Lucius, it is I, Harry." Harry said laughing.
"If your aura didn't give you away you would make a fine auror Harry." Lucius said.
"Thank you sir." Harry said pouring himself a cup of tea and adding a little bit of sugar to it.
"I mean that, not a bad piece of spy-work there although if you didn't live with us I'm sure you could be detected quite easily." Lucius said. "But no, Narcissa and I have decided that its best to have you and Draco go to Hogwarts, and besides Sev will be there to look after you."
"She was right you know. I don't know how Draco and I could be in any danger with Uncle Sev being a Hogwarts Professor." Harry said.
Just then Severus Snape and Narcissa Malfoy entered the breakfast room, and took their seats.
"Harry, the only danger you will probably have is if you some how manage to make me upset." Severus Snape said.
"Uncle Sev, I don't think I have ever done that intentionally." Harry said.
"Here, no. But calling me 'uncle Sev' in class would make me upset. You remember what to call me when in public at Hogwarts?" Snape said pouring himself tea and also pouring tea for Narcissa.
"Yes, 'Sir' or 'Professor Snape'." Harry said.
"Good the same goes for Draco you know. I wont have people accusing me of favoritism." Snape said.
"Why would people accuse you of that?" Harry said.
"Because Draco is my godson and you calling me 'uncle Sev' would indicate an emotional attachment, which wouldn't fit well with my image as 'the meanest professor at Hogwarts'." Snape said after sipping some tea.
"You go out of your way to cultivate that image don't you Sev?" Narcissa said.
"I do and you know why. If I didn't then there would be all sorts of tomfoolery in the potions class and quite frankly we cant have that potions can be extremely dangerous, you know." Snape said. "Speaking of Hogwarts...I brought these, they were going to owled today but I convinced the Headmaster to give me Harry's and Draco's as I was coming here anyway." Snape handed Harry his Hogwarts letter and placed Draco's on the table which he would open after he finally woke up and came to breakfast.
Harry took his and opened the envelope after breaking the wax seal that had been used to close the letter.
XXXX
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)
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 beings on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 1 August.
Yours Sincerely;
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress.
XXXX
"Wow, I really am going to go to Hogwarts!" Harry exclaimed.
"Of course you are Harry, I thought that would have been a foregone conclusion." came a lazy draw from across the room, and that draw belonged to no-one else, but Draco.
"Drake, you got one too." Harry said. As the younger Malfoy took his seat after greeting his father and mother and godfather.
Draco opened his rather boredly and read its contents before pouring himself some tea with milk and sugar in it.
"Sorry Harry, I'm just not awake yet I guess." Draco said.
But Harry wasn't buying that excuse, "Drake, I would thought you would be right chuffed." he said.
"Oh, I am, I'm all chuffed to buggery, but thats no reason to act like a cheeky monkey." Draco said.
"Draco, you will watch your tongue." Narcissa said.
"Yes mum. Moressa when is breakfast going to be served, I'm peckish?" Draco said.
"Breakfast is served, Master Draco." Moressa the house-elf said bringing a tray laden with the full English breakfast.
SSSSSS
It was late morning when the Malfoys and Harry were ready to go to Diagon Ally and get the school supplies the boys would need for the year. Harry had been to Diagon Ally before many times, mainly with Narcissa and Draco to purchase household needs, cloths and other things as well as sometimes potions ingredients and books that he and Draco used when learning to read, spell, and do maths. Their first stop was Gringrotts where Lucius withdrew five hundred galleons from the bank and then they set off to do their shopping.
First and foremost was Ollivander's Wand makers where Draco and Harry would be fitted out for a wand. Mr. Ollivander took care of Draco first and he was a relatively difficult match but he ended up with a very interesting combination for his wand: Runespoor fang and ash thirteen and seven-eighths inches long.
"Ah, quite bendy, and very old. We haven't made wands from those particular cores for over one-hundred fifty years Master Malfoy. Excellent for those powerful in Dark magic." Mr. Ollivander said prior to taking a headache potion.
"Is there something wrong Mr. Ollivander?" Harry and Draco asked simultaneously.
"No, its just the both of you are already quite powerful. Its uncommon for me to encounter persons purchasing their first wands with already such power surrounding them." Mr. Ollivander said.
"I don't understand sir." Harry said, taking the words out of Draco's mouths this time.
"Wand makers, Master Potter commonly are able to feel their customer's magical aura. I feel it as a headache if its quite powerful. Now I believe I need to match you with yours." Mr. Olivander said.
"Yes sir." Harry said.
Harry felt as if he tried every wand in the shop and none of them matched him, including one that was rumored to be the brother wand of Voldemort, and also one that was brother wand of Dumbledore. Finally, Mr. Ollivander rubbing his temples came upon an idea.
"I might have something that might fit you, if you are a parseltounge." Mr. Ollivander said.
"Well, Sir, I am a parseltounge...but I would prefer it if you kept that under your hat. A lot of wizards fear parseltounges because of what other parseltounges have done." Harry said referring to Voldemort.
"Yes, well, Britain has been served well by Dark Lords before. Dark does not mean evil Master Potter." Ollivander said.
"I never said that to be the case, sir. Can I try it?" Harry said.
Ollivander went to the back room of his shop and the sounds of rummaging around were only disturbed by Lucius coming in the shop with Harry and Draco's books, Narcissa and Severus had already gone and purchased their potions equipment and would be waiting for them at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch before the boys would be fitted for their robes.
"Been matched up yet?" Lucius said.
"I have Father," Draco said showing off his wand, "thirteen and seven-eighths inches, ash and runespoor fang." Draco smiled.
"Thats going to be expensive son, but quite powerful. I might have to write a draft for both of your wands then." Lucius said. He wasn't concerned about price anyway, the Malfoys were rich beyond belief thanks to his father Abraxus Malfoy who made some wise investments with his puny inheritance, most of the older money being wasted by his foolish great-grandfather Lucius Sejanus Malfoy. Besides his fortune, rents and properties Lucius also received five thousand galleons a month from his job as a high ranking auror.
"Ah, here we are. Master Potter try this one...its also extremely old but it may match you." Ollivander said when he reentered the main room of the shop.
Harry took the wand and waved it. The wand shot off a brilliant series of green and silver sparks that took the form of a serpent.
"Yes, yes, I thought so. This wand Master Potter is over five hundred years old. It was made by one of my ancestors who also was a parselmouth. It has a basilisk fang as its core and only will respond to a parslemouth. Further should this wand be lost or stolen you merely need to summon it using parseltounge and it will come to you." Ollivander said.
Harry studied the wand for a minute, it was oak and twelve and three-quarters inches long.
"It is excellent Mr. Ollivander." Harry said.
"And your secret is safe with me too My Lord." Mr. Ollivander said.
"That brings the total to two-hundred fifty-seven galleons, fourteen sickles, twenty-four knuts; do you wish to write a Gringrotts Draft Auror Malfoy?" Mr. Ollivander said.
"Yes, of course." Lucius said and took a slip of parchment that Mr. Ollivander handed to him, headed over to the counter and took a quill from the ink pot there and wrote the draft and signed it. Harry and Draco both knew how a Gringrotts Draft worked, although Harry also had a muggle frame of reference. The Draft worked much like a muggle check and the money would be deposited into Mr. Ollivander's account as soon as the goblins processed it.
"Thank You My Lords and Auror Malfoy, have a very pleasant day." Mr. Ollivander said as they left the shop.
After they left the shop Lucius pulled the boys into a pathway between two shops. "What did he mean calling you both lords?" Lucius said.
Draco simply smiled as if he expected his father to understand. Harry however didn't leave it to chance. "He was able to feel our auras Lucius. Remember the conversation you, Draco and I had?" he said.
"I do." Lucius said nodding.
"Apparently he thinks we may have lord-level power someday." Harry said.
"Well, both of the wands that chose you both would indicate such. Just don't let it go to your heads boys. Raw power without cunning, direction, will, and training is next to useless. Remember that." Lucius said his eyes twinkling with pride at his sons (as he considered Harry to be as much his son as Draco).
"We wont Father, it wouldn't be very Slytherin of us." Draco said.
"I don't know about it being Slytherin Drake, but to forget that would be most unwise." Harry said.
"I don't care what house you boys are put in as long as you do your very best and always try to make me and Narcissa proud. Even if we disagree with it." Lucius said with tears welling up in his eyes. And it wasn't often that Lucius cried at all.
"Lucius, is something wrong? Why are you crying?" Harry asked.
"I'm so proud." he said and wiped the tears from his eyes quickly and regained his composure.
They left the pathway and headed to the Leaky Cauldron where they had lunch, and then following that purchased robes at Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.