Chapter Four: An Enemy Revealed
"Come on, Harry!" Draco cried, turning around to jog backwards so he could shoot the slower boy an encouraging smile.
Draco was always smiling, and for some reason, he was usually smiling at Harry. The dark-haired boy didn't know quite what to make of it. The only people that smiled at him were the ones that hadn't met him yet or had never spoken with the Dursleys about what a retched boy he was. But he had been staying with Draco and his parents for almost four days now, and he was still smiling, and laughing, and wanting Harry to play with him. The young blond was so often terribly excited to play with the smaller boy that Harry didn't know what to do or say, other than to follow his first ever friend and hope that he didn't do anything wrong.
All his life, no matter how hard he tried, he always did something wrong. Maybe the Malfoys just hadn't noticed yet and that was why he hadn't gotten in trouble once since he had been there. That had to be it, nothing else made sense. They were bond to notice some time though, and as the blond waved and called again for Harry to follow him, that time had come.
The large, ornate vase that was sitting on a narrow table along the curved wall of the hallway started to teeter back and forth the moment Draco's arm brushed it. As if in slow motion, the dark-haired boy watched it tip over the edge of the table and start to tumble through the air. It's going to break, Harry thought frantically. One skinny hand reached out instinctively to catch it, though he was almost a meter away and had no hope of doing so. Still, he reached, a frantic "No!" spilling out as he did so. And the vase stopped falling.
The no doubt expensive item hung, frozen briefly in mid-air, and the breath caught in his throat as he watched it drift gently down and onto the carpet. The outstretched hand jerked back to wrap protectively around his midsection as the boy heard a voice yell sharply from behind him.
"What is going on here?" Lucius Malfoy demanded as he came down the Round Gallery. The sound of pounding feet, laughter, and his son's voice had prompted him from his office, but the sight that greeted him wasn't exactly what he had expected.
"Father! Harry saved the vase with magic!" the young blond bounced on his feet in his excitement, unaware that his friend began to tremble fearfully in response.
"Why did it require saving, exactly?"
The bouncing stopped at that soft, level tone. "Well, it fell. On accident. Honest."
"And how precisely did it accidentally fall, Draco?"
The heir to the House of Malfoy bit his lip, well aware that he could never get away with anything less than the complete truth when his father sounded like that. "I bumped it," he admitted in a quiet, subdued voice. "But it really was an accident."
"And how did you come to bump the vase?"
Draco sighed. "I was running sir," he glanced away from his father's stern face for a moment, then rushed on, excitement returning to his face and voice. "But Harry saved it! He used magic to make it not fall!"
Narrow grey eyes left his son to focus on the smaller boy where he stood, arms wrapped tightly around himself and shoulders hunched forward. "Is this true, Mr. Potter?"
Harry began to shake visibly at the question, his words tumbling out in a fearful whine. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry sir."
The eyes narrowed further as the wizard recalled the other occasions he had seen the boy respond in such a way. Every instance had included the mention of him using magic. As he pondered that recollection, Lucius continued, softening his tone slightly as he did so. "No, I do not suppose you meant to do so. That is why it is called accidental magic, after all."
The blond waited to see if the boy would say anything else, but he only flinched and seemed to fold further in on himself. "Even so, it is an impressive display of power, Mr. Potter. Well done. And my thanks for preventing any damage to the vase, my wife is quite fond of it."
The small head snapped up, green eyes flying up briefly before returning to the ground. The shock in the wide orbs had been plain to see, and the wizard resolved to give additional thought to how he would conduct the lessons he planned to begin with the boy that afternoon. With this in mind, he gave them each a nod and returned to his office after reminding his son that running was not allowed within the Manor and that he expected them both to be on time for lessons after lunch.
Harry watched him go, unable to fully process everything that had just happened. When Mr. Malfoy had arrived he had been sure that he would be severely punished for what had almost happened to the vase. He had always been punished when something bad happened, even more so when he did something freaky like make a vase freeze in mid-air. But not only had he not gotten in trouble for being a freak, he hadn't gotten in trouble for the vase almost falling. In fact, Draco had said he had knocked it over.
Draco hadn't blamed him. The thought left a strange feeling in his chest. The blond was his first ever friend so he didn't have anyone to compare him to, but he couldn't imagine a better friend than Draco. Even Dudley's Gang blamed each other when Harry wasn't around to get in trouble for things, though they managed to blame him sometimes then, too. But Draco didn't even try. It was almost more than Harry could comprehend.
Why was the blond so nice to him, why did he want to be his friend so badly? And why were Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy so nice to him? Sure, Mrs. Malfoy had told him the first night that he'd be their son, but she couldn't have meant it. No one would really want him, his Aunt and Uncle had always made that very clear. Yet, they hadn't yelled at him once. They hadn't hit him or made him sit by himself in a dark cupboard, or made him cook or clean to earn his keep. They hadn't even gotten mad when he was freakish and made weird things happen. Mr. Malfoy had told him he had been impressive. He'd never been impressive before. It didn't make sense. Magic was evil and horrible and freaky like him, right?
Before he could confuse himself any more, his friend grabbed his hand with a huge smile and tugged him down the corridor and towards one of the rear doors that would take them out into the gardens where Polaris and the other young peacocks lived. They had then played amongst the white birds until it was time to go in to clean up for lunch. It wasn't until the meal ended that Harry recalled what Mr. Malfoy had said about him joining Draco for lessons that day.
No matter how nice the Malfoys had been to him, or how far the Manor was from Little Whinging Primary School, it was all the brunette could do to force himself to take a seat beside the taller blond boy in what looked like a fancy library. Grey eyes watched every stilted move he made as they all got settled at the large oak table.
Lucius stood in front of his son and house-guest and spared a moment to contemplate the strange circumstances he now found himself in. Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, was living in his house and he had appointed himself one of the boy's instructors. The tutors that usually handled Draco's lessons had been fired the day after Harry had arrived as the risk of having them in the house was far too great. The success of their plans hinged on several things, one of which was making sure no one knew of the child's presence there.
Dealing with the Curse Damage specialist for the two days she had spent in the Manor had been stressful enough. It had been plain nerve wracking, to be honest, watching the Healer every second to make sure she didn't talk to anyone before she had finished her task and was successfully Obliviated. It had taken days to treat and properly diagnose the problem with the Potter boy's scar. It had been eerily reminiscent of his time with the Death Eaters during the war, with enemies everywhere and the ever-present threat of any misstep ending in disaster. It was what he was trying to escape, not rejoin.
He didn't want to have to deal with that again. It was going to be difficult enough dealing with all the moving parts of their complex plans, including the two boys fidgeting in their seats across from him. It was essential that Potter learn everything he needed to know about their world and his role in it, and to do it in such a way as to ensure he developed the proper views and opinions. Soon enough he would need to learn combat magic and other skills.
He, Narcissa, and Severus had spent innumerable hours over the last few days structuring plans for the boy's education that would provide the most effective framework for what came next. Though, things would be even more complicated than first anticipated. They had known there would be many possibilities to deal with before they reached that point, but at no point had any of them considered Horcruxes to be one of them. A basic introduction to magic and the Wizarding World, however, had been discussed thoroughly. And that was where he needed to focus first, especially after witnessing Potter's reaction to the incident that morning.
With that in mind, the Lord Malfoy turned to his son and heir, hoping that involving him would help to put the smaller boy at ease. "Draco, as I believe Mr. Potter has received no such lessons before, perhaps you could explain for him the basic subjects we will be covering. I will provide a demonstration of each as you do so."
The younger blond eagerly stood next to his father, his chest puffed out slightly and a wide grin on his face as he began speaking. Draco had often been given reasons to be proud of what he had learned or done. His parents always promptly told him when he did a good job with something or learned his lessons quickly. But standing up and explaining about magic to the famous Harry Potter, the boy who had brought down the Dark Lord, made him feel something all together more than he ever had before.
The last few days had been more than he had imagined when he'd thought of what good friends he and Harry would be at Hogwarts. It had been almost like what he thought having a little brother would be like. He'd taught the smaller boy about toys and brooms and Quidditch and peacocks and what fork to use for the salad course and all kinds of things. He helped his new friend every day, and every night too when the brunette had his bad dreams. The young wizard knew he could calm Harry when he got upset and reassure him better than even Mother could when he got scared or unsure. Harry Potter trusted him and needed him and liked him best of all. And now, he was the first person ever to teach him about magic!
"Every magical person, witch or wizard, has a Magical Core inside them where their personal power… gathers. That power is channeled," grey eyes darted quickly over to his father to make sure he had used the correct word and he continued with a grin at the tiny nod from the wizard, "through a wand, which is officially purchased at the age of eleven before enrolling at a magical school. Before we learn to use a wand to focus our power, it can respond to strong emotions and cause uncontrolled magic called Accidental Magic," Draco recited, proud to have remembered the speech he had received from his father several times since he turned five.
"To prepare for school, magical children have lessons at home from when they're five to when they are eleven years old. Everyone learns basic maths, and writing of course. And the Old Families teach Latin since most spells are in Latin, not English. They also introduce magical subjects. Officially, only the ones that don't require a wand are taught before school. Like Herbology, Potions, Magical Theory, and History of Magic. At school, they teach Charms, Transfiguration, and Defense Against the Dark Arts."
As Draco said this last, his father waved his wand, said a funny sounding word and made a feather drift right off the table all by itself. The feather returned to its place and suddenly turned into a tiny duck that quacked once before turning back into a feather. Lastly, the tall blond made the feather explode, then made the pieces disappear.
Strange, freaky things had happened around Harry for as long as he could remember, always when he was scared or hurt. Those unexplainable things were frightening because when he was freaky it meant something was wrong and that terrible punishment was on the way. But hearing the strange things Draco was saying and watching the unbelievable things that Mr. Malfoy was doing seemed somehow different. He couldn't help but jump every time Draco's dad did something – magic – but it wasn't really scary. And both blonds acted like it was completely normal and not horrible or evil or freaky at all.
Harry didn't understand. Magic not only wasn't a bad word, it was also real. And he wasn't the only one that could do it. He almost didn't believe it. He had seen the adults all do strange things with their sticks while he had been here, so the idea of magic wasn't as completely unbelievable as it had been only a week before.
But he had assumed that even if magic was real that he was still a freak since he didn't use a stick like the others and he had no real control over the strange things that happened around him. But even when he had somehow appeared in the maze, they had been surprised, but not disgusted by it. And Mr. Malfoy hadn't been shocked about the vase. He'd even told Harry he was impressive for doing it. Like it was a good thing. Draco had certainly seemed to think that the strange things he had done while at the Manor were good things. He was pulled from those thoughts when his friend – his friend – started talking again.
"A long time ago, all witches and wizards learned at home, so some learned completely different things than others did. This made some families get really good at certain types of magic that were… were specific to their families. Eventually, in about the sixth century, Queen Maeve taught groups of children magic in the very first school in Britain. Her friend, Merlin often took private students as well, though they say he helped her too. Merlin and Queen Maeve helped set up the future of magical education once magical society was organized and center- no, centr-a-lized in Camelot, in the court of King Arthur."
Draco took a deep breath, grinning widely when his father nodded again to show that he had done a good job remembering the facts he had learned two whole years before, only really stumbling over the one long word. His father didn't get a chance to say anything, though, because a wide-eyed Harry blurted out a question, then bit his lip and looked down as if he expected to get in trouble for talking.
"You mean Merlin and Arthur like in the story about the sword in the stone? They're real?"
No one got upset, however. Mr. Malfoy just nodded and responded to the question in a calm voice. "Somewhat like that, Mr. Potter. Merlin and Arthur Pendragon are both among the most important historical figures in our world. Some of the tales about them were repeated and developed into the stories you have heard, but Muggles did not retain the information accurately and some parts of their stories are not correct."
"What-" Harry ducted his head back down, but when nothing was said, he hesitantly continued. "What are Muggles?"
"Muggles are those without magic. People like your aunt and uncle." Harry tensed, his eyes dropping immediately to the table as Lucius continued. "In the time of Arthur, there was contact between Magicals and Muggles, which is how they know some of the tales. However, as many Muggles hate and fear magic and outnumber us greatly, it was decided that we would be safer if we hid our world from Muggles entirely. In 1692, the International Confederation of Wizards instituted the Statute of Secrecy, which makes it illegal to reveal magic in any way to Muggles. While this has isolated our world to a certain extent, it has provided invaluable safety and security to all witches and wizards."
The Lord of the House of Malfoy watched his new student closely as he spoke. He had spent some time discussing with Severus and Narcissa what angle to take when presenting certain facts to the Potter boy. He could readily admit that the environment he seemed to have been raised in thus far made it quite easy to impart the opinion they were looking to foster in the child.
"If Muggles discovered our world," the blond went on, "it is feared that they could turn on us and cause great harm to our people simply through fear and ignorance. It has, by some elements in our world, been argued that Magicals and Muggles could coexist if that ignorance was dispelled through education and increased interaction. Many of us, however, have seen how Muggles react when faced with magic and the things we can accomplish with it. It is our belief that telling or showing magic to non-Magicals would only increase their fear and lead to hatred and violence."
Harry had apparently lived with Muggles as long as he could remember. He had no difficulty whatsoever attesting to the fact that nearly every person he had met reacted badly to the freaky things he could do. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon certainly became violently upset whenever his freakishness was even referred to. And no adult he had ever met had even once acted like the Dursleys' treatment of him was not deserved. Most outright agreed that he was a freak and shouldn't be treated like a normal kid, the way Dudley and his friends were. The small boy shuddered at the thought of what could happen if everyone knew for sure what a freak he and those like him really were. He was shaken from his dismal thoughts by the sound of his only friend's voice.
"King Arthur was long before the Statute. There were some Muggles in his court, but the famous and important people, like Arthur and his knights and Merlin, Morgan la Fey, Queen Maeve, and the Lady of the Lake were all witches and wizards."
"Indeed they were," added Mr. Malfoy. "In fact, the most prominent families in our world can trace their lineage back to a figure from Camelot."
Lucius paused as he noticed the skinny child open his mouth briefly as though about to say something, then bite his lip in silence. What was the boy thinking? If he were to properly guide Harry, he would have to have an idea of how he looked at things. Deciding to see if he could prompt the boy to speak, he looked casually between the two boys. "Do either of you have any questions at this juncture?"
Draco tilted his head at his father in question. He had learned all this years ago, of course he didn't have any questions. The way the tall wizard narrowed his eyes at his son and then shifted his gaze pointedly to the other boy was enough to make the young blond glance at his new friend, however. Upon seeing the hesitant but curious look on that face, he knew what his father had been trying to tell him.
"What is it, Harry?" the Malfoy heir asked, causing the brunette to jump slightly in his seat and look down at his hands. Draco smiled encouragingly at him and finally Harry spoke, hesitant and quiet.
"Are the families only important because they come from Camelot, or is there something about coming from Camelot that makes them more important?"
It took a moment, but Lucius was fairly certain he understood what the child was asking, and found himself mildly impressed with the insight the question demonstrated.
"There are several main things that set the Arthurian Houses apart from the rest of magical society. The fact that their lines trace back to the most notable figures of our history is indeed one of them. Because of the age of these family lines, the members have access to a higher concentration of family magic, the inherent power available to all members of a family, or House. The fact that the Old Families tend to marry within their own strata of our society means that the lines that started out at the top of our society, such as the Arthurian descendants, marry into other notable families. This results in most notable figures of our world having been born to one of those Houses which began at Camelot."
The brow, beneath its black fringe, wrinkled in slight confusion. Before Lucius had a chance to see what part of the explanation was puzzling the boy, his son did so. "Important and powerful people don't have as many equals. And for marriage to work, both members should be equal and know that their partner understands them and likes them for them and not how important they are and isn't trying to take advantage or anything."
The furrow smoothed out on the smaller boy's forehead at his friend's explanation and he nodded in agreement. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia loved to have people over to Number Four that they thought were important or rich or well known. They talked about them all the time and how they could use those people to make themselves look better. Harry could understand how important people wouldn't like to be treated the way the Dursleys treated the 'important guests' that sometimes came over.
"For example," Mr. Malfoy said, drawing his students' attention once more. "After the Age of Camelot, the most notable period for the Wizarding World was the Founders' Era, when Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was established here in Britain. The four wizards and witches that founded the school were the most accomplished, powerful, and influential figures of their day. It has been said that no one individual has lived in all the centuries since which could rival any one of the Founders for talent, power, or political prominence. Each of the Founders descended from a member of the Arthurian Court."
Draco, at his father's urging, opened a large book that was sitting on the table in front of them. He pushed it towards Harry so the other boy could see a drawing of two men and two women under the title The Founders. Gesturing to a red-haired man with a long sword, Lucius went on. "Godric Gryffindor's line traces to Sir Gawain, a knight of the Round Table and nephew of King Arthur. Rowena Ravenclaw descended from Arthur's other nephew, Ywain. Salazar Slytherin could trace his family to Merlin and Queen Maeve. Helga Hufflepuff was related to Sir Lancelot."
As each was named, Draco pointed at the corresponding picture. "Their families," said Lucius, "were the first to be designated Most Ancient and Noble. There were eventually seven Houses that could claim such distinction. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Black, Malfoy, and Peverell. The only Houses which have ever held this place in our society are those which come to us from Camelot. The House of Black descends from Sir Tristan, a favored knight of Arthur's who was said to have stolen his love Iseult from her husband in the black of night. The House of Malfoy can claim as its ancestor Vivien Lac, also known as the Lady of the Lake, whose granddaughter married into the Malfoi family of France in the early seventh century. Lastly, the Peverells were descendants of Arthur himself. The usage of that name ended in the twelfth century, however, when the last remaining Peverell, Iolanthe, married Hardwin Potter."
Harry sat back in shock at the last name, only vaguely watching as Draco unrolled a scroll of parchment the older blond had pointed towards. When unfurled, it was a large chart of names and pictures. It took the younger blond a minute to get his friend's attention focused on the Arthurian family trees that were illustrated on the scroll, but once he was paying attention, Lucius again began to speak.
"Each of these lines are held in the highest regard in the Wizarding World, and each has been entrusted with duties and responsibilities of equal importance. Based on public records, the Founders' lines were said to have died out as well, in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. However, the well known sources have been incomplete for hundreds of years. "
The blond wizard gestured to the scroll. "The Old Families – those who date at least as far back as the Norman Invasion of England in 1066 – have private genealogical texts, passed down through the generations, which are whole and undamaged. These more accurate sources show that the Slytherin line continued, through the Gaunts, until only a few years ago. The Gryffindor line married into the Stinchcombe family several generations after Godric. The Stinchcombes seemingly disappeared in the 1100s. What is not well known is that Linfred Stinchcombe who had been known as The Potterer, had a son who took on the surname Potter, and married Iolanthe Peverell."
There was silence in the large room for several minutes as the small brunette looked with wide eyes at the document before him. Harry's face was a mask of disbelief when he looked up, his gaze locking with that of his only friend. Draco nodded at the silent question in that gaze.
"The Potter family is considered Ancient and Noble, and they come from two Most Ancient and Noble Houses," explained the taller boy.
His father nodded as well, bringing that still wide green gaze to him when he expanded on what his son had said. "Only one of these links is well known, but they both exist, and the status of the House of Potter in our world is quite high. Such Houses require respect from every witch and wizard, especially those within the House. Among the Old Families, one's House is the most important aspect of a witch or wizard's identity and as such, everyone's first responsibility, their first loyalty, is to their House. In our world, Mr. Potter, family is the most important thing of all."
Harry sat in silence. He wanted to disagree with what Mr. Malfoy was saying. He knew that technically his Aunt and Uncle were his family, but he couldn't respect them, and he knew that they had never once been loyal to him.
"This is something that separates the Old Families, Mr. Potter. Some of the other, less established families in our world do not follow this doctrine as they should, I admit. But even they value their links to their family magic and their predecessors in a way that Muggles simply do not. It is one of the reasons witches and wizards have trouble when they marry outside of our world."
Harry's nose scrunched up as he thought that over. Hadn't Mr. Malfoy said that the magic world was separate from Muggles? Before he could ask for clarification, Draco spoke up. "A little bit of magic is in everything, even the trees and the wind. So sometimes, there is just enough magic in a Muggle for them to have a baby that can be called a witch or wizard. They are called Muggle-borns. Your mom was a Muggle-born, that's why the rest of her family, like your aunt, are Muggles."
"Oh," the scrawny boy whispered. His Aunt and Uncle were Muggles. And Muggles didn't see family the same way magical people did. That made perfect sense to Harry. He knew they hated him because he was a freak and they had to take care of him even though he didn't deserve it. But if Muggles didn't value family like Magicals did, maybe part of the reason they thought he wasn't worth anything was because they were Muggle.
Obviously, the fact that they were scared of freakishness and hated it so much had something to do with it. But so did the fact that they didn't see him as family like they should. Maybe he did deserve the things they always said he didn't and they just couldn't understand that because they were Muggles. Maybe, he thought with a rush of understanding, maybe that was why the Malfoys were nice to him and let him live there without cleaning or cooking or anything, because they were magical and they understood what the Dursleys couldn't.
Harry bit down on his lower lip as he considered everything he had learned so far. Mr. Malfoy had said that the rest of the Wizarding World respected the families like the Potters. Maybe the Malfoys really did respect him and like him and want to take care of him. If he was a Magical, that meant he wasn't really a freak like the Dursleys said. It was almost too much to hope for. He didn't dare say anything about him being part of the Malfoys' family like Narcissa had said, not until he knew everything. He could tell that Draco's dad wasn't finished talking. Hoping to fully understand, he nodded briefly to show he was ready for the wizard to go on.
Lucius did just that, bringing the discussion back to the topic of what set apart the lines which descended from Camelot, other than the fact that they had an ancestor in King Arthur's Court. "In addition to age and ancestry, over the many centuries, the oldest family lines have also developed talents that are not possessed by others. This is due in part to the accumulation of private family libraries." The wizard gestured around him at the shelves of books that lined the walls.
"The original methods of learning which we have discussed also play a role. Since magic was first taught within the family, knowledge and skills often passed exclusively from parent to child and was not learned by any outside the family, as Draco said earlier. Once magical education was organized for all children at specific schools, a certain amount of knowledge was taught to all. The Old Families among us, however, still pass down specific skills in the original fashion. This is one reason it is considered such a loss when a family line dies out. The family magic, the House's knowledge, and their unique talents are lost to us, and it is detrimental to our entire society."
Harry was silent for a moment, then with a leery glance at Lucius, he quietly ventured a few words. "I'm the last Potter."
Lucius nodded, once again pleasantly surprised by the speed with which the scrawny boy grasped the core concept of the lesson and applied it automatically to the new world around him. "You are. More so, because the Potter line descended from other lines that have otherwise died out, you are the last who can claim the family magics of three different ancestral lines. Any private libraries or collections that were passed down to the Potter family will most likely be in one of the Potter vaults. You will have full access to those once you have assumed your titles."
"I have a title?" Green eyes had grown wide behind his glasses, and the question had tumbled out before Harry had given himself permission to speak. As soon as he realized what he had done, his mouth snapped shut and his shoulders hunched forward. Neither Malfoy said anything about him interrupting, however. Mr. Malfoy simply nodded.
"Your father was Lord Potter, and you will be the same, just as I am Lord Malfoy and Draco will become the Lord Malfoy after me. But the Potter family is somewhat different. Because the Gryffindor and Peverell lines died out after they merged with the House of Potter, the Lord Potter is also the Lord Peverell, and though it is not widely known, he is the Lord Gryffindor as well. This makes the House of Potter especially important in our society, and therefore it has special responsibilities to magic and the Wizarding World."
The idea that he was worth something, that he deserved the things that the Malfoys had given him- their time and attention, medical care, good food, a big comfortable room with toys, a friend – that was hard enough for Harry to process. The idea that he was important, that he was in some way more important than this family in its fancy castle-like home, was just too much. And more than that, it didn't make sense.
"If…" he trailed off, almost afraid to ask, afraid of the answer but needing it anyway. "If I'm important, then why didn't anybody care before? Why was I just left there and no one ever-" the small boy choked back the words, not wanting to say it, or to feel the tears that burned the back of his throat when he tried.
The two blonds grew quiet, then Mr. Malfoy - Lord Malfoy - held his gaze for several long seconds. When he spoke, his deep voice was quiet but more serious than Harry had ever heard it before. "I was not involved in the decision to place you with your mother's Muggle sister, and the wizard who made that choice has never explained it to anyone, but he has implied that you were hidden in the Muggle world to protect you."
Harry reared back in his seat as if he had been slapped. "Protect me?" he asked incredulously. Lucius nodded gravely.
"He said that the Muggle world was the only safe place for you to be."
"Safe? At the Dursleys'? Who? Who said that? Who put me there and just left me and didn't care that…" the scrawny brunette swallowed hard, trying to shove down the sudden urge to scream.
"His name is Albus Dumbledore and he is a very powerful wizard who many look up to and believe automatically. He is the Headmaster of Hogwarts and the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, our court." Wide green eyes just blinked, the action only drawing attention to the wet shine growing in his eyes as he listened. "In the wake of your parents' murder he took charge of your placement before anyone thought to ask where you had gone."
"M-murder? Aunt Petunia said my parents died in a car crash."
Blond brows drew low over grey eyes momentarily before the wizard shook off his confusion at the strange terms. "For many years, our world was at war, one side led by the Dark Lord. Your parents fought against him, and on Halloween of 1981, he attacked your home. He killed both of your parents and attempted to kill you as well."
Shock, fear, and finally anger, filtered across the still gaunt face. Lucius absently reminded himself to have another word with Snobby, the kitchen elf. Mr. Potter had only been with them a few days, but he had not gained any weight as yet, and that simply would not do if they were to start his defensive spellwork lessons soon.
"You were the only one left alive in the house when others arrived, Mr. Potter. Even the Dark Lord disappeared that night. No one knows what happened to him, or how you survived."
"You survived the Killing Curse, Harry," came the hushed voice of his first and only friend. "No one has lived through that before. Not Ever. That's why you're called the Boy-Who-Lived."
The smaller boy shook his head, confused and overwhelmed.
"You are famous in our world, Mr. Potter. You did the impossible in living, and when you did so, the Dark Lord disappeared, a wizard who's name no one will even speak for fear of him. It is believed that you somehow were responsible, and for that you are revered in the Wizarding World."
It was too much, the idea that he was famous, that he might have done something to make people think that way about him. He closed his eyes briefly to reign in the hundreds of questions forming in his mind. With a deep breath he forced himself to focus on the most important question.
"So if I am- am famous, why didn't anybody magical want to take care of me?"
"I am sure many would have been quite eager to take you in, Mr. Potter. Your parents were well liked and had many friends. But by the time anyone started asking where you would go, you were already with the Muggles. Only your godparents would have had any legal standing to take custody of you, and by three days after the attack, your Godfather was arrested and your godmother had been attacked and confined to hospital. No one was left to question the Chief Warlock's decision and few would have even dared do so. He is very powerful, as I said."
Harry's mouth hung open, too many questions again tumbling rapidly through his thoughts. He struggled to catch up with all that had been said. "I have a Godfather? And a godmother? Why was he arrested? Why was she attacked? Why- Wait!"
The seven-year-old grasped his dark locks in both hands. "Wait. When was he arrested, and when was she attacked?"
Lucius Malfoy rocked back slightly on his heels. The boy really did connect things quickly. "Sirius Black, your father's best friend and your Godfather, was arrested November 3rd, 1981. It was said that he had something to do with that attack, but the Chief Warlock never called the Wizengamot to session to conduct the trial so I know nothing further about the situation. Your godmother is Alice Longbottom. She was very close to your mother. She and her husband were attacked on November 2nd 1981."
"There wasn't a trial? Is that legal?" He waved away any answer that would have been given and continued to speak. "So, so when he took me to the Dursleys' my godmother was okay? She was attacked after that, right? A couple days after."
"That is correct."
Two small black brows drew low over the green eyes. "Then why didn't I go to her after my parents died? That's what my parents wanted, right? That's why she was my godmother, isn't it?"
A tinge of hysteria had entered the young voice, prompting the other boy to grab hold of his hand where it was fisted on the tabletop. The last remaining Potter took a deep breath and held that other hand tightly. Having Draco there helped him manage the out of control feeling inside him, just like he always did at night after a nightmare. Draco made him feel safe, he realized.
Mr. Malfoy had scared him the first few times he saw him, but the lessons that day hadn't been nearly as bad as he'd been afraid they would be. Mr. Malfoy hadn't yelled, or got upset with him for not knowing things, or for asking questions, or even for interrupting him. He took another deep breath and looked up at his friend's father. As if he had been waiting for that very thing, as soon as their eyes met, the wizard answered the previous question.
"I would assume that was your parents' wish, as the role of godparent grants automatic custody of a child in the event both parents die."
"But I didn't go automatically to either one of them. I went to Dumbledore. Why? Why did he decide where I went?" The growing frustration in the quiet voice was unmistakable. As was the bitterness in his expression when he was answered.
"That was the way Dumbledore wanted it."
"And no one said anything? They just let him take me wherever he wanted? They just let him take me and leave me on a doorstep in the middle of the night, in winter, with a single blanket and a note?" Harry's tone was harsh, almost as harsh as his Aunt's and Uncle's always were when they related to him how he had been foisted on them without warning or question. They had said time and again how they never would have taken him given a choice and how they wished they knew how it had been done so they could leave him to be someone else's problem. He was pretty sure they had tried. They certainly talked about how his freakishness wouldn't even let them get rid of him. Maybe magic had stopped them from tossing him out like they wanted. It would make more sense than them keeping him all these years.
"He is the Chief Warlock, and though such things are not inherent in the position, he makes many decisions on behalf of the Wizengamot without our input. He has also been the Headmaster of our only school for many decades and practically all his past students consider him to be very wise and nigh on infallible."
The brunette clenched his teeth and tightened his hold on Draco's hand yet again. When Lucius spoke again, the angry cast of the boy's features hardened with resolve.
"It would take a lot of effort, and someone with a lot of power and influence in our society in order to effect the Headmaster's position at the school, or in the court."
"Someone like the Boy-Who-Lived?" Harry asked, green eyes fixed on the wizard before him. The Lord of the House of Malfoy tipped his head in silent agreement and the brunette gave a sharp nod in return. "I don't know how to be a Lord."
Draco placed his free hand on his friend's shoulder, causing a hint of the tension there to ease. "I don't either, yet. Father will teach us both, won't you Father?"
One corner of the elder blond's mouth twitched slightly upwards. "Indeed I will, Draco. I will teach you and Mr. Potter everything you need to know, you have my word."
