Hello, readers! Glad to see I've held your interest! I know this one is short but it's setting up the next bit of plot, so I hope you enjoy the next installment!

Lori

**********Chapter 3**********

Each year, on his birthday, Harry got a visit from his godfather, Sirius Black. As he got bigger, Sirius showed him that magic existed and did things for him with it. For instance, when Harry got too big for his crib, Sirius used magic to make it into a child sized bed. When he was sad, Sirius transformed into his animagus form of a large black dog to cheer him up.

Harry never told his amazing Uncle Siri that Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and their son Dudley were mean to him on every other day of the year. He never said a word about the names they called him or how the clothes they made him wear were much too big for his small body. He preferred to enjoy the time with his uncle rather than ruin it by tattling on them and possibly making things worse.

From the time he was five, Harry did the chores around the house and he never complained about them. He didn't even make a fuss about the size of his bedroom although it was barely big enough to fit his bed and the trunk he'd had since birth.

At age six, Harry still liked to play with his stuffed dragon toy; it was his only toy, after all, because Dudley broke the ones his uncle had given him. The dragon was never out of his sight unless it was in his trunk. Dudley always made fun of him for liking dolls and stuffed animals, but Harry didn't care.

One day, a week or so before Harry's seventh birthday, Dudley was looking for Harry in his bedroom. While the other boy was in the bathroom, he stole the dragon. Harry came back and looked everywhere for his toy. He was very upset to lose it, so he asked Dudley if he'd seen it. Dudley lied and said no, so Harry asked his aunt and uncle. They also didn't know, and when Harry heard this, he sat down in his room and cried. He cried uncontrollably rocking back and forth, calling for 'Draco'. Within minutes, the dragon toy was flying through the house and back into Harry's possession. His relatives were astonished and angry to see the boy using magic so when Sirius came to visit he was told of Harry's actions.

Sirius asked Harry what had happened and so Harry confessed everything; from his treatment, to the names, to the clothes and even his suspicions that Dudley had taken his dragon toy. Sirius got so angry at Petunia and Vernon. He insisted that Harry be treated better and told them he'd increase his visits to be sure they followed his demand. Sirius even enlarged Harry's bedroom with magic warding it so that no muggle would be able to step foot in that room.

Dudley was punished for picking on his cousin, and was made to share the chores with Harry. With Sirius visiting on his birthday and on Christmas, Harry felt much safer at the Dursleys.

Dudley caught the chicken pox just after Harry had turned eight. Of course, Harry caught them too. The sickness made them both very itchy and, one day, Harry heard Aunt Petunia tell Dudley the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty while rubbing a lotion onto his skin. When he went to sleep that night, he imagined walking up a spiral staircase and finding a lovely young blond boy lying in a tower waiting for true love's kiss…Harry's kiss. He soon began to dream of the blond boy on a regular basis.

A few years later…On his 11th birthday, Sirius brought a wizard named Albus Dumbledore with him to see Harry. Dumbledore told Harry all about magic and then gave him a wand of his own and began to train him.

Sirius and Dumbledore still did not tell young Harry that he was born a prince...not even when Harry divulged the nature of his dreams about the blond boy did they inform him of his betrothed. There would be time for that when the young prince had been trained and prepared…

********** LTF **********

While Harry suffered a mostly muggle existence, Draco did not...

Voldemort kept Draco in a room that was attached to his own until the boy was six. The young English prince was told of magic, allowed access to the elves and given books on all magical subjects. Though Voldemort had ceased his romantic pursuit of Severus, the dark haired man was given permission to train his godson in nearly every subject. Draco did perform his fair share of accidental and underage magic but he was never punished for it. He was also never forced to do housework; that was for the elves.

As a gift on Draco's sixth birthday, Lord Voldemort gave the boy a new bedroom located in the highest tower of the residence. If the young prince thought this would give him privacy from the dark wizard, he was very wrong. Voldemort visited him in the room every day for an hour or so and allowed him very little time alone.

One day, about a month and three weeks after he'd been moved to his new room, Voldemort visited his 'ward's' tower-bedroom a little earlier than usual. He found the blond boy playing with a stuffed hippogriff and telling it how he loved it so much. Voldemort became very angry. He took the toy from Draco and ripped it to pieces. He then told the young blond that he was not allowed to love anything or anyone except him. Voldemort swept out of the room and locked his 'ward' in. Draco became so distraught that he gathered the pieces of his toy into his lap and began to cry. As he cried, his tears fell upon the dismembered toy. He hugged it and rocked back and forth, calling its name – 'Harry' – until he fell asleep. When he woke in the morning, the stuffed hippogriff was back together as if it had never been destroyed. He made sure to hide the toy from Voldemort, but never slept without it.

A few months after he'd turned seven, Draco had a dream. He lay sleeping in his tower and felt a kiss touch his lips. When he saw who'd kissed him, it was a handsome boy with dark brown hair and vibrant green eyes. He took up drawing as a hobby and hid many pictures of the boy away.

A few years later… On his 11th birthday, Severus and the butler, Lucius, began to teach Draco even more about magic. They gave him a wand and allowed him to begin casting the spells he'd learned about over the years.

Severus kept Draco's betrothal a secret so Voldemort would never find out that there was someone with prior claim to the young prince. Sirius kept him updated as to Harry's wellbeing and hoped that one day the boy would become strong enough to save his godson.

********** LTF **********

When Draco turned 12, Voldemort had Severus plan a grand party. He demanded that there be balloons and a petting zoo of many different types of magical creatures. He invited all the noble families from both England and Scotland to attend. Draco was very surprised and he tried to enjoy it but felt that something was missing.

"You're tired, my darling Dragon." Voldemort said as he escorted the boy back to his bedroom at the end of the night and sat on the end of his bed.

"Yes, sir; I am. It was a wonderful party." Draco knew to be polite because the older man was known to get very upset if you weren't. He stepped behind the folded screen to undress for bed.

"I have one last gift for you this year, Draco…" Voldemort told him softly when he came out in his silken pyjamas and lifted the blankets to be tucked in.

"Really, sir?" The blond boy asked sounding only mildly interested. "You've given me more than enough already!"

Voldemort smiled at his young ward. "Well, this is something that you can only have when you reach the age of sixteen, my sweet boy."

Draco frowned. "What on earth could it be? Won't you tell me, sir?"

"Me…" Voldemort's eyes glimmered in the candle-light and when Draco looked confused he went on to explain. "I give you the knowledge that I've chosen to betroth you to myself. We will marry on your sixteenth birthday." He smiled widely; happy to have finally fulfilled his goals of overthrowing the Malfoy and Potter thrones and gaining control of Magical Britain. This betrothal was the last step because it would legitimize everything he'd done. He'd been keeping it a secret for so many years and just knew Draco would love the idea.

"What?" Draco, however, was horrified by the notion that he'd never meet the green-eyed boy from his dreams. "Are you joking? No!"

Voldemort's face fell. "No? What do you mean 'no'?"

"I'll not marry you, my lord." Seeing the temper on his guardian beginning to rise, he tried to sooth it. "Please understand, my lord, I want someone my own age as a spouse; not someone I look upon as a father figure."

Voldemort's eyes turned red. "You think I'm too old for you? You want someone your own age? Do you think I'll allow you to love anyone but me? You are mine! I'll have you know I've gone to a lot of trouble to have you, you brat! You will marry me and you will bear my heirs!"

All the things Draco had ever wanted but had been taken from him came into his mind. "I've never had parents… I've never had friends or companionship besides the elves! I want a true mate; a person my age to court and love me! I won't let you take my dream from me! I'll never marry you!"

Every word the boy uttered hardened the evil wizard's resolve. "You will change your mind after a while, my dear boy. I will persuade you." He waved his wand and spoke an incantation. "Draconis Hyperion Malfoy, from this moment you will live a cursed existence!"

Draco cringed away from his caretaker.

"By the light of the sun, you may retain the form of a beautiful young man locked away in your tower bedroom!" He smiled and an angry glint came into his eyes as he finished describing his curse. "Moonlight, however, shall see your spirit take flight in the beast you are named for! You will become a dragon to guard my castle!"

The blonde boy shuddered as a chill of magical energy settled over him. He promptly fell into a deep sleep and the next thing he knew he was perched on the roof of the castle. He looked down at his body and saw only scales. He held up a hand but saw a talon. Panicking, he took flight and hovered beside the tower's window. The first thing he saw was the body of a twelve year old boy lying in the bed. Then a figure blocked his view.

Voldemort grinned at him from the other side of the glass before opening the portal. "I see that you finally comprehend your situation…"

Draco wanted to cry but, as a dragon, it wasn't possible.

"Don't worry, sweet boy; there is an end to your troubles…" Voldemort said. "I will ask you again every year on your birthday… This curse will remain upon you until such time as you become my husband or you are kissed by your one true love."

Draco despaired. He didn't want to live this way but he also knew that the green-eyed boy was out there somewhere. The green eyed boy would come for him…he knew it deep down in his heart. So he spent the rest of the night flying around the castle. When dawn arrived, he felt a disorienting jolt as his spirit was pulled back into his body and he was able to cry.

********** LTF **********

Harry woke in a cold sweat because he'd had a very bad dream. He glanced at the calendar his aunt had given him from their local power company. It was early June and he wasn't yet thirteen. He took out a sheet of parchment and a self-inking quill. This was no ordinary parchment. It was connected by a spell to an identical sheet of parchment in Harry's beloved uncle's possession. They were best able to communicate that way. He wrote a short note to tell his uncle that they needed to meet about something important and Harry couldn't wait for Sirius' usual birthday visit.

Sirius Black replied with a solemn assurance that he would see Harry within the next day or so.

He couldn't stop thinking about his dream. The blond boy looked so careful and reserved. Harry felt sorry for him because nobody should be careful or reserved at a party. That's where he was in Harry's dream. He'd seen it like a show on the telly… A lovely boy about his age with pale blond hair and eyes the color of liquid silver. Harry had watched as the boy danced and played with all manner of guests; mostly noble children… but through it all, the boy had shown very little emotion. He even had a distant smile as he'd opened his gifts.

Harry was glad to see his uncle the next morning after breakfast. "Uncle Siri! I'm so glad you're here!"

"Me too, pup; now what's so important that you couldn't wait a few more weeks? Is that muggle cousin of yours pestering you again?" Sirius questioned.

Harry shook his head. "No, no; nothing like that…I had another dream."

"One that came true? Like the dream you had about last Christmas?" Sirius asked. He knew that wizards sometimes had prophetic dreams so he hadn't been too surprised when Harry had asked him last December if he was really getting a broomstick for a gift.

"I hope this one wasn't true, Uncle Siri. I've told you about the blond boy, right?" Harry asked sadly.

Sirius nodded. "Do you know if he's real? Do you know his name?"

"The answer to both questions is no…but I had another dream about him and it was so bad it woke me up in the wee hours." The brunette told his uncle. "It looked like it was his birthday party but he wasn't acting like a kid who was going to get a bunch of presents from his friends, you know? He was kind of shy and quiet."

"I see…so what happened that was so bad?" Sirius pressed.

"I saw the whole thing like a show on the television, Uncle Siri! This older guy – I didn't catch his name because the boy only calls him 'sir' – He escorted the blond boy to a bedroom in a high tower." Harry explained. "Then he told the boy that he had another gift for him."

Thinking the worst, Sirius looked like a storm-cloud come to life.

"The boy asked what it was and the man told him that he'd betrothed the boy to himself and they would marry on the boy's sixteenth birthday. He looked very happy with himself until the boy refused." Harry shrugged wondering why his uncle was reacting that way. "When the man heard the blond boy say no, he cursed the boy. When he cast the spell, it felt like the magic settled on me too, somehow. That's when I woke up."

"I'll see if I can dig anything up on this boy. If he exists, we'll find him and save him, Harry. I promise that we will." Sirius hugged his godson again and set off to find out why Dobby hadn't informed him of the changes with Draco.

********** LTF **********

Under cover of the invisibility cloak that was all he had left of his best friend, Sirius Black reached the edge of Malfoy Castle's grounds. He quietly called out to Dobby who appeared a second later wringing his hands in worry.

"Master Black, sir! What is it you be doing here, sir?" Dobby asked wringing his hands.

"I had a wizard's dream, Dobby. What happened last night and why haven't you come to inform me?" Sirius asked grimly as he opened the cloak so the elf could see him.

"Dobby is not to be speaking of it outside the castle, sir!" The creature told him as he took Sirius' hands and popped them into the kitchens. "Dobby can be telling you now, Master Black! Master Riddle gave a grand party for young Master Draco. After the party, Master Draco went up to his room in the tower. Master Riddle took him, sir. He waited to tuck in the young Master and told the boy that they was going to marry in four years' time. Young Master said 'no' and Master Riddle got mad."

"What did he do, Dobby?" Sirius asked intently.

"Master Riddle took out his wand, sir! He cast a curse on the young Master." Dobby cried.

"What kind of curse, Dobby? Tell me everything you remember." Sirius sat on the floor to listen.

"Dobby not knowing the spell, Master Black, but the young master fell deep asleep. When Young Master Draco woke from deep sleep this morning, he only cry and cry!" Dobby told him. "Young Master is very sad, sir."

"Maybe Severus will know more…Take me back outside, Dobby." Sirius nodded solemnly.

The elf did as he'd been asked.

"This is important, Dobby…" Sirius held the creature's chin and looked into his eyes. "I want you to encourage Draco in his defiance of Voldemort. Help Draco hold on to the hope that he'll be rescued but don't tell him anything about Harry, Dobby…do you understand? Don't tell anyone anything about Harry Potter."

"Dobby understands, sir." Dobby nodded.

"Good…now go back to your duties." Sirius released him and apparated to his home.

The first thing he did when he got to Black Manor was write a note to Severus and request that he visit his godson before joining him for their scheduled dinner that evening. Then he took out the special parchment that he and Harry used to keep in touch and told his godson that the blond boy was real. He was looking into the identity of the boy and would tell him more as soon as he could get more information. He felt bad about lying but Harry wasn't even thirteen yet and he didn't want him in danger until it was absolutely necessary.