Harry sat calmly in the wrought iron chair at the café, waiting for the Malfoys. Diana sat at his side, her little legs swinging. She looked cute as ever in her bright blue dress. Between them sat a small satchel with a change of clothes for each of them and some sleep clothes. Ms. Griffin sat sternly across the table from them, looking around keenly.

Finally, just at three, the agreed time, Harry saw a well-dressed man with long pale blond hair stride from the crowd and stop beside them. Though he was wearing a nice suit, and looked every inch the wealthy man he was, he also managed to give the impression of trying not to flaunt his wealth. The familiar snake head cane was in his hand.

Lord Malfoy smiled charmingly and bowed. "Good to see you again, Harry," he said smoothly. "And you as well, dear Diana. And forgive me, but may I have your name?"

Harry had explained to Ms. Griffin a few of the truths about his parents. He had told her they were murdered, but not by whom or how. He had told her he was the only survivor of that night, and that the one that killed his parents had followers that had not been caught by the police. She agreed to only say that she was Harry's teacher, and confidant, if asked.

"I am Ms. Griffin," she said, inclining her head. "I am one of Harry's teachers. I hope you don't mind, but there has never been any contact with persons claiming to know Harry's parents. I find it difficult to believe you happened to meet him while he was getting his things for school and remembered that he existed."

Mr. Malfoy smiled charmingly and took the remaining seat. "You are correct, Madame," he said. "I'm afraid, that, due to circumstances, Harry's whereabouts were kept a strict secret. As it is, only chance had our paths cross that day, or perhaps it was Fate. At any rate, I used to work with his father, and my wife knew his mother, though none of us were truly close friends. I also have a young son, who will be starting this year at the same school as Harry. Boarding schools are difficult enough, and they can help watch out for each other."

Ms. Griffin eyed him carefully. "Very well," she said. "I expect you to phone me this evening, Harry. No matter if you are calling to say you are on your way here, or to say you are spending the night. Both of you, be good, be polite. And you, Mr. Malfoy. Be assured, that if I do not receive a call from Harry himself by seven o' clock this evening, I will call the authorities."

To his credit, Mr. Malfoy did not flinch. Instead, he looked seriously back at Ms. Griffin. "Madame, I would expect no less," he said. "On my honor, your trust will not be misplaced." Seeing the approving smile on the matron's face, he stood. "Well, young ones. Shall we go then?" He quickly grabbed their little satchel in one hand, then scooped Diana onto his hip with the other, the snake head cane hanging from his arm.

They strode off, and Harry turned back a moment to wave at Ms. Griffin, a smile on his face. Only moments later, he realized they were heading in a familiar direction. "Diagon Alley?" he asked.

"Just to the Cauldron," answered Mr. Malfoy. "We'll take the Floo Network from there." Seeing Harry's puzzled look, he smiled down at him. "Magical transport. It's not easy to describe, but you will see." A few moments later, they pushed through the door of the dingy pub. Harry shifted so Mr. Malfoy's cloak hid him somewhat from sight, not wanting a repeat of the adoring mob he had experienced last time. Mr. Malfoy politely greeted a few people he knew, though his manner was cool and aloof.

"Mr. Malfoy?" asked Diana softly. "How will we get to your home?"

Harry noticed they had stopped beside a large, unlit fireplace. Mr. Malfoy handed the satchel to Harry and reached into a pot that hung to one side, withdrawing a small handful of greenish powder. "This is one of the easiest ways to travel for wizards. It's called the Floo Network. Now, first we step into the grate, just so. Now, I'm going to count to three. When I say three, I want both of you take a deep breath and close your eyes tight. Travelling this way is a little disorienting the first few times. To activate the magic, I will throw this powder down and call out our destination. Make sure you don't say anything, or we could get lost. Hold on tight to me, and we'll be fine. Mr. Potter, you have a tight hold on your things?"

"Yes, Sir," answered Harry, noting that Diana had already curled into the man's shoulder and was clinging tightly.

"Very good. Now, hold tight to me, that's it. One, two, three, Malfoy Manor!" Harry clamped his eyes shut, slowly letting out the breath he had taken. He saw a flash of green behind his eyelids, then lights were flashing by rapidly. He kept himself tucked in as tightly as possible, not wanting to get lost. The weight of Mr. Malfoy's hand clamped around his shoulders was comforting. "Sanctimonia Vincet Semper!" called Mr. Malfoy, then they stopped with a jolt.

Harry warily opened one eye and looked around. They were standing in front of a fireplace in a large, elegant, though bare, room. Soft rugs covered the floor, though the area around the grate was gray flagstone, and a pair of heavy-looking wooden doors stood to at each side of the room. Mr. Malfoy drew his wand and waved it, and the ash that had covered them disappeared. The door on their left opened to admit Mrs. Malfoy, dressed in an elegant summer dress. She smiled warmly at them.

"Welcome, young Lord Potter and Miss Potter, to Malfoy Manor," she said, sweeping forward.

Harry smiled back and bowed carefully. "Lady Malfoy, it is a pleasure to see you again," he said. Diana stepped up beside him and curtsied.

"Thank you for inviting us to your home, Lady Malfoy," she said, her eyes sparkling.

Mrs. Malfoy looked at them in pleased surprise. "And so very well mannered! Come, come on inside. You must tell me where you learned such proper manners. Tea will be ready soon. Tibby!" Harry jumped when a loud pop sounded in the room, and he stared at the odd creature that appeared in the foyer with them. It was very short, a little shorter than his petite sister, and had huge, bulging blue eyes and large, flopping ears. A black tunic was draped over the creature, the Malfoy crest embroidered on the left breast. "Take our guests' bag to their room, and inform my son that our guests are here."

"Yes, Mistress," said the creature in a high, squeaky voice. It vanished with another pop, Harry's satchel disappearing with it.

"Lady Malfoy, forgive me, but what was that?" he asked. Beside him, Diana's eyes were wide in curiosity and surprise.

"A house elf, dear," answered their hostess. "I forget you were not raised in our world, and you know so little. Not your fault, of course, but a great tragedy and scandal, all the same. House elves are a type of magical creature. They are usually bound to a wizarding family, and they have very powerful magic, though it runs toward domestic uses. They are skilled at gardening, housekeeping, cooking, and are quite good with young children and infants. I used to have Tibby watch over Draco when he was very little."

"Like all things with magic, however, they must be treated with caution," said Mr. Malfoy. He had hung up his coat, and looked more at ease in charcoal slacks and matching vest over a pristine white shirt. He still held the snake-head cane. "Many of the warding and blocking spells used by wizards do not work against elf magics, as many assume they are incapable of going against the wishes of any wizard or witch. Some dark wizards also use their elves as a convenient outlet for their more cruel tendancies. Speaking of, Narcissa, dearest, where is Dobby?"

Mrs. Malfoy looked at once both annoyed and sorrowful. "He has orders to stay to the laundry room and the elf quarters until tomorrow evening," she replied, then turned to Harry and Diana. "Dobby had the great misfortune of belonging to one of my sisters, Bellatrix Lestrange. She thought it fun to cause pain to others, and one of our aunts only encouraged her. My sister is now in prison, and Dobby came to us, though his mind is damaged from the abuse."

They arrived in a small sunroom, beautiful tropical plants growing all over and bright flowers giving a soft fragrance to the air. A small table was set up with five chairs, one of them with a thick cushion on it. Harry smiled at the thought, realizing it was so little Diana would not have to struggle so to reach the table. Mr. Malfoy took the seat at the head of the table, and Mrs. Malfoy sat beside him. Harry helped Diana into the thick cushioned chair and sat beside her, opposite Mrs. Malfoy. At that moment, Draco walked briskly into the room and greeted his parents, then Harry and Diana, and took the remaining seat.

"Harry," said Mr. Malfoy. "I invited you here for more than one reason. True, I want to tell you about your parents, as I think all children should at least know something of their parents, but there are a few other things that I want you to know as well. And you need to know them, as they could determine the type of relationship we all have in the future."

Mrs. Malfoy stopped him with a gentle hand on his arm. "The tea will be ready soon," she said. "I chose a lovely jasmine blend. I find the fragrance quite soothing and good for harsh truths." At that moment, another house elf appeared, wearing the same tunic as Tibby, with a large platter. A large silver teapot hovered beside the creature. She placed the platter of biscuits on the table and, with a snap of her fingers, poured their tea into little cups that had appearing in front of each person. Then she left the pot on the table and vanished.

Mr. Malfoy took a small sip of the fragrant tea. "Harry, I want to start by telling you about your parents, at least what I know of them. Then, if you allow, I feel I must tell you about myself. First of all, I should tell you that I did not know your father well until he began working at the Ministry. He and I were in different years at Hogwarts, and in different Houses, so our paths crossed little. All I truly knew was that he was the Potter Heir. When we met, he had just completed his Auror training, and was a very promising new member of the Auror Corps. He was very skilled in Transfiguration, changing one object into another, and he excelled in defensive spells and combat. But he loved nothing and no one as much as his Lily, and the little one she carried."

Mrs. Malfoy spoke up then. "I worked often at St. Mungo's, the Wizarding hospital," she said. "Your mother was a brilliant young Mediwitch. In fact, I believe Poppy Pomfrey, the Mediwitch at Hogwarts, was looking to make Lily Evans her apprentice. She was a lovely young woman, all blood red hair and fiery temper. You definitely have her eyes, Harry, down to that startling emerald green. And from the way you treat little Diana, you have a great deal of her heart, as well. She made friends easily, and defended them viciously. Her best subject was easily Charms, though she had a fascination with Potions."

Harry let their words sink in. There were so many things he didn't know about his parents. He had his mother's eyes and temper, and his father's hair and jaw. He glanced at the little girl sitting beside him. He knew in his heart they would have loved Diana.

"How were they killed?" asked Harry.

Mr. Malfoy took a deep breath. "A very evil and cruel wizard came to power. He called himself Vol…" he paused and shivered a little. "My apologies. Even thinking the actual name is horrific. Voldemort. He was beyond vicious, and took delight in torture and murder. He loved the fact that so many feared him, even his most loyal followers." The pale blonde man stopped. He seemed to be wrestling with himself.

"Love, you can," said Mrs. Malfoy. "He needs to know. All of them do." She placed a soothing hand on her husband's.

"For some reason, the Dark Lord, as some called him, decided that you and your parents were particular threats to his power. Something about a prophecy. Your parents found out and went into hiding, using powerful magic to hide themselves and you, Harry. But the one they entrusted betrayed them and told the Dark Lord where to find you. So, on All Hallows Eve, he appeared on their front steps and swept through, killing first your father with a spell, then your mother as she tried to shield you. The odd thing is, he used a spell to try and kill you, but the spell rebounded and killed him instead."

Harry blinked back tears. "I saw them," he whispered. "I sometimes have nightmares. I see a flash of emerald and dark red, then I hear a woman screaming, begging. A harsh laugh, and a green light. Then another flash of green, then the pain wakes me up." Mrs. Malfoy came around and slid her arms lightly around him, and Diana came and snuggled into his side.

"Harry, what I must tell you now is of grave importance," said Mr. Malfoy, clearly struggling. "I must tell you this now, before we all become too attached. I beg you to listen to all I say, though I will not beg forgiveness, not for myself. I only pray you do not hold my actions and decisions against Draco." The man took a deep breath, looking somehow older, and very tired. "The followers of the Dark Lord called themselves the Death Eaters. They joined him for varying reasons. Some believed in the Pureblood supremacy he always declared, some were swayed by his scorn of muggles, thinking them little more than animals, some lured by his power, and some were forced to join or die.

"My father, Abraxas Malfoy, adored the Dark Lord. He was a very proud Pureblood, and wanted all he considered unworthy removed from the world. He was so very happy when he found out I was in love with the beautiful Narcissa Black, giving the Malfoys a strong tie to the Black family and a possible claim on their titles. But all that paled when, not long after we married, my father appeared with the Dark Lord and held a knife to her delicate throat. I was to join, or watch my wife be tortured and killed. Since that day, I have carried the brand of a madman."

He reached down and rolled up his right sleeve, baring his forearm. A dark mark, like a tattoo, stood out sharply against the fair skin. A skull that seemed to almost grin maliciously, that had a large snake crawling from between its jaws and looping around itself. Harry leaned forward, the mark was faded, the edges blurred. The snake looked as though it were asleep.

Mr. Malfoy sighed. "When the Dark Lord fell, the night he tried to kill you, Harry, I rejoiced. Due to my influence in our world, many of the other followers tried to seek refuge with me, but I used the fact that I needed to protect my own son to keep them away. When the Ministry brought me in for questioning, I claimed that I had been under the Imperious curse. A spell to control another person." He smirked without humor. "I was able to use that and avoid giving names. I may not have wanted to be a part of anything they did, but I am no traitor."

Harry sat there, frozen in shock. Mr. Malfoy had been a follower of the one that killed his parents? A fierce rage began to build in him, along with suspicion. What if they were only using him? What if this Dark Lord wasn't really dead, and they used Harry to advance themselves? A soft movement against his side made him look down. Diana was pressed tightly to him, her clever mind having realized the same things. But what alarmed Harry was that her pretty gold-flecked eyes had changed. The pupils were elongated, showing that Nyx was trying to take over to protect her. Harry quickly calmed and hugged her, glad when she snuggled into his chest.

"Mr. Malfoy," he finally said. "You realize that most persons would get up right now, walk out, and never look back?" When the three Malfoys bowed their heads in varying degrees of sorrow and shame, Harry fought a smile. "But I am not most persons. You took a great chance in telling me all this, knowing my leaving would hurt your son. Thank you, for your honesty and trust. Though I must tell you, I cannot forgive you." The hopeful look on the man's face slid into pained resignation. "Why should I, when there is nothing to forgive? You did what you had to, to protect your family. I would have done the same to protect Diana. I cannot fault that."

Mr. Malfoy looked stunned, then overjoyed. He rose from his chair, stepped around the table, and pulled Harry and Diana into his arms, embracing them tightly. Harry felt another pair of arms drape over Mr. Malfoy's shoulders, and he saw Mrs. Malfoy smiling at him gratefully. Draco, not to be left out, came over and hugged Harry. Finally, they all shifted apart. Harry smiled at them all. "So, what's for dinner?" he asked, and everyone laughed, the previous tension gone from all of them.

.:!*!:.

Harry and Diana finally returned to the café the next morning without any incident, though Harry was five minutes late calling Mrs. Griffin. The matron was forgiving once he explained that he was learning a great deal, and that the Malfoys had known his parents. Mr. Malfoy, or Lucius, as he preferred in private, had taken them back through the Floo the next morning. He had parted with them at the café and informed them that they were welcome at the Manor at any time.

Back in their tiny room at the orphanage, Harry and Diana sighed in resignation. Only a bit longer, and they could begin searching in earnest for a new guardian. Hopefully, they could find a few potential homes while they were at Hogwarts.

"Harry?" said Diana softly. "Do you think we can trust the Malfoys?"

Harry thought for a moment. "I do," he answered. "Lucius was very relieved and happy when I said he only did what he had to do to protect his family. And Narcissa and Draco were happy, too. I think I can see why they wanted to tell us what was going on so early. Lucius and Narcissa didn't want us to get too close to Draco, then cut ties with them because of Lucius's past. That would have hurt Draco more than his parents."

Diana nodded. "Do you think Lucius can help us find a new home?" she asked, her eyes wide.

Harry frowned in thought. "Maybe. He said he works at the Ministry of Magic, so he might know who would be a good guardian for us. I guess it depends on what his job is."

"Narcissa said he usually goes to do his duties as Lord Malfoy, but that he was a solicitor for several years."

"Which means he is very familiar with the various details of the law, including any exceptions to any laws. At the very least, he'll be able to give us advice. I'll see if I can talk alone with him the next time we visit."

"He did tell us a lot about Mom and Dad, and a lot about being magical." Diana moved to curl against him, as she liked to. Harry grunted in response to her comment.

"Did you finish your lessons?" he asked. Now that she was going to be homeschooled, she could get a head start on her lessons and advance more quickly. He was pleased when she nodded against his side. "Did you read a chapter out of your magical theory book? And your potions book?" Another nod. "Good. At least you will have a little time to learn about being magical before you actually start Hogwarts."

Diana looked up at him. "You will, too," she said. "Narcissa was talking about it while Lucius was teaching you and Draco wand movements and basic charms. She's going to try and have us over for a few days at a time, and give us all lessons in things like History of Magic, Herbology, and Potions. She also wanted to know if we wanted her to help us in Magical Society."

Harry was impressed. He knew his little sister was clever, but there were still times she surprised him. "Sounds like a great idea," he said. "She and Lucius will be able to help us a great deal. I don't like it, but it's something I'll have to learn for when I take up the Potter Lordship. As Lord Potter, I will need allies." He looked up when Diana giggled. "What?"

"And as Harry, it's great to have friends," she said. Harry smiled, looking out the dingy window.

.:!*!:.

The next week, Harry and Diana received another owl, this time inviting the two of them to stay at Malfoy Manor for a full week. Ms. Griffin agreed, and the two quickly planned what they needed to pack. They were especially excited, as they would be at the Manor during Harry's birthday. After a great deal of thought, Harry packed the various papers he had gotten from Gringotts in his bag. Hopefully, Lucius would know more about what was in them and would be able to help the two siblings.

They met him at the Leaky Cauldron this time, then they all took the Floo to the Manor. Draco met them in the entryway, a bright smile on his face that Harry knew was reserved for use in private. Even at such a young age, Draco was already quite skilled at keeping a good mask up in public. Lucius had already said he would teach Harry to do the same, if he liked. He also mentioned teaching Harry to use his magic to protect his thoughts, as some wizards were skilled in reading the minds of others, and not all of them cared if they were welcome.

Harry and Diana were soon settled in the partitioned room they had shared before, allowing them both a great deal of space without being truly separated. They quickly returned to meet the family in one of the studies.

"Draco, I know you want to go spend time with Harry and Diana," said Narcissa. "But that is no excuse to ignore your Potions lesson. You will do our family proud." Draco frowned a little, but nodded.

"Could we come with you?" asked Harry. "Diana and I have been reading our Potions books, but there is no way for us to practice them at all. And honestly, I have no idea what the exact difference is between diced and chopped or ground and powdered." He shrugged a little sheepishly at the incredulous looks he got over that.

Narcissa shook herself. "No question about it, we'll get you sorted," she stated. "Draco, take Harry upstairs and help him into a set of protective robes. Meet me outside the lab when you are ready. Diana, you come with me. I have a set or two of Draco's robes from when he was smaller." Harry dashed off behind Draco, giving a quick nod to Diana.

"Your mum really doesn't like that I was raised by Muggles, does she?" asked Harry as he pulled on the stiff, heavy robe that Draco handed him. Said boy was digging through a drawer searching for a pair of boots that would fit Harry and protect his feet from any spilled potions.

"It's not the Muggles she doesn't like," answered Draco. "It's that you know so little about your own kind that upsets her. She and Father have been trying for years to rework the way muggleborn children are introduced to our world. As it is, you wouldn't know any of this until your first day of classes. I know Uncle Severus hates that."

Harry looked up from where he was settling the heavy, thick robe. "Who?" he asked. He followed Draco from the room to go meet Narcissa.

"Professor Severus Snape," answered Draco. "He's my godfather. He teaches Potions at Hogwarts, though he made it quite clear that he will not go easy on me for being his godson. He's also the Head of House for the Slytherins, and he's the youngest Potion Master in history."

Harry knew that had to be a great achievment. "He sounds brilliant. Is Potions a difficult subject?"

"One of the most difficult they teach at Hogwarts. It's the only one that really requires a lot of skill, knowledge, and concentration. You can't just get lucky when mixing a potion. You'll end up maimed or dead if you try that."

They rounded a corner and saw Narcissa standing there, Diana at her side. Narcissa smiled and pushed open a nearby door to usher the three children in. Harry looked around, his eyes wide. Shelves stood along the walls, bearing jars of all sorts of things. Various insects and spider parts, liquids and powders of all colors, globs and lumps, roots and leaves all sat in various jars and bottles. Narcissa strode forward and opened one of the glass fronted cabinets, waving her wand.

"There are warding spells and locking charms on all the cabinets," she said. "This is a simple home lab, as many of the older families have. Most of the simpler and more commonly used potions are brewed at home by a competent family member. I prefer to brew many of them myself. We will use this side for practice." She indicated a strong wooden table. "We are going to spend the day going over identifying the needed ingredients and preparing them. Draco, I know you know this already, but this is an excellent time to revise. Perhaps you can even help guide our guests."

The next hour flew by, as Draco helped Harry identify the contents of several jars, then informed him proudly of some of the potions each could be used in. Then he showed Harry how to hold his knife properly and guided him through the techniques for chopped, sliced, diced, slivered, ground, powdered, pulverized, and crushed. All the while, Narcissa was walking Diana through a similar lesson. Finally, she called a halt, showed them how to properly clean their workspace, then herded them out to wash up.

.:!*!:.

AN: Yay! Another chapter. Life is getting crazy for me, but I always try to find time to write for my wonderful readers. Forgot to do this last chapter. The information on the Malfoy Coat of Arms is thanks to Harry Potter Wiki, a great source for canon info. The phrase that Lucius calls out is the family motto. Thanks for reading, please review, and keep an eye out for the next chapter!