Hey folks! I know there was a huge gap there in my updates, but I promise I haven't forgotten about this story. My life got a little crazy there for a while, but I'm back with another chapter for everyone! We'll see how much crazier things get in the future, but for now, I hope this chapter will suffice.

TRIGGER WARNING: Some mentions of self harm and bullying, as well as a panic attack.

This story has a Blaise/Harry pairing, and will contain NONBINARY characters. If you don't like that, don't read this and don't flame me.

AndrewZachariah

Blaise threw one of his plainer sets of robes on and smoothed them down, checking his reflection in the mirror as he did. He didn't particularly care about his appearance, after all, in the grand scheme of things appearance didn't really matter all that much, but his mother had always emphasized looking presentable. As a pureblood, it was almost a duty that Blaise look presentable in public at all times. Not a hair could be out of place unless he was within the safety of his own home. Blaise slid an earring through the hole in his left earlobe and smiled. It was an old heirloom from his grandmother, one that he cherished, particularly since she was growing frailer with each day that passed, not that she would ever admit that. The earring itself was one that she had worn on all the important occasions in her life, and she claimed it carried old magic that provided good luck. Blaise wasn't sure if he believed that claim, but he still enjoyed wearing it. He reached up and gently tugged on the dangling emerald. If it did carry luck, he didn't think he would need it today. After all, he was just going to get his school supplies with Draco, nothing really major or life threatening. After sliding his shoes on, Blaise left his room and bounded down the staircase, sliding to a stop in front of the head of the Malfoy household.

"Good morning Mister Malfoy." He greeted with a smile at the older wizard. Lucius smiled back and ruffled the boy's hair.

"Good morning to you as well Blaise. Are you excited to get your school supplies today?" Blaise nodded eagerly, his bangs flopping around his eyes a little as he did.

"Oh yes! Mamma says I may upgrade my cauldron since Draco and I have been doing so well with Professor Snape! I'm hoping to get a gold or platinum set!" Lucius smiled at the boy and tugged on one of his tightly curled bangs.

"I'm quite sure we'll be able to find you one. Go sit down for a quick breakfast, Draco will be down soon." Blaise nodded and headed into the dining room. Lucius smiled softly after the boy, thinking of his wife and son. Draco and Blaise had been practically raised together. Narcissa's and Alessandra's pregnancies had been so close together the boys were born just a few months apart. The women had bonded during their pregnancies, and after the events surrounding Alessandra's last husband, well, Blaise and his mother had truly become part of the Malfoy family. Lucius was grateful for their presence really. He and his wife would never be able to conceive another child. Draco's pregnancy had been a miracle in and of itself, and the pregnancy had certainly taken a toll on Narcissa. Blaise was a second son to them, and Draco a second son to Alessandra.

The Malfoy patriarch shook himself out of his memories and headed into the dining room, kissing the top of his wife's head as he sat down. Blaise was munching on an orange slice and grinned as his mother came in as well.

"Good morning Mamma!" He hopped up and dashed over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and hugging her tightly. "Il sole è luminoso , gli uccelli cinguettano , e io ti amo !" (The sun is bright, the birds are chriping, and I love you!) His mother smiled and embraced him warmly, her ringlets brushing his cheek as she kissed his forehead.

"Il sole è luminoso , gli uccelli cinguettano , e io ti amo. Are you excited for the trip today my darling?" Blaise nodded and sat back down, babbling to his mother about the cauldron he was excited about. Alessandra smiled and dished herseslf some fruit, staring at her son as she ate. She couldn't help soaking up his excitement as he talked. There was a time when he had been so quiet, so sad, for so long. Alessandra's heart dropped a little as a memory of her little boy years ago swam to the surface.

Blaise hadn't greeted her at the floo like he normally would. Alessandra frowned, gathering her robes in one hand and quickly mounting the staircase.

"Blaise?" She called as she walked down the hall. "Mamma's home darling, are you here?" She paused outside of his room and knocked on the door. "Blaise?" The sound of loud sniffles reached her ears and Alessandra frowned as she opened the door. Blaise was curled up in a ball in the center of his bed, blankets wrapped all around him.

"Oh darling, what's wrong?" Alessandra immediately perched on the edge of the bed and wrapped her arms around the bundle of blankets, pulling her son closer to her. The sniffles grew louder, and with them so did Alessandra's worry. She rubbed her son's back over the comforter and gently pulled him onto her lap, still wrapped in his blankets.

"I-I'm a f-freak and you shouldn't have to d-deal with f-freaks like me Mamma." Her son murmured before bursting into tears again. At that moment Alessandra's heart broke, and she held her son tightly against her.

"No, no, you are not a freak my sweet boy. You are smart, kind, and unbelievably talented at so many things. You are precious. Whoever said you were a freak?" She ran her fingers through his hair and rubbed his cheek with her thumb as she cupped his face. Blaise's lip trembled and he buried his face in his mother's chest.

"S-some of the kids at school…" He mumbled tearfully. Alessandra's stomach clenched with fury and she rubbed her son's back again. "They said I'm not a boy, I am a liar cause I'm r-really a g-girl." Blaise sobbed harder and Alessandra made a vow then and there that her son would be able to feel confident in his identity for the rest of his life. She rocked him soothingly and smoothed his hair out of his face.

"You are not a liar, my darling. You are being true to yourself. You are a boy because you believe you are, and only you can change that, no one else." She rubbed his back again and tipped his chin up. "Do you like going to school, Blaise?" The little boy frowned and shook his head, picking at his comforter as he did.

"The other kids are really mean to me….they all say I'm a liar." Alessandra cupped his cheeks in her hands and kissed his forehead.

"You know, Draco has a private tutor that I am sure would be happy to teach you as well. Would you like to take lessons with Draco instead?" Blaise peeked up at her, his mouth agape slightly with surprise.

"Really Mamma?" She smiled and nodded, ruffling his hair some.

"Of course my darling." Blaise grinned and nodded as hard as he could.

"Oh yes please Mamma!" He bounced a little on her lap, his tears all dried now. "Thank you Mamma, thank you!" His mother smiled and kissed his forehead.

"Of course my darling, and in the future, should anyone else ever call you a liar, you stand tall and proud. You are a pureblood. You are a boy. You are precious, and you are proud of that." She tapped his nose with a smile and Blaise nodded.

"Yes Mamma."

Alessandra looked up as Draco sat down next to Blaise. The two were practically inseparable, as close as brothers. Draco loaded his plate with some food and immediately began chatting with Blaise, the conversation entirely centered on their trip to Diagon Alley. A smile settled on Alessandra's lips as she speared another strawberry. There was a time when her son would cry himself to sleep, but not anymore, not if she could help it.

-.-.-.-

This alley was the busiest place Harry had ever set foot in. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she felt like she couldn't breathe as her vision swam a little. People were swarming past her in large groups wearing brightly colored dresses of sorts. Snippets of conversations assaulted her ears, and Harry's breathing grew even shallower.

"There's a sale at Flourish and Blotts today—"

"13 sickles?! You've got to be kidding me!"

"I'll take a gram of powdered dragon scales—"

"How about a Kneazle, Jacob—"

A grating sound filled Harry's ears and she whipped around in slight horror as the wall closed behind her. "No!" She breathed as she pounded on the bricks. She couldn't be trapped here! There was too much! What was she going to do? Stars filled Harry's vision and black spots began to creep up at the edge of her sight. She felt she was going to pass out, and she knew that would be very, very bad.

Breathe, Harry, you have to breathe! Harry dug her nails into her forearm, tearing some more scabs as she clenched her arm. The spike of pain brought her back a little, and she forced herself to take deep, slow breaths. She wasn't sure how long she stayed by the brick wall, slowly breathing and calming down, but she thought it was probably about ten minutes. When she no longer thought she was going to pass out, Harry carefully stepped further into the alley.

The traffic was absolutely insane. People were walking in every direction. Crowds gathered outside shop windows, a line was building outside what looked like a book shop, and people were bargaining with one another in the street. Harry looked up the street trying to find—what did Tom call it? Greengotts? Gringo? Gringotts! It was a bank of sorts, right? Harry squinted down the street, her eyes falling on a large, marble building. That had to be a bank; it looked big and professional, just like all the other banks Harry had ever seen.

Biting her lip, Harry carefully eased into the traffic of the alley, quickly getting swept up in the crowds. Her heart began to pound again, and she tightened her grip on her arm, her nails digging into the open wounds. She forced herself to keep breathing as she was pushed forwards by other...witches and wizards. As she approached the bank, she broke from the crowds and stumbled a little on the cobblestone, grabbing the marble handrail to keep her balance. The stairs were magnificent, and Harry couldn't help gingerly setting her feet down as she climbed them, not wanting to muss them with the dirt from her shoes. Several other people were milling on the steps, and Harry quietly slipped past them unnoticed, years of experience at the Dursleys having made her a pro at sneaking. At the top of the stairs there were two large glass doors, a short, stout creature in armor at either side of the doors. They were standing at attention, and above the doors there was an inscription.

"Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed,
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there." Harry shivered a little and quickly pushed through the doors, bowing slightly to the creatures as she did, unaware of their shocked looks as she stepped inside.

The bank was massive, absolutely huge. The counters were so tall she was sure she wouldn't be able to see over them! There were more people milling about inside, and more of those curious creatures as well. Harry's eyes widened as she realized many of those creatures were sorting gems right there at the counter! She gulped and shifted nervously, looking for an unoccupied creature. She saw one towards the end of the right counter and quickly and quietly walked towards him, her eyes barely peeking over the lip of the desk.

"Um, e-excuse me…" She murmured quietly, stammering nervously. The creature's ear twitched a little, and very slowly it looked up at her. It was obviously very aged, with heavy wrinkles covering its face, and some white hair barely showing on the top of its head. Harry's stomach twisted with nerves as she took in the creature's neatly trimmed, white beard, pointed teeth, and very long claws. "U-um, could you p-please help me?" The creature's eyebrow rose.

"And what, pray tell, am I to help you with?" It spoke with heavy sarcasm, and Harry felt her cheeks grow red.

"T-the man in the pub said I need to come to the bank. I, uum, I'm supposed to go to Hogwarts, but I d-don't have any money. Could you help me get a s-scholarship f-for my school supplies?" Harry couldn't help stammering more, her cheeks stained pink from embarrassment.

"Ah, a new student." The creature nodded and dug in its desk for a moment before procuring a long piece of what looked like parchment. "Name."

"Harry Potter." Harry replied. The creature froze and looked back up at Harry with another raised eyebrow.

"Mr. Potter this is no joking matter. These scholarships are for students who truly need them, and you are wasting my very valuable time." The creature scolded, frowning and baring its teeth in annoyance. Harry cringed at the title Mister, and frowned as well.

"What do you mean? I do need a scholarship!" The creature frowned further, and leaned forward, looking Harry dead in the eye.

"Do you have the key to your vault Mr. Potter?" Harry cringed again and fought the urge to correct the creature.

"N-no, I'm s-sorry, w-what vault?" The creature's eyebrows rose with shock, and Harry flinched a little, irrationally fearing she might be struck. The creature was silent for several moments, staring at Harry with unnerving intensity.

"Griphook!" The creature suddenly shouted, its gravelly voice ringing throughout the room. Harry flinched again, and another creature came trotting up to the desk, bowing to the creature above it. Harry bit her lip nervously and shuffled her feet. "Take Mr. Potter to his vault manager and do not tell a soul, Griphook." The creature bowed again, and Harry's jaw clenched, her stomach roiling over the title.

"This way Mr. Potter." The creature led her down a long hall, and Harry felt as if she were going to be sick, her stomach twisting each time the creatures misaddressed her. They walked for what felt like a very long time, before stopping outside a grand, mahogany door. The creature knocked twice and then pushed the door open, owing as it did so.

"Mr. Potter is here to see you Sharptooth." Griphook announced as he bowed out of the room. Harry cringed again, and another creature behind a much smaller, simpler desk looked up. Its mouth opened slightly and Harry cringed again, worried by the look on its face.

"By Merlin, in all my years I never thought I would set my eyes on a grshynagr."