The next week passed smoothly for the recently reunited family. Noctis spent his days being taught spells by Tom and in the evenings he helped Severus brew potions. Any extra time was spent with the Malfoys. Lucius was right, Draco had apologized during dinner but Noctis still didn't feel comfortable around the younger blonde. On the other hand, Noctis enjoyed the company of the older Malfoy.

Lucius sat with Noctis in the library the night before Noctis was to board the Hogwarts express. Both were enjoying each others company in silence, reading their books.

"I know Tom's trying his best to make sure I'm able to protect myself, but I don't feel like I'm any more capable at magic than when I came." Noctis broke the comfortable silence, with his worries.

"I'm sure Severus won't allow Albus near you." Lucius looked up from his book to the child in front of him.

"But what if he does, knives and poisons are all well and good on muggles, but I wont get close enough to do anything to the old man before the knives are blocked and I'm hit with a spell." Noctis was really scared, it wasn't that he didn't trust his dad to protect him, he just didn't want to be attacked and have his parents be sonless again.

Lucius didn't reply immediately, he just looked at Noctis a moment before standing and putting his book down, "Follow me."

Noctis followed Lucius down a few hallways and into the mans room. Lucius reached into a chest and pulled out a necklace. The necklace had a black chain and the pendent on it was a silver dragon wrapped around an emerald snake.

"This was supposed to be your Christmas present but since you are so worried about school, I want you to take it now. It has protection charms on it, it'll protect you from any harmful spell with the exception of the unforgivables. Also if you are ever in any danger, hold it and say Serpens and you'll be port-keyed to the manor." Lucius took the necklace and put it around Noctis' neck.

He was startled when Noctis wrapped his arms around him. The child didn't show much physical affection to any one, even his fathers. Lucius wrapped his arms around Noctis, and noctis mumbled into the older mans jacket, "Thank you Lucy."

"Your welcome, brat. Don't call me Lucy, I draw the line at Luc." Lucius chuckled lightly letting go of the smaller body.

"Yes, Lucy" Noctis was laughing along with the man. Lucius may have been way older than him but Noctis felt closer to him than any one else in the house.

::. Nox, your father wants to speak to you before dinner starts.:: Anka hissed startling Lucius while Noctis turned calmly to the snake he heard slither in.

one?.::

.::

::. Alright, Anka, I'll be down there in a moment.:: The snake slithered out of the room leaving the two people alone again.

"Sorry, Lucy, Tom wants to see me. I'll see you at dinner. Thank you for the gift." Noctis called out as he made his way out of Lucius' room.

Noctis found his dad sitting in his own library with a book in his lap. He didn't alert Tom to his presence he just stood and watched his dad for a few moments. Noctis thought that he looked more like Tom than Severus. He had Tom's dark hair and facial features, but they told him that he acted more like Severus. They have talked but the three of them didnt really talk about the stuff they probably should talk about. After the first night no one said anything about the night he was left on the street or about his life before he knew he was a wizard or about Lily and James and the any other family he had. Noctis wanted to know things about his family.

"Where did I get my eyes from?" Was the first thing that popped out of his mouth from the list of things he wanted to know.

Tom looked up startled but he softened when he saw it was Noctis, "Your grandmother. Lily also inherited our mothers eyes. Moms were a dark forest green, Lily's were more jade, and yours are like shined emeralds."

"What was Lily like?" Noctis wanted to know about his aunt who'd given her life for him.

Tom looked at Noctis with sad eyes and Noctis was afraid that his dad wouldn't tell him, but Tom cleared his throat and spoke, "Lily was amazingly kind and beautiful. When we were younger she's find injured animals from the forest and nurse them back to health. She was a natural healer. Her husband, James, was also a great man. Him and Sirius Black were Aurors together, but even while working with Dumbledore he never gave me away. He didn't trust that old man like Albus led people to believe. Lily and James were so in love, but they couldn't have any children of there own, that was one of the main reasons Lily was so eager to take you."

"I wish they lived, so I could meet them." Noctis said sadly, it was his fault that his father lost his sister and brother-in-law.

"They would've loved you, just like Sev and I do."

"Do I have any grandparents?"

"None of them are around anymore. My father abandoned my mother with Lily and I when I was to young to remember. My mother died a few summers ago, in her sleep." Tom took a moment to compose himself, Noctis could see his mothers death still affected Tom, he could under stand that sometimes he was over come with grief from his... fathers... death, the longer he stayed with his parents the harder it was to call the man who raised him his father. "Severus' mother died when he was a child and his father, an abusive bastard, drunk himself to death just after Severus graduated from Hogwarts."

"Do I have any family, other than you two?"

"I probably have a cousin or two out there somewhere but I don't know anyone from my mother or my fathers family. Severus doesn't speak to anyone in his family any more. But the Malfoy's are like family to us. Narcissa's cousin is Sirius Black, your uncle's best friend."

Noctis was about to ask another question but they were interrupted by a house elf popping into the room.

"Master Lucius, be saying that theys is waiting for you to eat dinner, Master Tom and young master."

"Dobby, haven't I already told you not to call me 'young master'? My name is Noctis"

"Yes, mas-Noctis?"

"Good job, tell Lucy that we will be there in a minute or two."

The elf pooped away, and Tom looked at his son amusedly, "You know one of these days he will get you for calling him 'Lucy'."

"Of course. I'm awaiting it." Noctis smirked silly evily at his dad.

"Weird child."

"I take slight offense to that." Noctis mock pouted.

"Oh hush, its time for dinner." Tom ushered his son out of the library and into the dining hall.

Dinner was a quiet affair and before long Noctis was in bed, his packed trunk sitting beside the door for the house elves to take down stairs. Noctis was nervous for the next day, he wasn't sure that he'd fit in at Hogwarts and wondered if he'd make any friends and he wondered what house he be sorted into. Both of his parents had been in Slytherin and he didn't want to disappoint them. That night for the first time since his father was shot, he slept peacefully, no dreams or nightmares. Unknown to Noctis he spent the whole night clutching onto the pendent that Lucius gave him never once letting it go.