Lucius returned the next afternoon to find puppy finally awake. He had been asleep when Lucius had come at lunch time. He had been slipping sleeping draughts to puppy for he needed some rest. Making puppy feel better and stronger would definitely make him better. The healer had come again that morning. Lucius had been told to take it easy on food. The little one's stomach was pretty small from starvation and he would make puppy sick by forcing him to eat too much. He would be careful. He would let little puppy tell him when it was too much as long as he was eating.

He sat down with puppy on the bed. "The healer says you have nearly a clean bill of health my little one. I have your new collar waiting and ready to go for you."

Harry tried to turn his head away from him. "Great."

Lucius turned him back. "Now little one I remind you it will be nice soft leather and no leash. I promise no more choke chain little one. I am sorry about this."

Harry actually remained put as he gently caressed the bruises on the neck. That was definitely a change. He took the bottle of bruise cream out. He thought since little one seemed to have some manors other then the sarcasm he would not make puppy ask him for it. He could see almost all the color was gone when he was done and Harry was actually looking at him a bit. Continued bits of kindness and little puppy was slowly coming to him. It was slow but he would be patient with puppy.

Lucius brought the tray close. "Now little one I noticed the elf did not take your tray last time and this morning you did not eat very well either."

Harry was trembling and drew away like a child or animal expecting to be hit. "I am sorry, please, I tried......"

Lucius quieted him. "I am not angry little one. Your healer said you belly is tiny from no food. We will make it grow but for now you eat what your belly can take."

Harry still looked extremely pale and unsure he would not be smacked. Lucius knew the little one had likely been beaten if he did not eat when actually given food. He wondered what the poor puppy had been forced to eat. He watched Harry trembling and looking unsure about taking any of the food. The poor little one was so badly traumatized. He needed puppy to understand he was safe here.

He took puppy's hand. "You will not be hit. You eat what you can little one. Master will never deny you food as a punishment. Master will never be so cruel."

Harry reluctantly took up the spoon and turned to the soup. "Thank you."

Lucius thought to ask as they ate. "Little one master wants you to be honest with him. Did your relative feed you something you did not want to eat?"

Harry's eyes went back to the food and he barely mumbled. "Kibble. If I made a mess I had to stay the night outside and was given kibble in a dog bowl."

Anger boiled in Lucius. The relatives should be lucky they were already dead. They had made a little child eat from a dog bowl and dog food? No wonder the poor boy seemed so scared about angering him when it came to food. Harry may be his puppy but he was his human puppy. Human puppies did not deserve such ill treatment. They needed to be paper trained sometimes but that was just cruel.

Lucius made him look up. "You are my sweet little puppy but you are still human. Master would never make you eat kibble. Kibble is for dogs, not my little one."

Harry nodded his head a bit. "Okay."

Lucius sighed. "Now finish your dinner and master will take you for a bath. Master will be joining you but you keep learning quick and you can have private baths."

It was not just about puppy not having earned the privacy yet. He was a bit worried puppy might try to harm himself. He made sure there were no knives with the food puppy was brought and there was nothing in reach of him in the room he could hurt himself with. The fireplace had a spell so he could not get near the flames, and the blankets and other bedding could not be used. He was still concerned until puppy became more accustomed to his new life, and was broken, he would try to take his life. He knew the realization no one was coming for him was sinking in. With time and care Lucius would show puppy life could be so much better here for him but until then he would not risk losing puppy. He was quite fond of little puppy and he did not want to lose him.

When puppy was done he went to the end of the bed to the chain but looked. "I will free you but you need to promise not to try anything little puppy."

Harry looked like he would protest but he nodded. "I won't."

Though puppy could not have gone far even if he got past Lucius because of the wards and guards he still reminded Puppy. He doubted so soon after he had been attacked his puppy would even try. Puppy was more then aware that Lucius was the only thing keeping the Death Eaters from taking him. He took Harry into the bathroom where he filled the sunken tub with water and bubble bath. He saw puppy begin trembling and see tears when he removed the clothes.

Lucius wiped his tears. "No tears little one. Remember master rescued you, he has seen you naked before. Master will not touch you other then to wash your back."

Harry slipped into the water but he could see his puppy tense when he slipped in behind him but relax a bit as he began washing his back. "Thank you."

He knew the thank you was both for the bath and for washing his back. He smiled and kissed his puppy on the shoulder. He could see little puppy was enjoying the warm bath and when little one was dry and back in pyjamas he did not even find a protest when he put the ankle shackle back on Harry. He hoped soon he could remove it all together. The collar, wards and guards would ensure puppy could not escape. But puppy still needed to prove his manners.

Lucius ran a hand down puppy's face. "Now little one that must feel better. Is puppy ready for bed? I know you slept all day but you can have a book tomorrow."

Harry barely whispered. "Can I have some milk?"

Lucius summoned more of the milk and honey and handed it to his little puppy. "Of course little one. Master wants you to feel better. Drink up."

Though Harry still looked on edge about asking for something from him Lucius watched little puppy drinking down the milk. He definitely made more progress with puppy today. This was the first time little puppy had felt comfortable enough to ask him for something. Well other then the bathroom. And that had been a necessity. He had been prompted into asking for potions. This was all on little one' own accord. He changed and came back and crawled into bed and while puppy still went rigid when he climbed in with him, puppy no longer vocally protested. He knew there would be some when he started touching and kissing and the rest which would lead up to sex with puppy but the little one was growing accustomed and that was what he wanted. He would truly be Lucius' submissive pet in time.

He reached over and kissed puppy's head before he snuffed out the light. "Sleep well little one. You'll have a book tomorrow and maybe a walk in a few days."