So this not really long and I won't really respond to views this time. I'm sorry my dears, but here is just a little bit before I can hopefully update again.

Chapter 18:

After things were sorted out between his two fathers, Harry led them both back into the Malfoy parlor room.

Everyone was as they had left them, though some were obviously more comfortable now. Bard was laughing and ruffling Finny's hair as Mey-Rin nearly blubbered over Ciel as she cried about how relieved she was that he was alright.

Harry smiled at his growing family.

Narcissa looked up at just the right time, catching sight of the three She waved her arm for them to come over. "Sit here, cousin. There are many, many things to discuss."

Alex gave her a small but warm smile. "Yes, I believe there is, 'Cissa."

The three got settled again. Alex sat beside Narcissa while the Undertaker sat, with Harry on his lap, in between Ciel and Sebastian.

Usually the butler would be standing behind his master, but he had been forced into being seated by the frightening glare of the Malfoy woman. If Sebastian didn't know better, he would say that she had some demon blood in her. However, he did know better and simply concluded that he would have to watch himself around the horrifying woman.

"I see that everyone is now present…" Narcissa let herself trail off and glanced at her husband.

She was sharp, both in wits and tongue, but her husband had been the one with legal training from his parents. He would know best how to proceed with these pressing matters of custody.

Lucius cleared his throat.

"There are several matters at hand that we will have to deal with as well as plan accordingly for the other issues that are sure to appear," he said. "We have to identify which issues are more important to you and to us. You will have to think about which issues will have a more immediate effect and which ones pose more of a threat."

Lucius made sure that everyone in the room nodded before continuing. "There is the fact that: you all are in the future when you should be in the past. I am assuming that you all would like to go back."

There were silent nods from some of the company.

"There's also the fact that Dumbledore wishes both that you all stay and that he has you all under his power, or Harry at least. Dumbledore is a very powerful man in the ways of magic and politics. He has the Minister of Magic, a bit like the Queen, eating out of the palm of his hand. If Dumbledore says jump, the Minister asks 'how high'."

Ciel frowned. He was the one with more political experience, being the Queen's Watchdog and all. He understood perfectly that things were corrupt. He was frustrated that the corruption wasn't working in their favor.

"I see," he said. "I suppose we shall have to manipulate these things to work in our favor…" Ciel grew silent, thinking of things.

Lucius opened his mouth to move on, but Sebastian held up his hand and shook his head.

"Please wait while my young master is thinking. He may not seem like it, but this child was the Watchdog of the British Queen in the past, he knows a lot of these political machinations as well."

Lucius' eyes widened.

The Queen's Watchdog? The person rumored to deal in all of her underground business? That same Watchdog was this child?

Harry giggled, burying his face in Undertaker's side in an effort to hide his reaction. He didn't mean to be rude to his cousin, but his face after hearing of Ciel's status was too funny.

Ciel looked up from where he had cast his eyes. "We will need to somehow spin the tale so that the Minister or whatever you call him is on our side. To do that, we have to gain some leverage on him. Perhaps we may threaten him with spilling the wrongdoings of this Dumbledore man? And saying that the Minister was just a pawn to Dumbledore? That ought to just burn up any pride the man has. Do you all have a form of newspaper? But we need one with a particular reputation in order to really scare the minister into seeing things our way."

Lucius blinked once, then twice. He wasn't quite believing what he had just heard come out of the mouth of a child. "That… Seems precisely so, Mr. Phantomhive. I couldn't have said it better myself."

Ciel scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"It's Earl actually, not mister. But you are Harry's family," and here the young Earl blushed a bright red color.

"Any part of Harry's family can be considered a part of mine… There is no need to be quite so formal," he coughed and tried to school his expression. "Unless we are in public, of course."

Lucius glanced to look at his young cousin who was merely smiling happily at the Earl. He smirked at the growing blush seen on the boy's pale skin. "I see. Of course, Ciel. And I have two papers specifically in mind."

The next day, Lucius made his way immediately to the minister's office.

The minister's assistant waved Lucius in, as usual whenever the man had business and he certainly used that to his advantage.

"Minister Fudge," Lucius greeted smoothly.

The Minister looked up from his desk and smiled. "Mr. Malfoy, what can I do for you today?"

Lucius walked gracefully through the room and seated himself in a chair across from the minister. He folded his legs and made sure that Fudge could see the paper in his hand. "Well, you see, Minister Fudge, I have happened across some very interesting news as of late… News I believe should be known."

The Minister gulped and squirmed in his seat. "Ah- what would that news be, Mr. Malfoy?"

Good. Lucius had him right where he wanted him. "I have just recently had a reunion with some distant family. An example of which is one Alexandre Noir or Alexander Black."

Lucius had to resist the urge to smirk when he saw the Minister's panicked face. So he was, in some capacity,aware of Dumbledore's actions.

"My cousin's son, Hadrian Undertaker is facing some trouble from a teacher trying to over-exert their power over him… There are a lot of manipulations happening, you can understand where my cousin and I just wish to keep our family safe. Can you not, Minister?"

The Minister had steadily grown more and more pale as Lucius had continued talking. "Yes, yes. Of course, Mr. Malfoy."

"And I was hoping that you could help us in our endeavor."

"Of- of course Mr. I can do-"

"Good. Because I hope that what we heard was wrong… That it was only Dumbledore that committed this crime, but my nephew's friends told me that one of your officials was at the scene as well."

Fudge looked like he was going to throw up.

"I can see to it that your name will be in the tomorrow's morning paper as well, after my nephew's interview today."

"Oh no- Mr. Malfoy- I can-"

Lucius held up a hand, silencing the pathetic man before him. He gave the man a sweet smile. "Then at the interview today, you'll vouch against Dumbledore, his cohorts,and Ms. Dolores Umbridge?"

The fool was crying in relief as Lucius Malfoy finally let a smirk appear on his face.

Everything would be falling into place.

THE DAILY PROPHET

By:Rita Skeeter

Dumbledore Meddles in Even the Forces of Time?

A different side of the renowned wizard and Supreme Mugwump; Dumbledore, was brought to light today. There were several others involved, known as the Order of the Phoenix. This Order and Albus Dumbledore have begun to meddle in forces that can't be controlled. There is a reason these forces are still being investigated by the ministry's Unspeakables. That force is time.

Albus Dumbledore and his cronies ripped a hole into the past and forcefully pulled four people into the future. Not only did he disrupt the flow of time, but he didn't even create a way to return these travellers to their own time. These travellers were mostly children who were very frightened. The adults in their lives managed to find a way to get to our time. However, they are all now trapped here in a time where they don't belong.

This whole story is going to be a whirlwind, my dears. So please read carefully and with a clear mind. Real people are the victims of a crime that even the Ministry was involved in. Dolores Umbridge and Kingsley Shacklebot are members of Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix. It is unsure how many others could possibly be involved. Though Minister Fudge denies any involvement and promised to do what is in his power to aid our visitors.

Now dear readers, our story starts with a poor boy who lived in a cupboard under the stairs...