Drarryfanficsao3

by Suicide44

Dhhdgd

156. 122The North Wind Blows

Preface

The North Wind BlowsPosted originally on the Archive of Our Own at /works/4612653.

Rating:

Mature

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Category:

M/M

Fandom:

Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling

Relationship:

Harry Potter/Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy/Harry Potter, Harry Potter/Tom Riddle, Harry Potter/Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy/Harry Potter/Severus Snape/Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy/Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy/Harry Potter/Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy/Severus Snape/Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy/Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy/Harry Potter/Voldemort, Severus Snape/Harry Potter/Voldemort, Narcissa Black Malfoy/Septimus Malfoy

Character:

Tom Riddle Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy, Harry Potter, Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, Narcissa Black Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, Septimus Malfoy, Vernon Dursley, Petunia Evans Dursley, Dudley Dursley, Dobby (Harry Potter)

Additional Tags:

Kid Harry, Polyamory, Morally Ambiguous Character, Evil Dumbledore, Slow Burn, mentions of child abuse, Child Abuse, nothing will happen while Harry is underage, Harry will not call anyone daddy, Dark Harry, Abusive Dursley Family, Rescue, 4 way relationship, 4 corners relationship, Child Sexual Abuse, Voldemort is vengeful, Torture, Foursome, Foursome - M/M/M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, PTSD RECOVERY, Mental Health Issues, Mental Instability, Mental Illness, Magical Dudley Dursley, Good Dudley Dursley, Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Soul Bond, Old Magic, House Elves

Stats:

Published: 2015-08-20 Updated: 2020-03-10 Chapters: 33/? Words: 42932

The North Wind Blows

by Amledo

Summary

Beaten and abused by his relatives, Harry Potter makes a wish for a savior. Those who come for him are the last anyone would expect. A fic featuring Good(at least where Harry is concerned)! Lucius, Severus, and Voldemort and Evil! Dumbledore. This story contains eventual Harry/Lucius/Severus/Voldemort.

Notes

(A/N: I've never written a story like this before and I'm not entirely sure how it's going to play out. So bear with me as things change and develop. I can tell you right now that in this story, Lucius, Severus, and Voldemort are the good guys, and that Dumbledore is not. This has mentions of child abuse and features eventual Harry/Lucius/Severus/Voldemort as a ship. But it's a slow build because it starts out in Harry's childhood. So if you have any problems with stuff like that, you'd best be leaving now. Anyway, I haven't decided the alignment of anyone besides those mentioned, so pretty much everything is still up in the air. Well, I hope you like it!)

Chapter 1

The North Wind Blows

Part 1

Harry Potter was 9 years old, but he was no larger than the average 5 year old and no heavier than a 3 year old. By all standards he should have been dead ages ago, only by the sheer will of his magic was he still alive.

In fact he was certain that he was dying now. He had spilled the bacon that morning after Dudley had kicked his stool out from under him. Vernon had not taken kindly to that fact and had beaten him with the hot skillet.

Covered in burns, cuts, welts, and the like he lay in his cupboard trying not to sob. He could feel his ribs click and shift each time he breathed and it felt like he had water in his lungs. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. He felt his head bleeding and knew his pillow was soaked in blood, for which he would surely be punished.

It was dark outside his door and he couldn't hear the telly so he knew that the Dursley family was asleep. But he didn't know how much good that would do him. Still, he closed his eyes and wished with all his might for someone to save him.

Part of him imagined the green light that had killed his parents killing the Dursleys. He imagined someone taking him away as three sets of lifeless eyes watched them go. Perhaps it was bad of him to wish for such things, but he didn't care.

Just then there was a hideous noise of splintering wood and shattering glass. The whole cupboard shook as a bright light flashed through the front entrance.

"The muggles are upstairs, restrain them and bring them to me. I will deal with the boy," a smooth voice all but hissed and at least two pairs of feet went rapidly up the stairs.

The door to his cupboard was wrenched open and light flooded in, revealing to him a man with blue eyes and shiny black hair. The man was holding a strip of wood in his hand and had it pointed directly at Harry.

"H—hello?" Harry said and coughed up a spray of blood. The figure in the door frowned at once and a blue light emerged from the stick. It felt warm as it settled into his chest and his pain eased. His breathing became easier and he swore he felt his ribs moving on their own.

"Come to me Harry. I will not harm you," the man said and Harry stepped forward. He was swiftly wrapped in and embrace, warmth sinking into his shivering form. With another whispered word, the wound on his head burned and knitted together.

"Who are you?" Harry asked, shocked that someone would hold him so close and be so gentle.

"I am Lord Voldemort, surely you know who I am, don't you Harry?" the man asked and Harry shook his head.

"No sir," he whispered meekly and Voldemort blinked in shock. He tilted the boy's head up and met green eyes with his own. Gently he probed the child's mind and winced at all that he saw. The abuse at the hands of his relatives, the fantasies of revenge, the murder of his parents, all of it.

As gently as he had entered he pulled away from Harry's mind. The boy was shaking and still covered in a vast array of injuries. Voldemort had only healed the potentially lethal collapsed lung, and the mind altering concussion. The rest would require the careful attention of his Potion's Master, Severus.

"You'll know me very well very soon, I promise you that Harry," Voldemort assured and the boy smiled, hugging the tall man around the neck.

"Are you here to take me away then?" Harry asked, no one ever used his name so consistently, or so nicely, he enjoyed it immensely.

"Yes I am Harry, and you know what else?" Voldemort lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "I promise with all that I am that one day, when you are ready, you will have your revenge," he said and it was the first time that someone had promised him something so wonderful. Harry couldn't help but smile.

But with a hissed word, the boy's world went black and he sagged in the Dark Lord's arms.

"The family is restrained my Lord," came the silken voice of Severus Snape. He was followed closely by Lucius Malfoy who trailed the bound and unconscious bodies of the Dursley family behind him.

"To the dungeons with them. Separate them and shrink their cells. Severus the boy is in dire need of your special skills," Voldemort said and stood with the severely malnourished, utterly tiny child in his arms.

"Of course my Lord," Severus said with a bow and together with the unconscious Dursleys they left the scene.

Chapter 2

Chapter Notes

(A/N: Well here's the second chapter. I honestly didn't expect there to be very much interest in this story, and I'm glad to be proven wrong. I didn't mention earlier that I don't own Harry Potter, so I'm doing it now. Warnings as this chapter includes mention of past sexual abuse, so if that bothers you, I apologize. I think that's all, so anyway, on with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 2

Harry woke up nearly naked in a large push bed, his body exposed to blissfully warm air and a pair of underpants that actually fit covering his bottom. A tall man with long dark hair and glittering black eyes was spreading salve over the side of his chest.

"Sir?" Harry asked a large hand soothed along a large circular burn. As soon as the goopy thick salve touched it, the swelling went down some and the pain nearly vanished. Without even questioning it, he knew it had to be magic, no matter what his relatives said.

"Yes Harry?" the man asked and paused in his work to meet Harry's gaze with his own.

"Where am I?" it was a simple question, but not one that Severus had been expecting.

"You are safe. Right now you are in a room in Malfoy Manor. My name is Severus and I am treating your wounds," the man assured and Harry beamed, somehow he had known what his next two questions would be and answered them as well. He had never had his wounds taken care of before, and he had never been told that he was safe, at least not in his waking memory. It was a wonderful feeling.

"I wished for someone to save me. Did you hear me?" Harry asked before Severus began to spread salve along suspicious looking blotches on the boy's inner thighs. Instantly Harry clamped his legs shut and screwed up his eyes, leaving the Potion Master's hand trapped and heart racing in fear.

"Harry, I told you that you are safe, that means I'm not going to hurt you. I promise. Lucius, Lord Voldemort, and I heard your wish and we came to help you. You must know that none of us will ever hurt you," Severus promised, soothing the boy with his other hand. Slowly the child relaxed and Snape was able to resume his careful application of the healing salve. Only Voldemort had seen the boy's past, but now Severus didn't need to guess.

"You really promise?" Harry asked as green eyes gleamed with tears.

"I promise you Harry, with everything that I am," Severus whispered and sealed the jar of salve, he would have to let the stuff dry before he could do the boy's back.

Soon, seemingly soothed by the gentle touch of Severus' hand in his hair and the relief from the salve Harry was beginning to doze. Severus gave his hair one last gentle stroke and moved to leave the room as the boys eyes fluttered open and shut. He was just closing the door behind him when he spotted Lucius.

"How is our Harry?" the blond man asked, his face did nothing to conceal the fact that he was distraught.

"Recovering, I've got the give the salve time to dry. But he woke up…and by Merlin, Lucius…they, those muggles they…" Severus stuttered and lost his composure at the thought, gladly accepting the older man's embrace, sinking into it and fighting the urge to sob.

"Our Lord has told me as much. He did not believe that Harry would wake up or he would have told you what to expect. We must save our revenge though, until Harry has had his," Lucius said and wiped away Severus' tears. The Potion's Master nodded and slumped against the door, drawing Lucius with him.

"He's so small," came his defeated whisper and Lucius' jaw tightened so much that his teeth ground together. It was a painful truth, their Harry; he was so very small, so utterly tiny for his age.

"With your care he will grow quickly," Lucius said, though he hardly believed it as truth. He knew that Severus needed the reassurance that they could help, but he honestly didn't know how much help even an advanced regimen of nutrient and growth potions could be. Once again he found himself cursing the muggles and wishing that they could do something more for the boy.

Severus nodded and slid his hands up, long elegant fingers tangling into lush blond hair. Seeing the other man's need Lucius leaned in and claimed those soft lips in a firm but gentle kiss. Severus groaned in appreciation, returning the kiss with what could only be described as desperation.

"Do you…wish to see him?" Severus said after having been kissed breathless for what felt like several minutes. The blond man nodded, he had a need to see the damage for himself, before the healing salve had too much of a chance to work. They made their way back into the boy's room only to find that Harry had not fallen asleep after all.

The child was wide awake, surveying the reduction in the size of his injuries with astonished eyes. He looked up at them and smiled brightly, not bothering to conceal his near nudity. Lucius knew from the clip show of memories that Harry had often been denied clothing and was decidedly used to the attention of older men.

"Do you want me to thank you now Severus sir?" Harry asked and Severus felt the blood drain from his face as Harry crawled off the bed and walked toward him. He had a good idea of what saying 'thank you' meant to the boy.

"You don't need to thank me Harry, you don't need to thank anyone like that ever again," Severus said and hefted the impossibly small and feather light body into his arms. Harry lifted his arms and slung them around the man's neck.

"Uncle Vernon says bad boys like me have to say thank you for everything," Harry insisted and Lucius laid his hand on the boy's bare back, carefully avoiding the multitude of injuries there.

"Your Uncle was wrong. We say thank you with words. Come now Harry, there is no need to pretend around us. We know who you really are," Lucius said firmly and Harry blushed hotly. He buried his face in Severus' hair, small hands clutching at dark robes.

"You'll make them hurt like they hurt me?" the small voice was cold and full of venom. Now this was the child that they knew him to be.

"We promise," Severus assured, carrying the boy back to the bed.

Lucius dutifully took over holding Harry in his arms as Severus unscrewed the lid of the salve. The dark haired man worked the salve into what were clearly whip marks, likely from a belt, that decorated the majority of Harry's back and the bottom of his thighs. This time Harry did not panic or flinch away, he simply snuggled against Lucius and played with long blond hair.

"Alright, time for some sleep," Lucius insisted as soon as Severus was finished. He gently laid Harry in the bed on his stomach and renewed the warming charm that kept Harry from feeling the chill of the room.

"Don't want to be alone," the boy protested and Lucius looked to Severus who met his eyes with a shrug. Harry had simply spent too much time by himself.

"Would you like us to stay with you until you fall asleep?" Severus asked, one hand resting in Harry's hair.

"Yes please," Harry said softly, little body seeming to sag with relief. Both men smiled fondly at the boy and took up positions on either side of him. It was not long before Harry's breathing evened out and he was well and truly asleep.

That was how Voldemort found them half an hour later when he came to check on their progress. The Dark Lord smiled at the trip before beckoning the two men to his side.

Severus and Lucius carefully climbed out of bed and moved silently across the room. With a wave of his wand Voldemort dimmed the lights and ensured that Harry would sleep the night. They'd had him for all of a day and thanks to their Lord he had slept through most of it. Likely sleeping would be most of what he did until he was fully healed.

"You will be back before he wakes," Voldemort assured and joined his hands with the other two.

"Thank you my Lord," Severus said softly and Lucius seconded the sentiment.

"He is our Fourth, he deserves all the love and care that we can give him," Voldemort replied softly and the other two found themselves agreeing. Though Harry was young, they knew him to be the final component to their relationship. They would not have been able to hear his call otherwise.

"Will he ever accept us? With the abuse that he has suffered…" Severus shook his head and felt his heart clench. How could anyone treat a child like that? Why had Harry been with his relatives in the first place?

"It's 8 years before he comes of age, we have all the time in the world to heal him and show him that we care for him," Voldemort assured, reaching out and trailing his hand over Severus' cheek. After that they silently made their way down the corridor to their shared bedroom, none of them much in the mood for light conversation.

Chapter 3

The North Wind Blows

Part 3

When Harry woke up next he found himself dressed in warm pajamas of emerald green silk, they were softer and nicer than anything he hand ever worn. As he looked around he spotted all three of the men that had saved him from his family, they were seated nervously on the edges of his bed, watching him intently. He blinked once, twice, and sat up to get a better look at them.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, feeling as confused as ever.

"No Harry, we were waiting for you to wake up so that we could check on you," Severus said and waved his wand over Harry in a complicated series of patterns. A tingle went through the boy's body and he gasped in shock as a roll of parchment appeared in the man's hand. Severus quickly opened the scroll and a look of shock crawled its way onto his face. Without a word he passed the parchment over to Tom and Lucius for them to read.

"This is…how is this possible? That's amazing," Voldemort whispered and looked up at Harry; he saw that it was true. Overnight Harry had grown six inches and put on 25 pounds.

"His magic must be helping the potions," Lucius observed, looking to Harry and seeing at last that he was indeed bigger than he had been. Hopefully the trend would continue and he would be the size of a proper 9 year old in no time. He prayed dearly that his fears from the night before would prove to be unfounded.

"If that's true his magic is more potent than we thought, he's on par with an adult wizard at least," Severus said and once again waved his wand over the boy. There came a brilliant glow from Harry's chest that seemed to overpower every other source of light in the room. Faint lines seemed to link the four of them together and Harry curiously passed his fingers through the light before gently tugging on the threads of magic. Warmth flooded him and the other's held their hands to their chests, gasping in shock.

"How can he do that?" Lucius whispered, silver eyes wide with the sensation of having his magical essence manipulated. Severus cancelled the spell and watched as Harry crawled into Voldemort's lap and huddled there.

"A…a wizard does not inherit his full magical potential until the loss of his virginity," Voldemort breathed, blue eyes gone hard and cold, reminding the others that he was not the Dark Lord for nothing. Harry was still small enough that the man's hands completely covered his small back. He didn't complain though, instead wrapping his arms around Voldemort's neck and returning the embrace. If it was possible Severus felt sicker than he had the previous night after Harry's outburst of panic at being touched.

"But you said…you saw…" Lucius stammered as his knuckles turned white from the force with which he gripped his knees. At that point Voldemort's face was absolutely feral, though his touch remained tender as he cradled the child in his arms. Harry was blissfully oblivious.

"I know what I saw. But a traumatized mind can block things far more efficiently than even those with years of practice in mind magic," he schooled his features into something resembling calm and gently tipped Harry away from himself. "Harry, I would very much like permission to hurt your Uncle for you. Will you grant me that?" Voldemort asked, stroking his fingers through the boy's hair, it was a show of affection that Harry really seemed to appreciate.

"Okay, I don't mind. It'll be awhile before I'm big enough to do the hurting anyway," Harry said serenely, his bright green eyes smiling as he spoke. Voldemort grinned savagely and gently extricated the boy from his lap.

"Glad that's settled then. Now Harry, how about some breakfast?" Voldemort said and rose from the side of the bed, extending his hand to the child. Nutrient potions were great for replacing meals, but not for making a body feel full, and he was almost certain that Harry had to be starving.

"You're sure?" Harry asked curiously, these men had not hurt him, they had shown him kindness, but he had never been given a meal without something being expected of him. A brief frown flickered on the faces of the three men but Harry didn't have time to notice as Lucius stood up and gently swept him into his arms.

"Of course Harry, you're a growing boy, you need your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and sometimes dessert," Lucius assured and smiled when Voldemort's extended hand shifted priorities and came up to rub the boy's back. Harry looked at them all curiously expecting to be told that it was a joke, or at the very least that he was going to have to cook if he wanted to eat something, but they all just smiled at him.

"Okay," Harry said at last, nodding his acceptance of the situation. He figured that there were a lot of things that he was going to have to get used to when it came to not living with his relatives. The three men sighed in relief and he was carried in the blond man's arms down a massive hallway and all the way into a large dining room. It was at least a thousand times fancier than anything his relatives could hope to have and somehow the opulence satisfied him. The chair he was given was transfigured into something tall enough for him to reach the table without issue. He didn't even flinch when breakfast appeared on the table with a small pop.

(A/N: I know it's short, but this is where my brain felt like the scene needed to end, and so it does. Regardless, I hope you liked it enough to leave me a review! Thanks for reading!)

Chapter 4

The North Wind Blows

Part 4

Harry had been with them for a week, and he was absolutely flourishing. Already he had grown in height and weight enough to match the average 6 year old. With Severus there to carefully alter and improve his potions regimen and with the continuous influence of his own magic, Harry would be caught up in no time at all. At least that was the belief shared by all three men.

It had only taken them a few days to gain Harry's trust. The boy seemed desperate to believe that he was done being abused and denied food. It also helped that none of the three of them had anywhere to be and as such were fully able to devote their time to Harry and his care.

"Severus?" Harry asked in a small voice as they sat together in the Library. Severus had a potions tome open in his lap and Harry was reading a book on Magical Theory, something that would help lay the foundation for his schooling in later years.

"Yes Harry?" Severus responded, used to the boy's endless questions. He carefully marked his place in the book and closed the cover as gently as he could so as not to damage the binding.

"Will you tell me what Voldemort does when he hurts my Uncle?" Harry questioned, the innocence and sweetness in his face replaced by a hardened maliciousness in his curse green eyes.

"I think that's for the Dark Lord to tell you, don't you Harry?" Severus answered, giving the boy's hair a gentle stroke.

"Fine," the disappointment was obvious in his tone. "But then…why do you call him 'Lord' if he's with you and Lucius? Aren't people that are together supposed to call each other by their names?"

"Normally yes, but we came to him when we were young, Lucius when he was 16 and a few years later me when I was 15. At the time we had no idea that we would be his partners and so we took an oath to be his servants, his Death Eaters. We accepted the Dark Mark, and the magic in the Mark prevents us from calling him anything other than 'my Lord', 'the Dark Lord', or 'Lord Voldemort'. Once we found out that we were to be with him it was too late to remove the Mark," Severus said with a shrug, it really didn't bother him that much to address his partner with formality.

"If you were too young to know that you were his partners, how do you know about me?" Harry continued, finding new questions in everything that Severus had to say.

"We didn't know until you called us. Normally such a thing would not be possible until you were of age. But your life was in danger and your magic reached out to those that would protect you. For lack of your parents, you called out to us," Severus explained calmly, not minding when Harry climbed into his lap and wrapped his arms around Severus' neck.

"I'm glad you came for me. But…I don't think I can…I mean…Severus I'm scared of…you know…" Harry whispered and the rocky façade crumbled as he began to weep and whimper against Severus' shirt. It took Severus a moment to figure out what the boy had meant, but as soon as he understood, he hugged Harry tightly and rocked him in his lap.

"Harry, listen to me. We will never hurt you. We care for you very much, that is true, but…Harry even if we were evil men like your Uncle the magic that binds all of us would protect you. We cannot lay a hand on you in that way if you so much as think the word 'no'. A bond…it doesn't have to mean sex. It may typically end up that way, but in reality all it means is that our cores are linked. Harry I promise you that none of us will ever hate or resent you if you grow up and just want to be friends," Severus said calmly, his hand rubbing small circles into Harry's back.

"What if I grow up and I decide that I want…you know? Is it going to be weird for you guys because you're taking care of me now?" Harry said and blushed hotly as Severus wiped tears away from his face.

"I don't know Harry. Of course right now none of us can even imagine laying a hand on you in such a way. And that might not necessarily change right away once you're grown up. There might be an adjustment period for all of us. But don't think that that means we don't love you. Okay? Sex and love are not always the same thing," Severus stated softly and smiled as soon as Harry's face lit up. The boy nodded vigorously and hugged Severus tightly.

"Thank you Severus," Harry breathed and laid his head on Severus' collar bone, letting his eyes drop closed.

"You're welcome Harry, I'm glad I could help," the older man replied and allowed the boy to fall asleep in his lap.

Meanwhile, in the Dungeons Vernon Dursley was screaming at the top of his lungs as Voldemort stood over him. The Dark Lord had thrown out a rage fueled Crucio as soon as he had entered the room and Vernon had dropped to the floor at once, convulsing with pain. It was far more satisfying to see the large man shrieking in pain than it ever had been to see any of his other enemies in the same state. With a wave of his wand he released the whale of a man from the curse and kicked him sharply in the ribs. Rarely did he get physical with his victims, but then, it was rare that someone dare assault one of his bond mates.

"Let's try this again, Dursley, and see if you are any more cooperative today. What possessed you to lay a hand on Harry Potter?" Voldemort sneered, waving his wand and forcing Vernon to sit up straight, his back against the wall of the shrunken cell.

"What does it matter?" the man said, spitting out blood from where he had bitten into his tongue.

"It matters very much. That boy is one of the most powerful wizards in the world, he also happens to be my bond mate. What did you seek to gain by harming him? Tell me now and I won't bleed you tonight," Voldemort threatened his eyes tracing the festering wounds that marked Dursley's chest.

"The boy is a freak, just like his parents," Vernon coughed and continued, "If I couldn't beat the freakishness out of him, I had to fuck it out of him," he said and Voldemort hissed, flicking his wand harshly and causing several of the man's bones to snap. Vernon shrieked and passed out cold.

"Enervate," Voldemort breathed, pointing his wand at the man's chest. Instantly Vernon was awake and back to screaming in pain.

"I told you what you wanted to know!" Dursley shouted, cradling his shattered arm to his chest and gasping for air as his broken ribs pressed against his lungs.

"I simply said that I wouldn't bleed you. I never said that there wouldn't be punishment if what you told me displeased me. You deserve so much worse," Voldemort sneered and flung a sticking charm at the man so that he could not lie down to get any rest. He turned and left the room, watching as the cell shrank even more as soon as his feet crossed the threshold. It continued to shrink until it was no bigger than a broom closet which left next to no room for Vernon's massive bulk.

(A/N: I hope that you enjoyed that enough to leave me a review. I start work tomorrow so the update schedule might be a bit slower from now on, but I promise to try to be consistent for you. Thanks for reading!)

Chapter 5

The North Wind Blows

Part 5

Lucius gave an exasperated sigh and rubbed fiercely at his eyes. It felt like he had been reading for far longer than 5 hours and his vision blurred when he focused on anything but the book. The print was exceedingly small and compact and his eyes strained to maintain their focus on a single line at a time. But he pressed on regardless.

There was much he needed to learn and this was only the first of six books that he had selected from his vast collection. He had taken them from the Library as silently as he could, leaving Harry and Severus to continue sleeping on the transfigured sofa.

He had been tempted to join his bond mates, but the matter at hand was pressing and he simply couldn't risk a detour. They had to do something soon or Dumbledore would become suspicious. After all, the neighbors currently believed that the Dursley family was on a two week holiday and that time was half gone already.

He set the first book aside, having read all of the relevant information at long last and drew a much thinner yet heavier book toward him. It was made of lacquered wood and bound with heavy metal rings. The script inside was spidery like Severus' but lacked the same elegance. He traced his fingers along the pages, reading as quickly as his fatigued mind would allow.

Perhaps an hour later a soft knock sounded at the door and Lucius unconsciously waved his hand to open it, revealing a patiently waiting Voldemort. The Dark Lord seemed particularly satisfied and he fairly dripped with Dark energy, Lucius could only conclude that he had spent the last several hours in the dungeons.

"My Lord?" Lucius questioned, closing the book without marking his place for fear of damaging the pages. Voldemort stepped inside and closed the door behind him before promptly sinking into the sofa that Lucius kept in his study.

"The man thought that he could force the magic out of our Harry," Voldemort said plainly and without preamble, raking his fingers through tousled black hair.

"I see, is there no end to the foolish things that muggles will believe?" Lucius shook his head in distaste, "On the positive side I'm beginning to understand the process by which we might fool Dumbledore, if we are willing to go to the effort that is," the blond man offered and Voldemort leaned forward expectantly, his elbows perched on his knees, eyes trained on Lucius.

"Are you still trying to see if you can make a simulacrum then?" the Dark Lord asked, spying the title of one of the books and recalling a conversation that they'd had earlier in the week.

"Indeed, they should behave as if they were the real thing, however, that is extremely conditional, and I don't know if it is worth the trouble," Lucius admitted and Voldemort patted the seat next to himself, indicating that Lucius should take a break and explain things to him.

The blond rose gracefully from his seat and crossed the room to join his older partner. He couldn't help but smile when Voldemort wound his arm around his shoulders and tugged him against his side.

"Tell me of these conditions," Voldemort said and flicked his wand to ignite a fire in the grate.

"The first, and easiest to deal with is that the person being impersonated must be alive. Otherwise the simulacrum will be bland and emotionless, unable to speak and only going through rote motions. The second, and slightly bothersome but not impossible requirement is that the subject must be intact, any removal of limbs will reflect on the integrity of the simulacrum. The third, and last one that I have found so far is the most complicated, and that is that the subject must be sane, a damaged mind will be represented in even the best impersonation," Lucius informed, not at all pausing when Voldemort began to stroke his hair, it was one of his favorite things in the world, but he couldn't allow himself to fall into silence because of it.

"Well that does vastly limit our options when it comes to torture. I'm very appreciative of your efforts Lucius, but you may be right, this may not be worth the effort," the Dark Lord said and appeared thoughtful for a long moment.

"What are you considering in place of it?" Lucius asked and casually sifted around so that he was able to lean into Voldemort's side more comfortably.

"Well, the only body that we truly need a doppelganger for is Harry. We could easily return the Dursley family to their home, obliviate them of their time here, and ensure that they live a life of horror and misery until Harry comes of age," Voldemort said with a shrug.

"That is interesting. It certainly would get around the sanity and dismemberment complications. But it would take days to set up all of the appropriate curses and wards," Lucius mused, letting his body slump into the couch as Voldemort continued to stroke his hair.

"Indeed, that is why I am considering starting tomorrow. We will need some rather complex spell work to ensure first and foremost that the family cannot move house. And from there we can design whatever personal Hell we wish for them to live in. I believe it would not be inappropriate to change out the spells every few months to keep the horror fresh in their minds," the Dark Lord said with a malicious grin and Lucius couldn't help but laugh.

"Shall we ask Harry what he wishes to see done to his relatives then? After all, their misery is our gift to him, it ought to be something that delights him as much as ourselves," Lucius said with a brilliant smile and Voldemort wrapped an arm firmly around his chest, pulling him down and kissing him soundly.

"I love that idea. Come, Lucius, let us see what that dear sweet boy of ours can conjure up," the Dark Lord said and rose from the couch, bringing the blond man with him.

(A/N: Sorry it's a bit short, I will try to update again within the next couple of days. I really am trying not to let work get in the way of my writing, but it's much harder than I thought when I literally spend 8 hours a day 5 days a week staring a phonebook pages and hearing machines clattering through my ear plugs. Factory work, however, suits me much better than retail ever did. Anyway, thanks for reading, and I hope you will review!)

Chapter 6

(A/N: Okay, wow, so I have been gone for a really long time, and I am sorry about that. I have been dealing with a lot of personal issues and I am hoping to have things back to normal soon. But for now I hope you can appreciate this update.)

The North Wind Blows

Part 6

The once lifeless lump of clay had now come to possess his features and Harry couldn't help but stare at what so resembled his corpse. It was of course different than he was now, being that it was the same height and weight as he had been when he'd been rescued by his bondmates just 12 days prior. And thanks to Severus he was growing every single day. He was doing well enough that they expected him to be a proper 9 year old child after just a month in their care.

But the boy on the slab before him would not grow as he had been allowed to recently. The boy made of clay had been given his features by the blood he had lost the night of his rescue. Until they replaced one simulacrum with a new one, the boy living with the Dursley's would never appear to grow. He would bleed and bruise like anyone else, he would thirst and hunger like anyone else, but he would not truly change. For all that Harry could see and understand, they had crafted him a twin to suffer in his stead.

And they would know exactly how he suffered. A very powerful monitoring spell had been woven into the very clay that comprised the double. The Dursley's would not remember their time as captives in anything other than nightmares and would treat him as they always had. Of course their treatment of him would decide how they suffered from one week to the next. Not that they knew that, of course. It was Harry that had declared that the punishment should fit the crimes committed against what they perceived to be their true nephew. His bondmates had been so pleased by the idea that they had shown their praise by buying him a children's broom and teaching him to fly out in the gardens.

He thought back to that first flight with Voldemort by his side and Lucius and Severus grinning up at him. Then he thought of the large bedroom that he woke up to every morning, with toys and games and books galore. The clay Harry would never know these things. There would be no freedom for his twin. That fact twisted something in his chest and made him sad. Even though he knew it was for the best, it still hurt him to have to swallow his misery and concern over the fake.

"I thought I might find you here," Lucius said softly as he came to stand beside Harry in observance of the simulacrum. It was more disturbing to all of them than they cared to admit to see the vibrant boy so lifeless and back in the same sorry state as he had been when they met him. But they had told themselves that it was for the best and that the real Harry would never have to suffer ever again.

"I wish that he didn't have to suffer," Harry admitted softly and pressed himself tightly to Lucius' side in search of comfort. The blond man took it for what it was and wrapped an arm around the child.

"I know, but no one can know that you have left the care of your relatives. So we must do this, and soon. Your family has had their memories modified and will be leaving here soon. We only need for you to complete your part of the plan. You remember the spell well enough, are you ready to use it?" Lucius said, voice low in the echoing room that was the lab.

"Yes, I am ready," Harry whispered and straightened his shoulders with determination.

"Alright, I have to step back for a moment, but as soon as he is on his way I will be by your side again," Lucius promised before retreating a few feet to ensure that he was not unintentionally part of the spell about to be performed.

Harry lifted his hands and began to recite the Latin that Lucius had taught him, the words that copied his magical signature and life force to his replica. He should have been far too young for such magic, but his power was already at full potential and the last week had been spent refining his control. As such he felt almost no drain on his body due to what should have been an extremely exhausting bit of spell work.

The ritual-like spell did not last very long and Lucius stepped forward to stun the copy as soon as it took its first gasping breath of air. He was soon beside Harry, scooping the simulacrum into his arms. They had to move quickly to return all persons to number 4 Privet Drive while it was still night and all were stunned, unable to remember anything of the place they had been in. Harry understood this and walked quickly beside Lucius to the entrance hall where Severus and Voldemort stood waiting. The Dursley family hovered unconscious beside the two men and soon the double joined them.

"We will return shortly," Severus said softly and Harry nodded firmly, once again pressing himself against Lucius' side as the others vanished with a sharp crack. The blond man lifted the much larger Harry into his arms and allowed the boy to snuggle into his hair, wrapping his small fingers into fine velvet robes.

"Are you sure you wish them to not suffer physically this week?" Lucius asked as he carried Harry with him to the sitting room. None of them had had the heart to refuse Harry the comfort of being held and the boy soaked up all of the affection that he could. They believed it to be just as crucial to his recovery as proper nutrition.

"Yes, let the nightmares be enough for now. And if those don't teach them anything, the true misery can begin," Harry responded coldly, a sinister grin spread across his lips, one that made Lucius very happy to not have been Harry's enemy.

(A/N: I'm sorry this was so short, and again that I was gone for so long. Hopefully this will be enough for now. Leave me a review to let me know what you thought and hopefully you will hear from me sooner rather than later.)

Chapter 7

(A/N: I'm back with more; it feels like ages since I have had this much motivation or inspiration, and I must say that your reviews have helped me to see that this story is worth overcoming the depression that tells me it isn't. Alright, so a brief warning, in case you forgot there are still three adult men in a relationship in this story and things may happen between them that showcase that relationship. Nothing will include Harry, quite obviously, but I thought it fair to warn you. Also for those of you that wondered about the clone and how it works, I hope to clear some of that up over the next chapters. On with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 7

The had deposited the Dursley family in their beds, perhaps with less grace than they would have done themselves, but it hardly mattered to Severus and Voldemort. Harry's clone had been left most gently in the cupboard under the stairs, gifted with a small bear that he could easily conceal and cuddle when he had need of it. Though he was the most feared Dark Lord in nearly a century, Voldemort could not stop himself from casting a look of pity over the frail and tiny form of the copy as he closed the door on the sleeping boy.

They took extra care to ensure that the Dursley's would have no waking memories of the horrors of Malfoy Manor, and left them with only the impression that they had taken a holiday, but not any concrete or enjoyable memories of the event. The ward work around the house was most complicated and they strived to ensure that it was done properly for Harry's sake.

"Do you think that perhaps there is hope for the son?" Severus joined Voldemort in the front hall, his dark eyes taking stock of their surroundings with distaste, "From what I have seen of his mind he does not seem to know much of anything beyond what the parents teach him. There remains the chance that he could learn to think for himself," Severus said and resisted the urge to peek in on the sleeping simulacrum.

"Perhaps. We shall keep an eye on him, but do not hold out hope, he comes from a long history of such abusive actions being condoned and treated as normal and that does not readily lend itself to change," Voldemort said softly, thinking of his own upbringing in an orphanage that hadn't shielded him from such torture and led him down the path to becoming a Dark Lord.

"I changed," Severus replied with a shrug, checking for the fifth time that the wards were firmly in place.

"True, but you had a will to do so. Ah, perhaps I am becoming a sentimental fool but if it appears that the boy can be redeemed, we will intervene on his behalf," Voldemort conceded and the two of them vanished from the family hope with a sharp crack.

Lucius and Harry were still on the couch when the pair returned and Harry, though obviously exhausted got up to embrace each man in turn. They have been gone for an hour, but it had felt like forever knowing that they had gone back to his old home and he had been frightened that they would somehow become trapped there like he had been.

"All went well?" Lucius asked as he kissed both men in welcome, they had an odd look about them, almost resembling guilt, one he was not used to seeing certainly.

"In a moment," Voldemort promised and scooped Harry into his arms, holding the boy as close as he could. Soon he would be too big to hold in such a manner but the lingering image of the replica in such a pitiful state made him all the more determined to care for the real one properly. Even the knowledge that a simulacrum could not truly suffer, he felt a weight on his chest only relieved by seeing Harry's tired but happy smile.

"What do you say to a quick snack and then a well-earned night of sleep?" Severus asked, sensing that Lucius was concerned over them and that they should explain themselves sooner rather than later.

"I'm too tired for a snack; can I have an extra dessert tomorrow to make up for it?" Harry bargained and the three men chuckled softly.

"Sure thing scamp, go on to bed, do you want us to tuck you in?" Voldemort said as he lowered the child back to the floor. Harry shook his head in the negative before thanking them and bidding them good night. He took off for his bedroom as quickly as sleepy legs would allow. They all watched him go with small smiles that were only worn for him. Harry getting to the point where he was able to put himself to bed had been a huge step forward, he no longer needed one of them to stay with him every night or to be dosed with sleeping potions or Voldemort's magic just to get some rest. Though that did not mean he was free of nightmares, and the three men were always quick to respond to those.

"Care to explain why you both seem to be practically drowning in guilt? Surely you don't feel remorse for punishing those muggles?" Lucius questioned as he summoned a bottle of good brandy and three glasses. They had all claimed places on the couch and poured themselves a healthy measure of the liquid before anyone spoke again.

"The guilt does not concern the relatives, not entirely. No, it was merely the sight of something that so resembled our Harry going back into that hell. If felt like I was condemning him to death," Voldemort admitted and Severus nodded solemnly.

"We have elected to monitor the son and will remove him from the home if he shows signs of resisting the teachings of his parents," the potions master added and Lucius nodded, thinking it a decent plan, though he had very little hope that such would be the case.

"What of the wards on the home itself? Are they concealed from Dumbledore?" Lucius asked, knowing that both men were adept at warding but needing verbal assurance that they would not be found out.

"Not even an Unspeakable would be able to detect our work. The monitoring spell is similar enough to ones already present that it should not raise any suspicions," Voldemort sipped at his liquor and closed his eyes as the warmth flooded his chest and left him feeling lighter, "We also left a lovely little tracer spell so that anyone from outside the home that does harm to the copy will be revealed to us," the Dark Lord added with a bit of a satisfied smirk.

Those muggles who were caught by that spell would suffer most terribly. Though he would never force Harry to see the men that had violated him, he would ensure that the boy would know every time one ceased to be a blemish upon the world.

"Truly? Well now, that will be a treat, I would love to get my hands on some of the degenerates that hurt him that way," the blond man affirmed as he poured himself some more brandy. He rarely allowed himself to over-indulge but the last several days had left him with an inclination toward inebriation.

The other two seemed intent on joining him, so he summoned another bottle and settled back on the sofa. Feeling the warmth of his bondmates on either side of him and allowing himself to relax at last.

"You know Lucius, without your dedication to the research on simulacrum we would be in a much more difficult position at the moment," Severus said after an indeterminate span of time and Voldemort hummed his agreement.

"That is true, you gave us a way to forever free our Harry from that hell without revealing ourselves to our enemy," the Dark Lord said and gently raked his fingers through fine blond hair before placing a kiss on the other man's jaw.

"But it was Severus who's skill crafted the copy and your power that gave it form, even Harry played his part wonderfully, I alone do not deserve the credit," Lucius said softly, a groan escaping his lips seconds later as his partners slid their arms around him and held him tightly between them.

"That's how this relationship is meant to work love, we all do our part and share in the efforts," Severus reminded him softly before laying a tender kiss on the pale flesh of Lucius' neck.

Things might have progressed beyond simple kisses were it not for the sitting room fire flaring brilliant green and the voice of a distressed woman calling out to Lord Malfoy.

(A/N: Sorry to leave it there, but I hope to have more soon. In the mean time, let me know what you thought, your reviews make me smile even when I feel like garbage.)

Chapter 8

(A/N: I am back yet again! I don't know how to thank you guys for your continued support because it has kept me writing even when the depression gets out of hand. I love all of you and even if you just say hi, your reviews brighten my day beyond words. So I have to warn you that there is a bit of blood and mentions of abuse in this chapter, but it isn't super graphic or anything, I just figured you'd appreciate a heads up. Anyway, on with the show.)

The North Wind Blows

Part 8

"Lord Malfoy! Please, I must see you urgently! I need your help!" a woman's voice called out from the green flames. Lucius and his two partners were quickly alert, their previous activities forgotten until a later date. Not that they weren't used to such interruptions what with Voldemort's supporters and Lucius' and Severus' Ministry connections coming through at all hours.

"Come through Narcissa," Lucius called out and rose to his feet to greet the woman as she came through. She did so shortly and without preamble, stumbling out of the fire, soot clinging to tear tracks on her face, hair a mess, and a limp body clasped tightly in her arms.

At once Lucius felt his body grow tense and he had to force himself to move in order to collect the unresponsive child from the anguished mother. With gentleness he only ever showed his family and bondmates he lifted the blond boy into his arms. With increasing distress he observed the blood that ran from a once sharp nose and already livid bruises that decorated the boy's face and neck. He swallowed his heart and mastered his breathing and began to issue commands.

"Severus, a diagnostic and whatever potions he requires, my Lord, pleas seal the Floo to all traffic, Narcissa please tell me what has happed to him," Lucius said as quickly as he could manage turning and slowly lowering the battered boy onto the sofa. Ignoring what might become of the couch as a result; Lucius turned the small head to the side to prevent him from choking on his own blood. He knew that he risked causing additional harm, but drowning in blood was far worse than a concussion that could be healed with spells or potions.

"Septimus happened to him, he no longer believes Draco to be his son and acted on that belief with violence. I do not know where such thoughts came from, he has never expressed any such concerns before," Narcissa sank to her knees beside the couch and Lucius finally noticed the bruises that she wore, so easily mistaken for stray smudges of soot.

"Who could he possibly believe to have been the sire? Draco is more a Malfoy than a black, he resembles our father so closely," Lucius said as Severus began several scans, wand twisting in patterns Lucius himself could never remember. All the while the Potion's Master was dictating a list of potions that he would require to an attentive Voldemort. Such things were delicate and could not be summoned and so Voldemort quickly moved to retrieve them.

"He believes you to be the father, my Lord Malfoy. Nine years ago he was honored to give our son your name; he said it was only proper for the heir to carry the name of the head of the family. But now, something has changed, had I not intervened he would have killed Draco, I know he meant to," she whispered through her tears and Lucius swallowed thickly at the statement. Only 12 days ago they had rescued Harry from certain death, and now his only nephew, and heir to the family name was in danger. Both boys had so recently turned nine years old, they should have been bright and vibrant and happy, but their relatives had nearly cost them that.

"He's nearly succeeded, Draco's Hyoid bone is cracked and his trachea is partially crushed, nearly collapsed, there is severe damage to his vocal chords as a result. He's suffered a slight concussion and a dislocated right shoulder. His nose is not broken, merely bruised. I can't even number the other bruises; his body is fairly riddled with them. Between us we have the capability to fix most of it but…" Severus looked away and took a slow breath, raking his fingers through his hair, "Vocal chords are delicate things, and damage to them is not easily repaired as a result. I can treat them to the best of my abilities but I do not know whether or not he will be able to speak," the Potion's Master said as Voldemort returned carrying a case of potions. The Dark Lord's blue eyes briefly flashed crimson upon hearing the report on Draco's injuries. He had known the potions that Severus listed off were extremely potent, but he hadn't guessed at the extent.

"Narcissa, I must ask you, do you formally request of me, as head of the family, protection for you and your son?" Lucius asked as calmly as he could manage while Severus' words echoed in his mind. He wasn't even certain that he had phrased it correctly, but it hurt him to speak at all as he watched Severus tending to the badly abused heir. Voldemort had taken it upon himself to see to the healing of Narcissa's bruises, the woman's face cradled in on hand as he applied bruise balm with gentle fingers.

"I did not know that I could request protection from another family member, but yes, my Lord Malfoy, I beg it of you," she breathed and Lucius gave a sharp nod. This was something that he could do even as his mind raced with fear. He called to the wards surrounding the manor and allowed them to surround him for a moment. With a few chanted words and harsh motions of his wand he shifted the wards about the manor to repel his brother with force. It was the second time in less than two weeks that he had altered the wards and now two small children's lives depended upon his ability to maintain them.

"He will not touch you or Draco," Lucius promised fiercely and poured her a rather large measure of brandy to help steady her nerves. Narcissa had never reacted well to Calming Draughts, they often resulted in the opposite of the desired effect and he did not wish to do that to her.

She accepted the glass and took a sip as soon as Voldemort had released her face. If she was at all surprised at being cared for by the Dark Lord himself, she concealed it well and said nothing save a sincere thank you, which the Dark Lord accepted silently with a nod of his head.

"This is out of character for Septimus, or am I mistaken?" Voldemort asked and Narcissa gave half a nod seeming to hesitate.

"He has always had a rough hand with Draco and me, but it has never been as violent as all of this. Nothing I couldn't heal on my own," she admitted softly, her eyes intent on Draco's slowly rising and falling chest. Severus and Voldemort had already healed the most severe injuries and now the younger man was carefully applying a thick salve to the livid bruises around Draco's neck. She knew from the few years of healer's training that she'd had that it was a salve designed to treat deep tissue injuries.

"I see. Lucius, does your brother fully comprehend the nature of our bond? Does he understand that it very well could have killed you to lay with another willingly?" Voldemort questioned and Lucius surveyed his elder lover's expression for a moment, seeing that behind the rage, the Dark Lord was truly puzzled.

"I am unsure. He has been somewhat insecure in the past, before I came to my majority and our bond was realized, Narcissa and I were betrothed. As is required by law, a soul bond superseded that contract and she was promised instead to the younger brother. The Black's were very determined to marry into our family, Septimus was second best, but he would do," Lucius responded and struggled to figure out what could have set his brother off after so many years.

"We will wait and let him attempt to contact Narcissa or Draco. If he has been cursed or has simply lost his reason, we will find out and react accordingly. But for now, we will focus on recovery and keeping them safe," Voldemort said and Lucius nodded his assent, he had not presence of mind to form a plan beyond the immediate protection of his sister-in-law and nephew.

"Draco should not be moved tonight, not even to change his clothing, as severe as the injuries to his neck were combined with even a mild concussion it would be ill advised. He can only be healed so well by magic and I must advocate time. Harry needed almost a full day to recover, I have to imagine that it will be longer for Draco as his magic is not fully developed yet," Severus said as he preformed one final scan to ensure that nothing else was amiss. They would have to wait until the next day to tend to the bruises, but a pain potion would mask them until then. When he was certain that he had missed nothing he allowed his shoulders to slump and his exhaustion to show. Lucius and Voldemort guided him to an arm chair and settled him down before he lost his feet.

"I wish to stay with him, my Lord Malfoy, may I make use of the other couch?" Narcissa asked, clearly calmed by her glass of brandy. Lucius considered her for a moment and then nodded.

"You may stay on the condition that you actually rest; you will do Draco no good if you are exhausted. And please Narcissa, call me Lucius, after all you are now under my protection as much as if you were my sister by blood," Lucius replied and received a weary nod from her in return.

He helped her to stand and then maneuvered her over to the second couch and summoned a pillow and blanket for her. Summer or not, the manor was rarely warm. He summoned an additional blanket and draped it over Draco's still form so that the boy did not catch a chill in addition to everything else he had gone through. Once both were settled for the night he called a house elf to clean up the glasses and potion bottles. Then he and Voldemort helped and already dozing Severus to their bedroom.

They would make more concrete plans in the morning when they could all think more clearly.

(A/N: I hope you liked it and will be so kind as to leave me a review. I knew that I couldn't just let Draco not exist in this world, and so he does. I hope to have more for you soon.)

Chapter 9

(A/N: I'm back again, I don't know for sure but updates might slow down just a touch after this, I don't think I can keep up with twice in a week. So there's that. But I promise to do my best not to leave this on hiatus for so long again. I think that was all that I needed to say, so on with the show.)

The North Wind Blows

Part 9

The residents of Malfoy Manor were prone to late nights and even later mornings. But the dawn seemed to wake nearly all of the occupants, regardless of any sleep they may or may not have achieved. In fact, the only person that remained asleep was the fragile blond boy that had passed the night on the sitting room couch. And he was not so much asleep as unconscious from the shock of injuries and healing combined.

Harry sensed that something was off the moment that he opened his eyes and it made him instantly agitated. The normally gentle press of magic that came from the Manor itself seemed almost on edge, if magic could be nervous that was. Lucius had taught him of the wards that kept them safe and hidden; Harry was frightened by the prospect of something that could make them feel so unsettled. It made his stomach cramp with anxiety.

Silently he climbed out of the bed, still sparing a thought for the comfort he was leaving behind, and grabbed his dressing gown from one of the posts at the foot of it. It took him a moment to find where he had left his slippers but once he did he put them on with little difficulty. He had to be certain that he was properly covered before he left his bedroom, because the rest of the house did not have active heating charms in every room. The fact that it was summer, almost September if he remembered rightly, didn't do much to keep him warm. No, Severus had told him that he would likely feel the cold more acutely until he had recovered from the malnourishment he had suffered for so long.

Once he was satisfied that he would be able to stay warm, even if no one cast a warming charm on him, he made his way to door of his room. All the while he tried to listen to the wards as closely as he could to determine what had happened over the course of the night. But he was not very adept at such things yet.

He only made it a few paces down the hall when he felt the tension in the wards increase to something that he could only describe as alarm. Clenching his fists tightly he turned and ran to his bondmates' bedroom. They needed to fix whatever was wrong.

But he didn't even get a chance to knock, the door swung open and Severus scooped him up in almost the same instant. Behind the Potions Master, Voldemort and Lucius shared a look of tension that mirrored what Harry had been feeling form the wards.

"What's happening?" Harry asked in a panic as Severus pulled him closer.

"We will explain when we return, or at least we will tell you what Severus cannot," Lucius promised and Voldemort nodded before both of them vanished with an echoing crack. Left alone in Severus' arms Harry clung on as tightly as he dared and waited for the man to tell him what was happening.

"Harry, last night after you went to bed, two people came to visit us. But it wasn't a very happy reason for visiting. They came to us because, like you, they were being hurt by someone that was supposed to be taking care of them and protecting them. They are called Draco and Narcissa Malfoy," Severus said softly as he carried the still too small boy down the hall.

"Are they related to Lucius?" Harry asked, curious despite the tension around them rising ever higher.

"Yes, Draco is Lucius' nephew and heir to the Malfoy name. Narcissa is Draco's mother and sister-in-law to Lucius. She is married to Septimus Malfoy, Lucius' little brother," Severus explained gently, remembering the fascination the boy had shown for family trees in the past week and hoping that it might help. He brought them to a stop in the entrance hall; after all, he did not want Harry to be frightened by Draco's injured state.

"Is Septimus the bad one then? Did he hurt them?" Harry asked and Severus felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up at the wave of rage that rippled through the wards, as if the ancient magic itself had sentience enough to react with true emotion. He was so taken aback by the wards that he hardly noticed Harry's reversion to his shy and innocent self but was mindful enough to speak to him in the same such manner.

"Yes. Draco is in very bad shape, almost like you were when you came to us. We healed him as much as we could, but his magic is not as strong as yours. He will need more time to recover than you did. I have to go and check on him now. Do you wish to come with me? Or shall I take you to the Library first?" Severus kept his voice measured, even as the wards rage continued to mount higher and higher. Harry simply nodded in response, clearly feeling everything Severus did, if the painful clinging and fearful expression were anything to go by.

So without another word between them, they made their way through to the sitting room where mother and son were waiting. At once Severus noted that Narcissa had woken, but Draco, as expected, remained unconscious. Harry tensed and then wiggled violently until Severus released him. The boy quickly covered the distance to Draco's side, his face a shifting mask of emotions.

Both adults watched as Harry's eyes finally glazed with tears and he gently grasped the other boy's hand between his own. Draco did not visibly stir, but a tension that had been held in his body seemed to dissipate.

"How are you this morning Narcissa? Do you require any pain potions?" Severus asked as he remembered his manners. The woman in question shook her head silently, she looked exhausted and miserable and Severus didn't blame her in the least.

"I will recover. Tell me please, how is Draco? And…well, who is the boy? I was under the impression that you could not have children, the three of you that is," the woman said and watched the familiar wand movements of a diagnostic spell being cast. So much she remembered, and so much she had left to learn, how dearly she wished to finish her healer's certification.

"We cannot, nor is he adopted, you may recall that I mentioned a Harry last night. That is him; he is the fourth member of our bond, of course not fully until he comes of age. But in some respects we are already bonded, our cores are linked, but that is all," Severus found it helped him to explain these things as he made his examination. "Ah, Draco is recovering about as well as could be expected. He should wake on his own in a day or two. I still do not believe that we should move him," Severus said as he handed the scroll to Narcissa for her to consider.

"Yes, you are right, he is best left here. I will remain with him of course. So Harry is your last component, how did he come to be with you at such a young age?" she said, glad for the distraction of conversation. The state of her son's health was out of her hands and she wished to take her mind off of it.

"He called out to us as he lay near death in a cupboard under the stairs in his relatives' house. Had we not heard him I don't know what would have become of him," Severus said quietly as Harry continued to kneel at Draco's side, holding his hand firmly and whispering words that they could not hear.

It was at that moment that Voldemort returned, supporting the weight of Lucius across his shoulders. The blond man was bloodied and dazed, but conscious and Voldemort's face was contorted with rage.

(A/N: Sorry to leave it here, but hopefully I will be updating soon. Let me know what you thought in a review or comment. I do so love hearing from you guys and it honestly keeps me going more than you might think. Until next time, thanks for reading.)

Chapter 10

(A/N: Alright, so I am slowing the update schedule down just a little, I am not abandoning the fic; I am simply going to try to update once a week so as to not burn myself out. After all, for every chapter you see posted here, I wrote at least three versions of how it could have gone until I was satisfied with one of them. So anyway, on with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 10

The arrival of Voldemort and Lucius seemed to drain the energy from the room, casting everything into silence and stillness. Looks of horror and concern overtook the features of Severus and Narcissa as they surveyed the damage that had been done to Lord Malfoy. And then, as if he could sense something amiss, Harry's head turned to look at the two men, and green eyes widened at the sight of Lucius, covered in blood as he was. The boy's expression then shifted from the one of calm attentiveness he had shown Draco to one of unmitigated terror when he chanced to look at Voldemort.

A second too late, the Dark Lord realized that his face was a mask of rage, and that he had made the mistake of turning that expression on Harry. The still too-small boy fell back and shielded himself with his hands, cowering as if he expected to be struck. So small already, he made himself even smaller by compacting himself into a ball and hiding as much of himself as he could from any potential violence that might be visited upon him. He trembled as he realized that it was all too good to be true, that he had not deserved the two weeks of bliss he had received. He should have known that something would change and they would realize that he was a worthless freak once again.

Voldemort swore softly under his breath and transferred care of Lucius to Severus and Narcissa. Despite their stunned expressions, they accepted the other man and set to work on healing him. Slowly, the Dark Lord calmed himself, forcing himself to breathe deeply before carefully moving forward until he was within reach of Harry. He sank to his knees and allowed his shoulders to slump, looking every inch as apologetic as he felt. With as much care as he could manage, he reached out a hand and placed it on one of Harry's arms, all while whispering a stream of soft nonsense words. The boy flinched never the less and refused to look up.

"Harry, I am not mad at you. I promise you, I will not harm you. I have never touched you with violence and I will never do so. Don't you remember Harry?" Voldemort took one more steadying breath and softly ran his fingers through messy black hair, something that had always helped before. "You know at the very least that the bond won't let me hurt you. Even without it I never would, I swear it. Oh, Harry it is still me, and I am sorry I was so thoughtless, I did not mean to frighten you," Voldemort whispered and continued to pet unruly hair as at long last, the boy began to uncurl himself.

"You looked so angry…I was sure that you'd realized that I really am a freak and a waste of space. I…and Lucius is hurt and what if it was my fault and you hated me? And…" Harry drew a shuddering breath and broke into uncontrollable sobs. He was promptly enfolded in Voldemort's arms where he clung tightly to the man's robes, pressing his face into Voldemort's neck as if to hide himself from the world.

"It's okay Harry, I was angry at Septimus, not at you, never at you. You could never be a freak or a waste of space, you are special to all of us and we love you very much. Lucius is hurt because of Septimus, that's not your fault; Septimus is the only one to blame for his actions. But you know what? Septimus is gone and I won't give him the chance to hurt Lucius or Narcissa or Draco ever again," Voldemort said gently and stood gently swaying with the boy still in his arms.

"I'm alright Harry, look, no lasting damage at all," Lucius said and smiled when Harry lifted his head to look at him with astonished eyes. What had appeared to be a serious injury had turned out to be nothing more than a large bump to the head and several cuts along Lucius' scalp and hairline.

"But what happened?" Harry whispered, tears still pouring down his cheeks and allowed Voldemort to place him in the blond man's arms where he clung just as tightly.

"My brother Septimus and I had a duel because he came to challenge me for the return of Draco and Narcissa. He blasted a gargoyle instead of attacking me directly and I could not shield myself from the stone. I promise you that cuts on the head always look worse than they actually are," Lucius explained gently and took a seat in the nearest arm chair so that he could cradle Harry in his lap.

"What became of Septimus?" Narcissa asked softly, having waited patiently for the situation with Harry to calm down. She had not wanted to be the cause of undue stress to a child who was clearly still suffering from the effects of the abuse he had suffered.

"He ran when it became clear that he was not going to best me, even injured as I was. And that the wards would not have him even if he could get past me. I regret to inform you that he has not been cursed or placed under a compulsion, nor the effects of a potion. It would seem that this has been a case of manipulation over time. He does truly believe that Draco is not his child," Lucius said quietly and allowed his body to sag as Harry cuddled under his chin.

"Manipulation, but, why? Who could benefit from convincing Septimus that Lucius had fathered Draco?" Narcissa asked, clearly confused as she re-took her seat and tried to process what she had been told. Severus sat beside her and placed his chin in his palm, glancing between Lucius and Voldemort.

"Dumbledore, the old man has made a regular habit of visiting Septimus. It would seem that over the course of years he has turned my brother against us. I can only guess that it was his intention to attempt to cause dissent between us, to make us believe that I had betrayed our bond," Lucius revealed and felt Harry grow tense at the mention of the Headmaster's name. He knew that the old man was the one that had left him to be abused at the hands of his relatives.

"What am I to do? I cannot possibly allow Draco to return to that hell," Narcissa said and looked desperate as could be, her eyes hazed with tears. Severus instantly reached out and soothed her by tucking his arm around her slim shoulders and pulling her softly against his side, it was clearly a kindness she was not used to receiving.

"You will remain under my protection, the both of you, let there be no question of that. You and Draco shall have rooms here as long as you have need of them, never think that you are unwelcome," Lucius said gently, stroking Harry's back in small circles as Narcissa nodded and sank closer to Severus, her expression broken and lost.

"Thank you Lucius, I do hate to be confined for fear of my husband, but for Draco's sake I will," Narcissa said and leaned against Severus when he pulled her back after she had tried to pull away. She laid her head on his chest and at last accepted the comfort that was being offered.

"Being protected does not need to mean that you are to be confined. You are able to go out and be just as safe as you are here. We have a number of amulets that can be made to mimic the wards of the Manor that will protect you just as effectively. You wish to be free and you shall be, we have no desire to imprison you," Voldemort promised and smiled at the woman, she was perhaps more damaged than they had originally realized. Septimus was perhaps a shade more than 'rough' with her during their cohabitation.

"I wish to complete my Healer's certification. I want to be able to help Draco to recover properly, and perhaps to render what aid I might to whoever needs it. But I will need to make it to Gringotts before Septimus bars me from the account," Narcissa said and twisted her wedding ring, looking pained that the vows she had taken made it impossible to remove.

"No need to worry, Septimus has not worked a day in his life and draws exclusively from a stipend that I have granted him as head of the family. He would have nothing otherwise as he blew through the trust our father left him in the few years after his school days. I could not in good conscience allow an innocent woman and child to suffer for his past frivolity. But I believe that his abuse of his wife and my heir is more than enough to rescind those payments," Lucius informed with smirk that verged on sinister. Everyone in the room nodded, feeling that this would be a satisfying beginning to the punishments that Septimus would endure.

(A/N: That's it for now. I hope that you enjoyed it, I know it was a bit more discussion and filler than I normally do. But I would love to hear what you think of it and if you could leave me a review, that would be lovely. They do make me so happy.)

Chapter 11

(A/N: I'm back, a bit sooner than expected, but not a whole lot. I got antsy and wanted to get this one posted for you guys. Also my birthday is this weekend so I wanted to spend more time being lazy and doing nothing. Anyway, no new warnings to tell you about or anything like that. So on with the show.)

The North Wind Blows

Part 11

The day had progressed without another incident, Septimus obviously deterred by his encounter with Lucius and the wards. They had taken both breakfast and lunch in the sitting room so that they were not leaving Draco alone at any time. Harry, for the most part, remained a fixture at the other boy's side, his expression always sympathetic as he spoke gently to the other boy. The injury to Draco's head had been deemed sufficiently healed for them to tend to the bruises that covered much of his body. Now he lie still on the couch, free of his bloodied clothes and clad in pajamas that resembled Harry's.

"When will he wake up Severus?" Harry asked softly as the Potions Master regarded yet another scroll generated by a diagnostic spell. His face was unreadable, but Harry figured that nothing else had gone wrong since he didn't seem displeased.

"Not until his body believes itself to be healed enough. Even then, Harry, you must promise to be gentle with him. You cannot encourage him to move too much or get over excited. We are doing all that we can, but we must be delicate or risk the loss of his voice," Severus informed, his dark eyes shifting to fix themselves on Harry as he spoke. The little boy, at being addressed in such a manner, puffed himself up and did his best impression of a responsible adult.

"I promise Severus, I will be the most gentle person ever and take good care of him, like he was my own brother!" Harry said firmly with a decisive nod of his head and Severus smiled at his fondly, allowing one hand to gently ruffle unruly black hair.

"I know you will," the older man told him and allowed the boy to continue his vigil at Draco's side. His constant presence had been enough reassurance for Narcissa to finally relax enough to leave the room for a shower and a change of clothes.

The woman in question slumbered soundly on the other couch after she had allowed herself to be dosed with a healing potion. Out of concern for Draco's needs she had not revealed her need for one to them before hand. At least in the end she had taken one and was allowing herself to recover.

Severus maintained his presence in the room in order to monitor his two patients while Lucius and Voldemort had retreated to the labs. They were hard at work figuring out the process by which they might enchant amulets with replicated wards. It was a difficult process as the wards were inherently stationary things and these needed to be worn out and about. It had been firmly decided that Draco, Narcissa, and Harry all required one to ensure their protection from those that meant them harm.

As they worked it became clear that they needed to be heavily modified as the magic in the wards was too powerful to be contained in any gem. By that point they had determined that Narcissa's was the most important one as she actually meant to return to the world in the near future. They could safely conceal Draco and Harry in the Manor and on the grounds for some time to come. But Narcissa was adamant that the she join the Healer's program as soon as possible, and that meant the first day of September. It only left them a week and a half to complete the amulet and account for all possibilities.

They had early on decided that in addition to the protections of the wards, she would have use of a spell that would return her to the Manor if she were to be attacked, a built-in glamour so that she need not attempt to replicate one every day, and a voice alteration charm as she was fairly recognizable by that feature alone. It was a great deal of magic to be contained in a single pendant, and Lucius and Voldemort would require all of their considerable skill and talent to ensure that each spell worked in harmony with the others.

When the time for dinner came and went with no one acknowledging it, Severus allowed himself a moment to rest his eyes. At least he believed that it had been but a moment.

He was startled awake sometime later by the presence of an immense power, familiar magic thrumming through him like a separate heartbeat. For a brief instant he met Narcissa's startled grey gaze before they both looked to where Harry sat beside Draco. The blond boy must have woken up at some point, and if the livid claw marks around his throat were anything to go by, he had discovered that he could not speak. But the magic did not come from Draco; it was neither panicked nor accidental.

Harry was firmly holding Draco's hand, eyes glowing as green as the Dark Lord's could red. Golden wisps of magic swirled about their joined hands. Astonished, Severus stared as Draco watched Harry with complete trust, his expression turned calm and reserved.

The display of power had been enough to summon Lucius and Voldemort from the workroom and Severus had to hold up a hand to stop them from interfering. Leaving all four adults to watch as two small boys steadily became engulfed in golden light. Never before had any of them felt such power, not even Voldemort could compare. It left them all in awe.

And just when they thought it would grow too strong to be controlled, it vanished all at once. The aftermath was both boys conscious, but slumped with apparent exhaustion. The cuts and bruises around Draco's neck had vanished, but so too had Harry's progress at growth. Before them he sat in oversized clothes, a satisfied smile fixed on his lips.

"Mother," Draco said softly, there was no sign that his voice had ever been damaged and Narcissa wept. She rushed in to gather her son into her arms as the three men moved to take care of Harry.

"Sorry Severus, I'm gonna need more of your potions. Didn't mean to make you start all over, but there was no other way," Harry breathed and allowed himself to be fawned over by all three men.

"Do not apologize, I will gladly make them for you, as always," Severus replied gently, his eyes welling with tears at the sight of Harry's once more tiny and abused frame.

"Harry, that was wonderfully kind and generous of you, I'm very proud of you," Voldemort commended softly, smiling at the boy.

"You're so strong Harry, you did something none of us could," Lucius added as all of them strove to ensure that he knew that he had not upset or disappointed them in any fashion. Harry simply smiled sleepily and allowed himself to fall asleep as he was cradled between the three of them.

(A/N: It's a bit shorter than what I have been posting lately, but I hope that it was just as good. Why don't you guys let me know what you thought? How about a review or comment as a birthday gift?)

Chapter 12

(A/N: I am sorry for the delay; my schedule got a bit thrown off because of a really bad downswing of my depression. But I am back now, and hopefully back on track as well. Thank you all for the birthday wishes! I enjoyed myself very much. Now, without further ado, on with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 12

Harry groaned as he opened his eyes to his dimly lit bedroom. Each and every one of his muscles ached and he was certain that someone had ground his bones to powder, or at least broken them several times over. But, he reasoned with a groan as Severus' strong arms helped him to sit up, that it was better for him to hurt now. The alternative was Draco having no voice for the rest of his life. It only seemed a fair exchange.

Silently he accepted the pain relieving potion that was placed in his hands and drank it all down without any prompting. At once the pain dulled to a bearable level and he leaned his head against Severus' chest for emotional comfort. It was lucky that Draco had come to them when he did. Harry had only been able to help him because he had so much magic built up in him for making him grow. The growth hadn't had a chance to become permanent physically as his magic worked much more quickly than his body was able to. But a few more days and the full moon's power would have cemented it and started the cycle anew. Harry would be grown for real, but the extra magic would have gone. It was a reasonable sacrifice in his mind, especially to make for someone that didn't deserve the pain they had suffered.

"How is Draco doing?"Harry asked at long last and Severus looked down, meeting his gaze for a moment.

"He is doing much better than expected, a few lingering complications, but nothing as awful as what could have been. In a few more hours though, he would have been mute for life. You woke him before he was ready, by the way," Severus said softly, attempting to show that he was not angry at Harry for breaking the promise he had made regarding the other boy. But Harry gave a quick and dismissive shake of his head.

"No, I didn't wake him, not really. His magic did that. It told me that he needed my help and when I agreed it woke him up so that I could explain it to him. His voice was already gone by that point; it's why it took so much effort to fix it. But I trust my magic, it knew what to do," Harry explained and Severus' eyebrows went up in surprise.

"Was that what you were doing for so long? Talking to his magic?" Harry nodded with a smile, he liked impressing the people around him, "Where did you learn how to do that?" Severus questioned softly as he allowed Harry space to cuddle in his lap. The fact that he was impossibly tiny once again was reinforced by how little weight Severus felt upon holding him.

"A book in the library. I stayed up all night to read it a little while ago. It sounded so wonderful and interesting I couldn't stop. I wanted to know everything," Harry replied and Severus felt his eyes go wide, an entire book on such a complex subject in a single night? Truly Harry belonged among them.

"That was very clever of you Harry. We shall have to start you a collection of research books on subjects that interest you. It would seem that the basics are not enough to satisfy that hungry mind of yours. I'm very proud of you, reading something so difficult so quickly," Severus said and the tiny boy absolutely beamed at the praise he'd been given.

"I've always wanted to learn, but my aunt and uncle only let me go to school long enough to learn to read. So that I could read chore lists without having to ask for help," Harry explained quietly and Severus swallowed a curse, instead he wrapped his arms around Harry and hugged him closer.

"We shall tutor you; between the lot of us we have a good bit of knowledge. Lord Voldemort and I both attended muggle primary schools, so we can fill you in on those subjects. Lucius and Narcissa had a traditional pureblood upbringing and education. Not to mention that Narcissa has been Draco's teacher since he could comprehend the lessons," Severus informed quietly, finding that talking and forming something of a plan kept his anger from boiling over. He refused to do anything to frighten Harry.

"Will Draco and I be able to have our lessons together then? That way it could be like a real school! You know? I could see what I've missed," Harry suggested and Severus held him just a little closer, his entire heart breaking into pieces all over again at the life the boy had been forced to lead. He had no idea how a child that had been shown nothing but cruelty and violence had any goodness left in him. And yet Harry had so much love and kindness to give. It almost made no sense, and that really summed Harry up quite nicely, he made no sense, and yet there he was.

"Of course you two can have your lessons together. With Narcissa going back to school we three will be doing our best to take as much off her hands as we can," Severus said and stroked Harry's back as the boy began to sag with exhaustion once again. Clearly it would be some time before either boy was ready to begin their education.

He wordlessly maneuvered Harry back under the blankets and ensured that a warming charm was firmly in place. By the time he had finished tidying up the empty potion vials; Harry was well and truly asleep. The lights dimmed even more as he made his way out of the room, but they remained lit so that Harry would not wake to the darkness. Draco still required a regular dose of calming draught every so often as he dealt with the reality of his recovery and the trauma of Septimus' attempt on his life.

The adults in the Manor had not slept since the night before Harry had healed Draco and so they were closing in on 36 hours of no sleep. They were all fairly powerful and between potions and their own magic they weren't doing too badly, but natural sleep would still be necessary at some point. Though he suspected that Lucius and Voldemort would not sleep until the amulet for Narcissa was completed. The woman herself was feverishly reviewing what she remembered of her time as a Healer's apprentice. Severus had far too many potions to brew for sleep to be an option in the near future. He wondered just how long they could hold out before sleep claimed them.

(A/N: I know it isn't super long, but I hope that you liked it and will leave me a review all the same. Sorry for the weird update schedule, hopefully I will be back to normal by the end of the week. Thanks for reading and I will see you next time!)

Chapter 13

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

(A/N: I have to apologize again to all of you, I never meant to be gone this long, but depression is a complicated illness and I can't honestly predict when it is going to leave me overwhelmed again. I am so sorry that I have left you for so long. But I have an installment for you and I hope you enjoy it.)

The North Wind Blows

Part 13

The room was almost dark, but there was just enough light coming from the lamps on the wall that he could see where he was. It was his room, the one that he had been given in the Manor, not the cramped cupboard under the stairs, he was safe, he was safe from harm. But something had woken him up, before Severus' potions normally would have allowed him to, he wasn't sure what until he looked over at the chair that Severus usually occupied.

There was a small green lump curled up in the plush chair, shiny emerald dressing gown wrapped tightly around him, head tipped sideways, and lips parted in soft snoring. It took Harry almost a full minute to realize that it was Draco and not a figment of his imagination. He hadn't seen the other boy since healing him two days prior, and was beginning to think that he had imagined the entire thing despite what Severus told him.

With great effort, and the realization that he had already managed to start growing again, Harry climbed out of his bed and carefully walked the short distance to Draco's side. He knew that the other boy was easily startled, as Severus had explained, and so he reached out with his magic instead of his hands. The reward he received was the slow opening of silver-grey eyes and a small sleepy smile.

"Hey Harry, I'm sorry I made you small again," Draco said and the strength of his voice made Harry's entire face light up in a smile. Just hearing him speak made the entire ordeal worth it to Harry.

"That's okay Draco, I'm just happy to get to hear you talk. Our magic was worried that we were too late to help you," Harry said gently and helped Draco to stand up from the cramped position that he had folded himself into on the chair. As comfortable as the chair was, the way he had tucked himself up had to have left him with aching joints.

"You were just in time. We need to go and see Severus though, it is time for both of us to have our potions and I don't know how to measure the doses," Draco explained and Harry nodded his agreement, he could certainly feel the ache in his bones and muscles. That was something he simply could not wait to be done with, he had almost managed to get over it before he'd needed to expend his magic to help heal Draco.

"We can check their room, they should be asleep by now, but I don't think they will mind waking up long enough to help," Harry advised and covered himself in his own green dressing gown to combat the constant chill of the Manor. He had to wonder if he was ever going to be properly warm on his own, it was summer and he was still shivering. Maybe once he grew a bit more and put on some weight he would have the reserves to keep him warmer.

Draco seemed hesitant to follow until Harry held out a hand and allowed him to take it. The tension went out of Draco's shoulders and he gave a nod, clinging to Harry's smaller hand as they made their way out of the room and into the chill of the hallway. Somehow Harry always forgot what it was like to step out of a heat charmed room and into one that was normal temperature.

The hallway was dark so late at night, but the lamps came to life with dim light as Harry and Draco came near enough. Having magic be so commonplace and practical made it a much easier reality for Harry to accept after all the years of violent denial at the Dursley's house. He had to wonder what it must have been like for Draco growing up and knowing without a doubt that magic was real and that if flowed through him and gave him a strength that other people didn't have.

There was something different for Harry; being able to speak to magic and cast it himself was not the same as seeing someone else do it. He had to guess that it was because the Dursley's had spent so long telling him that he was crazy for believing in magic. His steadfast belief in the power that lived inside of him had always earned him extra beatings or 'private lessons' with Vernon or a number or other men willing to teach him a lesson. Sometimes he had considered claiming that he no longer believed, but deep down he knew that such and admission would not spare him any of the pain.

"You okay Harry?" Draco asked as they came to a stop outside of the master bedroom.

"Yeah, sometimes bad memories come around at night," Harry responded, he didn't really want to burden Draco with the story of what had been done to him, Draco had had bad enough on his own. Maybe when they were older, but probably not ever, he was still trying to decide if he even wanted to remember for himself anymore. He trusted Draco not to make fun of him like Vernon did, but somehow he felt like the more people that knew about it the more real it became. And Harry very much wanted it to not be real.

Seeing Harry beginning to shut down and retreat into himself, Draco knocked rapidly on the bedroom door, he did not let go of Harry's hand. His knocking became more frantic until Voldemort, very clearly rumpled by sleep, opened the door to them.

"We woke up because we needed our potions but now Harry—" Draco's panicked voice trailed off as Voldemort knelt before the tiny boy and took into the hollow eyes and blank expression. Harry was rigid, his jaw clenched and his breathing came in sharp shallow gasps. The Dark Lord swore softly and summoned a Calming Draught as Severus and Lucius finally responded to the situation at the door.

"Draco, come here, I will see to your potions, Severus and Lord Voldemort will take care of Harry," Lucius said and opened his arms to the Malfoy heir. Draco hesitated for a moment before carefully releasing Harry's hand and stepping into Lucius' embrace.

"Will Harry be okay?" Draco asked, fearful as he watched Severus and Voldemort slowly coaxing the other boy to swallow the Calming Draught.

"He will be just fine, we have been helping him for two weeks now and are slowly helping him recover," Lucius explained gently before moving Draco out of the line of view. He wished Harry to be allowed to regain himself without being concerned over what his new friend might think of him.

(A/N: Once again, I am really sorry for the delay in getting this out to you. I wish I could have been in better shape sooner. As it was, I hope you will leave me a review and let me know what you thought of the chapter. Thanks again for reading!)

Chapter End Notes

To whoever tried to add this to their collection please try again, I had no idea what I was clicking as I was on my phone. I 100% approve of you collecting my work.

Chapter 14

(A/N: I'm back again, hopefully within a reasonable timeframe for you guys. I know that I am not always the best at consistent updates, but I promise you that this story is a priority of mine and I intend to keep up with it for as long as I can. I hope you will let me know what you think of it. On with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 14

It had taken them nearly triple the recommended dose of Calming Draught for a child his size to bring Harry out of his panic. Severus and Voldemort had only needed to brush the surface of the boy's mind to realize that he was struck in a flashback. They had to tamp down their own rage at the knowledge that he had suffered so much in order to take care of him properly. They had no idea what could have triggered the episode, as far as they knew there was nothing in the family wing that would set the boy off. But once he was free of the waking nightmare Harry wrapped himself into Severus' arms and allowed silent tears to fall. He clung there and pressed his face into the man's sleep shirt.

"Do you want to go back to your room or would you rather stay here?" Voldemort asked as he gently laid a hand over Harry's thin back, rubbing softly to soothe him. The boy flinched only for a moment, but as Voldemort continued to soothe him he relaxed once again.

"Stay, please," Harry said quietly though sniffles and hiccups. He could not fathom being left alone in a big room at that moment.

"Very well," Voldemort replied and easily transfigured the couch on the far wall into a passable bed for the boys to share. He knew instinctively that Draco would not want to leave Harry alone. So Severus carried Harry to the temporary bed as soon as blankets and pillows had been added and gently tucked him under the comforter. Draco was soon brought over by Lucius and the boys wiggled until they were close enough to be curled together.

"Get some sleep, wake us if you need anything," Lucius said softly and ran his fingers through both children's hair. They each gave a slight nod before Draco tucked Harry's head under his chin and held him close. They had barely known each other in their waking moments but thanks to Harry's ability to speak to magic they felt like they had known each other since they were very young. It was hard for them not to think of each other as brothers, or at least good friends. Harry knew that he would fight Septimus himself if it meant that Draco stayed safe. Likewise Draco knew that if he ever saw the man called Vernon Dursley, he would curse him into oblivion with all the accidental magic he possessed. He didn't know what had been done to his brother, but if it was enough to make Harry shut down like that, then he knew that the man deserved to be punished.

The three men watched for a moment as both boys began to drift off to sleep, their hearts aching at the pain that their future bond mate was going through. But they had only had a couple hours of sleep themselves after having been awake for about 43 hours and so they knew that they could not keep vigil. They retreated to their bed and fell asleep once again, each wrapped around the other, somehow now more relaxed with the boys near at hand.

The next morning at nearly noon, they woke to the sound of knocking at the door, it was not frantic as Draco's had been, but it was certainly urgent. It was Lucius that dragged himself from the comfort of the bed to answer it. He did not bother to fix his hair or unroll the pant leg that had crept up his calf in his sleep. It would be Narcissa and she would not judge him for his unkempt state, especially after the last couple days that they had experienced.

"Lucius, Draco is not in his room and I" she trailed off as the blond patriarch tilted his head to indicate the transfigured bed that Harry and Draco were still mostly asleep in. Her shoulders sagged in obvious relief at the sight before she returned her gaze to Lucius' face, still red from where it had been pressed into Severus' chest.

"There was a slight incident over night. They had come for their potions, an oversight on our part that they waited so long, but along the way something set Harry off and he was in quite a state by time they made it here," Lucius explained gently and watched as Narcissa's face shifted through several emotions before settling on an expression that could only be described as cold and determined.

"That settles it then. As soon as I have completed my basic Healer's Certification I will begin courses to become a Mind Healer as my specialty," she said decisively, her hand resting on the amulet that Lucius and Voldemort had crafted for her. The original intent had remained but the spell work had been altered to accommodate the constant wear of the amulet. The basic protection spell was the only constant; the others were now activated by separate commands, from built-in glamour, to emergency portkey, to a specialty bit of magic that altered the feel of her magical signature. Really it was a complex and marvelous piece of spell craft and she intended to make full use of it. She also felt a great depth of relief that Harry and Draco would soon possess similar amulets.

"You will have my full support in this endeavor. Do you wish to speak with the boys? They appear to be waking up," Lucius said, breaking into her contemplative state. To her credit she did not startle after the long silence.

"Yes, please," she said and made her way into the room as Lucius stepped aside. If Narcissa was fazed by the half-awake disheveled forms of Severus and Voldemort, she did not show it. Instead she walked directly to her son and Harry and gave both of them a good morning kiss on their foreheads.

"Mother?" Draco asked in a voice thick with sleep and sat up with Harry still pressed close to his side. It seemed that once again Harry had managed to grow over night, though he was clearly still smaller than the already small Draco.

"Yes darling, thank you for being so kind as to stay with Harry when he needed you," she said softly and gave a genuine smile when both boys crowded into her lap for a hug.

(A/N: I hope you enjoy it and will leave me a review. I am glad that you guys continue to read this story, your comments and responses light up my day and I am thankful for all of you.)

Chapter 15

(A/N: I know I am updating on a bit of a weird schedule but honestly I am doing the best I can with the way that my brain is working. I am really glad that you all are willing to stick with me and that you continue to comment and support me, you've been lovely. So I hope that you enjoy this chapter!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 15

"Voldemort?" Harry called softly as he entered the main library, pushing the heavy door open with little effort. It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the strange orange light that filled the room, it confused him slightly. Normally the lamps or natural light would have greeted him; the new color was more than a little disorienting.

"I'm at the tables in the back Harry," Voldemort responded and the boy carefully closed the door behind him. He didn't need to, the door would have closed softly without his assistance, but he had learned certain things and it was difficult to unlearn them. Once he was certain that no unnecessary noise would be made he skirted around the bookshelves and made his way toward his eldest bond mate.

"Why's it all orange in here?" Harry questioned as he hefted himself onto the couch beside the other man. He was getting taller again, that much was true, but he was still a bit too short for most of the furniture in the Manor and could not yet comfortably sit in most of it. On the table in front of the couch was a large book, possibly a tome, the pages were clearly made of something other than parchment. The words on the page seemed to shift and coil about themselves, drawing out an entire sentence in the space that one word should have occupied.

"The orange light is part of how you preserve older books when they are not being actively protected by the charms on the shelves," Voldemort explained and allowed Harry to lean forward to inspect the book, keeping a careful eye on the boy to ensure he didn't fall.

"Do the sentences always start at the beginning when you look at them? Or do you have to wait for it to start over?" Harry asked and frowned as he tried to sound out one of the more complex words, it resulted in a hesitant hissing that startled Voldemort even more than the question that had been asked. But he did his best not to appear flustered.

"You can read that?" the Dark Lord asked, calmly in response, he had allowed his voice to shift into the snake language, just as a test.

"It moves a bit fast and some of the words seem really old, but yes, I can read it. It looks like you're trying to find a way to change the rules for the Dark Mark," Harry stated, not seeming to realize that he had hissed his response. Of course they knew that Harry was a gifted reader, but this was something rather beyond that, something that Voldemort would have to look into.

"I am. I wanted to do it as a surprise for Lucius and Severus. They say they don't mind that the magic compels them to call me by honorific terms, but it really isn't fair to them at all. They are equal, they are partners, not servants," Voldemort explained and smiled in response to the enthusiastic grin that Harry gave him.

"Well what if you removed it?" the boy asked and edged his way into Voldemort's lap. The Dark Lord wrapped an arm around Harry's middle and rested his chin gently atop the boy's head. The fact that Harry was able to speak Parsletongue was a matter he would deal with another day, when he had had time to inspect lineages.

"Perhaps. But the Mark serves more than one purpose. You see, it is a way for me to locate them in an emergency, to call them if I need them. Maybe it could be replaced by an enchanted amulet or similar item, but the Mark also ensures that my followers recognize and respect them," Voldemort elaborated and allowed himself a frown as he considered the passage once again. Harry leaned forward and pointed at a piece of text without touching the book, hissing the content to himself before giving a decisive nod.

"See right here? It says that the intent is what matters. You can remove the original Mark and give them new ones with new intent. They don't even have to look different," Harry said, seeming proud of himself as he leaned back and cuddled against Voldemort's chest, leaving the Dark Lord in a stunned silence. He had never considered such a thing in all the time since the bond was discovered. It had not occurred to him to remove and recreate the Mark; he had only ever focused on the idea of altering the existing Mark. Silently he hugged Harry close to himself and marveled at the creativity of the child's mind when it came to problem solving.

"I could do just that. What a good idea Harry," he said at last and smiled as the boy cheered softly to himself. Harry did not often allow himself moments of pride, at least not openly, but he was getting better at acknowledging his own successes and cleverness. He was even getting better at accepting praise from the others in his life without blushing overly much.

"So you can do it as soon as you manage to figure out everything that needs to change. I can't wait to see how surprised they are! But you know, Voldemort is such a weird name. How do you go out in public without people realizing who you are?" Harry asked, clearly moving from one problem to the next as soon as one was handled to his satisfaction. Voldemort chuckled softly and ruffled the boy's constantly messy hair as he did so.

"In public I go by my muggle name. Tom is very plain and common," he told Harry gently and watched as the boy smiled brilliantly up at him. Harry smiled far more than any of them had expected and it was something that they were always pleasantly surprised by.

"Tom. I like it. Do you mind if I use it now?" Harry asked as he twisted himself around to be able to look up into bright blue eyes without craning his neck.

"You can call me Tom as much as you like Harry, I am long past the anger that led to the creation of my new name," the Dark Lord said and laughed, when Harry hugged him tightly around the neck.

(A/N: I know it wasn't super long, but I hope that you liked it and that you will leave me a comment or review, I do so love hearing from all of you. Until next time, thanks for reading!)

Chapter 16

(A/N: I am back once again. I have a new chapter for you and I don't think that you are going to be disappointed. Yeah it is mostly talk, but it deals with some heavy stuff and I have every hope that I handled it well. I hope that you will leave me a comment or a review and let me know what you think. By the way, though the content is a bit dark and heavy, there is nothing super explicit or graphic to watch out for. On with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 16

The three men sat quietly on a sofa in Lucius' study, their backs straight and shoulders held stiff and tense. Each held a glass of brandy tightly in their hand, the contents poured well beyond an advisable measure, especially for the quality of the liquor in question. The sloshing of liquid in their glasses was a visible indication that each man was shaking despite their rigid postures. On the low table that sat before them, lay a length of parchment, scrawled heavily with the precise writing of a spell.

It was the first report that had been generated by the simulacrum and its various monitoring spells that had been left at the Dursley house. They had anticipated terrible things based on what they had learned from their inspections of Harry's mind. But seeing the words laid out so plainly before them was almost too much for them to handle.

Their reaction to the appearance of the report had led Narcissa to take the boys from their presence so as to avoid any incidents. She had invented the need for Harry and Draco to accompany her to the gardens to review the various plants and insects used in the healing arts. Of course the men would not leave her in the dark about the content of the report. But they would wait to inform her until after the boys were asleep and unable to be troubled by the details.

It was Severus that unclenched his jaw first, taking a deep drink of the strong beverage before setting it down and releasing a shaking breath.

"We said that we would allow Harry some power in the punishments. But I do not believe that we need to inform him of all the details, especially in his current psychological state," Severus said in a delicate tone, it was clear that he had to modulate his voice to keep it from breaking.

"This is true. We can put together a summary of the report and save him to potential of a flashback or panic attack," Voldemort stated and looked down once again, his eyes blazing crimson as they regarded the words on the parchment once again.

"Agreed, we will do him no good if we reveal all the details. Besides, he did not say that we could not devise our own additions to punishments," Lucius said, voice slightly rasping but otherwise held steady. The other two nodded and allowed themselves to relax slightly, their postures more stooped as they leaned forward.

"He does not know about the tracking spell. We shall have these three men in dungeon cells before the night is out. As for the rest of the results we shall summarize only the most severe of issues and allow him to pass judgment of those, extra details will not be necessary," Lord Voldemort said plainly and summoned a new sheet of parchment and a self-inking quill.

"Alright then, as far as severity the primary concern that we should address is the beating that was delivered on the fourth night for failure to complete chores. It resulted in three fractured ribs and a dislocated shoulder. Secondary to that is the two consecutive days after the beating he was denied food as an extension of the punishment. We had noted that they had given him a near impossible number of chores, likely looking for a reason to punish him. However, punishments and chores only seem to be doled out on days when his male callers were not scheduled to visit," Severus began to dictate, his voice firm as he reviewed the report and forced himself to remain calm. None of them were comfortable looking at the results of a mere week. They could barely contain their anger at the thought of what had been done to a child that the Dursley's still believed to be their nephew.

"We also noted a trend concerning the son. He seems almost, hesitant, perhaps is the word, when it comes to his interactions with the copy. At times it seems as if he is not invested in his actions. I would venture to say that they seem forced, as if they are not his own," Lucius supplied, addressing a separate report with a frown. Voldemort's hand stilled at the comment and his expression seemed to shift from anger to one of intense contemplation.

"Do we have a means of monitoring the boy outside the house? I should like to know how he behaves at school when he returns and who he comes into contact with aside from the parents. I want to know if he is merely doing his best to please his parents when in their presence or if someone else is having an influence," Voldemort said, his expression going from contemplative to concerned as he voiced his thoughts.

"Do you mean to suggest that a compulsion spell might be at work?" Severus asked in shock, his brows drawing down as he considered the interactions recorded by the copy.

"I am considering an outright Imperious cast by someone of great power and control," Voldemort stated firmly and the eyes of his partners grew wide at the implication.

"I am capable of collecting all three of these men on my own. This is something we should not leave to chance. My Lord, you and Severus are very adept at mind magic, you should be the ones to investigate," Lucius said and noted Voldemort's frown at the title. The blond man remained unaware of Voldemort's plans to give his lovers new Marks.

"You are correct Lucius; we shall pay a visit to the family. But this is a very delicate matter; we cannot remove the boy right away even if he is being controlled. We would need a replacement, another simulacrum; we will have to plan carefully. Severus come along, we shall investigate under the guise of school masters for a prestigious institute for the gifted. Lucius ensure that you leave no trace of the men removed, their families must not report them as missing," Voldemort said and they each nodded to each other before vanishing with a crack.

(A/N: I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. I know that it isn't as long as it could be, but I hope that you will still leave me a comment or review, honestly I am thriving off of them and truly appreciate them.)

Chapter 17

(A/N: I am back again, I know that I just updated a little bit ago, but I have some more for you and I hope that you will enjoy reading it. I have for you this chapter, a brief interlude into what was going on while the events of last chapter took place. I hope that you will leave me a review or a comment to let me know what you thought. On with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 17

Harry was by no means an unobservant person; he would not have survived the Dursley house for so long otherwise. So he knew when the report appeared that his bond mates were troubled at what it was that they saw. If they asked him, he could probably guess what they had seen; maybe even make a guess as to timelines. But frankly, he didn't want to know all of it, or any of it really. He wanted to pretend to be strong and that he could handle the demons of his past as if he were an adult. But the longer he spent free of the horror and hell of his family, the more he wondered how he had ever dealt with it in the first place.

As he followed Narcissa and Draco obediently toward the gardens of Malfoy Manor, he tried to rehearse an apology to his bond mates. He would tell them the truth, it was the only way, and he would admit that he no longer had any desire to know the details of what would have been his continued abuse. Perhaps if he said that he was sorry enough times, eventually they would forgive him for being too weak to exact his own revenge and not being the person that they thought he was.

Part of him wished that he was strong enough to see through what he had asked for, the decision he had initially made, but it was an increasingly smaller and smaller part. Now, as he grew physically and slowly became used to life without punishment or pain, he wanted to be able to fully escape the past. Something inside of him, something strong and fierce, that sense of anger, had vanished. He could no longer pull up a cold and resolute mask in the face of his fears to distance himself from them. He wondered if maybe, just maybe, he had given it to the copy. If that was the case, then it wouldn't be so bad, and he really hoped so because the clay Harry would need it to protect him the same way it had for the real Harry.

As they stepped out into the bright sunlight and fresh air of the gardens, he allowed himself to draw a deep breath. He could smell the flowers and trees, the earth still wet from the rain of the previous night, and the faint almost indeterminate scent of magic. It was so far removed from the dust, must, and filth in his cupboard that he had to take a second breath just to really appreciate it. He was free now; there was no reason to remain trapped in past nightmares. Yes, he decided firmly, he would tell the others that the Dursley family was not his problem anymore. He would perhaps deal with them in the future, when he was older and better able to cope with his memories of them.

Except, perhaps, Dudley, the other boy had not always been awful to him. Sometimes Dudley had even seemed sorry for the way that Harry was being treated. The feelings were mixed, however, as he could remember Dudley being the one to beat him up when he was already sore, or to ensure that he got into trouble with Vernon or Petunia. Maybe someday he would find his cousin and ask him why he had acted that way.

He shook his head to clear a ways the cobwebs and dark thoughts. It could all be dealt with another day. He didn't want to think about it for now.

Narcissa watched Harry with thinly veiled concern; she could almost see a part of him closing off from the world. It was like someone had blown out a candle and lit a new one in a different place. She needed to speed her way through her classes for the good of both boys. The sooner she did the sooner she could help Harry and Draco to recover from the trauma they had endured at the hands of those that were meant to protect them. She did not like to believe that Harry was actively in the process of repressing his memories, but she couldn't do anything about it at the moment. He would have to receive proper treatment before the problem could be truly addressed. That didn't mean, however, that she wasn't going to keep a close eye on both of her boys.

If the need arose before she was able to get her certification, she would ask Lucius to hire a mind healer. A healer's oath swore them to secrecy on their patient's illness, but could also be leveraged to conceal the identity of the one being treated in the first place. She paused then, and touched the amulet at her throat, her eyes going wide as her mind sparked with a realization.

The activated glamour, of course, the boys could begin treatment under false identities. She could take over as private healer after her education when she was confident in her abilities. If she could convince her hosts to allow it, and she didn't think that would be difficult, the boys could begin to heal much sooner than they had anticipated. She smiled slightly to herself, internally praising her own cleverness, before starting forward to join the boys at the bench that they had chosen. It was close by one of the beds that held one of Severus' many ingredient collections.

"You know what boys? I am going to be doing an awful lot of studying over these next few months. Maybe today we can cheat a little bit and just spend some time enjoying ourselves out in this lovely weather," she said and gave them a sly smile. The boys giggled and beamed up at her, they both put a finger up to their lips to indicate that they would keep her secret for her.

"What should we do instead Mother?" Draco asked his expression bright with excitement and enthusiasm, something that was still far too rare for his once boisterous and out-going self. It would be her greatest joy to help her son unlearn the oppressive pure blood decorum that Septimus had beaten into him. Not even Lucius had asked such strict behavioral conditioning of his heir, so long as Draco was polite and gracious, Lucius had not been concerned for traditional rules.

"What do you say to a picnic? We could sit by the pond, that way you two can feed the ducks and fish your leftovers," the blonde woman suggested, smiling as they nodded, clapping their hands together excitedly. She noted that both children were simultaneously too adult for their age, and severely under-developed. But she supposed that such was a mark of trauma in children. She resolved to talk to Lucius about their treatment as soon as was possible. For the moment though, she scooped both children into her arms and swung them around in a hug, making them laugh with joy.

(A/N: Well I hope that you enjoyed the chapter. I know that they were rather close together, but I would still appreciate feedback on this one. I am nervous about how well I handled this and I would love to know what you thought. Thanks so much for reading, see you next time!)

Chapter 18

(A/N: I have been gone for a long time. Not as long as it could have been, but I am still sorry about my absence. I can't make any promises about an update schedule, but I am here for now. I haven't got any additional warnings to add to the usual so I will just get right on with the show.)

The North Wind Blows

Part 18

The muscles of her jaw worked in a steady rhythm as she alternated between grinding her teeth and chewing at her lip. The report that they had received on Harry's treatment had left out no gruesome detail and she felt sick to her stomach at what might have been done to the real Harry in such a small span as a week. It was probably the reason that none of the men had returned to the Manor thus far. But there was no hurry for them to come back, her purpose was important, but not entirely urgent.

She had left the boys in Harry's room with a monitoring charm to alert her if she was needed. They had tired themselves out running around playing in the gardens, each taking turns to try to catch a practice snitch to see who was faster. The fact that they had needed a nap had been to her advantage, it had left her with time to read the report for herself and compose her proposal to Lucius that the boys be assessed and treated by a Mind Healer whilst disguised.

It likely wouldn't take more than a suggestion, but it never hurt to be prepared. She was sure that none of them actually needed to be persuaded when it came to the boys' well-being, she was worrying over nothing.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady her nerves, so much had her sitting on edge and she needed to contain herself. It was for the best that she had remained behind while Harry's bond mates dealt with the situation. It was true that she had mastery of herself in most cases, but she feared that she would have been unable to restrain herself from using an Unforgivable on the muggles. Once they were captive in the dungeon beneath the Manor she would visit a taste of hell upon them, if that was, the others had left anything behind for her to torture.

Two cracks of magic drew her attention to the corner of the room and what she saw nearly made her forget her nerves enough to make her laugh. Severus and Lucius had returned they were flushed and their hair and robes were in disarray, it didn't take an expert to know that they had recently been ravaged; she suspected that it was the work of the absent Dark Lord.

"Welcome back," she said in a polite tone and carefully looked away as they collected themselves and tried to erase the evidence of whatever they might have been doing only moments before.

"Thank you Narcissa, where have the boys gotten to?" Lucius said and his voice sounded as casual as could be, though his pale face remained tinged pink along the cheekbones.

"Harry's room, they needed a nap and it seemed prudent to keep them together. I have something that I would like to discuss with you, but I do not know if it is something that would require our Lord to be present," Narcissa said plainly, her hands folded in her lap so that they did not tremble so obviously.

"It's about Harry, yes? His state of mind?" Severus questioned and claimed a seat across from her; his dark eyes were sharp and attentive. She could see concern written in the lines of his face.

"Yes, I was worried about him the other night. Now, I am afraid. I can't say for sure, but I believe that he has employed his magic to repress, possibly even erase his memories. As a temporary solution it is acceptable, but…" she trailed off and gestured vaguely as if unsure how to put it into words.

"Long-term it is a disaster. He risks the loss of key developmental milestones, cognitive impairment, and maladaptive coping practices. I know, I trained myself in mind magic to combat my own memories. I suffered for my reckless treatment of my mind. Lord Voldemort found me a Mind Healer to undo the damage that I had done," Severus said bluntly and Narcissa watched as his expression went from concern, to fear, and finally settled on anger.

"It is my hope to prevent that where the boys are concerned. Harry has already started down a dangerous path, and Draco, he does not show signs of repression yet. But my son is damaged, today I saw a rare instance of who he once was, it shames me to say that I had not realized how much he had changed," she said, her eyes downcast as she thought of how blind she had been to the suffering of her own child.

"You said that you wished to seek a certification as a Mind Healer," Lucius glanced toward his liquor cabinet as he spoke; he knew that they would have need of it if Narcissa's shaking continued much longer.

"That remains the case. But even if I take a fast-track I would not have it before they are eleven. Two years is far too long to let such things fester. They need to begin treatment as soon as possible," she said and swallowed thickly as fear constricted her throat. She had not been raised to speak as freely as Lucius allowed her to do. Sometimes she still feared that there would be reprisal for her doing so, even though she knew that Lucius was nothing like Septimus.

"Ah, I believe I understand you. Very clever Narcissa," Lucius gave her a genuine smile. "We won't let it wait. We have powerful enough glamour available to us to conceal their identities. As soon as a private specialist can be found and amulets can be made we shall have them in treatment," Lucius said and the coil of tension in her stomach unwound all at once.

"Thank you Lucius," she said and fought to control her shaking hands as she accepted the tumbler of brandy that he handed to her. He smiled softly at her and briefly clasped her hands between his own to ensure that she would not lose hold of the glass.

"You are welcome, thank you for thinking of such things. We will make arrangements just as soon as we are able," Lucius promised quietly as she took a slow sip of the drink.

An instant later Lord Voldemort entered the room, the crimson was still fading from his eyes and his hands were clenched into fists, though they also seemed to be relaxing. He seated himself in a chair and let out a carefully measured breath, his body relaxed and his eyes were blue once again. There was a reason that he was the Dark Lord, and only part of it had to do with his upbringing. A great and terrible power lived within him, it had awakened while he was yet young and he had fought to control it for as long as he could remember. Something similar lived inside of his bond mates, though only Harry had cause for it to wake up. He feared that soon they would all be required to face the forces within them. He hoped to magic itself that he was wrong, that he would never need to worry about such a thing. The last time it had happened, Hogwarts had been founded.

(A/N: Well, that's it for now. I hope you enjoyed it and will tell me what you thought, or even just say hi.)

Chapter 19

(A/N: Hello everyone! I'm sorry for the delay in updating this. I have been working on other projects, but this chapter has also stalled me out a number of times simply because I couldn't get it to flow properly. Anyway, no new warnings needed so on with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 19

Something tickled at his nose, not in a way that made him way that made him want to sneeze, just that it felt funny. It smelt like strawberries, so he knew it wasn't dust or the onset of a cold, which he was grateful for. He was warm, like a blanket of sunlight had been laid over him, and he was so comfortable that the idea of moving bothered him. He had come to appreciate comfort greatly in the weeks that he had lived in the Manor with his bond mates. Part of him felt like he was absolutely spoiled with how much he was allowed to relax. But he couldn't stay where he was, his body and mind were awake.

When he finally opened his eyes, and pulled his head back, he saw a blond head of hair and realized that it had been Draco's shampoo that had been filling his nose with the smell of dessert. The other boy had an arm wrapped around Harry's middle and had tucked his head as close to Harry's chest as he could get it. The level of severity to Draco's bed head was comical and Harry smiled at it. He had gotten used to and even enjoyed having a big bed all to himself, to be able to stretch out and roll around freely. But he also liked to share it with Draco, it helped him sometimes, to wake up to feeling extra warm and to being reminded that he wasn't alone.

Part of him liked to think of it as a sleep over, like the kind Dudley had been allowed to have with his friends. Though Draco lived in the same house, so maybe it wasn't quite the same. Maybe it was more like having a brother? He liked to imagine Draco as a brother, to pretend that they'd become family by magic. The idea made him happy at the very least. He knew that he could never expect to get back all of the things that he had missed out on as a child, but he planned on doing as many of the normal kid activities that he could now that he had the freedom to do them.

"What time is it?" Draco groaned, his eyes half-open, hair still a wild mess.

"Not sure, the sun is still up though, so probably close to dinner time, if the light is anything to go by," Harry said and sat up, he frowned when he looked down and saw that he hadn't even had the sense to change into his pajamas before having a nap. His clothes were all wrinkled and twisted around him.

"Feels like we slept all night," Draco said and used both hands to rake his hair back trying to get it to look presentable. He frowned at the state of his clothes for a moment before shrugging, seeming to remember that it was no longer a big deal if he looked proper and presentable every second of every day.

"I don't think so. I mean, Tom sometimes used his magic to make sure I slept as much as I was supposed to, but that was only for the first couple of days, when my body really needed it," Harry said through a yawn and stretched his arms above his head.

"I didn't know he could do that," Draco said and stretched much the same as Harry. Neither of them moved as they knew that Narcissa had left a monitoring charm on them and that someone would come to see how they were doing. It was easier than wandering through the Manor trying to pin down the magical signatures of the people he was looking for.

"Yeah, he can do lots of stuff, I mean he's a fully trained wizard. Though sometimes he can do things that he doesn't actually know how to do, or uses spells that don't exist. You can tell because his eyes go red and he's not quite himself. But I suppose that happens when part of your magic is way older than you are," Harry said, not sure if he was explaining the concept clearly enough. He only barely understood the idea himself, there was a lot more reading that he needed to do before he fully grasped it.

"How can he have magic older than he is?" Draco asked, the confusion evident on his face.

"It happens sometimes, something like one in five witches or wizards end up with pieces of old magic. Some, like Tom, end up with a bigger piece. Not a lot of magic likes to stay bunched together for very long, it likes to spread out. But sometimes it sticks together and shows up in people generation after generation, sometimes in smaller pieces sometimes in bigger ones," Harry said, trying to think of how the book had talked about it. Something about how magic had a will and picked who it went to, as if it were alive. He couldn't quite remember though.

"Is it like reincarnation?"

"I don't think so. You're not someone else in a new body, I know that much," Harry responded, shaking his head.

"Wait, is that how you were able to help me? I remember your eyes glowing green. Do you have old magic?" Draco questioned, his eyes wide as they turned themselves on Harry in wonder.

"Yeah, I think, but I'm still mostly me. I can't always use it either, I don't know how to explain it. It's like the potential is there, but if I want to get at it I have to open a door or something. It's kind of big and scary though, so I don't really mind not being able to use it all the time," Harry said, his head tilting as he tried to feel whether or not the adults were coming to see them or not.

"That's neat, but I don't think I would have any idea what to do if I had old magic," Draco said, expression turned into a frown as he considered the idea.

"It's scary, but it's not so bad. Like I said, plenty of people have old magic, but not everyone has a reason to find out or to open the door to it and they're just fine without it," Harry said, trying very hard not to think about how the door to all that power had opened for him the first time. Draco didn't need to hear about it, and he certainly didn't want to remember it if he didn't have to, though he was afraid to forget entirely because he didn't want to forget how to get to that door.

Their conversation came to an end, however, when Narcissa stepped into the room, followed by Severus carrying a set of potions for each of them. Harry certainly wouldn't be sad when he had to stop taking the potions. He didn't like the flavor of most of them, and they just reminded him that he wasn't in the best shape.

"How are you feeling boys? You tired yourselves out pretty thoroughly today, didn't you?" Narcissa said, sitting on the edge of the bed and hugging both children tightly, she was glad that the boys never flinched from her touch. It gave her hope that they would be able to recover without too much trouble, but all of that remained to be seen.

"Yeah, it was good to have a nap. But I think I need to eat soon," Harry said and Draco nodded quickly in agreement.

"Well take your potions and you can come down to dinner with us, how does that sound?" Severus said softly and smiled when both boys nodded and held their hands out for their respective potions. At least the boys didn't fight him on being taken care of physically, he just hoped that that would extend to their psychological care. They'd have to broach the subject with the boys soon enough.

(A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it and will leave me a comment to let me know what you thought.)

Chapter 20

(A/N: I'm back, honestly I am not pleased with how inconsistent I am having to be about updates, but I don't know what else to do. At any rate, there are no new warnings for the series as yet, but the themes will stay heavy so if you somehow made it this far just know that I don't have it getting better for some time yet. Anyway, on with the show.)

The North Wind Blows

Part 20

"Harry, we would like to speak to you about something, would you be alright with accompanying us to Lucius' study?" Tom said calmly and politely. Harry blinked in confusion at the extra delicate way in which the man was behaving before he remembered that the Mind Healer had also been giving them lessons in dealing with abused children. He hoped that they would get back to the casual friendship that they had displayed earlier because it would mean that he was progressing in his treatment instead of wallowing in the past. As it was he was still jumping at shadows and flinching away from people when they moved too quickly.

Many of his symptoms had developed after he had been removed from the Dursley home. It had been explained to him that sometimes when in a traumatic situation the mind adapted to it and protected itself from things as best it could. It wasn't until after one was safe that they were able to start processing the things that had been done to them and so they got worse than they had when they were being treated badly. Harry and Draco both were examples of that kind of response.

Part of him hated that he had to have separate sessions from Draco, but then the rest of him knew that he didn't want Draco to know about what had happened to him. And honestly Harry didn't think that he could handle hearing what had been done to Draco without flying into a rage and trying to use his magic to punish someone.

"Harry?" Lucius' gentle voice reminded him that they had spoken to him and he struggled to remember what it was that had been said. He was losing focus quite a lot, but that was normal with treatment, his memories were fogging his mind and addressing them made the fog worse before it made them better.

"Yes, sorry, that's fine. I just couldn't get my brain to work right for a second," Harry admitted softly and rose from the couch that he had been seated on. Now that he was as tall as he was supposed to be it was easy to be graceful about standing up and sitting down instead of having to wiggle forward and hop down or up.

"That's alright Harry," Lucius assured and carefully extended his hand, letting Harry to decide whether or not to let it rest on his shoulder. Harry leaned into the touch, he still enjoyed being hugged and cuddled when it was offered to him. It was only quick movements that frightened him. Most nights he slept with Draco curled up next to him; the Healer said that it was better for them to be together than apart. So unless one of them was sick they shared a bed in either Draco or Harry's room.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Harry asked once he was seated in a chair, he pulled his legs up and tucked them under himself. Part of his therapy was teaching him to demonstrate that he was comfortable with the people around them through body language, but he couldn't help tucking himself into a ball when he was unsure of a situation.

"We wanted to let you know that we have been monitoring your relatives," Severus watched carefully as Harry tensed up and internally cursed, knowing there was no other way to do this. "Specifically we have been watching your cousin Dudley," he finished and watched as fear turned to curiosity on Harry's face.

"Is Dudley okay?" Harry asked, he remembered having been treated poorly by his cousin, but he also remembered the other boy occasionally apologizing to him or sneaking him food late at night. His behavior had always been confusing to Harry.

"Unfortunately Harry, no he isn't. We found out why he was so mean to you when you lived there," Tom said, his voice was level and he watched Harry's eyes grow wide with a feeling of guilt, he wished that they had another means of taking care of this.

"Is someone hurting him?" Harry asked, fists clenched tightly in the fabric of his robes, fear for his cousin causing his heart to beat harshly.

"In a way, someone is controlling him, putting spells on him to make him act the way that he has been. We can help him, but we wanted to ask you first if it was okay if we brought him here. He wouldn't be the same as he was then, but if you don't want to see him you won't have to," Lucius said, wondering how the boy would respond to the knowledge that one of his tormentors had been unwilling and unwitting. On principle the boy had not suffered during his time in the dungeons, they were not monsters that tortured children, but they did not make him comfortable either. Thankfully his mind had been wiped of the uncomfortable experience so he hadn't had a negative reaction to them when they'd gone to investigate the home. The Dursley parents still believed that their son had a chance to be accepted to a prestigious school, and it was a good enough lie to get him out of the house long enough to replace him with a simulacrum.

"Bring him here; he doesn't deserve to have someone messing with his mind like that. I can handle seeing him if he's not the same. But won't he know that something is weird when I'm different?" Harry said, allowing himself to relax as he realized that the situation was not nearly as bad as his mind had made it out to be.

"We plan to explain things to him once he is free. After all we will need his magic to replace him the way that we replaced you," Severus said and smiled as Harry's mouth popped open in shock at the statement that he had just made.

"You mean Dudley has magic? And my Aunt and Uncle don't know it?" Harry asked now wide-eyed for a totally different reason than he had been before.

"No, they don't. The person that has been putting spells on him has been blocking his magic from showing up. We were suspicious, but we confirmed it with a monitoring charm," Lucius informed, thinking about the legal action that he wished he could take against Dumbledore without risking revealing their involvement in the situation. They were playing the long game in subverting the man's plans, whatever they might be. For now the relatives were the worst offenders, but the Headmaster was not without fault, seeming to have ensured that Harry would be mistreated from day one.

"It's Dumbledore, isn't it? You can say his name, I know that the Healer wants you to be careful around me, but I can't handle you being too careful. It feels like things are even more wrong when you treat me like I'm made of glass. Okay?" Harry said, asserting himself quietly, trying not to sound angry but also trying to make sure that his point got made. He wanted to go back to being normal, to talking and laughing and hugs and cuddles. He wanted to be able to sit in the same room as his bond mates and be a part of the conversation without them having to censor what they were saying just to spare his feelings. There were things that he wouldn't change about therapy, he wanted to deal with his past and overcome it without having to destroy his mind repressing memories, but he wanted to be treated like a real person again.

"Yes, Harry, it is Dumbledore. We're sorry, the Mind Healer had been very serious with us about what we should and shouldn't do. It is a learning process, but he did say we should listen to you. So if you want us to change how we're acting then we will, okay?" Tom said, his tone more relaxed than it had been before.

"Yes please, I don't like not being comfortable. But yes, bring Dudley here, make sure he is safe just like I am, just like Draco is," Harry affirmed and stood up. He moved forward and stood in front of the couch where his bond mates were seated. Holding out his arms he waited until all three of them wrapped him in a hug and at last he smiled.

(A/N: Sorry for all the dialogue, but I needed to cover this part and I really didn't have any other way to get it across that was working on paper. Thanks for reading. Please leave a review or a comment to let me know what you thought.)

Chapter 21

(A/N: Hey guys, I'm back! And it's only been like 2 months. Amazing isn't it? But in all seriousness I am glad that you stick with me even though my brain is Swiss cheese most of the time. Warnings for non-graphic traumatic flashbacks/nightmares but things are mostly okay, so, on with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 21

Everything had happened rather quickly, it was meant to, obviously, but still Harry struggled to put together the sequence of events in his mind with any sort of clarity. It seemed that one day he was being asked whether or not he was okay with seeing Dudley and the next the other boy was there, somewhere in the manor but not yet where Harry could see him. Of course he knew that in reality it had been at least two weeks of work, but with his therapy and dealing with his own mind sometimes his perception of time was skewed.

Draco wasn't having nearly as severe a problem as Harry was and so had taken to making sure that Harry knew what day of the week it was and ensuring that he remembered basic things like showers and brushing his teeth. It wasn't nearly a chore and having something to do that effectively helped his best friend and brother in magic was something of a therapy in itself. Both of them knew that improvement would be slow going; they'd both spent years being abused so it didn't make sense for anything to be resolved in just a few weeks.

They had bedded down for a nap in Harry's room after lunch, it was becoming something of a habit to have a nap once they'd eaten as it gave their minds time to rest up from that morning's therapy session. Neither of them was ready to start sleeping separately and the Mind Healer had assured them both that there was no problem with their current dependency issues. They would recover in time and removing coping mechanisms would only slow that process down.

Normally with Draco curled up against him, Harry did not dream, or if he did he didn't remember it. Today was different. In his dreams he was forced to watch as his Uncle got his hands on Draco. He tried to fight, to make it stop, but someone was holding him back, twisting his arms and making sure that he couldn't look away. He watched as Draco screamed and cried and he couldn't even force his magic to intervene, he was powerless as he had been so many times before. And then his captor was shaking him, and yelling his name.

Harry woke, still screaming, tears pouring down his cheeks, Draco's desperate face above him. The other boy's hands were on his shoulders and he looked absolutely terrified.

"Harry, you're okay, it was a dream," Draco said, but he was shaking and his voice cracked as he started to cry. Harry sat up at once and hugged Draco close, his heart racing as his fingers dug into the other boy's back.

"You're alright, oh Draco you're safe," Harry breathed and continued to cling to his friend, rocking them together to try to soothe both of their fears.

"You were the one having the bad dream Harry," Draco whispered, but he was still shaking with the fear of having heard the screams coming from his friend. He hoped that someone was paying attention to the monitoring charms so that they wouldn't be alone for very long. Both of them probably needed a Calming Draught.

"I know, but it was…I couldn't help you and you needed me," Harry said softly, holding Draco's face between his hands and wiping away tears as quickly as they could. He didn't want to tell Draco what he had seen; he didn't want to tell Draco what had happened in his dream. It was horrifying enough to know that somewhere in the back of his mind he could come up with something like that.

"It's okay. I'm safe, we're in the manor and nothing can hurt us," Draco assured and felt a coil of tension in his gut relax when Lucius stepped into the room quickly followed by Narcissa. Draco loved his mother, she made everything better.

"Boys are you alright? What happened?" Narcissa asked softly, stepping forward and seating herself on the bed, letting both children cling to her as tightly as they wished. She placed a kiss on their heads and clutched them tightly to her sides. They were getting rather big to be crowding into her lap, but she hardly cared, they needed her and she was not about to deny them.

"I had a…a really bad dream. It was about Draco and…and," Harry broke off as a fresh wave of tears overcame him and he lost the ability to speak.

"Harry, do you need to come and discuss the dream with myself and the others?" Lucius asked gently, sitting on the edge of the bed and resting a hand on Harry's back. The sobbing child turned bloodshot eyes on his bond mate and nodded fiercely. Narcissa transferred him into Lucius' arms without even a pause and the Malfoy patriarch rose to his feet, Harry cradled against him. He felt his heart breaking as Harry continued to shake and sob against him, small fists twisted into the fabric of his robes. As he walked he rubbed Harry's back, trying to get the sobs to stop but knowing that he would not have nearly the effect that a potion would.

He was certain that he had never moved so quickly through the manor without running or apparating, but he didn't wish to make Harry any worse off than he already was. Still, he walked with purpose and made his way towards the library where he had left his partners. None of them had expected to have to respond to such a situation, when the monitoring charm had told them that the boys were awake they'd assumed that they had simply finished their nap. In the future Lucius vowed to alter the charm so that it would let them know when one of the boys was in distress.

Having no free hands, Lucius muttered a word and the doors to the library opened in front of him. Tom and Severus were at once alert, hearing the sounds of Harry's distress and seeing the look of pain on Lucius' face. They rose and joined the other man, each whispering a soft greeting to Harry, getting his attention and trying to draw him out of the spiral of panic that he had clearly become trapped in.

"Harry, I need to drink this, okay? It's a Calming Draught, it will help you talk to us more clearly," Severus explained, he had been informed that when locked in a flashback or similar state of mind that Harry might not comprehend things as readily as he normally did. So he was certain to explain things clearly and calmly, making sure that he did not add any undue stress to Harry's already taxed mind. Harry accepted the potion and drank it quickly, squeezing his eyes shut and waiting for it to do its job.

Several long moments passed and finally Harry's shaking and sobbing began to calm down. He managed to uncurl himself from the position that he had taken against Lucius' chest, releasing his grip and realizing with a blush that he had absolutely ruined the blond man's robes with tears and snot. Wiping his face clean he tried to make his expression neutral, but he knew that his thought were still too controlled by fear to truly conceal something like that. And, well, he wasn't supposed to be hiding his emotions anymore, he was supposed to be expressing himself properly.

"Are you ready to talk about it?" Lucius asked, letting Harry curl up in an arm chair where he could see all of them clearly but none of them were imposing on his space. If he wanted hugs and the like they would allow him to come to them. Especially after something that seemed so traumatic they were not going to take liberties with Harry's personal space. It took a moment, but the boy gave a nod.

(A/N: I'm sorry to leave it there, but I wanted to at least get something out to you guys. I hope that you enjoyed it and will leave me a comment or a review to let me know what you thought.)

Chapter 22

(A/N: Hey guys, I'm back again. I'm writing this while three of the world's most judgmental cats stare me down, so you can thank them for an update actually happening today. No new warnings that I can think of, so on with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 22

Harry found that he could not quite keep his expression blank as he stared into the room that his cousin had been given. Dudley looked different, tired, shoulders slumped, the impression of arrogance gone. For three weeks he had been at the manor, a number of Healers attending to the long-term effects of spell damage caused by Dumbledore's control. In that time Harry had not seen him, only heard vague updates that he was recovering, that they were lucky they'd gotten him away when they did. From what Harry could see, they'd been right, Dudley had lost considerable weight, he looked lost and unsettled, and his expression unfocused much the way that Harry's own was during an episode of dissociation. This was one more thing that Harry would never forgive Dumbledore for, one more reason that if the old man wasn't ousted in time, he would not be attending Hogwarts.

"You don't have to talk to him yet, if you're not ready," Tom's hands were folded tightly behind his back, fingers clenched around one another. It was not just Harry that was bothered by the state that Dudley was in, everyone was disturbed by the level of magic Dumbledore had poured into breaking and controlling the mind of a child. The suppression of his magic hadn't helped in the least, Dudley's magic should have been appearing for years by then, and now what would have been isolated incidents of accidental magic were daily occurrences.

"No, I want to, but I'd thought, you know, maybe, just maybe, one of us would be in an okay state of mind. I guess Dumbledore doesn't like the idea of that," Harry said and found that bitterness edged his voice towards the fringes of the darkness that had initially consumed him upon his release from the Dursley home. He was recovering, with every passing week he was making progress, but he'd started from deeper than the bottom and he wasn't anywhere close to being out of the pit yet. Draco wouldn't be setting any speed records for recovery either. Harry had wanted them all to have something in common, this wasn't it.

"He has his motivations; he's made a mistake with Dudley, leaving traceable magic on him. The Ministry is investigating him, for now it is all that we can do. To move against him too soon would be folly," Tom said but his voice was tight, the flare of old magic tingeing his eyes with red when he glanced down at Harry.

"There's no such thing as too soon. I'll kill him myself if the need arises," Harry said, voice sharp and clear, there was no hesitance in his expression and Tom was again reminded that Harry was dangerously powerful under the mask of a 9 year old.

"We're going to try to make sure that you don't have to. Now, go see your cousin, he could probably stand to interact with someone his own age," Tom said, clearing his throat awkwardly and trying to tamp down on the visceral response his magic had toward the pain that Harry had suffered. They had meant to avoid any confrontation with Dumbledore at all, but when the Healers had discovered his magical signature all over Dudley's mind and magic they'd been forced to involve the authorities. It was likely one of the most obvious breakages of the law that they were going to be able to get the man on, so they had to try, even if it was risking his wrath. In the manor they were safe at least.

Harry took a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders, he gave his body a quick shake and then stepped forward, passing through the barrier that separated Dudley's room from the rest of the hall. The other boy would have been unaware of their presence if he had chosen to remain outside. The charm was part of how the Healers were monitoring Dudley for signs of lingering damage, it also protected him from the somewhat hectic back and forth that existed in the halls of the manor these days with some 6 healers coming and going on rotation and Ministry investigators stopping by for updates. Things were also busy with Lucius having pulled the right strings to see to it that Narcissa and Septimus were in the process of being divorced and that his brother would be prosecuted for the abuse that he'd doled out. Harry was very glad that Dudley didn't have to deal with all of that, he and Draco had similar charms protecting their rooms, but they at least knew what it was that they weren't seeing.

"Hey Dudley," Harry said gently, his voice pitched low as he approached slowly. The blond boy lifted his head and turned to look at Harry through glazed eyes, he stood almost robotically from the table that he had been working at, pages of crayon scribbles strewn about the surface.

"Harry? You're real, right? The real one?" Dudley said, stumbling over his words and seeming to be unsure if he should reach out or keep his hands to himself. Harry stepped in close and gently clasped the other boy's hands, giving them a squeeze and swallowing past the urge to cry. He had expected to still feel some measure of anger toward his cousin, but all of that had been released in favor of a deep and aching pity. Dudley had suffered because of Harry; Dumbledore had only harmed him because of Harry. Dumbledore needed to pay.

"Yeah, I'm real, I've been here for a couple of months now," Harry assured gently and blinked in shock when Dudley pulled him close and hugged him tight. He was used to being hugged these days, Draco often slept wrapped around him like a cat, Narcissa was a veritable fountain of hugs, his bond mates were still able to be goaded into hugs on occasion, but this was different. It was as if Dudley were trying to convey 9 years of compassion in a single embrace and Harry found that he couldn't help but hug back.

"Oh Harry, I'm so glad you're okay. I'm so sorry, I know it wasn't me, I know it's not actually my fault, but you still went through so much because of me. I wasn't strong enough to stop it," Dudley said and carefully held Harry by the shoulders, looking him up and down and breaking into tears.

"The person that cursed you, not a lot of people are strong enough to stop him. We're just kids and he's an adult, you didn't stand a chance Dudley, neither did I. I don't blame you at all," Harry said, finding the strength to speak even though all he wanted to do was cry along with Dudley. They could have grown up as friends, they could have been as close as brothers and he hoped with all of his heart that they would be able to put the past behind them sooner rather than later so that they could get to where they should be as cousins. Harry refused to let what Dumbledore had done, what his Uncle had done, have any lasting effects on his relationship with Dudley. They had ruined his past but he had no intention of letting them ruin his future. That was part of what therapy was all about.

"Sometimes I'm still scared that I'm going to wake up and be like that again. I get so afraid that he's somehow gotten into my head in a way that can't be stopped, even though the Healers tell me that they've banished anything that could be used like that," Dudley said and sat back down at the table when Harry nudged him to do so. He pulled up a second chair and grabbed some paper, he rarely colored, he preferred to study his books or spend his time working out his issues in his journal, but the Mind Healer had said that drawing was also a good outlet.

"We're going to stop him. He won't hurt any of us anymore. But I know what it feels like to worry about waking up being trapped again. It isn't really something that goes away easily, especially when you lived with it for so long. It will get better though," Harry said and marveled at the grown-up conversation that they were having while doing such a childish activity. Thanks to the Healers he knew that trauma often resulted in children acting too advanced for their age or too young, but he often wondered what it would have been like to be a regular kid, what was he supposed to be doing as a 9 year old?

(A/N: That's all for now folks, I hope you enjoyed it and will leave me a comment or a review. I hate having to beg for them, but you have no idea how much they motivate me to keep going. Not hearing from you makes it feel like no one cares about the story anymore which makes it difficult to keep working at. So yeah, I hope you'll take the time to let me know what you thought. Thanks for reading.)

Chapter 23

(A/N: Hey guys, sorry for being gone for so very long. I have been dealing with some really heavy stuff mentally and just didn't have it in me to write anything. But now I'm back and can hopefully bring you updates to my stories with a little bit of consistency. Hopefully. Don't hold me to that.)

The North Wind Blows

Part 23

Harry stared blankly up at the ceiling of his room, having just woken up he wasn't sure whether or not his mind had fully returned from the land of dreams. To one side of him he could feel Draco clutching at the material of his pajamas, holding on tightly as if Harry might slip away at any moment. It wasn't an unrealistic fear, to be fair. To the other side of him he could sense the presence of Narcissa, waiting in the chair that sat beside his bed. More often than not these days it was occupied. Typically by one of their Healers, but sometimes one of his bond mates or, more rarely, Narcissa.

Turning his head slowly, so as not to disturb Draco, he allowed himself to look at the woman that had become like a Mother to him. She smiled at him in the same gentle way that he could remember his actual Mother smiling down into his crib. Perhaps there was something in her that looked at him as a son as much as he looked at her as a Mother, or at least, he liked to hope so.

"Good morning Harry," she whispered and he blinked in confusion, it had been early afternoon when he and Draco had laid down for their nap. Perhaps they had overdone it on playtime with Dudley again and their bodies had required more sleep than normal. It wasn't uncommon for them to do such things, and yet it shocked him every time.

"We did it again, huh? I'm glad you guys make us change into our pajamas for naps these days," Harry replied softly.

"Yes, but it was to be expected. All three of you went rather long playing on your brooms and chasing each other through the gardens. Even Dudley hasn't woken up yet, and he's usually more resilient than the two of you smaller boys," Narcissa explained, allowing her voice to rise in volume as Draco stirred from his sleep.

"Yeah, I'm really sore from all the running around. I guess my body isn't used to playing yet," Harry admitted and sat up as Draco did the same.

"Do you need something for the pain?" Narcissa asked, looking to the nightstand where a group of potions waited for use. She wasn't sure that there was anything in there that could be considered a pain reliever any longer, but it wouldn't be too much effort to call one to herself if it was needed. Harry paused to think for a moment, patting his legs and chest to appraise the level of pain that he was actually experiencing.

"Yes please. What about you Draco, are you sore from yesterday?" Harry asked plainly, not wanting to intrude by using his magic to monitor the other boy, and knowing that he would be overstepping his boundaries to do so. The Mind Healer had been teaching him about healthy boundaries lately, and he was forced to realize how often he had gone beyond other people's without even asking. But it had been a byproduct of his own boundaries being so completely obliterated and he was learning better than that.

"Yeah, I think I could use something. Nothing too powerful, but my legs and chest hurt from all the running and laughing we were doing," Draco said at last and Narcissa nodded, waving her wand and calling out for two pain relief potions.

Shortly the door popped open and two small phials from Severus's lab came speeding into the room, landing neatly in her outstretched hand. Normally such things were had child-safe stoppers, but Severus had brewed several batches that were able to be accessed by small hands with less strength. It allowed the boys a sense of independence to be able to take their own medicine without having to rely on the nearest adult to open it for them. Plus, with how busy the house had gotten, it allowed them to follow their schedules more closely than they otherwise would have with having to wait around for someone to open them.

Both Harry and Draco took their potions when offered and opened the phials without complaint, barely pausing to smell the less than pleasant concoction within before downing them in one gulp. Neither boy truly liked the taste of medicinal potions, but neither did they entirely hate them. It wasn't something that one wanted to get used to, instead doing so out of necessity.

"I should ask Severus to allow me to see his potions books. I would like to find alternatives to make them a taste a little better," Draco said as he passed the phial back to his mother. She smiled at him indulgently and accepted the empty phial from Harry as well.

"I'm sure that he has already explored options for making them taste as good as possible. But I am also sure that he wouldn't mind a fresh mind turning itself to the art of potion making either. Perhaps we can discuss it with him once the two of you are up and dressed. I believe that he is in the Library at the moment with Lucius and Lord Voldemort," Narcissa said and Draco laughed with a shake of his head.

"I know my Godfather well enough to know that he is only concerned with how well something works, not how good it tastes. He very well may have recipes for potions that taste better, but if they aren't strong enough he is sure to not use them," Draco said, earning a smile from his mother and Harry both.

Sometimes Harry forgot that Severus was one of Draco's Godparents, it wasn't often discussed. In fact, it was something of a mystery as to why Septimus had named Severus Godfather; the two had no real connection other than through Lucius. Harry suspected that part of it had been to curry favor with Tom and Lucius, but with Septimus now firmly in Dumbledore's pocket, it was likely that he would never truly get the chance to find out.

"You may be right. Severus never really was one for nonsense. I'll leave the two of you to get dressed. Would you like me to wait outside for you, or would you rather come to the Library on your own?" Narcissa asked softly as she rose from her seat, the motion as fluid and graceful as everything that she did. Harry aspired to learn that pureblood grace, Draco had already mastered some of it, Severus and Tom had learned it over the years, and Lucius was the epitome of it.

"We'll meet you in the Library," Harry and Draco said simultaneously, their voices strong enough in unison that she could not tell them apart. It was becoming clearer by the day that the boys had magically bonded themselves as brothers and that she now very much had two sons rather than the one. Some small part of her hoped that one day Dudley would look to her in much the same way. It wasn't that she wanted a large family, not exactly; she simply knew that her motherly instincts were strong enough to handle one.

(A/N: Alrighty, that's all for the moment, sorry it's short, but I would rather dip my toes into the shallow end than to jump into the deep end and burn myself out again. Thanks for reading; I hope you'll leave me a review to let me know what you thought.)

Chapter 24

(A/N: Alright, I'm back again, I guess when inspiration strikes I can't stay away for very long. Hopefully it holds out and I can deliver you guys plenty of fic to read. Anyway, on with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 24

Both boys watched as Narcissa left the room, her delicate movements ensuring that the door closed behind her with hardly a sound. Once she was gone they climbed out of the bed, each taking a turn to use the restroom that had been added off of the room before picking out their clothes for the day.

Harry's room had become something of a second room for Draco over the past weeks. He had several sets of clothes in a spare wardrobe, books on the shelves, and toys tucked into the corners of the room. Between the two of them, the room still felt too large. But their Mind Healers had assured them that eventually they would get past their need to share a bed and a space, and that it was simply part of healing to depend on someone. Harry wasn't entirely certain when he was going to be able to allow Draco that freedom, the idea of sleeping where he couldn't protect the other boy was somewhat horrifying to him. But again, that was something that would probably come with time and healing.

After they were dressed and had ensured that they were presentable, Draco sighing heavily as he attempted to tame Harry's mop of hair to no avail, they made their way towards the Library. It was quite a walk with such small legs, but both knew the way by heart and felt confident enough to go without an adult to escort them. Independence from parental figures and adults in general was something that they had been trying their best to learn. It didn't always work, as both of them still needed someone to comfort them after a nightmare, but doing simple things without supervision was becoming easier.

"The magic is quiet today. I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing," Harry commented, frowning as he tightened his robes around his chest to combat the cold. September wasn't always the warmest of months and it was almost over.

"Is it the weather maybe? There's a storm coming later tonight and Mother always says that things get quiet before a storm," Draco said with a glance toward Harry.

"It could be. How do you know it's supposed to storm?" Harry asked, it wasn't accusatory, he was truly curious as to how someone could predict the weather without the paper to tell them what was coming.

"I dreamed it. I know it sounds silly but every time I dream about a storm, it storms," Draco admitted and shrugged, they were at the top of the stairs and it seemed that he was hesitating over something.

"That's pretty cool. Maybe you have a talent for seeing the future?" Harry guessed, stopping two steps below Draco and turning to face the other boy, frowning at the stormy expression that had overtaken Draco's face.

"I might. That's the problem Harry. If I can see the future then I don't like what I've been seeing. Maybe it is something that can change, but I see you and me growing up to hate each other. We're at school and you're in Gryffindor and I'm in Slytherin and we hate each other so much," Draco said quietly, eyes downcast and fists clenched at his sides.

Harry instantly climbed backed up the steps and wrapped his arms around Draco. He knew he should have asked first, but the situation at hand seemed like it called for a bit of invasion of personal space.

"That's never going to happen. It can't. I won't let it. We don't even know if we will be going to Hogwarts. And I sure as heck won't let them put us in different Houses," Harry said firmly and started to relax when Draco's arms came up to wrap around him. It wouldn't do for them both to show up to the Library looking upset, the adults had gotten better about trying to fawn over them, but first thing in the morning it would be hard to avoid.

"You're right, it's probably a nightmare. I mean, I don't usually see something so far in the future anyway. I think what gets me is that it keeps happening. Do you think that's something to talk to one of the Mind Healers about?" Draco's voice trembled but it was obvious that he was regaining control of himself bit by bit.

"Yeah, I mean, it's worth a shot. It might be an insecurity issue and they could help you to get yourself around it. For now though, just remember that I could never hate you, you're my brother," Harry assured and gave Draco's shoulders a final squeeze before stepping back, doing his best to smile as he did so.

"Thanks Harry, you're a good brother," Draco said, wiping the start of tears from his eyes and giving a slight sniff.

"I try to be," Harry responded and gently linked his elbow with Draco's, leading the both of them down the stairs.

They fell into a comfortable silence as they closed the rest of the distance to the Library, the echoing of their footsteps on the marble floors the only real sound that accompanied them. Harry was certain that the floors changed at will from carpeted, to marble, to tile with rugs, it was one of the quirks of the house, much like Hogwarts with its uncertain staircases and false doors. At least in the manor the floor plan never changed so they were never at risk of getting lost and needing to summon help from an adult.

Once at the doors to the Library both boys paused to check one another over, each correcting out of place robes as needed. Then they nodded to each other and opened the doors to the bright sunlight and warmth of a room that was being occupied. But Draco frowned almost instantly, looking around the room in concern.

"Where's Mother?" he asked as they stepped inside to join Lucius, Severus, and Tom.

"Ah, Draco, Harry, good morning. Narcissa told me to tell you that she would be with you shortly, she decided to go and wake Dudley so that he could enjoy breakfast with us instead of in his room alone," Lucius said graciously ignoring Draco's lack of a proper greeting.

"Oh, well I suppose that's good then. Sorry, it's just, she said that she would meet us here, I got concerned," Draco admitted and Lucius smiled indulgently, patting the couch beside him to invite the boys to come and sit.

"That's perfectly alright Draco, I know that you are dreadfully worried about her, it is understandable that she be your first concern," Lucius assured and gave Draco a brief hug around the shoulders when he took the offered seat. Harry meanwhile hopped into the unoccupied seat between Tom and Severus, grinning at the realization that they had made the space for him. As much as they were all still learning how to deal with one another, it was still nice when they treated him special.

(A/N: Well there it is for now folks, I hope you liked it and that you will leave me a review to let me know what you thought.)

Chapter 25

(A/N: I return once more to give to you another chapter! I'm so happy that so many people have been enjoying the story so far! I hope very much that you will continue to review and to let me know what you think. But anyway, let's get on with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 25

Their day had been full of activity; upon waking they had gone to the Library where they had had breakfast. Then they had their morning sessions with their Mind Healers. Next had been lunch in the Family Dining Room. Then afternoon sessions had taken place. After those came schooling and homework. Now it was 4pm and they were free to do as they wished with the rest of their day.

Unfortunately the storm that Draco had predicted was raging outside, so they were unable to go out to the gardens to play with their brooms. It was really a shame, Harry seemed to belong in the sky, Draco wasn't much different, and even Dudley seemed naturally skilled. Instead they had gone to Harry's room, a common staging area for them, and had buried themselves in blankets. Each boy had selected a book on a subject that interested them and made a communal nest on the bed.

For the most part it had been a silent affair, with only the sound of pages turning and pens scratching notes into paper filling the room. Occasionally someone would comment on something that they thought would interest the other two, but it never seemed to spark any real conversation.

From beyond the open door the adults of the Manor had gathered to check on the boys, each individually seeming to come to the conclusion that they had been entirely too quiet for entirely too long. Narcissa and Severus had suspected mischief, or at least the involvement of a game. But Lucius and Tom had supposed more intellectual goings on.

Secure in the knowledge that the boys would not be able to see or hear them unless they stepped over the threshold the four adults watched the boys in their work. Not one of them flinched at the sounds of the storm, which was a vast improvement in their condition.

"I am beginning to think that they'll all be sorted into Ravenclaw," Severus said softly, beaming as Draco gently turned the page of an enormous Potions Tome that Severus had loaned to him for study. He was proud to see someone taking up his interests, even if the reason behind it was slightly self-serving.

"It is likely. If we were to let them attend Hogwarts I am certain that you would prove to be right," Lucius responded, shocked by the fact that he was not at all disappointed by the idea of his Heir not continuing the family tradition of being sorted into Slytherin.

"With the charges pending against him for tampering with Dudley's magic, I am not certain that we will have to worry about the old bastard getting to the boys," Narcissa said, the hint of venom in her tone enough to make all three men turn to her in shock.

"That's if the charges stick. I don't believe they will, or at least I don't believe that they will do much more than put a damper on his plans. No, the courts will be convinced that it was for the greater good of the Wizarding world that Dudley should suffer. I've seen him manipulate the courts before. How he convinced the world that Sirius Black killed the Potters in my name," Tom spoke up and the group's focus shifted to his eyes as they burned red.

"You may be right. But we cannot avoid hope for a different outcome," Lucius advised and gently reached out, grasping one of Tom's clenched fists, carefully attempting to uncurl fingers that bit into his palms.

"No, hope is a necessary thing. But it is not too soon to begin plans to educate the boys here in the Manor," Tom breathed, loosening his grip enough to hold the hand that Lucius had extended.

"We're already teaching them the basics; it wouldn't be too much effort to ensure their proper education here. The Library and our skill sets are vast enough," Severus said, glancing into the room again when the boys collectively laughed.

"Won't it cause something of a stir if Harry Potter and his cousin don't show up at the school when they turn 11 years old? Not to mention my Draco, the Malfoy family has always gone to Hogwarts; Septimus was on the Board of Governors for a time. Suspicions will be raised," Narcissa said gently, her normally sedate voice still edged with something between fear and anger.

"Oh that won't be a problem dearest Narcissa. The boys will be attending Hogwarts one way or another," Tom said and it was the entire group that blinked in confusion.

"My Lord, you just said that we should make provisions to educate them here. In what capacity would they be attending the school that would leave them safe from Dumbledore's machinations?" Lucius questioned, missing the wince that passed over Tom at the use of the honorific.

"The simulacrums will be attending the school," Tom paused to smile as varied looks of shock crossed the faces of his companions. "Yes, we shall send them to the school instead of the boys themselves. It will be simple enough to alter the monitoring charms so that they boys are able to get copies of the clones notes and lessons. It will be as if they never missed out on any aspect of their education. Of course we will still be their teachers in the practical arts, but for the coursework we can leave it to them to study on their own. Look at them now, learning things that no one asked them to. I believe that such behavior will be enough to get them through their schooling without our intervention," he continued explaining, even as looks of shock turned to understanding.

"But what of Dumbledore's manipulations, are we going to be tracking those through a monitoring charm as well?" Severus questioned softly as his thought whirled through the various possibilities that stood before them.

"Of course, we will track every encounter that he has with the boys. I wouldn't be shocked if he were to try to turn them against one another. After all, he already attempted to ensure that Dudley and Harry hated one another so much that they'd never trust one another," Tom said plainly, the confidence that he exuded enough to calm Severus from thinking about everything that could go wrong with the plan.

"Alright then, I begin to see the shape of the plan, and I like it so far. But we're going to have to do some work in the coming months to build up the strength of the magic in the simulacrums so that they are able to do spell work," Narcissa said and each man nodded his agreement.

(A/N: Well that's it for now; I hope that you enjoyed it and will leave me a review or a comment to let me know what you thought. Hopefully I am working on answering some of the lingering questions that anyone might have. Thanks for reading!)

Chapter 26

(A/N: This story is progressing quite nicely in my opinion and I am glad that other people seem to think the same. I just hope that the momentum that I have gathered manages to keep up and I can make more progress before too much longer. Anyway, on with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 26

"You wanted to speak with us my Lord?" Lucius questioned as he and Severus stepped into Tom's office. Whatever it was had been important enough that their lessons with the boys had been cut short for the day. Harry, Draco, and Dudley were with Narcissa in the gardens, the four of them were collecting herbs to help Narcissa brew potions for some of her practical exams as a Healer. Though Severus and Lucius were both certain that it was going to lead to the boys running amok, and Narcissa laughing helplessly whilst attempting to study.

Tom seemed to visibly flinch, his brow drawing down as if in anger. It was a small tic, something that Severus and Lucius had gotten used to over the years. They would have been fools to think that it didn't bother the other man to hear them address him so formally, but they could not help what they were bound by magic to do.

"Yes. Sit, both of you," Tom said softly and both men obeyed quickly. They were silent as Tom stood and came around the large desk that occupied his office. He leaned back against the desk as he stood before them; the expression he wore was one somewhere between frustration and sorrow.

"Is something wrong?" Severus asked, tempted to reach out to his lover but not quite being able to bring himself to defy the command that bade them to sit.

"Yes. Something is very wrong. It has been for some time," Tom admitted and stepped forward, before kneeling before the chairs that his partners occupied. With shaking hands he reached out and gripped Severus and Lucius by the knee, they didn't know what was going on and he found that he needed their support to even begin to say what he needed to say.

"You can tell us anything, you know that," Lucius assured, gaining the confidence to place his hand atop Tom's. He didn't know what it was that he was offering comfort for, just that he had an all consuming need to make sure that the other man knew that it was there.

"I know," Tom sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again the blue had faded to the glow of red as old magic coursed through him, giving him the strength to do what he needed to do. "Both of you have been my servants for too long. You are my bond mates. Old magic flows through you just as it flows through Harry and me. I cannot stand to hear you lower yourselves before me when you are my equals," Tom said and was pleased that his voice did not tremble in that moment.

"But we agreed to this. That is just how things are. Is it not?" Lucius whispered and looked to Severus in that moment.

"No it isn't. Not anymore at any rate. It has taken several months of work, and I must admit that Harry showed me much of what must be done, but I am finally able to free you from servitude," Tom said firmly, his eyes glowing brighter. Lucius and Severus shared another look before pulling up their sleeves and revealing the Dark Marks printed into their flesh. They were the only thing that Tom could be talking about in that moment, and yet they remained unchanged.

"I don't understand," Severus admitted, swiping his thumb along the Mark and looking up to meet Tom's eyes.

"You will," Tom breathed and lifted his hands, one covering Severus's Mark the other covering Lucius's Mark. He breathed out and gripped each man's arm as tightly as he dared. He focused intently on the magic that he had left behind in them and poured every inch of power that he possessed into doing what he had discussed with Harry so long ago.

If the pain of the experience fazed either man, they did not show it on their faces. Instead they sat in stoic silence as Tom's grip grew ever tighter and his magic drove into their skin. Receiving the Mark had been incredibly painful and this experience eclipsed that.

But almost as soon as it started the pain faded and Tom pulled away. Both looked down at their arms to see that the Dark Mark remained, only somehow darker and more vivid than it had been before.

"Say my name," Tom said softly, pleading with them.

"Tom," Lucius and Severus spoke as one before looking at each other in shock.

"It worked," Tom whispered, relief coursing through him as his eyes returned to their natural blue. He sat back on his heels and stared between his partners, watching as several emotions played across their faces. They seemed to arrive at the same conclusion at the same time as they slid from their chairs and wrapped their arms around him, each planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you," they whispered softly and held him close. It hadn't bothered them to be restricted to calling him such things, not really, but somehow being able to call him by his proper name meant the world to them.

"You're my equals now. As you always should have been, as you will always be. Now you can call Death Eaters to yourselves and command them as I have all these years. You are no longer servants but Lords in your own rights," Tom explained gently, his hands cradling their faces before pulling each in for a kiss in turn.

"You said that Harry helped you with this?" Severus questioned softly and Tom nodded.

"Yes, I could see how to remove the Mark, but it was Harry who showed me that I could improve it. He showed me that I could give you the power that you deserve," Tom elaborated and sighed in contentment as both men wrapped him in a crushing hug, their chins resting on either shoulder as they held him.

"We owe much to our Harry," Lucius breathed with a smile on his lips that could not be quelled.

"That we do. We owe him far more than what we have given him," Severus said softly, not at all embarrassed to realize that he had shed a few tears of joy.

(A/N: Sorry for making that so short, but I plan on updating again soon so that you don't have to wait too long to find out what comes next for our boys. I hope that you enjoyed my work and will leave me a comment or a review to let me know what you thought.)

Chapter 27

(A/N: I'm back at it again! I just want to take this moment to thank you all for your kind reviews and comments; they truly do keep me going. I hope that you will enjoy this chapter, so on with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 27

They were in the gardens collecting herbs and flowers when Harry froze. Narcissa observed him with some small amount of fear as he seemed to go from smiling and laughing to completely blank at the flip of a switch. The other two boys noticed shortly after she did and froze as well, both watching their surrogate brother with a great deal of curiosity.

"Harry? Is everything okay?" Dudley asked softly and reached out only to have Draco pull his hand back.

"If you tough him right now you're in for a nasty shock. He's talking to the Old Magic right now," Draco informed, having seen Harry do so several times before. He had been practicing with it more and more as his Mind Healer led him through exercises that would free him of panic attacks. Having something so ancient and powerful to fall back on was what had propelled Harry through so much of the healing and recovery process. Now, he could communicate with the Old Magic almost effortlessly when before it had only come out under extreme duress.

"Ah, I understand," Dudley said and dropped his hand, watching Harry carefully, ready to reach out and catch him if he were to stumble or fall.

Just as quickly as Harry had checked out he came back to reality, his eyes opening to look at them all with curiosity.

"I'm sorry for worrying you. Tom was using the Old Magic and mine wanted to make sure that he had help if he needed it," Harry said gently, accepting hugs from Dudley and Draco and a gentle touch on the cheek from Narcissa.

"It's perfectly alright Harry, just as long as you aren't taxing yourself overmuch," Narcissa said and Harry positively beamed in her direction.

"I promise I'm not. It is getting much easier and much less tiring to speak with the Old Magic. Using it still takes the energy out of me, but just talking to it is fine," Harry assured in a gentle voice. Narcissa smiled then, his mannerisms were still coming into their own, but he was not the shy and demure boy that she had met not so long ago. No, Harry was truly beginning to blossom and form a personality all his own.

"That's good Harry. I'm very relieved to hear that. Now, shall we resume collecting herbs?" Narcissa said, hoping to steer the conversation away from just what Tom was using his Old Magic for before Draco and Dudley became too curious. Tom, Lucius, and Severus would share the news, whatever it was, in good time.

"Could we see about getting something to eat soon?" Dudley spoke up shyly, his entire face burning red at the mention of food.

"Of course we can my dear. What do you say we finish getting the ingredients on the first page of my list and then take a break for some sandwiches and tea?" Narcissa suggested, relieved to have Dudley finally saying something instead of passing out from the lack of fuel in his body.

"That sounds lovely," Dudley said in response and followed Draco as he led the way to the next plot of herbs. Narcissa adjusted the basket on her arm and rechecked the list that she carried, making a mental tally of the potions that she would be able to brew were they not to get to the rest of the ingredients before sundown.

Satisfied that she would be able to do quite a lot with just what she had in her basket, she followed the boys and waited patiently while they used small penknives to cut the herbs and flowers as directed on the list. All three had proven to be deft hands with potions and their components, though it was her Draco that excelled in them the most. She couldn't help but be ridiculously proud of the three boys, it only remained to be seen whether her plans for them would be approved by the others.

"Is that everything Mother?" Draco asked as he attempted to stand on the tips of his toes to see the list. She handed it to him without a word and lowered the basket so that he could look things over and assure himself that they had done their very best.

"I wonder how ingredients that smell so good become potions that smell so bad," Harry commented and made a face, it reminded her instantly that he was in fact still a child, despite everything that he had been through, despite the Old Magic flowing through him, he was still just a 9 year old.

"The brewing process brings out a lot of the bitterness that is inside of the plants and other components," Narcissa said sympathetically and Harry sighed almost dramatically, turning his eyes to Draco.

"Are you any closer to figuring out how to make this stuff taste good?" Harry asked and Draco gave an enthusiastic nod before launching into a detailed explanation of just how the standard pain potion could be made to taste like whatever flavor they so wished.

Seeing that the boys were raptly listening to Draco's commentary, she was able to step away for a moment and call a House Elf to her side. The tiny creature appeared before her with a quiet pop, distinct from the crack that most House Elves made upon appearing.

"Hello Dobby," Narcissa greeted and the House Elf gave her a sweeping bow.

"What can I be doing for Mistress today?" Dobby asked quietly, his voice well contained with the boys around. The children still reacted poorly to the appearance and disappearance of the House Elves and so they had been training themselves to be as quiet and unobtrusive as possible in their duties. Narcissa wasn't sure if the House Elves had even needed to be told to keep themselves contained for the sake of the children as it seemed that they had done so with little notice. Perhaps Lucius had spoken with them down in the Kitchens one day.

"Please take this back to my table in Severus's Lab. Then could you bring us some sandwiches and tea?" she asked politely and handed the basket off to the Elf.

"As you wish Mistress," Dobby said with a smile and vanished with another soft popping noise. Dobby had once been her and Septimus's House Elf, but she had sent him away years ago when Septimus had stated taking his drunken rage out on the Elf. Whatever Tom, Lucius, and Severus had been doing to help Dobby recover, it was a staggering difference, from his mannerisms to his speech patterns. It seemed that the three wizards were adept at helping all manner of people recover from past traumatic experiences.

(A/N: Well that's it for now. I hope that you enjoyed it and will leave me a comment or a review to let me know what you thought. As always, thanks for reading!)

Chapter 28

(A/N: Hey guys, I'm back again! I have been writing these at a pretty good clip, so hopefully you're satisfied with the update schedule. I haven't reached the end of my stamina yet, so that's good. Anyway, on with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 28

Tea in the gardens had been a quiet affair, with the boys devouring their sandwiches instead of talking. Not that Narcissa minded when they talked to her or each other, that was. She continued to be amazed by the appetites that children could have when they were comfortable around the people that they were with. Back with Septimus, Draco had not dared to take too large a bite or eat too quickly, now he was eating at the same rapid pace as Harry and Dudley.

After their break, they got a new basket and resumed their collection task. Narcissa had three pages of ingredients that she needed to make the 20 potions that stood a chance of being featured on her practical exams. They had made short work of the first page and were quickly halfway through the second. The third page was made up of ingredients from animals and thus could not be gathered from the gardens. No, she would have to either borrow from Severus's stores or make a trip to Diagon Alley.

With the boys' eager assistance, the task was completed in no time at all.

"Alright you three, back in the house, out of the sun before you get burned," Narcissa said, shifting the full basket on her arm so that she had one free to shoo them with. Of course it wasn't likely that they would get burned in the early afternoon sun, not with the charms that protected the gardens, but with Dudley and Draco's fair skin, she just never knew.

"Okay Mother. Do we get to help you with your potions?" Draco asked as the boys obediently made their way into the house, Draco politely holding the door open for his mother.

"Unfortunately not darling, these are for school exams so I've got to do them on my own. But you may go to the Library or Harry's room if you wish to spend some time together before dinner. I will see you then," Narcissa said delicately and kissed each boy on the cheek before disappearing in the direction of the Potions Lab.

"I think the Library sounds great," Harry said and Draco and Dudley rolled their eyes.

"You always want to go to the Library," they said together and Harry laughed.

"So, maybe I do. But there's a lot of books in there that I'm not allowed to take back to my room," Harry said in response.

"That's fair. There's a Potions book that I was halfway through. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to go to the Library," Draco said after a minute of thought.

"And I was looking for a book on Magic Theory," Dudley piped up, he was still learning about the Magical World and seemed to soak up the information like a sponge. It was a far cry from what Harry remembered of him going to school. But, Harry realized, that Dudley's poor behavior as a student was as much a product of Dumbledore's influence as his treatment of Harry had been, so it only made sense that now he wished to learn about everything.

"I can probably help you find it. I've read most of them trying to learn everything I could about the Old Magic," Harry admitted and Dudley beamed.

"Thanks Harry, that would be excellent," Dudley said and the three boys made their way to the Library at a brisk walk. They had been chastised for running in the halls before and they never knew when an adult was going to pop up to witness them misbehaving. Just because they were still in recovery, and supposed to have more liberties, didn't mean being exempt from rules that kept them from hurting themselves.

As it turned out, they got to the Library in time to see Tom, Lucius, and Severus also entering the room. Severus held the door for the boys, having been the one to spot them coming. Of course he should have expected them to show up at some point. The boys were very studious.

"Hello you three," Lucius greeted from one of the couches as Harry, Draco, and Dudley all piled into the room.

"Hello," the boys chorused dutifully.

"Draco, your book is over here. Thank you for not marking the page, it is very delicate," Severus said and gestured to the large tome that Draco had previously been reading.

"Yes it is. I was careful not to turn the pages too quickly too," Draco said as he made his way over to the armchair that stood beside the table where he had left the book. The chair was almost magically comfortable; it was Draco's second favorite chair in the whole house. The first being the one next to Harry's bed, which had extra cushioning charms on it.

"Were you two looking for anything in particular?" Tom asked as Harry and Dudley searched the shelves together. It was difficult with them only being able to see books at a certain height, but at least the Library was organized by category, so they knew about what area to look in for the books that they wanted.

"I'm looking for a book on the Theory of Magic. Specifically one that explains why and how magic chooses who gets to have it, like why are there muggle-born wizards and squibs," Dudley stated plainly and Tom smiled.

"That's quite an advanced subject. But I believe that we have a couple of books on the matter. Here, let me help you two," Tom responded and moved into the stacks, looking high while the boys looked low. Very quickly they discovered that there were four books for Dudley to look through, three smaller ones and one very large one that required Tom's strength to carry to a table.

"Thank you for your help Tom," Dudley said gratefully and took a seat at the table, opening the smallest book first and pulling a slightly rumpled notebook from his robe. Narcissa had regularly gone to muggle shops and bought the children school supplies, things that would stand up better to wear and tear than sheaf after sheaf or parchment. Of course the boys were still expected to practice writing with a quill and parchment, but it wasn't all the time.

"You're very welcome Dudley. What about you Harry, what are you looking for today?" Tom questioned softly.

"I think I would like to learn something about the art of Wand Making today. Now that I've learned about magic and can talk to it that seems like the logical next step" Harry said and Tom's smile faltered.

"Harry, that's a very complex art. I don't want you to be disappointed if you are unable to practice it yourself. After all, there are very few Wand Makers in the world," Tom hedged and led Harry to a darker section of the Library, where the light from the windows only barely reached.

"Oh I won't be disappointed Tom. But when I get my wand I should like to know the process that went into creating it. My magic will be more powerful if I'm attuned to the right wand from the start and I want to know how to find it," Harry assured and Tom laughed.

"Excellent Harry, that's very forward thinking of you," Tom said and pulled a thick leather bound book from the shelf. It was lighter than it looked and he gently placed it in Harry's outstretched hands.

(A/N: Well that's all for now. I hope that you liked it and will do me the honor of leaving me a comment or a review. As always, thanks for reading!)

Chapter 29

(A/N: Welcome back once again to this lovely little fic. I'm glad that you've stuck around for so long, I hope that you are still enjoying it. Anyway, one with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 29

The time for dinner came more swiftly than the boys cared for. It seemed only a few minutes that they had been immersed in their studies before Lucius was standing and declaring that it was time for them to stop reading. Of course, they knew that it was far longer than that as the Library was now lit up by lamps instead of sunlight, but prying those three away from their studies was always a chore.

"Come now, it's a dessert night, surely you don't want to miss that," Lucius said as the boys dragged their feet about finishing up the last of their notes and making an indication of the page they'd left off on. None of the books were allowed to leave the Library, so the boys very neatly placed them at their designated work stations. All three took their notes with them, however, wanting to be sure to be able to study them later on.

"No Uncle, but can you really blame us for learning?" Draco said in his sweetest voice and Lucius laughed, gently ruffling his Heir's hair in response.

"No Draco I suppose that I can't. But you three do still need your dinner and your potions, so I must insist," Lucius replied and all three boys groaned again.

"There's nothing wrong with my potions," Severus spoke up.

"There's nothing wrong with them, you brew them flawlessly. The problem is being in a position to have to take them at all," Harry explained in his most adult voice. It was a lingering problem; he still proved to be far too mature and advanced for his age. Part of him was certain that it would never go away; at least it wouldn't leave him until he was already and adult and meant to be behaving like one.

"I see. Then why is Draco so insistent on learning to alter the taste of them?" Severus questioned, it was obvious that he was aiming for something more playful and not disappointment.

"That's easy, he wants to start a line of child friendly potions when he grows up," Dudley spoke up and Draco blushed, ducking his head and running his hand back through his hair.

"Sorry Godfather, it isn't that I dislike your potions. I just think it would be easier to convince kids to take their medicine if it tasted better," Draco explained and Severus laughed softly.

"I understand Draco, believe me I understand. I was not and still am not the biggest fan of the flavors that come out when you brew, I rather look forward to your innovations," Severus assured gently as the group made their way out into the hallway.

"That is a worthy aspiration for the Malfoy name, I look forward to investing in your business Draco," Lucius said and Draco beamed.

Halfway to the Family Dining Room, they met up with Narcissa. Her hair was pulled back from her face in a tight bun and her fingers were stained with various colors from her ingredients, but she looked absolutely pleased with herself.

"Ah, hello you lot. I'm glad I didn't have to remind anyone that it was time for dinner. It took Dobby telling me that it was time to take a break for me to know what time it was," she said in greeting and the three children crowded her for hugs as they always did whenever she spent more than a few hours out of their sight.

"Did you see the note I left you?" Severus asked softly once the boys had each received a hug and a kiss from their mother or surrogate mother.

"Yes, thank you Severus for allowing me to use your ingredients. I know that they aren't cheap. As soon as this practical is over I shouldn't need to brew again for some time, and I will be happy to help you replenish your stores," Narcissa said and Severus made a dismissive gesture.

"I am pleased to share my stores. Besides your knowing how to brew these potions will hopefully lead to you spending some time in the Lab with me and thereby splitting the time that either of us needs to spend brewing in half," he responded.

"Of course, I would be honored to take some of the workload off your shoulders. I know that you brew for the boys and your Mail Order clients, so if I handle the ones for the boys it will certainly reduce your time in the Lab," she said and Severus smiled, indeed it would be nice to share more time with Tom and Lucius, not to mention getting to spend time with the boys.

"You've been really quiet Tom, is everything alright?" Harry piped up, looking concerned at the other man's silence.

"I'm perfectly fine Harry, thank you for asking. I've just been considering your current interest. Wand Making is a very technical venture in some ways, but it is also very simple. Perhaps we should consider letting you try your hand at crafting your own wand," Tom said and Harry's jaw dropped open.

"Would you really let me do that? I know that it likely wouldn't pass as my adult wand, but for a children's practice wand it wouldn't be bad. I could make one for Draco and Dudley as well," Harry said and earned excited hoots from Draco and Dudley. So far of the three of them Harry was the only one who could use his magic intentionally, but that was only to talk to magic and occasionally summon things, none of them knew any real spells yet.

"Of course, it is worth a try. We wouldn't want you three to be unprepared when school starts. I hadn't even considered practice wands as something that we should have gotten you, but you're very right Harry. I shall contact a few people and see if I can't get you the supplies to set up your own Wand Maker station," Tom said and Harry hugged him around the middle so tightly that he groaned.

"That's wonderful! Thank you Tom, thank you so much!" Harry said excitedly and Tom ruffled his hair, ruining the careful work Draco had put into tidying it. But if that bothered Draco the excitement at the prospect of a practice wand outweighed it.

"Alright, enough talk; let's see what our wonderful Kitchen Staff have prepared for dinner, shall we?" Lucius said quickly, knowing that if Tom and Harry got on a tangent that neither of the pair would move for at least an hour while they discussed the specifics.

So they made their way through the Manor and into the Family Dining Room, which had actually been expanded slightly to hold all 7 of them comfortably. Already there were steaming platters of food waiting and the smell of it seemed to get to the children first as all mutterings of conversation stopped and they quickly took their seats at the table.

(A/N: Well that's all for now folks. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter as much as you have enjoyed past ones and that you will leave me a review or a comment to let me know what you thought. As always thanks for reading and I hope to see you next time!)

Chapter 30

(A/N: I'm back again with yet another installment of this little fic for you guys. So there is a slight time skip, but not much. I hope that you will enjoy it, so on with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 30

Before any of them really noticed it, it was November and they had had their first snow of the season. And so the boys spent less time outside playing, even with the climate controlled gardens, and spent more time inside studying. Of course they still designated time for playing board games and the like, but they focused more on their individual hobbies than they had before.

The Potions Lab had been expanded to allow for Narcissa and Draco to work on their projects alongside Severus. Lucius and Dudley had commandeered one of the lower work rooms where they were busily crafting the simulacrums that would replace the existing Harry and Dudley copies over the winter holidays. Tom had taken to managing the reports that the clones generated, seeking out and destroying the few men that still dared to visit the Dursley household. Harry meanwhile had poured every ounce of spare energy into crafting wands, while he had yet to successfully make one; he had come astoundingly close for someone who had only read books about the subject matter.

"Harry," Draco knocked softly on the doorjamb of Harry's work room. "Do you have a moment?" the blond boy asked when Harry sat back and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Yeah, I think this one is another failure though," Harry said and gave the yew wood wand a swish that resulted in nothing but a sickly wisp of smoke. Draco winced and watched as Harry gently set the failed wand aside.

"That's fair. I mean that's only, what, the fifth one? Uncle Lucius tells me it takes hundreds to perfect the art," Draco said and Harry nodded but sighed regardless. Even though Tom had told him not to get his hopes up, he had in fact, gotten his hopes up.

"Yeah, it's rubbish, but that's why I'm practicing. So what did you need me for?" Harry questioned, sliding from his chair and standing to stretch his limbs. He had taken to sitting facing the door so that anyone who needed him wasn't sneaking up on him.

"I wanted to talk to you about my dreams. You know, the future ones, not like, my aspirations or whatever," Draco said and blushed, running his hand back through his hair.

"Yeah of course, I know what you mean. Are you still dreaming about Hogwarts?" Harry said gently and moved to the couch that had been placed in his room for when he needed a break. Draco joined him there and they both sat sitting sideways so that they were facing one another.

"Yeah, only now we're in the same House with Dudley. I don't know which one yet, I guess because that isn't the important part. No, I keep dreaming that we're at school and Uncle Lucius is Headmaster and Severus is the Potions Professor. It's actually a good dream for once," Draco explained and Harry smiled widely, it was certainly an improvement on the dreams that had plagued the other boy just a few short months ago.

"Okay, that's great. So what's the problem? Why did you need to talk about it?" Harry asked softly.

"Well I still haven't brought the dreams up to the Mind Healer. I haven't brought them up to anyone but you. I wanted to ask your opinion on who I should talk to first," Draco admitted and Harry frowned, he didn't like that Draco had kept something so important to himself, but he understood that it was a delicate matter.

"I think if anyone, you should talk to Tom about it. He's the one with the most experience. Plus he isn't in the dreams so he won't be biased about them. You know?" Harry said, tipping his head to the side in consideration, his brows drawn down in thought.

"Yeah, I think so. But, like, where even is Tom most of the time these days?" Draco asked and gestured vaguely as if to indicate his confusion.

"He's been out. I know it has something to do with my copy, but I haven't asked too closely. It's almost time for dinner, so we can ask to see him afterwards. That is, if you want me to come with you," Harry said plainly and Draco visibly sagged with relief.

"Yes, please. Thank you Harry, for being so thoughtful towards me. I know that Tom isn't as big and scary as all that, but the idea of being alone in the room with an adult other than Mother or a Mind Healer still scares me a bit," Draco admitted quietly and Harry reached out, patting Draco gently on the knee.

"I get it completely. I think that if they weren't my bond mates, Tom, Lucius, and Severus would scare me too. I don't know how I'm going to handle being alone with another adult man if and when it comes to that. We're all still healing, so it makes sense. I won't make you do something that you're not ready for, and neither will Tom," Harry assured in his most adult voice.

A chime sounded throughout the Manor then. It was still a rather new addition to the routine, but Lucius had set up a charm to alert the occupants of the house to meal times. Especially when they were all busy with their various pursuits it became rather difficult to pay attention to what time it was. Harry and Draco instantly perked up, both realizing in that moment just how hungry their work had made them. Harry had been pouring his magic into making that wand for over 4 hours by that point and Draco had split his time between potions and worrying.

"Wow, I was actually pretty close to guessing what time it was. I'm getting better at this stuff," Harry said with a smile.

"Of course you are. You've stopped getting into your own head so much now that you've got the magic talking to you almost all the time," Draco affirmed causing Harry's smile to grow wider.

"You're right there. Let's head upstairs before everyone else gets to the food first. I wonder if tonight is dessert night, it's been a few days since we've had one," Harry speculated as they slid off of the couch and made their way towards the stairs that led up to the rest of the Manor.

At first it had only been under supervision that Harry had been allowed to practice making wands. But once the adults realized that he was far more in control of the magic than he even needed to be they had allowed him to go it alone, which made him very proud of himself.

"You know you could always call a House Elf to ask them about it. Uncle Lucius says that they love kids," Draco said but it sounded dubious at best. None of them had much experience with the small creatures that staffed the Manor, they weren't necessarily scared of them, but neither did they want to be an inconvenience.

(A/N: Well there it is. I hope that you liked it and that you will leave me a review or a comment to let me know what you thought. As always, thanks for reading and I hope to see you next time!)

Chapter 31

(A/N: Hey all, I'm back again with another chapter for you. I really do hope that you will enjoy it and that you will continue to stick with me! On with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 31

Harry and Draco were in fact the first ones to arrive at the dinner table, they were so quick about it that the food hadn't quite finished being brought up to the table. At least that was what they had to assume as they watched platters pop into predetermined locations one by one. Harry had read about House Elf magic, but he had never seen it in action before, thanks to the adults he had been shielded from anything that was too sudden or unexpected. But now that he had witnessed it for himself he was quite certain that he wouldn't have minded meeting one of them in person.

Lucius visited with the Elves quite often as he made sure that they were happy and healthy, so it likely wouldn't be too much to ask for Harry to accompany him at some point. But that was for another day, Harry decided, getting to talk to Tom about Draco's dreams headed up the list of important things to do.

"Boys? Were you going to take your seats? Surely you are both hungry after being so busy all day," Narcissa's gentle voice roused the pair from their state of awe and both boys blushed rather fiercely. It seemed that the entire household had arrived just in time to see them stupefied by something as commonplace as House Elf magic.

"Yes, sorry Mother, I didn't realize that I had gotten so wrapped up in things," Draco apologized and quickly stepped forward to where his usual seat waited for him.

"I got distracted too, I'm not sure I've ever seen magic being done from another room like that," Harry admitted and found that he wasn't quite as embarrassed as he had thought that he would be.

"It can be fascinating, this is true," Lucius agreed as he helped Narcissa into her chair. Draco looked to his mother in concern, but she smiled gently and waved him off.

"Don't worry darling, my back is just a little stiff from brewing for so long. I will get used to it sooner rather than later," she said softly and Draco relaxed assured that his mother had not been in an accident in the short time that he had been away from her side. Not that Severus would have allowed an accident to happen in his lab, but it always worried Draco when he wasn't around to protect his mother, even if he had managed to get better about obsessively checking on her in the past few weeks.

Once everyone was seated around the table, they all reached for helpings of food at the same time. Luckily there were plenty of options and more than enough food to feed the four adults and three children that occupied the Manor. Even with all three boys on the verge of a growth spurt, the House Elves provided enough food that there were always leftovers to be eaten at a later date. One would not have expected a man as well-to-do as Lucius Malfoy to allow leftovers to grace his stores, but he rather enjoyed the cooking of his staff and refused to let any of it go to waste. And so there were several meals that had been served twice, and no one in the Manor seemed to mind.

No one seemed inclined to speak as they enjoyed their meals. It was those moments of quiet and calmness that really made Harry realize just what a different world he was living in than he had been just a handful of months prior. Were he not so busy eating his mashed potatoes and corn off the cob he likely would have cried with the relief and thankfulness that coursed through him in that moment. If anyone noticed that he was a little flustered, they kindly kept it for themselves.

About 20 minutes later they were all very nearly finished with their meals, dessert included. Dudley and Draco had engaged in something of a race to see who could devour the most roasted chicken drumsticks and by their very quiet official count it was revealed that they had tied. Had Harry participated he would have certainly lost as he liked to savor his food far too much to really race toward the end of anything.

"So, Draco, I see you managed to complete a few Nutrient potions today. What flavors did you come up with?" Severus asked, breaking the silence of the room. Draco wiped his face and hands carefully with his napkin before looking up at the Potions Master.

"I managed to make them taste like strawberries, since all of us seem to like those; I thought that they would be a safe flavor to start with. Are the potions up to your standards?" Draco responded and found that he was actually nervous to have his work evaluated by his Godfather now that he had started the customization process. Before he had only practiced brewing the basic potions, and while he had always managed them flawlessly, he was in new territory.

"They are excellent in quality. I think we may yet need to work on potency, but these ones should be sufficient to deliver the necessary nutrients for any growing child," Severus assured and Draco's face split into a wide smile.

"Thank you Godfather, I had been worried that they wouldn't be strong enough, but I can certainly apply what I have been learning lately to adjust them," Draco stated enthusiastically.

"Will we be allowed to try them?" Harry asked softly and Draco blushed, he hadn't considered that they would actually get used by him and his surrogate brothers. He hoped that they tasted as good as he thought they should so that the other two boys were not disappointed by his skills.

"Yes of course. You'll be able to take them before bed instead of your standard Nutrient potions if you so wish," Severus said plainly.

"Oh good. I love strawberries," Dudley chimed in as he continued to clean the mess that he had made from the table cloth. He was still getting used to cleaning up after himself; his parents hadn't exactly taken the time to instill a sense of cleanliness in him.

"Speaking of our various endeavors, Lucius how is Dudley doing in the Simulacrum department?" Severus asked.

"His work is excellent as always, we have nearly finished his and will be moving on to Harry's by the end of the week," Lucius reported with a sense of pride that they had been able to work together so wonderfully. Dudley had a penchant for the arts and it was well used in the sculpting of the clay that would later be transformed into their replacements.

"That is good to hear, you're very nearly ahead of schedule," Tom spoke up and smiled, he had planned to retrieve the current simulacrums in three weeks time, but if all worked out, they would be able to move that date ahead, giving them extra time to transfer the memories and personalities from them to the new ones.

"My latest project is another failure. But this one didn't shatter, so that's a step forward," Harry volunteered the information without being asked. He was slowly getting used to speaking up and actually participating in conversations.

"Indeed it is," Tom agreed gently.

"Oh, right, Tom, can Draco and I talk to you later tonight? There was something that we wanted to ask you," Harry said and was glad that he had remembered before they all dispersed for the night. Now that the three of them had consistently started sleeping in their own rooms and were following separate pursuits they spent less time together than they previously had.

"Of course you can. But for now why don't the three of you go and play in one of your rooms. After all that you've done today, I think you've earned some time to relax," Tom stated and the three boys cheered before they excused themselves and walked as quickly as they could up to Harry's room.

(A/N: Well there it is. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and that you will leave me a review or a comment to let me know what you thought of it. As always, thanks for reading and I will see you next time!)

Chapter 32

(A/N: I return once more to bring you another chapter of fiction that you will hopefully enjoy. I don't have any additional warnings or anything for this chapter so on with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 32

The four adult residents of the Manor waited until the boys were well and truly gone, far enough away to not overhear any conversations, Lucius called for a bottle of wine to be served. Dobby was the one who appeared to deliver the bottle and glasses as many of the House Elves refused to touch alcohol. It was shocking that Dobby, the one who had actually been on the receiving end of a drunken rage had not grown averse to the stuff.

"Thank you Dobby. There's plenty of left over dessert, please see to it that the rest of the staff is given some," Lucius said graciously and Dobby nodded, popping away silently. Lucius had taken great pains with the House Elf to eliminate the cowering and groveling that Septimus had forced on him.

Once the wine was poured each drank deeply, sighing and sinking into their chairs further as the stress of the day melted away. Narcissa summoned a mild pain potion to take in order to combat the ache in her back.

"One day I will get acclimated to brewing for such long stretches but today is apparently not that day," she said delicately and twisted slightly in her chair, eliciting loud popping and cracking noises as she worked the cricks out of her back.

"It will come sooner rather than later, I promise. But I would be glad to place some cushioning charms around your station to take the impact off of your feet," Severus said softly, his eyes focused on the glass of white wine that was clasped in his hand.

"That would be delightful. I know a few myself but never thought to cast them on anything other than my shoes," Narcissa admitted and took another sip from her glass to chase away the taste of the pain reliever that she had taken.

"Don't worry, it took me quite a long time to think of using them myself," Severus said in response.

"Do you think that you could do the same for Draco? I know that he doesn't spend nearly the time brewing that we do, but I should hope that he doesn't develop any lingering hurts from it," Narcissa asked softly, her voice a little more confident when asking for something for her son than it was when asking for something for herself.

"Of course, it's not a problem at all, for either of you," Severus assured and glanced over the table where Tom was sitting and watching them with some small interest, blue eyes always curious.

"Thank you Severus, you are very kind," Narcissa's voice was filled with relief and fatigue but her smile was strong. Severus made a small gesture of dismissal; it really wasn't a problem to put in place the same charms that he used for himself.

"We should have thought to install them when we expanded the Lab for your use, if I'm being perfectly honest," Lucius interjected and Severus gestured towards him with his wine glass, silently agreeing as he swallowed his mouthful of the beverage.

"There are many things that we haven't thought of, I am sure. But as long as they remain small things that are easily corrected, it is alright, if we forget something major, well then I don't want to know what sort of trouble we could be in," Tom said gently, obviously thinking about something far deeper than the simple comforts of brewing.

"What's on your mind?" Lucius questioned, looking somewhat distressed.

"Nothing specific as yet, perhaps it is merely old paranoia returning to haunt me. I've been busy in some circles and ignoring others, so I hope that such things are not to our detriment. I've seen to it that the last of the disgusting men who visit themselves upon Harry's copy are eliminated. But I have been largely ignoring the proceedings against Dumbledore for fear of flying into a rage and doing something about the old fool for myself," Tom said quietly, his hands wrapped around the wine glass, eyes passing over each of them as he spoke.

"Don't worry there; I've had my ear to the ground. It seems that you were right, that none of the charges are going to stick, but thanks to the Healer's code of secrecy no one knows that it was us that brought them to the fore. So Dumbledore continues to manipulate from the shadows without any consequences and no one knows that we have changed the boys out for simulacrums. The only real outcome of this case is that Dumbledore was forced to recognize Dudley's magical status, so he will be allowed to attend Hogwarts alongside Harry when the time comes for it," Lucius informed in a very matter of fact tone of voice.

"Well that is something I suppose. I hope that the Dursley family does not visit any harm upon their son for the magic that is in his blood. Are the monitoring charms up to date?" Tom asked and ran his free hand back through his freshly trimmed black hair.

"Of course, we update them weekly when we change out the spells that are busy horrifying the adults. It is to my understanding that the copy of Harry has been granted a bed in Dudley's second bedroom instead of the cupboard under the stairs. None of our spell work has been detected by the Magical Law Enforcement agents who have come and gone from the home and the integrity of the copies is impeccable," Lucius responded.

"Excellent as always Lucius, I do apologize for not accompanying you lately. I have allowed myself to become thoroughly invested in hunting down the perverts who would harm our bonded. Much to my shock, some of them have been Wizards who know exactly who it was that they were harming. I enjoyed disposing of those men with zeal. Were I so inclined I could have created several Horcruxes by now," Tom stated plainly.

"I am glad that you have weighed the risks in that department and decided against creating any," Severus admitted and reached across the table to gently squeeze Tom's free hand.

"I am as well. There are other means to grant myself immortality. I've kept myself young enough just with the few potions that Severus has invented that I am assured a long enough life to accomplish my goals," Tom said and there was a wave of relief that came into the room at such an admission. Of course they had all been worried about the older man, but as long as he remained contented with his current state of being, none of them had to be overly concerned that his former zealous madness would reclaim him.

(A/N: Well there you have it for now, I hope very much that you enjoyed this chapter, as short as it is and that you will leave me a review or a comment to let me know what you thought. As always, thanks for reading and I will see you next time!)

Chapter 33

(A/N: I am once again back from the depths to deliver another chapter to you lovely folks. I have elected to slow my update schedule down just a little bit to avoid burnout, so hopefully you will stick with me while that is the case. Anyway, I think that I have covered everything that I meant to, on with the show!)

The North Wind Blows

Part 33

While the adults of the Manor wound down from the day and discussed things that were not age appropriate for the boys, Harry, Draco, and Dudley had pulled several games from the large chest of them that sat at the foot of Harry's bed. Most of them had been opened, but due to the care the boys took with them, all looked brand new.

Harry had been hesitant at first about letting Dudley handle any of his toys or games, as the other boy had always had a destructive streak for even his own possessions. But Dudley had shown him over time that he could be careful and considerate, and that most of his tendencies toward breaking things had been alleviated once Dumbledore's magic had been stripped away. As it was now, Harry would trust Dudley to handle a baby bird with the utmost care and compassion.

"I wonder, why do we have so many Muggle games in here? Rather, where did they come from?" Dudley asked softly and settled the boxes back in the chest once they had found what they were looking for in the Wizard's Chess set at the bottom.

"The adults, mostly my mom, I think, they go out into the Muggle world rather regularly. That's where our notebooks and pens come from so why not the games? Besides, there aren't a lot of kid friendly games in the Wizarding world," Draco stated plainly, without any of the smugness that Septimus would have expected of him.

"I wonder why that is? Do they expect us to play pretend most of the time? I know that most kids probably don't spend the time studying or doing the hobbies that we do, so what do they do for fun?" Harry questioned softly, somewhat perplexed by the concept of what a normal child was supposed to be doing with their time.

"It depends really; if you have brothers and sisters then you just make up games to play with them. If you are an only child it is likely that your parents will get you into as many hobbies as possible. Or at least, that is how it was explained to me when I asked when I was younger. But then again Septimus was not the best person to ask those questions. I'm sure that if we were going about being children in too wrong a sense our Mind Healers would let us know," Draco stated and was proud of himself for being able to say his father's name without flinching or tearing up. Ever since the Mind Healer had convinced him to use his name instead of calling him 'father' it had gotten much easier to think about the man that had tried to kill him without breaking down entirely.

"I see, I guess it isn't like Wizards and Witches can just park their children in front of the telly and leave them to watch children's shows," Dudley mused quietly and Harry remembered distinctly the times when Petunia and Vernon had wanted a free day to themselves and left the telly on for Dudley while Harry cleaned the house. Of course Harry had been forbidden to look at what was on television, but he could hear it rather well and had learned all sorts of things even without being able to watch it. He was beyond resenting Dudley though, it hadn't been the other boy's fault after all, and now Petunia and Vernon were suffering for what they had done and continued to do.

"No, I think that would be seen as beneath them anyway. Most would just hire a nanny to occupy their children," Tom's voice interrupted their conversation very softly. None of the boys startled too badly at his intrusion because they had been expecting him sooner or later.

"Hello again Tom, has it already been a couple of hours?" Harry questioned softly and carefully carried the box for Wizard's Chess over to a table where they could play later.

"No, only about half an hour, but I figured that if you wanted to talk I should do it before you got too wrapped up in anything," Tom said plainly and motioned for the boys to join him in the small seating area that had been placed in Harry's room. Since they all spent more time in there than in their own rooms, the adults had outfitted it with two couches and two chairs that sat facing the center of a square shape. There was still a chair next to Harry's bed as well, which made Harry pretty certain that he had the most furniture in his room compared to even the adults.

"That's probably a good idea. I was just about to start teaching Dudley how to play proper Wizard's Chess," Draco said, knowing that Harry already knew and was suitably terrible at it. Therefore Harry would be Dudley's opponent while Draco guided him through the ins and outs of play.

"An excellent game, though you lot might be a bit young for it yet. Now what did you want to talk to me about," Tom said kindly and looked between Draco and Harry rather expectantly.

"I brought this up to Harry already, and he suggested that we talk to you about it before I talk to my Mind Healer about it. But, um, I have dreams, about the future," Draco said delicately and relaxed when Harry gently grabbed one hand and Dudley grabbed the other to show their support.

"Do these dreams come to pass?" Tom asked and Draco relaxed even more, he had expected some sort of negative response, that Tom was curious was a better sign than he could have hoped for, even with knowing that the older man could be trusted.

"The short terms ones usually do. Like I will dream that it is going to storm, or what we are going to have for dinner. But I've only just recently started to have long term ones and I don't know if they are just hopeful or if they are things that would really happen if things went right," Draco admitted quietly and Tom's expression turned contemplative.

"Well you are getting closer to being 11 years old, young Wizards usually start to come into more magic around that time, yours is just a little early is all. Being a Seer is a rare thing, and often they see possibilities rather than concrete futures, especially the further out those futures are. But I think that there is very little doubt that a Seer is what you are destined to be Draco," Tom said in explanation.

(A/N: Well that's it for now, I plan on having more soon so don't worry, and this conversation isn't over yet. Anyway I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and that you will leave me a review or a comment to let me know what you thought. As always thanks for reading and I hope to see you next time!)

Afterword

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