We've got a bit of a time jump here. Eventually, I will be posting a few outtake chapters that I wanted to include in Harry's younger years, but it was a bit too much fluff without plot. I'll post outtakes either at the end of the whole story or as a separate story. I haven't decided yet. It would be a long time to wait if I wait until the end!

I hope you enjoy this one - again, there are some plot points carried over from the old version. There are a lot of new ones in here, too!

The Curiosity that is Draco Malfoy

Four years later – April 3rd, 1985

And just like that, life had gone on for the new little family of four. For four years now, Harry's mother Lily Potter worked four days a week from nine to three and left her son Harry under Molly Weasley's care. Lily would then pick up Harry at about three-thirty and go home to help her elves prepare a meal to feed Sirius, Remus, and the Weasley household. It was what they did in return for their care for Harry. Sirius worked 5 days a week, and sometimes included weekends, with his new partner, Shacklebolt. And Remus jumped between jobs, as he always did. But all of them had one job that was more important than any other – raising Harry. And boy had they put their souls into it. They had scheduled reading or story time, bath time, play time, Quidditch time, snack time, dinner time, bed time, nap time, movie time, you name it. And they all knew the schedule as well as they knew their wands. But to Lily, it was the imperfect moments that made her little family the best it could be. You see, when it was Sirius' turn for story time, he always managed to make Harry laugh the entire way through. And nap time was Sirius' nap time too. Remus, on the other hand, always had Harry trying to read aloud to them like a pro. But Quidditch time frightened him more than it frightened Harry. And Lily's favorite moments of life now were by far when she had her entire family around for Harry's bed time, to tell him stories of his father. Some she told, some she heard. And the imperfect, well that was what made their lives perfect.

Harry himself was turning out to be a bright boy. He had his mother's knack for magic, so far – he had been able to control things she had shown him how to on occasion, such as stuffed animals and flowers. Just as Severus had taught her as a child. His friends were important to him, just as his father's friends had been so important to his father. Without a doubt, she saw his loyalty in Harry through and through. Ron and Ginny were shaping up to be his best friends, and the four days a week he spent with them they were more frequently ending in trouble. He was growing closer and closer to that odd Luna girl and the twins each day.

As far as Harry was concerned, though, today was just another day.

Every day Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and now sometimes Ginny would come up with adventures and games to play. They usually included pranks and dares but that was what made the games fun. Every once in a while, Harry was able to coerce Percy out of his room. Today though, Harry's attempt had failed, and the twins had dared Harry and Ron to steal a broom from the broom cupboard. No child was allowed in the broom cupboard except for Bill and Charlie, who were currently at Hogwarts. Once they had stolen the broom, the two of them were supposed to fly it. Whoever flew the broom first got the Honeydukes chocolate bar that Bill gave George and Fred for Christmas. To Harry and Ron, this seemed like the best dare ever.

Mrs. Weasley, once she found the boys seated side by side on her old Cleansweep, was horrified. "RONALD WEASLEY! HARRY POTTER! DROP THAT NOW!" The broom was beginning to lift them off of their feet and before she could say another word, they fell hard to the ground out of surprise.

"But Mum…" Ron tried to explain to his mother that it was all Fred and George's fault, but he never had the chance.

"NO BUTS. YOU ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE, RONALD WEASLEY! AND HARRY," Harry cringed, "JUST WAIT UNTIL YOUR MOTHER GETS HERE. NOW GET INSIDE, EAT, AND GO TO RON'S ROOM. YOU TWO ARE NOT TO LEAVE UNTIL LILY GETS HERE!"

Harry and Ron sighed but as soon as Mrs. Weasley turned around, they grinned at each other. It had most definitely been worth it since they loved the adventures that they made for themselves every day. Getting into the broom cupboard had been a daunting task and if they had just been a little faster, they could have been trying to fly on a real broom.

They followed Mrs. Weasley into the house and sat down at the table to eat the ham sandwiches that were set out for them. They ate in silence as all the boys ate their food as quickly as they could. Ginny ate with just as much vigor. Just as Harry and Ron were about to leave and go to Ron's room, the door was slammed open and a very loud "HARRY!" could be heard rebounding through the house. Harry and Ron stopped where they were and turned to see who was now in the living room. "HARRY! HARRY WHERE ARE YOU?" Harry recognized the voice to be Sirius's, so he ran over to him.

"Sirius!" Harry said as his godfather picked him up. "Uncle Sirius, why are you here?" Harry was confused. He knew his uncle usually was working at this time.

"She's dead! The Wicked Witch of the West is dead!" Sirius said twirling Harry around and making him giggle.

"Hello and of course you're welcome inside, Sirius." Mrs. Weasley said impatiently to her friend who had just barged into her house unannounced. "May I ask who the Wicked Witch of the West is?"

"It's a Muggle movie reference. I associate her with my mother!" Sirius said joyfully. He stopped spinning Harry around and just held him as he turned to look at Molly. "While I was at work, I received a post that I was now the financial head of the House of Black. Of course, I was when she was alive but now, I have the entire Black estate as well. Because my mother is dead! So, I took the rest of the day off, stopped at Gringott's, and am now planning on taking the lot of you to dinner tonight at a pub."

Harry sat in Sirius's arms quite confused. "Padfoot, why are you happy that your Mum died? I would be really sad." He said quietly.

Sirius stared at Harry. He put the boy down and got down to his knees. "Harry my mother wasn't like your mother. My mother hated me. By the time I was Bill's age she had told me I was no longer her son. My mother was an evil woman Harry, she never could accept me for who I was." Sirius was then no longer serious. "Speaking of mothers, Harry we should go pick up yours! Molly, can you meet at our house at five-ish?"

Molly sighed. She would never understand Sirius or why Lily put up with him. "Sure, Sirius. We'll meet you at five o'clock. Arthur should be home by then."

Sirius smiled widely at her. "Okay Harry. Let's go!" he said as he picked Harry up and ran out of the door.

The Three Broomsticks was somewhere that Harry only got to go on special occasions. Usually these were situations where Sirius got evidence or caught a bad guy since it was his favorite pub. All of the Weasleys, Moony, Aunt Andy and Ted, his mother, and Padfoot were there. Harry smiled since he was sitting between his two best friends, Ron and Ginny. Padfoot told the children jokes and stories about his mother. He even made fun of her weird name, Walburga. "Who names their kid Walburga? God it's almost as bad as Nymphedora!" He said having already had three fire whiskeys that night. "Sorry Andy." Sirius said not actually sorry at all. "Oh look. There's your bastard of a brother-in-law and your oh so lovely sister." His eyes were fixated on three blondes walking into the restaurant.

"Sirius, language!". She looked over to where he was looking and sighed. "Lovely." Lily murmured under her breath.

The blondes came closer when Sirius made eye contact with the man, and Aunt Andy made eye contact with the woman. All Harry could concentrate on was the boy who appeared to be their age trying to keep up with their long strides. The adults began to talk, and their voices got louder. Harry got up from his chair.

"Harryyy! What are you doing?" Ginny sang as she tugged on his shirt so he would look at her.

"I wanna ask him if he wants to play with us." Harry said while pointing at the boy who looked like the yelling that was happening in the adult's conversation was a normal occurrence.

"Oh, good idea Harry. I was getting bored making smiley faces out of ketchup." Ron said, getting up from his chair as well. No one noticed the three missing children because they were all either watching their parents fight amongst themselves, watching Sirius attempt to keep up with any of the conversations, or watching them having a fake pleasant conversation with the boys' parents.

Harry was the leader of the trio. He walked up to the boy and said, "Hi. I'm Harry Potter. This is Ron and Ginny Weasley. What's your name?"

"Draco Malfoy." He said quietly, looking up to his father as if afraid he would find out he was talking to them.

"Do you want to play with us?" Ron asked.

"My father says playing is for babies."

"Playing isn't for babies! Everyone needs to play!" Ginny piped up.

"I don't know." Draco suddenly felt extremely shy.

"Draco Malfoy!" the four children heard a voice bellowing from where their parents were.

"That's my daddy." Draco said. "I have to go."

"DRACO MALFOY. WHERE ARE YOU?" The yell pierced their ears as they all went running back to their parents.

Sirius was bored out of his mind. Running into them was quickly ruining his celebration. Lucius, Remus and Lily were saying their polite hellos. Narcissa was strangely quiet. She was staring at something so Sirius decided to follow her eyes. The alcohol made it somewhat hard (as he'd just had his fourth firewhiskey) but he managed all the same. Draco, Ginny, Harry and Ron were chatting, it appeared. He looked back at Narcissa to see her smiling. Eventually, Lucius seemed to notice that his son was no longer by his side. As Dickface yelled, little Malfoy came. He ran to his father, who began to scold him. Harry and the other two went back into their chairs as the Malfoys went past them. Narcissa stopped to put her hand on his shoulder.

"She's dead, you know." She whispered to him while managing to look extremely natural.

"I know. That's why we're here." He said quietly and felt the lightly placed hand slip from his shoulder. He looked behind him and saw Narcissa shaking her head lightly with a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Draco, on the other hand, was looking at Harry curiously while being scolded by his father.

"Just because we went out for a celebratory dinner doesn't mean I've forgotten that Molly said you stole a broom."

"But Mum, Fred and George – "

"I don't care what Fred and George do or do not do. I care how you respond, and you could have seriously gotten yourself hurt. You know you are only allowed to fly when Arthur, Sirius or Remus are on the broom with you. Go to your room for the rest of the night, and you are not allowed to ask the house elves to put the TV in your room again like last time." She sent her son to bed early with a glass of water. Seeing him spill just a little with every step of the stairs that he took made her smile.

It wasn't often that she needed to punish Harry, but the older the twins got the more they seemed to get Ron and Harry riled up. At some point, she hoped they would calm down but she couldn't help the feeling that she was watching the next generation of Marauders growing before her eyes.

Speaking of Marauders, she glanced over to her living room couch to find the last two passed out and drooling on it. Only Sirius would get himself drunk to celebrate the death of his own mother. She felt her heart twinge. She knew James deserved to be on that couch with them. Thoughts like that seemed to catch her off-guard less often, but it made them more powerful when they came. Smiling sadly, she repositioned them so they'd be less uncomfortable when they woke and covered them with blankets. She went to the kitchen to grab them waters and Advil and left them on the bedside table. Noting that it was only 9 pm and that she was the only one left awake in the house, she wandered up to her own little sanctuary. Over the years, the private library above her bedroom became the place she hunted for answers and made every one of her plans for the future. She refused to be caught off-guard the next time Voldemort rose. Reaching the top step, she reveled in the smell of the old books laid out on her desk and the future renovations of the other old homes that would be their safehouses on the walls. She was surprised to find a familiar old barn owl with a letter attached to its talon on her open window.

She took the letter, fed it the owl treats she had stocked at her desk just for this owl, and watched as it parted ways with her once again.

Lily,

I have yet to discover information in the Hogwarts restricted section in regard to ways The Dark Lord could have survived past death. I am beginning to think that if he learned this information at Hogwarts, it was from a different source. Dumbledore has been collecting memories of those around him during his life, and I am hoping our research will be more fruitful as time goes on with those on our side.

While I know we normally do not discuss such trivial matters, I discovered that my Godson, Draco Malfoy, met your son today. I believe a friend may be a good influence on the boy. Would you come for tea the next time I am watching over the child? If so, I will contact you the next time we are available.

Sev

Lily took a long hard look at the letter in her hands. She and Severus had been in infrequent contact since they had talked that day at Hogwarts. Mostly, it had been about their research. What books they had each delved into, what topics they were trying to cover, what options they had knocked off their list as being helpful. She hadn't shared her research with anyone besides Remus, Sirius, and Dumbledore. Dumbledore kept her updated through Severus, which only helped her trust in him grow. In all their time talking, he had never made a personal request.

And of course, it had to be about her son.

In the last 5 years, she had been extremely picky about who he spent time with. Thus far, she had managed to shield him from the majority of his fame. Allow him to grow up in as normal an environment as he could. Sure, she was probably teaching him a few more magical concepts than most his age would be able to perform, but other than that he was as normal as could be. As happy as could be. While she knew that someday he would have to meet other magical children besides the Weasleys and the Lovegoods, the idea of that day being soon unsettled her. But that day had to come.

Alas, she decided to put her pen to paper, and began to write.

Sev,

I think it is more than time for you to meet Harry in person – see the boy he is becoming. I would prefer for you to have a discussion with Draco beforehand about who he is, and politely ask him not to discuss his fame. I have made Harry aware that the circumstance of his father's death has meant that sometimes we are in the news, but I have not fully informed him of what happened that night because I wish for him to be told when he is able to understand it. While that time is coming, it will not be in the next few weeks.

Please let me know when you are available, and we can work in a time together. I work Monday through Thursdays, and Fridays are the day we learn English and Latin. I think a weekend would be best.

Lily

May 5th, 1985

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Sirius was looking at Lily with a rare, serious, eye.

"I know you don't like Severus, but you and I both know he's never asked me for anything in all the years he's been working on helping us."

"I get that, but does it have to be a Malfoy that we're helping?"

Lily glared at him. "I understand that you aren't a fan of his parents, but the entire reason why we're doing this is because Severus is hoping he won't be so much like them. He thinks there's a potential spark in him, Sirius. And the poor kid has no friends. So yes, it has to be a Malfoy."

Sirius flopped back on the couch and crossed his arms. "Fine. Leave me on this nice spring Sunday morning. It isn't even raining out, and I don't have to work! It would be a perfect day for Quidditch. Especially since we just finally got those anti-Muggle wards up!"

Lily sighed and moved towards the stairs. "Harry?" She shouted, "Are you dressed yet?"

Slowly, a very uncomfortable looking Harry walked down the stairs. They were both in wizarding robes – something Harry only wore on special occasions with Ron's family. "These are not very comfortable, Mummy."

"I know, darling. But we're going to Hogwarts today. Remember, we're meeting someone who will be teaching you in a few years, so we need to look our best!"

Harry's robes were an emerald green – she couldn't help thinking how dashing they were since they matched his eyes. She went for purple, on the other hand. It clashed a bit with her hair, but that was somewhat intended.

"We'll be using the floo, darling. Hold onto my hand tightly!" With a kiss on his cheek, she went to the flames in her fireplace and threw in a handful of the green powder from above the fireplace.

"Give Snivelly my worst, Lils!"

"Hogwarts, Potions Master's Office!"

And with that, they were swirling through the green flames that had appeared before them.

"Draco, calm yourself." Severus drawled at this godson.

His godson had now asked for the third time when this new boy he was actually allowed to play with would be coming. The blonde child in front of him was too impatient. It was one of the primary traits he had inherited from his oh-so-wonderful father. It was one of the many things he was hoping a friendship with Lily's son could put out. If he had inherited more of his mother's traits than his father's, that was.

The flames in front of them began to light up green. It was time. "Remember Draco, on your best behavior. If you don't whine, there may even be an ice cream involved at the end of the day."

"Yes, godfather."

As Lily and Harry walked out of the fireplace, she couldn't help but feel an eyebrow raise. Severus' quarters were just as dark and damp as she had expected, with them being in the dungeons, but they looked lived in. A desk was covered in old open books, a potion was brewing in one of the corners of the room. The floor in front of her was covered in toys that had clearly been used and loved. Next to them, was a boy the same height as Harry. He had bright blonde hair and eyes as grey as the sky on a cloudy day. His godfather towered over him in the way only he could.

Harry looked up at him and clutched her hand tightly.

"Severus, meet my son, Harry Potter. Harry, this is my old friend Severus and his godson, Draco Malfoy." She let go of his hand and gave him a gentle pat on his back. "I see that you have some wonderful trucks there, Draco. Would you like to play with Harry?"

Draco looked up at her. "My father says I'm not supposed to play with others." He looked down at his toys, longingly.

"My mummy says that playing together makes friends. You can have friends, right?"

Draco smiled and looked up at his godfather. "Can I?"

"If you clean when you are done."

And with that, a friendship was born. Lily looked on as her son laughed with the small blonde boy. She listened to whispered jokes and declarations of love and hate over different toys. Their joy captivated her, and she knew she was watching a friendship blossom. Harry and Draco played as Severus and Lily looked on in relative silence, drinking their tea.

After an hour and a half, Lily turned to Severus. "I think it's about time we head out, Sev. Thank you for the lovely tea and the opportunity for Harry to make a new friend."

Harry looked up from where he and Draco were playing. "Do we have to leave, Mummy?"

"I'm afraid so, darling. It's Sunday – we have to help the elves make dinner for the Weasleys."

Draco looked up. "It's okay, Harry. Godfather, can we invite them over again sometime?"

Severus looked at Lily. "I think we could be agreeable to that."

Lily got up to leave and took Harry's hand. She turned to Severus before throwing in the green powder that was now in her other hand. "I hope you know what you're doing, Sev."

She could have sworn that in the green swirl, she heard him say, "I hope so too."

I hope you guys enjoy the chapter! Let me know in the reviews what you think!

Writingblondie