The boy's father briefly glanced at Harry and Ron before putting on a sneer that attempted to hide his true emotion, which Harry swore looked remarkably like fear, not just uneasiness.

"So," he said with a drawling tone, "you're the two no-good boys who sized up my son and scared him out of proper robe fitting."

Lily opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, a cool voice carried over the blond father's shoulder. "Yes, it would. And who might you b—Lucius Malfoy…" James added, as he and Sirius returned.

"No good?" Sirius quipped, as the entire family jumped and turned around. "I'm not sure you of all people have the right mind to call these two boys no-good, with the company you hung around with, Lucius," Sirius finished.

"What do you mean "the company I hang around with"?" Lucius snarled at Sirius. His son, Draco, and wife, Narcissa, were hanging back, with Draco tucked around him mother's waist.

"You know good and well what I mean," Sirius retorted. "Your sister-in-law is a right piece of work."

"I do suppose, but only four, now two, hold the right to insult Bellatrix Lestrange like that," Lucius breathed, his hand moving to the inside of his robe.

"Oh? And who might that be? You and this bat?" Sirius fired back.

"That's it!" Lucius withdrew his wand, but barely got "AV-" out before being Disarmed by Percy, Molly, and Lily, sending him flying back about 5 feet. The three quickly stowed their wands as Remus and Arthur came running up, no doubt back from broom shopping. Remus quickly pinned Sirius' arms to his side and marched him away, Narcissa and Draco ran to check on Lucius, James and Lily took Harry, bid Molly, Arthur, and Ron a quick goodbye with the promise they would meet at the Leaky Cauldron, and they made their way back to the hotel.

Once back in the hotel room, James turned on Lily.

"What in Merlin's name was that?!" he demanded, as Lily sat Harry on the bed and began pacing.

"You weren't there, and that was the only way to stop him! You know how Sirius and Lucius can get! It's lucky we were there, because who knows what would have happened?"

"All right, all right… You're right. If Sirius and Lucius had gone toe to toe, it could have been carnage like 11 years ago with Pettigrew," James replied.

Harry, seeing there was silence and having never once seen such a stern display from his father (or godfather for that matter), seized the moment: "Mom said stay away from that family. Who are they, and why are they so bad?" he asked his father.

Lily moved as if to stop the explanation that was no doubt about to occur, but with a wave, James quieted her. "It's alright, dear," he said rather tenderly. "Harry deserves to know-" "Only what he can handle," Lily hissed in his ear.

James sighed. "Those, Harry, are the Malfoys. They were in Lord Voldemort's inner circle. Some of his closest lieutenants as well…well, before I killed him."