Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

A.N

Oh! Please don't hurt me!!! I am so sorry. I was going to give this up, but DarkWitch16 emailed me today and well... I guess I got the prod I needed. This chapter isn't very good, it's more like a placement chapter to get the story to where I want it. I'm sorry for disappointing you all. The next one will be better, and I'm really looking forward to writing it so, please bear with me, the wait will not be nearly as long as the last. I know you're probably sighing thinking it'll be another few months... but don't worry my muse has been quite hyper lately, it'll make sure I update.

Also, I changed Harry's age. Due to the way he has been acting and also to suit my purposes he and Draco are now 10. Whether or not they might be attending Hogwarts early...

I don't know where I got the name Brant from, if anyone has any problems with it please tell me.

Chapter 6

"Gentlemen, I am not sure that Harry is quite up to this sort of ... debate," Dumbledore said gravely as he entered the solicitor's office. He had just allowed Draco to join a most distraught Harry in the waiting room. Now the situation of Harry's guardian was to be argued out.

"What he needs is a loving home!" Sirius barked, "the sooner he settles in the better."

"And of course he'll be just dying to go home with a stranger," Lucius sneered, his icy eyes mocking Sirius.

"I was appointed Godfather."

"But not by his real parents," Lucius pointed out with a smirk. Sirius immediately leapt to his feet.

"Lord Voldemort is NOT HIS FATHER!" he yelled.

"Calm yourselves and please refrain from such childish bickering," Dumbledore cut in before anything could get out of hand, "when Harry is ready we will run tests to find out his real father. Meanwhile I believe he and Draco are being collected now.

They are very frightened children, so I must ask you all to be gentle with them and each other."

Sirius managed to look slightly guilty, but continued to glare at Lucius. The solicitor rifled his papers on the desk and blew his nose loudly, in a rather revolting manner that increased Lucius' sneer. It was a small, stuffy box like office and all of them wished to be in a more comfortable room.

"Mr Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, Sirs," announced a voice from outside the door.

"Oh yes, yes, bring them in," called Mr Brant, the solicitor who appeared particularly excited at handling such an important case.

Two ministry officials pushed in the dubious looking Draco and Harry, who looked positively miserable.

Sirius and Lupin both let out gasps. Harry did look exactly like James. Sirius made as if to go and hug his Godson, but Lupin placed a hand on his arm to stop him as Draco

moved in front of Harry protectively.

Snape slowly looked up and glanced around the room, his eyes quickly brushing over Harry as the little he saw of him the better. He noticed Lucius and Draco exchanging smirks and how Harry looked slightly more comfortable when he saw Lucius.

"H-Harry?" Sirius whispered. The boy in question made no move, preferring to stare at the floor instead.

"Leave him alone," Draco ordered stoutly, "are you getting custody of us, Father?"

"Let us hope so, Draco, Harry," Lucius replied and for the first time Harry looked up managed a small smile when Lucius looked at him.

The laws went that each adult would state and argue their case for trial custody with the solicitor. This would be a temporary trial at first which could be lifted at any time. Dumbledore and the solicitor would decide in the end. If no decision could be reached the children could be made wards of either Hogwarts or the Ministry.

"Right," the solicitor mumbled, pausing to blow his nose on rather soggy looking handkerchief, he had dark brown hair, slicked back with about five bottles of gel, "we are here to decide on whom should be given the temporary custody

of Mr Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy."

"Shouldn't that be Harry Voldemort?" Draco murmured quietly to Harry, who smirked and shrugged.

"Mr Malfoy - if you would like to state your case first?

"I'd be delighted," Mr Malfoy stood up, standing so that he seemed to be towering over everyone else (except Dumbledore of course), "I have been raising Draco, my son, all these years and see no reason as to why I should not continue doing so. My name has been cleared by the full Wizengamot and I have apt experience with young children. I understand Mr Potter's position with his previous carers, the Dursleys, and have come into close contact with Lord Voldemort himself-"

"Yeah very familiar with the hem of his robes aren't you, Death Eater," Sirius muttered, but got nudged into silence by Lupin.

"- and therefore will be able to understand Harry more. He already knows me and his best friends with my son... Harry also knows my wife, and a motherly figure is surely essential in raising children. I have my formal documents here."

"But you admit to being a Death Eater," Mr Brant asked.

"I was cursed."

"Twice running, you do seem to be rather susceptible to the Imperius, Mr Malfoy," Dumbledore interrupted, "surely after being under it's influence the first time you might have taken lessons to prevent it happening again. I seem to remember this being one of the conditions under which the court released you with.

"Of course, Professor Dumbledore, but we are talking about the most powerful wizard in the world. Perhaps if he believes me weaker than I am I may have a chance of saving or bargaining Harry off him if the dark Lord does decide to kidnap him again."

"Or will your weakness to the curse make it all the more easier for him to take Harry?" Dumbledore wondered aloud. Lucius breathed heavily and kept his posture straight, suppressing the urge to scowl and say something equally scathing about Dumbledore's own attempts to look after Harry.

"Alright, Gentlemen, moving on ... Mr Black would you like to go next?"

"Erm... right yeah," Sirius stood up and shook his long hair out of his face. Remus smiled encouragingly at him whilst Lucius snorted. Mr Brant looked at him expectantly, Harry stared at the floor.

"Well, Lily and James made me Harry's Godfather should anything happen to them. I've been unable to fulfil their wishes due to being sent to.... well, yeah, and I've always loved Harry. I used to look after him loads when he was little. So well, I'd just like to have the chance to again. Remus and I are putting up a cosy cottage, he'll be staying there with us. Remus is a qualified teacher so he knows a lot about looking after children. I myself had a rather... well... difficult childhood and I think I know how to relate and look after Harry."

"I'm sure Mr Lupin can teach young Harry all about being a werewolf," sniggered Malfoy. Harry looked up curiously at this.

"I will be going to a separate holding every full moon and the recently discovered wolfsbane potion will make sure that I am not dangerous," Lupin replied evenly.

"You are a registered werewolf then, Mr Lupin?" Brant questioned.

"Yes. I am also a great friend of James and Lily and will always be to that family."

"They're not my parents!" Harry shouted suddenly, startling everyone except the

Malfoys, who had been waiting for this outburst. Harry had gotten tired of hearing everyone act as if they were, and the way they seemed to think knowing them automatically meant they knew him. Where was Lord Voldemort? Where was his own Father? How dare they, Dumbledore and the Ministry always ruining everything. Just when he had gotten away from the Dursleys to a place where he felt happy and already they had interfered.

"Harry-" Remus and Sirius looked quite pained.

"This meeting is not to discuss Harry's parentage," Dumbledore pacified, "later on, when Harry is more settled, we will take the necessary means to find out, as I explained earlier. Now... thank you Sirius do you have anything else to add? You have also applied for custody of Draco, is that right?"

"If the Ministry finds Lucius Malfoy and unsuitable guardian I will be more than willing to..."

Lucius scowled darkly.

"Ok, anything else?"

Sirius shook his head slowly, so Dumbledore and Brant turned to Snape.

The Potion's Master's speech was short and to the point, declaring himself as a neutral party who could bring up Harry without spoiling the "brat-err-boy".

"Very well," Brant nodded to the company. A moment for Professor Dumbledore and I to discuss this." He retreated through a back door, leaving everyone nervous and worried.

"It'll be ok, it'll be ok, it'll be ok," Draco kept whispering to Harry. Draco looked

at his friend, concerned. Harry was trembling, keeping his head down so that his unruly black mop covered his face.

"It's ok. It's ok," Draco continued, reassuring himself as much as Harry. He realised that he was not acting in the most appropriate manner for the Malfoy heir, however the last few hours had been rather traumatising for the ten year old.

"We have reached a decision," Brant announced as he and Dumbledore stepped back into the room, "the custody of Draco Malfoy is to go to his father, Lucius Malfoy-"

Harry and Draco stared at each other. Did this mean...?

"Sirius Black is to receive trial custody of Harry Potter."

* * *

Harry had no belongings to collect, no reason to stay at the Ministry any longer except for not wanting to parted with his friend. The man with brown hair and streaks of grey had told him in kindly voice that he was sure they could meet up, but Harry didn't know whether to believe him or not. Lucius Malfoy had been furious at loosing Harry and made a great fuss. Now Harry was being dragged away from the only people he felt safe with.

The man with the voice like a dog, Sirius, had tried making conversation. However Harry looked down at the ground, appearing to fascinated with the ants, and refused to talk. He flinched away whenever Sirius or Remus touched him. He hated it.

Harry let them lead him into a car, not really seeing anything.

Next Chapter: Sirius and Remus discover that Harry is not quite what they were hoping, and many problems arise with having him in their home.

Also, Voldemort is furious and Pettigrew does some spying.

Please review, all comments and criticism make my day and are likely to get the update up sooner. (: