After they made all the necessary plans for the house and Sirius had written them permission to get access to the Black-Vault, they left the well lit and warm shop. The workers would come the next morning at dawn. Sirius sighed, stretching a little bit. Then he slumped down, sighing. He would have to endure clothes shopping next and this was the HORROR. Narcissa looked giddy instead, eyeing Harry like she already measured him for his clothes. Harry turned to the two of them.
"So, now what is next?" He smiled, looking interested. Doing something with the family was new for him and he was excited. Sirius smiled at him too, nodding over to Narcissa.
"I think my cousin will gut me if we don't go clothes shopping." Harry looked conflicted, then he nodded.
"Okay, but I pay my own." He stated firmly. Sirius sighed, nodding.
"Okay, but I just have to state it again, money is really REALLY not a problem." Narcissa nodded, smiling at Harry.
"He is right, a little bit of clothes shopping is nothing, Harry. You could buy Nimbus and it wouldn't come close to draining the Black Vault, plus whatever sits in the Peverell Vault, no one has opened that one in quite some time I think. Believe me, I did this quite often with Lucius' money and House Black is way more wealthy than House Malfoy. In a matter of fact, I don't think either of you should pay for this, I think Lucius has earned himself the right to pay for this." She waved her Lady of the House ring while smirking a little bit. Harry could only chuckle.
"Well, Lady Malfoy if you insist."
It took them waaaaay longer in the parlour of Madam Malkin. The woman had been delighted and was up to the challenge. For hours, there was fabric held against bodies, different cuts were argued between her and Narcissa. Sirius and Harry had been turned pulled and pushed, spreading their arms, got headshakes and emphatic nods. Madam Malkin swung needle, wand and scissors in an amazing display of work. While Harry did see her work before it had only been with school robes. This was totally different, she seemed like she was in her real element. Sirius and Harry got multiple outfits, quite a few for normal day to day business and a few more formal and classy ones. Sirius made a point buying a new all-leather duelling robe and sending it on to an enchanter for protecting spells.
The very last outfit for both of them was their Lord and Heir robes. Officially there was nothing like that but Narcissa made a point there might be a moment when they had to represent.
Sirius was long, dark green robes with onyx lacings of Acromantula silk. Over his heart was the crest of House Black, embroidered with metal threads. A smooth dark leather belt and high knee boots of the same material. He had to say, while he wasn't a fan of all this House stuck up stuff, he did look dashing in these.
Harry's robes were in the same cut as Sirius, but while he wore dark green, Harry's own were House Black green and a dark blue for House Peverell, with a silver lining. Over his heart was a halved crest, on the one side it had the symbol of House Black, on the other was a strange combination of a Wand in a circle and a few branches of leaves, surrounding the this in a triangle shape. Madam Malkin had frowned, making a disgusted face while she had embroidered it like she was about to say something but then she just shook her head and finished the work. Harry didn't have the confidence to ask her about it. Narcissa demanded the crest was to be put on all of Harry's school robes. Every Heir of a noble house did the same.
Finally, Narcissa had been satisfied by their wardrobes, taking quite a few items home herself. On the way back to the Leaky Cauldron they stopped at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, enjoying a nice ice cream. It was a light moment, happily settled in Harry's heart. This last two days had probably already beaten almost every day of his prior life. At least certainly all the time he hadn't been in Hogwarts or maybe the Burrow last year. Harry was scooping his vanilla and cheery ice-cream into his mouth smiling at Sirius who with utter delight and enjoyment ate his own ice cream. Twelve years with only bad food made him appreciate this so much, he couldn't really comprehend the simple pleasure of an ice cream and even less explain this wonderful feeling. This ice cream tasted like freedom and the end of a long night.
"Sirius?"
He looked up at his godson, who was now clicking his spoon against the bowel. Harry had a thoughtful look on his face, swirling the ice-cream back and forth.
"Yeah Prongslet, what's on your mind? Don't you like the flavour?" Sirius tilted his head to the side, setting down his own spoon. Harry shook his head, while Narcissa, who wasn't a fan of sweets and ice-cream set down her cup of tea.
"When we were at Madam Malkins, while she embroidered the crest on my formal robe, she got this...look. Like disgust or very strong antipathy. I didn't want to ask her about, because...I don't know. And with all the Tom being the former Lord, I just thought. Is House Peverell bad?" He asked with an uncertain look over at his godfather, who sighed, pushing his bowel away.
"No Harry, House Peverell isn't a bad House. The connection between them and Voldemort," Narcissa flinched at the name." isn't known, like I found out today and I was a hit wizard and in the Order during the last war. The reason Madam Malkin was unhappy is that it's the symbol of the Deathly Hallows." Sirius said it like that would explain everything, while Harry blinked at him in utter confusion. Sirius looked back and after a moment tilted his head.
"The Deathly Hallows? The fairytale by Beedle the Bard? About the three brothers that meet death at a river?" Harry blinked still confused, shrugging.
"Sirius, muggle-raised." Narcissa pointed out and tried her best to keep her disgust out of her voice. She managed. Somewhat.
"Ah yes, well it is a story about the Peverell brothers and getting these three artefacts, a wand" His finger drew a line on the table. "a stone." He drew a circle around it. "And a cloak." The triangle appeared. It really looked a lot like the Peverell crest. Sirius brushed it away.
"And what is the problem with this story?" Sirius smiled, shaking his head.
"While it is a pretty dark story, that's not the problem. No, the problem is that the Ubermensch movement used it as its symbol." Harry got a little annoyed.
"And what the hell is the Ubermensch movement?" Sirius looked at him like he was mental.
"What are they teaching you in History of Magic, when...oh yeah, Binns, I forgot. The Ubermensch Movement, or Grindelwald's Army, was a movement in the early 20th century. It was Grindlewalds idea of the wizards rising and controlling the muggles. He got quite a lot of followers and caused a lot of havoc on the continent in particular. France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany in particular have suffered under his terror until Dumbledore defeated him 1945, in the most famous duel of all times. Grindlewald was the worst Wizard of all time until old Voldi took that title from him. Anyway, this symbol is deeply attached to their cause. Madam Malkin is from France, so she remembers it quite a lot. Here in Britain, most people doesn't recognize it at all."
Harry thought for a moment.
"So it is a symbol someone took and tried to turn to his evil means." Sirius nodded in agreement, while Narcissa picked up her tea again, looking down into it.
"Then I will wear it. Make it a symbol of good again, hopefully. I mean, I have been shunned for being a Parselmouth, for the Heir of Slytherin, for a lot more. This will be nothing new." He grinned, while Sirius nodded. Then his godfather raised his head.
"You're a Parselmouth?" He asked his mouth jarring open. Harry nodded, grinning at him.
"Tell me, how that happened and what is it with Heir of Slytherin?" Harry complied.
Finally, they reached Grimmauld Place 12 again, tired from the day. Kreacher popped up, informing them that their belongings were brought to their rooms already and dinner was ready. Quickly the three of them freshened up and met in the dining room to an evening meal.
"So, Siri, where will we go for the next two days?" Narcissa asked, while with the grace of a true lady, cutting her meat. It was a simple but lovely meal of steak, potatoes and spinach. Harry turned his head slightly looking at his godfather, who in return smiled at Harry.
"Well I thought, we could visit your two friends in the meantime. What do you say?" Harry's face glowed with happiness, while Narcissa cleared her throat.
"You mean Weasley and the mudblood?" She asked with a disgusted tone to her voice. Harry's happiness disappeared and he squinted at Narcissa, slamming his fork on the table.
"Narcissa, I know you have different opinions about certain things but these are my friends and their families are very nice people. I will not stand by when you sneer at them! Have you ever met muggles or the Weasleys?"
Lady Malfoy blinked once surprised, squinting back at him. Then she slowly shook her head, a slight red tinge on her cheeks.
"Then don't judge them. That's a...Malfoy thing to do." he spat, pushing his chair back and storming out of the room. Narcissa flinched slightly when he slammed the door. She looked down at her plate, her and Sirius saying nothing for a moment.
"I am sorry Siri." She finally whispered, looking at her cousin. He in return shook his head.
"It's not me you should say that too, while I am disappointed you hold on to these antiquated views. You know what I think about all this pureblood bullshit. They are Harry's friends, the only friends he ever had, the only ones who ever been nice to him. I think words like mudblood are a disgrace to wizarding Britain- you will alienate him. And from what I noticed up until now, I would say you actually like my godson."
Narcissa's features soften a little bit and she nods.
"He is a good and sweet boy. It is nice to have someone who glows when you show them affection, not to sneer on it and be angry all the time." Her mind wandered back to her own son. Oh, she loved him, more than anything in the world, he was the bedrock of her world. But she also wasn't blinded by love and knew he was arrogant and spoiled, a copy of his father, who she detested. As a child, he had been such a jolly fellow, happy and sweet and really cute, but over the years he had grown colder and meaner. He was horrible to the house-elfs and shown the sneer she had seen on Lucius' face so often. Harry was different like he was starved for love and warmth and while she was still a Lady and should stand over these things, it got harder and harder to not let this boy into her heart and it had only been one day yet.
Sirius smiled too, thinking about a few moments he had seen the boy exact the same way. He knew why his Prongslet was this way, had seen how he had been treated, knew what people like the Dursleys were and what he had felt himself in a loveless home. He nodded.
"Yes, he is. And think he likes you too, but you spoke ill of his friends and Harry seems to be one of the really loyal bunch, like his dad."
Narcissa nodded, rising to her feet.
"I will go apologize to him." Sirius nodded, waving his wand to keep the meals warm.
"That's a good idea I think."
Narcissa found Harry in his room, sitting on his bed, Hedwig on his arm and feeding her with small owl treats. The snow white owl ruffled her feathers, enjoying the attention and petting with something you could think was a smile, if a beak could smile.
"Harry?" The boy turned his head and stared at her with anger.
"What do you want? Taunt my friends a little more?" He spat, making Hedwig flap her wings and nicking his arms with her claws. He hissed, then looked back at his owl, petting her as an excuse. Narcissa closed the door behind her, standing with the back to it, holding on to the doorknob.
"No, I came to apologize. What I said was rude and I shouldn't have said it. I am sorry, Harry."
He turned his head, still mad, but at least he talked to her.
"But that is what you think don't you? That the Weasleys are poor people who disgrace our world and that Hermione and her parents are lowlives who are merely better than animals." He spat again. Narcissa sighed and nodded.
"I...can't deny having a prejudice against both of them. My whole life." She steps closer just a little bit. "I was taught they are beneath us, they are not like us and don't deserve being in the wizarding world. My family, the Black family, taught me about blood purity ever since I could walk. After being married to Lucius it hadn't stopped. I never learned it a different way." Harry squinted at her.
"But, that isn't important and that is my problem. What is important is that I insulted your friends, who as I would say after listening to you in the parlour, have been with you through a lot. I don't say I can free myself from my prejudice against them, but what I can promise you, I will try and I will meet them, see what they are made of, for being the friends of my Heir Black. And if I fail and can't overcome my prejudice against them, I promise you I will be civil about it. Would that be okay?" Harry looked at her for a long time, his hand midstroke over Hedwig's back. Then after what felt for Narcissa like an eternity he nodded slowly.
"Fine, I accept, but if you say one bad thing to them, I..." He searched for words.
"I will leave at an instant Harry if I do that." She smiled a little and he returned the smile. Then she waved him over.
"Come let's go back to Sirius, he might have eaten all the steak all by himself." Harry jumped to his feet, grinning himself. Hedwig made an annoyed hoot and returned to her perch.
"If he did, he will pay for it tenfold." stated Harry and he winked at Narcissa.
Together they laughed and walked down the stairs again.