Betrayals, Truths and Family

Chapter 5: A Son Makes a New Friend

A week had passed since the twins came to visit, it was now the 9th of August, and Harry was feeling a lot better than he was when he arrived at the Manor he now called home, but he still hadn't worked up the courage to call his father and grandfather by similar names out loud. Tom was also feeling a lot better; his old energy having been renewed.

Harry continued to read books in the library, and he had finished his summer homework to the best of his abilities. He also continued getting to know the men that were the beginnings of his true family. They all spent a lot of time together, other than when Severus was making the potion to make people not feel the effects of the imperius curse anymore, and others which he needed to make to stock up the stores at Hogwarts, or when Tom and Harry were resting, or Harry was studying. Harry was coming to love the men he lived with, but he couldn't say that to them yet. Part of him feared the response since he had never told anyone he loved them before.

Well, that was a lie, he had told Aunt Petunia those three words before and he was punished for it. She whacked him around the head with a hot frying pan. Although the men were getting to know one another, Harry hadn't opened up too much about the abuse he had received the past thirteen years. He hadn't mentioned much that his family did to him, only talking about how he wasn't allowed to do certain things but never telling them about his 'punishments'. He didn't have it in him to talk about that yet.

Harry found his father in the library, reading his favourite potions journal, he was in one of the black wing-back armchairs that sat in front of the large fireplace. Harry sat in the one next to it and Severus looked at him.

"Where's your grandfather?" Severus asked.

"In the garden, he wanted to check on the thestrals that are in the forest, and since I can't see them I figured I would come and find you. I was also wondering if you could maybe see if Draco was available to come here at any point?" Harry replied.

Severus looked shocked at the request.

"Why do you want to see Draco? I thought you didn't like him."

"Well, I don't really hate him, I thought he hated me, you see. He was rather rude to me and my supposed friends after all. And I would have shaken his hand in friendship in first year, had he not been rude, and had Ron and Hagrid said bad things about Slytherin. I mean, I was meant to be sorted into Slytherin, but because of what I learned about the house, and because of Draco being rude and subsequently being sorted into the house, I begged the Sorting Hat to put me anywhere but Slytherin. But that is beside the point, I want to apologise to him, and see if the friendship offer is still open, of course we will have to keep our friendship a secret this year, until my inheritance. I also would like him and some of the other Slytherins to join my group, but I figured that if I talked to him first it would be easier, especially since I have a bigger history with him. And I honestly don't hate him." Harry explained, looking at his lap as a blush lined his cheeks, a blush that caused Severus to smile although Harry couldn't see it.

"Okay. I will floo them now, when would you like to see my godson?"

"As soon as possible please." Harry beamed at his father.

"Okay. Are you going to explain everything to him?" Harry nodded. "Do you want to show him the letter, too?" Harry nodded again. "Okay, I will floo them from this fireplace and see if he can come through right away. If not I will tell him he can come when he's available." Severus said as he stood up and walked to the fireplace, taking a handful of the floo powder from the pot on top of it, throwing it in and stepping in, calling out 'Malfoy Manor', disappearing in the green flames.

It was half an hour later that Severus stepped back through the fireplace, Draco coming through a minute after him. Draco looked at Harry, shocked to see him there.

"Uncle Sev, why is Potter here?" Draco asked curiously.

"So, you haven't told him anything?" Harry questioned Severus.

"No, I figured I would leave the explaining to you since you're the one that wanted him here. I just told him that someone wanted to speak to him about something. Draco, he will explain why he is here and what is going on to you, take a seat, I will ask Pinky to bring you some drinks and snacks. I will also leave you both alone. Please don't hex each other. I will be in my potions lab if either of you need me." Severus replied before grabbing a potions book and leaving the room.

Draco sat in the chair that Severus was sat in when Harry had found him in the library. They sat in silence until Pinky popped in with a tray of snacks and drinks which she placed on the coffee table in front of the chairs.

When she popped back out again Draco gathered the courage to ask a question. "So, why are you here, Potter?"

"To begin explaining that I should probably let you read this first…" Harry trailed off as he took his mothers' letter to his father out of his pocket and gave it to the boy next to him to read.

Draco took the letter in his hand sceptically and read through it, both shocked and somewhat angry and what he read about the Headmaster of his school doing.

"So… You're Severus' son?"

"Yes, he received that at midnight on my birthday and he came to save me from the Dursleys. I have been in the process of healing all week. And getting to know Severus, and Tom, who we have managed to bring back to his body. Severus is working on the potion so he can help the teachers, the Aurors, Sirius and Remus, he's also trying to make enough so that everyone on our side can take it and we won't have to worry about being under the effects of the imperius curse."

"And, you're a submissive Dark Veela?"

"Yes, though, like you, I won't gain my inheritance until my next birthday."

"And your mum was a seer?"

"Yes. And everything that she saw became the truth. So, obviously she can't divulge everything she saw, only the important parts, or parts that don't really make any difference in anything. Like Dumbledore putting my name in the Goblet of Fire. That way I can prepare. Or the fact that I am a submissive Veela because I will know that by this time next year anyway when I will be trying to figure out who my mate is."

"And Dumbledore is evil… not Voldemort… or who we thought was Voldemort anyway?"

"Yes. He is Severus' adoptive father, he's really nice. He's in the forest tending to the thestrals currently. And I believe your parents were on his side in the war, along with Severus, and whoever else that were claimed to be Death Eaters."

"This is a lot to take in." Draco breathed, still in shock.

"I know."

"Why did you want to speak to me?"

"Well, I wanted to apologise, for not accepting your friendship and for everything I have done to you in the past few years. I was also hoping we could be friends, or at least lead up to that. But we'll have to keep it secret for this year, once I have my inheritance though, and the charm breaks, we can reveal our friendship as everything, or a lot of the truth will be revealed then. I was also hoping that you would be part of my group. It will be a group of friends, or at least people I hope will become friends eventually, and we will help each other train since I assume Dumbledore will want a war eventually. There will be people from each house in it, that way we can keep an eye on what is going on in each house, and figure out how to help if help is needed. I also think that it's time for some house unity, especially with Dumbledore still in charge and trying to take on the world. The staff at Hogwarts, Severus, Tom, hopefully the ghosts and some of the portraits, as well as some others from outside the school will be part of the group as well. We need to find out as much as we can about Dumbledore and what he's planning, as well as what he is already doing. So, er, do you agree?"

"I agree." Draco said with a small smile on his face, he could tell Harry was nervous. "Have you got anyone to be in it yet?"

"Yes. Fred, George, Bill and Charlie Weasley. They're the only Weasley's on my side, the only ones I can trust. I spoke to them the other day. They are keeping an eye on their family and Hermione for me because their family are working for Dumbledore."

"Okay, do you know who else you want to get in the group?"

"Neville, Dean, Alicia, Lee, Colin, Dennis, Susan, Hannah, Ernie, Justin, Cedric, Anthony, Isobel, Lisa, Terry, Luna, Blaise, Daphne, Theodore, and Tracey. Do you reckon the other Slytherins I mentioned would want to join? Do you know anyone else that would want to join?"

"Yes, those Slytherins would want to join. Our parents worked together with your father and grandfather, and they all distrust Dumbledore. I could speak to them if you want, and try and get them to come over here at some point so you can explain to them. They love Uncle Sev, so once they find out you're his son they would treat you like they would any Slytherin. I don't know of anyone else who would want to join currently, but I can ask around, discretely of course, and see if anyone wants to join. We can't trust Crabbe, Goyle or Pansy though. I believe their families are all under Dumbledore's thumb. None of our parents have ever seen their parents around your father and grandfather, or mentioned them, so I think they are what people claim our parents to be, Death Eaters, and that they are working for Dumbledore since it seems that he is actually the leader of the Death Eaters."

"Okay, thank you. I probably wouldn't have chosen them anyway, they seem a bit rough compared to the rest of you."

"Oh, they are. So, how are you coping with all of the chages?" Draco asked hesitantly, not knowing if he overstepped his boundaries.

Harry smiled sadly, "Better than I was. It's hard, knowing that I've been lied to and manipulated all of my life. And I still have nightmares about my life with my aunt and uncle. I don't really talk about it, but Severus and Tom help me through them, they comfort me the way that no one else has comforted me before. And It's nice, I feel loved for the first time ever. And I love them, I'm just scared of admitting that to them. I'm also scared of calling them 'dad' and 'grandpa', even though that is what I think of them as. I haven't had a family before, not a proper one anyway, and I don't want to mess it up. I pretend that I'm okay, but on the inside I don't know what to do. I love living here, I love them, I just don't know how to admit it. I'm so scared, terrified even. I have the one thing I have always wanted, and I am terrified of losing it. And of everything else. So I revert back to my coping mechanism of pretending that I'm okay on the outside, because I am scared of showing what's on the inside. Which really is just one big mess of fear, confusion, betrayal, anger and a lot of other things. I don't really know how to cope, but I'm getting there, I think. I'm getting better now that I have people who actually love me and aren't using me." Harry spoke all of that whilst staring into the fire in the fireplace, not noticing the sadness in Draco's eyes as the blonde boy stared at his new friend sadly.

"You should speak to them, you know. Talking helps. And I'm sure you won't lose them by telling them you love them, or by calling them by what you want to call them. When Severus arrived at the Manor today I had never seen him so happy. Before there was always something holding him back from being truly happy, but now he is, and I know it is because of you. I don't think anything you do could make him any less happy. Especially if you tell him you love him, or call him 'dad'." Draco said softly. Harry looked at him, smiling a small smile.

"I know that. I know all of that. But I… I just can't."

"Okay. But, if you want to talk to someone, you can talk to me. Until you're ready to talk to them that is."

"So, how has your holidays been so far?" Harry asked Draco, smiling brightly as he changed the subject.

They spent a good few hours discussing school, Quidditch, and other things. None of them mentioning Harry's past, or their old rivalry. Severus found them just before dinner was due to start, laughing and joking with each other. He smiled at them from the doorway before walking over to them.

"Draco, you are welcome to join us for dinner if you wish. Your parents gave their permission for you to be here. But you have to go home straight after." Severus told his godson gently, smiling at both boys.

"Okay, Uncle Sev." Draco replied, smiling brightly at him.

The three headed to the family dining room where Tom was waiting for them. As they ate they talked about a lot of different things, and laughed a fair few times as well. After the meal Draco said goodbye to Harry, surprising the boy by hugging him and promising to write, then Severus lead him back to the fireplace.

…

That night Harry had a particularly bad nightmare about one of his uncle's most viscious beatings, mixed with Dumbledore torturing the four Weasley's that still cared as well as Draco.

When he was woken by his father and grandfather he couldn't help but calling them what he had desperately wanted to call them for the last few days.

"Daddy, grandpa!" He whimpered before the sobs tore through his body.

He was soon wrapped in the arms of both men, hearing their comforting words in his ears as they rubbed his back or ran their fingers through his hair. They told him over and over that they loved him, that is was all going to be okay, that they were there for him and always would be. And it just made him cry harder, because someone actually cared about him, loved him.

For once in his life he had a true family. And he didn't want them to go away.

Hey, I hope you are all well and that you enjoyed this chapter.

I will update again when I can.

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