Two

Draco and Harry were up and out of the dorm by seven the next morning. They were talking animatedly as they entered the hall, their attention only on each other. Harry, though, noticed the significant looks that Dumbledore and Jamie Potter seemed to be giving each other. Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Harry filled his plate with food. Draco did the same thing, pretending not to notice how everyone in Gryffindor was staring at them. Really, of course, he was hyper-aware of this fact. The Gryffindors weren't exactly quiet about it, after all. Draco could hear their astonished whispers from all the way across the hall.

The owls started pouring in at seven fifteen and Harry quickly recognized the Potter Family Owl flying towards him. Attached to its leg was a red envelope. James Potter was the biggest idiot Harry had ever had the misfortune of knowing. And he'd just sealed his death warrant. Harry fought back his smirk as he slit open the Howler. He glanced up at Severus and the man nodded, telling him without words that Lucius was already on his way to the ministry to file the adoption papers. As soon as Severus got Harry to his office, they would meet with Lucius and sign the papers.

"I, JAMES HENRY POTTER, HEREBY DISOWN HARRY JAMES FROM THE POTTER CLAN. NO LONGER WILL HE SULLY OUR FAMIY WITH HIS DARKNESS."

James hadn't said anything else but he didn't need to. Harry felt the burst of magic run through him, disowning him magically from the Potter Clan. He didn't bother to pretend that he was heartbroken over it. Harry didn't think he could act properly upset when he was this happy. Instead, he turned to Draco and smiled before digging into his breakfast again. He wasn't expecting it when, a few moments later, an older boy with longish blonde hair and blue-gray eyes came to stand behind he and Draco.

"Harry, I'd like you to meet my brother. Asterion Black Malfoy, heir to the Black Clan."

Harry smiled at the boy. "It's nice to meet you Heir Black."

Asterion smiled at him. "Please, call me Asterion. Or Ast."

"Asterion then."

"Professor Snape would like to see you in his office to discuss what has just happened, Harry. If you'd follow me."

"Sure. I'll meet you by the lake after I'm finished, Draco."

Draco nodded, a small smirk playing on his lips.

Asterion led the way to Severus office. When they were far enough away from the Great Hall, he grinned at Harry and began to laugh.

"You're brilliant. Father is so bloody excited about all this. He was up most of the night discussing things with mother." Asterion said, grinning at Harry.

Harry laughed. "I'm pretty excited myself."

"I'll be staying for the meeting. I'm going to be a Family Head soon and Father wants me to learn about things like this. I'll be expanding Black family by way of adoption soon and I'll need to know how to do it."

Harry smiled. "Good idea. Your first order of business should be to eject Sirius Black formally from the family. At the moment, he's still able to get into the family vaults."

Asterion nodded. "I'll have to go to Gringotts tomorrow in order to do that. They're not fond of Sirius anyways so I don't expect any trouble."

They'd reached Severus office. Asterion held the door for Harry and then stepped in after him. Lucius Malfoy was already waiting for them, a stack of papers already sat before him. He and Severus were talking quietly, drinking identical cups of tea. Lucius and Severus look up at the sight of Asterion and Harry, their faces breaking into smiles.

"Asterion, I hope you are well my son." Lucius said, smiling at his eldest son.

Asterion nodded. "I am, Father. And yourself?"

Lucius' smile was wide. "I am very, very well." He said. Turning to Harry, he gives a welcoming smile. "It's nice to meet you, young Harry."

"It's nice to meet you as well, Mr. Malfoy."

"None of that, now. We have to present a united front. In public, you must call me Father. In private, however, I would like you to call me Lucius."

Harry nodded. "Of course. It is very important that we keep up a united front. When will this be public knowledge?"

He sat down and began signing the papers. Lucius has already signed them, his signature neat and fluid.

"This afternoon. I've asked for a press release to be sent out stating that I have formally adopted you."

"What reasoning did you give?"

Lucius smiled. "I told them a white lie. You and Draco, my youngest son, had been friends since you met in Diagon Alley. When you were disowned by the Potters, I stepped in because I wanted to help a young Slytherin."

"It's close enough to the truth that it won't matter much. What about timing? This is all very quick."

Again, Lucius smiled. "I was already at the ministry, meeting with Minister Fudge, when the disowning was made public. I immediately left and came through to visit Severus. Severus called an audience with you via my oldest child and...there we have it."

Harry nodded, sitting back in his chair. "I like it. It rings true. And it makes me sound like an innocent victim. That'll appeal to the masses." Harry said quietly.

Lucius smiled. "Smart boy."

Harry grinned, finishing up the last of the paperwork. When he was finished, there was a bright flash of golden light and Harry realized that the adoption had been accepted by magic itself. Severus and Lucius grinned at each other as Asterion clapped him on the shoulder.

"Welcome to the family officially, little brother." Asterion said.

"Thank you Ast."

"There are no classes today so you're free to do whatever you'd like. Stay away from Jamie Potter, though. If he approaches you, you are welcome to defend yourself but I don't want any unnecessary fights." Lucius said.

Harry made a face. "Trust me, I have no intentions of meeting Jamie anywhere. And if he tries meeting with me, I'll just pretend he doesn't exist. He knows better than to attack me by now."

"Then you're welcome to get going. I'm certain Draco is dying to know how things went in here." Lucius said, a small laugh escaping him.

Harry gave one last smile to the three men before turning and leaving the office. There was a smirk on his face as he turned the corner towards the stairwell. Unfortunately for Harry, his good mood was not to last. He heard Jamie Potter shout the Bone Breaking Curse and felt the immense pain of nearly every bone in his body shattering. His world went black just before Asterion's angry voice was heard echoing down the corridor...