a/n1: Hi there, do you still know me? I know I have been gone for a bit, sorry :/ I had quite a lot to do and my psyche was a b*tch. But here is the new chapter and the next one is already drafted and will be up in a few days, promise! viv-heart continues to put up with my germanisms and just posted an awesome one-shot about Hermione and Pansy being friends, check it out! ;)

Harry shot out of his bed, his wand in his hand and ready to fight anyone in the room. But there was no one, not even Ginny because they decided that they needed a clean break. Harry sat back on his bed and tried to remember what woke him. When something rapped on his window he jumped up and realized why he was awake, but he also knew why he had reacted with drawing his wand. The rapping had sounded like aunt Petunia when she had woken him up when he still lived in the cupboard under the stairs.

Sighing Harry opened the window to let in a regal looking great grey owl. He recognised it as the Parkinson family owl which confused him. Having answered Pansy rather curtly on her note, he hadn't expected her to write him again. He offered the owl a few owl treats and took the two letters from its leg. One was for Hermione, the other for him.

Potter,

Thank you for forgiving me, many don't. I wrote to those who were at Hogwarts and in the DA in the last year and only Longbottom forgave me, so it really means a great deal to me that you do. Aside from you I only wrote to Weasley and Granger, who were with you and not at Hogwarts as well. Weasley didn't even answer. I am not even sure why I care so much about it, it's like an itch I can't truly reach.
Are you returning to Hogwarts for your last year? I know Shacklebolt offered Auror positions to all seventeen-year-olds who fought on his side of the war. To be honest I wouldn't join even if I could. I will definitely need one quiet year at Hogwarts and I wouldn't be sad if I never again had to encounter dark wizards and witches.

(I don't even know why I am telling you this stuff)

Yours,
Pansy

Harry read the letter three times, only then noticing that the owl had perched on his chair, waiting for him to write an answer. He couldn't believe it! Parkinson, who had opposed him all through school, was writing to him as if they were friends! But on the other hand what she wrote about the Auror training had struck something in him. Harry sat on his bed, the letter still in his hands.

Why did he want to join the Aurors? Sure, he had said so when he was in fifth year, preparing for his OWL's, but now? After he had fought a war, fought so many dark wizards and witches he couldn't count them anymore? Harry suddenly wasn't so sure anymore. He hadn't gotten the results of his test at the Auror office back yet, but he was convinced that he managed just fine.

Falling back and staring at the ceiling Harry thought about his reasons to join the Aurors. He had wanted to hunt dark wizards and save people from them. It was expected of him. After all he had skipped his last school year to hunt the darkest wizard Great Britain had seen for centuries.

Ron would join for sure, he was looking forward to it.

But what did Harry want? He wanted to grieve. He hadn't truly had a chance to grieve properly yet. There had always been something else that had needed his attention. If they were accepted, the Auror training would start on the first of July, giving him only a month and a half to come to terms with this new world before the hunting and being needed started anew.

Harry was sick of it. He had sacrificed his youth to the hunt of Voldemort. Ever since the wizard had returned Harry's thoughts had been weighted down by his presence. Always waiting for his scar to hurt, always waiting to hear of more murders and vanishings in the news.

Standing back up Harry decided that he would take his last year and decide on his career afterwards. If he still wanted to be an Auror they surely would allow him that and if he chose another career he would at least have the NEWT's to do so. Only being the "Boy who lived" wouldn't get him too far.

Parkinson,

I don't think I will join the Aurors just yet. You are right (don't get used to it), I think I would enjoy a quiet year at Hogwarts as well, getting used to this new world and all.
I think I understand why so many people didn't accept your apology. You tormented most of them since their first year and those who were at Hogwarts in our fifth year surely remember your behaviour back then. I heard that you were one of the Carrows' favourites. That probably makes it even worse.
Why are you writing me in the middle of the night? It is one a.m. and normal people sleep at that time! And what is your owl's name?

Harry

Lucius woke up early. He had dreamt of Azkaban and while he lay in bed, trying to calm down, he wasn't sure whether it was a memory or a vision. Then he remembered having read that the Dementors had been banned from Azkaban forever. The Prophet claimed that the Department of Mysteries had worked on finding out what they truly were for years. Finally they had concluded that they were the tortured and bound bodies of the sailors Ekrizdis had lured to Azkaban centuries ago and nobody was sure what happened to their souls. After more years of studying old cuneiform writings, the Unspeakables found a Sumerian ritual to get soul-sucking creatures that were used as punishment from the gods. Lucius thought that something like that would have to be magic as dark as Horcruxes, if not worse. They would have definitely needed human sacrifices for it.
The Prophet didn't answer the question of how the Dementors had been banned, just that they were gone…*

Shaking these dark thoughts off, Lucius got up and prepared his things for his morning run. He had remembered how good it had felt in his youth and decided to start again while he was still able to.

When Lucius returned inside he was exhausted. He felt all of his forty-five years and no training aside from duelling in the last seventeen years. He got his everyday clothes and went to take a shower, passing his wife and her sister in the upper floor corridor. They were discussing something quietly and Andromeda balanced Edward on her hip.

Stepping out of the shower he found Narcissa waiting for him, sitting on the closed toilet lid. She smiled and got up while he towelled himself dry.

"How do you feel after your first run since Draco was a baby?" Narcissa asked casually while seemingly checking her make-up in the rather fogged mirror.

"Exhausted and I think I will have sore muscles tomorrow, but after the shower I feel much more alive," he answered pulling on his underpants.

Narcissa chuckled. "Well, I may have a cure for you."

Lucius raised an eyebrow and stopped dressing to try and read his wife's face. Groaning he asked "What is the catch?"

"You will be on your best behaviour towards Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Hermione all day. One slip and you get the ointment, but you will have to apply it yourself. Two slips only half of the bottle and so on," Narcissa said frowning at him sternly.

"You are a true Slytherin, my dear. Lucky for you I already decided to be my most charming to all of them," Lucius answered and put an arm around his wife, hugging her to his side. "I understand why you are concerned, but I think I can reign in my temper."

"I hope so. The cooking will tire you and you are so easily angered when you are tired. I just…I really like having you here with me and not in Azkaban," Narcissa said while hiding her face in his side, sniffing quietly.

"I know, I will do everything I can to stay with you and Draco," he said putting the other arm around her as well and holding her tight. After a while Lucius released her. "I actually wanted to ask you something. With most of our stuff either confiscated due to Dark magic residue or destroyed thanks to our gracious guests I don't think I would feel much at home in the Manor. Maybe we could start anew in a bigger city? A nice townhouse would still be big enough for everything and we would be free of the history in the Manor and I am sure we could-"

Lucius was interrupted by Narcissa's lips on his, kissing him fiercely.

"Oh yes, please Lucius! We could keep the Manor and reconstruct so Draco can live there one day if he wants to. But I won't cry one tear for leaving that dreadful house behind! I think between the two of us we should have enough money for everything," Narcissa beamed at him looking ten years younger and as enthusiastic as she was back in school.

"Alright, we will have to discuss this with Draco of course, but I have an inkling that he will have no objections. Now, may I continue to dress? I don't think cooking basically naked would be healthy."

Narcissa chuckled and gave him a last quick kiss, before leaving him to his clothes and thoughts. Lucius tried to remember how often he had seen her so happy in the years since Voldemort's return. He could count the moments on one hand and vowed to change that. She looked so young and stunning when she smiled like that. Of course Lucius always thought her to be the most beautiful woman alive, but this was different. Narcissa had seemed to glow from the inside as well and he just loved that.

Coming down to the kitchen he heard Draco fretting about his cooking charms skills and smiled. He stepped inside and did only attract Edward's attention, who sat unwatched in his grand-mother's arms, as the two women and his son were bend over a book on the kitchen table.

Picking up little Edward Lucius watched the scene with barely noticeable mirth in his eyes.

"They seem to have forgotten us, don't you think Edward?" he whispered into the baby's ear. It made baby-sounds and Lucius wasn't entirely sure whether they were positive. He had gotten better at interpreting Edward's moods but when Draco had been his age he hadn't been there much. The Dark Lord had sent him to missions rather often back then.

"Well, will poor Edward here have to wait forever for his meal or are we going to start making breakfast?" Lucius drawled in his best detached voice and raised his eyebrow at the two women looking up rather startled.

"Oh, Lucius, I didn't hear you coming in! When did you get Teddy?" Andromeda inquired rather baffled.

"He looked rather lost, so I gently pried him out of your arms," Lucius said with an honest smile. He had learned that Andromeda reacted rather badly on his normally more subtle showing of feelings.

"Alright, may I have him back?" Andromeda asked, smiling as well, and Lucius tried to give the baby back to her, but Edward protest loudly and took hold of Lucius' hair. Narcissa tried to hide her smile behind her hand when Edward changed his hair into the platinum blonde of the Malfoy family. Sighing Andromeda gave up and just went to the table were Edward's already prepared bottle stood.

While feeding the baby Lucius thought about the milk he was feeding him. Like many purebloods he had never had any biology lessons aside from Herbology, but he was rather sure that human milk surely was different from animal milk. Different species and all.

"Andromeda, what am I actually feeding Edward?" Lucius asked the woman bustling through the kitchen, preparing breakfast.

"Hm? Oh, Narcissa didn't tell you? It's a substitute for breast milk the muggles invented for women who weren't able or not willing to breast feed their children," Andromeda answered not stopping in her actions.

Lucius looked up abruptly. "Is there nothing magical? I imagine it would be more advanced than the muggle stuff."

"Actually there isn't," Andromeda explained while setting the table. "The stuff potion companies sell is comparable to the substitutes the muggles used up to the 1930s. It isn't balanced enough for only feeding that and especially not for a one month old infant. There are potions St. Mungo's uses for the orphans, but their ingredients are too expensive for me. If a child is orphaned this young the family normally searches a wet nurse. I probably could find one even in these troubled times, but honestly, who would take the child of a werewolf, even if it was tested negatively on Lycanthropy."

Lucius looked on pensively.

"What are you thinking, father?" Draco inquired, sitting down next to him and putting down the last plate with sausages.

"Well, we have an apothecary, don't we? And I have a feeling the Death Eaters orphaned not just Edward really young. Later on we could export the potion to countries were war is currently a problem," Lucius explained accepting a towel from Andromeda to put over his shoulder so Edward could burp. "It would be a good way to make amends and strengthen our finances."

When the infant had finished Narcissa helped Lucius vanishing the mess and laying the baby down in his crib so they could eat. Andromeda turned down the radio so they could talk better and looked curiously at Lucius.

"You know inventing a potion is a lot of work? Even if you have similar potions at hand?" she asked with interest.

"I do. Severus Snape was a good friend of mine and the youngest potions master to ever achieve his mastery. But I don't want to do it myself," Andromeda frowned at that. "Don't misunderstand me, I am not bad at Potions, but this needs a master with fresh ideas. I was thinking of a potions master who had a basic grasp of muggle science and could study the muggle substitute. After all it is obviously much better than the magical thing."

Draco sniggered at that. "I could have never imagined I would hear these words from your mouth, father," he commented drily. "But I actually think that it is a good idea. Maybe you could approach Professor Slughorn on the subject. I am sure he knows the right people."

Andromeda chewed slowly, obviously thinking about the idea. "Maybe I should bring you in contact with some healers as well. They know more about what is good for an infant than a potions master. I actually think I know just the right person. She is the mother of a recent Hogwarts graduate, Cho Chang? Hsiao-Ying Chang, the mother, mainly works as a midwife now."

"I remember her working for the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes some time ago. When did she change profession?" Lucius inquired.

"After Madam Umbridge threatened Cho to sack her mother if she didn't cooperate and she saw Voldemort in the atrium she didn't want to work for a Ministry that ignored such a threat for so long," Andromeda explained. "She trained as a healer and midwife alongside me shortly before the First War and St. Mungo's gladly accepted her."

"I am sure a healer is a good addition to any team at the DMAC," Narcissa said sipping her tea.

They finished their breakfast talking about other candidates for such a project and the facilities they would need.

a/n2: As always I hope you liked it! Lucius POV actually was planned to be A LOT shorter, that's also the reason the next chapter is already drafted, but he didn't want to shut up and this is the result *sighs dramatically*
*If you want to know more about the Dementors creation and vanishing read my story "On the subject of Dementors", but be warned that is no nice stuff (Dementors aren't nice after all)
Well, I will be working on a presentation for university tomorrow, but I think I will have time to write anyway. See ya soon and Eid Mubarak! :)