VI.

"We have to get our stories straight," Theo hissed to Harry as they made an elaborate show of handing their coats to an ingratiating maitre d'e. The Malfoy's had guided them down a narrow alley to an elegant door. After a year and a half in the wizarding world, Harry was no longer surprised to see that the door opened into an entirely different world.

The restaurant was expansive- floating lights hung over tables creating small pools of light and intimacy like islands on a wine-dark sea. Waiters move silently between tables replacing plates and filling drinks so quickly that they could have been magic. Uncle Vernon boasted of the dinners his company hosted in some of the fanciest restaurants in London, but he doubted that any of them held a candle to this place.

"Everything alright, my dears?" Lady Malfoy called to them and Theo quickly handed over his cloak.

"Oh yes," He said with a thin smile, "Um, would you excuse us for a second?"

"We need the restroom," Harry finished without thinking.

. . . . . . .

"Ok, what's the story," Harry whispered, once they were well away from the Malfoys. "Could we just tell them that I arrived at Hogwarts by magic?" Theo frowned hard at his clenched hands, then shook his head.

"They'd ask too many questions- and I can't just have you show them the proof. That's not allowed." The boy crossed his arms tight around his chest and then straightened with a smile. "We'll say you were stolen. As a baby. By muggles!"

Harry blinked in amazement, "Does that…. Does that happen? Often?" Theo waved a hand dismissively. He was clearly already thinking through the entire lie, looking for weak points,

"We were born- January 23rd, by the way- twins. But- at St. Mungo's, I think - an Order Member tried to steal us- but only successfully got you-"

"Order Member?" Harry interrupted.

"Order of the Pheonix. They were terrorists. They did lots of things like stealing babies and attacking the weak, or so Lord Nott told me." Theo shrugged and returned to spinning his story, "So they stole you and - and- gave you to Muggles. To try and convert you!"

"Only the Muggles didn't like magic," Harry added, thinking about his childhood with the Dursleys, "So they made me clean, and cook all their meals, and locked me in the cupboard under the staircase to sleep!"

Theo gave him an odd look, but nodded- accepting the elaboration of the story, "But you escaped- through- through- accidental magic! You apparated to Hogwarts on sheer instinct!"

"But during the process I lost most of my memories. But luckily Snape found me and brought me to you!" Harry concluded confidently and the two children grinned at each other in excitement. "It's a perfect story."

. . . . . . . .

"That is quite the story." Lucius Malfoy said after a long moment of silence. Draco was sitting opposite them, his mouth gaping like a fish. At the other end of the table, Lady Malfoy was sniffing and dabbing at her eyes.

"Yes," Harry said, spearing another piece of fish with his tiny fork and lifting it to his mouth, "That's what happened. I don't remember much, but I am glad to have found Theo again."

"To think," Lady Malfoy whispered, stowing her handkerchief in her small, gilt purse, "That Dumbledore would go so far to discredit our Pureblood lines."

"Dumbledore?" Harry asked in shock. Dumbledore would never steal babies! Not the grandfatherly old headmaster of Hogwarts. That man was so kind. And had sat with him last year to eat candy and tell him about his mother's love.

"He's the leader of the Order of the Pheonix," Theo whispered, "He hates Slytherins. And Purebloods. And anyone who disagrees with him."

Draco proved to have as sharp of hearing in a restaurant as he did at school because he immediately interrupted, "But he loves Harry Potter. Perfect Potter- can never do anything wrong-"

"That's enough Draco." Lucius snapped without looking at his son. Draco immediately shut his mouth and applied himself to his own fish for which Harry was very grateful. If they ever found out who Harry actually was, it would be so completely embarrassing.

"You don't think Narcissa-" Lucius was frowning past his wife as he tapped his knife against the edge of his plate. The gentle ting ting ting was absorbed into the velvety darkness around their table.

"It would be very convenient," His wife demurred, "If Lord Nott had been sent away-"

"And something unfortunate happened to his heir-"

"Then to reveal the long lost daughter-"

"Who just so happened to be able to revive the ancient and Nobel line-"

"While being firmly pro-muggle and Dumbledore-"

The adult Malfoy's gave each other a significant look as their voices trailed off into silence. Then Lucius fixed his eyes on Harry. There was a predatory, calculating look in his eyes that Harry didn't like.

"Theodore, you are quite sure that this girl is your sister?" He asked sharply. Theo jumped.

"Um, yes. She is," He said forcefully and Harry flinched internally. Maybe he should have told Theo- right from the beginning- but he couldn't say anything now. Not with the Malfoy's right there. "The family magic's respond to her."

"And what does your father say about this?"

Theo stiffened, "He is away right now." He said flatly.

There was another long moment of silence where Theo studied his plate, Lucius studied Theo and Narcissa studied her husband. Across the table, Draco sent Harry a sympathetic look. Apparently, these half conversations and considering silences were quite common in the Malfoy household.

Finally, Lady Malfoy broke the silence, by rising to her feet. "I am so sorry to cut our wonderfully informative dinner short," She said sweetly, crossing over to kiss first Draco and then Lucius on the cheek, "But I am afraid that I have several letters to write and must bid you adieu. Theodore, darling, do give our love to your father the next time you see him. And Dorothea-" Harry found himself lifted to his feet and enclosed in a desperate, tight hug. He froze for a second but found himself returning the gesture to Lady Malfoy. She leaned down and whispered in his ear.

"Dorothea, we are so, so grateful that you found your way back to us. You are never going to be alone again." Then she pulled back and placed a hand under Harry's chin, raising his head to look at her, "I've always wanted a daughter, you know. We simply must have you over for tea soon. There is so much you need to learn about your culture."

With a rush of silver robes, Lady Malfoy disappeared into the darkness and Dorothea took a shaking seat next to Theo. Under the table, she reached for his hand and squeezed it.

"So Dora- do you mind if I call you Dora-" Draco asked brightly, "Where do you think you'll be sorted?"

. . . . . . . .

"Is it true?" Theo asked, as soon as they had collected their cloaks, bid farewell to the Malfoy's and approached the floor.

"Is what?"

"That you were actually stolen by Dumbledore and given to muggles?" Theo's thin face looked pinched in worry. Harry shifted uncomfortably, grabbing a handful of floo powder.

"I don't know," He hedged, "I don't have my memories."

"Yeah- but-" Theo grabbed her arm before Harry could throw the powder into the fire, "You know how to cook obviously. And without magic. You didn't have a wand. You don't have your memories, I know, but you made up a lot of details really quickly for our story." Harry bit his lip and glanced at the toes of his new shoes. He had added in a few stories of his life with the Dursleys, changed a little to protect them, to give their lie more weight.

It had been satisfying to see Draco's eyes light up with horror when Harry mentioned wearing the hand me down clothes and having to spend hours gardening in the summer. No one- not even Ron and Hermione- knew the full extent of the story. Though Ron did know about the bars on the windows of his room, his friend had never asked for more details or seemed particularly upset after talking to his parents.

Harry glanced up and searched Theo's face, "Does it matter?" He finally asked, "If it was true?"

Theo shook his head and wrapped his arms tightly around Harry. "You're my sister, Thea. Nothing else matters."

. . . . . . . .

Euphie was waiting for them as they stepped out of the fire. She was leaning on a cane and wearing a heavily embroidered, if very old, pillowcase. Theo immediately picked himself off the ground and ran to her, with Harry close on his heels.

"Euphie! What are you doing out of bed? You need to rest!"

"Master and Mistress Nott," The house-elf rasped, "There is a Mr. Dumbledore waiting in the sitting room for you."

Theo and Harry exchanged a startled look- horrified on Theo's face and guilty on Harry's. He had been gone from Hogwarts for over a whole day and hadn't even checked in with Professor Dumbledore of his friends.

Theo grabbed her hand and began tugging her desperately to the opposite corridor. "Quick, we can hide you in the storerooms. He'll never find you there-"

"Ah, Mr. Nott and our mysterious guest," a familiar voice called out. The two children froze and turned to see Professor Dumbledore silhouetted in the door frame. "I believe we have some things to discuss."

. . . . . . .

A/N: Thank you for reading the story. Your follows, favs, and reviews make my day!

To the guest: thank you for your reviews! Yes, it is better for everyone that Lord Nott is not around, but Harry has an idealized idea of family relations still.

Also, as to why Draco is out of Hogwarts for the day- the Malfoy's decided that while Lucius is under investigation for dark artifacts, maybe it's not a good idea to have the precocious, bad with secrets Draco strutting about the house, especially when he wanted to stay in the castle for the drama? But Narcissa still wanted to spoil him, so they took him to Diagon Alley for an early christmas gift.