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A proper family

By Jamnaz79

Notice: I do not own Harry Potter. I do not wish to make any money off of this or anything other than enjoyment. I write this only for the purpose of enjoyment for the readers out there that love the works of Ms. Rowling. I just hope folks enjoy this small possible story.

Minister's Boardroom

"I am sorry Albus but it has been decided that this is how it shall be." Millicent Bagnold spoke calmly and clearly at the most powerful wizard in Britain. Her tired brown eyes met the gaze of the ancient wizard with his twinkling sparkling blue eyes. Her lips were pressed together firmly into a line, determination filling her exhausted look. "I know that you want the boy to be in the safest place but the law is the law."

"They were not close kin, they could easily turn on the boy especially with the suspicions of Lucius." The head of the Wizengamot stated with a firm determination still on his face. It had been a hard week, a costly week that could now be all for naught. The situation he found himself in was one that he did not expect.

"You know as well as I that this week Lucius has been cleared of any wrong doing." Cornelius Fudge spoke up; the man had risen in the war and become the Head of the Department of Magical accidents and Catastrophes. It was a believed fact that the man was open for payment anyway the wind blew for folks that needed a vote in the Wizengamot which the Department Head position provided.

"There is no other option for the boy as per the law. An heir of Ancient family cannot go to a muggle family despite your assurances Albus," Saul Croaker spoke up, the visible Head of the Department of Mysteries. It was believed that the man was the figurehead of the Department that there were some internal controls and this man was the face of the Department. Still he was considered a Department Head and had a voice in the internal government.

"You sealed the Will of the Potters so we do not know where the boy would have gone per it. Black is gone to rot in prison that he deserves and betrayed them. The boy's known godmother will not be able to care for him since she may never recover. There is no choice but to put the boy with the next closet of kin as per the law." Bagnold added quickly before the Headmaster could speak up.

A frown was shot towards the woman from Barty Crouch, most likely it was because of the mention of the Longbottoms. The fact that it was his son who was part of the raid was not lost on those present. Barty's life had been ruined personally because of that news. The man had rings under his eyes and his hair looked to be turning whiter by the day. He was a mess compared to what he was just days before. He let out a sigh and turned to look at Albus, "You said Black was the Potter Secret Keeper correct?"

"Yes Barty, James had told me he would trust no other but Sirius to watch out for them. I always thought that the boy was different than the rest of his family but it appears that I was mistaken." The tired ancient wizard slowly shook his head back and forth. A frown crossing his lips as he considered the situation he was in. He had expected everyone to just go along with his word that Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, would be safe and hidden away. But instead as soon as he told Bagnold of where he was since she had demanded it, she at once called this meeting. He was only here because the threat was repeatedly made that he would find himself locked up if he didn't stay. The fact that none in this room was powerful enough to carry out that threat was not lost on the ancient wizard, but the public backlash of trying to fight his way out of the Ministry and against a newly victorious Minister did not appeal to him.

"Since the boy's mother was a muggleborn the closest blood relatives would be the boy's grandmother's family. Obvious Sirius Black would not be a proper choice since he is responsible for the death of the boy's parents. Bellatrix LeStrange would be out as well. Andromeda Tonks is no longer considered a Black so the choices would be to go to Walburga Black or Narcissa Malfoy nee' Black. I don't believe that the mother of two Death Eaters would be fitting over a newly made mother." Lord Jacob Abbott, the Head of the International Magical Cooperation and voting member of the ICW for Britain added to the discussion.

"I ask again how do we know that the boy will be safe with them?" The question came from Albus to try to throw off the others.

"We make Narcissa Malfoy take an oath to raise and protect the boy as her own son. In addition we offer her the position of Regent of House Potter. It would give her incentive to raise the boy well and help to teach him." Minister Bagnold answered smoothly for the others at the table.

"A carrot and a stick?" Barty Crouch asked as he raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I think that Lady Malfoy will be happy to take care of the boy and see him raised properly." Brandon Macmillan, Head of the Department of Transportation answered with a smile. "It sounds like a good plan. But if something does happen to the boy she needs to understand she would be held responsible and the consequences would be dire."

The Minister looked around and saw nods of the affirmative from almost the entire table. Finally her eyes lingered on the face of the self-proclaimed Lord of the Light, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Their eyes latched on to one another for long minutes before finally he nodded his head with a frown. "It is decided then."

~~~ APF ~~~

Her boy was down to sleep, resting peacefully after a long week. Little Draco was always a needy boy. He wanted attention all of the time and pretty much demanded it from her any time she was away. His crying and whining was to the point that it drove her to want to drink. But, that didn't mean she didn't love every moment. Every little giggle, ever bit time he say mama, every smile or moment that he was excited. She would trade it for the world even if it truly was the hardest job she ever had considered.

Now here was she sitting before her mirror slowly combing her hair and debating if she could have a second child. Not even a child of her own blood. The boy may have Black blood in him mixed with the Potter and muggleborn, but he would never be her child. But how could she turn him away? The poor thing had lost everything. The baby boy's mother and father gone from this world by the madman that her husband had been corralled into following, her cousin had been his godfather but he was directly responsible for the loss of his parents. That was not to even mention what Bella had done to the boy's godmother. He was handsome little baby boy without anyone in the world to take care of him. A baby boy that the Black family, her family had done terrible wrongs to and now was alone. If it was her little dragon she would have wanted someone to come take care of him instead of leaving him with muggles. Could she really leave him to the care of common beasts? A child ignorant of his place and his own world abandoned and it would be her fault! A sigh of frustration left her lips as she continued the slow strokes of her brush through her hair.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a shadow stepping through the door. Her husband had returned from their study where he had been working on future plans. Their time serving that monster that had marked him like a common beast had left them in a dangerous situation. The Noble and Ancient House of Malfoy had been damaged severely not just in prestige but in the financials. They would never been seen the same in society, but at least they had each other and they were alive. It was a near thing for a while that Lucius may have been forced to end up in prison with her sister Bella. If that had happened she didn't know what she would have done.

His fingertips brushed over her shoulders and started to knead against the tense muscles. A sigh escaped her lips from the touch even after years she couldn't help but feel something stir within her at the touch of her husband. A small smile forced its way onto her lips. Her eyes closed tightly as she just enjoyed the massage from her husband. Despite the situation they had been in and everything that had gone wrong she was lucky. Their marriage had been arranged by her Uncle. It had been anything meant for love but she was lucky and found it nevertheless. Despite the politics and power plays they worked together and lived for each other not for anything else but their family.

"Have you considered what you wish to do my dear?" The voice was soft as a whisper but smooth in the trained tone from years of learning that a pureblood would go through. She knew that tone was one he used when he was nervous, when he was not certain of her reaction.

His fingers worked magic as they moved upwards from her shoulders to slide into her golden locks and rub her scalp. Another sigh of ecstasy escapes her lips but she forced herself to open her eyes before she got too worked up. She looked into the mirror and met his gaze reflected back through it. "If I do it I need to make an oath for his safety. I would have to swear on my life and magic to protect him…"

Her words stopped as she kept her eyes latched onto his. The meaning didn't need to be said, the fact was simple many of their 'friends' would be possible threats to the boy. If something happened to him that she could have stopped it would be her life. That wouldn't even go into the fact that the wizarding public would be after them for it. It was a large risk, a dangerous risk for their family. Her husband spoke calmly as his hands lowered back down to rub her tense shoulders, "It is dangerous but precautions can be made. If you wish to do it, I will give you the same oath."

That statement did cause a stunned reaction. She had not expected him to offer that. Sure she knew her husband cared for her, loved her to a degree, but the fact that he would offer his own life? His own magic beside her own risked for the safety of a distant relative. The Slytherin inside of her would say it would be foolish and dangerous but the woman loved her husband all the more for it.

Yes there was a risk but the possible gain from it was large too. The boy-who-lived as the public had taken to calling him was an icon. He would be famous throughout the wizarding world and if he was raised right to respect that fame along with his own family power he could become a driving force someday in their world. A force for change in any direction that someone pointed him and if she was the one to choose his education then he could become a great young man. He would be a member of her family, a second son and brother to her little dragon that she desperately wanted but couldn't have. It had been a terrible thing to find out that the birth of her loving baby boy had ended the chance for another child. This might be the only hope to actually have another child even if it wasn't from her loins.

It was as if all of this was reflected in her eyes to her husband. He was smiling at the way her facial features changed back and forth, damn him for being able to read her so well. Her hands gently reached up and took hold of his hands. She squeezed them tightly and placed soft kisses on his palms, "My Lord does not mind raising a boy in this household to become a great man like he is?"

"Not if it would make my wife happy." Lucius smiled at his wife feeling her sweet kisses and knowing that tone of voice. His eyes never left her own beautiful eyes as she slowly stood up.

"Then we shall pick him up tomorrow. But tonight I think that my Lord has earned a gift for how generous he is with his heart for his loving wife." Narcissa pulled her husband away from the mirror for her makeup towards the huge bed for a nice long night of enjoyment together in reward for Lucius good behavior. After all it never hurts to remind her husband why he too was so very lucky.

Author note: This would be a Slytherin Harry. Obvious the Malfoy's would not be the 'evil' focus in it instead they would raise Harry to try to view things from the pureblood and magical culture perspective. It might be interesting to write a Harry Potter that views the world from the opposite of cannon and twist everything around a bit. Any thoughts? Think it could be fun?