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A World Through Emerald Eyes

Chapter Nine

It turned out that magic was used to prepare even the simplest things – such as a simple vanilla scoop. But Harrison watched as Draco ordered a double scoop of caramel cherry delight which Harrison was disturbed to find that it tasted a little like blood.

He shook his head absently and settled on a clean table the Malfoy heir chose. He observed the boy over his ice cream, interested in how the other would react. Harrison was still trying to deal with the knowledge that this boy was his closest relative currently alive that wasn't imprisoned, muggle, or dead.

The other boy seemed curious about him but it appeared his upbringing stopped him from blurting any questions out right. They ate silently, watching each other covertly until a ruckus was heard that caught both their attention.

"Would you look at that, dear! Moving pictures!" A man, whose arm was wrapped around a woman who had to be his wife, was pointing to an ad in a window.

Harrison's brow furrowed in confusion. He didn't believe that was something new to the magical world. To his surprise didn't make sense. Unless...

A girl with frizzy hair and big teeth ran up to the man and grabbed his pointing hand. "Come on dad, we need to exchange money! I wonder what kind of currency they use here."

"It is interesting, honey," the woman added, looking around.

"Mudblood," Draco sneered in obvious disgust.

Having it confirmed, Harrison felt his stomach grow queasy. Muggles happy in this world? Interested in it? No, that wasn't right. They need to stay in the normal world. Why would they choose to let their daughter join this world? It was disgusting! Practically horrifying.

Harrison was making a face at the disappearing trio before he even realized it. "Indeed." Shame on them.

Draco looked back at him and arched an eyebrow, his eyes lightening up with curiosity. "You don't like muggleborns?"

Harrison shook his head. "My birth mother was a muggleborn, but no. I think they belong in their world and wizards and witches belong in their own. No need to dirty perfection with their taint." He would let Draco fit those words to his point of view.

Draco nodded once. "Exactly. Father says mudbloods poison society."

Harrison snorted. "They do."

"Draco?" a feminine voice sounded and both boys turned to face a beautiful woman with long white and black hair and pristine, high end robes. She held her head high and her appearance led Harrison to believe they were related.

"Hello, Mother." Draco smiled at his mother who returned it more subtly, though there was clear warmth in her gaze.

She turned to Harrison and stared at him. "Who is your friend? Introduce us, Dragon."

Draco coughed at the nickname and scowled when Harrison smirked at it. He cleared his face and gestured to Harrison with an open hand. "Mother, this is Harry Potter." There was eagerness in his voice that Harrison chose to ignore.

Lady Malfoy's eyes widened and like her son, her eyes went to his scar.

Harrison, recalling his readings, rose to stand and titled his head in deference to her Pureblood status, but not fully to show his higher standing. He took her offered hand with his left and brushed his lips over her knuckles briefly. "Lady Malfoy," he introduced.

She was watching him with calculating eyes and caught sight of the rings he flashed her customarily. She seemed to file away his higher standing and calmly returned, "Lord Potter-Black."

Harrison smiled winningly at her though it didn't meet his eyes. He wanted to be known as Harrison, but would not give up his standing to be known so. It left him with a bad taste in his mouth. He nodded.

"We were just eating ice cream, mother," Draco told her, standing with Harrison until his mother sat, then they both joined her.

"Yes, I can see that, Dragon. How have you come upon this young man?" her voice was clinical.

Harrison interrupted smoothly. "Actually, it was me." He smiled at Draco slightly. "I bumped into him on my way out of a shop. I've been raised out of the reach of other wizards and witches," he opened up. "I was eager to talk to him, seeing as we're family."

Lady Malfoy's mask was masterful. "I see." Harrison watched her mind work quickly behind ice blue eyes. She took in his clothes, appearance, and rings once more. She stared for a moment at the Black ring, watching the heir ring glint superiorly. "I see," she said again, slowly this time, her tone interested.

Harrison smiled pleasantly. "I had hoped to meet the Malfoy heir at Hogwarts, but this is better. Seeing as you two have Black blood, I was eager to get you know you." His rings gleamed almost malevolently. He would one day have the power to make or break this family. While his eleven year old mind found it fascinating, he knew there would be more to learn.

At the moment, all he knew was that as heir – and only person to take up the family head when of age – it would be in his power to disown Draco and his mother from the Black line, taking anything from them that had been given, including political power. From what he understood, the Black family was one of the main politically powerful families – and definitely one of the richest. He had that power over several people too. He could give others their right to join, rejoin, or be cast out. And he felt empowered.

"Indeed," Lady Malfoy commented. "I had no idea that a heir was named." Her hand found Draco's casually, but Harrison gleefully realized she had expected it to fall to Draco – which it would have if Sirius hadn't named him.

Harrison was giddy and fought to control the need to show off. He and Dudley were so used to showing off their control and wealth that it was difficult to not immediately show his hand. He was, after all, politically dancing on his own, without his father here to protect him.

He mentally smacked himself when he fell down to earth. God, was he an idiot? It was not the time to fly on a power high! He had no backing. He felt cold rush over him, but fought to go through his books mentally once again. He could play this. Couldn't he? Of course he could!

"Yes, my Godfather was Sirius Black. Before he was incarcerated, he had named me as heir of all his holdings." He tilted his head, a little condescendingly he would admit. "I would like to tie the Malfoy name to the Black name, still, as history has shown how profitable such an alliance could be."

Big words, he knew.

Lady Malfoy was quiet for a moment. "I would like that, very much, Lord Potter-Black. Out of curiosity, who speaks for you?"

Harrison knew what she meant and shifted, the first fault under her gaze. "No one."

She arched an eyebrow at him quizzically. "But you are but a child, Lord Potter-Black. The retainer of the Black holdings-"

He shook his head immediately. "The retainer is not a man I know, or am comfortable with. I was actually hoping to find a new representative who would look after me when it comes to my wellbeing in the wizarding world."

She appeared shocked. "Is your magical guardian sub-par, my Lord Potter-Black?"

Harrison saw, for the first time, a woman who innately cared for him as a child. In that moment, he saw a little of his mother in this woman. "Harrison, if you please, Lady Malfoy." He grinned at her genuinely. "I hope to see you as a... relative in these coming years." Connections he kept telling himself. Connections.

Draco, from his position on the table smiled and leaned forward, clearly happy with the idea. Family was important in the wizarding world. Not only for continuing lines or alliances, but because magic connected family members on a whole other level. Or so one of the Pureblood books mentioned.

She smiled at him then and Harrison was suddenly struck by how beautiful she was. "Then, Harrison, I would be happy to call you my nephew. My husband, Lucius, and I would be honored to consider you among our family. Please, call me Aunt Narcissa."

Harrison's brow rose to his hair line, having not expected such an invitation. But then again, he was just an eleven year old who had told this woman that he was looking out for himself. He shouldn't be surprised. Not when his father taught him and Dudley how to get what you want from people when they were young. Be he never expected it to work out this good without his active intent.

"Thank you, Aunt." He smiled, then sighed. "To answer your previous question, I find myself in an... inconvenient position at this time when it comes to my magical guardian. I have never met the woman and I do not enjoy the power she could hold over me. I would like to include her in my life as little as possible."

She smiled again. "My husband and I will see what we can do about that situation, Harrison."

He hasn't expected that either. He grinned, this excitement making him look younger then.

Narcissa withdrew her wand and cast a tempest charm. "It is time for us to leave, Dragon," she said, addressing her son again. They stood, Harrison standing out of courtesy. "I would like to extend an invitation to take you to the Hogwarts Express on the first."

Harrison paused, taken aback. This really was going better than he thought. Even he wasn't arrogant to think this was all done by any manipulative streak he possessed. Someone had to be looking down on him in favor today.

He cast a glance at the sky almost cautiously before he shook his head. Crazy. He spoke to his 'Aunt' pleasantly. "That sounds wonderful. My muggle guardians would rather not be included in much of my magical life." Neither would he, but that was inevitable.

She nodded and brushed at her robes elegantly. "Of course. Floo to Malfoy Manor at eight. We will hold breakfast before sending you both off." She laid a loving hand on Draco's shoulder absently.

Harrison nodded. "I will see you then." He found himself waving at Draco in a friendly way and laughed when the other waved back enthusiastically. Looks like he made a friend.

Wait, was that a good thing?

Harrison sat on his bed, staring at his shrunken trunk. Spinning it between his fingers absently, he glanced out the open window he had sent his owl through. If Athena could find Hogwarts, there was no point in locking her up in a cage and keeping her around the entire day. The less he had to deal with, the better.

Sighing, he pocketed his trunk and ran a hand through his hair. He was going to a magic school. He was going to learn magic with witches and wizards. Making a face at the thought, he shook his head and straightened his sleeves. His clothes were normal – for now – and were expensive. He wanted to look his best for his family, showing that, despite his freakishness, that he was a Dursley through and through. Raised right.

A knock on his door surprised him. Checking the clock on his bedside table, Harrison noted that his dad was half an hour early. "Come in," he said.

His mother opened the door and entered, closing it behind her softly. She had an uncomfortable look, her face twisted in a way he hadn't seen before.

Swollowing, he stood up, showing off his Dursley pride. "What's wrong?" Ha ha, what a question. Everything was wrong.

She stared at him for a moment before her shoulders fell in what seemed like defeat. Steps quick, she walked up to Harrison and immediately embraced him.

Feeling his mother's love wrap around him had Harrison's eyes welling and he buried his head against her. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry I brought this here, mom. So sorry." His words got harder to understand as he began to sob. "I'm a freak and-"

"Stop it," she whispered firmly, cutting off his rambling. She pulled back some and dropped to her knees. Even with her son, she gripped his arms and shook him gently. "You are not a freak, Harrison. You will never be one."

His chest was tight and he couldn't stop the tears from falling. His face felt hot and it was only a matter of time before his nose would run.

He sniffled. "But-"

She interrupted him again. "No, I don't want to hear it!" Her voice was shrill and sharp, causing him to gulp. "You are my son and I love you. Just like your brother, you are perfect, and I will hear none of this nonsense."

"I have to go and learn magic though. I have to learn or I won't be able to stay with you…"

"Oh, Harrison," his mom said before pulling him back into a hug. She continued to speak. "You are not doing this because you want to."

She stopped here and Harrison felt like she was gathering herself. Indeed, she pulled back and pulled him to sit on the bed beside her. She faced him and met his gaze. Whiping his tears with her apron, she made him feel like such a child.

When his tears had stopped, she sat back and looked at him in silence for a time.

"Your birth mother," she started, causing Harrison to blink in surprise. They hardly ever talked about his mother, and only ever on her birthday; a day his mom refused to ignore. She had once told him that she had missed the chance to celebrate Lily's life before she died, and she wouldn't make do it again.

"Your birth mother," she said again, "my sister; she was a smart woman. And beautiful. Everyone wanted to be her friend. When that school accepted her, I knew things would never be the same. I wanted my sister, but she was too busy learning and spending time with… with other freaks. But at that time, I didn't care."

She sighed and her shoulders fell. "I wrote to Dumbledore once."

Harrison gaped at his mother. "W-what? Why!?"

She sent him a sharp look. "Don't raise your voice at me young man."

Harrison bit his lip, properly chastised. "Sorry, mom."

"I didn't want to be alone. And the thought of being able to do something like… that, with my sister, seemed fun. You see, Lily was my only friend growing up. No one else liked me or would want to spend time with me. It was always Lily that people liked. But Lily never chose to spend time with others. We were close – as close as you and Dudley. And I didn't want to spend nine months without her.

"I wrote to that horrible man and asked to attend with her."

He could only stare at his mother dumbly. He would never, ever have guessed she would have done something like that. She was such a wonderful normal person. But, he supposed, he would do whatever he could to stay with his family as well.

Hence the problem he found himself in right now, actually.

"The point is, no matter what I hated, I wanted my sister. You are my nephew and more so, you are my son. I will never give you up. No one in this family will. You are our normal boy, with normal friends, and a normal family. You remember that."

He jumped at his mother and hugged her tightly. He wanted to thank her, to tell her how much lighter he felt. He had been terrified that they would hate him. "I love you, mom."

"And I love you too." She hugged him back for a long time. It was only when they heard his dad calling for them that they broke apart.

Harrison followed his mom, happier now than before. But some part of him still felt heavy, cold, and sick.

He wondered if it would ever completely go away.

First update in two years and six months... ouch.