A/N:
Here's chapter 3!
Warning: Descriptions of non-physical abuse
Disclaimer: I own only the original character and my imagination.
Lunch turned out to be a simple affair, a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Nothing fancy, but delicious nonetheless.
Sable and Harry chatted about nonsensical things over their food, laughing the time away like two old friends. By the time they finished eating, Harry was the happiest he'd ever been in his short life.
"So, now that we're done eating, shall we go floo call Lucius and Narcissa?" Sable asked.
"Yeah!" Harry was excited to meet his soon-to-be godparents. Sable had told him more about them and their family over lunch. He really wanted to meet their son. Maybe Harry and Draco could even be friends! Harry had never had a friend before but he's heard so many great things about friends. They play together and share secrets and look out for each other. Harry really wanted a relationship like that.
Chuckling at Harry's enthusiasm, Sable replied, "Well come on then, let's go floo call them."
Sable had also explained the other types of wizarding transportation and how magical people contact each other over lunch. Harry thought they seemed interesting, especially the flying brooms. Harry really wanted to try that!
Hand in hand, Harry and Sable walked to the floo room. Harry was still surprised at the grandeur of the manor. It was beautifully decorated, but Harry was sure that a single vase cost more than everything the Dursleys owned put together.
Reaching the floo room, Sable grabbed a handful of floo powder with his free hand and threw it into the fireplace loudly saying, "Malfoy Manor, Lucius' study." Sticking his head into the flames, Sable had a short conversation with Lucius before he stepped back from the fireplace.
Harry and Sable waited no more than five minutes for Lucius and Narcissa to come through the floo. When they stepped through, Harry got his first look at Lord and Lady Malfoy. Lord Malfoy, known to Sable and Harry as Lucius, had long silver blond hair reaching his mid back. His eyes, a molten silver. He wore a black wizard robe and black cloak with silver fastenings. In his hand, he held a sleek black cane with a silver snake head that had emeralds for the eyes. Lady Malfoy, known to Sable and Harry as Narcissa, had long hair split between blond and black pulled into an elegant knot on top of her head. Her eyes were a striking shade of blue. She wore a burgundy dress which reached down to her knees and a black cloak with silver fastenings. Like Sable, both Lucius and Narcissa were the picture of aristocratic refinement.
Sable stepped forward and offered his hand to Lucius and kissed the air above the back of Narcissa's hand. "Hello again, my friends. Thank you for coming on such short notice." Gesturing to Harry, Sable said, "This is Harry. Harry Potter. Harry, this is Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy."
Stepping forward and offering his hand, which Harry took after a short hesitation, Lucius gave a small smile, and said, "Hello there Harry. We met you when you were very young. It's a pleasure to see you again."
"Thank you, sir. Though I don't remember much from that time of my life, it's nice to see you again too," Harry replied.
"Harry, please don't call me sir. Call me Lucius."
"Alright, Lucius then," Harry said.
Narcissa pulled Harry into a hug. "Oh Harry, dear, it's so good to see you again."
Pulling back from the embrace, Harry smiled shyly, "Thank you. What would you like for me to call you?"
"Narcissa or Aunt Cissa will do dear," Narcissa said.
"Aunt Cissa then," Harry said, smiling a bit brighter.
Sable stepped back into the conversation, "Why don't we head somewhere more comfortable? There's plenty to speak about."
"Yes, that sounds good to me," Lucius replied.
Harry and Narcissa just nodded their heads in response. Harry decided he liked the Malfoys. He was glad Sable wanted to make Lucius and Aunt Cissa his godparents. Harry felt very comfortable with both of them. Almost as much as he did with Sable.
Sable led the way from the floo room back through several hallways to the informal sitting room.
Harry sat next to Sable on one of the couches across from Narcissa and Lucius. He was nervous for the conversation to come. Sable had told him earlier that he would need to explain what the Dursleys had done to him so Aunt Cissa could properly treat him. And while she would perform a diagnostic spell on Harry, Aunt Cissa would need to know the full extent of the abuse. But Sable had made it very clear that there was no reason to feel ashamed of what the Dursleys did to him as it was in no way Harry's fault. Harry believed him. He knew the Dursleys were in the wrong. That didn't make it any easier to talk about though.
Sable began the conversation by saying, "I already mentioned earlier a little of what I've called you here for today. Basically, Harry was treated terribly by the muggles he was living with before I found him earlier today. I'll let Harry himself explain what exactly they did to him."
As one all three of the adults in the room turned to look at Harry. "Harry, if you wouldn't mind?" Sable asked, putting a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder.
Giving a determined nod, Harry started, "They—the Dursleys, my muggle relatives—treated me like a slave. I cooked, cleaned, weeded the garden, and afterwards, I was shoved in the cupboard under the stairs with a piece of stale bread and some water. The cupboard was my bedroom, you see. And I was only let out to use the bathroom once, maybe twice, a day. They only let me shower once a week. And I was to never say anything unless asked a question or spoken to first. If I did anything they deemed 'freakish', I was locked in the cupboard with no food and only a single bottle of water, sometimes for days on end. Once, I was locked in the cupboard for a whole week. They never called me by my name, it was always—" and here Harry broke off with a sob, "always 'Freak' or 'Boy'. They hated me and I didn't even know why until Sable told me about magic. The Dursleys hated me because I'm a wizard, because I'm different from their so called 'normal'. When all I ever wanted to be was 'just Harry'. All I ever wanted was to be loved and have a family, people who care about me. I just don't understand why they had to be so cruel!"
Harry was sobbing now and he couldn't stop. The adults in the room looked absolutely devastated after hearing what Harry just told them. Narcissa had tears running down her face and she was gripping her husband's hand like it was a life line. Lucius didn't look much better than his wife. He was paler than usual and was gripping Narcissa's hand back just as tight. Sable had pulled Harry into his side when he first started crying while speaking and Sable was now holding Harry close and whispering soothing words to him while running his hands through Harry's hair.
After a few minutes, everyone started to calm down. It took a while, but eventually, the four of them were able to settle themselves as much as possible for the moment and got back to business.
Narcissa let go of her husband's hand to walk over to Harry and crouch down in front of him. "Alright Harry, dear. I'm going to cast a diagnostic spell over you so I can figure out what I can do to help you, alright?" Getting a nod in response, Narcissa conjured a piece of parchment and a quill and cast the spell over Harry.
The quill started to write furiously and after a few minutes it was done. After the quill stopped writing, Narcissa took hold of the parchment and started reading. All was quiet for some minutes as she read over the report.
Gathering herself, Narcissa said, "Alright Harry. This tells me that you're severely malnourished, which I could tell just by looking at you. Luckily that seems to be the only major problem. You've had a few cases of illness over the years but your magic has managed to heal all of it. And once your malnourishment is fixed, so too can your eyesight be repaired. Yes, that means you'll eventually be able to get rid of those horrendous glasses." Turning to Sable, she said, "I believe we should call Severus over as I need several nutrient potions brewed for Harry and I'd like for them to be brewed by him."
Nodding, Sable said, "Yes, I agree. It would be best if we have Severus brew the potions for Harry." Looking to Harry, Sable noticed that it seemed as if Harry wouldn't be letting go of his hand anytime soon. So, Sable asked Lucius, "Lucius, would you be so kind as to go floo Severus and have him come over? Tell him it's an emergency."
Agreeing, Lucius left the room to do as asked.