Family First Chapter 3: December 16 Part 3

Disclaimer: I do not own anything

Warning: This chapter contains references to spanking

A/N: I just got home from school and heard the news. My heart, and prayers go out to those in Boston. 2 people dead, at least 23 injured, what kind of person does something like that?

Beta'ed by Jasper's Mom

Harry was stiff when he awoke, but he wasn't in pain, and that counted for a lot. His lack of pain left him in a good mood, (even if he was on the kitchen floor) for a whole 10 seconds. It was then that he caught hold of a rather foul sight. White blonde hair, pale skin, and expensive robes all added up to something, or rather, someone he didn't want to see. With him so vulnerable in this position he would rather be waking to Aunt Petunia. He didn't know why the Malfoys where in his home, he thought he had gotten rid of them when he had slammed the door, very nearly breaking the older one's nose.

His day had become very confusing half an hour ago when the two blondes had showed up to apologize; it was very different from the behavior Harry had come to expect during his first term at Hogwarts. Draco had been rude, arrogant, and generally unpleasant since the moment they had met; and with how he spoke of his father Harry felt sure that the older Malfoy was the same. Yet when he had opened the door to them this afternoon they were perfectly polite.

Equally confusing was how they managed to get onto the property to give the apology. Harry was under the impression that no one, with the exception Dumbledore, and a few members of the Hogwarts staff, knew where he lived. Dumbledore himself had informed Harry just yesterday that the wards would prevent Death Eaters still on the loose from entering his house. That was the very basis of the headmaster's explanation for forcing Harry back home.

Harry was no fool. No one had told him very much about the wards, but he had taken the few little snippets that the staff had allowed to slip, and done a bit more than a bit of research. The wards were based off of blood, the common blood that ran through both his aunt, as well as him. They were powered by his mother's magic, which was freely given when she laid her life down for him. Dumbledore controlled them, he was the one who could adjust them, allowing who he desired in and out. Harry was the wizard of the house though, as well as being the person the wards were meant to protect. He could feel the wards weakening. Looking back he could tell that they had never been strong, but over the last 4 months he had begun to see Hogwarts as his home, and the Weasleys, as well as Hermione as his family. He didn't know what was happening at the time, and if he did it wouldn't have changed anything. The wards had taken his new family as a rejection of his biological family, as well as the house they lived in. The wards could feel the rejection of the connection between himself and the Dursleys, a rejection of the very blood that the wards were based off of and they had begun to fall.

As he lay on the floor with his eyes closed, he wondered about the Dursleys. The house was utterly silent. That didn't bode well. There was no way that the Dursleys would quietly allow two wizards in their house. Harry could only think of three possible ways to shut them up, and none of them would end well for him. Lucius Malfoy could have just out-and-out killed them. If he had killed them then what would he do with Harry? Even if Harry survived the encounter, he would likely get blamed for the murder of the Dursleys. If (please no) Mr. Malfoy had used a spell to stun them then Harry would hope for death before the Dursley's were released from the spell. Perhaps even worse, had they been moved somewhere via magical transportation?

Harry was apparently going to find out.

"Mr. Potter I trust you're not in any pain." Harry looked up. The older Malfoy was looming over him, pushing his wand back into his sleeve. The mini Lucius was standing a few feet behind his father, staring at Harry as if he had never seen him before. Harry felt himself go red, but he wasn't sure if it was from anger or embarrassment.

"Just dandy. Never better. Happy as could be." Harry was well aware of how rude he was being. How could he not; he was feeling very defensive though. The Malfoy's had seen him in a very vulnerable position, and he had no idea how to react to that. He was uncomfortable, both physically and mentally, Unsure of the situation, and, although he would never admit it, somewhat frightened. All mixed together inside of an 11-year-old boy, the high emotions were causing him to lash out.

"Well then kindly sit up, it is considered polite to do so." He could tell that Lucius didn't think much of his manners, or his tone. The older man didn't even inflict his tone with disapproval though. It was rather boring taunting someone who didn't respond.

"Do you consider it polite to loom over someone and stare?" Harry snapped back.

The older man was not amused, and it showed. Lucius was suitably horrified at the cheek, and the disrespect the boy was showing. In the Wizarding world one did not correct their elders. Even so, he still was perfectly polite with his reply.

"You are correct, and I apologize. I was merely trying to make sure you're alright, and it's a challenge not to loom when the person you're checking is lying down on the floor. Still the behavior is, as you pointed out, exceedingly rude. Perhaps we would all be more comfortable if we sat and chatted?"

"No it bloody well would not be more comfortable! I want you and your son to get out!" He deliberately left out the part about undoing whatever had been done to the Dursleys. Harry wouldn't mind if they stayed in their current unseen, unheard forms for a bit longer.

"Mr. Potter! I understand this may not be the most comfortable situation for you. I understand that you do not want my son and me here. I understand that you, and your utterly disrespectful attitude is not my problem, nor my responsibility However I will not tolerate being spoken to that way by anyone, much less a child. Is. That. Understood?"

Harry jumped to his feet, puffing out his chest, and glaring resentfully. As much as he wanted to scream and yell and curse he knew it wasn't a smart idea to anger a fully trained Death Eater. He hissed out one word, inflicting it with all the anger and hate he could manage.

"Yes" He could hear Snape in his head hissing back 'yes sir'. Malfoy Sr. seemed like the type that would require an honorific to accompany the one word answer. When Lucius replied though he seemed pleased enough with the answer, although Harry could tell that the older man didn't think much of his manners.

"Excellent, shall we continue this in the sitting room?" The Dursley's didn't have a sitting room, so Harry led the way to the living room; both Malfoy's following behind him.

Draco had watched the proceedings with a kind of horrific interest. Potter was certainly pushing his father's limits. He was somewhat shocked at the cheek and disrespect Harry had shown, and knew if he had done the same he would have been washing soap from between his teeth for a week, as well as rubbing the sting out of his bum. He listened to the mini argument with rapid attention, and wondered when the dark-haired boy would push his father over the edge.

Harry plopped down on the sofa as soon as they reached their destination. Lucius waited a few seconds to be invited to sit, Draco following his father's lead. When the invitation didn't come he took the initiative to sit himself on one of the chairs. Lucius started the conversation.

"Would you like to tell us what we witnessed between your family and yourself, specifically your aunt?"

"No."

Lucius gave a small sarcastic smile "Do so anyway."

"What do you want to know? You saw what happened."

"Do they hit you often?"

"Often enough."

"They have no right to abuse you like that. Why haven't you told anyone?"

"I hinted it to Dumbledore before I left." Harry was leery of telling Lucius anything at all. He knew that this could hurt him in the long run. He knew he was going out on a branch, one that was barely the width of his small finger; everyone knew Lucius Malfoy was not to be trusted. He couldn't stop himself though.

Hermione had been reading a book about Wizarding culture aloud the night before she left, and he couldn't shake the words she had said. The section she was reading about had to do with children in the Wizarding world. The book had said that Wizarding families held their children very close. Children were often hard to conceive, due to the child's foreign magic competing with the mother's. It often lead to severe complications, and even more so if one of the parents did not have magic to give to the child. If the child's magic was not strong enough, the mothers could, essentially, destroy the magic a child had, leaving it a squib. Most mothers could only carry a child to term 3 times or so at most. The more children you had the more likely they were to become a squib. Many Wizarding families only had one child, because the first child was almost always the most powerful. Due to their scarcity Children were protected, cherished, and valued above all. The harshest punishments in Wizarding law were for crimes committed against children. It was rumored that even Voldemort himself had only target 2 children throughout the whole war: Neville and Harry. Harry was sure that if there was one thing you could count on, it was the fact that Malfoys followed pureblood customs, chances were that while they may not like him, they would protect him. So with this information in mind (and the fact that if Lucius had wanted to kill him he would have already done so.) he answered the questions Lucius threw at him.

"What exactly did you say?"

"That I hated it here that they didn't like me, that they would be a lot happier if I went off and died."

That was enough to satisfy Lucius question. The old man knew, and he obviously didn't care, as he had left the boy here unsupervised by so much as a single adult wizard while Dumbledore enjoyed Sunny Costa Rica.

"Come along Mr. Potter, Draco."

All three stood. Harry may have trusted Malfoy with a conversation, but he certainly wasn't leaving with him to go anywhere.

"No way I'm going with you."

"You most certainly are coming with me; the only question is if you will be coming with or without encouragement."

Draco winced somewhat, thinking of his spanking that morning. His father had enough nonsense for today. Harry glared at both blondes, but had no desire to find out what would happen if he didn't come along.

"Fine" The single word reply was growled into Lucius' face. He longed to tell the bratty boy to fix his attitude before he got it corrected for him. Lucius thought he was being beyond patient, wouldn't have even bothered to say the same to his son. If Draco had acted even a fraction as horrendously as Harry had he would have been over his father's knee a long time ago. Lucius decided not to push it with Harry though. He wasn't Lucius' responsibility yet, and even then Lucius would have to be sure to explain the rules in clear terms for the boy.

He turned both boys to look straight forward. He grabbed Draco's left shoulder, and Harry's right shoulder, and with considerably more effort than usual apparated them into one of the Ministry's private apparition rooms.

He walked 3 doors down to his office. It was rather large for an office at the Ministry. It had a small charmed window, a large mahogany desk with one chair on one side, and two on the other. A leather sofa was against the wall, facing two arm chairs, a glass coffee table in between them. A floor to ceiling bookshelf covered half the wall on one side of the room. Both boys were walked to the sitting area. Harry was sat down on the sofa; Draco was sat down on one of the chairs facing the couch. "I am going to talk to the minister, you two will remain seated, use your inside voices to communicate, and be civil towards one another."

With his order issued Lucius glared at the boys once, and stalked from the room. He wanted the guardianship pushed through quickly. No unexpected irruptions from Dumbledore, or any of Dumbledore's do-gooders. He knew that he would be getting no help from Potter. Still it should be easy enough.

It didn't take him a full five minutes to get into the minister's office. He presented a clear-cut case. Dumbledore abandoned his golden boy in an abusive muggle household with no protection from wizards who wished him harm. It was a miracle that the boy wasn't dead yet, and it would look very bad for Fudge if the boy died while he was in office, the death of his public approval ratings. The boy's godfather was a murderer; his parents had named a werewolf as a second choice for guardianship. The Malfoy family was related, and perfectly capable of caring for all of the needs of a growing boy. The only problem was Dumbledore, the guardianship papers would have to be signed before he caught wind of the plot.

Seven and a half minutes after walking in Fudge's office he walked out with a copy of the signed guardianship papers, as well as the photos that Draco had taken. He sincerely hoped that he had done that quickly enough for the boys to not have destroyed his office. He took a quick mental survey of the situation when he walked in the door. Both boys were still sitting, there was no shouting or insults, and nothing was broken. The day had been a huge success, and his office had come out perfectly fine to top it off.

Harry glared at him when he caught sight, and Draco threw him a questioning look. He supposed that he should tell them what had happened before he requested his wife to meet them to celebrate. He would have a good number of questions to answer from all parties involved. Narcissa knew, of course. He had fire called her while in the minister's office. He would never have made such a decision without her consent. Because he had been in a rush, he hadn't answered any questions, just laid out the barest facts, and ask her opinion of taking another child in. He shooed Draco out of the chair, and over to the sofa, sitting in the chair his son had just vacated.

"Harry will never have to return to their house."

"Whatever you did doesn't matter. Dumbledore will make me, no matter what."

"Dumbledore will not have a say in the matter. I've secured you a new guardian."

"And you didn't think that you should ask me first!" Harry jumped up from his seat. No one had the right to change the course of his life without consulting him first. Especially doing something like getting him a new guardian, what if he didn't like the people Malfoy had in mind?

"Mr. Potter I've had absolutely all I can take of your disrespect, and bad attitude. Sit your bum back down unless you would like me to warm it for you first."

Harry was in shock. No one had ever dared to speak to him like that, not even Snape. No one had ever tried to discipline him for actual transgressions. The Dusrleys delighted in making up a plethora of transgressions, but had never bothered to correct him when he actually did something wrong. As much as it hurt to admit Lucius Malfoy was being the most fatherly anyone had ever been to him. He did what he was told quickly. On the other hand Draco wasn't surprised at all. In fact the best way to describe him was smug. Harry had finally gotten what was coming to him.

"Draco wipe that smirk off of your face." Draco chose not to reply verbally, instead just doing as was requested.

"Who, who did you pick." He was defeated, he didn't shout or sound the least bit curious. His voice was flat Harry was well aware of the kind of power a guardian would have over him. Depending on who Lucius picked his life could be utterly miserable.

"My wife and I" The man answered the other boy simply.

It took a good 5 seconds for the words to sink in. Both boys protested at the same time.

Lucius made a noise in his throat and raised his hand, cutting off stream of protest.

"I know that neither of you are happy with this situation. You must understand that you cannot go back to that house, Harry. The Weasleys are not an option; they have more children than they can clothe already. You cannot stay at Hogwarts, as it is a school, not a home. The laws state that with no family to stay with you must stay with a family capable of caring for you. They also state that at least one adult in the home must be magical. We are the obvious solution, and you will be staying with us. The papers have already been signed, sealed, and sent to the hall of records."

Lucius didn't mention that if no suitable Wizarding guardians had been found that the boy would have been taken to an orphanage.

"So I don't get a choice in who my guardian is?"

"No Mr. Potter, you do not. You both have a different choice though. You can continue to protest, yell, and argue. If you do that I will have a house elf escort you back to the manor where you will both spend half an hour in the corner followed directly by bed. Keep in mind that this option would have you going to bed at 6:30 with no dinner. Alternatively, you can choose to behave, and celebrate Harry's new place in our home with Cissa, and I. You would be required to act like well mannered young men while we have dinner, and then perhaps we will go for ice cream afterwards."

Unsurprisingly both boys decided the second option was far more to their liking. Narcissa shocked Harry somewhat. She was kind, friendly, and utterly motherly. Not in the way Molly Weasley was, but in a softer, more gentle way. The moment she had joined the group of three in a private restaurant in Diagon Alley she had taken Harry in a big hug.

It was 7:30 when the family got to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. Dinner had been nice enough. Mrs. Malfoy had keep the tension down, as well as the conversation rolling. Draco had taunted Harry once, to be met by a scandalized hiss from his mother and a dirty look from his father. Harry had received similar results when he had tried to start an argument with Draco.

The process of ordering all of the ice-cream went quickly, and in an orderly fashion. Mrs. Malfoy, as the only lady of the group ordered first (Banana and orange in a cup, not a cone).Harry was told to order second, as the youngest member of the newly formed family (Strawberry-and-peanut-butter in a chocolate dipped cone.). Draco ordered cherry and vanilla in a waffle cone, and Lucius ordered raspberry and pistachio in a regular cone.

By the time they arrived at Malfoy Manor it was well after 8:00. Normally this wasn't anything to complain over, but it hadn't been a normal day. Even Draco who had a nap earlier that day, and Narcissa who had only become aware of her new son a few hours before were exhausted.

Lucius told Harry that the rules, and expectations, as well as the punishments he may receive would be discussed tomorrow. He would give Harry a tour of the manor, and grounds tomorrow also, until then Harry was to stay in his room, so he didn't get lost. The man then turned around and shooed Draco up the stairs. Harry was escorted by Narcissa to his bedroom on the fourth floor, directly across from Draco's. Narcissa turned down the covers for him and sent him into the attached bathroom to change into pajamas that she pulled from the closet. Harry didn't bother to ask why she had boy's pajamas in a room that clearly wasn't Draco's. He did as he was told changing into the gray silk pants and button up shirt that made up the pajamas. Walking into the bedroom he found Narcissa still waiting, standing by the bed. He crawled in, lying down on the left side. As soon as he was still she pulled up the sheets around him, and wished him a goodnight. With a flick of her wand the lights went out, and she shut the door behind her.

There you are. I'm not too happy with this chapter, but it will do.

Let's all keep those in Boston (as well as those who have family in Boston) in our thoughts, (and prayers)