Moon Blessed

He was falling and there was only darkness surrounding him.

The soul is intangible and many will believe it is impossible to find it. That is an incorrect assumption. While finding your whole soul is not yet possible – at least to us goblins – there is one aspect of the soul that is tangible to magical beings especially.

That is your magical core and its reserves – the places where you magic is created and stored within you.

It took a while to realize he did not seem to have a form. He simply existed amongst the vast nothingness.

Now as I said before, I will only be giving you instructions to find your core. Other than that, you will be alone for this journey because finding and syncing with your core is an intimate and sacred ritual that others cannot be privy about.

He wondered how long he had to fall before he would reach where he was supposed to reach.

Now, the mind, body and soul are three different things but they are each intertwined deeply…

Harry woke with a gasp, falling back into his bed as he tried to keep himself from falling asleep.

He really needed more stamina in meditation.

Casting a silent tempus, he found the time to be thirty minutes past six.

"Well, I lasted for a good hour before failing," he thought tiredly. "That's fifteen minutes better than last time."

Swinging his legs over the edge of his bed, the teen made his way to his bath. He still had time to go for a swim before coming back for breakfast.

The hair on his neck stood on its end. His senses heightened as the feeling of being watched washed over him.

The whimsical voices tittering around him from the sea creatures suddenly seemed too distracting. He drowned it all out – all except one.

Hungry…Kill…Hungry

A flash of pecked out eyes danced across his memories. Harry shuddered.

"Time to leave," his inner voice warned. "NOW."

He turned about, planning to swim back the way he came. But his plan was halted as he caught sight of what was lurking beneath him.

It was hard to miss the hungry gleam in those eyes.

Kill…Hungry….Food

Those sharp teeth that were gleaming were not good distractions either.

…Hungry…Kill…

Harry froze as the memories of the Chamber of Secrets resurfaced within his mind against his wishes. A crack appeared within his still rather new Occlumency shields. The panic he had learnt to keep suppressed sank its roots into his mind.

And in that momentary lapse, where the past haunted him, the Great White circling under him chose to attack.

Sirius Black cast a heating charm on the sandwiches, even as his eyes trailed back to glance at the open door of the cottage he lived in for the umpteenth time.

Harry was late.

Worry surged within him as the fact repeated over his mind a million times. He was quite unsure on what to do. Harry had always been back by ten in the morning at the very least to have breakfast.

Sirius stared aimlessly around, the silence in the room around him making it so prominent how alone he was. Even the furniture were quiet today, as though realizing the unusual absence of their owner was the premonition that something bad had happened to him.

Sirius shook his head, ridding himself of the negative thoughts.

Harry would be fine.

His pup had to be. The escaped convict glanced at the clock in the living room.

A quarter after eleven.

The dread within his intensified at the time.

There was no point waiting anymore. He had to go to the goblins.

Harry was in trouble.

"Jadeclaw!"

Jadeclaw glanced up to greet the sight of his friend's slightly panic-stricken face.

"What?"

He had a feeling he knew exactly who was causing Griphook this much tension.

"It's Harrison."

He knew it.

"We need your assistance."

"What, pray tell," Jadeclaw exclaimed as cast a cleansing charm onto his charge's wounds, "Was your intelligence doing while you were attacked?"

Harry held back a grimace at the stinging sensation he felt while he paced about at the edge of the lake.

"Hitching a ride with panic."

He could feel Jadeclaw's eyes rolling without seeing it.

Meanwhile, Griphook and Fradgrot were having a more pleasant time satisfying their curiosity.

"Amazing," Griphook breathed. Fradgrot – who was taking notes by now – nodded in agreement.

"It's not amazing!" Harry snapped at his goblin friend.

Silence descended on the party of three goblins, one goblette and one wizard. Even Jadeclaw ceased his healing of the young wizard at Harry's unusually frustrated tone. The four goblin-blooded exchanged glances as they watched the wizard born pace.

"Fish? Are you alright?" Griphook broke the silence cautiously.

Harry whirled about, startled, having forgotten the existence of his present company in midst of his muttering.

"Wha – ?" His eyes fell on the frozen shark that lay on the edge of the lake. Its whole body was tinged with ice and blue.

"Can we save it?" He looked at his companions, unaware of his haphazard appearance or how there seemed to be a wild look in his eyes.

Jadeclaw rolled his eyes. "You tell me, fish. Look at how you've brought it."

Harry winced again. "I didn't mean to do it. It just happened when it was too close to getting a bite out of me."

"Harrison, you should be happy you were not eaten alive by the thing. Why in the world do you want to save it?"

"It was just hungry Jadeclaw. You cannot blame the creature for being hungry. Besides, I looked part fish. The creature was just acting on instinct."

"Still does not explain why you should bother trying to save the being," Griphook interrupted. "Honestly, just throw it back into the ocean."

"Griphook!" Harry stared at his goblin friend in outrage.

"Fish!" Griphook exclaimed back in reply. "It was a powerful predator but you were a more powerful being. Your reaction was completely instinctive. Why are you feeling guilty for having fought to survive?"

"I'm not feeling guilty," Harry denied.

The goblins surrounding him snorted. He glared at all four of them petulantly, uncaring if they were elders or not.

"Look, it's frozen. We can just unfreeze her. Yeah?"

The goblin Queen chose that moment to speak.

"Young one," Harry looked at her, internally glad she was not one of those who had been laughing at him, "Why do you want to save the creature?"

Harry started, as though he had forgotten for a moment that Akigla was there. "I…well…I don't know." The wizard child slumped down in distress. "I could have not hurt it but I panicked and made a mistake." He glanced at the stiff creature, feeling the coldness to its body despite being more than half a meter away from it.

He glanced back at his goblin companions. "It didn't have to die. I didn't mean to hurt it," Harry groaned from the ground as he sprawled against it in defeat.

Akigla stared at the subdued wizard in front of her, puzzled yet fondly exasperated at the same time. She had a feeling she knew exactly why he was in such conflict, why he felt so much guilt over harming a creature when it was not the first time he had taken a life in his thirteen years of living.

"Only you, young one," she thought fondly.

His emerald eyes clouded over, thinking over the question she asked. She waited, patiently walking beside him in the leaf-strewn path.

"Quirrell was not the first time I took a life."

Akigla stared at the child in surprise. That had been unexpected.

"Back when I was with my relatives –," the child paused and took a deep breath. "Back then, being locked out of the house was something of a routine. Sometimes it wasn't bad. Sometimes it was."

His eyes grew distant as he lost himself in memories.

"The first time I was locked out on a winter night, however, was clearly a bad time. I remember being hungry. Very, very hungry. I suppose they never fed me that day. And well, the cold was really not helping me, you know? Dudley's old clothes were always lacking in providing warmth.

I usually try to just sleep it out in one of the bushes that shield the ground from being snowed on. But that was one of the days where the hunger was unbearable. I was getting dizzy here and then. I remember wondering if that night, I would finally die due to starvation and the cold. I'll admit it was a depressing moment."

It was all said very nonchalantly, as though he was not affected by the events. But she knew it was a mask. A mask to keep her from reacting. The young one knew what she thought of his relatives with the little information he had shared before. But something about the child's emotionless face made her even more angry at the vile beings he had been put with as a child.

She kept her face carefully blank. It would not do to further upset the boy.

The little one turned his face to face her, staring at her with guarded eyes that truly should never belong on someone so young. She had the distinct impression he was weighing whether to tell her the truth or not. Whether she would judge or not.

"A rat happened to scamper past me then. And between survival and dignity, the choice had not been hard to make."

Akigla felt the fury she had kept at bay uncurl with a vengeance at the tale. Young ones were blessings. They were to be cherished, not abandoned to scavenge for survival.

She turned to face ahead, not trusting herself to successfully hide the anger she felt at his relatives.

"That was the first time I killed a life, in my opinion. And I learnt to get over the guilt because I knew that otherwise, I would not survive. It was a miracle enough that I found a live rat on that winter night."

"Some would not count that as a proper kill, you know. Quirrell was the first human whose life you took."

The little one shrugged. "A rat, a human, a bird, a goblin. What of the outer skin being different? Each holds a life."And considering morals, it's wrong of me to kill any of it."

He sighed.

"To answer your question, no. I didn't feel guilty at Quirrell's death. At least not for long. Like I said, I've learnt to get over it. Because if he had not died that night, it meant I would have. By then, I was conditioned to survive, even it meant killing a rat, or killing a man."

The child winced, as though realizing how the words sounded. "I would not go about killing anybody to achieve something I want for selfish reasons like money or power," he explained. "But in situations like with Quirrell and the basilisk, well, I'll probably do the same thing I've already done. Because they are kill or be killed situations. There were also no other alternatives for me."

Another pause.

She saw him turn to look at her again, from the corner of her eyes. She turned to meet his gaze.

"Does that make me a bad person?"

Akigla shook herself out of her thoughts, focusing on the emerald-eyed boy and her confused subjects. They did not understand why he was feeling guilt. None of them knew what the child confessed to her during his visits.

Her eyes trailed to the frozen shark lying by the edge of the lake.

There were also no other alternatives for me.

Her gaze drifted back to the child.

Because they are kill or be killed situations.

His eyes were clouded once more, but this time it was with – perhaps for the first time in a long time, she mused absently – guilt.

It was almost funny in a way that his first taste at facing his conscience and morals came by harming a random creature from the sea rather than the powerful adversaries he had faced in his younger years. But then, for all the rules and laws he bent, broke and ignored in his life, Akigla knew the child had never harmed anything out of selfishness or when he other choices. And considering he had many ways to escape with his new abilities, it was not a surprise that he was upset he panicked and blundered with the life of a creature that was only acting on its instinct. Perhaps having done the worst of all the options before him in his vulnerable moment was what was weighing heavily on his mind, considering his poor choice had resulted in harming the creature he was escaping from.

The boy truly perplexed her sometimes.

"Little one," she waited for the gaze of the child to rest upon her. "We can still attempt to fix this. The shark is merely frozen. With how strong your abilities are, I would not be surprised that the being frozen in a way that has kept it in stasis, rather than providing it with a slow death as it would have if in natural circumstances. There is a possibility that we can save it. Stand up, now."

He gave a subtle nod, understanding to not let his hopes up. But the gratitude shining in his eyes let her know he was happy they were trying at the very least.

"Harry!"

Harry sank into his godfather's embrace as the man held him tightly.

"Where did you go? How did you get here? Do you have any idea how scared I was?" Sirius rambled, checking over his pup for any injuries. His eyes on the slightly faded sting marks near his left cheek and arms. "What happened?"

"Ran into some corals," Harry muttered half-heartedly, unwilling to lie to the man after seeing his concern and worry.

"Wha –"

Sirius never got his reply as a splash interrupted their reunion. For the first time since entering the room, the man noticed the enormous pool fit for a giant, situated in the centre. And the two goblins who were throwing in some form of meat into it.

"Um…"

"They are feeding a shark." Harry supplied helpfully. "It was a hungry."

He looked at the man. "You want to meet it? It's a her actually. I named her Viva since she apparently has never been named before."

Sirius raised an eyebrow at his godson, wondering how the kid even knew the shark had no real name. Shaking his head, the man focused back on his godson.

"Harry. What happened? You were gone for so long."

Harry fidgeted, averting his eyes from his godfather.

"Ran into some troubles, I –" Harry paused at the small flicker of resignation and disappointment on his godfather's.

"Another one of the secrets?"

Harry sighed, unsure suddenly on how to handle the situation.

Taking his godfather's hand, Harry steered him back towards Griphook's office.

"Not here."

Sirius followed silently, confused yet curious.

"By the way, godfather," Harry started conversationally. "Do you know how to swim?"

Sirius Black gaped at the sight before him.

His pup had a tail. An honest-to-merlin tail. Granted it was a beautiful one, with golden-orange hues coupled with flecks of emerald and other colors depending on the spells Harry used but still.

A tail.

He looked at his little pup who was watching him with wary eyes. He caught the flash of fear as the child waited for his reaction.

Sirius broke into a bright smile under his bubblehead charm, swimming forwards to catch his surprised godson in a hug. His smile brightened as the little body in his arms relaxed against his acceptance.

"Wow, pup. That certainly puts any worry I had of you swimming alone at ease," Sirius said with a laugh as they sat on the sand, staring at the waves crashing onto the shore.

Harry smiled. "I'm sorry for not telling you before, Paddy. But you were someone new in my life despite my remembering you from when I was little and well," Harry glanced at the man's suddenly sombre expression. "Well, the wizarding world when I first came into it, there are so many prejudices, especially against creatures. I wasn't sure if you shared any of them."

"I don't have anything against creatures strongly pup."

At Harry's raised brow, Sirius explained, "I'll naturally be wary if a creature is capable of harming me because it is stronger or has powers capable of harming me. But I don't believe that they should be discriminated like how they are in our wizarding world. I had a friend who had – has," Sirius corrected himself, "Creature abilities, you know?"

"Oh," Harry stared at Sirius surprised.

"Yeah. He was a major reason why your dad encouraged our group to become animagi during our Hogwarts times."

"Who was it?"

Sirius shook his head. "I can't say pup. Not my secret to share."

Harry smiled, happy at the man's trustworthiness.

"So how did you become all fishy?"

Harry huffed, mocking annoyance and indignation. "Honestly! It's half fish! Even the goblins keep calling me fish! I am half fish!"

Sirius laughed. "Well, half-fish, do answer the question."

Harry shrugged. "I found myself in a special place where the moon worked its magic and whoosh," Harry waved his hands about, "Next thing I know I grow a tail every time I touch water."

Sirius grew concerned. "And how was the change? Painful? Are you happy with the change?"

Harry gave him a smile. "It was completely painless. And I'm very happy to have found it. It played a major role in me getting away from my relatives. And I finally found a home." Harry turned to look at the ocean. "The first time I was in the ocean. It was just," he searched for the word. "Right. It felt right. Like I belonged."

He turned to smile at Sirius again.

"I'm glad you're happy, pup."

Harry searched his godfather's face. "That friend of yours. He didn't have it that easy, did he?"

Sirius shook his head. "No. It was always painful for him."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Ah well. He just accepted along the way that he would forever be cursed by the moon I –"

"The moon does not curse," Harry snapped, interrupting the man before he could finish.

Sirius jumped, startled at the sudden anger rolling off his godson. Harry blinked, surprised by his own outburst.

"Well that was new," he muttered into the tense silence. "I'm sorry godfather. I don't know why I just did that."

Sirius waved his apology away. "It's fine. My mistake. I didn't know you were – protective? – of the moon."

"Neither did I." Harry blinked. "I mean, well I do like the moon, considering it played a major role in my change and all that. It's just, I've never gotten angry at someone saying bad about it."

"Maybe it's part of your creature nature?"

Harry shrugged. "Maybe…"

The sudden rumbling of a stomach interrupted the contemplative silence that the duo fell into. Harry blushed.

"Sorry."

Sirius chuckled at his godson's embarrassment.

"No, pup. I'm sorry. I forgot you have yet to eat with all of today's excitement." Sirius stood, pulling Harry to his feet. "Come on, we can talk more over breakfast."

"You still have questions, Paddy?"

"Oh yes. Don't think I forgot about those sting marks on yourself when I saw you at Gringotts. And I have a feeling that shark did not get there by accident."

Harry groaned.

"Grounded?!" Harry exclaimed, dropping the last piece of his apple slice onto his plate. "Why?"

"You almost got eaten by a shark, pup."

"It was an accident. It happened once. I didn't realize it was there."

"And exactly why were you so distracted that you were not aware of your surroundings?"

Harry glared sullenly at his plate. "I was daydreaming."

"Exactly. You let your guard down in a place that was dangerous." Sirius held up his hand to stop the protest forming on Harry's lips. "I'm sure the ocean is wonderful in its own right, pup. You've given me quite the description. But it can be dangerous too from what you experienced earlier. From shark to corals to jellyfish and many other things that are unknown. You cannot just drop your guard because you've only seen good things in it. And your recklessness could have cost your life. And none of us – the goblins or me – would have known what had happened to you when you could be anywhere in the sea!"

Harry deflated. "I didn't mean to make you worry."

"I know. But I think you should learn from this."

"But why grounding?"

"You are going to spend time reflecting rather than just heading off to the ocean again. Think about the whole situation and learn from what you did wrong from the moment you didn't pay attention to your surroundings to the moment you froze that shark. If you ever come into such a situation, you need to not repeat your mistakes. You still remember how guilty you felt with the shark, don't you?"

Harry looked down at his plate. "Yes, godfather."

"Come on now pup. I'm letting you off easy, you know. The grounding is only three days since we are both new to this," Sirius waved between the two of them, "godfather, godson relationship."

Harry smiled softly. "So this is how my punishments will be when I misbehave?"

"More or less, depending on the situation." At Harry's wary look, Sirius sighed. "I won't raise my hand or wand against you, pup. Is this because of those Dursleys?"

Harry stared at the man for a minute, gauging how his reaction would be. "Yes. Their punishments involved beatings." Harry looked at his plate again. "Or more chores, withholding food or locking me up."

Harry risked a glance at Sirius when the tensed silence grew long. He stared in shock as he caught sight of the man trying to reign in his magic which seemed to have seeped out of him in his anger.

Sirius took a deep breath reigning in his magic with difficulty.

"Sorry about that, pup. I suppose I should discuss ground rules with you." Sirius moved his seat closer to his godson, hugging him to his chest. "I won't ever raise my hand on you pup. Nor will I raise my wand against you to do you harm. I give you my word on magic for that."

Harry snuggled closer to the man at the magic that washed over him at the words.

"And as for punishments for when you do something wrong, we'll talk it out together. I won't withhold meals from you. Worse ever that it will come to, may be not having desserts for a few days, but you will always have meals. Three healthy, full meals.

And while usually guardians do keep their charges confined to their rooms if they are bad, we won't have that in our house because I think both you and I have each been locked up to last us a lifetime."

Harry gave a weak smile at that.

"I'm not saying I'm an expert but doesn't grounding usually involve kids being in their rooms for some time, Paddy?"

Sirius shrugged. "Not necessarily. For us, grounding will just have to mean you can't go swimming or you can't go hang out with your friends."

Harry groaned at the first restriction.

Sirius grinned, "See pup. The thought itself seems effective, with no locking up involved."

"Now, chores will be something we will all share appropriately within our house, like we are doing now. And I will be taking over some more once the goblins deem me fit." Sirius gave Harry a stern look. "No protests. You are still a kid. Most of your time should be on having fun at this age, not taking care of an entire house."

"I suppose that's reasonable."

Sirius tightened his arms around him. "You are truly ok with the ground rules?"

Harry shrugged from where he had buried his face in the man's chest.

"You do realize though, that I won't always be cooperative, don't you godfather?"

Sirius gave him an enquiring look.

"The main reason I am living alone after the Dursleys without even a house-elf is because I like my new freedom, godfather. I like very much that I can do anything, reckless or not without anyone trying to control me for no good reason. And while you mean well, I've never really trusted an adult fully to take care of my well being." Harry swallowed. "If I really cannot accept your reaction to something I've done, I might very well not listen to you. And I don't know if it'll be a fun time for us then." He looked up to meet the man's silver eyes. "Do you think you can still live with me being like that?"

"Even if you scream and kick me out of this house, which I really hope you won't, I'll always want to be with you, pup. Don't need to fear me leaving you anytime soon. And if you really, really don't agree with something I do, how about we try talking things out before you go all rebellious hmm?" Sirius asked, tickling Harry's sides to get him to smile.

Harry hugged him more tightly. "Thanks."

"Not a problem, kid. It's about time I took care of you as I should have from the start. I love you, pup. Don't forget that."

Harry closed his eyes as he felt himself tearing up against his wishes. He did not reciprocate Sirius' words – he had yet to love the man unconditionally like the man did Harry. So he squeezed his godfather tighter in a hug, turning his face to give the man a look of happiness and gratitude.

Sirius returned the hug, understanding shining in his eyes.

"Oh this is a perfect fit," Sirius said with a smile as a strong wind blew into the room, rushing towards Sirius who was surrounded by silver and golden sparks. It circled about him playfully. Sirius laughed as he was slightly lifted into the air before the wind disappeared and he landed on his feet.

Harry, who was standing at the corner, smiled along with the wandmaker who clapped his hands at the display. "That would be fifteen galleons, Mr Dogstar."

Sirius fished out the money. "Thank you very much."

"You are very welcome, sir. I am sorry I could not help your charge."

Harry who by now had stepped beside Sirius, waved his hand. "Oh, it is fine, sir. I'm sure I'll find a solution sometime in the future. Thanks for making my Uncle his custom wand."

The duo waved and left the shop.

"So Uncle Dogstar," Harry started teasingly. Sirius groaned.

"Look pup, my improvisation skills are rusty. No need to rub it in."

Harry threw back his head, laughing loudly at his godfather. "Seriously though? You are supposed to pick an alias that does not give you away. Why did you say Dogstar of all things? You are literally throwing them a bone to find out you are Sirius."

Sirius mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "little kids and knowing constellations and mean dog jokes."

Harry snickered but decided to give his godfather a break. "So where to next? We have an hour more to shop."

"You still need a wand core."

Harry waved the matter aside. "It may take too long. We should shop for other things first, like anything you need to decorate your room. There is no guarantee we will find my missing core soon. We've already been to three different wand shops."

Sirius accepted the explanation. "Alright then. But can we find a hidden alley first pup," Sirius dragged his godson about. "Blonde hair and blue eyes do not suit me. Not one bit. I am changing this glamour now that I have a wand."

Harry snickered again, not bothering to tell the man that he was not going to change the goblin glamour without the help of a goblin. He would find out soon anyway.

Harry glared at the roses that were seemingly changing tunes according to his progress with freezing the glass of juice he had in front of him.

Perhaps practising in the garden had been a bad idea.

He willed the juice to freeze slowly, scowling as the juice froze over in a matter of seconds.

The roses' song turned into something that sounded suspiciously like they pitied him. Harry turned his glare to the annoying flowers.

"Honestly," he thought. "When Lyria said they would be a handful, I didn't realize it will be this bad."

"Are you done being mocked by flowers?"

The juice in front of him sailed across from its glass to Sirius' startled face.

"Oops," Harry said innocently before refilling the glass.

"That was mean," Sirius grumbled as the roses started to let out sounds of tingling bells, laughing at Sirius outright.

"You deserved it," Harry replied, focusing back on his task.

"Good evening, Malfoy. You wanted to talk?" Harry stared at the pale boy in front of him, carefully keeping his expression blank. He inwardly smirked at Malfoy when the boy's eyes narrowed in suspicion at Harry's neutral face and polite tone.

"Yes, I did, Potter." A subtle glance was given to his right hand, the slight widening of his eyes the only indication that Malfoy was shocked at the Black heir ring glistening there along with the Potter Lord ring. Harry supposed Malfoy did not believe it when Narcissa mentioned – and Harry was sure Narcissa would have mentioned it – about him being the next heir to the Black line.

"Well, what do you wish to talk about?"

"My mother," Malfoy started with a drawl, "Recently requested me to get along with you. Imagine my surprise at that when she pulled me aside randomly to state that wish and to realise she firmly believed that you would not be averse to the idea. I don't like going against my mother's wishes but neither am I foolish enough to blindly follow her wishes with no question."

Harry wondered if he extended the same logic to his father's wishes, considering Malfoy's behaviour at Hogwarts. It was not likely. Then again, Malfoy not following his mother's requests blindly in itself was surprising.

"He is a Slytherin. Would it be that surprising if his following his father's beliefs is also an act in the end?" his inner voice reasoned.

Harry hid his doubts under his mask. He would have to ponder that possibility afterwards.

"So I would like to use this opportunity, with no driving forces of our Hogwarts Houses and the like, to speak to you and perhaps get an understanding as to what you seem to be aspiring towards with this rather unexpected move."

Harry had to hide a smile at Malfoy's politeness. Despite the pale boy's emotionless face, the suspicion in his eyes was clear for anyone to see. And he had a feeling Malfoy really did not like acting civil with him.

"Nothing underhanded, I assure you. I merely requested her help in learning the traditions of the wizarding world this summer. While we were at that, we learned to put our differences aside, and your mother was kind enough to acknowledge the fact that I am family. I suppose she simply wants to encourage you and I to be more cordial, considering it would make her life easier. And my agreement to the matter comes from her assurance that you are not as bent on pureblood supremacy as you preach, which would certainly make it possible to get along with you."

Malfoy hummed a nonchalant agreement. "I suppose. If you don't mind me asking, why are you suddenly interested in learning the Old ways? You have been disregarding them for so long."

"I have not disregarded the traditions at all." Malfoy raised an eyebrow at the denial. "I cannot disregard that which I was ignorant of, can I?"

"What? Potter, are you trying to tell me you had no idea of the customs and traditions all this time? You, the Gryffindor Golden boy? The Savior?" Malfoy exclaimed, neutrality forgotten as he sneered at Harry.

"Is it that hard to believe that I was ignorant of my own heritage and wealth? Or did you honestly believe I wore hand-me-downs because I like tattered torn clothes and that I celebrate Halloween instead of Samhain because I like sweets?"

The faint pink coating Malfoy's cheeks gave Harry his answer.

"Seriously? Not one of you ever thought I simply did not know anything?"

"Everybody expected you to know of it," Malfoy shrugged in reply. Harry tried to suppress his irritation at the reply. Of course everybody expected it. But nobody ever had the common sense to teach him or check on his welfare, did they? Even when it was common knowledge he lived with muggles and walked around in clothes too big for him.

"Well, now you know otherwise. I recently chanced upon my heritage. And your mother was the best candidate to help me out as while she strongly believes, respects and practices the od ways, she was not a supporter of pureblood supremacy. Working with her is nice and her acceptance of me makes the relationship all the more easier."

Harry stared at the contemplative Malfoy heir. "So, is there anything else you wanted to know from me?"

"Why do you want to learn the Old ways?" Harry frowned, not understanding what Malfoy meant. "I mean, you were ignorant before, yes I got that. But even knowing about it now, why are you eager to learn it? I thought you were a Muggle supporter, Potter. Are you terminating your friendship with Granger now?"

Harry narrowed his eyes at the Malfoy scion. "I am not terminating my friendship with Hermione, Malfoy. I want to learn the traditions because I have been informed that they are a part of what makes my family. And learning them grants me an insight to my own family's way of life. And by Muggle supporter, if you mean I do not believe in eradicating or harming muggles for no good reason, then yes. I was and still am one. Just because I'm proud to be a wizard does not mean I have notions of supremacy about myself to believe I am superior to someone without magic."

Malfoy nodded, accepting the answer.

"Do you truly mean it when you said you want a truce with me to my mother, Potter?"

Harry nodded. "You are family. Distant relatives but still family. I do not have much of those living now so I'd rather not break ties with any unless we truly cannot get along. And I think you and I can get along if you do not go out of your way to antagonize me."

Malfoy gave him an affronted look. "I only give retribution for your acts of aggression."

Harry raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "I declined your friendship because you were impolite and snobbish, Malfoy. Don't go blaming me for your poor attitude and its resulting consequences."

"You humiliated me when I tried to be nice to you, Potter!"

"Malfoy," Harry started in exasperation. "You waltzed into the train car I was in without so much as a knock, insulted the first friend I have ever made in my entire life, was blatantly rude and then got angry that I was not impressed to have your company? You also went out of your way to get me in trouble for two years now, you arse."

The pink coating returned to Malfoy's cheeks. "Alright, I took the retribution a tad too far but you deserved."

"How?" Harry asked, exasperated.

"You're annoying, Potter."

"That's it Malfoy? Gee here I thought you had better insults," Harry replied sarcastically though a small smile rested on his lips.

Somehow, their banter lacked the usual viciousness the two of them displayed in Hogwarts.

Malfoy's lips twitched slightly. "It was a rather poor attempt, wasn't it?"

"The poorest," Harry nodded.

"Ah well, maybe it's a sign I should give up bothering you," Malfoy stated with a sad sigh.

"Was that a truce?" Harry enquired amusedly.

"I suppose. Look, I won't lie, Potter. I can't like you overnight. But I admit today's conversation was enlightening and decent for the two of us. I'm willing to try to be cordial, for my mother's sake at the least."

Harry nodded. "That's acceptable. I'll try to be less annoying too." He smiled as Malfoy's lips twitched again. "But I won't stand if you insult me or my friends, alright? Or if you preach about pureblood supremacy and the like." Harry paused, catching the flash of conflict in Malfoy's eyes. Narcissa's words drifted to Harry's mind. "Your mother mentioned you were of the same stance as her. If that's true, why do you act different in Hogwarts?"

The conflict heightened in Malfoy's eyes.

"Whatever you mention here will not leave this room unless you wish it, Malfoy."

Malfoy sighed. "You are aware of my father's strong stance, are you not, Potter?"

Harry nodded. "I am. I have a very strong feeling that even if we form a truce and you and your mother get along well with me, your father will probably remain hostile with me."

"You would be correct. My father is strong in his beliefs and while he is a great parent, this belief of his is something he cannot seem to negotiate about for anything. He knows I do not agree with him as does my mother. But I act the way I do because to not do so would give others a weakness to prey upon us. And it's expected of me anyway, considering everybody knows my father supports the Dark Lord."

Harry stared at the desk. That made more sense that it did not. Having experienced how easily Narcissa accepted him just because he was family, he was not surprised that all three of the Malfoys would value family so.

"But if you keep pretending like that, how can people believe you to be better?"

Malfoy shrugged. "I will find a way to survive in this world no matter what people think of me, Potter."

"So would this pose trouble for your family to suddenly play nice with me" Harry asked concerned.

Malfoy gave a smirk. "Not really. You may even pose as that ticket for us to stop pretending without anyone trying to harm my family, Potter. We could always say you influenced my mother and I and lie that father is the slowly changing. Your presence as the Scarheaded Savior will finally be useful."

Harry rolled his eyes. Trust Malfoy to think that.

"Anyway, back to the matter at hand. You know my real beliefs and all that. Mind you, if your friends are really annoying I will still provide them with snarky remarks, so if you want a truce you're going to have to live my personality."

Harry shrugged. "As long as you don't try to actively get under their skin or truly mean them harm, I'm willing to call a truce with you. I really don't want to waste my time at Hogwarts fighting with you.

"You should be happy that you got to be graced with my presence, Potter."

"Don't," Harry said with a deadpan expression.

"Alright, alright."

Malfoy stood, raising his hand to shake. "I suppose that brings us to the end of this rather awkward meeting."

Harry rolled his eyes, shaking his hand. "I suppose. I'll apologies to appease you. Sorry if I ever hurt your feelings in the past."

Malfoy hummed. "Right back at you, Potter. I'm sorry for being an arse as you so eloquently put it."

"Call me Harry. I'll see you around at Hogwarts."

"Draco," Malfoy replied in kind before leaving with a small wave of his hand.

Harry stared at the closed door. He wondered just how he would explain this development to Hermione and Ron. Ah well, he would cross that bridge when he came to that.