Chapter 6
‘So wait – you’re telling me I’m allowed to sneak a barn Kneazle inside, but then you’re going to catch me and make me take it out again? What’s the point?!’ Draco asked in confusion.
‘The point is, you know you it’s against the rules, so when I catch you, Harry can see that the consequences for breaking the rules are not as terrible as he fears.’ Narcissa replied patiently.
Draco blinked. ‘His muggles were awful. He told me one time his aunt hit him with a hot frying pan for burning some bacon.’ Draco blinked quickly, trying to will away the tears that suddenly threatened.
Narcissa pulled him into a tight hug. ‘Harry has faced far more suffering than he ought, and far worse consequences than his behaviour deserved.’
‘I don’t even know how to cook bacon! But I know if I burned it, you and dad would just help me start again and get it right. How could they be so awful to him?!’ Draco sobbed.
Narcissa rocked him from side to side. ‘I don’t understand either, my darling. But regardless of the reason, Harry has faced that mistreatment many times. He needs to learn that not all consequences are so excessive – certainly not in this household.’
‘But why do we need to break the rules at all? Harry’s not a bad person, he doesn’t just do the wrong thing for fun! Why does he need to learn about consequences?’
‘Draco… I think Harry likely has some very different ideas about what ‘bad’ is. You have grown up with clear rules and boundaries, which were made with love and your best interests in mind. Harry has not had that. We believe that he likely had many ‘rules’ that are unreasonable and unfair growing up, and that he is still afraid of breaking them. Uncle Severus and Uncle Sirius both think Harry probably believes we will turn him out if he breaks a rule – even if it’s a rule we don’t even know about.’
Draco gasped. ‘We wouldn’t!’
‘No, we wouldn’t. But Harry isn’t as sure of that as we are. So, we’re going to show him, bit by bit. We’re going to start with you two sneaking a cat inside, so he can see the consequences for breaking the rule. Uncle Sirius has some plans too. We might ask you to do other things to help, or we might set up things for Harry to do wrong, so he learns that he will not be punished cruelly.’
Draco worried his lip between his teeth. ‘It just… it seems mean, to set him up like this.’
Narcissa sighed. ‘I know, darling. But can you trust we have Harry’s best interests at heart?’
‘Of course.’ Draco said simply.
‘Shh! Mother will be out in the garden still, we can get her up to my room befo-‘ Draco froze, and behind him Harry froze too.
Narcissa eyed them coolly. ‘What do we have here, boys?’ she asked, and Draco gave her a sheepish grin.
‘Nothing?’ he tried.
‘Hm. Hand it over.’ Narcissa held out a hand.
Harry stuffed the kitten further up his shirt and bolted, fear pounding through him as he sprinted outside, racing for the old stables. He ignored the shouts of his name, even knowing he would be in more trouble when they caught him – but the kitten. He couldn’t let the kitten suffer for his stupidity. He knew it was a bad idea, but Draco had made it seem like such fun – and so easy, like there was no chance they’d be caught. And now Harry had to find a hiding spot before they found him or the kitten and –
Harry slipped through the door into the dark stables, eyes darting around quickly. The hayloft was probably the best spot. He scurried for the ladder, scrambling up it and carefully pulling the kitten from his jumper and tucking it between some old bales. Thankfully the kitten began sniffing around and pouncing on pieces of straw poking out. Hopefully it wouldn’t follow him as he scrambled back down the ladder.
His feet his the ground, and he turned, intending to run again and throw them off the track of the kitten – but he was face to face with Narcissa and Lucius.
Shit.
Draco stood behind them in the doorway, wringing his hands.
Harry tried not to look up – maybe they hadn’t seen him hide the kitten up there. It was a slim chance, but if he looked up, it would be a dead giveaway.
‘Harry, darling, take a breath. What’s happened?’ Lucius crouched down in front of him, hands reaching out slowly to gently grip Harry’s shoulders.
Harry’s eyes darted around fearfully, landing on Narcissa, and Draco, and Lucius, and Draco again, then back to Narcissa, watching her hands carefully.
‘I know it wasn’t allowed, I’m sorry! I’m sorry, it was my idea, it wasn’t Draco – I – convinced him to do it! It wasn’t his fault! It’s gone now, I won’t do it again, I swear!’ he babbled, starting to tremble under Lucius’ hands.
‘No!’ cried Draco, stepping forward. ‘No, it wasn’t Harry’s idea! It was-‘ Draco cut himself off abruptly when Narcissa held up a hand.
‘It’s alright, nobody is in trouble. Let’s all calm down a bit. Harry, you are not in trouble. Is the kitten alright?’
Harry began to shake harder, tears in his eyes. ‘It’s gone! I – I... vanished it! Er – accidental magic! It’s gone, I won’t do it again, I swear!’
Lucius fingers twitched on Harry’s arms, making him flinch and try to pull away. ‘Harry, take a breath. The kitten is fine, Cissa, it’s in the hayloft.’
‘NO!’ shouted Harry. ‘No, leave it alone! Please, it’s not the kitten’s fault! Don’t hurt it, please!’
Draco let out a pained cry, leaning heavily against his mother, who was squeezing him a little too tight – like she was struggling to control her own emotions.
‘Nobody is going to hurt the kitten.’ Lucius said firmly. ‘Harry, look at me. Nobody is going to hurt the kitten. You are not in trouble. I want you to take a deep breath and hold it as long as you can.’
Harry’s eyes were blurry with tears as he gasped for breath, shaking like a leaf. It took a few seconds to comprehend Lucius’ instruction, before he sucked in a breath and tried to hold it. He barely lasted three seconds before he let it go and gasped for air.
Lucius tugged him close, wrapping his arms around Harry’s heaving chest. ‘It’s alright, Harry. Try to match my breathing. You’re alright, you’re safe. Nobody is going to hurt the kitten, and you aren’t in trouble. Just follow my breathing.’
It took several long minutes before Harry’s breathing began to even out, and he slumped against Lucius, exhausted.
‘That’s it, little one, just breathe. Everything is okay. Come here, let’s sit down more comfortably.’
A distant part of Harry’s mind was shocked at seeing Lucius sitting on the dirty stable floor, but he couldn’t quite summon up the energy to react. He was just limp in Lucius’ arms as he rearranged them to sit comfortably.
Draco and Narcissa followed suit, both with tear tracks on their own cheeks, watching quietly.
‘Harry, sweetheart, can you hear me?’ Lucius asked gently.
Harry nodded, too tired to answer out loud.
‘Can you tell me what happened?’
Harry began to tense, but Lucius stroked a hand up and down his back, pressing him close to his chest again. ‘No, no, sweetheart – just relax. You aren’t in trouble. Let me start. Draco suggested you bring a kitten inside to play, and Cissa found you, and you ran. Can you tell me why?’
‘Don’ wan’ y’to hurt it. Jus’ a ki’en.’ Harry slurred against Lucius chest.
‘Why would we hurt a kitten, Harry?’ Lucius asked, trying to keep his voice soft and even, although he could feel a well of anger at the thought of someone hurting an animal.
‘Can’t bring animals inside. Dirty and foul. Uncle Vernon and Dudley will kill it. Make it suffer. Jus’ a kitten. Gotta hide her.’ He slurred, eyes drooping.
Narcissa’s hand flew to her mouth, and Draco whimpered.
Lucius closed his eyes and took a deep breath. ‘That is awful, Harry. Nothing like that will ever happen here. We don’t allow cats inside because, strangely enough, magical cats attract pests. It is believed that kneazles somehow bring pests into the home so they have something to hunt. It is fine to bring a kneazle into a home that already has pests, to help control them. But if there are no pests, like in our manor, then bringing in a kneazle will also bring in pests.’
Harry made an odd huff of surprise, still slumped against Lucius. ‘Sorry. Didn’t know.’
‘That’s quite alright, sweetheart. We don’t expect you to know things like that – you haven’t lived in a magical home before. But next time you do something wrong, Harry, please don’t run. We were afraid you were going to hurt yourself trying to get away.’
Harry sniffed quietly.
‘In our home, consequences are discussed before they are implemented. We will not just lash out and hurt you. The rules will always be clear, and if they are not clear, we will explain them. The consequences will always be fair and reasonable. Your previous… family, was cruel and excessive. We would never punish you in such a way. Draco?’
Draco straightened a little at being addressed.
‘What is the worst consequence you have ever had?’
Lucius could feel Harry tensing, and he ran a soothing hand over his back while Draco thought.
‘Probably the time I was banned from my broom for a whole month, and I had to write a formal apology to Lady Parkinson, and mother made me write it out 5 separate times until I stopped smudging the ink.’ Draco’s voice had taken on a wry hint of humour towards the end, and Harry glanced up at him in question.
‘There may have been an incident in which I flew a little too close to some party guests… and scared Lady Parkinson and made her jump back and fall into the fountain in the east garden!’ Draco was grinning by the end, while Narcissa was giving him a stern look, undercut by the corner of her mouth twitching up in amusement.
Harry blinked. ‘Once I was carrying a tray of snacks at Aunt Petunia’s garden party, and I tripped, and after the party I was locked in my cupboard for three days and I wasn’t let out to use the bathroom, then Aunt Petunia punished me again for making a mess in the cupboard.’
The Malfoys did a poor job of hiding their outrage and dismay, but Harry strangely didn’t feel afraid at seeing it this time.
‘That is abhorrent, darling. Such a punishment is… unconscionable. Horrendous.’ Narcissa squeezed Draco a little closer in her lap. ‘You will never face unfair, unreasonable, harmful punishments in this home. On my magic I swear it.’ She said forcefully, and Harry’s eyes widened as he watched a swirl of magic land on Narcissa’s shoulders.
They sat in silence for several minutes, each needing time to process, before Lucius spoke up. ‘Does the kitten have a name? Because it may not be allowed inside, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be an outdoor pet. I think there’s a couple of books of names in the library. Maybe we can read one tonight and pick something suitable. We’ll all have to agree, if it’s to be a family pet.’
Harry astonished smile lasted hours.