Harry James Potter (Malfoy)

They decided that the first thing they needed to do was check in on Harry at home to see if they saw any mistreatment.

Lucius decided that he’d spy a bit on the house as he didn’t really know much about the aunt and uncle and wouldn’t know exactly how to learn anything from interacting with them. And from what he and Cissa knew from Lily, her sister was not a woman they would even want to know. Plus, this would work better for getting some information to go off of. He could always try and worm his way into their house later, once he knew enough information to do it without raising suspicion. Cissa could help with that. While Lucius was going to spy on the house a little, she was going to ask around about Harry. They knew that Arabella lived nearby on Albus’s orders and Cissa was going to see what some of the neighbors might know about Harry.

Severus was watching Draco at the moment. He had been close with Lucius since their days at Hogwarts, but they grew closer after the both of them had been spies in the war. And when Severus had heard that Lily’s little boy was left with her sister (whom he despised with every fiber of his being), he was appalled and offered to help however he was able should Lucius and Cissa require it. He’d also offered to ask Albus about Harry’s living situation covertly if necessary to see if Albus knew of any abuse or neglect or if he’d Harry check on since placing him with Petunia and her husband.

The family was just waking when Lucius arrived to spy on them, doing so with a few spells to hide his presence so the muggles wouldn’t know he was there and spying on them.

He saw the aunt - Petunia - come down into the kitchen and on her way in it looked like she banged on a door to a cupboard under the stairs, though Lucius wasn’t sure why.

That is until Harry followed from behind that door. Lucius felt his brain restart. He knew the Dursleys (he learnt the name after a bit of snooping) weren’t treating Harry well due to how thin and small he was for his age, but he didn’t expect them to not even give him a proper room. From what he could tell of the house, there had to be at least a couple extra rooms. Unless they had more than the one child he’d seen (which he doubted), then there were perfectly good rooms that Harry should’ve been given one of. A bloody cupboard was where he slept instead.

What appalled Lucius even more was that when Harry got into the kitchen, he started to do some of the cooking. Most children weren’t woken up this early in the first place, but to wake a young child up to cook instead of the adults doing so was ludicrous. Petunia had perfectly working limbs to be able to cook breakfast but she instead pushed onto Harry, and it wasn’t just that it was one of his chores since his cousin seemed to not have any responsibility if the way he acted when he showed up was any indication.

The father and son duo came in around the same time, both just taking seats at the table instead of doing anything to help with setting the table or cooking breakfast. Vernon just opened up the paper he’d grabbed on the way in and started reading it as he waited for the food. He also appeared to be saying something rather rudely to Harry, though Lucius couldn’t hear from where he was watching. The son Dudley seemed to pick up on that train of speech and looked to be continuing it.

Harry wasn’t also allowed to eat much of the food he’d prepared, and Lucius wouldn’t consider the little he got to be much of a meal for a boy Harry’s age. It looked as though Petunia only prepared coffee and tea (which Harry wasn’t allowed any of) for her and her husband. After the cousin and uncle had finished their food (finishing not long after Harry due to how quickly they ate), Harry got up and started washing the dishes from the table and the ones used preparing breakfast in the first place. Lucius was fuming at this point and all his concentration was going towards upkeep the spells he had in place and keeping control of his magic so he didn’t have an uncontrolled emotional magical outburst.

Lucius was even more appalled when he saw the young boy come outside to start working on the garden (and rose bushes that were scratching poor Harry’s hands and arms) while the cousin got to stay inside, though Lucius wasn’t sure what he was doing. Though he knew the boy wasn’t doing any chores.

Casting subtle cooling and shade charms was all Lucius was able to do at this point to try and help Harry. He couldn’t act more until he and Cissa knew exactly what Albus knew and what actions they could take. If need be, they’d make a case out of this with Lucius' memory of today being viewed in a Pensieve. And he and Cissa should be the next family Harry would be placed with since they’d petition for custody and he was a Black cousin after all, which made him a Malfoy cousin as well.

~~Cissa~~

While her husband was watching the Dursley house today, Cissa found herself going to visit Arabella Figg to see what she knew about Harry’s home life. She knew that Arabella was the one tasked with somewhat keeping an eye on Harry, so she might have some insight into how he was being treated, and whether or not she ever reported to Albus or if he ever checked in on Harry

Walking up to the door, Cissa knocked and didn’t have to wait long for Arabella to answer the door and usher her inside.

“What a surprise to have you ask to speak with me,” Arabella said as the two of them sat down after Arabella ushered some of her kneazles out of the way. She offered Cissa a cup of tea, which Cissa gratefully accepted. “What do you want to talk about?”

Cissa took a deep breath. “I want to know what you’ve noticed about Harry Potter’s home life.”

Arabella looked at her with a quizzitive look. “Why are you asking about Harry? Surely you could ask Albus instead?”

“In theory I could, but Lucius and I encountered him at the park with Draco and noticed some things that were concerning. We don’t want to tip Albus off that we’re looking into his home life in case he tries to stop any sort of investigation from taking place.”

Arabella smiled a little, but it looked pained. “I’m glad somebody is finally noticing. I’ve watched poor Harry a few times now. It’s usually when those relatives of his are going on vacation or anywhere fun and they don’t trust him alone in the house and don’t want to take him with them. They act like he’s more of a servant than family. He’s been doing chores from the time he was first able.”

“Has Albus ever checked in? Have you ever reported this to him?”

“Albus means well, but he doesn’t have the time to check in himself and because I don’t have definitive proof, he doesn’t give what I say much credence. He’s convinced that because he put Harry with his aunt that he’ll be loved and taken care of in that house. But that’s never been the case.”

Cissa nodded. “I figured that might be what’s going on. Severus is going to see what he can learn from Albus in regards to what he knows of Harry’s upbringing thus far, but from what you’ve told me and what I’ve learned from the few neighbors I talked to on my way here, I think it’s best if we get custody of Harry as soon as possible.”

“You’re looking to take him in?” Arabella looked a little surprised at this.

“Yes. After all, if Albus wants him to be with family so much, then Luc and I are the next choices since he’s my cousin. And his godfather is my cousin as well. Harry should’ve been placed with us to start with since we can protect him better than a muggle family with some sort of supposed charm can. Our manor has centuries-old protections and Harry can have some semblance of a childhood.”

“Do you believe Sirius really betrayed James and Lily?” Arabella asked, looking at Cissa with a raised eyebrow. Cissa shook her head slightly.

“Not really. I don’t know exactly what transpired that night, but I knew Sirius. He adored Harry and he was practically James’s brother after he ran away from my aunt and uncle. I don’t think he has it in him to sell them out to Voldemort. And when Luc was spying for the Order, he never once saw Sirius anywhere near Voldemort. We’ve been thinking of looking into Sirius’s case and trial, though I don’t recall him having one, to see if anything proves that he wasn’t responsible.”

“If you get Harry, and Sirius is freed, would Sirius take custody?”

“I don’t believe so,” Cissa said. “He’s already been in Azkaban for a few years now, and before he’d be ready to even take care of himself he’d have to see a mental healer for quite a while to try and undo whatever damage has been done already.”

The other woman nodded at that. “I hope I’ve been of some help.”

“You have. Luc is also watching the Dursley house today to find out if he can see any of their treatment of Harry. He may try and trick his way into the house in the next day or so depending on what he finds and if Sev can tell us anything about Albus’s involvement in all of this.”

“I hope you get the boy out soon,” Arabella said as Cissa stood up and walked over to the door with Arabella guiding her.

“I hope so too.”

~~~~

When the two returned back to Malfoy Manor, they had about an hour before Draco would come back from being with his godfather and they decided to use the time to go over what each had learned. Cissa noticed that her husband looked exhausted emotionally, and a little magically too.

“What did Arabella tell you?” Lucius asked, wanting to get what was likely the least disturbing thing over with first before moving onto the bigger issues that he witnessed at the house.

“Well, she mentioned that Albus hasn’t ever checked on Harry himself since leaving him on their doorstep and that he never really listens to the alarms she’s raised about how he’s treated because she’s never had definitive proof that Harry isn’t treated well. Apparently the Dursleys,” Cissa spat the name with as much venom as she was able, “leave him there whenever they’re able if they’re going somewhere fun since they don’t trust him in the house by himself. Though Arabella doesn’t know what they do with him when she’s unavailable to watch him because she’ll notice the family leave but not see Harry with them at all. The neighbors all corroborated what she’d said about seeing him do chores outside and not seeming to have friends. That in itself is concerning. What did you find out?”

Lucius took a deep breath. “A lot, and none of it was good. I think I also know where Harry is when Arabella isn’t able to watch him when the Dursleys go somewhere. First of all, it appears they keep him in what I can only assume is a small cupboard under the stairs. They don’t even give him a proper room. On top of that, they didn’t treat him kindly once while I was there and he did all the chores while the uncle went to work and the aunt coddled the cousin inside the house. I’ve never seen a child treated with such disdain.”

Cissa felt her blood boiling just like Lucius had as he watched what Harry’s day was like. She looked at him, fire dancing in her eyes.

“We’re getting custody of him as soon as we can. Get the paperwork from the Ministry, as discreetly as possible, and Sev will be seeing Albus tomorrow and will tell us any information he can get from him in regards to Harry and what he knows, or doesn’t know about his home life and if he even really cares.”

Lucius nodded and it wasn’t much longer before Severus showed up with Draco in tow to drop him off. While Cissa took Draco off to get him washed up for dinner, Lucius told Severus their plans and what they’d already discovered. Lucius had seen Severus furious before, but this was a different kind of fury that painted his face, hearing how Lily’s son was treated by her own sister, though Severus knew that she would always be a bitter old shrew.