Chapter 1
Chap One (Remus and Lucius)
~~~Perspective: Remus~~~
He ran his fingers over his knuckles taking in a deep breath, bile rose in his throat as he breathed out. He swallowed it back down as he approached ‘4 Pivet Drive’. The house looked the same as every other one in the neighborhood. No one would see any difference in it but him. It housed a young boy he’d wanted to see for five years. But he stayed away but circumstances kept him from his godson. Remus still thought that James was an idiot for giving Harry two God fathers. The thought brought his likely (ex) fiancé back to his mind, the ring on his finger burned him with shame. But he didn’t have the strength to take it off, that would mean conceding to the fact the man he loved was a killer.
He shook those thoughts out his head, Petunia was waiting for him, and she said her Husband could return at any time despite having work. How difficult it had been to arrange contact with her was proof enough he couldn’t waste time. He walked to the door, hesitating for just a moment before knocking softly. A small boy answered the door and Petunia appeared behind him. He had disastrous brunette hair and soft green eyes. A part of him inwardly cried because he recognized those soft caring eyes anywhere.
“Hello Mrs. Evans, I’m R.J Lupin. Its um, pleasant to meet you.” He smiled nervously, scared to say anything that would upset her.
“Come in Lupin, you look shockingly different than what you did at the wedding. But considering everything.” Her voice faltered. Petunia and Lily grew apart, but they were still siblings. She patted Harry’s head and the three of them walked to the living room.
“I haven’t been well since the funeral and my fiancé being arrested.” He didn’t go into the detail of being a werewolf. She didn’t need to know that. She was a witch herself; he couldn’t risk telling her if he wanted to be around Harry.
“Yes… that would make sense.” She sighed softly. Little Harry waddled in holding a croissant. The small boy waddle ran over to him holding out the desert. He titled his head before picking up the boy, he smiled softly to Harry.
“Aren’t you a little welcoming gentlemen bud, thank you so much.” He took the desert smiling at the boy. Harry’s eyes lit up in a way that made his heart melt, it melted further when the small boy attempted to hug him. He wrapped an arm around the boy, who quickly settled down in his arms.
“Is there any news on finding Potter?” Remus only shook his head in shame. It made no sense James had just disappeared. The house showed a struggle everywhere, James’ wand lay shattered on the ground, the unicorn hair core split. It was a tragedy what happened that night. But made worse by the fact all they could bury of James was a destroyed wand. Conceding to the fact ‘he’ had torn James apart.
“The bloodhound of the Aurors got himself arrested…” He heard his own voice mutter the words; it seemed so wrong. Pads would’ve found James by now if the man was alive. But he was locked in Azkaban with the raving lunatics. He continued to talk to Petunia but a part of him zoned out. There was a time when he couldn’t have believed Sirius could kill someone. Then his prank at the Willow happened and that belief was shattered. But he grew to trust Sirius again, if difficult at first. Then that night came, the way Sirius ran out in a panic could set anyone on edge. Because for all his temperament, Sirius Black never panicked. Nothing could put him in a panic more than his own mother had. He was pulled out of his mind feeling Harry yawn softly and nestle into his chest.
“Oh my, it seems like someone’s worn out from all this talking.” Petunia moved her hands to cast a silent spell but stopped herself with a wince. She walked over picking up the six-year-old. Harry whined grabbing at Remus’ shirt. He softened his voice, patting the young man.
“Hey, bud it’s okay. I’ll be back, don’t you worry. Get your rest.” Harry frowned softly but nodded. Remus finished the tea and croissant he had been given before meeting Petunia at the door. She leaned slightly, thanking him for her company when he noticed something purple and blue under her makeup. His gaze hardened and wanted to say something but was ushered out.
~~~Perspective: Lucius~~~
Lucius stared down at Narcissa’s list trying to remember where in knockturn alley he was supposed to get all this nonsense. He swore Diagon Alley was easier to navigate, and it was always full of people. He folded the list shoving it in the pocket with his wand.
He saw a flash of platinum blonde in the side of his vision, at first, he brushed it off as his own hair but saw a young child weaving through the shadows of the alley. Platinum blonde, almost white strands of hair peeking out from the hood. He almost wanted to ignore it, but his conscious perked up reminding someone would almost definitely kidnap the kid if it was left it in here. Zabini would laugh at him if she could she him right now. He followed the child into a small almost too tight alley, thankful for the first time about how skinny he was. Or else he felt the alley would’ve constricted his lungs.
The child, who he saw more clearly now as a young girl. Was looking up at him fearfully. He leaned down to see her clearer, inwardly grimacing at his coat touching the ground. She was trembling like a leaf while holding a loaf of dirty bread close to her chest. Other than just being downright filthy, which hurt a piece of him for whatever reason. Her platinum almost white hair was cut in jagged angles framing a freckled delicate ivory skin tone. Her eyes were blown wide with fear, green almost mint. But he could barely make out any if these features as like the rest of her body. Her face was covered in concerningly bloody bandage. His heart ached for the young girl, maybe he was going senile. But he could see his own little Draco in her place.
“Hello little one, what do you think you’re doing back in Knockturn alley?”
She blinked in confusion, some of the fear dissipating out of her little eyes, she simply held up the dirty bread and muttered something like food.
“You could get food in Diagon Alley, why come down here for it?”
She shook her head, getting up slowly and taking his hand slowly. (Well, more a finger her hands were tiny). She didn’t move further, looking up at him cautiously. Almost as if for approval. He raised an eyebrow but nodded. She smiled almost invisibly, before pulling him along. She leads him deeper into Knockturn Alley, he was acutely aware that this had the possibility to be a trap. And if so, his wand hand is occupied but something let him trust the child. She stopped in front of a desolate building that at one point said the words orphanage but now it was just orhnage. She pointed at it, smiling at him. That would explain how filthy she was and the bread. But not all the bandages. He knew no good answers would come but he entered with her. She ran off deeper into the building, the caretaker just stared at him like she saw a ghost. Not that his complexion couldn’t be mistaken for a ghost.
“M-mr Malfoy…? What are you doing in a place like this?” The caretaker’s voice was one of pure shock, while she continued to stare.
“The girl, I wanted to know what all the bandages were about... and why she’s running around Knockturn alone.”
“Girl? Do you mean that mummy looking one?” He narrowed his eyes at how the women spoke of the young girl. “It’s allowed to run around because with that things condition it’ll die either way and no one would want to adopt it. It doesn’t even have a name, nor do we know if it has magic. It’s a mud blood.” He ground his teeth hearing the women speak of the little girl like that. He didn’t know where the next thing came from, because it would probably be the most impulsive thing he’d decide in his life.
“How much would you want for her?”
The women looked at him like he’d gone nuts, Narcissa probably would too.
“Well Mr. Malfoy, you’d be covering all the bandages we spent on her.” He rolled his eyes, throwing 3 galleons on the desk. The caretaker quickly scoped them up, Narcissa was going to free her sister and feed him to Bella when she found out. Hopefully the sweet little thing had good puppy eyes. Or Narcissa was going to kill them both. He followed the caretaker to the back and to the girl’s room, she had the smallest. She was in the middle of eating the dirty bread when he walked in, her mouth fell upon. A moldy crumb of bread fell out.
“Get all your things together little one, you’ll be leaving this place today.”
Her eyes lit up, bouncing off the bed and wrapping around his leg in a hug. She sniffled, wrapping around it tight but then gasped. Letting go and rummaging under her bed, pulling out a half ruined (and bloodied) stuffed black rabbit with a green scarf. He could almost scoff at the irony.
“Is that all you want little one?”
She nodded excitedly; he picked her up. Being careful not to disturb the bandages, he’d have to take her to Mungo’s to figure out why they were there.
“I’ll call you Ivory till we have a better name for you alright little one?”
She nodded in agreement, holding onto his robe tight while trembling softly. Like he would disappear if she didn’t, pressing her face into his chest. He rubbed her back softly as they left Knockturn alley. He got a few strange looks, but people knew better than to question him.
~~~Some Time Later~~~
Lucius sat legs crossed waiting for the doctor to return for Ivory. He really hated waiting though, particularly bored with nothing to do after completing his shopping. Then sent it back to Dobby. She returned calling him back with a soft frown.
“Well, we figured out what’s wrong with the poor girl but it’s not good. must have to be careful with her…” He opened his mouth to speak but the doctor shushed him.
“She has what the muggle’s call butterfly skin. It makes her skin tear off easily. It’s extremely severe in her arms and torso. She seems to be missing most of her skin on her torso right now. Partially due to the condition and the bandages had stuck to her skin. So, the rest came off even with us being careful. When she wakes up, she’ll be in a lot of pain Mr. Malfoy…” He could only stare at the women not knowing what to say.
“There are charms you can use to protect her skin, but it won’t be a catch all and you’ll have to wait until it all heals. There should be certain fabrics that won't be as harsh on her skin.” He nodded softly.
“Can I see her?”
The doctor nodded, leading him into the room, the tiny girl lay on the hospital bed shaking like a leaf. Skin raw and pink. But it was no longer covered in grime and blood. He pulled the chair over beside Ivory’s bed. He ran his fingers through her hair gently. She whimpered softly in her sleep, curling up on herself.
“Dear, can you send for Narcissa? Make sure she knows I’m not injured. Heaven knows what that women would say if I was.”
She nodded softly, Narcissa arrived about twenty minutes later. She stopped at the door, staring between him and Ivory. He tried to watch her face, but it revealed nothing like always. Such was the way of the Blacks he supposed.
“Lucius what… what is this, who is this…? Who’s child is that what’s happened to her?”
Lucius swallowed down nervously, looking up at his wife with a cautious smile.
“Well technically my love… she’s ours now…?”
That only made her narrow her eyes further as he fully turned his attention to Narcissa.
“Lucius Malfoy. YOU BOUGHT A CHILD WITHOUT TELLING ME?!”
He winced, only smiling at his wife nervously.
“Darling please don’t scream, were in a hospital.”
That did not help in the slightest, she pulled out her ebony wand pressing it against his neck. An empty threat, Narcissa was capable of a lot but not that. He pulled her closer by her waist, hugging her softly while kissing her wrist. She huffed softly but put her wand back, leaning her chin on his head.
“Walburga is going to have a field day when she hears about this… the rumors will be everywhere Lucius. Did you even think about that before doing this?”
“Of course, I did darling. But she looks so much like Draco, I couldn’t just leave her down in Knockturn alley to die.”
Narcissa frowned softly, running her hands through his hair.
“Lucy, you have a heart for a brain.”
She sighed softly, looking down at Ivory’s trembling form.
“What’s her name love?”
Lucius only shook his head; he saw only a crestfallen look enter his wife’s eyes.
“Her parents didn’t even name her…?” Narcissa bit her lip, taking another look at the girl. “Iris. Like the nebula and the flower.”
Lucius smiled brightly at her acceptance of the young girl.