To Make It Right
Harry had been moping around all morning, he knew what was the next step, Hermione made sure to let a daily planner and today was written and circled in red : “Talking to the remaining Malfoys.”
Remaining because Lucius was in Azkaban, Harry had testified for Draco and his mother but he did not have anything on his father, nothing that could keep him out of prison at least, with his influence he had managed to make sure that he would not receive the kiss.
From what he knew, Narcissa had not been seen in public since that day and Draco was trying his best to clean their name. Draco being of age when his father got incarcerated, they had not lose their place in the Wizarding World, but the Malfoy’s reputation was not of the best and Hermione told him that any intervention from Malfoy was immediately ignored, slowly they were beginning to get exclude from the rest of the society. And with the punishments that they still undergo, namely the prohibition to own an elf as well as the control of their vaults - they cannot exceed a certain amount per month without proving it a necessity to the Ministry of Magic - life was bound to be hard for them.
The only reassurance Harry had got was that both Pansy and Blaise were still friends with Draco and the three of them could be seen going out, to a restaurant or for a drink, every Friday night.
And despite everything, Harry could not help but feel responsible for their situation, maybe if he had find something to keep Lucius out of Azkaban, things could be better for them ? At least Draco would not have to take care of everything alone.
Godric, the boy had take on everything before turning eighteen, even though he had been raised to do it one day, it was not supposed to happened now and in this situation!
Nevertheless, if Harry was moping it was because he did not know how to approach them, it was hard enough with Andromeda, it will only be harder with them, they did not entertain a friendly relationship.
Hearing a pop, Harry turned his head, Kreacher was standing next to him, holding a golden cape toward him, a nice, not so subtle, manner telling him to leave and do what he had to do. With a sigh, he put it on his shoulder and smiling at his house elf, walked out of the house to apparate as soon as the door closed.
——
When he opened his eyes again it was to a door bursting open and a wand pointing menacingly at him, he stumbled for a second, from both the travel and the shock before putting his hands up and backing away a bit.
“Potter?! What are you doing here? You can’t just apparate inside the wards without warning anyone!”
“Draco, Hi. Would you please put down your wand?”
The blond boy, realizing that his arm was still raised, lowered it, keeping his firm grip on his wand. “You didn’t answer me, what are you doing here?”
“I just want to talk with you and your mother, if you would let me in?”
“What about?”
“Mostly Black’s things.”
Harry had lowered his hands but still kept them visible at all times. Malfoy had always had a hard time giving away his trust and Harry knew it, he also knew that the war surely did nothing to help with that. Staying silent, he watched as Draco’s brows furrowed even more, clearly hesitant at the idea of letting Harry inside. Finally, his brows unfrow, freeing his pale figure of any wrinkles and his grip on his wand loosen, before his tall shape step to the side.
“Come in, Mother is in the salon. You better not try any funny business. Clear?”
“Clearer than crystal.”
The taller boy started walking, taking off toward the sitting area, followed quickly by Harry who tried as much as he could to stop himself from remembering what happened the last time he was here. He really did not need to have these images in his mind with the conversation they were about to have.
Shaking his head Harry stepped through another double door before stopping dead in his tracks, frozen like a deer in the headlights.
Mrs Malfoy was sitting on a sofa, facing the tall windows, a melancholic expression painted on her face. She jumped when her son approached her, murmuring something in her ear, before sitting down at her left. It was the first time that Harry ever saw her so expressive and she looked so fragile that it looked like a strong wind would be enough to break her. She was even paler than her son was and Harry didn’t think it was possible.
Straightening up, her gray eyes locked in Harry’s, a wrinkled appearing between her brows, the exact same way it did with her son.
“Lord Potter, come sit, would you like a cup of tea?”
“Good Afternoon Madam Malfoy. A cup of tea does seem lovely.”
Sitting on the sofa in front of them, Harry noticed the shiver at the mention of the name Malfoy. With a flick of her wand she brings a full tea service to the table separating them, and with a second flick, heats up the water before serving them, starting with him.
“My son informed me that you wished to talk to us about the Blacks?”
“Yes, I do. As you may know Sirius willed me the house, I also learned after his death that he had made me heir to the Black family, which now makes me the new Lord Black.” Seeing their shoulders tense a hold up his hands, defensively and start sputtering. “I have absolutely no intention of forcing anything on either of you, it is absolutely not my intention, I swear! In fact I’m only asking things that I’m sure will get a negative answer and it is absolutely understandable, I shouldn’t even ask you this, you both surely have more important things tjj on deal with…”
“Shut up.”
The voice was cold and sharp and when Harry lowered his hands he could see Mrs Malfoy looking at him, absolutely dumbfounded, winking from both eyes her red painted lips parted.
Draco wasn’t surprised, he knew Harry tended to ramble when stressed, but he was clearly bothered, his eyes as cold and as piercing as his voice had been.
“…Sorry.”
“Start again, slower.”
“Right. So…uhm… as I was saying I’m now Lord of two important houses and I will soon need to take action as so. But I didn’t get any education on how to do so, or on Purebloods customs and code of conduct and I barely know anything about the Wizarding World for the simple fact that I wasn’t even supposed to survive the war.”
“And why is it our issue? What do you want from us Potter?”
“I want your help. I want you both to train and educate me on everything I need to learn.”
“Why would we do that, Lord Potter?”
Of course the first intervention of Mrs Malfoy would be the one question he didn’t want to answer, because the only way they would accept it was if he talked about their situation. Something he didn’t want to bring up, because it was partly his fault.
Breathing deeply, he tightened his hands on his cup and doing his best to not show his shame, he opened his mouth.
“Because the name Malfoy is losing all his strength, day by day, it is only a matter of time before it becomes useless. Don’t get mad, you know it. The Potter name, however, is at his strongest, and it won’t be long before it becomes the same for the Blacks, once people realize that I am the Lord Potter-Black. The second reason is that, when this day comes, and it will, neither of you will have any immunity or protection.”
“And how exactly, educating the idiot that you are will give us immunity and protection?” The voice of Draco was bitter and mean, he wasn’t even trying to hide his anger.
“That brings us to my second question, this one is purely a proposition and I will accept your answer without trying to make you change your opinion.”
“Well, ask then.”
“I’m proposing to give you the name Black, you wouldn’t have to abandon the name Malfoy, but like I did bear the two of them.”
“You want us to become Blacks? Why?”
“Because that way you will be protected, you will also have access to the Black’s vaults as well as the Potter’s ones. I would also like to inform you that Grimmauld Place is currently being renovated and that two rooms will be made for you, if you ever decided to come live there or simply stay for some time. Andromeda and Teddy, my godson, will go live there full time, with me.”
The silence that came after he finished talking was heavy. Harry finally took his first sip of tea - it was still warm- letting mother and son agree on their decision. He knew that they would ask for more time to think about his proposition, so their silent discussion wasn’t about that.
It wasn’t the first time that Harry had caught them talking with their eyes together, but he still was amazed by it, how they were able to understand the other, simply by looking in their eyes and without needing a single sound. Finally, Draco sighs and turns his head toward him.
“I will teach you what you need to know as a Lord. But do not expect respect from me, I will be the one who made you, so I will be the superior, even if my name loses all its power.”
“If it pleases you. Believe me or not, but I’m not trying to impose my power on you or your mother Draco.”
“Regarding your proposition of taking the name Black we will need more time to think about it.” It was Narcissa who answered this time, her voice less cold and hard than her son’s. “I am not sure that my sister would like us to be living under the same roof as her grandson, we will stay at Malfoy’s Manor for as long as we can, it is our home after all.”
“Alright, I understand and like I said, I will not force you on this. If you ever need something you know where to find me, the Fidelius Charms will let you enter, you will also have access to the Black-Potter’s vaults by the end of the week after I make the modifications necessary with the goblin in charge.”
After a bit more talking and agreeing on how and when Harry will have his lessons, the Savior left and apparate back at his own home.
He didn’t eat dinner that day, too exhausted from the stress regarding his visit and the visit in itself, immediately going to bed in his new room and falling asleep to Queen playing.
——