Malfoy Manor
It had been nearly instantaneous as Harry found himself standing at the front foyer of the Malfoy Manor, almost on the other side of the British Countryside. Harry tried but he collapsed onto his hands and knees, trying to calm his rolling stomach.
The last thing he wanted was to be sick on the expensive marble floor. Narcissa cooed at him and produced a stomach soother from her inner robes and handed it to him. He drank it down graciously as Dobby helped him up.
“Dobby is most sorry, Master Bunnymund! Come sit and Dobby will prepare tea for young sir and Mistress Cissy!”
“Thank you, Dobby, that will be most wonderful. Could you let Draco and Theo know we’ve arrived? Come Harry, we’ll take tea in the garden room. This way, please,” Narcissa glided out of the room, leaving the elf to his orders and Harry quickly catching up to the woman.
Despite the late hour, Harry had no desire to sleep. He knew that both Draco and Theo would have remained awake as well. Logically, it was possible that the others were awake as well, simply waiting for an owl.
The garden room, Harry thought, was well named. The room faced the garden outside, with large floor to ceiling windows, showcasing the beauty and bountiful lands sprawling across the land. Harry knew that these gardens and plants were well loved. The room itself was done in warm creams and subtle golds with comfy arm chairs and small round tables for tea. There were several plants, mostly climbing vines and indoor varieties.
Harry absolutely loved it.
“Of course mother would show you this room first,” Draco smirked.
“Hello Harry,” Theo spoke, stifling a yawn.
Completely forgetting his own manners, Harry jumped up from the chair and threw his arms around his two friends. He held them tightly as they held him. It had been a long time since he’d seen them and he had missed them more than words could say.
Marcus had been fun and had kept him busy, but he had to study for the upcoming exams. Marcus had a terrible habit of putting off his studying until the last possible moment. Severus had been trying to break the habit since he’d moved in. There was little success.
Finally, the three of them broke apart and each took their own seats. Dobby appeared not a moment later, a large tray of tea, biscuits, and sandwiches. He disappeared after fixing everyone their tea.
Narcissa took a sip and sighed, watching the floo for Lucius’ impending arrival. Her eyes drifted over to the trio of boys and knew full well that Pansy, Marcus, Blaise, and Daphne would soon join them. She had already received word that Toothiana and North were also coming. Several of the other Pookas had also offered aid in smuggling Harry out of Britain but Aster had declined.
A Bunnymund does not run from fear.
The floo flared to life at nearly two in the morning, depositing Lucius and Severus, who practically carried his friend to the nearest armchair. Lucius did not want Kingsley of all people to know he was handicapped.
Narcissa would berate him later for his foolishness.
Twenty minutes later, Theo’s father, Theodore Nott Sr. stepped through. A famed solicitor and lawyer, he was almost as much of a shark as Lucius was in court. His speciality however was child custody cases.
Theodore Nott Sr. was a rather dry man, a quiet Slytherin who somehow managed to fall in love with Theo’s extroverted Ravenclaw mother. A bubbly woman who loved books, her husband and her son. She had worked hard to instill a love of reading in Theo, while she worked twice as hard to make her husband laugh. Theodore Sr. Had never laughed as much as he did with his wife; she was wonderful.
She had been ill when they had gathered together for Harry’s birthday, but once she had heard that the case was about Harry-his loving Ravenclaw wife had nearly shoved him into the floo in his pants!
“Theo, win that case or I’ll divorce you! Also bring him around, I’d love to formally meet him!”
Saying what they would about Slytherin women, Theodore was sure Ravenclaw women were far worse.
“Lucius, Narcissa thank you for seeing me at this rather late hour? Is everyone here?”
“Almost, we are waiting on a few other guests and-“
There was a large squawk outside followed by a crash and several colorful curses in what Lucius knew to be Russian. He could only hope his peacocks were alright. North pulled his reins back and went to settle the massive reindeers. Phil carefully climbed out of the sleigh, taking care to help his very pregnant mate, Abigail out as well. Tooth touched down softly, turning to instruct Baby Tooth of her duties for the night, before joining North. The quartet marched as one unit towards the door, which swung open to allow them access.
‘’Vere iz Black? Vere iz Bu-’’
‘’Uncle North!’’ Harry threw himself as the cossack, grateful to be in somewhat familiar arms. He missed his Da terribly, but at least part of his family was here. North’s large hand tousled the teen’s hair lovingly. Harry adored how warm North was.
“Harry!!”
The young teen braced himself for his Aunt Tooth, who descended on him in a flurry of bright colorful feathers and teary eyes. She turned his head this and that way, carefully checking for any injuries. Once she was sure he was alright, Tooth took a respectful distance away. Harry understood her reasoning but he carefully settled himself in her embrace, relishing in the feeling of family. Abigail gently squeezed his shoulder, while Phil stood guard.
Harry remained settled against his aunt and uncle. Draco yawned as he fixed his tea, trying to remain awake enough to listen. Lucius commended his son’s loyalty to his friend. Theo sipped his tea, simply watching everyone. He was used to staying up quite late on his holidays. His father often let him help him when it came to court cases.
Theodore Nott Sr stood, letting the attention of the room fall to him. “Mister Bunnymund, the case against your father is in three days’ time. There is much to prepare and I will act as your lawyer during this time. Is that acceptable?”
Harry nodded, but Lucius cleared his throat, “It must be a vocal answer, Harry. We need to establish a client agreement through magick.”
“I accept you as my lawyer then, Mr. Nott,”
Twin golden bands encircled both Nott Sr and Harry, settling on their wrists and remaining there. It was weightless, and very warm. It felt like honesty, Harry thought.
“That is a magickal agreement, Harry. It will hold until the Wizemagot has come to a decision pertaining to the case.” Nott Sr. explained, watching the young wizard’s fascination.
Harry’s face fell slightly, “So there’s a chance I could go to Sirius?”
“No, we will not allow it!” Narcissa exclaimed, slamming the tea cup on the table.
The occupants of the room winced, as the delicate porcelain shook and cracked, breaking into three pieces.
Nott Sr. cleared his throat once more, “Mister Bunnymund, you must understand that while I will fight for you to remain with Edelweiss, in the eyes of the Wizenmagot, a creature is not fit to raise a child. The law was placed in 1873, when a feral wizard was found to have been raised by a clutch of dragons.”
“What happened to him?”
“Once the law came to pass, he was taken and was a permanent resident of St. Mungo’s in the Janus Thackeray Ward until his death some years later. I may be a lawyer, Mister Bunnymund, but I will not allow a child to be taken from his own home. Now, I will need you to tell me what your life was like before Edelweiss. Where did you live?”
“I used ta live in Surrey, number four Privet Drive. With Lily’s family, the Dursley’s.” Harry took a steadying breath. He hadn’t spoken much about his time with the Dursley’s, but his Da knew. Tooth knew from his memories.
They all knew from Pitch’s attack. Draco and Theo had heard how Severus and Harry had been attacked by their own parents. It had been harder to see the memories.
Despite this, Harry was content to forget the Dursleys altogether. He knew that in order to stay with his Da, the Wizenmagot would have to know what his previous home life was like. Harry reached for another biscuit and he sorted through his memories.
“I used ta live in the cupboard under the stairs. I was woken up around five ta start brekkie. A full English mind ya. If I burned the bacon, Petunia would hit me with a frying pan. If I didn’t complete my chores, Vernon made sure I didn’t eat. For days. Dudley use ta chase me and beat me if he caught me-called it Harry Hunting.”
No one spoke all far too stunned as Harry continued his tale. Tooth gripped North’s hand tightly, tears threatening to spill over.
Nott Sr. had taken on terrible cases before, but to know that a magickal child had been left with such horrid muggles and then no one had checked on him. Inexcusable.
“I ran away on Easter. Took a risk that some fellow was betta than the Dursleys. I was sure that I would rather take any risk if it meant I could get away. I thought he would’ve eaten me and even then, death was so much betta than stayin’. I jumped into a tunnel without a second thought! Why would they think sendin’ me elsewhere would save me?! I’d rather die!’’
Narcissa leapt from her chair, enveloping the young male in her arms at the same time Tooth did. Both women were crying, and hugging the young teen, begging him to never consider such a horrid thing.
Tooth knew there were situations like this-children who understood that death was better than living because they had no escape. Tooth, in all her years, had had her fair share of children who never grew up. Lost souls who were picked up the Peter Pan, the original lost soul who refused to grow up. MiM made him, just like the others and Peter truly made the children feel happy until they were ready to leave.
Tooth had Peter’s teeth, the first three and that was it. Peter had not wanted to grow up, he just wanted to have fun-a bit longer. His father, displeased with his antics, had flung him from the open window. Peter had been dead for only a little bit, when MiM spelled a moonbeam into life-Tinkerbell, his own personal guardian. Grimmsby had allowed MiM this one special soul to be elevated into direct guardianship and through this, Peter Barrie became Peter Pan, minor guardian of lost souls and NeverLand.
Tooth could have never imagined a life where she didn’t know Harry. It wasn’t something feasible. Harry hadn’t expressed any of this in their sessions-he was angry at himself and at Gilderoy. Angry at the situation, especially in a place where he was supposed to be safe. Tooth knew that they would need to restart his sessions once more.
She would not leave him halfway.
Nott Sr. sighed heavily, rubbing his eyes and glancing at Lucius. The man’s magick was crackling around him, whipping his hair about. Nott Sr. knew that if Lucius could still walk unaided, he would’ve been searching for Sirius Black and the Dursleys.
He’d seen the man kill for his family and Nott Sr. knew that at this moment, Lucius Malfoy would kill for Harry Bunnymund.
“I believe that we are finished for today and we should get some much deserved rest. It has been a trying night for everyone.”
Lucius nodded solemnly, knowing full well neither he nor Narcissa would be getting much rest.
—————————————————————
Once the garden room was cleared out and North and his own party had left for the evening/day, Lucius sat in front of the floo. Narcisa was at his side.
“Number Twelve Grimmauld Place!” Narcissa spoke, tossing in some powder. The floo flared a brilliant emerald green before a figure appeared in the flames.
“Lucius, what is the trouble?”
“My lord, I trust Severus and the others made it?”
“They are resting save for that strange boy-he is currently in the library.”
“My lord, we have word of young Harry’s former family, The Dursleys of Number Four Privet Drive in Surrey.”
Voldemort and by extension, Quirrell smiled widely.
Oh this is much more interesting
“When is the court date, Lucius?”
“August the eighth, My Lord,”