Chapter Four: Some Things Can’t Be Fixed, But Other Things Can

Lucius stood and watched Draco run out of the reception room as his friends scattered to do whatever tasks they had been assigned. Lucius knew that Draco would be on his way to see Severus. If his Godfather was asleep, Draco would join Lupin and sit by his Godfather’s bedside until he was awake so that they might talk. In return, even though Severus was just a couple days from having taken the purifying potion, Lucius knew that once awake, he would fight to stay awake as long as Draco needed him. Lucius had quietly hated the relationship in the previous timeline, and it didn’t seem that the jaunt back in time had changed his opinion on it any.

“Do you know why Draco runs to Severus anytime he is emotional, even though Severus is the stingiest of us all at showing his emotions?” Narcissa asked, and Lucius turned surprised, not knowing that she was standing there. She’d been to Azkaban that morning, and Lucius hadn’t thought she would be back yet. Before he could speak though, his wife continued on with her thought.

“Because Severus loves him for who he is. Severus loves him without any demands or expectations other than being good at potions. However, I am convinced that if Draco was as bad at potions as they say Neville Longbottom is, that Severus would love him anyway and support his endeavor into herbology or whatever other study Draco decided to be best at. When Draco comes to him confused, Severus lets him talk it out and gives him suggestions without trying to insert his own will into the conversation.

“When Draco comes to him upset, Severus shows those emotions that he hides from everyone else and lets his Godson see how much he loves him. When Draco has a success, Severus is proud of him but does not try to make that success about himself. From the second that I put Draco in Severus’ arms he has never seen Draco as anything but precious. Sev has never wanted children of his own, but for Draco, should he become Draco’s sole parent and guardian, he would rearrange his entire world.”

Lucius stood quietly as Narcissa came over and took his hand in her own pulling him over to one of the stone benches around the edge of the room. “You on the other hand, from the second you had your child put into your arms saw nothing more than your heir. He wasn’t a child; he was a continuance of your legacy. When he comes to you with a problem, you decide on a solution that is best for you and then demand that he follow that path. He stopped coming to you when he was upset by the age of 5 because you would just tell him that Malfoy men don’t cry.

“You have never heard his plans for himself because you’ve always been too busy creating his life for him, and when his wants for his own life don’t match yours then you get mad. You’ve never celebrated his successes as Severus does. You just demand that he could do better no matter how hard he’s tried or how well he’s done. You demand that his entire life be about what is best for this family, meaning what is best for you, and don’t understand that what he’s trying to do IS what is best for the House of Malfoy but that he understands that often that is vastly different from what you would like or prefer.

“Merlin and James Potter may have sent you back in time to correct things, but Lucius, some things you may not be able to be fixed. Your son is a man stuck in a child’s body, at least mentally. Maybe instead of expecting things to be different, you need to work to change your own expectations and simply learn to love your heir because he’s your son and leave his life to him,”

Lucius sighed and kissed the back of Narcissa’s hand. “I expect that I have not been a good husband either.”

“I know you demand to be in control because Abraxas never let you have any control over your own life, just as Draco understands that you try to raise him as Abraxas raised you. Don’t you think though, my love, that if you mucked things up so badly the first time that they had to send you back for a do-over, that maybe your changes should include our only child?”

“It is something to think on,” Lucius murmured quietly, his forehead wrinkled in though as he considered all the things that he’d learned at Gringotts. “The Dverger say that we will lose what memories we have of the first timeline eventually. As we change things, the ripples of change will wipe out what happened previously, and the ending will be nothing like it was before.”

“Maybe that is for the best,” Narcissa suggested gently, and Lucius turned his gaze towards his beautiful wife. “Thank you for sticking by my side, Cissy. I swear on my magic that I will endeavor to be a better husband and father this time around, as I work on being a better man,”

“That is all I ask,” Narcissa said quietly before kissing his cheek and then standing, suggested they spend some time in the conservatory. As they walked through the manor, Lucius tried not to think about the conversation his son and Severus were having or be jealous that it was not him that his son wanted.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Draco quietly slipped into his Godfather’s bedroom, and immediately noticed that Professor Lupin was resting on the bed next to him. His back propped up against the headboard as he held Severus’s head in his lap. His fingers running through Sev’s long hair as they talked quietly enough that all Draco could hear were the murmurs. Finding out that Sev and Professor Lupin had a thing back in the day explained quite a bit.

Finding out that his Godfather never really got over the loss of the love of the one person who’d tempted him from the potioning that Dumbledore had done to twist Sev’s affection for Lily Evans into something ugly, explained even more. It made him that much more determined to see that Sev got to be happy this time around and freed from being forced to follow other’s expectations.

Crossing the room, his footsteps masked by the insanely cushy carpet that they’d installed in the room that was Sev’s when he came to visit. Draco offered an apologetic smile as he saw Lupin startle when Draco sat in the chair next to the bed. “How did things go at the bank?” Lupin asked quietly and Draco took a deep breath as his mind was forced away from his musings about his Godfather and back to the horrific reality as to just how badly his father had screwed him over the first time.

“I am indeed going to be getting full Veela traits. The Dverger suspect it has something to do with Lady Magic because otherwise my Veela traits shouldn’t be as strong as they expect them to be. On that same thread, my magical maturity is a mess. It isn’t full strength but is definitely a lot stronger than it should be. They also think that it’s why my wand isn’t responding as it did the first time around. So, I am going to have to work in a visit to get a new wand made somewhere.

“Barrig, the Dverger Healer that I saw who just so happens to also be the King’s personal healer, advised that both my Veela maturity and my magical maturity may come quicker than normal. So, basically, I am a mentally 30-year-old man stuck in the body of a 13-year-old who will have to go through puberty and two magical maturations. And, oh by the way, my mate is an actual 13-year-old, and the thought makes me sick to my stomach. Essentially, my father is still destroying my life, and there is nothing more that can be done about it.”

“Magic would never do that to you,” Draco heard, but didn’t see Lupin’s mouth move, and turning quickly saw a spirit that looked startingly like what adult Harry looked like standing behind him.

“Progs,” Draco heard Lupin half moan and half whisper and Draco almost gave himself whiplash as he looked from the spirit to Lupin and back.

“Progs? But that means… You’re Harry’s father?” Draco questioned not sure what to say as the man gave him a half bow.

“In your presence,” James offered with a grin and Draco gave a nod in return.

“I don’t… It is very nice to meet you, but I do not understand.”

“Well, it seems that Lady Magic and Merlin thought that some of you could use some additional help this time around. Lily was not going to let anyone but herself be Harry’s guide, and when I thought about it, I decided that I was ok with it. If I can’t be my son’s guide, then there is no one else I would want to help but his mate.”

“I… thank you Lord Potter,” Draco said softly and watched the spirit nod before turning to look at his friend and fellow Marauder.

“Hello, Moony,” James said, and Draco watched the man glide walk towards his friend in a way that was different than what Draco was used to seeing the Hogwarts spirits move, but not quite a normal walk either. “I am glad to see that things will work out for you and Snape this time. I… One of my biggest regrets after my death is knowing how my actions ruined your relationship with Severus. It’s…. There aren’t words for how sorry I am, Moony. I wasn’t a very good friend to you, I don’t think.”

“You were the best kind of friend,” Lupin argued passionately leaning forward, his hand stilling in Severus’ hair. “Being best friends doesn’t make either of us perfect or exempt from making errors in judgement.”

James nodded then Draco watched as the spirit looked toward Severus. “He’s going to remember something, Moony. Something horrible. Make sure to remind him that it wasn’t his fault. Dumbledore was responsible. Dumbledore was responsible for a lot of our downfalls. Make sure Augusta moves Frank and Alice, would you? They deserve to be healed and that will never happen in a place where Dumbledore holds such power. And when Sirius gets out…

“Just remember that Sirius isn’t the only innocent man imprisoned in Azkaban. They’ll need your support Moony. Make sure you are a better friend to them than Sirius and I were to you and Severus.”

With that, James turned and looked to Draco, and the Slytherin shook himself to try and pull himself out of his shock. “I will be available to you whenever you need me, Draco. If you trust no one else, trust Merlin, trust Lady Magic, and trust me. We would not send you back only to have you suffer another unconscionable existence. Harry was not the only victim in the first timeline. Too many of your generation were victims to adults who were too lazy to do their jobs. See to it that Harry is freed as soon as possible. I promise you won’t regret it.”

Draco could barely offer his… guide… mentor… spirit dead person a nod before the man/spirit/whatever disappeared. “Did that just…”

“No one warned me that this potion would cause unreasonable nightmares,” Draco heard before he could finish his sentence. Looking quickly towards his Godfather, he had never been happier to see his dark eyes open.

“Sev!” Draco blurted before moving to sit on the bedside closer to his Godfather. “Did you hear any of that?”

Severus offered a sneer and Draco couldn’t help but grin at the familiarity of it. “I am regretful in saying that I did, and that I would suggest to you that you listen to him. My mind is still reconciling what I thought I knew, what was forced on me, and what I might think now that I am not being influenced against my will. However, as much as I disliked the Marauders, I have to wonder if Dumbledore went to such lengths to potion myself and at least Minerva, how many others has he done it to? How many conflicts has he caused just because he thought it served the “greater good” which really translates into him furthering his personal ambitions to be better known than Merlin. Minerva should be good to take your mother to get Harry tonight. Listening to Potter, I would say that it is imperative that he is retrieved sooner rather than later. I don’t know as it can wait. I certainly don’t want you to keep stressing because of the age gap between yourself and Harry.”

“I don’t see what retrieving him will solve there,” Draco said quietly as he straightened the portion of the blanket covering his Godfather’s legs. “The age gap will still be there. Do you have any idea what he was inferring that you would remember?”

Snape yawned and Draco watched his eyes fall shut before opening with what seemed to be great difficulty. “I do not, but who knows what secrets are stored in my brain. Once something comes to mind though, I will make sure to inform someone as soon as possible.”

“Do you… Do you think you will be safe at Hogwarts now that you have been cleansed? I’m worried about…” Draco huffed frustrated and pushed past his uncomfortableness with discussing his emotions, determined to continue the work he and his Mind Healer had been doing before he got thrown back into the past. Mentally, he made a note to himself to find someone that he could talk to and then forged ahead with his question. “I’m worried about Dumbledore finding out that you have been freed from his and Tammy’s influence. I can’t lose you, Sevy. You’ve always been more of a father to me than Lucius, and I know it’s selfish, but I can’t lose you to that old bat.”

“Calm your fears, brat,” Severus said quietly, his voice husky with exhaustion and illness. “I am not going anywhere. Remus and I have already been discussing ways to make sure that this does not happen again. If all else fails, we can ask the Dverger to make us some protection amulets. I have decided to seek out the Prince Lordship. So, between that and all of the trouble your parents plan on causing the Headmaster, I don’t think that he will have enough time to worry about what I am doing. You and I have not come this far for someone to muck it up now, child.”

Draco nodded and took a deliberate deep breath to try and calm his nerves. He hated that he was being forced to live his life over, but at the very least, maybe this time he could keep his beloved Godfather alive the second time around. Seeing the familiar dark eyes fall again, Draco patted Severus’ leg and stood. “I will leave you to the professor’s care. Professor Lupin, the Thunder will be taking up our rotation again tomorrow. So, you will have some company or time to yourself if needed. I don’t know as father or mother have mentioned it, but if you need anything at all, please let me know. If I am not around, feel free to call upon Apollo. He is my Personal Attendant House Elf, and his loyalty is to me and me alone. He is aware that he is to treat you as if you were family. Sev, I will see you tomorrow. Goodnight to you both.”

Standing, Draco didn’t wait for a response, and instead, slipped out of the room, to hunt down his mother. Suddenly the idea of Potter not being safely ensconced inside the manor was making his skin crawl. Despite everything, Draco had always trusted Snape, and if he said that Draco’s mate should be retrieved immediately, then that is what was going to happen.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Lily Potter stood in the corner of the closet sized room that her wretched sister had locked her son into, watching as her son talked quietly with Dobby. It had been hard enough to watch her precious boy go though all of this BS the first time, but seeing him having to do it again, was almost unbearable. The only saving grace was knowing that he would be rescued soon.

Lily wished that she could see Severus and looked forward to being able to speak to her old friend so that they might clear the air once Harry was safely living in Malfoy Manor with her former best friend. Her heart ached knowing what Severus had been going through over the last few years but was heartened by James’ insistence that they could trust Draco to help fix things for his Godfather as well as their son.

She wished that he could have been frank with Draco to clear up his worries when it came to his soul bond between himself and Harry. However, there were still certain things that they were not allowed to say. The only thing they could do is to try and nudge their charges into acting sooner rather than later.

Making a mental note that she and James needed to have a meeting with the other spirits who had been sent back to serve as guides for their charges, Lily decided that she had spent enough time watching her son. Concentrating, she made herself visible to not only her son, but Dobby, whom she’d nudged to go check on his master. From the conversation that she’d heard, it sounded like he had been honest with Harry about the fledgling bond between them.

She hoped that once they were both safely within the walls at Malfoy Manor, that Harry would be educated about the possibilities of the bonds he could have with the House Elf and take advantage of the extra protection he could provide not only himself but Dobby as well by making him his Personal Attendant House Elf. Hearing her son gasp, Lily forced her attention back to what she was doing and smiled softly at her son.

“Harry,” she started and moved closer to where he and Dobby were seated on the bed.

“Mum?” Harry asked wide eyed, and Lily wished that she could make herself corporeal enough that she could give her baby boy a hug.

“Hello, I thought I should check in with you and make sure that you were aware that help is on the way. I don’t expect that you will be here much longer.”

“It is?” Harry asked moving to stand and Dobby quickly hopped down to stand next to his master.

“Dobby will be getting Harry Potter’s things together so that he is ready to leave the bad place when it is time.”

Lily watched Harry frown down at the House Elf who was practically quivering with excitement. “Most of my stuff is locked up downstairs.”

Dobby just huffed and popped off before Harry could say anything else, much to Lily’s amusement. She was quite fond of the being and hoped that they would find a way to keep him alive this time around. “House Elves are much more powerful than wizards and witches would like to admit. Magical locks are nothing for a House Elf to get through let alone a muggle lock.”

“I just don’t want Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia to see him and get upset. It’s bad enough being back here without having to deal with them pissed off. I can’t… I can’t believe you’re really here.”

Lily smiled softly and moved to sit on the bed where Dobby had been and patted the blanket next to her as a sign for Harry to sit back down. “There are things going on that you are not aware of, and hopefully your rescuers will be here quickly, so I don’t have time to explain everything. Just know that from now on, I will be around more. Lady Magic has determined that some of you need some extra help, and has asked some of us to return to serve as a guide of sorts.”

“Is… does that mean I’ll see dad?”

Lily nodded and wished she could lift a hand to run it over her son’s hair. “You may. He has actually been assigned someone. Well, no, he basically demanded that he be able to serve as a guide to a certain person because of the importance of his connection to you.”

“Ron?” Harry guessed, and Lily couldn’t help but make a face at the sound of her son’s friend who she frankly couldn’t stand. It was a shame what kind of a man he had become considering how well the rest of his brothers turned out. While there had been some discussion of trying to turn Ron’s tide, Lady Magic and Merlin were both in agreement that Ron Weasley was beyond redemption.

“No, I am afraid that… Harry, have you ever heard a muggle saying to the effect that some people enter your life to teach you something, but are not meant to be there forever?”

Harry nodded hesitantly chewing on his bottom lip as Dobby popped back in with Harry’s trunk and Hedwig’s cage. “Dobby has returned with all of Harry Potter’s things. Stupid horrible muggle people has no clue. They didn’t even looked away from the box with the pictures on it! Dobby may have made sure they can’t get up though even if they did hear him.”

Lily smiled at the House Elf’s agitation and revenge tactic before turning her attention back to her son when he asked her a question, continuing their conversation. “Does this mean that Ron isn’t going to be my best friend anymore?”

Lily sighed and studied her son quietly before responding. “I know that Ron’s friendship means a great deal to you, but I also know that he has done you a great disservice over the years. He isn’t always the most loyal friend to you, and is much too quick, in my opinion, to take his temper out on you. I also fear that he has colored your opinion on certain subjects and people because he is carrying some prejudice that he has learned from his mother. As much as I would like to say that he can change, I don’t see it happening, and neither do Lady Magic or Merlin.”

“I can’t… I can’t just give up on him,” Harry insisted frowning. “He was my first friend! We’ve been through so much together…”

“Things that have not yet happened in this timeline, my son,” Lily said frankly deciding to stop beating around the bush. “You and I both know that you are not a normal 13-year-old. You are an adult stuck in a child’s body. A child who, frankly my child, never was given a chance to be the true you instead of the person everyone wanted you to be. I am sure that you will miss your children, but let’s be honest, Harry. You and Ginny were both miserable in that marriage. Neither of you were meant to be married to each other. The both of you have mates in the Book of Souls, which is the reason your relationship with Ginny has always been so volatile and unbalanced.

“As I said earlier, there are a great many things going on that I do not have time to go over with you now. I understand that you do not want to just toss away your friendship with Ron Weasley, all I ask is that you not cut off your nose to spite your face as they say.  Keep an open mind to where you will end up and know that Lady Magic has appointed Merlin himself to fix this mess that the adults created for you. Open yourself to love, a true love, a love that you were destined to have, instead of that forced love that you and the Weasley girl were both potioned into.”

Lily would have said more but felt a familiar presence nearby and smiled. “They’re here. Our time to talk has to end for now, but know that I am never far from you, my son. I will be your guide now and for the remainder of this life.”

Lily forced herself to become more corporeal for a moment, and brushed her lips against her son’s cheek, then disappeared from his room. The entertainment was about to start downstairs, and she was not going to miss it.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Narcissa stood on the sidewalk in front of Privet Drive and stared scornfully at the house in front of her as Minerva McGonagall apparated away. None of them wanted to take the chance at Dumbledore finding out she had slipped his bonds, at least not this early in the game. Next to Narcissa stood Amelia Bones and on the other side of Amelia was Rayan Aziz the Egyptian born representative from the British Department of Magical Child Protective Services.

Rayan had been handpicked by both Amelia and Rayan’s boss Derren Mckenna who had been beside himself that the charms that prompted them to check on orphaned children had been tampered with. Not willing to believe that Harry Potter was the only Magical child who had slipped through the cracks. Derren was going to be putting together a list of all the magical children that they should be checking on and if they haven’t been visited, making it a priority to ensure that their living situation was up to their standards.

Rayan was almost 70 years old but looked to be only in her late 50s or early 60s. Just from the brief conversation that Narcissa had with the woman, she could tell that this was a woman who would not be taking shit from anyone. Motioning Rayan and Amelia to go forward, Narcissa let herself blend into the background behind them as she followed them to the door.

When Amelia’s knock was answered by Narcissa’s former House Elf Dobby, she almost let her shock show. As it was, it was only the training that was engrained into her that prevented her from letting her true emotions show.

“Dobby would welcome you to the house of the horrible Dursley muggle people, but it is not his house, and they are not his masters. Dobby is only answering the door so that Mistress Narcissy and her friends can free Harry Potter from these horrible people!”

Hearing a snort from Amelia’s direction, Narcissa put a hand over her mouth to hide her smirk. Dobby was a sight for sore eyes. She knew that he had grated on Lucius’ nerves, but Narcissa had always liked the quirky House Elf and had been upset to hear that he’d been freed. At Amelia’s prompting, Narcissa stepped forward and smiled down at Dobby. “Dobby, could you please take us to see Harry? This is Madam Amelia Bones Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and Rayan Aziz, who works for the MDCPS. They are here to check up on Harry’s living situation.”

“Harry Potter’s living situation is horrible, if Dobby can says so! It is disgraceful what the horrible muggle people have done to him! Why Dobby had to get Harry Potter’s trunk and his familiar Hedwig’s cage out of his old room where it was locked in!”

“What do you mean locked in?” Rayan asked stepping forward and Narcissa let herself move into the background again. “And where is this former room.”

“Dobby will be showing you,” the disgruntled House Elf said before moving down the hall and motioning to the door of what appeared to be a cupboard under the stairs.

“This is being it,” Dobby advised waiving his hand and making the lock fall off and the door swing open. “This is where Harry Potter was living before he got the letter from Hogwarts.”

Narcissa looked towards the room adjacent to the hall and saw the muggles looking at them from their seats in front of what Narcissa thought was a television. “Dobby, is there some reason that the… muggles are not speaking and haven’t gotten up from the couch?”

Dobby huffed and started tugging on his ears, but otherwise looked unrepentant. “Dobby thinks that if they care about the box with the moving pictures so much more than Harry Potter that they can just sit there and not get up!”

Once more Narcissa heard a cough covering up a laugh from Amelia but gave Dobby a reassuring nod as Rayan looked towards the muggles. “And do you know what their names are, Dobby?”

Dobby nodded fast and moved so that he could point each one out. “The old, fat man with the purple face is Vernon Dursley. He is being Harry Potter’s uncle through marriage. The horrible woman trying to hide her face is Harry Potter’s Aunt Petunia. She was a sister to Misses Lily Potter Evans. The round boy who looks pasty is Dudley Dursley. Dobby thinks that he is horrible too, but maybe if he didn’t have such horrible parents then he wouldn’t be. Although, Dobby doesn’t think that he should be around Harry Potter anymore. No, Dobby does not!”

When even Rayan raised an eyebrow at Dobby’s antics, Narcissa finally gave in and smiled as Rayan took some notes and then pictures of the cupboard where it was clear someone had lived at one point. Then, at Rayan’s request, Dobby began to lead the three women up the stairs to take them to the room where Harry was living now. When they reached a door that had a multitude of locks on it and a cat flap at the bottom, any amusement Narcissa had been feeling previously was gone.

“Dobby, are you telling me that this is the door to Harry’s room?” Amelia asked speaking up for the first time, and Dobby nodded quickly. His outrage was clearly read on his face.

“Yes Lady Madam Amelia Bones ma’am! Harry Potter is locked inside behind that door. The horrible muggle peoples let him out for exactly one hour every day so that he can shower and go to the bathroom and that’s it. When they remember to feed him, they puts the food through that little flap there at the bottom of the door. Dobby thinks this is outrageous and has been giving his Harry Potter extra food from the Hogwarts kitchens, yes he has!”

“Good for you, Mister Dobby,” Rayan said politely. Her English impeccable, reflecting the many years that she’d been living in Britain, with only a hint of her Egyptian accent detectable. Rayan then proceeded to make some notes on her notepad and took more pictures before waving her wand, causing the locks to drop off the door. She then reached out to open the door, and Narcissa was treated to the sight of her son’s mate for the first time.

The boy was seated on a bed in a room that wasn’t even as big as Narcissa’s closet in her bedroom. The clothes he was wearing was little more than rags, and it was clear to her that he had been underfed for quite a long time. There was no way that someone at Hogwarts shouldn’t have noticed. At the very least Madam Pomphrey should have found out in one of Harry’s many trips to the infirmary if Draco’s stories about Harry’s bad luck was to be believed.

“Please tell me that you’re getting me out of here,” Harry said immediately standing up from the bed and moving to where his trunk was sitting with an owl cage on top. An owl, whom Narcissa vaguely remembered Draco calling Hedwig, was locked inside. “This shite was bad enough the first time around!”

“The first time around?” Rayan questioned stepping forward and it seemed to Narcissa that Harry was just realizing for the first time that Narcissa and Dobby weren’t the only ones there.

“Err, you know, I just meant last summer,” Harry said somewhat unbelievably, but at Amelia’s prompting Rayan let it go, as Madam Bones insisted that it was one of the things covered under the secrecy spell that they’d apparently talked about, but not told Narcissa about.

“Harry, it’s ok,” Madam Bones said stepping forward and moving into the room, looking around for a moment with obvious disgust. “You can tell us the truth. Is there something going on that we need to be aware of? You should know that we are already aware of Lucius Malfoy and Draco Malfoy traveling back in time.”

“Shite, you mean I’m not the only one?” Harry exclaimed looking surprised and seemed to look to Madam Bones for direction.

“Just to make sure that we’re all on the same page, Harry, how old are you?” Amelia asked and Harry snorted crossing his arms across his chest.

“Physically I am guessing I am 13. However, I was just about to celebrate my 30^th birthday before I woke up back in this shitehole! I would appreciate it if someone could explain to me what in Merlin’s name is going on!”

“Huh,” Narcissa uttered putting a hand over her mouth, drawing Amelia’s attention. “I guess that is one problem solved. It seems that James Potter was right. The age gap that Draco was worried about won’t be an issue after all.”

“Indeed,” Amelia agreed, having been filled in on reasoning why it was suddenly so important that they check on the Potter Heir that night. “One problem solved, and about a hundred left to go.”

This time, Narcissa let her huff of annoyance loose, as Rayan and Amelia started discussing how to handle the situation. Moving forward letting the other two ladies do their jobs, Narcissa approached Harry who was watching her with an expression that was part distrust and part relief.

“You know when Mum said that someone was coming to get me, you were not on the list. Err, no offense Mrs. Malfoy,” Harry shared and Narcissa found herself amused again.

“I would be surprised if I were,” She agreed and moved to sit on the bed after casting several cleansing charms just to be sure it was sanitary. “I know that you are probably confused why I am here. So, I think it’s only fair to let you know that Draco checked the Book of Souls this morning, and it turns out that you are his Veela mate. That along with the Black Family Magic making me Head of House has allowed us to come check on you.”

“Oh, that’s unexpected,” Harry murmured with a frown and seemed to be watching Dobby who was standing off to one side watching everyone else. “What about Sirius? Does this mean that you can free him? Did I hear right and Draco and Lord Malfoy both travelled back in time, too?”

Narcissa nodded and quietly filled Harry and Dobby in on what she knew of their current situation including the time travel, Severus’ purifying potion along with his rekindling his relationship with Remus Lupin, Malfoy Manor being registered with the Dverger as an official Place of Sanctuary, and the revelations about Draco’s Veela heritage and Harry being his mate.

By the time she was done, Amelia and Rayan had seemingly come to an agreement on what to do about Harry and the Dursleys. Harry would be for the moment considered an underaged wizard until he could go to the bank and have his magical maturity checked out. Until such time that he was considered magically mature, he would officially be under the guardianship of Narcissa, as she was his closest guardian until the Potter will could be read, Sirius could be freed, or a better solution came forward.

When they got downstairs to talk to the Dursleys and try and figure out what to do about Dudley, they were all surprised to find Lily Potter’s spirit standing in front of her sister raging at her for how she had treated her son. “That might just be the most perfect thing I have ever seen,” Narcissa murmured, and was surprised when Rayan agreed.

“I think it would be best for us all to just wait until one of the consultants with the muggle version of my office arrives. I would hate to cut off Lady Potter before she got done.”

“I quite agree,” Amelia Bones concurred, and Narcissa turned to look at Harry who appeared quite amused by the situation. She had no idea what would happen from there on out. The list of things that they had to discuss was long, but she felt some comfort knowing that at the very least, her son had a shot at real love, and this time the only people that would be involved were him and his mate.