Sorry for the Delay... life got in the way. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

There was a seer, which Narcissa knew from her years at Hogwarts, who often said that at the beginning of life all things are decided. That joy and sorrow are intermingled in a tapestry of our lives so that we may better know the good through the bad. She had never believed the Seer, after all the woman had prattled on about wackspurts and humdingers more often than not… but she could see now that perhaps she had a point. Narcissa watched Draco describe the manor to Harry, complete with hand gestures and warnings about the ghost of his great great great grandfather who lived in the East most halls. Harry for his part sat enraptured by the tale. Perhaps this was a moment of seeing the good through the bad. Harry was stiff and his bruises had yet to fully fade. They would be gone soon but they gave her perspective. Harry would never face that again, she wouldn't let him. She would fight with all her magic and every bit of strength she possessed in her to keep him safe. It broke her heart that he had to suffer as he had, but he was safe now and that was what truly mattered… sorrow and joy melded together in one small child.

"You'll love it Harry, I promise." Draco ended with a flourish.

"I'm sure I will. It sounds incredible, all of this sounds too good to be true, like I'm going to wake up and this is all going to be a dream." Harry looked at Narcissa for a moment than turned back to Draco. "I don't want to wake up. I want to stay in this dream forever…" Harry stood and moved away from them. Narcissa wanted to reach out to him but the look in his eyes and his next words stopped her. "I've never felt like this. I know it… I've read it and seen it, but I've never felt this," he pressed his spread hands against his chest once and then let them fall back to his sides, "I've never felt this kind of… quiet, it's like it's crawled inside of me and all the space where there used to be pain is gone." He looked at Narcissa again and broke the trance she had been in.

"It's called Love Harry." Narcissa voice was soft.

"You don't even know me!" Harry was growing frantic.

"I know you Harry." It was Draco who spoke. He rose and moved toward Harry.

"I know you right here," he tapped his chest just over his heart, "like you've always been my best friend and I was just waiting for you to come home." Draco wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders and drew him over to the faded couch.

"I don't understand, Draco?" Harry's eyes where filled with tears. Narcissa sat beside him and drew him into her lap, wrapping her arms around him while Draco leaned against his side. No one spoke.

Harry realized this was the third real hug he could remember receiving. The first had come only yesterday, the second from Draco earlier today, and this one which was all encompassing. He wondered how long he would count hugs… if someday there would be so many that he would lose count and not care.

They sat like that for some time, being comforted by each other's presence, Harry didn't want to move, he didn't want to forget what it felt like… what love felt like.

He felt his emotion bubble up in his chest again. This time he spoke into the safe hollow of Narcissa's shoulder, his hand was grasping Draco's.

"When I was little… when I was with my Aunt and my Uncle…" Harry tried not to tense up thinking about his family but Narcissa felt the muscles in his back shaking in an effort to stay relaxed. She ran her fingers through his hair and wait for him to continue. "I used to lay in my bed at night and dream about what my family was like… what they looked like… what they sounded like… how they acted… what their favorite colors where… I made up all kinds of stories about who they were and what they were like." Harry sighed deeply and leaned into the hand combing through his unruly hair.

"I feel lost." Harry's voice was small, soft. It was heartbreaking. Narcissa felt his words in the very core of her person.

"We'll help you Harry, never fret, we will help you." Her voice was for their ears only it was breathy and sweet.

That was how Severus found them, cuddled together feeling maudlin and in need of comfort. He watched them for a moment before he broke the still that had fallen with a shower of green sparks from his wand. Harry looked at him in awe as Draco laughed and demanded a repeat performance.

"I think it's time that we showed Harry how much fun Magic can be." Severus stated with a raised eyebrow. Anyone who knew Severus as the Bat of the Dungeons, the scowling hate full creature who inhabited the dark corners of Hogwarts would have surprised the learn that he was actually in possession of a sense of humor and an easy smile when the mood struck him.

Sometime later, how long was not important, but hours after the hug on the couch and after hours of ruckus laughter as Narcissa and Severus had filled the room with sparks and dancing furniture. Harry lay quietly in his bedroom, well in the bedroom he'd found and taken for himself. The door had been closed tight but Harry had forced it open and immediately decided that he liked this room, it felt safe. It wasn't until Narcissa came looking for him that he considered he'd perhaps been wrong, but through her tears she'd explained. The room had belonged to his Godfather, Sirius Orion Black. Sirius had been her favorite cousin, he'd always worn a bright smile and his laugh had distinct, a loud bark like sound that had always echoed through the halls of the Black Family estate and Hogwarts. Sirius had been accused of betraying his best friends, Harry's parents, but when Harry looked at the picture of his Godfather that Narcissa produced, he knew it could not be true. The man had soft eyes and a full smile; there was no darkness in him. So he'd asked Kreacher, who'd taken a liking to him despite the fact that he was a "half-blood" (Draco had briefly explain what that meant after Kreacher had called him 'his little half-blood master). The room had been cleaned and set to rights in no time at all, so that night as he lay in the dark, thinking over his new life and his godfather he felt inspired.

Harry rose from bed and walked over to the small desk where Severus had been teaching him how to use a quill. He carefully began to write a letter to his Godfather.

Dear Sirius,

My name is Harry Potter. Mrs. Narcissa says that I'm your Godson. I know that we've never met Mrs. Narcissa says that you knew my parents, what were they like? She says that I look just like my Dad, but that I act more like my mom. Severus says that I have mom's eyes.

Do you think if you ever get out of Askabane (For Harry knew little of Wizard Prisons and the intricacies of spelling their names) we could meet? I know that you might not want to and I understand. Aunt Petunia says that I shouldn't ask for things, because I'm a burden. I don't want to be a burden. Mrs. Narcissa says I'm not and you're her favorite cousin, so maybe you're like her.

I hope you're doing well. I miss you. I am sleeping in your old room, it makes me feel safe.

Love your Godson,

Harry Potter

When Harry finished writing his letter, he folded it closed and rummaged around in the desk until he found a small cylinder and several envelopes. He slipped the letter in the envelope and opened the cylinder. For a moment he couldn't tell what it was, until he remembered a history book that he'd read. It was a seal, a letter seal. He could hardly contain the excitement that raced through him. He tried it out on another sheet of paper and his smile nearly doubled when he realized that the seal was magic, all of the parts of it where contained within the small brass tube. He closed the envelope and pressed the seal down. He watched as ebony colored wax flowed out from the side of the seal, he waited for a moment and then pulled it away. In the dim comfort of the room he studied the markings of the seal. It was a bold overwrought square, in the center a large "B" stood out.

Now Harry clutched his letter to his chest and considered how to send it. He'd seen Severus do it once, so he decided to start there. He raised the letter and waited. What came sweeping into the room was not an owl as he expected, but a small shadowy falcon. Its body was narrow and built for speed, but its intelligent eyes were fixed on Harry.

Harry would understand later in his life how improbable this moment was. One wrong move and the letter would never have made it to his Godfather, one wrong word and things would have been very different. As it was he approached the bird carefully, and held the letter out in a shaking hand.

"Can you please take this to my Godfather, Sirius Orion Black?"

Years later Harry would understand that sending letters to Azkaban was nearly impossible, save for one small loop hole.

The Heir to the Head of one of the Ancient and Noble families was able to send letters to the Head of the family as long as they bore the Family Seal and where sent via a creature in service to the family.

It was an ancient law, one that's magic was far older than the wards around Azkaban. So when the Falcon took the letter, it was able to fly with unerring accuracy directly to the small bared window of the cell of Sirius Orion Black.

The stars must have been with Harry this night, because at the very time that the shadow falcon landed in that cell the guards where in their quarters celebrating the Ministe'rs Birthday so they didn't notice that the wards had been bypassed. So for the first time in nearly ten years Sirius Black felt hope.

It was not just this strange series of occurrences that made this particular night so important, but another that happen nearly simultaneously, at a place in Little Whining… where the former guardians of Harry Potter, Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Dursley where about to receive the shock of their lives.

Lucius Malfoy was an exacting employer he expected perfection and speed, but most of all a clear and level eye to the future. So when Jonathan Hobbart, Solicitor and employee of Lord Malfoy entered the residence that evening, he performed a series of spells, all aimed toward gathering evidence and recording the history of events within the home. The spell was not always reliable, but the more emotion that was poured out, the stronger the memories became. It was thus, something of a surprise when the memories that Mr. Hobbart gathered that evening were so strong. Such a surprise that he knew almost instantly, as it was his job to know, that he would need someone to collaborate the collection and viewing of these memories with him. It was with this in mind that he contacted a friend of his from Hogwarts, a friend who; while considered a little batty and disgraceful, was still rather well respected in the Ministry; one Arthur Percival Weasley.

Needless to say the red head, who was known for his calm and collected demeanor, was anything but. Arthur loved children. He loved his family and was devoted to protecting them from all harm, seeing such hatred toward a child, any child, filled him with rage. Jonathan and himself gathered and carefully stored all of the memories they could, then with very little care toward keeping their tempers in check insisted that the Dursley's signed their legal guardianship away. As Mr. Hobbart and Mr. Weasley left the home, something happened.

For generations the Weasleys and the Malfoys had feuded. Arthur had never truly understood why, so it was little struggle for him to take the first step to end their petty fight.

"If Lord Malfoy were to stop by the Department sometime this week, I'd be much obliged." Arthur didn't wait for Jonathan to respond before he apparated away.

Jonathan couldn't wait to see what his employer had to say about all of this.

Please Review and let me know what you think