"Alright, first let's get you some clothes," Snape announced. Harry followed closely behind. He was still new to being out in big magical marketplaces like this. He tried to look at everything as he walked but Snape strode briskly along the alleyways and he feared what would happen if he were to stray behind.
"I like these, that would look nice don't you think?" Lucius asked pointing to some dark emerald colored dress shirts.
Snape nodded in approval, "Very nice."
"Hi may I be of service to you all?" A nice lady with curly red hair approached them smiling.
"Yes we need measurements, and a brand new wardrobe for Harry here," Snape spoke.
She looked taken aback for a second, before she took his hand, "Harry Pot-"
Snape gave the lady a pointed look snapping her back into reality, "Right away Sir, young Sir." She addressed the two in unison.
Draco rolled his eyes at the interaction, "Father this bores me, may we please go elsewhere?"
Lucius glared at his son, "No, stop whining. When we are done here Severus and I have some business to take care of. If you two promise to behave and stick together maybe you can roam around the area for a bit." Draco's eyes flashed excitedly.
Harry felt overwhelmed by the amount of attention he was receiving. The store owners all told him how handsome and smashing he looked in his new clothes, and when he was done he couldn't believe he was looking at himself. He beamed widely. He watched incredulously as the sales lady charmed a small bag and carefully stacked all of the new clothes inside it. After both Severus and Lucius ran through a long list of rules, they were finally left on their own.
"That's where I got Hedwig," Harry smiled pointing at the shop filled with owls and various other magical pets, "Well actually Hagrid bought him as my birthday present."
"That's great, I'm going to go check out the potions shop," Draco said starting to walk off in the other direction.
"Wait," Harry called, "You heard our fathers. If we don't stick together we'll be in for another smacking."
Draco rolled his eyes, "Look, I don't want to have to stop at every store to talk to a bunch of greasy scumbags about how you're our savior okay? I've seen enough already."
"Draco please, I'm sorry about before. I won't hold you up I swear, I just don't know how much more punishment I can endure. Take me with you," Harry pleaded.
Draco rolled his eyes once more, "Fine, let's go." Harry followed Draco for a while until they reached an alleyway and he grabbed Draco's arm.
"Get off me!" Draco shrugged, "What the hell?"
Harry shook his head, "We can't, we were ordered to stay in the main passage."
"Then you wait here you big baby," Draco argued.
"Please, don't do this," Harry tried.
He shrugged him off once more, "Sod off Potter." Harry waited in the lit main area as he watched Draco strode away. He had no idea what he should do. If he followed him he could be in deep trouble, but would he be in more if he let him go off on his own? Maybe if he found their fathers, but then he'd be leaving Draco behind. Not sure of the correct approach to the situation he waited. He stood, pacing and biting his nails, as he waited. Sooner or later he had to see Draco, or one of their parents. It had been a while so he sat down at the corner and sighed. His first trip out with his new family and it had to be ruined by his stupid spoiled cousin.
After waiting for almost half an hour he finally saw the blonde-haired boy striding back to him proudly, "Where the hell did you go?"
"Don't take that tone with me Potter, or you won't get your present," Draco spoke dangling the bag in front of him.
"Present?" Harry asked excitedly.
Draco handed him the bag, "You only get this if you promise not to rat me out, and trust me it's worth it."
Harry peeked inside and looked at the bottle curiously, "What is it?"
"That's what I would like to know," Snape said crossing his arms.
"Harry dropped the bag and the bottle shattered everywhere emitting a dark green smoke. The vapor filled the area and Harry heard a voice come from within, "Thissss should buy you sssome timeee." Harry looked around confused as he began coughing.
Then he felt a firm grip on his arm, "You're not going anywhere." Snape waved his wand and the smoke disappeared instantly, revealing two very pissed off guardians and a very nervous looking Draco.
"What just happened?" Harry asked bewildered.
"Damn it potter that cost me 5 sickles," Draco chastised.
"S-sorry," Harry answered. Draco glared at him angrily with a 'you will pay for that' look on his face.
"A smoke bomb, really Draco? What was that meant for?" Snape asked.
"It could be, could have been, useful in some situations," Draco argued.
"For what skipping class?" Lucius asked. The look on Draco's face told them that's exactly what he had been thinking.
"Most of your professors Draco, are a lot more experienced than you have presumed, and they can very easily diffuse such a simple-minded trick," Snape spoke.
"What happened Son?" Lucius asked.
"Harry wanted to see our favorite store father, so I took him," Draco spoke matter-of-factly. Lucius looked at the two of them and smiled, "Oh Really? Is that why you went down an alley you knew fully well not to go down without us? Did you think I'd be okay with that son?"
Severus turned to Harry, "I want the truth Harry or so help me I will take you over my knee right here."
Harry backed into the wall as Snape approached him, "Don't please!" Snape continued to approach him.
"Okay Okay!" Harry put his arms up placatingly, "I didn't go with him. I told him we weren't supposed to, please don't punish me Sir."
"Why didn't you come find us?" Snape asked.
"B-because you told us to stay together, and I didn't want to leave him, and I didn't know where you were. I'm sorry please Sir, don't punish me any more," Harry tried.
"I can't promise you that, but you aren't in trouble this time Harry," Snape said.
"You however," Lucius spoke. Draco whimpered.
"The man who spoke a moment ago, who was he?" Harry asked.
"What man? Harry what are you talking about?" Snape asked confused.
Harry saw the confusion in the man's eyes and he looked away mumbling, "Nothing. Nevermind." Snape took the boy's face gently and looked into his eyes, Lily's eyes. At that moment he realized something else. Snape had grown to love him, and in such a short amount of time, and it was unconditional. He no longer felt as if this was just his bad luck, he wanted to raise him to be a man that he knew Lily would be proud of. He had to, for Lily's sake and his own.
He spoke gently, "Tell me son. Don't ever be afraid to tell me anything."
"When the bomb went off I heard a voice say 'this should buy you some time',"Harry spoke, "I was just curious who that voice belonged too."
"Harry's gone mad father, we should take him to a hospital right away," Draco spoke in a hurry.
"You'd try anything to get out of a punishment wouldn't you? It's not going to work Draco," Lucius spoke.
"Harry hasn't gone mad," Severus spoke, "It was the voice of an old wizard Harry, one who could also talk to snakes as you can. His name was Salazar Slytherin."
"Like the house?" Draco asked.
"The founder of Slytherin. He was an amazing pure-blooded wizard right?" Harry asked.
"Very good," Snape smiled approvingly.
"I hope I make it into that house," Harry said excitedly.
"Well I will of course, no doubt about it. Our house is the best, all of the others suck really," Draco said snidely. Both adults smirked.
"The others don't 'suck' Harry," Severus spoke, "You will be a great wizard no matter which house you get into. I will see to that myself."
"Godfather how can you say that? You know our house is the best," Draco said.
"Were you in Slytherin too?" Harry asked.
"We both were," Lucius said, "But your father still is."
Harry's voice turned turned into one of shock as he spoke without thinking,"You are in Slytherin? But you're so old!" Lucius and Draco busted into laughter.
"Why you little," Severus began.
"S-sorry I didn't mean it like that!" Harry answered quickly.
Severus sighed and took a deep calming breath, "I am the head of house of Slytherin Harry."
"No way! I want to be in Slytherin too!" Harry spoke excitedly, "I can't wait for school to start."
"Dork," Draco spoke. Harry and Severus glared at the younger blonde.
"Don't you think you are in enough trouble as it is?" Lucius asked.
Draco squirmed, "Sorry Sir."
"Let's go home," Severus said.
"But Sir-" Draco started.
"Move along now Draco, don't make us wait,"Lucius said.
"Yes Sir," He answered.
When they got back to the house Draco remembered something, "Father I have to go upstairs."
"Yes you have to go to my study," Snape said.
"Yeah but, oh never mind I'll meet you up there," Draco ran upstairs.
"You have an essay to write," Snape said pointedly.
Harry nodded and ran up after his cousin. When he opened the door Draco stuffed something from his side of the room into his pocket.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked.
"N-nothing I was just cleaning," Draco lied.
"Tell me now or I'll call our fathers, what do you have?" Harry asked.
'You're such a little snitch Potter. I should have just left this there and faced the consequences. I'm in trouble anyways," Draco said.
"What did you do?" Harry asked.
"You know what I did you told them everything you little prat," Draco said.
"I didn't have a choice, and that's not what I meant. What do you have?" Harry asked.
"Fine fine okay just keep your voice down and I'll tell you," Draco said.
"Fine tell me then," Harry answered.
"It's just a little prank. I was going to use it on you. I put it here earlier when father asked what I was doing and I lied. But I decided it would be more fun to use on Gryffindor's later. Plus like I said I'm in enough trouble so don't rat me out okay?"
"Okay," Harry said. He wasn't sure how to feel about this, was his cousin starting to like him?
"Don't get the wrong idea, I just didn't want to get into any more trouble," Draco snapped. Harry's face fell.
"Okay fine, and I guess you're not so bad," Draco said.
Harry smirked, "Thanks."
"Draco Malfoy where are you?" Lucius called.
"Coming father!" Draco took off his jacket and threw it on the bed before hurrying out the door. Lucius looked at his boy when he came in, "And what were you up to?"
"Nothing Sir, Harry and I were only talking," Draco said.
"Did I tell you to talk to your cousin or to meet me in the study?" Lucius asked.
Draco's feet shuffled, "I'm sorry Sir, you told me to meet you here Sir."
"That's what I thought," Lucius said, "Come here son."
"Yes Sir," He answered as he moved to stand by his father. He knew fighting would only make it worse and hoped that this would be quick since it was even close to the worst thing he'd done. Lucius sat and pulled him over his lap. Draco clung to his father's legs and winced when the smack began. He knew he shouldn't talk unless his father spoke to him so he did his best to bite his tongue. What could he possibly say to get out of this anyways. He could blame Potter. His father would believe him wouldn't he?
He didn't have time to think further before Lucius spoke, "Why would you defy me. I specifically told you to stay in the main passage did I not?"
"Potter made me!" Draco blurted.
"What do you mean by that?" Lucius stopped.
He already said it so he had to think fast, "I was telling him about the stores you take me to and he made me, he said he would stand guard and I would run to the store and fetch that vial for him. That's what we were discussing just now."
Lucius pulled his son up and looked him in the eyes, "Look at me and tell me you're telling the truth boy."
Draco couldn't lie to his father in that way, "I-I am father."
"Oh really then should we bring your godfather and Harry in here and ask them?" Lucius asked.
Draco's head sunk, "No Sir."
"So you thought I would just accept that as an explanation and move on without punishing you or him?" Lucius asked.
"I'm sorry father I wasn't thinking. I just... Please don't do this," Draco tried.
"Draco you know better than this, don't think just because you're leaving in a few days that you can suddenly get away with everything. Your godfather will be there and I will see you on the holidays as well. Now what's the punishment for lying to me Draco?" Lucius asked.
Draco gulped, "The stick Sir, I'm so sorry Sir."
"I'm sure you are," Lucius said, "I will make sure you won't be lying to me for a very long time son. Bend over the desk. Draco spread his feet apart and bent over the desk. Lucius picked up his walking stick and grasped it by the silver snake handle. He brought it out and swiftly brought it back in. It made a loud swishing said and Draco's cry followed. He had endured this punishment many times but each time he was reminded of how much it stung. The rod was a little thicker than a cane and left a wider impact. Draco's tears started to escape after the third stroke. Three more followed in unison and Draco breathed a sigh of relief. Six of the best, and now he was done. He wiped his tears and stood to face his father.
"I'm sorry for disappointing you again Sir. I will try to behave," He spoke. Lucius almost chuckled at his son's formal almost promise. He reminded him so much of himself when he was younger. He pulled the boy into a hug then smirked, "It's alright. I forgive you now."
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