Disclaimer: Sadly Harry Potter and his universe are not mine. I just borrow them from time to time.

AU: Takes place at the beginning of PoA, and I've changed the timeline a little in regards to how long Harry stays in Diagon Alley. One other change, Malfoy was not in the Headmaster's office at the end of CoS, so Dobby is not free...and Harry never had a final confrontation with him.

Whoeverso desires constant success must change his conduct with the times. ~Machiavelli

~~~~LHLHLHLHLHLH~~~~

Harry had been enjoying his freedom this summer. Living above the Leaky Cauldron had definite perks. He got to sleep in a comfortable bed, and didn't have to get up to his aunt's shrill screeches to get up and fix breakfast. At least here he *got* breakfast. House elves cleaned his room and dirty laundry everyday, and he'd noticed they'd even done what they could to mend his tatty clothes. He'd taken to wearing his school robes over them to hide just how bad they were.

His first few days had been a rush, wanting to see everything in the Alley all in a day and now, a week in, he'd found his favorite spots. Currently, he was sitting in a window seat on the upper floor of Flourish and Blott's. The owner had smiled and told Harry to feel free to read anything he liked. The older man had been pleased to see a young wizard eager to expand his literary horizons, so to speak, and even invited the boy for tea a few times.

As he realized that no one was watching exactly what he was reading, he'd started pulling riskier tomes from the back shelves. He was reading about the history of the dark arts in magical Britain. It was fascinating really, learning that it was just legislation that deemed certain spells dark and others light.

"You really should be more careful about what you read in public, Mr. Potter." A smooth voice interrupted his concentration.

Harry's head snapped up and he hid the cover of the book. "Mr. Malfoy." He said.

Lucius smiled charmingly. "I believe I owe you an apology after our last encounter." He walked over and offered the younger man his hand. "My behavior was inexcusable, regardless of the provocation." He said.

Harry swallowed and stood, accepting his hand. "Apology accepted, Sir." He said carefully, feeling the man's powerful grip on his hand.

"Excellent. Now…if you are truly interested in the history of wizarding Britain, there are far better volumes for you to peruse." Lucius said. "However, buying them yourself would raise a few eyebrows." He went to a back shelf and pulled three volumes. "If you'd allow me to make a gift of them, I would feel better about the state of our…acquaintance."

Harry felt a little strange about how the man was watching him but nodded anyway. "That's very generous of you Sir. Thank you."

"Meet me at the Centaur Cafe for lunch, and I'll have them for you." Lucius grinned and swept down the staircase, leaving a very confused Harry Potter behind him.

~~~~LHLHLHLHLH~~~~

Harry left a short while later and found the Centaur Café easily enough. He walked through the door of the posh looking café and was greeted by a friend red-headed witch. "Welcome to the Centaur Café. Do you have a reservation?" She asked kindly.

"I'm supposed to be meeting Mr. Malfoy?" Harry said, a bit sheepishly.

She grinned. "Ah, Mr. Potter, he's expecting you. Please come with me." The young witch led him through the dining room to a table on the back terrace. "I'll give you two a moment to decide what you'd like."

Harry nodded to the older wizard and sat down at the table. "Why doesn't anyone find it strange that I'm meeting you for lunch?" He had to admit, the lack of reaction was odd. He looked around and saw they were alone on the terrace. It looked over a well tended garden with a fountain.

"While you may not be aware of it, we are actually related." Lucius sipped his glass of wine. "Your grandmother was my wife's great aunt." He explained. "Order what you'd like, Mr. Potter, lunch is my treat today."

"I really can't…I mean you've all ready apologized and bought me those books." Harry frowned, feeling uncomfortable owing the man anything. The thought of what the man might want made him shift a little uncomfortably.

"I insist." Lucius said. "Things between us are not how they should be, considering how little family you have left. I am willing to start fresh, if you are." Lucius said and nodded for Harry to look at the menu.

Harry opened it and looked over the menu, realizing he'd never eaten in a fancy restaurant before. How did you decide? "What do you normally order?" He asked, trying to sound more confident than he felt.

Lucius could see the boy was unsure and smiled gently. "They make an excellent steak sandwich with chips." He suggested. "I understand from the Minister that you're staying at the Leaky Cauldron for the remainder of your school holiday?" He enquired.

"Yes Sir, I had an accident with my uncle's sister and the Minister thought that some time apart might be beneficial." He said quietly. He was saved from further explanation by the arrival of a waiter who took their orders. He decided to try the steak sandwich and ordered a glass of milk to go with it.

Lucius smiled. "I'll have my usual Tom, and I think two chocolate soufflés for dessert. Mr. Potter would also like one of your deluxe hot chocolates." He said smoothly and handed the menus to his favorite waiter.

"Do you eat here often?" Harry asked.

"I usually take my lunch here when I am at the Ministry." He said. "My wife Narcissa, who is your second cousin I believe, has asked me to invite you to dinner this Saturday. I understand if you're not completely comfortable with the idea, but it is at a very nice restaurant in Muggle London." Lucius said.

"Sir, I promised Minister Fudge that I'd stay out of Muggle London. He was quite insistent." Harry said, pleased that he had an easy way to say no without being rude.

"I can clear it with the Minister." Lucius waved a hand dismissively. "And I do believe you and Draco could use the opportunity to perhaps move past this school-boy rivalry that you've been indulging in." He gave Harry a very paternal look. "What do you say?"

Harry swallowed nervously. "I guess dinner might be ok, if the Minister gives me permission." He couldn't help but think that the Headmaster would not be happy that he was speaking to this man.

"Excellent." Lucius said and their food was brought out to them. He kept conversation light while they ate, taking the time to really evaluate the boy across from him. He asked him about Quidditch and his classes, staying away from troubling topics. The Dark Lord was gaining power, and he knew it was a matter of time before he tried to return. Lucius and his wife had sat down and seriously discussed the potential outcomes from several avenues of action.

If they supported the madman, it was likely Draco would eventually be forced to take the dark mark. That was not an acceptable thing to Lucius. He would not allow his son's future to be destroyed by that. Supporting Dumbledore was equally distasteful. The meddlesome old coot had certainly done no favors for Severus, despite his years of loyal service, or was that servitude.

The other possibility had been Narcissa's idea. She had been very fond of her aunt Dorea Potter nee Black. She had suggested that siding with blood was preferable to any other option. From what he could see, the boy was frighteningly impressionable, eager for any attention offered. Even with their negative interaction last year, here he was enjoying a meal with him. He'd all ready sat Draco down and explained the importance of courting Potter's friendship this coming year, and how much depended on the boys forging at least a mutual respect.

As the desert was brought out, he watched Harry's eyes widen at the chocolaty concoction set down in front of him.

"Is this the first time you've had a soufflé?" Lucius asked, unsurprised when the boy nodded. "Ok, use your fork to poke the top, and then pour the sauce inside." He explained and showed the young wizard what to do.

Harry tried a bite then and neatly melted. "This is really good." He said.

"It's a nice treat, everyone once and a while." Lucius agreed. "I'm glad to be able to introduce you to it." He enjoyed his own. When they were finished he wiped his mouth and leaned back. "Now, I would ask that you not tell anyone of our meeting. There are those among your acquaintance that might feel the need to interfere."

"Like the Headmaster and the Weasley family?" Harry guessed.

"Indeed." Lucius sighed. "I honestly never knew how dangerous the diary was, Mr. Potter. I'd been told it was simply going to cause a little trouble for the Weasley family, and possibly embarrass the Headmaster. I am a father, and endangering a child is not something I would ever willingly do." He met Harry's eyes. "However, I doubt anyone will believe that." He allowed a bit of cynicism leak into his voice.

Harry held Lucius' intense gaze and found himself nodding. He understood too well that people's prejudices often controlled their opinions. "Still…you did end up hurting Ginny." He said. "And while I appreciate the gifts you've given me, it's really her that you should be apologizing to." Harry said.

Lucius grinned then. "How do you think the Weasley's won the Daily Prophet Galleon Draw?" He said with a sly smirk. "My family holds stocks at the Prophet, Mr. Potter. Your family did as well, as a matter of fact. I may have called in a favor or two."

Harry blinked in shock and then smiled. "They would never have taken the money from you directly." It was a very Slytherin move, and Harry found it rather ingenious.

"Certainly not, no matter how much they might need it." Lucius said simply. "I also made provisions for Miss Weasley's medical costs at St. Mungo's. They merely told Arthur that the school was covering the bill because she was injured on school property." He explained the backroom maneuverings he'd had to do.

Harry nodded and came to a decision. "What time is dinner on Saturday?" He asked, willing to accept that Malfoy was trying to change. If he didn't at least give him the benefit of the doubt, he'd be no better than the idiots that had ostracized him last year at school.

"We'll be picking you up at the Leaky Cauldron at 6:15 sharp. Do you have clothing suitable for a muggle upscale restaurant?" He asked.

The teen colored a bit and looked down. "Not really."

"Stop in to Twilfit & Tattings this week. I'll make sure they are aware of what you'll require." He smiled kindly, resolving to do a little digging into Mr. Potter's home life. He'd assumed the boy had been wearing his school robes simply because he'd been unsure about wizard customs for casual dress, not out of necessity.

"I…thank you." He said quietly, feeling rather embarrassed that the man seemed to know that he didn't have much.

"Now, I have a meeting at the Ministry this afternoon, so I am afraid I must say goodbye for today." Lucius stood and smiled. "But I will owl you later in the week with the Minister's answer about a supervised outing."

Harry stood as well. "I'll keep an eye open for your letter Mr. Malfoy." He said and they walked out of the Café together.

Lucius smiled and headed off on his way, the smile fading from his lips. He'd been given a lot to think about and knew that Narcissa could help him parse through it. He had serious concerns about the child's home life, and not for the first time he wondered why in the name of Merlin the boy had been sent to Muggles.

His steps took him to Gringott's first. The Goblins were an integral part of the wizard financial world, they were also the keepers of all wills and property documents. He headed down a corridor to the records department. "Gorehung." He nodded to the goblin behind the desk. "I require a copy of the Potter's last will and testament." He'd worked hard to establish rapport with the little creatures, and every now and then it came in handy.

The Goblin looked at Lucius for a long moment. "Very well, Lord Malfoy." He said and then got off his stool and went to the stacks of ledgers. He returned a short time later and handed it to Lucius. "The will is on file, but was not executed…by degree of the Wizengamot."

Lucius frowned. "I see." He took the sheaf of papers and nodded. "Thank you for your assistance." He went to sit in the lounge and opened the copy of the will and began to read, his frown deepening. The will was very clear, and he could not understand how the Wizengamot had been able to challenge and subvert the Potter's final wishes, especially as regarded their heir.

Harry J. Potter was to have been awarded to the guardianship of Sirius Black, his godfather. If he was in any way unable to care for the boy there was a list of several people in order of preference that could raise the child. The guardian's were to have a monthly stipend to be spent on the child's care. It was reasonable and the people on the list were well respected within the community. He could find no fault with any of the names on the list, with the exception of Black himself.

He looked them over again. After Sirius Black had been Alice & Frank Longbottom, Andromeda & Theodore Tonks, Amelia Bones, and lastly Severus Snape. He blinked at the last name in a bit of shock and then reminded himself that ultimately Severus and Lily had been inseparable until that unfortunate incident in fifth year. They clearly had reconciled sometime after. He tucked the papers away and used one of the public floos to return to the Manor.

Narcissa was in the study, writing a letter when he entered. He went over and kissed his wife's neck and smiled. "Whom are you writing to, my dear?" He asked and smiled against her skin.

"Slyphie Greengrass." She smiled and set her quill down. "I am inviting her for tea next week. How did your meeting go with my young cousin?" She turned and arched an elegant eyebrow at her husband.

"The meeting itself went well, and he has agreed to dinner with the family. I'll simply need Fudge to agree to it, since he made the child promise not to venture into Muggle London, a small matter." He shrugged and moved to sit down in his chair. "I do believe that we may need to do a little investigating into Mr. Potter's home situation. I have suspicions that it is rather lacking."

"Poor dear." She said. "I'm certain we have friends that can look into that, discreetly of course." Narcissa considered. "What about that muggle barrister you keep on retainer for the businesses?" She suggested.

"Clarence?" Lucius considered and then nodded. "He can certainly be trusted to keep this quiet. I'll pay him a visit later in the week and make the arrangements." He made a mental note to see the man on Thursday morning after his lunch with the Minister. "Also, I obtained a copy of the Potter's will. It seems the Wizengamot over-ruled the will in regards to Mr. Potter's guardianship, placing him with Muggles over the named magical guardians. Even our dear friend Severus was on the list…though admittedly the last in line." He chuckled, imagining how his friend would curse and rage if he was made aware of that little tidbit of information.

"Oh dear." Narcissa winced a little. "I must admit, I never saw Severus as a paternal figure." She chuckled and stood, going to pour them both a glass of wine. "If the child is truly in a deplorable home situation, perhaps we should maneuver for guardianship?" She looked to her husband. "After all, we have a son his age and are more than financially able to care for a second child. We certainly have the political clout at the moment, there really wouldn't be a better time to move on it. Make Severus a secondary guardian, in deference to the Potter's wishes." She smiled sweetly.

Lucius stood and walked over to his wife, kissing her softly. "I do love it when you plot." He stroked her back. "I can test the waters, but the boy might well end up with your sister Andromeda, or Amelia Bones. However, if we are the brokers of getting him into a better home, the boy will likely feel grateful. A little work with Draco befriending him could see the boy in our care more as well, and open to our influence." Lucius grinned.

He and Cissy might not have a traditional marriage, but they were an unstoppable political force. It had been an arranged marriage to bring the Malfoy and Black lines together, nothing more and nothing less. They had been strangers on their wedding day, passing acquaintances at best. He did not love her, not as many men doubtlessly loved their wives, but he enjoyed her company. The both sought their pleasures elsewhere, but always with the utmost discretion, appearances mattered.

"It's a lovely plan my darling." She grinned. "Now, I'm going to post my letter and then get dressed for dinner. The Parkinsons and Bulstrodes are coming for dinner. I had Tippy set out your pewter dress robes for you." She said and moved back, going to her desk to retrieve her letter for Lady Greengrass.

It was time to start seriously planning Draco's betrothal, so she was going to start evaluating the young ladies. With their new planned direction, it was likely that they'd need to look beyond their usual circle and marry into a light family. They would at least need to appear to be considering their usual allies first, if they wanted to avoid conflict.

Lucius watched her leave the study and smiled to himself. It would be an interesting game, especially with the headmaster in play.

~~~~TBC~~~~

.