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Draco followed Harry out of the room. Lucius turned to Severus and asked, "When did this happen?"
"I took Harry's Hogwarts letter to him and found out his relatives were treating him very badly and that is when I decided to take him away from them. I did not know Lily had already appointed me Harry's guardian until I went to the Ministry to file for guardianship. I did not know the full extent of how badly Petunia and her oaf of a husband were treating him until we spoke with Sarah Mullings this morning. Merlin's beard! They were treating him worse than some people treat their house elves."
"Do you think Dumbledore knew, Severus?" Lucius asked.
"It would not surprise me a bit. I am sure he has plans for Harry."
"Well, the prophecy did predict Harry defeating the Dark Lord." Lucius always looked a bit downcast when he mentioned it as it was him that had overheard part of it and told Voldemort. Once he realized he'd unintentionally put the Potter's in grave danger he went to Dumbledore and asked him to hide them and turned a spy for him against Voldemort.
"It was not your fault, Luc," Severus said. "You did not know he would use it to target the Potters. It was Voldemort and it was James Potter's stupidity in trusting Pettigrew that cost Lily her life."
"As you know Cissy and Lily were good friends although she hated Potter and his best friend and her cousin, Black. She was devastated when she heard Lily had been killed."
"I was too," Severus replied. In fact there were days when he'd considered downing a poisonous potion so he no longer had to feel the pain of losing the only woman he'd ever loved."
"Cissy always thought Lily would eventually leave Potter and divorce him because he was such an idiot."
"I guess we'll never know now," Severus answered sadly.
At that moment Harry came running into the room followed by Draco. "Dad, are we going into London today?"
"Well, it is our usual outing is it not?" Severus answered smiling. Harry was truly his rainbow in the dark.
"I was telling Draco about McDonald's and he wants to eat there."
"MacDonald's?" Lucius asked confused. The only MacDonald's he knew of was the Pureblood family that had gone to Hogwarts. Mary MacDonald had been a year mate of Severus.'
"McDonald's is a Muggle fast food chain. Its menu features different kind of hamburgers, fries and other types of food. I have grown rather fond of their Quarter Pounders," Severus explained with a laugh.
"I will have to come along with you and see what this is about," Lucius remarked.
"You'll need a change of clothing first," Severus advised. He quickly transfigured Lucius tailored slacks and shirt into jeans and a short-sleeved royal blue T-shirt with the legend, 'World's Greatest Dad' printed on the front and his boots into white trainers with a blue racing stripe.
Lucius glanced bemusedly at himself in the mirror over the fireplace. "Not bad. I suppose I must be grateful my shirt isn't bright red with 'I Love Gryffindor' on the front."
"It is not because I did not consider it, Luc," Severus smirked.
"You look really cool, Dad!" Draco exclaimed.
Lucius turned back to Severus with his left arm held out. "What about this? Shouldn't it be covered so the Muggles won't see it?"
Severus shook his head. "They will not even notice it and if they do they will just think it is some sort of fancy tattoo."
"Okay." He nodded and turned to his son. "Now for you, Draco," Lucius said quickly transforming his son's outfit into a copy of his own except that Draco's shirt read 'World's Greatest Son'.
"Wicked!"
Severus transfigured his slacks into black jeans, a green T-shirt with 'Potion Masters Rule' on the front and a picture of a cauldron with steam rising out of it on the back of the shirt. He transfigured his boots into black trainers. He transfigured Harry's outfit so he was wearing a purple T-shirt that read 'I Love Magic!' and blue jeans.
"Wicked, Dad!" Harry exclaimed.
They came out of the Leaky Cauldron on Charing Cross Road and Severus flagged down a Black Cab. They all got in and Severus gave the driver the address of the McDonald's where he and Harry had ate at previously. They went inside and stood in line waiting to order. When their turn came Lucius followed Severus lead and ordered a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, fries, but not coffee which he never understood how Severus could stand to drink. He ordered a chocolate milkshake instead. Draco followed Harry's advice and ordered a Big Mac, fries, a chocolate milkshake and an apple pie.
"You know," Lucius said as he finished off his hamburger. "This really is quite tasty."
"You should try a Big Mac next time we come here, Father. It's wicked!" Draco said.
"What would you like to visit in London today, Harry?" Severus asked.
"Could we go to the Victoria and Albert Museum? One of my Muggle teacher's told us about it in class and it sounds like it has some neat stuff."
The museum was located on Cromwell Road so Severus summoned another Black Cab. The museum was fascinating, but it was so large that it wasn't possible to see everything that it contained in one visit. Severus speculated that it was good for Lucius and Draco to see a museum that was devoted entirely to Muggle culture.
When they flooed back to Hogwarts, Lucius said, "I had quite an enjoyable afternoon. Perhaps we could do it again some time?"
"I do not think that will be a problem, Luc," Severus answered. "Perhaps Cissy would like to join us next time?"
"No doubt she would be interested in the clothing displayed in that museum," Lucius replied as he stepped into the floo.
Draco, Harry, and Severus had a light supper and afterwards Draco tried to teach Harry how to play Exploding Snap while Severus read. Harry never got his cards stacked very high before they exploded. Draco however was able to stack his quite high before they finally exploded. Severus allowed them to stay up until 10:30 before shooing them off to bed. They had breakfast the next morning and then Narcissa flooed over to escort Draco back home. Severus introduced her to Harry and Draco promised to see Harry at the Sorting.
"Dad, will I just walk upstairs and join the other first years tomorrow?"
"No, Harry. You are going to be taking the Hogwarts Express. We will floo to the Leaky Cauldron and then take a cab to King's Cross station. I will stay with you until the train leaves. You may as well leave Hedwig here when we leave in the morning. I can send her to you once you get settled in your house after the welcoming feast."
"I wonder where the Sorting Hat will put me."
"It does not really matter which house you are sorted into because they all have good qualities."
"Why do I have to take the train, Dad?" Harry asked. "Wouldn't it be easier to just stay here and then go up when it's time to be sorted?"
"Because taking the Hogwarts Express is an important part of the journey, Harry. It is possible you will meet your best friends on that journey," Severus said. 'And your worst enemies.' He reminded himself sourly.
"Will Draco be on the train tomorrow?"
"I'm certain he will be," Severus assured him.
Harry spent the rest of the day packing his trunk and making sure he had everything he would need for school. Blinky popped in with his uniforms that had been freshened and the wrinkles removed. He folded them carefully and placed them in his trunk. Before he went to bed he laid out the clothes he would be wearing to King's Cross. Severus came into wish him goodnight and asked if he had everything he needed and Harry assured him that he did. He fell asleep almost immediately and dreamed he was getting on the Hogwarts Express, waving to Severus and his mum was standing beside him, waving too.
When Severus checked on Harry before he retired and tucked him in, he couldn't help but notice the big smile on Harry's face.
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