More to Life

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Chapter Four - Broomsticks and Dumbledore

Harry sighed as he plopped himself down on the grassy bank outside the home he had been staying in. He turned his head around and marvelled at the house - maybe he could call it a mansion, though he didn't know the difference really, just that one was bigger than the other. He knew it was Severus' house, but he didn't realise it was so big. He hadn't had to go outside once since he had arrived there a week ago. They had used floo powder to get to Diagon Alley and he had arrived at the house with a portkey.

The only reason he was outside right now was because Draco had begged him non stop to borrow his new broomstick. After a while Harry had gotten annoyed at Draco's whining and had relented.

So there he was watching Draco flying around.

It didn't look too hard really. It really didn't.

He had changed his mind when Draco started to dive.

Then he changed it back again when the blonde began to fly in a straight line once more.

Harry mentally berated himself. He wasn't going to let something as silly as flying get him worked up.

"Oi, Draco, give me a go, will you?" he finally shouted

Draco stopped in mid-air. With a shrug of his shoulders, he flew down towards Harry and jumped off the broomstick. He then placed it on the floor. "It's your broomstick. You don't have to ask, just demand. You really do have a lot to learn, don't you?"

"Just shut up Draco and teach me how to fly before I do something nasty to you."

"That's better," he complimented, crossing his arms.

Harry growled. "Draco!"

"Oh alright, already. Just put your hand over the broomstick and shout 'up'," Draco instructed him.

Harry did as he was told and the broomstick leapt up so sharply it made Harry jump. The broom hit his hand with an audible slap. Harry winced a little, more at the sound than any actual pain it caused. "I wasn't expecting that," he mumbled, then looked sharply at Draco. "You could have warned me!"

"It's different with everyone. Most of the time it doesn't jump into someone's hand first time and it most certainly doesn't normally do that."

Harry grinned. "Really now?"

"Show off," Draco mumbled.

"Oi!"

Draco sniggered. "Mount the broom and push off the ground."

Harry looked at Draco a little dubiously. "That's it?"

"That's it." Draco looked amused.

"Sounds easy," Harry proclaimed.

Draco just shrugged his shoulders once more.

Once more Harry did as he was told. He mounted the broomstick and lightly pushed off the ground. He wobbled a little in the air, but managed to keep the broomstick steady enough. Harry gently pushed the handle of the broom downwards making it fly forward a little jerkily.

Harry heard a small snigger and turned his head to look at Draco. The blonde haired boy was trying, and failing miserably, to hide his laughter.

Harry just smirked. "I'll show you." Determined to prove to his friend that he could fly no problem, Harry pushed the broom forward. He did a few circles in the air as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He decided to do a dive, pulling out of it while he was around six feet off the ground. He then flew down towards Draco and hovered in front of him. He shot a grin at the shocked looking blonde boy. "How was that then?"

Draco blinked. "Are you sure you've never flown before?"

Harry smirked. "Not to my knowledge."

"You're a natural, like me then," the blonde stated smugly.

Harry scoffed. "Not better than you then?"

"Not likely," Draco said with a smirk.

Harry jumped to the ground and gave Draco the broomstick once more. "Let's see again then?"

Draco took the broom without another word and flew off.

Harry plopped himself back on the grass once more. He let himself fall back realising that lying down would be more comfortable while he was watching his friend fly, only to be interrupted by a small voice that said, "Watch it."

"Huh. Who said that?" Harry said as he sat back up sharply.

"I did."

The dark haired boy looked around. The only thing he could see moving anywhere around him was a small black snake that was slithering away. It stopped and raised its head to look at Harry. "Erm... sorry?" Harry apologised.

"So you should be."

Harry blinked. He could have sworn the snake talked to him, but that couldn't happen, could it? Snakes didn't talk, well not normally anyway. "You can talk?"

"Of course I can." Harry was sure the snake would have had a haughty tone if snakes were capable of it. "Or rather you are talking to me."

"Right," Harry said a little hesitantly. The snake slinked away without another thought, leaving Harry a little dumbfounded. He shrugged it off as another Wizarding type 'thing' and went back to watching his friend flying around in the air. He got bored all of a sudden and yelled out to Draco. "Can I so graciously have my broom back now?"

Draco flew back. "Wow, big word Potter," he said with a grin.

Harry scowled. "Just give me that!" he said, snatching the broom from his friend's hands. As he began to fly again he watch as Draco disappeared into the house, coming back out a few minutes later with his own broom and something held tightly in his hand. He flew to the blonde to see what he had.

"Want to play seekers only Quidditch?" Draco asked with a smirk.

Harry nodded slowly. "Ok, so what do we do?"

Draco opened his palm to reveal a golden ball. "This is a golden snitch." It sprouted wings, flew out of the blonde's palm and shot off. Draco then mounted his broom and went after it.

"Hey! That's cheating!" Harry yelled.

Draco laughed. "You should know me better by now!"

Harry let out a sigh and flew off leisurely after him, seeing that Draco had lost sight of the little golden ball already. Harry had nearly given up before he saw it again. Noticing Draco hadn't seen it and was looking at the other side of the make-shift pitch, Harry sped off after it. Having the advantage of a faster broom, Harry's large head start son began a bigger one. As Draco began to catch up with him, Harry pushed the broom harder. It didn't take him much longer to catch the winged ball in his fist. Harry turned to Draco with a smirk. "Ha!"

"That was just luck," Draco grumbled.

"I'm better than you, and you know it!" Harry grinned.

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Ha!"

Harry scowled. "How old are you? Six?"

Draco just grinned in reply. He flew to the ground and dismounted his broom just as Narcissa walked towards them both.

"There is someone here to see you Harry," she said a little frustrated. She obviously wasn't happy about something.

Harry nodded and flew to the ground. He jumped off the broom and all but ran into the mansion.

He wondered who wanted to see him and why. He didn't know anyone else but Draco, Severus and Narcissa and he knew Severus would have come and seen him himself and not sent Narcissa to fetch him. Harry frowned. He only hoped that it wasn't someone else who was going to gawk at his scar for several minutes before even attempting a conversation. He really did hate that.

Harry realised he didn't know exactly where he was supposed to be going so waited for Narcissa to catch up with him.

The blonde woman gave him a smile, though it looked a little forced. "Dining room, dear."

"Right." Harry said a little embarrassed about not asking before he ran off and turned to walk towards the room.

How come he couldn't get rid of the sense of impending doom that he felt was hanging over him? He sighed as he came up to the huge double doors. There was only one way to find out.

Harry shuffled his way into the room slowly clicking the huge door shut behind him. He noticed someone in the room he had never seen before, an old man with a long white beard and hair to match. The man turned to face him.

"Ah, Harry," the man greeted warmly.

Harry eyed the man warily. He risked taking a little step forward. "Who are you?" he blurted out before he could stop himself. He at least had the decency to clamp a hand over his mouth.

The old man just chuckled. "Come and sit down child," he said, pointing towards the other armchair in the room.

Harry raised an eye brow slightly.

The old man smiled and held out a little white paper bag out towards the dark haired boy. "Lemon drop?"

The other eye brow rose to join the first. Harry was a little annoyed at his question being ignored. "You still haven't told me who you are?"

"You're quite right. I am Headmaster Dumbledore."

Harry felt himself tense a little. He remembered a small snippet of the conversation he and Severus had when he had first arrived at the mansion.

"The Headmaster probably wouldn't want me to tell you the full story..." Severus watched as Harry's face showed disappointment. "... but I will anyway."

"Really?" Harry said a little excited.

"Yes."

"Why wouldn't the Headmaster want you to tell me?"

"Because he seems to think fame goes to everyone's head."

He'd show the Headmaster that he could be trusted to be told everything. He still knew little about his parents or why Voldemort was ever after him in the first place. If he could show the Headmaster how grown up he was maybe he would get his questions answered. Harry forced a smile and went and sat in the chair.

"How have you been?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry thought about it for a few seconds. If he thinks I'm not ok he might not tell me anything... I'm fine though, never been better. I love life here. He forced another smile. "I'm great, never been better."

Dumbledore frowned a little. Poor boy covering up his pain and anguish. "Of course child."

Harry fought to keep the scowl off his face. He thinks I'm lying. "Really I'm fine. I enjoy it here," he said with a very sincere voice.

Doesn't want to upset anyone either, poor child. Dumbledore held out the paper bag once more. "Take a Lemon drop."

Harry didn't really like lemons but took one anyone. It tasted bittersweet in his mouth. Wanting to get this over and done with he chomped the sweet and swallowed it quickly. He swallowed saliva a few times to get rid of he after taste. "What are you here for?" Harry asked, his patience dropping rapidly.

"I am just checking to see how you are after the incident at Privet Drive last week."

Ah, Harry thought, everything coming back to him, he thinks I'll miss the Dursleys'. "I said before I'm fine."

"I'm sure you are, Harry."

Harry could hardly keep the glowering look off his face this time around. He's patronising me. "I don't miss the Dursleys', I'm just sorry they had to... like that," Harry hesitated not wanting to say die so casually.

"You don't miss them you say?" Dumbledore asked, clearly interested as to why the boy wouldn't miss the only relatives he'd had left.

Harry shrugged. "They never did anything for me anyway."

Dumbledore frowned once more. Maybe the child isn't what I once thought, he seems a little conceited. "You say you enjoy it here?"

Harry immediately looked happy. "Yes! I love the Wizarding world. I can't wait to start Hogwarts."

Dumbledore chuckled at the enthusiasm. "And how as Severus been?"

Harry beamed more if it was possible. "He's great."

Dumbledore looked a little surprised, which made Harry nearly chuckle. "Really?" the old man asked.

Harry nodded furiously. "Uh huh, he..." Harry stopped and gave the Headmaster a look over. He didn't want to say Severus told him anything he asked about. Dumbledore might advise the Potions Master not to and Harry didn't want that. "He's great," Harry said a little quieter.

"I'm glad," was the Headmaster's only reply.

Harry didn't want to wait anymore. "Can I ask you a question, sir?" he asked.

"If I can answer it I will child," was the old man's response.

Harry stalled slightly. He isn't going to tell me, he thought dejectedly. He asked anyway. "Why did erm..." he quickly thought about what to call the Dark Lord, "You Know Who want to kill me?"

"Alas that is the one question I cannot answer."

Figures, Harry thought. "Ok."

"I will tell you one day child, but not now."

Harry wasn't satisfied. He thinks I'm too young; he has that look in his eye.

"Now, for the question I actually came to ask you," Dumbledore began. Harry looked on interested. "I was wondering if you would like to stay with another Wizarding family until you begin Hogwarts."

Harry face fell. Didn't Severus want him around? "Why can't I stay here?" he asked.

Dumbledore nearly laughed out loud. The child actually wanted to stay with Severus. "I thought you would welcome being around children of your own age. The Weasley family has a boy the same age as you as well as three more just a few of years older."

Harry frowned. The Headmaster wanted him around older boys so he'd get picked on yet again. He didn't want that. "I'd rather stay here, besides I already have a friend. If Severus would let me I'd like to stay," Harry said, shuffling uncomfortably in his seat.

"I'd much rather you-"

"Headmaster, if the boy wants to stay he is welcome to. He can stay with a friend of mine during the school year," Severus interrupted from the corner of the room. Harry then realised the Potions Mater had been there the whole time. Narcissa was also there, sat on a window seat. She must have entered when he wasn't looking.

Dumbledore looked to Severus then to Narcissa. "I'm sure he'd-"

Albus was cut off again by Narcissa. "Are you questioning what the boy wants, Headmaster?" the blonde woman said in a loftily tone

"I would prefer if he went to the Weasleys'. They have already agreed to take him in." Dumbledore tried again.

Severus watched as Harry began to grow more and more uncomfortable. "Harry is a little sensitive at the moment. I don't think being around a large family will help him any."

Dumbledore relented. "Alright, but I would like him to spend some time with them before Hogwarts."

Narcissa held back a sneer. Just so you can turn him into your little Gryffindor golden boy. The boy is much more suited to Slytherin and it looks as though Albus already knows it. "We'll see if he wants to headmaster," she said in a sickeningly sweet voice. "You can't force the boy to go if he doesn't want to."

Harry sighed in relief. He didn't want to be split up from Draco. The two of them were becoming good friends and he didn't want to lose his first and only companion.

Dumbledore reluctantly nodded. He cleared his throat. "I'll be going back to school then. I'll see you at the beginning of the new year Severus."

"Yes, Headmaster," Severus replied. Dumbledore then left through the fireplace.

Harry let out a sigh of relief and looked up thankfully at Narcissa. "Thank you," he said quietly.

Narcissa smiled. "Nothing to it dear. I could never stand the Weasleys' anyway."

Harry jumped out of his seat and flung his arms around the blonde woman's waist. Narcissa patted the boy on the back.

Narcissa turned to look at the Slytherin head. "I don't care how much you worship the man Severus, he's a manipulative old-"

"I know Narcy," Severus interrupted before the blonde could finish, "He's only trying to do what he thinks is for the best. That doesn't mean it always is."

"True," Narcissa said as she turned her gaze back to Harry, who was grinning up at her. "Go and find Draco. I'm sure you have some good news to tell him."

Harry didn't wait another second before he bolted out the room, nearly running smack into Draco, who was stood trying to eavesdrop with little success.

"So?" Draco asked. "What did Dumbledore want?"

Harry pulled a face. "He kept asking me how I was. I reckon he thinks I'm in denial about the Dursleys'." Harry shook his head. "Anyway he was trying to make me go and live with another family, Weasels' or something like that."

"Weasleys'?" Draco said with distaste.

"That's it!"

"You're not going though, right?" the blonde asked hurriedly.

Harry shook his head. "Sev said I could stop with him and stop with you and your Mother while he's at school."

Draco broke into a grin. "Yes! Remind me to hug Sev next time I see him."

"Don't forget your mum too. She helped," Harry pointed out.

Draco calmed himself down, but still had a grin on his face. "Want to go fly some more?"

"Sure," Harry answered. The two boys ran outside, pushing each other playfully as they went.

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I know manipulative Dumbledore is a little clichéd, but I think he is manipulative in canon anyway, just not as notable since Harry doesn't really see it. I said before that this isn't a pro Dumbledore fic since it's about Slytherin's and Dumbledore, no matter what anyone says, doesn't favour them. If anyone has a problem feel free to flame me, I won't listen *grins*

Draco is still going to be an evil git towards anyone who isn't Slytherin btw, as long as I can come up with witty comebacks.

Leatrix Malfoy ~ 11^th October 2003