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Chapter Text

God bless Luna and her bubbling humdingers, I throw on my invisibility cloak and walk mindlessly through the halls, towards the Gryffindor common room. I fall asleep on the plush, red velvet sofa by the fire.

The next thing I know, I'm being awoken by a spider crawling up my arm. My eyes open and I sit up, brushing the spider off me. That's not right. My hair is just scraping the ceiling, and I feel like I'm in a much smaller space than I was previously. My whole body feels different, smaller, thinner. I'd had this dream before, of course, I was back in my cupboard, and it was all a dream. "Up! Get up! Now!" Screeches Aunt Petunia, banning on the door. This is the point in which I normally wake up.

Thud thud thud thud… THUD! THUD! "Wake up, Potter, we're going to the zoo!" Thud thud thud thud thud. I sigh. A feeling of dread washes over me as I pinch my side as hard as I can. Good damn it! I look at my fingers and count them. Only the usual 10.

I open the door to my cupboard and blink in the light as I put my glasses on. Seriously? Nothing out of place, no hint that this was a dream? And even though it should be and I knew it, so therefore I should wake up, there was simply no waking me. Either I was trapped in this dream/simulation, or I'd actually gone back in time. Hell no, not again.

Resigning myself to this life, for now, I got to work cooking breakfast, watching Dudley open presents and throw tantrums, setting snakes free, getting yelled at, and getting locked in my cupboard, let out only for the toilet twice a day and being feed only bread and water at those times as well for three whole weeks. But this suited me just fine, I had a sketchbook and pencil hidden in my cupboard that I could use to draw and write as much about the future as I could remember and to come up with a plan.

I'd decided I no longer gave a fuck about anything, I knew ultimately I was gonna have to die. So if I was going out - I was going out with a bang! So all I had to do was free Sirius, find my Weezey, kill moldy voldy, prevent as many people from dying as possible and have a bunch of laughs along the way. Maybe pull some other death defying stunts or hero bullshit just for shits and giggles. Maybe I'd even have time for graduation and an actual life post Hogwarts if I got it all right this time round and didn’t have to live through some sorta groundhog 7 years.

I quickly learned that being 17 in a 10 year olds body was very weird. I kept expecting to be taller and stronger than I was, of course this left me looking clumsy so my relatives just teased me more. God I hated them with a passion. Not so much Dudley, I just pitted the mini whale, but I could never understand or forgive Petunia or Vernon.

Not for nothing, I decided it would be jokes to terrify Vernon and Petunia with the constant stream of letters, so upon receiving mine, I didn't bother opening it, just walked into the dining room as I had done last time and of course Dudley snatched it off me. Of course I was given my own room. And of course more letters kept on being sent, until we found ourselves in that hut on the rock.

Hagrid still banged the door down, gave me my birthday cake and card (read: Hogwarts letter) and naturally, Dudley still got a tail. Best birthday ever. Seeing the terrified looks on Vernon and Petunia's faces was priceless - and my budding friendship with Hagrid even more so. Technically I went back 2 months before my birthday and had only lived out one of them, but I wasn't about to start celebrating my birthday on a different day so I counted it as my 18th.

We walk through the doors to the Leaky Cauldron and I let out a low hiss of pain, placing a hand to my forehead. "What's wrong, Harry?" Hagrid asks, concerned.
"Nothing, just a little twinge. I get them occasionally." I reply, nonchalantly, "Sometimes, I can see things before they happen," I add on, unbothered. This was the start of the lie, how I would be able to share my future knowledge without revealing I was from the future.

"That's quite a rare ability, keep that to yourself I would, people might try to exploit you for it." Hagrid warns. I gulp and nod in understanding. By now, people have started to notice the two of us. "Blimey, is that Harry Potter?"
"Why yes, yes I am." I agree, shaking Dedalus Diggle's hand. "And you're the guy who bowed to me in a shopping centre once."
"He remembers me!" Dedalus says, clutching his heart and bowing low.
I enthusiastically go along with the bowing, hand shaking and hugging, as I make my way through the pub. Heck, now I knew what was happening, it was actually kinda fun. Funny how knowing you're dying changes your perspective on things.

This time my scar really does hurt, but I avoid showing it as I greet Lordfessor Quirrelmort. "Good morning Professor. Harry, Professor Quirrell will be your new Defence against the dark arts teacher." Hagrid explains.
"Fearfully fff... fascinating subject... n-not that you... n-eeed it... ay, P-p-Potter?" Quirrelmort stutters out.
"I'm sure I still have lots to learn." I say modesty.
"Y-yes, well... shan't keep you. I-I'm sure you have lots to buy." Quirrelmort says, moving aside so we can finally leave the pub.

Hagrid taps the appropriate tiles with his wandbrella, and I look around, amazed at the beautiful magic on display all around me. The trip to Gringotts goes exactly the same, and before you know it, I'm standing next to Malfoy in Madam Malkins.
"Hello," Draco says, "Hogwarts too?"
"Yes, it will be my first year. You?"
"Same. Fathers next door buying my books and mothers down the street looking at wands. Then I think I'll drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully Father into getting me one and then smuggle it in somehow."
I chuckle, "Sounds like something my muggle cousin might do." I comment, nonchalantly.
"Your muggle cousin? Did you just compare me to a muggle? My father will hear about this."
"Sorry, I was raised in the muggle world. I didn't realise some people might take it as an insult. Especially given how clever muggles are and how advanced their science and technology is compared to ours. Honestly, if we don't get to the moon by the end of the century, then I may just give up on being a wizard. I mean, what's the point in having magic if we can't even use it properly. If we weren't so scared of muggles, then world hunger and poverty would be eradicated by now and we'd have a colony on Mars." I tut mournfully.

"Don't be ridiculous, there's no way muggles could achieve all that - they've not been to the moon." Draco says arrogantly.
"It was televised live, across the world, I've seen the footage. "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." You haven't seen it?"
"What does "televised" mean?"
I roll my eyes. "Maybe take a trip to the muggle world once in a while and visit the cinema and the library. A television is a box that plays moving images and the corresponding sound. The images are either live or recorded and are transmitted via radio waves around the world."
"That doesn't even make any sense. I know for a fact that muggles don't have moving pictures." Draco points out.
"They don't, but they invented this thing called "film," where if you play the pictures in very quick succession, it looks like they're moving."
"That's not the same thing."
"It works the same."

Draco rolls his eyes. "Ugh, I don't even care. What's your name anyway?"
"Harry, you?"
"Family name?" he deadpans.
"Potter. You?"
Draco's eyes go wide. "Are you really?"
"No, I'm a muggle born who's never even heard of Hogwarts before and picked the name at random." I say, rolling my eyes. Draco smirks at me, "You're funny. Oh, I say, look at that man."
"That's Hagrid."
"Oh, is he escorting you around the Alley?"
"Yeah."
"I've heard about him, isn't he some sort of servant?"
"He's the grounds keeper, and before you say anything else, he's actually a really nice man and a good friend of mine."
"If you say so." Draco agrees, doubtfully.

"That's you two done dears," Madam Malkin says. We both pay, and Madam Malkin puts our clothes into sturdy paper bags with her logo on them. "You wanna do the rest of our shopping together?" I ask Draco.
"Sure, let me just check with Father if it's okay." Draco agrees, rushing next door to find his father.

"You've made a friend already, I see, Harry?"
Hagrid says warmly.
"Sort of. He holds a few prejudices against muggles, and he's as spoiled as Dudley, but I think I can bring him round to a more sensible point of view." I reason.
"Sounds like something your mother would say." Hagrid replies happily, which puts a smile on my face. "But personally, I wouldn't trust the Malfoy's as far as I could throw them." He adds on warningly.
"You could throw them pretty far, I reckon Hagrid." I point out.
He chuckles "good point, as far as you could throw them, then." He corrects.
I just shrug in response.

"Calm down, Draco, I can't exit the shop, I haven't paid for your books yet." The voice of Lucius Malfoy drawls affectionately from just inside the book. Draco walks back up to me and pulls me by my hand to the front of the shop. "Father, let me introduce my new acquaintance - Harry Potter." Draco says, leading me into the shop. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr Malfoy." I say politely, extending my hand.
"The pleasure is all mine," he replies, shaking my hand firmly.
"Come on, Harry, let's get all your books so we can pay together." Draco says, tugging on my hand again, leading me around the shop and putting way more books than is on the list into my basket, which is seemingly bigger on the inside.

Once he's done picking my books for me, we join his father in the que. "Those are on me, Mr Potter. A birthday treat." Mr Malfoy says, before paying for the books, before I can protest, "thank you."
"Not a problem. Any friend of Draco's is a friend of mine," he nods curtly.

We walk out of the shop and head to the apothecary. Hagrid follows us but chooses to wait outside. "Father, is it true that muggles have been to the moon?" Draco asks Lucius, who chuckles. "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. That's what they said. But it wasn't. It was just another failure of the muggle world to do anything right.
If they weren't so stuck in their primitive magic hating ways, then maybe we'd have a colony on Mars by now. Alas, the majority of muggles continue to suffer through wars and poverty, whilst the rich sit at the top of the moon. It's a ridiculous system, and the muggle born witches and wizards that we allow into our world only serve to corrupt our system and create a similar class divide in our world.
Can you believe that there are countries in the muggle world where women can't vote? And there's very few countries in the world where homosexual or polygamous marriages are legal. Sure, they've been to the moon, but when was the last time you saw a homeless witch or wizard?" Rants Lucius, and I have to admit, he's got a point. Getting to the moon wasn't that impressive if they couldn't even end homelessness.

During Lucius's rant, he'd somehow managed to walk around the apothecary and put all of my and Draco's ingredients and other supplies into baskets. He, again, pays for both sets without giving me time to protest and we move on to the next store.

It was a general store that sold things like telescopes, omnioculars, spectre-specs, sneakoscopes, quills, ink, parchment, art supplies, and umbrellas. As well as trunks, backpacks, fanny packs and shoulder bags. "So, Mr Potter. What house do you think you’ll be in?"
"Slytherin."
"You think so? If I recall, your mother was muggle born, and it's evident you've been raised in the muggle world. Perhaps you aren't aware that Slytherin house prefers those of us from a noble background, with full magical lineage."
"I wasn't aware, but I do know that I share one of Slytherin's most prized traits with him."
"Really? Which one?"
"I can speak parseltongue."
"Fascinating. Maybe you will fit into Slytherin." Lucius concedes.
"You can really speak to snakes?" Draco asks, his eyes going wide.
"Oh yeah, I only found out the other week when I accidentally set a boa constrictor loose at the zoo." I explain, and in a way that memory does feel like a few weeks ago, but the memory of experiencing it for the first time - that feels like a whole different lifetime ago.
"You did what?" Draco asks, eyes wide.
"It was an accident! My cousin made me angry, and I felt sorry for the snake that was bred in captivity." I explain defensively to a bemused Draco.

Again, Lucius had managed to find everything me and Draco needed by the time he'd finished talking. He pays for both of us and puts all of our things into two separate lovely looking multi compartment mahogany trunks with silver trimmings and the purple Hogwarts seal stamped over the lock.
Then he finally leads us to Olivander's.

Mrs Malfoy is still there inspecting different wands. "Ah there you are Lucie, and it seems you've picked up a stray." Narcissa says with a twinkle in her eye. "Mother! Meet my new friend, Harry Potter." Says Draco happily.
"Narcissa Malfoy dear, pleasure to meet you." Narcissa says, extending her hand. I take her hand and bend down to kiss it like I'm some sort of rich boy. Oh wait...
"Pleasure to meet you too Mrs Malfoy."
She smiles graciously at me. "Well, we'll leave you boys to it. Come on Lucie." Narcissa says, linking arms with her husband and waiting on the opposite side of the road.

"I wondered when I'd be seeing you Mr Potter, it seems only yesterday your mother and father were here buying their first wands." Says the wispy voice of Ollivander as he rummages through his shelves. "Mr Malfoy, your mother picked out seven wands for you to try. Do so at your leisure and put the reject pile on the left side of the counter." Ollivander instructs, handing me a wand of my own to try.

A light smashes, a chair collapses, all the wands fly off the shelves, the window is broken, my hair is turned pink, Draco ends up upside-down, Ollivander clucks like a chicken, an ominous voice tells us that mountain chickens are frogs, Onyxjay sues for copy right infringement, the fourth wall breaks, and the moon landing is faked but eventually I end up with my trusty eleven inch, holly wood wand with phoenix tail feather core and Draco ends up with his 10 inch hawthorn wand with unicorn tail hair core. As my wand is last, Ollivander is able to get all dramatic with his "Curious" and "Terrible! But great" speech but we finally leave after paying, chills still running down our spines.

When we come out both Mrs Malfoy and Hagrid are holding cages that contain animals. "Happy birthday Harry" they say simultaneously, passing me my gifts. Hagrid, obviously, hands me Hedwig and my heart just breaks. But Mrs Malfoy hands me a cage containing a gorgeous deathly green boomslang. I put both cages on the floor and wrap both adults in a tight hug. "Thank you!" I say, my eyes watering. "No worries dear." Narcissa says kindly.
"Yeah, ‘course Harry. It's your birthday after all." Hagrid agrees.

I kneel down and look at both animals with adoration. They are looking at each other with disdain. "Oi, stop looking at each other like that." I reprimand.
"Ohhh, a speaker!" The boomslang hisses happily. "Will you be my master?" He asks.
"Yes, what is your name?"
"You must name me and then when you come of age, you can bond with me as your familiar." He explains.
"Severus" I decide, the word is out of my lips before I can even think.
"I like it. Thank you master."
"You can call me Harry."
"Yes, Harry."
"Good boy, now relax and stop trying to eat Hedwig with your eyes, I want you to get along."
"Fine, master. I will refrain from devouring the bird."
"Good boy." I praise the little snake and turn to Hedwig.

"Hey girl, you okay? I think I'll call you Hedwig.
This is Severus. He's your new brother. Play nicely." I instruct, stroking her head through the bars. She hoots in understanding.
"Hedwig, that's a beautiful name. But what made you choose "Severus" surely you haven't met him?" Narcissa asks.
"Oh, sometimes I say things, or just know things, just by chance, and they turn out to be correct. Small things, just random guesses. Why, do you know a Severus?" I lie easily
"He's Draco's godfather," Lucius says. Oh, that explains a lot.
"Oh, I didn't know that." I say truthfully, cocking my head to the side.
"Yeah, Uncle Sev is the Potions Master at Hogwarts." Draco adds.

"Is potions a fun subject?" I ask, trying to sound like the little informed muggle raised 11 year old that I’m supposed to be. Draco nods his head eagerly. "It is when Uncle Sev teaches it. He's really good at explaining how each ingredient works together and all their different properties. He teaches techniques to make the brewing process quicker and more effective and he even cracks jokes." Draco gushes. Mental images of Snape telling jokes flood my brain, scaring me for life, as I try to think of just one instance in my life when he so much as smiled.
"Sounds like a really good teacher. Can't wait for his lessons." I say, earnestly.
"Yeah, I bet you'll love him."

"Oh... um, sweetie. Actually, I'm not so sure about that." Narcissa begins with a pained look. "You see, whilst you might enjoy special treatment in your private lessons from Severus, not everyone is so lucky. Now, you boys must not repeat this, okay? Uncle Severus would be devastated if he found out I told you this - but he's actually quite an emotional person, with some deep regrets. And unfortunately, those leave him feeling cold and acting distant towards most of everyone other than you, Draco." Narcissa explains, and you don't have to tell me twice. I nod in understanding, mostly because I already knew that, and I figured an 11 year old me would get away with at least pretending he understood.
"Oh, poor uncle Sev. I understand, Mother. We won't tell anyone." Draco agrees with surprising maturity.

"Are you boys ready to go now?" Lucius asks.
"Father, can we go home the muggle way? I want to learn what a television is." Draco demands.
Lucius looks at me with scrutiny. "Stop teaching my boy about muggle technology, it's not good for him. Next thing you know he'll electrocute himself."
"Father, why are you so well educated on muggle things, but you don't want me to be?"
"Well, son, I happen to have invested a small part of the family wealth into various muggle companies. Just in case, you understand. Actually, I made quite a bit off those moon missions. That is why I have to know what is going on in the muggle world. But things like television and video games rot your brain and detract from important things like socialising and learning. This is why I keep you away from such a pointless and foolish society." Lucius explains eloquently.
"But what if I need to know about the muggle world, just in case?" Draco protests.
Lucius, let's out a sigh. "Fine, we shall navigate the disease riddled, over crowded, sweaty, smelly, hazardous, and downright depressing system known as muggle public transport. If only so you learn that you never want to do that ever again." Lucius says reluctantly, but Draco just beams at him. "Thank you daddy." He replies happily.

"Mr Hagrid, dare I ask if you wish to accompany us back to Harry's place of residence, on the muggle public transport?"
"Well if you're sure you're alright taking him back, I actually have some Hogwarts business to attend to." Hagrid says uncertainly.
"I'll be fine Hagrid, you go back to Hogwarts," I encourage.
"Uh, well alright then. Here is your ticket, all the information you need is on there." He agrees, handing me the ticket. "And, here, I wrote down the directions as to how to get you home." He says, handing the directions to Lucius who studies them with a nod.
"See you at Hogwarts Harry."
"See you there Hagrid" I say happily, waving the big man off.

Chapter Text

Lucius places my pets in my trunk, then uses a spell to shrink my and Draco's trunks into his pocket, then leads us back through the pub and out into muggle London. Immediately, Draco starts looking around, fascinated by everything.
"Woah, some of these buildings are so tall!" He exclaims.

"Woah, what are those?" He asks.
"Cars, they're how muggles get about," I explain.
"How do they move? Are their feet underneath them pushing them along?" He asks, adorably.
"No, no. They put this liquid in them, called petrol, and that powers the engine, which spins the wheels that move the car,"
"Why are they so noisy?" he asks, after one honks.
"No, no. That's just the noise it makes when the driver is inpatient."
"Driver? Do you mean someone is controlling these contraptions? Someone who can get inpatient or angry, or drunk, etc?"
"Uh, yeah. But don't worry, there's laws against people driving while drunk or for using their cars as weapons, and a speed limit and other safety measures to ensure people's safety," I reassure.
"Just because there are laws prohibiting certain things does not mean they don't still happen. Why do you think lawyers exist?" Narcissa points out.
"To find loopholes in the laws and/or provide evidence that creates reasonable doubt that the person is guilty." Draco replies, although reciting something.
"Exactly, my son, exactly." Lucius says proudly.

We arrive at Charing Cross train station, and Lucius buys 4 tickets to Paddington Station. "Are you sure this is safe, Daddy?" Draco asks nervously, hesitating at the escalator.
"Yes darling, come on. Together." Lucius says lovingly, taking Draco's hand and walking in front of him, Narcissa right behind them. As his father is already descending, Draco has no choice but to step on, wobbly. "This is surely more sturdy than a broom?" Lucius tuts, so only we can hear.
"At least I can control a broom." Draco whisper shrikes back.
"Relax, deep breaths, my dragon." Narcissa coos, rubbing her son's shoulders.

Draco distracts himself by looking at the adverts, and we are soon on the platform. "Next train, Stonebridge park in one minute," says the auto announcer.
"Who said that?" Draco asks, surprised.
I look around for the speaker and find one on the ceiling and point to it. "See that? Her voice came out of that." I say, not bothering to explain further.
"There's a tiny muggle woman trapped inside that thing?"
"No, only a recording of those few words is trapped there. The rest of her might be dead for all we know." I say spookily.
Lucius pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. "This is why I kept you away from the muggle world. It's far too confusing." He tuts, just before the noisy tube rushes into view, causing a heavy breeze that startles all four of us.
Being a nice summer day, during the school holidays, the tube is full of passengers. We get on right at the back where it's somewhat less full. "We have to stand all of the way there?" Draco whines.
"It's only seven stops," Lucius says nonchalantly.
"How long between stops?"
"Maybe a minute or two." Is the reply, causing Draco to visibly relax, as the tube lurches off.
"Merlin, these things are fast." Draco comments, struggling to stay upright. "How on earth do you intend on making the school sports team with that abysmal balance?" Lucius chastises.
Draco looked down, embarrassed "sorry father, I'll work on that over the summer."
"Good boy."

The rest of the ride goes by in silence as everyone focuses on keeping balanced and not making eye contact with strangers. Once we get to Paddington, and Draco conquers his fear of the escalator, Draco looks around in awe at all of the trains waiting at the different platforms. "Where do they all go?"
"All across the country," Lucius replies, Draco's eyes go wide.
"All underground?"
"No, mostly above ground. The underground is only in London." Explains Lucius.
"Woah. So which one do we want?"
"That one," Lucius points and starts walking towards it.

We hop on the train and find 4 seats together, Draco takes the window seat going forward, and I sit opposite him, with Lucius next to me.
"Welcome aboard the Great Western Railway service to Bristol Temple Meads.
Calling at Reading, Swindon, Chippenham, Bath Spa, and Bristol Temple Meads. The next stop is Reading. Please mind the gap between the train and the platform."
The auto announcer says.
"That was all recorded and trapped up... there?" Draco asks, looking around before he says there, pointing to a security camera.
"Uh no... there" I correct.

"What you were pointing to - that, is a security camera. It's watching us, making sure we behave" I explain.
"It can actually watch us? How?"
"There's a screen in a room somewhere on the train and a guy is sat at the screen watching the live feed from all of the cameras on board." I explain, certain that probably isn't 100% accurate.
"Woah. Is that like television?"
"Sort of, but very poor quality, would make a boring show."

"What would make for an exciting show?"
"Uh, what's popular at the moment is this show called "Doctor Who" about a man from a different planet who travels through time and space in a box that's bigger on the inside."
"How is a fictional travel program interesting?" Asks Lucius.
"Well, each episode he has to fight different aliens, save some people, overthrow a government, or have some other sort of fun adventure. He's really quite the maverick. And he usually travels with a companion from Earth so he's not lonely."
"Is there any romance?" Narcissa asks.
"Sometimes." I nod.
"Oh, maybe we should watch it. Lucius, let's buy a television."

"Oh! Yes father! Can we?"
"No, absolutely not. They rot your brains, make your eyes go funny and detract from the important things - like feeding the peacocks or riding the unicorn." Lucius insists, indignantly.
"Please daddy?" Draco gives the pouty eyes. Lucius looks at his son, defeatedly. "I'll think about it." He concedes. "But you must promise not to let it distract you from your studies." He adds on sternly.
"I promise father." Draco agrees happily.

Draco suddenly spots something out of the window. "What's that?" He asks, pointing to a plane in the sky.
"It's a plane, they're like trains but they fly."
"No way they fly without magic." Draco protests.
"Yeah, they go really fast and need really powerful engines to keep them up."
"No way. Father, can we go on a plane?"
"I don't see why not. This winter break I'll book us a holiday in France and we can fly there."
"Can Harry come?"
"That is up to his aunt."
"I don't have a passport."
"That won't be a problem."
"Oh, then my aunt won't care what I'm doing. She'll probably prefer that I'm not home." I admit with a chuckle.

Lucius turns to look at me at that comment. Like, really look at me, taking in my oversized clothes, the fact I was with Hagrid, alone, certain skittish behaviours I still haven't let go of, or perhaps picked up during the war, my pale complexion, my height, my weight. Finally, he looks me in the eyes and sees all of the sadness and loneliness of my childhood. "If you will excuse me, I just need to find the loo." He gets up and walks away. But I get the feeling he's not going to the loo.

I see Narcissa discreetly flick her wand before sighing, relieved. "Okay, boys, we can talk freely about magic. I've put up some privacy spells." She explains before engaging us in conversation about how we felt about starting Hogwarts. Draco's looking forward to Potions whilst I say I'm looking forward to Transfiguration more as I heard it was my fathers favourite. We both agree we're hoping to be in Slytherin, Draco wants to play as seeker, and other such small talk questions are answered, in between Narcissa telling us stories from her days there, how you need to tickle the pear to get to the kitchens, there's a secret passageway by the one eyed witch statue, just say "dissendium," the old caretaker used to use corporal punishment though so you best not get caught sneaking about the castle like some reckless Gryffindor. Or indeed, Lucius, on one memorable occasion.

Eventually Lucius returns looking quite pleased with himself. "Mr Potter, I would like to formally extend an invitation for yourself, and your pets, to spend the rest of the summer at Malfoy Manor. Your aunt has agreed to this." Says Lucius.
I blink at him a few times. "Uh... yeah, okay. Thank you." I agree, happily.
"Good, I've already taken the liberty of packing your trunk." He explains.
"Oh, cool, thanks."
"You're most welcome."

"Is he actually staying daddy? Can he stay in my room?"
"If he wishes, or he can take a guest suite."
"I don't mind sharing with Draco." I nod happily, letting my inner 11 year old express himself.
"Excellent, that's settled then." Lucius nods happily.

The rest of the ride passes by with idle chit chat about school and quidditch, which I pretend to not know much about.
Finally, we arrive in Swindon. Lucius leads us off the train and round to a back alley, hidden from muggles. "Harry, take my arm. Draco, take your mothers." We obey and feel the tightening sensation of apparition as we disappear with a crack. I stand up, wobbly, and take a few deep breaths, trying not to throw up. "What was that?" I ask, sounding perturbed.
"Apparition. Or in muggle words "teleporting" it's the quickest form of transport and the only way to get onto the grounds of the manor." Lucius explains.

I nod, taking in my surroundings. In the light of day, and without a swollen face or the threat of being killed, it's actually a very beautiful manor. Three stories high with marble walls, golden pillars, snake gargoyles, stained glass windows, freshly cut, dark green grass, beautiful snake shaped hedges, blossoming cherry trees, peacocks strutting around gracefully, and a gorgeous fountain, an exact replica of the four creatures fountain in the Hogwarts stone courtyard. "Woah, it's beautiful." I sigh in awe.
"Thank you, I tend to it myself." Lucius says, leading the way up the gravel path, to the big mahogany double doors.