Chapter 16.

5:21 pm, June 24th, 1993

Interlude, Draco Malfoy

Draco cherished every second that he could spend with both his parents, he really did. But this was a rather awkward moment that Draco wanted to run away from.

"So you have been seeing Miss Padma Patil privately for several times?" Father smiled while petting Draco's coiling snake patronus on his lap. "I have seen her fighting beside you, a cunning and powerful witch indeed."

Mother grabbed Draco's hand. "Oh, Draco my dear, why don't you tell me earlier? I was thinking about the two Greengrass girls, but your opinion is the decisive one. You should invite Miss Patil home sometimes."

-Ahh…

"Cissy, I have looked up Miss Patil's lineage since I knew she was Draco's lieutenant," Father patted Draco's shoulder approvingly, and then reached for Mother's hand. "All magical up to her grandparents. I need to write more letters to my contacts in India for further information."

-Err, Father looked up Padma's family history when I was in my first year? Father, you don't need to be that prepared.

"Draco, by the way, do you know her caste? I heard Brahmins are priests in India, therefore more likely to be wizards, or of higher social status." Father asked another question that Draco didn't know how to answer.

By this point, Draco just wanted to hide his face in his hands: Father, I know you are a pureblood supremacist, I didn't know you are a supremacist in other accounts as well. Oh, Merlin. This IS Father. What can I do?

Just as Mother asked, and Father explained what the caste system was, and why Patil was such a common last name that Father's contacts in India couldn't decide her caste just from her surname, the suitcase door was opened.

Draco was both disappointed and guiltily relieved to see Severus by the door. The dark-haired man appeared both tired and happy. "Lucius, I think I will accept your invitation now."

"Oh, Severus, my brother and best friend," Father stood up and walked toward Severus with open arms. "We are really going to be family now."

Mother was a bit confused. She asked Draco with a whisper, "What invitation?"

Father's footsteps stopped, his arm in mid-air, and he answered with a bit of awkwardness in his voice, "Cissy, I - I haven't have a chance to tell you, I invited Severus to be Draco's godfather."

The dark-haired man walking down the stairs became quite awkward as well. "Mrs. Malfoy, if -"

"Oh, my dear Severus," Mother smiled at Severus while sending a glare toward Father, "Draco will be so lucky as to have you as his godfather."

From Harry's training, Draco knew the reason that Father never asked Mother's opinion on such familial matters was not that Father didn't respect Mother or something like that. It was because Mother hadn't been in Father's decision-making system for eleven years, and human beings simply did not update their decision patterns that quickly. However, Draco was not sure how Mother would take this.

Father cleared his throat, showed Severus the couch and said, "Severus, why don't we do it now? I can draft the paperwork, and -" Father looked up at Harry, who was now standing outside of the suitcase door, "Lord Potter, would you like to be one of the witnesses?"

"Yes, I would be happy to." Harry answered cheerfully. "By the way, how many witnesses do you need?"

"Two." Father answered.

"Hermione will be here in a moment." Harry eyed Father pointedly.

Father tilted his head graciously. "It would be a great honor for House Malfoy to have Lady Granger as the second witness."

"Then I will talk with Hermione first, so she won't be too surprised to see you." Harry said. "And Professor Snape, I will need you to lift the seal of the room and reseal it again when Hermione comes. Now I will leave you four here for a private moment."

"It is so considerate of you, Lord Potter." Father said politely.

As the suitcase door was closed from outside, Father began to draft paperwork, Mother offered Severus tea, and asked lightly, "Severus, as Draco's godfather, your opinion will be highly valued in the topic we were at before you came in. Do you happen to have any recollections on Miss Padma Patil?"

-Ahherrr… Can we discuss the end of the world or something like that?

The next chapter will be up at 6 pm (EDT), 04/12/2015.