Lucius Malfoy's lawyer smiled a bit grimly. Working for Lucius could be quite an adventure. Although since the Death Eater trials were done with 8 years ago, there hadn't been much that could really be called very life threatening. He suspected that this little matter could easily become so. The Boy Who Lived - abused and on the run from a homicidal Uncle! And, most interesting - Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape were coming to his, and his muggle cousin's rescue.

"The guardianship papers are really quite straightforward, Mr. Snape - you have been made Harry Potter's guardian with no restrictions. That, accompanied by Mrs. Dursley's letter begging for help and the clear testimony of Mr. Potters condition by the Healer and mediwitch should make this a very clear-cut case."

The Lawyer paused, a bit dramatically, "However, since this is Harry Potter, I am sure that there are those who will contest this as best they can." The lawyer shuffled a couple of papers. "I suggest making sure they don't protest in the first place. The muggle cousin will also be your ward, if his mother dies, and his father is put away in prison. I understand there are blood wards that protect Mr. Potter that involve ‘his mothers blood'?"

Severus lifted a brow, this was a good idea. "Yes, Albus runs on about the ‘need to keep Harry where his mothers blood dwells'. He's said this on numerous occasions to the Minister of Magic and quite a few others, when he has been asked if being with muggles was in Harry's best interest. If 'his mother's blood' is residing in the Dragon Reserve, Albus can't object so easily to Harry being there as well."

"We need to get pensieve evidence from Mrs. Dursley to corroborate the memories from the boys. In particular the ones of Albus Dumbledore - neither of the boys were present when he hustled off the child services people, and they were too young to recall the incident when Harry was dropped off. Dumbledore won't want those memories brought to light - perhaps he can be held at bay with them." Lucius' eyes narrowed in anticipation of thwarting the Headmaster.

Harry had been listening intently to the conversation, knowing his future was at stake. He very much wanted to stay with his mother's old friend, Severus, who seemed quite pleased with his guardianship, and protective of him. "Will they listen at all to what I want?" He asked, drawing the adult's attention. " I know that I don't really have a legal say, but will they listen to me at all, if I say I want to stay with Mr. Snape?"

Lucius and Severus beamed at Harry, happy that he was showing some cunning, so soon.

"If necessary we can go to the press, -a tearful Harry Potter, pleading to stay with his beloved guardian...Albus will have difficulty overcoming that, and it would give others the excuse to support you." The lawyer concurred, shrewdly.

Harry grinned in response and nodded eagerly, to Lucius and Severus' amusement.

"It will help to have Petunia's corroboration of Harry's wish to stay with me as well." Severus frowned.

"We should do that soon, though. I'm not sure if she'll live very long - or at all." Severus grimaced, he hated deathbed scenes.

"We should have a Healer from St Mungo's accompany us - to take the memories, and record her condition." The lawyer mused. "The other Healer was really a pediatric specialist, we need someone familiar with adults, and muggle injuries.

The lawyer soon had a Chief Healer present who was assured that Mr. Malfoy would soon donate another large sum to the hospital. The situation was explained in detail. The Healer was a former Slytherin, with no great love for the Headmaster. He had been appalled at the tale of abuse that Severus described, as well as the corroborating evidence from the other Healers.

Tinker was set to watch over the sleeping Dudley, and Harry was given a large stack of books regarding Dragons and an admonition to ‘mind Tinker'. Harry nodded with a blissful smile, and Severus ruffled his hair with a smirk, pleased with the boy's willingness to obey. Tinker was ecstatic, with two extra mouths to cook for and take care of.

The four adults, with the help of a few disillusionment charms were soon at Petunia's bedside. It had only been a day, but Severus was a bit surprised that she was still alive. The Healer got straight to work, humming and tsking at the muggle tubes and lines. Severus finished casting avoidance charms and further disillusionment. The lawyer was busy with bottles for pensieve memories.

This left Lucius to look around in amazed horror, all by himself. The sight of the muggles, all around him in the intensive care unit were enough to make him speechless. The loud beeps and alarms going off, along with the usual noises of people suffering was overwhelming to him. There were, of course plenty of ugly deaths in the wizarding world. This was somehow worse, in its indifferent sterility. Lucius looked over at the muggle laying on the bed with the healer leaning over her. She was murmuring to him and the lawyer, with Severus on her other side.

Petunia had been surprised to see Severus, again, especially with more wizards in tow. Severus explained the need to hedge their bets legally, and she quickly agreed. Petunia happily told them the news that Vernon had managed to get himself killed - ironically after all these years of telling Harry his parents had died in a car smash, driving drunk, he had actually done that himself.

Lucius and Severus heard that news with a mix of relief and aggravation, they had both hoped to do a certain amount of hexing and cursing. Severus had even modified a few curses especially to use on him.

The Healer looked at Petunia's chart gravely. He had some experience with muggle medicine, as his paternal grandfather was muggleborn, and he had cousins in the muggle world. St. Mungo's kept an eye on muggle advances, hoping to translate them to magical medicine, and he worked in that branch, at times. He was discouraged to find that the Potionsmaster was not mistaken in his assessment of Petunia's situation.

The healer took Petunia's relevant memories and placed them in the bottles. The lawyer introduced himself and got a few more signatures - to be her power of attorney. He reassured Petunia that although he was mainly Mr. Malfoy's attorney - he would have no difficulty acting in her and Dudley's interest regarding any legalities.

At the mention of Lucius Malfoy, Petunia looked hazily at the imposing blonde aristocrat staring haughtily from the foot of her bed. With all the medications in her system, having the likes of Lucius Malfoy at her bedside seemed the height of ridiculous. Petunia snickered, smiled and then laughed as hard as her ravaged body would allow.

Severus bit his lip, and both his eyebrows migrated to his hairline. Women did a lot of things when presented with Lucius - simpered, blushed, flirted, fainted - but none of them had ever laughed. Severus smirked a bit at the totally flustered response from Lucius to Petunia's hilarity. Luckily Petunia passed out, immediately after, and Lucius could recover.

"You didn't mention that the attack had addled her senses, Severus." Lucius finally said huffily.

The Healer worked hard on the area of Petunia's liver that was still oozing blood. He could see where Severus had cast his spell to encourage the tissue to heal. It was working surprisingly well. Her blood levels were still low, most likely the muggles were reluctant to ‘waste more blood on a lost cause'. He cast more spells, directly - demanding that the tissue come together and stop the bleeding. He cast and recast the spell, and the tissue responded a little, each time. After what seem like forever, the bleeding was almost stopped, and the Healer was exhausted. He waved his wand over the chart, making an order for more blood appear in one of the doctors handwriting, and banished it to the secretaries desk.

Perhaps she had a chance, now - at least she would last longer. He knew the wizards helping the two boys needed ever second that her being alive would buy them.