Family Reunion
It was the first week back at school after the Christmas holidays, and Harry was annoyed. It wasn't because Ron was even moodier then before, or because Hermione was being bossier, but because he hadn't found anything on Nicolas Flamel, even in the restricted section. He had been so sure he would find something, but nothing. Sighing, he looked down at his bowl of porridge. Beside him Ron stuffed more into his already full mouth. Across from him, Hermione looked on with a frown of disgust before turning back to her own food, flipping the page of the book she had propped up against the water jug. Not feeling at that hungry, Harry dropped his spoon back into the bowl and stood up, slinging his book bag over his shoulder.
"I'll see you in class."
Before either of his friends could say anything, he left, walking down the aisle as quickly as he could. Maybe he could go back to the library and start searching again; he had plenty of time before his first lesson that day. With that thought in mind, he picked up his pace again, only to stop abruptly while passing the Transfiguration classroom. Backing up quietly, he listened to the people inside as they argued.
"He is my Grandson Minerva! I have a right to see him!"
He wondered who had the guts to yell at McGonagall like that.
"That may be so, but you cannot." She sighed.
Harry had never heard her sigh before.
"Before he came here, he didn't even know how his parents died."
"What?"
Again she sighed. "You and I both know Petunia hated anything to do with magic. It should not surprise you that she would not tell Harry anything about his heritage."
They were talking about him. Him, as in Harry. That man inside, arguing with his Head of House was his grandfather.
"Which is exactly why I should get to see him, so he can learn about where he comes from. Minerva," The man pleaded, "I could gain custody of him and take him away from Petunia. He would be loved."
"And I don't doubt that Skarsgard, but nobody knows you're alive. You were believed to have died along with your daughter and son in law."
Harry decided it was time for him to leave before he heard anything else he shouldn't.
"He is my grandson Minerva, and your god son."
Harry froze.
"How can you not want him out of that poisonous home?"
"I would love nothing more than to steal him away from those horrible people, but I cannot."
"But I can."
Harry knew he should move, but the things he heard kept him in place and as the sound of someone coming closer to the door, his mind spun. He had a Grandfather and a Godmother. And they didn't tell him. His own Head of House didn't want him. As the door beside him was pulled open, his world turned black, the last thing he heard being a worried shout.
"Minerva!"
Harry groaned as the sound of voices penetrated the fog filling his head.
"He'll be alright Skarsgard, he only passed out."
"He's so small."
"Yes, I don't think those muggles fed him properly."
"Oh Petunia, what have you become?"
His welcomed the blackness back to his mind.
"Harry."
"Harry."
Harry groaned and rolled over, pulling the blanket over his head.
"Potter, wake up!"
Sitting upright, Harry looked up at his blurry head of house. "Sorry Professor!" He gasped.
Someone chuckled. "Don't scare him Minerva."
Ignoring the other person, McGonagall reached behind her and picked up Harry's glasses, holding them out for him to take.
"Thanks." He whispered, slipping the black wire over his ears.
"How are you feeling Potter?"
Looking at his Head of House, he saw the true concern in her eyes. "Like that troll actually did hit me." He muttered, rubbing the back of his head.
Chuckling, Minerva sat down on the low table in front of Harry. "You passed out."
"I've passed out before Professor," He said, sitting up, "And it's never left me like this."
"But I doubt you've passed out in a stone castle before."
Harry gave a slight nod of his head.
"Now Potter," Harry didn't like the seriousness of her tone, "How much did you hear?"
"S-Sorry Professor?" He stuttered, not wanting to answer her.
"Harry," She sighed, "We know you heard some of our argument, what I want to know is how much." She explained, reaching out to pat his hand, "We're not mad Harry, I promise."
"Oh, well, I-I don't know how long you were arguing for Professor," He spoke, looking down at his lap, "B-But I know you're my Godmother," He whispered, "And you're my Grandfather."
As had become their custom, Harry made his way to Minerva's private chambers, discretely of course, no need to create rumours, for their weekly tea. After he found out about his Grandfather and Godmother, Minerva had suggested they meet up regularly so Harry could get to know them better. It wasn't long after the initial awkwardness of having tea with his head of house settled that Harry started answering some of the questions he was asked, and in return he asked questions about them. But the one question he had wanted to ask, he never. After living with the Dursley's for most of his life, constantly hearing how he wasn't wanted, he didn't want to hear it coming from the last two family members he had left. But now, now that Sirius Black wanted him dead, his own Godfather, he had to know.
Giving the password, thirty-one seven, he walked inside, pulled off his school robes and hung them up beside Minerva's green teaching robes. Striding further into the rooms, he smiled at the two adults and sat down in his seat, making himself comfortable. Without breaking her conversation with Skarsgard, or Skar as he liked to be called, she poured Harry a cup of tea and handed it to him with a smile.
It wasn't long before there was a lull in their conversation and Harry had his chance to ask. So, taking a deep calming breath, Harry looked his grandfather in the eye and spoke as clearly as he could.
"Why didn't you come back sooner?"
He expected him to beat around the bush, or to dodge the question all together, what he didn't expect was for him to turn red and Minerva to chuckle.
"D-Did I say something funny?" He asked, looking between them.
Minerva shook her head. "No Harry, I've just been wandering how long it'd take you to ask." She explained, taking a sip of tea.
"And because she's already heard the story." Skar mumbled, causing Minerva to tilt her head in agreement.
"There is that."
Harry frowned. "I don't understand."
Skarsgard sighed, setting his cup down. "I would have loved nothing more to come back sooner Harry, but I was for lack of better word, stuck."
Minerva choked back a laugh.
"Stuck?"
"After you mother went into hiding, I went to Africa to do some research for Pomona on some of the magical plants. Well, I somehow managed to tick of an elder of the land, who just so happened to be a witch," He glared at Minerva as she covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself from giggling, "So she turned me into a lion and left me for dead."
"You lived as a lion."
Skarsgard nodded, picking his tea back up. "She died the year you started Hogwarts and her spell reversed, leaving me human again. As soon as I saw what happened at Godrics Hollow, I came straight to Minerva and she filled me in on everything that I had missed."
"Oh."
Skarsgard gave him a sad smile, his gold earring twinkling in the fire light. "If I hadn't been stuck in Africa Harry, I would have raised you myself."
Harry returned the smile, his eyes filling with tears. "I know."
Thinking back on the moment Sirius met Skar and how competitive they were about the smallest of things, Harry should have known that something like this would happen eventually. Minerva, who was sitting beside him, shook her head at the scene in front of them.
"Grown men." She scoffed, bringing her cup to her mouth, "They are grown men."
Harry snickered and turned back to face his Grandfather and Godfather. He was graduating Hogwarts at the end of the week and they were arguing over who was going to by him his new broom, seeing as his Firebolt had been trampled on during the battle of Hogwarts. As the two black haired men started arguing even louder, Harry stood up and left; Minerva not that far behind him.
Upon entering the small kitchen, Harry sat down at the table while Minerva made herself another cup of tea.
"When do you think they'll stop?" Harry asked, peering out the door.
With her back still turned, Minerva answered. "Not for a while lad," She said, glancing over her shoulder. "Skarsgard won't quit until he gets what he wants, and Sirius is just plain old stubborn."
Smirking, Harry leant back in his chair. "And what are you?"
Chuckling, Minerva turned around, cup in hand and sat down across from him. "The smart one."
Frowning, he sat forward, waiting for her to explain. Reaching into one of the many pockets of her dark green robes, Minerva pulled out a small parcel, wrapped in brown paper. Sitting it on the table between them, she gave a lazy wave of her hand and it returned to its original size.
"They started arguing over which one of them would buy it after you returned to your dorm last week. What I forgot to tell them is that I had already purchased one for you." She smirked, bringing her cup to her lips. "Oops."
Chuckling, Harry shook his head. "Minerva, you Slytherin."
"Don't go spreading that around, I have a reputation to uphold."
They looked at each other seriously for a moment before Harry finally cracked and started laughing, Minerva joining in seconds after. Hearing the laughter from the other room, the two men stopped their bickering and investigated. Finding both Harry and Minerva with large smiles on their faces as they laughed was a surprise; usually it was Harry who laughed and Minerva who gave the barest of smiles in amusement. But soon their attention was drawn to the parcel sitting in the middle of the table.
"Is that-" Skar started, pointing to the object.
"A broomstick?" Sirius finished, frowning.
The two green eyed magic users sat up and looked at them, Minerva giving them a superior smirk.
"Minerva!" They shouted in unison.
They groaned, slumping out of the room. "Now we have to get him something else."
Both Minerva and Harry shared a look before dissolving back into hysterics again.