Disclaimer: Not mine

Other notes: There are 2 fics that take place in the same universe as this and revolve around the same characters, but this story can be read without them. Both are in progress. Harry Potter and the Marauder's Den is a Pre Hogwarts story that depicts how Corvus/Harry came to live with Sirius and Remus, and is mostly Remus and Sirius centric. This is the story of Corvus/Harry's Hogwarts/Post Hogwarts years. After it is a fic called Harry Potter and the Dimension Hopper, and takes place in Corvus's Post Hogwarts years as he travels to a mostly canon dimension.

For those of you who haven't read my fic Harry Potter and the Marauder's Den, Remus kidnapped Harry from the Dursley's and blood adopted Harry as his and Sirius's son. Shortly after, Sirius broke out of Azkaban and found them.

A Beginner's Guide to Dimension Hopping

The first thing that Corvus Lupin-Black, known in larger circles as Harry Potter, learned from his fathers, was that it was easier to look out for yourself than to look after other people. It was never something that was said, outright, but he noticed it just the same. The unspoken lesson of self-preservation.

Remus was always looking out for others, for him and for Sirius. Corvus rather thought that it wore on him, left him greying around the temples and pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to keep everyone together and safe in a mother hen fashion.

Corvus silently resolved not to overextend himself for other people, to put his own needs first. As fond as he was of his parents, he didn't have the time for foolish sentiments, and as they were grown men and he was only eleven, he was sure they could look after themselves.

The second lesson Corvus learned was to limit the amount of lies that you told, because you had to remember them all. This was mostly something he observed in Sirius, who failed rather dramatically in that area.

Sirius snuck out of the house a lot, and not as Padfoot as he and Remus had agreed. Corvus tried not to get involved in their arguments, since most of them ended in either tears or kisses, but he couldn't help but notice that Sirius often forgot which lies he had already told Remus.

It never ended well.

The third thing he learned was that sometimes, relationships were not entirely built on love and commitment. Even at eleven, Corvus was intelligent enough to know that his parents used each other a great deal of the time. It was obvious it wasn't intentional, but it happened often enough to say that personal gain was definitely a foundation of their household.

Corvus was sure that there were other lessons that his parents tried to teach him; things like 'be kind' 'have integrity' and 'love unconditionally'. Those were the lessons that were said out loud. But as Corvus didn't often see them acted out in real life, he concluded that they must not have been important at all.

It was in this way that two Gryffindors managed to raise a child up to be a Slytherin, completely on accident, and to everyone's surprise but their own.

It was early when Corvus got up, earlier than usual anyways. It wasn't that he was lazy, it was just that he wasn't particularly hard working either. Especially since he had other people around to do things for him. Which was exactly why he could never be a Hufflepuff.

Remus was cooking breakfast when he walked into the kitchen, and Sirius was slouching at the table, brooding and sulking and sighing dramatically to himself every few minutes. Remus, to his credit, mostly ignored him, as long as you didn't count the covert glances that he cast over his shoulder when he thought no one was looking.

Corvus hung in the doorway for a moment, giving them a few more seconds to settle their differences. He could already tell it was a battle of wills, and those usually ended with wet sloppy kisses from Sirius, and a lot of Remus sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Moony," Sirius said, in what he clearly thought was a casual manner. It came out a little more abrupt in the tense silence. "Moony," he repeated, after clearing his throat. "I promise I will never ask you for anything again for the rest of my life."

Corvus waited.

Another few seconds found Remus pinching his nose and sighing. The battle was already won. "That's exactly what you said last week, Pads," he said in a longsuffering voice.

"What does he want?" Corvus asked Remus, walking into the kitchen and sitting down across Sirius, who was wearing a small, smug smile. Obviously he could read Moony just as well as Corvus could.

"A date," Sirius answered cheerfully. "I want him to take me to see a film."

Corvus poured a glass of orange juice and took a swig. "If you're going to see a film, can you drop me off in London? I want to get my school supplies in Diagon."

Remus gave his son a mildly suspicious look before plopping a plate of food in front of him. "I suppose," he said at last.

"Cheers mate," Sirius said, clanking his glass against Corvus's. "If that wasn't played out in such a Slytherin manner, I'd say I was proud."

Corvus offered him a cheeky grin. "Thanks Pads," he said.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "If you get sorted into Slytherin, I'm going to disown you," he added, trying to look stern. He didn't quite manage to pull it off, especially considering Remus had hexed his hair pink just a moment before and he had yet to notice.

Corvus's grin widened as he exchanged a look with Remus over Sirius's head. "Don't worry about me," he said. "I'm sure I'll do you old Marauders proud."

Remus hit Corvus with a stinging jinx. "Who are you calling old?"

Several hours later found Corvus drifting around Diagon Alley with a sack full of Galleons and a glamour over his scar. It wasn't the first time he'd been allowed to explore the Alley on his own, but it was the first time he had a mission and money of his own.

He ducked into Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and glanced around quickly. Before he could speak, a squat smiling witch approached him. "Hogwarts, dear?" she asked.

Corvus smiled thinly. "That's right," he said shortly, before she could add anything else.

The witch had Corvus stand on a stool in the back of the shop next to a boy with a pale, pointed face. Corvus made a mental note of the fact that they shared the same cool grey eyes and pointed chin. He must have been a relative of some sort, not that Corvus planned to reveal that.

"Hello," the other boy said. "Hogwarts too?"

Corvus gave a short nod.

"My father's next door buying my books and Mother's up the street looking at wands," he said. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms."

"Have you got your own broom?" Corvus interrupted him.

The boy looked slightly affronted. "Of course. Have you?"

Corvus distinctly remembered the day Sirius had snuck out to buy him his first broom, and the way they had managed to keep it a secret from Remus for months on end. His mouth twitched upwards. "Yes, I do."

The boy eyed him critically. "What position do you play?" he asked.

"Seeker."

"That's what I play as well," the boy told him. "Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my House, and I must say, I agree. Know what House you'll be in yet?"

Corvus shifted on the stool, recalling Sirius's halfhearted threats. "I'm rather suited for Slytherin," he said slowly. "But I have to say, I fancy Ravenclaw a bit more."

The boy looked gratified. "I'll be in Slytherin myself. All our family has been. But I think I could settle for Ravenclaw. I say, what is your surname?"

Corvus grimaced inwardly. He couldn't very well announce himself as a Black. "Lupin," he said, sticking out his hand. "Corvus Lupin."

"Draco Malfoy," the boy said. "Pleasure to meet you."

"That's you done, my dear," Madam Malkin informed him. Corvus hopped off the stool.

"Perhaps I'll see you in Slytherin," Malfoy said.

Corvus smiled at him. "Perhaps you will," he said, despite thinking of how unlikely that would be. He hadn't quite decided what to think of the blond boy. He was obviously very self-absorbed, and a bit of a snot too, but it would likely be useful to know someone in Slytherin. He pinched the bridge of his nose in a manner reminiscent of Remus and wandered over to Flourish and Blotts to get his books.

Once there, he spent a particularly long amount of time paging through a book called Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch your Friends and Befuddle your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More).

He made a habit of looking through it every time, but he never had the money before to buy it. Padfoot would be pleased with him, he thought, as he closed the book. Pleased enough that he would even help Corvus hide it if Remus started to get suspicious about the amount of pranks going on in the house.

Grinning to himself, he purchased the book along with the rest of his school supplies, and a moleskin pouch that could hold an unlimited amount of items. At the Apothecary, he bought twice the amount of ingredients and a few extra, on the off chance that he could get on Snivelly's good side before the man heard his name.

Corvus went to Ollivanders last, anticipation coiling in his stomach. A wand was another thing Remus had refused to get Corvus, insisting that if the Ministry traced underage magic to their house, it would likely be the end of them. Sirius and Remus would wind up in Azkaban, and Corvus would be right back at the Dursley's.

In a surprising show of wisdom and maturity, Sirius had backed Remus up. "It's not exactly freedom," he had said gravely. "And it hasn't always been good. But I'd take this life over a dirty cell and a bunch of Dementors any day."

Again, Corvus thought that was the self-preservation at work.

"Good afternoon," Mr. Ollivander greeted Corvus softly. "And who might you be?"

"Corvus Lupin," he said, then added, "Sir," because it was the type of thing Remus would say, and it was a generally known fact that Remus was considerably more respectful to people than Corvus and Sirius combined.

"Ah, yes," the man said. "I see the resemblance. It seems only yesterday your father was in here himself, buying his first wand. 10 ¼ inches long, cypress and pliable. A core of unicorn hair if I remember correctly."

Corvus nodded. "Yes sir."

"And your mother?" Ollivander questioned.

"Father, actually," Corvus said, a little shortly and without the sir.

Ollivander's expression was very knowing. "Sirius Black," he said. It wasn't a question. At Corvus's flinch, he went on. "It's all in the eyes," he said gravely. "All of the Blacks have eyes that exact shade of grey. And it is, after all, a well-known fact that your parents were close in their years at Hogwarts."

He pulled out a long tape measure and continued to talk. "Dragon heartstring and pine, 10 1/4 inches. It suited him well."

Ollivander rifled through a few boxes before handing Corvus a wand. "Cypress and unicorn, perhaps, like your father?"

Corvus gave it a wave, producing almost a few mild sparks. "I'm afraid I am not very heroic," he admitted.

Ollivander looked surprised. "There are not many who understand wand lore," he remarked, giving Corvus a considering look. "What would you suggest for yourself?"

"Dragon heartstring," Corvus said immediately. "I am a Black, after all."

"Indeed," Ollivander said, slowly. "And the wood?"

"Acacia," Corvus said.

Ollivander gave him a long look and rummaged through his shelves again. "Acacia and dragon heartstring, 9 ½ inches, firm. A very tricky wand, very temperamental."

Corvus grabbed it immediately and gave it a twirl, emitting a string of sparks.

Ollivander gave him another measured look. "That will be seven Galleons, Mr. Lupin," he said, in a strangely reserved voice. Corvus handed over the money, and Ollivander bowed him from the shop.