***Hiiii! The past few months I've fallen into the blackhole that exists in the Rigel Black fandom. I literally spend half my days squealing with happiness thinking about my precious Marauders, and the other half crying inside cause I want my child to be safe. I caught up with The Futile Facade a few weeks ago and ever since then I can't help making predictions (both good and bad). So naturally, I started forming stories in my head (which usually happens when I become obsessed with a series), but this time, I actually felt the urge to write them down. I have a very interesting Remus series planned, so stay tuned for that because it takes place in the Rigel universe, but it's kind of on the side (? It's hard to explain, but look forward to lots of pain and cuteness). Anyway, I digress...the characters and the world belong respectively to Violet Matter (aka MurkyBlueMatter), JK Rowling's Harry Potter, and Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness series. I tried my best to capture the essence of every character, but since I've only read through the Rigel Black series once, it may not be completely spot on. But I did enjoy writing this. It made me squeal and cry inside, so I hope you all feel something while reading it. Don't forget to leave a review! – aforestofbooks***
/HP/HP/HP/
Harry took a sip of milk in between bites of her mum's vegetable lasagna. She had two options. She could finish her food, excuse herself, and on her way back to her potions lab casually say that she couldn't make it to dinner tomorrow night since Leo had asked for one final meal before she went off to Hogwarts. And then she could make a run for it. Harry bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing out loud. That was a total Archie move.
Speaking of the devil…Archie kicked her from across the table. She looked up, raising one eyebrow in question. Archie's grin was as wide as a shark's as he suggestively wiggled his eyebrows and gave her a very obvious, but encouraging thumbs up. Maybe if James Potter wasn't a highly trained auror with a keen eye for details, Archie's eagerness might have gone overlooked. But her father's quick eyes immediately flicked over to the two of them.
"Archie…Harry," he said slowly, looking between the two. Archie hid his hands in his lap, a look of pure innocence on his face. "What are you two up to?"
Harry let out a very convincing groan, rolling her eyes for effect. "Great job ruining the prank, Arch," she mumbled.
"What prank?" Sirius asked warily, eyeing his surroundings with concern. "You trying to kill your old man, Archie? I haven't fulfilled my annoying-dad-jokes quota yet."
Archie grinned. "So, you finally admit to being old?"
Sirius spluttered, mumbling something along the lines of "figure of speech", as Remus, Lily and James burst into laughter. Addy banged her spoon against the table, a look of pure joy on her face, as if she was the cause of the amusement.
"You two had better not made a mess," warned Lily, though her voice hinted at curiosity. "I've enough work cut out for me taking care of these three babies." She looked pointedly at Addy, Sirius and James. Remus leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, a very pleased look on his face.
"It's not a prank," Archie said seriously, "Harry just has some exciting news." He grinned mischievously in her direction.
Harry contemplated what non-lethal poisons she could slip into Archie's cake for tomorrow as all eyes turned to her. "Actually, Archie should go first. You're going to find out eventually anyway."
"Find out about what?" Sirius asked sharply, sitting up straight.
"Archie has a thing for Millicent." Harry smiled widely at her cousin.
"That hurts, Harry," Archie said, a pained looked on his face as he dramatically clutched his chest. "I would never cheat on you. Not with us being engaged and all."
Lily frowned. "I never thought about how your 'engagement' might affect…other things."
Harry winced internally. Maybe bringing up Leo right now wasn't the best idea. Unless...she used this to her advantage…
James was saying how both she and Archie were not old enough for "other things", when Harry decided she might as well get it over with.
"I won't be home for dinner tomorrow night," she interrupted. All attention immediately focused back on her.
"Are you working on a potions experiment?" Remus asked.
"No, I'm just having dinner with a friend before I go back to school."
"What friend?" James asked immediately, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"Leo," answered Harry, looking her father straight in the eyes.
"I like Leo," announced Sirius. "He's got a nice celestial ring about him."
"And he has the most beautiful hazel eyes I've ever seen," Archie added, smirking at Harry's obvious annoyance.
"You've met Leo?" exclaimed Sirius.
James was watching Harry closely, as if looking for a sign that she was maybe not telling the whole truth. She sighed internally before turning to her father and saying, "It's just dinner, dad. Dinner between friends." She turned coyly towards Archie, adding, "Plus, unlike Archie, I'm actually going to honour our engagement."
"Hey!" cried out Archie, indignantly. "It was one dance!"
"I'm not sure," James mumbled, as he ran a hand through his messy jet black hair. "Leo has a shifty look about him."
"James," Remus said gently, placing a hand on his friend's arm. "Leo's a nice sort. I don't think he'd ever harm our Harry. It's your overprotectiveness that's blinding you from seeing that."
"Okay, now this is really not fair," cried out Sirius, exasperatedly. "Why has everyone met this Leo except me."
"When did you two meet?" James asked Remus, a look of surprise on his face.
Remus looked kind of sheepish as he wiped his hands on a napkin. "Harry needed help carrying some potion supplies back from Diagon, so I went with her. We kind of bumped into Leo on our way back." Harry was both impressed and touched at how easily the lie came to her uncle. She was definitely going to have to give him something extraordinary for Christmas this year.
"C'mon Uncle James," piped up Archie. "It's not like Harry has any friends. Shouldn't we let her at least maintain one friendship."
James seemed to relent at that. A shadow of sadness crossed over his eyes, before he turned to Harry and smiled tightly. "As long as he comes to pick you up here and you're home before 9, okay?"
Harry reconsidered poisoning Archie, despite the jibe to her antisocial behaviour, and smiled with relief. "I actually told Leo I'd meet him at the Leaky Cauldron since it would be a waste of floo powder to come here and then go back." Before James could open his mouth, she quickly added, "But I promise I'll be home by 9, and I won't drink anything remotely alcoholic."
"Good point," Sirius agreed. "I've done a lot of things that I regret now under the influence of Firewhisky. Remember that time James…"
Reassured that the conversation was now officially shifted to the Marauders' teenage escapades, Harry gulped down the rest of her milk before getting up to start on the dishes. She was arms deep in soap suds when Remus picked up a wet plate and started to dry it. Without looking up, she whispered, "Thanks Uncle Remus."
"You know I trust you, Harry," Remus replied back with a nod. The clinking of plates and cups drowned out the sound of their voices. "I know Leo isn't all you make him out to be." Harry looked up at that, but Remus continued, "But I don't think he'd ever hurt you, no matter what he actually does in the Lower Alleys. Let's just hope my judgement isn't off the mark this time."
Harry didn't know what to say about that. It was just dinner after all.
/HP/HP/HP/
Harry adjusted her violet robes one last time before leaving her room. It felt weird dressed in something other than her brewing robes and boots. Her slippers padded softly on the stairs as she winded down to the main floor. Maybe she could sneak out early before her mother and father came home….
As she rounded the last bend, she saw Sirius sitting casually with his back against the wall and his legs bent weirdly in the cramped stairway. He looked up at her and grinned.
"Well, don't you look especially nice today," he said as way of 'hello'.
Harry almost rolled her eyes. She had wondered why Sirius hadn't spoken against the dinner the night before. At least she was 15 minutes early. Plenty of time to listen to her uncle's speech and make it to the Leaky Cauldron by six. She said the same to him before sitting down on the stairs.
Sirius barked a laugh, though she noticed it was somewhat strained. "I won't take too much of your time then." He sighed, shaking back his long hair before saying slowly, "Harry…you know I've always treated you like a daughter. And I wouldn't want anything to happen to you anymore than I would Archie." A pained expression skimmed across his features, before disappearing behind a small smile as he looked up at her.
Harry felt her throat tighten. She had been the one to cause Sirius this pain. The pain of almost losing a child, when he had already lost his wife. And what made it worse was that her parents had no idea. If they knew how close their daughter had come to death…Harry made another mental note to not stick her nose in other people's businesses this year at Hogwarts. If not for her sake, then Sirius's.
"So…" Sirius was saying, "I want you to be careful. I know you've known Leo for a while, but that doesn't mean you can trust him all the time. Keep an eye out in case anything seems out of place." His grey eyes bore into hers before sparkling with mischief. "And no holding hands or touching. Definitely no kissing. If he asks to go back to his apartment or wherever he lives, say no. And…where's your emergency portkey?" he asked, suddenly looking over her frantically as if she carried a large teapot around with her wherever she went.
"It's in my pocket, Uncle Sirius," Harry assured him. "And it's honestly just dinner. Nothing more." She grinned before adding, "I'm serious."
Sirius' face lit up and he gathered her into a huge bear hug, squeezing her tight. "You be safe, alright?" he mumbled into her hair.
"I promise I'll be careful."
"Okay, good. Now shoo," Sirius waved her away. "I have to wait till your dad comes home to assure him that I gave you a good talking to."
"Dad put you up to this?" Harry groaned.
"Not entirely, no."
Harry sighed, "Tell dad that I'll be home by nine and not to wait up. Being the old man that he is, he needs his beauty sleep."
Harry walked into the floo room, the sound of Sirius' laughter following in her wake.
/HP/HP/HP/
When Harry stumbled into the Leaky Cauldron, she was not surprised to find it already bustling with people. She was shocked, however, when a strong hand gently grabbed her by the upper arm to steady her. Turning, Harry found herself looking into bright, hazel eyes that belonged to none other than Lionel Hurst.
"How did you know I was coming out of this fireplace," Harry asked, brushing away the ashes from her robes to hide her embarrassment. Why couldn't she gracefully exit the floo like her mum?
"A very good evening to you too," Leo said cheerfully as he threw an arm over her shoulder and led her towards the exit. Harry pulled away and turned to him, raising one eyebrow stubbornly.
Leo sighed dramatically. "If you really must know, it took a lot of detective sleuthing." He turned her around and pointed towards one of the five fireplaces in the large pub. "That one – over by that couple – is broken. Not sure what happened, but Tom says the Floo Network is looking into it. The other three just coughed up a bunch of rowdy looking idiots who are probably going to cause some trouble in the Lower Alleys tonight. And since I didn't think you were into the drunk crowd, I assumed you'd come from that fireplace, over there." Leo swept out his hands in a 'ta-da' fashion, a glint of amusement in his eyes.
Harry smiled sweetly. "Why are you wasting your obvious detective skills by being the Rogue? I'm sure the DMLE could use your talents."
Leo's eyes widened in panic. "Work with your father?" he gasped. "Every single day?"
"Maybe he'll grow to tolerate you if he sees you enough?"
"I already have plans set in place for him to see me enough. Just waiting for the right opportunity." Leo's eyes burned into hers for a split second before Harry looked away. She probably would have thought more on his words if they hadn't made their way into Diagon Alley.
She took in the cobblestone street, the numerous shops that lined either side, and the last few stragglers heading home for the day or going out to eat and celebrate the end of summer. Harry sighed with longing. She was going to miss this place, as well as Knockturn Alley and the Dancing Phoenix. The tenseness in her shoulders seemed to immediately dissipate, yet she kept an eye on her surroundings. Despite the feeling of ease that came with being in Diagon Alley, Harry couldn't help but flick her eyes towards the shadows that lined the shop entrances, her eyes sharp and wary for any sign of trouble. She was safe with Leo, but it had become a habit that she couldn't shake off.
If Leo noticed her watching the shadows, he didn't say anything. With a hand on her shoulder, he steered her down the street towards a gap between the buildings. A little path led off into the distance, twining between the many shops and apartments.
"I thought we were staying in Diagon?" Harry asked. Her mum had asked what restaurant they were going to that morning and Harry had replied saying that Leo had picked one in Diagon. Or so she had assumed.
Leo whistled a tune as he sauntered down the little street beside her. "It's a surprise," he said with a wink, taking another side street. This one was lined with colourful paper lanterns and the aroma of delicious food wafted out the open front doors of the restaurants, mingling with each other. Tables and chairs had been laid out in front and people sat and ate and laughed. Harry stood there shocked. How had she never come across this place?
"It's called Mixing Pot Lane," Leo said as he grasped both her shoulders and guided her through the mess of tables and chairs. There didn't seem to be an actual pathway that ran down the street. It wasn't until they were past the sea of diners, that Leo stopped. A small restaurant stood at the very end of the street. A sign swung on a gentle breeze – a large cauldron with a wooden spoon sticking out from the top, and the words Coram's Cauldron painted in a bright green.
"Here it is," Leo said, beaming down at her.
Harry looked from the sign to Leo twice before saying, "I love potions more than the average person, but–"
Leo chuckled, interrupting her. "That's selling yourself short. You're more obsessed with potions than most potioneers."
"Yes, but even I'm not that obsessed that I'd want to eat them for dinner," Harry finished. There was a sickening feeling in her stomach.
Her face must have shown because Leo quickly said, "We can go somewhere else if you want. But…I thought…maybe you'd like this place." Leo ran a hand through his dark brown hair, an embarrassed look on his face, as if he had done something intentionally wrong and just realized.
Harry reached out her hand towards him, not sure what she wanted her hand to do, and then dropped it. "No, it's great, Leo," she said, trying to sound more like her usual self. "At least it's original, right?" She gave Leo the most genuine smile she could muster; she didn't want to ruin this last dinner because of something that happened a few months ago.
Leo ran his hazel eyes over her face, then grinned cautiously. "Well, you know me. I'm full of surprises."
Opening the door to the restaurant, Leo bowed her in with a flourish. Laughing, Harry took in the interior. It was a dimly lit place with round tables and short, cushioned benches. The few people who dined inside each had a small cauldron shaped bowl and a wooden spoon. She couldn't tell what they were drinking – soup, perhaps? – but whatever it was, it smelled delicious.
A young girl, dressed in dark green robes and a wizard's pointed cap, walked over to them with menus in her hand.
"Hello!" she greeted them cheerfully. "Your table is right this way, Highness."
"Thank you, Lara," Leo said with a kind smile, his eyes taking in her name tag on her robes before Lara led them to a table in a corner.
"Can I get you anything to drink while you look at the menu?" she asked politely, looking at them both in turn.
Leo grinned. "I'll have a butterbeer, and my lady will have a glass of milk." He winked at Harry. "Cow's milk, preferably," he added.
"Right away, sir." The girl twirled away towards the kitchen.
Harry stared at Leo, who shrugged, "What? Milk is good for you." The grin on his face was so pure that Harry wanted to capture it as a picture. She realized how much she was going to miss seeing his handsome face, especially this year. She wasn't sure why, but it hit her harder this time than it had in the past.
Leo was staring at her quizzically – was she frowning? – so Harry busied herself with opening the menu. She almost snorted out loud at the list of starters: Eye of Newt, Mandrake Leaf Salad, Cauldron Bites…
By the time the waitress came back with their drinks, Harry had decided that this was the best restaurant she had ever been to.
"I'll have the Mandrake Leaf Salad and the Blood Replenishing Soup with some Garlic Fingers," Harry said, the smile on her face growing wider by the second. She'd have to bring Archie here at some point. And maybe even Caelum.
"And you, Highness?"
"I'll have the Cauldron Bites and the Draught of Living Pork," Leo said, his eyes dancing at Harry's obvious delight.
After the waitress left, Leo turned to Harry and let out a long sigh. "So…tell me, lass. What am I to do without you till Christmas?"
Harry took a sip of milk before saying, "I'm sure Marek will challenge you at least once while I'm gone. That should keep you busy, preparing for the inevitable." Harry grinned as Leo groaned, burying his face in his hands.
"I love how you find amusement in my suffering," he moaned dramatically. "Merik just likes to keep me on my toes. Anyway, it'll take an hour at most. Then what will I do?" Leo stared at her, his eyes wide with hope.
"Find yourself a nice lady and settle down?" Harry joked.
Leo looked at her, tilting his face in such a way, that Harry thought he must have gotten it from her. "Don't you remember? I've already found myself a nice lass," he said, his eyes looking pointedly at her. Harry felt herself blush. Leo was just teasing her like always, she thought, as the young waitress arrived with their starters.
The Mandrake Leaf Salad came in a small black cauldron. Most of the cauldron was filled with what looked like a black bean quinoa base, with pieces of romaine lettuce sticking out, almost like what potted mandrakes looked like. Harry wondered if the salad would scream if she pulled out a piece of lettuce. She doubted it, but when she went to poke one out, a small scream erupted from the cauldron, making her jump.
Leo burst out laughing, almost choking on his Cauldron Bites – yellow pastries filled with ground beef, peas, and onions. "They try to make it as authentic as possible," he said between gasps for breath.
Harry pulled out the rest of the lettuce quickly, grinning as each time the cauldron let out a wail. The salad itself was delicious and really filling, so by the time their main course came along, Harry was almost full.
Leo was talking about starting on the winter preparations for the Lower Alley earlier this year, since the latest weather news was that England would be getting snow by November.
"I'm not sure if I believe it," he was saying, "But it's better to be prepared early. And if the people know we're ready, they'll feel more at ease."
"Are there ever any riots?" asked Harry, curious.
"Not since I became Rogue, no," Leo said, taking a sip of his pork and noodle soup. Every time he took a bite of pork, a squealing sound escaped from his mouth. He shook his head wryly before saying, "The last Rogue cared more about his own comfort than the wellbeing of others."
Harry took a sip of her tomato basil soup. The wooden spoon that came with the cauldron was too big for her mouth, and though she had been careful, a sliver of blood-red soup dripped down her chin. She reached for her napkin to wipe it away before Leo noticed, but his sharp eyes took her in and he grinned.
"Are you ever going to tell me what you were doing in a vampire coven?"
Harry grimaced. She'd thought he'd forgotten about that. "I was plotting how I'm going to take over as Rogue and decided I needed at least one of the covens on my side," she replied instead, her lips curling into a smirk.
Leo nodded his head with resignation. "It's how it always happens. The people who you suspect the least are always plotting to overthrow you."
"I have bigger plans than becoming Rogue, though," Harry added. "After that, I'm taking over the Potions Guild."
Leo's eyes widened. "Is my father in on this plot of yours?"
"I've decided to make him my deputy."
"What about me?" The pout on Leo's face was so odd, Harry laughed.
"Well…" she mused out loud, "I do need a personal plaster provider."
Leo snorted, "You can heal yourself better than I ever could. Why can't I do something more fun?" He paused, "And dangerous." His eyes danced in the dim light.
Harry frowned. "You're going to keep out of trouble while I'm gone, right?"
"Harry…" Leo shook his head, "Since when do I ever get into trouble?" A strained look crossed his face before he said quietly, "I'm not the one coming back from school with a haunted look on my face."
Harry looked away from Leo's firm, but gentle stare. Her throat tightened painfully. If only Leo knew how badly she wanted to have a normal year at Hogwarts; a year where she could just brew with Professor Snape, spend time with her friends, maybe try out for Quidditch again. She didn't want any missing artefacts, politics, or crazy teachers. Why did Fate put her into situations where she couldn't turn a blind eye? Why did Fate have to threaten those people she loved or cared about?
Leo reached out and placed his hand on top of Harry's, jarring her from her thoughts. She looked up at him and wished she hadn't. Worry creased his forehead, and his eyes looked so sad, Harry wished she could go back to their lighter conversations from before.
"You don't have to worry about me, Leo," Harry mumbled, looking away.
Leo sighed. "Harry. You give me reasons to worry about you. When you don't write, or tell me what's going on." He raised a hand as Harry tried to interrupt. "I know you have your secrets Harry, but there's a limit to how many secrets a person can hold inside. Maybe you'll be able to keep your secrets for the rest of your life, but emotionally…I don't know." Leo rubbed his face with his hands, a tired look crossing his features.
Harry grabbed his hand before he had a chance to run them through his dark hair. "Leo," she said gently. "I promise I'm going to try and write more this year, okay?"
"But will you stay out of trouble?"
"I-I'll try," Harry said unconvincingly.
Leo glared at her.
"Sometimes the trouble finds me," she whispered apologetically.
"What am I going to do with you, Harry?" Leo asked lightly. "I might have to kidnap you and keep you here."
Harry sighed internally, grateful for the change in subject. Dinner wasn't supposed to be this stressful.
"Can we come here for dinner every night?" she asked, widening her eyes and pouting slightly.
Leo grinned, though his eyes focused on her for one second too long, before he looked away. "That doesn't work on me."
"What doesn't work on you?" she asked innocently, batting her lashes.
Leo threw his napkin at her before hiding behind his menu. "I think you should try the Snowhit Ice Cream. I've heard it's good."
Harry stopped midway from hitting Leo with her own menu and opened it instead. There was actually Snowhit Ice Cream under the dessert section. She also spotted Polyjuice Pudding and Funge Cake.
Lara seemed to appear out of nowhere with all three desserts on a tray. She placed them onto their table with so much enthusiasm, the table shook. She beamed widely at the both of them and said, "We usually give really adorable couples all the desserts to try! It's restaurant policy."
"Umm…" Harry started, "We're not a couple."
"Oh." Lara's face fell for a second before brightening again. "Well, you do look really cute together. Maybe you should consider it?"
Harry tried to stop herself from turning red, but she felt her face burning. Leo was watching her closely with a small smile playing on his lips.
"Thank you again, Lara," Leo said, "I'm sure Harry and I will consider furthering our relationship."
Harry had been trying to hide her embarrassment by drinking the rest of her milk, but instead ended up choking at Leo's words. She scowled at him in between coughs as Lara patted her back kindly.
Afterwards, she took all three desserts and moved it to her side of the table. "You don't deserve any," she said, glaring at him.
Leo leaned back with a smile. "Lighten up a bit. I'm not the worst you could do."
Harry had to disagree. Leo was the best she could do, considering how she'd probably end up living with dementors for the rest of her life in Azkaban. Maybe a part of her, tucked away in her brain, saw him as more than just a good friend. But she tended to ignore stuff that got in the way of her potions.
"I'm married to potions," she replied.
Leo sighed, "Potions can't talk back. Or make you laugh. Or…take you out for dinner."
Harry ignored Leo and took a bite of the Snowhit Ice Cream. The creamy, cold texture cooled her embarrassment on the way down. She then took a bite of Polyjuice Pudding, which was so chocolatey she knew Remus would love it. Maybe she could bring him here as part of her Christmas gift? The Funge Cake was a mushroom shaped piece of cake, which Harry took a large bite from while staring right back at Leo.
He was grinning widely, as if he knew a secret, but wasn't willing to share it yet. "Do your parents starve you?" he asked, obviously amused with her dessert devouring.
"No," she said, pushing everything except the Snowhit Ice Cream back towards Leo. There was a slightly sentimental reason she couldn't share that specific dessert. "Archie just eats all my cake."
"So, you're making up for all the cake you never had growing up?"
"And ice cream."
"Well, I won't eat all the Funge Cake then," Leo teased, taking a bite of the pudding. He made a face. "Too much chocolate," he mumbled.
"You don't have an Uncle Remus, otherwise you'd be used to it."
"I like Remus," Leo said thoughtfully between spoonfuls of pudding. "He really cares about you. You should have seen how tense he was during your fight with Ralph."
Harry paused and looked up. "You didn't mention it."
"I forgot," Leo shrugged. "You just reminded me." They sat quietly, eating their individual desserts – Leo sneaking in spoonfuls of ice cream from Harry's bowl.
As they both sat back in their seats, completely full after the meal, Leo asked curiously, "He doesn't have children of his own, does he?"
Harry shook her head, her heart clenching slightly. She had seen the way Remus looked at Addy sometimes, even when she wasn't used to his aura. It was a look of such deep longing that she had forced herself to ignore it. "I think he's always treated me and Archie as his kids." She cleared her throat. "And we kind of were. He took care of us all the time when mum and dad, and Uncle Sirius and Aunt Diana were at work. And when Aunt Diana died…he took care of Archie a lot." Harry sighed. "Being a werewolf is difficult, though. Uncle Remus can't even adopt because his condition is deemed as an 'unsafe environment for children'."
"Even with the Modified Wolfsbane?"
"There's always the chance that you could forget to take it, I guess."
"I doubt Remus has ever forgotten to take his potion."
"He hasn't. But the law doesn't care."
Leo reached into his pocket to pay the bill that Lara had brought to their corner of the nearly empty restaurant. Harry was about to protest, when she realized she hadn't checked the time. She looked around frantically, hoping to find a clock on the wall. Why didn't she have a watch again?
"Do I have to get you home at a certain time?" Leo asked, "Cause it's almost 8 o'clock."
"Oh." Harry relaxed. "I have about an hour."
"Good," Leo said as he stretched out his long legs. "I need to walk around to digest all of this."
Refusing Harry's protests about wanting to pay for her meal, Leo led her out of Coram's Cauldron and back through a very busy Mixing Pot Lane. There seemed to be even more people crowded into the tables and chairs that now covered the entire pathway. When they finally turned onto the little road that ran off of Diagon Alley, Harry was surprised to see how dark it had gotten. While Mixing Pot Lane was brightly lit with lanterns and filled with the sounds of merriment, the small street they stood on looked dark and foreboding – the quietness a stark difference from the noise from before.
Leo led her in the opposite direction, away from Diagon Alley. He kept close to her side, his right hand casually in his pocket.
"Should I be scared?" Harry asked, "Cause it looks like you're about to actually go through with the kidnapping plan."
Leo chuckled softly into the dark as they strolled onwards. "It's never a bad idea to stay cautious. Anyway," he lowered his voice, "we're still trying to figure out who this Scar guy is. I've been careful walking out late at night, just in case."
Harry looked up at Leo, even though it was too dark to see his features. "Is he still here? In the Lower Alleys?"
"Hard to say. Whenever we think we've found a lead, he disappears and appears somewhere else." Leo sighed with frustration. "I don't know how he does it."
Harry's face was scrunched up with concern, but despite the almost impenetrable darkness, Leo shoved her playfully. "Worried about me, lass?"
"Yes," Harry muttered grumpily.
"Well, now you know how I feel when you go off visiting vampire covens and testing your potions on dragons."
"It was completely safe–"
"So, you did test your Shaped Imbued potion on a dragon?" Harry could hear the awe in Leo's voice.
"I'm not saying anything," she replied stubbornly.
"That's answer enough," Leo grinned, his white teeth flashing slightly in the sliver of light that shone down from an apartment window. "One day I want to hear the entire story."
Harry was sure Leo would regret hearing the whole thing after she told him. If she ever did.
They walked leisurely in silence, occupied with their own thoughts. Harry didn't mind the silence, despite the quiet darkness. She lost track of where they were going until they walked past a certain alley that ran perpendicular to the Dancing Phoenix. An alley which brought back memories of flashes of light, a blue jacket, and blood. She shook the images from her thoughts and felt Leo shift closer to her.
"I'm sorry," Leo apologized. "This was the fastest way to get here."
"The Dancing Phoenix?" Harry asked, confused.
"Ah, no. Not the Dancing Phoenix. You'll see once we get there."
Harry wasn't sure if she'd actually see anything considering how the street they were on was pitch-black. She could hear the sounds spilling out from the Phoenix though, and wondered whether Marek and Rispah and Solom were in there.
Leo took her hand, mumbling something about 'not wanting her to trip' as he turned quickly to the right. A second later, Harry felt a familiar sensation of an egg being broken on top of her head. She shuddered involuntarily, not sure if it was because of the magic or because of more memories. But anyhow, she assumed that both she and Leo were now invisible. Invisible, and squeezed uncomfortably into a small doorway. She opened her mouth to protest, but Leo gently shushed her. She could barely hear him, but she could tell he was watching the alley closely, looking for any prowlers in the blackness that surrounded them.
She felt the door behind her shift. Leo steered her through and then shut it quietly. It was still dark inside, but Harry could make out some stairs to her right and a long hallway leading straight ahead. Leo led her down it, his footsteps as quiet as a mouse. Harry was glad she had decided to wear her slippers instead of her potions boots.
Doors lined the hallway, leading to what – Harry didn't know. She almost bumped into Leo as he suddenly stopped, facing the wooden panels of the wall in between two indistinguishable doors. He let go of her hand for a second and in the dim light from the window at the end of the hallway, she saw him raise his left hand, palm facing the wall. His other hand held his wand. Before her eyes, Harry saw the wall disappear…a staircase materialising in its place. Taking her hand again, his wand lit with a silent lumos spell, Leo led her up the steps. The stairs seemed to go on forever until they finally ended in a dead end. Harry stopped.
"You trust me?" Leo asked.
"Yes."
"Then close your eyes and follow me."
Harry closed her eyes, and Leo guided her towards the brick wall. Her body hesitated, but Harry's common sense caught up and she relaxed as a chilling sensation went right through her.
"You can open them now."
When Harry opened her mouth, she felt her jaw drop. She stood in a large room that stretched up high into the rafters. A variety of lamps hung from the rafters themselves, sending shafts of light spilling over the hardwood floor. An unlit fireplace faced the wall opposite the one they had walked through. In front of the fireplace were a couple of comfy-looking armchairs and a low table. The right side of the room had a small, but functional kitchen, and a dining area. Paper, organized in neat piles, covered part of the table. On the left was a huge bed and dresser and a door that probably led off to the bathroom. Windows on both ends of the room were open, allowing a small breeze to swirl through, making the paper rustle.
When Harry turned around, expecting just a regular brick wall, she was shocked to see shelves lined with books on every subject. She reached out, touching the well-loved spines as she walked the length of the room. Finally, turning to face Leo, she said, "This is your apartment."
Leo was standing in the middle of the room, a smile on his face that made his eyes dance in the light. "Welcome to Pirate's Swoop."
"Pirate's Swoop?" Harry repeated, tilting her head slightly as she looked out at the room again.
Leo walked over to the large bay window close to his bed. Harry eyed the neatly made up sheets. She could almost imagine Leo sleeping – a peaceful, relaxed expression on his face. On the side of his bed closest to the window, stood a huge brass telescope. A matching one, but slightly smaller, sat on the kitchen counter, looking out of the window on the opposite wall.
"I can see all of the Lower Alleys from here," Leo was saying, peering into the eyepiece. "This place is kind of like the Crow's Nest on a pirate ship. The telescopes are spelled to zoom in on locations. I can even look into the Dancing Phoenix from here." He stepped aside, allowing Harry to take a glance. She could see Solom with a tray of drinks as he walked jauntily towards a table of customers.
"So, you use this to spy on people?" Harry asked, her voice betraying her amusement.
"I use it to keep an eye on the Lower Alleys," Leo clarified, smiling. "If I spot any trouble early, I can be better prepared."
"It's amazing! Has Healer Hurst seen this?"
"Mum? No. She knows about it, but she doesn't know what it looks like or where it is." Leo grinned sheepishly. "You're the first person I've brought up here."
Harry was quiet. She looked back out the window. The Lower Alleys seemed so small from such a great height – she wondered how high up they were? The sky was a lot lighter up here too. The tiny, cramped streets made night seem to arrive early.
She looked back at Leo. He was watching her closely. I'm the first person he's brought up here, she thought. And in that moment, she realized how much that meant to her. Leo trusted her with his secrets, despite the fact that he knew she couldn't share her secrets with him. She wished she could repay him in some way…by telling him one of hers. Yet, it was impossible. She didn't want Leo to get hurt. And hiding her other life from him was the only way to do it.
Turning, she walked over and gave Leo a hug. She could sense his split-second of shock before he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tight.
"Thank you, Leo," she whispered into his chest.
"No, thank you, Harry," Leo said, pulling away from her so he could look into her eyes.
"I didn't do anything, though."
Leo sighed, hugging her again. "Thank you, for being just you."
When Leo let go, Harry stood there awkwardly, not sure what to say or do. She looked up at the clock over the fireplace and saw that she had twenty minutes before she needed to be home. If she ran, she could make it to the Leaky Cauldron on time. But she didn't want to leave just yet. Damning the fact that she would most likely be late, she asked, "Did you do this yourself? All the magic too?"
"Well, it was either that or obliviate the person who did it for me," Leo grinned, sinking down onto his bed and patting the spot next to him. Harry sat down, turning slightly, so she could face him. "It took a while to figure out the logistics, which is why I just got my own place now." He pointed to the wall of books. "I'm thinking about extending it this way – don't worry, I'm keeping the books. But I was thinking of adding a revolving door that leads to a state-of-the-art potions lab with all the best equipment and safety precautions."
Harry swept her eyes over Leo's solemn expression and then the bookshelves. "Seriously?" she asked in awe, when she realized he meant it.
"Does that mean you'll move in?" Leo raised one eyebrow, the light catching the green in his hazel eyes.
"Only if you ask my dad first," she replied, laughing.
"I'd rather face a dragon without your protection potion," Leo moaned. He then looked around, his eyes drifting to the kitchen. "Do you want anything to drink? I might even have milk lying around."
Harry laughed. "I'm good, thanks. I should be leaving soon anyway."
"Oh," Leo said, a disheartened look on his face. "I guess this is it till Christmas, eh?"
"Don't be sad," Harry teased, "I promised I would write more this year."
"I'll believe it when I see it," Leo said, standing up and stretching, his shirt lifting slightly to show his tanned skin underneath. "I'll apparate you back to the Leaky Cauldron. I don't have a floo set up since I don't want anyone to know where I live."
Harry stood up and took hold of Leo's arm. He smiled down at her once before she was enveloped in that jerking feeling that came with apparating. When she opened her eyes, they were both standing in the shadows just down the street from the Leaky Cauldron.
"So, here we are," Leo said casually, his hands in his pockets again. Harry wondered if that was his default position when he was nervous. Why he was nervous around her, she wasn't quite sure.
"Well, if it's any comfort, I will miss you Leo. And all of this." She waved her hand in the general direction of the Lower Alleys.
Leo smiled tensely, before pulling her into a tight hug. "What's this for?" she mumbled into his shirt. He smelled like leather and something citrusy. Leo didn't say anything for a second, but she could hear his heart thumping slightly quicker than what would have been normal. Pulling away, Harry looked up at him.
"Are you still worried that I'll end up in–"
"Can I kiss you, Harry?" The words seemed to rush out of Leo's mouth in a jumble.
Harry took a step back, confused. "Why?"
Leo shook his head, laughing nervously. "Only you would ask someone why they want to kiss you."
Harry swallowed, her eyes following the shape of Leo's lips and then catching his eyes. It was too dark to see his expression clearly, but Leo's hands were back in his pockets and he seemed to be watching her warily, as if worried that she would bolt and run. Did she want him to kiss her? Hadn't Sirius specifically said something along the lines of 'no holding hands, kissing, or going back to Leo's apartment'? Well, since she had already broken two of those rules, she didn't think it would hurt to break another...
Leo ran a hand through his hair, saying, "I get it if you don't want me to. It's just that…your magic gives me mixed messages." He sighed, looking up at the stars now peeking out from behind the clouds, as if they had clearer answers. "And you're not the easiest person to read." His eyes avoided hers. "I'm sorry if this makes things awkward. I still want us to be friends."
Harry sighed out loud. "Leo, just shut up for a second." Grabbing his right arm to steady herself, she reached up on her toes and kissed him. Leo stood their frozen for a second, before he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back.
Pulling away, he looked at her incredulously, "Did you just kiss me to appease my bruised ego?"
"Now who's the one asking the silly questions?" Harry retorted, placing her hands on her hips in mock hurt. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears and feel her lips tingling slightly. He tasted like chocolate, she mused.
Leo bent down and kissed her on the forehead, ruffling her hair playfully. "Now this will keep me entertained for a couple months." Harry shot Leo a reproachful look, but he laughed out loud. "Not in that way, silly. Merik said that if you kissed me tonight, he'd sharpen my knives and oil my leathers for three months."
"You guys made bets on me?" Harry exclaimed.
"I didn't," Leo said, raising his arms up in defence. "Rispah said that you would say no, and I told her to…well, something not very nice. But you can't stop a man for taking advantage of a positive situation, right? I'm seriously going to enjoy watching Merik doing my chores."
Harry rolled her eyes. "Bye, Leo."
"Hey! Wait!" He grabbed her arm as she turned to go. "Write to me, okay? And don't do anything that you can't tell me about later." Harry considered how that was most of everything she did at school, but just smiled fondly. She ruffled Leo's hair as payback for his concern, which just made him groan and duck away from her reach.
Laughing, Harry walked towards the Leaky Cauldron, waving to Leo once before slipping in through the entrance.
/HP/HP/HP/
Harry stumbled through the floo at five minutes past nine and fell flat on her face. Groaning, she rolled over onto her back and came face to face with three pairs of eyes. Harry fought the urge to groan again and slowly sat up, rubbing her nose. Two strong arms helped her to her feet, as another adjusted her glasses for her.
Harry grinned sheepishly. "Sorry I'm late. The Leaky Cauldron was busy." It wasn't entirely a lie. When she had stepped into the pub, she found it to be even busier than it had been when she arrived. It had taken a couple minutes for her to find her way to a fireplace through the craziness. But she knew she really had been late because of Leo. She felt her face start to flush, but fought it down. Her father and uncles were watching her too closely, eerily silent.
Sighing internally, Harry started making her way towards the door. "I guess I'll go to bed now. I'm kind of tired." She winced immediately, realizing she had said the wrong thing.
"Oh, just one second," James said stiffly. Harry slowly turned. "Why are you so tired?"
She looked at Uncle Sirius who was leaning against the brick wall next to the fireplace, his arms crossed nonchalantly, though his grey eyes were watching her carefully. Remus had taken a seat in an armchair, an open book abandoned on his lap. He was watching her intently as well, his head cocked to one side like he was listening for something.
Harry bit her lip, trying to calm down her beating heart. Why did she have a werewolf for an uncle, again?
"I had a huge dinner and kind of ate too much dessert," she smiled apologetically. "I feel like a walking whale."
"Where did you eat?" James asked, his voice laced with cautious curiosity.
"It's called Coram's Cauldron," Harry said excitedly. Maybe she could play off the questions by talking about the restaurant instead. "It's this really cool place that has a menu based off of potions and potions ingredients. I had the Mandrake Leaf Salad and it actually screamed every time I pulled off a piece of lettuce and the Blood Replenishing Soup, which is just tomato soup…" She realized she was rambling, but she went on, "And for dessert I had Snowhit Ice Cream, Polyjuice Pudding, and Funge Cake, though Leo ate most of the pudding and cake."
"That's not really nice of him," James said slowly, as if it was taking him a while to digest all of this information.
"Oh, I didn't mind. The ice cream was my favourite."
There was an awkward pause before Sirius spoke up. "Where did you go after?"
Harry was tempted to say nowhere, but realized it was realistically impossible to spend three hours in a restaurant eating. "Umm…we just walked around." Why had her acting abilities decided to abandon her right now?
"In the dark. With no one around." James seemed to be stating facts instead of questions.
"It was safe."
"Mmm," was all James said. He turned to Remus, raising an eyebrow. But Remus wasn't looking at him. Instead, he was staring at Harry. Harry felt herself blush.
"He kissed you, right?" Sirius broke the silence. She thought she saw a flash of amusement in his eyes.
"We don't know that," James said quickly, looking Harry up and down urgently.
"Oh, he definitely kissed her." Sirius was openly grinning now.
"Padfoot, this isn't funny." James ran both his hands through his hair. Harry noticed for the first time how messed up it was. Had her dad spent the past few hours nervously running his hand through his hair waiting for her to come home? She felt guilt wash over her, completely erasing the amusement of Sirius thinking that Leo had been the one to initiate the kiss.
"Aww, c'mon Prongs," Sirius said, his tone placating, as if he was talking to a child about to have a tantrum. "They do grow up eventually." Harry saw the sadness in Sirius' eyes, and knew that Sirius had accepted that, even though he didn't like it.
"Was he a good kisser?" Sirius added, turning to Harry, his eyes twinkling with mirth.
"SIRIUS!" James stared at him in shock. Turning to Remus he moaned, "Moony, please help."
"I don't know what to say, James," Remus sighed, leaning back against the armchair. "Sirius has a point and…" He smiled at Harry gently. "If Harry was okay with it – if he didn't force her – then I don't see the problem. And if Harry wants to talk about it, she will."
Harry realized she hadn't refuted the fact that she had been kissed. "Wait. I haven't even said anything. You can't come to random conclusions on your own."
"Oh, you should see your face," Sirius barked out a laugh. "It has guilt written all over it."
James was watching her with a pained expression on her face. Harry felt her insides curl up, but she didn't know what to do or say. "Well, you guys have fun theorizing. I'm going to bed."
Harry turned, leaving the room and heading towards the stairs. But she couldn't help herself from pausing at the banister when she heard her dad say, "She's not my little fawn anymore." Her throat closed up so tightly, she couldn't breathe for a second.
"James…" She heard Remus get up.
Turning, Harry made her way back and looked into the floo room. James was sitting on the couch, his head in his hands. Sirius sat on one side, a hand on James' shoulder. Remus was kneeling on the carpet, peering up at James' face with concern.
Harry heard her voice break as she said, "Dad?"
James stood up abruptly, as if he didn't want his daughter to see him in this state.
Harry walked over and wrapped her arms around him tightly, whispering, "I'll always be your little fawn, dad."
She heard a sharp intake of breath before her father wrapped his arms tightly around her, placing a kiss on top of her head.
"I love you," she whispered.
"I love you too, little fawn."
/HP/HP/HP/
When Harry finally made her way upstairs to her room, she wasn't even surprised to see Archie and her mum standing in the hallway, waiting for her.
"I thought I was done with the interrogation," she groaned.
"Oh, we heard the whole thing," Archie said, smiling excitedly.
Harry shook her head. The one thing she would have actually liked to keep a secret – or at least keep to herself for a bit – was now going to be common knowledge among her family. Harry was lucky that she didn't get embarrassed or flustered easily, but she still wasn't prepared for the teasing that was going to ensue – mostly from Sirius – for the next little while.
Lily gathered Harry into a hug. "Your father will come around…if he hasn't already. I think sometimes he forgets that you're growing up, what with Addy still a baby." She smiled, though Harry watched as her mother's eyes scanned over her, making sure she was physically okay.
"I'm fine, mum," she muttered.
"Oh, don't think I'm done with you," Lily said sternly. "I'm leaving the lecture for tomorrow morning."
Harry made a face. "Right. I can't wait."
She said good night to Archie and her mum, ignoring Archie's knowing look as she shut the door to her bedroom. As she started to get ready for bed, Harry couldn't help but think about how rash she had been tonight. She usually thought things through, but this time...she still couldn't believe she had kissed Leo. And she still couldn't figure out how she felt about it. It had just felt right, in that moment. Yawning, Harry slipped under the covers, lying on her back and staring tiredly up at the ceiling. Touching her fingertips to her lips, she shook her head with amusement, watching her shadow flicker in the lamplight beside her bed. And to think she had thought tonight would be 'just dinner'.
/HP/HP/HP/
Well, there you go. I'm honestly not sure if the whole "kiss" thing was done right, so let me know. It might have just been me running off with my favourite ship at full-speed and completely disregarding what would happen canonically. Also, for those of you wondering, I planned this story to take place after chapter four of The Futile Facade. I was just so distraught after finishing that chapter and realizing that I'd now have to wait an indefinite amount of time for the next, that I took matters into my own hands lol
Please leave me reviews! I'd love to know what you think about literally everything! Did I get the characters right? Was there anything that was annoying? Who else was dying because Sirius is the only one who hasn't met Leo?
I'm going to start working on my Remus series – I have no idea what it's called, but stay tuned for that. It's supposed to take place at the same time as The Futile Facade, but it's probably going to start near the full moon in October and then go from there. I'm not sure if that hints at anything haha.
ALSO...I'd like to end this off by thanking my amazing friend Shirin (defenderofkittens) for introducing me to the Rigel Black series! If it wasn't for her constantly yelling at me to read the fanfic, I would never have gotten back into writing. And I'd never have discovered that Leo is officially the epitome of all book-boyfriends. This series has engraved itself into my heart, alongside with Harry Potter and all of Tamora Pierce's books (minus Mastiff obviously), and I honestly don't know where I'd be without it. SO THANK YOU. Also special thanks to Gretal (booksandbreadcrumbs) for being patient while I constantly teased her with snippets of this story. And thank you for reading and reviewing!
AHHH FOR THOSE OF YOU READING THIS NOW INSTEAD OF WHEN I POSTED 20 HOURS AGO...I'VE DECIDED THERE'S GOING TO BE A SMALL PART TWO. I'M WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW INSTEAD OF DOING SCHOOLWORK LOL
BE PREPARED FOR LOTS OF SIRIUS AND SPECIAL THANKS TO StarofTime FOR THE ORIGINAL IDEA FOR PART TWO...AFTER DINNER