Author's Note: Thank you to all those who read this and reviewed! Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: Nope, still don't own Harry Potter. I do however have in my possession a cheeseburger. It is very tasty and I'm eating as I type...
His opponent's bright green eyes stared at him.
He stared back.
His opponent let out a squeal of delight.
He blinked.
Looking up, Amos Diggory met his wife's slightly guilty gaze. With a sigh, he sat down at his favorite chair in front of the fire, still slightly covered in soot from the fire place he had just stepped out of. His wife crinkled her nose in disgust at the grime that he was getting on the chair, but Amos could not bring himself to care.
"Explain." His wife's disgusted look quickly changed into one of obviously forced innocence.
"Hmm. Yes, well, you see, you're getting dirt all over the chair-" Amos shot an annoyed look at her and she ceased speaking.
"No, Eileen, about that." He said with a pointed look at the child who was now actively chewing on Eileen's hair. Nevertheless, she adopted a look of honest confusion.
"What?" Amos made a frustrated sound.
"The child, who, I believe, was not here when I left this morning!" He exclaimed. Eileen looked guilty again.
"Oh. That." She said meekly. At the glare he shot her, she began speaking. "Yes, well, Amos my dear, I'd like you to meet little Harry. Harry Potter." Amos' mouth dropped open. Yes, he had been expecting some sob story of an orphan, probably extra dramatized to sway him to her views, which, of course, would be to adopt, and he would cave to her desires, he really never could reject her, but not that orphan! His eyes immediately sought after the rumored scar. It was there! This really was Harry Potter! The Harry Potter! He shot his wife a look of pure disbelief.
"You kidnapped Harry Potter!?" He asked, his voice squeaking in panic.
"Oh, calm down! Amos, dear, it's not nearly as bad as you make it sound." Amos shot up.
"Don't you 'Amos, dear' me! Not nearly as bad as it sounds?! You kidnapped the savior of the wizarding world! Kidnapped! There are probably aurors already-" If Amos was not already aware that he was shouting, he was now. Harry had begun to cry and Eileen shot him a disgusted look.
"Look what you did!" She exclaimed. Well, Amos thought, she had no right to be mad at him, she was the one who kidnapped Harry Potter. However, he couldn't help but feel guilty as he watched Eileen attempting to calm the toddler. Sitting down, he began to calm himself. Surely they could approach this rationally. Amos snorted. There was nothing logical or rational about this! His wife was a kidnapper! With a deep breath, he spoke after Harry had stopped crying.
"How did you get him anyway? Didn't Dumbledore say that Harry was safe, off to live with muggle relatives?" And angry looked crossed Eileen's face.
"Well, it turns out that those muggle relatives are the Dursleys. Our neighbors." Amos' eyes widened.
"That walrus and his horsey wife and round child across the street? How are they Harry Potter's relatives?"
"It turns out Petunia Dursley was Lily Potter's sister."
"Really? That still doesn't explain why you have Harry, though." Eileen looked even more angry.
"Yes, well, this morning after I dropped Cedric off at the Weasley's, I thought I'd go to that little Muggle bakery, they have such good bread, and, after being cooped up for so long, with the hiding and Dark Lord and what not, I thought I'd walk there. But, when I returned home, I heard yelling and crying from Number Four. I looked, and through the window, I saw Petunia Dursley standing over a child, yelling, and suddenly, she hit him! Hard! The poor thing fell over from the force! Angry, I forced my way in a demanded why she did such a thing! You know what she said Amos?" Eileen asked, continuing before Amos could answer, "She said that it was because he was a freak! Can you believe it! So, I pulled out my wand, and she screamed I was a freak too! 'Just like her sister, perfect little Lily!' Enraged, I picked up Harry, who was still on the floor crying, and I, I-" Amos was surprised at the sudden change in emotion. One second, Eileen was passionate and angry, now she just look scared and timid.
"What is it Eileen?"
"Oh, Amos, I obliviated her! As far as she knows, Harry was taken away by some stranger in black clothing that covered his face!" Amos sucked in his breath. Putting and arm around his now sobbing wife, he tried to comfort her.
"There, there, Eileen, everything will be fine. I'll just get Dumbledore-" Eileen shot up, knocking Amos' arm off as she did so.
"No." She said, her voice filled with venom as she clutched Harry firmly to herself. She really looked a scary sight, her face red and blotchy, looking entirely like an enraged mama bear. "No, Amos. Dumbledore was the one who put Harry with those people. If we tell him, he'll just put Harry back there. Amos! They were abusing him!" Her voice cracked with desperation at the end and Amos already knew he had lost this battle.
"What do suppose we do then?" He asked, already knowing the answer.
"We adopt him. We can love him and take care of him!" Amos sighed.
"Just because he'd live with us doesn't mean people won't notice. You'll be arrested with kidnapping before you can say 'Yes, I realize this child looks like Harry Potter. I assure you, he is not.' You'll go to Azkaban, Eileen!" Eileen looked frantic. Her eyes searches the walls as if they would provide the answer. Apparently, if you judged the expression that crossed her face moments later, they did.
"Simple. Blood adoption." Amos sputtered.
"Eileen! That's dark magic! Blood magic! Soul magic! How do you even know about it?" He cried.
"Oh Amos, you're so adorably Hufflepuff. You don't know half of things Molly and I did up in Gryffindor tower. Stealing from the restricted section was hardly our greatest offence." She would have laughed at Amos' scandalized expression if the conversation hadn't been so serious.
"Despite whatever shenanigans you might've gotten up to, this is still dark magic! It literally changes a child's blood! Forever!" Eileen looked desperate again.
"I know, Amos, but we would be using it to save Harry, to protect him. Think! Would Death Eaters looking for a blacked haired baby even give a second look at a little brown haired Diggory? We would be protecting him!" She was clearly already deeply attached to the child, Amos noted. He went through the pros and cons of officially participating in kidnapping Harry Potter, but what really made the decision for him was the look of pure love that Harry shot at Eileen. It seemed as though Eileen was not the only one attached. A soft smile graced his face and Eileen knew she had won.
"Eileen, if we're going to do this, we'll need help. I know that the spell requires four people to do it. Can you think of anyone we can trust with this?" Eileen looked sheepish and Amos immediately feared the worst. But, before he could say anything, Molly Weasley walked in the room with a tea set on a tray.
"Oh, hello Amos! How are you? I thought I'd make some tea, so help yourself. We can have dinner first if you'd like, then get started on the blood rituals. I hear they can be painful." Molly said with a clap of the hands and a cheery smile.
Amos just sighed.
Amazed as he was at Molly Weasley's skill to trivialize dark magical rituals into something like a family quidditch match, Amos still consented to dinner first. He wasn't stupid, he had heard legends of her cooking, no way he'd pass that up. So, with full stomachs, Eileen, Molly, and Amos gathered in their sitting room to discuss their law breaking.
"Of course, Arthur will be over in a little bit. That means we'll have the four people we need." Molly said happily as she played with Harry on the floor. Amos shot Eileen an annoyed look.
"Don't you think we should have discussed together who we wanted to commit kidnapping with?" Amos whispered furiously. Eileen slapped his arm.
"Will you stop going on and on about the kidnapping part? I like to think of it as 'forcefully rescuing'. And anyways, you know Molly and Arthur. Molly is my best friend since first year! Who else would I trust?" Eileen replied. Amos nodded, but still looked a little weary. Eileen turned to Molly. "Oh, Molly, if Arthur is coming over, who will watch all the children?"
"Oh, you know Xenophilius Lovegood's wife? She just had a baby a few months ago, a girl, just about Ginny's age. She offered to watch all my kids and Cedric." Eileen raised an eyebrow.
"Lovegood? Amos, isn't he that bloke who always comes into your office talking about Crackled Hair-snaps, or something?" Amos laughed.
"Yes, yes, he is." Eileen looked worried.
"Are you sure the children will be fine?" Molly smiled.
"Oh, the Lovegoods are a bit odd, but they're good people. Anyway, it's only Mr. Lovegood that is really, um, out there. The children are fine." Eileen did not look completely reassured, but before she could comment, the fire place lit up and Arthur Weasley stepped out.
"Arthur!" Molly gleefully cried. Getting up, she gave Arthur a hug and a kiss. Amos stood up too and shook Arthur's hand.
"It's good to see you, Arthur. I don't see you nearly enough at the Ministry." Arthur nodded as Eileen got up and gave him a friendly hug.
"Oh, Molly, Arthur, I'll never be able to repay you for what you're doing here. Arthur, has Molly explained the situation?" Eileen said. Arthur nodded, his eyes drawn to the toddler on the floor with curiosity.
"Yes, but I admit I thought she was joking. I see that it is true then? And was Harry Potter really being abused by his own aunt?" Arthur said, turning to Eileen. Eileen nodded solemnly and Molly let out a strangled sob.
"Oh! How could they? He's just a babe!" Molly cried. Arthur comforted his wife as Eileen picked Harry up off the floor. With a happy laugh, he sat in her arms.
"Well," Eileen started, looking at her husband and friends, "I suppose we should get going. The rituals take a few hours and Cedric needs to be home soon." Everyone nodded in reply and they followed Eileen into the basement.
"Wait, doesn't this ritual require some sort of potion that take hours to brew?" Arthur asked. Molly nodded, but Eileen answered.
"Yes, it does. Don't worry though, I already have some ready." Amos looked at her in shock.
"You do? How long have you been planning this?" He exclaimed.
"Amos, dear, remember: I, er, found Harry this morning. I've had all day to brew potions. And, I'll have you know I am especially adept at the art of potion brewing. How else could Molly and I have brewed a love potion at Hogwarts?" Eileen said haughtily. Amos nodded, slightly dazed. His eyes met Arthur's and immediately, an unspoken agreement passed between the two wizards. Our wives are insane.
They soon were at the basement. There, in the center of the room, was a table that had little potion bottles set up. It looked meticulously arranged.
"Eileen, what would you have done if I had said no to, how did you say it, forcefully rescuing Harry?" Amos asked. Eileen just laughed.
"Well, we should get started. Eileen, lay Harry down in the center of the table." Molly said. Eileen did as she was asked, giving Harry a little kiss on the forehead before tapping her wand on him. Instantaneously, Harry fell asleep. At Amos' and Arthur's questioning look, Eileen spoke.
"It will be easier for him if he is asleep. While not excruciatingly painful, this type of ritual is known to cause soreness." Eileen explained. Molly grabbed an old book of the table.
"Okay, well, I need to quickly remind myself all of the details for this. Let's see, oh! Here it is! The Blood Adoption Ritual. It says here, 'the blood adoption ritual is a combination of both soul and blood magic. It requires four magic wielders, two prospective adopters, and two witnesses. In order for the ritual to work, those who wish to adopt the child must bear no ill will to him or his kin. To ensure that they don't, the adopters and the child all drink a Soul Searching Potion. If one of the soul's who drank it wishes to harm the child, they will immediately perish. If all are still living, they then give the child the Blood Adoption Draught (recipe next page), which contains samples of both parents' blood. The child will then start to morph, his features changing to match his adopted parents. It is noted that sometimes a few features of birth parents do stay. Nevertheless, the child will then be completely the new parents child, genetically and magically.' There, that doesn't sound to hard, right?" Molly asked. Arthur and Amos were still staring at her in horror.
"You want me to drink a potion that could kill me?" Amos eventually got out. Molly gave him a condescending look.
"It will only kill you if you want to hurt Harry. Do you want to hurt Harry, Amos?" Molly asked.
"Of, of course not! But Eileen, Molly, this sounds like seriously dark magic! Do you fully understand what you're doing?" He cried.
"Amos, I am not just doing this because I've always wished for another child. I'm doing this because there is a child who needs to be protected, not just from bad guys, but from good guys, too. Amos, Harry needs us!" Eileen said passionately. Amos looked at the sleeping child on the table and he already could feel himself getting attached to Harry. But, could he accept Harry as his own son? Love him equally to Cedric? With another look at Harry's innocent sleeping face, Amos decided he could. With a determined look on his face, Amos nodded at Eileen.
"Oh good! Let's get started!" Eileen said gleefully. Going to the table she got three vials that had been laying on it. Inside them, it looked like there was a clear liquid with some sort of stringy, black goop was floating in it.
"Is that the soul potion thingy?" Arthur asked. Eileen nodded.
"Yes, this is the Soul Searching Potion. Before Amos, Harry, and I drink it though, I'll need to cast the ritual ward around the five of us. Will you all step around the table? The ward only reached a few feet." Once they had done so, Eileen stuck her wand in the air, "Ut adoptionem sacra partem sanguinis!" She chanted. Out of her wand sprouted a silver tented dome that covered them all. By Eileen's satisfied nod, they knew that this was what she wanted. "Okay then. Amos, here is your potion. Molly, will you give Harry's his? We all need to take them at the same time, and I have my own."
"Of course, Eileen." Molly held the vial, popping off the cork. She gingerly lifted Harry's head, positioning the vial at his lips. "Tell me when you're ready, Eileen."
"Okay, on the count of three then. One...two...THREE!" Eileen yelled. She drank the potion just as Amos did so and Molly poured it into Harry's mouth. And then, nothing happened. At Amos' confused look, Eileen explained. "Sometimes it takes a minute to kick in."
A couple minutes later, Amos understood what Eileen meant. At first, it felt a bit like heart burn. It felt strange, like there was something in him, pushing on his chest from inside, trying to get out. The feeling only lasted a moment there though, before it quickly went to his head. Oh! The pain! This had to be the worst migraine he ever had! He saw Eileen clutching her own head, frantically motioning to Molly to be quiet. But again, the pain was gone only a few minutes later. Blinking, Amos looked at the group.
"I guess it worked, right? I mean, none of want to hurt-" His inquiry was interrupted as Harry gave a painful cry. Eileen and Molly rushed to his sides trying to hold Harry down as he convulsed.
"What's wrong with him?" Arthur asked.
"I don't know! I don't know! This shouldn't be happening!" Eileen exclaimed. They watched in horror as Harry's scar split open, blood dripping down his face, when suddenly, a dark mist rose out of the scar. Molly screamed and fell to the floor.
"What is that?!" Amos had no idea. However, it was no normal mist. It looked like it had an eye in it, a grotesque glowing eye, but still an eye. It was hovering over them, looking as though it was trying to fly away, but it could not get past the ritual dome. Suddenly, the dome turned black and no one could see anything. An unearthly scream filled the dome and the dome turned silvery translucent again. The evil mist was gone.
Amos got up (when had he fallen to the floor?), and looked at Harry. Harry was very pale and sweaty, but otherwise he seemed fine.
"What happened?" Arthur asked as Eileen cast diagnoses charms on Harry to ensure he was okay.
"I'm not sure. The potion was only supposed to kill any soul who drank it and wished harm on Harry." A thoughtful look crossed Arthur's face.
"You don't suppose it had to do with whatever happened to You-Know-Who? Like maybe You-Know-Who accidentally put some of his soul into Harry?" They all looked alarmed at the thought.
"You think that some of You-Know-Who's soul was in Harry?" Molly asked. As Amos thought about it, it seemed the only logical explanation. When else could have Harry gotten an evil soul in his scar? The very scar he got Halloween night!
"I agree with Arthur. It seems the only logical explanation." Amos said. As he was speaking, Eileen had just finished cleaning up Harry.
"Oh! Look at his scar! It's almost completely gone!" Eileen exclaimed in surprise. Indeed, it merely looked like a pale line rather than the red lightning bolt it had looked like earlier.
"Well, come on then. Let's get the rest of this over with." Arthur said. Molly nodded and grabbed the final potion.
"I just need a drop of blood from you and Amos, Eileen." Eileen nodded and grabbed the small knife off the table. Holding her thump above the potion, she cut herself and watch was the blood dripped in. She handed the knife to Amos and he repeated what she did. The potion shimmered for a second before returning to the dark blue it was before. Molly scooped some into a vial and handed it to Eileen. "I thought you'd like the honor of feeding it to Harry." Eileen smiled and nodded before taking the potion and lovingly positioning Harry in her arms.
"Well, here's to Cedric getting his birthday wish and to having another Diggory in the world." Eileen said, small tears gathering in her eyes. Gently, she tipped the contents of the vial into Harry's mouth. For a second, Amos was worried that it hadn't worked. Then Harry started to glow and his hair started to lighten in color. He watched, fascinated, as Harry's hair started to turn from a raven black into a light brown with hints of an auburn color. It was even somewhat wavy! Just like Cedric's hair! Harry also started growing in size. Cedric had always been tall for his age, and it looked like Harry would be so too. Harry squirmed in Eileen's arms as is little arms and legs grew. It was a bit unsettling to see, but with every little change, Amos fell more in love with the boy who now looked thoroughly Diggory. It took about fifteen minutes before the transformations stopped. Amos looked at his wife holding Harry in her arms, why, it seemed like they were back in time when Cedric was that young! There were differences of course. Harry now had Eileen's nose and his hair was significantly lighter than Cedric's.
"I'm going to wake him up now. I hear that this ritual will make the child very hungry." Eileen tapped Harry with her wand. Harry sat up and blinked sleepily. When his eyes fully opened, Amos gasped.
"Why, they're still the same green eyes!" He exclaimed.
"I did say some features may remain." Molly replied. Harry was still looking at Amos with a puzzled expression. Reaching his arm out, Harry pointed at Amos.
"Da?" Amos blinked in surprise.
"How did he-?" Amos started, but Molly interrupted.
"It's just a side effect of the adoption. Harry now feels a familial connection with you. He knows you're now his father." Harry then turned to Eileen and reached out one of his chubby toddler hands and laid it on her cheek.
"Mum! Hungwy!" Eileen laughed while standing up.
"Yes, Harry, I suppose you are hungry, let's go get something to eat."
Cedric Diggory really wanted a sibling (preferably a brother as girls were very icky, but he supposed he could be flexible). Going to the Weasley's today just renewed his interest in having a sibling. They Weasley's had tons of siblings! It must never be boring there and it was so boring being an only child. Especially since his mummy and daddy never let him visit wizarding children till just recently. Cedric wondered as he sat in the Burrow playing with the Twins (he never could keep up with who was who), if he would ever get a sibling. He certainly never got one for his birthday. But, Cedric was interrupted from his musings when the fire place roared and his daddy and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stepped out.
"Daddy!" Cedric said happily from his spot on the floor.
"Hello, my boy! Have you had fun?" His dad asked. Cedric nodded.
"Yes, daddy! Mrs. Lovegood helped us look for Nargles!"
"Er, nargles?"
"Mm hmm. It was really fun! We didn't catch any, though." Cedric finished sadly. His dad still looked a little confused.
"I see. Well, Cedric, we've really got to go home now. Your mum and I have a surprise for you." Cedric immediately brightened, any previous sad thoughts about leaving forgotten.
"A surprise? For me?" He said excitedly as he ran over to his dad. Amos laughed and picked him up.
"Yes, for you!" His daddy tickled him a little before turning to the other grown ups, "Well, we better get going. Thank you Mrs. Lovegood for watch Ced, and thank you Molly and Arthur for, well, you know." Mrs. Lovegood nodded serenely before turning back to the little babies while Mr. and Mrs. Weasley nodded to Cedric's daddy.
"It really was out pleasure, Amos." Mr. Weasley said. Mrs. Weasley nodded her head next to him.
"Well, Eileen in I are in your debt-"
"Nonsense!" Mrs. Weasley interrupted. Cedric thought this was rude. "The only thing we ask is that you bring over the kids every once in awhile. It'd be such a joy for my brood to play with someone without red hair." They all laughed, but Cedric couldn't really see what was so funny. Grown ups were so weird.
"Well then, see you later. Thanks again, really, and goodbye!" Cedric's dad stepped into the fire place with Cedric perched on his hip. Yelling their address, they flooed home.
Feeling a bit disoriented, the two Diggory men stepped out of the fire place. Cedric was placed in a chair while his dad called for his mum.
"Eileen! We're here!" He then turned to Cedric. "Now Cedric, you're mum and I have a very special surprise for you."
"What? What is it?" Cedric asked. Then, his mum walked in the room with something in her arms. The instant Cedric saw what it was, he shot out of his chair. "A brother! Really? And we can keep him? Forever?" His mum laughed while setting the toddler on the floor.
"Yes, Cedric. This is your new brother, Harry." Cedric approached his new brother cautiously.
"Hello Harry. I'm Cedric. I'm your big brother now." Cedric said. Harry looked at him and grinned. Grinning back, Cedric hugged Harry and placed a sloppy kiss on his cheek. "I love him mummy! He's perfect!"
"Ced'wic." Harry giggled. Cedric's smile widened.
"He said my name! Mum! He said 'Cedric'!" His mum laughed again.
"I know, I heard sweetheart. Now, you'll have plenty of time to play tomorrow. Why don't you go get ready for bed now?" Cedric sighed sadly, but left anyway. As soon as they heard the bedroom door close, Eileen turned to Amos.
"Amos, I've just thought of something. We can't stay here! The neighbors will notice that we now have a baby who is clearly our child who wasn't there yesterday! Anyways, I don't want to live with muggles anymore! Or the Dursleys!"
"I agree. I've been trying to think of somewhere we can move too quickly." They sat there think for a few minutes while Harry played with a stuffed snitch on the floor.
"Wait! Amos! I know Diggory Manor was destroyed in the war, but wasn't there another little cottage your family owned?" Amos nodded.
"That's right! I haven't been there in over twenty years though, so I don't know what condition it's in."
"Where was it located though?" At this, Amos grinned.
"In Ottery St Catchpole, my dear."
"Ottery-? Oh! That's where the Weasley's are! It's perfect! I've always wanted to live near Molly!"
"Good, then it's settled. Tomorrow we'll head over there to check out the property. Hopefully, we'll have the house livable by the end of this week." Cedric then ran in the room and plopped himself on the floor next to Harry, his smile so wide it threatened to split his face. Amos leaned back in his chair sighing happily as he watched his two sons playing together. The smile on Cedric's face was contagious as was the laughter that Harry was emitting. Soon Eileen joined them to play on the rug leaving Amos to stare at the beautiful picture of his happy family. Amos decided he never wanted to stop looking at his wonderful family that he loved so much.
And Amos Diggory decided he never wanted to blink again.
TA DA! That's it. Hope you liked it. I'm not sure about the end but, whatever. I tried to make it long, especially since I'll be going out of town this week so I won't be updating for awhile. I hope this is okay for now.
Please, oh please, review! I would really appreciate it!
Thanks for reading!
Till next time...
