Harry returned from Diagon alley with a deep frown that bordered on a scowl. Sitting on the couch was Sirius and Remus. Harry kicked off his boots and sat down heavily on the couch. He looked at the grinning faces of his godfather and his uncle figure. He took his hat off and sat it on his knee, as split came and lay down in front of him. He noticed the grim looks that rested on Sirius' and Remus' faces.
"Somethin' the matter guys?" He asked slightly perturbed and hoping that it had nothing to do with him. They looked at each other and Sirius shrugged before Remus passed Harry a news paper. Harry looked down at it and realized it was a daily prophet, the premier British magical newspaper. He frowned at the worthless print on even less worthy paper. The news was always rife with supposition and rumor, and the few facts were often so twisted the truth was lost in them.
However the headline was probably one of the rare pieces of truth in the whole thing. It read clearly. Gringotts robbed. Harry actually read the article that talked about a robbery attempt on vault 713, which had been emptied that very same day.
"You think this might be something Dumbledore cooked up to test me do you?" Harry asked with a frown.
"Well personally yes I do." Remus deadpanned. "I think you'll have to be on your guard all year from the old codger."
"I'm with Moony on this one. I don't think he is going to take how you are very well. He obviously believes that Voldemort is coming back and wanted you as a weapon for just such an occasion." Said Sirius with a scowl, however it quickly changed once he had a thought which he promptly shared. "Oh but when he realizes just how independent you are he might just have an aneurism."
Harry grinned, then let out a fantastic yawn. "Whelp that's it for me fellas I'm gonna hit the hay." and with that harry made his way to the door marked for the ranch. He walked through and went into his room. He flopped down on his bed after putting his hat on his ebony writing desk, an insistence from Padfoot, and curled up in his soft black and blood red cotton blanket. He burrowed deeply into his feather duvet and was soon asleep. Split watched his master happily out of two pairs of eyes, his tail wagging like it was attached to a motor. He loved his master. Always left room for him on the bed. With that thought the dog with two head climbed up on the bed and curled into the young wizards side.
Harry stood before a large shooting course with various cans and bottles set up at alternating distances and heights. He had been practicing quick draw casting since he first started using magic at six. Most magicals in America started about then. They felt it was best to start the child early so they could learn easier. Granted they weren't taught anything to spectacular but they were taught the basics. And harry was truly a quick study. He had a knack for most combatative magics and was actually a fairly adept healer, for a eleven year old that is to say.
But for the moment he was practicing quick draw drills as he knew he would have problem if Dumbledore thought he had a wand besides the one he got at Olivander's. So harry was trying to get used to the holly wand and to get his left hand used to drawing his black walnut. It actually wasn't that hard as they were both the same length. He looked down the range and took in a steadying breathe as he zeroed in on a target. Quick as a striking copperhead both wands were out and a piecing hex was fired from them both. The glass bottle exploded, and harry began firing at the other targets. First with the black walnut, then with the holly. In less than a minute forty targets were systematically destroyed by Harry's piercing hexes.
He twirled the wands between his fingers before holstering both with a smooth practiced movement. There was clapping coming from behind him. He casually looked over his shoulder to find most of the ranch hands, Padfoot, Moony, and Gregory watching appreciatively.
"That was very well done Harry." Steve said enthusiastically. As the youngest ranch hand at just seventeen he sort of gravitated to the raven haired little cowboy. He felt protective of Harry given that they were both orphans and had adopted him as a little brother of sorts. And in return Harry usually went to Steve for advice.
Harry grinned at the people around at the people watching his display of skill. They were his family, and he cared for all of them. His loyalty had always been hard won but when you got it you had it for life. He walked towards them and grinned at the large birthday cake that sat between them. A woman standing beside Sirius gave him a blinding smile. He recalled her name was Rochelle Justice. She had skin that was the color one would get when they mixed heated milk chocolate and heated caramel. Her hair was a halo of reddish brown curls. And her eyes sparkled red gold. She was five feet seven inches tall and had the body of a swimmer. She stood out in her three piece suit and tie, but so did Sirius in his Armani suit. They didn't spend much time at the ranch but when you were capable of crossing the continent with nothing more than walking through a door that didn't mean they didn't spend much time with Harry.
Harry grinned back at her warmly. She had started out as lord black's secretary but soon became Sirius' desire. She refused him for years and finally got him to be monogamous. He hadn't so much as looked at another woman since their first date. Personally harry didn't see why they weren't married and pregnant with him a little pseudo sibling yet but hey they had time. There was a mischievous glint in his eye when he ran up and gave her a hug. He looked over her shoulder at Sirius and grinned broadly, before mouthing 'mine'.
"No she's not!" Sirius pouted pulling her close to him when Harry let her go. "She's mine and you can't have her."
"Well I don't see a ring on her finger. You know Rochelle I think you should just marry me and be lady potter your much to good for my godfather." Harry ribbed Sirius playfully. It had everyone around the clearing grinning. The fact that harry didn't like that Sirius hadn't proposed to Rochelle was, to put it mildly, well known.
"Actually I wanted to give you your present, Harry." Rochelle said with a smile. "Sirius dear if you would?"
Sirius spun her in his arms grinning roguishly. He dropped down to one knee and pulled out a beautiful silver engagement ring with a large black diamond on it. The black family ring for lady black. "Rochelle Justice will you marry me?"
"Of course I will honey." She said with a grin. "Now I believe it's time to give Harry his present." she pulled out a envelope from her purse and handed it to Harry. He opened it inquisitively and almost dropped it when he saw the first words. It read state of New York Adoption Agency.
"Since your already Sirius' son and heir magically we thought we'd go ahead and adopt you." Rochelle said with a hopeful smile. Harry actually felt tears well up in his eyes. He'd always wanted Sirius to adopt him but didn't know how to broach the subject.
"Does that mean I can call you mom?" He asked tentatively.
She smiled happily. "Of course it does sweety I would love you to call me mom."
"Well not to break up this heartwarming moment but we have some presents for harry to open ourselves." Remus said gently. No one seemed to notice the tears glistening in Harry's eyes. Harry was passed parcels of every shape and size conceivable. First came Gregory's which was a large cook book of Gregory's own recipes. "For when you go off to England you can give it to Kreacher to make you some real food."
Next came a beautiful black acoustic guitar painted with emerald green snakes. It had a pick shaped like a rattlesnake's head as well. "Noticed that yours could use replacing." One of the ranch hands named Miguel said with a shrug. "It has dragon sinew cords instead of wire. Make a softer nicer sound. Better for country music."
Soon he had receive a new saddle for Shadow, a new black dragon hide duster that would grow with his, a brand new pair of Quetzalcoatl hide cowboy boots, a small bag of bar-b-q flavored sunflower seeds that would never run out. He also got some books on various subjects of magic from one on spirit magics used by Native Americans to a book dedicated to all the magical animals self updating by the U.S.D.M.C.R. Or the United States department of magical creature regulation. Remus gave him a soft braided leather armband that had Native American protective magics weaved into it. Finally Steve walked forwards.
"I couldn't thing of what to get you that somebody else hadn't already got you so I decided on this." He said holding out a small dog eared old journal. "My great grandfather was a wand for hire in the late eighteen hundreds and early nineteen hundreds. This details all of his spells and quiet a few of his missions. There are potions that are useful and I think a few spells that he made up himself. Knowing that you got troubles in England waiting on you I figured it might come in handy."
"Well your right on that count. Thank you Steve this means a lot." Harry said giving the older boy a hug.
"Heh heh yeah no prob little man just kick that guys ass for me would ya?" Steve said feeling slightly uncomfortable.
"Absolutely." Harry said before everyone began a hearty round of happy birthday, then on to cake.