On the night of the 30th July, Harry read Caitlyn a story in bed while Sirius and Remus finished their game of monopoly that they had spent the past hour playing with Ethan. Sirius was in last placed and he refused to stop playing until he won, much to the amusement of the rest of the family. Caitlyn was disappointed that she couldn't watch the end of the game but was already beginning to fall asleep on the sofa and with the promise of Harry reading her a book in bed that night made it easier to tempt her to go to sleep.
"Harry, where are your parents?" She said as he tucked her in after he story.
"My parents are in heaven sweetie," he said sadly stroking her hair.
"Oh," She said. "Does that make you sad?"
"It does but I've got you and Ethan and Sirius and Remus. I've got a lot to be happy for."
"Ethan doesn't like our real daddy though, he says hes happy we're not living with him any more," she whispered. Harry was barely able to understand it due to the pillow but made it out.
"Well some people aren't supposed to be mummy's and daddy's and that's why you live here with us."
"I'm glad you picked me and Ethan," she said as her eyes closed. Smiling Harry kissed her on the forehead before going to tell the other three he was going to bed to do some reading. Ethan ran over to him to give his brother a hug before he went up.
Instead of picking up his book, he started flicking through his family scrapbook. Remus made it for him for his eleventh birthday. The first 50 pages or so were of his parents in their schooldays and then the year that Harry was a baby before it skipped to when Harry was living with Remus and Sirius. The more recent photos of the family with Ethan and Caitlyn in them. Harry had been adding photos to it as well – Remus had placed a charm on the book so that it never ran out of pages no matter how many photos were already in it.
That was how Remus and Sirius found him three hours later, still pouring through the book with the odd smile.
"Are you OK there prongslet?" He asked sitting on the side of his bed.
"Would they be proud of me? I know you think they would but some of the things that I've done, I just…" He couldn't even find the words he wanted to say.
"Of course they are. They love you unconditionally Harry, they would be so happy for you. They'd be so proud of how you look after Caitlyn and Ethan and how much you've done. I don't doubt it. Neither of us do."
"I just wish I could remember them, that's all." Harry said putting the book to the side. "What are you guys doing here anyway?"
"There's something that we needed to talk to you about mate," Sirius said. "It's about your family and what's going to happen tonight. You see, we didn't want to tell you about this sooner as we didn't want you worrying needlessly, especially after Voldemort and you might worry and we didn't want that and-" Sirius was suddenly cut off by Remus.
"Shut it you. What he's trying to say Harry," Remus said a lot calmer, "is that in the Potter line there is known to be Veela blood. Your great, great granddad married a veela and since then there have been no known veelas in the Potter line."
"So I might not be a veela?" Harry asked.
"Here's a letter from your dad Harry," Sirius said passing him an envelope. "It explains it more than what Remus and I could, OK bud?" Harry nodded before saying goodnight to his guardians. Carefully he traced his name on the front of the envelope. His father had touched this envelope; his finger prints were covering the letter. Slowly he opened it desperate for not to rip.
Harry
Happy Birthday son! I decided I'm not going to start this letter with anything sad, it's your 16th birthday tomorrow, why upset you when neither your mum or I am there to celebrate with you? She's probably nagging me or something up here. God knows why but I do love her.
Well if you're reading this then you're living with Sirius and hopefully Remus as well – those two better have gotten their act together in the next 16 years or so help me. Yes Harry, they were even head over heels for each other back in Hogwarts. The story's we have from there but I'm sure your godparents have told you all about them.
On the important boring stuff. I'm guessing they told you you could be a veela. This is important Harry so don't blank out like I did when my dad told me. Sadly I'm not one but it does skip generations so you need to know all of this to tell your future son. Most importantly it is only sons that inherit this gene so if you have a sister she won't have it and neither will your daughter. Secondly your partner will be a dude, not that your mother or I would care if you're gay, we put up with Sirius and Remus didn't we? So remember we won't judge you on that OK? That's important buddy. We love you no matter what.
You will kinda know who he will be as tonight you'll dream about him. This means you'll have a rough idea what he'll look like and you'll be able to share his feelings tonight only. But he will not see you. That is very important. When you first meet he will have all the same feelings as you but he will not recognise you and therefore he won't know anything about why he's feeling those things.
Your partner won't be a veela but they are known as submissive mates. This is not passed through genes like veela but when you are born, your partner will be younger and it is known from their birth. I know it's confusing but they are just born like it. I'm sure there's a reason but as I said I didn't really think to listen to my dad properly. Anyway, yes submissive mates. They will know it's you from the minute you meet so I've been told but they won't have any idea that they are one. They tend to be more maternal while the Veela are more protective of them. Mates will also find that they are capable of having children so at least you won't have to go through the pain of having a kid. You mum told me it was the most painfully thing in the world and I think pretty much every half hour she used to jinx that made it feel like I'd been kicked in the balls when she was in labour with you – thanks for that by the way. I doubt there's anything worse than that, no matter what Lily says. She was proper angry when I kept saying she hurt me calling me a wimp. Has she ever been kicked in the balls? No she hasn't!
Anyway, when you meet it's love at first sight, and you will have the need to protect them. For the first forty-eight hours your mate can't leave your sight for more than five minutes or it results in serious pain for you both. That's when the bond begins; due to this good old Dumbles will have to get you two a private room at Hogwarts. Normally it's off the Veela's common room so they still interact with the students but it has its own password. Now I'm telling you now I do not want any hanky panky until your thirty forty. Do you understand me young man? My green eyed baby boy is too young to make me a granddad and I'm sure moony and padfoot would agree that you're too young at the moment. So you will not complete the bond until your forty! That is final.
When your fourty and you do the nasty the bond will be completed and this is a veelas marriage. Of course you can get married too, I'm sure if your mum was still there she'd drag you both down the aisle after planning the whole thing. I swear I had no input into our wedding and if your mate is the same as your mum was all you'll have to do is turn up to the ceremony. This part is permanent so there is no divorce available although you wouldn't want or need to any way.
I hope that you're happy son and if your mum and I didn't give you any siblings Sirius and Remus better have or their in trouble. We always wanted a big family and didn't want you getting lonely. Obviously you can tell I'm not a Seer but I hope that big old Voldy is gone and you can enjoy your childhood the way that you're supposed to.
I love you Harry, so does your mum and we always will. Never forget that. You make us proud every day. Now I know this is the first letter from me but Sirius and Remus do have more, some from me, some from Lils and some from both of us but you are only getting them on certain occasions so DON'T BEG THEM FOR THEM! Is that understood?
I hope that you're happy Harry and I better not see you for a long time, is that understood. Until the next letter mate.
Dad xxx
Harry had tears in his eyes by the end of the letter and he kept tracing over the word dad. His handwriting was just as messy and illegible. They wrote their 'l's the same and Harry found every one of them in the letter. Sighing, he folded it up and placed it back in the envelope before putting it in his bedside table's drawer. Taking a deep breath he turned his light off before going to sleep.
A pale boy sat on his bed watching the door shaking, his fear radiating off of him. He had his knees up to his chest, his arms locked tightly around them rocking. His blonde hair was a mess and his cheeks were stained with tears. Suddenly the door open and the boy pulled his blanket up to cover himself but it was ripped off him. There was a string of words thrown together but Harry couldn't make any sense of them. They were said with utter hatred and the boy did nothing to stop a hand from going across his face. Harry tried to shout but he couldn't. The man kept hitting the beautiful boy, pulling him off his bed and onto the cold, hard floor. It got louder and louder. It wasn't stopping and-
Harry suddenly sat up in bed sweat all over his body. He jumped out of bed before having a cold dream. That was him. That was his mate. The guy he would marry. The love of his life and he was scared to death. He would find him as soon as he could. Show him that he would never have to be scared again.
He quickly got dressed before going downstairs when a two pairs of arms wrapped themselves around his legs.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Ethan and Caitlyn shouted at him and he bent down to hug them.
"Thanks guys." He smiled. He picked Caitlyn up and place her on his shoulders before the two of them chased Ethan into the kitchen. Suddenly Sirius grabbed the younger boy and spun him around the causing Remus, Harry and Caitlyn to laugh and Ethan to scream.
"Happy Birthday Prongslet," His guardians smiled at him. When Caitlyn and Ethan were settled down and the five of them were having breakfast Harry broached the subject.
"He's scared," He said quietly. "I saw him last night in a dream, he's beautiful but was frightened." He lowered his voice even more so only Sirius and Remus could hear him. "I think his father hurt him, I don't know but he's about my age so he has to be at home. I need to find him. What if he's in danger?"
"Well that saves us from asking if you're a veela." Sirius said. "You'll find him, if he's not at Hogwarts in September then we'll go to Beauxbatons and Durmstrang and we will find him for you bud. OK? You've just got to be patient."
"How many letters did my parents leave me?" Harry asked changing the subject, despite the blonde haired beauty still being in the forefront of his mind.
"Quite a few but they're for big occasions," Remus said biting into his toast.
"So were you guys really wanting to get into each other's pants back in Hogwarts?" Harry cheekily said with a grin causing Remus to choke on his mouthful and Sirius to check on the younger ears didn't hear anything.
"Is that all your father wrote about?" Sirius asked.
"No, I just wanted to see you reaction to that part." He grinned before continuing with his breakfast.
While they celebrated Harry's birthday, he couldn't help but worry about his mate. As August went on, Harry couldn't stop thinking about him? What if he was in serious danger? Harry couldn't get it out of his mind no matter how many books Caitlyn wanted read to her or however many times Harry went out flying with Ethan. He worried constantly through August and every time he went out he prayed he'd meet the blond haired beauty. He went to Diagon Alley at least twice a week, sometimes with his family but mostly alone.
He spent a lot of time in Weasley Wizard Wheezes when there and made friends with the owners, Fred and George Weasley who had just finished Hogwarts and met their younger brother Ron who would be in his year. It was the first time Harry had friends his own age as he was never given the opportunity due to Voldemort. He met Ron's friends and went to get ice cream with them on several occasions. Harrry was slightly worried when they first met that they were only interested in him because he was the boy who lived but he needn't worry as it was never bought up.
Before Harry knew it he was at Platform 9 ¾ with Caitlyn crying and begging him not to leave. He might have been getting a few looks from passers by pointing that he was Harry Potter but he did his best to ignore them.
"No, please stay or I'll come with you. I'll be good," She pleaded as Harry picked her up, holding her close to his chest. "Who'll read to me or watch Disney?"
"I'll be back at Christmas sweetie, and Ethan loves watching Disney with you," he knew that was an exaggeration but Ethan did nod and agreed. "And daddy and papa will tuck you in at night and read to you won't they? Plus when I have Hogsmeade trips maybe they'll even come and see me and bring you."
"Can we daddy?" Caitlyn asked Sirius. She and Ethan had begun calling them Dad and Papa two weeks ago but every time they said it Sirius had a massive smile on his face.
"We were planning on it." Remus answered for Sirius before taking the small girl in his arms. "Now we've got to say bye to Harry but we'll see him soon, I promise baby."
"Be a good big brother Ethan, you're the man of the house now. We can't trust those two can we mate," Harry laughed.
"Bye Harry," He said hugging his big brother before Sirius embraced his godson with tears in his eyes.
"Sometimes I never thought I'd see this day, even if it is five years later than we wanted," he said quietly.
"See ya Padfoot," Harry laughed before hugging Remus awkwardly as he was still hugging Caitlyn.
"Let us know as soon as you meet your mate if he's there with Hedwig Harry or I will make Voldy look nice. Understood?" Remus grinned before Harry walked off giving his family one last wave.
He had never been away from his family for long before. The longest being a week when Remus and Sirius were on their honeymoon and he had to stay with Tonks but this was different. Harry was walking down the train trying to find an empty carriage. Ron told him that they would meet up at Hogwarts but they would be unable to sit together on the train due him being a prefect.
After a few minutes of walking down the train he opened the door to one compartment where there was a small figure in the corner. Once he had his trunk settled above him Harry sat down.
"I hope you don't mind that I sat here," Harry said to the figure. Slowly he pulled the blanket from around himself and Harry could see who it was. He knew him, he recognised that face. Time seemed to stop and stand still as their eyes met and a grin spread across Harry's face. He was here.