Alright everyone...R&R!
I do not own Harry Potter except Julian!
The two sat on the couch in Julian's room, holding around each other as they relaxed, Harry knowing that his uncle most likely needed to reassure himself that his nephew was safe, especially from the way the older man kept nuzzling Harry lightly while holding him tightly to himself.
Harry just let him, thinking about what he was going to do now.
"You should write to Sirius." Harry blinked and looked up at Julian who smirked back at him. "Your rather easy to read cub. You should also send Remus a letter since I don't think they're in the same spot." Harry smiled a bit. "Yeah…it'd be nice to hear from both and they could have some suggestions for me about what's coming." The older one nodded and sighed, letting go as he got up and waved his wand, a notepad and pen sailing from somewhere.
Harry blinked at the muggle items and looked at his uncle who shrugged a bit. "What? Wizards and witches are stuck in the Middle Ages with parchment and quills, I like normal paper and pens…less chance of inkblots and such." That made the teenager snicker slightly as he nodded and pulled the pad to him, writing down a letter to Sirius first.
-Dear Snuffles-
He stopped and bit his lips, thinking about what he was going to write to his godfather. Harry glanced up at Julian who smirked a bit. "You can mention me, you HAVE to mention the tournament and you most likely should mention how everyone is treating you. You should most likely mention this to both Sirius and Remus when you write his letter."
Harry smiled and nodded, going back to writing.
-Dear Snuffles.
I hope you are well Snuffles and that you're staying far out of trouble and in rather warm, tropical areas. And how is Witherwings?
Some weird things have been going around here at Hogwarts. The Triwizard championship are being held here and amazingly enough, I been appointed to the FOURTH champion.
I'm not sure how much I should write in here in case someone gets their hands on my letter but honestly, I'm scared but don't worry, someone has my back. My uncle has come back to the wizard world for me.
You remember Julian, right?
He's really been a good support against everything and has had my back many a times since I got elected to this.
Anyhow, this isn't really the greatest; many believe I entered myself into the competition, even Ron and Hermione.
Well, hopefully you get this letter soon.
Harry.-
He read over the letter and nodded in satisfaction before writing a similar letter to Remus except here he expressed his worry over the full moons and how it was going for Remus and if the man had managed to get work.
He rolled up the letters and put them in envelopes before looking at his uncle. "Last time I contacted Sirius, he told me not to use Hedwig to contact him…"
Julian chuckled. "Easy then, you send Remus letter with Hedwig and we can use my owl to send Sirius's letter to him. Horus looks like a rather ordinary barn owl, so no one will really take much notice of him." Julian easily took the letter from Harry with a wink.
"And this way, you won't piss off that pretty owl of yours."
Harry laughed and nodded, following his uncle up to the owl tower.
The younger never noticed when his uncle's eyes strayed towards a bug hanging off Horus or when his uncle brushed said bug into his hand.
The next day, everything was fine in the start.
The birds were singing, the sky was blue in the Great Hall, no one was gossiping half as much as they had been doing earlier and Julian himself even looked like he was in a rather good mood as he almost smiled at a few people.
Harry should almost have taken that as a sign that something was going to happen that day…something…bad.
The owls came flying in, delivering post to students and teachers alike. Harry looked up in vein, hoping that Hedwig had returned. She had not but Julian's owl, Horus had and he glided down, landing neatly in front of Harry with his leg stuck out importantly. Giving the owl a bit of bacon first, Harry untied the letter and smiled at Remus handwriting. "What you got there Harry?" Fred, or perhaps George, looked over his shoulder at the envelope with interest. Snorting, the raven put the letter into his bag. "I sent a letter to Remus if you have to know." The twin oooed and then blinked as he looked around.
For some reason, the Hall was rather…silent.
Heads were buried into the Prophet.
And then…a low hissing started, students talking with each other in low tones and throwing looks up at the Head table and then down to Harry.
Ginny shifted closer and held the Prophet out to Harry, a frown on her face that was mirrored by the twin reading the news paper.
On the front was the Triwizard and of course, a big announcement of Harry being in it. But what seemed to be the bigger news was Julian.
There was a big photo blown up of him on the second page along with some that looked older. Harry started to read.
-Julian Slink-Potter, uncle of boy-who-lived.
-Julian Slink-Potter (36), younger half brother of James Harold Potter was seen at Hogwarts in response to his nephews' participation in the Triwizard Tournament. Mr. Slink as he prefers gave me, Rita Skeeter a exclusive interview in his own room as soon as yesterday after refusing to talk with the media about his nephew or himself.
-I took it on myself to ask him a few question, starting with why he has been refusing the media attention not only on himself but also his nephew for so long since the boy was entered into the Triwizard Tournament.
-As I see it Miss. Skeeter, my nephew holds a very high status of fame but there is also the fact that he is a teenager. A teenager who just wants to be that. Unfortunate, it seems like many won't allow this. I, as his uncle, am going to do my best in allowing Harry as much of a childhood as he is suppose to have. If this means I will have to shield him from the media and his…termed lightly…fans, then I will do so.
-As he finishes his sentences, I will tell you that Mr. Slink smirks rather wolfishly at me and despite his missing arm and rather short statue, I must admit that he is a rather handsome man.
-Are you worried about your nephew' predicaments in the tournament?
-Yes. My nephew is a fourteen year old student that has little if zero contact with the wizard world and before his eleventh birthday, he had no idea the wizard world existed. Now tell me, how can such a fourteen year old boy enter himself into a cup that contains thousands of spells and secrecy and has age old magic that most full grown wizards and witches can't break or bend… now what does that tell you?-
From there Rita shot a few more questions at Julian about Harry and the tournament, all where the older man started to spread doubts about Harry entering himself and showed concern about the younger one but then…
-Now the question I bet many would want to know is where you have been hiding all these years and what made you leave the wizard world?
-At these question, Mr. Slink showed reluctant and hesitation but he did talk to me after thinking.
-I think I'ts well known that I left after a Death Eater attack on me that left me…mangled and rather damaged. I left to the muggle world where I have spent the last few years, trying to recover. It has been difficult for me.
-Are you then in the right kind of mind to take care of a child like Harry James Potter?
-Miss, if not me, then who? Of course there are families that would gladly take care of him but I am his uncle. If need be, I'll die for Harry. No, I can provide for my nephew when it comes to love, nourishments and family. And I can do something no one else can.
-And this would be?
-I can be a direct blood link for Harry to his family, at least the Potter side.-
Harry looked up from the paper and at his uncle who looked back with rather soft amber eyes.
A warm fluttery feeling spread inside him even as the twins started to talk beside him.
Suddenly, it didn't matter that Ron and Hermione wasn't talking to him, it didn't matter that the school was talking behind his back. He had someone looking out for him and only him.
"So, you got a letter from Remus then?" Harry nodded as he and his uncle took lazy laps around the Quidditch pitch on their brooms, Julian sitting sideways as they weren't really doing more than slow flying. It had been a while since he had been on a broom but he found that he had missed the feeling.
"Read it yet?" Harry blushed and shook his head. Julian chuckled. "Pull it out and lets read it, I'll put up a few anti spying spells if you want to."
Sitting correctly on the broom and holding on with his legs, the older man pulled out his wand and muttered a few spells before sticking it back where it belonged, looking on Harry as the teen pulled out the letter from his pocket.
-Dear Harry.
I must say I was surprised by your letter but it's nice to hear from you again. The full moons are fine and I have been lucky enough to get a job in the muggle world at a bookstore. They don't notice that I'm gone a week out of the month since they're usually closed then.
I have been bidden to tell you that Snuffles is living with me at the moment and he is asking me to tell you hello. He's being rather immature but he and Witherwings are fine. We are living together in one of the houses that belonged to Snuffles family.
Julian? You have Julian there?
Harry, I would ask if you kindly have your uncle write to me and Snuffles or perhaps better, that we could all meet up next time you are going to Hogsmead? Could you please send the next time you're going and tell us if it's okay?
Friendly greetings and hugs,
Remus and Snuffles.
Harry looked at his uncle who sighed and nodded. "Very well…go send them a message about when they can meet you…and me." Harry smiled and flew off towards the owl tower, leaving his uncle floating in the sky. Julian sighed and looked to the sky. "Why…why after all this time…damn Remus is gonna smell it off me…"
The two sat in a backroom at the Tree Broomsticks, Harry with a butterbeer and Julian something a bit stronger as they waited for the two others. Knocking sounded suddenly and Madam Rosmerta poked her head in. "Remus Lupin is here to see you two." She smiled at them and Julian nodded. "Thank you Madam."
Remus stepped in with a big grim like dog next to him. Once the door went shut, the dog turned into Sirius Black, who hurried over and hugged Harry, checking over him worriedly.
The sandy haired werewolf however stared at the amber eyed raven, his eyes wide in shock. He had smelled it the moment he stepped into the room. "J-Julian."
It shut Sirius up to hear that name, his eyes finding Julian as the other took a deep swallow from his alcohol.
"Hello Remus, Sirius." He greeted in a natural tone, trying to keep the trembling out of his voice. The liquid courage helped a bit.
"…You're a werewolf."
Julian snorted at the two as he raised a eyebrow. "Of course, my eyes might have been brown before but never quite this shade. I'm just lucky people have not really notice how the color changed."
Sirius frowned at the other, a slightly worried look. "So that's what happened when you were…" Julian looked away and sighed. "Yes and no, so much more happened that day. I…I rather not discuss it."
He turned to Harry instead. "What I do want to discuss is what Hagrid told me. About the first task, you're facing dragons."
Green eyes widen in shock.
The first task…was dragons.
Fourth chapter!
TBCBeta note; Review guys!