True Friendship Marauder Style
by Healer Pomfrey
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
COMPLETELY AU! Partly OOC. Slightly dark!Harry. Not one of my nice, fluffy stories!
It is my story, and I intend to write it the way I want it. If you don't like it, go and find something else to read or write your own story to your liking!
Harry in his Harold Mauder form hesitantly entered the office at Gringotts together with Sirius, pretending that he did not know anyone but him. On the one hand, he'd have preferred remaining in the twins' apartment, however, on the other hand, he wanted to see the expressions of his former supposed-to-be friends upon hearing his will.
Noticing that he received curious looks from many of the people gathered, he returned blank looks and only greeted people when they addressed him.
To his relief, everyone gathered on time, and Buckbean punctually began with the reading. "This is Harry Potter's last will, which he sent me three days ago," Buckbean announced and began to read.
"Hi my friends and other members of the magical world.
First of all, I am sorry to bother you by taking my life, which I did solely because of the betrayal displayed by my so-called friends. Now, since you all know that my parents left me a fortune, I am going to distribute it in the following way.
To Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Amelia Bones and the Weasley twins I leave one million Galleons each.
The rest of the money as well as all the items and buildings I leave to Harold Mauder, who has been my secret friend over years. You'll know what to do with everything.
Then, I leave the remains of the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts to Severus Snape as a thank you for whatever he has done for me. According to my account manager at Gringotts, the ingredients will be worth millions of Galleons, and the goblins are ready to harvest the basilisk for you for a small fee. Sirius is in the possession of a video of how to open the chamber, which he will give you upon request.
To Luna Lovegood I leave my broom, and to Neville Longbottom my owl, Hedwig. Thanks to both of you for being a good friend.
To Albus Dumbledore I leave a photo frame of myself being stuck in my cell in Azkaban. It has a sticking charm on it and is already fixed to your office wall. I further leave my dragon statue from the first task of the Triwizard Tournament to Ronald Weasley, so that he can try convincing everyone that he fought the dragon himself, and a house-elf's head in a snow globe to Hermione Granger.
To Ginny Weasley I leave the dissolution of the betrothal contract, which Albus Dumbledore made with your parents without my knowledge let alone permission. Finally, to Molly Weasley I leave the request to pay back every Galleon, which Albus Dumbledore has stolen from my account and given to you for having your children friend me without my permission.
Last, I give my votes for the Wizengamot, which are three, the votes of the houses Potter, Gryffindor-Ravenclaw and Slytherin-Hufflepuff, along with the ownership of Hogwarts to my godfather's and my parents' old friend Jamie Nottingham. I trust you to know me and especially them well enough to be able to decide in the interest of my families.
To all my true friends, I thank you for your friendship, and I wish you a very happy life. Harry James Potter."
Realising that Sirius, Remus, Amelia, Tonks and the twins were crying over his feigned passing, Harry followed their example and observed the interactions and reactions of everyone else. From the corner of his eyes, he could see that Mrs. Weasley was wiping a tear from her eyes. 'Probably feigning being sad,' he thought, grimly. Ron seemed fairly unimpressed, while Hermione was white-faced and clearly upset. Harry inwardly grinned. 'They surely expected to get better things,' he thought in silent amusement.
Finally, he readied himself to use the time turner, which he had stolen from the Department of Magical Mysteries by flashing himself into the ministry on the previous day, and returned to the beginning of the reading, which he attended in form of Jamie Nottingham. Jamie was of about the same age as Sirius and Remus and had short blond hair and blue eyes.
Finally, people began to leave the room, after Buckbean reassured them that all money would be automatically transferred to their vaults and that all items would be sent out by owl post first thing the following morning.
Inwardly sighing in relief, Harry followed Sirius and Remus out of the room, noticing from the corner of his eyes how Ginny Weasley was clinging to her mother, crying her eyes out, while Hermione and Ron looked outright upset and Molly Weasley murderous.
'That went well,' he thought, contentedly, as he left the building alone and turned around the next corner to change into his phoenix form and return to the twins' apartment.
HP
A mere hour later, the fireplace in the twins' apartment flared and announced that Molly Weasley wished to step through.
"No way," the twins replied and refused to open the fireplace, while Harry hurriedly transformed into his phoenix form.
"Please let me through. I want to talk to you," Molly insisted.
"No," Fred and George countered.
"You received so much money from Harry. Can you perhaps pay the school fees for Ginny and Ron?" Molly enquired.
"Seeing how you helped Harry when he was in need…"
"… we won't help you either."
"… This is all your fault…"
"… and we don't belong to your family anymore anyway.
With that, the twins ended the conversation.
"I'm sorry," Harry replied in a small voice once he was back in his human form.
"Nothing to be sorry about…"
"… It's their fault and not yours," Fred and George reassured him.
HP
All of a sudden, a well-known voice penetrated Harry's mind. 'Thank you for leaving me the basilisk, Mr. Potter. I greatly appreciate it.'
'You're welcome, Professor,' Harry replied, inwardly grinning. 'I knew it. It was Snape. He was the one who gave me the partner ring as a baby and informed me about the magical world when the Dursleys didn't,' he thought, feeling very much relieved that he had acknowledged the older wizard in his will, although he had never been really sure that it had been the professor who had always looked out for him through the connection provided by the ring.
HP
"Harry is not dead," Albus Dumbledore informed his colleagues, as he gathered the heads of the houses in his office, closely monitoring the devices on his shelf. "The blood wards around the Dursleys' home have completely failed, however, the device, which is monitoring his life, is working fully normal. I have no idea why he feigned his own death."
"Isn't that clear?" Minerva McGonagall spoke up in an upset voice. "After all you put that boy through it's no wonder, especially after what his so-called friends did to him during the trial that was conducted by that bitch Umbridge and the puppet of a minister."
"I also wonder why he left so much to Severus in spite of the fact how Severus acted towards him," Albus said, pensively, his eyes lingering on the photo of Harry in Azkaban that was indeed attached to the wall opposite of his desk with a permanent sticking charm that the house-elves had not been able to counter yet.
"Severus saved Harry's life multiple times," Minerva replied, crisply. "Frankly speaking, Albus… I'm looking forward to what Lily and James are going to do to you once you meet them again in the future."
Severus merely smirked, knowing that the boy had never told anyone about their connection. 'It'll remain that way,' he thought in amusement. 'He certainly deserved better than what his friends along with the headmaster did to him. If there's anything I can do to help the boy, I will,' he promised to himself what he had already promised Lily fifteen years ago.
HP
With Buckbean's help, Remus and Sirius found a house at Hogsmeade that offered much space on the first floor for a large shop and was equipped with one big apartment on the second floor as well as three smaller apartments under the roof.
"We could even split the ground floor into two large shops if you have another idea for a second business or even use the second floor," Remus said, questioningly. "For one shop, it just seems too big."
"Yeah, the third floor alone is large enough for all of us to live in, even if Harry marries and has children," Sirius added, grinning.
"And us?" the twins enquired, feigning to be hurt.
"Well, if each of you had seven children, we'd need the second floor to remain an apartment," Remus said, smirking.
"Maybe we can just expand the twins' business in the direction of potions as well as other pranks if we're five people working on it," Harry spoke up, pensively.
After a longer discussion that included Tonks and Amelia, who came both over in the evening, it was decided to name the new shop 'Marauders' Magical Mysteries'. They also decided to live all together in the large apartment, which consisted of a large kitchen, a bathroom, a living room as well as ten bedrooms of various sizes, and leave the top floor as storage and guest rooms.
HP
Since the twins wanted to leave their old apartment and shop, which they fortunately had not even opened yet, as soon as possible, Harry went to Hogsmeade together with Sirius and Remus and bought the house that his godfathers had found for them on the following day, and Harry and the twins moved in right away.
Not wanting anyone to know what they were doing, Sirius and Remus did not move out of Grimmauld Place, which was still frequented by the members of the Order of the Phoenix, but merely spent the days at Hogsmeade preparing everything for the shop.
Like before, Amelia and Tonks often visited to spend the evenings with Sirius, Remus and the three young wizards, and one day, Amelia told Harry in a stern voice, "Harry, I know that you all intend to open the shop as soon as possible, and I agree that it's a wonderful idea for something that's really missing in the magical world, but…" She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "… I believe that it's important that you at least take your OWLs. Sirius and Remus can teach you, and Tonks and I are also willing to give you lessons in various subjects, but you should apply with the ministry to take your OWLs there. They take place twice a year, shortly before Christmas and early in summer."
"Harry, I fully agree with Amelia," Sirius spoke up. "After taking your OWLs, the three of you should even consider taking the NEWTs, at least in certain subjects."
"Yeah, I suppose we need it at least in Potions," Harry agreed, pensively.
HP
During the two months leading up to Christmas, the twins, Sirius and Remus busied themselves preparing their shop, while Sirius taught Harry Transfiguration and Charms and Remus instructed him in Potions, using the potions lab that they had installed next to the storage room on the third floor. In the evenings, Amelia and Tonks each spent an hour teaching Harry Defence Against the Dark Arts and Herbology and were both very happy with Harry's progress.
Originally, Harry had intended to take his OWLs in the summer, at the same time when he would take them if he was still attending Hogwarts, however, after observing his training with his respective teachers one Sunday, Amelia convinced him to take the tests before Christmas.
Harry hesitantly agreed, knowing that Amelia would not suggest such a thing if she was not absolutely convinced of his capabilities. During the week before Christmas, he took the Floo to the Ministry of Magic every morning, taking the theoretical exams in the mornings and the practical tests in the afternoons. To his relief, everything went well, and in the morning of Christmas Eve, a ministry owl brought the results.
"I got an O in Transfiguration, Potions and Defence, and an E in everything else," Harry informed his family, when Sirius and Remus arrived through the fireplace.
"That's great, congratulations, Harry," Remus was the first to react, smiling broadly.
"Well done, Harry. Now then let's go on and set up a Christmas tree," Sirius replied, grinning.
"Here?" Harry asked in surprise.
"Where else?" Sirius countered. "We've told the Weasleys that we're going to open a shop in Hogsmeade from January onwards and are therefore moving here, and we've invited Amelia and Tonks to spend Christmas here with us."
"I hope that's all right with you all?" Remus asked, tentatively glancing from Harry to the twins.
"Of course," Harry and the twins confirmed at the same time.
"Amelia is going to bring her niece, Susan," Sirius added. "I suppose you know her."
"Yes," Harry replied, his thoughts going haywire. 'What am I going to do?' he frantically thought. 'If she doesn't know that I'm Harry, I have to be really careful what I say, but is she trustworthy enough to know the truth? I shouldn't tell anyone.'
tbc...
Thank you very much for the kind feedback to the previous chapter!