Chapter 4
Sirius and Remus went home with the Potters that day. James felt that it was necessary for Harry to have at least some family and no one but his friends would fit the bill perfectly and understand his motives. He took them to their small three bedroom home outside of London and introduced them to Harry's nanny, Geraldine, as Harry's uncles. The nanny of course was a muggle and looked a little curious as to their state of dress. Remus' robes were shaggy and unkempt and Sirius' hair was much too long for her liking. She was an old traditional woman and would never understand the need for such long coats or strange garb. She greeted them and scurried away with Harry in tow, going on and on about his day and asking for a popsicle.
"He's quite the talker for a three year old." Remus commented. James led them into a sitting room just as Geraldine entered with a tea tray. James usually did these things himself reserving her duties to childcare whenever he was busy with work, she was older however and her children had abandoned her so he'd taken her in for free. She lived next door and came over to take care of things when James got into one of his moods. It wasn't often but it was much appreciated.
"He loves to talk about his day. He's a bright boy." James sat and asked his friends to do the same. It seemed awkward meeting like this two years later. It was hard to think of something to talk about when everything used to come so easily. "How have you two been?"
"Good, good. Trying to find work, which isn't easy considering what I am, people hate to hire a werewolf… But what's done is done. I've taken to working at an apothecary once in a while. The man there is nice and he needs the help sometimes, especially when school starts. He helps me out too, makes me the wolfsbane whenever I need it. I still stay at the shrieking shack once a month, but that's no bother." Remus did look as though he was having a hard time, then Sirius spoke.
"People still think I had something to do with everything, even though most of the former Death Eaters in Azkaban have sworn under Veritaserum that I was a terrible spy and they new it from the start. I've taken over the family business, I'm trying to rebuild it for what it once was. Mother died, and good riddance too. I was tired of hearing all of her pureblood shite. Narcissa and her son visit from time to time, she's better now. Lucius claims to have been under the Imperius for years, and we all know that it can do damage to someone's brain if held for long, but he seems perfectly capable these days. Liar. Andy and her daughter visit as well, though not when Narcissa does, and they're doing well too. Did you know that Nymphadora, Andy's daughter was a metamorphmagus? She's amazing at it. Hair and face changing all the time, just to make people laugh. She's in school, a Gryffindor too. Another Black in Gryffindor, mother must be turning in her grave." That sent them all laughing. They sobered quickly though and looked at James.
"I've missed this. Missed you. I'm sorry I left so suddenly." James said looking down.
"We all understood, mate. But we thought that maybe two years was enough time. We thought that by now you'd be okay with us coming by the cemetery." Sirius sighed.
"It has been hard. I'm glad you understand. I just want Harry to be safe. With some Death Eaters still on the loose I don't want anything to happen to him. He's all I have left. After Peter…" He trailed off and the other two nodded knowingly.
"You didn't know who you could trust." Remus said.
"But he was always a slimy git if you ask me." Sirius snarled.
"Have they had any luck at all? The aurors?" James asked. He tried not to keep up with the Daily Prophet, it just made him sad.
"No. None at all. Looking for rats with missing fingers is a tasking job innit?" That got him laughing again. James sighed.
"Remus have you anywhere to stay?" James inquired of his friend.
"I've been staying at my mum's old place, but its falling apart and there's only so much magic can do." He shook his head and James had an idea.
"Would you like to stay here for a bit? We've an extra room and you can go to the Shack whenever you need to, well, disappear. It would be fun, Geraldine can watch Harry and Sirius and I could help you, like old times?" Remus' face lit up, it was like Christmas morning. The Marauders back together again roaming the countryside like they were teenagers sounded like a dream. He pretended to consider it.
"Ah, well, I don't know." He said slowly, "I've been used to being alone, and not worrying about you two hounds every full moon."
They laughed and Remus agreed. For once things could stay the same. Harry would have his uncles and James would have his friends. He imagined Lily would be pleased.
"Daddy, cake!" Harry said bounding into the room at full speed, into his father's arms.
"Ah, yes. The cake. Well, Moony, Padfoot, care to share in a small celebration?" James smiled at them, his first real smile in years. They nodded and got up to follow the tiny boy into the kitchen.
8 years later…
"Dad!" Harry yelled, jumping onto his father's bed enthusiastically. "Dad! Wake up! Come on! You promised." James groaned and rolled over reluctantly.
"What time is it?" He said sitting up groggily.
"Its 7!" Harry exclaimed. "Get up!"
"In the morning? Bloo—" He started to swear. He'd never been a morning person, ever. That was Lily's deal. She was the early riser, the studious one, the one who got up early and started the day. Unfortunately, their son had developed that habit as well. He groaned again as Harry poked him in the ribs.
"No swearing. You owe the swear jar money." He proceeded to sit on his dad, waiting patiently for him to wake. Today was his birthday, his eleventh to be exact and his dad had promised a surprise. He wasn't sure what it was exactly only that it was something big. He was a wiry boy, four and a half feet tall with untidy hair that he'd never even begun to manage. Not that he'd ever tried. His green eyes were a sparkly emerald that his dad said he'd gotten from his mother. He'd seen pictures, she was beautiful, and from what his dad had told him, quite the bookworm. He'd never been a reader, but his dad's study was full of them. They'd never been touched, not by him or his father. He loved soccer and followed diligently on the telly, his favorite team was Italy. He liked video games and computers. He was a happy child, who never noticed the loss of his mother. It was summer and he was off from primary school, he loved the summers that he spent with his dad and his uncles, Sirius and Remus. They were coming over today, too.
"Alright, bugger off. I'm getting up." James said rolling over to pin Harry and tickle him. He squealed and rolled away, running out of his dad's room. They still lived just outside muggle London and today James was planning on telling Harry they were moving. He'd never told him that he was a magical child, as soon as Harry started to remember things they started driving to Godric's Hollow, instead of apparating. It was a small hindrance but James wanted Harry growing up much like his mother had. Being a child and learning all about the muggle world. Today things would change, Harry's letter was going to come.
Even not knowing he was a special boy, Harry had the same strange things happen to him. He'd fallen out of his bedroom window once into a thorn bush and all of the thorns bounced off of him, not a scratch on him. Then there was the time he'd run out after his soccer ball into the street and an oncoming car almost hit him without his notice. His dad came running out of the house screaming at him and for some odd reason the car never hit him. It just kept on going as if he wasn't there. His dad was livid, but he'd had a proud smile on his face. His dad was weird.
Harry went into the kitchen and pulled out some eggs. He liked cooking and making breakfast was his job. He got the ham going and made some scrambled eggs, putting the kettle on at the same time. The oven chimed that it was ready for the biscuits to go in. Breakfast was ready by the time James came strolling in the kitchen with a long thin package under his arm, he whistled.
"That's a wonderful looking breakfast you've got there. Who made you cook on your birthday?" He said smiling. Harry looked excited.
"What's that?" He said with a huge smile on his face.
"Well it's the first part to your surprise today, its going to be a bit weird but after I explain I think you'll like it." Harry looked skeptical, honestly, what could it be? A new controller for his system didn't seem likely, neither did a game or a new computer. It was long, maybe a lacrosse stick? Or a croquet set?
"Stop being quizzical and open it." James grinned, he was too curious for his own good. Harry took a small step forward with an outstretched hand he started to rip open the gift. He opened the box and looked upon a broom.
"Um, thanks dad…." Harry said slowly. His dad got him a broom. It had to be a joke. James burst into laughter.
"Harry, you should see your face. Look at the handle."
There on the tip was the name Numbus 2000. Was that supposed to change something?
"Alright dad, what gives?"
James suddenly sobered and launched into his tale. He told him all about Hogwarts and his legacy there, all about Quidditch and the games he played. He told him about the classes and magic and wands. He told him of Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade and Godric's Hollow. He talked about owls and their letters. Harry listened with rapt attention asking all the right questions, he was still confused as to why his dad hadn't just raised him that way. Why his dad had kept this from him, and thinking this made him a little angry and a lot sad. He expressed this to his dad and James sighed.
"While I was growing up, there was this wizard. He was akin to Hitler. Just the same, just as crazy. He thought that witches and wizards that came from people who were not magical, muggles, were an abomination. That they should not be allowed to study magic and should be banned from ever living or knowing of the magical world. A lot of people thought this way, a lot of elite groups, but they had never done anything about their beliefs. In the time that I grew up Muggleborns were treated differently, demeaned and kept from a lot of things that purebloods could do. The wizard's name was Voldemort. A name people still fear to speak even to this day.
"He had different methods, he started killing people, going after muggles and muggleborns with a fierce intent on ridding them from the world. Not just the magical world, but the entire world. He started to gain followers, a group of people he called Death Eaters. They were just as terrible as he was. After I graduated, I became an auror and married your mother. Professor Dumbledore came to me and asked me to join an elite group set on fighting back Voldemort and his extreme ways. It was called the Order of the Phoenix, your mum was one muggleborn witch. Soon after we joined the Order, Dumbledore came to us and said we had to go into hiding. That the boy we were going to have was being targeted by Voldemort. We hid and we had someone hide our house from others by using a spell, only this person could tell anyone where we were. He was one of my friends. I'd like to think that he gave us up unwillingly, that he had been tortured or his mind had been probed for the information. However, I know he wasn't, it turned out that my friend was one of those followers and that he had given us up so he could move up in the ranks.
"There was a problem though, when Voldemort came to our house and he tried to kill you, yes he tried. And he failed. No one knows why. Just that a spell that no one had ever survived before didn't work on you. All it did was leave you a scar and rebound upon him, he vanished. Some like to say he died, but I don't think he was human enough anymore to die. After everything that had happened I decided to take you away, raise you here in a world without magic so that you wouldn't be exposed to the dangers as a child. So you could grow up happy and free. I wanted you to have a good life. And you have, right?" Harry nodded fervently, knowing that his dad did all he could so that he could have a good childhood, so that he never felt the loss or lack of two parents. His dad had done a good job with what he had.
"I know this is a lot to take in all at once, and I'm sorry. There is one more thing I have to tell you." He never got to finish his sentence, at that moment a sharp tapping came from the window. They turned and looked up to see a large barn owl perched on the window sill outside. "Well, it seems you'll have to find this out a different way. Go on and open the window, son."
Hesitantly, Harry made his way over to the window and pried it open. The owl hooted in thanks and held out his leg. Tied to it was a letter with a scarlet wax seal, a large "H" was embedded into it. He untied the letter and the owl flew away. Walking over to his father he opened the letter slowly and read it aloud.
Dear Mister Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Enclosed are a list of books and supplies you will need for your first year of school.
The start of term begins on September first, and we will be expecting you on the Hogwarts Express
which will leave from King's Cross station in London at 11 am from Platform 9 3/4.
Minerva McGonagal
Deputy Headmistress
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Harry looked up at his dad and smiled.
