The Magical World Exposed
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.

Warnings: COMPLETELY AU! If you don't like this, just stop reading and write your own story more to your liking.


Harry was almost disappointed when Remus stepped into the fireplace behind the Aurors to accompany them to the Ministry of Magic hoping to be able to clear his friend's name before Christmas.

"Sounds difficult considering that the day after tomorrow is Christmas Eve," McGonagall mumbled and explained where Azkaban was situated. Promising to come back on Christmas Eve at the latest to show the children how to magically decorate a Christmas tree, the two witches returned to Hogwarts.

HP

Tonks and Remus indeed managed to convince Mr. Weasley to have Sirius transferred from Azkaban to the Ministry of Magic and to set up a trial for the following morning.

"Remus, what are you going to do? Will you stay here in the manor with the O'Briens and the Grangers?" James asked from his portrait, when his friend returned with the good news.

Remus cast the portrait an exasperated look, before he asked back in a subdued voice, "Have you forgotten about my furry problem?"

"That's not a problem," James reassured him, before he explained to everyone that Remus was a werewolf and that there was a specific room for a werewolf in the cellar, which his father had made for Remus.

"I better return to my flat overnight," Remus added, glancing at Harry.

"Why?" Harry replied, simply. "If there's a specific room where you can stay during the full moon, we'd love you to live here together with us, don't we?" he asked in a small voice, knowing that his adoptive parents were quite fond of Remus. He gave Annette and Cillian an uncertain look.

"Of course, we'd love to have you here," Annette spoke up, and the other adults agreed immediately.

HP

The trial in the morning was a fast affair. With Tonks and Shacklebolt joining Remus as the witnesses, Sirius was questioned under Veritaserum, and after a short break, the verdict was announced. Sirius was a free man, who was offered his former position as an Auror along with a compensation of one million Galleons.

Sirius accepted the compensation, however, refused to work as an Auror again, insisting that he was going to look for his godson and raise him, at least until the boy was old enough to attend Hogwarts.

Peter Pettigrew received an appointment with a Dementor at Azkaban later the same day.

Seeing that Dumbledore crossed the room to get to them, Remus whispered to his friend, "Let's go," before he apparated both of them straight out of the courtroom to his own appartment.

"Thanks for everything, Moony," Sirius said in apparent confusion.

"I wouldn't have been able to do that alone. Now let's take the Floo to Potter Manor," Remus instructed him, showing him a small parchment, which Hermione had given him earlier the same day for this purpose.

HP

Harry stared at the man with curiosity. Sirius was dirty and seemed exhausted, however, his smile was contagious, and he seemed to be very happy to see him and his family.

Apparently totally amazed because they now had two wizards stay with them, who had time to speak with them and answer her questions, Hermione asked whatever came into her mind about the magical world, about Hogwarts and the professors.

To Harry's amusement, Sirius was not only willing to answer all of her questions, but he was also very funny and told them much about pranks that he and his friends had played during their own time at Hogwarts.

HP

After lunch, the children begged their parents to head to Diagon Alley, as they wanted to buy some Christmas presents for their family, which had unexpectedly grown over the last few days.

"I'll take you to Diagon Alley," Cillian offered, suggesting that they should also buy an owl on that occasion.

"I can take the children if you want me to," Sirius offered, stating that he had to go and buy Christmas presents as well.

Finally, the large family decided to go all together and separate in the town for a while, so that everyone could see to their needs.

"Remus," Harry spoke up, hesitantly, when everyone headed to the Magical Menagerie together, "you know we took the rat from one of the Weasley boys. Do you think I could buy a new pet for him? Somehow I feel bad for taking his pet."

When he slowly turned his eyes towards the older wizard, he realised that Remus was smiling at him. "Harry, although your outer appearance is very much like that of your father, you're like your mum. She was the kindest witch I've ever known." He let out a long sigh. "Harry, if you don't mind buying the boy a new pet, I'm sure that he'll be very happy. I don't know him well, but I know the Weasleys. They're good people, but they can't afford much, considering that they have seven children."

"All right then, I'll buy something for him," Harry decided, feeling so very happy at his own decision that he did not notice the appreciative looks, which he received from his large family.

While he was still pondering what kind of animal to buy for the boy, whom he did not even know, they reached the Magical Menagerie, and right in front of the entrance door, Harry saw something and immediately decided that it would be the right thing.

A white rabbit was sitting on a small mat made of straw. It had green eyes and fluffy looking pinkish ears. However, what was special with the rabbit was that about once a minute, it spit out what looked like a candy into a bowl that was placed on the ground in front of it.

"Excuse me, sir, what's this?" Hermione immediately asked, only to receive the information that it was a magical rabbit which was able to spit out either herb drops or lemon drops. "It depends on whether you feed him herbs or lemons together with his normal food at least once a day," an older wizard told the children. "He's not cheap though. He costs fifty Galleons, because it's a very rare species."

"I want him," Harry decided, leaving the rabbit where it was to take it with him on the way back. "We still have to look at the owls first," he told the friendly wizard.

HP

He quietly followed the others through the shop, looking at this and that, enjoying himself greatly.

"I'd rather have another kitten," Hermione spoke up, thoughtfully, as they passed a corridor with kittens.

"I believe that a dog and one cat are enough, dear," her mother replied, causing Annette to agree immediately.

"Well, the house is definitely large enough," Cillian threw in, smirking.

When they finally reached the section with the owls, Hermione's view fell onto an owl in a strange, yellow colour.

"Excuse me, sir, is that an owl?" she asked the wizard, who had followed them through the shop.

"She's a mixture between an owl and some kind of parrot," the man replied. "I'm not sure what exactly, however, she's very alert and flies fast."

"Harry, David, what do you think?" Hermione asked, eagerly, only to notice in surprise that Harry was gone.

HP

Harry looked at the different animals with interest, when all of a sudden, a voice penetrated his ears.

#Why do these tall-legged ones buy chicks as Christmas presents for their nestlings all the time in spite of having no clue how to clip their wings and make their nests?#

Harry looked up in surprise, only to find himself staring at the most beautiful bird that he had ever seen. It was extremely colourful. While his head feathers were green, his side and back wings held all possible colours.

"Excuse me, what exactly do you mean?" he asked, uncertainly looking at the bird.

#Ah, a speaker,# the bird trilled, sounding much happier than before and extremely pleased. #I'm a flower phoenix,# he told Harry, #and I need someone like you, who's able to understand my babbling, to bond with me.#

"A flower phoenix," Harry repeated in surprise.

#Look,# the phoenix instructed him, before he flashed to the other side of the room, leaving a bunch of small flowers as he left. #I can make flowers as well as all kind of herbs, which can be used for potions,# he explained after returning to his former spot, only to add, #and I can make people very happy.#

While Harry was still pondering what to do, the phoenix' voice suddenly reached his mind. 'I took the liberty of bonding with you. I hope that was all right,' he thought to him.

"Sure," Harry replied in confusion, accepting in surprise that the bird nestled down on his left shoulder.

#You'll be able to use telepathy to me too,# the bird informed him, beginning to meticulously clean his wing feathers.

"Telephathy?" Harry asked, startled, causing the phoenix to let out a sound that strangely resembled a chuckle.

'Mind thinking,' the bird explained.

HP

A short while later, the large, combined family left the Magical Menagerie with a rabbit in a cage, a very special owl in another cage and a phoenix perched on Harry's shoulder.

"May we please go alone for a while?" Hermione spoke up, giving the adults a pleading look. "We really need to buy some Christmas presents."

"I'll accompany the children," Remus offered, before he voiced his concern that Dumbledore might be ready to abduct Harry if he spotted him. "Even if I don't think that he has time to gallivant Diagon Alley right now, it would be safer if Sirius or I was with the children," he explained.

"Yeah, I think so too," Sirius agreed. "When Harry's got used to his new phoenix, the bird will be able to flash him away quickly, but until then..."

Everyone agreed, and the group parted, only to meet again at Flourish & Blotts two hours later. To Harry's chagrin, Hermione always stayed close to him, almost as if she was worried about the headmaster trying to abduct him, so that he found it impossible to buy any Christmas present for the girl without her noticing. Finally, he resolved to ask Gina for help later on, glad that he at least managed to unobtrusively buy a book for David.

HP

Back on Diagon Alley, the huge family ran straight into an equally large group of red heads.

"The Weasleys," Remus quickly informed the group, before he stepped ahead, greeted Mr. Weasley and thanked him profusely for his help freeing Sirius.

"Thank you very much, sir," Sirius added and introduced the O'Briens and the Grangers to the Weasleys.

"Excuse me, sir," Harry spoke up in a soft voice, addressing Mr. Weasley. "We've bought a new pet for your son, to whom the rat belonged. We're very sorry that he lost his familiar." With that he handed the cage with the white rabbit over to the boy who stepped forward upon hearing his words.

"Hello, I'm Percy Weasley," he introduced himself, reaching out for the cage. "Thank you very much. I really appreciate it, although it was not necessary at all. It wasn't your fault that my rat was a criminal in his Animagus form."

"I hope you'll like it," Harry replied, smiling, and explained what the wizard in the shop had told him about the rabbit.

"Oh, please give him lemons to eat. I like lemon drops," the only girl in the group of children spoke up, smiling as she looked from Percy to Harry.

"Why does Percy need a pet at all?" one of the boys spoke up, frowning. "No one else has pets anyway."

"Oh Ron..."

"... shut up..."

"... and don't be jealous..."

"... of everyone and everything," his twin brothers admonished him in a funny sing-song that made Harry, David and Hermione laugh.

"Are you twins?" David asked with interest and, seeing the twins nod, pointed to Harry and himself. "We're twins, too."

While the children talked animatedly, not bothering that all the people in a rush of buying last minute Christmas presents had to make a detour around the large group, the adults led a conversation in almost equal excitement.

Once Mr. Weasley realised how much the O'Briens and the Grangers knew about the magical world, he told them about his interest in the Muggle world, and finally, Sirius invited the Weasleys to Potter Manor for dinner on Christmas Eve.

Smirking, Hermione produced a small parchment out of her robe pocket and handed it to Mr. Weasley, who quickly passed it on to the whole family and returned it to the young witch once everyone had read the address.

HP

Back at home, the children headed to the dining room first to show Lily and James their new pets, closely followed by the adults.

"I still need a name for my phoenix," Harry spoke up, thoughtfully, as he stepped in front of his parents' painting.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Lily asked with apparent interest.

#I am a lady,# the phoenix replied in an indignant voice, proceeding to nibble Harry's ear lobe.

Harry translated, and Cillian suggested, "Why don't you call her Flora after the Roman goddess of flowers?"

"Shall I call you Flora?" Harry asked, gently petting the phoenix' crown feathers.

#I'd like that,# his familiar replied, letting out a series of trills, which clearly expressed her pleasure.

"I wonder if it was wise to invite the Weasleys here," James suddenly spoke up, glancing at Sirius and Remus. "They won't give Harry out, will they?"

Remus chuckled. "I don't think that they're on good terms with Dumbledore anymore after what Mr. Weasley told me the other day. Otherwise, I wouldn't have allowed Sirius to suggest for them to come here. He asked me before inviting them."

tbc...