Authors Note: Thanks again for all the support I'm always so happy when I see that someone else seems to like the story. Or that you liked a new chapter *hug*
Chapter 9
During the last day of July Harry is wondering if some of his friends even tried to send his presents and they just never made it through the wards or did they believe what Dumbledore said? And what about Hermione, so far Harry hasn't gotten anything neither from Hermione nor the broom from Sirius or anything at all from Remus. Could it be that Severus had already told them that his real birthday isn't until tomorrow? The day passes just like all the other days before. With the difference, that he is once again holding Draco in his arms when he falls asleep. Draco had asked if it's safe to go to sleep in his own bed or if Harry would just wake him again and when Harry had replied with a cheeky grin that he doubted to fall asleep without waking him again, Draco had just smiled and walked over to Harry to go to bed there right away.
The day after that however doesn't start like any other before. Harry is still sleeping when the door to his and Draco's rooms are thrown open without a knock as Severus usually does. "Happy birthday, Harry." Harry looks up, still holding Draco who is moving a little sleepily. "Gross Harry, you got something disgusting in your bed."
Harry just grins towards the redhead and asks, "Ron, how on earth did you get here?" He stands up and walks over to give the redhead a hug.
"Hermione got an owl and Remus helped us find an excuse for the day to go out with him for a while and now we're here." Ron says and Harry looks past him seeing Hermione and gives her a hug too.
"So I can't call him names but he can wake me by calling me disgusting?" Draco grumbles from behind Harry.
Harry grins and looks at Draco and says, "Sorry, I was just so happy to see him again but you're right, Ron, please be nice to him."
"What? Why? Bad enough that Veela boy talks you into sharing a bed with him." Ron starts to complain.
"Actually." Harry says with a slight blush. "I wanted that one."
"Could it be that he has some form of allure over you Harry?" Hermione questions thoughtfully, "Some half Veelas do."
"Sort of yes but they already figured it out and Snape is providing a potion to stop it." Harry explains still blushing. "I just like not being alone and he's nice, to me anyway."
Hermione and Ron both look at him for a moment while Draco is still glowering towards them until Draco sighs and grumpily says, "I go to the bathroom." While walking past Harry he gives his soulmate a hug and whispers, "Happy birthday, and I'm happy for you to see them."
Harry is still not sure what to say after Draco left but Hermione decides to just wait and see what will happen between Harry and his Veela. She holds out a present to change the topic and says, "Happy birthday, Harry. I hope you like this."
"I'm sure I will." Harry says and takes it.
"Happy birthday from me too." Ron says and holds out his present. "Oh and Snape told us to tell you to hurry and get ready, apparently your father is waiting for us all. Sirius and Remus are downstairs and waiting too."
"Cool." Harry says, "I can't wait to see what my supposedly real godparents got me for my birthday. They know what Siri hinted he would buy me and want to outshine him."
"Lucky guy." Ron grumbles but tries to smile and add more cheerfully, "Anyway, we'll wait downstairs for you to get ready."
"Okay." Harry quickly gets dressed and gives Draco another hug when he's back and whispers, "No reason to be jealous, I promise they are like siblings to me."
"I wasn't jealous." Draco mumbles with a blush.
"Of course not." Harry says and continues getting ready for the day.
By the time Harry gets down he still hasn't unpacked his presets and is hugging his godfather and Remus, taking their wrapped presents as well as his brothers when three people arrive via floo. Two of those he knows but the last one he doesn't.
"Where is my dear godmother?" Harry questions frowning and worried, not that he really liked her but maybe it could be good for him if Sirius believes him to cave.
"Still out getting the last part of her present for you." Harry's father explains. "By the way, that's her husband Rodolphus."
"Rodolphus?" Ron asks with a squeak. "Like in the husband of Bellatrix Lestrange? Is that your godmother?"
"I'm afraid so." Harry replies with a sigh. "Anyway, guys, that's obviously Rodolphus and that one," here he points towards his supposed godfather, "Is his brother Rabastan and the last one is my father. Voldemort."
"What?" Ron squeaks again.
"I guess that explains why he's trying to win you over rather than kill you on the spot." Hermione replies.
"Correct" Voldemort replies, "And don't worry, Ron. It'd be very stupid to kill his best friends if I want to win him for my side, wouldn't it?"
"I guess." Ron mumbles, "Did Bellatrix get that memo?"
"Don't worry, Ron." Harry says, "You're safe."
Before they can go to the location they all have to be told by Rodolphus where it is, since he's the secret keeper for Voldemort and then they can all floo to a small mansion. Not nearly as big as the Malfoy mansion but a lot more homey in Harry's opinion. After everyone is there Voldemort leads them towards the living room where Bellatrix shouts "Happy Birthday."
"Harry." Is the next thing Harry hears and looks towards the Weasley twins that are in a corner clearly disarmed and bound. "Help us."
"Bella." Harry grumbles and Draco notices that some of Harry's fringes are moving like a bit of an unnatural wind is there, "What on earth did you do?"
"Oh those are some party guests I thought one of my favorite godsons would like to have for his birthday party." She says cheerfully. "They had to be talked into joining our little party though."
"Let them go." Harry orders sounding angry and Draco notices a slight increase and by now Severus also sees it.
"I'd strongly advice you to do as he asks." Severus drawls, "Unless you want to see first hand why Lucius is scared of the boy."
"Why not?" Bella replies, "I'm not as easily scared."
"Oh stop being a drama queen, Harry." Hermione just says and walks over to the twins to untie the ties the muggle way, while Harry looks at her surprised.
While Ron chuckles Harry just grumbles "I'm not a drama queen."
The twins just look from Harry towards Bellatrix, towards Snape and back to Bellatrix before they spot Draco who is currently standing very close to Harry. "Okay," They say together "We're clearly having a nightmare."
"Sorry to disappoint." Harry grins a little again, "But this isn't a dream."
"Yeah right." Fred says grinning.
"And next you're trying to tell us that you're Snape's son." George adds.
"Or maybe you're Draco's brother?" Fred muses.
"Only half-brother if Snape is the father." George corrects his twin.
"Wait, didn't Bella mention something abut her godson's birthday party?" Fred suddenly remembers what Bella had mentioned while holding them as hostages.
"Right, makes sense when Narcissa was a bad little witch." George grins.
"And the dark Lord is what?" Fred muses, "Maybe the godfather?"
"She is my godmother it seems but Snape isn't my father, he's my half-brother. Voldemort is my father and Draco, well he's a Veela and I'm his mate oh and Rabastan over there is still battling Siri for godfather position since he was supposed to be my godfather but I still like Siri best." Harry tries to explain.
"Weirdest dream ever." George says after listening to Harry.
"Agreed." Fred replies. "Time to wake up." Both twins pinch the other and then look around confused before trying again and again and again.
"I could crucio you?" Bella suddenly offers cheerfully.
"NO!" Harry and the twins scream at the same time that Ron says, "Go for it."
"Ronald." Hermione says. "They are your brothers."
"That pranked me all my life." Ron reminds her. "A little payback is way overdue."
"What now?" Bella asks.
"Don't hurt them." Harry orders.
"This is for real?" Fred asks eyeing the witch cautiously.
"How on earth could we miss all that?" George asks.
"And does that mean we get out of this alive?" Fred questions.
"You will as long as you give me n unbreakable vow to keep quiet about all of this." Voldemort replies, already sitting in a comforter making nearly everyone wonder when on earth he went there during the turmoil. "Or else I'm sure my son will give Bella a very hard time for getting you in danger."
"Your son?" Both mumble before Fred looks at Harry asking. "Who did you say was your dad?"
"Voldemort." Harry replies. "I'm still having a hard time believing it though."
"Finally something we can actually believe." They say together again.
"I think there are still a lot of presents my son has yet to open." Voldemort says sounding bored. "And you crashing this party distracted us enough I'd say."
"Crashing?" They ask, "We were kidnapped and dragged here." The man glares at them until they both say, "We'll just zip it."
"Wow there is something in your head after all." The dark Lord says before he looks at Harry. "This mansion is on your name, seeing as it's your birthday and we're all fugitives anyway." After that he points towards a table and adds, "And the two small packages are from me too, though none of them cost all that much, they are more symbolic."
"My present is here." Bella excitedly says, holding out a flat package that looks like only some papers could possibly be inside. "This and the quidditch pitch I had organized for you in the garden."
"My gift is over there." Rabastan points towards a corner with one huge present.
"Mine is here." Sirius replies, "We both already know it'll be your favorite, don't we?"
"I don't know." Draco says handing Harry a small present, "A pitch is hard to beat."
"We didn't know." The twins say disappointed. "We got you something but that's at home."
"You are part of Bella's present, so you don't need anything." Harry replies smiling. While the rest in the room that hasn't given him anything pile their gifts on the table where Voldemort's ones are already resting, since Harry's arms are getting a little full, already holding Hermione's and Ron's since they arrived.
Harry puts everything on a table and opens first Hermione's and then Ron's, getting a new book on defense from his female friend and a simple training snitch from Ron. He thanks them both right after opening his gifts before taking the one from Sirius and giving him a hug as a thanks for the new broom and tells him that he doesn't have to get him something that expensive. During this time Hermione already starts to explain the twins some more about the circumstances of the whole thing, at least what little she knows, including what Dumbledore tried on Remus. Next comes yet another book, this one on dark creatures and how to avoid and defend against them, from Remus. After that there are only gifts from his new family and friends left and after considering it for just a split second he takes the small package from Draco and finds a long chain with a medallion on it. On the medallion is a chimera. Harry smiles at the medallion and opens it and to his surprise finds a picture of himself and his two best friends during their first year in school in it. He smiles even more and gives Draco a hug and a little kiss on his cheek and whispers, "Thanks, I love it."
"I thought you would. Probably more then with me in there." Draco whispers back during the embrace.
Harry hears the sadness in his voice and kisses his cheek before whispering, "I would have liked that too. But I'm very happy that you think of what I'd like before you do what you'd like. And I very much appreciate your thoughtfulness and promise that the medallion itself shall always remind me of you."
After that Harry takes the gift from his brother, certain that it's a potions book and surprised to find a book on the dark arts. He looks at the older man surprised and he just says, "I think your father already pointed out that it is the intention that counts when he told you why he usually kills with the Avada Kedavra rather than one of the countless other options." Harry nods and thanks the man also with a short hug, actually getting interested in reading the book. After that he opens the gifts from his father that are on the table and finds his own wand in a box that has the word trust written on it and in another that has the word family written on it is a book with pictures of his parents and Sev during different times of their lives, including one of all three of them while his mother is highly pregnant. Harry smiles and gives his father a short hug before asking, which gift was Bella's idea?"
"The book." Voldemort replies. "But she hardly had any pictures of Snape and only very few of Eileen and me."
Harry walks over to his godmother and gives her a hug as well saying, "Thanks for the thought. I really love it."
"I'm glad you like it." She says before looking to Sirius, "I got a hug even before he opened the one from me."
Sirius just rolls his eyes and says, "I got one when he saw me before we came and in case you didn't notice, he's opening the presents in order of who he likes better and mine is opened while yours still isn't."
"That's not entirely true." Harry says, "There are a lot I'd have to open at the same time to make that one work. I do still like you better than her but I'm starting to like her and you had a head start and now stop bickering you , why can't I just have three godparents?"
"You do." Rabastan insists, "Since I doubt either of us three will ever stop caring about you or step down even if you'd beg us to. But we will try to fight for the spot as your favorite and spoil you rotten to get that so get used to it. Bella and I would probably be rivals for that even if Sirius wouldn't be a third wheel."
"Who are you calling a third Wheel?" Sirius grumbles with a glare.
After that Harry takes the gift Bella got him and upon opening it and reading over the papers he finds inside he grins and says "Great, thanks Bella." After that he holds out the papers to the twins and one of them does take them after looking at him confused for a moment before they both start to read it.
While they read the paper Harry opens the huge present in the corner that is from Rabastan only to find ten brooms of the same kind Sirius got him. "You do realize that he can only fly one?" Sirius asks, still grinning.
Harry just ignores Sirius and gives Rabastan a hug too and thanks him while the twins shout, "You're bloody kidding us!"
"No." Harry says, "I want to see that joke shop, so I wished for a shop for the two of you and these," Harry adds taking first one broom and throws it towards Ron. "Are for you too and the rest goes to others, like the team and such." After that Harry throws both Fred and George a broom. "You want one Hermione?"
"No thanks." Hermione replies with a blush. "I can hardly stay safe on a simple school broom. I'd rather not risk my neck on one of those."
"A school broom is anything but simple." Harry points out. "These are way better and easier to handle. I can help you learn it."
"How about you give me your old firebold instead?" Hermione asks, "That one is at least a little safer and since you have another one from Siri I guess the emotional value isn't quiet as high due to that anymore."
"Good idea Hermione." Harry grins before throwing one to Malfoy adding, "No fun flying against you if you can't be a challenge."
"How stupid are you?" Ron whines. "He's filthy rich and can buy his own and he's the enemy!"
"And I outflew him when he had a better broom than me." Harry reminds him. "I don't want to be bored up there. And anyway, he doesn't have the money, his father has and that guy won't be around him for the moment, so Draco can't pester him for one."
"Why not?" Ron asks. "Malfoy always goes running to his daddy dearest."
"He's being punished for trying to kill Harry." Draco says carelessly. "He'll probably stay away in France or so and is not allowed back, unless they decide to kill him."
"I'm sorry Draco." Hermione says, trying to be sympathetic since Harry seems to like the blond, "I bet you're going to miss him."
"It'll be a cold day in hell before I ever visit him where he is." Draco tells her calmly. "I'm glad to be rid of him and actually would advice for that killing option."
Hermione frowns but doesn't say anything more until Severus says, "Harry, now that you are clearly allowed to communicate with your trustworthy friends, would you care to explain to us how you managed to contact Hermione before you were allowed? Just so we can ensure that you stay safe here."
Harry looks at Hermione who just shrugs and says, "Not like they can stop you, even if they wanted to."
"True." Harry says and then adds, "Never underestimate an elf. Dobby."
The elf shows up with a nearly soundless crack and says, "Master Harry Potter Sir called for Dobby? Oh my little Master Draco! How Dobby missed his little Master Draco, is little Master Draco doing okay all alone with bad Master Malfoy? Dobby is so sorry for having left poor little Master Draco alone, bad Dobby, bad bad Dobby."
"Stop it." Harry says, "I got you freed, so I'm to blame and I'll watch out for Draco now, so Lucius can't hurt him."
"And I told you a million times," Draco whines fighting a blush, "Don't call me little! Nothing about me is little!"
Nearly everyone laughs at Draco's whine. Only Severus and the dark Lord are frowning towards Dobby and it's the dark Lord that asks. "So the elf is not bound to you Harry?"
"No." Harry says, "He's a free elf."
"That is dangerous." Voldemort says with a sigh. "He could betray you much easier this way."
"He wouldn't." Harry says before Dobby can start to swear it.
Sadly it doesn't stop Dobby from showing his gratitude for the trust Harry shows in him, but before he can get any further then the first Syllable of Master, Voldemort speaks again. "I'm sure he would never intentionally do so but what if he's tricked? Dumbledore isn't a fool, he might try to get something out of him by twisting things around until Dobby truly thinks to protect you by telling that old fool all your secrets. It's much safer to bind him to you and that way he'll be much healthier too."
"Healthier?" Hermione asks, "What do you mean healthier, Dobby likes being a free elf. There should be no need to force him to be bound to anyone."
"Dobby."Voldemort says addressing the small elf. "I guess Miss Granger will be more likely to believe it when you tell her what I mean."
"Dobby will die younger than bound elves do" Dobby says, "Elves can do things wizards can't but elves will need wizards magic to slow our own aging a little. Bound elves life three times longer than free elves and Dobby sad that Winky will die younger because no wizard would take disgraced elf but Dobby rather life short but happy than be bad Master Malfoy's elf for long."
"But it would be possible to bind you two to someone?" Harry questions.
"Yes Master Harry Potter Sir, in theory it is." Dobby replies. "But who would take bad elves? We've been too bad to keep, who would want elves that been naughty?"
Harry goes down to the little elf and says, "Dobby. I can think of a few that would. I'm sure that even after everything Hermione did to free elves last year she'd never have done it if she knew that you'd die younger. She was just upset that Winky had been treated so harshly. And you know that I care about you, as well that already makes two people that would take you in and I'm sure Mrs. Weasley would also be glad for any help around the house she could get or maybe Severus or Remus, neither has an elf as far as I know. So you see you even get to choose."
"Would Master Harry Potter Sir really take Dobby as Masters elf?" Dobby asks surprised.
"Of course, Dobby." Harry tells him. "And I promise I'd never hurt you the way Lucius Malfoy did."
"Oh Dobby would never dare to think that Master Harry Potter Sir could be as vile as that man." Dobby says, "Dobby is happy that Master Harry Potter Sir would want Dobby. It's be an honour to Dobby to be chosen by Master Harry Potter Sir."
"I guess then it's settled." Harry says, looking at Hermione and Ron, "But what are we doing about Winky?"
Ron and Hermione are looking at each other before Ron looks towards the twins. "Mom would love to have one." Fred replies.
"But she's not here to bind her," George says, "And to be frank, she's likely to believe whatever Dumbledore says."
"Meaning she might betray even Harry." Fred says with a sigh.
"Of course not with bad intentions." Gorge insists,
"But she would believe Dumbledore whatever he says" Fred adds sadly.
"And he'd have an easy time to get her to tell her what he wants to hear." George sounds just as sad.
"He'd just have to tell her that Harry is in danger if he doesn't know." Fred states.
"Then Hermione should bind Winky to her." Ron says, "And maybe, she can borrow her to us on occasion."
"Only if Winky is agreeable to it." Hermione insists, "If she'd rather stay close to Dobby then Harry should bind both to him."
"Dobby will go and ask Winky." The happy elf says and is gone in a second.
"Happy now?" Harry asks his father.
"Better." Voldemort says, "But why did you choose a free elf in the first place? You must have known that he could betray you."
"Dobby really wouldn't" Harry says, "And I didn't have another choice. I had no idea how else to get the letter to her since Hedwig never showed up at Snape's, probably not getting through the wards. I hardly could use an elf bound to anyone else that would have been even more dangerous and Winky is too unstable, since she hates being a free elf she'd been even easier for Dumbledore to manipulate."
"I agree." Hermione says, "Dobby would die for Harry. He's more loyal to him then he was to Malfoy, the older one I mean, and that was even before he was freed."
A little later both Dobby and Winky are there and Winky says that she doesn't care who, if just one of them is kind enough to take her in but since she is clinging to Dobby the whole time Hermione says that it might be best for her if Harry takes her but tells her multiple times that if she rather go to her it'd be fine as well or even nearly anyone else who wouldn't betray Harry. And a few moments later Harry has two house elves that are probably going to spoil him rotten with the way they already start to make a birthday cake that outshines anything he's ever eaten in his life.
Authors Note: There you go, no snakes at the party, well no little ones anyway. But plenty of lions. Poor Fred and Gorge, nearly got crucioed by Bella thanks to Ron :P And the twins got their shop even though Cedric has gotten all that prize money and not Harry who passed it on to them. Anyway, will Lucius really stay way and what will happen next. Harry does seem to start and get along with his new family and even Fred and Gorge probably won't complain now that they got a shop from Bella's money and saw them all battle for Harry's attention and love all afternoon. But will Ron and Draco ever get along? Draco does seem to make an effort and so is Hermione even though she doesn't understand his reaction about his father yet. And will Hermione now stop her campaign to safe elves? Will those two elves come in handy some more or won't Harry need them for anything apart from delivering mail to Hermione?
But we still don't know if Voldy will let Harry return to Hogwarts even though he did finally return his wand. But he'll have to decide soon since the summer is going to end at the end of that month and Harry will have to get his stuff. And will he get it himself or will Dumbledore think him dead until he finally sees him at Hogwarts, if he even returns for classes rather then when Voldemort storms the Castle to take over. I he ever returns to the school, will Harry return in peace or in the middle of an epic battle?
