Next chapter of the collab between Acherona and trulywicked
WARNING: Cuddly friendship, violence, wibbling for Sirius and Remus missing each other, and the entrance of Mpreg. If you are not a fan of Male Pregnancy...well you'd best just give up on this fic now as it will feature heavily in the rest of it.
Disclaimer: We have no claim on Harry Potter nor any characters or locations thereof. We gain only amusement from writing this.
Hermione flipped irritably through a few books in the library, muttering bad temperedly. "'Nothing to worry about' does he think I've taken leave of my senses?"
Harry had been looking all over for Hermione, turning quite a few heads due to the unconventional hair color he was sporting at the moment. When he finally picked up the map to find her he felt like kicking himself. Of course she was at the library, he knew Hermione and that was the first place he should have looked. He made his way over there and walked to their usual table. Harry sat down at the other side of the table hesitantly. "I'm sorry Mione."
She picked up her quill and shook it in his face. "I am not someone who can't put two and two together you know. I can connect events with cause and effect."
"I know that, you're the smartest witch I know." He took the hand she was shaking the quill with and held it in both his hands. "I'm a coward Mione, I don't want to have him in my head more that I already did. I don't want to think and ponder and worry about what this means and I took it out on you...I'm so sorry."
Her face softened and she shook her head. "You're not a coward Harry. You are, and always have been, the bravest person I know. You have the weight of the world on your shoulders but you continue to live and find joy in spite of it all. This," she reached up with her free hand and tapped his scar, "is nothing we can't deal with. There are a thousand ways to cast a single spell so I'll find a bloody way to get rid of that without losing my dearest friend."
"Thank you Mione." He brought the hand he clasped in his own to his face to nuzzle it. "I don't feel brave though, never have. Most of the time I simply feel confused and messed up. I can do anything though, as long as I have you and Ron along with me."
"We'll be there mate, you know it." Ron stepped out from behind a bookshelf, hood pulled over his head to hide the pink abomination that was his hair at the moment.
Hermione nodded and pat Harry's cheek before running her hand through the pink mess she'd made of his hair. "Of course we will and if anyone tries to keep us from coming along on your next mad adventure, well I'll turn them into one big boil."
"A smelly oozing one." Ron agreed readily.
Harry smiled at his best friends in the whole world. "Yeah." He nodded. "I like the sound of that."
"Now Hermione..." Ron turned blue puppy-eyes on the witch. "Can you pleeeaase do something about this?" He pulled the hood down and pulled at his hair. "I clash with myself." Ron looked like he was about to cry.
She lifted a brow. "Well I suppose pink really isn't your best color," she flicked her wand and had his hair turning a neon green instead, then she got up, grabbed her books, and ran from the library before Ron could realized that he still didn't have his original color hair.
Snickering Harry looked at his friend and transfigured one of the books into a hand mirror and held it in front of Ron. "Well at least it's not pink." He said with a choked laugh.
"Bloody hell!" Ron turned his head from side to side with a miserable expression. "I look like a walking ad for Christmas...that or a giant booger. I don't know what's worse."
Harry snorted and couldn't hold his laughter in anymore as it echoed throughout the library.
Sirius hacked at the practice dummy with a single minded viciousness the blows echoing in the silence in 12 Grimmauld Place's courtyard and just reminding him that he was in the bloody house by his own bleeding self. A snarl twisted his mouth as he slashed down with his blade. Fucking Dumbledore. Takes his mate away and then drags his old, moldy feet in deciding whether or not to let Minerva hire Sirius as her assistant. He was losing his mind with just Kreacher about. The elf might not be as batty as before but he wasn't what you'd call company as he preferred to be away from humans.
He spun to slice off the dummy's arm then his eyes widened as it upset something in his internal balance and had him lunging for the bushes to cast up his accounts into them for what was becoming an evening routine.
Kreacher poked his head through the doorway, his large ears fluttering. He didn't like to go outside but he had to look after Master Black, it was his duty, his responsibility and the young Master had asked him to do so. "Is all well Master?" He shouted thinly across the courtyard. "Master has gotten himself a letter."
"I'll be there in a-hungh!" The sound of vomiting rather than sword against wooden dummy was now what echoed through the courtyard as Sirius' stomach revolted again, spewing his dinner on the ground.
Kreacher popped to the kitchen to gather a pitcher of water and a glass and popped back into the doorway. The old house elf looked around worriedly before he gathered courage and scuttled across the open courtyard until he got to his Master's side. "Here, Master should rinse out Master's mouth." He handed the glass to Sirius.
Sirius waited until he was sure his stomach wasn't about to turn on him again then took the glass, swished some water around in it, spat it out, then sipped the rest carefully. "Thank you Kreacher. You said I have a letter?"
"Yes." Kreacher snapped his fingers and a thick envelope appeared in his spindly hands. The emerald ink and Hogwarts seal made it quite clear where it came from.
The wizard opened it with a mix of trepidation and eagerness, reading the no nonsense writing of McGonagall then grinning at the first line telling him that he had the job. The rest of the letter was detailing the duties he'd have and what he absolutely was not allowed to do. He chuckled at the 'I realize that asking you to refrain from practical jokes and the like would be much akin to attempting to hold back an ocean with a single plank, however you will not cause any disruption of the functioning of the school or I will make certain you regret it.' He finished the letter and stood. "Well Kreacher looks like we're moving to Hogwarts for the rest of the school year."
"Kreacher too?" The house elf sounded surprised but not entirely displeased. To be really honest he didn't want to be alone anymore either, if he was left here he wouldn't even have Mistress Black's portrait to yell at him since Walburga still hadn't returned to her frame. "I guess Kreacher will go pack then." There was new life in Kreacher's steps as he hurried to get the Master's packing done.
Sirius shook his head then pressed his hand to his mouth as his stomach churned a bit. "Ugh first thing I'm doing once we get there is seeing Pomfrey about this stomach bug." His lips curved in a wicked smile. Since house elves could pop in and out of Hogwarts he had a good way to surprise the manipulative headmaster, if Kreacher wouldn't mind popping them both to Hogwarts that is.
Albus Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, sucking on a lemon drop happily and going over the plans for this year's Halloween celebration. The students needed a bit of a party. The world was a serious and troubled place at the moment but it was important to grab a hold of joy where you could find it. He was pondering a show with the house ghosts when there was a loud pop and he was no longer alone in the office. Dumbledore nearly fell off his chair when his eyes landed on the tall man sitting on his desk, swinging his legs casually over the edge.
Sirius grinned widely. "Good evening Headmaster. How is everything?" Oh that jolt had done his heart good.
Dumbledore blinked a few times, needing a moment to compose himself. It wasn't much that could still surprise him but Sirius had managed. "Except for having a few years scared out of me all is well Mr. Black. Welcome to Hogwarts."
Sirius hopped off the desk. "Thank you and that's good to hear." He let Albus decide which part exactly was good to hear. "I hope you don't mind but I brought Kreacher along. I didn't wish to leave him in Grimmauld by himself, I know how that weighs on someone."
"Why should I mind? Kreacher is very welcome to stay." Albus was back to his old self, having recovered from the shock. He did notice the bite in Sirius' voice but he chose to ignore it. "Would you like to be shown to your quarters?"
"Mmm if you'll have one of the Hogwarts elves show Kreacher were too put everything he'll show me later. Right now I have something I have to do first."
Albus inclined his head towards Sirius and called on a house elf. Dobby popped in, his bug eyes going moist at the sight of Sirius but before he could get into one of his rants Dumbledore asked him to show Kreacher to Mr. Black's room. Dobby nodded, still looking at Sirius with hero worship and popped out with Kreacher in tow.
"Again welcome to Hogwarts." Dumbledore said and went back to his Halloween plans.
Sirius just made a hum and left heading right for the infirmary.
Hermione entered the infirmary along with Harry, who'd been somewhat in a frantic panic when Dobby had informed them that Sirius was in the infirmary and needed Harry there quickly, and paused when she saw a pale Sirius sitting on the edge of one of the infirmary beds.
Harry rushed over, noticing how pale his godfather was and the dark shadows underneath his eyes. "Hey Snuffles, everything okay?" He hugged Sirius tightly and sat down next to him on the bed, still having a lump of worry in his stomach.
Sirius leaned his head on Harry's shoulder. "Depends on your definition of okay."
Hermione jolted as she was tapped on the shoulder and Regulus, followed by Kreacher, strode in. "The why don't we start with, are you dying?"
Sirius looked at his brother. "No."
"Okay, good...No dying." Harry breathed a little easier after hearing that. "Then what is it? Do I need to go out in the world and kick some arsses? Just point me in the right direction and I will go." Harry petted his godfather on the head gently, feeling the silky hair under his fingers.
"You could start with the old coot up in his office." Sirius closed his eyes then made a soft almost whine as he felt his brother step close and put his hand on his shoulder.
"Siri, what is going on?"
Madam Pomfrey came into the room with a small potion crate and spoke in her no nonsense way. "Lord Black is expecting."
Regulus cursed softly, "You forgot the contraceptive charm." It wasn't a question.
Harry's hand stilled on top of Sirius' head as he reeled from the shock. "You're pregnant?" Harry gawked before wrapping his arms around Sirius tightly. "Okay I really will kick Dumbledore's ass. Remus needs to know, he needs to come back."
Sirius winced just a bit. "I haven't gotten a letter from him yet and the owls I've sent before now come back with the letters. I don't think they've been able to find him." that had been another reason he'd been going quickly and not so quietly mad at Grimmauld. Not a peep had come from his mate and none of his letters were getting to Remus. It worried him.
Harry held on tighter, knowing it must be agony not to get hold of his mate. "Have you tried sending him a patronous or is that not safe for him?" Harry had no idea what it was Remus was doing out there in the woods or how accepting the packs would be to wizarding magic. The Ministry hadn't exactly eased up on the Dark Creature laws over the years, a reason why so many of said creatures followed Voldemort. Not because they were terribly evil but because Voldemort in all his horror promised them a better life. "I'm sure he'll be back soon though, or at least be in touch." The words sounded a bit hollow even to Harry himself.
The animagus shook his head. "It's not an emergency and if I sent a patronus it could endanger him. I'll just keep trying to owl him." He resisted whining about wanting his Moony here now and just gave Harry a squeeze.
Regulus pat his brother's shoulder. "It will be alright. You're not alone, you've got Harry and myself and by the time you're showing at least half of Hogwarts, and here you've got madam Pomfrey to look after your health and the baby's health."
"You're right. But I intend to make Albus' job a lot harder even while I make Minerva's easier. It's petty but," he shrugged.
"It's understandable." Harry said softly. "I would resent it if someone separated me from the one I loved too, even if it was necessary or for a good cause. You can't help how you feel. Professor Dumbledore could have been more tactful, he should know better than anyone what you two have already been through." Sirius was his godfather but suddenly Harry felt very protective of the older man. "Regulus is right though, you are not alone."
Hermione stepped forward drawing Sirius' attention and a sheepish smile and she poked his cheek. "You certainly are not alone. Ron and I will be here helping Harry and Professor Black support you."
"See, soon you'll be longing for your solitude." Harry smiled. "This baby is going to have the best extended family ever. I'm going to be a fantastic...god...brother? I think I'll stick with uncle."
Sirius chuckled. "Uncle Bambi it is. And I will never long for solitude never, maybe silence but never solitude. I am glad I'm here though, no one's better than Pomfrey."
Regulus smiled a bit as his brother's color returned and he fell back into his normal character.
Madam Pomfrey cleared her throat in amusement, "I'm not the only one best at my job." She set the crate on the bed next to Harry. "Prenatal potions, one a day every day for the entire pregnancy. That's a month's supply, when you get down to three tell me and I'll have Severus brew some more and don't," she pointed sharply at Sirius, "give me that look. I'll not tell him who they're for and I doubt he'll guess. You'd be surprised the number of boys and girls I end up with in here who weren't as careful as they should have been."
"Really?" Harry cocked his head to the side and wondered which ones of his schoolmates were too eager.
The door to the infirmary slammed open and Ron came galloping inside. "Hello." He went over and clapped Sirius on his shoulder before looking around curiously. "What've I missed? I would have been here sooner but bloody Zabini insisted on getting that damned essay perfect...Sorry professor." He looked at Regulus sheepishly.
Regulus merely lifted a dark brow that had the redhead shifting uncomfortably. Sirius thumped his brother on the arm. "Stop that. Ron the only thing you missed was me freaking out over becoming a Mum."
"Congratulations." Ron bumped fists with Sirius. Having grown up in an all wizarding family he wasn't shocked at all by a man being pregnant. He had plenty of Prewett cousins having been made that way. "If you want to I could ask mum for pointers. If anyone knows babies...or at least how to breed them it's her."
Harry snorted at Ron's wording.
Sirius laughed and hopped off the bed. "I'd appreciate that Ron. I'm gonna want all the help I can get." He turned glimmering puppy eyes on his brother. "I don't suppose you'd mind carrying the potions to my new quarters for me would you?"
The lighter gray eyes of the younger Black rolled, "Did you or did you not bring Kreacher hm?"
"Oh, right." Sirius called for the house elf and soon popped away with Kreacher to his new quarters.
Regulus looked at the three students, "I believe we should get out of Madam Pomfrey's infirmary in the case that someone comes in."
"You're probably right." Ron said and slung his arm around Harry's shoulder. "Though most students are used to seeing Harry here on a regular basis. They're most likely shocked that he has managed to evade it so far this year."
"Hey, I'm not here that much." Harry pinched Ron's side when the redhead only raised an eyebrow at him.
Hermione cleared her throat and pointed at a bed at the back of the infirmary with a plaque over it engraved with Harry's name. "I believe Madam Pomfrey added that our Fourth Year."
The medi-witch spoke flatly, "Third actually."
"You too Poppy?" Harry looked at her with puppy eyes. "And here I thought you were on my side, that we had a special relationship you and I. I'm wounded, hurt all the way in my soul."
"Yeah, yeah, take your wounded soul and get your arse moving before you have a valid reason to stay here." Ron pulled on his best friend to get him moving before Madam Pomfrey knocked him over the head or hexed him.
Regulus exchanged an amused look with Poppy as the Golden Trio exited the infirmary and then left himself to see if he could puzzle out some way to get a hold of Remus without putting the werewolf in danger.
Remus scoffed at the disbelieving gasps echoing around the glade as the leader of the pack he was visiting rolled over and bared his throat at Remus. The man talked big but was incredibly easy to take down. Remus hadn't even broken a sweat. He was starting to get sick and tired of being challenged everywhere he went though. How difficult could it be to just listen?
Remus was feeling agitated and on edge all the time and he absolutely hated being away from Sirius. The sheer stupidity of the wolves he had encountered so far weren't helping any. Usually his wolf felt excited being around other wolves but this trip it had been nothing but restless and Remus was not feeling well. His stomach rolled and turned on the weirdest times and he had trouble sleeping. The mate mark ached and itched and Remus was starting to think that maybe he had been poisoned somehow. All in all it made his temper very, very short.
"Get up!" He snarled at the wolf on the ground.
The pack leader whined and rolled smoothly to his feet, keeping his eyes averted from Remus'. "What may I do for you Silver Soul?"
"You can start by listening with an open mind." Remus tried to leash in his temper. He had proved himself and it wasn't in a wolf's nature to hold a grudge. His stomach twisted and Remus swallowed several times, fighting the urge to be sick. He couldn't show weakness now. He told the pack all the things Dumbledore wanted him to say but he didn't lie, he refused to make promises he knew wouldn't be kept. He simply tried to make them see that out of two evils the Order was the least evil. Remus reached up to rub his mate mark and was assaulted by longing for his mate, so strong that it almost brought him to his knees.
The pack leader glanced briefly at the small movement, recognizing it for the hunger to feel connected to one's mate that it was, then gazed at the ground. "The pack will consider it. If we do not join we will remain neutral as we've no desire to endanger our pups."
Remus bowed his head to the other Alpha. "I can ask no more than your consideration and I would never want you to endanger your pups." He looked at the children hiding behind the adults with a soft expression. "They should never be hurt in any way."
The sign of mutual respect had the pack alpha meeting Remus' gaze briefly. "Will you stay with us this evening Silver Soul or must you move on?"
"If it's not too much of an imposition I will stay and leave early in the morning." Remus' stomach rolled again and sweat was running down his back. He wasn't in any shape to travel and he hoped that a night in the same place would make him feel better.
The pack's alpha shook his head. "It is no trouble." He waved a sweet looking female over. "Soft Rain will show you to a guest tent."
The female smiled gently at Remus, "If you will follow me Silver Soul. Travel weighs on one's spirit, yours will do well with a rest."
"Thank you Soft Rain." Remus smiled back and followed the young woman to a tent at the outer edge of the camp. "I find rest hard to come by, my soul is reaching out for its other half." He had no idea why he told Soft Rain but Remus simply had to tell someone, he was broken without Sirius and it was tearing him apart.
She touched his shoulder briefly in comfort. "Separation from a mate is always painful, even more so with a new bond. That you and your mate stepped forward to take that upon yourselves to bring a better end to the war that is tearing at the world speaks much of your spirits' strength. Gain more knowing that you are in your mate's heart and mind and they are in yours." She then raised her gaze to the clouds and sunny autumn sky. "You still stand under the same sun and when the sun sleeps you see the same stars and moon. You are still connected, separated only by physical distance."
"That is true." Remus looked up at the sun and wrapped the knowledge that Sirius was under the same sun around himself like a warm cloak, trying his best to find comfort in the thought. "You are very wise." Remus bowed his head to her and walked into the tent and sat down on the woven mat. He pressed his fingers to his mate mark and concentrated on Sirius, hoping that some way, his love would come through to his mate, that he could feel it.
On his way to Minerva's office after getting acquainted with his quarters Sirius suddenly stopped, inhaling sharply at a rush of warmth coming from his mate mark. His hand flew up to it, his eyes closing in relief knowing his mate was still alive and well if the strength of that warmth was any indication. He tried to send the same back as he whispered, "Moony. Hurry up and come back to me pet." A cleared throat informed him that someone was waiting for him to either move or acknowledge them and he blushed when he opened his eyes to see Minerva standing there. "I was on my way I swear. And I've got something to tell you that'll have me doing nothing but your paperwork in a few months."
Molly smiled when she saw the tiny owl fluttering outside the kitchen window. It seemed her baby boy had sent them a letter. She hadn't heard anything from the faculty at Hogwarts so hopefully it was not bad news. She opened the window and caught Pig just before the owl crashed into her hair. Molly removed the letter and placed Pig on the counter with a plate of cookies in front of him. The bird had a sweet tooth just like its master. She sat down at the table to read the letter and her jaw dropped. Sirius Black pregnant...Well apparently wonders would never cease.
"Arthur, Arthur where are you? You have to read this." She called for her husband, already planning what she would write back and wondering where she had placed her knitting needles. The babe would need both blankets and clothes.
"Hm?" The balding man shuffled in from the other room where he'd been reading a book on Muggle aircraft. He noticed Pig and reached out to tickle the tiny owl's chest feathers. "Ron sent a letter?" He took the parchment his wife waved in his face with a fond smile and began reading, his brows lifting halfway up his forehead. "Well this is a wonderful surprise isn't it?"
Molly nodded, she had been hard on Sirius last year when they were all stuck in Grimmauld Place over the summer but she loved him dearly and was happy that he was getting his life back, getting a family. "It really is. I think I have some baby books from when I was expecting Ginny I can send him and of course we will need to floo to Hogwarts one weekend so that I can speak to him, make sure he's alright and that he's eating properly."
Arthur chuckled and leaned in to buss his wife's cheek. "I think he'll appreciate that, probably more than his pride will let him express. It'll be good to check up on Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione as well."
"Oh yes, it will be very nice indeed. Maybe we can take all of them to dinner in Hogsmeade? I miss my babies." Molly gripped Arthur's hand. "It's so empty around here now, soon all of them will have flown the coop."
He squeezed her hand and slipped an arm around her shoulders. "I know love but sooner or later we'll have grandchildren to spoil rotten and you know the children would be thrilled to have us visit."
"I know love. I'm just getting a bit weepy here, thinking of how quickly time passes. Bill is getting married and Ginny is already fifteen. Grandbabes will be wonderful though and now we can practice on Sirius' wee one." Molly leaned against her husband.
He smiled and teased. "As if you need practice love," he kissed her cheek again, "no other mother in the world holds a candle to you pet."
"Ah but a mother and a grandmother is two very different things. Do you remember your mother? She drove me bonkers, always knew best and told me how to raise our brood...I don't want to become that kind of grandmother, or mother in law for that matter." She tilted her head and kissed her beautiful, flame haired Arthur on the lips. "It will be fun though, we can spoil them all day and return them when the sugarkick hits." Molly chuckled. "Now where did I put those baby books?"
He squeezed her. "I think you made fussings about whether to put them in Ginny's Hope Chest or a box to send to Fleur later."
"Thank you love." Molly got up from the table and moved towards the staircase. "I put them in the attic for Fleur, well I guess she'll just have to wait." Molly moved quickly, she had letters to write, books to send and booties to knit. She hummed softy as she got started, all Molly wanted was to feel needed.
Arthur watched her bustle to the stairs fondly then looked around the place she'd made a home. His gaze lit on a picture of their third eldest and he sighed a bit. He simply didn't understand why Percy had suddenly broken with them and clung so tightly to the rules and regulations of the Ministry, especially with how it hurt Molly and he knew his wayward son loved his mother. He only hoped that Percy would come back to the family soon.
TW's A/N: *cackles* YES ENTER THE MPREG! MUAHAHAHAHAHA! Now some of you might be...curious about the werewolf pack as we represented them. The theory behind it is that, separated from society as they're forced to be, the packs have gone back to nature and as they don't, as a rule, receive formal magical training those who have magic have to express it and control it on their own so it results in a more...keen insight into nature and the spirits of the natural world around them. They use it to size up new people too. They call Remus Silver Soul because when the spiritual leader of a pack sizes him up he or she sees mostly a pair of silver eyes. Being as Remus has brown to amber eyes (depending on how wolfish he's feeling) they view it as the eyes of his soul.
