Chapter Ten: A Baby Boom

Godric's Hallow: August 4, 1980:

Cadmus had had a wonderful two years, and he was surprised they had gone by so fast. While in Hogwarts he had spent many summers learning to be a healer. As it stood he had doctorate in medicine and a masters in healing (the magical world did not have doctorates). As a new doctor he had needed to go through a residency, and so he had headed to America and to Swedish to get that training taken care of. He had worked both in the magical and muggle side of things and before he knew it two years had passed. Now he was back and ready to work at St. Mungos in the Grimmauld Magical Medical Complex that Lord Black had set up. Not only was their room for St. Mungos but there was room for other medical services. One that was really needed was dental care, teeth did not react well to magic and so muggle means were needed.

Yet Cadmus was here to meet himself, or rather the boy who he was supposed to be but had refused. It was not as confusing to him now as it had been when he knew this day was coming. Neville had been born a day before Harry and, in a wonderful twist Sirius had wed Marlene McKinnon and she had given birth to twins, Pollux Sirius and Cedrella Violet earlier that March. Sadly, Marlene had died shortly after, this was rare but she had ended up with sepsis and died shortly after. With this high profile death, more muggle means were being used to help with childbirth. Magical were starting to see that they were not above infection and could die from things like this. Sirius dotted on his children and was a very good father. Now Cadmus was seeing his cousin for the very first time, in fact he was holding him. Harry already had a tuft of black hair but his eyes had yet to change from blue to green.

"Well, so far the hair is all you James." Cadmus said, "but the face, now that is Lily, if he inherits your bad eyesight James, he is going to wear contacts, no need to have him look too much like you."

"Did you just call me ugly?"

"Yes and an imbecile." Severus said walking in, "though useful I suppose."

"Boys no fighting." Lily said, she may still be recovering from giving birth but she could hex from where she lay. "Sirius and Severus are his godfathers, I hope you do not mind."

"No, not at all, who is the godmother?"

"I was going with Alice, but then Minerva came to mind." Lily said, "so she shall be."

"Great choice." Cadmus said, "Harry here will be greatly loved."

"Yes, and I just wish my sister could be here, but that prophecy."

A chill came over Cadmus, no, not that, not now not after all he had done. He must have looked sick as Lily smiled at him and had him sit. She recited the thing to him, and it had changed but it still worried him. Born as the seventh month dies, born to those who defy evil. He will be the downfall of the dark lord, if raised by right he will do well, if raised by wrong the world will fail. Cadmus would make sure Harry was raised by right as would his parents. But there still was the worry, Voldemort was very weak, after his last attack he had been lying low as he did not have many followers. Severus took Harry and smiled at the baby who giggled at him, Severus had tied back his long black hair so Harry could not grab at that.

"So we are secure here." Lily said, "you don't need to worry, we have a good secret keeper."

"So Dumbledore." Cadmus said and by James' smile he felt a bit relieved. "Good, that should go well then."

"Harry is going to grow to be a good strong man, yes he is." Lily said cooing at Harry.

Cadmus still was worried but he brushed that off, if Dumbledore was the secret keeper then things would be fine this time around. Dumbledore of the future had too much on his plate but now, now he was focused on his students and the war, though he left the running of that mostly to Moody. There was very little war right now and hopefully it would be over soon enough.

Godric's Hallow: October 31, 1981:

Cadmus staggered up to the house, this was not happening, it could not be. He entered the house with Severus and saw James sprawled out dead, he saw movement and saw a rat trying to scurry away. Without thinking he stunned it and pocketed it. He headed up to the second floor to the nursery were Lily lay dead, a cloak and wand before her that did not belong to her. In the cot lay a stunned and sobbing Harry. Cadmus felt anger and hate for a moment, shook his head and picked up Harry. Severus was holding his sister and sobbing, Cadmus had his wand out as Dumbledore entered the room.

"You bastard!" Cadmus snarled, "you let this happen!"

"You are assuming I was the secret keeper, I was not." Dumbledore said, "how I wish I was, it was Peter Pettigrew."

"Him, but he was not friends with any of us." Cadmus said.

"He was, you need to see this." Severus said handing Cadmus a letter, "they knew, they knew they had to, to…"

Dear Family,

Voldemort will be gone by the time you read this letter. Not vanquished for a time but gone. In order for him to be gone Harry has to survive and Harry will indeed be his downfall. I know about Peter, I have for a long time, but James and I had to do things this way. Millions will die if we don't do this, I am sorry to cause so much pain. As you are reading this we did die saving our baby. Please raise him with love and get him to Petunia, she will know what to do."

Love Lily.

"I will go with you." Severus said hoarsely.

"Very well, but I can't keep this quiet, not with what Peter did." Dumbledore said, "if you could hand him over I promise he will get what is due."

Cadmus handed the rat over, for who else could the rat be? Then with Severus he shrunk down the nursery putting it into a bag and Apparating away from the ruined house. They landed not at Rose Dairy, but at Cadmus's clinic in Grimmauld Square. Here Harry was checked out and when found in good health but for the scar on his forehead that was just a scar, Cadmus apparated to Rose Dairy. He rang the bell and waited, and soon enough Vernon came down, he saw Cadmus with baby Harry and led him into the house.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

I am fully aware that that was not a very nice thing to do to leave things like that. However, there is a reason, and we will see more of Harry next chapter.

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