Paddy's Little Pup

By Teacherbev

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, I am not a multinational bookselling company, nor am I a multi-million dollar movie company, so I don't own anything that you recognize. I am a retired former teacher who likes to twist plots and play with characters, so enjoy.

AN: I have no idea what happened with the missing 'e's in the last chapter, but I have reposted it with the corrections. I do have very little use of the last two fingers on my left hand so I am sort of an eight fingered typist which makes for some interesting errors, but missing 'e's aren't usually one of them.

Chapter 10: Moving

The morning after Albus had been inundated with howlers from irate members of the wizarding community for his disastrous decision to place Harry Potter with his abusive muggle relatives, Poppy finally decided that Harry's right leg had healed enough and that the bone was now sturdy enough for him to begin to walk again. She was a little leery about the damage to his spinal cord, but the benefits of bearing weight on the healing bone outweighed her lingering doubts about his spine.

So after a hearty breakfast Paddy was walking in his dog form with Harry on one side, his little arm encircling the furry neck as he stood beside his new dad, waiting for the momentary dizziness to pass before walking down the long ward to a waiting Remus who was preparing a nice warm bath for the five year old. After all, cleaning spells only made a body hygienic; it didn't really take the place of a nice soaking bath. Poppy stood facing the two, she walked slowly backwards in front of the two wizards, not interfering but available if they needed her as she analyzed the boy's gait after his recovery.

"Take your time, Harry we aren't in a hurry. The bath will stay warm for you." Poppy said as Harry looked over at her, worried his slow pace would make the woman mad at him. Paddy wagged his tail and licked his son's face to reinforce what Poppy was telling the boy. He was having a horrible time not being a mother hen after the horrific events of the last week. He had vowed to never let Harry out of his sight ever again, well at least not any more than he had to.

Harry shuffled his right leg forward, unable to really lift his foot up off of the stone floor very much. He leaned his weight onto his good left foot and then hesitantly leaned forward, reluctantly putting pressure on his right foot. He looked up at Paddy, his face beaming. "It doesn't hurt, Paddy! It's weak and shaky but it doesn't hurt at all." His face was lit with wonder as he took another small step forward, relishing the feeling of being upright and walking again.

Paddy barked with laughter, his tail wagging madly as Poppy smiled at the two. "That's the beauty of magic! Now let's get a move on, your Uncle Remus is waiting and so is that bath."

Harry managed to make it all the way down the long hall, though he never managed to completely lift his right foot off of the floor. As he languished in the hot tub, watched over by a very cautious Remus, Sirius went to Poppy's office to discuss Harry's progress with the medi-witch. "He's limping pretty badly, Poppy. And he can't seem to lift that right foot off of the ground at all. Will that go away?" He looked anxiously at the woman.

Poppy nodded while smiling gently at the worried father in front of her. "Yes, he will recover; the limping and his not being able to raise his foot, is because of the lingering nerve damage to his spine, but he will be getting a regular dose of nerve regenerative potions for at least a week more. He is just too young and too small for the regular potions and much too small to withstand the normal healing spells. He couldn't handle that much healing magic without overloading his own developing magic. I will give you a list of exercises for him to continue to do and he will be fully recovered in just a few short weeks. You will be able to put this away behind you like a bad nightmare soon, I promise Sirius." She reached behind her desk and pulled out a small rowan wood staff that was barely waist high to Sirius. It was carved with a complicated design of magical runes and fanciful magical creatures with a rounded bulb on the top. "Let him use this staff for a while to help his balance. I don't know exactly where it came from but the Headmaster sent it down with a house elf for him."

Sirius took the beautiful staff, a warm feeling of peace and power surged through him when the bare flesh of his hand encircled the polished wood, a feeling of agelessness and awe sweeping through him at the feeling. "What is this, Poppy? Did you feel that surge of magic when you touch it?"

"Yes, I did and Albus assures me it will help young Harry as he recovers and then grows. He said he is to use it instead of a wand for focusing his magic and that he will talk with you about it in a month or two, but he would like for Harry to keep it with him at all times in the meantime."

Sirius turned at a shout from the bathroom and said goodbye to Poppy as he went to help Remus get Harry out of the tub and dressed. He handed the staff to Harry after the small boy was dressed in a warm set of everyday robes and blinked at the sight. Harry had instinctively grabbed the polished wood to his chest with both hands and he was bathed in a golden bubble of magic that seemed to sink into his skin as the two men watched in stunned silence. Harry grinned, his smile splitting his face in two as he thanked Sirius for the staff. "Wow Paddy thanks. It's wonderful and I feel so much better now. It took all of the tiredness away. Can I use it to go for a walk now? I've been in bed too long and the castle is so big, can I go explore with you, can I, can we please?" His voice bubbled with happiness and excitement as the two men regained their composure and began chuckling at the eagerness of the boy.

Remus ruffled the already bath messy black hair that remained in the front of Harry's head as he looked over at his friend for his opinion. Seeing Sirius' smiling face, he ran back to grab a pair of small shoes from beside Harry's bed and brought them back so that Harry could put them on. "If we can sneak past Madame Pomfrey without her noticing we can." Sirius whispered as he tied Harry's shoes on tightly.

"I heard that!" came a sharp voice from within Pomfrey's office, followed by a knowing chuckle. "But you can go for a while Harry as long as one of those two miscreants carries you if you get too tired… and no climbing stairs! Sirius or Remus can carry you up and down for now!"

The three were laughing as the left the hospital wing, Harry clutching the staff in his right hand as it leant strength to his weak leg, off to explore.

The students kept giving the three odd glances as they noticed them walking the halls, but since they were rushed on their way between classes, no one really paid too much attention to the trio who were walking slowly, the child with the chin high staff plodding determinedly in between the two hovering men. Harry reached up for Paddy's neck as they reached the outside doors, anxious for some fresh air after his enforced week inside the stuffy overly white infirmary.

Sirius swept him up in his arms, settling the boy's bottom on his strong arm as he felt Harry's arms clench tightly around his neck, his small head swiveling madly from side to side as he tried to take in all of the sights at once.

Remus laughed at the two as they made their way down to an invitingly spread blanket with a large wicker basket set out on it. Albus Dumbledore was leaning languidly back on one long arm, his long legs spread out in front of him as he threw pieces of bread at the bobbing head of the giant squid. Sirius gently sat Harry down on his feet so that he could walk the last couple of feet to the waiting old man. Harry sat down on one corner of the blanket, carefully keeping his beloved Paddy between him and the very old man that looked vaguely familiar to him.

Harry reached over and tugged at Paddy's dark blue robe and pulled it, leaning close so he could whisper in his ear when Paddy bent towards him. "Is he Merlin?" was the boy's whispered question.

Paddy sat up and chuckled softly while rubbing the back of Harry's head where his hair was growing out and making it feel soft and fuzzy. "No, pup he's not Merlin, though he's almost that old I think."

Albus leaned around Sirius so that he could see directly into the face of the small boy that was burying his face into the side of his guardian for protection from the unknown and obviously very old man.

"Ah, it's good to see you up and about, Harry. I will assume from the expression on your face that you do not remember me from the last week. Let me introduce myself once again, I am Albus Dumbledore and I am the Headmaster here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please, gentlemen, let's eat this lovely picnic that the elves have provided for us and then we can discuss some of our plans later while Harry feeds the swans."

The three wizards sat back, idly watching as Harry sat on the edge of the lake, throwing chunks of bread at the rapidly gathering flock of hooting swans that were swimming madly in front of him.

"Now, what did you need to speak with us about Albus?" Remus spoke first since Sirius was still eating a last piece of treacle tart with great relish.

"I think it would be wise of you three to move to the Shrieking Shack immediately rather than return young Harry to the infirmary." He raised an age spotted and gnarled hand to forestall their objections. "Yes, I know but I will convince Poppy myself of the necessity." The two wizards looked relieved; Poppy in full medi-witch mode could frighten anyone.

"We have been lucky so far that no one has needed her services for more than a few moments, but that cannot continue and we do not want the rumor mill spreading the identity of Harry any more than it already has. The elves have made the shack habitable for you and it is close enough that Poppy could be immediately available if necessary until Harry's current series of potions is completed. They have even made an exercise room for the boy to regain some of his strength and practice his walking." He turned to look directly at Sirius as he continued. "I need you to go this afternoon to Gringotts. I have 'owled' them to prepare a listing of both Potter and Black properties for you to pick up. I need you to choose which property you wish to live at for the next few years." He turned to look back at a giggling Harry who was inundated with the very tame swans as they climbed all over themselves and him to get more bread.

"I suspect between the two families there is a suitable property, hopefully somewhere rather isolated with some acreage so that Harry is able to go outside, perhaps learn to fly a broom, and just be free to explore as he grows older. When you have chosen, I will cast any new wards needed, so chose your secret keeper. Do you still have house elves? Or do the Potters?"

"I wouldn't trust any Black house elf still living. Kreacher was the last one at my mother's decrepit old house and he was quite mad and totally evil. I know the ancestral Potter Manor house would work quite well. Lily and James didn't want to live there with just the two of them; and the memories of James' parents and grandparents living there with him as a young boy were still painful to James. And then once Harry was born, they thought the small cottage at Godric's Hollow would be easier to hide, since very few people even knew of its existence." Sirius' voice was tinged with bitterness and betrayal as he thought of his friends and their ultimate betrayal by their friend Peter Pettigrew. He looked around Albus to Remus and spoke hesitantly.

"Remus, I can think of no one I would trust more…would you secret keep for us and live with us? I want you to be there for Harry and the Potter Manor is old enough it still has dungeons that we could set up for your 'furry little problem' so it would be perfectly safe. I believe the Potter elves would still be keeping up the property, it's only been four years since James last checked, but I seem to recall him telling me that he had given them contingency plans in case anything happened to him and Lily."

Remus stood up and walked around the blanket so that he could grab Sirius in a warm embrace before pounding him on the back. His eyes were suspiciously wet as he pulled back and choked out. "Of course I'll be your secret keeper," his eyes glinted with a feral golden light as he continued. "And I give my vow that I will die before betraying you or my cub."

Albus stood up with a spry grace that belied his many years and with a flick of his wand, the remains of the sumptuous picnic flew back into the basket before it disappeared. "I shall send an elf down to you in the shack then and inform Madame Pomfrey of your new residence. I suspect you will be receiving regular visits from her, so I have set up a temporary floo connection between the shack and the infirmary. The password is 'safe haven' for the infirmary and 'Paddy's place' for the shack. It is not connected to any other floo so you will have to apperate to Diagon Alley or take the public floo in the Three Broomsticks. Good afternoon gentlemen and let me know at your earliest convenience when to go set the wards." With his hands clasped behind his back, the ancient wizard strolled amiably toward the castle, humming an unrecognizable tune as he strolled along.

"Hey, pup; are you ready to go and look at your new home?" Sirius called to Harry.

"A new home for us, really Paddy, we don't have to go back to the Dursleys? Where is it, can we go now? Is Uncle Moony coming too?" Harry was so excited he forgot to wait for the answers.

Sirius picked up Harry under the arms, swung him around in the air and ducked his head so that when he stood up, Harry was sitting on his shoulders. Remus grabbed the madly swinging staff before someone got hit with it and the three took off down towards Hogsmeade, laughing and enjoying the fall afternoon.

Every day, Paddy would get Harry up and dressed while Remus would clean up the small house, he was much better at household charms than Paddy was and took only moments to straighten rooms, make beds and clean clothes. The first hour after breakfast Harry would spend in the exercise room, carefully stretching and strengthening his spine and legs, a little bit more every day. Then he would have math, reading and science lessons with Remus while Paddy would disappear for a short time. He always told Remus he was checking with the Potter elves on the renovations and choosing new furniture and clothing for when they moved to the Manor, but Remus had his suspicions about his old friend and his mysterious disappearances, and he thought they might include a very pretty young nurse and her six year old daughter, but he had no concrete proof. After lunch and a short nap, Harry would listen to the two men tell stories about wizarding history and the ceremonies and rituals that made up so much of wizarding culture, followed by quiet activities that allowed Harry to rest and yet strengthened the deepening bond of trust and love that was growing between the three.

And then a week after they had moved into the shack, Albus came to visit with Poppy as she did her daily evaluation of Harry's progress. Sirius was gone on another of his missions so Albus pulled Remus to the side to talk to him out of Harry's hearing. "There have been several mysterious happenings this past week involving Severus and some…unusual…episodes. Would you, perhaps, know anything about them?"

"What happenings, what's going on, Albus?" The confusion on the man's face was genuine and no guile was present so Albus ruled out Remus' participation in the pranks and settled all of his suspicions on Sirius. "Well, first Severus' robes shrank while he was wearing them in class so his legs and feet were clearly visible, including a pair of knee high white socks with quacking ducks swimming upon them that he swears he doesn't even own. Then all of the bubotuber pus in the student's stores was changed to mimbulus mimbletonia pus which caused every second year Slytherin and Gryffindor's cauldron to emit clouds of noxious smelling purple smoke that cannot be banished, leaving the dungeons smelling horrifically of lavender. And then just today, Professor Snape's hair magically arranged itself into long braids with multiple pink bows on it just as he entered the Great Hall for breakfast. And none of the students seem to know who is doing the pranking; while Severus is getting quite irate and threatening great bodily harm as well as several rather ingenious transfigurations to the perpetrators if he catches them."

Remus had lost his battle to keep a straight face and was grinning from ear to ear while trying hard not to snort in the Headmaster's face. "Ah…well…no…no I don't know how that had happened; although I would be very interested in obtaining any photos….no I don't suppose anyone thought to…but it would be nice…" Remus was still trying hard to still his laughter as Albus' eyes twinkled faster and faster.

"I will, however, speak with Sirius if you like; he has just popped out to check on several very important matters dealing with our upcoming move you know. And I suspect he is checking up on a certain pretty blonde haired muggle nurse but I have no proof of that yet." Albus merely nodded, he had noticed the nurse watching Sirius and he had seen her searching for them after the funeral, he just hadn't been aware that Sirius had noticed as well.

As Poppy finished up, she joined the Headmaster and the two of them floo-ed back to the castle. Remus chuckled to himself over the mental image of Severus Snape decked out in pink bows and braids as he settled a very tired Harry down for his short afternoon nap. He would have to have a very serious talk with his old friend, somehow they would need to make sure the pranks didn't stop when they moved away or Snape would believe he had the proof to retaliate against them.

Harry had improved with each passing day, his recovery faster and more complete than even Madame Pomfrey had predicted. The Hogwarts elves had done a miraculous job on the interior of the Shrieking Shack, the horrific scars of werewolf occupancy were erased, and the rooms expanded and freshened so that the interior looked like a nicely furnished three bedroom two story house. Meals and snacks appeared with regularity, the same meals that were being served in the Great Hall were delivered by Twinkles, the elf that Albus had loaned to them for their stay. An exercise room next to the eat-in kitchen had been utilized frequently, much too frequently according to Harry, until he could walk without assistance. He still limped slightly on his right leg, and he tired quickly but otherwise he was given a clean bill of health from Poppy after just three weeks.

The outside of the Shrieking Shack had been maintained and all three of the occupants enjoyed howling and making strange noises at night to spook the residents of nearby Hogsmeade, strengthening and renewing the rumors that the place was the most haunted building in Great Britain. Of course, they had to remove the silencing charms that Albus had placed around the building for a short while each night to scream and howl, it wouldn't do to haunt a silenced building after all.

But now the last detail of their move had been executed, their plans had been detailed with the precision of a major military undertaking and Potter Manor had been renovated, repaired and cleaned until it gleamed. There were indeed many Potter house elves that had worked diligently and loyally keeping the ancestral Manor house ready for the next Potter heir and the little beings were literally bouncing with excitement to meet the young master again. And so, the three looked around again at the Shack, making sure that everything had been packed before leaving through the floo to the infirmary for one final check up before moving to their new home.

"Ah, there you are, I was beginning to wonder if you had decided not to move today." They heard as Sirius stood up releasing his tight hold from around Harry's shoulders as they moved to allow Remus to step through after them. Albus stood quietly waiting in Poppy's office, his neon green robes resplendent with orange, blue and yellow flowers. Remus threw up a hand in front of his eyes to protect himself from the glare while Harry giggled and buried his face against his Paddy's side. "Merlin's beard, Albus wherever do you find those things?" Was Sirius' comment before Albus chuckled, and with a flick of his wand he was dressed in a more ordinary bright green robe that was decorated with moving dragons around the bottom hem. "Better?"

Poppy entered the room, having been alerted to their arrival by the whoosh of the floo. "Ah, come for the final check up have you? Well, Harry just come out here and pop up on a bed for me." She stopped just long enough to fetch a small bag and followed the five year old out and over to his favorite bed, the one with the view across the grounds and over the lake with his beloved swans swimming peacefully.

She swished her wand in ever more complicated patterns, then touched the tip to a parchment to record her findings before pulling a chocolate frog package from her pocket and handing it to Harry, who opened it with great relish, tearing the paper in his haste to release his favorite wizarding treat. Poppy sniffed, she would miss the happy and bouncy little boy, but he really had recovered enough to leave, so she turned around and handed the shrunken bag to Sirius. "Here's a selection of potions you might need. I've written out the directions for him and labeled each flask for you. Don't hesitate to floo me if you need anything."

Remus held Harry close to his chest with one strong arm while the other held tight to the portkey that was taking them on their journey to Potter Manor and their new home. Sirius had hold of the mesh bag that held all of their greatly shrunken belongings as Remus felt his feet touch down sharply on the polished marble entrance way. A sharp intake of breath was his only warning before a swarm of house elves engulfed his knees, every being trying to reach their new master first. Harry was trying to climb Remus like a tree, he had gotten used to one or two house elves, but a wildly milling mass of twenty overly excited and squeaking beings was more than he could handle.

Sirius managed to wade through the small beings and plucked Harry from Remus' head where he had managed to perch himself like some odd living hat. His barking laughter finally caught the attention of the creatures and they backed off, pinching ears, twisting noses and banging their heads on the floor in their self punishments over forgetting proper manners to the new master in their rush to greet the boy they hadn't seen since he was a little baby.

"I's sorry Master Black, Master Potter, we's is so happy to see's you we's is forgetting our's places. So sorry, Master so sorry." A small elf took it upon himself to silence the other elves and spoke softly and contritely.

"It's all right…it just frightened Harry a little bit but he'll be fine now. You are?" Sirius asked the spokes-elf.

"I's is Blinky, Master and I is head elf for the Potter family. We's is awaiting your's orders sir." The knee high being bowed; his floppy ears dragging across the marble floor as he bent in two speaking almost reverently to his new master.

The other elves had arranged themselves into a ragged line and were waiting, the excitement of the afternoon evident as they bounced on their little pointed feet, unable to stand completely still and yet wanting to impress their new Master as much as they could.

"If you could just show us to our rooms so that we might freshen up." Remus' calm baritone helped the little beings to calm down and with a snap of his fingers, Blinkey brought two younger elves forward and they led the trio of wizards up the elegant and very formal grand marble and oak staircase to the deeply carpeted second story and their new rooms.

AN: The next chapter will be after some time has passed in the story so this was the logical stopping point even though it is somewhat shorter than my usual post. Sorry for the lack of action in this chapter, for some reason it was very difficult to write, it just didn't want to flow at all. So enjoy and the next chapter of YBHYFH is almost done. Remember, reviews feed my muse and keep my fingers madly typing.