"Heh hum." A throat clearing sound to my left, told me that the Headmaster and his spy had reached us.
While I was never going to be a Snape fan, after listening to Hogwarts detail exactly why Dumbledore was so certain of Snape's loyalty and my having to recount every time the sour-faced potions Professor had either saved my live or stepped in before it got that bad, Ron and I could admit that he wasn't the vile man that we had feared. That his treatment of us was actually part of his protection, as weird and as sad as that sounds. I still didn't like him, but at least I understood why he was like he was and why Dumbledore supported him in being that way. However with the removal of snake-face, he had a chance for that to change.
Both McGonagall and I turned towards the two newcomers and from the corner of my eye I saw Ron sigh. This was going to be interesting.
"Headmaster." Professor McGonagall nodded respectfully. "Mr Snape."
"Minerva." Dumbledore smiled, his eye twinkling brightly.
"Professor McGonagall." Snape's voice was quiet and thoughtful.
"Introductions?" Dumbledore asked.
"Certainly, Albus. These young men are Hadrien and Ronson Potter-Prewett. Gentlemen, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore and Hogwarts' Potions Apprentice Severus Snape." McGonagall gestured to each of us in turn and both men nodded to us.
"Snape?" I asked. "Aunt Lily's friend?"
Both men startled, just slightly.
"Yes…" Snape replied hesitantly.
"She used to write about you, about how brilliant your were with potions and how much tutoring you did." I said.
"Father thinks she was trying to recommend you as a tutor for us, but our schooling… advisor, had this grumpy old bat that he insisted teach us." Ron added. Like me wasn't all that happy at finding out that Snape wasn't snake-face's right hand man, and was more than a little surprised to find he was completely 'Dumbledore's Man'.
"We got our NEWTs, though so… I don't suppose it matters." I shrugged.
"You might have got a high O, but I missed out by five points." Ron grumbled. We acted like the slightly snarky, one-line arguments between us were a common thing.
"Yes… I did. Until I decided to undertake my mastery." Snape allowed.
"Cool, I'll have to owl you, I'm trying to combine a pesticide with an air-freshener, so far, no luck." I huffed.
"Holidays are, thankfully, fairly quiet, so I do have a little time to talk with like minded people." Snape replied in his formal manner.
"Brilliant." Ron beamed. "When we get home, I'll get him to write it down, he's got people asking and we can't get it right."
"I look forward to hearing from you." Snape nodded, while Dumbledore could be seen to be twitching impatiently.
"Headmaster." I nodded to him, my voice just a fraction colder, even though I'd tried not let it change. His sealing of Mum and Dad's Wills and putting me with the Dursley's, when I could have been raised by Father, still rankled.
"Mr Potter-Prewett." He nodded to Ron. "Mr Potter-Prewett." He looked at me a little more. "That was some very impressive flying, my boy." Oh, how I hated being called 'boy'. "Have you ever thought of trying out for a professional team?"
"No. And I will not be. My shop is more than enough for me." I was adamant.
"That would be a loss the game." Dumbledore tried his patented 'I'm disappointed in you', look.
"Too, bad. I fly for the pleasure, I've no interest in the game, outside of catching the snitch, itself." I responded tartly.
"Ah…" He back-pedalled quickly. "I see. Well, you do that quite splendidly." He smiled, turning on the grandfatherly charm. "I understand that you're James Potter's nephews?"
"So we're told." Ron answered blithely.
"So you're told?"
"Well, we knew Uncle Jimmy, but it wasn't until after Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Lily died that we worked out that our Uncle Jimmy was your, James Potter. Mother and Father knew, but neither of them were wanted by the Wizarding world and as a result, neither of them were comfortable talking about it." Ron explained.
"So, yeah, we had to work it out for ourselves..." I finished.
"But you both came back to the Wizarding world." Dumbledore started.
"Oh, no. We never left." Ron corrected.
"Well, kinda. First trip to Diagon was… eleven?" I turned to Ron to ask.
"For you, yeah, ten for me."
"That's only cause you're younger than me."
"Uh… duh." Ron shook his head.
"But you didn't come forward as Potters until this year?" McGonagall asked.
"Not our fault none of the shopkeepers asked for a name." Ron muttered, just loud enough to be heard.
"We didn't have a vault at Gringotts, true. But that's only because Father wasn't comfortable with the idea of a money source, that he couldn't monitor." I replied to McGonagall. "And we had Aurors for teachers, you can't expect them to just walk down the alley without some type of glamour, now can you?" I knew that even McGonagall wore a glamour sometimes, when she went to Diagon Alley.
"That is true." She nodded.
"Aurors?" Dumbledore asked.
"Uncle Gideon and Uncle Fabian. Until they disappeared. They were coming for dinner, I'd just got my OWL results, but they never turned up, we didn't hear what happened to them until February this year. Mother decided that she needed to know and went down to Exeter and checked out the archives of the local newspapers, until she found what she wanted to know."
"Oh, my." McGonagall raised a hand to her chest in shock/surprise.
"It was only a few weeks later that Father heard the Leeds police suggesting people get their eighteen to twenty year olds, out of the city. The street gangs were targeting them and few were able to avoid being pulled in, the gangs were using blackmail, threats and drugs to get what they wanted." I went on.
"Mother and Father decided that Harry had enough stuff for the shop he wanted, but while our original plan had him waiting until I finished my NEWTs and was eighteen, the danger of him stayed was climbing." Ron took up the story. "So, after emptying the house up on the Dales, Harry went off to get started."
"That meant Gringotts and a vault. The Ministry and all the joy that entailed." I sighed.
Dumbledore turned to Ron. "And have you finished your NEWTs?"
"Yep, last exam was CoMC, last Sunday. Don't have my results, yet, but I'm done..." Ron sighed blissfully, causing a few snickers from the senior students that were listening in.
"Then the idiot decided he couldn't handle Mother and Father, alternately nagging or lecturing or ignoring him, so he came down to me, a fortnight earlier than expected." I shook my head.
"Landed right in the middle of the ruddy storm, I hadn't seen the news and up in Leeds, the weather was fine. I didn't expect to almost freeze to death, before he opened the door." Ron shuddered in remembered cold.
"Is that why we haven't heard from Mum for a week?" Bill asked.
"Yep. No one's going to send an owl out in that. Be cruel." I answered.
"Oh, no wonder the school owls ignored me when I went to send a letter. I don't suppose you'd deliver it for me? You are going for New Year's aren't you?" Charlie added.
"We are." I started.
"Should teach them how to send a Messenger, Harry." Ron cut me off before I could go any further.
"What?" Bill asked.
"A messenger?" McGonagall asked.
"Excuse me?" Snape asked. All three at the same time.
"Oh, I wanted to send messages to my girlfriend, she trained with us, but her parents are muggles. So, I couldn't send an owl all the time, or a patronus. Not if she was in a muggle area or with muggles. That's against the Statute. So, Harry created a Messenger charm that I can use." Ron explained.
"Does that not still threaten the Statute?" Snape asked, frowning.
"Nope, because I can set conditions on when it delivers my message." Ron had suggested that he and Portia would be a perfect excuse for the creation of the charm and that Mother and Father would have been a way to test it until it was right.
"I'm not sure I understand." It was interesting to see Dumbledore flounder.
"After the Messenger is summoned, you give it a destination and a set of delivery conditions, then the message and off it goes. If it can match the delivery conditions within the timeframe, it will deliver the message, if it can't, it returns and states 'message undelivered' and you decide your next move." Ron's reply was rather blasé.
"Surely, it's not that simple?" Dumbledore asked.
"Oh, but it is." I assured him. "Cast the charm, give the address, conditions and message and off it goes."
"I would be quite interested to learn this… messenger charm." Snape commented.
"Indeed, Severus, as would I." Dumbledore tilted his head at me. "Would you be prepared to share?"
"Sure." I shrugged. Ron and I had talked it over and saw no reason not to.
"Now?" Dumbledore gestured to the gathered student. "We do seem to have a small class in attendance."
"Are you sure? I mean, yeah, I will, but they're your students. You sure you want to open that bag of kneazles?"
"I have no issue." Dumbledore replied and was cheered by the students.
"I do have a question, though." Snape stated.
"Yes, fire away."
"Is there a way to trace such a charm back to a sender. If a student were to send an abusive or threatening message?"
"Of course. Any Messenger sent or received within a set of wards, will register on those wards and the ward-archives will list it, the sender, the message, the receiver and the times sent and received. It will depend to a degree on your wards, as to how in depth the archive records the message. Some will record the message word for word, others with give a summary. For example, it may register as 'business based message', or 'private love note' or 'stock summary' or 'product request'. I can't guess what Hogwarts' wards would register, the Headmaster would have a far better idea than I." I answered.
"Lovely." Dumbledore beamed. "Why don't we have a seat and listen to Mr Potter-Prewett? Students, please note that while we are outside of Hogwarts and underage magic laws still apply, I will shield this area so anyone under anyone seventeen may use their wands as they would in a classroom, I shall notify the Ministry of holding an external class. Please conjure cushions or chairs for yourselves." A flurry of wand-waving and cushions appeared everywhere. I snagged one that went flying passed me and with a flick of my wand, stuck it to the shaft-tip of my broom and jumped up onto it like it was a very tall stool. Another wand movement and the footrests slid up the shaft and were at exactly the right height. I perched there and waited until the students and Professors were al seated, smiling slightly at McGonagall's choice of seats, a lush armchair with deep cushions that she curled in, legs under herself, much like her Animagus form would curl up. Dumbledore's chair was an old fashioned, shell-backed boudoir chair that raised a few eyebrows from the students. Snape's a simple wingback armchair, that had a writing desk attached to one arm. Ron, Bill and Charlie were bundled up in big fluffy beanbags and Ron was quickly and quietly conjuring each student a hooded blanket. Some looked at them in confusion, but some knew what they were and were quick in getting them on.
"Oh, nice." One Ravenclaw girl held the silky blanket up and rubbed it against her face.
"Alright. Everyone got a chair or a cushion?" I was greeted by lots of yeses and no no's, so I moved on.
"Hands up, all those that can cast a patronus." I requested and of the dozen or so students seated around me, five raised their hands. "Great, you lot are going to find this easy. But if you can conjure bluebell flames, you can cast the Messenger."
For the next hour, Ron and I walked the group, including the Professors through casting and sending a Messenger. Some got it easily and others struggled, but all of them got it. I suggested that to Dumbledore that restrictions would have to be placed in the wards, to stop Messengers from reaching students during classes and exams. Perhaps limit them to the dorms and common rooms? That was up to him and he would need to discuss that with the other Professors and possibly the Board of Governors.
I also agreed to come to the school and meet with Professor Flitwick and to give more lessons. After extensive negotiations between Ron and Snape, it was decided that I would come up on Sunday afternoons and give lessons to a small class. It wasn't just the Messenger, either. There were lessons on housekeeping, cleaning, customer service, muggle integration and how to apply charms, potions and transfig into their lives outside Hogwarts.
I found watching Ron talk with Snape to be a slightly scary sight.
This was a Ron that had been through a hell of a lot at my side and while he had times where he couldn't deal with whatever situation, he always got passed it, sometimes it took longer than others, but he always got there. And this was no different. I'd used a pensieve and shown him everything Hogwarts had said. About Dumbledore, about Snape, about the Potters, about the Prewetts and every action we'd taken as a result. We might never personally like Snape, but we could respect what he'd done... to a point, anyway, enought to wait and see what he would do with a Voldemort-free future.
Ron's negotiations with Snape were brilliant, but then, this was tactics and that was his forte. I spent far more of the negotiations watching Dumbledore, McGonagall and the other students' reactions. This was a good thing, here was a young man, not much older than them, arguing with Snape. This man was not treating Snape as the feared and grumpy potions apprentice, not at all, not this man was treating him like a professional, a student of his craft, someone to be respected, but not feared.
They started off arguing over a timeframe, how many hours I'd give, then it went to what subjects, before a complete deviation to how many students in each class, before back to subjects and the details within each subject. Then there was the location, did I come to Hogwarts or would classes be held elsewhere and if so where and who would escort the students and… and… and…
And the negotiations went on for far longer than the little class had. Before they'd been at it for ten minutes, Dumbledore and I had sat back and looked at each other in amusement.
"Do you truly allow him to negotiate on your behalf?" McGonagall asked, some time later.
I laughed quietly. "Ron is a tactical genius, Professor, whatever ground he gains will be far more than I would gain." I dropped off my broom and conjured an armchair just like my favourite one that I had tucked up against the windows in the flat, that horridly ugly thing I got from the Room of Requirement.
"But Mr Snape is near ten years his senior." She protested.
"That makes little difference to his ability to negotiate and can often lead to underestimation by his opponents." I paused. "Unlikely with Mr Snape, but anything can happen with a Potter."
"It can at that." She nodded in acknowledgement.
"As for this?" I jabbed a thumb in the direction of the almost heated discussion. "Ron knows how important my shop is to me. If I had to choose between my shop and your students? I'm sorry, you've already lost." I shook my head. "What Ron is doing is making that clear to Mr Snape, that no matter how much he argues, I'll only give a certain amount of hours and only on certain days."
"And you would abide by what they agree on?" Dumbledore had listened in on our conversation and now showed his surprise.
"For the most part, sure. Professor, Ron isn't jut my brother, he's also my Heir, if I can't abide by my Heir's words, few would respect my House. Which is also why Ron's demanded the remains of this year as a trial and limited the ongoing contracts to one year."
"Your… your Heir?" Dumbledore eyebrows rose sharply in surprise.
"Well, yeah. The House of Potter-Prewett is a Cadet-House to the Houses of both Potter and Prewett, although, Father insisted that I wait until Ron is considered an adult in both the muggle and magical worlds. So… I've yet to front the Wizengamot, but the paperwork is done and my Gringotts account manager is scheduling the relevant appointments, probably for the week after Ron's birthday." I shrugged, unconcernedly.
"Oh…" Professor McGonagall exclaimed quietly. "I hadn't realised that you were…" She sat up a little straighter. "My apologies for my casual behaviour, Master Potter-Prewett."
"And that's why I didn't say anything, Professor. I don't like the attention. It wasn't an easy choice, but in the end I couldn't deny it had to be done. There were two main reasons behind the formation of a Cadet-House, one was Vulnerable Elders and Protected Minors. Father's Uncle Lawrence died reasonably young and left behind a widow, Alina Cartwright, who went on to marry again. She and her second husband, Jaseph Peppering, had two daughters, one of which followed her father into the Auror corps. Unfortunately Lauralynne and her father were casualties of the war against You-Know-Who. The other daughter married a man whose muggleborn Mother was an early victim of You-Know-Who's Death-Eaters, Xeno Lovegood being the result." Both McGonagall and Dumbledore winced. "Yeah, exactly. It got the poor girl disowned by her muggle family and left to raise a son alone. Pandora married Xeno and while they have a beautiful little girl, Pandora and Alina are amongst the first to acknowledge that Xeno's early life and his Mother's suicide the day after his seventeenth birthday, have affected him adversely."
"That would be why Mr Lovegood withdrew from Hogwarts, halfway through his sixth year." Professor McGonagall sighed.
"I would assume so." Dumbledore agreed sadly.
"Well, because of all that and the fact that Alina and her brother are half-bloods, none of them can claim Head of Family. That brings me to the second reason, Family Grimoires. Alina's maternal grandfather left the Family Grimoire in the care of Alina's brother Ben, but due to it being their Mother's side that were magical and they're a patriarchal Family, Ben can't be Head, even though he can be guardian to the Grimoire. And of course, Grimoire lore states that a Grimoire can only be handed to a magical male child of the same Family or in extreme cases, an Elder may hand it to a Head of another House, if that other House has brought that Elder into their care."
"So…? You formed a Cadet-House and brought the Cartwright's into that House? How is that possible?" McGonagall asked.
"Not yet, I can't until after I've fronted the Wizengamot, but that's coming in the next couple of sessions. Then I have to do things in stages. First the formation of the Cadet-House of House Potter and wait for three Luna cycles. Then bring Alina into the House, as a Protected Elder and wait another three cycles. Then Ben and his Grimoire, Ben being dependent on Alina for his living conditions allows me to offer him a place on my House. And another three cycles and Pandora, Xeno and little Luna will come under the banner of House Potter-Prewett, as the only descendants of a Protected Elder." I stated. "St Mungo's and Pandora are hoping that once Xeno is an accepted member of a House, Lady Magic may allow Xeno to touch our Family magic and balance out his magical instabilities."
"That would also give their daughter a link to your Family magics." McGonagall commented.
"That's what we're hoping." I said. "It's going to be a long, slow process, but we should be sorted by the end of the coming year."
"Harry?" Bill's voice cut into the quiet conversation.
"Yeah, Bill?" I turned to the redhead.
"I think they're finished, they seem to be arguing about potions now." Bill said.
"Potions?" Dumbledore blinked.
"They mentioned polyjuice, but…?" Bill trailed off, realising who he was talking to.
"Let me guess, Ron said three second years could brew that in a bathroom?" I sighed.
"Um… yes…?"
"I am never going to live that down." I huffed.
"You did what?!" Snape spun around at McGonagall's near-screech.
"What did they do?" The younger man demanded.
McGonagall huffed. "Apparently… brewed polyjuice in a bathroom in second year."
"The equivalent of second year." I corrected.
"Oh, my apologies, the equivalent of second year." McGonagall repeated sarcastically.
"You're not serious?!" Snape demanded.
"Uh, yeah." Duh.
"Why would you do such a thing?" Dumbledore asked, the twinkle gone from his eyes.
"We had an instructor that was a criminal fraud, we knew it, but we had to prove it." Or near enough. I shrugged. "And none of the adults around us knew or believed it."
"He ended up in a residential mental ward of a hospital. The equivalent of… of… Harry? What's the mental ward at St Mungo's?" Ron started, then turned to me.
"Janus Thickery Ward." I answered.
"Yeah, that's it." Ron nodded. "I knew it was Jan-something-or-other."
"He was a complete incompetent. We didn't miss him, that's for sure." I snorted.
"And you expect me to believe that two second year-"
"Three, Portia was with us."
"Oh, that makes it so much- Who's Portia?" Snape started to snarl, stopped and then snapped the question.
"Ron's girlfriend, if he ever gets ruddy act together." I huffed.
Snape just grunted.
Ron grinned. "So… I suppose you want to know the outcome?" He flopped down onto the arm of my chair and rested his elbow on my head, this was a common position for us and had been since the middle of first year.
"That would be handy." My usual retaliation was to dig my fingers into his ribs and that's what I did.
"Oi! Lay orf, ya git!" He squawked and jumped up, gave me a dirty look and conjured his own chair, in Chuddley Channon orange. Ugh.
"Details, brother mine, details." I flicked a colour change charm at his chair and sat back.
"Spoilsport." He pouted for a few seconds, causing a few laughs. "Alright, details. So… One year contract with mutual option to renew. Sundays, 1pm to 5pm, lunch too if you want it. Subjects are pretty much whatever you want, but there are certain things that must be covered." Ron answered formally and seriously. "General housekeeping and maintenance, things like dishwashing, cleaning, laundry, repairing a window or a roof, that type of thing. Customer service, not just being nice to a person, but how to get the customer what they need and not just what they want. Muggle integration and how to apply charms, potions and transfig into their lives outside Hogwarts. Basic first aid and potions and how to use them in the home. After that? Whatever your wand falls to. Class size will be twelve or sixteen, depending on the subject, the more practical ones, twelve, the more information based, sixteen. To be made up of equal numbers from each house."
"Correction." Snape cut in. "Equal number of seats for each house, but if one house refuses to attend, that is their loss."
"Yeah, what he said." Ron grinned, all formality gone. A few more students laughed.
"I have a few questions, gentlemen." I rode over the laughter.
"Fire away." Ron turned to face me.
"One year. Is that a school year or a calendar year or from opening feast to end of year feast?"
"Ah...?" Snape looked at Ron. "Well?"
"2nd of September to end of year feast?" Ron offered. "With… from tomorrow until the end of year feast as a trial, that either party can withdraw from with or without the agreement of the other party."
Snape's lips narrowed as he thought about it. "Fair. The terms are acceptable." He nodded and both he and Ron faced me again.
"Supervision. I refuse to even consider this without some type of Hogwarts supervision." I said.
Ron and Snape turned and exchanged looks, both nodding.
"It would depend on the subject matter as to which Professor should be in attendance." Snape allowed.
"Agreed." Ron said.
"Parental notification. I don't care whether parents approve or not, but they should be notified that students will have the chance to attend extra-curricular sessions."
"Agreed." Both nodded.
"No student will be pressured to attend, nor will any student be pressured to not attend."
"Agreed." Both nodded.
"Subjects may be random, but students will be notified in advance of the subject matter, by way of a protean charmed sign-up sheet, that each Head of House will retain. I will try to work out a schedule for a few weeks in advance, but no guarantees."
"Agreed."
"Payment and position title?"
"Payment… that of a Professor Emeritus? Title? Guest Lecturer and Living With Magic?" Snape offered.
Ron pursed his lips and hummed.
"Living Skills. Sooner or later Harry's gonna drop in a class on something muggle-based." Ron warned and Snape nodded.
"Exams?"
Both Ron and Snape shook their heads. "At this stage, highly unlikely, but that would remain under discretion of the Wizarding Examinations Authority." Snape clarified.
"Fair enough. Now a question for the Headmaster." I turned to Dumbledore. "With no disrespect to Mr Snape, intended… Why are you allowing him to negotiate on Hogwarts' behalf?"
Snape twitched his lips in amusement at the look of befuddlement on Dumbledore's face. Had no one ever questioned the man's actions before? Even after Dad's shade, Pettigrew, Sirius and little-Harry?
"Severus has my complete trust." Dumbledore stated.
"Perhaps, but that is not an answer."
"Oh… uh…" It was clear now, that I expected a proper answer and as he didn't have one, he'd have to think fast, not a trait that Dumbledore was comfortable with outside a duel situation. "Severus is nearing the end of his apprenticeship, only a few more months and he'll sit his Mastery exams. He will taking over as Potions Master for the coming school year, as well as Head of Slytherin House. He's an extremely gifted potion creator, which requires that he be able to think clearly, calmly and logically. He's young, it was only six years ago that he left here as a student, so he's still familiar with the classes we have and their requirements. You stated that your brother is a tactical genius, Severus is as well. And like many young adults today, he's lived through a dreadful time and emerged relatively unscathed."
"But he had plenty of practice at that, with Uncle Jimmy and his friends." I turned to Snape. "I've torn strips off of all three of them for that, bullying is bullying, no matter who does it. Expect formal apologies from Black and Lupin." I turned back to Dumbledore. "Sorry for the interruption, Headmaster, please continue."
"As many are aware, Severus was publicly allied with many of the subversives, but has sworn under oath, before the Wizengamot that even prior to the death of V-… of Tom Riddle, he was not willingly a member of their society and had been forwarding information to the Aurors for a number of years. The Wizengamot cleared him of all but two charges and he was merely issued fines for those, that of failing to notify of a death, in a timely manner. A minor charge, considering his position and the information he had provided." Ron and I blinked, we hadn't known some of that, but Hogwarts was the first to state, she didn't know everything. "And of course, I will still have to authorise it, not even Professor McGonagall as Deputy Headmistress can sign off on the hiring of staff, which is essentially what this is. So while Severus and Mr Potter-Prewett can negotiate as much as they like, you and I still have the final say."
I nodded. "That is true. Thank you for the explanation. There were a number of things clarified, that I hadn't considered, as yet." I nodded. "When shall we finalise this? It is getting a little late in the afternoon for such things."
Dumbledore looked around, surprised to see that evening was drawing in on us.
"Yes, it appears it is. Perhaps tomorrow? Would you like to join us for lunch? Finalising and writing up your contract should likely take the better part of the afternoon. And your first formal class… giving the returning students a chance to speak to those who stayed… perhaps we could say…? The first Sunday of the New Year? The sixth?"
Ron and I looked at each other. I hadn't planned on ever coming to Hogwarts publicly, but this was just another layer of camouflage and protection, who'd suspect that Hogwarts would accept an illegal immigrant (of sorts) as a teacher?
"I'd like to bring Ron along." I started.
"And you should probably speak to Mother and Father, too, Harry. They're the lawyers, if we're dealing in contracts, it's a good idea." Ron added.
"True. I'll telephone them when we get home." I nodded before turning back to Dumbledore. "Definitely Ron and probably a parent… hmmm… or two… more likely…? I don't know."
"Hard to say." Ron agreed. "Mother might do the overprotective thing, but Father's more familiar with contracts, Mother's more familiar with a courtroom."
"A courtroom?" McGonagall asked.
"Oh, both are lawyers, Father specialises in family law while Mother is a Criminal Prosecutor." Ron answered.
"I see…" it was clear that Dumbledore didn't see, but if he wanted to pretend, I would let him trip himself up later. "Shall we say… midday? I'll have someone meet you at the Gates."
"At this point… that sounds fine, but I'd like to confirm that in the morning, if you don't mind? After having spoken to Mother and Father."
"Of course, my boy, of course." Dumbledore twinkled away at me.
A rumbling noise was heard and I turned to Ron.
"Not me." He held up his hands.
"Uh, no, that would be me." Bill went nearly as red as his hair.
"I think we're done for today, Mr Weasley. Let's get you and your classmates back to the school, along with your brother." Professor McGonagall wasn't letting Bill and Charlie off the hook.
"Yes, Professor." They both sighed.
"Charlie? You got that letter for your Mum?" I asked.
"Yes!" Charlie dug around in his robe pocket. "I'd planned to send it from the owl post office, but… we never got that far." He handed over a crumbled up letter.
"I'll get this to her tonight, maybe there'll be a reply tomorrow, maybe not." I warned.
"Whatever, we were just getting worried, Mum always writes once a week and to not hear from her for nearly three weeks?" Bill added.
"We understand and will do what we can." I patted him on the shoulder. "Now, off you hop. For those of you that don't live in the south, you might want to write to your parents before sending them a Messenger, I'm told have bluebell flames suddenly appear in front of you and start talking is a bit of a shock the first time. Be nice and give them some warning. Alright?"
A round of giggling 'yes, sir' answered me and the students began to gather around Professor McGonagall.
"If you bring your notes on your project, depending on time, we may have a chance to discuss the subject after you've finished with the Headmaster." Snape offered.
"That would be helpful, Mr Snape. Thank you."
"And I should thank you for speaking to Potter's friends." Snape said hesitantly.
"They were idiots, bullying idiots, but having to raise little-Harry? It's given them a different outlook on their behaviour. The thought of little-Harry being bullied like they did to you, literally made Black sick. Lupin is made of stronger stuff, must be the werewolf, but even he went a little grey."
"You're aware of his… condition?" Dumbledore asked cautiously.
"Of course, have been for years. One of the things, I'm working on is a way of making him un-infectious. I don't believe that lycanthropy will ever be 'cured', but if we can make it so that a bite from a werewolf is no longer infectious, unless the victim wants to be infected? That would go a long way towards acceptance." I answered.
"Either that or something that will sedate them for the entire transition." Ron added.
"Preferably both." I agreed.
Snape's eyes widened and narrowed as Ron and I spoke, while Dumbledore just gaped at us. A rumble of Snape's stomach called a halt to the discussion.
"Tomorrow, gentlemen, unless notified otherwise. Good evening." I said and Ron and I bowed slightly to them, summoned our brooms and after banishing all the cushions, chairs and beanbags, apparated away.
We landed in the hall of the shop and quickly made our way upstairs.
"I'll see to updating Mother and Father, if you deliver Charlie's letter." Ron offered.
"Ta, mate. Pull out the leftovers from Sirius and Remus, too?" I asked.
"Will do, get going. The sooner you go, the sooner you get back. Tell Mu- Aunt Molly, that if she hasn't already sent them, we can drop off the boys' Christmas pressies tomorrow."
"Will do." I headed straight back downstairs to floo the Burrow.
Seven o'clock the next evening rolled around and Mother, Father, Ron, Sirius and I were exhausted. Apparently signing on at Hogwarts is as much a ceremonial thing, as it is an educational or legal thing. The final negotiations were witnessed by a goblin, from Gringotts' Contractual Documents department, a witch from the Wizengamot, Lady Delvine Nasterberry, a representative of the Wizarding Examination Authority, Lady Griselda Marchbanks and a few invited guests that were introduced, but meant little to me. On my side, after being warned by Snape, I invited a few others.
Sirius and Lady Muriel as Regent and Lady of my Houses, as I had yet to complete the formal requirements for either Cadet-House, Moody as a senior Auror, Ron as negotiator and our 'parents' for their legal knowledge.
The actual negotiations were a repeat of the day before, with Dumbledore and I nominating Snape and Ron as negotiators. And both seemed to revel in it, there was no heat behind the arguments but the intensity and seriousness of the whole thing, I found hilarious and was glad that Sirius was seated behind me. I'm sure that if I saw his face, I would have broken down in laughter. But I somehow managed to hold it together until they were done, while Lady Marchbanks' aide was furiously scribbling down each detail as it was agreed upon, before handing his notes to the goblin, to compare and compile the final contract.
Each clause was read out before and after it was written down and we had to agree to it both times, signing as we went. Then a final summary was detailed, agreed upon and ceremoniously signed, whereupon I was handed a plaque bearing my name and position. I was then escorted to the second floor of the DADA tower, to the rooms that were to be mine, classroom and office. Then it was back to the Headmaster's office and a chance to officially meet the other Professors and staff and join them for drinks. I… don't… do… drinks…
I was beginning to regret agreeing to this, until Mother quietly took me aside and pointed out that, with Sirius, her and Father present, I had just cemented Ron and I as legal, pre-existing members of this time-stream and society. And with Ron's comments previously about Portia, the likelihood of her being outed as a 'stream-jumper', as Mother called it, was extremely scarce. This one event, as annoying as I found it, had secured our positions in the Wizarding world.
Me, as a soon to be acknowledge Master of a joint Cadet-House, a businessman and a Hogwarts' Lecturer. Ron, as my Heir, a newly graduated NEWT student and a gifted tactician who was interested in joining the Auror corps. Portia, as Ron's muggleborn girlfriend, a studying NEWT student and intended seneschal of the afore-mentioned join Cadet-Houses.
And now we were just exhausted. I looked over at Ron and he shrugged, he knew what I was asking. Do we make these people go home or do we just point them in the direction of a bed? I huffed a sigh and dragged myself to my feet.
"Sit, stay." I pointed at Sirius, who 'woofed' at me in reponse. "Mother, Father come on, the flat's just where you left it and I've even got a change of clothes for you. Shower, change and come back over, I'll have food ready by then." I had to nudge Father to get him to his feet, but Mother was up and already heading in the direction of a shower. I got Father as far as the flat's front door, I wasn't going any further as Mother had a tendency to shed her clothes en-route to the shower, especially after society social functions. And basically, that's what the afternoon was.
As I headed back to the main flat, I considered whether or not I should contact Remus. In the end, I decided that if Sirius was as exhausted as I was, having little-Harry around could only brighten up the evening. And wouldn't you know it, Ron was thinking along the same lines, as when I reached he and Sirius, the two were tiredly arguing the matter. I said nothing but dug out the accommodation trunk and set it up against the wall that the living room shared with my bedroom. Then I flicked my wrist and let my wand fall into my hand.
"Nuntio expecto." I sighed and watched the flames flicker and build, like my energy they were subdued. "Message to Remus Lupin, deliver when no muggles within hearing… Pack up little-Harry and get your butt-side down here. We're too tired to move." I glanced at Ron and gave him a pointed look, nodding to Sirius. He nodded back. "We'll feed and house you tonight. Plus there's something you and Sirius need to be told and bluntly… I'm too tired to tell it twice. Hurry up, Moony."
That last word had Sirius sitting up in a hurry. He had not, even once, mentioned the name 'Moony' to me, either in letters or when Ron and I had visited for Yule.
"What did you call him?" Sirius' voice was quiet, calm and very, very clear.
"Moony." I answered. "And yes, I plan to explain how I know it and no, it wasn't James. But… I'd prefer to wait until he gets here, cause like I said, once is more than enough when it comes to explaining this."
Sirius frowned at me.
"I'll happily swear that I mean no harm to you, Remus or little-Harry." I snorted.
"In fact once we're finished, you understand why harming little-Harry is the one thing Harry cannot and will not even contemplate doing. He would die for him… I'd prefer that they both lived, but if the choice was him or little-Harry, he'll see that little-Harry lives, Sirius. Above all else, he'll see that he lives."
Sirius blinked at the harshness in Ron's voice, something he'd not heard before. A spluttering of flames appeared in front of us and Remus voice emerged.
"Can we floo? Harry's not keen on apparition at the best of times."
"Nuntio expecto." Another set of flames emerged from my wand. "Reply to Remus Lupin, no conditions. Of course you can. Floo address is 'The Snitch's Nest' and the password is 'Jumpers'. Whenever you're ready."
While we waited for Remus, Mother and Father, I pointed out the trunk to Sirius and told him to shower and change, Ron would bring him some clothes and I would see to dinner. I figured that we could all do with something substantial, but light with it, so I came up with stewed tomatoes, zucchini and onions, with poached eggs for the adults and a scrambled egg for little-Harry.
When we heard the floo downstairs whoosh, Ron went to fetch Remus and little-Harry, they were happily ensconced in the oversized armchairs that made up our lounge suite when Sirius stumbled out of the trunk. He threw me a considered look, but said nothing as he joined the pair. Mother and Father wandered in, looking very relaxed and almost boneless and a part of my mind shuddered away from how they'd gotten that way. I just didn't need to know.
After dinner Harry chased my snitch around the living room, bouncing off of chairs and people, egged on by Sirius and Ron, laughed at and with by Remus and me, while Mother and Father watched on quietly. Eventually, he wound down, going from lap to lap for cuddles and stories. He settled on my lap and while I told him hiking through the forest of Dean with Ron and Portia, he fell asleep.
"He's out like light." I smiled down at him, before looking up at Sirius and Remus as they sat opposite Ron and I.
"Alright, Hadrien, explain." Remus sat beside Sirius on an old but sturdy settee, with Mother and Father sharing a loveseat nearest the wood-fired stove that we used as a heater.
"You need to let me finish, once I start. Please?" I asked, almost begging.
"Why do I not like the sounds of that?" Sirius grimaced.
"Because you won't." Ron warned.
"I really don't like the sounds of this." Sirius looked at Remus and screwed his face up, almost whining.
"Hush, Siri. Let Hadrien speak." Remus turned from Sirius to me. "We didn't know about you two. James never said anything."
"Yeah… there's a reason for that." I winced. "Let me tell the entire story and then we'll talk. Please?"
Remus and Sirius shared a long complicated wordless conversation, before Sirius sighed.
"Begin." He waved a hand.
I took a deep breath, letting it whoosh out quietly.
"First thing I'll say is this… I was Harry James Potter, son of James Fleamont Potter and Lillian Jessica Potter nee Evans. And this is how I became Hadrien Blaire Potter, son of Webster Henry Potter and Rachel Anne Potter nee Browning and how Ronald Bilius Weasley became my younger brother Ronson Maitland Potter."
I watched as their eyes widened almost alarmingly.
"Yes, I did say that. Now are you ready to listen? Will you keep an open mind?" I asked.
Neither replied in words, but both nodded.
Another deep breath and I began.
"It started with my best mate, Ron, and I in a dungeon…"
