Meet Harry again

Potter Estate Grounds

Past 12:00, 31/07/87

Harry knew he must have done something right, if the level of general awe directed at him was any indication.

But he had to do more things here than just have a reunion with his family. They were surrounded by reporters, the Malfoys were being arrested, he could just see Walburga saying something to Jon and Alexa, that short bastard who'd asked for the prettiest girl was staring at Alexa unabashedly, who was Harry's friend, not his, and his brother who didn't look like much of a miracle child to be honest looked like he needed to be told who wasn't his sidekick.

His mother had lunged at him and was holding him hard enough to make Harry feel slightly uncomfortable but mostly nice, all the while crying and laughing. His father too hugged him from behind and lifted both him and his mother up and was laughing uproariously.

The brother who Harry just knew was a git was staring jealously.

Then his mother let him go for a moment to hold him at an arm's breadth and really look at him. And Harry did too, at his mother's soft face, green eyes and, at his father's rough face and unruly and Black hair. It was like looking at two reflections of yourself, that mixed up to make you.

"How did you..."

"Flooed from Leaky Cauldron mum, though I don't know why you call it the Floo System."

Harry observed his mother seemed pretty pleased to be called mum.

"Can I go now? I have to do some things. I promise to come back, of course."

His parents were drinking in his face but Harry had already freed himself and run towards that short bastard who thought Alexa was his friend and punched him in the nose, after kicking him right in the guts.

"She's my friend. Don't stare you Hooligan."

The boy, his nose making that satisfying cracking sound, looked ready to kill Harry but Harry was off after Jon who looked ready to kill Walburga.

He was standing there, a silver arrow nocked in his bow, seconds from shooting her through her throat. And Alexa was cheering him on. She looked really angry. As for Walburga?

Harry would've bet if she moved for her wand, she'd have an arrow in her throat before she moved an inch. She looked ready to wet her skirt.

"Take that BITCH Down, Jon."

'Wow! Walburga must've really said her something.' Alexa had a huge temper but knew how to channel it very well. She wasn't one to just attack someone head on. She generally planned to play the long game and crush them.

'How did I become the voice of reason?'

Harry affected his best wise voice.

"Jon this is a time where you have to choose between what is better and what is faster. Don't choose wrong Jon."

Jon paused and then thought over Harry's words.

Jon lowered the bow and nodded. Walburga scurried away, scared. Harry immediately pointed at the Malfoys.

Jon had a panicked look in his eyes. Harry sighed, approached and held his shoulders with his hands.

"Look into my eyes."

Jon looked into Harry's eyes... and in seconds all his panic vanished.

Jon Black then unhurriedly strolled towards them.

Narcissa was screaming, Lucius looked dumbfounded, Draco looked ready to cry. The Aurors had placed Lucius in magic resisting handcuffs. Draco's hands were tied in a rope. Narcissa was Silencio-ed.

In the middle of them walked Jon Black with Harry and Alexa in tow.

"And what the fuck is going on in here? What are the grounds of arrest of the Malfoys?"

"Lord Black." The Goblins greeted them with nods. The Aurors bowed to Jon. Jon nodded back. The Goblin pointed at Lucius.

"Lord Malfoy over here broke into Gringotts with his son, attacked our gaurds with an abomination, and temporarily blinded our gaurdian dragon and stole Excalibur from our vaults."

Jon mulled over his words. Then he looked down and asked, "Thief's Downfall? Did you check for impersonation?"

"Both he and his son had the Malfoy Sneer, Malfoy Walk, Malfoy Drawl and passed the Thief's Downfall unaffected."

Jon nodded as if expecting that.

"Imperius?"

The Lead Goblin smiled. "Needs its caster to be in fairly close proximity and befuddles the subject. And trust me the things they did were not possible in a befuddled state."

Jon nodded again. Narcissa was crying now. Jon stared at the reporters gathering around.

"Then we'll of course take the Veritaserum testimony in court. For now, they must receive accommodation in the low level ministry cells."

"Of course Lord Black," the Auror in the lead said.

"You don't seem surprised at the unprecedented robbery, that too by such an unexpected family."

And Jon stared right into the Goblin' eyes. His delivery of words was cool, yet somehow filled with a lot of emotions.

"Oh trust me Master Goblin a lot of things about this case have surprised me. But I am a Black of Storm Grey. When have you ever seen us lose composure?"

And then he just stared at the crowd of people surrounding him. And most of them shivered in fear, intimidated by a seven year old.

"Lord Malfoy, whatever his mistakes is a Black vassal. Though I'm of course not directly connected to the case, the Attorneys of Black will protect him. I'll see you next in court, Master Goblin. As you were."

And he inclined his head lightly to the Aurors, the Media and the Goblins. And withdrew.

The reporters were fielding questions at the Potters, the Malfoys and Walburga. Now they had new targets in Jon and Harry.

Harry hurriedly approached James but his father was no fool. The media and guests were already being asked to leave. They seemed reluctant. James nodded once and said that they would give a press conference in a week. Before that he wanted to meet and get to know his son.

Most people left. The few that remained soon left when Lily and James' hands went inching towards their wands.

Even Sirius, the Weasleys and other Order and resistance families let the Potters have their moment.

Soon there were only the Potters, Alexa and Jon left.

Lily was just looking at Harry as if he might vanish if she looked away. Then she looked at his friends and quickly hugged Jon and Alexa.

Jim looked like he couldn't believe how wrong his birthday had gone.

James then said, "Missy! Tamsy! Follow me then children." That smile hadn't left his face.

Two Owned Elves dressed in a Red and Gold toga appeared. James held one hand of the Elf while Jim and Lily held the other. Harry, Jon and Alexa swiftly copied.

Then, after the unpleasant sensation of being squeezed into a tunnel, and then expanded, they had reappeared in the Dining room of the house.

Alexa somehow landed on her feet but wasted no time in making her feelings clear to Harry, who'd landed doing a handstand.

"Motherfucker! That was torturous!"

Jon tapped her shoulder. Then Alexa remembered that Lily Potter, the mother, was standing in the same room, now glaring at her.

"Yeah it can get uncomfortable..." James said trying to defuse the tension.

Alexa didn't know if he was talking of the tunnel travel or Lily's anger.

James then ignored everything and simply sat on a chair on the 6 seater dining table, Jim looked excited at the upcoming confrontation, Jon resigned, and Harry looked disapproving.

The all say down, the Potters (Harry excluded) on one side, the trio on the other, both with the females in the middle.

Harry came to her rescue. He said, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Alexa you've fucked up. I mean you can't call me a motherfucker with my fucking mother in the same room." And then glancing at the Potter side, "Um... I still haven't got that cake we talked of..."

Lily almost fainted from shock. James called for Missy and ordered the cake.

James then looked out the window at something in the distance.

"Such beautiful weather."

Jon had initially not been an opportunist coward. Now however, "I completely agree Lord Potter. And look at that dog shaped one."

Alexa would've none of it, "Why yes! It looks like two cowardly dogs trying to run away."

Jim Potter commented smugly, "No it doesn't. It just looks like one dog!"

Harry stared incredulously, "This is supposed to be my twin!"

And the focus was on Jim Potter.

Lily said, suddenly forgetting of Harry's crude language, "Harry, dear, we tried..."

"Yeah we really did..."

"But the public outcry for scolding the saviour..."

"And we'd hurt one son quite a lot already..."

"See first it used to be funny. But nowadays..."

"How do I say this..."

"Your son is a spoilt brat who thinks he's the King of the world and Merlin reborn when in reality he's just a sissy."

Jim was getting redder and redder and jumped over the table to grab Alexa when Jon and Harry together drew swords.

The room as a whole gasped.

James in admiration, Lily in shock, Jim in fear, while Harry, Jon and Alexa gasped that Excalibur, the sword of Light, which Jon had pulled out of the pouch, was completely Black in colour.

It was a jet black of the night sky, and when it shone, it exuded a darkness into the room.

Harry put his arm around Jon's shoulder. "I don't think you want to do that Jim or Jon will use the Devil's Stick on you."

Jim seemed suitably intimidated.

Jon shrugged off Harry hand. "Oh no I'm never using Devil's Stick. I thinking of using the Fury of the Night instead."

"But that name's too loooong."

"Well the blabe's long too." Jon shrugged. It was over three and a half feet long but just thicker than an inch.

Alexa banged her hand on the table. "Well I for one think Jon should just use Dark Sister on Jim here and be done with it."

Jon and Harry both nodded at the classy name. It was scary too.

"May I suggest Longclaw?" Jim asked meekly.

"Shut up Jim." Harry, Jon, Alexa and surprisingly... James yelled together.

"Yeah that's such a first sword name," Alexa said.

James then asked the question on all the Potters' minds, "But where did you get such beauties, boys."

Harry, Jon and Alexa simultaneously said...

"Borrowed."

"Stole."

"Gifted."

Then all three stared at each other, trying to kill the other with their eyes. Alexa pressed her foot on Jon's shoes. 'Stole? Really?'

Jon began in a pained voice, "You see Lord Potter, someone was trying to steal this beauty here..."

Harry continued, "...and Jon and I saw them. So I borrowed this Golden sword from its pedestal..."

"...and I attacked them with my bow..."

"...while I was shouting encouragement from 30 feet away..."

"...and Blackflame, which is its name, helped stop them too..."

"...though they did cut cut him a bit..."

"...and I was still rooting for them, even though they were losing..."

Harry looked like he wanted to strangle her.

"...yeah, I was losing..."

"...We were?" asked Jon.

"Yes Jon. Remember, just before Ghost bit the foolish thief in the foot and broke their ankles?"

Harry didn't look like he was talking of the past.

"Oh Yes, I remember now. So in that distraction, I loosed an arrow towards their throats..."

"...and hit his shoulder because we're seven and of course we don't kill people..."

Harry looked like he really wanted to though. Alexa decided to complete the story in the most realistic way.

"...and then the owner of the swords gifted the swords to me for raising the morale and deploying acceptable soldiers. I promised they would do better the next time. I decided they could use some weapons, you know. I didn't need them."

Both Harry and Jon looked like they wanted to kill her. 'Oh well!'

"Oh my brave brave babies!!" said Lily.

"So how many were there?" James asked, intrigued. Jim looked jealous.

"Three."

"Eleven."

"Two."

Alexa pressed her foot on Jon's shoes again. 'Eleven? Really?'

Harry explained, "You see the three of us took down two thieves in the company of six other people."

Jim immediately found a fault, "Ha! But that means there were thirteen people! You're lying!"

All were now staring at Jim again. Lily asked, and though her voice was sweet, it had an angry undertone.

"Jim, dear, what are you doing with your Mathematics tutor?"

"Um... well, she said I was mentally challenged... and I said that she should give me more physical challenges then."

"And..."

"And we jog around the grounds nowadays. I like to lag behind. A very nice view if you get what I'm saying."

James commented dreamily, "Oh boy. Do I indeed!"

Lily erupted.

'Lady Potter has just lost all justification for being angry at Alexa initially.'

Jon had thought his Grandfather could swear. But Arcturus Black was an amateur to Lily's genius. In fact James, though cowed, looked like he wanted to ravish her here and now, children be damned.

'And she sure showed some very interesting uses of certain words.'

Harry looked like he was very impressed.

"I pranked the Queen!"

Lily looked inquisitive. "What dear?"

"N-nothing. J-just joking mum."

'Yeah, very impressed.'

"So how did you three meet?"

Harry, Jon and Alexa went quiet. Jon knew Lady Potter had just calmed down. If he said 'I saved her life from 12 werewolves, one of them her mother, with the help of your son and my pet wolf and his pet phoenix', Lily Potter might just kill them.

'And that's excluding the father's death and Occlumency breakdown.'

"You see there I was, walking in the park..."

Jon began.

"...and both Jon and I saw Alexa..."

"...I'd just lost my parents you know..." ("Aww...you poor dear," Lily crooned)

"...so we found a wolf pup was teasing Alexa..."

Jon saw where Harry was going with this. "And I've always liked wolves..."

"While I've always liked Pretty girls..." ("That's ma boy." James said, his courage returning. It deflated at a glare from Lily.)

"And I've always liked flattery..."

Harry glanced at her. "Yeah she has. Anyway we bonded and then Jon actually identified me as Harry Potter. It turns out I was supposed to be a dead squib so he was slightly surprised."

"...And we decided to get him home and Jon adopted the wolf pup and named him Ghost," said Alexa.

"That's so sweet!" said Lily as the same time as Jim said...

"That's so sappy."

"Shut up Jim." Harry, Jon and Alexa said together. Then they smiled and the boys fist bumped across Alexa.

"So, do you want to stay with us too Jon, Alexa?"

Harry suddenly said, "Who said anything about staying here?"

"Huh? I just thought they're your friends and you've got a dynamic going on..."

"Oh you misunderstood me mum! Who said anything about me staying?"

"You're going away?!" Both James and Jim said, one panicking, the other relieved. Lily was shocked into silence.

"Of course I am. I live with these two don't I? Besides in Wizarding Law you, whether you thought me a squib or not, did give me up and now have no legal authority over me! Don't worry. I'm not angry or anything, I just don't want any rules."

"Wha? whe? Whu?"

"Mum you're destroying the sanctity of Queen's English. Anyway, we have to try to save or concict the Malfoys, plot the rise of House Black under Jon after getting his custody, take part in some adventure sports and visit France, Italy and other magical colonies..."

Alexa continued, "Interrogate those coward neutrals if possible, free the foreign countries still under Artemisia's control..."

And Jon ended, "...And finish up any remains of Artemisia, and then end this whole Merlin's Interdict thingy."

"Huh?" said James and Jim.

"WHAT THE—" screamed Lily.

"Forgive me Lady Potter. I was given to understand that the word 'thingy' meant 'thing.' "Jon cleared her confusion.

"Language mum! What manners do you expect the kid to learn?"

Then he pointed out Jim. Alexa nodded vehemently.

"Mrs. Potter you must fill his limited vocabulary with nice words. We don't want our saviour to not be gentlemanly."

"I'm not gonna tolerate this you motherf—"

But Jon and Harry already had their swords, which were loose in their hands, aimed at his throat in a second.

"Don't you dare finish that word, Lil' Bro."

Jim quieted down.

Alexa said to Lady Potter, "Besides we'll make sure to visit on holidays and birthdays, Mrs Potter. "

"Aye Lady Potter. If you so desire, we can even communicate through letters."

"But why must you leave, my baby?"

Harry gave the first reason, "Adults are boring."

Alexa gave the second reason, "You already have your hands full with that." She pointed out Jim.

Jon gave the third reason, "We've things to do, places to be Lord and Lady Potter. "

"But you're the older twin, Harry. You're Heir," James said.

Looking at Jim he said, "I see where that may be a problem. But I'll come back! Maybe..."

"And frankly, handling the nightmare that is House Black requires the insanity of Harry Potter."

They stood up. Harry went and hugged his parents. Harry and Alexa kissed Lady Potter's cheeks, Jon bowed to the Potters.

Then Missy came with the cake.

"Oh isn't the cake perfect!" All three took slices to eat. Jon liked cake. There are times for propriety, there are other times for cake.

The Potters were not in the mood to eat. Jon shrugged and continued eating.

As the three were entering the Floo, Alexa and then Jon had gone away before Lily Potter came running towards Harry.

"Wait! You said they were taking you home!"

"I did say that Mother. But then I realized, I was home already. You'll always be my parents, but for now, they're my family."

Lily blinked as her son stepped into the floo and yelled, "Raventree Hall!"

And all that was left was ashes.