Five years and one week later and Harry had just witnessed his dogfather's death. Watched him go through the veil and not come out the other side. He could still see the look on Sirius' face the moment that Bellatrix's curse hit him. He sucked in a strangled noise at the vivid memory, his heart falling into his stomach.

Hedwig hooted loudly and nipped the finger he had on her cage, making him wince. He sighed and reached in to stroke her feathers in just the way she liked, a wordless thanks.

Harry took a breath, his knuckles tight on his holly wand, Hedwig in her cage, his hand on his trolley, and walked through the door between train platforms, right into the porch of the LA home he had left. His heart stopped at the sight before him, at the same sun that he remembered, at the picnic table out in the center. The grill that he could just visualize Dom's father standing at, flipping burgers and hotdogs.

The two story house behind him, old but lovingly taken care of, cared for. 1327 Echo Park. The garage behind it with the beast of a Charger.

"Harry?"

He turned around, letting his trolley stand on its own, to face Mia, who had pushed open the back door. She looked older obviously, five years older, around 16, which meant that Dom would be 19. Her brown hair fell down to her shoulders and her eyes widened at the sight of him, the sight of his trolley and Hedwig in her cage. Harry reached out to unlock the cage and Hedwig hooted quietly, mantling her wings.

"Dom!"

Harry's lips twitched up into a small but weary grin, his heart restarting. "Mia."

Mia's gaze continued to flick between him and Hedwig behind him until Dom stepped out of the house. Dom looked first at Mia, not seeing him, and she jerked a thumb in Harry's direction.

Harry met Dom's eyes steadily and took a step towards the porch, running a hand through his hair. It was sunny here in LA, the kind of sunny that he had missed distantly over the past five years. Dom's eyes widened and he started down the stairs, walking over to stop in front of Harry. Dom was definitely taller and definitely more muscular, probably from having worked in the Toretto garage. At least Harry assumed Dom had worked in the garage since they had last seen each other.

"Uh… Mia…. might have been right about the wizard thing?" Harry tried, raising an eyebrow as Dom looked him over.

Dom frowned before crossing his arms. "There anyone I need to shove some manners into? You look like shit."

Harry snorted, his heart skipping a beat at Dom's look, as Mia followed her brother, her eyes still wide.

"I was right?" Mia questioned, tilting her head a little bit in confusion. "How…"

"Yeah, you were right. I'm a wizard. And no… There's no one that… well… you're…" Harry trailed off on a watery sigh, echoes of Sirius' last words flashing through his mind, his last uttered words. "I just… Fuck."

Dom sucked in a sharp breath and reached out an arm to haul him in for a hug. Harry started a little, his breath hitching, and wrapped his own arms around Dom, shaking a little. Dom was all warm heat, the smell of oil and metal and safety wrapped up in big arms and a sound left Harry's throat as Dom pulled him in closer.

Mia let out a small sound too and wrapped her arms around him too. "What… what happened?"

Harry just stood there, out on the porch in between Dom and Mia, fingers clenching into fists and then uncurling. Hedwig whistled irritably before stepping out and taking flight, landing on the porch railing behind them.

"I… It's a long story," Harry finally said, leaning into Dom a little more. "I haven't… You were right though. Merlin... "

"Come on. Dad's at the garage but I can make you a sandwich," Mia whispered.

"You don't have to," Harry croaked out, wiping his tears away and meeting Dom's eyes. "I… was on the way back to the Dursleys-"

"You still live with your aunt and uncle?" Dom asked, letting Harry use him as an anchor as he steadied himself. Harry's heart thumped in his chest at the intense look in those brown eyes, worry and concern meant for Harry and no one else and… He hadn't even seen that kind of look in Dumbledore's eyes when he had talked with the headmaster about the prophecy or Sirius dying. And Dom wasn't even a wizard.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do."

Dom sighed and helped him inside, following Mia, who had already made a beeline for the kitchen.

"Mia, you don't have to!" Harry exclaimed, waiting at the door for Hedwig to follow them in. He was about to go back for his trunk and baggage when Dom immediately went to go grab them, pulling them into the house and leaving them in the hallway.

"You're thin!" Mia yelled back. "Just like Vince was!"

"Was?" Harry echoed, glancing to Dom in question.

Dom's lips curled up in a hesitant grin, his gaze partially on Hedwig and mostly on Harry. "Third grade Vince was thin and scruffy. Yeah."

Hedwig hooted quietly and flew in, heading over to the couch to sit on the back of it. Her golden eyes turned to look at Dom as the two of them headed into the living room to sit down. Harry sighed as he sat down on the couch, his body practically melting into the couch where he had watched movies with the Torettos five years ago. Dom walked over to sit in the chair next to the couch, his shoulders curled and body tight with apprehension.

He could still remember seeing Vince tear up when Mufasa was killed in The Lion King. His lips twitched up into a reluctant smile at the memory.

"He still is," Mia retorted from the kitchen. "He got detention yesterday. That's where he's at."

Harry nodded, seeing Hedwig toddle over and peck at his hair, almost as if she was grooming him. He laughed quietly and reached up to stroke her feathers again, seeing Dom's eyes widen at the sight.

"He-"

"She," Harry corrected and opened his mouth to explain everything then closed it again. "I… know this is against the law."

Dom raised an eyebrow. "What is?"

"I'm not supposed to tell non magical people about the wizarding world," Harry explained, shrugging before shaking his head. "But fuck it. I don't care."

"I won't tell anyone and I know Mia won't," Dom offered, gesturing to the kitchen. "Vince probably won't, assuming you want to tell him too."

"My mom and dad didn't die in a car accident," Harry began, slow and cautious, as Mia walked in with a plate of food. There was a sandwich there, with chips, and she held it out as well as a glass of water. His eyes widened a little at the sight and then he gratefully took them, taking a sip of the water first. "Thanks."

"It's what mom and dad do for guests," Mia said quietly, glancing to Dom briefly before turning to look at Harry and the owl on the couch behind him. She sat down next to him, her brown eyes soft as she stared at him. "What's her name?"

"Hedwig. Her name is Hedwig," Harry said, holding out an arm behind him. Hedwig nuzzled into his hair and then walked up onto his shoulder and down his arm, to flutter over to Mia's lap. She gasped, her eyes going wide, before holding out a finger. Hedwig stared up at Mia before nipping at her finger, albeit gently. Mia giggled and reached out slowly to stroke through her feathers.

"She was my first friend in the wizarding world," Harry offered, sighing.

Hedwig crooned softly before toddling off of Mia's lap and flapping the few feet over to sit on Dom's knee. A quiet intake of breath was all the reaction that Dom gave as he looked into the owl's golden eyes, holding out his finger to her. Hedwig tilted her head and hooted questioningly even as she nipped at Dom's skin, nipped hard enough to draw blood. Harry's eyes widened and he was about to call her off when Dom shook his head.

"It's a test, is that right?" Dom murmured, lifting an eyebrow. The corner of his mouth lifted up in what might have been a frown as he held Hedwig's gaze.

Hedwig stared into Dom's eyes, still holding his finger in her beak, and then slowly released him. She dipped her beak and then mantled, taking off and landing on the window sill across from them. Harry blinked as she all but turned around, giving them her back, going back to ignoring them. He snorted and reached out to grab Dom's still bleeding finger, meeting those brown eyes.

He slipped his other fingers over his holly wand and drew it out, hesitating for a moment before shrugging. Dom met his eyes, steady even as his finger bled, and watched as Harry wove his wand over the skin, whispering a quiet episkey. Dom inhaled sharply as the cut healed itself, the skin weaving together within a minute. He muttered a cleaning charm on top of it, watching as the blood vanished as well.

"I'm a wizard," Harry finally spoke, looking at Dom before turning to look at Mia, whose eyes had widened greatly. "Mia, you were right."

Mia opened her mouth and then closed it. Harry just waited wordlessly for the possible owl to come in with a letter from either MACUSA or the ministry. Probably MACUSA since he was in the US but as the seconds ticked by and no owl came, he tilted his head in confusion. Maybe the laws were less strict here? The trace was still on his wand though and maybe… He shrugged and decided he didn't care.

"What happened then?" Dom asked, his voice low and his finger still in Harry's, warm, making Harry's heart skip a beat.

"It's… a long story," Harry answered, taking a bite of the sandwich that Mia had brought over. There were butterflies in his stomach or maybe they were pixies, and not the Cornish variety that Lockheart had shown them of.

"Dad has a race at the end of the week, the last race of the stock car season," Mia said, elbowing Dom.

"There's time," Dom said, his eyes darkening.

Harry smiled faintly. "I don't know how or why I 'jump' over here though. Besides, this is just the second time it's happened."

"Sometimes things don't need explaining," Dom offered, grinning. "You're back with us."

Harry continued to expect an owl with a threatening letter over the next day, over the next few days as he stayed with the Torettos. He joined Mia at the little market that their dad owned, helping out Jack and Mia to restock, doing everything he could to take his mind off of losing Sirius. During the next few nights, Harry found his way into Dom's bed more often than not, after tossing and turning, flashes of Sirius falling through the veil making him wake up panting and sweaty.

The other boy was quiet in his attempts to help, letting Harry into his bed without fuss, and letting Harry watch him as he worked on a car. Harry had no interest in cars for the most part, even after that week he had spent with the Torettos when he had been 10 and even now… The hour he had talked of quidditch to Dom had been fun, seeing those brown eyes light up at the thought.

"Maybe I could try to find some wizards or witches around for a pickup game," Harry said, dipping his head to where Vince was helping Dom with a certain piece of the car. Mia's friend, Letty was also in the garage, in just a tank top and really tight shorts. From her frequent looks to Dom, she was trying to catch his attention. Trying and failing. "But I don't… I still haven't received anything from MACUSA or the Ministry or…"

Jack's race was tomorrow so they were all working on the car, packing for the race. The beast of a Charger was shiny and clean and all ready to go by the day's end. Hedwig was just watching all of them with an amused eye though he thought he had seen her eye one of the owls that had come to perch on the garage's roof.

"You expectin' something?" Dom asked, lifting an eyebrow up at him from where he was, neck deep in car parts. He had grease on his fingers and oil stains on his own white tank top.

Harry shrugged, lowering his voice another notch. "I thought I was. When I… cast my patronus in front of my cousin, I nearly got expelled from Hogwarts. It's illegal to do magic in front of non magical people."

"In Britain."

Harry eyed Vince, seeing him blink at their conversation. Vince's expression when Harry had told him of magic had been something to see, seeing his eyes widen like a deer in headlights. Their friend had then walked off, muttering something about boys and their owls and appearing out of nowhere. Hedwig had taken offense at that, nipping his bare shoulder at the time.

"What'd you say about the US? You know the laws here?" Vince questioned, wiping some sweat out of his eyes.

Harry paused and then let out a noise of consideration. "No. No, I don't. I should look. I don't even know if I'm in the same world as mine though. This could be… I don't know… something else."

Vince snorted and shook his head.

Dom's lips curled into an amused grin. "Can't have you doing anything illegal."

Harry laughed, leaning against the shelves of parts behind him and then sighed, standing up and walking out of the garage. The sun bombarded him as he walked out, leaving him to shield his eyes. He eyed the street in front of them and then ended up leaning against the wall of the garage, memory flashing through him. He wondered what was going on in England now, what with Voldemort's return having been made 'official' when Fudge witnessed his attack at the Ministry.

"You alright?"

He started at the words and opened his eyes to see Dom standing in front of him, his heart rocketing in his chest. "Dom!"

Dom just looked at him with those brown eyes, looking him over, something in his eyes that looked like patience. His big shoulders were loose, his arms by his sides, no tension in them. Harry's eyes were drawn to the bare skin of Dom's shoulders, of his arms, seeing the idle play of muscles in them and swallowed. "You're like a cat, you know?"

"I've been told that," Dom remarked, taking a step towards him and ending up by his side, their shoulders touching. "Mostly when I startle Vince."

Harry snorted at the thought. "You know the guy I told you about? The one who killed my parents and then tried to kill me?"

"Yeah."

"He's back," Harry said, tipping his own shoulder against Dom's. "And I think… I think he wants to finish the job."

Dom stiffened beside him, leaving their shoulders touching, a line of heat against Harry. "There anything I can do to help?"

"You're doing it," Harry whispered, taking a deep breath and letting his head fall against Dom's shoulder.

"Oh, he's close!" Vince yelled, standing up. The stands were full of people cheering and yelling, sometimes jeering as the cars below them raced. It was hot and humid and the air was filled with the smell of gasoline, metal and sweat. The roaring of engines echoed throughout the fair grounds, making his heart race, the thrum of power echo still. And maybe it wasn't magic but damn… These people were all adrenaline chasers and Harry… just might have known that exact feeling.

Racing for the snitch, his heart thumping in his chest as he flew fast and easy, feeling the wind bump against his face, his goggles on… There was nothing like it and he sighed, feeling happiness bubble up in him at the thought. It had been a while since he had been able to just… ride his broomstick, to float up in the air with nothing to catch him, no worries.

People milled about farther past the racing stadium, swapping information on cars, standing in front of their own cars to show off. Harry stood up too, from the bench, watching as Dom did too. The black Charger raced around the next bend on the track, charging one on one with another car, leaping, almost flying forward at the next moment. He could see Jack Toretto in the driver's seat but was too far away to see the look on his face.

Dom and Mia's mother was standing on the other side of the pit, waiting with their other mechanic. She had a proud grin on her face, watching as her husband drove professionally.

"Look!" Vince pointed out, gesturing to another driver on the course. The car was slowly gaining on the Charger, coming up on the inside of the track, with no other car behind them. Harry froze at the sight, sucking in a breath as they all watched the car bump-clip- the Charger's bumper violently, turning it towards the wall, and… It was like time moved in slow motion as the Charger squealed, hitting the wall fast and hard.

The collusion ended in an explosion, the noise rising above all the other sounds on the track, on the fairgrounds. Fire and smoke issued from the Charger, burning up the frame of the car, flaring and burning the occupant and Harry let out a strangled sound. The scream that filled the air seemed to bump into him physically and he turned to look at Dom, who was frozen to the spot.

Harry blinked past tears and took the few steps to curl his arms around Dom, the older boy's breath hitching, his arms tensing. Dom was in a tank top so Harry could feel the overheated skin, feel Dom shuddering against him even as a raw noise left Dom's throat. He bumped his forehead against Dom's shoulder blades, leaning against him as he held on. Sweat from Dom's back made Harry's shirt stick to his skin as Dom twisted around, his body heaving, his fingers curling into fists.

"Harry."

"Dom," Harry murmured, feeling tears fall down his cheeks, his own heart falling into his stomach as they both heard Dom and Mia's mother scream.

"I'm gonna fucking kill him."

Harry flinched even as Dom struggled to turn around in his arms, those brown eyes no longer soft or excited. "Dom, no."

The morning after, after Harry had helped their mother with what had to be done, after Dom had found Mia curled into a big ass black panther, sobbing her heart out, Harry and Hedwig disappeared. Their belongings disappeared, making it appear that the two of them hadn't even been around for the past week. The owl perch, the trunk that was covered in bright Gryffindor red, the wand that Harry had shown Dom and Mia.

Those bright green eyes had stared at him from Harry's panther form-and Dom would be asking Harry about that- worried and stricken, dull, just like Harry had looked when he had arrived here on Monday.

The week after Harry disappeared, Dom met Kenny Linder on the track again.