I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
The Family that Chooses You
Chapter 77 – His First Real Birthday
"Is everything alright Molly?"
Molly dabbed at her eyes. "Oh, more than alright," she said happily. "It does me a lot of good to see him like this." She pointed at Harry with her eyes shining.
The adults looked over at the stove and the kitchen island. Harry was in the middle of his friends. Different conversations filled the air as people spoke to one another but there were always people around Harry. They switched off to show him all sorts of attention, but he was never alone. Some friends helped give him things as he cooked or moved things about while others watched.
Kreacher, and to Harry's surprise Dobby, were helping serve food and get more things for Harry as needed. Dobby had popped in and said he was part of a coming guest's gift to help for the day, but Dobby had wanted to help anyways. He and Kreacher almost came to blows about responsibilities but they reached an even agreement without too much trouble.
Andromeda and Sirius looked at each for a moment. Sirius coughed. "Was he…was he really that bad? Dumbledore didn't say too much to me about how he used to look. Just that his time at the Dursleys wasn't…well good."
"He was abused. We should just say it," Samantha said. "There's documented proof. And it lasted well into his Hogwarts years."
Molly shook her head in sorrow, not disagreement. "When I saw him get out of the car that summer…" She sniffled. "He was skin and bones. And I kept finding him sleeping outside with his wand in his hand. Said the walls were too tight."
Arthur wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I still cannot believe we didn't realize Dumbledore was his magical guardian. Every inquiry we made was denied and the letter he sent to us in reply was, with hindsight, suspiciously empty. We should have brought Harry to a Healer."
"You couldn't have," Andromeda said. "It would have caused so much trouble and attention. You did the best you could. Better than his actual guardians, Muggle and magical."
Sirius growled, a low and menacing sound from deep within his chest. "I'll kill them. The Dursleys. I'll kill them with my bare hands. And Dumbledore will have to pay with blood for what he did."
The other adults shuddered at his tone.
Andromeda squeezed his arm. "Don't say those things on someone's birthday," she hissed. "You'll invite more trouble than joy, you idiot."
Sirius visibly forced the anger away. He waved an arm at Kreacher and the House Elf brought over a tray with firewhiskey. Sirius poured liberal amounts for everyone and he drained his cup with one swallow before pouring another. "You're right Andi." He smiled but the smile did not completely drain his eyes of pain and shame. "Thank you, Molly and Arthur, for helping Harry when I couldn't. You too Samantha."
"It was really Katie who helped first," Samantha said, more than a little proud. "She noticed the warnings before anyone else."
They watched as Harry fed Katie a bite from a wooden spoon, watched as the others cried foul and Harry smacking at Fred and George with the spoon when they tried to steal the pan.
"I owe her a lot," Sirius said softly, his anger finally draining from him.
"Are things really that complicated?" Jean asked. "To take a child to a doctor or healer?"
"Wizarding laws involving minors are rather odd," Andromeda said heavily. "If the minor has a magical guardian that's easily identified and, well, competent, then lots of things are easy as long as the guardian agrees. If there is no guardian or it's muddled, then everything is difficult."
"Will Hermione have a lot of problems?" David asked worriedly.
"Yes and no. Since you being her lawful parents and guardians, despite being Muggles, still have final say on a lot of things. Then again, your wishes may be somewhat ignored when it comes to very magical things and procedures because you're Muggles," Samantha admitted.
"That's not very fair," David said indignantly.
Samantha nodded. "It really isn't. British Wizarding Society is very…unapproachable by Muggle-borns and their families. I think it's designed that way sadly."
They watched Hermione laugh as she sat with Ginny, Luna, and Lyla. The bushy-haired girl encouraged Lyla to squeeze past the twins to ask Harry for a taste-test.
"I've never seen her so carefree," Jean said wistfully. "She was always so shy and introverted, preferred her books to any other social interaction. I was really worried for her before she became a witch. I still am worried to be honest. Seeing that letter from her first year, when she said she made friends, was what did it for me. That made me think magic was a good thing for her. Seeing her like this now," she sighed.
"It really has made things better for her," David completed.
She and her husband shared a look. "Is there anything we can do for her? To make things easier for her?" she asked.
At this point the kitchen door opened and Ted Tonks and Tonks came in. Tonks said hello to her mother and Sirius, greeted the other adults, then pushed her way to Harry and gave him a big hug. She introduced herself to Harry's friends and soon joined the celebration.
Ted introduced himself to Samantha, Arthur and Molly, and David and Jean. He got caught up on the conversation he missed. "You certainly can," he said warmly to a relieved Jean. "You can ask an adult wizard or witch to be her magical co-guardian. They will help provide any advice needed on magical matters. Of course you'll want someone you and your daughter are comfortable with and you'll want to ensure that the contract states that you and your husband have to be consulted before any decisions are made. If you trust the co-guardian, then they should hopefully know not to take any liberties."
Jean smiled and her shoulders shook, as if a burden had been taken away. "Oh thank you so much. Yes, we really would like that. That would make us feel a lot better. We can't help her with so much of this, we know less than her. It'll be so good to know that we'll be kept in the loop. Do any of you have suggestions on who would agree to be her co-guardian?"
"I'll be more than happy to be if you'll have me," Sirius said. "I feel like I owe her a lot too. Harry's very fond of her, especially if he considers her to be like a sister. Won't be much more responsibility for me." He sipped his drink and gave his cousin a look of mock suffering. "If Andi thinks I can't handle it or if you don't care for an ex-convict to be a proper magical guardian, we can ask Minnie. I know she's quite fond of Hermione too."
"Ask me what?" McGonagall stepped into the room followed by Remus. She waved to a surprised but happy Harry. She also glared at the twins who gave identical screams of terror and hid behind Harry. "We may not be at school but I'm sure your mother wouldn't mind me scolding you two," she said to their laughter.
"Not at all and my scolding will be afterwards," Molly said sweetly and all the Weasley children shuddered.
"Ask me what?" McGonagall said to Sirius, prodding him. "What foolishness are you involving me in now?"
"Hermione needs a magical co-guardian," Jean explained. "To make things easier for her before she comes of age. Plus it would be nice for me and David to learn more about magical society."
"Oh yes. Well, if you wish me to be hers, I would agree to it. She's one of my best students and I'd be happy to. However, my duties are rather robust so perhaps it may be best to find another. I will always try to help however I can even if another is chosen." She gave Sirius a look born from experience. "Some advice should be double checked after all."
"Still holding my past against me?" Sirius asked, holding the back of his hand to his forehead. "Will you never forgive a troubled youth's troubled past?"
"With all the trouble you gave me? Never," she declared.
Everyone laughed at that. Even Sirius and he saluted her with his glass.
"Besides," Andromeda continued. "Sirius is an exonerated ex-convict and he would be a good magical co-guardian for Hermione. He knows the ins and outs of the procedures and laws. I'll keep him in line as well."
Jean and David smiled. "We'll talk to Hermione and see what she thinks, but we'd be grateful if you would help us."
Harry appeared with a tray of sausage rolls. "Just came out of the oven and cooled a bit. Better hurry before the twins and Ron eats them all!"
The adults took one each, smiling and thanking Harry.
"Thank you for the invitation," McGonagall said with a small smile. "I'm glad to be here to wish you a Happy Birthday."
"Me too," Remus said. "It's long overdue."
Harry blushed. "I'm glad you wanted to come. It's nice seeing you. Thanks for having Dobby help us. It was nice to see him."
"I might have mentioned coming to see you while on an errand at the castle and he overheard. He practically insisted on coming." McGonagall bit into the roll, the flaky pastry breaking apart, rich with butter. The sausage was savory, hints of sage and plenty of black pepper tingled. "This is exquisite," she praised. "You made these yourself?"
Harry bobbed his head. "I like to cook."
"I might need you to give you extra credit if you bring me more during the year," she teased.
"Same," Remus grinned. "This is wonderful." His eyes narrowed as he peered closely at Harry. "Is that a coronet?" He looked at a grinning Sirius. "You didn't."
"I did," Sirius said smugly. "It's tradition."
"Oh no," McGonagall groaned. "Not the bloody birthday crown business." She sighed heavily as Remus and Sirius high-fived. "Your father and his reprobate friends came up with this tradition," she said to a smiling Harry. "Every year someone would wear something giant and gaudy and garish. Then speak in what they assumed was a 'kingly' tone and make ridiculous decrees and demands. Then the other idiots would listen to a degree. A guaranteed day of pure disruption."
"Sirius said it was an ancient family tradition," Harry laughed.
"I believe it was a Potter tradition," McGonagall corrected. "And not so ancient."
Tonks had slid up behind Harry to get another sausage roll. "Well in Sirius' case, it certainly could be ancient. Cause he's ancient."
Sirius smacked her irritably while the others laughed. "And what does that make Minnie?" he asked with faux innocence.
"Me not being that thick," Tonks said thickly with a full mouth.
"Good answer," McGonagall said.
"Well I like it if dad came up with it," Harry said softly. "I won't act like a king though."
Samantha straightened the circlet. "I think you look splendid, Harry. It makes you look dignified." She smiled when Harry hugged her.
Tonks dragged Harry back and soon Harry was being taunted by some calling him 'your majesty' and asking him for his royal wishes. Oliver arrived then and made things worse when he kept calling the birthday boy Sir Harry.
"I only met him the once," Jean said softly, "and only briefly at that. Comparing him then to now, it's night and day. Hermione was always so worried about him in her letters home. It's so nice to see him like this." David nodded in silent agreement.
McGonagall looked very tired for a moment. "How could I not have noticed it for three years," she murmured. "He looked…okay enough during his Sorting. I didn't know what to expect. Seeing him now…" her voice faded and she shuddered.
Sirius gave her a glass of firewhiskey. "There's enough blame to go around," he said bitterly.
Remus silently accepted a glass and tapped his to Sirius and McGonagall's.
"What matters most is that it was caught in time," Samantha said firmly but gently.
"He won't have to face anything alone with all of us," Molly said stoutly. "Not again."
-0-
The rooftop garden was Harry's second favorite place in Grimmauld Place, with the kitchen being his favorite and his room being a close third.
It was bright and airy, rising higher than the houses around them. It was enchanted to be completely unseen and unheard by anyone outside of the boundaries. Noise from the streets and other living places were filtered out, only allowing natural sounds like the wind and birdsong.
Like the rest of Grimmauld Place, it had been a mess when Sirius and Harry moved in. The plants were overrun by weeds, aside from the darker magical plants that somehow thrived despite being neglected and allowed to overgrow. After a lot of cleaning and some rather aggressive gardening, the space had been cleared and it looked very nice.
Planter pots and boxes were dotted at random, flowers and a few trees growing out of them. A large fire pit was in the center for cold nights. A magical fire danced in it right now, one that gave no heat. Comfortable chairs and couches were scattered and tables groaned with food and drink. Harry cooked some of his favorite things but the rest was made by Kreacher and Dobby, though Molly had brought a few treats when Harry asked her to.
It had been a wonderful day. He found that he loved to cook more when people were honestly appreciative of him for it, and he loved to hear them praise his cooking. Everyone had treated him like a normal person. No one treated him like he was pitiful or he was fragile. They joked and teased in equal measure. The adults had treated him like one of their own children, something that made him feel very warm inside.
He was excited to see people get along. The adults did not look bored in the slightest, happy to interact with each other and the younger people. He had been worried about Hermione's mother but she was obviously at ease and enjoying herself. Just being around people that wanted to be around him on his birthday made him incredibly content and happy.
He forgot about his presents. When he sheepishly admitted that he did, those that knew him best gave him looks of fond exasperation. Those that knew him least gave him looks that ranged from bemused confusion to deep sadness.
He had to stop and regain his composure when he saw the pile of presents arrayed before him when it was time to open them. He had never gotten so many things at once. In fact, the number of gifts now outweighed the number of things he had ever received before. It intimidated him.
For a moment he thought himself undeserving of them all.
As if following his thoughts, Katie squeezed his hand. She waited for him to breathe, to quell the thoughts in his head. With an encouraging smile, one that he shyly returned, she sat him down in the middle of a couch. Luna curled up on one side with Angelina on the other. One by one, people brought him a gift and he opened them with care and enthusiasm.
He started with the Weasleys. Ron and Ginny gave him polished wooden badges: one the symbol of the Chudley Cannons and the other of the Holyhead Harpies, their respective Quidditch teams. Ron showed off his increasing skill at making wooden decorations and Ginny helped paint them. The twins made him another music box but this time it was the shape of an owl. They filled it with more music by Hedwig since he liked the one from Christmas. Percy got Harry a wand servicing kit and got very annoyed at the incredibly inappropriate jokes the twins were making. Molly had made a new apron for Harry, one more suited for his size. It too was yellow and she embroidered flowers along the edges. She teared up a little when he put it on eagerly.
Luna made him a sunflower pin. The petals fluttered as if blown by the wind and it subtly moved towards the sun. He pinned it to his apron and liked how it moved ever so slightly. He breathed deep and he became confused. "Is that what sunflowers smell like?"
Luna shrugged. "Sunflowers smell very neutral in real life. Not very identifiable save from earthy. So I gave it a scent that I thought you might like more."
"Biscuits?" Harry laughed.
Luna smiled. "Okay, maybe a smell I like more." She blushed prettily when he hugged her.
Tonks gave him a book on dueling and a pair of enchanted weights. "You can adjust the weight on these, including making them as light as a feather for transport. You'll need to keep your exercise up while you're at Hogwarts. Keeps you fit." She winked saucily. "In more ways than one."
Andromeda sighed and poked her laughing daughter. "Feel free to ignore her," she said to a crimson-faced Harry. She gave Harry a book on Wizarding World customs and traditions, something Harry had said he was interested in learning more about.
Oliver gave him a book on Quidditch plays and tactics as well as a Puddlemere United flag. Remus and Sirius gave Harry a complete set of Defense Against the Dark Arts books and a pocket knife that could also deal with locks. McGonagall's gift was a model of Hogwarts that also served as a weather and temperature gauge. One look could tell him how things felt either in the castle or on the grounds. She also brought Hagrid's gift since he could not come. He made Harry an owl care kit for Harry, something he greatly appreciated.
Alicia gave him a complete potion making set. All the components were made from high quality materials and were organized in a small carrying case. She had each piece monogrammed with Harry's initials much like he did for her three years ago. "These are Spinnet quality grade," she said proudly. "You'll make much better-quality potions with this."
Angelina swore by the Charms book she gave to him. Said it was the reason she got an Outstanding on the O.W.L.. She also included a place saving ribbon that was very well made. It had a space to hold a quill but when she told him it was charmed to be stain resistant as well as proof against sticky things, he knew what kind of quills could be slotted into it for safekeeping.
As per usual, Hermione gave him books as well but this time, he smiled wider at what she gave him. She gave him Muggle cookbooks that she and her mother picked out. They selected ones with very different cuisines and he was incredibly excited to use them. Jean was very touched when Harry hugged her. David too.
Samantha had laughed when she saw the books. "At least I know you'll like this," she said as she gave a grinning Harry a Wizarding cookbook. It taught the different charms and spells one could use in the kitchen as well as sample recipes. Lyla had picked out a floral kitchen towel that could be used for all sorts of tasks.
Katie had gotten him a new school bag. The leather was soft to the touch and spelled to be very durable. It could hold more than it looked and tapping the bag with your wand while saying an item's name would summon the item straight to the top. After years of using an older one that was falling apart, Harry loved it.
He carefully stored all his new books inside the bag and put the sunflower pin and the two Quidditch badges on the outside flap. He tied the Puddlemere flag to one buckle so it billowed out. He thought it was perfect.
After a little bit, Harry noticed the smile on Sirius' face and he vindicated in feeling apprehensive when Sirius held up a large book. "Who wants to see pictures of Harry as a baby?!"
Of course everyone did. At least the adults and the girls.
"There are baby pictures of me?" Harry asked. He did not have the desire to see himself per se, but maybe there would be pictures of his mother and father.
"A few," Sirius said with a sad smile. "Every one I saw I made a copy of and stored it away in my vault before everything…went wrong. After I was cleared, I was returned the right to visit James' vault and looked for every picture I could find. So I made copies of everything and this book is yours to keep but I thought we could all look at it together. Plus I've been taking pictures since you moved in and put them in too!"
Harry had seen a few pictures of his parents, courtesy of Hagrid asking people for pictures during Harry's first year. He still had the photo album carefully wrapped in his trunk. Now he was given the opportunity to look at pictures he had not seen before.
Everyone clustered around the table as he opened the book. People exclaimed and laughed at a very chubby baby Harry wrapped in swaddling cloth, held by a beaming Lily and a slightly panicky James. There was a picture of an irate Lily berating a sheepish James, them standing over an empty crib with a smiling Remus standing behind them holding Harry.
Sirius and Remus roared with laughter at that. "I remember that!" Remus said. "We managed to trick James into thinking he accidentally wrapped you in his invisibility cloak."
Ted, Arthur, and David snorted, covering their mouths while the mothers glared at the two men. "You did what?" Molly asked in a rising tone.
"James was so sleep deprived we gave him the cloak when he asked for a blanket," Sirius sniggered. "We swapped Harry out for a sack of taters and the idiot didn't even realize it."
"You can't pretend a baby is a sack of potatoes!" Andromeda said, peeved.
"Angelina said I was like a sack of potatoes," Harry said before he was shushed by a blushing Angelina who did not want to catch the attention of the angry mothers.
They went back to looking at the pictures, admiring a young James and Lily, cooing over baby Harry, laughing at young Remus and Sirius. Oliver roared at the picture of tiny Harry on the toy broomstick. There were pictures of other people they knew. Harry felt equal parts happiness and melancholy. He had never seen these pictures before and was glad he did. Yet it was a reminder of what he did not have.
He whispered a silent prayer to them, thanking them, wishing them well. That he was better now. He was safer. Liked.
They got to the pictures from the weeks prior. His friends laughed over how bad Grimmauld used to look. At bedraggled Harry fleeing from pests, at him industriously cleaning, happily cooking. Even one with him asleep on the couch that Harry thought was really embarrassing.
Tonks was about to tease him more when she froze. She swallowed slowly and edged away from the group, tugging Sirius with her. "Hey, Sirius, how recent are we talking about those pictures?"
"Recent, like up till a few days ago when we planned Harry's birthday."
Tonks gulped. "And you've been randomly taking pictures? Of…everything?"
Sirius' grin was feral. "Oh yeah. Ev. Ery. Thin. G."
"Psst, Harry! Harry come here!" she hissed.
Harry wriggled his way out of the middle of his friends. "What's wrong?" he asked, alarmed by Tonks' tone and expression.
"I'm either going to run away now or I need your help," she whispered.
He grabbed her hand. "Don't run away! Of course I'll help you! What do you need?"
"Quick question, you said me and Angelina are a lot alike as in the whole big sister cares about little brother schtick right? Does that apply to all your friends?"
Harry nodded. "At least the girls, the older ones anyways. Oliver and the twins are less vocal about it but they're like that too."
A shriek of outrage overwhelmed Tonks' whisper. "HARRY POTTER! WHAT HAPPENED?!" Alicia, Angelina, and Hermione screeched.
They held up the book and the picture on the page had been blown up to fit the entire page. It showed Harry and Tonks after their disastrous duel. Photo Harry was very beaten up but smiling and photo Tonks was gleefully mimicking what she did with a very angry photo Andromeda screaming in silent fury at her.
"Oh you traitorous bitch," Tonks spat at her photo facsimile. "It wasn't like that at all! Why are you doing this to yourself?!" She yelped at the thunderous expressions from the Chasers, Hermione, Luna, and Lyla. The boys plus Ginny were smirking and snorting.
"Photo Tonks is a bloody liar," Tonks stammered, hiding behind Harry. Her pink hair faded into a very non-descript brown. "Harry and I were practice dueling."
"I've seen Harry fight Dementors with less physical after-effects!" Hermione said.
"Aren't you supposed to be some kind of professional?" Alicia asked scathingly.
"I'm about to graduate from the Auror Academy," Tonks said sheepishly.
"And you did that to an amateur?!" Angelina shouted, pointing at the picture.
"Tonks said I'm pretty good," Harry protested and was immediately shushed.
"Was that a concentrated bludgeoning hex to the eye?" Fred asked. "I thought I recognized that shiner. That's a doozy of a shot."
"Of course you'd know with how you two beat the hell out of each other," Katie hissed at the twins.
"Excuse me, I didn't do that to Fred," George sniffed.
"No, you two did it to me," Ron snorted.
"I was the one to do that to Fred." Percy looked faintly smug.
"Mum left it there for a while so we could tell who was who," Ginny giggled.
"Oliver, say something," Alicia demanded.
"What? It's kind of normal for siblings to duel and fight with one another," Oliver said, shrugging.
"I never did that with Tyler," Alicia said.
"No cause he knew you wouldn't stop at a black eye," Oliver retorted. "Angelina, you've got three older brothers. You can't tell me you never scrapped with them and not ended up looking like that."
"They never gave me any black eyes," the tall girl said.
"How about them?"
"Well you'd have to ask them," she sniffed.
Tonks' hair turned black and messy, her eyes became emerald green. "Yeah, it's just an older sister and her little brother bonding. And not a total accident of me getting carried away. Nope."
Sirius watched fondly as Tonks back-pedaled around the garden using a laughing Harry as a human shield, being chased by some very annoyed girls. After the third time they passed him, he pulled Harry out of the conflict and the slow hunt became a fast-paced chase.
Harry hugged his godfather. "Best birthday ever."
-0-0-0-
Maya Grey - Thank you so much. I never thought about how little interaction Harry had between him and the team in the canon story, outside of games and practice. The prompt I found that gave run to this made me think about it and it's been a lot of fun developing the relationships and watching the characters grow. I'm glad you found this story and sharing the journey.
Urgwaew - I have to keep some of the hurt and angst, this story was created from a deep well of it after all. The sweeter moments will be better in comparison to the darker and colder moments. I really want to try and portray Sirius believably. It's too easy to see him be magically, pun intended, better after leaving Azkaban but he has a lot of his own trauma and baggage to sort and recover from.
I really wanted to show how he has changed without saying it, and seeing the others react to him felt the right way to do it. Especially how they are used to seeing him before. Samantha has become one of my favorite characters too. She really took a life of her own. Lyla will be growing too as a full character, which is also a surprise but a welcome one.
Thank you for the kind words and the reviews. I've come to look forward to your comments because you mention things you like and don't like, and give valuable feedback. Thank you for all your thoughts and positive energy. It helps me so much.
alix33 - Not a coincidence per se. Kreacher is old fashioned and Luna likes to say things a different way as well. She also likes some of the older things, so wanted to show that here.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - Ask and ye receive. I'll fully admit that I'm not the fondest of Remus so he won't be showcased often, but he will be around when he needs to be.
yogibears - I knew I wanted to spend a little time this summer, it's his first free summer after all. I also wanted to really indulge in that little foreshadowing that chapter where the team lament that they didn't know his birthday for 3 years.
guest - It's always nice to adapt an old tradition into a new one.
Thespianpoet - Happy belated birthday! Hope you had a nice one. I adore Tonks and want her to feel important in this fic, and I do hope she makes you happy in today's chapter. I also want Andi to feel like a real person too and thought the tea reversal would be funny.