AN: Please continue to read and give feedback, it helps move the story.
Remus had not had to worry about his son. He had not worried about his safety as he knew Andromeda loved her grandson and would never hurt him. But he had his doubts about letting her take him home over night without Ted. Andromeda had returned to the hospital the next morning with the baby. Remus had extended the offer that when Ted was home and up for it they could have Teddy for the weekend that they missed. He reminded her when he left that he had never wanted to cut them out. Harry and Remus had grown up with no grandparents but they would have both liked to have them. Remus had gently also reminded the woman that Harry loved her and not to punish him for supporting Remus. Andromeda had not responded but he hoped he got through to her. He hated that Harry felt like he hurt the woman because of him.
Harry was relieved when Ted was released from the hospital only ten days later. He had been semi retired before but officially retired from the ministry now. But he was making good progress and Harry was relieved. Harry put his mind more into his studies
Harry was meeting Hermione for dinner on Friday evening after they were both done. He ran into someone else. "Malfoy."
Draco smirked as he went to pass. "Lurking I see."
"Waiting for Hermione."
Draco turned to him and tossed him something. "Here."
Harry was confused when he looked at the item. "What is this?"
"Portkey, it will get you through the wards." Draco simply said.
"What wards?" Harry was genuinely confused.
"Spinner's End. Uncle Sev…..your….his house."
Harry grunted. "He left it to you."
"And I will be wanting it back thanks."
Harry looked down at it. "Then why give me this?"
"I was convinced you deserved to see the house."
Harry had an idea who. "Thank him."
Draco went to leave. "I expect it in one piece."
Hermione appeared next to him. "What was that about?"
Harry showed her the key. "His house."
Hermione knew he was reluctant. "Its early for dinner."
Harry knew she had a point and he decided to go and see the home for himself. He had been to the manor again but not woken the paintings again. He knew he should speak to his grandmother at the very least but he had been busy with class and with Ted lately. He was surprised Draco had given him the key to get in even if Lucius had obviously spoken to him. He wasn't sure what he hoped to gain from seeing the house. He had spoken to the painting and he had the box of some of his father's special possessions. But he was reminded this was the home the man loved.
Harry and Hermione found themselves standing outside what looked like a deserted house. He walked into the front hall and through the door into a dark windowless room. When the door they came in closed behind them there looked like there was no exit at all.
Harry looked at Hermione. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted him."
Hermione pointed to the fire. "We can floo out but I am sure its not needed."
An elf appeared. "Master Lord Prince?'
Harry eyed the elf. "You are another Prince elf?"
The elf shook his head. "I Loopy, I serve master Severus. I be coming with Mistress Eileen. Master Draco tell me you come."
Harry looked around. "How do I get out of here?"
Loopy showed him different books. "You pull these and they lead to rooms."
Harry pulled the one which he was told led up stairs. "Mating habits of vampires? Maybe his persona wasn't too wrong."
Hermione laughed a little as she followed him up. "Well that would make you half vampire."
Harry looked at the hall where he found four doors. "Where to start?"
Hermione motioned. "That looks like it may have been the master bedroom."
Indeed what he assumed was the master bedroom was at the front of the house. It looked like it had not been touched since the man died. He wondered if Draco had been here. He could have simply summoned the elf and told him about Harry. The room was pretty bare but there was a potions book on the bed side table. He noticed there was also one of his puzzle boxes, this one with a lily carved on the top, next to the book. His fingers ran across the top and thought of his mother. He noticed the one photo in the room was one he had in his box, of his mother, the man and Remus under their tree in first year. Harry thought to his own room where he had placed the photo in much the same spot. He found the other doors belonged to a bathroom, an office where he found Severus seemed to make his boxes, and a guest room. He found childhood items and some teen. He realized they were a mix of things from Draco and from Severus as well. There were photos of Draco with his godfather.
Downstairs he found the only sunny room in the house was a large family style kitchen which led into a small garden. It was over grown but seemed to have been mainly for herbs. There was a swing in the tree. He ventured down to the potions lab in the cellar he was not surprised to find.
He looked at one of the cauldrons. "I may have wanted to."
Hermione was confused. "What?"
"His painting told me that it wasn't like I would have wanted to spend hours making potions with him. Maybe I would have."
Hermione laughed a little. "I don't think you'd have changed that much."
Harry knew she was right. "Well maybe the swing then. Draco I am sure enjoyed."
Hermione put a hand on him. "I know its hard. But maybe you can see more of the man he was, behind the demeanor of his painting."
Harry knew like the box, she was right about the house. "The kind of father he could have been if he wanted."
"I cant believe I am defending the man, but If he could have been. He didn't really have a choice."
"We all have choices. He could have hid it."
Hermione followed him back up. "He was doing the most fatherly thing he could do. Try and protect his son."
Harry thought back to the box and even the painting. He could admit perhaps she was right. He just hated how much of his life had been controlled and ruined by secrecy and lies. Hermione and Harry found themselves having dinner at a local restaurant. But they had gone by the house that he had been told was where his mother had grown up. Until he walked between them, he had never realized just how close they had grown up. They had even passed the park with the swings. He had seen memories of his mum but also Severus with Eileen when little.
Hermione kissed his cheek when he went to leave her at home later. "You know being there for each other goes both ways. I am just a call."
Harry had returned the keys to the house to Draco the day after the trip to the house. He had returned it with an elf and a thank you. He wasn't sure it had done him much good. But he could at least understand why Draco had been left the house and not him. The photos there were nice to see but the house had no meaning to him. He didn't have anyone there to share stories of the home with him. Draco had his own memories to fall back on. He could be big enough to admit that. He also reminded himself that he had inherited the Black estate through his godfather. The Black family could have contested it but they had accepted his inheriting the vast estate. Andromeda and others had a family claim but never argued. His godfather loved him as a son and wanted him to have the fortune. He couldn't begrudge his so called father doing that for Draco.
Harry had decided that only being at the auror academy part time didn't take up a lot of his schedule. He was actually taking a curse breaking class at the bank now as well a few afternoons a week. Bill had offered when Harry had gone to look in his vaults. Remus had tried to tell Harry he needed to take some personal time. Harry was so busy with class and him, and Hermione. He hoped Harry would get out and have fun. He had not meant for his son to take on even more work. He hoped Harry would consider dating and have a life.
Harry was exhausted after classes Friday but he didn't seem ready to head home. He decided for once to take some advice from Remus and go out. He knew he could have called a friend but he didn't seem to have the energy. He found himself at a bar just off Diagon alley.
He sunk down into a chair and ordered a drink. "I will take a dragon scale."
He was waiting for his drink when he was broken from his thoughts. "I didn't expect to see you."
Harry looked up to see Lucius. "I chose this pub hoping to be out of the way."
Lucius had no doubt. He had chosen it for similar reasons. "I can find another table if you prefer."
Harry motioned to the chair. "I guess we shouldn't take up two tables alone."
Laughing Lucius sunk down into a chair. "Are you eating as well?"
Harry looked over at the menu. "I assume I could eat something."
Lucius ordered his own ale and a steak. "And you?"
Harry looked at the server. "I will take a burger."
Lucius sipped his ale. "You really should try the steak one day."
Harry smirked. "Maybe you should try the burger. I would love to see you eating a chip."
Lucius had a half smirk. "Some how that has never crossed my table."
Harry shrugged. "May have to try new things Malfoy."
"You may have to as well like my first name. Maybe next time we have dinner."
It was Harry's turn to smirk. "Next time we have dinner? I wouldn't hold my breath."
Lucius shrugged as the food came. "You did say that before."
Harry conceded that point. "Perhaps you were not such bad lunch company."
Lucius shocked Harry when they were eating when he actually popped one of Harry's chips in his mouth. Harry had to laugh at the bemused look on the man's face. Lucius could admit he had tried some more humble food but some how burgers and chips were never on his list. Harry told him he would have to try a soda pop one day. Lucius didn't find that suggestion at all funny. He had seen his son drink them when they were on holidays but that was a different matter to him. Lucius did not plan to turn his wine in for something so common. Beer was his casual choice.
Harry could admit as they shared a second beer and even played some darts, something newly added, that he was having a good time. He managed to beat Lucius two out of three games even though it was his first time. His eye sight came in handy it seems.
Lucius went to walk out with him after a third drink. "Should I worry you can get home?"
Harry turned to him. "Offering to take me home?"
Lucius smiled a tad. "My town house is down the road."
Harry blushed a tad. "I don't go home on first dates."
Lucius raised an eyebrow. "First date is it?"
Harry corrected himself quickly. "I am a little light headed."
Lucius corrected him anyways. "I have six bedrooms."
Harry was reminded. "Draco is living there. I doubt he wants company."
Lucius shrugged. "I am the owner. He wont notice."
Harry went to leave. "I can make it home in one piece."
Lucius drew him back. "I was thinking about a second date."
"This was not a date."
Lucius reminded him. "You were the one to use the term."
Harry found his chin tilted up and the man's mouth descended on his. Harry could admit he didn't draw back from the kiss at first. But as he drew away he told himself he was tipsy and nothing else. He would never have kissed the man for any other reason. But as left to head home he may have enjoyed the kiss just a bit. Remus was surprised when he got home and was happy that Harry had gone out for dinner. He worried his son had been drinking alone though. Harry didn't tell him who his company had been but assured Remus he had not been alone. Remus wondered who he had been out with as Harry would have mentioned a friend. But Harry was an adult and he would not push him for details.
In the morning Harry headed to the manor. He seemed to be spurred on by his talks with Hermione and Lucius to head back there. He went to the painting gallery. He looked at his father's painting but for now he decided to only wake her.
Eileen came around and she had a smile. "You came back."
Harry had summoned a chair and sat down. "You wanted a chance to talk."
Eileen smiled. "My only grandchild. I always wanted one."
"Yet you ignored me when alive." Harry reminded her.
Eileen shook her head. "No. It broke my heart not to have you in my life. I was trying to protect you. And your father."
Harry felt like he could trust her. "I always wanted a grandma. My mother's parents, and my….adoptive father's were dead."
"He showed me photos of you as a baby. And after I…..he woke my painting and told me about you at school."
"How bad I was at potions and how many detentions he gave me?"
Eileen laughed a tad. "It was a way to spend time with you. He tells me you are quite the quidditch player."
"I beat his house enough."
Eileen smiled a tad. "You did our house proud."
Harry was confused. "Our house? I thought you were a Slytherin?"
Eileen called a house elf. "Bring my grandson the box."
Harry was so confused. "I have the box from him."
Eileen watched as an elf brought a small box. "This is from my father."
Harry opened the lid and found a ring. He recognized the crest. "Gryffindor? Gryffindor?"
Eileen smiled. "I know its a bit odd since most of us were Slytherins."
"Are you telling me that we are the heirs?"
Eileen nodded. "Through my paternal grandmother though. My father was the first male heir in generations."
Harry looked at the ring in wonder. "Would Albus know?"
Eileen shook her head. "You would have been in more danger if he did."
He was reminded that Albus had already used him for power because of his three titles he held. He actually held a fourth with Gryffindor. Most in their family had been Slytherins but likely because they took after the other side of their family. Eileen remembered her grandmother who had died when she was a teen. From what she knew of her grandson she thought he actually took after the woman a bit. Severus for obvious reasons could never reveal that he was the heir. Voldemort would destroy him if he had known that he was the heir of Gryffindor. Harry worried it was the reason he had been a target but Voldemort had never known. And Albus would have sought to control Severus even more. He would have threatened to hand him over to Voldemort if he had not fallen in line. It was the real reason that he had not told Harry the truth of who he was. He didn't need Albus being more suspicious and possibly looking more into them. They were the last remaining of the founder's lines.
Eileen told him. "The school governors have limited power and Albus has found his way around them. A founder's heir is another matter."
