He Is Not One of Us
Disclaimer/Plot/Challenge Information/Author's Note: SEE FIRST CHAPTER
Recommended Reads: Who Dares Wins by OlegGunnarsson, Xenogenous Souls by Quatermass, Apex by JustBored21, When Daylight Dies by BloodyRose90, Harry Potter and the Hidden Truth by KingFatMan25, Midnight Sun and Darkest Before Dawn by Herald-MageAnduli, Dark Prince Rises and Argent Knight of Pendragon by Ronin2106, Beautiful, Broken, Deadly by ifYouDieInCanada, Small Changes by KnightCarter007, Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin by The Sinister Man, Harry Potter and the Shadowed Light by itshanniee and Antithesis by Oceanbreeze7
Key Pairing: Harry/Gabrielle;
Other Pairings: Neville/Ginny; Lily/James; Others TBD
Normal Speech
'Thoughts'
/Parseltongue/
Review Answers:
Nagiten: On one hand, thanks for pointing out the errors; on the other, sometimes, it feels like I'm back in school with how you seem to point out practically each one there; and, for a third one, I appreciate it all the same: enjoy this new chapter;
Silly geek123: Not the only reference there, but well-spotted regardless;
Winged Seer Wolf: Oh, rest assured, I have the perfect punishment in mind for her; that being said, I think you're confusing my story's idea of punishment with Apex by JustBored21, in which the stupid little bint does lose her arm for what she tries to do in Harry's house;
"I pledge myself to the Black Knights…and to Harrison Black, the Black King who leads them!"
"The Black King," agreed Ron, rising up and mirroring his friends' gestures.
"The Black King," chorused the Delacours, again mirroring the gestures.
"You're not going to let me decline this, are you?"
"Nope!"
Chapter 6: The Black King's Secret
With the group's decision on whom should lead them clearly a unanimous vote amongst his nearest-and-dearest friends and allies, as well as his new Housemates and – in the case of the Delacours – whatever else they were to him, Harry leaned back in his chair, resting one hand against the side of his head in a regal, but calm look, which seemed to betray the passionate fire that everyone else had just witnessed burning before them.
'So loyal,' thought Harry, a part of him suddenly amused by how Tom-like his thought sounded, 'Still, they're willing to trust me to lead them, so maybe I should show them I'm at least willing to trust them in my home.'
At Harry's command, Dobby returned the wands of each and every member of the newly-named Black Knights to them, though when Harry saw how none of them were interested in betraying him or stabbing him in the back upon reclaiming their wands, he hid his smile of relief and gratitude fairly well, but he did close his eyes with a satisfied smirk on his face as he found his trust in his allies now cemented and written in diamond.
They were his Knights and, like Knights, their loyalties were only to their King.
After a few minutes, during which the other Knights seemed to make conversation among themselves, Harry opened his eyes again before, drawing himself to his full height, he cleared his throat, bringing the room to dead silence. "Now, since we've pretty much planted our flag on the battlefield and given ourselves a title to prove it, I think it's only fair I reward both your faith in my leadership and your loyalties to what you just heard."
While the others shared unusual, wary looks with one another, Harry reached into his pocket and fished out the small, black-coloured ampoule keychain he'd revealed to the Order groupies outside.
When the others, including Draco, Pansy and the Greengrass sisters saw the charm, they looked to their leader in surprise, if not horrified disbelief.
"A Blood Pact, Harry?" asked Draco, "Is this some sort of joke? That's how you got one over on the old man and his flock?"
"It is," said Harry, as though it was the most-obvious thing in the world.
"Do…" gasped Pansy, her face turning as white as Draco's hair as she asked, "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? If even one of the terms are broken, you…you could die…or worse…and then where would you be?"
"Still where I am."
"How do you figure?" asked Gabrielle, looking to the charm in front of Harry with a mixture of surprise and fear, "Harry, you are strong, oui, and you have your ways of cheating the Reaper, this, I know too. But…this magic…it…it is more than dangerous."
"That's as maybe, Gabrielle," argued Harry, lifting a finger to cut off any other arguments as he asked, "But do you know what else this is?"
As the others gave negative, confused and even bewildered looks, Harry smiled when he heard Neville sputter and stammer.
A few seconds later, the Twins' eyes widened with shock and absolute disbelief before, as one, all three Gryffindor boys chorused the same word.
"No…"
"Yes," said Harry, lifting his wand before, aiming it at the charm, he commanded, "Reducto!"
To the absolute disbelief of everyone sans the three Gryffindors who seemed to have put the pieces into place, Harry's spell completely obliterated the little black charm, leaving nothing but a pile of shrapnel and red liquid, which slowly trickled onto the table in front of them.
Before it could permanently stain said table, however, Harry reached forwards and, dipping a finger into the slowly-flowing mixture, he sucked it clean, earning a few awkward, if not slightly-embarrassed looks from Astoria, Daphne and even Gabrielle, who blushed redder than the red liquid when she saw Harry smile and lick his lips.
As for Ginny, she just rolled her eyes while she also shook her head when Harry let out a hum of contentment.
"Yum…cherry flavour, my favourite."
As the Knights stared in what could only be described as unanimously-mutual disbelief, however, Harry sighed before, waving his wand, he cast a Reparo on the charm, returning it to its former state, including the still-full cache at its heart.
"Bloody hell!" gasped Ron, his eyes as wide as saucers as he asked, "It…it's fake?"
"Fake as a rubber wand," drawled Harry, earning a few sniggers from the Twins and Ginny at the reference to the Twins' joke product, while Harry smiled softly as he asked, "But, you can't deny it, any of you: it looked legitimate enough to fool you, didn't it?"
If any of them were reluctant to agree, they didn't show it as each and every one of them nodded dumbly while Harry slipped the charm back into his pocket as he explained, "Then, I'm fairly certain you won't be embarrassed to learn it was so well-constructed, it even fooled the great man Albus Dumbledore himself into thinking I'd used blood and put this house under a binding pact of the same magic."
"So…you didn't use blood to keep the secret?" asked Ginny, earning a sly, Slytherin-worthy smile from Harry.
"Nope."
"And…" Asked Draco, his lips twitching in amusement as he asked Harry, "They all believe you did, even Potter and the other Weasleys and that insufferable know-it-all, Granger?"
"Yep."
"But then," asked Neville, narrowing his eyes as he asked, "How did you hide the house, Harry? I mean, you even had Dobby bring me, Fleur and Gabrielle in here…and, obviously, the others got in here when you shared the secret with them, but if you didn't use blood, and you didn't use the Fidelius, because I highly doubt you'd make the same mistake the Potters did years ago."
"And you'd be right," agreed Harry, earning nods of mutual agreement from Ron, Ginny, Draco and the Twins, all of whom knew – if not before, they certainly knew now – that Harry wasn't one to suffer fools blindly.
Neville, meanwhile, leaned forwards, resting his arms on the table as he asked, "But then…how did you hide the house and manipulate them into agreeing to your terms before letting them through the doors?"
Drawing himself to his full height once more, Harry smiled devilishly before he shrugged as he asked, "You ever hear of Occam's Razor, Neville?"
"Whose Razor?" asked Ron.
"The simplest solution is often the right one," answered Blaise, earning a snap of the fingers from Harry while the dark-skinned Slytherin frowned in abject curiosity as he asked, "So, what you're saying, Harry, is that the answer to Long…I mean, Neville's question is as simple as it is obvious?"
"Cigar for the Italian."
While the others chuckled to themselves at Harry's cavalier remark, they also looked to one another with the same confused, bewildered looks as before while, from where he watched the others' cogs turning in their minds, Harry sighed as he asked, "Come on: with the combined brainpower at this table, which easily dwarfs that authority-worshipping little brat, Granger, and then some, surely one of you can figure out my secret…anyone?"
As he looked around the table, Harry saw bemused, lost looks on all their faces, though rather than show disappointment, he seemed to urge them on, "Come on, seriously? None of you: what? Not even you, Ron? The best chess player I've ever known, who can see five moves ahead in chess before he's even set foot on the board? Or how about you two? Surely the infamously-brilliant Demons of Gryffindor, the newer, better-equipped and definitely better-at-staying-loyal-to-their-own, new and improved version of the Marauders, can figure out the punchline to what has to be one of the biggest pranks in history?"
"No," said Fred, earning a roll of the eyes from Harry as he seemed to guess what was coming next, even as George said it.
"And don't call us Shirley, Harry."
Harry just scoffed in amusement, while he watched his allies' reactions to his little riddle.
Ron still looked lost, despite Harry's well-deserved praise at his abilities, and the Twins seemed to contemplate what Harry was telling them, all the while positively-glowing with pride and embarrassment at the extremely-high regard their honorary little brother held them in, to everyone's surprise, Astoria let out a gasp, turning everyone's heads in her direction.
Blushing at the attention she was receiving, Astoria hid her blush behind a giggle as she looked to Harry, "If…if the answer's what I think it is, you're definitely a Slytherin at heart, Harry Black. It…it's a move worthy of Salazar himself! Even…even Riddle wouldn't think of it because it's so cunning, but so stupid at the same time…no offence, Harry."
"None taken," said Harry, gesturing around the table as he asked, "So, care to share with the rest of the class, Miss Greengrass?"
Again, his remark – spoken in a pretty complimentary impersonation of his Head of House's tone of voice – earned several laughs from the others before, looking to her brothers-and-sisters-in-arms, Astoria swallowed hard before she asked, "Well don't any of you get it?"
"No," chorused the others, sans Harry, who smiled wolfishly when Astoria nodded in his direction.
"What Harry's saying…is he didn't hide the House at all: there is no privacy charm or security measure in place, Fidelius, Blood or otherwise."
While everyone else looked alarmed, if not stunned by the revelation, Astoria turned her head to Harry before she asked, "Is…is that right?"
Everyone else was on tenterhooks as twelve pairs of eyes turned to face the leader of the newest faction, but rather than look intimidated, Harry smiled proudly before, lifting his head once, he nodded slowly.
"House points to Slytherin, my dear girl," drawled the Black King, earning a round of horrified looks from the others while, in his seat, Draco looked like something that could have been described as a cross between a chameleon – with the colours his face turned as realisation sank in – and a startled goldfish – with how his mouth kept opening and closing.
At the same time, Neville gulped hard before he asked, "But…but if nothing is protecting the house, what about your Dad, Harry? And what about us? I mean, we came here, of our own free will, to…to find a way to fight this war on our terms: how can we do that if we're so exposed?"
"The same way I did for four years, my friend," answered Harry, rising from his seat before he smiled confidently as, again, mimicking his former Head of House, he drawled, "With sheer dumb luck!"
"Don't ever do that again, mate," laughed the Twins, earning a roll of the eyes from Harry as he looked to his allies.
"Come on; don't you see? That's what makes it perfect: because there is no protection on the house, they all think they're safe, but, in actuality, they couldn't be any deeper in the Lions' Pit if they were balls deep down the throats of the King of the Pride and his concubines."
"But…" Ron piped up, swallowing down his worries while he also hoped his friend and honorary brother hadn't actually gone off the deep end, like a certain distant relative of the Black King and his new Father. "Outside…me and Ginny and the Twins…you…you said something to us…and then there was how Dumbledore couldn't see the house or say the address…and you also sent Neville, Fleur, Cho and Astoria information…how did you manage all that if you didn't use any charms or nothing to hide the house?"
"Occam's Razor," said Harry, repeating his earlier words.
This time, Ginny was the one to scoff before she asked, "Let me guess: you're Harry Black, Marauder extraordinaire: if you couldn't pull the wool over your enemies' eyes, what sort of Marauder would you be?"
"Almost right," answered Harry, though not before he sent a Sirius-like wink in the direction of the youngest redhead, "But thanks for the vote of confidence, Ginny…come on, you guys: really think about it."
As the others obliged, it was Draco who got there first as he asked, "Hang on…what if…I mean, it sounds crazy…"
"Crazier than hiding in plain sight?" asked Blaise, earning a scoff from Draco.
Harry, meanwhile, indicated his cousin as he asked, "Go on, Drake: what have you figured out?"
"More like remembered," said Draco, looking to the others before he asked, "Whose House is this?"
"The Blacks," answered Neville.
"And," asked Draco, looking around the table with an inquisitive, but interested air while he asked, "Be honest, everyone: who here among us would have the right to use every asset the House has, even if, for example, said resources haven't been made known to friend or foe for some time?"
"Hey Mikey, I think he's got it," drawled Harry in a humorous singsong voice, earning more shocked looks from the others.
This time, however, it was Daphne who voiced everyone else's thoughts, "You…you didn't protect the house with your magic…"
"Go on."
"Because it already has protections, used in time of war or siege, to throw an enemy off his guard," said Daphne, earning a proud, Cheshire-Cat-like grin from Harry as Daphne looked to the others. "Think about it, everyone: I don't mean anything bad when I say this to you guys…"
She indicated Ron, Fred, George and Ginny as she said this, earning a few curious, but also-understanding looks from the four redheads as Daphne continued explaining her point, "But I know the Weasley Family might not have such ancient, powerful magic protecting them because the magic needed to infuse a building with pure magical energy and borderline sentience is considered Dark…"
"Assholes," drawled Harry, earning sniggers from the others while Daphne went on.
"However, the Black Family, as many Slytherins, including all present know, they aren't Light-worshippers, even if Sirius and Harry used to fly their flags under that banner, this changed when the true nature of those Harry fought for came out. Think about it: we've all seen it at school and here in the house. Harry's not playing for the good guys anymore. Now, he's willing to do anything and everything to screw them over. He's also not willing to let them think he's just going to roll over and die, but, most-importantly, he's not letting them, or anyone, not even Sirius, control him."
"Ding-ding-ding!" exclaimed Harry, a look of absolute delight on his face as he announced proudly, "She's hit the Jackpot…and she's right."
"But…" asked Cho, her eyes filled with a mixture of awe and wonder, as well as natural curiosity, as she asked, "Isn't that…isn't that something that only a real Black could know about? I mean, no offence, Harry, but…you are just Sirius' adoptive son, not…not born and taught at the knee."
"You forget something, Cho," piped up Neville, earning a curious look from Cho while the aforementioned underdog of Gryffindor indicated the smug expression of the Slytherin whom they all followed as he filled in the blank. "We're talking about Harry, who was the godson of Sirius, whom, like Harry, was also betrayed and double-crossed by those he fought in the name of once before. And I…I know I might not have the best past with Sirius, but, as I'm sure Ron would agree, there is nothing he will not do for Harry, even moreso now he's his kid."
"He's right," said Ron.
"So," continued Neville, indicating Harry once more as he explained, "If, in order to get one over on their enemies, Harry asked Sirius to teach him the ancient secrets of the House he is now the Heir of, so he could pull the wool over the eyes of everyone who challenges him, but entrust us, his truest of allies, with the same secret, Sirius would do it before Harry finished the question. Both as his son and heir, whom he would die for, and as the ultimate prank on his enemies, as he is a Marauder, right, Harry?"
"Padfoot," said Harry, looking to the Twins as he added, "And, no matter what lying, two-faced hypocritical son of a goat-shagging whore's asshole still draws breath, let me make it clear now: he is the Last…no, that's not right…he's the only Marauder!"
Suffice to say, the Twins looked like they'd just been given synchronised death sentences, but neither one of them seemed willing to argue the point as Harry continued in the same fiery tone he'd used when delivering his declaration of war. "The cowardly traitor known as Wormtail has a death sentence hanging over his head; meanwhile, for the role I now know he played in helping deceive me, and for what he tried to do before you guys got here, I've got a silver sword in storage with Moony's name on it and a plaque being made up for Prongs' antlers…preferably shoved up his own ass and out his mouth!"
Hearing the fire in his voice, as well as the unspoken promise that he might actually make good on his threats for the fallen Marauders, the Twins understood what Harry was saying, though while he shared the wince of personal pain that they did, Neville still managed to clear his throat as he explained, "Getting back to it, Harry plays the prank and lets them think he holds the key to the kingdom when, in actuality, as Harry said, it's the house itself that holds said key…and the only one who can breach it, invoke it or dispel it…"
"Is the head of the household, Sirius, or his son and heir, Harry," finished Ginny, earning a sarcastic round of applause from the Black King.
"Well done; it took you long enough to figure it out, you bunch of useless dunderheads!"
Again, the impersonation of his once-hated Professor earned several laughs from the others, even through the awe and wonder they all felt.
Ron, meanwhile, looked from Neville to Harry before, looking to his friends and allies, he asked, "Hands up: who thinks that's bloody brilliant?"
Not one hand stayed down, though it was Daphne who filled in the blank, "But, let's be honest, what were we expecting? No matter who he used to be, there's a reason Harry walks the halls of Hogwarts with a snake on his chest and with the confidence to do what must be done."
"Hear, hear," chorused the rest of the Black Knights, each one of them applauding the fact that they had chosen to serve the right commander.
With Harry at the helm, their futures might not be wholeheartedly secure.
But, as each one of them thought at one point or another over the summer;
'At least my future's not going to be boring!'
Not One of Us
It wasn't until later that same day that Harry showed just how serious he was about looking out for him, his own and his.
While the Black Knights used their first day as a newly-formed unit to get to know one another better and try to get over the demons of their pasts, the only one who seemed truly calm with everything was the proverbial, unofficial Black King.
While his friends and allies talked, socialised and generally got on much better than they would do at Hogwarts, he stayed in his seat, reading from a book he'd acquired from the Black Archive and, occasionally, socialising with his companions. At lunchtime, Dobby and Kreacher provided the group with refreshment; however, as the afternoon started to disappear, Harry looked up from his readings when a knock sounded on the door that led into their little meeting room.
"Who is it?"
"Just me, Harry," replied Sirius' voice, earning a round of curious looks from the others, though when they looked to Harry for any sort of explanation, if not to ask him what he wanted to do, Harry held up a finger, stalling whatever movements they would have made to let their visitor in.
"Why did Sirius Black give me the middle name I have?"
For a moment, silence followed his question, during which Harry's hand slowly edged towards his wand, but as it did so, Sirius' voice spoke again, "I get it: nice move, pup. Alastor would be proud. To answer your question, I gave you the middle name in memory of my brother, who, as we learned during your investiture, actually lost his life dealing a near-fatal blow to that snake-faced bastard, Tom Marvolo Riddle."
"Come in," said Harry, smiling thinly as the door was lifted, revealing Sirius, who shrugged ruefully as he looked to his son and heir.
When he saw him sat at the table surrounded by his knights, however, Sirius couldn't help but laugh as he asked, "Do they know the truth?"
"Yep…unless you're talking about the truth about Uncle Regulus, in which case, I say…nope," replied Harry, popping the p cheekily both times, earning a small smile from Ron while Draco rolled his eyes, a part of him wondering if Harry was putting on an act or being genuinely vague and annoying with his sarcastic tone.
Then again, he was Sirius' son.
As for Sirius, he looked to the others before he asked them, "So, he told you about the secret behind the charm?"
When they all nodded, Sirius looked back to Harry, closing the door behind him as he asked, "Not that I'm judging your trust levels here, kiddo, but what's stopping anyone else learning about the secret? Your friends aren't exactly Dumbledore-level Occlumens."
"Maybe not," agreed Harry, tapping the top of the table with his index finger while he told Sirius, "However, they do know the truth, but I wasn't born yesterday, Dad. I won't go into detail, in case we have some unexpected eavesdroppers out there, but let's just say I know how to ensure that what happens in Grimmauld stays in Grimmauld."
While Sirius looked stunned by the level of protective reassurance his son displayed, Blaise looked around the table before he asked, "Show of hands: who here is going to pretend they didn't just hear Harry use a variation of the Muggle phrase to say what he's done?"
Every hand went up, earning laughs from Sirius and the Twins before Harry looked back to his Father as he asked, "So what's up, Dad?"
"Well, finally, we're all done downstairs," answered Sirius, clapping his hands together before he smiled fondly, "So, if you want to, I thought you, Ron, Draco and the others might join me downstairs: make sure I don't accidentally summon a poison herb to someone's soup or something…also, Narcissa would like a word with you, so I thought we'd kill two birds with one stone."
"I see," replied Harry, assuming the same regal-looking posture he'd shown prior to sharing his secret with the others as he asked Sirius, "Quick headcount, Dad: out of the whole therapy group, who's become a semi-permanent resident?"
Holding up his hands, fists clenched, Sirius lifted a finger as he explained, "Arthur, me, you, Narcissa, Draco, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Severus and, to my absolute regret, Molly, but only because she keeps crowing that if she goes, everyone goes: everyone else is going home."
"Including them?"
"I insisted on it," answered Sirius, earning a look of thanks from his son as he explained, "Granger's also going with them: I don't want to ruin your lunch or nothing, Harry, but it looks like she might have a thing for the little bastard with a big mouth."
"Better her than me," drawled Ginny, earning a laugh from Harry as he glanced to Ginny.
"So, no chance of butter dishes being ruined around him, is there, Gin?" asked Harry, earning more sniggers from the other Weasleys before Ginny blushed hard at the reminder of the kind of girl she used to be around Harry.
At the same time, Harry hid a smile when he saw Neville comfort Ginny, letting her bury her blushing face into his shoulder while he teased her red hair between his fingers, suggesting there was something more than friendship going on there.
Then again, given the fact that the two of them had been dates at the Yule Ball, Harry wondered if that had been a way for them to break the ice, especially with how close they'd been all day while in the meeting room.
As for the aforementioned Black King, he looked back to Sirius before he asked, "Didn't you once tell me that cousin Dora and Aunt Andi were also part of the therapists' wet dream downstairs, Dad?"
"I told her to go home, for now, and have a quiet word with Andromeda about loyalties before I decide to let her stay here," answered Sirius, earning a surprised look from Draco while Harry nodded once even as Sirius told him, "She was downstairs with the rest of us and she wanted to come and see you, but every time she mentioned it, I swear that backstabbing child abuser had this look of glee in his eyes."
Suddenly, Harry got a very cold feeling inside.
"You…you don't think she knew, do you? About them?"
"Without putting her under the third degree that you put Draco under to prove him worthy of staying here, I don't want to think of how I might find out the answer to that," answered Sirius, earning a troubled look from Harry before the Black Lord lifted a hand as he added, "However, I'm sure it's just a coincidence, but she seems very friendly with the half-breed…and I don't mean you ladies, no offence."
"None taken, Lord Black," chorused the Delacours, both of whom Sirius had already been told about while they were making the arrangements over the previous two days.
"So, if we questioned her, she might mention his name and bring up some bullshit he's probably fed her in a bid to make her feel sorry for him," said Harry, earning a slow nod from Sirius as he asked, "Is there any reason I should give her the benefit of the doubt?"
"I'd say she's family, but I know what that means to and for you," answered Sirius, earning a faint smile from Harry before Sirius cleared his throat as he went on. "I also don't know what she's been up to since the days she left Hogwarts, which was four years ago now."
"So, she was there when I started?"
"Graduated at the end of the year before it, same as your brother, I believe," added Sirius, earning a nod from the Weasleys while Harry hummed in thought as his Father went on. "If my memory serves me right, she went into the Auror Academy and was taught by Kingsley Shacklebolt, who is another Order member, but not someone so deep in James' pocket, he needs to go down to tunnel up again. As of late, I think old Alastor's been considering taking her under his wing…"
"The real Moody?" asked Harry, earning a faint laugh from Sirius before he nodded, "So that's how we vouch for her, is it? A nutcase wants to teach her and she might be getting in bed with a freak of nature who likely sheds more than fur at the full moon?"
While Sirius blanched at Harry's cold, aggressive nature, the young scion rose from his seat before, straightening his clothes, he slid his wand into its holster on his cane as he explained, "If she wants to stay here, you give her the third degree, Dad: make her tell you where her loyalties lie. If my memory serves me, she's still blasted off the tree anyway because Andromeda married the Muggle-born."
"So that's why Mum never talked about her around him," muttered Draco, earning a thin smile from Harry as he went on.
"She proves herself loyal, she can stay, but if she even hints at so much as dipping her toes in the waters of Lake Potter-Is-God, she's blasted off again…right out the door and any trace of her and her family goes with it. In a nutshell, she's out and stays out, Order or no Order."
Even though there was a part of him that had been prepared for Harry to deliver an ultimatum to Nymphadora and Andromeda, it still made Sirius hurt, just a little, to see even more evidence of just how damaged his son's light had become thanks to the betrayals of his own blood.
As he went to say something else, however, Sirius' eyes widened while, to his surprise, Harry smiled wolfishly when an ear-piercing scream tore through the house.
As one, the Black Knights made their way downstairs, heading for the first floor where, to Harry's amusement, they found the source of the scream.
Hermione Granger was down on her knees, her hands shielding her face while, to Harry's disbelief, a small bag filled with books he recognised from the Black Archive was lying next to her.
"What was that…" began James Potter, suddenly appearing from downstairs, though when he saw Hermione on her knees and Harry standing over her, he saw red. "You! What have you done to her, you sick bastard? What Dark Magic have you been using on an innocent girl like…"
"Oh, get off your high horse before I stick you up its ass and show you what a real dick looks like on the horse at the same time, Potter!" sneered Harry, lifting the end of his cane before, nudging Hermione with the end of said cane, he added, "Show me."
Hermione whimpered in response, shaking her head furiously as she declined his aid.
As Harry sighed, shaking his head, he clicked his tongue as he explained, "I know all the counter-curses to the defensive measures put on my home, Granger, so you can either show me or, like the pestilence you clearly choose to be, despite all prior warnings to the contrary, I'll leave it to infect you until you're so far past the point of no return, you won't even remember what it looked like when you went past it."
"But…but I…I had permission…" gasped Hermione, earning a curious look from Harry as he looked to Sirius.
"Not from me, pup," admitted the Black Lord, nodding upwards as he added, "And you've been up there all day with your friends…"
"Yeah, what are these Death Eaters doing here?" asked Jason, making his presence known as he asked, "What? Isn't getting into bed with Lucius Malfoy's bastard enough for you, traitor? You've got to threaten my parents further?"
"Rest assured, dead man, if I wanted to threaten anyone in this house, I wouldn't need my friends to do it," argued Harry, looking to James before he added, "And, with that false allegation against my friends, as well as the insult to my family, you are officially on your last warning, Potter. Muzzle the little barking Chihuahua or else! And don't bother going for your wands either, stupid bastards: in case you forgot, my Father still has them, as per our arrangements before this."
While James went red at how easily Harry was playing him like he would play a target with one of his pranks, Harry looked back to Hermione as he asked, "So, if it wasn't the master of the house and it wasn't me, who, exactly, gave you permission to go anywhere near my family's private stores and then try to steal them, Granger?"
"Ten Galleons she says Dumbledore," muttered Ron, earning a scoff from the others while Harry smiled.
"No bet."
"I…I had…permission," repeated Hermione.
"Yes, we've figured that out, but from whom?" asked Harry.
"T…T…T…"
"I think she's trying to say Tonks," answered Sirius, earning a whimpering nod from Hermione, though when he heard the name, Harry's eyes darkened as he looked to Sirius.
"Get her."
While Sirius moved, not even bothering to convince his son to offer a second chance, Harry looked back to Hermione as he added, "Last chance, Granger: show me your face…"
Realising, with some horror, she didn't really have much choice, Hermione lowered her hands; when she did so, everyone sans Harry winced and groaned in pain when they saw how the girl's face had become streaked with claw-like scratches along her face, as well as a thick, blackened burn mark on her neckline that spelled out one word, like a branded collar on a pet.
THIEF
"Hmm," muttered Harry, lifting the bag Hermione had used with his cane before, setting it down next to him, he explained, "So not only an unlawful entry, which sent you flying out here in the first place, but an attempted theft from my home and the fact you also handled something not meant for every Tom, Dick and Harry…well, except this Harry, naturally."
While the Twins laughed in response, Harry turned his head as he asked, "Draco, check the bag for me: as my cousin and someone who I have given the right to go in there, you're unaffected by the defensive magic protecting our knowledge."
Nodding in response, Draco bent down and, opening the bag, he pulled out seven different tomes, some of which looked like they belonged in the Restricted Section of Hogwarts.
One of them also looked more-official than the others, judging by how it had the Black Family Crest on the front, complete with an emerald-green serpent that coiled around the crest.
At the sight of the book, James' eyes widened in horror while Harry's emerald-green eyes turned dark and impure in their colouring.
"You…stupid…little…girl!" hissed Harry through clenched teeth, bending down as he retrieved this book before, turning it to face a shocked, but otherwise calm James and a stunned, but amused-looking Jason, he asked, "I can't believe I'm asking you for help, Potter, but, for the sake of the girl who stalks your whore and probably wears her underwear, can you tell us what this book is?"
As offended as he was at the slur on Lily, James looked to a tearful Hermione as he explained, "That is the Black Family Grimoire, Hermione: it is a book that can only be handled by the Lord of the Family, his Heir and their spouses. The same would be said for my son and me: even Lily doesn't touch that book, even though she can."
"So what chance did you, who willingly betrayed my son just to stroke your own ego, and didn't get the permission to go in there in the first place, think you had in trying to steal such a precious artefact?" asked Sirius, making his return known as he led a blushing, but awkward-looking young woman behind him.
When she saw Harry, the woman offered him a smile as she said, "Wotcher, Harry…um…sorry?"
"Um, fuck off," drawled Harry, looking to Sirius before he asked, "Who is this child, Dad?"
"Nymphadora Tonks," said Sirius, earning a scowl from the woman that had her hair turning a nasty shade of red, much to Harry's interest.
"She's a Metamorphmagus," muttered Harry, looking from the red-haired woman to James as he added, "No wonder your shepherd wants her in his little therapy meetings, Prongs. Slap a Dark Mark on her and you'd have someone who is as perfect a spy for them as Severus…yes, I know he's your little wolf in sheep's clothing," he added when James' eyes widened at the revelation.
While James fumed, again being shown just how free and knowledgeable Harry was now he was no longer dancing to the tune of liars, freaks and pretenders who stabbed him in the back, Harry returned his attention to Tonks as he asked, "Now, Mystique, tell me: what did you think you were doing giving this access to somewhere you don't even have the right to go?"
"She…she said she wanted to help," replied Tonks, though the look of confusion she showed made Harry scoff.
Clearly, this was another wizard who knew nothing of Muggle pop culture, even though her Mother had wed and bedded a Muggle-born.
"Help herself, you mean?" asked Harry, earning a cold glare from Draco, though it was aimed at Tonks and Hermione as Harry went on, "Also, for someone who is meant to be family, it's funny to realise that I've neither seen nor heard of you until now…and what's with the Wotcher? Where do you think we are, Red? Victorian London?"
This time, Tonks' hair turned a paler shade of red, suggesting shame, while she lowered her eyes as she told him, "I…I thought you…you were still part of the group, Harry; Remus said…"
"And, with that name, I've got two more things to say to you, Tonks," drawled Harry, earning a sideways look from Sirius as he added, "First, tell your blood traitor Mother she will never be welcomed back into the fold, and then tell her that it's all thanks to you and your lycanthrope lover…and second, and this is me being very nice right now…"
Drawing his wand, the sight of which made Tonks blanch as she recognised Dumbledore's wand – albeit now in the hands of a master who would use it for its true purpose – Harry willingly, and with all intent, aimed it at Tonks as he exclaimed, "Get the fuck out of my house! You are no longer welcome here!"
Before anyone else, meaning James, could stop him, Harry's declaration seemed empowered by whatever magic surrounded the house as Tonks was sent flying out of the house, her scream as loud as the one that had brought everyone down to the first floor to begin with.
As if that wasn't enough, Harry's will was set in stone by the sound of the door slamming behind Tonks, dismissing her from the house forever.
With his punishment delivered on the family betrayer, Harry looked back to Hermione as he added, "Now, what to do with you?"
"You…you said you'd…you'd heal me," gasped Hermione, earning a snort from Harry.
"And why would he do that, Granger?" asked Daphne, looking down at Hermione from the stairway while she indicated Harry as she added, "As we can remind you, Harry only said he knew how to undo what had been done to you; he never said anything about actually doing it."
"She's right," agreed Harry, "And, for the record, if it'd simply been a case of a few bumps and bruises, maybe a hex on those disgustingly-large teeth of yours or that beaver dam hairstyle, I might have undone it. However, given the fact you also bear the markings of trying to steal what you should never lay your hands on, not to mention trying to steal, period, from my home, I can't find a reason to say anything about healing you."
As he finished gathering the rest of the books together, Harry sneered at Granger as he explained, "So, instead, I'll leave you to the mercy, and, trust me, I'm using the term as is humanly-possible for it to be used, of the Black Family Magic to decide your punishment. And don't bother trying to get Potter or his slut to heal you; this is Black Family Magic and only its Lord, meaning Sirius, actually possesses the knowledge to lift the curse that, I actually hope, teaches you a long-overdue lesson about being an insufferable know-it-all!"
Even though the term had been used by Severus once before, none of the others laughed.
Instead, they all watched as Harry turned on his heel before he added, "Now, this is your only non-magical warning, Potter; take your thief of a girlfriend-slash-stalker, your child and your scarlet woman bitch and get out of my house…and, thanks to Granger, you can tell the old prick from me that each and every member of the Disorder is on their VERY last warning…except the members who I consider family or worthy to be here and, right now, I can count them on one hand…"
Here, as though emphasising that, Harry lifted a finger at James, earning a furious glare from said man, before he pointed said finger at Sirius.
"One."
He then held up a second finger, further enraging James with how Harry intentionally held up his two fingers in the offensive V-gesture. "Counting Severus, that's two…get the point?"
With that, Harry gathered his books together before, looking to the others, he added, "Come on, we'll call on Dobby to make us some tea…I don't really feel like breaking bread with fools and madmen tonight."
Like the loyal warriors they were, the Black Knights followed him, each one ignoring the protests of Hermione as well as the disbelief, rage, fury and no small amount of hatred sent from James to Harry.
None, that is, except Sirius, who sighed deeply before he turned to his former friend.
"So, tell me, James…has it sunk in yet?"
Not One of Us
To Harry's relief, as well as that of each and every member of the Black Knights, the unwelcome members of the Order of the Phoenix didn't return to Grimmauld Place for quite some time after the incident with Hermione.
What was happening to the thieving betrayer, Harry neither knew nor cared, though, given how he sometimes felt the Black Magic stirring, he had a pretty good idea whatever it was, it was very painful, if not degrading and humiliating for the insufferable nightmare.
'Good!'
In the meantime, to the relief of the Weasley Twins, as well as Ron and Ginny, their Father had seen enough in just one encounter with their leader to know Harry was not someone he wanted to find himself on the wrong side of, judging by how the only time he spoke to Harry was at dinner or if the boy acknowledged him.
Unfortunately, thanks to her less-than-threatening ultimatum, Harry still had to put up with Molly Weasley, who made her own stupid mistake the morning after the rest of the Order had vacated the premises.
Not One of Us
"RONALD! GINEVRA! FRED! GEORGE! DOWNSTAIRS NOW!"
Even Ron, who used to be able to sleep through thunderstorms outside Gryffindor Tower, couldn't sleep through the screams that tore through the house; the same could also be said for Ginny, Fred, George, Draco and, to Ron's unease, Harry, who was already awake anyway, a familiar impure-coloured glare in his eyes as he heard the roar.
Looking around the headquarters of the Knights, Ron frowned for only a moment as he asked, "Where'd everyone else go?"
"The Greengrasses, as well as Tracey, Pansy and Blaise went back to Greengrass Castle," answered Harry, though his teeth were clenched in such a way that reminded them all of a certain Potions Master – and, unlike his impersonations the day before, this was not in a fun way – as he explained, "After dinner last night, Daphne said her Father's put up similar War Wards around the castle as the ones I used for this place. Nobody is getting in without official permission and the only ones who get out are the ones welcomed in. For the sake of everyone here, she suggested they go there since it's bad enough for you guys with Draco here, no offence, cuz."
"None taken," replied Draco, stretching up for only a moment before he asked, "What about Cho and Neville?"
"Cho's gone home to inform her family of her choice to join a more-neutral party," explained Harry, linking his hands together while he went on, "I think she's actually thinking of swearing fealty to me as full proof of her loyalties, though I don't really want that, since, despite all evidence to the contrary, I'm not Tom. As for Neville, he's coming back later-on today, after he's gone to have a few choice words with his Grandmother about what the future holds. Because of the ties to the Blacks, I've given him the same offer I gave you guys."
He indicated the Weasleys as he said the last part, earning thankful smiles from the four of them as he added, "Augusta Longbottom might be a scary, oddly-dressed old bat, but, with Tom's return, Potter's bullshit and everything that's going to happen, Neville's made it clear he will stand with me, even if it means disrespecting the old friendships between his Dad and that pompous arsehole and his slut. So, therefore…"
"I'M TALKING TO YOU!"
"Hold that thought," said Harry suddenly, drawing his wand from its holster before, in a manner similar to how Dumbledore had done it during the Tournament, he put his wand against his throat as he roared back, "AND I'M NOT LISTENING!"
"One Sickle she comes up here, attempting to kick the door down," muttered Fred, earning a scoff from his allies.
"No bet," chorused the Black Knights, as they all heard the tell-tale thundering footsteps.
A few seconds later, as Fred had guessed, the door into the meeting room rattled as loud, demanding knocks sounded from the other side.
"GIVE ME BACK MY CHILDREN, POTTER!"
"Sorry," scoffed Harry, walking towards the door before he leaned against it, as casual as you like, as he added, "Potter's not here right now, but if you'd like to leave a message, make it GO FUCK YOURSELF!"
This time, even Draco laughed in response to Harry's retort while said Black Scion pressed his cane's head against the door as he asked, "Now, if there's a problem we can talk about like civil people, Molly, I'm willing to listen, but if not, go away…unless you'd like to explain to your precious Dumbledore and the Potter Prick-Sucker Patrol the reason why they're no longer welcome in what they think is a safe haven for them?"
Judging by how the resounding barrage of knocks slowed to a halt, Harry knew he'd won, again, in the battle of wits against those who had none to spare in the first place.
"There, see? Was that so hard?" asked Harry, heaving a sigh before he looked to his four friends, offering them a sly, Sirius-esque wink before he asked, "Now, calmly, will you tell me why you're continuously deluding yourself into thinking you have any authority in my house?"
"I am taking my children away from you, you impertinent brat!" spat Molly, earning a hum from Harry.
"Are you, now?" asked Harry, looking to the Weasleys, all of whom shook their heads in response to his unspoken question, their expressions firm and true as they all showed they weren't going anywhere, no matter what she tried to say. "And why, may I ask, why are you going to try and take your children away from me when it's obvious, to everyone who matters, how much they're already enjoying their summer?"
"I will not have my children in the same house as his vicious hellspawn and the rest of those Death Eater offspring," insisted Molly, again earning a curious, but mocking look from Harry as he rolled his eyes in response.
However, Molly's next words condemned her for, quite possibly, the rest of her insignificant excuse of a life.
"Let alone that disgusting harlot and her insignificant whore of a Dark Creature sister!"
That got Harry really riled up, as everyone else noticed.
Even as the Black Heir turned to the door, Draco covered his eyes with his hands while the Twins did the same to Ginny.
As for Ron, he dived under the table, as though he preferred to make himself as small as possible compared to having to witness whatever Harry was going to do.
As for Harry, he opened the door to the meeting room before, clasping his wolf's head in both hands, the young scion drew in a very slow breath before he asked, "I'm sorry, Molly, but did I just hear you insult my guests, as in people you have no say over what they do, where they stay or who they are whatsoever?"
As Molly went to answer, Harry got there first.
Much to the shock of the Twins, who seemed to be the only ones capable of listening in, Harry swung his cane hard across Molly's face, earning a shocked, if not beyond-outraged cry from the redheaded matriarch as Harry snapped, "I warned you what would happen if you stuck your nose, and your big mouth, where it wasn't welcome, you vile creature!"
"He's pissed…" muttered Fred.
"Forget the watering down, he's fucking lost all thought of restraint…" added George, both of them backing away from Harry as the young sorcerer glared daggers at Molly, who now sported a sizeable bruise on the side of her face.
"And don't even think of challenging me about my attack on you, Weasley!" snapped Harry, his green eyes shining like a mixture of the Killing Curse and the darkest of shadows as he explained, "As recompense, I waive my debt over your son, Ronald, for saving him from the Acromantulas…and I also think it's fair repayment for your unprovoked attack yesterday…or did you think I'd forgotten?"
While Molly went red and white at how casual, yet cold Harry was being, Harry smirked when he saw her eyes flick around, though not before the young wizard asked, "What's wrong? Expecting your precious Albus Dumbledore or your secret fuck-buddy, James Potter, to come and pull you out of this? Sorry, Molly, but they're not coming back here for a while, so you're all alone and, unless you'd like to be alone, without kith or kin, you'll keep your mouth firmly shut from now on…and that goes quadruple for any of your one-sided thoughts about my guests, my friends or my family, do you hear me?"
"You…you're…you've gone insane!" yelled Molly.
In response, Harry sneered before he leaned in close, flashing his teeth even as he did so, before he chuckled darkly;
"What do you expect? I am related to Bellatrix Lestrange and you didn't think she was the only Black capable of going a little nuts, did you, Molly?"
If there was anything that might get Molly to leave him alone, it was that reminder.
Unfortunately, even after the first day drama, Harry still didn't get a moment's peace from Molly's harpy of a voice.
When she wasn't sticking her nose in, trying to get information on what her children were doing with Harry and going anywhere near the Black Archive or sticking around Draco, Narcissa and the other Slytherins, she was trying to sabotage Harry's meals with potions supplies she claimed she'd found in the larder.
A word in Dobby's ear made sure no more potions were used in the house unless they were being used by the Black Knights.
Curiously, the morning after she'd tried to bullshit the son of the world's best prankster, Molly awoke covered in fish guts, slime and surrounded by more snakes than anyone had ever seen. She also found her lips sealed by a familiar hex, which meant her screams went unheard for a long time, even though none of the snakes seemed intent on attacking her.
Although one or two did seem a bit…frisky, which sent Molly's muffled screams straight up towards the stratosphere with their motions and the fact it was going on while she was helpless to escape.
When Arthur questioned his boys and Sirius questioned Harry, all of them provided alibis for the other that was titanium-clad.
Even if they'd done it, none of the questioners could prove it.
And, as Harry had told the others when they'd celebrated a victory over the delusional bitch;
"Now that is how a Marauder pulls off the Mother and Father of all payback pranks!"
Not One of Us
As June vanished and July started to pass along with it, some of the Black Knights turned talk to celebrating Harry's fifteenth birthday.
In any other time, they might have had a large party planned, but with She-Who-Never-Learns-Her-Lesson watching them like a vulture circling a carcass, and the Order showing their faces again after the fortnight was up – save for Granger, who seemed to keep away from Grimmauld, much to the delight of the others, sans Harry, who confessed he really wanted to see what the Black Magic had done to her – there wasn't anything they could do to arrange such an event, not even when Draco suggested having it at Daphne's place or taking it somewhere else.
However, there was another reason for the reluctance to have a party.
In the days following the Order's return, Harry seemed to go off in his own world from time to time.
While the others read from materials from the Black Archive, with added help from Sirius, Dobby and Kreacher that gave them training dummies and even practice wands they could use to perfect their spells without being affected by the Trace, Harry seemed to become lost in thought.
Most of the time, he just sat in his high-backed chair, his fingers interlaced while his eyes were closed, a deep, thoughtful expression on his face.
At other times, he'd be watching the others at work, but his fingers would be drumming on the table in a beat of four.
He didn't even seem to notice he was doing it and, nine times out of ten, when one of the Knights spoke to him, he was as blank as a canvas.
None of them knew what was going on in his head, but given the fact he was one of the few in the house who felt like he was surrounded by enemies and dangers on all sides, not to mention nuisances, annoyances, unworthies and unwelcome elements, they could guess.
Yes, they could guess, but none of them knew for sure.
And that made them more-worried than anything else.
Chapter 6 and Harry seems to have gone beyond the point of being willing to offer any more chances, but now he appears to have crossed that line, what's happened to him to make him so…lost, if only on the inside?
Also, as the summer continues, will others finally get the point that he's done holding back or will they tickle a sleeping dragon and wind up facing a firestorm of Armageddon proportions?
Keep Reading to Find Out
Next Chapter: As the summer continues, two sisters discuss one of them having strange thoughts and feelings for Harry, but will she be able to find the strength to share this with him? And, if so, will he let her in? Also, three members of the house become another year older, but one doesn't deserve his life and another seems to be capable of being in any mood except a celebratory one;
Please Read and Review
AN: Last of Last Chances
Also, I remember how, back when I first came up with this idea, a lot of you were annoyed at how Harry kept giving chances to his enemies; well, this time, his last of last chances is simply out of the biggest of all human instincts.
Self-preservation.
He hates the Order with a vengeance – especially Potter, Granger, Potter Jnr, She-Potter, Dumbledore, Lupin and, now, Tonks too – but, he's only been Sirius' son for a short time and he's not yet ready to openly declare open warfare on the Order, to the point where he is willing to fight them in open mortal combat.
So, instead, he's keeping the peace – strained and on thin, heavily-cracked ice as it may be – while he grows stronger.
After all: keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
There; hope that placates some of you out there.